You’ve come to this page to find out the answers to the quiz- so which of these famous names sat in Parliament? Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400), author of The Canterbury Tales… Yes! Chaucer was elected as knight of the shire for Kent in 1386. Find out more about Chaucer’s political career on our website, here. Richard Whittington (d.1423), Lord Mayor of London and cat-owner Yes! Richard … Continue reading Parliamentarian or Not?
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
On 16 August 1485, King Richard III issued a pardon to an old adversary, John Morton, bishop of Ely. Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 project, explores the issue that Morton posed to Richard and why he felt the need to offer Morton such an elaborate pardon. On 9 August 1485 Henry Tudor, titular earl of Richmond, landed on the Welsh coast near Milford Haven … Continue reading A last roll of the dice? Richard III’s pardon to John Morton, 16 August 1485
The clerks of the Commons in the 17th century have often been depicted as people who simply recorded the events of the Commons. However, as Dr Stephen Roberts, editor of the House of Commons 1640-1660, explains, there is a lot more to the role of a clerk… As depicted in contemporary images of the House of Commons of the 17th century, the clerks of the … Continue reading Clerks of the Commons: More than just scribes
The Trustees of the History of Parliament are very pleased to announce that Dr Jennifer Davey will be the successor to Paul Seaward as the Director of the History of Parliament Trust. Lord Norton of Louth, the Chair of the History of Parliament Trust, said that “The History of Parliament is delighted that Jennifer Davey will be our next Director. She has been appointed following … Continue reading New Director of The History of Parliament
May 2023 saw the publication of the History of Parliament’s latest work, The House of Commons 1640-1660. This publication has been referred to as the most comprehensive collection of information and analysis ever compiled of the politics of this dramatic period of English and British history and is an enormous resource for researchers. But what other resources exist for those interested in the Civil War … Continue reading How can the Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH) help me? : researching the English and British Civil Wars and the Commonwealth and Protectorate period
Contemporaries were agreed that the coronation of George II and Queen Caroline on 11 October 1727 was spectacular. In our second Coronation-themed blog, Dr Charles Littleton looks back on the event and considers the roles played by some of those involved in it. For the Swiss traveller César de Saussure the coronation of 1727 was ’the most solemn, magnificent, and sumptuous ceremony it is anyone’s … Continue reading ‘The most solemn, magnificent, and sumptuous ceremony’: The coronation of George II and Queen Caroline, 11 October 1727
In exciting news for the History of Parliament, 2023 sees the publication of our long-running House of Commons 1640-1660 project. Here the section editor, Dr Stephen Roberts, reflects on the hard work that multiple historians have put into this project, and discusses some of the interesting people and events of this time. Since 2010, the History of Parliament’s published survey of the House of Commons … Continue reading Introducing The House of Commons, 1640-1660
25 years ago this month the basis for peace in Northern Ireland – the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement – was signed after years of painstaking negotiations. Although nothing would have been achieved without the hard work of politicians and activists of all parties from Northern Ireland, mainland Britain and the Republic of Ireland, one of the crucial figures was Mo Mowlam, Secretary of State for Northern … Continue reading Mo Mowlam and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement
In collaboration with the Letters of Richard Cobden Online, the History of Parliament Trust is excited to announce their Key Stage 3 (11-14 y/o) History and Citizenship Competition: ‘How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the present?’ ‘How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the present?’ The History of Parliament is excited to once again be running its history … Continue reading 2023 KS3 Schools Competition: How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the present?
