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British Empire and Commonwealth Collection

In 2012, the collections of the former British Empire and Commonwealth Museum (BECM) were transferred to the care of Bristol Museums.

Here you’ll find blog posts, events and stories related to this major collection, which covers a wide range of material relating to the countries of the British Empire and the Commonwealth. Find out more about the collection.

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Bristol and Nairobi – a new archives partnership

by Dr Liz Haines, University of Bristol

At the beginning of April I travelled to Nairobi along with Dr Neil Carrier. Our visit was part of a project—funded by the University of Bristol—to begin exploring the potential for collaboration and r…

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Margaret Duncan’s diary: 6-9 March 2018

by Nicky Sugar, Archivist at Bristol Archives.

In February 1918 Margaret Duncan, a Post Office clerk from Scotland, sailed to East Africa for a new job and new adventures. Her diary and photograph albums are now in the British Empire and Com…

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Margaret Duncan’s diary: 3 March 1918

by Nicky Sugar, Archivist.

In February 1918 Margaret Duncan, a Post Office clerk from Scotland, sailed to East Africa for a new job and new adventures. Her diary and photograph albums are now in the British Empire and Commonwealth Collection at B…

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Working with the Robertsons and the Reillys

by Ella Roper, Bristol Archives volunteer

While volunteering at the archives, working on the British Empire and Commonwealth material, I have had access to a myriad of handwritten sources within the collections I have been cataloguing.

I have…

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Margaret Duncan’s diary: 7-15 February 1918

by Nicky Sugar, Archivist.

In February 1918 Margaret Duncan, a Post Office clerk from Scotland, sailed to East Africa for a new job and new adventures.

Her diary and photograph albums are now in the British Empire and Commonwealth Collection at Bri…

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Margaret Duncan’s diary: 2-3 February 1918

by Nicky Sugar, Archivist.

In February 1918 Margaret Duncan, a Post Office clerk from Scotland, sailed to East Africa for a new job and new adventures.

Her diary and photograph albums are now in the British Empire and Commonwealth Collection at…

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Ivan Haslam: An Indian in East Africa

by Pat Ellingham, Archives Volunteer

I came across Ivan Haslam in October 2017 when I started to volunteer with the British Empire and Commonwealth Collection at Bristol Archives.

My first task was to watch Haslam’s 12 home movies, and write an…

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Imaging Imperialism

By Nicky Sugar, Archivist
“We are focussing on audio-visual archives because time is running out to save them.”
Friday 27 October was World Audio-Visual Heritage Day and the Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers marked the day w…

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Dolls made by a freed (manumitted) woman in Grenada

by Sue Giles, senior curator for World Cultures

In 2012, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and Bristol Archives took on the collections of the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum (BECM). There are some real gems in the collection, and we are s…