The future

 Not actually started my degree yet, but I'm planning for the future. Is that wrong? I'm not sure.

Assuming I pass and survive the Masters, what's next?

I had thought of a PhD, but now I'm now thinking of a teaching degree as well. Again teaching is not a new idea, as I have considered it before, but now I'm thinking maybe teaching then PhD. 

When I say teaching I'm thinking either secondary or more likely post 16.

So what have I done, booked a get-in to teaching appointment, booked to attend university open days, and got myself all confused?

            

Let them eat cake

 Let them eat cake, no nothing to do with Marie Antionette. Today was the Student Union Tea Party, and that means one thing Free Cake, lots of cake.

Welcome (Freshers) Week

 Well its began, the new academic year has started. 

After a busy first day actully teaching my costume class at collage, I dashed through t university for th highlight of the year. Welcom fair. 

A tie when thousands of students eat lots of free pizza ad pack in to an over heated sports hall to view wha th unversities many societies have to offer. You can gt free sweets, free drinks, lanyards, safety advice frm the local Fire Service, free bags, or from our stall The Costume Society free sketch books.

All the while being entertained by th local nightclub banging out so music.  For many students this is some kind of fresh new hell that scares them so much they ae scared to come for day two of welcome fair, for others the forget to go to their lectures and spend the dayeating sweets and soaking up the club like (with lights) of the sweaty sports hall. Most first years dont join as they have forgotton all that they saw on the way round. For those of usthat have done it all before we sit and watch, spotting the ew rather bewildered oun students, or the far more confident mature students who wonder what exactly they have let themselve in for. 

It is however lovely to meet new students and old studnts, students returning from Placement somee of whom due to covid have not yet experienced a Welcome fair.

Tomorrow I'll have a nosy and see what else is here, but for today I'll sit and watch, observe the mayhem, the stdents with a character nd those still to develop one. 

A Day of Mourning

 Monarchist or not it would be hard not to be drawn to the TV coverage of the late Queen's funeral today. The pomp and ceremony, the uniforms, the dignitaries and of course the adorable Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

I confess that while today was a day off from research, I did spend a good chunk of it looking at the uniforms of the visiting Commonwealth country's servicemen and women.

I also mounted a  set of seven Full-size medals. 

Scarecrows

 Not at all course related, thogh some of the scarecrows did have hats and as a costume maker I have been asked to make scarecrows in the past, in fact when I was a first year I was commisioned to make a bride and groom for a local hotel.

So a few from the local scarecrow festival. 

Reading, Organising and more

 Another busy day.

Starting with a meeting, online rather than in person due to the poor public transport. 

Followed by more pre-research research

Part of my organising involves stickers, something I have never been interested in but suddenly they seem to help with planning and organising my diary. I don't know why maybe it's the visual cue or the process of sitting down and reviewing diary entries to add the stickers. but it's defiantly helping. I don't know how long I'll keep it up.

Books, Books and more Books

The reading pile grows on a daily basis, and I think I may have a problem. For every book, I read I find five more that are relevant and a couple more I need in my life generally. 

The essential reading pile well a small part of it. 

Some are about study skills, others about writing and of course are related to my research. 

Research Integrity Course

 A long day today reading and making notes on Research Integrity, before finally completing the end-of-course exam.

Thankfully I passed the first time. 

Actually, it was a really useful course and got me thinking about areas I hadn't considered. 

Now to add notes to my research plan from what I have learned today. 

Pomp and Ceremony

Spent a few hours mounting the medals of a former sailor this morning and watching the pomp and ceremony surrounding the queen laying in state. 

Just come across this short film on the Royal Navy website. 

Royal Navy

Having seen images and footage from King George the VIs funeral this is going to be fascinating to see, though obviously a very sad occasion. 

An Odd day

 A day with lots of online sessions, inductions and a training course.

Starting with an interesting induction for some volunteer sports leading I am doing.

Then a training session on looking after your mate for students supporting other students with Mental Health issues, was very interesting, though did raise some uncomfortable things, especially surrounding suicide. But well worth doing.

And finally, the online talk was with an advisor about PostGrad study and it was really useful and answered lots of my questions and made me feel more confident about my first meeting with my supervisor.

Relaxing day, well almost

Should have been a nice relaxing day, but spent much of it online. 

Having only got access to much of the pre-course online information last night.

The afternoon I had booked a fabulous workshop on Mirrors. I really enjoyed being able to meet new people, and just sew without thinking about degrees or work.

However

It was an odd day for other reasons.

Starting with the Trans Pennine Express lady on Dewsbury station who opened the unattended bag I reported, despite it being in an odd almost hidden position.

Then the young dad playing "I'm going to punch you in the face" with his baby in a pram, in the same way, most parents play peekaboo. While throwing his fist toward the baby's face.

To the random man on the train who has just told me the Queen was murdered as the Princess of Wales is Jewish. Got to love a good conspiracy theorist.

Funny sort of day, I wonder if it's a full moon.

Busy Day of two halfs (maybe three thirds)

 My first day at work with Students, was rather exciting, more on that later. 

Dashed through from college to uni for a session on public speaking, sadly other students except one didn't bother, so ended up as a good chat. But did get some useful information and ideas.

Tonight though I finally managed to access the university online learning site, and spent my entire night filling in forms, reading information, registering with websites and much more. Feeling either more prepared or actually more out of my depth.

Also booked my first meeting with my supervisor for the day I actually start, which is great, so I can hit the ground running hopefully.

Been a busy day. 

Lists and Maps

 Lists and Maps

After looking at some of the makers of hats in the National Maritime Museum collection, I ended up down a rabbit hole looking at census lists and old maps at the locations of naval tailors and outfitters.

Old Devonport

Devonportonline

Old Maps

Royal Hospital Greenwich

As a child growing up near Greenwich, I was always in awe of the buildings that made up Greenwich Royal Navy College (now Greenwich University). This had originally been the Royal Hospital Greenwich for retired seafarers. I particularly loved the painted hall, but that's one for another day. 

Whilst browsing the collections of The National Maritime Museum Online Collection (another of my favourite places as a child), I came across this wonderful item of uniform from the Hospital.

https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-71601

Historic Day

A historic day.

Went to Leeds to see the Proclamation of the New King by the Deputy Sheriff of West Yorkshire along with the Lord Lieutenant, The Mayor of Leeds and the Mayor of West Yorkshire.

As a small child I remember going up to the city (London) with my late grandmother to see the Queen as part of her Silver Jubilee celebrations. We were guided to the front of the crowd and a strange man lifted me on to his shoulders so I could see the coach with the Queen go past.

Captain Charles Fryatt

 Another fascinating rabbit hole.

While looking at information on Cap Badges, I ended up looking at information on the introduction of a standardised uniform for merchant seamen.

The 19th Century saw many new merchant shipping companies all with their own uniforms and identities, different rank systems and different uniforms.

The first world war saw a need for the introduction of a standardised uniform, this was in part due to Captain Charles Fryatt.

In March 1915 Captain Fryatt's ship the SS Wrexham was attacked by a German Imperial Navy U-Boat. His ship managed to outrun the Uboat with deckhand helping stockers to load the boilers.

Three weeks later while captain of the SS Brussels he was ordered to stop by the U-Boat U33, Captain Fryatt was not planning to take orders from a U-Boat and tried to ram it as it dived. 

In June 1916 the SS Brussels left the Hook of Holland, a passenger appears to have signalled to the shore, and in minutes 5 destroyers surrounded the Brussels. Official papers were destroyed and passengers were put into lifeboats. The ship was taken by the Germans.

Once in Bruges Capt Fryatt was arrested and charged with sinking a German U-Boat illegally. The U33 was in fact still on active service, but the gold pocket watch that had been presented and inscribed to Capt Fryatt by the admiralty was used as evidence. On the 27th July 1916, he was sentenced to death by a naval firing squad. 

The Mercantile Marine Uniform Act 1919

Capt Fryatt

Nautilist - MN uniforms

British Empire Vs Commonwealth

Image Getty

I had always believed that the member countries of the Commonwealth were all former British Empire countries, but this is not the case. Indeed any country can join the commonwealth, and currently, 4 countries never had colonial British ties. 

• Mozambique
• Rwanda
• Togo
• Gabon

The last two joined the commonwealth in 2022.

Other countries in the list of commonwealth countries were formally part of other countries and so do not appear in the lists of Former British Empire countries or colonies. 

Image Express

While others such as the Gambia have left and later rejoined. 

The Commonwealth 

Overwhelmed

Feeling a little overwhelmed.

The British Empire was large.

https://vividmaps.com/british-empire-at-its-territorial-peak/

Having listed the 57 former British Empire countries, I looked at which still have a Navy. 

37 have a navy

6 have no coastline

3 have no military

1 is no longer a country it is now part of Australia

5 I am still trying to find out if they have a military/navy

3 have coastguard, 1 maritime unit, 1 maritime squadron and 1 has an inland navy

My current thoughts are 57 former British Empire countries, 37 with a navy and 6 with other maritime forces, that's 43 to research in a year, I may need to cut back at some point and research a small number of these for the MA.

The day after

Today is still somewhat of a surreal day, with the loss of Her Majesty the Queen yesterday the world is mostly in mourning, except for a few individuals. 

Newspapers around the world carry her photo on the front cover. Sports events in the UK were postponed, and sports events in the US held two minutes of silence. World leaders paid their respects including Ukraine and Russia.

The death salute fired in her honour, with one shell for every year of her life, was the longest salute ever fired with 96 shells. 

The nation's television has been taken up all day with memorials and protocols. People mourning, and the new King meeting the new Prime Minister. We have seen lovely photographs and films of a young Queen, and people's memories.

The navy will of course be preparing the gun carriage for a state funeral as is the custom in the UK since the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. 

https://debretts.com/royal-family/royal-funerals/

https://www.commsmuseum.co.uk/dykes/navyfunerals/navyfunerals.htm

God Bless the Queen, Long Live the King

 

After a busy and pleasant day on a training session and then catching up with friends, I was saddened to read on Twitter that the Queen was ill. As the day went on it was clear that this was serious. 

Reports that her children and grandsons were heading to Scotland, it was very clear that this could be the moment many of us have dreaded for some time.

At around 1830 (6.30pm) as we all now know the news broke that Her Majesty the Queen had passed away. 

Of course, the Queen has been a figurehead not only of a nation and the commonwealth but of the Royal Navy, in which her late husband Prince Phillip served. 

The Royal Navy has a long-established relationship with many members of the Royal Family having served in it.

Indeed the Royal Navy wears the crown of the Monarch on much of their insignia, such as the officer's cap badge.

Cap badge with the Queen's Crown of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Cap badge with a King's Crown of the late King George IV, the Queen's Father and King Charles III grandfather who passed away in 1952.

Royal Family Website

New Day, New Job

I applied for a freelance job before the summer, was invited for an interview and was offered a part-time teaching role, which was a bit of a shock.

However over the summer, I heard nothing and so thought it was a mistake of some kind, two days ago, I received an email asking me to start this week. A bit of a surprise, but great news.

Today I attended my first teacher inset day, everyone was lovely and had a great day.

 

Odd Day

Today was an odd day I was busy all day but achieved very little.

Appointments being cancelled at short notice, and trips to supermarkets.

Actually, that's probably not entirely true, I did a lot of reading, just that never seems to be a lot.

Anxiety

Anxiety is not something I would give much thought to or indeed talk about normally, but the last few days in the run up to starting my degree properly next month I have started to feel anxious.

When planning my proposal all those months ago there seemed to be a wealth of information out there on my subject, now when I come to look for that information in detail there seems very little.

The frantic note taking has started, though is mainly lists of archives, libraries and museums at present.

But today while reading The Craft of Research (Booth, Colomb and Williams) I came across a quick tip which seems to sum it all up and helped a lot. 

Manage Moments of Normal Anxiety

They explain that feeling of being in a hopeless muddle is a normal part of research.

So I guess this post is in fact a book recommendation.

This book was recommended to me by a former OU academic and has proved to be every bit as good as she said, so thank you, Janet.

It helped guide me through the process of writing my proposal and is now helping to establish as I plan my research phase. 

Looking beyond

Today has been an odd sort of day, home alone as the rest of the household is working or volunteering. I spent too long trying to sort out and organised my emails. Then discovered for some reason Outlook won't let me add a signature to my emails, no idea why just keep getting an error message, I mean it's not important, I'm capable of writing my own name.

Finally, put my hanging rail back up after the show two weeks ago and so am able to hang up costumes again.

Also, several hours researching museum collections with naval headwear around the world, and applying for readers tickets to different libraries. 

Merchant Navy Day

 Today 3rd September is Merchant Navy Day.

Image Courtesy of the RMT

Its easy to forget that as an island nation even now we rely heavily on our merchant navy. Many of the goods we use on a daily basis arrive on our shores thanks to one of the many companies that make up the merchant navy, from food to fuel, toys to the cars we drive.

For me I have a personal connection with the Merchant Navy through my Father who served with BP.

He became a Master Mariner and as a child, I have many happy memories of my time spent on board the HQS Wellington, Headquarters of the Honorable Company of Master Mariners, and of their wonderful library. I look forward to visiting again as part of my research.

For more information on Merchant Navy Day, visit the Seafarers Charity website.

Tidy Desk

 After Months, probably longer, I have finally got my work area in order.

Tidied away old paperwork, and thrown away scraps with pointless notes. Checked and backed up USB drives. Thrown away pens that are empty or dried up. 

I'm definitely bored.

I did also manage some pre-research research and made some more lists.

Easing myself in slowly, or holding back on getting started

I have been desperate to start my research journey, but at the same time terrified of diving in. Why? 

• Partly as I am worried I don't know what I am doing and will waste a lot of time researching for all it all to be the wrong direction or techniques.
• Partly as I don't want to do it all now and then have nothing to do.
• Partly as I am worried I'll struggle to condense my work to just 20,000.

What do I do? I research where to research, of course.

• Lists of Archives
• Lists of Museums
• Lists of Former British Empire Countries
• Breaking it down to those with military
• Those with Navies
• Those with appropriate museums/archives
• Suitable books (any excuse to buy books)

I've set up a new Padlet, a Mendeley and Zotero for my research. I am really enjoying the new map feature on Padlet, which I know I could do on Google Maps but it's integrated into a Padlet board, so may as well use it to add museums and archives that are useful to me.

I've sorted out my SCONUL access to use other university libraries.

It's all getting rather real now.