Simon Brackenborough
@sbrackenborough.bsky.social
Londoner and writer on classical music. Interested in the arts, history, nature, reading, coffee, vegetarian food, and active travel infrastructure.
Blog: corymbus.co.uk
Blog: corymbus.co.uk
Jeremiah was lamenting at the charity shop so I brought him home
November 25, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Jeremiah was lamenting at the charity shop so I brought him home
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
“Immigrants don’t integrate”
*joins village Facebook group*
*group is filled with rants about non-white immigration*
*closes app and eats pulao and patisa instead*
*joins village Facebook group*
*group is filled with rants about non-white immigration*
*closes app and eats pulao and patisa instead*
November 25, 2025 at 12:31 PM
“Immigrants don’t integrate”
*joins village Facebook group*
*group is filled with rants about non-white immigration*
*closes app and eats pulao and patisa instead*
*joins village Facebook group*
*group is filled with rants about non-white immigration*
*closes app and eats pulao and patisa instead*
Ronly Honly Bingle Bells 🎄
![R. H. Bing (October 20, 1914 – April 28, 1986)[1] was an American mathematician who worked mainly in the areas of geometric topology and continuum theory.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cyyd366g3hrxp5rynixm2mm3/bafkreid62wy3dekb2kzbisjfdlimlb35j4rlgew5iof7vi32byfszmg26a@jpeg)
![Bing's father was named Rupert Henry, but Bing's mother thought that "Rupert Henry" was too British for Texas. Thus she compromised by abbreviating it to R. H.[5] Consequently, R. H. does not stand for a first or middle name.
When Bing was applying for a visa, he was requested not to use initials. He explained that his name was really "R-only H-only Bing", and ended up receiving a visa made out to "Ronly Honly Bing".](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cyyd366g3hrxp5rynixm2mm3/bafkreigmfj53q4uy33spga2bxdkllqm3ag5sffovg5g7ddmu3vqzkb6k24@jpeg)
November 25, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Ronly Honly Bingle Bells 🎄
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Jean Mallard • Evening Knight • which inevitably makes me think of...1/2
November 24, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Jean Mallard • Evening Knight • which inevitably makes me think of...1/2
now listening to 'Magic Flora of the East Midlands' - trippy English-eerie electronica by Leo Chadburn, courtesy of @purlis.bsky.social purlis.substack.com/p/purposeful...
Purposeful Listening 1
Beginning/continuing, place/language, tree/mobile, bigness/detail
purlis.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:58 PM
now listening to 'Magic Flora of the East Midlands' - trippy English-eerie electronica by Leo Chadburn, courtesy of @purlis.bsky.social purlis.substack.com/p/purposeful...
the side roads of Balham are a great exhibition of #autobesity, a prize collection of nonsensically huge cars
November 23, 2025 at 10:59 AM
the side roads of Balham are a great exhibition of #autobesity, a prize collection of nonsensically huge cars
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Can I also just say that this is brilliant reporting by my pal Jude, questioning not only where Westminster's priorities lie but how we consume our news & what that means when things like this get ignored:
I also write about how little the floods have been covered in national newspapers, and how appalled I am that the Prime Minister has said nothing to the people of Monmouthshire directly. Please read and share. www.thenerve.news/p/storm-clau...
Storm Claudia puts Wales under water – why did these record-breaking floods barely make the news?
On the frontline of a deluge on the Welsh borders, Jude Rogers heard local stories of devastation and heroism – but incredibly the disaster was hardly referred to in Westminster and the national press
www.thenerve.news
November 23, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Can I also just say that this is brilliant reporting by my pal Jude, questioning not only where Westminster's priorities lie but how we consume our news & what that means when things like this get ignored:
This is a long and horrifying read. Superb reporting
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
As Esau Lopez was asphyxiated for the first 17 minutes of his life on Earth, the atmosphere in the room remained serene, even ecstatic. Acoustic music crooned from a speaker in a modest two-bedroom apartment in a suburb of Pennsylvania. “You are a queen,” murmured one of three friends in the room.
Only Esau’s mother, Gabrielle Lopez, felt something was wrong. She was pushing hard, but her son would not be born. “Can you help [him] out?” she asked, as Esau crowned. “Baby is coming,” the friend replied. Four minutes later, Lopez asked again, “Can you grab [him]?” Another friend murmured, “Baby is safe.” Six minutes passed. Again, Lopez asked, “Can you grab [him]?” Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:48 PM
This is a long and horrifying read. Superb reporting
Weather’s foul so I’m poaching some quince
November 22, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Weather’s foul so I’m poaching some quince
will never not repost this *incredible* illustration
On this day 22nd November 1859 Cecil Sharp, founder of the English folk-song revival was born. (Here he’s pictured overhearing a gardener singing)
Artist: Martin Aitchison
Artist: Martin Aitchison
November 22, 2025 at 9:03 AM
will never not repost this *incredible* illustration
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Terrifying, maddening and utterly heart-breaking. Truly incredible journalism to expose and document this.
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
As Esau Lopez was asphyxiated for the first 17 minutes of his life on Earth, the atmosphere in the room remained serene, even ecstatic. Acoustic music crooned from a speaker in a modest two-bedroom apartment in a suburb of Pennsylvania. “You are a queen,” murmured one of three friends in the room.
Only Esau’s mother, Gabrielle Lopez, felt something was wrong. She was pushing hard, but her son would not be born. “Can you help [him] out?” she asked, as Esau crowned. “Baby is coming,” the friend replied. Four minutes later, Lopez asked again, “Can you grab [him]?” Another friend murmured, “Baby is safe.” Six minutes passed. Again, Lopez asked, “Can you grab [him]?” Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Terrifying, maddening and utterly heart-breaking. Truly incredible journalism to expose and document this.
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
November 21, 2025 at 5:54 PM
A very interesting analysis of the Hammersmith Bridge situation, and how counter-intuitive transport can be
insights from Hammersmith Bridge nickmaini.substack.com/p/hammersmit... (Nick Maini) "closing a major bridge carrying 25,000 daily vehicles should lead to more traffic on other nearby crossings and less economic activity on either side. The evidence shows the exact opposite."
Hammersmith Bridge
Where did 25,000 vehicles go?
nickmaini.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:57 PM
A very interesting analysis of the Hammersmith Bridge situation, and how counter-intuitive transport can be
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
IT’S HERE IT’S HERE IT’S HERE!!!! The very first album ever dedicated to Avril Coleridge-Taylor. This has been such a labour of love - please do listen to it, her music deserves to be heard @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social open.spotify.com/album/6EroQD...
Avril Coleridge-Taylor: Piano Concerto & Orchestral Works
open.spotify.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:12 AM
IT’S HERE IT’S HERE IT’S HERE!!!! The very first album ever dedicated to Avril Coleridge-Taylor. This has been such a labour of love - please do listen to it, her music deserves to be heard @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social open.spotify.com/album/6EroQD...
Parthenope is a nonsense opera, but there was fabulous singing and lots of entertaining silliness in tonight’s performance at ENO 👏 👏 👏
November 20, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Parthenope is a nonsense opera, but there was fabulous singing and lots of entertaining silliness in tonight’s performance at ENO 👏 👏 👏
Started reading The Old Curiosity Shop, and there’s a character called Mr. Dick Swiveller. Gotta love Dickens…
November 20, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Started reading The Old Curiosity Shop, and there’s a character called Mr. Dick Swiveller. Gotta love Dickens…
In town, hiding in a lovely warm Caffè Nero, ahead of Handel’s Parthenope. I’ve just read the plot summary to try and understand what happens in it and…lol, never mind
November 20, 2025 at 4:08 PM
In town, hiding in a lovely warm Caffè Nero, ahead of Handel’s Parthenope. I’ve just read the plot summary to try and understand what happens in it and…lol, never mind
Please enjoy this orange shed potato I saw this morning
November 20, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Please enjoy this orange shed potato I saw this morning
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Everybody loves brownfield-first. But where exactly should we densify our cities? And how?
Our new report shows Britain's density gap is wider in the biggest cities outside London than in the capital - and the inner city 'urban cores' up to 5km out from the centre are to blame.
Our new report shows Britain's density gap is wider in the biggest cities outside London than in the capital - and the inner city 'urban cores' up to 5km out from the centre are to blame.
November 20, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Everybody loves brownfield-first. But where exactly should we densify our cities? And how?
Our new report shows Britain's density gap is wider in the biggest cities outside London than in the capital - and the inner city 'urban cores' up to 5km out from the centre are to blame.
Our new report shows Britain's density gap is wider in the biggest cities outside London than in the capital - and the inner city 'urban cores' up to 5km out from the centre are to blame.
replies to this are vintage Bluesky 🤌
November 19, 2025 at 9:34 PM
replies to this are vintage Bluesky 🤌
Not a catholic, but I strongly feel that Strictly: It Takes Two is the closest thing to the experience of purgatory this side of the grave
November 19, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Not a catholic, but I strongly feel that Strictly: It Takes Two is the closest thing to the experience of purgatory this side of the grave
top Russian music anecdote about Leonid Sabaneyev - real 'posting through it' energy to his response
November 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
top Russian music anecdote about Leonid Sabaneyev - real 'posting through it' energy to his response
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Excellent thread on Barbara Castle and the introduction of the breathalyser!
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
This week is Road Safety Week & a chance to talk about Barbara Castle!
Barbara was Transport Minister for three years yet she was able to introduce the Breathalyzer, a proper integrated transport strategy & more!
This was done despite fierce opposition.
📸 Photo from the Parliamentary Achieve
Barbara was Transport Minister for three years yet she was able to introduce the Breathalyzer, a proper integrated transport strategy & more!
This was done despite fierce opposition.
📸 Photo from the Parliamentary Achieve
November 19, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Excellent thread on Barbara Castle and the introduction of the breathalyser!
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
*tearfully slides Budgie the Little Helicopter into the bin* www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Sarah Ferguson’s new children’s book ‘pulped’ after scrutiny over Jeffrey Epstein links
Copies of Flora and Fern: Kindness Along the Way, which was set to be published in October, have been sent for recycling
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:18 PM
*tearfully slides Budgie the Little Helicopter into the bin* www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
I'm baffled by Radio 3's continued insistence that its listenership need instructions on how to use the smart speaker that they (apparently) own
November 19, 2025 at 10:59 AM
I'm baffled by Radio 3's continued insistence that its listenership need instructions on how to use the smart speaker that they (apparently) own