Join me at Brompton-by-Sawdon, for a presentation on a forgotten element of the Bombardment of Scarborough. The dramatic story of a minefield that would claim 20 ships. It is a story that is still on going, as the divers of Scarborough Sub Aqua Club hunt for five missing ship wrecks. #NavalHistory

The busy world muffled beneath a blanket of snow. The brief pause before the council truck appears to turn the pure white snow into slush.

On Saturday 29 November the Sporting Lunch Time Lecture series continues with the remarkable story of Rugby's Forgotten Black Leader, Roy Francis. Dr Tony Collins brings this remarkable story to life at the Record Cafe, Bradford. #Bradford #RugbyLeague @officialbullsrl.bsky.social

Two Belgian brothers, and their Armistice Day trip to record the graves of Scarborough Cricket Club members who died in the Great War. #CricketHistory #Scarborough #WW1

On Armistice Day Frank and Tom Depoorter visited and photographed the graves of five of the men named on the Scarborough Cricket Club War Memorial. I've added the images to the page dedicated to the memorial. A post about Frank and Tom's trip to the graves will be posted next week.

On a dark March night, 100 bombers attacked Scarborough. A huge parachute mine landed in North Marine Road, bringing with it death and destruction. A hidden history, one that lies beneath the feet of thousands of cricket fans as they enter the North Marine Road ground. #WW2 #CricketHistory

On Remembrance Sunday, here are the stories of two men who should have been on Scarborough Cricket Club's War Memorial; it is hoped that an addenda plaque will be added when the existing memorial is relocated at the ground. #WW1 #CricketHistory #Scarborough

At last, the sporting lunchtime lectures return for the 2025/26 season. Saturday, high noon at the Record Cafe, North Parade, Bradford. Capital of Culture. You'll Never Sing That ... and it is free. #SportHistory #Bradford

The bun fight goes nuclear at Scarborough Cricket Club ... Geoffrey Boycott Accused of Gross Misconduct #Cricket

Today's news that Geoffrey Boycott has been suspended by Scarborough Cricket Club, following allegations that he supplied confidential information to a club member who is part of a bid to overthrow the committee, my post of the club's AGM gives the backdrop to the crisis that is engulfing SCC.

Ghost sign lit by the morning sun in Bradford.

A few days left to grab 20% off my book ‘On the Tracks of the Flying Scotsman’. Follow the link to Great Northern Books.

As we approach Remembrance Sunday, it seemed an appropriate time to rewrite my article on Scarborough Cricket Club's war memorial. I've tried to put it in its context and have expanded some of the stories of the men listed on the memorial. #CricketHistory #WW1

A drama beneath towering chalk cliffs, retold via a rediscovered hotel visitor book. A Hull trawler and Foords Hotel, Filey. #MaritimeHistory

The bizarre story of a cricket club’s balloon and its journey across the North Sea. An inadvertent cricketing message in a bottle. #scarborough #germany #cricket

I’ve been busy updating the stories of the Scarborough Cricket Club members featured on the club’s recently rediscovered war memorial. Some images of the men and their final resting places have been added. Quite a bit more to do and, as ever, any additional information would be gratefully received.

Organising the 2025 Sporting Lunchtime Lecture programme at The Record Cafe has been tougher than normal, due to the happy fact that Bradford City's home games are a bit frantic. But here we go for the new season!

Sunny evening in Crown Heights. Home of good beer, good vibes and my daughter Rosie. We toasted Bradford City’s continued reign at the top of the league. #peckedbythechickens #brooklynbantams

The Hudson River derby. NY Red Bulls 2 NYCFC 3. Family links to the Red Bulls previous iteration, the NY Metrostars, meant that I was rooting for the Red Bulls. But my heart wasn’t in it. #hudsonriverderby #NewYork

Fans of Led Zeppelin will recognise these buildings as the cover of the album Physical Graffiti. I used to have the vinyl album. Gave it away years ago … regrets eh #LedZeppelin #NewYork

I caught a train to London and appear to have arrived in the 19th century…

With the anniversary of one of Filey Bay's worst tragedies approaching, we revisit the night a Hull trawler was battered beneath the towering cliffs of Flamborough Head. #MaritimeHistory #Hull #Fishing

On stage at World Curry Festival last night with poised to chat about the social history of curry houses in Bradford. Which included a reveal that the first opened in 1942! Cafe Nasim on Morley St, where the Kashmir is today (which itself opened c.1958). The festival runs for coming 2 weeks.

Delighted to have a piece in this month’s County Cricket Matters. A silly ditty about a Scarborough Cricket Club balloon that ended up on a north German beach.

Commemorating the day the American War of Independence made an unlikely appearance on the Yorkshire Coast. The refurbishment of the Flamborough Head toposcope. #NavalHistory #MaritimeHistory #WarofIndependence

Sun setting on Yorkshire’s one day cup

Who ate all the pies? #yorkshire #Hampshire #scarborough

The rediscovery of Scarborough Cricket Club’s war memorial and the stories of those named on it.

Scarborough Cricket Club’s war memorial, currently in store in the groundsman’s hut, hopefully back on public display soon.

Looking likely that we’ve another county game at the incomparable North Marine Road this season …

Big crowd at Scarborough for the Northern Superchargers derby … Yorkshire v Durham.

Yorkshire v Warwickshire at a blustery Scarborough. Man’s newspaper blew onto the ground. Players retrieved the various sections, handed it to him, but as he walked off his hat blew off to cheers.

Super smashing great … as Jim Bowen might say #scarborough #yorkshire #countycricket

Sedate afternoon as Yorkshire meet Sussex at Scarborough’s beautiful North Marine Road.

To celebrate the start of the second county game at Scarborough Cricket Club, here's my updated piece on the only appearance of a member of the royal family in a first class cricket match ... and it was at Scarborough! #CricketHistory #RoyalFamily #Scarborough

Final day of the Scarborough Cricket Festival, so reposting my history of cricket on the Yorkshire coast. #yorkshire #cricket

High tech drying of the outfield at Scarborough

Threatening skies at the famous Scarborough Cricket Festival

Cricket on Holiday? As the first day of the famed Scarborough Cricket Festival gets underway, we take a look back at the early history of cricket on the Yorkshire Coast. #Cricket #Scarborough #CountyCricket @anniechave.bsky.social @thegrumbler.bsky.social

We came as tourists, but left smitten #wimbledon

Funky Kingston, as Toots and the Maytals sang about a Kingston that might not be KT1 … but it’s hotter here.

Long defunct Foords Cricket Club at Filey. Some impressive names in the honours board, which is still in situ in the pub. #Filey #Yorkshire #cricket

The first ever Pullman car service in Britain ran from Bradford Forster Square to London St Pancras. Today’s Forster Sq is a shadow of its former self, but trains to the capital still depart from its platforms.

In my hometown of Bradford, leading a University of Leeds day school on a walk around the people of North Parade.

The only railway station in the world to be named after a novel? We complete our journey 'On the Tracks of the Flying Scotsman' at Edinburgh Waverley. The fabulous Balmoral Hotel overlooks the station, its clock 3 minutes fast to allow passengers to catch their trains with ease. #Edinburgh

Over the border, past a dreamy Scottish castle (and a cement works and a nuclear power station, but bear with me). We dip our toes into the North Sea at Sunny Dunny (Dunbar to the uninitiated), before the tracks of the Flying Scotsman being the approach to Edinburgh, the fabled Athens of the North.

A border skirmish at Berwick. The town's castle wasn't conquered by vast armies, it was the North British Railway that smashed the castle walls. The station platforms are built directly over the castle's great hall. Another teaser from 'On the Tracks of the Flying Scotsman'. #Berwick #LNER

The tracks of the Flying Scotsman race along the Northumbrian coast. Childhood tales of a lost branch line and one of Britain's least used stations. More teasers from my book 'On the Tracks of the Flying Scotsman'.

The day the Flying Scotsman was derailed by striking miners in Northumberland. The tale of a dramatic day as told in my new book 'On the Tracks of the Flying Scotsman'.

Newcastle: A bar advertises itself as 'probably the greatest station bar in the world', an unamused Queen Victoria looks on. Victoria used to draw her carriage curtains when she passed through Newcastle. The mass of industry were too much for the Monarchial gaze. open.substack.com/pub/davidpen...