Happy Earth Day! We are celebrating with #SoundAndVision by taking a listen to Sister Moira of the CSJB talk about the garden space girls could have at the London House of Mercy. Hear more from her at our exhibition, now on! (Extract from D/EX1675/1/30/56/1) #Archive30 #EarthDay
Hi Sue, whichever booklet we choose not to keep is returned to the depositor.
A poster showcasing a variety of tea boxes for Brooke Bond tea including their red label, green label and blue sapphire ranges.
Happy National Tea Day! To celebrate, we're sharing this lovely poster showcasing a variety of tea boxes, created by the Berkshire Printing Company. 🫖
We asked exactly the same question! You can't have tea without biscuits 🫖🍪
Photograph of plans and maps carefully rolled up and placed in custom bags on shelves in a strongroom
A glimpse behind the scenes 👀 Check out some of our #ArchivePlan(s) carefully rolled up and stored on shelves in our strongroom! #Archive30
A photograph of the inside cover of a booklet on the "Observations, remarks and estimates relating to the amendment of the navigation from Reading to Isleworth". The booklet shows shows significant wear, particularly along the page edges.
A photograph of the inside cover of another booklet on the "Observations, remarks and estimates relating to the amendment of the navigation from Reading to Isleworth". The booklet has been nibbled away at on the left hand side.
Ever wondered what happens when we receive two identical items? We recently received these booklets about the Thames and had to decide which to retain. This involved comparing both copies and assessing their quality and long-term durability. So, which would you choose to keep? #AboutAppraisals
Yes, we hoped they would be live by now but we've been told it will now be later this year. We will update our website and socials when we have more details.
Screenshot of page on ancestry showing Berkshire records.
Did you know some of our records are available to view online? Alongside our own digital repository, you can find electoral registers, 1840-1965, and WWII records on ancestry; whilst our school admission registers, 1870-1914, are on Find My Past. Free access to both available onsite #DigitalArchives
Here's our #ArchivePresent alongside our archive past! A little glimpse into how Coley Avenue looked then versus now. We can't help wishing the old gates were still standing today! #Archive30
📸 D/EX1638/64/10
It ain't much, but it's home 🫶
We love seeing other strongrooms on the timeline!
#Throwback Friday anyone? This video shows the amount of #ArchiveStorage boxes we used for our Bracknell District Council collection! We re-organised the whole collection in early March 2020 to make access for visitors easier. #Archive30
Come see the famous and spectacular Sumer is Icumen in manuscript, back in Reading for the first time in over 750 years.
On loan from @britishlibrary.bsky.social, supported by the Dorset Foundation, in memory of Harry M Weinrebe. With thanks to @blmedieval.bsky.social (Harley MS 978)
Many years ago, a robber (or highwayman), being closely pursued by the Watch or local parish constables, hid his ill-gotten gains in the hollow of an elm tree on and near Oldfield Farm. He was subsequently captured and imprisoned for his misdeeds. When he was released, he returned to the tree, but found that his bag of gold had fallen more deeply into the tree, and the crack had closed up partially, so he was unable to reach his treasure. This was a common tradition in the village about 75 years ago, and the holes at the top of the crack in the tree trunk was then large enough to put one’s arm in. The crack was still visible on Feb 22, 1942, but the hole is now closed up. It was quite large when I was a boy in 1884.
Photograph of the Treasure Tree, Baulking, taken by F M Underhill, 22.2.42.
Berkshire is home to many myths and legends. The newly received records of the Berkshire Local History recording scheme from the 1940s include many. One of our favourites is about the Treasure Tree in Baulking. Let us know your favourite Berkshire myth? #ArchiveMyths #Archive30
Photograph of damaged document with various holes.
Close up of holes on a document.
Photograph of repaired document, where holes have been filled and the paper has been stabalised.
Photograph of the reverse of the repaired document.
Here is a before and after of a document our #ArchiveConservation team worked on recently! The paper was so delicate, touching it made it turn into dust, but the team stabilised this record, making it available for researchers to use again. #Archive30
Holy Communion host cutting machine made of wood and metal.
Here’s an unusual thing to find in an archive, an artefact! We do not usually accept artefacts but on this occasion, we accepted a Holy Communion host cutting machine from the parish of Clewer St Andrew. #Archive30 #UnusualArchives
We have been told this link has expired, so here is a new link!
jigex.com/Dnt91
A green cloth displaying numerous types of embroidery stitches, stitched across the fabric in a range of different, bright colours
For #ColourfulArchives we thought we'd share this lovely piece of embroidery, stitched by Kathleen Barnes during her time at Cholsey Board School, 1932. 🪡 🌈 #Archive30
📸 D/EX2821/3
Large brass weights and measures on the shelf in a strongroom
For #SomethingBig we’re sharing these weights and measures which belonged to Berkshire County Council. We're thankful that these items are rarely requested as moving them around is quite the workout!🏋🏻 #Archive30
This month we’re celebrating the launch of our exhibition on the #CommunityArchives of the House of Mercy, Clewer! We’ve created a puzzle for you to try, let us know how long it took you to complete!
Photograph of women at a Tea Party at Newbury Congregational Church, 1934
We’ve been #CataloguingCollections! Have a read of April’s Just Catalogued to find out more! bit.ly/4v52UpO #Archive30 📸 D/EX3030/1
Sepia photograph of man in running outfit with race number 39.
You may remember a highlight from last year about the 1908 Reading marathon race that almost didn't happen. The race was won by Lewis Southwell. A relative has been in touch & shared this lovely photo of him which has been added to the article. Read it here: bit.ly/4eKhJqe #SportArchives #Archive30
Image of the Berkshire Record Office's old searchroom, with various customers looking at maps and volumes.
Princess Anne speaking with the former County Archivist, Peter Durrant.
A mover pushing a crate of boxes along a corridor. The outside walls are made of glass.
Princess Anne pulling a small curtain aside to reveal the Berkshire Record Office's new plaque, commemorating the opening of the new archive building.
We’ve done a lot of growing and changing over the years, and for #ArchivePast we’ve been remembering our old offices, and reminiscing on the move into the archive as we know it today, opened by Princess Anne
4 black and white photographs of a cat a two kittens playing in a wicker basket.
We have so many #ArchiveAnimals in our collections that it was hard to choose which to feature today. In the end we went with Dorothy Kaminski's cat and kittens as they were too cute to resist 😍 #Archive30
📷 D/EWN/F99
Hi there, sorry we didn't make it clear in the article. Mrs J H Cope was living in Finchampstead, Berkshire, at the time of her death. It is her papers that were received by the archive in 1949.
An image of a very small photograph of an unidentified country house.
For #SomethingSmall we’re sharing this tiny photograph from the Underhill collection. Frederick Maitland Underhill's collection is full of interesting finds from photographs like these to 18th century chapbooks! #Archive30
The love for Godric has gone to his head and he now believes he is our most #PopularItem! He’s also been studying our collections so believes he knows what it will take to make you popular…
#Archive30
Music: “Popular”
Performed by Ariana Grande
From Wicked - Music & Lyrics By Stephen Schwartz
This month’s highlight explores the #UntoldStories of the Cope family, exploring what an extremely thorough inventory can tell us about every day life for the wealthy in early-Edwardian England. #Archive30
Godric's head superimposed onto a man's body who is wearing a suit. There is also a woman in fancy clothing next to him. Item reference D/EX2656/1.
Godric's head superimposed onto a man's body, who is wearing horse riding gear. He is standing next to a horse on his left, and two children riding two further horses on his right. Item reference D/EX73/2/19/3.
Godric's head superimposed onto a man's body, who is wearing sports-wear, and is sitting next to a man in the same clothes who is holding a tennis racket. Item reference D/EX73/4/3/17/2.
Godric's head superimposed onto a man's body who is wearing a suit and is seating with a cello between his legs. 4 other people surround him, 3 women and 1 man. They appear to be musicians, and are holding other string instruments. Item reference D/EX1090/3/2.
Godric has been very busy this week trying on a myriad of outfits from history, but he's a little shy about it. Tell him how good he looks! 🙂↕️ #ArchiveFashion #Archive30
Crochet stag with Easter hat holding paper basket filled with golden foil wrapped mini Easter eggs.
The Royal Berkshire Archives wishes everyone a Happy Easter! The office is now closed until 9am Tuesday 7th April, please note any enquiries sent over the Easter weekend will not be processed until then.
Ever wondered who was imprisoned in the #ArchiveBuildings at Reading Gaol alongside Oscar Wilde? Our new blog series, 'Imprisoned with Oscar', seeks to answer this question. The first blog about Michael Ostrog is available to read now bit.ly/4bL0rYZ #EYACrime #Archive30
