Histories of the High-Street Shopper: Boots and the experience of chain-store retail, 1880-1980
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: History
Abstract
The scale of the Boots archive poses difficulties for the project. Collaborating with the expertise of the archival team can facilitate targeted extractions of appropriate material and aid the formulation of the project's major thematic approaches. The communication skills I developed during my career can benefit the sifting of information and ensure I establish a lasting rapport with the wider team.
I am comfortable working with archival material and understand the principles associated with its handling, documentation and care. I can add value to the project's collections management ambitions, as I have the knowledge to assess and catalogue undocumented material to industry standards. This can expand the archive's public engagement remit, whilst also supporting my own research endeavours and future career prospects in the heritage industry.
My MSc dissertation achieved a distinction and won the 2018 Christie Medal, where it gained praise as a "significant contribution" to Manchester University's history. Its thematic structure and varied source analysis have prepared me for this project, as they naturally overlap with the interpretive pathways I propose taking. The success of my dissertation also relied upon the honest lines of communication established with my supervisor. I will strive to replicate these throughout this CDA, as it can expose my research and writing to unforeseen ideas and supportive streams of evidence.
My ambition to undertake spatial interpretations is supported by my MSc and Historic England career, both of which have offered critical insights into the significance of architecture and the built environment. I have demonstrable experience in reading historical spaces for textured meanings, as well as critically evaluating the interplay between design ideologies, a building's users and wider cultural values.
Material culture will be vital for understanding how Boots accommodated its customers' changing needs. I am comfortable interpreting objects and, as a former museum curator, understand how to connect their cultural value with wider historiographical themes. Incorporating material analysis into the project methodology can expand my existing skill set and ensure my projected return to the heritage sector is equipped with scrutinised experience.
Conducting oral histories stands to augment my understanding of the retail experience, whilst also leaving an important project legacy within the Boots archive. Although I have undertaken oral histories within a museum context, this experience will further my career ambitions as it demonstrates the deployment of such abilities in relation to specific research aims.
I am comfortable working with archival material and understand the principles associated with its handling, documentation and care. I can add value to the project's collections management ambitions, as I have the knowledge to assess and catalogue undocumented material to industry standards. This can expand the archive's public engagement remit, whilst also supporting my own research endeavours and future career prospects in the heritage industry.
My MSc dissertation achieved a distinction and won the 2018 Christie Medal, where it gained praise as a "significant contribution" to Manchester University's history. Its thematic structure and varied source analysis have prepared me for this project, as they naturally overlap with the interpretive pathways I propose taking. The success of my dissertation also relied upon the honest lines of communication established with my supervisor. I will strive to replicate these throughout this CDA, as it can expose my research and writing to unforeseen ideas and supportive streams of evidence.
My ambition to undertake spatial interpretations is supported by my MSc and Historic England career, both of which have offered critical insights into the significance of architecture and the built environment. I have demonstrable experience in reading historical spaces for textured meanings, as well as critically evaluating the interplay between design ideologies, a building's users and wider cultural values.
Material culture will be vital for understanding how Boots accommodated its customers' changing needs. I am comfortable interpreting objects and, as a former museum curator, understand how to connect their cultural value with wider historiographical themes. Incorporating material analysis into the project methodology can expand my existing skill set and ensure my projected return to the heritage sector is equipped with scrutinised experience.
Conducting oral histories stands to augment my understanding of the retail experience, whilst also leaving an important project legacy within the Boots archive. Although I have undertaken oral histories within a museum context, this experience will further my career ambitions as it demonstrates the deployment of such abilities in relation to specific research aims.