Ruthin archivist to retire after almost 30 years in the job

Oct 17 2008 By David Rutland

DENBIGHSHIRE’S County Archivist, Kevin Matthias is retiring at the end of October, having worked at the Record Office at Ruthin Gaol for almost thirty years.

Kevin moved to Ruthin as Senior Archivist in 1979, having previously worked in the Hawarden branch of the Clwyd Record Office. He then became Denbighshire County Archivist and Heritage Officer after the local government reorganisation of 1996.

It was largely due to Kevin’s vision and hard work that Denbighshire secured a large Heritage Lottery grant, which enabled the transformation of the Ruthin Gaol site from a disorganised jumble of buildings with unattractive and incongruous twentieth century additions, to the present architecturally striking Record Office and Gaol Museum. The gaol was opened by Prince Charles in 2002.

Kevin is famous for his informative and extremely entertaining ‘Crime and Punishment’ tours which cover the gaol and Ruthin town, and also for his wealth of knowledge about Welsh nonconformist history and local chapels.