We are pleased to publish this guest blog post by Jonathan Bush, Research Engagement and Collections Development Archivist at Durham University, and a Fellow (2021-22) from the AHRC-RLUK Professional Practice Fellowship Scheme.

Jonathan’s fellowship, Protecting dispersed collections: a framework for managing the at-risk heritage assets of Catholic religious orders, sought to understand the challenges faced by heritage professionals in working with dispersed groups of at-risk collections and to assess the feasibility of creating a framework to ensure a long-term and sustainable future for these collections.  

Jonathan is a qualified archivist with nearly 20 years experience working in the Archives and Special Collections team in Durham University Library and Collections. His current role is Research Engagement and Collections Development Archivist. This involves encouraging and enabling the development of research projects through collaboration and partnerships and active collections management.

In 2022, I was fortunate to be part of the first AHRC-RLUK Professional Practice Fellowship cohort, enabling me to undertake funded research in an area that I’ve felt very passionate about for many years. My work in Catholic archives had made me increasingly aware of the significant challenges facing religious orders, many of which are disbanding due to a decline in vocations. With over 300 religious orders across the country – many holding substantial archive collections dating back to the 19^th century and earlier – the risk to these records is profound.

These collections are vital for preserving the unique, often hidden histories of religious life, frequently at odds with prevailing social and political norms, but also for understanding the wider contributions of these communities to the national picture. Religious orders played pioneering roles in education and healthcare, and their archives offer valuable insights into historical attitudes towards slavery, migration, and social justice.

Without a sustainable solution for their preservation, there is a genuine risk that much of this rich history could be lost. As part of my fellowship, I conducted research into both current and emerging storage challenges, which included designing and distributing a survey to 300 religious orders, as well as visiting two centralised archival repositories for religious orders in the Netherlands and Belgium. The findings of my report underscored the urgent need for a centralised repository for religious orders’ archives in the UK.

After completing my report in September 2023, I was determined to continue this work in some form, even if it meant doing so largely in my spare time and without a clear road map for how to achieve my aims. I was adamant that the report would not just sit on the shelf gathering dust and not be acted upon, but that I could use the momentum from my fellowship to create something both tangible and potentially transformative, for both the religious orders themselves and the wider research community.

The challenges, however, were daunting, particularly the question of how to fund a central archive repository, a project likely to cost millions! For a time, it felt insurmountable. To move forward, I convened a planning group of interested archivists, researchers, and representatives from religious orders. While there was strong enthusiasm and goodwill, no obvious solution emerged.

The foundation laid by the AHRC-RLUK Professional Practice Fellowship has not only shaped the trajectory of my professional life but also opened up new possibilities for collaboration, advocacy, and long-term impact.

Then, a chance conversation at a railway station with a lay archivist from a religious order (who had read my fellowship report) opened an unexpected path forward. The order’s site, which had benefited from a successful Heritage Lottery Fund bid a decade earlier, offered everything I had been seeking: archival storage built to conservation standards, an existing reading room, buy-in from the order themselves, and long-term financial stability.

Crucially, the order was also looking to enhance the heritage offer of their estate. My project aligned closely with their vision, especially given the potential to develop a sustainable business model around the onsite storage and management of other religious archives. What began as an uncertain post-fellowship pursuit was suddenly reshaped by the opportunity for a meaningful, mutually beneficial partnership!

Securing funding from the religious orders themselves, particularly to support a feasibility study, remained a crucial next step. Fortuitously, I have recently been invited to present the findings of my report and outline the vision for a centralised repository at a workshop on Archives and Legacy Planning, attended by representatives from over 40 religious orders. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with strong support for the concept and several expressions of interest in both participating and contributing financially. I remain hopeful that this enthusiasm will translate into concrete action.

Much of this work has been undertaken in my spare time, but the fellowship also had a significant impact on my current role. In August, I was invited to take on a new position within Durham University Archives and Special Collections, with a stronger research focus aimed at fostering academic partnerships around our collections. This opportunity was a direct outcome of both my fellowship and wider contributions it made to broadening the University’s research culture.

One of my first major accomplishments in the role was to collaborate with two academics from the Theology Department as a Co-Investigator on a project to host an international workshop and archive showcase focused on the archives of religious orders. My expertise in this area has clearly been recognised as a result of my fellowship. We successfully secured nearly £10,000 in funding from the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Grants Fund, and the event is scheduled to take place in September 2025. Find out more here: British Academy/Leverhulme Trust Funding Success – Durham University.

Looking ahead, the foundation laid by the AHRC-RLUK Professional Practice Fellowship has not only shaped the trajectory of my professional life but also opened up new possibilities for collaboration, advocacy, and long-term impact. What began as a research project has evolved into a growing movement to preserve the archival heritage of religious orders in the UK – collections that are crucial to understanding both the spiritual and secular fabric of our past. While much work remains to be done, the partnerships formed, the recognition received, and the early signs of support give me real hope that lasting, systemic change is within reach. I remain committed to building on this momentum to ensure these important histories are safeguarded for generations to come.