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Ian Dawson

@iandawson51

www.thinkinghistory.co.uk; edited HA's Exploring and Teaching Medieval History; ex-SHP Director; Hon Fellow HA, Leeds Trinity Univ; Nat Teaching Award 2003; retired from teacher-training; currently writing about the Redmayns of Harewood in 15thC

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07.12.2023
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Latest posts by Ian Dawson @iandawson51

I am very happy with virtual cake. I've added 2 gym sessions a week, one with a trainer, to my weekly tennis so brownies would only get me into trouble. All this activity means retirement is quite busy but it does make pushing the wheelchair easier.

26.02.2026 12:38 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Does that mean I can have a share of the cake?

26.02.2026 11:59 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Paddington in Parliament Dr Hannes KleinekeΒ of ourΒ Commons 1461-1504 SectionΒ explores how Paddington Bear's favourite sweet treat was traded by some members of the late medieval House

After his appearance at the BAFTAs last night, check out our latest article on Paddington Bear!

Dr Hannes Kleineke explores how his favourite sweet treat was traded by some members of the late medieval House of Commons.

23.02.2026 09:36 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 3
Jim Shields and Bob Unwin Bursaries History teaching methods, resources for history teachers, guidance for trainee teachers

A little more about why I'm sponsoring the 'Jim and Bob' @histassoc.bsky.social bursaries to enable conference attendance by two trainee or EC history teachers - why Jim and Bob were so important to me.
thinkinghistory.co.uk/Other/bursar...

25.01.2026 16:36 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
The Jim Shields and Bob Unwin Bursaries

Training or an Early Careers teacher in Yorkshire or Lancashire?
Thinking of going to the @histassoc.bsky.social conference for the first time in May?
The Jim Shields and Bob Unwin Bursaries, in honour of two great teachers, may help you get there!
www.history.org.uk/aboutus/news...

25.01.2026 12:02 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Congratulations, Sarah - definitely important to celebrate. I still have the acceptance letter for my first TH article in 1979 - next stage was publication, no proofs! @histassoc.bsky.social

19.01.2026 15:57 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Sounds grand - though puzzled why he or she is teaching in a squash or padel court.

18.12.2025 07:45 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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In memory of Ian Coulson, a great history teacher and friend of history teachers, who died ten years ago this month.

17.12.2025 12:14 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

An unanticipated pleasure of living with disability is the value of brief conversations with strangers, themselves often pushing walkers or wheelchairs or juggling sticks. The mutual understanding doesn't need to be explicit but does so much good for our souls and our faith in human kindness

16.12.2025 12:47 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

And i'll add this one - if you've used one of Barbara's 3 Tudor books do drop me a line - see below for explanation.

17.10.2025 08:23 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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If you've found this book helpful, could you send me a few words about via DM or below. I'm hoping to put together a collection of positive comments for the author who's having medical treatment at the moment. Many thanks.

13.10.2025 09:48 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 1

A doubly good day - a new Redmayn chapter online:
16. One Fortnight in Summer: 26th July to 11th August 1415
How did the delay to Henry V’s expedition affect the Redmayns?
thinkinghistory.co.uk/MedievalFami...
and my first tennis as a 74 yr old and since a brief hospital stay last month.

09.09.2025 14:31 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

A happy moment this month hearing from a student I taught in the late 1980s. It's easy to wonder in teaching whether our work is worthwhile but such contacts out of the blue provide evidence that all the efforts teachers put in are worthwhile in ways far beyond the achievement of a good exam result.

27.08.2025 12:05 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

An inspiration for anyone facing stoma surgery and even those of us who've had a stoma for decades. It's quite a birthday present knowing I was one of the first to have the experimental surgery (tho it didn't work back then) that now enables people to have internal pouches and hence stomas reversed

22.08.2025 09:47 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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For VJ Day
Sergeant George Dawson (seated), Royal Artillery 39-45, served in Indian and Burma, 42-45. An intelligent and kind man, he would have been an excellent teacher if born in a different decade. Like so many, he never spoke about his war in India and Burma.

15.08.2025 08:18 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The first few years - 1989 to c94 - the conference was the last weekend of term before Easter. That worked really well but LTU had to refund students for a night's accommodation so they made us move to July. Never had to miss a conference because of heat before Easter!

11.07.2025 10:30 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸ§‘πŸ½πŸ« Inclusive history in the classroom means acknowledging previously excluded voices and empowering teachers to share them.

We're fundraising for a GRT Teacher Fellowship in memory of Helen Snelson, who advocated for inclusive, rigorous history.

πŸ’› Support us here: shorturl.at/2wGcW #HACommunity

10.07.2025 09:02 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 1

The original doc is from 2006 so about 6 years before I first had electronic proofs. Everything was still on paper then though it had moved on from my first NC series in 1991 when cutting and pasting involved a knife and glue to work on proofs. Feels nearer Caxton than today.

09.07.2025 11:10 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Hi Fred - the only version I have is the word doc I originally sent Hodder - is that any use to you? It is probably different in places from the final version and there's no photos but I'm happy to email it to you. Worth asking @apf102.bsky.social as i think he was creating a version.

09.07.2025 11:09 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

This new chapter could be useful but equally it could be an enjoyable read!

07.07.2025 16:43 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Completely 'not my period' as they say, but wow. What a treasure trove of little vignettes this provides for A Level students in particular. πŸ‘ŒπŸ»

06.07.2025 17:46 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

and i love asking questions and making inferences about what the sources reveal about friendships, anxieties, social contacts, what people were good at, their sense of responsibility etc etc and keeping the national politics as necessary contextual background for the Redmayns' experiences.

06.07.2025 18:13 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you. It's been hugely enjoyable to research - reading at a depth I haven't since postgrad degree - and structure and write in a style of my own - not 'textbook' writing. Above all, it's about the 'texture of lived experiences' of individuals and recognising a common humanity across time ...

06.07.2025 18:13 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Deeper background for anyone teaching about Henry V at KS3 or A level - how one family was involved in parliamentary discussions, recruitment, mustering, preparations for departure:
How did the Redmayns experience the preparations for war 1414-1415?
thinkinghistory.co.uk/MedievalFami...

06.07.2025 17:20 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 2

I'm keeping my expectations low - main problem at the moment is choosing which of the many options I want to use. The one thing i am confident about is flopping in an exhausted heap on Tuesday afternoon.

06.07.2025 11:30 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

New- chapter 15 of my exploration of the Redmayn family c.1355-1426:
How did the Redmayns experience the preparations for war 1414-1415?
Recruiting soldiers, making lists, meeting friends at parliament .. my grandmother helps too - cross-referencing 1415 & 1914
thinkinghistory.co.uk/MedievalFami...

06.07.2025 08:37 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Sunday morning and planning my session for Y7s visiting The Leeds Library on Tuesday. Just like 50 years ago in my first year teaching! Breakdown of timings, questions to ask, takeaways to identify, an extra source or two in case we finish early - hearing aids to charge ... didn't do that 50 yrs ago

06.07.2025 08:31 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

I'm sure it will go really well and be a really memorable experience for the students - and for you.

03.07.2025 16:43 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Many congratulations - really pleased to see you've been awarded an Honorary Fellowship - thoroughly deserved and long may your contributions to the community continue!

03.07.2025 15:59 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Joyous news! Lancashire have won their first county championship match of the season. As I'm just starting a chapter about the Redmayns' involvement in the campaign leading to Agincourt, I'm drawing the optimistic parallel that Lancs, like Henry V, are about to turn despair into triumph -promotion!

02.07.2025 14:48 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0