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Borthwick Institute for Archives
@uoyborthwick.bsky.social
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The Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York, for records of the archdiocese, local parishes, businesses, hospitals etc. borthwick-institute@york.ac.uk
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It’s a very happy #DoctorWhoDay from us - we’re delighted to announce we’ve successfully acquired the archive of Whoniverse legend Terrance Dicks 😲 Read more at the link:
www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...
Page of the script of An Unearthly Child, written by Anthony Coburn and C.E. Webber and later novelised by Terrance Dicks.
November 23, 2025 at 10:49 AM
uoyborthwick.bsky.social
Did you know gurning, or 'pulling a face', has a long and fascinating history? You can find out more in our guest blog from @uoylibrary.bsky.social colleague Simon Batchelor who takes a closer look at one of the rare books in our Cooper Abbs Collection.

blogs.york.ac.uk/borthwick-in...
Pencil drawing of a man holding a horse collar around his head and gurning, taken from a book in the Cooper Abbs Collection in Rare Books.
November 21, 2025 at 12:42 PM
uoyborthwick.bsky.social
If you missed out on the UK snow this morning feel free to make your own, courtesy of this 18th century recipe from the archive of the Earls of Halifax. All you'll need is a quart of cream, 6 egg whites, rose water & sugar, and the crucial 'Cloven stick' or 'bunch of twiggs' for the beating.
To make snow Take a quart of cream and put into it six whites of eggs; of rose water and sugar as much as will sweeten it, and beat them together with a cloven stick or a bunch of twigs all one way. And as the snow riseth take it up and put it into a dish and so serve it up You must do it but a little before you send it in or it will fall again.
November 19, 2025 at 9:11 AM
uoyborthwick.bsky.social
And here's the baptism record of 'Guye Fawxe', son to Edward Fawxe. Taken from the parish register of St Michael le Belfrey which is held here at the Borthwick. He was baptised on the 16th April 1570.

Fun fact: the entry below Guy's is a little faded from all the fingers run across it!
Extract from a parish register showing the words 'guye Fawxe Son to Edward Fawxe the xvj day of Aprile'.
November 5, 2025 at 10:10 AM
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November has arrived and so has our latest newsletter! This month including thousands of historic hospital records digitised for free online, a glimpse inside the Galton and Simpson archive, and a fascinating First World War collection (featuring this beautiful card).

www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...
A printed postcard from the First World War with a velvet red rose on the front and the words 'Flowers of France. Gathered for you'. There is a small spray of artificial leaves fixed to the front.
November 3, 2025 at 10:12 AM
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While it's impossible to improve on perfection, Rowntree's attempted it in 1933 by adding a clear wrapping and a jaunty blue ribbon.

Incredibly, this was its last appearance in the catalogues, although some say on dark nights at the Cocoa Works you can still hear the distant rustle of cellophane...
Colour advertisement showing an unsettling chocolate head moulded to look like a baby's head and face, encased in a cellophane wrapper and tied at the top with a blue ribbon.
October 31, 2025 at 10:46 AM
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You might think a Rowntree's Easter catalogue could have nothing to do with #Halloween, but that's because you haven't seen the two-sided chocolate twin face egg of 1932. A bargain at 1 shilling.
1932 advertisement showing an unsettling Easter egg moulded to look like the head of a baby, on one side the baby is laughing and on the other side it is crying.
October 31, 2025 at 10:46 AM
uoyborthwick.bsky.social
Whilst it might not count as one of your 5 a day, we think the Terry's Dessert Apple is worth a mention on #AppleDay! Launched in 1926, this Terry's of York product looked like an apple, but didn't taste like one. It was made of dark chocolate and intended as an after-dinner novelty.
Illustration of a chocolate apple divided into segments and wrapped in foil, alongside a Terry's Dessert Chocolate Apple box. Directions from a Dessert Apple box, 'Unwrap the tinfoil carefully and tap sharply the bottom of the Terry-Apple on the table. The Apple immediately falls into 20 dainty slices of appetizing quality and appearance which can be conveniently served round in the same manner as a divided Orange.'
October 21, 2025 at 11:10 AM
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On 3rd November The Rowntree Society will be shining a light on a little known aspect of Rowntree history - their newspaper ownership in the early 20th century. You can find out more (& get your free tickets) at the link below, or scan the QR code on the poster!

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rowntree-n...
Poster for the event 'Rowntree newspaper ownership in the early 20th century' to be held at Bootham School auditorium on Monday 3rd November, 7pm-9.30pm.
October 16, 2025 at 8:44 AM
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Perceptions of mental health and its treatment have changed enormously over the past 250 years. This #WorldMentalHealthDay we're pleased to announce you can now view records from 3 of York's historic psychiatric hospitals online: Bootham Park, Clifton and The Retreat
discover.york.ac.uk/collections/
Painting of The Retreat hospital, York
October 10, 2025 at 9:06 AM
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New Podcast Alert!! Out of the Archive Box, our Borthwick podcast, is BACK! Join Access & Digital Engagement Archivist @Lauray-archives.bsky.social as she chats to Hannah Priest, author of 'Unburied: The True Story of Hannah Beswick, the Manchester Mummy' about her research! buff.ly/HHS9V4o.
October 3, 2025 at 3:32 PM
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It's 1st October and time for the latest edition of the Borthwick Newsletter! This month we feature 4 new catalogues, 3 new podcasts, some early comedy scripts, and a look behind the scenes of the famous Jorvik Viking Centre.

www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...
A sunny woodland scene with trees in the background and autumn leaves on the ground
October 1, 2025 at 9:03 AM
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Our new Borthwick Paper podcast is now available for your listening pleasure - Ruby Hogan examines changing conceptions of childhood, 1870-1914, through the archives of the Mount School, York, here at the Borthwick.

open.spotify.com/episode/0S8P...
Square with decorative border and the words 'Borthwick Papers. Changing Conceptions of Childhood 1870-1914. The York Mount School' by Ruby Hogan. The logo of the Borthwick Institute for Archives is at the bottom of the image.
September 26, 2025 at 1:25 PM
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This painting was created by George Isaac Sidebottom, a patient at The Retreat psychiatric hospital in York from 1894-1912. It shows the hospital grounds and some of the pastimes available to patients - with 4 dogs, a rat (?) and an elusive cat included for today's #OnlineArtExchange animal theme!
Painting of the grounds at The Retreat showing people playing golf, cricket, tennis, croquet and football, people on bicycles. In the foreground are 4 dogs and a cat can be seen sitting on the branch of a nearby tree.
September 25, 2025 at 10:20 AM
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Please note we can only accept payment by card or through our online store, and some items have very limited stock numbers so once they're gone, they're gone!

You can check out the full range of Borthwick Publications on our website: www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/pu...
Live locally? If you would prefer to pick up your books in person, browse online and then send us an email at borthwick-institute@york.ac.uk to let us know which items you’d like to buy. We can set these aside for you to collect from our reception, where you can pay for them by card. We are open for collection Monday-Thursday, 9.30am-4.30pm (or you can collect at our drop in sale event on Friday 3rd October)
September 22, 2025 at 12:58 PM
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Love books? Us too! From now until 3rd October there’s a chance to get your hands on some of the Borthwick's back catalogue - with all available stock 50% off. Browse online or pop by our searchroom in person. On Friday 3rd we'll be open 10am-3pm, with bundle discounts on selected titles
Photograph of books on shelves overlaid with the text 'Shop online. Browse our available titles through the Publications section of our online store https://store.york.ac.uk/product-catalogue/borthwick-institute-shop/books. Pay online, and the items will be posted out to you
September 22, 2025 at 12:58 PM
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As it's a Victorian theme for this week's #OnlineArtExchange for @artukdotorg.bsky.social we couldn't resist adding this entertaining mathematical sketch from one of the girls of the Mount School, York, in 1895.
Pen drawing called 'Nursery Problems' showing on the left hand side a woman carrying a crying baby while four other children try to get her attention, captioned 'One [divided by] five won't go'. On the right hand side a woman carries a happier baby while four other children cry, with the caption 'Put down four + carry one'.
September 11, 2025 at 2:41 PM
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If you're in the Burton Library @uoylibrary.bsky.social, don't miss our new student-curated archives exhibition! The cases include copies of items from the Rowntree & Co archive curated by our Archives Insight Week students back in June. We had so much fun working with them on this project!
Two glass-topped display cases next to a white wall in a carpeted corridor. The cases contain a variety of black and white images and documents. Overhead photograph of a glass-topped display case, including three black and white photographs, a small model van in a box and an old Rowntrees York Milk sign. The theme of the case is the people who worked at Rowntrees. Overhead photograph of a glass topped display case in a carpeted corridor. The case features two black and white photographs, two colour advert, one black and white advert and two replica KitKat chocolate bars in packaging. The theme of the case is Rowntrees advertising.
September 6, 2025 at 7:46 AM
uoyborthwick.bsky.social
We're back at University of York Open Days with an archives display in our searchroom @uoylibrary.bsky.social! Pop in and see us on the first floor of the Burton Library to find out more about our amazing collections and how we support teaching and learning. We'll be here between 10am and 3pm!
Two large tables in a room, with a bookcase on the back wall. On the tables are a number of books and flat historic documents. A table with an old fashioned typewriter on the left hand side, with a number of historic documents laid out across the rest of the table. There is also one black and white photograph. A table with windows in the background. On the table are two large volumes on book rests (facing the photographer). On the right of the table is a large old fashioned travelling bag, and on the far side of the table are a number of other historic documents lying flat.
September 6, 2025 at 7:40 AM
uoyborthwick.bsky.social
Another fascinating item from the Alfred Peacock Archive (currently being catalogued). This small stiff piece of fabric is labelled as a relic of a German aeroplane, retrieved on 9th August 1918 at the Battle of Amiens. The design suggests the printed 'lozenge camouflage' in use from late 1916.
Picture of a piece of stiff fabric in faded red, yellow and blue, with the annotation 'Village of Rosieres, August 9th 1918, Battle of Amiens. Relic of German aeroplane. [F.G.] Armitage, Capt.'
September 1, 2025 at 12:12 PM
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September is finally here and so is our latest newsletter! This month featuring The Goon Show Preservation Society, the first census, a surprise accession (often the best kind) and the charitable legacy of the remarkable Lady Elizabeth Hastings.

www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/ne...
A view of a bench by the lake on Campus West.
September 1, 2025 at 9:14 AM
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Personally we'd like to see a revival of the 'Archivist's signet ring' so we could feel like we're part of a super secret manuscript-guarding society. Just throwing that out there.

borthcat.york.ac.uk/cmay-8-1-4-1-3
Page from the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York archive catalogue featuring a guide to the company's silver collection.
August 29, 2025 at 9:45 AM
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Among the records of the York Spiritualist Centre we have a fascinating album of 'spirit photographs' taken at York by William Hope in 1930 & 1932. These ghostly images purported to capture local people with their 'psychic extras', some of whom were known to the sitters #WorldPhotographyDay
4 black and white photographs showing people seated in chairs with a partial and ghostly image of another person either beside or behind them. Below the photographs is recorded their name, whether their 'psychic extra' is recognised, and the photographer who took the picture.
August 19, 2025 at 1:42 PM
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Another fascinating find in the Peacock Archive - picture postcards sent home by Private Clarence Long which show life at Heuberg Prisoner of War camp. Clarence was from Bradford & joined up in 1915 but was captured at the Somme on 1st July 1916, spending the remainder of the war as a German POW.
5 images from Heuberg Prisoner of War camp showing men in theatrical costumes, in a prop boat named 'Jam Pot' and posed with a model aeroplane, and in a sports team. All photos are dated 1916-1918. Clarence Long can be seen wearing a kilt and a blonde wig in the photo on the bottom left.
August 14, 2025 at 2:23 PM
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A small surprise found tucked away in the pages of this First World War Field Service Pocket Book this morning! The book belonged to William Thomas Benfield of the South Wales Borderers and it's part of the archive of local military historian Alfred Peacock: borthcat.york.ac.uk/pea
A printed page with diagrams illustrating how to prepare rafts and bridges. Tucked in the margin is a brown pressed flower with 6 petals still attached.
August 14, 2025 at 11:39 AM