The National Archives Podcast Series

Holding records for Scotland from the union in 1707, The National Archives holds documents on many of our Scottish ancestors. Find out how to go about discovering them in this talk by Audrey Collins.

Bruno Pappalardo introduces the collection of medical officers' journals found in ADM 101. These journals give a detailed insight into a ship's daily activities, as well as the science and wildlife that was encountered by British Navy medical officers.

Last year saw the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Air Force. The records of thousands of men (and women) who served in the RAF and its predecessors during the First World War are held by The National Archives. This talk will demonstrate how you can use these records to find out more about your ancestors' lives in this pioneering branch of the armed services.

In the mid 1950s Britain woke up to the threat of an invasion: "American style" comics were accused of ruining the reading habits of vulnerable children across the country and even inciting racism and violence. Could Captain Marvel cause crime? See the comics condemned as harmful and find out what action the government took to stamp out the comics menace.

With the loss of the 19th century census returns for Ireland, Sharon Hintze guides us through the alternative sources for family historians researching their Irish ancestors.

The National Archives' Audrey Collins takes civil registration as her topic and reveals some of the little-known facts and stories behind the records.

Liz Hart, from the National Advisory Service, provides an introduction to the various types of manorial records and offers a practical guide to using the Manorial Documents Register.

Find out about the British child emigration schemes from 1618 to 1967 as Roger Kershaw examines the reasons and the records behind the schemes to Canada, Australia, South Africa and beyond.

Contemporary historian Mark Dunton discusses the release of high-profile records from 1978, which provide fascinating insight into the thinking of key government figures in the run-up to the Winter of Discontent.

Professor Peter Hennessey presents records officers and information managers as 'unsung heroes' in providing historians, such as himself, with rich collections to use. He also discusses the hugely successful Waldegrave initiative which has led to hundreds of thousands of files being released, creating a new currency for historians.

Janet Dempsey examines the wealth of records which deal with the tragedy, terror, heroism and honour of the Merchant Navy in both World Wars.

Laura Withey (Project Manager) and Dr. Ed Hampshire (Records Specialist) talk about this exciting new project, the new web pages and the records being made available online for the first time.

David Thomas examines the reality behind Charles Dickens' fiction - what were Victorian debtors' prisons really like and how accurate was Dickens' portrayal of them?

From the early trade unions of the 18th century, through to the Luddites and Chartists of the 19th century, there was a profound desire to protect or improve living standards. This talk looks at what ordinary people really thought about their world and what types of records we should be exploring to discover how they tried - and sometimes succeeded - in changing their part of it.

Find out how the development of the railways transformed the landscape of Great Britain and became the agent of enormous social change. Bruno Derrick explores the early years of the Great Western Railway, from its foundation to the death of Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1859, and brings to light the vast collection of records in the custody of The National Archives.

For hundreds of years the parish was the most important unit of local government. This talk covers the historical administration of the parish, its officials and their records, as well as showing you how you can use these records to trace your ancestors and find out more about their local community.

Everyone hates taxes! Find out what Dr Johnson thought of them in this illustrated talk in which Janet Dempsey reveals how to hunt down the revenue collectors in your family.

Focusing on Britain's changing relationship with the European Community between 1945 and 1975, Contemporary Specialist Mark Dunton guides us through the key documents that reveal the attitudes of leading figures, the diplomatic process and public perceptions of an evolving Europe.

This talk looks at a series of records of women prisoners dating from 1853 to 1887 - records of females released early on licence. It also focuses on particular individuals in order to tell their tales, and illustrate the depth of information available.

Historian Bruno Derrick offers guidance on how to trace ancestors who worked on the railways during the Victorian era, both at home and abroad. Discussing the extensive collection of railway staff records held at The National Archives, this talk looks at various company records, accident records and railway magazines, and offers advice on the best ways to approach and use these resources.