The start of Year 2 has seen the project team take part in a couple of events to disseminate some early findings and engage with other historians and archivists.
In late March 2026, Juliette Desportes and Centre for History colleague Philippa Woodcock were invited to speak at the annual gathering of SACHA, the Scottish Association of Country Archivists. SACHA was formed to support the work of archivists who are employed in the private collections of estates and country houses throughout Scotland and the invitation was extended by SACHA secretary and ‘Resistance to improvement’ advisory board member Alison Diamond. Philippa’s project centres on an important but under-researched topic: miscarriage in early modern Scotland. You can read more about Philippa’s project here.
In the wonderful grounds and house of Brucefield estate, Philippa and Juliette met with archivists working in country houses across Scotland and got to exchange ideas and discuss the past and future directions of these important collections. In this blog, Philippa and Juliette reflect on working on emotional subjects in relation to their respective research projects.
Philippa (right) and Juliette outside of Brucefield house.
In April, the project team also delivered an online talk at the Institute of Northern Studies, UHI, which introduced the project and offered some early insights. Focusing on two of the project’s case studies, Argyll and the Isle of Lewis, the talk showcased the unrivaled archival depth the project has tapped into thus far. The talk was recorded and can be watched here.
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