At the beginning of September 1936 the Nottingham Evening Post describes ‘an invasion’ taking place in Kent. But this wasn’t an invasion of a military kind. It was in fact an invasion of hop-pickers, arriving in the county for the hop-picking season. The annual trek of 40,000 hop-pickers to the green fields of Kent has begun, with an invasion of caravans, horse drawn lorries, cars, covered wagons, perambulators and even London taxis. Our photo shows hop-pickers at work at Paddock …
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This week we have added 114,026 new pages to The Archive. We have updated three of our Irish titles, and there are also updates to titles covering the city of Liverpool and the county of Gloucestershire. There are additions to one of our Scottish titles, the Peeblesshire Advertiser. This week sees the addition of the year 1890 to our fascinating title the Music Hall and Theatre Review. Offering an intriguing glimpse into the world of Victorian entertainment, issues from 1890 contain delightful coloured …
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Winter and your garden Winters can present challenges to those of us blessed with a green thumb. But, perhaps, the challenges have, at times, been over-exaggerated. The Illustrated London News commented on an illustration of ‘frozen-out gardeners’ chanting out a street melody of ‘we’ve got no work to do-oo-oo’: There are few but what have heard this miserable chorus, bawled out by half a dozen wretched-looking fellows, bearing bunches of frozen greens on the tops of long poles, as they …
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Can there ever be too many Christmas decorations? A home offers ample opportunity for dressing it up for the holidays, and we’ve found both traditional and unconventional Christmas decorations highlighted in The British Newspaper Archive. Which would you use in your own home? Traditional decorations Unconventional decorations Jazz up your Christmas decorations with some unconventional touches. The Tatler highlighted a Christmas mobile in their 8 November 1957 issue: ‘Snow crystals airily floating in space or gaily coloured glass Christmas tree balls …
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Discover more about specific occupations, industries and the history of working conditions and employment regulations in our historic newspapers. In towns and villages across Britain and Ireland people plied their trades, from carters and hawkers, to seamstresses and tailors. As the centuries passed agriculture gave way to industry and the ‘factory-worker’ was born. Read our blog to discover more about the history of work & occupations. Of Cordwainers, Chandlers & Night-Soil Men There are some historic occupations that are no …
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With summer well underway and a new month dawning, we take a look at the month of July with the help of The British Newspaper Archive. What events and holidays of significance took place in July? How have our newspapers covered such happenings? Join us as we explore the history and newspaper coverage of Canada Day, the Battle of the Somme, and Independence Day. Canada Day The national holiday celebrates the anniversary of the enactment of the Constitution Act, which …
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On this day, 30 June, in 1864, American President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Valley Grant Act. The Act gave the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the state of California, ‘upon the express conditions that the premises shall be held for public use, resort, and recreation’. Today, more than 4 million people visit the site every year, which has become both a national park and World Heritage Site. We have rambled through the pages of The British Newspaper …
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This month we are introducing a new blog theme: Cookery Corner. Whether you want sweet or savoury; an easy 30-minute meal or an extravagant four-course dinner, the British Newspaper Archive holds all your culinary desires. Each month we will dip into through the thousands of recipes found in the British and Irish newspapers while focusing on a specific topic. Sweet Cakes We thought the best way to start, of course, is with cakes! This month, we discovered numerous recipes for …
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Valentine’s Day in its present iteration is inexorably linked to both romantic love and commercialism. It inspires strong feelings, both for and against this day of chocolate boxes and heart-shaped cards. However, the day and its traditions have not been static. In performing a simple search for ‘Valentine’s Day’ on The British Newspaper Archive, you can start to see the ways in which the holiday — and its reception — have changed (and, occasionally, stayed the same) over the years. …
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Old Newspaper Stories from Previous Hogmanay and New Year‘s Days With time’s winged chariot parked half on the pavement and New Year‘s Day just about to knock on the door and first-foot us all, we thought it‘d be a good time to post some ’On this day‘ Hogmanay and Ne‘erday stories on our Facebook page. Abraham Lincoln‘s New Year Resolution of 1863 As the first of January is often a day for new legislation to arrive on the statute books, …