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Radical Trade Unionism in Britain, 1921-1991

From its inception in 1920, the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) was intimately involved in trade unionism in Britain. From entryism to election rigging, radical education of workers to support for legitimate industrial action, the CPGB took to trade... Read more →

Published 11th October, 2022 · 1 min read

Communism in Crisis in Britain and Abroad, 1931-1979

John Gollan (1911-1977) was a political leader and communist activist in Britain during the 20th century. Gollan joined the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) in 1926 following his involvement in the General Strike of the same year. A close... Read more →

Published 14th September, 2022 · 1 min read

The Tatler, 1901-1965

From its establishment in 1901 until 1968, The Tatler was one of various publications owned by The Illustrated London News (ILN). The magazine (founded by literary critic Clement Shorter, a former editor of the ILN) catered primarily to an affluent and traditionalist audience.... Read more →

Published 6th September, 2022 · 2 min read

Agitation and the Internal Politics of British Communism, 1907-1977

This collection is derived from the personal papers of one of the titans of British communism, Harry Pollitt. Born in 1890, Pollitt embraced communism after witnessing the hardships inflicted on his family by poverty. He was a founding member of... Read more →

Published 16th August, 2022 · 1 min read

London Life, 1965-1966

Launched in 1965, London Life was one of several titles owned by The Illustrated London News (ILN). A reincarnation of The Tatler (1901-1965) – which, from its inception, had catered primarily to a wealthy and conservative readership – London Life... Read more →

Published 14th July, 2022 · 1 min read

British Communism through Committee Work, 1926-1992

The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) spawned many different committees throughout its turbulent lifetime. This collection contains the papers of numerous different committees established to advise the Executive Committee on party policy and ongoing developments in their respective fields.... Read more →

Published 15th June, 2022 · 1 min read

Records from Bethlem Royal Hospital, 1559-1932

Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric facility in London. It was established as a priory of the Order of St Mary of Bethlehem in 1247, before beginning to care for mentally ill patients sometime in the 14th century. Often referred... Read more →

Published 8th March, 2022 · 1 min read

British Government Information and Propaganda, 1939-2009

Scanned from source at the British Library, this collection contains a carefully curated selection of materials produced by the British Ministry of Information (MOI) and Central Office of Information (COI) during the period 1939-2009. The items are diverse in nature, ranging... Read more →

Published 20th January, 2022 · 1 min read

Communism, Culture and Society in the 20th Century

This collection contains documents compiled by the Communist Party of Great Britain’s (CPGB) National Cultural Committee. The National Cultural Committee (NCC) was established in 1947 and functioned as an advisory panel for the Executive Committee. It aimed to develop policy... Read more →

Published 16th November, 2021 · 1 min read

Communism and Popular Culture in the 20th Century

Ivor Montagu (1904-1984) was best known for his work as a filmmaker, scriptwriter, and producer. He was also a trained naturalist, the founder of the International Table Tennis Federation, president of the Southampton F.C. Supporters’ Club, and an active member... Read more →

Published 5th October, 2021 · 1 min read

British Communism in Campaigns and Events, 1947-1991

This collection contains documents relating to discrete campaigns and events organised by the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) during the period 1947-1991. The documents include minutes, correspondence, press releases, posters, and programmes. They provide an insight into the ways in... Read more →

Published 21st April, 2021 · 1 min read

Marxist History and Historians in the 20th Century

Dona Ruth Anne Torr (1883-1957) was a Marxist historian, translator and activist. Despite being born into an aristocratic family, Torr became a founding member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). She went on to build a reputation not... Read more →

Published 30th March, 2021 · 1 min read

Science and Marxism, 1956-1985

William Wainwright (1908-2000) was a British communist activist and member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). During his time in the party, Wainwright briefly served as the secretary of the British Soviet Society and was heavily involved in... Read more →

Published 15th February, 2021 · 1 min read

Trade Unions in Crisis: the 1961 ETU Ballot-Rigging Scandal

The ETU ballot-rigging trial was a case brought to the High Court by prominent union members John Thomas Byrne and Frank Chapple in 1961. They alleged that members of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) had engaged in "a... Read more →

Published 17th December, 2020 · 1 min read

Debate and Division on the British Left, 1917-1964

John Thomas (J.T.) Murphy and Molly Murphy (née Morris) were a married couple who were prominent members of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) during its formative years. J.T. was expelled from the party in 1932, while Molly resigned shortly thereafter. This... Read more →

Published 3rd December, 2020 · 3 min read

The Methodist Recorder, 1861-1919

This collection contains copies of the Methodist Recorder published during the period 1861-1919. Founded in 1861 with the mission 'to tell truth and love', the Methodist Recorder was edited and published by six Wesleyan ministers in London. While the six ministers... Read more →

Published 24th November, 2020 · 2 min read

Methodist Publications, 1855-1919

John Wesley (1703-1791) was an English cleric who lead a revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism in the 18th century. After Wesley's death, internal schisms led to a splintering of the original faith. The rival Methodist... Read more →

Published 24th November, 2020 · 3 min read

Gender, Feminism, and the British Left, 1944-1991

This collection contains records compiled by the Communist Party of Great Britain's (CPGB) Women's Department during the period 1944-1991. These records include minutes, agendas, and promotional materials from various women's campaigns, events, and conferences. They also include copies of Link, the... Read more →

Published 12th November, 2020 · 2 min read

Transatlantic Civil Society in Periodicals, 1768-1925

This collection contains a series of American journals, magazines, and trade papers published in the United Kingdom and continental Europe from 1768 to 1925—a period that encompasses everything from the Boston Tea Party to the First World War. The periodicals... Read more →

Published 5th November, 2020 · 3 min read

Communisms and the Cold War, 1944-1986

This collection contains reports and other records compiled by the Communist Party of Great Britain's (CPGB) International Department between 1944 and 1986—a period which begins immediately after the dissolution of the Communist International (Comintern) and ends shortly before the collapse of... Read more →

Published 2nd July, 2020 · 3 min read

World News in Indian Newspapers, 1782-1908

Part of our wide-ranging Power and Preachers series, this collection contains copies of three English language newspapers published in India during the period 1782-1908: The India Gazette (1782-1834); The Bengal Hurkaru and Chronicle (1822-1866); and The Bengal Times (1876-1908).These newspapers were primarily sold... Read more →

Published 31st March, 2020 · 1 min read

Paris Peace Conference and Beyond, 1919-1939

The Paris Peace Conference was a meeting of Allied diplomats that took place in the aftermath of the First World War. Its purpose was to impose peace terms on the vanquished Central Powers and establish a new international order.This collection... Read more →

Published 1st October, 2019 · 2 min read

Prosecuting the Holocaust: British investigations into Nazi war crimes, 1944-1949

During the Second World War, the Nazi state was responsible for the systematic enslavement and extermination of millions of Jews. Other groups, such as Russian prisoners of war, Slavs, Sinti and Romani, homosexuals, the disabled, and political opponents of the... Read more →

Published 15th April, 2019 · 1 min read

Military intelligence files: land, sea and air, 1938-1974

Part of British Online Archives's wide-ranging World Wars series, the resources contained within this collection shed light on the activities and attitudes of British military intelligence agencies during the Second World War and Cold War.The majority of the documents are... Read more →

Published 10th August, 2018 · 1 min read

International relations between America and Britain, 1796-1848

Sir Charles Vaughan (1774-1849) was a career diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States during the period 1825-1835. This collection contains Vaughan's personal and professional papers from before, during, and after his time in Washington. The papers shed... Read more →

Published 1st August, 2018 · 1 min read