Catherine Fletcher
@cathfletcher.bsky.social
Writing history, usually in Manchester, when possible in Italy. 'Renaissance skulduggery' - The Guardian. THE ROADS TO ROME out now. Coming April 26: THE FIREARM REVOLUTION.
A lot of unanswered questions about the role of FindMyPast in this story: what is their approach to licensing deals? are they paying these 'amateur historians'?
‘The hidden engine room’: how amateur historians are powering genealogical research www.theguardian.com/education/20...
‘The hidden engine room’: how amateur historians are powering genealogical research
Wealth of datasets compiled as private passions are now a goldmine for those hunting for their ancestors
www.theguardian.com
December 26, 2025 at 9:47 AM
A lot of unanswered questions about the role of FindMyPast in this story: what is their approach to licensing deals? are they paying these 'amateur historians'?
Tales of British infrastructure, no.94
It's been half an hour now, I'm more bored than anything!
December 23, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Tales of British infrastructure, no.94
Stuck in a lift at Manchester Piccadilly.
December 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Stuck in a lift at Manchester Piccadilly.
Good news!
House prices fall in half of London boroughs
Cheaper areas show more resilience in capital’s ‘two-speed market’
www.ft.com
December 23, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Good news!
I am still genuinely shocked by this. I spent most of September and October double-checking every citation in my upcoming book, because I rewrite a lot for style and know from experience that they get scrambled or (worse) lost.
Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 21, 2025 at 10:47 AM
I am still genuinely shocked by this. I spent most of September and October double-checking every citation in my upcoming book, because I rewrite a lot for style and know from experience that they get scrambled or (worse) lost.
okay but how much to jump in and swan about like I'm Anita Ekberg?
From 1 February 2026, Rome will charge tourists €2 to visit the Trevi Fountain.
Rome to introduce tourist entry fee for Trevi Fountain in 2026
Tourists visiting Rome's iconic Trevi Fountain up close will be required to pay an entry fee of €2 from 1 February 2026, the city has confirmed.
www.wantedinrome.com
December 19, 2025 at 5:13 PM
okay but how much to jump in and swan about like I'm Anita Ekberg?
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
Hard no to this: French publisher Harlequin has told translators that their work will now be done by AI. They can ‘revise’ AI translations at much lower rate. It’s a subsidiary of Harper Collins so treat this as a test for rollout elsewhere
"Bradage de la traduction, plan social invisible : Harlequin passe à l’IA"
Faites tourner, parce qu'il va falloir se battre encore plus. :/
#traduction #IA #Harlequin #ATLF
Faites tourner, parce qu'il va falloir se battre encore plus. :/
#traduction #IA #Harlequin #ATLF
December 18, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Hard no to this: French publisher Harlequin has told translators that their work will now be done by AI. They can ‘revise’ AI translations at much lower rate. It’s a subsidiary of Harper Collins so treat this as a test for rollout elsewhere
If they want sales to recover, they should bring back shops. I can't be the only person who's extremely fed up with online shopping and chaos delivery firms.
UK retail sales drop unexpectedly as economy struggles
Volumes edged down 0.1% in November, reflecting subdued mood among consumers
www.ft.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:57 AM
If they want sales to recover, they should bring back shops. I can't be the only person who's extremely fed up with online shopping and chaos delivery firms.
The University of Liverpool here advertising for a postdoc fluent in four modern languages plus Latin, and I wonder if it's even possible to acquire these skills if you start out in its local state schools?
Postdoctoral Research Associate - Monastic Economies - Grade 7 at University of Liverpool
Recruiting now: Postdoctoral Research Associate - Monastic Economies - Grade 7 on jobs.ac.uk. Click for details and explore more academic job opportunities on the top job board
www.jobs.ac.uk
December 18, 2025 at 2:30 PM
The University of Liverpool here advertising for a postdoc fluent in four modern languages plus Latin, and I wonder if it's even possible to acquire these skills if you start out in its local state schools?
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
The tragic shootings at Bondi Beach and Brown University have put questions of gun control back in the spotlight. As @Cathfletcher.bsky.social notes, the long history of these debates suggests that cultural attitudes to firearms are deeply embedded. historyandpolicy.org/opinion-arti...
Home - History & Policy
historyandpolicy.org
December 17, 2025 at 9:10 AM
The tragic shootings at Bondi Beach and Brown University have put questions of gun control back in the spotlight. As @Cathfletcher.bsky.social notes, the long history of these debates suggests that cultural attitudes to firearms are deeply embedded. historyandpolicy.org/opinion-arti...
Folks, if you want to get your alumni on board for this, may I suggest not implicitly insulting everyone who works outside London in paragraph 2 of your message.
December 17, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Folks, if you want to get your alumni on board for this, may I suggest not implicitly insulting everyone who works outside London in paragraph 2 of your message.
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
Sure, it's funny now, but when this is the new AI-designed core module for History GCSE, you won't be laughing...
Adore the British-themed mural in my hotel in Valletta, including: yassified Virgin Queen, Churchill with pigeon, and for some reason General Rochambeau (not very British? like really pointedly not? did they think he was Nelson? wrong number of arms for a start) in a Spitfire that says “dong” on it
December 17, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Sure, it's funny now, but when this is the new AI-designed core module for History GCSE, you won't be laughing...
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
Today on Gone Medieval I have an episode about the Jewish community in Medieval Norwich. I went up last week to interview my mate Oren Margolis and I am really proud of this one. I just wish it wasn't so timely. It feels weird. Anyway, check it out.
share.google/PkLRhPHXoise...
share.google/PkLRhPHXoise...
Gone Medieval
From long-lost Viking ships to kings buried in unexpected places; from murders and power politics, to myths, religion, the lives of ordinary people: Gone Medieval is History Hit’s podcast dedicated to...
share.google
December 16, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Today on Gone Medieval I have an episode about the Jewish community in Medieval Norwich. I went up last week to interview my mate Oren Margolis and I am really proud of this one. I just wish it wasn't so timely. It feels weird. Anyway, check it out.
share.google/PkLRhPHXoise...
share.google/PkLRhPHXoise...
Following the tragic shootings at Bondi Beach and Brown University this weekend, I wrote about the long history of debates on gun control for @historyandpolicy.bsky.social
The long history of debates about gun control - History & Policy
The tragic shootings at Bondi Beach and Brown University have put questions of gun control back in the spotlight. These debates are almost as old as guns themselves and they point to the extent to whi...
historyandpolicy.org
December 16, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Following the tragic shootings at Bondi Beach and Brown University this weekend, I wrote about the long history of debates on gun control for @historyandpolicy.bsky.social
exactly, we should go back to the good old days when if you wanted to see nudity you had to take a a holiday to Florence
UK to push for nudity-blocking software on devices to protect children
Home Office expected to encourage companies to introduce controls
www.ft.com
December 16, 2025 at 8:19 AM
exactly, we should go back to the good old days when if you wanted to see nudity you had to take a a holiday to Florence
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
If you are working in humanities education and thinking how to respond to the tragic events of this weekend, I'd like to draw your attention to a new project launching next month at the AHA. I would rather it wasn't so topical, but here we are.
139th Annual Meeting (January 8-11, 2026): Transforming Humanities Education in a Time of Gun Violence
aha.confex.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:20 AM
If you are working in humanities education and thinking how to respond to the tragic events of this weekend, I'd like to draw your attention to a new project launching next month at the AHA. I would rather it wasn't so topical, but here we are.
If you are working in humanities education and thinking how to respond to the tragic events of this weekend, I'd like to draw your attention to a new project launching next month at the AHA. I would rather it wasn't so topical, but here we are.
139th Annual Meeting (January 8-11, 2026): Transforming Humanities Education in a Time of Gun Violence
aha.confex.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:20 AM
If you are working in humanities education and thinking how to respond to the tragic events of this weekend, I'd like to draw your attention to a new project launching next month at the AHA. I would rather it wasn't so topical, but here we are.
ouch, I feel the burn just reading this
HEEEEEEEY guess whose employer has had official notice of contravention from the Health & Safety Executive for systematically failing to monitor and manage work place stress??? Happy xmas all!
drive.google.com/file/d/1L1sl...
drive.google.com/file/d/1L1sl...
Notification of Contravention letter- University of Birmingham - Final Draft 11.12.25.pdf
drive.google.com
December 14, 2025 at 12:46 PM
ouch, I feel the burn just reading this
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
rather than Viscount De Perverto paying a bag of florins, it's @FurryArtEnjoyer24 and his 500 friends each giving £3 a month
December 14, 2025 at 9:45 AM
rather than Viscount De Perverto paying a bag of florins, it's @FurryArtEnjoyer24 and his 500 friends each giving £3 a month
might set this as an essay question
As i've said before, the renaissance was just 15th century OnlyFans.
Artists discovering rich dudes will pay big bucks for pictures of their favourite Greek god, goddess or bible figure with their bits out.
Artists discovering rich dudes will pay big bucks for pictures of their favourite Greek god, goddess or bible figure with their bits out.
"people with renaissance-level art skills don't exist anymore" yes they do their username is something like 03748218_ and they spend all their time drawing pornography so deranged it'd kill hugh hefner a second time
December 14, 2025 at 9:40 AM
might set this as an essay question
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
The most assigned books in US high schools, 1963 vs 2024, acc to a recent study::::
December 12, 2025 at 8:11 PM
The most assigned books in US high schools, 1963 vs 2024, acc to a recent study::::
There are at least half a dozen people from my PhD and postdoc years that I might have been developing projects with now if they still had academic posts
There’s a dissertation that gets cited all the time in my field that would have been a *book* that gets cited all the time, if there had been any opportunity for the author to stay in the trade. At this point we can all think of work that might have been career-making, so many firsts that were final
I wrote this a few years ago now, but it's still very relevant sadly. Constant redundancy has been the norm for many of us since we began our careers. Sorry for everyone who is now facing it unexpectedly. Logging off for a bit. #UKHE #UCU
hagenilda.wordpress.com/2022/01/31/a...
hagenilda.wordpress.com/2022/01/31/a...
December 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
There are at least half a dozen people from my PhD and postdoc years that I might have been developing projects with now if they still had academic posts
Reposted by Catherine Fletcher
My article, ‘Visualizing the executions of British queens in early modern Europe‘, has been published in “Historical Research” and can be read here: academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
Visualizing the executions of British queens in early modern Europe
Abstract. The executions of British queens between 1536 and 1587 were sensational news events, both in the British Isles and on the Continent, and were vis
academic.oup.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:28 PM
My article, ‘Visualizing the executions of British queens in early modern Europe‘, has been published in “Historical Research” and can be read here: academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
Spot of classic Stanley Baxter for the uninitiated: keep watching through the sketch for the detailed language tuition.
Stanley Baxter - Parliamo Glasgow - Mia Farra's farra, the marra & the barra
YouTube video by Cheeseford
m.youtube.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Spot of classic Stanley Baxter for the uninitiated: keep watching through the sketch for the detailed language tuition.