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This week at The Archive we are delving into the history of nursing with the addition of brand new title the Nursing Times, as we mark both the anniversary of Florence Nightgale’s birth on 12 May 1820, and the anniversary of Mary Seacole’s death on 14 May 1881. We’re also exploring an important part of the UK’s religious history this week, with the addition of what is thought to be the country’s first Muslim newspaper. In what is a bumper week, we’ve added a…

This week at The Archive we have a smorgasbord of historical Shropshire newspapers for you to enjoy, with the addition of eight brand new titles from the West Midlands county, alongside updates to eight of our existing Shropshire titles. We are delighted to be spoiling you with new pages this week, which number 288,672 in all, as we welcome a total of fifteen brand new titles, alongside updates to 43 of our existing titles.So read on to discover more about our…

As the 2024 Paris Olympics begin, we at the British Newspaper Archive could not help but look back at the 1924 Paris Olympics, with the same city playing host to the summer Olympic Games exactly one hundred years ago. Paris had also hosted the Olympics in 1900, and so this year will be the third time that the city hosts the iconic sporting tournament.And the 1924 Paris Olympics would prove an iconic one for Britain, with gold medal wins by sprinters Harold…

In 1900 women were allowed to compete in the modern summer Olympic Games for the very first time. The first woman to win an individual gold medal at the summer Olympic Games was British tennis player Charlotte Cooper Sterry, winner of five Wimbledon titles, on 11 July 1900 in Paris.Want to learn more? Register now and explore The ArchiveAnd so, in this special blog, we will take a look at the achievements of the likes of Charlotte Cooper Sterry, and the…

With the scars of the Second World War still visible across Great Britain, in 1948 the eyes of the world turned to the country who were set to host the fourteenth Olympiad. Would Britain be able to manage, just three years after the end of the crippling conflict that still saw rationing in place, and bomb sites across its towns and cities?The 14th Olympiad opens at London | Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News | 11 August 1948In this special blog, using our newspapers,…

The first Paralympics took place in Rome in 1960. But this was not the beginning of competitive sport for people with disabilities; indeed, the origins of the Paralympics can partly be traced to the aftermath of the Second World War and the work undertaken at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.Archers at Stoke Mandeville Hospital | The Sphere | 21 August 1948And nor was it the culmination of such work; the Paralympics in Rome were only open to those with mobility or physical disabilities, who made…

The British Newspaper Archive is an unrivalled resource when it comes to tracing local history. Where else would you find millions of forgotten stories from your street, town or city all documented and ready to be discovered? Take Birmingham for example. The Archive contains over 50,000 pages and and a varied range of titles from the UK’s ‘Second City’ and this guide will show you how to make the most of them.Register now and view Birmingham newspapers for FREEYou…

Following an ultimatum to withdraw German troops from Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914. Monday 4 August 2014 will mark the 100th anniversary of the start of Britain’s involvement in World War One.Front pages from the start of World War OneThe news that Britain had joined World War One featured prominently in many of the newspapers printed the following day.Search newspapers from World War OneHere’s a selection of the newspaper headlines announcing Britain’s involvement in WW1.…

WW1 editions of the Evening Despatch now onlineThe Evening Despatch was published in Birmingham throughout World War One. Over 4,000 pages from newspapers published in 1915, 1917 and 1918 have just been made available to search online.Search the Evening Despatch  Newspaper pages added every weekThousands of extra pages are added to The British Newspaper Archive each week. We’ll be adding more from the Evening Despatch soon, so be sure to check the recent additions regularly.See what’s been added in the…