Keith Alcorn

Celebrating highlights from the 2025 NRHAs, the @GWR Railway Craft Skills Award was to Benedict O'Looney Architects and @Thameslink, for restoring the historic LBSCR tile maps at @NetworkRailVIC Applications for the 2026 Awards are now open! See nrha.org.uk

@SCP_Hughes Home ownership in inner London grew by 28% 1970-79 as building societies became more willing to lend on these properties and private landlords saw the opportunity to sell

@SCP_Hughes 61% of homes in inner London were privately rented in 1961 - what accelerated the move away from private rental was replacement by social housing up to 1967, and home improvement grants after 67 - grants fuelled the surges in inner London prices to the early 80s

Most of Inner London fell into poverty in the twentieth century, and expensive neighbourhoods like Notting Hill, Pimlico and Islington were seen as slums just decades ago. Here is a street in Notting Hill in the 1970s and today. Why did this happen? Some thoughts.

@stephenkb @georginaquach The age band chart is provocative. I'd like to hear the arguments against reforming inheritance tax so that the tax rate steps up with each year survived after retirement.

Some fantastic charts by @georginaquach in today's newsletter: ft.com/content/2bf783…

Does London's unique and much-loved Wallace Collection require a "transformational journey"? A "masterplan" for the 6-year long, massive overhaul was announced earlier this week. Here's why I have my doubts: thecritic.co.uk/the-transforma…

@LukeDyks Hegseth frequently appears over-refreshed or hungover from hell on camera, so by European standards he has a problem. But by Russian standards, he's a lightweight.

@j_amesmarriott Public libraries of the quality & style of the Lit & Phil used to exist in many British cities until the 1990s - a great loss.

I wrote this in praise of the Lit & Phil in Newcastle upon Tyne - the library I love most in the world and where I spent half my teenage years thetimes.com/comment/column…

MUST READ | South Africa's worst crisis in 20 years could surpass COVID-19 and diabetes as a leading killer, while worsening tuberculosis. Professor @FrancoisVenter3 says this can be prevented if government acts urgently. @GroundUp_News spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/03/04/fra…

If Trump was President in 1940

Some truths seem eternal, like these from Lord Palmerston on Russian imperialism over 170 years ago!

Re the latest deranged Trump video, just a reminder of the playbook, from Mein Kampf.

Ok folks, deep breaths. There is very real reason to worry about the dynamic emerging between Washington and Moscow when it comes to Ukraine. But there is also very real reason to believe that Ukraine and Europe can create a better outcome. (A rather long 🧵, obviously) /1

It took me a while, as a Brit, to see why Trump/Musk wanted to seize federal payment systems. But once you see the similarities between the Presidency Trump wants, and the kind of monarchy we used to have in England, do things become clearer? 🧵

please allow me to cleanse your timelines with images of the hammer from mahler 6...

More of the devastating impact of #StormÉowyn. Between 200 and 300 trees have been lost so far at @BenmoreBotGdn, and there’s been significant damage to buildings. 🌱 Please help restore and replant our Gardens by donating to our Storm Damage Appeal: rbge.cc/storm-damage

The colour Paris Green dominated fashionable #Victorian life, being used in wallpaper, paint, toys, confectionary & as a popular colour for society dresses. Unfortunately the recipe contained large amounts of arsenic, & death followed wherever the colour went. #FolkloreSunday

“In An English Country Garden”. In 1963, photographer Ken Griffiths followed a year in the life of Mr and Mrs Sweetman’s beautiful cottage garden in East Sussex. Every month, he took one picture on the exact same spot to document the passing of time. ez-blitz.com/blog/tag/The+S…

🚨 We’re sad to announce that #StormÉowyn has caused severe damage across our Gardens. At #Edinburgh, 15 trees have been lost – either uprooted or damaged beyond recovery. This includes the Garden’s tallest tree, the 29-metre Cedrus deodara, planted in 1859 👇

@Steven_Swinford But does this mean creation of a digital death certificate - which would speed up all the other processes after death - or just online death registration?

Labour is inserting growth into every press release In this one it is announcing plans to digitise the registration of deaths - a genuinely positive step that will make things easier for people during one of the hardest times of their lives But is the current system of going to the registry office really 'getting in the way of growth', as the government puts it? Or is it just about bringing the system for registering births and deaths into the 21st century?

Paging Hugh Trevor-Roper...