Cragside in Northumberland was widely celebrated by nineteenth-century contemporaries as ‘The Great Work of a Great Man’. Such praise for William Armstrong, the revered Newcastle inventor and engineer, has continued to shape how the story of this iconic home is told to the public today. My placement with the National Trust aimed to address a critical gap within Cragside’s history, namely, the life and influence of its other owner: Lady Margaret Armstrong. Overshadowed by her husband in historical accounts and modern-day studies alike, there is a striking silence surrounding Cragside’s co-creator.
Recovering Margaret’s story required a deep dive into the archive and I had the opportunity to work in a wide variety of repositories across the North-East. Much of my time was spent in Tyne & Wear Archives, looking at the Armstrong family papers, and in Newcastle University Archives, reading the diaries of Thomas Sopwith, a good friend of the Armstrongs. Amongst the former, a real highlight was the discovery of a letter written by Margaret to her husband, William, asserting that she wished to pay for all expenses in relation to her position as Mayoress of Newcastle herself. The letter is the only known, surviving example of Margaret’s hand and voice.
I also spent a fruitful week working in Cragside’s archive where key findings included Margaret’s bank books, detailing her spendings and investments, as well as receipts addressed to her for the building of a greenhouse. Whilst Margaret’s agency is frequently reduced to a passing remark in the primary material, stitching together snippets of textual, visual and material evidence, enabled me to reveal and re-centre her story. A skilled gardener, ‘hearty’ hostess, and ‘powerful’ public figure, Margaret played a formative role at Cragside, Newcastle, and beyond.
Outputs of the placement included a detailed literature review of known sources relating to Margaret, as well as a research report and conference abstract submission. My work will contribute directly to Cragside’s ongoing Re-presentation Plan which seeks to elevate interpretation across the property. I am also excited to be involved with a future exhibition on Margaret Armstrong and her activities.
My interest in a career in museum curation has been strengthened by my placement experience. I got to shadow Cragside’s Property Curator where I learned about writing successful interpretation, designing and proposing new exhibitions, and helped with physically assembling a new exhibition room. I also worked alongside several other heritage professionals, where I assisted in caring for Cragside’s collections, opening up the property to the public, and engaging with visitors. My placement thus provided a unique opportunity to go ‘behind the scenes’ in a large and dynamic heritage organisation.
I would strongly encourage anyone considering undertaking a placement to do so. My work at Cragside was not only invaluable in terms of my professional development, but also personally rewarding. Being from the North-East myself, it was a privilege to explore and share the region’s rich history, and to work in a National Trust property which I grew up going to.
