Martin Spychal

Re-membering the medieval parliament, 1769-1886 - The History of Parliament At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Tuesday 17 March, Dr Sarah Wride of the University of York and the Institute of Historical Research,

Really looking forward to hearing about May Day, the folkmote & reform debates in the 18/19C from @srwride.bsky.social at the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on 17 March. The event is FREE in-person in London and online. @ihr.bsky.social Details: historyofparliament.com/2026/03/10/r...

Re-membering the medieval parliament, 1769-1886 - The History of Parliament At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Tuesday 17 March, Dr Sarah Wride of the University of York and the Institute of Historical Research,

Really looking forward to hearing about May Day, the folkmote & reform debates in the 18/19C from @srwride.bsky.social at the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on 17 March. The event is FREE in-person in London and online. @ihr.bsky.social Details: historyofparliament.com/2026/03/10/r...

Prime Ministers in the House of Lords Dr Kathryn Rix, of our House of Commons, 1832-1945 project, explores the history and significance of prime ministers in the Lords.

It may appear strange today that a member of the House of Lords could serve as Prime Minister.

However, as @kathrynrix.bsky.social has explored in a new article, the 19th century saw more Prime Ministers leading from the Lords than the Commons.

Re-membering the medieval parliament, 1769-1886 At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Tuesday 17 March, Dr Sarah Wride of the University of York and the Institute of Historical Research,

Dr Sarah Wride will be speaking at the next IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on 'Re-Membering the Medieval Parliament, 1769-1886'.

📍 Senate House, London / Online
🗓️Tuesday 17 March 2026
⏱️5:30-6:30pm

Find out more about the paper and how to attend below.

A half-length coloured portrait of a woman, which in front of a dark brown background, it is a half-length portrait where she is wearing a dark blue dress with a cream lace frilled collar and sleeve cuffs, and is wearing a beaded necklace with many shades of blue. She is wearing a dark red lipstick with very long dark brown hair tied up.

Another figure we want to shed light on this #WomensHistoryMonth is Harriet Grote.

In a series of articles, Dr Martin Spychal explores how she was able to establish herself as one of Westminster’s leading radical politicians.
@martinspychal.bsky.social
@victoriancommons.bsky.social

The representation of Devon and Cornwall after reform, 1832-68 Last week the History of Parliament and the Devon and Cornwall Record Society hosted a conference at Exeter on ‘The South West and Parliament’. Dr Martin Spychal of the Victorian Common…

For #CornwallDay we are sharing one of our earlier articles from @martinspychal.bsky.social, which looks at politics in Cornwall (and Devon) between 1832 and 1868: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2019/05/17/t...

Ahead of #ValentinesDay, a tale of failed romance from the perhaps unlikely source of reports on a select committee looking at bribery at the 1859 Bury election. Walter Wardle and Margaret Foley were both witnesses to this committee, which met in a House of Commons committee-room. (1/3)

'Unobtrusive But Not Unimportant': Representations of Women and Sovereign Power at the New Palace of Westminster, 1841-1870 - The History of Parliament Dr Cara Gathern of UK Parliament Heritage Collections, will be discussing representations of women and sovereign power at the New Palace of Westminster, 1841-1870.

Dr Cara Gathern will be speaking at the next IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Representations of Women and Sovereign Power at the New Palace of Westminster.

📍 Senate House, London / Online
🗓️Tuesday 17 February 2026
⏱️5:30-6:30pm

Find out more about the paper and how to attend below:

Before the vote was won: women and politics, 1832-68 This month marks the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act, which received royal assent on 6 February. For the first time, virtually all the adult male population received …

Next in our #1832AtoZ is W for Women. Our Victorian Commons website has several articles exploring women’s involvement in 19th century politics, from local government electors to political wives, and from petitioners to electoral patrons. For links, see victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/b...

The History of the History: Part 1 Q&A

This week in Scribble Book, #HistParl Director @jhdavey.bsky.social explores the history of the History of Parliament, beginning in the 1930s with Josiah Wedgwood's questionnaire of former MPs who sat between 1885 and 1918.

Read and subscribe via the link below!

How many people could vote in the UK after the 1832 Reform Act? - The History of Parliament Dr Martin Spychal examines how many people could vote in the UK after the 1832 Reform Act.

The 1832 Reform Act marked a pivotal moment in the extension of the franchise, but who was able to vote?

@martinspychal.bsky.social explores topic, which may not be as straightforward as you think.

In memory of Sir Roland Jackson, 1954-2026 We are deeply saddened to hear about the death of Sir Roland Jackson who was very well-regarded member, Fellow and Trustee of the Royal Institution (Ri) and a pivotal figure in the fields of science…

We were saddened to hear that Sir Roland Jackson, who was due to speak to our IHR seminar this term, died earlier this month.

The Royal Institution have published a moving tribute here.

Job Vacancy: Research Fellow, 1660-1832 House of Lords - The History of Parliament The History of Parliament are excited to advertise for a research fellow to join our House of Lords 1660-1832 project.

📣 We’re hiring!
The History of Parliament are seeking a Research Fellow for our House of Lords 1660-1832 project. @georgianlords.bsky.social

We’re looking for a historian with a PhD in 18thC British political or cultural history to join our expert team.

🔗 Details below:
#AcademicJobs #HistoryJobs

Steps towards identifying new Black voters in 18th-century Westminster and Hertfordshire - The History of Parliament A few months ago, the History welcomed a guest post by Dr Gillian Williamson with her groundbreaking research into John London, to date the earliest known

#ICYMI earlier this week, Robin Eagles of the Georgian Lords posted on uncovering the lives of Black Londoners, among them one who almost certainly joined John London in voting in the 1749 Westminster by-election:
historyofparliament.com/2026/01/05/s...
#HistParl #BSECS2026

Happy New Year from the Victorian Commons for 2026! - The History of Parliament Here’s wishing all our readers a very enjoyable New Year! 2025 was a particularly memorable year for our 1832-68 House of Commons project and the History of

We are all back at our desks for 2026 and we start with a reminder of some of our research from 2025. We look forward to sharing more highlights over the coming months. historyofparliament.com/2026/01/01/h...

The University of London, representation and the 1867 Reform Act Last week, as part of UK Parliament Week, we held a special event with the University of London to mark the 150th anniversary of the university returning its first MP to parliament. At the 1868 gen…

Next in our #1832AtoZ is U, which is for University seats. Find out more about University constituencies in @martinspychal.bsky.social's article on the University of London seat: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2018/11/22/t...

The Victorian Commons team enjoyed catching up with Lisa and other friends and colleagues at this event, and it was great to hear our director @jhdavey.bsky.social introduce proceedings with an overview of @histparl.bsky.social's activities in 2025. It has been a busy year!

Nick Thomas-Symonds stands in the middle of the image speaking into a microphone.

A packed room for @histparl.bsky.social’s annual lecture!

A great evening and lecture given by Rt Hon. Nick Thomas-Symonds on ‘Clement Attlee’s Labour Governments of 1945-51: A Reappraisal'.

Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860): enslaver, plantation owner and landed proprietor Dr Martin Spychal explores the life of Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860). A farmer’s son from Perthshire, McLagan senior acquired considerable wealth as an enslaver and plantation owner in Demerara …

A reminder of this month's new post from our senior research fellow @martinspychal.bsky.social, who continues his series on Peter McLagan, Scotland's first Black MP, with research into McLagan's father: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2025/12/11/p...

Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860): enslaver, plantation owner and landed proprietor - The History of Parliament Dr Martin Spychal explores the life of Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860). A farmer’s son from Perthshire, McLagan senior acquired considerable wealth as an enslaver and plantation owner in Demerara…

Following on from his article on Peter McLagan, Scotland's first Black MP, Dr Martin Spychal has explored the life of his father, Peter McLagan senior, and his ownership of enslaved people in Demerara (modern-day Guyana):

historyofparliament.com/2025/12/11/p...

Great to see our colleague @martinspychal.bsky.social's book Mapping the State reviewed by Matthew Roberts as 'a work of impressive scholarship which deserves to be widely read'. Mapping the State is available on Open Access here: uolpress.co.uk/book/mapping...

After the hard work that goes into a peer-reviewed article, very pleased to be in print today! Come for the constructions of women’s sexuality in the 19th century Lords; stay for new diary source on the hidden attic from which women watched the Commons below onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

I'm really thrilled that my interview was included as part of Radio 4's 'Pick of the Week' yesterday evening. It starts at 07:22 here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... or for the fuller version see the post quoted below.

The Victorian Commons team are looking forward to hearing this paper and congratulating Dr Wilson on her recent PhD!

Scottish county politics between the 1832 and 1868 Scottish Reform Acts Last month Durham University, supported by the History of Parliament, hosted the Histories of Scottish Politics in the Age of Union, c.1700-1945 conference. At the conference, Dr Martin Spychal, a …

For #StAndrewsDay we are sharing @martinspychal.bsky.social's recent post on Scottish county politics between 1832 and 1868, drawing on @histparl.bsky.social's research on Scotland’s constituencies: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2024/08/27/s...

Black and Political: Reconstructing Black Participation in British Politics, 1750-1850 - The History of Parliament Dr Helen Wilson will be discussing Black participation in British Politics between 1750 and 1850.

On 3 December, Helen Wilson will be speaking at a special joint session of the IHR’s Parliaments, Politics and People and British History in the Long 18th Century seminars.

Find out more about her paper on 'Reconstructing Black Participation in British Politics, 1750-1850' below:

On today's episode of 'Materials of State' on BBC Radio 4, David Cannadine alongside Dr Mari Takayanagi
(@satisfactory20.bsky.social), will be examing the history of the ballot box.

We've published several articles on the history of the secret ballot 🧵

Really great paper from @nemgarrett.bsky.social, and for anyone who missed it, the good news is that an extended version is being published next year in a collection edited by my @histparl.bsky.social colleague Naomi Lloyd-Jones.

‘The Tartan Rage’: Fashion, High Society, and Scottish Identity in Eighteenth-Century London - The History of Parliament The Tartan rage has at length reached Paris,’ declared the World in June 1787. Demand for tartan fabric and accessories had swept British high society earlier that year, with the Gazetteer and New Dai...

Looking forward to hearing about the duchess of Gordon and the late 18C ‘tartan rage’ at tonight’s IHR Parliaments, Politics and People ONLINE seminar. Sign up FREE at the link below! historyofparliament.com/2025/11/18/t... @nemgarrett.bsky.social

‘A Tartan Belle’: Jane, Duchess of Gordon and the Romanticisation of Scottish Identity in London, c.1780-1812

@sarah-drew.com booking is now open again here www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...