History thread

[Flick of the Elbow]

Anyone else interested in exchanging news and views on history ? Having been mostly ignorant of it for most of my life it has become quite a passion for me since I stopped working. I have found podcasts to be perfect for learning, most strive to be entertaining but also properly educational. The Ancients and Gone Medieval are my go-to’s, but I’ve also just started listening to The Rabbit Hole Detectives which is great fun.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

My wife is very onto History - even has a degree in it!

I like it - but not all areas

I do like spotting old mile posts and monuments by the side of a new road - or even a road I know well and just haven't seen before

It is also interesting looking at roads names of old roads and wondering why they are called that
sometimes the name is a corruption of a word
sometimes you have to think is is an ancient insult to someone long forgotten!

Old roads are facinating - I reas somewhere a theory that a lot of old roads are on the route that a cart horse chose when being ridden home by a sleepy and drunk farmer who had spent the day in the pub
The horse is not stupid - they pick the easiest route back to the warm comfy stable where the food is

Hence a weir curve is often due to an ancient - and long gone - muddy patch that the horse didn;t fancy plodding through!

anyway - I like riding along a new road wondering about rubbish like this
- Oh - and battleships and aeroplanes!!

 

[Oldhippy]

Pre Dynastic Egypt is my favourite but love previous civilisations in that part of the world also. Medieval history is enjoyable too.

 

[All uphill]

I'm interested by the history of the 20th century, a time recent enough that plentiful records and images exist. It also helps me that the distance isn't too great.

My lovely grandmother was born in 1876 and would talk about events at the turn of the century (1900) which I found interesting as a young adult.

 

[DCLane]

Son no. 2's at university in Nottingham doing a History & Politics degree, whilst also riding his bike.

He wants to understand why most murdering military dictators are 5' 7", where they went wrong and what the next 5' 7" murdering military dictator should do right. Worryingly he's 5' 7".

 

[wiggydiggy]

I like UK railway history, this site Lost Railways West Yorkshire is a favourite of mine to look at once was.

On YouTube I like 2 channels which have interesting videos, 1 is Geography Juice who does a lot of videos about Leeds. The other is Mark Felton who does mostly WW2/military stuff.

Lastly I'd also recommend Scottish Libraries old maps section, they let you do an online comparison between then and now. (This is reason alone for me not wanting to split the union!).

 

[oldwheels]

We were taught virtually no Scottish history at school and the emphasis was entirely English. Even at that young age we did not think that was the right approach so I differ from @wiggydigg without wish to get political.
I have read quite a lot and local histories are of great interest nowadays.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

In the 3rd Year at school (Year 9 in new money) we concentrated on local history
did stuff about the salve trade (being near the Mersey etc) but then spent a term looking at local history
I remember the teacher taking us for a walk around the area
The road around eh school were wide and tree lined (posh area) but going over the main road the roads ahcnged to be narrower and with more narrow pavements
He also pointed out the different types of house around the school and across the rao - and then took us to a modern estate just up the road

fascinating stuff

I also find that if you walk around a city - especially one that was not bombed too much during the War - then looking up at the upper storeys can show you a lot about how the city developed

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Lastly I'd also recommend Scottish Libraries old maps section, they let you do an online comparison between then and now. (This is reason alone for me not wanting to split the union!).

You know you’ll still be able to access such sites and even be welcome to come visit?

We won’t be building a wall!

 

[classic33]

I like UK railway history, this site Lost Railways West Yorkshire is a favourite of mine to look at once was.

On YouTube I like 2 channels which have interesting videos, 1 is Geography Juice who does a lot of videos about Leeds. The other is Mark Felton who does mostly WW2/military stuff.

Lastly I'd also recommend Scottish Libraries old maps section, they let you do an online comparison between then and now. (This is reason alone for me not wanting to split the union!).

There's some misinformation/incomplete information on that site.
Two pictures of a tunnel that runs into what was the local command centre in the case of nuclear war. Leads under the bus depot, where the bunker was built.

 

[Gillstay]

I took one of the Simon Winder books on the Austro-Hungarian empire as we drove to Czech republic last summer.
Made for a very interesting holiday as the history came together and we understood the people and places much more.

 

[wiggydiggy]

You know you’ll still be able to access such sites and even be welcome to come visit?

We won’t be building a wall!

I will again! This is me on the border just north of Kielder Water. Picture is small as I deleted old photos and only have thumbnails left.

There's some misinformation/incomplete information on that site.
Two pictures of a tunnel that runs into what was the local command centre in the case of nuclear war. Leads under the bus depot, where the bunker was built.

Its not 100% accurate but what is, I like the before/after nature of it.

 

[classic33]

I will again! This is me on the border just north of Kielder Water. Picture is small as I deleted old photos and only have thumbnails left.


View attachment 719029


Its not 100% accurate but what is, I like the before/after nature of it.

If you go to Halifax, its the pieces about the tunnel at Skircoat.
At the time mentioned, it was still the grounds of a private house, on the outskirts of town.

 

[wiggydiggy]

If you go to Halifax, its the pieces about the tunnel at Skircoat.
At the time mentioned, it was still the grounds of a private house, on the outskirts of town.

I'll have a look, I know a little about the Queensbury tunnel as it's been proposed as a recreational route, Skircoat I'm not so familiar with.

 

[classic33]

I'll have a look, I know a little about the Queensbury tunnel as it's been proposed as a recreational route, Skircoat I'm not so familiar with.

Skircoat is the site of the bus depot, previously the tram depot and garage. Next door to the Shay football ground.
There's talk again about reopening the L&YR high level viaduct and Box Hill tunnel. Queensbury tunnel is sealed shut.