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Michael Pearce

@michaelpearce

History, Scotland. Probably writing about material culture, costume, household accounts, letters, recipe books, and the fine grain detail of Scottish royal revenue.

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03.11.2023
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Latest posts by Michael Pearce @michaelpearce

For passementerie in British country houses, Annabel Westman, 'Fringe, Frog and Tassel: The Art of the Trimmings-Maker in Interior Decoration', lovely pictures

10.03.2026 20:50 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Image of the life raft, showing the triangular shape. It is a light brown colour.

Image of the life raft, showing the triangular shape. It is a light brown colour.

Image showing the information printed on the raft: It says C2176, then D.R.Co. Jul 1940, and Mid/30.

Image showing the information printed on the raft: It says C2176, then D.R.Co. Jul 1940, and Mid/30.

#NavalHistory people! Help! Our local museum has a life raft we're trying to research. Does anyone know anything about it? It is triangular, and is stamped with a 1940 date.

10.03.2026 19:33 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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W.A.A.F. ASSIST IN FIGHTER OPERATIONS Original wartime caption: For story see CH.13677 Picture (issued 1944) shows - The self-inflating dinghy always carried in fighter aircraft is repaired and packed by W.A.A.F. safety equipment workers....

Is it perhaps a type of "self-inflating dinghy", IWM has pictures as used by RAF: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

10.03.2026 20:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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New on the blog: @jamesafox.bsky.social explores the unique materiality of a rare surving copy of a recipe book by the famous 'authress' Hannnah Woolley πŸŽ‚

Read more here πŸ‘‡

howtobook.hypotheses.org/6000

#recipes #rarebooks #bookhistory #earlymodern

10.03.2026 14:19 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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β€˜That so Ancient a City Should Have Elected a Woman as Mayor Is a Sign of the times’: Women and Local Government in Worcester before 1939 This article explores women’s experiences of local government in Worcester between 1907 and 1939. The city saw a limited suffrage movement, and to date has never elected a female MP. Yet while wome...

#InternationalWomensDay may have come and gone in 2026, but you can read about some of our extraordinary ancestresses in Midlands History all year round...

... like Anna Muggeridge's article on women's experiences of local government in Worcester πŸ‘‡

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

09.03.2026 12:54 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Crichton Castle - Constructed as a tower house in the late 14th century (compressed quality for uploading, but you get the idea).

08.03.2026 16:33 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Mountquhanie Castle, Fife , Scotland

Mountquhanie Castle, Fife , Scotland

Text from the will of Jonet Beaton, lady Condland, including a debt to James Hunter, a glazier based in Edinburgh

Text from the will of Jonet Beaton, lady Condland, including a debt to James Hunter, a glazier based in Edinburgh

When Jonet Beaton, lady Condland, lived at Mountquhanie in the 1570s she employed James Hunter, a glazier from Edinburgh to fix the windows (and called the place 'Balquhany')

07.03.2026 16:45 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

There is a wikipedia article about 'Frognal House' aka Frog Pool

06.03.2026 11:58 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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There's a monumental brass at Edensor to James Beaton (died 1570), which is a good example of the sort of thing Mary, Queen of Scots, imported from Paris, as well as being exceptionally informative. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Be...

05.03.2026 11:36 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Screen grab of a call for papers at Leeds IMC. The text reads:

TIME FOR CHANGE: TEMPORALITIES & CASTLES

Call for Papers - Leeds IMC 6-9 July 2026 - 'Temporalities'

What is a castle in time? Is there a time of castles, for castles? Can castles be atemporal? What does a castle studies engaging with questions of temporality look like? Whose castle temporalities matter? Can we call time on the castle studies of yesterday, yesteryear? Can the lens of temporality challenge castle knowledges and interpretations?

This panel welcomes proposals which examine temporalities and temporalities in castle studies as a field of inquiry at the intersection of (among others) medieval studies, architecture, archaeology, history, heritage and medievalism.

Papers of between 15-20 minutes, by researchers at all career stages, discussing any aspects of castle studies research including but not limited to the following, are welcome:

β€’ Temporality in castle studies;
β€’ Remembering and memorializing in castle
Obscured history, identities and heritages in spaces, communities, themes: past and
castles past and present
present;
β€’ Medieval temporalities and the heritage β€’
Temporally situated antiquity, novelty and innovation in castles;
β€’ Planning, timing, scheduling, recording in β€’ castle communities, lives, societies;
β€’ Ruined, lost and fictional castles in time
Parallel and contradictory times;
β€’ Time and temporality in the reception of castles;

Please send proposals (a title and abstract of no more than 200 words; short biography of 50 words or less), or any questions, to Dr William Wyeth (william.wyeth@english-heritage.org.uk) by 15 September 2025.
This session is organised by Emma Fearon (Nottingham Trent University) and William Wyeth (English Heritage)

Screen grab of a call for papers at Leeds IMC. The text reads: TIME FOR CHANGE: TEMPORALITIES & CASTLES Call for Papers - Leeds IMC 6-9 July 2026 - 'Temporalities' What is a castle in time? Is there a time of castles, for castles? Can castles be atemporal? What does a castle studies engaging with questions of temporality look like? Whose castle temporalities matter? Can we call time on the castle studies of yesterday, yesteryear? Can the lens of temporality challenge castle knowledges and interpretations? This panel welcomes proposals which examine temporalities and temporalities in castle studies as a field of inquiry at the intersection of (among others) medieval studies, architecture, archaeology, history, heritage and medievalism. Papers of between 15-20 minutes, by researchers at all career stages, discussing any aspects of castle studies research including but not limited to the following, are welcome: β€’ Temporality in castle studies; β€’ Remembering and memorializing in castle Obscured history, identities and heritages in spaces, communities, themes: past and castles past and present present; β€’ Medieval temporalities and the heritage β€’ Temporally situated antiquity, novelty and innovation in castles; β€’ Planning, timing, scheduling, recording in β€’ castle communities, lives, societies; β€’ Ruined, lost and fictional castles in time Parallel and contradictory times; β€’ Time and temporality in the reception of castles; Please send proposals (a title and abstract of no more than 200 words; short biography of 50 words or less), or any questions, to Dr William Wyeth (william.wyeth@english-heritage.org.uk) by 15 September 2025. This session is organised by Emma Fearon (Nottingham Trent University) and William Wyeth (English Heritage)

Please share: due to withdrawal I have a space on my castles panel for #LeedsIMC.

If you’ve an idea needs airing on time and temporalities in castles, give me a shout/submit via link! imc-leeds.confex.com/imc/2026/pre... @imc-leeds.bsky.social @castlestudies.bsky.social

Original CfP below ⬇️

05.03.2026 09:14 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 22 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Sign saying β€˜our bartenders are so light fingered they could be concert pianists’ Why, are they going to rob me?

Sign saying β€˜our bartenders are so light fingered they could be concert pianists’ Why, are they going to rob me?

I feel they have misunderstood this expression:

03.03.2026 17:49 πŸ‘ 771 πŸ” 135 πŸ’¬ 39 πŸ“Œ 18
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Written Worlds: Non-Elite Writers in Early Modern England

Just a reminder... Tomorrow, 5 March, 5.30 pm ✨ Sue Wiseman, Brodie Waddell @brodiewaddell.bsky.social ,
and Michael Powell Davies @mdpowelldavies.bsky.social speaking on "Written Worlds: Non-Elite Writers in Early Modern England" Sign-up in person & online: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

04.03.2026 10:37 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 15 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Call for Papers

Are you a PG student or ECR interested in presenting at our conference β€˜Clio Reframed: Women Writing History, 1500-1750’ in June?

Bursaries to help with expenses are generously funded by @srsrensoc.bsky.social, so please send us your abstract by 14 March!

clioreframed.hcommons.org/call-for-pap...

26.02.2026 09:34 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 14 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Letter granting concerning making of salt, 1567 Warrant by Marie de Guise as Regent, requiring the Council of Edinburgh to set aside a piece of land for London merchants for making salt, for the 24th May 1567. One side of text in black ink with the...

A grant to the gold prospector Cornelius de Vos to make salt at Newhaven, Edinburgh, 24 May 1567. description is painful: www.capitalcollections.org.uk/view-item?i=...

01.03.2026 10:10 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

An exciting release from the IMEMS Press with @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social! Many congratulation to its author, Dr Sara Ayres.

27.02.2026 09:31 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Verae alchemiae artis'qve metallicae citra aenigmata, doctrina, certvs'qve modus, scriptis tum nouis tum ueteribus nunc primΓΉm & fideliter maiori ex parte editis, comprehensus : quorum elenchum Γ  prae... Titles to dedications and preface contain the editor's name, Gulielmus Gratarolus

The second one may well be this 1561 title, Verae alchemiae artisqve metallicae: archive.org/details/vera...

26.02.2026 21:08 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Irish Independent: Man stole three coffee machines in a week from Monaghan department store.

Irish Independent: Man stole three coffee machines in a week from Monaghan department store.

How does he sleep at night?

25.02.2026 09:14 πŸ‘ 3599 πŸ” 606 πŸ’¬ 98 πŸ“Œ 53
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New from @imems.bsky.social The Grand Tour of Prince George of Denmark in England, 1669 is an annotated diary describing the politics, cultural richness and practicalities of elite educational travel in England during the early reign of Charles II. Read more > buff.ly/jAXnZqB @saraayres.bsky.social

24.02.2026 08:00 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 10 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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The Arlington Baths, The Alhambra and Owen Jones An illustrated talk on how Islamic architecture and design inspired the 19th century architecture of the Arlington Baths Club.

Our beautiful Turkish bath is 150 years old! In this illustrated talk, art historian Dr Ailsa Boyd @ailsaboyd.bsky.social will discuss 'The Arlington Baths, The Alhambra and Owen Jones: Islamic architecture and design in the 19thΒ century’. Fri 13 Mar, 7pm, free!

23.02.2026 17:12 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸ“£ Still time to get your abstract in for 'Clio Reframed: Women Writing History, 1500-1750', a two-day conference to be held at Oxford on 18/19 June 2026. Generously supported by Corpus Christi, @oxfordcems.bsky.social, and @srsrensoc.bsky.social.

clioreframed.hcommons.org/call-for-pap...

23.02.2026 09:47 πŸ‘ 13 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Chamberlain Letters, 2 vols, seems a bargain at Β£20

23.02.2026 13:14 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Features to note: painted floor at foot of main staircase, and en-suite to bedroom (pictured) is in the outshot entrance porch

22.02.2026 20:28 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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Article in today’s Herald already posted by others but behind a paywall, so here’s an old school version. Apologies in advance to all those colleagues who never get credit in a feature like this.

22.02.2026 11:44 πŸ‘ 40 πŸ” 15 πŸ’¬ 5 πŸ“Œ 1
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John Knox’s stinking women In 1556, John Knox wrote a letter to his female Protestant following in Edinburgh, advising on suitable clothing for the godly. The new-ish French farthingale was deprecated.1 After finding some sc…

New blog post on a somewhat neglected aspect of fashion at court in the 1550s and 1560s: vanishedcomforts.org/2026/02/18/j...

20.02.2026 18:14 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
A scene of several persons preparing food for horses.

A scene of several persons preparing food for horses.

#AnimalHistory hive mind: what did city #horses eat in Early Modern Germany?
@jnisly-goretzki.bsky.social
This is a scene from late 17th century Hamburg. I’m interested in what grain was used and what the guy in the bottom left mixed together. Thanks.

20.02.2026 15:33 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 5 πŸ“Œ 0

Calvin's comment was that 'women will spare no cost to make themselves fine: yea they will pinch their bellies, and offer violence to nature itself, that they may have wherewith to attire themselves the more costly & sumptuously'

20.02.2026 13:58 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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A panel with a similar figure was sold on eBay last week

20.02.2026 09:23 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Publication day for Women and Transnational Cultural Exchange, 1550-1850 We are excited to announce the publication of a new collection of essays by WSG members, Women and Transnational Cultural Exchange, 1550–1850, edited by Brianna E. Robertson-Kirkland and Louise Duc…

We are excited to announce the publication of a new collection of essays by WSG members, Women and Transnational Cultural Exchange, 1550–1850, edited by @breerob-kirk.bsky.social and @louiseduckling.bsky.social
Congratulations to everyone involved! womensstudiesgroup.org/2026/02/19/p...

19.02.2026 17:02 πŸ‘ 15 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Make Ready! 🏰 On 3 March, Isobel Barnard from @kingshistory.bsky.social will present: β€˜The Castle in 14th Century Scotland: A Sociological Study of Masculine Identity'.

πŸ—“οΈ 03 March
⏰ 17:30 GMT
πŸ›οΈ IN PERSON @ihr.bsky.social & πŸ’» ONLINE

Sign up now: bit.ly/londonmedieval

18.02.2026 10:08 πŸ‘ 21 πŸ” 14 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 4
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Criminal trials in Scotland, from A.D. M.CCCC.LXXXVIII to A.D. M.DC.XXIV, embracing the entire reigns of James IV. and V., Mary Queen of Scots and James VI : Bannatyne Club (Edinburgh, Scotland) : Fre... Not printed for the club; copies were bought for members

Robert Pitcairn at his most radical on the arbitrary and despotic character of James VI, p. 349 archive.org/details/crim...

16.02.2026 23:12 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0