Parliament Archives

@UKParlArchives

We hold & provide access to the records of and other political and parliamentary collections. Use our tweets to discover more.

Westminster, London, UK
parliament.uk/archives
Joined August 2011

Media

  1. 5 hours ago

    Today for our trip down the #1642 Protestation Return lane...we stop off in the heart of Lancashire & them sturdy stalwarts of all things Lancastrian, namely & . So, see life before those dark satanic mills & the goals of Bradley Dack

    9 retweets 11 likes
  2. Sep 12

    1852, Liberal Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith was born in Yorkshire. He presided over the famous 1909 People’s Budget & reformed the House of Lords. Here he is being lampooned by this was the ultimate badge of honour for politicians of the era

    4 retweets 7 likes
  3. Sep 11

    September 1997 also saw the people of Wales vote for their own National Assembly. In the House of Commons, the Secretary of State said that devolution would 'empower the Assembly to deal with those matters relating to Wales that are best dealt with in Wales.'

    2 retweets 1 like
  4. Sep 11

    1997, the Scottish public went to the polls to decide whether they wanted a devolved Parliament. Over 70% voted 'Yes' leading to the creation of a Scottish Parliament. From the Act Room, here is the Act that made the referendum result a reality.

    1 reply . 5 retweets 6 likes
  5. Sep 10

    Roll Up, Roll Up!! Its the 250th anniversary of the first . in 1956 toured London for the first time, visiting Parliament. As you can see they scrubbed up well taking off the clown make-up & putting away the trapeze wire for the day.

    1 retweet 2 likes
  6. Sep 7

    1533, the future Queen Elizabeth I was born. We are very lucky to have some Acts that were signed by the Queen herself. Here is a close up of one of her beautiful, elaborate signatures.

    4 replies . 61 retweets 128 likes
  7. Sep 6

    Its National Read a Book Day!!! So, let me tell you about a tome that rocked the Archivist world back in 1971. Written by Bond..Maurice Bond- former Clerk of the Records in Parliament. He had a licence to Archive, shaken but never stirred by a 15th Century manuscript!

    7 retweets 12 likes
  8. Sep 5

    Tonight our joined in conversation with photographer about his artwork for which drew on items in our collections

    5 retweets 6 likes
  9. Sep 5

    1852, the first public library in the UK was opened in Manchester. It was seen as so important that even Charles Dickens visited. From our collections, here is the Act that made it possible: the 1850 Public Libraries Act.

    40 retweets 44 likes
  10. Sep 4

    1825. Dadabhai Naoroji, the first Indian MP was born. The ‘Grand Old Man of ’ was a MP for Finsbury Park from 1892-1895 (hence Naoroji Str in the area). In Parliament, he spoke frequently on issues back home as his maiden speech shows.

    1 reply . 5 retweets 7 likes
  11. Sep 3

    1939, Britain entered the Second World War. Here is the Hansard entry from a year earlier, 28th September 1938. The PM Neville Chamberlain stood before the House and stated 'we are faced with a situation which has had no parallel since 1914.'

    1 reply . 21 retweets 18 likes
  12. Sep 2

    1666, the Great Fire of London began. The fire raged through London until 6th September destroying over 13,000 homes and St Paul's Cathedral. From the Act Room, here is an 'Act for erecting a Judicature respecting damages sustained at the Fire of London.'

    53 retweets 74 likes
  13. Sep 1

    Land Ahoy!! Happy National Maritime Day!! For this special occasion we are going back to when the British were the supreme innovators of nautical-ness..The 1765 Longitude Act helped many a sailor with his lunar table navigate them north west passages

    4 retweets 4 likes
  14. Aug 31

    1962, Trinidad and Tobago became independent. From our collections, here is a message from the House of Representatives thanking the House of Commons for the gifts of book case and a gavel.

    1 reply . 3 retweets 6 likes
  15. Aug 30

    Until 1857, the only way to obtain a divorce was by a private Act of Parliament. In August 1857 the Matrimonial Causes Act was given Royal Assent. The Act reformed the law and created a court to hear petitions for divorce

    6 replies . 28 retweets 47 likes
  16. Aug 29

    1917, the first O.B.E. was awarded. In 1955, Maurice Bond, then Clerk of the Records for the House of Lords Records Office was given an O.B.E. From our collections, the letter informing him of the honour. You can read more about him at

    1 reply . 6 retweets 8 likes
  17. Aug 28

    in 1833 the Act for the Abolition of Slavery throughout the British Colonies was given Royal Assent. You can read more here

    1 reply . 49 retweets 59 likes
  18. Aug 27

    in 1880 the Home Secretary was asked if he would reconsider the sentence of 14 days' imprisonment with hard labour, which had been given to 17 year old James Bell, for the offence of stealing a turnip from a field

    8 retweets 9 likes
  19. Aug 26

    It's ! From our collections here is a picture of three furry friends belonging to the former Clerk of the Parliaments, Sir Henry Badeley.

    11 retweets 28 likes
  20. Aug 24

    Our third extract from the English Civil War Journals records that in 1642 the bailiffs of Great Yarmouth were given power to assemble all the Trained Bands and parliament commanded that there be a day of National Fasting once a month

    8 retweets 15 likes

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