Behind the scenes: two centuries of census-taking
The census has been described as a ‘snapshot in time’, recording the nation as it stands at midnight on one Sunday every ten years. But the preparation for each census started years before each census...
View ArticleNew files from 1981
An overview of newly-released government files from 1981 including discussion of the major stories of the year. From urban riots and IRA hunger strikes to splits in Cabinet over economic policy, 1981...
View ArticleSovereign, squire and rebel: Maharajah Duleep Singh and the heirs of a lost...
At the age of five years, Duleep Singh found himself on the golden throne of the Punjab, one of the most powerful independent kingdoms in India and a thorn in the advancement of the British Empire....
View ArticleGovernment SIRO Briefing on Social Media
Lord Richard Allan, Facebook Director of Policy EMEA presenting at The National Archives Government Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO) Briefing on 17 May 2012. Facebook alone has more than 800...
View ArticleSedition, transportation and treason: the case of the London Corresponding...
How did a small group of men discussing democracy in the coffee houses of London of 1792 lead to one of the most sensational treason trials of the eighteenth century? Using newly catalogued Home Office...
View ArticleNew files from 1983
Contemporary records specialists Mark Dunton and Simon Demissie discuss highlights from the latest batch of government files released to The National Archives. Rounding off Mrs Thatcher’s first term in...
View ArticleThe day parliament burned down
In the early evening of 16 October 1834, to the horror of bystanders, a huge ball of fire exploded through the roof of the Houses of Parliament, creating a blaze so enormous that it could be seen by...
View ArticleHidden treasures? Uncovering maps among the files of government
The National Archives holds over six million maps and plans and the majority are among files, boxes, volumes and rolls. Andrew Janes explores the variety of these ‘hidden’ maps and examines some...
View ArticlePublic Cooperation with the Household Expenditure Enquiry, 1953-1954
The Household Expenditure Enquiry of 1953-54 was the first large-scale enquiry into household expenditure and income in the United Kingdom since the Family Budget Enquiry of 1937-1938. It was intended...
View ArticleWebinar: Exploring the Cabinet papers
Why are Cabinet Papers important? This webinar will explain how to use the Cabinet Papers online, demonstrating the value of this superb resource that documents our modern history in detail. The...
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