Conservative History Journal

Oxoniensis on the blog Seventeenth Century History responds to Professor Richard Overy's gloomy despair about academic history. The blog is considerably more hopeful. Tory Historian cannot help thinking that Professor Overy is completely wrong when he considers academic history and what he disdainfully terms "the heritage industry" to be in direct competition with each oth...

It is curious how much fuss there is about the possibility, however remote, of foreign lobbying having some influence on British politics. By foreign Tory Historian does not mean the European Union, whose legislation is British legislation, but countries and organizations outside it.Yet in the days of Princess Lieven such influence and interference was taken almost for granted, if somewhat resented. Indeed, it was resented a good deal more...

Today is, as every school child ought to know, St George's Day, the Patron Saint of numerous countries, cities, regions and organizations. Tory Historian has noted this in the past here and here. But of all the many countries that claim St George only one had William Shakespeare, the man who may well have been born on April 23 (baptized on April 26) 1564 and died on April 23 1616.So, let us combine the two. Here is that famous speech from Henry V (Act 3, Scene 1, outside Harfleur):Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once...

Tory Historian returns after an unconscionably long period of silence with news of a book, published in 2005 and bought in one of the few remaining second-hand bookshops in Charing Cross Road.The Princess and the Politicians subtitled Sex, Intrigue and Diplomacy in Regency England is a biography of the Princess Lieven by one of our conservative (and Conservative) historians, John Charmley.Tory Historian recalls the intriguing (in both senses...

Today is the birthday of one of the greatest of the great British inventors: Isambard Kingdom Brunel. By a strange coincidence, yesterday was the anniversary of the launch of the Great Western, Brunel's transatlantic ship. It left Avonmouth on April 8, 1838 and "with 600 long tons (610,000 kg) of coal, cargo and seven passengers on board. Brunel himself missed this initial crossing, having been injured during a fire that took place aboard...

Tory Historian wishes all the blog's readers a very happy Easter. A better than normal service will return after the holid...