The Catholic Record Society was founded in 1904 and through its work and publications makes available to
scholars and a more general readership a wide range of sources relating to individuals and ecclesiastical
institutions in the British Isles in the period after the Reformation. Its flagship journal, British Catholic History is published by Cambridge University Press.
British Catholic History acts as a forum for the most innovative, vibrant, transnational, inter-disciplinary
scholarship resulting from research on the history of British and Irish Catholicism at home and throughout
the world. It contains peer-reviewed original research articles, review articles, and shorter reviews of works on
all aspects of British Catholic history from the 15th century to the present day. Central to its publishing
policy is an emphasis on the multi-faceted, national and international dimensions of British Catholic history.
The CRS has also so far published over ninety records volumes, which form a unique and broad collection
of primary source material indispensable to anyone working on any aspect the history of the Catholic Church
in the British Isles. It has also published a number of monographs dealing with particular topics or with
Catholic individuals prominent in public life.
The membership of the Catholic Record Society is broad in both its background and interests, and comes
together each year at the CRS Annual Conference to share new discoveries and renew old friendships. Do join us!
Please note: We do not hold archival records relating to Catholicism or individual Catholics. As a result, we cannot help with enquiries about tracing family history or specific Catholic figures. Members are encouraged to join our Facebook page and post any enquiries they might have there for help from our knowledgeable community.
Latest Publications
Lay Catholic Societies in Twentieth Century Britain
Edited by Maria Power and Jonathan Bush
This volume brings to light the Catholic laity's rich history of collective action to address major social issues in twentieth-century Britain. While much research has been done on lay Catholic associations in North America and Continental Europe, very little has previously been known about such societies in the British context. Chapters in this ground-breaking collection discuss such organisations as the Catholic Women's League, St Joan's Social and Political Alliance, the Guild of Catholic Teachers, the Catholic Evidence Guild, the Young Christian Workers, the Newman Association, the Catenians, the Catholic Worker movement, the charismatic prayer groups that proliferated in the 1970s, and Catholic AIDS Link.
Copies are available from Boydell and Brewer here.
British Catholic History
Volume 37 - Issue 1 - May 2024
"The Conversion of Sir Tobie Matthew: Homosocial Bonds and Affective Networks in Early Modern Catholicism"
Thomas Santa Maria
"The End of the Beginning?"
Victor Houliston
"Through a glass darkly? Modern Catholicism in Britain and Ireland through the Catholicism in Numbers datasets"
Alana Harris, Timothea Kinnear, Liam Temple
Plus more, available here.
Contact Us
Charity Number: 313529
Dr Susan O'Brien
Dr Scholastica Jacob
Dr Liam Temple