James Connolly
@drjamesconnolly.bsky.social
Historian at UCL SELCS specialising in modern France and Europe, the First World War, and military occupation. Other interests include film, TV, gaming, and comedy (especially puns). Very occasional stand-up comedian (14 performances so far).
Pinned
www.manchesterhive.com
Just to make this as easily accessible as it was 'elsewhere', here's the link to the Open Access version of my book 'The Experience of Occupation in the Nord, 1914-1918': www.manchesterhive.com/display/9781...
The misspelling of De Gaulle here is a little gaulling...
September 17, 2026 at 6:39 PM
The misspelling of De Gaulle here is a little gaulling...
What about the Prince Imperial, AKA Napoleon IV, who is also buried there? He died fighting the Anglo-Zulu War, which seems right up Reform's street.
Also, I once visited their tombs and it was *weird*: a caricature of a monk explaining the "brave" death of the Prince Imperial was a low point.
Also, I once visited their tombs and it was *weird*: a caricature of a monk explaining the "brave" death of the Prince Imperial was a low point.
Damning silence from Labour on their Napoleon III exhumation policy
September 4, 2026 at 5:38 PM
What about the Prince Imperial, AKA Napoleon IV, who is also buried there? He died fighting the Anglo-Zulu War, which seems right up Reform's street.
Also, I once visited their tombs and it was *weird*: a caricature of a monk explaining the "brave" death of the Prince Imperial was a low point.
Also, I once visited their tombs and it was *weird*: a caricature of a monk explaining the "brave" death of the Prince Imperial was a low point.
My son, just recently turned 5 and after his first day in Year 1: "Today we learnt left and right. Now I can go to universary and be a teacher."
September 2, 2026 at 6:01 PM
My son, just recently turned 5 and after his first day in Year 1: "Today we learnt left and right. Now I can go to universary and be a teacher."
Son has just started Year 1, so we survived the first ever summer holiday - with me doing most of the childcare by myself and getting barely any work done. It was exhaustin but now he's back at school, I'm missing him!
September 2, 2026 at 10:03 AM
Son has just started Year 1, so we survived the first ever summer holiday - with me doing most of the childcare by myself and getting barely any work done. It was exhaustin but now he's back at school, I'm missing him!
Proofreading my forthcoming article, and still disproportionately pleased that I managed to sneak a rubbish joke into footnote 95 (a joke that I once used on stage in a stand-up routine about this very article).
August 24, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Proofreading my forthcoming article, and still disproportionately pleased that I managed to sneak a rubbish joke into footnote 95 (a joke that I once used on stage in a stand-up routine about this very article).
#academicsky let's celebrate the edited book chapter.
What's an edited book chapter that you're particularly proud of, or you think deserves more readers?
#celebratebookchapter
Proud of my chapter on British 'adoptions' of French communes/towns, 1918-39 in: www.wallstein-verlag.de/978383533211...
What's an edited book chapter that you're particularly proud of, or you think deserves more readers?
#celebratebookchapter
Proud of my chapter on British 'adoptions' of French communes/towns, 1918-39 in: www.wallstein-verlag.de/978383533211...
August 22, 2026 at 1:48 PM
#academicsky let's celebrate the edited book chapter.
What's an edited book chapter that you're particularly proud of, or you think deserves more readers?
#celebratebookchapter
Proud of my chapter on British 'adoptions' of French communes/towns, 1918-39 in: www.wallstein-verlag.de/978383533211...
What's an edited book chapter that you're particularly proud of, or you think deserves more readers?
#celebratebookchapter
Proud of my chapter on British 'adoptions' of French communes/towns, 1918-39 in: www.wallstein-verlag.de/978383533211...
The latest one was: "I didn't have enough pieces to build a track, but - goodness! - I found a way!"
My nearly five-year-old son has become so obsessed with The Magic Faraway Tree audiobooks that he's talking like a posh child from 1939. E.g.
- "I'm longing to do X"
- "I expect I'll like X"
- "I dare say I'll enjoy X"
- "Yes, indeed, I would like my bagel toasted."
- "That's a fine drawing!"
- "I'm longing to do X"
- "I expect I'll like X"
- "I dare say I'll enjoy X"
- "Yes, indeed, I would like my bagel toasted."
- "That's a fine drawing!"
August 20, 2026 at 10:59 AM
The latest one was: "I didn't have enough pieces to build a track, but - goodness! - I found a way!"
"Do you have an air conditioner at home?"
"No, only 'air shampoo."
"No, only 'air shampoo."
August 14, 2026 at 4:18 PM
"Do you have an air conditioner at home?"
"No, only 'air shampoo."
"No, only 'air shampoo."
My nearly five-year-old son has become so obsessed with The Magic Faraway Tree audiobooks that he's talking like a posh child from 1939. E.g.
- "I'm longing to do X"
- "I expect I'll like X"
- "I dare say I'll enjoy X"
- "Yes, indeed, I would like my bagel toasted."
- "That's a fine drawing!"
- "I'm longing to do X"
- "I expect I'll like X"
- "I dare say I'll enjoy X"
- "Yes, indeed, I would like my bagel toasted."
- "That's a fine drawing!"
August 13, 2026 at 8:42 AM
My nearly five-year-old son has become so obsessed with The Magic Faraway Tree audiobooks that he's talking like a posh child from 1939. E.g.
- "I'm longing to do X"
- "I expect I'll like X"
- "I dare say I'll enjoy X"
- "Yes, indeed, I would like my bagel toasted."
- "That's a fine drawing!"
- "I'm longing to do X"
- "I expect I'll like X"
- "I dare say I'll enjoy X"
- "Yes, indeed, I would like my bagel toasted."
- "That's a fine drawing!"
Had a horrible start to the morning with a nuclear meltdown from my four-year-old, but I've just come out of the shower to find him in the front room, listening to an audiobook on his Yoto whilst reading another book out loud to himself. Maybe we haven't completely screwed up parenting.
August 11, 2026 at 10:32 AM
Had a horrible start to the morning with a nuclear meltdown from my four-year-old, but I've just come out of the shower to find him in the front room, listening to an audiobook on his Yoto whilst reading another book out loud to himself. Maybe we haven't completely screwed up parenting.
Just watched a video (a French news report from 1975) from INA.fr on YouTube, and to my disgust found that YouTube had automatically turned on an AI-assisted English dub.
July 24, 2026 at 7:26 PM
Just watched a video (a French news report from 1975) from INA.fr on YouTube, and to my disgust found that YouTube had automatically turned on an AI-assisted English dub.
My son's observation about gendered holiday childcare in the form of a question: "Were you the only Daddy at Clip 'n' climb [today], Daddy? You were the only Daddy at Bopping Tots [yesterday], too."
July 24, 2026 at 2:21 PM
My son's observation about gendered holiday childcare in the form of a question: "Were you the only Daddy at Clip 'n' climb [today], Daddy? You were the only Daddy at Bopping Tots [yesterday], too."
Today my son finishes his first year at primary school. He's not even 5 yet, and is now on his fifth Prime Minister. Fully expect to be on Prime Minister number 18 when he finishes school for good.
July 21, 2026 at 7:27 AM
Today my son finishes his first year at primary school. He's not even 5 yet, and is now on his fifth Prime Minister. Fully expect to be on Prime Minister number 18 when he finishes school for good.
My record of performing stand-up at least once a month since January will now be broken, as I was due to perform tomorrow but the England match has meant my 'bringer' (a friend who watches, usually compulsory) has pulled out, and none of the other friends I've tried can make it. A shame.
July 14, 2026 at 10:39 AM
My record of performing stand-up at least once a month since January will now be broken, as I was due to perform tomorrow but the England match has meant my 'bringer' (a friend who watches, usually compulsory) has pulled out, and none of the other friends I've tried can make it. A shame.
During this hot weather, I don't have an air conditioner so I'm having to make do with 'air shampoo.
July 9, 2026 at 1:18 PM
During this hot weather, I don't have an air conditioner so I'm having to make do with 'air shampoo.
Editing proofs for my forthcoming article. I reference more German pictures like the one on the right here showing spitting Frenchmen in occupied Lille, 1914-18. I then include one of my favourite footnote asides:
'If true, these may have been the spitting image of genuine inhabitants of Lille.'
'If true, these may have been the spitting image of genuine inhabitants of Lille.'
July 7, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Editing proofs for my forthcoming article. I reference more German pictures like the one on the right here showing spitting Frenchmen in occupied Lille, 1914-18. I then include one of my favourite footnote asides:
'If true, these may have been the spitting image of genuine inhabitants of Lille.'
'If true, these may have been the spitting image of genuine inhabitants of Lille.'
"Life is life. And it's not that bad. Arcs are arcs. Poo is poo. Cars are cars." - My four-year-old's statements are giving me "Brexit means Brexit" flashbacks.
July 4, 2026 at 4:45 PM
"Life is life. And it's not that bad. Arcs are arcs. Poo is poo. Cars are cars." - My four-year-old's statements are giving me "Brexit means Brexit" flashbacks.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Apparently some people are skipping the queue because of their contacts - they have it all sewn up.
Apparently some people are skipping the queue because of their contacts - they have it all sewn up.
Bayeux tapestry tickets generate nine-hour online queues as public scramble for access
Reports say up to 80,000 people waiting by mid-afternoon for chance to see historic artwork at British Museum
www.theguardian.com
July 1, 2026 at 6:56 PM
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Apparently some people are skipping the queue because of their contacts - they have it all sewn up.
Apparently some people are skipping the queue because of their contacts - they have it all sewn up.
I know there are much worse things going on in the world, but: saying goodbye to your twin and his children, who are moving abroad permanently right before your (obviously joint) 40th birthday is a particular kind of sadness that is difficult to communicate.
June 29, 2026 at 8:52 AM
I know there are much worse things going on in the world, but: saying goodbye to your twin and his children, who are moving abroad permanently right before your (obviously joint) 40th birthday is a particular kind of sadness that is difficult to communicate.
Having a conversation with my wife in front of our four-year-old, and she says I have a chip on my shoulder.
Son: "What?! Can I see?"
Son: "What?! Can I see?"
June 27, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Having a conversation with my wife in front of our four-year-old, and she says I have a chip on my shoulder.
Son: "What?! Can I see?"
Son: "What?! Can I see?"
My four-year-old, when getting back from school, knowing it's too hot to play outside: "Can we watch TV, so we can have a good time and not a hot time?"
June 25, 2026 at 3:09 PM
My four-year-old, when getting back from school, knowing it's too hot to play outside: "Can we watch TV, so we can have a good time and not a hot time?"
Just tried to open the 'Clock' on my laptop, only for it to need an update. What, are we going decimal like France during the French Revolution? Should probably make a Tik Tok video about that.
June 22, 2026 at 12:35 PM
Just tried to open the 'Clock' on my laptop, only for it to need an update. What, are we going decimal like France during the French Revolution? Should probably make a Tik Tok video about that.
I've noticed that when I stir food, my default direction and the one that feels more comfortable is anti-clockwise. Wondering if it's my inner historian wanting to turn back time.
June 20, 2026 at 7:15 AM
I've noticed that when I stir food, my default direction and the one that feels more comfortable is anti-clockwise. Wondering if it's my inner historian wanting to turn back time.
Today I helped with my four-year-old's primary school forest school, and was delighted to see a group of children playing at making a library, including fake books and library ('lighbery') cards like this one. It gave me hope for humanity.
June 19, 2026 at 12:05 PM
Today I helped with my four-year-old's primary school forest school, and was delighted to see a group of children playing at making a library, including fake books and library ('lighbery') cards like this one. It gave me hope for humanity.
Shellfish, and almost all fruit. In French, I say, "Je n'aime ni les fruits ni les fruits de mer."
What’s the most widely enjoyed food that you can’t stand, not because of allergies or anything but just because you hate it?
June 16, 2026 at 9:23 AM
Shellfish, and almost all fruit. In French, I say, "Je n'aime ni les fruits ni les fruits de mer."