British Newspaper Archive

Access the British Newspaper Archive

Available from within the Knowledge Centre, Savoy Place

 

First time users

Create an account by clicking on 'Register' at the top right of the British Newspaper Archive (BNA) homepage. Please complete your details (name, email address and create a password). You will then be able to search and view records.

At the end of your session please navigate to ‘My account’ at the top of the screen and log out.

Next time you visit the BNA site from the Knowledge Centre simply ‘Sign in’ (top right).

 

What can I search here?

News Articles - read about national events, as well as issues of local and regional importance. News articles are your window into daily life in historical Britain.

Family Notices - search for your family's birth, marriage and death notices plus related announcements including engagements, anniversaries, birthdays and congratulations.

Letters - read letters to the editor written by the newspaper's readers, including illuminating contemporary debates, aspirations and anxieties.

Obituaries - view a wealth of contemporary information on the lives of notable individuals and ancestors.

Advertisements - these include classifieds, shipping notices and appointments..Illustrations - see photographs, engravings, graphics, maps and editorial cartoons.

What does the collection cover?

The BNA is a partnership between the British Library and findmypast to digitise the British Library's newspaper collections. These collection are among the finest in the world, containing most of the runs of newspapers published in the UK since 1800.

The scale of the newspaper publishing industry from the early 19th century onwards is enormous, with many cities and towns publishing several newspapers simultaneously, often aimed at distinct audiences depending on social status, geographical location and political affiliation. The first stage of this project focused on runs published before1900 and titles from cities such as Birmingham, Derby, Manchester, Nottingham, Norwich, Leeds and York, along with local titles from London boroughs.

Newspapers which aimed for county circulation - from Staffordshire to Sussex - also feature prominently, providing an unrivalled picture of provincial life spanning the whole of the 19th century.

A wealth of material from the 20th century is being added to the site, right up to the 1950s.

Getting started guide                                                             All newspaper titles available