Esther Kearney
@estherkearney.bsky.social
Early modern researcher completing a PhD on the writer Lucy Hutchinson at the University of Nottingham.
https://earlymodernnetwork.wordpress.com/2023/04/04/the-sculpted-or-the-sculptor-lucy-hutchinsons-the-life-of-john-hutchinson-and-ovids-pygmalion/
https://earlymodernnetwork.wordpress.com/2023/04/04/the-sculpted-or-the-sculptor-lucy-hutchinsons-the-life-of-john-hutchinson-and-ovids-pygmalion/
Dusty doing her best loaf of bread impression 🍞🐱
January 23, 2026 at 7:19 PM
Dusty doing her best loaf of bread impression 🍞🐱
Reposted by Esther Kearney
Today is National Handwriting Day! ✍️
Reading handwritten records can be a challenging or enjoyable aspect (often both!) of archival research.
Our Syon Abbey Collection contains six centuries of handwriting!
#NationalHandwritingDay #HandwritingDay #Handwriting #Archives #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic
Reading handwritten records can be a challenging or enjoyable aspect (often both!) of archival research.
Our Syon Abbey Collection contains six centuries of handwriting!
#NationalHandwritingDay #HandwritingDay #Handwriting #Archives #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic
January 23, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Today is National Handwriting Day! ✍️
Reading handwritten records can be a challenging or enjoyable aspect (often both!) of archival research.
Our Syon Abbey Collection contains six centuries of handwriting!
#NationalHandwritingDay #HandwritingDay #Handwriting #Archives #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic
Reading handwritten records can be a challenging or enjoyable aspect (often both!) of archival research.
Our Syon Abbey Collection contains six centuries of handwriting!
#NationalHandwritingDay #HandwritingDay #Handwriting #Archives #SyonAbbey #Nuntastic
Reposted by Esther Kearney
DO NOT celebrate #NationalCheeseLoversDay by stealing cheese. Our court records tell of cheese thefts in 1666, 1767 and 1818. In 1666 the guilty party was Anne Blazdell, wife of an Ilkeston carpenter, who stole a cheese and sold it in exchange for drink.
#ArchiveOfTheWeek #17thCentury
#ArchiveOfTheWeek #17thCentury
![Typed transcript of the document, which begins 'The informat[i]on of Anne the wife of Francis Blazdell of Ilkeston in the said Countie carpinter taken upon oath before Anchitell Gray Esq one of his Maiesties Justices of the peace May the tenth day 1666.'](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:wj5kvgounn6ciqi3kdn6mgas/bafkreiaofaisosiwtry7lfzdbd43z5ahvhjc4l73sc5xblv3ljo3qhnywa@jpeg)
January 20, 2026 at 11:15 AM
DO NOT celebrate #NationalCheeseLoversDay by stealing cheese. Our court records tell of cheese thefts in 1666, 1767 and 1818. In 1666 the guilty party was Anne Blazdell, wife of an Ilkeston carpenter, who stole a cheese and sold it in exchange for drink.
#ArchiveOfTheWeek #17thCentury
#ArchiveOfTheWeek #17thCentury
Reposted by Esther Kearney
'Few feelings are more thrilling for a literature scholar than unearthing an archival gem ...'
Our own Jade French writes for @theconversation.com about three newly discovered Virginia Woolf stories:
Our own Jade French writes for @theconversation.com about three newly discovered Virginia Woolf stories:
The Life of Violet: three unearthed early stories where Virginia Woolf’s genius first sparks to life
These three whimsical short stories tell the story of Woolf’s dear friend Violet Dickinson.
theconversation.com
January 19, 2026 at 4:31 PM
'Few feelings are more thrilling for a literature scholar than unearthing an archival gem ...'
Our own Jade French writes for @theconversation.com about three newly discovered Virginia Woolf stories:
Our own Jade French writes for @theconversation.com about three newly discovered Virginia Woolf stories:
Reposted by Esther Kearney
The Bibelots were a decorative series of mini classics published in early 1900s. 'Leaves from Pepys' Diary' of 1910 (PEPYS 483) contains a collection of quotes from Samuel Pepys Diary under headings such as Observances, Dress, Sports & Pastimes - making the book accessible & affordable to many. 📖
January 14, 2026 at 4:58 PM
The Bibelots were a decorative series of mini classics published in early 1900s. 'Leaves from Pepys' Diary' of 1910 (PEPYS 483) contains a collection of quotes from Samuel Pepys Diary under headings such as Observances, Dress, Sports & Pastimes - making the book accessible & affordable to many. 📖
Reposted by Esther Kearney
Barnabe Rich explaining that "bookes are like cheese"
January 6, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Barnabe Rich explaining that "bookes are like cheese"
Reposted by Esther Kearney
This is a stunning resource, beautifully presented - congratulations to Ros Smith Kathy Acheson and their team emwmlibrary.com
The Library of Early Modern Women's Marginalia
The Library of Early Modern Women's Marginalia.
emwmlibrary.com
January 11, 2026 at 11:03 AM
This is a stunning resource, beautifully presented - congratulations to Ros Smith Kathy Acheson and their team emwmlibrary.com
One of the things I am most proud of accomplishing last year was having my short story 'The Lavender Shroud' published by The Apricot Press 💐
'The young woman pulled the cape around her shoulders, the hood obscuring her face as she checked to make sure that she wasn’t being followed.'
Esther Kearney’s magical short story, 'The Lavender Shroud', draws upon the history of the lavender flower.
apricotpress.co.uk/2025/10/08/t...
Esther Kearney’s magical short story, 'The Lavender Shroud', draws upon the history of the lavender flower.
apricotpress.co.uk/2025/10/08/t...
The Lavender Shroud
Esther Kearney’s magical short story draws upon the history of the lavender flower.
apricotpress.co.uk
January 9, 2026 at 3:03 PM
One of the things I am most proud of accomplishing last year was having my short story 'The Lavender Shroud' published by The Apricot Press 💐
Reposted by Esther Kearney
Study of a woman's right hand - stating that it is that of Artemesia Gentileschi - holding a brush, 31 Dec 1625. Pierre Dumonstier II (British Museum)
December 31, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Study of a woman's right hand - stating that it is that of Artemesia Gentileschi - holding a brush, 31 Dec 1625. Pierre Dumonstier II (British Museum)
Reposted by Esther Kearney
Exciting news - a new portrait of Lucy Hutchinson has surfaced.
December 19, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Exciting news - a new portrait of Lucy Hutchinson has surfaced.
This time last week I was one of the speakers at the University of Nottingham's "My Favourite Manuscript" event at Manuscripts and Special Collections. I had so much fun giving a talk on Margaret Cavendish's "The Lotterie," a fascinating manuscript from the Portland Collection! #MargaretCavendish
December 18, 2025 at 4:36 PM
This time last week I was one of the speakers at the University of Nottingham's "My Favourite Manuscript" event at Manuscripts and Special Collections. I had so much fun giving a talk on Margaret Cavendish's "The Lotterie," a fascinating manuscript from the Portland Collection! #MargaretCavendish
Reposted by Esther Kearney
In Alice's will, made in 1705, she left her wedding ring to her oldest daughter with the stipulation that it should then be passed down the Comber line with other Wandesford family heirlooms. Her younger daughter received her 'wedding bodice and crimson stomacher of flowered satin'. #EarlyModern 🗃️
15th Dec. 1651 #OTD Alice Wandesford married William Thornton. She describes the months of negotiations in what she calls 'tedious' detail in her ‘First Book of My Life’ (Book 1). Her mother wished to see her daughter's inheritance protected during marriage. Spoiler: it wasn't!
#EarlyModern 🗃️
#EarlyModern 🗃️
December 15, 2025 at 1:40 PM
In Alice's will, made in 1705, she left her wedding ring to her oldest daughter with the stipulation that it should then be passed down the Comber line with other Wandesford family heirlooms. Her younger daughter received her 'wedding bodice and crimson stomacher of flowered satin'. #EarlyModern 🗃️
From a wintry walk over Ivinghoe Beacons 🥾
December 15, 2025 at 5:15 PM
From a wintry walk over Ivinghoe Beacons 🥾
Reposted by Esther Kearney
15 Dec 1621: Lady Mary Wroth asks Buckingham to recall her Urania because of misunderstandings 'contrary to my purpose' in writing #otd
December 15, 2025 at 12:49 PM
15 Dec 1621: Lady Mary Wroth asks Buckingham to recall her Urania because of misunderstandings 'contrary to my purpose' in writing #otd
I just picked up a beautiful edition of Foxe's Book of Martyrs from an Oxfam in Berkhamsted 📚
December 14, 2025 at 4:21 PM
I just picked up a beautiful edition of Foxe's Book of Martyrs from an Oxfam in Berkhamsted 📚
Reposted by Esther Kearney
The seminar on Women, Gender, and Culture in the Early Modern World invites YOU to our December 4 Zoom seminar with @laradodds.bsky.social and Michelle M. Dowd! They will discuss their new book on early modern women's writing. 5:30pm Eastern. Register here: wellesley.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
November 25, 2025 at 8:39 PM
The seminar on Women, Gender, and Culture in the Early Modern World invites YOU to our December 4 Zoom seminar with @laradodds.bsky.social and Michelle M. Dowd! They will discuss their new book on early modern women's writing. 5:30pm Eastern. Register here: wellesley.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Reposted by Esther Kearney
Some more 17th century women readers (Rijksmuseum) By Drost, Rembrandt, Blomaert, Ter Borch.
November 29, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Some more 17th century women readers (Rijksmuseum) By Drost, Rembrandt, Blomaert, Ter Borch.