Memory of the World

National: The UK Memory of the World Register honours documentary heritage of national and regional significance and includes documents such as the Death Warrant of King Charles I. This invaluable archive is a remarkable and rich insight into a small island’s past and mark on the world. This is Britain’s collective memory.

International: The International Memory of the World Register recognises documentary heritage of global significance and includes documents such as the Magna Carta. It inspires both nations and regions to identify, list and preserve their respective documentary heritage for the collective memory of humankind.

The development of people’s political, social and cultural rights in the UK has taken generations of conflict, campaigning and protest. Recognised on the UK UNESCO Memory of the World Register are some of the milestone documents relating to the development of these rights. This includes the Magna Carta issued in 1215 which limited the divine right of kings, through to the Bill of Rights in 1689 which effectively made the UK’s political system what it is today. These rights have been brutally hard-won as inscriptions including the Peterloo Massacre Relief Books and the papers relating to the Women’s Suffrage Movement show.

We are an island shaped and devastated by war. More than one million British and Commonwealth servicemen and over 70,000 British civilians lost their lives in the two World Wars alone. The UK Memory of the World Register includes many of the most important archives relating to some of the bloodiest battles in history, the generals and public figures behind them, and people’s stories and personal experiences. From documents to memorabilia and photos, these inscriptions reveal and illustrate the true and bloody cost of war, reminding us all that it is the world’s shared responsibility to work toward a lasting peace.

The UK has long been a pioneer in film and photography and many of the inscriptions listed below demonstrate its leading role in this field, such as the innovative silent films of one of the world’s best-known filmmakers, Alfred Hitchcock. But what’s more, many of these sources capture everyday events and people in the UK. From the world’s largest surviving collection of Mitchell and Kenyon’s early non-fiction actuality films to Konttinen’s photographs of local communities grappling with post-industrial reality in the North East of England since the 1960s - all these inscriptions offer unique glimpses into the rich diversity of UK culture and history through the unique lens of the camera. Light! Camera! Action!

Between the 17th and 20th century, Britain built one of the most extensive empires in history, spreading its influence and power across the globe. These inscriptions help us better understand this process through the lens of British commerce, warfare and diplomacy. But they also shine a crucial light on one of the period’s darker sides: slavery.

A key player in the global slave trade, Britain transported an estimated 3.1 million enslaved Africans from the ports of Bristol, London and Liverpool to its colonies and other countries. Many of these inscriptions contain the only written sources available for this period which affected people all over the world. They therefore have a great international value.

From the discovery of the hole in the ozone layer to the production of the early steam locomotive and far-reaching advances in communication technology - these documents show some of the key moments in the development of the industrial world.

Many of these sources illustrate the role and impact of the Industrial Revolution that was sweeping over Britain and sparking revolutionary innovations, dramatic social change and pioneering discoveries in the 18th and 19th centuries. But some of these inscriptions also celebrate and document present efforts in the fields of industry, innovation and science, such as the challenges of living and working at British Antarctic research stations.

The UK’s literary past is a rich seam of culture, people and history. From sources relating to some of the most well-known and influential British writers, to Welsh and Cornish literature, and the world’s largest collection of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts these inscriptions are unique windows into the literary past, making sure that voices remain heard, and stories live on.

Historically, religion, power and politics have always been closely intertwined. The story of St Augustine, who came to England in 597 on the mission to convert the people to Christianity and who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury, is a paramount example. Canterbury became the centre of spirituality and later the seat of the spiritual head of the Church of England. These inscriptions testify to this influential relationship and illustrate how people in the past viewed themselves and place through time.