Parliament’s past online : a review of sources

Paul Seaward, Director, History of Parliament Trust

Friday 23rd May 2008

www.histparl.ac.uk

The Westminster Parliament: a very brief history

• 1212? 1236? 1258? 1265? 1295?

• Power to raise taxes; other legislation?

• England, Wales (1542), Scotland (1707), Ireland (1801)

• Bicameral, two chambers sitting separately: peers and Commons

• 1399; 1529; 1642; 1689; 1707; 1801; 1911

www.histparl.ac.uk

Parliamentary record keeping

• An outpost of the royal chancery

• c. 1497/1510: reform

• Eighteenth century reforms: publication

• The fire of 1834

www.histparl.ac.uk

The Parliamentary Record• Decisions of Parliament

– The parliament roll; statutes

• Proceedings of each House– Journals– Reports, resolutions etc.

• Related papers– Evidence, petitions, etc.

• Debates– Official record– Notes of debates

• Other material– The History of Parliament

www.histparl.ac.uk

Decisions• The Statute Rolls: Statutes of the Realm (1101-1714)

– No coverage to 1625 as yet– www.british-history.ac.uk (1625-1701)– www.parl18c.soton.ac.uk. (1685-1714)– http://www.tannerritchie.com/catalogue.php (1101-1624)

• The Parliament Rolls: PROME (1272-1504)– http://www.sd-editions.com/PROME/home.html

• Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum (1640-60)– http://www.british-history.ac.uk

• Statutes at Large– www.parl18c.soton.ac.uk. (1603-1836)

• OPSI– www.opsi.gov.uk/acts.htm (Some coverage after 1837)

www.histparl.ac.uk

Proceedings: Commons Journal

• 1547: ‘Seymour’• 1680: the Votes and Proceedings• Printed 1742-62; 1803-25• Continuous thereafter• British History Online: www.british-

history.ac.uk• BOPCRIS: www.parl18c.soton.ac.uk

www.histparl.ac.uk

Proceedings: Lords Journal

• 15th century origins• A series from 1510• What do they record? • Printed by order of the House 1767-1829• British History Online: www.british-

history.ac.uk (1509-1717 & 1832-1834)• BOPCRIS: www.parl18c.soton.ac.uk (1688-

1834)

www.histparl.ac.uk

Proceedings: ordered to be printed

• The Grand Remonstrance• Collections: Husbands (1643,

1646); Rushworth (1659, 1680, 1686, 1700)

• www.eebo.chadwyck.com• www.british-history.ac.uk• C18th parliamentary papers:

Reports (1773, 1803)www.histparl.ac.uk

Related papers

• Often in official archives, but not printed by order of either House

• May be printed material: EEBO; ECCO

www.histparl.ac.uk

Debates, votes etc

• Accountability and the privacy of debate• Private note-taking• Historical collections:

– www.british-history.ac.uk (D’Ewes, 1559-1601; Townshend, 1589-1601; Burton, 1656-9, Grey, 1667-94; Chandler, 1660-1739)

– www.odl.ac.uk (Cobbett, 1066-1803)

• Contemporary printings– www.parl18c.soton.ac.uk (Parliamentary Register, Debrett and

Almon 1772-1802)

• Hansard; and the official record (1909)

www.histparl.ac.uk

British History Online: www.british-history.ac.uk

• Statutes to 1713• Acts and Ordinances• HL Journals to 1717• HC Journals to 1700• D’Ewes Proceedings• Townshend• Burton Diary (1650s)• Grey Diary (1667-94)

Parliament Rolls of Medieval England: www. http://www.sd-editions.com/PROME/home.html

The History of Parliament• Constituency histories• Biographies• Analysis• Published already: the Commons 1386-1422, 1509-1604,

1660-1820 (available via our website or www.boydell.co.uk)

• Working on the Commons: 1604-1660, 1820-32; the Lords, 1660-1832; shortly to take it beyond 1832

• CD-Rom published 1999

www.histparl.ac.uk

• www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_publications_and_archives/parliamentary_archives/archives_electronic.cfm

www.histparl.ac.uk

Wouldn’t it be helpful to have a portal?