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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · 1d

Sellafirld is certainly going to make for one of the more interesting VCH Cumbria. Volumes, that’s for sure. And @vch-home.bsky.social volumes are all already incredibly interesting, obviously.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 2d

‘It’s Sellafield or nothing’: what life is like growing up in the shadow of Europe’s oldest nuclear site

Young people growing up in Whitehaven on England’s north-west coast rely on the power plant for everything from jobs to civic investment. But for those who see their future elsewhere, options can be limited

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Alex Craven

Victoria County History @vch-home.bsky.social · 7d

This volume - one of three that @vchgloucester.bsky.social are currently working on - focuses on the town of Cirencester, a medieval town on a Roman site.

Work is also under way towards volumes on #Cheltenham, and on #Yate and the Sodburys - to learn more and support these projects:

Gloucestershire

Learn about the Victoria County History of Gloucestershire.

www.history.ac.uk

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Reposted by Alex Craven

Victoria County History @vch-home.bsky.social · 7d

More new *draft* text from @vchgloucester.bsky.social on the parish of #Coates, near #Cirencester.

All corrections, additions, or clarifications welcome! #Skystorians #LocalHistory

Gloucestershire vol. XVI - Cirencester and District

The research for the accounts of the prehistory of the area, the Abbey of Cirencester, the town and parish of Cirencester, Bagendon, Baunton, Daglingworth and Stratton.

www.history.ac.uk

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Aug 20

Out in the field taking final illustrations for the book on Herriard, and the late evening sun is picking out the mass dials on the parish church perfectly.

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Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · Aug 11

But the fundamental point is that the rail network is far, far more crowded than 30 years ago. In the year to March 1996, there were 761mn passenger journeys on GB's mainline railways. In the year to March this year, there were 1.73bn, almost back to the 1.75bn peak in the year to March 2019.

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Aug 11

This surely is the stand-out statistic that needs to be known more widely.

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Aug 7

Looks great! Congratulations.

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Emily Vine @emilymayvine.bsky.social · Aug 7

Delighted that the print copies of my first book 'Birth, Death, and Domestic Religion in early modern London', just published with @universitypress.cambridge.org, have arrived! 📚📚📚

A photo of the author holding up a copy of her book, which has a red cover.

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Reposted by Alex Craven

Dr Laura Sangha @lsangha.bsky.social · Aug 4

Alice! Top work @hagenilda.bsky.social @cordeliabeattie.bsky.social @sharonhoward.bsky.social et al!

www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...

Woman’s memoirs give fascinating insight into life in 17th-century northern England

Newly reunited manuscripts by Alice Thornton show how she navigated personal crises during tumultuous events such as the civil war

www.theguardian.com

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Aug 3

I’ve finally found something referencing where they took a picture from - the Railway Times in 1905 - so it’s just a simple trip to the British Library. Thanks for your help.

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Aug 3

I'd found the SW Circle via another page recommended in the thread, but thanks. Hoping if I contact them, one of their members might have something.

But really, I was hoping there might be an obscure but amazing archive I was unaware of (like the bus archive).

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Aug 3

Thanks. I'm aware of the books, but not based in Hampshire. A colleague will check the books next time she's at the record office, but I was hoping they might have been reproduced from a collection somewhere. Online there are photos of Herriard station and of a L&SWR railmotor, so I'm hopeful...

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Aug 2

This is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping for, thank you!

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Aug 2

I’ve found photos of both online, so they exist, but I need find images that I can reproduce in a book - so either in an archive collection or private collection. None of the online pictures both with any kind of references. Can anyone help?

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Aug 2

Railway historians/enthusiasts - can anyone suggest how/where I can find photos of obscure railways and trains? I would like photos of the L&SWR Basingstoke-Alton branch - ideally of Herriard station, and the railmotors that ran on the line.

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Jul 9

And Wales too!

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Jul 9

Ah, I hadn't noticed it wasn't in April. Thanks!

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Jul 9

His later career included Hinckley, but he still had connections with Cirencester until his death. One can only assume he had a well-used rail card.

Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Jul 9

He was from Highworth, outside Swindon. Without bothering to do the family research, I assume his wife’s family lived in my parish - a family with her maiden name were neighbours (although none were natives of Preston itself).

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Jul 9

Indeed! (Although I don’t know whether he was living in Ciren at that point.)

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Jul 9

You can read the biography of Charles Edward 'Ted' Clack (including his exploits in both World Wars) on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Clack. Over two seasons the winger made 9 appearances for the Rokerites, failing to win any. Perhaps that is why he moved to Bristol City for free in 1923.

Ted Clack - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Jul 9

Looking through the 1921 census for one of my @vchgloucester.bsky.social parishes, and I was intrigued to find a professional footballer amongst all the ag labs and other rural workers. Intriguingly, he was actually under contract to @safc.com whilst apparently living near Cirencester.

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Apr 25

Oh... oh my. So, @vchlondon.bsky.social... history of the post office??

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Alex Craven @dralexcraven.bsky.social · Apr 24

I'm going to have to index my own VCH Short at some point. Look forward to seeing Cradley once it's in print.

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Jonathan Healey @jonathanhealey.bsky.social · Apr 24

Part-time, permanent tutor job in my Department. We're looking for a local/architectural historian to teach two asynchronous online courses.

www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DMV263/d...

Departmental Tutor at University of Oxford

Discover an exciting academic career path as a Departmental Tutor at jobs.ac.uk. Don't miss out on this job opportunity - apply today!

www.jobs.ac.uk

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