Suffolk Archives invites people to donate Platinum Jubilee souvenirs for ‘memory box’

As the county prepares to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Suffolk Archives is inviting the public to contribute souvenirs from their celebrations.

From Monday 6 June, people can donate items such as photographs, postcards, programmes, invitations and leaflets from local events.

After past royal events, the public has donated a variety of physical and digital items. With the Platinum Jubilee being a rare event in British history, this is an opportunity for local people to help build on the Archives’ existing 900-year records, providing valuable research content for future generations.

Photo – Suffolk Archives

Councillor Bobby Bennett added:

“We are encouraging people of all ages to help us capture Suffolk’s celebrations this summer, be it a family gathering, a performance, a school or village festival or a street party. Part of the Archives’ job is to gather a ‘living history’ and any mementos of the celebrations could help us to create a lasting record of how our county marked the Platinum Jubilee – a major historic occasion.”

Bridget Hanley, Senior Archivist at Suffolk Archives, said:

“Suffolk Archives is the county’s memory box. Our collections cover over 900 years of the county’s history, although not everything we collect is old. Our so-called contemporary collecting means that we gather material about important events now, such as everyone’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

“We are inviting people from all backgrounds to share their own stories and become part of Suffolk’s history. So please hold on to your materials and donate them to us after Jubilee weekend.”

Digital content can be submitted online via the website, and hard copy posters, postcard and similar materials can be brought into local branches in Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and Lowestoft. All donations will be subject to assessment, as archivists can only keep the best quality materials and need to prevent duplication of items. Items cannot be returned.

For more information and to submit digital content visit the Suffolk archives website

Email any questions to suffolk.remembers@suffolk.gov.uk or call 01473 296666.