This volume serves as a comprehensive annual record designed to catalog the breadth of historical scholarship concerning British and Irish history. Austin Gee, acting under the auspices of the Royal Historical Society, compiles an extensive index of monographs and journal articles published within a specific calendar year. The work functions as a systematic framework for researchers to locate primary and secondary source material across diverse historical eras and thematic subfields.

Historians and academic researchers frequently cite this publication as a foundational reference tool for maintaining currency in the field. Experts highlight the rigorous curation process that ensures the bibliography remains the most complete survey of its kind for British and Irish historical studies.