Category Archives: Media history

Rewriting history: Russia’s invention of an alternative Chernobyl story

Posted on August 4, 2020 by

It was a real pleasure to see the TV drama Chernobyl pick up a number of BAFTA 2020 TV awards last Friday, including one for Jared Harris, one of the lead actors in the series. The drama was arguably one … Continue reading →

Posted in Conspiracy theory, European History, History skills, London history, Media history, Public History, Russian History, Teaching, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How a conspiracy theory bit the dust: Hess was indeed Hess

Posted on July 25, 2020 by

One of the big challenges for professional historians in recent years has been the worrying growth of conspiracy theory. Highly questionable claims with no empirical evidence often spread like wild-fire across the internet and, disturbingly for scholars, are regularly taken … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Conspiracy theory, European History, Fascism, German History, History skills, Media history, Public History, Research, Teaching, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Admiral Domvile and the Nazis: New light on ‘The Link’ at local level

Posted on July 21, 2020 by

The current interest in the ‘Battle of Britain’ in 1940 has served once again to remind us about the time when the British Isles effectively stood alone against the threat of Nazi tyranny, and how the myths and realities of … Continue reading →

Posted in Archives, British history, Conspiracy theory, European History, Events, Fascism, German History, Kingston, Local History, London history, Media history, Public History, Research, Richmond history, Secret State, Surrey | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trump and Johnson: Two peas from the same populist pod?

Posted on July 7, 2020 by

Historians will have much to write about when they look back on current affairs in Britain and America, and the rightwing brand of ‘identity’ politics will be a major aspect of this. When it comes to the negative impact of … Continue reading →

Posted in American history, British history, European History, Historiography, Media history, Public History, Research, Teaching, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Past and Present: Why studying History tells us who we really are

Posted on June 24, 2020 by

In 2017 the historian Sir David Cannadine, in his capacity as president of the British Academy, made a strong and very welcome defence of the study of his subject, pointing out that the academic investigation of the past is necessary … Continue reading →

Posted in British Empire, British history, European History, History skills, Media history, Public History, Research, Study Skills, Teaching, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Overview of Overlord: Uncovering Kingston’s role in the 1944 D-Day landings

Posted on June 15, 2020 by

It is no exaggeration to say that D-Day, the 6th June, 1944, is a day that changed history. With the recent anniversary of the D-Day landings, a day which began ‘Operation Overlord’ and the invasion of German-occupied France by the … Continue reading →

Posted in American history, British history, European History, Events, Fascism, French History, German History, Kingston, Local History, London history, Media history, Public History, Research, Surbiton, Surrey, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Secret Heroism: Remembering the ‘listeners’ of Bletchley Park

Posted on June 11, 2020 by

As we recall the end of the war in Europe 75 years ago, in May, 1945, and remember the eventual end of full hostilities in the Far East a few months later in August, 1945, it is also worth reminding … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, European History, Fascism, Gender History, German History, History skills, Local History, Media history, Museums, Public History, Research, Secret State, Uncategorized, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Under a ‘Rain of Bombs’: How the Dunkirk evacuation was reported in Kingston-on-Thames

Posted on June 6, 2020 by

Britain has just marked the 80th anniversary of what one war correspondent called at the time the ‘miracle’ of Dunkirk, the dramatic rescue of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) from the beaches of the small Belgian seaside town, which took … Continue reading →

Posted in British Empire, British history, European History, French History, German History, Kingston, Local History, London history, Media history, Public History, Research, Surrey, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fifth Column Fears in Kingston, 1939-1940: A Brief Survey

Posted on May 28, 2020 by

Eighty years ago this month, some of the first signs of serious fear about a possible German invasion of the country began to grip the British public. Although such concern had been building for a few months beforehand, the news … Continue reading →

Posted in British Empire, British history, European History, Fascism, Kingston, Local History, London history, Media history, Public History, Research, Surbiton, Surrey, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment