John Enoch Powell (1912-1998) was a man of many talents. Known in childhood as ‘the professor’ for his intelligence, Powell fulfilled this prophecy at the early age of 25 when he became a professor in Ancient Greek while living in Australia. When the Second World War broke out, he enlisted into the military, serving in … Read more
The ‘Study Sesh’ workshops are an exciting new offering from the Citizens Project which allow students to take on the role of the historian and untangle clues to find out why a particular event happened in our past. The workshop takes place in two stages and culminates in a visit to Royal Holloway, University of … Read more
The Brixton Riots were a key turning point for race relations in Britain. The riots, which began on the 10th April 1981, lasted a total of three full days before over 1,000 police officers from across London overcame the force of the rioters and brought an end to the chaos. The rioting was the result … Read more
When we come to think about nineteenth-century feminism, we can’t celebrate its achievements without recognising what it was achieved on the back of. In so many cases, women’s greater contribution to the public sphere [was] through social action, through social work, through philanthropy […], so often those things were achieved on the basis of … Read more
During the nineteenth century, Jewish communities had limited rights and often had to endure anti-Semitism. This inspired campaigns for ‘Emancipation’, as Jews pushed for religious and social equality. One of the most important figures in this battle for reform was Moses Montefiore (1784-1885). Montefiore immigrated to London from Italy and quickly became one of the … Read more
Continuing from our last post courtesy of volunteers at the Museum of Oxford, in this article Ben Kehoe, Peter Simpson and Prue Drew examine what life was like in Oxford during the Civil War. The relocation of the royal court and government in Oxford led to the arrival of unprecedented numbers of newcomers in the city. … Read more
Feminists have accused domestic magazines published during the 1950s of helping to establish a culture in which married women have no alternative to full-time housewifery. This post examines their accusations as they relate to Woman’s Weekly, a weekly magazine targeting housewives. Throughout 1958, Woman’s Weekly gives the impression that full-time housewifery is enjoyable and fulfilling. … Read more
1918 and 1928 are landmark years in histories of women’s involvement in British parliamentary politics. In December 1918, following the passage of the Representation of the People Act in February, some women voted for the first time in a UK General Election. In July 1928, the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act made all … Read more
It might be tempting to think, given the name ‘Women’s March’, that the protests held on the 21st of January 2017 were voicing, chiefly, women’s issues. It’s true that there is more than sufficient reason for women to be outraged to see a man like Donald Trump, whose misogynist comments and behaviour were exposed by … Read more
From the very beginning of the English Civil War in 1642, Oxford had an important role to play. Almost as soon as King Charles I left London, after negotiations with parliament over reform had broken down, the Vice Chancellor and students of Oxford University rallied in favour of the King. The University of Oxford had … Read more
