From home videos of Star Trek actors recording hilarious farewell messages — like brushing Hollywood star Sir Stewart with a toothbrush — to scripts and personal papers from his days at drama school in the Calder Valley, the archive is a massive collection of memories. .
The Yorkshire Post has received an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the archive at the University of Huddersfield waterfront.
David Smith, Heritage Quay archivist, said: “There are some personal items as well as memorabilia from his career that he has preserved. From Patrick Stewart’s private collection, you can get a real sense of what was in him and his performances from what he kept.
“There are parts from all over the world collected by Patrick, which is interesting in itself. The press reviews that he led are also very cool. ”
Sir Patrick, Rector Emeritus of the University of Huddersfield, where he served from 2004 to 2015, donated his personal collection to inspire future generations. The collection pays homage to his humble beginnings as well as career highlights.
“The Sir Patrick Archive is a treasure trove for all fans of his work, whether on stage or on screen,” added Mr. Smith. “Whether you’re a Trekki aficionado, a Bard aficionado, or just a fan of Patrick in general, this collection is not to be missed.
“There is such a range of material, we always find interesting things. One of my favorites is the notebook he kept when he first started in the theater, but his notes on Shakespeare, his annotated screenplays and other research materials give insight into his craft that you won’t find anywhere else.”
Although only one script is currently on display, inside the sealed archive are signed scripts from episodes and Sir Stewart’s Star Trek film, as well as a large amount of material relating to his theatrical work, the X-Men film and A Christmas Carol.
Mr Smith said: “The Sir Patrick Stewart Archive contains elements and information on a wide range of projects in Sir Patrick’s career.
“This is an exciting two-piece collection, half of which belongs to the man himself, and the other half is a collection created by the Patrick Stewart New York fan club.
“This part of the collection was put together by the Patrick Stewart Research Library, which was a voluntary, fan-driven, non-profit resource that began operations in 1996. The library provided unique photographs, unusual theatrical memorabilia, newspaper and magazine articles, and more. “.
Sir Patrick himself donated the items to the fan library until the club closed, and the items were later bought back by the 82-year-old actor.
The complete archive covers Sir Patrick’s life from his early days in Yorkshire to the 21st century and contains, among other things, annotated scripts, research notes and photographs, and Star Trek merchandise now permanently located on Heritage Quay.
David added: “The collection is available in our research room and anyone can come and explore it. You don’t have to study or work at the university and it’s free. Just go to our website and make an appointment.”
