2023-09-30-accounts

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The Mass Observation Archive Annual Report 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023 Report Number 43 www.massobs.org.uk moa@sussex.ac.uk

Trustees of the Mass Observation Archive

John Brewer Simon Garfield Jane Harvell Kitty Inglis Michelle Johansen Claire Langhamer Lucy Noakes Ben Highmore

Public Benefit Statement

The Archive is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (registered charity number: 1179673) in the care of the University of Sussex as part of the University’s Special Collections. The Archive seeks to benefit the wider community by providing the public with the opportunity to gain knowledge of everyday life in 20[th] and 21[st] Century Britain through access to the original Mass Observation social research organisation (1937 to early 1950s), and newer material collected continuously since 1981.

The Archive proactively engages in educational outreach with schools, Further and Higher Education institutions and the local and national community. This outreach provides the opportunity for intergenerational and interregional learning.

The Archive also provides the opportunity for people all over the UK to participate in the recording of their everyday lives, either through participation in the national Mass Observation Project and other related projects and partnerships or through the donation of their personal papers and diaries to a publicly accessible archive.

Contents	Contents
Public Beneft Statement...............................................................................................2
1.	Access.....................................................................................................................4
2.	Engagement...........................................................................................................4
3.	The 85thAnniversary of Mass Observaton............................................................5
4.	Projects and partnerships......................................................................................6
5.	The 12thMay diary project.....................................................................................7
6.	The Trustees...........................................................................................................8
7.	Staf changes..........................................................................................................8
8.	Volunteers and placement students......................................................................8
9.	The Mass Observaton Project...............................................................................9
10.	Friends of the Mass Observaton Archive...........................................................9
11.	Collectons.........................................................................................................10
12.	Publicatons.......................................................................................................11
13.	Events, talks and conferences...........................................................................12
13.	Media atenton......................................................................................................13
Appendix 1...................................................................................................................15

1. Access

Research visits

118 individuals visited the Mass Observation Archive and made 257 orders for material (see fig.1 and fig.2 in the appendix).

Group sessions

The Mass Observation Archive hosted 52 group visits (appendix fig.3). 289 people participated in these sessions. A list of groups who visited during 2022-2023 is available in Appendix fig.4. The Mass Observation team delivered these sessions online and in person.

Online Access

Researchers continued to be able to access parts of the Archive through the Adam Matthew products, Mass Observation Online and Mass Observation Project Online. The publishers have reported that the Mass Observation Online resource was accessed 28,391 times and the Mass Observation Project resource was accessed 41,421 times. See Section.4, Appendix fig. 5.

2. Engagement

The Education and Outreach offer is now broadly covered by the term engagement. We continued to offer opportunities to engage with the Archive both online and in person at The Keep.

Teaching and learning sessions have included: Bader International School, and University of Sussex students studying, History, English, Social Work, Art History and Education. Careers talks and visits took place for students from Varndean College and BHASVIC at The Keep. Community visits have included; Fresh Start Portslade, Growing Old Disgracefully, Seaford, Horsham U3A and talks have been given to the RH7 Group and the Southwick Society.

The Engagement Manager also delivered outreach workshops in HMP Lewes for Penned Up Festival and co-hosted a public event at All Saints Centre in Lewes showcasing the creative writing of prisoners inspired by the archive materials. A workshop at HMP Lewes was also held for 12[th] May diary day.

Resources are available on the Mass Observation Archive website for schools and community groups to engage with the collections and recorded talks are available on the MO YouTube channel providing introductions to the Archive.

The Engagement Manager designed and delivered the MO85 festival programme which included a diverse range of events and activities and hosted student and work experience placements throughout the year.

Support continued for the public engagement at The Keep with the Engagement Manager contributing to the Public Engagement Group and supporting events such as The Keep’s Open Morning on 16[th] September 2023 for Heritage Open Days.

3. The 85[th] Anniversary of Mass Observation

Mass Observation celebrated 85 years of the Mass Observation movement. To mark this milestone, the Archive launched a festival programme of events and activities exploring the different themes MO has touched upon throughout its history. The MO85 programme has aimed to create an inclusive festival, which celebrates the essence of Mass Observation. The programme ran from March 2022 to August 2023.

As part of these celebrations, the Archive hosted an academic seminar series, alongside, talks, workshops, exhibitions, and online engagement activities.

In summary, the programme included the following activities with statistics taken of online views (correct as of August 2023).

Talks: 7 talks inspired by the archive, 82 people attended. 765 views on You Tube
Seminar series: 11 seminars delivered online, 272 people, 713 views on You Tube
Workshops & events: 13 workshops & events, 216 people attended.
Coronation Project: 223 accounts received of observations, opinions and reflections
12[th] May day-diary event: 267 diaries received.
Social media invites: 100’s posts, reels, stories. Engagement increased across all platforms
Audience: 570 in total for MO85 events
Online You Tube views: 1478

The programme also included recorded talks to watch and listen to via MO’s YouTube channel and other opportunities to take part were framed as invitations to join in various activities via social media.

Events were added each month to the Mass Observation website. htp://www.massobs.org.uk/85. Social media engagement has taken place via Twitter (@MassObsArchive and Instagram (massobsarchive). We have used this opportunity to develop our engagement via these channels as well as creating content for the Mass Observation YouTube channel.

Feedback

"It was magic. I haven't had so much fun in years. I really loved being creative and being with other people. The girls were fantastic."

82 year-old attendee of 1940's Chic event

"This is the best thing I have done in prison. It has reminded me of who I used to be before the drugs and violence. I want to go back to my cell and continue writing. This is who I am." Roman, HMP Lewes,

Penned Up workshop

YouTube videos

Mass Observation team in-conversation about their roles and favourite collections
Fiona Courage in conversation with Dorothy Sheridan
Kirsty Pattrick speaking about her research on Nature and Wellbeing
Mass Observation team in-conversation about 12[th] May day-diary project
Suzanne Rose speaking about Everyday Kindness
MO Seminar series recordings
Mass Observation playlists include;
Mass Observing Royalty
Mental Health and Well Being
Ethics, Observations & Archives
Mass Observation and the everyday

Talks

MO Past & Present Dr Fiona Courage & Prof Dorothy Sheridan
MO Nature & Wellbeing Kirsty Pattrick
MO & 12[th] May MO Team
MO & Royalty Dr Fiona Courage
MO & Menopause Dr Jill Kirby
MO & Everyday Kindness Suzanne Rose
Class of 37 Prof Claire Langhamer and Prof Hester Barron

Webinar series

Mass Observers: responding to the difficult questions, 9[th] November 2022

The ethics of discomfort: Soliciting Mass Observation Project writing on sensitive topics. Renelle McGlacken, University of Nottingham
Narratives of ‘nothing’: avoidance, resistance, and refusal. Nina Lockwood and Susie Scott, University of Sussex

Mass Observing health and wellbeing, 25[th] January 2023

More vulnerable but happier? An exploration of older people’s wellbeing during the first lockdown. David Tross, Birkbeck, University of London
On the change: experiences of menopause in late twentieth century Britain. Jill Kirby, University of Sussex

Leisure in Later Life. Tania Wiseman, Swansea University.

Gathering Qualitative data in times of crisis with Kantar Public, 15[th] March 2023

Leading experts from the Mass Observation Archive and Kantar Public explored the methodologies, approaches, insights and applications from two of the most significant situations to impact our world in recent years: the COVID-19 global pandemic and the war in Ukraine and subsequent mass displacement of a nation.

Kirsty Pattrick and Jessica Scantlebury from the Mass Observation Archive, shared their insights and learnings from the Mass Observation COVID-19 collection.

Yves Fradier and Anne-Sarah Chekaf from Kantar Public, discussed the importance of establishing a longitudinal panel to capture the voices and evolving needs of Ukrainian nationals, displaced from their homes and now forced to establish new lives in their host countries across Europe.

Mass Observing COVID-19 and linguistic analysis: tools for narrative data, 26[th] April 2023

‘Delving into the Mass Observing COVID-19 Wellcome funded project’ Fiona Courage, Jessica Scantlebury, Kirsty Pattrick and Angela Bachini, Mass Observation Archive
‘Conceptual variation in COVID Mass Observation diaries’ Justyna Robinson and Rhys Sandow, University of Sussex

Mass Observing the Coronation, 2[nd] May 2023

Fiona Courage (Mass Observation Archive) and Jen Purcell (Saint Michael's College) announced their new Mass Observation royal anthology for Bloomsbury Academic’s Mass Observation Critical Series. Together with Lucy Curzon (University of Alabama), they outlined plans for Mass Observation’s mobile investigations in and around London over coronation weekend. These investigations are patterned on those undertaken by Mass Observation in 1937 and 1953.

Exploring the Archives: in conversation with Mass Observation and the Archive of Market and Social Research, 3[rd] May 2023

Mass Observation introduced by Jessica Scantlebury and Kirsty Pattrick, and AMSR by Phyllis Macfarlane.
Claire Langhamer, Director of the Institute of Historical Research. She is a social and cultural historian of modern Britain who specialises in the history of everyday life, especially the experiences of women and girls, and the history of feeling. She is a Trustee of the Mass Observation Archive.

David Tross has taught courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level at Birkbeck for 10 years, and currently lectures on Birkbeck's BSc Community Development and Public Policy and BSc Social Science programmes.

Mass Observers: ethics and responsibility, 24[th] May 2023

Disclosure and composure in the Mass Observation Project, 1981 – 2019. Andrew Burchell, University of Warwick
Ethical reflexivity, care and slippery data: lessons from working with the Mass Observation Archive. Corinne van Emmerik, Goldsmiths University of London

Navigating the Mass Observation Archive as a new researcher 28[th] June 2023

A roundtable discussion, hosted by Kirsty Pattrick (Research Manager) and Suzanne Rose (Engagement Manager), with two postgraduate scholars who have used the Mass Observation Archive extensively in their own research. They shared their own varied ways of searching and using this material, and speak about some of their findings.

Jacinta Mallon (CHASE PhD researcher, University of Kent). Jacinta’s thesis examines home-loss in urban Britain during the Second World War, both as a result of the air raids and the British government’s own policy of requisition.
Khaleda Brophy-Harmer (ESRC PhD researcher, University of Southampton) Khaleda’s doctoral research explores the everyday ‘white self’ in England.

Mass Observing the Everyday 20[th] September 2023

Heads, Hearts and Guts: The Emotional Politics of Brexit. Emily Robinson and Jonathan Moss, University of Sussex
Mass Observing everyday literacies: the mundane, profane and profound. Sam Duncan, UCL Institute of Education
Activist, Protestor, Onlooker: Discovering hidden protest stories. Pollyanna Ruiz, University of Sussex

4. Projects and partnerships

Mass Observation Critical Series

The Mass Observation Critical Series is an interdisciplinary publication series published by Bloomsbury. The series aims to make Mass Observation’s rich primary sources accessible to a wide range of academics and students across multiple disciplines, as well as to the general reading public. Books in the series include reissues of original Mass-Observation publications, edited, and introduced by leading scholars in the field, and thematically oriented anthologies of Mass Observation material. The series also facilitates cutting-edge research by established and new

scholars using Mass Observation resources. Publications from this series include so far are Mass Observers Making Meaning: Religion, Spirituality and Atheism in Late 20th-Century Britain by James Hinton, The Biopolitics of Care in Second World War Britain by Kimberly Mair and Mass-Observation: Text, Context and Analysis of the Pioneering Pamphlet and Movement edited by Jennifer Purcell. A total of 366 copies from the series have been sold as of August 2023.

Mass Observing COVID-19

The Archive began work on its 18-month Wellcome-funded project (for £178,353.00) in 2022. This project is opening-up the extensive narrative collection generated by Mass Observation during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this project, a discovery tool is being produced by GeoData (University of Southampton) allowing researchers to interrogate the collection. The tool will enable access to the material, allowing researchers to select relevant documents through searches of meta-data, keywords and open text. It will be possible to then export the data into research tools of their own choice for analysis. A multi-disciplinary Advisory Group and Project Team comprises those from the University of Sussex, University of Warwick, University of Chester, University of Southampton and the Institute of Historical Research.

The project will conclude in early 2024 and be publicised for use across disciplines for learning, teaching and research.

Good Space

Mass Observation joined the Good Space Heritage partnership in Jan 2023. This partnership of 11 heritage organisations is supported by DCMS Volunteering Futures and funded by Arts Council England. The project partnership aims to foster an innovative approach to growing volunteering opportunities, with a focus on championing the positive impact of volunteering on mental health and wellbeing. To support partner organisations’ volunteer recruitment, retention, training and delivery, improving diversity and breaking down barriers to engagement. Mass Observation has benefitted from Communities of Practice sessions, training and knowledge exchange with partner organisations. The pilot year for the project is due to end in March 2024.

National Centre for Research Methods

The Research Manager is a member of a national Special Interest Group for Participatory and collaborative research methods. This group are organising the codelivery of a Critical Conversations webinar series due to take place in November 2023.

5. The 12[th] May diary project & the Coronation Project

The Mass Observation Archive repeated its annual call for day diaries written on the 12[th] May 2023. 267 diaries were submitted to the Archive. As with previous years, participants were asked to share the copyright of their diary with the Archive.

The Archive used Instagram to encourage engagement in 12[th] May. As with previous years, invitations to take part were also sent out to schools, colleges, community groups and prisons.

The Archive built on this national call for 12[th] May with a special request for accounts recording the King’s Coronation on 6[th] May 2023. Mass Observation has historically recorded most royal events and invitations to take part also went out to schools, colleges, community groups and prisons. Mass Observation hosted a Coronation event for students studying history at University of Sussex as well as an online talk on Observing the Coronation by Dr Fiona Courage and Jen Purcell. In total 223 submissions were received.

6. The Trustees

Michelle Johansen left the Bishopsgate institute in and is now at the Society of Antiquaries.

7. Staff changes

Angela Bachini is Junior Project Archivist for the Mass Observing COVID-19 project funded by the Wellcome Trust. Her role involves cataloguing material for the database resource, redacting identifiable content and working with the Research Manager to promote the project.

Ellie Turner-Kilburn is the new Mass Observation Archive Officer. Her role supports the three strategic pillars of Mass Observation; Archive, Research and Engagement. She leads on publicity and comms, administers enquiries and, processes and catalogues newly generated material. She is currently developing Mass Observations new website.

8. Volunteers and placement students

The Archive hosted several students and work experience placements during the year and is hugely appreciative of their hard work, enthusiasm and commitment.

Martha Doyle, a final-year student from Brighton University continued to volunteer with the Archive.

Sarah Mason began a placement with Mass Observation as part of her studies at Brighton University. Due to personal reasons, Sarah withdrew from her placement.

Olivia Ratcliffe from University of Brighton completed a short 30hr placement in spring 2023

Six final-year English students, Jo Stanley, Lucia Widgery Compolo, Beth Brown, Amelie Bodnar Tunnell, Amy Dorling and Tayra Aylward from the University of Sussex completed a placement for the Championing Literacy module and designed and delivered writing workshops at The Keep in spring 2023 as part of the MO85 programme.

Jacinta Mallon, PhD CHASE funded placement student worked with Mass Observation between January and April 2023. Her involved working on the COVID-19 collection; cataloguing key words, transcribing hand-written submissions, generating a glossary of terms and a pandemic timeline to support researchers. She contributed to and edited webinar events, and supported engagement activities.

Four work-experience students joined us from May – July 2023. They were Tom Rose, Priory School, Lewes, Pippa Fisher, Patcham High School, Gus MacKenzie BHASVIC and Dice Barker, Oathall Community College. They worked on different projects and activities designed to introduce them to archives and heritage.

Ella Beales continues to volunteer with the Archive regularly and oversaw the social media strand of the MO85 Anniversary programme.

Monica Birchall retired from her volunteering role after 13 years with Mass Observation.

9. The Mass Observation Project

The current panel size is over 700 and will be closed to new Observers from October 2023.

A weed of the panel is planned for Spring 2024. This involves contacting any writers who have not responded in a year (to 3 Directives) to check whether they still wish to remain a Mass Observer.

Biographical Form

The response rate continues to be good and these are available to researchers upon request. This captures additional biographical information on ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and religion.

Commissioners

Advice and support documents were provided throughout the year for academic research funding applications and internal ethics processes. Institutions included Cambridge, University of East Anglia and Brighton for bids to ESRC, AHRC and institution’s internal funding.

10. Friends of the Mass Observation Archive

Income from the Friends of the Mass Observation Archive received £xxx this year, totalling £xxx.

11. Collections

There have not been any acquisitions during this period.

12.Publications

Walsh, K. (2023). Night-time bedroom soundscapes: embodied geographies of housing and home. Social & Cultural Geography, 1–20. htps://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2023.2245800

Clarke, N., & Barnett, C. (2023). Beyond compliance: Good citizenship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transactions - Institute of British Geographers (1965), 48(2), 395–407. htps://doi.org/10.1111/tran.12587

Ehgartner, U., & Holmes, H. (2022). Changing understandings of waste reduction and avoidance in moralities of thrift: A comparison of Mass Observers’ narratives three decades apart. Geoforum, 137, 105–114. htps://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2022.10.014

Seaton, A. V. (2022). Life and Family Travel in the Time of COVID-19: Pandemic in England 2020. Tourism and Hospitality (Basel), 3(4), 931–946. htps://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp3040060

Harper, T. (2022). Edward Owens. The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public, 1932–53. New Historical Perspectives. London: University of London Press, 2019. Pp. 446. $65.00 (cloth). Journal of British Studies, 61(4), 1072-1073. doi:10.1017/jbr.2022.122

Feminist Animal Studies: Theories, Practices, Politics, Erika Cudworth, Ruth E. McKie, Di Turgoose, Taylor & Francis, 30 Dec 2022

McGlacken, R. (2023). Negotiating the necessity of biomedical animal use through relations with vulnerability. BioSocieties. htps://doi.org/10.1057/s41292-022-00295-3

Parken, O. (2023). The politics of press astrology in wartime Britain, 1939–42. Historical Research : The Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, 96(272), 243–262. htps://doi.org/10.1093/hisres/htac029

Büchs, M., Middlemiss, L., Mylan, J., & Stevens, L. (2023). Sustainable consumption by product substitution? An exploration of the appropriation of plant-based ‘mylk’ in everyday life. Consumption and Society, 2(1), 78–101. htps://doi.org/10.1332/PREN9891

Coleman, R., & Lyon, D. (2023). Recalibrating Everyday Futures during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Futures Fissured, on Standby and Reset in Mass Observation Responses. Sociology (Oxford), 57(2), 421–437. htps://doi.org/10.1177/00380385231156651

Clarke, N., & Barnett, C. (2023). Archiving the COVID-19 pandemic in Mass Observation and Middletown. History of the Human Sciences, 36(2), 3–25. htps://doi.org/10.1177/09526951231152139

Lyon, D., & Coleman, R. (2023). Rupture, repetition, and new rhythms for pandemic times: Mass Observation, everyday life, and COVID-19. History of the Human Sciences, 36(2), 26– 48. htps://doi.org/10.1177/09526951221133983

Pollen, A. (2023). ‘There is nothing less spectacular than a pestilence’: Picturing the pandemic in Mass Observation’s COVID-19 collections. History of the Human Sciences, 36(2), 71–104. htps://doi.org/10.1177/09526951221134002

Clarke, N., & Barnett, C. (2023). Seeing like an epidemiologist? Mobilising people against COVID-19. History of the Human Sciences, 36(2), 49–70. htps://doi.org/10.1177/09526951231170574

Collier, P., & Connolly, J. J. (2023). Time shifts: Place, belonging, and future orientation in pandemic everyday life. History of the Human Sciences, 36(2), 105–127. htps://doi.org/10.1177/09526951221139377

Kirby, J. (2022). The stress of work and work of stress in Britain in the late twentieth century. Contemporary British History, 36(4), 622–645. htps://doi.org/10.1080/13619462.2022.2081549

Hurdley, R. (2023). Literary allusion in sociological analysis: Mass Observation mantelpiece reports as epic and drama. Qualitative Research : QR. htps://doi.org/10.1177/14687941231176944

Observational comedy: Mass Observation and the wartime joke, 1939-45' in British Humour and the Second World War: ‘Keep Smiling Through’ ed. by Juliette Pattinson, Linsey Robb

Lockwood, N., & Scott, S. (2023). Saying something with nothing: Refusal, avoidance and resistance in participant non-response. Methodological Innovations, 16(2), 215–225. htps://doi.org/10.1177/20597991231179390

Field, C. (2023). Mass Observation, Religion, and the Second World War: When ‘Cooper’s Snoopers’ Caught the Spirit. In M. Snape & S. Bell (Eds.), British Christianity and the Second World War (Studies in Modern British Religious History, pp. 99-116). Boydell & Brewer. doi:10.1017/9781800108783.006

van Emmerik, C. (2023). Ethical Reflexivity, Care, and Slippery Data: Lessons From Working With the Mass Observation Project. Sociological Research Online. htps://doi.org/10.1177/13607804231164486

Blain, J., Stevens, D., Taylor, L., Kingston, P., & Watts, G. (2023). Views about Euthanasia and Dementia: Exploring Perceptions Utilising Evidence from the Mass Observation Archive. Healthcare (Basel), 11(18), 2552-. htps://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11182552

BEYNON-JONES, S., GRABHAM, E., & HENDRIE, N. (2023). ‘The rules are all over the place’: Mass Observation, time, and law in the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Law and Society,

50(3), 369–391. htps://doi.org/10.1111/jols.12446

Highmore, B. (2023). ‘The Observation by Everyone of Everyone’: The project of MassObservation in 1937. Mass-Observation: Text, Context and Analysis of the Pioneering Pamphlet and Movement, 7.

Blain, J., Stevens, D., Taylor, L., Kingston, P., & Watts, G. (2023, September). Views about Euthanasia and Dementia: Exploring Perceptions Utilising Evidence from the Mass Observation Archive. In Healthcare (Vol. 11, No. 18, p. 2552). MDPI.

Purcell, J. J., & Jones, B. (Eds.). (2023). Mass-Observation: Text, Context and Analysis of the Pioneering Pamphlet and Movement. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Davies, L. L. (2022). Representing the Poor: Interwar Documentary Film, Mass Observation, and Victor Gollancz Ltd. Twentieth Century Literature, 68(1), 1-24.

Goldsmith, R. (2023). Mass-Observation and Vernacular Politics at the 1945 General Election. Twentieth Century British History, hwad047.

McGlacken, R. (2022). Constrained, contingent, and conflicted: Complicating acceptance of animal research through an analysis of writing from the UK Mass Observation Project. In Transforming food systems: ethics, innovation and responsibility (pp. 245-250). Wageningen Academic Publishers.

13.Events, talks and conferences

Suzanne Rose

ARA Conference Belfast, Mass Observing Communities, August 2023

MO85, Mass Observing Kindness, Nov 2022

Kirsty Pattrick

History and Archives in Practice, Institute of Historical Research, March 2023

Fiona Courage

Public History in European Historical Perspectives, University of Luxembourg, September 2023

Appendix 1 Fig. 1 Number of visits made by individual researchers 2017-2023

Year	To MOA	% of all visits to Special Collectons	% of all visits to The Keep
2022-2023	118	20	7
2021-2022	70	46	9
2020-2021	42	77	8
2019-2020	226	49	9
2018-2019	317	51	10
2017-2018	287	43	10

Fig. 2 Number of documents issued from the MOA to researchers at The Keep 2017-2023

Year	Number of documents
2022-2023	257
2021-2022	436
2020-2021	342
2019-2020	430
2018-2019	882
2017-2018	1009

Fig. 3 Group visits 2017-2023

Year	To MOA	Atendance
2022-2023	53	1072
2021-22	51	846
2020-2021	30	561
2019-2020	42	456
2018-2019	83	1834
2017-2018	110	1505

Fig. 4 Group visits made to the MOA in 2022-2023

Date	Name ofgroup / insttuton/organisaton	Inperson or online	Number in group
1/10/2022	Fresh Start Portslade	In-person	22
10/10/2022	Universityof Sussex,Geography,BA	In-person	15
19/10/2022	Mass ObservingMenopause	Hybrid	24
20/10/2022	Voices in the archives,English PG	In-person	14
31/10/2022	Universityof Sussex,History,PG	In-person	18
8/11/2022	Universityof Sussex,History,PG	Inperson	15
9/11/2022	Universityof Sussex,Geography,UG	Inperson	40
10/11/2022	Mass ObservingKindness	Online	9
14/11/2022	Universityof Sussex,Educaton,UG	In-person	14
09/11/2022	MO85 Seminar series - Mass Observers: respondingto the difcultquestons	Online	14
15/11/2022	Universityof Sussex,History,PG	In-person	14
30/11/2022	Universityof Sussex,HistoryUG	In-person	14
1/12/2022	Universityof Sussex,History,PG	In-person	14
18/1/2023	Mass ObservingChristmas	In-person	32
20/1/2023	Bader Internatonal School	Inperson	10
25/01/2023	Mass Observing Health and Wellbeing Webinar	Online	33
26/01/2023	Universityof Sussex,Social Work,BA	In-person	35
08/02/2023	Valenzines MO85 event	In-person	20
10/02/2023	CIRCY Becominga researcher	In-person	12

10/02/2023	Seaford GrowingOld Disgracefully	In-person	6
14/02/2023	Universityof Sussex,Death & Dying	In-person	8
16/02/2023	Horsham U3A	In-person	30
21/02/2023	University of Sussex, English, BA CelebratngLiteracy	In-person	20
24/02/2023	Universityof Sussex,Politcs,BA	Inperson	18
15/3/2023	University of Brighton, Visual Arts & Culture	Inperson	25
21/3/2023	Varndean College	Inperson	20
22/3/2023	1940’s Chic,MO85 event	Inperson	25
29/3/2023	Insttute of Historical Research	Inperson	80
30/3/2023	NCRM Special Interest Group	Online	9
05/04/2023	MO Wants Your Story,HMP Lewes	In-person	14
18/04/2023	Made byTime,Penned Up	In-person	25
19/04/2023	Collectngin Crisis Kantar Public	Online	56
19/04/2023	MO Creatve WritngWorkshop	In-person	6
25/04/2023	University of Sussex, History Coronaton Workshop	In-person	10
26/04/2023	Universityof Brighton Educaton	In-person	7
26/04/2023	Mass Observing COVID-19 and linguistc analysis	Online	18
2/05/2023	MO Seminar Coronaton	Online	12
03/05/2023	AMSR Seminar	Online	40
10/05/2023	HMP Lewes	In-person	16
15/05/2023	RH7 HistoryGroup	In-person	20
17/05/2023	Universityof Sussex Library	In-person	4
17/05/2023	Class of 37 MO85 event	Hybrid	24
24/05/2023	MO Seminar Series Ethics	Online	20
5/06/2023	Universityof Sussex Academics	In-person	45
7/06/2023	Universityof Shefeld	Inperson	20
14/06/2023	Creatve WritngWorkshop	In-person	8
19/06/2023	Let’s Dance MO 85 event	Inperson	32
28/6/2023	MO Seminar series Post Graduate Research	Online	14
6/07/2023 09/06/2023	BHASIVC Doctoral School MO Methods	In-person In-person	15 5
13/07/2023	Pleasure and Place MO85 event	In-person	10
15/07/2023	Fresh Start Portslade	Inperson	7
25/7/2023	Internatonal Summer School	Inperson	9
30/8/2023	ARA Conference Belfast	Inperson	30

Fig. 5 Access to Mass Observation Online 2018-2022

Year	Sessions	Number of sessions from members of the University of Sussex	Number of sessions made from The Keep
2022- 2023	28,391	2,286	83

2021- 2022	32,497	1,726	87
2020- 2021	25,372	1,202	32
2019- 2020	18,790	2,525	110
2018- 2019	27,018	2,048	288
2017- 2018	28,573	2,31 8	405

Fig. 5 Access to Mass Observation Project Online 2020-2021

All sessions	Number of sessions from members of the University of Sussex	Number of sessions from The Keep
41,421	449	3
636	556	0
1,141	368	1
10,672	22	0

Fig.6 Directive themes 2020-2021

Topic	Commissioner	Funding	Response
Forgiveness	Owen Abbot, University of Cardif	£8,000 Leverhulme and Internal	133
Ageism	Paul Kingston, University of Chester	£6,000 Internal	140
Current Events	In-house	N/A	123
Cost of Living and Intergeneratonal Relatonships	Jane Falkingham University of Southampton	£10,000 ESRC	189
Rituals and Magic		£4,000 BA	175
Coronaton	In-house	N/A	173
Consumerism and digital technology	David Evans, University of Bristol	£10,000	183
Personal Appearance	In-house	N/A	178

*Responses to these Directives Directive are still arriving at the Archive.

Fig.7 Income from the Friends scheme (Reporting period: April 6 2018 – April 5 2021)

Year	Number of Friends	Amount raised
2022 - 2023	-	-
2021-2022	10	£1154
2020-2021	11	£320
2019-2020	17	£480.90
2018-2019	21	£604.99

January 2024: This report was written by Kirsty Pattrick, Suzanne Rose, Jessica Scantlebury and Ellie Turner-Kilburn

The Mass Observation Archive Annual Report and Flnanclal Statements for the year ended 30 September 2023 Registered Charity Number: 1179673 Company Number: CE014960

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE CONTENTS Poge Legal and administration details Report of the Trustees IndependÈnt Examiner's report Statement of flnanclal actlvltles Balance sheet Notes to the financial statements 11>12

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE LEGALAND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS LEGAL STATUS The Ma55 Observation Archive is a Re8lstered Charlty (Charity Registration No. 11796731 and a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Company numberCE0149601 PRINCIPALOFFICE Unlverslty of Sussex The University Library Falmer Brlghton BN19QL BOARD OF TRUSTEES Chalr: Ms Jane Harwell Trustees: Mr John Brewer Mrslmon Garfleld Ms Kitty In8lis Dr Michelle Johansen Professor Claire Langhamer Professor Lucy Noakes Professor Ben Highmore Secretary: Dr Flona Coura8e {non-Trusteel

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE LEGALANDADMINISTRATION DETAILS Independent Examlner VMRAnder50n BAIHonsl FCA DChA Clark 8rownscombe 2 St. Andrews Place Lewes East Sussex BN7 IUP Bankers co.operative Bank P.0. Box 101 l Balloon stet Manchester M604EP

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2023 Introduction The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their annual report and financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2023. The Mass Observation Archive 15 registered as a charlty Icharlty Reglstratlon No. 11796731. It Is governed by Its rules which were first adopted on 28 Au8USt 2018. It should be noted that the charity is the successor charity to Mass Observation Archive Icharity Registration No. 2702181. The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Company number 11796731 The financial stalements comply wlth current statutory requlrements, the Rule5 and Accounting and Reportin8 bv Charitie5.' Statement of Recommended Practlce appllcable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance wlth FRS 102. Objectlves of the charlty To advance education for the publlc benefit by operatlng and maintaining an archlve speclallsin8 In partlcular but not exclusively in the modern soclal history of Great Britaln. The role of the Trustees The charity trustees shall manage the affalrs of the CIO and may for that purpose exerclse all the powers of the CIO. It Is the duty of each charity trustee.. to exercise his or her powers and to perform hls or her functions In hls or her capaclty as a trustee of the CIO in the way he or she decldes In good faith would be most likely to further the purpose5 of the CIO,. and b. to exercise, in the performance of those functions, such care and Skill as is reasonable in the circumstances The chair of Trustees is the Dlrector of Llbrary Setvices, Unlverslty of Sussex, an ex officio appointed by the Unlverslty of Sussex In Ilne with the provisions of the CIO'S constitution. The Rlsk Register is the responslblllty of the Trustees. They provide the material support necessary for the effectlve running of the CIO. The Trustees work in accordance with the guldelines laid down by the Charlty Commlssion. Management is the responslblllty of the Trustees and is delegated to the Ma$5 Observatlon Team In term5 of day- to-day admlnistratlon. Under the Mass ObseNation Unlversity of Sussex Memorandum of Understandln8 Imay 2018} the University of Sussex takes responsibility for the line management of staff employed specifically to work on the Mass ObseNation Archive.

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE REPORT OF THE TRusfEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30SEPTEMBER 2023 Trustee responsibilities Flnanclal statement5 The Trustees are requlred to prepare annual financial statements, which provide a true and fair view of the affaSrs of the tharlty as at the end of the financial year and of the Income and expenditure of the Charity for the year. In preparing the report5 the Trustees: Select suitable accountin8 policies and apply them con515tentlv Make judgements and estlmates that are reasonable and prudent 3. State whether the applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explalned In the Financial Stotements, and Prepare the Flnancial Statements on the ongoing concern basis unless it is Inapproprlate. Publlc beneflt The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guldance In the Charity Commisslon's general 8uldan¢e on public benefit when revSewing the charlty's objectlves. Rlsk revlew The Board of Trustees revlews the malor risks to whlch the ¢haritV 15 exposed on a regular basls and systems and actions are implemented to mitigate those risk5. The Trustees believe that there is a satisfactory system of internal controls and these are reviewed on a regular basis. Flnanclal revlew Total expendlture and income for the year on operational actlvltles were £157,235 and £292,464 respectlvely, resultlng In a surplus of £135,229. The Charit5 net movement in funds was a surplus of £135,229.12022.' a surplus of £91,328). The charity carried forwards unrestrlcte(i funds of £604,127. Expenditure is focu55ed entirely on Staff salaries and commlssion paid to Curtis Brown in respect of the royalties collected. Income The prlnclpal sources of income are royalties in respect of the archives and payments for the commissioning of Directlves by researchers. This action 15 in line with the MOA Trust aim to support postgraduate and early career research. Reserves It has been agreed it is appropriate forThe Mass Observation Archive to maintain strate8ic reseNes sufficlent to support unavoidable operating costs for a period of up to 12 months. The strategic reserve must consist of unrestricted funds.

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2023 Summary of main financial activities in relation to Objects of the CIO Three Directives coverin8 ei8ht themes were issued during this financial year. Five of these themes were commlssloned through researchels fundlng, totalling £24,C4)0. Royalty income was boosted by sales of a newly released Adam Matthew Digital products, in particular Moss Observotlon Projert Onllne. By Order of the Board of Trustees Jane Harvell (Chair} QHsf Date: 14th May 2024

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ThE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE I report on the account5 for the year ended 30 September 2023, which are set out on page5 7 to 12. Respeetlvo responslbllltles of Trustees and Examlner The charlty's Trustees are responslble for the preparation of the accounts. The charitrfs Trustees conslder that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charltles Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. I report in respect of my examlnation of the Trustee's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and In carrylng out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directlons given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act. Independent Examlner's statement Slnce your charltVs gross Income exceeded £250,000 your examlner must be a member of a Ilsted body. I can confirm that l am quallfled to undertake the examlnatlon because l am a reglstered member of the Instltute of Chartered Accountants In England and Wales whlch Is one of the Ilsted bodies. I have completed my examlnatlon. I conflrm that no material matters have come to my attentlon In connection wlth the examlnatlon 8lving me cause to belleve that in any material respect: 111 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by sectlon 130 of the Act,. or 12} the accounts do not accord with those records,. or 131 Ihe accounts do not comply wlth the applicable requlrements concerning the form and content of accounts set out In the CharStles (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 21K)8 other than any requlrement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view. which is not a matter consldered as part of an independent examination. I have no con¢ems and have Come across no other matters in connection with the examlnatlon to whlch attentlon should be drawn in this report In order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. VMR Anderson BA (Honsl FCA DChA Chartered Accountant Clark Brownscombe 2 St. Andrews Place Lewes East Sussex BN7 IUP Date: 2£)LF

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE srATEMENT OF FINANCIALACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2023 Unr•strlcted Re¥aluatlon funds reserve Totsl funds Unrestricted Revaluatlo fvnds n resetwe Total funds 2022-23 2022-23 2022-23 2021-22 2021-22 2021-22 INCOME Income and endowfftents from Royaltie5 Other income - Sale5 247N25 247N25 168,443 168,443 25,601 25,1 45.300 45,3LYJ Interest Income 18,202 18,202 loo Oonations 1.236 1.236 1,142 1,142 Tot•1 Income and endowments 292864 292864 214.985 214,985 EXPENDITURE ON Expendlture on charltable actlvltles 157.235 157,235 123,657 123,657 T81 e%pendltttre 157,235 157,235 123,657 123,657 Net Incomellexpendlturel on operatlonal acllvltles 13S,229 135,229 91,328 91,328 OTHER RECOGNISEDGAINSAND LOSSES N•t m¢)vemeni In furtds 135,229 135,229 91,328 91,328 Total funds brou8ht forward 468,898 2,000,OLXI 2,468A98 377,570 1000,OC*J 2,377,570 Total fundsurrled forward 604.127 2,1)00.000 2.604.127 468,898 2,IX)O,OCXJ 2,468,898

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE STATEMENT OF FINANCIALAcfiviTIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2023 Unrestricted Funds 2022123 Unrestricted Funds 2021122 Expenditure on charitable activities Commission charges and cost of goods 501d Travel, trainlng, and Meetlngs Postage and Statlonery Salarles 12,255 2,047 465 14.750 574 531 139,246 105,500 82 Staff welfare Computer & Subscrlptlon Accountancy Bookkeeplng fees Independent èxaminers fee Repalrs and maintenance 406 123 514 750 990 If 157,235 123.657

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE NOTES TOTHE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2023 CHARITY NUMBER 1179673 2022123 2021122 Flxed Asset Mass Observation Archive 2MO,001 2,Crf)O,001 CURRENT ASSETS Debtor5 and accrued Income Cash at bank and in hand 31,757 2,135 485 453 487,588 654A63 Credltors.. Amounts falllng due wSlhln one year 14•t Current Assels 604.126 468,897 Total A55ets le55 Current Llabllltles 2 604 127 2 468 898 Represented by: Unrestrlcted funds General fund 604.127 468,898 Revaluatlon Reserve uiooo00 2,CQO,000 The Flnancial Statements were approved by the Trustees on Jane Harvell Trustee

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE NOTESTO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2023 ACCOUNTING POUCIES a. Aecountln These financial statements have been prepared under the hlstorlcal cost convention, and in accordance with applicable accounting standards. In addition they have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102. The trust constitutes public benefit entity a5 defined by FRS 102. The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertalntles about the trust's ability to contlnue as a going concern. The accounts are prepad In sterling whlch is the functional currency of the Charity. b. Fund Accountlng The charity maintains various funds in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice 'Accountln8 and Reportin8 by Charltles FRS 102, These funds, which requlre separate disclosure, are as follows:. Unfestrf¢ted Funds. These are the general funds of the charity and are expendable at the discretion of the Trustees in the furtherance of the charitable objectlves. The main sources of general funds are from fees, royalties and income from bank deposlt57 Voluntary Income Donatlons are recognised as Income when the donatlon Is recelved. Legacies are recognisecl at the earliest point at which the amounts become certain. d. Investment Income Interest is accrued on a dally basis and is credlted on thls basls In the Income and expendlture account. e. Expendlture Expendlture Is Included in the Statement of Flnanclal Actlvltles on an accrual basls, Incluslve of any VAT whlch cannot be recovered. The main category of expenditure is: Expenditure orb charitable artivitie5, which are the costs of running the trust. f. Ststement of Cash Flows The charity has taken advantage of the provlsions in the SORP for Charltles applying FRS 102 Bulletin I not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows. g. Financial Instruments The Charity has financial assets and financial liabilitie5 of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financlal instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at amortised cost. Financial assets held at amortlse(I cost comprise cash at bank and in hand, other debtors and prepayments. Financial liabilities held at amortised cost comprise other creditors and accruals. io

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE NOTES TOTHE FINANaAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2023 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Ma55 obSeatIon Archive Total As at I" October 2022 2,C(KJ,001 2,CMXI,WI Addltions A5at 30, September 2023 2.C(Q,001 2,(JXJ,l Net Book Value A5at 3tyh September 2022 2,CO),001 2,OCYJ,001 Asat 3tth September 2023 2,CO),001 2,OC#J,001 DEBTORS 2022123 2021122 Trade Debtors Accrued Income Vat Trade credltors 7,OJO 10,450 14,307 36 350 1,749 CREDITORS 2022123 202ty22 Trade Creditors Accruals 48.792 1,545 19) 18,501 TAXATION The trust 15 Considered to Pa55 the te5tS Set out in Paragraph I Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charity for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charlty is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains recelved within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusivety to charitable purposes. li

THE MASS OBSERVATION ARCHIVE NOTES TOTHE FINANaAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDEO 30 SEPTEMBER 2023 ANAIYSIS OF STAFF COSTS, TRUSTEES REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES AND THE COST OF KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. 2022123 2021122 Salarie5 and wages Social security costs Pen51on costs 113,796 10,442 82,113 6,795 No employees had employee beneflts in excess of £60,0{2022'. nlll. Penslon costs are wholly charged to unrestricted funds. No remuneration was pald to any of the trustees during the year by the Mass Observation Archive. The key management personnel of the charity comprise the Trustees and the Director of the Archive. The Dlrector and the Chair of Trustees are employed by the Unlverslty of Sussex and thelr roles Include some responsibilities for the Mass ObseNation Archive. 12