News Placement at Headstone Manor – April 2026

By Oliver - (Placement Student at Headstone Manor).

Are you a student undecided on where to do your placement? Are you a senior citizen who wants to continue to give back to their community? Are you perhaps a parent considering where to take your family on a day out? Whichever category you fit into, I ask you for a few minutes of your time to learn about what life is like behind the scenes at Headstone Manor through the eyes of a student. 

Throughout my academic life, I was always fixated on historical realities in macroscopic terms. Events happening across Europe during the 19th century grabbed my attention from one corner of the continent to the next. Revolutions, wars, exhibitions, technologies and ideas were my bread and butter. Earlier during my masters at Queen Mary University of London, I had an encounter with some microhistories - that is, histories that hone in on specific individuals to extrapolate the world in which they lived in such as with Carlo Ginzburg’s The Cheese and the Worms - but it was not until this placement that I was truly able to immerse myself in ordinary yet equally fascinating local events that occurred quite literally close to home.

To contextualise this experience, as part of my masters degree I had a module whereby the first five weeks would examine the theory of public history and heritage sites - be it museums, documentaries or even YouTube videos - and the subsequent six weeks would be a placement at a museum or archive out of a list of roughly fifteen locations I believe. As a citizen born and living in Harrow, Headstone Manor was the natural choice for two reasons. Firstly, despite living here all my life, I had little knowledge of what our history really consisted of. Secondly, it would mean both not using the Tube and getting those steps in with a lovely commute. 

During my time here, I found myself entangled with three fantastic teams that broadened my perspectives: Collections, Learning and Archives. With Collections, I was tasked with auditing what was in some folders in ‘Inside Storage 3’, or IS3. The auditing process itself was largely simple. State what it is, examine its condition, and situate this information into a spreadsheet. What I would like to comment on instead is how humbling it all was. I was aware of the necessity for temperature control for both archives and physical collections, but seeing how it was set up here really put into perspective the challenges that come into play against a less than favourable weather forecast when you don’t have extensive funding or countless donations pouring in from the general public (and tourists especially). It is to this end I would encourage readers to support your local museums where you can. They are the holders of your community’s past and in preserving it, you can see what has led your community to where you are and also offer some insight into where you may be headed.

In working with the Learning team, I encountered a whole new world of challenges. Headstone Manor caters to primary school children brilliantly, but what events can it offer to those students in high school beyond merely the history of the site itself? In undertaking some research into finding an answer to this question, I was met with a wall of ambiguity both from museums large and small. Much like a parent trusting their own child to walk home from school, so too did it seem to me museums had an inclination to let highschoolers learn as they please without a need to set up more than a couple workshops. A refreshing break from their traditional lessons, good for them!

The archives team engaged me most as an historian. For one, it was the most useful for my own career goals; I intend to become an archivist later down the road. But beyond this, I found the series of documents surrounding Byron house immensely intoxicating. Much like any historical event, you have a cast of characters, a plot, and some drama sprinkled throughout. In reading the abundance of letters surrounding the window replacements, I felt engaged in this local story. “What would the next letter reveal?” “What letter is this replying to?” These questions that could be relevant to any historical investigation ran rampant throughout my mind. Yet for this to apply to window replacements, it showed me that some of the most thrilling historical narratives could have occurred just down the road, you need only to take an interest in what lies right in front of you.

Beyond my own involvement, the work environment was brilliant. Surrounded by those willing to lend their expertise at a moment's notice, there was a flawless blend of competence and amusement. There was a clear cut understanding across the entire site that everyone was in the same boat, with a willingness to support one another at a moment’s notice (the structure of the offices lends itself to this incredibly well), with staff taking an active interest in each other's lives. It would be sufficient to say that this place has well and truly carved out a welcoming, supportive community that anyone can become a part of. 

Therefore, if you are a student, support your local community (or even A local community) and come to Headstone Manor. If you are a senior citizen, get involved, come to Headstone Manor and become part of an incredible project. Lastly, if you are a parent, come to Headstone Manor, teach your child about the environment in which they grow up in, and have a lovely toastie in the cafe when you are done.