Dr Ailsa Boyd

I love all the different fonts.

Joyous crowd gathered on the steps of San Francisco City Hall celebrating the Internet Archive.

It's official! 🏛️ 🎉 The SF Board of Supervisors has unanimously declared October 22, 2025 as Internet Archive Day — celebrating our 1️⃣ trillion webpages preserved & our mission to provide universal access to all knowledge.

Learn more & celebrate with us tonight! ➡️ blog.archive.org/2025/10/22/h...

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

There’s a new piece on my website about my recent trip to the South West to a church designed by #OwenJonesArchitect in 1847, St Bartholomew, Sutton Waldron. I was asked to speak at the celebration of the completion of major restorations to the church wall decorations by Owen Jones.

Osler’s fountain! But, the inside isn’t the colours chosen by #OwenJonesArchitect ☹️

Sorry about the formatting from Wordpress 🙁 Click through to my website for all the info in clear English!

I normally tag him #OwenJonesArchitect to prevent the confusion!

Owen Jones in Dorset I am delighted to be speaking on Owen Jones in Sutton Waldron, Dorset, on Sat 26th September, to celebrate the completion of the restoration of St Bartholomew’s Church. St Bartholomew's, Sutton Waldron (c) Dominick Swift Jones decorated the interior of this 1847 Gothic church in his characteristic colourful style. There is a whole weekend of events planned, from a concert, exhibition, activities, thanksgiving service and talks by myself, Philip Emery and Caroline Dakers.

Owen Jones in Dorset

I am delighted to be speaking on Owen Jones in Sutton Waldron, Dorset, on Sat 26th September, to celebrate the completion of the restoration of St Bartholomew’s Church. St Bartholomew's, Sutton Waldron (c) Dominick Swift Jones decorated the interior of this 1847 Gothic church…

Screenshot of document: “ according to Arendt, totalitarian regimes employ the following strategies to achieve and maintain power that ‘works from within,’ meaning on an individual, psychological level: 1. denial of economic realities / promotion of ‘classless’ society and conversion of social / economic classes into masses, or mobs 2. propaganda and suppression of the media 3. terror, which becomes an “essential function of government” 4. imposed statelessness, by which regimes decree who does and does not count as “citizens” 4. supplanting intellectuals and creatives: “The consistent persecution of every higher form of intellectual activity by the new mass leaders springs from more than their natural resentment against everything they cannot understand … Totalitarianism [] invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty” (377). 5. the imperial boomerang, or the idea that governments that develop repressive techniques to control colonial territories will eventually deploy those same techniques domestically against their own citizens. 6. fake government functions, organizations, or agencies 7. loneliness”

Checking off lots of items on Arendt’s list today

Someone on Twitter writes: "You think he gives a shit? His company (and net worth) went up in magnitudes of billions during his presentation yesterday. That's the last thing he cares about. :laughing emoji:

Any time I talk about a wealthy person's outfit, someone in the comments is quick to reply: "They're rich, you think they care?" No one has to care about my opinions or clothes, regardless of net worth.

But let's talk about the connection between wealth and aesthetics 🧵

Sign the Petition Save our School Librarians! Reverse proposed cuts to Glasgow schools

Please sign this petition about the removal of librarians from Glasgow schools.

chng.it/R9SFDdNZnY

Every single high school in Glasgow will lose its librarian under the current plans.

It is happening after SNP and Green councillors voted for major education cuts in the Glasgow City Council budget.

How fascinating- I did not know about this!

Goodnight from Tony Smollet, slipping Mother Kemp’s malakins into the timber while volunteering to help build the St. John’s Eve bonefire. Goodnight from the Merry Maidens parade band, enjoying one last practice before summoning the Bone Horse tomorrow. Goodnight from Hookland.

TLW Symposium 2025: Programme & Tickets The Transatlantic Literary Women Symposium is happening at the University of Derby on the 4th-5th July 2025. It’s also a completely hybrid event, so you’re also able to tune in and part…

Transatlantic Literary Women Symposium 4-5 July, University of Derby/online. A fabulous group of speakers, from Wharton to the Harlem Renaissance with keynote from Dr Katharine Cox - Register here!
tiny.cc/43mn001

List of history talk dates in 2025 from Historian Lorraine Murray for the Glasgow 850 anniversary series for the Alexander Thomson Society.

A few of my talks were postponed earlier this year for the #Glasgow 850 anniversary series, hosted by the Thomson Society. I was asked to share the new dates, so here you go!
Tickets not released yet, but book via www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/the-alexan...
#savethedate #history
#earlymodern #skystorians

Mortifying experience at Pulp last night but taking comfort that I’m not the worst person Jarvis Cocker has ever impersonated

North Laurieston positioned as an extension of Glasgow city centre : June 2025 : News : Architecture in profile the building environment in Scotland - Urban Realm North Laurieston positioned as an extension of Glasgow city centre, June 2025, News, Architecture and the built environment is an integral part of our society and we hope to provide a useful platform ...

North Laurieston Masterplan Consultation 24 June ⬇️ www.urbanrealm.com/news/11507/N...

ALL ABOARD! 🚂

📣SAVE LIVERPOOL STREET STATION!

The planning application for partial demolition of the listed station in the City of London to build a tower over it is now LIVE!!

Here's our guide to writing your objection by 4th July: bit.ly/3ZQRkk8

#heritage #cityoflondon

Do you fancy a free guided tour of Europe's oldest members owned and run swimming club? Founded in 1870 and Grade A listed. Book your here on the @WestFestGlasgow
tours: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/westfest-2... #glasgow #swimming #heritage #sport

Poster for a gala funday at the Arlington Baths Club Glasgow on 21 June 2025 showing street entertainers, children dancing and musicians text reads live music, circus performers, water polo, face painting, arts activities, poolside music

The Club is taking part again in
@WestFestGlasgow
this June! Join us for tours, talks, water polo, poolside classics and a spectacular street gala! more info: arlingtonbaths.co.uk/home #glasgow #events #funday #talks #tours

Recover well soon - there’s lots more lurking in stairwells to do!

Glasgow 850 Lectures in 2025 – so far This year I have been invited to deliver the following public talks, mostly as part of Glasgow 850

This year I have been invited to deliver the following public talks, mostly as part of Glasgow 850 - see details on my latest blog.

Glasgow’s ‘blight and dereliction’ makes it ‘Britain’s Detroit’ – Niall Murphy Nobody knows Glasgow better than architect Niall Murphy. To mark its 850th anniversary, he tells our Writer at Large about Glasgow’s journey from…

A whiz through Glasgow's history by @murphyniallgla.bsky.social for #Glasgow850 which also describes some of the reasons for the depressing state of our built heritage.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2520557...

🤦🏻‍♀️

Best song of the night!

Was really surprisingly fun! Like Argylle - unfairly derided

And the deathless prose

Word of the day is ‘forswunk’ (13th century): exhausted from too much work. I like to think that ‘foreswunk’ is to be exhausted before you even begin.

🤣🤣🤣