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Tilly Guthrie

@tillyguthrie.bsky.social
198 followers 327 following 23 posts

C19 tactile alphabet enthusiast, book/disability history, and otherwise doing folky things. PhD candidate in History @sheffielduni and WRoCAH

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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Braille people! The Global Braille Survey is well underway. If you have anything to do with #Braille either for personal use or professionally, please help the International Council (ICEVI) gather some solid statistics for future Braille researchers (and historians...) tiny.cc/braillesurvey
tiny.cc
Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.
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Coreen McGuire @coreenanne.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Great article about how, sometimes, we don't need to read against the grain - we just need to read. www.historyworkshop.org.uk/disability-h...
historyworkshop.org.uk
A Tale of Two Signals
Lucy Jameson explores technological collaboration and disabled expertise in the General Post Office in early twentieth-century Britain.
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BlindNewWorld @blindnewworld.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
A new digital archive aims to tell the history of Britain's #DisabilityRights movement through oral histories, films, photographs and personal collections gathered from the people who lived it. #BlindNewWorld (Story via @museumsassociation.org ⬇️) www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...
museumsassociation.org
Q&A | ‘The disability rights movement is presumed to have been small and niche, but it was huge’  - Museums Association
David Hevey tells us about a new digital archive dedicated to the civil rights struggle that Britain forgot
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Audiobooks. A whole day dedicated to discussing their history, creativity, retail, and accessibility. If this sounds like your bag, come along to 'Literature Out Loud' @universityofleeds.bsky.social and online, 7th September. #BookHistory #Audiobooks sites.google.com/sheffield.ac...
sites.google.com
Literature Out Loud
REGISTER NOW! https://forms.gle/ZGWeR5LtKHRPy7v1A
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
The wonderful Braillists Foundation let me chat to them about my research for a whole 45mins, and you can eavesdrop on it here #DisHist #Braille #BookHistory pca.st/episode/8f51...
pca.st
A History of Tactile Literacy: In Conversation with Tilly Guthrie
Victorian Britain was a heavily visual era. Sighted people gained access to the Penny Post, and the ability to communicate with friends across the nation with relative ease in an alphabet which was…
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Daniel Grey @djrgrey.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Excited to share the conference webpage (plus provisional programme) for "Belonging to the Victorians? — Community, Collections, and Care" on 4 September 2026 at Wilton's Music Hall: belongingtothevictorians.uk Its free to attend and there are some spaces available to delegates not presenting!
belongingtothevictorians.uk
Belonging to the Victorians? — Community, Collections, and Care
Belonging to the Victorians? Community, Collections, and Care. A one-day conference at Wilton's Music Hall, London, Friday 4 September 2026. Organised by Daniel Grey and William Bainbridge, University...
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Lou Bell @louisebell.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Really pleased to finally be able to launch this CFP! Please do consider joining us at the British Library or online for a day of exploring collections and #DisHist!
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BlindNewWorld @blindnewworld.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
#BrailleLiteracyMonth meets beauty in the #Braille Nails campaign from @cnibfoundation.bsky.social and The Ten Spot, which aims to spark conversation about #accessibility and #inclusion. 💅 #BlindNewWorld (Story via Cosmetics Design ⬇️)
cosmeticsdesign.com
Q&A: How Braille Nails is tackling a blind spot in beauty inclusivity
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and THE TEN SPOT beauty bars have announced Braille Nails, a national initiative that brings Braille into nail salons to address a gap in beauty in...
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
This was a real delight to be a part of. Thank you to the organisers for putting on possibly the perfect interdisciplinary conference!? I look forward to seeing what the project does next.
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The Victorian Hand @victorianhand.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
🌎 What happens when a travel writer navigates the world through touch? This month’s blog explores the journeys of James Holman, the self-described ‘Blind Traveller’, and how his haptic encounters challenged the visual conventions of travel writing. www.thevictorianhand.uk/gallery/the-...
Portrait engraving of a man seated, holding a pencil and notebook. He wears a suit with a high collar and has sideburns. In the background is a framed painting of a ship at sea.
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
More Braille: More Empowerment. The official launch of the global braille literacy campaign this morning was such an exciting and hopeful event. For more info on the campaign, the ICEVI have put together this video: m.youtube.com/watch?v=WW6u... #WorldBrailleDay #Braille
m.youtube.com
More Braille: More Empowerment - Voices Advancing Braille Worldwide
YouTube video by Frances Gentle
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Happy 217th birthday to the big man!🥳 The ICEVI is asking us to contribute a candle for Louis’ birthday cake, as part of their (super important) Global Braille Literacy campaign. Donate if you can! #WorldBrailleDay #Braille #DisHist
Monument to Louis Braille in Coupvray, France. This imposing pillar is topped by a bust of Braille, and below is a frieze in bronze of a child reading a sheet of braille text, held by an adult sitting next to them. The image also features a braille slate and below is the text: ‘A L. Braille | Les Aveugles Reconnaissants’
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The Royal National College for the Blind @rnc.ac.uk · 04/01/2026
200 years later and still going strong! Braille isn't just "old tech"—it's a vital tool for literacy and independence that works even when the Wi-Fi doesn't. Happy #WorldBrailleDay!
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
The Disability History report is out! #DisHist
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Chloe Fairbanks @fairbanc.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
One month left to apply to @emjlynajsh.bsky.social's and my conference on early modern practical texts, featuring keynotes by the brilliant @endeeekay.bsky.social and Laurence Publicover! #CFP sites.google.com/sheffield.ac...
sites.google.com
Sheffield Centre for Early Modern Studies - CFP: Reading the Practical in Early Modern Literature
CFP: Reading the Practical in Early Modern Literature
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
I'll be helping out here - nice educational half term activity!
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Thanks Oli! Once again sneaking braille into everything I do… #Braille200 #DisHist
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
The organisers of the UKDHHH outdid themselves today - what a brilliant day of talks, and a masterclass in accessibility
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UK Disability History and Heritage Hub @ukdishisthub.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
Join us on Wednesday for a day filled with #DisHist!
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BlindNewWorld @blindnewworld.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
A #blind student and her professor at @harvard.edu created "Why #Braille Matters," a first-of-its-kind course to explore the history, theory and practice of tactile writing systems used by #VisuallyImpaired people. #BlindNewWorld (Story via Harvard Gazette ⬇️)
news.harvard.edu
New experiences at their fingertips — Harvard Gazette
Course on tactile reading shows students “Why Braille Matters.”
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
Great discussion this morning with the Disability Collections Forum on preserving embossed texts. A timely reminder of the importance of Braille heritage in the face of cuts to transcription (more on the campaign against it here: saveourbraille.wordpress.com) #DisHist #Braille200
linkedin.com
The presentation at the Disability Collections Forum today was from Tilly… | Philip Milnes-Smith (archivist, educator, advocate)
The presentation at the Disability Collections Forum today was from Tilly Guthrie, a doctoral student at Sheffield who is looking at the British history of embossed scripts for blind readers and write...
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Connor Scott-Gardner @connorscottgardner.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
Over a thousand people have signed an open letter asking the RNIB to #SaveOurBraille! Please consider signing and sharing. We shouldn't even have to ask the UK's leading blindness charity to prioritise braille, but here we are.
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
📣Call for participants: History UK is continuing its focus groups on disability and history in HE in April. Any students/staff with experience in teaching disability history OR studying history with a disability, come and talk to us! #DisabilityHistory #DisHist www.history-uk.ac.uk/projects/his...
history-uk.ac.uk
History UK Disability and History Project
The History UK Disability and History Project was launched in November 2023 in response to the History UK EDI report which identified disability as an important aspect of EDI work worthy of further…
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Sense @sensecharity.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
You can email your MP using our template to tell them how you feel about these changes here: action.sense.org.uk/page/167765/...
action.sense.org.uk
Stop disability benefit cuts
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RNIB Campaigns @rnibcampaigns.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
We're a signatory to a letter to the Chancellor published today which urges her to think again about cuts to disability benefits. Read the full letter here organised by our friends at Scope: rnib.in/cost-of-cuts 1/4
rnib.in
The cost of cuts to disability benefits: Our open letter to the Chancellor | Disability charity Scope UK
Right now, the government is considering changes to disability benefits. But for millions of disabled people, these benefits are a lifeline. They are the difference between surviving and being pushed ...
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UK Disability History and Heritage Hub @ukdishisthub.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
If you're new to the Hub, then you can find out more about us and sign up to our mailing lists on our website: #DisHist ukdishisthub.mystrikingly.com
ukdishisthub.mystrikingly.com
UK Disability History and Heritage Hub on Strikingly
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 15/02/2025
This Tuesday! I will be chatting to the one and only Dave Williams about tactile literacy over at the Braillists Foundation. Sounds like your perfect Tuesday evening? Me too. #Braille200 www.braillists.org/uncategorise...
braillists.org
History of Tactile Literacy: in conversation with Tilly Guthrie, Tuesday 18 February at 7:30 PM – The Braillists Foundation
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RNIB Scotland @rnibscotland.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
We had a lovely visit to the Mitchell Library today, as part of our Braille and Beyond tour to celebrate #Braille200! We'd love to thank Glasgow Libraries for their support in organising the event! For more information about the Braille and Beyond Tour, visit our website: bit.ly/3E7Ro7c
Dave from RNIB speaking at the podium in a panel room with an audience and a TV behind him, with the plaque displaying "Braille 200" in front of him.Matthew and Conor from RNIB having a wee chat at the event. Conor is wearing a pink "RNIB" branded t-shirt.
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Glasgow West End Today @glasgowwestend.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
Mitchell Library in Glasgow will host a special event next week celebrating the importance of braille and tactile literacy. @rnib.bsky.social @rnibscotland.bsky.social #sightloss #glasgow #networking 👉 bit.ly/3CcGahl
Dave Williams, RNIB’s Inclusive Design Ambassador, wearing an RNIB T-shirt presenting at a podium with a laptop and a microphone in a classroom settingView of Mitchell Library in Glasgow, featuring its prominent green dome, captured from across the street with passing vehicles
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RNIB Scotland @rnibscotland.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
We're at the Mitchell Library on Tuesday to celebrate 200 years of braille! The event has been organised in partnership with Glasgow Libraries and is open to all, and promises a day of engaging activities and informative talks! More info can be found here: bit.ly/3E7Ro7c
View of Mitchell Library in Glasgow, featuring its prominent green dome, captured from across the street with passing vehicles.
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Next stop on the #Braille200 tour: the Mitchell Library. Glasgow pals, come and get your Braille fix with me on Tuesday next week! @rnib.bsky.social @rnibscotland.bsky.social www.glasgowlife.org.uk/event/1/brai...
glasgowlife.org.uk
Braille 200: Braille and Beyond — Glasgow Life
Find out how braille has evolved.
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
That moment when you find exactly what you were hoping for in the archive... Here's a blog post I wrote on The Most Exciting letter in Liverpool Record Office (I'm not at all biased). Thanks to Cultures of Disability for hosting this. culturesofdisability.mmu.ac.uk/blind-writin... #DisabilityHistory
culturesofdisability.mmu.ac.uk
Blind Writing Before Braille - Cultures of Disability
Through the letters of Charles Cook, Tilly Guthrie explores what early forms of braille can tell us about the experience of blindness in the Victorian era.
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 04/01/2025
Happy #WorldBrailleDay one and all! Delighted to be celebrating at the Braillists conference in Worcester today, and hearing about #Braille200 on the radio as we drove down!
Table displaying heritage braille equipment, including a Hall Braille Writer, Stainsby, and various hand frames
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Sarah Matthews @sarahmatthews.bsky.social · 31/12/2023
So many interesting events on 4 Jan for #WorldBrailleDay The Braillists Foundation have added a few ♿️ ➡️The Braille You Need, When You Need It: 7:30PM ➡️ Braille & Breakfast from Sight & Sound 9:30 AM ➡️ UKAAF event 1:00 PM ➡️ Braille Matters Extravaganza 6:00 PM GMT www.braillists.org
braillists.org
The Braillists Foundation – Our Mission: More Braille!
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RNIB @rnib.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
🧵“Braille is knowledge, and knowledge is power” – Louis Braille Ahead of #WorldBrailleDay, which marks the anniversary of Louis Braille’s birthday, here’s a snapshot of the pioneer behind the tactile code.
"Who is Louis Braille?" in text with a visual representation of the braille above, separated by a pink line. The text "Remember - braille is read by touch, this is just a visual representation" and the Braille 200 logo is in the corner, with a visual representation of braille, and RNIB and EBU logos.
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
Alan's house is the actual real life Brailler Wonderland. Anyone looking for a mechanical apprenticeship would be lucky to work with him and carry on this (extremely!) important work. #Braille #WorldBrailleDay www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
theguardian.com
‘We’d be stuck’: alarm as UK’s last braille typewriter repairer ponders retirement
Alan Thorpe is Britain’s last certified fixer of the Perkins, a machine vital for teaching blind children to read and write
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
Never mind Christmas - it's almost World Braille Day! Excited to be kicking off the new year with the Braillists Foundation down in Worcester #Braille200 www.braillists.org/uncategorise...
braillists.org
Join us in Worcester on World Braille Day 2025 – The Braillists Foundation
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
I was lucky enough to be invited to the @rnib.bsky.social #Braille200 launch event at the @britishlibrary.bsky.social this week. Huge congratulations to Dave Williams and the team for putting together such a lovely event, and giving Braille the celebration it deserves.
Crowded room in the British Library Knowledge Centre. A row of tables along the left wall display braille Lego and historical braille artifices. People chat about the items in front of them. This was part of the drinks reception before a panel discussion. Panel of speakers sitting on a stage at the front of an auditorium. Speakers left to right are as follows: Dave Williams, Betsy Griffin, Jane Constance, Emma Tracey, Lord David Blunkett. Table display of artefacts from the RNIB archive, as part of the drinks reception. Items include a Hughes Typograph, manuscript books of minutes and the text of Progress magazine, an embossed book on Gall type, a Braille copy of the Daily Mail, and a selection is writing tools and games. These sit on a pink table cloth, with captions printed in the RNIB font.
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Emily Cock @emilyncock.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
This year's #UKDHM theme is Disability Livelihood and Employment & that includes... strikes! Here are workers at the Bristol Blind Asylum going on strike to demand a pay increase in 1912. Here, blind workers did jobs like weaving baskets and mats to sell. It ran from the late 18thC to the 1960s.
A newspaper clipping: Blind Men Strike. Minimum Wage of £1 A Week Demanded. About forty blind workers are on strike at Bristol Blind Asylum, the men asking for £1 a week and the women for 13s. The strikers declare that while the officials are well paid the blind workers, for whom the institution is maintained, are so badly remunerated that outworkers have often to obtain parish relief to eke out their miserable doles."
A date is written at the top in smudged ink: 13/3/12.
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RNIB @rnib.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
19 million @bsky.app users? Better make sure they all know about the handy alt text reminder! 🫡 Go to Settings > Accessibility and make sure "Require alt text before posting" is toggled on. We love that accessibility is such a priority here.
A screenshot of Bluesky's alt text reminder options. At the top of the page it says "Accessibility" then underneath there are two options for "Alt text" which are "Require alt text before posting" and "Display larger alt text badges." The first of these is toggled to "on." There's also a "Media" option which is "Disable autoplay for videos and GIFs."
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Tilly Guthrie @tillyguthrie.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Hello everyone over here!🦋 For anyone who isn’t already celebrating wildly, this year marks (approx) 200 years since the invention of Braille. Catch me around the UK being enthusiastic about it with @rnib.bsky.social #Braille200 (pictured is an event in Harrogate last month)
Tilly Guthrie (white woman, short dark hair, very cosy green cardigan) is gesticulating, mid talk, in front of an audience in Harrogate library. Co-speaker Alan is sitting next to her, behind a table covered in his collection of vintage braillers
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