I completed a part-time Master of Studies in Local and Regional History. It was a very interesting course and I loved being able to use the university library and the college libraries as well as other collections such as at the British Library. It was only a small group of people – about 20. We attended Homerton College once a week during the first year during which time we had to complete and pass essays in related subjects. In the second year we had a tutor that we met regularly. My thesis was on the Old Poor Law in Terling, Paglesham and March, Essex from 1780 to 1834.
It was quite a hard course for me to do as I had another full-time job working in London. I had to ask for extra time to complete the course which was agreed – I was the only course member to have a full-time job as well as completing the course. I enjoyed my time on the course but I would have liked to have been able to do the course full-time so that I could make full use of the Cambridge facilities. At times I felt quite isolated from other university students – we never really met many apart from at some dinners as we were part-time and didn’t go to their lectures.