The Archives & Records Association of UK and Ireland has chosen the Highland Archive Centre as the only Scottish nomination at the ARA Excellence Awards 2024. The Highland Archive Centre is competing against Essex Police Museum and Lancashire Archives & Local History, and covers four sites across Scotland in Fort William, Inverness, Portree, and Wick.  

Archivist Jamie McCaffrey, based at Nucleus, said: “The Caithness Archive team are very proud to be part of the Highland Archive Service and to have been nominated for the Archives and Records Association “Record Keeping Service of the Year” award. 

“It is both fascinating and rewarding to work as part of the service. Being able to connect with the community and with researchers through our records and outreach activities is a real joy. We are all very passionate about continuing our work to help people engage with the history and heritage of Caithness.” 

The awards will be decided by public vote and the results announced on 29^th August.   

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The herring industry is the nucleus of these stories and activities and will be seen to loom large within the political, social and environmental landscape. 

Reproduced are historical archives, evidence of past activity and transaction that allow us a deeper insight into the narratives, vocations and circumstances that filled the harbour with life. 

Many of the archives reproduced below were recently (2020) accessioned into our collections from the Wick Society and we are very grateful to be able to showcase them here. We would also like to thank Am Baile and the Johnstone Collection for kind permission to reproduce many of the images included. 

The full exhibition – including photographs, a video presentation, and more information about the coopers, curers, fishermen and the ‘herring girls’ of the industry – is available here: https://www.highlifehighland.com/nucleus-nuclear-caithness-archives/wk-history-of-a-harbour/online-exhibitions-wk-history-of-a-harbour/herring-gutters/  

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The decision to site the project in Caithness was a great boon for the area. As a county that relied on farming and fishing for its employment, modernisation meant jobs had become scarce. Stephen Cashmore explains that: 

The building of ‘atomic’ housing was vital to the fast breeder reactor programme at Dounreay. Without the allure of modern, attractive houses at reasonable rents, drawing skilled workers to the far north would have been near impossible, given the perception of the area as bleak and remote. 

Throughout this exhibition we’ll be showcasing high resolution photographs from the air, ground and inside of some of the houses themselves, exploring wonderfully detailed architectural plans, displaying the Dounreay Householders Handbook in its entirety and hearing the recollections of those who lived and worked in Thurso in excerpts from the Dounreay Oral History series.  

To view the full exhibition, including high-resolution building plans and a full copy of The Dounreay Householders Handbook issued to everyone allocated an Atomic House, please click here: https://www.highlifehighland.com/nucleus-nuclear-caithness-archives/atomic-housing/  

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Over a two hour session, participants are shown photographs from the vast nuclear photographic archive. Archive staff will be on hand to capture any information relevant to the photographs as well as anecdotes and stories.

This precious information will then be incorporated into the descriptions of the archives at Nucleus, meaning that future generations will benefit from both technical and social insight into Dounreay’s past. 

Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided to all attendees, and there is always time in between viewing photographs for attendees to catch up and reminisce.

Anyone with knowledge of, or a connection to, Dounreay is welcome to join. This includes Dounreay employees (past and present) and their families and friends. There is no need to book on to sessions and we are always delighted to welcome new faces. 

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Nucleus is once again welcoming visitors for Doors Open Day, featuring previously unseen documents, family activities, and an exclusive tour of the Nucleus facility, including a peek beyond the barrier.

Places on this tour are limited and can be booked in advance by emailing the Caithness Archive directly before 15 September. north.highlandarchive@highlifehighland.com  

Photo ID and comfortable shoes are a must!  

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An array of documents will be on display in the public searchroom where our friendly Caithness Archive assistants are available to discuss all things archival.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are available in the Hub for those who want to watch historic videos, meet up with fellow enthusiasts, or simply enjoy a break in quiet surroundings.

Every Wednesday, 1pm – 4pm

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We also touched on the social change this influx of new families made upon life in the county. This exhibition looks to explore further that unbelievable social change through the archives of the Dounreay Social Clubs held at Nucleus: The Nuclear and Caithness Archives. 

To view the full exhibition and read more about the history of these social clubs, just click https://www.highlifehighland.com/nucleus-nuclear-caithness-archives/atomic-recreation/   

The Caithness Archive is actively seeking information and images from the Wick Dounreay Sports and Social Club. If you have any stories, memories, or photographs, please contact north.highlandarchive@highlifehighland.com and the team will be delighted to hear from you.  

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Designed by Edinburgh-based Reiach and Hall Architects, its success made it a contender for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award, named after the celebrated Scottish architect who worked on numerous city regeneration projects. 

The award, established in 2002 to celebrate the best buildings in Scotland, is one of the largest architectural prizes in the world and is supported by the Doolan family as well as the Scottish Government. 

Simon Tucker, the NDA’s Head of Information Governance, said: 

“We are absolutely delighted that Nucleus has been named as this year’s best building in Scotland. Visually, it is extremely striking, and is also a fantastic operational facility, purpose-built for the preservation and storage of our nuclear records, as well as those from Caithness.” 

One of the earlier citations noted: 

“The judges unanimously felt that this was an impressive industrial building which created an ethereal and beautifully sculpted building. Security issues in the design of the landscape did not detract from the panel’s view that this was an excellent building. The relationship of the building to the historic context of the site and the adjacent wartime airfield are beautifully articulated, together with the references to the Caithness context of lochs and a difficult climate.” 

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