Preserving the Past - Film freezing with the National Conservation Service

Commonwealth War Graves and the National Conservation Service (NCS) have partnered to freeze important archival film in a new long-term preservation project.

A variety of film negatives and glass plates from the early days of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will be frozen to preserve them at the NCS facilities in Upper Heyford.

The project involves preparing and freezing over 50,000 glass and film negatives over 2025. 

“The film freezing project is a critical initiative that preserves our rich heritage and ensures future generations have access to our vast historical photographic collection.

“By using specialised freezer storage to improve the preservation of the photographic negatives, we can safeguard these valuable and fascinating images from further deterioration and damage.

“This project also enhances the retrieval process for future cataloguing and digitisation initiatives, ensuring easier and more efficient access to the collection.” - Michael Greet, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Chief Archivist

This project has been supported by the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation, with funding for the initial project phase from the William Delafield Charitable Trust and the Rockcliffe Charitable Trust.

The Rockcliffe Charitable Trust supports good causes across a range of sectors, including historical conservation, environmental and natural protection, poverty, and supporting the disabled. 

We’d like to say a huge thank you to the William Delafield Charitable Trust and the Rockcliffe Charitable Trust for funding this first phase of the project.