London based folks! I’m giving a public talk on Isabella Whitney and her poetry at @thelondonarchives.bsky.social tomorrow at 12:30 — please do book, come along, and spread the word! www.thelondonarchives.org/whats-on/isa...

Isabella Whitney - London’s First Professional Woman Writer | The London Archives

Learn about the remarkable life and writings of Isabella Whitney who become the first women in England to earn a living from printing her poetry.

thelondonarchives.org

Had a wonderful time yesterday discussing 18th century marginalised voices @thejohnrylands.bsky.social , and getting a peek at their wonderful collections

Is that the? The @bodleian.ox.ac.uk manuscript draft of Alexander Pope’s Essay on Criticism as a teatowl? Why yes, it is

Great to show off some off the archival work in progress for the local community at the “Hannah More At Home” pop-up exhibition at Barley Wood this week

I spend a lot of my time at Hannah More’s countryside home that she built and lived in between 1801-28. But last night I finally went to her Bristol townhouse in Clifton where she spent her final years and died at 1833. A suitably grand final home for the grand dame of Georgian women’s writing!

Why yes, I have bought Margot and I matching drinking vessels for my office— what of it?

Reading about how 16th century Protestants viewed fasting today for work. It has led to me finding what may be my favourite scholarly quote from Alec Ryrie: “Famously, the tipping point of the Reformation in Zurich was the ostentatious eating of a small piece of sausage on Good Friday 1522.”

Barry from Sausage Party: Remember Me?

ALT: Barry from Sausage Party: Remember Me?

static.klipy.com

Pawforming her civic duty

Thought someone had sent me a mystery gift as I had a parcel message from a skin care company. No, of course, they also have a side hustle in books and it was just another tome hiding as skincare 😂

Dealing with a lot of early modern sources today that describe things as “a mischief”, which I personally think we should bring back

Fantastic afternoon spent yesterday with the YMCA using some of my work on Hannah More’s woodlands and schools to help early year practitioner students from Weston College learn about how to incorporate nature into pre-school learning

Had such a great day talking all things memorialisation, death, and grief @arnosvalecemetery.bsky.social yesterday with colleagues and practitioners. More academic events in historic cemeteries needed please

Had a great time helping to deliver the Skills Training in Archival Research at @thelondonarchives.bsky.social yesterday!

A new arrival in the Barley Wood archive— a Minton Parian ware figurine of Hannah More (c.1835). Modelled on the famous portrait of her by William Pickering (that she *hated*), it’s a testament to how popular she was a writer that people wanted figurines of her in their homes!

This week marks *a whole decade* since I handed in my undergrad dissertation on Anne Finch and John Dryden’s drama. Little did I know I’d still be rummaging through manuscripts and teaching the joys of seventeenth century lit ten years later!

Restoration drama week @bristolunienglish.bsky.social means time to get hands on with some first edition play texts

Had a great time with Bristol Common Press getting inky fingers with the departmental printing press last week @bristolunienglish.bsky.social

This was so much fun to do, and wonderful to collaborate with other creatives. Thanks @beinghumanfest.bsky.social for making it possible with their generous funding!

Arts Matter Bristol@uobartsmatter.bsky.social · 5mo ago

📽️ Dr @benwt.bsky.social (@bristolunienglish.bsky.social) introduces the Hannah More interactive walking tour, bringing to life one of the most successful Georgian-era writers, part of @beinghumanfest.bsky.social Watch the video 👉 brnw.ch/21x0HVA @engagebristol.bsky.social @hannahmore.bsky.social

Perks of my knowledge exchange project? Getting to stay on site at Barley Wood in Hannah More’s bedroom and waking up to these views across the Mendips

Nerdy highlight of the @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy trip so far— getting to work with documents signed by Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell

Somehow this is my first trip to @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy — time to delve into the State Papers!

Brilliant news! Watched @benwt.bsky.social presentation on this project today and it looks so awesome. A great example of public centred yet academically rigorous and exciting research. A hard trio to achieve!

Dr Ben Wilkinson-Turnbull (He/They) 🏳️‍🌈@benwt.bsky.social · 6mo ago

More good news! I've been awarded funding by the YMCA/AHRC to lead a heritage engagement and knowledge exchange project @bristolunienglish.bsky.social. 'The Remarkable History of Barley Wood' will see me set up a community archive of the manuscripts I've uncovered at the property 1/

Margot approves of her new workplace @royalholloway.bsky.social

Margot had her first day with me in the manuscript reading room today @thelondonarchives.bsky.social today. As you can expect, she’s a dab hand with secretary hand and civic records!

More good news! I've been awarded funding by the YMCA/AHRC to lead a heritage engagement and knowledge exchange project @bristolunienglish.bsky.social. 'The Remarkable History of Barley Wood' will see me set up a community archive of the manuscripts I've uncovered at the property 1/

News! I've started as the early modern Post Doc on the AHRC-funded 'Inclusive Histories' project @royalholloway.bsky.social. I'm working at @thelondonarchives.bsky.social to research the stories of marginalised groups, which will be used to foster a more inclusive approach to teaching GCSE History