Silent Histories: Deafness in Early Modern England with Rosamund Oates

Rosamund Oates explores Early Modern England through the lens of D/deafness.

About the event

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.

By placing deaf people at the centre of the story, Professor Rosamund Oates transforms our understanding of early modern England. Using newly discovered archival sources including diaries, court records, wills and personal correspondence, she uncovers a world in which deaf people used sign language in court cases, in worship and in daily life. Rather than treating deafness as a medical or linguistic problem, this talk offers a holistic account of deafness or disability in this period.

Oates uncovers the untold stories of deaf people, often in their own words, showing how they worshipped, worked and forged relationships within their communities. Accessible and richly detailed, Silent Histories invites a fresh understanding of the past—one that is more inclusive, more surprising, and far more human.

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About the speaker

Rosamund Oates is Professor of Early Modern History at Manchester Metropolitan University and the author of Moderate Radical (2018). She is a leading scholar of disability history, with particular expertise in deafness. Her work appears in major academic journals and in outlets including BBC History Magazine, History Today, Deaf blog Limping Chicken, and BBC Radio 4.