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A Mysterious Death: Maud Davies, Pioneering Sociologist

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Jane Howells raises some intriguing questions about the tragic death of pioneering sociologist, Maud Davies, in 1913.   Life in an English Village was published in 1909. Subtitled An Economic and Historical Survey of the Parish of Corsley in Wiltshire, this pioneering study was written by Maud Frances Davies, inspired by Sidney and Beatrice Webb when she was a student at the London School of Economics. John Chandler of the Hobnob Press had long planned to produce a reprint of Maud’s book, and invited me to write a substantial new introduction about Maud. [1] This was published in 2013, on the centenary of the author's death. Maud was born in London in 1876. In 1897 the family bought Corsley House, west of Warminster in Wiltshire. Her father, Byam Davies, became an inspector of Poor Law schools for the Local Government Board. Children in workhouses increasingly attended local elementary schools, an improvement Davies had recommended from some of his earliest reports. It is very ...

Making Yourself Up - Ribbons and Identity in Early Modern England

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  Michaela Clarence explores the many meanings of ribbons – from amorous to political – to their wearers in Early Modern England. From acts of personal devotion to political allegiance, the ribbon’s versatile identity in Early Modern England challenges growing preconceptions of the material as mere frivolity, frothing at the edges of garments. Whether affixed to a hat, wrapped around an infant’s wrist, or pinned as a romantic keepsake, the ribbon served as both an outward signifier and an intimate, tactile connection between people. Its affordance, portability and adaptability enabled individuals across all strata of society to make personal, political, or emotional statements. The lasting resonance of ribbons has remained, from their role in political campaigns to their continued use in personal adornment and gestures of affection. This essay introduces some of the uses and meanings of ribbons in Early Modern England. It is a small glimpse into the symbolic threads that con...