Hello
My name is Ben and I am a Collections + Learning Curator at Colchester Museums. I have a wider passion for sharing stories about heritage in a variety of forms, whether that's through exhibitions, events, tours or media productions.
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My main areas of interest are Roman archaeology & history, the histories of marginalised groups and mythology & folklore. I have a passion for sharing stories of individuals and communities that receive little representation, but love to talk about any aspect of history with anyone, from academics to the general public. ​
My Story
I have always had a passion for history and archaeology. From a young age I loved to visit museums and heritage sites to learn more about people in the past. This fuelled a desire to learn and experience what it was like to work in those places. So I volunteered at the British Museum from the age of 16 and then my local museum at weekends while I studied for my A Levels. I even learnt Latin from the age of 14 alongside my school subjects, having lessons on weekday evenings or weekends. I was able to sit GCSE and A Level Latin at the same time as my school subjects.
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I studied Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge University, attending Pembroke College. I focused on Archaeology in my second and third year, choosing mainly Classics modules alongside the core archaeological theory and practice. Not only was I able to develop research and interpretation skills through the rigorous and frequent essays I had to write, but also my dissertation looking at the types of Roman brooch found in Roman Silchester and the surrounding area allowed me to explore in depth a subject I had chosen myself. This sparked my passion for independent research.
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After my BA I went to UCL where I got an MA in Artefact Studies. I was able to develop my skills in object interpretation and deepen my skills in research and investigation. Here I had the opportunity to develop my understanding of museums and heritage, through a module on Museum Management and placement at the Museum of London. It was here where I started my work with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, helping the Finds Liaison Officer for London identify and record archaeological material.
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After formal education, I had a brief period teaching Latin at several schools across London and continuing to volunteer at the Museum of London before getting an internship that was split between the Museum of London and Colchester Museums. At the end of my placement I was retained in Colchester Museums to be the Finds Liaison Assistant working on identifying and recording archaeological material found by the public across Essex. Within a few months I became the Finds Liaison Officer for the county.
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Having spent a couple years as the Essex Finds Liaison Officer I eventually got the job of Collections _ Learning Curator at Colchester Museums. Since then, experiences in that role have been varied and have allowed me to develop a greater understanding of museum and heritage best practice, as well as learning about a whole host of subjects I never thought I would need to know about. From the history of TV puppetry to the Siege of Colchester in 1648, I have had the opportunity to share the stories of various people and events in a variety of different ways.