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ONLINE EXHIBITION

Forged by Fire: Burns Injury & Identity in Britain, c.1800-2000

Over the past two centuries our work, leisure, homes and cities have been threatened by war, fire, gas, chemicals, explosions and hot liquids.

Using museum collections and archival sources and incorporating the experiences of people injured and those around them, Forged by Fire tells the hidden story of these hazards, how they have changed and the efforts that have been invested in preventing and treating injuries.

In doing so, the project reveals how burns and scalds have transformed the identities of people, communities and places in Britain.

Newspaper image of a lady carrying a man out of a burning building

 Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive.

University of Birmingham
Leeds Beckett University

Arts and Humanities Research Council