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Rosie Rowley

@thehistoryspy.bsky.social
556 followers 171 following 206 posts

Formerly MaccHistorian. Love genealogy, birdwatching, trains, knitting.... So many hobbies, so little time.... from the Isle of Ely (not an island!), now living in Cheshire, England

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Rosie Rowley
Sean Vanderfluit @deckofancestors.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
This is a brilliant and novel way of presenting a family tree! #Genealogy #FamilyHistory
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Mark Braggins @markbraggins.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Haha, nice one @privateeyenews.bsky.social !
Extract from Private Eye: Bluesky also banned

THE government confirmed today that, despite being left off the initial list, Bluesky would be included in the social media sites banned for under 16s.

Said a Downing Street spokesman, "We're determined to protect impressionable teen minds from being exposed on Bluesky to friendly polite
conversation on topics ranging from the albums of Miles Davis to classic 70s Hollywood movies and the best era of Doctor Who."

He continued, "Filling teenagers' impressionable young minds with this genial chat is no way to prepare them for the hellish Al future that awaits them."
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Hello #GenHour - long time no see! Recently I've had the sad task of tracing a relative's family tree and finding all the causes of death - their mother died suddenly of a heart problem and they want to know if it runs in the family. I've yet to find an ancestor who died of natural causes 😥
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Heidi Temple-Stephens @heidistephens.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
this feels like a good opportunity to show off your exemplary tape-free wrapping skills.
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Suitcase Genealogist @suitcasegen.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
This guy is great! (Oh, to be 30 again, though.) More archives need to do videos like these. (C'mon, surely someone in your building has an interesting personality.)
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Palustris @palustris.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Amazing how one small section of a huge beach is set aside for wildlife and some dog owners still won't behave responsibly. @teesbirds.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Seaton Carew dog walkers disturbing little tern nests
Dog walkers in Seaton Carew have been warned to avoid the little tern nesting area.
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The Family History Society of Cheshire 🌾🌳 @fhsofcheshire.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
The first episode of Who Do You Think You Are? 2026 will air on BBC One on Tuesday 26 May 2026 at 9pm. The first episode sees star of TV and radio Zoe Ball is looking into her family history. Read more 👉 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
bbc.co.uk
BBC One - Who Do You Think You Are?, Series 23, Zoe Ball
From Scotland to Cornwall, Zoe Ball is inspired by her ancestors’ resilience.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Lend your support to entrepreneurs in low-income countries through @lendwithcare.bsky.social Make your first loan for free with this link! lendwithcare.org/referral/GH8...
lendwithcare.org
Microfinance from CARE International UK
CARE International's microfinance lending initiative
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Radio Lento @radiolento.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Yes, good idea to include the link!
youtube.com
Pied Flycatcher & Blue Tit – Nestbox neighbours LIVE from National Trust Longshaw Estate
YouTube video by National Trust
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Hoping to reunite this book with a family member. I've traced a relative and sent a message - fingers crossed!
Blue book cover with red printing: British Red Cross Society First Aid Manual No.1. By Sir Harold E WHittingham and Sir Stanford CadeInscription inside cover of book: Capt A P Grimbly R.A.M.C., 7 Worc R (Regiment) Pershore 107
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Dave Annal Lifelines Research @davelifelines.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
The best thing you'll see on the internet today... But what else would you expect from @orkneylibrary.bsky.social
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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 03/05/2026
We have an *extremely* important announcement to make. From Wednesday, we will be launching our puffin live cam, coming to you from the Farne Islands. So you can watch puffins all day long. In celebration, please enjoy this clip of puffins being really busy for 39 seconds straight.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
@rwldproject.bsky.social here's a shocking near miss for you! youtu.be/o5T35gxNH48?...
youtu.be
Extreme train dodging, surveillance camera
YouTube video by eriklindis
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Cheshire Villages Great War Society presents two talks about #WWI at 7.30pm on Thursday 16th April 2026 at Eaton Church Hall near Congleton CW12 2NH. Free admission, refreshments available @fhsofcheshire.bsky.social @clha.bsky.social
Poster advertising the Cheshire Villages Great War event: An evening of talks about - The Thiepval Memorial to the missing of the Somme by Mike Akeman, and Motor Ambulances of WWI by Gerald Newbrook - at The Church Hall, Eaton, near Congleton, CW12 2NH on THursday 16th April 2026, 19.30 start. Free admission; Tea Coffee and Cake will be available.
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Caroline G. @tlodge60.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
Also ordered some colouring books for grandchildren& got senior discount & free postage, discounted price AND Hive supported my designated NI local bookshop as well! Why use Amazon when Hive Books helps not only me but also a local bookshop!
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Researched Gunner Joseph Bradshaw of #Macclesfield, accidentally killed in #WWI when a shell unexpectedly exploded, leaving his widow with two young sons, one of whom died two months later, aged just 21 months. @cheshire1418.bsky.social www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=8...
cheshireroll.co.uk
92082 Gunner Joseph Henry BARLOW 113th Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery 27 Years old Died of wounds on Tuesday 27th February 1917
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Researched two brothers from #Bramhall, Harold and Ronnie Higgins, who were educated at #Macclesfield Grammar School (now King's School) and were killed in #WWI in 1915 and 1918 www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2... and www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=1...
cheshireroll.co.uk
2460 Private HAROLD WILLIAMSON HIGGINS 1/6th Bn. Manchester Regiment 21 Years old Died of wounds on Sunday 6th June 1915
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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𝟙𝟜𝟙𝟠𝕔𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤 @fourteeneighteen.co.uk · 19/03/2026
I don't know the first thing about baseball except that it is rounders as played by 9-year-old girls, but this is excellent: www.ctvnews.ca/sports/artic...
ctvnews.ca
Venezuela beats U.S. 3-2 to win first World Baseball Classic title
Eugenio Suárez and his Venezuelan teammates stood on the stage behind second base with shiny medals draped over their proud chests, belting out their national anthem accompanied by tens of thousands o...
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Is it just me, or do others agree that this is not an adequate proof of delivery? It's a photo of my address label but I have no idea where the package has been left, no identifiable background at all! (I have obscured the sender's address at the bottom for privacy)
Royal Mail address label with sender's address obscured
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Researched Edwin Willdig of #Macclesfield and #Stockport, kia #WWI 27 June 1916. He worked at the Cornbrook Chemical Company, Millgate, Stockport (a dye manufacturer) and enlisted in 1914. He left a widow and four daughters aged between 6 months and 11 years www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2...
cheshireroll.co.uk
13160 Lance Corporal Edwin WILLDIG 10th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers 29 Years old Killed In Action on Tuesday 27th June 1916
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
I've just received a "Will not found" from the England & Wales GOV #Probate Registry. They tell me there is no probate date & probate wasn't issued, but the printed index has the date 22 Feb 1991. I've queried it but wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem? #GenHour
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Researched James Widdows, a silk weaver of #Macclesfield, who was killed in action #WWI 13 June 1916 leaving a widow and five children aged between 18 months and 12 years www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2...
cheshireroll.co.uk
14705 Pte James WIDDOWS
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Added research for Pte Harold Warren of #Macclesfield who was killed in #Gallipoli in 1915 while fetching water with two comrades, one of whom - Pte William Cooke - was also killed and the other unnamed soldier was wounded. www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2...
cheshireroll.co.uk
2382 Private Harold WARREN 1/7th Bn. Cheshire Regiment 24 Years old Killed In Action on Friday 3rd September 1915
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
#notatrootstech still look back with nostalgia at the one time #RootsTech was in London (Oct 2019). Online is okay and I'm grateful for it but in-person was just amazing
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
Added the research for Edward Wardle. Born in #Macclesfield, he was a gamekeeper at Thornycroft Hall, then moved to #Cumberland (now Cumbria), becoming head gamekeeper on the #MuncasterCastle Estate. www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2...
cheshireroll.co.uk
103019 Gunner Edward WARDLE 177th Siege Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery 37 Years old Killed In Action on Wednesday 14th August 1918
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Researched James Walker who was killed in action on 19th October 1914, one of the first #Macclesfield men to lose his life in #WWI. www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2...
cheshireroll.co.uk
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Researched Frank Wadsworth - born 1882 #Congleton, lived 1901 #Macclesfield, married 1906 #Salford and died 1918 #France www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2...
cheshireroll.co.uk
202346 Lance Corporal Frank WADSWORTH 2nd/5th Bn. Manchester Regiment 36 Years old Killed In Action on Thursday 21st March 1918
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Ian Denton @iand777.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
This should not be a "difficult decision". The clue's in the name - 'Nature Reserve'. They are not places that dogs should be allowed to access. Loose dog incidents force temporary closure of historic nature reserve to the public www.wildlifebcn.org/news/loose-d...
wildlifebcn.org
Loose dog incidents force temporary closure of historic nature reserve to the public | Wildlife Trust for Beds Cambs & Northants
Conservationists have taken the difficult decision to temporarily close a nature reserve in Cambridgeshire to the public after repeated instances of dogs off leads.
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Debbie Cameron @debsadelight.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
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OldRailwayAccidents @rwldproject.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Happy #StDavidsDay! Last year the Railway Work, Life & Death project HUGELY increased its Welsh coverage - adding around 30,000 more Welsh cases to our free database of accidents to railway workers. Find out more about Wales in our project here: www.railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk?s=wales
railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk
You searched for wales - Railway Work, Life & Death
Railway Work, Life & Death
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Researched Pte Frank Slater of #Macclesfield, who enlisted four days after the start of #WWI - at the age of 18 - and died of wounds just nine months later on 16th June 1915 during the Second Battle of Ypres www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=7...
cheshireroll.co.uk
10195 Private FRANK EDWARD SLATER 1st Bn. Cheshire Regiment 19 Years old Died of wounds on Wednesday 16th June 1915
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Researched Pte Thomas Slack of the 8th Cheshire Regt, kia 17th April 1916 in Iraq, whose 5 year old son George became an orphan when his father died www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2...
cheshireroll.co.uk
11179 Private Thomas SLACK 8th Bn. Cheshire Regiment 29 Years old Killed In Action on Monday 17th April 1916
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Post a pic you took, no context, to bring some zen to the feed.
a field full of yellow buttercups
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Added research for Pte Thomas Skinner of #Macclesfield who died of wounds on 24 July 1918 at Senlis, France. He enlisted just six months after marrying his wife Cecilia in May 1915. www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2...
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Everyone complaining about the "spiralling costs" of SEND education should read this www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Labour’s Send reforms get this right: disabled children in mainstream schools is transformative for everyone | Frances Ryan
It doesn’t fit neatly on a Treasury spreadsheet, but there is huge value in disabled and non-disabled pupils learning together, says Guardian columnist Frances Ryan
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Added research for Private Arthur Simpson of #Macclesfield, kia #WWI 20 July 1916 www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=6...
cheshireroll.co.uk
5630 Private ARTHUR SIMPSON 20th Bn. Royal Fusiliers 21 Years old Killed In Action on Thursday 20th July 1916
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Thought I would start posting notifications of my #WWI updates to the Cheshire Roll @cheshire1418.bsky.social ; I just added research for Samuel Shepley of #Macclesfield www.cheshireroll.co.uk/soldier/?i=2...
cheshireroll.co.uk
11055 Private Samuel SHEPLEY 8th Bn. Cheshire Regiment 40 Years old Died of wounds on Thursday 6th April 1916
Find out more about the Soldiers who came from Cheshire and gave their lives in the Great War & World war 2.
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Debbie Cameron @debsadelight.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
@ninabake2.bsky.social this literally just came up on my memories! “This makes me so flipping angry #OnThisDay, 24 Feb 1968, Jocelyn Bell Burnell and her male colleagues publish the paper confirming the discovery of pulsars. They receive the Nobel prize for it: she does not.”
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Dave Wenning @rxdavid.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
This too…
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
First and last time staying in this pub. Whilst conveniently located, that's the only good thing about it. It's dilapidated; socket at floor level, kettle lead too short so had to put kettle on the floor too; curtains don't close properly; we're next to the ladies; final straw is a thumping disco 🤬
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
Great day at the Guild of One-Name Studies Transport Seminar, good to see Dr Mike Esbester @rwldproject.bsky.social again one-name.org/seminar-even...
one-name.org
Seminar events
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Brief stop at RSPB Nene Washes. This was fields in the summer!
Picture of flooded fields
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The Past and other Places @pastandotherplaces.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
Watching the women's curling competition on TNT Sports 2. Dedicated, highly-skilled athletes. A commentator just made reference to "a team of housewives". 🤦‍♀️🥌 #WinterOlympics #curling 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇸🇪
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
Didn't want to hijack Dave's post so started my own. If you ever want to make authentic 1950s-60s knitted swimsuits for the whole family.... found this last year amongst my mother's stash of old knitting patterns
Knitting pattern, probably 1950s, to make knitted swimsuits for the family
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
Just got to have a rant. Researching William Meredith of Macclesfield, brother of Frank Meredith who was kia 24Apr1915, to see if I can discover William's WWI army service. Found an Ancestry tree which states William had a son, Frank Meredith, born 1910 (TRUE), kia 24Apr1915 (aged FIVE!!!) 🤦
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Debbie Cameron @debsadelight.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
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Rosie Rowley @thehistoryspy.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
Just booked to see The Longest Yarn WW2 knitted exhibition near Stoke - history and knitting, two of my favourite things! outsidearts.org/events/the-l...
outsidearts.org
The Longest Yarn 2: Britain at War - Dec 2025 - OUTSIDE
The stunning exhibition of knitted and crocheted wartime scenes will be on display at Great Wood Community Hall in Tean from 1-30 December.
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Tom Isitt @tomisitt.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Emma, after watching yet another programme about railways: “They really changed the world, didn’t they.” Me: “Absolutely, they enabled the spread of epidemics, made the Holocaust possible, and facilitated the exploitation of the Third World.” Emma: “WTF is wrong with you??” 😶
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Susie Dent @susiedentwords.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
Word of the day is ‘quockerwodger’ (19th century): a puppet politician whose strings are pulled entirely by someone else.
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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 20/11/2025
Nature isn’t a “blocker” – it makes our lives better. Our coast, countryside, heritage and wildlife underpin our food, water and health and put millions of pounds into the economy. The Government must not weaken the laws that protect them.
Sunshine filtering between the autumnal leaves. It creates a glow in a woodland space and feels quite magical.
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