Get to know our staff: Lauren Lambe

Lauren Lambe - taken at the NCPH Conference in Las Vegas

Hi everyone, Lauren here. I know you've been hearing a lot from me over the last little while, but I don't think I ever really formally introduced myself or told you anything about me! So, in hopes that by the end of the day you will all be more familiar with all the new staff at Admiralty House, I'm going to kick things off with a little bit about me.

So, the name is Lauren, we've established that. I'm 22 years old and I'm currently cluing up my Masters of Public History through Western University. I lived in London, Ontario for the past year, but I came back to Newfoundland for the summer to intern at Admiralty House as the last requirement before they hand me my degree! I've been having so much fun working at the museum this past month that it never really feels like work, which is a nice reassurance that public history was the right path for me.

I actually didn't know what public history was until the final stages of my undergrad when two of my professors approached me and told me they thought I'd be a good candidate for the program. After doing some research into it and speaking with a few alumni of the program, I decided that maybe they were right, so I wasted no time in applying.

Fast forward about a year and a half, and it's pretty clear that they were right because I don't think I could have done a Masters program that was more perfectly suited to my interests. Being a Newfoundland native, I started learning very early on about Newfoundland's involvement in the First World War at the Battle of the Somme, and as I got older and made my way through a history degree, I became fascinated with public memory because of the significance that Beaumont Hamel still has in Newfoundland today.

Near the end of my undergrad, I started working at the Maritime History Archive and then moved on to work with the Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Web Page, and it was through the digitization and making available of the province's history to the public that I realized, not only was I interested in how the public perceives history, but also that I wanted to be the one to give it to them. Add this realization to my professors' recommendation of public history and I was sold.

Working at the museum for the last little while has only strengthened my interests in public history and I know that I chose the right path and I'm super lucky to work somewhere that allows me to do what I love.

Outside of public history, I love music of all types, I love to read, I am dangerously close to being a crazy cat lady, and I'm an amateur stand-up comedian. I love hanging out with my friends, I have an 11 year old brother who is my best friend, and I've seen The Office all the way through at least 20 times.

I hope this little post has given you a more rounded idea of who I am, and make sure you keep checking back to hear from our other new staff! I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful day!

Later days,

Lauren