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The Lincolnshire Home Guard brought to life
New exhibition by Dr Erik Grigg, lecturer of History at Bishop Grosseteste University, goes on display at The Museum of Lincolnshire Life -
BGU Launch New Exhibition Exploring the History of Women’s Football
The Research Team at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) have launched a new exhibition at the Lincoln Central Library to explore and celebrate the history of women’s football. The exhibition promotes and celebrates women’s football in Britain from the early years up to today, including its presence in Lincoln and the wider county of Lincolnshire. With a legacy dating back over 100 years the Lincoln Ladies, or Lady Imps, are one of the Sport’s most enduring teams, gaining huge popularity during the Great War before an FA ban at the end of the conflict forced them to fight for their survival. Two stories are incorporated into the exhibition. The first is the history of the women’s game from the 1880s up to the First World War, in particular the highpoint during the conflict of 1914-18. The second story is that of the recent revival of the game, focusing on the successful run for the Lincoln City Ladies team that came to a controversial end in 2013. The exhibition has been produced to coincide with the performances of the Lincoln Mystery Plays latest production: ‘The World at Her Feet’. The play has been written to mark the centenary of the final year of the First World War. The script recognises the contribution of munitionette workers, some of whom formed football teams. Dr Andrew Jackson, Head of Research at BGU, described his excitement at what the joint endeavours of the exhibition and the play could achieve: “The 'World at Her Feet' will be a powerful play. It will resonate as a fitting end to the four centenary years of the First World War. The production will also feature in a year of anniversaries commemorating progress in the place and status of women, and their achievement of the right to vote. In addition, the performance will be set in a context of today, and a revival of the women's game of football at national and international levels.” It is hoped that the exhibition will not only bring the extraordinary stories of the trailblazing Lady Imps to light, but also inspire a new generation to follow in their footsteps. The exhibition also coincides with celebrations nationwide of women gaining the right to vote one hundred years ago. BGU has been running several activities throughout the year, including another special exhibition, to commemorate this historic event. The Research Team at BGU are dedicated to preserving and championing the history of Lincolnshire and its residents. You can keep up to date with all their activities via our website or, if you would like to get involved yourself, you can contact our Enquiries Team to find out how to start your new adventure. The exhibition will run at the Lincoln Central Library until the 17th of November and is open to all. -
‘Echoes of Contempt’ within Church history explored at book launch
Last week Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) hosted the public launch of ‘Echoes of Contempt’, the latest book from Methodist minister the Reverend Bruce Thompson. Covering centuries of religious history, ‘Echoes of Contempt’ explores Jew Hatred, especially in relationship to the Christian Church, from the time of the early Church to today. The launch, held in the BGU Chapel, opened with introductions and reflections from local Jewish and Christian leaders. These were followed by an interview with the Reverend Bruce Thompson led by BBC Radio Lincolnshire presenter Rod Whiting. Attending the event Mark Plater, Senior Lecturer in Theology at BGU, commented: "Bruce has provided valuable input on this topic to my Holocaust Education module for many years now, and it is great to see his ideas and passion now summarised in book form. “The text is a well written, but hard-hitting read, and I commend it wholeheartedly." There are lots of exciting events taking place at BGU throughout 2019. To keep up to date on what is coming up you can visit our website or to host your own special event contact our Conferencing team. -
National Caribbean Heritage Museum Helps BGU Celebrate Black History Month
As part of Black History Month Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) was proud to host a guest lecture delivered by Catherine Ross, Founder of Museumand, the National Caribbean Heritage Museum, exploring the histories and narratives of twentieth century Caribbean migration to the UK. The lecture explored the stories of some of the first pioneering Caribbean people to emigrate to the UK during the Windrush era following the Second World War. To give a personal context to these incredible stories Catherine and her team displayed items the migrants brought with them in their suitcases including ladies’ curling tongs, pre-1960s jewellery, men’s razor sets, hair products; and leisure items such as books, dominoes and harmonicas. Using these unique artefacts, collected since 1997 by Catherine for the museum, the lecture offered a fascinating insight what it meant to those who swapped Kingston for Birmingham, how they adapted to their new lives and the UK and how their presence contributed to Britain’s history through moving personal accounts, music, art, performance and crafts. Dr Sheine Peart, Lecturer of Professional Studies at BGU and researcher into features of the Black British experience, organised the event and ahead of the lecture explained why she felt such discussions were so important: “Caribbean people have been a part of British history for a millennia, certainly as far back as the Romans, but their stories have often been silenced or forgotten. Events such as this are an important opportunity to recognise and celebrate these rich stories and to do it as part of Black History Month has been fantastic.” Both Sheine and the team at Museumand hope this event will be the first of many at BGU exploring Black History. If you would like to take part in future events keep an eye on our news page or come along to one of our Open Days to find out how you can become a part of the learning community at BGU. -
BGU History MA student nominated for national dissertation prize
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) History student, Abigail White, has been nominated for a nationally recognised competition for outstanding MA thesis in History. Abigail’s work entitled: ‘To what extent did the School Boards contribute to changes in teacher training colleges, 1890-1912? The case of Lincoln Diocesan Training College.’ explored the educational history of Lincoln Diocesan Training College (as BGU was once known) and made exceptional use of the University’s own library and archives. Focusing on the Training College it evaluates why teacher training colleges experienced change in the 1890s and into the twentieth century. Following its publication, Abigail’s dissertation has been nominated for the Rees Davies Prize for an outstanding Master’s Thesis, an award which commemorates former Royal Historical Society President and distinguished medieval scholar, Professor Sir Rees Davies (1938-2005). The prize is awarded for the best Master’s dissertation submitted by a UK institution of Higher Education. The winner is awarded a prize of £250 and invited to submit an article based on the dissertation to be considered for publication in the RHS Transactions. Speaking following the announcement, Abigail described her pride at receiving the nomination and explained why that particular area of history proved so captivating: “To find out that my piece of work had also been nominated for such a prestigious award was astonishing and a real privilege. Choosing my topic was the easiest part of the whole dissertation process. I was, and still am, amazed that most of the buildings at BGU are original meaning that the Victorian students would have been as familiar with them as I am. For instance, on both the Chapel and Skinner building exterior walls you can see evidence of the college expansion that happened at the turn of the century in 1900. This, coupled with the fact that the students were young women whose opportunities for a career and independence was limited during this period, made BGU’s history unique and fascinating topic to write about. Furthermore, using Lincoln Diocesan Training College as a topic also gave me the opportunity to see original documents detailing the student experience at Lincoln Diocesan Training College at the end of nineteenth century. So much so, that I was able to track a good majority of the students on the census which brought up some previously unknown insights including the fact that William Gladstone’s granddaughter, Margaret Wickham, completed a year of study here!” If you’d like to follow in Abigail’s footsteps and uncover new adventures on a History course at BGU, visit our website, book onto one of our Open Days or speak to a member of our Enquiries Team. -
MA Student’s “Outstanding” Thesis Nominated for National History Prize
MA in Social and Cultural History student Simon Bromiley has been nominated for the RHS Rees Davies Prize for outstanding Master's thesis in History for his thesis ‘Misogyny in Manchester? Understanding the violence against women at Peterloo in 1819’. The thesis explores the Peterloo Massacre in 1819, which saw 18 people killed and over 700 injured as troops dispersed a peaceful Manchester crowd rallying for electoral reform. Interestingly, few historians have studied the massacre using a gendered approach which is striking given that women were nearly twice as likely to be sabred or truncheoned. Utilising a range of sources, Simon’s study revealed that the Peterloo women were deliberately targeted by the authorities who demonised and ‘othered’ them as non-citizens within a worldview that was inherently masculine, militaristic and misogynistic. During a period stereotyped by the gentile world of Jane Austen, the dissertation highlights a more disturbing form of Pride and Prejudice. Speaking following the nomination Simon’s supervisor Dr W. Jack Rhoden, Programme Leader for History at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) praised his work and the impact it could have on future research: “Drawing on archival materials, Simon has demonstrated the importance of understanding the event in gendered terms, with complex ideas of masculinity and femininity underpinning the tragic violence and ensuing political battle for its memorialisation. The thesis also offered new avenues for future research by linking this violent episode to British imperial identity and experience in the early 19th century. It's an outstanding piece of research underlining the importance of using a gender history approach to revisit familiar historical events and draws heavily upon the collections of the People's History Museum in Manchester.” Dr Rhoden’s praise was echoed by Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall, Programme Leader for the MA in Social and Cultural History at Bishop Grosseteste University, who shared how the MA programme equips students for advanced historical research: “It has been a privilege to support Simon on his postgraduate journey at the university. Simon's Dissertation is an original contribution to the topic of Peterloo which has undergone a renaissance of interest in the wake of its 200 year anniversary. The MA in Social & Cultural History equips students with enhanced historical research skills, enabling them to conduct independent research and produce high-quality writing. At the undergraduate level, the aspiration is to become a historian, and the MA enables them to fully realise this, becoming an independent historian pushing the frontiers of historical knowledge.” If you’d like to follow in Simon’s footsteps and uncover new adventures on a History course at BGU, visit our website, book onto one of our Open Days or speak to a member of our Enquiries Team. -
BGU number 1 in 'Complete University Guide for History 2024!'
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has been included in rankings for the best universities for History in the UK, including courses on Ancient History, International History, and Modern History. The Complete University Guide helps students around the world research degree courses and universities, with their university league tables and rankings serving as a guide to which university is best for prospective students. Joint with the University of Derby, BGU scored highly in 'student satisfaction' with the ranking including students studying History and Military History! Programme Leader for History Dr W. Jack Rhoden, was extremely pleased to find out the news...'It's great to see our approach to teaching history and supporting our students recognised as exceptional once again. We are experts in small-group delivery and provide a welcoming and supportive environment for our students to thrive in. Our expert lecturers work closely with each other and with the students to develop challenging and interesting modules and assessments and ensure sessions are interactive and responsive to student needs. These results underline that BGU is the perfect place for anyone looking to study history in a personalised and supportive atmosphere.' The full league table for History student satisfaction on The Complete University Guide website can be viewed here. -
Your Opportunity to Help BGU Bring the History of Lincoln’s Female Footballers to Life
Staff and students at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) are excited to be working in partnership with the Lincoln Mystery Plays and the Lady Imps Supporters Association to shed a new light on the fascinating, and sometimes controversial, history of Women’s Football in Lincolnshire. With a legacy dating back over 100 years the Lincoln Ladies, or Lady Imps, are one of the Sport’s most enduring teams, gaining huge popularity during the Great War before an FA ban at the end of the conflict forced them to fight for their survival. As the nation marks the centenary of the end of The Great War, BGU and the Lincoln Mystery Plays Company will be curating an exhibition along with an original play ‘The World at Her Feet’ which they hope will not only bring the extraordinary stories of the trailblazing Lady Imps to light, but also inspire a new generation to follow in their footsteps. The exhibition, which follows BGU’s exploration of Women’s Voting Rights in the county, is to be held at Lincoln Central Library and will be open to the public from the 27th of September whilst ‘The World at Her Feet’ will be on show at the Drill Hall from the 11th of November. Together they will offer a unique viewpoint on a fascinating corner of local and sporting history and you now have the opportunity to be a part of it. The Research team at BGU, led by Dr Andrew Jackson, yesterday launched their appeal to local residents for any stories, photographs and memorabilia they might be willing to share with the exhibition. Speaking to Melvyn Prior on BBC Radio Lincolnshire they encouraged any one with memories or items they would like included in this unique project to contact andrew.jackson@bishopg.ac.uk or ladyimps@mail.com. The Research Team at BGU are dedicated to preserving and championing the history of Lincolnshire and its residents. You can keep up to date with all their activities via our website or, if you would like to get involved yourself, you can contact our Enquiries Team to find out how to start your new adventure. -
Students get hands on with Lincoln’s rich history at annual archaeological dig
Archaeology students at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) have been joined by international colleagues to explore Lincoln’s historical past at the annual BGU Archaeological Field School. Taking place in the grounds of the Lincolnshire Open Research and Innovation Centre, on Newport, the focus of the dig is to find and explore the remains of the medieval marketplace ‘Newport Green’. Some evidence of the site was discovered in the previous year’s dig and Dr Duncan Wright, Programme Leader for Archaeology and Heritage at BGU, explained why they had returned to uncover it further: “This dig is giving us the opportunity to celebrate and explore the historic development of Newport as suburb. In this sense Newport is very unusual and not as well developed as other medieval suburbs however, it has a potentially unique enclosure surrounding the entire community which we’re excited to find more evidence of and hopefully contribute to the growing discipline of suburban archaeology” The team are also hoping to discover more evidence of a collection of Roman buildings on the same site. Over the course of the four week dig around 60 students and volunteers from around the world will come to the site to support the exploration. Two of the BGU students taking part in their first dig are Saskia and Chloe, who discussed their excitement at being able to put their skills to the test: “It’s incredible to be given such an in depth and hands on opportunity in the first year of our course especially on a site that turning up finds from so many different eras, we’re already uncovering Victorian and some medieval archaeology and might only be a few more feet away from Roman finds” Fellow students Sam and Phoebe, on their second and third digs respectively, praised the annual digs for bringing people together: “These digs are a gift, we’re working with students and archaeologists from all over the world, it’s an experience you just wouldn’t be offered anywhere else. We’re not only honing highly employable skills, everything from digging through to processing and curation, we’re making real connections with fellow archaeologists.” One of those international colleagues is Ellie Roach, who has travelled over from America for her third dig with BGU: “I love coming back for the annual field schools at BGU, the supervisors are incredibly knowledgeable and supportive and the sites themselves allow you to explore regions of history that just aren’t accessible in the states. As a classicist, being able to get hands on with Roman and Medieval archaeology has been brilliant” You too can get a first-hand experience of our Archaeological Field School at the annual open day on Saturday 29 June. The site will be open to the public from 10am-4pm and our students and lecturers will be on hand to discuss the site and their finds. To find out how you can get hands on with history at BGU, visit our website, contact our Enquiries Team or join us on one of our Open Days. -
BGU Military History Course Gifted Resources Worth Over £14,000 by Osprey Books
Staff and students on the new BA (Hons) Military History degree at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) are enjoying an exciting range of new resources thanks to a generous donation from Osprey Books. Part of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, Osprey, an Oxford-based company specialising in illustrated military history books, commands an impressive catalogue of published works ranging from ancient warfare to the latest military technology. In total they have donated 1,191 volumes, with the full cost running to £14,500, covering military and aviation history subjects. With titles including Air Campaign Series ‘Battle of Britain 1940’, Command Series ‘Napoleon Bonaparte’ and Elite Series ‘The Persian Army 560-330 BC’ the donation will form an amazingly valuable collection of reference material for Military History students at BGU for years to come. Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall, Programme Leader for Military History at BGU, discussed what students on the course could expect to explore thanks to the donation: “This sizeable and generous donation from Osprey books will provide an invaluable reference resource for students studying Military History at the university. The books provide a global history of warfare focusing on the nature and conduct of war, the role of battle and reform at sea, on land and in the air, as well as the strategic impact of airpower, and major war and battle narratives.” The Military History degree course at BGU explores the county’s rich aviation and military heritage alongside a global coverage of the history of war and its broader impact. If you are interested in joining these discussions, our new BA (Hons) in Military History, which reviews conflict and its relationship with society from the medieval period through to the present day, is the perfect place to start. Visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team for more information.
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