Research

Historian | Researcher | Lecturer | Consultant

I am a social and cultural historian of modern Britain, with a particular interest in the histories of young people and youth culture; family history; public & community history; histories of women, gender & sexuality; and oral history. My published work has has primarily focused on histories of youth and youth culture in Britain, exploring the intersections of age, gender, class and race. I have also published on urban poverty and the attempts made by reformers to understand and ‘map’ the slums of the Victorian and Edwardian city, and on reform homes for young women in nineteenth and early twentieth century Britain.

I am an elected fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Image © York Explore Archives

Areas of research expertise include:

Nineteenth and twentieth century British social and cultural history
Histories of young people and youth culture
Oral history, family history and community histories
History of women, sexuality and gender relations
Urban history and social geography
Working-class histories

Collaborative practice

Collaboration is central to my research, teaching, and academic leadership. I am the Associate Director of the Regional History Centre, and as a collaborative public historian, I have worked in partnership with a range of community groups, heritage organisations, and other external partners, including the National Lottery Heritage (NLHF) funded projects ‘This is Your Bristol Life’ with BCfm, and ‘The Story of Yeovil’ with Yeovil Arts Space.