Maureen James is a fully qualified teacher, with an MA in Museums and Galleries in Education. For over 20 years she has been involved in historical interpretation and has worked in schools, museums and at heritage sites around the country as a freelance and for ‘History off the Page’, using many techniques including living history; role-play; object handling, storytelling and practical activities.
In 2001 Maureen decided to scale down other forms of interpretation to concentrate on historical storytelling, research and writing. Since then she has told stories in castles, stately homes, village halls and even iron-age roundhouses. She wears period clothing appropriate to the venue, and varies the stories she tells to take account of the audiences, be they adults, families, teenagers or young children.
Maureen has been writing a monthly column on folklore and history for Smallholder Magazine since 2004 and is an occasional writer for other publications. She enjoys researching so much that she is presently investigating the folklore and stories of Lincolnshire, part-time for a PhD under Professor Mike Wilson of the University of Glamorgan, who is also a director of the George Ewart Evans Centre for Storytelling.
You may think that this is enough for one career, but Maureen is also in demand as a speaker. She has given historical talks and lectures around East Anglia and in 2007 was involved in a number of events linked to the Commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the passing of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act including a lecture at the Athenaeum in Bury St Edmunds and a KS3 schools project in Suffolk.
A former Director of The Society for Storytelling, Maureen is a member of Equity, The Folklore Society, Cambridge Antiquarian Society, and the International Museum Theatre Alliance. She has enhanced CRB clearance and public liability insurance.
Last updated 14th April 2009
Maureen James B.Ed. M.A.
E-mail contact: tellinghistory'at'btinternet'dot'com
Telephone 01354-650586