The Smith
@theaws.bsky.social
Based in NW England.
Interests include: Maps / History / Genealogy / Historical aircraft / Landscapes / Illustration
Interests include: Maps / History / Genealogy / Historical aircraft / Landscapes / Illustration
🤯🤯🤯
If you want a weird but true fact to talk about:
Dexter Holland, lead singer of The Offspring, was instrumental in this. His doctorial thesis in molecular biology was sequencing mRNA in HIV. The paper was also heavily cited in creating the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dexter Holland, lead singer of The Offspring, was instrumental in this. His doctorial thesis in molecular biology was sequencing mRNA in HIV. The paper was also heavily cited in creating the COVID-19 vaccine.
It feels like we should be making a bigger deal of “we actually did in fact find a cure for AIDS”
August 1, 2025 at 5:03 PM
🤯🤯🤯
We often criticise A.I, but if this work is done accurately it’s phenomenal that it May be able to complete 22 years worth of work in just a few weeks…
Pleased to see this reported. Imperial War Museums, working with Google Cloud and Capgemini, are using AI to produce transcriptions of 20,000 hours of oral #history held in its archive, and making the transcripts available to the public.
Imperial War Museums, Capgemini, and Google Cloud Make 20,000 Hours of Oral Testimonies Accessible with Cutting-Edge AI
/PRNewswire/ -- Imperial War Museums (IWM), Capgemini, and Google Cloud have today announced a landmark collaboration on the successful AI-powered...
share.google
July 10, 2025 at 7:04 PM
We often criticise A.I, but if this work is done accurately it’s phenomenal that it May be able to complete 22 years worth of work in just a few weeks…
Reposted by The Smith
Pleased to see this reported. Imperial War Museums, working with Google Cloud and Capgemini, are using AI to produce transcriptions of 20,000 hours of oral #history held in its archive, and making the transcripts available to the public.
Imperial War Museums, Capgemini, and Google Cloud Make 20,000 Hours of Oral Testimonies Accessible with Cutting-Edge AI
/PRNewswire/ -- Imperial War Museums (IWM), Capgemini, and Google Cloud have today announced a landmark collaboration on the successful AI-powered...
share.google
July 10, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Pleased to see this reported. Imperial War Museums, working with Google Cloud and Capgemini, are using AI to produce transcriptions of 20,000 hours of oral #history held in its archive, and making the transcripts available to the public.
Reposted by The Smith
Public service announcement!
All 12 episodes of series one and two of War Walks with Richard Holmes are available on BBC iPlayer for the next week.
Brilliant half-hour intros to some of Britain's most famous battles. Don't miss out!
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
All 12 episodes of series one and two of War Walks with Richard Holmes are available on BBC iPlayer for the next week.
Brilliant half-hour intros to some of Britain's most famous battles. Don't miss out!
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
War Walks
Richard Holmes goes on a journey through time to visit battlefields throughout Britain, northern France and Belgium that mark crucial moments in Britain's bloody and turbulent history
www.bbc.co.uk
July 3, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Public service announcement!
All 12 episodes of series one and two of War Walks with Richard Holmes are available on BBC iPlayer for the next week.
Brilliant half-hour intros to some of Britain's most famous battles. Don't miss out!
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
All 12 episodes of series one and two of War Walks with Richard Holmes are available on BBC iPlayer for the next week.
Brilliant half-hour intros to some of Britain's most famous battles. Don't miss out!
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
Reposted by The Smith
OUT FOR ONE MONTH!
The updated Railway Work, Life & Death project database of accidents to British & Irish railway staff, 1855-1939.
Exactly a month ago we added 69,000 records - & 2000 of you have downloaded, with 14.6k views: thank you!
See:
The updated Railway Work, Life & Death project database of accidents to British & Irish railway staff, 1855-1939.
Exactly a month ago we added 69,000 records - & 2000 of you have downloaded, with 14.6k views: thank you!
See:
69,000 railway company records released! - Railway Work, Life & Death
An introduction to our new data release - railway staff accident records produced by English & Welsh railway companies, 1855-1929.
www.railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk
July 5, 2025 at 10:45 AM
OUT FOR ONE MONTH!
The updated Railway Work, Life & Death project database of accidents to British & Irish railway staff, 1855-1939.
Exactly a month ago we added 69,000 records - & 2000 of you have downloaded, with 14.6k views: thank you!
See:
The updated Railway Work, Life & Death project database of accidents to British & Irish railway staff, 1855-1939.
Exactly a month ago we added 69,000 records - & 2000 of you have downloaded, with 14.6k views: thank you!
See:
A walk in the warm evening air, hearing two blackbirds singing to each other from the top of chimney pots.
July 3, 2025 at 7:42 PM
A walk in the warm evening air, hearing two blackbirds singing to each other from the top of chimney pots.
Ah, artificial intelligence covers itself in glory again.
Google A.I erroneously claims a nearby road to mine was the scene of two separate, grisly murders in the last 10 years. Simply not true.
Google A.I erroneously claims a nearby road to mine was the scene of two separate, grisly murders in the last 10 years. Simply not true.
July 1, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Ah, artificial intelligence covers itself in glory again.
Google A.I erroneously claims a nearby road to mine was the scene of two separate, grisly murders in the last 10 years. Simply not true.
Google A.I erroneously claims a nearby road to mine was the scene of two separate, grisly murders in the last 10 years. Simply not true.
Reposted by The Smith
Accidentally posed the characters from Stramash as a New Wave band
July 1, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Accidentally posed the characters from Stramash as a New Wave band
There don’t appear to be as many fun, quirky websites these days. I once owned one, but it’s sadly long gone.
However I was pleased to see House of the Orange Monkey is still going after many, many years: www.houseoftheorangemonkey.co.uk
However I was pleased to see House of the Orange Monkey is still going after many, many years: www.houseoftheorangemonkey.co.uk
The House of the Orange Monkey : Mr Monkey's home page
The home of a small beanie Orange Monkey living in the North-West of England, with pictures of his friends, hats, holidays and vehicles
www.houseoftheorangemonkey.co.uk
May 28, 2025 at 11:37 AM
There don’t appear to be as many fun, quirky websites these days. I once owned one, but it’s sadly long gone.
However I was pleased to see House of the Orange Monkey is still going after many, many years: www.houseoftheorangemonkey.co.uk
However I was pleased to see House of the Orange Monkey is still going after many, many years: www.houseoftheorangemonkey.co.uk
Manchester Libraries/Archives have just revamped their online image library, not only improving the interface but also adding over 10,000 new images. There are well over 90,000 available to view free of charge images.manchester.gov.uk?session=pass
Home - Manchester Images
images.manchester.gov.uk
February 9, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Manchester Libraries/Archives have just revamped their online image library, not only improving the interface but also adding over 10,000 new images. There are well over 90,000 available to view free of charge images.manchester.gov.uk?session=pass
Reposted by The Smith
When Lieutenant Howie of the Royal Scots Fusiliers was wounded in 1918, his web Pack and equipment were sent home to his family in Scotland.
The ‘Wounded Officer’s Kit’ labels are still tied to the pack.
1/
The ‘Wounded Officer’s Kit’ labels are still tied to the pack.
1/
February 2, 2025 at 7:06 PM
When Lieutenant Howie of the Royal Scots Fusiliers was wounded in 1918, his web Pack and equipment were sent home to his family in Scotland.
The ‘Wounded Officer’s Kit’ labels are still tied to the pack.
1/
The ‘Wounded Officer’s Kit’ labels are still tied to the pack.
1/
Reposted by The Smith
Would anyone like to make an educated guess as to what this WWII building near Cheshunt Station was used for? Heritage Gateway suggests searchlight tower but it seems unusual to me.
3D: skfb.ly/ptWHp
3D: skfb.ly/ptWHp
January 23, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Would anyone like to make an educated guess as to what this WWII building near Cheshunt Station was used for? Heritage Gateway suggests searchlight tower but it seems unusual to me.
3D: skfb.ly/ptWHp
3D: skfb.ly/ptWHp
There’s something special about the experience of walking around an historic part of a town centre whilst church bells are ringing, isn’t there?
December 15, 2024 at 10:45 AM
There’s something special about the experience of walking around an historic part of a town centre whilst church bells are ringing, isn’t there?
You can buy one of the “Rupert” dummies from the film The Longest Day 👀🚨
He’s a little creepier than I remember though…
He’s a little creepier than I remember though…
December 7, 2024 at 9:08 PM
You can buy one of the “Rupert” dummies from the film The Longest Day 👀🚨
He’s a little creepier than I remember though…
He’s a little creepier than I remember though…
I just tried the Live Memory feature on My Heritage.
It’s interesting and very creative, but only of any value if you want to animate a photograph with figures that very vaguely resemble your ancestors
It’s interesting and very creative, but only of any value if you want to animate a photograph with figures that very vaguely resemble your ancestors
December 4, 2024 at 9:01 PM
I just tried the Live Memory feature on My Heritage.
It’s interesting and very creative, but only of any value if you want to animate a photograph with figures that very vaguely resemble your ancestors
It’s interesting and very creative, but only of any value if you want to animate a photograph with figures that very vaguely resemble your ancestors
Sad to hear the news about John Prescott.
I met him once and he was thoroughly lovely.
I was an emergency service worker, on duty, and he offered to take time out of what he was doing as deputy prime minister and personally make me and a colleague a brew. I never forgot that kind gesture.
I met him once and he was thoroughly lovely.
I was an emergency service worker, on duty, and he offered to take time out of what he was doing as deputy prime minister and personally make me and a colleague a brew. I never forgot that kind gesture.
November 21, 2024 at 10:17 AM
Sad to hear the news about John Prescott.
I met him once and he was thoroughly lovely.
I was an emergency service worker, on duty, and he offered to take time out of what he was doing as deputy prime minister and personally make me and a colleague a brew. I never forgot that kind gesture.
I met him once and he was thoroughly lovely.
I was an emergency service worker, on duty, and he offered to take time out of what he was doing as deputy prime minister and personally make me and a colleague a brew. I never forgot that kind gesture.
My grandparents’ first house had an unusual name, which always intrigued me a little.
When I recently obtained my grandfather’s Royal Navy pay and victualling record I was fascinated to discover that his first ship was a little known armed merchant cruiser…..with the same name
#genealogy
When I recently obtained my grandfather’s Royal Navy pay and victualling record I was fascinated to discover that his first ship was a little known armed merchant cruiser…..with the same name
#genealogy
November 17, 2024 at 7:48 PM
My grandparents’ first house had an unusual name, which always intrigued me a little.
When I recently obtained my grandfather’s Royal Navy pay and victualling record I was fascinated to discover that his first ship was a little known armed merchant cruiser…..with the same name
#genealogy
When I recently obtained my grandfather’s Royal Navy pay and victualling record I was fascinated to discover that his first ship was a little known armed merchant cruiser…..with the same name
#genealogy
By gosh, is that really you @coldandwindy.bsky.social ?
a man in a suit is holding a pair of handcuffs in front of his face .
Alt: a man in a suit is holding two drinking glasses in front of his face like binoculars.
media.tenor.com
November 17, 2024 at 8:16 AM
By gosh, is that really you @coldandwindy.bsky.social ?
I got slight Mothman Prophecy vibes by getting stuck in a traffic jam on the Tappan Zee bridge on a foggy night over the Hudson River once. Fortunately I’d not recently seen any Mothmen and lived to tell this tale
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHMAN
Fierce advocate for infrastructure reform, #Mothman was first sighted on 11/15/66 in Point Pleasant WV.
Locals - and paranormal legend John Keel - saw this giant flying cryptid regularly for nearly a year… until the collapse of the Silver Bridge on 12/15/67.
Fierce advocate for infrastructure reform, #Mothman was first sighted on 11/15/66 in Point Pleasant WV.
Locals - and paranormal legend John Keel - saw this giant flying cryptid regularly for nearly a year… until the collapse of the Silver Bridge on 12/15/67.
November 15, 2024 at 6:34 PM
I got slight Mothman Prophecy vibes by getting stuck in a traffic jam on the Tappan Zee bridge on a foggy night over the Hudson River once. Fortunately I’d not recently seen any Mothmen and lived to tell this tale
Reposted by The Smith
🗃️I'm delighted to announce that 'The Invisible Campaign-Bomber Command Gardening Operations 1940-1945', is now available to pre-order (link below). Huge thanks to James Holland for writing the foreword.
Estimated publication date - 12 December 2024
mortonsbooks.co.uk/book/the-inv...
Estimated publication date - 12 December 2024
mortonsbooks.co.uk/book/the-inv...
November 14, 2024 at 7:48 PM
🗃️I'm delighted to announce that 'The Invisible Campaign-Bomber Command Gardening Operations 1940-1945', is now available to pre-order (link below). Huge thanks to James Holland for writing the foreword.
Estimated publication date - 12 December 2024
mortonsbooks.co.uk/book/the-inv...
Estimated publication date - 12 December 2024
mortonsbooks.co.uk/book/the-inv...
The time has come for a starter pack for starter packs….
November 14, 2024 at 4:27 PM
The time has come for a starter pack for starter packs….
Another important reminder to everyone that as part of Remembrance all records are free on FindMyPast until 11th November - including the 1921 census!
November 8, 2024 at 11:20 AM
Another important reminder to everyone that as part of Remembrance all records are free on FindMyPast until 11th November - including the 1921 census!
I found this newspaper cutting whilst looking through some old family photographs, documents and keepsakes.
I suspect that James (no relation to me) was probably a friend of my Great Aunt or Great Uncle who were in to amateur dramatics 🧵
I suspect that James (no relation to me) was probably a friend of my Great Aunt or Great Uncle who were in to amateur dramatics 🧵
September 18, 2024 at 7:38 PM
I found this newspaper cutting whilst looking through some old family photographs, documents and keepsakes.
I suspect that James (no relation to me) was probably a friend of my Great Aunt or Great Uncle who were in to amateur dramatics 🧵
I suspect that James (no relation to me) was probably a friend of my Great Aunt or Great Uncle who were in to amateur dramatics 🧵
Just managed to catch a little aurora activity when I popped out to watch the #PerseidMeteorShower
August 12, 2024 at 10:45 PM
Just managed to catch a little aurora activity when I popped out to watch the #PerseidMeteorShower
I was extremely lucky to experience an unexpected fly past by a PBY Catalina at the weekend. Lovely!
July 23, 2024 at 7:33 PM
I was extremely lucky to experience an unexpected fly past by a PBY Catalina at the weekend. Lovely!