Kerry-Louise Apps 🗃️ (formerly the 👩🏫 Ms. Apps)
@kerrylouisehistory.bsky.social
AHRC-funded PhD Candidate, w/ National Trust & OU | Uncovering the influence of Asia on Restoration-era court culture @ Ham House | MPhil on Tobacco, Pearls & Indigenous/African Labour in the British Atlantic c.1615–1642 | 1600s Monomaniac | KerryApps.com
First draft of my final chapter? Sent to my supervisors.
When I close my eyes, I see the words calico, Persian carpet, and lacquer/lacquer/Indian cabinet in secretary hand.
When I close my eyes, I see the words calico, Persian carpet, and lacquer/lacquer/Indian cabinet in secretary hand.
November 18, 2025 at 9:26 PM
First draft of my final chapter? Sent to my supervisors.
When I close my eyes, I see the words calico, Persian carpet, and lacquer/lacquer/Indian cabinet in secretary hand.
When I close my eyes, I see the words calico, Persian carpet, and lacquer/lacquer/Indian cabinet in secretary hand.
The author photo.
November 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
The author photo.
I think if I could find a way to remain in this 1819 attic room forever, I could write the next Frankenstein.
November 13, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I think if I could find a way to remain in this 1819 attic room forever, I could write the next Frankenstein.
Seventeenth-century Dukes 🤝 a conscientious student's GCSE/A-Level History answer book
TURN OVER.
TURN OVER.
November 13, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Seventeenth-century Dukes 🤝 a conscientious student's GCSE/A-Level History answer book
TURN OVER.
TURN OVER.
The National Archives could never 😬
November 12, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The National Archives could never 😬
Very happy to be finishing my final (!!) chapter of my PhD this week, which includes the V&A's glorious Lady Clapham as illustrative material.
Images:
Lady Clapham, V&A
The Duchess of Lauderdale, NGS
Images:
Lady Clapham, V&A
The Duchess of Lauderdale, NGS
November 10, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Very happy to be finishing my final (!!) chapter of my PhD this week, which includes the V&A's glorious Lady Clapham as illustrative material.
Images:
Lady Clapham, V&A
The Duchess of Lauderdale, NGS
Images:
Lady Clapham, V&A
The Duchess of Lauderdale, NGS
I don't want to say that my PhD is impacting me in odd ways, but I have bought myself a fruit bowl that I've gathered is genuine Delft this week.
November 7, 2025 at 10:29 AM
I don't want to say that my PhD is impacting me in odd ways, but I have bought myself a fruit bowl that I've gathered is genuine Delft this week.
Pip's six years in South London have not prepared her for the back garden fireworks arms race that is October to November in a well-to-do village on the Cambridgeshire/Essex border.
November 5, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Pip's six years in South London have not prepared her for the back garden fireworks arms race that is October to November in a well-to-do village on the Cambridgeshire/Essex border.
Some people played Pokémon Go, I play collect the dodgy 1920s memorials to the Pilgrims/early American settlers.
Image: Begijnhof, Amsterdam.
Image: Begijnhof, Amsterdam.
October 30, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Some people played Pokémon Go, I play collect the dodgy 1920s memorials to the Pilgrims/early American settlers.
Image: Begijnhof, Amsterdam.
Image: Begijnhof, Amsterdam.
The feminine urge to install a box bed.
Images: Museum Ons‘ Lieve Heer Op Solder/Our Lord in the Attic
Images: Museum Ons‘ Lieve Heer Op Solder/Our Lord in the Attic
October 26, 2025 at 8:23 PM
The feminine urge to install a box bed.
Images: Museum Ons‘ Lieve Heer Op Solder/Our Lord in the Attic
Images: Museum Ons‘ Lieve Heer Op Solder/Our Lord in the Attic
Had the pleasure this past week of my partner indulging my seventeenth-century monomania on a birthday break.
Photos: my first time seeing Petronella O’s doll’s house (which I’ve studied from afar as a deeply global object) in the flesh. Look at the ceramics, the spittoons, the japanned cabinet.
Photos: my first time seeing Petronella O’s doll’s house (which I’ve studied from afar as a deeply global object) in the flesh. Look at the ceramics, the spittoons, the japanned cabinet.
October 25, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Had the pleasure this past week of my partner indulging my seventeenth-century monomania on a birthday break.
Photos: my first time seeing Petronella O’s doll’s house (which I’ve studied from afar as a deeply global object) in the flesh. Look at the ceramics, the spittoons, the japanned cabinet.
Photos: my first time seeing Petronella O’s doll’s house (which I’ve studied from afar as a deeply global object) in the flesh. Look at the ceramics, the spittoons, the japanned cabinet.
Our hotel room in Amsterdam has bathrooms papered in documents from the former City Archives. We won Rembrandt’s marriage certificate.
I am trying to be on a break from seventeenth century handwriting. 😅
I am trying to be on a break from seventeenth century handwriting. 😅
October 20, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Our hotel room in Amsterdam has bathrooms papered in documents from the former City Archives. We won Rembrandt’s marriage certificate.
I am trying to be on a break from seventeenth century handwriting. 😅
I am trying to be on a break from seventeenth century handwriting. 😅
This includes close-up images of the embroidered textiles that once adorned Queen Catherine of Braganza's state bed.
October 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
This includes close-up images of the embroidered textiles that once adorned Queen Catherine of Braganza's state bed.
Do you like seventeenth century stuff? Then my Instagram (@kerrylouiseapps), which has zero engagement, but so many pictures of Ham House in empty periods might be for you. 🫠
October 10, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Do you like seventeenth century stuff? Then my Instagram (@kerrylouiseapps), which has zero engagement, but so many pictures of Ham House in empty periods might be for you. 🫠
The interest in firsts in history really fascinates me. I've just seen a London Museum post about Sam Pepys recording the 'first' cup of tea, but references exist in print early as 1615, & what of the rich cultural history of the drink in Asia? Firsts so often obfuscate a more complex history.
October 7, 2025 at 9:08 AM
The interest in firsts in history really fascinates me. I've just seen a London Museum post about Sam Pepys recording the 'first' cup of tea, but references exist in print early as 1615, & what of the rich cultural history of the drink in Asia? Firsts so often obfuscate a more complex history.
One thing I miss, having been in Cambridge for four years now, is a London fox. These two lived with their mum in our garden during lockdown. A cute highlight in a rough period.
October 4, 2025 at 5:39 PM
One thing I miss, having been in Cambridge for four years now, is a London fox. These two lived with their mum in our garden during lockdown. A cute highlight in a rough period.
Google will never kill my love of a paper guidebook.
October 1, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Google will never kill my love of a paper guidebook.
I have an ongoing, intrusive thought that I will be burgled at night and lose three years of primary research and archival pictures.
Annoyed I haven't called this folder PhD-Panicking! at the Disco.
Annoyed I haven't called this folder PhD-Panicking! at the Disco.
September 30, 2025 at 7:53 PM
I have an ongoing, intrusive thought that I will be burgled at night and lose three years of primary research and archival pictures.
Annoyed I haven't called this folder PhD-Panicking! at the Disco.
Annoyed I haven't called this folder PhD-Panicking! at the Disco.
One privilege of my PhD has been slipping into Ham House when the shutters are drawn and the rooms are quiet. In the half-light, for a moment, the seventeenth century doesn’t seem so far away and passing a jib door gets a little spooky.
September 29, 2025 at 9:32 PM
One privilege of my PhD has been slipping into Ham House when the shutters are drawn and the rooms are quiet. In the half-light, for a moment, the seventeenth century doesn’t seem so far away and passing a jib door gets a little spooky.
After three years researching the influence of East Asia on seventeenth-century British culture my targeted ads are serving me modern Chinoiserie/japanning.
OKA is an interior design company heavily inspired by historic interiors. NGL, I do like the side table.
OKA is an interior design company heavily inspired by historic interiors. NGL, I do like the side table.
September 29, 2025 at 3:01 PM
After three years researching the influence of East Asia on seventeenth-century British culture my targeted ads are serving me modern Chinoiserie/japanning.
OKA is an interior design company heavily inspired by historic interiors. NGL, I do like the side table.
OKA is an interior design company heavily inspired by historic interiors. NGL, I do like the side table.
Teaching History is now up on JSTOR! I didn't know, but I love that it now makes me appear to be a far more accomplished scholar than I am 😭 (yet to publish from my PhD work).
September 26, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Teaching History is now up on JSTOR! I didn't know, but I love that it now makes me appear to be a far more accomplished scholar than I am 😭 (yet to publish from my PhD work).
Mine has become so attached to hers we’ve added a blanket 😅
September 26, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Mine has become so attached to hers we’ve added a blanket 😅
The deeper I’ve gotten into my PhD, the more I’ve fallen for export art.
Plate Chinese Qianlong period, c.1745-60 with a phoenix above a grand English building - likely Burghley House.
Fitzwilliam Collection, Cambridge
Plate Chinese Qianlong period, c.1745-60 with a phoenix above a grand English building - likely Burghley House.
Fitzwilliam Collection, Cambridge
September 21, 2025 at 5:14 PM
The deeper I’ve gotten into my PhD, the more I’ve fallen for export art.
Plate Chinese Qianlong period, c.1745-60 with a phoenix above a grand English building - likely Burghley House.
Fitzwilliam Collection, Cambridge
Plate Chinese Qianlong period, c.1745-60 with a phoenix above a grand English building - likely Burghley House.
Fitzwilliam Collection, Cambridge
Relaxing for a few hours each evening with some gold-work embroidery. At the current rate, I expect to complete this by winter 2026.
September 18, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Relaxing for a few hours each evening with some gold-work embroidery. At the current rate, I expect to complete this by winter 2026.
"Paid Mrs. Havercampe a bill for things for the Pages and the boy Jack"
I don't know who Jack is, and it eats at me.
[Account Book of the Duchess of Lauderdale]
I don't know who Jack is, and it eats at me.
[Account Book of the Duchess of Lauderdale]
September 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
"Paid Mrs. Havercampe a bill for things for the Pages and the boy Jack"
I don't know who Jack is, and it eats at me.
[Account Book of the Duchess of Lauderdale]
I don't know who Jack is, and it eats at me.
[Account Book of the Duchess of Lauderdale]