Paul L Dawson
@historianpaul1980.bsky.social
Unitarian lay minister, horseman, archaeologist, historian, musician, artist, writer.
On sale now my warts and all biography of Richard duke of York! I am speaking at West Yorkshire History Centre, 10 December at 19:00 about the battle that never was: Wakefield 1460. Much has been written about this battle, the trouble is it never happened.
November 1, 2025 at 10:53 AM
On sale now my warts and all biography of Richard duke of York! I am speaking at West Yorkshire History Centre, 10 December at 19:00 about the battle that never was: Wakefield 1460. Much has been written about this battle, the trouble is it never happened.
Coming in spring 2026: something totally different from my pen!
October 29, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Coming in spring 2026: something totally different from my pen!
Four days till release: the biography of Richard, 3rd duke of York. Think you know why and how he died? My book reveals the truth around his murder and the man free from Yorkist propaganda.
October 26, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Four days till release: the biography of Richard, 3rd duke of York. Think you know why and how he died? My book reveals the truth around his murder and the man free from Yorkist propaganda.
Just delivered! Copies of my three new books: my first foray into WW2 research telling the story of 260sqaudron RAF (Christopher Lee's squadron who takes a leading roll in the story!) the others adding to my ground breaking series about the dress and equipment of Napoleon's Army.
October 15, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Just delivered! Copies of my three new books: my first foray into WW2 research telling the story of 260sqaudron RAF (Christopher Lee's squadron who takes a leading roll in the story!) the others adding to my ground breaking series about the dress and equipment of Napoleon's Army.
And another new release!
October 11, 2025 at 8:15 AM
And another new release!
New book from myself published today.
October 10, 2025 at 2:20 PM
New book from myself published today.
I will be speaking to the Scottish Branch of the R3 society at the end of the month about Richard duke of York and the Battle of Wakefield. Dates etc to follow.
October 5, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I will be speaking to the Scottish Branch of the R3 society at the end of the month about Richard duke of York and the Battle of Wakefield. Dates etc to follow.
New research (from archives that have been publicly available for a century) shows that all accounts of the battle of Towton since 1548 are simply wrong. Hall is not a contemporary writer, and inexplicably uses contemporary poetry as historical fact. More more to say on this in coming weeks.
August 20, 2025 at 12:53 PM
New research (from archives that have been publicly available for a century) shows that all accounts of the battle of Towton since 1548 are simply wrong. Hall is not a contemporary writer, and inexplicably uses contemporary poetry as historical fact. More more to say on this in coming weeks.
David Grummitt and I's joint paper on the battle of Wakefield. I wonder, given the battle location is not in Wakefield and was not a battle in any meaningful sense, should we downgrade it to the Skirmish of Swillington? www.battlefieldstrust.com/page251.asp
The Battlefields Trust - Battalia Volume III 2025 - The Battlefields Trust
www.battlefieldstrust.com
July 18, 2025 at 1:15 PM
David Grummitt and I's joint paper on the battle of Wakefield. I wonder, given the battle location is not in Wakefield and was not a battle in any meaningful sense, should we downgrade it to the Skirmish of Swillington? www.battlefieldstrust.com/page251.asp
Always fascinating to make discoveries in archives that seem set to change how we view the Wars of the Roses. I am now absolutely certain, the battle of Towton as is traditionally understood, never happened. Bad historiography has introduced layers of myth that I seek to overturn.
July 6, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Always fascinating to make discoveries in archives that seem set to change how we view the Wars of the Roses. I am now absolutely certain, the battle of Towton as is traditionally understood, never happened. Bad historiography has introduced layers of myth that I seek to overturn.
I really appreciate that when chroniclers came to illustrate the story of the battle of "Towton" they correctly omit, snow, wind, frost and a hail of arrows which are all later myths, and chose instead to show the charge between Edward and Northumberland's mounted men at arms which began the battle.
June 20, 2025 at 6:14 PM
I really appreciate that when chroniclers came to illustrate the story of the battle of "Towton" they correctly omit, snow, wind, frost and a hail of arrows which are all later myths, and chose instead to show the charge between Edward and Northumberland's mounted men at arms which began the battle.
Released for sale to day my "warts and all" review of the Grande Armee of Napoleon 1e.
June 4, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Released for sale to day my "warts and all" review of the Grande Armee of Napoleon 1e.
Hopeful of finding new accounts of the politics and battles of the Wars of the Roses by contemporaries in this august institution. I seem to be one of the few researchers using UK and EU archives to study the 15th century. Without using EU archives we loose much of the context for English history.
May 18, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Hopeful of finding new accounts of the politics and battles of the Wars of the Roses by contemporaries in this august institution. I seem to be one of the few researchers using UK and EU archives to study the 15th century. Without using EU archives we loose much of the context for English history.
As our biography of the duke of York is off to the press, we have started a study of "what happened next". New archive discoveries in France, written within days of 29 March 1461, tells us that their was no battle of Towton as traditional histories have us believe. "History" looks to be wrong!
May 13, 2025 at 2:33 PM
As our biography of the duke of York is off to the press, we have started a study of "what happened next". New archive discoveries in France, written within days of 29 March 1461, tells us that their was no battle of Towton as traditional histories have us believe. "History" looks to be wrong!
Released on 30 September my "warts and all" biography of Richard duke of York. I am heading to Paris in May to track down a cache of letters about the battles of St Albans and Towton that have never been published before, or used to study these battles. Watch this space for updates.
April 24, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Released on 30 September my "warts and all" biography of Richard duke of York. I am heading to Paris in May to track down a cache of letters about the battles of St Albans and Towton that have never been published before, or used to study these battles. Watch this space for updates.
On sale from today, my latest bool. Lots about Richard duke of York and his death in Pontefract at the end of December 1460, as well as the role Unitarians played in the Rebellion of 1745.
April 17, 2025 at 12:48 PM
On sale from today, my latest bool. Lots about Richard duke of York and his death in Pontefract at the end of December 1460, as well as the role Unitarians played in the Rebellion of 1745.
I'm speaking on 15 May in Wakefield, at Waterstones, Kirkgate from 17:00, exposing the myths and down right lies that led to the erection of the Richard duke of York memorial in Wakefield.
April 4, 2025 at 10:44 AM
I'm speaking on 15 May in Wakefield, at Waterstones, Kirkgate from 17:00, exposing the myths and down right lies that led to the erection of the Richard duke of York memorial in Wakefield.
History is only as ever as good as the source material the historian uses. It is exciting to be working on 1,000 documents that have not made their way into English language discussions of the Wars of the Roses, including a new account of Towton by the earl of Warwick's Herald written on the field.
March 25, 2025 at 8:48 AM
History is only as ever as good as the source material the historian uses. It is exciting to be working on 1,000 documents that have not made their way into English language discussions of the Wars of the Roses, including a new account of Towton by the earl of Warwick's Herald written on the field.
I'm speaking in Pontefract on 21 March about the murder of Richard Neville, earl of Salisbury to Pontefract & District Archaeological Society. I will be revealing some of my new research around Salisbury's death and subsequent reburial.
March 14, 2025 at 12:19 PM
I'm speaking in Pontefract on 21 March about the murder of Richard Neville, earl of Salisbury to Pontefract & District Archaeological Society. I will be revealing some of my new research around Salisbury's death and subsequent reburial.
As a writer and historian, I marked world book day completing two book proofs, for texts to be released later this year. I'm well on my way to filling my second shelf on my book case with my titles!
March 6, 2025 at 6:18 PM
As a writer and historian, I marked world book day completing two book proofs, for texts to be released later this year. I'm well on my way to filling my second shelf on my book case with my titles!
Made king, perhaps this day in 1461, Edward duke of York, had no claim to the crown. He was a useful puppet for the insatiable ego of the earl of Warwick. Warwick was as much kingmaker in 1460 as in the years before his death. New archive discoveries confirm Warwick was king in all but name.
March 4, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Made king, perhaps this day in 1461, Edward duke of York, had no claim to the crown. He was a useful puppet for the insatiable ego of the earl of Warwick. Warwick was as much kingmaker in 1460 as in the years before his death. New archive discoveries confirm Warwick was king in all but name.
Always exciting to make new archive discoveries about the Wars of the Roses, especially when the sources were largely last used in the 1870's and are it seems, totally unknown to English language researchers. New insights into people, diplomacy and battles will appear in my work on the Duke of York.
March 3, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Always exciting to make new archive discoveries about the Wars of the Roses, especially when the sources were largely last used in the 1870's and are it seems, totally unknown to English language researchers. New insights into people, diplomacy and battles will appear in my work on the Duke of York.
Book number 40 on sale from today. With thirteen more titles in production or being written, can I write seven more and make 60 published books, or is 53 sufficient? An achievable goal?
February 28, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Book number 40 on sale from today. With thirteen more titles in production or being written, can I write seven more and make 60 published books, or is 53 sufficient? An achievable goal?
One of the endearing myths about Richard duke of York is that he was beheaded and his head displayed at Mickelgate Bar in York or the walls of Pontefract. This episode is "fake news" appearing in the later 1460's. None of the archive material from the first quarter of the 1460s mentions the event.
February 27, 2025 at 10:51 AM
One of the endearing myths about Richard duke of York is that he was beheaded and his head displayed at Mickelgate Bar in York or the walls of Pontefract. This episode is "fake news" appearing in the later 1460's. None of the archive material from the first quarter of the 1460s mentions the event.
Exciting research discoveries that have the potential to challenge accepted truths about the battles of Wakefield and Towton, and the events leading up to them. Always gratifying to find sources no English language author has used before, and very few others since 1881.
February 26, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Exciting research discoveries that have the potential to challenge accepted truths about the battles of Wakefield and Towton, and the events leading up to them. Always gratifying to find sources no English language author has used before, and very few others since 1881.