Steve Poole

Steve Poole is a Professor of History and Heritage at the University of the West of England (UWE), affiliated with the Faculty of Arts, Creative Industries, and Education (ACE). He directs the Regional History Centre and leads an ESRC-funded project exploring intergroup dynamics in the 1831 Reform Riots. His research spans 18th- and 19th-century English history, focusing on protest, crime, tidal landscapes, and digital heritage technologies. Collaborations include the National Trust, Bristol Initiative Trust, and heritage design firms like Splash & Ripple and Satsymph. Notable projects include Ghosts in the Garden (a locative game at the Holburne Museum) and Romancing the Gibbet (an immersive soundscape on 18th-century crime).

Poole’s academic work emphasizes histories 'from below,' particularly in Bristol and the Southwest. He co-authored Bristol From Below: Law, Authority and Protest in a Georgian City and chairs the John Thelwall Society. His heritage projects integrate digital media to reinterpret historical narratives, such as using empathy-driven soundscapes for heritage experiences. He also advises on urban waterfront histories and serves on committees for the Southern History Society and Bristol Record Society.

His publications span scholarly articles and edited volumes, with a focus on riots, regicide, and radical press (e.g., Bath Spark). Recent work examines the social psychology of collective action in 19th-century riots and the legacy of monuments in contemporary urban spaces. Poole’s interdisciplinary approach bridges traditional history with modern technologies, aiming to democratize historical interpretation through accessible, immersive formats.