Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · 10d

How lovely! We planted a pear tree 8 years ago. This year it finally produced half a dozen pears - it is next to the chicken run.

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · 11d

Tempt me not!

Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · 11d

Bumper crop of apples this year, for us and the rest of Europe, probably. Picked as many as we could before storm Amy arrived to give a helping hand.

A corner of our kitchen, with bowls of apples on the table and more on the windowsill.

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · 13d

I’d hit the like button, but ‘like’ really isn’t what I’m going for on this.

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Patrick Zamarian @pzamarian.bsky.social · Aug 30

Please sign: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/al...

Alexandra Road Retrofit: Stop Potential Fuel Poverty, Mould, and Inequality

Camden Council’s proposed heating retrofit for the iconic Grade II* listed Alexandra Road Estate risks locking residents into permanently high bills, colder homes, damp and mould and greater inequalit...

you.38degrees.org.uk

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · Aug 25

I don’t know - but please do share if you find out!

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Elizabeth Darling @archhistdarling.bsky.social · Aug 20

I just signed the open letter & joined the campaign. Access to the written archives was vital to the book I’m completing about BBC Broadcasting House.

Ian Greaves @greavesian.bsky.social · Aug 18

Calling historians and researchers. The BBC Written Archives Centre has changed its access rules without consultation. This means an end to proper independent research into the BBC's rich history. 178 have already signed the open letter. Please join the campaign here:

tinyurl.com/bbcwaccampaign

Open letter BBC Written Archives - August 2025

Join the campaign to protect the future of independent research at the BBC Written Archives Centre The following text is an open letter expressing the concern of historians and researchers about chan...

tinyurl.com

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · Aug 16

Cat on a hot concrete step
#caturday

Black and white cat lying in the sun on step. Patio and garden beyond.

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Kathryn A Morrison @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social · Aug 11

A long piece about 'Chain Stores' by Christopher Catling for the new edition of Current Archaeology - if you fancy a read!
the-past.com/feature/cath...

‘Cathedrals of commerce’ : A guide through the Golden Age of the British High Street | The Past

In her new book about High Street heritage, Kathryn Morrison takes us on a trip down memory lane and reminds us that design quality was once a proud part of ...

the-past.com

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · Aug 11

Just out, a round-up of news and progress on historic-hospitals in the latest post.
An unidentified chapel, a Humphreys iron hospital in Uppingham, a new book on hospitals in the Scottish Highlands, and a wander round Lincoln County Hospital.
historic-hospitals.com/2025/08/10/j...

July News in August

July was not my most productive month, but I have enjoyed being side-tracked by a few enquiries. These have had me investigating the birthplace of Vivian Stanshall – the musician, writer, and…

historic-hospitals.com

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Pete Herring @peteherring.bsky.social · Aug 2

Beautifully written obituary, and a marvellous portrait by Chris Redgrave.

Apollo @apollo-magazine.com · Jul 30

‘London was in his veins’: Gillian Darley pays tribute to the erudition, wit and open-mindedness of the architectural historian Andrew Saint, who has died at the age of 78.

‘London was in his veins’: Andrew Saint (1946–2025)

Gillian Darley remembers an architectural historian of great wit and erudition who was always keen to share his enthusiasms, which included a deep love of the capital

buff.ly

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Alistair Fair @alistairfair.bsky.social · Aug 3

Sad news overnight of serious damage by fire to St Mungo's church, Cumbernauld - designed by Alan Reiach 1963-64. Its dedication echoed Glasgow cathedral & recognised the Glaswegian roots of many early residents in the new town, which had been begun a few years before

A modernist church, with a grey brick wall and pyramidal roof with standing seam cladding, above which rises a further small pyramid on slender posts

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · Aug 1

Mystery Chapel:
Does anyone recognise this chapel? It is most likely in the South East of England, might be a hospital or institutional chapel, and was photographed in the 1950s. The photographer was a TB patient around this time, from St Paul's Cray and latterly at Eversfield Hospital, Hastings.

photo of a smallish chapel, simple gothic style, probably brick with small fleche, roughly three bay nave, with twin lancet windows separated by buttresses, and broader chancel end with triple lancet window in centre.

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C20 Society @c20society.bsky.social · Jul 30

💥The Bernat Klein Studio has been saved! This morning the coalition of Scottish heritage organisations secured the property at auction with a winning bid of £279,000.

The studio will now be restored and brought back into public use, creating a new venue for creative arts in the Scottish Borders.

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · Jul 30

Fantastic! So pleased.

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · Jul 30

Auction day. My fingers are firmly crossed.

docomomoscot.bsky.social @docomomoscot.bsky.social · Jul 29

The Bernat Klein Studio near Galashiels is going to be auctioned tomorrow, 30 July

You can still support heritage organisations in trying to buy this outstanding Modernist building by giving at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/saving-pet...

Keep your fingers crossed that the coalition can get the building!

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John Grindrod @grindrod.bsky.social · Jul 29

Alan Reiach and Stuart Renton’s church, completed in 1962. I’ve been to this one, it’s stupendous

Sarah Dalrymple @sarahdalgulls.bsky.social · Jul 29

Anyone fancy buying a Grade B listed modernist church? Make a change from the boring Victorian church conversions you normally see

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...

Check out this Place of worship for sale on Rightmove

Place of worship for sale in Kildrum Parish Church and Hall, Clouden Road, Cumbernauld G76 2JQ, G67 for £190,000. Marketed by Church of Scotland, Edinburgh

www.rightmove.co.uk

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Katie Carmichael @kcarmichael.bsky.social · Jul 28

Applications are open to become the new Graduate Trainee at HES - after seeing how much fun our most recent trainee had I’m quite jealous! Please share widely: ekov.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

Heritage Graduate Trainee

Here at HES, we are welcoming applications for the role of Heritage Graduate Trainee, which is a Grade 1 Fixed Term position working full time hours, based in Longmore House, Edinburgh.

ekov.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com

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docomomoscot.bsky.social @docomomoscot.bsky.social · Jul 23

This is exciting and very welcome news!

Matthew Mckeague @memckeague.bsky.social · Jul 23

'...SHBT have united with the National Trust for Scotland and Bernat Klein Foundation as the Bernat Klein Studio Coalition aiming to buy and restore the building...' > this is very good news. www.shbt.org.uk/2025/07/savi... @c20society.bsky.social @barnabascalder.bsky.social

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docomomoscot.bsky.social @docomomoscot.bsky.social · Jul 23

Support Scottish heritage organisations to buy Bernat Klein Studio, near Galashiels

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/7nPrRvgl

The late-Modernist building of 1972, designed by architect Peter Womersley, is to be auctioned on 30 July. Listed and vacant, this architectural marvel needs urgent saving!

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Elizabeth Darling @archhistdarling.bsky.social · Jul 14

The Bloomsbury Global Encylopedia of Women in Architecture 1960-2020 is now online! A huge achievement by Karen Burns & Lori Brown. Pleased to have had the chance to write some of the entries. preview31.sspbloomsbury.co.uk/bloomsbury-g...

Bloomsbury Visual Arts

preview31.sspbloomsbury.co.uk

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docomomoscot.bsky.social @docomomoscot.bsky.social · Jul 14

Less than three weeks until our 20th-century architecture tour of Aberdeen City on Saturday, 02 August

The day will include a former swimming pool, university buildings, residential tower blocks and more. The morning is on foot and the afternoon by minibus

TicketTailor.com/events/DocomomoScotland

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · Jul 6

Towards a social architecture, Andrew Saint, but you’ll be familiar with that I’m sure. @geraintfranklin.bsky.social wrote a good article on Mary Medd etc.

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Harriet Richardson Blakeman @harrietrichardsonb.bsky.social · Jul 6

A recent week's holiday on Orkney included a tour of the surviving historic hospitals in Kirkwall.

https://historic-hospitals.com/2025/07/06/orkney-revisited/

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docomomoscot.bsky.social @docomomoscot.bsky.social · Jul 1

Join us for a tour of #Aberdeen on 02 August to explore the city's rich architectural heritage of the mid- to late 20th century. The guided tour will include mass housing, the Bon Accord Baths, Gray's School of Art and more.

11am-5pm on foot and by minibus

TicketTailor.com/events/docomomoscotland

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