Abstract

Since 1922, Jaguar has been synonymous with British craftsmanship, innovation, and automotive excellence. To safeguard this remarkable legacy for future generations, the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust (JDHT) has chosen to deposit a curated collection of historical records in the Arctic World Archive (AWA). In doing so, JDHT ensures that the story of Jaguar’s rich heritage, from its early beginnings to its contemporary innovations, will be preserved in the frozen vaults of Svalbard for centuries to come.

Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust

JDHT, established in 1983, is an independent charitable trust dedicated to preserving and promoting Jaguar’s history. As custodians of the Jaguar Cars Archive, Artefact, Artwork, and Vehicle Collections, the JDHT works alongside Jaguar Land Rover to safeguard these internationally significant assets. The JDHT Archive is the largest Jaguar archive in the world, with records dating back to the 1890s, and serves as the official memory of Jaguar Cars Ltd.

The Trust’s collection includes over 180 historically important vehicles, from the first and last of each model to prototypes, racing cars, and those with famous owners. These vehicles, maintained by expert technicians, are displayed at museums across the UK and showcased at prestigious events globally. The JDHT also issues certified Heritage Certificates, offering detailed production records for each Jaguar vehicle.

The Challenge: Digital vulnerability and Access

All Archivists can confidently preserve and make accessible physical records when stored in the correct environment. However, storing preserving digital records, both digitised and born digital, is still an evolving technology. Digital records are more resource intensive than storing physical records. They are more suspectable to environmental changes, geo-political disasters, destruction, unreliable technology, unsecure cloud storage. Jaguar Cars have always been a technologically driven marque, and the corporate archive must be representative of how records are created and how society used them. In 2024, instead of 2D drawings and printed material, records are created digitally: engineering and styling are created on complex 3D CAD software, owners’ literature is on apps, sales brochures are on websites, and millions of emails are generated all documenting the activities of Jaguar Land Rover. Digital Storage and Digital Preservation are quite different. Technology moves fast. The context and provenance of the data in those records can easily be forgotten when not preserved correctly or without a dedicated Archivist to manage them. The JDHT recognises that a strategic preservation infrastructure is crucial to ensure that these records remain authentic, incorruptible, unhackable, and, most importantly, accessible for years to come.

Why the Arctic World Archive?

Faced with these challenges, JDHT sought a preservation method that guarantees long-term stability, accessibility, and security for its irreplaceable documents. AWA offers an ideal solution. Nestled deep within the permafrost of Svalbard, Norway, the AWA provides a safe and stable environment designed to withstand the unpredictable changes of our world—whether environmental, technological, or political.

By storing JDHT’s archives in the AWA, the integrity of this historical automotive collection is preserved, ensuring that even as the world evolves and technology advances, it remains untouched and accessible for centuries to come. The unique storage medium, piqlFilm, is future-proof, non-hackable, and resistant to electromagnetic and radioactive radiation, safeguarding these archives against degradation.

“The most important thing to the JDHT is education and we want everyone to know about Jaguar Cars in the future and the wider social impact of the motor industry. Being stored in the World Arctic Archive also means no electricity, no servers and has a low carbon footprint. It is also very secure!” - Joanne Shortland, Head Archivist, JDHT.

A Legacy Preserved for Ages

The JDHT has chosen to deposit internationally significant records which relate to the history, industrial development and social impact of Jaguar and its associated companies. The most significant records selected to be deposited into AWA include:

• The original partnership agreement between William Lyons and William Walmsley (1922). This is the foundation of the Jaguar as we know today.
• Extracts from the company Minute Books documenting the change of name from SS Cars Ltd. to Jaguar Cars Ltd. in 1945.
• The Agreement between Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA) and Jaguar Cars to purchase Daimler in 1960.
• Transfer of shares of Jaguar Cars Ltd. to British Leyland in 1972.
• Engineering drawings and specifications.
• Production and build records.
• Examples of sales brochures, colour guides and marketing.
• Owners’ and service literature used to maintain the cars.
• Jaguar employee magazine, Topics (1977-2008)
• Photographs and moving footage representative of the activities of Jaguar Cars. (advertisements, brand films, publicity photographs, production lines, factories etc.).

By depositing these records in the AWA, JDHT has taken a proactive step toward ensuring that the essence of Jaguar and Daimler, their contribution to automotive history, and the cultural significance they embody, will never be lost.

The Road Ahead

The importance of this deposit goes beyond the automotive world. It serves as a testament to the value of preserving human innovation, cultural achievements, and historical milestones. The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust’s decision to preserve its archives in the AWA aligns with its commitment to sharing and celebrating the brand’s illustrious past. As future researchers, scholars, and automotive aficionados delve into these records, they will gain a deeper understanding of how Jaguar and Daimler became global icons and the impact they’ve had on both motoring and modern culture.

In preserving their story in the frozen vaults of Svalbard, the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust has solidified its place not just in automotive history, but in the archives of human achievement.

Read more about Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust:

https://www.jaguarheritage.com