Earlier this week, I took myself on a midweek adventure – I drove over to Stafford to spend the day at the Staffordshire History Centre, a research visit to help uncover more of the story behind Whittington’s Garden of Remembrance. It was my first time doing archive research, so everything felt new and full of possibility.

I’d gone in search of archive documents from 1962, when the garden changed from a burial ground to its current role as a place of reflection. The records, created between the Parochial Church Council and the Parish Council under the Open Spaces Act 1906, promised a small but significant window into the past.

The building itself is bright and modern, and the welcome I received was just as warm. The staff had thoughtfully reserved me a desk by the window for the best light for photography, and near a socket for my laptop. They patiently talked me through the process of handling the documents, registered my new archive card, and even lent me a copy stand for my camera. One lady told me about the children’s backpacks visitors can borrow while exploring the building, a sweet touch that made the whole space feel even more inviting.

The main document I looked at was the Open Spaces application – a fascinating piece of history that offered more than I’d dared hope for. It’s given me some exciting new threads to follow and a big leap forward in the story we’re piecing together. At one point, I did a little happy dance as I realised I was getting closer to identifying who some of the graves in the garden belong to.

By the end of my visit, I’d not only found new leads for the research, but also fresh inspiration for how our own exhibition might be displayed thanks to the creative and engaging displays in the History Centre’s entrance. I left feeling excited, encouraged, and a little more connected to the history I’m trying to piece together.

It was, in every way, a successful day.