Conserving a lengthy piece of Queensland history

The Central Queensland Separation League Petition (1892 – 1893) is currently on my workbench. This collection item is a scroll with the details of over 3,000 women who were petitioning for Central Queensland to become a separate state. The efforts taken to gather signatures at the time is fascinating, and inimitably different to the virtual compilation of today’s typical petition. Addressed to Queen Victoria, the scroll never made it to the intended destination, as it was dismissed by the Premier of Queensland at the time. You can read more about the history of the object on our blog.

This collection item is over 33-metres long, which has made safe access and handling a challenge. For scale, 30 metres is approximately the length of one blue whale, twice as tall as the Big Pineapple, or 120 lengths of uncooked spaghetti.

In addition to dimensional handling challenges, the scroll is also vulnerable due to its condition, showing evidence of its more than 130 years existence. It has many small tears, losses, tipped in paper sheets torn away, surface and ingrained soiling, and failing old sticky tape mends. Any additional handling poses further risk of damage.

Due to these condition issues and general handling challenges, public access has previously been limited. However, thanks to the generosity of the Queensland Library Foundation the project is well underway to mend, rehouse and digitise this wonderful resource for future generations.

To date, more than 30-metres of the scroll has been mended and a special housing system to facilitate safer access and handling has also been designed. Once the conservation treatment is finished, the petition will be digitised, uploaded to the catalogue, and ultimately accessible online for researchers.

Look out for updates and we’ll let you know when the digitised scroll is live in our catalogue. 

Kelly Leahey – Conservator, State Library of Queensland

Further reading from Kelly

•  Conserving Richard Daintree’s hand-coloured photographs