An essay I wrote in 2005 about Millais's landscape painting and working with contemporary artists.

I am involved in this hearing about the redevelopment around the Glasgow School of Art. With no progress on the GSA rebuilding, it makes it all the harder to decide on the fate of the rest of the site. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Wikipedia was once an impossible dream. Today, it is 25 years of humanity at its best. Join us in celebrating what has become the backbone of knowledge on the internet. Donate now ➡️ donate.wikimedia.org #Wikipedia25

In Hookland, many a folkloric tale starts not with ‘A long time ago’ or ‘Far, far away’, but with the line: ‘Out across the dark moor where strange songs are still heard …’ For folklore tells strongly of place and our relationships to it. – Dr. M. Benn #Folklore #FolkloreThursday

A wee wander round the Green today + spotted this banner someone has put at the front of the People's Palace - Elseth King RIP 🐦🌳🔔🐟

When you feel depleted of enchantment, walk the wood. It is where magic lives loudly. – #EmilyCBanting, 1982

My latest blog is some original research into art deco architect Gerald de Courcy Fraser (1873 – 1952) who was the company architect for Lewis’s department stores.

It's official! 🏛️ 🎉 The SF Board of Supervisors has unanimously declared October 22, 2025 as Internet Archive Day — celebrating our 1️⃣ trillion webpages preserved & our mission to provide universal access to all knowledge. Learn more & celebrate with us tonight! ➡️ blog.archive.org/2025/10/22/h...

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

There’s a new piece on my website about my recent trip to the South West to a church designed by #OwenJonesArchitect in 1847, St Bartholomew, Sutton Waldron. I was asked to speak at the celebration of the completion of major restorations to the church wall decorations by Owen Jones.

Owen Jones in Dorset I am delighted to be speaking on Owen Jones in Sutton Waldron, Dorset, on Sat 26th September, to celebrate the completion of the restoration of St Bartholomew’s Church. St Bartholomew's, Sutton Waldron (c) Dominick Swift Jones decorated the interior of this 1847 Gothic church…

Checking off lots of items on Arendt’s list today

Any time I talk about a wealthy person's outfit, someone in the comments is quick to reply: "They're rich, you think they care?" No one has to care about my opinions or clothes, regardless of net worth. But let's talk about the connection between wealth and aesthetics 🧵

Please sign this petition about the removal of librarians from Glasgow schools. chng.it/R9SFDdNZnY

Every single high school in Glasgow will lose its librarian under the current plans. It is happening after SNP and Green councillors voted for major education cuts in the Glasgow City Council budget.

Goodnight from Tony Smollet, slipping Mother Kemp’s malakins into the timber while volunteering to help build the St. John’s Eve bonefire. Goodnight from the Merry Maidens parade band, enjoying one last practice before summoning the Bone Horse tomorrow. Goodnight from Hookland.

Transatlantic Literary Women Symposium 4-5 July, University of Derby/online. A fabulous group of speakers, from Wharton to the Harlem Renaissance with keynote from Dr Katharine Cox - Register here! tiny.cc/43mn001

A few of my talks were postponed earlier this year for the #Glasgow 850 anniversary series, hosted by the Thomson Society. I was asked to share the new dates, so here you go! Tickets not released yet, but book via www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-alexan... #savethedate #history #earlymodern #skystorians

Mortifying experience at Pulp last night but taking comfort that I’m not the worst person Jarvis Cocker has ever impersonated

North Laurieston Masterplan Consultation 24 June ⬇️ www.urbanrealm.com/news/11507/N...

ALL ABOARD! 🚂 📣SAVE LIVERPOOL STREET STATION! The planning application for partial demolition of the listed station in the City of London to build a tower over it is now LIVE!! Here's our guide to writing your objection by 4th July: bit.ly/3ZQRkk8 #heritage #cityoflondon

Do you fancy a free guided tour of Europe's oldest members owned and run swimming club? Founded in 1870 and Grade A listed. Book your here on the @WestFestGlasgow tours: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/westfest-2... #glasgow #swimming #heritage #sport

The Club is taking part again in @WestFestGlasgow this June! Join us for tours, talks, water polo, poolside classics and a spectacular street gala! more info: arlingtonbaths.co.uk/home #glasgow #events #funday #talks #tours

This year I have been invited to deliver the following public talks, mostly as part of Glasgow 850 - see details on my latest blog.

A whiz through Glasgow's history by @murphyniallgla.bsky.social for #Glasgow850 which also describes some of the reasons for the depressing state of our built heritage. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2520557...

Word of the day is ‘forswunk’ (13th century): exhausted from too much work. I like to think that ‘foreswunk’ is to be exhausted before you even begin.

📢 The Internet Archive needs your help. At a time when information is being rewritten or erased online, a $700 million lawsuit from major record labels threatens to destroy the Wayback Machine. Tell the labels to drop the 78s lawsuit. 👉 Sign our open letter: www.change.org/p/defend-the... 🧵⬇️

I mean this is such an open goal it must have been intentional? #tronarse #tronares

A great turnout and enthusiastic audience yesterday for my lecture on ‘Ancient Inspiration for Modern Living: Alexander Thomson and Owen Jones’ for The Alexander Thomson Society @ Mitchell Library. Thank you everyone for coming and asking great questions! #Glasgow850

#academia Academic writers - work stolen!

On Saturday I am giving a public lecture at The Mitchell Library, Glasgow for The Alexander Thomson Society - do come and hear me talk about two amazing Victorians! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ancient-in...

Today UK authors are protesting against Meta for stealing our work to train their AI model. Authors earn an average of £7000 per year, we are not rich, and yet a trillion dollar company decided it didn’t want to license our work fairly as it was “too expensive” Theft is not a valid alternative.

Thank you to everyone who has signed our petition, 6,000+! Authors deserve to have a livelihood and compensation from their work, if you haven't signed do so now 👇

I am one of the authors whom Meta stole (sorry, ‘scraped’) from, by using their books to train Libgen. So I’m biased. But this from @mscaitlinmoran.bsky.social is👌

Meta stole my writing to train its AI without payment or permission. I stand with @societyofauthors.bsky.social in protesting this theft. #DoTheWriteThing

#LiteratureThreads Transatlantic Literary Women symposium in Derby - CFP Extended ❗

❗Glasgow Buildings❗The Fairfield Technical Office Annexe, Govan Road is recommended by @historicscotland.bsky.social for Cat C listing after campaigning by shipbuilding historian Ian Johnston and @paulsweeney.bsky.social You can comment here ➡️ haveyoursay.historicenvironment.scot/heritage/fai...

CFP Extended: Transatlantic Literary Women NOW 7 April 25. If your research broadly fits with this theme, get in touch. Welcome ECR, those giving their first papers etc. Symposium is in Derby 4-5 July '25 ➡️ transatlanticladies.wordpress.com/2024/11/19/t...

Thank you @alcs.co.uk for my payment today! It’s wonderful to get paid for my writing and research 📚💸

There's an interesting discussion on VICTORIA re: critical studies of 19th-c. culture. Martin Hewitt @vicmanch.bsky.social has raised a number of provocative issues; his post today can be found here: list.iu.edu/sympa/arc/vi.... To join in, subscribe for free at list.iu.edu/sympa/info/v... #C19th

Glasgow's National Trust for Scotland's Mackintosh at the Willow will host a series of talks on the history of the cuppa. The Scottish Food Heritage Symposium led by @uofgartshums.bsky.social Dr Lindsay Middleton and @tenementkitchen.bsky.social will diving into tea's cultural impact. 🫖

Here's the link to my lecture with The Alexander Thomson Society with the pretty picture! #Glasgow850 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ancient-in...

Upcoming lecture on Thomson and Jones for #Glasgow850 My next lecture celebrating Glasgow's built heritage is on 5 April on Alexander Thomson and Owen Jones

It's the time of year when I see articles telling folks to put pet fur out for bird nesting. The Cornell ornithology lab does not recommend this! Flea/tick treatments & shampoos can be toxic, long fur can entangle chicks, etc. There are much better alternatives: www.allaboutbirds.org/news/providi...

If anyone would like one of these for the price of postage (£4 UK, £15 US) plus whatever you'd like to pay me of the £9.99 cover price (no problem if zero is all you can afford) please email me at [email protected] with your address and I'll get it straight in the post, signed. Sound fair?

Did I think I wd ever ask you to object to the 1st statue of a non-royal woman in Edinburgh? I DID NOT. But here we are. Both Elsie & Edinburgh deserve a better memorial and a better process too. So pls put in an objection here: citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/a...

On a more serious note, I'm looking for someone to write a chapter on C19 penny dreadfuls for an already commissioned OUP Companion to Victorian Popular Fiction. The person contracted has sadly had to drop out. Please contact me if you know anyone. Deadline 2027.

Looking for something you can do? Create an Internet Archive acct. You know the wayback machine? If you see a page you think might get taken down or altered, crawl it. The more local the better. Don’t assume someone else has. Donate if you can & follow their legal battles. Advocate for them. 1/

🔗 Websites vanish. Links break. But knowledge can live on with your help. Use the Wayback Machine’s Save Page Now tool to archive webpages that are important to you. 🕰️ 💾 📌 Try it now: web.archive.org/save