Author: Kirsty O'Rourke

17th Century history, Conferences/seminars, Events, History of Parliament Trust, Revolutionary Stuart Parliaments

Launching the Letters, Writings, and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell, Oxford March 2023

An event celebrating the the publication of a new edition of The Letters, Writings, and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell was held at Huntingdon Town Hall. Alex Beeton, Research Assistant of our House of Lords 1640-1660 project, discusses the event. On 6 March 2023, the History of Parliament, in collaboration with Oxford University’s ‘Britain in Revolution Seminar’, helped to organise a roundtable to celebrate the publication of … Continue reading Launching the Letters, Writings, and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell, Oxford March 2023

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18th Century history, 19th Century history, Georgian Lords, History of Parliament Trust, Royal family

‘Almost an afterthought’: Queen Charlotte

The latest series of Bridgerton – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story – has captured viewers with a reimagining of the monarch’s life. But who was the real Queen Charlotte? And what was her marriage to George III actually like?  Dr Robin Eagles, editor of the Georgian Lords, discusses… At 1 o’clock on 17 November 1818, Queen Charlotte died at Kew after what the London Gazette … Continue reading ‘Almost an afterthought’: Queen Charlotte

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20th century history, Royal family

The king’s dilemma: how it fell to George V to choose a new prime minister

In May 1923, Andrew Bonar Law handed in his resignation letter and it fell to King George V to select a new prime minister. Lord Lexden, trustee of the History of Parliament, reflects on the process behind George V’s decision. One hundred years ago this month, King George V had to find a new prime minister very quickly. The incumbent, the Conservative Andrew Bonar Law, … Continue reading The king’s dilemma: how it fell to George V to choose a new prime minister

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17th Century history, coronations, Royal family

The 1626 coronation: Charles I’s botched political relaunch

After a shaky start to his reign, the king intended his coronation to bolster his personal image and agenda ahead of the 1626 Parliament. However, things didn’t go according to plan, as Dr Paul Hunneyball of our Lords 1558-1603 section explains… Little went right for Charles I in the opening months of his reign. Following his accession in March 1625, a major outbreak of the … Continue reading The 1626 coronation: Charles I’s botched political relaunch

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15th Century History, coronations, History of Parliament Trust, Medieval history

Beast from the East or Song of Solomon? The Coronation of King Henry V, 9 April 1413

While many coronations have been unlucky weather-wise, it is Henry V’s coronation that has gone down in history for its appalling weather. Dr Hannes Kleineke, editor of our Commons 1461-1504 project, reflects… No series of blogs to mark the coronation of TM King Charles III and Queen Camilla would be complete without some comment on the weather – it is, after all, an English, as well as a … Continue reading Beast from the East or Song of Solomon? The Coronation of King Henry V, 9 April 1413

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'The Story of Parliament', 16th Century history, Royal family, The First Elizabethan Age

Picturing the Parliament of 1523

What did a meeting of the English Parliament look like 500 years ago? The earliest-known image of a state opening offers important clues, but also requires careful interpretation, as Dr Paul Hunneyball of our Lords 1558-1603 section explains… The picture shown below is the oldest near-contemporary image of an English Parliament that we know of. As such it has almost iconic status, and has been … Continue reading Picturing the Parliament of 1523

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14th Century history, coronations, History of Parliament Trust, Medieval history, Royal family

Preparations for the Coronation of Richard II

Continuing our blog series on coronations, Simon Payling from our Commons 1461-1504 project, reflects on the Coronation of the young King Richard II and the issue that hereditary roles had on the preparations for this Coronation. On 9 July 1377, a week before the day scheduled for the coronation of the ten-year-old Richard II, his uncle, John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, discharged a task … Continue reading Preparations for the Coronation of Richard II

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17th Century history, Commons in the Civil Wars, History of Parliament Trust

Introducing The House of Commons, 1640-1660

In exciting news for the History of Parliament, 2023 sees the publication of our long-running House of Commons 1640-1660 project. Here the section editor, Dr Stephen Roberts, reflects on the hard work that multiple historians have put into this project, and discusses some of the interesting people and events of this time. Since 2010, the History of Parliament’s published survey of the House of Commons … Continue reading Introducing The House of Commons, 1640-1660

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20th century history, History of Parliament Trust, Oral history, Post-1945 history, Women and Parliament

Mo Mowlam and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement

25 years ago this month the basis for peace in Northern Ireland – the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement – was signed after years of painstaking negotiations. Although nothing would have been achieved without the hard work of politicians and activists of all parties from Northern Ireland, mainland Britain and the Republic of Ireland, one of the crucial figures was Mo Mowlam, Secretary of State for Northern … Continue reading Mo Mowlam and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement

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19th Century history, 20th century history, History of Parliament Trust, Schools, Social history

2023 KS3 Schools Competition: How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the present?

In collaboration with the Letters of Richard Cobden Online, the History of Parliament Trust is excited to announce their Key Stage 3 (11-14 y/o) History and Citizenship Competition: ‘How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the present?’ ‘How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the present?’ The History of Parliament is excited to once again be running its history … Continue reading 2023 KS3 Schools Competition: How can political campaigns of the past inspire those of the present?

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