Laurence's Royal Institution Blogs

My blog, 'finding inspiration in the archives,' is, sadly, no longer available on the Royal Institution of Great Britain web site. But you can still read the articles, now mostly in the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, using the links here.

As a volunteer with the RI's heritage and collections team I have had several unexpectedly interesting tasks including learning more about the past members, learning about some of the objects in the collection, and reviewing more than a century of the RI's flagship lecture series, the 'Friday Evening Discourses'.

Agnes Clerke A Victorian lady drawn to astronomy.
Suffragettes Among the RI Members
Solomon J. Solomon, Camouflage This is an amazing World War 1 story.
Radio Enthusiasts in World War 1
Early Motoring Enthusiasts at the RI
Henry Perigal, the Respected Crank Perigal became a member at the Royal Institution at the age of 94 but who was he?
Lord Moulton, An Explosive Lawyer A story of patents, explosives and World War 1.
Royal Doctors
Joseph Barcroft, Self Experimenter Reckless!
Reflections on a Farm Gate Concerning a favourite object in the Royal Institution's collection.
A Glimpse of the Antarctic in 1841 Another favourite item in the collection.
Spies at the RI

Downsides of Victorian Education Unexpectedly progressive voices heard at the Friday Evening Discourses

19th Century Health & Safety, Part 1: Fire A recurring theme in the Friday Evening Discourses

19th Century Health & Safety, Part 2: Ships A recurring theme in the Friday Evening Discourses
19th C. Health & Safety, Part 3:  Explosions A recurring theme in the Friday Evening Discourses

Victorian Ventilation A recurring theme in the Friday Evening Discourses

Wounds of War A recurring theme in the Friday Evening Discourses of World War 1