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Dr Vic Clarke

@vjctorianist.bsky.social

2.7K followers 950 following 730 posts

By day: literary historian and editor for hire. By night: historian and enthusiast of Chartism, 19thC British writing and politics, sausage rolls, and women's, workers', queer and trans rights ✊ she/her, views own drvicclarke.co.uk

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · Dec 1

Yesterday I had the honour and privilege of helping unveil the newest @leedscivictrust.bsky.social blue plaque for the Northern Star, published on Market Street, Leeds from 1837-1844. The NS was the leading newspaper of the Chartist movement, campaigning for working people's political rights.

Shirley Chase (widow of social historian Malcolm Chase), Martin Hamilton (director of Leeds Civic Trust), and me holding the blue plaque on the street in central Leeds. The plaque reads 'The Northern Star. The national newspaper of the Chartist movement was established in Leeds and printed here from 1837-1844. This radical journal campaigned for the rights of the country's growing working class population.'

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 4h

Oooh plz update us after!

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 1d

Absolute goals

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 2d

Alternatively, pop in a little travel spray bottle to febreze things on the go!

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 2d

Spent this morning's seminars talking to my first years about close reading and figurative language, and thought I'd do a bit about semiotics and theory. Ended up talking A LOT about traffic lights. Perhaps driving theory next term?

A whiteboard containing a spider diagram labelling parts of a traffic light, potential meanings, and how meanings can be made.

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 2d

YESSS

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 3d

We were confused by this too! Traditional media only is what defined a BBC celeb!

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 4d

Congrats on all accounts!

Reposted by Dr Vic Clarke

Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · 4d

#OtD 9 Oct 1945 the UK Labour govt defended its jailing of 226 Spanish Civil War and anti-Nazi resistance fighters, describing them as "members of an enemy paramilitary organisation". Some killed themselves, others were deported to Spain for execution stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1094...

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 5d

Thank god, now at least a coping mechanism for everything else

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 5d

Rosenberg's chapter on medical advertising is very good on this!

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 10d

It's all very exciting and quite a lot at once

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 10d

It's so cute! Thanks Priti

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 10d

Haha! If they were willing to chip in with clearing the loft I wouldn't say no...

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 10d

Some news: I'm back teaching at the School of English at Leeds this term, and we bought a house with these treasures in the attic!

Freelance clients new and old, don't fear - I'm still available for your research, writing, and copy-editing needs.

A red paper CD case with 'Funky New' in handwriting.

A woman with glasses and purple hair (me) smiles at the camera in front of a sign that says 'School of English'

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Reposted by Dr Vic Clarke

John Levin @anterotesis.bsky.social · 11d

‘This is strength’: stories of enslaved Africans in Grenada made into searchable archive

Depths of Paradise project backed by British family and created by Stephen Lewis, a descendant of survivors

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

The database itself:
www.depthsofparadise.co.uk

#History 🗃️

‘This is strength’: stories of enslaved Africans in Grenada made into searchable archive

Depths of Paradise project backed by British family and created by Stephen Lewis, a descendant of survivors

www.theguardian.com

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 11d

This, and just neck as many mugs of hot honey and lemon as you cana

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Reposted by Dr Vic Clarke

Caroline Dodds Pennock @carolinepennock.bsky.social · 13d

TEN YEARS for settled status. Labour really do seem to have gone collectively insane. Just don’t play Farage’s game. Refuse. Try thinking about what you’re actually saying. And stop.

Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 13d

Krishnan Guru Murthy, "Isn't it a bit insulting to say to an Indian doctor who is working 60-70 hours a week that in order to get settled status he's got to volunteer?"

Rachel Reeves, "We want people to contribute if they come to our country"

Labour have gone utterly bonkers

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 13d

I love every part of this turn of events

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Reposted by Dr Vic Clarke

Warwick History Post-Doc Club @post-doc-club.bsky.social · 13d

Great news!
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month

www.jstor.org/action/showL...

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 13d

Congrats, Clare!!

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 18d

Oh no

Reposted by Dr Vic Clarke

Anand Menon @anandmenon.bsky.social · 19d

The logical culmination of Gove’s ‘we don’t trust experts’. Now it’s ’we don’t know anything’.

LBC @lbc.co.uk · 19d

"We were told thalidomide was a safe drug and it wasn't..."

Nigel Farage says he has 'no idea' if Donald Trump is right about paracetamol being linked to autism.

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 20d

If it's a wraparound one I'd say so - a teensy bit of waist definition gives it structure! Mine is similar to this: www.matalan.co.uk/clothing/iza...

Izabel London Navy Wrap Waist Wide Leg Jumpsuit - Matalan

Shop Izabel London Navy Wrap Waist Wide Leg Jumpsuit at Matalan. Matalan - Your local great value family retailer.

www.matalan.co.uk

Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 20d

On my difficult days I have a lovely cotton jersey jumpsuit which looks super smart but feels like wearing a onesie to work! I used to always pack it for long commute days, would recommend.

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Dr Vic Clarke @vjctorianist.bsky.social · 20d

That's so cute! Maybe I should get these for my car instead of P plates...