Ant Dawson
@railwayhobbit.bsky.social
Historian, Archaeologist, and Museum Professional who is also an Organist, Unitarian, Rower, Geek, into Boardgames, Reenactment, Heavy Metal and with a soupcon of Long-Covid.
Reposted by Ant Dawson
I love carols, but I would rather never sing one again than let the narrative take hold that only White English ways of celebrating Christmas are acceptable, or that Our Lord belongs to the fash.
Christians have always proclaimed Christ's birth as the moment when God’s light, love, and hope came into being in human flesh. There is no Christmas without Christ, it doesn't need adding in, rather it needs to be made real in people's lives.
premierchristian.news/en/news/arti...
premierchristian.news/en/news/arti...
'Putting Christ back into Christmas': Carol concert announced as follow up to Tommy Robinson rally - Premier Christian News | Headlines, Breaking News, Comment & Analysis
Controversial far-right activist Tommy Robinson has announced a carol event in London, urging his followers to "put Christ back into Christmas".
premierchristian.news
December 3, 2025 at 8:46 AM
I love carols, but I would rather never sing one again than let the narrative take hold that only White English ways of celebrating Christmas are acceptable, or that Our Lord belongs to the fash.
Reposted by Ant Dawson
In his autobiography, Edward Carpenter recalled his time in #Leeds: 'On the whole it was an interesting time. It was at Leeds that I came to know the three sisters Ford of Adel Grange, whose friendship I have valued ever since'. The Fords were a strict #Quaker family involved in Socialist politics.
December 3, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Ant Dawson
'W. H. Channing, who was then acting as Unitarian Minister at Leeds, insisted on giving me letters of introduction to various friends of his on that side...Emerson was very charming and friendly. I stayed one night at his house and dined with him and his wife & his daughter Ellen' (Edward Carpenter)
December 3, 2025 at 8:54 PM
'W. H. Channing, who was then acting as Unitarian Minister at Leeds, insisted on giving me letters of introduction to various friends of his on that side...Emerson was very charming and friendly. I stayed one night at his house and dined with him and his wife & his daughter Ellen' (Edward Carpenter)
Bollocks. Despite having my physical and mental health ruined by Finasteride, NHS tells me it was 'inevitable' I'd have such unwanted side effects as breasts, loss of body hair, dysfunction etc. Nothing to do with them; won't consider or even fund surgery or treatments to deal with it all.
🤬
🤬
December 3, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Bollocks. Despite having my physical and mental health ruined by Finasteride, NHS tells me it was 'inevitable' I'd have such unwanted side effects as breasts, loss of body hair, dysfunction etc. Nothing to do with them; won't consider or even fund surgery or treatments to deal with it all.
🤬
🤬
Reposted by Ant Dawson
Post-finasteride syndrome has happened to people using topical finasteride even after only one dose. It's a dangerous med.
March 5, 2024 at 1:47 AM
Post-finasteride syndrome has happened to people using topical finasteride even after only one dose. It's a dangerous med.
Good idea: it's Advent so "Wachet Auf" by JSB.
Bad idea: the Chorale is in the Tenor clef.
Yay.
Three clefs: one per limb.
Talk about flying by the seat of your pants.
Bad idea: the Chorale is in the Tenor clef.
Yay.
Three clefs: one per limb.
Talk about flying by the seat of your pants.
December 3, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Good idea: it's Advent so "Wachet Auf" by JSB.
Bad idea: the Chorale is in the Tenor clef.
Yay.
Three clefs: one per limb.
Talk about flying by the seat of your pants.
Bad idea: the Chorale is in the Tenor clef.
Yay.
Three clefs: one per limb.
Talk about flying by the seat of your pants.
Reposted by Ant Dawson
Somewhere in a Roman brickyard, around 1800 years ago, a fresh tile was drying ahead of firing - until a dog trotted straight across it.
Centuries later, the tile has made it into a museum: not because of an emperor, but thanks to one dog who accidentally walked his way into history.🧵1/2
📷me
Centuries later, the tile has made it into a museum: not because of an emperor, but thanks to one dog who accidentally walked his way into history.🧵1/2
📷me
December 2, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Somewhere in a Roman brickyard, around 1800 years ago, a fresh tile was drying ahead of firing - until a dog trotted straight across it.
Centuries later, the tile has made it into a museum: not because of an emperor, but thanks to one dog who accidentally walked his way into history.🧵1/2
📷me
Centuries later, the tile has made it into a museum: not because of an emperor, but thanks to one dog who accidentally walked his way into history.🧵1/2
📷me
Reposted by Ant Dawson
At Sothebys, I chanced upon possibly the worst painted dog in British art history.
December 2, 2025 at 8:35 PM
At Sothebys, I chanced upon possibly the worst painted dog in British art history.
Eyes Down Looking: Talk on Blenkinsop & Murray for the Romney Marsh Model Engineering Society.....
December 2, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Eyes Down Looking: Talk on Blenkinsop & Murray for the Romney Marsh Model Engineering Society.....
Looking horribly likely I'll be applying for a PhD by Publication in the Business School at Southampton University in April, for a start in September, looking at railway uniform and the creation of corporate culture, creation of the passenger, and sartorial awareness.
December 2, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Looking horribly likely I'll be applying for a PhD by Publication in the Business School at Southampton University in April, for a start in September, looking at railway uniform and the creation of corporate culture, creation of the passenger, and sartorial awareness.
Reposted by Ant Dawson
I just don't need to know what the Telegraph has written about Dungeons & Dragons. It's a newspaper for people who are frightened of samosas.
November 30, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I just don't need to know what the Telegraph has written about Dungeons & Dragons. It's a newspaper for people who are frightened of samosas.
Triceratops exhibition at Manchester Museum. "Leonard" Triceratops skull and life size cgi model. Didn't know about their dentition: many rows of reeds for grinding their food. Still my favourite Dinosaur.
November 29, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Triceratops exhibition at Manchester Museum. "Leonard" Triceratops skull and life size cgi model. Didn't know about their dentition: many rows of reeds for grinding their food. Still my favourite Dinosaur.
Soundwave superior. Optimus Prime inferior. Ravage, Lazerbeak eject!.
Ok. These guys are big. Very very cool. ...but biiiig. Soundwave even has a sound brick. So cool.
Ok. These guys are big. Very very cool. ...but biiiig. Soundwave even has a sound brick. So cool.
November 28, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Soundwave superior. Optimus Prime inferior. Ravage, Lazerbeak eject!.
Ok. These guys are big. Very very cool. ...but biiiig. Soundwave even has a sound brick. So cool.
Ok. These guys are big. Very very cool. ...but biiiig. Soundwave even has a sound brick. So cool.
Reposted by Ant Dawson
#TodayInQueerHistory
November 27 (1835)
John Smith and James Pratt were executed for Sodomy, the last 2 people to face this punishment in the UK, although it remained a capital crime until 1861.
James was a stable worker, John a labourer. Despite pleas for mercy, their sentence went ahead.
November 27 (1835)
John Smith and James Pratt were executed for Sodomy, the last 2 people to face this punishment in the UK, although it remained a capital crime until 1861.
James was a stable worker, John a labourer. Despite pleas for mercy, their sentence went ahead.
November 27, 2025 at 5:11 PM
#TodayInQueerHistory
November 27 (1835)
John Smith and James Pratt were executed for Sodomy, the last 2 people to face this punishment in the UK, although it remained a capital crime until 1861.
James was a stable worker, John a labourer. Despite pleas for mercy, their sentence went ahead.
November 27 (1835)
John Smith and James Pratt were executed for Sodomy, the last 2 people to face this punishment in the UK, although it remained a capital crime until 1861.
James was a stable worker, John a labourer. Despite pleas for mercy, their sentence went ahead.
Reposted by Ant Dawson
I'm very excited for the launch of the new School of Languages, Cultures and Societies Centre for Global Queer Cultures and Politics, next Thursday 4 December 2025. At a darkening time for queer lives, launching this centre feels like kindling a small light. ahc.leeds.ac.uk/events/event...
Launch event for new Centre for Global Queer Cultures and Politics
Location: Chemistry SR (1.53g)
ahc.leeds.ac.uk
November 27, 2025 at 4:13 PM
I'm very excited for the launch of the new School of Languages, Cultures and Societies Centre for Global Queer Cultures and Politics, next Thursday 4 December 2025. At a darkening time for queer lives, launching this centre feels like kindling a small light. ahc.leeds.ac.uk/events/event...
I picked up a new biography of Napoleon III in Waterstones in York yesterday. The cashier did a literal double-take between the portrait of the Emperor on the book cover, and my moustaches in their imperial majesty.
(the present Imperial Prince told me I looked like his ancestor. which is nice)
(the present Imperial Prince told me I looked like his ancestor. which is nice)
November 26, 2025 at 10:47 AM
I picked up a new biography of Napoleon III in Waterstones in York yesterday. The cashier did a literal double-take between the portrait of the Emperor on the book cover, and my moustaches in their imperial majesty.
(the present Imperial Prince told me I looked like his ancestor. which is nice)
(the present Imperial Prince told me I looked like his ancestor. which is nice)
Reposted by Ant Dawson
So apparently the correct response to shopping centre Santa ringing his bell is not to shout "bring out your dead!"
No sense of humour, some people...
No sense of humour, some people...
December 16, 2024 at 1:09 PM
So apparently the correct response to shopping centre Santa ringing his bell is not to shout "bring out your dead!"
No sense of humour, some people...
No sense of humour, some people...
Birthday times in York
November 25, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Birthday times in York
Reposted by Ant Dawson
Reposted by Ant Dawson
Brr!!!! Super chilly in Chapel. Going to have to get a Cloak and Canterbury Cap if this continues. My great predecessor Rev Mr Henry Enfield Dowson (minister for over 50 years) used to preach in a black frock coat, and silk top hat!
November 23, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Brr!!!! Super chilly in Chapel. Going to have to get a Cloak and Canterbury Cap if this continues. My great predecessor Rev Mr Henry Enfield Dowson (minister for over 50 years) used to preach in a black frock coat, and silk top hat!
Toy Service at Hyde Chapel, collecting for Wood Street Mission. We heard from the Gospel of Matthew, about King John a d his rubber ball and how we are like Lego: we can be anything we want to be, the best version of ourselves, held together with love.
November 23, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Toy Service at Hyde Chapel, collecting for Wood Street Mission. We heard from the Gospel of Matthew, about King John a d his rubber ball and how we are like Lego: we can be anything we want to be, the best version of ourselves, held together with love.
Reposted by Ant Dawson
'Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live...Selfishness always aims at creating around it an absolute uniformity of type. Unselfishness recognizes infinite variety of type as a delightful thing' (Oscar Wilde). 🌈
November 22, 2025 at 5:07 PM
'Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live...Selfishness always aims at creating around it an absolute uniformity of type. Unselfishness recognizes infinite variety of type as a delightful thing' (Oscar Wilde). 🌈
Reposted by Ant Dawson
The idea came from our old tabby Chi famous for doing a full wall of death around the living room when he had a serious case of the zoomies. 😸 I couldn’t manage him running up the walls, but I painted him racing flat-out. What do you think? Did I catch him?
#watercolour #catsky #tabbycats #painting
#watercolour #catsky #tabbycats #painting
November 21, 2025 at 5:20 PM
The idea came from our old tabby Chi famous for doing a full wall of death around the living room when he had a serious case of the zoomies. 😸 I couldn’t manage him running up the walls, but I painted him racing flat-out. What do you think? Did I catch him?
#watercolour #catsky #tabbycats #painting
#watercolour #catsky #tabbycats #painting
Reposted by Ant Dawson
Star Trek III destroyed one Enterprise, but gave us a generous helping of new ships (plus a spacedock) to compensate. The Bird of Prey and Excelsior went on to become fan favourites, but one is not so universally loved.
Join me for a small Oberth-class appreciation thread… [🧵]
Join me for a small Oberth-class appreciation thread… [🧵]
November 22, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Star Trek III destroyed one Enterprise, but gave us a generous helping of new ships (plus a spacedock) to compensate. The Bird of Prey and Excelsior went on to become fan favourites, but one is not so universally loved.
Join me for a small Oberth-class appreciation thread… [🧵]
Join me for a small Oberth-class appreciation thread… [🧵]