Category Archives: NRO Research Bloggers

Life in Nelson’s Navy: An Account of Joseph Emerson, a Surgeon on board the HMS Agamemnon in 1793.

Posted on October 21, 2018 by

The wellbeing of the men in the navy, despite leading a rough and treacherous lifestyle, was considered superior to that in the army, especially now that scurvy was on the decline. Still, being out at sea for long periods increased … Continue reading →

Posted in NRO Research Bloggers, Snapshots from the Archive | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mad Dogs and Englishmen: Homemade Remedies in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

Posted on October 10, 2018 by

Long before the NHS was founded, many households in 18th and 19th century Britain relied on home remedies to help them cope with various ailments. Healthcare was less accessible, especially for the poorer sectors of society and quack doctors would … Continue reading →

Posted in NRO Research Bloggers, Snapshots from the Archive | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Gruesome goings-on in Old Hunstanton

Posted on July 31, 2018 by

There is a slim uncatalogued file in the King’s Lynn Archive which contains some 14 documents, dated to the 24th year of King George III’s reign labelled, “Customs Murder Suit”. George III reigned from 1760 to 1820. These documents include … Continue reading →

Posted in NRO Research Bloggers, Snapshots from the Archive | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Struggles of Motherhood Recorded in the 19th Century Norfolk Lunatic Asylum

Posted on June 20, 2018 by

Mental health issues are a feature of modern life and the archive of Norfolk Lunatic Asylum, or St Andrew’s Hospital as it was renamed in the 1920s, shows this is not new. It is interesting to compare the ‘causes of … Continue reading →

Posted in NRO Research Bloggers, Snapshots from the Archive | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Norfolk Lunatic Asylum/St Andrew’s Hospital

Posted on June 7, 2018 by

Case notes for the Norfolk Lunatic Asylum show that the admission of a significant number of female patients in 1845-1870, was due to women’s mental health after childbirth. The notes suggest that their physical condition was frail and the physical … Continue reading →

Posted in NRO Research Bloggers, Snapshots from the Archive | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Whales, Kidney Stones, and The Charming Sally: Records of Life on and off Board in the late 1700s

Posted on May 30, 2018 by

At first glance, a calendar regarding the petitions and decisions by the King’s Lynn port Trustees under the ‘Act for the relief of maimed and disabled seamen and widows and children of those killed in the merchant service’ may not … Continue reading →

Posted in NRO Research Bloggers | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Barbary Pirates near King’s Lynn!

Posted on May 17, 2018 by

The King’s Lynn Borough Archive has a wonderful series of large, leather bound books, called the Hall Books, recording the proceedings of the Town Council. This record, for 10th January, 1625, reports the “granting of twelve great pieces of ordinance … Continue reading →

Posted in NRO Research Bloggers | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

King’s Lynn Tank

Posted on May 2, 2018 by

Using documents held at the King’s Lynn Borough Archives. When I was very young- and we’re talking now of the early 1950s- my grandad, who’d served in WW1 with the Bradford Pals in the West Yorkshire Light Infantry, gave me … Continue reading →

Posted in NRO Research Bloggers | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment