Blog posts
Engaging local communities in the North East on their First World War heritage by Mike Reeve
The North East of England has a rich history of coastal defence that has received relatively little attention. During the 2014-18 period marking the centenary of the First World War, many commemorative activities have focused almost exclusively on the exploits of soldiers, while sailors and civilians have occupied a secondary role. Trends in family history…
Read MorePolicy engagement at a local level: a workshop for historians by Mike Reeve
On Friday 8 September, I attended a fantastic workshop at the University of Leeds, focussed on equipping historians with the skills required for effective engagement with public policy and policy-makers. This was organised by academics from the University of Leeds, in partnership with History & Policy, a national network that promotes the application of…
Read MoreThe History of Remploy Uncovered
With my PhD project focusing on Remploy, a placement with the company itself was a logical choice, if, perhaps, an unusual one. Rather than working with a heritage organisation, I would be working with a now private company to highlight its own heritage. Fortunately, Remploy has proved to be highly supportive of my project and…
Read MoreEve Hartley on placement at Heritage Quay
Heritage Quay’s special collections on the institutional history of the University of Huddersfield dating back to its founding as the Young Men’s Mental Improvement Society in 1841 (which was swiftly renamed the Huddersfield Mechanics’ Institute) have been an integral component of my research on northern mechanics’ institutes. As a student of the university I was…
Read MoreAnn-Marie Foster at The British Library
The summer of 2016. London. A heatwave: temperatures soared above 30 degrees. While the rest of England was melting, I was sat in the rather chilly staff area of the British Library pouring over hundred year old paper associated with World War One. The official title of the placement I undertook was ‘First World War…
Read MoreLearning to Love the Modern
First Impressions. Hi, my name is Nicole and I am a self-confessed modern art-phobe. Which probably isn’t the easiest thing for an art historian to admit. After dedicating my academic career to the study of ancient art, I confess I find it hard to rationalise the graceful forms of the art of the ancient world…
Read MoreAntislavery heritage and new histories in Hull
As my research is so strongly grounded in contemporary museum practise, I thought it would be useful to gain as much practical experience in different museum settings as I could. I therefore opted to do two placements; one at the International Slavery Museum (ISM) in Liverpool, and one with Hull’s Heritage Learning Team. Whilst both…
Read MorePreston Park Museum and Grounds: a fresh insight into the daily world of work in the heritage sector
My placement at Preston Park Museum and Grounds, Stockton-on-Tees, between August 2016 and January 2017, provided me with a fresh insight into the daily world of work in the heritage sector. I have worked at the museum for a number of years as a casual register Visitor Services Assistant. However, this placement involved a transition…
Read MoreWork Placement at the Nottingham Galleries of Justice Museum
My work placement took place at the Nottingham Galleries of Justice Museum, which is set within the historic courtrooms and prison of the Shire Hall. I was excited to start my placement, as it meant getting involved with the creative side of heritage research and practice. It started off with a meeting with my placement…
Read MoreHeritage engagement projects: developing economic and cultural well-being
Alice O’Mahony reflects on her Heritage Placement in China China is a vast, expansive country, from the sea in the east and south, to the desert in the northwest, and the mountains in the southwest. China encompasses nearly every type of climate, as well as landscape. It has over 40 different ethnicities with Han…
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