Historian. Archivist at Bloxham School. My latest Great War book, 'Remember Him at the Altar', is available from @Helionbooks. Opinions are my own only.
Bloxham, Oxfordshire
Joined March 2011
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Congratulations to Junior of @Bloxhamsport on his second appearance for @EnglandRugby U18s in the Six Nations Festival in France. Two eye-catching performances so far. @NextGenXV @BloxhamSchool
Team news 📋
England U18 Men’s head coach Jonathan Pendlebury has named his squad to take on Spain in the U18 Six Nations Festival on Monday.
#U6N18 | @Honda_UK
ALT 1. OLIVER SPENCER 2 JEROLD GORLEKU 3 SAM BLAND 4 FREDDIE OGDEN-METHERELL 5 ARCHIE APPLEBY (C) 6 TATE WILLIAMS 7 CHARLIE BRAY 8 MATTHEW BRANCH-HOLLAND 9 JAMES TOWNSEND 10 HUGH SHIELDS 11 ZAC FINCH 12 DECLAN TREACEY 13 VICTOR WORSNIP 14 JUNIOR DENNY 15 AJAY EDWARDS 16. KEALAN FREEMAN-PRICE 17 ALAN POKU 18 HARRY WRIGHT 19 HENRY LAIDLOW 20 ELLIOT WILLIAMS 21 GEORGE MARSH 22 ISAAC MEARS 23 OSCAR TALBOT 24 WILL KNIGHT 25 CHARLIE TAMANI 26 JAMES PATER
A superb history trip today to the site of Banbury's Great War munitions factory; in use 1916-24, it had 1500 workers and made 4 million HE shells + 350,000 mustard gas shells; enough survives to give a good idea of the site, with Dale Johnston doing a great job as guide.
Superb conditions for today's @SchoolsCup first round tie between @Bloxhamsport and @BedfordSchool . After a well contested game Bloxham ultimately ran out 27-17 winners. @NextGenXV
A great Western Front trip with @footsteps_pod at the weekend, with the highlight the steep climb up the taller (nearly 190m) of the twin slag heaps at Loos. In glorious sunshine we got a great impression of the flat and open terrain of the battlefield.
Yesterday I visited the beautiful Hermanville Cemetery in Normandy to pay my respects at the grave of @OldBloxhamist Lieutenant Robert Bell-Walker (1st South Lancashire Regiment), killed in action on nearby Sword Beach in the early hours of D Day, 80 years ago today.
Captain John Wilson, 1st Australian Imperial Force (died of wounds 21.5.15 suffered at Gallipoli), Driver Maurice Adams, 5th N.Z. Artillery (KIA 28.5.17 at Messines) and Private Charles Hammill, 1st/4th Australian Infantry (KIA 18.9.18 at Hargicourt).
This morning I took part in a school assembly explaining ANZAC Day. Alongside Dr Earl and me, two pupils of New Zealand descent told the stories of three @OldBloxhamist ANZACs who perished in the Great War; they will be remembered in the school chapel on Thursday. @Gallipoli100
Congratulations to @OldBloxhamist Dan Eckersley on his man-of-the-match display for Loughborough in Wednesday's BUCS Super Rugby final. Dan captained the @Bloxhamsport 1st XV during the 2019-20 season.
🏆An absolute EPIC at the StoneX, and it's @LboroSport who take the title and end @ExeterUniRFC's dreams of a three-peat!
What. A. Game.
#EXELOU 31-35 | FT
A privilege to be at tonight's event to mark the blessing of the new redevelopment of St Mary's, Bloxham, with its distinctive curved screens at the West End, accommodating toilets and a kitchen. Great to see the church's 1583 Breeches Bible on display too.
Really enjoying this book by @S_R_Tunnicliffe on his childhood in Somalia - a lovely insight into, for me, an unfamiliar time and place.
Just finished reading this remarkable book by @James1940 . I don't think I have read another book which so brilliantly conveys the chaos and complexity of warfare. Superb use of a vast range of primary source material from all sides involved.
Great to see this @OldBloxhamist trio together at @OxfordQuins today. Ed Yeates played his 100th game for the hosts while @CaviezelCox captained @kenilworthrugby + Scott de Weymarn refereed. Ed + Alex were in the same 2012-13 @Bloxhamsport 1st XV, Scott was 2 years ahead.
The Military Museum has an extraordinary collection, but the centrepiece has to be the car in which the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated in June 1914, sparking the Great War. Chilling to see the two fatal bullet holes. 2/3
A recent trip to Vienna for my next book in the footsteps of Prince Eugene of Savoy, including his summer palace, the Belvedere, and the superb Military Museum and the Schonbrunn and Hofburg Palaces. 1/3.
Tonight's concert was absolutely wonderful, with Andreas still possessing a matchless voice. He and Tamar gave two encores and wholly deserved the ovation at the end. The highlight for me was Handel's Va Tacito from Giulio Cesare.
Tomorrow night's concert with Andreas Scholl and Tamar Halperin is now completely sold out! Do try online or by phone for any returns.
musicatoxford.com/whats-on/a…
Simon Batten retweeted
700k views so far, and deserves them. Please RT and let’s get it to a million. If you haven’t watched it yet, fill yer boots.
(And follow @_CFTA)
Very sad to hear of the passing at the age of 103 of Nathaniel Fiennes, 21st Baron Saye and Sele, at the weekend. Every year I would take a large group of pupils to visit Broughton Castle, the family home since 1377, and he was always welcoming and kind.
This week I took a heritage group on a tour of G.E. Street's buildings at @BloxhamSchool. These were built piecemeal between 1855 and 1871, creating some interesting effects where the buildings join. The last pic is of the 1886 Headmaster's House, by Street's assistant Milne.
Great to see @OldBloxhamist Felix Hunt making such an impact for @BanburyRUFC today. Felix was captain of the @Bloxhamsport 1st XV last season.
Congratulations to today's Banbury Man of the Match, Felix Hunt. Runs like he's angry at the grass! Thank you to @BloxhamMill who sponsored todays game and presented the award.
