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Witness to the Western Rising
For August's Book of the Month, we look at John Hooker's eye witness account of the Western Rising of 1549, on the 475th anniversary of the rebellion.
Heritage Open Days 2024 (6th – 15th September)
We're delighted to be taking part in England's largest celebration of history and culture again this year. The Heritage Open Days festival brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history, and offers the perfect opportunity to see hidden places and try out new experiences!
Women’s Travelogues: Isabella Bird
In the final instalment of her special edition Book of the Month blog, Isabel Moon discusses Isabella Bird’s ‘A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains’ (1879). A prolific writer and […]
Access to the Institution from July 2024-December 2024
Information on our temporary entrance in the final phase of building works...
Women’s Travelogues: Harriet Martineau and Alison Carmichael
History MA student Isabel Moon has been exploring the works of the 19th-century women who feature in our Voyages and Travels collection. This is as part of an ongoing project […]
Women’s Travelogues: Elizabeth Caroline Johnstone Gray and Amelia Blandford Edwards
In the first of a special edition three-part Book of the Month, history MA student Isabel Moon explores the works of the 19th-century women who feature in our Voyages and […]
The Folklore of Cornwall (1975): Exploring the Tradition and Legacy of Cornish Folklore
For March's Book of the Month, library volunteer Mela Moseley delves into our modern South West collection to discuss Tony Deane and Tony Shaw's The Folklore of Cornwall (1975). Continuing in the tradition of the Victorian folklorists who first began to document the mythology of the region, Deane and Shaw combine anthropological research with engaging storytelling. The result is a detailed exploration of Cornish legend which remains a valuable resource for those interested in the subject.
Captain John Cooke: ‘a public character and John Bull tradesman’
Amber Flood has written about some works relating to Captain John Cooke for February’s Book of the Month. This piece focuses on Cooke’s 1819 pamphlet titled “Old England For Ever” […]
Feeding the Victorian Invalid: Sarah Sharp Hamer’s Diet and Cookery for Common Ailments (1894)
For January’s Book of the Month our Library Assistant Fiona Schroeder discusses Sarah Sharp Hamer’s Diet and Cookery for Common Ailments (1894). This interesting volume, written under the pseudonym ‘Phyllis […]