Looking at the Belfast Telegraph 15 June 1872 via @BNArchive and it rightly has Mark Tuck (https://nickbits.co.uk/blog/2022/03/berkshire-blake-and-the-stocks/) of #Newbury placed in the stocks. It says stocks not used for 26 years. Article even then was wrong. Got several uses in the late 1840s and 1850s. Indeed got a growing list around this time of those put in both #Newbury and #Thatcham stocks and a few in #Greenham and #Donnington and #Speenhamland.

Was asked yesterday about Heartstart #Thatcham - see http://bit.ly/442Glpc and find out why I started it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVmDGu2SYec - I do still help with defibrillators/AEDs and teach CPR when I can in the local community.

I still find many in the area teaching that #Thatcham is a village despite having a Town Council, a Town Football Club and so on - Thatcham has been a town since 1974 - learn more at https://nickbits.co.uk/blog/2024/08/thatcham-a-village-or-town/

Thomas "Berkshire" Blake was the last person to be placed in the stocks in #Thatcham, 1852. Mark Tuck was placed in the stocks in #Newbury in 1872 and was the last in the country - read the post - https://nickbits.co.uk/blog/2022/03/berkshire-blake-and-the-stocks/

I have started, re-started, my Roman #Thatcham research. Putting all references in some sort of order, mapping out finds, etc. Will be looking at, I hope, some finds later in the year. Preparing for a talk and perhaps something to print (booklet?) in 2026 on "Roman Thatcham".

Slowly getting my #Thatcham history research going again after a few months of little activity. Looking at some photogrammetry for some local landmarks but first giving the https://nickbits.co.uk/ site an update and attempting to finish some older projects.

More research on the history of the name #Thatcham. I have Thacham being used the longest with Thatcham being the most recent variation. See the
@nickbits
blog post https://nickbits.co.uk/blog/2022/05/a-history-of-the-name-thatcham/

Done two or three #Thatcham history talks over the last two weeks, another today and then on 28th April 2025 I will be talking to
Thatcham Historical Society
about "A history of Thatcham Hundred" - discussing what a hundred is? What are they covered? And much more

I have an article about Dunston House, #Thatcham on my @nickbits blog at https://nickbits.co.uk/blog/2023/10/the-dunston-estate/. I am still attempting to track down the original, and as far as I am aware, only painting of the property. Last known was in hands of a Mrs Wheeler in the late 1800s.

Week later than promised but here is the post on The Poplars, #Thatcham - https://nickbits.co.uk/blog/2025/03/the-poplars/ - on my @nickbits blog.

Finally getting back to it. I may have a short post for my https://nickbits.co.uk/ blog about Francis Baily and will have a piece about the Poplars ( #Thatcham ) building too to coincide with the new blue plaque. The latter will be posted in the next day or two.

My timeline is typically full of either #Thatcham history or CPR. Find out why I am so passionate about teaching CPR and other life support skills - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVmDGu2SYec

Continuing my #Thatcham history research and I now have references to "Thatcham Borough", "Awbery Street" in the 1930s. Interesting as references to both I thought had died out in the 1800s.

I believe the King's Arms in #Thatcham that I have in early 1600s is what became the King's Head. Timbers inside seem to support this. Tracing both, so far got King's Head to 1747 with Thomas Hornblow.

Some of my #Thatcham history research has looked at Mills (see @nickbits / https://nickbits.co.uk/blog/2018/08/mills-thatcham/ ), there are many great resources including the excellent Mills Archive https://new.millsarchive.org/

Already catching up on some reference/reading materials, this time with reference to the Fromonts and the King's Head at #Thatcham during Coaching Days. The first book "Romance on the Road" and get a fantastic map

Pre covid I was looking at running some local history (#Thatcham) courses as well as some Raspberry Pi and Arduino introductory courses. Might just make this a target for 2025.

A quick play with my header image +1 to create some #Thatcham history inspired #aiart. #firefly

Three talks given at #Thatcham Festival this week, Thatcham Then and Now, Personalities and Places and finally Francis Baily. The latter will become a blog post on @nickbits website shortly.

Excellent turn out for the 2nd of my #Thatcham history talks at Thatcham Festival. Some good questions, my apologies for getting dates mixed up for one slide. For those interested in William House VC, see https://t.co/7n6j3Hcl5I