It was hot in St Andrews today, so in response to popular demand, I got in the sea. To much disappointment, I also got out ...

Nothing to see here, just a lawyer, "full of claret", arguing against his client then suddenly reverse ferreting in court after being told he was making the wrong argument ... #LegalHistory #Scotland

Rare evidence of Gaelic-speaking dogs in 19th century Dunbartonshire ... #Gaelic @wilsonmcleod.bsky.social

Aww yes, the St Andrews ducklings have arrived! Mum and dad are keeping a close eye on them though.

I'm a veteran of this truly wonderful event - my first Christian Aid Booksale was 1977, when I was 8 - for myself I got H G Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle - I was a precocious child - and a bunch of early Penguins for our shop.

"This prisoner's unsteady on his feet and is not fit to stand trial. What do we do?" "Give him wine, that's bound to help." Narrator voice: It did not help. #Scotland #LegalHistory

♫♪♫ Bela Lugosi's Dead Undead undead undead ♪♫♪

Bookroom upgrade unlocked: I now have a record cupboard. Working on filling it ...

The mediaeval pier reopened tonight in St Andrews after an 18-month closure to repair storm damage. It was also the night of the Gaudie, a torchlit procession by students commemorating John Honey, a student who in 1800 rescued 5 crew members of a ship off the East Sands.

Lord Hermand and the Lord Justice Clerk make clear they thought the jury got the verdict wrong, finding Helen Kennedy not guilty of murder. They also make clear Kennedy's reputation was in tatters as a result of the trial. #ScotsLaw #LegalHistory #NotProven

Just back home with a decent #RSD25 Record Store Day haul from Thirteen Records and Assai in Dundee. Currently listening to Top of the Pops by The Rezillos. @recordstoredayuk.bsky.social

We've been working on this for more than a year - and the last few weeks in particular have been frantic. Good to see the records finally released. @findmypast.bsky.social #Genealogy #Guernsey

Too soon, butcher's shop, far too soon. Photo taken on Saturday.

I mean if it was me, I'd be looking for a new estate agent.

Hey @chiddickstree.bsky.social I visited Durham Cathedral and something reminded me of you ...

Went for a bike ride to Dundee, expecting 35 mile round trip (about my limit, I thought). Took a wrong turning, adding 7 miles in each direction. My legs currently hate me.

♫♪♫ Burn baby burn Ditch go inferno ♫♪♫

This evening's soundtrack comes courtesy of the legendary Roky Erickson, a bargain I picked up in Dundee yesterday.

One of my personal highlights of the year. I've been going to this sale for decades, and never leave empty handed. Fine books, fair prices, good cause - what's not to love? Oh and if you visit the Scottish books section you'll likely run into the lovely @neildm.bsky.social in person.

In 1880s Perth, the Circuit Court was proclaimed at the mercat cross, and the announcement was, er, laid on the ground held in place by a rock ... #LegalHistory #Scotland

This is a great resource: 355 historic statutes on slavery from the Atlantic World, 1661 - 1838. Laws of Enslavement and Freedom in the Anglo-Atlantic World slaveryandfreedomlaws.lib.unb.ca #History #EnslavedHistory #LegalHistory 🗃️

Rediscovering my ms and ephemera collection: 17th century a ms book of sermons, I think written by Matthew Henry (certainly from his family) and extracts from the diary of his sister, Katherine Tylston, in the hand of her niece, Hannah Witton, daughter of diarist Sarah Savage. #RelicsOfABookdealer

Heiling a cab ... (Image: Anthony Chubb, from my personal collection)

Tonight is all about edible ancestral tourism: currently eating fine chocolate made on Scooniehill farm (where my great-grandad was born), after dinner of a pie made on Woodmill farm, Abdie, where *his* mum was born. #Genealogy

Help please #palaeography #bookhistorians - what is the word beginning with c and ending with in after book? It's from 1519 from the Edinburgh Hammermen books, and clearly refers to purchase of the book they're using: 'Item for this buk c[??]in paper and bynding xjs ijd'

#OTD 1877, the Strathearn Herald reported that Lachlan Cameron was the "victim" of a Valentine's Day prank gone wrong. His workmates sent him a summons from the "Court of Hymen" at the instance of Jessie McDonald. Cameron went to the Fiscal's office to plead his innocence.

He'd obviously heard there was Money for Nothing ...

Roses are red Violets aren't Some poems rhyme This one doesn't even scan properly. #HappyValentinesDay

Deadline tomorrow

Big shout out to Mike @scotrail - ticket machines down at Leuchars, and it was tight for our connecting train to print off tickets, so he stopped off at Cupar to collect tickets for us. Above and beyond.

View from our bedroom window. The cornershop roof's almost gone. Road was closed for hours this afternoon. #StormEowyn #StAndrews

I'm working my way through my newly recovered vinyl collection. Tonight's choice is another all-time classic, Remain in Light by Talking Heads.

Acht, RIP David Lynch, you unique, wonderful weirdo.

I'd be really interested if anyone can identify this heavy-drinking Edinburgh lawyer/judge who drank a "German giant" to death ...

In court, Henry Cockburn recounts a story of a "German giant" who was challenged to a drinking content by an Edinburgh lawyer, and lost, to fatal effect. It worked - his client, charged with murder after spiking a neighbour's drink, was found Not Proven. #LegalHistory #Scotland

Job alert: the National Library of Scotland is looking to recruit a permanent, F/T curator of early modern books and other printed material. Please share widely! nls.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/...

My vinyl has been in storage unplayed since 1991, so I'm pulling one record out at random and playing it. This (Germfree Adolescents by X-Ray Spex) is a stone-cold classic - I'd almost forgotten just how good it is.

In 1826, Ann Cameron, wife of Angus Stewart, labourer in Dovecotland, a witness in a murder trial at Perth Circuit Court, was sworn and gave her evidence in Gaelic, as she was monolingual and could not speak English. #LegalHistory #Scotland #Gaelic

Court tourism was a thing in 1820s Scotland. The Hero sailed from Dundee to Perth, bringing visitors to watch the proceedings of the Circuit Court. Unfortunately for them, they were too late. #LegalHistory #Scotland

Hi @danielloftus.projectinfant.ie I've sent you a DM about something I think you'll be interested in.

Read this clipping and I was like, wait, what? The Provost of Aberdeen was sentenced to death? [Perthshire Courier 2 May 1823]

One for the Eoin Colfer fans ... #ArtemisFowl

Update on Project Bookroom: books now mostly unpacked. Now I need to figure out how to arrange them. I may need more shelves - apparently 7 bookcases isn't enough ... #

Hello folks. We have moved here from X. #LegalHistory

In 1820, Crown Counsel was sternly rebuked by Lords Boyle and Pitmilly for repeatedly referring in the indictment to David Gall, aged 18, by the alleged nickname Thiefy. It backfired, as Gall was assoilzied simpliciter. #LegalHistory #Scotland Perthshire Courier 11 May 1820

If you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I've finally been reunited with my books, so I'll be setting up my book room for the next forever.

CFP: Material Scotland, Stana Nenadic Memorial Conference, 15-16 May 2025, University of Edinburgh. Celebrating the career of Prof Nenadic (1954-2024) papers invited on Scottish material & visual cultural history. Deadline for proposals 31 Jan. ECR and postgrad particularly welcome. Please share!

Come and work on a @leverhulme.bsky.social project about the history of ‘hurt feelings’ & the law with @katieebarclay.bsky.social Alice Krzanich and me! We’re looking for a historian of medicine (or similar) for a 4 yr postdoctoral research fellow position elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

You know you're cooked when the best your lawyer can come up with is that you're a bit thick ... [Perthshire Courier, 1 May 1817]