Welcome!

• FOCAS continues to help with finance for transport for visits to Record Offices  by Primary  Schools which is one of the most successful  projects.

• Our Chairman is a very active member of the steering committee which is attempting to set up an organisation to restart VCH projects not already covered, in Cumbria. FOCAS has offered some financial assistance with project start up costs

• FOCAS is being invited to provide input which may be useful in the layout of some areas in the new Carlisle Record Office and is providing financial support for refreshments for volunteers assisting with the labelling and packing of records at the Carlisle Record Office and Conservation Unit ready for their transfer from the old to new Record Office.

• FOCAS has offered support for a bid for funds to purchase Brough and Ravenstonedale Manorial Documents which Kendal Record Office has been been invited to purchase on the open market.

FOCAS Visit to Shap, Saturday 4 September 2010

A visit is being arranged to Shap Abbey, Keld Chapel, and the Shap Local History Centre on Saturday, 4 September 2010. The programme will be as follows:

    10.30: Meet at the Shap Local History Centre in the centre of the village, on the west side of the A6 (small rectangular building with three blind norman arches fronting the A6). Coffee will be provided while you look round the Local History Centre, which is a fine example what can be achieved by a local history group. Michael Mullett will then give a short introduction to the Premonstratensian Order, the order of monks at Shap Abbey.

    11.30: by car to Keld Chapel. Harry Hawkins will give a guided tour

    12.30: Pub lunch at the Greyhound

    2.00: To the Abbey by car. Tour of the Abbey guided by Harry Hawkins

    3.30 approx.: Depart

If you would like to come on this visit, could be please contact John Thorley (015395 62076, or jt275@etherway.net). We shall need to know approximate numbers to book a pub lunch.

John Thorley

Opening hours change at Barrow

We will be adjusting our opening hours at Barrow Record office and Local Studies Library from 7 August 2010. 

 The key changes are:

· SSaturdays.  We will be offering a full archives and local studies service on the first Saturday of every month (instead of running a local studies-only service every Saturday)

· MMondays.  We will be closed the first Monday of every month after the Saturday opening

The Office will continue to open one evening a week. However this will be on Wednesday, not Monday.         Anne Rowe, County Archivist