The National Archives Podcast Series

Copyright: © Copyright: (C) The National Archives, see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/legal/copyright.htm for terms and conditions of reuse

Latest Episodes:

Royal Hospital Chelsea: Soldiers' service documents Nov 15, 2010

Show notes

Military records specialist William Spencer talks about WO 97, one of The National Archives' most popular record series. This series holds detailed and comprehensive military records of over 1.5 million soldiers who served in the British Army between 1760 and 1913.

Forgotten tragedy: The loss of HMT Lancastria Nov 05, 2010

Show notes

On 17 June 1940, HMT Lancastria was sunk by a German bomber while evacuating troops from St Nazaire; over 9,000 troops were packed on board. This talk attempts to explain why so many who were lost will never be accounted for.

Credit crunch histories: records of bankrupts in The National Archives Oct 22, 2010

Show notes

Bankruptcy proceedings have been taking place in England and Wales for over 400 years. In this talk, Chris Cooper describes the bankruptcy records for England and Wales held by The National Archives, indicating the best ways of researching them, and referring to related records elsewhere

Freedom fighters: sources for black loyalists at The National Archives Oct 15, 2010

Show notes

Abi Husainy reveals the African American contribution to the American revolution, using documents and concrete examples found in The National Archives.

A history of the Public Records Office Oct 08, 2010

Show notes

Vanessa Carr takes us through a brief history of the Public Records Office, looking at public records from 1086 to 2003.

Charles Dickens, Warren's Blacking and the Chancery Court Oct 01, 2010

Show notes

At the age of 12, the delicate and genteelly brought up Charles Dickens was plunged into employment in a boot-blacking factory, while his father was incarcerated in Marshalsea debtors' prison. These events traumatised the young Dickens, and greatly influenced his future work. However, as an adult this difficult period was never discussed, and only after his death did his account come out. That account has never been corroborated or challenged, but author Michael Allen has discovered that Dickens' employers at Warren's Blacking were fighting each other in the Chancery Court, revealing a great deal of new information.

The Kitchen Front: domestic life in the Second World War Sep 24, 2010

Show notes

Find out how documents held by The National Archives can reveal a fascinating picture of the domestic lives of ordinary people living through the Second World War.

The first Afghan war Sep 17, 2010

Show notes

In this talk, journalist and historian Jules Stewart will guide us through the 1838-1842 period of Afghan history. Just some of the events explored include the Persian siege of Herat with Russian assistance, which Britain feared would lead to an invasion of India through Afghanistan, and the issuance of the infamous Simla Manifesto that justified the invasion.

Sailors, storms and science: how Royal Navy logbooks help us understand climate change Sep 10, 2010

Show notes

Dr Dennis Wheeler, from the University of Sunderland, discusses the use of historical Royal Navy logbooks in studies of climate change, focusing on the archival resources rather than scientific conclusions.

Catch-up history and the Cold War Sep 03, 2010

Show notes

Professor Peter Hennessy, Attlee Professor of Contemporary British History, Queen Mary, London University, and author of The Secret State, examines the 'particles and patterns of the past' to peer into the part of the post-war British state kept under wraps for the duration of the Cold War.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The National Archives Podcast Series

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected