| Focus On... The National Archives - Glossary |
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
| A | |
|---|---|
| ARCHON | The principal online information gateway for archivists in the United Kingdom and users of manuscript sources for British history. |
| Alum tawed | Alum tawed leather has been tanned using aluminium salts. There is some additional information in the conservation section of the National Archives website. |
| B | |
| Bone Folder | A spatula or burnisher-like tool used in bookbinding and paper conservation. It has a polished, smooth surface and is pointed at one end. Traditionally made of cow bone but nowadays many are made of Teflon. |
| Buckram | A very heavy-weight, durable linen or cotton cloth. |
| C | |
| Cockles | Bumps or wrinkles. |
| D | |
| DORIS | The name of the computerised Document Ordering System used at The National Archives in Kew. |
| Dover | Dover paper is a high quality, hand-made
paper suitable for conservation work. < back to leaf casting guide |
| E | |
| F | |
| FCO | Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Find out more on the FCO website. |
| G | |
| GCHQ | Government Communications Headquarters. Find out more on the GCHQ website. |
| H | |
| I | |
| J | |
| K | |
| L | |
| M | |
| Manila | Manila comes from the plant 'musa textilis' - for more information on manila see the Kew Gardens website. |
| N | |
| O | |
| Overband | Bands of leather that go around the spine of a binding, and are usually laced onto the boards (front & back covers) of the book with vellum or parchment. |
| P | |
| PROCAT | Former name for The Catalogue which is The National Archives' catalogue of public records. |
| Proven | Approved and recognised as a legal document. To be recognised in law, a will must be proven. Prior to 1858, wills leaving more than £5 in the diocese of the Archbishop of Canterbury were approved by the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury. |
| Parchment | Parchment is a very thin Vellum, designed to be written on. See the National Archives' conservation section's topic on parchment for more information |
| Q | |
| R | |
| Reversed calf | This is ordinary tanned leather that has been applied "inside out" so that the smooth side of the leather is hidden and the slightly suede-like side is used for the outer face of the binding. |
| S | |
| Series | The main grouping of records, based on common function or subject. |
| T | |
| Terylene | A synthetic fibre/cloth made of polyethylene terephthalate . Terylene is used by conservators as a support when drying an item under tension. It is suitable because it can be easily be removed from documents without causing damage. |
| U | |
| V | |
| Vellum | Parchment made from the skin of calves or other animals such as sheep, goats etc. |
| W | |
| X | |
| Y | |
| Z | |
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