Skip to content

All Posts

St. Patrick's Day

Today (17/04/2024) is St. Patrick’s Day. The celebrations that occur on this day, across the globe, arguably constitute the most ubiquitous expression of Irish culture and identity—rivalled only, perhaps, by Arthur Matthew’s and Graham Linehan’s Father Ted and, more recently, Lisa... Read more →
Tommy Dolan
Published 17th March, 2024 6 min read

Ramadan 2024

Today (11/03/2024) marks the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Throughout this month Muslims all across the world partake in fasting between sunrise and sunset, prayer, and self-reflection. Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar, a lunar... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 11th March, 2024 1 min read

International Women’s Day 2024

Today (08/03/2024) marks International Women’s Day, an annual global holiday that commemorates the cultural, political, social, and economic achievements of women. It has become a focal point in the women’s rights movement and is used to spotlight issues facing women,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 8th March, 2024 2 min read

Maha Shivaratri 2024

Today (8/03/2024) is Maha Shivaratri, an annual festival dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Meaning “the Great Night of Shiva”, the festival falls in the month of Phalguna (February - March) as per the North Indian Hindu calendar and in... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 8th March, 2024 1 min read

First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826)

On this day (05/03/2024), 200 years ago, Britain declared war on the Burmese empire (also known as the Konbaung Dynasty). The first in a series of three conflicts, the wars—largely driven by the East India Company’s desire to expand its... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 5th March, 2024 7 min read

Improving User Experience: BOA’s New “Themes” Page

Here at British Online Archives (BOA), we have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to improve the user experience of our website. A major part of this process has been the creation of a brand new “Themes” landing page. This... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 4th March, 2024 3 min read

75 Year Anniversary of the Death of Sarojini Naidu

Today (02/03/2024) marks the 75th anniversary of the death of the Indian independence activist, poet, and politician, Sarojini Naidu. Born in 1879 to a Bengali family in Hyderabad (present day India), Naidu was academically gifted from a young age. After... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 2nd March, 2024 3 min read

Saint David's Day (Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant)

Today (01/03/2024) is Saint David's Day, or the Feast of Saint David, a celebration of the patron saint of Wales. It is celebrated on the anniversary of the date of St. David's death in 589 AD. This Christian feast day... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 1st March, 2024 1 min read

Women's History Month 2024

This March is Women’s History Month, a celebration that occurs annually and which began in 1987 in the United States of America. Despite discrimination, hardships, and exclusion, women throughout history have strived for equality. Women’s History Month provides an opportunity... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 1st March, 2024 2 min read

International Mother Language Day 2024

“Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage” - United NationsToday (21/02/2024) marks International Mother Language Day. The yearly commemoration, initially established in 1999, advocates for the recognition of linguistic and cultural diversity.... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 21st February, 2024 3 min read

From the Archive: Historical interpretations of Stonehenge in the Media

Stonehenge is shrouded in mystery and has occupied the minds of academics for hundreds of years. Historians have grappled with countless questions surrounding the megalithic structure—it's intended function, the construction methods used to create the monument, and the period in... Read more →
Izzy Arevalo
Published 21st February, 2024 16 min read

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is a key event in the Christian calendar, which takes place every year before the commencement of Lent (the 40-day period leading up to Easter). For many Christians, the date is marked by the ritual burning of the... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 13th February, 2024 1 min read

Darwin Day 2024

Today (12/02/2024) is Darwin Day, an annual celebration that commemorates the birthday of Charles Darwin (12 February 1809–9 April 1882), Britain’s most famous naturalist and biologist. Known for his contributions to evolutionary biology, Darwin’s pioneering work proposed that all species of... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 12th February, 2024 2 min read

Lunar New Year 2024

British Online Archives would like to wish all our customers a Happy Lunar New Year. From midnight on 10  February 2024 (10/02/2024), until the festival ends on the 24 February, China’s population and its worldwide diaspora will celebrate the Year... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 10th February, 2024 2 min read

New Collections Available on the Jisc DAC Purchasing Scheme!

British Online Archives (BOA) is delighted to announce its participation in the Jisc Digital Archival Collections Group Purchasing Scheme for 2024.Following our continued high performance in this scheme throughout the previous academic year, BOA will once again grant Jisc member... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 7th February, 2024 2 min read

LGBT+ History Month 2024

This month marks the 19th LGBT+ History Month in the United Kingdom. LGBT+ History Month is an annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history, as well as the history of the gay rights movement. It was founded in... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 2nd February, 2024 2 min read

100 Years Since the First Winter Olympics

Today (25/01/2024) marks 100 years since the start of the first Winter Olympics, held in Chamonix, France. Originally called the “International Winter Sports Week of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc”, in 1926 the event was retrospectively renamed the “First Winter Olympic Games” due to its... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 25th January, 2024 2 min read

Burns Night

Tonight (25/01/2024) is Burns Night, a tradition observed on the birthday of Robert Burns (1759–1796). Robert, or Rabbie, Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist who wrote over 550 poems and songs before his death at the age of 37.... Read more →
Laura Wales
Published 25th January, 2024 8 min read

International Day of Education 2024

Today (24/01/2024) is the International Day of Education. Established by the United Nations in 2018, this initiative aims to promote education as a human right. It is likewise underpinned by the conviction that education can generate global peace and development.... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 24th January, 2024 1 min read

80 Years Since the Death of Norwegian Artist, Edvard Munch

Today (23/01/2024) marks 80 years since the death of Norwegian artist, Edvard Munch.Best known for his painting The Scream, Munch was a prolific artist who studied under Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. After his death on... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 23rd January, 2024 2 min read

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (US)

Today (16/01/2024) is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a public holiday in the United States. It celebrates the birthday of one of the most influential civil rights activists of the twentieth century. Born in 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 16th January, 2024 1 min read

700 years: Death of explorer Marco Polo

700 years ago today (08/01/2024), the explorer and merchant Marco Polo died. Polo was born in Venice in 1254 to a wealthy merchant family. At 17 Polo left Venice with his father and uncle. They travelled along what would later be... Read more →
Abbie Fray
Published 8th January, 2024 2 min read

Epiphany

Today (6/01/2024) is Epiphany, the Christian feast day commemorating the baptism of Jesus, the visit of the Magi to his birthplace in Bethlehem, and the wedding of Cana. “Epiphany” comes from the Koine Greek word ἐπιφάνεια, epipháneia, meaning to appear... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 6th January, 2024 2 min read

Guide to British Illustrated Periodicals, 1869–1970

British Online Archives (BOA) is pleased to announce the completion of our extensive primary source collection: British Illustrated Periodicals, 1869–1970. This brings together the back catalogues of nine “sister” titles belonging to the Illustrated London News (ILN): The Graphic (1869–1932); The Illustrated... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 3rd January, 2024 30 min read

Winter Solstice (Northern Hemisphere)

For those living north of the equator, today (22/12/2023) marks the Winter Solstice: the point at which the northern hemisphere is tilted furthest from the sun. This produces the shortest day and longest night of the year. It has acquired... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 22nd December, 2023 1 min read

180th anniversary of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Today (19/12/23) marks 180 years since the publication of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The novella, officially titled A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, is composed of five chapters, known as staves, that recount the... Read more →
Laura Wales
Published 19th December, 2023 9 min read

120 years: The world's first successful motor-powered flight

Today (17/12/2023) marks 120 years since the world's first successful motor-powered flight. Wilbur and Orville Wright, more commonly referred to as the Wright Brothers, began their research and development programme for their aircraft in 1899.[1] It took them four years to... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 17th December, 2023 2 min read

250 years: The Boston Tea Party

Today (16/12/2023) marks 250 years since the Boston Tea Party.The Boston Tea Party was an influential political protest by American colonists against the British government. Tensions had been rising between colonists and the British following the introduction of the Stamp... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 16th December, 2023 2 min read

Interrogation of John/Eleanor Rykener

On this day (11/12/1394), John/Eleanor Rykener was interrogated in London. Rykener was assigned male at birth yet often dressed and presented as female. They were put on trial after being found “calling himself Eleanor” and dressing in women’s clothes whilst... Read more →
Abbie Fray
Published 11th December, 2023 4 min read

Hanukkah 2023

Today (7/12/2023) is the first day of Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah and the “festival of lights”. This eight-day holiday usually occurs between late-November and December. Hanukkah commemorates a Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire in Judea in the second... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 7th December, 2023 1 min read

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

Today (02/12/2023) is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, an annual event organised by the United Nations (UN). The day commemorates the UN’s adoption, on the 2 December 1949, of the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 2nd December, 2023 1 min read

AMH Children's Art in the Upper Palaeolithic

The Upper Palaeolithic spanned c.50,000 to c.11,000 years ago. This time period saw Neanderthals and Anatomically Modern Humans (AMH) interacting and living together. Until recently, the way in which historians have studied societies during this period has been somewhat problematic.... Read more →
Izzy Arevalo
Published 23rd November, 2023 14 min read

305 years: Anniversary of Blackbeard's death

The Capture of the Pirate Blackbeard 1718 by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris  Today (22/11/2023) marks 305 years since the infamous pirate Blackbeard was killed.[1]Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard, was a widely feared pirate during the so-called “Golden Age of... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 22nd November, 2023 3 min read

90 years: The first photo of the Loch Ness Monster

Today (12/11/2023) is the 90th anniversary of the first photo of the Loch Ness Monster.The first alleged sighting of a monster near Loch Ness occurred in 565 AD — the creature was spotted in the river Ness. It was during... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 12th November, 2023 5 min read

Diwali

Today (12/11/2023) is Diwali. It is part of a five-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains. Diwali is known as the “festival of lights” and takes place between October and November, the start of the Hindu year (in the... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 12th November, 2023 1 min read

Remembrance Day (UK)

This Remembrance Day (11/11/2023) marks 105 years since the end of the First World War, a global conflict that claimed the lives of over 886,000 British and Commonwealth military personnel. Inaugurated by King George V in 1919 to commemorate the signing... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 11th November, 2023 1 min read

Bonfire Night

On this day (05/11/1605) Guy Fawkes was arrested whilst guarding explosives that were hidden under the House of Lords. This was part of the so-called “Gunpowder Plot”, a failed attempt at regicide against King James VI & I.Guy Fawkes was... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 5th November, 2023 3 min read

50th Anniversary of the Death of Karpal Kaur Sandhu

Today (4/11/2023) marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Karpal Kaur Sandhu, the first female South Asian police officer in Britain. Karpal was born into a Sikh family in Zanzibar. In 1962, aged nineteen, she moved to Britain and... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 4th November, 2023 4 min read

From the Archive: Women at Work Throughout the Twentieth Century

Woman’s success is bought with tears of blood because she has so much to unlearn before she starts learning, so much to sacrifice, so much to overcome.[1]Britannia and Eve, February 1931.Britannia and Eve (B&E) was an Illustrated London News periodical... Read more →
Niamh Franklin
Published 2nd November, 2023 20 min read

Halloween

Known to many as Halloween, tonight (31/10/2023) is All Hallows’ Eve, a festival observed in many parts of the world. Traditionally, to celebrate the occasion, people carve pumpkins into “jack-o-lanterns”, don scary costumes, tell ghost stories, and go “trick-or-treating”: calling... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 31st October, 2023 1 min read

Dussehra

Today (24/10/2023) is Dussehra.Dussehra is a Hindu festival that marks the end of Navratri after ten days of celebration. The festival is also known as Vijayadashami or the Day of Victory as it symbolises the victory of good over evil. The... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 24th October, 2023 1 min read

The Significance of Toys: Barbie and Postwar American Culture

Material culture is an intriguing topic of investigation for historians. Objects play an important role in our lives: we use them daily to complete almost every single task.1 The diverse ways in which individuals use objects are intriguing in their... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 23rd October, 2023 21 min read

British Online Archives Updates the Universal Viewer

British Online Archives (BOA) continues to make significant improvements to the way in which products are accessed by our customers. We are therefore delighted to announce BOA’s continued implementation of the Universal Viewer.The Universal Viewer (UV) is used to display... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 17th October, 2023 2 min read

230 years: The execution of Marie Antionette

Today (16/10/2023) marks the 230th anniversary of the execution of Marie Antionette. Born into Austrian aristocracy, Marie Antionette married Louis-Auguste, heir to the French throne, in 1770 aged fourteen. Four years later her husband was crowned Louis XVI and so Antionette... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 16th October, 2023 3 min read

100 Years of Disney

Today (16/10/2023) marks the 100 year anniversary of Disney. On 16 October 1923, Walt Disney and his brother, Roy Disney, founded Walt Disney Studios (originally called Disney Brothers Studio). The roots of Disney's legacy can be traced back to Kansas... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 16th October, 2023 6 min read

Navratri

Today (15/10/2023) marks the start of the Hindu festival Navratri. Lasting for ten days and nine nights, Navratri is observed by Hindus in honour of the goddess Durga. Durga is one manifestation of the supreme goddess Adi Parashakti. The festival ends... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 15th October, 2023 1 min read

Indigenous Peoples Day (U.S.A.)

Today (09/10/2023) is Indigenous Peoples Day (U.S.A.).On 12 October 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived in what is now the Bahamas. In the U.S.A. the second Monday in October is known as Columbus Day to commemorate this event. Recently, Columbus Day has... Read more →
Abbie Fray
Published 9th October, 2023 1 min read

Black History Month

Today (01/10/2023) marks the first day of Black History Month in the UK. October is used for celebrating black history and the contributions that black people have made to the development of our society. This celebration originated in the US,... Read more →
Abbie Fray
Published 1st October, 2023 1 min read

Rabi ul-Awal

This month marks the third month in the Islamic calendar, Rabi ul-Awal. This month, which follows the month Safar, translates as “the first spring”, but due to the Islamic calendar being a lunar calendar it does not correspond to the... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 27th September, 2023 1 min read

British Online Archives Joins theIPregistry.org

British Online Archives (BOA) is delighted to announce it has signed up with theIPregistry.org to make the process of checking, monitoring and updating the IP addresses used to authenticate access to content easier for our customers. We will transition to... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 25th September, 2023 2 min read

Yom Kippur

Today (24/09/2023) marks the start of Yom Kippur.Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is one of the high holy days and the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar. It begins on the evening of the 24 September, ten days... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 24th September, 2023 1 min read

Native American Day

Today (22/09/23) is Native American Day. It is observed in California on the fourth Friday of September and on different dates in Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington. It commemorates and honours Native American communities and highlights the significance of... Read more →
Niamh Franklin
Published 22nd September, 2023 2 min read

The Graphic, 1869–1932

Launched in December 1869 by the artist and engraver William Luson Thomas, the weekly newspaper The Graphic got off to an advantageous start by prioritising visual storytelling and high-quality illustrations. Before its first anniversary, the newspaper boasted that the high reputation... Read more →
Andrea Korda
Published 19th September, 2023 17 min read

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Today (19/09/2023) is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. The parodic holiday was created in 2002 by John Baur and Mark Summers. They decided that there should be a day where everybody talks like a pirate. The idea came to the... Read more →
Laura Wales
Published 19th September, 2023 3 min read

Right to Roam: The Kinder Mass Trespass of 1932

"We ramblers, after a hard week’s work, in smoky towns and cities, go out rambling for relaxation and fresh air. And we find the finest rambling country is closed to us… our request, or demand, for access to all peaks... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 14th September, 2023 17 min read

Propaganda and the mobilisation of consent during the two world wars

IntroductionThe British vote to exit the European Union (2016) and US administration under Donald Trump (2017−2021) have highlighted the degree to which appeals to personal and emotional belief are far more compelling than objective facts in contemporary politics. “Fake news”... Read more →
Catriona Pennell
Published 12th September, 2023 16 min read

Communist Party of Great Britain Archive

With the publication of our latest collection, The Political Culture of British Communism, 1920-1991, British Online Archives are pleased to announce the completion of the migration of the archive of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). Comprising over 253,455... Read more →
Sean Waite
Published 12th September, 2023 5 min read
A cartoon image of Lord Krishna with the words

Krishna Janmashtami

Today (06/09/2023) marks the start of Krishna Janmashtami celebrations. Krishna Janmashtami is an annual Hindu festival that commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Celebrations begin today and continue into tomorrow. The date of the... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 6th September, 2023 2 min read
A dark red background with the phrase

Rasksha Bandhan

Today (30/08/2023) marks the traditional Hindu festival, Rasksha Bandhan. Often referred to as just “Rakhi” this festival is a commemoration of the special bond between brothers and sisters. Raksha Bandhan is observed annually on the last day of the Hindu... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 30th August, 2023 1 min read
A photograph of three women sat around a table holding signs that read

Women's Equality Day

Today (26/08/2023) is Women's Equality Day.On this day in 1920 the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution came into effect. This ended the denial of voting rights on the basis of sex. The Nineteenth Amendment was introduced to Congress... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 26th August, 2023 2 min read
Marsha P. Johnson wearing a floral headpiece.

Anniversary of the Birth of Marsha P. Johnson

Today (24/08/2023) marks the birthday of Marsha P. Johnson. Born Malcolm Michaels Jr., Marsha was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1945 to working class African-American parents. Although assigned male at birth, Marsha began questioning her gender from a young... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 24th August, 2023 5 min read
A photograph of the ruins of Pompeii.

The Eruption of Mont Vesuvius 79CE

On this day (24/08/2023) in 79CE the eruption of Mont Vesuvius sent shockwaves through the Roman Empire. This event resulted in the destruction of hundreds of lives which have been immortalised in the famous casts scattered throughout the sites of... Read more →
Izzy Arevalo
Published 24th August, 2023 4 min read
Frontispiece from the book Saint-Domingue, ou Histoire de Ses Révolutions. circa 1815. The illustration shows people running from burning buildings.

Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

Today (23/08/23) is the Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. Established by UNESCO, it memorialises the victims of the slave trade and seeks to amplify the voices of the more than fifteen million men, women, and... Read more →
Niamh Franklin
Published 23rd August, 2023 2 min read
A blue and orange patterned background with text that reads

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

Today (09/08/2023) is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. This was established in 1994 by the General Assembly of the United Nations. It aims to raise awareness about and to protect the human rights of indigenous communities across the... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 9th August, 2023 2 min read
A black and white photograph of a train going over a bridge. Three cars are parked underneath the bridge. Two people mount the bank by the side of the train.

60 Years Since the Great Train Robbery

Today (08/08/2023) is the 60th anniversary of the Great Train Robbery, an event which has since taken on increasingly fantastical dimensions in popular media. On 8 August 1963, fifteen men set out to rob an overnight Royal Mail train. Intercepted... Read more →
Niamh Franklin
Published 8th August, 2023 2 min read
Two hands balled in to fists, with shackles around the wrists. The chains attached to the wrists have been broken.

Emancipation Day

On this day (01/08/2023) in 1834 slavery was officially abolished throughout Britain’s colonies as a result of the passing of the Slavery Abolition Act twelve months earlier. Since the sixteenth century Britain had perpetrated appalling crimes against humanity, participating in... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 1st August, 2023 3 min read
Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie leave the Sarajevo Guildhall after reading a speech on June 28 1914. They were assassinated shortly after this image was taken.

The First World War Begins

Today (28/07/2023) marks 109 years since the First World War broke out. Also known as “The Great War” due to its sheer scale and devastating impact, it was fought between the Allied Powers (Belgium, France, Italy, Russia, Serbia, the United... Read more →
Laura Wales
Published 28th July, 2023 4 min read

Further Reading: Britannia and Eve/Women’s Magazines.

If you have enjoyed engaging with our Britannia and Eve collection and are keen to explore the historical themes and issues that it raises in more detail, then we invite you to look at our extensive list of suggested further reading.... Read more →
Ilya Parkins
Published 26th July, 2023 5 min read
A round golden mandala with text that reads

South Asian Heritage Month 2023

This month marks the annual South Asian Heritage Month in the United Kingdom. The month, running from 18th July to 17th August, celebrates the heritage and history of South Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal,... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 19th July, 2023 5 min read
Silhouettes of buildings. A crescent moon and a star are situated above text reading

Al Hijra (Islamic New Year)

Today’s (18/07/2023) sunset will mark the beginning of Al Hijra celebrations. Al Hijra, signifying the beginning of the Islamic New Year and the first day of Muharram (the first month of the Islamic calendar), is celebrated by Muslims worldwide. It... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 18th July, 2023 1 min read
An illustration of a man and woman trying to get out of a chain that is wrapped around them. From Puck, 1900.

100 Years: Matrimonial Causes Act of 1923

Today (18/07/2023) marks 100 years since the passing of the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1923. Introduced as a Private Member’s Bill, the Matrimonial Causes Act granted women the right to divorce their husbands for adultery.Prior to this Act being passed... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 18th July, 2023 4 min read
Silhouette of Nelson Mandela on the South African flag with text that reads

Nelson Mandela International Day

"It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity, or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 18th July, 2023 6 min read
A portrait of the leader of the British suffragette movement, Emmeline Pankhurst, May 1912. Pankhurst wears a dark hat and looks to the right.

Emmeline Pankhurst: Born this day (15/07/1858)

Once they are aroused, once they are determined, nothing on earth and nothing in heaven will make women give way; it is impossible. [1]Emmeline Pankhurst (née Goulden) was born 165 years ago today (15/07/2023). She was a leading figure within... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 15th July, 2023 8 min read
A painting of The Storming of the Bastille. Visible in the center is the arrest of Bernard René Jourdan, marquis de Launay (1740-1789).

Bastille Day

Today (14/07/2023) is Bastille Day (the "Fête nationale française"), a national holiday celebrated throughout France and its overseas territories, as well as in former French colonies, including parts of Canada and India. The event commemorates the storming of the Bastille Saint-Antoine in... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 14th July, 2023 1 min read
A photograph of Cornelia Sorabji, India's first female lawyer. She is pictured sat at a desk with a microphone opposite her and papers in hand.

Cornelia Sorabji: India’s First Female Lawyer

“If we want the women of the past to speak to the women of today, we must value protect and preserve their authentic voices”  —  Kate Mosse1Today (06/07/2023) marks the 69th anniversary of the death of the inspirational Cornelia Sorabji.... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 6th July, 2023 12 min read
The

75th Anniversary of The National Health Service

“Everyone – rich or poor, man, woman or child – can use it or any part of it”1Today (5/07/2023) marks the 75th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS). On 5th July 1948, following the National Health Service Act of... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 5th July, 2023 8 min read
Three sparklers are lit against the background of the USA flag.

Happy Fourth of July!

On the 4th July 1776 the Declaration of Independence was ratified by the Second Continental Congress. This document brought about the formal separation of the thirteen North American British colonies from Great Britain, thereby establishing the United States of America.... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 4th July, 2023 1 min read
Silhouette of buildings, a sacrificial sheep and crescent on cloudy night background. Text beneath reads

Eid al-Adha 2023

Today (28/06/2023) marks the Eid al-Adha religious holiday in Islam. The celebration, which is also known as the “Feast of Sacrifice”, is all about remembering the sacrifices that Prophet Ibrahim made for this faith. Following Eid prayers the act of Qurbani,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 28th June, 2023 1 min read

Summer Offers and Discounts Available from British Online Archives

British Online Archives is offering Higher Education institutions significant discounts and bundling options on its primary source collections until 31st July 2023. Our diverse range of resources goes beyond subject matter to include size, too. And that means we can market... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 27th June, 2023 1 min read

International Medieval Congress 2023

British Online Archives is delighted to announce its attendance at this year’s International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds as an exhibitor at the IMC 2023 Bookfair. We’ll be proud to introduce attendees to our forthcoming primary source collection, Pandemics,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 27th June, 2023 1 min read
Men, women and children from the Caribbean arrive at Southampton in 1962 at the invitation of the British Government to help with rebuilding Britain after World War II. The photograph shows people alighting a boat.

Windrush Day

Today (22/06/2023) is Windrush Day, marking the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush to the UK. Carrying over 800 migrants from the Caribbean, the arrival of the vessel at Tilbury Docks, Essex in 1948 marked the beginning... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 22nd June, 2023 6 min read
A silhouette of Stone Henge, with the sun shining through a gap in the stones.

Summer Solstice

Today marks the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. Also known as ‘Midsummer’, it is the longest day of the year and, historically, it has been an important cultural event in many countries. In the UK, pagans often observe the... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 21st June, 2023 2 min read
Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day. She is wearing the crown and holds the crown jewels.

70 years: The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

Today (02/06/2023) marks 70 years since the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Despite acceding to the throne on the 6th of February 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI, Elizabeth’s coronation was delayed by more than a... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 2nd June, 2023 2 min read

BOA Internship 2023

We’re hiring interns!British Online Archives (BOA) is a West Yorkshire based academic publisher that specialises in providing unique, digital collections of primary source documents for students and researchers working within the Humanities and Social Sciences.We are excited to offer this fantastic... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 16th May, 2023 1 min read
Silhouette of elephants and giraffes with text which reads

African World Heritage Day

Today (05/05/2023) marks African World Heritage Day, which was proclaimed at the 38th General Conference of UNESCO in 2015. It provides an opportunity to celebrate and to reflect upon Africa’s vibrant cultural and natural heritage, encouraging us to honour the... Read more →
Tommy Dolan
Published 5th May, 2023 5 min read
Pamphlet calling for a strike at the McCormick Reaper Works on the Haymarket Square in Chicago.

May Day (International Workers' Day)

Today (01/05/2023) is International Workers’ Day (or ‘May Day’), an annual event observed worldwide to celebrate the history of organised labour. The day is often utilised to promote current campaigns for better working and living conditions. The first May Day... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 1st May, 2023 1 min read
A mural featuring Jamaican-born activist and long-time civil rights campaigner, Roy Hackett. The mural also features a row of buses with boycott signs. The text on the mural reads

50 Years: The Bristol Bus Boycott

Today (30/04/2023) marks 50 years since the start of the Bristol Bus Boycott in 1963. The boycott marks a significant event in the history of the civil rights movement in the UK. The boycott, which lasted between April to August... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 30th April, 2023 4 min read
A crescent moon and

Eid al-Fitr 2023

Today marks the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday in Islam. The celebration, which falls on the first day of Shawwal in the Islamic calendar, is an important religious holiday for Muslims as it marks the end of the holy month of... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 21st April, 2023 1 min read
Illustration of celebration of Punjabi festival Vaisakhi on a bright orange background, with

Vaisakhi 2023

Today (14/04/2023) marks Vaisakhi, one of the most important days in the Sikh calendar. Vaisakhi, also pronounced Baisakhi, is a spring festival that celebrates the year when Sikhism was born as a faith in 1699. Prior to 1699 Vaisakhi had been... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 14th April, 2023 1 min read
Cartoon Easter eggs in shades of yellow, blue and white surround text that reads

Easter

Easter Sunday is a significant event in Christianity, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus following his crucifixion by the Romans. Celebrations usually begin on Palm Sunday, which alludes to the palm leaves used to greet Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, and is... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 9th April, 2023 2 min read
Text that reads

Good Friday

Good Friday (07/04/2023) is one of the most significant days in the Christian calendar, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. Observed during Holy Week, the most sacred week in the liturgical year for Christians, Good Friday occurs three... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 7th April, 2023 3 min read
A navy background with text that reads

Pesach (Passover)

In 2023, Pesach (Passover) will be celebrated from 5th to 13th April. Today (5/04/2023) marks the first day of Passover, the celebration of the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, as told in the Bible. To commemorate... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 5th April, 2023 1 min read
Poster for the Independence Day of Bangladesh. The poster is green with a red circle, that has white birds at either side of it.

Independence Day of Bangladesh

On 26th March 1971 Bangladesh declared its independence from Pakistan. When Pakistan was created in 1947 it consisted of East Pakistan, present day Bangladesh and West Pakistan, present day Pakistan. The two areas were not just geographically distant, but were... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 26th March, 2023 2 min read
Poster for Ramadan. The poster is cream and gold. The text reads

Ramadan 2023

Today (23/03/2023) marks the start of the Islamic holy month Ramadan. Throughout this month Muslims all across the world partake in fasting between sunrise and sunset, prayer and self-reflection. Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar, a lunar calendar... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 23rd March, 2023 1 min read
Image of Irish flags being held up.

St. Patrick’s Day

Today (17/03/2023) marks Saint Patrick’s Day, Lá Fhéile Pádraig in Irish, a cultural and religious celebration held annually to celebrate Ireland’s foremost patron saint.The 17th of March was chosen as the traditionally recognised death date of Saint Patrick (c.385 –... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 17th March, 2023 2 min read
Poster for Women's History Month. At the centre of the poster, there is text with a purple outline. The text reads

Women’s History Month with British Online Archives

This March marks the annual Women’s History Month, the month provides an opportunity to celebrate the contributions and legacies of women to history, society and culture. Generations of women have pushed boundaries, broken patriarchal ideals, and shaped our progress. Women’s... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 13th March, 2023 12 min read
Poster for International Women's Day. There is a silhouette of a head on the poster, which is filled with lots of smaller, colourful silhouettes. Beside the image is text that reads

International Women’s Day 2023

Today (08/03/2023) marks International Women’s Day, an annual global holiday that commemorates cultural, political, social and economic achievements of women. It has become a focal point in the women’s rights movement, and is used to spotlight issues facing women, such... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 8th March, 2023 3 min read
Poster for Holi. This features images of bowls filled with colourful powder.

Holi

Today (08/03/2023) marks the religious festival in Hinduism called Holi. This festival, also known as the “festival of colours”, commemorates the beginning of spring. Alongside this, the festival is seen as a joyful new beginning/fresh start. Usually on the eve... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 8th March, 2023 2 min read
A picture of leeks and daffodils laid over the Welsh flag.

Saint David's Day

Saint David's Day, or the Feast of Saint David, is a celebration of the patron saint of Wales. It is commemorated on the anniversary of the date of Saint David's death in 589 AD. The feast has been regularly celebrated... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 1st March, 2023 1 min read
Poster for Women's History Month

Women’s History Month 2023

This month marks the annual Women’s History Month, a month long celebration that began in 1987 in the United States of America. Despite discrimination, hardships, and exclusion, women throughout history have strived for equality. Women’s History Month provides an opportunity... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 1st March, 2023 2 min read
A poster for International Mother Language Day. The poster features the word

International Mother Language Day 2023

“Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage” - United NationsToday (21/02/2023) marks International Mother Language Day. The annual observance, first declared in 1999, promotes awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and not... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 21st February, 2023 3 min read
A photo of pancakes with lemons and sugar.

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is a key event in the Christian calendar, which takes place every year before the commencement of Lent (the 40-day period leading up to Easter). For many Christians, the date is marked by the ritual burning of the... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 21st February, 2023 1 min read
Poster for Maha Shivaratri. This features a cartoon of a woman on a purple background.

Maha Shivaratri

Today (18/02/2023) is Maha Shivaratri, an annual festival dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Meaning “the Great Night of Shiva”, the festival falls in the month of Phalguna (February - March) as per the North Indian Hindu calendar and in... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 18th February, 2023 1 min read
Statues of pharaoh Tutankhamun and mythology jackal.

Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun

On this day, 16th February 1923 (16/02/1923), Howard Carter unsealed the burial chamber containing the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Carter, 1874-1839, was a prominent British archaeologist and Egyptologist.The unsealing of the tomb... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 16th February, 2023 2 min read
A poster for Darwin Day. A side profile silhouette of Charles Darwin with text that reads

Darwin Day

Today (12/02/2023) is Darwin Day, an annual celebration that commemorates the birthday of Charles Darwin (12th February 1809 - 19th April 1882), Britain’s most famous naturalist and biologist. Known for his contributions to evolutionary biology, Darwin’s pioneering work proposed that all... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 12th February, 2023 2 min read
Rainbow background with white letters on top which read

LGBT+ History Month

This month marks the 18th LGBT+ History Month in the United Kingdom. LGBT+ History Month is an annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history, as well as the history of the gay rights movement. It was founded by... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 12th February, 2023 2 min read
A poster for Black History Month. The poster is black with striped of red, yellow and green at either side with text in the middle that reads

Black History Month - 2023

“History is a people’s memory, and without a memory, man is demoted to the lower animals.” – Malcolm XThis February marks Black History Month in the United States. Black History Month is an annual observance that officially began in 1970,... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 2nd February, 2023 3 min read
An image of Robert Burns from a Scottish bank note, overlaying an image of the Scottish flag.

Burns Night

Tonight (25/01/2022) is Burns Night, a tradition observed annually throughout Scotland, on the birthday of Robert Burns (1759-1796). Burns wrote many well-known poems and songs (primarily in Scots), including "Ae Fond Kiss", "Tam o’Shanter" and, of course, "Auld Lang Syne",... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 25th January, 2023 1 min read
An image of two young girls hiding their faces from the camera.

International Day of Education

Today (24/01/2022) is the fifth International Day of Education. Started by the United Nations in 2018, this initiative aims to promote education as a human right, as well as a key contributor to global peace and development. As the UN notes,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 24th January, 2023 1 min read
A picture of two people working together at a laptop.

New Collections Available on the Jisc DAC Purchasing Scheme

British Online Archives (BOA) is delighted to announce its participation in the Jisc Digital Archival Collections Group Purchasing Scheme for the 2022/23 academic year following its record-breaking performance during the previous year.Once again, BOA will be granting Jisc member UK... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 23rd January, 2023 1 min read
A poster for Chinese New Year, featuring a rabbit and lanterns.

Lunar New Year

British Online Archives would like to wish all our customers a happy Lunar New Year. From midnight on the 22nd January 2023 (22/01/2023), until the festival ends on the 1st February, China’s population and its worldwide diaspora will celebrate the... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 22nd January, 2023 1 min read
Retiring Labour leader Michael Foot shakes hands with new leader Neil Kinnock (left) watched by Eric Heffer, in Brighton, at the Labour Party Conference.

Then, Now, and Forever: Labour in Perpetual Crisis (Part One)

From its earliest beginnings, the Labour Party has always been a “broad church”, encompassing a range of opinions from across the political spectrum. The party was born from the growing trade union movement in 1900 and initially encompassed a variety... Read more →
Sean Waite
Published 16th January, 2023 19 min read
Poster for Martin Luther King day. The background is cream with a cartoon image of Martin Luther King in navy.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Today (16/01/2023) is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a public holiday in the United States which celebrates the birthday of one of the most influential civil rights activists of the twentieth century. Born in 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.... Read more →
Nathaniel Andrews
Published 16th January, 2023 3 min read
A picture of a decorated Christmas tree and wrapped presents.

Christmas

Following the four-week season of preparation known as “Advent”, Christmas Day commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ some 2,000 years ago in the town of Bethlehem (in what is now Palestine). Most Christians consider Jesus to have been the “Messiah”,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 22nd December, 2022 2 min read
A picture of the sunsetting over a field.

Winter Solstice

For those living north of the equator, today (21/12/2022) marks the annual Winter Solstice: the point at which the northern hemisphere is tilted furthest from the sun, producing the shortest day and longest night of the year, respectively. Throughout human... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 21st December, 2022 1 min read
An IRA prisoner under escort by National Army troops during the Civil War.

One hundred years since the Irish Free State was established

In December 1922, one hundred years ago, the Irish Free State was established as a dominion of the British Empire, formally ending the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921).The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 dictated that twenty-six out of thirty-two counties in... Read more →
Sean Waite
Published 18th December, 2022 2 min read
Hanukkah menorah with burning colour candles for Jewish holiday

Hanukkah

Today (18/12/2022) is the first day of Hanukkah (or, more traditionally, “Chanukah”). Also known as the “festival of lights”, this eight-day holiday usually occurs between late November and December. Hanukkah commemorates a Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire in Judea... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 18th December, 2022 2 min read
An illustration showing women cycling.

From the Archive: Cycling to Equality

"I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel - the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood." In the modern day it is hard to imagine the controversial and transformational effect of the bicycle at its... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 5th December, 2022 28 min read
Poster for the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

Today (02/12/2022) is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, an annual event organised by the United Nations (UN). The day marks the adoption by the UN’s General Assembly, of the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 2nd December, 2022 2 min read
An image of Rosa Parks at the police station.

Anniversary of Rosa Parks Arrest

Today (01/12/2022)  marks 67 years since Rosa Parks was arrested. On 1st December 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, after she had refused to give up her bus seat for a white passenger. 1950s America was segregated along... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 1st December, 2022 2 min read
Woman in shorts smoking a cigarette and looking at a man doing laundry, with the caption

From the Archive: The Failures of Women in Art

“[Women] have been let loose upon arid fields for education” The Sketch, first published in 1893, was a popular sister title of the The Illustrated London News. This publication was created by Clement Shorter and William Ingram (former editor and managing... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 24th November, 2022 24 min read
Red poppies growing in a field.

Remembrance Day

This Remembrance Day (11/11/2022) marks 104 years since the end of the First World War, a global conflict that claimed the lives of over 886,000 British and Commonwealth military personnel. Inaugurated by King George V in 1919 to commemorate the signing... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 11th November, 2022 1 min read
An illustration of the men involved in the plot to blow up Parliament.

Bonfire Night

On this day, 5th November 1605, Guy Fawkes was arrested whilst guarding explosives that were hidden under the House of Lords. This was part of the Gunpowder Plot, which was a failed attempt at regicide against King James I.Guy Fawkes... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 5th November, 2022 2 min read
Two pumpkins sat on autumnal leaves.

Halloween

Known to many as Halloween, tonight (31/10/2022) is All Hallows’ Eve, a festival observed in many parts of the world. Traditionally, to celebrate the occasion, people carve pumpkins into “jack-o-lanterns”, don scary costumes, tell ghost stories, and go “trick-or-treating”: calling... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 31st October, 2022 1 min read
An image of Charleston in the background. It reads

Charleston Vendor Showcase 2022

British Online Archives (BOA) in partnership with our exclusive North American sales representative, Digital Micro Media (DMM), are delighted to announce our attendance at the 2022 Charleston Vendor Showcase on Tuesday November 2.You can find us at BOOTH 28.We hope... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 25th October, 2022 1 min read
A poster for Diwali.

Diwali

Today (24/10/2022) marks the start of Diwali, a five-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains around the world. Known as the “festival of lights”, Diwali always takes place between October and November, at the start of the Hindu New... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 24th October, 2022 1 min read
A black and white image of workers on strike, holding up posters and marching.

Radical Trade Unionism in Britain, 1921-1991

From its inception in 1920, the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) was intimately involved in trade unionism in Britain. From entryism to election rigging, radical education of workers to support for legitimate industrial action, the CPGB took to trade... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 11th October, 2022 1 min read
Travis Mazawaficuna of the Dakota nation (Sioux) Native American tribe arrives at the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples at the UN.

Indigenous Peoples' Day

Today (11/10/2022) is Indigenous Peoples' Day. Honouring the histories and cultures of Native Americans, the day is one of the United States' newest national holidays, formally recognised for the first time by President Joe Biden in October of last year.Initiated... Read more →
Rex Cleaver
Published 11th October, 2022 2 min read
A poster for Rabi ul-Awal

Rabi ul-Awal

This month marks the third month in the Islamic calendar, Rabi ul-Awal. This month, which follows the month Safar, translates as “the first spring”, but due to the Islamic calendar being a lunar calendar it does not correspond to the... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 10th October, 2022 1 min read
An image of two people dancing.

Black History Month (UK)

October marks the start of Black History Month. The month will be marked by a commemoration and celebration of Black history and culture.Black History Month was first celebrated in the UK in 1987. In the UK, Black history centers on... Read more →
Sean Waite
Published 1st October, 2022 2 min read
An image of apples, pomegranates, honey and lit candles on a table.

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is the first of the High Holy Days in the Jewish calendar, and normally takes place in September. The two-day holiday began at sunset on Sunday the 25th, and will end tonight. This is an especially important celebration... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 27th September, 2022 1 min read
An illustration of women in smart dress.

The Tatler (1901-1965)

The Tatler has, since its original form in the early eighteenth century, been a publication concerned with status and social ideals. The original Tatler was very much focused on guiding the emerging middling sort on how to behave in a variety... Read more →
Ruth Larsen
Published 21st September, 2022 15 min read
Woman in shorts smoking a cigarette and looking at a man doing laundry.

From the Archive: The Failures of Women in Art

“[Women] have been let loose upon arid fields for education” The Sketch, first published in 1893, was a popular sister title of the The Illustrated London News. This publication was created by Clement Shorter and William Ingram (former editor and managing... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 20th September, 2022 24 min read
A black and white image of John Gollan giving a speech into microphones.

Communism in Crisis in Britain and Abroad, 1931-1979

John Gollan (1911-1977) was a political leader and communist activist in Britain during the 20th century. Gollan joined the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) in 1926 following his involvement in the General Strike of the same year. A close... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 14th September, 2022 1 min read
An image of Noor Inayat Khan playing a string instrument.

Anniversary of the Death of Noor Inayat Khan

Today, 13th September, marks 78 years since Noor Inayat Khan was executed in a Nazi concentration camp. Descendant of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in South India, Noor Inyat Khan was the first female... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 13th September, 2022 3 min read
Front Cover of The Tatler, 1959

The Tatler, 1901-1965

From its establishment in 1901 until 1968, The Tatler was one of various publications owned by The Illustrated London News (ILN). The magazine (founded by literary critic Clement Shorter, a former editor of the ILN) catered primarily to an affluent and traditionalist audience.... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 6th September, 2022 2 min read
The words

The Transforming Effect of the 1960s

The 1960s continue to inspire and provoke. Despite the passage of time, there is a sense that the decade has not quite fully passed into the past. At one level this is a symptom of people’s interest in the surfaces... Read more →
Mark Donnelly
Published 31st August, 2022 14 min read
A 1915 illustration by Henry Mayer, titled “The Awakening,” suggested the geographical force behind the suffrage movement.

Women's Equality Day

Today (26/08/2020) is Women's Equality DayOn this day, 26th August 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution came into effect and ended the denial of voting rights on the basis of sex. The Nineteenth Amendment was first introduced... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 26th August, 2022 2 min read
An image of Marsha P Johnson

Anniversary of the Birth of Marsha P. Johnson

Today (24/08/2022) is the birthday of Marsha P. Johnson, an African-American performer and activist who played a major role in the movement for LGBTQ+ rights, both in the United States and abroad. Marsha was born in New Jersey in 1945,... Read more →
Nathaniel Andrews
Published 24th August, 2022 4 min read
Pakistan Rangers (wearing black uniforms) perform during a parade on the Pakistan's Independence Day at the Pakistan-India joint check post at Wagah border, near Lahore

Partition of the Indian Subcontinent 75 Years

2022 marks the 75th anniversary of the partition of the Indian subcontinent. After more than 300 years of British rule, on 15th August 1947 the Indian subcontinent gained its independence and was partitioned into two independent nation states: India and... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 15th August, 2022 3 min read
A picture of Khasi tribal females carrying children on their back

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

Today (09/08/2022) marks the annual celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The day was first pronounced in 1994 by the General Assembly of the United Nations and aims to raise awareness and protect the human rights... Read more →
Sean Waite
Published 9th August, 2022 2 min read
Hands breaking free from handcuffs.

Emancipation Day

On this date, in 1834, slavery was officially abolished throughout Britain’s colonies, following the approval of the Slavery Abolition Act, twelve months earlier. Since the 16th century, Britain had perpetrated appalling crimes against humanity, participating in a trade that saw... Read more →
Nathaniel Andrews
Published 1st August, 2022 3 min read
An image of Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof with the Esperanto flag.

Esperanto Day

Today (26/07/2022) is Esperanto Day, an event observed every year to celebrate the birth of the Esperanto language. On this date, in 1887, Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof – a Jewish ophthalmologist from what is now Poland – published the world’s first Esperanto... Read more →
Nathaniel Andrews
Published 26th July, 2022 1 min read
A painting of Lady Welby on the left sat down, with William Welby-Gregory stood on her right.

Victoria Lady Welby (1837-1913) and Significs

1. Contextual highlightsBiobibliographical trajectoriesVictoria Lady Welby (1837-1912) was born into the British aristocracy on April 27, 1837 and baptised that same year (June 17) as Victoria Alexandrina Maria Louisa Stuart-Wortely. Her godmothers were Princess Victoria (coronated Queen Alexandrina Victoria five... Read more →
Professor Susan Petrilli
Published 18th July, 2022 47 min read
A poster for South Asian Heritage Month.

South Asian Heritage Month 2022

This month marks the annual South Asian Heritage Month in the United Kingdom. The month, running from 18th July to 17th August, celebrates the heritage and history of South Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal,... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 18th July, 2022 2 min read
A picture of Emmeline Pankhurst in an old car whilst people crowd around the car.

Emmeline Pankhurst

Emmeline Pankhurst (née Goulden), the British suffragette known for her uncompromising militancy in pursuit of women’s right to vote, was born on this day in 1858. (15/07)Born in Manchester’s Moss Side, Pankhurst’s family was one steeped in ardent political activism.... Read more →
Sean Waite
Published 15th July, 2022 3 min read
A picture of Geraldine Chaplin, Actress, with pink letters that read 'london life'

London Life, 1965-1966

Launched in 1965, London Life was one of several titles owned by The Illustrated London News (ILN). A reincarnation of The Tatler (1901-1965) – which, from its inception, had catered primarily to a wealthy and conservative readership – London Life... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 14th July, 2022 1 min read
A picture of the French flag flying underneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Bastille Day

Today (14/07/2022) is Bastille Day (the ‘Fête nationale française’), a national holiday celebrated throughout France and its overseas territories every year, as well as in former French colonies, including parts of Canada and India. The event commemorates the storming of the... Read more →
Nathaniel Andrews
Published 14th July, 2022 1 min read
A poster for Eid al-Adha.

Eid al-Adha

Today (09/07/2022) marks the Eid al-Adha religious holiday in Islam. The celebration, which is also known as the “Feast of Sacrifice”, is all about remembering the sacrifices that Prophet Ibrahim made for this faith. Following Eid prayers the act of Qurbani,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 9th July, 2022 1 min read
A poster reading

50th Anniversary of First Official UK Gay Pride Rally

"We Are Nature's Children Too" - Gay Pride March, (1974)This month marks fifty years since the first official UK Gay Pride rally, which took place in London on the 1st of July 1972. Now known as the annual ‘London Pride’... Read more →
Nathaniel Andrews
Published 5th July, 2022 2 min read
Blue, purple and pink fireworks exploding against a dark sky.

Happy July 4th

BOA would like to wish all who celebrate a happy July 4th.Did you know that while fireworks are considered a ubiquitous part of Independence Day celebrations these days, the modern firework wasn’t invented until the 1830s?While some iteration of firework... Read more →
Hanna Polasky
Published 4th July, 2022 1 min read
The Empire Windrush arriving at Tilbury in 1948 with immigrants from Jamaica.

Windrush Day

Today, (June 22, 2022), marks the fifth annual Windrush Day in the United Kingdom. This commemorative day was introduced in June 2018 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Windrush migration. On June 22, 1948, over 1,000 people from the Caribbean... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 22nd June, 2022 2 min read
An image of Stonehenge with a sun setting behind it.

Summer Solstice

Today marks the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. Also known as ‘Midsummer’, this is the longest day of the year and, historically, it has been an important cultural event in many countries. In the UK, pagans often observe the summer... Read more →
Nathaniel Andrews
Published 21st June, 2022 1 min read
A black and white photo of the Friedrich Engels statue in Manchester.

British Communism through Committee Work, 1926-1992

The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) spawned many different committees throughout its turbulent lifetime. This collection contains the papers of numerous different committees established to advise the Executive Committee on party policy and ongoing developments in their respective fields.... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 15th June, 2022 1 min read
A zoomed in image of waves in the ocean.

World Ocean Day

World Ocean Day has been celebrated every June since 1992, when it was first instigated by the International Centre for Ocean Development and the Ocean Institute of Canada, respectively.The organisation’s network now operates in 150 countries, raising awareness about the... Read more →
Nathaniel Andrews
Published 8th June, 2022 1 min read
An image of eight front covers of different publications: Britannia and Eve, The Sketch, Tatler, The Bystander, The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, The Graphic, London News, and The Sphere.

British Print Media, 1860s–1960s

The hundred years from the 1860s to the 1960s, covered in this collection, was in many respects the golden age of the print media in Britain. In the middle decades of the nineteenth century, a number of social, cultural, and... Read more →
Adrian Bingham
Published 31st May, 2022 15 min read
An image of trees growing in the shape of lungs. Some of the trees are brown and dead.

A Century of Denial

In the last one hundred years, we have watched, with varying degrees of alarm, as our climate has changed at a rate unprecedented in the earth’s natural cycle. There is finally a consensus that this is not normal, and our... Read more →
Catrina Ollis
Published 23rd May, 2022 10 min read
A cracked ground where a small plant tries to grow. Edited on top is the word

Climate Change: The Unsolvable Crisis of Capitalist Governance

Framing climate change as the latest in a long line of capitalist disasters, rather than the isolated relationship between man and nature, uncovers unavoidable barriers between national governments and capital in ordering global governance. Consequently, doubt is cast on the... Read more →
Joseph Iafrati
Published 19th May, 2022 11 min read
A poster for Eid al-Fitr.

Eid al-Fitr

Today (02/05/2022) marks the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday in Islam. The celebration, which falls on the first day of Shawwal in the Islamic calendar, is an important religious holiday for Muslims as it marks the end of the holy month... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 2nd May, 2022 1 min read
A banner reads

May Day (International Workers’ Day)

Today (01/05/2022) is International Workers’ Day (or ‘May Day’), an annual event observed all over the world to celebrate the history of organised labour, and to campaign for better working and living conditions. The first May Day event took place... Read more →
Nathaniel Andrews
Published 1st May, 2022 1 min read
A photo of yellow tulips growing against a blue sky.

Easter

Today is Easter Sunday, the most important event of the Christian calendar. Marking the end of Lent (a period of remembrance lasting for 40 days, in which many Christians give up certain luxuries, such as eating unhealthy foods, drinking alcohol,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 17th April, 2022 1 min read
A poster which reads

Pesach (Passover)

Pesach (Passover) Today (15/04/2022) marks the first day of Passover, the celebration of the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, as told in the Bible. To commemorate the Exodus, in which Moses led the Israelites away from persecution... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 15th April, 2022 1 min read
A poster for Ramadan.

Ramadam

Today (02/04/2022) marks the start of the Islamic holy month Ramadan. Throughout this month Muslims all across the world partake in fasting between sunrise and sunset, prayer and self-reflection. Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar, a lunar calendar... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 2nd April, 2022 1 min read
A pink and purple poster for women's history month tat features layers of silhouettes of faces.

Women's History Month

This March marks the annual Women’s History Month, a month long celebration that began in 1987 in the United States of America. Despite discrimination, hardships, and exclusion, women throughout history have strived for equality. Women’s History Month provides an opportunity... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 30th March, 2022 7 min read
Buntin in Irish flag colours hanging down a street.

St Patrick’s Day

Today (17/03/2022) marks Saint Patrick’s Day, Lá Fhéile Pádraig in Irish, a cultural and religious celebration held annually to celebrate Ireland’s foremost patron saint.The 17th March was chosen as the traditionally recognised death date of Saint Patrick (c.385 – 461).... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 17th March, 2022 2 min read
A large crowd of people stood next to a football pitch. Police officers to the left are trying to control the crowd.

FA Cup - 150th Anniversary

Today (16/03/2022) marks the 150th Anniversary of the first ever Football Association Cup Final, in which Wanderers Football Club beat Royal Engineers Football Club 1-0 in front of a crowd of 2000. The scene would instill a degree of confusion... Read more →
Sean Waite
Published 16th March, 2022 1 min read
The Hospital of Bethlem [Bedlam] at Moorfields, London: seen from the north, with sheep grazing and people walking in the foreground. Coloured wood engraving by W. H. Prior.

Records from Bethlem Royal Hospital, 1559-1932

Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric facility in London. It was established as a priory of the Order of St Mary of Bethlehem in 1247, before beginning to care for mentally ill patients sometime in the 14th century. Often referred... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 8th March, 2022 1 min read
A poster for International Women's Day showing cartoon women hugging in a circle.

International Women’s Day (IWD)

International Women’s Day is a global holiday celebrated annually on 8th March. This day commemorates cultural, political, social and economic achievements of women. It has become a focal point in the women’s rights movement, and is used to spotlight issues... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 8th March, 2022 3 min read
A picture of pancakes with lemon slices and sugar.

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is a key event in the Christian calendar, which takes place every year before the commencement of Lent (the 40-day period leading up to Easter). For many Christians, Lent is a time of sacrifice, when it is customary to... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 1st March, 2022 1 min read
A poster for International Mother Language Day.

International Mother Language Day

“Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage” - United NationsThe 21st February marks International Mother Language Day. The annual observance, first declared in 1999, promotes awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 21st February, 2022 3 min read
An image of Nixon in China.

50th Anniversary of Nixons's Visit to China

Today (21/02/2022) marks the 50th anniversary of President Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972, which signaled the end of the decades long hostility between the two nations. Since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the US... Read more →
Sean Waite
Published 21st February, 2022 2 min read
A cartoon of a computer, which is a bookshelf. Surrounding the computer are cartoon people reading and working on laptops. The laptop is wearing a graduation hat.

New BOA Platform Features

Our team has spent the past 18 or so months developing various aspects of the British Online Archives (BOA) platform. All changes have been made based on consultation with and feedback from student-led focus groups, academics, and librarians. In the... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 15th February, 2022 2 min read
A drawing of Charles Darwin, with his name written to the right of him.

Darwin Day

Today (12/02/2022) is Darwin DayCharles Darwin is perhaps Britain’s most famous naturalist and biologist, known for his contribution to the theory of evolutionary biology. On the Origin of Species (1859), in which Darwin posits the idea that populations evolve over... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 12th February, 2022 1 min read
A poster for Black History Month.

Black History Month (US)

“History is a people’s memory, and without a memory, man is demoted to the lower animals.” – Malcolm XThis February marks Black History Month in the United States. Black History Month is an annual observance that officially began in 1970,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 9th February, 2022 2 min read
A poster with a rainbow and it reads

LGBT History Month

This month marks the 17th LGBT History Month in the United Kingdom. LGBT History month is an annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history and the history of the gay rights movement. It was founded by co-chairs of... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 2nd February, 2022 2 min read
A poster for Chinese New Year, featuring a tiger. The poster is red with gold and navy details.

Chinese New Year

The whole team at British Online Archives would like to wish all our customers a happy Lunar New Year. When the clock strikes 00:00 on February 1st, China’s population and its worldwide diaspora will celebrate the coming of the Year... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 31st January, 2022 2 min read
Robert Burns as depicted on a Scottish Banknote.

Burns Night

Tonight (25/01/2022) is Burns Night, a tradition observed annually throughout Scotland, on the birthday of Robert Burns (1759-1796). Burns wrote many well-known poems and songs (primarily in Scots), including ‘Ae Fond Kiss’, ‘Tam o’Shanter’ and, of course, ‘Auld Lang Syne’,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 25th January, 2022 1 min read
A young woman with the text

International Day of Education

Today (24/01/2022) is the fourth International Day of Education. Started by the United Nations in 2018, this initiative aims to promote education as a human right, as well as a key contributor to global peace and development. As the UN notes,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 24th January, 2022 1 min read
A photo of Royal Artillery gunners filling 25-pounder shells with leaflets. Roermond, The Netherlands, January 1945.

Airborne Propaganda: The Battle for Hearts and Minds

Since prehistoric times, warring rulers have recognised the importance of weakening the morale of opponents. Often the battle for hearts and minds is as pivotal to victory as any physical fighting. As technology has developed, so has the range and... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 20th January, 2022 21 min read
Colour poster by William Little issued in 1941 showing two groups of armed marching soldiers, one from each of the countries allied to fight Germany, Japan, and Italy, facing a giant V for victory composed of the flags of each of the countries allied in the fight.

British Government Information and Propaganda, 1939-2009

Scanned from source at the British Library, this collection contains a carefully curated selection of materials produced by the British Ministry of Information (MOI) and Central Office of Information (COI) during the period 1939-2009. The items are diverse in nature, ranging... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 20th January, 2022 1 min read
A man smiling whilst working on a laptop.

British Online Archives Offers Free Institutional Access

British Online Archives (BOA) is once again delighted to offer Higher Education Institutions (HEI) free access to its entire platform for a limited period. We understand the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic, and appreciate remote learning remains a top... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 18th January, 2022 1 min read
A photo of Martin Luther King.

Martin Luther King Day

Today (17/01/2022) the U.S. remembers Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Dr. King was a leader of the civil rights movement in the U.S.In 1955 he led the Montgomery bus boycott, which lasted 382 days, and ended segregation on buses. Between 1957... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 17th January, 2022 1 min read
Front cover which reads

An Assessment of The History of Mary Prince as an Abolitionist text

Representations of slavery did important work in the argument for abolition. However, Black abolitionist writing was rarely left untouched by contemporary editors. Nowhere is this more evident than in Mary Prince’s autobiography, a shocking first person account of the horrors... Read more →
Niamh Franklin
Published 10th January, 2022 11 min read
A photo of the The Famine Memorial, officially titled Famine, in Dublin, Ireland.

The Power of State Apologies: The Irish Famine

In recent times governments have begun to formally apologise or express remorse for actions of their historical predecessors. Some argue that these collective apologies serve to build, repair, renew, and strengthen bonds between communities harmed by historical wrongdoing, and that... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 15th December, 2021 15 min read
Arms are shown breaking free from handcuffs and the words

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

The 2nd December marks International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, it is a yearly event organised by the United Nations General Assembly. Slavery has existed in all societies across history, however, it has manifested itself differently. The most well-known... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 2nd December, 2021 2 min read
Red background with yellow letters that read

A Guide to British Government Information and Propaganda, 1939-2009

Although propaganda is thousands of years old, it really came of age in the 20th century, when the development of mass media (and later multimedia communications) offered a fertile ground for its dissemination, and the century’s global conflicts provided the... Read more →
Professor David Welch
Published 26th November, 2021 27 min read
The Hospital of Bethlem [Bedlam] at Moorfields, London: seen from the north, with sheep grazing and people walking in the foreground. Coloured wood engraving by W. H. Prior after an earlier engraving.

The Historic Records held at Bethlem Museum of the Mind

Bethlem Museum of the Mind records the lives and experience and celebrates the achievements of people with mental health problems. Situated within the current day site of Bethlem Royal Hospital, the oldest psychiatric hospital in Europe, the Museum seeks to... Read more →
David Luck
Published 18th November, 2021 11 min read
Statue of poet Vladimir Mayakovsky in Moscow, Russia.

Communism, Culture and Society in the 20th Century

This collection contains documents compiled by the Communist Party of Great Britain’s (CPGB) National Cultural Committee. The National Cultural Committee (NCC) was established in 1947 and functioned as an advisory panel for the Executive Committee. It aimed to develop policy... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 16th November, 2021 1 min read
A photo of someone working on a laptop and smiling.

British Online Archives Internships

British Online Archives (BOA) is a West Yorkshire based academic publisher that specialises in primary resources. As part of our student outreach initiative, we’re offering  members of the Leeds University History Society the opportunity to enrol in our 2022 Winter &... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 8th November, 2021 2 min read
A photo of Charleston in the background. On top it reads

Charleston Vendor Showcase 2021

British Online Archives (BOA) in partnership with our exclusive North American sales representative, Digital Micro Media (DMM), are delighted to announce our attendance at the 2021 Charleston Vendor Showcase on Tuesday November 2.You can find us at BOOTH 30.Alternatively, you’ll also find... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 26th October, 2021 1 min read
Black History Month logo.

34th Black History Month (UK)

October 2021 marks the 34th Black History Month in the United Kingdom. Black History Month is an annual observance that originated in the United States in 1970. However, as a result of local community activism it was also brought to... Read more →
Nishah Malik
Published 12th October, 2021 3 min read
A poster for human rights day. A cartoon image of the earth with many hands radiating outwards.

Human Rights Day

Today (10/12/2021) is Human Rights Day“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home -- so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. [...] Unless these rights... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 10th October, 2021 3 min read
The monument to the Soviet writer Maxim Gorky. The statue is of Maxim Gorky sat down holding a walking stick.

Communism and Popular Culture in the 20th Century

Ivor Montagu (1904-1984) was best known for his work as a filmmaker, scriptwriter, and producer. He was also a trained naturalist, the founder of the International Table Tennis Federation, president of the Southampton F.C. Supporters’ Club, and an active member... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 5th October, 2021 1 min read
A photo of the Hillsborough memorial.

Hillsborough: The Archive as a Vehicle for ‘Truth Recovery’

On 27 July this year, Andrew Devine became the 97th victim of the infamous Hillsborough disaster. According to Liverpool coroner, Andre Rebello, ‘Andrew Devine died at the Royal Liverpool Hospital after a long illness of 32 years from aspiration pneumonia.’[i] ... Read more →
David Sarsfield
Published 29th September, 2021 12 min read
Sydney Opera House, lit up with abstract aboriginal artwork.

Australia in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1808-1967 (Updated)

The British Online Archives team have recently updated the collection, Australia in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1808-1967. This collection provides an unparalleled insight into the establishment and subsequent development of the Church of Australia.This collection contains records compiled by the... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 23rd September, 2021 1 min read
Old Map Of Philadelphia 1802 Print

Contextualising the MOVE Remains Within American History

Every aspect of US history is irrevocably tied to slavery. The repercussions of the trade in human chattel can be seen in the modern descendants of enslaved peoples, but also within the societal frameworks that make up modern America. There... Read more →
Hanna Polasky
Published 19th August, 2021 17 min read
United Nations Emergency Force soldiers resting in Sinai during the Suez Crisis.

The Post-War International Order: Past, Present, Future?

In Western historiography, it is often presented as a given that the end of the Second World War ushered in a new international order. As this archival collection shows, a series of treaties and institutions including the United Nations (UN),... Read more →
Dr. Danielle Young
Published 16th August, 2021 12 min read
A black and white image of Liverpool docks, with boats parked around the perimeter.

Slave Trade Records from Liverpool, 1754–1792 (Updated)

The British Online Archives team have recently updated the collection, Slave Trade Records from Liverpool, 1754–1792. This collection allows researchers and students to explore Britain’s part in one of the darkest episodes in modern human history, the transatlantic slave trade.Liverpool’s... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 25th May, 2021 1 min read
A crowd of people cheering with their hands in the air.

British Communism in Campaigns and Events, 1947-1991

This collection contains documents relating to discrete campaigns and events organised by the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) during the period 1947-1991. The documents include minutes, correspondence, press releases, posters, and programmes. They provide an insight into the ways in... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 21st April, 2021 1 min read
1831 engraving of a young Venetian woman, aged 23, depicted before and after contracting cholera

Cholera Pandemic 1830s

The rapid development of multiple mRNA vaccines in a year to combat a previously unknown virus is a triumph of biotechnology and the maturation of research years in the making. That miracle of science is culminating in a race to... Read more →
Philip Feibusch
Published 19th April, 2021 9 min read
A photo of the Karl Max monument in Moscow, Russia.

Marxist History and Historians in the 20th Century

Dona Ruth Anne Torr (1883-1957) was a Marxist historian, translator and activist. Despite being born into an aristocratic family, Torr became a founding member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). She went on to build a reputation not... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 30th March, 2021 1 min read
A photo of the Karl Marx monument in Moscow, Russia.

The historian and her group: Dona Torr and Marxist history

Dona Torr was born in 1883. Her recently-deceased grandfather John Torr had been a merchant and for the last seven years of his life the Conservative MP for Liverpool. She was brought up in a large and newly-built Victorian mansion,... Read more →
Dr. David Renton
Published 29th March, 2021 11 min read
A historical account of the old State house of Pennsylvania now known as the Hall of independence (1876).

Fashion as a political statement in the American Republic

Fashion as a political statement is a concept one generally associated with the  20th and 21st centuries, despite the practical knowledge that this could not possibly be true. Dressing deliberately for the sake of politics has far reaching roots, in... Read more →
Abigail Field
Published 24th March, 2021 16 min read
This 1952 painting by Robert Thom is the only known representation of Lucy, Anarcha and Betsey.

A re-evaluation of the legacy of James Marion Sims

History is always skewed by our perceptions of modern morals. What was once considered acceptable in the pursuit of science is no longer permissible. However, our perceptions themselves are influenced by the education to which we are privy. Take, for... Read more →
Hanna Polasky
Published 28th February, 2021 13 min read
A photo of the Monument to Yuri Gagarin in Moscow, Russia.

Science and Marxism, 1956-1985

William Wainwright (1908-2000) was a British communist activist and member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). During his time in the party, Wainwright briefly served as the secretary of the British Soviet Society and was heavily involved in... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 15th February, 2021 1 min read
In the centre the words

From the Archive: Scottish Rebel Songs

Drawing upon our exciting new collection, Scottish Nationalist Leaflets, 1844-1973, this article examines the development of Scottish nationalism in the twentieth century through an analysis of ‘Rebel Songbooks’. These songbooks reflect the turbulent, ever-changing landscape of Scottish society, identity, and... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 3rd February, 2021 15 min read
An image of world leaders, edited to be wearing blue facemasks.

A Christmas Message from British Online Archives

2020 has been a challenging year for those studying and working in Higher Education.Our main concern since March has therefore been to make it easier for students, researchers, and librarians to use online primary resources. The most obvious way we... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 18th December, 2020 1 min read
A black and white image of Lady Justice statue outside the Old Bailey in London.

Trade Unions in Crisis: the 1961 ETU Ballot-Rigging Scandal

The ETU ballot-rigging trial was a case brought to the High Court by prominent union members John Thomas Byrne and Frank Chapple in 1961. They alleged that members of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) had engaged in "a... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 17th December, 2020 1 min read
A front cover of Red Rag,

From the Archive: Women’s Liberation and the CPGB

From the Archive: Women’s Liberation and the CPGBIn the 1970s, the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) was facing heavy membership losses and an ever enigmatic class revolution that had failed to materialise after half a century of toil. New... Read more →
Sean Waite
Published 8th December, 2020 12 min read
A black and white image of a Marx and Engels statue.

Debate and Division on the British Left, 1917-1964

John Thomas (J.T.) Murphy and Molly Murphy (née Morris) were a married couple who were prominent members of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) during its formative years. J.T. was expelled from the party in 1932, while Molly resigned shortly thereafter. This... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 3rd December, 2020 3 min read
A drawing of The Foundery, in Moorfields. The building subsequently served as the first Wesleyan Methodist house of worship, and an important meeting place for the early Methodist community.

The Methodist Recorder, 1861-1919

This collection contains copies of the Methodist Recorder published during the period 1861-1919. Founded in 1861 with the mission 'to tell truth and love', the Methodist Recorder was edited and published by six Wesleyan ministers in London. While the six ministers... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 24th November, 2020 2 min read
A drawing of John Wesley preaching to a group of men.

Methodist Publications, 1855-1919

John Wesley (1703-1791) was an English cleric who lead a revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism in the 18th century. After Wesley's death, internal schisms led to a splintering of the original faith. The rival Methodist... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 24th November, 2020 3 min read
A front cover of America Abroad 1892.

From the Archive: America Abroad, 1891-1907

Our exciting new collection, Transatlantic Civil Society in Periodicals, 1767-1925, explores the evolving relationship between North America and Europe over three centuries. A period that encompasses the conflict of the American revolutionary era through to changes wrought by industrialisation and... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 23rd November, 2020 11 min read
An image of the Motherland Calls monument in Volgograd, Russia.

Gender, Feminism, and the British Left, 1944-1991

This collection contains records compiled by the Communist Party of Great Britain's (CPGB) Women's Department during the period 1944-1991. These records include minutes, agendas, and promotional materials from various women's campaigns, events, and conferences. They also include copies of Link, the... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 12th November, 2020 2 min read
A black and white image of a group of women smartly dressed.

Transatlantic Civil Society in Periodicals, 1768-1925

This collection contains a series of American journals, magazines, and trade papers published in the United Kingdom and continental Europe from 1768 to 1925—a period that encompasses everything from the Boston Tea Party to the First World War. The periodicals... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 5th November, 2020 3 min read
A British war horse stuck in the mud while ferrying supplies during WW1.

Soldiers and their Horses in The Great War

The British Army of 1914-1918 fully appreciated the numerous benefits to be gained by properly managing its equine resources. Despite the increased use of mechanised alternatives, horses were nevertheless still the most versatile and reliable means of transporting men and... Read more →
Jane Flynn
Published 30th October, 2020 6 min read
A black and white image of the top of a Church. A sign on the Church reads

The Methodist Recorder, 1861-1919: Collection Guide

By Peter S. Forsaith, Ph.D., F.R.Hist.S. (Oxford Brookes University) with Rev. Dr. Martin Wellings.Methodism is arguably the most significant single Christian religious movement since the Protestant Reformation, now numbering some 80 million members and adherents worldwide. Other denominations (such as... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 22nd October, 2020 22 min read
A black and white image of the top of a Church. A sign on the Church reads

Methodist Publications, 1855-1919: Collection Guide

By Peter S. Forsaith, Ph.D., F.R.Hist.S. (Oxford Brookes University) with Rev. Dr. Martin Wellings.Methodism is arguably the most significant single Christian religious movement since the Protestant Reformation, now numbering some 80 million members and adherents worldwide. Other denominations (such as... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 22nd October, 2020 22 min read
African School Kids pointing to a mural of the map of Africa on the side of a building.

Aid in Africa: hurting or helping?

The idea of aid took off in the 1920s/30s, when wealthier countries started to make regular donations to places including Latin America and Africa. Before this, there had been some sporadic donations in the 19th Century, but nothing as structured... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 8th October, 2020 10 min read
A group of people and in the foreground the Chile flag.

Miracle of Chile? The legacy of the Chicago Boys

Chile is often hailed as the ‘Miracle of Chile’ and is compared to the Asian Tiger economies, which boasted rapid economic growth between the 1960s and 1990s, paired with a huge improvement in the standard of living. Even today, it... Read more →
Alice Broome
Published 26th August, 2020 9 min read
A map showing the partitions of Poland.

From the Archive: The Paris Peace Conference and Upper Silesia

Our popular primary source collection, 'Paris Peace Conference and Beyond, 1919-1939', provides a wealth of archival material relating to the tumultuous period in the aftermath of the First World War. The Paris Peace Conference was the formal meeting of the... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 7th August, 2020 10 min read
An image of Worker and Kolkhoz Woman in Moskva, Russia. Worker and Kolkhoz Woman is a sculpture of two figures with a sickle and a hammer raised over their heads.

Communisms and the Cold War, 1944-1986

This collection contains reports and other records compiled by the Communist Party of Great Britain's (CPGB) International Department between 1944 and 1986—a period which begins immediately after the dissolution of the Communist International (Comintern) and ends shortly before the collapse of... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 2nd July, 2020 3 min read
The Relief of Lucknow, by Thomas Jones Barker. The siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defence of the British Residency within the city of Lucknow from rebel sepoys during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

World News in Indian Newspapers, 1782-1908

Part of our wide-ranging Power and Preachers series, this collection contains copies of three English language newspapers published in India during the period 1782-1908: The India Gazette (1782-1834); The Bengal Hurkaru and Chronicle (1822-1866); and The Bengal Times (1876-1908).These newspapers were primarily sold... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 31st March, 2020 1 min read
Winston Churchill with Neville Chamberlain in 1939.

Fireside Chats: The Downfall of Chamberlain & Rise of Churchill | Ep 2

Talking History with British Online Archives is a platform for scholars to discuss and debate history and historiography in a collegiate environment.In the second episode of our new ‘Fireside Chats’ feature, Dr. Kris Lovell of Coventry University discusses the downfall... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 10th March, 2020 1 min read
Neville Chamberlain shows the Anglo-German Declaration, the resolution to commit to peaceful methods signed by both Hitler and himself on his return from Munich at Heston Aerodrome on 30 September 1938.

Fireside Chats: The Legacy of Appeasement | Ep 1

Talking History with British Online Archives is a platform for scholars to discuss and debate history and historiography in a collegiate environment.In the first episode of our new ‘Fireside Chats’ feature, Dr. Kris Lovell of Coventry provides an overview of... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 26th February, 2020 1 min read
A black and white image of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin.

From the Archive: Prosecuting the Holocaust

Our recently published primary source collection, ‘Prosecuting the Holocaust: British investigations into Nazi Crimes, 1944-1949’, provides a valuable and unique study into the British governments efforts to investigate and prosecute Nazi crimes after the Second World War. The featured evidence shines... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 21st February, 2020 7 min read
A group of people looking at a laptop, with textbooks open on a table. On the bottom right is the Jisc logo.

British Online Archives continues successful partnership with JISC

British Online Archives is offering a unique opportunity for Jisc member institutions to make significant savings on its most popular primary source collections.multi-disciplinary. David Sarsfield, the Head of Library Sales, commented:   “Providing  member institutions with the opportunity to purchase our collections... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 28th January, 2020 5 min read
A black and white photo of a busy street with lots of people walking.

The Departments of the Communist Party of Great Britain: A Detailed Guide

The singular nature of the CPGB's relationship with the Communist International means that the organisational holdings of the archives in Britain are of a highly asymmetrical character. Discrete groups of documents from the inter-war years, some of considerable historical significance,... Read more →
Professor Kevin Morgan
Published 20th January, 2020 28 min read
A black and white photo of three men.

Notable Individuals of the Communist Party of Great Britain

Individual deposits within the CPGB archives are significant both for the biographies of the individuals concerned and as a record of the wider activities of the party and its ancillaries. The dividing line between these materials and the party's institutional... Read more →
Professor Kevin Morgan
Published 20th January, 2020 29 min read
WAAF radar operator Denise Miley plotting aircraft on a cathode ray tube in the Receiver Room at Bawdsey 'Chain Home' station, May 1945.

British Military Intelligence in Context, 1938-1974

Military Intelligence Files: Land, Sea & Air provides access to secret British government files produced by the intelligence branches of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Held by The National Archives of the United Kingdom, and covering... Read more →
Dr. Stephen Twigge
Published 5th December, 2019 19 min read
Barbed wire in a concentration camp in black and white.

Talking History: Remembering The Holocaust | S1, Ep 3

British Online Archives convene a round-table discussion on the past, present, and future of Holocaust remembrance. We are joined by Holocaust survivors Leisel Carter and Arek Hersh, as well as the Director of the Mittlebau-Dora Concentration Camp Memorial, Dr. Stefan Hoerdler,... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 1st November, 2019 1 min read
A black and white image of French, British and Italian ministers at the Paris Peace Conference.

Paris Peace Conference and Beyond, 1919-1939

The Paris Peace Conference was a meeting of Allied diplomats that took place in the aftermath of the First World War. Its purpose was to impose peace terms on the vanquished Central Powers and establish a new international order.This collection... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 1st October, 2019 2 min read
An image of billiards on a billiard table. The billiards have flags of the world on.

In Conversation With...Stephen M. Walt

Stephen M. Walt is a distinguished academic who writes about international relations theory, grand strategy, and American foreign policy. He obtained a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied under the late Kenneth Waltz, a... Read more →
Stephen M. Walt
Published 5th August, 2019 8 min read
Stranger Things poster featuring images of the characters.

Stranger Things, Nostalgia and Unintentional Meaning

THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS You've got to hand it to the producers of Stranger Things for using the same deus ex machina to solve the same problem three series in a row. At least this time around there was something of a... Read more →
Jon Mackenzie
Published 26th July, 2019 11 min read
Several silhouettes of people with rifles raised over their heads against the sea at sunset

The Radical Romanticism of Piracy

In Western popular culture, pirates have emerged as dashing heroic figures.Despite the fact that, on the periphery, most people are vaguely aware that there is a profound disconnect between the realities of piracy and the popular fantasy, we choose to... Read more →
Katherine Waite
Published 10th July, 2019 13 min read
A red background with a line of black and white cartoon people.

Interpreting the Unthinkable

In September 2018 the UK’s newest Holocaust exhibition opened to the public. ‘Though Our Eyes’ tells the story of the Holocaust as experienced by 16 Jewish men and women who escaped or survived the genocide and made new lives in the... Read more →
Emma King
Published 17th April, 2019 5 min read
An image of the USA flag flying outside a house.

In Conversation With...Andrew J. Bacevich

Andrew J. Bacevich is an historian and commentator who writes about American foreign and defence policy.He graduated from West Point in 1969 and served in the United States Army for two decades, including stints in Vietnam and Kuwait. After leaving... Read more →
Andrew J. Bacevich
Published 10th April, 2019 6 min read
Two individuals looking at a laptop. On the back of the laptop is the Jisc logo.

British Online Archives team up with Jisc - Press Release

British Online Archives team up with Jisc to provide products at discounted rates to Higher Education Institutions British Online Archives (BOA) have been accepted onto a new framework with Jisc, which is geared towards selling their resources at a discounted... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 14th December, 2018 3 min read
A cartoon image of someone working on a laptop and sitting on top of lots of paper with writing on. To the right it reads 'Undergraduate Essay Award'.

British Online Archives Undergraduate Essay Award

 The winner of the British Online Archives Undergraduate Essay Award will receive a Kindle e-reader (6") and £50 worth of Amazon vouchers, as well as having their essay published on our website.Question:   Leon Trotsky once said that "war is the... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 26th November, 2018 1 min read
An image of US astronaut Alan Bean standing on the moon.

The Problem with Apollo

The American ‘moonshot’ is arguably one of the most memorable moments of the Cold War, if not the 20th century. It captured the world’s attention with record global viewing figures on live television and cemented the success of America’s military-industrial-scientific... Read more →
Bleddyn B. Bowen
Published 15th October, 2018 10 min read
Individuals during the war, receiving messages on a radio.

Military intelligence files: land, sea and air, 1938-1974

Part of British Online Archives's wide-ranging World Wars series, the resources contained within this collection shed light on the activities and attitudes of British military intelligence agencies during the Second World War and Cold War.The majority of the documents are... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 10th August, 2018 1 min read
The entry gate to Auschwitz concentration camp. The infamous

The Fashionable Form of Holocaust Denial

What do Holocaust deniers deny? The most extreme among them deny that the Nazis’ the extermination of the Jews ever happened—or, if some portion of it did take place, the Jews were behind it. These include such notorious figures as... Read more →
Professor David Patterson
Published 9th August, 2018 10 min read
A silhouette of the White House, flying a USA flag, on the background of a Union Jack flag.

International relations between America and Britain, 1796-1848

Sir Charles Vaughan (1774-1849) was a career diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States during the period 1825-1835. This collection contains Vaughan's personal and professional papers from before, during, and after his time in Washington. The papers shed... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 1st August, 2018 1 min read
An image of Vladimir Putin starting the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour at the Luzhniki Stadium.

The Politics of the World Cup

It was a magnificent finale to a tense group stage encounter. Standing at five and a half feet, Xherdan Shaqiri’s run wasn’t graceful, but with legs pumping like pistons, the Switzerland midfielder surged past the defender and stuck the ball... Read more →
David Cowlishaw
Published 16th July, 2018 6 min read
At the top, a map of Europe, with the Union Jack flag overlaid on top and on the left a soldier.

Behind Enemy Lines: The Life and Death of Diana Rowden

On July 6th, 1944, Diana Rowden, Andree Borrell, Vera Leigh, and Sonya Olschanezky were executed by the SS at Natzweiler-Struthof, a concentration camp located near the foothills of the Vosges Mountains in Alsace. They had been transferred from a prison... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 6th July, 2018 2 min read

Pride in Perspective: Homosexuality in Britain Since 1967

In July 1967 the Sexual Offences Act decriminalized homosexual acts between men, making it legal between two men over 21 in private (though not in Scotland or Northern Ireland—those laws were finally abolished in 1980 and 1982 respectively).   This legislation... Read more →
Harry Cocks
Published 18th June, 2018 6 min read
An image of Soviet soldiers in Riga, October 1944

VE Day Through the Eyes of East Prussian Refugees

"I did not know then that the 8th of May 1945 was a special day. Whatever happened in the world ‘outside’, did not apply to us. Here, everything revolved around food, the acquisition of food and sheer survival… We did... Read more →
Arddun Arwyn
Published 8th May, 2018 5 min read
An image from a Suffragettes march in 1908.

Women and Protest in 19th Century Britain

Does women’s history actually exist? If the lives and achievements of just over half of the population were fully acknowledged as a vital part of the human story then, by definition, it wouldn’t. The tendency to see women’s experiences as... Read more →
Louise Raw
Published 5th April, 2018 6 min read
Turnstiles which show segregation between 'Whites' and 'Non-Whites'.

Black History Month with British Online Archives

Black History Month is celebrated every February in the United States and Canada, as well as here in the United Kingdom in October. The idea started as a way of remembering significant people and events in African history. Black History... Read more →
British Online Archives
Published 28th February, 2018 5 min read

About

The British Online Archives blog is a platform for scholars to present their research to students and the general public. The posts cover a range of historical themes and debates from around the world. The opinions expressed represent those of the authors, not British Online Archives or Microform Imaging Ltd.

Get Social

Linkedin
Back to Top