Hello from Anna!
Hi I’m Anna. I’m working with Jenni on transcribing the Hooke folio together with CELL and the archives team at the Royal Society. We are transcribing using the exciting new software Transcription Workbench, using Python, which should let you view the finished product in various different formats, depending whether you want a record of all the original ink blots and doddles, or just a readable version in modern(ish) English.
When I’ve finished looking at this fascinating (and huge!) document, I will go on to look at the connections of the Royal Society with the East India Company and the role of voyages of exploration and discovery. This fits in with my previous interest in Indian Ocean history, which I researched while at the British Institute in Eastern Africa, as well as work at the Science Museum and a rather geeky interest in modern science and web technology, which I write about here.
We will be writing here about things we find interesting in the folio and the other documents we are looking at, whether in terms of how we can relate them to themes or debates in modern science, the point of view of the early history of the Society itself, or the wider history of the period that the folio covers (1667-1691). We’ll also be telling you about the trials, tribulations and highlights of the transcription process itself. Please get back to us with any comment, thoughts or suggestions for the direction of future rants!
Comments :
Leave a Reply