Archive

Our Explore the Past guide is doing a remarkable job at helping people research their roots. But don’t just take our word for it, see what professional genealogist, Emma Jolly, has to say about it…   Our Explore the Past guide is a real treasure – 70 pages of everything you need to know about...

Ridge and furrow earthworks, the remains of former field systems, exist across Worcestershire. They are often overlaid by the straight boundaries of later inclosed fields and form an important part of the landscape character in Worcestershire and the identity of local areas.  The pressure for land for development and changes in agriculture in the second...

  Ruardean Castle, in the Forest of Dean, is a nationally important site. Despite this, relatively little is known about it – when was it first built and occupied until? Did it start life as a motte and bailey castle or ringwork (defensive site protected by a ditch and bank), and when was it converted...

How a chance find in the archives inspired research into a Worcestershire Resident and Midlands MP, with international consequences. In May 1972 the British Library of Political and Economic Science undertook a survey of the personal papers of politicians of the Twentieth Century. One of the people contacted regarding their parliamentary career, was retired MP...

An ordinary day in the archives… there’s no such thing! Find out more about how we spend our time…. There’s no such thing as an ordinary day in the archives…every day is different, and that’s part of the reason why I love working in archives.   Today, for example, I’ve been on duty at The Hive. ...

As today’s theme is #archiveanimals this blog will look briefly at the history of the animals in our homes, our pets, and the special place they have held in our hearts for centuries through some of our documents here at the Hive. As today’s theme is #archiveanimals this blog will look briefly at the history...

School log books can provide the researcher with information on the day-to day running of a local school but also how national events affected school life. Here we explore some of the varied information that be found in our collections. As anyone will know, who has tried to find out about the life of the...

It is unusual to find information on a naval career in our archives. Here we discover something more about the life of Charles Dixon, whose naval career appears to have begun in the 1770s. The Foley Scrapbooks which are part of the Palfrey Collection have always been one of my favourite archives. And no matter...

Have you ever wondered what happens to the boxes, files, books, photographs, maps etc. after you have dropped them off   with a member of the archive team?   Do you feel a pang as those items that have cluttered up your attics and hallways for years disappear behind the door, wheeled off on a trolley...

Ten years ago I took a series of photographs of Worcester that were inspired by the book Worcester in a Day by Michael Dowty. In celebration of this anniversary we take a look at some of the photographs to see how Worcester has changed. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the publication of Worcester...