The slave trade was abolished in the British Empire on this day in 1807. The Bury and Norwich Post reported that the Bishop of Landaff thought slavery was ‘so barbarous and inhumane that the abolition of it would be recorded in Heaven.’ Bury and Norwich Post – Wednesday 01 April 1807 Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View the whole newspaper page
Headlines from History
The 30 mph speed limit was introduced in built-up areas of Britain on 18 March 1935. Not everybody appreciated the new signs – newspapers reported that eight signs were fished out of a pond a week later! View the whole newspaper page Nottingham Evening Post – Friday 29 March 1935 Image © Local World Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
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Happy St Patrick’s Day! We just love these wonderful photographs of shamrock sellers in Plymouth in the 1930s, printed in the Western Morning News: Top photo View the whole newspaper page Western Morning News | 18 March 1937 Bottom photo View the whole newspaper page Western Morning News | 18 March 1939
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A 19th-century police officer named Jerome Caminada died 100 years ago today. Angela Buckley, author of The Real Sherlock Holmes: The Hidden Story of Jerome Caminada, explains what newspapers can tell us about the detective’s incredible life. ************** On 10 March 1914, just five days before his 70th birthday, Detective Jerome Caminada died at home. Born in the slums of Manchester, he had enjoyed an extraordinary career, earning him a place in history as one of the city’s finest police …
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British schoolchildren will dress as their favourite book characters today to celebrate World Book Day. The Cheltenham Looker-On proves that this isn’t a new phenomenon – here we see two doctors dressed as Tweedledum and Tweedledee in 1920: Cheltenham Looker-On – Saturday 17 January 1920 Image © Local World Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. View the whole newspaper page
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Keep an eye out for low-flying pancakes today! The Pall Mall Gazette reported that a pancake was thrown at US President Grover Cleveland and his wife during a visit to St Louis in 1887. View the whole newspaper page Pall Mall Gazette – Tuesday 25 October 1887 Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Did you know that the day before Shrove Tuesday is known as Collop Monday? As this snippet from the Nottingham Evening Post explains, it’s traditionally the day to use up any fresh meat you have in your house before the start of Lent. View the whole newspaper page Nottingham Evening Post – Tuesday 17 February 1931 Image © Local World Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
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Here’s a charming wartime advert from 1944 for all of you celebrating St David’s Day today: The Sunday Post – Sunday 27 February 1944 Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. View the whole newspaper page
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Novelist Victor Hugo was born on 26 February 1802. In this review of Les Miserables, the Dublin Evening Mail stated that he was “almost the only French imaginative writer of the present century who is entitled to be considered as a man of genius.” Dublin Evening Mail – Friday 17 October 1862 Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View the whole newspaper page
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Pluto was discovered on 18 February 1930, though the Nottingham Evening Post reported that the planet was very nearly given a different name. The article states that Atlas, Prometheus, Tempus, Marconi and even Percival were considered as potential names. Nottingham Evening Post – Thursday 10 April 1930 Image © Local World Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. View the whole newspaper page