Martin Hewitt
@vicmanch.bsky.social
2.7K followers 760 following 260 posts
Victorianist. President of the British Association for Victorian Studies. Just published Darwinism's Generations. The Reception of Darwinian Evolution in Britain, 1859-1909. https://tinyurl.com/52xkw9rj Check me out at profmartinhewitt.com
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vicmanch.bsky.social
So I was expecting copies of Darwinism's Generations to arrive this week, but they came early. So we had to have a celebration! It's been a long time in the making, but we can now say for sure that it's properly published. If you have an insitutional subscription, it's available on Oxford Academic.
Stack of books: Darwinism's Generations, with bottle of fizz and two glasses
vicmanch.bsky.social
Yes, it's a bit of a puzzle, although as some sort of a progressive Anglican I don't think there was necessarily much distance between Lewis and Parker.
vicmanch.bsky.social
Great to see the whole archive of the BJRL available open access! A real boon to historians. (But in promoting this special issue, I might have omitted the 'local historians' designation for Alan Kidd and Terry Wyke, which rather undersells their place as social historians of Manchester and beyond.)
ctimmermann.bsky.social
Now open access: BJRL back archive, including special issue on ‘Medical History in Manchester: Health and Healing in an Industrial City, 1750–2005’. Check it out.
manchesterup.bsky.social
This week, Professor Carsten Timmermann writes on Bulletin 87:1, ‘Medical History in Manchester: Health and Healing in an Industrial City, 1750–2005’.

Read the blog post: bit.ly/3KYQL39
Reposted by Martin Hewitt
vicmanch.bsky.social
'fresh and fascinating ...astonishingly detailed ...I have not read any other such study that ranges so widely in Britain, is so authoritative, and so clearly expressed ...an exciting new way to think about the century', Janet Browne on Darwinism's Generations. I'd say I'm pretty chuffed with that!
Age does count - Metascience
Metascience -
link.springer.com
vicmanch.bsky.social
'fresh and fascinating ...astonishingly detailed ...I have not read any other such study that ranges so widely in Britain, is so authoritative, and so clearly expressed ...an exciting new way to think about the century', Janet Browne on Darwinism's Generations. I'd say I'm pretty chuffed with that!
Age does count - Metascience
Metascience -
link.springer.com
vicmanch.bsky.social
Quick response from the DNB; they are convinced. The previously unknown author of *Woman's Mission* (1839), key text of Victorian 'separate spheres' ideologies, was Sarah Lewis (1807-1878), who conducted a high class boarding school for girls in Putney, apparently from the later 1830s to the 1860s.
vicmanch.bsky.social
Yes. It's an uncorroborated identification, but if it holds up, no doubt the entry will be updated at some point.
Reposted by Martin Hewitt
bendavies.bsky.social
Pleased to announce @univeng.bsky.social small funding scheme now open to members. UE will fund up to 20 projects up to £250 each to support research/pedagogy/continuing professional development activities in Lit, Lang, Creative Writing. See details here: universityenglish.ac.uk/englishcreat...
University English Funding
universityenglish.ac.uk
vicmanch.bsky.social
I was there again in the summer. It's a real throwback, and with some fantastic archival collections as well.
bishopsgateinst.bsky.social
Somewhere free, quiet, and right next to Liverpool Street? 👀

Whether you’ve got a deadline looming, are polishing off a chapter on your lunch break, or hunting for a calm spot to do some work, our new Reading Room is open to you.

👋 https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/whats-on/activity/reading-room/
Reading Room | Bishopsgate Institute
The Reading Room is separate to the Researchers’ Service, so if you’d like to look at our special collections and archives, you’ll need this instead https:
www.bishopsgate.org.uk
vicmanch.bsky.social
I might have solved the mystery of Sarah Lewis, author of *Woman's Mission*, key text of Victorian separate spheres ideology. The ODNB states nothing is known about her, but I have evidence to suggest she was Sarah Lewis (1807-1878), headmistress of a girls' boarding school in Putney in the 1840/50s
A picture of the title page of Sarah Lewis's "Woman's Mission"
Reposted by Martin Hewitt
Reposted by Martin Hewitt
Reposted by Martin Hewitt
victstudies.bsky.social
Good morning! Did you know that our latest issue 67.2 can now be accessed through Project MUSE online? Feel free to check it out and let us know which article you enjoyed the most in the comments below. ⬇️

muse.jhu.edu/issue/55623
vicmanch.bsky.social
Well I guess that's really it then. BAVS AGM over, and the president's baton has been handed on to me. I'm honoured and humbled and really looking forward to building on the past 25 years of development. Watch this space for @bavs-uk.bsky.social related news and content.
Reposted by Martin Hewitt
patrickleary.bsky.social
The journal Victorians (formerly The Victorian Newsletter) is out, with new format and new editor Kristen Pond, featuring a forum on amateurism and professionalization in science with intro by @aktange.bsky.social. Some terrific work here, and all is Open Access. muse.jhu.edu/issue/55573 #C19th
Project MUSE - Victorians: A Journal of Culture and Literature-Number 147, Summer 2025
muse.jhu.edu
vicmanch.bsky.social
Calling all BAVS members. Hoping to see many of you at the BAVS AGM this morning. You'll have had details about arrangements via email. 10.30 am UK time.
vicmanch.bsky.social
Plenty of interesting stuff in here. Not to mention a review of *Darwinism's Generations* ('ambitious and commanding' - I'll take that!). It's good to see these beginning to appear.
ruthannereads.bsky.social
Great to see the @bavs-uk.bsky.social newsletter out in the world 📰

Featuring a review of Jessica Campbell’s new book on “The Brontës and the Fairy Tale” from @ohiostatepress.bsky.social 🧚‍♀️📕

Thank you, as always, to all our amazing reviewers for bringing this issue together ✨
ireadoldbooks.bsky.social
Something to add to your summer reading list. The latest issue of the BAVS Newsletter is out now! News, reviews, and all things Victorianist, @ruthannereads.bsky.social and I hope you enjoy. @bavs-uk.bsky.social

bavs.ac.uk/newsletters/
Reposted by Martin Hewitt
matthewleggatt.bsky.social
Please help me share the CFP for this Literature Compass Special Issue dedicated to the work of Simon J James and covering key Victorian and Edwardian writers like H. G. Wells, George Gissing, Dickens, Wilde, George Du Maurier, and Conan-Doyle on behalf of Hadas Elber-Aviram.
Reposted by Martin Hewitt
jimchesh.bsky.social
Conference Announcement: Tennyson 2026: Ecology, Landscape, Environment - cfp and details attached. Victorians scholars please circulate @lindakhughes.bsky.social @victorianreview.bsky.social @victorianpoetry.bsky.social @thevicsoc.bsky.social @victorianmasc.bsky.social @jofvictculture.bsky.social
vicmanch.bsky.social
A quick shout out to the Digital Victorian Periodical Poetry site dvpp.uvic.ca which I'm once again using today on the track of a Chambers's Journal poem. It's a great resource if you don't already know of it.
Digital Victorian Periodical Poetry
dvpp.uvic.ca
vicmanch.bsky.social
Nice to come home from a short break and find my copy of the Nineteenth-Century Present. I had fun teasing out the generational preoccupations of the Edwardian 'greats'. I encourage you to check out the whole collection - there's a lot of interesting work here!
vicmanch.bsky.social
Much sympathy with J.A. Symonds' response to Macmillan's lack of enthusiasm for his proposed 5 volume history of Italian culture: 'the more I compress the longer and more tiresome the work will be'. Only 2 years before, he had delighted in his slim book on Clough 'in this day of ponderous volumes'.