What is the Journal of Liberal History website?

Updated

liberalhistory.org.uk is the website of the Journal of Liberal History, a publication of the History Group dedicated to the discussion and research of Liberal, Liberal Democrat and SDP history. It serves both as a shop and archive for the journal and related books, and as a hub for events, historical notes and party history material. If you want to read or research Liberal/Liberal Democrat/SDP history, buy back issues or books, or subscribe to the journal, this is the site to use.

What you'll find on the site

The site mixes editorial content, retail listings and subscription information:

  • Journal issues — individual issues are sold, for example Journal of Liberal History 132 at £10.00.
  • Books and booklets — the History Group publishes "a collection of books, concise booklets, and individual issues." A current example is Women for Liberty (£10.00).
  • Events — e.g. Women for Liberty: The women who built Liberalism and the party, listed for September 19, 2026, 13:00, with a "Find out more" link.
  • "On This Day" — short historical notes, such as 22 September 1932, when David Owen Evans won the Cardiganshire by-election for the Liberals in a three-cornered fight with the Conservatives and Labour, with a 4,571 (16.6%) majority. The site uses this to illustrate that the Liberals could still win three-cornered contests even after their recent split.
  • Commemorative reprints — following the death of Menzies Campbell, Lord Campbell of Pittenweem, on 26 September 2025, the site reprinted the chapter on him from British Liberal Leaders (Biteback, 2015).

Subscriptions

The site lists several plans, and all subscribers receive a 20% discount on all books and booklets published by the History Group:

Plan What it includes
Digital Download the latest and all previous issues from the website
Student Discounted rate for full- or part-time students
Print Four issues of the Journal per year, delivered to your door
Print overseas Print plan for overseas subscribers
Digital Plus Digital downloads plus four print issues per year
Digital plus overseas Digital plus print for overseas subscribers

To subscribe, use the "Subscribe" link on the site. There is also a separate mailing list sign-up if you only want updates rather than a paid subscription.

What you can do as a visitor

  • Read — browse "On This Day" entries, event pages and reprints such as the Menzies Campbell chapter.
  • Buy — order individual journal issues, books and booklets; the site shows a cart and "Add to cart" buttons.
  • Subscribe — choose a plan matching whether you want digital, print, or both, and whether you are a student or based overseas.
  • Join the mailing list — sign up for updates without committing to a subscription.
  • Engage with the field — the journal exists "for the discussion and research" of Liberal, Liberal Democrat and SDP history, so it is aimed at readers, researchers and party history enthusiasts rather than a general news audience.

Who runs it

The site is published by the History Group, which also publishes the books and booklets offered to subscribers at a discount. The journal is the group's main periodical, with numbered issues (the latest shown is issue 132).

Practical notes

  • Prices shown are in pounds sterling (e.g. £10.00 for a single issue or for Women for Liberty).
  • The subscription page presents the plans as a choice, so check which one matches your location and format preference before signing up.
  • If you are unsure whether to subscribe, the mailing list is the lower-commitment option, and individual issues can be bought separately.