EDGE Hill is opening its archives to the public in a series of special events looking at the University’s history, the role it played in expanding opportunities for women, and the artifacts it holds.

3 Research Catalyst events will all take place on:- Thursday, 9 March 2023, from:- 4.30pm to 8pm in the University’s Tech Hub and have been organized by members of Edge Hill’s Research Catalyst group working with the Institute for Social Responsibility (ISR) and the Institute for Creative Enterprise. 

The 1st event will announce the winners of the Think Creative Archive competition which asked the public to draw, write and create artworks based on the 135 years of history contained in the University’s online archive. 

Archivist Dan Copley said:- “The results of the competition have been incredible. From inspired poetry to magnificent paintings, the range and quality of the entries have been breathtaking. We can’t wait to announce the winners and put them on display for everyone to enjoy. The judges have seen a lot of creativity and hopefully, everyone who took part found our archives to be very inspirational, gaining new insights into Edge Hill, our local community, and the women who trained here.” 

The prize giving is followed at:- 5.20pm, by Women in the Archive which delves into the experiences of over 1,400 women who studied at Edge Hill College between:- 1885 to 1909, many of whom were pioneers for choosing to dedicate their lives to their work. 

1 such example is Jessie Reid Crosbie who studied at Edge Hill between:- 1895 to 1897, taught at a School, in Everton, for over 30 years, and not only became an influential local figure in Liverpool but is credited with, amongst other innovations, the initial development of parent-teacher associations.

Professor Alyson Brown said:- “This talk will highlight the importance of Edge Hill as an innovator of teacher training and as a supporter of the schools and communities these women joined. When Edge Hill first opened its doors women’s life chances were very limited, most didn’t work, and for many, their ambitions ended in finding a good husband and bringing up a family. Our University was at the forefront of changing that. The stories in our archive tell of women who became headteachers, influenced their communities, pursued careers, and even traveled the world.”

The final event is a screening of:- "A Story of the Great War" at 7pm. This film project is based on excerpts from the 1st part of William Bradshaw’s journal detailing his enlisting in 1914 up to the moment when he writes home after having been captured in 1918.

With support from the Institute for Creative Enterprise (ICE) three artist-academics, Professor Helen Newall, Dr Karen Lauke, and Dr James Macpherson, have reimagined the diary through digital animation, sound, and voice acting, bringing his writing and photographs to life for the 1st time.

 Professor of Theatre Praxis Helen Newall said:- “When I first heard William’s words spoken the hairs on my neck stood on end, it was magical. We hear so many stories from World War 1, but rarely are they brought to life in this way. Through our short film I hope people realize archives aren’t just containers of long forgotten artifacts, they are living, breathing things filled with human stories, emotions, and insights into our past.”

Please visit Edge Hill Univerty's online archive catalogue to search through collections. Many collections are still being catalogued and gradually added to the site.

To access something that isn’t in the online collection, you can contact the archive services and book an in-person appointment:- Monday to Thursday, from:- 9am to 5pm.

Please note that all archive appointments must be pre-booked.

You can find more information on Research Catalyst on their dedicated website pages.