Victorian Commons
This collection of articles highlights the ongoing research of our House of Commons 1832-1868 section, investigating the United Kingdom’s political system between the first and second Reform Acts. Check out their website for more articles on th period.
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Peter McLagan (1823-1900): Scotland’s first Black MP
This is the first article in a new series for the Victorian Commons on Peter McLagan (1823-1900), by Dr Martin…
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Richard Cobden’s letters: the human side
In this guest post, previously published on the Victorian Commons, Dr Helen Dampier, Leeds Beckett University, uses the groundbreaking Letters of…
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‘The son of one of the best men who ever adorned the country’: William Wilberforce (1798-1879)
Our House of Commons, 1832-1868 project has found many examples of sons who followed their fathers into Parliament. Dr Kathryn…
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‘I shall persist’: Joseph Brotherton (1783-1857) and late hours in the Commons
Among the new constituencies created by the 1832 Reform Act was Salford, whose first MP, Joseph Brotherton, proved to be…
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The evolving electoral system: the 1835 and 1865 general elections compared
This year marks the 190th anniversary of the 1835 general election and the 160th anniversary of the 1865 general election.…
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A Westminster Boy Made Good: Charles Barry (1795-1860)
In this guest post, previously published on the Victorian Commons, Dr Caroline Shenton, formerly the Director of the Parliamentary Archives…
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‘Those dark little rooms’: Cecil Forester, the Carlton Club and electoral corruption
Drawing on her first biography for the House of Commons, 1832-1868 project, our new research fellow Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones looks…
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James Lamont (1828-1913), Arctic explorer and scientist
Our 1832-68 House of Commons project has researched many MPs who were better known for their exploits outside Parliament than…
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Disraeli and One Nation Conservatism
In this article our former colleague Dr Henry Miller explores the origins of the phrase ‘One Nation’, which is famously…
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Joseph Holdsworth (1789-1857): candidate or returning officer?
In this article Dr Kathryn Rix of our House of Commons 1832-1945 project looks at a very unusual case –…
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Conscience versus constituency: the dilemma facing Henry Charles Sturt MP
On the anniversary of his death on 14 April 1866, Dr Philip Salmon of the Victorian Commons reflects on the…
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Catholics in the Commons after emancipation
Today (13 April) marks the anniversary of the Roman Catholic Relief Act gaining royal assent in 1829, which removed many…