Access to online Anglican missionary archive resources

The landing page of USPG. It shows a black & white print of harbour scene, links to browse through volumes and documents, a link to view highlights. and a text box of insights which read: "The USPG and other missionary organisations aim to facilitate the spread of Christianity by appointing missionaries to visit and stay in various countries around the world. Whilst on a mission, representatives of the Church are expected to perform a number of tasks to promote Christianity. This may involve providing a Christian education, engaging in charitable work, and performing services."

America in records from colonial missionaries, 1635-1928

We are pleased to announce that Oxford researchers now have online access to 14 collections of the Anglican missionary archive, the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG), which have been digitized by British Online Archives. Previously only available in the Weston Library, the digitised material can now be accessed throughout the University and remotely with the Oxford SSO.

The USPG is a UK-based Anglican missionary organisation, founded in 1701, which sent missionaries to many parts of the world and was involved in educational, charitable and medical work as well as evangelization. The material also throws light on social conditions, travel and daily life abroad from the view point of British missionaries and their families.

The digitized material is relevant to British, Commonwealth and global history, covering the 17th to mid-20th centuries. It has been organised into 14 collections which can be found via SOLO or Databases A-Z:

  1. America in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1635-1928
  2. ‘Bray Schools’ in Canada, America and the Bahamas, 1645-1900
  3. Indigenous Cultures and Christian Conversion in Ghana and Sierra Leone, 1700-1850
  4. Colonial missionaries’ papers from America and the West Indies, 1701-1870
  5. The West Indies in records from colonial missionaries, 1704-1950
  6. Canada in records from colonial missionaries, 1722-1952
  7. Indian and Sri Lankan records from colonial missionaries, 1770-1931
  8. Australia in records from colonial missionaries, 1808-1967
  9. South Africa in records from colonial missionaries, 1819-1900
  10. New Zealand & Polynesian records from colonial missionaries, 1838-1958
  11. Tanzania and Malawi in records from colonial missionaries, 1857-1965
  12. Colonial women missionaries of the Committee for Women’s Work, 1861-1967
  13. Ghana in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1886-1951
  14. ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’: Missionaries in Asia during the World Wars, 1914-1946

Early modern and modern source materials

The digitized material dates from 1635 to 1967 and includes letters, journals, reports, minute books, financial records, statistical returns, drawings, leaflets, questionnaires, school records, press cuttings, and printed books and magazines.

A single page handwritten letter from Franklin to Lyttleton.

Letter of 3 June 1786 from Benjamin Franklin, while President of Pennsylvania, to Rev. Thomas Lyttleton concerning the lease of land for a school.
Shelfmark: USPG Bray/N.America/3/f.2/item 4
©2014 Microform Academic Publishers with permission of the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel

Wide geographical reach

The geographical coverage is wide including the American colonies before independence, Canada, the Caribbean, Ghana, Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.

A typed page of a 1912 report on a biblewoman by the USPG's Committee of Women's Work. Names and descriptions are filled in with handwriting.

Report on a Biblewoman in India, 1912. Shelfmark: USPG CWW 311
©2014 Microform Academic Publishers with permission of the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel

Topics covered include:

  • the establishment of the Anglican Church in north America
  • the American War of Independence
  • slavery and its abolition
  • the establishment of Christian schools
  • indigenous communities
  • women missionaries
  • the impact of colonialism
  • philanthropy
  • the experience of wars including the two World Wars and the Sino-Japanese War

The digitized material represents a proportion of the whole USPG archive which is held on deposit in the Bodleian Library and is available for consultation in the Weston Library.

Lucy McCann, Senior Archivist, Special Collections, Bodleian Libraries

Other useful subscription resources:

Trial until 12 October: Records of Bethlem Royal Hospital 1559-1932

Oxford researchers are invited to trial Records of Bethlem Royal Hospital 1559-1932. This resource is useful for the study of mental health care throughout the ages. It is relevant for the study of:

  • History of mental health, madness, lunacy, etc.
  • History oif mental health services and treatment
  • Lunacy Reform & legislative history
  • Social & family history
  • Military history (esp. First World War)
  • History of crime
Colour print of the Bethlem Royal Hospital building. Superimposed text reads: Mental health care throughout the ages This record collection provides extraordinary levels of detail about patients of the Bethlem Royal Hospital dating as far back as the 17th century, providing real insight into what life was like in this infamous institution.

© Images reproduced by courtesy of the Trustees of the Bethlem Museum of the Mind; © Findmypast Ltd.

Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric facility in London. It was established as a priory of the Order of St Mary of Bethlehem in 1247, before beginning to care for mentally ill patients sometime in the 14th century. Often referred to colloquially as ‘Bedlam’—and generally accepted to be the origin of the very same noun—past incarnations of the institution were infamous for their questionable diagnosis of mental illness and poor treatment of patients.

This collection contains four centuries’ and 130,000 images’ worth of records from Bethlem. The records are diverse in both form and subject matter. They include:

  • Admission, Discharge, and Death Registers, 1683-1919
  • Female Patient Casebooks, 1778-1913
  • Male Patient Casebooks, 1793-1913
  • Voluntary and Curable Patient Casebooks, 1816-1913
  • Criminal and Incurable Patient Admission Registers and Casebooks, 1778-1864
  • Patient Casebooks from the First World War, 1914-1919
  • Management of Bethlem Royal Hospital, 1559-1932 (incl. staff salary books, minutes of the Court of Governors)

All handwritten items have been fully transcribed.

Screenshot from CB-004: Female Patient Casebooks, 1793-1816, p66: 'Anne Fletcher, admitted June 15 1805.'

© Images reproduced by courtesy of the Trustees of the Bethlem Museum of the Mind; © Findmypast Ltd.

Scholars and students alike will find that, together, the records provide a unique insight into the evolution of so-called lunacy laws – from an early reliance on control of the mentally ill through coercion and restraint to the later emergence of doctrines of self-discipline and moral management.

The trial ends on 12 October 2023. Please email feedback to isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

New eresources: more newspapers, early modern, modern and global history collections

In line with the Bodleian Libraries’ strategy to enhance our collections, we committed substantial funding to a set of purchases of electronic research resources deemed to be important to researchers in the University.

I am therefore delighted to announce access to the following new eresources which are of interest to Oxford historians. They will be most relevant to early modern, modern and global historians. Usage of some of these resources will be reviewed in the course of the next 3 years to assess which will be permanently retained.

All databases can be found in SOLO and Databases A-Z. Oxford researchers should use SSO to gain remote access. Non-Oxford historians are welcome to register with Bodleian Libraries to gain access to these resources and many others.

New online newspaper and magazine resources: British & US

Screenshot of the landing page of Punch Historical Archive 1841-1992

Screenshot of the landing page.

The Independent Historical Archive 1986-2016: Ever since it was launched in 1986, The Independent has enjoyed a reputation for quality and innovation, something Andreas Whittam-Smith and his two co-founders, Stephen Glover and Matthew Symonds, made as a guiding principle when they conceived the idea of a new, upmarket British newspaper.

International Herald Tribune Historical Archive, 1888-2013: Sold in over 160 countries and read worldwide, the International Herald Tribune is one of the most innovative and original newspapers, famous for its objective and clear coverage. Bringing an international perspective, it provides a valuable counterpoint to the Anglo-American press, adding a new dimension to research. This resource features the complete run of the International Herald Tribune from its origins as the European Edition of The New York Herald and later the European Edition of the New York Herald Tribune. The archive ends with the last issue of the International Herald Tribune before its relaunch as the International New York Times.

The Jet Magazine Archive: Covers the civil rights movement, politics, education, and other social topics with an African American focus. It includes over 3,000 issues providing a broad view of news, culture, and entertainment from its first issue in 1951 through to 2014. Users can search across the articles using full-text search, or select specific issues, years or themes. Each article is indexed with relevant keywords. Researchers can also view images and advertisements within each issue. Current coverage covers in the 1980s decade, with additional issues being released over the next coming months.

The Listener Historical Archive, 1929-1991A weekly magazine which was established by the BBC in 1929 under its director-general, Lord Reith. It was developed as the medium for reproducing broadcast talks, initially on radio, but in later years television as well, and was the intellectual counterpart to the BBC listings magazine Radio Times. The Listener is one of the few records and means of accessing the content of many early broadcasts. In addition to commenting on the intellectual broadcasts of the week, the Listener also previewed major literary and musical shows and regularly reviewed new books.

Picture Post Historical Archive, 1938-1957: The Picture Post Historical Archive comprises the complete archive of the Picture Post from its first issue in 1938 to its last in 1957—all digitized from originals in full colour.

Picture Post’s innovative use of photo-journalism captured the imagination of the British people, with readership at its peak estimated at 80% of the population. In the era before television, it became the window on the world for ordinary people, bringing the major social and political issues of the day into popular consciousness.

Punch Historical Archive, 1841-1992: From 1841 to 1992, Punch was the world’s most celebrated magazine of wit and satire. From its early years as a campaigner for social justice to its transformation into national icon, Punch played a central role in the formation of British identity—and how the rest of the world saw the British nation.

We have also purchased access to additional years of newspaper content for the following:


New online newspaper resources: global

Screenshot of the landing page of Caribbean Newspapers 1718-1876

Screenshot of the landing page

Afghan Central Press Digital Archive: The Afghan Central Press collection brings together four national, Kabul-based publications of Afghanistan whose long runs and prominence provide a concentrated vantage point for understanding developments in Afghanistan for much of the twentieth century. The English-language Kabul Times is presented alongside Pushto publications Anīs (انیس, Companion), Hewād (هیواد, Homeland), and Iṣlāḥ (اصلاح, Reform). Together, the archives of these newspapers provide a chronicle of events from the fall of the Kingdom of Afghanistan, the establishment of the People’s Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, the Soviet invasion, the rise of the Mujahedeen, the establishment of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, invasion by the United States and the ensuing period of reconstruction from the view of the capital.

Al-Ahram Digital Archive (1875-2020): Founded in 1875, Al-Ahram (الأهرام‎) is one of the most prominent Arabic newspapers in the Middle East, with a legacy as Egypt’s most authoritative and influential national daily. Al-Ahram established itself as a high-quality journalistic venture during the mid-20th century reporting across the political, social, economic and cultural scope of the nation. After President Nasser nationalized the Egyptian press in 1960, readers generally considered the paper the de facto voice of the central government. Al-Ahram has long featured contributions from many of the Arab world’s most important literary figures and intellectuals: Naguib Mahfouz, Edward Said, Yusuf Idris, Taha Hussein, Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed, and Azmi Bishara among them, as well as nationalist leaders such as Mustafa Kamil and Saad Zaghlul. Influential forward-leaning contemporary writers such as Sabah Hamamou are also affiliated with the paper. The newspaper over its history successfully expanded to circulate content from around the world, printing international editions as well as Arabic-language editions of the daily. The Al-Ahram Digital Archive features full page-level digitization, with page-views and searchable text. It offers scholars Arabic and English interfaces, options to download or print pages in high resolution, and features to crowd-source improvements to the OCRed text.

Caribbean Newspapers, Series 1, 1718-1876: Created in cooperation with the American Antiquarian Society, this collection gives scholars access to more than 150 years of Caribbean and Atlantic history, cultures and daily life. Featuring more than 140 newspapers from 22 islands, it chronicles the region’s evolution across two centuries through eyewitness reporting, editorials, legislative information, letters, poetry, advertisements, obituaries and other news items. Most titles are in English but a number of Spanish, French, and Danish language titles are also provided. Also included are newspapers from the North Atlantic island of Bermuda.

Cumhuriyet Digital Archive (1924-2020): Established in May 1924, Cumhuriyet (“The Republic”) is the oldest secular Turkish daily newspaper and is widely considered one of the last remaining opposition newspapers in Turkey. Founded by journalist Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu at the initiative of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Cumhuriyet was the first newspaper of the Turkish Republic and promoted a belief in democracy, secularism and the rule of law.

Since its foundation, Cumhuriyet has stood witness to the changing landscape of Turkey’s political, social and economic environment. Despite the challenges of these times, the institution of Cumhuriyet has sustained its coverage of domestic and international news, providing critical documentation of Turkey’s dynamic history and its relations with the global community. The newspaper has a daily circulation of over 30,000 and receives roughly 25 million visitors to its website each month. It is one of the most influential newspapers in Turkey and is regarded by domestic and foreign readers as a reliable source for impartial, intelligent news reporting.

Latin American Newspapers, Series 2 (1805-1922): This second series of digitised Latin American Newspapers significantly expands the number of searchable titles made available from this region in Series 1. It provides issues from more than 250 additional titles and contains newspapers published in English, Spanish and Portuguese from 20 countries, including some countries and cities not represented in the first series. Together, both series offer unprecedented coverage of the people, issues and events that shaped this vital area during the 19th and early 20th centuries. [Through eyewitness reporting, editorials, legislative information, letters, poetry, advertisements, matrimony notices and obituaries, this unique collection chronicles the evolution of Latin American culture and daily life across two centuries. In addition, these newspapers provide a wide range of viewpoints from diverse cultures.]

Kavkaz Digital Archive (DA-KVZ): ‘The newspaper Kavkaz (Кавказ, The Caucasus) was published during 1846-1918. It was the first Russian-language newspaper in the Caucasus, published in Tiflis (Tbilisi), Georgia. The main purpose of the newspaper was, on the one hand, to promote the Russian culture and Russian influence in the Caucasus, and on the other hand “to acquaint the Russian public with the life, habits and traditions of the tribes populating the province of the Caucasus.” Kavkaz published official documents of the Russian Empire, as well as many historical, cultural and archeological writings by prominent public and cultural figures of the local intelligentsia.’
Kavkaz Digital Archive is available on the Universal Database (UDB) platform and the Global Press Archive (GPA) platform; they provide a slightly different viewing experience but include the same content.

Middle Eastern and North African Newspapers Premium Collection (CRL-WIDE1): The MENA Premium collection package complements the freely available Middle Eastern and North African Newspapers Open Access collection. Comprising five prominent in-copyright newspapers from across the region, the MENA Premium collection spans the period of 1956-2019 and represents a collaboration between East View and the publishers of each title to make current, in-copyright material available to a global audience. MENA Premium Collection Titles include al-Akhbār (االخبار ,Lebanon, 2006-2019), al-Dustūr (الدستور ,Jordan, 1967-2000), al-Jumhūrīyah (الجمهورية ,Egypt, 1962-1986), al-Riyāḍ (الرياض ,Saudi Arabia, 1972-1996) and Filasṭīn (فلسطين , Israel/Palestine, 1956-1967).


Tip: To learn more about our newspaper eresources and how best to locate and find them, check out the Newspapers and other online news sources from the 17th – 21st centuries (LibGuide)


Modern British and US history

Screenshot of landing page of Archives of Sexuality and Gender I

Screenshot of landing page

Archives of Sexuality and Gender, part I: LGBTQ History and Culture since 1940 This resource spans the sixteenth to twentieth centuries and is the largest digital collection of historical primary source publications relating to the history and study of sex, sexuality, and gender research and gender studies research. Documentation covering disciplines such as social, political, health, and legal issues impacting LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) communities around the world are included, as well as rare and unique books on sex and sexuality from the sciences to the humanities to support research and education. Oxford only has access to part I.

Chatham House Online Archive: Module 1: Publications and Archives of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1920-1979 contains the publications and archives of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), the world-leading independent international affairs policy institute founded in 1920 following the Paris Peace Conference.The Institute’s analysis and research, as well as debates and speeches it has hosted, can be found in this online archive, subject-indexed and fully searchable.

Nineteenth Century Collections Online: British Politics and Society: The British Politics and Society archive of Nineteenth Century Collections Online (NCCO) is packed with primary source documentation that enhances a greater understanding and analysis of the development of urban centers and of the major restructuring of society that took place during the Industrial Revolution. The archive is composed of a number of individual collections, drawn together from a variety of sources.

Foreign Office Files for Japan: Module II: Occupation of Japan, 1946-1952: Published in three parts, this collection makes available extensive coverage of British Foreign Office files dealing with Japan between 1919 and 1952, shedding light on Anglo-Japanese ties in a time of shifting alliances. This second module covers the Occupation period (1946-1952). Following surrender at the end of the Second World War, Japan was occupied by Allied Powers for the first time in its history. The files for this period offer a British perspective on the creation of a democratic state in Japan and the enforcement of a new constitution. They include key British communications and reports covering topics such as war crime trials, reparations, and Japan’s economic recovery. They conclude in 1952, the year the Treaty of San Francisco normalised Anglo-Japanese relations and the first post-war British Ambassador to Japan, Esler Dening, was appointed. The majority of documents in this section are sourced from FO 371, with a smaller number from FO 262.

Topics covered include: disarmament, war crime trials, Japanese economy, trade and industry, occupational forces, liberation and the New Constitution, Japanese Post-War Political Parties, Peace Treaty and reestablishing diplomatic ties.


Global history

Screenshot of East India Company Catalogue of Original Correspondence, vol 1 1602-1613.

Screenshot of page 1, East India Company Catalogue of Original Correspondence, vol 1, 1602-1613, Adam Matthew Digital.

Cambridge Archive Editions Online: presents a wealth of historical reference materials in the form of many thousands of original documents of the National Archives (UK) represented in facsimile, including numerous maps, on the national heritage and political development of many countries. The value and discoverability of this content is enhanced immeasurably through CAE’s document-level citations and rich indexing. For many years CAE has specialized in the history of the Middle East, Russia and the Balkans, the Caucasus, Southeast Asia, and China and the Far East. Now, through collaboration between Cambridge University Press and East View, these materials are made searchable and accessible in e-book form.

Includes China Political Reports, 1911-1960 and China Political Reports, 1961-1970, which draw together the periodic political reports sent by British officials based in China back to the British Foreign Office.

Chatham House Online Archive: Module 1: Publications and Archives of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1920-1979 (see above)

Database of Chinese Classics 中國基本古籍庫 (Erudition): includes 10,000 titles in 12,500 editions from the pre-Qin period through to the Republican period. All texts are provided in full text and image format, allowing for a direct comparison both between digitized text and original text image, and in some cases between different editions of the text. The full-text and images from a variety of subject areas organized into four sections: Philosophy and Science, History and Geography, Art and Literature, and General Works.

Early Arabic Printed Books from the British Library: Literature, Grammar, Language, Catalogues, and Periodicals: Early Arabic Printed Books from the British Library (1475-1900) is the first full-text searchable digital library of early printed books in Arabic script. It is presented in 3 modules with this module (number 3) including periodicals, folktales, pre-Islamic literature (Antar, Bani Hilal, Imru’l qays), Islamic poetry and prose (al-Burdah), poetry and prose (maqamat), Kalilah wa-dimnah, Luqman, proverbs and sayings, Thousand and one nights, later literature, poetry and prose, general literature, as well as language and lexicography, dictionaries, grammar, syntax, rhetoric, ‘ilm al-bayan, catalogues and manuscript catalogues amongst others.

East India Company Part IV which covers the correspondence of the early voyages and formation and conflictbetween 1600 and 1858. This module consists of 793 volumes, comprising original, draft and abstracted correspondence from IOR Class E plus their associated H- and Z-class indexes, and the Z-class indexes for the Madras and Bombay Presidencies.

It includes correspondence between the East India Company and the Board of Commissioners for the Affairs of India, the Company’s various settlements and Presidencies throughout Asia, government departments, and European houses of agency. The records offer a fascinating insight into the early voyages of the Company and its shifting interests from trade to the gaining of territorial power, and are interspersed with a number of petitions, reports (including quarterly ‘Narratives of Proceedings’ produced by regional administrations), financial accounts, inventories and other documents.

Oxford now has East India Company (Modules I-IV).

Foreign Office Files for Japan: Module II: Occupation of Japan, 1946-1952: (see above)

Grand Secretariat Archives: The archives of the Grand Secretariat currently housed at the Institute were originally kept at the Grand Secretariat Storehouse in the Ch’ing imperial palace. They were removed from the Storehouse when it underwent renovation in 1909. After the overthrow of the Ch’ing, these archives changed hands several times, and were, at one point, even sold to a paper recycling factory. Eventually, the Institute purchased them from Li Sheng-to, a book collector, in1929 thanks to the efforts of Fu Ssu-nien, the Institute’s first director.
There are over four thousand Ming (1368-1644) documents and more than three hundred thousand volumes of Ch’ing (1644-1911) archival materials in this collection, including imperial decrees, edicts, memorials, tribute document, examination questions, examination papers, rosters of successful examination candidates, documents from the offices of the Grand Secretariat, documents from the offices for book compilation, and old documents from Mukden. Memorials make up the bulk these documents.
The archives contain valuable source materials for institutional, social and economic historians. They record general administrative activities and legal cases, many of which cannot be found in Ch’ing legal compendia.
Related links:

Bloomsbury Cultural History series: more available

 

 

 

We have recently purchased the following titles in the Bloomsbury Cultural History series which are all available online via SOLO.

  • Cultural History of Childhood and Family (Bloomsbury, 2010, 6 vols) via SOLO
  • Cultural History of Disability (Bloomsbury, 2020, 6 vols) via SOLO
  • Cultural History of the Emotions (Bloomsbury, 2019, 6 vols) via SOLO
  • Cultural History of Marriage (Bloomsbury, 2019, 6 vols) via SOLO
  • Cultural History of the Senses (Bloomsbury, 2018, 6 vols) via SOLO
  • Cultural History of Women (Bloomsbury, 2013, 6 vols) via SOLO
  • Cultural History of Sexuality (Bloomsbury, 2014, 6 vols) via SOLO

The Cultural Histories are comprehensive surveys of the social and cultural construction of specific subjects across six historical periods:

  • Antiquity
  • The Medieval Age
  • The Renaissance
  • The Enlightenment
  • The Age of Empire
  • The Modern Age

Each volume discusses the same themes in its chapters so that readers may gain a broad understanding of a period by reading an entire volume, or follow a theme through history by reading the relevant chapter in each volume. Generously illustrated, each six-volume set combines to present an authoritative overview of its subject throughout history.

Book cover: Women in Antiquity Book cover: Sexuality in the Middle Ages

 

Book cover: Disability in the Middle Ages Book cover: Women in the Renaissance Book cover: Emotions in the Late Medieval, Reformation and Renaissance Book cover: Marriage in the Age of Enlightenment Book cover: Senses in the Age of Empire Book cover: Childhood and Family in the Modern Age

 

New: International Women’s Periodicals, 1786-1933: Social and Political Issues (Archives Unbound)

Womanhood, vol VI June To November 1901, in International Women’s Periodicals 1786-1933 (Cengage)

I’m pleased to inform Oxford researchers and students that you now have access to the online International Women’s Periodicals, 1786-1933: Social and Political Issues (Archives Unbound).

This Cengage resource provides online access 57 women’s magazine and journal publications covering the late eighteenth century to the 1930s.

The material allows researchers to explore the role of women in society and the development of the public lives of women as the push for women’s rights (woman suffrage, fair pay, better working conditions, etc.) grew in the United States and England.

Some of the titles in this collection were conceived and published by men, for women; others, conceived and published by male editors with strong input from female assistant editors or managers; others were conceived and published by women, for women. It is therefore also useful for the study of the history of women’s publishing.

Gallery Of Fashion, May 1796, in International Women’s Periodicals 1785-1933 (Cengage)

The strongest suffrage and anti-suffrage writing was done by women for women’s periodicals. Suffrage and anti-suffrage writing, domesticity columns, and literary genres from poetry to serialized novels are included in these periodicals. Thus this resource provides a wide array of views for study.

The collection contains overwhelmingly English and US publications, with 4 German, 1 French periodical and 1 Icelandic periodical.

Access is via SOLO or Databases A-Z. Use your Oxford Single Single On for remote access.

While you are here, you might find these subscription eresources also useful:

New Books: contesting the United Kingdom and the history of sexuality

This month sees the introduction of a selection of texts on Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland, with topics including prominent (often divisive) political figures, rebellions, changing political landscapes and debates on national identity and autonomy. In addition, we’ve acquired materials on the history of sex and sexuality, highlighting discussions on gender identity and shifting social and cultural representations of the human body.

For a full list of recent acquisitions, click on the image below:

 

Dorr, Noel. Sunningdale: the search for peace in Northern Ireland. (2017, Dublin: Royal Irish Academy)

McAllister, Laura. Plaid Cymru: the emergence of a political party. (2001, Bridgend : Seren)

Torrance, David. Whatever happened to Tory Scotland? (2012, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press)

Adams, James E. Dandies and Desert Saints: styles of Victorian masculinity. (1995, London: Ithaca)

Cook, Matt. et al. A Gay History of Britain: love and sex between men since the Middle Ages. (2007, Oxford: Greenwood World)

Feinberg, Leslie. Transgender Warriors: making history from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman (1996, Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press)

There are more! Find them here.

 

Personalise your alerts

If you would like a personalised RSS feed so you can be alerted to our new history books, just email isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk with your preferred period, country or topic.

 

Trial until 28 February 2018: Punch Historical Archive 1841-1992

Oxford researchers are now invited to trial the online Punch Historical Archive 1841-1992 which is accessible via SOLO (shortly) and OxLIP+.

This resource is the fully text searchable online archive of Punch, or, The London Charivari, a celebrated weekly magazine of humour and satire. It was founded in summer 1841, ceasing publication in 1992. From its early years as a campaigner for social justice to its transformation into national icon, the heavily illustrated Punch played a central role in the formation of British identity – and how the rest of the world saw the British.

It is useful for the study of 19th and 20th century political and social history on key themes such as World War I and World War II; Wars and Conflicts; Colonialism, Imperialism and End of Empire; Impact of New Technology and Modernity; Public Health, Conservation and Environmentalism; Social Change; and The Role of Women. It is worth looking at the Essays and Resource section where a list of case studies showcase the use of Punch as a source material in many different ways.

Yeats, Jack B. “The Airship Menace.” Punch Historical Archive [London, England] 11 Nov. 1914: 389. Punch Historical Archive. Web. 22 Jan. 2018.

The resource includes approx. 7,900 issues as well as almanacs, other special numbers, prefaces, epilogues, indexes and other specially produced material from the bound volumes.

While some adverts are included in the digitised Punch they are not complete as the sets which were used for digitising had largely had the advertising removed. It is worth knowing that the British Library’s set of Punch (shelf mark C.194.b.199, Chairman’s set) includes the original advertising for vol. 1 (Jul.-Dec. 1841) – vol. 277 (Jul.-Dec. 1979); vol. 282 (Jan.-Jun. 1982)- vol. 289 (Jul.-Dec. 1985); Jan.-Dec. 1986 and 1988-1989 (all issues).

Between 1842 and 1899 almanacks were included in Punch, but were issued separately thereafter. Like adverts and special issues, they can be searched separately in Advanced Search.

Images in colour are also reproduced in colour.

Please send feedback to isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk by 28 February.

Also of interest

  1. Find the hard copies of Punch, or, The London Charivari in Oxford
  2. Other online availability:
  3. Selected bibliography on the history and reception of Punch:
  4. Useful subject searches in SOLO:

Almanacs, English
English wit and humor
Caricatures and cartoons
Punch (London, England)

Newly received History books: German art and war, white slavery, cultural assimilation and an English master.

Below is a small selection of new books that have been added to our collections in the past fortnight, this week’s selection isn’t themed but does include a varied selection of social, cultural and art history.

Potter, Pamela Maxine, Art of suppression : confronting the Nazi past in histories of the visual and performing arts (University of California Press, 2016)

Hales, Petrescu and Weinstein (eds.), Continuity and crisis in German cinema, 1928-1936 (New York : Camden House, 2016)

Merritt, Keri Leigh, Masterless men : poor whites and slavery in the antebellum South (Cambridge University Press, 2017)

Wiese and Wilhelm (eds.) American Jewry : transcending the European experience? (London : Bloomsbury Academic, 2017)

Woods, Gregory, Homintern : how gay culture liberated the modern world (Yale University Press, 2016)

Shanes, Eric, Young Mr Turner : the first forty years, 1775-1815 (Yale University Press, 2016)

 

There are more!

Many more new books were received. You can find them all here.

Personalise your alerts

If you would like a personalised RSS feed so you can be alerted to our new history books, just email isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk with your preferred period, country or topic.

Trial until 24 April: Leisure, Travel and Mass Culture – the History of Tourism

Oxford researchers are now invited to trial Leisure, Travel and Mass Culture – the History of Tourism. This resource provides access to a highly diverse collection of material on well-known, little-known and far-flung travel destinations across the world between 1850s and 1980s.

It can be accessed via SOLO or OxLIP+. Please note that PDF downloads are not available during this trial.

From Adam Matthew Digital, http://www.amdigital.co.uk/m-products/product/leisure-travel-and-mass-culture-the-history-of-tourism/detailed-information/, accessed 27 March 2017

Collections come from multiple archives, including Thomas Cook, provide a multi-national perspective on the evolution of affordable tourism between 1850 and the 1980s. It offers researchers an interesting insight into social and cultural history, such as the growth and expansion of travel agents and transport companies and the integral role they played in the accessibility of destinations across Britain, Europe, North America and around the World.

Key subject themes include:

  • Beachfront
  • Historical, Cultural or Religious Tourism
  • Road, Rail and Automobile Travel
  • Children and Families
  • Women and Tourism
  • The Great Outdoors
  • Planning and Business
  • International Relations
  • Package Tours
  • Cruises and Organised Travel
  • Accommodation, Hospitality and Entertainment
  • Health and Medical Travel
  • Urban Tours and City Breaks

The resource features a wide range of different document types, including:

From http://www.amdigital.co.uk/m-products/product/leisure-travel-and-mass-culture-the-history-of-tourism/detailed-information/, accessed 27 March 2017

  • Travel diaries and journals
  • Scrapbooks
  • Photographs
  • Guidebooks
  • Film
  • Posters
  • Postcards
  • Leaflets and brochures
  • Correspondence
  • Periodicals
  • Maps
  • Government documents
  • Printed books
  • Ephemera
  • Prints, engravings, illustration and sketches

 

 

 

The coverage of countries is global, with documents covering the Arctic, Asia, Africa and Americas, Caribbean, Middle East and of course Europe.

Send feedback to isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk by 24 April.

New: Mass Observation Online Part III – access to post-war sources

MO3Mass Observation enthusiasts will be pleased to know that Oxford has now acquired part 3 of this wonderful resource. The latest addition to Mass Observation Online supplements coverage of the war-years and for the first time includes personal writing material from the post-war years.

Oxford users have access to MOO via SOLO or Databases A-Z.

The new content provides opportunities for in-depth research of subjects from an age of post-war austerity and the rise of consumerism and the welfare state:

  • demobilization
  • health and the NHS
  • reconstruction
  • industry
  • sport
  • holidays and leisure

The following new materials are now included:

Diaries, Men and Women, 1946-1950

A full run of diaries up to the end of 1950. You can trace and compare individual accounts of everyday life and events in Britain in the first five years following the end of the Second World War.

Directives, Men and Women, 1946-1947

The complete set of directives for 1946-1947 covers such varied subjects as political parties and policies, reading habits, drinking habits, spiritualism, the cost of living, expectations for 1947, Britain’s place in the world, anti-Semitism, and responses to the Nuremberg Trials.

Topic Collections

Thirty new Topic Collections from the war and post-war years are being added, more than doubling the Topic Collection digital holdings of the existing resource. These include:

  • Propaganda and Morale, 1939-1944 (including material on public opinion, propaganda theory, Beaverbrook campaigns, government advertising campaigns, and Ministry of Information exhibitions)
  • Conscientious Objection and Pacifism, 1939-1944 (including surveys of pacifists, and materials on cultural and legal aspects of pacifism)
  • Press, 1938-42 (including analysis of the press, newspaper placards and cuttings)
  • Police, Law and Invasion Preparations, 1939-1941 (including police reports, accounts of crime and accidents in the Blackout, and Invasion Leaflet Questionnaire Replies)
  • Reconstruction, 1941-1942 (including regional reconstruction surveys, plans, and progress reports, and material on the Housing Centre and the National Council of Social Service)
  • Coal Mining, 1938-1948 (including surveys of mines, miners and mining towns)
  • Industry, 1940-1955 (including industrial and war factory surveys and material on strikes and industrial disputes)
  • Sexual Behaviour, 1939-1950 (including reports on sex in and outside of marriage, sexual morality, questionnaires, and material on contraception, ‘Lonely Hearts’ clubs, and venereal disease)
  • Health, 1939-1947 (including surveys of health, the National Health Service and chemists’ shops)
  • Family Planning, 1944-1949 (including family surveys and matrimony questionnaires)
  • Live Entertainment, 1938-1948 (including fairs, the theatre, pantomime, music hall and concerts)
  • Sport, 1939-1947 (including cricket, football, golf, rugby, darts, dogs, and sport in wartime)
  • Holidays, 1937-1951 (including the Beveridge holiday questionnaire, holiday camps, holiday transport and activities)

Watch the ‘Mass Observation Online’ video overview on YouTube


Largely taken from http://www.amdigital.co.uk/m-collections/collection/mass-observation-iii/.

Related Links

What else in the Mass Observation Online? See my blog post of 24 June 2010.

Other useful resources: