![\"Screenshot](\"http:\/\/libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk\/newcollegelibrarian\/files\/2021\/06\/175-exhibition.jpg\")
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It all began with The Disruption. Not 2020\u2019s lockdown\u00a0but The Disruption of 1843 when\u00a0ministers and elders left the Church of Scotland to set up the Free Church of Scotland. They started from scratch creating churches, manses, schools and a place to train\u00a0and educate\u00a0the\u00a0new Free Church ministers: the New College. In June 1846 Rev Dr Thomas Chalmers, one of the leaders of The Disruption and New\u00a0College\u2019s first Principal\u00a0laid the foundation stone.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To celebrate\u00a0a\u00a0remarkable\u00a0175 years, the School of Divinity planned an array of events\u00a0including conferences,\u00a0reunions,\u00a0re-enactments\u00a0and an online exhibition, much of which required access to the\u00a0New College\u00a0archives.\u00a0Unfortunately\u00a0research and planning coincided with the closure of New College Library\u00a0for essential\u00a0works\u00a0so\u00a0staff facilitated access to\u00a0the\u00a0archives at the Centre for Research Collections\u00a0(CRC)\u00a0instead: that was until\u00a0the coronavirus lockdown\u00a0which\u00a0was quickly\u00a0dubbed \u2018the third Disruption\u2019.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Throughout 2020, conversations continued with the\u00a0School of Divinity\u00a0team researching,\u00a0planning\u00a0and designing\u00a0the online exhibition, with the Digital Imaging Unit, and with staff physically in the CRC. This allowed items to\u00a0be selected\u00a0for digitisation\u00a0and incorporation\u00a0into the 21<\/span>st<\/span>\u00a0century telling of New College\u2019s story: how\u00a0a\u00a0Capital landmark came to be;\u00a0mischievous\u00a0students\u00a0helpers\u00a0in the 1890s;\u00a0one class\u2019s\u00a050 years of\u00a0reunion\u00a0memories; records of WWII air raids;\u00a0changes to the campus;\u00a0changes\u00a0in diversity, and more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thanks are due to all the CAHSS, L&UC and USD staff who collaborated so well in such trying times to produce a fascinating exhibition.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lose yourself in the online exhibition featuring remarkable historic photographs:\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/exhibition.div.ed.ac.uk\/<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Follow the celebrations and join in:\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/www.ed.ac.uk\/divinity\/news-events\/new-college-175<\/span><\/a>\u00a0::\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/twitter.com\/uoedivinity<\/span><\/a>\u00a0::\u00a0<\/span>#NewCollege175<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Kirsty M Stewart, New College Collections Curator<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It all began with The Disruption. Not 2020\u2019s lockdown\u00a0but The Disruption of 1843 when\u00a0ministers and elders left the Church of Scotland to set up the Free Church of Scotland. They started from scratch creating churches, manses, schools and a … Continue reading