In this blog, Dr Patrick Little, of the 1640-60 Lords section, explores the enduring popularity of horse-racing, even during the rule of that archetypal puritan, Oliver Cromwell… Oliver Cromwell is blamed for many things without any basis. There are ruined castles said to have been destroyed by him (even though he never went near them); Christmas was famously banned by him (it wasn’t – blame … Continue reading The Sport of Kings – and Protectors!
Even in the 18th century, governments of all sorts relied on tough politicians who were willing to do the dirty work to keep administrations afloat. In the latest post for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles highlights the case of Henry Fox, Lord Holland, one of the most notorious of them all, who died 250 years ago. In the winter of 1762/3 Holland oversaw the … Continue reading “Honest and essential service”: Henry Fox, Lord Holland, government fixer
In today’s blog for the Georgian Elections Project, Dr Kendra Packham (Institute of English Studies, University of London and Newcastle University) tells us about her research on eighteenth-century election ballads, and finds in the forgotten election ‘chairing’ song points of comparison with the campaign for the 2024 UK general election. In the eighteenth century, when the ability and opportunity to vote was heavily restricted, songs … Continue reading Election Chairing Ballads: The Songs and Music of Electoral Victory from Handel to ‘Things Can Only Get Better’
Despite all of the political events of recent years, the upcoming General Election is the first time that the nation has gone to the polls since late 2019- nearly reaching the five year term limit, as determined by the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022. But the length of Parliaments hasn’t always been five years and in the 18th century the rules came under … Continue reading The rules governing lengths of parliaments in the 18th century
At the end of April, the History of Parliament hosted a colloquium to celebrate the publication of the House of Commons 1640-60 volumes and the beginning of a new section on the Lords in the same period. In this blog, Dr Alex Beeton reports on a very successful day. In the last decade, it has become common to describe parliamentary democracy in England and the … Continue reading Crisis? What Crisis? Parliament and Revolutionary Britain
Historians J.B. Owen, J.H. Plumb, and Linda Colley have all alluded to the post-1714 drift of the Tories into the Whig party. One of the families particularly referenced was the Legges. In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Stuart Handley demonstrates the family advantages of conforming to the prevailing political climate. In August 1714, the head of the Legge family was William, earl … Continue reading Tory to Whig – or helping out the Family?
The first Elizabethan Parliament (1559) famously witnessed the restoration of the royal supremacy and paved the way for the reintroduction of Protestantism. It also saw the House of Lords briefly become the main focus of parliamentary opposition to royal policy, a radical departure. However, this Parliament boasts another unusual feature, as Dr Andrew Thrush, the editor of our Elizabethan House of Lords section, explains… It … Continue reading A prisoner in the Lords: the curious case of William Grey, 13th Lord Grey of Wilton
Robert Harley (1661-1724) was in his late 20s when he was first elected to Parliament as MP for Tregony in April 1689. He would remain a member of Parliament, first of the Commons and then of the Lords, for the rest of his life. Both his power and personal style was reflected in a number of nicknames: ‘Robin the Trickster’, ‘Harlequin’ and ‘the Dragon’ being … Continue reading Enter the Dragon: the education of Robert Harley
In this blog, Dr Alex Beeton from our House of Lords 1640-1660 project explores a little-used parliamentary source – the ‘Scribbled Books’ – and reveals some of the important information that can be found within them… John Browne, the Clerk of the Parliaments (i.e. the House of Lords) in the Long Parliament, did not have an easy job. His primary purpose was, with the help … Continue reading New Evidence for Old Stories: The Scribbled Books of the House of Lords
Elizabethan noblemen enjoyed enormous privileges, but generally recognized that there were limits to their freedom of action. However, one particular peer confounded his contemporaries with his convention-busting behaviour, as Dr Paul Hunneyball of our Lords 1558-1603 section explains… ‘Although he doth many times go apparelled like a nobleman, yet other times he useth such apparel as the poorest man in London can go no worse…; … Continue reading ‘So far out of order’: the scandalous career of Henry, 2nd Viscount Howard of Bindon
