Commonwealth War Graves & The National Conservation Service partner on vital film freezing project

Commonwealth War Graves and the National Conservation Service (NCS) have partnered to freeze important archival film in a new long-term preservation project.

A variety of film negatives and glass plates from the early days of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will be frozen to preserve them at the NCS facilities in Upper Heyford.

NCS Lead Conservator Marie Chappell said: “Cellulose acetate negatives degrade in temperatures above 0°C, shrinking and off-gassing acetic acid, a process commonly known as ‘vinegar syndrome’. This is definitely, clearly visible in the negatives within the Commonwealth War Graves collection.”

The project involves preparing and freezing over 50,000 glass and film negatives over 2025.

“Storing these films from new in cool, dry conditions can slow down the deterioration, but as this collection is now old and already degrading, the only way to halt deterioration completely is by freezing,” Marie explained. “Prior to freezing, the negatives are stored in a dry room to condition them to a low relative humidity, around 35-40% at 16°C.

“We will be aiming to work on this project two to three days a week. For the entire collection, it may take up to a year, possibly longer if there are any surprises along the way, to complete. But by chipping away at it, little and often, we will get there.”

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Chief Archivist Michael Greet said: “The film freezing project is a critical initiative that preserves our rich heritage and ensures future generations have access to our vast historical photographic collection.

“By using specialised freezer storage to improve the preservation of the photographic negatives, we can safeguard these valuable and fascinating images from further deterioration and damage. 

“This project also enhances the retrieval process for future cataloguing and digitisation initiatives, ensuring easier and more efficient access to the collection.” 

This project has been supported by the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation, with funding for the initial project phase from the William Delafield Charitable Trust and the Rockcliffe Charitable Trust.

The Rockcliffe Charitable Trust supports good causes across a range of sectors, including historical conservation, environmental and natural protection, poverty, and supporting the disabled. 

We’d like to say a huge thank you to the William Delafield Charitable Trust and the Rockcliffe Charitable Trust for funding this first phase of the project.