Stories from the collection

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.

Virginia Hall (1906–1982) was an American who served with the British Special Operations Executive in France in 1941–1942 and built a career in espionage.

In 1920, hundreds of members of the National League of the Blind (NLB) marched 200 miles to campaign for support. This printed circular explains what happened.

On one tragic night in March 1943 in Bethnal Green, East London, 173 people lost their lives taking shelter from German bombing as the air raid sirens sounded.

In 1325, officials found suspicious mistakes in the account of the former treasurer of Ireland and hauled him through the courts. What did they uncover?

Recently rediscovered, this letter offers new archival evidence into Britain and Portugal's shared history.

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912) was a trailblazing British composer and conductor from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

We hold one of the lesser known records from the Battle of Trafalgar, the Surgeon’s journal for HMS Victory by William Beatty.

This 15th-century list of ‘alien’ residents, gathered for tax purposes, gives us a remarkable insight into London’s medieval immigrant population.

This book caused confusion and disagreement among family members, but also provided an unusually intimate view of this well-known household.

This roll provides a glimpse into how medieval Ireland was governed, but today plays a starring role in the development of scientific methodologies.

Medical case sheets from the 28th General Hospital, Salonika, reveal an especially deadly peril on the front lines: malaria. How was it fought?

Our records tell the story of Emily Capper's desperate campaign to recover the bodies of the victims, including that of her son.

Sarah Parker Remond (1826–1894) fought for a more equal world as an abolitionist and suffrage supporter. Why and how did she apply for British citizenship?

In the summer of 1948, neurologist Ludwig Guttmann set up a sporting competition between patients. It was the birth of the Paralympic Games.