Archives and Collections

DIGITISED ARCHIVES overview
People’s Collections Wales
Temple Archives on Flickr

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’, were digitised by volunteers over 2014-19, and continue to be added to, at:
  2. Exhibition items and artefacts displayed throughout the Temple of Peace. WCIA offer guided ‘Temple Tours’ exploring the story of this remarkable national monument.
  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.
    1. View Flickr Album of Library Cabinets and Shelf contents.
  4. 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.
  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).
Mari Lowe puts together one of the archives displays for Temple80. Click to open Mari’s Report

Overview of the Temple of Peace Archives and Collections

In Spring 2017, HLF-funded Temple of Peace 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:

Archives Catalogue

The Attic and Archives Shelves above the Temple of Peace

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) . 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 .

Council Chamber Library Windows and Dome

National Library of Wales ‘Peace Heritage’ Holdings

National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

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:

Welsh League of Nations Union Report, 1927

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.

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:

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

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.

Explore Wales’ ‘Peace Archives’ Online…

The 1920s-30s 'Peace' body HQ'd at the Temple, and one of Wales' biggest social networks of the interwar era. Digitised materials include Annual Reports, Campaign documents and publications.

WLNU - Welsh League of Nations Union, 1920s-30s
Annual Report and other Archive Materials from the work of UNA through the 1950s-70s

UNA WNC - the United Nations Association (Welsh National Council), 1940s-70s

WCIA, 1973 onwards
The 'Health' wing of the Temple's interwar work, the WNMA was founded in 1910, and was the world's leading body in the fight against TB. After WW2, the WNMA became the Transitional Authority for the Welsh NHS, into which it was absorbed from 1948.

WNMA - Wales National Memorial Association for the Eradication of Tuberculosis

CND Cymru Archives

MDGs Task Force and 'Wales for Africa' (post-devolution)