Lucy Jameson
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lucyanne.bsky.social
Lucy Jameson
@lucyanne.bsky.social
94 followers 100 following 36 posts
She/her | PhD Candidate @ Durham University | Researching disabled expertise and adaptations to technology in the British Post Office #histtech #histsci #histmed #ownviews
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lucyanne.bsky.social
We had to say goodbye to our Bella this morning. We’re all absolutely heartbroken, things won’t be the same without her. We got Bella when I was 13, and she’s been with us through the best and worst times of our lives. I could talk forever about how wonderful she is ❤️‍🩹 Our smart and beautiful girl ❤️
December 3, 2025 at 12:13 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
I’ve procrastinated my work so hard I’ve ended up at a Peep Show quiz in Newcastle. This has to be one of the highlights of my year.
November 27, 2025 at 8:06 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
I think the doctor’s orders are to get outside, do gentle exercise, and listen to an episode of the Maintenance Phase podcast about raw milk?

@yrfatfriend.bsky.social @michaelhobbes.bsky.social
A photograph of a very grey and overcast day in Durham. The photo specifically is of a nature reserve in Durham, with quite a lot of bare trees, and some very green (and wet!) grass.
November 13, 2025 at 1:27 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
Today I was teaching in the same seminar room that I had my first ever seminars in as an undergraduate, which felt like a full circle moment.

I came to uni through an access scheme and very nearly didn’t get here, so this all feels so surreal 6 years later. Protect access schemes. They are vital ❤️
A photograph of the River Wear and Elvet Bridge taken from New Elvet. In the background you can see Durham Cathedral and Castle peeping up from behind the trees. The ‘Princey B’ party boat is in the foreground.
November 3, 2025 at 8:21 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
I went back home yesterday (ex-pit village in County Durham) and someone had graffitied onto the side of a house. This is an area that once upon a time came together as a proper community, but since the rise of the EDL and BNP etc, esp from early 2000s, has seen more division than ever.
Graffiti on the side of a house in Chilton, County Durham ‘Stop the Boats!’
September 26, 2025 at 7:43 AM
lucyanne.bsky.social
An NUFC-heavy weekend!
Jigsaw completed, watched Woltemade’s debut and first goal, and secured tickets for NUFC v Bradford City. Not sure any of these hobbies can be considered relaxing, the Geordie Boys like to keep us on our toes!
A completed Newcastle United jigsaw puzzle, it’s a huge wooden puzzle of our badge Pitch side view of the NUFC v Wolves game Me and my best friend at the Newcastle game on Saturday
September 16, 2025 at 7:32 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
Trying to engage in more relaxing hobbies outside of the PhD and ironically found something more stressful and difficult:
A jigsaw puzzle of the Newcastle United football badge, with the blue banner completed (and a lot of the jigsaw still to be completed)
September 8, 2025 at 8:21 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
I’m on my way to LDN for the archives, and the last time I was there I had Florence + the Machine themed nails (photographed).

F+TM have just announced the next album, so the academic/music manifestation worked! If you need me, I’ll be bopping in the archives tomorrow to the new title track!
My Florence + the Machine inspired nails from February (which were horrendously grown out by the time of my archival visit) - yes that is an anatomically correct heart painted on my index fingernail.
August 19, 2025 at 5:52 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
I have a very good research assistant helping me today and tomorrow 🐶
Bella chilling in her bed (waiting for me to give her some ham) Bella fetching the ball - her favourite game!
August 11, 2025 at 9:27 AM
lucyanne.bsky.social
I really enjoyed yesterday’s book launch for ‘Mining the Memories: Stories of Durham Coalfield Communities’.

I was delighted to contribute a brief synopsis for the book, sharing some examples of mining illnesses.

#mining #mininghistory #miners #redhills #durham #coalfield #hstm #disabilityhistory
Front cover of Mining the Memories: Stories of Durham Coalfield Communities Acknowledgements page My section on ‘Mining Illnesses’
July 11, 2025 at 10:01 AM
lucyanne.bsky.social
My partner bought me the International Year of Disabled People 1981 postage stamp series, as my PhD thesis investigates disabled innovation and expertise within the British Post Office. Aren’t they great!

#hstm #disabilityhistory #stamps #postagestamps #postoffice #histmed #histsci #histtech
International Year of Disabled People 1981 with four postage stamps, one of a person with a guide dog, one with sign language, one with a person in a wheelchair, and one with a foot painter. The illustrations throughout the booklet were made by polio survivor Elizabeth Twistington Higgins, who made a career from mouth painting after becoming paralysed by polio and ending her career as a ballet dancer. “Illustrations by Elizabeth Twistington Higgins MBE, a former ballet dancer who in 1953 became totally paralysed as a result of poliomyelitis. As a member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Association she has become an internationally famous mouth Mieter and for her work was awarded the She now also teaches and choreographs ballet and directs her own company known as the Chelmsford Dancers”. “The wheelchair Disabled people can get around, provided that consideration is given to their needs. More ramps, ramped kerbs and wider doors can make it possible for disabled people to enjoy everyday activities that most people take for granted and help everyone, particularly those with prams or shopping trolleys. Access is important in the high street, at public buildings, and particularly at work so that disabled people can use their abilities to the full. Too often disabled people find it hard to get jobs, or are employed at a level below that of their ability. “People with severe disabilities have talents too. Physical disability does not mean mental impairment, and mouth and foot artists encourage people to look beyond the disability to the person, and their personality as expressed through art. While artists can use their special skills, modern technological developments enable other disabled people to operate sophisticated electronic and other equipment - when available - for communication and improved mobility”. Information from the booklet quotes here: “The stamps were designed by John Gibbs” “Guide dogs enable blind people to get about with relative ease, compared with the many more blind or partially sighted people who rely on their white cane and the help of family and friends. All blind and partially sighted people rely on verbal information we receive visually - from television, posters, newspapers, magazines and books. Blind and partially sighted people, like all disabled people, need understanding and support rather than pity or sympathy, to use their abilities to the full” “Sign language is one way of communicating with deaf people. Imagine what it is like to feel alone even in a crowded room. All communication has to be visual. Everyday equipment like doorbells or alarm clocks are of no use unless specially adapted. Speak clearly when talking to a deaf or hard of hearing person -do not shout - and you can both enjoy an exchange of news and views. Hearing loss does not mean loss of intelligence, and deaf and hard of hearing people want to communicate as much as everyone else. The installation of induction loops in public buildings is enabling people with hearing aids to share in that communication. Hearing impairment can date from birth, be caused by illness, be a result of ageing, or prolonged exposure to excessive noise, particularly in heavy industry” - Stephen Crampton (Cannot quote all of text due to space). Quote begins halfway down the left side of the booklet. “No one knows exactly how many disabled people there are in the world, but estimates suggest the figure is over 450 million. The number of disabled people in India alone is probably more than double the total population of Canada. In the United Kingdom, about one in 10 people have some disability. 'Disabled people in this context are those who are physically handicapped, deaf, hard of hearing, blind, partially sighted, speech impaired, mentally handicapped, mentally ill, or suffer from handicaps such as epilepsy. Disability is not just something that happens to other people: as we get older, many of us will become less mobile; hard of hearing or havefailing eyesight”. “Disablement can take many forms and occur at anytime of life. Some people are born with disabilities. Many others become disabled as they get older. There are many progressive disabling diseases. Some people are disabled in accidents. Many others may have a period of disability in the form of a mental illness. All are affected by people's attitudes towards them. Disabled people face many physical barriers. Next time you go shopping or to work, or visit friends imagine how you would manage if you could not get up steps or kerbs, or on to buses and trains. How would you cope it you could not see where you were going or could not hear traffic? But there are other barriers: prejudice and ignorance can be even more formidable, and harder to break down. The International Year of Disabled People is of enormous value in drawing attention to these barriers and showing that it is the individual person and their ability, not their disability, which counts. We must learn to look beyond the disability to the person. The four stamps reflect some of these themes”
July 9, 2025 at 9:24 AM
lucyanne.bsky.social
Final post - my grandad’s only ever time donating blood was after an incident in Abu Dhabi. A harbour accident where a container crane collapsed killed several people, some seriously injured meant there was a vital need for blood. #hstm #blooddonation
Blood bank note Details of the blood donation Vaccination card Details of the blood bank
July 6, 2025 at 5:23 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
A point of interest for #hstm scholars - my grandad’s smallpox vaccination certificate. Received in 1973! My #histmed #histsci brain is buzzing!

(All of these documents of course posted with permission)
Grandad’s smallpox vaccination certificate Smallpox vaccination in 1973 Final pages of the smallpox vaccination
July 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
My grandad was an engineer in the Merchant Navy and I am forever grateful that we essentially have our own little archive in the upstairs bedroom! Great! 90 years-old and 30 years of service. Any historians have any questions, I’m sure he’d be happy to answer.

#history #navalhistory #dischargebook
My grandad’s discharge book, in addition to his photo - he was 20 years of age in this photo 1955 This is another one of my grandad’s discharge books, for United Arab Shipping Company (UASC)
July 6, 2025 at 5:11 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
Calling all #historians and #palaeographers !

Can anyone please help me work out the name of this Post Office manager? The only writing I have of his is his signature, which is barely legible.

I’d really love to give him a name, as he’s currently referred to as X in my thesis chapter!
February 27, 2025 at 4:13 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
I thought I better introduce myself on Bluesky properly!

I’m Lucy, a 2nd history PhD candidate researching disability expertise and technological design/adaptation in the British Post Office.

I am interested in the history of science, technology & medicine, STS, and disability history/studies :)
A selfie of a blonde woman posing with her thumbs up, wearing a blue shirt, dark navy sweater vest, Vitruvian man earrings, and glasses.The photo was taken at Halloween, so the background has decorative black and white fake cobweb.
November 20, 2024 at 4:15 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
My essay is in print! Very excited to have my essay in Vol. 54 of North East History, on a topic that I care very deeply about.

Currently the journal is only available in print, but I’ll share a link once it’s online
Me sitting on my sofa holding the journal my essay is in Title page of my essay, ‘Pneumoconiosis and Social Class in Twentieth-Century County Durham Mining Communities’
November 3, 2023 at 1:04 PM
lucyanne.bsky.social
Today I discovered this thoughtful and beautiful representation of County Durham’s mining heritage in the Palatine Centre
A metal display of a mining scene, with pickaxes, ponies and mine carts, miners holding lamps, digging and pushing carts, a budgie in a cage, and a scene of Durham Cathedral
October 26, 2023 at 11:31 AM
lucyanne.bsky.social
Appreciating the lovely autumnal views, my pumpkin candle, and a cup of tea whilst I attempt to tackle the mounting pile of work I have been putting off 🎃🍂
View from my office window of the golden, red and orange leaves on the tree, with my pumpkin candle and cup of tea in the foreground of the photo
October 25, 2023 at 11:28 AM