Category Archives: Medical History

The Red Cross meets the Suffragettes via an Indian Princess

Posted on May 12, 2020 by

To help celebrate NursesDay2020, we republish this fascinating blog by Dr. Sue Hawkins. The Red Cross’s Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) from World War One have in the past been saddled with a popular public image something akin to the Women’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Archives, British history, Gender History, History of Medicine, History of Nursing, Local History, London history, Medical History, Public History, Research, Surrey, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

African Explorer: The brief but dramatic career of Joseph Moloney (1858-1896)

Posted on September 14, 2017 by

Being a historian is a bit like being a detective. A simple inscription on an old broken memorial led me to piece together a fascinating story about human endurance. The main cemetery in Kingston-on-Thames in Surrey contains the grave of … Continue reading →

Posted in African History, British history, European History, History of Medicine, Irish History, Local History, Medical History, Public History, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Hitler’s big secret? A disabled younger brother

Posted on June 8, 2016 by

Given all the numerous biographies, articles and documentaries about the life and career of Adolf Hitler, one could easily be forgiven for thinking that there is very little left for historians to discover about his early years. Yet some new and arguably … Continue reading →

Posted in Disability History, Fascism, German History, Media history, Medical History, Public History, Teaching | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Samuel Pepys: Plague, Fire and Revolution: exhibition review

Posted on March 9, 2016 by

‘Step into the curious and chaotic world of history’s greatest witness‘. Samuel Pepys witnessed one of the most turbulent periods in English history. Beginning with the execution of Charles I in 1649 and ending with the Glorious Revolution of 1688, … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Events, Media history, Medical History, Museums, Public History, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Red Cross meets the Suffragettes via an Indian Princess

Posted on February 10, 2016 by

The Red Cross’s Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) from World War One have in the past been saddled with a popular public image something akin to the Women’s Institute meets Florence Nightingale: all jam and Jerusalem and ladies mopping feverish brows. … Continue reading →

Posted in Archives, British history, History of Nursing, Local History, Medical History, Public History, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Man of many talents: Sir Frederick Banting and his legacy

Posted on November 9, 2015 by

Sir Frederick Banting (1891-1941) is undoubtedly a national hero in Canada, but his achievements also reached a global scale. Banting’s co-discovery of insulin – the treatment for diabetes – continues to save countless lives from what once was a deadly … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian History, History of Medicine, Medical History, Public History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment