Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 2h

As the agricultural cycle starts to wind down for the winter, my next post on 'The Experience of Work in Early Modern England' looks forward to its resumption in the new year, when...

‘Ploughmen go whistling to their toils’

manyheadedmonster.com/2025/10/14/t...

The Experience of Work in Early Modern England III: ‘Ploughmen go whistling to their toils’

This post is part of a series that marks the publication of The Experience of Work in Early Modern England. The book is co-authored by monster head Mark Hailwood, along with Jane Whittle, Hannah Ro…

manyheadedmonster.com

7 14

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

Dr Laura Sangha @lsangha.bsky.social · 1d

A career highlight for me to join Chris Hoban and various musicians (a string quartet! a hurdy-gurdy man!) on Saturday to deliver an afternoon of history & music at Exeter Phoenix.

It's so special to be able to share my #EarlyModern research with the public in such a powerful & meaningful way. 📜🎵🎻🗃️

A group of people seated on stage in a line with another standing in front of them singing into a microphone. An audience watches on.

2 4 22

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 5d

Another post on 'The Experience of Work in Early Modern England' - a reminder that work in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was very much a family affair...

manyheadedmonster.com/2025/10/09/t...

The Experience of Work in Early Modern England II: Family Fortunes

This post is part of a series that marks the publication of The Experience of Work in Early Modern England. The book is co-authored by monster head Mark Hailwood, along with Jane Whittle, Hannah Ro…

manyheadedmonster.com

16 23

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 5d

That's interesting. I have argued elsewhere (doi.org/10.1093/past...) that England was already quite clock-oriented/time-regimented by the 16th century, so I think these differences are about more than just industrialisation...

Time and Work in Rural England, 1500–1700*

Abstract. ‘Free of haste, careless of exactitude, unconcerned by productivity.’ This is how Jacques Le Goff characterized the temporality of pre-industrial

doi.org

1 2

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

The Material Culture of Wills Project @materialwills.bsky.social · 6d

There's still time to grab your ticket for a FREE 'WILLS PROJECT' EVENT

Join @lsangha.bsky.social & musician Chris Hoban this Saturday for a FREE performance of history & music inspired by #EarlyModern wills 📜🎵

📍Exeter Phoenix
📅Sat 11 Oct
🕐13.30

Register: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stories-an...

www.eventbrite.co.uk

1 7 9

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 6d

Resources were more carefully managed, for example by coppicing of trees, and food was carefully stored over the winter and used gradually. There was pressure on these resources, for sure, but it is worth remembering the population of England in the 1600s was only about 5 million.

1 1

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 6d

I think EPT exaggerates the extent of change caused by industrialisation as he misunderstood early modern society, but that isn't to say nothing changed. For me the jury is still out on the 'Industrious Revolution' - our data doesn't obviously show it, but it isn't designed to test that specifically

1 1

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 6d

Aww, very kind words!

1 1

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 6d

Thanks Bob!

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 7d

As you dig out your chunky knitwear from the back of the draw, I know you are wondering: 'How did people prepare for winter 400 years ago?'

Read today's post to find out (and whet your appetite for our new book The Experience of Work in Early Modern England)

manyheadedmonster.com/2025/10/07/t...

The Experience of Work in Early Modern England I: Winter is Coming

This post is part of a series that marks the publication of The Experience of Work in Early Modern England. The book is co-authored by monster head Mark Hailwood, along with Jane Whittle, Hannah Ro…

manyheadedmonster.com

5 49 140

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

will o’the wisp pooley @willpooley.bsky.social · 7d

The night is dark and full of terrors! As the days grow shorter+ the darkness creeps in, grab yourself some pilfered firewood, slaughter a sheep, and read more about seasonal work patterns from @markhailwood.bsky.social +others’ new book on experiences of work
🗃️
manyheadedmonster.com/2025/10/07/t...

The Experience of Work in Early Modern England I: Winter is Coming

This post is part of a series that marks the publication of The Experience of Work in Early Modern England. The book is co-authored by monster head Mark Hailwood, along with Jane Whittle, Hannah Ro…

manyheadedmonster.com

1 5 25

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

Manchester University Press @manchesterup.bsky.social · 11d

Coming soon💨

How has energy shaped a nation?

Electric Wind by @DudleyMarianna.bsky.social is a cutting-edge history of wind power in Britain, from the industrial revolution to the aftermath of war, through energy crises and the changing politics of the late twentieth century💡

Pre-order now!

Promotional image for Electric wind. Book sits in centre of image. The book cover is a digital drawing of rolling blue and green hills with a purple cloudy sky in the background. Wind turbines and trees can be seen dotted along the hills. Text along bottom of image reveals the book's publication date: October 14th 2025.

2 14 30

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

Dr Laura Sangha @lsangha.bsky.social · 11d

I'm very excited to be part of the vibrant FUTURES Festival this year, inviting people to get involved with exciting research happening in the South West.

Come along to Exeter Phoenix - you will also be able to see posters belonging to the wills project leader
@jwhittle.bsky.social

Programme 👇

University of Exeter Archaeology and History Department @uoearchhist.bsky.social · 11d

Join us at the *free* FUTURES Festival (11–12 Oct Exeter) for inspiring events celebrating history, archaeology, science & culture!

With @lsangha.bsky.social and Chris Hoban live music based on stories from 16-18th century wills🎵 and Laura Evis in the SHArD 3D Lab

news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-e...

3 5

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

Brodie Waddell @brodiewaddell.bsky.social · 12d

Who did what in early modern England?

New #OpenAccess book, 'The Experience of Work in Early Modern England' by @jwhittle.bsky.social, @markhailwood.bsky.social, @hkrobb.bsky.social & @aucointaylor.bsky.social, based on thousands of #EarlyModern court depositions 🗃️

Read it: doi.org/10.1017/9781...

This book applies the innovative work-task approach to the history of work, which captures the contribution of all workers and types of work to the early modern economy. Drawing on tens of thousands of court depositions, the authors analyse the individual tasks that made up everyday work for women and men, shedding new light on the gender division of labour, and the ways in which time, space, age and marital status shaped sixteenth and seventeenth-century working life. Combining qualitative and quantitative analysis, the book deepens our understanding of the preindustrial economy, and calls for us to rethink not only who did what, but also the implications of these findings for major debates about structural change, the nature and extent of paid work, and what has been lost as well as gained over the past three centuries of economic development. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

Cover of Whittle, Jane, Mark Hailwood, Hannah Robb, and Taylor Aucoin. The Experience of Work in Early Modern England. of Cambridge Studies in Economic History - Second Series. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2025.

1 71 140

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · 12d

Delighted to see our new book - The Experience of Work in Early Modern England - out now, and open access (free!)

doi-org.bris.idm.oclc.org/10.1017/9781...

5 20 45

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

Taylor Aucoin @aucointaylor.bsky.social · 21d

Delighted to share that my first book The Experience of Work in Early Modern England (co-written with the fantastic @jwhittle.bsky.social, @markhailwood.bsky.social, and Hannah Robb) has been published and is available free and Open Access! doi.org/10.1017/9781...

#earlymodern #economic #history

The Experience of Work in Early Modern England

Cambridge Core - Economic History - The Experience of Work in Early Modern England

doi.org

7 65 140

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

Pam Lock @pamplemoussepam.bsky.social · Aug 19

Please help. Please sign & share. I work on a degree programme known as ELCE for mature students who didn't or couldn't do a degree at 18. Bristol uni has decided to close it. Bristol was set up to serve this community & now we are losing our most accessible degree.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Save our pioneering widening participation undergraduate degree in English Literature and Community Engagement at the University of Bristol

19 August 2025 Dear Evelyn Welch (Vice-Chancellor) cc Judith Squires (Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost), Tansy Jessop (Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students) The School of Humanities has ...

docs.google.com

8 9

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Aug 13

The vast majority of UK students attend good to excellent universities that don't have or use the "right" spoons. De-spoon the university.

Mocked for using the wrong spoon: working-class life at top universities

Some students say they have been made to feel alienated on campus. What can institutions do to tackle it?

www.thetimes.com

5 6 42

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · Jul 30

Missing my morning dips already!

1

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · Jul 21

Very proud day seeing my brilliant PhD kids graduate!

1

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

Amy Burnett @amyjbburnett.bsky.social · Jul 18

And that’s a wrap! Doing a PhD with @markhailwood.bsky.social and Prof. Jane Whittle (with Dr. Tyler Rainford, left, as my PhD brother) was the absolute best. I may not be in academia, but you can bet I’ll still be infiltrating @drinkingstudies.bsky.social anyway 😂❤️

3 3 16

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

British Agricultural History Society @braghs.bsky.social · Jul 10

The winners of the BAHS's Joan Thirsk Prize (2025) have been announced. They are:

Charmian Mansell, 'Female Servants in Early Modern England' @oxfordunipress.bsky.social

John Bulaitis, 'The Tithe War in England and Wales, 1881-1936' @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social

Congratulations to them both!

5 9

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · Jul 7

Do you know what I find works really well for cleaning my glasses?

Nothing.

3

Reposted by Mark Hailwood

Dr Laura Sangha @lsangha.bsky.social · Jul 7

Wow - so many people already signed up for our Wills Project Transcribathon later this month! 🙏

If you drop by you can transcribe some lines & help make 25,000 English wills more accessible for all.

In person & online, join us here: willstranscribathon.eventbrite.com

#EarlyModern 🗃️ #Palaeography

A poster advertising the 'Wills Project Transcribathon' on Thursday 24 July, 1-4pm BST, in the Digital Humanities Lab at the University of Exeter, and on zoom. The poster features black text on green and yellow backgrounds, and three images - a box of folded will manuscripts, an unfolded will manuscript, and the painting Thomas Braithwaite of Ambleside making his will, Abbot Hall, 1607. Photo: Lakeland Arts.

2 32 43

Mark Hailwood @markhailwood.bsky.social · Jun 16

Myself & @jwhittle.bsky.social have been collaborating with the Gender & Work project at Uppsala for a decade now: so we're very excited to have a collaborative article comparing the gender division of labour in early modern Sweden and England:
www-cambridge-org.bris.idm.oclc.org/core/journal...

Shibboleth Authentication Request

www-cambridge-org.bris.idm.oclc.org

3