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 people in poverty between 1834 and 1900 provides an insight into their lives.

In this episode, Chloe Lee speaks to specialist Paul Carter about letters held by The National Archives which were addressed to the Poor Law Board, the British central poor law authority. Together they use these accounts to glimpse into the factories, the workhouses and slums in which so many vulnerable people lived out their lives.

For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes: https://bit.ly/PVoices

This podcast is based on the research In Their Own Write, a major AHRC-funded project, running from 2018 to 2021, which uses letters from paupers and other poor people, and associated manuscript material such as petitions, sworn statements and advocate letters (those written on behalf of paupers) to investigate the lives of the poor between 1834 and 1900. The Project was led by Professor Steve King (Nottingham Trent University) and Dr Paul Carter, (The National Archives).

In this episode, we examine a rare collection which contains thousands of letters written by people living in poverty between 1834 and 1900.

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, and Roger Kershaw explore documents – some of them previously unseen by the public – that describe the experiences of prisoners of war and civilian internees held captive during the conflict.

The episode accompanies our exhibition, Great Escapes: Remarkable Second World War Captives, which is open at The National Archives in Kew until July 21, 2024.

For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes: https://bit.ly/SWWCapt

In this episode, we explore unique documents held at The National Archives that tell the stories of prisoners of war and civilian internees held captive during the Second World War.

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 revolution and forever changed the course of American history.

Now, 250 years later, we reveal some fascinating documents held by The National Archives. Join us as we explore the context of the Boston Tea Party and what documents from the British side reveal. Guests include Daniel Gosling and Ralph Thompson from The National Archives.

For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes: https://bit.ly/BostonT1

In this episode, we examine the British response to the Boston Tea Party. A protest that ignited the flames of revolution and forever changed the course of American history. We reveal some fascinating documents held by The National Archives.

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 history of inventions. 

In this episode of On the Record at The National Archives, Olivia Gecseg and Katherine Howells look through some fascinating patents and registered designs. They discuss inventors and their methods and explore the fascinating historical contexts behind these technical creations. 

For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes: https://bit.ly/Invention1

A flying machine, a fish-shaped hot air balloon, and a self-ventilating hat. In this episode of On the Record, we explore fascinating invention patents and registered designs found in our collection.