K M Flett
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keithbeard.bsky.social
K M Flett
@keithbeard.bsky.social
5.3K followers 3.3K following 7.8K posts
Socialist Beard Wearer Historian, Trade Unionist, Anti-Racist Tottenham & Cardiff, cat lover,CAMRA member since 1975
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keithbeard.bsky.social
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Christmas Culture on Yorkshire Puddings. Liz Truss v Marks & Spencer
Liz Truss has told Nick Ferrari on LBC that when it comes to Christmas meals Yorkshire pudding is cancelled. She argues that Yorkshire pudding should only be served with beef. By contrast Marks and…
wp.me
December 26, 2025 at 6:37 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
How Chartists in north-west London celebrated Boxing Day 175 years ago
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/a...
A Chartist Boxing Day. 26th December 1850
O’Connorville (Heronsgate) was a Chartist Land Settlement near Rickmansworth in North-West London. Chartist small holdings were allocated by (not all that legal) ballot. Most of the original …
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 26, 2025 at 6:13 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/p...
Parliament banned Christmas in 1644. Sitting on 25th December 1656 MPs reviewed if the ban had worked
Dr Stephen Roberts, editor of the Commons 1640-60 section, discusses the Commons’ debates on Christmas day, 1656: still sitting, of course, and rather disappointed that the rest of the countr…
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:22 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
wp.me/p15p2Q-918
The early modern origins of Boxing Day: A matter of class
The early modern origins of Boxing Day. A matter of class The origins of Boxing Day are in 2025 perhaps obscure. It was not, despite it now being, a major sporting day, traditionally a time for box…
wp.me
December 26, 2025 at 11:19 AM
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/a...
A Chartist Boxing Day. 26th December 1850
O’Connorville (Heronsgate) was a Chartist Land Settlement near Rickmansworth in North-West London. Chartist small holdings were allocated by (not all that legal) ballot. Most of the original …
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 26, 2025 at 10:27 AM
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2022/12/23/w...
What Marx drank, Christmas 1859
Engels to Jenny Marx Manchester, 22 December 1859 Dear Mrs Marx, I take the liberty today of sending you a dozen bottles of wine for the festive season in the hope that they will be to your liking …
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 26, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Reposted by K M Flett
keithbeard.bsky.social
Marx's advice to Engels on Christmas drinking
kmflett.wordpress.com/2019/12/25/m...
Marx to Engels (in Manchester)25th Dec 1857 ‘I trust you wont go out tippling too much..’
Marx in London and Engels in Manchester were frequent correspondents. Marx wrote to Engels on 25th December 1857 (in part) I trust you won’t go out tippling too much during the holiday and these ex…
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Reposted by K M Flett
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/25/k...
King’s Christmas broadcast misses key festive message
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kmflett.wordpress.com
December 25, 2025 at 11:12 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/25/t...
The contradictions of England Test cricket. ‘It’s good fun’ (but the results are not)
The contradictions of England Test Cricket. ‘It’s good fun’ (but the results are not) England haven’t won a cricket Test in Australia for 15 years and are currently 3-0 down in the 2025/6 Ashes ser…
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 26, 2025 at 9:35 AM
keithbeard.bsky.social
Steve Smith is OUT. Happy Christmas
December 26, 2025 at 1:06 AM
keithbeard.bsky.social
Christmas Day night. I've been a member of the Ardbeg Committee for a while so nice to receive a miniature of Ardbeg 25
December 26, 2025 at 12:49 AM
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/w...
William Cuffay, the black leader of London Chartism, Hobart & Ashes Tests
The black leader of London Chartism, Hobart & Ashes Tests Jim Maxwell in conversation with Alex Hartley mentioned Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in Test Match Special commentary on the first day …
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 26, 2025 at 12:25 AM
keithbeard.bsky.social
The point perhaps of these stats is that if England either draw or win one of the two remaining Ashes Tests that would be a significant step forward on the last four series...
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/25/e...
England & the Ashes in Australia. Some really useful knowledge
Source: The Times Australia’s record in recent home Ashes series perhaps suggests that even if England lose 5-0 this would hardly be out of the ordinary. The multi-faceted shambles that has s…
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 26, 2025 at 12:07 AM
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/25/k...
King’s Christmas broadcast misses key festive message
Visit the post for more.
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 25, 2025 at 11:12 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/25/e...
England & the Ashes in Australia. Some really useful knowledge
Source: The Times Australia’s record in recent home Ashes series perhaps suggests that even if England lose 5-0 this would hardly be out of the ordinary. The multi-faceted shambles that has s…
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 25, 2025 at 9:51 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
Christmas Day with the Davies family. On Boxing Day I'm hosting them..
December 25, 2025 at 8:53 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
wp.me/p15p2Q-fNC
The contradictions of England Test cricket. ‘It’s good fun’ (but the results are not)
The contradictions of England Test Cricket. ‘It’s good fun’ (but the results are not) England haven’t won a cricket Test in Australia for 15 years and are currently 3-0 down in the 2025/6 Ashes ser…
wp.me
December 25, 2025 at 8:46 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/25/h...
Happy Christmas: What’s so funny about peace, love & understanding
What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding was written by Nick Lowe and performed by his then band Brinsley Schwarz in 1974. It was recorded in 1978 by Elvis Costello with a harder a…
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 25, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Reposted by K M Flett
rbreich.bsky.social
Remember: There's always strength in a union. Solidarity.
December 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
Marx's advice to Engels on Christmas drinking
kmflett.wordpress.com/2019/12/25/m...
Marx to Engels (in Manchester)25th Dec 1857 ‘I trust you wont go out tippling too much..’
Marx in London and Engels in Manchester were frequent correspondents. Marx wrote to Engels on 25th December 1857 (in part) I trust you won’t go out tippling too much during the holiday and these ex…
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:05 PM
keithbeard.bsky.social
wp.me/p15p2Q-ddg
The King’s Christmas Broadcast: a tradition invented in 1932
As usual the monarch of the day (in this case King Charles) will make a Christmas broadcast on Christmas Day. It will give GB News something more to moan about but the key thing to keep in mind is …
wp.me
December 25, 2025 at 10:53 AM
keithbeard.bsky.social
wp.me/p15p2Q-6n3
Marx to Engels 25th Dec 1857: dont go out tippling too much…
Marx in London and Engels in Manchester were frequent correspondents. Marx wrote to Engels on 25th December 1857 (in part) I trust you won’t go out tippling too much during the holiday and these ex…
wp.me
December 25, 2025 at 10:38 AM
keithbeard.bsky.social
06.30hrs. Cat appears to see what Santa has brought her(Me-Santa, Cat-breakfast) 08.30hrs cat appears to wish me a happy Xmas(another breakfast)
December 25, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Reposted by K M Flett
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2024/12/20/p...
Parliament banned Christmas in 1644 & the ban worked for almost two centuries
In 1644 Parliament (not Oliver Cromwell) banned the celebration of Christmas. This was reinforced by further legislation in 1647 and implemented by the Commonwealth Governments from 1649-1660. Key …
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by K M Flett
keithbeard.bsky.social
kmflett.wordpress.com/2025/12/19/s...
Seasons Greetings from the London Socialist Historians Group
The graphic is by Walter Crane The London Socialist Historians Group organises the socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London. Spring term seminar progr…
kmflett.wordpress.com
December 24, 2025 at 12:00 PM