David Underdown
LightNews LightNews
banner
davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown
@davidunderdown.bsky.social
1.7K followers 2K following 1.2K posts

Data Engineer at The National Archives. Digital Preservation/Digital Archiving. Also cycling, bellringing, photography, choral singing, promming and much more

Videos

David Edward Underdown was a historian of 17th-century English politics and culture and Professor Emeritus at Yale University. Born at Wells, Somerset, Underdown was educated at the Blue School and Exeter College, Oxford. The books Revel, Riot, and Rebellion and Fire from Heaven won prizes from the North American Conference on British Studies and the New England Historical Association. After retiring from Yale in 1996, Underdown wrote a well-received book about the history of cricket in the Hambledon era, Start of Play. .. more

Political science 34%
History 28%
Posts Replies Media Videos

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 1d
#UnconfinedWalks Bright and frosty, but not too windy

Reposted by David Underdown

milleanick.bsky.social
Nick Millea @milleanick.bsky.social · 1d
Our next @bodleian.ox.ac.uk #maps blog by @stuartackland.bsky.social features the "false" map of #Oxford from 1644. Look at this and be prepared to be confused!
blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/maps/. When is north not north? And who was Anthony Wood? @bcsmaps.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk @bbcoxford.bsky.social

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 1d
#UnconfinedWalks a cold bright morning

Reposted by Miles Corak, Sebastian Karcher, David Underdown , and 1 more

scottbot.bsky.social
scott b. weingart @scottbot.bsky.social · 2d
Nearly-perfect printed and handwritten text recognition is the most consequential technical contribution to the study of human culture of the last fifteen years, and it's not even close.

It fundamentally changes our (both lay and expert) relationship with the written past.
dancohen.org Dan Cohen @dancohen.org · 2d
New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition
One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved
newsletter.dancohen.org

Reposted by Martin Paul Eve, Charles West, Miles Corak , and 7 more

dancohen.org
Dan Cohen @dancohen.org · 2d
New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition
One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved
newsletter.dancohen.org

Reposted by David Underdown

bho.bsky.social
British History Online @bho.bsky.social · 2d
Voices in Slavery’s Archive: Law, Place & Testimony in British Guiana

making the largest collection of first-person testimony of enslaved people from the Caribbean in existence – the Reports of the Protectors of Slaves – accessible.

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/p...

#History
Project to bring voices of enslaved people to life - The National Archives
The National Archives is working with international academics to make the largest collection of first-person testimony of enslaved people from the Caribbean in existence – the Reports of the Protector...
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 3d
#UnconfinedWalks It had seemed like it was starting to brighten up as I prepared to go out for a lunchtime ride, but by the time I actually got moving the cloud had closed in again
View down over grassland to Pen Pinds. The areas of bracken are now autumnal brown

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 4d
#UnconfinedWalks beginning of sunset just as I got home this evening

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 4d
I did look in the local antique store when I moved in in the hope of finding something. Wouldn’t need to be quite so big

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 4d
Could just do with that screen in the corner of my bedroom in my art deco flat to hide the boxes etc I’ve never found another home for

Reposted by David Underdown

simonjones.bsky.social
Simon Jones @simonjones.bsky.social · 4d
This article references the work of Emma Marsh in surveying the bombing debris.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 4d
I thought it might prove popular

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 4d
And now Beerbliothek’s Hoppy Pale spring pale ale #ConfunedCocktails

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 4d
#ConfinedCocktails not been on BlueSky much on a Saturday evening lately but today have washed down a pork stir fry with All the beer (though just one small can) from Cornwall’s St Ives Brewery

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 5d
Well it is her name day after all

Reposted by David Underdown

patrickdunleavy.bsky.social
Patrick Dunleavy @patrickdunleavy.bsky.social · 5d
Beatrice and Sidney Webb were the original LSE power couple, brought together by a shared interest in Trade Unions. Inderbir Bhullar traces their partnership, exploring the overlap between their private lives & their collaborative work. blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsehistory/2...
Beatrice and Sidney Webb and Trade Unions - LSE History
LSE co-founders Beatrice and Sidney Webb were brought together by a shared interest in Trade Unions. Inderbir Bhullar traces the very beginning of their partnership.
blogs.lse.ac.uk

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, David Underdown

timclare.bsky.social
Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 5d
Prevalence rates are no guide as to whether a condition is 'real' or overdiagnosed. 1 in 8 men get diagnosed with prostate cancer. Incidence rates have risen 55% since 1990. We accept this is due to better awareness & screening, & people surviving other conditions, not a fad or medical overreach.

Reposted by Margot C. Finn, David Underdown, Paul Nightingale

crisortunity.bsky.social
Leo Murray @crisortunity.bsky.social · 5d
I really cannot recommend this excellent piece on Hammersmith Bridge highly enough
Hammersmith Bridge
Where did 25,000 vehicles go?
nickmaini.substack.com

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 5d
#UnconfinedWalks another chilly day. Eve oat lunchtime there were still patches of frost where sunlight hadn’t touched the grass

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 6d
#UnconfinedWalks just got to the office before the rain turned to snow yesterday, but no time for photos. Today: bright, sparkly, and perishing this morning

Reposted by David Underdown

kingstoncycling.bsky.social
Kingston Cycling Campaign @kingstoncycling.bsky.social · 6d
The new LCC map of 'Dangerous Junctions (for cyclists) in London highlights the risks in north Kingston. Most dangerous junction is assessed to be Kings Road with Park Road (mini roundabout), 3rd is London Rd juntion with Birkenhead Ave (opposite ASDA), and #4 Queen's Road/ Crescent Road.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Margot C. Finn, David Underdown

uknatarcsector.bsky.social
UK Archive Sector Leadership @uknatarcsector.bsky.social · 7d
Are you a community group with a passion for heritage? Or a museum, library, gallery or archive with a bold idea for community-led research?

The Spaces, Places and Belonging Community Hub is accepting applications for seed corn grants: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/community-hu... (1/2)
A person holds a large, tanned map (with a red outline) in both hands.

Reposted by Martin Paul Eve, Andreas Wagner, David Underdown

elotroalex.bsky.social
Alex Gil @elotroalex.bsky.social · 9d
And we're back! Join us December 4–5, 2025 at Northeastern University in Boston for our 12th annual The Caribbean Digital Conference. Our schedule is packed with wonders and amazing colleagues. Check it out! As always, attendance is free, whether zoom or live. Hope to see you there!
#TCDXII
Our twelfth conference dedicated to Caribbean digital studies. Jamaica, 2025.
thecaribbeandigital.org

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 9d
#UnconfinedWalks first frosty morning of the season
Grassland (with trees beyond), white with hoar frost beneath a cloudy sky

Reposted by David Underdown

wokestudies.bsky.social
Dr Ian McCormick @wokestudies.bsky.social · 9d
"Isambard" : Library Cat at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University.
Book: 'Opuscula of Gregorii Tiferni' (1494)?
#HigherEd #research #Cats #edchat
Photo of "Isambard" : Library Cat at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University. Book: 'Opuscula of Gregorii Tiferni' (1494)?

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 10d
#UnconfinedWalks bright and sunny at lunchtime, but chilly northerly wind

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 11d
#UnconfinedWalks yesterday down to what proved to be a rather busy Sloane Square as the King’s Road Christmas lights were being turned on, which also brought a few curious folk into our rehearsal for Durufflé’s Requiem in Holy Trinity Church (and possibly even a few extra ticket purchases)

Reposted by David Underdown

mrcwarwick.bsky.social
Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick @mrcwarwick.bsky.social · 13d
Coventry remembers 14 November 1940 #CoventryBlitz

The most concentrated attack on a British city during WWII saw over 500 people killed and 800 injured. 4000 homes were destroyed, along with one-quarter of the city’s factories, and the medieval cathedral of St Michael's.
Pages from the Coventry Evening Telegraph from November 1980 marking the 40th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz. Includes photographs of the destroyed cathedral and reprints of news articles written in the aftermath. Pages from the Coventry Evening Telegraph from November 1980 marking the 40th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz. Includes photographs of the destroyed cathedral and reprints of news articles written in the aftermath.

davidunderdown.bsky.social
David Underdown @davidunderdown.bsky.social · 13d
#UnconfinedWalks rather hit and miss with taking photos while out this week. Yesterday tree commemorating a late colleague looking suitably vibrant in the morning autumn sun. Then the calm before the storm at lunchtime today

Reposted by David Underdown

Written Statements to Parliament @written-statements.bsky.social · 14d
Cyber Security and Resilience. Statement made by Baroness Lloyd of Effra on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-11-13/HLWS1054