Special Collections

About our Library

Our Colchester Campus Albert Sloman Library houses Special Collections, over 70 individual archives containing primary source materials and collections covering a variety of subjects and time periods. The collections provide a valuable resource for teaching, through object based learning and for research.

A renowned member of the Centre for Creative Writing, Dr James Canton has been involved in building and raising the awareness of J A Baker Collection from 2016 to highlight the significant connection between humans and nature through writing.

J A Baker: A Brief History

Chelmsford City Museum showcases items from the J A Baker Collection, detailing the life and work of one of the UK's most influential nature writers. The Restless Brilliance Exhibition celebrates and charts Baker's life, from his childhood through to his later years. His story is shared through more than 60 objects, loaned from the University's collection. It looks at his lifelong interest in the Essex countryside and his campaigns against the destruction of wildlife. 

The themes of his work resonate with the environmental concerns of today and his poetic nature writing has influenced many twenty-first century writers. Contemporary naturalists, including Sir David Attenborough and Chris Packham, has hailed his book The Peregrine (1967) as "highly influential."

About the Restless Brilliance Exhibition

Launched on 23 March 2024, the story of J A Baker allows visitors to the exhibition to listen to extracts from the Sir David Attenborough-voiced audiobook of The Peregrine. Recordings of J A Baker's many other works such as poetry, correspondence, and diaries made by local communities and environmental charities are available to examine at the Chelmsford City Museum. 

The museum also includes contributions from local artists who have responded to Baker's works, such as an immersive soundscape of the Blackwater Estuary by Stuart Bowditch.

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Literature and Landscape

Joined by a number of academics in the Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies, Dr James Canton and his colleagues further highlight the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature through their Podcast series: "Louder than Words: The Web of Life." [add a sentence what it means/entails]

In 2017, Dr James Canton at the Lakeside Theatre delved into Baker's world: his life in Chelmsford, surrounding landscapes, his nature writing and his legacy. [add more]

Through this collection, J A Baker has had a huge impact on the currently resurgent new nature writing and our MA Wild Writing students obtained inspiration from the varied items donated to the Library's archive.

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Link Sarah Harvey profile to Curator's Tour - Curator's Tour: Restless Brilliance (chelmsford.gov.uk)

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City Life Chelsmford information (source for quotes used)  Chelmsford Museum exhibition for famous local nature writer - ask Hanna Jones for permission to use pics

Temporary Exhibition times

Restless Brilliance: The Story of J.A. Baker and The Peregrine opens at Chelmsford Museum on 23 March 2024 and will be on display until 3 November 2024.

The museum is open from 10am to 4pm daily from November to March and 10am to 5pm from April to October - relevant or not? 

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The MA Wild Writing is led by the nature and travel writer Dr James Canton, author of the critically acclaimed Ancient Wonderings. (found in subject/course page)

Visit the Special Collections Reading room