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Adam Chapman

@adamchapman.bsky.social

Medieval historian interested in Wales, Somerset exile, inept cricketer, General Editor of the longest-running and largest local history project yet devised, the Victoria County History of England. Probably drinking tea.

7,920 Followers  |  3,139 Following  |  8,264 Posts  |  Joined: 23.08.2023  |  1.9464

Latest posts by adamchapman.bsky.social on Bluesky

See @vanessathorpe.bsky.social in @theobserveruk.bsky.social β€” a devastating story:

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

19.10.2025 08:02 β€” πŸ‘ 26    πŸ” 22    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I generally think that'd be good for everyone.

19.10.2025 09:09 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Katie Lam's plan would mean parents with settled status who have children who are British citizens potentially being deported. Wouldn't it?

19.10.2025 08:30 β€” πŸ‘ 79    πŸ” 23    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 3

Your regular reminder that scrapping ILR for people who have come here and played by the rules, which is what Lam proposes here, is a position supported by 3% of the public

19.10.2025 07:30 β€” πŸ‘ 188    πŸ” 68    πŸ’¬ 14    πŸ“Œ 2

This -official Conservative policy - is essentially identical to the Reform policy that the Prime Minister described as "racist and immoral" and would "rip out country apart".

Would be good if media and politicians pointed this out .

19.10.2025 07:39 β€” πŸ‘ 110    πŸ” 49    πŸ’¬ 9    πŸ“Œ 2
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Why can't Reform answer this question? Plus predictions for the Caerphilly by-election

Try as I might, I can't get Reform to answer a simple question about their candidate in the Caerphilly by-election Llyr Powell.

When did he last have contact with Nathan Gill, the party's former leader in Wales who has admitted taking Russian bribes?
willhaywardwales.substack.com/p/why-cant-r...

19.10.2025 07:10 β€” πŸ‘ 142    πŸ” 77    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 5

Still looking for potential venues for a book launch. All suggestions welcome.

18.10.2025 12:58 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0
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'It was urgent': Minister and museums boss lift the lid on reasons behind National Trust's Ironbridge takeover A government minister and the boss of Ironbridge's museums have lifted the lid on the reasons behind the National Trust's takeover of the historic sites.

After sixty years of independent operation missed visitor targets and increasing costs such as employer's NI, are cited as the National Trust takes over the museums in Ironbridge Gorge, helped by a Β£9m sweetener from GOVUK.

Who's next and what does this say about sustainability in heritage world?

18.10.2025 13:49 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Over Β£900,000 repaid to London workers as Government cracks down on employers underpaying their staff The Government has named 66 employers who failed to pay the minimum wage, as part of ongoing action to Make Work Pay.

Over Β£900,000 repaid to London workers as Government cracks down on employers underpaying their staff

www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/ove...

17.10.2025 21:28 β€” πŸ‘ 479    πŸ” 143    πŸ’¬ 14    πŸ“Œ 9

I can beat the medievalists! In 61 CE, revolting British natives attacked the Roman colony of Camulodunum (Colchester). In 2015, in a domestic space, archs found the remains of a whole box of coriander as well as fenugreek, poppy seeds, cumin, & other Indian spices. Homesick Roman women made curry.

18.10.2025 12:42 β€” πŸ‘ 747    πŸ” 223    πŸ’¬ 13    πŸ“Œ 5

Having - years ago - worked at the football with St John Ambulance, I can confirm that the most solid thing I ever saw thrown was an inflatable sheep (yes, the game did involve Cardiff...).

18.10.2025 08:45 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Assuming there were many such things in the β€˜80s (I genuinely don’t know!).

18.10.2025 08:29 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

This always translates to:
β€˜And did you go to university?’
β€˜Well of course I went to university, and my eldest is at oxbridge and our youngest will be joining them next year, but I don’t think OTHER peoples’ kids should go to University.’

18.10.2025 08:24 β€” πŸ‘ 63    πŸ” 15    πŸ’¬ 8    πŸ“Œ 0

Who’d be an early medievalist, eh? The art historians are good for this too..

18.10.2025 07:14 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I hope this is positive news for @ironbridgegmt.bsky.social but wasn’t aware that the IGMT was in trouble. Good to see @nationaltrust.org.uk & govt recognise the importance of industrial heritage

Needless to say it’s mportant to preserve jobs & heritage skills as well as the museums & artefacts

17.10.2025 17:21 β€” πŸ‘ 25    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Me too - this led the news, for what seemed like forever, was certainly discussed on Newsround, and I am less than a year older than Mr Jenrick!

18.10.2025 06:55 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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The chances that Robert Jenrick *literally* went to "more than a few football matches in the away end" at Villa Park *in the 1980s* (ie, before his 8th birthday on 8.1.1990) are vanishingly small to non-existent. (He may have been in the away end at Villa Park as a child or teenager in the 1990s)

18.10.2025 06:12 β€” πŸ‘ 268    πŸ” 48    πŸ’¬ 30    πŸ“Œ 26

This is painfully familiar. Iβ€˜m ready for my second cuppa already..

18.10.2025 06:14 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

About your time machine…

18.10.2025 05:52 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Nearer 35 years! Even that may be a conservative estimate…

18.10.2025 05:49 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Professors *never* supply information. Students aren’t paying premium prices for β€˜information’ at all. How can people who presumably have attended universities misunderstand their role so badly?

16.10.2025 14:16 β€” πŸ‘ 169    πŸ” 45    πŸ’¬ 11    πŸ“Œ 8

Him and me both.

17.10.2025 19:20 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I’m not sure we have the water pressure (though I do have enough hose…).

17.10.2025 19:00 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Who can say?

17.10.2025 17:07 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

#ICYMI - coming soon, so if you're in reach of Taunton, why not book now and come along!

17.10.2025 15:42 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The garden is *still* full of acrid smoke...

17.10.2025 15:50 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

You look at the degrees people in the City of London have and they're rarely Business Studies.

17.10.2025 15:41 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It's galling, isn't it? He's definitely burning wood, but it certainly is not ready for burning...

17.10.2025 13:24 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I do need to look into this - we're not in a town (well, not formally), so the woodburner per se isn't an issue. What *is* an issue is that his '70s bungalow was built with gas central heating and the chimney needs to be a couple of metres taller to lift the smoke properly

17.10.2025 13:12 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Or at least get some dry firewood...

17.10.2025 13:08 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

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