In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles examines the career of one of the lesser known Archbishops of Canterbury, who was able to make use of his August 1715 sermon celebrating the accession of George I to press forward his career in the Church. Every 30 January, the rhythm of the parliamentary session in the 17th and 18th centuries was adjusted … Continue reading John Potter, an unusual Archbishop of Canterbury
From the onset of his lengthy political career, William Pitt the Younger had his eyes fixed on representing his alma mater, the University of Cambridge. Writing to his mother in July 1779, he observed that the University seat was ‘of all others most desirable, as being free from expense, perfectly independent, and I think in every respect extremely honourable’. In this latest guest post for … Continue reading ‘of all others most desirable’: Pitt the Younger and elections for Cambridge
In October 1788, George III fell ill with an unknown ‘malady’ which rendered him unable to fulfil his duties as sovereign: the beginning of the king’s famous ‘madness’. In the latest post for the Georgian Lords, we welcome Dr Natalee Garrett, who considers the role of Queen Charlotte during the period of the king’s illness, and more broadly. As the Prince of Wales was 26 … Continue reading A Meddlesome Mother? Queen Charlotte and the Regency Crisis
Guest blogger Dr Fraser Dickinson uses the events surrounding Philip Herbert, 4th earl of Pembroke, between May and July 1641, to illustrate the interaction between the paradigms of ‘history from above’ and ‘history from below.’ The past is often viewed as being either ‘history from above’ (the ‘great man theory’ of history), or ‘history from below’ (the Marxist emphasis on economic and social forces). Of … Continue reading ‘History from above’ and ‘history from below’: the example of Philip Herbert, 4th earl of Pembroke, May to July 1641
In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Charles Littleton, considers the career of the 1st duke of Chandos, a man who rose to become one of the most flamboyant peers of the early 18th century and a key patron of the composer, Handel. Last month saw the 280th anniversary of the death of an intriguing and, in his time, prominent 18th-century aristocrat. Intriguing, … Continue reading ‘The most surprising instance of a change of fortune raised by a man himself’: the case of James Brydges, 1st duke of Chandos
Today marks the anniversary of the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act receiving royal assent. But why was this bill necessary 26 years after the passing of the 1807 Slave Trade Act, and why was full emancipation not reached until 1838? Our Public Engagement Assistant Joe Baker looks further into the specifics of the Act… In 1807, Parliament passed An Act for the Abolition of the Slave … Continue reading 1833 Slavery Abolition Act: The Long Road to Emancipation in the British West Indies
Marking the anniversary of the passage of the 1883 Corrupt Practices Act, Dr Kathryn Rix, assistant editor of the House of Commons, 1832-1945, begins a series of blog posts on this landmark reform by looking at the key changes made by the act and the motivations behind it. On 25 August 1883, the final day of the parliamentary session, the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention … Continue reading Tackling the problem of electoral corruption: the 1883 Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act
On this day, 1930, Arthur Latham was born. Labour MP for Paddington North (later Paddington) from 1969 to 1979, his career both inside and outside the Commons reflected the ebb and flow of the Labour Party’s ‘hard left’. Alfie Steer explores the significance of Latham’s career, and what it reveals about the history of left-wing politics in late Twentieth Century Britain. Arthur Latham’s journey to … Continue reading Arthur Latham and the rise of the Labour Left
In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Stuart Handley charts the history of the Southwell family, from their origins in Gloucestershire and as administrators in Ireland to their ultimate inheritance of one of the senior peerages in the House of Lords. It is particularly satisfying when the various sections of the History of Parliament allow the fortunes of one family to be traced … Continue reading The Southwells – from administrators to an ancient peerage
Parliament will be officially opened this week and debates will begin once again in the House of Commons. But with the Labour party winning such a large majority in the 2024 General Election, some of their Members may be left wondering- where should I sit? Emeritus Director of the History of Parliament, Dr Paul Seaward, looks to the past to find out more about the … Continue reading The House of Commons Chamber and the Politics of Seating
