Pauline Stafford
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pstafford.bsky.social
Pauline Stafford
@pstafford.bsky.social
1.8K followers 380 following 790 posts

Historian of early Middle Ages, Grandmother, Leftwing, Labour, Leeds, British, European. Emerita Prof University of Liverpool

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Pauline Stafford is Professor Emerita of Early Medieval History at Liverpool University and a visiting professor at Leeds University in England. Dr. Stafford is a former vice-president of the Royal Historical Society. .. more

History 50%
Philosophy 24%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Charles West, Pauline Stafford

gzornetta.eurosky.social
Giulia Zornetta @gzornetta.eurosky.social · 1d
"Ogni volta che, con la mente magari distratta in qualcuno dei nostri impegni quotidiani, ci verrà da pensare «Chissà Chris cosa ne dice?». E allora davvero ci renderemo conto di quanto ci manca"

Maria Elena Cortese su Chris Wickham per #RetiMedievali 💚https://tinyurl.com/mrtu8thu
In ricordo di Chris Wickham (18 maggio 1950 – 9 ottobre 2026) – Reti Medievali
www.rm.unina.it

Reposted by Jacob T. Levy, Margot C. Finn, Pauline Stafford

kfduggan.bsky.social
Kenneth F. Duggan 🇨🇦 @kfduggan.bsky.social · 1d
Medieval Executions 🧵

Hi there. One of my areas of expertise is medieval crime and punishment. If you’re interested, here are some comments on medieval executions. Note that, just as today, practices and perceptions varied widely across medieval Europe...

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
‘Medieval’ and ‘disturbing’: US plan to livestream execution elicits global condemnation
Pentagon said execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, would be broadcast live
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Pauline Stafford

martinbarrow.bsky.social
martinbarrow.bsky.social @martinbarrow.bsky.social · 1d
Government inaction over profiteering in children’s social care is costing billions and harming the most vulnerable. My latest Substack:

martinbarrow.substack.com/p/the-westmi...
The Westminster Government has fallen short on its promise to end profiteering in children’s social care. Now the cost of looking after children in care is rising by £1 billion a year.
It is two years since the Labour Government set out plans to curb the profits of private providers of children’s homes and foster care in England.
martinbarrow.substack.com

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Charles West, Miri Rubin , and 4 more

pstafford.bsky.social
Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 1d
There will be many appreciations of Chris Wickham - as a historian and as a human being. This is a good starting place.
www.medievalists.net/2026/10/chri...
Chris Wickham, Leading Historian of Medieval Europe, Passes Away - Medievalists.net
Chris Wickham, one of the most influential historians of medieval Europe, has passed away. His research transformed how scholars understand the transition from the Roman Empire to the Middle Ages, whi...
www.medievalists.net

pstafford.bsky.social
Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 1d
This thread captures Chris Wickham - a great historian completely without side.

pstafford.bsky.social
Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 1d
Should be a prize for the most far-fetched political party excuses/explanations in the wake of defeat. This one would be a prime contender.

pstafford.bsky.social
Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 1d
Tom Watson disgracing himself still further.

pstafford.bsky.social
Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 1d
Congratulations,Matt. Well deserved.

Reposted by Pauline Stafford

handhyorkshire.bsky.social
History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 1d
🧵Hidden for over 1,300 years, the Street House Anglo-Saxon cemetery tells the story of an enigmatic 7th-century elite community. In a time when England wavered between pagan traditions and a rising Christian faith, a woman frequently referred to as the "Saxon Princess" was laid to
Beads from the Street House Anglo-Saxon cemetery (graves 10 and 70) near Loftus, North Yorkshire Image Prioryman CC BY-SA 3.0

Reposted by Anne Norton

jowolff.bsky.social
Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 1d
‘Mob rule’ is also, of course, an insulting way of referring to democracy.

Reposted by Pauline Stafford

chalicotherex.bsky.social
Adam @chalicotherex.bsky.social · 1d
RIP Chris Wickham. Here’s a post of a very funny bit I found tucked away in one of his books. adamsnotes.substack.com/p/one-weird-...
One Weird Naming Convention of Milan's Medium Elite Families
Adam's Notes for January 30, 2025
adamsnotes.substack.com

mattfirth.bsky.social
Dr Matt Firth @mattfirth.bsky.social · 1d
Very pleased to share that I've been promoted to Senior Research Fellow (Level C) at Flinders University, effective January 2027.

Lots to look forward to next year: my biography of Gunnhildr, Mother of Kings, a research fellowship at the Bodleian Libraries, and hosting ANZAMEMS at Flinders!

Reposted by Julia Lynch

drdragases.bsky.social
Dr. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele @drdragases.bsky.social · 1d
But everyone in the field will confirm that he was one of the very most important Medievalists of the past half century. He certainly already was when I met him a decade ago. And given his immense stature, he was just a very kind and generous scholar towards someone who still had a long way to go.

pstafford.bsky.social
Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 2d
A great historian, a generous scholar and a true friend.
rorynaismith.bsky.social Rory Naismith @rorynaismith.bsky.social · 2d
(Shared from various people on FB) RIP Chris Wickham

Reposted by David Crouch, Miri Rubin, Pauline Stafford

rorynaismith.bsky.social
Rory Naismith @rorynaismith.bsky.social · 2d
(Shared from various people on FB) RIP Chris Wickham

robfordmancs.bsky.social
Rob Ford @robfordmancs.bsky.social · 2d
“I really want to help Andy Burnham look like a winner so the Labour Party will know they were right to kick me out of Downing Street”, thought Sir Keir
sundersays.bsky.social Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 3d
This Green Party insider theory that Keir Starmer was consciously laying a cunning trap for Zack Polanski seems rather a stretch! (New Statesman, 30th Sept issue)
www.newstatesman.com/politics/gre...
Then there’s the conference. Some Greens think Starmer quit in order to trigger a make-or-break by-election just days after the party’s upcoming – and potentially controversial – yearly gathering. He knew, so this thinking goes, that Polanski wouldn’t be able to resist running, and so a trap has been laid for him.

pstafford.bsky.social
Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 2d
Sad news and a real loss. But hopes for the future incarnations flagged here.

Reposted by Jonathan Portes, Cas Mudde, David M. Farrell , and 14 more

anandmenon.bsky.social
Anand Menon @anandmenon.bsky.social · 2d
An announcement. There will be plenty of time to reflect on what we've achieved, and on the fantastic colleagues who have helped us achieve it. But for now, sad news ukandeu.ac.uk/announcement... 1/2

Reposted by Steve Peers, Christopher McCabe, Pauline Stafford

ottoenglish.bsky.social
Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 2d
Sagal Abdi-Wali came to the UK aged 7 having fled the war in Somalia with her family.

She has thrived.

Leader of Camden council and now the MP for Holborn and St Pancras.

A narrative that runs counter to all we are told about refugees.

Congratulations

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Labour fends off Green party to win Holborn and St Pancras byelection
Victory by Sagal Abdi-Wali in north London seat will be a relief for Andy Burnham in high-stakes battle for the left of British politics
www.theguardian.com

pstafford.bsky.social
Pauline Stafford @pstafford.bsky.social · 2d
Peter Kellner on the significance of Holborn and St Pancras result - namely Greens are Labour’s chief threat and last night was one of VERY few occasions - 3 - when a sitting Labour government has held a seat in a by-election where the challenge was from the left.
florianfoos.bsky.social Florian Foos @florianfoos.bsky.social · 2d
Agree with this take: kellnerp.substack.com/p/the-figure... This is not a good result for the Greens. Burnham's strategy of turning left on the economy and signalling on a couple of issues such as Gaza and the EU seems to be working, at least for now.
The figures that make Sagal Abdi-Wali’s victory remarkable
Ignore the Greens’ misleading claims. It was a catastrophic night for Zack Polanski
kellnerp.substack.com

Reposted by Pauline Stafford

thedailybritain.bsky.social
The Daily Britain @thedailybritain.bsky.social · 2d
Labour's newest MP has used her victory speech to directly answer the row over her Somali birthplace after defeating Zack Polanski in Holborn and St Pancras.

Reposted by Pauline Stafford

florianfoos.bsky.social
Florian Foos @florianfoos.bsky.social · 2d
Agree with this take: kellnerp.substack.com/p/the-figure... This is not a good result for the Greens. Burnham's strategy of turning left on the economy and signalling on a couple of issues such as Gaza and the EU seems to be working, at least for now.
The figures that make Sagal Abdi-Wali’s victory remarkable
Ignore the Greens’ misleading claims. It was a catastrophic night for Zack Polanski
kellnerp.substack.com