The blog for the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York.
Written by David Pilcher, Retreat Digitisation Assistant This is the second in a series of blog posts celebrating the Retreat archive and our digitisation project as it nears completion. The Retreat is one of the most important institutions in the care and treatment of mental health patients. Over the last two and half years, staff … Continue reading Spotlight on the Retreat archive: A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
Written by Gary Brannan and Sally-Anne Shearn Sunday 13th September saw the presentation of the British Comedy Society’s Living Legends of Comedy Award to the writing partnership Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran. Often thought of solely as comedy writers, the Marks and Gran Archive held at the Borthwick illustrates their wider work in the development … Continue reading Living Legends: the Marks and Gran Archive at the Borthwick
Written by Maddy Pelling, Ayckbourn Intern. In a preface to his ‘Norman Conquests’ Alan Ayckbourn writes that, “Few women care to be laughed at and men not at all, except for large sums of money”. This seems somewhat appropriate from one of the most successful and prolific playwrights ever to emerge from these shores. Ayckbourn’s … Continue reading Answering Critics with Laughter, Shakespeare and Toilet Paper: The Comedy of Alan Ayckbourn
Written by Maddy Pelling, Ayckbourn Intern. For two years now, the Borthwick Institute for Archives has been holding the library of Alan Ayckbourn. As the author of over seventy plays, Ayckbourn is one of Britain’s most successful and prolific playwrights. But, whilst Ayckbourn is primarily a writer, he is also known for his work as … Continue reading Archiving the Life and Works of Alan Ayckbourn