Dr Chris Abbott is currently writing a history of the lost theatres of Salisbury including the Vine Inn, the various New Theatres and the Palace Music Hall. His ongoing theatre research interests relate to pantomime, puppets and circus and he is the author of a history of the Da Silva puppet company and of Putting on Panto to pay for the Pinter (2012, Hobnob Press). He writes reviews of amateur and professional performances for Sardines theatre magazine, is a Committee Member of the Frank Matcham Society and is a supporter of Action for Children’s Arts. He is a retired teacher and academic whose previous career involved the use of assistive technology by children with special educational needs. His PhD examined the use of the Internet by young people to create an identity. He was the founding Editor of the Journal of Assistive Technologies, wrote numerous articles and books on this and allied topics, and is now Emeritus Reader, King’s College London.