Stories from the collection
Discover the human stories behind the collection. Learn about the people, places and events featured in our records.
Each collection insight takes an in-depth look into a group of the records we hold.
Spotlight on Shapurji Saklatvala
One of the first MPs of Indian heritage, Shapurji Saklatvala (1874–1936) was an agitator for change, which ultimately led to his surveillance by the Security Service.
ReadAgitators and activists
Read the stories of ordinary people who have fought for change across the centuries.
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The Mangrove Nine
The trial of nine black protestors who were arrested while demonstrating in Notting Hill in the early 1970s became a public platform to criticise racism in the police.
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Alice Hawkins
Alice Hawkins (1863–1946) was a working class member of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) and a trade unionist, who boldly campaigned for the rights of women.
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William Cuffey
William Cuffey (1788–1870) was a mixed-race, disabled, working-class leader. He was a leading figure in the Chartism movement, famed for his powerful oratory and leadership.
Famous faces
Using records held at The National Archives, we can trace the lives of some of the most famous names in history.
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Emmeline Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst (1858–1928) was a tireless political activist, who led the Women’s Social and Political Union, the militant faction of the movement for women’s suffrage.
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William Shakespeare
Through documents held in The National Archives, we can gain an incredible insight into the life of one of the world's most famous playwrights.
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Horatio Nelson
The National Archives holds a vast array of documents relating to the career of Horatio Nelson (1758–1805) which showcase his emergence from humble beginnings and his outstanding naval prowess.
Discover all stories
Browse and explore the human stories behind The National Archives’ collection.
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The Caravan Club
The police raid on a secret queer nightclub in 1933 provides us with an insight into the lives of gay men in interwar London, including their defiance in the face of criminalisation and persecution
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Richard III
Through a wealth of documents held at The National Archives, we can piece together a lot of detail about the life and reign one of Britain's most famous (or possibly infamous) medieval monarchs
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Margaret Bondfield
Margaret Bondfield (1873–1953) was a trade unionist and Labour politician. In 1929 she became Britain’s first female cabinet minister.
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The Mangrove Nine
The trial of nine black protestors who were arrested while demonstrating in Notting Hill in the early 1970s became a public platform to criticise racism in the police.
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William Cuffey
William Cuffey (1788–1870) was a mixed-race, disabled, working-class leader. He was a leading figure in the Chartism movement, famed for his powerful oratory and leadership.
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The Festival of Britain
The National Archives has a wealth of documents, photographs and art work collected during the planning and running of the influential 1951 Festival of Britain.
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Alice Hawkins
Alice Hawkins (1863–1946) was a working class member of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) and a trade unionist, who boldly campaigned for the rights of women.
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Horatio Nelson
The National Archives holds a vast array of documents relating to the career of Horatio Nelson (1758–1805) which showcase his emergence from humble beginnings and his outstanding naval prowess.
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Shapurji Saklatvala
One of the first MPs of Indian heritage, Shapurji Saklatvala (1874–1936) was an agitator for change, which ultimately led to his surveillance by the Security Service.
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Radclyffe Hall
Radclyffe Hall (1880–1943) lived relatively openly as a lesbian in an era that condemned such relationships. Her writing sparked outrage, but today she is an icon of LGBTQ+ literature.
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Emmeline Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst (1858–1928) was a tireless political activist, who led the Women’s Social and Political Union, the militant faction of the movement for women’s suffrage.
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Maud Allan
Maud Allan (1873–1956) was a much-celebrated dancer on the West End stage in the early 20th century. So how did she become involved in one of the most sensational trials of the 1920s?
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Insaaf
Insaaf was a film made by the government, filmed partly in Urdu, to promote employment rights under the 1968 Race Relations Act.
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Sophia Todd
Was a woman arrested for murder in Victorian Liverpool an unfortunate person caught up in a series of ill-fated events, or something much more sinister?
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Ormonde, Almanzora and Windrush
Passenger lists for the ships that carried post-war migrants from the Caribbean to Britain can be crucial resources for people tracing their family history.
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William Shakespeare
Through documents held in The National Archives, we can gain an incredible insight into the life of one of the world's most famous playwrights.