Brilliant talk this morning by @chloechallender.bsky.social on her excellent research on divorce by Act of Parliament, its voyeurism and theatricality, and experience of women inc as petitioners, respondents, witnesses.

Really sorry to have missed this - had I realised the conference was hybrid I would have tuned in!

Anyone working in history of comedy/satire, television, modern British politics - there's a fully funded PhD to research the Spitting Image archive @theul.bsky.social, with supervision at Exeter Uni. All disciplines considered, pls do share widely.
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...

Reading old documents in archives is my bread and butter, but reading the 1926 Irish Free State census online and seeing the names of close relatives, some of whom I remember, is another experience! The census can be searched here: nationalarchives.ie/collections/...

MPs in World War I: Dr. John Esmonde (1862-1915) - The History of Parliament Today marks the 100th anniversary of the third MP who died fighting in the First World War, and the second this week. Continuing our series of short

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.

A book cover image with pictures of buildings on it. The book is called The Architecture of Imperialism.

Great to be checking the proofs for my chapter in this book (on 'Rebuilding the Palace of Westminster: The Architecture of Representation in an Age of Reform, 1832–1868'), due out in December. Congrats to the editors for persevering with a project which began as a conference abandoned due to COVID.

Peter McLagan (1823-1900): Scotland’s first Black MP This is the first article in a new series for the Victorian Commons on Peter McLagan (1823-1900), by Dr Martin Spychal, Senior Research Fellow on our House of Commons 1832-1868 project. McLagan was…

Later this month we will have a new article from @martinspychal.bsky.social as part of his series on Peter McLagan, Scotland's first Black MP. Here's a reminder of Martin's first article on McLagan and the process of researching his background: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2025/06/12/p...

I am just as happy as Naomi to have received my copy of this excellent special issue today! She did an excellent job as our editor.

An exciting female parliamentary first!

Congratulations Mari - I know you will do it brilliantly!

@kathrynrix.bsky.social examines the professional constituency agents of the Liberal and Conservative Parties between elections in English constituencies between 1880 and 1914. The article can currently be read for free here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

An exciting find for the last day of #WomensHistoryMonth in connection with my project on women & electoral corruption - I think I may have stumbled across a portrait of a woman involved in bribery and treating at elections in Maldon in the mid-19th century (to the tune of having £200 to dispense)!

Parliamentary History Click on the title to browse this journal

All articles in our 2026 special issue, edited by Naomi Lloyd-Jones of @histparl.bsky.social can be read free online between now and the end of June!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1750...

Pleased to say that my article on the Liberal and Conservative party agents, 1880-1914 is currently free to access as part of a Parliamentary History special issue on the politics of organising (edited by my @histparl.bsky.social colleague Naomi Lloyd-Jones): onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Our Parliaments, Politics and People seminar is a very friendly place, as Sarah attests! We're already starting to put together our speakers for the 2026-7 programme - get in touch with us if that is of interest.

Thanks for a fascinating paper!

I am definitely here for hearing more about the history of women in Parliament! Great to see @jhdavey.bsky.social showcasing the excellent work of @satisfactory20.bsky.social and Elizabeth Hallam Smith on this theme.

Re-membering the medieval parliament, 1769-1886 - The History of Parliament At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Tuesday 17 March, Dr Sarah Wride of the University of York and the Institute of Historical Research,

Really looking forward to hearing about May Day, the folkmote & reform debates in the 18/19C from @srwride.bsky.social at the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on 17 March. The event is FREE in-person in London and online. @ihr.bsky.social Details: historyofparliament.com/2026/03/10/r...

‘The first humble beginnings of an agitation’: the women’s suffrage petition of 7 June 1866 - The History of Parliament A. Dingsdale, '"Generous and lofty sympathies": the Kensington Society, the 1866 women's suffrage petition and the development of mid-Victorian feminism'

In 1866, the first mass petition for women's suffrage was presented to Parliament.

Dr Kathryn Rix explores the petition with 1,500 signatories and its reception in the House.

Venturing beyond the Victorian Commons, here's my short article on PMs in the 19th century Lords.

MP of the month: George Faithfull Continuing our recent focus on Victorian female voters and women’s suffrage, this MP of the month feature highlights the career of George Faithfull (1790-1863), a Brighton radical who clashed spect…

George Faithfull, one of Brighton’s first MPs (1832-5), died #OnThisDay 1863. For #WomensHistoryMonth, find out more about his valiant but unsuccessful efforts to defend the rights of women to vote in Brighton’s local elections. victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/m...

‘Like herrings in a barrel’: the chamber of the House of Commons prior to 1834 In this new series of blogs on the Palace of Westminster, we look at the three different debating chambers occupied by the MPs who sat in Parliament between 1832 and 1868, beginning with the Common…

Although what I was looking for was this: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2021/01/25/l...

Showing the eclectic and wide-ranging nature of @histparl.bsky.social's work, a search on the website for 'herrings' brings up 7 hits: historyofparliament.com?s=herrings+ Top marks to @georgianlords.bsky.social for finding ‘Herring’s Norfolk antidote for the bite of a mad dog and other mad animals’.

‘Had she been a man, she would have been the leader of a party’: Harriet Grote (1792-1878), radicalism and Parliament, 1820-41 In the first of his blogs on Harriet Grote (1792-1878), our research fellow Dr Martin Spychal, explores Harriet’s early life, her emergence as a central figure among London’s intellectual radicals …

Finally, here’s one of our series on Harriet Grote, a prominent figure among London’s intellectual radicals, who ‘had she been a man, she would have been the leader of a party’: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2021/01/04/h... #IWD #WHM

The ladies’ gallery in the temporary House of Commons - The History of Parliament I am very grateful to Dr Mari Takayanagi for drawing to my attention the subtle differences between Catherine Gladstone's account of her visit to the Ladies'

Our assistant editor @kathrynrix.bsky.social has explored the facilities provided for women to view debates in the temporary House of Commons chamber used after the 1834 fire, where visitors included Charlotte Brontë: historyofparliament.com/2025/10/30/t... #IWD #WHM

The 'Bifrons Purse': Elizabeth, Marchioness Conyngham and aristocratic women's participation in nineteenth-century elections - The History of Parliament our research fellow Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones explores the political life of Elizabeth, Marchioness Conyngham (1769-1861). Best known as George IV’s final mistress...

Our most recent post from our research fellow Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones looks at the behind-the-scenes roles which aristocratic women could play in 19th century elections. historyofparliament.com/2026/02/26/t...

For #InternationalWomensDay and #WomensHistoryMonth we are sharing some of our favourite research on women’s participation in 19th century politics.

#britishmuseum #archive holds very many references to women: the earliest recorded female visitors in 1762, Angelica Kaufmann paid to paint on Derby china in the 1790s, an 1857 photo, Beatrix Potter & women employed after the law for Civil Servants changed in 1921. #internationalwomensday #women

‘One of the greatest Rugby players who ever sat in the House’: Pat Munro MP - The History of Parliament Pat Munro made his debut as a Scotland rugby international on 4 February 1905 at Inverleith, Edinburgh, taking on Wales in the Home Nations Championship (the

Did you know that a former Scottish Rugby captain sat in the House of Commons?

With Scotland taking the field against France later today in the #SixNations, @kathrynrix.bsky.social explores the sporting and political career of Pat Munro MP.

World Book Day Down the rabbit hole in Parliament...

In honour of #WorldBookDay today, @jhdavey.bsky.social searched through the (digital) pages of Hansard to see which fictional characters have made an appearance in the House of Commons chamber...

Read all about it via our substack: