Anna Fairley Twitter: @annaandthedead Email: a.j.fairley@liverpool.ac.uk Thesis: Structure, agency, and commemorative landscapes in Liverpool, 1825-1900: an historical archaeology of nineteenth-century cemeteries University of Liverpool

This year, I attended my PhD’s first in-person international conference despite having started (part-time) in 2019! The Society for Historical Archaeology hosted its annual conference (this year with the title ‘Revisiting Global Archaeologies’) in Lisbon; this was the first time it has ever been held in Europe. The opening reception was slightly overwhelming, as over 900 people were attending the conference over the four days, and a large number of them came to greet old (and make new) friends and try out a sample of the local cuisine laid out for us at the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa. It did, however, give me more confidence for the next day of talks, as I already recognised a few friendly faces when I gave my paper in the first session of the day! My paper, entitled ‘From Paper to Stone: Liverpool Stonemasons’ Illustrations, their Memorials, and the National and Transatlantic Trade in Cemetery Monuments’ was based on some discoveries made during my PhD research into Liverpool’s nineteenth-century cemeteries. I discussed one of my main research questions – to what extent were Liverpool’s mortuary landscapes controlled by cemetery companies and monumental masons or created by individuals and families making their own choices in burial location and memorialisation? This paper looked at this question through illustrations made by stonemasons, the sources of their materials, and the trade in these materials and monuments. This American conference, held in Portugal, was the ideal place to present this subject, as scholars with similar interests across Europe and North America were available to give feedback and inspire further investigations. The paper had an enthusiastic reception, and I made some connections that will help with my ongoing research and demonstrate the value of doing city-wide cemetery research whilst showing its international context. Giving the paper and attending the conference more generally gave me much more confidence when giving two more papers this year! The enthusiastic response has made me even more keen to continue my research in this area, and I enjoyed being able to share the images I’ve composed, as well as just the written work. Attending the other sessions, both directly related to my research and those more abstract, also made me more aware of how others present their work and what’s effective. I’d love to be able to present without any notes, but I’m not sure my memory is good enough! Travelling to Lisbon was a wonderful bonus, and I managed to squeeze in visits to two historic cemeteries during the conference. Staying an extra couple of days also meant I was able to make time to visit the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (National Tile Museum), the Museu Arqueológico do Carmo (Carmo Archaeological Museum), and admire the historical archaeology of Lisbon’s waterfront. I’m already looking out for future conferences to attend, and I am lucky to find ones with such diverse topics that also include sessions with papers that directly relate to my research!

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