Women of the Anarchy with Sharon Bennett Connolly

Today on Some Sources I’m excited to announce a Q&A with the brilliant Sharon Bennett Connolly. As well as running her own fantastic blog History…the Interesting Bits! since 2014 she’s also written four books (and counting!) relating to medieval history: Heroines of the Medieval World, Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest, …

Origins of the Anarchy: The White Ship Disaster

This month on Some Sources Say we’re exploring the Anarchy, a civil war that tore the fabric of England apart. As recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, “wherever the land was tilled, the earth bore no corn, for the land was all ruined with such deeds; and they said openly that Christ slept, and his saints. …

Queens: Mothers, Warriors, Icons Lecture by Dr Estelle Paranque

I attended Dr Estelle Paranque’s talk Queens: Mothers, Warriors, Icons which was hosted by the New College of the Humanities for Women’s History Month. Queenship is something I have always had an interest in, so from the title I knew this talk was definitely going to be up my street! The lecture was in two …

Trailblazers: Marina Raskova

Marina Raskova (1912-1943) was a famous female aviator. Aviation was largely a man’s world in the beginning of the 20th century, but across the globe women like Marina Raskova, Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson were proving that women had a right to be involved in this developing industry too. Marina blazed the trail for women …

Trailblazers: Joan of Arc ‘The Maid of Orléans’

During a war that lasted over 100 years, a French teenager rose from humble beginnings to become a famous warrior. She led an army into battle against the English, changing the course of the war and history. This warrior mystic who believed she received visions from God met a tragic end at the hands of …

Trailblazers: Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians

In Women’s History Month 2020 I started a mini-Trailblazers series where we looked at Empress Theodora, Marie Curie, Christine de Pizan and Ida B Wells, and this year I’ll be continuing this series exploring more kick-ass women! So, to get things started, we’re going to find out about Æthelflæd. She was daughter of Alfred the …

Love Letters: Horatio Nelson & Emma Hamilton

I first came across Emma Hamilton (c.1765-1815) at Kiplin Hall where there was a beautiful portrait of her in one of the rooms upstairs. I volunteered as a steward, so as I read up on all the collection items I found out she was the famous mistress of British naval hero Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). 'Emma, …

Love Letters: James Stuart & George Villiers (Guest Post by Laura Adkins)

Today on Some Sources Say we have a guest post by the wonderful Laura Adkins creator of the For the Love of History blog. Read more below! "Christ has his John and I have my George..." On 28th March 1625 King James, I of England died. He had been suffering over the last few days …

Love Letters: Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn

Henry VIII famously had six wives, yet only for one of them did he rip the fabric of England apart in order to marry her and make her his queen. The lady in question? The iconic Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn by unknown artist Anne is first thought to have caught Henry’s eye in 1526. He …

Holocaust Memorial Day: The Last Letter of Vilma Grunwald

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day and now more than ever it is crucial we continue to remember these horrifying events and the cost of racism, anti-semitism and far right extremism.  In 2021 people still deny the Holocaust happened, or even wear things like ‘Camp Auschwitz’ t-shirts as seen in the recent domestic terrorist attack on …