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‘Ideal Candidate’ Academic Appointed as Trustee for Medmenham Collection
Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall, Programme Leader for Military History and the MA in Social and Cultural History at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), has been appointed as a Medmenham Collection Trustee by the Medmenham Association. The Medmenham Association was formed in 1946 from those that worked at RAF Medmenham, the allied photographic intelligence unit, during the Second World War (you can find an overview of activities at RAF Medmenham during the war by clicking here). The Association members formed a museum and archive of photographic intelligence, which was then transferred into a charity, the Medmenham Collection.Women made up half of the workforce at Medmenham, and included Winston Churchill's daughter. Unusual for the time, they were treated as equals, and appointed to roles based on their ability. The majority of trustees for the Medmenham Collection are drawn from serving and retired military intelligence officers. However, the board of trustees felt that the board needed additional expertise outside the military and that an academic with a background in intelligence research would enhance the Board’s expertise. Gp Capt Paul Stewart MBE, PhD, RAF (Retd), speaking on behalf of the collection, explained why they had been keen to appoint Dr Hubbard-Hall to the position: “Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall, who has supervised a PhD on RAF Medmenham and has extensive knowledge of Second World War intelligence studies was considered to be an ideal candidate for a trustee position." For Dr Hubbard-Hall, who specialises in Second World War Intelligence History, the appointment is timely to her endeavours to shine a brighter light on the role and contribution of women in intelligence: “As an intelligence historian specialising in the Second World War period, with a particular focus on women, it has been an honour to be asked.” If you’d like to find out more about uncovering new adventures on a History or Military History course at BGU, visit our website, book onto one of our Open Days or speak to a member of our Enquiries Team. Image credits: Header image - A photographic Interpreter at Danesfield House studies plans and photographs of a BMW factory with the use of a stereoscope. © Medmenham Collection -
War injuries and Skinheads take the stage as BGU students share their prize winning research at history conference
Connie Wragg and Lewis Bird, third year History students at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), presented their research and engaged in discussions at the regional Undergraduate Dissertation Showcase. Run by the East Midlands Centre for History Learning and Teaching (EMC), the Showcase drew speakers from across the East Midlands and encouraged discussions on a very diverse range of historical topics, including the cultural history of milk, female poisoners, and the Black Panther Movement. Both Lewis’ and Connie’s presentations focused on their dissertation specialisms. Lewis examined the politicisation of the Skinhead movement, explaining the group’s multicultural origins before discussing the reasons for their later far right associations, with a particular focus on the role of the media. Connie meanwhile provided an overview of her research on perceptions of maxillofacial injury during the First World War, and the impact that losing their face had on these soldiers’ self-identity. Both presentations were well received, with Connie’s sharing the prize for best presentation of the day with Anya Maude (University of Nottingham) and Kieran Blake (University of Lincoln). Dr Hazel Kent, BGU’s steering group representative for the EMC, accompanied Lewis and Connie to the event and praised the pair for their hard work: “This was a truly inspiring event which demonstrated the depth and range of historical research being done at undergraduate level. Lewis and Connie were superb ambassadors for History at BGU and I am so pleased they took this opportunity to communicate their original and intriguing research to a wider audience. The standard of the presentations was extremely high and I am delighted that Connie’s was judged to be one of the best”. If you would be interested in joining these discussions visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team for more information on our wide range courses including a selection of joint honours BA History degrees, our MA in Social & Cultural History and our new BA (Hons) in Military History. -
Dr W. Jack Rhoden
Programme Leader in Undergraduate HistoryWilfred.rhoden@bishopg.ac.uk I am a historian from Lancashire but crossed the Pennines over 15 years ago. I gained my PhD at the University of Sheffield for my study of ‘Caricatural representations of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, 1848-1871’. I then completed a post-doc based at Chatsworth House before lecturing at the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam and Cardiff University. I am interested in all things nineteenth century, especially French and British political culture, political cartoons, book collecting and more recently the institutional history of Bishop Grosseteste.Related courses: HistoryMilitary HistoryMA in Social & Cultural HistoryArchaeology & HistoryEnglish & HistoryEducation Studies & HistoryHistory & Theology, Philosophy and Ethics -
History of German PoWs in Britain explored in new book by BGU Historian
Alan Malpass, recently appointed Lecturer in Military History at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), has had his book 'British Character and the Treatment of German Prisoners of War, 1939-48' published by Palgrave Macmillan. The book examines attitudes towards German prisoners of war held captive in Britain, drawing on original archival material including newspaper and newsreel content, diaries, sociological surveys and opinion polls, as well as official documentation and the archives of pressure groups and protest movements. Moving beyond conventional assessments of POW treatment which have focused on the development of policy, diplomatic relations, and the experience of the POWs themselves, this study refocuses the debate onto the attitude of the British public towards the standard of treatment of German POWs. In so doing, it reveals that the issue of POW treatment intersected with discussions of state power, human rights, gender relations, civility, and national character. Speaking following publication, Alan discussed what drew him to the study and how it feeds back into the Military History course at BGU: “Having been brought up watching films of British POWs in Germany and the Far East, the captivity of hundreds of thousands of German POWs in Britain instantly interested me when I was told of them having worked on the land collecting in the harvest. If asked about the fate of POWs during WWII, I think most people would immediately think of Steve McQueen attempting to jump the barbed-wire fence on his Triumph motorcycle in The Great Escape and Alex Guinness collapsing on the plunger at the end of The Bridge on the River Kwai. Certainly, I was very surprised when I first learned of the German military cemetery in Cannock Chase and that German POWs were held at a camp just down the road from my parents’ house in Staffordshire during the war. Hopefully the book will help shed further light on this marginalised episode in British memory of the conflict. Given the prominence of Colditz Castle and the Great Escapers in our popular understanding of the Second World War, I wanted to investigate the debates, concerns, and memories the British had concerning the enemy prisoners who were held across the UK in wartime and post-war Britain”. “Prisoners of war might be ‘out of the fight’ when captured, nevertheless their experiences and roles, especially as workers for their captors, are important to consider when studying war and warfare. The history of POWs is as long as that of warfare itself and the codification of international laws to help protect them from abuse is intricately bound up with the development of ethical thought towards conflict. While combat and the ‘face of battle’ are central elements in the study of warfare, our BA (Hons) Military History Course also emphasises the wider social, ethical, and cultural impacts of war and its aftermath”. The BA (Hons) Military History degree course at BGU explores the county’s rich aviation and military heritage, from the medieval period through to the present day, alongside a global coverage of the history of war and its broader impact. If you are interested in joining these discussions, visit our website or contact our Enquiries Team for more information. You can also connect directly with our Military History team on Twitter -
Dr Martin Huggon
Martin Huggon is a Lecturer in Archaeology and Heritage, particularly specialised in field archaeology and medieval archaeology. After spending 5 years in commercial archaeology he gained his PhD at the University of Sheffield, researching the archaeology of medieval hospitals in England and Wales, after which he began teaching archaeology at Bishop Grosseteste from 2017 onwards, initially as a Visiting and then Associate Tutor, before being made a lecturer in 2020. He is also editor of the journal Church Archaeology. His current research interests are focused upon the archaeology of later medieval religion, in particular monasteries, hospitals, friaries, and nunneries. Associated with this is a current research project on the military orders in the British Isles and Ireland, with the aim of carrying out field survey and excavation on sites across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. He is also writing up excavations at Sulgrave Castle, one of the important Five Castle sites from across England. -
Dr Hannah Grenham
Hannah has been a member of staff at Bishop Grosseteste University since 2017, when she joined the Centre for Enhancement in Learning and Teaching (CELT) as a Learning Development Tutor. Since 2021, she has worked as a Senior Lecturer on the Foundation Year programme and also contributes to teaching in the History department. Prior to coming to BGU, Hannah earned an undergraduate MA in English and Modern History and a postgraduate MLitt in Modern History, both from the University of St Andrews. She was awarded her PhD from the University of St Andrews in 2017 for a thesis titled ‘Power to the People: Changing Attitudes to Computer Technology in the United States, 1951-1982’. Hannah is also a Certified Practitioner of Learning Development through ALDinHE and an Associate Fellow of the HEA. Hannah’s research interests are in late modern US history, particularly in the connections between society, culture, and technology. She is also interested in researching the professionalisation of Learning Development and pedagogical practices within Higher Education. Foundation Year Our degrees with an embedded Foundation Year offer the chance to study almost any undergraduate degree at BGU over four years, rather than the traditional three. For more information, visit: bgu.ac.uk/course-types/foundation-year -
Kimberley Edwards
Kimberley joined BGU in February 2023 after being a Head of History and teaching history at a variety of schools across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire for over a decade. Kimberley has worked with a range of different schools and departments, supporting both humanities and history teams through her role as a Specialist Leader in Education. For this role Kimberley specialised in improving teaching and learning within classrooms. Kimberley has also mentored and coached several teaching trainees across her career. Kimberley has also worked as an External Examiner and Team Leader for a large exam board within the UK, ensuring consistency across marking. Kimberley is passionate about history education, especially linking research to classroom-based practice. e: Kimberley.Edwards@bishopg.ac.uk -
Over £420k invested in local archaeological research
Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) has received a grant of more than £427,000 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to invest in the university’s archaeology department. The award was confirmed in a ministerial announcement by Science and Technology Secretary Chloe Smith. The grant is awarded to institutions that seek to upgrade facilities and enhance their capacity to contribute to the UK’s creative and cultural research economy. BGU has used the grant to refurbish teaching rooms and the archaeology laboratory on campus. The university’s Old School House will now host the new open access Lincolnshire Culture Heritage Research (LCHR) Hub. The funding has also enabled the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment to enhance the research capabilities of the department, including a 3D laser scanner and a drone fitted with a LIDAR sensor, which can produce high-resolution maps and 3D models of landscapes and historical buildings. Other new equipment such as a magnetometer and a ground penetrating radar allow archaeologists to “see” into the ground and identify what lies beneath without having to excavate. The equipment will be used at the university's upcoming archaeology field school, which will see excavation of the Haw Hill area of Swanpool in Lincoln, where significant archaeological findings are expected. Dr Derwin Gregory, Archaeology Programme Leader at BGU said: "The AHRC grant has allowed us to significantly enhance our facilities and research capabilities, enabling us to provide our students with a first-class learning experience. “The equipment purchased through this funding will also benefit the wider community of archaeology and history groups, who are encouraged to contact the department and arrange use of this sophisticated equipment for their own projects." The AHRC is the UK's largest funder of research and postgraduate training in the arts and humanities. As part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), it provides funding and support to institutions in the UK. The funding programmes are designed to support research across the full range of arts and humanities subjects. UKRI is investing £103 million to expand and upgrade the UK’s world class research infrastructure, including digital infrastructure. The investments will support the sector and ensure UK researchers have access to the best labs and equipment they need to keep producing world-class science. UKRI International Champion, Professor Christopher Smith, said: “The investments, made across the UK, will provide UK researchers with advanced equipment, facilities and technology, and help maintain the UK’s position as a leader in research and innovation. “This support will ensure the UK is an attractive place for scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs to live, work and innovate.” A full catalogue of equipment available to use can be found here. Dr Derwin Gregory with the Trimble R12 -
Programme Leader of Archaeology and Military History explores the impact of the countryside on armed forces personnel during WW2
In December 2024, Derwin Gregory, had his article accepted into the journal entitled Landscapes. -
Bishop Grosseteste University to Lincoln Bishop University: An exciting new chapter in our proud history
We are pleased to announce that our proposal to change our name to Lincoln Bishop University has been formally approved by the Office for Studies (OfS).
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