Jonathan Healey
@jonathanhealey.bsky.social
Historian and Occasional Book-writer (https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/blazing-world-9781526621696/)
Works at Oxford University. New book, The Blood in Winter, out now!
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/blood-in-winter-9781526672292/
Works at Oxford University. New book, The Blood in Winter, out now!
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/blood-in-winter-9781526672292/
English Catholics in 1678:
November 10, 2025 at 10:52 PM
English Catholics in 1678:
Reposted by Jonathan Healey
www.worldturnedupsidedown.co.uk/product/the-... published today, a fantastic teaching resource and a super Xmas present. With contributions from @annlaurahughes.bsky.social @isminipells.bsky.social @waseemahmed98.bsky.social @denisegreany.bsky.social Richard Cust, Andy Hopper (Ed.) Oh, and me.
The civil wars in 100 objects - The World Turned Upside Down
The civil wars that took place between 1638 and 1651, and their aftermath, were the most destabilising conflicts that the British and Irish peoples have ever endured. During these times everyday peop...
www.worldturnedupsidedown.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 5:31 PM
www.worldturnedupsidedown.co.uk/product/the-... published today, a fantastic teaching resource and a super Xmas present. With contributions from @annlaurahughes.bsky.social @isminipells.bsky.social @waseemahmed98.bsky.social @denisegreany.bsky.social Richard Cust, Andy Hopper (Ed.) Oh, and me.
Neither is Cromwell... what??
November 10, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Neither is Cromwell... what??
I always associate this image with Keith Wrightson, as it's used as the cover for his brilliant book 'Earthly Necessities'.
Studies of his six servants in the 1750s: masterful oil sketch by William Hogarth, who was born on this day in 1697.
November 10, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I always associate this image with Keith Wrightson, as it's used as the cover for his brilliant book 'Earthly Necessities'.
Reposted by Jonathan Healey
Let's play Bucks Name or Name Name
November 7, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Let's play Bucks Name or Name Name
Spotted this out and about in Witney today. Official listing says c. 1730 but looks like the gable end preserves the outline of an even older house.
November 8, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Spotted this out and about in Witney today. Official listing says c. 1730 but looks like the gable end preserves the outline of an even older house.
Only if we also bring back compulsory archery practice and call it ‘shooting at the butts’.
With Maurice Glasman and Dominic Lawson calling for the return of the stocks, we find most Britons opposed - although Reform voters are divided
All Britons: 21% support / 72% oppose
Lib Dem: 12% / 85%
Labour: 12% / 83%
Green: 13% / 82%
Con: 28% / 64%
Reform: 43% / 48%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
All Britons: 21% support / 72% oppose
Lib Dem: 12% / 85%
Labour: 12% / 83%
Green: 13% / 82%
Con: 28% / 64%
Reform: 43% / 48%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
November 7, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Only if we also bring back compulsory archery practice and call it ‘shooting at the butts’.
Reposted by Jonathan Healey
BBC really burying the lede there
November 7, 2025 at 12:07 PM
BBC really burying the lede there
And the man behind Charles I's 'Book of Orders' of 1631, which helped quicken the implementation of the Elizabethan Poor Laws.
Died #OTD 1642, Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester. MP from 1593 to 1614 and Lord High Treasurer 1620-1621. A renowned lawyer, he is best remembered as the judge that sentenced Sir Walter Raleigh to death in 1618.
historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-...
historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-...
November 7, 2025 at 12:06 PM
And the man behind Charles I's 'Book of Orders' of 1631, which helped quicken the implementation of the Elizabethan Poor Laws.
New response to peer reviewers just dropped
Finnur Dellsén got a nice pic of me on my standard Q&A slide, so now I have a stock reply to any time anyone disagrees with me.
November 7, 2025 at 11:34 AM
New response to peer reviewers just dropped
Bloody lovely to see Luke Ayling scoring last minute goals and still attempting his infamous cartwheel. One of the nicest guys in football who even has me rooting for Middlesbrough in the Championship.
November 5, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Bloody lovely to see Luke Ayling scoring last minute goals and still attempting his infamous cartwheel. One of the nicest guys in football who even has me rooting for Middlesbrough in the Championship.
Delighted to read of marital sex being referred to in a Tudor court case as the 'carnal dole'.
November 3, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Delighted to read of marital sex being referred to in a Tudor court case as the 'carnal dole'.
Absolutely classic local newspaper clickbait this. The ‘incident’ is a broken-down vehicle in Witney.
November 3, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Absolutely classic local newspaper clickbait this. The ‘incident’ is a broken-down vehicle in Witney.
Just had to pay £22 for a 40 page pamphlet about the radical soldier William Thompson.
November 3, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Just had to pay £22 for a 40 page pamphlet about the radical soldier William Thompson.
Reminder that we’re now in the Twelve Days of Halloween and that you should keep your decorations up until the evening of 12 November.
November 1, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Reminder that we’re now in the Twelve Days of Halloween and that you should keep your decorations up until the evening of 12 November.
Reposted by Jonathan Healey
#ICYMI - we are celebrating the publication of our 250th #BigRedBook, and our first publication for the historic county of #Westmorland.
In September we had an event to mark this and to place the volume in the context of the series and to showcase the extraordinary work behind it. #Skystorians
In September we had an event to mark this and to place the volume in the context of the series and to showcase the extraordinary work behind it. #Skystorians
Celebrating Local and Place-Based History: Westmorland and the 250th VCH ‘Big Red Book’
People, Place and Community Seminar
www.history.ac.uk
October 30, 2025 at 10:54 AM
#ICYMI - we are celebrating the publication of our 250th #BigRedBook, and our first publication for the historic county of #Westmorland.
In September we had an event to mark this and to place the volume in the context of the series and to showcase the extraordinary work behind it. #Skystorians
In September we had an event to mark this and to place the volume in the context of the series and to showcase the extraordinary work behind it. #Skystorians
Reposted by Jonathan Healey
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
October 30, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
Reposted by Jonathan Healey
Halloween is nearing, and Serious Academics need to celebrate.
Here's the @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social undead team - @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social, @jonathanhealey.bsky.social and myself - doing what academics do best: ghosting you.
👻🎃
🧪 #AcademicSky
Here's the @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social undead team - @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social, @jonathanhealey.bsky.social and myself - doing what academics do best: ghosting you.
👻🎃
🧪 #AcademicSky
October 27, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Halloween is nearing, and Serious Academics need to celebrate.
Here's the @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social undead team - @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social, @jonathanhealey.bsky.social and myself - doing what academics do best: ghosting you.
👻🎃
🧪 #AcademicSky
Here's the @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social undead team - @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social, @jonathanhealey.bsky.social and myself - doing what academics do best: ghosting you.
👻🎃
🧪 #AcademicSky
Reposted by Jonathan Healey
King James I so enjoyed (I assume?) Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice on Shrove Sunday in 1605 that he requested it again on Shrove Tuesday. Love the spelling for "Shaxberd" and "Marchant of Venis". TNA AO 3/908 discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2...
October 24, 2025 at 12:57 PM
King James I so enjoyed (I assume?) Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice on Shrove Sunday in 1605 that he requested it again on Shrove Tuesday. Love the spelling for "Shaxberd" and "Marchant of Venis". TNA AO 3/908 discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2...
Johns Lilburne and Lambert becoming relevant again.
We're facing a political emergency: a high likelihood of an shamelessly authoritarian government in 2029. So we urgently need this basic safeguard: a codified constitution.
This week's column explains what we're missing and why it's so important.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This week's column explains what we're missing and why it's so important.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
We must act now: without a written constitution, Reform UK will have carte blanche to toxify our nation | Goerge Monbiot
It means breaking with hundreds of years of tradition, but it can’t wait. As hard-right figures spread division and laud autocrats, a fail-safe is vital, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
October 23, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Johns Lilburne and Lambert becoming relevant again.
Reposted by Jonathan Healey
All this? *points behind at the chaos of the world* yeah, that’s just your sea foam washing in and out with the tides, mate
October 22, 2025 at 5:26 PM
All this? *points behind at the chaos of the world* yeah, that’s just your sea foam washing in and out with the tides, mate
Braudel for the win
FT columnist Janan Ganesh recently wrote of his conversion to the 'Great Man' theory of history - but only a minority agree
-History is primarily shaped by major figures: 27%
-Primarily shaped by broad social / economic / cultural / tech changes: 51%
yougov.co.uk/topics/enter...
-History is primarily shaped by major figures: 27%
-Primarily shaped by broad social / economic / cultural / tech changes: 51%
yougov.co.uk/topics/enter...
October 22, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Braudel for the win
EP Thompson has just given me a fine new excuse for every time I'm late for meetings:
October 21, 2025 at 2:02 PM
EP Thompson has just given me a fine new excuse for every time I'm late for meetings:
'The achievement after 1689 of such Leveller goals as liberty of conscience (albeit a limited one), annual parliamentary sessions, and frequent parliamentary elections suggest that the Levellers and their successors had not written, demonstrated, and petitioned in vain.'
Am reading Gary De Krey...
Am reading Gary De Krey...
October 21, 2025 at 10:46 AM
'The achievement after 1689 of such Leveller goals as liberty of conscience (albeit a limited one), annual parliamentary sessions, and frequent parliamentary elections suggest that the Levellers and their successors had not written, demonstrated, and petitioned in vain.'
Am reading Gary De Krey...
Am reading Gary De Krey...
Luv a bit of 19th century Cock-er-ney, I do.
October 20, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Luv a bit of 19th century Cock-er-ney, I do.