National Archive Podcasts (19)

I love history at a local, national and world levels. The National Archives contain some interesting records of British Imperialism around the world. There are also important records relating to life in the united kingdom. These records can also be used by anyone who is interested in genealogy. The documents come in all forms. I like to listen to the research outcomes in the form of lectures as the archives come under greater and greater scrutiny. The files are captured in MP3 format. There is obviously a bias towards history and family history in my choices.

An introduction to the formidable collection of documents that relate to the law and criminals during the medieval period using case studies.  James Ross provides practical tips on how to access the collections, as well as shedding some light on one of the most fascinating areas of medieval society. Click Here to listen.

James Cronan examines sources for tracing excisemen, including staff lists and joining papers, and will use case studies such as Thomas Paine. He will also consider the role of an excise officer and how the excise service developed. Click Here to listen.

History has portrayed King John as a tyrannical monarch whose arbitrary conduct forced his barons into rebellion and the eventual restriction of his powers in the iconic charter of liberties, Magna Carta. Using original sources held at The National Archives, Adrian Jobson explores some of the key crises and events of the reign before asking whether King John really deserves his reputation as one of England's worst kings. Click Here to listen.

The conflict for the crown in the 15th century has created many of English history's most vivid characters and thanks to Shakespeare, we have one of our greatest villains in the shape of Richard III. This talk looks at the key sources for this period of civil war, and investigates whether Richard III really did resemble Shakespeare's destructive monster. Click Here to listen.