Alex Hutchinson
@alexthearchivist.com
Chocolate historian, author, broadcaster, archivist.
Formerly the archivist at Nestle.co.uk, but now archiving at YorkshireTea.co.uk
Published: HarperCollins.co.uk
Rep'd: knightayton.co.uk
Trustee: yorkliteraturefestival.co.uk
Or: alexthearchivist.com
Formerly the archivist at Nestle.co.uk, but now archiving at YorkshireTea.co.uk
Published: HarperCollins.co.uk
Rep'd: knightayton.co.uk
Trustee: yorkliteraturefestival.co.uk
Or: alexthearchivist.com
Pinned
Alex Hutchinson
@alexthearchivist.com
· Nov 19
Antiques Road Trip - Series 29: 12. Resplendent and Rare
Roo Irvine motors along the roads of North Yorkshire with her rival, Mark Hill. In their second battle, Mark gets flustered over a very rare find.
www.bbc.co.uk
I'm on the telly today talking about coffee history in Yorkshire. I had some truly delicious coffee on this shoot.
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
Someone is tearing up a French manuscript from c.1637 and selling the pages on Etsy for scrapbooking.
As an archivist, this is giving me nightmares. Are there any French historians out there who can reassure me this is a worthless copy...?
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1...
As an archivist, this is giving me nightmares. Are there any French historians out there who can reassure me this is a worthless copy...?
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1...
Wow C.1637 Antique French Large Handwritten Page Beautiful Hand Made Paper 1 Sheet Mixed Media Junk Journal Art Scrapbook Original Ephemera - Etsy
This Paper Collage item by Inkedpaperart has 2331 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from San Tan Valley, AZ. Listed on Mar 10, 2025
www.etsy.com
March 10, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Someone is tearing up a French manuscript from c.1637 and selling the pages on Etsy for scrapbooking.
As an archivist, this is giving me nightmares. Are there any French historians out there who can reassure me this is a worthless copy...?
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1...
As an archivist, this is giving me nightmares. Are there any French historians out there who can reassure me this is a worthless copy...?
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1...
Yes, my Christmas tree is still up. Thanks for asking.
February 16, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Yes, my Christmas tree is still up. Thanks for asking.
Paging #BOOKSKY
This is an open call for book recommendations so gripping I won't be able to think about anything else. Preferably books available both in print and on Audible.
I'll read anything, but I'm not keen on visceral suffering right now.
Life is throwing me lemons, please send lemonade.
This is an open call for book recommendations so gripping I won't be able to think about anything else. Preferably books available both in print and on Audible.
I'll read anything, but I'm not keen on visceral suffering right now.
Life is throwing me lemons, please send lemonade.
February 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Paging #BOOKSKY
This is an open call for book recommendations so gripping I won't be able to think about anything else. Preferably books available both in print and on Audible.
I'll read anything, but I'm not keen on visceral suffering right now.
Life is throwing me lemons, please send lemonade.
This is an open call for book recommendations so gripping I won't be able to think about anything else. Preferably books available both in print and on Audible.
I'll read anything, but I'm not keen on visceral suffering right now.
Life is throwing me lemons, please send lemonade.
Reposted by Alex Hutchinson
Radical publishing notion, right here: if your publishers are making a living from publishing and selling your books, then you, the author, should be making a living from writing them.
January 31, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Radical publishing notion, right here: if your publishers are making a living from publishing and selling your books, then you, the author, should be making a living from writing them.
Happy Cheesemas to all who celebrate.
December 24, 2024 at 11:45 AM
Happy Cheesemas to all who celebrate.
Fellow archivists, have you ever seen anything more adorable than this? I'd have *loved* this when I was a toddler!
I finally finished my toddler's Christmas present 📂 #MyLittleArchive 💝 Don't worry - I'm not going to force him to adhere to ISAD(G) standards or make him update a catalogue 😉
December 18, 2024 at 5:17 AM
Fellow archivists, have you ever seen anything more adorable than this? I'd have *loved* this when I was a toddler!
Someone sent me this and apart from being in awe of whoever made the costumes, I'm also very impressed they stayed brand-consistent and did create an implausible mash-up of competitor products.
December 15, 2024 at 9:24 AM
Someone sent me this and apart from being in awe of whoever made the costumes, I'm also very impressed they stayed brand-consistent and did create an implausible mash-up of competitor products.
Every time I type 'chocolate' on my phone it autocorrects to 'cocksure' (a word I never use). It's been doing this for the last two phones.
I am a chocolate historian. I think the universe wants me to switch.
I am a chocolate historian. I think the universe wants me to switch.
hi I'm a historian and I'm looking for a new century to specialise in, preferably one I don't type wrong every single time like the nienteenth
December 15, 2024 at 8:59 AM
Every time I type 'chocolate' on my phone it autocorrects to 'cocksure' (a word I never use). It's been doing this for the last two phones.
I am a chocolate historian. I think the universe wants me to switch.
I am a chocolate historian. I think the universe wants me to switch.
I know I need to get out more, but I'm bothered by the amount of scuffing on the surface of the chocolate in this photograph. A higher cocoa content would make the chocolate less prone to scuff marks in transit. But then again, it would increase the manufacturer's costs. 🧵
𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 between the segments of this seemingly simple confectionary game and you will find a deeply nuanced mystery. I won't spoil it, aside from saying Aldous Urper has masterminded yet another game that has the juice.
December 13, 2024 at 10:57 AM
I know I need to get out more, but I'm bothered by the amount of scuffing on the surface of the chocolate in this photograph. A higher cocoa content would make the chocolate less prone to scuff marks in transit. But then again, it would increase the manufacturer's costs. 🧵
For those of you following the story of the lost Roman tiles from the chocolate village, I've found the photos I took in Weston Park Museum which show🥁🥁🥁... The footprints of the little dog! Starting to wonder if the stiletto was just in the written report...🤦🏻♀️
December 12, 2024 at 5:13 PM
For those of you following the story of the lost Roman tiles from the chocolate village, I've found the photos I took in Weston Park Museum which show🥁🥁🥁... The footprints of the little dog! Starting to wonder if the stiletto was just in the written report...🤦🏻♀️
Reposted by Alex Hutchinson
Beat Kümin and I are accepting applications for our 4yr M4C fully-funded PhD Studentship for 2025/26
at Uni of Warwick and Warwick County Record Office
"Warwickshire Identities: Early Modern Archival Perspectives"
Get in touch with me for more info. Full details here: warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/his...
at Uni of Warwick and Warwick County Record Office
"Warwickshire Identities: Early Modern Archival Perspectives"
Get in touch with me for more info. Full details here: warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/his...
December 9, 2024 at 10:51 AM
Beat Kümin and I are accepting applications for our 4yr M4C fully-funded PhD Studentship for 2025/26
at Uni of Warwick and Warwick County Record Office
"Warwickshire Identities: Early Modern Archival Perspectives"
Get in touch with me for more info. Full details here: warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/his...
at Uni of Warwick and Warwick County Record Office
"Warwickshire Identities: Early Modern Archival Perspectives"
Get in touch with me for more info. Full details here: warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/his...
This is an astonishing thread. I now want to read everything Ida/Mary wrote (genre snobs be damned).
Some of her work is available to borrow through the Internet Archive, including this wartime Mills & Boon: archive.org/details/acco...
Some of her work is available to borrow through the Internet Archive, including this wartime Mills & Boon: archive.org/details/acco...
December 9, 2024 at 10:16 AM
This is an astonishing thread. I now want to read everything Ida/Mary wrote (genre snobs be damned).
Some of her work is available to borrow through the Internet Archive, including this wartime Mills & Boon: archive.org/details/acco...
Some of her work is available to borrow through the Internet Archive, including this wartime Mills & Boon: archive.org/details/acco...
If I'd come up with "chocroaches" it would honestly have been the highlight of my career. I'm going to be using this all Christmas.
December 9, 2024 at 7:45 AM
If I'd come up with "chocroaches" it would honestly have been the highlight of my career. I'm going to be using this all Christmas.
Reposted by Alex Hutchinson
Hello, American historians! Who writes great American history books for kids and young teens? 👇🙏
I see you’re based in the UK—definitely taking a look at these! Do you have any recommendations for similar authors who cover American history?
December 2, 2024 at 6:39 PM
Hello, American historians! Who writes great American history books for kids and young teens? 👇🙏
I absolutely adored every moment of Punt PI, but it's been seven years since the last episode, and I'm beginning to accept there might not be any more. Can anyone recommend a podcast of true, unsolved mysteries in the same vein?
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...
BBC Sounds - Punt PI - Available Episodes
Listen to the latest episodes of Punt PI on BBC Sounds.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 30, 2024 at 5:12 PM
I absolutely adored every moment of Punt PI, but it's been seven years since the last episode, and I'm beginning to accept there might not be any more. Can anyone recommend a podcast of true, unsolved mysteries in the same vein?
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...
On this subject, I'd like to tell you a rambling and relatively dull story about some lost Roman archaeology, a Victorian chocolate factory in the north of England, and an uncanny coincidence in a museum. 🧵
I often like to say crazy but true things in conversations with no context.
Like, I went to a museum earlier this year and the trousers of someone I follow here were one of the exhibits.
Like, I went to a museum earlier this year and the trousers of someone I follow here were one of the exhibits.
November 29, 2024 at 12:28 PM
On this subject, I'd like to tell you a rambling and relatively dull story about some lost Roman archaeology, a Victorian chocolate factory in the north of England, and an uncanny coincidence in a museum. 🧵
Show me a picture on your phone that has your energy that isn’t a selfie.
November 27, 2024 at 5:24 PM
Show me a picture on your phone that has your energy that isn’t a selfie.
Historians of North Norfolk, here is a mystery to while away your Christmas hours. Where were those brick gate posts with pyramids on top? And does @philippullman.bsky.social recognise the daemon in the third photograph? Presumably not as at that age it would be subject to frequent change.
I was recently given a large collection of glass negatives by a friend whose Great Aunt had died. Unidentifiable, and found in a damp shed I believe. Some extraordinary images.
November 24, 2024 at 2:46 PM
Historians of North Norfolk, here is a mystery to while away your Christmas hours. Where were those brick gate posts with pyramids on top? And does @philippullman.bsky.social recognise the daemon in the third photograph? Presumably not as at that age it would be subject to frequent change.
'The Tear' is haunting me. I can't stop thinking about it. The artist has taken away the one thing everyone remembers about Vermeer's original - a teardrop pearl - and transformed it into a heartbreak which watches you from every angle. Knowing the artist's circumstances takes my breath away.
November 23, 2024 at 12:24 PM
'The Tear' is haunting me. I can't stop thinking about it. The artist has taken away the one thing everyone remembers about Vermeer's original - a teardrop pearl - and transformed it into a heartbreak which watches you from every angle. Knowing the artist's circumstances takes my breath away.
My new favourite trivia question: what connects the Chocolate Orange and the Titanic?
Today from the Terry's of York company archive - this rather lovely sketch of the grand staircase for the main administrative block of the factory at Bishopthorpe Road. Built in 1924 it was supposedly modelled on the famous staircase on the RMS Titanic and also boasted a similar glass dome above.
November 20, 2024 at 3:11 PM
My new favourite trivia question: what connects the Chocolate Orange and the Titanic?
I'm working on a starter pack of archive collections in the UK. If you see any archives join Bluesky, could you tag them in the comments below so that I can add them? Ta muchly.
go.bsky.app/DAYWDcd
go.bsky.app/DAYWDcd
November 20, 2024 at 8:02 AM
I'm working on a starter pack of archive collections in the UK. If you see any archives join Bluesky, could you tag them in the comments below so that I can add them? Ta muchly.
go.bsky.app/DAYWDcd
go.bsky.app/DAYWDcd
Reposted by Alex Hutchinson
My map of children's independent bookshops is updated regularly. Most provide an online service and they're all run by people who can make well-informed book recommendations. Make sure you support your local one if you want to keep it. Any missing, please let me know. padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...
November 19, 2024 at 6:43 AM
My map of children's independent bookshops is updated regularly. Most provide an online service and they're all run by people who can make well-informed book recommendations. Make sure you support your local one if you want to keep it. Any missing, please let me know. padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...
Reposted by Alex Hutchinson
Teen: I'm reading The Great Gatsby.
Me: What do you think so far?
Teen: None of these people are normal.
Me: What do you think so far?
Teen: None of these people are normal.
November 18, 2024 at 12:28 PM
Teen: I'm reading The Great Gatsby.
Me: What do you think so far?
Teen: None of these people are normal.
Me: What do you think so far?
Teen: None of these people are normal.
Reposted by Alex Hutchinson
I am less bothered about drafts than I am about an edit button.
November 19, 2024 at 6:14 AM
I am less bothered about drafts than I am about an edit button.
Reposted by Alex Hutchinson
Good morning! Expect some big brands to join later today. I'll keep updating the starter pack as I spot them—it’s already packed with fantastic people! I’ve been adding new names every couple of hours. If you’ve joined via the list, take another look—you might find new friends!
go.bsky.app/G7Lbbv2
go.bsky.app/G7Lbbv2
November 18, 2024 at 7:58 AM
Good morning! Expect some big brands to join later today. I'll keep updating the starter pack as I spot them—it’s already packed with fantastic people! I’ve been adding new names every couple of hours. If you’ve joined via the list, take another look—you might find new friends!
go.bsky.app/G7Lbbv2
go.bsky.app/G7Lbbv2