I’m really happy we’ve had so much success with the Historian in Semester 1. With the launch of our website and various improvements in all departments, we’re now able to focus on new and exciting projects for Semester 2. I’m very pleased to announce the launch of Our Histories which is our aim to get the History department to compile an archive of their own personal histories. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to leave behind for future generations and may even someday be the source for a future History students’ dissertation! I want to thank all the members of staff and writers who have contributed to this issue. It’s sad to think there are only a few more months before we have to handover the paper, but I’m sure the final issues will reflect just how far the paper has come along! Ata Rahman Welcome to our first issue of the 2013. I know that the start of the year seems a long time ago now. I hope you feel that you have achieved a lot since then: exams sat, new courses started, results back. We are well into the hard slog part of the year, what with the plod-plod-plod of dissertations, long essays and the grind of a wintry term well underway. But fear not! For the Manchester Historian is here to brighten your day: to bring a smile to the most sullen face and a twinkle to the most down-turned eye. We have got something for everyone. Join our debate on Richard III, buff up on horsemeat and other food adulteration horror stories, follow in the footsteps of our most adventurous alumni, or take a stand on gay marriage or women on the front line. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us with your opinion. Charlie Bush Editors Ata Rahman Charlie Bush Cover Design Head of Advertising Head of Marketing Head of Layout Head of Copy-Editing
Tom Eccles Gemma Newton Sinead Doherty Becky Stevens Aditya Iyer
Copy-Editing Team Feargal Logue Jessie Brener Amy Garnett Sigourney Fox Eve Commander Layout Team Charlotte Johnson Advertising Team Bethany Gent Michael Cass Catherine Macleod-Adams Marketing Team Rebecca Hennel-Smith Kate Blaxill Leah Crowther Page 2
MASTERS AT MANCHESTER? BRITISH RAIL HS2 AND THE VICTORIANS HALF A CENTURY OF CHAOS AND DECLINE AFRICA IN CRISIS MALI: A COUNTRY IN NEED OF A HOLISTIC SOLUTION AL-QAEDA IN NORTH AFRICA SOMALIA’S UNCERTAIN STEPS GAY RIGHTS AND THE END OF HISTORY NO PLACE FOR A WOMAN? Debate Richard III HORSE HARDLY NOUVELLE CUISINE MANCHESTERS HIDDEN GEM WINSTANLEY HALL AND OUR DECAYING HERITAGE Interview: Dr. Sarah Roddy ANCIENT WORLDS REVIVED WHO WERE THE PALS? REVIEW: ACCRINGTON PALS POMERANZ VISITS MANCHESTER HISTORY TEACHERS ON THE SILVER SCREEN OUR HISTORIES ANNOUNCEMENT SOCIETY: PRAGUE EVENTS www.manchesterhistorian.com
Issue 7, February 2013
Masters at Manchester? Why the UK is a good place for postgraduate study.
The UK’s higher education institutions play host to both UK citizens and international students. According to www.universitiesuk.ac.uk there are 165 higher education institutions in the UK, many of which are world-class universities. The wealth of resources available across the UK, the funding opportunities offered and the quality of education and intensity of courses make the UK an ideal place for postgraduate study.
demic, private, and government institutions across the UK, the network of resources available to postgraduate students is extensive in all subject areas. The quality of education available in the UK also makes it an ideal place to study. Besides the intensity of UK courses, there are options available to fit different kinds of lifestyles and students. The University of Manchester offers both full-time and part-time programmes for postgraduates allowing students to fit their studies around employment, internships and a variety of other non-academic activities. Postgraduate students across the UK can also benefit from a wide range of funding opportunities including bursaries offered by a number of Research Councils, internal bursaries awarded within the universities or private funds obtainable through a number of individual organisations.
The resources available to students in the UK are extensive and many are linked through a series of electronic databases. Copac, based at the University of Manchester, is a united database featuring over 70 UK and Irish academic, national, and specialist library catalogues. It allows students to electronically access books and other materials from all over the country as well as having research materials delivered to their own place of study through the inter-library loan system. However, a downside for international students is the restrictions for post-degree work. Despite UK In addition to the electronic databases, universi- higher education institutions being home to over ty and national libraries are accessible for archi- 150,000 non-EU students, the policies and restricval and manuscript research including Manches- tions regarding international students staying in ter University’s John Rylands Library, Deansgate, the UK after earning their degree are inconsistent which is home to over a million manuscripts and and are made even more difficult by differing term archival items. Other UK institutions house criti- and graduation times. Previous immigration and cal collections, such as the Mass Observation ar- visa categories directed at international students chive at the University of Sussex. Non-academic who have earned their degree at a UK institution organisations also allow students access to their have been closed making it very difficult for those collections. The Imperial War Museum’s collec- students to stay and work in the UK after graduations are available for use online and at their re- tion. While the reason behind the closed categories source centre in London. With access to thousands is the sheer number of international students who of museums, libraries and archives including aca- study in the UK and the concern of those students taking jobs away from UK and EU citizens, there is a need for some policy changes which make the current regulations more adaptable to different term and graduation dates for international students. Sarah Setter and Holly Dewsnip
@TheMcrHistorian
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HS2
HS2 phase 2 is the highspeedtrain line that will connect Manchester and Leeds to Birmingham and on to London. Promoted as an attempt to bring ‘the UK’s Victorian railway infrastructure dramatically into the 21st Century,’ the Government expects to spend billions in a plan set to transform North-South transport infrastructure, encourage business, boost employment and relieve the strain on the creaking network. For every pound spent on HS2, there would be a £4 benefit compared to conventional lines, the Secretary of State told Parliament. Whether HS2 will be a success is not for us to say: at the Man-
AND THE
VICTORIANS
It brought crucial changes to how businesses worked and companies’ legal status. Railway companies were the first to have their own legal identity by incorporation. Their limited liability laws also meant they were among the first businesses to attract ‘normal’ middle-class investors. Meaning individuals only risked their own, original sum of money rather than everything they owned, lots of people chose to invest small amounts in railway companies. These fundamental changes have a legacy in modern businesses and capitalisation. Both then and now railway schemes re ceive criticism. As with any infrastructure project, HS2 has stirred up a certain amount of NIMBYism from people who support the general idea of high-speed rail but don’t want it hurtling past their front door. This occurred in the 19th Century. However, significantly, many civic leaders in towns up and down the country recognised the huge benefit that being connected to the railway network would bring to their communities. Petitions to Parliament and the Board of Trade showed great competition between towns to ensure that they weren’t left behind by progress.
chester Historian we prefer totake the long view. This is the most significant, indeed the only, major domestic railway infrastructure project for fifty years. The closures of Beeching Cuts shut down 33% of railway route miles in the 1960s and, since the 19th Century, there has been very little railway building. The ‘Golden Age’ of British Railways steams straight through the Victorian period when ‘Railway Mania’ transformed the physical, legal and corporate landscape of Britain. This new infrastructure pro foundly challenged the status quo in many different spheres. Enabling goods to be transported more cheaply and faster, it also gave opportunities for the less privileged to travel for work and leisure. Page 4
Victorian railway building provides a good example of how HS2 can bring innovation and transformation. However, the main difference is that for Victorians railways were the future; for us they represent the past. Although many projects were spectacularly ill-judged, monumentally over-budget and downright dangerous they also were the vanguard of progress. In the digital era where relatives can ‘face-time’ each other on their phones and meetings can be conducted over the internet, building railways seems like a throwback. Of course, the other monumental difference between then and now is that HS2 is a government project, funded by the taxpayer and not a private endeavour, funded by private investment. Charlie Bush
www.manchesterhistorian.com
Issue 7, February 2013 Railways are seemingly always present in the headlines. A consistently contested issue, the Guardian’s Seamus Milne is one of many who view rail as “a gigantic scam for siphoning off public money”, but what brought us to this point? To commuters, the private railways are not the concern of the government, nor do they have their hand in the public purse. The truth, however, is a little different. Since the inception of the railway in Britain, the companies that owned, operated and built them have worked in co-operation with the government of the day. The first intercity railway was the Manchester to Liverpool line, built in 1826. In order to link these hubs of northern industry, a contract was granted by the House of Commons and construc-
tion was carried out by private investors. From then until the eve of World War I, private companies laid down over 20,000 miles of track across Britain. The variety of different operators gave the passenger greater flexibility and choice, and the government had little need to exercise influence in this period. In the aftermath of the war, the government didn’t have the time or resources to run an efficient network. Subsequently, it was divided up into the “big four” and as a result, the London, Midland and Scotland Railway Company became the largest stock held company in the Empire. The railway network wasn’t a nationalised institution, but it was a national institution and to the government a tool of national pride. Private initiative and competition
British Railway:
Half a Century of Chaos and Decline continued to furnish the government’s requirement of British railways being the global standard. However, this situation wouldn’t last, as the consequences of the war once again brought about the nationalisation of the industry. The post-war rail network was in chaos and the government took total control. Nationalisation was completed in 1948, with British Rail as a board being formed in 1967. Unlike other European countries, British post war governments did not invest reparations money into the network, believing that roads were the future. This lack of investment created an uneven situation; some parts were profitable and others became composed of creaking stock and old track making British Rail untenable. The election of the Conservative government in 1979 paved the road once again for privatisation. During the 17 years of government British Rail was carved up and sold off bit by bit, although the actual railroad network was brought back under government control after the Hatfield crash. Given that operating franchises are doled out by the government, attracting varying levels of tax funded subsidy and courting controversy, it seems possible that renationalisation could occur again. Alex Gradwell-Spencer @TheMcrHistorian
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Africa in Crisis:
Mali: a Country in Need of a Holistic Solution
A casual observer of the recent conflict in Mali could be forgiven for thinking it is a simple battle between the government and armed Islamist insurgents. This is, of course, a simplification bolstered by a media which has only found this conflict newsworthy within the past couple of months. In fact war has been raging in Mali for over a year now. In January 2012 a secular secessionist group called the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) started fighting for territory in Northern Mali. This was a fresh attempt by the predominantly nomadic Tuareg people, who constitute the greater part of the MNLA, to gain independence from Mali for the region in which they reside along with fellow Saharan nomads. Calls for independence in Azawad have been present since Mali’s independence in 1960, and it is undoubtedly an issue that will remain long after French forces have left Timbuktu. Yet the conflict in Mali only merited serious international attention when Islamist groups such as Ansar Dine hijacked the MNLA’s success. Unlike the secular independence movement, these groups with apparent links to al-Qaeda openly propose to impose sharia law within Mali’s current borders; something that Mali’s 90% Muslim population has chosen not to do within its existing democratic institutions.
Credited to Wikimedia
paternalistic ideology imbedded within the recent French offensive, will have many reeling. Sceptics of Western intervention have cited the example of Somalia, whose civil war has raged intermittently since 1991, as a clear case of their utter failure and inability to uphold this aforementioned global concern. However, whilst American-led forces withdrew in 1995 after failing to facilitate any shadow of political stability, the comparison is ill fitting; the force in Somali had operated independently amongst unrecognised militias, Amnesty International’s recent reports of gang rape, whereas in Mali it is working to support a recognised summary execution and the use of child soldiers by Angovernment that is headed by an elected law maker. sar Dine during the period over the past year in which However the lazy journalistic expression that they de facto controlled northern Mali would seem to has characterised this conflict, ‘democratjustify the weightiness of the international response. ic success story’, should be scrutinised deeply. Yet that response is revealing in a world where globalism has purported to succeed colonialism. A UN Yes, Mali is an established democratic state, yet resolution in December approved an African-led its economic and social story is as pertinent an isforce to support Mali’s army over the coming year. sue as the current conflict. It has the second highest Yet it was French forces (Mali’s former colonial-masbirth rate in the world, and the second highest inters), not a UN force, which spearheaded internationfant mortality rate – trailing only Afghanistan. As al intervention on 11 January. The impetus for this recently articulated by Kofi Annan in the Guardian, was the capture by Islamists of the strategic town of a holistic outlook is needed in the approach to West Konna the previous day. While the immediate danger Africa’s problems; with an overarching realisation indeed demonstrated a need for a hasty response, it that security, economic and cultural issues are inis clear that the UN was incapable of providing one. extricably linked with one another crucial to delivYet the symbolism is important; the inability of ering sustainable stability to the troubled region. the UN to demonstrate an effective spirit of global concern for human rights, coupled with the Kieran Smith
Issue 7, February 2013
Al-Qaeada in North Africa
es and tourists in North Africa. The biggest, most recent militant action was in northern Mali where they captured Timbuktu and this has already been mostly dealt with by French military forces. Actually al-Qaeda’s presence in the Sahara has had its main impact on an international level. By creating a climate of fear, it has damaged countries like algeria and Mali’s relations with the rest of the world. In Algeria, for example, the export of natural gas counts for 70% of the economy and, if confidence in security drops, it would spell disaster for the regime.
When we say ‘al-Qaeda’, most people think of 9/11, the 2004 Madrid bombings and the attacks of 7/7. Less people know of their effect in the Maghreb region. However, since 2002 there has been a significant amount of activity attributed to the Islamic militant group here, the most recent being their attack on the Amenas gas plant in which over 800 workers were held hostage and 48 were killed. Although this is one of their most high-pro- It is an issue that will remain a serious problem in the file, it isn’t their first attack: so how much of an is- region as long as al-Qaeda and its various splinter sue is the presence of al-Qaeda in Saharan Africa? groups and affiliations have influence there. Like Afghanistan and Iraq, there is no simple solution to the Arguably they have not had a significant effect on problem and, if left unchecked, there will continue to be the local population of the Maghreb. Over the last serious ramifications both locally and internationally. ten years their endeavours to create an Islamic Tom Oliver state in a secularised and militarised Algeria have only seriously affected those in the security forc
Somalia’s Uncertain Steps Speaking in London in February, Somalia’s newly elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud noted that his victory marked “the first time in recent Somali history that a leadership that has not practiced violence has come to power”. He heads the first Somali government to be recognised by the USA in over twenty years, a breakthrough which is predicted to encourage an increase in international aid for the famine-stricken country which up till now has been in a state of anarchy and unrest. Foreign aid for Somalia declined in the wake of the expulsion of US-supported UNOSOM troops in 1995, after two American helicopters were shot down (inspiring the book and film Black Hawk Down) and eighteen American soldiers died in the Battle of Mogadishu.The roots of Somalia’s war stretch back to the late 1980s, when the then President, military dictator Siad Barre, was overthrown by a coalition of resistance movements with a variety of ideological and clan-based motivations. Barre’s @TheMcrHistorian
initial response to the challenge to his power was to kill 50,000 people and force 650,000 to escape to neighbouring countries as refugees. These would be the first of millions of people killed or displaced as the conflict grew in intensity and complexity. In the 1990s feuding warlords like General Mohamed Farrah Aidid sought to fill the power vacuum left in the capital, Mogadishu. At the same time, northern regions announced their secession from the South in order to form new political entities; the Republic of Somaliland and the Puntland State of Somalia. The Civil War has seen a variety of Islamist groups attempt to seize control. ‘Al-Shabaab’, which is powerful in the southern and central regions and publicly supports al-Quaida, has been the main opposition to the internationally-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG). Between 2009 and 2012, they fought for power over Mogadishu until Al-Shabaab was toppled. Subsequently the current President was elected in September 2012. Mohamud has stressed his dedication to re-establishing peace and political stability in Somalia, and hopefully he can deliver on this promise to provide the region with a measure of stability after a long drought of lawlessness. Christie Fraser Page 7
GAY RIGHTS AND THE END OF HISTORY
An overview of the history of gay rights in Britain (and in nations across the world) could easily be perceived as evidence for Francis Fukuyama’s theories of history having an end point - that homosexual men and women obtain full rights and acceptance in all societies and therefore their story ends. A closer look however reveals quite a different story and an interesting way of looking at the histories of marginalised groups. Though local laws existed against such acts, 1290 marked the first time homosexuality was explicitly punished in British legislation. Over the course of the Plantagenet and Tudor dynasties, successive legislation was implemented including a death penalty for homosexuality and the specific banning of sodomy (both heterosexual and homosexual). Though less is known about the enforcement of these laws, if considering the commonality of practice of homosexuality in the age of the Roman Empire and its – albeit, small – acceptance, it would almost appear that medieval and early modern Britain saw a reverse in progress regarding gay rights. 1861 marked what could be considered the history of modern gay rights, with the repeal of the death penalty of homosexuality and the beginnings of acceptance of the use of the term homosexuality in literature. However, this term itself, which was seldom used prior to Victorian period, placed a direct label on men and women who practiced same-sex relations, which arguably increased the social taboo of the topic. This had widespread ramifications within the British Empire whose consequences can be seen in today’s headlines; this is best exempliPage 8
fied by the controversy over Cameron’s decision to withdraw foreign aid to nations where homosexuality is illegal, many ex-British colonies only having this legislation as a result of British colonial law. The twentieth century has seen the most rapid progress in gay rights with the decriminalising of homosexuality in 1967 in England and Wales (followed over a decade later by Scotland and then Northern Ireland), the equalising of the age of consent at 16 between heterosexual and homosexual sex in 1994 and the enactment of Civil Partnerships for same-sex couples in 2005. Ear lier this month, the same-sex marriage bill was passed in the House of Commons and though it has yet to go through the Lords and has factionalised the Conservative Party, it looks set to be implemented before the next general election. From this analysis, it looks as though homosexuals, like many other marginalised groups in society, were not always marginalised. It was through social change and what Foucault would deem an obsession with sexuality in Victorian Britain that caused the need for progression in gay rights in the first instance. Though more current legislation indicates that the history of gay rights could soon be over, social acceptance of homosexuals continues to waver and given the complexity of the issue, new elements are likely to come to light as marriage enters the locus of historical analysis of homosexuality. Ata Rahman
www.manchesterhistorian.com
No Place for a Woman?
Issue 7, February 2013
Historically the participation of women in warfare as direct combatants has been very rare. Until recently, women have been prohibited from enlisting in the army, and most nations continue to prohibit women from serving as front-line troops. The presence of women on the battlefield has traditionally been consigned to medical and support roles. From the ancient world to the medieval period rarely did a woman bear arms; warfare was seen as being the sole domain and heritage of Men. Credited to Malindine E G. However, as humanity approached the 20th century far more women took up arms than ever before. socialist ideals. 100,000 Soviet women received medals, including 91 who received the hero of the During the American civil an estimated 400 wom- Soviet Union medal, the highest award for valour. en were able to fight on the front line by disguising themselves as men. Several women by circumstance were able to fight in World War I; with the case of Flora Sandra, originally a Red Cross nurse from England, arguably being the most famous. In her case, she was able to fight by being accepted into the Serbian Army in Albania; an impossibility had she joined the British army.
World War II undoubtedly saw the greatest ever participation of women in war to date due to the sheer demands of manpower both on the front line and on the Home Front. In World War II both British and American women were permitted to participate in the armed forces, but not in direct combat. Women operated and maintained Anti-Aircraft weaponry ensuring that it was fit for operation. However, they were not allowed to fire it, denying women the opportunity to kill enemy combatants. The Soviet Union allowed women to serve in combat roles during World War II. Soviet women comprised 8 per cent of their armed forces, and had a direct role in combat. Women were permitted to drive tanks and pilot fighter planes and bombers. Most striking were the women snipers that harassed the Germans on the Easter Front. The Soviets celebrated women’s participation in combat in order to demonstrate their progressive @TheMcrHistorian
In the Post-war era several countries, such as Norway and New Zealand, now permit women to participate fully in combat, demonstrating changing attitudes. However, across the globe the majority of warfare is still conducted by men. The notable exception to this is Israel where women have fought in the numerous Arab-Israeli wars. Until 2013 the US has had a ban on women serving in combat. However, women were still allowed a role in the military and deployment in war zones, which have led to their accidental experience of warfare. Jessica Lynch, for instance, whilst serving as a unit supply specialist during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was attacked and captured by Iraqi soldiers. She was eventually freed by US Special Forces. Over the course of the past 150 years women have experienced direct combat; a departure from their previous role as purely medical aids. However, war remains a predominately male sphere with few countries permitting women to fight. Jay Jenkinson
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RICHARD III:
King Under a Car Park Richard III was the last Yorkist king of England and his death at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 marked the end of the War of the Roses and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. He has been villianised in art and literature ever since, not least because of his probable involvement with the disappearances of the Princes in the Tower. Archaeologists in Leicester excavating below a car park, discovered what has been confirmed to be Richard III’s body. We are asked our correspondents whether this discovery is something that historians should feel excited about.
For:
Against:
The discovery of Richard III’s remains in Leices- The entertaining juxtaposition of a King and ter marks a significant moment for both His- a car park certainly makes for an eye-catching torians and Archaeologists in this country. headline, but the discovery of Richard III’s body does not actually provide much, if any, useful The fact that the remains of the king were situated in information about his personality or his reign. Leicester is not what is significant, although the ignominy of an English King being buried ungracious- In spite of our better judgement we still fall into ly under a car park does make for an anecdotal foot- the trap of over-valuing primary sources and note at the very least. What is of significance here is waxing lyrical over their supposed importance, the subsequent facial reconstruction and the analysis rather than clinically analysing their true worth. of his skeletal structure, because now there is proof We may have given the fanatical modern-day Ri(up to a point) that paintings and descriptions of cardians some ‘closure’ and confirmed that he the last Plantagenet King of England were accurate. did indeed have a curved spine, but really we know nothing more about Richard’s short rule No longer do we have to rely purely on Royal por- than we did before, save that it was probably he traits and Shakespearean descriptions, whose ve- enjoyed the comforts of well-cushioned chairs. racity has always been rather dubious: instead we have proof positive that Richard III was al- Arguably, the story has temporarily roused peomost identical to how he was officially portrayed. ple’s interest in history, but this is a very restricted and outdated view of what history is, placing too This has massive implications for other royal portraits; much emphasis on dead monarchs and whethwe can have more faith in the accuracy of portraits at this er they were ‘goodies’ or ‘baddies’ and too little time, which is pertinent in the realm of primary sources; on the wider context and bigger themes. The TV the doubts about their accuracy are significantly lessened. crews have already moved on, and so should we. Page 10
Tom Oliver
Susanah Larminie
www.manchesterhistorian.com
Issue 7, February 2013 As historians we should be excited by the discovered of Richard III’s body, since it seems very likely indeed that it is his; it is not every day that the bones of an anointed English king are discovered. The significant scoliosis of the spine is also very interesting, since this seems to bear out contemporary references to some deformity; however, it was clearly not enough to stop Richard pursuing a successful politi-
cal and military career. Does this mean that we should rethink him and his role in the disappearance and death of his nephews? No; the evidence remains what it is: strongly circumstantial, but not conclusive. The princes seem to have dropped out of public sight by the end of the summer of 1483 and, although they were ‘officially’ illegitimate, their continued existence was a permanent threat to Richard’s king-
ship. The fact that their mother, the Dowager Queen Elizabeth (Woodville) was negotiating with Henry Tudor in the autumn of 1483 suggests that she believed them to be dead. None of this is changed by the discovery of Richard’s body. As to where to bury it, that’s a different matter! Dr Charles Insley, Senior Lecturer in Medieval History.
The remains of the Plantagenet King.
We asked Dr Charles Insley and Bryan Sitch their views of the historical and arof England. I think it is a pretty important not to say spectacular discovery of that rare kind when it is possible to link the remains to a known historical individual. To find the last Plantagenet king who died at the battle of Bosworth, whose death initiated the new dynasty of the Tudors, is deeply fascinating. It has allowed archaeologists and anatomists to study in great detail the wounds that Richard suffered in what is otherwise a relatively poorly documented battle at the end of the Wars of the Roses. It also sheds interesting light on Tudor claims that he was a hunchback and the way Richard is portrayed in Shake@TheMcrHistorian
speare. In fact the study of the bones shows that Richard had scoliosis or curvature of the spine but this may not have been obvious when Richard was clothed. Whatever contemporaries said about Richard, one thing is clear even from the historical record: - he died fighting bravely on the battlefield. The ability to confirm the identification using dating methods and DNA comparison inspires confidence that archaeology can identify other individuals in due course. The chance to compare his facial reconstruction with the few portraits that survive is another aspect to this discovery as only rarely is there
an image of the dead person associated with the remains with which one can check the accuracy of a facial reconstruction. I know some commentators have said we’d be better off with the remains of a late medieval peasant but such a person is hardly likely to have had his or her portrait painted. The comparison is only possible because high status individuals were deemed important enough to portray in art. Bryan Sitch, Curator of Archaeology, the Manchester Museum
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HORSE HARDLY NOUVELLE CUISINE Despite the media’s best efforts, last month’s horsemeat ‘scandal’ failed to stir up much public outrage. To most, our unconscious ingestion of horsemeat seemed amusing, even vaguely continental. Indeed, the sale and consumption of horsemeat in this country is neither illegal nor unheard of, although there is a longstanding taboo surrounding it that possibly dates back to a papal ban on its consumption in 732. Over time, prohibition turned to collective squeamishness and, more importantly, better uses were found for horses. As such, the consumption of horsemeat became increasingly rare and widely frowned upon. In 1941, a Hull butcher made headlines for attempting to alleviate wartime food shortages by selling horsemeat, honestly and openly in this case. The story was presented as a sign of the desperate situation Britain was facing and the extreme measures that some were forced to take as a result. However, the main concern in the recent horsemeat incident was less the horsemeat per se, but rather the idea of hidden ingredients. In fact, food adulteration has been part of urban British life for many years. It was particularly widespread in the nineteenth century, when demand for food in the over-
populated cities far outnumbered the supply, and there was a lack of regulation against debasement. Coffee, tea, spices and, above all, bread, were some of the most popular targets for adulteration, with contaminants ranging from other, cheaper foodstuffs such as oatmeal and arrowroot, to more harmful substances such as chalk. Studies by Arthur Hill Hassall and Henry Letheby prompted the first parliamentary enquiry into food adulteration in 1855-6 and the first Food and Drugs Act followed shortly after. Increased legislation by no means put a stop to food adulteration, but did at least prompt a rapid decrease in its contamination with dangerous substances. Advances in food science and alleviated economic conditions have also been key in reducing dangerous food adulteration in Britain. However, it has never completely disappeared. Susanna Larminie
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www.manchesterhistorian.com
Issue 7, February 2013
Charlotte Johnson explores one of the city’s best kept secrets, the elusive Chetham Library.
Manchester, long symbolised by its industrial history, nurtures an historic gem containing centuries of architectural and scholarly history largely hidden by the modern city around it. Chetham’s library, established under the will of Humphrey Chetham in 1653, is accommodated within a complex of medieval monastic buildings erected in 1421, and shared by the School of Music.
semble of casual print, the endurance of which reflects the timelessness of the library and its content.
The central reading room is the library’s pièce de résistance, featuring portraiture of its original patron, Humphrey Chetham and successive librarians. There is a myriad of historic and scene-setting furniture and decoration, though the circular Cromwellian table dominates the Through a stone arch and across a well-groomed room. Light streams in through the diamond-patcourtyard (ignore the car park), the library is ac- terned window where infamously, Marx and Encessed through a Hobbit-sized door marked with, gels met to compose the Communist Manifesto. ‘Please ring the bell’. It is easy to forget the city beyond Chetham’s stone walls, especially when, loom- This 350-year-old free public library is almost too ing only meters away, the Cathedral bells ring. On distractingly beautiful to read in, an historian’s entering, visitors ascend the dark wooden stairs aphrodisiac if you will. A must see for any student and are met by a printing press station, still in of history at Manchester, but if you need further working order, and aisles laid out on a square plan convincing I recommend perusing its imprescontaining books of all shapes, sizes and colours. sive blog: http://chethamslibrary.blogspot.co.uk/. Chetham’s Library opens Monday-FriAlthough the library houses an impressive catalogue day 9am-12.30pm and 1.30-4.30 of printed works, photographs and manuscripts, it is small in size compared to its Mancunian sisters, Charlotte Johnson the Central library and both John Rylands libraries. Currently the library is displaying an exhibition on chapbooks. Godlies, Merries and Pleasant Histories: The chapbook tradition 1731-2013 is a delightful en-
@TheMcrHistorian
Page 13
Winstanley Hall and Our Decaying Heritage Winstanley Hall, built in the 1560s, is one of only three Tudor buildings in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan. It was originally built for the Winstanley family, who had been the Lords of the Manor since c.1252; however, only three decades later in 1596, the estate was sold in its entirety to James Bankes, a London goldsmith and banker, and the property was owned by the Bankes family until 2000.
Additions were made to the property predominantly in the nineteenth century by the Bankes family, adding a more modern Victorian style to the already prevalent myriad of motifs, ranging from Norman to Tudor to Baroque, exemplifying English artistic quirks. If you were allowed to visit this Grade II* listed Hall today, (the current owners are Dorbcrest Homes, an independent company who designated the estate too danger-
ous for any public visits), it would be a sorry sight, as the building itself has been in a state of constant decay since the occupants left in the 1960s. This particular Elizabethan property drew my attention not because of its grandeur – it’s hardly Hampton Court Palace – but because of the desolate condition of something so historically precious. One must remember, however, the costs of the renovations that need to be undertaken in estates such as Winstanley Hall, despite preventative efforts actuated by the English Heritage (funded by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport), such as the ‘National Heritage Protection Plan’. The organisation SAVE British Heritage is raising funds to match those of the English Heritage and get this great house off of ‘Death Row’; however with the on-going wrangling between the authorities and developers, and a slow accumulation of funding, the process is excruciatingly slow. In my opinion, the importance of estates such as Winstanley cannot be emphasised enough; not only are they a great source for academic research, but they are also pieces of art, and representative of the English heritage we should all want to maintain and be proud of. Bethany Gent
Bird’s-eye view by Huw Thomas showing the full extent of the house and the impressive stable court surrounded by Meyrick Bankes’ delightfully eccentric buildings.
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Issue 7, February 2013
Feargal Logue talks to
Dr. Sarah Roddy FL: Hi to the
has a genuine relevance for charities and NGOs working today, and it’s interesting to see that many of the same kinds of fundraising methods they use were being employed 150 years ago.
FL: Do you have a favourite historian, and Sarah. What brought you if so, what makes this historian stand out? University of Manchester?
SR: I don’t really go in for favourites in any field, SR: I was lucky enough, in 2011, to be offered but there are obviously historians I like for difa position working on an ESRC [Economferent reasons. Reading the American historiic and Social Research Council] project led an of migration Kerby Miller is what set me off by Julie-Marie Strange and Bertrand Taithe. on my initial research; he’s full of provocative and engaging opinions. I also like the work of FL: What first interested you in history? the late historian of Ireland and Australia, PatSR: There’s the standard answer, I suppose, that rick O’Farrell. He wrote very well, which I think it was always my favourite subject at school. But is important for an historian, but not always some of my earliest memories are also of walk- achieved. His book ‘Ireland’s English question’ ing around the area I grew up in with my fa- is an underrated classic of Irish history, I think. ther, and him dispensing little historical facts about the place. Some of them were probably FL: And finally, have you got any wrong, admittedly – it turns out that the Duke of Wellington didn’t get married in the ruined words of wisdom for undergraduates? church in our village – but it got me interested! SR: When I was a first year undergraduate I can remember a tutor telling me about this great new website called ‘Google’, but I guess FL: What is your current and future reyou’ve all heard of that now! No, I would say search, and what are you teaching this year? read as many books as you can, both for your SR: I’m in the final stages of preparing a book on modules and outside of them, because you religion and emigration from nineteenth-cen- may never have as much time to do so again. tury Ireland, to be published next year. I’m also planning a couple of spin-offs from this, Feargal Logue the first of which concerns religious fundraising among the Irish at home and abroad. If you’ve ever been in any Catholic church in Ireland, particularly, you do tend to wonder how a supposedly ‘peasant’ society managed to pay for what are often such amazing buildings. This year I’m teaching one module: a level three course on the Great Irish Famine of the 1840s.
FL: You’re currently working on an ERSC project, could you tell us a bit about it? SR: Yes, it’s about charity fundraising in Victorian and Edwardian Britain. The theory is that it was time of enormous competition and innovation in charitable entrepreneurship, and at a time of a rising consumer society. Historians have tended to be preoccupied with the work done with the money raised rather than how the money was generated in the first place. It @TheMcrHistorian
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ANCIENT WORLDS REVIVED The Manchester Museum opened its newly refreshed exhibitions of archaeology and Egyptology at the end of last semester. The Museum is nestled at the very heart of the University, across the road from University Place. It has a tremendously varied collection, ranging from Dinosaurs to (living) poisonous frogs and from anthropological to geological artefacts. The archaeological collection is internationally significant and into which the Ancient Worlds exhibition gives a fascinating insight.
est than others. Bryan Sitch says that the mass display of shabtis (model workers for the afterlife from ancient Egypt), lamps and glass vessels are part of the plan for the exhibition - “we did set out to show more of the reserve collections and to show a wider selection of what the Museum holds.”
The hidden treasure in this exhibition is a small room displaying Egyptian death masks from Roman Egypt. I missed this room on my first visit (it is just on left after you leave the EgypThe first room of the exhibition looks at archaeolo- tian room), but these surprisingly life-like porgy in general terms and is filled with all manner of traits are somehow rather thrilling. They seem artefacts in bright cases. There are screens hanging to capture an unvarnished everyday appearfrom ceiling, showing vox pops with archaeologists ance, albeit one tinged with sadness, no doubt and school children. The focus of this room is to projected by our knowledge of their purpose. consider what archaeology can tell us about the past; this is certainly interesting for a historian be- While this is an exhibition about the ancient world, cause this complementary field of study addresses the Museum uses some cutting edge technology to the same problems from a different approach. One present information to its visitors. According to of the more curious objects on display here is an Bryan Sitch, “one criticism often made of old disEtruscan clay model of a woman’s womb. Bryan plays is that they are too much like a book on the Sitch, Curator of Archaeology, explains that “the wall. There is too much text and reading it is very womb is a way of talking about ancient gynaecology, tiring for many museum visitors. However some especially the better documented Greek attitudes to museum visitors do expect to see lots of informawomen and exploring what may seem to us as some tion. The challenge for the Museum is to provide pretty strange ideas about the womb and the cause a range of interpretation that meets the expectaof women’s illness, in particular that women be- tions of all its visitors.” To get around this problem came ill because their womb was in the wrong place the Museum has introduced a smartphone app in their body.” Certainly, the ‘wandering womb’ is that allows visitors to look up more information just one example of the weird and wonderful things about artefacts they are particular interested in. that were part of everyday life in the ancient world. Another really fascinating piece of new technology The second room feels more like a traditional is the Haptic, a simulator that gives visitors the tactile museum. In what the Museums Journal refers to experience of touching an artefact without the probas a ‘modern take on a cabinet of curiosities’, is lems of erosion or damage to fragile items. Bryan displayed the crème of the Museum’s Egyptolo- Sitch explained that this was initially developed for gy collection. Laid out chronologically, including visually impaired people, but has been popular with the sarcophagus of two brothers, it encapsulates all visitors. It is a rather extraordinary sensation! life – and death – in Egypt. Above this room, there is another gallery called Exploring Objects, So, next time you have got an hour or two between which looks at fakes, display techniques and why lectures, don’t trudge the familiar path to the Library, we think some objects are more worthy of inter head over to the Ancient Worlds exhibition instead! Charlie Bush Page 16
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WHO WERE THE PALS? Lord Kitchener was appointed Minister for War in August 1914 and, unlike many of his contemporaries, forecast a prolonged stalemate upon the declaration of war. He recognised the importance of mass recruitment and drew up significant manpower requirements in order to meet such high demands. Volunteers were required, and tapping into powerful sentiments of loyalty towards town, city, or community felt by men of all backgrounds, the Pals Regiments were formed as a means of harnessing their full potential. Lord Derby, Director-General of Recruiting, found success with his plan to raise a battalion comprised of Liverpool men, enlisting enough to form four within days. Public expressions of civic pride sparked further regiments being raised in cities and towns through-
Issue 7, February 2013
out Britain; men attracted by promises to serve alongside their brothers, colleagues, and friends. It took the Accrington Pals a mere ten days of re cruiting to reach full strength of 1,000 men, a story echoed all over the country. The majority of volunteers spent the next two years training, seeing their first battle on the Somme in July 1916. For most, it was also their last. The Serre offensive, undertaken by the 31st Division, claimed 584 of roughly 720 Accrington Pals. This division was formed entirely of Pals Battalions like Accrington’s. Most of the men who volunteered to fight at the side of their brothers, friends, colleagues, died at their sides too. Daniel Shepherd
CREDITED TO JONATHAN KEENAN
REVIEW: ACCRINGTON PALS
When launching the annual Bruntwood Playwriting Prize at the Royal Exchange in Manchester this year, Dame Jenni Murray stated the importance of strong roles for women. She was, however, preaching to the converted. The Exchange’s Autumn/ Winter season has had many such roles (not least among them was Lady in Orpheus Descending) and it ends on a high with The Accrington Pals. Despite being set during the Great War, the play neither focuses on the Front nor the male combatants. The focus instead is on the relationships between the women left behind in a small North-West Eng land town after a huge proportion of the male population sign up in the Pals battalion. Social history @TheMcrHistorian
is brought to life by James Dacre’s stirring direction, with loss, frustration, resentment and fear resonating within the piece overall. Of particular note were the performances of Emma Lowndes and Sarah Ridgeway, which stand out for the sheer depth of emotions conveyed. The experiences of the troops is generally well documented in theatre, film and television, but this production gives an uncommon insight into the lives of ordinary women who had to wait for any news with trepidation and struggled with the ever present fear of bereavement, whilst attempting to maintain some semblance of normality. Charlie Bush Page 17
The Great Chinese Historian Pomeranz Speaks to Manchester Historians MID-FEBRUARY, the University of Manchester was graced with the special appearance of the president of the American Historical Association: Kenneth Pomeranz. A leading China expert, Professor Pomeranz delivered a guest lecture to students and faculty evaluating the weaknesses, and addressing criticism, of his famous thesis in The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy. Written over a decade ago, Pomeranz lays down the framework of “accidents of geography” to explain Western success
and Eastern failure in recent history. By way of Professor Zheng Yangwen and Dr Pierre Fuller, the busy Pomeranz took time out of his busy schedule to talk in Manchester after landing in the UK the same day, and just before arranged appearances in London before flying back to the USA. A student of Sterling Professor Jonathan Spence (The Search for Modern China), Pomeranz is considered to be the historian of this generation’s Chinese history studies. Jennifer Ho
HISTORY TEACHERS ON THE SILVER SCREEN: Of all the subject teachers in schools around the world, it seems reasonable to suggest that those teaching history are a superior breed. Such a magnificent subject naturally attracts a higher class of student, some of whom then go on to spread the joy to future generation through the medium of education. But obviously, I, as a history student, am arguing from a biased position; it is necessary to consider the issue from a more impartial standpoint. The presentation of history teachers in films seems an appropriate source. And, lo and behold, there seems to be considerable support for my hypothesis. In The Histor y Boys, for example, Irwin very much endears himself to his students and the audience by the film’s conclusion. His fierce intelligence combined with his insecurity and dishonesty render him a highly complex and interesting character. While Mrs Lintott’s focus on ‘facts, facts, facts’ seems somewhat outmoded, her dry wit and partly successful attempts to instil her students with a need to correct the innate gender bias in history gains her the audience’s affections. Although it could be argued that Hector leaves the most significant impression, Page 18
surely the inclusion of history within his general studies lessons makes him an honorary member of the distinguished profession of history teaching. In the less well-known Half Nelson, Ryan Gosling’s Dan Dunne proves that even crack addiction can’t curb his flair for teaching history, initially anyway. It does cause a number of problems for his mental health and close relationships, but his love for dialectics certainly forms part of the motivation to try and get clean eventually. In stark contrast, the economics teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off epitomises the comparative monotony of his subject. Thus, clearly all the evidence points to the conclusion that history teachers are indeed an especially inspiring bunch. Romy St John
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Issue 7, February 2013
“Our Histories� A new project for everyone in the department to leave a part of their stories behind! We want students and staff within the History department to contribute to an archival project where they write a short piece about their own history and ancestry. It could be about yourself, a relative, a place where you or your ancestors grew up or experiences they had. Seeing as we are a History paper for History students, we thought it was a great opportunity for you to tell us about your own history! You can be as creative with the piece as you want and you can submit it anonymously if you wish.
ALL submissions to be in by Friday 29th March to: manchesterhistorian@gmail.com.
The best THREE will be published in the following issue of the Manchester Historian, and the rest will all be put onto the website. This is an amazing and unique opportunity to get involved with the paper, show off a writing prowess not restricted to journalistic styles and possibly tell a great story! We really look forward to hearing from you.
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Issue 7, February 2013 Following an amazing trip to Berlin in 2012, the History Society wanted to give this year’s members the opportunity to get to know each other and delve into a new city as a post-exam treat. The end of exams approached and 50 students got themselves ready for a trip to Prague. We piled into our double decker coach on 31st January and set off to meet the Hockey team from Stoke who would be joining us. After a ferry and a few stops throughout France, Belgium, and Germany, we arrived in the Czech Republic for a weekend of tourist adventures.
By the end of the trip all we had to look forward to was a 22 hour journey back to Manchester, but we were kept entertained – somewhat reluctantly – by an American Pie marathon. 500,000 films later, we reached Calais and were soon on British soil ready to embark on the final leg of our journey. By now everyone was sleepy and spent the last 6 hours of the trip mentally preparing for a return to lectures and deadlines. However, despite the epic journey, no one was too disheartened and seemed to have come away from the trip with many good memories.
Once we had settled into our rooms we were ready to hit to sights. Most spent the day exploring the Old Town and Jewish Quarter, including Prague’s most famous structures, the Astronomical Clock and the Charles Bridge. After a day of sightseeing, there was an abundance of traditional Czech restaurants to choose from, serving hog roasts, Goulash and Czech beers. Needless to say, we made the most of the nightlife! That evening, everyone on our trip set out on the Clock Tower Bar Crawl, resulting in hilarious photos and a good time all round. Day 2 saw the majority nursing hangovers, but a determination to make the most of the city prevailed. Many took the tram across the river and explored Prague Castle and Cathedral, as well as the old Dungeons.
As a society, our main priority is to encourage a more sociable atmosphere for students in the History department, and Prague was certainly a success on that level. We returned home with more ‘course friends’ than before, and even gained a few honorary historians from a variety of courses and universities. We especially appreciate those who came along without knowing anyone on the trip and took advantage of the society as a social medium. The trip created some new friendships and solidified existing ones, which is more than we could have asked for. As for next year, who knows where the society will be venturing?
Exclusive Interview with the President of the History Society! President of the History Society Jamie Lawless speaks candidly to Henry Lee about life in the public eye, ‘that ball’ in 2012 and how he’s got himself back on track in 2013 in his first public interview.
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Aamira Challenger - Mynett For a man with such responsibility on his shoulders, on first impressions Jamie Lawless has the demeanour of a man who is refreshingly laid-back and used to being grilled by inquisitive journalists and students. Being President of one the largest history societies in the University for two successive years would be quite a burden for even the most self-confident and gregarious of students, but Jamie assures me he was under no illusions as to the nature of the role when he took up the mantle of President of the History Society in in September 2011. ‘Sure, I was naïve and a bit green around the gills’, quips the public-school educated Londoner, ‘but I was confident that I could step up to the plate and be pro-active about the issues which inspire students, as well as organise some cracking socials’. Read the rest of this article at www.manchesterhistorian.com
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Events to look out for this Semester! Lunchtime Seminars, feel free to bring a packed lunch. Everybody welcome. All enquiries to penny.summerfield@manchester.ac.uk 27th February: Chris Manias, ‘Public Presentations of Deep Time Evolution in the early-twentieth century’, 1-2pm, Mansfield Cooper 4.05. 13th March: Jenny Spinks, ‘Civil war, print culture and violence in sixteenth-century France’, 1-2pm, Mansfield Cooper 4.05. 17th April: Laurence Brown, ‘The 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act: A Global History’, 1-2pm, Mansfield Cooper 4.05. 1st May: Sarah Roddy, ‘The spiritual empire strikes back: Transnationalism, migration and Ireland’s “devotional revolution”’, 1-2pm, Mansfield Cooper 4.05. Research Seminars All enquiries to: pedro.ramospinto@manchester.ac.uk 7th March: Lucy Noakes (Brighton), Burying the People of ‘the People’s War’: The Management of the Civilian War Dead in Second World War Britain. 4 for 4.15pm, Room 4.206 University Place. 21st March: Emanuelle Chapin (Cardiff), Art and its Double: Devising a Republican Cultural Policy for the People in Fin-de-Siècle France. 4 for 4.15pm, Room 4.206 University Place. 25thApril: John Sabapathy (UCL), The politics of accountability in the Middle Ages. 4 for 4.15pm, Room 4.206 University Place.
Upcoming History Society Events: Imperial War Museum Trip: 7th March Careers Event for First and Second Years: 12th March History Society Elections: 18th April End of Year Event: 1st May Page 22
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