A rich seam of information detailing what lies just a few inches beneath our feet as we travel around Croydon, London and wider afield around the country has been donated to two major libraries for researchers to… ahhh… dig into.
Going underground: Paul Sowan’s legacy library is being put to good use
The collection of more than 500 books about mining, minerals and underground infrastructure is the legacy of polymath and enthusiast Paul Sowan, who died in June 2021.
Sowan was a long-time leading figure in the Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society. Croydon-born, Sowan taught geology, chemistry and physics at Norbury Manor and Shirley High schools. He left his valuable resource, collected over a lifetime of study, to the charity Subterranea Britannica – “Sub Brit” – a society he led as chair for 20 years.
In order to preserve public access, most of the collection has been donated to the Historic England Archive and Library and the Library and Archive of The Common Room, home of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers.
Sub Brit’s Martin Dixon said, “Throughout his life, Paul built up his extensive knowledge and pursued research interests with the help of many libraries and archives. It is particularly fitting that the fruits of his assiduous collecting will live on in such renowned national collections.”
Subterranea Britannica is a charity in its 50th anniversary year which studies our underground heritage. It has around a thousand members who work to research, explore, document and preserve man-made underground sites. Their website records 3,000 underground sites, ranging from Neolithic flint mines to nuclear bunkers, from catacombs to canal tunnels.
Sowan, who trained as a geologist, had a particular interest in mineral and metal mining across Britain, canal and railway tunnels and the many other hidden gems that lie under England’s towns and cities.
Dedicated digger: Paul Sowan
These interests are reflected in his book collection. Many of the books show the importance of underground resources to periods in history, from the Stone Age through to the Industrial Revolution and beyond. Other titles record the work of local researchers, such as the thrillingly titled (for those interested in west London’s sewers) Sewers! The Drainage of Acton 1866-1965.
To prepare for the transfer, Sub Brit volunteer Peter Burgess spent 18 months meticulously cataloguing the collection. This involved physically identifying, extracting, sorting, indexing and packaging this information treasure trove. It was a process akin to an archaeological dig combined with library management, with the constant risk of being buried in collapsing piles of literature.
Nicola Cryer, Librarian at Historic England, said, “We are grateful to Subterranea Britannica for thinking of Historic England; Paul’s collection includes some rare volumes that will help extend our industrial archaeology collection in particular.”
Jennifer Hillyard, the library and archive manager at The Common Room, said, “Subterranea Britannica’s generosity has helped fill some important gaps in our collection and Paul’s passion for geology will live on through this donation.”
Read more: Paul Sowan: a man with Croydon history at his heart
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