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18th Century history

  • Was Wilberforce the only influential parliamentarian abolitionist? Certainly not…

    History of Parliament

    Joining the History of Parliament on work experience during the summer, A level student Georgina Hands came across the Trust whilst using our website for a school history project. Here she blogs for us about her research into parliamentary abolitionists…

  • The ‘Story of Parliament’: Parliament and the press

    Emma Peplow

    Earlier this year the History published ‘The Story of Parliament: Celebrating 750 years of parliament in Britain’ to mark the anniversary of Simon de Montfort’s parliament in 1265. The book is a brief introduction to the full 750 years of…

  • Two battles and a siege: Sheriffmuir and Preston, 12-14 November 1715

    Robin Eagles

    300 years ago the battles of Sheriffmuir and Preston signalled the effective end of the 1715 Jacobite rebellion. Dr Robin Eagles, Senior Research Fellow in the House of Lords 1660-1832 section, tells us more… The 1745 rebellion, replete with romantic…

  • The ‘Poor Palatines’ – political ramifications of eighteenth century migration

    Robin Eagles

    Migration has rarely been politically uncontroversial, as Dr Robin Eagles, Senior Research Fellow in the House of Lords 1660-1832 section, discusses… The current migrant crisis may be on a wider scale than has been seen for a number of years,…

  • A tribute to Professor Paul Langford FBA

    Robin Eagles

    Our director, Dr Paul Seaward, and Dr Robin Eagles, Senior Research Fellow in the House of Lords 1660-1832 section remember Professor Paul Langford FBA… The death of Professor Paul Langford FBA at the end of July robs us not only…

  • The long-lived charter: Magna Carta’s 800 year legacy

    History of Parliament

    800 years ago today, Magna Carta was sealed at Runnymede. In the last of our series celebrating the anniversaries of Magna Carta and Simon de Montfort’s Parliament, Dr Alexander Lock, Curator of Modern Historical Manuscripts at the British Library and…

  • The youngest MP since…?

    Paul Seaward

    Following the election of Mhairi Black last week, many of you have asked us about young MPs! Over to our Director, Dr Paul Seaward… Many have said that Mhairi Black’s election as the SNP Member of Parliament for Paisley and…

  • ‘Horsham is Lady Irwin’s Borough’: the power of the 18th Century political widow

    History of Parliament

    We continue our series on election campaigning through the centuries today, with an example of the power aristocratic women could hold in the pre-1832 electoral system. Elaine Chalus, Professor of British History in Bath Spa University, discusses the story of…

  • ‘You have behaved like a man of honour’: the duel between John Wilkes and Samuel Martin

    Robin Eagles

    Last night the London Record Society held a launch event for ‘The Diaries of John Wilkes, 1770-1797‘ edited by our own Dr Robin Eagles. Here, Dr Eagles relates one of Wilkes’s extra-parliamentary duels… The St James’s Chronicle of 15-17 November…

  • Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Philip Loft, ‘Litigation, agency and oligarchy: the transformation and role of the Lords as High Court, 1689-1720’

    Paul Hunneyball

    Dr Paul Hunneyball, Senior Research Fellow on the Lords 1603-1660 section, reports back on our last ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar. Philip Loft of UCL spoke on ‘Litigation, agency and oligarchy: the transformation and role of the Lords as High…

  • Bonfire night: Making ‘night like day’

    Robin Eagles

    As Bonfire Night approaches, Dr Robin Eagles, Senior Research Fellow in the House of Lords 1660-1832 section takes a look at the use of fireworks in 17th and 18th century celebrations… The recent accident at the fireworks factory in Stafford…

  • Time and the Commons

    Paul Seaward

    Our Director, Dr Paul Seaward, explores the development of the late night culture at the House of Commons… The above John Doyle print of July 1831, ‘The House wot keeps bad hours’, shows the House of Commons in session with…