Student Research Projects

Gender Identity and Social Roles on Music Hall and Variety Posters

English Literature Master student, Kamakshi Chouhan, explores gender identity in the spoken and visual language of varitey and music hall posters

Find out more>

Quackery and The Supernatural in Variety Performance

History Master student, Martha Sales explores early medicine practices and their link to the supernatural in the variety scene in Europe during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries

Find out more >

An Analysis of Daniel P. Mannix's Memoires of a Sword Swallower

School of English Master student, Serena Dewar explores and critiques this work of literature by Daniel P. Mannix and gives us a brief insite into the life of American 'freakshow' performers in the 1930s

Find out more>

Gender Identity in Variety Posters

Quackery and The Supernatural

Memoires of a Sword Swallower

Student Research Projects

The NFCA offers students at the University of Sheffield the opportunity to conduct original research using primary resources from its collections. The research projects are normally part of their studies and comprise 100 hours of work at the Archive. Through these projects we aim to enrich the student experience at the University and provide skills and knowledge unique to the working environment.

Past Projects>

What the Students Thought of the Experience

We encourage the development of critical, objective thinking through independent research and welcome students to explore different perspectives on the topics raised by the collections. Find out what past students thought of their experience working at the Archive.

Student Feedback>

National Fairground and Circus Archive