Archive Service Award for Hull History Centre

Imagine a giant box that holds all of a city's memories. Old photos, letters, maps, official documents... everything that tells the story of the place and its people. In Hull, that giant memory box is the Hull History Centre. And it's just been given a massive pat on the back for doing such a brilliant job of looking after all those precious memories. On 04 September 2025, it was announced that for the second time, it's been awarded the Archive Service Accreditation by The National Archives.

So what’s this big award all about?

Right, let's get into it. This isn't just a shiny trophy to put on the shelf. The Archive Service Accreditation is the official UK quality standard. Think of it as a seal of approval, like a five-star rating for a hotel or a Blue Flag for a beach. It shows they meet the very high national standards for taking care of their incredible and unique collections. This isn't just about keeping things in tidy boxes; it's about making sure these pieces of history are safe and sound for your kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids to see one day. It’s a guarantee that the city’s story is in the best possible hands.

A bit of history about the History Centre

The centre itself has a bit of a story. The idea for it first popped up way back in 2005. It was a proper team effort, a partnership between Hull City Council and the University of Hull. They wanted to create a modern, state-of-the-art home for the city’s written heritage. After years of planning, it finally opened its doors in 2010. It now looks after not just the city’s official archives, but also the Local Studies Library and the University Archives. It's basically a one-stop-shop for anyone who wants to know anything about Hull's past, whether you’re tracing your family tree or just curious about what your street looked like a hundred years ago. This combined effort makes it a powerhouse of local knowledge and historical documents.

What did the people in charge have to say?

Getting an award like this is fantastic, but what do the experts think? City Archivist Martin Taylor is clearly chuffed. He said:

“It’s very pleasing to again be awarded with the Archive Service Accreditation, after first receiving it in 2017.”

“The accreditation panel commended the archive service on our community engagement as well as our commitment to digital preservation.” Digital preservation is super important – it’s about making sure digital files created today can still be read and understood hundreds of years from now. It’s the modern-day version of keeping ink from fading on old paper.

The boss of The National Archives, Chief Executive Saul Nassé, was also full of praise. He said:

“It’s wonderful to be able to recognise the excellent work done by archivists caring for records from both the city of Hull and its university.”

“I’m looking forward to my visit and to the talk on Sister Agnes Walsh.”

And the local leaders are proud, too. Councillor Rob Pritchard, Hull City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure, highlighted the brilliant teamwork involved:

“The partnership with the University of Hull over the last 20 years to develop and deliver an archive service was a ground-breaking initiative. It’s resulted in a superb facility and resource to preserve and make accessible written heritage, which is important not just locally but also nationally and internationally.”

“We welcome the recognition of quality which Archive Service Accreditation brings, and welcome Saul Nassé as he makes the presentation to the City Council and the University.”

How you can join the celebration

This isn’t all happening behind closed doors. The official certificate will be presented on Tuesday, 9 September at the Hull History Centre. It’s happening during the Centre’s regular monthly lunchtime talk, so anyone can go along. And the talk for September sounds absolutely gripping. It’s called “Sister Agnes Walsh: Hull-born Hero of the Holocaust,” and it will be given by her grand-nephew, Ian Judson. What a story that must be. Best of all, the talk is completely free to attend. It's a fantastic chance to see the Hull History Centre get its well-deserved award and learn about a truly remarkable person from Hull's past.

Why this award is good news for everyone

Okay, so a history centre won an award. Why does that matter to someone who isn't a history buff? Well, it matters because that centre is looking after your history. The stories of the city, the records of your ancestors, the documents that shaped the place you live in – they are all being kept safe by a team that has been officially recognised as one of the best in the country. This Archive Service Accreditation is a guarantee of quality. It proves that the important work being done at the Centre is not just good, it's excellent. It's a real feather in the cap for the whole city, showing that Hull cares deeply about its heritage. That long-standing partnership between the council and the University of Hull has created something special, a place that protects the past so that people in the future can learn from it. And that's something everyone in Hull can be proud of.