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When Numbers Lie – Cautioning Quantitative Enthusiasm
By Alex Wakelam – @A_Wakelam There is an often repeated quote that is thrown around when speaking of “the past” and knowledge thereof in the kind of hushed, reverential tones usually reserved for gods and kings – that those who do not learn from it are doomed to repeat it and, principally, repeat its mistakes. As such, there…
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The challenges and potential of Lahori libraries and archives
By Mobeen Hussain | (@amhuss27) On my first visit to the Punjab State Archives in Lahore this summer, I met with the archive’s Director, Mohammed Abbas Chughtai, who explained that the archive and its libraries have received fewer visitors after the events of 9/11 due to concerns about safety in the country. The archive does,…
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Sympathising with the Past?
By Dominic Birch (Dominic.birch@gmail.com) One of the most pleasurable parts of archival work is discovering new stories, narratives and characters. In the type of work I do (early modern social history) some subjects seem to jump out of the page, demanding attention. Take, for instance, the case of Sara and Elizabeth Mayhew, two women who…
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Researching with English Legal Records: some tips on getting started
By Laura Flannigan (@LFlannigan17) The vast archives produced by the English legal system are some of our most valuable materials for legal, political, social, and family histories. Issuing from national and local courts, from common, ecclesiastical, and equitable jurisdictions, and covering civil and criminal law, they offer a window into the lives of ordinary people and…
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Revisiting the Visitor’s Book
By Clemency Hinton (@clemencyhinton) Have you ever left an online review after dining at a café or staying in a hotel? What about after a visiting a museum or a local heritage site? You probably left your comment for the benefit of future visitors or to get the attention of management, but that review may have…
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