IAN STEVENSON ARCHIVE TRUST (Charity Registration No 1181101)
Annual Report for the period 01 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
This year has been very satisfactory for the Trust on two particular fronts. Much use has been made of its archive materials in exhibitions and displays at Highcliffe Castle, where the archive is based. And good progress has been made in improving the Trust's manual filing system which contains photographs, ephemera, etc.
Several large pieces of Highcliffe Castle's historic furniture which had been on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum were returned to the museum. This freed up three spacious glazed display areas in one of the Castle's exhibition rooms. Castle staff and volunteers used two of these for displays concerning Lord Stuart de Rothesay, who built the Castle, and his artistic younger daughter, Lady Waterford.
In both cases, much of the material came from the Trust's archive. Lord Stuart's display included original letters and Lady Waterford's featured several of her paintings and also books illustrated by her.
Trustees Paul and Ian have made considerable steps in reorganising and improving the Trust's filing system in which material is housed in 16 filing cabinet drawers.
The Trust reports no income or spending during the financial year. All expenses have been met by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, owners of Highcliffe Castle, with whom the Trust has a loan agreement for its archive.
Agreed by the Trustees
Ian Stevenson (Chairman) Mary T Asgharzadeh-Parsa Anthony J Parkinson Paul De Jonghe