A huge archive of skiing history from the Ski Club of Great Britain is housed at The De Montfort University, Leicester.
In 2018, the De Montford University in Leicester took over responsibility for The Ski Club of Great Britain’s extensive collection of books, photos, maps and artefacts, creating an archive of its history dating back 120 years.
The collection includes minutes, administrative papers, club ephemera such as regulations, circulars, newsletters and dinner menus, notebooks, travel or expedition diaries, photographs, maps, artworks including lithographs, paintings and drawings, artefacts including trophies, badges, pins, medals, clothing, skis ski-poles, show-shoes and boots. The archives are complemented by the Arnold Lunn Library, a large number of books and journals relating to skiing, mountaineering and other winter sports.
Open to the public by appointment, the archive showcases the rich history of the Ski Club’s involvement in winter sports ever since its inception at London’s Café Royal in 1903.
James Gambrill, chief operating officer of the Ski Club of Great Britain, said: “The Ski Club’s history has been very well documented over the past 120 years but what most people don’t realise is that there’s a chance to see some of the artefacts that have been collected and stored over that time, including a number of recordings showing the first ever ski races. For any ski enthusiast, getting the chance to look through some of this historic evidence of the impact Great Britain has had on the sport of skiing is a great opportunity. The De Montfort University in Leicester does an incredible job of storing, cataloguing and preserving these valuable artefacts that belong to the Ski Club. It’s also possible to see some of them at the Ski Club’s partner bar, The White Haus, in Farringdon, London”.
Katherine Short, the Special Collections Manager at De Montfort University, said: “De Montfort University Special Collections was delighted to accept the Ski Club archive in 2016. Such a rich and varied collection has provided many exciting opportunities. It has formed the backbone of our growing sports history collection, has been used in numerous student projects, exhibitions and online engagement, attracted significant funding from the Welcome Trust towards its cataloguing, and regularly proves to be one of our most popular archives. We are proud to work with the Ski Club to ensure that this fascinating history is preserved for future generations while still being enjoyed by present members, researchers and enthusiasts.”
Some information about the archive can be found here.
Members of the public that are interested in visiting the De Montfort University to see the archive can contact Katherine Short at [email protected] or call 0116 257 7042
KIMBERLIN LIBRARY
De Montfort University
The Gateway
Leicester LE1 9BH
