Category: Pons Aelius

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I live with my son Isaac (11) and my cat Arabella (Bella). Isaac is my absolute world. He’s the reason I decided to go to university as I want to inspire him to follow his dreams.  I absolutely love watching documentaries, my favourite was about ordinance survey maps! I also have a slight obsession with James Blunt. 

Tell us a little bit about your research 

My research is focused on the political & religious thought of the Fifth Monarchy Men in England during the seventeenth century. They were a millenarian sect that believed it was their purpose to reform society ready for the second coming of Christ. The current historiography of the group has tended to concentrate on their religious ideas and has dismissed their engagement with political ideologies, such as republicanism.  

What was it that got you interested in your current research topic? 

I was researching for an essay during the first year of my BA and stumbled across the Fifth Monarchists. I found it strange that it was written during the time that they were ‘never to be forgotten sect’ and yet they have largely been forgotten. They have been overshadowed by other seventeenth century radical groups that have been considered by some historians to engage with political concepts that we are certainly more familiar with in modern society. The religious beliefs of the Fifth Monarchy Men do not fit comfortably within this secular narrative.   

What has been the best/most enjoyable part of your PhD so far? 

I recently delivered my first paper. This was originally due to take place in my first year but was delayed due to Covid-19 but thankfully I was able to present this online. I was extremely nervous and practically lost my voice practising my talk, but it was really enjoyable. I also got some really good feedback and advice on other avenues to pursue. 

And what has been the most challenging?  

Dealing with my guilt as a parent. There are often times when I will work over the weekend or during school holidays and I feel like a terrible Mam.  

Has Coronavirus impacted your research?

Thankfully, most of my sources are available online but the first lockdown really impacted as the schools were closed and I had to take time to help Isaac with his schoolwork. The pandemic has also impacted my mental health much more than I thought it had. I think being away from my friends and away from the university I just felt like I wasn’t part of anything anymore. That’s why I am loving my role as series seminar co-ordinator I now feel like I am part of a community! 

What would be your most important advice for someone just starting their PhD?  

Be kind to yourself and DO NOT compare your PhD journey with anyone else’s 

What are your post-PhD plans?

The dream is to be a lecturer. 

Hi, I’m Rob and I’m a second year PhD student in history and currently the Chair of our Postgraduate Forum at Newcastle. After two years in Madrid trying (and mostly failing) to speak Spanish with a Yorkshire accent, and being torn between missing my dog back in the UK, and being able to go to rooftop bars in November, I’ve ended up back in Newcastle – where I completed my BA and MA degrees – to continue an academic path that started out with a second year essay on the Franco dictatorship.

My thesis will explore the later (c.1964 – 1975) Franco regime’s attempts to generate social and political consent during a period of growing unrest that has traditionally been seen as an era of terminal decline for the dictatorship. For obvious reasons, I haven’t been able to get to Spain, so progress has been difficult, but this experience has taught me that there are always more people in the same boat as you as you might think.

A piece of advice I’d definitely give is to use Twitter as an academic networking tool, which I’ve only started to do relatively recently, but has already led to both productive working relationships and personal connections with other PhD students researching modern Spanish history, who are going through many of the same challenges and frustrations at the minute as me, particularly in terms of travel and access to archives etc. If all goes according to plan, the goal post-PhD would be to try and find someone who’s willing to pay me to continue to think, read and write about modern Spanish history!