Today I went to the National Archives as part of my job for the Westminster Archives. The World War I project I have helped to research is coming together, and we spent today taking digital photos of the original documents. These will appear in the education packet that is distributed to the local Westminster school districts. Fun and exciting, no?
Spending the day at the National Archives was pretty cool, even if we were only taking digital pictures the entire time. To begin with, I officially have an ID for the Archives that is good for three years. Somehow I managed to look like a 40 year old librarian in my photo - hott. After acquiring a Reader's Ticket (the ID), came the surprisingly difficult process of locating which documents needed to be ordered so that the other interns and I could look at the originals. I swear I felt like such a dolt. I think my face was a giant question mark the entire time. By the end of the day I did get to see some of the documents that I needed to see, though I am by no means done. Least to say, a few more trips to the National Archives will be in my future very soon. Not that I'm complaining mind you - this place is Sweet. It's HUGE and houses more documents than ever be read in a lifetime, including one of the original signed copies of the Declaration of Independence and one of only 3 surviving original Magna Cartas. And it has a coffee shop. Beat that.
One of the documents concerning Private Thomas Highgate, the first British soldier to be shot at dawn for desertion during WWI. He is currently my pet project for the Westminster Archives. Very interesting story, very sad. Below is his will.
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