Our Senior Team
Harry Hughes
Founder
Harry, whose idea in March 2024 has now become the fully-fledged initiative we are today, is currently an Open University student, studying a Arts and Humanities BA (with a specialism in History). Harry is focused on the twentieth century, but has an interest in all areas. His role at TYH is to take an overseeing role within an expanding group of historians and that we consistently provide strong quality history content. As a Modern Historian, one of Harry’s favourite places to visit is IWM Duxford, but he also has a great fondness for National Trust and English Heritage sites.
Tom Lynn
Editor in Chief - Medieval Editor
As Editor in Chief at The Young Historians, Tom’s role is to complete and oversee all edits. Having completed his Masters Degree in Medieval History at the University of Sheffield following the completion of his Bachelors in History at Northumbria University, Tom’s interests lie in the medieval and early modern period. His Masters dissertation titled ‘Urbanisation and the Vikings in a fragmented Ireland, 795-980’, assessed the Viking role in introducing urban systems into a largely undeveloped and non-urban Irish landscape. His undergraduate dissertation focused on the experience of the Viking age in England, titled ‘The archetypal symbol of the nation’s perception of itself’: The role of King Alfred and the significance of his legacy in the unification of England between 868 and 927. Tom has represented The Young Historians as Press at the Chalke History Festival, and also heads up other media projects for the team.
Harvey Henson
Head of Communications
Harvey is the Head of Communications at TYH, alongside his full-time role working for the Commonwealth War Grave Commission. His academic background is in journalism, but Harvey’s passion and extensive knowledge materialises itself in the form of World War heritage and memorabilia. Harvey’s particular interest lies in the Battle of The Somme. Through his work at TYH, Harvey has acted as strategic advisor to external, larger historical organisations on their outreach programmes, in particular Chalke History Festival.
OUR EDITORIAL TEAM
Yoana Nikolova
Ancient History/Classics Editor
Yoana recently completed a First-Class BA in Archaeology of Ancient Civilisations at the University of Liverpool, specialising in Greek pottery, classical material culture, and ancient everyday life. Her dissertation explored the myth of Orpheus across ancient literature, Roman mosaics, and Greek pottery, examining ideas of liminality and otherness in the ancient world. This September, she will begin a part-time MA in Art, Philosophy and Cultural Institutions, continuing to explore the ancient world through theoretical, symbolic, and museum-based perspectives. Alongside her studies, Yoana works at both the World Museum and the Victoria Gallery and Museum, where she has gained hands-on experience in visitor engagement, collections, and bringing ancient objects to life for public audiences. She also works as a prose and poetry editor for Candlelit Chronicles, a dark academia literary magazine, where she gained an appreciation and love for editing and the publishing industry. She is especially fascinated by the visual and material side of history — the pottery, art, and everyday objects that reveal how people actually lived — and is passionate about making classics and ancient history accessible beyond the academic sphere. Yoana is thrilled to bring this enthusiasm and expertise to The Young Historians and to championing ancient history within your submissions.
Georgia Wallace
Early Modern Editor
As Early Modern Editor, Georgia oversees submissions covering the period c. 1450 to 1800. After earning her bachelor’s degree in art history, Georgia completed a master’s degree in early modern history at UCL with a thesis titled ‘Urban Ideologies of Rural Societies in Flanders and Brabant, 1525-1575’. She currently works at the Royal College of Surgeons of England's Library, where she cares for and researches the rare books collection. This aligns with her academic interests in the history of science, medicine, and philosophy, which she hopes to pursue further in post-graduate study. Georgia is excited to help with all early modern submissions and is committed to supporting and promoting the work of young historians.
Callaghan French
Modern Editor
Callaghan completed his degree in History at the University of Hertfordshire and focused his research on the history of diplomacy during the nineteenth century. Having now finished his studies, Callaghan enjoy reading about a great variety of historical topics, but especially those related to social, political, and economic history. Callaghan applied to become the modern history editor at The Young Historians as he wanted to play his part in not only helping people develop their historical skills, but also to help extend the reach of academic history to a wider audience. Callaghan looks forward to working with you and reading your submissions!
Connie Baron
Secondary Editor - Medieval Lead Writer
Connie is a Secondary Editor at The Young Historians, re-checking and editing all work sent to the team. As a recent, first-class History graduate from the University of Huddersfield, Connie is continuing her studies at the University of Leeds, pursuing an MA in Medieval Studies. Her Bachelor’s dissertation, titled ‘How have narratives of Queen-Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine changed over time?’, considered both contemporary and modern rumours surrounding Eleanor, and why these were so widely believed. She received the Tim Greenhalgh Memorial Prize for this piece of work, an award congratulating the best dissertation in medieval history across the university. Alongside her studies at Huddersfield, Connie worked as a History Mentor at Greenhead College, one of the leading sixth-forms in the country. Her role included holding student support sessions and 1-1’s on topics such as the Age of the Crusades, the Angevin Empire, and Witchcraft in early modern Europe.
Imogen Graham
Secondary Editor
Imogen recently graduated from Swansea University with a degree in History, and was awarded the Marian Evans Memorial Prize for achieving the highest standard of work in Modern History. Her dissertation, 'The Few' in Fiction and Memory: The Cultural Construction and Endurance of the RAF Fighter Pilot Archetype, also received the Royal Air Force Museum Undergraduate Academic Award. Alongside her studies, she gained experience in museums and archives, including the Royal Air Force's Air Historical Branch and Wingleader Ltd. Imogen has also written her first book, on the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, due to be published later this year. Passionate about making history accessible beyond academia, she enjoys reading, travelling and helping others engage with the past. As a Secondary Editor, she is excited to support aspiring young historians as they take their first steps in sharing their passions!
OUR WRITERS
Ruby Day
Specialist Writer
Ruby recently completed her undergraduate degree in History at Royal Holloway and is going on to study a MA in Public History. Her interests are rarely limited by time period; she relishes any opportunity to learn something unexpected, or to apply new ways of thinking to well-trodden topics. Ruby has always wanted to prove that interest in history can extend far beyond the GCSE classroom by broadening what is considered valuable. By engaging with public history, participating in difficult conversations about museum practises and monuments, recognising the 'lowbrow' as significant, and generally platforming the unconventional, Ruby believes this is possible. She was both Culture Editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of her university's student paper, which allowed her to explore the relationship between popular culture and the historical discipline in a non-academic format. Ruby hopes to carry this forward into The Young Historians, continuing to exhibit the dynamism of history outside of the classroom.
Raegan Kingett
Specialist Writer
Raegan Kingett is reading for his Master’s in History at St Cross College, University of Oxford. Having graduated from the University of Winchester with First Class Honours in Modern History, his undergraduate dissertation focused on the relationship between RAF Bomber Command and ‘area bombing’ during the Second World War. At Oxford, his thesis explores how RAF Bomber Command theorised breaking German society’s will to resist through the targeting of civilians, a topic he hopes to continue into doctoral research. Raegan’s interests are primarily focused on the twentieth century, on topics such as military history. Raegan also holds research interests in the ‘everyday’ experience of society in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). He has also covered earlier topics with The Young Historians such as the Battle of Waterloo, coinciding with the battle's 200 year anniversary. Above all, Raegan is dedicated to making history accessible to all audiences and readers of The Young Historians, regardless of their prior knowledge of the subject matter.
Megan Smith
Specialist Writer
Megan completed both her BA and MA History degrees at the University of Birmingham, specialising in imprisonment and martyrdom in the Tudor and Stuart eras. She also explored these themes within the Victorian era and modern day America, branching out beyond the early modern period to develop her studies. Megan is committed to making history accessible for all, helping audiences to understand the contemporary relevance and impact of a variety of historical events. She is eager to share history in an engaging way, proving the topic is not restricted to heavy textbooks and the realms of academia. In her strive to make challenging topics widely available, Megan is also a political and news writer for young people-led publications working on multiple projects including students’ experience of politics and protest and misogyny within the political sphere. She hopes to participate in similar meaningful discussions about a variety of social and cultural themes as part of The Young Historians.
Honey Simpkins
Specialist Writer
Honey Simpkins completed her Bachelor of Arts in History with a First-Class at the University of Hull, being awarded the David Hutchinson Prize for Social and Cultural History for her academic results. Her dissertation investigated the influence history has within modern media, particularly focusing on the extent in which the video game Red Dead Redemption engaged with the myth of the American West. Having now graduated and completed her historical studies, Honey intends to utilise these foundational research skills to continue to dissect how historical knowledge is valuable in contemporary media. Her research remains unrestricted by time period, as the combination of explorative historical freedom and modern media provides an exceptional baseline to encourage wider engagement with the historical field. Honey has a firm ambition to persuade those in the greater entertainment industry that history firmly belongs in the creative process of media development and will discuss this as part of the Young Historians.
Lauren Yates
Modern History Lead Writer
Lauren recently graduated with a First-Class degree in History and English Literature from the University of Huddersfield and will begin an MA by Research in History this September. With a particular love for women's history, she plans to focus on the representation of armed women in early modern Europe and what these portrayals reveal about gender, power, and authority. She is passionate about uncovering overlooked histories and demonstrating how historical narratives continue to shape the present. Alongside her studies, Lauren has gained experience in cataloguing museum collections and online blogging, where she has enjoyed making historical research engaging and accessible for wider audiences. She believes history should extend beyond academic writing, encouraging curiosity through museums, public history, and digital media. Outside of academia, Lauren has a love of theatre, particularly historical drama, and enjoys exploring the ways performance brings the past to life. She hopes to show that history is full of compelling stories, complex people and conversations that continue to resonate today.