Primary & Reference Sources - England - European History - Research Guides at The Claremont Colleges Library

Historical Books, Documents, Diaries and Letters

British Document Collection at Honnold/Mudd
We have an collection of British Documents that are not listed in our online catalog. The collection, which includes State Papers, the Historical Manuscript Collection and Parliamentary Papers, is on the east side of the Mudd section of the building, under the Multi-Tier Stack. Contact the history subject specialist for more information.

State Papers Online This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Essential resource for researching the British government from the 16th through the 18th century.
Content type: Primary sources, government documents, correspondence, images, maps
Coverage dates: 1509-1782
Includes British State Papers (1500s-1700s) and connects these historical manuscripts to the fully text-searchable Calendars. Includes full text of various British and Scottish Calendars, Accounts, Acts, Histories, and Registers, as well as images of paintings, maps, engravings, and other material objects. The Library has access to Parts I-IV and Eighteenth Century Part I.
Language: English, French, Latin
Keywords: Early Modern Government in Britain and Europe
Early English Books Online This link opens in a new window
Why search here? To access some of the earliest printed works in English, published in England, Scotland, Ireland, and other countries.
Content type: Primary sources, books
Coverage dates: 1470-1700
In addition to English, sources in Latin, Algonquian languages, and many others are included. New content is added once per year.
Language: English
Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Good for getting a sense of what constituted knowledge in eighteenth century England, Ireland, and Scotland, including journals and diaries, religious materials, creative works, and political documents.
Content type: Primary sources, books, pamphlets, diaries, broadsides
Coverage dates: 1701-1800
Includes some (but not many) works from other countries and in other languages.
Language: English, French, Latin
Making of the Modern World This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Explore primary sources related to the history of western trade with a focus on the coal, iron, and steel industries, the railway industry, the cotton industry, banking and finance, and the modern corporation.
Content type: Primary sources, eBooks, reports, maps, diagrams, photographs, paintings, etc.
Coverage dates: 1400s-1940s
Additionally, there are sources discussing the history of the working class, the history of slavery and colonization, the labor movement, as well as other topics that relate to and challenge capitalism.
Language: English, French, Spanish, German, Latin, Italian, and other European languages.

19th Century British Pamphlets Online
Lists both digital and paper pamphlets with links to holding institutions, some of which have open access to digital collections.
British History Online
Key primary and secondary documents from British history, including much from Parliament.
British Sessional Papers at Harvard (Parliamentary Papers)
Selected volumes from 18089-1906, House of Commons

Gerritsen Women's History Collection of Aletta H. Jacobs‎ This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Explore this large women's history collection to trace the evolution of feminism and women's rights in various countries over the span of five centuries.
Content type: Primary sources, books, pamphlets, periodicals, correspondence
Coverage dates: 1543-1945
Publications originate from continental Europe, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand.
Language: English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, etc.
Defining Gender This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Explore primary sources describing traditional models and contemporary perceptions of gender in British society from the fifteenth to the early twentieth century.
Content type: Primary sources, correspondence, diaries, advice literature, periodicals, government documents
Coverage dates: 1450-1910
Language: English
Keywords: AM Explorer
Women Writers Online This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Rare writings by women in English, including speeches, treatises, and creative works.
Content type: Primary sources, literary works, legal documents
Coverage dates: 1526-1850
Click on "Enter WWO" to actually search.
Language: English
Keywords: Women Writers Project
HathiTrust Digital Library This link opens in a new window
An enormous collection of both in-copyright and public domain book and serial resources, many from the 19th and early 20th century.
HathiTrust is a collective of academic and research libraries that digitizes materials, whether they are in-copyright or the public domain, for the purpose of preservation. Eligible students with a print disability can request a copy of any book in the collection, regardless of copyright status.
Language: English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, etc.
Keywords: Hathi Trust

Connected Histories: British History 1500-1900
A cross search of British resources, online and off, from 1500-1900
National Archives of Britain
Early Modern Resources
is a huge site of reference materials and primary resources that can be browsed or searched by keyword.
Nine: Nineteenth Scholarship Online
Links and information leading to digital and analog primary and secondary resources in 19th century. Some full text; some citation information.

Historical Newspapers and Periodicals

Times Digital Archive This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Access full page scans of this daily, national British newspaper, including images and advertisements.
Content type: Newspaper articles, primary sources
Coverage dates: 1785-2019
Includes coverage of business, sports, and the arts, as well as weather reports, birth and marriage announcements, death notices, and obituaries.
Language: English
Sunday Times Digital Archive This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Explore full page scans for this well-known British newspaper, including images and advertisements.
Content type: Newspaper articles, primary sources
Coverage dates: 1822-2021
Includes coverage of business, sports, and the arts, as well as weather reports, and public notices of births, marriages, and deaths
Language: English
Eighteenth Century Journals This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Explore primary sources that provide a variety of insights into and opinions of 18th century life in England and the places it ruled.
Content type: Primary sources, journals
Coverage dates: 1685-1835
This collection contains scans of journals and pamphlets that include society gossip, political controversies, poetry, and other insight into 18th century life. This collection also holds a variety of journals written by and for women.
Language: English
Keywords: AM Explorer
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Why search here? Search here for comprehensive coverage of news and current events, government, business, medical, and legal topics, as well as general reference information.
Content type: Newspaper articles, trade journal articles, broadcast transcripts, financial reports, federal and state case law, medical abstracts, corporate profiles
Coverage dates: 1980-present
Language: English, Spanish, French, Dutch, German, Portuguese
Keywords: Lexis Nexis