Bücher der Reihe Cambridge Library Collection - British and Irish History, General

Born in Philadelphia, James Peller Malcolm (1767-1815) travelled to London in 1787, remaining there until his death. Initially hoping for a career as a landscape painter, he became well known for his engravings, which appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine from 1792, and for his books on history that made extensive use of original local records. First published in 1808, Anecdotes gives a typically personal and often light-hearted account of the history and customs of Malcolm's adopted city. Illustrated with his engravings, the work ranges from considering the diet and dress of the ancient Britons to suggesting that the Great Fire of London was state-sanctioned to rid the city of plague. This is the 1811 second edition of a valuable and often entertaining insight into English social history. Volume 3, most concerned with London itself, covers amusements and the origins of popular pastimes, and includes a detailed description of a masque by William Davenant.

This extraordinary collection of historical facts, a valuable source for local history, was compiled by Thomas Fuller (1608-61), who came from a clerical family and was educated at Cambridge. He was ordained, had gained a reputation as a preacher, and had published several theological works, when at the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted as a chaplain in the royalist army. Travelling round the country with Sir Ralph Hopton's troops, he pursued the historical enquiries which would result in the posthumous publication in 1662 of his most famous work. This two-volume edition was annotated by John Nichols, the bookseller and publisher, and published in 1811. The first part of the work consists of twenty-five short chapters which explain the organisation of the work, after which England and Wales are examined county by county: first, natural resources and manufactures, and then notable people, starting with princes and saints.

Robert Pashley (1805-59), lawyer, economist, traveller, and fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, is famous for his travel memoirs as well as his legal achievements. First published in 1852, his history of pauperism and the poor laws in England analyses the history of poverty and the various attempts at reform, including legislation in the reign of Elizabeth I, the statute of Charles II for the Removal of the Poor, and the pauper legislation of 1834. In the final chapters, Pashley asserts the necessity for a total repeal of the existing legislation, including the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, arguing that the provisions for raising and administering relief to paupers should be consolidated into one statute and suggesting a national levy on property to aid poor relief. Pashley's work was influential, although reform of the system did not begin until the creation of the Local Government Board in 1871.

First published in 1925, this selection of letters throws light upon the life and character of Constance Lytton (1869-1923), a brave and influential figure in the movement for women's suffrage. From an aristocratic background, she became a member of the Women's Social and Political Union in 1909, calling on the support of her many contacts. Among her achievements was the first-hand exposure of the poor treatment and force-feeding of working-class women on hunger strike in prison: she deliberately had herself arrested and imprisoned in disguise and under an alias. Compiled by her sister, Betty Balfour (1867-1942), these letters cover her adult life, mainly comprising correspondence from Lytton to close family members, interspersed with illustrations of her and her family. Despite omissions - particularly details relating to her personal relationships - this collection remains an important tribute to her life and to the history of suffrage and prison reform.

The leading antiquary of his day, Richard Gough (1735-1809) promoted the history of the British Isles, particularly the Anglo-Saxon period, rather than pursuing the classical interests of contemporaries who had made the Grand Tour. Gough travelled extensively over the years, sketching and taking detailed notes on what he observed. He believed that the Society of Antiquaries, of which he was director from 1771 to 1797, should preserve the nation's heritage without catering to fashion or the interests of dilettantes. He published this major work anonymously in 1768, and it found a receptive readership. The book is in effect a gazetteer of published and unpublished materials for the local history and topography of the whole of Great Britain and Ireland, discussing public records, printed books, manuscripts, maps, and other sources relating to the antiquities of each county.

This 1858 work was the first major publication of William Stubbs (1825-1901), who later became bishop of both Chester and Oxford. Stubbs also published highly respected and influential works on the constitutional history of England and was considered an authority on ecclesiastical history. The present work consists of a thorough chronology of the succession of the bishops of England, beginning with the consecration of Augustine of Canterbury in 597 and continuing up to 1857. Each bishop's entry includes their see, their consecrators and the sources from which this information was drawn. Wherever possible, Stubbs endeavoured to consult the original sources, and as such he was able to present more accurate dates of consecration than were previously available. The appendices include a well-annotated list of suffragan, Manx and Welsh bishops, as well as an index of each bishop, ordered by see.

In later Victorian England, although classical literature had long dominated education, Roman history and politics became popular areas of study, particularly after Queen Victoria became Empress of India in 1877. Many writers on colonialism drew parallels between the Roman and British Empires, but Sir Charles Lucas' book, first published in 1912, went further in its analysis. He stresses that the causes of an empire's growth and strength are numerous, and that geography and technological development are particularly important. Like writers such as Froude, he attempts to forecast the future development of the British Empire. He also points out differences between the two empires. Roman expansion was not accompanied by widespread emigration, in the way that British colonists settled North America and Australasia, for example. British India, manifesting the military and economic domination of a much larger subject people by a tiny administrative class, bore more resemblance to Roman imperialism.

Herman Merivale (1806-1874) was an English civil servant, historian and economist. After graduating from Trinity College, Oxford, in 1827 he was called to the bar in 1832. Merivale was elected Professor of Political Economy at the University of Oxford in 1837, and was appointed Permanent Under-Secretary to the Colonies in 1848. These volumes, first published in 1841, contain Merivale's influential series of lectures on the political economy of colonization which he delivered at the University of Oxford in 1839, 1840 and 1841. He discusses a broad range of topics related to colonization, analyzing its economic effects on the mother country through emigration and discussing the laws governing the generation of wealth and growth of colonies. His lectures also include an influential criticism of the Wakefield Scheme of colonization and provide valuable insights into contemporary opinions on the economic management of colonies. Volume 2 contains Lectures 12-22.

The oldest of all Oxford and Cambridge colleges, Merton College enjoys a distinguished past that reflects many of the most significant moments in British history, including the Black Death and the Civil War. These and other crucial events are explored with wit and insight in White's chronicle of the college, first published in 1906. A biblical scholar, White was made a fellow and lecturer in theology at Merton in 1895, where he stayed until his promotion to Dean of Christ Church in 1905. Even after his departure, he remained intrigued by the history and customs of his old college and was eager to share his knowledge outside the academic community. Worldly as well as scholarly, White always intended his volume to be accessible to a wide audience, describing it in his preface as a 'popular handbook' rather than a scholarly tome; a function it continues to fulfil today.

Published during the golden decade before the Great War left an indelible mark on fellows and undergraduates alike, New College, Oxford (1906) is a sensitive and affectionate history of an ancient institution in a modern world. Himself a fellow of the college, A. O. Prickard conveys the image of an educational family whose purpose rose 'above the needs of the life of its members' in order to make a valuable contribution to both society and scholarship. Keen to promote the college's ongoing relevance in the new century, Prickard does not allow his fascination with its history to degenerate into nostalgia. As the author himself explains, Oxford is 'a place of visions and dreams, which float about, but do not encumber the earnest life of the present'. Such contentions combine with Edmund New's informal sketches to create an informative, picturesque and often surprising account.

First published in 1907 as part of the celebrated 'College Monographs' series, Magdalen College, Oxford leads readers through the tumultuous and distinguished history of one of Oxford University's most famous institutions. Elected President of Magdalen at the early age of 32, for the rest of his life Thomas Herbert Warren nurtured a passionate enthusiasm for the college, its architecture and traditions. His delight in presiding over such a venerable foundation is evident in his celebratory account of its various 'worthy' alumni including Wolsey, Gibbon and Addison. However, his pride and loyalty did not prevent Warren from committing to paper a number of less prestigious but equally intriguing moments in the college's rich history. From the 'good cheer and bad speeches' experienced in Hall, to the 'delinquencies and debts' of undergraduates, and evidence of dons practising the black arts, Warren's volume still offers readers more than the average college history.

Charlotte Carmichael Stopes (1841-1929) was a British scholar, a prolific writer and supporter of feminist causes. After becoming the first women to gain a Certificate of Arts in Scotland, Stopes published widely on Shakespeare and social reform, receiving an award from the British Academy in 1916 for her contributions to Shakespearian literary research. This volume, now reissued from the 1907 third edition, was first published in 1894. It contains Stopes' investigation into the history of British women's legal and civic rights. Through an analysis of state papers, parliamentary records and scholarly works on legal history, Stopes provides numerous historical examples of women holding extensive constitutional and legal rights, which are arranged according to the holder's social status. This pioneering feminist history became a key text used by women's suffrage activists to justify their position. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=stopch

Herman Merivale (1806-1874) was an English civil servant, historian and economist. After graduating from Trinity College, Oxford, in 1827 he was called to the bar in 1832. Merivale was elected Professor of Political Economy at the University of Oxford in 1837, and was appointed Permanent Under-Secretary to the Colonies in 1848. These volumes, first published in 1841, contain Merivale's influential series of lectures on the political economy of colonization which he delivered at the University of Oxford in 1839, 1840 and 1841. He discusses a broad range of topics related to colonization, analyzing its economic effects on the mother country through emigration and discussing the laws governing the generation of wealth and growth of colonies. His lectures also include an influential criticism of the Wakefield Scheme of colonization and provide valuable insights into contemporary opinions on the economic management of colonies. Volume 1 contains Lectures 1-11.

This 1908 book was a ground-breaking guide for historians in the use and interpretation of official documentary sources. Hubert Hall examines the topic under three headings - archives, diplomatics, and palaeography. In the first part he treats the history, classification and analysis of English archives. He argues that the user should take into account what once existed as well as what survives. The second part deals with diplomatics, from Anglo-Saxon to the sixteenth century. He calls for greater critical analysis of the different types of official documents, something lacking in England when compared to European scholarship. The final part introduces the student to palaeography, and the different kinds of handwriting and contractions met with in official documents. While the book makes no claim to be the definitive work on the subject, it raised the profile of a neglected tool of scholarship, and offers a starting point for further research.

In 1889, British wine merchant Thomas Mackay published The English Poor, which espoused the ideas of Darwin and applied them to British social and economic history. An acolyte of social Darwinist Herbert Spencer, Mackay writes that human history has been a struggle between individualism and socialism, and argues that only through individual competition (not state social support) will poverty be eradicated. The opening chapters discuss the human instinct for property accumulation, primitive forms of society, elite control of workers during the plague years, and the growth of the proletariat. Later chapters discuss social legislation, the evolution of England's poor laws, and the Industrial Revolution. Finally, Mackay debates the scholarship of socialist Ernest Belfort Bax, bemoans the misguided ideas of Christian charity, and argues that the lives of 'lower types' of people have been prolonged by the poor laws. This is a fascinating document of late-Victorian economic thought.

This three-volume 1813 compilation consists of antiquarian manuscripts from the Bodleian Library and the Ashmolean Museum, but is significant for containing the notes on the 'lives of eminent men' by John Aubrey, which were published here for the first time, and later became famous as his Brief Lives.

Published in 1797, this three-volume work looks at the history of poverty in England, the lifestyles of the poor and the various measures introduced to tackle the problem. It features a set of detailed reports on living conditions of the poor in the various English counties.

Published in 1857 and 1861 respectively, these are the only two volumes of Buckle's ambitious but unfinished history of civilisation. The books cover the intellectual, religious, political and social history of England, France, Scotland, and to a lesser extent, Spain.

Henry Hallam (1777-1859) was a journalist, historian of the English constitution and literary scholar. First published in 1827, this two-volume book documents the history of the laws and institutions of England from 1485 to 1760.

Published in 1901, this two-volume set looks at how entertainment in London changed dramatically between the restoration of Charles II and the accession of Queen Victoria. From bear-baiting and prize-fights with swords, tastes turned to less bloodthirsty pastimes such as gambling, masked balls, and opera and theatre.

Published in 1811, this three-volume second edition gives a typically personal and often light-hearted account of the history and customs of Malcolm's adopted city. He ponders on the diet and dress of the ancient Britons and suggests that the Great Fire of London was state-sanctioned to rid the city of plague.

This detailed eight-piece compilation documents the fluctuating prices of agricultural produce in England between the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries. Volume 1 (from 1866) uses the data for the period 1259-1400 (supplied in Volume 2) to explore topics such as farming methods, taxation, and the financial consequences of the plague.

Ernest Satow was one of the most respected British diplomats, particularly in Japan. Since publication in 1917, 'Satow' has become the standard work on the practice of diplomacy, being regularly updated. This first edition provides an illuminating insight into international relations before the age of the telephone and e-mail.

An intimate portrayal of the lives of seven prominent women, using their own letters and diaries to chart lives of political intrigue, scandal and tragedy. Originally published in 1844 by Louisa Stuart Costello, this volume examines the characters and motivations of women at the political centre of Elizabethan life.

Elizabeth Owens Blackburne (1848-1894) was an Irish professional writer, novelist and biographer. These volumes, first published in 1877, contain a series of biographies of famous and eminent Irish women, and were the first biographical reference for this subject to be published. Volume 1 contains early historical and medieval biographies.

First published between 1840 and 1849, Strickland's landmark work provides biographical accounts of the queens of England from Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror, to Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch. Volume 1 contains eight biographies of medieval queens, including Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Anne of Bohemia.

Published in 1891 in three volumes, this is a fascinating topographical dictionary covering a thousand years of history. Many of London's historic streets and buildings were being redeveloped during the rapid urban expansion of the Victorian period, and Wheatley mines historical, literary and architectural sources to preserve their memory.

Agnes Strickland (1796-1874) and her sister Elizabeth collaborated on many biographical projects, including this eight-volume series. Pioneering figures in women's history, they included discussion of domestic matters ignored by earlier male historians. Volume 1 (1850) is devoted to Margaret Tudor, Magdalene of France and Mary of Lorraine.

Published anonymously, this is the 1798 first edition of Malthus' provocative work of political and economic theory. His discussions of prostitution, contraception and sex, and his denial of the right of the poor to be supported in the face of famine, poverty and disease, made this a highly controversial text.

This work, containing a selection from the 'Merry Passages and Jests', collected by a Norfolk gentleman, Sir Nicholas L'Estrange (1604-55), with shorter extracts from the anecdotes of John Aubrey, and a manuscript by one John Collet, was prepared by antiquarian William Thoms for the Camden Society in 1839.