What is a primary source?

Our archives largely contain Primary Source material, examples of which include personal papers, photographs and oral history. These first-hand or contemporary accounts of an event or subject can provide a more representative view of history, through the written or spoken voice of those who lived it and, as a result, are a valuable resource for academic study and personal research.   

Below is an extract from the diary of Peter Clarney, a member of the National Union of Mineworkers, Yorkshire. He details his experiences of picketing at the West Midlands Gas Board coke depot at Saltley, Birmingham and meeting Arthur Scargill, during the Miners' Strike of 1972.

Alongside books or journals written about the Miners' Strike, which began on 9 January 1972 and ended on 28 February 1972 when miners accepted an improved pay offer, personal accounts like this provide a more human perspective on events. Equally, they afford the researcher an opportunity to engage more critically with the documentary evidence, asking questions such as why, when and who? 

For students who choose to make use of primary sources in their work, this will show tutors/assessors they have engaged more thoroughly with a topic; exploring the wider context to further understand the impact on related individuals or community groups.