The History of Parliament are excited to advertise for a research fellow to join our House of Lords 1660-1832 project.
The History of Parliament has a vacancy for a research fellow on its 1660-1832 House of Lords project. The successful candidate will have a PhD in British political or cultural history in the eighteenth century. They will join a small team of professional historians researching and writing the biographies of peers and bishops who sat in the Lords in the 1715-1790 period. They will also contribute to the project’s academic and public engagement activities and the development of new digital resources. It is expected that the successful applicant will start in summer 2026.
Full vacancy information, person specification and application details can be found here:
About the 1660-1832 House of Lords project
The 1660-1832 House of Lords project was founded in 1999 in response to a recognition that the History, which had previously covered only the Commons, needed to produce comparable work on the upper chamber. Given the long sweep of the project, it was conceived from the outset that it would be divided into three parts, and part one of the project, covering 1660-1715, was published in 2016.
The project team is now mid-way through covering the second phase, covering the period 1715-1790. This is an exciting project that offers an opportunity to reappraise a key period in British history and the dynamic role the Lords played within it. In writing the lives of the 927 British peers, bishops and Scots representative peers who sat during the period the section explores the changing status of the upper chamber in an era dominated by significant figures in the Commons, such as Sir Robert Walpole, Charles James Fox and William Pitt (elder and younger – the former subsequently equally important in the Lords), but also seeing the ongoing influence of major aristocratic characters, such as the 3rd earl of Sunderland, duke of Newcastle and 2nd marquess of Rockingham. Many members of the Lords held significant office in the period and several major set pieces happened there. The project will explore the composition of political parties, relations between Parliament and the Court, including the opposition courts at Leicester House and Carlton House, the impact of war with America and relations with the colonies more broadly. A survey volume is also being prepared and the work will provide a key resource for political, cultural and local historians interested in politics and society in the eighteenth century.
Alongside research and writing, staff are expected to support the Trust’s engagement work. This could include giving academic papers; attending and helping to organise academic conferences and seminars; collaborating on related research programmes and exhibitions; supporting the Trust’s events in Parliament; and responding to public and media inquiries. The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to the section’s social media accounts under the guise of ‘The Georgian Lords’, as well as posting shorter articles on our blogpost, The Georgian Lords.
Job description: research fellow
The History of Parliament is seeking a research fellow to work on the House of Lords 1660-1832 section (currently working on 1715-1790). Working in the section with the editor, Dr Robin Eagles, the postholder will be responsible for:
▪ Researching, writing and revising biographies for the 1715-1790 volumes to a high academic standard, using online resources supplemented by work in libraries and archives using both printed and manuscript sources
▪ Delivering biographies to an agreed timeframe, making changes required by the editor
▪ Actively assisting the History of Parliament’s blogging, social media and engagement activities, preparing and delivering public talks, conference/seminar papers on themes related to the project, supporting the Trust’s wider academic engagement activities, and assisting with inquiries from the public, Parliament and the media
▪ Contributing to the History of Parliament’s development of new digital resources and helping to maintain existing databases and websites
Full vacancy information and person specification can be found here.
A History of Parliament Application Form can be downloaded here:
Note: your application must include:
- Completed application form
- A recent CV
- A letter outlining your suitability for the role. Please refer to the person specification as a guide. Your letter should also include a brief 250 word statement highlighting a particular aspect of 18th-century history that you believe is ripe for re-appraisal.
- A sample piece of work of c. 10,000 words.
Please send the above to the office manager, Adam Tucker, at atucker@histparl.ac.uk by 16th February 2026. You must ensure that the job title is included in the email subject line.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of the appointment please contact the History of Parliament’s director Dr Jennifer Davey at jdavey@histparl.ac.uk or the project’s editor, Dr Robin Eagles at reagles@histparl.ac.uk.