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Awards

For many years the Friends provided financial assistance to academic historians from all over the world (but in practice often America) who were carrying out original research mainly based on documents in the Essex Record Office.

In 2003 it was decided to concentrate on providing financial assistance for suitable research students who are registered members of the University of Essex at Colchester. We set up an annual bursary worth £500 for one research student recommended by the staff of the history department there, who was basing his or her thesis on Essex archives. One of the conditions of being granted the Friends' Fellowship is that the author agrees to provide a copy of the thesis for the Essex Record Office library, and agrees to write an article on some aspect of the thesis for the Essex Journal, of which the Friends is a joint sponsor.

The first winner of the new Friends' Fellowship was Heonsook Kim, a student from Korea, who was later awarded her doctorate for a thesis called 'Charitable Organisations in Colchester 1800-1870'. She used the money to employ a specialist proof reader of her thesis before it was submitted.

The second winner of the Friends’ Fellowship is a member of the Friends (although that was not known by the academic staff who recommended her application for the Fellowship!). Bronwen Cook has now received a doctorate for her thesis on the maritime trade of the Port of Maldon from 1565-1702. She used the money for photocopying and travel expenses.

The third winner was Ruth Costello who has now received her MA in Local and Regional History. She used her fellowship award to pay for travelling expenses and photocopying as some of the records she needed for her research are in the National Archives at Kew.

Charntelle receiving her prize of £100 from the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Friends.But we have not forgotten our aims of helping to make the people of Essex aware of their heritage, so the Friends sponsored the under 18s class of the 'Essex in Focus' photographic competition organised by the Essex Record Office in the summer of 2006. The photos above show the 10 year old winner receiving her prize of £100 from Geraldine Willden (left) vice chairman and treasurer of the Friends, and Dr Maureen Scollan, the chairman. As the chairman presented Charntelle's prize her schoolfriends were suitably impressed.

 

Briefing on the latest award

In 2008 the Friends' Fellowship was awarded to Amanda Wilkinson who is currently studying for a PhD in History at The University of Essex. The subject of her thesis will be The Working Women of the Essex Silk Mills. Their enumeration in the nineteenth century censuses and the social and cultural implications of a working wife and mother.

The award will enable Amanda to cover travel costs to access archives both in Chelmsford and the Courtauld papers in Cambridge, and help to cover general research expenses. We look forward to hearing about Amanda's research in future issues of the Friends' Newsletter and on the research pages of this website.


Charntelle receiving her prize of £100 from the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Friends.

© 2009

       
Friends of Historic Essex www.historicessex.org.uk