Darcy Moore
@darcy1968
Independent scholar. Traveller. Bibliomaniac. Flâneur. List-maker. Interested in AI. Orwellian. Researching Orwell’s Anglo-Indian family. Recently received the Peter Davison Award for scholarship.
Loving reading these little ‘Great Journeys’ series by Penguin #onthetrain to work. They fit nicely in my pocket.
I have worked out the provenance by matching signatures. Edward Boghurst Esq. (1791-1870).
The new trains in NSW are such a backwards step. They are so poorly designed and uncomfortable it is ludicrous. There is a little over the length of two iphones leg room. #nswpol
@privateeyenews.bsky.social has taken up the cudgel on page 3 about #Orwell and the Observer ‘nonsense’.
The sky was blue and and the temperature soared to a balmy 9 degrees in London today. Walked Osterley Park and ended-up ensconced for the late afternoon at Hatchards’.
I have just worked out *happy dance* why #Orwell is listed at a farm in Kent on the 1921 Census. Oddly, two pages of parchment from 1754 read at Kew (National Archives) were the key. More anon.
Urban foxes enjoying winter sun on the roof of the next door neighbour’s shed in North London!
#Orwell lived at 77 Parliament Hill during the mid-1930s with a path onto Hampstead Heath ten metres from his front door.
Sadly, Booklovers Corner, the Hampstead bookshop where #Orwell worked in the 1930s is long gone. BTW I have never noticed the nearby plaque - just metres away - mentioning John Wyndham and ‘Triffid Alley’ until today.
Explored Herman Hesse’s birthplace Calw, nestled in the Black Forest with friends. The river is a feature, the village has a stillness. Hesse always spoke fondly of his childhood experiences here. Sadly, his home - which is now a museum - is being renovated but there was still lots to see!
Spent my day in the National Portrait Gallery archives (Heinz Gallery) trying to find information about Thomas Beach's portraiture.
After two weeks, due to a staff strike, I can access reservations via my favourite reading room at the British Library.
Spent time with the death masks the National Portrait Gallery this afternoon.
Fabulous afternoon chatting with booksellers and collectors at the #ChelseaBookFair today! Go tomorrow if you can! Noted the CWGO going for £12,500 and an interestingly inscribed first edition of Animal Farm. #Orwell www.chelseabookfair.com
Deeply impressed with this fabulous library and archive on my first visit!
The conservative forces ally against our biosphere! “The ABC understands the minister met again with his Coalition counterpart, Angie Bell, on Tuesday and negotiations have been progressing quickly.” www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Long, autumnal walk in #Dorset today around #BlandfordForum on the #Orwell trail.
Just woke in Dorchester - where the literary icon Thomas Hardy looms large in the streets - listening to the the Top 100 Countown of Books of the 21st Century! Love it! #Top100Books
#Orwell owned this really unusual book translated into English in 1801. I bought a battered copy (they are seemingly unprocurable) years ago and just managed to have it rebound.
In between the first UK publication in August and the American edition a year later, #AnimalFarm was serialised in Australia by the #SMH www.darcymoore.net/2025/08/21/a... #Orwell