Welcome to Susan Laflin's Web Page
30th June 2005.

From 1968 to 2000 I was employed as a lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Birmingham. For details of my work there, including both research and teaching, you may view my university web page. I still hold an Honorary Lectureship in the School of Computer Science, and return to supervise some MSc projects each summer, although I have now retired.

In 1967 I completed an M.Phil in upper-atmosphere Physics at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College, London. The thesis was entitled Positive Ions in the Topside Ionosphere and a version is included here.

Since retiring, I have completed an MA in English Local History, which was awarded in July 2001, and the dissertation title was Shropshire Place-Names ending in "-ford". I have continued my studies in the place-names and local history of Shropshire and some results of my research may be seen here. In 2002, my paper on "Roman Roads and Ford Place-Names in Shropshire" was published in the Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society and in 2003, a paper entitled "Do -ingas Place-Names occur in pairs?" was published in the Journal of the English Place-Name Society. I am also continuing with my study of Ford Place Names and the information is gradually being loaded onto this web site.

My other interests include my family history and I am engaged in one-name studies of my mother's surname Preen and my father's surname Laflin. My family history research also includes my attempts to trace my female line and the mitichondrial DNA results described here. Both my husband, Philip C. Barker, and myself have an active interest in wargames and military history - in my case especially in the ancient period. Details of our activities may be seen on Phil's web page and on my wargames web page.
I am also interested in Name Studies and in the study of medieval Latin documents relating to Shropshire, which I study with the Ordericus Vitalis Group.

Page maintained by Susan Laflin.