Paul Jenkins
@pauljthinks.bsky.social
Brummie Welshman interested in Ancient and Modern History, Literature and Travel. Writing a novel about politics and religion at the end of the 4th Century CE. Blogging at https://ybrumro.wordpress.com/ Charity Trustee.
Dydd Llywelyn Olaf - 11th December 1282 saw the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd the last Welsh Prince of Wales in an ambush near Cilmeri in Montgomeryshire. In effect it marked the end of Welsh political independence.
December 11, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Dydd Llywelyn Olaf - 11th December 1282 saw the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd the last Welsh Prince of Wales in an ambush near Cilmeri in Montgomeryshire. In effect it marked the end of Welsh political independence.
Reposted by Paul Jenkins
my great-grandparents arrived in the UK in the 1890s with nothing.
they sold pickles from the front room window, took in laundry, worked as tailors.
their children were nurses, teachers, salesmen.
their grandchildren were professors, designers, opticians, doctors, magistrates, entrepreneurs.
they sold pickles from the front room window, took in laundry, worked as tailors.
their children were nurses, teachers, salesmen.
their grandchildren were professors, designers, opticians, doctors, magistrates, entrepreneurs.
December 7, 2025 at 8:59 AM
my great-grandparents arrived in the UK in the 1890s with nothing.
they sold pickles from the front room window, took in laundry, worked as tailors.
their children were nurses, teachers, salesmen.
their grandchildren were professors, designers, opticians, doctors, magistrates, entrepreneurs.
they sold pickles from the front room window, took in laundry, worked as tailors.
their children were nurses, teachers, salesmen.
their grandchildren were professors, designers, opticians, doctors, magistrates, entrepreneurs.
Fascinating image of the realities of wartime life in London.
'A housewife puts household items in marked sacks during a salvage scheme in Hornsey, London, ca. 1943'
December 7, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Fascinating image of the realities of wartime life in London.
Today is the feast day of St Ambrose of Milan. A 4th century bishop known for his stand off with the Empress Justina and for instituting the tradition of congregational hymn singing. The author of the first western Christmas carol.
December 7, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Today is the feast day of St Ambrose of Milan. A 4th century bishop known for his stand off with the Empress Justina and for instituting the tradition of congregational hymn singing. The author of the first western Christmas carol.
Mozart died on this day in 1791, aged only 35. A blog on the life of this special musical genius.
ybrumro.wordpress.com/2023/12/03/m...
ybrumro.wordpress.com/2023/12/03/m...
Mozart – man, myth and music
I was probably not alone in owing much of what I knew about the life of Mozart to its portrayal in the magnificent 1984 film of Peter Schaffer’s play “Amadeus”. It is a great drama and the ba…
ybrumro.wordpress.com
December 5, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Mozart died on this day in 1791, aged only 35. A blog on the life of this special musical genius.
ybrumro.wordpress.com/2023/12/03/m...
ybrumro.wordpress.com/2023/12/03/m...
Great to make a trip today to Birmingham in my new role as a Trustee of @powertochange.org.uk to visit @civicsquare.bsky.social as part of Community Business Week. Lots to learn about retrofitting and community led regeneration.
December 4, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Great to make a trip today to Birmingham in my new role as a Trustee of @powertochange.org.uk to visit @civicsquare.bsky.social as part of Community Business Week. Lots to learn about retrofitting and community led regeneration.
On Armistice Day a last plug for my blog on the neglected First World War poet Ivor Gurney. ybrumro.wordpress.com/2025/11/07/i...
Ivor Gurney – The forgotten poet of the Great War
One of the best books I read last year was Dweller in Shadows, Kate Kennedy’s excellent biography of the First World War poet Ivor Gurney. It is a very moving story which still haunts m…
ybrumro.wordpress.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:45 AM
On Armistice Day a last plug for my blog on the neglected First World War poet Ivor Gurney. ybrumro.wordpress.com/2025/11/07/i...
My blog for Remembrance Sunday on the forgotten First World Poet Ivor Gurney ybrumro.wordpress.com/2025/11/07/i...
Ivor Gurney – The forgotten poet of the Great War
One of the best books I read last year was Dweller in Shadows, Kate Kennedy’s excellent biography of the First World War poet Ivor Gurney. It is a very moving story which still haunts m…
ybrumro.wordpress.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:03 AM
My blog for Remembrance Sunday on the forgotten First World Poet Ivor Gurney ybrumro.wordpress.com/2025/11/07/i...
A blog for Remembrance weekend on Ivor Gurney the forgotten poet of the Great War. ybrumro.wordpress.com/2025/11/07/i...
Ivor Gurney – The forgotten poet of the Great War
One of the best books I read last year was Dweller in Shadows, Kate Kennedy’s excellent biography of the First World War poet Ivor Gurney. It is a very moving story which still haunts m…
ybrumro.wordpress.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:56 PM
A blog for Remembrance weekend on Ivor Gurney the forgotten poet of the Great War. ybrumro.wordpress.com/2025/11/07/i...
A visit to Herculaneum today. While much smaller than Pompeii it is just as impressive. A sense of a prosperous seaside town until the tragedy of the eruption of 79BCE.
October 28, 2025 at 5:27 PM
A visit to Herculaneum today. While much smaller than Pompeii it is just as impressive. A sense of a prosperous seaside town until the tragedy of the eruption of 79BCE.
The three magnificent Greek temples at Paestum dedicated to Poseidon, Hera and Athena. A particular privilege to be able to go inside the first two.
October 26, 2025 at 11:39 AM
The three magnificent Greek temples at Paestum dedicated to Poseidon, Hera and Athena. A particular privilege to be able to go inside the first two.
Despite the crowds the wonder which is Pompeii. Few other places which can make you feel so close to the past.
October 25, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Despite the crowds the wonder which is Pompeii. Few other places which can make you feel so close to the past.
Really delighted to be joining @powertochange.org.uk as a Trustee to support their mission to promote community business as an agent of social and economic change.
🤝 Welcoming new trustees Lara Carmona, Dr Neil Bentley Gockmann, Paul Jenkins, and Solomon Elliott to Power to Change. We look forward to collectively, continuing to back community business from the ground up, building more resilient and liveable communities for everyone: buff.ly/1Rysnoj 👇
Power to Change appoints four new Trustees - Power to Change
Power to Change welcomes four new Trustees to the Board. The new appointments bring experience in strategic communications, advocacy and policy, health and ...
buff.ly
October 23, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Really delighted to be joining @powertochange.org.uk as a Trustee to support their mission to promote community business as an agent of social and economic change.
Thoroughly enjoyed last night seeing the new version of the Bacchae at the National Theatre. Perhaps a bit more Aristophanes than Euripides but definitely making the case for the ongoing relevance of Ancient Greek drama. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/...
Bacchae | National Theatre
Indhu Rubasingham (The Father and the Assassin) directs Nima Taleghani's (Heartstopper) version of the classic tragedy to the stage.
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
October 19, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Thoroughly enjoyed last night seeing the new version of the Bacchae at the National Theatre. Perhaps a bit more Aristophanes than Euripides but definitely making the case for the ongoing relevance of Ancient Greek drama. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/...
A moving visit this morning to the cemetery at Huisnes sur Mer (near Mont St Michel) where 11000 Herman soldiers from World War Two are buried. A timely reminder that there are victims on both sides in every conflict.
September 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
A moving visit this morning to the cemetery at Huisnes sur Mer (near Mont St Michel) where 11000 Herman soldiers from World War Two are buried. A timely reminder that there are victims on both sides in every conflict.
Had the chance to visit en route the beautiful Gothic cathedral in Dol de Bretagne dedicated to the 6th C Welsh saint Samson. The previous Romanesque Cathedral was burned down by King John’s army in 1203 but in a fit of religious remorse he paid for the replacement.
September 22, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Had the chance to visit en route the beautiful Gothic cathedral in Dol de Bretagne dedicated to the 6th C Welsh saint Samson. The previous Romanesque Cathedral was burned down by King John’s army in 1203 but in a fit of religious remorse he paid for the replacement.
I’ve had a tradition of trying to photograph as many war memorials as I can when I am out cycling. Here’s four from Brittany. Just the same variation of design from village to village as in Britain. Really striking how many names there are. France had twice the rate of casualties as Britain.
September 20, 2025 at 5:07 PM
I’ve had a tradition of trying to photograph as many war memorials as I can when I am out cycling. Here’s four from Brittany. Just the same variation of design from village to village as in Britain. Really striking how many names there are. France had twice the rate of casualties as Britain.
Another four gems today on our cycle tour of historic Suffolk churches - Debenham, Earl Stonham, Felsham and finishing with St Peter and St Paul in Lavenham.
September 13, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Another four gems today on our cycle tour of historic Suffolk churches - Debenham, Earl Stonham, Felsham and finishing with St Peter and St Paul in Lavenham.
Followed by St Michael’s Framlingham. Famous for housing the tomb of the Duke of Norfolk but for me the highlight was a wonderful medieval wall painting of the Throne of Mercy.
September 12, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Followed by St Michael’s Framlingham. Famous for housing the tomb of the Duke of Norfolk but for me the highlight was a wonderful medieval wall painting of the Throne of Mercy.
A great start to our Suffolk church crawl. St John’s Market Needham - an unimposing exterior which hides a spectacular medieval hammer beam roof.
September 12, 2025 at 4:15 PM
A great start to our Suffolk church crawl. St John’s Market Needham - an unimposing exterior which hides a spectacular medieval hammer beam roof.
Perhaps my all time favourite artefact from the ancient world. The Vindolanda tablet of the letter from Claudia Severa the wife of the commander of a fort near Vindolanda inviting her friend Sulpicia Lepidina to her birthday party on this day 1900 or so years ago. Such a fond window into the past.
September 11, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Perhaps my all time favourite artefact from the ancient world. The Vindolanda tablet of the letter from Claudia Severa the wife of the commander of a fort near Vindolanda inviting her friend Sulpicia Lepidina to her birthday party on this day 1900 or so years ago. Such a fond window into the past.
Fantastique!
On one hand, reducing car use reduces urban pollution.
But on the other, everyone likes it and cities become more livable
But on the other, everyone likes it and cities become more livable
August 30, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Fantastique!
And with a rather special Neolithic long barrow - Wayland’s Smithy- thrown in for good measure.
August 30, 2025 at 5:15 PM
And with a rather special Neolithic long barrow - Wayland’s Smithy- thrown in for good measure.
What’s better than one Iron Age Hill Fort? It’s two Iron Age Hill Forts - Lillington Castle and Uffington Castle (of White Horse fame) both in today’s stretch of the Ridgeway.
August 30, 2025 at 4:59 PM
What’s better than one Iron Age Hill Fort? It’s two Iron Age Hill Forts - Lillington Castle and Uffington Castle (of White Horse fame) both in today’s stretch of the Ridgeway.
There’s few things more impressive than a good Iron Age hill fort - Barbury Castle in Wiltshire.
August 29, 2025 at 2:50 PM
There’s few things more impressive than a good Iron Age hill fort - Barbury Castle in Wiltshire.