Victorian Machines
Tasks for Next Week:
- Required reading for week 2, please come to class with some thoughts and notes in response to the reading: https://anglia.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?context=L&vid=44APU_INST:ANG_VU1&search_scope=CSCOP_APU_DEEP&tab=Everything&docid=alma999182699602051Links to an external site. < read the introduction chapter but feel free to read more if you wish 🙂
(Image created by Midjourney with following prompt: Create an image to accompany an academic book review – the book is called The Power of Algorithms and is abouthow algorithms reinforce oppression through what she terms “technological redlining”–digital discrimination embedded in automated systems that deepens racial and gender inequalities.)
After reading the chapter, I asked Claude AI to produce a summary for me as an aide memoire for reference as the course unfolds:
Summary of “Algorithms of Oppression” Introduction
Safiya Umoja Noble’s book examines how algorithms reinforce oppression through what she terms “technological redlining”—digital discrimination embedded in automated systems that deepens racial and gender inequalities.
Core Arguments
Human Bias in “Neutral” Technology: Noble challenges the myth that algorithms and big data are objective. She argues that human developers—who work in environments documented for racism and sexism—create these systems, making neutrality impossible. The 2017 Google “anti-diversity manifesto” exemplifies how prejudiced individuals shape supposedly neutral tools.
Personal Catalyst: Noble’s research began after discovering that searching “black girls” on Google returned pornographic content as top results. This shocking example revealed systematic failures in how search engines represent women and people of color, prompting her career shift from marketing to academic research.
Corporate Monopoly Concerns: She argues that tech giants like Google must be broken up and regulated because their consolidated power threatens democracy and reinforces marginalization. As advertising companies—not information companies—they profit from racism and sexism rather than providing reliable information.
Key Evidence
The book documents multiple instances of algorithmic bias:
- Google’s photo app tagging Black people as “apes”
- Search results associating Michelle Obama with monkeys
- Maps directing racist slurs to the White House during Obama’s presidency
- Persistent pornification of searches for women of color
Theoretical Framework
Noble situates algorithmic oppression within broader systems of discrimination, connecting it to historical redlining practices in housing and banking. She draws on critical race theory, viewing anti-Blackness as foundational to internet racism and arguing that oppression operates through repeated “scripts” across different contexts.
Book Structure
The six chapters cover: corporate information control; stereotype reinforcement in search results; radicalization through misinformation (using Dylann Roof as a case study); critiques of information science; the future of public knowledge; and policy recommendations, including real-world impacts on small businesses.
Significance
Noble calls for interdisciplinary collaboration between social scientists, activists, technologists, and policymakers to challenge artificial intelligence’s harmful effects on marginalized communities, emphasizing that digital platforms are not neutral but actively shape social relations and perpetuate inequality.
Source: Claude AI 27/01/2026
- Complete lecture diary entry 100-200 words + upload to blog
(Image created for me by Midjourney using the following prompt: Create an image to accompany A lecture diary (or learning diary) is a reflective, personal document where a student analyses and connects the key takeaways of a lecture, seminar, or course to their own understanding, rather than simply transcribing or summarizing the material. It serves as a tool for critical thinking, assessing personal learning, and providing feedback to lecturers, often covering themes, questions, and practical applications of the content.)
What is a lecture diary? To ensure my understanding, I asked ‘Google’ from which I drafted the following summary. Though I’m not certain I’ll do this description justice in the 100 – 200 words which follows:
A lecture diary (or learning diary) is a reflective, personal document where a student analyses and connects the key takeaways of a lecture, seminar, or course to their own understanding, rather than simply transcribing or summarizing the material. It serves as a tool for critical thinking, assessing personal learning, and providing feedback to lecturers, often covering themes, questions, and practical applications of the content.
Key Characteristics and Purpose:
- Reflection over Summary: While a summary tells what was said, a lecture diary explains what the student thought about it, how it connects to prior knowledge, and why it matters.
- Personal Voice: It is written in the student’s own voice, showcasing their unique insights, analysis, and interpretation of the topics.
- Active Learning: It helps to process complex information, identify gaps in understanding, and connect theories to practical scenarios.
- Format: Often structured as short, regular entries (e.g., one page per lecture or topic) focusing on key insights and questions.
What to Include in a Lecture Diary:
- Main Points: A brief overview of the main topics discussed.
- Analysis: Critical comments, questions, or disagreements with the material.
- Connections: Links between the lecture, literature, or previous knowledge.
- Practical Application: Ideas on how to apply the learned concepts in practice.
Benefits:
- Better Retention: Writing reflections helps solidify knowledge better than passive note-taking.
- Exam Prep: A completed diary is an excellent tool for revising and preparing for final exams.
- Critical Thinking Development: It encourages moving beyond surface-level understanding to deeper analysis.
A lecture diary is distinct from traditional notes because it emphasizes the student’s personal learning journey and critical engagement with the content.
Source: Google 27/01/2026
A Lecture Diary on ‘Victorian Machines’ Session in Week 1 of this Module.
Lecture Diary: Week 1 – Victorian Machines
(Images were created for me by Midjourney – I used the Lecture Diary below as a prompt)
This week’s session launched the module by examining the Victorian period, this is usually described as 1820–1914 though Queen Victoria’s reign actually ended with her death in January 1901, as a foundational era for modern digital media. We began by identifying obscure historical artifacts, such as the bathing machine and early automatons, which set the stage for discussing the concept of “mechanical life”. I was particularly interested in the lineage of computing and AI, traced back to Babbage’s Difference Engine and the logic of George Boole, as well as literary predictions of robotics in stories like Tik-Tok of Oz. I wonder if this was the inspiration for the name of my (current) favourite app?
The lecture also mapped the evolution of connectivity, moving from the optical telegraph and Morse code to the massive undertaking of the trans-Atlantic submarine cable. The practical workshop was fascinating, where we experimented with a Morse code translator – if translation was left to me the Titanic would still be awaiting rescue – and used Google’s “Teachable Machine” to train an AI to recognize visual signals. This exercise effectively bridged the gap between Victorian semaphore and modern machine learning. Reflecting on Tesla’s radio-controlled boat and early definitions of “automata,” I realized that many “futuristic” concepts are in fact centuries old, a perspective I plan to use when developing my final project ideas.
(Image was created for me by Midjourney – I wanted a prosperous Victorian with a question mark. This image demonstrates my intention to revisit question 3 in another blog post)
3. Find a Victorian machine it might be from class and write some thoughts (you might record this as a video or voice note or have some sketches) about why you are interested in it, does it make you think differently about a contemporary piece of technology?
Add notes thoughts, sketches, voice notes or anything else in any file format that reflects on the lecture to your blog, maybe you want to upload your thoughts to the session as a tik Tok or perhaps morse code.
It took me a while to come up with an answer to this task.
I wanted to be creative and decided to search the National Archive for patents recorded during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 -1901) and the ‘long Victorian’ era (1820 – 1914) but unfortunately the records are not available online and, sadly, I didn’t have time to travel to London – or Edinburgh – this week. As a result, I have had to depend on Google.
For the end of semester project I have decided to focus on the bicycle which is my favourite mode of transport and which, surprisingly to me, was only invented during Victorian times.
I enjoyed looking at the quirky Victorian inventions in the classroom session last Friday (23/01/2026) and decided I’d try to find something a little different. As we are focussing on the era of Oscar Wilde, I wondered if it might be possible to find some inventions of the era made, created or invented by queer people. This proved tricky indeed because while I am certain that there would be many creative queer people in this era, it was a time of great persecution and those whom we may consider today to be members of the LGBTQ+ community were largely invisible unless – like in the tragedy of Oscar Wilde – they made an appearance in court.
I decided to reach out via Instagram to Dr Anthony Delaney – an historian, author and podcaster well known to those who follow queer history on social media. Dr Delaney is an expert in human sexuality during the Georgian Period and in 2025 published a book called ‘Queer Georgians’ (which I would highly recommend to anyone who has not read it)
I wondered if he could help me to find any queer inventors from this era and we had the following insta-conversation:
And so, for this week’s task, I have decided to focus on Hertha Ayrton. It should be noted that she never – in the modern parlance – ‘came out’ but there is evidence from the way she lived her life and the friendships and relationships she made that have led the LGBTQ+ community to claim her as one of our own. http://www.elisarolle.com/queerplaces/fghij/Hertha%20Ayrton.html
British engineer and inventor best known for creating the Ayrton anti-gas fan to clear poison gas from WWI trenches, a line-divider instrument, and improvements to electric arc lighting. She held 26 patents for her work, which spanned specialized mathematical, electrical, and physical devices, including a sphygmomanometer.
Key inventions and technical developments include:
- The Ayrton Fan: A hand-operated fan used during World War I to propel toxic chemical gases out of trenches and bunkers. Over 100,000 were deployed on the Western Front.
- Line Divider: Her first major invention (patented 1884), this device allowed engineers, artists, and architects to divide a line into equal parts, or to scale drawings, with five versions patented.
- Electric Arc Improvements: Following her extensive studies on the electric arc, she invented a method to reduce the flickering and hissing of arc lamps by preventing oxygen from entering the carbon crater.
- Sphygmomanometer: An early, inventive device she developed as a student to record pulse beats.
- Sand Ripple Research: While not a “device” in the mechanical sense, her study on sand ripples led to practical insights into vortices and air movement, which informed her design of the anti-gas fan.
Ayrton was a pioneering female scientist, becoming the first woman elected to the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1899 and winning the Hughes Medal for her research. Hertha Ayrton: Engineer, inventor, trailblazer | Girton College
For this exercise, I am going to focus on the Ayrton fan.
Source: Imperial War Museum
During the First World War, poisonous gas was a new and deadly weapon, especially in places like Ypres in 1915. British engineer Hertha Ayrton wanted to find a simple way to clear gas from trenches after attacks. She designed a hand-held anti-gas fan made of waterproof canvas and cane, with a wooden handle, to sweep gas out of dugouts and shell holes.
Source: Imperial War Museum
Ayrton was already a respected inventor and feminist, the first woman member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers and winner of the Hughes Medal. She tested her idea by using smoke in her own lab and a friend’s garden before taking it to the army’s Invention Committee. At first the military rejected her, without even testing the fan. She kept pushing, writing to senior figures including Douglas Haig and Prime Minister Lloyd George, until trials were finally held.
After design changes, the fan was approved in 1917 and about 104,000 were sent to the front. It could not really drive gas back towards the enemy, but it helped soldiers clear dangerous areas faster. When the war ended in 1918 and gas was later banned by the 1925 Geneva Protocol, the fan’s use stopped. One fan is now displayed in the Imperial War Museum, though the exhibit barely mentions Ayrton herself. The article argues she should be remembered as a pioneering woman who forced her way into a male, military world and helped open doors for later generations.
Ayrton Flapper Fan in use. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_2Dt1-shPY
I realise that this invention does not share the slightly off-the-wall quality of many Victorian inventions, nor does it demonstrate the stereotypical flamboyance that I might have expected from queer inventions of the era but I think it does demonstrate that queer people made a signifcant contribution to society even at a time when they were neither welcome nor appreciated. Sad but true.
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