History Matters

Thoughts, opinions and commentary on all things historical.

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Love Sick

‘Crazy Jane’ was ubiquitous in the late 18th century, the archetypal figure of those driven mad by disappointed love. 

When They Get to the Border

The Aliens Act of 1905 was the culmination of decades of anxiety about migrants – some of whom attempted to reach Britain by clandestine means.

After Me, Conquest

Edward the Confessor, a model of medieval piety, was a surprisingly effective ruler.

Angels Ever Bright and Fair

The ‘Angels of Mons’, a short story written in the earliest days of the First World War, became an enduring symbol of British providence.