@earlymodernjohn.bsky.social
Irishman in Yorkshire. Historian of language, education, migration at the University of Leeds. Editor of Renaissance Studies. Occasional BBC radio presenter. Currently learning Amharic/አማርኛ እየተማርኩ ነው. Dad!
@ellasbaraini.bsky.social will know!
19.02.2026 20:57 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A volume of essays I edited some years ago on news in #earlymodern Europe is now available open access 📖
Featuring chapters by @lenaliapi.bsky.social, @emmawhipday.bsky.social, among others!
brill.com/edcollbook-o...
Library Catalogues and / as Research Data: the hidden voices of early printed books in the John Rylands
Free and online via Teams. Booking essential via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/john-rylands-research-institute-and-library-17289731815
A Norfolk man has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
You're watching BANGED UP: THE BROADS
As with so many things, I think it's mad on principle, but find it especially infuriating when enacted by the hated English.
19.02.2026 08:33 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0(after a bit of panic-digging it turns out this doesn't apply to Irish-British dual citizens for Historical Reasons, so I'll withdraw that initial comment -- but there are still lots of dual citizens, born in the UK and otherwise, who are generally better off with their other passport)
19.02.2026 08:24 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Very pleasing to talk early modern news, information, and communication (and two excellent books by Rachel Midura & Joad Raymond Wren) with @moonjets.bsky.social on this week's LRB podcast. @lrb.co.uk
19.02.2026 08:22 — 👍 28 🔁 8 💬 0 📌 0I'm married to a dual national and both of my kids are dual nationals, but I'm not sure why it would otherwise be worthwhile for any of them to pay money to hold a UK passport that is in every respect less valuable than their Irish ones.
19.02.2026 08:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0I've enjoyed the ride but now I know what it is to fall from hubristic enjoyer of targeted lastpositivist shitposts to enraged, disbelieving, laser-targeted victim of a lastpositivist shitpost
19.02.2026 08:10 — 👍 12 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
oh! hayyyyy! Spa in the news!
May I offer some further academic writing on this topic? My 2022 @pastpresentsoc.bsky.social article: academic.oup.com/past/article... -- fascinating town which bracketed out the tensions of the rest of the world for the season to enable healthcare.
Visited the Cairo Geniza collection in the Cambridge UL for the first time today. Almost lost for words at the amount and diversity of materials, languages and scripts. Herewith my photo of a Hebrew primer used in 10th century Egypt to teach kids to write
18.02.2026 17:31 — 👍 82 🔁 19 💬 3 📌 3
On the podcast: @earlymodernjohn.bsky.social joins @moonjets.bsky.social to explore how information (and disinformation) circulated in early modern Europe, and whether our predecessors were any better than we are at sifting fake news from fact. Listen here:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
I'm not sure if ppl outside academia realise that if you quit a permanent post in this job market you will amost certainly never get another one, esp in arts & hums. All that post graduate training, the years of precarity, not being able to choose where you or your family live. Pffft. For nothing.
18.02.2026 08:46 — 👍 113 🔁 21 💬 2 📌 33 weeks to decide, 9 months salary to choose to leave - almost certainly forever - the industry you've dedicated most of your adult life to.
18.02.2026 08:31 — 👍 158 🔁 69 💬 9 📌 4any time I've been there that's been the one baked good that MoH don't sell at TNA! I can't tell if it's a power move or a preserving the mystique thing, or if I don't know what one looks like so just keep missing them
18.02.2026 12:18 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Getting soup, a sandwich, and a filter coffee there for less than a tenner always feels like a miracle. Bless them!
18.02.2026 12:09 — 👍 6 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
The Worth Library's Research Fellowships for 2026 have just been advertised.
Find out more at edwardworthlibrary.ie/research-fel...
Please repost! @bodleian.ox.ac.uk @cerl-community.bsky.social @britishlibrary.bsky.social @wellcometrust.bsky.social @harvard.edu
I can't believe anyone would have cut it!
16.02.2026 11:33 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0A fabulous review of two books that I am very excited to read. Thanks @earlymodernjohn.bsky.social !!
15.02.2026 01:25 — 👍 7 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
In London, a stroll through the nave of old St Paul’s Cathedral would let you eavesdrop on news and gossip: in 1628, one observer described the noise of the place as being ‘like that of Bees, a strange humming or buzze, mixt of walking, tongues and feet: It is a kind of still roare or loud whisper. It is the great Exchange of all discourse.’ Those who could read and afford it could pay for a manuscript newsletter. A growing number of professional newswriters – menanti, reportisti, novellari, Zeitungschreiberen, newsmongers, gazetteers – offered a subscription service that packaged together all the items of news they had been able to glean, sent regularly to news-hungry subscribers among whom were private individuals, government figures, elite families such as the Medici and the Fuggers, and corporations. The Dutch East India Company spent 25 guilders on newsletters in 1606 alone.
'it is the great Exchange of all discourse.’
Brilliant @earlymodernjohn.bsky.social on early modern news.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Opening page of new Transactions article; 'Show me the Data: New Practices for Historical Sources', by Ruth Ahnert, Katherine McDonough and Daniel C. S. Wilson. Full abstract: 'This comment examines the rapidly evolving ecosystem of historical research data in the United Kingdom, where cultural heritage collections are increasingly digitised, commercialised and fragmented. Historians face growing challenges in discovering, accessing and reusing data as resources move behind paywalls, and repositories remain scattered, without a national infrastructure to ensure long-term preservation or discoverability. Drawing on examples from major digital initiatives, we analyse the life cycle of historical research data and highlight the complex interplay of commercial, institutional and scholarly interests that shape access. We distinguish three types of data that emerge from historians’ typical engagements with digitised collections: derived, enhanced and aggregated data. We argue that historians must actively participate in the practices relating to the creation, maintenance and reuse of such data. This will involve new forms of citation, favouring open datasets, improving digital skills and building communities around shared resources. The comment concludes with proposals to improve discoverability, sustainability and reuse, urging the discipline to establish common standards and infrastructures to secure an equitable data commons for future research.'
New in Transactions: 'Show Me the Data: New Practices for Historical Sources', by @ruthahnert.bsky.social, Katherine McDonough & @danielwilson.bsky.social: bit.ly/460nrkM
As the ecosystem of historical research data expands, how do we keep control of source materials, esp digital? #Skystorians 1/2
‘The infrastructure of posts and couriers that served states and merchants laid the foundations for a revolution in communications.’
@earlymodernjohn.bsky.social on early modern news.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Delighted to be series editor for Cambridge Elements in Women, Gender and Sexuality in Premodern Literature and Culture. If you have something cool and interesting you’d like to work with us on please get in touch (micrograph 20-30k)
www.cambridge.org/core/publica...
We are seeking to appoint an Assistant Librarian in Marsh's Library. This will be a great position for an early-career librarian. Further details at: marshlibrary.ie/assistant-li...
13.02.2026 17:10 — 👍 53 🔁 43 💬 1 📌 4Can't wait to watch this recorded talk!
13.02.2026 18:03 — 👍 4 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0Thank you! Will really look forward to listening!
13.02.2026 17:32 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
‘Couriers communicated gossip, rumour and political intelligence between cities and states, labourers in a vast information infrastructure that worked across languages and borders.’
@earlymodernjohn.bsky.social on early modern news.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Finding it hard to decide which scrivener to hire in London in 1630. I've narrowed it down to two: Peaceable Sherwood or John Bastard.
13.02.2026 14:47 — 👍 34 🔁 1 💬 3 📌 0Thank you so much Chloe, really appreciate you coming and very pleased you enjoyed it!
13.02.2026 10:31 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
