Dr Caroline Archer-Parré

Baskerville Punch, a new digital revival of the Baskerville typeface, has been officially launched. Developed through a unique collaboration it offers the most historically accurate interpretation of John Baskerville's celebrated eighteenth-century type. www.arch.cam.ac.uk/news/baskerv...

Baskerville, as its creator intended: New Typeface Launches Following Groundbreaking Research Project. It's beautiful and free to download. baskervillepunches.org

The next CPHC/Print Networks Conference is at the University of Stirling, 13-14 July 2027. Call for papers is now open. www.cphc.org.uk/updates/2026...

well I never, it seems my iPad is in divine favour.

Join us for the inaugural Malcolm Dick OBE Annual Lecture in Midlands History ⚔️ Warwick Castle During the English Civil War by Professor Andrew Hopper ⚔️ When: 21 May, 16:30 (followed by drinks reception) Where: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Alan Walters Building, Room G11 Everyone welcome!

Come and get up close with Baskerville's 60pt B. sketchfab.com/3d-models/ba...

From Julia Montes Landa and the Small Performances team. 'The manufacture of the Baskerville typographic punches: the versatile chaîne opératoire of an 18th-century printing workshop'. Read the full piece for free here. www.nature.com/articles/s40...

Day 1 Session 1 of Print, Printing & Industrial Heritage has southwest flavour: Ian Maxted Printing & publishing of science and industry in the Southwest 1600-1800; Kathryn Conder Henry Rogers and the Siege of Skewis; Charlotte Mackenzie Printing in Georgian Cornwall www.cphc.org.uk/events/2026/...

I just signed a petition to help save the Friends Institute in Birmingham. It’s been an amazing community hub since 1897, but the council plans to close it down. We need to protect this space for the local groups that rely on it. Please add your name! you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sa...

Full programme announced and booking open for the CPHC/Print Networks summer conference, which this year is hosted by Kresen Kernow, Cornwall. Books and beaches; printing and paddling: you know it makes sense! www.cphc.org.uk/events/2026/...

What do you do with eight cases of Baskerville font punches?! Have lots of digital letter fun of course! There's even RTI and 3D Models to play with ... cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/...

Take some time out of your day to browse this incredible Baskerville Punches resource on Cambridge Digital Library. cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/...

Thanks to the work of the amazing Small Performance team, we are delighted to announce that Baskerville’s typographic legacy lives on as his punches go online for first time. Read the press release. www.lib.cam.ac.uk/stories/bask...

Today, for the first time in 2026, we sat in the garden and had lunch in the sunshine. The weather probably wont let us do this again for another 30 days, but it was a joy whilst it lasted.

Yesterday, some of the Small Performances team had a trip to Oxford University Press museum to have a look at Baskerville's Greek punches and matrices. Thanks to OUP for allowing us to rummage through your precious Victorian type cabinet.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

From Roman forts in Rutland to brutalism in Bedfordshire, nobility in Nottinghamshire to workers in Warwickshire Whatever your interests in the English Midlands we want to hear from you Submit an article to Midland History and bring your research to the world 👇 tandfonline.com/journals/ymdh20

Applications are open for the Munby Fellowship 2026-27 📚 An opportunity to spend a year conducting bibliographical research based on the world-class collections of Cambridge. ⏰Closing date: 1 Feb 2026 More information on applying: https://loom.ly/stSFkzg

From enamel to iron, printing to interior design, 1430 to present, the latest special issue of Midland History all about the Midlands Metal Trades is available online now. www.tandfonline.com/toc/ymdh20/5...

Read how our team has been 'relighting' the surface of the Baskerville punches from different angles, revealing details like scratches, rust, and engraving marks that are invisible under normal lighting baskervillepunches.org/how-rti-reve...

In February, Senate House Library will launch an exhibition The English Print Revolution: Caxton and Beyond. They are also looking to appoint a Printer in Residence to produce a contemporary response to the exhibition. Sounds fun. www.cphc.org.uk/updates/2026...

In 2024 a team of researchers from the @theul.bsky.social and @BCU launched an AHRC-funded project investigating the typographic punches of John Baskerville. In March the team is taking an interlude from their work to present their research and findings. Come join us. www.cphc.org.uk/events/2026/...

The National Archives (UK) is holding a series of interesting workshops focusing on art, design, photography and other visual collections. More details here: www.cphc.org.uk/updates/2026...

Fancy two weeks in Venice? Yes? Then there are two places left on TipoItalia'26. Be guided on a typographic odyssey of hand-painted Venetian street signs, inscriptions from the Renaissance and Tipoteca’s collection of Art Nouveau and Art Deco wood and metal typefaces. www.cphc.org.uk/updates/2026...

Don't forget the deadline is looming for submitting proposals for the PrintNetworks/CPHC annual conference which this year is in Cornwall. The theme is Print, Printing and Industrial Heritage (surfboards welcome!) www.cphc.org.uk/updates/2025...

The 2025 number of the Journal of the Printing Historical Society has just been published. Members should receive their copies this week.

Small Performances project has inspired artistic responses from theatre performances to photography to jewellery. We never expected our work to be captured verse. Here's an ode to the Baskerville punches by the poet Kathleen Bell who was inspired by the project.

Inspired by the industrial heritage of Cornwall, the theme of the 2026 CPHC/Print Networks Conference is Print, Printing and Industrial Heritage. It will be held at Kresen Kernow, Cornwall 10-11 June 2026. Deadline for abstracts is 31 January. More here: www.cphc.org.uk/updates/2025...

This morning, in Birmingham, a blue plaque commemorating the life and work of John Baskerville was installed on the facade of Baskerville House. Hurrah!

Played for a Herbal. A lovely new Books from the Old School Press. www.cphc.org.uk/updates/2025...

#BirminghamHistory Don’t forget to Join us for the annual Chris Upton Memorial Lecture on Monday 3rd November, 5.30pm - tinyurl.com/UptonBaskerville Ref: MS 897,Volume II, Image 218 #LibraryofBham @typetweets.bsky.social #BaskervilleSoc

If you are knocking around the Library of Birmingham on 3 November, then I'm giving a little talk on Baskerville's death, burial and post-mortem life and dispelling some of the myths that surround his demise and after life. www.cphc.org.uk/events/2025/...

Still time to book to hear Dr David Osbaldestin's talk 'Birmingham as seen through its display typography'. David Osbaldestin will present a range of interconnecting stories told through the display typefaces and jobbing printers of the city. www.cphc.org.uk/events/2025/...

So sad to hear of the death of Prof Michael Twyman, who nurtured many budding printing historians (including me) and whose support of and contribution to typographic history is celebrated in the most recent issue of the 'PHS Journal', demonstrating the breadth of his knowledge.

Join us for the annual Chris Upton Memorial Lecture on Mon 3rd November at 5.30pm tinyurl.com/UptonBaskerv... Professor Caroline Archer-Parré will be giving her talk: Inhuming and exhuming: John Baskerville’s death, burial, and post-mortem life #LibraryofBham @typetweets.bsky.social #BaskervilleSoc

Pleased to announce that on this day is published 'Script, print and letterforms in global contexts' edited by Sahar Afshar and Darryl Lim for CPHC and published by PeterLangGroup www.cphc.org.uk/script-print...

This will be a lovely job for someone. Assistant Keeper Grade 1, Rare & Antiquarian Books National Library of Ireland. www.nli.ie/about-us/wor...

Just twelve ticket left for wonderful Theatre(ish) performance of 'Baskerville & Birmingham' (Bab!). Get them whilst you can. macbirmingham.co.uk/events/baske...

The vice chancellor says he's bringing much needed change - and anyone who disagrees can get out of his way www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/a-new-vice-c...

Imperturbable! He manages to sleep in the midst of our building works. What a talent.

So sad to hear of the death of James Mosley (1935-2025) yesterday. His contribution to printing history cannot be over-estimated, and his development and steering of St Bride Library is a wonderful legacy. He and his knowledge will be missed by many.

Our librarians, it seems, are no longer known as librarians but Business Partners, which tells you all you need to know about the institution's attitude to culture and learning.

And if you are in Cambridge in September then you might like to see Baskerville @UCamArchaeology where Birmingham-based Theatre(ish) will perform an 80-minute show which looks at the life and work of the famous printer (plus some of our research!) www.cphc.org.uk/events/2025/...

If you are in Birmingham in September then you might like to see Baskerville on stage at the MAC where Birmingham-base Theatre(ish) will be performing a 80 minute show which loos at the life and work of the famous printer (plus some of our research!) www.cphc.org.uk/events/2025/...

Does anyone have any knowledge of a French punch cutter by the name of Fevrier(?) who may have cut some Baskerville punches for Deberny et Peignot? Many thanks in advance.

To enter the Midland History Essay Prize, the essay must be a genuine work of original research, not published or accepted for publication as an article or a chapter in an edited collection book. Max. 10,000 words, including footnotes, tables and figure captions (2/2) More Details 👇

The Midland History Essay Prize of £400 is offered for the best essay submitted on an historical subject relating to midland England. ⏱️Deadline for entries 31 Oct 2025 See webpage for some #OpenAccess examples of previous winning essays More details about how to enter below (1/2)