Reposted by Matthew McCormackCentre for Eighteenth Century Studies at York @cecs-york.bsky.social · 30/09/2026📢 Our first seminar of the academic year is nearly here! Declan Kavanagh, University of Kent, will be presenting a paper on: "‘The Fear You Had for Your Eyes’: The Terror of Sight Loss in Gulliver’s Travels (1726)" 🗓️ Tuesday 6 Oct, 5pm 📍 H/G09, Heslington Hall 🔗 www.york.ac.uk/eighteenth-c... 0168
Reposted by Matthew McCormackISECS/SIEDS @isecs-sieds.bsky.social · 05/10/2026It is not too late to submit proposals for thematic sessions and roundtables for the 2027 ISECS Congress in Zaragoza. The deadline has been extended to November 30! www.isecs-zaragoza2027.net/en/calls/ 056
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 04/10/2026This is brilliant. A pity she won't be able to put it into practice, due to Ross Kemp's daft approach to a badly-designed task www.youtube.com/watch?v=twDv...youtube.comHow would Alan Turing have played the Traitors?YouTube video by Hannah Fry 111
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Is Northampton the new Wrexham? Expect a Disney+ doc and bewildered tourists on Gold Street www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...bbc.co.ukConsortium including Alexandre Pato completes Northampton Town takeoverThe takeover of Northampton Town by a consortium including former AC Milan and Brazil forward Alexandre Pato has been completed. 231
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Great to see there's an academic in Celebrity #Traitors again this year 200
Reposted by Matthew McCormackLuke Ontario @coolhand.bsky.social · 30/09/2026I have no idea if this is true but the collage kills me 351377279
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Off to London today, for a rare day in the BL and to do a paper at the IHR later on: 092
Reposted by Matthew McCormackIHR Life Cycles seminar @ihrlifecycles.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Tomorrow evening, at 17:30 BST, join us for the first of this year's seminars. www.history.ac.uk/news-events/... @historymatt.bsky.social will be our speaker, talking about objections to children's shoes in eighteenth century Britain. Register through the link.history.ac.ukLife-CyclesThis thematic seminar series addresses issues relating to the life-cycle 044
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Every time I'm amused by a food vlogger precisely rating some takeaway 6.3 or whatever, I have to remind myself that I have discussions with a moderator about whether an essay is 63 or 62 040
Reposted by Matthew McCormack British Association for Romantic Studies @bars.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Wonderful opportunity for PGRS and ECRs - A Day in the Literary Archive: British Academy Seminar and Workshop for Postgraduate and Early Career Researchers Tuesday 3rd November 2026 at the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh www.bars.ac.uk/blog/?p=6626bars.ac.ukA Day in the Literary Archive: British Academy Seminar and Workshop for Postgraduate and Early Career Researchers – BARS Blog 01310
Reposted by Matthew McCormackRoyal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 24/09/2026New from History UK: a valuable and interesting survey of UK history students use of and attitudes towards GenAI in HE teaching - their preliminary report is published today: bit.ly/4hatsRR The report is by Dr Sarah Jones and Dr Simon Peplow @simpep.bsky.social #skystorians 03430
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 24/09/2026In London today, taking the new History students to the British Museum 020
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Here is the 2026-27 programme of free online talks for the Northampton branch of the HA, delivered jointly with Leicester. @histassoc.bsky.social The first talk is on 13 October, on astrological writings in 19th-century India. All welcome - please share! www.history.org.uk/branches/cat...history.org.ukNorthampton Branch ProgrammeNorthampton Branch Programme 2015-16 032
Reposted by Matthew McCormackCllr Dr Alex Powell @apowelllaw.bsky.social · 23/09/2026So, just to be clear, Daniel Thomas was: 1- Carrying a knife contrary to section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 2- Used that knife to commit criminal damage (Criminal Damage act 1971) 3- likely engaged in the criminal offense of endangering Life at Sea (Merchant Shipping Act 1995) 7245101
Reposted by Matthew McCormackMark O’Neill 🐻 @radiobeartime.com · 22/09/2026www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... “And next up it’s the latest from The Fall in session”bbc.co.ukFive charged over Gateshead football pitch hearse disorderFive are charged over disorder which saw a hearse driven onto the pitch at Dunston UTC v Gateshead. 182
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Next Tuesday, 29 September at 5:30pm, I'm doing a paper at the Life-Cycles seminar at the IHR: "Children's shoes, material culture and the Georgian body" Info for in-person and online will be here (isn't up there yet): www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...history.ac.ukLife-CyclesThis thematic seminar series addresses issues relating to the life-cycle 171
Reposted by Matthew McCormackRachel Grant/R.S. Grant @rachelgrant.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Great article about AI and pseudoarchaeology that I'm adding to my Author's Note on my website for FALSE FLAG. AI is distorting archaeology and flattening Indigenous Knowledgepursuit.unimelb.edu.auAI is distorting archaeology and flattening Indigenous KnowledgeWhile artificial intelligence can help archaeologists, it can also spread pseudoscientific claims and false histories, stripping Indigenous knowledge of context, consent and community control, say Uni... 27747
Reposted by Matthew McCormackThe British Academy @britishacademy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026There are only three weeks left to apply for the Talent Development Awards. The opportunity supports UK-based researchers in the humanities and social sciences to pursue an interdisciplinary approach to their work and develop expertise in a new area. Apply now: bit.ly/4bpl2CE 024
Reposted by Matthew McCormackDr Eleanor Shaw @eleanorshaw.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Fancy coming to work with me at the British Library? Part time for 18 months, collecting oral histories about covid and thinking about covid commemoration. www.nationalmuseums.org.uk/jobs/job/228...nationalmuseums.org.ukJobs - National Museum Directors' Council WebsiteAssociation of directors and chief executives of the UK's national museums, galleries, libraries and archives. 512099
Reposted by Matthew McCormackBSECS @bsecs.bsky.social · 15/09/2026**The Georgian Group Dunscombe-Colt Bursary** #BSECS & the Georgian Group are offering a NEW bursary for #PGR & #ECR speaking on the architecture or material culture of the long #18thC at the BSECS annual conference. #skystorians 🗃️ Details can be found at: www.bsecs.org.uk/prizes-and-a...bsecs.org.ukPrizes and awards Archive - BSECS 0911
Reposted by Matthew McCormackBSECS @bsecs.bsky.social · 15/09/2026***BREAKING NEWS*** We have extended the deadline on our #CFP by 5 days to give those of you that missed our early deadline another chance! New deadline: 20 September 2026 Get writing! #skystorians #18thC 🗃️ www.bsecs.org.uk/conferences/...bsecs.org.ukBSECS Annual ConferenceBSECS Annual Conference: the annual meeting of the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies is Europe's largest and most prestigious annual conference 01524
Reposted by Matthew McCormackDaniel C. Blight @danielcblight.bsky.social · 14/09/2026***URGENT PLEASE SHARE*** University of Brighton management have announced today that they ‘give notice of termination of all collective agreements’. This is a fundamental erasure of workers' rights. Management have announced the termination of all contractual documents, which includes: 13598709
Reposted by Matthew McCormackAdam Chapman @adamchapman.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Good afternoon #Skystorians! We have a job available - the aim is to bring together a large body of work on Hampshire parishes compiled by a superlative team of volunteers and researchers to complete the revision of some of @vch-home.bsky.social's earliest work. Please share! 11411
Reposted by Matthew McCormackBrodie Waddell @brodiewaddell.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Nov 12th - PhD Lighting Talks at @ihrscb.bsky.social! A chance to introduce your PhD project in 3-5 minutes on any aspect of society, culture or belief, 1500-1800. Organised by @teaphaine.bsky.social and @annajpravdica.bsky.social. Email abstract to tmt29@cam.ac.uk by Oct 12th. #EarlyModern 🗃️ 12225
Reposted by Matthew McCormackBSECS @bsecs.bsky.social · 03/09/2026Submissions for #BSECS2027 close on the 15 September this year. Yes, this is earlier than usual... This year's theme is 'Artifice and Authenticity' but (as always) we welcome proposals on any #18thC topic. GET WRITING #skystorians 🗃️ See our Website for details: www.bsecs.org.uk/conferences/...bsecs.org.ukBSECS Annual ConferenceBSECS Annual Conference: the annual meeting of the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies is Europe's largest and most prestigious annual conference 02421
Reposted by Matthew McCormackCraig Lambert @medievalmariner.bsky.social · 09/09/2026I’m recruiting a Research Fellow in Early Modern Spanish Maritime History to join our ERC-funded Uncharted Maritime Worlds project at the University of Southampton. Please share with anyone who might be interested! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DSW249/r...jobs.ac.ukResearch Fellow (Early Modern Spanish Maritime History) 3497426AR at University of SouthamptonAn opportunity for an academic position as a Research Fellow (Early Modern Spanish Maritime History) 3497426AR is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openi... 14566
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 05/09/2026I love how the Victorian version covered up all the willies www.readingmuseum.org.uk/blog/compari...readingmuseum.org.ukComparing the Bayeux and Reading tapestriesReading’s Bayeux Tapestry is a full-size copy of the original 11th century tapestry. It was created in 1885-1886 by 35 women of the Leek Embroidery Society 'so that England should have a copy of its o... 040
Reposted by Matthew McCormackManchester University Press @manchesterup.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Out now in paperback, leading experts @odavies9.bsky.social & @cerihoulbrook.bsky.social have written the definitive guide to British folklore past & present. From witches, wizards and wicker men, to UFOs and fanfiction, they show that folklore is not just something stuck in the past. #booksky 0185
Reposted by Matthew McCormackGrumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.org · 28/08/2026I learned today that some charitable trusts are now nervous about awarding grants outside the so-called Golden Triangle of Oxford-Cambridge-London. They‘re worried about wasting money as universities close departments & make staff redundant. Labour’s HE policy is entrenching elite privilege. 310648
Reposted by Matthew McCormackMerriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 26/08/2026The first known use of 'nine-to-five' as an adjective was in 1927. The first known use of 'nine-to-five' as a noun was in 1975. 12951189
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Today we walked along the coast to a viewpoint where you can see Mont St Michel. You can *almost* recreate this painting by Louis Valtat 060
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Some great graffiti at Abbaye Hambye in Normandy. I liked this little skull 010
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Playing Scrabble on a French board. The letter values are different, which obviously reflects their usage, but it makes scoring interesting if you're playing in English 180
Reposted by Matthew McCormackMargot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 18/08/2026Worth reposting for the am crowd, especially for its pragmatic advice on how to support yourself or a colleague in a pile-on. So, essential reading for (among others) academic staff, deans, PVCs and VCs to have on hand. 04327
Reposted by Matthew McCormackTheBossRoss 🧶 @thebossross.bsky.social · 18/08/2026This must be the third video of wonderful voices singing global scales I have seen, and each is mesmerising and has taught me things I didn't know. Such as: That these scales exist and how they, the bare backbone of tunes, reflect and unlock whole world regions' music. This is amazing. 1373290889
Reposted by Matthew McCormackBrian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 15/08/2026Secondhand book sales are booming. Is it because of AI? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukSecondhand book sales are booming. Is it because of AI?Booksellers are reporting mysterious bulk orders. It's thought the books are being used to train AI - and ending up pulped. 1165
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 14/08/2026The Wedding Present were terrific at the Roadmender last night. Mostly played favourites from the 80s and 90s, which were taken in new directions by Rachael Wood on lead guitar. They still don't do encores 000
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 11/08/2026Maybe we should stop calling it a "heatwave". Extreme heat for several months is not a wave or even 5 in quick succession www.bbc.co.uk/weather/arti...bbc.co.ukBrief relief ahead of fifth heatwaveWhile Monday won't be quite as hot as the weekend, temperatures will ramp up ahead of the fifth widespread heatwave of the year. 022
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 10/08/2026A grand venue for my talk this afternoon! Doing a talk on shoes at the York Georgian Festival 1160
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 09/08/2026Watching Northants v Somerset. Glad to get a seat in the shade 130
Reposted by Matthew McCormackOdd This Day @oddthisday.bsky.social · 06/08/2026It’s the 88th anniversary today of this immensely enjoyable headline 🧵 231441579
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 07/08/2026The Guardian sounding like grampa from the Simpsons 120
Reposted by Matthew McCormackProf Rachel Oliver @profrachelgan.bsky.social · 06/08/2026From within the Cambridge ecosystem, I can state definitively that I have never seen any Cambridge professor receive anything like the amount of scrutiny that has fallen on Jason Arday. That is true even of a very small number of people whose behaviour I believe truly merits serious scrutiny. 315835
Matthew McCormack @historymatt.bsky.social · 05/08/2026I like how the volume on BBC Sounds goes up to eleven. "Well, it's one louder isn't it? It's not ten." 190
Reposted by Matthew McCormackDr Adam James Smith @elementaladam.bsky.social · 04/08/2026Come and see Professor Matthew McCormack at the York Georgian Festival next week! SHOES & THE GEORGIAN MAN Monday 10th August 1.30pm, York Mansion House Book tickets: www.mansionhouseyork.com/york-georgia... @historymatt.bsky.social #18C #18thC @bsecs.bsky.social 0147
Reposted by Matthew McCormackHenry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 31/07/2026conspiracy theorists: Fifa is trying to help Argentina win the World Cup! Fifa: how about we organise the next tournament without Europe? 3659