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Articles by The BNA

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The month of July

30 June 2017

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 DayThe national holiday celebrates the anniversary of the enactment of the Constitution Act, which

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Using the Archive for Sports Research

13 June 2017

The British Newspaper Archive is the perfect research tool for discovering the history of your favourite sports team or delving into the origins of your local club or venue.Register today!Sport is one of the most searched topics on the site and it’s easy to see why. From historical match fixtures and results, through to news articles and photographs of history’s most iconic sporting moments, the depth and breadth of knowledge the Archive can offer is truly endless.How

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Fred Perry at the French Open in 1935

Our Special Sports Newspapers

5 June 2017

Sports news is a staple of any newspaper.  And you will find sports news in all of our newspapers.  We also have 22 titles dedicated specifically to sport.  Whether your interests run to cricket, horse racing, athletics, or football we have the newspaper for you!  We have sporting titles from England, Ireland, and Scotland dating from 1823 to 1979.Each sports title has its own title page. Title pages give you details about the history of the title and our holdings. Click on

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Joseph Grimaldi

On this day, 31 May

31 May 2017

Today, we’re highlighting one of many events that have occurred over the years on 31 May.On 31 May 1837, the Clown Laureate of the Regency era, Joseph ‘Joey’ Grimaldi, died.Read the entire obituaryGrimaldi was considered the best clown of the nineteenth century. His work was influential in the role and appearance of clowns — he expanded the clown’s role in pantomimes and the harlequinade. He worked on several famous stages, including Drury Lane, Sadler’s Wells, and Covent Garden. Over the years,

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Purchasing with PayPal

26 May 2017

Purchasing powered by PayPalNow for the first time on The British Newspaper Archive, you can purchase any subscription or credits by using PayPal!In using PayPal, you can purchase using your own currency wherever you are in the world: PayPal currently allows vendors to receive payment in over 100 different currencies.Protecting customers and their information is of the upmost importance to us. PayPal has a Global Privacy Team, headed by our Chief Privacy Officer, focused on our strong commitment

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On this day, 18 May

24 May 2017

Today, we’re looking at two events that occurred on 18 May: the Khodynka Tragedy in 1896 and Jacqueline Cochran’s breaking of the sound barrier in 1953.Khodynka TragedyThe first took place in 1896 in the Khodynka Field, Moscow. The field was the site of festivities honouring the recent coronation of Emperor Nicholas II. Thousands gathered to celebrate and to, hopefully, receive rumoured gifts of food and a commemorative cup. With growing and increasingly frenzied crowds, the police force on duty for the festival

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How to search for historic events in the newspapers

16 May 2017

Britain’s favourite horticultural happening is right around the corner once again. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show begins on 23 May and will be held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, for the 105th time. To celebrate, we’re showing you exactly how to go about unearthing newspaper stories on the Flower Show, and other long-running events, using our ever-growing Archive.Register now and view 3 pages for FREESearching for an event in the Archive is much like searching for a

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The Final Frontier

5 May 2017

Space RaceThe Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States experienced a significant ratcheting up at the end of the 1950s with the Sputnik Crisis, which saw the successful launching and orbit of the satellite Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union in 1957. This development was a key factor in the creation of NASA the following year by the United States as well as the investment of federal funds into national security and research and development.An important milestone

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The month of May throughout the years

1 May 2017

As we welcome a new month, we at the Archive take the opportunity to delve into historical events that have occurred in the month of May over the years.Lewis and ClarkOn 14 May 1804, Lewis and Clark departed St Louis on their expedition west. It was the first American expedition to explore the western half of the United States. The expedition was ordered by President Jefferson following the Louisiana Purchase to, in part, map this newly acquired territory. The journey

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Mothering Sunday

26 March 2017

Whilst Mothering Sunday is now commonly combined and celebrated with the secular holiday of Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom and Ireland, its origin is religious in nature and separate from that of the American Mother’s Day.Starting in the 1700s, individuals would attend a special service on Laetare Sunday (the fourth Sunday of Lent) at their mother church (usually the church where an individual was baptised or their local parish church/closest cathedral). This activity was soon coined as going

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