This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Remarkable 1714 British Court Dispatch on Secretaries of State and Turkish News
In January 1714 at St James's the King orders Lords Townshend and Stanhope to fetch from Earl of Strafford all Originals and Copies of Letters and Instructions related to ministerial negotiations with foreign princes, sealing and safe keeping in the Control Office. Reports from Constantinople note the Ottoman naval buildup, officer shortages, and fear of Janissary uprisings, alongside Spain’s royal progress and a dramatic royal removal of a princess to France. Public notices announce Cadiz-bound flotilla movements and Usilla’s ships ready to sail, with British orders to maintain force and security. The Queen's Madrid visit features elaborate ceremonies and guard actions surrounding the royal couple’s arrival and bedding of the Infants as townsfolk celebrate with illuminations.