The Gunpowder Plot is always associated with Guy Fawkes, but what is not always appreciated is the prominent part played by Midlands Catholic families, in the planning for, and aftermath of, 5th November 1605. This talk will seek to address this.
Mairi Macdonald was formerly Head of Local Collections at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-Avon. She took an MA in Medieval History at the University of St Andrews, followed by a postgraduate diploma in Archive Administration at University College London. In addition to teaching classes on local history sources and paleography, Mairi lectures extensively on local and social history topics. She has contributed to Shakespeare Quarterly, the new Dictionary of National Biographyand the new Oxford Companion to Shakespeare. Her edition of The Register of the Guild of the Holy Cross, Stratfordwas published in 2007 by the Dugdale Society. Mairi is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and General Editor of the British Records Association series; Archives and the User.