The National Archives

Call Directions

The National Archives As the archive for England, Wales and the UK government, we hold over 1,000 years of history
(1)

Yesterday, over 100 MI5 (Security Service) top-secret files were released by The National Archives. MI5 have released an...
23/10/2026

Yesterday, over 100 MI5 (Security Service) top-secret files were released by The National Archives.

MI5 have released and transferred historical files to our archive in Kew since 1997, either in the spring or the autumn.

This latest release covers the period from the 1930s to the 1970s. These items, that were once considered 'secret' or 'top secret', cover the world of politics, entertainment, and Soviet double agents.

Among those featured are NHS founder Aneurin Bevan and renowned 20th-century composer Sir Michael Tippett, whose files shed new light on how MI5 monitored influential individuals.

Find out more through our latest blog here: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/the-collection-blog/a-file-release-from-mi5/

Catalogue references:
KV 2/4767 (Mr and Mrs VEX in New Oxford Street on 1 January 1965)
KV 2/4777 (Document relating to details of the spycraft involved in Bossard’s case.)
KV 2/4860 (Michael Tippett)
KV 2/4858 (Document relating to Arnold Ridley)

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912) was a pioneering British composer and conductor from the late 19th and early 20th ce...
19/10/2026

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

Often compared to Gustav Mahler, his exceptional talent and influence in classical music were widely recognised.

His breakthrough work was Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast, based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic poem about the Native American hero, Hiawatha. Premiering in 1898, it was an immediate success and earned him international recognition.

During his 1904 tour, he was even invited to the White House by President Theodore Roosevelt. He was also a strong advocate for racial equality and colonial freedom, attending the inaugural Pan-African conference in London in 1900.

Read more of his fascinating story: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/samuel-coleridge-taylor/

1 📸 : COPY 1/451
2 📸: COPY 1/483

What can you actually do at The National Archives in Kew? 📖Well, to give you a few ideas...• Order and view original doc...
16/10/2026

What can you actually do at The National Archives in Kew? 📖

Well, to give you a few ideas...

• Order and view original documents for free ✅
• Explore our free exhibition, now featuring two US Declarations of Independence ✅
• Research your family history on our computers and databases ✅
• Visit our library which has over 75,000 resources ✅
• Look at West End theatre costumes up close - from Hamilton! ✅
• Treat yourself to coffee and cake (for all of your hard work) ✅
• Sit yourself down at our replica Cabinet Table and pretend you're a Prime Minister from years gone by ✅
• Browse our gift shop - too soon to mention Christmas? ✅
• Enjoy our grounds and do a bit of bird spotting ✅

If you fancy a few hours or a day out, we're open from Tuesday - Sunday and less than a 10 minute walk from Kew Gardens station. Please note: Our Reading Rooms and Library are not open on Sundays.

Explore our homepage and plan your visit: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Let us know in the comments if you plan on seeing us soon!

'I feel now that at least I have roots, that there are millions of other people like me' - Eslanda Robeson (1895–1965) T...
15/10/2026

'I feel now that at least I have roots, that there are millions of other people like me' - Eslanda Robeson (1895–1965)

This powerful sentence was written by Eslanda (Essie) following a three-month journey through Africa in 1936. Partly organised by the British Government, a file at The National Archives (swipe to read) reveals her personal reflections of the trip and the profound impact it had on her.

She had a long-held ambition to visit the continent, and her dismissive experiences as a student at the London School of Economics, along with a desire to connect her 8-year-old son Pauli to African cultures appear to have given her the push she needed. Having lived in the UK from the age of 10 months, Essie commented that Pauli 'had thought we were the only brown people in a totally white world.'

Essie's book 'African Journey' (1947) is based on the diaries she kept during her travels in 1936. To find out more, read our latest blog: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/essie-robesons-african-journey/

Image: Everett Collection Historical / Alamy
Catalogue reference: CO 822/70/14

The witch report. If you've visited The National Archives in Kew, you might have noticed we have a selected document on ...
14/10/2026

The witch report.

If you've visited The National Archives in Kew, you might have noticed we have a selected document on display each month called 'Stories Unboxed' 📖

Throughout the rest of October we are displaying this chilling document from 1634, revealing the physical examinations of accused witches in Lancashire. NOTE: This record contains references to intrusive and non-consensual physical examinations on women.

The report was created after the 1633–1634 Lancashire witch scare, which lead to one of the largest witchcraft investigations of the 17th century in England. This took place just a few decades after the infamous Pendle witch trials of 1612, building on nationwide fears.

Many of the accused were convicted locally at the Lancashire Assizes, a court reserved for serious crimes. The Privy Council ordered that some of the women should be taken to the Surgeons' Hall in London, in the name of carrying out intrusive and distressing physical examinations. This was in the pursuit of finding 'witches' marks' on their bodies, commonly believed in the 17th century to indicate witchcraft.

Their names were Jennet Hargreaves, Frances Dicconson, Mary Spencer and Margaret Johnson.

Read more about this record in detail: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/stories/the-physical-examination-of-accused-witches/

Catalogue reference: SP 16/271

Lost for 250 years, now revealed for the first time. More than 150 sets of ships’ papers captured during the American Wa...
12/10/2026

Lost for 250 years, now revealed for the first time.

More than 150 sets of ships’ papers captured during the American War of Independence are now available online, revealing personal letters, ship logs, crew records and business papers seized by British forces more than two centuries ago.

Known as Prize Papers, these remarkable documents offer a rare glimpse into the lives of sailors, merchants and families caught up in a global conflict that shaped history.

To mark the 250th anniversary of the opening of the British Vice-Admiralty Court in New York, The National Archives and the University of Oldenburg have published the first selection of this extraordinary collection online.

To be the first to find out more, sign up to our newsletter: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/contact-us/email-updates/

The project is funded by the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Lower Saxony, Germany as part of the Academies Programme of the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities.

Did you know that anyone can order original documents at The National Archives?We hold over 18 million documents, spanni...
07/10/2026

Did you know that anyone can order original documents at The National Archives?

We hold over 18 million documents, spanning 1,000 years of British history. Whether you're looking for records on your family history, military files, maps and more - there's something here for everyone.

All you need is to sign up for a free readers ticket online. This means you're able to pre-order up to 12 documents before your visit, to view in our reading rooms. Tempted? To find out how to get a readers ticket, visit our website: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/visit/researching-here/readers-tickets/

If you've been to The National Archives before, what documents have you requested? 📜

Sounding the trumpet for two Tudor monarchs 🎺The tournament roll above shows the portrait of John Blanke, the Black trum...
06/10/2026

Sounding the trumpet for two Tudor monarchs 🎺

The tournament roll above shows the portrait of John Blanke, the Black trumpeter who served at the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. He is believed to be the first person of African descent for whom we have both an image and an archival record. Our records show Blanke earning 8d per day in November 1507, receiving scarlet cloth at Henry VIII's coronation, and successfully petitioning for a pay rise.

Join historian and founder of the John Blanke Project Michael Ohajuru this Friday at 14:00 for an online talk, as he pieces together Blanke's role as a royal musician. Unravel a story of status, identity, and opportunity in early sixteenth-century England… get your free tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/john-blanke-the-black-tudor-trumpeter-and-the-reimagining-of-history-tickets-1997441758068?aff=generalmailer7Oct

Have you heard of Alvin Marriott, the Jamaican sculptor?He studied at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts under a Briti...
05/10/2026

Have you heard of Alvin Marriott, the Jamaican sculptor?

He studied at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts under a British Council scholarship from 1947 to 1949. His application file states his work was exhibited in Jamaica and in 1944 he presented a bust of Franklin D Roosevelt to the American president himself.

His creations are still exhibited today, like his statue of Bob Marley which stands in Kingston, Jamaica.

Read more about his fascinating work here: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/explore-by-time-period/postwar/british-council-scholars/

Catalogue reference: BW 84/54 (1947)

October at The National Archives 🎃All treat, no trick! From the Bayeux Tapestry to witch beliefs, we're bringing you a v...
02/10/2026

October at The National Archives 🎃

All treat, no trick! From the Bayeux Tapestry to witch beliefs, we're bringing you a vibrant range of talks and events this month. What better way to spend spooky season? 👻

View the full programme of What's On here: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/whats-on/

Address

Bessant Drive
London
TW94DU

Telephone

+442088763444

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The National Archives posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category