On the Record at The National Archives

The National Archives
  • 4.9 (9)
  • HISTORY
On the Record at The National Archives Podcast

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. AUG 15

    Untold Stories of D-Day

    Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, June 6, 1944, 24,000 soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy in Northern France. What followed was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Their mission: to liberate Europe and defeat Germany. Who were these soldiers? And who worked secretly to plan the operation and ensure its success?  In this episode, Chloe Lee speaks to colleagues Sophie Stewart and Alice Bell about the people who contributed to this operation, whose stories we may not be familiar with: a tank driver on the frontline, one of the first black women in the Royal Air Force, and a femme fatale whose coded telegram saved many lives on D-Day.  For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes: https://bit.ly/D-Day1

    38 min

  2. AUG 12

    Trailer: Untold Stories of D-Day

    In this episode, we uncover the untold stories of a tank driver on the frontline, one of the first black women in the Royal Air Force, and a femme fatale whose coded telegram saved lives on D-Day.

    2 min

  3. MAY 23

    Robin Hood

    Since the 13th century the legend of Robin Hood has featured in folk songs, tavern stories, pageants, and royal festivals — even Henry VIII once dressed up as him. But what lies behind the legend? And what do our stories of robbing from the rich tell us about life in medieval England? In this episode Chloe Lee speaks to Kathryn Maude, a medieval specialist, and Sean Cunningham, head of medieval records, both at The National Archives. Join them on a journey through a forest of medieval historical records, and perhaps even discover the 'real' Robin Hood. For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes: https://bit.ly/Robin1Hood

    34 min

  4. MAY 20

    Trailer: Robin Hood

    In this episode, we journey through a forest of historical records to discover the 'real' Robin Hood.

    2 min

  5. APR 25

    Pauper Voices

    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).

    39 min

  6. APR 22

    Trailer: Pauper Voices

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

    2 min

  7. FEB 19

    Second World War Captives

    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

    35 min

  8. FEB 15

    Trailer: Second World War Captives

    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.

    2 min
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About

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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