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Reposted by Joe Harley

Shane Ewen @shaneewen.bsky.social · Jul 16

New publication!

“Objects of Poverty: Material Culture in Britain from 1700” is edited by Joe Harley & Vicky Holmes. Our chapter is on the fireguard - a consistent absence in the archival record - and the campaign to introduce it into working-class homes.

Order the book here: lnkd.in/eMz2kfkd

Cover of Objects of Poverty, edited by Joseph Harley and Vicky Holmes

“From Improvised to Subsidised Safety: Fireguards”, by Jonathan Reinarz and Shane Ewen

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Jun 21

Sounds like fate to me… 👀

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Jun 21

It was great having you - thanks for coming on board!

Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Jun 21

Thanks Elaine! I hope you like it 😊

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Jun 20

Ah that’s great thanks - hope you like it! 😊

Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Jun 20

It’s here! Objects of Poverty: Material Culture in Britain from 1700 www.bloomsbury.com/uk/objects-o...

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Reposted by Joe Harley

David Turner @profdavidturner.bsky.social · Jun 16

Next week I'll be speaking on the long history of disabled people's agency and resistance at the Institute of Historical Research. Everyone welcome! www.history.ac.uk/events/histo...

Histories of Resistance: Disability, Agency and Embodiment in the Long Eighteenth Century

www.history.ac.uk

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Apr 4

Objects of Poverty is all wrapped up now! Just a few months to go. Cant wait to share it with you all.

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Mar 30

Had a great time at #ESSHC25. Thanks to the organisers for doing such a great job. Here’s to 2027!

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Mar 26

Found in the wild! #ESSHC25

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Mar 26

Nice touch #ESSHC25. Day 1, session 1 Foucault has already come up!

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Mar 26

Looking forward to a day of fascinating papers at #ESSHC25. Leiden is beautiful!

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Mar 3

This university crisis has gone too far. Even the likes of Edinburgh who will never struggle for students are broke. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

University of Edinburgh warns of staff cuts as it faces £140m financial deficit

Vice-chancellor says large-scale savings are needed but union says university should instead use its wealth

www.theguardian.com

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

Hey Sally! I’m glad i finally took the plunge. There’s only so much right wing rubbish you can read!

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Reposted by Joe Harley

Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

Hi everyone! I’m Joe Harley, a historian specialising in poverty, welfare, everyday life, and material culture in Britain from the 1700s onwards. Interested to see what BlueSky is like!

Let me introduce my research...

#academicsky #history #bluehistory #skystorians

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

Got the proofs for our upcoming book back today.

#academicsky #historysky

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Reposted by Joe Harley

Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · Feb 27

Good to see this statement from the various professional associations for History about the current crisis in HE, and their support for my department in particular
royalhistsoc.org/more-than-ev...

‘More than ever, history and historians need a collaborative and co-ordinated approach’: a statement | RHS

royalhistsoc.org

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

Thanks, Izzy! Your work sounds really interesting.

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

6️⃣ Follow for research insights, book updates, and (inevitably) posts about history. Looking forward to sharing more!

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

5️⃣Poverty isn’t just a past problem. Understanding how people survived in tough times helps us rethink modern social issues. History gives us insight into resilience, adaptation, and the long-lasting impact of inequality.

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

4️⃣ Other research & projects
🔎 I’ve worked on topics like:

The everyday lives of the poor in the 18th & 19th centuries
How the poor furnished their homes
Pawnshops as a lifeline for working-class people
Dogs as companions for the poor in the past

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

3️⃣ My latest book: Objects of Poverty
📖 My new book (co-edited with Vicky Holmes) is all about the material culture of poverty in Britain from 1700 to today. It explores objects linked to survival, home life, workhouses, and more.

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

2️⃣ Why poverty history?
Poverty isn’t just about numbers or policies—it’s about people and how they made do. What did they eat? How did they keep warm? What objects were precious to them? These questions drive my research.

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

1️⃣ What I research
My work explores how poor and working-class people lived, what they owned (or didn’t), and how they navigated daily life. I focus on material culture—objects that shaped experiences of poverty

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Joe Harley @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social · Feb 27

Hi everyone! I’m Joe Harley, a historian specialising in poverty, welfare, everyday life, and material culture in Britain from the 1700s onwards. Interested to see what BlueSky is like!

Let me introduce my research...

#academicsky #history #bluehistory #skystorians

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