Want to hear more from The National Archives? We'd like to introduce you to On the Record, a new podcast bringing old stories to life. Join our experts and special guests as we dig deep into the people behind the paper and bring fascinating stories from more than 11 million records to life. Discover tales of forbidden love, spies, protest and the everyday people of the past. Search for On the Record at The National Archives wherever you get your podcasts or visit https://pod.link/1460242815 The ...
Oct 20, 2022•52 sec
The global datafication of economy, society and politics has rendered humans into constellations of datapoints. Technologies measure, monitor, predict and classify to enable personalization in the online and offline worlds alike, and we are increasingly offered bespoke realities: advertising, healthcare, government services, and recommendations uniquely targeted to us. The price is persistent identification: everywhere we […]
Feb 02, 2021•29 min
The 1848-1849 cholera epidemic in England and Wales was described by a government report as if a ‘foreign army’ had ‘held possession of the country, and slain 53,293 men, women and children’. In the mid-19th century the country faced an epidemic of filth; poorly drained, overcrowded towns created an environment ripe for diseases like typhus […]
Feb 02, 2021•40 min
Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford and Fellow of St Cross College, introduces his ground-breaking biography of Thomas Cromwell, the self-made statesman who married his son to King Henry VIII’s sister-in-law, re-shaped Tudor England and Ireland, and sent the kingdom on a Protestant course for centuries. […]
Dec 18, 2020•43 min
In this talk to mark the latest volume of his epic history of post-war Britain, television presenter and best-selling author Dominic Sandbrook recreates the strange world of early 1980s, taking in everything from Margaret Thatcher, Ian Botham and Spandau Ballet, to the Falklands War, the Sinclair Spectrum and the Sony Walkman.
Dec 16, 2020•55 min
Rebecca Gowers uncovered a fascinating story within her family tree – that of Harry Larkyns. She learnt that Harry was an attractive cad who lived a charmed life, right up until the moment he fell in love with the wife of noted photographer, Eadweard Muybridge. In this ‘Meet the Author’ event (recorded over Zoom), Rebecca […]
Nov 25, 2020•54 min
Trevor Barnes is the author of a new study of one of the Cold War’s most notorious spy cases – the Portland Spy Ring. In this ‘Meet the Author’ talk, Trevor is joined by Professor Chris Andrew of Cambridge University to discuss his latest book, Dead Doubles.
Oct 30, 2020•53 min
Opening up the electorate in 1918 to some women voters naturally triggered a conversation about female parliamentarians. Under the 1918 Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act, Nancy Astor was the first female MP to take her seat. In this talk, Dr Jacqui Turner reflects on Astor’s achievements and on how she became a totem for women […]
Oct 13, 2020•41 min
In this ‘Meet the Author’ event (recorded over Zoom), Dermot Turing discusses his latest book, The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park, with our Collections Expert, Mark Dunton. The book examines the lives of the brilliant and eccentric individuals who cracked the seemingly unbreakable Enigma code.
Sep 30, 2020•42 min
The National Archives’ collections offer a valuable insight into how the government interacted with and viewed LGBTQ communities in the past, at a time when the State played a major role in repressing and controlling the lives of gay and bisexual men and women. This talk takes you through records relating to queer history, using photographs, court reports, witness statements and seized items to highlight both criminalisation and brave acts of defiance. From the calling card of transgender diplom...
Aug 19, 2020•40 min
What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archive...
Aug 12, 2020•40 min
What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archive...
Aug 12, 2020•32 min
What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archive...
Aug 12, 2020•38 min
What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archive...
Aug 12, 2020•37 min
What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archive...
Aug 12, 2020•6 min
The one-day conference – ‘Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future’ – took place at The National Archives on Tuesday 25 September 2018. The conference was a collaborative event between the Manorial Documents Register (MDR) Advisory Panel and The National Archives, with an aim to: Promote the Manorial Documents Register as a valuable research tool Begin to explore its research potential Inspire inter-disciplinary research activities of all kinds Roundtable: What’s next?...
Jun 30, 2020•44 min
The one-day conference – ‘Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future’ – took place at The National Archives on Tuesday 25 September 2018. The conference was a collaborative event between the Manorial Documents Register (MDR) Advisory Panel and The National Archives, with an aim to: Promote the Manorial Documents Register as a valuable research tool Begin to explore its research potential Inspire inter-disciplinary research activities of all kinds Panel Session 2: The Register goes onl...
Jun 30, 2020•1 hr 3 min
The one-day conference – ‘Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future’ – took place at The National Archives on Tuesday 25 September 2018. The conference was a collaborative event between the Manorial Documents Register (MDR) Advisory Panel and The National Archives, with an aim to: Promote the Manorial Documents Register as a valuable research tool Begin to explore its research potential Inspire inter-disciplinary research activities of all kinds Panel Session 1: The manorial context...
Jun 30, 2020•1 hr 12 min
The one-day conference – ‘Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future’ – took place at The National Archives on Tuesday 25 September 2018. The conference was a collaborative event between the Manorial Documents Register (MDR) Advisory Panel and The National Archives, with an aim to: Promote the Manorial Documents Register as a valuable research tool Begin to explore its research potential Inspire inter-disciplinary research activities of all kinds Keynote Address Professor Chris Dyer (...
Jun 30, 2020•40 min
Matt Norman talks to Nigel Taylor about wills – the document used for centuries to control what happens to property when somebody dies. Who would have left a will? What information can you find in them? Are they all at The National Archives? Find out the answers from Nigel in this short podcast. You can also use the research guides on our website to find out about wills or administrations before 1858 , death duties 1796-1903 , and wills or administrations after 1858 . Please note that at the mom...
Apr 01, 2020•13 min
Matt Norman talks to Roger Kershaw about records relating to people that came to England and Wales from other countries to live and work. What records were created when people arrived here? How did people become British citizens? What can you see online? Find out the answers from Roger in this short podcast. You can also use the research guides on our website to find out about immigration and immigrants , passengers , refugees , naturalisation, registration and British citizenship . Please note ...
Apr 01, 2020•13 min
Matt Norman talks to Chrissy Peters about Discovery – the online catalogue for The National Archives and 2500 other archives. What is in Discovery? How can you find what you want in it? Are the records in Discovery digitised? Find out the answers from Chrissy in this short podcast. You can use the Help with your research pages on our website to find out more about The National Archives’ collection before you use Discovery. There are also helpful blogs; Where do I start my research? , Why can’t I...
Apr 01, 2020•11 min
The census documents information about the population taken every ten years. How and when did the system start? Where can you find the records? What can you see online? Find out the answers from Audrey in this short podcast. You can also use the research guides on our website to find out about census records and the 1939 Register . Please note that at the moment The National Archives is closed to visitors until further notice. Advice in the podcast about visiting us and using the facilities in o...
Apr 01, 2020•16 min
Matt Norman talks to Keith Mitchell about civil registration – the system for recording births, marriages and deaths in the UK. How and when did the system start? Where can you find the records? What can you see online? Find out the answers from Keith in this short podcast. You can also use the research guides on our website to find out about birth, marriage and death records in England and Wales , Scotland and Ireland , the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man , as well as at sea and abroad and ...
Apr 01, 2020•12 min
Tutankhamun lay in his tomb undisturbed until 1922, when British archaeologist Howard Carter and his wealthy patron, Lord Carnarvon, revealed him to the world. But the discovery of the century came with a price. Or rather three prices – the three curses of Tutankhamun: overwhelming popularity, damaging political blunders, and lingering ancient dark magic. This talk was presented by Juliette Desplat, Head of Overseas, Intelligence and Security Records at The National Archives in January 2020....
Mar 20, 2020•37 min
Despite having clear liberties and the protection of the Crown in the mid-12th century, the thriving Jewish communities of medieval England were soon targeted for their perceived wealth and religious practices. As Christian-Jewish relationships declined, violence, heavy taxation and restrictions forced many Jews to leave England even before Edward I’s fateful decision to expel the entire community from the kingdom in 1290. In this talk, Sean Cunningham, Head of Medieval Records at The National A...
Mar 13, 2020•40 min
The National Archives’ Cold War season drew to a close in November with a series of events intended to whisk you back to the night of the fall of the Berlin Wall. There was dancing, videogames, exhibition tours, and a series of expert talks including this one given by Dr Tony Shaw. He discussed the connection between author George Orwell, the CIA and the representation of the Cold War in contemporary cinema.
Jan 03, 2020•24 min
Voices of the Windrush Generation: The real story told by the people themselves by David Matthews is a powerful collection of stories from the men, women and children of the Windrush generation – West Indians who emigrated to Britain between 1948 and 1971 in response to labour shortages, and in search of a better life.
Dec 30, 2019•57 min
How do we know what we think we know about the past, and why do even the best historians occasionally get it wrong? In this talk Dr Ian Mortimer explores the use of historical methodology and the importance of avoiding complacency when researching and writing history . Ian is a writer, novelist and broadcaster, and a Fellow of both the Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Historical Society. He was awarded the Alexander Prize by the Royal Historical Society in 2004 for his work on the social his...
Dec 27, 2019•1 hr 9 min
490 years ago Thomas Wolsey – King Henry VIII’s former favourite – fell from grace following his failure to secure the king a divorce. This talk by Daniel Gosling examines the records held at The National Archives which detail this fall – from records relating to Wolsey’s failure to grant Henry an annulment, to the legal processes which sealed his fate.
Nov 20, 2019•45 min
