The team at Derry’s Tower Museum are excited to begin work on a new project archiving a significant collection of artefacts and documents capturing life within the city’s famous shirt factory industry.
The collection includes photographs, ledgers, correspondence and ephemera from the many factories that powered the local economy throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Funding of £39,620 for the project was confirmed this week through the National Archives ‘Archives Revealed’ Grant, and the Tower Museum is one of 12 recipients of the grant throughout the UK.
The fund is a partnership programme between The National Archives, the Pilgrim Trust, the Wolfson Foundation and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which helps unlock collections across the UK and build the skills needed to care for them into the future.
The Shirt Factories collection recognises the role of local people and businesses, who over 150 years contributed to a growing, prosperous industrial city, forging friendships and working together through some of the most challenging periods of conflict.
The project will be a further step in capturing and celebrating some of the personal stories and memories of the factory men and women.
The Archive will play an integral role in the state-of-the-art new DNA Museum which is due to open at Ebrington Square in Autumn 2026, as Head of Culture with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Aeidin McCarter explained.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to bring together a comprehensive collection of items that will tell the story of the world-renowned shirt factories, which have become so synonymous with the city.
“As we prepare to unveil the new shirt factory sculpture in Harbour Square this will be another enduring memorial to keep the memories alive, and I know this collection will be a fitting tribute to the thousands who contributed to the industry, especially those who are still with us today.
“By cataloguing the collection in this way we can fully unlock those chapters in our history and share them with a wider audience.
“This will also be supported by a programme of engaging activities celebrating the contribution of the factory workers to the social, cultural and economic development of Derry over two centuries.”
The Archives Revealed programme aims to ensure that significant archive collections, representing the lives and perspective of all people across the UK, are made accessible to the public for research and enjoyment.
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Our archives are home to our stories. Records, collections and histories all shine a light on who we are, how we live and what is important to us.
“I am delighted that funding from all four partners is enabling Archives Revealed projects to unlock and share many more of these stories right across the UK, safeguarding them for future generations.
“It is incredibly exciting to celebrate these grants, including the first consortium grant which represents a step-change for the archive sector and an opportunity to share skills and knowledge, foster partnerships and build organisational resilience in the sector.
“All of this is vital for protecting the future of our archives and delivering our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.”
Sue Bowers, Director of the Pilgrim Trust, said: “I would like to congratulate all the fantastic projects that have been awarded funding.
“As a founder member of the scheme 20 years ago, we are delighted that the newly expanded partnership enables the unlocking of so many more UK archive collections representing the lives of people across the UK for research and for all to enjoy.”
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