We're trying something new - a series of themed threads about particular people and objects that feature in our collections. This week we are focussing on 18th century black authors who we should be commemorating today. Today's thread is about Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797), a writer and abolitionist from the Kingdom of Benin (modern-day Nigeria). He was enslaved as a child and transported to the Caribbean. He purchased his freedom in 1766 and settled in London.

Sharing some #Cornish printed heritage from @britishlibrary for #StPiransDay with Andrew Boorde’s ‘tourist guide’ to the British Isles printed in 1540.

“In Cornwall is two speches, the one is naughty englyshe, and the other is cornyshe”

Some phrases to follow ...
C.71.b.29 Boorde’s ‘fyrst boke of the introduction of knowledge’ was to, ‘teache a man to speake parte of all maner of languages, and to knowe the vsage and fashion of al maner of countreys. And know the moste parte of all maner of coynes of money, the whych is currant in euery region”