The 9th June marks the International Archives Day. The International Council on Archives (ICA) believes that this day should be celebrated to promote the value of archives and archivists all around the world. Archives and archivists play an important role in accountability, transparency, democracy, heritage, memory and society. The theme proposed by ICA this year is “Archives Are You”.
On this occasion the National Archives Department seizes the opportunity to pay a special tribute to Marie Claude Antoine Marrier Baron d’Unienville for his contribution in the field of archives. Since the capitulation of the island in 1810, the archives records were entrusted to a French Officer, Marrou and after the signature of the Treaty of Paris in 1814, Article 31, the archives records were returned to their former abode in the Government House. The Archives became officially recognised in 1815 with the appointment of Marie Claude Antoine Marrier Baron d’Unienville as the 1st Colonial Archivist.
Some selective records on late 1st Colonial Archivist can be viewed.
- HD/2 – Lithograph of Marie Claude Antoine Marrier Baron d’Unienville
- Dictionnaire de Biographie Mauricienne – No. 6 – Pg 189
- Mauritius Blue Book Year 1817
- SD 3/61- 06 June 1816 – Letter of Appointment of Marie Claude Antoine Marrier Baron d’Unienville as the 1st Colonial Archivist.
- RA 426 – 04.09.1830 – Colonial Archivist requesting claim for payment for his statistical work.
- RA 426 – 24.03.1831 – Colonial Archivist requesting authority for the continuance of employment of Mr. Duffau, extra clerk.
