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Blog Parliamentary Archives: Inside the Act Room

Parliamentary Archives: Inside the Act Room

Jane Julia Bennett, Keeper of the Keys of the House of Lords

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Painting showing monarch on throne and Lords assembled in grand space with high ceilings and large paintings on wall

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 …

Snatched from the Flames: John Bellamy’s Account Book

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A volume open to show burned, scorched handwritten pages

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 …

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The Parliamentary Archives provides access to the archives of the House of Lords, the House of Commons and to other records relating to Parliament. We also provide a records management service for both Houses of Parliament. The Parliamentary Archives holds several million historical records relating to Parliament, dating from 1497.

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