The Metropolitan Police: its creation and records of service
Published date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT
London's Metropolitan Police service was formed in 1829. This talk provides an overview of how crime was dealt with before this date, and how to trace the records of our Metropolitan Police ancestors at The National Archives.
Author: Chris Heather Duration: 25:26
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Railway disasters: an introduction
Published date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT
This talk looks at some of the most famous railway accidents and disasters of the 19th and 20th centuries, in particular, the disaster at Quintinshill in 1915, in which 226 people died. The National Archives holds a wide range of documents which record details of accidents and collisions but the talk also considers other useful sources such as railway staff magazines.
Author: Bruno Derrick Duration: 37:43
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The gunpowder plot: key documents and hidden voices
Published date: Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:00 GMT
The National Archives holds a wide range of documents which tell the story of the Gunpowder Plot and its investigation - but their meaning is hotly contested. James Travers selects some of the key documents and shows that beneath the noise of the ideological debate, we can hear the principal characters speaking in their own words - and a very different view of the plot emerges.
Author: James Travers Duration: 39:06
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Roll up, roll up: the evolution of the circus 10-in-1 show
Published date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 GMT
Circus sideshows have fascinated people for centuries. From the bearded lady to PT Barnum, contortionists to fire eaters, people have flocked to see the peculiarities of the 10-in-1 show. From their early beginnings at Bartholomew Fair to their decline in the politically correct world of the 1960s, this talk will take you on a rollercoaster ride using sources held by The National Archives and other organisations.
Author: Adele Chaplin Duration: 35:07
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Apprenticeship records for family historians
Published date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 GMT
In this talk, Mark Pearsall, The National Archives' family history specialist, focuses on the apprenticeship system and how it worked in practice, and covers those records that survive in The National Archives, in particular the Apprenticeship Books in record series IR 1. It also suggests where to look for surviving apprenticeship records in other archives and record offices, as well as other useful sources for tracing apprentices where details of the apprenticeship indentures have not survived.
Author: Mark Pearsall Duration: 51:11
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An introduction to sources for Anglican clergymen
Published date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Have you found a parson, a rector or a curate amongst your ancestors? This talk will introduce you to the main sources for the history and education of Anglican clergy, at home and abroad, using sources held by The National Archives and a variety of other repositories.
Author: Jessamy Sykes Duration: 20:18
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Internment
Published date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT
On the declaration of war on 3 September 1939, some 70,000 Germans and Austrians resident in the UK became classed as enemy aliens. This talk looks at offical papers relating to the tribunals, the policy of internment, individual internees, and the camps in which they were interned.
Author: Roger Kershaw Duration: 40:03
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GIs and POWs: Kew in the Second World War
Published date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Local historian Christopher May reveals the wartime history of The National Archives' Kew site. American servicemen stationed here created the maps used in the Normandy landings of 1944. Later, the same buildings were used to house Italian prisoners of war who helped to clear bomb damage in London.
Author: Chistopher May Duration: 36:58
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Forgeries in the archives
Published date: Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Forgery has always been a major problem to archivists and librarians - from the great 19th century Shakespearean forgers to more recent examples in the 21st century of people who forged letters about the murder of Himmler and the social life of Noel Coward.
Author: David Thomas Duration: 43:12
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The final balance: researching families and wealth in the 19th century using the death duty records
Published date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:00:00 GMT
This presentation explores how The National Archives' collection of death duty records can be used to research families and wealth-holding in 19th century Britain. The talk unravels some of the complexities of working with the records and explains how the different records can be linked with other sources of interest to those researching families and wealth.
Author: Alistair Owens and David Green Duration: 47:40
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Upstairs and downstairs in the royal household
Published date: Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:35:00 GMT
An introduction to the administration of the Royal Household from the restoration of Charles II to the death of Victoria. The talk is based on the records of the Lord Chamberlain's Department and the Lord Steward's Department, which were responsible for above stairs and below stairs management respectively. All the minutiae of royal life is here, from the granting of warrants to tradesmen, to the daily menus prepared for the kitchens.
Author: Vanessa Carr Duration: 50:24
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Dr Williams' Library: an early birth registry
Published date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:00:00 GMT
Dr Williams' Library in London is an essential resource for people who are researching the history of protestant nonconformity in England and Wales. But the library has also given its name to an important collection of registers and certificates which were once held there. This talk looks at these fascinating documents which represent an early attempt to introduce a form of civil registration of births.
Author: Dave Annal Duration: 27:08
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Summer of '69
Published date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT
A look back at the year in which Neil Armstrong took his 'giant leap for mankind', Concorde continued its flight test programme and the hippy culture reached its zenith with the age of the pop festival. However, the summer of '69 also saw Harold Wilson's government wrestling with difficult issues such as the sending of British troops to Northern Ireland. This illustrated talk explores the British take on the summer of '69, using examples from public records to shed light on this eventful time.
Author: Mark Dunton Duration: 1:00:48
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Genius on trial: key sources relating to Oscar Wilde at The National Archives
Published date: Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT
The arrest and subsquent imprisonment of Oscar Wilde was one of the most sensational and controversial episodes of the late Victorian era, with far-reaching social and cultural implications. This talk presents the key documents held by The National Archives on Oscar Wilde, and uses them to tell the story of the events which culminated in 1895 in his three trials and a sentence of two years' imprisonment with hard labour.
Author: Charles Tattersall Duration: 40:51
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Researching the British Empire and Commonwealth
Published date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:00:00 GMT
The British Empire existed for four centuries and, at its height, governed one quarter of the world's population. Mandy Banton introduces the records of British government departments responsible for the administration of colonial affairs from about 1801 to 1968, outlining the expansion of the Empire during this period.
Author: Mandy Banton Duration: 44:03
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Burial clubs - the unfriendly societies
Published date: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:55:14 GMT
Friendly Societies were popular in the 19th Century, and were regulated by law. Surprisingly, burial clubs, which offered a form of life insurance, didn't always fall into this category, and provided many incentives to commit fraud - and even murder!
Author: Audrey Collins Duration: 00:55:14
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Titanic Lives: The Crew of RMS Titanic
Published date: Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:19:03 GMT
Much has been written about RMS Titanic, but this has tended to concentrate on the ship and its passengers. Using sources such as crew lists, local newspapers, Titanic Fund minute books and the newly released 1911 census, this talk traces the lives of a crewmen and his family and seeks to answer the question: What was life like for families in Southampton in the aftermath of the tragedy?
Author: James Cronan Duration: 47:05
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Charles Darwin and the Beagle
Published date: Fri, 29 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT
An investigation into the real reasons behind the celebrated voyage of HMS Beagle (1831-1836) and the momentous decision by Captain Robert FitzRoy to choose Charles Darwin to accompany him.
Author: James Taylor Duration: 1:03:01
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Prison: five hundred years behind bars
Published date: Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
A look at the changing nature of imprisonment over the centuries and the experiences of those who endured it, charting the growth of the national prison system in England and Wales from castle dungeons to purpose-built concrete gaols.
Author: Edward Marston Duration: 53:51
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Catching Victorian and Edwardian criminals on paper
Published date: Fri, 08 May 2009 10:00:00 GMT
The problem of serious habitual criminals and how to keep track of them greatly exercised the minds of our Victorian and Edwardian forebears. This lecture focuses on the methods utilised by police and government to record and monitor such offenders, and how the surviving records can beused by present-day historians to investigate both historical and contemporary questions concerning serious and persistent crime.
Author: Professor Barry Godfrey and Doctor David Cox Duration: 27:26
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From Mountbatten to Patten: the last proconsuls and the ending of the British Empire
Published date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:55:00 GMT
After the Second World War, the role of governors in Britain's overseas territories changed. This talk examines the colourful personalities and mixed fortunes of these proconsuls, and argues that, in spite of their declining power and authority, they performed a key role in managing imperial retreat.
Author: Tony Stockwell Duration: 51:15
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Finding company records
Published date: Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:00:00 GMT
Historian, Alex Ritchie, looks at the distribution of business records and introduces the finding aids that are available to researchers, as well as revealing some of the less obvious resources that can be used to identify and track down business information.
Author: Alex Ritchie Duration: 28:25
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George Ives: queer lives and the family
Published date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:00:00 GMT
Cultural historian Matt Cook delves into the diary of George Ives, the early homosexual law reformer, and considers the issue of family, a pertinent and recurrent theme within Ives' diary.
Author: Matt Cook Duration: 49:41
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Locality, land and livelihood: sources for early local history
Published date: Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:00:00 GMT
An introduction to medieval and early modern sources relating to English and Welsh local history. Sean Cunningham and James Ross explore the vast collection of accounts, surveys, court rolls, inquisitions, deeds and taxation records held at The National Archives.
Author: Sean Cunningham and James Ross Duration: 42:56
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Kapow! Fifties Britain versus the comics menace
Published date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:00:00 GMT
In the mid 1950s Britain woke up to the threat of an invasion: "American style" comics were accused of ruining the reading habits of vulnerable children across the country and even inciting racism and violence. Could Captain Marvel cause crime? See the comics condemned as harmful and find out what action the government took to stamp out the comics menace.
Author: Jo Pugh Duration: 53:31
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New files From 1978
Published date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:00 GMT
Contemporary historian Mark Dunton discusses the release of high-profile records from 1978, which provide fascinating insight into the thinking of key government figures in the run-up to the Winter of Discontent.
Author: Mark Dunton Duration: 13:13
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Filling the gaps
Published date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:00:00 GMT
Professor Peter Hennessey presents records officers and information managers as 'unsung heroes' in providing historians, such as himself, with rich collections to use. He also discusses the hugely successful Waldegrave initiative which has led to hundreds of thousands of files being released, creating a new currency for historians.
Author: Professor Peter Hennessey Duration: 28:12
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Cabinet Papers, 1915-1977
Published date: Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:00:00 GMT
Laura Withey (Project Manager) and Dr. Ed Hampshire (Records Specialist) talk about this exciting new project, the new web pages and the records being made available online for the first time.
Author: Ed Hampshire Duration: 17:48
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The real Little Dorrit: Charles Dickens and the debtors' prison
Published date: Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:00:00 GMT
David Thomas examines the reality behind Charles Dickens' fiction - what were Victorian debtors' prisons really like and how accurate was Dickens' portrayal of them?
Author: David Thomas Duration: 47:54
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Radicalism and unrest
Published date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMT
From the early trade unions of the 18th century, through to the Luddites and Chartists of the 19th century, there was a profound desire to protect or improve living standards. This talk looks at what ordinary people really thought about their world and what types of records we should be exploring to discover how they tried - and sometimes succeeded - in changing their part of it.
Author: Paul Carter and Jenni Orme Duration: 54:14
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God's Wonderful Railway
Published date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:00:00 GMT
Find out how the development of the railways transformed the landscape of Great Britain and became the agent of enormous social change. Bruno Derrick explores the early years of the Great Western Railway, from its foundation to the death of Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1859, and brings to light the vast collection of records in the custody of The National Archives.
Author: Bruno Derrick Duration: 45:28
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Victorian women prisoners
Published date: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:00:00 GMT
This talk looks at a series of records of women prisoners dating from 1853 to 1887 - records of females released early on licence. It also focuses on particular individuals in order to tell their tales, and illustrate the depth of information available.
Author: Chris Heather Duration: 40:52
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Railway staff records
Published date: Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:00:00 GMT
Historian Bruno Derrick offers guidance on how to trace ancestors who worked on the railways during the Victorian era, both at home and abroad. Discussing the extensive collection of railway staff records held at The National Archives, this talk looks at various company records, accident records and railway magazines, and offers advice on the best ways to approach and use these resources.
Author: Bruno Derrick Duration: 37:41
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Scandals in the family
Published date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:00:00 GMT
Who needs fiction when there are so many true stories of scandal and intrigue? This talk looks at the misdeeds of the members of one family, through records held at The National Archives and elsewhere; featuring fraud, extortion, adultery, gambling debts and much more. (We apologise for the poor sound quality during the last ten minutes of the recording.
Author: Audrey Collins Duration: 51:59
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The 'Fleet Registers' or irregular marriage registers of 17th and 18th century London
Published date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:00:00 GMT
More than 200,000 clandestine or irregular marriages were performed in London between 1667 and 1754. The area around the Fleet Prison in the City of London was particularly notorious, hence the name 'Fleet Registers', and at least one of the registers is known to be a forgery, as explained by Audrey Collins.
Author: Audrey Collins Duration: 52:11
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Was Richard II mad?
Published date: Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:00:00 GMT
Terry Jones, 'Python', historian, broadcaster, actor, director and comedian, has called King Richard II a "victim of spin". Here he sets out to rescue his reputation and lift the lid on the turbulent world of 14th century politics.
Author: Terry Jones Duration: 01:00:55
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1968: Year of revolutions
Published date: Thu, 29 May 2008 08:00:00 GMT
Mark Dunton takes you back in time to a tumultuous year, using key documents to show the British Government's take on the dramatic events of 1968, and its own particular preoccupations.
Author: Mark Dunton Duration: 56:50
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Britain and the challenge of Fascism: saving Europe at a cost
Published date: Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:00:00 GMT
How did Britons weigh up the decision to go to war in the 1930s and did things turn out as they expected? Professor David Stephenson from the London School of Economics and Political Science explains how the British Government and the British public responded differently to the rise of Fascism in Europe.
Author: Prof. David Stephenson Duration: 44:37
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Losing Orton in the archives
Published date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:00:00 GMT
The tangled history of the papers of the playwright Joe Orton is unwoven by Dr Matt Cook. Here he reveals the extraordinary sources that survive on the writer's life, and the perhaps even more extraordinary ones that remain stubbornly missing. Warning: the following material may not be suitable for all listeners.
Author: Dr. Matt Cook Duration: 43:02
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Watch the birdie and say 'cheese'
Published date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:00:00 GMT
Conservator Stephen Harwood looks at the invention and development of photography, describing all the major photographic processes and explaining how anyone can identify different photographic types from the earliest photogenic experiments to today's sophisticated gelatine-silver prints.
Author: Stephen Harwood Duration: 25:20
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'Living the poor life': poverty and the workhouse in the 19th century
Published date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:00:00 GMT
Paul Carter's talk explores the poor life in 19th-century England and Wales. Using records from The National Archives, he presents allegations of cruelty to paupers, accounts of political and Chartist activities and much more.
Author: Paul Carter Duration: 12:27
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Closing the last day: death, memory and landholding in the Inquisitions Post-Mortem, 1216 - 1660
Published date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:00:00 GMT
Sean Cunningham tells us how the Inquisitions Post-Mortem (IPMs) or inquests taken after the death of people who were tenants of The Crown reveal a great deal about land use, local customs, and how communal memory had an important social function for our English and Welsh ancestors. This talk looks at how these manuscripts help to paint a picture of local life and land use during the Medieval and Early Modern periods.
Author: Sean Cunningham Duration: 09:56
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The road to Jamestown - part 2
Published date: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:00:00 GMT
The second part of Sean Cunningham's talk about how and why English sailors and the English Crown turned their attention to the New World of America in the 16th century. This talk explores how piracy, greed, religion and warfare became the foundations of Elizabethan attempts to settle America.
Author: Sean Cunningham Duration: 25:37
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The road to Jamestown - part 1
Published date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:00:00 GMT
Sean Cunningham talks about how and why English sailors and the English Crown turned their attention to the New World of America in the 16th century. This talk explores how piracy, greed, religion and warfare became the foundations of Elizabethan attempts to settle America.
Author: Sean Cunningham Duration: 16:54
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The making of the Stalinist state 1928-1941 - part 2
Published date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:00:00 GMT
The second part of this talk in which Dr Jane McDermid puts Joseph Stalin's Russia under the microscope from the first of the Five-Year Plans to the outbreak of the Second World War.
Author: Dr Jane McDermid Duration: 32:30
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The making of the Stalinist state 1928-1941 - part 1
Published date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 08:00:00 GMT
Dr Jane McDermid puts Joseph Stalin's Russia under the microscope from the first of the Five-Year Plans to the outbreak of the Second World War.
Author: Dr Jane McDermid Duration: 19:34
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From Magna Carta to the parliamentary state: the Fine Rolls of King Henry III 1216-1272
Published date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 08:00:00 GMT
Professor David Carpenter talks about this unique resource preserved at The National Archives and how the records are being made accessible on the web.
Author: Professor David Carpenter Duration: 59:24
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Medieval criminals and the law
Published date: Thu, 07 Jun 2007 08:00:00 GMT
An introduction to the formidable collection of documents that relate to the law and criminals during the medieval period using case studies. James Ross provides practical tips on how to access the collections, as well as shedding some light on one of the most fascinating areas of medieval society.
Author: James Ross Duration: 38:07
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King John and Magna Carta
Published date: Wed, 23 May 2007 01:00:00 GMT
History has portrayed King John as a tyrannical monarch whose arbitrary conduct forced his barons into rebellion and the eventual restriction of his powers in the iconic charter of liberties, Magna Carta. Using original sources held at The National Archives, Adrian Jobson explores some of the key crises and events of the reign before asking whether King John really deserves his reputation as one of England's worst kings.
Author: Adrian Jobson Duration: 43:01
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Henry VIII: dynasty and power in Tudor England
Published date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 10:00:00 GMT
An introduction to the documents of Henry VIII's reign through the story of his struggles to secure personal power, to make the right marriage, and to pass the crown to a male heir.
Author: Sean Cunningham Duration: 29:37
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The creation of the Iraqi state: 1914 to 1974
Published date: Wed, 04 Apr 2007 09:00:00 GMT
A lecture by Dr Charles Tripp, Reader in Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, to mark the launch of Thomson Learning's online edition of his selection of files on the history of Iraq. Dr Tripp, author of the Cambridge History of Iraq, considers the consequences of British state-building for Iraq's future.
Author: Charles Tripp Duration: 44:34
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Jermynology: how genealogy can change history
Published date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 09:00:00 GMT
Anthony Adolph talks about his research into the life of Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of Saint Albans (1605-1684) and the founder of the West End.
Author: Anthony Adolph Duration: 25:00
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Going, going, almost gone: the vanishing face of the traditional English pub
Published date: Thu, 07 Dec 2006 09:00:00 GMT
The pub has undergone enormous changes in the past 40 years. This talk examines what remains of unaltered pubs and what this tells us about their social history. Geoff Brandwood is an architectural historian, co-author of English Heritage's recent book, Licensed to Sell: the History and Heritage of the Public House, and is chairman of the Victorian Society.
Author: Geoff Brandwood Duration: 52:17
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Was the Cromwellian Protectorate a military dictatorship?
Published date: Mon, 27 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT
Professor Barry Coward, President of the Historical Association and the Cromwell Association discusses the nature of the republican government of Britain's most controversial head of state.
Author: Professor Barry Coward Duration: 52:37
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The dichotomies of drink
Published date: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 09:00:00 GMT
Presented by Philippa Glanville, Senior Research Fellow at the V&A Museum. The event was held at The National Archives to accompany our temporary on-site exhibition, which she curated, entitled, Drink: the History of Alcohol 1690-1920.
Author: Philippa Glanville Duration: 59:36
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Inventions in 18th century Britain
Published date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:00:00 GMT
Maxine Berg, Professor of History at the Eighteenth Century Centre, University of Warwick, explores the inventions and the making and buying of goods in 18th century Britain.
Author: Professor Maxine Berg Duration: 48:24
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