The Temple of Peace heritage collections and archives include:
- Digitised Records – over 5,000 digitised documents from the Temple of Peace and Wales’ Peace Heritage ‘story’, were digitised by volunteers over 2014-19, and continue to be added to, at:
- People Collection Wales – Cymru dros Heddwch / Wales for Peace account
- Flickr Channel ‘Cymru dros Heddwch / Wales for Peace’
- View our Digital Archives and Collections page for links to YouTube, Soundcloud and other social media resources.
- Exhibition items and artefacts displayed throughout the Temple of Peace. WCIA offer guided ‘Temple Tours’ exploring the story of this remarkable national monument.
- 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.
- The Temple Archives are split between the Library and the Attic of the Temple. WCIA’s Heritage Advisor can facilitate enquiries or support appointments to view materials. Scroll down to view the Temple Archives Catalogue.
- 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).
Overview of the Temple of Peace Archives and Collections
In Spring 2017, Temple of Peace Volunteering Archivist Mari Lowe undertook a detailed Research Report into 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. Organisations who have operated from the Temple include:
- The Welsh League of Nations Union (WLNU), 1922-45 – including Welsh Education Advisory Committee (WEAC) and Women’s Advisory Committee (WAC).
- The Welsh National Memorial Association (WNMA), 1910-48
- The United Nations Association (UNA) Wales, 1945-2015
- CEWC, the Council for Education in World Citizenship, 1945-2015
- International Youth Service (IYS) Wales, 1950-73
- CND Cymru, the Welsh Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, 1958-present
- UNA Exchange, 1973-present
- Welsh Centre for International Affairs, 1973-present
Archives Catalogue
The Temple archives stored in the attic (over 250 boxes) were catalogued over Summer 2019 by research students Rob Laker (Swansea University) and Emily Franks (Cardiff University) under a GO Wales Placement. The Archives Catalogue can be downloaded here as an Excel Spreadsheet, with four ‘tabs’ to guide users.
Temple Library Collections
Building on previous work by Wales for Peace volunteers, the contents of the Library Cabinets and Shelves are being catalogued by volunteers over 2021-22 . View Flickr album of the Temple Library Shelf Contents .
National Library of Wales ‘Peace Heritage’ Holdings
Pre-WW2 records from the Temple of Peace, as well as founders Lord David Davies of Llandinam and first Organiser Gwilym Davies, are held at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth – following accessions made in the 1960s, 1980s and 2012. These complement a range of related collections relevant to Wales’ Peace Heritage:
- Temple of Peace – Welsh League of Nations Union and United Nations Association Wales records (106 boxes)
• Lord Davies of Llandinam Papers (180 boxes, Peace campaigning 1900s-1944, Temple of Peace, League of Nations)
• Gwilym Davies Papers (12 boxes, Welsh League of Nations Union, Urdd, Peace & Goodwill Message, UNA)
• George M Ll Davies Papers (10 boxes, Conscientious Objection, Peace campaigning, WNMA, League of Nations and Cymdeithas y Cymod) - • Welsh Outlook Magazine, 1914-1933
• CND Cymru Archives (58 boxes)
• Goodwill Message (6 boxes)
• Iain & Thalia Campbell Archive (98 boxes, Greenham Common / CND peace activism)
• Cymdeithas y Cymod (6 boxes)
• Garrett-Jones Peace Archive
• Annie Hughes Griffiths, Womens Peace Memorial and Women’s Advisory Committee to the Welsh League of Nations
• Sir Ben Bowen Thomas (6 boxes) & UNESCO
• Henry Richard (28 volumes), ‘Apostle of Peace’ and founder of UK Peace Society
• Aberystwyth Peace Network (5 boxes)
• Ann Pettitt – Greenham Diaries
WCIA and HLF / Wales for Peace 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.
- Feature article on the ‘Peace & Goodwill Message’ overseas responses by UNA Exchange
- The international volunteers project
- ‘Letters from the past’
Digitised Reference Resources
A wide range of resources essential to the historical and social researcher can now be accessed online, with the progress of digitisation (see WCIA’s digitised peace archives here). Material less than 100 years old is often subject to copyright or data protection / GDPR limitations. The following references may prove useful to researchers of Wales’ Peace Heritage:
- Welsh Newspapers Online
- Welsh Journals Online
- Welsh Outlook Magazine, 1914-1933 – page viewer.
- 1911 Census, National Archives (guide to census records). The next (post-WW1) census data, for 1921, will be released in 2021.
Arranging a Visit to the Temple of Peace Archives
WCIA can offer Archives Workshops, Tours and tailored Talks to visiting groups, on a day rate basis; as well as handling enquiries from researchers seeking to explore the archive materials.
Please email walesforpeace@wcia.org.uk if you would like to arrange a visit, or find out more information. Please note, access is subject to COVID restrictions, and the archives are supported by a team of volunteers.
