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History of Parliament

@histparl.bsky.social

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Creating a comprehensive account of parliamentary politics in England, then the UK, from the thirteenth century to the present day. You can find us at other places, here: https://linktr.ee/historyofparliament

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History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · Jul 14

Last month the #HistParl team headed to the Houses of Parliament to record a special episode of our podcast, Tales from the Green Benches, in front of a live audience.

The episode is now available to listen to, wherever you get your podcasts!
shows.acast.com/66e05895ae18...

Special Episode live from the Houses of Parliament! | Tales from the Green Benches: An Oral History of Parliament

With guests former MPs Anne Milton and Gisela, Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston

shows.acast.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 1h

Born #OTD 1927, Jim Prior, Conservative MP for Lowestoft, later Waveney, from 1959 to 1987. In the 1980s he was one of a group of Conservative MPs, nicknamed 'wets', who disagreed with many of Margaret Thatcher's economic and social policies:

www.historyofparliamentonline.org

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 7h

#OTD 1727 the coronation of George II took place. #DYK that George was the last British monarch to ride into battle? In a 2018 article for #HistParl, Dr Robin Eagles explored his military career. historyofparliament.com/2018/10/11/h...

‘His Presence contributed greatly to the success of the Day’: George II, king and soldier - The History of Parliament

Today marks the anniversary of the coronation of George II, the British monarch known for being the last to ride into battle with their troops. He did so at

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 1d

Died #OTD 1747, John Potter, a lesser known Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dr Robin Eagles explored his rise to the role, focusing particularly on how his sermon celebrating the accession of George I furthered his career in the Church:

historyofparliament.com/2025/08/07/j...

John Potter, an unusual Archbishop of Canterbury - The History of Parliament

In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles examines the career of one of the lesser known Archbishops of Canterbury, who was able to make use

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 1d

#OTD 1562 Elizabeth I was taken ill, which later turned out to be smallpox.

But what would have happened if the 29 year old queen had died? Dr Andrew Thrush explored this very question, below:
historyofparliament.com/2023/08/24/w...

What if Elizabeth I had Died in 1562? - The History of Parliament

It is easy to take the long reign of Elizabeth I for granted. But less than four years after Elizabeth ascended the throne, her life was nearly cut short,

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 1d

Born #OTD 1584, Philip Herbert, 4th earl of Pembroke.

Dr Fraser Dickinson explored Pembroke and the dramatic events surrounding him from May to July 1641 on the #HistParl website:

‘History from above’ and ‘history from below’: the example of Philip Herbert, 4th earl of Pembroke, May to July 1641 - The History of Parliament

Guest blogger Dr Fraser Dickinson uses the events surrounding Philip Herbert, 4th earl of Pembroke, between May and July 1641, to illustrate the interaction

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 2d

Died #OTD 1885, John Bowes.

Best known for the museum that shares his surname, which was a joint project with his wife Joséphine, Bowes was also an MP for Durham South. Find out more about his parliamentary career and what followed afterwards below:

John Bowes (1811-85): the MP and his museum - The History of Parliament

In this article Dr James Owen looks at the career of John Bowes (1811-85). Best known as an art collector and colliery owner, Bowes was MP for Durham South,

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 2d

#OTD 1665 Parliament met outside of Westminster at Oxford University due to the Great Plague of London.

This was one of four times in the 17th c. when the University played host to Parliament, as Dr Robin Eagles has explored for the #HistParl website:

historyofparliament.com/2013/10/10/1...

17th-century Oxford: Parliament goes back to school… - The History of Parliament

With Universities now back in the swing of a new term, Dr Robin Eagles takes a look at the disruption caused in 17th Century Oxford when Parliament came to

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 2d

Born #OTD 1933 Joe Ashton, Labour MP for Bassetlaw from 1968-2001.

Ashton first entered Parliament at a time when the Labour Party appeared to be 'dying on their feet', as Ashton reflected in his HistParl oral history interview: www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/oral-...

www.historyofparliamentonline.org

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 3d

Born #OTD 1929 Betty Boothroyd, the first woman to be elected Speaker of the Commons

Revisit our tribute to Boothroyd, who passed away in 2023, which includes snippets of her interview for the #HistParl oral history project:
historyofparliament.com/2023/02/28/b...

A tribute to Betty Boothroyd - The History of Parliament

In today's blog, we pay tribute to Betty Boothroyd, the first female Speaker of the Commons, who sadly died yesterday. Dr Emma Peplow, Head of our Oral

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 3d

Died #OTD 1967, Clement Attlee, Labour Party leader and Prime Minister 1945-1951. Attlee led his party to a landslide victory in July 1945: an event that many late 20th c. MPs describe in their #OralHistory interviews as their 'political awakening'. historyofparliament.com/2015/07/27/1...

1945 Election: A political awakening - The History of Parliament

Seventy years ago yesterday the results of the 1945 General Election were declared. Although the poll had been held on 5 July, the results were only announced

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 5d

2/ Albemarle was only 35 when he died. He did however leave behind a will, which was hotly-contested and divisive:
historyofparliament.com/2016/10/19/d...

The Duke of Albemarle’s will - The History of Parliament

Today, another post inspired by our recently-published volumes on the House of Lords. In this blog the editor, Dr Ruth Paley, discusses the hotly-contested

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 5d

1/ Died #OTD 1688, Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle

Monck was first returned to Parliament at the age of 13 for Devon. When his father George, architect of the restoration of Charles II, died in 1670, Monck had to wait till he was 21 to enter the Lords as 2nd Duke of Albemarle.

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 5d

#OTD 110 years ago, the Hon. Charles Thomas Mills MP died at the Battle of Loos.

Dr Kathryn Rix explored the parliamentary and military service of the youngest MP killed during the First World War on the #HistParl site:

‘The hero legislator of Uxbridge’: the Hon. Charles Thomas Mills (1887-1915) - The History of Parliament

100 years ago the Battle of Loos proved deadly for a third MP, as today marks the anniversary of the seventh MP who died in fighting in the First World War.

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 7d

Born #OTD 1946 Ann Widdecombe, MP 1987-2010.

As part of our #OralHistory project, Widdecombe described the feeling of sitting in the House of Commons for the first time. Listen to this clip and reflections from other former MPs in this article: historyofparliament.com/2022/09/29/y...

‘You just become a tiny little speck of history’: First Impressions of the Palace of Westminster - The History of Parliament

When newly elected MPs first enter the Palace of Westminster, it is hard to ignore the hundreds of years of history that surrounds them. And as Dr Emma

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 8d

Born #OTD 1554, Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke.

MP for various constituencies until he was raised to a peerage in 1621, he served as Chancellor of the Exechequer under James I for seven years. Find out more via his #HistParl bio: historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-...

A black and white lithograph of a man wearing a dark doublet with dark large sleeves, a thick white ruff and a black tall hat with a soft brim. He is clean shaven except from a long twirled moustache.

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 8d

Died #OTD 2015 Denis Healey. Chancellor of the Exchequer during the economic crises of the late 1970s, and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in the turbulent early 1980s.

Head over to our YouTube channel to find out more about Healey's career:

Parliamentary Leadership: Denis Healey

In the third of our videos on parliamentary leadership Dr Emma Peplow discusses the career of Denis Healey, the Labour party leader that never was. The excerpts of Healey's voice are from the…

www.youtube.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 9d

Today marks 110 years since the death of Lord Ninian Edward Crichton-Stuart, MP for Cardiff, who died serving during WWI.

Dr Kathryn Rix has explored the career and service of 'one of the best':

‘One of the best’: Lord Ninian Edward Crichton-Stuart (1883-1915) - The History of Parliament

Sadly the anniversaries of MPs' deaths in the First World War are coming at very regular intervals currently - today marks the 100th anniversary of the sixth

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 10d

Born #OTD 1691 Arthur Onslow.

MP for Guildford 1720-1727, then representing Surrey until 1761, Onslow holds the record for the longest-serving Speaker of the Commons, holding onto the seat for 33 years

Read his bio here:
ow.ly/48YM50KRcIX

Portrait of a man stood with on hand on a table and the other held to his chest, with a scroll in his hand. He wears a long, curly grey wig. He has black robes with gold braid detail over the shoulders and sleeves, and a white lace collar and cuffs.

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 11d

#OTD 1938, Neville Chamberlain returned to the UK, having signed the Munich Agreement.

However, the agreement which sought to avoid a wider European war had its fair share of major dissenters, as our TikTok explains:

TikTok - Make Your Day

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 11d

#OTD 1915, Hon. Thomas Charles Reginald Agar-Robartes, Liberal MP for St Austell, died, having been wounded at the battle of Loos.

Dr Kathryn Rix explored his life and career on the #HistParl website:

‘In a dirty ditch somewhere in France’: the Hon. Thomas Charles Reginald Agar-Robartes (1880-1915) - The History of Parliament

For a detailed account of Agar-Robartes’ political career, see Paul Holden, ‘“A very English gentleman”. The Honourable Thomas Charles Reginald Agar-Robartes

historyofparliament.com

Reposted by History of Parliament

Lord Norton of Louth @lordnortonlouth.bsky.social · 12d

Extremely brief. My chapter in @iaindale.bsky.social 'British By-Elections 1769-2025' covers the by-election...

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 12d

Born #OTD 1928, Eric Lubbock, Liberal MP for Orpington from 1962 to 1970. His victory at the 1962 Orpington by-election was one of the most famous in modern British political history, marking the beginning of a brief 'Liberal revival':

www.historyofparliamentonline.org

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 13d

Born #OTD 1705, Henry Fox (later Lord Holland), who sat for 28 years in the Commons.

In this #HistParl post, Dr Robin Eagles explored the career of one of the period’s most recognisable and controversial politicians:

“Honest and essential service”: Henry Fox, Lord Holland, government fixer - The History of Parliament

Even in the 18th century, governments of all sorts relied on tough politicians who were willing to do the dirty work to keep administrations afloat. In the

historyofparliament.com

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 14d

Born #OTD 1739, Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock.

MP for Bedfordshire 1761-67, he previously sat in the Irish House of Commons for Armagh 1759-61. Although an MP until his death, he had a known 'detestation' for the House of Commons: 👇

www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-...

A mezzotint black and white portrait of a man sitting down. He is wearing light stockings and tight pantaloons, as well a light detailed waistcoat, a white frilled shirt and a grey overcoat. He is clean shaven with swept back curled medium length hair. His head is resting on his left hand, with his arm propped up on a table on the right. Below that there is another table, on top of which is a selection of parchments and open books.

History of Parliament @histparl.bsky.social · 14d

6/ There was also the emergence of the railway interest, with many MPs involved in the railway mania of the 1840s.

The impact of the interest can be seen in elections for Whitby in the 19th c, as the railway opened up the possibility of transforming Whitby to a holiday destination: buff.ly/qgiaotT

The shipping and the railway interests: Whitby’s electoral politics, 1832-1868 - The History of Parliament

In today's blog Dr Kathryn Rix, assistant editor of our Commons 1832-1868 project, continues our look at port constituencies for local history month. Here,

historyofparliament.com