Joseph Lawrence

Hello, I’m Joseph, and I am delighted to be part of the TSRG team, researching for the Historic Houses Global Crossroads AHRC project, the first-ever biography of Lady Hariot Temple Blackwood, Marchioness of Dufferin. As of 2025, I am currently studying for a bachelor’s degree in History and Politics at the University of Birmingham.
As an Intern for this project, it has been a privilege to seize the opportunity with both hands, investigating the intersection between history and politics through historical sites, offering nuance to the inner workings of our current political world. Under the Guidance of Professor Joy Porter, I help analyse and catalogue documents of interest relating to historical cities of diplomatic posting, contributing to the production of a book on Harriot Dufferin’s Life. One that goes beyond her well-known persona as merely the ‘diplomat’s wife’.
I’m here to contribute my skills in historical documentations an understanding of world politics, helping to build a fuller picture of Dufferin’s life and for the project.
When I’ve not got my face in a book, you’ll find me debating in the University of Birmingham Debate society (Est. 1850) or participating in reading groups reviewing newly published academic papers at the Centre for Election, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR).