This course will take place online, for a reduced rate of Full £67 / Conc. £50
Five thought-provoking weeks. Five exciting periods in London’s modern history. Learn about London in the twentieth century through illustrated lectures and short, small-group discussions. The sessions are inspired by original historical sources from our special collections, including campaigning ephemera, photographs, letters, scrapbooks and diaries.
Explore the different collections we hold on London History through our Archives.
Who is this course for?
The course is accessible to all informal learners. We especially welcome anybody who is:
- Curious to explore the twentieth-century experiences of Londoners from different classes and backgrounds
- Seeking an accessible, engaging introduction to the social history of twentieth-century London
- Keen to find out about less well-known characters and incidents in the city since 1900.
Will I need any equipment or materials?
This course will be held via Zoom. You need a computer/laptop or mobile phone to access the Zoom website, and a reliable internet connection. For further information on how to join a Zoom meeting, you can watch the joining video here.
You will need a computer or other device to connect with Zoom and a notebook/paper and pen/pencil, or digital equivalent.
Will I be assessed?
There is no formal assessment for courses at Bishopsgate Institute. However, to monitor your learning and progress, tutors will assess your participation in classroom activities.
Image: Derek Brook Archive
You will learn
By the end of this course, you will have learnt:
- To see the city differently through an increased understanding of its history and peoples since 1900
- How London history interacts with wider social and political histories
- Human stories of struggle, success, and self-realisation during a period of rapid urban change.
Meet the Tutor
Dr Michelle Johansen
Dr Michelle Johansen is a social historian specialising in the history of modern London, with a particular emphasis on social class and mobility, gender, professional lives, and regional identities. Her publications include articles in Teaching History, the London Journal, and Cultural and Social History. Michelle has more than ten years' experience of delivering learning sessions at Bishopsgate Institute for all types of learners, from primary school pupils to undergraduates to informal adult learners. Her teaching approach places the emphasis on hands-on access to original historical documents, which provides a uniquely dynamic and immersive classroom experience.
Course Overview
Week 1
Edwardian London (1900s-1910s)
Through press cuttings, journal articles, and photographs, we revisit daily life in London at the turn of the twentieth century
Week 2
London at War (1910s-1920s)
We use one family’s archive to understand the impact of the First World War on the private and working lives of "ordinary" men and women
Week 3
Interwar London (1920s-1930s)
Using photographs, pamphlets, and scrapbooks, we explore leisure, politics, housing, and work between the wars
Week 4
Austerity London (1940s-1950s)
Taking inspiration from tourist guides, pamphlets, and memoir, we look at daily life in the mid-twentieth-century city
Week 5
Swinging London (1960s-1970s)
We use photographs, magazines, and campaigning ephemera to revisit counter-cultural attitudes in 1960s London
Need to Know
The London Voice
Online
#FROMTHE ARCHIVES
