We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a grant of £9,944 from the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust for our new project, Mill Makers: The Wright Records. Here at the Archive we hold 26 millwrighting collections, containing unique and vital records of Britain’s milling heritage created by the skilled men who were…
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Across the pond with Rex Wailes: In New York
Extracts from Rex Wailes’ 1929 diary of his trip to the USA and Canada. Part 17. Grand Central Station, New York 22.5.29 Next day, I ‘phoned Fred Littleworth, and arranged to go out to see him that evening. Then I spent some time at the Great Central Station, where they have what they call a…
Across the pond with Rex Wailes: In New York
Extracts from Rex Wailes’ 1929 diary of his trip to the USA and Canada. Part 16. Bathers at Coney Island 19.5.29 On Sunday the 19th the day dawned hot and sultry. Coney Island was decided upon, and we took the Subway there. It was delightfully cool after New York, and we sat on the jetty…
Across the pond with Rex Wailes: New York
Extracts from Rex Wailes’ 1929 diary of his trip to the USA and Canada. Part 15. The Flatiron Building, New York 18.5.29. On Saturday, the 18th., I went with Mr. McClelland to his office at Flatiron Building – the first of the New York skyscrapers. From here I went on to the E.S.U. I got…
Across the pond with Rex Wailes: The Sullivan Machinery Co., Claremont
Part 14 of a weekly series of blogs about Rex Wailes’ 1929 trip to the USA and Canada. Rex Wailes’ telegram to New York Wednesday 15.5.29 Next morning I collected my mail at the E. S. U. sent a telegram to the Sullivan Machinery Co., at Claremont, and another to Mr. McClelland at New York.…
Volunteer Spotlight: A Glove Typewriter
Another fascinating, if not slightly bizarre discovery has been found amongst our paper mill journals: a novelty invention from 1891, a typewriter in the form of a glove operated with one hand. In these days, the conventional typewriter comprised of an oak box, 13 inch by 5 inch, with a “feeder” at the top where…
Across the pond with Rex Wailes: Chatham Mill
Part 13 of a weekly series of blogs about Rex Wailes’ 1929 trip to the USA and Canada. Tuesday 14.5.29 Next morning I breakfasted at “The Wayside Inn”. It was expensive but first rate, and I wished I had stayed there, or at least supped there. I had “cream of wheat” for porridge. It is…
Gems of the Archive: On a Mission for Mills
As the nights are drawing in and the misty mornings are covered with a dusting of frost, most of us are enjoying passing the wintery nights by curling up by the fire with a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate. The last thing we want to do is venture off into even colder…
Across the pond with Rex Wailes: To Chatham
Part 12 of a weekly series of blogs about Rex Wailes’ 1929 trip to the USA and Canada. Railway station at Cataumet, Massachusetts Monday 13.5.29 I left Woods Hole at 7 am on Monday the 13th for Chatham. To Buzzards Bay the country was wooded with small trees. There were stone walls round many fields…
Archivist’s Choice: Archive Oddities
One of the most exciting parts of working in an archive is opening up a newly donated box of material. There are almost always some interesting or odd items tucked in among the photographs, plans and papers which make up most of our collections. A recent example was a collection of papers we received relating…