The History of Parliament seeks volunteers
The History of Parliament is looking for volunteers with a close interest in and knowledge of post-1945 British politics to become oral history interviewers for a project to create a sound archive of people involved in politics at national and constituency level which will provide a unique record of post-Second World War British political history. This project is being undertaken with the sponsorship and collaboration of Dods, the publishers of Dods Parliamentary Companion and the House Magazine.
Initially focussing on parliamentarians, it is intended to interview as many former Members of the House of Commons as possible and some senior Members of the House of Lords. A series of questions, based loosely on Wedgwood’s questionnaire, will form the basis for the interviews. The questionnaire is being drawn up in collaboration with academic partners to provide insights into the development of political careers in the second half of the twentieth century, and to illuminate the changing patterns of parliamentary politics, in particular: the professionalization of politics; the history of the constituency surgery and the development of constituency pressures; the changes in parliamentary lobbying; the relationship with constituency parties, and with councillors and other local activists; the increase in parliamentary activity, particularly select committees, all-party groups and other activities at Westminster; the history of election campaigns.
While it will draw out unique information possessed by Members about their activities within Parliament and their impressions of it, the project will also make a particular point of collecting information about Members’ constituency links and other extra-parliamentary activities: campaigns and contacts with lobby groups; local links to newspapers and local campaigns and so on. Ultimately it is planned to secure funding to extend the project well beyond Westminster, to interview those involved in politics at a constituency level, and those involved in campaigning and lobbying groups at local and national level.
We are aiming to recruit interviewers on a voluntary basis (though expenses will be paid) to undertake some initial interviews. We will provide training through the British Library. Arrangements will be made centrally via Dods and the History of Parliament.
Some further details are provided on the attached file. If you are interested, please fill in the expression of interest form and return, with a short CV, to Paul Seaward at pseaward@histparl.ac.uk.
