An Eighteenth-Century Love Triangle?

A poet, his wife, and “the ugliest of all possible kept mistresses”. In the second instalment of a series on the Fitzwilliam Museum’s Hayley Papers, Lisa Gee introduces an eighteenth-century love triangle. William Hayley married his first wife, Eliza, on the rebound. When it turned out that she couldn’t bear to be touched, they brought another woman into their marriage…. Read full article

Who was William Hayley?

William Hayley (1745-1820) is a neglected figure whose influence on literary and cultural history is now being recognised. But who was he? Dr Lisa Gee has been researching and cataloguing the Fitzwilliam Museum’s Hayley Papers. The Fitzwilliam Museum holds the world’s largest collection of manuscript material relating to William Hayley (1745-1820). But who was he? A largely unknown figure today,… Read full article

Do Not Touch: getting in touch with PhD students to answer difficult questions at the Fitzwilliam

The Fitzwilliam Museum has been thinking about tactile access to collections for a long time. From touch tours for the blind and partially sighted to education seminars for students, the Museum understands that touch can offer a fantastic opportunity to learn from and enjoy the collections. Working in Collections Care, I am approaching this topic from a slightly different angle;… Read full article