History has always been an escape for me.
As a child, though never seen to be academically gifted, I was a closeted bookworm; setting up my very own reading nook in my parents boiler cupboard, I would sit in there for hours, poring over Greek and Egyptian Mythology like it was going out of fashion. As I grew and my tastes matured, I delved into the History of Royal Dynasties across the globe, often soaking up the more sensational stories from the likes of the Julio-Claudians, Tudors, and Hanoverians. From there, it was an easy transition into the history of Crime and Punishment and, equally, the history of Victorian Asylums; immersed in the grim practices and macabre, to better understand a world that seemed barbaric by today’s standards. Instead of focusing on events, I focused more on the individual and their story. I often wondered what had led them to commit certain acts and if their punishment/treatment was just. It was more than a curiosity; a passion for research had unknowingly developed and is something that has stuck with me ever since.
It was only in my early twenties, when I had somehow stumbled into a tour guide job at a Castle, I had realised that regardless of age, personality differences or academic background, history was the one constant that brought people together. Conversations that I’ve had with visitors on my tour have said, more often than not, that History seemed daunting to them; that it was overly complicated as they were pelted with buzz words and timelines in textbooks, but when told as a story, it became an enjoyable experience. That’s how it should be; read as a story that shocks and baffles the mind, invoking emotions just like any great novel or song can do.
My main goal is to make History accessible for all; to break down the jargon and serve it in a palatable and exciting way. To tell the true stories of the lives once lived, in all their glory and tragedy, and to bring that passion to a wider audience.