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Women From Newcastle: Celebrating our forgotten female trailblazers with Jill Taylor-Roe

This episode is part of a special series to celebrate International Women’s Day.

In this episode, we talk to Jill Taylor Roe, Director of Academic Services and University Librarian at Newcastle University. Jill explores the lives of two incredible women who have shaped Newcastle’s past, Dr Ethel Williams and Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen. Learn about how these women have impacted Newcastle University and the North East.

Discover more about Dr Ethel Williams:

The North’s Forgotten Female Reformers: https://speccollstories.ncl.ac.uk/The-Norths-Forgotten-Female-Reformers/

Watch this short film of a suffragette demonstration in Newcastle 1909. One of the banners in the film may be the one made by Dr Ethel Williams in about 1905.

View photographs, including Ethel’s motorcar and banner at CollectionsCaptured:

https://collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/collection/p21051coll27/id/2/rec/15

https://collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/collection/p21051coll27/id/7/rec/11

Discover more about Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen:

View Sirkka’s photographs including ‘Girl on a Spacehopper’: https://www.amber-online.com/collection/byker-revisited/

Purchase a copy of Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen’s book ‘Byker’ at: https://www.waterstones.com/book/byker/sirkka-liisa-konttinen/9781911306856

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Black History Month: Listen to this story! with Professor Karen Sands-O’Connor

In this special episode to mark Black History Month, we talk to Karen Sands-O’Connor, British Academy Global Professor at Newcastle University. 

Learn about ‘Listen to this story!’, a groundbreaking exhibition about children’s books and Black Britain. 

You can find out more about Karen’s research and follow her on twitter @ksandsoconnor. If you are interested in hosting the exhibition at your local library you can contact Karen at Karen.Sands-O’Connor@newcastle.ac.uk.

Other links mentioned in this episode:

Listen to this story! https://listentothisstory.co.uk/

Special Collections at Newcastle University: https://speccollstories.ncl.ac.uk/listen-to-this-story/

Letterbox Library: https://www.letterboxlibrary.com/

Find #FromNewcastle podcast at https://podcasts.ncl.ac.uk/fromnewcastle/ and on twitter @FromNCLPodcast

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5.5 Creating opportunities for young dads and lads in the North East with Dr Michael Richardson

In this episode we talk to Dr Michael Richardson, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography about his work with the North East Young Dads and Lads project.

Learn about Michael’s research on the geographies of gender and masculinities and how he is working creatively to help young men and young fathers across the North East.

Find out more about Michael’s research and follow him on twitter @mjrichardson1 Look out Michael’s new book ‘Undefining masculinity: Feminism, Food and Fatherhood’ out later this year.

Links:

The Comfrey Project: https://thecomfreyproject.org.uk/
North East Young Dads and Lads Project: https://www.neydl.uk/
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art: https://baltic.art/
Father Unknown, 16 – 17 June 2023: https://northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/father-unknown/

 

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5.4 The Hatton Gallery: Learning through art with Hazel Barron-Cooper

In this episode we talk to Hazel Barron-Cooper, Learning Officer at the Hatton Gallery. 

Learn about the relationship between the Hatton Gallery and Newcastle University, exhibitions we can look forward to this year and how the Hatton Gallery is working with local community groups to promote learning through art. 

Find out more about the upcoming exhibitions at the Hatton Gallery. School and college groups are welcome in the gallery for a selection of workshops or they can also come for self-led visits. For enquiries please email learning@hattongallery.org.uk.

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5.2 Challenging Legacies: The Kingdom of Iraq and Gertrude Bell with Dr Mark Jackson and Valentina Flex

In this episode we talk to Dr Mark Jackson and Valentina Flex about a new exhibition at the Great North Museum Hancock, Challenging Legacies: The Kingdom of Iraq and Gertrude Bell. 

Learn about the Gertude Bell archive, why she is so important to Newcastle University and how this ground-breaking exhibition was put together. 

Challenging Legacies: The Kingdom of Iraq and Gertrude Bell is showing at the Great North Museum Hancock until Sunday 5 March (free entry). You can browse and search her photographs, letters, and diaries in the Gertrude Bell Archive. Follow @GNM_Hancock and @GertrudeBellArc on twitter.

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5.1 What does an engaged university look like? with Andrea Henderson and Bob Allan

In this episode we talk to Andrea Henderson and Bob Allan from Newcastle University’s Engagement Team. 

Learn about what engagement means, the upcoming engagement and place awards and how Newcastle University are working to build partnerships which benefit both the University and our external partners locally, nationally and globally. 

Find out more about Newcastle University’s engagement projects and the Engagement and Place Awards and follow the teams updates on twitter @EngageNCL.

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4.2 Rome Transformed with Professor Ian Haynes

In this episode we talk to Ian Haynes, Professor of Archaeology at Newcastle University about Rome Transformed, a large scale research project, conducted in both Rome and Newcastle.

Learn about how the team have evolved a new methodology for studying complex urban areas and how Newcastle University is working collaboratively with people and organisations to advance our understanding of Rome and its place in cultural change across the Mediterranean World.

Find out more about Rome Transformed and follow Ian on twitter @ProfIanHaynes.

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3.4 Opera North: Staging the Voice with Professor Jenny Richards and Dominic Gray

In this episode, we talk to Professor Jenny Richards, Joseph Cowen Professor of English Literature and Director of Newcastle University Humanities Research Institute (NUHRI) and Dominic Gray, Projects Director at Opera North about “Staging the Voice: Voicing the Stage”.

Opera North is a national opera company based in Leeds, and is a leading UK arts organisation. In this episode, we will learn about their award-winning work, bring opera and music to the North and beyond, enjoy excerpts from some of their latest productions and find out how Newcastle University and Opera North are working together to share knowledge and explore ideas in understanding the voice.

You can follow Professor Jenny Richards on twitter @JenniferRichar7 and find out more about the Newcastle University Humanities Research Institute at https://www.ncl.ac.uk/nuhri/

Follow Opera North on twitter @Opera_North and find out about upcoming productions at https://www.operanorth.co.uk/

Opera North’s production of Alcina is available to watch for free for the next year on OperaVision:
https://operavision.eu/en/library/performances/operas/alcina-opera-north

Staging the Voice, Voicing the Stage will continue as an Opera North podcast with three more episodes over the coming months.

With thanks to:

Amy J Payne
Act II Quintet from Bizet’s Carmen, ‘Nous avons en tête une affaire’ 
Amy J Payne as Carmen with members of the Chorus of Opera North
Recorded for Opera North’s 2021-22 Season Preview
https://stevephillipsmanagement.co.uk/amy-j-payne-mezzo-soprano/


Patrick Terry
Handel’s ‘Verdi prati’ from Alcina
Patrick Terry as Ruggiero with the Orchestra of Opera North conducted by Laurence Cummings

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2.3 It’s Queer Up North with Dr Gareth Longstaff

In this episode we talk to Dr Gareth Longstaff, Deputy Head of Media, Culture, Heritage and Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at Newcastle University. Gareth is a queer activist and chairs the staff LGBTQ+ network. His research looks at the intersections of queer history, culture and heritage.

Learn about the significance of queer culture outside of London, gender identity in education and Gareth’s plans for an LGBTQ+ Archive of the North East.

Find out more about Gareth’s research here. If you enjoyed this episode you may also be interested in the Queer Media, Culture, and Heritage Seminars and annual INSIGHTS LGBT+ History Month Lecture.

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1.5 Covid-19 Myths, Misconceptions and Rumours

In this episode we talk to Dr Tina Sikka, Lecturer in Media, Culture and Heritage at Newcastle University about the myths, misconceptions and rumours that have arisen during the pandemic.

Over the past year and a half, we have seen damaging rumours circulating the internet including attributing responsibility for the spreading of Covid-19 to racial groups, and certain body types. Is it just in our human nature to find someone to blame for when things go wrong?

We explore some of our more unusual reactions during the pandemic, learn how misinformation is spread and discuss the importance of language and clear communication.

To find out more follow Tina on twitter @tsikka.