In the summer of 2021, Morrab Library hosted  Eliza McCarthy, an intern from the Penryn campus of Exeter University who funded Eliza’s project through their Access to Internships programme. Eliza is an English Literature student and spent her time exploring the library’s archive relating to John Thomas Blight (1835-1911), Cornish archaeologist and artist. Blight found himself incarcerated in the Bodmin Mental Asylum, and Eliza’s paper explores Blight’s life and the wider issues around the care of people with mental health problems at that time.

It was a delight to host Eliza, and the results of her hard work are evident in the paper she wrote, which is reproduced here, and will be added to the JT Blight Archive collection for future researchers.

Click here to read Eliza’s Blog