Tag: Oral history

20th century history, Constituencies, Contemporary History, Elections, Factions, John Major, Margaret Thatcher, Modern, Oral history, Parliamentary Life, Parties, Scottish History

Crossing the Floor: Tales from the Oral History Project

Following some recent, high-profile, political defections, Alfie Steer and Dr Emma Peplow have delved into the History of Parliament’s Oral History archive to explore historical cases of MPs changing their party affiliations: their causes, motivations and wider significance. Political defections, commonly known in Westminster parlance as ‘Crossing the Floor’, have been a phenomenon in Parliament since at least the 17th century. This has either happened … Continue reading Crossing the Floor: Tales from the Oral History Project

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, History of Parliament Trust, Oral history

Call for Volunteers: History of Parliament Oral History Project

The History of Parliament Trust is looking for new volunteer interviewers to join its oral history project! Since 2011, the project has interviewed over 250 former members of parliament, creating, in collaboration with the British Library, a unique sound archive of British politics since 1945. To fill some regional gaps in our collection, the project is specifically looking for volunteer interviewers based in, or able … Continue reading Call for Volunteers: History of Parliament Oral History Project

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, Conferences, Seminars and Events, Modern, Oral history, Women and Parliament

‘A Manly Place’: Experiences of Women in Parliament after 1997

On 19 March 2024, the History of Parliament Trust hosted the second in a series of events drawing on their groundbreaking Oral History Project. This event, in partnership with and funded by Keele University, explored women’s experiences in parliament and whether they have changed through time. The event was organised by the project’s research team, Professor Helen Parr (Keele University), Dr Emma Peplow (Head of … Continue reading ‘A Manly Place’: Experiences of Women in Parliament after 1997

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, Health and Medicine, LGBTQ+ History, Modern, Oral history

HIV and Parliament: memories from our Oral History Project

For LGBT+ History Month, Dr Emma Peplow, Head of Contemporary History, uses the History of Parliament’s Oral History archive to reflect on the debates and experiences of HIV in Parliament during the 1980s. When the HIV/AIDs epidemic arrived in the UK in the early 1980s it was a frightening, confusing time. Little was known about this new disease, other than it appeared to be deadly to … Continue reading HIV and Parliament: memories from our Oral History Project

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, History of Parliament Trust, Irish History, Modern, Oral history, Women and Parliament

Mo Mowlam and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement

25 years ago this month the basis for peace in Northern Ireland – the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement – was signed after years of painstaking negotiations. Although nothing would have been achieved without the hard work of politicians and activists of all parties from Northern Ireland, mainland Britain and the Republic of Ireland, one of the crucial figures was Mo Mowlam, Secretary of State for Northern … Continue reading Mo Mowlam and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement

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Contemporary History, Disability history, Health and Medicine, Modern, Oral history, Women and Parliament

‘Helping the Disabled to Live to Capacity’: rediscovering Dr Margaret Agerholm through parliamentary history

Over the past few weeks UK Heritage institutions have been marking Disability History Month, and in today’s blog we hear from Dr Emmeline Ledgerwood, the History of Parliament’s Oral History Project Manager. Listening to the project’s interview with former MP Sir John Hannam sparked a research trail that led her towards a key figure in disability rights campaigning: Dr Margaret Agerholm. In his interview for … Continue reading ‘Helping the Disabled to Live to Capacity’: rediscovering Dr Margaret Agerholm through parliamentary history

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Contemporary History, Modern, Oral history

The search for good governance: David Hunt

As the History of Parliament Oral History Project continues to go from strength to strength following a two-year hiatus, here volunteer interviewer Peter Reilly reflects on his recent interview with Lord David Hunt, MP for Wirral and later Wirral West 1976-1997. A member of cabinet under both Margaret Thatcher and John Major, throughout his career- and interview- Hunt proved committed to a topic still making … Continue reading The search for good governance: David Hunt

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Conferences, Seminars and Events, 20th century history, Contemporary History, History of Parliament Trust, Modern, Oral history

Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: ‘That was how politics started for me’: memories on motivations from the History of Parliament Trust’s Sound Archive

Our Parliaments, Politics and People seminar is back for the autumn term! At next week’s seminar our head of Oral History, Dr Emma Peplow, will discuss what drove MPs into politics using materials gathered from our Oral History Project. The seminar takes place on 18 October 2022, between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. It is fully ‘hybrid’, which means you can attend either in-person in London … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: ‘That was how politics started for me’: memories on motivations from the History of Parliament Trust’s Sound Archive

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, Buildings and Architecture, Modern, Oral history

‘You just become a tiny little speck of history’: First Impressions of the Palace of Westminster

When newly elected MPs first enter the Palace of Westminster, it is hard to ignore the hundreds of years of history that surrounds them. And as Dr Emma Peplow, Head of Oral History at the History of Parliament explores, this legacy could prove inspirational, impressive, or even overwhelming… Find out more about the history of the Palace of Westminster and its famous Elizabeth Tower, home … Continue reading ‘You just become a tiny little speck of history’: First Impressions of the Palace of Westminster

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Contemporary History, 20th century history, History of Parliament Trust, Modern, Oral history

The world of parliament extends beyond the Commons and Lords: Michael Morris, Lord Naseby

Since 2012 our team of volunteers have been interviewing former MPs about their lives and careers for the History of Parliament Oral History project, and often their memories reflect on current events both in Westminster and the wider world. Here, volunteer interviewer Peter Reilly discusses some of the key moments in the career of Michael Morris, Lord Naseby, who throughout his life had close links … Continue reading The world of parliament extends beyond the Commons and Lords: Michael Morris, Lord Naseby

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