Charles Esdaile
@charlesesdaile.bsky.social
Emeritus Professor of History (University of Liverpool) living on the Isle of Man; veteran wargamer; long-term member of the Sealed Knot; specialist in Revolutionary and Napoleonic history, especially Spanish; strong supporter of Ukraine.
Dusk over Peel.
May 21, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Dusk over Peel.
Douglas harbour this afternoon: move over San Tropez!
May 21, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Douglas harbour this afternoon: move over San Tropez!
Now why don't I have much faith in this book as a work of history?
May 21, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Now why don't I have much faith in this book as a work of history?
As many people know, I don't do messing about in boats, but look what I was greeted by when I went to catch the bus from the end of my street the other morning! Atmospheric or what?
May 16, 2025 at 10:02 PM
As many people know, I don't do messing about in boats, but look what I was greeted by when I went to catch the bus from the end of my street the other morning! Atmospheric or what?
And this is a very hot and sunny Peel the other day: here's hoping that the sun continues to shine all summer!
May 16, 2025 at 9:59 PM
And this is a very hot and sunny Peel the other day: here's hoping that the sun continues to shine all summer!
Douglas marina this afternoon- eat your heart out Saint Tropez!
May 16, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Douglas marina this afternoon- eat your heart out Saint Tropez!
Fenella beach this afternoon: very cold, but very beautiful.
February 7, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Fenella beach this afternoon: very cold, but very beautiful.
My lovely wife gave me this LOTR game for Christmas 2023. Something over a year on, I have finally fought my way to Mount Doom and thrown the ring into the fire. The mechanics are simple, but play is genuinely challenging: I had to play most of the scenarios at least three times over!
February 2, 2025 at 4:08 PM
My lovely wife gave me this LOTR game for Christmas 2023. Something over a year on, I have finally fought my way to Mount Doom and thrown the ring into the fire. The mechanics are simple, but play is genuinely challenging: I had to play most of the scenarios at least three times over!
Ditto re the pictures I took of the storm in the photo: I literally had to wrap myself round a flag-pole - the wind reached 88 mph! However, some days are much nicer!
January 7, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Ditto re the pictures I took of the storm in the photo: I literally had to wrap myself round a flag-pole - the wind reached 88 mph! However, some days are much nicer!
We do a good line in storms too!
January 6, 2025 at 11:17 AM
We do a good line in storms too!
It is a truly lovely place. How much, if anything, do you know about it? Herewith one of the engines (part of the original 1874 fleet!) that plies the only surviving section of the island's steam railway.
January 5, 2025 at 5:39 PM
It is a truly lovely place. How much, if anything, do you know about it? Herewith one of the engines (part of the original 1874 fleet!) that plies the only surviving section of the island's steam railway.
Our cat is just as bad!
January 5, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Our cat is just as bad!
One of the dodgier moments of my career! In 2016 I was invited to take part in a major re-enactment of the siege of the castle of Burgos & provided with a uniform of an officer of the 42nd. When I reached the summit of the ramparts, some damned Frog tried to blow my head off: I was not best pleased!
December 26, 2024 at 8:09 PM
One of the dodgier moments of my career! In 2016 I was invited to take part in a major re-enactment of the siege of the castle of Burgos & provided with a uniform of an officer of the 42nd. When I reached the summit of the ramparts, some damned Frog tried to blow my head off: I was not best pleased!
The things I do for History! Herewith a shot of me attempting to become the last casualty of the Battle of Waterloo: it was well below freezing and I discovered all too late that the spoil-heap I had climbed was liberally splashed with patches of sheet ice!
December 26, 2024 at 7:27 PM
The things I do for History! Herewith a shot of me attempting to become the last casualty of the Battle of Waterloo: it was well below freezing and I discovered all too late that the spoil-heap I had climbed was liberally splashed with patches of sheet ice!
3. But eventually age catches up with us all, and I had to switch to the distinctly less glamorous job of matross.
December 26, 2024 at 1:18 AM
3. But eventually age catches up with us all, and I had to switch to the distinctly less glamorous job of matross.
2. Most of the time I fought as an ensign.
December 26, 2024 at 1:11 AM
2. Most of the time I fought as an ensign.
1. Going through old photos while watching rubbish late-night TV. Came across various shots of my 40 years of service in the SK. Herewith a couple of generic battle pictures.
December 26, 2024 at 1:08 AM
1. Going through old photos while watching rubbish late-night TV. Came across various shots of my 40 years of service in the SK. Herewith a couple of generic battle pictures.
Just found this Private-Eye article from 2015: enjoy!
December 26, 2024 at 12:02 AM
Just found this Private-Eye article from 2015: enjoy!
Chilling out at my in-laws: all very peaceful!
December 25, 2024 at 4:24 PM
Chilling out at my in-laws: all very peaceful!
Great present from my in-laws!
December 25, 2024 at 3:45 PM
Great present from my in-laws!
Nollick Ghennal as Blein Vie Noa voish Ellen Vannin! Bannaghtyn immoddee!!
December 21, 2024 at 10:42 AM
Nollick Ghennal as Blein Vie Noa voish Ellen Vannin! Bannaghtyn immoddee!!
Christmas lights in Peel tonight.
December 18, 2024 at 2:05 AM
Christmas lights in Peel tonight.
2. This worked just fine - Ibby was terrified & wouldn't go near it. However, just a day or so later, our rabbit, Bubble, neatly bit through the wires of the charger, thereby rendering the train completely inoperative & allowing Ibby free access to the tree again. Coincidence or what?
December 16, 2024 at 9:01 PM
2. This worked just fine - Ibby was terrified & wouldn't go near it. However, just a day or so later, our rabbit, Bubble, neatly bit through the wires of the charger, thereby rendering the train completely inoperative & allowing Ibby free access to the tree again. Coincidence or what?
Christmas lights in Douglas.
December 13, 2024 at 12:44 AM
Christmas lights in Douglas.
Someone is on Santa's naughty list!
December 12, 2024 at 11:58 PM
Someone is on Santa's naughty list!