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histparl.bsky.social
History of Parliament
@histparl.bsky.social
8.7K followers 480 following 1.1K posts
Creating a comprehensive account of parliamentary politics in England, then the UK, from the thirteenth century to the present day.

You can find us at other places, here: https://linktr.ee/historyofparliament
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histparl.bsky.social
#OTD 1887 a protest at Trafalgar Square against soaring unemployment and the arrest of Irish nationalist MP William O'Brien descended into violent clashes between demonstrators and police.

Later known as 'Bloody Sunday', it resulted in 400 arrests and 75 people injured. [1/3] 🧵
A black and white illustrated sketch of a large brawl on the streets of London. Focusing on one street, it is full of a dark mass of bodies in the background, the crowd littered with raised truncheons. At the front there are multiple people on their knees covering their faces, with police threatening and striking them. In the middle foreground of the picture a police officer is wrestling a man for his flag. To the right handside, a man is throwing a large bass drum.
November 13, 2025 at 12:45 PM
histparl.bsky.social
Died #OTD 1671, Sir Thomas Fairfax

MP for Cirencester, West Riding, and Yorkshire, earlier in his career Fairfax was the Captain General of the New Model Army that led the Parliamentary forces to victory at the Battle of Naseby in 1645:

historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1660-...
A line engraving of Sir Thomas Fairfax on a horse. In the foreground, a man in full armour and a stick in his right hand and a silk scarf flowing in the wind in his left hand is sitting on top of a horse rearing on its hind legs. The man has long curly hair and a moustache and goatee. In the background neat squares of military personel are being marched.
November 12, 2025 at 9:01 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Died #OTD 1642, Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester. MP from 1593 to 1614 and Lord High Treasurer 1620-1621. A renowned lawyer, he is best remembered as the judge that sentenced Sir Walter Raleigh to death in 1618.

historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-...
A half-length line engraving portrait of a man in an oval frame. The oval frame contains writing which says 'Clariss. D. Henricus Montagu Miles, Summus Iusticiarius Banci Regis.' Outside of the frame in the top two corners are small family crest shields, and behind the frame is a wavy scrolled design. He is wearing a large wooly cape with a wide ornate chain across his shoulders, and a wide thick ruff. He has a moustache and soul patch, with short but curled hair.
November 7, 2025 at 11:01 AM
histparl.bsky.social
3/ Yet today, Lewes is famously known for its historic bonfire night celebrations. On the 5th, the population quadruples in size, hosting a lengthy procession of lit torches, flaming tar barrels, and burning effigies. [MY IMAGE]
A picture of a procession at Lewes Bonfire celebrations. In the foreground there is a crowd of onlooking spectators lining the side of the road. In the middle of the road walking left to right of the picture is a procession of costumed people holding lit fire torches. Behind on the other side of the road is spectators looking on, and behind them to the left is a stone two storied building with four large windows, next to it a two story building with a dark green first floor and a white second floor, next door is a brown brick three story house.
November 5, 2025 at 11:30 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1923, James Ramsden, Conservative MP for Harrogate, 1954 to 1974, and the last person to hold the position of Secretary of State for War. In 2012 he participated in our #OralHistory project: www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/oral-...
November 1, 2025 at 9:15 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1941, Paul Tyler, Baron Tyler. In February 1974, he became the Liberal MP for Bodmin with a majority of 9 votes, one of the smallest in British history. He lost the seat at the October '74 election, and would later serve as the MP for North Cornwall from 1992 to 2005.
A half-length photographic portrait of a man standing in front of a greyish blue background. He is wearing a dark grey pinstriped suit jacket, a black wool vest, a light blue collared shirt and a golden, burgundy, black and green tie designed in small triangular shapes. He is clean shaven with combed short grey hair.
October 29, 2025 at 12:31 PM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1967, Oona King, Baroness King of Bow, Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow from 1997 to 2005. She was the second black woman elected to Parliament, after Diane Abbott in 1987.
A half-length picture of a woman. Looking to the right of the picture, she is wearing a blue short sleeved buttoned up shirt, with a vote labour red rosette, and is holding a water bottle and papers in her left hand. She has long black curly hair, with sunglasses resting on her hair, with blue earings.
October 22, 2025 at 12:31 PM
histparl.bsky.social
Died #OTD 1687, Edmund Waller.

Serving as an MP since 1624, in 1643 Waller was involved in a royalist conspiracy to capture London known as ‘Waller’s Plot’. Although other conspirators were hanged, Waller bought his own stay of execution for £10,000.

buff.ly/CwKftHR
A quarter-length portrait of Edmund Waller in an oval. He is wearing a dark top, with a frilled lace scarf tied high on his neck. He is clean shaven with with faint wrinkles, and has long brown curly hair.
October 21, 2025 at 2:32 PM
histparl.bsky.social
Died #OTD 1723 Godfrey Kneller.

A leading portrait artist in the late Stuart and early Georgian era, in 1689 he was appointed (joint) Principal Painter in the royal household, a position he held until his death. His work included many famous Parliamentarians as you can see below:
A full-length portrait of Robert Harley, 1st earl of Oxford. Standing inside, on a black and white tiled floor, with a high table to the right of the picture with a golden tablecloth, and on top a plume of white feathers and a black stubby top hat. Standing, he is wearing white brown heeled buckled shoes, white tights with a band tied under his left knee. Over a white shirt and red overshirt he is wearing a large billowy dark blue cape, with the badge of the Order of the Garter on his left shoulder, and a red sash over his right shoulder and an ornate large chain over his shoulders. He is holding a long thin white cane in his right hand. He is clean shaven with a long curly grey wig. A half-length portrait of Spencer Compton 1st earl of Wilmington, standing next to waist high table with a dark green tablecloth over the top. He is wearing a shiny brown long jacket with an eight pointed star badge signifying the Order of the Garter pinned to his chest and an orange sash across his right shoulder to left hip. He is wearing a white shirt tied high on the neck in a scarf. He is holding a note in his right hand over the table. He is clean shaven with a pale complexion and rosy cheeks, with a long grey curly wig. Oil portrait of William Cavendish, 2nd duke of Devonshire. He is stood looking off to the right. He has a long curly brown wig which goes beyond his shoulders, and is wearing a red velvet jacket with white collar tied at the neck. A star emblem can be seen on his lapel. He is holding a long white rod in his right hand.
October 19, 2025 at 9:01 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Today marks the 300th birthday of the radical MP John Wilkes.

To commemorate this, we are looking back at his storied parliamentary career: (1/6)
A portrait of John Wilkes, wearing a red jacket with a white frilled shirt seen in the cuff and his collar. He has straight hair swept back and curling up by his ear. He is painted in front of three pieces of parchment and a quill and ink.
October 17, 2025 at 8:36 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1890, Michael Collins, Irish revolutionary. Collins was elected to Parliament in 1918, but like other members of Sinn Féin, refused to take his seat. Instead they established an Irish Parliament (the Dáil) in Dublin and declared independence. 🧵 (1/3)
A black and white cropped photographic portrait of a man. Sitting on a chair with people stood closely behind him and sat next to him, he is wearing a dark suite with a white shirt and dark tie with a tie pin through the middle. He is clean shaven with neatly side combed black hair.
October 16, 2025 at 11:31 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1944, David Trimble, Baron Trimble, Ulster Unionist MP for Upper Bann from 1990 to 2005. A key figure in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement, ending the Troubles, he would serve as the inaugural First Minister of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2002.
Photographic half-length portrait of a middle aged man. He is wearing a dark blue suit jacket with light blue pinstripes, a light blue shirt and blue tie with white polka dots. He is clean shaven with a rosy complexion, with side combed greying black hair.
October 15, 2025 at 12:30 PM
histparl.bsky.social
The History of Parliament team were very sad to hear of the recent death of Professor Michael Rush.

A pioneering scholar of parliament, Professor Rush's work on the social background of MPs and resulting Database stands as a fundamental source for generations of historians and political scientists.
October 15, 2025 at 10:01 AM
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Died #OTD 1811, Nathaniel Dance-Holland. Before entering Parliament, Dance-Holland was a founding member of the Royal Academy and successful portrait artist. He was commissioned to paint, among others, Lord North, Queen Charlotte and Captain James Cook.
buff.ly/lE9GKAj
A half-length painted portrait of Nathaniel Dance. Standing side on looking over his shoulder, he is wearing a velvet-esque red jacket with a furred lapel, a green waistcoat can just be seen, as well as a white tied scarf wide on his neck. He is clean shaven with pushed back thick medium length brown hair. Portrait of Queen Charlotte, stood in front of stone pillars and a red curtain. She has one hand on a red chair. A table is behind her, with a crown on top. She has pale skin, a grey wig and is wearing a white dress with flowers all over it and gold braid detail on the bust, cuffs and hem. portrait of Captain Cook wearing captain's uniform, consisting of a blue jacket, white waistcoat with gold braid and gold buttons and white breeches. He has grey hair. He holds his own chart of the Southern Ocean on the table and his right hand points to the east coast of Australia on it. His left thumb and finger lightly hold the other edge of the chart over his knee. His hat sits on the table behind him. Portrait of Lord North sat in a red chair, with a red curtain backdrop. He wears a grey wig tied with a black ribbon at the nape of his neck. He is wearing a white shirt with lace collar and cuffs, a red jacket and breeches, a blue sash over his chest, and black robes with heavy gold braiding.
October 15, 2025 at 8:01 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1554, Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke.

MP for various constituencies until he was raised to a peerage in 1621, he served as Chancellor of the Exechequer under James I for seven years. Find out more via his #HistParl bio: historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-...
A black and white lithograph of a man wearing a dark doublet with dark large sleeves, a thick white ruff and a black tall hat with a soft brim. He is clean shaven except from a long twirled moustache.
October 3, 2025 at 11:30 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1691 Arthur Onslow.

MP for Guildford 1720-1727, then representing Surrey until 1761, Onslow holds the record for the longest-serving Speaker of the Commons, holding onto the seat for 33 years

Read his bio here:
ow.ly/48YM50KRcIX
Portrait of a man stood with on hand on a table and the other held to his chest, with a scroll in his hand. He wears a long, curly grey wig. He has black robes with gold braid detail over the shoulders and sleeves, and a white lace collar and cuffs.
October 1, 2025 at 9:30 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1739, Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock.

MP for Bedfordshire 1761-67, he previously sat in the Irish House of Commons for Armagh 1759-61. Although an MP until his death, he had a known 'detestation' for the House of Commons: 👇

www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-...
A mezzotint black and white portrait of a man sitting down. He is wearing light stockings and tight pantaloons, as well a light detailed waistcoat, a white frilled shirt and a grey overcoat. He is clean shaven with swept back curled medium length hair. His head is resting on his left hand, with his arm propped up on a table on the right. Below that there is another table, on top of which is a selection of parchments and open books.
September 27, 2025 at 12:30 PM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1886, A. V. Hill, Independent Conservative MP for Cambridge University, 1940-5. Before his political career, Hill was a physiologist, and in 1922 shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work on muscle physiology. He is the only MP to have won a Nobel Prize in the sciences.
A black and white quarter length photographic portrait of a man. He is wearing a grey textured suit jacket, a white collared shirt and a black tie with thin white horizontal stripes. He is clean shaven except for a thick moustache, and has short side combed hair.
September 26, 2025 at 8:15 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1717, Horace Walpole. Son of Robert Walpole, Britain's first Prime Minister, he was an MP from 1741-68 and in 1791 became 4th earl of Orford. He is well known for building Strawberry Hill House, and writing one of the first Gothic Novels.
Painting of a man leaning with his chin in his right hand. He is propped against a table covered roughly in a red cloth, with papers scattered on it. He has pale skin and short brown hair, curled upwards at his ears. He wears a grey velvet-effect jacket over a waistcoat and shirt with frilled collar and sleeves. His left hand is in his pocket.
September 24, 2025 at 8:00 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Born #OTD 1778, Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux. MP for various constituencies from 1810 to 1830, he rose to prominence with his support for the abolition of slavery and his opposition to George IV's attempts to divorce Queen Caroline. www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-...
A half-length painted portrait of Henry Brougham. In the background is a draped red curtain from the top right to the bottom left. In the foreground stands a younger man, he is wearing a black long suit jacket, black waistcoat and a white shirt and thick white scarf tied high on the neck. He is clean shaven and has short cropped black hair.
September 19, 2025 at 8:01 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Black Wednesday was remembered more fondly by Edwina Currie, as it coincided with the day she got a £100,000 book deal for her first novel. [4/4]
September 16, 2025 at 8:02 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Simon Coombs experienced the financial crisis directly, with the government's decision to increase interest rates having a direct effect on his personal finances. [3/4]
September 16, 2025 at 8:02 AM
histparl.bsky.social
For David Heathcoat-Amory, Black Wednesday confirmed his Eurosceptic views, anticipating the political divisions over Europe that would grip the Conservative Party for the rest of the decade. [2/4]
September 16, 2025 at 8:01 AM
histparl.bsky.social
Died #OTD 1823, David Ricardo, MP for Portarlington 1819-1823, and one of the most influential classical economists. Find out more via his #HistParl bio www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-...
A half length portrait of David Ricardo. Sitting in an armchair, he is wearing a black suit jacket with a white frilled scarf tied. He is holding an unfolded piece of parchment in his left hair. He is clean shaven, and has receding greying black hair.
September 11, 2025 at 12:30 PM
histparl.bsky.social
Died #OTD 1549, Sir Anthony Denny.

MP for Ipswich and Hertfordshire, Denny became an intimate friend of Henry VIII. As groom of the chamber he attended the reception of Anne of Cleves, where the King confided to him his disappointment in the new Queen:
historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-...
A quarter length portrait of a man in front of a plain light green background. He is wearing a black coat with a white frilled shirt appearing just over the high neckline. He is also wearing a black cap with silver detailing. He has short brown hair which is just noticeable due to the cap, and a long goatee and moustache with a reddish tint to it.
September 10, 2025 at 8:01 AM