Weekly Record

10th August 2008

There was a rumour going around these parts that the month of August was going to be ‘quiet’, and that we ‘were going to be able to catch up on paperwork and filing’, and I think the term ‘quiet zone’ was used! There is, I must admit, an eerie silence along the Sacristy corridor, which as you have read in this column before is normally bustling with activity and noise. But once you have passed through there and made you way along the corridor that runs past the music offices and into the new middle level there is a whole different world awaiting you—and quiet zone it is most definitely not!

This new middle level (which we have still yet to give an official title to—let me know if you have any ideas) is where the Diocesan Archives will be stored, and the long awaited move from their current home in the Pontifical Hall to this new area commenced on Monday. The archives were last moved from Upholland in 2000 under the guidance and instruction of Dr Meg Whittle, and she is once again in charge of ‘Operation Archive.’ I hope Meg won’t mind me saying this, but it seems to me that if she ever wants to retire from the world of records, annals and dusty documents she should apply for a post as one of the Prime Minister’s aides, and help run the country. There would be no credit crunch and the social problems that make the daily headlines would be disappear! When Meg rolls her sleeves up, gets that look in her eye and gets down to work that woman is scary!

When I went along to inspect proceedings our Maintenance Team and Stewart, who are assisting Meg, informed me that they were ‘working to a system and would not be stopping for lunch or tea-breaks’. Talk about military style operation. Joking aside though the move has to be well organised and managed. The current Archives are set out on 103 steel racks and each rack holds 12 carefully labelled and dated boxes. Each box contains very important papers and documents and they date back to 1850 when the first Bishop of Liverpool was appointed. So moving over 1,200 large boxes full of papers is no easy task. The walk from where they are now, to their new home is about 200 metres and includes 39 steps. Maybe the staff are in secret training for the 2012 Olympics. Visitors will, by appointment, be able to come and view the Diocesan papers in time.

And that is not all…..there has also been further activity in the Crypt area. For many years now there has been a long held desire to open a Treasury and this now looks like it is coming to fruition. Initial plans have been drawn up and decisions are being made about what items of Church plate, and what vestments will be on display for the public to view. We currently have lots of interesting historical artefacts associated with the Diocese, the Church and the Bishops, some of which date back to penal times, and all of which are currently locked away and only come out now and again. There are some really interesting pieces such as the Molyneux chalice and a pre-reformation Gillmoss cross. We also have croziers and mitres belonging to various former Bishops of Liverpool and a monstrance designed for the original Pugin Cathedral. The safety and security of these pieces will be paramount but it will be wonderful for our many visitors to be able to admire them. Apparently there is a very small museum in Paris, tucked away in the back streets, that houses some interesting and important religious relics and works of art and I think that someone needs to go and review and report back. If anyone is looking for me that is where I will be…….

Canon Anthony O’Brien
Cathedral Dean