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Wellbeing in Doctoral Education

Insights and Guidance from the Student


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Lynette Pretorius · Luke Macaulay
Basil Cahusac de Caux Editors

Wellbeing
in Doctoral
Education
Insights and Guidance from the Student
Experience
Wellbeing in Doctoral Education
Lynette Pretorius • Luke Macaulay
Basil Cahusac de Caux
Editors

Wellbeing in Doctoral
Education
Insights and Guidance from the Student
Experience
Editors
Lynette Pretorius Luke Macaulay
Faculty of Education Faculty of Education
Monash University Monash University
Clayton, VIC, Australia Clayton, VIC, Australia

Basil Cahusac de Caux


Faculty of Arts
Monash University
Clayton, VIC, Australia

ISBN 978-981-13-9301-3    ISBN 978-981-13-9302-0 (eBook)


https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9302-0

© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019


This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of
the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation,
broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information
storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology
now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication
does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant
protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book
are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the
editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors
or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims
in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721,
Singapore
Book Reviewers

The editors would like to acknowledge the constructive insights and comments pro-
vided by all the reviewers of this book. These reviewers were chosen for their
diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The section entitled “Understanding
Yourself: Fostering Intrapersonal Wellbeing” was reviewed by Vista Bhopti,
MPsych(Clin), GradDipPsych, BA, MAPS, and Dr. Allie Ford, PhD, BSc(Hons),
GCHE. The section entitled “Understanding Your Experiences: Building Identity
and Agency in Academia” was reviewed by Dr. Evie Kendal, PhD, MBioethics,
MPHTM, BA(Hons), BBiomedSci, and Dr. Cho Kwong Charlie Lam, PhD,
BA(Hons). The section “Understanding Others: Developing Intercultural
Competence” was reviewed by Dr. Rosalind McFarlane, PhD, BA(Hons), and Marta
Spes-Skrbis, MAPL, BA(Hons). In addition to these expert reviewers, all chapters in
this book were also reviewed by the book editors: Dr. Lynette Pretorius, PhD,
BSc(Hons), GCAP, Luke Macaulay, BA(Hons), and Dr. Basil Cahusac de Caux,
PhD, MA, BA. Finally, this book underwent double-blinded external peer review.
The chapter authors would like to acknowledge their fellow research students
who provided helpful peer-reviewed suggestions during the development of this
book: Nasser Almutairi, Trang Dang, Desmaizayatri, Linette Etheredge, Glenys Joy
Goricane, Prasadi Hatanwila Liyana Arachchige, Olivia Ilic, Muhammad Nazil
Iqdami, Misol Kim, Jacky-Lou Maestre, Hyab Mehari Abraha, Xianyu Meng,
Elham M. Foomani, Han Ni Lwin, Maliheh Rezaei, Hannah Richardson, Alice
Roberts, and Xiaojing Yan.

Research Funding

Support for this research project has been provided by the Monash Education
Academy.

v
Contents

Part I Wellbeing in Doctoral Education: An Introduction


1 Prelude: The Topic Chooses the Researcher�����������������������������������������    3
Lynette Pretorius
2 A Short History of Doctoral Studies������������������������������������������������������    9
Basil Cahusac de Caux
3 Tensions Between Disciplinary Knowledge and Transferable
Skills: Fostering Personal Epistemology During
Doctoral Studies ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   19
Tanya Davies, Luke Macaulay, and Lynette Pretorius
4 Autoethnography: Researching Personal Experiences������������������������   27
Lynette Pretorius and Jennifer Cutri

Part II Understanding Yourself: Fostering Intrapersonal Wellbeing


5 Intrapersonal Wellbeing and the Academic Mental
Health Crisis ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   37
Ricky Wai Kiu Lau and Lynette Pretorius
6 You Are Not Your PhD: Managing Stress During Doctoral
Candidature����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   47
Ricky Wai Kiu Lau
7 Negating Isolation and Imposter Syndrome Through Writing
as Product and as Process: The Impact of Collegiate Writing
Networks During a Doctoral Programme����������������������������������������������   59
Sue Wilson and Jennifer Cutri
8 Walking a Tightrope: Juggling Competing Demands
as a PhD Student and a Mother��������������������������������������������������������������   77
Ade Dwi Utami

vii
viii Contents

9 Struggling with Mental Illnesses Before and During the PhD


Journey: When Multiple Treatments Join the Healing Process����������   93
Van Thi Thanh Lai
10 Maintaining Emotional Wellbeing for Doctoral Students:
Indonesian Students’ Mechanism of Thinking Out Loud�������������������� 113
Siti Muniroh
11 Wax On, Wax Off: Maintaining Confidence
and Overcoming Anxiety ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 127
Basil Cahusac de Caux

Part III Understanding Your Experiences: Building Identity


and Agency in Academia
12 Identity and Agency as Academics: Navigating Academia
as a Doctoral Student������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 143
Cuong Huu Hoang and Lynette Pretorius
13 When Questions Answer Themselves: Proactive Reflection
and Critical Eclecticism in PhD Candidature �������������������������������������� 153
Linh Thi Cam Nguyen
14 It Is About Time: Chronotopes and the Experience
and Negotiation of Space-Time Throughout PhD Candidature���������� 165
Luke Macaulay and Tanya Davies
15 Shouting Down a Well: The Development of Authorial
Identity in Thesis Writing ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 177
Peter Christopher White
16 Understanding the Uncertainty: The Use of Diffusion
of Innovation Theory to Inform Decision-Making During
the Doctoral Experience�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 189
Kitty C. Janssen

Part IV Understanding Others: Developing Intercultural Competence


17 Processes of Globalisation in Doctoral Education�������������������������������� 209
Jennifer Cutri and Lynette Pretorius
18 Effective Intercultural Supervision: Using Reflective
Practice to Enhance Students’ and Supervisors’ Intercultural
Competence���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 219
Haoran Zheng, Henny Herawati, and Sanikan Saneewong
19 Prospering in Thesis Writing: From Self-­Reflexivity
to Ideological Becoming�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 229
Muhalim
Contents ix

20 Climbing the Proverbial Mountain: How I Developed


My Academic Writing During My Doctoral Training�������������������������� 239
Mehdi Moharami
21 Learning Through Critique: Intercultural Awareness
in Student–Supervisor Feedback Practices ������������������������������������������ 251
Dery Tria Agustin
22 The Third Space: Fostering Intercultural Communicative
Competence Within Doctoral Education ���������������������������������������������� 265
Jennifer Cutri

Part V The Road to Wellbeing


23 The Flow Experience in the Doctoral Journey�������������������������������������� 283
Aunyarat Jane Tandamrong and Allie Ford

������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 293
List of Figures

Fig. 4.1 The “What? So What? Now What?” reflective practice


model, showing potential reflective prompt questions
for each stage����������������������������������������������������������������������������������   31
Fig. 5.1 Factors that contribute to the mental health crisis in academia�������   39
Fig. 6.1 The dynamic relationship between self-esteem and anxiety
in settings of social comparisons����������������������������������������������������   51
Fig. 6.2 Application of Theory U in the process of managing
the stress and anxiety associated with doctoral studies�������������������   53
Fig. 8.1 Competing demands between parent and student roles
lead to significant stress������������������������������������������������������������������   81
Fig. 8.2 Hope theory as a strategy to manage conflicting roles
during doctoral studies��������������������������������������������������������������������   84
Fig. 10.1 Mediation of doctoral success through the mechanism
of thinking out loud������������������������������������������������������������������������� 123
Fig. 16.1 A representation of my PhD journey���������������������������������������������� 191
Fig. 16.2 An example of how decisions are nested within other
decisions������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 196
Fig. 16.3 Illustration of how a topic may be rejected upon further
implementation�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 197
Fig. 22.1 The first and second spaces of doctoral students come
together to create a third space of cultural hybridity����������������������� 269
Fig. 22.2 Engagement in the third space allows domestic
and international students to develop intercultural
communicative competence (ICC)�������������������������������������������������� 271
Fig. 22.3 Examples of activities in which doctoral students
can participate that contribute to the creation of a third
space for the development of intercultural communicative
competence�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 274

xi
List of Tables

Table 5.1 Recent statistics regarding the incidence of mental illness


in doctoral students�����������������������������������������������������������������������   40
Table 10.1 Profiles of participants in the thinking out loud study������������������ 118
Table 16.1 The perceived characteristics of the two methodological
choices I had after my mid-­candidature review���������������������������� 199
Table 23.1 Stages of completions of the PhD jigsaw puzzle�������������������������� 286
Table 23.2 Challenges faced by actors and PhD students������������������������������ 287

xiii
Part I
Wellbeing in Doctoral Education: An
Introduction
Chapter 1
Prelude: The Topic Chooses the Researcher

Lynette Pretorius

Abstract As a prelude to the rest of the book, this introductory chapter highlights
the main motivation for the creation of Wellbeing in Doctoral Education, as well as
the overall book structure. In recent years, wellbeing has been increasingly recog-
nised as an important area in doctoral education. Yet, few resources exist to help
those who support doctoral students. Wellbeing in Doctoral Education provides a
voice to doctoral students to advocate for an improvement to their own doctoral
training environment. The book offers a range of personal and engaging stories that
highlight the diverse voices of doctoral students as they explore their own learning
journeys. Through these stories, doctoral students advocate for an academic envi-
ronment where disciplinary knowledge gained during the PhD is developed in con-
cert with the skills necessary to maintain personal wellbeing, purposely reflect on
experiences, and build intercultural competence.

Keywords Research motivation · Transferable skills · Wellbeing · Doctoral


education · Institutional responsibility

It is commonly believed that research projects arise from a researcher’s innate field
of interest. However, I have come to agree with Romanyshyn (2007) that it is the
research topic that chooses the researcher. When my students first approached me to
help them write Wellbeing in Doctoral Education, I knew that I had to be involved.
Even though the project to write this book started only a few years ago, I believe that
in reality it started when I was finishing my own doctoral training. Several years
ago, I was completing my PhD in Medicine when, due to an unfortunate laboratory
accident, I developed an allergy to a common chemical used in laboratories world-
wide. While I was still able to complete my PhD (see Pretorius, 2010), this incident
meant that I would no longer be able to teach and conduct research in the medical
field. Naturally, this was perceived by many, including myself, as a significant set-
back in my career. However, my passions were teaching and conducting research,

L. Pretorius (*)
Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
e-mail: lynette.pretorius@monash.edu

© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019 3


L. Pretorius et al. (eds.), Wellbeing in Doctoral Education,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9302-0_1
4 L. Pretorius

so I decided to find a different way to achieve my goals. As a result, I switched my


research speciality to an area that I had studied as part of my undergraduate train-
ing – the field of Education.
The experience of switching my research focus was certainly challenging. I had
to teach myself new methodologies, as I had entered a field of mixed methods
research incorporating both qualitative and quantitative approaches. I quickly
realised that many of the skills I had gained during my doctoral training were appli-
cable to my new field of study. This, of course, included skills such as an under-
standing of research design and data analysis, effective written and verbal
communication skills, teamwork, as well as effective time management. The most
important skills that I learnt, however, were the abilities to persevere in challenging
situations, purposely explore my personal experiences, and work with peers with
different perspectives. These were the three skills that helped me to orient myself
into a new research paradigm. Today, I conduct research on the tertiary learning
experience, focusing on areas such as experiential learning, reflective practice, doc-
toral education, and mental health.
Written as a collaboration between students and staff, this book has been a pas-
sion project for all involved in its production. Wellbeing in Doctoral Education
explores the complex experiences of twenty-first century doctoral students at an
Australian institution. The book begins by exploring the history of doctoral educa-
tion (Chap. 2), which is followed by a discussion regarding the recent calls for
reform in doctoral training programmes (Chap. 3). The next chapter describes the
autoethnographic and reflective methodology that was applied throughout the book,
noting that students were asked to reflect on their doctoral experience and narrate
their most important personal discovery during their journey (Chap. 4). The rest of
Wellbeing in Doctoral Education, therefore, presents the autoethnographic accounts
from current doctoral students and recent doctoral graduates. These chapters are
presented as interwoven narrative accounts incorporating students’ personal reflec-
tions linked to literature on the topic under investigation. The book concludes by
providing strategies for PhD students to not only survive their studies, but also
thrive in academia (Chap. 23).
Interestingly, the autoethnographic chapters fell into three distinct categories:
understanding yourself, understanding your experiences, and understanding others.
Firstly, the chapter authors highlighted the importance of understanding themselves
and building personal knowledge in order to manage their emotional and personal
wellbeing (Chaps. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11), given the current mental health crisis in
academia (Chap. 5). Secondly, the chapter authors reflected on how they developed
their sense of agency and their identities through persistent reflective practice dur-
ing their studies (Chaps. 13, 14, 15, and 16). The reflective practice described here
is defined as “the ability to purposely explore personal experiences, beliefs or
knowledge in order to increase understanding, promote personal growth and
improve professional practice” (Cahusac de Caux, Lam, Lau, Hoang, & Pretorius,
2017, p. 464). Persistent reflective practice helped the authors to understand their
1 Prelude: The Topic Chooses the Researcher 5

experiences, fostering their academic identity and sense of agency (Chap. 12).
Finally, the chapter authors noted the importance of encouraging intercultural
­competence (Chaps. 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22), given the globalised academic environ-
ment (Chap. 17). Culture has been described as the software of the mind; it refers to
people’s patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting that they have learnt from their
social environment (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010). Intercultural compe-
tence, therefore, can be defined as “the ability to accommodate cultural differences
into one’s reality in ways that enable an individual to move easily into and out of
diverse cultures, and to adjust naturally to the situation at hand” (Sandell & Tupy,
2015, p. 365). The development of intercultural competence helped the chapter
authors to understand others who had different perspectives. This book, therefore,
advocates that the disciplinary knowledge gained during the PhD is of greater value
when it is developed in concert with fostering students’ personal epistemology
(“what individuals think knowledge is and how they think that they and others
know”, Hofer & Bendixen, 2012, p. 227).
In recent years, wellbeing has been increasingly recognised as an important area
in doctoral education. Yet, few resources exist to help those who support doctoral
students. By allowing the chapter authors to reflect on and narrate their own experi-
ences, Wellbeing in Doctoral Education provides a voice to doctoral students to
advocate for an improvement to their own doctoral training environment. Both the
struggles and the strategies for success highlighted by the students are, therefore,
invaluable not only for the authors, but also their families, their social networks, and
academia more broadly. In particular, it is my hope that readers will discover that
the doctoral journey is more than just a three- to four-year timeframe where a stu-
dent eventually submits a thesis as evidence of the creation of new knowledge.
Rather, the doctoral experience incorporates a variety of opportunities for more in-­
depth personal development, particularly in terms of intrapersonal wellbeing, aca-
demic identity and sense of agency, as well as intercultural competence.
Importantly, the doctoral students’ stories should be a clarion call for those in
decision-making positions in academia. Wellbeing in occupational environments is
closely related to organisational functioning (Schmidt & Hansson, 2018). In many
cases, the issues identified by the students in this book cannot be resolved by the
individual student alone, or even by the student and their supervisor(s) together.
Rather, the wellbeing of doctoral students should also be the responsibility of the
educational institution. Doctoral students play a key role in helping academic insti-
tutions achieve their objectives through their involvement in both teaching and
research. Furthermore, poor wellbeing for those who choose to remain in academia
can be detrimental to future doctoral students, impacting on the quality of education
and the sustainability of the educational system in the future (Schmidt & Hansson,
2018). Therefore, it is imperative that academic institutions invest in their doctoral
student cohort by providing them with the skills and support they need to succeed
academically as well as flourish emotionally.
6 L. Pretorius

References

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1 Prelude: The Topic Chooses the Researcher 7

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doctoral education: Insights and guidance from the student experience. Singapore, Singapore:
Springer.
Muniroh, S. (this volume). Chapter 10: Maintaining emotional wellbeing for doctoral students:
Indonesian students’ mechanism of thinking out loud. In L. Pretorius, L. Macaulay, &
B. Cahusac de Caux (Eds.), Wellbeing in doctoral education: Insights and guidance from the
student experience. Singapore, Singapore: Springer.
Nguyen, L. T. C. (this volume). Chapter 13: When questions answer themselves: Proactive reflec-
tion and critical eclecticism in PhD candidature. In L. Pretorius, L. Macaulay, & B. Cahusac de
Caux (Eds.), Wellbeing in doctoral education: Insights and guidance from the student experi-
ence. Singapore, Singapore: Springer.
Pretorius, L. (2010). Protective actions of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (p110α) in a setting of car-
diomyopathy. (Doctor of Philosophy), Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Pretorius, L., & Cutri, J. (this volume). Chapter 4: Autoethnography: Researching personal expe-
riences. In L. Pretorius, L. Macaulay, & B. Cahusac de Caux (Eds.), Wellbeing in doctoral
education: Insights and guidance from the student experience. Singapore, Singapore: Springer.
Romanyshyn, R. D. (2007). The wounded researcher: Research with soul in mind. New Orleans,
LA: Spring Journal Inc.
Sandell, E. J., & Tupy, S. J. (2015). Where cultural competency begins: Changes in undergraduate
students’ intercultural competency. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher
Education, 27(3), 364–381. Retrieved from http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/pdf/IJTLHE2058.pdf
Schmidt, M., & Hansson, E. (2018). Doctoral students’ well-being: A literature review.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 13(1), 1–14. https://
doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2018.1508171
Tandamrong, A. J., & Ford, A. (this volume). Chapter 23: The flow experience in the doctoral
journey. In L. Pretorius, L. Macaulay, & B. Cahusac de Caux (Eds.), Wellbeing in doctoral
education: Insights and guidance from the student experience. Singapore, Singapore: Springer.
Utami, A. D. (this volume). Chapter 8: Walking a tightrope: Juggling competing demands as a PhD
student and a mother. In L. Pretorius, L. Macaulay, & B. Cahusac de Caux (Eds.), Wellbeing in
doctoral education: Insights and guidance from the student experience. Singapore, Singapore:
Springer.
White, P. C. (this volume). Chapter 15: Shouting down a well: The development of authorial iden-
tity in thesis writing. In L. Pretorius, L. Macaulay, & B. Cahusac de Caux (Eds.), Wellbeing in
doctoral education: Insights and guidance from the student experience. Singapore, Singapore:
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Wilson, S., & Cutri, J. (this volume). Chapter 7: Negating isolation and imposter syndrome through
writing as product and as process: The impact of collegiate writing networks during a doctoral
programme. In L. Pretorius, L. Macaulay, & B. Cahusac de Caux (Eds.), Wellbeing in doctoral
education: Insights and guidance from the student experience. Singapore, Singapore: Springer.
Zheng, H., Herawati, H., & Saneewong, S. (this volume). Chapter 18: Effective intercultural
supervision: Using reflective practice to enhance students’ and supervisors’ intercultural
­competence. In L. Pretorius, L. Macaulay, & B. Cahusac de Caux (Eds.), Wellbeing in doctoral
education: Insights and guidance from the student experience. Singapore, Singapore: Springer.
8 L. Pretorius

Lynette Pretorius is the academic language development advisor for the Faculty of Education at
Monash University in Australia. She works with both undergraduate and postgraduate students to
improve their academic language and literacy skills. She has qualifications in Medicine, Science,
Education, as well as Counselling, and her research interests include experiential learning, reflec-
tive practice, doctoral education, mental health, and cardiovascular physiology.
Chapter 2
A Short History of Doctoral Studies

Basil Cahusac de Caux

Abstract This chapter explores the design and delivery of doctoral programmes in
Western educational settings. The author provides a historical account of the design
of doctoral programmes and highlights the differences between countries in terms
of degree structure. The PhD has undergone several transformations since its early
inception and the contemporary doctorate is currently offered in a range of formats.
Justice and self-discovery continue to motivate entry into doctoral studies, but stu-
dents are also increasingly concerned with personal goals such as career progres-
sion and scholarly achievement. Despite significant developments in doctoral
education, the author concludes that a range of issues have yet to be resolved in
order to improve the overall educational experience of students.

Keywords History of doctoral education · Educational experience · Student


motivation · Curriculum design

Introduction

In order to understand the experiences of PhD students in today’s doctoral training


environment, it is necessary to first explore the history of doctoral programmes. The
term Doctor of Philosophy is Latin in origin, derived from the terms docere (to
teach) and philosophiae (philosophy). Together, these terms are used to denote
someone who has become a master or teacher in their chosen field of scholarship. In
other words, a PhD is awarded to someone who has subject-matter mastery and has
made a unique contribution to their field of knowledge.
While the doctorate has existed in various forms for many centuries (see, e.g.,
Bogle, 2017; Makdisi, 1989; The Group of Eight, 2013), the current form of the
PhD emerged in the year 1810 in Germany and France, notably at the University of
Berlin (currently known as Humboldt University) and Université Pierre et Marie
Curie, to certify and measure academic skills acquired in a field (Bogle, 2017; The

B. Cahusac de Caux (*)


Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
e-mail: basilkhalifa@gmail.com

© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019 9


L. Pretorius et al. (eds.), Wellbeing in Doctoral Education,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9302-0_2
10 B. Cahusac de Caux

Group of Eight, 2013). The new PhD soon spread to the United States, where Yale
University offered the first doctorates in the mid-nineteenth century (Gardner &
Mendoza, 2010). Since then, the number of students earning doctorate degrees in
the United States alone increased from several hundred in the early 1900s to approx-
imately 50,000 in the early 2000s (Cyranoski, Gilbert, Ledford, Nayar, & Yahia,
2011; Nerad, 2007). Chinese doctorates are also increasing, with close to 50,000
doctoral graduates across all disciplines in 2009 (Cyranoski et al., 2011). In
Germany, figures relative to the national population are even higher, with a reported
stable average of 25,000 doctoral graduates per year (Cyranoski et al., 2011;
Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis), 2019).
Initially, provisions relating to student–supervisor relations, mentoring, and
training were not as rigidly defined or regulated as they are at many institutions
today (Johnson, Lee, & Green, 2000; Mainhard, van der Rijst, van Tartwijk, &
Wubbels, 2009). Instead, students were expected to acquire the ability to work inde-
pendently to create original and impactful research under the supervision of one or
more experts. Despite major changes in the oversight of doctoral education and
training at higher education institutions in recent years, many doctoral students still
have a narrow educational experience (Lam et al., 2019) and do not “clearly under-
stand what doctoral study entails” (Golde & Dore, 2001, p. 7). Tracing the contem-
porary history of doctoral studies could help rectify gaps in expectations and
understanding among the doctoral student cohort and predict future obstacles for
those involved in doctoral studies.

The Changing PhD

Boud and Lee (2009) trace changes in the policies and training acquired by doctoral
students in disparate fields, highlighting the shifts that have occurred in doctoral
education over the past four decades. Similarly, research by Jones (2013) touches on
issues that have arisen during doctoral candidates’ studies through a review of aca-
demic papers on doctoral studies published over a 40-year period. Jones (2013)
notes how the pressure to publish has increased between the early 1980s and early
2010s, with increasing demands that doctoral students publish higher quality and
quantity of research during their candidature. Furthermore, Jones (2013) demon-
strates the impact of economic recessions on publication activity, contending that an
inverse relation holds between the two (i.e., more articles about issues in doctoral
studies are published during periods of economic recession). However, employment
rates for doctoral students remain among the highest of any category of university
graduates, with employment secured by 93% of PhD graduates (versus 81% of
other graduates) aged between 25 and 69 years (Auriol, Misu, & Freeman, 2013).
Over time, the demands of doctoral studies have shifted, with an increased focus
placed on diversification and comprehensive training within and beyond the field of
inquiry (Tennant, 2009). Diversification included the reshaping of the structure of
the PhD into distinct categories. For instance, universities and other institutions of
2 A Short History of Doctoral Studies 11

higher education in the Anglosphere now offer practice-based PhDs, PhDs by pub-
lication, professional doctorates, and conventional PhDs requiring the completion
of a written thesis based on the completion of an in-depth research project.
Additionally, higher education institutions offer honorary doctorates to distin-
guished individuals outside of the academe. Besides the conventional PhD (also
known as the theory-based PhD) and honorary doctorates, the variety of doctorates
mentioned above are relatively new to the academe. For instance, Candlin (2000)
notes how practice-based PhDs were “virtually unheard of” in the United Kingdom
during the 1990s (p. 2), indicating the emergence of a new type of doctoral degree
at the turn of the twenty-first century. Similarly, professional PhDs such as the
Doctor of Education (EdD) also trace their origins to the early 1990s (Gregory,
1995). Professional doctorates have since become widespread at institutions in the
Anglosphere and are offered at most of the leading universities in the world (see,
e.g., UCLA, 2019; University of Cambridge, 2019; University of New South Wales,
2019). The EdD degree is typically geared toward education professionals who are
working in educational systems, such as schools, to help shape education practice
and policy (University of New South Wales, 2019). Other professional doctorates
include the Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), the Engineering Doctorate
(EngD), and the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA), among many others
(Fell, Flint, & Haines, 2011).
The recent recognition by students and university administrators of the need for
interdisciplinary and generic skills has led to the creation of diverse training pro-
grammes tailored to doctoral candidates (Park, 2005). These programmes include
seminars and workshops related to referencing, presenting, networking, and a range
of other academic and professional skills that are deemed of benefit to candidates
during and beyond their course of study. At some institutions, the completion of a
certain number of seminars and workshops during one’s course of study has become
a prerequisite for the attainment of the doctorate (see, e.g., Monash University, 2019).
Similarly, there are doctorates that include internship work through industry partner-
ships (see, e.g., Shell, 2019). These developments have reshaped the way in which
traditional and contemporary PhD degrees are viewed (Fink, 2006; McWilliam et al.,
2002). In the case of doctoral education in the United States, training programmes
are provided in addition to discipline-specific coursework that doctoral candidates
are required to complete prior to commencing their individual research projects
(Kehm, 2006). While coursework has been viewed as a burden by some students and
supervisors due to its time-intensive structure, university administrations view it as
part of a well-established practice that ensures that the course of study undertaken by
doctoral candidates produces rounded and knowledgeable specialists (Archibald,
2011). The structural elements of the PhD, such as coursework and examination
processes, however, continue to be questioned by leading researchers in doctoral
education, indicating potential changes to come (see, e.g., Golde, 2015).
Pastoral care and student autonomy have also been discussed as issues worthy of
consideration at the doctoral level (Johnson et al., 2000). The relationship-building
and training required to enable doctoral candidates to conduct research ­independently
comprise key transferable skills and are touched on in several chapters in this book.
12 B. Cahusac de Caux

An understanding of the different roles pastoral care plays is vital to doctoral stu-
dents who will one day work in supervisory roles, as it promotes stronger working
bonds and compassion (Gatfield, 2005).
Another issue worthy of discussion is the shift in financing models within PhD
programmes. Universities across the world began privatising education in the late
1990s, with previously government-funded doctoral programmes accepting non-­
scholarship (i.e., self-financed) students for the very first time soon after. This
occurred in the United Kingdom and Italy in the late 1990s and early 2000s
(Passaretta, Trivellato, & Triventi, 2018), and resulted in a change in the occupation
outcomes of PhD holders. Given the stressors involved in self-financing a PhD, as
well as the rising competition to secure scholarships for doctoral studies (McCallin
& Nayar, 2012; Pyhältö, Toom, Stubb, & Lonka, 2012), I recommend reading Chap.
11 of this book for advice on how to build confidence and dispel anxiety in times of
personal hardship.

Why Individuals Decide to Enrol in a PhD

Several factors have influenced individual students’ motivations to study a


PhD. Recent research presents family and friends, intrinsic motivation, lecturer
influence, research experience, and career progression as five factors influencing an
individual’s decision to undertake doctoral studies (Guerin, Jayatilaka, & Ranasinghe,
2015). In the past, issues of social justice and exploring one’s own sense of identity
drove individuals to pursue doctoral degrees (Salmon, 1992). Individuals enrolled in
doctoral programmes to change society or understand themselves better. This search
for justice and truth was later tempered by a desire to reach the pinnacle of scholarly
achievement (see, e.g., Leonard, Becker, & Coate, 2005), perhaps as a result of the
increasing prestige associated with doctoral degrees. Tarvid (2014) corroborated
these findings in a case study of factors motivating doctoral studies in Latvia, where
most individuals were driven to enrol in a PhD to achieve personal goals. Nonetheless,
doctoral students continue to work toward social justice or self-discovery through
their research, as many doctoral students tailor their research projects to the better-
ment of public policy and social awareness by focusing on current issues.
The influence of a doctoral students’ personal upbringing also plays an important
role in determining whether an individual pursues a doctorate. Research has shown
that having parents with doctorate degrees or occupied as researchers or higher
education professionals correlates with PhD enrolment (Mastekaasa, 2006). Gender
also plays a large role, as many doctorate holders continue to be male, though that
gap is slowly closing (Auriol et al., 2013). This is further discussed in Chap. 8. The
challenge to resolve the gender disparity in doctoral studies is being met by research-
ers all over the world. For instance, in Malaysia research is being conducted into the
factors motivating female enrolment in engineering PhD programmes (Mokhtar,
2012). This a promising development, as doctoral studies show signs of becoming
more diverse and gender equal.
2 A Short History of Doctoral Studies 13

Career progression and choice are other factors influencing the decision to enrol in
doctoral studies. Diversity exists among disciplines, with clinical studies showing a
high preference for career progression at point of entry (Naylor, Chakravarti, & Baik,
2016). In the Australian context, approximately one in three postgraduate students
make their career decisions during their undergraduate studies, with a similar per-
centage deciding during their postgraduate studies (Edwards, Bexley, & Richardson,
2011). This indicates that students are typically either aware of their career choices or
begin to form such choices during candidature. Findings of this kind should be made
more accessible to individuals considering doctoral studies, as the formation of career
choices is apt to influence the career trajectory of doctoral students after graduation.

PhD Student Trajectories

Changes to the structure of doctoral studies mean that doctoral students’ career
trajectories have changed, with more students finding work outside of the academe
after completing their doctoral degrees (Neumann & Tan, 2011; Pedersen, 2014).
This shift in career trajectory is worth noting, as the PhD was traditionally seen by
academics as a vehicle for securing human capital – in the form of researchers and
teachers – for universities and other research institutes. This is no longer the case,
as doctoral candidates move in and out of research and teaching-intensive positions
throughout their post-PhD trajectories (Walker, Golde, Jones, Bueschel, &
Hutchings, 2008). In fact, the increasingly strenuous demands placed on academics
(further discussed in Chap. 5) has led to a significant minority of doctoral candi-
dates and postdoctoral researchers favouring jobs outside of the academe
(Dorenkamp, 2018; McAlpine, 2017).
Indeed, doctorate holders finding work outside of the academe, whether in
research-intensive or other kinds of professional work, are experiencing greater lev-
els of job satisfaction and fulfilment at work (Di Paolo, 2016; Escardíbul & Afcha,
2017; Waaijer, Belder, Sonneveld, van Bochove, & van der Weijden, 2017).
Satisfaction among doctorate holders in and out of research tends to be high due to
the intellectual challenge, level of responsibility, degree of independence, and con-
tribution to society associated with their work (Auriol et al., 2013). This will likely
continue, as demand for doctorate holders increases outside of the academe (Hira,
2010; Kobayashi, 2011; van Henten, Eggermont, Bogle, & Dron, 2010).
Except for honorary doctorates, the various doctorate degrees offered at univer-
sities indicate not only a diversified course of training and study, but also varying
expectations concerning the future career trajectories of doctoral students. On one
hand, the expansion of career opportunities for doctorate holders beyond the aca-
deme is promising, as it indicates broader engagement with social and entrepre-
neurial structures, driven largely by an increasingly significant knowledge-based
economy that is welcoming of doctorate graduates (Auriol et al., 2013; Kehm,
2007; Nerad, 2010). On the other hand, the skills of doctoral students are heavily
underutilised in certain industries and parts of the world (Di Paolo & Mañé, 2016),
14 B. Cahusac de Caux

signalling a need for countries and labour markets to readjust their focus in ways
that cater for the wide skillset possessed by most doctoral graduates. While research-
intensive industries and firms with close links to universities tend to favour the
recruitment of highly skilled human capital (i.e., PhD holders, Garcia-Quevedo,
Mas-Verdú, & Polo-Otero, 2012), industries and firms with relatively weak ties to
universities could benefit from the innovation that comes from hiring PhD gradu-
ates. The increasing number of doctoral graduates in labour markets around the
world presents fresh opportunities for the global economy, as doctoral students con-
tinue to find employment in various sectors with the research and transferable skills
they gained during candidature (McAlpine, Amundsen, & Turner, 2013).

Conclusion

Reflecting on the origins of the PhD will allow doctoral students to better navigate
the challenges of managing the lengthy course of study required to attain a doctor-
ate. The PhD has undergone several transformations since its early inception. The
contemporary doctorate is currently offered in a range of formats, including tradi-
tional PhDs, professional doctorates, PhD by publication, and practice-based PhDs.
Justice and self-discovery continue to motivate entry into doctoral studies, but stu-
dents are also increasingly concerned with personal goals such as career progres-
sion and scholarly achievement. A range of issues have yet to be resolved by the
developments that have occurred within doctoral studies in the recent past. However,
some improvements include the diversification of the degree, an increase in gender
equality, and strong overall employment rates post-graduation.

Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge the Monash International Postgraduate


Research Scholarship and the Monash Graduate Scholarship that enabled me to conduct my doc-
toral studies.

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eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ904267.pdf
Neumann, R., & Tan, K. K. (2011). From PhD to initial employment: The doctorate in a knowl-
edge economy. Studies in Higher Education, 36(5), 601–614. https://doi.org/10.1080/030750
79.2011.594596
2 A Short History of Doctoral Studies 17

Park, C. (2005). New variant PhD: The changing nature of the doctorate in the UK.
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Passaretta, G., Trivellato, P., & Triventi, M. (2018). Between academia and labour market – The
occupational outcomes of PhD graduates in a period of academic reforms and economic crisis.
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Pedersen, H. S. (2014). New doctoral graduates in the knowledge eeconomy: Trends and key
issues. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 36(6), 632–645. https://doi.org/
10.1080/1360080X.2014.957891
Pyhältö, K., Toom, A., Stubb, J., & Lonka, K. (2012). Challenges of becoming a scholar: A study
of doctoral students’ problems and well-being. International Scholarly Research Notices,
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Salmon, P. (1992). Achieving a PhD: Ten students’ experiences. Stoke-on-Trent, UK: Trentham
Books.
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uates/phd-internships.html
Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis). (2019). Doctoral examinations passed. Retrieved from
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InstitutionsHigherEducation/
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Changing practices of doctoral education (pp. 225–237). London, UK: Routledge.
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Basil Cahusac de Caux recently completed his PhD in the Historical Studies Programme of the
Faculty of Arts at Monash University in Australia. His research interests include the history of
contemporary Japan and language policy in East Asia in the nineteenth and twentieth century.
Basil’s doctoral dissertation focused on the factors and forces influencing script reform in mid-
twentieth century to late-­twentieth century Japan.
Chapter 3
Tensions Between Disciplinary Knowledge
and Transferable Skills: Fostering Personal
Epistemology During Doctoral Studies

Tanya Davies, Luke Macaulay, and Lynette Pretorius

Abstract In this chapter, the authors highlight the recent calls for reform to doc-
toral programmes, particularly focused on the call for increased transferable skills
development. The authors discuss the two current schools of thought regarding the
incorporation of transferable skills training into doctoral programmes. On the one
hand, some scholars believe that the development of transferable skills should be
considered less important than disciplinary knowledge; on the other hand, other
scholars believe that transferable skills enhance the value of disciplinary knowl-
edge. The authors conclude that there is a need for doctoral training reform to
encourage students to reflect on the skills that they have learnt throughout their PhD
journey. This will help students to demonstrate their engagement with research as a
professional endeavour, allowing the PhD programme to become a vehicle for the
development of personal epistemology.

Keywords Doctoral education · Transferable skills · Reflective practice · Personal


epistemology · Curriculum design

Introduction

In Chap. 2, it was noted that doctoral training programmes have evolved throughout
the years to incorporate a range of formats. Increasingly, PhD programmes are
incorporating skills-based training to purportedly improve the employability and
transferability of students’ knowledge. This chapter highlights the experiences of
two second-year PhD students as they explore the importance of transferable skills
development in the contemporary doctoral training environment. Through these stu-
dents’ experiences, we highlight the two schools of thought regarding transferable
skills development in doctoral training programmes. On the one hand, some schol-
ars believe that the development of transferable skills should be considered less

T. Davies · L. Macaulay · L. Pretorius (*)


Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
e-mail: lynette.pretorius@monash.edu

© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019 19


L. Pretorius et al. (eds.), Wellbeing in Doctoral Education,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9302-0_3
20 T. Davies et al.

important than disciplinary knowledge; on the other hand, other scholars believe
that transferable skills enhance the value of disciplinary knowledge (Gilbert, Balatti,
Turner, & Whitehouse, 2004; Lam et al., 2019).
It has been shown that, whilst doctoral candidates may face similar challenges in
their doctoral journey, their experiences also lead to individualised skill development
where each student creates knowledge specific to their personal context (Lam et al.,
2019). In this chapter, we advocate that the disciplinary knowledge gained during the
PhD is of greater value when it is developed in concert with fostering students’ per-
sonal epistemology. When students can see the value of the skills they have learnt
and can reflect on their understanding of knowledge, they are better able to build
personal knowledge relevant to their future goals. This chapter, therefore, notes the
importance of not only incorporating transferable skills training into doctoral train-
ing curricula, but also explicitly demonstrating the value of these skills to students.

Identifying and Valuing Opportunities

The changing face of PhD programmes in the global education sector (see Chap. 2)
requires universities to ensure that graduates are equipped with a wide range of skills
(see, e.g., The Group of Eight, 2013). It has been identified that the traditional PhD,
which focuses on academic output and the acquisition of scholarly skills, is intended
to produce future academics (Nerad, 2004; Stylianou, Enright, & Hogan, 2017).
However, whilst there is currently an ongoing demand for research-based profession-
als with specific disciplinary knowledge, there is also an intensification of demand for
doctoral graduates in diverse areas outside of traditional academia (see Chap. 2). As
such, doctoral graduates may be better situated in terms of employment opportunities
if they acquire a wide range of transferable skills throughout their candidature.
It has previously been argued that current PhD programmes, in a variety of global
contexts, are too narrow in their focus (see, e.g., Lam et al., 2019). Taking this into
account, as well as the changing landscape of doctoral graduate employment trends
(see, e.g., Chap. 2; The Group of Eight, 2013), it seems imperative for universities to
thoughtfully consider the shape of their PhD programmes. In particular, there is an
increased need for universities to equip their doctoral graduates with a wide variety
of transferable skills. Additionally, it is essential for students to also be aware of the
importance of transferable skills acquisition throughout their PhD candidature. As
highlighted below, Luke is determined to gain employment in a traditional academic
setting, a goal that he has had since commencing his tertiary education. Luke has
experienced first-hand some of the positive effects of transferable skills acquisition.
Before starting my PhD, I had never really given transferable skills a thought, and to be
honest, I probably did not really know what they were. Transferable skills were simply not
on my radar. I had my eyes set firmly on the prize, that being my specific research project
and my future academic employment. In fact, I would often get frustrated that the ­mandatory
professional development hours deviated too far from what I thought was relatable to my
research. As a result, these became more like a chore that I had to grit my teeth through.
3 Tensions Between Disciplinary Knowledge and Transferable Skills: Fostering… 21

However, my attitude toward transferable skills completely changed 12 months into my


candidature after a catch up with a friend (let’s call him Jim) who I met whilst undertaking
the Honours programme as a part of my BA. In this year long programme, alongside
coursework, students undertake a research project which accounts for 50% of the year’s
workload. If completed successfully with a Distinction grade average, this Honours pro-
gramme allows students to enter a PhD programme without having completed a Masters.
The research projects that Jim and I undertook in Honours were highly theoretical and
quite niche and were certainly not going to open an overabundance of career doors. For me
this was OK as I knew I wanted to go on and undertake a PhD, although Jim decided to give
the studies a break and get a full-time job.
After dropping out of contact with Jim for a year, we caught up and I was extremely
impressed at how his career was progressing. He had managed to secure himself a job with
the state government and in a short period had received an impressive promotion and was
enjoying the work. Having had little experience in his new field I enquired how he managed
to get the job. His answer? Transferable skills. Jim had a very successful Honours year: his
thesis was very well received and won a sought-after award in our faculty. Jim focused on
all the periphery skills he had acquired throughout his research and how honing these skills
had resulted in him executing such a high-quality thesis. More importantly, he highlighted
to his new employer how these skills could easily be transferred to multiple tasks. I was sold!
This catch-up with Jim was a watershed moment. Whilst I still had (and still do have)
every intention to try and gain a traditional academic job after my PhD, I no longer see my
mandatory professional development hours as a deviation from my exact focus or as a
waste of time. The transferable value of such skills has become clear to me. Now, I always
try to walk away from professional development seminars with a new skill. More impor-
tantly, I have become extremely focused on acquiring transferable skills that may not for-
mally be offered by the university. I have become like a transferable skills scout. Fed up with
bureaucracy wasting your time? No worries. Learning to manage bureaucracy is a hugely
important skill so this is an opportunity. Having a personality clash with a colleague? No
worries. Learning to negotiate and manage a variety of personalities is priceless so this is
an opportunity. Work–life balance not going great? No worries. The importance of learning
this skill is a no-brainer. I think you get the point. Not only was I finding opportunities to
enhance my skills, this attitude was also positively affecting my experiences with barriers
and challenges. Not to sound too “self-help” here, but barriers and challenges became
opportunities. Therefore, from my perspective, I think that it is extremely important for
universities to give research students opportunities to be exposed to transferable skills
acquisition. In addition to this, and maybe even more importantly, I think it is important for
universities to instil in research students that the ability to identify transferable skills may
be the most important transferable skill of the lot.

In reading Luke’s account, there appears to be three key themes in terms of transfer-
able skills development: opportunity, value, and identification. In order to acquire
appropriate transferable skills, students need to be given the opportunity to do so
(Gilbert et al., 2004; Nerad, 2004; The Group of Eight, 2013). It has been identified
that when given the opportunity, students highly value transferable skills acquisition
as a part of their PhD journey (Borthwick & Wissler, 2003; Gilbert et al., 2004; Lam
et al., 2019). However, if the importance of that opportunity is not made explicit,
students may not be able to identify a potential opportunity. When Luke’s attitude to
the value of transferable skills changed, he was able to identify multiple opportuni-
ties for transferable skills acquisition. This was a process that Luke worked out
himself, and it seems by chance, after a catch up with a friend. If Luke had not met
with his friend, he may still be approaching potential opportunities to learn new
transferable skills begrudgingly.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Mary Russell
Mitford
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the
laws of the country where you are located before using this
eBook.

Title: Mary Russell Mitford


The tragedy of a blue stocking

Author: William James Roberts

Release date: November 4, 2023 [eBook #72028]

Language: English

Original publication: London: Andrew Melrose, 1913

Credits: MWS, A. Marshall and the Online Distributed


Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file
was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY


RUSSELL MITFORD ***
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Handwriting on frontispiece and images on pages 62, 260, 300, and 386
appears to be original to the images, and has been retained in captions.
Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the footnotes have been placed
at the end of the chapter.
Original cover has the title “The Life and Friendships of Mary Russell Mitford”,
which did not reflect the title on the titlepage. The new original cover art included
with this eBook is granted to the public domain.
Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book, as well as
an image of the original cover.
M A RY R U S S E L L M I T F O R D
MY COTTAGE in “OUR VILLAGE”.
M R Mitford

Miss Mitford’s Cottage at Three Mile Cross.


(From a lithograph published by Mr. Lovejoy, of Reading, while Miss Mitford was in residence.)
M A RY R U S S E L L
M I T F OR D

The Tragedy of a Blue Stocking

By

W. J. ROBERTS
(Author of “The Love Story of Empress Josephine,” “Literary
Landmarks of Torquay,” etc.).

Illustrated from Photographs by the Author and from


Contemporary Pictures.

LONDON: ANDREW MELROSE


3 YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C.
1913
Dedication.
To
CONSTANCE, LADY RUSSELL,
of Swallowfield Park,
I Dedicate this Book as a slight token of Gratitude
For the Help and Encouragement she
has so graciously afforded me
in its Compilation.

W. J. ROBERTS
London,
March, 1913.
PREFACE
No figure in the gallery of Early Victorian writers presents a character
so charming or so tenderly pathetic as that of Mary Russell Mitford.
Added to these characteristics is the fact that her life was, in reality,
a tragedy brought about by her blind devotion and self-sacrifice to an
object which we are forced to regard as altogether unworthy.
Miss Mitford’s name is not a familiar one to this generation and it is
with the desire to alter this that the following pages have been
written. It would be impossible, within the compass of a book of this
size, to show forth Miss Mitford’s life in its entirety: what we have
done has been to select from the records of her life and work such
incidents and such friendships as seemed to us to portray her most
faithfully. Whether we have succeeded must be left to the reader to
judge.
In the compilation of the book many sources of information have
been drawn upon and the author desires to acknowledge his
indebtedness to all who have so kindly helped him in his labours.
Chief among these has been Lady Russell of Swallowfield, who, in
addition to supplying much material, has made the author still further
indebted by her acceptance of the dedication of the book. Miss Rose
G. Kingsley has also to be thanked for copies of letters written by
Miss Mitford to her father, Charles Kingsley, who lies buried at
Eversley, in the neighbourhood with which the book deals largely.
To Miss Josephine M. H. Fairless, Messrs. G. A. Poynder, W.
Smith, T. Rowland Kent, H. T. Pugh, J. J. Cooper, J.P., and Alderman
J. W. Martin (all of Reading) the author’s best thanks are tendered,
as also to the Rev. J. Henry Taylor, of Canterbury (Miss Mitford’s
“Little Henry”), the Rev. Alexander A. Headley, Rector of New
Alresford, Mr. Bertram Dobell, the well-known bibliophile of London,
Mr. W. H. Greenhough, Chief Librarian to the Borough of Reading,
and W. H. Hudson, Esq.—the last named for his very kind loan of the
pencil sketch of Miss Mitford which figures in this book.
W. J. ROBERTS.
London, 1913.
CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGE
I Early Days in Alresford 11
II Lyme Regis and Tragedy’s Shadow 23
III Reading and School Days at Chelsea 35
IV Schooldays and Miss Rowden’s Influence 48
V Reading 66
VI Bertram House 80
VII The Trip to Northumberland 92
VIII Literature as a Serious and Purposeful
Occupation 112
IX The First Book 124
X A Year of Anxiety 140
XI Literary Criticism and an Unprecedented
Compliment 157
XII Dwindling Fortunes and a Gleam of
Success 172
XIII Literary Friends and Last Days at
Bertram House 184
XIV The Cottage at Three Mile Cross 198
XV A Busy Woman 209
XVI “God Grant me to Deserve Success” 221
XVII Our Village is Published 234
XVIII Macready and Rienzi 246
XIX A Slave of the Lamp 259
XX Macready’s Reservation and Lord
Lytton’s Praise 274
XXI A Great Sorrow 287
XXII “The Workhouse—A Far Preferable
Destiny” 299
XXIII My Oldest and Kindest Friend 313
XXIV Various Friendships 327
XXV The State Pension 339
XXVI Death of Dr. Mitford 353
XXVII Love for Children and Last Days at
Three Mile Cross 367
XXVIII Swallowfield and the End 379
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
TO FACE
PAGE
My Cottage in “Our Village” Frontispiece
Mary Russell Mitford at the age of three 20
“Kendrick View,” Reading 40
Doctor Mitford (from a painting by Lucas) 62
Mary Russell Mitford (from a drawing by Slater) 102
“Our Village” in 1913 198
Woodcock Lane, Three Mile Cross 210
Mary Russell Mitford (from a painting by Miss
Drummond) 226
The old Wheelwright’s Shop at “Our Village” 236
Miss Mitford’s Cottage at Three Mile Cross in 1913 242
Mary Russell Mitford (from a painting by Haydon) 260
Mary Russell Mitford (from a painting by Lucas) 290
Miss Mitford (from a sketch in Fraser’s Magazine) 300
Mary Russell Mitford (from a drawing by F. R. Say) 322
Miss Mitford in 1837 (from Chorley’s Authors of
England) 328
Mary Russell Mitford (from a painting by Lucas) 334
A View in Swallowfield Park 340
Mr. George Lovejoy, Bookseller, of Reading 364
The “House of Seven Gables,” on the road to 370
Swallowfield
Miss Mitford’s Cottage at Swallowfield (from a
contemporary engraving) 374
Miss Mitford’s Cottage at Swallowfield in 1913 380
Mary Russell Mitford (from a painting by Lucas) 384
Mary Russell Mitford (from a pencil sketch) 386
Swallowfield Churchyard 388
CHAPTER I

EARLY DAYS IN ALRESFORD

Within the stained but, happily, well-preserved registers of the


Church of St. John the Baptist, New Alresford, Hampshire, is an
entry which runs thus:—
No. 211.
George Midford of this parish, Batchelor, and Mary
Russell of the same, Spinster. Married in this Church by
Licence this Seventeenth day of October in the Year One
Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-five by me, Will
Buller,[1] Rector.
This Marriage was { George Midford,
solemnized between us { Mary Russell.
In the presence of { Jno. Harness,
{ Elizabeth Anderson.
It is a prosaic enough entry and yet, as we shall endeavour to
prove, it marked the beginning of a tragedy composed of the
profligacy and wicked extravagance of one of its signatories, of the
foolish, docile acquiescence of the
other, and of the equally foolish and docile, but incomprehensible,
infatuation for the profligate one which Mary Russell Mitford, the
child of this union, made the guiding principle of her life.
George Midford—or Mitford, as he subsequently spelt his name—
was the son of Francis Midford, Esq., of Hexham (descended from
the ancient house of Midford,[2] of Midford Castle, near Morpeth), and
of his wife Jane, formerly Miss Jane Graham, of Old Wall in
Westmoreland, related to the Grahams of Netherby.
He was born at Hexham, November 15, 1760, received his early
education at Newcastle School, studied for the profession of
medicine at the University of Edinburgh, and was for three years a
house pupil of the celebrated John Hunter, in London.
At the conclusion of his studies young Midford, or Mitford as we
shall henceforth speak of him, went on a visit to a relative—Dr. Ogle,
then Dean of Winchester—through whom he obtained an
introduction to Miss Mary Russell, then living alone in the adjacent
town of Alresford.
Mary Russell was an heiress—ten years the senior of George
Mitford, being then in her thirty-sixth year—and just recovering from
a recent bereavement in the death of her mother.
She was the daughter of Dr. Richard Russell, a lineal descendant
of the ducal family of Bedford, Vicar of Overton and Rector of Ash—
parishes adjoining each other and near to Whitchurch in Hampshire
—who, as a widower, married Miss Dickers, the daughter of a
Hampshire gentleman of considerable property, in the year 1745.
Childless by his first wife, the offspring of this second marriage
was a son and two daughters.
Of these the son and elder daughter died in childhood, leaving
Mary, who was born June 7, 1750, the sole heiress to the property of
her parents.
Dr. Russell eventually resigned the Vicarage of Overton, but
continued both his ministrations and residence at Ash, where he died
in 1783, aged eighty-eight years.
At his death his widow and daughter—the latter then thirty-three
years of age—removed to a pleasant and commodious house in the
Broad Street of that old-world and peaceful township of Alresford, a
town the houses of which, save the inns, bear no distinguishing
name and number, the staid and sober life of whose inhabitants was
only relieved by the mild excitements of market-day or by the noisy
passage of the mail-coach as, with clatter of hoof-beats and blast of
horn, it rattled gaily through, on its passage from London to
Winchester or vice versa.
Mrs. Russell only survived her husband for a little more than two
years and died on March 8, 1785, leaving her daughter with a
fortune of £28,000 in cash, in addition to house and land property. In
the admirable introduction to The Life and Letters of Mary Russell
Mitford (published 1870, and contributed by the Editor, the Rev. A. G.
L’Estrange) we have a pen-portrait of Mary Russell at this period of
her life which, in the absence of any other form of portraiture, we
cannot do better than quote.
“In addition to these attractions [her inheritance] she had
been carefully educated by her father; and to the ordinary
accomplishments of gentlewomen in those days had united
no slight acquaintance with the authors of Greece and
Rome. She was kind-hearted, of mild and lady-like
manners, of imperturbable temper, home-loving, and
abounding in conversation, which flowed easily, in a soft
and pleasant voice, from the sources of a full mind. Her
figure was good, slight, active, and about the middle
height; but the plainness of the face—the prominent eyes
and teeth—the very bad complexion—was scarcely
redeemed by the kind and cheerful expression which
animated her countenance.”
To this excessively plain but undoubtedly charming and
accomplished woman was the young surgeon introduced, “being
easily persuaded by friends more worldly wise than he to address
himself to a lady who, although ten years his senior, had every
recommendation that heart could desire—except beauty.”
She certainly had every recommendation that the heart of George
Mitford could desire, for “though a very brief career of dissipation had
reduced his pecuniary resources to the lowest ebb, he was not only
recklessly extravagant, but addicted to high play.”
A few months later they were married.
“She, full of confiding love, refused every settlement beyond two
hundred a year pin-money, out of his own property, on which he
insisted”—words written by Mary Russell Mitford, many years after,
and which would contradict our statement of her father’s pecuniary
embarrassment, were they not discounted by the words of the Rev.
William Harness, who, writing on the matter to a friend, says: “I hear
that when Mitford was engaged to his wife she had a set of shirts
made for him, lest it should be said that ‘she had married a man
without a shirt to his back!’ Of course the story is not true; but it
expressed what folk thought of his deplorable poverty and the
impossibility of his making that settlement on her, for which my father
was trustee, out of funds of his own, as Miss Mitford suggests.”
And so they were married, the bride being given away by her
trustee, Dr. John Harness, then living at Wickham, some few miles
south of Alresford.
Had the confiding wife misgivings, we wonder? Or was it the
excitement natural to such a momentous event in her life that caused
the little hand to be so tremulous as it signed the nervous characters,
Mary Russell, beneath the bold hand of her lord and master, on that
eventful October 17, 1785?
Henceforth, had she but known, she would have need of all the
comfort she might wring from those fatalistic words, “Che Sarà,
Sarà,” the motto of the Bedfords, whose ancestry she took such
pride in claiming.
It had already been decided that Alresford should witness the
commencement at least of the surgeon’s professional career, and
seeing that the house in Broad Street was commodious and, what
was more to the point, well-furnished, there was no need to make a
fresh home, and it was there they set up housekeeping together.
That the young man had good intentions is fairly evident, for he
continued his studies and, in the course of a year or so, took his
degree in medicine which permitted him to practise as a physician.
Thirteen months later a son was born to them, but did not survive.
In the Baptismal Register of New Alresford Church is the entry:—

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