Access millions of primary source materials with British Online Archives

Many of the archival collections published by British Online Archives (BOA) are grouped under the broad theme of “Culture and Society”. Including popular historical magazines, political papers, essays and records from the BBC, these collections help inform our understanding of everyday life in societies and periods from a range of perspectives and mediums. View all 23 collections on the BOA website.

These 29 collections highlight the intersection of economic activities and colonialism, international relations, and politics and social movements across different historical and geographical contexts. Collections cover a range of subjects from Marxism to the origins of trade unionism, to the British slave trade. Explore the range of collections online.

A key theme in history, “International Relations” is a broad term encapsulating the complex intersection of diplomacy, cooperation, and conflict occurring between states. These archival collections enable students and researchers to survey a wide range of historical political events and trends, with materials dating from as early as the eighteenth century, with a focus on British-American diplomacy, to as recent as the formation of the United Nations, the European Economic Community, and the World Trade Organisation. See all 23 of BOA’s International Relations collections here. 

From the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century to the creation of media like newspapers, radio, television and the internet, technology has influenced how information is conveyed – and manipulated – across societies. Giving a deep insight to contemporary representations of major events, attitudes and ideologies, these collections illustrate the rise, dissemination, and influence of concepts like liberalism, fascism, and communism, while demonstrating the evolution of media. See all 22 collections online. 

Covering the advancement of medical understanding and the development of medical science over four hundred years, these collections trace and highlight the impact medicine has had on society, covering topics like pandemics, hospital records and publications from one of the first institutions dedicated to the study of medicine. See essays, records and other primary source materials here. 

Many of the BOA primary source collections demonstrate the development and impact of ideologies, both secular and theological. These collections chart the dissemination and development of Christianity, particularly Anglicanism, throughout the early modern and modern periods, casting light on the activities of missionaries, including the work of female evangelists. Explore 18 collections on religion and philosophy online. 

The 43 BOA collections under “Politics and Social Movements” capture the myriad ways in which people have thought about and rallied to support and vocalise key issues impacting and shaping society throughout history. While some records date back as far as the British Civil War, the majority of these collections focus on global political ideologies and social movements during the twentieth century, such as the women’s suffrage and anti-Apartheid movements. Explore politics and social movements collections here. 

Several of the primary source collections by BOA document major technological advances in the fields of communications, energy, medicine, and transport. The collections grouped within this theme are rich in archival documentation, providing students and researchers fascinating insights into British and global history through the lens of science and technology. Browse BOA science and technology collections online. 

Over four centuries an estimated 12–15 million African people were enslaved and forcibly transported across the Atlantic Ocean by European traders. These records address many aspects of this harrowing history, with extensive documentation relating to Britain’s involvement in transatlantic slavery. This includes many records of British companies, merchants, and slave ships involved in the slave trade. Discover the collections online. 

These collections include a range of different document types, covering subjects from military conflicts, to diplomatic dispatches, state-sponsored surveillance, government propaganda, and British politics. They incorporate material regarding major historical events and trends, including the development of military technologies and strategies throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with a strong focus on the World Wars. View all 29 collections online.