Guest blog by Dr Elizabeth Hallam Smith Jane Julia Bennett, née Wright, Deputy Housekeeper and then Housekeeper to the House of Lords, holds a remarkable place in the history of Parliament. For she was the only woman to occupy 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 …
By Mari Takayanagi, Senior Archivist The Parliamentary Archives recently acquired a wonderful new suffragette photograph! It shows suffragettes from the Women's Freedom League (WFL) pasting a Proclamation on a board advertising Hackney Carriage Prices. The two women are Barbara Duval …
This blog was written by Katherine Emery, Assistant Archives Officer. Westminster Hall was originally built during the reign of William II in 1097 but most of the Hall and its iconic roof we know today is from the repairs, redesign, …
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 …
Over the past year of Elizabeth Tower blog posts from the Parliamentary Archives, we’ve taken a deeper look at the Ayrton Light, Big Ben and the quarter bells and the decorative shields which adorn the Tower’s façade. As restoration of …
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 …
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 …
This blog was written by Alex Fisher, Archives Officer. On the 8th March 2021 we will celebrate Commonwealth Day. This annual event brings together the people of the 54 countries that form the Commonwealth. The idea originated from Lord Meath …
Learn more about the Parliamentary Archives photograph collection and the secrets hidden in them. This blog was written by Simon Barnes and Tim Banting, Heritage Photographers in the Parliamentary Archives The UK Parliament recently shared a photograph from our collections, …
