Vikki Hart (née Ellis) has been appointed as the new Guernsey Archivist.
Vikki will now lead the States of Guernsey’s Island Archives service going forwards. She was born in Guernsey and grew up on the island, developing a passion for local history while working for the National Trust of Guernsey Folk and Costume Museum during school and university holidays.
She joined the Island Archives in April 2011 as an Archives Assistant and in 2016 was promoted to Senior Archives Assistant. Vikki then qualified as an Archivist in 2019, receiving a master’s degree in Archives and Records Management from the University of Aberystwyth.
During her 11 years with the service, Vikki has gained significant experience in collections management and providing a research and advisory service to the States of Guernsey and wider community.
Having started her new role on 1st July following the retirement of Dr Darryl Ogier, Vikki said: “I am very excited to be the next Island Archivist; the role is very interesting thanks to the variety of work and unique archive collections that we look after. I feel privileged to work with such a committed and experienced team who bring a wealth of knowledge about the collections and how they can be used to research local history topics.
“I am very grateful for the generous support and encouragement for my studies I received from the States of Guernsey and my colleagues at the Island Archives,
particularly Dr Darryl Ogier and Nathan Coyde, Archives Manager.
“In terms of priorities, we will be focussing on improving public access by developing an online catalogue so that members of the public can search our collections from home. The team have been working hard on this project behind the scenes. I am also looking forward to strengthening links with local organisations and looking at ways to maximise the research potential of our collections.”
The Island Archives was created in 1986 to collect, preserve and provide access to public and private records relating to the history of the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
The Island Archives holds the administrative records of the States of Guernsey and provides a records management service to States Committees. It also preserves the administrative records of the ten civil parishes, and many collections of historical value relating to local businesses, organisations, and private individuals. The Island Archives are open to the public by appointment, Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm.
Helen Glencross, Head of Heritage Services said: “Stepping into the role after nearly three decades of service from Dr Darryl Ogier, Vikki brings 11 years of experience working with local archives and up-to-date knowledge of the most recent developments in archival practice. She has lots of ideas about how to develop the service and I look forward to working with her along with the Archives’ team to make the collections even more accessible”.
Click here to find out more about Guernsey’s Island Archives.
