This substantial collection of papers on the politics and society of 18th-century England documents the administration of England; trade and shipping; naval and military affairs; social and religious life; crime, rebellion and discontent.
The records also serve to illustrate the personal style of the contemporary secretaries of state who, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, controlled almost the entire life of the nation in a closely integrated policy.
The maintenance of public order and the punishment of political offenses are recurrent themes in the collection. There are hundreds of documents relating to internal disorder and rebellion, as well as numerous papers regarding trade and shipping, the administration and constitution of England, and the founding of an empire abroad.
George I (1714-1727)
Covers the turbulent events of the early years of his reign, from the Jacobite disturbances to Walpole's ascendancy. The papers for the latter five years, vital to the understanding of the political history of the 18th century, cover the foundation of the Hanoverian dynasty on a basis strong enough to withstand later crises.
53 reels
George II (1727-1760)
Covers his ascension and the early years of his reign, including the consolidation of Whig supremacy and the continued political exclusion of the Tories. It documents the post-Walpole policy of economic revival through military success, which forced a complete change in Georgian England.
91 reels
George III (1760-1782)
Covers his calamitous decision to oust the Elder Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle from government; the crucial 1763 Paris Peace Treaty ending Britain's support for Frederick the Great; the riots and protests that surrounded libertarian politician John Wilkes; the premiership of Lord North; and the inept handling of the colonies.
20 reels
Complete Collection: 164 reels
"This edition of The Complete Hanoverian State Papers Domestic will greatly enlarge scholarly access to a fundamentally important archive. Thanks to carefully prepared editions of centrally important document collections such as this one, most of the real scholarship can be done at home."