Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
@goakl.bsky.social
Published on 19th Century Vendéen memorials. Former PwC partner. Trustee at Institute of Historical Research. Trustee at NHS Retirement. Active travel in Bishop’s Stortford. Keyboard warrior. Bearsted CC. Cricket, cycling, rugby à XV. France and England.
@cyclestortford.bsky.social
@bencrystall.bsky.social
Walking on South/Potter/Market St in Bishop’s Stortford never fails to make me think of “before” photos from any number of European towns.
Time for change.
@bencrystall.bsky.social
Walking on South/Potter/Market St in Bishop’s Stortford never fails to make me think of “before” photos from any number of European towns.
Time for change.
It’s not just about what you remove (cars, noise, dirty air). It’s about what you add (people walking, a lot of bike parking, trees, outdoor dining, and room for kids to play safely). Amsterdam: 1986 and today.
Streets for people.
HT @hackneycyclist.bsky.social for the great before-and-after
Streets for people.
HT @hackneycyclist.bsky.social for the great before-and-after
November 11, 2025 at 9:13 AM
@cyclestortford.bsky.social
@bencrystall.bsky.social
Walking on South/Potter/Market St in Bishop’s Stortford never fails to make me think of “before” photos from any number of European towns.
Time for change.
@bencrystall.bsky.social
Walking on South/Potter/Market St in Bishop’s Stortford never fails to make me think of “before” photos from any number of European towns.
Time for change.
On days when you’re feeling low and it’s too wet to even think about a bike ride to blow it away…make comfort food and drink red wine.
November 10, 2025 at 7:42 PM
On days when you’re feeling low and it’s too wet to even think about a bike ride to blow it away…make comfort food and drink red wine.
Does old age free one from such petty considerations of vanity or self-esteem, as the mind gradually distances itself from the devices and desires of the flesh?
P D James. A dreary dull day. Under the blanket. Black dog sitting menacingly just out sight.
P D James. A dreary dull day. Under the blanket. Black dog sitting menacingly just out sight.
November 10, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Does old age free one from such petty considerations of vanity or self-esteem, as the mind gradually distances itself from the devices and desires of the flesh?
P D James. A dreary dull day. Under the blanket. Black dog sitting menacingly just out sight.
P D James. A dreary dull day. Under the blanket. Black dog sitting menacingly just out sight.
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
We can’t afford to do what every other country did years ago for our railways, but people need to drive their kids to school in a tank
Govt scraps all electrification investment. Midland Main Line to stay forever diesel Leicester Nottingham Derby Sheffield. Hugely embarrassing and inexplicable
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’
Heidi Alexander says focus will be on other projects such as HS2
www.ft.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:05 AM
We can’t afford to do what every other country did years ago for our railways, but people need to drive their kids to school in a tank
Ridiculously warm in Essex still. Way too many layers!
November 9, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Ridiculously warm in Essex still. Way too many layers!
Reposted by Gareth Oakland 🇫🇷🏏🏉
So here we have the Farage/Reform & Rupert Lowe-Life weeping abscess racist lie burst👇🏼
Eight WHITE child sex offenders jailed for 100 years.. but their victims don’t matter to the far right wing, only victims of brown offenders matter for their agenda
All victims suffered same horrendous trauma❗️🤷🏼♂️
Eight WHITE child sex offenders jailed for 100 years.. but their victims don’t matter to the far right wing, only victims of brown offenders matter for their agenda
All victims suffered same horrendous trauma❗️🤷🏼♂️
I expect GB News hysterically yelling to start rioting, Farage on every news channel moaning that Britain is broken, Mo Yusuf on Newsnight apologising for wrongly thinking only asylum seekers are sexual offenders, and Pochin leading a national inquiry into white people are child sex offenders.
November 8, 2025 at 5:58 PM
So here we have the Farage/Reform & Rupert Lowe-Life weeping abscess racist lie burst👇🏼
Eight WHITE child sex offenders jailed for 100 years.. but their victims don’t matter to the far right wing, only victims of brown offenders matter for their agenda
All victims suffered same horrendous trauma❗️🤷🏼♂️
Eight WHITE child sex offenders jailed for 100 years.. but their victims don’t matter to the far right wing, only victims of brown offenders matter for their agenda
All victims suffered same horrendous trauma❗️🤷🏼♂️
Well well.
Can France beat 14 and the bench in the second half?
Can France beat 14 and the bench in the second half?
November 8, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Well well.
Can France beat 14 and the bench in the second half?
Can France beat 14 and the bench in the second half?
Missus is out singing the Beethoven 9 with an impromptu choir and the Hertford symphonia. So I have had a day of rugby snacks. And this. This is dinner.
Boat pushed firmly out.
Boat pushed firmly out.
November 8, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Missus is out singing the Beethoven 9 with an impromptu choir and the Hertford symphonia. So I have had a day of rugby snacks. And this. This is dinner.
Boat pushed firmly out.
Boat pushed firmly out.
So 3/4 home wins.
England not perfect but have learned to play in the last quarter.
Now the big one.
Allez les bleus 🇫🇷
England not perfect but have learned to play in the last quarter.
Now the big one.
Allez les bleus 🇫🇷
November 8, 2025 at 7:47 PM
So 3/4 home wins.
England not perfect but have learned to play in the last quarter.
Now the big one.
Allez les bleus 🇫🇷
England not perfect but have learned to play in the last quarter.
Now the big one.
Allez les bleus 🇫🇷
Still pacing myself…
November 8, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Still pacing myself…
Half time in Scotland game. Pacing myself.
November 8, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Half time in Scotland game. Pacing myself.
Is there a “best looking ref on the international circuit” competition?
November 8, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Is there a “best looking ref on the international circuit” competition?
Is there a better Saturday afternoon in from if the rugby sandwich?
November 8, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Is there a better Saturday afternoon in from if the rugby sandwich?
Five home wins in the #rugby today?
Ireland (by a lot)
Scotland (a point either way)
England (in the last 10 minutes)
Italy (by 5)
France (a point or two)
Ireland (by a lot)
Scotland (a point either way)
England (in the last 10 minutes)
Italy (by 5)
France (a point or two)
November 8, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Five home wins in the #rugby today?
Ireland (by a lot)
Scotland (a point either way)
England (in the last 10 minutes)
Italy (by 5)
France (a point or two)
Ireland (by a lot)
Scotland (a point either way)
England (in the last 10 minutes)
Italy (by 5)
France (a point or two)
And here it is…
Have a lovely evening.
Have a lovely evening.
November 7, 2025 at 6:26 PM
And here it is…
Have a lovely evening.
Have a lovely evening.
I wish I could give you something original tonight. At least the wine - a Rousanne-Marsanne from Chile has never been on here before.
Fish pie Friday.
Fish pie Friday.
November 7, 2025 at 5:49 PM
I wish I could give you something original tonight. At least the wine - a Rousanne-Marsanne from Chile has never been on here before.
Fish pie Friday.
Fish pie Friday.
Ah. You want to know more about THE BOOK do you? Well here it is. A first edition presented by the author to King Louis XVIII on his restoration and Napoleon’s first exile in 1814. And a picture of the lady herself looking very counter-revolutionary.
November 6, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Ah. You want to know more about THE BOOK do you? Well here it is. A first edition presented by the author to King Louis XVIII on his restoration and Napoleon’s first exile in 1814. And a picture of the lady herself looking very counter-revolutionary.
Dinner tonight was at Le Garrick in that London. In the lovely company of D2 and her young man. Perfect.
November 6, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Dinner tonight was at Le Garrick in that London. In the lovely company of D2 and her young man. Perfect.
And here’s why it’ll be a lot less fun.
The key text in the de La R story is the memoir written by his sister-in-law. The version everyone knows says: Henri was a reluctant leader, dragged to command by his loyal peasants, his dad would have been better, but anyway…
The key text in the de La R story is the memoir written by his sister-in-law. The version everyone knows says: Henri was a reluctant leader, dragged to command by his loyal peasants, his dad would have been better, but anyway…
November 6, 2025 at 10:32 AM
And here’s why it’ll be a lot less fun.
The key text in the de La R story is the memoir written by his sister-in-law. The version everyone knows says: Henri was a reluctant leader, dragged to command by his loyal peasants, his dad would have been better, but anyway…
The key text in the de La R story is the memoir written by his sister-in-law. The version everyone knows says: Henri was a reluctant leader, dragged to command by his loyal peasants, his dad would have been better, but anyway…
Inspired by @willpooley.bsky.social post this morning about AI in undergrad history teaching, I thought “what about post grad research?” When I did my first history degree - in the 1970s - almost nothing, including archives and library catalogues, was digitised. When I came back after 40 years…
November 6, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Inspired by @willpooley.bsky.social post this morning about AI in undergrad history teaching, I thought “what about post grad research?” When I did my first history degree - in the 1970s - almost nothing, including archives and library catalogues, was digitised. When I came back after 40 years…
Soup in progress
November 4, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Soup in progress
Soup two days in a row, you say? Well it’s almost winter and this IS my mother’s legacy soup. So, yes, soup tonight.
November 4, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Soup two days in a row, you say? Well it’s almost winter and this IS my mother’s legacy soup. So, yes, soup tonight.
Fascinating that the best one day side in the country and one that regularly comes in the top 3 in cc #cricket have the sum total of one England contracted players. And Bashir is the third (maybe fourth now) choice spinner at that county.
Ben Stokes extends England central contract to 2027 Ashes
Captain Ben Stokes extends his England central contract through to the end of the next home Ashes series in 2027.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 4, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Fascinating that the best one day side in the country and one that regularly comes in the top 3 in cc #cricket have the sum total of one England contracted players. And Bashir is the third (maybe fourth now) choice spinner at that county.