The Award
As a result of the generosity of Sir Peter Thompson, former Chairman of the National Freight Corporation, and the Wellcome Foundation, the BAC has instituted a trust fund, the income from which is used to offer annually a bursary to help an individual to further their research into business history through the study of specific business archives. In 2014 the value of the award will be up to £1000.
Eligibility
Applicants must be engaged in business history research using British-based business archives, normally at least of postgraduate level, with a view to publication of an article or book. Professional scholars and amateur researchers are equally welcome, but preference may be given to scholars at the beginning of their careers who are less able to call on other institutions for funding. Applicants studying for a research degree should identify a specific project based on identifiable archive resources, rather than merely seeking a grant-in-aid of their overall research programme.
Undergraduates, those researching commissioned histories and the members of the BACs Executive Committee are not eligible. Family historians and those wishing to work on records or archives not generated by business organisations, even to contextualise business history research, will not be eligible.
It is expected that the successful applicant will submit an short article based on the research to the Council’s journal, Business Archives. This will not preclude publishing elsewhere.
Applications
There is no application form. Candidates should provide a statement indicating: the objectives of their research, which will need to be within the broad field of business history; the nature and location of the specific set of business records they wish to study; a detailed breakdown of costs; the proposed methods of dissemination of the results of their work.
In addition to the above information, please include a brief curriculum vitae.
Completed applications, which should not exceed five sides, should be sent to:
honsecretary@businessarchivescouncil.org.uk
The closing date is Wednesday 30th April 2014.
Award
The decision of the BAC is final. The successful applicant will be informed by the end of May 2014. The prize will be awarded at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Business Historians Conference, Newcastle University Business School, 27-28 June 2014
The Past Speaks 