Victorian Commons

MP of the Month: Sir Robert Heron (1765-1854) For historians of the Victorian House of Commons, there is perhaps no richer source for throwing light on the political personalities of the day than the journals and diaries of nineteenth-century …

For more on Sir Robert Heron, see victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/m...

Probably this type of duck - the black-bellied whistling duck.

This is a great find! We can't think of any ostriches in our research, although Sir Robert Heron MP did keep emus in his menagerie at Stubton, Lincs. And in return for two wallabies, Lord Derby gave him 'a pair of Sandwich Island geese, a pair of Carolina teal, and a pair of Brazil whistling ducks'!

Another bump for this; expressions of interest due in by 24 March.

The Whig prime minister Earl Grey was born #OnThisDay 1764. This short article from our editor Philip Salmon explores the formation of his ministry in November 1830. www.historyofparliamentonline.org/periods/mode...

‘The first humble beginnings of an agitation’: the women’s suffrage petition of 7 June 1866 - The History of Parliament A. Dingsdale, '"Generous and lofty sympathies": the Kensington Society, the 1866 women's suffrage petition and the development of mid-Victorian feminism'

In 1866, the first mass petition for women's suffrage was presented to Parliament.

Dr Kathryn Rix explores the petition with 1,500 signatories and its reception in the House.

Re-membering the medieval parliament, 1769-1886 - The History of Parliament At the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on Tuesday 17 March, Dr Sarah Wride of the University of York and the Institute of Historical Research,

Really looking forward to hearing about May Day, the folkmote & reform debates in the 18/19C from @srwride.bsky.social at the IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar on 17 March. The event is FREE in-person in London and online. @ihr.bsky.social Details: historyofparliament.com/2026/03/10/r...

We are, of course, awash with them in the 18th century:
Wilmington, Newcastle, Devonshire, Bute, Rockingham, Chatham, Grafton, Shelburne and Portland... all headed administrations from the Lords.

Prime Ministers in the House of Lords Dr Kathryn Rix, of our House of Commons, 1832-1945 project, explores the history and significance of prime ministers in the Lords.

It may appear strange today that a member of the House of Lords could serve as Prime Minister.

However, as @kathrynrix.bsky.social has explored in a new article, the 19th century saw more Prime Ministers leading from the Lords than the Commons.

Come and join us for Sarah's seminar next Tuesday - sign up now to attend in person and online.

MP of the month: George Faithfull Continuing our recent focus on Victorian female voters and women’s suffrage, this MP of the month feature highlights the career of George Faithfull (1790-1863), a Brighton radical who clashed spect…

George Faithfull, one of Brighton’s first MPs (1832-5), died #OnThisDay 1863. For #WomensHistoryMonth, find out more about his valiant but unsuccessful efforts to defend the rights of women to vote in Brighton’s local elections. victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/m...

‘So tall, so handsome!’: William Henry Hyett, MP, athlete, philanthropist, teacher and poet As the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo approaches, one is reminded of the significant number of MPs who participated in that famous feat of arms. Although our MP of the month, William Henry H…

Athlete, arboriculturist, philanthropist, teacher, poet … and MP – find out more here about the varied career of William Henry Hyett, who died #OnThisDay 1877: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2015/01/26/s...

Hudson was also a major figure in Conservative politics at York and sat himself as MP for Sunderland, 1845-59. He was a regular Commons speaker in his 'bluff Yorkshire voice', but his career ended in disgrace as his fraudulent financial dealings unravelled.

George Glenny- perhaps the most cantankerous Victorian gardener imaginable If you were asked to name a great Victorian garden writer I bet John Claudius Loudon, William Robinson, or Shirley Hibberd would spring  to mind immediately- but what about George Glenny? He was as…

A few months into its life it was purchased by George Glenny: a keen gardener, a serial publisher of periodicals and someone who loved a good falling out. Dr David Marsh has written a great blog about him: thegardenhistory.blog/2018/07/21/g...
I’ll continue The Court Gazette saga next week.

Today's #MastheadMonday is the Court Gazette (1838-40; 1841): a society newspaper that became embroiled in the disputed world of C19th horticulture. Plagued by injunctions & bankruptcy, it eventually had its title stolen by a rival. It’s free-to-view www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/court...

Fascinating, thank you!

Horticulture? We are very intrigued!

A week left to reply for this fantastic role. Closes 15 March

Delighted to contribute to this special issue and hats off to Naomi Lloyd-Jones for organising such a great conference and being a fab editor!

Another figure we want to shed light on this #WomensHistoryMonth is Harriet Grote.

In a series of articles, Dr Martin Spychal explores how she was able to establish herself as one of Westminster’s leading radical politicians.
@martinspychal.bsky.social
@victoriancommons.bsky.social

‘Had she been a man, she would have been the leader of a party’: Harriet Grote (1792-1878), radicalism and Parliament, 1820-41 In the first of his blogs on Harriet Grote (1792-1878), our research fellow Dr Martin Spychal, explores Harriet’s early life, her emergence as a central figure among London’s intellectual radicals …

Finally, here’s one of our series on Harriet Grote, a prominent figure among London’s intellectual radicals, who ‘had she been a man, she would have been the leader of a party’: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2021/01/04/h... #IWD #WHM

The ladies’ gallery in the temporary House of Commons - The History of Parliament I am very grateful to Dr Mari Takayanagi for drawing to my attention the subtle differences between Catherine Gladstone's account of her visit to the Ladies'

Our assistant editor @kathrynrix.bsky.social has explored the facilities provided for women to view debates in the temporary House of Commons chamber used after the 1834 fire, where visitors included Charlotte Brontë: historyofparliament.com/2025/10/30/t... #IWD #WHM

The 'Bifrons Purse': Elizabeth, Marchioness Conyngham and aristocratic women's participation in nineteenth-century elections - The History of Parliament our research fellow Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones explores the political life of Elizabeth, Marchioness Conyngham (1769-1861). Best known as George IV’s final mistress...

Our most recent post from our research fellow Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones looks at the behind-the-scenes roles which aristocratic women could play in 19th century elections. historyofparliament.com/2026/02/26/t...

For #InternationalWomensDay and #WomensHistoryMonth we are sharing some of our favourite research on women’s participation in 19th century politics.

‘One of the greatest Rugby players who ever sat in the House’: Pat Munro MP - The History of Parliament Pat Munro made his debut as a Scotland rugby international on 4 February 1905 at Inverleith, Edinburgh, taking on Wales in the Home Nations Championship (the

Did you know that a former Scottish Rugby captain sat in the House of Commons?

With Scotland taking the field against France later today in the #SixNations, @kathrynrix.bsky.social explores the sporting and political career of Pat Munro MP.

#OnThisDay 1866 the Commons passed the second reading of a bill for the abolition of church rates. Percy Wyndham, who had accidentally been locked out of the division lobby, was allowed by the Speaker to have his vote counted with the Noes: hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1866...

The Victorian female franchise Welcome to the first of our guest blogs. On BBC Radio 4 tonight Dr Sarah Richardson presents a programme about the discovery of an early Victorian poll book listing women voters (click here to list…

For #WomensHistoryMonth we are looking back at this guest article from Prof Sarah Richardson on women’s right to vote at local elections during the 19th century. victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/t...

Yes, it had some very useful features.

The representation of Devon and Cornwall after reform, 1832-68 Last week the History of Parliament and the Devon and Cornwall Record Society hosted a conference at Exeter on ‘The South West and Parliament’. Dr Martin Spychal of the Victorian Common…

For #CornwallDay we are sharing one of our earlier articles from @martinspychal.bsky.social, which looks at politics in Cornwall (and Devon) between 1832 and 1868: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2019/05/17/t...

For others also wishing to delve into digital Hansard in search of white rabbits or anything else, our research guide to the available online versions may be of interest: victoriancommons.wordpress.com/2022/02/09/a...