Destroying historical wills is foolhardy and short-sighted

The Ministry of Justice in the United Kingdom has proposed to digitize around 100 million historic wills, which has sparked controversy among genealogists, historians, and archivists. 

While digitization is generally welcomed, concerns arise from the plan to destroy the original documents after scanning. Critics argue that retaining access to originals is crucial for quality control and future advancements in scanning technology. The physical characteristics of documents, such as paper, ink, seals, and folds, hold valuable information that would be lost through destruction. The claim of permanent and inviolable accessibility for digital versions is questioned, citing past failures in digital preservation, including the BBC’s “Domesday Project” and a recent cyber attack on the British Library. 

The Ministry of Justice’s offer to preserve paper copies of noteworthy wills is criticized as subjective and potentially overlooking unrecognized historical contributions. The controversy highlights the need for proper dialogue between government departments and archival institutions, emphasizing the public interest in preserving knowledge as part of democracy’s infrastructure.

For more information see Richard Ovenden “Destroying historical wills is foolhardy and short-sighted”, The Financial Times, December 21, 2023.

Special thanks to Joel C. Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.