iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Bringing this one back for #NationalPoetryDay 2026! This year's theme is 'wonder' so what could be more appropriate? Oh wondrous fruit indeed :)

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

October brings a brand new Borthwick Newsletter - this time with future Goon Show and Doctor Who events and the letters of the trailblazing Norah Gurney, first female Director of the Borthwick, who is pictured here with her majestic Siamese cat Simon. www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...

Norah Gurney seated on the grass and holding her Siamese cat, Simon, who looks very imperious.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This year is the International Year of Women Farmers. In 1939 the re-formation of the Women's Land Army (WLA) saw thousands of women take over farm work that had previously been done by men, playing a vital role in the British war effort. #IYWF2026

The front page of the first edition of 'The Land Girl' magazine, dated September 1940, showing a black and white sketch of a land girl holding a bucket and standing beside a milking stool, staring wide-eyed at a cow.

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Merchant Adventurers’ Hall @merchantshallyork.org · 03/09/2026

We have something very exciting on its way to the Hall! Here is a sneaky peak of a new permanent display on Dr Maud Sellers: steamboat lady, traveller, historian, archivist and the first female Merchant Adventurer in 400 years. Join us for a short thread on the indominable Maud...

We are looking at a workshop and in the foreground is a large display panel in the shame of a screen. It has an illustrated coat rail with an green coat, fox fur and elaborate hat hanging from it. At the base is a travel trunk and suitcase. Above is text, illustrations and photos.

We are looking at an older lady with white hair wearing a graduation gown with a cap in her hand. She looks directly at the camera with a fixed but tired stare.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

September has arrived, and we have a new Borthwick Newsletter for you. We know we're a day later than normal (sorry!), but we were waiting so that we could make a very exciting announcement... www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...

Patrick Duncan at a Liberal Party of South Africa rally, mid-20th century, standing speaking at a microphone next to another man. Both men are standing in front of a table, with a flag in the background.

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York and District Family History Society @yorkfhs.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

'A House, a Family and an Architect’ a talk about Walter Henry Brierley by David Guyton at our September 2nd talk. Brierley was York’s leading architect and died a hundred years ago this month. @balhnews.bsky.social @federationfhs.bsky.social @yorkarchive.bsky.social @uoyborthwick.bsky.social

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University of York Events @uoyevents.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Join a guided tour at Heslington Hall Art Gallery celebrating the life and artwork of renowned York painter and printmaker John Langton. “John Langton: Slow Surfacing” exhibition - Guided Tour - 13 Aug www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/even…

york.ac.uk

“John Langton: Slow Surfacing” exhibition - Guided Tour

Join a guided tour at Heslington Hall Art Gallery celebrating the life and artwork of renowned York painter and printmaker John Langton.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Like many archives we still have (and use) our original card catalogue - and it does throw up the occasional surprise. Before you say "bless you", this is a real latin term! It means 'the state of being able to achieve honours' and it appeared in Erasmus' 16th century Adagia and in Shakespeare :)

Typed index card in a wooden card catalogue with the words: 'HONORIFICABILITUDINITATIBUS. written at foot of cause paper. Written on page originally stuck in the binding of Consistory AB 46 1593-5'

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

August is here and we have a new Borthwick Newsletter for you to enjoy :) This month we have three new archive catalogues for you to browse, as well as a new podcast and another York Festival of Ideas talk to watch on YouTube! www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...

A meadow of wild flowers at Acomb on a sunny summer day.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

It's #YorkshireDay today! If you need some practice with the Yorkshire accent, why not try this 'Dialectical Dialogue' between a Mrs Smith and a Mrs Jones, taken from the 1919 Mount School magazine (full transcription in the alt text) 😊

A DIALECTICAL DIALOGUE.

SCENE. A Yorkshire moorland village - outside a small cottage. Mrs Smith standing at the door, Mrs Jones coming down the street.

Mrs Smith. Eh, Missus Joanes; grand mornin' this mornin'. As I was a'sayin' to my old man last night, wi t'sun sa round an' red, - "It's bound ter tak' oop"; I says, "its bound ter tak' oop!" An' 'ow be'st tha?

Mrs Jones. Eh! Missus Smith, it's right kind o'

you to ask, it is, but I'm nobbut dowly. What wi' th' rheumatics an' the coald winter as we've 'ad, why, it mak's tha feel none so well.

Mrs Smith. Now, Missus Joanes, doan't 'ee tak' on so. I'm sure as there's many a one younger non you, as looks a deal older, what wi' grief and sickness. An' now t'summer's comin' on agin, tha'll't pick up fine; an' wi' t'warm weather, an' seein' t'young wick things wakenin' up agin, an' all, tha'lt feel a bit better like.

I was stood lookin' at t'blossom on t' apple trees yonder. Eh! but tha'lt 'ave some fine fruit come autumn, tha' will.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Due to urgent drainage works in the library building the Borthwick will unfortunately be closed tomorrow and Friday. We are emailing all booked researchers to let them know and we will be responding to phone calls and emails as usual on both days. We're very sorry for the short notice!

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

OTD in 1965 The Beatles' second feature film Help! was released. The archive of its screenwriter Charles Wood, here at the Borthwick, includes this wonderfully no-nonsense letter from his agent Margaret Ramsey with some less than enthusiastic feedback on the finished product! (alt text provided)

$Letter titled 'Help!' with the words 'You will be amused to hear that we all sat through HELP! at Lerat, where the Moreau film Mademoiselle Genet is being made. As David Watkin had done the photography for you, and was also doing Mademoiselle Genet, Woodfall borrowed print. The production room was a converted cow-shed heavy with the smell of dung, and we sat on rows of benches. Everybody absolutely detested HELP, except Oscar's children. The little French boys were fractious on the way back in the car, and Mercer and Oscar had a frightful row about the merits of HELP! Mercer was frightfully upset about the mindlessness of the whole thing, whereas of course the whole Beatles cult is mindless, and not for the intellectual, so I can't see why a film should be made full of content for an audience who don't want content. Oscar defended the show loyally. I must say the paper-back must be quite awful, if it embodies the text I heard!! However, the time and place were exceedingly inappropriate for this particular film, as they had just been shooting a scene of Moreau in a school room teaching Gilde Rey to little boys while a funeral of a little boy passed the window, killed by the fact that she had set fire to the place where he was burnt. The air was therefore heavy with tragedy. Much love, Margaret Ramsay.'$

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

A long lost monologue by the great Alan Bennett from 'On the Margin' is just one of the many incredible survivals in our Galton and Simpson Archive!

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

What's that? Ghosts star Mathew Baynton playing our very own Joseph Rowntree in a new TV drama about the Cadburys?😲 We've been trying to find out if this is Joseph's first portrayal on TV and we think it might be - but if you know otherwise, please let us know!

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

A new month brings a new Borthwick Newsletter - this time we have some brilliant York Festival of Ideas talks to watch, two new exhibitions to visit, a look into the archive of a Yorkshire pawnbroker, and new dinosaur research. And it's not often we get to say that :) www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...

The bridge across the lake on a sunny day, looking towards Central Hall. The sky is blue with only a few clouds.

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University of York Library @uoylibrary.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

You won’t get a better offer all day than this… ⤵️

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

It's rather hot in York at the moment, so if you're on campus why not cool off in our climate controlled study space on the first floor of the Raymond Burton library? We're keeping it open access all week, no archives or appointments required (and we can vouch for the icy chill) 😎

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

If you're visiting the Borthwick over the next few months please be aware we have a new temporary entrance! Instead of using the usual doors at the front of the Morrell Library to enter the building, you will need to turn to your left and follow the path round to the Fairhurst Library door.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

A hearty sweet and savoury spread for our annual Summer VolunTea Party today - an opportunity to host our wonderful volunteers as a (very small) thank you for all that they do and contribute to the Borthwick ❤️

Table covered in a white and floral tablecloth and covered with plates of cheeses, crackers, dips, biscuits, tarts and cakes.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Competitive tender for Doctor Who, you say? Is it finally time for the long lost 'Sweet Black Angel' to shine... (Supposedly) starring Tom Baker as the Doctor, and Mark Hamill as Alex Morrow. You can read it for yourself in our Terrence Dicks Archive: borthcat.york.ac.uk/tdic-box-54 #DoctorWho

Front cover of a 1991 'Independent Production Tender' for Doctor Who by Naked Eye Productions.

Typescript page headed 'Pilot Outline. Sweet Black Angel' followed by an 1885 quote by Friedrich Nietzsche "The living are but a rare species of the dead."

The text then reads: Deep space. The stars shine cold and remote like the love of God - unchanging, unwavering, still. Sirius. Arcturus. And Vega, which silently vanishes into the blackness.

Night is approaching as a tall wrought-iron gate is pushes cautiously open. A man makes his way along a winding path arched by overgrown trees. He stops. Ahead of him stands the silhouette of a decaying Victorian manor house. At the door he knocks, his face lit by a single lamp which burns above him. Alex Morrow, a forty year old New Yorker, cares about only one thing - and she opens the door to face him; his beautiful daughter Helen. "I was just passing..." She stifles her laughter, surprised and delighted to see him. Pressing a finger to her lips, she leads him past the closed study door. "He's working..." she whispers.

A solitary figure sits reading in the dying light. He raises his tired eyes - it is the Doctor. Outside night has fallen, and he can resist sleep no longer.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

On this International Archives Day, shout out to all the spreadsheets and the archivists who love them; the incredible volunteers who give their time and skills for free; the enquiries that are never the same two days running; and the tiny discoveries that make it so worthwhile :)

A tiny horned cow drawn in ink in a hospital account book.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

The arrival of #WorldEnvironmentDay had us wondering about our earliest environmental record. We think a good argument can be made for this July 1319 entry in the register of Archbishop William Melton, mandating prayers 'for calming of intemperate wind and rain showers' causing damage to produce.

A section of Latin text from Register 9B, containing a mandate to the archbishop's official of York or his commissary general for prayers for calming of intemperate winds and rain showers, causing problems with produce at a time of dearth; with a memorandum of a similar letter, with some alterations, to the dean and chapter of York.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Today is #WorldBicycleDay so enjoy this vivid tribute to the joys (and trials) of cycling from the 1921 Mount School magazine.

Watercolour drawings of a woman on a bicycle stuck in the mud, two women pushing their bikes up hill in driving rain, and two cyclists stuck in the exhaust fumes of a car, contrasted with a sketch of two cyclists lying out happily in the sun beside a pathway, bikes next to the. The text reads 'Cycling is guaranteed to produce good Muscles, good Appetites, good Sleep, good Temper, & a capacity for enjoying Anything & Everything!'

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HatmanRich @hatmanrich.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Ok, so I have today learned that we could have had a Doctor Who series starring Tom Baker and Mark Hamill with production design by H R Giger, I have no idea what that would have been like but I wish we'd found out 😭

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

What do H.R. Giger, the Archbishop of York, John Lennon, Mark Hamill, and Doctor Who have in common? They all get a mention in this month's shiny new Borthwick Newsletter! Find out more at the link: www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...

View looking towards York Minster with the famous Bile Beans advert on the building to the right. The sky is blue with white fluffy clouds.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Sweltering in the UK heatwave?? Why not visit your Local Archival Repository! Low temperatures and humidity GUARANTEED* And we throw in the history for free😍 *by regulatory standard BS4971:2017 Archives - Where the records are cool and so are you.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

The Earl of Derby suffering everyone's worst nightmare in a newly listed 1913 letter - having been asked to open a club and 'say a few words' to around 200 people, which he did, he was then escorted to another room packed with '800-1000' people and asked to speak for 20 minutes without warning.

media.tenor.com

a man in a suit and tie is sitting in front of a window and saying nope . don 't like that .

Alt: a man in a suit and tie is sitting in front of a window and saying nope . don 't like that .

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

OTD in 1536 Anne Boleyn was executed at the Tower of London. Anne has been imagined and reimagined many times since her death. Here she is in 1679, depicted in Gilbert Burnet's 'History of the Reformation' as a Queen & the mother of Elizabeth I. Taken from the Petyt collection of rare books.

Engraving of Anne Boleyn with the text 'Anna Bullen Regina Anglie Elizabetha Regina Mater' and the dates of her birth and death below, along with the birth date of her daughter Elizabeth.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Ah, Suckling Spendlove. The man with the longest inventory in our probate archive. He had a shop so it includes all your everyday grocery items such as brandy, raisins, spices, soap, 'Wash balls', coffee powder, 'glaized pypes', Naples 'Biskettes', gunpowder, mercury, and 'one box of Druggs'.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

A very happy birthday to Sir David Attenborough! As President of the Wildlife Trusts from 1991-1995 he put his name to this Charter for Wildlife, now part of our Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Archive #Attenborough100 #davidattenborough

a decorative Charter for Wildlife signed by David Attenborough as President of the Wildlife Trusts. The text reads 'We believe that the wildlife and wild places of town and countryside are essential to our quality of life. We believe that we all have a responsibility to ensure that wildlife is conserved for this and for future generations. We believe that local and national government and all those who make decisions affecting our environment must give higher priority to the protection of our wildlife, wild places and countryside before they are lost forever'.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

It's a beautiful May Day in York, so the perfect time for a new Borthwick Newsletter. This month featuring a host of upcoming events, new podcasts, and a celebration of the joys of enthusiastic amateur art from the archives (please enjoy the majestic Dido the Cat). www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...

A painting of a supercilious looking cat with very thin legs, standing in front of a house and garden. Titled 'Dido', it was painted in the early 19th century and is part of the archive of Ann Reynolds and Margaret Hannah Twiss.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

It feels like the right month to come across this letter discussing public reaction to the sinking of the Titanic. It was written by the Earl of Derby to his wife on 20th April 1912 (transcription available in the alt text). Perhaps more references are still to come as the box listing continues...

Handwritten letter from the Earl of Derby to his wife Lady Alice Stanley, dated 20 April 1912, which reads. 'My own darling. I have been obliged to stay over Sunday - as money is pouring in for the Titanic fund and I have to endorse all cheques so am going to that on Monday. I am not sorry to have a quiet Sunday here - [...] & I are going to settle tomorrow [Swynford's] paddock with Griffiths. The accounts of the'

Handwritten letter, reading: 'Titanic are dreadful - and poor Bruce Ismay does not come out well, though the way he is being treated by this American Commission of Enquiry is turning people in his favour. I went to the memorial service this morning - most impressive, the church crowded. Sanderson the White Star man tells me the whole of the [bilge] on one side was ripped clean out.'

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Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre @antiapartheidlgcy.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

MA student Olivia @uoyarchaeology.bsky.social blogs on behind scenes curating #NormanKaplan #art In @uoyborthwick.bsky.social collections, she highlights York student-led disinvestment campaigns Exhibition @ThinIcePress #York 'til 30th April Read blog 🔗 antiapartheidlegacy.org.uk/behind-the-s...

Archive materials including Nouse, York University Student Press, and photographs from Borthwick Institute for Archives showing student divestment campaigns against Barclays bank and Shell - students carrying placards and graffiti drawing attention to the cause.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

It's #NationalTeaDay today. As we all know, tea strength can be a very personal (some say even controversial) choice. Do you prefer yours delicate and mild, or 'of a strength that frightens one' - like that experienced by Henrietta Crewe in this 1831 letter from our Milnes Coates Archive...

Image of a delicate china tea cup and saucer with a quote overlaid by Henrietta Crewe, December 1831, 'We had a charming evening & plenty of his anything but charming strong Dutch tea, which after the fashion of his country he drinks, oh! ye powers, of a strength that frightens one! It fell to my lot to pour it out, which as it was necessary to dilute it most copiously to suit the weak taste of the Liegois ladies was no enviable task let me tell you, with a tea pot & a perforated basket (as they all have in this country) suspended from the spout which always pours forth the sable draught in too large quantities.'

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

This funded PhD will use one of our recent accessions, the archive of Fair Trade pioneer Robin Murray. More details at the link below...

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Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre @antiapartheidlgcy.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Olivia @uoyarchaeology.bsky.social explores York’s #antiapartheid solidarity with South Africa’s liberation through @uoyborthwick.bsky.social archive materials shown w. Kaplan’s art in 'All Shall Be Afforded Dignity!' 'til 30/04, Thin Ice Press #York @actsa-uk.bsky.social @aamarchives.bsky.social

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Novelist and Doctor Who legend Terrance Dicks was born on this day in 1935! His extensive archive is one of our newest and most popular additions. borthcat.york.ac.uk/tdic

Photograph of Terrance Dicks' BBC ID badge, valid to December 1988, lying on top of Doctor Who magazines and proof covers of his Target novelisations.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

We were pleased to be invited to the unveiling of a @yorkcivictrust.bsky.social blue plaque at the former Rowntree's Cocoa Works on Haxby Road today. The event had a distinct Kit Kat theme so we made sure to take along some examples of historic packaging from the archive. Which ones do you remember?

A display case containing 10 examples of Kit Kat wrappers, most are red but there are also two blue wrappers, a green wrapper and a black wrapper. There is also a photograph of a shop window in the 1930s advertising the new Rowntree's Chocolate Crisp and a small information board setting out the history of the Kit Kat.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

In case you missed it, we had an eventful Easter! 16 million of our records, including our massive collection of wills, are now available to search and view on Ancestry.com (and can be accessed for free onsite at the Borthwick). www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

16 million historic records from Yorkshire made available online

Newly digitised archives include parish registers, wills and fascinating personal testimonies.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Heading back into the office after the Easter weekend...

Photograph of a very dapper looking chick in a scarf, top hat and monocle, holding a cane, riding on a ribbon wrapped easter egg. The words 'Rowntree & Co Ltd, York' can be seen in the top right.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Although our archive reading room is closed over the Easter weekend, why not explore our newly launched collections - we’d love to hear what you find! www.ancestry.co.uk/search/colle...

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Our monthly newsletter is slightly later than usual - we wanted to tie in all our exciting news with the launch of our probate registers and Bishops’ Transcripts onto Ancestry! The probate collection is our Archive of the Month - read on to find out more www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Today we've launched our digitised Probate Registers and Bishops' Transcripts collections onto Ancestry. Together that's 16 million records covering 1389-1858 - these can be accessed via a subscription to Ancestry or for free here at the Borthwick! www.ancestry.co.uk/search/colle...

A manuscript page with a large initial R formed to two intertwined dragons

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Signal boosting this one - the deadline is 10th April so you still have time to get an application in if you're interested!

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

A fab little discovery today as we continue to list the archive of printing firm, Sessions of York. These drum kit cards and guitar stickers were made by Sessions for a toy firm in the early 1960s - intended for fans of some little known band called 'The Beatles'😉

Photograph of a piece of paper on which is handwritten 'In 1963-64 The Beatles were Top of the Pops. When they returned from USA 10,000 teenagers besieged London airport etc. For a toy firm we produced these little cards for the Beatles Drum Kits & also these intricate guitar labels for sticking onto tiny cut-out plastic shapes - some for export to USA'. Beside the page is a sheet with 2 sets of 3 guitar stickers affixed to it and besides that are two cut out illustrations of the Beatles drum kit on card.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Today is March 25th, also known as Lady Day (or the 'Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lady' as written in this 16th century lease from the archive of @merchantshallyork.org). Until 1752 this day marked the start of the new year in England and Wales and it pops up frequently in archival records.

Section of a lease showing the words 'the feaste of thannuncacon of oure Lady next' in neat secretary hand.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

A fantastic new exhibition, drawing on materials from our Southern African and University Archive collections to showcase the art of anti-apartheid activist Norman Kaplan. Open until 30th April at our old home of St Anthony's Hall in central York.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

🚨FIXED TERM ARCHIVE JOB KLAXON🚨 We are looking for an experienced archivist to develop and implement a scoping project to re-catalogue and make available the York Archdiocesan Archive (6 months full time, or 12 months part time). Full details at the link: jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/proj...

Close up of an ornately decorated capital I, taken from Archbishop's Register 28 in the Archdiocesan Archive.

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Borthwick Institute for Archives @uoyborthwick.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Welcome back 👀(if you know, you know). Photographed in our Terrance Dicks Archive #DoctorWho

Photograph of typescript front pages of the camera scripts for Episode One: The Nightmare Begins, and Episode 3: Devil's Planet, from the 1965 Doctor Who serial 'The Daleks' Master Plan'.

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