Exhibitions
Written by Richard Ward, Assistant Archives Officer Curators would agree that when an exhibition or display is not dedicated to an upcoming anniversary it allows a greater freedom for manoeuvre. Where brainstorming sessions can embrace lateral thinking rather than a …
Guest blog by Dr Elizabeth Hallam Smith In June 2023 Parliament celebrates 250 years since the opening of the famous Bellamy’s Kitchen and Refreshment Rooms, which from 1773 to 1851 comprised Parliament's main catering outfit. Here MPs, peers and their …
Anniversaries come thick and fast in the world of Archives. Way in advance the dates are pencilled in the calendar for future reference. Some will be marked on our social media platforms; others have a blog uploaded while a select …
Guest post by Dr Amy Galvin It feels like an awfully long time ago since I wrote a blog post detailing the experiences of my first year as a collaborative PhD student with the Parliamentary Archives and I am not …
What is… Longer than the length of three football fields? 200 years old? And made of animal skin? It's the Longest Act! To give it its proper title, it's the Land Tax Commissioners' Act 1821, which at 348 metres is …
By Mari Takayanagi, Senior Archivist On 22 September 1921, Margaret Wintringham (1879-1955) was elected MP for Louth in Lincolnshire in a by-election, becoming the first ever Liberal woman MP. She was the third woman MP ever elected, following Constance Markievicz in 1918 and …
By Dr Mari Takayanagi, Senior Archivist Have you seen Made in Dagenham? This film (and stage musical!) tells the story of the women sewing machinists at the Ford Motor Company plant in Dagenham, who went on strike in a dispute …
Guest post by Portia Dadley, House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Hansard is a no-fail operation: come rain or shine, reports of debates in the Chamber and Committees are always published. In the second world war, that commitment was tested to …
This is a guest post by Dr Katie Carpenter, Creative Economy Engagement Fellow for the Parliamentary Archives and Royal Holloway, University of London Religious communities, especially non-conformist groups, were active in the movement to abolish slavery in the British Empire. …
Today's blog was written by Richard Ward, Assistant Archives Officer. This winter marks the 50th anniversary of the Race Relations Act being passed. It was a statute that promoted equal opportunities for all. The Home Secretary, James Callaghan and activists …