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Duration 43:57

How to research a famous person in The National Archives

Join records expert Mark Dunton for a step-by-step explanation of how to research a famous person in The National Archives. Taking the case study of Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, the podcast goes through the key steps to building a picture of a famous person using historical records, from using the catalogue, to ordering up documents, to sifting through vast quantities of material, to interpreting the records.

Mark Dunton joined The National Archives (formerly Public Record Office) in 1983 and has in-depth knowledge and experience of researching public records, specialising in post-1945 Britain. Mark has a BA in History from Exeter University, an MA in Archives and Records Management from University College London and an MA in War Studies from King’s College London. His research interests include post-1945 British political, social and economic history and the policies of the Heath government in the early 1970s.