This is a brief guide to help you find records about 18th century political history. There are various types of material available from this period, both in manuscript and in print, and this guide describes some of the most important.
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What records can I see online?
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Parliamentary papers (1688-1834)
Search the Eighteenth Century Parliamentary Papers Collection (institutional subscription required) for digitised copies of official papers published by the House of Commons and House of Lords.
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London Gazette (1665- )
Search the London Gazette by date or keyword for official news from home and abroad.
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What records can I find at The National Archives at Kew?
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State papers domestic (1702-1783)
Browse Discovery, our cataloguea search tool with descriptions of 11 million documents from the UK central government, law courts, and other national bodies, for state papers (arranged by reign) in record series SP 34 (Anne, 1702-1714); SP 35 (George I, 1714-1727); SP 36 (George II, 1727-1760); and SP 37 (George III, 1760-1783). Use our in-depth research guides (listed to the right) to find out which calendarscalendar - a list, usually in chronological order, in which a detailed summary of individual documents is provided and lists are available.
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State papers foreign (1577-1782)
Browse our catalogue in state papers foreign, arranged by country, including papers of the Secretaries of State up to 1782.
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Home Office: domestic correspondence, George III (1782-1820)
Browse our catalogue in HO 42 for material relating to the reign of George III after 1782.
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To access these records you will either need to visit us, commission research (£there will be a charge) or, where you can identify a specific record referencea unique set of letters and numbers identifying a document in The National Archives, order a copy (£there will be a charge).
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What records can I find in other archives and organisations?
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Records held locally
Search for key political figures in the National Register of Archives (NRA) database to find records held in local archives.
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What other resources will help me find information?
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Websites
Explore a range of 18th century sources in British History Online.
Consult the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (institutional subscription required) for biographies of prominent people. -
Books
Search the catalogues on the British Library website to find 18th century political pamphlets and newspapers.
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16th and 17th century political history
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Parliament