Collections – Lucy Roeber

April 26, 2018 lucyroeber 18th century, London

The Vicarious Joy of Pomatum

I'm missing 18th century London. My novel, The Posture Girl, is with my agent and with it has gone my excuse to explore the stinking streets of the burgeoning capital. I miss the white hair powder, the corsets and the Drury Lane Theatre. I miss the home brewed gin and the sponging houses.

March 16, 2018June 30, 2022 lucyroeber 18th century, Mineralogy, Natural History Museum

The Cabinet of Lost Minerals

In 1810, Sir Charles Greville's substantial collection of minerals were bought by the British Museum for a small fortune. Yesterday morning, before the public came, I met with the Minerals Curator to search for any of his specimens that we could find - over 200 years later.

January 11, 2018 lucyroeber 18th century, Foundling Museum

Tokens of Love

After the festivities and the feasting, my mind turns to the tokens that mothers left to identify their babies at the Foundling Hospital in the 18th century. These pathetic scraps of hope are probably the most poignant objects I've ever seen.

December 1, 2017June 30, 2022 lucyroeber 18th century, leisure, Victoria and Albert Museum

My Search for Snuff

It seems that the once popular and refined pastime of inhaling finally ground tobacco through the nostril is now an alternative, fringe activity. I found a couple of biker websites where the chat turned to where in London good snuff could be bought.

November 10, 2017June 30, 2022 lucyroeber Antiquity, British Museum

William Hamilton as a Roman Vase

There’s a Gillray caricature of Sir William Hamilton as an ancient Roman vase, published in May 1801 and entitled “From Sir Wllm Hamilton’s Collection”. We see only the back of his green coat tapering down. His shoulders are enormously broad with gold epaulettes at each tip and his body then bulges round in the classical … Continue reading William Hamilton as a Roman Vase