'Deafness and Marriage in Early Modern England'

Using newly discovered archival sources, including diaries & court records Rosamund Oates uncovers a world in which deaf people used sign.
About this Event

History talk on deafness and use of sign language in the early modern period.
Prof. Rosamund Oates (Manchester Metropolitan University)
Early modern England was a primarily oral culture, in which deafness and hearing loss could be particularly devastating. Yet, deaf people were a considerable minority in the early modern British Isles, and deafness did not discriminate by sex, wealth or status.

Using newly discovered archival sources, including diaries, court records, wills and personal correspondence, Rosamund Oates uncovers a world in which deaf people used sign language in court cases, in worship and in daily life.

Oates uncovers the untold stories of deaf people, often in their own words, showing how they worshipped, worked and forged relationships within their communities.