Where engaging with history is not just a pastime, but a lifestyle.

Hi, I’m Emily! Welcome to Hidden Histories, where engaging with history is not just a pastime, but a lifestyle.

We all have that one friend who researches the history of every place we travel to, right? The one who will go so far as to find history wherever you are, whether it’s your next holiday destination or the pub you go to every Thursday. Well, at least my friends do.

Because…it’s me. I am that friend.

Some people romanticize their life—I historicize mine.

I am a recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where I earned a BA in History. I specialized in women’s history in Early Modern Britain, but took courses in just about everything else! I have always been interested in multiple eras of history, and it is here that Hidden Histories gets its start.

While studying for my degree, I became hyper-aware that historical significance is not confined to the textbook page; it is found in the streets we walk every day. Though flashier historical subjects are fascinating to look into (especially when you have to write a 70 page thesis on them), some of the greatest historical mysteries are the connections to the past left unexplored in daily life. This site is a space to investigate both.

Having just moved to London to pursue an MA in Public History at Royal Holloway, history is everywhere in my day-to-day routine. But you do not have to live in a big city to find traces of the past! Engaging with history abroad is just as important as engaging with history at home, and doing so can be a new way of experiencing the world around us. Welcome to my own digital scrapbook of historical findings! Whether it be your local supermarket or your next getaway, places we experience have hidden histories just waiting to be seen.

Let’s get looking!