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As supporters of the theory that modern professional football started ‘going to the dogs’ when dogs somehow stopped running on to the pitch, we always like to hear stories about “the working people’s ballet” when fans were bunneted and players were brilliantined.So when Kjell Hanssen got in touch to tell us about the research he is doing in the BNA on the early history of Liverpool FC, we were all ears. A former regular through the turnstiles at the…

On 15 August 1914, the SS Ancon became the first ship to sail through the Panama Canal.To mark this historic moment, here are three newspaper stories from August 1914 that report on the opening of the Panama Canal.You can also read our blog post about the building of the Suez Canal.Western Daily Press – Monday 17 August 1914Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000264/19140817/063/0005Newcastle Journal – Tuesday 18 August 1914Image © Trinity Mirror. Image created courtesy of THE…

On 30 November 1872, Scotland played England in the first ever official international football match.The match was played on St Andrew’s Day at the West of Scotland Cricket Club ground at Hamilton Crescent in Partick, Glasgow, and 5,000 fans watched the game.Although the game ended 0-0, those of a tartan persuasion will very likely tell you that Scotland should have won by a barrowload and that, indeed, it was grand ‘moral victory’ for Scotland. Hmm, perhaps.Included below are some newspaper reports…

Eugene Delacroix, the leader of the French Romantic school of painters, died in Paris on 13 August 1863, aged 65.To mark the day, here is a fascinating article (published on 19 August 1863) about Delacroix’s life and art, including a report on how he was nearly killed on three separate occasions before he had even reached the age of three.Liverpool Daily Post – Wednesday 19 August 1863Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000197/18630819/003/0003…

On 10 August 1792, the Paris Mob stormed the Tuileries Palace and arrested Louis XVI, killing the King’s Swiss Guards in the process.Here is a newspaper story published on 18 August 1792 that reports on this bloody and historic moment in French history.Caledonian Mercury – Saturday 18 August 1792Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000045/17920818/007/0002…

We were greatly moved by the story of Charles Ronald Driver (Minnie Driver’s father) in this week’s episode of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’Here is a newspaper report that contains the story about her father’s bravery at the Battle of Heligoland Bight in 1939.Hull Daily Mail – Friday 29 December 1939Image © Northcliffe Media Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19391229/077/0006…

‘At a quarter-to-twelve today, Jack Hobb scored his 54,897th run in first-class cricket, and thus surpassed W.G. Grace’s aggregate of 54,896 runs.’At Kennington Oval on 9 August 1930, the Surrey and England batsman, Jack Hobbs (‘The Master’), made cricket history by passing W.G. Grace’s aggregate record of 54,896 runs made in first-class cricket.Five years previously, Hobbes made his 126th century, thus passing another milestone record set by W.G. Grace.Here is a newspaper story from 9 August 1930 that reports on this historic moment…

We stumbled upon another terrific article from the Victorian era regarding the art and joys (or otherwise) of etiquette.This article is especially interesting, as it highlights differences in the appliance (and non-appliance) of etiquette between the UK and the USA. The article also touches on a theme that is very dear to our hearts: etiquette in shops.So if you’re interested in what the Victorians thought about the behaviour of their shop workers, and if you’d like to compare…

On 6 August 1926, Gertrude Ederle, at just 20 years of age, became the first woman to swim the English Channel.At the same time, she also set a new record time of 14 hours and 39 minutes for swimming the Channel – her record stood for 24 years.Gertrude was an amazing woman who, despite suffering from deafness from an early age, achieved some wonderful things in life, including the winning of a gold medal at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.To celebrate her historic feat, here…

Franz Liszt, the virtuoso pianist and composer, died in Bayreuth on 31 July 1886, aged 74.The two newspaper reports below (published in early August 1886), offer a fascinating picture of Liszt’s last hours and also an overview of his life as a genius musician.The second report entitled,  ‘Revelations About Lizst’, is more gossipy in tone and provides a brief summary of his troubles with Wagner as well as Liszt’s spiritual struggles.Manchester Evening News – Tuesday 03 August 1886Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL…