The Momentous Changes in Great Britain: 19th to 20th Centuries

Articles on British history 19th & 20th centuries

From Victorian England to modern Great Britain, discover how both forces shaped British & Irish society during two centuries of transition.

British Isles: Facts & History

The histories of Great Britain and Ireland during the 19th and 20th centuries are fascinating stories. Learn about this time period through a wealth of newspaper articles and podcasts that explore some of the most important events in Great Britain’s history.

21 Nicknames of Napoleon

Nicknames serve as substitute for a person’s proper name and are sometimes used affectionately or at other times as a form of ridicule. Napoleon Bonaparte, the famous French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution, was the recipient of both types.

Geri Walton,2016

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7 Moments In History When The UK Welcomed Refugees

Here are seven times from history that prove the UK hasn’t always been so reluctant to take in refugees from wars and humanitarian crises.

Jamie Ross, Buzzfeed 2015

7 Places That Tell the Story of London’s International Heritage

London has always been a city of movement and migration, and the diversity of its population has made an important mark on its character.

Historic England 2017

Decline of the Liberal Party 1900 to 1918

The decline of the Liberal Party was dramatic and was never reversed. In 1906, the Liberal Party achieved its greatest electoral victory. By the end of both elections in 1910, the Liberals had to rely on the support of the Labour Party and the Irish Nationalists. Why was this decline in fortunes so sudden?

History Learning Site 2015

8 Amazing Things Discovered During the Expansion of the London Underground

In 2009, the city of London embarked on a massive infrastructure project: a 73-mile underground railway network called the Elizabeth Line. The undertaking allowed archaeologists to take an unprecedented peek at swathes of subterranean London, and yielded plenty of cool historic treasures from various periods.

Kirstin Fawcett, MF 2018

Regency Era: Fashion History, Culture and Lifestyle

Elegance in fashion and great achievements in fine arts and architecture are trademarks of the Regency Era. The Regency Era formally began in 1811 and ended in 1820, lasting just nine years. Although works as early as 1795 and as late as 1837 have been labeled as Regency, the reign of the prince regent is what defines it.

This article contains links to many related resources.

Lulus.com

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A generation hooked on nostalgia is trying to return Britain to the past

Brexit wasn’t just about immigration – it was about an emotional attachment to a version of our country that many didn’t even experience.

Ian Jack, Guardian 2017

A National Health Service – 1944 Proposed Plan

Presented by the Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for Scotland to Parliament by Command of His Majesty February 1944

Socialist Health Association

Accidents Involving Animals in 1843

Accidents were common events in the Victorian Era. Many accidents involved animals partly because animals were an integral part of Victorian people’s lives. Stories of these animal accidents were publicized in local newspapers. Among the stories told, are five interesting ones from 1843.

Geri Walton, 2015

Fire destroys the Crystal Palace

The Victorian masterpiece was burned to the ground on November 29th, 1936

Richard Cavendish, History Today 2016

Galway historian reveals truth behind 800 orphans in mass grave

There is a growing international scandal around the history of The Home, a grim 1840’s workhouse in Tuam in Galway built on seven acres that was taken over in 1925 by the Bon Secours sisters, who turned it into a Mother and Baby home for “fallen women.” The long abandoned site made headlines around the world when it was revealed that a nearby septic tank contained the bodies of up to eight hundred infants and children, secretly buried without coffins or headstones on unconsecrated ground between 1925 and 1961.

Cahir O’Doherty, Irish Central 2014

British Conservatism: The Grand Tour – Podcast

In this episode, Anne visits the Chelsea home of the great Scottish writer and thinker Thomas Carlyle, to find out how he fought back against the Industrial Revolution and the revolutionary idea it brought in its wake.

BBC4 British Conservatism, Episode 2

Churchill and the Taxman

The great statesman had a cavalier approach to his tax affairs.

David Lough, History Today 2016

Churchill tried to suppress Nazi plot to restore Edward VIII to British throne

PM sought US and French help to withhold publication of telegrams revealing German overtures to Duke and Duchess of Windsor, cabinet papers reveal.

Alan Travis, Guardian 2017

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Circuses, Magic and Hypnotism: Welcome to the World of Victorian Entertainment

Magic shows, wax works exhibits, hypnotism displays, circuses and seances. For the Victorians, there was no shortage of options for an evening’s entertainment.

Anika Burgess, Atlas Obscura 2016

Curious Superstitions of the Early 1800s

Curious superstitions were abundant in the early 1800s.

Geri Walton, 2014

Divorce, Regency style

Until the last few years of the seventeenth century England was a land without divorce. After that, divorce was possible, but very, very difficult. ‘Between 1670 and 1857, 379 Parliamentary divorces were requested and 324 were granted. Of those 379 requests, eight were by wives, and only four of those were granted.’

Maria Grace, English Historical Fiction Authors, 2017

Edwardian Servants Speak Out!

for the majority of Edwardian servants happiness at work seemed like a distant dream. They worked long hours for low pay with very little time off, and were often treated badly by their employers. Domestic service remained unregulated because it was based on a contract between two private individuals. But in the summer of 1913, servants finally got to have their say.

Evangeline Holland, Edwardian Promenade 2015

English Rifles: The Victorian NRA

Lured by the romantic appeal of uniforms and guns, a craze for volunteer soldiering swept across Britain in the 1860s, prompting the creation of a British National Rifle Association. But it never gained the power of its American counterpart.

Margery Masterson, History Today 2017

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Keynes v Hayek – Liberals in the Slump – Podcast

Anne McElvoy explores rival solutions to the 1930s Depression. The ideas of JM Keynes and Friedrich Hayek were often seen as opposed – but Anne explores why both men were liberal.

British Liberalism: The Grand Tour, BBC -4, Episode 2

No Husband Needed – I Fly a Spitfire

The memoir of a pioneering woman pilot who delivered vital fighter aircraft and bombers around Britain during the war.

Clare Mulley, History Today 2017

1920- War of Independence: The Burning of Cork

The Burning of Cork is the name commonly given to a devastating series of fires that swept through the centre of Cork City on the night of 11th December 1920. The burning and the subsequent controversy is one of the most significant events of the Irish War of Independence.