Lucy Wray

Lucy Wray is a postdoctoral research associate managing the Madill Archive Project. This Heritage Lottery Fund research project aims to locate, preserve, document and make publicly accessible material relating to maritime heritage and traditional Irish Boats.

Lucy recently completed her PhD at Queen's University, Belfast, researching the social and cultural history of nineteenth and twentieth-century Ireland through photography. Her doctoral thesis centred on the work of Belfast photographer Alexander Hogg (1870-1939), exploring representations of everyday life in the city. As well as urban history and visuality, Lucy's research concerns gender, class, poverty, philanthropy and consumption.

In 2022, Lucy was awarded Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS). She is actively involved in public history, cultural heritage and museum initiatives, currently serving as post-doctoral communications and media support for Queen's Centre for Public History. During her PhD, Lucy acquired placements with the British Library, London and National Museums Northern Ireland, working with their respective photographic collections. She has been employed on a freelance basis by institutions, including the National Portrait Gallery, to lend her expertise and consultation.

In 2021, Lucy was awarded Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) in recognition of her commitment to her teaching in Higher Education. In addition to teaching modules in Irish history, politics, photography and world history at Queen's University, she has designed and delivered modules for Open Learning and Lifelong Learning at QUB and Stramillis. For the past four years, Lucy has also contributed to Queen's Widening Participation unit, delivering lectures and tours.