Paul O’Donnell
@paodonnell.bsky.social
History, Ships, Manufacturing and Trade Policy. Attempting a PhD (the left and the navy in early C20/interwar Britain) twenty years later than is traditional.
This is from the massively popular polemic Merrie England. An attempt to replace coal with tidal power in the 1890s. Prof Thompson became better known as Lord Kelvin.
October 11, 2025 at 5:56 PM
This is from the massively popular polemic Merrie England. An attempt to replace coal with tidal power in the 1890s. Prof Thompson became better known as Lord Kelvin.
Went to see Gene at the Hammersmith Apollo yesterday. Really fun gig, energetic band but distinctly male pattern mosh pit
#nicecuppacocoa
#nicecuppacocoa
October 5, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Went to see Gene at the Hammersmith Apollo yesterday. Really fun gig, energetic band but distinctly male pattern mosh pit
#nicecuppacocoa
#nicecuppacocoa
A replica Spanish Galleon. Handily berthed next to the universal unit of measurement.
September 29, 2025 at 2:04 PM
A replica Spanish Galleon. Handily berthed next to the universal unit of measurement.
15 escaped the attentions of wasps and squirrels this year
September 14, 2025 at 1:10 PM
15 escaped the attentions of wasps and squirrels this year
The Bay of Kotor is absurdly beautiful
August 27, 2025 at 11:17 AM
The Bay of Kotor is absurdly beautiful
Here we go, again…
August 9, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Here we go, again…
Spent the day with the papers of former Labour Minister A.V. Alexander. For some reason he thought this New Years greeting message was worth keeping for posterity.
August 1, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Spent the day with the papers of former Labour Minister A.V. Alexander. For some reason he thought this New Years greeting message was worth keeping for posterity.
I will shortly attempt cricket. I used to do this most weekends in the summer in relative safety.
Since turning 40 ~10% of the times I’ve tried this have ended up in A&E.
Since turning 40 ~10% of the times I’ve tried this have ended up in A&E.
July 8, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I will shortly attempt cricket. I used to do this most weekends in the summer in relative safety.
Since turning 40 ~10% of the times I’ve tried this have ended up in A&E.
Since turning 40 ~10% of the times I’ve tried this have ended up in A&E.
This picture was taken earlier on when the day was still hopeful for #LOFC but with hindsight the dark clouds were obvious.
Still a season to be proud of for the club though.
Still a season to be proud of for the club though.
May 25, 2025 at 4:45 PM
This picture was taken earlier on when the day was still hopeful for #LOFC but with hindsight the dark clouds were obvious.
Still a season to be proud of for the club though.
Still a season to be proud of for the club though.
Don’t normally enjoy a Chocolate Stout but this one is going well with lunch today
April 20, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Don’t normally enjoy a Chocolate Stout but this one is going well with lunch today
Leaving Hull after a great British Commission for Maritime History Conference #MaritimeHistory. I presented on the Vegetarian Dreadnought, so this is the wrong form of transport to go back to East London on, but I hope Hull history appropriate
April 12, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Leaving Hull after a great British Commission for Maritime History Conference #MaritimeHistory. I presented on the Vegetarian Dreadnought, so this is the wrong form of transport to go back to East London on, but I hope Hull history appropriate
Thanks to the BTMA for giving me the chance to talk to their members about trade policy at Duxford today. It’s an air museum, so of course I found something that floated, sort of.
March 19, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Thanks to the BTMA for giving me the chance to talk to their members about trade policy at Duxford today. It’s an air museum, so of course I found something that floated, sort of.
A day to read holy books
December 25, 2024 at 9:57 AM
A day to read holy books
Monument to Lady Mary Wortley Montague in Lichfield Cathedral commemorating her introduction of the ‘salutary art’ of small pox inoculation. It notes that she proved its efficacy on her own children, research ethics being somewhat more flexible then.
November 13, 2024 at 3:27 PM
Monument to Lady Mary Wortley Montague in Lichfield Cathedral commemorating her introduction of the ‘salutary art’ of small pox inoculation. It notes that she proved its efficacy on her own children, research ethics being somewhat more flexible then.
Not been the greatest of weeks far.
Over to you Orient. No pressure…
Over to you Orient. No pressure…
November 9, 2024 at 3:16 PM
Not been the greatest of weeks far.
Over to you Orient. No pressure…
Over to you Orient. No pressure…
Reading about the failure of the western democracies in face of fascism, 90 years ago
November 5, 2024 at 2:37 PM
Reading about the failure of the western democracies in face of fascism, 90 years ago
They get a really good guests for lunch at Churchill College
October 28, 2024 at 1:56 PM
They get a really good guests for lunch at Churchill College
This is the battle damaged figurehead of The Beautiful Passenger, a poleacre which repulsed HMS Amphion from raiding Spilt in 1809. A very proud curator has just told me that this is one of the few occasions the English were defeated at sea in the Napoleonic wars
July 25, 2024 at 1:29 PM
This is the battle damaged figurehead of The Beautiful Passenger, a poleacre which repulsed HMS Amphion from raiding Spilt in 1809. A very proud curator has just told me that this is one of the few occasions the English were defeated at sea in the Napoleonic wars
February 29, 2024 at 10:41 PM
Reading a popular polemic arguing for the phasing out of coal in favour of tidal energy. From 1893. Not sure the maths stack up to be honest but its an interesting Victorian value
January 30, 2024 at 11:21 AM
Reading a popular polemic arguing for the phasing out of coal in favour of tidal energy. From 1893. Not sure the maths stack up to be honest but its an interesting Victorian value
Beginning to look a lot like Christmas
December 14, 2023 at 12:25 PM
Beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Only ghosts to canvass in this redundant church in Mid Beds. Bible open at the parable of the rejoicing at the lost sheep that is found though; an omen?
October 19, 2023 at 3:08 PM
Only ghosts to canvass in this redundant church in Mid Beds. Bible open at the parable of the rejoicing at the lost sheep that is found though; an omen?
Really enjoyed hearing from and meeting @lottelydia.bsky.social at the Wanstead Tap yday. Great insight into how Empire shaped post-war Britain and continues to influence us
October 19, 2023 at 7:07 AM
Really enjoyed hearing from and meeting @lottelydia.bsky.social at the Wanstead Tap yday. Great insight into how Empire shaped post-war Britain and continues to influence us