Mathew Lyons
@mathewlyons.bsky.social
Writer, historian. FRHistS. Recent work: History Today, The Spectator, Slightly Foxed, New Humanist, Engelsberg Ideas.
Absolutely thrilled to have a poem in the latest issue of Poetry London!
November 11, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Absolutely thrilled to have a poem in the latest issue of Poetry London!
Delighted to be at the launch of @historylauren.bsky.social's new biography of the extraordinary Margaret Beaufort last night. Lauren’s such a brilliant writer and historian. I can’t wait to read it!
November 6, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Delighted to be at the launch of @historylauren.bsky.social's new biography of the extraordinary Margaret Beaufort last night. Lauren’s such a brilliant writer and historian. I can’t wait to read it!
This was pretty enjoyable. No-one’s finest hour, but some delightful performances and the Degas-sequence set-designs are superb.
November 2, 2025 at 11:01 PM
This was pretty enjoyable. No-one’s finest hour, but some delightful performances and the Degas-sequence set-designs are superb.
Now watching, and wondering if @divinecomedyhq.bsky.social was inspired by the musical number about Catherine the Great. (I mean, Neil’s is different and better, but it’s still quite niche.)
November 1, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Now watching, and wondering if @divinecomedyhq.bsky.social was inspired by the musical number about Catherine the Great. (I mean, Neil’s is different and better, but it’s still quite niche.)
Fabulous evening at the Palladium last night! Don’t know Todd’s catalogue well at all - I didn’t recognise a song until the encore - but have come away besotted.
October 30, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Fabulous evening at the Palladium last night! Don’t know Todd’s catalogue well at all - I didn’t recognise a song until the encore - but have come away besotted.
Sorry to hear this, Sam. Hope you have a calm night and things get sorted quickly. You probably saw this doing the rounds the other day but this review of Keanu’s Godot might offer a little fleeting Beckettian cheer
October 13, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Sorry to hear this, Sam. Hope you have a calm night and things get sorted quickly. You probably saw this doing the rounds the other day but this review of Keanu’s Godot might offer a little fleeting Beckettian cheer
Fans of Tudor history, Hans Eworth’s portrait of Thomas Howard, the ill-fated fourth Duke of Norfolk, is coming up for auction at Sotheby’s!
October 13, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Fans of Tudor history, Hans Eworth’s portrait of Thomas Howard, the ill-fated fourth Duke of Norfolk, is coming up for auction at Sotheby’s!
Wonderful evening at the Barbican with @divinecomedyhq.bsky.social. And cocktails…
October 11, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Wonderful evening at the Barbican with @divinecomedyhq.bsky.social. And cocktails…
These are the fellas who led the resistance
October 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM
These are the fellas who led the resistance
Saw a fascinating selection of material relating to Epping Forest @thelondonarchives.bsky.social yesterday - maps, photos, letters, ephemera and more!
October 11, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Saw a fascinating selection of material relating to Epping Forest @thelondonarchives.bsky.social yesterday - maps, photos, letters, ephemera and more!
Louis MacNeice in 1940 looking back on the poetry of the Thirties.
October 9, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Louis MacNeice in 1940 looking back on the poetry of the Thirties.
Great book post the last couple of days!
October 7, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Great book post the last couple of days!
One of my mum's favourite albums!
October 2, 2025 at 4:22 PM
One of my mum's favourite albums!
Bought this on the strength of Tom Johnson’s review in the LRB the other day. Plus, of course, Pearl is one of the greatest poems in the English language.
September 25, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Bought this on the strength of Tom Johnson’s review in the LRB the other day. Plus, of course, Pearl is one of the greatest poems in the English language.
Amazing book post over the last couple of weeks! (Lovely to come back to in post-holiday doldrums tbh.)
September 25, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Amazing book post over the last couple of weeks! (Lovely to come back to in post-holiday doldrums tbh.)
A 12th-century martyrdom of Saint Pancras. The Roman soldier appears to be styled by Paul Smith. Or perhaps Missoni.
September 25, 2025 at 8:08 AM
A 12th-century martyrdom of Saint Pancras. The Roman soldier appears to be styled by Paul Smith. Or perhaps Missoni.
Pretty nice actually. And certainly effective as a digestif.
September 21, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Pretty nice actually. And certainly effective as a digestif.
I was convinced this must be a 1960s or 1970s brand, but wiki tells me it was founded in 1796. Which only goes to show how long the French have been cool for.
September 21, 2025 at 9:36 PM
I was convinced this must be a 1960s or 1970s brand, but wiki tells me it was founded in 1796. Which only goes to show how long the French have been cool for.
We went to the cavalry museum in Saumur to see an exhibition about Gabin’s experiences in the war. He came back from Hollywood to join a tank regiment under his real name, Jean Moncorgé. He refused to talk about the war afterwards, or to take part in any celebrations.
September 21, 2025 at 7:55 AM
We went to the cavalry museum in Saumur to see an exhibition about Gabin’s experiences in the war. He came back from Hollywood to join a tank regiment under his real name, Jean Moncorgé. He refused to talk about the war afterwards, or to take part in any celebrations.
Regular readers will know we’re big fans of Jean Gabin. A couple of weeks ago we visited Villerville on the Normandy coast, where they filmed Un Singe En Hiver with Jean-Paul Belmondo in 1962.
September 21, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Regular readers will know we’re big fans of Jean Gabin. A couple of weeks ago we visited Villerville on the Normandy coast, where they filmed Un Singe En Hiver with Jean-Paul Belmondo in 1962.
I’ve been meaning to buy this for a while. This copy used to be part of the BBC record library, it seems. All part of the patina, I suppose. There’s plenty of that in the grooves too, but very happy to have it!
September 4, 2025 at 10:10 PM
I’ve been meaning to buy this for a while. This copy used to be part of the BBC record library, it seems. All part of the patina, I suppose. There’s plenty of that in the grooves too, but very happy to have it!
Now watching. Terrific so far
August 30, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Now watching. Terrific so far
I’m delighted to have a piece on Louis MacNeice’s Autumn Journal in the latest issue of @slightlyfoxed.bsky.social.
August 26, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I’m delighted to have a piece on Louis MacNeice’s Autumn Journal in the latest issue of @slightlyfoxed.bsky.social.