'New Approaches to the North' Colloquium Success

New Approaches to the North: A Colloquium in Memory of Gordon Foster', held at the University of Leeds, was well-attended and successfully showcased new research.

New Approaches to the North: A Colloquium in Memory of Gordon Foster

This colloquium commemorated Gordon Foster, the founding Editor of the academic journal Northern History, established in 1966 in the School of History at the University of Leeds. The journal publishes scholarly work on the history of the seven historic Northern counties of England: Cheshire, Cumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland, Westmorland, and Yorkshire. As a refereed journal published by Routledge, it continues to attract articles on Northern subjects from historians in many parts of the world. The journal can be viewed here.

Vanessa Wright, IMS PhD student and Editorial Assistant of Northern History, helped organise the colloquium.

Programme

The colloquium was held on 29 September 2018 at the University of Leeds in the Michael Sadler Building, and showcased new research on the history of the North, drawing attention to new findings and approaches. The wide range of topics and historical periods, from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, reflected Foster's wide-ranging interests. The finalised programme is as follows:

9:30. Registration.
10:00. Welcome.
10:15-11:15. Panel One, moderated by Julia Barrow (University of Leeds). 'Archbishop Walter de Gray, Governor in the North (1215-55)', presented by Sethina Watson (University of York), and 'Canons and Pastoral Care in Medieval Yorkshire?', presented by Michael Spence (University of Leeds).
11:15-11:45. Break.
11:45-13:15. Panel Two, moderated by Stephen Alford (University of Leeds). 'History Meets Archaeology: St Helen's Chapel, Malham, Revisited', presented by Victoria Spence (University of Leeds), 'The Politics of Military Warfare in Civil-War Yorkshire', presented by Andrew Hopper (University of Leicester), and 'Electing Clergy in Eighteenth-Century Yorkshire', presented by Richard Hoyle (University of Reading).
13:15-14:15. Lunch.
14:15-15:15. Panel Three, moderated by Simon Green (Northern History editor, University of Leeds). 'Poor Relief Administration in the 1840s, and its Effect on the Poor: the Carlton Gilbert Incorporation, and Holbeck, Leeds', presented by Graham Rawson (University of Leeds), and '"They don't open t'oven for one loaf!": Looking for Working-Class Women's (Sexual) Agency in Yorkshire, c. 1900-1940', presented by Claire Martin (Independent Researcher).
15:15. Closing Remarks.

Fifty-three people attended the colloquium, including members of Gordon Foster's family, his colleagues, past students, and friends. In addition to discussion about the innovative research papers, participants also discussed memories of Foster himself.