Tony Pollard
@tonypollard
Prof of Conflict History & Archaeology, Uni of Glasgow. Bit of TV and the write stuff.
OTD in 1916 the Battle of Fromelles saw the bloodiest 24 hours in Australian military history. Just over 90 years later we went back for some of those who fell.
Watched Project Hail Mary Last night. Loved it. Don’t think l’ve blubbed at a Sci-Fi movie since Silent Running. Highly recommended.
Next Wars Beneath Our Feet outing will be appearing on YouTube very soon. Once again it will feature Ralph, the History Hound! Music: Wildfire by Jessie Villa
Nothing like a game of Pooh Sticks when on a battlefield study day. Good to revisit site of the 1526 Battle of Linlithgow Bridge and discuss the future of its heritage and public engagement during the year of its 500th anniversary.
After delivering 9hrs of online lectures over the past 3 days, think I'll play at being retired today.
Now l’m ’retired’ there will be more time for other stuff, including my YouTube channel #TheWarsBeneathOurFeet. Here’s a little flavour of what’s up next.
Was so busy working on next Wars Beneath Our Feet feature today that forgot it was the anniversary of Waterloo. Here’s a clue to the cause of my distraction.
Emeritus Professor Tony Pollard and Professor Andrew Mackillop marking a retirement.
Honoured to be presenting online at inaugural symposium hosted by NaUKMA Research Centre for Heritage Preservation and Recovery in Kyiv today. There is much to do & look forward to being there to do some teaching and project collaboration later this year.
Sad to leave the mother ship & fellow travellers in Aberdeen this morning after a wonderful week, though it was with the feeling of a job well done.
View from the office this morning. You might be thinking Balamory, but l’m thinking When Eight Bells Toll. Pretty sure Robert Morley and Anthony Hopkins are on that nice looking cruiser.
Two Planes, Three trains and two automobiles to get to Weimar in Germany today where l’m giving a keynote tomorrow. A long way from Culloden but l did pass through Halle which does have a connection.
Spent a chunk of weekend preparing keynote for a symposium in Germany late next week. Not the cheeriest subject matter, but important I think. It'll be the last academic presentation I give before retirement.
OTD 1461 Battle of Towton. Only place I've seen arrowheads come up on a medieval battlefield, thanks to Tim Sutherland & Simon Richardson for that day. Many thousands shot but only c.200 found. Type 16 with wings brazed onto shaft. Poss from bodies exhumed from battle graves.
Culloden yesterday. Never ceases to amaze me Jacobite right hit Cumberland’s left so hard after long run under fire. Here’s me in filmed recreation. My two post knackered observations - holding targe (shield) to cover me slowed me l lacked strength to raise sword above my head.
Two Men in Trench but not as you know it. Rich Herd l haven’t worked together since then but here we are 25 years later at Culloden, where it all started.
Today l taught my last session on the MLitt Conflict Archaeology and Heritage course before retirement at end of May, fittingly on Culloden. I co-founded the course with Dr Iain Banks back in 2005. In those 20 years l hope we’ve made a contribution to the field.
Recent fire in Glasgow, in same street as memorial to firefighters killed on duty, brought this 1941 painting to mind. Artist Leonard Rosoman was fireman in London Blitz & witnessed this 1940 incident which killed a colleague. He didn’t like it as felt too obvious. It’s stunning.
Spent a chunk of the day coming up with titles and writing abstracts for conference keynotes. Two down and one to go. Hope they have an overhead projector.
The things you find when clearing your office. A shot taken in 2001 when Ian Knight and I attended a ceremony at the old Zulu capital of oNdini to procure some Muthi (drugs) during the filming of the Secrets of the Dead episode on iSandlwana. A life time ago and a world away.
Enjoyed introducing the landmark 1964 Peter Watkins film Culloden and taking Q&A with my colleague Prof Andrew Mackillop for Scot Lit Film Club last night. Thanks to Dr Corey Gibson for the invite.
Article in today’s Herald already posted by others but behind a paywall, so here’s an old school version. Apologies in advance to all those colleagues who never get credit in a feature like this.
A dreich day in Dunkeld showcasing two of my favourite spooky stories. The Wolf of Badenoch’s tomb has always been ‘Man-size in Marble’, but as a bonus the River Tay is doing a good job of standing in for the Danube with the island giving off strong ‘The Willows’ vibes.
August 11, 1968. Three year old me on the shoulders of my grandfather witnessing the final run of a mainline steam-hauled passenger service in UK. The “Fifteen Guinea Special," ran from Liverpool to Carlisle, and marked the end of an era.
If they ever make a biopic of Peter Cushing, Tom Hiddleston’s yer man.