Tyldesley Diary Press Statement

The Monday 14 May edition of The Times carried a story headed: "How British Library allowed 300-year-old diary to be ruined". The story reported that Peter J Tyldesley, a descendant of Thomas Tyldesley the diary's author (and a solicitor and consultant for the Law Commission) had deposited the diary (1712-14) with the British Library. When Mr Tyldesley went to collect the diary, he found that its original binding had been removed and replaced, and that its pages had been disfigured with stains.

As soon as this incident came to the attention of British Library Management, steps were taken to rectify the situation. An internal inquiry has been established to examine what went wrong in this case and to determine whether or not it is an isolated incident. This inquiry will also examine the way in which Mr Tyldesley's complaint was initially handled.

On 11 May 2007 the British Library issued a statement on this matter, prepared in good faith and based on information received at that time. The internal inquiry is still progressing and so not all the relevant facts are yet known. However, we are now in a position to correct and clarify aspects of our initial statement. It is clear that the diary had not been deposited for rebinding, but for safekeeping and so that an archive box and a complete photographic copy of the manuscript could be made. The removal of the binding and its replacement by a modern copy was authorised neither by Mr Tyldesley nor the Library. It is now known that the diary was in good condition in 2002 and that the damage occurred sometime thereafter. The staining appears to have occurred when the diary was not in its archive box. In addition to the staining the diary has at some stage unfortunately been damaged by damp, mould and mildew. The exact degree and nature of the damage - and the extent to which it can be remedied - will be assessed as a first stage in the conservation process. Investigations are continuing to determine precisely how the damage occurred.

The Library had a very positive meeting with Mr Tyldesley on Wednesday 16 May 2007 at which we acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. We assured Mr Tyldesley that an internal inquiry was under way and that the Library would, so far as is possible, make good the damage to his manuscript. In addition, we agreed to meet his expenses associated with this matter. We are pleased that Mr Tyldesley has accepted our offer to conserve the diary and to restore the original binding. We believe that Mr Tyldesley is now reassured that the Library is now doing everything it can to put things right, and that he is now looking forward to a satisfactory resolution of the issue. The Library is grateful to Mr Tyldesley for his forbearance in this matter and apologises for the distress that he has been caused.

The British Library takes the care of its collections extremely seriously and aspires to the highest standards of conservation.