Our collections
Award-winning primary source collections for teaching and research.
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CollectionDescriptionPeriod covered
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The Transformation of Shopping: Department Stores, Social Change and Consumerism, 1830-1994
Exploring the social and cultural history of shopping, the retail industry, and daily and working life.
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Trade Catalogues and the American Home1850-1950Explore domestic life, leisure and material culture of nineteenth- and twentieth-century America. This resource presents a wealth of highly illustrated primary source documents that highlight commercial tastes and consumer trends, and provide a valuable visual record for a breadth of interdisciplinary study.
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Trade in Early Modern London: Livery Company Records, 1450-1750
Explore life in early modern London through the lens of livery companies.
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Travel Writing, Spectacle and World History1835-1976Rare diaries and correspondence describing the travel experiences, destinations and desires of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American women travelling the world.
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Victorian Popular Culture1779-1930Victorian Popular Culture contains a wide range of source material relating to popular entertainment in America, Britain and Europe in the period from 1779 to 1930, and shows how interconnected these worlds were. Taking its cue from the source material, Victorian Popular Culture welcomes readers into the darkened halls, small backrooms and travelling venues that hosted everything from spectacular shows and bawdy burlesque, to magic and spiritualist séances.
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Victorians on Film: Entertainment, Innovation and Everyday Life
Explore the everyday lives of Victorians, captured by the early pioneers of film.
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Virginia Company Archives1590-1790Material covers the founding and economic development of Virginia as seen through the papers of the Virginia Company of London, 1606-1624. It is also a crucial source for London's economic history in the Early Modern era and will be of interest to social and religious historians.
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Women in The National Archives1559-1995 (finding aid); early 20th Century (original documents)A finding aid to the collections of The National Archives, UK, at Kew. Also includes a selection of rare documents relating to women's suffrage in the UK and the British Empire.
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Women's Studies1740-1960This collection offers access to the works and legacy of many notable and influential women, but also a chance to hear the voices of forgotten and ordinary women.
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Women’s Voices and Life Writing, 1600-19681600-1968
Explore the lives and experiences of women in Britain and Ireland across three centuries told in their own words.
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World War Two Studies1930-1955Primary sources, offering insight into many aspects of the war, including government policy, the war in the Pacific, and the war in Europe. sources include the records of British espionage and sabotage organisation The Special Operations Executive; and private papers of American General Robert L Eichelberger from the Pacific war.
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World's Fairs1851-2015Primary source material from hundreds of fairs, including London’s Great Exhibition of 1851, American fairs of the 19th and 20th centuries and 21st century EXPOs. A vital resource for students, teachers and researchers of a huge range of subjects including imperialism, race relations, gender studies, science and technology, consumer culture, architecture and design.