A wonderful afternoon at Whitworth Art Gallery seeing the Turner: In Light and Shade exhibition. I still have a thousand things to learn about prints and engravings for my PhD, but this was a fantastic exploration of print as an art form in dialogue with Turner's paintings

PhDing and conferencing in and around Bath this week, starting with a visit to the fab Wilton House. Richard Fitzwilliam, whose collections are the subject of my PhD, was cousin to the Earls of Pembroke and this was (and still is) their family seat.

A lovely sunset from the hottest train in the world while attempting to write an abstract for a conference

In case you missed it, earlier this week Robin Eagles of the Georgian Lords posted on the career of Henry Benedict, Cardinal York, Bonnie Prince Charlie's more diplomatic younger brother... #HistParl #skystorians historyofparliament.com/2025/03/06/h...

Goodness Emanuel, what a very large... family tree you have 😳

Having a wonderful week properly immersed in the Fitzwilliam Museum collection at the heart of my PhD. And as an [adopted] Manc, the idea that I could pick up free bay leaves from someone's garden wall and they would actually be bay leaves is just lovely. #18thc

PhD life really does seem to be sitting in a variety of venues with a variety of beverages and a laptop. (Back in Cambridge, pretty pictures of books coming soon)

We've created a new Starter Pack of #History institutes and research centres in the UK & Ireland bit.ly/3F3Eo2M Please do share. There will be gaps and recommendations are welcome. We hope this pack helps you keep in touch with work by and for historians in the UK & Ireland #Skystorians.

16.02.25 💚

A eulogy with a brew, who could ask for more

Lovely day of research at @britishlibrary.bsky.social which has turned up the wonderful news that in 1800 Fleet Street had a Nandos

Dear hive mind, does anyone know what the word underlined in black might be? Context of the sentence: follows a request to dedicate work to the King ('Elle' referring to 'sa Majesté'), and is broadly saying I hope he will have the goodness to hear a request from me, a stranger devoted to his cause

I thought threatening women you don't know on the internet was frowned upon

Such a bumper crop of ancien régime exhibitions in London in the next year 😍 www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/v...

After a week of something that felt a lot like covid, my brain feels capable of getting back into my French reading practice

It will be fascinating to see if anything more can be uncovered about how these got to England. Nothing is known between 1789 and 1844... 'rescued' by an émigré from the Revolution? Sold to a British collector as plenty of Revolutionary loot was? www.theguardian.com/world/2024/n...

Some lovely copies of Mrs Beeton floating around Hay. If nothing else it would be a great weight for a workout, that girl is CHUNKY

Oh Hay there! Birthday book weekend is off to a very sunny start in Hay-On-Wye

Spending some of this evening typing up scattered notes from my first visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum and into the world of the Viscount. Love this tidbit of the nerdy nicknames Fitzwilliam and Abbé Vinson gave each other. 18th century rich boy [middle-aged man] geekery.

Yummy little bit of Sunday antiquing to bring home this 1930s cabinet. A perfect house for some* of our overflowing books *many books remain overflowing

Hey Bluesky! I've been dormant on here for a little while so by way of re-introduction... I'm an 18th-century historian and have just started a part-time AHRC funded PhD working with The Courtauld Institute of Art and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge...

First week complete as Knowledge Exchange Manager at Sheffield Uni. I can tell you, giving this little nerd responsibility for the History, English and Music departments is the route to an unreasonable level of enthusiasm on my part. Sheffield-folk, come chat!

Good to see an actual expert being given space. Sadly, politicians, journalists and voters will continue recycling the same myths and anyone who insists on the facts will be labelled a denialist by the migration-crisis mongers

Happy birthday to me and Miley Cyrus. Born on the very same day; the body swap comedy everyone* is waiting for. *no-one

Youngest sister's (8, nearly 9) Christmas list

A gorgeous hour at the National Gallery with some old and new favourites

Mayfair is so posh that I just saw a man walking along smoking a cigar and the Pret near my hotel is hidden from view down a side street. I mean you couldn't have a Pret visible near the wine merchants to the King could you!

London folk: any must-see exhibitions at the moment? I'm down for one night tomorrow/ Weds

Apparently my cat likes beetroot and coconut milk curry now. Is nothing safe from this creature? (Cat was moved immediately after photo)

Mulled wine outside a busy pub to round off a lovely few days in the Lakes. Guess the pub (the maple tree is the clue)

Slowly, slowly I'm making my way through Les Rougon-Macquart cycle (not even attempting to do it in order). I'm forever fascinated by the scale of Zola's ambition to create a complete study of his changing world. What an immense project to even conceive of, let alone dedicate 20+ years to

Two years ago I started a part-time MA, while working a full-time job in HE. Today I got my mark for my dissertation and found out that I'll be graduating with a distinction 😊 Feeling just a little bit proud of myself. No-one's here so me, the cat and a bottle of wine are getting the party started

It's always when you need to go out soon.

Dinner with a pregnant friend has to be the best way to go out. Start eating at 6.30, order seconds because it's socially acceptable for once, finish up by 8.15 and everyone is sent on their way to buy a big bar of chocolate from sainsburys and eat it in bed.

Just watched the gorgeous ginger tom cat from over the road, who is a frequent garden visitor, run excitedly up to my cat and from about 5 metres away roll over and show his belly in complete submission. He is desperate to be friends. Tilly floofed up her tail and hissed.

Ahh, when you join an online meeting bob on time, ready with your ideas and a smile. Only to find out that it's in person... And a walking meeting... And your colleague bought you a coffee for when you arrive...

A visit to the bookshops of York has negatively impacted the TBR pile. Best not to speak of the bank account.

I can't wait to reapply for funding this winter...

My first Friday with nothing on post-MA dissertation submission. Taking a short break from the eighteenth century and making my way through the overflowing TBR pile with a cup of tea and a cat. Bliss.