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.
Focus on Emily Capper and the 1934 Gresford Colliery disaster
Read about Emily Capper and the 1934 Gresford Colliery disaster
Our records tell the story of Emily Capper's desperate campaign to recover the bodies of the victims, including that of her son.
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The story of
Louis Wain
Artist 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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The story of
Sir Ludwig Guttmann and the birth of the Paralympic Games
In the summer of 1948, neurologist Ludwig Guttmann set up a sporting competition between patients. It was the birth of the Paralympic Games.
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Focus on
A queer working-class haven: Lady Malcolm’s Servants Balls
Lady Malcolm’s elaborate Servants’ Balls allowed queer, working-class staff to forge a unique space for themselves. But these events became plagued by scandal.
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Record revealed
Sir Henry Cole’s rat
Our collection includes many weird and wonderful records – one of the weirdest is undoubtedly a small box containing the remains of two long-dead rats.
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The story of
Robert Wedderburn
Robert Wedderburn (1762–1835) was a British-Jamaican radical preacher, abolitionist and writer.
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The story of
Ravenser Odd
Ravenser Odd was a short-lived island in the mouth of the River Humber. It rose from the sea in the early 13th century and had sunk beneath the waves by 1360.