Directories
There are a number of old directories which contain varying detail. Those which are out of copyright will be transcribed and placed in our Directories page. Permission will be sought for the remainder. Volunteers are needed for these transcriptions.  They are not huge tomes like those we are familiar with today, which are useful for weighing things down. Some are very small indeed and may prove impossible to photograph, in which case they will have to be transcribed on site and that will take some time. We would aim to eventually have the whole runs of the directories transcribed.
Monumental inscriptions
We hope to work alongside BACSA to further their existing work in Burma, which coincides neatly with our own aims. We are prepared to mount expeditions to cemeteries that are away from the well-trodden tourist areas. In many cases this work can be carried out in conjunction with our Register Book project outlined below.
Myanmar National Archives
From the eight books detailing the holdings of the RG1 series (Colonial Period) in the MNA we have created our own database of files which we believe to contain biographical material.

We are 100% sure that most of these files will be of great importance to us. Doubt arises regarding some of the files owing to faulty translation or misunderstanding. The only way to be certain is to obtain copies to verify the contents.

We can obtain the copies easily enough, the only problem is funding the purchases. For this we are initially seeking funding in the region of £30,000 sterling.  All contributions are welcome and can be made through the link on our Home page.  If your contribution is intended specifically for this project, please indicate this on the Paypal system.

Samples of the unique material that is held by the MNA
1) Application for Myookship - 1886 - (1MB)
2) Withdrawal of Firearms from Europeans or Eurasians - 1912 - (228KB)
3) Next of Kin (Officers of the Indian Army) - 1921 - (244KB)
4) The Naturalisation of Haik Matthew Gregory - 1922 - (129KB)

Church Registers

Picture
Church register - weather damage
Extensive collections of church registers still survive in Burma.  Some of these registers are rapidly decaying and our assistance will provide much needed help in its conservation, or at least to digitise the information before it is lost forever. We estimate the lifespan of the registers shown to the left at no more than two years.

Acidic inks, insects and Cyclone Nargis have combined to devastating effect on these old documents. It can be seen that repairs have twice been attempted on these particular pages.

Our aim is to produce photographic copies on DVD which can be used by the parish priests when the registers have finally succumbed. We are currently studying preservation techniques, but sadly in this particular case the possibilities of preservation appear to be negligible. Computers are rare, especially away from the cities, however TV and DVD players are fairly common.

For this project we need a digital camera, with the following characteristics:-
1) preferably with manual focusing
2) large sensor for capture of detail
3) good performance in low light levels

We are happy to take advice on this subject. We are also happy to consider borrowing a suitable camera or accepting sponsorship from a dealer.
This page last updated 27 Mar 2011