Hoskins Day 2024

Saturday 01 June, University of Leicester, from 12:00 noon until 4:00pm.

The W. G. Hoskins lecture is presented annually to commemorate the work and lasting influence in the fields of local and landscape history and historical and environmental conservation of William George Hoskins CBE FBA (22 May 1908 – 11 January 1992) who was an English local historian and founder, at the University of Leicester, of the first university department of English Local History. His great contribution to the study of history was in the field of landscape history. Hoskins demonstrated the profound impact of human activity on the evolution of the English landscape in a pioneering book: “The Making of the English Landscape“.

Corinne Fowler – “Landscape history after Hoskins: Country Walks Through Colonial Britain”.

Our keynote speaker is Corinne Fowler, Professor of Colonialism and Heritage at the University of Leicester. She is co-investigator of both the Rural Racism Project and the AHRC project ‘Addressing the Histories and Legacies of Empire in Literary House Museums: Dove Cottage and Beyond’, which brings together academics, consultants, stakeholders and community groups to investigate the colonial links of Romantic-period literary house museums, using Wordsworth Grasmere as an initial focus.

In this talk, Professor Fowler explores how raw materials, slavery-produced goods, and colonial wealth reshaped British landscapes from the remote Scottish isle of Jura to Cornish copper mines. Together with ten walking companions, Corinne’s new book Our Island Stories: Country Walks Through Colonial Britain examines how local history is intertwined with imperial history, investigating the unique colonial dimensions of British agriculture, landownership, enclosure, wool-making, cotton-weaving and coastal trade.

Colin Hyde – “Walking through the Past”.

A look at guided walking trails from Susannah Watts in 1804 (she published her guidebook A Walk Through Leicester anonymously, and referred to herself as ‘he’ in the address at the beginning of the book) to the latest online walking tours of Leicester. Considering how these trails have changed over the years – or not – can tell us about how Leicester has celebrated its heritage over the past 200 years.

Colin has been with the East Midlands Oral History Archive (EMOHA) at the University of Leicester since 2001 and was seconded to the Unlocking Our Sound Heritage Midlands Hub, also at the University of Leicester, between 2018-2021. Colin has many years’ experience of giving advice, help and training in oral history. He has helped to create oral history related exhibitions, newsletters, books, CDs, videos and websites.

Pam Fisher – “Blue dogs, basketry, board games and bells: The VCH in the 21st Century”.

Pam completed an MA and a PhD at the Centre for English Local History at the University of Leicester. She is currently the Volunteer Programme Manager for Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust and also County Editor. Pam’s role is to plan the research, recruit, train and support volunteer historians to help, to carry out some research herself and to prepare or edit a text for publication.

Tours of Special Collections and the Local History section of the David Wilson Library 12:15 and 1:00.

The David Wilson Library houses one of the largest regional and local history collections in the UK. These short tours will provide an introduction to the Library, explain how members of the public can join and use the collection, and include a short stop at Special Collections to see some rare books and archive material.

Tours will leave from the foyer of the David Wilson Library at 12.15 and 1pm.

Bookstall.

Refreshments.

2 thoughts on “Hoskins Day 2024

  1. what times will the lectures take place on Hoskins Day? It is not at all clear from this publicity.

    1. Hello Deborah, lectures will take place at 2:00 and finish by 4:00, attendees are welcome from 12:00 in room 101 of the Attenborough Tower for refreshments (tea, coffee, sandwiches, etc)

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