Dr. Maureen JamesWriter - Historian - Storyteller

Telling History

Researching, Communicating and Bringing History to Life

22 Darthill Road, March, Cambs. PE15 8HP01354 65058607967 240328

maureen@tellinghistory.co.ukwww.tellinghistory.co.uk

Testimonials

“We were very pleased to host Maureen James and her excellent illustrated talk....Maureen presented and engaged very well with the audience and this

made for a very enjoyable afternoon...”

“Thank you very much for the talk...the ladies thoroughly enjoyed it and there was lots of

discussion and reminiscing afterwards.”

“It is difficult to study history through the ears, eyes and understanding of those

that lived in the past. Maureen was able to describe events of the past through the

lives and feelings of the Clarksons and their contemporaries with great success. She spoke with emotion and feeling about the work of

real people.”

“It’s the most well written guide that I have seen for a long time.”

“One of the key characteristics of Maureen’s ability to tell stories is her innate love of the

medium, which makes the whole such a pleasant and enjoyable experience...”

www.tellinghistory.co.uk

Maureen James has been passionate about Social History for over 25 years. Originally involved in heritage interpretation when her children were small, she travelled around the country with a number of re-enactment groups. In 1993 she went to study history and education at Cambridge University.

Since that time her notable achievements include:

• Her undergraduate dissertation: James M (1997) ‘The Influence of Robert Owen and Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and others on the work of Caroline Southwood Smith and James Hill at the Wisbech Infant School 1830-1840’

• A Teachers Pack on Thomas Clarkson and the Abolition of Slavery, for Wisbech and Fenland Museum and a book of Teaching Notes for the Beyond the Bicentennial Project, Peterborough

• Hands on history with the Cambridgeshire Archaeological Field Unit; Hinchingbrooke Country Park and History off the Page

• Historical Costumed Storytelling at numerous sites including castles, museums and heritage sites and a Master’s Degree Report on the value of Narrative and Storytelling in Museums

• The delivery of Lectures and Conference Papers along with many talks to WIs, Local History and other Community Groups on historical topics

• Living History Presentations on Folk Beliefs and other Historical topics

• The Award of Doctor of Philosophy for her research into the Legends of the Carrs, a group of stories collected in the late 1880s and published in Folklore in 1891

• The writing of many articles for Smallholder Magazine and other publications including Cambridgeshire County Life, and more recently the completion of the book Lincolnshire Folk Tales

Writing and Researching“The study of history is the best … for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record you can find…fine things to take as models, base things…to avoid.” Titus Livius (Livy)

Maureen James is a regular contributor of historical articles to various magazines and is available for research and writing on local and national topics.

Look out for her latest books Lincolnshire Folk Tales (History Press, 2013) and Cambridgeshire Folk Tales (History Press, 2014) and for the publication of her research on The Legends of the Lincolnshire Carrs.

Speaking and Lecturing

Maureen James has presented a number of conference papers to the Folklore Society and also has much experience of giving talks and lectures to local history groups and societies. She currently offers talks on the following topics:• Fenland and Cambridgeshire Calendar Customs• Old Fenland Storytellers• The Folklore of Lincolnshire, the Fens and

Cambridgeshire• The Legends of the Lincolnshire Carrs• A History of Witchcraft• A History of Fairy Belief• The Manea Colony 1838-41• The History of Education• The Clarkson’s of Wisbech & The Abolition of Slavery• The Pankhurst Family - Suffragettes, War & Haile Selassie

Living HistoryMaureen James believes strongly in the value of Living History as a means of communicating about the past. Using objects, anecdotes and stories, the medium encourages empathy, and this engagement enables the understanding of the past. It is also a great way to encourage reminiscence. She presently offers four living history activities:• Victorian Folklorists• Edwardian Suffragettes 1914• Regency & Georgian Abolitionists• Civil War and Witch-hunts in the 17th Century

Historical StorytellingMaureen James has provided engaging, informative and entertaining historical stories for family audiences since 2001. She has told these stories at numerous venues including castles, cathedrals, museums and archaelogical sites. She wears historically accurate clothing and has two authentic tents equipped to ‘living history’ standard.Her current repertoire is suitable for all ages and covers a two historical periods:• Medieval Stories• Victorian Folk TalesMedieval history was her specialist subject at undergraduate level, and Victorian Folk Tales was the the subject of her Ph.D

A former Director of the Society for Storytelling, and a member of Equity, with a Masters Degree in Museums & Galleries in Education, Maureen James also has enhanced CRB clearance and Public Liability Insurance.

www.tellinghistory.co.uk