This lecture celebrates the recent completion of a joint project between Newcastle University and the Society to digitise, for long term conservation and academic use, over 530, original, celluloid negatives taken by Gertrude Bell during her journey to Ha’il.
The lecture anticipates a month-long exhibition of a selection of this material set in the context of her wider career. Newcastle University hold the bulk of Gertrude Bell’s extant collections and their faculty have carried our significant long-term research into these collections. Each panellist will speak on an expert topic related to the project.
Join us for an intriguing look at the career of Gertrude Bell from those at the forefront of modern research.
About the speakers and expert topics
Dr Sarah Evans
Research and Collections Engagement Manager at the Royal Geographical Society. Sarah’s doctoral research examined women’s participation in RGS-supported expeditions from 1913-1970.
An (un)exceptional woman: Gertrude Bell and the Royal Geographical Society: Dr Evans will situate Gertrude Bell within the wider context of women engaging with the Royal Geographical Society in the early twentieth century, recognising both her pioneering achievements and her place in the ranks of a cohort of contemporary female geographers.
Professor Mark Jackson
Professor of Byzantine Archaeology at Newcastle University and Co-curator of the universities Gertrude Bell Archive.
Journeys of enduring significance: Gertrude Bell’s archaeological journeys led her unexpectedly to service for the British establishment in the Great War. Her digitised archives tell her story and hold international significance for communities today.
Dr Sana Al-Naimi
Lecturer in Architecture and Senior Tutor for Architecture and Landscape Programmes at Newcastle University and author of the thesis - Architecture and Urbanism in Twentieth Century Iraq: The Enduring Legacy of Gertrude Bell.
Spatial Legacies: Gertrude Bell's spatial interventions in post-WWI Iraq — from defining borders to shaping material culture alongside Iraq's government architect, whose career she propelled — embody her influence, colonial anxieties and lasting legacies.
Booking information
Monday night lectures are open to Fellows and Members and are included in the cost of membership.
Attending in-person
- All Fellows and Members wanting to attend in person must pre-book a free ticket. You will receive an e-ticket with a QR code that will be scanned on arrival. Your ticket can be shown on a mobile phone or printed. If you do not have a smartphone, we can find your name on the door list instead.
- Doors open at 5.30pm. Please use the Society's entrance on Exhibition Road. The lecture will begin at 6.30pm.
- Monday night lectures are held in person in the Ondaatje Theatre. The bar will be open in the Map Room before and after the lecture. Please be advised all payments are card only.
- The Ondaatje Theatre is fitted with a hearing loop. For the best quality sound we recommend sitting on the outside rows of the front seating section.
- There is step free access to the theatre. Wheelchair spaces can be booked in advance. If you have any questions about the venue, please contact events@rgs.org
Watch online
- You do not need to pre-book to watch the lecture online.
- All Monday night lectures are livestreamed via our website so you can watch them from wherever you are.
If you have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please email events@rgs.org
Venue information
This event will be held in the Ondaatje Lecture Theatre at Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR.
Plan your visit to the Society and find more information about our venue, including our address, accessibility and transport links.
Accessibility at our events
We want everyone to feel welcome at our events. Key accessibility features of this event include:
- Step-free access to the event
- Accessible toilets
- Assistance dogs are welcome
- Hearing loop
For full details, please visit our accessibility page. If you have any questions or specific access requirements, feel free to get in touch with us on access@rgs.org
About Monday night lectures
Our Monday night lectures are exclusive to Fellows and Members and are included in the cost of membership. Members can book to attend the lectures in-person at the Society, or enjoy them live from the comfort of your own home.
These lectures are also recorded and uploaded to our website solely for members to catch up on whenever they like. If you would like to receive a weekly reminder email about the upcoming Monday night lecture, please sign up to our Updates about our Monday night lectures newsletter.
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