WEEK 11, 11/12/17

This week was individual tutor sessions within our course lecturers, discussing ideas on our creative projects and essay for fifteen minutes.

Beforehand, I research using the Moodle suggested sources, the weekly reading on Moodle, and my weekly notes to decide upon my topic. From this meeting, I was under the construction of an essay title and project concerning Grove House. This session helped me to debating upon a scholarly approach: art historian, architectural, or geographical. My question was soon developed slightly into one concerning the purposing of Grove House within Georgian London compared to Modern London: ‘How did Grove House change architecturally/ geographically/ etc. under the influences of Georgian London to Modern London?’

This conversation also helped to develop my ability to think critically about how to conduct a research question, keeping in mind the need to bring the London context into the essay but keep my Roehampton topic centrepiece. Likewise, it tested my creative abilities in considering the logistics of how I would go about creating a handout – considering digital applications Microsoft Word or Microsoft Publisher. Afterwards, I tested such applications to learn new skills and renew my ability to use these digital tools.

WEEK 10, 04/12/17

Within our last session on Roehampton topics, we investigated Roehampton’s role within the Arts and Crafts movements on Whitelands campus with Gilly King, talking on the effects of key proponents – such as John Ruskin and William Morris – on Roehampton University.

From the set reading, I have learnt about online resources useful to the topic, inlcuding the Victoria & Albert biography of Morris. It has also revealed relevant musuems and socieites within and near London to visit for further information about key proponents such as William Morris Gallery, Brantwood House, and the William Morris Society. Likewise, set reading of reviews of film ‘Effie Grey’ (2014) and BBC tv drama ‘Despreate Romantics’ (2009) has revealed informative and dramatised resources to use. These could also be used in terms of reception of these key figures of the Arts and Crafts Movement as well, especially given the dubbed William Morris lecture threatre within Whitelands College currently.

From our final session on Roehampton project topics, I could research and consider questions relating to the effect of the Arts and Crafts Movement on Roehampton: ‘To what extent did William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement impact and shape Roehampton’s Whitelands and its architecture?’

WEEK 9, 27/11/17

Within this session, we learnt the history of Catholicism within the British Army and the history of the Roehampton war memorial. We also make a visit to the memorial where we investigated in person the aspects we learnt in class.

After visiting the memorial, we entered the library where speaker Dr Richard Keogh planned to hold an exhibition on it. Surrounded by the audience and atmosphere he planned to exhibit in, he asked us to offer engaging ideas. Discussing his own research project within this immersive creative workshop, he became an exemplar for my own research; it increased my group working skills and enabled me further inspiration for my creative project next term, usefully contextualising it.

I gained new research resources through weekly reading and the session. Dr Keogh promised availability for queries on the memorial, gaining access to specialist information from a Doctor. Furthermore, use of the highly informative Imperial War Museum website allows for an inventory search of UK memorials, providing accurately catalogued information.

From this session, I could research the relationship of power with commemoration and memory: ‘Why does the Roehampton memorial wall commemorate a select group of diverse individuals?’

WEEK 8, 20/11/17

This week’s session looked at classical reception of Greco-Romano culture within Roehampton, through its neoclassical exteriors and interiors, including temples, and historical figures associated with such recpetion – this includes Robert Adams and Sir William Chambers.

We were in Adams Room of Grove House, approriately a neoclassical manor where the dicussed Herclean chimmney piece resides. Utilisation of a receptive location on campus during such a lecture highlighted the importance in seeing studied pieces in person if possible; it enababled a more critical understanding of the piece and more easily critical approach to scholary interpretations.

Being provided specialist vocabulary, as supplied in Lorna Hardwick’s works, was incredibly invauable. Using learnt tenchical terms, such as foreigisation and acculturation, enables a heighten undertanding and a more sophisicated, indepth discussion on reception in research. Educated in different topical approaches – Classical Traditionalist, Classical Reception, and Deep Classics – I am able to discuss reception studies within a essay papaer or an oral presentation through theses newfound techniques

Given everything I’ve learnt this week, I could conduct research into acculturation of the Heracles myth in 18th century Britian: ‘What is explored in the neoclassical chimmney piece, ‘Choice of Hercules’?

WEEK 7, 13/11/17

This session, taught namely by Gilly King, discussed the history of Roehampton in the nineteenth century and the lives of the Lyne-Stephens family that lived and were buried within the grounds of Grove House. We toured from Grove House to the Lyne-Stephens mausoleum within Froebel college. As before with the previous talking tours around Roehampton campus, I have developed a greater ability of retaining informartion when jouting notes isn’t easily allowable. Likewise, Gilly King as an informative speaker has enabled me to confide in her greater knowledge for further research materials and resources for studying the family.

As I am intrigued in doing my research project on Grove House, after the lecture I went to the library to further reading around the topic. This has further increased my independent study skills. It has also enlightened me on the lack of information avalible online for such niche topics, urging me to invesigate the archives at a later date.

This session can be explored in research via analysing the relationship the family had archetectually on the development of the land of the University of Roehampton: ‘How did the Lyne-Stephens presence in Grove House affect the archetecture of what is now dubbed Froebel College?’

WEEK 6, 09/11/17

This week we learnt from Kornelia Cepok to use and access the campus archives, including ones at Froebel, Whitelands, and Digby Stuart. Resulting, we also learnt about the historical context of the listed colleges for when these items are dated, namely the history of Froebel and Whitelands college, and their teachings.

From this, I learnt new research techniques and skills in gaining access to archives. This included how to access archived items, like in the Foyle Special Collections Room in the University Library. Likewise, I learnt how to handle archived items: with gloved or clean hands, book supports and weights, and other specialist equipment. I also learnt how to contact archivists of the different colleges via email or number.

I also developed my existing skills on critical thinking in deciding on if any archive items would be necessary, via the temporary online resource of the Froebel Archive Catalogue.

From this week’s topic about the archives, I could develop research into how past students’ academic work and lives compare to modern students: ‘How do Froebel students and their academic lives of today differ from ones in the early 20^th century?

WEEK 5, 30/10/17

Within the session, we learnt about the Roehampton’s and British universities’ development from interwar years, due to social and cultural changes after the First World War. We also looked at a famous pupils, Eunice Kennedy Shiver and Richmal Crompton. Due to unavailable preparatory reading, we unfortunately learnt with little depth and vague context.

Despite this obstacle, I still learnt key research techniques I can apply to my project. By our class cross-examination of Kennedy and Crompton, I learnt and practiced creating a biography, contextualising figures, and different approaches to take to gain relevant information to study, all via questions. For example, where they were born; why they studied at school; did their attendance effect the school’s prestige?

We also discussed what creative outlets could we use for our project tom develop engagement. This inspired me to a multitude of possibilities: of educational podcasts, posters, short films, and moreover. However, I decided I was most likely to produce a small, condensed hand companion to building or architectural piece.

From this session, I can research educational prestige: ‘Why did Eunice Kennedy Shiver choose to study at Sacred Heart and what effects this had on the school?’

WEEK 4, 16/10/17

This week we learnt about the development of female higher education through nineteenth to twentieth century.

The handouts supplied within class proved useful research resources for further analysis. The late-eighteenth to mid-twentieth century timeline detailed major events relating to higher female education in Britain; this is extremely useful for further research into this, or for contextualising other spheres of research I may do. Similarly, the handouts of the newspaper article and novel extract proved resourceful. It held insight into an educated male versus an educated female contemporary reception of the ongoing events, and of the nature of the sexes.

As an addition to their potent usefulness, reading these within class also exercised my speed-reading skills, of which I am not strong. This will later be useful when gathering a quantity of sources to analysis for my project. It also improved my critical thinking due to the validity of certain handouts and creating a ranking of the most influential listed events.

From this all, I can develop research into which factors helped improve gender equality within higher education: ‘How ground-breaking was Whitelands College within the development of higher female education in Britain?’

WEEK 3, 09/10/17

Our lecture was an outside walking tour of Roehampton campus wherein we visited the Whitelands chapel, the Digby Sacred Heart chapel, and the Southlands Methodist chapel. Their respective religious representatives talked about the historical roots of their religion in education – particularly female – and how they came to form Roehampton University today. The Whitelands representative was unavailable so we had to investigate what we could without context.

They presented using the Roehampton Archives as sources, acting as an examplar for me in my research. By signposting where to gain access to the Archives on campus, they gave me the ability to find this information and encouraged further research into the history of our campus. When given a handout by the Digby chaplain, I learnt to identify architectural iconography within the Digby chapel and others. This would be a valuable skill set for further research into religious buildings. I am confident that now informed by the two other speakers and handouts, I could understand more of the Whitelands chapel than on our first visit.

From this, I could begin research into the religious influence in standardising and improving British female education: ‘How far did Digby Sacred Heart chapel aid improving female education?’

WEEK 2, 02/10/17

Our lecture and reading was on Georgian Britain, particularly London, and its lovely English Country House, including its architects and inhabitants. This gained invaluable research resources. Firstly, the ‘Old Bailey Online’ proved a useful academic website for mini-essays on eighteenth century London context, and its relation to Roehampton Country houses. Secondly, the less useful ‘British Library’ website held vaguer overviews into Georgian London yet primary sources scanned alongside the articles. This allows easy access for rich evidence of my research questions later: for example, posters used in Country House influence on London entertainment.

I was set a mini-presentation on Henrietta Ponsonby, an eighteenth century historical Roehampton figure. Researching Henrietta’s life and scandals further developed my skills in discerning reliability of accounts, thus strengthening my useful research skills in analysing source reliability. Sourced only with the ‘Oxford Dictionary of National Biography’, I realised my overreliance in one article as truth despite it being a trusted, biographic website. I will not make that mistake in my research.

Lastly, from this session I could develop research into how influential Classical reception was to Georgian Country Houses: ‘Were Classical artefacts and styled architecture valued more as fashionable than historical?’