Search | Gresham College

King George V

George V’s reign coincided with the fall from power of five emperors, eight kings and eighteen other dynasties. But in Britain the monarchy gained in popular esteem and this helped to preserve parliamentary government in the difficult years between the wars.

Why Is Sir Walter Scott Not In Popular Culture Today?

A question from the lecture 'Did Sir Walter Scott Invent...

What Do You Think More's Intention Was In Writing 'Utopia'?

A question from the lecture 'Thomas More's Magnificent Utopia' by...

Thomas More's Magnificent Utopia

This lecture will explore Utopia’s links both with London and with the civic culture of Renaissance Europe more generally. It will focus on the significance of Utopia at the time when it was written, with some reflections on its remarkably varied legacy.

Charles Dickens, 'Hard Times' and Hyperbole

Dickens' use of exaggeration is key to his style. But its use has myriad effects from making a character's disposition unmissable, to adding whimsy and humour.

King Edward VII

Edward VII had an instinctive understanding of the human side of monarchy. At home he faced a constitutional crisis when the House of Lords rejected the budget in 1909. The crisis remained unresolved at Edward’s death in 1910.

The Port of London and its Future

With London already Europe’s biggest metropolitan consumer market and continuing to grow, and the move to ever larger container ships in the Port, what is the future for the River Thames?