Jess Ayres
@drjessayres.bsky.social
📚Historian of early modern London
📜 Apprentice Archivist at The London Archives
🖋️Research interests in women, the City of London, and record keeping in C17th
🎓 PhD on women in the Court of Orphans
👩💻 https://jessica-ayres.co.uk
📜 Apprentice Archivist at The London Archives
🖋️Research interests in women, the City of London, and record keeping in C17th
🎓 PhD on women in the Court of Orphans
👩💻 https://jessica-ayres.co.uk
#OTD in 1540, Fountains Abbey was sold to Sir Richard Gresham after being seized by the Crown. An inventory of the abbey valued it at over £1100, making it the wealthiest Cistercian abbey in England
#Yorkshire #History #Skystorians
#Yorkshire #History #Skystorians
October 1, 2025 at 8:21 AM
#OTD in 1540, Fountains Abbey was sold to Sir Richard Gresham after being seized by the Crown. An inventory of the abbey valued it at over £1100, making it the wealthiest Cistercian abbey in England
#Yorkshire #History #Skystorians
#Yorkshire #History #Skystorians
#OTD in 1880 the Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading in Rio de Janeiro was inaugurated.
I was lucky enough to visit the library during a trip to Brazil in January and the space is truly breathtaking!
#Libraries #Skystorians #Brazil
I was lucky enough to visit the library during a trip to Brazil in January and the space is truly breathtaking!
#Libraries #Skystorians #Brazil
September 10, 2025 at 9:06 AM
#OTD in 1880 the Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading in Rio de Janeiro was inaugurated.
I was lucky enough to visit the library during a trip to Brazil in January and the space is truly breathtaking!
#Libraries #Skystorians #Brazil
I was lucky enough to visit the library during a trip to Brazil in January and the space is truly breathtaking!
#Libraries #Skystorians #Brazil
No thoughts this morning, just this picture of the ceiling in the Henry VII Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey
#History #Skystorians
#History #Skystorians
September 8, 2025 at 8:07 AM
No thoughts this morning, just this picture of the ceiling in the Henry VII Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey
#History #Skystorians
#History #Skystorians
Had a fascinating trip to
@westminsterabbey.bsky.social last week to visit their library and archive collection!
The white hart painting in the Muniment Room (the symbol of Richard II) was a personal favourite, and I think the Abbey wins the award for best view out of an archival storage space…
@westminsterabbey.bsky.social last week to visit their library and archive collection!
The white hart painting in the Muniment Room (the symbol of Richard II) was a personal favourite, and I think the Abbey wins the award for best view out of an archival storage space…
September 5, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Had a fascinating trip to
@westminsterabbey.bsky.social last week to visit their library and archive collection!
The white hart painting in the Muniment Room (the symbol of Richard II) was a personal favourite, and I think the Abbey wins the award for best view out of an archival storage space…
@westminsterabbey.bsky.social last week to visit their library and archive collection!
The white hart painting in the Muniment Room (the symbol of Richard II) was a personal favourite, and I think the Abbey wins the award for best view out of an archival storage space…
Believe it or not, this is a parish register from the seventeenth century that was damaged during a fire! 🔥
Heat causes the collagen fibres in the parchment to denature and shrink and eventually turn to gelatine, which sometimes has a ‘glassy’ appearance.
#EarlyModern #Skystorians
Heat causes the collagen fibres in the parchment to denature and shrink and eventually turn to gelatine, which sometimes has a ‘glassy’ appearance.
#EarlyModern #Skystorians
September 3, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Believe it or not, this is a parish register from the seventeenth century that was damaged during a fire! 🔥
Heat causes the collagen fibres in the parchment to denature and shrink and eventually turn to gelatine, which sometimes has a ‘glassy’ appearance.
#EarlyModern #Skystorians
Heat causes the collagen fibres in the parchment to denature and shrink and eventually turn to gelatine, which sometimes has a ‘glassy’ appearance.
#EarlyModern #Skystorians
I'm working through some #EarlyModern petitions and uncovering some fascinating stories.
This one from residents near St-Dunstan-in-the-West is particularly relatable - burst water pipe chaos, and local council inaction - it's clear some problems never change! 💧
📷 COL/CA/05
#Skystorians
This one from residents near St-Dunstan-in-the-West is particularly relatable - burst water pipe chaos, and local council inaction - it's clear some problems never change! 💧
📷 COL/CA/05
#Skystorians
August 27, 2025 at 9:00 AM
I'm working through some #EarlyModern petitions and uncovering some fascinating stories.
This one from residents near St-Dunstan-in-the-West is particularly relatable - burst water pipe chaos, and local council inaction - it's clear some problems never change! 💧
📷 COL/CA/05
#Skystorians
This one from residents near St-Dunstan-in-the-West is particularly relatable - burst water pipe chaos, and local council inaction - it's clear some problems never change! 💧
📷 COL/CA/05
#Skystorians
Some pictures of Blarney Castle from my whistle stop visit to Cork last week. Swipe to the end for a bonus picture of a crop circle of cows… 🐄
August 15, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Some pictures of Blarney Castle from my whistle stop visit to Cork last week. Swipe to the end for a bonus picture of a crop circle of cows… 🐄
Some timeline cleansing pictures from my recent trip to Canterbury!
The first picture, Conquest House at 17 Palace Street, is actually a house with medieval interiors but a 19th century exterior.
#Canterbury #History
The first picture, Conquest House at 17 Palace Street, is actually a house with medieval interiors but a 19th century exterior.
#Canterbury #History
July 21, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Some timeline cleansing pictures from my recent trip to Canterbury!
The first picture, Conquest House at 17 Palace Street, is actually a house with medieval interiors but a 19th century exterior.
#Canterbury #History
The first picture, Conquest House at 17 Palace Street, is actually a house with medieval interiors but a 19th century exterior.
#Canterbury #History
To celebrate the opening of the Shakespeare in London display @thelondonarchives.bsky.social, here is a photo of the First Folio from @guildhalllibrary.bsky.social that I was able to nab a few years ago
#Shakespeare #EarlyModern #History #Skystorians
#Shakespeare #EarlyModern #History #Skystorians
June 30, 2025 at 8:49 AM
To celebrate the opening of the Shakespeare in London display @thelondonarchives.bsky.social, here is a photo of the First Folio from @guildhalllibrary.bsky.social that I was able to nab a few years ago
#Shakespeare #EarlyModern #History #Skystorians
#Shakespeare #EarlyModern #History #Skystorians
Thrilled to say that earlier this month, I had the honour of being awarded the Curriers' Company London History Essay Prize @guildhalllibrary.bsky.social 🎉
@thelondonjournal.bsky.social #LondonHistory
@thelondonjournal.bsky.social #LondonHistory
June 24, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Thrilled to say that earlier this month, I had the honour of being awarded the Curriers' Company London History Essay Prize @guildhalllibrary.bsky.social 🎉
@thelondonjournal.bsky.social #LondonHistory
@thelondonjournal.bsky.social #LondonHistory
These are accounts from the City's Cash from the 1660-70s, offering incredible insights into City of London's finances. However, they're incredibly hefty!
📷 The London Archives, COL/CHD/CT/01/013
#Skystorians #History #EarlyModern
📷 The London Archives, COL/CHD/CT/01/013
#Skystorians #History #EarlyModern
June 20, 2025 at 9:05 AM
These are accounts from the City's Cash from the 1660-70s, offering incredible insights into City of London's finances. However, they're incredibly hefty!
📷 The London Archives, COL/CHD/CT/01/013
#Skystorians #History #EarlyModern
📷 The London Archives, COL/CHD/CT/01/013
#Skystorians #History #EarlyModern
A lovely find looking through some freedom admissions recently. This freedom is for Godfrey Roberts to the Company of Framework Knitters in May 1799. The logo of the company has not changed much in the last 226 years!
📷 @The London Archives, COL/CHD/FR/02/1228
#EarlyModern #Skystorians #History
📷 @The London Archives, COL/CHD/FR/02/1228
#EarlyModern #Skystorians #History
June 16, 2025 at 10:33 AM
A lovely find looking through some freedom admissions recently. This freedom is for Godfrey Roberts to the Company of Framework Knitters in May 1799. The logo of the company has not changed much in the last 226 years!
📷 @The London Archives, COL/CHD/FR/02/1228
#EarlyModern #Skystorians #History
📷 @The London Archives, COL/CHD/FR/02/1228
#EarlyModern #Skystorians #History
I am still thinking about this beautiful fireplace in The Great Chamber of The Charterhouse that I saw earlier this week
The fireplace was installed in 1570, but the painted mantle was added some time in the early 1600s
📷 The Charterhouse
The fireplace was installed in 1570, but the painted mantle was added some time in the early 1600s
📷 The Charterhouse
June 13, 2025 at 8:35 AM
I am still thinking about this beautiful fireplace in The Great Chamber of The Charterhouse that I saw earlier this week
The fireplace was installed in 1570, but the painted mantle was added some time in the early 1600s
📷 The Charterhouse
The fireplace was installed in 1570, but the painted mantle was added some time in the early 1600s
📷 The Charterhouse
I was lucky enough to have a fantastic visit and tour around The Charterhouse last week with some of my colleagues!
Amazed to see so many historic buildings tucked away in central London
#Skystorians #history
Amazed to see so many historic buildings tucked away in central London
#Skystorians #history
June 12, 2025 at 10:16 AM
I was lucky enough to have a fantastic visit and tour around The Charterhouse last week with some of my colleagues!
Amazed to see so many historic buildings tucked away in central London
#Skystorians #history
Amazed to see so many historic buildings tucked away in central London
#Skystorians #history
Just remembered that yesterday it was two years since I passed my PhD viva! Time flies, and although I haven’t worked in the HE sector in almost 3 years, I’m still yapping about the Court of Orphans @thelondonarchives.bsky.social
#EarlyModern #History
#EarlyModern #History
May 20, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Just remembered that yesterday it was two years since I passed my PhD viva! Time flies, and although I haven’t worked in the HE sector in almost 3 years, I’m still yapping about the Court of Orphans @thelondonarchives.bsky.social
#EarlyModern #History
#EarlyModern #History
Autumn in Clerkenwell 🍂
October 24, 2023 at 12:30 PM
Autumn in Clerkenwell 🍂
I had a great time speaking at Archives for London’s September seminar last night. A huge thank you to everyone who came, and for all for the interesting questions!
September 28, 2023 at 6:56 AM
I had a great time speaking at Archives for London’s September seminar last night. A huge thank you to everyone who came, and for all for the interesting questions!
My first ever post, so sharing a lovely framed item in our collections brought over to the LMA from our strong rooms at Guildhall, but can anyone spot the problem?
September 20, 2023 at 5:11 PM
My first ever post, so sharing a lovely framed item in our collections brought over to the LMA from our strong rooms at Guildhall, but can anyone spot the problem?