Dr Michelle Johansen
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historitage.bsky.social
Dr Michelle Johansen
@historitage.bsky.social
Social historian, researching &
writing about British librarians & #PubLibs in the long nineteenth century. Learning & Outreach Manager at the Society of Antiquaries, London.
In the 1870s, George Gissing & his brother William were furious at the ‘scandalous condition’ of #PubLibs in England, contrasting progress unfavourably with the USA - where every town had ‘its excellent Free Library’. From Letters of George Gissing to Members of his Family (1927). 💙📚
November 16, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
Thinking about the 130 or so British librarians killed in WW1. Their colleagues raised funds to create a lasting memorial to their sacrifice. Sadly, the tablet they commissioned is now displayed behind the scenes at the British Library, visible only to staff.
#fwwhist #PubLibs 💙📚
December 11, 2023 at 6:01 PM
CLOSED. My second failed attempt to visit the Morrab Library in Penzance last month. Founded in the early 19C, the library is one of only around 60 independent libraries still in existence in the UK (& the only one in the whole of Cornwall). I did admire this cute sign on the front door though.
November 11, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Here I am, caught on camera at #HistDay25 getting over-excited about the fact that a 1960s folk-rock band named themselves after a medieval legal document!! I was at the event with my fab @antiquaries.bsky.social colleagues & we chatted to over 100 students & history-lovers. A truly inspiring day.
November 6, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
Do you dare stare into the eyes of spooky child this Halloween? Take your chance today at our Haunted by the Past event until 3.30pm today! www.sal.org.uk/event/haunte...
October 31, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
1 week to go until History Day - don't forget to sign up! Read about why History Day is such a fantastic event in this blog by Claire Langhamer: buff.ly/ySfBuWR

#HistDay25 @senatehouselib.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 3:30 PM
1850. The Public Libraries Act means councils in England & Wales can now spend local taxes on libraries. Some London regions are VERY slow to adopt the act. St Pancras rate-payers object to “wasting” money on “showy luxuries”. Fifty years pass before a free library opens in the district #PubLibs 💙📚
October 25, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Utterly fascinating talk. Exciting new book about 1920s and 1930s London (and beyond). I’ll never refer to ‘interwar’ again. Sadly no #PubLibs featured at the event but we were surrounded by beautiful art books & you can’t have everything ha ha.
This is what publication day looked like.

I am buzzing but broken this morning. Thank you to everyone who made time to talk to me or came out to hear me talk about Songs of Seven Dials: An intimate history of 1920s and 1930s London.

The book is out now with @manchesterup.bsky.social
October 22, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
I left school at 15 without qualifications but educated myself via the Harold Hill library and ended up with three university degrees.
From the 1930s, Britain’s #PubLibs were increasingly staffed by female librarians - usually overseen by a male manager. This fab photo (from the archives at Havering Libraries) shows a group of smartly-dressed assistants shelving books at the shiny new Upminster Library building in Essex c.1963 💙📚
October 21, 2025 at 7:17 AM
I’ve been discovering David Ackles via Mark Brend’s beautifully-written biography. Down River (2025) details the curious recording career of a relatively unknown US singer songwriter in the late 60s & early 70s. Elton John was a fan. Sadly, no #PubLibs are featured in the biog. Excellent otherwise.
October 20, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
Also published this week in 'Transactions of the Royal Historical Society'

"Us and Them: Disability Ethics, Oral History and Inclusive Praxis in the Reuse of Asylum Photography", by Alana Harris & Laura Mitchison bit.ly/4gH9e0f

What are the ethics of historical research using asylum photography?
September 27, 2025 at 8:49 AM
A line of Yale University librarians carry rare 18C volumes from the old library to the brand new Sterling Memorial Library building in July 1930. I love the way library staff turned this humdrum task into a celebratory piece of street theatre!! #WeekLforLines #AlphabetChallenge 💙📚
September 21, 2025 at 1:02 PM
From the 1930s, Britain’s #PubLibs were increasingly staffed by female librarians - usually overseen by a male manager. This fab photo (from the archives at Havering Libraries) shows a group of smartly-dressed assistants shelving books at the shiny new Upminster Library building in Essex c.1963 💙📚
September 14, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
Join us on 12 Sept for a free evening which includes performances that re-voice & unravel the Magna Charter’s most famous clauses, has creative workshops using oak gall ink, features longsword demonstrations, personalised crown workshop, dressing up, sweets & more! www.sal.org.uk/event/age-of...
September 4, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Railway reads. Found near the train track not far from Lincoln station 💙📚
September 7, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
My autumn adult ed Sept-Dec courses are now booking.
Here’s what I’m up to:

1/ Borderlines of ‘Madness’ in 19th-Century Fiction, the Mary Ward Centre, East London, starts Tues 23 Sept, 6.30pm, 6 weeks.
Includes Charlotte Bronte, Poe, Wilkie Collins and Gogol www.marywardcentre.ac.uk/course-detai...
Borderlines of Madness - Mary Ward Centre
We will explore various themes related to insanity and altered states of consciousness by examining a number of 19th-century works of fiction.
www.marywardcentre.ac.uk
August 13, 2025 at 8:33 PM
The American Women’s Club was a philanthropic organisation set up in London in 1898. Members incl. the wives of Herbert Hoover & Gordon Selfridge. In 1916, a clubroom opened in Mayfair complete with Italian-style gardens, a ballroom with a huge pipe organ (v fashionable at this time) & a library 💙📚
August 31, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
Our #Objectoftheday is this ancient Egyptian little blue faience seal in the form of a crouching oryx gazelle. Interestingly the stamp on the underside also depicts an oryx . It would have been used to mark ownership.

E.5426

#ancientegypt #gazelle #sealstamp #museum
August 2, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
Come and join us for Chartism Day 2025. All welcome; booking required.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chartism-d...
August 14, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Reposted by Dr Michelle Johansen
Come for the new history of 1920s and 1930s London, stay for the discount...

Waterstones are offering 25% off pre-orders Songs of Seven Dials this week: just enter SUMMER25 at checkout.

Book is out on 21 Oct – in time for autumnal nights & Christmas gifts.

www.waterstones.com/book/songs-o...
July 28, 2025 at 7:08 AM
In 1969, ‘shapely’ library assistant Deborah Kerr failed to bring the Miss Book World title home to Upminster Library in Essex. Never mind. Losing the contest gave Deborah more time to focus on her studies. #PubLibs💙📚
📷 Havering Express, 19 March 1969, from Havering Libraries - Local Studies
July 26, 2025 at 3:48 PM
The female gaze
Herbert Putnam, c.1900
Librarian of Congress (1899-1939)
💙📚
July 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Meet John Mullins, the mildly terrifying chief librarian of Birmingham Free Library from 1858 to 1898. Mullins was famous for his Daily Routine Book. The book listed 100 checks the library staff were expected to complete each morning before opening the reference room doors to the public #PubLibs 💙📚
July 13, 2025 at 3:22 PM
It’s 1900. A lavishly-illustrated history of Fulham is published. John Henry Quinn (librarian in neighbouring Chelsea) only orders one copy for readers since ‘interest [among Chelsea people in Fulham is] so little’. Anyway, here’s the famous cork tree planted by Bishop Compton, on p.137
#PubLibs 💙📚
June 21, 2025 at 10:24 AM