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Buckinghamshire Archives

@bucksarchives.bsky.social
10K followers 1K following 1.7K posts

Your favourite archive's favourite archive. We're the archives and local studies library for the historic county of Buckinghamshire, England, and the home of Buckinghamshire History Festival. Website: buckinghamshire.gov.uk/culture-and-tourism/archives/

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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 2h
For no better reason than it's Friday, we're going to review wrestlers on how useful they'd be working in the archive. First up: Triple H. He'd probably be great to have in the office, but that water spit thing is just going to raise our humidity levels so it's a no from us.
Triple H doing the water spit thing.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 23h
this is where we write our posts btw
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 23h
Huge day for the archive: 69% of our collection is now wrapped up and ready for the move.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
This is what it's like doing social media in heritage
A (sadly fake) Wikipedia page for 'Jester's Privilege', cropped to just show the first sentence: 'Jester's Privilege is the ability and right of a jester to talk and mock freely without being punished; for nothing he says seems to matter'.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Back soon! We’re temporarily closed to onsite visits from the public while we’re relocating to our new home in High Wycombe! For the next few months, we’ll be carefully transferring our fantastic collections to the new Buckinghamshire Archives at Denmark Street ready to reopen in Spring 2027.
An image of quarter session rolls, leatherbound, on archive shelving. The image has been tinted blue, with the following text overlaid in white: 'We're temporarily closed'.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
If you're going to research, you're going to have to defeat our seven evil regulars.
Ramona Flowers talking to Scott Pilgrim from the 2010 film.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Never a dull day in local government.
A page from the Bucks Advertiser, 1988, showing South Bucks Councillor Ken Dolan smoking from a pipe. The text in the short article is him protesting a smoking ban in meetings, continuing to smoke his pipe with 'almost impolite ferocity'.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
My neighbour told me archivists keep accessioning his documents so I asked how many documents he has and he said he just goes to the shelf and gets a new document afterwards so I said it sounds like he's just feeding documents to archivists and then his librarian started crying.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Here's a theatre poster for #MKMonday! This is 'Murder at Checkmate Manor', performed at the Woughton Centre Theatre back in 1980.
A post for 'Murder at Checkmate Manor', presented by Entertainment Machine. The poster features four women standing on a chessboard, one drinking poison, another with a gun pointing at another, another with a noose and a bomb, and one pointing two revolvers at her head. All have ecstatic grins.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
King Harald Hardrada died 960 years ago today at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. His dream of conquering England would never be realised, and even more tragically he wouldn't survive to witness the founding of Buckinghamshire Archives in 1938.
A 1870 painting of the Battle of Stamford Bridge by Peter Nicolai Arbo. The main man himself is in the centre of the image painting in a blue tunic, clutching an arrow buried into his throat. The Norwegians are in various states of dress, halfway into their byrnies, meanwhile some absolutely furious Englishmen are on horseback, attacking the retreating vikings.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Okay it's a nice sentiment dude but she really doesn't seem like she agrees.
A 19th century illustration showing an elderly man and woman speaking. The man is holding a small tea cup and has his other hand round the woman's shoulders. She is looking at the viewing with one eyebrow raised, cleaning her glasses on a cloth. Text beneath the image reads:

OLD LOVE NEVER DIES.

"Why my dead," said the old man, "the time has flown so rapidly that it seems but as yesterday since you and I were courting, and now here we are, with sixty summers over our heads, and you looking as fresh as ever. I trust we have remembered, "that time, if well spent, and improved as it goes, Will render life pleasant, and peaceful its close."
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
46 years ago today the Pure Land Peace Festival took place in Willen Lakeside Park, Milton Keynes. Here's the wonderful poster for it, shared for #MKMonday!
A poster depicting the Willen Lake Pagoda surrounded by cherry trees in a watercolour illustration. The sunset is reflected in the waters of the lake. At the top of the poster is the phrase 'Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō', (Devotion to the Mystic Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra). Beneath the drawing is an excerpt of the Lotus Flower Sutra Chapter VXI, with the text below it saying 'Pure Land Peace Festival / Willen Lakeside Park, Milton Keynes Bucks / 21 September 1980 - BE 2524'.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
162 years ago on this day was the Third Battle of Winchester, a pivotal moment in the American Civil War. We've found this cartoon in our collection, probably from the London Illustrated News, depicting the rout of Confederate troops at the end of the battle.
A drawing of the Third Battle of Winchester, 1864, probably from the London Illustrated News. Union infantry advance on retreated Confederate forces.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
This account will be unmonitored for the next week while our social media goblin goes on holiday. Be good, and if you can't be good, be careful.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
We're looking for a new Customer Access Supervisor to join our team! This role manages the customer service side of our archive and our remote enquiry service. For more information and to apply, head to jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/job_detail/3...
Leatherbound records of Buckinghamshire on a shelf, with 'We're Hiring! Customer Access Supervisor' overlaid.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
PAUL: What’s in the box? REVEREND MOTHER BUT SHE'S AN ARCHIVIST: Pain. [PAUL hesitantly puts his hand in the BOX, then FROWNS IN CONFUSION. He pulls out his hand covered in STICKY TAPE.] REVEREND MOTHER BUT SHE'S AN ARCHIVIST: Awful, right?
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
This photo shows some Belgian refugees during the First World War, taken in Stoke Holy Cross. The village is actually in deepest darkest Norfolk, so why do we have it in our collection?
A black and white photo of several people, looking at the camera in a staged photo. Most are wearing small cockades (likely in the Belgian flag colours). There are a mixture of ages - some young children at the front of the photo, with older men standing at the back. In the background is a brick building with ivy growing up in. At the bottom of the photo is a caption saying 'BELGIAN REFUGEES AT STOKE HOLY CROSS'.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
POV: you are a silverfish caught in a glue trap
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
New video tomorrow. This one probably has the shortest time between thinking "huh this is a dumb idea" to "welp that's another bit of Content scheduled" we've ever managed.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
no thoughts, head empty (once we are done posting our latest nonsense as a series of bits with depreciating comedic value)
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Here you go! This is the clock face of St Mary's Church in Aylesbury being repaired in 1929 by Mr Tofield and Ralph Ladyman. What a lovely treat for 10,000 of you.
Two men repairing a large clock face. One of them is looking down at the camera as he touches the hour hand.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Just over 45 years ago, people were competing in the Milton Keynes Games! Here's the poster for it, shared for #MKMonday.
A green and white poster for the 1981 Milton Keynes Games, taking place on the 13th of September. Events include badminton, archery, darts, golf, judo, sailing, and powerlifting.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
These days, if you say you're a group of huscarls, loyal to your ring-giver, you'll be arrested and thrown in gaol.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
face reveal at 10k
A screenshot of Buckinghamshire Archive's Bluesky page showing their current follower count, 9,976
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
We're looking for a few new people to join our volunteering team! Currently we have slots available on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays to help prepare documents for our upcoming move. For more information and to apply, contact us at archives@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
A photo of archive boxes on a shelf, tinted pink. Text is overlaid ‘Volunteering Slots Now Open! / Space now available on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays’.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Here's a photo of the Hedgerley Women's Institute folk dancing team! Some of them look happier to be photographed than others. We think this photo was taken in the early 1920s.
A black and white photo of a group of women facing the camera while sat in a garden. They are wearing folk dancing costumes - dresses with wide collars and hats.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Historians don't even tell you what they're researching anymore, they just look at you like this
A still from that recent Nathan Fielder documentary teaser showing Elizabeth Holmes staring at him with a deeply concerning expression.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
We're recruiting! We're looking for a Scheming Vizier to join the archives team. Key responsibilities: - Whispering into the ear of the County Archivist - Chuckling while stroking your beard (if you cannot grow one, a fake beard will be provided) - Lurking in alcoves (subject to rota)
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Apparently we've got a very rare and expensive cask of amontillado in our collection, whatever that is. We're going to try find it and will report back.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
47 years ago, Stantonbury Campus Film Society showed 'Renaldo & Clara' by Bob Dylan. Here's the poster for it, shared for #MKMonday. The film received poor reviews, but at least there was free cheese and wine during the interval.
A black and white poster for ‘The Bob Dylan Film Renaldo & Clara’, shown by the Stantonbury Campus Film Society. There is an abstract bust of someone in the centre of the poster with ’79 – 80 HALF SEASON’ written over them in a box. Behind them is a rectangle with lots of text on it. At the bottom of the poster, it says the price for 11 films (£2.50) and the other films taking place that season.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
It’s happening! We’re getting ready to relocate to our new home in High Wycombe and will be temporarily closed to onsite visitors from 1 October 2026. This is so we can safely pack up and move all our collections to Denmark St, where we’re looking forward to welcoming you in Spring 2027.
Leatherbound quarter session rolls on archive shelving, the image tinted blue. Text is placed over the background in white font, saying 'Upcoming Temporary Closure'.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
come to the archive where you can look at historic doodles of a guy fighting two swans
An 18th century ledger showing payments and numbers in a column. In the centre of the page is a crude illustration of two large birds(?) with their tails going up in a spiral, one with spots, the other white. A figure smoking a pipe and wearing a hat and boots is grabbing one of them by the neck. There is a mysterious box next to him which looks a lot like a Looney Tunes style TNT detonator, though obviously that would be ahistorical given the perfectly sensible composition of the rest of the doodle.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
another day volunteering at the archive. everyone keeps asking me if they can eat the documents. buddy, they wont even let me eat them
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Don't forget! We'll be visiting High Wycombe tomorrow for an archive drop-in. Come along and get some of your history questions answered, or at least leave with even stranger questions.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
yeah sure, that looks archive safe, whatever
A photo inside the archive office showing someone holding a giant empty bag of 'COALES Calf Milk Powder', a milk replacer for calf rearing. It has a blue and yellow striped pattern across the bag, and it's clearly several decades old from how yellowed it is.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
45 years ago today was the Stony Stratford Town Fayre! We're sharing this very vibrant poster for #MKMonday.
A bright purple poster for the Stony Stratford Town Fayre, run by the Stony Stratford Association. The text shows some of the events as part of the fayre (fancy dress, train rides, punch & judy show) and in the centre of the poster it says that there's a Grand Draw with 'Many Prizes'. Text at the bottom says that the event takes place on the 31st of August at Horsefair Green, 2:30 to 5:30.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Today is the Bucks County Show! Here's the show back in 1947 when it took place in Hartwell Park. We're at the show today, so pop to the Buckinghamshire Council tent and come see what bits of history we've brought with us!
A black and white photo of a county show. A ring of people with their cars stand around a field with cattle being shown off in the middle.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
"no rapping tonight" why? "you rap about Milton Keynes everytime, it's embarrassing" ok [after one beer] uh oh y'all I've been having weird dreams
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
After an incredible 34 years, our wonderful colleague Sally is retiring! Sally started with Buckinghamshire Archives back in 1992 and since then has contributed to over 106,000 records in our collection. We're wishing Sally all the best for her retirement - she'll be missed!
A photo of Sally standing by some bookshelves in the archive, looking at the camera while smiling.A black and white photo of Sally back in 1992, reading a document on a table.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Here's a lovely family photo from a recent deposit! This was taken in Hughenden, 1912.
A black and white photo of three figures: a man, a boy, and a girl, standing by some fields. They're all wearing broad straw hats. The boy is wearing a sailor's outfit, the girl a patterned dress, and the man a walking suit. They're all looking at the camera.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect, but thankfully he was still able to research using Buckinghamshire Archive's remote archive service which allowed him to view our collections from the comfort of his own home.
An illustration of Gregor Samsa as a giant insect, having a fairly miserable time on his bed after his metamorphosis. A laptop is resting on his bug body so he can still research his family history. The soft glow of the laptop is illuminating his buggy face.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
On the 4th of September we'll be visiting We Make Wycombe for an archive drop-in! Come along and learn a little about what we do and see some highlights of our collection out on display. 🗓4th September 🕗10am to 1pm 🔍We Make Wycombe, 1-2 Cornmarket
A black and white photo of a High Wycombe chair factory, showing men at work on some frames. Text is placed over the image saying:

High Wycombe Archive Drop-In

4th September, 10am to 1pm, We Make Wycombe, High Street
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Babe wake up, new Local Government Act (1972) just dropped.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
What time is it this #MKMonday? Lilac Time, of course. Here's a 1977 poster for a performance from MK Amateur Operatic Society!
A lilac poster for ‘Lilac Time’, a performance from the MK Amateur Operatic Society in its 25th anniversary year, 1977. The performance took place at Wilton Hall in Bletchley with tickets ranging from 80p to £1.50.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
We used to be a real country.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Here's a curious 1917 letter we're researching: This is Charles writing back to 'Mudgie'. He says: 'I did not fall in love with Elsie on the spot, but nearly fell through the earth in looking at your, well -- for the sake of politeness I'll call it a dial'.
The front of a handwritten letter from 1917, written by Charles to 'Face', a nickname for 'Mudgie' (Marjory) who he writes to frequently.The back of the letter, showing the signature of Charles.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
It's a lovely morning in the archive, and you are a horrible silverfish.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Bat! At the museum.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
If you're lounging with your sweetheart today, take the advice from this 1910 postcard and make sure the dog is locked up.
A black and white postcard showing an illustration of a man and woman in Edwardian dress, embracing on a chair. At the edge of the image, there is a small bulldog that looks absolutely furious.
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Don't forget! This week we'll be all over Milton Keynes visiting some libraries! Come along and learn a little about what we do and get your heritage questions answered.
An image of some archive boxes on a shelf, the image tinted blue. The following text is overlaid in white font:‘Milton Keynes Library Drop-Ins We’ll be visiting some libraries to answer your heritage questions and to share some of our favourite documents!
18th August, Wolverton, 10am to 2pm
19th August, Newport Pagnell, 10am to 2pm
20th August, Westcroft, 10am to 2pm
21st August, Stony Stratford, 10am to 2pm’
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