New year – a new set of historical events to understand and learn about. Coming up for 2026 are some exciting anniversaries including some on technology – telephones in particular; important books and authors – see Paddington and Beatrix Potter; musical births – time for the jazz hands; protest and power challenges through industrial action and labour laws; royal activities from around the world; and a few ups and downs in the history of the USA.

That last one will be a focus for some of the key anniversary activities over the next twelve months. At a time currently when the United States is openly redefining its national character and internationally flexing its muscles it is timely that it also celebrates 250 years of a series of anniversaries of the American revolution and its break from Great Britain. Those events, which were some of the early challenges to empire from new colonies, had a deep impact on the type of new nation that the US formed as well as having ramifications across the globe then and ever since. The anniversaries highlight the role of thinkers such as Thomas Paine and the changing nature of human rights and the understanding of choice.

In the UK the last 150 years witnessed changes in education, employment and class privilege, much of which can be found in the anniversaries of the Education Act, The General Strike and the founding of new universities.

Around the world and across time there is the beginning of the history behind the legend of Dracula as well the founding of the impressive Mughal Empire.

In literature Gulliver’s Travels was published 300 years ago this October, acting as a political satire on the human condition and the treatment of different people across society. In the Lake District Beatrix Potter (born 160 years ago this July) gave a voice and identities to garden animals, beginning a trend for humanizing the natural world to appreciate its importance – an important metaphor for the climate challenges we face today?

Once into the twentieth century there is no end of anniversaries – some with greater impact than others – such as the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident of 1986.

So there is plenty to discuss and dissect for anniversaries in 2026, but finally one more – just to whet your appetite for the HA’s annual conference for 2026, we can remember that it is the 1350-year anniversary of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne retiring to a hermitage near Holburn, Northumberland, at a place now known as St Cuthbert's Cave – something we can talk about later, perhaps when we get to the North East!