The BSS Register is a collection of sightings of sundials made mostly, though not exclusively, by Members of the Society since its inception. Each sighting is confirmed by written details on a form and many are supported by photographs transparencies or photocopies.
A summary of these data is maintained on a relational database (operating under MS Access) and it is the contents of this database that is used to produce the published editions of the Register that are available to Members. In December 2009 there were 6433 dials recorded all reported on 9643 report forms. There have been many more added since.
The Society expects to publish its Register at approximately five yearly intervals with the last published in 2010. CD versions of this Register are available for sale to BSS Members.
Sightings are also accepted from Non-Members and if you are interested to have recorded a dial you know of, then please click on the link below.
Dial
Register Policy
The British Sundial Society (‘BSS’ or ‘The Society’) has as a one of its
Constitutional objects to
catalogue the dials which still exist in the British Isles and to research their
history. The Society seeks to meet
this objective by:
Operating two Registers, one for Mass (Scratch) dials and one for Fixed dials, though excluding portable dials and those dials already held in and catalogued by museums.
Each Register is managed and controlled by a Member of the Society who in
turn is appointed by the Council of the Society..
Providing Guidance to Members on which dials to record, the approach
to be adopted in the recording of such dials and the provision of paper and
computer based aids to assist in this.
Promoting research by making available to Members, on request,
specific short summaries of and other information related to, the data in
the Registers.
At intervals, making available to Members for purchase, printed or
other summaries of the Registers' data.
Making provision for the better security of valuable and vulnerable
dials by restricting the publication of information where this may be
requested by anyone with reasonable grounds for doing so and by reserving
the Society's copyright in all Register data however produced and
(with the exception of the Internet) disseminated.
Using its reasonable endeavours within its
voluntary nature and its
charitable status to prevent use of its data for unlawful purposes.
However, the BSS cannot
and does not accept responsibility for wrongful misuse of its data.
Within the limitations imposed by affordability and by the free use
of Members' time, operating a policy of continuous improvement by which, the
quality of the recorded information and the services offered to Members can
be improved.
Guidelines for those wishing to record a dial.
The
Society encourages all its Members to take part in locating and recording
sundials which are situated anywhere in the British Isles and in Eire and of
dials which were delineated and/or manufactured in the UK and exported for use
in locations abroad.
Records
of dials already noted on the Register are also welcomed as they provide a
valuable record of their changing condition.
The Society does not usually record the one-time presence of a dial which
is not now in existence although it retains records of dials which have gone
missing after having been recorded.
Forms
to assist with dial recording are available from the Registrar as are more
detailed guidelines for their completion. Photographs
are of particular value in completing a record of a dial.
They should be as informative as possible and should accompany the
completed form if at all possible.
Dials
which are in, or are visible from, any public place or are located in places
which are at times open to the public may generally be recorded without
restriction. However, dials that
are privately owned and generally out of the public view should only be recorded
with the permission of someone who may reasonably be supposed to be acting for
the Owner or Keeper of the dial.
The
Society takes steps to restrict the dissemination of information on dials which
are vulnerable by reason of their value or for some other reason.
If the Recorder, the Owner/Keeper or the Registrar has reasonable grounds
for such a restriction then this is recorded together with the details of the
dial and the full details are not published or passed to other Members without
permission. Access to view
privately owned dials, whether or not their details are regarded as
confidential, can be made subject to prior agreement of the Owner or Keeper.
Completed
dial record forms are submitted to the Registrar, filed by the Society and
electronic or conventional copies and any submitted photographic records are
archived. Copyright in all such
material remains with the recorder but, by submitting it to the Society, title
to the actual material passes to BSS and the recorder grants to the Society a perpetual
and irrevocable licence to use any part or all of the submitted material as it
sees fit and without restriction - Internet publication excepted - in furtherance of the Society’s aims.
A
summary of data about the dial (including any changes made as a result of any
requested confidentiality condition) is recorded on the Society's computer
database and it is usually this information which is summarised in responses to
queries from Members and which is published in new editions of the printed
Register.
John Foad, the
Society's current Registrar will be delighted
to assist in answering questions or in providing help to any Member who may
wish to send in a dial record.
[Go to the independent sundial information site SunInfo] [Go to the BSS's own web site (not currently being maintained)] [Go back]
15.06.09, 15.02.14