Today’s most-popular Christmas toys include Frozen dolls and tech gadgets, but it was a very different story 100 years ago. Newspapers from the time reveal there was a clear trend for ‘British-made’ military toys in the year that Britain joined World War One. Daily Mirror – Friday 04 December 1914 Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. View the whole newspaper page The ‘Great Miniature Battle’ of 1914, with trenches and barbed wire An …
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The British Newspaper Archive is full of grisly stories about the unusual and the unexplained. We’ve selected some of the oddest tales, including a description of a monster with the head of a sea lion and a rumour that Germany was turning dead soldiers into explosives during the First World War. Let us know if you’ve found a story to rival these. You can comment below or post on our Facebook page. 1) 1877: A bizarre 70-foot beast A very strange creature …
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Not only does 2014 mark the 100th anniversary of World War One, it is also the 75th anniversary of the start of World War Two. Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, following Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland on 1 September. Take a look at the newspaper headlines from Sunday 3 September, announcing that Britain was at war once more. Search newspapers from World War Two Newspaper headlines from the beginning of WW2 Derby Daily Telegraph …
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The Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser, like other British newspapers, reported that Britain joined the First World War on 4 August 1914. The Courier makes for especially fascinating reading because it reported the news in a very different way. Manchester Courier: ‘Keep your country out of a wicked and stupid war’ Many newspapers included an advert encouraging unmarried men between 18 and 30 years old to join the Army on 5 August 1914. This example is taken from another …
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Following an ultimatum to withdraw German troops from Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914. Monday 4 August 2014 will mark the 100th anniversary of the start of Britain’s involvement in World War One. Front pages from the start of World War One The news that Britain had joined World War One featured prominently in many of the newspapers printed the following day. Search newspapers from World War One Here’s a selection of the newspaper …
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WW1 editions of the Evening Despatch now online The Evening Despatch was published in Birmingham throughout World War One. Over 4,000 pages from newspapers published in 1915, 1917 and 1918 have just been made available to search online. Search the Evening Despatch Newspaper pages added every week Thousands of extra pages are added to The British Newspaper Archive each week. We’ll be adding more from the Evening Despatch soon, so be sure to check the recent …
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Search The British Newspaper Archive for the words ‘April Fool’ and you’ll find hundreds of examples of ‘hilarious’ pranks that were staged on 1 April in the past. We’ve selected our favourites for you to enjoy. WW1 football ‘bomb’ A ‘bomb’ was dropped on German troops during the First World War. After scrambling to take cover, the men discovered it was actually a football with the words ‘April fool!’ written on it. View the whole newspaper page Coventry Evening …
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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 standing in front of a very rickety-looking biplane!) of an ancestor who served in the Royal Flying Corps during World War One. Poignantly, this is …
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31 August Mary Ward: the first fatality in a car accident in the UK & Ireland, 31.8.1869 – find out more on the BNA blog http://bit.ly/1duuKBB “He who would valiant be ‘gainst all disaster” – John Bunyan died in London on 31 August 1688, aged 59 http://bit.ly/160Pzyp 30 August Evacuation of children & other ‘priority classes’ from UK cities, 30/31 August 1939 – visit the BNA blog to read more http://bit.ly/16QhwtN 29 August The sinking of HMS Royal George at …