Explore the collection
Discover the stories behind the records. Read articles about the incredible people whose lives can be traced in the archive, or go deep into new perspectives on historical events. Browse themed picture galleries ranging from world famous documents to hidden gems.
What will you find in the collection?
Stories from the collection
Dive in to the human stories our records reveal – from the curious and unexpected to the truly extraordinary.
The story of Sophia Duleep Singh NEW
Read about Sophia Duleep Singh
Sophia Duleep Singh (1876–1948) was an Indian princess and a formidable figure in the women's suffrage movement.
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The story of
Karl Muller and the fatal lemon
When can a lemon have fatal consequences? If it proves you are, in fact, a wartime spy…
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Focus on
Bringing the Bethnal Green disaster to light
The government tried to keep the details of the Bethnal Green Tube shelter disaster of 1943 private – but a court case brought the terrible story to light.
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Record revealed
The proclamation of Ned Ludd
This note threatens death upon anyone talking to the authorities about the Luddites, textile workers protesting against new, labour-saving technology.
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The story of
The 1888 matchgirls' strike
In 1888, the women and girls employed by Bryant & May in the East End of London went out on strike. Why did these workers feel so driven to remove their labour?
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The story of
John Blanke
John Blanke was a trumpeter at the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. He is one of the earliest people of colour in England we have records about.
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Focus on
Queer connections: The policing of gay personal adverts in the 1960s
Records in our collection show how same-sex personal adverts published in the 1960s become part of a high-profile legal battle.