Tag: Protectorate parliaments

17th Century history, Commons in the Civil Wars, Conferences, Seminars and Events, History of Parliament Trust, Interregnum, Oliver Cromwell

The History of Parliament, House of Commons, 1640-60: a roundtable discussion

Ahead of next Tuesday’s Parliaments, Politics and People roundtable seminar, we hear from Alex Beeton and Patrick Little of the History of Parliament. On 13 February Alex and Patrick will join Andrew Barclay, Vivienne Larminie and David Scott to discuss the recently published History of Parliament, House of Commons, 1640-60 volumes The roundtable seminar takes place on 13 February 2024, between 17:30 and 19:00. It is fully … Continue reading The History of Parliament, House of Commons, 1640-60: a roundtable discussion

Alex Beeton2 Comments
17th Century history, Buildings and Architecture, Interregnum, James I to Restoration, Oliver Cromwell

Silence and Laughter in the Cromwellian House of Commons

On our blog we have often heard about the origins of the many strange and enduring traditions that exist within Westminster. In today’s blog Dr Patrick Little from our Commons 1640-1660 project takes a look at the use of non-verbal reactions within the Cromwellian Commons Chamber… When trying to understand debates in early modern Parliaments, historians rely on diaries: the private journals kept by individual … Continue reading Silence and Laughter in the Cromwellian House of Commons

Patrick LittleLeave a comment
James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Elections, Interregnum, Parliamentary Life, Religious history

Breaching the guidelines: clerical MPs in the mid-seventeenth century

As the country grapples with interpreting the rules of the Covid-19 lockdown, Dr Vivienne Larminie of our Commons 1640-1660 section considers another situation where a seemingly clear-cut ban proved difficult to enforce… Uncertainty has long surrounded the eligibility of clergy to sit as MPs. Only in 2001 was legislation passed explicitly permitting all ministers of religion to stand for election. This repealed the Clergy Disqualification … Continue reading Breaching the guidelines: clerical MPs in the mid-seventeenth century

larminievLeave a comment
Interregnum, 17th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Welsh History

Welsh Electoral Arithmetic, 1640-1660

As today is St David’s day, and in preparation for the upcoming ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar in which Rhodri Morgan, the former First Minister for Wales, will speak, our blogs will focus on Wales. In our first blog, Dr Stephen Roberts discusses Welsh representation in Parliament during the Cromwellian Protectorate. Wales was not well represented at the time, with the notable (and brief!) exception of Swansea; a very different … Continue reading Welsh Electoral Arithmetic, 1640-1660

Stephen Roberts1 Comment