Barbara Nixon (1927-2011)

Barbara Nixon (nee Scales), married John Nixon in 1952. A qualified librarian, she began volunteering at the RHSV in the 1960s, during the 19 Queen Street era. Practical and down-to-earth, she took care of the RHSV collection through a number of changes of premises (City Mutual to the YMCA then the Old Mint and finally the Drill Hall). In 2009 she recalled that the book stacks were moved at least four times during her era, times she recalled as ‘busy and exciting years.’ In 1988 President A.G.L. Shaw announced that because of their outstanding service in the move from the old YMCA to the Royal Mint, she and Lorenzo Iozzi were to receive a President’s Commendation, the first of its kind. She became an RHSV Fellow in 1982.

During Barbara’s long period of impeccable service to the RHSV, she and her volunteers managed many other changes to the RHSV collection. The hand and type written card catalogue gave way to various forms of computer catalogue. The book collection doubled in size. And the manuscript collection was completely reorganised, culminating in the publication of a catalogue of manuscripts in 1985.

After her death in December 2011, Barbara’s family made a substantial bequest in her memory and the Barbara Nixon Volunteer Award was instituted in 2018 in her honour.

Kaleidoscope exhibition text, February 2022. Full entry to follow.