Independent Historians Network (UK)

We officially launched Knitting in Scotland: Culture, Craft, Industry into the world @glasgow.ac.uk on a wet and windy day - perfect for knitwear. You can read it for FREE here www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?do... or purchase the illustrated hardback at all good vendors.

We are having an early Christmas meet-up on 30th November. All freelance/indy historians are welcome to join us for drinks and free festive nibbles in London. DM or use our contact page (link in bio) for details and to get yourself on the list! Non-members also welcome!

What item has given you best value in terms of use? I bought a secondhand Herman-Miller Aeron chair for about £500 in ~2009. Must have used it nearly every day since. Reckon it has another fifteen years in it.

The #ClocksGoBack tonight in the UK, so here’s perhaps my fave episode of You’re Dead To Me about the fascinating history of timekeeping www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

I’m floored by this incredibly kind review of my first book in Mariner’s Mirror. Thanks @clairejowitt.bsky.social for letting me know!

Two #Roman gold bracelets in the form of snakes. The craftsmanship on these is beautiful, with a lot of intricate detail including the scales. They were found in Herculaneum (Italy), lost or left behind when the city was abandoned following the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 #AncientBlueSky

Remember to turn all your clocks back one hour this morning! Female worker checking lines of newly produced large clocks at Smith's Clock Factory, Cricklewood, 12th February 1946 (Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images

From the archives of All Things Georgian, 'Fashionable Blues of the 18th century' - wp.me/p3JTNy-2h0 #18thc

Grimsby, Lincolnshire to hold a medieval festival with a series of events on Friday 30th October 👇 BBC News - Grimsby medieval festival offers free events to highlight history - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

English Heritage are looking for a sports historian for their Blue Plaque panel. I have the same role on the Historic England National Blue Plaque Panel, and I encourage anyone with a bit of spare time and a passion for heritage to take a look at the post. Details here: gem.org.uk/jobs/english...

IHN member Sue Bruley has a new book out! She examines at how Women's Liberation and activists personal lives intertwined. You can use the code GLR BD8 to get 20% off if you buy direct from Bloomsbury: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/womens-li...

It's nearly History Day 2027. Come along on 18 November to see what you can discover! Read about some of the organisations who are attending in this #OnHistory blog by Lucy Baker, our Graduate Trainee Library Assistant. buff.ly/lfre6NE

Applications now invited to join the editorial boards of two @royalhistsoc.org publications: our journal 'Transactions' and the 'New Historical Perspectives' book series for early career historians bit.ly/47rl76A Closing date: Monday 4 December 2026 #Skystorians

The next episode of Challenging Histories, produced by @histfest.bsky.social is out now! I’m talking to @menysnoweballes.bsky.social about the appropriation of Medievalism by the Far Right in Britain. Available wherever you get your podcasts: pod.link/6809223500

The horrors of working at the White Lead Works, Pimlico If you think your current job is stressful, imagine stepping into a workplace where the air smells like rotting sewage, your hands are permanently stained a deathly white, and your weekly bonus is a glass of dilute acid. Welcome to late…

Of course, new VCH work is not only going on in #Dorset. Read about our other new projects @ihr.bsky.social's 'On History' blog where our Co-General Editors, @ruthslatter.bsky.social and @adamchapman.bsky.social explain more: blog.history.ac.uk/2026/10/upda...

Off to Brighton, doing an event at Coast is Queer tomorrow. Tuesday evening am teaching an online Arvon writing masterclass; Wednesday evening its Site & Sound’s suburbia film event; and Saturday I’m doing a turn at the Doctor Who Target Book Club… www.johngrindrod.co.uk/events

📢 Applications are officially OPEN! We’re excited to launch our latest round of Fellowships, Prizes, and Bursaries ! Whether you're a early career scholar, or established historian, discover how our funding can support your research, travel, and publications. 🗓️ Apply: buff.ly/2aZE829

this is a fascinating post - well worth a read

Some new jobs up on our recordkeeping careers job board - this one in Kensington & Chelsea - maternity cover borough archivist recordkeeping-careers.org/job/borough-...

Hillington Heritage are also looking for an archivist - find out more here: recordkeeping-careers.org/job/archivist/

Read about the photographer Olive Edis in this article by @deborahparkin.bsky.social: deborahparkin.substack.com/p/olive-edis...

This photo of Amelia Dyer was taken after her arrest in April 1896. Aged 57, she had run her baby farming business for 30 years, advertising in the press to adopt infants, and then allowing them to waste away, or even worse. This is a chilling case and a dark history 🔗 www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1068185244

The wonderful @garius.bsky.social has written IHN an exclusive guide to being a brilliant podcast guest. It's absolutely packed with tips and is a great read. If you're a member you can access this now via our website. FOMO? Get access our resources by signing up here: independenthistorians.org

Dear #PublicHistory people: I am teaching a class, very last minute, on public history and am looking for a #PublicHistorian who is open to talk to my class (in person/over zoom) about their practical experiences - on the 28th of October. Any ideas? Thanks for your help!!

Delighted that we host this fantastic workshop. All details below.

Booking is now available for the Society's 2026 Anniversary Lecture: 'From Cabaret Star to Gaullist Spy: Josephine Baker’s Secret War', with Professor Hanna Diamond (Cardiff) bit.ly/3VqcgiV 6pm, Friday 27 November, in person (London) and online. All are very welcome #Skystorians

Our popular archive tours will be running once again as part of Buckinghamshire History Festival! This will be the last chance to see behind the scenes of our current archive before we move, and places are already going fast. Head to histfestbucks.co.uk to secure your free ticket!

Closing next Friday (16th): 'History and Archives in Practice' 2027. Calls for panels invited for our annual meeting of historians and archivists, with @ihr.bsky.social and TNA. HAP27 focuses on connecting past and future with sessions on advocacy & applied history bit.ly/3RGHbWy #Skystorians

Back from limbo! the relaunch of Hosprec, the Hospital Records Database, with which I was involved for so many years www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/professional... 1/2

Later this month, our PhD researcher Anna Reynolds will be giving her first full-length talk on the subject of her research: the abandoned settlements of the eastern Carneddau. Thursday, 22 October at 19:00, hosted by the Conwy Valley Civic Society. Entry is £3 and open to all.

Just a reminder – if you are a PhD student or know a PhD student who would like to give a talk at our seminar Lightning Talks on 12 November, do encourage them to get in touch!

Art! Crime! This week @artcrimeprof.bsky.social joins me on the pod. We discuss forgery in the 1920s, including an Italian anti-fascist, womanizing art forger who fooled American museums. A man whose unwillingness to carve imperfect noses and breasts, put a pair gay art experts onto his trail...

Just got this to review - yet another history of fairies, just published 🧚‍♀️

Another horrible example of AI exploiting writers.

This is distinctly worrying. Or rather, extremely alarming. A heads up for all writers out there.

The winning and shortlisted stories in the 2026 HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition are announced! See which historical short fiction triumphed this year in Historia at historiamag.com/hwaddss-2026-winner-shortlist @thewritertype.bsky.social @mcinrob.bsky.social

Flagging up the @ihr.bsky.social's History Day on 18th November. It's free to attend (booking required), and some of the IHN crew will be there! www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

A look at two original accounts of English eating and drinking habits, why we eat and drink the way we do with three fantastic authors. Join us at @trackbrewingco.bsky.social taproom in #Manchester, FREE tickets available now on Eventbrite: tinyurl.com/467j3uxp #booksky @versobooks.bsky.social

Indy historians - if you need to know about websites and blogs then this looks like it will be full of great ideas and hints and tips. Takes place on 17th October and tickets are £5

Tomorrow evening, all welcome.

From 18 October there will be a new exhibition at the Museum of Cambridge devoted to folklore (and supported, among others, by the @folkloresociety.bsky.social)

Very much looking forward to Miles Ogborn @milesogborn.bsky.social talking about the Jamaican uprising of 1832 this Wed. @long18thsem.bsky.social @ihr.bsky.social All welcome, either in person or online, but please register: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

Join IHR Women's History Seminar on 9 October at 530pm online or in person (IHR Wolfson NB01). Online booking here: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/... @ihr.bsky.social @ihrwomen.bsky.social @clairelanghamer.bsky.social @lauragowing.bsky.social @dralanagharris.bsky.social @womenshistnet.bsky.social

We have up to £3,000 in funding available for academics, writers and other creatives carrying out research into alpinism, mountaineering and the mountain environment in 2027. Applications close on 1 December, so you have just 8 weeks to submit your application. Details here ➡️ tinyurl.com/5cxa9hyc

It’s not too late to sign up for this wonderful event. I’ve done an all-new, mountain-specific presentation, and will be giving my talk while dressed thematically. @ntwf.bsky.social