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pasttensehistories.bsky.social

@pasttensehistories.bsky.social

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London radical histories & mysteries. Obsessions: open space, gentrification, strikes, riot, music, drink, spycops. https://pasttense.co.uk/

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · Jan 5

Some of our publications about London radical history (and more!) can be ordered from our online shop.
Pamphlets, books, maps & posters.
Much of our back catalogue is out of print but we’re working on making it available again…
pasttensehistories.bigcartel.com

Past Tense Histories

DIY Radical history publications from London's turbulent past... Self-published pamphlets, posters, pamphlets and the London Rebel History...

pasttensehistories.bigcartel.com

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Partizan Dulwich @partizandulwich.bsky.social · 3h

Also - Norwich
Cult of saint William
Paid for new Norwich cathedral by pushing antisemitism
Blood libel, extortion, and forced Jews to wear identification - later mass program against Norwich Jews - yet not in history books and not referred to in Cathedral history

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 3h

#OnThisDay in London theatrical history, 1983: Possibly the first play about AIDS, Anti Body, opens at London’s Cockpit Theatre.
www.gayinthe80s.com/2018/07/1983...

1983: Theatre: ‘Anti Body’ - Gay in the 80s

Possibly the first play about AIDS, Anti Body was staged at London's Cockpit Theatre from 10th-22nd October 1983. Documenting the experience of William Davis - a gay man with AIDS - it preceded Larry ...

www.gayinthe80s.com

pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 3h

#OnThisDay in anti-Semitic history, 1290: After king Edward I orders the expulsion of all Jews from England, London jews begin travelling to the continent. Some board ships; but a whole shipful are maliciously drowned by the captain at mouth of the Thames & their property stolen.

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 3h

#OnThisDay in London's parklife history, 1897: 15,000 people demolish fences after One Tree Hill, Honor Oak, is enclosed by a golf club. Eventually the Hill is re-opened as a park.
More in our pamphlet Rights of Common, on sale in our online shop:
pasttensehistories.bigcartel.com/product/righ...

Rights Of Common

The Fight Against the Theft of Sydenham Common and One Tree Hill... and other open spaces in the Great North Wood A5 pamphlet 36 pages Many open...

pasttensehistories.bigcartel.com

pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 3h

#OnThisDay in London's rebel history: Mass escape attempt from Newgate Prison foiled, 1771.
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Today in London’s rebel history: Mass escape attempt foiled, Newgate Prison, 1771.

For 100s of years Newgate Prison was the most potent symbol and reality of state repression in London, the ultimate representation of terror for the poor. From those driven to crime by the economic…

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 3h

This week in London radical history, 1831: riots break out as House of Lords reject the Reform Bill, blocking the extension of the right to vote to a wider section of the British population
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This week in London radical history, 1831: riots break out as House of Lords reject the Reform Bill

The long campaign for reform of the British political system went through many phases, especially in the 19th century. Between 1830 and 1832 a powerful agitation for political change revived, follo…

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Jack Saundrs @jacksaundrs.bsky.social · 1d

Bourgeois nativists spend a lot of time pretending their opposition to immigration is about working-class jobs/wages, but show them a society where all the real work is done by foreign guestworkers with fuck all rights and they're like "omg this is paradise"

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 1d

UAE has no democratically elected institutions, no free speech and an appalling human rights record.

Its economy functions on completely different metrics to the ours & ranks well below us for GDP

No serious person would ever think that we should emulate it.

But here's Tice calling us decadent

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Pete Cookson @pete-cookson.bsky.social · 1d

'Universities in the UK reassured arms companies they would monitor students’ chat groups and social media accounts after firms raised concerns about campus protests, according to internal emails.'

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

UK universities offered to monitor students’ social media for arms firms, emails show

Loughborough, Heriot-Watt and Glasgow corresponded with companies concerned about campus protests

www.theguardian.com

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 1d

#OnThisDay in London racist history: a xenophobic riot in Haymarket theatre, 1738.
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Today in London history: a somewhat xenophobic riot, Haymarket theatre, 1738.

“Monday 9. Was a great Disturbance at the New Theatre in the Haymarket, where some French Players newly arriv’d from Paris, attempting to act the Comedy of L’Embarras des Riches, met with suc…

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 1d

#OnThisDay in publishing history, 1643: Further attempts to control the press, with an act of Common Council prohibiting hawking pamphlets in London

More on pamphleteering & censorship:
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Yesterday in publishing history: scandalous and seditious pamphlets banned, 1643.

“Oh printing! How has thou disturb’d the Peace of Mankind!” (Andrew Marvell) The spread of printing, the beginnings of regular challenge to the social, religious, political status quo, is intimatel…

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 1d

#OnThisDay in London's penal history, 1724: A mass escape attempt from Newgate Prison by 100 cons, inspired by Jack Sheppard’s recent escapades, is foiled.

Our info posters on Jack Sheppard and resistance to Newgate are available in our online shop:
pasttensehistories.bigcartel.com

Past Tense Histories

DIY Radical history publications from London's turbulent past... Self-published pamphlets, posters, pamphlets and the London Rebel History...

pasttensehistories.bigcartel.com

pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 1d

#OnThisDay in London's festive history, 1994: Demo and party against the Criminal Justice Bill Act turns riotous when attacked by police, Hyde Park
datacide-magazine.com/revolt-of-th...

Revolt of the Ravers - The Movement against the CJA 1993-95 - Datacide

Revolt of the Ravers is a key article about the Movement against the Criminal Justice Act in Britain 1993-1995.

datacide-magazine.com

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 1d

#OnThisDay in London's racist history, 1972: Trial of Oval Four begins, 4 Black men arrested on the underground & falsely accused of stealing passengers’ handbags, by notorious police Sgt Ridgewell.
ccrc.gov.uk/police-misco...
After over 50 years their framed convictions have finally been quashed.

Police Misconduct: Winston Trew's Story - Criminal Cases Review Commission

Winston Trew was one of the “Oval Four” – four black men arrested by police at Oval Station on the

ccrc.gov.uk

pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 1d

#OnThisDay in London's legal history, 1660: The trials of several of the ‘regicides’, who had signed the death warrant of King Charles I, begin at Hick's Hall and the Old Bailey.
spartacus-educational.com/STUregicides...
8 of them will be executed in the coming week.

Regicides

spartacus-educational.com

pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 1d

Untrue. Lee’s brain proves you CAN cook salad.

pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 2d

#OnThisDay in London rebel history, 1650: ‘Ranter’ Abiezer Coppe, after being examined by a Parliamentary Committee where he chucks apples & pears at them and generally refuses to co-operate, is jailed in Newgate Prison

More on Abiezer Coppe: wp.me/p74yfw-1j

Today in London’s rebel past: a blasphemous sermon in Bishopsgate.

“Abiezer Coppe… did away with sin…” (Leon Rosselson) On 14th January 1650, Abiezer Coppe delivered a blasphemous sermon in St Helen’s Church , Bishopsgate. He seems to have used the tactic of…

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Pete Cookson @pete-cookson.bsky.social · 3d

'In the most explicit attack yet on Labour’s proposed restrictions on overseas workers, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) described the plan as “ignorant” and “pandering” to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.'

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

NHS could cease to function under Labour’s new visa rules, say nurses

Exclusive: Royal College of Nursing says plan to tighten rules for foreign workers is ‘pandering’ to Reform UK

www.theguardian.com

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Pete Cookson @pete-cookson.bsky.social · 3d

'The Ministry of Defence (MoD) spends about £1m a year sending children to private schools in north Wales because "state schools teach some or all lessons in the Welsh language".'

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

MoD spends millions on private schools to avoid Welsh language

Military personnel receive a private education allowance to avoid lessons in Welsh in state schools.

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by pasttensehistories.bsky.social

Alan Lester @alanlester.bsky.social · 3d

Follow the money

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Asylum hotel provider makes £180m profit despite claims of inedible food and rationed loo paper

Asylum seekers and charities tell BBC of

www.bbc.co.uk

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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 3d

🚨 New post: The Modern Homes Exhibition, Gidea Park, 1934 - a (failed?) attempt to 'combine the most modern British homes, as exemplified here, with the ideas of the public' ...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/10/07/g...

Contemporary photograph of flat-roofed, white-walled house built for exhibition.

Another contemporary photograph of flat-roofed, white-walled house built for exhibition.

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MJ Herbert @mjherbert.bsky.social · 3d

16th October, 6pm, at Home Manchester, a screening of the Iron ladies documentary on women in the Miners' Strike. homemcr.org/whats-on/iro...

Iron Ladies (12A) + discussion — Meet the iron-willed women who maintained the 1984/85 Miners' Strike.

Meet the iron-willed women who maintained the 1984/85 Miners' Strike.

homemcr.org

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 3d

#OnThisDay in lesbian herstory, 1943: Pioneer Lesbian novelist Radclyffe Hall dies in London.
www.thecollector.com/radclyffe-ha...

“All Part of Nature”: Radclyffe Hall’s Life | TheCollector

Born Marguerite Antonia Radclyffe Hall, the writer who would go on to be known simply as Radclyffe Hall often, in her private life, went by the name John.

www.thecollector.com

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 3d

#OnThisDay in London theatrical history, 1899: Anarchists hold a soiree at the Athenaeum, Tottenham Court Rd, featuring an ‘operatic melodramatic burlesque’ ‘Tafalgar Square’, with David Nicoll as ‘Inspector Bellville’ (a skit on Special Branch Melville, persecutor of anarchos).

pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 3d

#OnThisDay in London squatting history, 1979: Royal Pharmaceutical building Bloomsbury Square squatted.
More in our walk around radical Bloomsbury:
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A Wander in Bohopia: A Radical History Walk around Bloomsbury

This walk is based on research originally done for a radical history walk which took place in Bloomsbury on 22nd April 2006, which started at ‘The Square’ squatted Social Centre, in Russell Square.…

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pasttensehistories.bsky.social @pasttensehistories.bsky.social · 3d

#OnThisDay in London herstory, 2015: Sisters Uncut demonstrate at the London premiere of the 2015 film Suffragette against cuts to domestic violence services, with the slogan "Dead women can't vote".