Graduate wins top history dissertation prize


A University of Cumbria graduate has won a prestigious prize for best dissertation on a north-west regional theme.


Ruth Mather was awarded the £150 prize, which is open to students from all universities and disciplines across the region, by the 150-year-old Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire. Ruth’s winning dissertation was entitled “The people of Lancashire and the Queen Caroline affair”, written as part of her BA (Hons) History degree at the University of Cumbria.


The citation from the Historic Society read: “The awarding panel thought this was an exceptional piece of work with outstanding research contextualisation and presentation.”


Ruth, who is 24 and lives in Lancaster, was very pleased to discover she had won the prize. She explains: “I was thrilled; I hope to go on to postgraduate study in history and, ultimately, a career in historical research, so to receive such an award for my first in-depth piece of such research really encouraged my hopes for the future. I was also very grateful for the help of my tutors and their generosity in providing both time and resources, as well as for the support of my family and friends, all of whom were also very excited when I told them about the prize.”


Ruth and Edward Mather


Ruth graduated last summer and currently works part-time at a local commercial archaeology company. The Historic Society has invited her to submit her dissertation to be considered for publication in their journal. She is also hoping to continue her studies onto postgraduate level and has been accepted for MA study by four universities.


The Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire is an educational charity which exists to promote the study of any aspect of the history of the Palatine counties of Lancashire and Cheshire and successor local authorities. For more information visit: www.hslc.org.uk


Stobart’s first lorry driver immortalised in willow A horticultural tribute to Eddie Stobart’s first ever lorry driver is to go on public display.


Known only as ‘Norman’ he is represented by a larger-than-life sculpture formed from coppiced willow grown on the Newton Rigg campus near Penrith. “It’s a really lovely tribute to someone we only have very sketchy details about,” explained horticulture expert Shelagh Todd from the University.


Entitled ‘Norman’s Potting Shed’, the garden by three mature University of Cumbria students took centre stage at the Carlisle and Borders Spring Show. It was the award-winning horticulture department’s first public outing since claiming a stunning silver medal at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show with an entry entitled Pottering in North Cumbria. It was overseen by Shelagh who has an enviable reputation in the county for guiding budding gardeners to local, regional and national design success.


Lorraine Baker (left) and Sally Coleman with ‘Norman’ centre


Student Alastair Smeaton wanted to pay tribute to ‘Norman’ after moving into a house in Mungrisdale ten years ago. “I found a lot of old equipment


in a barn including the wonderful wooden wheelbarrow, galvanised tub and old tools,” he explained. “All I know is that the man who left everything was called ‘Norman’ and that he was the first lorry driver to work for Eddie Stobart.”


Along with fellow students Sally Coleman and Lorraine Baker he wanted to recreate the charm of an old world potting shed. Lorraine, who sculpted the figure’s heart out of red-coloured dogwood, is a former cartographer who enrolled at Newton Rigg after moving to Cumbria from Essex in 2005. “It’s a super course and a great campus and I’ve learned so much about design and horticulture,” she said.


Mum-of-three Sally explained that they had chosen very natural plants such as ferns, cowslips and alliums to reflect the rustic feel of an old potting shed. “It’s my first garden design foray into the public arena and in the wake of last year’s Chelsea success there’s a lot to live up to!”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22