David Underdown
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davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown
@davidunderdown.bsky.social
1.8K followers 2K following 1.3K posts

Data Engineer at The National Archives. Digital Preservation/Digital Archiving. Also cycling, bellringing, photography, choral singing, promming and much more

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David Edward Underdown was a historian of 17th-century English politics and culture and Professor Emeritus at Yale University. Born at Wells, Somerset, Underdown was educated at the Blue School and Exeter College, Oxford. The books Revel, Riot, and Rebellion and Fire from Heaven won prizes from the North American Conference on British Studies and the New England Historical Association. After retiring from Yale in 1996, Underdown wrote a well-received book about the history of cricket in the Hambledon era, Start of Play. .. more

Political science 34%
History 28%
Posts Replies Media Videos

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 6h
#UnconfinedWalks Park in one of its bleaker moods today. Nice to see a big herd of fallow deer though. And I saw a jay on Priory Lane on my way to ringing in the morning

Reposted by David Underdown

patrick-mcc.bsky.social
Patrick McCormack @patrick-mcc.bsky.social · 1d
Some of that cathedral Big Music here in Wells today 🎶 🔔

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 1d
#UnconfinedWalks Still cold but a bit brighter. Paused by Beverley Brook to eat some chocolate. Little egret flew over my head and landed a little way downstream. I think the jackdaw was hoping for some crumbs

Reposted by David Underdown

nickofnz.bsky.social
Nick Young @nickofnz.bsky.social · 1d
This is what the #ClimateCrisis looks like.

Australian authorities are warning of unsurvivable conditions in Victoria as another day of over 40-degree temperatures fans two out-of-control fires in the state.

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
More than 100 buildings destroyed and 300,000 hectares burned as Victoria’s bushfires rage
Fires may continue for ‘weeks’, authorities warn, as three missing people found safe
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Diane Coyle, Colin F. Camerer, Paul Glasziou , and 32 more

ediparolev.bsky.social
Justin @ediparolev.bsky.social · 1d
“Uruguay did what most nations still call impossible: it built a power grid that runs almost entirely on renewables—at half the cost of fossil fuels. The physicist who led that transformation says the same playbook could work anywhere—if governments have the courage to change the rules.”
Uruguay’s Renewable Charge: A Small Nation, A Big Lesson For The World
Uruguay built a power grid that runs 99% on renewables—at half the cost of fossil fuels. Here’s how its bold energy overhaul became a global model.
www.forbes.com

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 2d
#UnconfinedWalks No photos yesterday as weather was far too grim. Got out at lunch today though when it was starting to clear up a little. However temperature 4°C feels like -6°C. That’s some windchill!

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 4d
#UnconfinedWalks Still ice on the ponds at work when I took a brief lunchtime stroll

Reposted by David Underdown

lampallib.bsky.social
Lambeth Palace Library @lampallib.bsky.social · 4d
Happy new year from all of us at Lambeth Palace Library! At the start of the year, we opened 1505 records from 1995, including material from the Turnbull Papers, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, Archbishop Carey and the Church Buildings Council.

Reposted by David Underdown, Naomi Sykes, Nicole Guenther Discenza , and 1 more

themerl.bsky.social
The Museum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 4d
Are you a PhD student interested in using museum collections in your research?

Our next free doctoral training webinar takes place next Wednesday. Join us for guidance and examples of uncovering marginalised and minoritised stories in collections.

collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/doc...
Doctoral Training Programme: What's Not There? Absences in Collections | Museums and Collections
Explore techniques to research 'against the grain' and uncover marginalised stories.
collections.reading.ac.uk

Reposted by David Underdown, Catherine J. Frieman

elericousins.bsky.social
Dr Eleri Cousins @elericousins.bsky.social · 4d
I know we’ve all got our eyes on that carnyx 👀, but meanwhile in Sunderland we’ve got OVER 800(!) Roman whetstones and seemingly the largest whetstone production site ever found 🤯

We’ve been cautious for months about the date, but the OSL is now in, and yes, it’s Roman 🤩
Roman industrial site unearthed on North East riverbank rewrites region's history
Compelling evidence of a Roman industrial hub uncovered on the banks of a North East river has rewritten archaeologists' understanding of the…
www.thenorthernecho.co.uk

Reposted by David Underdown

trincolllibcam.bsky.social
Trinity College Library, Cambridge @trincolllibcam.bsky.social · 4d
Job Opportunity! We're looking for a Graduate Trainee Archivist.

#archives

www.trin.cam.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
Graduate Trainee Archivist
One-year fixed term contract, full-time Trinity College Library wishes to appoint an enthusiastic Graduate Trainee Archivist for one year from September 2026. The post offers an ideal opportunity to g...
www.trin.cam.ac.uk

Reposted by Maria Abreu, David Underdown

melindahaunton.bsky.social
Melinda Haunton @melindahaunton.bsky.social · 4d
Are you in possession of an 11-14 year old interested in animation? We've got a stop-motion workshop combining archives and Aardman animations (!!!!) 7 Feb. A responsible adult MUST come along and join in (oh no).

Applications open: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/fa...
Aardman Academy stop-motion workshop - The National Archives
We are going to be working with Aardman Academy on a special event for families.
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 5d
#UnconfinedWalks Didn’t really go out until after dark as I was waiting for my bike to be ready to be picked up after its service. So just a brief wander to take out the recycling and I noticed this peony starting to push up despite the snow

Reposted by David Underdown

uknatarcsector.bsky.social
UK Archive Sector Leadership @uknatarcsector.bsky.social · 5d
We’re seeking 5 new members to join the Archive Service Accreditation Committee!

Do you have experience supporting development across a range of archive services and good understanding of the UK’s accreditation standard?

Apply by 23 January: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives-sec...
Two people stand in the corridor of a repository looking through a series of black and white photographs.

Reposted by David Underdown

uknatarcsector.bsky.social
UK Archive Sector Leadership @uknatarcsector.bsky.social · 6d
Are you looking to conduct research into your community heritage?

What training and resources would be most useful to you?

Share your thoughts in the Community Hub training needs survey by Friday 16 January: www.communityarchives.org.uk/content/news... (1/2)
A young boy sits at a computer tapping the screen for information. Three adults are gathered around him watching the screen. There are shelves of books behind them.

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 6d
#UnconfinedWalks bright and frosty again this morning on my way into the office

Reposted by David Underdown

ianpatterson.com
Ian @ianpatterson.com · 6d
Amazing how it's often Librarians at the sharp end of things. From 'banned books', they're now being accused of hiding books that AI generated a reference to. Joe Public believes the AI, and that some grand conspiracy is hiding the made up book from him. Amazing.
gizmodo.com/librarians-a...
Librarians Are Tired of Being Accused of Hiding Secret Books That Were Made Up by AI
AI chatbots are generating fake titles that people insist are real.
gizmodo.com

Reposted by David Underdown

dri.ie
Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) @dri.ie · 6d
Start 2026 off right with a DPASSH conference proposal submission and make a plan to join us in #Belfast this summer! #DigiPres #CFP #Play

➡️ Ready, Set, Preserve! Making Space for Play in Digital Preservation

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 7d
I was riding pretty hard too

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 7d
It was -3°C (ie 27°F) feels like -6°C (21°F) when I set out this morning. You can see basically what I was wearing in the photos above (though not that I had 2 pairs of merino socks in proper winter cycling boots, and skiing base layer under trousers and merino base layer and shirt under soft shell)

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 7d
These were grown men. But yes, there’s always a few

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 7d
First thing (ie not long after 9am) I saw one cyclist and one dog walker in Richmond Park in shorts (with snow still on the ground). Just nipping out to do the bins i can just about understand. With many layers on my hands had only just warmed up after 10km riding (ie just as I arrived for ringing)

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 7d
#UnconfinedWalks rather a cold day

Reposted by David Underdown

kathrynww1.bsky.social
Kathryn White @kathrynww1.bsky.social · 7d
Discover the wartime service of composer Gustav Holst in my new Substack article:
open.substack.com/pub/kathryns...
Holst's War
With composer Gustav Holst in Salonica and Constantinople as he served with the YMCA
open.substack.com

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 8d
#ConfinedCocktails finishing off a bottle of Georgian red started yesterday. A saperavi from the Bediani winery in Kakheti “Zenaari”

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 8d
#UnconfinedWalks then a Lime bike home in the sunset

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 8d
#UnconfinedWalks more from the tow path (from Hammersmith Bridge heading upstream)

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 8d
#UnconfinedWalks had to take bike to the shop so it can be serviced, so went the long way around on gravel as much as possible (Tamsin Trail Kingston Gate to Robin Hood Gate, Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, Putney Park Lane and back round the tow path to Richmond). Still snow in places

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 9d
Underdowns started rural Kent and then (via one who worked at the ordnance development site at Lydd) ended up working at Woolwich Arsenal for a few generations. One then ran away to sea and washed up in Cardiff, joining various other parts of family who crossed Bristol Channel for Somerset

Reposted by David Underdown

scottbot.bsky.social
scott b. weingart @scottbot.bsky.social · 9d
Some of my fellow manuscript nerds may not be familiar with the thriving practices around handwritten Torah scrolls, which should be remedied! So have a 🧵

Torah scrolls as we know them are about two thousand years old, and have been essentially identical to one another for the last thousand years.