The Société Jersiaise Photographic Archive is a historical collection of photographs related to Jersey, it was established by the Société Jersiaise which focuses on the island’s history, culture, and heritage. The archive has its origins in the late 19th century when the society recognised the importance of preserving visual records of the island’s past. Over the years, the archive has grown significantly and now includes a vast collection of over 125,000 photographs representing various eras, from the earliest days of photography to the present. The images document Jersey’s landscapes, people, architecture, and daily life, providing valuable insights into the island’s history and evolution. Looking at pictures from the past, we can learn a great deal about our islands social, economic, and cultural development. Photographs capture moments in time, offering a look into the island’s changing landscapes, architecture, fashion, transportation, and societal norms. Archiving and organising our personal images and text messages is increasingly important and frequent in the digital age. These archives can reveal a lot about an individual’s life and experiences. On a societal level, the way we archive and manage digital information speaks to our technological advancements and understanding of our future. As technology evolves, so do our methods of organising and preserving digital records, reflecting broader trends and values.

William Collie, born in 1810 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, lived in Jersey from 1850 to 1878 where he lived in Belmont Road and Bath Street, he became one of the photographic paper print pioneers. He was one of the first photographers in Jersey to use the calotype after he started his career in portrait painting. One of his most popular works is the “French and Jersey Market Women” collection which is the oldest set of images (signed and dated) taken in Jersey, over 174 years ago. The Société Jersiaise Photographic Archive lists 157 photographs by William Collie, however none of them can be viewed online. His photography was a mixture of candid and professional portraits as he explored lower- and upper-class subjects and how they lived in Jersey. He used their working or living environment and their clothing as a way to show the heavy separation between classes in the 19^th century. As Collie was one of the only photographers at the time, his images are some of the only ways to visually understand this time period. The image below is one of the earliest photographs printed on paper, it is Collie’s portrait of Jersey market women in 1847.

Wiktoria worked with Adobe Audition regarding the sound we would use in the film.

She used a mixture of the sounds we collected from the castle and also sounds that were collected by Sam, an audio producer we worked with. These were filed in the ‘Elizabeth Castle Sound library’.

“What I had to do is filter each sound I wanted to use so it was “clean”; the background noises were eliminated as much as possible. I could quiet down each element of the sound to a desired level.”

“In Adobe Audition I was able to combine different sounds together to create a sound scheme. I decided to create one consisting of seagulls and the sound of the sea. After cleaning and filtering the sounds, I inserted them and made sure to save them as a collection, so I know they are a combination of sounds joint together. This makes a great background track as a sound that is ongoing or primary sound that shapes the mood of the film. Another combination that would have worked well is maybe the sea and people talking in the distance.”

“Working with sound is very important when it comes to films – there are even specific jobs that revolve around people making sound effects on anything that is being filmed to produce the cleanest sound possible so that the quality of it increases the authenticity of the scene. One of the things that make a great movie is how well the viewer is engaged with it. The more interested they are in the movie the more successful it will be. Sound serves as a vital aspect of cinematography as it affects the mood, and heightens peoples emotions. For example, when the sound is calming but a sudden bang appears, combined with the image being displayed, a viewer is more likely to get scared due to an impulsive reaction based on what they are seeing and hearing.

This is why I would need to use sound that is relevant to what is being shown. Elizabeth Castle is segregated from the land and is surrounded by the sea. Therefore, sounds like the sea, wind, or seagulls are most appropriate. It is important that the sounds I use are not random and link to what is being shown.”

Archives are used to store knowledge, this can be in many formats, including paper documents, photographs, digital files, audio recordings, video recordings, and more. They make historical information accessible to the public. They serve several important functions, these being:

1. Preservation of material: Archives safeguard and protect valuable historical records so they can be accessible for generations to come. This includes different techniques to prevent deterioration, like proper storage etc.
2. Access: Archives make historical materials available to researchers, scholars, and the general public. This is typically provided through finding aids, catalogues, and, in some cases, digitization efforts that allow people to explore these resources online.
3. Research: Researchers, historians, genealogists, and students often rely on archives to access primary source materials for their studies and projects. They can contain a wealth of information, such as letters, diaries, photographs, official documents, etc.
4. Documentation of history: Archives play a crucial role in documenting the history of individuals, organizations, communities, and societies. They provide insight into the past and contribute to a better understanding of historical events and cultural heritage.

Archives may be specialized, focusing on a particular topic, period, or region. They can also vary in size, from small local collections to vast national or international archives.

Archives can take various forms, including:

Physical archives that can be found in libraries, museums, government buildings, universities, and other institutions and digital archives, as, over the past few years it has become difficult to visit archives, many archives have digitized their material for it to remain accessible.

The Société Jersiaise focuses on Jersey history and has everything about it ranging from what the Island looked like hundreds of years ago to peoples’ registration cards during the Occupation.

In summary, archives are important safeguarders of knowledge as they collect and make accessible historical records. They play a key role in advancing research, education and cultural and historical preservation.