National art treasures hidden in Welsh mountains during WWII; really interesting 🧵

#NationalTreasures is a kind of reverse Monuments Men: the story of how an unlikely coalition of mild-mannered civil servants, social oddballs & metropolitan aesthetes became the UK's front line in the heritage war against Hitler. Buy at bit.ly/3xaVljO #HistoryWritersDay

🇿🇦🔥 — DEVELOPING: South Africa's national Parliament complex in Cape Town is once again up in flames, just 24 hours after fire crews contained yesterday’s fire.

South African firefighters struggled to extinguish a new blaze at the complex housing the two chambers of the national parliament in Cape Town, a day after a devastating fire swept through the buildings reut.rs/32CMRrf

SA Parliament on fire again. Video Cape Town Municipal Emergency Services. Watch #sabcnews channel 404 now.

We have just been talking to Caroline about book for a forthcoming WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk podcast. An incredible story.

I am so enjoying reading this book by Caroline Shenton 🇺🇦 that I was given for Xmas. Well researched, easy to read and full of fascinating insights. Partic pleased to read more about Muriel Clayton, author of Catalogue of Brasses and Brass Rubbings in the V&A Museum.

What measures did the government put in place to protect great works of art and culture from air raids? Today we were joined by Caroline Shenton to find out how the government saved the nation’s art. open.spotify.com/episode/3hZ4Dk… podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sav… play.acast.com/s/e03faa80-0d1…

I was about to respond “how does this fit with the Sponsor Body?”. But then discovered oh, look, Sponsor Body is inconveniently supporting the long-held expert view that total decant is required. 🧐

Bottom line - the Palace of Westminster will eventually fail, either spectacularly, or tediously. And the decision will be forces on them at short notice and even greater expense. Someone should write a book about this.

My HistoryExtra podcast is now live! Hear me talking to Emily Briffett about the wacky adventures of our #NationalTreasures and their eccentric curators after they were evacuated from London in #WW2 historyextra.com/period/second-…

Absolutely splendid. Caroline Shenton 🇺🇦 did you ever see a similar from the Terrace?

Dame Meg: How many fires have we had in the last financial year? Dr Benger: We have about one small fire a month in Parliament. Dame Meg: How many masonry falls? Dr Benger: 8 #WestminsterRR

Hey everyone, I'm speaking at #HistoryForUkraine this Sunday at noon on "Evacuating London's Museums and Galleries in World War Two". Find out more about this great fundraiser History for Ukraine and get ready to raise loads of dosh for DEC.

This will be fab. Come along and hear some great historians (and me) and help us raise money for DEC during a 24 hour #HistoryforUkraine marathon livestream fundraiser…

make 👏 Big 👏 Ben 👏 into 👏 a 👏 wind 👏 turbine

Includes me! Very excited to be appearing at @CVHISTORYFEST on Friday 24 June, talking about the remarkable bunch of men and women who became the eccentric front line in the #heritage war against Hitler. Come along! #NationalTreasures

Requested #OpenAccessGold for my Visual Culture in Britain essay on John Carter’s drawings of the #PaintedChamber at the #PalaceofWestminster unearthed 12 years ago YaleBritishArt. Easy process making research accessible. Good to finally get the essay out there (nearly)

On this day, 1834, Parliament burned down. Turner's capture of the event, from the other side of Westminster Bridge. #OTD