Skip navigation

enquiries@harveysfoundrytrust.org.uk | 01736 757683

ARCHIVE PROJECT - Introduction & Aims

Introduction & Aims

An Introduction

Harvey's Foundry Trust developed from the local community recognising the need to preserve, protect and promote its heritage and a long standing objective has been the creation of a community archive project. There is a wealth of material based on Harvey's Foundry, Copperhouse Foundry, and of Hayle itself but at the moment this is currently held in various locations and is inaccessible to the public.

This material ranges from photographs, plans for engines, telegrams, newspaper clippings, maps, ledges, reference books, log books and provides valuable insight, not only into industrial history but also the history of Hayle itself.

A subgroup of Harvey's Foundry Trust, the Archive Group is working in partnership with Cornwall County Council (CCC) Records Office to collate and cataloguing this material creating a 'centre of excellence' to which researchers, historians and any interested persons will come as their first stop when seeking to learn about the history of Hayle.

The collection will be catalogued, preserved and eventually digitised and even made available online linking into the Harvey's Foundry Trust's website. This work will be mainly undertaken through volunteers who will be trained in the specialist skills needed to undertake this task.

The centre of excellence is based at the Brewery Office in Sea Lane, this grade 2 * listed structure was in a dilapidated condition. But it was rescued from collapse through a partnership between Harvey's Foundry Trust, Penwith District Council and Paul Stevens utilising a grant form Hayle Townscape Heritage Initiative the building has been lovingly resorted to its former glory - this will now be the base for Hayle Community Archive.

This archive will only succeed with the help of local volunteers so we need your help - volunteers can work as many hours as they want and full training will be provided as long as you are passionate about the history of your town we want to hear from you!

Hayle Community Archive welcomes printed material of all kinds relating to Hayle - if in doubt contact us on 01736 757683.

Project Summary, Aims & Priorities

The overall aim of this project is to collate and archive documents/photographs etc that relate to Hayle in one user friendly space allowing the material to be viewed by the general public becoming the centre of excellence for the history of Hayle.

Project Aims:

Project Priorities:

  1. In partnership with CCC Records Office create administrative controls and documents e.g. acquisition policies.
  2. In partnership with CCC Records Office develop training programme for volunteers.
  3. Collate, catalogue and archive all the documents this to be done to the national cataloguing standards.
  4. Digitising the documents so they can be held online on a searchable database that can be accessed through the Harvey's Foundry website and linked to other search engines.
  5. Expand the volunteer base and involve local people through a series of open days, a presence during Hayle History week, exhibitions also possibility of running an oral history project.
  6. Engage with other community groups especially those relating to history and archaeology.
  7. Forge links with local schools, colleges and universities.

HARVEY'S FOUNDRY TRUST, John Harvey House, 24 Foundry Square, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 4HH

Registered in England No. 4764003

Registered Charity No. 1112920


Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional Valid CSS 2.1

Some Archive Images

View closeup of image [use Back Button to return] View closeup of image [use Back Button to return] View closeup of image [use Back Button to return]