Tessera

Is Lauterjung

@islauter.bsky.social

Archivist. Interested in history of smell, natural history, and medicine + multisensory approaches to heritage and engagement. Views are my own. Pronouns: she/her

58 Posts304 Follower 758 Folgt

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 2d ago

Have you ever wondered what a working week as Director of Kew is like? This article from 1949 gives us an insight into life at Kew for Sir Edward Salisbury. His week ranged from answering correspondence and meeting staff across the Gardens to hosting visitors in the Herbarium. #KewLA

Image showing cross section of 'One Man's Week' article from Leader Magazine, 21 May 1949. Details of some days of the week are obscured but Tuesday and Wednesday can be seen in full.

“and quiet half-hour with The Times. Then back to the office to catch up with my absence.
TUESDAY. – The sun shines temptingly on cherry blossom and daffodils, but as soon as the heavy post is dealt with, across to the Jodrell Laboratory, to discuss with Dr. Metcalfe progress with a new book summarising the structural features that characterise the different groups of flowering plants. After lunch, Professor Hans Pettersen, the explorer, and Mme. Pettersen, who is a botanist, came to see the herbarium, where nearly six million dried specimens are housed, and also the specialised library of some 45,000 volumes. We looked at the orchids and after tea discussed scientific problems of mutual interest.
After dinner perusal of memoranda and papers for morrow’s activities till 11, followed by a Bach and Purcell broadcast, and so to bed.
WEDNESDAY. – Another heavy post, including enquiries from Africa, America, Australia, Ceylon and India, and administrative problems at home. Then plans for planting Imperial War Graves Cemetries to be examined. Most of the day taken up with interviewing applicants for posts in the Kew Constabulary.”

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 3w ago

Exciting new accession alert: Our archives team recently received a collection of papers related to botanical artist Margaret Mee. It includes several folders of her expedition journals as well as line drawings and her diploma certificates, some of which you can see here. #KewLA

A diploma certificate on brown card laying across a pencil drawing of two plants (to the left) and another diploma certificate on white card (to the right). The first diploma reads 'Secretaria da Agricultura, Instituto de Botânica de São Paulo, Diploma mitorgado a Margaret Ursula Mee'; the bottom of dipoma is obscured. The diploma on white card is the National Diploma in Design awarded by the Ministry of Education to Mee.

Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · 3w ago

Would be great to have a room just for strawberries 🍓#EYAArchitecture @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social

Fiona Ainsworth@fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 3w ago

This month we are celebrating #EYAArchitecture and what a great way to highlight all the fascinating plans we hold in our Archive collection. It wouldn't be a Kew plan without a 'Pine and Strawberry House' or a 'Fruit Room'. #EYA @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social #KewLA

Cropped close-up of a building plan, showing three large rooms. Along the top of the plan is a narrow, long room, faintly labelled 'Hall'. Below this, from left to right, is the Fruit Room, the Gardeners Mess Room, which is separated by a thin partition from the Packing Room. Above the whole plan it says 'Pine and Strawberry House'.

Explore Your Archive @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social · 3w ago

💫 Check out this new #EYAArchitecture blog from the National Fairground and Circus Archive at @uoscollections.bsky.social ! 🎪 Read to discover the evolution of fairground architecture through their fascinating collections 🎡🎪 exploreyourarchive.org/the-evolutio... #ExploreYourArchive

The Evolution of Fairground Architecture — Explore Your Archive

From the National Fairground and Circus Archive take us on a rollercoaster ride through the evolution of fairground architecture.

exploreyourarchive.org

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 4w ago

Happy #WorldChocolateDay! This illustration of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao) from the Janet Hutton Collection was presented to Kew in the 19th Century #KewLA

Image of a watercolour painting showing the pods, branch, and leaves of the cocoa tree. The large green leaves frame the illustration of two pods. The first pod is depicted intact while the second pod is shown in cross section revealing the soft pulpy flesh of the knobbly brown skin. To the left and right at the bottom of the image are shown small dissections of the flower and seed respectively. Handwritten text runs across the bottom of the image describing the origin of the painting and the botanical name of the plant.

ARA International @arainternational.bsky.social · last mo.

Whether you’re a long-standing member or joining us for the first time, we’d love to welcome you! Wednesday 15 July | 1:00–2:00 PM BST 📝 Register by Monday 6 July: bit.ly/4asNXpb #Archives #InternationalArchives #Networking #ARAInternational #ArchivesCommunity

ARA International Section Notice of Annual Review Meeting & Coffee Chat

Join us online for the ARA International Section Annual Review Meeting & Coffee Chat—catch up and connect!

bit.ly

Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · last mo.

Only one more week to register for @arainternational.bsky.social Annual Review Meeting on 15th July + a lovely informal coffee chat session afterwards! 🌍☕

'Why attend the ARA International Group's ARM? 1. Review the group's past and future work. 2. Participate in the election of officers. 3. Make new connections with archivists during our international coffee chat session. Wednesday 15 July 2026 / 13.00PM (BST) / Online (Teams)". A large graphic of a smiling globe with eyes pointing towards the text is on the left of the image.

Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · last mo.

Very honoured to have been nominated for ARA New Professional of the Year! Please do have a read through of all the nominations if you like and cast your vote ☺️ us.list-manage.com/VaMGFkbnFCX?...

ARA Excellence Awards — Archives & Records Association

The Archives and Records Association Excellence Awards recognise excellence and contributions by individuals and teams in our sector. They celebrate the achievements of record keeping professionals a...

us.list-manage.com

Kiri Ross-Jones@kirirj.bsky.social · last mo.

We’ve nominated our fabulous assistant archivist, @islauter.bsky.social for ARA New Professional of the Year! She very much deserves this, so please do vote for her. Below are some pics from the wonderful Persia Reimagined workshops she ran: www.archives.org.uk/new-professi...

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · last mo.

This image, amongst the Library photographic collections, offers a novel solution to protect against the sun. The note on the back identifies the 'hats' as Ranunculus lyallii leaves. #KewLA

A sepia photograph depicting three women in a line. Their dress dates them to the early 20th Century. Each wears a large leaf on their head. The stalk of the leaf worn by the woman on the right sits upright making it appear like a pixie hat. The woman in the centre smiles while the two women either side look quite solemn as if taking their headwear seriously. A gravel terrain can be seen in the background with a steep hill of foliage rising behind them.

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 2mo ago

We are sorry to learn about the demise of the Major Oak, Nottingham; www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... This oak features in the Kew Publishing title 'A Legacy of Ancient Oaks', which reproduces the awe inspiring drawings of artist Mark Frith. ©Mark Frith/ Heart of England Forest

Image 1: Photograph showing the book 'A Legacy of Ancient Oaks' which has a grey spine, with orange title, and white cover which features a finely detailed graphite drawing of an oak tree which has shed its leaves. The book belongs in Kew's Library and has stickers in the left hand corner which read 'Reference' and 'not to be removed from the library.' The book is set on a black background.

Photograph showing an open book set on to black book supports. The left hand page is nearly empty apart from a caption in the lower left which reads 'The Major Oak'. The right hand page features a monochrome illustration of an oak tree which has shed its leaves. The flyleaf of the book is just visible and an orange border runs both sides of the open volume.

History Workshop @historyworkshop.org.uk · 2mo ago

The relationship between smells and sleep is gaining increasing attention but it is by no means a new topic of interest for those seeking to sleep well and stay healthy. @sashahandley.bsky.social and @drhollyfletcher.bsky.social discuss the importance of sleeping well in early modern England.

Sniff Your Way to a Good Night’s Sleep

Today's 'sleepmaxxers' are part of a long and rich historical tradition dating back hundreds of years. Sasha Handley and Holly Fletcher discuss the importance of sleeping well in early modern England.

historyworkshop.org.uk

Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Some stunning colours in this month's blog post about William Savage and collections held @uwtsdlib.bsky.social 🎨 @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social #EYAColourful #EYA #ExploreYourArchive www.exploreyourarchive.org/william-sava...

William Savage - pioneer colour printer — Explore Your Archive

For June's Colourful theme, we're taking a look at William Savage's work, recorded in the University of Wales' collections.

exploreyourarchive.org

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🌈To celebrate Pride 2026 we have this section of a painting featuring an image of a rainbow over Niagara Falls by artist Marianne North, 1871! #PrideMonth #Pride2026 #HappyPride

Image shows a section of an oil painting by artist Marianne North. It shows the edge of a wooden railing in the foreground and waterfalls behind it, from the base of which rise a cloud of spray. A double rainbow can be seen arching to the left of the image and land can be seen in the background.

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The catalogue for the current exhibition in the Gardens - 'Henry Moore: Monumental Nature' has some excellent contributions by Kew staff including our very own Illustrations Curator - Lynn Parker, whose chapter on 'Drawing on nature' features items from the Library and Archives. #KewLA #HenryMoore

Photograph showing an open book set on book blocks on top of a black desk. The left hand page has text and the title 'Drawing on nature: Henry Moore and botanical forms' while the right hand page has an image of a scientific publication featuring flower and fruit dissections in pencil and watercolour.

Photograph showing three books on display against a black bookcase. On the left is a book with a green and brown cover titled 'Weaving Nature' and on the right is a book featuring a photograph of three pink flower heads with the title 'Broomrapes of the World'. In the centre is a larger book showing a section of a bronze Henry Moore sculpture set against a background of orange and yellow Autumn leaves with the title 'Henry Moore: Monumental Nature'

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Happy #InternationalArchivesDay! To celebrate, the team wanted to share some favourites from the collections, covering Eleanor Armitage's notebooks, William Burchell's colour charts, and John Fraser's poetry. The collections are always full of surprises. #IAD2026 #KewLA

An open notebook containing a handwritten list on the left page titled 'Special Observations'. The rest of the left page is covered by a loose sheet showing the end of a letter. The right page shows a dried iris specimen stuck to the page as well as a coloured greeting card featuring purple irises adhered to the bottom right of the page.

A volume opened to a multi-coloured palette of watercolours, arranged from dark-blue on the left to red and pink on the right. Around the palette are handwritten annotations in small handwriting.

A handwritten poem on a loose page, titled 'The Corn Poppy'.

The scarlet poppy reddens daily,
Amongst the cornfields blossoms gaily,
Makes comely neighbours wanton palely,
and dazzles all beneath the skies,
But beckons one with swarthing eyes.

Oh! Could I, like the gliding swallow,
explore the vale and uplaad fallow,
No more in smoky dens I'd wallo,
No longer breathe the air that palls
Midst crowded streets and staring walls.

There would I bid adieu to collow,
and scour the ? height and hollow
Or ? downs and blithely follow
Along the fields where bright corn rose
The glorious flaming poppy glows.

Today would have no room for sorrow
No boding thoughts to gloom tomorrow
And each day after pain would borrow
Another glide along the plain
To search amongst the bearded grain.

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The Archives team have been running a series of two-part workshops for participants to engage with collections being catalogued for the #ArchivesRevealed project. Participants have produced artistic responses to collections and discussions with help from arts facilitator Dr Anushka Tay. /1 #KewLA

A cropped photograph showing part of two figures. The person in the foreground is shown from the back and has long dark hair. The person in the background wears a black t-shirt and holds a page with some colourful images. It looks like they are gesturing to give an explanation of something. On the table can be seen scattered pieces of paper and a brown paper bag. Another table is just visible in the far background; it is covered in red and green cloth and appears to display more working material.

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The Archives Graduate Trainee recently completed their cataloguing project, working on the papers of William Philip Hiern. Amongst his research papers on Central African plants, they discovered notes which also included a pressed plant specimen! #KewLA

A handwritten note, resting on top of other research papers. Along the top of the note, it reads ‘Br Mus’ (referring to the British Museum), the date 18 June 1881 and ‘of Sepa Pinto no 64’. Underneath, it notes the plant name cometes abyssinica. The remainder of the note gives reference to other plant collections, including specimen number and year. Halfway down the righthand side of the notes, is a small pressed specimen of the cometes abyssinica.

Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · 2mo ago

So great to see this exhibition come together! If you're around and would like to pop by during our opening hours, it is well worth the visit and full of fascinating fungi stories 🍄‍🟫🍄 #fungi #archives #libraries @alice-munday.bsky.social

Fiona Ainsworth@fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Our new Reading Room display ‘Female Figures and Fungi: A Foray into the Mycological Past’ opens today! Come and learn more about the lives and careers of pioneering women in fungi, with many materials on display for the first time. Accessible from 10am-4pm Tuesday to Thursday until 26 August.

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 3mo ago

I’ve seen some daft opinion pieces in my time* but “I found a model railway in my attic, turned up with it and the National Railway Museum wouldn’t take it. This says a lot about society” really takes the cake. *usually in my sent folder, amirite fellas?

Ian Kikuchi@curatorian.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This story, insofar as it deals with the National Railway Museum, is utterly absurd. If you rock up to a museum event expecting to dump a load of stuff on the staff, and are then surprised to be politely refused, then you clearly have no idea what museums are for. www.cityam.com/a-state-of-t...

Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🎨 One of the illustrations in the collections has travelled to Oxford to be part of the current exhibition @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social!

Fiona Ainsworth@fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This stunning illustration of Pajanelia longifolia, from Kew's Library and Archives, was painted around 1820 by the artist Vishnupersaud. You can see it on show at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, as part of 'In Bloom: How Plants Changed Our World' until 16 August 2026. #KewLA

An image of Pajanelia longifolia sensitively painted in watercolour on paper. The stem of the plant has been cut to show a tip of budding and open pink and white flowers. Stems of green leaves fan out underneath to frame the crowning flowers on the plant. A pale pencil sketch for part of the plant can be seen in the background with a couple of flower dissections that are partly coloured.

Fiona Ainsworth @fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Restoration of Kew's Palm House is likely to begin in 2027. This image of the Palm House interior, from the Library and Archives, was published on this day in the Gardeners' Chronicle, 1886. Renovation will ensure that this structure and its important plants can be enjoyed for generations to come.

A sepia print showing a photograph of the interior of Kew's Palm House with the title 'View in the Palm House' printed underneath. A bed brimming with palms and other hothouse plants is shown reaching from floor to ceiling and the distinctive grating of the Palm House floor can be seen to the right of the image.

Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The UK and 45 other countries just agreed a deal to send people to camps, including in Rwanda, overturning the one thing less hostile than the Conservatives on asylum, where they are likely to be trapped indefinitely, or sent to countries they are at risk in. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

UK joins European deal to send rejected asylum seekers to third-country hubs

All 46 Council of Europe members sign agreement ‘deplored’ by human rights organisations

theguardian.com

ARA International @arainternational.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Registration is closing for: Migrated Archives: Join the conversation on: 📂 displaced archives ⚖️ contested ownership 🤝 access & stewardship 🗺️ archival repatriation Learn more and register here: bit.ly/4wdteyV #Archives #InternationalArchives #ARAInternational #ArchivistsOfInstagram

Migrated Archives: Perspectives on Custody, Access, and Repatriation

This is a discussion on migrated archives and repatriation.

bit.ly

ARA International @arainternational.bsky.social · 3mo ago

There’s still time to register for our panel discussion on archival displacement and ethical archival stewardship!

ARA International@arainternational.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Registration is open for our upcoming online event! Join an international panel discussion on contested custody, archival displacement, and ethical stewardship. £10 ARA members | £20 non-members 19 May 2026 2 PM BST Online bit.ly/4wdteyV #Archives #InternationalArchives

ARA International @arainternational.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This will be such a valuable and interesting discussion around migrated archives and repatriation! If you are free on 19th May (2pm BST) and would like to find out more, please register below by 17th May. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/migrated-a... #Archives @arainternational.bsky.social

ARA International@arainternational.bsky.social · 3mo ago

New event from the ARA International Section! Migrated Archives: Perspectives on Custody, Access, and Repatriation 19 May 2026 2 PM BST Online Featuring speakers from Trinidad & Tobago, UAE, and Iceland discussing archival repatriation & displaced records. Register here: bit.ly/4wdteyV #Archives

Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🌷It was such a pleasure having @alyssamyers.bsky.social research and work on our collections - do give her blog post about her placement and her findings a read to learn more! 🗺️ #EnvironmentalHumanities #archives

Heather Craddock@hcraddock.bsky.social · 3mo ago

New blog up on the Places, Plants and People Archive Network website, featuring lots of beautiful images of Kew Gardens! By @alyssamyers.bsky.social collections.reading.ac.uk/places-plant...

New Professionals @aranewprofs.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Ever wondered what the Archives and Records Association can do for new professionals working with records in the UK & Ireland? Come along and find out for yourself at our next knowledge-sharing and networking event: online, Weds 20 May: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ara-sfnp-c....

Archives and Records Association Section for New Professionals
Networking and Training
Online 20 May 2026 12:00 BST
with Chris Sheridan, Head of Professional Standards and Development

Alice Roberts @profaliceroberts.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This is now what passes for “science” from the BBC. Hackneyed cliches, faux mystery, factually incorrect statements. 1. Archaeologists are, once again, “baffled” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Mystery of Welsh medieval cemetery deepens

Skeletons and artefacts unearthed from the site near Cardiff Airport are baffling archaeologists.

bbc.co.uk

Is Lauterjung @islauter.bsky.social · 3mo ago

A great opportunity to join the Library team at Kew Gardens ⬇️

Fiona Ainsworth@fionaainsworth.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🚨VACANCY: The Library team is hiring a new Graduate Trainee for a 2-year role. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to go on to a postgraduate course in librarianship or information science! Deadline: 17 May 2026 Start date: 1 Sep 2026 Salary: £29,692 pa careers.kew.org/internal/vac...