Ginny Dawe-Woodings

@helloginnybatty

Archivist with a love for #histmed, surgical, sexual health, and #histsex collections; if it's in a jar I'll probably love it. She/her. Yellowbelly living in London. Aprendiendo Español.

1499 Siguiendo1143 Seguidores297 Publicaciones

Bluesky

¿Es tu perfil?Reclámalo y helloginnybatty.dirty.social es tuyo.Reclamar perfil

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· 13d

I was not prepared for how hard the logo for the Basque anti-ableist group Bordillo Aplastao goes

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Jul 27

What’s your sign?

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Jul 13

I’m still on the biggest high from seeing My Chemical Romance on Friday. Twenty years on from my mam driving me and two friends to Birmingham for the first Black Parade tour 💀👁️🖤 #LongLiveTheBlackParade

View of a stage with a massive standing crowd. Pyrotechnic flares are lighting up the main stage and to the sides, and part of the stage appears to be on fire

A man wearing a skeleton onesie looks emotionally to the sky.

The roof of a massive stadium, full of crowds illuminated in red with their phone torches lit, as fireworks launch from the roof

A group of four people, all in black, smile at the camera.

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Jun 30

My fav 1066 and all that bit was Morton’s Fork 🍴

Black text on a white background above a picture of a tudor man jabbing a portly man with a fork. The text reads - “Henry VII was a miser and very good at statecraft; he invented some extremely clever policies such as the one called Morton's Fork. This was an enormous prong with which his minister Morton visited the rich citizens (or burghlers as they were called). If the citizen said he was poor, Morton drove his Fork in a certain distance and promised not to take it out until the citizen paid a large sum of money to the King. As soon as this was forthcoming Morton dismissed him, at the same time shouting 'Fork Out' so that Henry would know the statecraft had been successful. If the burghler said he was quite rich Morton did the same thing: it was thus a very clever policy and always succeeded except when Morton put the Fork in too far.’

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Jun 30

I'm going back over the charter granted by Henry I to St Bartholomew's, albeit an early 20th century transcription of the 1133 copy, and I just cannot understand what "it shall have socc and sacc, and thol and theme, and infogheneteof" could possibly mean

Black text on beige background - "Know ye, that I have granted, and have by this my charter confirmed, to the church of St Bartholomew of London, and to Rahere the Prior, and the Canons Regular, in the same church serving God, and to the poor of the Hospital of the same church, that they be free from all earthly servitude and earthly power and subjection, except episcopal customs, to wit, only consecration of the church, baptism, and ordination of clergy; and that as any church in all England is free, so this church be free, and all the lands to it appertaining, which it now has, or which Rahere the Prior, or the Canons, may be able to acquire, whether by purchase or by gift. And it shall have socc and sacc, and thol and theme, and infogheneteof; and all liberties and free customs and acquittances in all things which belong to the same church, in wood and in plain, in meadows and pastures, in waters and mills, in ways and paths, in pools and vineyards, and marshes and fisheries, in granges and copses, within and without, and in all places now and for ever.

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Jun 11

Also, archivists wouldn't just leave a researcher on their own with artefacts that the author has implied are valuable and rare, AND THEY DEFINITELY WOULDN'T PHOTOCOPY THE ORIGINALS FOR YOU. ARE YOU BARMY.

A screen shot of an ebook page, with a section highlighted in purple. The text reads – for any meaningful interaction, but now, having discovered my King, I found I needed to locate them. They were in the office making photocopies, chatting to a guide. I asked if they would come with me to my room when they could - ideally immediately. We left the office together, and once I had closed the door to my room behind us, they asked what I had found. I gestured to the King's entry, resting like a fallen leaf on my desk. Do you know him? I do. He'll be the one, I said. They placed a hand on the entry. Of course.

A screen shot of an ebook page, with a section highlighted in purple. The text reads – NOT ALL SEEDS NEED LIGHT TO GERMINATE. The archivist knocked at my closed door. I called out for them to come in, somewhat resenting the interruption. They wanted to ask about my process. They couldn't resist. Did I have half an hour for them? Maybe five minutes, I said. How did I begin? What parameters, if any, did I set myself? To what extent was I prone to working on feeling? Did I ever let it get the better of me? What did I see my role as being for the viewer? Where did auteur meet artist meet curator, if at all? What did I want? I gave my answers as best I could, and each time I found the follow-up

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Jun 11

I also resent the implication that we're all antisocial, timid, meek little church mice, hiding in dark basements waiting for some curator to come and bring collections into the metaphorical, or in this case literal, light.

A screen shot of an ebook page, with a section highlighted in purple. The text reads – before they noticed me. Something in their face told me that this was a person to be taken seriously. It was without question. Welcome, they said, and pulled a chair out for me. I thanked them for making the time. The archivist said it is always a pleasure to meet a curator, especially one bothering to take an interest in the history of the specific building. They asked me what I would like to see. What is there? I asked. Everything, came the response. I felt my heart in my chest. I felt light with anticipation in a way I hadn't for some time. Two years? Maybe three? How long had it been? Everything meant: a detailed ledger which recounted the reign of each king and queen for the past half-millennium, as well as some records from the early

A screen shot of an ebook page, with a section highlighted in purple. The text reads – To placate the office staff, I told them I would be happy to take part in the weekend of activities celebrating the palace's anniversary. And I wondered if I might make a suggestion? I thought the archivist and I could join forces on the Saturday - also, perhaps you might dim the room, and set display cabinets of manuscripts, segments of tapestry and pinned-open books around the perimeter. For the love of God, I thought, give the place some atmosphere. Expecting people to walk freely into a silent room, brightly lit, to converse with a lone human - and not just any lone human, but one that deep down they suspect might enjoy making them feel stupid - is ludicrous. I've been there before. People panic. It must be the two of us together, rousing lighting and low music, with things to look at. Then may come conversation.

A screen shot of an ebook page, with a section highlighted in purple. The text reads – I spent some days reading copied pages from the ledger - refreshed frequently by the archivist, who appeared in the room out of nowhere, silently leaning over my shoulder and placing a new sheet on the desk. You'll like this, they'd say. You'll want to see this. I tried not to invite too much conversation, but their sudden presence at my shoulder sent a sensation through my torso and chest, like missing a step. A couple of times a member of the office staff popped their head around the door and enquired, very casually, whether I might be starting to assemble the scenes that day or the next day. Just so they could cordon off the room I

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Jun 11

I know there are bigger things to be concerned about, but I am unreasonably angry about a book I'm reading and the portrayal of archivists. Firstly - WHITE GLOVES. FFS. Also, the author has confused displaying things for a period in low light with viewing things in a search room.

A screen shot of an ebook page, with a section highlighted in purple. The text reads – WHITE GLOVES, The next morning – a fresh day, like cutting into an apple. I drove to the palace, keen to swim once again through its chambers. The archivist was waiting in a dim room. They always are. The better to protect the fragile pages, but I suspect, they enjoy the drama of it too – their white gloves glowing as they beckon you inside, like a mystic bidding you come observe your future in a pale fire. I have levelled this suspicion at many archivists over the years, and they have always reddened and appeared taken back. On this occasion, however, I did not feel compelled to comment. There had been a second, upon, entering, when I saw the archivist

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Apr 24

A day late but, feliç sant jordi 🌹📚

A close up of the front cover of Asako Yuzuki’s book Hooked, which shows a fish on a hook in bright pink and yellow

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Apr 20

Visited the wonderful Limehouse Chinatown exhibition at St Anne’s church. Such fascinating and evocative history, right on my doorstep 🧧🐉

A poster printed on purple paper advertising Limehouse Chinatown: The original chinatown, myths and realities

A poster for ‘Hop Lee Chinese Laundry’ on an exposed wall, next to some shelves with packets wrapped in brown paper

A view across St Anne’s church, Limehouse

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Mar 31

It’s me, I’m the hero

A white woman with brown and blonde hair, in a floral dress and wearing big spectacles, smiles at the camera whilst holding a large sword. She stands in front of book shelves.

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Mar 12

I’ll be the decider of that

A yellow post-it note labelled ‘HISTORICAL INTEREST’ is stuck on piece of photocopied paper. A plain green post it note is also adhered to the paper.

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Feb 10

Amazing story about a doctor on fire-watch duty during WW2. Found by @ermerlindaj.bsky.social on RCS's Plarr's Lives of the Fellows.

While a student Andrew served in the Home Guard and fire-watched at St Mary's and at Boosey and Hawkes, the music publishers on Regent Street - which enabled him to expand his already formidable knowledge of classical music. After one night bombing raid, Andrew entered a ward to be greeted by the sister. One of the patients thought there was a bomb under her bed and the nurse wanted Pollen to reassure her. He duly went to see the patient, looked under the bed and retrieved a partially hidden incendiary bomb. It had entered the ward through an open window. He rapidly disposed of it. The patient was relieved, the sister speechless.

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Feb 2

This is who runs this account

A photograph rests on a wooden floor. It shows a small white girl with blonde hair in a garden. She’s wearing a floral dress and clothing an inflatable pink and yellow Mr Blobby

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Dec 24

Festive walk through the village 🐬🧜🏻‍♀️🎄

A look out to the harbour across the sea where xmas lights are visible

Two LED dolphins bouncing a ball between their noses, atop a wall

A lit up xmas tree next to a red telephone box. In the background is an LED tractor

Ginny Dawe-Woodings@helloginnybatty· Dec 23

The xmas cake has been iced! In December 1901 Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the first transatlantic radio signal from Poldhu Beach in Cornwall to Signal Hill in Newfoundland Canada - depicted here in cake and fondant 📡🎄🎅🏼