Brian Groom

OUT NOW: 'These Isles: A People's History of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales' (HarperNorth). Previous books 'Northerners: A History' (2022), 'Made in Manchester: A People's History of the City That Shaped the Modern World' (2024).

THESE ISLES: Constance Markievicz (1868-1927) was an Anglo-Irish countess, a key figure in the 1916 Easter Rising and the first woman elected to the British parliament, but declined to take her seat in 1918 because of Sinn Féin’s abstentionist policy. 1/7

More reader comments on THESE ISLES: 'This is a brilliant read folks .. much recommended.' 'A great book.' 'I have all three books and have found them interesting informative and entertaining.'

Children smoking, Liverpool, 1986, photo by Ian Berry.

View from Monument over Grainger Town, Newcastle upon Tyne, photo by Sally Ann Norman.

Yellow moon over the canal, Manchester, painting by Reg Gardner (b.1948).

Knocker upper doing the rounds, painting by Bernard McMullen (1952-2015).

THESE ISLES: Alfred, king of Wessex, who lived 849-99, is renowned as an English national hero for resisting the Vikings’ advance and for promoting learning and literacy. He gained the epithet ‘the Great’ as early as the 13th century, popularised from the 16th. 1/6

Bust of John Logie Baird enjoying the sunset at Helensburgh, Scotland, photo by Helen Sadie (via BBC).

Look forward to talking about ‘These Isles’ at London St Andrew’s Book Festival @standrewsbookfest.bsky.social along with Prof Murray Pittock on Thursday November 19th 6.30-7.30pm. Book here: www.ticketsource.com/standrewsboo...

Broad Haven, Pembrokeshire, painting by Sarah Evans, Welsh artist.

'Brian Groom’s whistlestop reminder of the tensions which have always existed between the peoples of these isles could hardly be more timely.' - James Hawes.

Kirkstall, Leeds, photo by Paul Berriff.

Washing line, Bolton, 1937, photo by Humphrey Spender.

Foundation stone for Alfred Waterhouse's Manchester Town Hall was laid on this day 1868. Took almost 10 years to erect at a cost approaching £1m, described as ‘unequalled for size, completeness and adaptability for its purpose among the municipal buildings of Europe’.

October Afterglow, 1885, painting by Leeds-born John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-93).

The debating club that helped shape NHS architect Aneurin Bevan's drive for power. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Signed copies of ‘These Isles: A People’s History of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales’ recently at the excellent Serenity Booksellers @serenitybookshop.bsky.social in Romiley.

Cliffs of Donegal, north-west Ireland, photo by Hannes Becker, German landscape photographer.

Could be curtains for Carrick, but the consistent problem for more than a decade has been the Glazers' ownership. www.theguardian.com/football/liv...

I'll be talking about 'These Isles: A People's History of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales' at Eccles & District History Society on Weds Nov 11th, 7.30pm, Alexandra House, 395 Liverpool Road. Visitors welcome, £4. edhs.chessck.co.uk

Lunga from Iona, painting by Francis Cadell, 1883-1937, Scottish colourist (Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums).

Half the Premier League's managers were sacked last season. The most common time is November and December. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

THESE ISLES: Dame Shirley Bassey, born in Cardiff’s Tiger Bay in 1937, is famed for her powerful, sultry voice and sequined gowns. In a career spanning more than 70 years, she has sold more than 140m records, making her one of the world’s best-selling female singers. 1/7

A fitting footprint on the history of our Isles. Review of 'These Isles: A People's History of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales' by David Robinson last month in the Yorkshire Post magazine.

A queue of people waiting for free food from the St Ann’s soup kitchen, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1912.

Friday Night Fish Supper, painting by Glen Williams, Huddersfield-based artist raised in Rotherham (Huddersfield Art Gallery).

Everton, Liverpool, 1973, photo by Mike Abrahams.

Date not quite right: it's actually Thursday 19 November.

On the waltzers in Porthcawl, south Wales, 1985, photo by Francesca Odell.

Thursday.

One of the joys of taking our theherbfarm.co.uk teas to Shap Farmers' & Makers' Market is being allocated a stall in the library... a good book with my cup of tea @groomb.bsky.social

The Four Courts from the South Quays, Dublin, 1944, painting by Norah McGuinness, Irish artist (1901-80).

Offer ends at the end of the month.

THESE ISLES: Medieval Scottish warrior Sir William Wallace has been celebrated by 19th century historians as a national hero, debunked by others as a self-serving outlaw and immortalised by Mel Gibson in the film Braveheart. 1/6

More reader comments on THESE ISLES: 'This is a brilliant read folks .. much recommended.' 'A great book.' 'I have all three books and have found them interesting informative and entertaining.'

Show of Hands, Vickers, Barrow, painting by Bill Bell (1928-2006), shipyard worker who became an artist.

Manchester, 1970, photo by Serbian photographer Dragan Novakovic.

Market day in a Lancashire town, painting by Salford-born Edith Le Breton (1912-92).

Joy Division, Hulme, Manchester, late 1970s, photo by Kevin Cummins.

Sheffield FC, recognised by Fifa as the world's oldest football club still playing, was founded on this day 1857. The club is now based in Dronfield, Derbyshire, and competes in the United Counties League Premier Division North (pic is Sheffield FC 1876).

England's oldest pub is the George Inn, of Norton St Philip, Somerset, in continuous use as an inn since around 1430-32, says Historic England archaeologist. www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...

Celebrated Irish musician Dónal Lunny dies aged 79. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Call for action after fall in number of children speaking Welsh. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Edinburgh sunset, photo by Andrea Pucci, Italian photographer.

Caeharris post office from Gwernllwyn House, Dowlais, south-east Wales, 1935, painting by Cedric Morris, Welsh artist (Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery).

THESE ISLES: Mary Robinson (b.1944), a human rights lawyer, served as Ireland’s first female president from 1990 to 1997, a transformative period during which homosexuality was decriminalised and contraception and divorce legalised. 1/7

Enjoyed being back in Sheffield for my lunchtime talk on ‘These Isles’ at the Off The Shelf Festival of Words @otsfestival.bsky.social. Lovely, large audience. Massive thanks to the festival for inviting me.

If we learned a bit more about each others' histories, perhaps we might understand each other - and ourselves - a bit better.

Lancashire Back Street, 1993, painting by Geoffrey Scowcroft Fletcher, 1923-2004 (Bury Art Museum).

House on Lund Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, 1963.