In an upcoming online event, Rebecca Somerset, Province Archivist at the British Jesuit Archives, will explore how the archives have shared their rich collection with a wider audience.

Over recent years, the British Jesuit Archives have showcased many of their treasures not only through in-person events but, more significantly, through online initiatives.

Hosted by Historia Domus, a platform dedicated to Jesuit research and Christianity in South Asia, the talk will take place on Thursday 6 March at 10:00am (London time), and everyone is welcome to join by registering here.

Rebecca, who has overseen the Archives at Mount Street in London since 2014, will provide an overview of the British Jesuit Archives collections before exploring the ways by which she and her colleagues have been making this material more widely accessible.

She will share her experience of using digital platforms, such as creating several digital exhibitions including the notable online exhibition, Hot Holy Ladies, in 2022. This display, created in collaboration with Stonyhurst College, highlighted the courageous Catholic women who supported the Jesuit mission during a time of intense persecution. The Archives’ digital projects have successfully broadened the reach of these historical treasures, making them accessible to people worldwide.

Throughout her presentation, Rebecca will showcase items from the collection that might be of particular interest to a South Asian audience such as the personal papers of the controversial Archbishop Thomas Roberts SJ (1893-1976), Archbishop of Bombay (1937-1950), and early books on China dating to 1736 containing maps and a variety of fascinating copperplates.

The talk will explore the crucial role outreach plays in raising awareness of collections and in helping scholars and the public access archival materials in different ways. It will also examine how online technologies are revolutionizing outreach efforts, enabling access to archives in unprecedented ways.

This event is a must-see for anyone interested in the British Jesuit Archives, what the collection contains, and how material can be accessed.

Rebecca Somerset said: "I feel strongly that archives are meant to be shared. It is exciting that there are so many ways in which this can now be done."

You can download the event flyer from Historia Domus by clicking on the link below.

Banner photo by Mr Cup / Fabien Barral on Unsplash