Department of History

WVU Department of History is pleased to host Dr Bill Jones of Cardiff University as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar in the Department of History until October 31, 2009.

Dr Jones is a Reader in Welsh History at the School of History and Archaeology, Cardiff University, where he teaches modern Welsh and British History. He is also Co-Director of the Cardiff Centre for Welsh American Studies. He has published extensively on nineteenth and early-twentieth century Welsh emigration and Welsh communities overseas and also on the industrial, social and cultural history of modern Wales, including the history of coalmining and coal communities in South Wales. He is the author of Wales in America: Scranton and the Welsh 1860-1920, Welsh Reflections: Y Drych and America 1851-2001 and Teyrnas Y Glo / Coal’s Domain: Historical Glimpses of the South Wales Coalfield as well as three studies of the ‘miner-writer’ B. L. Coombes (1893-1974).

Dr Jones is no stranger to WVU History having previously presented a research paper to the Department in 1999 and conference papers at the Rush Holt conferences in 2003 and 2007. He has also published in collaboration with Emeritus Professor Ron Lewis. WVU Department of History has had a successful student exchange scheme with the School of History and Archaeology at Cardiff University for the past 8 years and during his visit Dr Jones looks forward to developing further these links between the two departments.

During his visit here at Morgantown Dr Jones will be researching sources relevant to his work on the Welsh migration overseas, particularly the United States, and progressing writing his monograph on transnational Welsh migrant experiences from the late 17th century onwards. He would be pleased to hear from anyone interested in his work on modern Welsh History and especially Welsh immigration, and can be contacted via the History Department office.

Dr Jones will give a research presentation to the WVU History Graduate Colloquium on Wednesday 14 October at 3:30 in Room 230 of the B & E building. The title of his lecture is: ‘Writing With Dust Still in His Throat: “miner-writer” B. L. Coombes (1893-1974) and Coalmining in South Wales in the Twentieth Century.”

He will also present the inaugural lecture of the “Otis K. Rice Memorial Lecture Series: Exploring the Challenges in Making History’’ being established by WVU Tech. The lecture will be held at 6 p.m. on September 24 2009 in the Tech Center Ballroom.