Second World War | The British Newspaper Archive Blog

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Hot Off The Press – New Titles This Week

This week at The Archive we are welcoming five brand new titles, including the fascinating Prisoners of War News, which sheds a light on those servicemen held captive behind enemy lines during the Second World War. Meanwhile, we have added an impressive 292,085 brand new pages to our collection this week, as we move ever closer to our next landmark of 75 million pages. Furthermore, from Bridlington to Broughty Ferry, from Halifax to Hartlepool, from St Andrews to Sheffield, we’ve

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Exploring the Jitterbug – The Dance That Divided Britain in the 1940s

In the 1940s the jitterbug, a type of swing dancing that was pioneered by African American communities in New York during the early twentieth century, took the United Kingdom by storm. The energetic dance, which featured elements of the jive, the charleston, and other swing dances, divided Britain, with it being embraced by those who flocked to dancehalls up and down the country, whilst others viewed it as a morally dangerous American import. In this special blog, using newspapers from

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The Jazz Age Queen Who Made Britain Her Home

American-born jazz age superstar Adelaide Hall (1901-1993) was a Black music legend, who from 1938 onwards made Britain her home. She went on to have a long and successful career in the UK. In this very special blog, as part of Black History Month on The Archive, we will celebrate this jazz age queen who came to Britain and entertained thousands of people via her stage and radio performances, using newspapers taken from our Archive. A Star Is Born To

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Unravelling the remarkable stories of the Mitford sisters

The aristocratic Mitford sisters – Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica and Deborah – hit the headlines throughout their lifetimes, with tales of scandal and intrigue filling the pages of the press from the 1920s and beyond. Born to David Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale, and his wife Sydney, alongside brother Thomas, the Mitford sisters often shocked society, whether it be through their political views, or their private lives. In this special blog, we shall unravel the remarkable stories of the six

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The 12 Most Romantic Marriage Proposals From Our Archive

It’s the most romantic time of the year, and to celebrate Valentine’s Day, we’ve selected twelve of the most romantic marriage proposals from our Archive. From wartime proposals, to engagements formed at the opera, our newspapers showcase romance from across the ages. So without any further ado, let’s launch into our list of the twelve most romantic marriage proposals from our newspapers, beginning in 1898 and going all the way up to the 1960s. Register now and explore the Archive

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Investigating Blackout Crime In The Second World War

A walk along Piccadilly in the black-out is one of the many queer experiences of this war. The once brilliant centre of London’s night life is now as dark as any forest, and indeed, like a forest, the darkness is full of rustlings and whisperings, of half-seen shapes, and of a sinister feeling of eager, but invisible, life. Daily Herald | 26 April 1940 So began a Daily Herald article on blackout crime in London during the Second World War.

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A Look At The GI Brides of The Second World War

As a result of the Second World War, over 60,000 British women married American soldiers (colloquially known as GIs), many of them returning with their new husbands to live in the United States once the war ended. In this special blog, we are going to take a look at how the so-called GI brides were reported on by the press of the United Kingdom. We will examine how they faced warnings over their choice of husbands, and how they were

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Twenty Incredible Pictures of Women’s War Work From Our Newspapers

When war broke out in August 1914, and again in September 1939, women across the United Kingdom played a pivotal role in the war effort, taking on jobs that we previously seen as the preserve of men. By July 1916 it was estimated that 750,000 women across Britain had taken up ‘war work,’ working in heavy industries and in munitions factories, working as drivers, as well as nurses and as doctors. This represented a seismic shift in the way that women

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A Look At The Life of Learie Constantine Through Our Newspapers

As part of Black History Month this October, we have taken a look at the extraordinary life of Learie Constantine (1901-1971), a cricketer from Trinidad who would go on to become the United Kingdom’s first ever Black peer. The first player to take a Test match wicket for the West Indies, and described as one of the best all-round cricketers the world has ever seen, Learie Constantine’s career extended beyond sport, as he fought tirelessly against racial discrimination, as he became a writer, broadcaster, and even

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Hot Off The Press – New Pages This Week

From South Shields to Saint Lucia, from Carmarthen to Canada, we’ve added 155,351 brand new pages to The Archive this week, spanning over 180 years of headlines. Furthermore, we’ve updated eighteen of our existing titles, with updates covering our regional titles from England, Scotland and Wales, as well as some of our international titles from Canada and the Caribbean. So read on to discover more about our updated titles of the week, as well as to learn about the bombing of a newspaper

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