Vicky Iglikowski-Broad

Our latest exhibition, Love Letters, is now open at The National Archives, revealing 500 years of love. From paupers, monarchs, queer networks & quiet acts of affection found in government records. Very proud to have been lead curator on this one, working with so many wonderful people! 💌

Very exciting 🙌

Don’t forget to join us tomorrow (June 30th) at 4pm BST for our seminar with Sylvia Arthur. Sylvia will be talking to us about the National Geographic-supported project, 'A Women’s Oral History of West Africa', which documents the life stories of 100 women. womenshistorynetwork.org/join-us-for-...

New on the blog! @janetsmith1831.bsky.social explores the remarkable life of Helen Taylor, a prominent campaigner, founding member of the Democratic Federation, first prospective parliamentary candidate & member of the London School Board #womenshistory womenshistorynetwork.org/rediscoverin...

We’re delighted to announce Sophie Weinberg as the winner of our 2025 MA Dissertation Prize 🎉 Her work on matrilineal printing houses uncovers how women sustained and inherited print businesses across generations in the 17th century English book trade. womenshistorynetwork.org/winner-of-th...

Don't forget to join us today at 4pm UK time to hear Dr Kellie Bradshaw discuss her research on 'Controlled Leisure: Women Shop Assistants in London before 1914'. You can sign up for the session here: womenshistorynetwork.org/sign-up-for-...

New Blog! Yuemin He explores how seventeenth-century Chinese gentlewomen used lyric poetry to navigate confinement, imagination, and agency. From Zhang Siyin to Xu Yuan, their voices reveal emotional worlds far beyond the inner chamber. Read here: womenshistorynetwork.org/boudoir-lame...

New on the blog! @nickbhattacharya.bsky.social explores the gendered nature of parish welfare in Devon #womenshistory womenshistorynetwork.org/the-prejudic...

📣 New opportunity for early-career scholars! We’ve partnered with the Women’s History Association of Ireland (@whaireland.bsky.social) to award £500 for the best first monograph in women’s/gender history ❗Deadline: 31 July 2026 Find out more & apply: womenshistorynetwork.org/womens-histo...

Join us on Tuesday, 24 March at 4pm UK time for our next online seminar. We will be hosting Dr Ellen Hope Durban who is going to discuss her research on 'Activism for Married Lesbian Mothers in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s'. Read more and sign up here: womenshistorynetwork.org/sign-up-for-...

A total joy to be at @lselibrary.bsky.social to mark 100 years of The Women’s Library. Fantastic engagement! Thanks for the opportunity to speak about our collections. Wonderful to see so much support in the room for women’s history! 👏

We are delighted to announce the winner of the WHN Book Prize. The judges chose Female Servants in Early Modern England by @charmianmansell.bsky.social The highly readable & engaging book, interrogates long-standing assumptions about the domesticity & constraints of women’s lives in service.

Our exhibition Love Letters proudly centres women’s stories — perfect viewing for Women’s History Month! 💌 These letters offer a window into women’s lives and emotions across centuries. Love Letters is free to visit at The National Archives, Kew until 12 April. #WomensHistoryMonth #LoveLetters

Join us this #WomensHistoryMonth in amplifying women’s voices past and present. Our website is a wonderful place to start learning more. Spread the word! womenshistorynetwork.org #WHM2026 #WomensHistory #GenderHist Image: Pit girl brow workers, Wigan, 1900. COPY 1/445, The National Archives.

For @lgbthm.bsky.social ❤️ 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

worth a share. For LGBTQ History Month the National Archives are hosting an online event on Friday 27th Feb: Hidden Love: #LGBTQ+ relationships in the #archives www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hidden-lov...

🚨Still time to book for my talk tomorrow 🚨 Delighted to be speaking about queer love and defiance in government archives. The talk is free and online — join us if you can! 27 February 2026, 14:00 to 15:00. Book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hidden-lov...

Learn more about the discovery process behind our current exhibition, Love Letters. From structured research to serendipitous finds — three specialists and a volunteer share the thrill of uncovering heartfelt emotions centuries later: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...

A fantastic evening with Anne Lister and Aphrodite I at Love Letters, The National Archives. 💌 💕

Come and view our exhibition after dark for this exciting late event tomorrow. Last chance to book! 💌 🏳️‍🌈 💕 www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/whats-on/eve...

I haven’t talked about The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline That Listened yet, but it’s so good! The archive material is rich, the authors are incredible, and it’s been a total privilege to help a little with the context. Check it out: www.faber.co.uk/product/9780...

Very excited to be part of this late event at The National Archives! Visit the Love Letters exhibition with MC HRH Aphrodite, get involved in historical speed dating & get creative with coded classified adverts. Still time to join us 👇 www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/whats-on/eve...

🖋️📜 Some #LoveLetters are written in longing. Some are written in law. We had the chance to preview @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy's new exhibition, free through April 12. Among many incredible items on display... Anne Lister & Ann Walker’s wills! (📹: @sazwingrove.bsky.social)

So delighted to have some extended commentaries about some of the content, including from @tricksterprince.bsky.social! Multiple items on display are inspired by his wonderful work. Thank you Matt.

New on the blog! @harveybonehist.bsky.social and @txbatha.bsky.social share their fascinating research on the 1959 and 1974 General Elections, exploring the use of 'spousal letters' in candidate's #election pamphlets. #womenshistory #politicalhistory womenshistorynetwork.org/a-word-to-th...

⚡ Lightning Talks at The London Archives ⚡ Are you a student or ECR? Need feedback on your work? Can you summarise it in 5 minutes? Join us for Lightning Talks at The London Archives - a friendly event open to researchers of London and its history! 📆 Wed 11 February 🕔 5pm

We are very excited to have the privilege of hosting Prof Merry Wiesner-Hanks tomorrow at 4pm GMT. Merry will be discussing her book 'Women and the Reformations: A Global History'. Please do sign up to join us: womenshistorynetwork.org/sign-up-now-...

Ahead of our 'New Approaches to Writing Women's Histories' event, we want to shine a light on our fab speakers, starting with Kaia Alderson. Kaia is a historical fiction author passionate about highlighting “hidden" women in African American history. Read more about Kaia here: www.kaiaalderson.com

Registration for our 'New Approaches to Writing Women's Histories' event is now LIVE! Please do join us next Wednesday, 5 November 2025 at 4pm GMT for a fascinating discussion with Kaia Alderson and Gráinne Lyons. More details here: womenshistorynetwork.org/sign-up-now-...

@womenshistnet.bsky.social @womenslibrary.bsky.social @womenshistscot.bsky.social

🎓 Calling all MA students in women's history! Our MA Dissertation Prize 2025 is now open for submissions. Celebrate outstanding scholarship & share your work with the wider community. Deadline: 16 January 2026 womenshistorynetwork.org/whn-ma-disse... #WomensHistory #MAHistory #GenderHist

Brilliant to hear @tricksterprince.bsky.social in conversation with @julialaite.bsky.social tonight on the story of Seven Dials, discussing class, gentrification and racism in the 1920s and 1930s. Very much looking forward to reading this!

Publishing today! Centring on a 1927 libel trial, @tricksterprince.bsky.social's latest book tells the story of the #London neighbourhood of Seven Dials and its battles with racism and gentrification throughout the 20s and 30s, a struggle that would shape the city we know today. #booksky #history

Join us for Surveillance and Society: Reading Records Against the Grain — an exploration of how historical records reveal power, resistance, and surveillance. November 18 at The National Archives. Book now: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/past-surve... #HistoryFromBelow #LGBTQHistory #BlackHistory

This #BlackHistoryMonth, explore the challenges of uncovering the lives of women—especially Black, Asian & ethnic minority women—who left no written record. Read: womenshistorynetwork.org/searching-fo... #BHM2025 #InclusiveArchives #WomensHistory #GenderHistory

Do join us! 👇

Don't forget to sign up for our seminar TOMORROW (Wed 24 Sep) at 10am BST. Dr Christine De Matos will be speaking on 'Overlooked Occupiers: Women, Family, and the Home in Occupied Germany and Japan'. You can find the link to register here: womenshistorynetwork.org/sign-up-now-...

📢 HOWL is hiring a new part-time administrator! ⏰ Deadline for applications Tuesday 30 September 📝 Zoom interview Monday 6 October The full job description is available on our website. Please email howl@howl-uk.org with any questions.

A huge thank you to everyone who made the Women’s History Network Annual Conference such a success – our brilliant attendees, members, committee, & the wonderful organisers who brought it all together. We are grateful to be part of such a vibrant & inspiring community. 💜 #WHNConf #WomensHistory

Less than a week to go now until our 'Lesbian Histories and the Long View' Roundtable. Please do join us for what we are sure is going to be a really insightful discussion. Sign up link here: womenshistorynetwork.org/sign-up-now-...

Interested in digital history, government records, or web archiving? Join the UK Government Web Archive Researcher Workshops hosted by The National Archives this October! Dates: 7 Oct @ The National Archives, Kew 15 Oct @ Senate House, London Apply by 23 Sept: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/uk-governm...

I am absolutely delighted to be speaking about ways of doing lesbian history alongside @norenashopland.bsky.social, @elizabethlovatt.bsky.social, @vickyig.bsky.social and Professor Lisa Weston next month!

Really looking forward to this!

We’re approaching the centenary of this monumental act in 2028. What would a meaningful anniversary look like to you? What should heritage organisations prioritise or showcase? We’d love to hear your thoughts. #EqualFranchise #PublicHistory #GenderHist

🌈 Calling KS3 & KS4 students! 🎨 The National Archives’ 2025 Pride Creative Competition is now open! Explore LGBTQ+ stories through art, writing, or performance. 🔗 Learn more and enter: nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/students/archive-experiences/competitions/2025-pride-competition #Pride #LGBTQ