My 2nd article on the serfdom-like compulsory child labour schemes in C18th southwest England is now available (open access) doi.org/10.1017/S026... It was distinctive not merely as a type of unfree labour, but as a centralised method for allocating servants to farmers

Less than a month to go (29 April, 5:30pm) until our annual Lightening Talks event for the British History in the Long 18th Century seminar, showcasing new PhD student work. Join us in person or online at the IHR in London. It's free and open to the public. #Skystorians

Excited to see Sonia Tycko's book rethinking early modern consent and contract labour is now available. This is an important intervention for histories of coerced labour. 'Captured Consent: Contract Labor in English Charity, Colonization, and War, 1600–1700'

Great to see @polly-lowe.bsky.social 's article on 'The body as property' available on open access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0144039X.2025.2570609#abstract A really smart analysis of Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies and 18th c. attitudes to commercial sex.

Have a read of my new article! It's part of a Forum: Human Commodification, so make sure to check out the other contributions too!

I’ll be presenting a paper at the IHR British History in the Long 18th Century Seminar next Wednesday based on my (worryingly) soon to be completed PhD research!

18TH CENTURY BRITISH HISTORY PHD LIGHTNING TALKS CFP Are you at the start of your PhD? Want to tell an eager and engaged audience about it in 5 mins? We want to hear the best PGR research about 18th Britain at our #LightningTalks event 29 April 2026. Please see the poster for further information!

Helen Esfandiary giving a great paper on elite maternal authority over the care of children in the context of the professional medical market place in the 18th c. @long18thsem.bsky.social @ihrlibrary.bsky.social

Really pleased to announce the launch of the all-new, all-dancing, London Lives website - www.londonlives.org It has been thoroughly re-engineered to facilitate more types of search, and redesigned for phones and tablets. The team very much hopes peope like it. 1/

I'm really looking forward to sharing my findings about debates surrounding the Scottish Coal miners. Make sure to come along!

History curious? You don't need to be in London (or the UK) to attend many Institute of Historical Research seminars, although if you're in Bloomsbury you'll enjoy doing so. Most are hybrid (online/in person). They're free, usually fortnightly and open to the public. Starting this week:

If you needed another excuse to spend an evening at the lovely London Archives and enjoy the delights of Exmouth Street: