Angela Clare
Angela Clare is a researcher at the Royal Armouries Museum based in Leeds.
Biography
Angela has worked for the Royal Armouries for four years, initially as an Interpreter and now as a Researcher in the Collections Department.
Originally she studied archaeology at Southampton University with a focus on maritime archaeology, and after graduating worked initially in the West Indies. While later working in Edinburgh, Angela gained a role as an Interpreter for the Royal Armouries and moved to Leeds to take up the post.
Her work in the Interpretation Department included researching and portraying Joan of Arc, Katherine of Aragon, Edith Cavell, dragoon Mother Ross and pirate Mary Read, amongst others. Angela regularly took part in the museum’s horse shows as a rider and commentator, and gave demonstrations of two handed sword combat and the Japanese martial art of Kobudo.
During her time as an Interpreter she completed a Masters Degree by Research at the University of Leeds looking at women in military roles through history to today, about which she was interviewed by Kate Adie on the BBC’s The One Show. She also worked on the museum’s Horrible Histories Exhibition of 2007 and completed her Shodan grading in the martial art of Kobudo.
As a researcher, Angela has recently filmed a BBC Video Nation piece on a collection of letters from the First World War in the museum’s archive. The film was shown on a big screen in Trafalgar Square as part of events for Remembrance Day this year and she was also interviewed for BBC Radio Sheffield.
Angela is currently working on a forthcoming publication on Live Interpretation and articles stemming from her thesis and her particular interest in women’s history and historical portrayals, women’s involvement with the military, and arms and armour.
