Dr. Rosie Canning

I thought I would post a short piece about my recent good news which obviously has already been shared via Social Media. And why not! In early December, after eight amazing part-time years, I submitted my thesis and in February passed my viva with minor corrections.

I was not as nervous as I thought I would be and this was in part thanks to main supervisor, Ms. Rebecca Smith who prepared me well and the examiners who were delightful.

They say for those with Adverse Childhood Experiences, it only takes one teacher, or one adult, to believe in you. My first teacher at infant school taught me to read, a most amazing gift and in many ways the beginning of a journey through orphan tales my staple diet for many years. In secondary school I was labelled a trouble-maker though not all teachers believed that. One in particular, my English teacher, became one of the only adults who encouraged me. When at 12 years old, for the first time, I shared some of my life story, she gave me top marks.

At university, as a mature student, an English Literature lecturer encouraged me to do an autobiographical project and after I left the university she continued to read my work and wrote me many encouraging letters.

Rebecca, author and Principal Teaching Fellow and main supervisor at University of Southampton, was phenomenally encouraging. Even when I was at the lowest ebb of the PhD journey, and it wouldn’t be normal to not have at least one low point, Rebecca reminded me of all I had done and believed in my ability. And now, here I am many years later, finally Dr. Rosie Canning.

Flowers and congratulations from Rebecca.

My thanks must also go to examiners Prof. Stephanie Jones (University of Southampton) and Prof. Dawn Mannay (Cardiff University) who made what could have been an excruciatingly uncomfortable event into a very enjoyable morning. I learnt a lot about my thesis and myself. It’s not often you get a chance to have a conversation with two people who have closely read your work and enjoyed it. Of course if the novel gets published…there will be an editor!

The protagonist of my PhD novel, Marianne paints postcards which she sends to friends, a boyfriend and an imaginary mother. I’ve reproduced some of them, see above. ‘Hiraeth painting by Marianne Thomas’ sees a painting produced by Marianne looking beyond the distant landscape where she imagines her home might be. Hiraeth, a Welsh word with no English equivalent meaning a sort of longing, homesickness for a home that maybe never existed. The word was adopted by me for the Care Experienced community who have Hiraeth in their hearts.

You can read more about the many things I got up to during the PhD journey here.