Nautical types! How big would an 18-20 ton ship have been in the late 16th century? It was to carry 16 cannons so I imagine big-ish?

I’m scared. A storm is coming and our torn tent won’t protect us. No blankets, no warm clothes, no shoes. My kids are cold and afraid. Please help us with a donation. tinyurl.com/4p8kmt5b @mommunism.bsky.social @fairshare.help @limbischessystem.bsky.social @acabchick.bsky.social

This is stone-cold racism from Daniel Hannan, a man who was born in Peru, notorious home of the implacably murderous Sendero Luminoso guerrillas, to where he should clearly be immediately deported.

How do Lenny Henry’s arguments for reparations for trans-Atlantic slavery stand up to Lord Biggar’s arguments against them? Head-to-head review here:

I'm not sure if others have noticed this, but interesting that one of the Prescott criticisms of the BBC is based on those of the 'History Reclaimed' group, which is also associated with the 'Restore Trust' group's attacks on & so far unsuccessful attempts to take control of the National Trust. 1/3

A cancelled meeting has given me time to grab a cuppa on campus and begin editing the manuscript of the first third of my new book. The epigraph should give you some indication as to the book’s theme. I’m going deep and dark on this one.

Me, reading a Ray Bradbury novel right now: his descriptions of the sky and light are so improbable…

Can anyone recommend a good text / source for sea monsters and imagined marine life in early modern period? Niche request. Cheers!

Was trying to explain cheque books to the kids and honestly I don’t think I really understood how they worked in the first place. It’s like that time I tried to explain dial up modems. They think I’m making ‘the olden days’ up. I’m like, duh, I’m an historian, that’s basically what we do. Idiots.

Some of the people in the Munich putsch were just innocently drinking in the beer hall

but got one back: just found, while preparing for @davidveevers.bsky.social session, to my utter amazement that July's UN report on 'Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied territories' cited reference article of mine, britainpalestineproject.org/from-the-eco...

Today we’ll be discussing whether the English Commonwealth from 1649 was radical or conservative, and asking why Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament in 1653? Of course I’ll be playing a clip of Richard Harris doing just that from Cromwell (1970)! youtu.be/a9DHOnUngxQ

In: wearing seven poppies and boasting loudly about observing the two minute silence. Out: having the remotest interest in the past or educating yourself on what should not supposedly be forgotten.

My train was cancelled so would have missed my London connection to Bangor. Got the next train but ran so fast through the underground and sprinted across Euston that I caught the original connection by seconds. Now panting on the train and want to throw up. That’s how dedicated I am to my students.

The most incessant voice in the pile on of the BBC appears to be…the BBC.

Next week's New Netherland Institute seminar ventures to the Indian Ocean featuring a paper by the Illustrious @davidveevers.bsky.social (ed. am hoping @wadehistory.bsky.social is able to attend 😁) @deborahhamer.bsky.social www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/programs/sch...

The big tell in the attack on the BBC (which I agree is deeply unbalanced and flawed, see Gaza) is that it’s followed by a demand for its abolition, never to reform or fix it. Why? Because they don’t want a properly functioning publically-owned media platform full stop.

When I’m in a coffee shop or on the train or even in a park with my kids, I’m always reading. When I look around me, everyone has their nose in a phone. How can I be performing for an audience that isn’t even watching anything not on their screens? I do draw a line at bare feet in public, though.

Henry off school with a tummy bug, so we’re wrapped up on the sofa watching the film adaptation of one of our favourite books: Allsburg’s The Polar Express. The animation on this used to freak me out, but I’ve come around to liking it in recent years. And we love ourselves some Hanks.

Managers cite concern for students in everything they do, but never actually prioritise student opinion or voices in any of their decision making. They do irreparable harm to student courses and turn around to staff and ask: ‘right: how can we improve student satisfaction and recruitment?’

Farewell then Tim Davie. Under his watch the BBC whitewashed genocide, had the BBC News website resembling a “migrant crime” X account, boosted trans hate and the right wing STILL hate him. Quite an achievement

Little bit helps us stay alive thank you from my heart @spaciousseasidesai.bsky.social @knifesquid.bsky.social @irishninja.bsky.social @cthonides.bsky.social @davidveevers.bsky.social @niasolstice.bsky.social @goobsimar.bsky.social @freshmintytaste.bsky.socialEvery .

Just read a passage in a book that describes elderly people as time machines: able to recall the past whilst being reminders to younger people of the future that awaits them. I think that’s a pretty magical understanding of age.

National Trust council elections saw a defeat for the Restore Trust campaign. 35k members voted to re-elect a slate of council candidates endorsed by the nominations committee 12k - 13.5k voted for candidates on Restore Trust slate Non-slate candidated www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...

I honestly don’t get the value of this company. They hoover up energy and water. Their product constantly gets things wrong and, in extreme cases, coaches people into suicide. And it’s all built on what seems to be malicious and vast intellectual property theft. What does OpenAI offer the world?

I'm at 5 right now after a year of 1 and 3.

Quite the view out of our bedroom window this morning. Glorious sun yesterday, overcast rainbow today. Nice contrast to constant rain.

Basically a perfect late autumn afternoon here on the Sussex coast.

Gotta say, I’m not so confident that you do

Fireworks terrified my nan. Reminded her of the blitz. She spent many a night with her daughter sleeping on the underground. I’m not sure why but as I’ve gotten older, I appreciate that a lot more than I did at the time as a kid.

Can't remember a more productive writing week. I ignored emails and wrote my little heart out - the result of pent up frustration at not being able to properly write since teaching started in September. My piecemeal reading, thinking, and research flowed into prose. So satisfying. Now brain mushy.

Maritime colleagues: was it common to omit names of women travelers - specifically wives - when mentioning passengers onboard? Asking in context of ships coming from England to colonies in early c17th. Can't prove this man's wife went with him, but his young son did (who are both mentioned by name).

Two can play at that game. Paramount subscription cancelled for being pro-genocide.

Even I thought this was one of mine!

PUBLICATION DAY! My new book, ‘Margaret Beaufort: Survivor, rebel, kingmaker’ is out today. “An epic journey”, “a powerful new biography”, “highly readable”, “vivid portrait”. www.bloomsbury.com/uk/margaret-... @headofzeus.bsky.social @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social #History #WomensHistory

Is there a German word for when you make a cup of tea, drink it, and then immediately make another one?

Horrific, stupid news from @uniofnottingham.bsky.social — they are closing their music department. Apparently they all found out suddently in a meeting yesterday. It is one of the best music departments in the country — solidarity with my colleagues and their students www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...

During colonisation of Grenada, Indigenous Kalinago were trapped by French at Morne des Sauteurs. With no hope, 40 jumped to their deaths. Survivors included 'quite beautiful' 12 year old girl fought over by 2 French officers, until a third came up and shot her dead, ending the dispute.

Every Welsh schoolchild of a certain vintage and disposition has this imprinted on their soul if it was on their classroom wall

Have you ever had goat curry? It’s amazing.

I just performed a citizen's arrest on a pensioner with a guide dog because she wasn't wearing a poppy in the Asda frozen aisle. We shall remember them.

You couldn’t park within a mile of the main staff carpark at university when I first joined in 2022 unless you arrived at 8am. Now it sits half empty all day long. It’s the small things that have been so irksome about the collapse of HE.

Me: I’m really pleased with the progress of my new book and I’ll definitely hit the 2027 deadline. Me after discovering that a new Europa Universalis game released yesterday: well shit. I’m in trouble.

Since 2000, the richest 1% of the world's population has taken 41% of all new wealth. The poorest half of the world has received only 1%.

on the topic of dick cheney, one thing i’ve always said is that you shouldn’t kill a million people

And so here we are: 4.45pm and it’s basically night out. The long hours of summer disintegrated without me even really realising it. Sigh. This gets harder ever year I get older.

Enjoy judgement day biatch!