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  • Midwinter warmers

    23/12/2016

    As the nights draw in, what better way to banish winter chills than with a warming drink. In the last of her Christmas blog posts, Mary-Anne Boermanns offers something from our historical recipe manuscripts that will see you through the… Continue reading

  • Last minute plum pudding

    21/12/2016

    Looking to bring something a little out of the ordinary to the Christmas table this year? Mary-Anne Boermans sought inspiration from our historical recipe manuscripts. Here’s her adaptation of a traditional plum pudding recipe: When we think of sweet, festive… Continue reading

  • Savoury mince pies

    19/12/2016

    Looking to bring something a little out of the ordinary to the Christmas table this year? Mary-Anne Boermans sought inspiration from some traditional recipes in our historical recipe manuscripts. Here’s her take on the original mince pies: Mince Pies have… Continue reading

  • Christ carries death, sin and the devil up a ladder onto the cross

    Easter 1547: a warlord repents

    24/03/2016

    Easter provides a time for considering the significance of the gospels’ accounts of the last days of Jesus Christ: the sequence of crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. The woodcut above shows Martin Luther on the right and his protector Frederick the… Continue reading

  • Chemical Christmas greetings

    23/12/2015

    Dip into the recently digitised issues of the Chemist & Druggist journal and you will find some colourful examples of pharmaceutical advertising – especially at Christmas. Medical suppliers frequently used the pages of this trade magazine to promote their wares.… Continue reading

  • Spotlight: Christmas in wartime

    21/12/2015

    A fresh-faced young woman stares out from the pages of an old pantomime programme. Her cheeks are lightly rouged and her auburn hair is gathered into a flowing pigtail falling over her left shoulder. If there is something rather too… Continue reading

  • A hot-wax fingerprint Christmas card

    16/12/2015

    How many Christmas cards will you send this year, if at all? The vogue for hand-crafted cards is gradually disappearing as we become ever more digital in sending out festive wishes each year. There is a particularly interesting example of… Continue reading

  • Christmas greetings from the trenches

    13/12/2015

    For troops at the battlefront during World War I, letters and postcards were the only form of communication with home. Writing to their families and loved ones held particular significance at Christmas. It appears that some army divisions produced their… Continue reading

  • Hell is empty and all the devils are here

    31/10/2014

    In the Library’s Art Collection is a wealth of Japanese iconographic works. Of fiendish interest to us this Halloween, is one fascinating print featuring the demons of Japanese folklore and mythology. The woodcut print by Kunisada Utagawa above features six Japanese masks.… Continue reading

  • Open House London 2010

    01/09/2010

    Open House London has established itself in recent years as one of the capital’s most popular events. A celebration of the diversity of the London’s architecture, the event allows free access to many buildings normally closed to the public. Open… Continue reading