On Tuesday 15th January, Professor David Andress, from the University of Portsmouth, spoke to students on the topic of terror and the French Revolution. He addressed the different ideas of the origins of the revolution and highlighted a range of factors which underpin how people tend to think about the terror, notably class divides and the interplay between the state and religion. He spoke about the state’s exaggerated fear of mass violence and treason, as well as its own use of violence and the context of war. Central to his talk was the question of terror as inherent to the revolutionary model. Professor Andress ended his talk by fielding some thoughtful questions from students on the topics of reinventing the human race and links between the revolution, contemporary France and literature. Thank you to Professor Andress for giving up his time to talk to our students.
Netflix movie: 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion
Exciting news! On Thursday 12 December, the BBC One Show featured the incredible true story behind the upcoming Netflix movie The Six Triple Eight, starring Kerry Washington and Oprah Winfrey. This was a remarkable opportunity to learn about the story of the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion – an all-female, predominantly African-American unit stationed at King Edward’s School during the Second World War.
