Category: 19th Century history

19th Century history, LGBTQ+ History

NEW PODCAST for LGBT+ History Month: Lord Ronald Gower (1845-1916)

Based on his recent blog series on The Victorian Commons, this LGBT+ History Month Dr Martin Spychal sat down (virtually) with our public engagement team to discuss his research on the queer MP Lord Ronald Gower. We’ve made our 30 minute conversation available for you below. Martin has been researching Lord Ronald Gower as part of the History of Parliament’s Commons 1832-68 project and been … Continue reading NEW PODCAST for LGBT+ History Month: Lord Ronald Gower (1845-1916)

sammysturgessLeave a comment
17th Century history, 18th Century history, 19th Century history

A History of Parliamentary Cucumbers

Our friends at Hansard at Huddersfield provide a great tool for tracking the popularity of certain words in parliamentary debate. It is unsurprising that the use of ‘deal’ and ‘Brexit’ have been common over the last few years, but, as Dr Patrick Little from our Commons 1640-1660 project explores below, there is one word absent from the chamber… cucumbers. Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84) is frequently … Continue reading A History of Parliamentary Cucumbers

conniejefferyLeave a comment
19th Century history, Local History

Small borough politics in County Cork, 1832-1868: Bandon, Kinsale, Mallow and Youghal

Continuing our journey around Ireland, this blog from Dr Stephen Ball, of our House of Commons 1832-68 project, looks at politics in the small boroughs of county Cork, where competition between the rival parties encouraged a vibrant political culture, but also prompted sectarianism, bribery, violence and coercion. The county of Cork was widely referred to as ‘the Yorkshire of Ireland’, due to its extent, wealth … Continue reading Small borough politics in County Cork, 1832-1868: Bandon, Kinsale, Mallow and Youghal

Kathryn RixLeave a comment
19th Century history, Conferences/seminars, Events, Peterloo

Romantic Memory: Forgetting, Remembering and Feeling in the Chartist Pantheon of Heroes, c.1790–1840

Ahead of Tuesday’s Virtual IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar, we hear from Dr Matthew Roberts, the author of Chartism, Commemoration and the Cult of the Radical Hero (2020). He will be responding to your questions about his research on the politics of memory in the Chartist movement between 5:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on 19 January 2021. Details on how to join the discussion are available here or by contacting seminar@histparl.ac.uk. … Continue reading Romantic Memory: Forgetting, Remembering and Feeling in the Chartist Pantheon of Heroes, c.1790–1840

Martin SpychalLeave a comment
19th Century history, Local History, Victorian Commons

Oxfordshire Local History: Abingdon in the nineteenth century

This month’s local history focus has been Oxfordshire. In today’s blog Dr Philip Salmon, editor of the House of Commons 1832-1945 project, looks at the constituency of Abingdon, since 1974 within Oxfordshire, but historically part of the adjacent county of Berkshire. Abingdon was widely regarded as an easily managed ‘pocket’ or ‘nomination’ borough during the 19th century. For a while at least it certainly had … Continue reading Oxfordshire Local History: Abingdon in the nineteenth century

salmonphilipLeave a comment
19th Century history, Conferences/seminars, Elections

The West India Interest and the Parliamentary Defence of Slavery, 1823-33

Ahead of Tuesday’s Virtual IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar, we hear from Dr Michael Taylor, the author of The Interest: How the British Establishment Resisted the Abolition of Slavery (2020). He will be responding to your questions about his research on the parliamentary resistance to the abolition of slavery between 5:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on 3 November 2020. Details on how to join the discussion … Continue reading The West India Interest and the Parliamentary Defence of Slavery, 1823-33

Martin SpychalLeave a comment
19th Century history, Politics

Book Review: Peterloo: The English Uprising by Robert Poole

Dr Martin Spychal, research fellow on the Commons 1832-1868, reviews Robert Poole’s Peterloo: The English Uprising (Oxford, 2019) What drove 400 volunteer soldiers and special constables to murder 18 and maim nearly 700 of their fellow Lancastrians? This is the key question that Robert Poole’s definitive and illuminating Peterloo sets out to answer. As Poole states in his prologue, ‘two hundred years on, it is … Continue reading Book Review: Peterloo: The English Uprising by Robert Poole

Martin SpychalLeave a comment
19th Century history, Local History, Victorian Commons

Representing Glamorgan, 1832-85: Mr. Talbot and his colleagues

Continuing our Local History focus on Glamorgan, Dr. Kathryn Rix, Assistant Editor of our House of Commons, 1832-68 project looks at the constituency’s elections after the 1832 Reform Act, when the long-serving MP, Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot, exerted a strong influence over the county. Described in 1841 as ‘the Lancashire of Wales’, Glamorgan was Wales’s wealthiest and most industrialised county. Coal mining employed almost one … Continue reading Representing Glamorgan, 1832-85: Mr. Talbot and his colleagues

Kathryn RixLeave a comment
19th Century history, Elections, Local History, Victorian Commons

From duelling to sharing the representation: Northumberland’s electoral politics in the nineteenth century

Continuing this month’s focus on Northumberland, Dr. Kathryn Rix, Assistant Editor of our House of Commons, 1832-68 project, explores the county’s elections in the nineteenth century. In 1826 Northumberland experienced its first contested election since 1774, with four candidates vying for the county’s two seats. For the previous fifty years, electors had not had the opportunity to cast their votes, as the representation had been … Continue reading From duelling to sharing the representation: Northumberland’s electoral politics in the nineteenth century

Kathryn RixLeave a comment
19th Century history, Elections, Electoral Reform, Local History

York: exploring the local history of a Victorian constituency

Alongside biographies of 2,591 MPs, our House of Commons 1832-68 project is also researching and writing articles on the 401 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh constituencies in existence during this period. Following on from this month’s earlier local history post on York, this blog takes this constituency as an example to explain some of the key features of our constituency articles, and how they might … Continue reading York: exploring the local history of a Victorian constituency

Kathryn RixLeave a comment