100 years ago, in early 1916, the Military Service Act was passed by Parliament, introducing conscription into the Army. This pamphlet, published by the National Labour Press gave details of the act and its interpretation. See it on CollectionsCaptured: collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/coll...

#Discover This hand-drawn medal design from the Henry Layard Archive is presumed to represent either Enid Layard’s award as a Lady of Mercy—suggested by the Sultan’s cypher—or a proposed honour for Sir Austen Henry Layard cdm21051.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

Flashback to 1921: Long before #SuperBowl fame, legends were made on muddy pitches at Armstrong College and Durham University Rugby Football Clubs — where grit, teamwork and that winning spirit began #RugbyRoots #football collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/coll...

For #ThrowbackThursday here are two 1980s views of our campus from the nearby civic centre. With the currernt gloomy weather here in Newcastle we're quite looking forward to the days when the trees look as green as they do here. [Ref. NUA/176999/5 and 8].

We’ve just received “Trial, Sentence & Execution of William Jobling” (1832) following #conservation work. This broadside recounts Jobling’s conviction for the murder of Nicholas Fairles, his execution at Durham Assizes, and the grim post-mortem punishment of gibbeting — one of the last in England.

Leviathan is back with us after specialist conservation! The iconic 1651 edition — with its composite sovereign, sword & crozier — has been carefully stabilised so it can be safely studied & displayed for years to come. #Conservation

Have you visited our new exhibition yet? Curated by Robinson Bequest student Hannah Reynolds, From Padua to Edinburgh explores the intersection of art and medicine in European anatomical drawings. The exhibition is free to visit and now open on Level 2 of the Philip Robinson Library.

Last week a plaque was unveiled at Pendower Estate in honour of architect Robert Burns Dick, designer of many Tyneside buildings, including the Uni's Students Union. We also hold a small collection of papers of his life and work. Read about the unveiling here: new.newcastle.gov.uk/news/2026/tr...

📢 Our new research pages are live! Students can find tools on using Special Collections for essays & dissertations, while academics can explore support for collections-based teaching and research. Discover what’s available www.ncl.ac.uk/library/spec...

Ahead of Burns Night on Sunday we thought we'd do some last minute revision, and we've found these very helpful books in our 19th Century Collection to help us along. [Refs. 19thCColl: 821.67 BUR]

#ThrowbackThursday Here are two photos of Claremont Road in 1964, pictured shortly before the buildings were demolished to make way for new university buildings, from our University Archive. Does anyone remember the days of the Dun Cow Inn or visiting the antique shops? [ref: NUA/033439]

Have you read our latest blog? In it we look the depiction of women's fashion in the "Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine", a magazine published between 1852 and 1879 which focussed on issues of the day of interest to its middle class female readers. Read it here: blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/202...

We are saddened to hear of the death of Connie Pickard, co-founder of the Morden Tower readings. Morden Tower attracted significant literary figures, and was instrumental in Newcastle’s Poetry Revival. The Morden Tower Prints collection was donated to the University Library in 2018.

As the cold weather continues we're considering our hat options. These stylishly hatted folk in woodcut prints from our Joseph Crawhall Archive all look to have nice warm heads! Find our digitised Joseph Crawhall woodblock prints on CollectionsCaptured: cdm21051.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

The Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine (1850s–70s) let Victorian women swap fashion tips, fret over crinolines, plan seaside look, & even argue back at men who mocked their hoops. A lively, crowd-sourced fashion conversation long before social media. Find out more: blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/202...

Check this out on CollectionsCaptured - a Miniature History of England measuring just 35 x 26 mm. This page shown introduces the line of the Tudors with an image of Henry VIII cdm21051.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

The weather this week in Newcastle has been wintery and cold. But, these early 1963 photos of Cambo, from our Trevelyan photograph albums remind us it could be worse. The albums can be browsed online on our Digtial Showcase site: digitalshowcase.ncl.ac.uk/showcases/tr... [Ref. CPT/PA/24]

#ICYMI Our Pre-Christmas blog explored how mining engineer, surveyor and diarist Thomas Sopwith celebrated Christmas with his family as recorded in his meticulous diary entries. Read about how he celebrated here: blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/202...

Exhibition now open! Padua to Edinburgh: Cultures of Art and Medicine in European Anatomical Drawings, free to all, Special Collections exhibition space on L2 of the Philip Robinson Library. Find out more before you visit: www.ncl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/exhibitions/padua-to-edinburgh

Happy New Year!We're back in the office & our Reading Room is open, 10-4pm Mon-Fri. Check out our website www.ncl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/ for information on the services that we offer. Here we have 'John Bull's Happy New Year!! Gulp it down, Johnny' from our Broadsides collection (1/9/17)

#MerryChristmas from Newcastle University Special Collections & Archives! This #Christmas break, enjoy a festive blog on the public reading of A Christmas Carol and how Dickens’ classic has been celebrated over time blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/202... #ArchiveAdventCalendar @arascot.bsky.social

Dear #Santa... This touching 1917 letter to Father Christmas was written by 7-year-old Geoffrey Washington Trevelyan on #ChristmasEve at Rounton Grange. He asks Santa to decorate the tree & bring presents for the children blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/201... #ArchiveAdventCalendar @arascot.bsky.social

What did Christmas look like in the 1800s? Explore Thomas Sopwith’s diaries for intimate, candlelit scenes of family, church services, presents, and Victorian festive traditions. A warm read this season! Find out more: blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/202... #Christmas

A true #WinterWonderland These 1925 photographs capture the Richmond and Trevelyan families enjoying ice skating in a frozen landscape. A beautiful glimpse of winter leisure and family life from a century ago collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/coll... #ArchiveAdventCalendar @arascot.bsky.social

📢 Notice: Our Special Collections Reading Room closes today at 4pm and reopens 10am on Mon 5 Jan 2026. You can still browse our collection guides online while we’re closed specialcollections.ncl.ac.uk #ChristmasClosure

#Naughtyornice? Our Alnwick Union Workhouse archive holds a revealing report, evidence & witness statements linked to charges of corruption against the workhouse master. collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/coll... #ArchiveAdventCalendar @arascot.bsky.social

Who has started the annual tradition of prepping for Christmas Dinner yet? Here's an article from our archive of Newcastle's student newspaper The Courier from December 2011, giving readers advice on the 'perfect' ingredients for the annual meal. #ArchiveAdventCalendar #FestiveTraditions

For aspiring 17th Century cooks Gervase Markham’s The English Housewife provided recipes for a festive menu. This blog looks at some of the recipes from the book. blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/202... A key element in prepping food 17th Century style was definitely a #WarmFire! #ArciveAdventCalendar

As the final days of the year approach we're feeling increasingly in the party spirit in our office. We're admiring this very grand scene for a party setting from the front page of this January 1888 copy of The Illustrated London News. #ArchiveAdventCalendar #ChristmasParty [19thCColl ILL 030]

Unfortunately all the real #ArchiveElves were hiding today but we did find some helpful ilustrations of elves in Fairyland: Pictures from the Elf-World, for today's #ArchiveAdventCalendar theme. The book is part of our Marcus Crouch collection of children's books. Ref. crouch 398.4 DOY

An elegant fig tree from Elizabeth Blackwell’s Herbal. Rich greens and warm tones give this 18th-century illustration a festive feel—proof that nature always knows its #ChristmasColours. #ArchivesAdventCalendar @arascot.bsky.social

#Bells for today’s @arascot.bsky.social #ArchiveAdventCalendar! This broadside records a local fundraising drive to buy 2 bells for Morpeth’s Old Gate Steeple (1832)—subscriptions taken by a bookseller, a chemist, & a printer. Community spirit in print! collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/coll...

We may not have any colourful #Christmas #wrappingpaper in the archive…but we do have gold paperclips and acid free tape - making do, archivist-style. @arascot.bsky.social #ArchiveAdventCalendar

Poinsettias are popular plants often used at this time of year to decorate and brighten up our indoor spaces, so here's an illustration of such a bright flower to brighten up your feeds on this December Sunday morning, curtesy of our 19thC Collection. #ArchiveAdventCalendar #Decoration

For many in Newcastle the Grainger Market will be a Christmas shopping desination this weekend, as it has been for 190 years. These illustrations from our Local Illustrations Collection show the very recognisable market during the 19th Century. #ArchiveAdventCalendar #Shopping [Ref ILL/11/204-206]

Our Brand New Exhibition "Padua to Edinburgh: Cultures of Art and Medicine in European Anatomical Drawings" is now open on Level 2 of the Philip Robinson Library. Curated by Robinson Bequest Student Hannah Reynolds, the exhibition traces the story of anatomical illustration through time.

As we're well into Christmas party season, here are several photos from our Trevelyan Family Photograph Albums of the Trevelyans posing for their 1924 festive photographs in their festive outfits (some more festive than others!). #ArchiveAdventCalendar #FestiveClothes [Ref. CPT/PA/10]

A brightly lit Christmas tree can often be found lighting up the #darknights of winter. So, here's a photo of the Newcastle University Christmas tree lights being officially switched on last night for today's #ArchiveAdventCalendar theme.

This #ChristmasCards from John & Pauline Dower, sent in their 2nd year of marriage, to Pauline’s parents, Charles Philips & Lady Mary Trevelyan of @WallingtonNt. The Dowers would go on to help shape England & Wales’ National Parks #ArchiveAdventCalendar @arascot.bsky.social

Planning xmas dinner #FestiveFood?Try this C17th turkey sauce recipe:"Take fair water, and set it over the fire, then slice good store of Onions, and put into it, and also Pepper and Salt, and good store of the gravy..." blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/2023/12/12/a-humble-feast-for-christmas @ara_scotland

For today's #ArchiveAdventCalendar #Star theme we've found this hand made poster for a family play 'starring' the Treveylan and Richmond families in one of our Trevelyan family photo albums. Find all our digitised Trevelyan albums on our Digital Showcase: digitalshowcase.ncl.ac.uk/showcases/tr...

For the final #ExploreYourArchive Week theme of #YourArchive these photos show the formal opening of our Reading Room in 1997. The room may still be in the same place, but lots has changed, including the bookcases! Find out more about us on our website: www.ncl.ac.uk/library/spec...

For today's #ArchiveAdventCalendar theme of #WinterSports here's a scene of what certainly looks like a competitive snow ball throwing competition on the lawn outside the Student's Union, from our University Archive. [Ref. NUA/264918/03]

Looking ahead to next year for today's #ExploreYourArchive #Anniversaries theme, 2026 marks 100 years since the death of Gertrude Bell. Her archive of photographs and letters of her travels and life in the Middle East are still used globally today. Explore the archive here: gertrudebell.ncl.ac.uk

This part of December is often a time when people start decorating their Christmas trees. Here's one decorated earlier, 1960 to be exact, in the lounge of Claremont House student accommodation, for today's #ArchiveAdventCalendar theme of #tree. [Ref. NUA/020508/07]

Our Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality Archive records the work of the group who fought for inclussion of excluded minorities in the North East through the latter half of the 20th Century. Browse the catalogue here: specialcollections.ncl.ac.uk/che #ExploreYourArchive #EYAInclussion

This Chapbook, printed locally in Newcastle, contains the words to a variety of traditional Chritmas carols. Perect for today's #ArchiveAdventCalendar theme of #ChristmasCarol Find the whole chapbook on CollectionCaptured here: collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/coll...

Ever wondered what installing a new computer in your office looked like 50 years ago? For today's #ExploreYourArchive theme of #EYADigital here are 3 digitised photos of the process of installing a new computer in our Claremont Tower from our University Archive.

All dressed in bows, these peg dolls from 'Lady Tabitha and Us' are playing drop the handkerchief. Find out more about these mischievous peg dolls on our blog blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/201... #boxesandbows #ArchiveAdventCalendar #Christmas @arascot.bsky.social

There's nothing better than #festivelights by the fire. Here's Joseph Swan & his wife sitting by the fire at their home in Warlingham c 1904 #ArchiveAdventCalendar #Christmas collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/coll... @arascot.bsky.social