This year marks Townsweb’s 20th anniversary, and we thought it was the perfect time to introduce you to some of the people behind the scenes.
I sat down with a few of our team members to help you get to know them a little better.
What is your favourite part about working at TownsWeb Archiving?
I absolutely love to see old dusty archives arrive, go through the entire digitisation process and then see that content published online (via our PastView software). The ability to bring old material to life for new audiences to enjoy gives me a real buzz!
What's one thing you appreciate about the company culture?
Smiley faces! Whether that's on a Monday morning, catching up with everyone following their exciting weekend activities... or during our Wednesday weekly catch-up. It's so lovely to see people happy and appreciating each other.
What is the most interesting thing you have worked on?
I have many! However, I spent a couple of weeks in Edinburgh writing an archives consultancy report for a client. The project was quite technically complex and challenging, but the people there were very knowledgeable and helpful and also very friendly - taking me to local restaurants to enjoy Scottish 'fusion' delicacies (Haggis ravioli with a whisky sauce) is still one of my favourite memories!
What's a professional skill you're currently working on?
Not really a professional skill, but I'm actively attempting to be less involved in "day-to-day things". For so many years I've been very involved with almost everything that was happening in the business, and so stepping back was relatively difficult to start. However, we've got some really great, talented, adept people here that I completely trust... and so it's actually easier than I had anticipated!
What's a fun fact about you that your co-workers may not know?
I'm very much an open book and I think people know me, warts and all! Mmmm… perhaps co-workers haven't had the privilege of seeing my "lip dancing"? It's a strange combination between Elvis, Cliff and Jagger... not really worthy of an entry to Britain's Got Talent though!
What is your favourite part about working at TownsWeb Archiving?
Exploring archive collections. Every project brings a new story, and I love uncovering materials that haven’t been seen or appreciated for decades.
What's one thing you appreciate about the company culture?
The willingness to learn and develop. The team is constantly evolving, pushing themselves, and embracing new skills and technologies, which makes the environment genuinely energising.
What is the most interesting thing you have worked on?
I really enjoyed the project we worked on to digitise the diaries of Anne Lister of Shibden Hall for the TV drama Gentleman Jack. Bringing such culturally significant material into the digital space was a privilege.
What's a professional skill you're currently working on?
Improving my ability to simplify complex operational processes so teams can move faster and with more clarity, essential as we continue to scale both the digitisation and PastView sides of the business.
What's a fun fact about you that your co-workers may not know?
I once signed up for a marathon just to “see how it feels” and ended up building an entire running obsession, including training for the Paris Marathon to raise funds for VHL UK & Ireland.
What is your favourite part about working at TownsWeb Archiving?
The biggest difference in my work day comes from the people I get to work with. Having a great team and supportive colleagues really makes all the difference.
What's one thing you appreciate about the company culture?
It’s a relaxed environment with just the right amount of fun mixed in amongst all the hard work we do.
What is the most interesting thing you have worked on?
Visiting and filming at Unilever’s Archive and Records Management Centre was a standout experience. The team there are great, and the depth of history behind Unilever and its products was incredible to see firsthand.
What is a professional skill you're currently working on?
I’m focusing on keeping up-to-date with the rapidly evolving AI landscape and finding meaningful ways to incorporate useful tools into my work.
What's a fun fact about you that your co-workers may not know?
I’ve been producing music for over 20 years, including working with Pharrell Williams and being named a “Stand Out Act” by BBC Music Introducing.
What's your favourite part about working at TownsWeb Archiving?
Since day one, I always sought out anything that challenged me, anything that gave me space to grow, and I get that here. Every day comes with its own challenge, whether that's technical or personal, and the payoff from overcoming them really is fulfilling. I'm a big 'fixer', so my favourite thing in a workplace like this is problem solving - from directing the development of new systems and staff talents to simplifying outdated practices, that's where I feel the most satisfied.
What's one thing you appreciate about the company culture?
What I appreciate the most is how everyone is encouraged to improve on their unique skills, and reach into different areas they're interested in. Some environments have a strict 'worry about your own job' attitude, but here, opportunity is there for those that seek it out. Every one of my team has their own talents - ones honed from previous experience or their personal hobbies - and I'm so glad I can help foster those when the need arises.
What is the most interesting thing you have worked on?
12 months ago I'd have said "the bewildering variety of nonsensical novelty shoes and swimsuits I photographed in London", but for me now, it's our internal Ledger system, O.L.I. Sounds boring, but having craved an automated process for tracking scan counts and folder structures since day 1, developing something that takes 50% of the mundane admin away is hardly something to pass off! Saying that... let's go with "the bewildering variety of nonsensical novelty shoes and swimsuits I photographed in London".
What's a professional skill you're currently working on?
Management, mostly! Managing a team is a skillset on its own, and I plan to learn more and more as the months go by. I've had incredible support from my superiors, so I hope I can continue to improve to a standard I'm happy with.
What's a fun fact about you that your co-workers may not know?
Ooh, I have a very specific one: I'm possibly the most popular atheist in Bury St. Edmunds Cathedral. If you ever take a trip there, head to the Lady Chapel. In there, there's a carving by my late grandfather of the Madonna and Child. Guess who the child is? That's right, my two-year-old self has been immortalised in wood as the image of Jesus himself, complete with my curly hair. The staff there treat me like a celebrity, which is hilarious given I don't partake!
What's your favourite part about working at TownsWeb Archiving?
The archives I get to visit, seeing the collections and all the history that is stored away. I love to see the passion of the archivists we work with to preserve history, it’s very infectious.
What's one thing you appreciate about the company culture?
I like how relaxed people are, everyone gets on with each other and are approachable.
What is the most interesting thing you have worked on?
Digitising Shakespeare's first folio!
What's a professional skill you're currently working on?
Learning to write better, I never had to value writing coming from an animation and photography background. However, I am learning to be able to express myself better in words, personally and professionally.
What's a fun fact about you that your co-workers may not know?
I'm right handed but left footed, because I was forced to use my right hand when I was young.
What's your favourite part about working at TownsWeb Archiving?
All the lovely people who I work with and the friendly atmosphere.
What's one thing you appreciate about the company culture?
We are one big team and all work together and help each other with brilliant support from our management.
What is the most interesting thing you have worked on?
Glass plates for The Egypt Exploration Society, myself and Paul worked on this project onsite in London for 2 weeks, it is the biggest glass plate project we have completed so far.
What's a professional skill you're currently working on?
Learning how to use the new Operations Ledger.
What's a fun fact about you that your co-workers may not know?
I am not normally a very lucky person but in 2003 I won a local radio competition to go and see Robbie Williams at Knebworth, it is the only radio competition I have ever entered!
What's your favourite part about working at TownsWeb Archiving?
Getting to work with so many of our clients on structuring their collections in PastView and seeing their excitement about having their digital archives put live!
What's one thing you appreciate about the company culture?
Everyone has a great can-do and collaborative attitude where no problem is seen as being too big to tackle.
What is the most interesting thing you have worked on?
The RJA&HS project where we have digitised numerous historical records and magazines relating to the agricultural field on the Jersey Isles. I never knew so much about Jersey cows or for just how long the society has been running!
What's a professional skill you're currently working on?
I'm currently learning new programming languages to help support and improve our internal tools.
What's a fun fact about you that your co-workers may not know?
My first car was called the Red Peril!
What's your favourite part about working at TownsWeb Archiving?
Sharing our creativity, we are all into the creative side of life so we love to share ideas. We show each other work we’ve done and give advice to each other as well as teaching each other new techniques. I've recently learned about file sizes for social media and what sizes work best for different platforms.
What's one thing you appreciate about the company culture?
Being fully responsible for my project, and the equipment we use.
What is the most interesting thing you have worked on?
The second project I ever worked on was with a US investment bank. I enjoyed looking at the calligraphy they wrote in and figuring out some of the currency exchange, it was interesting to see how it compares to currency today.
I got to handle a piece of note paper from one of white star lines ships, but the most interesting pieces were news articles that were released during WW2. Even though most newspaper were cut specifically for new articles of the company, some of the cartoons were still intact and very interesting to read and touch. Many artifacts you see are now in museums, so being able to read and touch new paper from that time period was definitely very interesting.
What's a professional skill you're currently working on?
Camera techniques within motorsport photography. I've developed panning on a drag strip, I'm now expanding this work to tracks and streetside.
What's a fun fact about you that your co-workers may not know?
I've been a passenger in a two seater dragster down Santa pod raceways strip at 170 mph!
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A big thank you to the team members above for letting us get to know them a little better. They, along with the wider team, look forward to working with you on your next digitisation project!
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