Georgian
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The Last of the Cromwells
The current BBC production of Wolf Hall: the Mirror and the Light, the last of Hilary Mantel’s novels charting the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell, is a reminder that Cromwell’s dynasty did not end with him on the block.…
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Did you know, Lord George Gordon had two brothers?
In his latest post for the Georgian Lords, Dr Stuart Handley looks into the family of the notorious Lord George Gordon, who was at the centre of the political storm that resulted in the 1780 ‘Gordon Riots’ that rocked London…
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John London: Britain’s First Black Voter?
At first glance, the 1749 Westminster constituency by-election does not seem to warrant too much attention, with the incumbent, Viscount Trentham, being re-elected following his appointment to office. However, as Dr Gillian Williamson explores, the election provides the earliest known…
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The day Parliament was invaded
In the summer of 1780 London, and several other cities across England, experienced some of the worst rioting they had seen in a generation, following the presentation of a petition to Parliament calling for the repeal of the Catholic Relief…
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1833 Slavery Abolition Act: The Long Road to Emancipation in the British West Indies
Today marks the anniversary of the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act receiving royal assent. But why was this bill necessary 26 years after the passing of the 1807 Slave Trade Act, and why was full emancipation not reached until 1838? Our…
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Declaring the result of an Eighteenth Century Election
Today the nation will be casting their votes in the 2024 General Election with most constituencies declaring their results in the early hours of the morning. However, as Dr Robin Eagles explains in our final Georgian Elections Project blog, 18th-Century…
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Breaking the Political Mould: a new 18th-century political party
With a multiple of parties vying for your vote in the 2024 General Election, the Whig and Tory monopoly of the 18th Century would have presented a much more limited choice for Georgian voters. However, in today’s blog for the…
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Hustings and leadership debates 18th-century style
Leadership debates, as experienced in modern elections, were not a feature of 18th-century contests. However, as Dr Robin Eagles shows in the latest post for the Georgian Elections Project, that does not mean that there was not plenty of opportunity…
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Chairing successful candidates
As the results of the 2024 General Election start to come in, successful candidates will have different ways to celebrate their win- but it is unlikely that these newly-elected MPs will be hoisted in the air in a traditional ‘chairing’…
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‘Abuse and scurrility’? Press reporting of 18th-century elections
As newspapers and television broadcasts continue to be filled with daily news from the 2024 General Election, in today’s blog for the Georgian elections project Dr Robin Eagles turns his attention to the role of the press in 18th century…
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Political Grandstanding in the 18th Century
In an age of social media and immediate news coverage, publicity opportunities have become a central part of political strategy- particularly in the run up to a General Election. But even in the 18th century politicians looked for ways to…
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To reform or not to reform: Party manifestos
As many modern political parties announce their manifestos this week Dr Robin Eagles from our House of Lords 1715-1790 project looks back at the decisions around flagship policies that could make or break parties and alliances in the 18th century,…