National Archives Podcast (1)

I have written previously about my Apple iPod that I use as a relaxation through entertainment mainly at bedtime or occasionally when I am out walking the dogs. I have found myself chuckling away at a comedy program only to get a few strange looks from people walking the towpath. Now I wear a pair of bright pink ear buds which make it more obvious that I am listening to something and that I have not lost the plot. I find that the iPod is ideal in such situations because of its small size. 

For a bit more background on the ever growing world of podcasts you can read my original posting on Podcasts and Podcasting. Click Here.

So what have I been listening to recently in the digital world of podcasting. The National Archives has a large number of podcasts available. This podcast introduces users to the structure and content of the National Register of Archives (NRA). The NRA contains information on the nature and location of manuscripts and historical records that relate to British history. The speaker demonstrates search techniques to make best use of its indexes and other resources. Click Here to listen.

I love history at a local, national and world levels. The National Archives contain some interesting records of British Imperialism around the world. There are also important records relating to life in the united kingdom. These records can also be used by anyone who is interested in genealogy. The documents come in all forms. I like to listen to the research outcomes in the form of lectures as the archives come under greater and greater scrutiny. The files are captured in MP3 format. There is obviously a bias towards history and family history in my choices.

William Hardin Burnley, the biggest slave owner in Trinidad, did everything in his power to prevent the emancipation of Africans in the colony. When slavery ended, he was convinced that only Africans who had tyrannical masters would benefit from emancipation. The rest, he opined, ‘Were too ignorant to understand the real position in which they were placed.’ This lecture examines Burnley’s participation in slavery, his attempts to prevent Africans from being emancipated, his subterfuge to keep them enslaved under another guise called apprenticeship and his energetic efforts to recruit workers from outside of Trinidad to undercut the gains that former slaves had made in the post-apprenticeship period. Click Here to listen.

Dr Nick Barratt tells the amazing story of Captain Thomas Armstrong, an upstanding, if sometimes over-zealous member of HM Customs service, as well as highlighting the records as a rich source of 18th century family, local and social history. Click Here to listen.

Sinclair McKay chronicles the history and achievements of the remarkable ‘Y’ (for ‘Wireless’) Service organisation during the second world war and the people who worked for it. Click Here to listen.

This lecture shows that almost everyone has left a paper trail behind. And that its almost always possible to find it. Click Here to listen.