The National Archives Podcast Series

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Listen to talks, lectures and other events presented by The National Archives of the United Kingdom.

The National Archives


    • Oct 20, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 41m AVG DURATION
    • 549 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The National Archives Podcast Series

    Trailer: On the Record at The National Archives

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2022 0:52


    Want to hear more from The National Archives? We'd like to introduce you to On the Record, a new podcast bringing old stories to life. Join our experts and special guests as we dig deep into the people behind the paper and bring fascinating stories from more than 11 million records to life. Discover tales of forbidden love, spies, protest and the everyday people of the past. Search for On the Record at The National Archives wherever you get your podcasts or visit https://pod.link/1460242815The National Archives Podcast Series will remain live, but will not be updated with new content. For new podcasts from us head over to On the Record at The National Archives.

    Annual Digital Lecture 2020: The death of anonymity in the age of identity

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2021 28:55


    The global datafication of economy, society and politics has rendered humans into constellations of datapoints. Technologies measure, monitor, predict and classify to enable personalization in the online and offline worlds alike, and we are increasingly offered bespoke realities: advertising, healthcare, government services, and recommendations uniquely targeted to us. The price is persistent identification: everywhere we […]

    Cholera! Public health in mid-19th century Britain

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2021 40:27


    The 1848-1849 cholera epidemic in England and Wales was described by a government report as if a ‘foreign army’ had ‘held possession of the country, and slain 53,293 men, women and children’. In the mid-19th century the country faced an epidemic of filth; poorly drained, overcrowded towns created an environment ripe for diseases like typhus […]

    The rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2020 43:14


    Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford and Fellow of St Cross College, introduces his ground-breaking biography of Thomas Cromwell, the self-made statesman who married his son to King Henry VIII’s sister-in-law, re-shaped Tudor England and Ireland, and sent the kingdom on a Protestant course for centuries. […]

    Who dares wins: Britain 1979-1982

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2020 54:40


    In this talk to mark the latest volume of his epic history of post-war Britain, television presenter and best-selling author Dominic Sandbrook recreates the strange world of early 1980s, taking in everything from Margaret Thatcher, Ian Botham and Spandau Ballet, to the Falklands War, the Sinclair Spectrum and the Sony Walkman.

    Rebecca Gowers and The Scoundrel Harry Larkyns

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2020 54:27


    Rebecca Gowers uncovered a fascinating story within her family tree – that of Harry Larkyns. She learnt that Harry was an attractive cad who lived a charmed life, right up until the moment he fell in love with the wife of noted photographer, Eadweard Muybridge. In this ‘Meet the Author’ event (recorded over Zoom), Rebecca […]

    Trevor Barnes and Dead Doubles

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2020 53:09


    Trevor Barnes is the author of a new study of one of the Cold War’s most notorious spy cases – the Portland Spy Ring. In this ‘Meet the Author’ talk, Trevor is joined by Professor Chris Andrew of Cambridge University to discuss his latest book, Dead Doubles.

    Nancy Astor: First steps towards a better balanced world

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2020 40:57


    Opening up the electorate in 1918 to some women voters naturally triggered a conversation about female parliamentarians. Under the 1918 Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act, Nancy Astor was the first female MP to take her seat. In this talk, Dr Jacqui Turner reflects on Astor’s achievements and on how she became a totem for women […]

    Dermot Turing and The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2020 41:50


    In this ‘Meet the Author’ event (recorded over Zoom), Dermot Turing discusses his latest book, The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park, with our Collections Expert, Mark Dunton. The book examines the lives of the brilliant and eccentric individuals who cracked the seemingly unbreakable Enigma code.

    Hidden Love: LGBTQ+ lives in the archives

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2020 39:45


    The National Archives’ collections offer a valuable insight into how the government interacted with and viewed LGBTQ communities in the past, at a time when the State played a major role in repressing and controlling the lives of gay and bisexual men and women. This talk takes you through records relating to queer history, using photographs, court reports, witness statements and seized items to highlight both criminalisation and brave acts of defiance. From the calling card of transgender diplomat Chevalier d’Eon to records pertaining to the lively Shim Sham Club, so named after the Harlem tap dance, records are looked at in the context of significant moments and milestones in the movement towards LGBTQ equality. This talk, which took place on Thursday 20 February 2020, was presented by Victoria Iglikowski-Broad, Principal Records Specialist on Diverse Histories at The National Archives, alongside a document display.

    Gerald Aylmer seminar 2020: Co-production and collaboration in the archive: Session 4: Outcomes – what is the value of co-production?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2020 37:23


    What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archives, the Royal Historical Society and the Institute of Historical Research, University of London which brings together historians and archivists to discuss topics of mutual interest. Audio recordings from the day’s sessions are available to listen to below. Session 4: Outcomes – what is the value of co-production?

    Gerald Aylmer seminar 2020: Co-production and collaboration in the archive: Practices – what makes for effective co-production?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2020 38:28


    What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archives, the Royal Historical Society and the Institute of Historical Research, University of London which brings together historians and archivists to discuss topics of mutual interest. Audio recordings from the day’s sessions are available to listen to below. Practices – what makes for effective co-production?

    Gerald Aylmer seminar 2020: Co-production and collaboration in the archive: Session 2: Structures – forms of co-production

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2020 31:47


    What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archives, the Royal Historical Society and the Institute of Historical Research, University of London which brings together historians and archivists to discuss topics of mutual interest. Audio recordings from the day’s sessions are available to listen to below. Session 2: Structures – forms of co-production

    Gerald Aylmer seminar 2020: Co-production and collaboration in the archive: Session 1: Three questions for the day

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2020 39:54


    What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archives, the Royal Historical Society and the Institute of Historical Research, University of London which brings together historians and archivists to discuss topics of mutual interest. Audio recordings from the day’s sessions are available to listen to below. Session 1: Three questions for the day

    Gerald Aylmer seminar 2020: Co-production and collaboration in the archive: Welcome and introduction

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2020 6:25


    What are the opportunities, and challenges, of working collaboratively with archivists, academics and community groups? The theme of this year’s Gerald Aylmer seminar was ‘Co-production and collaboration in the archives’. It was a day of discussion, analysis and learning, featuring a range of collaborative projects, as seen from the perspectives and experience of archivists, historians and community practitioners. The Gerald Aylmer seminar is an annual symposium organised by The National Archives, the Royal Historical Society and the Institute of Historical Research, University of London which brings together historians and archivists to discuss topics of mutual interest. Audio recordings from the day’s sessions are available to listen to below. Welcome and introduction

    Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future – Roundtable: What’s next?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2020 43:42


    The one-day conference – ‘Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future’ – took place at The National Archives on Tuesday 25 September 2018. The conference was a collaborative event between the Manorial Documents Register (MDR) Advisory Panel and The National Archives, with an aim to: Promote the Manorial Documents Register as a valuable research tool Begin to explore its research potential Inspire inter-disciplinary research activities of all kinds Roundtable: What’s next?

    Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future – The Register goes online

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2020 63:24


    The one-day conference – ‘Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future’ – took place at The National Archives on Tuesday 25 September 2018. The conference was a collaborative event between the Manorial Documents Register (MDR) Advisory Panel and The National Archives, with an aim to: Promote the Manorial Documents Register as a valuable research tool Begin to explore its research potential Inspire inter-disciplinary research activities of all kinds Panel Session 2: The Register goes online

    Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future – The manorial context

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2020 72:07


    The one-day conference – ‘Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future’ – took place at The National Archives on Tuesday 25 September 2018. The conference was a collaborative event between the Manorial Documents Register (MDR) Advisory Panel and The National Archives, with an aim to: Promote the Manorial Documents Register as a valuable research tool Begin to explore its research potential Inspire inter-disciplinary research activities of all kinds Panel Session 1: The manorial context

    Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future – Keynote Address

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2020 40:00


    The one-day conference – ‘Manorial Documents: Past, present and into the future’ – took place at The National Archives on Tuesday 25 September 2018. The conference was a collaborative event between the Manorial Documents Register (MDR) Advisory Panel and The National Archives, with an aim to: Promote the Manorial Documents Register as a valuable research tool Begin to explore its research potential Inspire inter-disciplinary research activities of all kinds Keynote Address Professor Chris Dyer (Emeritus Professor of History, University of Leicester)

    Introduction to immigration records

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 12:42


    Matt Norman talks to Roger Kershaw about records relating to people that came to England and Wales from other countries to live and work. What records were created when people arrived here? How did people become British citizens? What can you see online? Find out the answers from Roger in this short podcast. You can also use the research guides on our website to find out about immigration and immigrants, passengers, refugees, naturalisation, registration and British citizenship. Please note that at the moment The National Archives is closed to visitors until further notice. Advice in the podcast about visiting us and using the facilities in our reading rooms will apply once we re-open.

    Introduction to wills

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 13:24


    Matt Norman talks to Nigel Taylor about wills – the document used for centuries to control what happens to property when somebody dies. Who would have left a will? What information can you find in them? Are they all at The National Archives? Find out the answers from Nigel in this short podcast. You can also use the research guides on our website to find out about wills or administrations before 1858, death duties 1796-1903, and wills or administrations after 1858. Please note that at the moment The National Archives is closed to visitors until further notice. Advice in the podcast about visiting us and using the facilities in our reading rooms will apply once we re-open.

    Introduction to birth, marriages and death registers in England and Wales

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 11:33


    Matt Norman talks to Keith Mitchell about civil registration – the system for recording births, marriages and deaths in the UK. How and when did the system start? Where can you find the records? What can you see online? Find out the answers from Keith in this short podcast. You can also use the research guides on our website to find out about birth, marriage and death records in England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as at sea and abroad and in the armed forces. Please note that at the moment The National Archives is closed to visitors until further notice. Advice in the podcast about visiting us and using the facilities in our reading rooms will apply once we re-open.

    Introduction to the census

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 16:04


    The census documents information about the population taken every ten years. How and when did the system start? Where can you find the records? What can you see online? Find out the answers from Audrey in this short podcast. You can also use the research guides on our website to find out about census records and the 1939 Register. Please note that at the moment The National Archives is closed to visitors until further notice. Advice in the podcast about visiting us and using the facilities in our reading rooms will apply once we re-open.

    Introduction to Discovery – The National Archives catalogue

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 11:17


    Matt Norman talks to Chrissy Peters about Discovery – the online catalogue for The National Archives and 2500 other archives. What is in Discovery? How can you find what you want in it? Are the records in Discovery digitised? Find out the answers from Chrissy in this short podcast. You can use the Help with your research pages on our website to find out more about The National Archives’ collection before you use Discovery. There are also helpful blogs; Where do I start my research?, Why can’t I find what I’m looking for? and Your catalogue’s rubbish! Discovery also has its own help pages. Please note that at the moment The National Archives is closed to visitors until further notice. Advice in the podcast about visiting us and using the facilities in our reading rooms will apply once we re-open.

    The three curses of Tutankhamun

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2020 37:13


    Tutankhamun lay in his tomb undisturbed until 1922, when British archaeologist Howard Carter and his wealthy patron, Lord Carnarvon, revealed him to the world. But the discovery of the century came with a price. Or rather three prices – the three curses of Tutankhamun: overwhelming popularity, damaging political blunders, and lingering ancient dark magic. This talk was presented by Juliette Desplat, Head of Overseas, Intelligence and Security Records at The National Archives in January 2020.

    Dependence, intolerance and expulsion: The story of England’s medieval Jewish communities

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2020 40:12


    Despite having clear liberties and the protection of the Crown in the mid-12th century, the thriving Jewish communities of medieval England were soon targeted for their perceived wealth and religious practices. As Christian-Jewish relationships declined, violence, heavy taxation and restrictions forced many Jews to leave England even before Edward I’s fateful decision to expel the entire community from the kingdom in 1290. In this talk, Sean Cunningham, Head of Medieval Records at The National Archives, explores the story of England’s medieval Jewish communities to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day 2020 (27 January).

    George Orwell, the CIA and Cold War film

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2020 23:40


    The National Archives’ Cold War season drew to a close in November with a series of events intended to whisk you back to the night of the fall of the Berlin Wall. There was dancing, videogames, exhibition tours, and a series of expert talks including this one given by Dr Tony Shaw. He discussed the connection between author George Orwell, the CIA and the representation of the Cold War in contemporary cinema.

    Voices of the Windrush Generation

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2019 57:03


    Voices of the Windrush Generation: The real story told by the people themselves by David Matthews is a powerful collection of stories from the men, women and children of the Windrush generation – West Indians who emigrated to Britain between 1948 and 1971 in response to labour shortages, and in search of a better life.

    Documentary enlightenment: The death of Edward II and the principles of historical methodology

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2019 68:37


    How do we know what we think we know about the past, and why do even the best historians occasionally get it wrong? In this talk Dr Ian Mortimer explores the use of historical methodology and the importance of avoiding complacency when researching and writing history. Ian is a writer, novelist and broadcaster, and a Fellow of both the Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Historical Society. He was awarded the Alexander Prize by the Royal Historical Society in 2004 for his work on the social history of medicine. This talk is associated with Reimagining Records, an academic conference held at The National Archives in June 2018.

    The Fall of Wolsey

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2019 45:20


    490 years ago Thomas Wolsey – King Henry VIII’s former favourite – fell from grace following his failure to secure the king a divorce. This talk by Daniel Gosling examines the records held at The National Archives which detail this fall – from records relating to Wolsey’s failure to grant Henry an annulment, to the legal processes which sealed his fate.

    How James Bond won the Cold War for Britain

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2019 44:37


    Charlie Higson, author of the best-selling Young Bond books, discusses the genesis of 007 – James Bond, Ian Fleming’s life in the secret service, and how the Bond books and films relate to real world events.

    On the trail of Klaus Fuchs, atomic spy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2019 66:38


    Arguably the most important ‘atomic’ spy of the 20th century, Klaus Fuchs was a German physicist who worked on the British and US-led atomic projects of the Cold War era. In 1950, Fuchs was caught passing vital secrets to the Soviet Union and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.Our exhibition curator Mark Dunton delves into Security Service files in our collection to uncover how the authorities managed to unmask Fuchs and secure his confession, and reveals a fascinating local connection with Kew.

    The legacy of secrecy: Experiences from the Stasi Records Archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2019 49:49


    The East German Stasi had the reputation of being one of the most effective and repressive intelligence and secret police agencies ever to have existed, as they forced their methods for collecting information on their citizens.Thirty years after German citizens regained control from the Stasi in 1990, Dagmar Hovestädt – Head of Press at the Stasi Records Archive – explores this controversial corner of history. She explains also just how the Stasi Archive today manages its wealth of top secret material never meant for public eyes.

    Security Service file release September 2019

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2019 19:09


    Professor Christopher Andrew, formerly official historian of MI5 and author of 'The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5', introduces key files from the release of Security Service files to The National Archives in September 2019.

    Lawrence, of Arabia and beyond

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2019 42:04


    T E Lawrence’s role in the First World War is best remembered as that of a young, dashing officer leading the Arab Revolt in white billowing robes. This talk by The National Archives’ Overseas Records Specialist, Dr Juliette Desplat, looks beyond hero worship, at lesser-known aspects of Lawrence’s war – and some of his failures.

    Culture Clash? Pop in a royal park

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2019 35:19


    Fifty years ago, the Rolling Stones gave a concert in Hyde Park that turned into a memorial to founding member Brian Jones. It was an event that passed into legend. But back in 1968, when Peter Jenner, manager of Pink Floyd, wrote to the authorities asking for permission to hold a concert in Hyde Park, he received a negative reply, which he described as ‘crusty’. So how did it come to pass that a whole series of pop concerts was held in this royal park between 1968 and 1969? Find out in this talk with Contemporary Records Specialist Mark Dunton.

    Summer Lecture Series 2019: Information at War – the Ministry of Information, 1936-1946

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2019 45:40


    The Ministry of Information was established by a government which recognised that the understanding and morale of the civilian population in the UK – and elsewhere – was critical to a successful outcome. To this end the Ministry used every form of communication available to it, including newspapers, comics, radio, films, even model aeroplane kits. Join Professor Simon Eliot, Professor Emeritus of the History of the Book, University of London, as he explores the difficult early years of the Ministry and its bid to win public confidence. This talk is part of The National Archives’ Summer Lecture Series, exploring the theme ‘State and Society: Cultures of Communication’.

    The Cold War and UFOs

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2019 48:44


    There is more to the Ministry of Defence UFO files than reports on strange sightings in the sky. They provide insight into the public’s perception of the Cold War and technological advances, as well as extra-terrestrial life, through an increase in sci-fi-related television, publications, and media reporting. In this podcast, recorded as part of The National Archives’ Cold War season, Keith Mitchell, a specialist in our UFO records, delves into this fascinating topic.

    The scandalous case of John Vassall

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2019 65:32


    In 1962, while working as a clerk in the British Embassy in Moscow, homosexual civil servant John Vassall was caught in a ‘honey trap’ sprung by the Soviet Secret Service. He was blackmailed into passing secrets to the Soviet Union and as a result sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment for espionage. Our contemporary records specialist Mark Dunton delves deeper into this scandal – one of a series that rocked the Macmillan government in the early 1960s, feeding into a national obsession with spy culture at the time. This podcast was recorded as part of The National Archives’ Cold War season, a programme of events to coincide with the exhibition, ‘Protect and Survive: Britain’s Cold War Revealed’.

    The personal story of Holocaust survivor John Dobai

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2019 71:40


    John Dobai was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1934. To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, John delivered a talk at The National Archives on 25 January 2019 about his personal story and the plight of Hungarian Jews.

    Big Ideas Series: Entity disambiguation in digital cultural heritage

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2018 58:25


    To enable people to explore a digital collection, the platform that hosts that collection needs to have a comprehensive understanding of the information it is presenting. However, the level and quality of assistance that can be provided to a user by a computer is largely dependent on the amount of information that the system has about the collection. While such information can be provided by a process of manually tagging and annotating archive contents, this can be expensive, time-consuming or even infeasible if the collection is too large. This talk will explore the challenges involved in the automatic identification and disambiguation of entities within digital cultural heritage collections. Seamus Lawless is Assistant Professor at Trinity College Dublin. Our Big Ideas seminar series is funded by the Friends of The National Archives.

    Big Ideas Series: The role of archives in addressing refugee crises

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2018 42:07


    This presentation provides an overview of a project called ‘Records and ICT at the Boundaries of the State: Refugee Needs, Rights and Uses’ which looks at the ways in which archivists  in affected countries might use digital systems design to identify, protect and certify the records of refugees.  It’s presented by Anne Gilliland (UCLA Center for Information as Evidence, University of California) and James Lowry (Liverpool University Centre for Archive Studies, University of Liverpool). Our Big Ideas seminar series is funded by the Friends of The National Archives.

    The Annual Digital Lecture: Semantic Capital: what it is and how to protect it

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2018 62:32


    In this talk Luciano Floridi presents new research on ‘semantic capital’, which he defines as the capital of ideas, knowledge, meaning and culture, and how it can be protected and fostered by the digital. What may digital ethics do to ensure its care, protection, and development? Luciano Floridi is Professor of Philosophy and Ethics of Information at the University of Oxford, where he directs the Digital Ethics Lab (DELab) of the Oxford Internet Institute. He is also Faculty Fellow of the Alan Turing Institute and Chair of its Data Ethics research Group, and Chairman of the Ethics Advisory Board of the European Medical Information Framework. He sits on the EU’s Ethics Advisory Group on Ethical Dimensions of Data Protection, on the Royal Society and British Academy Working Group on Data Governance, and on Google Advisory Board on ‘the right to be forgotten’. His areas of expertise include the philosophy of information, digital ethics, and the philosophy of technology. His recent books include ‘The Fourth Revolution – How the infosphere is reshaping human reality’ (2014), ‘The Ethics of Information’ (2013), and ‘The Philosophy of Information’ (2011).

    Big Ideas Series: Archives and Linked Data

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2018 51:03


    Is linked data an appropriate technology for implementing an archive’s catalogue? Dr Jean-Luc Cochard from the Swiss Federal Archives presents the results of two studies conducted to explore the potential of linked data in supporting archival information systems. The Big Ideas talks series is supported by the Friends of The National Archives.

    West Africa and the First World War

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2018 21:05


    The First World War had a great impact on West Africa, as Britain ordered the invasion of German colonies in Cameroon and Togoland, using its own colonies as base. The West African Frontier Force, drawn from Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria and Gambia played a key role in the campaign. War had also had a great impact on the civilian population, as the British drew off workers and resources. How did African soldiers experience the campaign, and what did the war mean for West African societies as a whole?

    Big Ideas Series: Datafication, Distribution and the Future of Archival Science in the Age of Homo Deus

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2018 47:51


    Victoria Lemieux examines how we can ensure and establish authenticity in a world of increasing datafication of records. Where and how do we create, find and preserve records and the archives in an increasingly distributed world? Will the preservation of human history and human collective memory be the main concern of archival science in the age of AI, robotics and, possibly, post-humanity as we know it? Dr. Victoria Lemieux is an Associate Professor of Archival Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Her current research is focused on risk to the availability of trustworthy records, in particular in blockchain record-keeping systems. She holds a doctorate from University College London (Archival Studies, 2002), and, since 2005, has been a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). She is also the winner of the 2015 Emmett Leahy Award for outstanding contributions to the field of records management, a 2015 World Bank Big Data Innovation Award, and a 2016 Emerald Literati Award for her research on blockchain technology. Our Big Ideas seminar series is funded by the Friends of The National Archives.

    UFO files at The National Archives

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2018 68:54


    Originally set up at the request of Winston Churchill, the Ministry of Defence’s UFO Desk ran for over 60 years, collating mysterious sightings and records of strange objects in the sky. In this talk, Dr David Clarke, Principal Lecturer in Journalism at Sheffield Hallam University, discusses the remarkable stories behind some of the images from his book, ‘UFO Drawings from The National Archives’.

    Suffrage 100: Did militancy help or hinder the fight for the franchise?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2018 20:46


    By 1912, militancy associated with the Suffragette movement hit its peak, with regular arson attacks, window-smashing campaigns and targeting of MP’s houses. In retrospect, these tactics are often what the movement is famed for. But did they help or hinder the cause? Hear from Dr. Fern Riddell (BBC’s Suffragettes Forever!) and Professor Krista Cowman (University of Lincoln). Due to technical issues, we unfortunately were not able to capture Elizabeth Crawford’s participation in this discussion.

    Big Ideas Series: Artistic Practice and the Archive

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2018 45:29


    In this seminar, Professor Andrew Prescott explores the ways in which artistic practice can help us re-imagine the archive and the contents of the collections they hold. Drawing on the work of different contemporary artists, Professor Prescott argues that new technologies enable us to rethink the shape, structure, and character of the records we collect. Professor Andrew Prescott is Professor of Digital Humanities at the University of Glasgow and Theme Leader Fellow for the Arts and Humanities Research Council strategic theme of ‘Digital Transformations’. Our Big Ideas seminar series is funded by the Friends of The National Archives.

    Digital Archives of the Future

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2018 39:00


    To mark forty years since The National Archives moved to Kew, our digital director John Sheridan discusses the challenges that archives will face in the future. John is currently leading efforts to transfer our digital offer to become an archive that is digital by instinct and design.

    Reformation on the Record: Suzannah Lipscomb on Henry VIII and the break with Rome

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2018 47:12


    Reformation on the Record was a two-day conference which brought together research using original records of Church and State from our collection to explore this period of religious, social and economic turmoil. In this talk, historian, broadcaster and award-winning academic Dr Suzannah Lipscomb explores one of the fundamental turning points of the 16th century Reformation: Henry VIII's separation from the Roman Catholic Church.  

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