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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 21h

Roger was no stranger to the spotlight, often performing at local events and bringing joy to every occasion. In honour of #WorldBalletDay, we thought we would share this wonderful photo of Roger dressed as a ballet dancer. 🩰

Boston Terrier wearing a tutu and floral crown, standing on its hind legs.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Reminder that tomorrow evening we are open late! The Agatha Christie exhibition will be open until 8pm tomorrow, so why not pay us a visit if you've been meaning to catch it but can't come in business hours! 😉

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

We love this image of one of the Reading horse-drawn trams that a work experience student recently found in volumes from the Berkshire branch of the Local History Recording Scheme. The photograph was taken by C.B Wilcocks, a Caversham architect, who was heavily involved with the scheme.

Black and white photograph showing a horse -drawn tram with an advert for Quaker Oats on the side.
Description under photograph readds: The above photograph is of one of the old horse trams which were replaced by electric trams in 1903. It was taken on 25.4.03 in Wokingham Road, near Crescent Road junction, after the rails had been re-laid for the electric trams.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

For #EYAErased we thought we'd share this will from 1568 recently produced from our strongrooms for an enquirer. The dirt is so ingrained into this piece of parchment that we have to be careful when cleaning it as ink sits on top of the parchment and could be easily erased! #ExploreYourArchive

A will on parchment with a small, dark red wax seal attached to the bottom edge. The left end of the parchment is dirty and the writing illegible in this area.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Thinking of creating a scrapbook to capture a special holiday you took this summer? 🏖️ Well why not have a read of our blog 'Creating an archivist’s dream scrapbook' before you do so! 📚️ Read more here: bit.ly/4jiUI1J

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Creating an archivist’s dream scrapbook | The Royal Berkshire Archives

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended the Heritage Open Days tours on Saturday! Visitors had the opportunity to go behind the scenes and explore one of our strongrooms, learn about the work of our conservation team, and view a special display of documents relating to this years HODs!

A group of people standing in a conservation studio crowding round some documents on a desk.

A table with open volumes rested on cushions, decorated with pink Heritage Open Day bunting around the side

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

We are pleased to announce that many of our parish registers, from 1538 onwards, have been digitised and are now available to view on ancestry! Did you know that you can access ancestry for free here at the RBA? Why not take a look and see what you can discover...

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

For a round-up of what's new to view this month, why not have a read of September's Just Catalogued! This month includes a lovely collection of material relating to Ockwells Manor in Bray, as well as various photographs from around Berkshire! Click here to find out more: bit.ly/4AaHSZI

An illustration of a manor house with the caption 'Ockholt Manor, Berkshire'

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Reposted by Royal Berkshire Archives

What's On Reading @rdgwhatson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

We're just a few days away from this year's Heritage Open Days! And there's so much to get stuck into - exploring our old churches, going on history walks, object-handling at @readingmuseum.bsky.social, discovering the histories of well-known places... whatsonreading.com/heritage-ope...

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

There are just two tickets left for our upcoming murder mystery event 'Body in the Archives'! Book your space today at bit.ly/3T859KY!

Promotional poster for 'Body in the Archives' event at Royal Berkshire Archives on 21 September 2026 at 7pm at a cost of £5 per person. With red banner stating 'More tickets available due to demand!'

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Two weeks to the launch of our Agatha Christie exhibition. We're currently busy installing everything, from mannequins and books to programmes and dinner sets , we've got it all!

A cluttered exhibition space with mannequin heads, display cases, and other items wrapped in bubble wrapped arranged on tables in a u-shape.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Save the date! We'll be hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning charity bake sale in reception from Tuesday 22 September to Friday 25 September 2025. 🍰 Why not combine a visit to us with this tasty fundraiser? 💚

A Macmillan Coffee Morning promotional poster featuring a cupcake illustration on a green background, with the caption 'Let's get together for good'.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

We're back to Reading for the latest instalment in our postcard series. This time it was Forbury Gardens and Reading Abbey we visited to see if anything had changed...

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

The final part of our blog series uncovering the untold stories of the families of the Swing Rioters is out now! Learn all about the family of James West here: bit.ly/4x0ckTs 📷️ G/B25/2

A page from a workhouse admissions register containing records of individuals and their details, such as name, date of admission, occupation and religious practice.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

When an archivist is found murdered at the launch of the RBA's new exhibition ‘Agatha Christie: A Tribute to her Life and Work', it's up to you to follow the clues, question the suspects and piece together the evidence, to uncover the truth. Book your space today at bit.ly/3T859KY

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Did you enjoy the bank holiday weekend? We hope you made the most of the break! ☀️ These children certainly look like they were soaking up the summer, enjoying some sweets and an ice lolly by the shops in Bracknell. 🍭🍦

Three children eating treats on a pavement, with a child and a dog sitting nearby in front of a shop window.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Are you heading to Reading Festival this weekend? Check out this month's highlight to find out more about the festival, and how records come to the archive! bit.ly/3U9QwHo #ReadingFestival

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Reading festival: how do records get to archive? | The Royal Berkshire Archives

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Can you spot the dog in this photo? 🐕‍🦺 We thought this extra fluffy candidate was perfect to share on International Dog Day/National Dog Day!

Photograph of a house called Forest Oak, Wokingham with a dog on the terrace.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

We found lots of surprises when recently cataloguing the scrapbooks of the Maidenhead Motor Cycle and Light Car Club! Including a burnt candle and a bit of a plant!🕯️🪴 #EYASurprise

A burnt white candle sellotaped onto the page of a scrapbook, with the caption "Our second Birthday Party".

A bit of plant sellotaped onto a scrapbook page, with the caption "Club run to Clymping or Climping... whichever you like."

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

How many books does one archivist need to prepare for an exhibition about Agatha Christie? The answer: more than you can see in this picture! Find out how many books were really consulted by coming along to our new exhibition opening in a month's time on Tuesday 22nd September.

6 books in a pile including 'Agatha Christie' by Lucy Worsley; 'Agatha Christie An Autobiography'; 'Poirot and Me' by David Suchet; 'Mallowan's Memoirs: Agatha and the Archeologist' by Max Mallowan; 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' by Agatha Christie; and 'Come Tell Me How You Live' by Agatha Christie Mallowan.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Raise your hand if you remember Heelas (and maybe still call John Lewis Heelas) 🙋‍♀️ We found this amazing photograph of Heelas on the Broad Street, Reading, from 1929!

Photograph of exterior of Heelas. There are several old cars and someone on a bicycle going past.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

We've been busy getting ready for our Heritage Open Days tour here at the RBA! Here's a little sneak peak of some items you might see if you're coming along! 📖 #HeritageOpenDays

A collection of historical documents including a handwritten journal, a large green register of nurses, a photographs of nurses, a letter and a photograph of a man working at a printing works.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Part 2 of our series looking at the diaries of Winifred Hoyle is now out. Want to know more about the injuries and illnesses this family suffered? Read the blog here: bit.ly/4woTeGa

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Is anyone heading off on a summer holiday anytime soon?☀️We've been having a look through our collections to discover where people from the past spent their holidays. We found some Sisters who went to Barbados, c.1960s, whilst Evelyn Dickinson and friends enjoyed a holiday in Wales, c. 1930!🏖️

A photograph of two nuns standing on a beach with the sea in the background.

A photograph of two women standing on rocks in a river in Wales.

A photograph of a nun stood on the path next to the beach, with the sea in the background.

A photograph of a smiling woman sitting on grass, with a man and a flock of sheep in the background.

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Reposted by Royal Berkshire Archives

Ian M @ianm70.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Discover how a single entry in a Georgian church record uncovered the story of George, an enslaved African boy www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6JM... from @berksarchives.bsky.social

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A Georgian Church Record Reveals the Story of an Enslaved African Child

YouTube video by Royal Berkshire Archives

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Reposted by Royal Berkshire Archives

What's On Reading @rdgwhatson.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

And also opening in September: Agatha Christie: A Tribute to her Life and Work is a new (and free) exhibition at the @berksarchives.bsky.social - which will include the only known surviving copy of the missing persons poster produced by Wokingham police. whatsonreading.com/venues/royal... 3/3

Exhibition poster for 'Agatha Christie: A Tribute to her Life and Work' featuring a bust of the author.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

As a team with many crafty hobbies, we get very excited when we find needlework in the archive! Here are two examples we have come across recently whilst cataloging new collections: embroidery on aida from a charity collection and cross stitch on linen(?) from the records of a farming family 🪡

Possible linen pouch with black cross-stitch which reads "Manor Farm, Wantage, Berks January 1838."

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

August's Just Catalogued is full of archives with a connection to the River Thames! From the papers of Dennis Boreham, relating to his work at the Thames Conservancy and its successors, to the records of the Spong family of The Dreadnought Inn, a pub on the river. Find out more here: bit.ly/4gbrHTQ

A group of seven men standing around a computer in an office, looking at the screen.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Godric had a lot of questions for us on our birthday (78 years young ) so we took him behind the scenes! Coincidentally, it is also the Feast of St Lawrence, patron Saint of Archives! It's like they planned it...

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

What do you do when it's international owl awareness day and international cat day in the same week? You share the cutest picture of Twinkle the Kitten and Oliver the Owl from our collections of course! 🦉 🐈‍⬛

A black and white kitten sat next to a brown owl

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

You spin my head right round right round... 🎵 How does an archivist choose their next project, you ask? Here is your answer! No archivists or documents were harmed in the making of this video 🙂‍↕️

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Read our archivist's honest reflections on her first month back at work after 13 months of maternity leave. She explores the ups and downs, anxieties, and, ultimately, a journey of positive self-rediscovery: bit.ly/457ZCXh

Person unrolling large architectural plans on a map table

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

We are pleased to announce our next free exhibition, 'Agatha Christie: A Tribute to her Life and Work', will open on Tuesday 22 September and run until Friday 18 December. It will feature items from both the private collection of Gale Goddard and the RBA.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Where's Godric? We have three levels, easy, hard, and impossible, with answers in the thread below! Let us know if you found him 👀 #FridayFun

Image of Godric's head, and he is wearing a bowler hat, mustache, and glasses. The text reads "Where's Godric? Can you find him?"

Photograph of a strongroom, with lots of maps and rolls along one wall.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

For #EYAArchitecture, we thought we would share this plan of the precinct of Ravenswood Village, Crowthorne which shows all the individual rooms and their uses. This plan is part of a collection of plans that are currently being catalogued. Which room do you think you would spend the most time in?

Architectural drawing showing a roof plan at top and ground‑floor layout below.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

July's Just Catalogued is all about education, with new collections for several Bracknell schools and a small collection from J E (''Ted'') Vidal, the last headmaster of Frilsham House School, pictured here on a trip to West Germany in the Easter holidays of 1967. Read more here: bit.ly/4ysBg7X

Photograph of man standing in front of the Brandenberg Gate, Berlin, 1967

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Here's a look at one of the things our conservation team do. For volumes that need a bit more protection, they can make bespoke packaging to keep the volume safe and secure ☺️

A four-part image showing the steps to create a custom box for a volume.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

We're in Windsor with our postcards this week, discovering some more little windows into the past! How many places do you recognise? 👀

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Last week we had another work experience student helping us with cataloguing the Berkshire Local History Recording Scheme papers. An interesting find was about a skeleton discovered in Caversham Court. There were photographs showing where it was found & someone has helpfully drawn the skeleton! 💀

Three photos of an archaeological trench, one showing trench, one showing a cavity in side of trench and the other showing a skeleton's position with a doodle of a skeleton head and torso.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

This month our 'Imprisoned with Oscar' blog series explores the story of the "The Great Silver Robbery". Find out what happened and learn more about George William White, the man at the heart of the case, here: bit.ly/4aQn2ns

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

One of our archivists is busy working away on our next exhibition. Can you spot the clues and work out what it's going to be about? 🕵 📓 🖋️

Photograph of a bust, notebook with cover from 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd', printed interviews with Agatha Christie and Leslie French, poster with the word 'MISSING' visible, and Agatha Christie autobiography arranged on a table.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

We had to share this photograph of Marks & Spencer, 12 Broad Street, Reading, from 1912! It's fascinating to see how the store has evolved over more than 100 years, especially its exterior, from a Penny Bazaar store to the global retailer we know and love today.

Young women outside a Marks & Spencer storefront in Reading standing beneath a sign reading "Originators of Penny Bazaars" with merchandise displayed around them.

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Royal Berkshire Archives @berksarchives.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Chess has had a resurgence in recent years, drawing a whole new generation of players. To celebrate World Chess Day, we wanted to share these Berkshire Chess Association newspaper cuttings, 1954–1956. They provide a glimpse into the local history of chess & the faces who shaped the game in Berkshire

Newspaper clippings about the Berkshire Chess Association, centered on a black-and-white photo of two men in suits, one handing a trophy to the other as a chess championship award.

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