We are celebrating our 60th anniversary.
In 2026, archaeological excavations in the City are conducted solely by teams of professional archaeologists employed by archaeological organisations and funded by the developers of the sites they are recording. Way back in the 1960s, it was very, very different. The pace of rebuilding in the City was rapidly increasing and, as a direct consequence, much of its archaeological heritage was being destroyed unseen. This was because the Guildhall Museum employed just one (repeat just one) Excavation Assistant to monitor all those works, an impossible task, since there was no additional funding. However, some support was provided by a dedicated voluntary excavation team, which in 1964 became the City of London Excavation Group. This active organisation targeted redevelopment sites where archaeological features were being destroyed by the digging of deep foundations and new basements. Although they were often only able to work at weekends when the building contractors were off-site, they nevertheless were able to record some historic features before their destruction. That active group proved their worth, and as the need increased and their numbers swelled, they transformed into the City of London Archaeological Society in 1966.
The COLAS 60+ project is now being launched to celebrate the crucial work that volunteers made in saving the City’s past. A key element of the project will be the Roll of Honour, the compilation of the names of all those who worked on the sites or processed the associated finds.
Did you volunteer with COLAS? Or do you remember the names of those who did? If so we would like to know. Any recollections, photos, diary entries, anecdotes etc. are gratefully received!
Contact us at colas_outreach@yahoo.co.uk
We’re still helping to record the past today, whether it’s on the foreshore, taking part in volunteer initiatives or researching London’s history.
City of London Archaeological Society 