Category: 20th century history

Contemporary History, 20th century history, Modern, Oral history, Social history, Women and Parliament

‘Neither fish, fowl nor good red herring’: Baroness Nicholson’s experiences of hearing loss

Emma Nicholson, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, born 1941, was the MP for Torridge and West Devon 1987‒97. Elected as a Conservative MP, she crossed the floor to join the Liberal Democrats in 1995. After losing her seat in 1997 she was created a life peer, and served as a Member of the European Parliament for South East England for ten years (1999‒2009). Interviewed in 2013 … Continue reading ‘Neither fish, fowl nor good red herring’: Baroness Nicholson’s experiences of hearing loss

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, Disability history, Modern, Social history

Visibility of Disability in the House of Commons: Food for Thought

As the UK marks Disability History Month, today’s guest blogger, Dr Ekaterina (Katya) Kolpinskaya explores the representation of disabilities in the House of Commons, and why Members of Parliament may be unwilling or unable to be more open about their disabilities. The recent increase in the number of disabled people in Britain – who have a physical or mental health impairment which has a substantial and … Continue reading Visibility of Disability in the House of Commons: Food for Thought

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Modern, 20th century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Contemporary History, Health and Medicine

75 Years of the National Health Service: A Political History of Health and Healthcare in Britain

In September, the History of Parliament celebrated our latest publication with St James’s House to commemorate 75 years of the NHS at Westminster Abbey. Paul Seaward, Director of the History of Parliament, discusses the contents of the book and how to access it for free. We’re delighted to say that our latest publication with St James’s House is now freely available online. Hardback and paperback versions … Continue reading 75 Years of the National Health Service: A Political History of Health and Healthcare in Britain

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Victorian Commons, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, 20th century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Victorian

Organise! Organise! Organise! Conference Reflections

Continuing our series reflecting on the Organise! Organise! Organise! conference hosted by Durham University and supported by the History of Parliament, guest blogger, Patrick Duffy, PhD candidate at Trinity College, Dublin, discusses the new interdisciplinary approaches presented at this conference. The Organise! Organise! Organise! Conference in Durham last July was a hugely enjoyable, beneficial and thought-provoking experience. As a historian interested in issues such as identity and … Continue reading Organise! Organise! Organise! Conference Reflections

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20th century history, Clement Attlee, Contemporary History, Elections, Modern, Oral history, Scottish History, Women and Parliament

Identifying the Attlee Family Cars: Prime Ministers’ Props

To coincide with the third BBC Radio 4 series of Prime Ministers’ Props, our senior research fellow, Dr Martin Spychal, discusses the intriguing (and still partially inconclusive) research journey behind identifying the cars used on the campaign trail by Clement and Violet Attlee… Over the past few years I’ve worked as a researcher on the BBC Radio 4 series Prime Ministers’ Props, presented by Sir … Continue reading Identifying the Attlee Family Cars: Prime Ministers’ Props

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Modern, 20th century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Factions

Horatio Bottomley – how a radical journalist became a right-wing populist MP

Ahead of next Tuesday’s Parliaments, Politics and People seminar, we hear from Professor David Renton of SOAS/Garden Court chambers. On 31 October between 5.30 p.m. and 7.00 p.m., David will discuss his recent biography of Horatio Bottomley. The seminar takes place on 31 October 2023, between 17:30 and 19:00. It is fully ‘hybrid’, which means you can attend either in-person in London at the IHR, … Continue reading Horatio Bottomley – how a radical journalist became a right-wing populist MP

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, Elections, Factions, History of Parliament Trust, Modern, Oral history

Cooperation and the Co-operative Party

The Co-operative Party was founded in 1917, volunteer interviewer Peter Reilly reflects on his recent oral history interview with David Lepper, a former ‘Labour Coop’ MP and what it meant to be a member of the Co-operative Party. Recent interviews I have conducted for the History of Parliament Trust Oral History Project remind us that UK parties are ‘broad churches’ encompassing a range of views. … Continue reading Cooperation and the Co-operative Party

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20th century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Irish History, Modern

Acts of Recovery: archival reconstruction in the digital age reflection

In September 2023, the UK Parliamentary Archives hosted an event to mark their collaboration with the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland. In this blog, our Public Engagement Assistant, Kirsty O’Rourke, reflects on the event. To mark the collaboration between the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland and the UK Parliamentary Archives, last month the UK Parliamentary Archives hosted an event to discuss the importance of sharing knowledge … Continue reading Acts of Recovery: archival reconstruction in the digital age reflection

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, Factions, Harold Macmillan, Modern, Oral history

The Monday Club

Continuing our series on factions, Alfie Steer, historian of modern and contemporary Britain, discusses one of the more controversial party factions, the Monday Club, and reflects on the limitations our oral history archive has encountered with such topics. On Monday, 3 February 1961, the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan addressed the South African parliament. Now remembered as the ‘Winds of Change’ speech, Macmillan’s address both acknowledged the growing calls … Continue reading The Monday Club

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Victorian Commons, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, 20th century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events

Reflections on the Organise! Organise! Organise! Conference

Continuing our series reflecting on the Organise! Organise! Organise! conference hosted by Durham University and supported by the History of Parliament, guest blogger Erin Geraghty, Teaching Associate at the University of Nottingham, shares her thoughts on the fresh perspectives offered on British and Irish political history. In July, Durham University hosted ‘Organise! Organise! Organise! Collective Action, Associational Culture and the Politics of Organisation in Britain … Continue reading Reflections on the Organise! Organise! Organise! Conference

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