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pasttensehistories.bsky.social
pasttensehistories.bsky.social
@pasttensehistories.bsky.social
500 followers 72 following 2.6K posts
London radical histories & mysteries. Obsessions: open space, gentrification, strikes, riot, music, drink, spycops.

https://pasttense.co.uk/
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markcrail.bsky.social
Chartist Lives fresh out of the box
#Chartism #C19th #BritishHistory #BookSky 🗃️
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0G3Q7PR7Y
Two books titled Chartist Lives inside an opened cardboard box.
November 27, 2025 at 8:08 AM
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spycopsbot.bsky.social
Horrendous events recounted at the #spycops inquiry as Sukhdev & Tish Reel talk about the murder of Ricky Reel & the police spying on their justice campaign. The spycops knew the family were in the right & helped the wider Met avoid accountability (@copscampaign.bsky.social)
November 26, 2025 at 2:02 PM
pasttensehistories.bsky.social
Some of the historical background to people, struggles & events in this mural can be found in our many blog posts on Brixton radical & social history.

In rough chronological order:
November 26, 2025 at 6:16 PM
pasttensehistories.bsky.social
Covered in the Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing this week: #spycop reports on fascist matches in Bermondsey

transpont.blogspot.com/2025/11/nati...
National Front, anti-fascists and spycops in Bermondsey 2001
The Undercover Policing Inquiry has been hearing recently of the activities of spycop HN81, cover name “David Steven Hagan”, codename ‘Windm...
transpont.blogspot.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:44 AM
pasttensehistories.bsky.social
Covered in the Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing this week: #spycop reports on fascist matches in Bermondsey

transpont.blogspot.com/2025/11/nation…
https://transpont.blogspot.com/2025/11/nation…
November 23, 2025 at 10:42 AM
pasttensehistories.bsky.social
#OnThisDay in festive history: St Clements Day, celebrated with singing and begging for beer.
wp.me/p74yfw-pF
Today in festive history: St Clements Day, celebrated with singing and begging for beer.
On the 23rd of November, the old Feast of St. Clement used to be celebrated, long associated with an ancient custom of going about that night to beg drink to make merry with. Pope Clement I is the …
wp.me
November 23, 2025 at 9:20 AM
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alanlester.bsky.social
Enjoyable debate at University of Exeter last night, narrowly winning the vote for ‘This house believes decolonisation ended Empire in name only’. In case of interest, my referenced notes for the proposition available here. Thanks for the invitation!

alanlester.co.uk/blog/this-ho...
‘This House Believes Decolonisation Ended Empire in Name Only’
University of Exeter Debating Society 22nd Nov 2025 Argument for the Proposition Alan Lester The modern European empires were many things, but above all they were vehicles for the transfer of asset…
alanlester.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 7:52 AM
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spycopsbot.bsky.social
Thanks & solidarity to @tombfowler for his relentless coverage of the #spycops inquiry. Please help him continue to do so this winter by buying him a coffee (& if you can't, follow his social media platforms to keep up to date with all the developments) (@jameshsimpson)
November 21, 2025 at 12:13 PM
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jkeen1213.bsky.social
Perfect! 🤣🤣🤣
November 21, 2025 at 9:10 PM
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assquattheworld.bsky.social
great new squat history archive;
A visual archive of the Tolmers Village community, London NW1, 1972–1979
tolmers.net
Home Page
tolmers.net has been set up to collect photographs, stories and memorabilia on the squatting community and neighbourhood campaigns that took place in a small area near Euston station in central London...
tolmers.net
November 21, 2025 at 11:06 AM
pasttensehistories.bsky.social
#OnThisDay in London racist policing history, 2001: Ricky Bishop killed by Brixton cops
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Today in London racist policing history, 2001: Ricky Bishop killed by Brixton cops
On the afternoon of Thursday 22nd November 2001, 25-year old Ricky Bishop was driving through Brixton with a friend. The police stopped them on Dalyell Road (as part of ‘Operation Clean Sweep’) Ric…
wp.me
November 22, 2025 at 9:03 AM
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spycopsbot.bsky.social
Your periodic reminder that wannabe local Conservative Party kingmaker Andrew Coles is a former undercover police officer who pursued young women for sexual relationships, and codified his cynically misogynistic views into the SDS ‘Tradecraft Manual’:

#spycops (@BristleKRS)
“…I am aware the binder was updated by Andy COLES sometime while I was deployed in the field…I never read anything in the binder I saw that was as jarring as what I read in the COLES update. There are a whole series of nasty comments that were never contained within the version we had at the time I was in the back office. For example, references to carrying out research to establish "the respiratory status" of relatives of the deceased child whose identity one was stealing; and an assertion that SDS officers assumed ‘squatter' s rights’ over a deceased person's identity. I believe some of the language used, in particular the condescending comments, are more reflective of Andy COLES himself than the SDS; they are his opinions. They are quite disparaging things to say and I do not think those were the feelings of the SDS as a unit at the time.” From the witness statement to the Undercover Policing Inquiry by Peter Francis HN43 (UCPI0000036012). Despite getting the endorsement of his party leader Kemi Badenoch... ...come election day creepy Coles was still the loser ever he was! #spycops Image
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 AM
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copscampaign.bsky.social
Instant reaction to the emotional end of Doreen Lawrence being questioned at the Undercover Policing Inquiry today. 32 years since her son was murdered she's still seeking the truth, trying to find out how much her campaign for justice has been stymied by the police
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJVQ...
Spycops inquiry reaction: end of 20 Nov 2025 - Doreen Lawrence evidence
YouTube video by Cops Campaign
www.youtube.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:49 PM
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spycopsbot.bsky.social
A small dump of witness statements from the #spycops inquiry today: Alex Owolade, Frank Smith, Suresh Grover and Peter Francis HN43

https://ucpi.org.uk/publications/#53050a66ee61dbdf8… (@BristleKRS)
November 20, 2025 at 12:05 AM
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municipaldreams.bsky.social
My second book, A History of Council Housing in 100 Estates, is a full colour hardback so not cheap but it's currently discounted and obviously worth every penny. It would make a wonderful Christmas present for someone special in your life. 😊
www.ribabooks.com/a-history-of...
A History of Council Housing in 100 Estates
Buy A History of Council Housing in 100 Estates by Boughton, John from the RIBA online Bookshop. ISBN 9781914124631
www.ribabooks.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:46 PM
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mjherbert.bsky.social
archive of the Redstockings socialist feminist group in New York, formed in late 60s : www.redstockings.org
Welcome to Redstockings
Redstockings
www.redstockings.org
November 20, 2025 at 8:27 AM
pasttensehistories.bsky.social
#OnThisDay in London healthcare history: Second in a series of occupations at University College Hospital, 1993
wp.me/p74yfw-BR
Today in London healthcare history: Second in a series of occupations at University College Hospital, 1993
Occupational therapy – the incomplete story of the University College Hospital strikes and occupations of 1992-3. The story of the (ultimately unsuccessful) struggle to keep a hospital open d…
wp.me
November 20, 2025 at 8:46 AM
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spycopsbot.bsky.social
1/2 With so much talking at the @ucpinquiry about the reporting of #spycops HN81 'Dave Hagan' on black family justice campaigns, it might be worth to read what we wrote about him back in 2018: (@UndercoverNet)
November 19, 2025 at 8:09 PM
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alanlester.bsky.social
Not entirely surprising that so many contemporaries, especially Jews & people of colour, viscerally recall Nigel Farage’s systematic racist and antisemitic bullying. His usual response, and universally that of the far right when confronted: furious denial.

www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-...
‘Deeply shocking’: Nigel Farage faces fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school
Bafta-winning director among contemporaries urging contrition and apology from Reform UK leader, who denies the allegations
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:33 PM
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mcsquared.bsky.social
Global warming is the byproduct of the lavish lifestyles of the 1%
November 18, 2025 at 2:53 PM
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municipaldreams.bsky.social
I'll be talking with @peteapps.bsky.social about his important new book, 'Homesick - How Housing Broke London and How to Fix It' at the Writeidea Festival, Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 1pm, Saturday 22 November. Tickets free but you need to reserve a place.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/peter-apps...
Peter Apps: Homesick - How Housing Broke London and How to Fix It
Homesick is the gripping story of how housing defines a city’s past, present and future.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 9:01 AM
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markcrail.bsky.social
The first issue of the Chartist newspaper, the Northern Star, appeared #OnThisDay 18 November 1837. Without it, Chartism would have been a far weaker thing.
www.chartistancestors.co.uk/northern-sta...
November 18, 2025 at 7:27 AM
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adambienkov.bsky.social
Asked about Tommy Robinson supporting her asylum plans Shabana Mahmood replies that "Tommy Robinson doesn't even think I'm actually English, so he will certainly not be supporting anything I've got to say."

But he is supporting what she's got to say. That was the point of the question
November 17, 2025 at 6:41 PM
pasttensehistories.bsky.social
#OnThisDay in London radical herstory, 2001:
Silver Moon feminist bookshop closes its Charing Cross Rd premises. The shop moved into Foyles 2001-6.
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/culture/book...
Heavenly body
Silver Moon was more than just a bookshop—it was how many people, especially women, found themselves
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 8:12 AM
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copscampaign.bsky.social
New! Our report on the #spycops inquiry questioning a last-minute witness, hunt saboteur 'L3', who only just found out that spycop James Thomson tried to frame him for gun smuggling in a confected plot to prolong his cushy undercover deployment.
campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2025/11/17/u...
UCPI Daily Report, 4 Nov 2025: 'L3' evidence
A late addition to the Undercover Policing Inquiry, 'L3' only recently found out spycop James Thomson tried to frame him for gun smuggling
campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:13 AM