Let's get the #FallFriday party started with 'Elves' . A heavy Iggy influence in the main riff and really wild: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zVI...

Step into Cranford from anywhere in the world! 🌍 Treat yourself with expert historians and insider views. 💌 Cranford for Beginners @gaskellsociety.bsky.social 🖥️ Cranford - A TV Classic @drchrislouttit.bsky.social 🌺 Step into the Garden - The Language of Flowers Buy now tinyurl.com/Cranford-Talks

Vera Brittain was nursing in London on 1st July 1916, and heard Brahms's 'German Requiem' in concert . Later saw newspaper boys with large posters stating " GREAT BRITISH OFFENSIVE BEGINS" . It was the first day of 'The Somme' #Verabrittain, #Worldwar1, www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1n-...

Getting the weekend going with #FallFriday Australians in Europe www.youtube.com/watch?v=StNE...

On 24th June 1859 French and Piedmontese forces defeated the Austrian empire at Solferino. The horror of the battlefield led to the start of the International Red Cross and the Geneva Convention. #19thcentury, #NapoleonIII,#BattleofSolferino, bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/06/batt...

One of my Fall tracks from the 1980's 'Hexen Definitive/ Strife Knot' . From 'Perverted by Language' #FallFriday www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mjI...

Oh please ! Someone find Adam's off switch. I can't take much more of that groaning. And his nasty little laugh. #TheArchers

Pleased to have reviewed 'Summoned to the Seance-Spirit Tales from Beyond the Veil' , collection from @blpublishing.bsky.social featuring unusual & obscure work from famous authors and not so well known #Seancefiction, #WeirdTales, #Spiritualism, bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/06/summ...

A must for #FallFriday. I remember watching this at the time. The Fall, the first time on national TV, performing on 'The Tube',1983 www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE-6...

I find Ambridge a bit creepy with so many characters gone silent, Denise, Jim, Mick, Joy, Freddie, Vince, Elizabeth, Kenton, and m'darling Jolene. What's goin' on ? #TheArchers

Received very informative feedback to blogpost about #WilliamHopeHodgson, #Weirdtales #writerswhodiedinworldwar1 @blpublishing.bsky.social bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-...

Starting the weekend with 'How I wrote Elastic Man' . #TheFallFriday www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdbJ...

Discovered a filmed version of Guy de Maupassant's 'Boule de Suif' dubbed in English from 2011. Lasts about an hour with prepaid adverts. Set during the end of #FrancoPrussianwar Worth watching. The short story is sadder. #Guydemaupassant www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7sp...

Fellow Archers listeners. Does anyone else look up the agricultural terms mentioned in the programme. Or am I the only one? I did a websearch for 'pig wallow' after Rex and Alice's conversation last night. Learnt that pigs have no functional sweat glands. #TheArchers, #Pigwallow,

As Thomas Hardy was born on 2nd June 1840, thought that would share some thoughts about my favourite Hardy novel 'Return of the Native' . #Victorian #19thcentury, #ThomasHardy bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2023/08/thom...

Did I hear right? Helen wrapped up in cows? #TheArchers

I have been listening to some of the 1980's era tracks by The Fall. One of my favourites is Petty Thief Lout , from This Nations Saving Grace #FallFriday www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwIp...

I have updated blog with a post about The Trumpet Major by Thomas Hardy and the threat of Napoleons invasion of the English coast #ThomasHardy, #Victorian, #Napoleon,#TheTrumpetMajor bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-...

Remembering Anne Bronte, who died 28th May 1849, aged 29: Her novel 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall' is sadly overlooked. #Victorian, #BronteSisters, #19thcentury, bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-...

For the centenary of Miles Davis's birth listening to 'Sketches of Spain', the first Miles album I owned. #Jazz, #MilesDavis www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw46...

BBC Radio 4 Extra production of Eileen Wilkinson's novel 'Clash' (from 1929) about the General Strike of 1926 is available for the next 14 days. A semi -autobiographical tale. #womenauthors, #generalstrikecentenary, #20thcenturynovels www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Love this track. Joan Baez's interpretation of Henry Treece's poem 'The Magic Wood' from the 1968 album 'Baptism' #WeirdTales #HenryTreece, #20thcenturypoetry, #JoanBaez. www.youtube.com/watch?v=er31...

I am trying to find Lynda Snell's encounter with Dame Edna , 1986 I think - is it online anywhere ? Thanks @thecidershedpod.bsky.social #TheArchers

Great to see that the Elizabeth Gaskell House are offering a series of on line talks about her novel Cranford. One Mrs Gaskell novel I have yet to read. #Victorian #Literature #MrsGaskell elizabethgaskellhouse.co.uk/welcome-to-t...

So pleased to update my blog with a review of 'The Weird Tales of William Hope Hodgson' edited by Xavier Aldana Reyes. Well done @blpublishing.bsky.social #Williamhopehodgson, #horrorfiction, #weirdtales, #writerswhodiedinworldwar1 bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-...

Thank you to Spooky Isles for posting my review of 'Circles of Stone : Weird Tales of Pagan Sites and Ancient Rites', edited by Katy Soar. Published by @blpublishing.bsky.social #WeirdTales,#Paganism,#folklore www.spookyisles.com/circle-of-st...

I have reviewed Seeking Mary Jane-Who was Jack the Ripper's final Victim ? With a short interview with author Paul Williams. #19thcenturycrime, #JacktheRipper, #MurderofMaryKelly, bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/05/seek...

I am just listening to Classic Ghost Stories Podcast version of 'The Whistling Room' by William Hope Hodgson. Excellent work. #Edwardiandetetctives, #Horror, #WilliamHopeHodgson www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjX...

Some thoughts about Emperor Franz Joseph's visit to Sarajevo 1910. Perhaps World War 1 could have started four years earlier. #19thcentury, #Austrianhistory, #Bosnia, #alternativehistory, bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/04/empe...

Starting the weekend with some minimalist ambient. Shed by Rushab Nanda. 4 track release via Bandcamp, Name your price #Ambient,#minimalistambient,#electronic adventurousmusic.bandcamp.com/album/shed

Time to revisit these Gothic Tales of Mary Elizabeth Braddon, published as The Face in the Glass. part of the British Library Tales of the Weird. @britishlibrary.bsky.social #Maryelizabethbraddon, #victorian, #history, #gothictales bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2024/09/revi...

Just listening to this talk 'The Rural Idyll and the Changing World...' the Novels of Elizabeth Gaskell and Thomas Hardy by Diane Duffy. Courtesy of the Gaskell Society #victorian, #history, #Thomashardy,#ElizabethGaskell, gaskellsociety.co.uk/the-rural-id...

Re-posting by request. #BL_publishing

Looking forward to visiting the James McNeill Whistler exhibition in June at Tate Britain. #Victorian #history, #19thcenturypainting, #JamesMcneillWhistler, #TateBritain. www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tat...

This is absolutely nuts

Have reviewed 'Bird of Ill Omen-The Gothic Tales of Catherine Crowe', part of The British Library Weird Tales series #Victorian, #Gothicnovels, #19thcenturynovels. bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/04/bird...

Just finished 'The Haunted Vintage' by Marjorie Bowen (1921), republished via the British Library 'Tales of the Weird' series. Superb novel. Set in 19th century Rhineland when Supernatural beings and Heathen gods re-awaken . #20thcenturywomenauthors, #MarjorieBowen, #BritishLibraryTalesoftheWeird,

Blog updated with my thoughts on Elizabeth Gaskell's 1855 novel 'North and South' #19thcenturynovels, #MrsGaskell, #Elizabethgaskell, #novelsbywomenauthors, #unitarian bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/03/nort...

I have been reading Mrs Gaskell's 'North and South'. Excellent, Will leave review soon. Would be great to see what other Victorian novels people are reading. #ElizabethGaskell,#19thcenturynovels, #Unitarians, #MrsGaskell, #Northandsouth, #Victoriannovels.

Have updated 19th century blog with a post about the assassination of 'Sisi' Empress Elisabeth of the Austrian Empire, and also Queen of Hungary, in 1898 #19thcenturyhistory,#Sisi, #Habsburghistory,#Austriahungary, bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-...

Album of the day ✢ Afterlife Requiem — Those Who Walk Away (2026) Label: Constellation ✢ Listen + support the artist ffm.to/afterlife-re... #ambient #ambientmusic

Just realised that on 12th March 1976, as a 14 year old schoolboy, saw Hawkwind live at Bournemouth Winter Gardens. #Hawkwind, #spacerock, #1970shairyrock, #1970s

Just been looking at this intriguing article about #Thomashardy and #Thesuffragettes #victorian #history www.hardysociety.org/articles/the...

As it is International Women's Day A this is 'The women's March' theme from a TV series I remember from being a nipper in the 1970's called 'Shoulder to Shoulder' about the rise of the Suffragettes . #Womenshistory, #Suffragettes, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV6p...

Just watching this 30 minute guide to the 1848 Revolutions across Europe. Interesting.Had no idea that Fydor Dostoevsky was amongst those arrested #19thcenturyhistory, #1848revolution, #Europeanhistory. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPUV...

Completed reading Elizabeth Gaskell's ' North and South'. Keen to now visit where she lived in Manchester. #Victorian, #History, #elizabethgaskell, #19thcenturynovels www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjPM...

Currently reading Elizabeth Gaskell's 'North and South' (1855). Discovered that there was a television dramatisation in 2004. Partially centred round a labour dispute . #Victorian, #literature, #elizabethgaskell, #19thcenturynovels. www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PnZ...

Found this jolly tune published in 1889 'City of Rome' by Fred T. Baker. Damn Catchy it is too. #Victorian, #history, #Victorianmusic www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q4I...

Have shared some thoughts about #ThomasHardy novel 'The Well-Beloved ' . No lost classic but interesting in a quirky way. #Victorianliterature, #19thcenturyliterature, #bookIamreading bleakchesneywold.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-...

I went to see the #Wutheringheights film a few days ago. Mixed feelings about it. Think that this review sums up the film well #Thebrontes, #Emilybronte, www.martasfilmcuts.nl/reviews/wuth...