Today is the tenth and final day of Explore Your Archive, a celebration of archives of all kinds across the nation, organised by the Archives & Records Association for UK & Ireland, and today’s theme is ‘Your Archive’.

For our post today, we’re bringing you the crucial information for the St John Archive; the who, what, when, where, and why.

Who can access the Archive?

The St John Archive is for anyone! You don’t need to be a member of St John Ambulance or the Order of St John to access the Archive – all you need to do is ask. Read on to find out about how you can access the Archive.

What is in the St John Archive?

The modern Order of St John is a Royal Order of Chivalry with a mission to prevent and relieve sickness and injury and to act and enhance the health and wellbeing of anyone regardless of faith, and St John Ambulance is a modern and dynamic charity that has been delivering first aid and first aid training for nearly 150 years. The St John Archive is the central Archive repository for St John Ambulance and the modern Order of St John, with records dating from the 1820s to the present day. It is comprised of 2D records, including paper-based records, film and photographic material, and some digital records. The records include traditional business records, publicity and promotional material, personnel records, records of members of the Order, records of recipients of honours and awards, Unit records, magazines and newsletters, first aid and training manuals, oral history interviews, and records relating to our youth members, the St John Ambulance Cadets (under-18s), and Badgers (under 10s).

When can I access the St John Archive?

The St John Archive welcomes people for in-person research visits on weekdays from 10:00-16:00 (excluding bank holidays) with research visits to be scheduled in advance. We can agree on a mutually agreeable time and date when resources and spaces are available, and Museum staff will also advise on a suitable quantity of material for your visit if you wish to consult several items. Please note that due to confidentiality some materials are closed documents, and you would need to use the enquiry service for a precis of this information to be prepared for you. The Archive has some digitised records and resources that you can access anytime – see below for more information!

Where can I access the St John Archive?

The St John Archive is part of the Museum of the Order of St John, the home of the heritage and history of St John Ambulance and the Order of St John. Some of the Archive collection is featured in Museum displays, and the Museum is open to the public Wednesday-Saturday from 09:30-17:00.

Some of the Archive’s collections have been digitised and are freely and publicly accessible and searchable online. This includes the Order of St John’s annual reports (1868-1970), First Aid journal, Cadet magazines, and some First World War resources. You can access all the digitised resources on the Museum’s website or on our hosting platform, issuu.

The Archive is launching a catalogue of the founding records of St John Ambulance (1870s – 1939) in summer 2025, which will be freely and publicly accessible and searchable. Keep your eyes peeled for further information nearer the time!

Why is the St John Archive so important?

The St John Archive holds a unique record of the only Order of Chivalry with a charitable mission, and of the most significant national provider of first aid training and practice across England in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, founded decades before the arrival of the National Health Service. It is a unique resource that is open to everyone.