Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick

Photograph of parade at 1965 Yorkshire Miners' Annual Demonstration, held in Barnsley. Members of the parade include a brass band and bearers of the National Union of Mineworkers Armthorpe branch banner.

Photograph of children at 1969 Yorkshire Miners' Annual Demonstration, held in Barnsley. The three children have entered the fancy dress competition. The boy in the middle is dressed as a miner, complete with hat, bottle and sign saying 'Just like mi dad'.

Photograph of three women at 1964 Yorkshire Miners' Annual Demonstration, held in Castleford. They were contestants for the Yorkshire Miners' Coal Queen competition.

Photograph of competitors in a boxing match at 1963 Yorkshire Miners' Annual Demonstration, held in Doncaster. The boxing ring is outside, with a large crowd watching.

We're stepping back 60 years to celebrate #YorkshireDay in true gala day style

1960s National Coal Board images of the Yorkshire Miners' Annual Demonstration, featuring true Yorkshire Queens, brass bands, absolute knock outs & lads 'just like mi dad'

From mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/YMA

Prof Katy Shaw presents on UK Communities, Culture and Innovation and some of the projects kickstarted by the project

“Growth is a team effort” - really inspiring Keynote from Prof Katy Shaw here at #DCDC25 conference. And she name checked the NUM (National Union of Mineworkers) whose archives are currently being catalogued @mrcwarwick.bsky.social

Very similar! Might have to track that one down...

Menu for dinner held in 1954 to celebrate the inauguration of LEO by J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. on Christmas Eve 1953.

Archives relating to the development of the world's first business computer LEO (Lyons Electronic Office) during the 1940s and 1950s are available online at cdm21047.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

Provisional programme for a course on 'Brains: Living and electronic', to be held at Urchfont Manor in 1955. It includes papers on 'Analogues and digital methods', 'Could a machine be made to think?' and 'Mechanisation so far'. Speakers include specialists in religious education, psychology, neurology and industrial administration.

Photograph of LEO, the first business computer built by Lyons, filling a room in c.1954.

Copy of article from the Daily Mirror, 30 March 1952, headed 'Look out you typists!'. "Look out, you girls - the robot is moving into Britain's offices in a big wat. Electronics experts say that eight out of every ten girls who are now adding-machine operators, typists, filing clerks and secretaries in London's big offices will not be needed in ten years' time. Their work will be done by sleek robots. ... The invasion is beginning NOW. ... Two hundred robot-minded scientists meeting in London last week had the robot invasion of the office as the top topic. One told me: "There is a bright future for the robot in banks, big insurance offices, and the headquarters of major commercial organisations. But brainy girls need not fear the robot."

Extract from 'Electronics in the office', published by the Office Management Association. "The computer is the servant, not the master. This ingenious collection of electronic circuitry cannot think for itself. All the thinking must be done beforehand. A down-to-earth computer salesman (there are some!) once said "Forget the idea of a computer as an electronic brain, making its own decisions at fantastic speed. Think of it as an expensive moron, infinitely slow and infinitely stupid, which can make mistakes faster than you ever dreamed possible. ... If we bear this in mind, the computer will assume its rightful place as a powerful tool, not merely a scientific marvel surrounded by an aura of mystery."

"Could a machine be made to think?"

"Brainy girls need not fear the robot"

"...can make mistakes faster than you ever dreamed possible"

As computers entered office life in the 1950s, ideas of the Electronic Brain hit the public consciousness, sparking debates over artificial intelligence.

Occasionally we remind people that paper is the most stable long-term storage medium* and it's always a surprise.

*Unless you're into carving your own stele, in which case you might have some significant long-term storage SPACE problems.

Photograph of the Modern Records Centre exhbition space featuring cabinets full of archive material and a poster advertising 1965 on the wall.

👀We've got a brand new exhibition - "1965: The Year When..." which dips into the archives to explore stories from that year, the year when the University was founded. See a taster here: warwick.ac.uk/services/lib... or pop in during our opening hours. On until 19th September!

Not sure, but it would be interesting to compare if so. Some of the details in the journal give a good idea of life on the road.

Masthead or title of magazine 'On the Road', January 1895, with engravings of a train, sailing ship and horse-drawn cab.

Masthead or title of magazine 'On the Road', April 1916, with engravings of a train, stream ship and speeding motor car.

We love the titles of 'On the Road', a magazine for late 19th / early 20th century commercial travellers - a transport revolution captured in masthead engravings 20 years apart

Editions from 1883-1920 are available online at
warwick.ac.uk/services/lib... - the adverts are particularly recommended!

Campaign material for Make Poverty History. It includes the line "A child dies as a result of poverty every three seconds..." The slogan for MPH was "Make Poverty History: trade justice, drop the debt, more and better aid"..

Campaign material for Make Poverty History highlighting the global campaign against poverty.

The Make Poverty History campaign was run by a wide coalition of charities, trade unions and campaigning groups. It's aim to cancel the debts of the poorest countries and deliver more and better aid. #ReducingPoverty #ReducingHunger

mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/MPH

LSE Library Fellowships Apply for our funded six week research fellowship designed to support researchers wanting to use our unique archives and special collections.

We are excited to share a new opportunity to research with our unique archive collections. Our 3 Library Fellowships offer up to 6 weeks to conduct original research that will provide new perspectives on our collections.
Applications open until 22 September. Read more
www.lse.ac.uk/library/what...

As all good archive collections should

Front cover of 'Beyond the Beyond', a collection of science fiction novellas by Poul Anderson, published by Gollancz in 1960.

Image showing one of the Gollancz contract ledgers, 1970-1971, with a sheet of quotes from press coverage of the book 'Beyond the Beyond', published in 1970.

Founded in 1928, books published by Victor Gollancz Ltd. ranged from the early politics of the Left Book Club to later sci fi & fantasy

The Gollancz archive includes records of creative works from first contract to critical responses after publication

mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/GLL

Leaflet on pinkish paper, bound into a large volume: LONDON TRADES' COUNCIL. REFORM BILL in DANGER TO THE WORKMEN OF LONDON. Your attendance is urgently requested in support of the GREAT REFORM DEMONSTRATION On MONDAY, JULY 21st, 1884. The Trades will form a distinctive portion of the Procession, and from the outlying Districts will assemble in order on the Thames Embankment at TWO o'clock. All Workmen are cordially invited to fall in with the Trade to which they belong, as it is greatly to their interest that the Procession of the Trades should be as large, representative, and characteristic as possible. THE TRADES' ORGANISING COMMITTEE: Abrey, J., Carpenters Harford, E., Railway Servants Powell, T., Machine Rulers Adams, E., Bakers Jones, W, Cabinet Makers Smyth, T., Plasterers Coulson, E., Bricklayers King, H., Bookbinders Smith, J. R., Cabinet Makers Cottrell, E., Polishers Mitchell, J., Portmanteau Makers Steadman, W. C., Barge Builders Drummond, C. J., Compositors Morrison, E. Bookbinders Woods, E., Ironfounders Fernie, J., Farriers Noon, E., Shoe Makers Willson, I. J., Shipwrights Humphreyson, C., Cabinet Makers Poole, J., Shoe Makers GEORGE SHIPTON, Secretary. 2, Whitefriars Street, E.C. N.B.- For Further Particulars see other Bills.

Great Reform Demonstration

#OTD 1884 'Workmen of London' met to support the Third Reform Act which gave the vote to 60% of adult men

Women remained excluded from parliamentary elections, finally achieving electoral equality 44 years later #suffrage

More at wdc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

You're welcome - always good to see the collections being used! Hope that the files included some gems and that the research was productive.

Good to see! There's definitely potential for a bit of research looking into the namesakes' (parents') backgrounds - geographical location, occupations, etc. - as a snapshot of who some of the most enthusiastic supporters might be...

Before the establishment of hospitals, many people would be admitted to the local workhouse infirmary for medical care. The Newport Workhouse admission and discharge register shows a number of Chartists admitted for gunshot wounds following the uprising at the Westgate in 1839.

Ref: CSWBGN/I/201

The membership records of the South Yorkshire Miners Association & Yorkshire Miners' Association give us a snapshot of local communities at a time of great change.

We look forward to adding more membership records to
wdc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll... & exploring stories through the archives

Extract from the Sheffield Independent, 18 November 1924: Sheffield Veteran Old local cricketer's death at Woodhouse. Sheffield sportsmen will regret to hear of the death of Mr. Fergus O'Connor Dale, the well-known veteran cricketer, who died at his home in Spa lane, Woodhouse, on Sunday. "Ferg," as he was familiarly called, was contemporaneous with the late George Ulyett and Albert Champion (Yorkshire County). Jor and Jack Ulyett, Fred and "Bill" Franklin and Tom Brownhill, and was a cricket associate of Wm. Mycroft and George Hay, the Derbyshire players. Mr. Dale was in the 79th year and leaves a widow and several sons and daughters, all of whom are married.

'Ferg' Dale survived over five decades as a collier, still working underground in 1911 at the age of 65. When he died in 1924, the local paper highlighted his sporting achievements. A keen cricketer, Dale was a contemporary of George Ulyett, England international (& Sheffield Wednesday goalie)...

Born in 1846, Feargus O'Connor Dale was the son of a Sheffield cordwainer (shoemaker). Thomas Dale's political interest is shown through his sons' names - Feargus, Arthur O'Connor Dale & (perhaps) Alonzo Dale. Whilst still children, the Dale boys went to work as miners down the Handsworth pit...

A hint of the impact of the Chartist leader can be seen in the records of the South Yorkshire Miners' Association, and the registration of Sheffield collier Feargus O'Connor Dale & his family into the union... 🧵

Snap Time. For Master and Man. The Warwickshire Miners Strike, which was provisionally settled by an additional five minutes allowance, centred round the question of snap time, concerning which the late Sir Alfred Hickman, Chairman of the Warwickshire Coalowners Association, wrote to a contemporary as follows: “There may well be differences of opinion as to whether fifteen minutes is or is not sufficient time for the necessary refreshment, but there can be none as to whether the Warwickshire men should take a longer time than all the rest of the country. With leisure follows course on course Of soup, fish, entrees, sweets, But when his miners ask for more “Snap” time, Sir Alfred bleats. The miners say, “ What’s good enough For you, will do for me; Come take your lunch along with us, And quickly you will see That fifteen minutes in eight hours, Is not exactly fair, To give us in a filthy mine, But we don’t think you care.”

#OTD 'Larry' produced a cartoon highlighting the Warwickshire miner’s strike of 1909. The cartoon neatly contrasts working conditions and attitudes between workers and owners at a time of growing industrial unrest.

More 'Sentinel' cartoons online at cdm21047.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

Access our digital collection of archives about the Spanish Civil War, together with useful background information on the conflict.

Trabajadores : The Spanish Civil War through the eyes of organised labour #SpanishCivilWar

warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...

Leaflet on red paper: Equal Political RIGHTS! Help Women to get JUSTICE! Women Demand the VOTE at the same Age, and on the Same Terms as Men! Come to the Demonstration Arranged by the Equal Political Rights Campaign Committee In Trafalgar Square on Saturday, July 16th, at 5 p.m. Speakers, representing many Women's Organisations, to be announced later. Issued by the Equal Political Rights Campaign Committee, Chairman, The Viscountess Rhondda. Hon. Sec., Miss Beaumont, 17 Campden House Road, W.8.

Equal Political RIGHTS!

In 1918 women could vote in the UK for the first time - but only if they were over 30 & met property qualifications

#OTD in 1927, campaigners for women's suffrage gathered in Trafalgar Square to demand the vote on the same terms as men

They won the right a year later

Thank you! The song has definitely been performed in recent years and there may be recordings online...

@townsendprod.bsky.social toured a musical about Mary Macarthur and the women chainmakers a few years ago - there's a bit more info about this at www.townsendproductions.org.uk/shows/rouse-...

Printed black and white photograph of a young woman with her back to the camera, working at a forge with a small child facing the camera looking on.

Have a bostin’ #BlackCountryDay !

We're celebrating through a deep dive into the region's history - explore the Cradley Heath chainmakers’ strike of 1910, where women fought successfully for a minimum wage

Find out more in our online exhibition “Rouse, Ye Women” - warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...

Armed with boxes of slides & a fine speaking voice, Henry Sara toured local halls & workers' institutes in the 1920s & 1930s, speaking of revolution

From #BastilleDay to the Soviet Union, via 'The Fraud of Spiritualism', surviving slides for his talks are online at warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...

Flyer (pink background with text in black) details of free carbon literacy training for Archives West Midlands member services

Flyer (pink background with text in black) details of free online carbon literacy training for Archives West Midlands members services

📢Calling #ArchivesWM members📢
Free online course in carbon literacy for your staff and volunteers. The course will run twice, in September and repeated in December.
All details👇
@mrcwarwick.bsky.social @shakespearebtrust.bsky.social

A microphone stand set up in the far aisle of an archive strongroom. Acid-free archive boxes are on the shelves. A kickstool is in the aisle behind the stand.

Strange sounds emanating from our lower strongroom...

We've been doing trial run throughs for audio recordings planned for next year (and taking full advantage of the cool archive temperatures)

Student antiracist activists working with Hannah Jones @uncomfiest.bsky.social& Anna Numa Hopkins in Warwick Sociology, have created an online archive of student-led #antiracist activism, to pass on experiences and knowledge to future generations in #HigherEducation : warwickantiracism.org