Jennifer Davey

LGBTQ+ History Month Parliamentary and LGBTQ+ histories have long been connected.

In the latest post on our Substack, 'Scribble Book', @jhdavey.bsky.social reflects on LGBTQ+ History Month within Parliamentary history.

Read it here:

On the Althing I am currently reading Independent People (1946) by the Icelandic Nobel Prize winner Halldór Laxness.

In this week's Scribble Book, #HistParl director @jhdavey.bsky.social takes a literary trip to Iceland, and discusses the importance of Parliament in one of the country's most famous novels.

Read and subscribe via the link below!

Christchurch 1993: By-election Campaigning in the Glare of the Media - The History of Parliament On Thursday the voters of Gorton and Denton will elect their new MP after weeks of media speculation. This by-election had huge attention before it was even

Posting again my article on the 1993 Christchurch by-election as voters go to the polls in Gorton & Denton today. Fascinating reflections from the two main candidates Diana Maddock & Lord Hayward in our interviews. Seems like today's vote will be much closer!
historyofparliament.com/2026/02/24/c...

Paddington in Parliament Dr Hannes Kleineke of our Commons 1461-1504 Section explores how Paddington Bear's favourite sweet treat was traded by some members of the late medieval House

After his appearance at the BAFTAs last night, check out our latest article on Paddington Bear!

Dr Hannes Kleineke explores how his favourite sweet treat was traded by some members of the late medieval House of Commons.

The adjustment to work after half-term exemplified by me continually writing Duck instead of Duke. Two very different things.

The skeleton & House of Lords Reform….

Valentines’ Day in that most romantic of places, the House of Commons…

'Matters false and scandalous': the Scots and the emergence of party in the mid-1640s - The History of Parliament What had contributed much to the crystallisation of these parties was the signing of the Solemn League and Covenant in the early autumn of 1643. The Scottish

In a new guest article for #HistParl, Prof Laura Stewart explores the work of Scottish Polemicist David Buchanan, and how his writings influenced partisan rivalries in the Parliaments of the 1640s.

Lecture: Power & the Culture of the Commons in the Long Parliament Join us for a History of Parliament lecture, given by the editor of the House of Commons 1640-1660 volumes, Dr Stephen Roberts.

This Wednesday Dr Stephen Roberts will be speaking on 'Power and the Culture of the Commons in the Long Parliament.

📍Jubilee Room, Palace of Westminster (SOLD OUT) / Online
🗓️Wednesday 11 February 2026
⏱️18:15 - 19:15

There are still online tickets available below.

The Parliament of Bats: Plantagenets at War Gone Medieval · Episode

#HistParl's Dr Hannes Kleineke was a recent guest on the History Hit podcast Gone Medieval!

Dr Kleineke discussed the Parliament of February 1426, which saw some members take up bats and clubs to defend themselves against the threat of violence...
Listen to the episode here:

Thank you!

In which I got to visit the basement of the British Library (!) & read Ramsay MacDonald's letter criticising Wedgwood for being concerned with 'vulgar trivialities'...

V excited that we are launching Scribble Book - a free weekly newsletter ft. notes and jottings from me on all things parliamentary history (and possibly a few other things). You can subscribe below!

The ladies’ gallery in the temporary House of Commons - The History of Parliament Dr Kathryn Rix looks at the provision made for women to witness debates in the temporary chamber

In February 1778, women were barred from the House of Commons chamber.

But this did not stop them from listening in on debates, as women began to occupy the 'ventilator' in the attic of the chamber.
@victoriancommons.bsky.social

We are very sad to hear that Jim Wallace, Liberal MP & MSP from 1983-2007, and Deputy First Minister of Scotland from 1999-2005, has passed away.

In 2022-25, Lord Wallace participated in our #OralHistory project, contributing over 5 hours of reflections on his life and career.

A three quarter length photograph of a man looking to his left. He is wearing a dark blue suit with a white shirt and dark burgundy tie. He is clean shaven with a pair of thick rimmed brown glasses, and side parted grey hair.

Died #OTD 2017, Sir Tam Dalyell, Labour MP from 1962-2005.

A maverick backbencher known for his staunch anti-devolution and anti-war views, he is the longest-serving MP we have interviewed for our Oral History Project.

Crossing the Floor: Tales from the Oral History Project - The History of Parliament Political defections, commonly known in Westminster parlance as ‘Crossing the Floor’, have been a phenomenon in Parliament since at least the 17th century.

Following the news of another political defection in Westminster, we're resharing our recent #HistParl article on the history of MPs 'crossing the floor' and changing their party affiliation, drawing heavily upon extracts from our #OralHistory archive.

historyofparliament.com/2026/01/16/c...

Drawing of a tall bird with a black back and white front with black flightless wings and a long sharp beak staring out to sea

Drawing of a (Georgian) King Penguin, possibly by Capt Charles Clarke, made during an expedition commanded by Capts Clarke and Cook in the mid-1770s...
#penguinawarenessday

What’s in a name? Part 1: places What do the following have in common: the site of the world’s largest Adélie penguin colony, one of Cape Town’s main streets and a car park in northern France? The curious answer is that they are a…

For #PenguinAwarenessDay we are sharing the fact that Cape Adare, home to the world's largest Adélie penguin colony, was named after a 19th century MP! victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/w...

Shades here of affairs in #Parliament in the winter of 1725/6 when William Pulteney (later earl of Bath) finally broke with Walpole.
According to Dr Stratford:
"Pulteney's party is said to increase... the Tories came in so fast that he knows not what to do with them..."
#HistParl

Crossing the Floor: Tales from the Oral History Project - The History of Parliament Political defections, commonly known in Westminster parlance as ‘Crossing the Floor’, have been a phenomenon in Parliament since at least the 17th century.

Following some recent high-profile political defections, @alfiesteer.bsky.social and Dr @emmapeplow.bsky.social have delved into the History of Parliament's #OralHistory archive to explore some historical cases of MPs who 'crossed the floor' and changed their party affiliation.

Come and work with us!

Steps towards identifying new Black voters in 18th-century Westminster and Hertfordshire - The History of Parliament A few months ago, the History welcomed a guest post by Dr Gillian Williamson with her groundbreaking research into John London, to date the earliest known

In the first @georgianlords.bsky.social post of 2026, Dr Robin Eagles explores the identity of new Black voters in the 18th century: a chimney sweeper in the 1749 Westminster by-election, and most likely his descendents in later polls in Hertfordshire:
historyofparliament.com/2026/01/05/s...

Peter McLagan (1823-1900): Scotland’s first Black MP - The History of Parliament This is the first article in a new series for the Victorian Commons on Peter McLagan (1823-1900), by Dr Martin Spychal, Senior Research Fellow on our House of

2/ For more information on the McLagan family, check out Martin's first article on Peter McLagan, MP for Linlithgowshire:
historyofparliament.com/2025/06/12/p...

Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860): enslaver, plantation owner and landed proprietor - The History of Parliament Dr Martin Spychal explores the life of Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860). A farmer’s son from Perthshire, McLagan senior acquired considerable wealth as an enslaver and plantation owner in Demerara…

Following on from his article on Peter McLagan, Scotland's first Black MP, Dr Martin Spychal has explored the life of his father, Peter McLagan senior, and his ownership of enslaved people in Demerara (modern-day Guyana):

historyofparliament.com/2025/12/11/p...

Inside the Regency ballroom: what you’d experience on a night out with Jane Austen Ball-goers needed months to prepare for these events.

It’s Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary and @britishacademy.bsky.social postdoctoral fellow @hillaryburlock.bsky.social helps us understand what going to the ball was all about, including the months of preparation required
theconversation.com/inside-the-r...

As Nick says here, this really is a 'gem of a story' and told expertly and brilliantly by @victoriancommons.bsky.social

My article on the Motherwell by-election is now available to read in @parlhistjournal.bsky.social
It explores the reasons for Dr. Robert McIntyre's victory and how he became embroiled in a sponsorship saga.

"Having looked at some deaths of MPs involving vegetables ..." is an unimprovable line

Honestly, the joy of working @histparl.bsky.social.