MI5: Official Secrets
On the Record at The National Archives
Spy fiction has captivated our imagination for decades, but the truth behind Britain's security service is even more fascinating than the high-stakes capers of the movies. At The National Archives, we hold the real files—declassified documents that reveal the actual operations, successes, and sometimes failures of MI5 since its creation in 1909. In celebration of our new exhibition featuring these secret files and spy gadgets, this episode delves into the real world of espionage – one perhaps more intriguing than fiction. Our guests include Gill Bennett, a historian...
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Trailer: MI5 Official Secrets
On the Record at The National Archives
In our next episode of On the Record, we uncover the fascinating stories behind the UK’s security service, MI5. To celebrate our new exhibition featuring formerly secret files and spy gadgets, we delve into the real world of espionage – one perhaps more intriguing than fiction.
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Working Women in History
On the Record at The National Archives
To mark Women’s History Month, we take a long view of working women. Our guest host, Jessamy Carlson invites three historians to explore the lives of working women over the centuries. From the working lives of medieval women, through the story of the first Women Patrols in the Metropolitan Police, to the striking Ford factory workers in 1968, this episode examines women's jobs, their conditions, their struggles, and their resilience. .
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Trailer: Working Women in History
On the Record at The National Archives
Join us for Women’s History Month as we explore the lives, struggles, and resilience of working women through the centuries.
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Secrets of the Prize Papers: Echoes of Empire
On the Record at The National Archives
The National Archives holds over 4,000 boxes of letters, papers, and artefacts from ships captured by the British between 1652 and 1815. Join us for the conclusion of our three-part series diving deep into the fascinating Prize Papers collection. In this episode, Chloe Lee takes a step back from the ship logs and scrawled letters to uncover the grand tapestry of colonialism, empire building, and trade. With insights from experts Lucas Haasis and Annika Raapke-Öberg, we explore the intricate and often surprising history of the high seas. For a transcript and information about the documents...
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Secrets of the Prize Papers: The Science of History
On the Record at The National Archives
The National Archives holds over 4,000 boxes of letters, papers, and artefacts from ships captured by the British between 1652 and 1815. In the second episode of our three-part series on the Prize Papers collection, Oliver Finnegan explores the scientific techniques and conservation skills used to analyse these items. Guests Marc Vermeulen and Marina Casagrande discuss examining and reading letters without opening them and the discovery of a well-preserved centuries-old knitted jumper. For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes:
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Secrets of the Prize Papers: Trade, Loot and Letters
On the Record at The National Archives
Across more than 4,000 boxes in The National Archives sits a significant collection of letters, papers and artifacts from ships captured by the British between 1652 and 1815. In this first episode of a three-part series, Chloe Lee meets Oliver Finnegan, a specialist in what is known as the Prize Papers collection. Oliver tells Chloe about some of the most fascinating items in the collection, providing insights into global trade, warfare, and the everyday lives of the people who lived during the Age of Sail. For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit...
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Trailer: Secrets of the Prize Papers
On the Record at The National Archives
Join us for our upcoming podcast mini-series, where we delve into a remarkable collection of letters, papers, and artefacts from ships captured by the British between 1652 and 1815.
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Second World War - Legacies, Language and Diaspora
On the Record at The National Archives
With recruits from across its empire, Britain’s troops in the Second World War were a multi-lingual, multi-ethnic force. Among those involved were more than a quarter of a million soldiers from East Africa and 2.5 million from South Asia, whose contributions to the Allied forces were absolutely essential to the outcome of the war. In this episode of On the Record, host Chloe Lee speaks with Iqbal Singh and Liz Haines, specialists at The National Archives, and writer Sharmila Chauhan about a collection of records relating to the recruitment of soldiers from across Britain’s colonies....
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Trailer: Second World War - Legacies, Language and Diaspora
On the Record at The National Archives
In this episode of On the Record, we take focus on the lesser-told history of the colonial troops, from East Africa and India, that fought for Britain during the Second World War.
info_outlineAt 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