Staff profile

• British politics and government 1900-1960
• The Church of England since 1900
• Special worship in the British Isles and the empire since 1530
• Remembrance in Britain since 1914
• The modern British monarchy

Authored book

• Stanley Baldwin. Conservative Leadership and National Values
  
  Williamson, P. (1999). Stanley Baldwin. Conservative Leadership and National Values. Cambridge University Press.
• National Crisis and National Government. British Politics, the Economy and Empire 1926-1932
  
  Williamson, P. (1992). National Crisis and National Government. British Politics, the Economy and Empire 1926-1932. Cambridge University Press.

Chapter in book

• What happened to political nonconformity?
  
  Williamson, P. (2024). What happened to political nonconformity? In P. Readman & G. Thomas (Eds.), Culture, Thought and Belief in British Political Life since 1800: Essays in Honour of Jonathan Parry (pp. 190–209). Boydell and Brewer. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.13760036.15
• Archbishops and the monarchy: leadership in British religion, 1900–2012
  
  Williamson, P. (2020). Archbishops and the monarchy: leadership in British religion, 1900–2012. In T. Rodger, P. Williamson, & M. Grimley (Eds.), The Church of England and British Politics since 1900 (pp. 57-79). Boydell and Brewer.
• The Church of England, the British state and British politics during the twentieth century
  
  Grimley, M., & Williamson, P. (2020). The Church of England, the British state and British politics during the twentieth century. In T. Rodger, P. Williamson, & M. Grimley (Eds.), The Church of England and British Politics since 1900 (pp. 1-35). Boydell and Brewer.
• The Conservative party, fascism and anti-fascism 1918-1939
  
  Williamson, P. (2010). The Conservative party, fascism and anti-fascism 1918-1939. In N. Copsey & A. Olechnowicz (Eds.), Varieties of anti-fascism: Britain in the inter-war period. (pp. 73-97). Palgrave Macmillan.
• Maurice Cowling and modern British political history
  
  Williamson, P. (2010). Maurice Cowling and modern British political history. In R. Crowcroft, S. Green, & R. Whiting (Eds.), Philosophy, Politics and Religion in British Democracy: Maurice Cowling and Conservatism. (pp. 108-152). I.B. Tauris.
• The monarchy and public values, 1910–1953
  
  Williamson, P. (2007). The monarchy and public values, 1910–1953. In A. Olechnowicz (Ed.), The monarchy and the British nation, 1780 to the present. (pp. 223-257). Cambridge University Press.
• The City of London and government in modern Britain: debates and politics
  
  Williamson., P. (2004). The City of London and government in modern Britain: debates and politics. In R. Michie & P. Williamson (Eds.), The British government and the City of London in the twentieth century. (pp. 5-30). Cambridge University Press.
• ‘Margaret Bondfield’, ‘William Bridgeman’, ‘James Cecil, 4th marquess of Salisbury’, ‘Charles Cripps, 1st baron Parmoor’, ‘William Graham’, ‘Sir Ernest Harvey’, ‘Robert Horne’, 'Peter Howard','Sir Donald Maclean’, ‘Montagu Norman’, ‘Ian Percy, 8th duke of Northumberland’, ‘Lord Eustace Percy’, ‘Vivian Phillipps’, ‘Noel Skelton’, ‘J.H. Thomas’
  
  Williamson, P. (2004). ‘Margaret Bondfield’, ‘William Bridgeman’, ‘James Cecil, 4th marquess of Salisbury’, ‘Charles Cripps, 1st baron Parmoor’, ‘William Graham’, ‘Sir Ernest Harvey’, ‘Robert Horne’, ’Peter Howard’,’Sir Donald Maclean’, ‘Montagu Norman’, ‘Ian Percy, 8th duke of Northumberland’, ‘Lord Eustace Percy’, ‘Vivian Phillipps’, ‘Noel Skelton’, ‘J.H. Thomas’. In Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press.
• The Conservative party 1900-1939: from crisis to ascendancy
  
  Williamson, P. (2003). The Conservative party 1900-1939: from crisis to ascendancy. In C. Wrigley (Ed.), A companion to early twentieth-century Britain. (pp. 3-22). Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470998823.ch1
• The doctrinal politics of Stanley Baldwin: essays in British history presented to Maurice Cowling
  
  Williamson, P. (1993). The doctrinal politics of Stanley Baldwin: essays in British history presented to Maurice Cowling. In M. Bentley (Ed.), Public and private doctrine. (pp. 181-208). Cambridge University Press.
• Financiers, the gold standard, and British politics 1925-1931
  
  Williamson, P. (1984). Financiers, the gold standard, and British politics 1925-1931. In J. Turner (Ed.), Businessmen and politics : studies of business activity in British politics, 1900-1945. (pp. 105-129). Heinemann.

Edited book

• The Church of England and British Politics since 1900
  
  Rodger, T., Williamson, P., & Grimley, M. (Eds.). (2020). The Church of England and British Politics since 1900. Boydell and Brewer.
• Baldwin Papers. A Conservative Statesman 1908-1947
  
  Williamson, P., & Baldwin, E. (Eds.). (2004). Baldwin Papers. A Conservative Statesman 1908-1947. Cambridge University Press.
• The British Government and the City of London in the Twentieth Century
  
  Williamson, P., & Michie, R. (Eds.). (2004). The British Government and the City of London in the Twentieth Century. Cambridge University Press.
• The Modernisation of Conservative Politics: The Diaries and Letters of William Bridgeman 1904-1935
  
  Williamson, P. (Ed.). (1988). The Modernisation of Conservative Politics: The Diaries and Letters of William Bridgeman 1904-1935. Historians’ Press.

Journal Article

• Freedom of Worship and the Armed Forces in Early Twentieth-Century England
  
  Williamson, P. (2026). Freedom of Worship and the Armed Forces in Early Twentieth-Century England. Studies in Church History, 62, 393-413. https://doi.org/10.1017/stc.2026.10056
• Britain and the Soviet War on Religion: Labour Government, Christian Protest and the Churches, 1929–1931
  
  Williamson, P. (2026). Britain and the Soviet War on Religion: Labour Government, Christian Protest and the Churches, 1929–1931. The Journal of Ecclesiastical History. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022046926102498
• The Creation of State Anniversaries: James VI and I and the Politics of Thanksgiving
  
  Williamson, P., & Mears, N. (2025). The Creation of State Anniversaries: James VI and I and the Politics of Thanksgiving. The English Historical Review, 140(602), 71-102. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/ceae205
• Hensley Henson and the appointment of bishops: state, church and nation in England, 1917–1920 and Beyond
  
  Williamson, P. (2023). Hensley Henson and the appointment of bishops: state, church and nation in England, 1917–1920 and Beyond. The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 74(2), 325-348. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022046922002032
• The Church of England and constitutional reform: the Enabling Act in British politics and English religion, 1913–1928
  
  Williamson, P. (2023). The Church of England and constitutional reform: the Enabling Act in British politics and English religion, 1913–1928. Journal of British Studies, 62(2), 445-475. https://doi.org/10.1017/jbr.2022.174
• Baldwin and a united nation
  
  Williamson, P. (2023). Baldwin and a united nation. Revue Française de Civilisation Britannique, 28(1), 65-78. https://doi.org/10.4000/rfcb.10248
• Special acts of worship in Anglo-Jewry 1700-1970
  
  Williamson, P. (2022). Special acts of worship in Anglo-Jewry 1700-1970. Jewish Historical Studies, 53(1), 1-33. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444.jhs.2022v53.002.
• Winston Churchill and ‘ye men of valour’: sources and corrections
  
  Williamson, P. (2021). Winston Churchill and ‘ye men of valour’: sources and corrections. Notes and Queries, 68(3), 359-361. https://doi.org/10.1093/notesj/gjab130
• James I and Gunpowder treason day
  
  Williamson, P., & Mears, N. (2021). James I and Gunpowder treason day. Historical Journal, 64(2), 185-210. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0018246x20000497
• The Prayer Book and pandemics
  
  Williamson, P. (2021). The Prayer Book and pandemics. Faith & Worship, 88, 6-17.
• The ‘holy days’ of Queen Elizabeth I
  
  Mears, N., & Williamson, P. (2020). The ‘holy days’ of Queen Elizabeth I. History, 105(365), 201-228. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-229x.12971
• ‘Special worship in the British Empire: from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries’
  
  Hardwick, J., & Williamson, P. (2018). ‘Special worship in the British Empire: from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries’. Studies in Church History, 54, 260-280. https://doi.org/10.1017/stc.2017.14
• National days of prayer: the churches, the state and public worship in Britain 1899-1957
  
  Williamson, P. (2013). National days of prayer: the churches, the state and public worship in Britain 1899-1957. English Historical Review, 128(531), 324-366. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/ces182
• State prayers, fasts and thanksgivings: public worship in Britain 1830–1897
  
  Williamson, P. (2008). State prayers, fasts and thanksgivings: public worship in Britain 1830–1897. Past and Present, 200(1), 121-174. https://doi.org/10.1093/pastj/gtm057
• Baldwin's reputation: politics and history, 1937-1967
  
  Williamson, P. (2004). Baldwin’s reputation: politics and history, 1937-1967. Historical Journal, 47(1), 127-168. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0018246x03003546
• Christian Conservatives and the totalitarian challenge 1933-40
  
  Williamson, P. (2000). Christian Conservatives and the totalitarian challenge 1933-40. English Historical Review, 115(462), 607-642. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/115.462.607
• The Labour party and the House of Lords 1918-1931
  
  Williamson, P. (1991). The Labour party and the House of Lords 1918-1931. Parliamentary History, 10(2), 317-341. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-0206.1991.tb00265.x
• 1931 revisited. The political realities
  
  Williamson, P. (1991). 1931 revisited. The political realities. Twentieth Century British History, 2(3), 328-338. https://doi.org/10.1093/tcbh/2.3.328
• A ''bankers' ramp''? Financiers and the British political crisis of August 1931
  
  Williamson, P. (1984). A ’’bankers’ ramp’’? Financiers and the British political crisis of August 1931. English Historical Review, 99(393), 771-806. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehr/xcix.cccxciii.770
• 'Party first and India second': the appointment of the Viceroy of India in 1930
  
  Williamson, P. (1983). ’Party first and India second’: the appointment of the Viceroy of India in 1930. Historical Research, 56(133), 86-101. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2281.1983.tb01761.x
• 'Safety First': Baldwin, the Conservative party, and the 1929 general election
  
  Williamson, P. (1982). ’Safety First’: Baldwin, the Conservative party, and the 1929 general election. Historical Journal, 25(2), 385-409. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0018246x00011614

Other (Print)

• Churchill and the churches
  
  Williamson, P. (2021). Churchill and the churches (pp. 12-16). Finest Hour.
• Stanley Baldwin and Winston Churchill: a study in contrasts
  
  Williamson, P. (2020). Stanley Baldwin and Winston Churchill: a study in contrasts (pp. 22-27). Finest Hour.
• Wars, famines - and pandemics
  
  Williamson, P. (2020). Wars, famines - and pandemics. Church Times.

Scholarly Edition

• National Prayers. Special Worship since the Reformation. Volume 4: Anniversary Commemorations, Additional Material and Indices, 1533–2023
  
  Taylor, S., Williamson, P., Mears, N., & Raffe, A. (2025). National Prayers. Special Worship since the Reformation. Volume 4: Anniversary Commemorations, Additional Material and Indices, 1533–2023. Boydell Press.
• National Prayers: Special Worship since the Reformation. Volume 3: Worship for national and royal occasions in the United Kingdom, 1871-2016
  
  Williamson, P., Taylor, S., Raffe, A., & Mears, N. (2020). National Prayers: Special Worship since the Reformation. Volume 3: Worship for national and royal occasions in the United Kingdom, 1871-2016.
• National Prayers: Special Worship since the Reformation. Volume 2: General Fasts, Thanksgivings and Special Prayers in the British Isles, 1689-1870
  
  Williamson, P., Raffe, A., Taylor, S., & Mears, N. (2017). National Prayers: Special Worship since the Reformation. Volume 2: General Fasts, Thanksgivings and Special Prayers in the British Isles, 1689-1870.
• National Prayers: Special Worship since the Reformation. Volume 1: Special Prayers, Fasts and Thanksgivings in the British Isles, 1533-1688.
  
  Mears, N., Raffe, A., Williamson, P., & Taylor, S. (2013). National Prayers: Special Worship since the Reformation. Volume 1: Special Prayers, Fasts and Thanksgivings in the British Isles, 1533-1688.