I began my PhD research at the University of Bristol in September 2015, coinciding with the formation of the Hong Kong History Project – the forerunner of the Hong Kong History Centre. With the growth of the Project, the number of researchers studying Hong Kong history increased, forming an invaluable network. This community of fellow students and colleagues supported my PhD studies socially and intellectually, helping to ultimately shape my thesis. Regular meetings of the Project group allowed us to share work in progress, discuss recent work in the field, and invite guest speakers.
As well as supporting some of my fieldwork in Hong Kong, the Project enabled me to organise several events. These included an exhibition of Hong Kong photographs at the Bristol Museum in February 2018, and a conference, All Roads Lead to Hong Kong, co-hosted with the University of Hong Kong in June 2019. I have carried the skills and network I gained from the Project into my post-PhD career as a Civil Servant.
Thesis: Britons Abroad: Navigating Imperialism in Late Colonial Hong Kong, 1980-2000