Magpie in the park.

1960s/70s German desiccant. Found in a 1971 Triumph Adler Tippa typewriter made in Holland. #Typewriters

Very floody on my short walk back from the supermarket a few minutes ago. I could not have been wetter if I'd jumped I to the River Irwell. #Manchester #Weather #Rain

It's been a "Captain it's Wednesday" sort of week. Friday to Sunday I was almost run over each day in the centre of Manchester, and I'm very careful crossing roads, but the cars were not moving when I crossed. Two of them decided to reverse toward me!

It's UK Black History Month. Resharing @lanre-bakare.bsky.social's article from Feb! The stories of Black boxers in 1880s England are missing from every boxing history or Black British history I've read. But there are LOTS! Feel privileged to help find them: www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

Under Over Over - West Hampstead So it's taken a while, but I've finally found a location where you can clearly see London Underground trains traveling over London Overground trains. The vantage point is at West Hampstead Overground station at the end of the platform.

This post has reached the daftness threshold and so replies now turned off.

Plane landed in Bolton and will now fly along the A666 toward Manchester. Top Pun calling the eatery Steaks On A Plane. share.google/OyZm5DHWUspp...

Seconds out! Round one! THE DEVIL'S DANCE FLOOR This isn't an official announcement from Duckworth. It's a page from my agent's newsletter and book fair rights catalogue, which is public. So, a tiny-text soft launch? Details subject to change. A lot of thank yous and less Disney, to come. 🐻🥊👊🏾👊🏻🦁🍺

A feature I wrote for the print issue of BBC History Magazine earlier this year is now online! Introducing Alf Ball, Hezekiah Moscow, Henry 'Sugar' Goodson, the Sisters Mills and Jem Smith 🦁🥊🤜🏻🤛🏾 Steven Knight not going straight for that chapel fight is wild... www.historyextra.com/membership/f...

Update on the possessed rocking horse. I survived the night.

I've just helped collect & deliver a large rocking horse that looks like it has been possessed by at least one demon or ghost.

Not posted for a while. Panics. Posts crows. #Crows

Happy Friday! It's a shame it's not 1888 and we're in Leamington, because I'd suggest popping to the circus tonight for wrestling on horseback, normal boxing, and BOXING ON DONKEYS. Plus tug of war etc Hahahaha, boxing on donkeys. Slightly more sophisticated than boxing with donkeys, admittedly.

Busy day but I met my crow friend again.

You know when you have about ten subscription services but can't find ANYTHING to watch? People in 1894 never really had that problem, because whatever you were looking for, if you couldn't find it, there was always the option of a woman cutting up potatoes on a man's wrist, neck, and throat (?) ⚔️🥔🫳

An ‘ultracrepidarian’ (19th century) is one who loves to give their opinion, at length, on matters they know nothing about.

Disclaimer xkcd.com/3126/

The Cat That Slept for a Thousand Years.   Manchester Museum. Purring, moving tail and ears, reacting to gentle stroking and hugs. Very calming. More photos and video maybe soon www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/event/thecat/ #Manchester #Museum #Cat #UK

I met a lot of dogs in the park yesterday, and they are all close friends now.

When the current news agenda is miserable, I like to think about the time (early 1900s) an esteemed eye doctor who collected 400 pictures of animals' eyes asked Alf Ball if he could study his boxing puma, so Alf put the puma's gloves on for safety, and then the puma punched the doctor in the face 🥊

Weird Manchester bus trip. Driver was nannying the contactless terminal, and it didn't issue a paper ticket but did the correct beeps and lights. Hoping I'm not charged more than the £2 single fare.

I went outside for urgent supplies and it was a mistake. I'm now sat in front of my trusty old powerful fan and enjoying the breeze.

At a time when science literacy is in decline, we hope our kids' book will inspire a new generation of doctors, nurses, and even medical historians! Aimed at kids 8-12, @tealcartoons.bsky.social & I think everyone will enjoy learning about the flukes, flops, & failures that sparked medical marvels!

Okay. Short rambling thread. But about how i have learned to accept that I am "pony famous" and how, and why, you need to not talk down people who love what you do. This is for minor writers or creators everywhere. Read this. /1

I wrote some advice about that myself. lithub.com/rebecca-soln...

New ancient Egyptian city just dropped!

Went past the Hotspur Press building an hour ago and it was on fire. Lots of fire engines and police. Looked like the building will be completely destroyed. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater... #Manchester #Fire

My children's book about the Stone Age is out in 2 weeks... and it's already out of date!! We joke about that in the book, it was bound to happen!!! Very exciting that molecular techniques have finally identified the 'Dragon Man' skull to be that of Homo Denisova www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Quite possibly one of the best record shop covers. Also, the song The Warblers Serenade, played by Frank Westfield's Orchestra, has 'Whistling by James Bendon' ! #Gramaphone #Records #78rpm #Cover #CoverArt #Uk #Bolton

No new research blogs this year while working on a book and other life aspects but if you hate everything right now and want olde stories about a drunk Irish sailor-obsessed prizefighter, Barbadian Showman, failed Brummie hitman, West Indian beartamer etc, here's loads: www.grapplingwithhistory.com

The bus next to the one I was on a few days ago was showing an IP address and 'Onion' with a version number, instead of the route number and destination. Some identifying information edited on the photo, probably unnecessarily. It was not the 192 bus! #Bus #Manchester #UK #IpAddress #Software

This week I was at the Manchester Museum for the launch of Unburied : The True Story of Hannah Beswick The Manchester Mummy, by @shewolfmanc.bsky.social. I waffled through a question where I said 'Modern Penny Dreadful Industry' ?! but received a long excellent reply. I'll enjoy reading the book.

I'm in the Manchester Museum for the book launch of Unburied: The True Story of The Manchester Mummy by Hannah Priest @shewolfmanc.bsky.social I've not been to a book launch for ages!

Excellent exhibition just finished at the Whitworth Gallery Manchester, Women In Revolt! I'm rubbish at reviews, so here's one from someone else who saw it at the Tate. deleted the old post by mistake :/ authory.com/ManickGovind...

Nice of the BBC News website to spoil the ending of #DoctorWho in a headline only a few hours after the show was broadcast.

The Manchester parakeets eat and sleep in different places in Manchester, so large flocks fly low at dusk and dawn. I'd like to see more research on impact with other wildlife before mass trapping. www.itv.com/news/2025-05... Parakeet mural in Withington, Manchester UK.

Some dogs

Dick Dastardly still working way past retirement, still trying to catch the pigeon. BBC Video : Loose pigeons cause havoc on plane before take-off www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/... #HannaBarbera #Flying #Pigeon

#AThousandBlows was 'woke nonsense'. 'Overly diverse for the period'. 'Inclusion regardless of accuracy'. Some of those early 'reviews' were very interesting! The late-Victorian boxing world in England has LAYERS. I can't wait to share more stories - they really need to be told.

'We’d jump from the second-floor window on to a pile of mattresses. Sometimes we’d get a bit hurt, but we didn’t have any fear in those days.' Newcastle 1979, photo by Tish Murtha.

Americans put sugar in all kinds of dishes that don’t require it. And one of the main reasons for this national aberration is … Prohibition. 🧵

I now have a 1920s/30s Columbia 109a (?) gramophone. It's rusty and in poor condition, but works ! if I keep hold of the wobbly soundbox. The inside, including arm, horn, and case, has a thick badly applied covering of black gloss paint, a messy and long job to refurbish.

Had dosa for lunch yesterday. Dinner fork for scale.

"I'm just a container ship, beached in front of a house, asking it to love her". www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Excellent day. Photos on the way.

On Wednesday I went past a beekeeper on a residential street. He was wearing the full beekeeper white outfit, and on the pavement he had a large box with the word 'BEES' written in black marker, and many bees were buzzing around from the little tree the colony had settled on. #BEES !

Our ancestors must have got so much more done without all the constant emails. The ancestors:

I have now been given a small but very heavy safe. I can't take it home on the bus, so will regift it to someone who knows a few hefty movers with a van that has a tail lift.

I am currently not at home, again, so cannot post photos of the 1920's gramophone with 78s and 1950's some sort of drinks cabinet my friend managed to wangle for free from people downsizing from a nice big house. Will take photos when i get back and do some cleaning and restoration!