Latest Posts
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Local Women’s Liberation – locating Women’s Activism in Reading
Amy Longmuir explores women’s activism in our town in the 1970s. As a lifelong Reading resident, when one of the largest towns in the UK comes up in my research on the British Women’s Liberation Movement, I am particularly interested… Continue reading
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Black History Month 2024: Black Musical Cultures Beyond Borders, Part 2 – Transatlantic Exchanges
In the second of our two Black History Month blogs, Dr Benjamin Bland (Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Department of History) reflects on the importance of transatlantic exchanges and identities to the history of Black musical cultures in the… Continue reading
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Black History Month 2024: Black Musical Cultures Beyond Borders, Part 1 – Staff Selections
Paul Robeson, world famous baritone, leading Moore Shipyard (Oakland, CA) workers in singing “The Star Spangled Banner” in 1942. We are marking Black History Month this year by celebrating the diverse history of Black musical cultures. This culminates in an… Continue reading
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My Summer in the Archives: the Papers of Nancy Astor
This summer, our undergraduate student Courtney Murch spent time in the Reading Special Collections working with the papers of Nancy Astor, the first woman MP to take her seat in Parliament. Turning 18 in 2022 did not only mean that… Continue reading
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“History needs to be about the present as far as I’m concerned”: an interview with Polyp
The artist Polyp began drawing political cartoons over forty years ago, while still a student. After a period as a care worker, he got his big break producing searing satirical cartoons for the New Internationalist magazine. Alongside a growing body… Continue reading
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History around Reading: Basildon Park
Here in Reading, we’re fortunate to be surrounded by history – the ruins of Reading Abbey, reminders of the English Civil War, and the Victorian prison where Oscar Wilde penned his famous ballad. This summer, we’re exploring that local history.… Continue reading
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Women firsts in Cabinet, a long view.
Dr Jacqui Turner After Rachel Reeves’ appointment as Chancellor, and in the wake of her first address to the public, Jacqui Turner reflects on the longer history of women in the Cabinet. Labour have won a historic landslide in 2024,… Continue reading
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History Department Outreach: June 2024
Our department has been fortunate to welcome lots of school pupils over the past month. Sharing our craft is an important part of our department, and several events were organised by our outreach director, Dr Daniel Renshaw. Alongside him this… Continue reading
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Your Vote Matters: 4th July Election, a Guide to Voting- By Abbie Tibbott
Many students within the department of history have been involved in political causes both within and outside of the classroom. As the July election creeps closer, it may feel overwhelming. It could be that you are facing your first general… Continue reading
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Yo-Ho-Ho and a Bottle of Rum: The curious history of pirate music
To celebrate the release of his new book, Richard Blakemore explores the musical side of pirate history. Pirates and music: I imagine what comes into your head is that haunting refrain from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, or perhaps the soaring… Continue reading
READING HISTORY 