Explore the collection
What might you find in The National Archives? Browse some of our most important and unusual records right here.
Stories from the collection
Dive in to the human stories our records reveal – from the curious and unexpected to the truly extraordinary.
Record revealed Photographs of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor NEW
Read about Photographs of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Copyright photographs of composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor provide us with a unique insight into his status in early 20th-century British society.
Read about Photographs of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor-
The story of
Sir Learie Constantine
Sir Learie Constantine (1901–1971) was a renowned cricketer, author, politician and persistent campaigner for racial equality and justice.
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The story of
Louis Wain
NewArtist and illustrator Louis Wain (1860–1939) achieved great fame for his whimsical drawings of cats, but his story is also a sad one of personal tragedy.
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Record revealed
Secret map of operations in North Burma
This map was provided to soldiers during the first operation by the Chindits, special forces serving in Japanese-occupied Burma during the Second World War.
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The story of
The Imperial Typewriters dispute
The Imperial Typewriters dispute in Leicester saw over 500 workers, largely from South Asia, go on strike over discrimination in 1974.
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Record revealed
The Monteagle Letter
Is this the most famous anonymous letter in British history? Perhaps it should be. Without it, the Gunpowder Plot might have succeeded.
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The story of
The Caravan Club
The police raid on a secret queer nightclub in 1933 gives an insight into the lives of gay men in interwar London and their defiance in the face of persecution.