iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Delighted to be part of this week’s Webinar Week at @pharostutors.bsky.social! Tomorrow I’ll be talking Negative Space and how it can help you, including some additions on open-ended #NegativeSpace. Booking via the link in the post below… #FamilyHistory #Genealogy

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

"There's more to STEM than being in a lab..." Fab to see this promo short for #BSW26 Yes, there's awesome lab work going on in #science, but SO much more besides. Taking science of all kinds out into the world & engaging with its relevance to people's lives is a tremendous experience too.

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Great piece from @chrismpaton.bsky.social on Ancestry taking the NRS to court because they don't wish to have their records on the Ancestry platform. I'm backing the NRS all the way on this #genealogy #archives #FamilyHistory #history scottishgenes.blogspot.com/2025/09/ance...

scottishgenes.blogspot.com

Ancestry and the NRS - when the corporate genealogy world turns ugly

From Scotland, a daily news blog about genealogy, family history and personal heritage.

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Almost home after our #DNA session in Liverpool yesterday. Thanks to the wonderful audience for their many & varied discussion points - both during and after! HUGE thanks to the organisers & volunteers for #bsf25 who've made the magic happen this past week. I'd love to join you again next year!

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

7am start today to head up country for my #DNA session at #bsf25. Hopefully into Liverpool for midday! May I also remind you that Awesome #Science demands the very best shoes. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise 😉

woman's foot wearing a chunky, high-heeled shoe in a bright turquoise colour

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Well, folks - my first day back on social media in a while. Combo of a wildly busy year & an emergency medical incident in May (of the ambulance to hospital kind). Recovery is important. Consider this thread your virtual 'water cooler': tell me your news. Surprise me. What did I miss?

Illustration of people standing around a water cooler. Image c/o Getty Images, licensed via Unsplash+

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Exciting news to share here - I've been appointed as the inaugural Scientist in Residence at The Mixed Museum! My work will centre around the use of #DNA testing to unite #science and #history, in particular through parent & grandparent tracing #scicomm mixedmuseum.org.uk/news/the-mix...

mixedmuseum.org.uk

The Mixed Museum Launches Scientist in Residence Programme

F Scientist in Residence programme with Dr Sophie Kay, building on DNA and identity work with Britain’s ‘brown babies’.

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

As always, it's been a busy time here on the research front, but today's article is about new horizons - along with the announcement that I've stepped down from the Certificate programmes in #DNA and #GeneticGenealogy at IHGS. #FamilyHistory More below: parchmentrustler.com/genetics/cha...

parchmentrustler.com

Change is the Only Constant

In a return to blogging for many months, Dr. Sophie Kay explores new directions in genetic and traditional genealogy at The Parchment Rustler and beyond, and provides an update on her DNA education…

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

It's back! Tonight it's Week 1 of my Research Skills Studio for Family Tree Plus: 4 sessions of #FamilyHistory training in #research methods. I'm aiming for fun & informative: each 60 minute webinar is followed by a 'Zoom afterparty' for chat & questions... www.family-tree.co.uk/store/geneal...

Promotional slide showing a magnifying glass over the top of historical photos and documents. The Research Skills Studio from Family Tree Plus, running 29 April to 20 May 2025

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Enjoyed this long read. Physical objects really can tether us to parts of our past, people no longer with us, & all sorts of layered memories. One for the material culture and #FamilyHistory researchers methinks... www.theguardian.com/food/2025/ap...

theguardian.com

Death, divorce and the magic of kitchen objects: how to find hope in loss

The long read: As they pass through different hands, cooking utensils can magically connect us to loved ones who are no longer with us

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

About time for a little heads-up from me. I've been navigating some medical bumps in the road here, so social media has taken a back seat...and the #OccupationOfTheDay is taking a break too. Looking forward to some awesome #science & #history conversations with you once I'm back in action!

Composite of historical images from various eras and places, each depicting a separate occupation. We have chorus girls, nuremaids, shoemakers, glass blowers, street merchants, washerwomen and pedlars

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Genetic genealogy: science & the arts combined! I'm back on Zoom for more live #DNA teaching next week - and looking forward to returning to the Society of Genealogists @sogorg.bsky.social to share this session with you. Bookings link in the post below: I'll see you there! #FamilyHistory #Genealogy

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…COKE INSPECTOR: At a gas works, a worker who "investigates complaints from customers as to quantity and quality of coke supplied." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Selling Coke at the Gas Works (Tidmarsh, 1893-4) c/o M'cr Art Gallery

Pen and ink sketch of people labouring at a works, moving coke around in barrows and sacks. In the middle is a man in a bowler hat, possibly a salesman of some kind, in conversation with a waistcoated working man. A young woman in a shawl looks on.

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…SERVANT: "A person engaged to attend or wait upon, or to obey the directions & meet the needs of, a particular person, or to perform specified tasks in a particular household or establishment..." OED (2025), buff.ly/4RC18mz 📷 Hogarth's Servants (c.1750-5) c/o Tate

Oil painting of three women, two men and a boy in 18th century attire. The women wear bonnets and the men have longish hari reaching to their shoulders

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…CALICO PLAITER: A textile worker who "folds calico backwards and forwards, in folds of a given length, for convenience in passing it through calico printing machines." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Calico printing process (1835) c/o Wellcome Coll'n

Historical engraving of a room in a calico factory. The space is dominated by two huge machines which drawf the workers nearby. Cloth is running through the visible machines and a pattern can be seen along their length. In the background are worktables where other workers are attending to smaller scale tasks, possibly involving printing blocks

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Reposted by Dr. Sophie Kay

Greg Jenner (Historian) @gregjenner.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

One of the things I wanted to achieve with BBC You're Dead To Me was to change the public perception of 'typical historians', to show that expertise isn't just a man in a tweed jacket and bow tie

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…FLAP KEEPER: "greases and clears obstructions daily from iron flaps, fitted to sewer outlets to prevent entry of tidal wave." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Sewer worker (1958) c/o Seattle Municpal Archives, CC-BY 4.0

Heritage photo in black and white. A young man in his twenties. He wears heavy overalls and an overcoat, both of which are discoloured and splashed with moisture from the sewer environment. He wears a hat on his head and one of his bare hands rests on the stopcock of a pipe in front of him. In his other hand he holds a hammer,

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Big news in the #DNA testing world this morning: genetic testing company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy protection 'to facilitate a sale process' and CEO Ann Wojcicki has resigned... #GeneticGenealogy #FamilyHistory #Genealogy www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

theguardian.com

DNA testing firm 23andMe files for bankruptcy as CEO steps down

Co-founder Anne Wojcicki to pursue independent bid as California attorney general tells users to delete data

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…CHAPE FILER: A skilled metalworker who made mountings for scabbards and/or small fixings such as buckles. 📷 Sabre with highly ornamented scabbard, c/o Met Museum

modern photograph of a sabre and a scabbard. The hit of the sword and the entire body of the scabbard are covered with ornamental metalwork and an array of precious stones

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…THREE BRANCH HAND: Term given to a workman who offers multiple skills, typically combining the work of a plumber, glazier and house painter. 📷 Jobs of a three branch hand, c.early 19thC

Colour sketch of a man at work in three different tasks in turn: house painter, where he is painting a door; glazier, in which he is fitting some glass; and plumber, where he is tending to some pipes

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…HAIR BLEACHER: "bleaches hair for wig making by immersion in solution of hydrogen peroxide, etc., to produce artificial white hair, or to reduce intensity of existing colour." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Trade card (c.1765) c/o British Museum, CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0

18th century printed trade card, advertising the Hand and Lock Of Hair, Fleet Bridge, London. The wording promotes 'fresh live hair in the sweat or ready curl'd'

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...ODD WORKER or ODD FILER (cycles): A worker who "finishes parts of cycles, with file, etc., at a bench." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Inventor in bicycle workshop, Netherlands (1945) c/o Wiki Commons

Black and white heritage photo of a man in a suit standing in a bicycle workshop. He holds a chisel in his hand and is using it to file down the components of a bike gear system, which is held in a clamp in front of him

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…FLOWER MODELLER & PLANT MOUNTER: Skilled worker (usu. temp) employed by the British Museum's Natural History dept. to mount & arrange displays of flora for models of animals shown in natural habitats. Dict of Employments Open to Women (1898) 📷 'Edward's Dodo'(c.1620)

Colour oil painting of a dodo, with a parrot in the background. Around the animals is a range of plant types

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…PUNCHCLOD: "A low peasant, a ploughman, one engaged in agriculture." Dialect term, chiefly Yorks. English Dialect Dictionary (1898-1905) 📷 The Ploughing Lesson (c.1890) c/o North Lincs Museums, CC-BY-NC 4.0

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…GAITNER: A skilled agricultural worker whose job it was to reshape bound sheaves into a configuration which allowed for ease of carrying and good drainage and drying. 📷 'Summer' (c.1644), Teniers the Younger, c/o National Gallery

Oil painting of an agricultural scene. Several workers are in a field; in the background workers with scythes are cutting the crop. In the foreground, dominating the scene, is a man in a white shirt and black pantaloons, holding a sheaf of corn which is as tall as he is

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...ROTARY KILN BURNER: "in charge of rotary kiln [for cement manufacture]; regulates supply of slurry (mixture of limestone/chalk & clay with water) to kiln...regulates heat from furnace." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Rotary kiln burners (1926) c/o Wiki Commons

Black and white heritage photo of an enormous room in a cement works. Vast cylindrical drums forming cement kilns are ranged along one side of the room; controls wheels for the machinery, ladders and pipes are visible along the length of the space. To the right of this, two workers - quite blurred in the exposure - are visible. Caption reads: Photo no. 69. Rotary kilns in new mill of Pacific Portland Cement Company, Solano County

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...LORRY MAN or LURRY MAN (or woman!): "drives a heavy four-wheeled vehicle known as a lorry, or, in the North of England, a lurry." Dict of Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 17 yr old lorry driver (1958) c/o Nat'l Library of Wales, CC-BY-SA 4.0

Black and white photo from the 1950s of a teenage girl sitting behind the wheel of a lorry. The window is open and she is slightly leaning through the space, wearing a leather jacket. The door is painted with the company name - O G Jones, Bryn Owen, Haulage Contractor, Anglesey

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...SYRINGE COTTONER: "binds cotton, by hand, round plungers of syringes; usually also boxes and wraps up syringes" Dict of Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Enema syringes c/o Wellcome Coll'n, CC-BY 4.0

Image of four enema syringes made variously of brass, ivory,ebony and pewter. The difference in materials is highly apparent from the variation in colour

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...SCHOLASTIC AGENT: "advises parents as to choice of school, arranges placing of children at school chosen; also acts as employment agent for schools and teachers" Dict of Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 'Hygiene of the Schoolroom' (1911) c/o Wiki Commons

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...INSIDE HAND: "engaged in workshop where organ builders specialise in different branches; makes & fits up action controls, sound board and similar [on] inside of pipe organ" Dict of Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Church organ, Coggeshall, Essex (c.1895) c/o Met Museum

Historical watercolour schematic with a detailed view of a church organ, showing the organ pipes and chancel area within the church

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...FAULT FINDER: "in [electrical] test room makes various tests (for insulation, resistance, etc.) on cable to ensure it reaches standard specification, using galvanometer." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Galvanometer room, Edison lab (1915) c/o Wiki Commons

Heritage photo of a large electrical testing and experiment room, in which four men in suits sit or stand and look on at a range of devices they are working on. A profusion of circular metal objects of varying sizes are ranged over the top of one of the surfaces

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...DAILY GIRL or MORNING GIRL: A female general servant who did not live in the household of the family for whom she worked. Dict of Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 The Servant Girl, Gertler (1923) c/o Tate, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Oil painting of a servant girl in black gown and a white apron. She sits down and has a slightly resigned expression on her face

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...BIBLE DEPOT KEEPER: "a retail shopkeeper who sells bibles, texts, tracts, and religious publications; sometimes sells from private house instead of from shop." Dict of Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Bible (1683) c/o Wellcome Collection

Printed opening page of a Bible from 1683, describing 'the holy Bible newly translated out of the original tongues…printed by John Heyes'. Engraved illustration around the text shows ornate columns

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…FLORAL DECORATOR: "decorates ball rooms, tables, churches, etc., with flowers, ferns, palms, etc., in various designs or colour schemes for special functions." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 The Bouquet, Bland c/o M'cr Art Gallery, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

A still life painting depicting a full bouquet of flowers placed within a decorative floral vase. The contents include roses, daisies and carnations.

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…GRAFTER: "a white mender [mender of bleached lace] who works a patch of net into a damaged place, to cover defect." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Women Making Lace c/o Wellcome Collection

Four women sit or stand in a domestic room, designated as a lacemaking room judging by the lace pillows in front of them and further cushions ranged along a shelf on the wall

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

"Don't be fooled by this frock that I got, I'm still, I'm still Dolly of the Chop..."

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…PUBLIC LETTER WRITER: A literate worker who wrote letters on behalf of illiterate clients. Tasks might vary from penning love letters for sweethearts, to composing requests for employment or demands for money. 📷 The Public Letter Writer (1880) c/o York Museums Trust

oil painting, 19th century. Interior of a room with a map on the wall and a desk in the middle. Two standing women are discussing their business with a seated man, who is listening with a passive expression. One of the women seems very animated and is leaning forwards, her elbow propped on the table top.

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…PRIVATE POLICEMAN: "a watchman usu. wearing uniform; is frequently an ex-police constable on pension; sometimes specifically designated, e.g. private constable, river policeman (water supply)." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Night watchman (1943) c/o Library of Congress

Black and white heritage photo of a man standing in a public space at night, holding a circular lamp. He wears a hat and leans back against a wooden pallet, looking off to the side of the shot as he surveys the area around him

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…TACKLE MAKER: "erects ship masts & derricks; takes over duties of ship's crew in port when seamen are paid off; moves ship about in dock; splices hemp, wire running & standing rigging..." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 'Double Corner' (1889) c/o Manx National Heritage

Colour oil painting of a ship at a small quayside. The ship's mast and sails are visible and there are two men standing on the deck. People, a horse and cart and buildings are visible in the background

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Reading time here is rare and precious...and following my first book recomm from Bluesky did not disappoint. Thank you @thesusanito.bsky.social for an absolutely stunning read in 'I Would Meet You Anywhere' - far more wonderful things to say about this than I can fit in a single post! #BookSky

Front cover of I Would Meet You Anywhere, a memoir by Susan Kiyo Ito

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is...DRAGHER or WIRE-DRAWER: A metal-shaper involved in drawing out soft metals into extruded wires, which could then be used in combs, wool carding pads or jewellery. 📷 Wire drawers (c.1425 and c.1807) c/o Wiki Commons

Watercolour painting from the medieval era of a wire drawer. He sits on a stool in front of a series of dies with holes of various shapes and sizes. Lengths of coiled wire are visible in the rest of the room.

Engraving of a Georgian era wire drawer at work. He is in a simple suit and sits at a table in front of his wire drawing tools

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…DOLAR or DOLER: "folds cotton yarns in hanks of skeins, for dyeing or for transport." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Cotton factory, Israel (c.1948-1951) c/o Wikimedia Commons

Heritage photo from the mid 20th century. A man in a short sleeved shirt and trousers stands in front of a large expanse of cotton yarn which is hanging down from the ceiling. He is guiding the yarn from an overhead machine into a pile ready for baling and transport

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…FANCIER: "buys and sells birds, dogs, cats, or other animals, usually from a shop; sometimes also breeds them." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Poultry Fancier magazine (1912) c/o Wiki Commons

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…STEVEDORE: "A workman employed either as overseer or labourer in loading and unloading the cargoes of merchant vessels." OED, June 2024, buff.ly/411xceU 📷 Loading the Ship by Nevinson (1917) c/o Aberdeen Art Gallery

Artistic rendering of men at a quayside, hard at work in loading beams into a ship. The drawing is in a modern style and includes lots of sharp angles in the shapes, building an impression of men hard at work lifting heavy loads

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…MOULDER (metalwork): "general term covering any metal moulder; may be designated by metal or article to be cast, e.g. aluminium moulder, chair moulder; or moulding medium, e.g. green sand moulder." Dict Occp'l Terms (1927) 📷 Moulder (1953) c/o Archives NZ, CC-BY-4.0

Heritage photo from the mid 20th century. A working man in overalls stands in front of a large hand wheel, with which he controls the angle of an enormous metal bucket in front of him at head height. The bucket is tipping up and some bright molten metal is pouring out. The man smokes a cigarette whilst he works.

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Dr. Sophie Kay @scientistsoph.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Today's #OccupationOfTheDay is…CROPMAN: "collects scrap iron and steel about hot saws and shears; loads it into trucks or barrows, and sometimes wheels it away to scrap heap." Dict Occup'l Terms (1927) 📷 Cropmen loading a freight wagon (1937) c/o Library of Congress

Black and white heritage photo of a railway line. Three working men stand atop a large pile of scrap iron inside a railway freight car, and are visibly throwing items onto the pile as they load the car with material

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Reposted by Dr. Sophie Kay

Ancestral Enquiries - Tony Smith 🌳 @ancestralenq.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Roger Monks looking for a museum to take on his mining collection which he collected over 40 years. He started working at Allerton Bywater near Castleford Surprised that the @ncmme.bsky.social have not jumped at this 👇 'My 40-year mining collection should be in museum' www.bbc.com/news/article...

bbc.com

Retired miner's 40-year collection captures life in a coal mine

Retired coal miner Roger Monks wants other people to enjoy his collection as much as he does.

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