Archives and Collections

The Temple of Peace heritage collections and archives include:

The Council Chamber Library of Wales’ Temple of Peace

 

  1. Digitised Records – over 5,000 digitised documents from the Temple of Peace and Wales’ Peace Heritage ‘story’, with support of HLF, have been digitised by volunteers over 2014-19 and can be viewed at:
  2. Exhibition items and artefacts displayed around the building. WCIA offer monthly guided ‘Temple Tours’ exploring the story of this remarkable national monument, and the movements inspired by its mission to build a better world.
  3. The Council Chamber Library contains Lord David Davies’ personal collection of books and original writings on peace and internationalism from the
    last 150 years, as well as a number of display cameos including the Welsh Women’s Peace Petition to America of 1923-4. There are also book collections and references from organisations based at the Temple from 1938-today, from the Welsh League of Nations Union and United Nations, to International Youth Volunteering.
  4. The Temple Archives, stored in the attic of the building, are not physically accessible to the public – but from Autumn 2019 we hope to offer the opportunity for researchers to request items for viewing by appointment (scroll down to view ‘archives catalogue’).
  5. Archives Repositories. Many older records from the Temple of Peace and its constituent organisations are held at the National Library of Wales Archives in Aberystwyth (see below for further details), as well as Glamorgan Archives and some other county records offices (see Archives Wales for listings).

Temple of Peace Archivist 2016-18, Mari Lowe puts together one of the archives displays for Temple80

Overview of the Temple of Peace Archives and Collections

In Spring 2017, Temple Archivist Mari Lowe (now based at the Museum of Cardiff) undertook a detailed Research Report into all Archives and Heritage Objects held at the Temple of Peace. This is an invaluable resource for understanding the breadth of materials held in WCIA’s collections, and identifying objects of potential interest.

The organisations who have worked from the Temple, and whose records can be found here, include:

National Library of Wales

National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth hold a wide range of collections relevant to Wales’ Peace Heritage – not least many older records from the Temple of Peace, our founder Lord David Davies of Llandinam and first Organiser Gwilym Davies, substantial accessions of which were made to NLW in the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and  2012:

WCIA and Wales for Peace also financed a project between UNA Exchange and the Urdd, to involve Welsh and international volunteers in working together to uncover a ‘peace camp’ in Summer 2017 in Aberystwyth, exploring archives held at NLW of responses to the Welsh Peace & Goodwill Message from young people around the world in the 1920s-60s.

Temple of Peace Archive Catalogue, 2019

Welsh League of Nations Union Report, 1927

The Temple archives stored in the attic – over 250 boxes!
– have been catalogued over Summer 2019 by research students Rob Laker (Swansea University) and Emily Franks (Cardiff University) for initial searchable access from Autumn 2018 onwards. It is hoped to secure future funding to enable the Temple Archives to become more widely accessible to the public, via the expertise and support of Cardiff University’s Special Collections and Archives team.

The Archives Catalogue will be downloadable as an Excel Spreadsheet, tagged with a wide range of relevant search options; and compiled into the following categories:

  1. Local Affairs / Community Activism and Campaigns – records of community activities eg campaigning, local government, organisations
  2. Temple of Peace & Health – records of the building and organisations who work(ed) here, including:
    a) League of Nations Union and United Nations Association (UNA)
    b) UNA Wales, UNA Welsh National Council (WNC) and UNA Welsh Centre Trust (WCT)
    c) History of International Youth Volunteering
    d) History of International Education

  3. Attic Archives

    Development Education
    a) World Schools Debating Championships
    b) CEWC – Council for Education in World Citizenship
    c) Cyfanfyd

  4. Humanitarian Aid and International Development
  5. European Union – Welsh engagement
  6. Financial Records of WCIA, UNA, UNA Exchange, CEWC, WNMA and other organisations associated with the Temple.

Arranging a Visit to the Temple of Peace Archives

From Autumn 2019, WCIA hope to offer regular monthly ‘Open Doors and Temple Tours’ Days on the last Friday of each month, when Temple and Peace Heritage expert staff or volunteers will be available to support visitors, offer access to handling objects, or assist researchers with finding source materials from the Temple’s collections. These will be advertised on WCIA’s Events pages.

Swansea University Archives Workshop, May 2019 with Dr Tomas Irish, History Dept.

We can also offer Archives Workshops, Tours and tailored Talks to visiting groups, on a day rate basis.

Please email walesforpeace@wcia.org.uk if you would like to arrange a special visit, organise a workshop, wish to request materials or find out more about specific contents of the Temple Archives. Please note that, as we no longer receive HLF funding, we may need to charge to cover staff time for more in depth queries – but we will always endeavour to be of as much help as we offer!