Hull

 

The Brynmoor Jones Library (University of Hull)

Things I love about the University of Hull.

• It's an excellent Campus out of town and with lots of space around the buildings.
• The mixture of old and new buildings is very much like Huddersfield.
• And the library, more specifically the Observatory on the 7th Floor of the Library.

These views are amazing.

Of course, I didn't visit just for the Views I visited to collect my SCONUL Card and to check out their nautical book collection. I was not disappointed. 

Lots of reading to do now.

After the University we popped into the Ferens Gallery, mainly to avoid the rain, but in the Gallery, I was thrilled to find this Painting by Alexender Johnston (1868). Though painted in 1868 the painting is set in 1798, and clearly depicts the clothing worn by sailors and junior officer.

The Press Gang 

Press Gangs 

Research Trip

 I have spent the day planning a trip to London mainly for research purposes.

• National Maritime Museum - Greenwich
• Old Royal Navy College - Greenwich
• British Library

There will be much more to add. 

Surprising Resource

Surprising Resource

The Internet Archive

It's not really a surprise as I have used this website a lot in the past, but I always seem to forget it and stumble back across it later.

This time it started with a mention of the Royal Naval Uniform Regulations for Officers 1891, a quick internet search took me straight to a copy of these regulations in a New York Library, digitized by Google.

As well as great descriptions of the uniforms this book also contains some fantastic images of the uniform items.

Uniform Regulations for Officers of the Fleet, 1891

Of course, this sent me down a rabbit hole of looking for other interesting publications and the Internet Archive did not disappoint.

1879 Regulations for Naval Uniform by Herbert Booker

One of my favourites has to be the publications that came from the Royal Naval Exhibition of 1891 (more on that later)

First Supervision

 First Supervision today.

Today was my first supervision meeting and my second ever meeting with my supervisor.  I was nervous and excited, and if I'm honest feeling completely out of my depth. Did I need to be worried? No of course not. My supervisor is lovely and put me at ease, we had a good chat, and she set me some tasks for our next meeting in two weeks.

Three pages of notes, to write up, definitely looking forward to the year ahead.

Plans and Trips

 London

I spent a large part of the day planning my first research trip to London. Not sure of the dates yet, but have been building a list of places I need to visit and resources I need to see. What started out as a couple of nights away is now up to five nights. 

There are the obvious must-visit places such as National Maritime Museum Greenwich, but then other places such as Cutty Sark and The Tower of London have crept in. 

Also after the Westminster Effigies talk, I attended I now need to go and see these, though this is relevant as they have an effigy of Horatio Nelson, complete with a Bicorn (More on him later).

Then comes accommodation and travel, so much to consider. 

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. 

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

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.

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.

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. 

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.

A little panic, maybe

 It's all getting rather real now.

Research

Spent the morning looking at detail at Archives online, registering for access where necessary and making lists of what I want/need to see. Though it's very easy still to get sucked into a rabbit hole, especially with paintings or photographs of objects.

Stationery

Last night I spent hours browsing suitable stationery, I have no idea what suitable stationery is, clearly it's not obvious as I didn't find anything that jumped out at me as suitable stationery.  Ended up looking at bullet journaling, why, I have no idea. Reminded me of the scrapbooking I did years ago. So is it useful, was it a waste of an hour plus of my time, maybe, but maybe it was just the space I needed to chill out a little? 

I have been productive though and sorted through bags of old stationery and actually managed to get rid of old not books with shopping lists in etc, or what would have been future social history.

Bags

Maybe this goes with the stationery or maybe it's a deep-seated latent urge I didn't know I had, but I have spent ages looking for the right bag, do I need a new bag, no, do I know what I want from a bag? no. I just feel I need a special bag for uni.

Chances are any bag would get used a few times and then end up relegated to my locker, under my desk or the cupboard under the stairs.

Though maybe, I'm bored, or just need to research something, anything, as I don't even like shopping.

Fits and Starts - An update

 Well, it was all going well, a busy summer means I have neglected the blog, but busy working while I can.

BA ( Hons) certificate arrived at the beginning of the week along with my transcript which sadly only shows a few of my placements, but I guess there is only room for so many, also doesn't mention my peer mentoring in the peer mentoring section, but not the end of the world.

Student finance approved ( for the wrong course) my course apparently not on the CMS. Cue lots of phone calls and emails to sort it out. Lady at  Student Finance gave me a fright when she said the course may not qualify for funding. 

I have spent a chunk of the summer doing an ILM Coaching course, which has been really useful and interesting, completed my final assignment for that today.

Just something to be aware of if I start asking you questions to help you reflect, I keep slipping into coaching mode by accident.

Pre-enrolment for my course was relatively smooth (except the above finance issue is still to be resolved), and my new researcher email address was updated tonight, meaning I have now lost access to Brightspace etc.

Now just busy planning the next 13 months, as it's just 1 month till I start officially on my Masters by Research, all a bit scary now.

Planning Time

 Looking ahead and trying to get a head start. 

https://generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk/researchmethods/project-management/time-management/

https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-plan-a-research-project-in-four-clear-steps

Research

 

Let the research begin.

A little recourse light reading, looking forward to getting started properly soon.