-
23. Cleaning teeth through the ages
By Emily Redican-Bradford (efr27@cam.ac.uk) The first ‘toothbrush’ is thought to have been invented in China in the 1400s, when bristles from the necks of pigs were fixed onto bone or bamboo handles.[1] Before that, twigs were chewed on or split to form brushes and different flavours were used for freshening breath. The ‘modern toothbrush’ was…
-
22. Miss Merrifield’s Cricket Bat
By Georgia Oman In May 1876, Margaret Merrifield wrote a letter home to her mother from Newnham College, Cambridge, where she had arrived as a student the year before. The College itself had only been founded a few years earlier, in 1871, with five students living in a rented house in Regent Street, Cambridge. In…
-
Fad or philosophy? The old debate over the consumption of animals
By Zoe Farrell (@zoeffarrell) Veganism seems to be the word of the moment. As we come to the end of ‘Veganuary’, it is estimated that a record-breaking number of individuals signed up to ditch meat and dairy for the month, with 14,000 people signing the pledge on 30th December 2018 alone.[1] As scientists are urging us to…
-
The lost coin collection of the Stuart monarchs
By Christopher Whittell (@ChrisWhittell) This post is related to my research for a recent conference paper on the influence of ancient coins on the portrayal of early modern British monarchs.[1] It also highlights the possibilities of catalogues of coins collections as useful sources for early modern historians including insights into a monarch’s thinking and influences.…
-
Sympathising with the Past?
By Dominic Birch (Dominic.birch@gmail.com) One of the most pleasurable parts of archival work is discovering new stories, narratives and characters. In the type of work I do (early modern social history) some subjects seem to jump out of the page, demanding attention. Take, for instance, the case of Sara and Elizabeth Mayhew, two women who…
doinghistoryinpublic.org 