Alan Akeroyd

The March page of a desk calendar. It shows a black and white photograph of an archaeological dig in the 1960s. A white haired man with glasses is holding what seems to be a glass jar that he has found. In the background a woman is looking at him. She seems most unimpressed.

Here's March in my unique Huntingdonshire antiquarians and archivists calendar! This is Philip Dickinson, Hunts county archivist 1962-68, who in 1941 rediscovered the ancient borough charters (they had been thought lost for centuries). Sadly he never understood how an accession register worked.

Great to see Cambridgeshire Libraries on the shortlist for the Libraries Connected Awards for Information and Digital again this year. This time was for our Everyspace Project. Read more about it and see the rest of the nominees at www.librariesconnected.org.uk/news/shortli...

Photograph of brown acid-free archive boxes on a rolling stack in the strongroom

Today is International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness.

This photo shows the 627 boxes of archive material we preserve related to the Pugwash Conferences, which began in 1950 to discuss the worldwide threat of nuclear weapons...

Black Queer Lives: Exploring the Archive and Mini-Zine Workshop Join us at Cambridge Central Library for this event with the BFI team to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month!

For LGBTQ+ History Month, Cambridge Central Library will be hosting the BFI on Saturday 28th February 2-3:30pm - come along to their screening and mini zine workshop. You can book your ticket on Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-quee...

A selection of photos of Arbury Court library over the years laid out on a table

It's Arbury Day today - celebrating the 60th birthday of Arbury Court library. We're here till 2pm!

The UK Web Archive: continuing our work behind the scenes We are hoping to restore the UK Web Archive towards the middle of 2026.

Despite recent challenges, our UK Web Archive team remains dedicated to safeguarding the nation’s online heritage.

Find out more about UK Web Archive recovery in this latest blog post here: link.bl.uk/aaq

Genizah Fragment (Or.1080 J23): a late 12th century love letter.

Perahya is in Cairo and misses his wife, Umm Thana: “Of late my yearning has become so strong that I am not able to bear it anymore." He invites her to join him, promising she can choose her own carpets. 🤔

https://loom.ly/h2W1pMI

Reading and writing can lower dementia risk by almost 40%, study finds Cognitive health in later life is ‘strongly influenced’ by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments, say researchers

The study points to using libraries and visiting museums as bringing these enormous brain health benefits ... who would have thought? Well, librarians and museum folk for a start ... www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

The inclusive pride flag flying from the flag pole at Ely market. The war memorial and Ely Cathdral are visible in the background

Well talk went well and I enjoyed the chance to look round Ely market. Glad to see the pride flag flying. Off for a week annual leave now.

This weekend, Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 February, discover the astonishing high end fashion of the 17th century with our Royal Fashion event. On Saturday, learn about the clothing of the early 1600s, Sunday that of the Restoration & 1660s. Details at: cromwellmuseum.org/events/royal...

@alanakeroyd.bsky.social definitely one for your personal archives (sorry that’s such a bad joke!)

Such a wonderful way to see you and the work of your team recognised!

#CambridgeshireCountyCouncil #ProudCEO

Thank you so much Stephen and heartfelt thanks too for nominating me! It was a genuine honour to represent Cambridgeshire County Council and it was lovely to meet so many other local authority officers there with such a wide variety of job roles and responsibilities. A thrilling event.

A photo of a desktop calendar for February 226, showing a black and white photo of a bowler hatted gent with a thick moustache

Hey it's February already and my lovely desk calendar now shows Sidney Inskip Ladds (1867-1950), an architect who was one of the small but very busy group of Huntingdonshire antiquarians back in the early 20th century. Ladds designed the Norris Museum in St Ives, where his papers are now kept

"average archivist eats 3 documents a year" factoid actualy just statistical error. average archivist eats 0 documents per year. Documents Georg, who lives in the strongroom & eats over 10,000 each day, is an outlier adn should not have been counted

Thanks to @thefnl.bsky.social this exceptionally rare Tudor map of Kingsbridge in Devon has been acquired for public research at the Devon Heritage Centre, after more than four centuries in private hands.

Fantastic! Nothing better than the history of local government 😀

The first page of an article in the Cambridge Independent titled "From Nelson to Cromwell: Archives are a treasure trove" by Paul Brackley with various photographs of the Cambridgeshire archive store, Alan Akeroyd the archive service manager and various stuff held at the archives

The second page, with a photo of Alan on a stepladder in the store and more pictures of stuff in the archives

Great to see a full page and a half about Cambridgeshire Archives in the Cambridge Independent this week. You're famous @alanakeroyd.bsky.social!

Thank you Mary! A proper printed hard copy newspaper too. One for the scrapbook 😀

Apothecary's manuscript acquired at auction Dr Giles Roberts came up with the

Delighted our grant enabled Dorset History Centre to acquire this fascinating manuscript. Dr Giles Roberts (1766-1834) was a key personality in Bridport's history. In 1807 he was appointed Medical Attendant there and campaigned for better hygiene and public health.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Veiling the Holy: Textiles in Ethiopic Manuscripts “Textiles play a vibrant role in the churches of Ethiopia and Eritrea...”

Veiling the Holy: Textiles in Ethiopic Manuscripts, from @visithmml.bsky.social

hmml.org/stories/seri...

The Garth Gold Mine in Cilcain was thought to be the richest goldfield in Wales upon its discovery in 1889! This map held at North East Wales Archives shows the area that brough wealth and fortune to the Welsh economy, and where many thought X marked the spot!
@newalesarchives.bsky.social

Today is #NationalPieDay , to celebrate we have a 18thc recipe for Chicken pie from the Bulwer collection. Could this be the earliest reference to 'pulled chicken'? #recipes #NorfolkHistory

Thank you Stephen! - your words are much appreciated by all of us here

A stereo black and white photo (ie two images side by side, almost but not quite exactly the same) showing a very large biplane in a field. This slightly damaged photo was taken by Dr Reginald Grove of St Ives, Huntingdonshire, on Tuesday 15th April 1913. Dr Grove carefully noted a lot of extra information on the back of the print, including the aperture of f8, the exposure time of 1/20th of a second, and the time of day of 4 pm. Document ref HA D1757/7/48

A hydroplane near Huntingdon in 1913. This is one of a recent accession of stereo photos received at #huntingdonshirearchives, and the collection includes the handheld viewer too, so searchers who visit us in person can get the full stereo effect. More info in the Alt
#randomdocument

Qur’an with lapis lazuli decoration

Close up of Qur’an

Early medieval gospels

Close up of early medieval gospels

Oh, the skill, the craftspersonship! Back at the Bodleian Treasures exhibition to marvel at this 15th or 16thC Qur’an (MS Ouseley Add. 178) and the 8thC MacRegol Gospels (MS Auct. D.219) with its Old English glosses.

We have been accredited by TNA for another three years! Thank you so much to the Cambridgeshire County Council archives team whose hard work and dedication has achieved this recognition www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/news/cambrid...
#cambridgeshirearchives #huntingdonshirearchives #cambridgeshire

One of the prettiest and most interestingly-detailed church doors I have seen…the 17th century north door (set in 14th century doorway) at St. James’ Church, Croxton, Cambridgeshire 😍
Detail in comment below…

Research Training and Short Courses The IHR offers a wide range of training courses for historians at all career stages, from digital research and oral history to archives and publishing.

Looking to boost your historical research skills in 2026? Check out our range of research training and short courses. More coming in Term 3!
www.history.ac.uk/study-traini...

A desk calendar showing January 2026, with an early 20th century black and white photo of a bald man with a grey beard. 'Tis Rev Charles Evelyn-White

Back at work today and my new desk calendar shows Rev Evelyn-White, rector of Rampton and dedicated local antiquarian. In 1900 he left the Cambridge Antiquarian Society to form his own group, the Cambs and Hunts Archaeological Society. Splitter!

The cover of a desk calendar. It shows an architectural drawing of a British School in Huntingdon, early 20th century. Originally built in the late 1820s as a nonconformist chapel this building was the home of County Record Office Huntingdon (now called Huntingdonshire Archives) between 1974 and 2009. The building still exists and has been converted into a set of small flats, and is called The Old Records House. Actually it occurs to me right now that the real building must be coming up to its 200th birthday.

I've done very well in the work Secret Santa this year - this is the Official Huntingdonshire Archivists and Antiquarians Calendar 2026, only one of it has been printed, and it's for me! - I feel so honoured. Thank you to Esther and the team! We'll see who the pictures show as the months roll by 😀