A long-standing employee has been recognised for his dedication to the history of one of the country’s oldest charities.
Dr James Gibson has been Archivist to the Rochester Bridge Trust for 30 years, during which time he has catalogued the bridge archives, designed the organisation’s first website, and mounted numerous exhibitions of the bridge records. He was also co-editor of, and a contributor to, the bridge history, Traffic and Politics, which is part of the Kent History Project.
Bridge Clerk Sue Threader commented: “Jim is a valued member of the Rochester Bridge Trust team. Having reviewed countless documents from the Trust’s 600-year-old archive he has made a considerable contribution to our understanding of the Trust’s history.”
As well as supporting the Trust’s own work, Dr Gibson has facilitated the research of many historians, supporting their access to the archives. This has included digitisation of estate maps and building plans, and the provision of centuries of documentation for the University of Kent’s City and Region Project. Many of these documents can be searched on the Rochester Bridge Trust’s own website.
A dinner to celebrate Dr Gibson’s long service was held at the Bridgewood Manor Hotel in October, attended by the Senior and Junior Wardens and current and retired staff members.
Dr Gibson said: “Although bridges and engineering were never my first love, working for the Rochester Bridge Trust has been and still remains a fascinating job with extensive historical records to explore and always something new to learn about this unique organisation.”
See www.rbt.org.uk/archives to find out more about the Rochester Bridge Trust’s extensive collection of archives.