Official Papers for Education: 18th-20th Century Material

This really is an incredible set of primary source material. Within this vast set of over 25,000 volumes there is an absolute wealth of information. Subjects range from:  slavery, smallpox and railways to the sinking of the Titanic. You will also find maps, illustrations and photographs within the documents. Large series of commissioners reports, annual departmental reports and statistics also run through the collection.

• The Official Papers has a full set of both Lords and Commons Parliamentary papers, 1801 to the present day on open shelf situated on the ground floor of the Bodleian Law Library
• The House of Commons papers are available in full text at the UK Parliamentary Papers database  from 1801-2003/2004. University members need to log in for remote access. (House of Lords papers are available on the U.K. Parliamentary Papers database only when they are published as a joint committee with a Commons committee)
• Search SOLO by title for papers published post 2000

Please email: official.papers@bodleian.ox.ac.uk if assistance is required. 

Hansard since 1909 is the true vertabtim report of debates/speeches in Parliament. There are two distinct sets, the Common and Lords debates. Until Hansard debates were not recorded in a formal way. Individual accounts exist but no formal debates were printed.

Since 1909 — and for important votes before then — Hansard has listed how members have voted in divisions.

For advice on column numbering, series and citation see the 'Official Report (Hansard) Factsheet'