iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Robert Bickers

Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Latest arrival in manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/series/studi...

Andrew Hillier, Living in the Shadow of Empire: women and the China consular world, 1843-1900

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History at Bristol @uobrishistory.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Fifth post from our students: Nancy Mitchell traces the careers of two high profile 1950s @bristoluni.bsky.social Malaysian law grads: Lal Chand Vohrah and Raja Aziz historiansatbristol.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/archives/994 @uobartsmatter.bsky.social

Photograph of two men sitting on a sofa reading documents Raja Aziz (left) and Tun Salleh Abas (right)

Photograph of 5 standing judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague. Lal Chang Vohra is back right

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Come join us (or please spread the word) -- we have a great team and with our colleagues in the wider Dept of History we can offer supervision across a great range of subjects. Full bursary will cover both UK and international students. www.hkhistory.net/2026/09/24/h...

hkhistory.net

Hong Kong History Centre Studentship (starting September 2027) – Hong Kong History Centre

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Alex Cheung @klalexcheung.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

It is a magical moment to see my very first peer-reviewed article, ‘Chinese Villagers at the Colonial Urban Periphery: Improvement Schemes, Landed Property and Indigeneity in Hong Kong, c. 1890s–1930s’ published on @urbanhistory.bsky.social!

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History at Bristol @uobrishistory.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Fourth post from our students: Clara Tyrpak's wonderful account of wartime language learning, and romance at @bristoluni.bsky.social historiansatbristol.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/archives/996 @uobartsmatter.bsky.social @frenchatbristol.bsky.social

Black and white photograph of a couple on the English coast

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

It was a great honour to have had Prof. Elizabeth Sinn visit us yesterday. She shared with us her decade-long research on the colorful life of Ho Amei (何崑山), a cousin of Ho Kai and an enterprising figure who climbed the social hierarchy in colonial Hong Kong in the late 19th century.

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Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

John M MacKenzie, the founding editor of the Manchester University Press Studies in Inperialism series that i have the honour of co-editing, has sadly passed away. Our tributes here: manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/blog/2026/09...

manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk

Celebrating the life and contribution of John M MacKenzie - Manchester University Press

Manchester University Press remembers Professor John M. MacKenzie, founding editor of Studies in Imperialism, with tributes from colleagues reflecting on his scholarship, generosity and lasting legacy...

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History at Bristol @uobrishistory.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Third post from our students: Charleigh Hebbard on the students of CAYDA, the Caribbean & Young Dominions Association incl Nigerian Supreme Court judge Anthony Aniagolu historiansatbristol.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/archives/982 @uobartsmatter.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social @bristolunilaw.bsky.social

Black and white photograph of Nigerian Supreme Court justice Anthony Aniagolu in regalia

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

HPHK blogpost from Dr Catherine S. Chan. //In colonial Asia, the interweaving of native dogs with ‘white’ societal constructions of ‘race’ and ‘class’ was inseparable from two developments: rabies and the introduction of Victorian dog fancy.// hphk.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2026/09/15/g...

Tong gau outside a house in Penny’s Bay. HPHK: Nigel Spry Collection, DM3263-1-4-10

In 1921 Shanghai, a shih-tzu poses at a gathering with a group of foreigners and Eurasians (credit: Hutchinson family Collection, Hn05-078, Historical Photographs of China, University of Bristol

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History at Bristol @uobrishistory.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Next in our series of posts from student researchers: Cerys Davies on Prof George Hare Leonard and his life-long commitment to adult education and civic engagement @uobartsmatter.bsky.social @engagebristol.bsky.social @bristoluni.bsky.social historiansatbristol.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/archives/988

1912 poster advertising University of Bristol Saturday Popular Lectures

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History at Bristol @uobrishistory.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Ahead of our 10/10 birthday event, our blog will host posts authored by our undergrads, who have been researching @bristoluni.bsky.social history. 1st up, Archie McKinlay on James Rowley, first History chair historiansatbristol.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/archives/986 @uobartsmatter.bsky.social

Photograph of James Rowley with beard and bow-tie

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Vivian Kong @viviankonghk.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Super late in posting this but so glad to see the Stanton album on HPC website! Fascinating photos - do check them out.

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The first of 8 posts from our student researchers, who have been teaching me a great deal about the history of @bristoluni.bsky.social @uobartsmatter.bsky.social

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Why is History studied, and why should it be part of a liberal education? Speaker: Dr Vivian Kong Date: 10 Oct 2026 Time: 11am – 12:15pm (UKT) Venue: Room B.H05, Arts Complex, University of Bristol Language: English Please register on eventbrite. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/exploring-...

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

New HPHK blogpost from Vivian Kong. //Have you ever wondered how your grandparents met? What your parents were like as kids? ... Here are some ideas I have on how you might use our platform to pursue your family history.// blog.hphkbristol.net/2026/09/10/h...

Families playing with lanterns and lighting candles at night during Mid-Autumn Festival, 1983. HPHK Nigel Spry Collection, DM3263/1/6/22

A vendor with a baby selling fish at Sheung Shui Market, 1984. HPHK, Nigel Spry Collection, DM3263/1/1/106

Dragon dance at Castle Peak Road – Yuen Long, 1960s. HPHK, Nigel Spry Collection, DM3263/1/1/31

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Visualising China @vischina.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Andrew's new book, Living in the shadow of empire: women and the China Consular World, 1843-1900, will be published by Manchester University Press on 22 September 2026 manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526194589/

manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk

Manchester University Press - Living in the shadow of empire

Living in the shadow of empire - Browse and buy the Hardcover edition of Living in the shadow of empire by Andrew Hillier

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Visualising China @vischina.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A new post on the blog from Andrew Hillier on a consular couple in China hpchina.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2026/09/12/g...

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Come join us as we mark 150 years of the teaching and study of History at @bristoluni.bsky.social @uobartsmatter.bsky.social

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

We're grateful to colleagues in Bristol University's Research IT team, who developed the platform including the ever super @mikej1971.bsky.social The number of images accessible online is currently modest, but will grow and grow and grow

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

For more on the what, why, and how, here's an introductory post on our new Historical Photographs of Hong Kong blog blog.hphkbristol.net This striking image from 1984 is from the large Nigel Spry collection hphkbristol.net/collection/n... That's Spry's shadow 2/3

Photograph of a Chinese child on a sandy beach in Hong Kong with the photographer's shadow also showing

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

We've just launched our new online platform, showcasing the photographs donated amongst other materials to the Hong Kong Collections in the University of Bristol Library's Special Collections

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Mike Jones @mikej1971.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Historical Photographs of Hong Kong hphkbristol.net was launched today. A digital resource I was lucky enough to work on for @hongkonghistory.bsky.social

hphkbristol.net

Welcome | Historical Photographs of Hong Kong

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

"The Story of Hong Kong Resettlement Programme" Initially an emergency response to build basic resettlement accommodation following the disastrous fire at Shek Kip Mei in 1953. Illustrated with historical photos, Tim will trace this journey. Ticket: t.co/mcoEclDGgN

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

"Hong Kong and American Business: From 19th century to Post-War years" This talk contrasts various generations of enterprising Americans initial presence in the 19th century with the rise of US dominance in Hong Kong after World War II. Ticket: tinyurl.com/hkhchistday2...

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

"Manager America: Li Choh Ming, CUHK and MBA education" Peter will revisit the American influence on the CUHK's development and discuss how it prepared local talent for engaging with corporate America. Ticket: t.co/mcoEclDGgN

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

"Hong Kong Toy Story: Hong Kong’s Roles and Impacts in the Circulation of Ideas" This talk examines the circulation of creative ideas at the regional and global levels, exploring how an interesting concept can trigger a wave of change. Ticket: tinyurl.com/hkhchistday2...

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

"Managing Youth in Post-war Hong Kong" This talk explores how the colonial govt' sought to manage youth leisure through voluntary youth organisations, examining those initiatives addressed what it and wider society perceived as ‘youth problems.’ Ticket: tinyurl.com/hkhchistday2...

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

"A Reluctant Intervention: Public Housing and Colonial Rule in Postwar Hong Kong" This talk revisits what one might call a reluctant intervention. It explains why the intervention failed to resolve a housing problem that continues to affect HK today. Ticket: tinyurl.com/hkhchistday2...

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Bristol IGRCT @igrct.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

We would like to say a huge thank you to Lily Bickers for their contributions as the IGRCT intern for the past year and a half! We wish you all the best with the rest of your PhD and hope to see your face at this year’s upcoming events 💫

Lily stands in front of a large sculpture by Louise Bourgeois

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Rachel Herrmann @raherrmann.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Curious about food and history at Cardiff? In this post for our History blog, @historyeats.bsky.social, Helena Lopes, and I write about food "as a way of accessing cross-cultural encounters and cross-cultural identities." blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/history-at-c... #clearing

blogs.cardiff.ac.uk

History is delicious at Cardiff!

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Huge thanks to @viviankonghk.bsky.social who made this possible, and who has promised an introductory blog post about it when time allows. In the meantime hpcbristol.net/visual/Do01-88

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

We've just published a varied collection of 96 photographs of early 1890s Hong Kong including this hpcbristol.net/visual/Do01-87

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Hurst Publishers @hurstpublishers.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

PB edition of the critically acclaimed ‘The Truth About Empire’ edited by @alanlester.bsky.social w/foreword by @sathnam.bsky.social out now! ‘Book of the Year’ @historyextra.bsky.social Extracted in @theguardian.com Sample 👉 tinyurl.com/38u2ndw3 & use code TRUTH20 for a 20% off in buy link.

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Dr Laura Sangha @lsangha.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Professor Whittle is one of four colleagues in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Faculty at the University of Exeter elected to Fellowship of the British Academy this year. 🗃️ ALL FOUR of these outstanding scholars were placed at risk of redundancy last month. Here's their statement:

A written statement from from University of Exeter scholars just elected to the British Academy Fellowship 2026. There are photos of each scholar at the side of the text.

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

"Travel with Hong Kong Characteristics: Tourism and Hong Kong History" Tourism reflects and influences culture, identity, and politics. What’s so “Hong Kong” about the history of Hong Kong tourism? Hong Kong History Day 2026 Secure your spot: tinyurl.com/hkhchistday2...

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

What a ride! Big congrats to everyone who graduated from the inaugural Hong Kong History Summer School. Those three weeks flew by—so many awesome lectures, visits, and workshops. Loved the discussions and the energy in the room. Great fun!

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Visualising China @vischina.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

New content: burying Sun Yat-sen, returning Weihaiwei, Yangzi Gorges and portraits of rural fold: China 1928-31 caught in an album of photographs compiled by British naval officer Leslie Ayre: hpcbristol.net/collections/... Here's one of them, a man in Changsha with a big smile and a big hat

Photograph of smiling Chinese countryman wearing a very big-brimmed straw hat

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Visualising China @vischina.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Content update! We have added 247 photographs of Hong Kong from the National Archives, 1869-1900 by Lai Fong, John Thomson & William Pryor. Nice to have 65 by von Stillfried commissioned by governor Hennessy in 1881-82 including this waterfront view. All in www.hpcbristol.net search NA14 NA17 NA25

Photograph of buildings on harbour side at Hong Kong in the winter of 1881 to 1882 with some vessels moored to the shore

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Another batch of new photographs coming soon, but this afternoon we have published these mid- and late Victorian photographs of Hong Kong on hpcbristol.net Here's a view of Taipingshan by William Floyd Pryor hpcbristol.net/visual/NA14-25

View of Chinese tenement houses and narrow lanes in Hong Kong

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I could have spared everybody 495 more pages of the book by cutting it short there

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I didn't choose the cover, but I did get most of the images I wanted in the book including this particular favourite, an autochrome of a young Chinese man at the Confucius Temple Qufu 14 July 1913 from Musée Albert Kahn

Illustration in Robert bickers, The Scramble for China: Photograph of young Chinese man standing by a pillar at the Confucius Temple Qufu 14 July 1913 from Musée Albert Kahn

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Jon Howlett @jonhowlett.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Last week I posted Song Qingling on a fun dove-shaped jet, so today I thought I’d stay on the theme of rocket-power in Mao-era Chinese propaganda. The most famous example of which is ‘rocket Mao’ from this Great Leap Forward poster from 1958. (1/7) #China #Skystorians #propaganda #Communism

Chinese workers and peasants stride across large waves out at sea. One drives a tractor. In the back there is a man who looks like Mao on a rocket reading a Little Red Book.

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Jon Howlett @jonhowlett.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

I happened across this cover for the January 1957 edition of China Reconstructs, an ‘external propaganda’ publication for overseas readers. Featuring a flyover from Song Qingling (宋庆龄) in a dove-shaped jet(!), it captures many of the key features of 'external propaganda' (1/8) 🧵 #skystorians #china

A magazine cover in cartoon style with newspaper workers busily producing their next edition.

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Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History @bcricciinstitute.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Here are some more photos taken by the Jesuits in Taiwan, ca. 1960s. #photography #Taiwan

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Robert Bickers @bickers.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Writer's block? Always remember Virginia Woolf to Vita Sackville-West, 29 December 1931: ‘Not a word have I written, and I’ve 4 books surging in my head, and shall be 50 next month, and how am I ever to write them? And does it matter if I don’t? Why not give up writing & lavish my days in joy?’

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Lily Bickers @cyberantiquities.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

desperately searching for this painting that i've been shown in various art history lectures over the years - it's probably 18th/19th century and depicts art from different ancient cultures all lined up in the order of value that european collectors supposed it to have. does anyone know the title?

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Hong Kong History Centre @hongkonghistory.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

One month to go before registrations close. Excited to announce the latest addition to the programme: Prof Madeline Y. Hsu (University of Maryland, College Park) and Prof Su Lin Lewis (Bristol) will join the teaching team for the Hong Kong History Summer School! www.bristol.ac.uk/centre-for-s...

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Association for Asian Studies @asianstudies.org · 31/03/2026

Call for Applications: University of Bristol Hong Kong History summer school, for either undergraduate or grad students—an opportunity to conduct primary-source research in Hong Kong from June 14 to July 4. Apply by May 1.

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