Paul Schoon
Student spotlight details
After retiring from a career in the police, Paul enrolled on the online Advanced Diploma in Local History to pursue his secret passion for the subject, before progressing first onto our master's degree and then the DPhil in the same subject.
'It still feels odd to see my name and "history" in the same sentence. I studied the subject at school and enjoyed it, but it never got a look in when I chose my A levels. I went to a school where you studied arts or sciences but not both, as it would cause the timetable to self-ignite. Two years later I did not have a clue what to read at university and at the eleventh hour, a day or two before the deadline for university applications, I picked geology. I came to love the subject, learning a lot of techniques that are still in my tool bag; but I was young, and everything was new and exciting, and in retrospect is seems that almost as soon as I arrived, I was in my robes graduating, with a proud dad and tearful mum in attendance.
'I then started a career in the police, an ex-geologist and secret frustrated historian. I cannot grumble about my service. I reached a high rank, had some wonderful experiences and met some lovely people (and some that were not so lovely), and picked up additional qualifications in law, project management, counselling, coaching and a whole host of other soft skills. I kept the history to myself, and started down my present path, like many others, by studying genealogy, building an impressive personal archive and contributing to some academic books.
'When I retired from Bedfordshire Police having served my 30 years, I was able, at last, to start studying a subject of my choosing. I enrolled on the online Advanced Diploma in Local History with the ambition of keeping my head above the water and not making a fool of myself and I was pleasantly surprised at how interactive and interesting the course was, and how supportive the tutors were. My online group helped each other out and pulled each other up when we needed to. It was where I discovered the early modern period, and it was a fascinating place that I barely knew existed. My final project researched the mortality crisis of 1727-31 and I looked at it afresh using some techniques I drew from my geology background. It seemed to find favour and my tutor encouraged me to publish it in a national journal, which I did with a sense of incredible naivety, not really appreciating how fortunate I was.
'I followed up the Advanced Diploma by completing the Master’s in English Local History and I loved every minute. The tutors were tremendous, my fellow students good fun and the facilities incomparable. Getting to Oxford every Thursday for the tutorials was a challenge, particularly when real life gets in the way, but it was more than made up for by being part of a group pursuing a common enterprise. There were no egos, and the only competition was with yourself. The subject is so large that we never collided: everyone had different interests but there was always someone around to support and cajole, suggest a new way of looking at a topic or point toward a previously overlooked source. The tutors encourage individuals to think. I have never had anyone at Oxford try to push their view of the past onto me: instead, fresh thinking is encouraged, and if you build an argument that is supported by evidence you will be rewarded. My latest publication had its origins in a module essay on my master’s, when I approached some well-worn subject matter in a different way.
'If I was to offer advice to someone thinking about applying for the master’s programme, I would tell them to have a clear idea of what they would like to research for their dissertation, get the topic approved early and then start collecting the information. You can never start too early in my view. It is a challenge writing essays and doing research, but the reward is not just a degree, it is the pleasure from knowing that you are the first to look at a subject in a particular way, and that you are adding to the overall corpus of historical knowledge.
'I am now on the DPhil in English Local History programme, and looking back it all seems a bit of a dream. I am at a wonderful university where I am constantly tested and challenged; I am researching something that I find interesting, and which will make a significant contribution to knowledge about my adopted county. When I did the Advanced Diploma, I felt I was about to be unmasked as an imposter at any moment, but I knew something was going right when a friend came across a paper I had written and remarked, "I didn’t realise you were a historian". I suppose I am, and thanks to the opportunities I have been given, I feel quite comfortable admitting it.
'As for the future – who knows what lies around the bend. There are a few years to go before the doctorate is done and the only thing I know for sure is that at my age, I will not be fighting anyone for lectureships. I suspect I will continue in much the same vein, researching what I find interesting and publishing when I have something worthwhile to say.
'To all those people like me out there, and there are many, I would say, the future is full of infinite possibilities, and you have the potential to shape many of them. If you want to do a higher degree, then go for it. You generally get one chance in life, so don’t grow old thinking "What if?"'
