Emma Griffin

Professor Emma Griffin is a Professor of Modern British History and Head of the School of History at Queen Mary University of London. She holds a PhD from Cambridge University and previously served at the University of East Anglia for 18 years before returning to QMUL in 2023. Her academic journey includes undergraduate studies at Queen Mary and a postdoctoral fellowship at Cambridge.

Her research focuses on the economic modernization of Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries, examining how industrialization and urbanization impacted ordinary lives. Notable works include Bread Winner: An Intimate History of the Victorian Economy (2020) and Liberty’s Dawn: A People’s History of the Industrial Revolution (2013). She is currently writing a global history of industrialization for Penguin Press.

In leadership roles, she serves as President of the Royal Historical Society and has held editorial positions for journals such as History, Historical Journal, and Cultural and Social History. Her public engagement includes BBC documentaries and media contributions, including co-presenting The Real Mill for Channel 4.

Professor Griffin advocates for the discipline’s public relevance, appearing in national media and collaborating with community events. Her academic supervision emphasizes doctoral research in British industrialization’s social, cultural, and economic dimensions, including global contexts.