On the Record at The National Archives

The National Archives

1000 years of history, 1000 years of stories to uncover. The National Archives presents On the Record, a podcast that unearths the real life stories found in our vast collections. 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. Follow us on Twitter @UkNatArchives

  1. 13 mei

    The People's Charter

    In this episode of On the Record, we explore Chartism, Britain's first mass political movement, driven by the working classes.  It emerged in response to the failure of the 1832 Reform Act to extend the right to vote beyond those who owned property. The Chartists published newspapers, organised mass rallies, and, in some cases, took up arms, becoming a driving force for reform.   To guide us through this movement, we're joined by Joe Cozens, a historian at The National Archives whose work explores working-class politics.

    31 min.

  2. Trailer

    Trailer: The People's Charter

    In our next episode of On the Record, we explore the rise of Chartism, the 19th-century working-class mass movement that shook Britain's political establishment.

    2 min.

  3. 26 mrt

    The Putney Debates

    In 1647, inside St Mary's Church in Putney, army generals sat alongside ordinary soldiers to debate nothing less than the future of the nation. Should political power remain in the hands of property owners, as it always had? Or could it be a birthright - something every man possessed simply by being born? In this episode, we step into the Putney Debates, where soldiers, radicals, and reformers wrestled with bold, world shaping ideas about rights, representation, and how society should be governed. This is part two of People and Power, our miniseries exploring how people across British history have challenged authority and fought for their voices to be heard. Our guests are Dr Neil Johnston, historian at The National Archives, and Dr Erica Canela, a public historian.

    39 min.

  4. Trailer

    Trailer: The Putney Debates

    Coming soon…In our next episode of On the Record, we step inside St Mary's Church, Putney in 1647, where soldiers, radicals, and reformers wrestled with bold, world‑shaping ideas about rights, representation, and how society should be governed.

    2 min.

  5. 5 mrt

    Magna Carta

    When King John sealed Magna Carta in 1215, it was meant to end a civil war. Instead, it sparked an idea that still resonates today. In this episode, we explore two medieval documents that shaped ideas about power in society - Magna Carta and the 1265 summons list for a parliament led by the charismatic baron Simon de Montfort. This is the first instalment of our mini-series People and Power, which looks at how people have challenged authority and fought to have their voices heard in Britain. Our guests are Paul Dryburgh and Jessica Nelson, historians at The National Archives.

    40 min.

  6. Trailer

    Trailer: Magna Carta

    Coming soon...In the gripping first episode to our People and Power mini‑series, we explore two medieval documents that reshaped ideas about power in society, Magna Carta and the 1265 summons list for Simon de Montfort's parliament.

    2 min.

  7. 29 jan

    Love Letters

    Love letters might not be what you'd expect to find in a government archive, yet The National Archives holds an extraordinary collection spanning over 500 years of devotion, longing, sacrifice and passion. From heartfelt declarations to calculated proposals, intimate notes and secret exchanges, these records reveal the deeply human emotions captured in the nation's documents.  As we open Love Letters, a free exhibition at our Kew site, running until 12 April 2026, showcasing correspondence from royalty, parliamentarians, relating to literary icons and to everyday people, this episode shares some of the stories behind these captivating records.  Featuring specialists Sean Cunningham, Vicky Iglikowski-Broad and Mollie Clarke, we explore how these letters survived, what they reveal about relationships shaped by power, distance and circumstance.  Read the full episode transcript here.

    45 min.

  8. 24 jan

    Trailer: Love Letters

    In our next episode of On the Record, we explore 500 years of devotion, longing and forbidden love from our new Love Letters exhibition at The National Archives in Kew running until 12 April 2026, uncovering the intimate stories preserved in the nation's archives.

    2 min.
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1000 years of history, 1000 years of stories to uncover. The National Archives presents On the Record, a podcast that unearths the real life stories found in our vast collections. 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. Follow us on Twitter @UkNatArchives

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