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As I start to make some progress on my new research project on travel, health and risk I am turning my attention to the sorts of things that early modern travellers were fearful of. As a bit of a nervous traveller myself, it’s quite comforting to know that there is actually a long history of … Continue reading The Health Risks of Travel in Early-Modern Britain
over a year ago

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More from Dr Alun Withey

To Tip or Not To Tip: A Victorian Traveller’s Perspective

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.

7 months ago 80 votes
News Just In: Dr W Joins TikTok – @dralun7

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

7 months ago 87 votes
Victorian Swappers! Adverts for exchange in the 19th century.

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.

9 months ago 65 votes
Should I Stay or Should I go?: Encouraging travel in the early modern period.

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.

a year ago 85 votes
The Troublesome Gibbet of John Haines, the ‘Wounded Highwayman’ of Hounslow.

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.

a year ago 96 votes

More in history

The Merrie Tales of Jacques Tournebroche, 1923

The Merrie Tales of Jacques Tournebroche And Child Life in Town and Country (1909) is a collection of short stories set in the 1400s by French writer and Noel Laureate Anatole France (1844 – 1924). The 1923 edition contains illustrations from woodcuts by the British artist Marcia Lane Foster (1897-1983) and endpapers by Aubrey Beardsley. … Continue reading "The Merrie Tales of Jacques Tournebroche, 1923" The post The Merrie Tales of Jacques Tournebroche, 1923 appeared first on Flashbak.

18 hours ago 3 votes
How Do Hestia and Vesta Differ in Greek and Roman Mythology?

Almost every famous Greek God or Goddess has a Roman counterpart, many of whom were used to name the planets in our solar system, like Jupiter (Zeus) and Neptune (Poseidon). The Romans adopted much of Ancient Greek religion, renaming deities while retaining their core attributes and characteristics. Hestia and Vesta are two such goddesses, residing […]

yesterday 3 votes
How Important was the French Revolution?

How Important was the French Revolution? JamesHoare Thu, 08/07/2025 - 08:38

yesterday 3 votes
Taoism, the Philosophy of Flow & Embracing Effortlessness

The struggle for control over every aspect of life is common in modern Western society. However, this approach can be juxtaposed with the ancient Chinese religious and philosophical ideas of Taoism. Taoism offers a guide for living a free-flowing life that is guided by the harmonious state of the universe. It perpetuates the belief […]

yesterday 3 votes
Logan Airport Versus Neptune Road, Photographing Boston’s ‘War’ of 1973

“I look at these photographs and feel the overwhelming sensation of the noise of these low-flying aircraft. Yet I could leave what seemed like a war zone. And it was a kind of war, long-time residents trying for normalcy and the powers that be wanting them out.” – Michael Philip Manheim on Logan Airport, Boston, … Continue reading "Logan Airport Versus Neptune Road, Photographing Boston’s ‘War’ of 1973" The post Logan Airport Versus Neptune Road, Photographing Boston’s ‘War’ of 1973 appeared first on Flashbak.

2 days ago 4 votes