National Manuscripts
Conservation Trust
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Annual Report
and Accounts 2020
Conservation By Design Limited | Bedford | United Kingdom +44 (0)1234 846300 info@cxdinternational.com **www.cxdinternational.com**
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Conservation studio by CXD. Wright & Wright Architects.
Library and Archive, Lambeth Palace. Image; Hufton and Crow.
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Reference and Administrative Information
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Chairman’s Introduction and Review of the Year
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Reference and Administrative Information
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Chairman’s Introduction and Review of the Year
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|Awards bythe National Manuscripts Conservation Trust 2020|8|
|The LastingBenefit of NMCT Grants
Trustees’ Report
Independent Examiner’s Report
Statement of Financial Activities
Balance Sheet
Notes to the Accounts
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Registered Charity: 802796
## Annual Report and Accounts 2020
**1**
## **Reference and Administrative Information**
> **www.nmct.co.uk | info@nmct.co.uk |** L **@TheNMCT**
Registered Charity: 802796
**Patron** Professor Sir Keith Thomas FBA FSA
## **Trustees**
Professor David McKitterick FBA FSA, Chairman Mr Charles Sebag-Montefiore FSA FCA, Treasurer Ms Caroline Checkley-Scott ACR Dr Norman James FRHistS Mrs Caroline Taylor BA DipLib MCLIP
**Administrator to the Trustees** Mrs Nell Hoare MBE FSA FMA FIIC P.O. Box 4291, Reading, Berkshire RG8 9JA
## **Independent Examiner**
Galloways Accounting Ridgeland House, 1st Floor, 15 Carfax, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1DY
## **Solicitor**
Anderson Longmore & Higham Wisteria House, Market Square, Petworth, West Sussex GU28 0AJ
## **Fund Manager**
Cazenove Capital Management Ltd 1 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
## **Bankers**
CAF Bank Limited 25 King’s Hill Avenue, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ and Royal Bank of Scotland plc 127-128 High Holborn, London WC1V 6PQ
## **Chairman’s Introduction and Review of the Year**
While it is always a pleasure to reflect on what has been achieved over twelve months, this year pleasure is inevitably tinged with more complicated thoughts, whether of people or of libraries and archives.
I write this on the anniversary of the first Coronavirus lockdown. The pandemic has affected us all, though in different ways. Lives and work have been disrupted. It has brought death and serious illness; and it has forced all of us to think again of what we wish to achieve, and how to achieve it. The NMCT exists to help ensure that the myriad archives of this country will survive into the future.
Two collections of probate records, at Worcester and the South West Heritage Trust, answer ever-increasing public interest in family and other social history. The records of the Court of Arches at Lambeth Palace likewise range over considerable social territory, and work on them coincides with the completion of the much needed new library and archive centre. Family albums from Nottingham and Brighton, with their miscellaneous gatherings, offer sometimes unexpected perspectives of local interests.
Thanks to the pandemic, we held just one meeting in 2020 to award grants, in November. We were able to offer grants of over £154,000 by using over £28,000 of unrestricted reserves, thus ensuring projects could proceed. It was especially cheering to work with several in Scotland, encouraged by the support of the Scottish Council on Archives and the National Records of Scotland. As always, our focus is on both conservation and training skills for the future.
In literature, the manuscript of M.G.Lewis’s novel _The Monk_ , key to understanding the taste for the gothic in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, will now be conserved thanks to a grant to the Wisbech and Fenland Museum, where it is part of a 19th-century bequest containing important literature. In the Bodleian Library, we were pleased to be able to support conservation of the correspondence of Felix Mendelssohn. In Scotland, the diversity of NMCT support is reflected in grants to Glasgow for the 16th-century _Historia de Tlaxcala_ , to Edinburgh for papers of the geologist Sir Charles Lyell, and to Dundee for the visitors’ book to HMS Unicorn.
Grants have covered our customary variety of manuscripts and papers. The earliest is an unusual almanac in the Royal Society, dating from the late 14th or early 15th century. Two manuscripts, including a processional from Castle Acre, in Norfolk, and a 16th-century commonplace book with an enticing series of drawings, will form part of the new exhibition in the Castle Museum at Norwich, where ambitious plans to transform the earliest part of the museum, in the Keep, will bring much back to life.
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In all this, we depend on our supporters. For many years the Pilgrim Trust has guided applications for the conservation of manuscripts in our direction, and their generous financial help remains vitally important to this work. The Dulverton Trust’s funding is supporting training with the manuscript at Glasgow.
The full list of benefactors is listed separately in this report. In addition to this financial support we count also the many people who have given advice, formally or informally but always readily. In The National Archives, James Travers has been of especial help. To all these I offer our profound thanks.
## **Professor David McKitterick**
Chairman
The Trustees are indebted to these partners and funders for their support of NMCT’s work in 2020
Painted coat of arms from a manuscript of the _Historia de Tlaxcala_ showing signs of ink corrosion requiring conservation treatment. Courtesy of the University of Glasgow.
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Top right: Assessing the condition of the 15th-century Processional from Castle Acre. Courtesy of Norfolk Museums Service. Bottom right: HMS Unicorn (see page 17).
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Below: Bundle of probate accounts requiring conservation.
Courtesy of the South West Heritage Trust.
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Top right: Example from 1535 of Worcester Diocese wills and inventories (detail). Courtesy of Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service. Below: Holograph manuscript of _The Monk_ by M.G. Lewis (1796). showing fragile state of page edges. Courtesy of Wisbech Museum. rr se ae ae an
Above: The Royal Society's medieval almanac (MS/45) prior Paper and parchment bundle from the Court of Arches collection to conservation. © Royal Society. showing evidence of extensive loss and environmental damage. Courtesy of Lambeth Palace Library.
Above: One of the ‘Green Books’ containing Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's incoming correspondence with broken binding. © The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.
Above: Scrapbook from the Thomas Chambers Hine collection which contains papers dating from the 17th to 19th centuries. Courtesy of the University of Nottingham.
Right: Sir Charles Lyell's cross-section showing the geology of part of Forfarshire. Courtesy of the University of Edinburgh.
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## **Awards by the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust 2020**
The collection is in a very fragile state as the bindings do not offer adequate protection to the letters and hinder their legibility. The conservation work will involve dismantling the volumes, separating over 6,300 letters, stabilising the paper support and rehousing the letters in archival folders. The most complex part of the project is the separation of the letters, due to the presence of fugitive water-sensitive inks on the very delicate paper and the animal glue used to adhere the letters together. A highly controlled humidification treatment using enzymatic gels has been developed in order to separate them.
## **Bodleian Library**
## **£20,000 for the conservation of the Green Books of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.**
_Marinita Stiglitz ACR, Head of Paper Conservation, and Hannah Litvack, Development Officer, writes:_ Over the next three years, the Bodleian Libraries will be conserving its collection of ‘Green Books’, which belonged to the German composer and conductor, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847). They are 27 volumes of Mendelssohn’s incoming correspondence from the age of twelve and contain a staggering wealth of information. They provide a key resource for historians and researchers studying Mendelssohn and his circle and also for those interested in the Romantic Movement.
The conservation of Mendelssohn’s letters forms a crucial part of a wider project to digitise the Bodleian Libraries’ Mendelssohn archive and make it available online. The archive is one of the Libraries’ most important music collections and is one of the two principal collections in the world for Mendelssohn research. We are very thankful to the NMCT for its generous contribution towards this project.
Celine Delattre separating a group of letters from the ‘Green Books’ containing Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's incoming correspondence.
## **East Sussex Record Office**
**£4,130 for the conservation and digitisation of the scrapbooks of Henry D. Roberts.**
_Kate Elms, Collections Officer, writes:_ Henry D. Roberts (1870-1951) moved to Brighton in 1906 to take up a position at the town’s public library. By 1909, he was director of Brighton’s Library, Museums and Fine Art Galleries and, in 1919, he became the first director of the Royal Pavilion Estate. Roberts documented his professional life in a collection of scrapbooks, which are held by East Sussex and Brighton & Hove Record Office at The Keep. Through newspaper cuttings, correspondence and ephemera, the scrapbooks provide a rich insight into the cultural life of Brighton and beyond in the early 20th century.
Highlights include records relating to a series of groundbreaking art exhibitions, beginning in June 1910 with a display of Modern French Art, thought to be the first time the work of artists such as Cezanne and Gauguin was seen in the UK. By contrast, Roberts witnessed first-hand the transformation of the iconic Royal Pavilion into a military hospital in 1914, and one of his scrapbooks covers the war years.
This project, made possible by the NMCT, will involve mechanical cleaning of the scrapbooks, plus internal and external repairs to the most fragile volumes so that they can be handled safely. The scrapbooks will be repackaged with an archival manila enclosure, and will be stored in our temperature-controlled repository, preserving them for the future.
Conservation of the scrapbooks means we will be able to provide public access to this entire collection of original material for the first time. We will also digitise the scrapbooks and catalogue their contents to increase awareness of, and access to, the collection. The project will engage volunteers, who will receive training and support from The Keep’s Conservator and Brighton & Hove’s Archivist.
On completion, we will mount a series of displays and will share our research into the life of the Royal Pavilion Estate during this fascinating period through The Keep’s website, social media channels and events programme.
Melissa Williams beginning the conservation of one of the scrapbooks. Courtesy of East Sussex Record Office.
© The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.
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## **University of Edinburgh**
## **£22,734 for Through Lyell’s Eyes: the conservation of the Sir Charles Lyell Collections.**
_Emily Hick, Conservator, writes:_ Sir Charles Lyell (17971875) popularised the geological theory that the power of known natural causes could explain the Earth's history. His bestselling books, including _Principles of Geology_ (1830–33), sold internationally and he also travelled to Europe and North America to conduct fieldwork. Lyell is particularly noted for his foundational and enduring influence on his friend Charles Darwin. He influenced not only Darwin’s geological understanding but provided the basis of deep time from which he could construct his theory of evolution.
Between 1818 and 1875 Lyell meticulously filled 294 notebooks with his scientific, social and political observations. The notebooks were stopped from export and, after a major fundraising campaign, were acquired in 2019 and added to the extensive Lyell archive donated to the University by the Lyell family in 1927. In 2020 further archives were allocated under the Acceptance in Lieu scheme, enhancing the collection still further.
The conservation work will allow the collection to be made available for research and teaching, support our future exhibition plans and enable the notebooks and other archives to be digitised. It will be made freely available with the creation of a new website and online resource: Charles Lyell’s World Online.
The conservation will be carried out over a six-month period by a project conservator and two interns. The work will include surface-cleaning, tear repair, humidification and flattening of creased material, consolidation of red rot, stabilisation of loose and detached boards and spines from bound volumes, and the rehousing of the entire collection. It will provide an excellent development opportunity for an early-career conservator and valuable experience for two recently qualified conservators.
## **University of Glasgow**
**£14,825 for From Mexico to Madrid: the** _**Historia de Tlaxcala**_ **, c.1581-84.**
A drawing from the illustrated section of the _Historia de Tlaxcala_ . Courtesy of the University of Glasgow.
_Julie Gardham, Senior Librarian, Archives & Special Collections, writes:_ The _Historia de Tlaxcala_ (MS Hunter 242) is a narrative history of the state of Tlaxcala in Mexico, accompanied by an illustrated chronicle of 156 drawings. Originally compiled by Diego Muñoz Camargo, the two parts of the manuscript were brought together when the work was presented to King Philip II of Spain as a diplomatic gift in 1584-85. Key to our understanding of the 16th century Spanish conquest of Mexico, the manuscript is of international cultural and historical importance.
The manuscript has been in significant demand for research, teaching and exhibitions for many years, but access has been limited owing to critical condition issues that inhibit safe handling. The original parchment binding is distorted, with broken joints and sewing; its paper is moisture-damaged and torn; and there are several instances of advanced ink corrosion. The treatment will stabilise the volume and also enable safe digitisation, as well as the full investigation and documentation of the manuscript’s structure and materials.
The NMCT grant will be used to backfill the post of the University of Glasgow’s book conservator, Keira McKee, to allow her to focus fully on conserving the manuscript in order to make it accessible again. This backfill role will create a job opportunity for an early-career conservator.
MS Hunter 242 presents some unique conservation challenges, and skills development and training will be a crucial component of the NMCT project. The grant will fund support from John Mumford, an independent book & paper conservator, who will act as a mentor providing specialist expertise to support decision-making around treatment options and will pass on practical skills in new techniques to Keira. In addition, a workshop focusing on the stabilisation techniques developed in this project will be offered to external conservators, extending the training benefits of this project still further.
Above: Sir Charles Lyell, 1849. Lithography by Thomas Herbert Maguire. Left: Watercolour sketch by Sir Charles Lyell of geological formations, Canary Islands, 1850s. Courtesy of the University of Edinburgh.
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## **Lambeth Palace Library**
## **£20,000 for the conservation of the ‘Court of Arches’ manuscript collection, 17th-19th centuries (Bbb series).**
_Lara Artemis ACR, Senior Conservator writes:_ The Court of Arches collection is of national importance as the archive of the Court of Appeal for the province of Canterbury under the Archbishop of Canterbury. It exercised a wideranging jurisdiction over aspects of society such as marriage and divorce, probate, defamation, manners and morals of the clergy and laity, and non-conformity. The records, dating largely from 1660 onwards, are a primary source of considerable importance for the social, biographical, economic, legal, topographical and ecclesiastical history of England south of the Humber and Wales. In depositions from cases relating to morality, society and religion, the authentic voice of ordinary people from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries can still be heard.
Recent cataloguing of the collection by Dr Richard Palmer (former Librarian of Lambeth Palace Library) has flagged the Bbb series of records as being of especial interest, but this series is currently ‘unfit for production’ (very dirty, water and pest damaged, with fractured seals and tears). The conservation will unlock both the intellectual and the physical potential of these Court of Arches records. The NMCT grant will provide valuable financial support to our campaign to clean and stabilise parchment and paper manuscripts to enable safe access by the public.
The project will be completed in the context of Lambeth Palace Library’s new building, opening in 2021, offering a much higher public profile and better facilities in its role as the national research centre for the history of the Church of England.
## **Norfolk Museums Service**
## **£20,350 for the conservation of a medieval Processional, and a Commonplace Book from Castle Acre.**
_Debbie Harris ACR, Senior Conservator, writes:_ Norfolk Museums Service is transforming Norwich Castle Keep back to a Norman Royal Palace. The project will deliver a brand new medieval gallery in partnership with the British Museum. Critical to this realisation is the display of key objects from Norwich Castle’s Designated medieval collection, including two extraordinary medieval manuscripts.
The Castle Acre Processional is a remarkable 15th-century survival. Its pages hold chants and musical notation for the Mass and office hours of feast days; it will inspire one of the new gallery’s interactive displays. The Commonplace Book of Henry Appleyard of Dunston was begun around 1560 and progressively added to over the next forty years, its diverse contents reflecting the intellectual appetites and changing worldview of Tudor England.
Both manuscripts are in poor condition and, as they cannot to be safely handled, digitised or displayed they are not accessible to the public. Each manuscript requires extensive interventive treatment, from repair of the sewing structures, to conservation of the spine folds and the leaves, including consolidation to prevent further loss of illuminations.
This generous NMCT grant will enable the manuscripts to go on display in our new gallery. They will help us tell the complete story of the medieval world, tying together religious and secular life. Through their display and interpretation in our Medieval Keep, Norwich Castle will become a national centre for medieval learning and exploration for visitors and researchers alike.
Above left: The Castle Acre Processional.
Above: Heavily deteriorated paper and parchment bundles and rolls with evidence of loss and discolouration from water and pests. Above right: Dirty parchment covered manuscript with evidence of brittle paper damaged through environmental factors, such as light and pollution. Courtesy of Lambeth Palace Library.
Left: The Commonplace Book of Henry Appleyard of Dunston was begun c.1560. The pages are illustrated throughout, including a fold-out world map with a biblical gloss. Courtesy of Norfolk Museums.
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## **University of Nottingham**
## **£12,333 for the conservation of the papers of Thomas Chambers Hine (1813-1899), architect of Nottingham, 1647-1925.**
_Mark Dorrington, Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections writes:_ T.C. Hine was an eminent Nottingham architect who was responsible for work on a great many churches, houses, railway stations and other buildings in and around Nottingham. He gained many commissions from the Duke of Newcastle including the development and layout of the Park Estate and the restoration and conversion of Nottingham Castle as a museum and art gallery.
The collection includes two scrapbooks and a book of designs for a pair of agricultural workers’ cottages for which Hine won a national competition in 1848. The principal scrapbook is a family heirloom and includes a diverse range of letters, photographs, printed materials and drawings. Dating from the 1600s, but mostly from the 1800s, this unique collection includes original documents concerning significant historical events such as the English Civil War, together with items
relating to lesser-known happenings such as William Crookes’ investigation into preternatural phenomena. It contains a wealth of previously ‘undiscovered’ letters from many notable individuals, Charles Dickens, W.E. Gladstone, Sir Joseph Banks and Sir Charles Barry to name a few. Hine’s addition of photographs and printed items to supplement original documents and create themed pages, add a further dimension. Currently the condition of this scrapbook makes it impossible to produce in our reading room.
The project will see the principal scrapbook digitised both before and after conservation and fully documented. The volume will be taken down and individual documents cleaned and repaired. Fasicules will be produced and loose items attached and the leaves will then be placed in purpose-built phase boxes. The other items in the collection will be cleaned, repaired, digitised and boxed. The conservation project will enhance the skills of the Project Conservator under the supervision of, and with training from, our Conservator. It will enable the collection to be properly studied by researchers for the first time.
## **The Royal Society**
## **£4,350 for the conservation of a medieval almanac, c.1383-1415 (MS/45).**
_Virginia Mills, Archivist (Early Collections), writes:_ Dating to c.1383-1415, this curious medieval almanac is one of the oldest items in the Royal Society collections. It is a single, folded parchment manuscript. On one side is an astronomical calendar and illustrated agricultural almanac showing occupations to be undertaken under the different signs of the zodiac. On the other side is a perpetual calendar showing ecclesiastical festivals, adorned with figures of kings and saints.
Surviving medieval almanacs are rare and most examples are medical. The Royal Society’s almanac is particularly unusual as it is a largely pictorial document that could have been used by the illiterate labouring classes. It provides valuable insight into the astrological reasoning that informed medieval agricultural practice, and into the methods of knowledge dissemination amongst a class that is not often represented in the written record. It includes an unusual cipher system, which scholarly analysis suggests is only known in one other surviving manuscript in the UK.
Due to its fragility and complex folded format, the almanac cannot currently be safely accessed by researchers. Conservation will stabilise the manuscript and complementary preservation provisions, such as improved storage, reading stand and handling guidelines will make it possible for researchers to consult whilst also safeguarding its long-term survival. The conservation work will be informed by a new analysis of the manuscript by ‘Team Pigment’ of Durham University. We hope Professor Beeby and his pigment team will also be able to use their spectral imaging expertise to reveal lost content. I am particularly excited to see if they can illuminate the missing zodiacal figure for December, rubbed away over time and through use.
Digital access forms a key part of the long-term preservation plan for our almanac. Once it is cleaned and repaired, high quality digital images will be made available on the Royal Society Picture library. To fully convey the complex folding format and 3-D nature of this object we also plan to make a video. This video will chiefly serve to demonstrate the format of the manuscript, but will include commentary to highlight the conservation work done, and the historical significance of the document and will bring it to a wider virtual audience.
The Thomas Chambers Hine collection. Courtesy of the University of Nottingham.
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## **South West Heritage Trust**
## **£11,252 for the conservation of the Diocese of Bath and Wells Probate Accounts, 1577-1748.**
_Janet Tall, Head of Archives and Learning, writes:_ We hold just under 1,000 probate administrators’ accounts for the Diocese of Bath and Wells at the Somerset Heritage Centre. Each account records in detail how the individual’s estate was disbursed after death, including arrangements for the funeral, payments to creditors and the arrangements for the care of orphaned children. They provide a unique insight into the lives of a cross-section of Somerset inhabitants during the early modern period, and are names-rich sources, with information about family members, creditors, guardians for minors, and their legacies.
Example of a probate account document requiring conservation. Courtesy of the South West Heritage Trust.
## **The Unicorn Preservation Society, Dundee £680 for Unveiling the potential of HMS Unicorn’s Visitors’ Book.**
_Federica Papiccio, Assistant Curator (Collections), writes:_ Dating back to 1929, the Visitors’ Book is an irreplaceable primary source on HMS Unicorn’s role as a naval headquarters during the Second World War. HM King Haakon VII of Norway, General De Gaulle of France, Princess Marina, and shortly before his death in an air crash, the Duke of Kent, are only some of the famous visitors we have had over the years, and who have signed the book. Two of the key signatories are George VI and Queen Elizabeth, who visited HMS Unicorn in a secret visit in 1941, at the height of the Second World War.
This is an object of great significance, but it is now in urgent need of conservation, research and interpretation. The conservation will stabilise the volume to enable it to be safely handled and consulted, while retaining as much original material as possible; this will involve consolidating leather covers and repairing/re-attaching loose pages.
With this in mind, the project is designed to facilitate the long-term preservation and stabilisation of the volume in order to strengthen its access and interpretive potential. Following conservation, it will be displayed on a rotating basis, it will also be documented, digitised and made available to the public through the Museum’s planned public-facing catalogue.
The Diocese of Bath and Wells’s collection of wills and inventories were held in a central registry in Exeter and were destroyed in the Baedecker Raids during World War II. Therefore, these accounts are the only surviving testamentary records for the individuals, giving them a much greater significance.
The NMCT grant will allow us to conserve one of the most severely damaged collections of papers held at the Somerset Heritage Centre. Prior to deposit the whole collection suffered neglect and water damage over many years whilst held in damp conditions in Wells. Approximately 35% of the papers require full conservation treatment, the most fragile of these will also be placed in fasicule books to provide additional support. Further sections of the collection have suffered general softening of the papers, and these will be consolidated to strengthen the individual membranes. Local tissue repairs will be undertaken on items that have fine tears. The project will be supported by volunteers, who will assist with preservation processes. Following the conservation work we will fully catalogue, index and digitise the collection to make it completely accessible for the first time.
Above left: The weather deck of HMS Unicorn. Above middle: Front Cover of HMS Unicorn’s Visitors’ Book. Above right: Signatures of George VI and Queen Elizabeth, March 10th 1941. Courtesy of the Unicorn Preservation Society.
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## **Wisbech and Fenland Museum**
## **£7,222 for the conservation of holograph manuscript of** _**The Monk: A Romance**_ **, by Matthew Gregory Lewis, 1796.**
There are very few, and only slight, corrections, suggesting that the manuscript is a fair copy made by Lewis from his draft. The manuscript is disbound with pages in urgent need of stabilisation, particularly along the edges where there is a serious risk of losing text.
_Robert Bell, Acting Curator, writes:_ The project will conserve the holograph manuscript of _The Monk: A Romance_ , which is part of the collection bequeathed by the Rev. Chauncey Hare Townshend to the Wisbech and Fenland Museum in 1868.
After conserving the pages, the manuscript will be digitised before pages are mounted into fascicules. The conservation work will be undertaken by Bridget Mitchell ACR. In 2011 Bridget conserved the Museum’s Wisbech Hundred Map (a 1647 copy of a 1597 original), a project that was part funded by NMCT.
The novel was a milestone in the history of Gothic literature with its shift away from the gentler ‘terrors’ of early Gothic novelists such as Horace Walpole. On its publication the book was met with severe criticism but this did nothing to quell its tremendous popularity.
The grant from NMCT will allow the manuscript to be stabilised and minimise the possibility of any loss of the text in the future. The digitisation of the manuscript will enable the greater access to the manuscript to be achieved through Cambridge University Library’s (CUL) Digital Library, as part of our ongoing collaboration with CUL.
_The Monk_ was revised by Lewis several times, either to meet the literary criticisms aimed at the novel after its publication or to placate the sensibilities of his family. The original manuscript is therefore an invaluable resource for scholars and editors of the novel, the publication of which was a seminal moment in the evolution of the Gothic genre.
Above left: Holograph manuscript of _The Monk_ by M.G. Lewis which was published in 1796. Open at the beginning of chapter three. Above right: Image showing the fragile state of the page edges.
## **Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service £16,515 for Willing Worcestershire**
_Dr Adrian Gregson, County and Diocesan Archivist, writes:_ The ‘Willing Worcestershire’ project aims to repair the most fragile of probate documents in the 1,000 boxes from the Bishop of Worcester’s Consistory Court, and later the Worcester Probate Registry, which date from 1493. When they were deposited in Worcester Record Office in 1958 their condition was described as ‘fragile to poor’. Conservation work on 308 boxes between 1493 and 1611 has flattened and backed the paper wills but no further work has been carried out since 1998.
This grant will fund work on 15 of the 176 boxes of wills from 1611 to 1676 currently marked as ‘fragile’ which cannot be produced for research. Prolonged poor storage left the paper flakey and susceptible to further damage, it is also waterstained and has surface dirt and creasing, as well as some insect and rodent damage.
Parchment will be cleaned before flattening. Paper wills will be cleaned, washed and placed in Calcium Hydroxide solution. They will be repaired with tissue and paste and infilled as necessary. Following treatment, the items will be stored in acid-free folders and archive boxes.
Wills and inventories are a valuable source of information for family research and for local historians interested in the social history of an area. Currently, researchers use microfilmed copies, but some films are poor quality and there are gaps where items were too fragile to be filmed. This stage of the project will release a further 2,000 wills to public access.
Examples from 1535 of Worcester Diocese wills and inventories which will be conserved. Courtesy of Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service.
Courtesy of Wisbech & Fenland Museum.
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## **The Lasting Benefit of NMCT Grants**
NMCT has helped institutions to conserve important manuscripts and collections for thirty years. In this section we give some examples of projects that would not have been possible without NMCT’s support.
## **Black Cultural Archives**
## **A grant of £6,000 in 2014 for the conservation of the Adamah family papers, 1858-1950s.**
_Rhoda Boateng, Archives Supervisor, writes:_ The Adamah family ruled over the district areas of Keta and then later Notsie within what is now called Ghana. These papers provide a unique insight into the history of the Adamah family of chiefs. More than that, it includes important information about everyday life from the early 1900s to the 1950s, as well as material relating to the history of the family, Ewe culture and the effects of colonial rule, with the earliest document dating from 1858.
The conservation work enabled us to provide public access to the papers for the first time. The funds allowed the historically poorly stored papers to undergo mould removal, cleaning and repair work; mechanical damage was stabilised and the entirety of the collection was rehoused, ensuring its future preservation. The collection has now been catalogued and is available for researchers in our reading room.
The papers formed the basis for a major BCA exhibition, _Family Ties_ , in 2018. In partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Educational Trust, we presented these remarkable documents in Manchester and London. Family history workshops, spoken word events and school workshops drawing from the material were held alongside the exhibition.
An oral history project was also undertaken, with over ten relatives of the Adamah family being interviewed. This project has created an inter-generational narrative into centuries of Ewe culture, telling the story of migration routes through West Africa and in the UK. An online version of the _Family Ties_ exhibition was also created, allowing worldwide access to a selection of digitised records from the collection.
Adamah family photograph, featuring Fia Adamah II (BCARef: ADAMAH/01/02). Courtesy of Black Cultural Archives.
Opposite: Letter to Fia Adamah II from his son Junior Ofie (BCARef: ADAMAH/01/01/1). Courtesy of Black Cultural Archives.
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## **University of Manchester, John Rylands Library A grant of £10,000 in 2016 for the preservation of the Rylands Greek Papyri**
_Elizabeth Gow, Manuscript Curator and Archivist, writes:_ The Rylands Greek Papyrus collection at the University of Manchester Library is particularly notable for early Christian manuscripts, including papyri of international significance such as the fragment of John’s Gospel (known as P52). The collection also includes classical and medical texts, alongside important documentary papyri, such as business papers, letters, taxation documents and financial memoranda. Many of the Library’s uncatalogued Greek papyri had been housed in polyester wallets, within acidic folders and boxes. A build-up of static within the wallets meant these fragile manuscripts could not be accessed safely and were at real and immediate risk of damage.
Thanks to the NMCT we safely rehoused about 1,300 papyrus fragments. The fragments are now stored in custom-made archival folders and boxes. As well as ensuring their long-term preservation, these papyri are now available for research and digitisation, including specialist imaging such as microscopy and multi-spectral analysis. If a fragment is needed for exhibition or a handling session, it can be safely transferred into a glass frame. We are now using this approach as standard for very fragile fragments across the Library, including pieces from early Qur’an manuscripts written on parchment.
Black ink on papyrus, viewed through a microscope.
Fragment showing dirt and dust deposits.
Tim Higson’s solution for the storage of loose fragments and seals.
Left: Dr Roberta Mazza studying an unmounted papyrus document. Courtesy of the University of Manchester.
Images © Niki Pantazidou and courtesy of the University of Manchester.
**22** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Annual Report and Accounts 2019 **23**
## **Northumberland Archives**
## **A grant of £14,850 awarded in 2015 towards the conservation of 758 early Swinburne deeds and charters.**
_Susan Wood, Head of Archives, writes:_ The Swinburne family are one of the oldest gentry families in Northumberland and played an important part in political affairs in Northumberland, the wider border area and North Wales. The collection is significant in charting the history of the English/Scottish border up to and beyond the Union of the Crowns in 1603. At the heart of the Swinburne collection are 758 early deeds and charters, 1172-1714, deposited in seven volumes with Victorian bindings. The bindings offered no protection to the fine collection of seals and some documents had been folded to allow the bindings to be made to a standard size. Some documents were damaged by mould growth and vermin activity, and were stained.
Conservation work was undertaken, over a period of three years, by conservators at Durham County Record Office. Early on in the project it was decided to make bespoke plastazote-lined boxes to house each document or, in the case of smaller items, several documents. This was an additional cost but allows items to be produced and the main body of the document to be viewed without direct handling. The deeds and charters are calendared and the calendar will be opened in our online catalogue in the early part of 2021. A small number of deeds and charters have been digitised and where this is the case images will be appended to catalogue entries. Ultimately, we hope to digitise all of the conserved collection and make images available via our catalogue.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
ZSW1-25 after conservation and housed in bespoke, plastazote-lined
storage box. Courtesy of Northumberland Archives.
**----- End of picture text -----**
Above: Three images showing stages in the treatment of ZSW1-6 (recto). Above right: ZSW1-160 after treatment. Bottom right: The seal of ZSW1-60 before treatment. Courtesy of Northumberland Archives.
**24** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Annual Report and Accounts 2019 **25**
## **South West Heritage Trust**
## **A grant of £18,861 in 2017 for the conservation of the correspondence of Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth**
_Janet Tall, Head of Archives and Learning writes:_ As a result of the NMCT grant the political correspondence of Henry Addington, First Viscount Sidmouth is now fully conserved and carefully re-packaged. Addington’s political career saw him serving as Speaker of the House of Commons, Prime Minister, and Chancellor of the Exchequer, as well as being the longest serving Home Secretary. His correspondence provides insight into the foreign and domestic situation during a period from 1789-1824, a turbulent time which included the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.
The collection was treated with Japanese tissue and papers to infill losses and softened papers were consolidated so that they can now be handled. Particularly significant papers have been mounted into fasicules to improve their security and for ease of handling. Volunteers played an important role in re-packaging and re-boxing the collection.
Since completion the collection has seen high levels of use, with almost 150 bundles being consulted since the project was completed in 2019, despite the service being closed for periods of time due to the pandemic. Addington was Home Secretary during the Peterloo Massacre and in August 2019 we held an event to commemorate the bi-centenary and to celebrate the completion of the project. We expect that this rich archive will continue to be well used and will shed further light on a fascinating period of British history.
**26** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Annual Report and Accounts 2020 **27**
## **Trustees’ Report**
The Trustees of the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust present their Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2020.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
New Trustees are provided with a detailed induction to the charity and to their responsibilities as Trustees, in line with charity best practice.
## **Constitution**
The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust (NMCT) was established on 9th January 1990 by a declaration of trust executed by three Trustees: John Ehrman, representing the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (HMC); Henry Heaney, representing the British Library board (BL) and Lewis Golden, the private benefactors. Since 1st April 2003, the HMC has formed part of The National Archives (TNA), whose Chief Executive is the sole Historical Manuscripts Commissioner.
## **Administration**
The administration of the NMCT is provided by Mrs Nell Hoare, whose address, together with other administrative information, is given on page 2.
## **Risk Management**
The Trustees have identified the principal risks that might have an effect on the NMCT and believe that appropriate action has been taken to manage them. The Trustees continue to review the adequacy of the procedures in place.
## **Trustees**
Both the HMC (as a constituent body within TNA) and the BL each appoint one Trustee, and the two Trustees so appointed are empowered to appoint up to four further Trustees none of whom shall be a member or an officer of, or employed by, either the HMC or the BL. (as a constituent body within TNA) and the BL each appoint one Trustee, and the two Trustees so appointed are empowered to appoint up to four further Trustees none of whom shall be a member or an officer of, or employed by, either the HMC or the BL.
The five Trustees as at 31st December 2020, all of whom served throughout the year, are listed at the front of this report. They are Professor David McKitterick (Chairman), Charles Sebag-Montefiore (Treasurer), Dr Norman James (who has specialised knowledge of the library and archive sector in the UK), Caroline Checkley-Scott (a leading book and paper conservator) and Caroline Taylor (retired Librarian of the University of Leicester).
## **Objectives and Activities**
The chief objective of the NMCT is to advance the education of the public by the provision of financial assistance towards the cost of conserving manuscripts, which, in the opinion of the Trustees, are of historic or educational value.
Applications for grants can be accepted from all county record offices, non-national libraries and museums and other similar publicly funded institutions including local authority, university and specialist record repositories throughout the United Kingdom, and from owners of manuscript material exempt from capital taxation or owned by a charitable trust. National libraries and institutions that are directly funded by the government are not normally eligible for grants from the NMCT. In deciding whether an application merits a grant, the Trustees assess the significance of the manuscript or archive, the suitability of the storage conditions, the applicant’s commitment to continuing good preservation practice, and the requirement for reasonable public access.
The NMCT’s website (www.nmct.co.uk) provides full information for applicants on how to apply for a conservation grant, as well as case studies on supported projects. A full list of recent grants, together with information about the charity and its Trustees. can be found on the website. NMCT also has a twitter feed (@TheNMCT), which is used to highlight the charity’s grants and application deadlines.
Since 1990 the NMCT has awarded grants of nearly £3.5m, which have helped to preserve important historical, literary, scientific and other documents. Many of the manuscripts conserved with our help were fragile and completely inaccessible before treatment; as a result of the NMCT’s grants, these documents have been preserved and can now be made accessible to researchers and the public.
The Trustees have had regard to Charity Commission guidance on public benefit. The Trust’s core objective is to support the conservation of manuscripts by archives, libraries, universities, museums and specialist collecting institutions.
The public benefits that flow from this are:
- i. Prolonging the life of locally, nationally and internationally significant manuscript material for the nation;
- ii. Making it possible for the public and researchers to access manuscripts that would otherwise be inaccessible or lost to the public domain;
- iii. Supporting the nation’s libraries and archives, and enabling them to conserve their collections, which would be beyond their resources without our support.
We believe this greatly benefits the institutions supported, researchers and others who access and engage with their collections, and also the public realm. These benefits are clearly demonstrated by the short case studies in this Annual Report.
**28** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Annual Report and Accounts 2020 **29**
## **Achievements and Performance**
## **Grants**
Grants are normally awarded in June and November each year, but the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the NMCT in 2020, as every other aspect of life. NMCT suffered a 16% reduction in investment income in 2020 and fundraising became even more challenging. Trustees normally consider grant applications in June and November. However, in June the level of income for the year was still unclear, so the Trustees decided to consider all 2020 applications in November, once there was more certainty. The Trustees also decided, for the first time, to use £28,000 of the charity’s expendable reserves in order to maintain the level of grants at c.£150,000 for the year. They believed that this step was vital because it was more important than ever to support beleaguered collecting institutions to conserve their collections and, in so doing, to support freelance conservators who have suffered massive reductions in income as a result of Covid-19.
In 2020 the Trustees considered 15 applications (2019: 24), fewer than in recent years as a direct result of the pandemic. They awarded 12 grants (2019: 19), giving university libraries, local record offices and other eligible applicants the aggregate sum of £154,192 (2019: £155,684). Although the number of grants was lower than in 2019, the average amount of each grant was greater. Full details of grants awarded in 2020 are given in the Review of the Year (pages 8 to 19).
In recent years, NMCT and the Scottish Council on Archives (SCA) have worked increasingly closely to raise awareness of NMCT grants in Scotland and to increase the funding available for Scottish conservation projects. In 2020 SCA secured £10,000 from the National Records of Scotland and contributed £2,500 of its own funds to create a ring-fenced fund for Scotland. With NMCT’s contribution the total fund amounted to nearly £21,000. In the event, NMCT received so many excellent applications from Scotland during the year for projects to conserve nationally and internationally important material that total grants to Scotland in 2020 amounted to over £38,000.
Our partnership with MALD to stimulate conservation projects in Wales was suspended in 2020 because of the difficulty for archivists and conservators in accessing collections to prepare applications and treatment proposals. We look forward to its resumption in 2021.
## **Plans for future periods**
The Trust’s objectives for 2020 were to seek to maximise investment income and grants receivable and to award conservation grants totalling around £150,000, unless incoming resources turned out to be significantly greater than in 2019. In the event, aggregate income reached £184,745 and charitable grants were £154,192.
The Trust’s objectives for 2021 are to continue to seek to maximise investment income and grants receivable and again to award conservation grants totalling around £150,000 unless incoming resources turn out to be significantly greater than in 2020. The fund manager’s estimate of investment income in 2021 has fallen from £81,995 (2020, actual) to £72,922 (2021, prospective). The Trustees will seek to continue to increase awareness of the NMCT’s activities and redouble their efforts to secure the support of external funders.
## **Financial Review**
In 2020 the charity’s aggregate income reached £184,745 (2019: £191,388), but this included a grant from MALD of £40,000, fully accounted for in 2020, but to be spent in equal halves in 2021 and 2022. Twelve grants for conservation were approved in 2020, amounting to a net £154,192 (2019: £155,684). These grants are set out in more detail on pages 8 to 19.
The charity enjoys two streams of income – investment income, which fell by 16% to £81,995 (2019: £97,375), and donations, which amounted to £102,750 (2019: £94,013), of which £40,000 is to be spent in 2021 and 2022 on Welsh conservation projects.
Aggregate operating expenses rose to £29,467 (2019: £27,255). The investment manager’s charges amounted to £11,225. Other costs include administration (£10,150) and fundraising for the Trust (£1,875), designing, printing and posting the annual report (£3,349) and the independent examination fee (£1,200).
The balance sheet at 31 December 2020 recorded total net assets of £2,443,937 (2019: £2,528,269). The decrease was caused by realised and unrealised investment losses of £85,418. Further details of the investment portfolio are given in note 9.
Current assets amounted to £245,946, comprising cash balances of £245,237 and debtors of £709. Current liabilities, which are mostly grant commitments, amounted to £184,147 giving net current assets at the end of 2019 of £61,799 (2019: £81,488).
## **Investments and Reserves**
The Trustees have adopted a total return investment policy, intended to maximise total returns whilst accepting a medium degree of risk. To this end, the NMCT’s investment portfolio comprises holdings in a diverse group of UK and international collective funds, respectively focused on the generation of income and capital growth.
Other than the Unrestricted Fund and the Restricted Fund, all the Trust's reserves are regarded as endowment funds, which are normally represented by investments in order to produce a reasonably predictable and regular level of income. The Trustees regard this as necessary to maintain and support the charity's operation.
Any annual deficit on the Unrestricted Fund is made good by a transfer from unrestricted funds brought forward. Grants awarded from the Restricted Fund are limited to donations received by the charity and their defined, restricted purpose.
**30** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Annual Report and Accounts 2020 **31**
## **Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities**
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and Charities SORP (FRS 102) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” and with regulations made under the Charities Act 2011.
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the year.
In preparing financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **Independent Examiner**
Stephen Cottingham of Galloways Accounting was re-appointed as the Trust’s Independent Examiner during the year.
Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
## Professor David McKitterick, Chairman
6 April 2021
## **Independent Examiner’s Report**
To the Trustees of The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
I report on the accounts of the trust for the year ended 31st December 2020, which are set out on pages 34 to 39.
## **Independent Examiner’s statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
## **Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner**
- (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
The charity's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under Section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is needed.
- to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 130 the 2011 Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or
## It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts (under Section 145 the 2011 Act);
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under Section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act); and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Stephen R Cottingham, FCA Chartered Accountant**
## **Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report**
Bailey House, 4-10 Barttelot Road Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1DQ 7 April 2021
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
**32** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Annual Report and Accounts 2020 **33**
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
For the year ended 31 December 2020
|Notes|_Endowment_
_Unrestricted_
_Restricted_
_Total Funds_
_Total Funds_
_Fund 2020_
_Fund 2020_
_Fund 2020_
_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
_£_
_£_
_£_|_Endowment_
_Unrestricted_
_Restricted_
_Total Funds_
_Total Funds_
_Fund 2020_
_Fund 2020_
_Fund 2020_
_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
_£_
_£_
_£_|_Endowment_
_Unrestricted_
_Restricted_
_Total Funds_
_Total Funds_
_Fund 2020_
_Fund 2020_
_Fund 2020_
_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
_£_
_£_
_£_|_Endowment_
_Unrestricted_
_Restricted_
_Total Funds_
_Total Funds_
_Fund 2020_
_Fund 2020_
_Fund 2020_
_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
_£_
_£_
_£_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Income from**
Investments
2
Donations
3
Total income
**Expenditure on**
Charitable activities
4
Administration & fundraising
5/6
Total expenditure
**Operating result**
**Gains/(losses) on investments**
Realised
9
Unrealised
9
**Net income/(expenditure)**
Transfers between funds
**Net movement in funds**
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds bought forward
**Total funds carried forward**||-
81,995
-
-
45,250
57,500|81,995
102,750|_97,375_
_94,013_|
|||-
127,245
57,500|184,745|_191,388_|
|||-
126,055
28,137
-
29,467
-|154,192
29,467|_155,684_
_27,255_|
|||-
155,522
28,137|183,659|_182,939_|
|||-
(28,277)
29,363
(64,155)
-
-
(21,263)
-
-
(85,418)
(28,277)
29,363
-
-
-|1,086
(64,155)
(21,263)
(84,332)
-|_8,449_
_665_
_225,926_
_235,040_
-|
||(85,418)
(28,277)
29,363
(84,332)
_235,040_
2,258,089
238,399
31,181
2,528,269
_2,293,229_||||
||2,173,271
210,122
60,544
2,443,937
_2,528,269_||||
## **Balance Sheet**
As at 31 December 2020
|Notes||**_2020_**
**_£_**|**_£_**||_2019_
_£_|_£_|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Fixed Assets**
Investments
9
**Current assets**
Debtors
10
Cash at bank and deposits
**Creditors: falling due within one year**
11
**Net current assets**
**Net assets**
Representing
**Endowment fund**
**Unrestricted income funds**
**Restricted fund**|**709**
**245,237**
**245,946**
**(184,147)**||**2,382,138**
**61,799**
**2,443,937**
**2,173,271**
**210,122**
**60,544**
**2,443,937**|_473_
_220,755_
_221,228_
_(139,740)_||_2,446,781_
_81,488_
_2,528,269_
_2,258,689_
_238,399_
_31,181_
_2,528,269_|
Approved by the Trustees on 6 April 2021 and signed on their behalf by:
**Professor David McKitterick Chairman**
**34** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Annual Report and Accounts 2020 **35**
## **Notes to the Accounts**
For the year ended 31 December 2020
## **1. Accounting policies**
## **a. Basis of accounting**
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” and with regulations made under the Charities Act 2011. A summary of the more important accounting policies is below.
The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant risk that that uncertainty over estimates made for the purpose of these financial statements may cause a material adjustment to the carrying value of assets and liabilities.
The Charity is a public benefit entity.
## **b. Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
## **c. Income**
Dividends are recognised in the period in which the dividend becomes payable.
Donations and legacies are recognised in the period in which they are received or when there is otherwise certainty of receipt. Other income is recognised in the period to which it relates.
## **d. Expenditure**
Expenditure is allocated between charitable activities, raising funds and support costs.
Expenditure on charitable activities comprises grants made for the conservation of manuscripts that, in the opinion of the Trustees, are of historic or educational value. These costs are charged, as appropriate, to the unrestricted or restricted funds when they have been committed.
Expenditure on raising funds comprises chiefly the investment manager’s charges and the fundraising element of the administration and fund-raising consultant’s work.
Administration and support costs are those costs which are not attributable to a single activity but provide the necessary organisational support for all the Charity’s activities. They include the administration element of the consultant’s costs, the independent examiner’s fee, the cost of printing the annual report, the expenses of the website and of holding trustee meetings.
## **e. Fixed assets**
Investments held as fixed assets are re-valued at mid-market value at the balance sheet date and the gain or loss credited to or deducted from the Endowment Fund.
## **2. Investment income**
|Dividends received from investments
Interest received on deposits
**3. Voluntary income**
Donations (restricted)
Donations (unrestricted)
**4. Direct charitable expenditure**
Grants from unrestricted funds
Grants from restricted funds
Grants approved in year
Under/(over)-provision in previous years
Net cost of grants
**5. Expenditure on raising funds**
Consultant’s fees for fundraising
Investment management fees
Total fundraising costs
Administration and support costs (from note 6 below)
Total expenditure
**6. Administration and support costs**
Consultant’s fees for administration
Printing and posting annual report
Independent examination fee
Meeting costs
Logo design
Website expenses
Bank charges and sundry costs
Total support costs|_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
81,815
_96,656_
180
_719_|_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
81,815
_96,656_
180
_719_|_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
81,815
_96,656_
180
_719_|
|---|---|---|---|
||81,995
_97,375_|||
||_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
57,500
_35,000_
45,250
_59,013_|||
||102,750
_94,013_|||
||_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
126,054
_124,780_
28,137
_31,729_
154,191
_156,509_
1
_(825)_|||
||154,192
_155,684_|||
|||_2020_
_£_
1,875
11,225
13,100
16,367
29,467
10,150
3,349
1,200
0
961
480
227|_2019_
_£_
_1,875_
_11,597_|
||||_13,472_
_13,783_|
||||_27,255_|
||||_7,663_
_3,826_
_1,200_
_479_
_0_
_216_
_400_|
|||16,367|_13,783_|
**36** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Annual Report and Accounts 2020 **37**
## **7. Transactions with Trustees**
No Trustee received any remuneration (2019: £nil) or any reimbursement of the cost of travelling to meetings (2019: £64).
## **8. Taxation**
As a charity, the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within Part 10 of the Taxes Act 2007 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the Charity.
## **9. Investments**
As at 31 December 2020 the Trust’s investment portfolio comprised holdings in a diverse group of collective investment vehicles, respectively focussed on income and capital growth. The portfolio is summarised in the following table:
|UK equities
International equities
UK and international bonds
Multi-asset funds
Property & alternatives|_Cost_
_Market_
_Annual_
_Yield on_
_Value_
_income_
_market_
_(prospective)_
_value_
_£_
_£_
_£_
_%_
586,940
694,674
29,678
4.27%
724,174
916,916
22,824
2.49%
233,054
260,671
6,301
2.42%
92,217
111,048
949
0.86%
377,359
398,829
13,170
3.30%
2,013,744
2,382,138
72,922
3.06%|
|---|---|
An additional analysis is given below:
|Market value at 1 January
Proceeds of sale
Cost of purchases
Realised (losses)/gains
Unrealised (losses)/gains
Movement in year
Market value at 31 December
|_2020_
_£_
2,446,781
(716,724)
737,499
(64,155)
(21,263)
(64,643)
2,382,138|_2019_
_£_
_2,224,243_
_(222,655)_
_218,602_
_665_
_225,926_|
|---|---|---|
|||_222,538_|
|||_2,446,781_|
## **10. Debtors**
|Other debtors and prepayments|_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
709
_473_
709
_473_|
|---|---|
## **11. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
|**11. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**||
|---|---|
|Grants payable
Sundry creditors|_2020_
_2019_
_£_
_£_
179,598
_138,540_
4,549
_1,200_|
||184,147
_139,740_|
## **12. Funds**
Other than the unrestricted income fund and the restricted fund, all the Charity's reserves are regarded as an Endowment Fund, which is normally represented by investments in order to produce a reasonably predictable and regular level of income, and it is not the policy of the Trustees to apply any part of the Endowment Fund for the payment of grants. The Trustees regard the maintenance and growth of the Endowment Fund as necessary to maintain and support the Trust's operation.
## **12. Summary of fund movements**
|_Fund name_
Endowment fund
Unrestricted fund
Restricted fund
Total|_Balance_
_Income_
_Expenditure_
_Gains and_
_Balance_
_1 Jan. 2020_
_(losses)_
_31 Dec. 2020_
2,258,689
-
-
(85,418)
2,173,271
238,399
127,245
(155,522)
-
210,122
31,181
57,500
(28,137)
-
60,544
2,528,269
184,745
(183,659)
(85,418)
2,443,937|
|---|---|
**38** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
Annual Report and Accounts 2020 **39**
- _“ As a result of the NMCT grant the political correspondence of Henry Addington, First Viscount Sidmouth is now fully conserved…and accessible.”_
Janet Tall, Head of Archives and Learning, South West Heritage Trust
- _“ The Adamah family papers provide a unique insight into the history of this family of chiefs who ruled over [several] district areas in Ghana. The NMCT-funded conservation work enabled us to provide public access to the papers for the first time.”_
Rhoda Boateng, Archives Supervisor, Black Cultural Archives
- _“ Thanks to the NMCT we safely rehoused about 1,300 papyrus fragments, which are now available for research, digitisation and further analysis.”_
Elizabeth Gow, Manuscript Curator and Archivist, University of Manchester, John Rylands Library
- _“ The manuscript has been in significant demand for research, teaching and exhibitions for many years, but access has been limited [by its poor condition]. Once it is conserved it will be made accessible and will be digitised. The NMCT project is also providing a range of training benefits.”_
Julie Gardham, Senior Librarian, Archives & Special Collections, University of Glasgow
Conservation By Design is delighted to sponsor the NMCT 2020 report for another year, supporting again, the tremendous effort made by UK conservators and specialists, thus ensuring the continued preservation and enjoyment of collections in all the libraries, archives and collections up and down the country.
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We invite you to take a look at our website and discover more about CXD. **www.cxdinternational.com**
_Please contact us if you need further information or wish to order samples. Sales and samples_ 01234 846333 info@cxdinternational.com
> We believe in a holistic approach, working info@cxdinternational.com closely with conservators and specialists enabling us to offer a wide range of products Follow us on: and services. Based in Milton Keynes, CXD Conservation By Design has in-house manufacturing capabilities @conservationbydesigncxd for many of its products, including boxes,
> polyesters, storage furniture, conservation @CXDltd
Conservation By Design Limited | Bedford | United Kingdom +44 (0)1234 846300 info@cxdinternational.com **www.cxdinternational.com**
**40** The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust
PO Box 4291, Reading, Berkshire RG8 9JA www.nmct.co.uk e: info@nmct.co.uk t: 01491 598083
Registered Charity: 802796