Pamela Somers Hall nee Cocks, 1927 - 2021 An Appreciation

Abstract

With the passing of Pamela Hall at the age of 93 in January this year died the last of our first generation of fully professional archivists. Two others, Michael Standish and Judith Hornabrook, also of National Archives, had predeceased her in 1962 and 2011 respectively. There were others, librarians and museum curators, influential in the care of archives during the crucial formative period of the 1950s and early 1960s - in Auckland Enid Evans, in Wellington Graham Bagnall and Michael Hitchings, in Christchurch John Wilson, and in Dunedin Frank Rogers - but Pam came to stand out from these for the depth and extent of of her professional knowledge and experience gained over many years that can still command our attention and respect.