Professor Katharine Cockin
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Email
k.m.cockin@essex.ac.uk -
Telephone
+44 (0) 1206 876332
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Location
5NW.4.5, Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
Spring Term 2023-24 Tuesdays 12-1pm during term time
Profile
Biography
I joined University of Essex in October 2017, as Professor of English Literature. I studied English literature at University of Leicester as an undergraduate and as a postgraduate on the MA in Modern Literature: Theory and Practice) and PhD. My PhD thesis was a cultural history of the Pioneer Players theatre society (1911-25). After various temporary teaching appointments and appointment to the Elizabeth Howe research fellowship by the Open University (1997), I joined University of Hull in January 1998 as a lecturer. I was subsequently promoted to Senior Lecturer, Reader and Professor and in 2010-14 I was appointed as Head of Department of English in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. At University of Hull I founded the interdisciplinary research and teaching collaboration on literature and law with colleagues in the Law School. This included new undergraduate programmes, BA English with Law and LLB Law with Literature, a seminar series, a conference on ‘Silence’, and a special issue of Law and Literature. I devised and convened the MA in Modern and Contemporary Literature (2007-14). Research Interests My research focuses on the lives and work of Ellen Terry (1847-1928), the nineteenth-century actor and her daughter, Edith Craig (1869-1947) who was an influential theatre director and activist in the women's suffrage movement. She directed many plays in support of women's suffrage and founded the London-based Pioneer Players theatre society (1911-25). My publications include three books on her life and work: Edith Craig: Dramatic Lives (1998); Women and Theatre in the Age of Suffrage: The Pioneer Players 1911-25 (2001) and Edith Craig and the Theatres of Art (2017). I am editor of the British Academy funded Collected Letters of Ellen Terry (8 vols 2010-). This edition draws on over 3,000 letters held in libraries, archives and private collections in the UK and USA. I am Principal Investigator of two online projects. • The AHRC Searching for Theatrical Ancestors (2015-17) resource was listed as one of the top 50 websites for family history research in 2017 by BBC Who Do You Think You Are magazine. • The AHRC Ellen Terry and Edith Craig Database project enabled the National Trust to deposit most of its archive at the British Library. I would welcome PhD applications on any of the research areas mentioned above or any of the following: • archival studies • women’s suffrage literature and history • modern and contemporary literature • literature and law • women’s history • science fiction and contemporary culture • auto/biography • First World War and literature • literature and place; the Literary north
Qualifications
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BA Hons Leicester University
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MA Leicester University
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PhD Leicester University
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Principal Fellowship of Higher Education Academy
Appointments
University of Essex
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Director of Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Literary Studies, University of Essex (1/9/2023 - 31/8/2026)
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Director of Research, Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies, University of Essex (1/1/2019 - 1/9/2023)
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Director of Impact, Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies, University of Essex (4/9/2017 - 31/7/2019)
Other academic
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AHRC Peer Review College Member, Arts and Humanities Research Council (1/1/2020 - 31/12/2027)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
women's suffrage
Literature and drama written in support of the women's suffrage movement in Britain 1907-14. Organisations associated with British women's suffrage movement.
literature and history
archival studies
theatre history
First World War in literature
science fiction
animal studies
autobiography
Ellen Terry
The life and work of Ellen Terry (1847-1928) performer in UK and on tour in USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Edith Craig
The life and work of Edith Craig (1869-1947) theatre director, performer, costume designer and maker, political activist in British women's suffrage movement, active in Little Theatre movement, Art Theatre, amateur theatre, significant figure in lesbian history.
family history
Literature and Law
literature and place
Current research
Theatre(s) Underground
University theatres at University of Essex and Kent: archival research project. Awarded £1000 Executive Dean Strategic Fund November 2021 for workshops to develop the project.
Shakespeare: Ellen Terry
Ellen Terry's Shakespeare performances and productions project. Frontrunner 2022 internship awarded.
Strategies of Survival and Success for Women in Theatre 1878-1928
Conferences and presentations
The Rise of the Robots in Literary History
Invited presentation, AI and the Use of Data for Knowledge and Inclusive Societies, Wivenhoe House Hotel, Colchester, United Kingdom, 9/5/2024
Reading Robots and AI in Literary History
Invited presentation, Artificial Intelligence: Effective But Unsafe?, London, United Kingdom, 22/3/2024
Staging Sounds of Wartime: Edith Craig’s Pioneer Players Theatre Productions
Invited presentation, Sounding Modernism, London, United Kingdom, 22/9/2023
Dr Mary Murdoch
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Probus Women's Group, South Holderness, East Yorkshire, Probus Women's Group, Hedon, United Kingdom, 10/7/2023
Edith Craig and the Leeds Art Theatre
Invited presentation, Yorkshire Modernisms conference, Northern Modernism Seminar, Leeds, United Kingdom, 20/5/2023
Searching for Theatrical Ancestors: Family History Dialogues and Research Impact
Invited presentation, TaPRA 2022: Theatre History and Historiographies Working Group, Colchester, United Kingdom, 14/9/2022
'Frankenpods' and Other Machines in Peter Carey, The Chemistry of Tears
Invited presentation, Critical Legal Studies Conference, 'Frankenlaw', Dundee, United Kingdom, 4/9/2021
Literary Patchwork
Invited presentation, International Women's Day, 6/3/2020
Searching for Theatrical Ancestors
Invited presentation, Unconventional Lives Seminar for Guild of One Name Societies, Winchester, 22/2/2020
Writing for the Vote
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, 1/2/2020
A Pageant of Great Women
Invited presentation, Women's Legal Landmarks event, Women's Library, London, United Kingdom, 16/10/2019
Searching for Theatrical Ancestors
Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, 5/7/2019
Gertrude Colmore
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, History Society, Saffron Waldon, 15/6/2019
In conversation with Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
Colchester, United Kingdom, 4/12/2018
Gertrude Colmore and Home Counties Suffragettes
Essex History Group, United Kingdom, 13/11/2018
Gertrude Colmore and Home Counties Suffragettes
Essex History Group, United Kingdom, 6/11/2018
Staging Suffragettes
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Jaywick Martello Arts Centre, Clacton, United Kingdom, 26/10/2018
Women's Suffrage in the Court of Justice: The Story of A Pageant of Great Women
Invited presentation, The Disappearance of Miss Bebb, Birmingham, United Kingdom, 21/10/2018
Edith Craig: Staging Suffragettes
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Theatre Royal Norwich Heritage Week, Norwich, United Kingdom, 14/9/2018
Dr Mary Murdoch
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Women's Institute, Women's Institute Roos, East Yorkshire Branch, Roos, United Kingdom, 5/9/2018
Searching for Theatrical Ancestors
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, East Yorkshire Family History Society, Beverley, United Kingdom, 4/9/2018
Edith Craig (1869-1947): Directing the Theatres of War for Women's Suffrage
Women's History Network Conference, Portsmouth, United Kingdom, 1/9/2018
Votes for Alice
Invited presentation, Lewis Carroll Society Alice Day, Bodleian Library, Oxford, United Kingdom, 7/7/2018
Women's Suffrage Theatre
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Words with..., Colchester, United Kingdom, 20/6/2018
Investigating the Professor
Invited presentation, University English, Lancaster, United Kingdom, 13/4/2018
Searching for Theatrical Ancestors
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, U3A Family History, 6th Peak District Family History Conference, Buxton, United Kingdom, 16/3/2018
Dramatising Women's Suffrage: Edith Craig and the Art of the Theatre
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Manchester, United Kingdom, 10/3/2018
Dr Mary Murdoch (1864-1916)
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Hull Minster, Hull, United Kingdom, 9/3/2018
Searching for Theatrical Ancestors: Lost and Found
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, AHRC Being Human Festival, Hull, United Kingdom, 21/11/2017
Dr Mary Murdoch (1864-1916)
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Hull, United Kingdom, 20/11/2017
Searching for Theatrical Ancestors
Invited presentation, Yorkshire Family History Fair, York Racecourse, United Kingdom, 24/6/2017
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Approaches to War, Culture and Society (HR962)
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Human Rights and the Arts (HU932)
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Contemporary Texts and Contexts (LT109)
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The First World War in Literature (LT137)
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Black Lives Represented: Writing, Art, Politics and Society (LT218)
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Rights and Wrongs: Literature and Campaigns to Change the Law (LT228)
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Cyborgs, Clones and the Rise of the Robots: Science Fiction (LT364)
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Law and Literature (LT394)
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Independent Literature Project (LT831)
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Literature and the First World War (LT961)
Current supervision
Publications
Journal articles (26)
Cockin, K., (2020). A Militant’s Life. Women: A Cultural Review. 31 (1), 123-125
Cockin, KM., (2018). Searching for Theatrical Ancestors at the Ellen Terry Archive. Local History News (126), 8-8
Cockin, KM., (2017). Formations, Institutions and the 'Free Theatre': Edith Craig's Pioneer Players 1911-25. Keywords: A Journal of Cultural Materialism. 15, 55-71
Cockin, K., (2016). Becoming Plant and Posthumanism in Jeff Noon’sPollen(1995). Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction. 57 (1), 94-104
Cockin, K., (2014). Building Bridges: Widening Participation, English Literature and Hull City of Culture 2017. The Use of English. 66 (1), 20-26
Cockin, K., (2014). Disturbing practices: history, sexuality and women's experience of modern war. Journal of Gender Studies. 23 (4), 458-459
Cockin, KM., (2012). Silence: Special Issue of Law & Literature. LAW & LITERATURE. 24 (1), 1-2
Cockin, K., (2012). Queen Caroline’s Pains and Penalties: Silence and Speech in the Dramatic Art of British Women’s Suffrage. Law & Literature. 24 (1), 40-58
Cockin, K., (2010). Cyborgs and Barbie dolls: feminism, popular culture and the posthuman body. JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES. 19 (1), 102-103
Cockin, K., (2008). Women against the vote: female anti-suffragism in Britain. JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES. 17 (2), 176-177
Cockin, K., (2008). Contemporary Fiction. Critical Survey. 20 (1), 1-2
Cockin, K., (2007). Chicks and Lads in Contemporary British Fiction. Anglistik und Englischunterricht. 69, 107-123
Cockin, K., (2006). Friends and Family Figures in Contemporary Fiction. Critical Survey. 18 (2), 1-3
Cockin, K., (2005). Cicely Hamilton's warriors: dramatic reinventions of militancy in the British women's suffrage movement. Women's History Review. 14 (3-4), 527-542
Cockin, K., (2004). The new woman in fact and fiction: fin-de-siecle feminisms. JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES. 13 (3), 288-290
Cockin, K., (2004). Inventing the Suffragettes: Anachronism, Gnosticism and Corporeality in Contemporary Fiction. Critical Survey. 16 (3), 17-32
Cockin, K., (2003). Rethinking Transracial Adoption: Reading Jackie Kay's The Adoption Papers. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies. 18 (2), 276-291
Cockin, K., (2002). Ellen Terry, the ghost-writer and the laughing statue: the Victorian actress, letters and life-writing. Journal of European Studies. 32 (125-126), 151-163
Cockin, K., (2002). Women, theatre and performance: new histories, new historiographies. JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES. 11 (3), 304-305
Cockin, K., (2000). Women and playwriting in nineteenth-century Britain. JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES. 9 (3), 347-349
Cockin, K., (2000). Women and Victorian theatre. JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES. 9 (3), 347-349
Cockin, K., (2000). Actresses on the Victorian stage: feminine performance. JOURNAL OF GENDER STUDIES. 9 (3), 347-349
Cockin, K., (1998). West End women: women and the London stage, 1918-1962. WOMENS HISTORY REVIEW. 7 (1), 147-149
COCKIN, K., (1991). NEW LIGHT ON CRAIG,EDITH + THE ENGLISH THEATER PRODUCER, PIONEER-PLAYERS AND EDWARDIAN SUFFRAGE-MOVEMENT. THEATRE NOTEBOOK. 45 (3), 132-143
Cockin, K., (1991). New Light on Edith Craig. Theatre Notebook: A Journal of the History and Technique of the British Theatre. 45 (3), 132-143
Cockin, K., (1990). Addendum to British Literary Magazines: The Victorian and Edwardian Age 1837-1913. Victorian Periodicals Review. 23 (2), 68-68
Books (21)
Terry, E. and Cockin, K., (2024). LIVES OF SHAKESPEARIAN ACTORS V, VOLUME 3: HERBERT BEERBOHM TREE, HENRY IRVING AND ELLEN TERRY BY THEIR CONTEMPORARIES
Cockin, K., (2024). The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 2. Routledge
Cockin, K., (2024). The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 3. Routledge
Cockin, K., (2024). The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 6. Routledge
Cockin, K., (2023). Tracing Your Theatrical Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians. Pen & Sword. 9781526732057
Cockin, K., (2017). Edith Craig and the Theatres of Art. Bloomsbury Methuen Drama. 1472570634. 9781472570628
Cockin, K., (2017). Edith Craig and The Theatres of Art
Cockin, K., (2016). The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry. Routledge. 131547767X. 9781315477671
Cockin, K., (2015). The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Vol. 6 1914-1928. Routledge. 1315477688. 9781315477688
Cockin, KM., (2015). Collected Letters of Ellen Terry Volume 2. Pickering & Chatto. 9781851961504
Cockin, K., (2014). Collected Letters of Ellen Terry Volume 5 1905-1913. Pickering and Chatto. 9781851961498
(2013). The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 4: 1899-1904. Pickering & Chatto. 1851961488. 9781851961481
(2012). The Literary North. Palgrave Macmillan UK. 1137026871. 9781349349593
(2012). The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 3: 1894-1898. Pickering & Chatto. 185196147X. 9781851961474
Emeljanow, V., Cockin, K. and Salter, DW., (2012). Lives of Shakespearian Actors V: Ellen Terry. 1851969314. 9781851969319
(2011). The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 2, 1889–1893. Pickering & Chatto. 1851961453. 9781851961467
Cockin, K. and Morrison, J., (2009). The Post-War British Literature Handbook. A&C Black. 082649501X. 9780826495013
Cockin, K. and Norquay, G., (2007). Women's Suffrage Literature: Suffrage drama. 0415357470. 9780415357470
Cockin, K., Norquay, G. and Park, SS., (2007). Women's Suffrage Literature: The fiction of Gertrude Colmore. 0415357462. 9780415357463
Cockin, KM., (2001). Women and the Theatre in the Age of Suffrage: The Pioneer Players 1911-25. Palgrave. 0-333-68696-9
Cockin, K., (1998). Edith Craig (1869-1947) dramatic lives. Continuum Intl Pub Group. 0304336459. 9780304336456
Book chapters (34)
Cockin, K., Edith Craig. In: The Routledge Anthology of Women's Theatre Theory and Dramatic Criticism. Editors: Burroughs, C. and Gainor, JE., . Routledge
Cockin, K., (2023). Glaspell's Dramas in England: Early Production, Publication, and Reception. In: Susan Glaspell in Context. Editors: Gainor, JE., . Cambridge University Press. 219- 226. 9781108767309
Cockin, K., (2023). Edith Craig (1869–1947). In: The Routledge Anthology of Women's Theatre Theory and Dramatic Criticism. Routledge. 178- 184
Cockin, K., (2019). A Pageant of Great Women (1909-12). In: Women's Legal Landmarks: Celebrating the History of Women and Law in the UK and Ireland. Editors: Rackley, E. and Auchmuty, R., . Hart. 105- 113. 9781782259770
Cockin, K., (2019). Ellen Terry: The Art of Performance and Her Work in Film. In: Stage Women, 1900-1950: Female Theatre Workers and Professional Practice. Editors: Gale, M. and Dorney, K., . Manchester University Press. 1526100703. 9781526100702
Cockin, K., (2019). "Pamela Colman Smith, Anansi and the Child: From The Green Sheaf (1903) to The Anti-Suffrage Alphabet (1912).". In: Literary and Cultural Alternatives to Modernism: Unsettling Presences. Editors: Boyiopoulous, K., Patterson, A. and Sandy, M., . Routledge. 71- 84. 9780429261855
Cockin, K., (2018). A Pageant of Great Women, Cicely Hamilton, 1909-12. In: Women’s Legal Landmarks: Celebrating the History of Women and Law in the UK and Ireland. 105- 111
Cockin, K., (2017). Slinging the ink about: Ellen Terry and women's suffrage agitation. In: Gender and Politics in the Age of Letter-Writing, 1750-2000. Ashgate Publishing Co.. 201- 211. 9780754638513
Cockin, K., (2017). Ellen Terry and Henry Irving: A working partnership. In: Henry Irving: A Re-Evaluation of the Pre-Eminent Victorian Actor-Manager. Routledge. 37- 48. 9780754658290
Cockin, KM., (2017). Re-reading Edge of Darkness: The Power of Northernness and the 'Man of Feeling'. In: Heading North: The North of England in Film and Television. Editors: Mazierska, E., . Palgrave Macmillan. 133- 149. 978-3-319-52499-3
Cockin, KM., (2016). Bram Stoker, Ellen Terry, Edith Craig and Pamela Colman Smith and the Art of Devilry. In: Bram Stoker and the Gothic Formations to Transformations. Editors: Wynne, C., . Springer. 159- 171. 1137465042. 9781137465047
Cockin, K., (2016). Ellen Terry and Henry Irving: A working partnership. In: Henry Irving: A Re-Evaluation of the Pre-Eminent Victorian Actor-Manager. 37- 48
(2016). 'Women's Suffrage Drama', in Maroula Joannou and June Purvis (eds), The Women's Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Essays, Manchester: Manchester University Press, pp. 127–39.. In: European Theatre Performance Practice, 1900 to the Present. Routledge. 415- 428
Cockin, K., (2015). Edith Craig and the Pioneer Players: London's International Art Theatre in a 'Khaki-clad and Khaki-minded World'. In: British Theatre and the Great War, 1914 - 1919: New Perspectives. 121- 139
Cockin, K., (2015). Edith Craig and the Pioneer Players. In: British Theatre and the Great War, 1914 â 1919. Palgrave Macmillan. 121- 139. 9781137402004
Cockin, K., (2012). Locating the literary north. In: The Literary North. 240- 252
Cockin, KM., (2012). Introducing the Literary North. In: The Literary North. Editors: Cockin, KM., . Palgrave. 1- 21
Cockin, K., (2011). Ellen Terry: Preserving the Relics and Creating the Brand. In: Ellen Terry, Spheres of Influence. Pickering & Chatto. 133- 148. 9781848931121
Halliwell, J. and Cockin, K., (2011). Describing the Ellen Terry and Edith Craig Archive. In: Ellen Terry, Spheres of Influence. Pickering & Chatto. 149- 160. 9781848931121
Cockin, K. and Morrison, J., (2009). Introduction. In: The Post-War British Literature Handbook. 1- 31
Chambers, C., Cockin, K., Cox, D., Cox, K., Ellam, J., Morrison, J. and Murphy, J., (2009). Key Critics, Concepts and Topics. In: The Post-War British Literature Handbook. 107- 123
Cockin, K. and Morrison, J., (2009). Literary and Cultural Contexts. In: The Post-War British Literature Handbook. 57- 77
Cockin, KM., (2004). Dr Mary Murdoch. In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Cockin, KM., (2004). Margaret Ethel Robertson. In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Cockin, KM., (2004). Laurence Housman. In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Cockin, KM., (2004). Christopher St John. In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Cockin, KM., (2004). Edith Craig. In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Cockin, KM., (2004). Clare Atwood. In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Cockin, KM., (2004). Emily Courtier-Dutton (Kittie Carson, nee Claremont). In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Cockin, KM., (2000). Introduction to Part Five. In: The Routledge Reader in Politics and Performance. Editors: Goodman, L. and de Gay, J., . Routledge. 145- 149. 9-780415-174732
Cockin, K., (1999). Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Three Women: Work, Marriage, and the Old(er) Woman. In: Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Optimist Reformer. University of Iowa Press. 74- 92. 9780877456957
Cockin, KM., (1998). Women's Suffrage Drama. In: The Women's Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives. Editors: Joannou, M. and Purvis, J., . Manchester University Press. 127- 139. 0-7190-4860-5
Cockin, KM., (1998). Introduction to Part One. In: The Routledge Reader in Gender and Performance. Editors: Goodman, L. and de Gay, J., . Routledge. 19- 24. 9-780415-165839
Cockin, KM., (1994). The Pioneer Players: Plays of/with Identity. In: Difference in View: Women and Modernism. Editors: Griffin, G., . Taylor & Francis. 142- 155. 0-7484-0135-0
Dataset (3)
Cockin, KM., (2016).AHRC Searching for Theatrical Ancestors
Cockin, KM., (2016).AHRC Searching for Theatrical Ancestors: The Shakespeare Train
Cockin, KM., (2008).AHRC Ellen Terry and Edith Craig Database
Other (4)
(2012).The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 3: 1894-1898,Pickering & Chatto
(2011).Ellen Terry, Spheres of Influence,Pickering & Chatto
(2011).The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 2: 1889-1893,Pickering & Chatto
(2010).The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 1: 1865-1888,Pickering & Chatto
Contact
Academic support hours:
Spring Term 2023-24 Tuesdays 12-1pm during term time
