On the Record at The National Archives

Since the 13th century the legend of Robin Hood has featured in folk songs, tavern stories, pageants, and royal festivals — even Henry VIII once dressed up as him. But what lies behind the legend? An…

It's often impossible to find direct accounts of poor people in the historical record, especially the further back you look. But an extraordinary collection containing thousands of letters written by…

At The National Archives, we hold records that tell fascinating stories of real people who lived through the horrors of the Second World War.

In this episode, historians Will Butler, Ela Kaczmarska, …

In December 1773, 340 tea chests were hurled into Boston Harbour by a protesting crowd. It was a rebellion that came to be known as the Boston Tea Party. A protest that ignited the flames of revolu…

A flying machine , a fish-shaped hot air balloon, and a self-ventilating hat. From million dollar ideas to an amateur tinkering in their garden shed, The National Archives is filled with the histo…

Muck-spreading, rat-gassing, carrot-pulling — all in a day’s work for a land girl! You probably know the land girls as plucky young women who rolled up their sleeves and kept Britain’s farms running …

Reporters, cameras, speeches, and even songs publicised the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush when it docked at Tilbury on June 22, 1948. The ship carried 1,027 people on board, including many passe…

In this episode, we highlight the experiences of the Windrush Generation, who travelled to Britain between 1948 and 1971.

We explore their challenges and successes, and their influence on British soc…

From Richard III’s lavish wardrobe to Queen Victoria’s chaotic ceremony, coronations have a rich and fascinating history. For some, a coronation is a once-in-a-lifetime public event; for the new king…

Take a closer look at records of propaganda in our collections. 

In this episode, we have four stories of deliberate attempts by governments to influence the beliefs of leaders and laypeople. Hear ab…

In this episode, we’re looking at propaganda in our collections. 

We share four stories of deliberate attempts by governments to influence the beliefs of leaders and laypeople through newspapers, art…

By 1800, there were 300,000 Africans enslaved in the British colony of Jamaica. Despite harsh punishments and low odds of success, communities among the enslaved repeatedly organised and acted throug…

What happens when treasonous plots fail? What happens when innocent people get pulled into dangerous schemes? In this episode, we explore the story of Edward Earl of Warwick, doomed by his father’s c…

The history of English monarchs is a tale brimming with assassination attempts. Queen Elizabeth I thwarted many attempts to replace her with a Catholic monarch, following her excommunication by the P…