Who's who in the Archives?
The archives committee, in its various guises, celebrates its tenth anniversary in September this year. It might be of interest to readers to know the individuals who have made up this committee over the last decade. Hopefully listing them below here in alphabetical order will avoid any fist-fights over favouritism!

Armstong (September 1993 - November 1994)
The traditional role of a canon treasurer includes the care of muniments, and it was this role that Canon Robin Armstrong adopted as an initial appointee to the Archives Advisory Committee, as it was then known. After just over a year, Canon Bertram succeeeded him as treasurer and in his position on the committee.

Bertram (February 1995 - June 2002)
Until his retirement last summer, Canon Dick Bertram provided much solid, practical advice to the committee and, in the early years, acted as an important link with the cathedral Board, of which he was a member, and to which the committee reported.

Bockett (July 1999 - May 2002)
Best known as a long-standing treasurer of the Friends committee, David Bockett was appointed to the Archives committee following his election to the Board in 1999, and served until the following Easter vestry when committee memberships were reshuffled.

Bowyer (February 2000 - Present)
Mark Bowyer has flown through the ranks in the cathedral since arriving as office manager in June 1999. His position on the committee is ex-officio, initially as cathedral manager, and now as administrator. His genuine interest in the work of the committee has often been shown in his personal generosity towards specific projects.

Colton (September 1993 - December 1994)
The Revd Paul Colton, clerical vicar and chapter clerk, as he was then, has since made quite a name for himself, and not just as 'Purple spice'. He was a member of the committee in its early days, and experienced the mixed appeal of meeting in an office under the stairs, a real broom-cupboard of a space in which the library and archive was held until the crypt was restored.

Croke (September 2002 - Present)
Dr David Croke was elected onto the cathedral Board at the last Easter vestry. A regular member of the congregation before that, indeed preaching on one occasion, he is a professor of genetics at the Royal College of Surgeons, and has been a breath of fresh air on the committee, doubly appreciated by the honorary secretary for having volunteered to minute meetings!

Dunne (July 1999 - June 2001)
As dean's vicar, indeed the first to hold that position, at least in the twentieth century, the Revd Dermot Dunne held an ex-officio position on the committee, a post he held for two years before his appointment as incumbent to the united parishes of Crosspatrick and Carnew in the diocese of Ferns, where he is still based.

Gardner (April 1996 - Present)
The Revd Mark Gardner has had a long association with the cathedral, particularly as a bell-ringer in years gone by. He is also a long standing member of the committee, first appointed while a clerical vicar and chapter clerk, and then in 2001 succeeded Dermot Dunne as dean's vicar.

Hemmens (July 2000 - Present)
Sue Hemmens' knowledge of the cathedral's printed and manuscript music collections is unrivalled, and in recognition of her work as choir librarian, she was recently appointed honorary keeper of the music by the Board. Her computer expertise also enabled her, as network supervisor in 2001, to install a cathedral-wide network, before her appointment as assistant librarian in Marsh's Library.

Houlden (May 1997 - August 1999)
Noel Houlden was for many years a legal expert in the Representative Church Body. His time working in the archives was spent indexing as well as compiling a definitive list of statutes passed by the General Synod affecting the cathedral's running. Sadly, ill health forced Noel to resign, but he is occasionally spotted visiting, often exercising his renowned story-telling abilities!

Kearon (November 2002 - Present)
Canon chancellor Ken Kearon has a hectic schedule as director of the Irish School of Ecumenics. He has nevertheless managed to attend a laudable number of meetings (although he will deny this strenuously!). His expertise has brought new direction to the regular lecture series, which we hope to develop in 2004-5. Watch this space.

Kinsella (September 1993 - Present)
A survey of committee members would not be complete without mention of the honorary secretary. Suffice it is to say, that writing short biographies of current and former committee members did sound like a good idea at the time!

Marshall (July 1999 - June 2002)
The Revd Canon Chancellor Dr William Marshall was appointed to the committee following one of those Board 'cabinet reshuffles', and juggled attendance with a busy schedule as vice-principal of the Church of Ireland Theological College. On retiring, he was succeeded as chancellor by Ken Kearon, who was then also appointed to the committee.

Milne (September 1993 - Present)
Historiographer of the Church of Ireland, Dr Kenneth Milne was appointed honorary keeper of the archives in 1992, and has chaired the committee (originally advisory to him rather than, as now, reporting directly to the Board) since its establishemtn in September 1993. He also edited the cathedral history in 2000 and is an active member of the Board and the Friends.

O'Neill (December 1994 - April 1996)
Dr Michael O'Neill is not only an expert in the history of art, in which he recently published a paper in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy comparing the architecture of Christ Church and St Patrick's, but also a wizard of the elusive world of databases. His patient membership was often spent trying to explaining the intricacies of Microsoft Access to a baffled honorary secretary.

Paterson (June 1998 - Present)
Perhaps surprisingly the dean was not a member of the committee until June 1997, when he became an automatic ex-officio member. It was then that the Archives committee, formerly advisory to the keeper, was included within a newly established Board committee system to cope with increased business, adding 'Information' to its title in January 1998, and 'IT & Education' by July 1999.

Refaussé (April 1994 - Present)
To be able to draw on the experiences of the Church of Ireland librarian and archivist is a privilege of which we are only too well aware, and particularly valued also is Dr Raymond Refaussé's very regular attendance over the nine years he has been a member. A contributor to the cathedral history project, he also advises the Treasury committee on the content of the crypt exhibition.

Rue (September 1993 - Present)
Like Milne and Kinsella, Lesley Rue is a 10-year long-haul afficionado. In fact, she is the third of four generations of her family to be involved in the cathedral …so a decade on the committee must not seem like much! Lesley is also very actively involved in the Friends and has been editor of the Friends newsletter for the last four and a half years … and will hopefully print this list of names …

Shiell (September 1998 - January 2000)
Christopher Shiell was the much-loved administrator who oversaw considerable organisational and staff changes in the cathedral, as well as the movement of the office to its present site, in the old north yard. The library and archives also moved to the crypt south aisle during his time and Christopher had no small hand in the purchase of the space-saving rolling shelving in use today.

Stokes (September 1993 - November 1994)
Canon A.E. Stokes was for many years the Board's authority on all matters historical. Although he did not find it possible to attend meetings, he played an important role in the establishment of the Archives Advisory committee and in passing on the 'historical' baton to the next generation of archivists and historians.

… and lest we forget the many others who have attended archives meetings in the past, these have included (now Dr) Kerry Houston, an expert on the music of St Patrick's and Roy Stanley, Trinity College music librarian (and then cathedral choir member), both of whom in February 1995, considered work to further our knowledge of the two cathedrals' music collections, work which Hemmens & Houston hope to publish in the near future. Canon Harman (now canon treasurer) and Terence Read (a long standing Board member who recently resigned and who had successfully revived the Friends in the 1980s) met the committee in March 1997 to consider the future of the crypt. Little did we realise that four years later, we would have a newly equipped and spacious library and archives area. The attendance of the cathedral architect, Paul Arnold in April 1998 was to talk about just that: the unsatisfactory conditions of the old archives area. The trio of Valerie Hade, then shop manager, along with Bill Shelby (formerly of Microsoft) and his wife Alison (née Gardner) attended in April 1999 to consider what could be done with an offer of free photography by the Shelbys. Since then visitors to the committee have often been staff members: Kieran O'Reilly, head verger, who has taken an active role in the establishment of guided tours; Sheila Kulkarni, former public relations officer, who helped advertise the cathedral lecture series; Aisling Sheridan, cathedral secretary, who stepped into the secretarial breach during the honorary secretary's time in England; and Olivia King, now assistant administrator, who has occasionally stepped in for the administrator.

Stuart Kinsella
6 September 2003