Pandas, U.F.O.s and Other Curiosities from Britain’s National Archives

The sporadic release of documents from Britain’s National Archives gives a glimpse into the country’s inner workings. For instance, there was the revelation that Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher debated using the military to quell a miners’ strike in 1984.

The archives are a repository of both the historical and the mundane, storing everything from Shakespeare’s will to countless government tweets.

And then there are the more offbeat offerings: Britons learned on Friday, in the government’s latest release, about Mrs. Thatcher’s refusal to travel with a panda. Previous released included disclosures about leftover moon dust (found in a cupboard), a report concerning U.F.O.’s (there were none) and Princess Margaret’s hoped-for marriage (no government opposition).

Here are some of the quirkiest revelations from recent years. ...