
Archaeology prof at @SFU. BA from Sheffield Archaeology (since destroyed by the management). PhD from Liverpool Anatomy. Trainee Canadian. From Essex, UK.
Vancouver, Canada
Joined December 2015
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Mark Collard retweeted
Atkinson has perfectly mastered the art of looking extremely unimpressed.
Rowan Atkinson interviews Elton John at Hysteria 3 (1991).
Mark Collard retweeted
‘We band of brothers, for he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother...’
Happy St Crispin's Day 🏴🏴
Mark Collard retweeted
Probably my favourite version. It's much less bombastic than Olivier's or Branagh's.
#StCrispinsDay
Mark Collard retweeted
The Sebastopol Monument (also known as the Welsford-Parker Monument) was built in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1860 to commemorate the Nova Scotians who fought and died in the Crimean war. It is the 4th oldest war memorial in Canada and the only Crimean War memorial in North America.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Tiny Desk concert by the UK's Brìghde Chaimbeul.
I wish we'd been required to learn Gaelic and Welsh when I was at primary and secondary school. I think all kids in the UK would benefit from being taught the other main languages of the country, and I think the UK would benefit from them doing so.
youtu.be/_Mp_bpIZKlI?si=JWJn…
Mark Collard retweeted
The extraordinary story of French Resistance hero, FRANCFORT, Albert Lucien: Shot, executed, gunned down ... His grave was recently cared for by Gilles Guinard and his daughter.
Born June 15, 1915, in Versonnex (Ain); summarily executed on August 16, 1944, in Annecy (Haute-Savoie); farmer; member of the French Fighting Forces (FFC) Resistance.
Albert Francfort, son of Alexis and Renée Fournier, was a farmer in his native commune at the time of the events and was passing through Annecy.
Taken prisoner in 1940 in Dortmund, he escaped in 1943. He joined the Resistance as part of the Ajax network (FFC), registered in London under number F/3084.
On Wednesday, August 16, 1944—three days before the liberation of Annecy—an unidentified man was arrested at a checkpoint set up by the Germans on the Avenue d’Albigny, just a few meters from Villa Schmid, the Gestapo headquarters for the department. A German soldier, pistol in hand, marched his prisoner toward the villa; however, the man managed to seize the soldier’s weapon, shoot him, and flee.
In retaliation, the enemy ordered the execution of four hostages. Two were arrested immediately (some sources claim they were simply passing by on the street, though this seems unlikely): Albert Francfort* and Jean Gailliot*. Jean Alexis Bouchard*—who was undergoing interrogation at Villa Schmid—and Dr. Hubert Laurent*, a well-known figure in Annecy, were the other two victims of these reprisals.
Albert Francfort was thus executed by the Germans on the Avenue d’Albigny in Annecy on August 16, 1944. (Memorial of the Oppression, 3808 W 1379). According to MémorialGenWeb, he was tortured before being executed by firing squad. He was buried in Versonnex on December 10, 1944.
He was officially recognized as having "Died for France" (*Mort pour la France*) on July 18, 1946 (files no. 14,907 and 83,522), granted status as a member of the FFC (French Fighting Forces), and awarded a service certificate signed by Field Marshal Montgomery. His name appears on the stele erected at the site of the execution (in front of the present-day Sainte-Bernadette church).
Today is the 172nd anniversary of the Charge of the Light Brigade, which took place on 25 October 1854 during the Battle of Balaklava in what is now Russian-occupied Crimea, Ukraine. The photo shows the note that led to the Charge. Among the many fascinating artefacts held by @NAM_London, it’s perhaps my favourite. The note reads as follows:
"Lord Raglan wishes the Cavalry to advance rapidly to the front — follow the Enemy & try to prevent the Enemy carrying away the guns — Troop Horse Artillery may accompany — French Cavalry is on yr left.
Immediate—
R. Airey"
Okay, so it's a tough choice between that artefact and this one for my favourite.
xitter.cf/profmarkcollard/status…
Replying to @profmarkcollard
My favourite, though, was the saw used to amputate Lord Uxbridge’s canon ball-damaged leg during Waterloo. He was close to Wellington when he was hit and is alleged to have exclaimed “By God, sir, I've lost my leg!”. Wellington is said to replied "By God, sir, so you have!".
Mark Collard retweeted
Today is the anniversary of the death of Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English poetry… 📜✨
Historian @holland_tom uncovers the impact of the Black Death on Chaucer’s life, and how it influenced The Canterbury Tales...
Watch lecture: gres.hm/pilgrimages-holland
@TheRestHistory
We attended a cracking performance of ‘Tosca’ by @VancouverOpera this evening. Well worth going if you can get your hands on a ticket. Three thumbs up.
Mark Collard retweeted
A wonderful obituary of Chris Wickham theguardian.com/books/2026/o…
Mark Collard retweeted
Females shape hunting of vertebrates in wild bonobos: Current Biology cell.com/current-biology/ful…
Healthcare in this province is such a mess.
WATCH: “I think they’re killing people.”
Same PET scanners used for private and public cancer scans yet @BCCancer only using a fraction of its available slots.
Patient who paid got a refund after complaining to his NDP MLA.
#bcpoli
@GlobalBC
@CUrquhartGlobal
Mark Collard retweeted
Stash of hundreds of human teeth reveal surprising Maya burial practice science.org/content/article/…
Mark Collard retweeted
Very useful review of Chinese palaeoanthropology by C. Bae..scholar.google.com/citations…
Mark Collard retweeted
Upper Palaeolithic mariners? Evaluating experimental evidence for intentional early seafaring | Antiquity cup.org/4yUT0sF
Mark Collard retweeted
“An academic who criticised universities’ marketing efforts as ‘bad’ is under investigation by his institution after fellow staff members raised complaints.”
As reported in Times Higher Education, CAF is currently supporting the academic in question, Dr Mike Ryder, following Lancaster University's decision to investigate him over criticism of its marketing practices.
We have secured specialist external legal counsel to advise on the case, and a formal letter challenging the basis for the investigation will be sent to the University on Dr Ryder’s behalf early next week.
Full story in @timeshigher:
timeshighereducation.com/new…
If you’re an academic facing an investigation or disciplinary action over your lawful speech, please get in touch: [email protected]
What on earth are the senior admin of @LancasterUni doing? Criticising universities’ marketing efforts would clearly be covered by academic freedom even if Dr. Ryder were, say, a lecturer in microbiology or nuclear physics. That he’s a lecturer in MARKETING makes the academic freedom case so obvious that even a primary school kid could understand it.
Some road-testing of the new uni-focused free speech/academic freedom law about to happen, by the look of it.
This thread links to a THE article on this stupid incident and the ‘offending’ blogpost.


























