How-to History

Suburbs weren't always fashionable leafy neighborhoods for the well-off. @joesaunders1.bsky.social tells all, including the etymology of "extramural" @howtohistory.bsky.social how-to-history.com/2026/02/25/s...

Suburbs Joe Saunders In medieval Britain’s towns and cities buildings were largely confined within their walls, a pattern which continued well into the 1500s.[1] Early urban maps, such as those by John Spe…

Suburbs, by Joe Saunders. Today, around 80% of England’s population are suburb dwellers and all kinds of researcher may be interested in the history of suburbs. how-to-history.com/2026/02/25/s...

Thanks for sharing! Certainly a strong relationship between One-Place Studies and antiquarians!

Thank you for sharing Jay!

Antiquarianism Joe Saunders Antiquarianism is the investigation of the past through its material remains. Antiquarians have served an important part in the study of history over the last few hundred years, and th…

Antiquaries like to potter around cool stuff left by people from the past! Long on observation and short on theory, they get looked down on by academic historians. @joesaunders1.bsky.social @howtohistory.bsky.social gives them their due. how-to-history.com/2026/01/28/a...

Webpage of the Society of Antiquaries of London with text describing the society with image of old text and a drawing of Stonehenge.

Antiquarianism, by Joe Saunders. Antiquarians have served an important part in the study of history over the last few hundred years, and their work has helped the development of the modern historical sciences. how-to-history.com/2026/01/28/a...

Crime and Punishment in Early Modern London and the Home Counties Crime and punishment in early modern London and the home counties is a rich area of study. Students will encounter not only the changes in the law across the period, but also the very real human stori...

I know it feels a long way off, but for those of you who think your August is missing a little early modern crime...why not sign up for the University of Oxford's summer school? I promise it will be more fun and less grim than you may think!
lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/crim...

Friendly Societies Joe Saunders Prior to the development of government and employer health insurance and financial services, friendly or ‘benevolent’ societies were an important part of many people’s lives. These soc…

Before insurance companies & government welfare, people set up "friendly societies" to assist each other when hard times hit. They kept careful records, @howtohistory.bsky.social & Joe Saunders write, which increasingly furnish data to historians. how-to-history.com/2025/12/31/f...

Very kind of you to recommend, glad you find it useful!

Thanks for the clarification Dan.

Friendly Societies, by Joe Saunders. Prior to the development of government and employer health insurance and financial services, friendly or ‘benevolent’ societies were an important part of many people’s lives. how-to-history.com/2025/12/31/f...

Friendly Societies, by Joe Saunders. Prior to the development of government and employer health insurance and financial services, friendly or ‘benevolent’ societies were an important part of many people’s lives. how-to-history.com/2025/12/31/f...

Did Oliver Cromwell Really Ban Christmas? by Anna Cusack. In a word, no… there was a ban, but Parliament introduced it. A festive read about Christmas past! 🔔 how-to-history.com/2025/11/26/d...

Early Tudor Christmas Anna Cusack In England before the Reformation Christmas for many began with the decoration of buildings with holly and ivy.[1] Churchwardens acquired them for churches while John Stow recalled that…

Early Tudor Christmas: how-to-history.com/2022/12/21/e...

The Christmas Ghost Story Anna Cusack The history of Christmas ghost stories and spooky tales stretches quite far back in English culture, and it is difficult to pinpoint a specific time and place of their origin. Early ref…

The Christmas Ghost Story: how-to-history.com/2023/12/13/t...

Did Oliver Cromwell Really Ban Christmas? Anna Cusack Oliver Cromwell cancelled Christmas – so goes the word on the street. Many people have heard this, friends, family, and strangers often tout it. ‘The Puritans were so strict even Christ…

We have a range of seasonal #History posts you can read to inform and entertain over the festive period, including:

Did Oliver Cromwell Really Ban Christmas? how-to-history.com/2025/11/26/d...

Plough Monday Joe Saunders Plough Monday was, or is, a public holiday following Twelfth Night. In medieval times in arable districts of eastern England festive merry-making ended with the preparations for plough…

Plough Monday: how-to-history.com/2025/01/08/p...

Twelfth Night Anna Cusack Twelfth Night, Epiphany, 6 January, Little Christmas, (this last one is mostly Irish) however you wish to refer to it, was in many ways a larger and more elaborate event in post-reforma…

Twelfth Night: how-to-history.com/2023/01/04/t...

Early Tudor Christmas Anna Cusack In England before the Reformation Christmas for many began with the decoration of buildings with holly and ivy.[1] Churchwardens acquired them for churches while John Stow recalled that…

Early Tudor Christmas: how-to-history.com/2022/12/21/e...

The Christmas Ghost Story Anna Cusack The history of Christmas ghost stories and spooky tales stretches quite far back in English culture, and it is difficult to pinpoint a specific time and place of their origin. Early ref…

The Christmas Ghost Story: how-to-history.com/2023/12/13/t...

Did Oliver Cromwell Really Ban Christmas? Anna Cusack Oliver Cromwell cancelled Christmas – so goes the word on the street. Many people have heard this, friends, family, and strangers often tout it. ‘The Puritans were so strict even Christ…

We have a range of seasonal #History posts you can read to inform and entertain over the festive period, including:

Did Oliver Cromwell Really Ban Christmas? how-to-history.com/2025/11/26/d...

EXACTLY the same applies to the Parliamentary order to cease playing in 1642. Cromwell was just an MP at that point.

Did Oliver Cromwell Really Ban Christmas? by Anna Cusack. In a word, no… there was a ban, but it was Parliament that introduced it. Cromwell’s involvement was limited at best.https://how-to-history.com/2025/11/26/did-oliver-cromwell-really-ban-christmas/

Glad you enjoyed it Jane! And yes, he certainly did!

Did Oliver Cromwell Really Ban Christmas? by Anna Cusack. In a word, no… there was a ban, but it was Parliament that introduced it. Cromwell’s involvement was limited at best.https://how-to-history.com/2025/11/26/did-oliver-cromwell-really-ban-christmas/

Monsters, by Thomas Wood. Sharing an old post on All Hallows Eve! 'Wherever they appear, monsters act as embodiments of those things that humanity should fear'. how-to-history.com/2024/10/30/m...

Thanks for sharing Jane! Enjoy the 17th century.

Thank you for sharing!

Thanks Pam, that is kind!

Title Deeds Joe Saunders Deeds are legal documents concerning the ownership or possession of property, usually regarding the transfer of land or a house from one person to another. They have been in use since …

Title Deeds, by Joe Saunders. Deeds are legal documents concerning the ownership or possession of property, usually regarding the transfer of land or a house from one person to another. how-to-history.com/2025/10/29/t...