Matt Houlbrook
@tricksterprince.bsky.social
Cultural history, Britain, cities, sexuality & gender, #20s30s.
Now - Songs of Seven Dials: An intimate history of 1920s and 1930s London (MUP)
Next - The Self-Improvers: The people who remade themselves and made the modern world
Now - Songs of Seven Dials: An intimate history of 1920s and 1930s London (MUP)
Next - The Self-Improvers: The people who remade themselves and made the modern world
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
Heartfelt thanks to Guy Garvey & to everyone who heard me on his show & responded so warmly to the announcement of our next two releases on Needle Mythology. The Musical Youth story is so extraordinary that we made a two part podcast all about it. Here's Part 1: shows.acast.com/697c8b74f1dd...
Mash Down Birmingham: The Story of Musical Youth | Mash Down Birmingham: The Musical Youth Story
Part 1: Kingston to Birmingham
shows.acast.com
February 2, 2026 at 10:04 AM
Heartfelt thanks to Guy Garvey & to everyone who heard me on his show & responded so warmly to the announcement of our next two releases on Needle Mythology. The Musical Youth story is so extraordinary that we made a two part podcast all about it. Here's Part 1: shows.acast.com/697c8b74f1dd...
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
Almost like the juice of feeding the fruits of other people's labour into the plagiarism machine really wasn't worth the squeeze, right?
Striking paper from researchers at Anthropic using a randomised control trial to look at the effects of AI use on skills acquisition.
TL:DR ‘We found that using AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery.’
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
TL:DR ‘We found that using AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery.’
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
February 4, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Almost like the juice of feeding the fruits of other people's labour into the plagiarism machine really wasn't worth the squeeze, right?
Yeah it's already looking like a proper time suck!
February 4, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Yeah it's already looking like a proper time suck!
Almost like the juice of feeding the fruits of other people's labour into the plagiarism machine really wasn't worth the squeeze, right?
Striking paper from researchers at Anthropic using a randomised control trial to look at the effects of AI use on skills acquisition.
TL:DR ‘We found that using AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery.’
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
TL:DR ‘We found that using AI assistance led to a statistically significant decrease in mastery.’
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
February 4, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Almost like the juice of feeding the fruits of other people's labour into the plagiarism machine really wasn't worth the squeeze, right?
Yes that's where I looked - Bishopsgate has some more obscure stuff from memory.
February 4, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Yes that's where I looked - Bishopsgate has some more obscure stuff from memory.
Yes the last time I looked for it was on a hunch that it might fit with the Seven Dials book.
One place I‘ve not checked is the Bishopsgate Institute - the guidebooks and street directories they have.
One place I‘ve not checked is the Bishopsgate Institute - the guidebooks and street directories they have.
February 4, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Yes the last time I looked for it was on a hunch that it might fit with the Seven Dials book.
One place I‘ve not checked is the Bishopsgate Institute - the guidebooks and street directories they have.
One place I‘ve not checked is the Bishopsgate Institute - the guidebooks and street directories they have.
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
The very first proper post is out!
Each month I give all subscribers a free round up of any news, podcast interviews, signings etc that are taking place this month or on the horizon.
So sign up now (even at the free tier) to get that each month!
the-historians-holonet.ghost.io/feburary-news/
Each month I give all subscribers a free round up of any news, podcast interviews, signings etc that are taking place this month or on the horizon.
So sign up now (even at the free tier) to get that each month!
the-historians-holonet.ghost.io/feburary-news/
February 4, 2026 at 6:46 PM
The very first proper post is out!
Each month I give all subscribers a free round up of any news, podcast interviews, signings etc that are taking place this month or on the horizon.
So sign up now (even at the free tier) to get that each month!
the-historians-holonet.ghost.io/feburary-news/
Each month I give all subscribers a free round up of any news, podcast interviews, signings etc that are taking place this month or on the horizon.
So sign up now (even at the free tier) to get that each month!
the-historians-holonet.ghost.io/feburary-news/
No worries. For what it’s worth it’s been annoying me for twenty five years.
February 4, 2026 at 6:24 PM
No worries. For what it’s worth it’s been annoying me for twenty five years.
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
This is specifically and exactly why the government wants to ban jury trials. A magistrate would have done exactly what the government wanted.
A truly hideous right wing smear campaign against these six activists for exercising their free speech rights to protest - and confronted with the evidence all six have been acquitted.
Palestine Action activists cleared of aggravated burglary at Israeli defence firm site
None of the six activists were convicted of any offence over break-in at Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in 2024
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:31 PM
This is specifically and exactly why the government wants to ban jury trials. A magistrate would have done exactly what the government wanted.
This is a thing of rare beauty and imagination and also some utterly compelling #20s30s history.
My next wee bit of drawing, looking forward to it. Might be of interest @tricksterprince.bsky.social ? 100years.scot/the-story/th...
The Craigallian Fire
The Craigallian Fire, situated just outside of Milngavie was a legendary campfire of the depression era that reputedly burned continuously ...
100years.scot
February 4, 2026 at 6:02 PM
This is a thing of rare beauty and imagination and also some utterly compelling #20s30s history.
Oh wow - so much yes! I absolutely love this Brian. Looking forward to digging in properly. I’m really interested in different ways of telling stories about 20s30s Britain.
Nice to see Tom Weir in there too! I did a tiny bit of work on his papers for this book on self-improvement.
Nice to see Tom Weir in there too! I did a tiny bit of work on his papers for this book on self-improvement.
February 4, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Oh wow - so much yes! I absolutely love this Brian. Looking forward to digging in properly. I’m really interested in different ways of telling stories about 20s30s Britain.
Nice to see Tom Weir in there too! I did a tiny bit of work on his papers for this book on self-improvement.
Nice to see Tom Weir in there too! I did a tiny bit of work on his papers for this book on self-improvement.
No. I’ve tried to follow that up a few times over the years - most recently last summer - and always drawn a blank.
February 4, 2026 at 4:47 PM
No. I’ve tried to follow that up a few times over the years - most recently last summer - and always drawn a blank.
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
Need advice about workload, sickness, performance management, or bullying/harassment? Birmingham UCU has trained caseworkers who can support you. Start by checking the ‘getting help’ section on our website:
Birmingham UCU
The University of Birmingham Branch of UCU
birminghamucu.org
February 4, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Need advice about workload, sickness, performance management, or bullying/harassment? Birmingham UCU has trained caseworkers who can support you. Start by checking the ‘getting help’ section on our website:
So much #20s30s loveliness in here...
Whoop whoop it’s Hippfest lineup announcement day! silentlondon.co.uk/2026/02/04/h...
Hippfest’s Sweet 16: Check out the lineup
Great news from the north, as Hippfest today launches the lineup for its 16th festival, taking place next month: five days of silent film, live music, workshops, talks and a chance to do the Charle…
silentlondon.co.uk
February 4, 2026 at 3:15 PM
So much #20s30s loveliness in here...
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
Whoop whoop it’s Hippfest lineup announcement day! silentlondon.co.uk/2026/02/04/h...
Hippfest’s Sweet 16: Check out the lineup
Great news from the north, as Hippfest today launches the lineup for its 16th festival, taking place next month: five days of silent film, live music, workshops, talks and a chance to do the Charle…
silentlondon.co.uk
February 4, 2026 at 12:21 PM
Whoop whoop it’s Hippfest lineup announcement day! silentlondon.co.uk/2026/02/04/h...
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
Imagine discovering that the entire structure of state secondary education was about to collapse, and musing "Ah well, we'll always have Eton, Harrow and Winchester..."
This is basically how the political class thinks about higher education.
This is basically how the political class thinks about higher education.
When people talk about the idea that some universities must go under, there’s a certain tendency to behave as if these smaller local campuses are negligible- regrettable casualties perhaps but not ‘real’ universities. This report does a great job of illustrating why that’s wrong.
Everything in this report reflects on what we value, for communities, for peripheral places, for young people, for education, for the future - and it looks like we’ve got it all wrong.
February 4, 2026 at 9:22 AM
Imagine discovering that the entire structure of state secondary education was about to collapse, and musing "Ah well, we'll always have Eton, Harrow and Winchester..."
This is basically how the political class thinks about higher education.
This is basically how the political class thinks about higher education.
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
Incandescent. One of the best pieces I've read about what university means to people and their communities - and what will happen to a city and people after one closes. The *Labour* government and Jaqui Smith in particular should be ashamed of themselves and shamed into doing something. Deplorable.
‘If I think about what this means, I want to cry’: what happens when a city loses its university?
When Essex University’s Southend campus opened, it was a message of hope for a ‘left behind’ UK seaside town. Its closure will be felt far beyond its 800 students, some of whom will not get their degr...
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 7:25 AM
Incandescent. One of the best pieces I've read about what university means to people and their communities - and what will happen to a city and people after one closes. The *Labour* government and Jaqui Smith in particular should be ashamed of themselves and shamed into doing something. Deplorable.
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
You should all read @ladyburglar.bsky.social wonderful new book on the Secret Life of the Hotel in modern Britain.
Lovely to see their shelf neighbours too.
Lovely to see their shelf neighbours too.
Chuffed to bits as my husband spotted my book in Deansgate Waterstones in Manchester! @bloomsburyhist.bsky.social
February 3, 2026 at 1:52 PM
You should all read @ladyburglar.bsky.social wonderful new book on the Secret Life of the Hotel in modern Britain.
Lovely to see their shelf neighbours too.
Lovely to see their shelf neighbours too.
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
We're looking to capture experiences of what it means to be queer in the UK today! To do that we're collecting day diaries for 12th February. It doesn't matter what you get up to, or how you record it, we'd love to have it!🧵 (1/4) #LGBTplusHM #lgbthm26
In 1982, inspired by the work of MO the National Lesbian and Gay survey began, it sought to capture what everyday life was like for queer people living in the UK. For our latest open call we're continuing the work of NLGS and asking what does it mean to be queer every day?
#lgbtqhistory
#lgbtqhistory
February 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM
We're looking to capture experiences of what it means to be queer in the UK today! To do that we're collecting day diaries for 12th February. It doesn't matter what you get up to, or how you record it, we'd love to have it!🧵 (1/4) #LGBTplusHM #lgbthm26
Ooh exciting - hope you like it!
February 3, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Ooh exciting - hope you like it!
I suspected as much...
February 3, 2026 at 2:25 PM
I suspected as much...
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
Ok, but have you seen the *electric* cover for @tomhulme.bsky.social's "Belfastmen"? Surely you have. Because how could you miss it? And surely you've pre-ordered a copy. To electrify your bookshelves and minds with such an important book. No? I'll wait:
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
February 3, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Ok, but have you seen the *electric* cover for @tomhulme.bsky.social's "Belfastmen"? Surely you have. Because how could you miss it? And surely you've pre-ordered a copy. To electrify your bookshelves and minds with such an important book. No? I'll wait:
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...
You should all read @ladyburglar.bsky.social wonderful new book on the Secret Life of the Hotel in modern Britain.
Lovely to see their shelf neighbours too.
Lovely to see their shelf neighbours too.
Chuffed to bits as my husband spotted my book in Deansgate Waterstones in Manchester! @bloomsburyhist.bsky.social
February 3, 2026 at 1:52 PM
You should all read @ladyburglar.bsky.social wonderful new book on the Secret Life of the Hotel in modern Britain.
Lovely to see their shelf neighbours too.
Lovely to see their shelf neighbours too.
Reposted by Matt Houlbrook
Three scholarships for PhD in Arthur Scargill Archive - quite the opportunity. Believe me when I say that I am sure that some of the stuff in here will be quite the eye-opener! (if the good stuff hasn't been already shredded or slapped with an embargo)
FindAPhD : PhD Studentships to support doctoral research in the Arthur Scargill Archive at the University of Sheffield at University of Sheffield
Apply for a PhD: PhD Studentships to support doctoral research in the Arthur Scargill Archive at the University of Sheffield at University of Sheffield
www.findaphd.com
February 3, 2026 at 11:46 AM
Three scholarships for PhD in Arthur Scargill Archive - quite the opportunity. Believe me when I say that I am sure that some of the stuff in here will be quite the eye-opener! (if the good stuff hasn't been already shredded or slapped with an embargo)