History Of Parliament

The History of Parliament is a distinguished research initiative dedicated to documenting the evolution of parliamentary politics in England and Britain from the thirteenth century onwards. Recognized as one of the most ambitious and comprehensive historical projects in British history, it encompasses an extensive examination of elections, electoral politics, and the biographies of parliamentarians, offering indispensable insights into the workings of Parliament as an institution. To date, it has published forty-one volumes covering significant historical periods, amassing approximately 25.5 million words and 21,000 biographies across 326 years of parliamentary history.

The project, first conceptualized by Josiah Wedgwood MP and revived post-World War II by notable historians like Sir Lewis Namier, is currently researching additional periods of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Funded primarily by both Houses of Parliament, the History of Parliament not only serves as a rich resource for historians but also engages the community through competitions and job opportunities, reinforcing its commitment to scholarly excellence and public education.