Tom did his BA in Historical Studies at the University of Leicester and won the WH Brock Prize for best dissertation, and the Ralph Davis and HJ Dyos Prizes for the best economic and social history work and dissertation. He was awarded an Economic and Social Research Council 1+3 studentship which is funding his MA and will also fund his PhD. 

His MA dissertation is on civic festivals in Manchester and Chicago in the 1920s. It will concentrate on the image of the city that local elites presented to the populace, and the methods of creating citizenship in turbulent social, political and economic circumstances. The study will also observe the civic culture of such festivals; the ways in which different, perhaps previously marginalised groups, could imprint their own meaning on such civic events. Tom will continue his comparative research on Chicago and Manchester for his PhD thesis which will examine how particular civic cultures effected notions of civic responsibility and the construction of citizenship in the interwar period.

Why did you choose the MA in Urban History?

After thoroughly enjoying my undergraduate BA degree, also at the University of Leicester, the thought of falling straight into a saturated, and hence highly competitive, job market filled me with complete dread. For those, like me, of an immature disposition, still wet behind the ears, yet with an inquisitive nature that was not wholly fulfilled by undergraduate work, the thought of further study sounded fantastic. What to study was perhaps slightly more difficult to decide; however, my own path through the previous three years was leading me towards trying to understand the decision making process that related to constructing the city. Urban History therefore seemed like the right discipline to follow.

How did you find out about the MA?

After much gentle nudging by Prof. R. Sweet, mostly during an interesting undergraduate module on the eighteenth-century town, I looked further into the MA. The informative website led me to the bimonthly postgraduate seminars on a Friday, which “sealed the deal.” Topics and theories that I had never before considered were an interesting aside from the usual “cause and effect” of some undergraduate modules.

What has been the most interesting aspect of the course and why?

Beginning to think in a different manner than that of which most of us are accustomed was my favourite aspect. Whilst overwhelming at first, by the end of the year it was impossible to walk down the street in a city without wondering about the different systems and agencies at work in every facet of the environment. When Neo starts to see in binary for the first time in the Matrix.... kind of like that, but not as ‘Hollywood’. The general encouragement and freedom to pursue one’s own interests is great too - I am completing this questionnaire from Chicago, where I am currently researching.

What has been the most fun aspect of the MA?

The field trips have been excellent and diverse. Foucaultian art in an Edwardian police station in Nottingham, a tour of nineteenth century riots in Sheffield as part of the New History Lab, and a day trip to Liverpool to pick the brains of an Urban Environment Manager were a few of the highlights. The course has a highly sociable aspect all-round, whether it is in the pub on a Friday night or procrastinating drinking tea in the common room every other day of the week.

What parts of the MA have you enjoyed the least and why?

It’s a shame you have to submit work I guess, but if needs must... Also, if you have the mathematical capability of a small child, such as me, you might not enjoy the statistics module, though that is only a very small part of the course.

Are there any aspects of the MA which you would like to change?

Death to statistics!

Are there any parts of the course which you feel will be of particular use for your future career choice?

A more tuned method of analysing different sources, whether permanent or ephemeral, has helped me already in understanding what I want to do and how I want to do it. If this course does not lead to a job in the Urban History field, whatever I do will still be informed by that new way of thinking.

What is your most memorable moment at CUH?

I was pretty wasted at the annual Christmas dinner, that was quite fun. Line dancing in a Ukranian Social Club, wearing a dress, with my dissertation supervisor was very amusing as well. The anticipation of picking up essay marks was also quite good. All in all, my memory is awful, probably due to the first statement in this paragraph, but there will be plenty to reminisce on in my dotage.

Do you have any ‘survival’ tips for future students?

Don’t talk to strangers, drink 8 glasses of water a day, and use at least SPF 25 if you are going to be in the sun.

What’s the best cake Roey has cooked this year?

Coffee cake with icing.