The Walk of Alfred - a little bit of disability/mental health history from York in a short walk. Part of York Walking Festival 2025.
Saturday, 27th September 2025, 2pm.
Meet 1:45pm outside The Retreat, Heslington Rd, YO10 5BN.
22.09.2025 16:43 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
‘The York Union House of Disability Joy and Pride’ is a reworking of the various yards and labels found on the representation of York Union Workhouse on a 1852 large scale map of York by Captain Tucker R.E. for the Ordnance Map Office. See stephenleehodgkins.net/the-york-uni...
09.06.2025 11:50 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Legal Questions
#LegalALLFIE
ALLFIE have created information resources to explain legal case studies around the rights of Young Disabled People. Thanks to @stephenleehodgkins.bsky.social for the beautiful illustrations.
Watch the playlist here: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis... #LegalALLFIE
21.05.2025 14:50 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
Image of a cyanotype print in an old wooden frame. The blue print is of Alfred Smith.
Image of transparency of print being exposed in sunshine.
Image of a cyanotype print of Alfred Smith drying in the sun.
And I've made some #cyanotype prints of Alfred to guide us round and celebrate his fabulous diary...
15.05.2025 15:32 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
If you're in York and free this Saturday 17th May, why not join in with this fantastic project? It draws on the archive of The Retreat hospital, which you can search online: borthcat.york.ac.uk/ret
12.05.2025 15:18 — 👍 6 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
Just over ONE WEEK to go before @gbrannanarchive.bsky.social and I take on another Great York Walk for Mentally Fit York! And it's going to be a warm one - eek! If you can spare anything at all there is still time to sponsor me. Please head to yustart.hubbub.net/p/lauray-wal... to donate! Thank you!
09.05.2025 13:55 — 👍 9 🔁 3 💬 1 📌 1
So excited for this new @uoyborthwick.bsky.social project starting! Whilst @gbrannanarchive.bsky.social and I are on the Great York Walk on 17 May, catch @stephenleehodgkins.bsky.social and Griselda Goldsbrough on for the Walk of Alfred, and find out more about out what we're going to be up to!
09.05.2025 15:33 — 👍 6 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
Image of portrait shot of Alfred Smith, a victorian man sat in a chair wearing a suit. The words 'The Walk of Alfred' along with some of Alfred's handwriting in the background are included.
Flyer with blue background, text reads;
In 1877 at The Retreat, York, Alfred Smith writes a diary. He notes many things in detail. Like fixing his 8 day clock, seeing the new gas lights at the station, watching Fulford New Church go up in flames and buying a Portuguese onion. 'Awful accounts' from the Yorkshire Gazette about the battle of Waterloo, visits by government inspectors, New Lodge being built and a 'Racoon' in the back yard.
Alfred's diary also includes a number of walking routes that he took around the streets and pathways of York. To celebrate Alfred, and to explore his diary some more, we are retracing one of the walks he did.
The walk is approximately 2 miles, will take 2 hours, follow a level route and end back at The Retreat, Heslington Rd.
This walk is part of 'Stories of Mental Health from York: Past, Present, and Future', funded by 'Mentally Fit York' at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.
In 1877 at The Retreat, York, Alfred Smith writes a diary. He notes many things, including his walks around York. To celebrate Alfred, and to explore his diary some more, we are retracing one of his walks.
@uoyborthwick.bsky.social @lauray-archives.bsky.social @garybrannan.bsky.social
09.05.2025 14:51 — 👍 6 🔁 1 💬 2 📌 4
