A passionate advocate for British imperial power, Lord Curzon (1859-1925) believed in his and Britain’s right to rule. Through his travels and political career, he wielded, antagonised, reformed, informed and expressed British power. Marking the centenary of Curzon’s death in 1925, this international symposium will seek to follow Curzon’s interactions with and in the British Empire. Whilst recognising his impact on Britain, its empire, and the world, it looks to move beyond Curzon as the sole protagonist of these histories.

We invite scholars and heritage professionals to contribute to two days of discussion at the University of Derby and Curzon’s ancestral seat, Kedleston Hall, which holds a museum dedicated to his colonial collection. Through critical engagement with the many aspects of Curzon’s relationship to the British Empire, we seek to bring marginal and global perspectives to the fore. Our aim for the workshop is to bring together these deeply contextualised histories, that will ground interdisciplinary discussions. By sharing our disparate expertise, we seek to enrich our collective understandings of Curzon, Kedleston, the Museum and the objects within it, connecting their imperial contact points and contexts.

For further details, view the full flyer here.

To be considered for this workshop please email curzoncentenarysymposium@gmail.com with a 150 word bio and a 250 word abstract by 12 noon 7 March 2025 (GMT).