In 1851, the UK census introduced terms like "imbecile," "lunatic," and "deaf and dumb" to classify disabilities, reflecting the negative views towards disabled individuals during the Victorian Era. Despite this, these terms help us identify and explore the lived experiences of disabled individuals during this time. One such person was James F. Truscott, a Deaf man who became a successful photographer in Coalbrookdale.
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Discover what life was like for disabled working class people in the East Shropshire Coalfield during the 19th century in this blog post, which was guest written by Melanie Williamson, a freelance researcher, as part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust’s ‘Hidden Histories' project.
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