Matthew Symonds
@mattsymonds.bsky.social
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
Here is a very cool object: a volume with stacked paper boards that have come apart, revealing a manuscript fragment between the print waste! (Rare Books PA2317 .E7 1546). The manuscript leaf is from a psalter 🌟
#midwestmss #medievalsky #medievalmss #manuscripts
#midwestmss #medievalsky #medievalmss #manuscripts
November 17, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Here is a very cool object: a volume with stacked paper boards that have come apart, revealing a manuscript fragment between the print waste! (Rare Books PA2317 .E7 1546). The manuscript leaf is from a psalter 🌟
#midwestmss #medievalsky #medievalmss #manuscripts
#midwestmss #medievalsky #medievalmss #manuscripts
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
One way to take some of the heat out of politics, which is within the BBC's control, is to drop phone-ins and vox pops.
November 17, 2025 at 11:03 AM
One way to take some of the heat out of politics, which is within the BBC's control, is to drop phone-ins and vox pops.
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
At the risk of talking shop: there are just under 50 Government Bills before Parliament (including Employment Rights, English Devolution, Great British Energy) which aren’t getting the media attention that Coalition Bills at a similar point did. We’re missing proper scrutiny outside of Parliament.
This whole Streeting vs Starmer story is such a Westminster bubble inanity from a bored media class that has gotten addicted to toppling governments and abdicated any responsibility for what they're actually meant to be doing in a healthy society
November 12, 2025 at 1:55 PM
At the risk of talking shop: there are just under 50 Government Bills before Parliament (including Employment Rights, English Devolution, Great British Energy) which aren’t getting the media attention that Coalition Bills at a similar point did. We’re missing proper scrutiny outside of Parliament.
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
honestly every time i read this i break again
Happy to be of service. I once got into a taxi in Dublin wearing a cool new outfit. I was nervous about deviating from the norm but did it anyway.
The taxi driver was on the phone when I got in. First thing he did was finish his phone call saying "I have to go, this fella's wearing dungarees"
The taxi driver was on the phone when I got in. First thing he did was finish his phone call saying "I have to go, this fella's wearing dungarees"
November 12, 2025 at 1:52 PM
honestly every time i read this i break again
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
Of course I don’t post selfies. Like normal people my age I grew up hating the way I looked
November 6, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Of course I don’t post selfies. Like normal people my age I grew up hating the way I looked
bless
Senior Orange Order figures have written to Britain’s King Charles to “reflect on his coronation oath” over his praying with Pope Leo last month.
www.thejournal.ie/orange-order...
www.thejournal.ie/orange-order...
Orange Order leaders wrote to Britain's King Charles over his meeting with Pope Leo
The Pope’s historic meeting with Charles has come in for criticism from unionist figures in the North and elsewhere over recent weeks.
www.thejournal.ie
November 6, 2025 at 11:22 AM
bless
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
I've written a new audio adaptation of one of Dickens' other Christmas books, The Cricket On The Hearth, and it's available now to buy as a bundle with The Haunted Man scripted by @jonnymorris.bsky.social. Mine stars Graham Fellows, his stars Paterson Joseph! averageromp.com/the-cricket-...
The Cricket in the Hearth & The Haunted Man – Average Romp
averageromp.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:44 AM
I've written a new audio adaptation of one of Dickens' other Christmas books, The Cricket On The Hearth, and it's available now to buy as a bundle with The Haunted Man scripted by @jonnymorris.bsky.social. Mine stars Graham Fellows, his stars Paterson Joseph! averageromp.com/the-cricket-...
but it did mean I stopped by this lunchtime and I bought this excellent book by the excellent Brooke Palmieri, so hurrah
November 4, 2025 at 1:41 PM
but it did mean I stopped by this lunchtime and I bought this excellent book by the excellent Brooke Palmieri, so hurrah
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
If there's anything more exciting than seeing a book you work on in an exhibition, it's surely being invited to talk about it. Very excited for this event next month!
📷 Lancelot Browne's annotated copy of Avicenna in Arabic at the @rcpmuseum.bsky.social exhibition, 'A body of knowledge'.
📷 Lancelot Browne's annotated copy of Avicenna in Arabic at the @rcpmuseum.bsky.social exhibition, 'A body of knowledge'.
November 4, 2025 at 12:12 PM
If there's anything more exciting than seeing a book you work on in an exhibition, it's surely being invited to talk about it. Very excited for this event next month!
📷 Lancelot Browne's annotated copy of Avicenna in Arabic at the @rcpmuseum.bsky.social exhibition, 'A body of knowledge'.
📷 Lancelot Browne's annotated copy of Avicenna in Arabic at the @rcpmuseum.bsky.social exhibition, 'A body of knowledge'.
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
Mega excited that @awickenden.bsky.social and @samuscript.bsky.social are speaking on 9 December for @rcpmuseum.bsky.social winter lectures. Online, 6pm GMT, £5, book now: history.rcp.ac.uk/event/body-k... #LibraryHistory #GLAM📚
history.rcp.ac.uk
November 4, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Mega excited that @awickenden.bsky.social and @samuscript.bsky.social are speaking on 9 December for @rcpmuseum.bsky.social winter lectures. Online, 6pm GMT, £5, book now: history.rcp.ac.uk/event/body-k... #LibraryHistory #GLAM📚
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
Born #OnThisDay 1650 King William III. He celebrated his 38th birthday (1688) by invading England and driving his father-in-law, James II, from the throne.
100 years on, politicians were convinced the event should be marked but couldn't agree how: for which, see our new blog this Thursday!
#HistParl
100 years on, politicians were convinced the event should be marked but couldn't agree how: for which, see our new blog this Thursday!
#HistParl
November 4, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Born #OnThisDay 1650 King William III. He celebrated his 38th birthday (1688) by invading England and driving his father-in-law, James II, from the throne.
100 years on, politicians were convinced the event should be marked but couldn't agree how: for which, see our new blog this Thursday!
#HistParl
100 years on, politicians were convinced the event should be marked but couldn't agree how: for which, see our new blog this Thursday!
#HistParl
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
Queer and Trans Pre-Modern Reading Group - Session 11
11 Nov 2-3:30pm with @ctlnkane.bsky.social
The Queer and Trans Pre-Modern Reading Group is an informal discussion group exploring queer and trans themes in medieval and early modern texts.
www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
11 Nov 2-3:30pm with @ctlnkane.bsky.social
The Queer and Trans Pre-Modern Reading Group is an informal discussion group exploring queer and trans themes in medieval and early modern texts.
www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
Queer and Trans Pre-Modern Reading Group - Session 11
The Queer and Trans Pre-Modern Reading Group is an informal discussion group exploring queer and trans themes in medieval and early modern texts.
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 31, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Queer and Trans Pre-Modern Reading Group - Session 11
11 Nov 2-3:30pm with @ctlnkane.bsky.social
The Queer and Trans Pre-Modern Reading Group is an informal discussion group exploring queer and trans themes in medieval and early modern texts.
www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
11 Nov 2-3:30pm with @ctlnkane.bsky.social
The Queer and Trans Pre-Modern Reading Group is an informal discussion group exploring queer and trans themes in medieval and early modern texts.
www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of...
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
ARCHIVAL FUNDING: Ann Ball Bodley Visiting Fellowship in Women’s History, to use Bodleian Libraries collections to advance scholarship in women’s history, of any geographical area and historical period. Deadline 28th Nov. www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/csb/fellowsh...
Bodleian Visiting Fellowships in Special Collections
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk
October 28, 2025 at 3:36 PM
ARCHIVAL FUNDING: Ann Ball Bodley Visiting Fellowship in Women’s History, to use Bodleian Libraries collections to advance scholarship in women’s history, of any geographical area and historical period. Deadline 28th Nov. www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/csb/fellowsh...
Well this is going to haunt my day
Paleography challenge!
1st up, just the word in isolation, no context (10 points)
1st up, just the word in isolation, no context (10 points)
October 31, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Well this is going to haunt my day
This is weirdly the politics of anti-whiggery, the Commons voting the Crown arbitrary power. The old Tory party has returned at last!
October 31, 2025 at 9:39 AM
This is weirdly the politics of anti-whiggery, the Commons voting the Crown arbitrary power. The old Tory party has returned at last!
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
Now Hennimore, this is the briefcase with the information about Rachel Reeves’s home, which she’s renting. This is a briefcase with the information about the new home Prince Andrew is going to move into. It’s vital you don’t mix them up.
October 30, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Now Hennimore, this is the briefcase with the information about Rachel Reeves’s home, which she’s renting. This is a briefcase with the information about the new home Prince Andrew is going to move into. It’s vital you don’t mix them up.
I do love the FT's How To Spend It magazine, which somehow manages to commission pieces from directly within my own id.
Anyway, like this free-to-read bit says, buy Donegal tweed, the best tweed.
www.ft.com/content/54f5...
Anyway, like this free-to-read bit says, buy Donegal tweed, the best tweed.
www.ft.com/content/54f5...
We’re fighting for Donegal tweed
Inside the weavers’ campaign to win protected status for the Irish luxury textile
www.ft.com
October 30, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I do love the FT's How To Spend It magazine, which somehow manages to commission pieces from directly within my own id.
Anyway, like this free-to-read bit says, buy Donegal tweed, the best tweed.
www.ft.com/content/54f5...
Anyway, like this free-to-read bit says, buy Donegal tweed, the best tweed.
www.ft.com/content/54f5...
bad enough to be the slave of some defunct economist, but to be the slave of George Osborne
October 30, 2025 at 12:24 PM
bad enough to be the slave of some defunct economist, but to be the slave of George Osborne
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
This is disastrous; hospices do such important work, not only to give people a good death, but to provide pain management and other services to people with terminal conditions. The staff in hospices work so, so hard and the fact that these institutions depend on charity to operate is a scandal.
Hundreds of hospice beds and staff cut in England amid funding crisis
Hundreds of hospice beds and staff cut in England amid funding crisis
National Audit Office reports nearly two-thirds of independent hospices in deficit in 2023-24 as demand increases
Hospices in England are cutting hundreds of beds and staff because of a funding crisis, despite a sharp rise in demand for palliative care, a damning report warns.
People needing end of life care faced a postcode lottery because access to services was so patchy, the National Audit Office (NAO) reported. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 10:09 AM
This is disastrous; hospices do such important work, not only to give people a good death, but to provide pain management and other services to people with terminal conditions. The staff in hospices work so, so hard and the fact that these institutions depend on charity to operate is a scandal.
surprised by how dizzied I am by Gay’s the Word moving just a few doors down the road on Marchmont Street, like someone has given my internal A-Z an imperceptible tug
October 30, 2025 at 10:22 AM
surprised by how dizzied I am by Gay’s the Word moving just a few doors down the road on Marchmont Street, like someone has given my internal A-Z an imperceptible tug
Bluesky this morning is collectively *so close* to discovering surplus value
October 29, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Bluesky this morning is collectively *so close* to discovering surplus value
just narrowly avoided peak Matt by removing the second of the two cardigans I put on before this afternoon’s lecture
October 28, 2025 at 2:23 PM
just narrowly avoided peak Matt by removing the second of the two cardigans I put on before this afternoon’s lecture
Reposted by Matthew Symonds
For anyone kicking themselves at failing to toast John Wilkes's 300th birthday on Friday 17 October, the good news is there is another opportunity tomorrow as, after the calendar change, he switched his birthday to 28 October...
#HistParl #Wilkesandliberty
#HistParl #Wilkesandliberty
We're going to be raising a glass to John Wilkes on his 300th birthday at 17:57.
Do join us, and share a toast to Wilkes and Liberty!
#HistParl
Do join us, and share a toast to Wilkes and Liberty!
#HistParl
October 27, 2025 at 9:26 AM
For anyone kicking themselves at failing to toast John Wilkes's 300th birthday on Friday 17 October, the good news is there is another opportunity tomorrow as, after the calendar change, he switched his birthday to 28 October...
#HistParl #Wilkesandliberty
#HistParl #Wilkesandliberty
In memoriam LAJ
October 25, 2025 at 11:45 AM
In memoriam LAJ