Month: August 2014

20th century history, Oral history, Post-1945 history

More memories from Westminster: New oral history material added to historyofparliamentonline.org

Our national oral history project has now interviewed more than 100 former MPs, and to celebrate we have added some more webpages dedicated to our interviewees. These pages include brief biographies, full interview summaries and extracts from the interviews themselves. The six new MPs added – Kenneth Baker, Patrick Jenkin, John Osborn, Christopher Price, James Prior and Sir Teddy Taylor – were also photographed by … Continue reading More memories from Westminster: New oral history material added to historyofparliamentonline.org

The History of Parliament1 Comment
Medieval history, Military history

The battle of Bosworth: consequences for winners and losers

The battle of Bosworth took place on this day in 1485. Dr Charles Moreton, senior research fellow of the Commons 1422-1504 project, discusses the contrasting consequences for parliamentarians on both sides of the battle… At the battle of Bosworth the last Plantagenet King, Richard III, met his death. For some leading parliamentarians who had taken up arms on his behalf it also marked the end, … Continue reading The battle of Bosworth: consequences for winners and losers

The History of Parliament3 Comments
18th Century history, England and Scotland

Jonathan Swift and the Union with Scotland

In the latest in our series on Anglo-Scottish relations throughout the centuries, Dr Ruth Paley, editor of the House of Lords 1660-1832 section, discusses the satirist Jonathan Swift’s provocative attack on the Scots during the early days of union and the political consequences that followed… The winter of 1713-14 was fraught with political tension. The queen’s health, never good, was visibly deteriorating, sparking fears of … Continue reading Jonathan Swift and the Union with Scotland

The History of Parliament3 Comments
18th Century history

The Battle of Blenheim and British Politics

In August 1704 the duke of Marlborough led allied forces to a great victory at Blenheim. Dr Charles Littleton, Senior Research Fellow in our Lords 1660-1832 section, discusses the effect the news of victory had on British politics… In these days of the internet, of Facebook and Twitter, and of 24-hour rolling coverage of news, we can take it for granted that information of what … Continue reading The Battle of Blenheim and British Politics

The History of Parliament1 Comment
Early modern history, England and Scotland, Social history

Union with Scotland – Cromwellian Style

Today’s post is the next in our series looking at Anglo-Scottish relations in the run-up to the Scottish independence referendum. Our own Dr Patrick Little Senior Research Fellow on the Commons 1640-1660 Section, discusses attempts at union during the Protectorate… With the political spotlight on Scottish independence, historians have naturally tended to focus on the treaty and acts of union of 1707, when the Scots … Continue reading Union with Scotland – Cromwellian Style

The History of Parliament5 Comments
20th century history

The ‘White Warfare of the South’: Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition and the First World War

This week the country is marking the 100th anniversary of Britain’s entry into the First World War. As Dr Robin Eagles, Senior Research Fellow in our House of Lords 1660-1832 section, explains, this was rather unfortunate timing for the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton… Travelling to the Antarctic might appear a relatively extreme way of avoiding the opening action of the First World War, but this … Continue reading The ‘White Warfare of the South’: Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition and the First World War

The History of Parliament2 Comments