Online events

Discover archives with exciting online talks, delivered by our specialists and guest speakers.

When you book an event, you are invited to pay what you can. The cost is optional and entirely at your discretion.

Talks are available to watch for 48 hours after the event. See our Frequently asked questions to find out more about registering and accessing online events.

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April 2024

MI9: Escape and Evasion in the Second World War

  • Wednesday 3 April 2024, 19:30

Join historian and author Helen Fry to learn about MI9, the Second World War organisation that engineered the escape of Allied forces from behind enemy lines.

MI9 set up clandestine escape routes that zig-zagged across Nazi-occupied Europe, enabling soldiers and airmen to make their way back to Britain. Central to MI9’s success were figures such as Airey Neave, the first British prisoner to successfully escape from Colditz, and Mary Lindell, one of only a few women parachuted into enemy territory for MI9.

Helen will be revealing that not only did MI9 save thousands of Allied lives, it contributed to a massive intelligence effort that impacted on the Allies’ ability to turn the tide of the war.

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Great and Horrible News: Murder and Mayhem in Early Modern Britain

  • Wednesday 10 April 2024, 19:30

In early modern England, murder truly was most foul. Trials were gossipy affairs packed to the rafters with noisome spectators. Executions were public spectacles which promised not only gore, but desperate confessions and the grandest, most righteous human drama. Bookshops saw grisly stories of crime and death sell like hot cakes.

Pieced together from original research using coroner’s inquests, court records, parish archives, letters, diaries and street pamphlets, author Blessin Adams reveals the thrilling history of murder, criminal investigation, early forensic techniques, and high court trials in early modern England.

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Empireworld – In conversation with Sathnam Sanghera

  • Wednesday 17 April 2024, 19:30

Join award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera in discussion about the legacies of the British empire.

The British empire’s influence upon the quarter of the planet it occupied, and its gravitational influence upon the world outside it, has been profound: from the spread of Christianity by missionaries, to nearly 1 in 3 driving on the left side of the road, to the origins of international law. Yet Britain’s idea of its imperial history and the world’s experience of it are two very different things.

In his latest book, Sathnam Sanghera explores the international legacies of empire from the creation of tea plantations across the globe, to environmental destruction, conservation, and the imperial connotations of Royal tours. His journey takes him from Barbados and Mauritius to India and Nigeria and beyond. In doing so, he demonstrates just how deeply British imperialism is baked into our world.

Sathnam Sanghera will be in conversation with The National Archives’ collection specialist, Elizabeth Haines.

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May 2024

The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England

  • Friday 3 May 2024, 14:00

Historian Jonathan Healey charts the turbulent course of the seventeenth century.

The seventeenth century began as the English suddenly found themselves ruled by a Scotsman and ended in the shadow of an invasion by the Dutch. Under James I, the country suffered terrorism and witch panics. Under his son Charles, state and society collapsed into civil war, to be followed by an army coup and regicide. For a short time – England was a republic. There were bitter struggles over faith and no boundaries to politics. In the coffee shops and alehouses of plague-ridden London, new ideas were forged that were angry, populist and almost impossible for monarchs to control.

From raw politics to religious divisions, civil wars to witch trials, plague to press freedoms, Jonathan Healey tells the story of a strange but fascinating century that forged a new world.

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SAS Great Escapes with Damien Lewis

  • Wednesday 29 May 2024, 19:30

Join historian and author Damien Lewis discussing his latest book, SAS Great Escapes 3.

Discover some of the most dramatic and daring escapes undertaken by the SAS, the world’s most famous fighting force during WWII. From the very earliest SAS missions to the post D-day battles for Nazi-occupied Europe, Damien Lewis will uncover some of the iconic operations of the Regiment and the key figures involved.

Encounter tales of deception and knife edge encounters as well as acts of courage and kindness from those risking their lives to help escapees on their way.

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June 2024

An African History of Africa

  • Wednesday 5 June 2024, 19:30

The epic history of the oldest inhabited continent on the planet told by Zeinab Badawi.

Africa’s history has long been dominated by western narratives of slavery and colonialism, or simply ignored. Join award-winning broadcaster Zeinab Badawi as she sets the record straight to guide us through Africa’s spectacular history from the origins of our species, through ancient civilisations and medieval empires with remarkable queens and kings, to the miseries of conquest and the elation of independence.

Visiting more than thirty African countries to interview historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and local storytellers, Zeinab Badawi unearths buried histories from across the continent to give Africa its rightful place in our global story told through the voices of Africans themselves.

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Using Discovery, The National Archives’ online catalogue

  • Friday 7 June, 14:00

Join us to learn top tips for using Discovery, our online catalogue which allows you to download 100 free records a month. You will come away with all of the tools needed to make the most of the catalogue for your research, whether you are a new user or an experienced researcher.

This webinar will be delivered by Sarah Castagnetti, Visual Collections Team Manager.

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Portrait photo of Simon Parkin beside the cover of his book, The Island of Extraordinary Captives.

The Island of Extraordinary Captives

  • Wednesday 12 June 2024, 19:30

On 13 July 1940 the British government opened Hutchinson, an internment camp on the Isle of Man for so-called ‘enemy aliens’ – German, Austrian and Italian passport holders living in Britain at the time. Among the inmates were world-renowned artists, musicians, and intellectuals. Despite their captivity, they remained resilient, transforming their prison into an artistic and academic community.

Simon Parkin tells the gripping story and of these extraordinary captives and how they found hope even in the most challenging of circumstances.

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Photo of James Holland beside the cover of his book, The Savage Storm.

The Savage Storm: The Battle for Italy with James Holland

  • Wednesday 19 June 2024, 19:30

Join bestselling historian James Holland to explore the brutal story of the most pivotal campaign of the Second World War.

Allied forces crossed into Southern Italy in September 1943 expecting a swift victory. Despite Italy’s surrender, fierce German resistance turned this battle into one of the most brutal of the war.

James Holland will be discussing these dark, dramatic months in unflinching detail. He has used a wealth of documents, including letters and diaries, to reveal more about this pivotal phase of the war than ever before.

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Catland: Feline enchantment and the making of the modern world

  • Friday 21 June 2024, 14:00

Join historian and author Kathryn Hughes for a fascinating feline exploration of Victorian society and discover how Britain was taken over by the ‘cult of the cat’.

By the end of the nineteenth century, cats no longer had to earn their keep by catching mice. Instead, Victorian and Edwardian Britain fell in love with cats, in part due to social and economic forces, but also due to the work of artist Louis Wain, whose drawings of anthropomorphic cats delighted the world.

Kathryn Hughes tells the incredible story of how the country became obsessed with cats, and the life of the prolific illustrator who transformed the image of cats forever.

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Family History: Using Military history records

  • Friday 28 June 2024, 14:00

Discover popular military records and how they can be used in your family history research.

In this webinar, our experts will draw on collections held at The National Archives and explore how using these sources can enrich genealogical research and help develop your understanding of an ancestor’s time in military service. This webinar will focus on army, navy and other records prior to the Second World War.

This webinar is presented by Will Butler, Head of Military Records.

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Talks are available to watch for 48 hours after the event. You will be sent a link to the recording after the event is over.