Registration for our hybrid autumn seminar programme—"Bad Habits"—is now live! Full details and registration links here: eepurl.com/jnswZs

Calling on the great palaeographical hive mind: what is the word flagged in yellow? "Without laying claim to the faculthy [sic] of foretelling the future {exactly}, I may perhaps be permitted to [???] {claim} that {power capability} of foreseeing the consequences in operation...". Thank you kindly!

For those who might be interested, a recording of my lecture is now available: youtu.be/xD51buje-ts

Emozionato ma un po' ansioso da avere permissione da usare il Archivio Storico della Segreteria di Stato (e anche il Archivio Apostolico) quest'autunno sul sentiero di William Macintosh. Spero che il mio italiano è sufficiente, ma dubito. Ho paura!

Momentarily escaping the rude world with a pint of Schiehallion in one of my favourite Edinburgh pubs, Leslie's. Small pleasures.

🔍 Did you know that we have a searchable dataset that draws on records of Londoners of African, Caribbean, Asian and Indigenous heritage in our parish registers from 1561-1840? The project started in 2000 and, thanks to our staff and volunteers, now has records of 2600 Londoners! #SwitchingTheLens

New blog post: "Imaginary readers" inneskeighren.com/williammacin...

Just in: the National Library of Scotland centenary special issue of the Beano.

🚨 We’re hiring a Lecturer (FT 7.1 months) in Human Geography with particular strengths in cultural geography to support teaching until April 26 (maternity cover). 🗓 Closing date: 21 August 2025 🗓 Interviews: 26 August 2025 🔗 jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...

Accidental Wes Anderson.

Terraqueous Globe: Land & Sea in the Age of Sterne University of Liverpool, 5-7 Nov 2025 CFP open until 15 Sept 2025 More info: terraqueousglobe.wordpress.com #18thC #18C #18thCentury #Sterne #LaurenceSterne @bsecs.bsky.social @cecs-york.bsky.social

Just finished Miranda Spieler's "Slaves in Paris: Hidden Lives and Fugitive Histories". Beautifully written, deeply scholarly, and quite devastating in parts. #C18

If it's Tuesday, it must be Ajaccio on the trail of Bonaparte. Despite the mixed reviews online, the Maison de Napoléon is very good, even if it does leave you with the impression that Pasquale Paoli is more deserving of commemoration than Bonaparte. #C18

Capu d’Orto.

One for history-of-astronomy and transit-of-Venus fans: the memorial to Jérôme Lalande (1733–1808) in Bourg-en-Bresse. #C18

A (successful) archival jaunt to Maidstone today to consult some material the Kent Archives. It wasn't blistering hot and I didn't get rained on, so that's a win!

Wax seal of William Hickey (1749–1830). Kent Archives, U269/O204. #C18 Don't think I've seen one of Hickey's before.

Google Photos reminded me today of what is possibly my favourite (albeit incredibly specific) bit of graffiti, spotted at an Egham building site five years ago. At the time I had to resist the temptation to append "with a quick recap". #misscillaaablaaack

Another puzzle for the Francophone palaeographic hive mind. Any thoughts on the remained of the highlighted parenthetical section: "neuf mots rayé nuls..."? Merci! Context: at the foot of an 1803 marriage act.

A commemorative two-for-one today in Mortlake: the memorial plaque to Sir Philip Francis at St Mary the Virgin, and the Burton mausoleum and memorial window (commemorating Sir Richard Francis Burton) at St Mary Magdalene. Enjoyed a fascinating chat with the parish priest at the latter church.

A periodic appeal to the palaeographic hive mind (especially #C18 historians of France). Is it possible that the word underlined in red is "Besançon", albeit an odd spelling? Context: an October 1798 letter sent from Stuttgart. Merci!

In such times,—and principally at a crisis like the present, whereon the fate of mankind in social intercourse seems to impend—in a situation extremely perilous,—it is difficult for a reflecting mind to forebear expressing its feelings, fears, & hopes. William Macintosh to George Canning 03/09/1798.

Just finished "The Strange History of Samuel Pepys’s Diary" by @kateloveman.bsky.social. Scholarly, accessible, and fascinating. One that book historians, in particular, will appreciate. And so to bed (well, in an hour or so...).

My daughter gave me a colouring book for Father's Day and it's evidently the product of an AI fever dream:

New blog post: "Dreaming of Constantinople" inneskeighren.com/williammacin...

Now, that's proper spying: "I beg leave to observe to you that when I shall in future draw a line after the word _Sir_ as I have done here that my letters will contain something written in lemon juice." James Talbot to George Canning, 3 January 1799. #C18

I missed this yesterday because I was celebrating my birthday (which, by the way, has now forever been tainted by a kamikaze referendum that took place on the same day in 2016).

I now mark my birthdays using my patented "Thaw Point". Today, I am the age John Thaw was when "Ghost in the Machine" (S3 E1) was broadcast. Morse: That, Lewis, was Maria Callas. Lewis: Was it from "Cats"? Morse: No, it most certainly was not.

⭐ Geography Super Stars ⭐ In addition to Professor Katie Willis recently winning a Royal Geographical Society Taylor & Francis Award, Professor Phil Crang & Laboratory Technician Iñaki Valcarcel have won @royalholloway.bsky.social Education Excellence Awards! #RoyalHolloway #geography 🧵1/2

Do I know anyone who has used the Archivio della Congregazione degli Affari Ecclesiastici Straordinari (and would be happy to offer some pointers on so doing)? Grazie mille!

Vol. 88 is out! It is our 50th anniversary issue, and includes a special issue on ‘Archives as Worldmaking’ edited by @jakehodder.bsky.social and @snehakrishnan.bsky.social sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-historical-geography/vol/88/suppl/C Take a look at the contents below 🧵 1/31

New blog post: "All (archival) roads lead to Rome". inneskeighren.com/williammacin...

Another palaeographic puzzle for #C18 francophone friends. Any thoughts on the words in the first line? "Du mandement ... v liget d'avignon et ala". Merci!

And end-of-week interpretative puzzle for #C18 francophone friends: who is being proposed for a lucrative position, and who is doing the proposing? Is it Rangoni hoping that Macintosh will propose him, or it it vice versa? My attempted transcription in the alt text. Merci!

I think I treated myself to a chocolate Hobnob when I wrote that sentence, though a mint Viscount would have been more canonical.

Remember to register for next week's hybrid seminar: Robert Suits on "In pursuit of room temperature: energy, colonialism, and the history of comfort in the United States". Everyone welcome. Details here: www.history.ac.uk/events/pursu...

One for book historians, historians of science, and everyone in between 👇

Remember to register for next week's online-only seminar: a panel discussion of 'Adorno and the Antifascist Geographical Imagination,' by Chris Philo. Featuring @milesogborn.bsky.social, @stuartelden.bsky.social, and @feli-k.bsky.social. ‬Details here: www.history.ac.uk/events/a-pan...

"Meet the forgotten enslaved and working-class labourers behind British exploration in Africa, Asia and Antarctica" theconversation.com/meet-the-for...

The 12th-century Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Boveney.

Looking forward to/slightly nervous about presenting at a great-looking workshop at UCL later this month on "Displacement and the French Revolution". Details and free registration here: www.ucl.ac.uk/history/even... #c18

Remember to register for next week's hybrid seminar: Lamin Manneh on "Freedom among the mangroves: Liberated African villages in colonial Gambia and the environmental limits of abolitionist settler colonialism, 1816–1869". Everyone welcome. Details here: www.history.ac.uk/events/freed...

A last plug for my inaugural lecture—"The archive in the armoire: rediscovering the global lives of William Macintosh"—which will be held in person at 18:15 on 20 May at Royal Holloway (a recording will be published online afterwards). All details here: www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/eve...

This looks superb. What an amazing line-up of speakers.

Earlier this month I visited the excellent "Sector 2: Nicosia" exhibition at the Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia and have reviewed it for the @jofhistgeog.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1016/j.jh... #Cyprus

New petition: "Recognise the production and serving of cask ale as Intangible Cultural Heritage" Deadline 1 October 2025, created by Jonathan Garrett #NewPetition

🚨JOB ALERT 🚨 12-month Lectureship in Human Geography (esp. urban and political geography) @rhulgeography.bsky.social. Salary: £49,325 p.a. Application deadline: 2 May 2025. Starting date: c. 1 September 2025. Details: jobs.royalholloway.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...

One for historians of geography: Mike DeVivo's "Reflections on Geoffrey Martin and the History of Geographic Thought", which premiered last month at the AAG meeting in Detroit. youtu.be/l-I5FttPynk?...

Wrapping up another undergraduate field trip to ever-fascinating Cyprus. Tired but inspired, and with a phone full of cat pictures.

I was looking forward to dropping off some old clothes, but then I got stuck in an infinite loop.