Simon Jones

Simon Jones

@simonjones.bsky.social

Writes about old, unhappy, far-off things. Late museum curator. Shows polite interest. FRHistS. https://simonjoneshistorian.com/

7.5K followers3.3K following4.1K posts

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Christopher Guyver
@cguyver.bsky.social

That first sentence.

Simon Jones@simonjones.bsky.social

In 1914, the town of Ypres, a jewel of medieval and renaissance Flanders, was nearing the end of a major restoration. By 1918, it was utterly destroyed. The ruins of the 14th century Cloth Hall & Cathedral, #OTD 27 October. US Signal Corps cameraman. Source: catalog.archives.gov/id/24775

Simon Jones reposted

National Trust
@nationaltrust.org.uk

Members, it's time to have your say! The National Trust AGM is nearly here, and your voice counts. By voting on this year's resolutions, you can ensure that the places we care for continue to thrive for generations to come. Learn more about the AGM here: buff.ly/MKSqVDZ

Simon Jones reposted

John Bull
@garius.eurosky.social

Shout if you're a historian potentially interested in coming on for this one. i want to cover the discussions on repatriation, changes to headstones and Anglican ritual, and post-war grave tourism and grave photography services. @caitlindeangelis.bsky.social your wheelhouse maybe?

John Bull@garius.eurosky.social

i really want to do a pod episode on the emotional mechanics of post-war rememberance. the logistics and architecture are both fascinating, but we don't talk enough about its impact on both national and personal approaches to grief.

Simon Jones reposted

Jan Rosenow
@janrosenow.bsky.social

Solar has overtaken nuclear. A decade ago it supplied 1% of the world's power. In 2025 it met three quarters of global demand growth. Almost nobody saw it coming. I spoke to Jocelyn Timperley at BBC Future about why. www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...

bbc.co.uk'It's offensively cheap': How solar power is quietly becoming bigger than nuclearAfter defying projections, solar's dramatic growth means it is overtaking nuclear as a global power source. Here are seven reasons for solar's success, and where it might go from here.
Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

This is a fascinating piece of research on The Times' forgotten female war correspondent.

Dr. Stephanie Seul@stephanieseul.bsky.social

I wrote a short piece based on my archival findings on my website: stephanieseul.com/2026/03/avis...

stephanieseul.comAvis Waterman: The Woman Who Covered the First World War on the Italian Front for "The Times" - Stephanie Seul % %During the First World War, a woman defied the odds and became a foreign and war correspondent for The Times of London, one of the oldest and most prestigious newspapers in the world. %

Simon Jones reposted

Sarah Elizabeth Cox
@oispooky.bsky.social

THE DEVILS' DANCE FLOOR will be published on 25 February 2027 and pre-orders are open NOW! Come and meet Hezekiah Moscow, Alec Munroe, Henry 'Sugar' Goodson, Jack Wannop, Jack Davenport, Alf Ball, Jem Haines, Jem Smith, and a little bit of Felix Scott... 🥊🔪🦁🐻🤜🏻🤛🏾 linktr.ee/thedevilsdan...

Simon Jones reposted

Nick Lloyd
@spaincivilwartours.bsky.social

"Interbrigadisten vor Teruel" (International Brigades at Teruel) by Gerhard Kurt Müller 1966-67. The town+ looming sky behind reminds me of El Greco's view of Toledo, as do elongated characters. Criticised at in GDR for unheroic portrayal of fighters. Feel of cold is patent.NewMastersGallery,Dresden

Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

#OTD 26 October 1918, the Nursing Times carried an advertisement for a new treatment for the serious skin lesions caused by sulphur mustard, aka mustard gas, developed by Boots of Nottingham.

Simon Jones@simonjones.bsky.social

In hospital at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, antiseptic dressings had little effect on Sawyer Spence’s septic mustard gas blisters and caused him such pain that they were abandoned; instead, doctors began treatment with a new medication developed locally by Boots, known as No. 7 Paraffin or Burnol. 4/7

Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

The story is based on data from Monzo bank that 55% of buyers in the first hour of the second ticket release were under 35. This would seem largely to be a reflection of Monzo’s demographic, 51% of which is under 35. www.finder.com/uk/digital-b...

theguardian.comBayeux tapestry becomes pop culture hit as young people more keen to see exhibition than top filmsMonzo says 55% of its payments to British Museum in first hour of latest ticket release were by people under 35
Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

I think 'Miss Blair' may be Diana Blair of the Harvard Medical Unit who provided the expertise required for the creation of the thin metal masks from the plaster casts.

Simon Jones@simonjones.bsky.social

Miss Blair at work in the studio of sculptor Anna Coleman Watts Ladd, making prosthetics for soldiers suffering facial disfigurement, Paris, 25 October 1918. 2/4 Source: catalog.archives.gov/id/25021

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Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

Those were the days. www.theguardian.com/media/2009/j...

Leicester Gazette@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *
Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

How a German chemical weapon developed by the British on the Somme facilitated the spectacular collapse of Italian defences #OTD 24 October 1917. ‘Caporetto’ is still a byword in Italian for a catastrophic defeat. #WW1

simonjoneshistorian.comThe Gas Attack at Caporetto, 24th October 1917The Battle of Caporetto (12th Battle of the Isonzo) was a German – Austro-Hungarian attack against the Italian positions on the Upper Isonzo (Soča) river. It was named after the town today known in…
Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

Of course I don't obsessively monitor my number of followers, but thank you all for not abandoning me during my Illustrated Police News obsession.

Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

#OTD 23 October 1915, an appeal for miners for the Tunnelling Companies of the Royal Engineers printed in The Staffordshire Sentinel. Experienced men only were taken with a certificate from the mine manager, but many were over the official age limit of 40. (via British Newspaper Archive)

Simon Jones reposted

Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

Replying to @simonjones.bsky.social

Predictably… ‘WORKMAN MAULED TO DEATH BY A LION AND A LIONESS’, Illustrated Police News, 22 October 1931.

Simon Jones reposted

Carol Hedges
@riotgrandma.bsky.social

😟🇬🇧😟🇬🇧😟 Every time a BBC radio station is shut, it is a step forward in Robbie Gibbs’ campaign to close the BBC. It is OUR BBC Radio4xtra is so important to so many of us. The charter is up for renewal next yr. no coincidence they are trying to get rid you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/do...

you.38degrees.org.ukDo not scrap BBC Radio 4 ExtraThe proposal to scrap a radio station which contains no news or current affairs represents a misjudgement in a world in which entertainment - even escapism - is more necessary than ever.
Simon Jones
@simonjones.bsky.social

I will never not be able to listen to the third movement of Mozart's Jupiter Symphony without being reminded of Minuetto Allegretto by Mike Batt and The Wombles.

BBC Radio 3 Now Playing Bot (Unofficial)@bbcradio3bot.bsky.social

BBC Radio 3 Classical Live Now Playing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra & Ben Gernon Symphony No 41 in C, 'Jupiter'

Simon Jones reposted

Women of South London
@womenofsouthlondon.bsky.social

August 1817: "At the Royal Flying Corps' sports, at Catford, the Royal Arsenal munitionettes' football team was matched against a military team from a local hospital. The picture shows the girls marching on to the field."