The story of
Robert Wedderburn
Robert Wedderburn (1762–1835) was a British-Jamaican radical preacher, abolitionist and writer.
Georgians (1714–1837)
Our records from this era tell a story of political unrest at home and conflict overseas, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. Trading records show Britain’s reach across the globe and, in some cases, reveal the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade.
Stories from the collection
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Record revealed
The proclamation of Ned Ludd
NewThis note threatens death upon anyone talking to the authorities about the Luddites, textile workers protesting against new, labour-saving technology.
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Focus on
The libellous letters of the Chevalier d’Eon
Pre-trial statements from this 1776 dispute between the Chevalier d’Eon and Charles de Morande provide intricate details about these two French spies.
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Focus on
Smuggling gangs and coastal policing in 19th-century England
Following the Napoleonic Wars, smuggling became a major concern for the British government.
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Record revealed
Request for compensation for the Boston Tea Party
On 16 December 1773, 340 chests of tea were thrown into Boston harbour by protesting colonists. This letter from the East India Company requests reimbursement.
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Record revealed
List of HMS Victory's killed and wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar
We hold one of the lesser known records from the Battle of Trafalgar, the Surgeon’s journal for HMS Victory by William Beatty.
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The story of
Sir John Fielding
Sir John Fielding grew to become one of England’s first and greatest police detectives. And for his entire crime-fighting career, he was blind.
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Focus on
The papers of Nuestra Señora de Covadonga, a Spanish treasure galleon
This previously unknown set of records from an 18th-century galleon shines a light on one of history's most significant trade routes.
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Record revealed
Sir Henry Cole’s rat
Our collection includes many weird and wonderful records – one of the weirdest is undoubtedly a small box containing the remains of two long-dead rats.
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Record revealed
Angry letter sent during the ‘Bread or blood’ riots
This angry letter offers a rare view of the words of ordinary people at the time, threatening violence in response to falling living standards in rural England.