During Christmas 1421, whilst Henry V was in France preoccupied with the siege of Meaux, the King received a mix of both joyous and unpleasant news... Dr Hannes Kleineke explores Henry's troubled Christmas below:

How different is our Christmas compared to that celebrated by the Stuarts? Check out this video for our advice on how to survive Christmas in the Jacobean court:🎄

Although it is commonly claimed that Oliver Cromwell banned #Christmas, Dr Vivienne Larminie explores that work of a different figure, who advocated scrapping Yuletide festitivites long before Cromwell came to power: William Prynne.

Born #OTD 1926, Geoffrey Howe. Conservative MP for Bebington, Reigate and then East Surrey, and former Deputy Prime Minister under Margaret Thatcher. Howe took part in our #OralHistory project. Find out more:

#OTD 1783, William Pitt became the youngest ever holder of the office of Prime Minister. However, his government became nicknamed the 'Mince Pie Administration', referencing its anticipated fall from power as soon as Christmas was over. Was this a fair prohecy?

Born #OTD 1815, William Schaw Lindsay. From destitute orphan to shipping tycoon and then MP, Lindsay certainly experienced a remarkable rise. Although his time in the Commons was less spectacular, his outspokenness sometimes frustrated his fellow MPs:

Died #OTD 1974 Captain Ian Fraser. Blinded during the Battle of the Somme, Fraser first became an MP in 1924. As this guest article from Dr Rachel Garratt explains, he used his position to campaign for radio access for blind people:

Today, both the House of Commons and Lords rise for Christmas recess. The break over the Christmas period has been a longstanding tradition in Parliament- but during the Georgian period, political crises sometimes interrupted this recess... Find out more👇

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2025 Annual Lecture! It was a brilliant event & a lovely way to see out another busy year at #HistParl. Particular thanks to Rt Hon. Nick Thomas-Symonds for delivering this year's lecture, pictured here with @jhdavey.bsky.social & @lordnortonlouth.bsky.social.

Dressing up for a Christmas party this week? In this #HistParl post Dr Paul Hunneyball looks into fashion trends during the early modern period, when Parliament had a say in what you could, and couldn't, wear!

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2025 Annual Lecture! It was a brilliant event & a lovely way to see out another busy year at #HistParl. Particular thanks to Rt Hon. Nick Thomas-Symonds for delivering this year's lecture, pictured here with @jhdavey.bsky.social & @lordnortonlouth.bsky.social.

Whilst many see the ignition of the Wars of the Roses as taking place later in the 15th century, Dr Simon Payling explores the impact of the marriage of Richard of Conisbrough and Anne Mortimer in 1408 and the consequences of their union… historyofparliament.com/2025/12/17/t...

The Victorian Commons team enjoyed catching up with Lisa and other friends and colleagues at this event, and it was great to hear our director @jhdavey.bsky.social introduce proceedings with an overview of @histparl.bsky.social's activities in 2025. It has been a busy year!

Although now Parliament goes into recess over the Christmas, in 1643 after a tough year early in the civil war, Parliament found itself in need to sit on Christmas Day. Dr Vivenne Larminie explores some of the urgent matters under discussion:

#OTD 1653, a new written constitution, the Instrument of Government, was established. Under its provisions Oliver Cromwell was installed as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth.

Great to hear our colleague @emmapeplow.bsky.social in action here!

#HistParl's Dr Alex Beeton was on BBC Radio 4's Today in Parliament on Friday, talking about Christmas in Parliament in 1641- dubbed by one contemporary "the Maddest Christmas that I ever saw!" You can listen to Alex here: (starting at 22:50) www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Born #OTD 1542, Mary, Queen of Scots. Whilst under house arrest in England, Mary was implicated in multiple plots to claim the English throne from Elizabeth. Even so, the question of how to deal with Mary became a thorny issue, as Dr Andrew Thrush explores: historyofparliament.com/2022/06/28/h...

The Puritans are often accused of banning Christmas. However, as Dr Stephen Roberts investigates, a little myth-busting may be required:

In December 1832, Daniel Gaskell was elected unopposed for Wakefield, running on a platform of shorter Parliaments, the secret ballot and the abolition of slavery. Read more about his life and career below:

#OTD the 1918 general election took place, the first to see women vote, following the passage of the Representation of the People Act. To find out more about the significance of the Act, for women, men and Britain's electoral system, check out @EmmaPeplow.bsky.social's article:

Died #OTD 1562, William Grey, 13th Lord Grey of Wilton. Three years previously, in the first Parliament of Elizabeth I, Lord Grey was able to take his seat in the House of Lords even though he was a prisoner of war. Dr Andrew Thrush explores this unique parliamentary story:

Did you know there was a William Christmas who sat in the 19th century House of Commons? @victoriancommons.bsky.social explores the Conservative MP for the city of Waterford's career below: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/m...

Last month I was thrilled to speak at an event at no 11 Downing Street on celebrating women cabinet ministers! @nansloane.bsky.social spoke on Margaret Bondfield, and me on Florence Horsbrugh using my @chuarchives.bsky.social research. Many thanks @histparl.bsky.social

Died #OTD 1751 Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke. A Tory and sometime Jacobite, his writings had a major influence on factional politics in the 18th century, and later on the rhetoric of George III. To find out more, read this article by Dr Robin Eagles:

#OTD 1688 the 'Provisional Government' was formed, after James II fled with William of Orange's invading force bearing down on London. Dr Robin Eagles details how this provisional force transitioned to a new regime headed by William III:

Born #OTD 1819, Alfred Rhodes Bristow, MP for Kidderminster. Dr Stephen Ball wrote about his journey from a Greenwich draper's son to Liberal MP, in this article (previously on @victoriancommons.bsky.social)

Following on from his article on Peter McLagan, Scotland's first Black MP, Dr Martin Spychal has explored the life of his father, Peter McLagan senior, and his ownership of enslaved people in Demerara (modern-day Guyana): historyofparliament.com/2025/12/11/p...

Great to see our colleague @martinspychal.bsky.social's book Mapping the State reviewed by Matthew Roberts as 'a work of impressive scholarship which deserves to be widely read'. Mapping the State is available on Open Access here: uolpress.co.uk/book/mapping...

Born #OTD Michael Jopling, Baron Jopling, MP for Westmoreland and Lonsdale, 1964-97 and a Minister for Agriculture under Margaret Thatcher. Follow the link to find out how to access his 2013 #OralHistory interview for #HistParl.

Born #OTD 1561, Edwin Sandys, MP at various points from 1589 to 1626 and one of the founders of the Virginia Company of London, which in 1607 established the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States.

#OTD 1771, James Somerset, an enslaved person, was brought in front of the Court of King's Bench. Our Public Engagement Assistant @joempbaker.bsky.social explores the ensuing legal case Somerset v Stewart, and its impact on the transatlantic slave trade:

Our colleague @kathrynrix.bsky.social was featured in yesterday's 'Pick of the Week' on BBC Radio 4! You can check out her featured interview with Susan Hulme, on how women watched Commons debates from 'the ventilator' after they were barred from the chamber in 1778, below (starting at 7:22):

In a new article for #HistParl, Dr David Scott explores the role of peers in the passage of the 1641 Triennial Act, which secured Parliament's right to meet regularly. historyofparliament.com/2025/12/08/b...

#OTD 1867, Her Majesty's Theatre on Haymarket (also known as the Italian Opera House) burnt down. As Dr Martin Spychal explores, MP Lord Ronald Gower was there to record a first-hand account of the blaze:

Died #OTD 1643, John Pym. When Parliament was recalled in 1640, Pym became de facto leader of the opposition in the Commons and was a driving force in Parliament's challenge to King Charles I. Find out more about his career via our YouTube:

Born #OTD 1789, Joseph Holdsworth. In an unusual case, Holdsworth was elected as an MP for Wakefield, but, as Dr Kathryn Rix explores, eventually lost his seat as he had been a returning officer at the time of the election:

#OTD 1648 MPs were barred from entering the House of Commons by Colonel Thomas Pride and the New Model Army. 'Pride's Purge' arrested 45 MPs who supported renewed negotiations with Charles I, paving the way for the King's execution👇

Born #OTD 1506, Thomas Darcy 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche, MP for Essex under Henry VIII and Lord Chamberlain under Edward VI. He proclaimed Lady Jane Grey Queen before quickly changing his allegiance to Mary. www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1509-...

In a new post for #HistParl, Dr Charles Littleton looks back 250 years to the beginning of the American War of Independence, specifically looking at the declaration of war and a key government reshuffle which took place in November 1775: historyofparliament.com/2025/12/04/t...

Great to hear Dr Helen Wilson talking about her recent PhD thesis on Black participation in British politics, 1750-1850 @ihr.bsky.social this evening. This was jointly supervised by Amanda Goodrich (Open University) and my colleague Robin Eagles @georgianlords.bsky.social @histparl.bsky.social.

Tonight Helen Wilson will speak at a joint session of the IHR’s Parliaments, Politics and People and British History in the Long 18th Century seminars, discussing her paper on 'Reconstructing Black Participation in British Politics, 1750-1850'. You can attend online or in-person:

Died #OTD 2015, John Osborne. Conservative MP for Sheffield Hallam from 1959 to his retirement from Parliament in 1987, he was also a participant in our #OralHistory project: www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/oral-...

Last week our colleague Dr Kathryn Rix appeared on Today in Parliament to discuss how women were able to watch debates in the House of Commons after they were officially barred from the chamber in 1778. You can check out her interview here (starting at 22:55): buff.ly/yrr6CQo

For #StAndrewsDay we are sharing @martinspychal.bsky.social's recent post on Scottish county politics between 1832 and 1868, drawing on @histparl.bsky.social's research on Scotland’s constituencies: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2024/08/27/s...

Born #OTD 1874 Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. A figure synonymous with British history, his statue is one of twelve that stands in Parliament Square, of which Dr Emma Peplow wrote about recently on our website:

Born #OTD 1930, Alan Lee Williams, Labour MP for Hornchurch 1966-70 and 1974-1979, before joining the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 1980s. Find out how to access his 2012 #OralHistory interview, here.

#OTD 1990 Margaret Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister. Her fall from power was one of the most dramatic moments in modern British history, and has been mentioned frequently in our #OralHistoryProject, as @EmmaPeplow explored for #HistParl in 2015.

#OTD 1905 Arthur Griffith is generally regarded as having founded Sinn Fein. In this article, Kirsty O'Rourke looks at the origins of the party and its founder:

'Materials of State' concludes today at 1:45pm on BBC Radio 4. If you missed any of the episodes, don't fret! You can catch up with the rest of the series either on BBC iPlayer or on BBC Sounds!