More from Dr Alun Withey
Like it or not, tipping is a big part of hospitality and the service industry. Debates about how much/whether to tip rumble on, but they are not new. Even in the 18th and 19th centuries, travellers were complaining about the amount of unwanted or unexpected extras they had to pay for.
Yes, it’s true – I’ve finally joined the 21st century and decided to try something new. I am still only setting things up, so please be patient with the extremely cheesy and clunky vids as I try to work out what I’m doing! I’ve only got a couple of videos up at the moment too, … Continue reading News Just In: Dr W Joins TikTok – @dralun7
Victorians were inveterate 'swappers' (NB: this might not be what you think!). Newspapers and journals were full of ads for objects sought and to be exchanged. These offer a fascinating insight into what was considered desirable, the value of objects, and the processes of exchange.
Travel today is often portrayed as a healthy activity, good for body, mind…and what’s left of the spirit! A good holiday is generally viewed as a tonic, and holiday company advertisements extol the virtues of ‘getting away’, encountering new places, people and cultures and (if you want to ‘live life to the full’) experiences. As one travel … Continue reading Should I Stay or Should I go?: Encouraging travel in the early modern period.
For this post, I am going to wander into the world of crime in the late eighteenth century, and the grisly fate that befell many who committed the heinous crime of highway robbery. (Full disclosure: I’m not an historian of crime, gibbets or highwaymen…perhaps the case I’m about to discuss is very well known. But he’s … Continue reading The Troublesome Gibbet of John Haines, the ‘Wounded Highwayman’ of Hounslow.
More in history
“I was working on my own, and I was wrestling with what the highest and best use of the photograph in color could be. Eventually, I came up with a formulation for myself that went something like, “in the good or successful color photograph, the definition or the meaning of the picture will somehow arise … Continue reading "Summer in Nags Head, North Carolina, 1975" The post Summer in Nags Head, North Carolina, 1975 appeared first on Flashbak.
Wrong Side of History Newsletter #62
In the Western Hemisphere, particularly in the United States, terms such as Hispanic and Latino have been used to identify and give more visibility to people whose linguistic or cultural roots fall within the Spanish-speaking linguistic, ethnic, or cultural context: Spain, Latin America, or the Caribbean. Far from representing a monolithic cultural or ethnic […]
We’re back to the late mid-Century in this album of found photographs from Steenbergen in the south of The Netherlands. Last time going through this haul we focused on weddings. Now we look at studio portraits of children. The photos were taken by professional photographer Van Mechelenand in 1970 and 1971. And on many we can see the sitter’s name. … Continue reading "Found Studio Portraits of Children – 1970-71" The post Found Studio Portraits of Children – 1970-71 appeared first on Flashbak.
One of the first works that come to mind when thinking about Van Gogh is his signature ink-blue sky dotted with dazzling stars. Not content with painting a traditional night scene in austere dark paints, Van Gogh used color, movement, and contrast to bring life into his Café Terrace at Night. Let’s see what […]