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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Spectacular piece of pedantry from William Gladstone in Roy Jenkins’ biography. Writing to his wife of 59 years, Gladstone manages to elevate Victorian formality to another level:

It could be argued that their marriage was not particularly close. They were often and sometimes unnecessarily in different houses, conjoined only by regular but not notably intimate letters. Gladstone nearly always signed himself to her 'Ever yours affty., W. E. Gladstone'. Later in life he occasionally alternated this with 'From your old WEG'. For decades, however, he never varied in writing 'Mrs W. E. Gladstone', as though it were a business communication, across the bottom of the letter. But when the last of the wives of his three elder brothers had died, he suddenly shifted, with an extraordinary sense of precedential precision, to writing 'Mrs Gladstone'.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

First in line boarding a LeShuttle train. Driving onto the carriage like you're going on an Imperial Star Destroyer.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

On bumping into Bill Oddie at the local North London recycling centre. Michael Palin’s Diary, 1998:

Saturday, May 2nd

Various local chores – to the recycling depot. Bill Oddie's there. Draw his attention to a new bin for 'Spectacles'. He said one for 'Scripts' would do well round here.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

I’m reading Writing Home by Alan Bennett and particularly enjoying Russell Harty's thoughts on soup, which Bennett retold in his memorial service eulogy.

One laughed more helplessly with him than with anyone else I know, but so much of his humour - immediate and throwaway and born out of disaster and humiliation – is hard to recapture. The worst meal I ever had in my life was with him, and, ironically, in France. After the soup he pushed his plate back. 'Well, that soup might be a big event in a day in the life of Ivan Denisovitch but it didn't do much for me.' International figures had a habit of intruding on the domestic scene. 'I think', he'd say, popping in another violet cream, 'the only person who must be more depressed than I am at this moment is Benazir Bhutto.'

IT

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Reading Erotic Vagrancy by Roger Lewis and am blown away by what Elizabeth Taylor's then husband Eddie Fisher is going through to look after her.

Eddie said he was exhausted by the unremitting nursing duties, all the non-stop mollycoddling ('She was drinking and taking pills and passing out. She was constantly passing out') and for his sanity would have to leave in the morning. Taylor said, 'You're leaving in the morning? I'm leaving right now,' and swallowed a handful of Seconal.

Eddie felt he couldn't do right for doing wrong: 'I was the one who had tried to stop her from killing herself, and that had made her so angry she had tried to kill herself.' He decided to go into hospital to have his appendix taken out – for no reason except being in hospital gave him reprieve from Taylor for a few days. The ruse only irritated her. She didn't like having to get up in the morning to pay Eddie a visit.

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Reposted by James Arnold

Samuel Pepys @samuelpepys.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

By water home, and so walk upon the leads, and in the dark there played upon my flageolette, it being a fine still evening, and so to supper and to bed.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

The commandant of the Civil Defence Technical Training Centre in Quebec demonstrates the effect of an atomic bomb exploding over a city, Canada, 28th April 1952.

Black and white photo of a man standing next to a model of a mushroom cloud.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Madame Tussauds waxwork models of The Beatles, 24th April 1967.

Black and white photo of a woman placing a wig on the wax figure of Ringo Starr of The Beatles. Wax figures of George Harrison, John Lennon and Paul McCartney are next to them.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Remembering the time I saw the Pope in the back of a Skoda in Alton station carpark.

A photo of Pope Francis stuck to the window of a Skoda Roomster.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

Explorer Theodore Illion, demonstrating the headgear that he considers will best protect him during his expedition to Central Asia, in London on 16th April 1934. He claimed to have visited Tibet and discovered an underground city there. Though there are doubts that he ever went anywhere near Tibet.

Black and white photo of a man wearing a striped cardigan with what looks like a tea towel draped over his head.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

Ringo Starr and John Lennon stand in the doorways of the adjoining suburban houses on Ailsa Avenue in Twickenham used in filming 'Help!' starring The Beatles, 15th April 1965. Photo by Stan Meagher.

Black and white photo of Ringo Starr and John Lennon of The Beatles standing in the doorways of two adjoining houses.

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Reposted by James Arnold

Samuel Pepys @samuelpepys.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Up early to my lute and a song.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

Peter Sellers with Ringo Starr, 31st March 1969. Photo by Les Lee.

A moustachioed Peter Sellers poses with Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Spotted a new born lamb taking its first steps.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

Eric Morecambe pushed on a tricycle by Ernie Wise, 27th March 1980.

Black and white photo of English comedian Eric Morecambe (1926 - 1984) riding a tricycle while fellow English comedian Ernie Wise (1925 - 1999) pushes him.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

The Truth about Teenagers. Photo by Bert Hardy for Picture Post, 25th March 1957.

Black and white photo of teenagers running up a hill with an industrial landscape in the background.

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Reposted by James Arnold

Samuel Pepys @samuelpepys.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Drinking of cold small beer here I fell ill, and was forced to go out and vomit, and so was well again and went home by and by to bed.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Michael Caine, 92 today, born 14th March 1933. Photo by Stephan C. Archetti.

Black and white photo of Michael Caine throwing a punch, taken August 1965.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Greek singer and songwriter Demis Roussos (1946 - 2015) photographed in London by Steve Wood, 12th March 1974.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Going to the brink of death and back, in a nine car pile-up on a dual carriage-way, is ... very much like making love to a beautiful woman. First of all, brace yourself, hold on tight - particularly if it's a rear-ender. And pray you make contact with her twin airbags as soon as possible.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

John Lydon of the Sex Pistols with manager Malcolm McLaren leaving Marlborough Street Magistrates Court after being fined for possessing illegal substances, London, 11th March 1977.

Black and white photo of Johnny Rotten (John Lydon) of the Sex Pistols with his manager Malcolm McLaren walking passed an unimpressed women on a London street.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Carole Hersee posing for a new version of Test Card F at the Thames studios in Teddington, 10th March 1969. Photo by Ian Tyas.

Black and white photo of Carole Hersee, the daughter of test card designer George Hersee, posing for a new version of Test Card F at the Thames studios in Teddington.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

The Queen riding the Victoria line, 7th March 1969.

Black and white photo of the queen sat on a tube train amongst passengers on the London underground.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Waxwork models of The Beatles on display at Tussaud Waxworks in Blackpool, England, 28th February 1967.

Black and white photo of waxwork models of The Beatles. Left to right George, Ringo, John and Paul, on display at Tussaud Waxworks

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Reposted by James Arnold

The Mary Rose Museum @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

78A0165 - Leather Bucket 79A0949 - Leather Bucket 79A1085 - Leather Bucket 79A1283 - Wooden Bucket 80A0220 - Wooden Bucket (below) 80A1316 - Leather Bucket 80A1891 - Leather Bucket 80A1946 - Leather Bucket 81A1196 - Leather Bucket 81A1248 - Leather Bucket (cont)

A wide bottomed wooden bucket, with wooden protrusions at the top where a rope would have acted as a handle

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Double-decker buses at Stockwell Bus Garage, London, 26th February 1967. Photo by Chris Morphet.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Rod Stewart holds a bottle of Blue Nun wine as he talks with David Bowie backstage at Madison Square Garden, New York, 24th February 1975.

Black and white photo, Rod Stewart holds a bottle of wine wearing matching satin pants and vest, with a satin shirt and polka-dot scarf. David Bowie is wearing a suit with a fedora hat and aviator sunglasses.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Great thread on fragmented realities "where different groups live in entirely separate versions of the truth."

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

A US Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden, New York, 20th February 1939. Organised by the German American Bund with more than 20,000 people attending. The stage featured a huge portrait of George Washington with swastikas on either side. Around 100,000 anti-Nazi counter-protesters gathered outside.

Black and white photograph of a huge rally with rows of spectators. The stage has a backdrop featuring a large portrait of George Washington flanked by Swastikas and American flags.

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James Arnold @jamesarnold.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

"You can rattle the bars of the cage as fiercely as you like but you will never actually escape the comfort of the zoo." Excellent piece by @j-amesmarriott.bsky.social on conspiracists getting a dose of reality: www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...

thetimes.com

Conspiracists are about to get a dose of reality

Antivaxers, cranks and fantasists thrive in safe, stable societies but the days of consequence-free idiocy may be ending

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