History and Today

Our second year students have an assignment that involves finding out what their lecturers do. It is a surprise perhaps to many that we do a lot more than just stand behind a podium lecturing. I think we should set this assignment in their first term of their first year, so they all realise that we do a lot more than teach. Here's the response I briefly gave via email: Student's question: 1. What is involved in the historical profession? My job involves about 6 different aspects, which I balance with varying levels of competency: a) historical research - working in the archives and libraries to write books and articles - we have to produce at least 4 articles/books every 5 years for the Research Excellence Framework, which decides how much funding universities get according to the quality of their research. During semester time, I try to spend about one day a week in the archives/library, and evenings and weekends writing and doing online research. During the "hol...

Just a quick post showing the first edition OS map of Hulme warped onto modern Manchester. The back to backs have long gone, replaced by the Mancunian Way and carparks, and the University. Hulme, 1848 first ed OS map Hulme today on google earth, view of the Mancunian way junction with Cambridge St This 1831 building at 8 Lower Ormond Street , with its original garden, is one of the few original buildings left in the area, alongside Grosvenor Gardens.The 'Scotch Church [Presbyterian]' drawn in detail next to it no longer survives, but near its place is the modern St. Augustine's RC church.

I've put the copy-edited draft of my first book, Loyalism and Radicalism in Lancashire, 1798-1815 (Oxford UP, 2009) on my academia.edu page - http://www.academia.edu/337780/Loyalism_and_Radicalism_in_Lancashire_1798-1815_OUP_2009_ I'm not doing this out of any position on open access, rather that after over 4 years after publication, most academic libraries have copies and I doubt many people will be prepared to shell out the £79 cover price set by OUP. As it's the draft, it's not as easy to read as the e-book or hard copy, and it doesn't include the illustrations etc.