About
I am a Principle Teaching Fellow of Modern British History at the University of Southampton. My teaching focuses on cultural history, including the development of art and architecture, and topics relating to London, the country house, the Great Exhibition and shopping. My current research is focused on the antique object and how it has been consumed in the twentieth century, the role played by dealers, collectors and museums.
Research
Research interests
- The history of shopping
- The reception, collection and display of cultural artefacts with particular reference to period rooms and the Country House
- The decorative art and antiques market. Art and architectural history and theory The role of women in furniture design, manufacture and consumption in the eighteenth century
Current research
Funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) has enabled me to work with colleagues from the University of Leeds to undertake ground-breaking research into the antiques trade in Britain in the twentieth century.
I retain my interest in educational development, specifically in skills acquisition and enhancement. Recent research projects have focussed on the role of alumni in promoting employability, funded by the Higher Education Academy individual teaching grants scheme, and an exploration of skills self-assessment for first year PhD students, funded by a Fellowship from the Open University. Internal funding has enabled me to work with the University's careers service, Careers and Employability Services, to establish a student consultancy scheme for the University.
Research projects
Completed projects
Publications
Teaching
Module Convenor:
- HIST1147: The Real Downton Abbey
- HIST2100: Retail Therapy
- HIST2086: Building London 1666 – 2012
- HIST3225: The Great Exhibition, special subject part one
- HIST3226: The Great Exhibition, special subject part two
- HIST3242: Reading Histories
- HIST3021: History Dissertation
- HIST3210: Ancient History Dissertation
Areas where I can offer postgraduate supervision:
Eighteenth century British cultural history; the history and development of the English Country House; the architecture and history of London; antique dealers and collectors; the decorative art market and the consumption and display of decorative art objects.
Biography
I have a background in decorative art, undertaking my PhD on Gillows, a furniture-making firm working in Lancaster and London during the eighteenth-century, with support from an Archival Studentship, here at Southampton.
My interest in antique furniture has since developed from exploring its production to considering its display and, latterly, how it is marketed and sold. This interest informs my teaching which includes, among other subjects, the history of shopping and the country house.
I am currently completing a project which follows on from my research into antique dealers. This project aims to highlight the involvement of antique dealers in building our national collections, working with museums and galleries including the V&A and the Ashmolean.
In past roles I have worked for the Faculty and the University in the areas of Employability and Postgraduate Research training and support. In recognition of my work in the field of educational development, I have been awarded a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy