Born Free Press | Amy Freeborn | Substack

Issue 44: the influence of medievalism on the Suffragettes

And how a love of Chaucer could have inspired one of the most infamous moments of the votes for women campaign.

Jun 2

Issue 43: a pause; the semi-colon

By the time you read this, I’ll be on holiday. While I take a little break from regular life (and from my regular newsletter stories), I’m sharing some…

May 19

Issue 42: a social history of 1920s London (part 2)

An intermittent series told through the 1923 diary of 17-year-old Lily*, who lived in the north of the capital and worked at her father’s shop in the…

May 5

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Issue 29: how the world’s most famous vampire ended up in Essex

Nov 4, 2022

Issue 26: how an unsuccessful invention left a lasting impression

Sep 23, 2022

Issue 24: Victorian prostitutes’ favourite feats of engineering and architecture

Aug 26, 2022

Issue 23: that old book smell

Aug 12, 2022

Issue 22: the enduring, charismatic traffic light men of eastern Berlin

Jul 29, 2022

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Issue 41: not Venusian surface features, but retinal veins

In an effort to see beyond our world, an astronomer inadvertently turned the lens on himself.

Apr 21

Issue 40: the forgotten success and status of English cider

How a combination of restrictions drove experimentation and a brief boom in cider. And how its versatility, sustainability, and community credentials…

Apr 7

Issue 39: a social history of 1920s London (part 1)

A window onto life in the capital, 100 years ago, as described in one young woman's diary.

Mar 24

Issue 38: how a unique native Australian animal is like a classical Greek character

When nature’s truth is as strange as the Western world’s most famous myths.

Mar 10

Issue 37: the ‘extinct’ wonder plant of the ancient world, rediscovered

It made food taste better and had multiple medicinal properties, but now that therapeutic value could put it at risk again.

Feb 24

Issue 36: the man who democratised the colour purple

How my favourite colour is linked to one of my favourite drinks, and how its discovery broke new ground in fashion and science.

Feb 10

Issue 35: the academic origins of an alleged occult image

An attempt to discover the story behind an iconic photograph celebrated in magical circles.

Jan 27

Born Free Press

Born Free Press

A free-range collection of intriguing stories and snippets about history, science, art, and culture.

Born Free Press

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