The Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University UK  https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/about/our-faculties/faculty-management offered a short term global engagement opportunity, and in May 2019, I received the good news that:

Congratulations ! Your application for the Faculty of Management (FM) Global Engagement grant for international short-term mobility has been successful.

Studying as a PhD student in the Faculty of Management at BU had opened up this great opportunity for me.

I could visit Newfoundland and begin some research on the archive of my family’s letters. Newfoundland here I come!

Bournemouth University (BU) and Memorial University (MUN) https://www.mun.ca/ are linked through the work of the historical group known as Wessex Newfoundland Society http://www.wessexsociety.ca/ and the Newfoundland Wessex Society http://www.swuklink.com/BAAAGCKT.php .

There is an academic partnership between BU and MUN, creating opportunities for student exchanges and research programmes. I decided to reignite this connection through my interests in social history and the direct link (migration and trade) between Poole/ Ringwood and other towns in the south west of England and Newfoundland. This could strengthen the continuation of the link for future research opportunities. Modern communication and travel was reconnecting the Watts family with their origins.