Making history in 140 characters
RBS Group Archives is using Twitter to bring a unique account of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion to life.
14 September 2011
From today, they will tweet diary entries from John Campbell, the cashier in charge of RBS during the Jacobite uprising. His diary records how he paid the rebels in gold from reserves held in Edinburgh Castle and the first tweet will be his diary entry from 14 September 1745, the day he took the bank's valuables to the Castle in anticipation of the Jacobites' arrival in the city.
Ruth Reed, Archives Manager at RBS said: "The diary was ideal for Twitter as it was written in small, daily sections, often with several different entries throughout the day. We're excited about using a new technology to tell a very old story, and hope it will bring this fascinating part of history to a whole new audience."
At the same time, John Campbell's portrait – owned by the Bank – is being loaned to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, where it will be on display when the gallery reopens in November.
Both initiatives are part of RBS' aim to share its heritage and culture more widely, which Ruth Reed believes is “important to Scotland and the bank.” RBS are undertaking a number of partnerships with museums in Scotland, including a partnership with the National Museum of Scotland and a recent joint exhibition with the National Library of Scotland.
You can follow John Campbell's diary on Twitter: @Johnofthebank.
Posted In
Tagged
Latest news
New research from NatWest and the British Franchise Association (bfa) highlights changes and profitability in the sector.
52 winning organisations have been announced for round two of the 2018 Skills & Opportunities Fund.
Simon McNamara, RBS Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Sponsor of the RBS Multicultural Network, recently hosted an event in discussion with Eric Holder, the first black US Attorney General. They discussed career, ethnicity, diversity and even a little bit of politics. At the event, Eric Holder shared his wisdom and experience with attendees from the RBS Executive committee and RBS Multicultural Network. Simon McNamara blogs about his experience meeting Eric, a BAME role model, and why diversity is so important to RBS.