My second post for #disabilityhistorymonth looks at Adelaide Knight - the disability activist who wasn't. Despite her life long health and mobility issues, Adelaide never identified politically as disabled. Discover why in my latest Substack. open.substack.com/pub/estherfr...

V. sad to hear the news that author, Marina Lewycka died. I loved her books, but was sad none of her obituaries mentioned her activism. Because that is how I know Marina best, interviewing her in 2019 about her role in feminist group, Big Flame. Here's my alternative obituary for her.

Disability History Month is here! Elizabeth Burgwin was possibly the world's first SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator). She pioneered work with disabled children so they could reach their full potential. Warning! She is a complicated woman! estherfreeman.substack.com/p/elizabeth-...

It was easy for middle class Victorian women to struggle financially. Despite the welfare state, and better career opportunities, unpaid care work stills make women vulnerable. Read my Substack to discover middle class paupers, Sylvia Pankhurst, Margaret McMillan & Lydia Becker... and me!

New on the blog! Esther Freeman from @share-uk.bsky.social explores the different ways women have used food throughout history, and how we can reframe it as a powerful political tool #womenshistory womenshistorynetwork.org/kitchen-resi...

Happy Halloween! 🧙‍♀️👻💀 🎃 I enjoy Halloween, but do still need to talk about the persecution of witches. It's far more recent than you'd think. See my Substack for the Hayfield Witch, how to right past wrongs, and if Elon Musk is the new Witchfinder General? open.substack.com/pub/estherfr...

Rachel @curiouswilds.bsky.social transformed a derelict piece of land, turning it into a forest school. By educating the next generation, she is quietly saving the planet one mud kitchen at a time. Read about Rachel and her toddler climate activists: estherfreeman.substack.com/p/the-toddle...

@societyofauthors.bsky.social We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

@thelitconsultancy.bsky.social We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

@actorsandwriters.bsky.social We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

@plutopress.bsky.social We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

@versobooks.bsky.social We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

@sevenstories.bsky.social We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

@katebod.bsky.social Hi! We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. Tx sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

@thefictiondesk.com We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

@uncertainstories.com We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

@arvonfoundation.bsky.social We're creating a new community for under-represented writers. Could you share our survey so we can understand what's helpful to them? There's book vouchers to win for those who complete the survey. sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

We're creating a group for under-represented writers. To ensure we're delivering what writers need, we'd like them to co-design it. Take 5 mins to complete our questionnaire and shape this new community of creatives. **Plus win some book vouchers** sendsurvivalguide.wufoo.com/forms/qxuk6z...

This photo is of a women’s suffrage march in Washington in 1913. The woman at the front is Ida B Wells. White suffragists had told the black activists to march at the back. Ida wasn’t having any of it, and snuck into the front. Her face says it all really. Read the full story on my Substack.

I absolutely LOVED this podcast series. It's a great dive into the history of youth culture and radical movements. And it raises some interesting questions about counter cultures today (hence the title!). Available on BBC Sounds. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Today is the UN's International Day of Peace. Five days ago they declared a genocide in Gaza. Instead of talking about that, I'm sharing a story from over 90 years ago, about Labour MP, Ellen Wilkinson's fight against fascism in Germany. The echos with today are startling.

Could you support our work to keep women's history alive? I've a store on @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social It's an ethical alternative to Amazon. With every purchase, some money goes to independent bookshops. Buy from my list, some and money comes to us. Shop now: uk.bookshop.org/shop/estherf...

@journeytojustice.bsky.social I thought you might be interested in this post I wrote on a more contemporary fight for social justice. Please do give it a share if you think your followers might be interested. open.substack.com/pub/estherfr...

#OTD in 2022 Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the morality police. Protests erupted across the country. Brutally put down, it seemed like they'd made things worse. But recently developments suggest the women had more impact than first realised. Read more: open.substack.com/pub/estherfr...

@cancerresearchuk.org If you are interested in sharing a little alternative content, I thought you might like my post about Jane Todd Crawford - the first women to undergo surgery for ovarian cancer. I'm trying to get her story more recognition. Please do share. Thank you. bsky.app/profile/shar...

@carvehername.bsky.social I don't know if you have shared Jane Todd Crawford's story before? I think she deserves more recognition. Perhaps you could share my post? bsky.app/profile/shar...

That ain't no baby! 😲 Dr McDowell is a celebrated surgical pioneer, famous for removing the first ovarian tumour. Little is known about his patient - the incredible Mrs Jane Todd Crawford - the women brave enough to risk the surgery! Discover and share her story. open.substack.com/pub/estherfr...

It's 30 years since Reclaim the Streets burst onto our roads. In my article for Red Pepper I trace the colourful history of the movement, that has more than a few parallels with today. www.redpepper.org.uk/political-pa...

I's Carnival weekend! 🥳 Did you know that behind there are radical feminist roots behind Europe's largest street party? All thanks to the inspiring Claudia Jones. Read the full story on my Substack, with a guest post from Roshni Ray. estherfreeman.substack.com/p/the-mother...

@kermodeandmayo.bsky.social Decided to watch The Narrow Rd after your review last week. Found it very disappointing. Thought you might be interested in my feminist reading of it. estherfreeman.substack.com/p/not-a-sing...

I've been watching The Narrow Road to the Deep North on the BBC's iPlayer. It's received critical acclaim, but I find the portrayal of women in it really problematic. Read my latest post on Substack for my full review and analysis. open.substack.com/pub/estherfr...

Loved season 1. Couldn't stop thinking about women's experiences within the health care system (both in the US and here) for days after. It said so much more than the the story it was about.

#OTD in 1888 a group of working class women brought down the capitalists and lit the match which started the fire of the New Unionism movement. estherfreeman.substack.com/p/it-took-th...

📣 call for applications 📣 Two part-time, paid Editorial Fellowships at History Workshop. Our fellowships support early career historians to develop expertise in public, radical and digital history & to gain experience of working in an editorial team. Please share widely! www.historyworkshop....

Love Ida. She was such a badass

#OTD in 1917 Beattie Orwell was born. She was one of the many women at the Battle of Cable Street, along with Sylvia Pankhurst and Jeremy Corbyn's mother! Discover more in my latest Substack. open.substack.com/pub/estherfr...

Happy Pride everyone! 🌈 It's 40 years since the Welsh miners led the Pride march in London, as an act of solidarity with Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners. LGSM had fundraised for the miners during their strike, raising over £20,000, equivalent to £75,000 today.

Our first women's writing circle took place at Pimp Hall in Chingford yesterday. Love this comment from one of the participants. Through this model we really do get inside the world's of women from the past. If you would like to find out about the next join the mailing list >> bit.ly/40oqAYD

LAST CHANCE: Our women's writing circle is days away. Get your ticket booked now >> bit.ly/womenswritin... Join us as part of Chingford Heritage Festival to free write, journal or use any other creative writing to build a deeper connection with women from the past, on whose shoulder's we stand.

Any woman MP who heads into the Parliament for the debate on the proscription of Palestine Action, must remember whose shoulders they stand on. They are only there at all because a woman before them committed criminal acts. Read my latest Substack post estherfreeman.substack.com/p/women-mps-...

For #WorldRefugeeDay I'm celebrating Yusra Mardini. You may already know her story as it was turned into a film for Netflix . But since the fall of Assad, she has a message for the world from the people of Syria. Check it out on my Substack: estherfreeman.substack.com/.../yusra-ma....

Is there anyone in the UK who donates breast milk who would be up for giving an interview for my forthcoming book? I'm helping people understand how many babies lives have been saved this way through the centuries. #MilkDonation #breastmilk #Donations

Under the current law, abortion in England and Wales is a criminal offence but is legal up to 24 weeks, with the sign-off from two doctors

#OtD 13 Jun 1919 200,000 attended in Berlin the funeral procession for martryed revolutionaries Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, who were murdered during the German Revolution by the proto-fascist Freikorps militia shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/...

People on social media are asking why the climate activist, Greta Thunberg, is getting involved in Gaza. But this siloing of political causes is a new thing - in the past it was common for people to campaign for different issues. open.substack.com/pub/estherfr...

@suegill.bsky.social I wondered if you or any of your fellow WI-ers might be interested in my event: bit.ly/womenswritin...

@lbwfarchives.bsky.social Could you give our North Chingford Heritage Festival event a share? bit.ly/womenswritin...

We're excited to tell you about our new women's circles, which we're launching as part of North Chingford Heritage Festival. Learn more and reserve your free place at: To reserve a place visit: bit.ly/womenswritin...

@howl2025.bsky.social Hey! I'm looking for someone who delivered food supplies to the Greenham Common peace camp who might be up for doing an oral history intv. I don't suppose you have come across anyone like this? I know there were people who volunteered to do this.

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." - William Morris (I think that applies to smoothies?!)