The Fourth Voluntary Action History Society Research Conference in partnership with the Centre for Philanthropy, Humanitarianism and Social Justice was held at the University of Kent at Canterbury from 14 to 16 July 2010.
The conference opened with a keynote paper by Emeritus Professor Hugh Cunningham, University of Kent who spoke on ‘From benevolence to philanthropy, 1700-1900’. The following day Professor Clare Midgley, Sheffield Hallam University, gave an address entitled ‘A transoceanic web of reformers in the age of empire’. You can listen to both the keynotes here.
Excursions included walking tours of Eastbridge Hospital and Greyfriars led by Beth Breeze, a visit to Chatham Dockyard led by Peter Grant, a trip to Rochester Bridge Trust led by Anne Logan and a visit to Canterbury Cathedral.
A New Researchers’ Prize sponsored by the Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy (CGAP) for the best paper given at the conference by a student was awarded at the conference dinner by Professor Jenny Harrow. The winner was Eve Colpus, New College, Oxford University for her paper ‘New philanthropy, older women: Re-examining the “new philanthropy” debate in interwar Britain’. There were two runners up: Oliver Blaiklock and Henk Looijesteijn. Papers were judged by Professors Jenny Harrow and Nicholas Deakin.
