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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
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Record Number: 3358


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'At about age fifteen [Joseph Barker] found an old folio on anatomy and surgery by Helkiah Crooke (physician to James I) and was delighted by "certain parts of the work which treated on subjects whichare generally wrapt in mystery by people, and which my [Yorkshire Methodist] parents would have been least disposed for me to think about or understand." When he indiscreetly shared his knowledge with some friends, there was a general uproar and even death-threats. His angry parents confiscated the book then returned it "on condition that I would paste up two particular parts of it. But I soon took the liberty to break loose the sealed-up parts, and read them again".'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

unknown

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

other location: Yorkshire

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Joseph Barker

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1806

Socio-Economic Group:

Clerk / tradesman / artisan / smallholder

Occupation:

soldier's son

Religion:

Methodist

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Helkiah Crooke

Title:

[medical folio]

Genre:

Textbook / self-education, Medicine

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

Found


Source Information:

Record ID:

3358

Source:

Print

Author:

Jonathan Rose

Editor:

n/a

Title:

The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes

Place of Publication:

New Haven

Date of Publication:

2001

Vol:

n/a

Page:

208

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Jonathan Rose, The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes (New Haven, 2001), p. 208, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=3358, accessed: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

See Joseph Barker, 'History and Confessions of a man, as put forth by himself' (Wortley, 1845), p.119-20.

   
   
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