Martin Polley
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historymartin.bsky.social
Martin Polley
@historymartin.bsky.social
530 followers 510 following 93 posts
Professor Emeritus at De Montfort University, UK, and former Director of the International Centre for Sports History and Culture. Sport, arts, music, places, statues, plaques, heritage, and more.
https://martinpolley.co.uk/
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historymartin.bsky.social
New book alert: Cutting the Mustard: 50 years of dreaming by @robinireland.bsky.social, a history of commercialisation in English football through a case study of Norwich City. Great research, lively style, and brilliant design based around photos of ephemera. #SportsHistory #norwichcity #otbc
The front cover of a book. The title, Cutting the Mustard, appears in gold on a white background. The cover includes a colour photograph of a pile of Norwich City FC shirts in yellows and greens. The author's name, Robin Ireland, appears at the bottom of the cover.
November 6, 2025 at 11:51 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
Now that's what I call a celebrity endorsement... 10 years on, Anil's Cafe in Chaar Dukaan, Landour, India, still celebrates the time that cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar came for breakfast. #cricket #india #sachintendulkar
A print-out of a tweet stuck to a glass door with a wooden frame. The tweet is by Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and reads "Happy New Year! Breakfast at Chaar Dukaan, Mussoorie. Has a amazing bun omelette and parathas with dahl and pickle". It includes a photograph of three people eating.
November 4, 2025 at 9:22 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
New blog post on my website: La Piscine: A Swimming Pool Re-Imagined #gallery #roubaix #france #lapiscine #heritage
martinpolley.co.uk/2025/10/09/l...
The inside of an art gallery built around a swimming pool. The pool, filled with water, runs through the centre of the gallery. On the poolside are statues of human, and visitors walking around. At the end of the pool is a yellow and orange stained glass window depicting the sun.
October 9, 2025 at 11:09 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
Here they are from our trip to FIFA in September, starting with 1970, the first men's World Cup that I remember.
Fourteen footballs mounted in a glass wall. A black and white football with gold writing mounted in a glass wall. The writing on the ball reads Telstar, Official World Cup Mexico 1970, Adidas.
October 2, 2025 at 10:19 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
Great evening at the Irish Embassy in London for the launch of Histories of Women’s Football in Britain and Ireland, edited by Helena Byrne, @garyjames.bsky.social and @fionaskillen.bsky.social. Excellent turnout from historians, former players & admins #skystorians www.peterlang.com/document/131...
A white woman dressed in black and green is speaking to an audience into a microphone at a lectern. She is standing on a small stage in a large room with cream walls and gilt decoration and a chandelier. A group of 16 people standing on a large staircase. Two of the women at the front are holding copies of a book. Three white people - one man and two women - are sitting on chairs on a small dais. The women in the middle is holding a copy of a book. Behind them is a vase of flowers on mantelpiece, and gilt decorations on an off-white wall.
September 16, 2025 at 10:23 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
Back from Spineless Wonders, an excellent free #exhibition of print items that "fall outside the traditional definition of a book". Pamphlets, flyers, artists' books, playbills and more from the 15th Century CE to now. It's on at Senate House Library until 15 November ‪@senatehouselib.bsky.social‬
In the foreground is a fence of railings, carrying a sign for the University of London Senate House, and a poster for an exhibition called Spineless Wonders. The poster is mainly pink, with black writing on a pale green background. Behind the fence is a small garden, then the Portland stone structure of Senate House. A view of a small exhibition made up of vitrines and cabinets of different sizes. The cases contain pamphlets, leaflets, and small books.
September 1, 2025 at 8:46 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
Wonderful #photohistory exhibition at MASI Lugano Palazzo Reali site. It covers the career of Eugenio Schimdhauser (1876-1952) as a documentary and commercial photographer in Ticino 🇨🇭, and how his postcards of posed everyday life scenes helped to create a tourist image of the region. #MASILugano
A large exhibition poster in a gallery window. The poster shows a monochrome photograph of an early 20th century street scene with people and a horse-drawn cart. The photographer's name, Eugenio Schimdhauser, appears in yellow, with other information on the exhibition in white.
July 25, 2025 at 7:42 PM
historymartin.bsky.social
Great to see What Came First? by Kit Frost & @aaroncushley.bsky.social now out with Red Shed @harpercollins.bsky.social. I was the historical consultant for the pages on sport, games, and theme parks. #historyforchildren
The front cover of a book called What Came First? The title appears in large red letters, and it's surrounded by drawings including a dinosaur, a horse-drawn chariot, a biplane, and various people and animals.
July 1, 2025 at 10:09 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
My piece on athlete Ron Hill (1938-2021) is now in Oxford DNB. Hill gained multiple honours in cross-country and distance running, and used the skills from his PhD in textile design to create a clothing range. Oxford DNB is a subscription service: check your library www.oxforddnb.com/newsitem/894...
A monochrome photo of a white male athlete celebrating at the end of a race on a running track. He has his right arm raised as he crosses the line, and he has got a big smile. He is wearing a strong vest and white shorts, and the number 108 on his vest. Behind him is part of the stadium's grandstand, packed with spectators.
June 18, 2025 at 10:07 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
A wonderful evening @johnhansardgallery.bsky.social @unisouthampton.bsky.social for the launch William Blake and the Sea Monsters of Love by @philiphoare.bsky.social #newbook #williamblake @4thestatebooks.bsky.social
A copy of a hardback book propped up on a table, with piles of books behind it. The book cover reads Philip Hoare / William Blake and the Sea Monsters of Love, with a picture of a sea monster at the bottom.
May 23, 2025 at 12:16 PM
historymartin.bsky.social
1/2 I'm in Plymouth today for the unveiling of Historic England's new Blue Plaque in Glendower Road. This one is for Plymouth Argyle footballer Jack Leslie (1901-88), who, in 1925, was the first black player to be selected to play for England, only to be quietly deselected.
The front cover of Matt Tiller's book The Lion Who Never Roared. The cover bears a colourised portrait photograph of Jack Leslie, a black male footballer from the 1920s. He is wearing a green shirt. My Historic England Blue Plaque pin badge is resting in the book.
May 16, 2025 at 5:55 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
St Mary's Basilica, Krakow, Poland for #SteepleSaturday #krakow #poland #churches
The front of a church with two towers, one slightly taller than the other. The church is built of red brick with white surrounds to the windows. In front of the church are some market stalls and people. The sky above the church towers is bright blue.
April 5, 2025 at 7:14 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
I saw the Tirzah Garwood: Beyond Ravilious exhibition @dulwichgallery.bsky.social yesterday. It's a brilliant overview of her life and career, featuring prints, collages, and oils. Her work was true, quirky, naive, sad, and humorous. The exhibition runs until 26 May #exhbition #art
A photograph of a print by Tirzah Garwood. The print shows a seaside scene, looking towards the beach, featuring a swimmer, two adults getting up from swimming, and a child on an inflatable toy. The beach features people playing on front of beach huts.
March 15, 2025 at 7:28 PM
historymartin.bsky.social
Micha Ullman's The Empty Library in Bebelplatz, Berlin. The bare shelves under the ground commemorate the Nazi book burnings of 1933. It's a striking memorial that reminds us of the tyrannical tendency to destroy ideas that don't fit #publicart #bookburning #michaullman #berlin #memorials
A glass panel set in cobble stones. Beneath the glass are a series of empty book shelves in an underground room. The panel is surrounded, at street level, by flowers and candles.
March 12, 2025 at 2:10 PM
historymartin.bsky.social
It's a @seatsixtyone.bsky.social kind of day - London to Milan by train. Breakfast at St Pancras, lunch in Paris, then a sandwich somewhere between Lausanne and Milan coming up. Looking forward to celebrating 25 years of the FIFA MA at SDA Bocconi. #slowtravel #traintravel #eurostar
A selfie over a cafe table, with a coffee cup in front of me. A view of a Eurostar train and the engine shed roof at St Pancras Station, with the back of the statue of John Betjeman in the foreground. The clock tower of St Pancras Station at sunrise. The clock shows 6.20, and the sky behind it is glowing pink and yellow.
March 3, 2025 at 6:40 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
A wonderful afternoon at Into The Fold, the second edition of @unisouthampton.bsky.social annual artists' book and zine fair at Winchester School of Art. Great to see and chat to exhibitors and organisers. This fair has such a great atmosphere and buzz - here's to next year #artistsbooks #zines
A poster for Into The Fold, featuring white text on a pale blue background. The poster is on a stand in the pavement in front a a white wall.
March 2, 2025 at 10:20 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
Today is my last day at De Montfort University, and the end of my university teaching career that started in 1989 and has taken in four universities. A welcome retirement, with Professor Emeritus status with DMU, beckons. Thanks and love to my colleagues and students, past and present. #retirement
A head and shoulders view of a smiling white man, wearing a purple jumper and scarf, standing in front of a white wall with De Montfort University written on it.
February 28, 2025 at 4:16 PM
historymartin.bsky.social
Blue Plaque for English novelist E M Forster on Arlington Park Mansions, Sutton Lane North, Chiswick, London. This building was on my paper round when I was a teenager, though I was only 5 when Forster died so he was never a customer! #BluePlaques #emforster #commemoration #novelist #LGBTQ+heritage
Circular blue commemorative plaque mounted on a white wall. The text says Greater London Council, E.M. FORSTER 1879-1970 Novelist lived here. The entrance doorway to a Victorian apartment building. The doors are wood and glass with a decorated white plaster surrounding and a black and white tiled step. The blue plaque to EM Forster is mounted on the surrounding wall.
February 27, 2025 at 11:31 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
Great to be at Harbour Lights, Southampton for the @parkesinstitute.bsky.social screening and Q&A of A Real Pain. Good conversation on mental health, dark tourism, generational Jewish identity and Holocaust memory, Polish politics, and Chopin in Eisenberg's film #arealpain
#jesseeisenberg
The film poster for A Real Pain, with the film's title in red block capitals on a pale background. Next to the title is a drawing of a man carrying a giant blue rucksack, with another man sitting on top of the bag and adding to its weight.
February 24, 2025 at 9:24 PM
historymartin.bsky.social
Memorial tablet to poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-93) in St Nicholas Churchyard, Deptford, London: "Cut is the branch that might have grown full straight". One of the men in the brawl in which he was fatally stabbed was spy Robert Poley - one day I'll check my family tree...
A stone memorial tablet mounted on a brick wall with a dedication to Christopher Marlowe. On top of the tablet there is an empty wine bottle, a lantern, and a bunch of artificial red flowers.
February 17, 2025 at 4:06 PM
historymartin.bsky.social
The latest book in my Palgrave Studies in Sport and Politics series has landed. @ilkergundogan.bsky.social explores The Politics of Football in China in this excellent monograph. #sportpolitics #newbook #palgravemacmillan
The front cover of Ilker Gundogan's book The Politics of Football in China. The cover photograph shows a football stadium lit up at night with roads and buildings around it.
February 12, 2025 at 11:19 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
All set for an evening of sea shanties with Kimber's Men @wincathedral.bsky.social #livemusic #winchester #winchestercathedral
Three acoustic guitars on stands on a low stage. Behind them is the rood screen of Winchester Cathedral, with blue and green lighting.
February 7, 2025 at 7:51 PM
historymartin.bsky.social
Stunning prints in Shorelines/Skylines at St Barbe Museum, Lymington, Hampshire. It contains works by 8 artists on the theme of "the boundaries between sea & land, sea & sky and the skylines of urban & rural settings", and runs until 15 March #StBarbe #gallery #Lymington tinyurl.com/3m4xbwnh
A vitrine containing sketchbooks and woodcut tools with wall-mounted prints in the background. Wall-mounted information board on Shorelines/Skylines exhibition. Janet Brooke's sketchbook in a vitrine, with wall-mounted prints in the background. The sketchbook contains drawing of sea views and buildings.
February 3, 2025 at 10:29 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
It was great to be at opening of Glitchy Kinship, a collaboration between @lizziereed.bsky.social & @miloustella.bsky.social for @unisouthampton.bsky.social annual Queering Connections event. It's running in The Gallery at Winchester School of Art until 15 March #QueeringConnections #Winchester
An a-frame poster board on the street advertising the Glitchy Kinship exhibition. The poster has pink text and graphics on a dark background. A wall-mounted text description of the Glitchy Kinship exhibition, in black writing on a white background. The four speakers at the launch of Glitchy Kinship, standing in a line at the front of a group of people in the Gallery. A view of people visiting the Glitchy Kinship exhibition, with screens, drop-down text banners, and vitrines.
January 31, 2025 at 9:55 AM
historymartin.bsky.social
It was an honour to represent the Historic England Blue Plaque panel last for our new plaque, marking the childhood home in Berkeley Road, Bristol, of Hollywood legend Cary Grant. Duncan Wilson, Chris Bryant MP, and Prof Charlotte Crofts gave speeches and pulled the cord #carygrant #BluePlaques
A blue plaque on the wall of a house, having just been unveiled - the set of red curtains have just been opened. The plaque reads "Historic England. Cary Grant (Archie Leach) 1904-1986 Actor and Film Star lived here as a child". Three people - one woman and two men - stand on the steps of a house. They have just unveiled a blue plaque by pulling open a set of red curtains on the wall of the house above the front door. A portrait of me standing on the steps of a house, with the new Blue Plaque mounted on the wall of the house. I'm wearing a blue suit, a pink shirt, and a dark tie.
November 25, 2024 at 9:30 AM