Description

Admin History:

Janet Blackman was born in 1934 in Guildford, Surrey, daughter of Percy, a railwayman and children's entertainer and May (nee Chapman). Her father was a dedicated member of Aslef, a railway workers' union, and both her parents were committed socialists. She was educated first at Guildford County School, later studying history at Bedford College, London and economic history at Sheffield University.

In 1962 she was appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Economics at the University of Hull, working under John Saville. She stayed at the University until her retirement in 2001. Her initial academic research concerned food supply and poverty and she later moved to the newly created Department of Economic and Social History in 1973. Her academic interests also included the social consequences of industrialisation, including health and medicine, particularly in relation to women. During her tenure at Hull, she also served as president of the local Association of University Teachers and in 1976 co-founded the international, academic journal Social History with her colleague Keith Nield. She helped shape Social History as a truly international journal, ensuring cross-generational and cross-disciplinary discussion, and encouraging a broad definition of 'social history'. After Keith Neild's death in 2010, she became sole-editor, retiring from the position in 2014. Alongside Social History, she also acted as an associate editor of The Journal of Gender Studies.

Her other main interests included the local cultural scene in Hull and an unwavering commitment to the United Nations Association of Great Britain (UNA), of which she was an early member, chair of the UNA international service and chair of the UNA annual conference. On the cultural scene, she was a co-founder, with Alan Plater, of the Hull Arts Centre in 1970. She was appointed chair, retaining the position throughout the 1970s and early 1980s and helped oversee its transition into the Humberside Theatre (later taken over by Hull Truck). The Humberside Theatre was established on Spring Street and provided a space for art exhibitions, youth theatre, community plays and music events, as well as hosting a resident acting company and visiting productions. She also helped to set up Viking FM Radio.

Janet Blackman died on 29 November 2016, aged 82, surrounded by friends.

Description:

This collection contains the research papers of Janet Blackman, as well as subject files relating to her involvement in Hull cultural organisations, the UK United Nations Association (UNA), and local political organisations. There are also a few files containing personal papers. The research files, containing handwritten notes, typed and published papers, and research correspondence, relate to demography and population, nutrition and food, women's history, child labour, nursing and medical history, transport, the textile industry, markets, trade unions, and agriculture, particularly in relation to 18th and 19th century Britain. The subject files relating to Lincolnshire & Humberside Arts, Hull Arts Centre, Humberside Theatre, Hull Truck and Viking FM Radio, contain a variety of papers including minutes, correspondence, working papers, scripts, handwritten notes, publications, advertising leaflets, and programmes. The files relating to Janet Blackman's work with the UK United Nations Association (UNA), the UNA Yorkshire Regional Council, the UNA North East Regional Council and the UNA Hull Branch, contain minutes, agendas, correspondence, handwritten notes, official reports, UNA publications, and typed papers. The political activities files relate to Janet Blackman's involvement with Humberside Voice, the Institute for Workers' Control, Hull Women's Rights Group, and other local political groups. The personal papers contain a personnel file relating to Janet Blackman's employment at the University of Hull, personal correspondence between Janet Blackman and various family members and friends, Hull University Department of Economic and Social History staff photographs, typed papers relating to memories of Janet Blackman, and birthday cards from Alan and Shirley Plater with hand-drawn cartoons by Alan Plater.