Academic users
Professor Grace Ioppolo
Grace's research and publications for her role as Professor of Shakespearean and Early Modern Drama at the University of Reading are based on the archival study of early modern literary and historical manuscripts, using archives across the UK and USA. She is founder and Director of the Henslowe-Alleyn Digitisation Project, which has successfully digitised and made freely available online over 2,000 pages of manuscripts of early modern English drama.
Email: g.j.ioppolo@reading.ac.uk
Professor Anne Laurence
As a member of the Department of History at the Open University, Anne has a particular interest in the increasing availability of online archival and library resources, and offering students of the Open University an experience comparable to students at conventional universities. She undertakes academic research and is a member of the Council of the Economic History Society and of various Arts and Humanities Research Council committees.
Email: e.a.laurence@open.ac.uk
County/external archives
Dr Paul Dryburgh
Paul is interested in developing strategies for using new media to disseminate archival content, maintaining the highest editorial standards, and in improving physical and intellectual access to collections. He is an archivist specialising in medieval records at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York. He is also Honorary Secretary of the Lincoln Record Society and General Editor of the Pipe Roll Society.
Email: paul.dryburgh@york.ac.uk
Diversity/inclusion
Dr Julie Anderson
Julie is a senior lecturer at the University of Kent and a specialist in disability history. She has written several articles and books on the history of disability, and is chair of the Disability History Group (UK and Europe).
Email: j.p.anderson@kent.ac.uk
Patrick Vernon
Patrick is a leading expert on African and Caribbean Diaspora family genealogy, and has worked as an adviser to The National Archives, BBC, British Council in East and West Africa, and a number of local archives, libraries and museums. He is chief executive of the Afiya Trust and a councillor in Hackney.
Email: patrickvernon@btconnect.com
Family history societies
Else Churchill
Else has been a professional genealogist, teacher, writer and researcher for nearly 30 years. She serves as Genealogist at the Society of Genealogists, dealing with external outreach and liaison, and has previously represented family historians both at The National Archives and elsewhere.
Email: genealogy@sog.org.uk
Independent researchers
Bob O'Hara
Bob has been active in helping to forward the views of independent researchers at The National Archives, and has led various delegations sent to discuss The National Archives' matters with Ministers and MPs. Before becoming a researcher, Bob spent 35 years with GCHQ, during which time he served on the NEC of the Civil Service Union and on the Departmental Whitley Council.
Email: searcher@searcher-na.co.uk
Map Room users
Susan Moore
Susan has over 30 years' experience as a full-time researcher at The National Archives and elsewhere, specialising in early modern legal records and can usually be found on site in the Map and Large Document Reading Room, two or three days a week. She also writes and gives lectures on Chancery Proceedings to local and family history societies. Susan is an accredited member of the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives and a member of the Community of Specialist Researchers, and of many local history and genealogical societies.
Dr Nicola Phillips
As a lecturer in History based at nearby Kingston University, Nicola has been a frequent user of The National Archives for research and teaching purposes for many years, in particular using the Map and Large Document Reading Room and, more recently, the Special Invigilation room for researching Chancery documents. Nicola is particularly interested in the creation and provision of public history and is also a member of the Historical Association's Public History Committee.
Email: n.phillips@kingston.ac.uk
On site personal interest
Gillian Stevens
Gillian has been researching her own family history for more than 15 years, using The National Archives both on site and online. She previously worked for the Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS) and is a member of the Society of Genealogists and the Guild of One-Name studies.
Email: tna@genealogyservices.co.ukGraham Woolgar
Graham has attended The National Archives for over 20 years, largely reading original documents. His major interest is naval and military history from the Napoleonic period to the Korean War and beyond. With a professional background in IT, Graham is also a frequent user of The National Archives' website and online resources.
