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Welcome to the History of Parliament blog!
Here we share posts about our current research projects, wider parliamentary history, highlights from our events, seminars and conferences, and future publications. The History of Parliament’s core work lies in researching and writing series of volumes depicting Parliamentary life and proceedings throughout the past 700 years. These academically rigorous works contain detailed biographies of parliamentarians, studies of constituencies and introductory surveys. The Sections currently underway … Continue reading Welcome to the History of Parliament blog!
How many people could vote in the UK after the 1832 Reform Act?
As part of our series of ‘explainer’ articles, aimed at clarifying the workings of the United Kingdom’s historic political system, Dr Martin Spychal examines how many people could vote in the UK after the 1832 Reform Act. This article draws from a new dataset of voting information for each constituency between 1832 and 1867, which Martin has been developing for the History of Parliament’s Commons … Continue reading How many people could vote in the UK after the 1832 Reform Act?
Crossing the Floor: Tales from the Oral History Project
Following some recent, high-profile, political defections, Alfie Steer and Dr Emma Peplow have delved into the History of Parliament’s Oral History archive to explore historical cases of MPs changing their party affiliations: their causes, motivations and wider significance. Political defections, commonly known in Westminster parlance as ‘Crossing the Floor’, have been a phenomenon in Parliament since at least the 17th century. This has either happened … Continue reading Crossing the Floor: Tales from the Oral History Project
England, Scotland and the Treaty of Union, 1706-08
In 1707, under the terms of the Treaty of Union, England and Scotland became a single state – the United Kingdom of Great Britain – and the parliaments at Westminster and Edinburgh were replaced by a single ‘Parliament of Great Britain’. The arrangements for establishing the new parliament were set out in Article 22 of the Treaty. The wording of the Treaty made no mention … Continue reading England, Scotland and the Treaty of Union, 1706-08
Reporting debates in the Victorian Commons
Today we take it for granted that parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. During the Victorian era, however, there was no ‘official’ record. Dr Philip Salmon shows how, before the advent of modern democracy, public interest in Parliament was sufficient for reports of debates to be produced and sold commercially. As democracy advanced, however, the public’s appetite began to change … During the early 19th … Continue reading Reporting debates in the Victorian Commons
Job Vacancy: Research Fellow, 1660-1832 House of Lords
The History of Parliament are excited to advertise for a research fellow to join our House of Lords 1660-1832 project. The History of Parliament has a vacancy for a research fellow on its 1660-1832 House of Lords project. The successful candidate will have a PhD in British political or cultural history in the eighteenth century. They will join a small team of professional historians researching … Continue reading Job Vacancy: Research Fellow, 1660-1832 House of Lords
Steps towards identifying new Black voters in 18th-century Westminster and Hertfordshire
A few months ago, the History welcomed a guest post by Dr Gillian Williamson with her groundbreaking research into John London, to date the earliest known Black voter in Britain, who lodged his vote in the 1749 by-election for Westminster. In this latest post, Dr Robin Eagles explains the potential discovery of further Black voters taking part in the same contest and subsequent polls in … Continue reading Steps towards identifying new Black voters in 18th-century Westminster and Hertfordshire
Happy New Year from the Victorian Commons for 2026!
Here’s wishing all our readers a very enjoyable New Year! 2025 was a particularly memorable year for our 1832-68 House of Commons project and the History of Parliament. After 20 years based at Bloomsbury Square in the so-called ‘knowledge quarter’ around the British Museum, we sorted and packed decades of research materials and relocated to a new open-plan office at 14-18 Old Street in Islington. The volume … Continue reading Happy New Year from the Victorian Commons for 2026!
Review of the Year 2025
2025 has been a year of many changes for the History of Parliament, with new projects, a new office, and a new look! But despite this, our brilliant team have continued to produce hundreds of articles, lead groundbreaking research and champion political history across the country. Here’s Connie Jeffery, our Public Engagement Manager, with a recap of 2025 at the HPT… 2025 has been another … Continue reading Review of the Year 2025
The origin of the Wars of the Roses? The marriage of Richard of Conisbrough and Anne Mortimer and the union of the houses of York and Mortimer
Whilst many see the ignition of the Wars of the Roses as taking place later in the 15th century, Dr Simon Payling, of our 1461-1504 section, explores the impact of the marriage of Richard of Conisbrough and Anne Mortimer in 1408 and the consequences of their union… In the study of medieval landholding, it is a common theme that an aristocratic marriage might have the … Continue reading The origin of the Wars of the Roses? The marriage of Richard of Conisbrough and Anne Mortimer and the union of the houses of York and Mortimer
Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860): enslaver, plantation owner and landed proprietor
Dr Martin Spychal explores the life of Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860). A farmer’s son from Perthshire, McLagan senior acquired considerable wealth as an enslaver and plantation owner in Demerara (modern-day Guyana) during the early nineteenth century. He received extensive ‘compensation’ under the terms of the 1833 Abolition of Slavery Act. Continue reading Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860): enslaver, plantation owner and landed proprietor