Lecture on 18th and 19th century women’s personal letters in Tullamore

ON Monday next, November 16, at 7.30 pm Dr Jane Maxwell, Manuscripts Curator, The Library of Trinity College, Dublin will give a lecture in Tullamore's Offaly history Centre entitled "Letters say: 18th and 19th century women’s personal letters."

The difficulties caused for historians of Ireland by the wholesale loss of our historical records has been likened by one scholar to peering through a keyhole at a ballroom and trying to see the dancers.

Occasionally a couple moves into focus but ‘for all one knew, just out of view, there could be a group of naked men and women dancing the Siege of Ennis’.

The problem is exacerbated in the case of women’s history because even fewer of their records survive.

However, the correspondence of women in the 18th and 19th centuries provides us with one of the most effective implements with which we can prise open, even just a little, the door to that ballroom, giving us all a better view of the action.

Among the points that Dr Maxwell will be making include:

The personal letter is quite a remarkable literary artefact.

The absence of women from much of what passes for national history of course means that that history is at best partial.

It is not all doom and gloom when one wants to discuss women’s history and women’s letters.

Women’s archives, having long been ignored by historians looking for information on national activities from which women were excluded,

This will be an important and entertaining lecture so do please come and hear Jane Maxwell.

For more about the lecture see the ww.offalyhistory.com and social media for Dr Maxwell’s blog article.