This event was rescheduled from its original 21 May date in light of industrial action at the University of Leicester. It will now take place on Friday 23 July 2021.

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Organisers: Dr Claire Wood (Leicester) and Professor Hugo Bowles (University of Foggia)

Join us to explore Dickens's mysterious shorthand writing and its place within a little-known stenographic culture.

• Learn about the history of shorthand from the seventeenth century through to the nineteenth, as well as Dickens's struggles to master Gurney's Brachygraphy.
• Try your hand at decoding Dickens's shorthand (optional pre-symposium task).
• Hear from curators about fascinating shorthand manuscripts in their collections.
• Engage with a range of inspirational digital humanities projects through case studies presented by 'Dickens Code' network members.
• Reflect upon the challenges of decoding one of Dickens's undeciphered shorthand scripts and hear about approaches rooted in Informatics and Forensic Linguistics.
• Contribute to conversations about how we can involve people in the decoding process - and ultimately crack the 'Dickens Code'!

This free event is open to all with an interest in Dickens, stenography, word puzzles, and digital humanities. It is part of the AHRC-funded 'Dickens Code' project. For further details and to view the full programme, please visit our website.

This event will take place on Zoom. A joining link will be sent out on the day before the event.