The Archive

The archive comprises the Society’s collection of books, manuscripts, papers, photographs, press cuttings, photographs, records, cassettes, CDs, tapes and videos.  The role of the archivist is to preserve the records of the SCDS (now the RSCDS) and its branches and to help the work of researchers in tracing the evolution of Scottish country dancing as far as possible.  The archivist does not necessarily conduct research, but tries to respond to queries sent in by members and make the archive accessible.

The archive of The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society was established in 1979 by Alastair MacFadyen, archivist until 1990: the current archivist is Marilyn Healy, appointed by the Management Board in 2005.

Marilyn has danced since childhood and discovered SCD in the 1980s at a St Andrew’s ball in Bahrain, whilst living in Kuwait.  A fledgling SCD group was getting off the ground in Kuwait at the time and she and her husband Jim (current convener of Membership Services) were enthusiastic members of it.  She gained her teacher’s certificate at St Andrews in 1992 and teaches a children’s class in Perth.

Marilyn graduated M.A. (Hons) in history from Dundee University in 1999 (as a mature student!) and completed a research project into Dundee political history.  As part of her research she worked in archives and libraries large and small in Scotland and applauded those with comprehensive and accessible catalogues, whilst at the same time regretting that not all of them had that facility.  Her aim is to develop the Society archive not only for the present but for future members and researchers by a programme of purchases and encouraging bequests and donations.  A member of Perth and Perthshire Branch and contributor to the branch magazine she helped research the early years of the Branch in the local history department of the A K Bell library in Perth.

The catalogue lists upwards of 1500 items but is limited in its scope.  Marilyn aims to expand it to include the names of all dances for which the instructions are included in the various manuscripts, books and leaflets, rather than merely the title of a book or set of leaflets, so that we know whether we have, and can locate, the original instructions for any dance.

The archives also contain ‘The Peel Index’.  This is a card index system with approximately 3,500-4,000 general references to information pertaining to SCD, collected by Barbara Peel during the past thirty years while researching country dance and personnel in the area around York.  The index is currently being transferred to an electronic version.  It does not claim to be comprehensive but, in due course, it is hoped that members will be able to add further details under the headings: bibliography, musicians, publishers, teachers, dances and newspaper and periodicals.

When the expanded catalogue and the electronic version of The Peel Index are complete they will be available on the web-site for access by members and researchers but it must be emphasised that this is a long-term plan.

Donations have been made to the Society from its earliest days and Marilyn is always interested in receiving items or memorabilia relating to Scottish Country Dancing, the Society and its branches or Scottish dance and music.