Collection: National Motor Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  General history of all collections

  Collecting for a museum of motoring began in 1952 when the enterprising Edward, Third Baron Montagu of Beaulieu opened his ancestral home Palace House to the public and placed five cars on display in the entrance hall. This was a tribute to his father John Scott Montagu, who had been a motoring pioneer. The first Montagu Motor Museum was opened in 1956, relocated to enlarged and improved accommodation by 1959. The Beaulieu Museum Trust, which soon became the National Motor Museum Trust (NMMT) was established by Edward Montagu in 1969, marking the transition from a private museum to a charitable trust with a new independent museum. The National Motor Museum (NMM) opened to great public acclaim in 1972. All NMMT collections were Designated in 1997 as being of national and international significance.

  In addition to Edward Montagu, the following figures have exerted considerable influence on the development of Collections, from around 1962 to the present day:

  • Eric Bellamy; the first Reference Librarian.
  • Michael Sedgwick; the first Curator (of all Collections).
  • Derek Maidment, past Curator of Exhibits (Objects).
  • Michael Ware; past Photographer, Curator and latterly Director of the NMMT.
  • Andy Lane; past Director of the NMMT.
  • Nick Georgano; past Reference Librarian, member of the NMMT Advisory Council and eminent motoring historian.
  • Phillip Scott; past Manager of both the Motoring Picture Library (MPL) and the Film & Video Library.
  • Jon Day, current Manager of MPL.
  • Stephen Vokins, past Manager of the Film & Video Library.
  • Doug Hill; current Chief Engineer and Museum Manager (Vehicle Collection).
  • Mandy Schaller, current Curator of Photography.
  • Annice Collette past, and Caroline Johnson present, Reference Librarians.
  • Andrea Bishop past Curator and current Director of Collections (all Collections).
  • Gail Stewart-Bye current Curator of Objects (and some Vehicle Collection Management).
  • Management of the Motoring Archives have been impacted by lack of continuity in regard to staffing, with several Archivists having working on the Collection for relatively short periods.
  • NMMT Advisory Council members (Vehicle Collection).

  Acquisitions have been guided by a Collecting Policy since 1982 and later updates have sought to fill identified gaps in the collection and respond to exhibition needs. Until an acquisition budget was first established in October 1998, lack of funds prevented active collecting in line with the Collecting Policy. Reliance upon a donation-led object acquisition programme created a degree of imbalance, especially in the Object, Photographic and Reference Library Collections.

  The rate of collecting from the late 1980s to the present has slowed significantly in comparison to earlier decades. There are several reasons for this decline in collecting, and they change over time. Initial slowing was possibly due to external factors such as supply, as items dating back to the beginning of the 20th Century and earlier became less common and more expensive. Since 2000 slowing has been due to internal factors, as part of a deliberate policy to target, collect less, care more, enhance access and adopt a prudent financial outlook. From around the same time, there has been a deliberate policy to broaden the interest of the NMMT’s holdings to potentially wider audiences by engaging more fully with the social history aspects of motoring. Current aspirations to develop rather than extend the Collections, and in this process also undertake rationalisation exercises, is a more sustainable approach to managing available resources.

  A historic segregation of collections and services into separate departments within the NMMT prevented strategic management and hindered professional curatorial input.

  From January 2007 there was increased potential for a more connected approach to managing collections when the post of Director of Collections was established within an overall Curatorial and Collections Department. From that time the NMMT has been working towards a more integrated outlook for all its collections, and this development is ongoing.

  Significant rationalisation and disposal exercises have taken place and these are detailed below for each collection. None have been financially motivated.

  All of the NMMT Collections have digital aspects. A digitisation programme commenced in 2000 on the Photographic Collection, and from 2003 our Photographer was generating born digital material. A Digital Collecting Policy has been drafted which follows the structure of this document. It was thought to be more practical and useful to present this as a separate entity towards the end of this document, rather than being fully assimilated and distributed throughout it.

  History of the Vehicle Collection

  The NMM’s world famous Vehicle Collection grew from the beginnings outlined above. Since 1972 when the doors of the NMM first opened, there have effectively been three strands to this Collection:

  • Vehicles owned by NMMT
  • Vehicles owned by Beaulieu Enterprises Ltd (BEL), on long-term loan to the NMMT
  • Vehicles loaned by corporate bodies and private individuals, facilitating responsive change to the display and boosting temporary exhibitions

  There have been several phases of review and rationalisation, following MA guidelines, as part of a long-term process of refinement. This strategy has helped us align the vehicle and motorcycle collections more closely with the collecting policy, including those which came on long-term loan from BEL. The latter is augmented by Vehicle Key Lists (see separate Appendices A. & B.), created by our Advisory Council of learned specialists, outlining the vehicles considered worthy of being in a national collection. The motoring knowledge and significance information contained in the Key Lists help inform the decision-making process in relation to vehicular acquisitions and disposals.

  The NMMT Advisory Council met quarterly until being dissolved in November 2017 and was then replaced by the Historical Advisory Panel, which all members agreed to join. The essential difference between these two bodies was that the Council would meet formally to discuss all matters relating to our Collections, whereas the Panel would be available to contact for advice and support, as required.

  There have been two disposal events from the Vehicle Collection following a review to assess significance, reduce items in storage and reduce volume of vehicles on display to improve interpretation:

  • 2003 car review resulting in 9 disposals
  • 2004 motorcycle review resulting in 11 disposals

  History of the Object Collection

  Like the Vehicle and Motorcycles, the Object (Automobilia) Collection has its roots in the private collecting of Edward Montagu. From 1972 onwards, the NMMT continued to develop the Object Collection, with a focus on items manufactured or used in the UK. There was a boom in collecting during the 1980s and early 1990s. Operating within our collecting policies, there has been a deliberate shift in focus over the years, to ensure a representative and balanced collection. Up to the late 1990s the collecting bias was focussed towards pre-war garage material. Several private and commercial garage clearances were undertaken over the years to source the Motorworks 1938 garage display. This was completed in March 1997 and there is little requirement for additional material. Items are permanently fixed within this display however, rendering them inaccessible for study, educational and project work.

  Over-collection of pre-1939 vehicle components and accessories to source items for the Motorworks display, including its period scrapheap, caused over-duplication and a distinctive skew in the Object Collection. It was heavily biased to the pre-Second Word War period, dominated by collectables relating to car maintenance and wedded to a car- centred rather than people-centred approach. Vehicle components and accessories were also collected to potentially fulfil vehicle maintenance requirements and much of this material was kept within the Object Collection store which led to confusion over its status. From 2002 a steady review and disposal process took place of all non-

  accessioned garage collectables, set dressing materials and potential spare parts. A large amount of surplus material was disposed of, including poor quality items which had been collected to set-dress the scrap heap, and NMM Engineers relocated items then defined as spare parts to the workshops. This started a process of significant improvement in the storage conditions and physical accessibility of the Object Collection.

  At the same time a purposeful shift was made in Object Collecting, away from the car for its own sake and towards considering its impact and relevance to our daily lives. This met a planned objective to add more social context and could be considered as moving out of the garage, into the home, and then the world beyond. This adjustment in collecting priorities is illustrated by the contrasting left and right images below.

  Since 2002 we have been guided by the following collecting themes in the Object Collection, which are illustrated in the images below:

  • Families and motoring
  • Women and motoring
  • Post Second World War
  • Popular Culture, to include
    • TV and movies
    • Youth culture
    • Music

  By 2015 the Object Collection had achieved a satisfactory representation of most aspects of motoring, allowing consideration of improvement through refining the quality of what we have, for the first time.

  History of the Reference Library Collection

  Based on his father’s collection of motoring books and journals, Lord Montagu formed the Reference Library in 1960 and formally opened it on 28 April 1961. On establishing the NMMT in 1969, Lord Montagu loaned his embryonic Library, to supplement the material which would subsequently be collected by the new charitable body. The Library has grown substantially over the years to become one of the largest resources of its type in Europe, covering cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles and including horse-drawn carriage material dating from the 1880s onwards. The majority of the Collection is in English but also includes a number of foreign language publications.

  The Library has had a number of key acquisitions since it was founded including the following donations:

  • Harold Pratley Bequest, 1967 (Montagu Collection)
  • A.W.F. Smith, 1968 (Montagu Collection)
  • I.R. Lloyd-Jones, 1970 (NMMT Collection)
  • Vauxhall Motors, 1973 (NMMT Collection)
  • Brian Peck, 1987 (NMMT Collection)
  • Ford Motor Company, 1991 (NMMT Collection)
  • David Benson, 2001 (NMMT Collection)
  • L.J.K. Setright, 2007 (NMMT Collection)

  Contemporary collecting takes place by default in the Reference Library, as the latest editions of periodicals enter the collection and new books are acquired.

  There have been two significant disposals from the NMMT Library in recent years, which have consisted of non-accessioned material. Nevertheless due process was implemented following MA guidelines:

  • Disposal of duplicate car sales brochures took place from the Reference Library Collection in late 2005, to create more space for the remaining and future collection.
  • 6,037 duplicate books, magazines, auction catalogues, sales brochures and handbooks sold in November 2011.
  • 851 journals consisting of 514 bound volumes and 337 loose copies were transferred to the accredited Internal Fire Museum of Power, Wales on 20 April 2015. These titles were general technical material rather than motoring and as such were identified as being outside of our collecting remit.

  Early Collecting Policies provided a brief statement to guide collecting in all “Libraries”, relating to material which would subsequently be considered as Reference Library, Archive, Photographic and Film & Video Collections. The 2005-2010 Collecting Policy was the first to offer specific guidance for these distinct collections.

  History of the Archive Collection

  The Motoring Archives originated within the Reference Library Collection. By 2003, it had become clear that the collections management needs of this growing resource could not be properly met by considering them an aspect of the Reference Library, and the Archive became a Collection in its own right.

  As stated above, the archival holdings grew without reference to a clear policy until the 2005 Collecting Policy was written. The current document will build on that baseline, to help guide collection development in a more defined way and realign the Archives with the NMMT’s key objectives.

  History of the Photographic Collection

  The roots of the Photographic Collection can be traced to Lord Montagu’s father who took and used photographic images for editorial and personal use. It became a discrete Collection in 1962 and developed with no particular policy in place until collections management strategy established the post of Curator of Photography in 2000, with grant aid from the Designation Challenge Fund. By 2005 a clearer Collecting Policy was established for the Photographic Collection, which the current document will consolidate. At the time of writing the Photographic Collection is in its 15th year of curatorial management; prior to that the Collection was fragmented and lacking in historical information regarding its acquisition.

  The Photographic Collection provides the primary resource for the NMMT Motoring Picture Library (MPL) (though not all MPL material is derived from, nor part of it). This commercial bias significantly influenced collecting, led to lack of provenance and historical information, absence of documentation and resulted in some collections being broken up and albums being dismantled. The focus was on the image alone, and the object was considered relatively unimportant. Continued investment in the stewardship of this Collection by the NMMT, has helped shift the inherited focus from servicing MPL with commercially viable images, to fully embracing the notions of historical significance

  and social relevance of both the image and photographic medium.

  Contemporary collecting has always been a feature of the Photographic Collection, as new images have been created by the NMMT Photographer, and these became digital from March 2003. In May 2003 a policy decision was made to remove any cellulose nitrate negatives, due to their inherently unstable composition. 9 negatives (representing a negligible percentage of the Collection) were subsequently identified, scanned and then destroyed.

  Most recent key acquisitions (all purchases) for the Photographic Collection are:

  • Dec 2009; an album by noted photographer Richard H. LeSesne, depicting Major Henry Segrave breaking the World Land Speed Record in the 1000hp Sunbeam car, which is in the Museum’s Collection. This was the first vehicle to officially exceed 200mph/321.86kph, a feat achieved at Daytona Beach, Florida on 29th March 1927.
  • August 2012; a photograph album produced by the Rootes Group documenting the Jubilee Anniversary Cavalcade of the British Motoring Industry in 1946.
  • May 2013; six leather bound albums contain images by well-known professional motoring photographer W.J. Brunell (1878-1965). The albums document the motorsport achievement of his daughter Kitty and her husband K.N. Hutchison.
  • June 2014; the Peskett Collection of 469 charabanc postcards, purchased as part of the Caravans & Charabancs project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, exploring how social and technological changes during the First World War led to a revolution in leisure motoring following the cessation of hostilities.
  • November 2014; a Souvenir of Automobile Club 1,000 Mile Trial, 23 April to 12 May 1900 photograph album produced by eminent photographer Albert Argent Archer, supported by a member of the NMMT’s Beaulieu 100 club.

  History of the Film & Video Collection

  The Film, Video and Sound Collection was established at the NMMT in 1979. Originally an offshoot of the Reference Library, the Collection was initially comprised of material collected by the Montagu family including personal family films, footage of events at Beaulieu and documentaries featuring Beaulieu and the Motor Museum. In 1980, the “Sound and Film Library” – as it was then called – secured the deposit of a loaned-in film collection from Ford of Britain. This comprised nearly 1,000 items and has been increased over the years to total more than 2,000.

  The collecting focus during earlier years was on British motor manufacturers, many of whom were ceasing trading or changing ownership in the 1980s. Obtaining loaned-in material from these sources was in fact a rescue mission, to avoid motor manufacturers’ film and video material being destroyed. In addition, a number of private motoring- themed collections were obtained, again on a loaned-in basis, such as the Rivers- Fletcher Collection. Initially audio material was actively sought in addition to film, though the active collection of the former apparently ceased in the early 1980s – possibly as digital video technology became more accessible and the visual media took more precedence.

  In common with other non-vehicular collections, the Collecting Policy of 2005-2010 was the first to offer very brief written guidance for Film and Video acquisitions. Like the Photographic Collection, a strong emphasis on the commercial use of the Film & Video has led to collections management issues not being fully addressed. Cataloguing work has been focussed on commercial viability of content, leading to incomplete and overly subjective records being created. In order to address these issues, the post of Film &

  Video Curator was established in 2013, facilitated by partnership funding from the Beaverbrook Foundation for a three year contract. This Collections Development Policy therefore, is the first acquisition document to be informed by a well-defined policy from a dedicated Film & Video Curator.

  Cellulose nitrate films comprised a minor proportion of the Collection films and were kept in separate storage on the Beaulieu Estate until 2013. Following a review of operations, Trustees ruled that this would be more suitably stored at a custom-built external third party facility and the material was relocated. NMMT now has a policy of not accommodating cellulose nitrate-based film.

  Unlike the other Collections, only a small proportion of the Film & Video material is wholly owned (i.e. both physical object and assigned intellectual property rights) by the NMMT. The majority of holdings are held loaned-in or hosted collections. Agreements are in place in relation to intellectual property rights for much of the remaining material which enables the commercial trading arm of the NMMT to licence out the use of clips by third party clients.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2019

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  General overview of all collections

  The Collections of the NMM tell the story of the history of motoring in Britain from its very earliest days. The principal exhibits in the NMM are its vehicles, which are complemented by the motoring objects and important supporting collections of books, photographs, film and documents. The latter three collections could be considered as archival holdings, though operational reasons make it more appropriate for each to be looked at separately and discussed through the body of this document. The NMMT considers that the Vehicle and Object Collections represent the core holdings.

  Documentation backlogs in all NMM Collections are being addressed by implementation of the NMMT Documentation Plan.

  Throughout the NMM Collections, the history of the motoring experience, motor sport and speed record-breaking are key themes and represent a major strength. This includes items related to notable motoring and motor sport personalities.

  There are points of difference between some NMM collections in relation to collecting boundaries:

  • The vehicles and objects are considered to be the Museum’s core collections. The collecting remit is primarily targeted to the theme of motoring in Great Britain. This is closely allied to the Display and Interpretation Policies.
  • The non-vehicular items (bibliographic material, archive, photographic, film and video material) are considered to be the Museum’s supporting collections. The collecting remit is to acquire items related to the theme of motoring primarily in Great Britain, but also the rest of the world. This is closely allied to the Reference Collections, Research Service and Education Policies which are international in scope.

  Items categorised as vehicle spare parts must have little or no historical value. Such items are acquired solely for the purposes of maintaining vehicles and are not accessioned.

  The NMMT Contemporary and Digital Collecting Strategy, which is complementary to this document, provides an overview of the NMMT digital holdings.

  The NMMT has a handling collection, which has had several phases of development. Initially funded by a Clore Duffield grant in 2002, 12 schools loan boxes were created and evaluated by local schools as a pilot project. Another phase of development coincided with a Designation Challenge Funded touring exhibition and outreach project entitled High Days & Holidays, from 2006-2008. At that time a further 8 boxes were made around the touring exhibition theme, to enhance the learning experience for school venues and also for use in reminiscence sessions with the elderly. The handling collection was generated by purchasing items specifically for that use and also from non- accessioned duplicate material from the main collection. It is a learning resource, containing items which can be regarded as disposable through wear and tear and is not suitable to be accessioned.

  Overview of the Vehicle Collection

  The Vehicle Collection illustrates motoring on the roads and race tracks of Great Britain. It largely reflects, but is not confined to, vehicles which have been manufactured in Great Britain. This Collection normally totals 260 to 280 exhibits; this fluctuation arises from the presence of loaned in cars and motorcycles which augment the permanent Collection by providing changing elements and supporting temporary exhibitions. At the time of writing there were:

  • 184 cars/commercial vehicles in the Collection;
    • 48% owned by the NMMT
    • 21% owned by BEL (Beaulieu Enterprises Limited) and on long-term loan to the NMMT under the terms of a Management Agreement and a loan agreement.
    • 31% on loan from other organisations and private individuals, for periods ranging between one to five years.
  • 98 motorcycles in the Collection;
    • 45% owned by the NMMT
    • 22% owned by BEL
    • 33% on long term loan from other organisations and private individuals.

  Overview of the Object Collection

  The NMMT permanent Object Collection consists of approximately 46,000 items at the time of writing. This is augmented by the Edward Montagu Collection of 1,100 items and other loaned items totalling around 550.

  We believe that the Object Collection is now relatively comprehensive and well balanced, able to tell many aspects of the motoring story in Great Britain.

  The vehicle components and accessories which form a major strength of the Object Collection include car and motorcycle engines, and gearboxes, etc, several of which are sectioned. The value of these major components is technical/educational, and there is limited opportunity at present for using them in learning or display programmes. Any future acquisitions must be tempered by consideration of how and where they will be used. The car accessories cover a wide spectrum, from lamps to foot-warmers and picnic trays. Manufacturers’ and accessory mascots well represented, with over 450 examples in the Collection, including Lalique and Charles Sykes Spirit of Ecstasy.

  Objects which relate to the driving experience are also important parts of this collection, including navigation aids, road-side furniture and signage, garage material and petroliana (petrol and oil related collectables). A notable aspect of the motoring experience is specialist clothing and the NMM has a well-developed costume collection.

  The impact of motoring beyond the roads is illustrated with the popularity of themed toys and games, children’s books, model and pedal cars, household and decorative items.

  This popular culture strand extends to the collecting of items related to vehicles represented in film and television. The social history of leisure motoring is a key collecting theme, including picnic hampers, advertising, ephemera and camping and caravanning items and it is estimated to comprise of approximately 15,000 items.

  World Land Speed Record Breaking and motor sport events and competition are significant aspects of collecting, especially where items relate to vehicles in the Collection, significant personalities or events. The Land Speed Collection of objects includes approximately 400 models, toys, pedal cars, team overalls, personal items, and important trophies.

  The history of the Veteran Car Club London to Brighton Run and the film Genevieve which popularised the old car movement are also of great relevance.

  Other collections of significance include the Badge Collection of over 1,000 items, ranging from Brooklands pin badges, car club, motoring association and motor sport event car badges and plaques.

  The NMM has a small collection of decorative and fine art, constrained by the high price of acquiring such material.

  Overview of the Reference Library Collection

  The main subjects covered by the Reference Library Collection include:

  • Cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles – whether petrol-engined, electrically- powered or steam driven
  • Garages, petrol stations, motels and motorway services
  • Leisure and holiday motoring, including caravanning and camping
  • Long distance travel and endurance motoring/motorcycling
  • Motoring Legislation, environment and road safety
  • Motoring social history, art and automobilia
  • Motorsport events and record-breaking
  • Personalities
  • Roads including design, construction and signage
  • Toys and models
  • Transport museums and collections
  • Vehicle design, components, coachbuilding, manufacturing and motoring accessories
  • Vehicles in film and television

  At the time of writing, the total number of items in the Reference Library Collection is 299,894, comprised as follows:

  • 13,517 books, the majority of which are out of print
  • 6,783 bound volumes of periodicals
  • 90,547 unbound loose periodicals
  • 66,512 sales material items, including brochures and press packs featuring cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, motor homes and caravans
  • Digital collections are limited to a small collection of promotional CDs and DVDs, both boxed and loose, prepared by various car manufacturers. They have not been listed or catalogued and number approximately 500.
  • 43,905 vehicle manufacturers press releases
  • 23,503 instruction books/handbooks for cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles
  • 7,719 workshop manuals for cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles
  • 9,490 event programmes
  • 2,624 auctioneers catalogues
  • 34,794 miscellaneous items, including reports, road statistics, traffic acts, microfiches, technical sheets etc – anything that doesn’t comfortably fit into the other categories

  The Library is an important resource for researching other Collections and for supporting developing of exhibitions, education and outreach programmes. It also provides the core material for the Research and Enquiries Service.

  Overview of the Archive Collection

  The Motoring Archives hold collections connected with the history of motoring in Great Britain and internationally. The collections are largely paper-based and at the time of writing consist of an estimated 303 record groups, equating to 300 linear metres, of which 40% are catalogued to at least collection level. The Archives receive donations on an intermittent basis and are largely paper-based.

  The Archives hold collections connected with the history of motoring in Great Britain and internationally and are well used as part of the Research and Enquiries Service. They consist of:

  • Personal papers
  • Technical papers and drawings
  • Blueprints
  • Business records
  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Advertisements
  • Artwork
  • Press clippings
  • Scrapbooks
  • Indentures
  • Patents
  • Diaries
  • Menus
  • Apprenticeship records
  • Scripts

  The main subjects covered by the Archives include:

  • Early motoring
  • Motoring businesses, including commercial garages
  • Manufacturing
  • Motoring personalities
  • Motorcycles
  • Record breaking
  • Motor sport
  • Vehicle design
  • Vehicle and road safety
  • Alternative fuels
  • Motoring organisations and clubs
  • Chauffeurs
  • Motoring journalism
  • Road development
  • Art and motor vehicles
  • The National Motor Museum/Montagu Motor Museum
  • The Montagu family (in connection to motoring. The Montagu Family Archives are held in a separate Collection and are outside the remit of the NMMT and this Policy.)

  The strength of the collection lies in its variety and highlights include:

  • Carless, Capel and Leonard collection – clippings, account books, company records and advertisements for the distilling and oil refining business
  • Bradley collection – artwork produced as part of an AA survey of the London to Istanbul International Highway
  • The papers of motor sport personalities such as Peter Collins, John Gott, Eddie Hall and Morna Lloyd Vaughan
  • The papers of speed record breaking personalities such as Malcolm and Donald Campbell, George Eyston, Henry Segrave
  • Technical papers relating to 1960s Bluebird CN7

  Overview of the Photographic Collection

  The Photographic Collection includes photographic prints, negatives, colour transparencies, lantern slides, postcards, photographic albums and born digital still images. It expands through acquisition in the normal way, but also grows as the NMMT Photographer produces born digital contemporary images.

  Subject coverage is extensive, illustrating the history of motoring from the earliest steam cars of the 19th century to new models being launched today. It includes cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles, the motor industry, technology, motor sport, speed record breaking, pioneers and a wide range of motoring and motor sport personalities. Events of national, historical, sporting and cultural importance also feature. Social change is charted over time, with images of leisure motoring, family and fashion. The evolution of our urban landscape is evidenced, along with issues such as recycling and the environment. The use of the vehicle in times of war is also covered.

  At the time of writing, the total number of items in the Photographic Collection is 1,073,898 comprised as follows:

  1. Physical items (1,068,277);

  • 699,634 film negatives
  • 23,645 glass negatives
  • 99,663 transparencies
  • 242,444 individual prints
  • 492 albums
  • 80 framed prints
  • 1,749 lantern slides
  • 16 glass positives
  • 504 Postcards

  2. Digital items (5,621);

  • 5,284 born digital individual images
  • 8 digitally reproduced albums (produced from physical items loaned to NMMT for digital reproduction)
  • 329 digitally reproduced individual images (produced from physical items loaned to NMMT for digital reproduction)

  Overview of the Film & Video Collection

  At the time of writing, the total holdings of the Film & Video Collection total 45,599 items, comprised as follows:

  • 7,322 cans of film masters on acetate film stock;Significant collections include Ford, Vauxhall, Rootes Group, Group, Metropolitan Police, AA, and Dunlop. The Collection also holds rare footage from the Campbell family covering Land Speed Record attempts and more intimate family material.
  • 4,503 duplicate films;Including rushes, cuts and trims as well as copy prints of master material
  • 6,587 Meridian/TVS News films;A local television company’s news film archive, stored under an arrangement in which items are digitised for their use on demand. This agreement is currently under review (see 5. below).
  • 12,520 Top Gear video;A hosted collection of video masters deposited in 2004, containing unedited footage from the BBC programme dating between 1988 and 2002.
  • 1,404 Top Gear audio;Digital Audio Tapes (DAT) relating to the above hosted video collection.
  • 3,590 video broadcast masters;Master material on a variety of professional video formats including 2 inch and 1 inch video.
  • 8,640 other video collection;Predominantly digital copies of material elsewhere held on film within the Collection. This includes material held on external hard drives.
  • 1,033 audio tapes/vinyl records;Including original recorded interviews, soundtrack albums and singles, and broadcast masters

  Collection content spans the period from 1900 to the present day. Early motoring is not well represented, largely reflecting the paucity of footage from that period and similarly there is little material from 2000 onwards. Most material dates between 1950 and 1999. The bulk of Collection focusses upon British motoring topics and so chimes with the key aims of the NMMT. It is largely promotional material produced by British motoring manufacturers. Themes encompassed include British vehicle manufacturer model launches, technological innovation in motoring, motor sport (including motorcycles), tyre production, Land Speed Record attempts, road development and safety, policing and roadside assistance.

  Films are held in 8mm, Super 8, 9.5mm, 16mm and 35mm gauges, though 16mm is by far the most common gauge. A broad range of video formats can be found across the Collection but are predominantly 2 and 1 inch reel-to-reel video, Betacam SP, Digital Beta, VHS and U-matic. The audio material is spread across quarter inch reel-to-reel tape, audio cassettes and vinyl records.

  There is a tendency to retain duplicate material, since particular films may have out- takes, along with both mute and sound recorded versions.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2019

  Licence: CC BY-NC