Bedfordshire Archives

15/06/2026

, in 1215, King John sealed the Magna Carta at Runnymede. As one of the most famous documents in English history, it helped lay the foundations for constitutional government.

More than 750 years later, in 1979, a Kempston security firm played a role in preserving this historic document by providing a display case fitted with a blanket fibre to help maintain a stable atmosphere.

"Inter Com" was a magazine produced by Hastingsbury College. The College closed in 2015. We have a few issues in our collections, this one is ref: Z181/14/4.

12/06/2026

Scrapbooking is something many people enjoy and we have many examples in our collections. They include things like newspaper clippings, drawings, tickets stubs ...
whatever the creator thought was fun, important or just sparked memories for them. One such scrapbook that we hold was compiled in 1937 by Caleb Le Fevre, an elderly man living in Harrold and reflected his interests in local and national events. [Ref:Z1616/1]

10/06/2026

Celebrating with a deed of grant of Coat of Arms to John James Reynal, of Eggington, barrister, from 1737. Illuminated with the arms as granted, royal arms and the arms of the Duke of Norfolk, (Earl Marshall of England). [Ref: F204]

10/06/2026

Have you been to see the Luton Made: Vauxhall exhibition yet at The Learning Suite at Stockwood Discovery Centre ? Entry is free, no need to book

This celebration of Vauxhall and its impact on Luton finishes on 28th June so visit now whilst you have the chance.

There are two special events on the next two Saturdays, so why not pop along:

Saturday 13 June, 12pm
‘Luton & Vauxhall’ – Dr Len Holden traces the rise of Vauxhall Motors, from its early years to the closure of the Luton plant.

Saturday 20 June, 11am
‘Vauxhall & Car Design’ – Explore the former Vauxhall Design Centre (AJ Block/Griffin House), including the rescue of Vauxhall’s greatest art commission from AJ Block, The Ornamental Wheel window.

Luton Council

09/06/2026

Followers in the Ampthill area – are you interested in archaeology and the history of your town?

6th – 18th June is a Community Archaeology Dig at Ampthill Great Park. The dig will be taking place to the west of Katherine’s Cross and you can get involved in tours of the dig site and join in the celebrations on Sunday 14th June at the Aragon Day Festival. More details in the comments

Images for attention only - they're not from Ampthill!
One is an archaeological dig at Old Warden in the 1970s [Z50/129/150] and the second is a dig at St Pauls Square, Bedford in 1986 [BorBK4/32/4/31]

09/06/2026

Feel like getting some fresh air? Combine your love of local history with the outdoors with guided walks running over the summer at Foster Hill Road Cemetery.

09/06/2026

This we’re raising awareness of who we are, what we do and why we do it.

At Bedfordshire Archives our objective is: “To collect, preserve and make available the documentary heritage of the historic county of Bedfordshire and its people.”
Documents can record a multitude of things ... organisation decisions made, buildings planned, life events, current affairs, a snapshot of a village ... all topics people might want to view, research or confirm in the future.

If you’re following our page then you’ll have some idea of the thousands of records we hold, from estate papers through to sports societies and local government records to parish registers. These come to us in a variety of guises and we sort and package them so that they are accessible for future generations to come. Document deposits can be as simple as a single volume or as complex as this image from some years ago!

08/06/2026

Clearly Monday mornings haven't improved in 126 years ... [SDToddington1/1]

03/06/2026

Fascinating new exhibition now on at Luton Central Library revealing the history of Black British ballet in the 20th Century, including the formation of the company Les Ballet Nègres, of whom last year we shared one of their playbills from the Alma Theatre in the 1940s.

🩰 Into the Light: Black British Ballet Exhibition

Now open at Luton Libraries, this powerful exhibition shines a light on the hidden history of Black British ballet through stunning photography, film and first-hand stories from pioneering dancers.

📅 1st-26th June
📍 2nd Floor, Luton Central Library

Come and experience the history and the beauty that changed ballet forever.

01/06/2026

Our first in the series for ‘Which Parish in Bedfordshire?’. On the 1st of each month, we will share an old OS map image and picture clue. Can you guess the name of the parish without consulting Google? They will get progressively harder as they go along!

The correct answer is Elstow. Congratulations to anyone who guessed correctly.