Amy Gray
@amygraywrites.bsky.social
Red Duchess, my biog of the Duchess of Atholl MP, OUT NOW from The History Press. Freelance public affairs, small person wrangling, incurable reader, always trying to write. Also on IG.
Pinned
Amy Gray
@amygraywrites.bsky.social
· Aug 28
She’s out today! The remarkable and unfairly forgotten Duchess of Atholl, Scotland’s first woman MP and the Conservatives’ first woman minister, turned the most unlikely rebel in British politics.
A timeline cleanse. Our music director says anyone who was ever a chorister can sing this in their sleep, but somehow it has eluded me until now in 25 years of choral singing. Do I still have a top A? We will find out tomorrow!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIAq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIAq...
Charles Wood - O thou the central orb
YouTube video by Mandetriens
www.youtube.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:42 PM
A timeline cleanse. Our music director says anyone who was ever a chorister can sing this in their sleep, but somehow it has eluded me until now in 25 years of choral singing. Do I still have a top A? We will find out tomorrow!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIAq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIAq...
My favourite Stoppard story is how he wrote his son's school essay on Arcadia - and didn't get a very good mark...
Perfect Tom Stoppard story from DTel obituary:
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
November 29, 2025 at 7:13 PM
My favourite Stoppard story is how he wrote his son's school essay on Arcadia - and didn't get a very good mark...
Some mornings, it’s endless chat about hostile mobs in Minecraft (🥱).
But then sometimes I get to say things like “and can you remember the difference between the suffragettes and suffragists?” And my 6yo does.
But then sometimes I get to say things like “and can you remember the difference between the suffragettes and suffragists?” And my 6yo does.
November 29, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Some mornings, it’s endless chat about hostile mobs in Minecraft (🥱).
But then sometimes I get to say things like “and can you remember the difference between the suffragettes and suffragists?” And my 6yo does.
But then sometimes I get to say things like “and can you remember the difference between the suffragettes and suffragists?” And my 6yo does.
Such as, for example, a very readable biography which will introduce you to a fascinating woman you should know more about - and it literally has Christmas in the opening sentence! Also @bookshop.org has free delivery all weekend…
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/red-...
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/red-...
November 29, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Such as, for example, a very readable biography which will introduce you to a fascinating woman you should know more about - and it literally has Christmas in the opening sentence! Also @bookshop.org has free delivery all weekend…
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/red-...
uk.bookshop.org/p/books/red-...
Reposted by Amy Gray
It is not gatekeeping to say that authors deserve to be paid, and it’s not gatekeeping to say you can get a book from a library — and, be part of a community whilst you do so! — rather than download it instantly from a faceless site from someone who stole it.
November 26, 2025 at 10:01 PM
It is not gatekeeping to say that authors deserve to be paid, and it’s not gatekeeping to say you can get a book from a library — and, be part of a community whilst you do so! — rather than download it instantly from a faceless site from someone who stole it.
Reposted by Amy Gray
Why do you read (or not read)? Take part in this survey about #reading practices, experiences & habits & you can enter a prize draw to win one of six £100 prizes in book tokens. Responses will inform Prof Marion Turner’s research. app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/oxford/why...
November 26, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Why do you read (or not read)? Take part in this survey about #reading practices, experiences & habits & you can enter a prize draw to win one of six £100 prizes in book tokens. Responses will inform Prof Marion Turner’s research. app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/oxford/why...
“That’s the Prime Minister behind her! He looks just like his cartoon!” says my 6yo, a keen fan of @mortenmorland.bsky.social (trying to explain @thetimes.com editorial cartoon over breakfast in terms he can understand is a daily delight)
November 26, 2025 at 1:21 PM
“That’s the Prime Minister behind her! He looks just like his cartoon!” says my 6yo, a keen fan of @mortenmorland.bsky.social (trying to explain @thetimes.com editorial cartoon over breakfast in terms he can understand is a daily delight)
Reposted by Amy Gray
"This all falls short of standards that the House expects" = the Speaker and the Deputy Speakers are £$%^ing livid.
November 26, 2025 at 12:34 PM
"This all falls short of standards that the House expects" = the Speaker and the Deputy Speakers are £$%^ing livid.
We have a better class of graffiti in Cambridge public toilets
November 25, 2025 at 4:04 PM
We have a better class of graffiti in Cambridge public toilets
What about Ramsay MacDonald? From illegitimate son of a labourer and a maid to PM. What do you mean, Starmer might not want to remind people of people who made it to PM from challenging childhoods….?
November 24, 2025 at 2:51 PM
What about Ramsay MacDonald? From illegitimate son of a labourer and a maid to PM. What do you mean, Starmer might not want to remind people of people who made it to PM from challenging childhoods….?
We are watching The Family Plan 2 and they are on a bus which was at Piccadilly Circus and then heading north over Westminster Bridge towards Parliament Square and now I hate everything about this film
November 23, 2025 at 8:47 PM
We are watching The Family Plan 2 and they are on a bus which was at Piccadilly Circus and then heading north over Westminster Bridge towards Parliament Square and now I hate everything about this film
Such a joy to talk all things Red Duchess with Theo Clarke - listen to our conversation about female politicians, fitting writing in when you can and what’s next
open.substack.com/pub/theodora...
open.substack.com/pub/theodora...
Author Amy Gray on Kitty Atholl, A Rebel Female MP in Westminster & Writing Biography | Series 1, Episode 3
Our host and bestselling author Theo Clarke speaks to Amy Gray, author of Red Duchess: Kitty Atholl, A Rebel in Westminster, published by The History Press in August 2025.
open.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Such a joy to talk all things Red Duchess with Theo Clarke - listen to our conversation about female politicians, fitting writing in when you can and what’s next
open.substack.com/pub/theodora...
open.substack.com/pub/theodora...
Not the hungry hippo!
November 20, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Not the hungry hippo!
Currently obligatory to begin all Cambridge conversations “the winter wind has arrived hasn’t it, nothing between us and the Urals you know”
November 19, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Currently obligatory to begin all Cambridge conversations “the winter wind has arrived hasn’t it, nothing between us and the Urals you know”
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but there is new Frozen content.
Jk, I know *exactly* who needs to hear this.
Jk, I know *exactly* who needs to hear this.
November 19, 2025 at 5:45 PM
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but there is new Frozen content.
Jk, I know *exactly* who needs to hear this.
Jk, I know *exactly* who needs to hear this.
I never usually notice these, but I've just been trying to do some Christmas shopping online and I can tell you that Frugi, M&S and Beaufort & Blake clearly use Cloudflare.
November 18, 2025 at 1:56 PM
I never usually notice these, but I've just been trying to do some Christmas shopping online and I can tell you that Frugi, M&S and Beaufort & Blake clearly use Cloudflare.
We pack ear defenders everywhere we go. We have to.
I would never have chosen to have to go through the EHCP process. It is soul destroying and hard.
Reform *never* speak with compassion about anyone.
I would never have chosen to have to go through the EHCP process. It is soul destroying and hard.
Reform *never* speak with compassion about anyone.
I think you can get the measure of the deadness of someone's soul from the fact they kick up a stink about [checks notes] autistic kids wearing ear defenders
November 17, 2025 at 8:30 PM
We pack ear defenders everywhere we go. We have to.
I would never have chosen to have to go through the EHCP process. It is soul destroying and hard.
Reform *never* speak with compassion about anyone.
I would never have chosen to have to go through the EHCP process. It is soul destroying and hard.
Reform *never* speak with compassion about anyone.
No Halfords, I do not want to watch a 4 minute video about choosing a bike helmet to help me figure out my size. I just want to look at a table. I hate this endless pivot to video.
November 17, 2025 at 12:41 PM
No Halfords, I do not want to watch a 4 minute video about choosing a bike helmet to help me figure out my size. I just want to look at a table. I hate this endless pivot to video.
Have just horrified my mother by revealing my knowledge of all the words to “Hitler has only got one ball” was acquired at prep school when I was 9. My father, who acquired the same knowledge at the same school 40 years earlier, was delighted 😂
November 15, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Have just horrified my mother by revealing my knowledge of all the words to “Hitler has only got one ball” was acquired at prep school when I was 9. My father, who acquired the same knowledge at the same school 40 years earlier, was delighted 😂
Listening to a current student talking about “people who graduated 20-30 years ago” having it easier and thinking “yeah, it probably was easier for graduates in the 80s.”
Nope.
*I* graduated 20 years ago. He’s talking about my generation as if we’re ancient history.
I’m only 42.
Nope.
*I* graduated 20 years ago. He’s talking about my generation as if we’re ancient history.
I’m only 42.
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Listening to a current student talking about “people who graduated 20-30 years ago” having it easier and thinking “yeah, it probably was easier for graduates in the 80s.”
Nope.
*I* graduated 20 years ago. He’s talking about my generation as if we’re ancient history.
I’m only 42.
Nope.
*I* graduated 20 years ago. He’s talking about my generation as if we’re ancient history.
I’m only 42.
Reposted by Amy Gray
Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
November 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
Put a message on a local WA group asking if anyone wanted 6 back issues of BBC History magazine. At least 8 replies within 2 hours saying yes please. Never throwing them out again.
November 11, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Put a message on a local WA group asking if anyone wanted 6 back issues of BBC History magazine. At least 8 replies within 2 hours saying yes please. Never throwing them out again.
It is not a sign of strength for a world leader to be this bothered by a programme watched by around a million people who can’t vote for him in a foreign country.
November 10, 2025 at 10:11 PM
It is not a sign of strength for a world leader to be this bothered by a programme watched by around a million people who can’t vote for him in a foreign country.