Who we are
Our people share a passion for Greater Manchester’s histories and heritage and their commitment and talents enable our small organisation, trustees, patrons and volunteers to make a big difference.
Our Team
Our Chief Executive Officer manages Manchester Histories, supported by our small staff team and network of volunteers.
Karen Shannon
Chief Executive Officer
Karen is responsible for the creative direction, vision, strategic planning, programming, marketing and income generation of Manchester Histories. She has more than 25 years of experience delivering cultural projects with partners, professional artists, cultural organisations and communities. Karen joined Manchester Histories in 2017.
Abbie Hawkins
General Manager
As General Manager at Manchester Histories, Abbie works closely with the CEO, focusing on updating policies and procedures, leading on audience data collection and carbon emissions recording. She is a people-focused manager with a passion for social history and co-production.
Sarah Jones
Cultural Administrator
Sarah supports the delivery of Manchester Histories, where she provides administrative, marketing and finance assistance to the charity.
Abigail Ward
Project Manager
Abigail is the project manager for Queer Up North 1992-2002: Celebrating Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Heritage. She has over 20 years’ experience of working in the cultural sector, specialising in music, queer history and disability arts. She is passionate about crowdsourcing heritage and destabilising dominant historical narratives. Abigail is also a music producer, podcaster and DJ.
Paul Greenwood
Community Development Officer for the Rocket: All Aboard Project
Paul is the Community Development Officer for the Rocket: All Aboard Project and plays a key role in supporting the development of a Community Rail Partnership for the Liverpool to Manchester Railway. He has a strong background in working with communities, having worked with organisations such as Southway Housing Trust, Recycle for Greater Manchester, and Preston City Council Neighbourhood Management.
He has wide range of community development experience and has a keen interest in developing community environmental projects. He has also worked in the heritage sector as a volunteer co-ordinator and an Information Assistant at the Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston. Additionally, Paul has a creative side, having worked as a community artist, with a particular passion for photography - especially Street Photography.
Erin Beeston
Historian
Erin is currently the freelance historian for the Rocket: All Aboard Project. Erin will be creating a detailed timeline of the events that led to the establishment of the world’s first intercity railway between Liverpool and Manchester, as well as conducting research for a new animation that brings this pivotal moment in history to life.
Trustees and Patrons
Manchester Histories is governed by nine Trustees and supported by two Patrons.
Hannah Barker
Chair of Manchester Histories
Hannah Barker is a historian of the industrial revolution in the north of England. She is Professor of British History at the University of Manchester, Director of the John Ryalnds Research Institute, Chair of Chetham’s Library Committee, Governor at William Hulme’s School and a Historical Advisor for the National Trust.
John Williams
Trustee
John Williams is a consultant working with arts and heritage organisations. John is Chair of the Millennium Quarter in Manchester, a mentor for the Museums
Association Diploma and for the Heritage Lottery Fund, and a heritage expert for the Institute of Fundraising.
Rob Higginson
Trustee
Rob Higginson is a Commercial Leader with Laing O’Rourke in Manchester and has years of experience in commercial and financial management. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Catherine Fletcher
Trustee
Catherine Fletcher is Professor of History at Manchester Metropolitan University. Prior to taking up her current post in 2020, she taught at the universities of Durham, Sheffield and Swansea. Catherine is committed to bringing historical research to wider audiences and was selected as an Arts & Humanities Research Council/BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinker in 2015. Radio credits include BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking and Radio 4’s In Our Time and You’re Dead To Me.
Among Catherine’s books for general readers are The Beauty and the Terror: An Alternative History of the Italian Renaissance (Bodley Head, 2020) and The Black Prince of Florence: The Life of Alessandro de’ Medici (Bodley Head, 2016). Her new history of the roads to Rome will be published in June 2024.
Kirsty Hutchinson
Trustee
Kirsty Hutchinson is co-chair of the Disability Staff Network at the University of Manchester and is passionate about disability equality. She is also a volunteering & community engagement consultant with the Student Development & Community Engagement Division.
Charlotte Wildman
Trustee
Charlie Wildman is a lecturer in modern British history at the University of Manchester, where she is the Assistant Director of Research Impact for the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures. Charlie has undertaken significant engagement work with heritage and community groups across the North-West.
Jahmal Williams-Thomas
Trustee
Jahmal Williams-Thomas is a journalist for ITV News Granada Reports often covering cultural stories. Starting his career in the creative arts sector, he grew up in Moss Side and is a very proud Mancunian with a passion for the city.
Ben Edwards
Trustee
Dr Ben Edwards is Reader in Heritage and Archaeology at Manchester Metropolitan University. Ben started his academic career as a landscape archaeologist, but since starting at ManMet in 2010 has worked increasingly in the field of public history and heritage. He now leads community archaeology excavations, works as a heritage consultant, and is leading the establishment of a new digital heritage lab at ManMet.
Michael Wood
Patron
Michael Wood is a historian, broadcaster and author. Michael was born in Manchester and is Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester. He was awarded the Historical Association’s Medlicott Medal for outstanding services to history, and received the British Academy’s President’s Medal (2015) for outreach in history.
David Adetayo Olusoga OBE
Patron
David Adetayo Olusoga OBE is a British Nigerian historian, writer, broadcaster, presenter and filmmaker. David is Professor of Public History at the
University of Manchester. He is an expert on military history, empire, race and slavery and has been described as 'one of the UK’s foremost historians'.
Volunteers
Manchester Histories’ dedicated volunteers make a significant difference to our capacity to deliver events, and to the culture of our organisation. We value their contribution to Manchester Histories, and we’ll continue to invest in their development and support.
