17 November 2023
Beauty by the Books
Please join the Early Modern Recipe Online Collective (EMROC), Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Wellcome Collection for a one-day manuscript adventure on November 17. This worldwide event offers a chance to help make two medical recipe books searchable for users around the globe. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!
Click Here to Start Transcribing
You’ll have the chance to:
- Learn about early modern beauty practices, skin care, and health in this year’s recipe manuscripts, Wellcome MS.4054 and RCP MS.504.
- Discover more about the history of the books direct from experts at the RCP and Wellcome Collection.
- Take part in conversations with experts on Twitter, and more.
And all from the comfort of your own home!
Participants will virtually meet scholars from around the world and emerge from the day with a line for their CV—all from their own home, classroom, or office! NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY – we’ll walk you through the coding and offer pointers on the handwriting.
Keep up with the day’s events here on the EMROC webpage, and on Twitter and Zoom.
We are grateful to the Folger Shakespeare Library for providing a customised transcription platform on FromthePage for this event. We’ll be posting more on accessing and using the platform soon.
Interested in joining our Transcribathon virtually? Jump in on the day, or contact us ahead of time at emroc@gmail.com.
On this page, please find a series of resources to orient, help, and inform.
The videos below offer some glimpses into the manuscript we’ll be working with. Check out:
- A video tour of the RCP MS 504 manuscript.
- An exploration of RCP MS 504’s medical advice, on video.
- Beauty recipes, as examined by Pamela Forde, in this video.
- A step-by-step how-to for a lip salve recipe, from Wellcome MS 4054.
Key links
Transcription FAQ and information about Getting Started with Transcription.
EMROC blog (for quick and dirty blog posts as things happen, as well as more thoughtful posts later)