Accessing the Reside Collection – A source of local and family history for the Newry and Mourne area

The project aims to make accessible archives in the Museum and focuses on the Reside Collection-approximately 10,000 documents. The Collection emanates from Major G.W. Reside, an architect & engineer in Newry & his wife, Margaret, a solicitor in the town. It constitutes a core part of the heritage of Newry & the wider south Armagh/south Down area. A project officer will be employed over a 3 years to implement the project objectives:
• Research specific aspects of the estate records to a wider audience, focusing on the Kilmorey Rentals (1802 – 1925) for the Mournes and Newry, Ross Rental of Rostrevor (1810), Encumbered Estate Rentals
• Based on the catalogue research, write a comprehensive overview, highlighting the categories of documents in the collection and their uses
• Promotion of the Reside Collection to a variety of potential users
• Preservation of archival items for the future
• Digitisation of selected documents for accessibility and preservation
• Assist researchers in using the collection