Any organisation, with a long and rich history, as ours, will accumulate an extensive archive of materials that relate to the development of the garden, its historical activities, and the involvement of our many notable personalities along the way: John Stevens Henslow, Charles Darwin, and Reginald Cory, to name but a few. Archives, may be deeply rooted in the past, but remain tremendously useful in guiding the garden in the current age. They give us insight into the thinking and principles of our founders, provide a context and grounding for modern development, and ensure that whilst continuing to evolve and adapt, we keep our traditions close at heart.
Our archives are stored in two locations, half located in the University of Cambridge Library, and the other in Cory Lodge situated in the garden. The archive has been databased since 2018, which allows us to readily find relevant material to support our own investigation, as well as the research and scholarship of others. The archive includes maps, aerial photographs, art-work, garden design and landscape models, letters, minutes of the meetings of our Syndicate and Cory Trust fund, seed catalogues, and historical books that record the accessioning of plants into our collections. The archives are currently looked after and maintained by our volunteer Graham Harrison.
