Brilliant fun! Thanks for having me!

Guy's Hospital first admitted patients on this day, 6 January, in 1725. It was founded by Thomas Guy, former MP for Tamworth, who was one of the few politicians to put money made during the South Sea Bubble to good use. 1/2

George Hudson, the 'Railway King', died on this day, 14 December 1871. He had risen from relatively humble beginnings to being fabulously rich through involvement in the rapidly growing railway industry. By 1844, he owned a whopping 20 per cent of Britain's railway lines. 1/3

'Materials of State' will be airing this week on Radio 4, made in association with the History of Parliament. The series examines the artefacts and emblems that have shaped, and continue to shape, the British constitution. You can catch the first episode today at 1:45pm: buff.ly/1I5JVcE

Did anyone else look at this for about five minutes thinking, 'That doesn't look very much like Tom Holland' before realising it's the actor not the historian?

Our #1832AtoZ continues with S for Scotland. There were 51 Scottish constituencies in the 1832-67 period, returning 53 MPs. This post explores some of the features of the Scottish electoral system: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/t...

Introducing… #MembersBehavingBadly: A History of Britain in 52 Parliamentary Rogues! From 1603 to 1945, @debbiekilroyauthor.bsky.social tells the outrageous stories of 52 MPs who made history for all the wrong reasons... ‘A riot of malfeasance and misbehaviour’ Roger Moorehouse bit.ly/49SM4Cu

I might have dropped the ball somewhat while moving house! This is Henry Du Pré Labouchère, aka Labby, an MP who actually was a clown. 1/2

On this day, 4 November, 1839, around 10,000 people marched to Newport in Wales to demand the release of local Chartist leaders. 1/

Dashwood was once described as ‘the worst chancellor of the Exchequer that ever appeared’, ‘the most confused, most incapable, and most ignorant of all, who ever accepted the seals of that high office’ - not least because he taxed cider. But he did have some redeeming features.

It feels about time to repost this thread, for no particular reason... 👀

On this day, 28 October 1689, Henry Wharton, sufferer of road rage and killer of Nell Gwyn’s horse, died of a ‘raging sickness, occasioned by the unwholesomeness of the place, wet weather and ill food’ two months after landing in Ireland to fight against the forces of the deposed James II.

For hell had opened upon us from front and either flank, and it kept open upon us during the minutes – they seemed hours – which passed while we traversed the mile and a quarter at the end of which was the enemy. 1/3

Great to see Helen Wilson, who was co-supervised by Amanda Goodrich and @histparl.bsky.social's own Robin Eagles (@georgianlords.bsky.social) featured on this term card. Helen's will be a joint session with the Parliaments, Politics and People seminar (for other PPP seminars, see the link).

On this day - 20 October - 1739, a Scottish slave ship landed at Donaghadee on the coast of Ireland to reprovision. But it was no ordinary slaver, and its inmates had not opted for transportation over the noose. 1/4

On this day – 17 October – 1708 was the court martial of the visually elusive John, Master of Sinclair. Elected as an MP in May 1708, he never had the chance to take up his seat in parliament. 1/4

We reflected on Professor Rush's career and the development of his groundbreaking Database on the #HistParl website. Read about it here: historyofparliament.com/2025/10/15/m...

James Thomas Brudenell, Lord Cardigan, was born on this day - 16 October - 1797. He is best known for 'leading' the Charge of the Light Brigade, but that wasn't his only fault.

Moving quickly to a world where students use AI to complete work, profs use AI to grade it, no one learns anything and we will live in a world of mediocrity and incompetence where only the billionaires benefit.

MP Richard Barwell was born on this day - 8 October - 1741. It would be a life of blessings for him - although not for his Indian victims. 1/4

A constituency wasn't the only thing the two shared. When Lewis died in 1838, Disraeli courted his widow. After dismissing many reservations, she married him. Mary Anne Disraeli would later reportedly say, 'Dizzy married me for my money, but if he had the chance again, he would marry me for love.’

What connects Glastonbury Chalice Well with Winston Churchill? Kit Kowol explains all in his fascinating new article.

I agree with every word Zelda Williams says. And this at the end from OpenAI makes me want to go full Ned Ludd. Creators can’t have a blanket opt-out on copyright infringement of their work and have to fill out a form appealing to OpenAI’s mercy every time? Fuck off into the sun

A surprising number of the MPs in our 1832-68 project came from humble backgrounds. John Rolt, born #OnThisDay 1804, began his working life as a draper’s apprentice. Find out more about his rise to the position of attorney-general here: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2017/10/23/f...

On this day, 4 October 1936, former MP Oswald Mosley attempted to lead 3,000 members of his British Union of Fascists on a march through London's East End. 1/3

#FreeEvent on Tues 7 Oct, 2pm: "New Beginnings: Rebuilding after the Great Fire" talk by Jill Finch, City Guide. New rules and regulations and new ideas meant a renewed City emerged like a phoenix from the ashes. Please book via: (online & in-person event). newbeginningstalk7oct.eventbrite.co.uk

A great blog post by fellow @qubhistory.bsky.social PhD @jamesorchin.bsky.social exploring the Third Party of the 1790s. Insightful and well-researched. Well worth a read!

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You can read more about Rich in our @histparl.bsky.social 1690-1715 volumes. He collaborated with James II but after the 1688 Revolution worked hard to re-establish his good Whig credentials... www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1690-...

This lovely Elizabethan house is Roos Hall near Beccles in Suffolk. As well as allegedly being one of the most haunted houses in Britain, it was also owned by the MP Sir Robert Rich, who died on this day - 1 October - in 1699.

On this day, 29 September 1617, Frances Coke married Sir John Villiers, brother of James I's favourite, George. But it was not a cause for celebration.

I think I'll just stick to the green eggs!

@ihr.bsky.social and @ies-sas.bsky.social are partnering with @thelondonarchives.bsky.social to run a new series of public lectures, featuring the chance to see the original records first hand. First lecture by @patrickwallis.bsky.social on "Apprenticeship and the Rise of London", Weds 15th October!

We might be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway today, but there's one MP we certainly shouldn't be honouring. By 1844 George Hudson, the 'Railway King', controlled 20% of the country's lines, making him fabulously wealthy.

Welcome to my new author account! Here you will find fun and fascinating titbits of political history, and jaw-dropping stories of political rogues. Let's start with an MP I sadly had to cut out of the book. Meet Sir Robert Mansell, one of my absolute favourites bad boys.