Special Collection of the month
june 2011
may 2011
'Rotuli Scaccarii Regum Scotorum. The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland'.
Vol II - Vol XXI (1359 - 1588) Edited by John Stuart and George Burnett et al. Edinburgh, H.M. General Register House, 1878-1908.
The complete set of works comprises 23 volumes, dating from c1264-1600. UWS collection is currently incomplete, missing Vol I; Vol XXII; Vol XXIII, this collections of Scottish Exchequer Rolls is housed in Paisley Campus, Special Collections Department.
april 2011
1911 CENSUS RECORDS FOR SCOTLAND GO ONLINE FOR the FIRST TIME, tue 5th april 2011
A fascinating snapshot of pre-war Scotland and a major new family history resource. A snapshot of history from the Scotland of a century ago is revealed today (Tues 5th April 2011) with the release of the personal details from the 1911 Census. (read press release)
The Census will be made available on the ScotlandsPeople website
(http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk ), and at the ScotlandsPeople Centre in
Edinburgh. The online records will be interesting both to people in Scotland
and to the Scottish diaspora, which numbers many millions especially across
the UK and in North America, Australia and New Zealand.
The records include the name, address, age, occupation, birthplace and marital status of everyone counted in the 1911 census, as well as details about their children. For the first time, the census data is presented in full colour rather than black and white. (see sample page)
march 2011
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY CENTENARY 1911 - 2011
To celebrate 100 years of IWD take a look at the archives of some of histories most famous women.
Emmeline Pankhurst : Emmeline Goulden was born on 14 July 1858 in Manchester into a family with a tradition of radical politics. She was a leading British women's rights activist, who led the movement to win the right for women to vote.
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt : One of the first women elected to the Senate in 1911 it wasn’t until she moved into the White House in 1933 that she really got into high gear. She held regular press conferences, wrote a daily news column, and used her considerable influence with the president to get him to push for and pass child welfare, housing reform and equal rights laws for racial minorities and women.
Marie Curie : Marie Curie, née Maria Sklodowska, was born in Warsaw on November 7, 1867. Mme. Curie throughout her life actively promoted the use of radium to alleviate suffering. The importance of Mme. Curie's work is reflected in the numerous awards bestowed on her. She received many honorary science, medicine and law degrees and honorary memberships of learned societies throughout the world.
february 2011
The Josephine Butler Collection
born 13.4.1828 - 30.12.1906
One of the major national collections relating to Josephine Butler comprising the Josephine Butler Papers: correspondence, personal papers, paintings, portraits, photographs, press cuttings and memorabilia, the archive of Josephine Butler Memorial House and related printed material.
Josephine Butler, the daughter of John Grey and Hannah Annett. Grey was a wealthy landowner and the cousin of Earl Grey, the British Prime Minister who led the Whig administration between 1830 and 1834. Her father was a strong advocate of social reform and played a significant role in the campaign for the 1832 Reform Act and the repeal of the Corn Laws.
* See also SC026/WIL - Josephine Butler: The Forgotten Saint by Joseph Williamson (1977)
SC026/JOR - Josephine Butler (biography) by Jane Jordan (2001)
JANUARY 2011
The Scottish poet, Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759 and died in Dumfries, 1796 at the age of 37.
Why not visit Robert Burns Birthplace Museum this January, it offers a truly unique encounter with Scotland’s favourite son. The museum comprises the famous Burns Cottage where the poet was born, the historic landmarks where he set his greatest work, the elegant monument and gardens created in his honour and a modern museum housing the world’s most important collection of his life and works.
The bard’s life is shown through a new lens at the state of the art Robert Burns Birthplace Museum as a host of exciting interactive elements, including the Burns Supper, Burns Jukebox and Auld Lang Syne sing-a-long, encourage people to engage with the bard’s life and works in a new way. The museum also houses a wide and varied range of Burns manuscripts, artefacts and pieces of memorabilia ranging from the original Auld Lang Syne manuscript to a cast of the poet’s skull and has something for Burns fans of all ages whether they’re completely new to Burns or learned enthusiasts.
december 2010
WORLD CUP 1966 - Did England rig the result?
Some fun for over the holidays from the education resources at the National Archives, click on the link above and then click on images for full text to answer the teacher's questions.
NOVEMBER 2010
HUGH MACDIARMID COLLECTION - Ref: GB0605 DC007
In 1980 the then Paisley College Library received a gift of books from Mr. Charles H. Smith, OBE, FICE, a retired civil engineer of Fairmilehead, Edinburgh. In their later years Mr. Smith had become a close friend of the poet Hugh MacDiarmid (Christopher Grieve) and of MacDiarmid’s wife Valda. Much of the donated material comprised works by and about MacDiarmid, and all signed by the poet or his wife. Collection contains various associated items, including press cuttings; photographs; correspondence; personalised Christmas cards; pamphlets; exhibition materials; biographies; listings of the works of Hugh MacDiarmid; self portrait by Hugh; books by and about Hugh; catalogue of Hugh’s manuscripts from the National Library of Scotland; political speech by Hugh; poetry reviews by and about Hugh; Literary magazines; works by Valda Grieve.
August 2010
Penguin Specials Series - Ref: GB0605 DC017
The collection held in the University of Paisley Library was formed by the University Librarian Stuart James and donated to the University in 1995. It is largely complete but does lack various titles. The earlier pre-war period is substantially complete, there are gaps in the World War 2 period, and the more recent titles are less complete. These gaps are being filled and the catalogue will be updated as new (or additional) copies are acquired.
jULY 2010
Papers of Stuart S K Harvey - Ref: GB0605 DC006
Collection of papers covering the academic life of Mr Stuart Harvey, student, lecturer, well published researcher and inventor.
New addition to UWS special collections housed in the main library Paisley campus, newly catalogued.
April 2010
In April 1936 the Spitfire plane was first tested in Southampton. UWS Library houses its own Aeronautical Collection, click on the link below for more information
march 2010
1807: Oystermouth railway opens
In March 1807 the first passenger-carrying railway in the world opened in Wales.
Click here for advice from National Archives on tracing railway workers.
february 2010
1960 The wind of change
Read about Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's significant and courageous speech to the parliament of South Africa in Cape Town from February 1960.
january 2010
In the news 30 years ago! New Year file releases from 1979 covered an eventful year in post-war British political history. James Callaghan's Labour government was replaced by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government, and the 'winter of discontent' affected the whole country.
Click on the image below to read from various files.
OR Listen to the National Archives podcast
December 2009
Search and download 164 volumes of logbooks of the Royal Navy's voyages of scientific discovery.
Many famous officers kept logs which are held in this collection, including James Cook and William Bligh who commanded the mutinous Bounty.
NOVEMBER 2009
Listen to the podcast series created in 2008 to mark the 90th anniversary of the Armistice. Hear extracts from Haig's war diary, reports on gas attacks, love letters to soldiers and the 'war guilt' clause from the Treaty of Versailles.
With words taken directly from the original records, these podcasts give a rare insight into the First World War in the voices of those who served in it.
OCTOBER 2009
100th anniversary of the Security Service, the UK's national security intelligence agency. Known for keeping personal files on a great range of individuals, the Security Service has released over 4,000 of these files to The National Archives since 1997.
The Security Service files cover a period up to the late 1950s and are open to the public. You can view many of them by clicking here, including those of Sidney Reilly, the spy thought to have inspired James Bond. good overview of the files, and offers some tips on searching them.
september 2009
70th Anniversary of the II World War
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Second World War, the National Archives have created a series of six videocasts entitled 'War on Film'. These describe key events that inspired popular war films, using extracts from real government records and archive footage.
Discover the real stories behind films such as 'The Dam Busters' and 'The Longest Day', as retold by National Archives military records specialist William Spencer.
The first videocast looks at the Blitz and the evacuation of children from large cities, as shown in the film 'Hope and Glory'.
AUGUST 2009
Newly released UFO files reveal more than 800 reported sightings between January 1993 and August 1996.
These include a lemon-headed alien attempting to abduct two young men in Staffordshire and numerous sightings over
Bonnybridge, Scotland - the UFO hot spot of the mid nineties.
July 2009
Lost page of American history found at The National Archives
A rare print of America's Declaration of Independence has been found among files at The National Archives at Kew. Printed on 4 July 1776, the Dunlap print is one of only 26 known copies in the world and is named after John Dunlap, the printer whose name is at the bottom of each copy. The newly discovered print was found, hidden among correspondence from American colonists intercepted by the British in the 18th century, by an American carrying out research at The National Archives.
- Dunlap print of the Declaration of Independence, printed on July 4 1776 (Extracted from CO 5/40 )
- Image details
June 2009
- Jazz Music Library
Source: jazz.alexanderstreet.com Jazz Music Library will be the largest and most comprehensive collection of jazz available online — with thousands of jazz artists, ensembles, albums, and genres.
- Access the entire collection free through June with the username "jazzlibrary" and the password "jitterbug."
May 2009
- Greater Manchester Collection of Steve Cohen, lawyer and anti deportation campaigner, 1975-1996.