'Tis One Month...

... since I started this blog.  I haven't really advertised it yet, as I wanted to get some things posted first, so you could see just what it is all about.  Now I have a bunch of different stuff on here, you should get the idea.

Surrey - Without a Fringe on Top...

Over the last 20 years or so, Americans have oft engaged me in the following conversation :

American : "Where are you from in England?"

Me : "Surrey."

American (thinking I said "sorry") : "Where are you from in England?"

In this country, the term "surrey" is best known as a mode of transport, as in the song The Surrey with the Fringe on Top from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma!

Croeso y Cymru...

In Welsh, that means, "Welcome to Wales".  And, by way of a wonderful selection of photos, you can see just how welcoming the country is.

From Tulsa to Cleethorpes...

One of the big differences in popular music between Great Britain and the United States is the use of place names in song titles.  Americans love to use the names of towns or states, and it is easy to rattle off any number of songs, from any era. Things like 24 Hours from Tulsa, New York State of Mind, Kansas City, Walking in Memphis, Moonlight in Vermont, and Abilene.

Northern Ireland...

So far, I have posted nothing about Northern Ireland, so here are a few facts about the smallest of the "Home Nations".

Leaning on a Lamp Post...

110 years ago today, George Hoy Booth was born in Wigan, Lancashire.  Born blind as the result of an obstructive caul, his sight was restored when he was a few months old.  Booth's father was a well-known Music Hall comedian, and after a spell as a jockey, the young lad was to follow his father onto the stage.  He eventually became one of the most popular entertainers in the country - in the shape of George Formby!

Scottish Football Team Names...

Football (soccer) from around the world is shown in the United States, but we rarely see anything from Scotland.  If we did, I'm sure people would be scratching their heads, and wondering where some of the team names came from!  Here are some of the more unusual ones.

Beside the Seaside, Beside the Sea...

As you will know, Great Britain is an island.  Because of the size and shape of the island, there is one particularly interesting fact; that nowhere in Great Britain are you more than 75 miles from the sea!  As a result, one of the greatest joys of British life is a trip to the seaside.

The Laws of the Land...

Just the same as in the United States, there are some pretty strange British laws in effect.  Some were introduced hundreds of years ago, and usually made sense, but today, they seem very odd indeed.  Here are a few of them...

All English males over the age of 14 will carry out two hours of longbow practice each weekend.

In Scotland, it is illegal to be drunk in charge of a cow.

It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.

It is treason to affix a postage stamp with the monarch's head upside down.  It is also illegal to tear a stamp.

In the City of York, it is legal to kill a Scotsman - providing he is carrying a bow and arrow (except on Sundays).

It is legal for a man to urinate in public, as long as it is on the rear wheel of his motor vehicle, and his right hand is on the vehicle.

A baker cannot refuse to give a pregnant woman breadcrumbs.

In London, it is illegal to keep a pigsty in front of your house.

In London, it is illegal for taxi drivers to carry corpses or rabid dogs.  Drivers must also ask passengers if they have the plague.

It is illegal for a Member of Parliament to enter the House of Commons while donning a full suit of armour.

You must possess a licence to keep or house a lunatic.

On that note...

Quintinshill Rail Disaster...

Tragedies during wartime are not always war related.  By May, 1915, the First World War was already some ten months old, and the British public had become accustomed to death and heartache.  However, what happened in Scotland 99 years ago today was equally devastating.

Number One...

I have always loved statistics and lists, and I will be posting a variety of fascinating (and perhaps meaningless!) lists on this page.

This is a list of artists who have had the most Number Ones in the UK Singles Chart over the years (as featured artists).

Potatoes, Pies, and Pluck...

This is my first of several ventures into British cuisine, and yes, there is such a thing!  I am constantly hearing from Americans how poor food is over there, but the same as anywhere else, you have to know what to get, and where to get it.

England's Green and Pleasant Land...

William Blake (1757-1827) was an English poet and artist, and is best remembered for his poem, And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time.  There are several interpretations of the poem, but I won't go into those here.

Yes, Happy Birthday, Rick...

Today is the 65th birthday of one of my favourite musicians, keyboard legend Rick Wakeman.  Perhaps best known for his years with the group Yes, Wakeman has also had a very successful solo career, as well as numerous other projects and collaborations.

Today's Results...

Following on from yesterday's post, I nearly had the opportunity to bring you news of a historic double.  St. Johnstone won the Scottish Cup - the first major trophy in their history - by seeing off Dundee United 2-0, but Hull City just failed to win the F.A. Cup for the first time.  After going two goals down after just eight minutes, Arsenal fought back against the Tigers, and clinched victory in extra-time.

Cup Final Day...

Tomorrow is one of the greatest days in the football calendar : Cup Final day!  There are the finals of both the F.A. Cup (in England), and the Scottish Cup.  So, this seems a good time to have a look at the teams, and a few stats...

Britain's Loveliest Villages...

Sorry it's a bit late in the day, but I have been pretty busy.  Anyway, Britain is known for its lovely villages and quaint cottages, so here is a wonderful collection of photos.

Bonnets and Hoods...

This will be my first of several ventures into the complicated world of English-American!  As most of you will know, there are many variations in terminology between the British and American versions of the English Language, so here are a few examples, with the American term first.

The Land Down Under...

Many people know the first British settlement in Australia was a penal colony, but few know the details.  Well, it was on May 13, 1787, that Captain Arthur Phillip set sail for Aussie with a cargo of convicts.

"Why, That's Very Nearly an Armful!"

Born on May 12, 1924, Tony Hancock would have been 90 today.  Hancock has been gone for nearly 46 years, but he remains a legend in British comedy circles.

British Prime Minister Assassinated...

On this day, 1812, British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval was assassinated in the House of Commons.  He remains the only PM to have met such a fate.

Middle Duffryn Colliery 1852...

Coal mining has long played a major role in the lives of many Welsh families.  Tragically, it has also caused major losses in many Welsh families.  On May 10, 1852, there was an explosion at the Middle Duffryn Colliery, near Aberdare in South Wales.

That's the Way to Do it!

One of the staples of the British seaside culture in the 19th and 20th centuries was the "Punch and Judy man".  Originating in Italy in the 16th century, Punch and Judy is a puppet show, which no doubt appeals to children because of the antagonist and violent Mr. Punch!

A Little Fermented Curd Will Do the Trick...

Ask an American to name a British cheese, and the two most likely answers would be, "cheddar", or "I haven't a clue".  However, there is far more to English cheese than cheddar.  In fact, the British Cheese Board states that there are more than 700 native cheeses available in the UK!  That's a lot of cheese...

Plates, Jam Jars, and Mince Pies...

To the uninitiated, the title of this post looks like a collection of items one might find in the kitchen.  To a Londoner, they are anything but...

The term Cockney is familiar to some Americans, without really knowing what it is.  It is true that the word has come to be used to describe ANY Londoner, but the original meaning is far more specific.

It's Only Five Minutes!

Less than four minutes, actually...

Sixty years ago today, on May 6, 1954, Sir Roger Bannister became the first athlete to run a mile in less than four minutes.

Elena Baltacha R.I.P.

Today's post will simply be a tribute to tennis player Elena Baltacha.  A former British No. 1, Elena - or 'Bally', as her friends knew her - passed away this morning from liver cancer.  She was just 30.

What's in a Name?

Well, it means, "St. Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel, near to the rapid whirlpool of Llantysilio of the red cave".

In other words - or in Welsh, actually - it is :

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

A National Strike...

Eight-eight years ago today, on May 3, 1926, the Trades Union Congress called a national strike, commonly known as the "General Strike".  This was a protest to force the government to assist coal-miners, who were being subjected to worsening conditions in the mines, as well as poor wages.  At the time, there were some 800,000 miners who were locked out of their jobs.

I am Arthur, King of the Britons...

"King of the who?"

For many non-Britons (or non-"Brits"), that is not an uncommon question.  The problem is that people cannot always differentiate between the terms "English" and "British".  I will admit that sporting events do not always help matters, with England (and the other "Home Nations", as they are known) competing as individual nations in sports such as football and darts, but Great Britain competing in the Olympics.

A Risky Business...

As we enter the last month of the English football (soccer, to Americans) season, it is time to look at a disturbing trend; the ridiculous turnover of club managers as a result of the quest for instant success.  Even within the last two weeks, Manchester United's manager David Moyes lost his job without even completing a full season at Old Trafford.