Megan Joins Mirador

Mirador is delighted to welcome Megan Makinson, a history student at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, as our Behind The Wall research assistant.
Here’s the first of Megan’s blogs she’ll be writing for Mirador during her work placement:

I am 20-years-old and a third year history student at UCLAN.

My passion for history started at an early age and throughout my school years at Balshaws CE High School in Leyland, I developed my love for the subject further, which confirmed that I wanted to pursue a career in history.

I enjoy all aspects of history ranging from local to European, my main focus being on the First and Second World Wars and the Nazi Germany regime.

I find it extremely fulfilling to share my research with family and friends and allow my passion for history to inspire others. In my free time I enjoy walking my family dog Bailey and I also earn extra money by working at a local Italian restaurant as a cocktail waitress.

I feel very fortunate to do my university work placement as part of the Mirador team working on the fascinating and inspiring Behind The Wall project.

The project aims to discover and display the complex but rich heritage of Standfast & Barracks. For many, this is just one of the country’s leading fabric printers, producing beautiful pieces for a host of designer names, yet to me and many on the Mirador team, its history is truly magical.

I myself only visited Standfast & Barracks for the first time recently and I was astonished by its enormity.

On my drive to Lancaster I expected to be arriving at an old industrial factory. Yet I was quickly corrected. On entrance, the whole inside is bright and welcoming. We were quickly directed into the company’s own archive which was filled with fascinating and potentially untouched and unexplored documents.

I am extremely excited to join the Mirador team in this celebration and discovery of this part of Lancaster’s rich heritage and I’m looking forward to sharing with you any fascinating discoveries I find along the way.