UHI historian awarded Royal Society of Edinburgh funding to explore the hidden history of miscarriage
A University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) historian has secured prestigious funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) to advance research into the emotional experience of miscarriage in early modern Scotland.
Dr Philippa Woodcock, Senior Lecturer in History at UHI's Centre for History, has been awarded an RSE Small Grant for her project, They Wept Together: Investigating Miscarriage, Taboo and Support in Early Modern Scotland. The award is part of the RSE's Spring 2026 Research Awards programme, which is investing more than £661,000 in 61 innovative research projects across Scotland.
Dr Woodcock is an historian of early modern European history whose current research spans family history, emotion, politics and culture. Building on work already supported by the Royal Historical Society and the Strathmartine Trust, the new RSE funding will enable her to deepen understanding of how women, men and communities experienced miscarriage in early modern Scotland. Drawing on Scottish country house archives, the project explores how pregnancy loss was discussed, how families supported one another, and what these historical experiences can tell us about contemporary conversations around miscarriage and bereavement.
Dr Philippa Woodcock said:
“I am thrilled with this news. This project is so rewarding, revealing little-studied documents concerning family and health history in national and private collections: these have the potential to add historical examples to important contemporary debates about post-miscarriage care. Moreover, my research is fostering valuable relationships between UHI and estate archives across the region and I must thank SACHA’s archivists for their support.”
Professor David Worthington, Acting Dean of Arts, Humanities, Business and Education at UHI, said:
“We're delighted to see Dr Woodcock's research recognised through this prestigious Royal Society of Edinburgh award. Philippa's work shines a light on an overlooked aspect of Scotland's social and cultural history while demonstrating how historical research can inform contemporary understanding of issues that continue to affect many people today.”
The RSE Research Awards programme supports outstanding researchers across Scotland by nurturing emerging talent, stimulating new research and encouraging collaboration. This spring's awards span disciplines from health and engineering to environmental science, social sciences, arts and humanities, with researchers from 14 Scottish universities and research institutes receiving funding.
Dr Woodcock joined UHI's Centre for History in 2018 and is a Senior Lecturer in History. Based in Dornoch, the Centre for History is internationally recognised for its research and teaching, combining expertise in Highland, Scottish, European and global history with strong community engagement across the Highlands and Islands.
Find out more about the RSE's Spring 2026 Research Awards programme.