At the top of the Elizabeth Tower is the Ayrton Light, a lantern-like structure installed in 1885 which shines whenever either House of Parliament sits after dark. Restoration of the ironwork, casing and access areas are now complete. All we …
It was the morning of June 7th, 1780. In parts of London the embers were still smouldering from a night of feral tumult. Lord George Gordon was en-route to St James Palace hoping to seek an audience with the …
By Dr Andrew Thrush, History of Parliament Four hundred years ago, shortly after the start of the third Jacobean Parliament in 1621, the House of Lords created its first set of Standing Orders. Divided into thirty-three numbered clauses and amounting …
In the second of our series on the history of Jewish MPs we remember the unforgettable Renee Short. This blog was written by Richard Ward, Assistant Archives Officer. When you’re a backbench MP it can be difficult to make yourself …
On May 3rd, 1926, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin stood before a packed House of Commons Chamber to inform his fellow Parliamentarians that the nation was now under the siege of a General Strike. After months of fear and loathing with the Trade Unions this most dreaded of outcomes had become a bitter reality. Longer working hours, …
The Bergen-Belsen concentration camp was liberated by British forces on 15 April 1945. In this blog post, we will look at the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, war reporting and photography and the idea of Belsen in the British …
In 1707 the Parliaments of Scotland and England were brought together in the Acts of Union, just over 100 years after James VI and I had taken the throne of England after the death of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth. This …
This article was written by Robin Eagles, Editor, House of Lords 1660-1832, History of Parliament. With Parliament now televised and a verbatim account of its debates recorded by the Hansard reporters, it is easy to forget that the right to report …
April 2021 marks the 275th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden. We know the story, Bonnie Prince Charlie versus The Butcher of Cumberland, and a whole lot of folklore! Books, films, plays and endless poetry…every blade of grass has been …
The Elizabeth Tower and the Palace of Westminster are decorated with beautiful and symbolic imagery – representing the values, history, and identity of UK Parliament. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the national plant emblems on …
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