Finding Their Voices

A celebration of the diversity of voices encountered through our Special for Everyone project to address equality, diversity and inclusion in Newcastle University Special Collections & Archives.

Front window display of the Days of Hope bookstore in Newcastle, Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality (Tyneside CHE) Archive, CHE/03/07/02

David Bateman and Shtum: The Stutter Poems

Poet David Bateman had a severe stutter as a child and teenager. He had successful speech therapy in 1980, aged 23. Since then, he still has a slight stutter in ordinary life but performs his poetry widely and has won many poetry slams and competitions. He writes poems, stories, scripts and articles. Shtum is a frank and personal account of what it is to have a stutter, the process of seeking the right help, and of finding your voice.

Shtum: the stutter poems, by David Bateman (2016)

The poems in this collection were mostly written between 2009 and 2015, but some have their origins in work from as early as 1980. David Bateman had never really considered writing about his stutter until he was prompted to think about how it was woven into his work when asked to participate in a radio documentary about stuttering in 2009. The project led him to return to some previously unpublished work made up of incomplete poems, unrealised ideas and prose diary entries. He felt ready to rework these early pieces and develop many new poems. The result is Shtum: the stutter poems.

Image from Shtum: The Stutter Poems (David Bateman, 2016, Iron Press). Iron Press Collection, Iron Press 821.92 BAT.

Image from Shtum: The Stutter Poems (David Bateman, 2016, Iron Press). Iron Press Collection, Iron Press 821.92 BAT.

Professional Women

The classic image of women from the past is one of confinement, lack of agency, and a life of drudgery, domestic boredom or excess. In reality, whilst this might have been true for some, there have always been women who defied the expectations of their gender and exploited their talents to support themselves financially. Many gained a degree of respect in their chosen field and enjoyed popular success. The items displayed here were written and illustrated by women with talents and expertise in areas as diverse as science, art, storytelling, philosophy and pedagogy. Through their writings and illustrations their voices have a lasting impact.

Conversation on Light, Conversations on Chemistry, Volume I, 4th edition, by Jane Marcet (1813) Medical Collection, Med. Coll. 540.4 MAR

Conversations on Chemistry, Volume I, 4th edition, by Jane Marcet (1813) Medical Collection, Med. Coll. 540.4 MAR

Jane Marcet (1769–1858) was an unusual woman for the 19th century. She believed that girls as well as boys should be educated in science, and that acquiring scientific knowledge should not require proficiency in Latin and Greek. When she was unable to find books that satisfied her own curiosity, she wrote and illustrated books herself, aiming them at young women in their teens.

Unlike other textbooks that were presented in a question-and-answer style, Conversations on Chemistry is a conversation centred around experiments, between a dedicated teacher, Mrs Bryan, and two pupils, Caroline and Emily. The reader experiences and witnesses these experiments through the questions, reactions and increased understanding of Caroline and Emily, as well as Jane Marcet’s illustrations. This use of experimentation as a teaching method was innovative and, like the use of conversation, reflected her own learning experience.

Les Comédies de Terence, Volumes I and II, translated by Madame Anne Dacier (1717) 18th Century Collection, 18th C. Coll. 872.01 TER

Anne Dacier (1647–1720) earned her living from translating classical Latin and Greek texts into French. She also earnt considerable renown for her scholarship. Dacier was highly respected as a professional scholar, and she made significant, and sometimes contentious, contributions to the major philosophical debates of the time. As a result, Dacier became a celebrity in the literary salons of Paris. She produced major translations covering the classical genres of history, drama and lyrical poetry.

Writings on the floxglove (LEFT) with illustration (RIGHT) from The poisonous, noxious, and suspected plants of our fields and woods, by Anne Pratt (1857) 19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 615.93 PRA

The poisonous, noxious, and suspected plants of our fields and woods, by Anne Pratt (1857)
19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 615.93 PRA

Anne Pratt (1806–1893) was a botanical illustrator and author who achieved a significant degree of success and, unusually, was able to support herself financially rather than relying on male relatives. She developed a talent for drawing and an interest in botany as a child, when ill-health meant she was often prevented from taking part in more strenuous activities. Pratt wrote and illustrated her own works which demonstrate her vast and varied knowledge of botany and natural history. Publishing around 20 books in her lifetime, she became a household name. Queen Victoria personally requested copies of all Pratt’s works for her children.

Illustration of the Purple Foxglove in The poisonous, noxious, and suspected plants of our fields and woods, by Anne Pratt (1857) 19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 615.93 PRA

Female Friendships

The everyday lives and voices of women are often not well documented. Through personal belongings such as books and correspondence, however, it is possible to gain glimpses into the ordinary day-to-day lives of women. We can see the importance of friendship amongst women, and the bonds and relationships they made through their social networks. In historical periods women found themselves in charge of running the household whilst their husbands were away at work. The items displayed in this case are testimony to the importance of companionship and mutual support between women and reflect how we can uncover their voices through what they left behind.

(top) The poem 'GONE' from handwritten collection of poems, by Mary Coleridge, later to be published as ‘Fancy’s Following’, (bottom left) small pouch that the poems came in, (bottom right) and a small handwritten note written by Lucy Violet Holdsworth to accompany Mary Coleridge’s handwritten collection of poems, Miscellaneous Manuscripts, Misc MSS. 56

Handwritten collection of poems, by Mary Coleridge, later to be published as ‘Fancy’s Following’

This small collection of poems was handwritten by writer, Mary E. Coleridge, and gifted to her friend Lucy Violet Holdsworth (née Hodgkin), who was also a writer. The poems relate to many aspects of life, including this poem about friendship called ‘Gone’. The book was later published as Fancy’s Following (see below).

Fancy’s Following and handwritten poem insert, by Mary Coleridge 19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 821.89 COL

Fancy’s Following (1896) and handwritten poem insert, by Mary Coleridge
19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 821.89 COL

The original small collection of poems that was later published as Fancy’s Following, is displayed below. This copy of Fancy’s Following belonged to Lucy Violet Holdsworth, and a handwritten poem by Mary Coleridge sent to her was tucked inside the book. The sharing and gifting of poems from Coleridge to Holdsworth highlights the supportive female network between these two women as both friends and fellow writers.

Page of recipes from Jane Loraine's Recipe book including a recipe to ‘to prevent miscaring [miscarrying]’, Jane Loraine’s Recipe Book (1684-5) Miscellaneous Manuscripts, Misc. MSS. 5

Jane Loraine’s Recipe Book (1684-5) Miscellaneous Manuscripts, Misc. MSS. 5

Jane Loraine’s recipe book contains a recipe ‘good for conception’, one ‘to prevent miscaring [miscarrying]’ and one ‘to make teeth white’. These recipes highlight the shared experiences of women and their attempts to help one another, not only with culinary recipes but also with fertility and more general health concerns. Different handwriting styles and recipes are attributed to different women. This indicates that this manuscript had multiple female contributors. Recipes were also often passed between class boundaries, highlighting the communal and collaborative nature of domestic knowledge in the early modern period.

Jane Coulson’s Recipe Book (1733)

Unlike today, recipe books were not always exclusively culinary. Recipe books such as this one written by Jane Coulson in the 18th century often contain a combination of medicinal, cosmetic, and culinary recipes. The recipes in this book range from how to make gooseberry wine, how to make Plague water, to how to banish rats. Recipe books were communal and cross-generational in their creation, with women sharing recipes with friends and neighbours as well as passing them down to daughters and granddaughters.

Embroidery art of two birds on a small pouch that contained the poems of Mary Coleridge, Miscellaneous Manuscripts, Misc MSS. 56

Recipes for how to make Elder Wine and Gooseberry Wine, from Jane Coulson's recipe book, Blenkinsopp Coulson Archive, WBC/3

Recipe for how to make Plague water, from Jane Coulson's recipe book, Blenkinsopp Coulson Archive, WBC/3

Working-Class Mining Communities

The lives of people from working-class communities in the past can often be difficult to discern within the official record. However, closer examination and interrogation of sources can help to uncover their history and voices. The items displayed in this case reveal the impact of the mining industry on individual miners and their wider community, and its far-reaching effect on much of the North East of England.

Page 4 of the Report on the state of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and other towns

Page 5 of Report on the state of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and other towns (1845) Hospital Archives, Hosp. Archives, 57

Report on the state of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and other towns (1845)
Hospital Archives, Hosp. Archives, 57

This report includes descriptions of the homes and living conditions of miners and their families in the mid-1800s. The report discusses environmental factors and the health impact caused by living so close to a working pit. Health concerns relating to mining and pit villages came under increasing scrutiny towards the end of the 19th century, with health issues occurring not only for those working down the pit, but also for those living nearby. Living conditions were cramped and often lacked necessary facilities such as proper ventilation and drainage. Page 5 of the report describes the communal collection and use of urine for washing clothes, with the ammonia from the urine serving as a substitute for soap.

Page 14 of Thomas Sopwith’s Diary (1849) Thomas Sopwith Diaries, TS No. 46

Thomas Sopwith’s Diary (1849)
Thomas Sopwith Diaries, TS No.46

Thomas Sopwith (1803–1879) was a mining engineer, land surveyor, and philanthropist. Sopwith’s 168 diaries provide an account of his professional life from the age of 18. This diary, dating to 1849, was written when Sopwith was the chief agent of Allenheads lead mines in Durham. Much of the diary relates to the Allenheads miners strikes. Although written from Sopwith’s middle-class point of view, it acts as a window onto the lives of the working-class lead miners, for example the difficulties faced if they wanted to leave a mine to work elsewhere. Miners paid for their tools in instalments, meaning that whilst the tools remained part-owned by the mine owner, workers were financially tied to Allenheads mine.

Letter from George Stephenson to Robert Watson Senior (7th June 1816) Manuscript Albums, MSA/1/40

Pit explosions were a frequent occurrence in the early 19th century, as standard lamps could ignite gas within the mine. Owing to their position in society, miners were often unable to voice their concerns at the risks they faced. However, others advocated for them and helped bring about change. George Stephenson (1781–1848) was a colliery and railway engineer. He is renowned for being the “Father of Railways” but also contributed significantly to improving the working conditions of miners through his invention and development of the safety lamp. Stephenson’s work consequently revolutionised the safety and working conditions of thousands of miners, saving many lives. This letter relates to Stephenson’s design specifications for his miner’s safety lamp.

Illustrations of the mining industry, by Thomas Hair (19th Century)
Thomas Hair Archive, TH/1/9, TH/1/10, TH/1/31, TH1/37

Thomas Hair (c.1810–1875) was a local artist whose illustrations depict the North East’s coal mining industry in the 19th century. These black and white illustrations are a small selection of images based on Hair’s original watercolours. The everyday workings of the industry are captured, with many of the illustrations focussing on collieries, machinery, and river trade. These illustrations show Wideopen colliery, Gosforth colliery, boats being loaded onto Wallsend drops and a view of a crane loading rollies within a mine. Hair’s work provides visual evidence of the coal mining landscape and reveals the industry’s impact on the built environment. These images can tell us much about the lived experience of miners in this period, giving a ‘voice’ to their lives and the hard-working conditions they faced. See images below:

Etched print of a landscape view of a crane being used to load rollies within a mine, Thomas Hair Prints, TH/1/31

The Pride Movement

The UK’s first Pride march took place in London on 1st July 1972 with around 2,000 participants. Over 50 years later, London Pride now sees over 1.5 million people marching together to celebrate LGBTQ+ rights. Pride marches have since become annual events throughout the country. The Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) was established in Lancashire in 1964. The archive of its Tyneside branch contains documents which illuminate the story of the Pride movement since that first march over five decades ago.

Photograph of London Pride, Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality (Tyneside CHE) Archive, CHE/03/02/01

Photograph of London Pride (1987)

Within the Tyneside CHE Archive, it is possible to look back at Pride marches from across the past five decades. The first Pride march in 1972 took place 5 years after the Sexual Offences Act 1967 was passed, which decriminalised sex between gay men over the age of 21 in England and Wales. However, at the time of the first Pride march, the LGBTQ+ community still faced much discrimination. For example, gay marriage was not legal, and gay and bisexual people were banned from joining the armed forces.

Pride 1987 Festival Programme. Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality (Tyneside CHE) Archive, CHE/03/07/01

Pride 1987 Festival Programme Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality

Tyneside CHE organised annual trips to the London Pride marches. A coach was arranged, and ticket prices were relative to an individual’s income so that more people could afford to join the trip. Pricing tickets in this way promoted inclusivity and ensured LGBTQ+ people from across the socio-economic spectrum could participate in Pride.

Campaign for Homosexual Equality Tyneside Newsletter, issue 201 (June 1987) Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality (Tyneside CHE) Archive, CHE/02/01

Campaign for Homosexual Equality Tyneside Newsletter, issue 201 (June 1987)

Throughout the decades, Pride celebrations have taken place across an increasing number of cities in the UK, with Pride no longer being limited to London. This 1987 Tyneside CHE newsletter indicates early examples of Pride events planned in Tyneside for those unable to travel to London and wishing to celebrate closer to home.

Magazine from the first EuroPride, published by the Lesbian and Gay Pride Organisation (1992) Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality (Tyneside CHE) Archive, CHE/03/07/01

Magazine from the first EuroPride, published by the Lesbian and Gay Pride Organisation (1992)

The Tyneside CHE Archive contains paraphernalia from Pride festivals across Europe, including from the very first EuroPride. EuroPride is a pan-European festival hosted by a different European city each year. The first EuroPride took place in London in 1992 and was attended by over 100,000 people. 2022 marked 50 years since the first London Pride, as well as the 30th anniversary of EuroPride.

Stickers from Pride (1979) Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality (Tyneside CHE) Archive, CHE/03/07/02

The Pride movement was influenced by the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York. The riots were a response to a violent police raid at the Stonewall Inn gay bar and were a catalyst for LGBTQ+ equality movements worldwide. The significance of Stonewall is reflected in the Tyneside CHE Archive, as the marches of 1979 and 1989 commemorated the 10th and 20th anniversaries of this watershed moment in the LGBTQ+ liberation movement.

Front window display of the Days of Hope bookstore in Newcastle, Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality (Tyneside CHE) Archive, CHE/03/07/02

Kamau Braithwaite and the Caribbean Voice

Barbadian poet, literary critic and historian Kamau Brathwaite (1930–2020) is a significant figure in the Caribbean literary canon, and one of its major voices. His work is noted for its rich and complex examination of the African and indigenous roots of Caribbean culture. He sought to create a distinctively Caribbean form of poetry which would celebrate Caribbean voices and language.

Liviticus by Kamau Brathwaite (House of Nehesi Publishers, 2017). Cover art: original portrait on wood by Fay Helfer. © Private collection. Anne Walmsley Collection, Walmsley 811.54 BRA. by Kamau Brathwaite (2017) Anne Walmsley Collection, Walmsley 811.54 BRA

Portrait on wood of Kamau Brathwaite, by Fay Helfer, featured as cover artwork for Liviticus by Kamau Brathwaite (2017) Anne Walmsley Collection, Walmsley 811.54 BRA

Kamau Brathwaite was born in Bridgetown, Barbados. Originally named Edward Lawson Brathwaite, he received the name Kamau from the grandmother of the Kenyan writer and academic Ng˜ug˜u wa Thiong’o, when on a fellowship at the University of Nairobi in 1971.

He attended Harrison College in Barbados and graduated with honours from Pembroke College, Cambridge, England, in 1953. After working as an education officer in Ghana and teaching on the Jamaica campus of the University of the West Indies, he returned to England and received his PhD from the University of Sussex in 1968

Photograph of Kamau Brathwaite and his wife Doris at their home in Irish Town, Jamaica (1986) Anne Walmsley Archive, AW/3/2/3

Photograph of Kamau Brathwaite and his wife Doris at their home in Irish Town, Jamaica (1986)
Anne Walmsley Archive, AW/3/2/3

Kamau Brathwaite co-founded the Caribbean Artists Movement, a collaboration of artists which celebrated a new sense of shared Caribbean ‘nationhood’, in 1966. His many honours included the Neustadt International Prize for Literature and the Charity Randall Prize for Performance and Written Poetry. Later in life, he was Professor of Comparative Literature at New York University and divided his time between Barbados and New York

The African Presence in Caribbean Literature, by Kamau Brathwaite (1974) Anne Walmsley Collection, Walmsley 811.54 BRA

Caribbean identity and culture are central to Kamau Brathwaite’s academic writing as well as his poetry. In this landmark essay, he reflected on the shared origins of Caribbean culture with those of West Africa. The essay argues that it is impossible to understand contemporary Caribbean culture without looking to those African traditions which had been brought across through the transatlantic slave trade.

Newspaper cutting featuring an editorial on Kamau Brathwaite’s writings, from Sunday Advocate News (22nd December 1974)
Anne Walmsley Archive, AW/3/2/3

In this article from the Barbadian newspaper Sunday Advocate News, editor Ulric Rice reflected on Kamau Brathwaite’s writings on Caribbean culture, demonstrating the impact of his work beyond the academic sphere.

Cover art of Vinyl LP recordings of Islands by Kamau Brathwaite (1969) Anne Walmsley Archive, AW/3/2/1

Vinyl LP, recording of Islands by Kamau Brathwaite (1969)
Anne Walmsley Archive, AW/3/2/1

One of Kamau Brathwaite’s most celebrated poetry works is The Arrivants: A New World Trilogy (1973). It is made up of three earlier collections, Rights of Passage (1967), Masks (1968), and Islands (1969). The poems follow the movement and displacement of African people by the transatlantic slave trade.

Brathwaite felt that the traditional meter of the English iambic pentameter (where every line is composed of ten syllables and has five stresses) could not express the breadth and depth of that experience. He instead used African and Caribbean folk and jazz rhythms in his poetry. He combined that with the use of Caribbean dialect and patterns of speech to create a distinctively Caribbean form of poetry, which was written to be performed out loud and heard.

In Islands, Brathwaite interwove the past and present of his Caribbean homeland into a strong and distinctive poetic statement.

'Homecoming’ from *Islands (*Kamau Brathwaite, 1969). Anne Walmsley Collection, Walmsley 811.54 BRA

'Homecoming’ from *Islands (*Kamau Brathwaite, 1969). Anne Walmsley Collection, Walmsley 811.54 BRA