Published

29 January 2026

This episode looks at the extraordinary collection of love letters, spanning centuries, that you might not expect to find in a government archive.

Most recent posts

• Trailer – On the Record: Love Letters

  

  Published

  27 January 2026

  In our next episode of On the Record, we explore 500 years of devotion, longing and forbidden love from our new Love Letters exhibition.

• On the Record: People of the Railways

  

  Published

  11 September 2025

  In this episode, we uncover the personal stories behind Britain’s railway history—from tragedy and resilience to the everyday journeys that shaped a nation.

• Trailer – On the Record: People of the Railways

  

  Published

  8 September 2025

  In our next episode of On the Record, we mark 200 years of rail travel through The National Archives’ records.

• On the Record: 700 years of the Thames

  

  Published

  10 July 2025

  From frozen festivals to royal polar bears, from wartime recovery to medieval merchants this episode of our podcast explores extraordinary stories of the river.

• Trailer – On the Record: 700 years of the Thames

  

  Published

  7 July 2025

  In our next episode of our podcast, we explore three very different stories – each revealing how central the River Thames has been to London’s history.

• On the Record: Victory in Europe Day (VE Day)

  

  Published

  8 May 2025

  In this episode of On the Record we explore what VE Day was like, from the soldiers and medics at the frontline, to the folks at home hoping for peace.

• Trailer – On the Record: Victory in Europe Day (VE Day)

  

  Published

  5 May 2025

  Coming soon... In the next episode of our podcast, we explore Victory in Europe Day (or VE Day).

• On the Record: MI5: Official Secrets

  

  Published

  17 April 2025

  In celebration of our new exhibition featuring these secret files and spy gadgets, this episode of our podcast delves into the real world of espionage.

• Trailer – On the Record: MI5 Official Secrets

  

  Published

  14 April 2025

  In our next episode of our podcast, On the Record, we uncover the fascinating stories behind the UK’s security service, MI5.

• On the Record: Working women in history

  

  Published

  13 March 2025

  Including stories from the Middle Ages to the 1960s, this episode examines women’s jobs, their conditions, their struggles, and their resilience through time.

• Trailer – On the Record: Working women in history

  

  Published

  10 March 2025

  Coming soon... for Women’s History Month our podcast will be exploring the lives, struggles, and resilience of working women through the centuries.