Simon Harley
@simonharley.bsky.social
Errant naval historian and British motorcycle parts vendor. Retired parliamentary intern and retired hygiene operative.
It’s the 114th anniversary of the 114th meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence on 23 August 1911, one of the many stepping stones towards British involvement in a general European War. The minutes are transcribed at The Dreadnought Project. #history t.co/uNUV6MMWRQ
August 23, 2025 at 7:41 PM
It’s the 114th anniversary of the 114th meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence on 23 August 1911, one of the many stepping stones towards British involvement in a general European War. The minutes are transcribed at The Dreadnought Project. #history t.co/uNUV6MMWRQ
Finally gotten around to reinstalling Bluesky after my phone was stolen in London in June. Did I miss anything?
August 21, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Finally gotten around to reinstalling Bluesky after my phone was stolen in London in June. Did I miss anything?
I’ve finally started cataloguing letters I’ve copied and hit 300 so far. Now I see why archives aren’t that keen on doing it. Going through one collection and it’s interesting to see how many letters had incomplete or obscured dates, and how many I’ve missed pages from. 😬
March 8, 2025 at 12:38 PM
I’ve finally started cataloguing letters I’ve copied and hit 300 so far. Now I see why archives aren’t that keen on doing it. Going through one collection and it’s interesting to see how many letters had incomplete or obscured dates, and how many I’ve missed pages from. 😬
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the worst AI book cover yet.
March 6, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the worst AI book cover yet.
I just heard that the historian Jon Sumida passed away on 8 February. Ave atque vale.
February 16, 2025 at 8:38 PM
I just heard that the historian Jon Sumida passed away on 8 February. Ave atque vale.
Going through recent archival material …
January 26, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Going through recent archival material …
Last night I found a 50 year old Rupert the Bear annual on the charity bookshelf at Barrow-in-Furness railway station. The content was a little raunchier than I remember.
January 18, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Last night I found a 50 year old Rupert the Bear annual on the charity bookshelf at Barrow-in-Furness railway station. The content was a little raunchier than I remember.
In today’s blogpost, I go spare because a historian kept getting someone’s rank wrong. #history simonharley.com/2024/12/02/r...
Rank Dishonesty
Fitch wearing army uniform with naval cap and khaki cover. He wore the rank insignia of a major. Yesterday my attention was diverted to Admiral Sir Ernest Troubridge and his service in Serbia durin…
simonharley.com
December 2, 2024 at 12:53 PM
In today’s blogpost, I go spare because a historian kept getting someone’s rank wrong. #history simonharley.com/2024/12/02/r...
Nice to see I’m in the bibliography of N.A.M. Rodger’s new book.
a goofy cartoon character is making a funny face and says aww garshhhh
ALT: a goofy cartoon character is making a funny face and says aww garshhhh
media.tenor.com
November 19, 2024 at 7:11 PM
Nice to see I’m in the bibliography of N.A.M. Rodger’s new book.
On 26 October 1918 the Grand Fleet had 867 Royal Air Force personnel and 114 aircraft afloat. 56 aircraft were at shore stations attached to the fleet and 183 were under repair.
November 14, 2024 at 11:42 AM
On 26 October 1918 the Grand Fleet had 867 Royal Air Force personnel and 114 aircraft afloat. 56 aircraft were at shore stations attached to the fleet and 183 were under repair.
A social media platform is its people, so if everyone flooding here suddenly realise they were the problem all along …
November 13, 2024 at 1:43 PM
A social media platform is its people, so if everyone flooding here suddenly realise they were the problem all along …
“Show me your proposed DMZ.”
“OK.”
“WTF? I said show me your proposed DMZ.”
“I did. Everything in dark green.”
“OK.”
“WTF? I said show me your proposed DMZ.”
“I did. Everything in dark green.”
November 9, 2024 at 6:30 PM
“Show me your proposed DMZ.”
“OK.”
“WTF? I said show me your proposed DMZ.”
“I did. Everything in dark green.”
“OK.”
“WTF? I said show me your proposed DMZ.”
“I did. Everything in dark green.”
Checking in, but I’m still over at the dead bird place.
November 9, 2024 at 5:06 PM
Checking in, but I’m still over at the dead bird place.
I spent too much time yesterday working out that Arthur Pollen (l) and William Goodenough (r) weren’t cousins as a few books claim but second cousins. They shared the same grandparents who died decades before they were born.
October 21, 2023 at 5:56 AM
I spent too much time yesterday working out that Arthur Pollen (l) and William Goodenough (r) weren’t cousins as a few books claim but second cousins. They shared the same grandparents who died decades before they were born.
Heading to London to hit the Imperial War Museum and The National Archives. God help me.
October 19, 2023 at 7:59 AM
Heading to London to hit the Imperial War Museum and The National Archives. God help me.
Hey, big spender.
October 12, 2023 at 7:13 PM
Hey, big spender.
Telling Paul Kennedy “No historian is without sin” sounds worse than it actually was.
October 9, 2023 at 10:35 AM
Telling Paul Kennedy “No historian is without sin” sounds worse than it actually was.