Crumbling Newspapers

Crumbling Newspapers

Credit: Chris Close

Crumbling newspapers held in the British Archive. An ambitious 10-year project with findmypast.com aims to digitize 50 million pages of newsprint from the collection.

British Newspaper

British Newspaper

Credit: British Newspaper Library

Extra-large scanners are used to transform 8,000 pages into digital form every day.

Richard III 'Discovery'

Richard III 'Discovery'

Credit: findmypast.com

In 1935, the Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald reported the discovery of a skeleton thought to be Richard III's.

Einstein's Arithmetic

Einstein's Arithmetic

Credit: British Library

A 1924 news brief gets a dig in at famed mathematician Albert Einstein.

Digitizing Newspapers

Digitizing Newspapers

Credit: Chris Close

An archivist positions newsprint on a special scanner.

Ironing Newspaper

Ironing Newspaper

Credit: Chris Close

An archivist irons out creases in an old newspaper. Some severely damaged papers have to undergo special conservation before scanning.

Great Exhibition

Great Exhibition

Credit: British Library

A miscellaneous news segment from 1851 tells of a mishap at the Crystal Palace, the enormous glass building created to house the international expo.

A Lady Thief

A Lady Thief

Credit: British Library

The scandalous tale of a "lady thief" in Hereford.

Elephant Theft

Elephant Theft

Credit: Northcliffe Media Ltd, courtesy The British Library Board

A 1934 article datelined Birmingham, Ala., tells of an alleged elephant theft.

Pink Pills

Pink Pills

Credit: The British Library Board

Old newspapers display the medical cures of the times, including the alliteratively named "Pink Pills for Pale People."

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria

Credit: The British Library Board

A newspaper supplement commemorating the crowning of Queen Victoria.

British Newspaper Library

British Newspaper Library

Credit: British Newspaper Library

Hard copies of old newspapers are kept in large folios.

WWI Map

WWI Map

Credit: The British Library Board

A Sunday Post Special in December 1917, during World War I.

Lovers' Suicide

Lovers' Suicide

Credit: British Newspaper Library

This lavishly illustrated 1870's newspaper tells a tale of two young lovers who jumped from a steamer rather than be separated by an irate father. On the same page, a drunken balloonist.

Flu "Cure"

Flu

Credit: British Library

A 1929 news story about a man fined for drinking methylated spirits (alcohol-based solvent), allegedly as a flu cure.

Flu Cure

Flu Cure

Credit: British Library

Warner's Safe Cure advertisement from a newspaper printed in 1900.