threads of time - 1 first thoughts

an archive is, by definition, a collection of documents whose visual appeal may be limited – so it was with great skill that daphne and jane focussed our first meeting on drawing out the stories to be found within the documents – they uncovered the sort of tales which touch our emotions, stimulate our imaginations and inspire us to act and create - among them:

• the religious persecution which caused a flemish huguenot to escape with his small family and minimal possessions and how his family prospered and grew powerful in their new home
• the handsome but profligate young courtier who becomes the queen's champion, sails off to the caribbean in search of spanish gold and glory only to end his days in poverty
• in a time of economic depression a couple, driven to begging, who are accused of witchcraft, subjected to an illegal witch trial and ducking by an uncontrolled mob, the couple die - the local justice system has done nothing to protect them, eventually takes action, rounding up 22 men and finally hanging one

this seemingly lifeless collection of papers was transformed into a rich resource begging to be explored and exposed for the wealth of human experience it conceals - i had no idea that this could be so easily available to - and that others, professionals and enthusiasts, have been busy recording their own explorations and discoveries and sharing them here

while I found the individual tales interesting the impression I took away was of how common themes connect us with the past, and how the collection is witness to our failure to learn from history – persecution of those who are different, a population which feels abandoned by the authorities taking control with disastrous results, extravagance and luxury ending in debt and decay...... common threads running across time and through all our lives

plenty of ideas to work on and develop from a handful of papers and one small but delightful piece of lace