Today is…World…Sauntering Day… … So to celebrate World Sauntering Day and the many joys and the art of sauntering, here is a terrific newspaper article from 1890 that praises sauntering in all its glorious forms. … If you’re a saunterer yourself (or can sometimes saunter and ‘consider the lilies’ when it’s required), we’re sure you’ll [...]

William Cobbett, writer, political reformer and farmer, died in Normandy, Surrey, on 18 June 1835. Cobbett was very much a champion of democracy, and campaigned for electoral reform throughout his life. So to mark the day and to remember his life and achievements, we’ve included below an obituary of Cobbett, which was published in the [...]

On 17 June 1885, the French steamship, ‘Isere’, arrived in New York Harbour with the Statue of Liberty onboard. As can be seen from the two contemporary newspaper reports below, the statue was received with great enthusiasm by the New Yorkers – with over 83,000 people contributing to the fund to pay for the pedestal [...]

Stan Laurel (aka Arthur Stanley Jefferson) was born in Ulverston, Cumbria, on 16 June 1890. To celebrate the day, here are two newspaper reports from the 1930s about Laurel and Hardy. Derby Daily Telegraph – Saturday 07 July 1934 Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19340707/043/0006 Edinburgh Evening [...]

On 15 June 1785, Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Pierre Romain died when their hot air balloon (it was a mixture of hydrogen and hot air) exploded while they were attempting to cross the English Channel. To mark their bravery in attempting such a feat, we’ve posted a contemporary newspaper report about the tragedy. Derby [...]

Jerome K. Jerome, the English author of ‘Three Men in a Boat’ and many other comic classics, died in Northampton on 14 June 1927, aged 68. To mark the day, here are two newspaper obituaries which celebrate his life and writing. Dundee Courier – Saturday 18 September 1926 Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image [...]

W.B. Yeats was born in Sandymount, County Dublin, on 13 June 1865. To celebrate the day of his birth, here are three stories from the Archive that offer a fascinating insight into his character and poetry. Just for good measure, we’ve also included the beautiful poem, ‘He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven’. Dundee Courier – [...]

We love hearing stories about what you’ve been finding while rummaging around in the Archive. Pollie Scott, a family history researcher from East Yorkshire, has been finding dozens of fascinating stories in the Archive about her ancestors. And not only stories, for on her most recent visit to the Archive, she found a photograph (pipe in hand and [...]

The Armagh railway disaster took place on 12 June 1889, with the loss of 80 lives. The accident happened after the engine stalled on a steep hill, and the crew decided to split the train in to two in order to negotiate the steep incline. Tragically, the second half of the train was not properly [...]

On 11 June 1936, the International Surrealist Exhibition opened at the New Burlington Galleries in London. Althought it’s a cliche, the International Surrealist Exhibition was very much a surreal event. To give you a feel for how the concept of surrealism was received in England in the 1930s, here are two newspaper reports about the [...]