Author: Stephen Roberts

James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Interregnum, Slavery

Discourses of Freedom and Slavery, 1640-60

Today we return to our recent series from History of Parliament director Dr Stephen Roberts, who has been discussing parliamentary involvement in the 17th century transatlantic slave trade. In the latest post Dr Roberts turns his attention to the uses of the terms ‘slavery’ and ‘liberty’ within years surrounding the English Civil Wars. It is a remarkable enough paradox that while an ever-increasing number of … Continue reading Discourses of Freedom and Slavery, 1640-60

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Interregnum, Slavery, Stuart

Slavery, the Caribbean and English Liberties, 1620-40

Today’s blog is the first in a three-part series from History of Parliament director Dr Stephen Roberts about parliamentary involvement in the development of slavery in the Atlantic World in the seventeenth century… During the 400th anniversary year of the voyage of the Mayflower, much attention has focused on English migration to the colonies of New England. By 1640, Massachusetts was the largest of the … Continue reading Slavery, the Caribbean and English Liberties, 1620-40

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Constituencies, Elections, Interregnum, Local History, Stuart, Welsh History

Electoral change in South-East Wales in the 1640s: the Recruiter Elections in Glamorgan and Monmouthshire

This month, as part of our local history blog series, we’re looking into the parliamentary history of a number of Welsh constituencies. The country first started returning members to Westminster in the 16th century, and in today’s post our History of Parliament director, Dr Stephen Roberts, discusses the electoral change in South-East Wales in the century that followed. The topography of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire had … Continue reading Electoral change in South-East Wales in the 1640s: the Recruiter Elections in Glamorgan and Monmouthshire

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17th Century history, Interregnum, James I to Restoration, Parliamentary Life, Social history, Stuart

Parliament and the Mayflower: the case of Samuel More’s children

This month marks the 400 year anniversary of the voyage of Mayflower, the ship that transported 102 passengers to begin their lives in ‘New England’. Last month the History of Parliament’s Director, Dr Stephen Roberts, explored the men who during the 1640s and 50s made the return journey from America to take up seats in Westminster. Today Stephen casts his attention to the MP Samuel … Continue reading Parliament and the Mayflower: the case of Samuel More’s children

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Interregnum, Religious history, Stuart

The Mayflower: The New England men at Westminster, 1640-1660

In September 1620, the Mayflower set sail, transporting the first Puritan separatists to the ‘New World’. But, even thousands of miles across the sea, ‘New England’ would not be unfamiliar to many of those in Westminster, as our director Dr Stephen Roberts explores… Mayflower sailed from Plymouth, Devon, in September 1620, reaching what became New Plymouth, on the eastern coast of America, in November. About … Continue reading The Mayflower: The New England men at Westminster, 1640-1660

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Constituencies, Interregnum, Local History, Stuart

Rights, Privileges and Just Liberty: Exeter and Parliament, 1600-1660

In today’s blog we return to our Local and Community History Month exploration of the historic constituency of Exeter. This week our director Dr Stephen Roberts looks at the city’s 17th century representation and civil war religious divisions. Like their medieval predecessors, visitors to Exeter in the seventeenth century would have been struck by the contrasting colours of red sandstone city walls and white limestone … Continue reading Rights, Privileges and Just Liberty: Exeter and Parliament, 1600-1660

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Health and Medicine, Interregnum, Social history

An MP and an Epidemic in Civil War London

As we face challenges unfamiliar in modern times, our director, Dr Stephen Roberts, looks back at one parliamentary diarist’s response to disease in the community around him. Sir Simonds D’Ewes (1602-50) is now best known for his parliamentary journal. MP for the Suffolk borough of Sudbury, he entered the House of Commons in November 1640 and kept up a diary in English from day one. … Continue reading An MP and an Epidemic in Civil War London

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Social history, 17th Century history, James I to Restoration, Parliamentary Life, Religious history

Sitting at Christmas: getting business done, 1643

In a previous blog our director, Dr Stephen Roberts, explored legislation by which parliamentarians of the 1640s tried to promote what they saw as more appropriate ways of celebrating Christmas; contrary to popular historical myth, Oliver Cromwell was not the driving force. As Dr Vivienne Larminie of our Commons 1640-1660 section explains, Parliament itself began cutting back on the Yuletide festivities some years before Cromwell … Continue reading Sitting at Christmas: getting business done, 1643

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Modern, 20th century history

The Commonwealth at 70: From Westminster to the World

Today we celebrate the launch of our new publication, The Commonwealth at 70: From Westminster to the World, which has been edited by our Director, Dr Stephen Roberts and published by St James’s House. Below Stephen tells us what to expect from the content of the book – now available as an e-book (click here)… The Commonwealth at 70: From Westminster to the World commemorates … Continue reading The Commonwealth at 70: From Westminster to the World

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Stuart, 17th Century history, Factions, Interregnum, Welsh History

St David’s Day: The First Welsh Republican

For those of you who have been waiting with bated breath for another blog from our resident Welshman and History of Parliament Trust Director, Dr Stephen Roberts, the wait is over. Last March for St David’s Day, Stephen explored the development of the relationship between Parliament and the Welsh language (Part One and Part Two). Today he explains the journey of the first Welsh republican, from his humble beginnings in the countryside … Continue reading St David’s Day: The First Welsh Republican

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