Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
@mrcwarwick.bsky.social
14K followers 1.3K following 620 posts
Archives rich in social and political history from the late 19th century onwards. Follow the MRC for highlights from our collections, details of our online resources and more! https://warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc
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mrcwarwick.bsky.social
'The Arts Britain Ignores', an Arts Council report published in 1976, proved the catalyst for the creation of the Minority Arts Advisory Service by the report's author Naseem Khan

The MAAS archive shows the artistic depth of work promoted by MAAS in the 1970s-80s mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/MAA
Edition of 'Echo', the newspaper of the Minority Arts Advisory Service, published in 1978. The headlines highlight articles on 'Diwali: The Festival of Lights', 'Tower Hamlets Carnival Against Racism' and 'Radical Alliance of Poets and Players', A photo of a Diwali event is also included. Front cover of 'Black Linx', magazine published by the Charles Wootton Centre and Merseyside Community Relations Council, February 1984. The cover image is of a Black man holding a young child (possibly his son). They are smiling at each other. Front cover of National Book League pamphlet 'A Visible Presence', 1985. It includes a photo of four young Black women and men. The two men are towards the back, looking off to one side (one is wearing a football scarf). The two women are looking towards the camera, smiling (one is holding an Anti-Nazi League sign). Front cover of the booklet 'Appropriation & Control: A Photographic Exploration of Black Images' by the photographer David A. Bailey, published c.1984-1985.
Reposted by Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
ibhmuk.bsky.social
Earlier this year we launched our Black British Timeline video as part of the Legacies of Change: Windrush 2 Justice campaign think of it as the 1st half of this year’s story!
It’s the perfect companion to our #BHMUK25 Legacies of Change campaign & great resource to use in your classroom this mth
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
tinyurl.com
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
As cold and flu season kicks in, we're adjusting the office decor accordingly

These Tony Hancock-esque posters were issued by the Ministry of Health in 1958 #HistMed

[ mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/POW/... ]
1958 Ministry of Health poster. It includes two mugshots of a moustached and sneezing man, and the caption: 'WANTED ... a handkerchief COUGHS & SNEEZES SPREAD DISEASES Trap the germs in your handkerchief'/ 1958 Ministry of Health poster. It includes includes a picture of a dinner queue, with a moustached man sneezing into a plate of food. The other four members of the canteen queue are glaring at him. The caption reads: 'coughs and sneezes spread diseases.. .. trap the germs in your handkerchief'.
Reposted by Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
radonlinearchives.bsky.social
Hello BlueSky! Starting this account to showcase the ever growing list of radical online archives and collections. Nearly 1000 collections from the around the world are listed at the link below.

Please follow for updates and collection highlights!

hatfulofhistory.com/radical-onli...
radical online collections and archives
I am very interested in the growing amount of radical literature from around the world that is being scanned and digitised. As there are so many and from many different places, I thought it would b…
hatfulofhistory.com
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
It's a TUC one from 1937, as part of their campaign to unionise nurses. You should be able to see the whole document (including some great illustrations and a Sybil Thorndike endorsement) at cdm21047.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...
Trades Union Congress
cdm21047.contentdm.oclc.org
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
On #WorldMentalHealthDay we're sharing a leaflet from the TUC archive encouraging nurses to take a break. The leaflet also highlights the dangers of work place stress and exhaustion. Be fair to yourself! #histnursing #histmed #archives #MRCArchives

mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/TUC/...
Page from 'Off Duty' dated 1937. Headed 'Self-sacrifice' it is illustrated with a picture of a stressed looking nurse alongside a patient. Part of the text reads 'be fair to yourself - and you will be fair to your patients'. There is also a photograph of nurses standing next to a statue of Florence Nightingale. Photograph of two nurses taking a well-earned tea break. Captioned 'Off duty'.
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
In 1968, against the backdrop of the Race Relations Act and Powell's 'Rivers of Blood' speech, local Birmingham groups campaigned against racism and in support of civil rights

The archives of activist Margaret Stanton capture some of the grassroots activities mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/MSP/...
Ticket for the inaugural meeting of the Birmingham Area Civil Rights Campaign. Photograph from the Birmingham Post, 6 May 1968, captioned 'A grim struggle for the police as they link arms to hold back the large crowd of demonstrators in Victoria Square, Birmingham, yesterday during the Prime Minister's visit'. The most visible placard says 'Would you let your daughter marry Enoch Powell'. Letter sent to newspaper editors in August 1968 by the Birmingham Committee of the International Year for Human Rights. It deplores "the recent recommendations of the Birmingham City Council that all immigration into the city should be stopped, and we affirm that this policy is both morally wrong, and unworkable in practise. We remind the Council that the prosperity of this great city has been built on a long tradition of welcoming immigrants of all races. ... The proud motto of Birmingham is "Forward". Let the Council abandon its present backward-looking policy, and go forward to lead the nation in creating a society in which all races can work together in harmony." Circular issued by the Birmingham Area Civil Rights Campaign Steering Group in 1968. It identifies four main fields of activity for the newly formed Birmingham Area Civil Rights Campaign: education, research, community action and political activity.
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
Founded in 1919, The Economic League promoted the views of industrialists and business. It sought to blacklist employees who were identified as communist or left wing.

This 1950 leaflet suggests communism is about to devour the world.
#WorldOctopusDay

mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/TUC/...
Cover of Red Octopus, published by the Economic League. Picture of a red octopus covering the globe. Headline text 'The Answer to Communism'. Pages in the background with headlines such as 'Red Plot', 'Cold War', 'Warning' and 'Red Cannon Fodder'.
Reposted by Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
archivesofit.bsky.social
🍰 LEO (Lyons Electronic Office) was the first computer used for business, developed by UK firm J. Lyons & Co Ltd, known for tea shops and cakes. They needed to automate their payroll, marking the beginning of computers in business. Photo courtesy of the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick.
A photograph showing the set up of LEO including where the power supply, circuits, store and input and output equipment should be.
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
Medievalists and early modernists ahoy! 🚨

Our librarians are surveying the oldest books in the Library Special Collections and have found an intriguing endpaper bound into this 1516 edition of the Decretum Gratiani.

Do YOU recognise this heavily abbreviated Latin scrap?
Page of Latin, heavily abbreviated text, probably from the late 15th or early 16th century, annotated in tiny handwriting. The other side of the page of Latin, also annotated in tiny handwriting, discoloured around the edges by the glue that was used to stick it to the wooden board used for binding.
Reposted by Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
theironroom.bsky.social
#PowerAndPride2025 tinyurl.com/BHMOct25 Local photographer Herbert Walters’ collection-Portraits of Black Britain (MS 5183/3) has become available on birmingham.access.preservica.com/archive. Photographs mostly taken in Birmingham and London between 2008–2022 #LibraryofBham @blackhistorymonth.org.uk
A group of people assembled outside the Library of Birmingham. A young female figure in the forefront of the photo is wearing a face mask and holding a banner with the words Black Lives Matter on it. She is also wearing a face mask. People surrounding the figure are also holding placards and wearing face masks. In the background, the reflective quality of the windows on the ground floor of the library reflects the buildings and scene across the road from the library.
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
"The price of a cup of tea & a biscuit"

In a nod to #WorldTeachersDay yesterday, we're going back to the 1950s, an era of "old unsuitable buildings" & "overcrowded classrooms", when the National Union of Teachers contrasted average spending on state education to that on booze & tobacco #HistEd
Pages from a mid 1950s National Union of Teachers' leaflet 'The future belongs to the children', including a summary of money spent on national education (5d a day), clothes (1s 2d), alcohol (11 1/2d), tobacco (11d) and meat and bacon (10d).
Reposted by Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
easgwarwick.bsky.social
Looking forward to co-hosting this roundtable next Thursday with our colleagues from the University of Birmingham!

Please, email us at [email protected] if you'd like to join and we can send you a Teams invite :)
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
That's great - glad it was useful to give a bit of context and sounds an interesting source to research!
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
Health is Wealth

During the 1920s the Industrial Health Education Council toured the country, holding 'Heath Meetings' for millworkers, miners & other industrial workers.

These posters and more are in our digitised sources on British healthcare, 1900-1948: warwick.ac.uk/services/lib... #HistMed
Poster advertising health meeting for women mill workers in Dundee, 1926: 
'INDUSTRIAL HEALTH EDUCATION COUNCIL
"HEALTH IS WEALTH."
HEALTH MEETING 
FOR WOMEN MILLWORKERS
YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND A MEETING in the
Y.M.C.A. HALL. Constitution Road, Dundee,
On THURSDAY, 14th JANUARY
AT EIGHT P.M.
Dr. MARGARET SCOTT DICKSON, Dundee,
will speak on "BARGAINS in HEALTH."
Mr. NORMAN BLACK, L.D.S., R.C.S., Broughty Ferry,
will speak on "TEETH in RELATION to HEALTH."
(ILLUSTRATED by LIME-LIGHT SLIDES)
There will also be shown a Film by the Dental Board on
"THE CARE OF THE TEETH."
Also a Film by the Ministry of Health on
"Dr. WISE ON INFLUENZA."
CHAIR to be taken by Mrs. KINNEAR, Dundee
ADMISSION IS FREE, and QUESTIONS are INVITED.

NOTE- This is the first of Seven Meetings, and the Mills are being grouped. This Invitation is to the WOMEN MILLWORKERS in the following Mills in the Eastern Area:—
Messrs. James Prain & Sons, Larchfield Works ; Messrs. J. N. Kyd & Co., Walton Works ; Messrs. James Robertson & Co., Logie Works ; Messrs. The Victoria Spinning Co., Queen Victoria Works ; Messrs. M. & C. Hill, West Dudhope Works ; Messrs. D. McMaster & Co., South Dudhope Works ; Messrs. Scott, Sons & Co., North Dudhope Works ; Messrs. Alex. Henderson & Sons, South Dudhope Works ; Messrs. John Sharp & Sons' Works ; Messrs. Gilroy, Sons & Co., Tay Works ; Messrs. Wm. Ferguson & Sons, Dudhope Works.' Poster advertising health meeting for miners in Hamilton, 1926: 
'Industrial Health Education Council
"HEALTH IS WEALTH."
MASS MEETING OF MINERS
and others interested in the Mining Community
IN
LA SCALA PICTURE HOUSE,
HAMILTON,
(By kind permission of the Magistrates and the Management.)
ON SUNDAY, 21ST FEBY.
At 3 o'clock p.m.
Dr. WILLIAM DENNESS, Bothwell,
Will speak on "Miners' Sicknesses and Diseases."
Dr. CHAS. READ, L.D.S., Glasgow,
Will speak on "Teeth in Relation to Health, and what X-Rays reveal on Teeth Decay."
There will also be shown Two Films, one by the Dental Board on "The Care of the Teeth." and one by the Ministry of Health on "Dr. Wise on Influenza."
CHAIRMAN, - - WILLIAM B. SMALL, ESQ.
All interested in the Mining Community invited --- including Ladies.
QUESIONS AT THE CLOSE.   ADMISSION FREE.'
Reposted by Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
ihr.bsky.social
🖥 We have a number of online research training courses starting in October.

Visit the IHR website to register and find detailed information on each course: www.history.ac.uk/study-traini...
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
We're currently trying to gauge whether the Celery Coffee goes above or below VIMBOS fluid beef on the #TeaUp scale of terrible sounding beverages
Late 19th century advert for 'Vimbos' fluid beef. Promoted with an image of an ox sitting in a (presumably massive) tea cup with the unconvincing caption 'Prince of Fluid Beef', 'Testing tells the Flavour'. A sample of fluid beef could be obtained through the post.
Reposted by Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
anoldhand.bsky.social
Also looking forward to meeting @astonuniversity.bsky.social students at their annual Meet the Archivist event - love a chance to promote the rich resources @mrcwarwick.bsky.social
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
Fancy a pleasant change from your ordinary drink? We give you “the great nerve and brain strengthener and restorer.”

Yes, celery coffee was a thing in 1892.

This advertisement is from the Young Women’s Christian Association’s ‘Our Own Gazette’.

#InternationalCoffeeDay #WorldVegetarianDay
Advertisement for celery coffee which states that it is a great nerve and brain strengthener and restorer. Prepared solely from celery, guaranteed pure and unmixed. By royal letters patent. Features in 'Our Own Gazette' July 1892.
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
Archives, memory, representation & empowerment - and the gaps in the records...

We really enjoyed taking part in this event at @rshc.bsky.social, sharing stories around labour movement collections & records of resistance - from the MRC's origins to the NUM archives via the Spanish Civil War & Chile
historyworkshop.org.uk
How has paperwork served as a tool of empowerment for people who often find power elusive?

In our latest podcast, a group of historians, archivists, and activists met at the Raphael Samuel History Centre (@rshc.bsky.social) to discuss the hidden history of paperwork 🗃️🎙️
Changing The Record
How has paperwork served over time as a radical tool for empowerment and change?
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
We especially enjoyed the dietary advice from one of the pioneering racers - mine's a glass of Burton ale! 🍺 #NSHD #cycling #beer
Newspaper excerpt which reads: "A glass of Burton ale is refreshing during training, and just a sip or two during a ride. Bovril is also a capital food in a liquid form, and I drink a great deal of it. Rice puddings also form one of the items upon my bill of fare while I am attempting to break records."
mrcwarwick.bsky.social
Happy National Sporting Heritage Day - we hold the National Cycling Archive - a treasure trove of resources on the history of cycling, including the pioneering women cyclists of the late nineteenth century explore more here: warwick.ac.uk/services/lib... #NSHD #cycling #sport 🚴‍♀️
Black and white photograph of a woman wearing a black Edwardian outfit (possibly bloomers) balancing on a bicycle with the caption "Miss Harwood - second in six days' race at Royal Aquarium" Photo by H R Gibbs. Black and white photograph of a woman standing next to a bicycle, holding it by the handlebars, wearing a dark blouse and bloomers and a pale cummerbund and sash with ribbons at her elbows and kneesand a posy of. flowers at her collar. The photograph is captioned "Miss Gambley - Lady Rider at Olympia" A double portrait black and white photograpgh. On the left is a woman seated on her bicycle wearing a dark blouse and breeches with black stockings and a brooch at her neck. The photograph is captioned Mdlle Lisette, French Lady Champion. On the right is a woman also seated on her bicycle wearing a pale jacket and matching breeches or bloomers with a white short underneath. She also has black stockings and wears a small straw boater on her head. This photograph is captioned "Miss Grace, English Lady Champion". Both photographs are captioned "Professional Lady Cyclists" Black and white photograph of a woman seated on her bicycle wearing a dark bouse or jacket with white sleeves and a white sailor collar. She is also wearing a medal in the shape of a cross. the photograph is captioned "Miss Frankie Nelson Professional Lady Champion of America"
Reposted by Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
sslh.bsky.social
Historians, archivists, librarians and historians working in the field of labour history. A starter pack to get you going…
go.bsky.app/CUqdx9a