'The Electric Age: How Harnessing Electricity Transformed Society' Webinar

While humans have always been aware of electrical phenomena, it had very little practical use until the eighteenth century. Thanks to a series of discoveries, inventions, and new scientific understandings of electricity, the ability to harness its powers finally became a reality by the end of that century. It's time to uncover how the power of electricity dramatically transformed society in a myriad of ways, from the practical to the performative.

Join New York Adventure Club as we explore how the Electric Age led to a craze for all things electric, and ushered in a wave of new technologies in telegraphy, lighting, industry, medicine, and leisure activities that transformed people’s lives forever.

Led by historian Lucy Jane Santos, our virtual experience surrounding the Electric Age will include:

• Details of the sensational electrical demonstrations of Giovanni Aldini who worked on human and animal corpses
• A discussion of how cities and elite leisure activities began to be electrified in the late 1800s, including the Savoy Theatre in London: the first building in the world to be lit with electricity
• The ways in which electricity was used in entertainment, from Miss Marconi's ‘The Electric Mysterious Wonder’ to Gustave Trouve’s ‘Electrical Jewels’
• How 'electrical health' was embraced by medical practitioners and entrepreneurs with the development of a myriad of tools including electric brushes, electric corsets, electric baths, and the ‘Electreat Mechanical Heart’
• How electricity expanded into the domestic environment transforming people’s homes and lives with inventions like the vacuum cleaner

Afterward, we'll have a Q&A session with Lucy — any and all questions about the Electric Age are welcomed and encouraged!

Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay for one week!

See you there, virtually!

*Once registered, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

**For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you're using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

***A full replay will be available after the experience for all registered guests

About Lucy

Lucy Jane Santos is an expert in the history of 20th century leisure, health, and beauty.

After completing a BA in Egyptian Archaeology and a MA in Arts and Heritage Management Lucy worked for several private members clubs and societies in London including The Arts Club, the Authors’ Club, and the International Wine and Food Society.

She has been a judge for the Historical Writers’ Association Non-Fiction Crown, the recipient of the Stephen Joseph Research Award and was the Non-Fiction Writer In Residence for the Stay-at-Home! International Literature Festival (2020). She is a founder of the Art Deco Society UK and co-founder of the Cosmetic History and Makeup Studies Network.

Half Lives: The Unlikely History of Radium is Lucy’s debut book and was shortlisted for the 2021 BSHS Hughes Prize, for books that bring scholarship to new readers by capturing the public imagination while conforming to the rigorous standards of academic research. Her next book, which is a history of the element uranium, will be published in 2024.

Lucy also works as a freelance historical researcher and consultant.

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Categories: Virtual, Moments in History