Tag: featured

Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments, 17th Century history, Charles I, Factions, Health and Medicine, Military history, Parliamentary Life, Stuart

The Politics of Illness, Part 1: Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, 1640-1

In the first of a short series, Dr Patrick Little of the 1640-60 Lords section,  discusses how illness undermined a compromise between Charles I and his opponents in Parliament in the early months of the Long Parliament. Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, is well-known as the originator of the so-called ‘bridge appointments’ scheme, a compromise agreement in the winter of 1640-1 which would have seen Charles … Continue reading The Politics of Illness, Part 1: Francis Russell, 4th earl of Bedford, 1640-1

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History of Parliament Trust

Internship: History of Parliament Trust, House of Lords 1640-60 Project

The History of Parliament is excited to announce a new 8-week internship position for postgraduate-level researchers. Applications are invited for a fixed-term internship in the History of Parliament’s House of Lords 1640-60 section. Applicants should be enrolled in a postgraduate degree in History or a related subject, be familiar with early modern English palaeography, and have a strong knowledge of mid-seventeenth century British history. Applications … Continue reading Internship: History of Parliament Trust, House of Lords 1640-60 Project

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Georgian Lords, 18th Century history, Factions, Georgian, Parliamentary Life, Parties

‘You have this day lost an agreeable entertainment in the House of Lords’: Dr John Savage, Lord Cowper’s personal parliamentary reporter

We are so used to continuous coverage of Parliament that it is easy to forget that during most of the 18th century debates in Parliament could not be made public. So how did those interested, and even engaged, in proceedings in the 18th-century Parliament know what was actually happening there? Many relied on newsletter-writers and agents, but in this latest post for the Georgian Lords, … Continue reading ‘You have this day lost an agreeable entertainment in the House of Lords’: Dr John Savage, Lord Cowper’s personal parliamentary reporter

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, 20th century history, Alec Douglas-Home, Andrew Bonar Law, Archibald Primrose, 5th earl of Rosebery, Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington, Benjamin Disraeli, Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, George Canning, George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th earl of Aberdeen, Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, Modern, Parliamentary Life, Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd earl of Liverpool, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd marquess of Salisbury, Robert Walpole, Victorian, William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd duke of Portland, William Ewart Gladstone, Winston Churchill

Prime Ministers in the House of Lords

The retirement of Lord Salisbury in 1902 marked the end of the last premiership undertaken from the House of Lords, but in the nineteenth century, more prime ministers led governments from the Lords than the Commons. In this article, Dr Kathryn Rix, of our House of Commons, 1832-1945 project, explores the history and significance of prime ministers in the Lords. When Anthony Trollope wrote his … Continue reading Prime Ministers in the House of Lords

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Conferences, Seminars and Events, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, 20th century history, Art, Fashion and Material Culture, Elections, Georgian, History of Parliament Trust, Medieval, Modern, Victorian

Re-membering the medieval parliament, 1769-1886

At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Tuesday 17 March, Dr Sarah Wride of the University of York and the Institute of Historical Research, will be discussing the political memory of medieval parliaments in debates about parliamentary reform between 1769 and 1886. The seminar takes place on 17 March 2026, between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. It is fully ‘hybrid’, which means you can … Continue reading Re-membering the medieval parliament, 1769-1886

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Modern, 20th century history, Military history, Parliamentary Life, Scottish History, Social history

‘One of the greatest Rugby players who ever sat in the House’: Pat Munro MP

With the 2026 Six Nations Championship in full swing, our latest article from Dr Kathryn Rix looks at one of the most notable rugby players to become an MP, the former Scotland captain, Patrick (‘Pat’) Munro (1883-1942), who was capped 13 times for Scotland. Pat Munro made his debut as a Scotland rugby international on 4 February 1905 at Inverleith, Edinburgh, taking on Wales in … Continue reading ‘One of the greatest Rugby players who ever sat in the House’: Pat Munro MP

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Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Constituencies, Corruption, Elections, George IV, History of Parliament Trust, Local History, Victorian, Women and Parliament

The ‘Bifrons Purse’: Elizabeth, Marchioness Conyngham and aristocratic women’s participation in nineteenth-century elections

Drawing on her research into Canterbury for the House of Commons, 1832-1868 project, our research fellow Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones explores the political life of Elizabeth, Marchioness Conyngham (1769-1861). Best known as George IV’s final mistress, Conyngham‘s electioneering activity in Canterbury offers an important example of the behind-the-scenes roles wealthy women could play in politics during the nineteenth century. Famous as ‘the regnante’ and ‘vice queen’, … Continue reading The ‘Bifrons Purse’: Elizabeth, Marchioness Conyngham and aristocratic women’s participation in nineteenth-century elections

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, Constituencies, Elections, John Major, Local History, Modern, Oral history, Parties

Christchurch 1993: By-election Campaigning in the Glare of the Media

On Thursday the voters of Gorton and Denton will elect their new MP after weeks of media speculation. This by-election had huge attention before it was even called, and in Westminster eyes are fixed on Manchester. In this article, Dr Emma Peplow uses our oral history archive interviews to look back at a very different by-election, but one that also took place under full media spotlight: … Continue reading Christchurch 1993: By-election Campaigning in the Glare of the Media

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History of Parliament Trust, 15th Century History, Medieval, Parliamentary Life, The Commons in the Wars of the Roses

Paddington in Parliament

Dr Hannes Kleineke of our Commons 1461-1504 Section explores how Paddington Bear’s favourite sweet treat was traded by some members of the late medieval House of Commons… This blog must start with a disclaimer: there is of course no evidence (and no suggestion) that the Peruvian bear ever sat in the British House of Commons. What we do know, however, is that late medieval Members traded, inter alia, … Continue reading Paddington in Parliament

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Medieval, 15th Century History, Henry VI, Local History, Military history, Parliamentary Life, Religious history

The true beginning of troubles? The Parliament of Bats, 1426

Dr Hannes Kleineke explores the acrimonious ‘Parliament of Bats’, which first met in Leicester on this day 600 years ago, amidst tensions between two of Henry VI’s closest political advisors. At the end of 1425, just three years into the reign of the infant Henry VI, the English polity, such as it was, was in turmoil. Although arrangements for the conduct of government during the … Continue reading The true beginning of troubles? The Parliament of Bats, 1426

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