Simon Brackenborough
@sbrackenborough.bsky.social
Londoner and writer on classical music. Interested in the arts, history, nature, reading, coffee, vegetarian food, and active travel infrastructure.
Blog: corymbus.co.uk
Blog: corymbus.co.uk
This is a long and horrifying read. Superb reporting
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
As Esau Lopez was asphyxiated for the first 17 minutes of his life on Earth, the atmosphere in the room remained serene, even ecstatic. Acoustic music crooned from a speaker in a modest two-bedroom apartment in a suburb of Pennsylvania. “You are a queen,” murmured one of three friends in the room.
Only Esau’s mother, Gabrielle Lopez, felt something was wrong. She was pushing hard, but her son would not be born. “Can you help [him] out?” she asked, as Esau crowned. “Baby is coming,” the friend replied. Four minutes later, Lopez asked again, “Can you grab [him]?” Another friend murmured, “Baby is safe.” Six minutes passed. Again, Lopez asked, “Can you grab [him]?” Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:48 PM
This is a long and horrifying read. Superb reporting
Weather’s foul so I’m poaching some quince
November 22, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Weather’s foul so I’m poaching some quince
will never not repost this *incredible* illustration
On this day 22nd November 1859 Cecil Sharp, founder of the English folk-song revival was born. (Here he’s pictured overhearing a gardener singing)
Artist: Martin Aitchison
Artist: Martin Aitchison
November 22, 2025 at 9:03 AM
will never not repost this *incredible* illustration
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Terrifying, maddening and utterly heart-breaking. Truly incredible journalism to expose and document this.
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
As Esau Lopez was asphyxiated for the first 17 minutes of his life on Earth, the atmosphere in the room remained serene, even ecstatic. Acoustic music crooned from a speaker in a modest two-bedroom apartment in a suburb of Pennsylvania. “You are a queen,” murmured one of three friends in the room.
Only Esau’s mother, Gabrielle Lopez, felt something was wrong. She was pushing hard, but her son would not be born. “Can you help [him] out?” she asked, as Esau crowned. “Baby is coming,” the friend replied. Four minutes later, Lopez asked again, “Can you grab [him]?” Another friend murmured, “Baby is safe.” Six minutes passed. Again, Lopez asked, “Can you grab [him]?” Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Terrifying, maddening and utterly heart-breaking. Truly incredible journalism to expose and document this.
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
November 21, 2025 at 5:54 PM
A very interesting analysis of the Hammersmith Bridge situation, and how counter-intuitive transport can be
insights from Hammersmith Bridge nickmaini.substack.com/p/hammersmit... (Nick Maini) "closing a major bridge carrying 25,000 daily vehicles should lead to more traffic on other nearby crossings and less economic activity on either side. The evidence shows the exact opposite."
Hammersmith Bridge
Where did 25,000 vehicles go?
nickmaini.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:57 PM
A very interesting analysis of the Hammersmith Bridge situation, and how counter-intuitive transport can be
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
IT’S HERE IT’S HERE IT’S HERE!!!! The very first album ever dedicated to Avril Coleridge-Taylor. This has been such a labour of love - please do listen to it, her music deserves to be heard @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social open.spotify.com/album/6EroQD...
Avril Coleridge-Taylor: Piano Concerto & Orchestral Works
open.spotify.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:12 AM
IT’S HERE IT’S HERE IT’S HERE!!!! The very first album ever dedicated to Avril Coleridge-Taylor. This has been such a labour of love - please do listen to it, her music deserves to be heard @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social open.spotify.com/album/6EroQD...
Parthenope is a nonsense opera, but there was fabulous singing and lots of entertaining silliness in tonight’s performance at ENO 👏 👏 👏
November 20, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Parthenope is a nonsense opera, but there was fabulous singing and lots of entertaining silliness in tonight’s performance at ENO 👏 👏 👏
Started reading The Old Curiosity Shop, and there’s a character called Mr. Dick Swiveller. Gotta love Dickens…
November 20, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Started reading The Old Curiosity Shop, and there’s a character called Mr. Dick Swiveller. Gotta love Dickens…
In town, hiding in a lovely warm Caffè Nero, ahead of Handel’s Parthenope. I’ve just read the plot summary to try and understand what happens in it and…lol, never mind
November 20, 2025 at 4:08 PM
In town, hiding in a lovely warm Caffè Nero, ahead of Handel’s Parthenope. I’ve just read the plot summary to try and understand what happens in it and…lol, never mind
Please enjoy this orange shed potato I saw this morning
November 20, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Please enjoy this orange shed potato I saw this morning
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Everybody loves brownfield-first. But where exactly should we densify our cities? And how?
Our new report shows Britain's density gap is wider in the biggest cities outside London than in the capital - and the inner city 'urban cores' up to 5km out from the centre are to blame.
Our new report shows Britain's density gap is wider in the biggest cities outside London than in the capital - and the inner city 'urban cores' up to 5km out from the centre are to blame.
November 20, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Everybody loves brownfield-first. But where exactly should we densify our cities? And how?
Our new report shows Britain's density gap is wider in the biggest cities outside London than in the capital - and the inner city 'urban cores' up to 5km out from the centre are to blame.
Our new report shows Britain's density gap is wider in the biggest cities outside London than in the capital - and the inner city 'urban cores' up to 5km out from the centre are to blame.
replies to this are vintage Bluesky 🤌
November 19, 2025 at 9:34 PM
replies to this are vintage Bluesky 🤌
Not a catholic, but I strongly feel that Strictly: It Takes Two is the closest thing to the experience of purgatory this side of the grave
November 19, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Not a catholic, but I strongly feel that Strictly: It Takes Two is the closest thing to the experience of purgatory this side of the grave
top Russian music anecdote about Leonid Sabaneyev - real 'posting through it' energy to his response
November 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
top Russian music anecdote about Leonid Sabaneyev - real 'posting through it' energy to his response
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Excellent thread on Barbara Castle and the introduction of the breathalyser!
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
This week is Road Safety Week & a chance to talk about Barbara Castle!
Barbara was Transport Minister for three years yet she was able to introduce the Breathalyzer, a proper integrated transport strategy & more!
This was done despite fierce opposition.
📸 Photo from the Parliamentary Achieve
Barbara was Transport Minister for three years yet she was able to introduce the Breathalyzer, a proper integrated transport strategy & more!
This was done despite fierce opposition.
📸 Photo from the Parliamentary Achieve
November 19, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Excellent thread on Barbara Castle and the introduction of the breathalyser!
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
It's an episode with an important moral: that having the courage to do the right thing, even if it's unpopular at the time, can save lives and bring public opinion with it over time.
*tearfully slides Budgie the Little Helicopter into the bin* www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Sarah Ferguson’s new children’s book ‘pulped’ after scrutiny over Jeffrey Epstein links
Copies of Flora and Fern: Kindness Along the Way, which was set to be published in October, have been sent for recycling
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:18 PM
*tearfully slides Budgie the Little Helicopter into the bin* www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
I'm baffled by Radio 3's continued insistence that its listenership need instructions on how to use the smart speaker that they (apparently) own
November 19, 2025 at 10:59 AM
I'm baffled by Radio 3's continued insistence that its listenership need instructions on how to use the smart speaker that they (apparently) own
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
The precise meaning of the Fool’s Cap Map of the World (ca. 1585) remains a mystery. Does the fool represent our world, the vain strivings of its denizens? Or the futility of cartography itself? See the post on our website: https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/fools-cap-map-of-the-world/
November 18, 2025 at 3:18 PM
The precise meaning of the Fool’s Cap Map of the World (ca. 1585) remains a mystery. Does the fool represent our world, the vain strivings of its denizens? Or the futility of cartography itself? See the post on our website: https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/fools-cap-map-of-the-world/
My name is Alexander Scriabin
And there’s a million sheets I scribbled in
And there’s a million sheets I scribbled in
November 18, 2025 at 3:03 PM
My name is Alexander Scriabin
And there’s a million sheets I scribbled in
And there’s a million sheets I scribbled in
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Only 23 years since Labour introduced Child Trust Funds, which far exceeded stuff like baby boxes in ambition and imagination. It's as if the party has forgotten what it is for.
The Scottish government provides every family with a newborn with a ‘baby box’ of essentials to help them get started.
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social is bringing the boxes to NY.
Why can’t we have obviously good & nice things like this under a Labour government UK wide?
@zohrankmamdani.bsky.social is bringing the boxes to NY.
Why can’t we have obviously good & nice things like this under a Labour government UK wide?
November 18, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Only 23 years since Labour introduced Child Trust Funds, which far exceeded stuff like baby boxes in ambition and imagination. It's as if the party has forgotten what it is for.
Allegri_Miserere.wav
a visionary, touched by the muse, has created their Yorkshire Pudding Sistine Chapel
November 18, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Allegri_Miserere.wav
"It is difficult, but is so beautifully laid out that it is always playable: one has the voluptuous sense of passing the fingers through masses of richly coloured jewels" Ernest Newman on Granados's 'Goyescas' for piano, a year after the composer died in a U-Boat attack crossing the English channel
November 17, 2025 at 8:00 PM
"It is difficult, but is so beautifully laid out that it is always playable: one has the voluptuous sense of passing the fingers through masses of richly coloured jewels" Ernest Newman on Granados's 'Goyescas' for piano, a year after the composer died in a U-Boat attack crossing the English channel
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
I'll tell you one thing: the chaos in No. 10 is not doing the public perception of flautists any favours
November 17, 2025 at 9:19 AM
I'll tell you one thing: the chaos in No. 10 is not doing the public perception of flautists any favours
Starmer’s Britain
November 17, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Starmer’s Britain