Category: 19th Century history

Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Resources and Publications, Victorian

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 Richard Cobden Online resource to explore the human side of Richard Cobden. Helen is a co-investigator for the project, which contains a searchable collection of digital transcripts of letters written by Cobden and a virtual exhibition of the original documents. The digital publication of c. … Continue reading Richard Cobden’s letters: the human side

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Victorian

‘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 Rix looks at William Wilberforce (1798-1879), whose political career failed to live up to that of his far more famous father. Trading heavily on his family name, William Wilberforce (1798-1879), eldest son and namesake of the noted anti-slave trade campaigner, was elected in 1837 as … Continue reading ‘The son of one of the best men who ever adorned the country’: William Wilberforce (1798-1879)

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Health and Medicine, Local History, Parliamentary Life, Victorian

‘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 a notably hard-working member of the Commons. Dr Kathryn Rix, Assistant Editor of our House of Commons, 1832-1945 project, examines the career of this diligent backbencher, shedding light on the timetable of the parliamentary day. In 1832 the borough of Salford elected its first MP, … Continue reading ‘I shall persist’: Joseph Brotherton (1783-1857) and late hours in the Commons

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19th Century history, Corruption, Elections, Electoral Reform, Parties, Victorian, Victorian Commons

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. Our assistant editor Dr Kathryn Rix looks at some of the ways in which the electoral system had evolved in the thirty years between them. The 1835 and 1865 general elections both took place under the electoral system established by the 1832 Reform Act, with … Continue reading The evolving electoral system: the 1835 and 1865 general elections compared

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

How did the routes of political processions and protest marches evolve in London during the nineteenth century?

At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on 20 May 2025, Professor Katrina Navickas of the University of Hertfordshire will be discussing ‘The development of political processions and protest marches in London, 1780-1939’. The seminar takes place on 20 May 2025, between 5:30 and 6.30 p.m. It will be hosted online via Zoom. Details of how to join the discussion are available here. Protest marches in … Continue reading How did the routes of political processions and protest marches evolve in London during the nineteenth century?

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19th Century history, Buildings and Architecture, Victorian, Victorian Commons

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 and author of The Day Parliament Burned Down (2012) and Mr Barry’s War (2016), reflects on an often-forgotten aspect of the background of Charles Barry, architect of the New Houses of Parliament. On the night of 16 October 1834, thirty-nine year old Charles Barry was travelling … Continue reading A Westminster Boy Made Good: Charles Barry (1795-1860)

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Corruption, Elections, Victorian

‘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 at the behind the scenes involvement of the long-serving Conservative MP Cecil Forester in the electioneering activities of the Carlton Club and the murky world of electoral corruption. George Cecil Weld Forester (1807-86), or Cecil Forester as he was known, was Conservative MP for the … Continue reading ‘Those dark little rooms’: Cecil Forester, the Carlton Club and electoral corruption

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Georgian, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, Buildings and Architecture, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Henry Addington, Viscount Sidmouth, Speakers of the House

The Speaker’s House and the Evolution of the Speakership, 1794–1834

At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on 6 May 2025, Dr Murray Tremellen of York Museums Trust will be discussing ‘The Speaker’s House and the Evolution of the Speakership, 1794–1834’ . The seminar takes place on 6 May 2025, between 5:30 and 6.30 p.m. It will be hosted online via Zoom. Details of how to join the discussion are available here. There are … Continue reading The Speaker’s House and the Evolution of the Speakership, 1794–1834

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Scottish History, Victorian

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 in the Commons. In this guest article, Dr Matthew McDowell, of the University of Edinburgh, who has contributed to our 1832-68 project with articles on Buteshire and its MPs, explores the career of the noted Arctic explorer James Lamont. At only four years old, a … Continue reading James Lamont (1828-1913), Arctic explorer and scientist

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Contemporary History, 19th Century history, 20th century history, Benjamin Disraeli, Buildings and Architecture, David Lloyd George, Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th earl of Derby, George Canning, Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, Modern, Robert Peel, Victorian, Winston Churchill

‘Made of Stone’ (or not): Statues in Parliament Square

For the past few months our Head of Contemporary History, Dr Emma Peplow, has been on Matt Chorley’s Radio 5live show every Thursday afternoon discussing the figures commemorated in Parliament Square. Here she shares some of what she has learned…. Even if the statues in Parliament Square are not ‘Made of Stone’, as the introductory music to our feature on Matt Chorley’s Radio 5live programme … Continue reading ‘Made of Stone’ (or not): Statues in Parliament Square

Emma PeplowLeave a comment