Justin Parkes
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justparkes.bsky.social
Justin Parkes
@justparkes.bsky.social
620 followers 420 following 110 posts
Museum curator | travel | industrial history | art | photography | views mine
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justparkes.bsky.social
Justin Parkes @justparkes.bsky.social · Nov 15
I like this as a way for museum folk to introduce themselves. Your last 4 museum visits

Wellington Museum, Waterloo
Discovery Point, Dundee
National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta
Louvre Abu Dhabi
A blue wall room with red tiles on the floor there is a couch on the left and ol artwork on the wall walls. In the centre a mannequin sit at a desk holding a quill pen. A few looking up from the floor of a dry dock at a large sailing ship. About a dozen people in heart hats stand around the ship. A few inside a white world, modern gallery space with paintings and text on the walls. In the centre foreground a series of sculptural busts stand on white rectangular plinths. On the right and elaborate Rodan sculpture in bronze stands beside a large window. Outside is a large courtyard space covered by immense metal dome made of geometric shapes. There are Museum visitors standing in the shade of the dome.
Reposted by Justin Parkes
tessmachling.bsky.social
More here about how we really, REALLY need to charge the narrative around 'Treasure' and precious metal finds...

2/2

bigbookoftorcs.com/2025/10/07/s...
Solid-gold rant incoming…
by Tess Machling [A download/print PDF version can be found at the end of the paper] Before I go any further, I want to state that the theft and destruction of heritage across the world is not unco…
bigbookoftorcs.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
rpshistgroup.bsky.social
It's tonight ...

Can't make it? Register anyway and we'll send you a recording.
rpshistgroup.bsky.social RPS Historical Group @rpshistgroup.bsky.social · 17d
Still time register for our next online collections and archives talk ...

'The Roaming Studio: The Itinerant Photographer in Berwick-upon-Tweed' on Tuesday 11th November 2025 (1900 GMT) with Cameron Robertson.

events.rps.org/en/historica...
November 11, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
nickyrvs.bsky.social
oh, I love this piece (by me) ondisplayblog.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/l...
Locked up in the museum
Locks and keys are everywhere in museums. They can be directly on display: as particularly hard, small and durable things, locking mechanisms, and keys in particular, can often be all that material…
ondisplayblog.wordpress.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
mariegardiner.bsky.social
One of my supervisors recommended this book and it looks great. My research will cover deindustrialisation and ruination. Can't wait to get stuck into it.

#geography #history
A book with a ruined factory on it and the title Industrial Ruination, Community, and Place by Alice Mah
November 8, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
nlheritage.bsky.social
We're taking this week's @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange theme of dramatic art very literally AND shamelessly pandering to #swifties with this wonderful cast bronze plaque of Ophelia in front of the Arras in Hamlet. It's from Colzium House #Kilsyth artuk.org/discover/art... #taylorswift
A hand-painted bronze plaque in a wooden frame. It shows a young woman standing in a long dress in a doorwa with a suit of armour to the right and and blue and gold cloth behind her. She is reading a book which she holds in both hands.
November 6, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
stephencollins.bsky.social
If you're a National Trust member, it's that time of year again: Midnight tonight is the deadline. It's a shame people have to keep doing this to keep a toehold on historical truth in this country, but here we are. Voting link: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...
[Scene is the entrance cabin to a NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTY AND GARDENS] 1 NATIONAL TRUST EMPLOYEE [inside cabin]: Hello there 2 [A young family - two parents two kids - have arrived at the front desk]. DAD: Hi - do you have an activity trail, for the kids? 3 NT EMPLOYEE: Of course – you’re just in time for the Autumn Gammon Trail! 4 MUM: That sounds fun, doesn’t it kids? 5 NT EMPLOYEE [handing an activity sheet and pencils to the kids]: Every autumn, the Reform Trust gammons flock back to the National Trust for the AGM. Just follow the trail round the grounds, and see how many you can spot! 6 NT EMPLOYEE [hearing something in the gardens]: Listen - that's their call [Calls emanating from the landscape]: tut-tut woke-woke 7 NT EMPLOYEE [showing the family an apparently empty fenced enclosure with some bushes in]: They are extremely sensitive and fragile... But you can bring them out of hiding if you put a little sign down mentioning slavery. 8 KIDS [pointing]: There they are! [Some little red faced PEOPLE wearing Barbour jackets and gilets emerge cautiously from the bushes. They are creeping towards a TINY SIGN in the middle of the enclosure]. [Little people noises]: woke-woke tut-tut woke-woke 9 [Close-up of the TINY SIGN - we can read that it says]: Slavery had a bit to do with building this massive house. [Noises from the little people again as they inspect the tiny sign]: tut-tut woke-woke 10 MUM [pointing]: What's that one doing there? NT EMPLOYEE: Oh, that's so sweet… 11 [We see that one of the people is sat on a rock, with a little laptop open on a tree stump, and they are furiously typing away]. NT EMPLOYEE: I think he's writing a column for the Daily Telegraph… 12 [We see close up to the little person’s screen, it is a word document reading]: Are National Trust scones secretly WOKE? [ends]
October 31, 2025 at 9:02 AM
justparkes.bsky.social
Dr Andy Clark opening this year’s @sticknetwork.bsky.social autumn conference at The Engine Shed in Stirling

The theme is Narratives of Industrial Work Heritage. So many great insights on recording & using oral history
A man standing in front of a large screen with the projected image of men lifting chains overlaid with yellow text reading ‘STICK CONFERENCE: ‘Narratives and Memories of Industrial Work and Heritage’. 31 October 2025 Stirling’.
October 31, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
sticknetwork.bsky.social
There’s still time to sign up for our conference on the theme of Narratives and Memories of Industrial Work and Heritage

It’s on Friday 31 October @ The Engine Shed in Stirling stickssn.org/events/
A photo of men lifting chains overlaid with yellow text reading: STICK CONFERENCE: ‘Narratives and Memories of Industrial Work and Heritage’ 31 October 2025. Stirling’.
October 23, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
nlheritage.bsky.social
Have you heard about our Decolonising North Lanarkshire's Museums Collections project?

Join us at Summerlee Museum at 2pm tomorrow (Wednesday) to find out about our collections' colonial links & how we are addressing them north-lanarkshire-council-museums.arttickets.org.uk/summerlee-mu...
A photograph of women at work in a cotton mill (Airdrie Cotton Works) in the early 1900s.
October 21, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
magnifyzoology.bsky.social
Here are the prompts for #museum30 2025 - the ninth year!

If you would like to join in all you need to do is share an image, inspired by each days' prompt, throughout November. Don't forget to include #museum30 so other's can find your posts.
October 20, 2025 at 5:25 PM
justparkes.bsky.social
I hope this is positive news for @ironbridgegmt.bsky.social but wasn’t aware that the IGMT was in trouble. Good to see @nationaltrust.org.uk & govt recognise the importance of industrial heritage

Needless to say it’s mportant to preserve jobs & heritage skills as well as the museums & artefacts
nationaltrust.org.uk National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · Oct 17
We're pleased to share that, from spring 2026, we will take on the care and management of the museums, buildings and monuments that represent the birthplace of the industrial revolution within the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site in Shropshire.
Red brick industrial buildings around a work yard in a leafy area. The trees behind the buildings are in autumn colour.
October 17, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
simonbriercliffe.bsky.social
I have thoughts all over the place about this.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
National Trust gets £9m for Ironbridge Industrial Revolution museums takeover
The 10 museums and 35 listed buildings and scheduled monuments will be handed over in the spring.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 6:34 PM
justparkes.bsky.social
‘Found in museum store’
hanarchovist.bsky.social Hannah Louise Henthorn @hanarchovist.bsky.social · Oct 12
Miscellaneous unprovenanced undated ephemera

And

LOST: many catalogued boxes

Or

FOUND: many uncatalogued boxes
unenthusiast.com Marjorie James Keenan @unenthusiast.com · Oct 12
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.

rm -rf ~/
October 12, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
londontopsoc.bsky.social
We have just joined BlueSky! Since our foundation in 1880, we have reproduced an unrivalled selection of historic maps, plans and views of London. We also publish books and monographs containing original research. See more of what we have to offer at: londontopsoc.org
October 12, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
alanlester.bsky.social
Stephen Mullen, a highly regarded historian specialising in Scotland's links with Atlantic slavery, objects to a right wing scholar's flagrant misrepresentation of his own work and that of Glasgow's Kelvingrove Museum's curators in @thetimes.com

alanlester.co.uk/blog/falsify...
Falsifying Heritage: The Denial and Disavowal of Glasgow’s Links with Atlantic Slavery
By Stephen Mullen In a recent article in The Times, (‘Scottish Taxpayers should not have to pay the price for Slavery, 7 June 2025), Professor Nigel Biggar misrepresented an exhibition in Glasgow’s…
alanlester.co.uk
September 24, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
mininglandscapes.bsky.social
#MiningLandscapes #Ecomuseum has added a new blog to it’s collection 👉 www.mining-landscapes.org/blog an engaging read by former miner David Higgins describing his work at the mine and life in a pit village (Part II out early Nov) #Ayrshire #MiningHistory
October 11, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
happymuseum.bsky.social
Innovators, thinkers and leaders needed!

Our mission is to re-imagine museums for a sustainable future – by fostering wellbeing that doesn’t cost the earth.

Could you bring your unique perspective, your time and your imagination for a better future – to our Steering Group?

shorturl.at/b0ejo
September 26, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
lynncorrigan.bsky.social
This might be of interest to some Edinburgh / Industrial history folks www.digitscotland.com/events/hear-...
Hear About...Baltic Street Gasworks - Dig It!
Dig into free (or low-cost) Scottish archaeology events that are open to everyone – no experience required.
www.digitscotland.com
October 9, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
profdanhicks.bsky.social
(2/2) sign the petition: Tell Your MP: Don't Rip Up Our Rights actionstorm.org/petitions/pr...
October 8, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
keithwdickinson.bsky.social
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
October 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
c20society.bsky.social
📍 How can you join the campaign to save Cooling Towers?

✊🏻 Sign and share the petition: change.org/p/save-brita...

✍🏼 If you're an architect, developer, artist, or public figure, sign our open-letter.
Email coordinator@c20society.org.uk

📖 Order C20's new book: shop.c20society.org.uk/products/pre...
October 8, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
mattpope.bsky.social
We need to utterly transform how we protect our heritage: more funding for museums, more education and disrupting our equation of heritage with monetary value. This isn't a one off. From our fiekds to our museum cases, antiquities are seen as objects for personal acquisition and monetary gain.
🏺
mattpope.bsky.social Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · Oct 7
Awful news from Wales, the St Fagan's Museum has been broken into and prehistoric goldwork has been taken. Its painful to think what objects might now be at risk. Thoughts with the museum team who must be devastated, all speed to the police and a curse on the crooks.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
St Fagans: Bronze Age gold jewellery stolen from musuem
Police are investigating a burglary at St Fagans museum in the early hours of Monday morning.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 7, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
mthrjo.bsky.social
This is utterly ridiculous in any case, but particularly so given common commuting patterns.
wyeates.bsky.social Will Yeates @wyeates.bsky.social · Oct 7
The British Transport Police (BTP) says it will not investigate bike thefts outside stations where the bicycle has been left for more than two hours.

Bike thefts at stations 'decriminalised'
Bike thefts at stations 'decriminalised'
The British Transport Police will not investigate many categories of bicycle theft, the BBC learns.
buff.ly
October 7, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
lonelytower.bsky.social
What a beauty!!!!!
September 27, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Reposted by Justin Parkes
bwjones.bsky.social
This remarkable therapy uses an approach the Trump administration just cancelled funding for.
September 24, 2025 at 12:29 PM