Hi, I'm Luci,  writer, historian, researcher, speaker and curator with a special interest in the social and cultural history of the early twentieth century. My published books span a range of subjects including debutantes, royal coronations, First World War cartoons, high society, holidays, Great War knitting, feminist art and, most recently, the history of an iconic theatrical landmark, the London Hippodrome. I've had bylines in Tatler, History Today, Country Life, Majesty, World of Interiors, Illustration and The Simple Things, and have lectured or taken part in panel discussions at venues around the country including the London Transport Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain, Guildhall Library, Fashion & Textile Museum, the National Archives and the Western Front Association.

Published in the spring of 2021,  ‘John Hassall – The Life and Art of the Poster King’ with a foreword by Mike Leigh, was the first book on the celebrated poster artist and illustrator in more than forty years and accompanied an exhibition co-curated by me at the Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner. The book was long listed for the William MB Berger Prize and was described by Apollo magazine as a “valuable and important addition to the bookcase of anyone interested in the history of British poster design.”

As Head of Sales & Research at historical image source, Mary Evans Picture Library, I carry out the picture research for all the books I writer and I've contributed introductions to illustrated books based on the library’s extraordinarily rich content, including titles in the Hoxton Mini Press ‘Vintage Britain’ series. Prior to joining Mary Evans 17 (gulp) years ago, I was manager of the Illustrated London News Picture Library, which is now housed and managed by us at Mary Evans. Drawing on that archive's unrivalled collection of historic periodicals, I've contributed to bookazines on royal history and the First World War published by ILN Limited, was lead writer for illustratedfirstworldwar.com and curated educational resources for schools. This year I authored articles for the ILN’s flagship King Charles III Coronation Edition bookazine, and their Royal Britain bookazine, which I edited alongside writing a selection of lead articles.

Originally from Co. Durham, I studied history at Liverpool University. I live in east London with my husband in an Edwardian house we've been renovating for eternity, We have three children - two grown up, one teen - a Glen of Imaal Terrier called Feargal (known locally as "a character") and a handsome cat called Cholmondeley.