From frozen festivals to royal polar bears, from wartime recovery to medieval merchants.The River Thames has been the stage for some of Britain’s most extraordinary moments. In this episode, Sarah Castagnetti explores this rich history—from the 13th-century king who kept a polar bear in the river, to a Dutch naval attack that brought war to London’s doorstep, and the legendary Thames frost fairs.Three very different Thames stories, all revealing how central this river has been to London’s histor...
Jul 10, 2025•34 min
In our next episode of On the Record, we explore three very different stories—each revealing how central the River Thames has been to London’s history.
Jul 07, 2025•1 min
In this episode, we bring you four stories that span two hundred years of British history. Two women leave their families to make a new life together in Wales in 1780, a Manchester drag ball in 1880, a secret gathering space for gay men in 1920s London, and a community archive collected by Black LGBTQ+ Londoners. For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes: https://bit.ly/TNALGBTQ1 Listeners, we need your help to make this podcast better! We nee...
Jun 12, 2025•54 min
On Tuesday, May 8th, 1945, the Allies who had been fighting the Second World War formally accepted Germany’s unconditional surrender. May 8th became known as Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, and is still marked every year. In this episode, host Chloe Lee is joined by Will Butler, a specialist in British society during the First and Second World Wars, to explore what that first VE Day was like, from the soldiers and medics who’d been at the frontline, to the folks at home who wanted peace — and ...
May 08, 2025•38 min
In our next episode, we explore what Victory in Europe Day (or VE Day) was like, from the soldiers and medics who’d been at the frontline, to the folks at home who wanted peace — and for butter to be easily available again in British towns and cities.
May 05, 2025•1 min
Spy fiction has captivated our imagination for decades, but the truth behind Britain's security service is even more fascinating than the high-stakes capers of the movies. At The National Archives, we hold the real files—declassified documents that reveal the actual operations, successes, and sometimes failures of MI5 since its creation in 1909. In celebration of our new exhibition featuring these secret files and spy gadgets, this episode delves into the real world of espionage – one perhaps mo...
Apr 17, 2025•37 min
In our next episode of On the Record, we uncover the fascinating stories behind the UK’s security service, MI5. To celebrate our new exhibition featuring formerly secret files and spy gadgets, we delve into the real world of espionage – one perhaps more intriguing than fiction.
Apr 14, 2025•3 min
To mark Women’s History Month, we take a long view of working women. Our guest host, Jessamy Carlson invites three historians to explore the lives of working women over the centuries. From the working lives of medieval women, through the story of the first Women Patrols in the Metropolitan Police, to the striking Ford factory workers in 1968, this episode examines women's jobs, their conditions, their struggles, and their resilience. Download the full episode transcript here ....
Mar 13, 2025•47 min
Join us for Women’s History Month as we explore the lives, struggles, and resilience of working women through the centuries.
Mar 10, 2025•2 min
The National Archives holds over 4,000 boxes of letters, papers, and artefacts from ships captured by the British between 1652 and 1815. Join us for the conclusion of our three-part series diving deep into the fascinating Prize Papers collection. In this episode, Chloe Lee takes a step back from the ship logs and scrawled letters to uncover the grand tapestry of colonialism, empire building, and trade. With insights from experts Lucas Haasis and Annika Raapke-Öberg, we explore the intricate and ...
Feb 06, 2025•34 min
The National Archives holds over 4,000 boxes of letters, papers, and artefacts from ships captured by the British between 1652 and 1815. In the second episode of our three-part series on the Prize Papers collection, Oliver Finnegan explores the scientific techniques and conservation skills used to analyse these items. Guests Marc Vermeulen and Marina Casagrande discuss examining and reading letters without opening them and the discovery of a well-preserved centuries-old knitted jumper. For a tra...
Jan 09, 2025•40 min
Across more than 4,000 boxes in The National Archives sits a significant collection of letters, papers and artifacts from ships captured by the British between 1652 and 1815. In this first episode of a three-part series, Chloe Lee meets Oliver Finnegan, a specialist in what is known as the Prize Papers collection. Oliver tells Chloe about some of the most fascinating items in the collection, providing insights into global trade, warfare, and the everyday lives of the people who lived during the ...
Dec 12, 2024•41 min
Join us for our upcoming podcast mini-series, where we delve into a remarkable collection of letters, papers, and artefacts from ships captured by the British between 1652 and 1815.
Dec 09, 2024•2 min
With recruits from across its empire, Britain’s troops in the Second World War were a multi-lingual, multi-ethnic force. Among those involved were more than a quarter of a million soldiers from East Africa and 2.5 million from South Asia, whose contributions to the Allied forces were absolutely essential to the outcome of the war. In this episode of On the Record , host Chloe Lee speaks with Iqbal Singh and Liz Haines, specialists at The National Archives, and writer Sharmila Chauhan about a col...
Oct 03, 2024•46 min
In this episode of On the Record, we take focus on the lesser-told history of the colonial troops, from East Africa and India, that fought for Britain during the Second World War.
Sep 26, 2024•2 min
Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, June 6, 1944, 24,000 soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy in Northern France. What followed was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Their mission: to liberate Europe and defeat Germany. Who were these soldiers? And who worked secretly to plan the operation and ensure its success? In this episode, Chloe Lee speaks to colleagues Sophie Stewart and Alice Bell about the people who contributed to this operation, whose stories we may not be familiar with:...
Aug 15, 2024•38 min
In this episode, we uncover the untold stories of a tank driver on the frontline, one of the first black women in the Royal Air Force, and a femme fatale whose coded telegram saved lives on D-Day.
Aug 12, 2024•2 min
Since the 13th century the legend of Robin Hood has featured in folk songs, tavern stories, pageants, and royal festivals — even Henry VIII once dressed up as him. But what lies behind the legend? And what do our stories of robbing from the rich tell us about life in medieval England? In this episode Chloe Lee speaks to Kathryn Maude, a medieval specialist, and Sean Cunningham, head of medieval records, both at The National Archives. Join them on a journey through a forest of medieval historical...
May 23, 2024•34 min
In this episode, we journey through a forest of historical records to discover the 'real' Robin Hood.
May 20, 2024•2 min
It's often impossible to find direct accounts of poor people in the historical record, especially the further back you look. But an extraordinary collection containing thousands of letters written by people in poverty between 1834 and 1900 provides an insight into their lives. In this episode, Chloe Lee speaks to specialist Paul Carter about letters held by The National Archives which were addressed to the Poor Law Board, the British central poor law authority. Together they use these accounts t...
Apr 25, 2024•39 min
In this episode, we examine a rare collection which contains thousands of letters written by people living in poverty between 1834 and 1900.
Apr 22, 2024•2 min
At The National Archives, we hold records that tell fascinating stories of real people who lived through the horrors of the Second World War. In this episode, historians Will Butler, Ela Kaczmarska, and Roger Kershaw explore documents – some of them previously unseen by the public – that describe the experiences of prisoners of war and civilian internees held captive during the conflict. The episode accompanies our exhibition, Great Escapes: Remarkable Second World War Captives, which is open at...
Feb 19, 2024•35 min
In this episode, we explore unique documents held at The National Archives that tell the stories of prisoners of war and civilian internees held captive during the Second World War.
Feb 15, 2024•2 min
In December 1773, 340 tea chests were hurled into Boston Harbour by a protesting crowd. It was a rebellion that came to be known as the Boston Tea Party. A protest that ignited the flames of revolution and forever changed the course of American history. Now, 250 years later, we reveal some fascinating documents held by The National Archives. Join us as we explore the context of the Boston Tea Party and what documents from the British side reveal. Guests include Daniel Gosling and Ralph Thompson ...
Dec 14, 2023•40 min
In this episode, we examine the British response to the Boston Tea Party. A protest that ignited the flames of revolution and forever changed the course of American history. We reveal some fascinating documents held by The National Archives.
Dec 11, 2023•2 min
A flying machine , a fish-shaped hot air balloon, and a self-ventilating hat. From million dollar idea s to an amateur tinkering in their garden shed, The National Archives is filled with the history of inventions. In this episode of On the Record at The National Archives, Olivia Gecseg and Katherine Howells look through some fascinating patents and registered designs. They discuss inventors and their methods and explore the fascinating historical contexts behind these technical creations. For a...
Oct 05, 2023•22 min
A flying machine , a fish-shaped hot air balloon, and a self-ventilating hat. In this episode of On the Record, we explore fascinating invention patents and registered designs found in our collection.
Oct 02, 2023•2 min
Muck-spreading, rat-gassing, carrot-pulling — all in a day’s work for a land girl! You probably know the land girls as plucky young women who rolled up their sleeves and kept Britain’s farms running during the Second World War. In this episode, we're digging deeper into the history of the Women's Land Army using unique collections at The National Archives. Discover fascinating stories of everyday bravery and the no-nonsense women who were enlisted in what the Ministry of Information called the ‘...
Aug 17, 2023•41 min
In this episode, we're digging deeper into the history of the Women's Land Army, using The National Archives’ unique collections to reveal fascinating stories of no-nonsense women.
Aug 14, 2023•2 min
Reporters, cameras, speeches, and even songs publicised the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush when it docked at Tilbury on June 22, 1948. The ship carried 1,027 people on board, including many passengers from the Caribbean, invited to help rebuild Britain after World War II. In this episode, we're marking the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush through the lens of several unique records held at The National Archives, including the official passenger list. Hosting this episode...
Jun 15, 2023•35 min
