Britain

British traders in enslaved Africans found ways around the Slave Trade Act of 1807, while commerce flourished through the import of slave-grown cotton.

Kevin Shillington looks at the impact on Africa of the slave trade, and its abolition 200 years ago this month.

Andrew Ellis introduces a huge on-going project to publish a series of catalogues showing every oil painting in public ownership in the United Kingdom.

John Plowright examines the career of one of the key ministers in Attlee’s postwar governments.

Robert Pearce introduces the First Reform Act and asks why parliamentary reform succeeded in 1832 when earlier reform bills had failed.

Christine Riding looks at William Hogarth’s particular view of the street life of 18th-century London, and at what his interpretation presents in comparison with the artistic offerings of his Continental competitors.

The man who founded the Tudor dynasty was born on January 28th, 1457.

Cartoon historian Mark Bryant looks at the origins of the satirical magazine that has attracted a generation of outstanding cartoonists.

Mark Rathbone assesses the degree of success achieved by one of the great Victorian Prime Ministers.

Contrary to myth, it wasn’t Prince Albert but another German royal transplant who introduced the Christmas tree to Britain.