Turns out I cannot say “combine harvesters” without lapsing into a seriously broad Gloucestershire brogue that I rarely otherwise possess. My daughter is quietly corpsing with laughter at me. Sigh.

Key moment in Thatcher’s time at number 10 documented here in today’s file release at @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy of which I think @number10cat.bsky.social will approve (via discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2...)

Twas the night before Christmas, and throughout the land The sleeping arrangements were carefully planned Down in the kitchen, a picturesque scene A mattress, a pillow, a washing machine

We’re excited to share our new main catalogue, making it easier for you to find and request the majority of our published collection. We’ve also launched an interim version of our Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue. Find out how to start searching and requesting on our website bit.ly/BLNewCatalogues

It’s been a very long and difficult weekend, but I have to give it to the Osterley parkrun teams. They have been absolute gems of humans as have the HQ team. So thank you to everyone who has sent kind and supportive messages!

See below for details of a FREE one-day workshop 'Archives to Action: Historical Evidence for Policy Reform in Marital Breakdown, Domestic Abuse, and Child Welfare' held @northumbriauni.bsky.social on Tuesday 20 January 2026. www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/new...

Under this definition, Fred should definitely fall under the “ornamental purposes” since “lap warmer” is not included.

I'm not saying the records I look at aren't consulted very often, but today, a PRO document ordering slip from the early 1900s dropped out of the volume I was looking at.

My Great Great Uncle John was killed in 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated at Tyne Cot, and we visited with a very small E in 2017 for the centenary of his death. At the going down of the Sun, and in the morning, we will remember them. #lestweforget #armisticeday #FWW100

Some days my work covers really dark and horrible histories. And then I get days like today where I’m looking at agendas with a minuted section on chocolate vermicelli…

I have been confronted with an ad for Advent calendars and so it is time for the annual PSA: THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS BEGIN ON CHRISTMAS THEY ARE NOT ANY OF THE DAYS LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS THAT IS ADVENT WHICH BEGINS FOUR SUNDAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

I’m sure Game of Wool isn’t suggesting that crochet is a kind of knitting…

Just come across this very generous review of my book, so that was a nice end to my week. revues.droz.org/CHS/article/...

If you missed it yesterday, you can still see the @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy webinar on researching railway ancestors. Huge thanks to @jessamycarlson.bsky.social for mentioning the Railway Work, Life & Death project! #FamilyHistory #Railway200 www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUzb...

Want to learn more about tracing people in the past for your research? I’m running my life course tracing sessions again this year and more details are available here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/practical-... Do come along and join in!

Mystery anonymous person, you have concealed yourself very neatly but your very generous donation has topped me up to a solid £1000! Thank you! That’s four full days of a Macmillan nurse and many people who will benefit from your generosity! THANK YOU X

There’s a webinar coming up to launch Spaces, Places & Belonging! Learn about the new AHRC funded Community Hub, which will support inclusive, community led research across the UK GLAM and heritage sectors. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spaces-pla...

Delighted to have been part of this @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy 'On the Record' podcast, for #Railway200! With @jessamycarlson.bsky.social & James Cronan (both of TNA), we discuss strikes, travel ... & yes, accidents, to look at railway people! www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...

Let the fun begin. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/...

An excellent couple of days of PhD supervision training completed. Excellent to finally meet @adamchapman.bsky.social and @justincolson.bsky.social in person, amongst many other fine folks

Final training walk for the Macmillan Mighty Hike in a fortnight. Will I run a marathon? Absolutely not. Will I walk one with pre-advertised snack breaks? Absolutely. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/...

Enjoyed this sign at the parish church in Whitby today…

There’s a webinar coming up to launch Spaces, Places & Belonging! Learn about the new AHRC funded Community Hub, which will support inclusive, community led research across the UK GLAM and heritage sectors. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spaces-pla...

We're recruiting for a new role in the Early Modern team at TNA to help us integrate the Parliamentary Archives. I'm looking for someone with an expertise in pre-modern Westminster Parliament so we can join the executive, legislative and judicial collections www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOD893/r...

I had the privilege of working with her during our Cold War season in 2019 and she was extraordinary to spend time with. Rest well, Dame Stella.

Said a sad farewell to our very elderly tabby cat earlier. She has been the oldest cat on the books at the vets for ages, at the grand old age of at least twenty four. She’s been ours for twelve of those and we loved her for all of that time. Rest well Molly.

Very nice to be at the Abbey tonight for the NSSB’s end of year* service. *not for a fortnight.

Next week! Spaces still available.

Do you have a fabulous MA student who is interested in the 1990s? Send this fully-funded 4 year AHRC doctoral studentship their way. They'll get to work with me (yay?) and the fabulous @jessamycarlson.bsky.social (yay!) www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate...

Today is the day for our annual Colloquium; we've had some opening words from lead organiser Julia Gustavsson highlighting how #HistChild can contribute to #HistScience, in particular through discussions on agency and the construction and operation of categories of age and development

Get your wonderful MA students to apply for this fully funded 4 year AHRC DTP PhD on new labour and childcare supervised by me and @jessamycarlson.bsky.social! www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate...

Thank you to Berkshire Family History Society for hosting me as a speaker today. Lovely to meet so many of your members and discuss various pieces of research with you all. Appreciate your hospitality!

“There’s no hope without penicillin.” The run up to D Day, as documented in some of our records at @nationalarchives.gov.uk.web.brid.gy www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Great to be here celebrating the enormous contribution volunteers have made to the creation of the Railway work, life and death project, lead by my marvellous colleague James Cronan, former colleague, Chris Heather and Mike Esbester from the University of Portsmouth #volunteersweek

Excited to announce the programme for our 2025 Colloquium: Becoming Human? Childhood, Development and the Human Sciences, 23/06, 9.15-5.30, @magdalenoxford.bsky.social and online, with keynotes from @lauratisdall.bsky.social, Bonnie Evans, and Sally Shuttleworth; registration now open.

Applications to join the Society are welcome at any time. Our next closing dates for applications are 26 May and 11 August bit.ly/45lOzr0 We have four ways to join for historians of all kinds, professional backgrounds, and career stages: Fellow, Associate Fellow, Member and PGR Member #Skystorians

Delighted to say that I have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in recognition of my contribution to historical scholarship. A small glimmer of light in an otherwise brutal week, but this has absolutely made my day.

More VE Day related records at The National Archives can be found here: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...

Summary of arrangements for celebrating VE Day, taken from War Cabinet minutes, April 1945

Old friend, new branding @thelondonarchives.bsky.social

Let the record show that this new clerk at Brentford Juvenile Court, summer of 1935, has ridiculous handwriting and it is horrible to read.

Ahead of the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, I wrote this piece for the London Gazette. Some great anecdotes in the contemporary press about individual encounters with the King! www.thegazette.co.uk/all-notices/...

Yesterday’s training walk in the Chilterns was a ten-and-a-bit mile loop from West Wycombe to Hughenden and back again in something pertaining to sunshine. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/...

Because, reasons, I signed up to walk a marathon in September in aid of Macmillan, who do brilliant work. If you’d be willing to chuck a few quid towards that, here’s the link: trk.justgiving.com/f/a/-5uE6Xuy... I’ll try not to be too dull about training for it…

In lieu of #confinedcocktails we present #teaup from Hadrian’s Wall alongside a seriously epic breakfast @hannahkj.bsky.social @lizzybarchivist.bsky.social

On 26 June 2025, I'm running a document workshop at The National Archives on researching with common law records (including assize records). More details and registration information can be found via the link. #TNAPAST www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/past-early...

On the off chance, if you flew into Heathrow T5 from JFK early yesterday morning and picked up the wrong black Eastpak suitcase from carousel 10, my husband would really like it back. Yours is still at Heathrow! Please RT! We’d really like our stuff!

Staring down the barrel of a transatlantic flight with sinusitis. I fear it is not going to be very much fun.

An excellent day’s conference on oral history and the history of childhood organised by @heatherlwellis.bsky.social at the University of Sheffield today.

Just published - ‘Some people talk about children as though they’re completely different’: hospital art, architecture and design for children in modern Britain'. (1/2) mh.bmj.com/content/earl...