Mark Norman: founding curator

Mark is a folklore research and author living in Devon, in the South West of the UK. He is a council member of The Folklore Society and the creator and host of The Folklore Podcast, now in its 8th season with over 1.5 million downloads enjoyed worldwide at the time of writing. He is the author of the books ‘Black Dog Folklore’ (Troy Books), ‘Telling the Bees and other Customs’ and the co-written 'Dark Folklore' (The History Press) and the forthcoming ‘Folklore of Devon’ (University of Exeter Press) and other titles. He has also contributed to other books including ‘Magic Folk’ (Gibson Square), ‘Folklore and Fairy Tales Reimagined’ (Between the Lines) and ‘Deepest Darkest Devon’ (Exeter Authors Association).
The Governance of the Folklore Library and Archive is overseen by a Board of Trustees. The present Board consists of:

dr. paul cowdell

Paul Cowdell serves on the Council of the Folklore Society, and is Associate Editor of its journal Folklore. He is also on the Editorial Board of the Folk Music Journal, and has served in an advisory capacity for several other journals. Variously described as an ‘expert in morbid eschatology’ and ‘a cannibalism celebrity’, his primary interests are folk belief and folk song but his fieldwork has covered a broader range of topics. As a fieldworker for the Smithsonian Institution’s 2007 Folklife Festival, for example, he researched wood working, apple cultivation and tile-making as well as farming and folk singing. Alongside his work on ghostlore, ballads about cannibalism, and folklore about rats, his recent consideration of representations of folklore and folklorists in popular culture covers a similarly sensationalist range of subjects, from horror films to crime novels and Doctor Who. Having previously listed and digitised holdings in the Folklore Society’s library and archives, he has been researching and writing on the history of folklore studies in Britain more generally.
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Image Credit: Gordon Rutter

dr. peter hewitt

Peter is the founder of the Folklore Museums Network, a subject specialist network for the museum sector focused upon folklore collections. In addition, Peter is Intangible Cultural Heritage Officer for the museum development body in Scotland, and a Collections Officer for five museums in Dumfries and Galloway (including Nationally Recognised Collections). He has co-managed the Museum of Witchcraft & Magic in Boscastle, and worked in museum curatorial roles in Warwickshire and Northumberland. Research interests include holy wells (see the Lost Wells of Galloway project 2021-23), 'cursed places', and promoting folklore in heritage management.

AMY BOUCHER

Amy Boucher is a writer and folklorist, who focuses on her native Shropshire. Her emphasis is primarily on the interplay between folklore, history and the paranormal, and perceptions of the past through the lens of folk beliefs.
The core team also relies on volunteer assistance for key tasks. Current volunteers on the core team are:

rhianna wynter: dESIGNER

Rhianna grew up in the Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney, Australia. Following her passion for drawing and traditional animation overseas, she moved to British Columbia, Canada, where she now lives with her husband Daniel and daughter Evelyn (plus pets!), while working as a storyboard artist for animated television and feature film.
Rhi's interest in folklore began at a young age after being gifted a collection of books from her grandparents, including the Reader's Digest "Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain". The stories and illustrations within became a mainstay in her reading as well as constant inspiration for creative projects, and folklore continues to feature heavily in her current personal and professional illustration work. She also has experience in museum work as a volunteer guide and shipkeeper for the Australian National Maritime Museum, and maritime folklore is a particular area of crossover interest which she continues to study further. 
Her involvement in the Folklore Library and Archive project allows her to further explore countless amazing stories and traditions, as well as connect with others who share a love of all things folklore!