The Return of History (and the Return of Dave…again)

It has been more than a year since I last posted on the blog. The last upload related to a mini celebration of the sixth year of the site’s existence, all the way back in April 2024. Now here we are, fifteen months later, and the blog still remains alive in terms of visitor views and messages that I receive, but it has been post-less for a long time.

However, as we know, history never ends. And neither – for the immediate future, at least – does this blog.

I’ve not been completely lazy though! Over the past year I’ve remained busy with engaging with historical study in different ways:

• I continue to teach History (as well as Politics) at South Devon College, covering the Tudors and 20th Century Germany at A-level. I’ve also had a little capacity to teach on the Access to Higher Education programme again, which saw the creation of some amazing individual project work on a range of subjects.

• I’ve visited lots of different historical sites of significance, including hidden bits of local history to more nationally important locations (I aim to upload photos and other bits of reflection in the weeks and months ahead).

• I finished a draft of my second big book – Sir Walter Raleigh: A New History. This consumed a lot of my spare time, and I was happy to get it over the finish line. The book is current with an editor at Pen & Sword, and it will hopefully be available to buy over the next year.

So, I’ve not died or gone missing! And it is my hope to return to the blog for the remainder of 2026 to tidy up a few pieces, to upload new ideas and thoughts, whilst also reflecting on all types of historical things. As the tagline to the blog still states: ‘history in all shapes and sizes’. And that will remain the same.