Our colleague Dr Robin Eagles was a guest on the latest @hrp-palaces.bsky.social podcast on 'George III – 'Tyrant' King of the American Colonies?'. Give it a listen below: historicroyalpalaces.libsyn.com/george-iii-t...

In view of the extreme weather, we have regretfully decided to postpone tomorrow's lecture with the brilliant @iandunt.bsky.social. Thank you to everyone who signed up - we hope to reschedule & readvertise in the autumn. And thanks to Ian for his understanding! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-westmi...

Such brilliant research from @georgianlords.bsky.social in this article, including evidence of the earliest known black voter.

These 5 Prime Minister's were navigating the challenges of political reform (among other things), which is not dissimilar to the last 5 PMs who have all had to navigate the challenges of Brexit (among other things)

The next Prime Minister will be the 7th in a decade. It is worth bearing in mind that in his first decade as King, George III saw six PMs come and go. The 7th, Lord North, went on to retain the position for a dozen years. #HistParl

Really looking forward to this event next week - come and join us, details 👇

While our director @jhdavey.bsky.social is away, Scribble Book is hosting guest posts from members of the History of Parliament Trust's research staff. This time we have a post by Dr Alex Beeton, research fellow for HPT's House of Lords, 1640-1660 project. 👇

Also on parliamentary reporting we have this on the history of the reporters' gallery, where the catering arrangements included 'a bottle of whisky on tap, a loaf or two of stale bread, and a most nauseous-looking ham’: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2025/09/08/t...

We've just been catching up on @histparl.bsky.social 's director @jhdavey.bsky.social talking about the history of Hansard. For more on the history of parliamentary reporting in the 19th century, see victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2017/11/17/r...

Today marks the 160th anniversary of the first mass petition for women's suffrage. Below, Dr Kathryn Rix has explored the debate around this petition and its place in the campaign to secure the parliamentary vote for women. @victoriancommons.bsky.social

While our director @jhdavey.bsky.social is away, Scribble Book is hosting guest posts from members of the History of Parliament Trust's research staff. First up is @kathrynrix.bsky.social x.bsky.social, assistant editor of HPT's House of Commons, 1832-1945 project. 👇

1/ 97 years ago Margaret Bondfield was appointed as the first woman Cabinet Minister. She is one of the most overlooked figures in British political history. A trade unionist who became the first woman in the British Cabinet, she took office just as the Great Depression struck. 🧵👇

Really enjoyed talking to @mattchorley.bsky.social yesterday about all things Hansard. You can listen here (roughly 1hr8mins in) www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

We are very sad to hear that Michael Meadowcroft, Liberal MP for Leeds West (1983-1987) has died. Michael was an influential thinker and famously opposed the merger with the SDP. In an interview for our Oral History project, he described his libertarian philosophy and independent personality. 👇

After the recent prorogation and subsequent State Opening of Parliament, Dr Kathryn Rix takes us back to 1834, where four prorogations took place in the same year! However, as she explores, not all these prorogations happened in the same place: @victoriancommons.bsky.social

Good weather for gardens this morning ☔️ Here I think about the parliamentary history of gardening, including Thatcher at Chelsea.

This parliamentary milestone seems like an opportune moment to share our assistant editor @kathrynrix.bsky.social's research on the 23 parliamentarians commemorated in the Commons chamber for their deaths while on Second World War service: historyofparliament.com/2025/11/07/m...

For today's state opening of Parliament, we're taking a look at Queen Victoria's first state opening (1837). The ladies present wore ‘silks and velvets, of all hues of the rainbow’, & one unfortunate MP dislocated his shoulder in the rush to the Lords. victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2022/06/02/q...

speaking of State Openings, back in 2022 @pseaward.bsky.social and I tried to find the earliest instance of the "government whip held as a hostage" story, and couldn't trace it earlier than the 70s. A little advance - here it is in 1966.

Busy week in Westminster...

In the 1690s Gatton had 22 voters; by the 1750s there were just 2. The last contested election took place in 1660, with nomination to the seats shared between the lords of the manor of Gatton and Upper Gatton. The borough was abolished in 1832 and absorbed within Surrey (Eastern division). #HistParl

Always get a bit giddy voting, more so after a day discussing new women’s history projects with my brilliant @histparl.bsky.social colleagues.

Fantastic image of the 1845 Cambridge by-election - note in particular the presence of women.

‘Exploring Digital Cultural Heritage’ is now out in the wild! You can download an open-access copy (PDF) or read the free digital edition on Manifold uolpress.co.uk/book/explori.... Loved working on this with Eirini Goudarouli, @amsichani.bsky.social & the @uolpress.bsky.social team.

Lots more on this theme also available over on the @histparl.bsky.social blog (including posts by @georgianlords.bsky.social and @victoriancommons.bsky.social)... historyofparliament.com

This is handy. People can now enter their postcode on the Electoral Commission website to find out if an election is taking place in their area, who's standing for election, where their polling station is, and who to contact if they need help

How quickly the stress of not being able to send any external emails morphs into the stress of working your way through the backlog.

The bank holiday already feels like a distant memory - it has been a very busy two days at @histparl.bsky.social, but here you can read about the Parliamentary origins of the early May bank holiday here!

Great piece by our colleague, Philip Salmon, on reporting Parliament in the 19th century. In the 18th things were quite complex. At times, there was fairly full reporting (against the rules) with the likes of Boyer and Timberland publishing debates. At others, details were very hard to come by.

For a quick overview of the early history of Hansard (and some of its rivals), see this post from our editor Dr Philip Salmon: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2017/11/17/r...

Hansard’s complete record of parliamentary proceedings is now available online 📚 Browse the official report ➡️ hansard.parliament.uk/commons

I was really happy to speak to Susan Hulme for Yesterday in Parliament about my piece on historic drinking at Westminster, with some more archive recordings (including Alan Clark vs Clare Short). The section is 19 minutes in: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Seems a very quiet end today for hereditary peers to sit in the Lords as herditary peers. Our oral history archive has great material on the first reform in 1999: I'm not sure anyone expected this compromise to last for nearly 30 years! historyofparliament.com/2025/04/30/t...

Often forgotten that the 18th century saw significant changes to the composition of the Lords, and a failed effort to cap the size of the peerage... #HistParl historyofparliament.com/2019/12/05/w...

The term 'historic' often gets overused when discussing political events, but today will be one such moment. When Parliament prorogues this afternoon it won't just mark the end of the current session, but of the hereditary principle as a basis for membership of the House of Lords.

Historic moment for Parliament today. I wrote (briefly) about the history of Lords Reform here. historyofparliament.substack.com/p/on-heredit...

Slightly ominous “if you’ve got time, can you pick up” commute request this evening. The joys of working parenthood.

Very good historical survey, which bears out my experience working in the Commons from the late 80s to the early 2020s. I had a committee chair in the 90s who regarded himself as abstemious as he never drank during the day ...

As a companion read to this excellent piece, we offer Dr Philip Salmon's overview of the place played by drink at Victorian elections: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2021/04/23/p...

Lots of interesting conversations over the past couple of days about Westminster's drinking culture, here @emmapeplow.bsky.social provides some brilliant historical context, with the help of our extensive oral history archive.

Although now able to affirm, before the late 19th century members of the House of Commons and Lords were required to swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown. As Dr Kathryn Rix explores, this posed a problem for Joseph Pease, whose religion precluded him from being able to take oaths.

Following recent passage of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act, @jhdavey.bsky.social has explored the long history of House of Lords reform in the latest post for 'Scribble Book'. Click the link below to find out more!

We are sorry to learn of the deaths of two leading historians and Fellows of the Society this month: Lord Robert Skidelsky (1939-2026), economic historian and biographer of Keynes bit.ly/4e1mcqa #Skystorians

Inspied by the success of the Artemis II mission, @jhdavey.bsky.social has delved into Hansard to find out how Parliamentarians have marked and celebrated space travel over the last sixty years. Find our more via the link to our substack 'Scribble Book'!

Today marks 111 years since John Joseph Esmonde, MP for North Tipperary, died whilst serving in the First World War. In an article for #HistParl, Dr Kathryn Rix reflected on his life and career as one of the few medical doctors in the Commons.

There is a new Clerk of the Parliaments - and the first time, it is a woman!

In the latest post for Scribble Book, @jhdavey.bsky.social gives a round up of Women's History Month. Read and subscribe via the link below!

One of the things I've been keen on is bringing academic insight into the policy sphere. So I'm really happy we are placing 7 academics in Whitehall to help think about sustainability matters www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/the-bri...

In the latest post for Scribble Book, @jhdavey.bsky.social explores the cloisters of their Palace of Westminster, their origins, history and contemporary use. Read and subscribe via the link below!