The PGCE History students visited the John Rylands Library on Friday October 11th. The library is without doubt one of Manchester’s architectural gems and houses an impressive collection of archive material that students will be working with later in the year. Hosting us were Adam Cooke and Dr Janette Martin, who helped to curate the library’s Peterloo exhibition. We were treated to a private tour of the library and received a special curator’s tour of the Peterloo exhibition – without doubt one of the highlights of the year so far. Janette is hugely knowledgeable and gave the students insights into the background and aftermath of the massacre, as well as a number of poignant stories about those who attended what was supposed to be a peaceful meeting on August 16th 1819 in Manchester. Plans are underway for further collaboration and we will be returning in March to work with the collection of archives, which include letters from Emmeline Pankhurst and Winston Churchill amongst others.

Huge thanks go to Dr Janette Martin and Adam Cooke for treating the PGCE Historians such a fantastic experience. We are looking forward to returning in March and continuing the collaboration in years to come as teachers.

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