AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award, Keele University

The Farmer Chetham MS: An Edition and Case-Study in Manuscript Circulation and Literary and Political Culture (in partnership with Chetham‚s Library, Manchester)

The PhD will consist of an edition of the Farmer Chetham MS at Chetham's Library, Manchester, which was last edited - in a partial and inaccurate edition - in 1873. The PhD will not simply transcribe the MS, but will also provide a detailed investigation into the provenance, physical make-up, and textual connections of the volume. The MS contains a mixture of prose (including letters of Ralegh and Bacon); poems by Davies, Donne, Hoskins, and Jonson; material on Philip Sidney; libels on the Earl of Somerset and on Giles Mompesson, along with a range of Jacobean libels.

A major part of the project will be to relate the manuscript to the wider issues of manuscript circulation and its role in the dissemination of political and cultural information especially in the English regions. Some attempt will be made to explore the difference between the kinds of collections generally located in national collections and the kinds of material found in local archives, by considering not only the contents of the volumes and how they relate to other key MS collections, but also by considering the different types of manuscript forms available and the differing kinds of collections which they might contain.

The studentship offers unrivalled access to the books and manuscripts at Chetham's Library in Manchester, and the opportunity to work closely with the library's staff. 

We are looking for a student with expertise in History or English Literature using manuscript sources, and who has completed a Master's degree or can demonstrate equivalent initial research training. The student will be offered tailored research training.

The AHRC studentship includes the annual tuitions fee for the three years full-time; equivalent in 2007/8 to £3,250 for full-time students. In addition, the award includes an annual Maintenance Grant of c. £ 12,600.

Lead Supervisor: Professor James Knowles, j.d.knowles@engl.keele.ac.uk Tel: 01782 583145
Entry Requirements: 1st class or upper 2.1 honours degree in English or History.
For further details: http://www.keele.ac.uk/research/humanities/AHRCawards.htm
Deadline: 15 June 2007. REF: 2007-02