Matthew McCormack

Blog | Regency History Did Jane Austen, the Prince Regent, Fanny Burney or the Duke of Wellington talk of Santa Claus bringing presents at Christmas? No, they didn’t. But their December conversations may have made menti...

Did Father Christmas visit Regency England?

We spent time looking into the sources for the old fella who personifies the season.

www.regencyhistory.net/blog/father-...

*Camp of the Saints* is one of the fundamental texts of global white-supremacism.

Me too!

Not sure if any single part of academia felt more like a weird cheat code than Interlibrary Loan. Like, I just say a book I want, basically any book, and this crack team of experts just *get it*????

Drunk as a skunk

Sad to hear about the death of June Swann. She was long the keeper of the shoe collection at Northampton Museum, and published widely on the subject. All shoe historians walk the path she first trod. RIP
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Sw...

It's great, and the live audience on the TV recording reacted to lines that have particular resonance today

Very late to the party with this, but I have finally seen Hamilton, on TV.

Not sure what I was expecting, but a big musical number about the writing of the Federalist Papers wasn't it

Olivette Otele Prize 2025/26 Open for Submissions! DEADLINE EXTENSION! We have extended the call for abstracts to Friday 12th December 2025 for our annual Olivette Otele Prize! The prize offers the chance for fast-tracked publication of an article and a cash prize of £250 and is open to Black UK-based PhD students working in history or related disciplines, exploring any place or period.

We invite you to submit an abstract of no more than 400 words for a 40 minute paper by Friday 12th December 2025 to ihrhistorylab@gmail.com. Timeline: Abstract deadline of no more than 400 words due by Friday 12th DECEMBER 2025 Shortlisted scholars will be notified by Friday 19th December 2025 and asked to submit a full paper of no more than 8000 words by Friday 27th February The winner will be announced by the end of March 2026

Prize and Recognition The winner will receive a £250 cash prize, will be invited to speak at History Lab’s annual conference in summer 2026, and to submit their paper to Historical Research, the leading generalist historical journal and flagship publication of the Institute of Historical Research. Shortlisted scholars will receive a £30 book voucher and the opportunity to present their research at a History Lab seminar.

About the Prize The Olivette Otele Prize was created in 2020 in response to the Royal Historical Society’s ‘Race, Ethnicity and Equality Report’ which highlighted racial inequality in the field of history. The prize was named after the UK’s first Black woman history professor and was designed to both raise participants’ profiles as well as financially reward labour involved in academic research. We look forward to reading your applications!

🌟 Exciting news! The deadline for the Olivette Otele Prize has been extended to Friday 12th December! Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity for a fast-tracked publication, apply now! 📝

I enjoyed the series. Everybody was enjoyably ruthless from day 1, and interesting differences with the UK format.

Looking forward to the Irish one

Paul McNeill Paul McNeill is a contestant from The Traitors (Australia)/Season 1. Most well-known among audiences for having been almost deliberately edited out of the show, Paul nevertheless made it close to the ...

Just finished Australian Traitors. Funniest thing about it was the contestant who was almost completely edited out for odd behaviour and constantly spoiling the mechanics of the game
thetraitors.fandom.com/wiki/Paul_Mc...

Those too!

Nice blog. Cowper's shoes make an appearance in my book

Register for BSECS using the link below! If any PhD students and/or ECRs want to chat over coffee about postdoc applications, drop me a DM :) I'm always happy to share my experiences of post-PhD life. #c18

Scotland’s World Cup qualifying win reactions equivalent to small earthquake Celebrations to McLean’s jaw-dropping goal picked up by seismic activity monitors at Glasgow Geothermal Observatory

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Trump and Witkoff Try to Get Russia a Win The joint U.S.-Russia proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war, taken point-by-point

The US-Russia deal for Ukraine, point by point with comments on each by me.

9. European fighter jets will be stationed in Poland.
Gee, wow, Poland can station its own fighter jets on its own territory, and can allow international partners to station there as well. Thanks for the permission, Moscow.

Thank you!

Didn't sell many copies after my talk but nice to see this one in the wild

One for @willtullett.bsky.social - this gallery recreated smells, including Marie Antoinette's prison cell

At the V&A for my talk, so checked out the Marie Antoinette exhibition. Some stunning buckles, obvs

Today! If you're coming along, do say hello

Well done Scotland! One of the most astonishing games I've ever watched

Lunchtime Lectures: Shoes and the Georgian Man - V&A Academy Talk at V&A South Kensington · V&A This talk is part of the free Lunchtime Lecture programme. No booking is required.

Londoners! I'm doing a free lunchtime talk about my book at the V&A on Thursday
www.vam.ac.uk/event/xd9XBD...

Yes, I've heard good things and am looking forward to it!

There is a Traitors-shaped hole in my life so I'm watching the Australian version.

It's great - there is no "I love you guys and this has been a great experience" - instead, they are all ruthlessly playing to win from day one.

At graduation today, our Chancellor Richard Coles said that he bumped into Alan Carr shortly after they'd filmed Traitors. Asking how it went, he replied "I can't say! I've signed an NDA!"

The Curriers’ Prize The Worshipful Company of Curriers, has established an essay prize on the history of London, in association with The London Journal Trust and the IHR.

Applications are now open for the Curriers Prize, awarded by the Worshipful Company of Curriers in association with ourselves and the @ihr.bsky.social for the best entered essay on any aspect of London's history from Roman times to the present.

'BBC Bias' Memo Was Authored by Lobbyist Tied to Pro-Trump Tech Giants The leaked memo that fuelled Trump’s attack on the BBC was written by a lobbyist at a firm paid by US tech giants tied to the President

🔴'BBC Bias’ Memo Was Authored by Lobbyist Tied to Pro-Trump Tech Giants

The leaked memo that fuelled Trump’s attack on the BBC was written by a lobbyist at a firm paid by US tech giants tied to the President, reports @nafeez.bsky.social

bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b...

North American scholars come and work at Birmingham for a month. Deadline 15 November! #nacbs

www.birmingham.ac.uk/about/colleg...