History, Research and a Sense of Place

York is known for being an historic city and, for those studying the past, the historic environment can be truly inspiring. Second year student Leah Marshall shows just how captivating those surroundings can be, describing here the history all around her while on placement at York Explore.

Recently I had the privilege to partake in a volunteering experience at the city archive, where I had the chance to work in an amazing historical building – York Explore Library – and surround myself with beautiful and iconic historical features of the city of York.

The structure was built in 1927 and is in the heart of York, surrounded by numerous historical sites of the city. The library was dedicated on 23 September, 1927, by the Right Hon the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine C.M.G, Chairman of the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, which contributed £13,200 to the building’s construction. Prior to the construction the library had been housed in what is now known as the York Dungeon on Clifford Street.

The building is surrounded by the very popular Museum Gardens and overlooks the ruins of St Leonard’s Hospital. These remains are amongst York’s oldest architectural ruins, with it being almost 500 years since the Reformation, which saw the hospital destroyed. The ruins of St Leonard’s initially resemble the remnants of an old church, and to some extent, this is accurate. The St Leonard’s hospital was formerly King Athelstan’s St Peter’s Hospital, but it was destroyed in a fire in 1069. King Stephen then reconstructed it in stone and some of these remnants can be found on the library grounds. During excavations, numerous Roman and medieval artefacts and items were discovered, including a Roman oven.

The historical beauty that surrounds the building immerses you into the history of York, making you want to explore it in the detail that the archives can provide. It certainly made me want to study more about York! Volunteering at the archive has allowed me to understand and appreciate some of the amazing historical features of this beautiful city. It has given me the opportunity to be able to research and analyse some of the work that has been produced over time to make the city of York the popular tourist destination it is today.

The building is also on the site of the Multangular Tower. York’s history may be traced back to at least AD 71, when the Roman 9th legion arrived at the strategic meeting point of the rivers Ouse and Foss and erected a fort to defend themselves against hostile inhabitants. The Multangular Tower, which can be seen from the windows of the library, was an important feature of the fortress defence. So, if you come to visit this outstanding historical landmark, make sure to have a look within the archives and research this amazing feature.

Inside the building, as you can see in the photograph above, there is a beautifully depicted story of some crucial historical events that took place in York, named York Panorama. I found this artwork fascinating, especially when looking at the detail it goes into and the magnificent yet emotional story it takes you on when looking at the history of York. This is just one out of many amazing things this building has to offer.

A Community Theatre: Past, Present and Future

For her placement at the Borthwick Archive, second year student Charlotte Pearce explored the collection of the Joseph Rowntree Theatre. Here, she examines the history and importance of the theatre since its foundation in 1935.

For my work placement I helped to process a newly obtained archive from the Joseph Rowntree Theatre. The archive covered all sorts from the opening of the theatre to the present day, including items such as scripts, programmes, letters, posters and newspapers, to name a few.

The Joseph Rowntree Theatre opened 18 November 1935 and was commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Village Trust. It’s a Grade II listed building and is the only Rowntree building left that is still used for its original purpose. Since first opening, the owners have always ensured the theatre was as well-equipped as other theatres. From the early 2000s onwards, many changes have been made to the theatre to ensure that it remains accessible to all. The theatre has undergone multiple renovations, including the refurbishment of the auditorium, upgrading the sound and lighting systems, and the replacement of technical equipment. Whilst adapting it to modern needs, there is always a focus on why it was built and a wish to preserve the best of the past. During these renovations, the community has always come together to help raise the funds needed.

Photograph of the Chocolate Works Magazine from when the theatre opened.

From the beginning, it was decided that the theatre would be in the very heart of the community, as a place of affordable entertainment, and it still is today. The theatre continues to be an integral part of society, providing entertainment and opportunities for volunteers to develop new skills. It is run for the community, by the community.

A 2001 article found in the archive – the theatre ‘continues to epitomise the community spirit so central to Joseph Rowntree’s philosophy’.

The owners believe it is the only standalone community theatre in the country, and perhaps even the world, which was built for the members of the Quaker faith. It presents a variety of shows including local amateur productions, dance, and professional productions. Thirty five groups regularly use the theatre, as well as being used to host different events. The Rowntree Players, a group formed by workers at the chocolate factory, made the theatre their home, and to this day continue to perform there on the same stage their founders did.

A newspaper article on the Rowntree Players.

York actors David Bradley (Harry Potter, Game of Thrones) and Ian Kelsey (Emmerdale, Casualty, Coronation Street) both performed for the Rowntree Youth Theatre, and the pair recently became patrons of the theatre during the 85^th anniversary celebrations. Bradley has spoken about the importance of the theatre, recognising its role as a vital part of the city, and the opportunities it has provided many young people, including himself.

The Rowntree Nestle company pulled out of managing the theatre to focus only on making confectionary. Despite shocking some, the move allowed those who took over freedom to make changes and the theatre is still continuing to thrive over twenty years since this decision.

As a theatre-lover myself, and someone who has performed and volunteered at my own local community theatre, I understand the importance of the opportunities community theatres provide. Seeing how the values of the theatre haven’t changed, despite the changing of the community around it, has been intriguing. It is the only Rowntree building that continues to be used for its original purpose, and it still brings the community together in such a big way.

Scrutinising Layers of History at Explore Archive

The History/American Studies/War Studies YSJ blog is back! To start our new series of student work, we have second year student Layla Kershaw, who has been examining the city’s development in the finest detail during her placement at York Explore and learning much about how York has changed. Here, she highlights some of the exciting work she has been doing in the archive.

Volunteering with the York Explore Library and Archives provided a valuable perspective into the history of York and surrounding areas. This enabled me to understand and appreciate the city in multiple ways after being exposed to a range of materials detailing York’s developments and appeal throughout the years. The placement provided an insight into the role of an archivist while teaching plenty about York’s cultural, civic and communal past. I was fortunate to work with a variety of plans and records, each presenting an additional view of the streets and layers to the city of York.

One type of plan that stood out to me the most were the Goad shopping maps that were handled slightly differently to the rest of the archives we had worked on. These were incredibly detailed maps of York from the 1960s and 70s that were essentially a bird’s eye view of York’s retail and businesses. It was fascinating to see how the city had developed to such extent by the surprising amount of both independent and chain business that are no longer around, as well as the emerging of more modern businesses leading to a commercialised York. The maps perfectly detailed the layers of York and how it has developed economically and technologically. It is clear that the city and surrounding areas have advanced in its industry while modernising the retail and tourist aspects to York

We were provided magnifying glasses to aid us in this activity and gain the most out of the intricate plans and maps, making it an enjoyable experience throughout the voluntary hours. This task, though lengthy, was beneficial to gaining a great knowledge of the city of York, by listing each street, road and avenue from left to right. Each feature of the Goad shopping maps describes the fast change and development to York’s businesses and how it gradually became a popular city for tourists. It is evident in the plans how the city prepared and planned for the attractions and sights that are flourishing today.

The collection of plans aided my experience and knowledge of a career as an archivist further, analysing drawings and photographs as well as the maps. The archives offered a great insight into every aspect of York, such as its rivers, bar walls, bridges and churches, presenting their change and developments over time. Identifying York as a symbol of religion, community, history and industry is clearly indicated throughout the archives I worked on throughout the placement. These documents support York’s position and role as a city involved in trade and tourism, indicating how York has become popular as a tourist spot as it is so rich in history. Working on the architect’s and engineer’s plans with the archives at York Explore made it clear that York has plenty to offer to visitors and its community.

Reflecting on the Value and Nature of Public History

Second-year HCC student Caitlin Finn discusses one of the key themes of the module – the values of public history, particularly in light of remembrance and visual monuments.

Public history surrounds us every day. Nearly every village, town and city have monuments, statues and plaques, as well as museums or heritage sites such as stately homes, castles or ruins, and archaeological sites, some of which may well be passed unnoticed as people go about their day. 

These monuments and places provide us with a clear insight into our history, often giving us the opportunity to remember and commemorate some of the most prominent historical events. For example, the now preserved and protected sites of former Nazi Concentration Camps, such as Auschwitz in Poland, remind and inform us of the horrors of The Holocaust, giving the victims the chance to have their story told and ensuring that the world will remember them and learn from this terrible time. Examples of public history such as this keep us in touch with important events from the past regardless of how uncomfortable that may make us feel.

Ground Zero, New York

Another example of public history is Ground Zero. Following the 9/11 attacks, the former site of the World Trade Centre became one of the world’s most famous memorials: “a cemetery in effect”. After the attacks, the area was deliberately not redeveloped and instead left cleared, with just the original tower foundation footings the only remaining parts of the original structure, left as a memorial to the victims. In spirit, the site now it belongs to the people of New York and all the people of the world who were affected on that day, and it exists as a constant reminder to the public of the deadliest terrorist attack to date of the 21st century. 

More recently, the Bristol monument of Edward Colston was toppled, pulled, and defaced from its plinth and thrown into Bristol Harbour by demonstrators supporting the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Regarded by some as vandalism, the protesters justified their actions, highlighting Colston’s involvement in the slave trade, that trade that made him a rich man. Public support the protesters received was overwhelming, clearly a reflection of the ethics and beliefs of people today, in stark contrast to the time, in 1895, when Colston was considered deserving of a public monument in his honour. Colston’s now infamous statue recently became the subject of a public survey to discover where people felt it should be kept, following its recovery from the Bristol Channel. Some believe it should become a museum piece, displayed as a reminder of and memorial to all those so cruelly enslaved and an acknowledgement of our nation’s complicity in the Slave Trade. People are happy to own and admit to mistakes and misdemeanours of the past as long as those mistakes are acknowledged today and can be used for human growth and improvement and as evidence that society has changed. 

The story of what happened to Colston’s statue is more significant and important than Colston could ever have been. His status as a slave trader and the destruction of his statue is now the story that defines him. It is another story that exemplifies the evolutionary nature of public history. It cannot be denied that history is unchangeable, but it is human nature to question and challenge interpretation and opinion from the past. Public history gives us the tools we need to engage with the past. 

Further reading list:

Burch-Brown, Joanna M., The Colston Statue: What Next? (2021),<https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/the-colston-statue-what-next&gt; [accessed 15 January 2022] 

Silverman, Helaine, ‘Learning from Ground Zero: The Presence of Absence at Two Sites of Destruction’, The Future of the Bamiyan Buddha Statues (2020), pp.187-201, <https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-51316-0_12#citeas&gt; [accessed 18 January 2022] 

To Preserve Authenticity, The Conservation of Two Blocks at the Former KL Auschwitz I, (Oświęcimiu, Poland: Państwowe Museum, 2013) 

Working with Careers for a bright future

As part of our History, Community and Culture module, second-year students work closely with our brilliant Careers team to enhance their employability. Here, Kian Salmon reflects on the experience.

Week 2 of History, Community and Culture was very enlightening as a presentation into the value of self awareness both to employers and to yourself, in particular the section on self-awareness mind mapping. This was exceptionally useful in forming a skills section of my CV, with the ability to really break down what skills and abilities my previous employment and projects in education have given me.

The goals section of the presentation has aided me in setting myself achievable goals in the present which will aid me in the less immediate goals in the near and far futures. The ability to set short term and easier goals makes working towards a future career feel a lot more do-able rather than a distance and unlikely goal. Therefore, it promotes a more active approach towards goals of all size and distances.

The work sheets handed out during week three’s seminar were very informative in identifying the areas needed to work on to increase our employability, enhance the way we reflect on both our positives and negatives, and was a general good insight into what needs to be improved and/or changed. The slide on anti-values in the presentation was a particularly good way to evaluate both things I would need to work around in a work place and a way to evaluate what work place matters and responsibilities I would avoid. This is useful because it helps determine which jobs are most suitable for me and helps filter out which jobs would not fit me, overall a massive aid in determining which career path would be the best for me post-graduation.

To build off of the previous point, the FLOURISH acronym aided the values and anti-values slides in determining what works and what doesn’t. It made me think about travel to a work place, it made me think about my flexibility in a few aspects, such as would I move for the job, what kind of pay would influence me to do so, as well as what energises me during the work or study experiences, directing me to use that more to get the most out of the work I take.

One of the most useful parts of the presentation was the promotion of looking at what I could do with my degree. I very much thought there was little to do with a history degree outside of things such as teaching and planned to take any job that simply requires a degree; this made me reconsider that attitude towards work.

Though the content did not help much in regards to a placement (though this was very much out of the hands any careers advice or presentations) it very much helped out in the grander scheme of larger goals post-graduation, the presentation and materials we used during were informative and helpful in expanding self-perceptions both in helping identify the employable qualities and skills we have as well as the ones we may want to develop. 

Independence and interest: Improving skills and learning with the Yorkshire Film Archive

Second-year student Kama Clifford reflects here on their placement with the Yorkshire Film Archive, and what it’s brought to their skills as a researcher and historian.

My placement at the Yorkshire Film Archives has taught me a lot about myself, my work and, of course, the archives themselves. I’ve found it to be a brilliant opportunity that’s given me insight into my future. But I have three favourite things about my placement.

Firstly, the independence of it all. I’m a very independent person so being able to choose what film I contextualised, and just the general lack of pressure from the archive has been brilliant. The archive leaves you to it and that’s the best part; you feel like it’s all yours and like you aren’t being babysat. Of course, they’re always there if you have a question or need some direction, but the overall independence of the placement has been amazing.

Secondly, I’ve learnt so much from the archives. As a part of their People and Nature collection I watched some films on the relationships between people and nature, I then realised how much humanity views nature as a commodity; from animal testing to zoos and even to agricultural shows. Humanity views nature as something to monetise and this can be seen through the films and the entire collection the archives hold.

Lastly, the placement has helped me refine my research skills. At the beginning of placement my notes on the films were very long and I was finding it difficult to decide what information was important and relevant. However, throughout the course of the placement I began to find my way and realised how to find the most important and relevant information on what I was researching. This is going to be a big blessing when it comes to assignments in the future as I will be able to take what I’ve learnt and reuse it again and again. I also particularly enjoyed bringing the information up to date, for example, if I was writing about the first National Food Kitchen in York, I would discuss the context behind why it was set up and at the end of the context I brought it up to date by discussing the increase in food banks over the last ten years. 

This placement has also helped me learn lots about the archival and film industry, for example our introductory session taught us how film began and how the technology developed over the years, by showing us old films and the technology used. Another part of our introduction was a tour and explanation of the archives, we were shown the vaults in which the films are stored, and we were given an explanation of the formation of the archives. 

A fascinating public exhibition from the National Railway Museum archives

As part of our ongoing series about work placements and public history, second-year HCC student Jack Leather reflects on one of his favourite memories of his time with the National Railway Museum.

During my time on placement at the National Railway Museum there was one exhibit on display that continually caught my attention and has made me interested about the First World War from a different angle I had not considered before. This exhibit was about hospital trains and their usage throughout the First World War in transporting soldiers all across Britain when they had to come home for treatment. 

I found the exhibit fascinating. Firstly, in the respect of what I was able to learn about ambulance trains. Secondly, now with the knowledge of how much work goes into maintaining archives, I have been able to gain such a level of respect for the industry in how the museum was able to put together such a thought-provoking exhibit. 

The exhibit itself consisted of a train carriage which had been re-purposed by the team at the museum to look and show to visitors what an ambulance train during the First World War was like, this ultimately made the exhibit immersive and full credit has to go to the team at the museum for creating such an authentic carriage. Also, on the walls surrounding the carriage was a range of statistics, diary entries, letters, etc. These all helped to explain the importance of ambulance trains during the First World War, not just on a scale in numbers, but also at a personal level with diary entries showing how greatly some soldiers appreciated the treatment they received whilst aboard these trains. 

Whilst my placement was solely focused on working in the archives at the museum, I still got a chance to take in everything the museum does and to appreciate how much work goes into each and everyone of their displays. Without the work of archives and museums I don’t believe that I would have been able to find out about such interesting parts of history that I would never have considered before. Personally, I have always been interested in the First World War but this sort of exhibit has allowed me to be able to learn more about the impact of the war at home and on a personal level through the soldiers and their experiences. 

What interests me even more is knowing that there are so many more parts of history that most people are probably unaware of, such as the ambulance trains, that are just waiting to be uncovered. This thought is something that ultimately drives me in why I enjoy history so much, the thought of finding out something completely unseen before and being the first person to do so. In my opinion, I fell that is what makes working in history so fascinating. 

Unfortunately, the exhibit was taken down during my last week on placement at the museum but I am sure I will be going back at some point to visit and learn about whichever part of history they choose to uncover next. 

Challenges to the Education System in 2021-2022

As part of our History, Community and Culture module, second-year students are encouraged to reflect on the current issues facing their prospective career sectors and industries. Here, William Cox writes a think piece about the challenges facing the education system.

I have been doing research on the education sector as this is a possible area of work that I may pursue after university. One piece of research that I came across is the challenges that the education sector is facing at this current moment in time.

One problem being Covid-19; this has impacted teachers and students alike in the last 2 years whether this be at primary school level or university level. One of the main problems being that all teaching has been online at some point in the last 2 years, so that the teacher-student relationship has been strained as students have been forced to attend school from their homes. This creates the problem of some students not having access to the internet or the technology needed to engage in online lesson which means that they are not getting the full education that they need. Another challenge Covid-19 has bought is that there is a lack of interaction between teacher and student which will affect a student’s learning as they do not get the same support as they would do if they could go and see their teacher in school to ask about problems.

Another challenge the education sector is facing is that post-graduate university students are finding it harder to find jobs in the specific area that they want to go into. This is leading to more students deciding to take apprenticeships. This would mean that they are learning on the job whilst getting paid without picking up any loans to pay back, leading to apprenticeships becoming more favourable and leading to certain sectors of work lacking staff such as doctors, teachers etc.

Another issue that the education sector is facing is that the government keep cutting the budget to the education sector. This is leading to schools becoming underfunded leading to either not enough learning resources for students or schools being forced to downsize their staff. This has led to teachers taking on further responsibilities adding to their ever-growing workload which intern would make going into teaching look less appeasing. This shortage of staff alongside an ever-growing student population is causing a real issue and outcry for more teachers.

Another challenge the education sector is facing is the lack of qualified teachers for subjects such as maths, English etc are being enticed into jobs that offer more money. The lack of access to technology is also a problem as students are having to share computers to do work and teachers are asking for more training to get the full use out of the technology available to them. This has been an issue due to budget cuts by the government in recent years and the affect that Covid-19 has had on the economy. It is hard for the government to give schools more money to update theIR technology, this causes students to be at a disadvantage using out of date technology which could be unreliable or not up to the standard of technology that you would find at the workplace. 

The Anglian Tower and its Excavation: Research at York Explore

Eva Barker, one of our second-year HCC students, writes here with Dr Julie-Ann Vickers about their research at York Explore.

The site around York Library has a dense history, many of the buildings previously on this site still have visible remnants today, including the Mint Yard, St Leonard’s Hospital’s crypt and chapel, the Multangular Tower, the Church of St Maurice, and the Anglian Tower. 

The latter being the subject of my interest when I came across its excavation documents in York Explore Archive inside the library. While its construction date is under debate, likely around the mid-7th Century to the mid-9th Century, its historical significance is not under debate, it is the only remaining Anglo-Saxon structure in the country that does not have ecclesiastical ties. 

Although only the ground floor remains, it gives a very impressive representation of contemporary construction skills, with some of its walls being as thin as two inches, and the height reaching 3 metres. The two entrances on the ground floor suggest that it was designed for a sentry to walk along the base of the City Walls. 

The site was left undiscovered after the 866AD Viking invasion, only found in 1839 by workmen tunnelling from St Leonard’s Place to the Mint Yard. The excavation of the Tower 

only began in 1970 by digging into the banks behind the City Walls, the archaeologists discovered several layers of defensive banks from the Medieval, Norman, Dark Age, and Roman periods. For many years the location had a plaque commemorating the lead archaeologist on the excavation, Jeffery Radley, who unfortunately died in an accident on site. The team managed an incredible accomplishment and dug a total of 30 feet from the original bank level to 15 feet below the modern-day street level of King’s Manor Lane. The different bank levels are now labelled for the public, but as anyone who has tried to visit the site will know, what is physically observable from the lower and upper paths is severely limited. 

The council currently has plans underway to make the pathways more accessible, this is a very important feat as consequently it will make York’s history more accessible. The current City Archaeologist, Claire MacRae, helpfully explained that while the main goal of the City of York Council is to improve accessibility around the Anglian Tower, they will also be making efforts to conserve the Tower and surrounding walls. 

This should also improve the ease of admittance to the many guided tours that go through this area of the City Walls, helping the public actually observe York’s deep history first-hand. 

Accessibility is an objective every historian should have, and the archives are a great place to begin any research on the Tower as they hold a myriad of documents about the initial excavation. A majority of the excavation documents were drawn out by P.D. Little, and D.R. Henderson and the photographs shown here should provide you with a glimpse into the archives. Though I should point out that nothing compares to seeing these documents in-person, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of the library’s resources. 

The Nature and Value of Public History

Jamie Martin, one of our second-year HCC students, is next in our series of student blogs, writing a think piece about the nature and value of public history.

Public history is, by definition, the application of history outside of an academic angle. Examples of public history include local buildings, monuments and artefacts. It’s applications in society include, building preservations, museum curating and archival work. 

The nature of public history is not quite as complicated as some may think. The focus on public history is for the general public rather than any one subject. Through the use of historical methods and professional standards, public history places an emphasis on the use of historical knowledge beyond academic purposes and ultimately aims to deepen and strengthen the publics connection and relationship to the past. 

The US based National Council of Public History defined public history as “a movement, methodology and approach that promotes the collaborative study and practice of history; it’s practitioners embrace a mission to make their special insights accessible and useful to the public.” 

However, it is worth mentioning that this isn’t the only definition of public history, very much the topic itself is open to vast interpretation. For example, the historian Peter Novick has argued that much of what is referred to as public history could be determined as different things, for example ‘private history’ when referring to archives or the records of institutions. Simply put, the nature of public history is open to interpretation, though this does not necessarily mean that its importance is any lesser. 

“Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it” is a quote you’ve probably heard before, and I would argue that its application to public history is extremely important. People’s knowledge of the past is important. It allows to remember how things where and how things have changed, in this day and age it’s easy to remember the ‘good old days’, points of interest and importance of the past that we remember lovingly and fondly. However, it’s also important that we remember the issues and the problems of the time, some of these problems have long lasting effects that still affect us to this day.

It’s easy to assume that the issue then must have been solved by now, and more often than not it has, but that doesn’t mean the aftershocks aren’t felt by particular groups or certain groups still haven’t fully grasped the enormity that the problem represented. Public history allows us to see how things have changed, improved or gotten worse, and what we need to do to improve not only society but ourselves. There are many uncomfortable and often upsetting aspects of our history many would argue we could or should ignore or at the very least not place any emphasis on, through public history we can not only come to terms with murky pasts and uncomfortable truths but aspire to move beyond them and to transform our history into something truly worth praising, teaching and remembering.