The Great War (Part One)...

As we head toward the 100th anniversary of the remarkable Christmas truce of 1914, here is the first of a number of posts regarding The First World War, and what it meant for the British people, both on the front line, and at home.  I will admit, although I have a great interest in the subject, it is still very difficult to comprehend the concept of trench warfare, and what conditions were like for the men on the front line.

Over the Sea...

... to the lovely Scottish island of Skye.  Made famous in the Skye Boat Song, the Isle of Sky is the largest island in the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland.  With a population of some 10,000, the island's main industries are tourism, fishing, agriculture, and whisky-distilling.

Champion of the World - Again...

I would like to congratulate Lewis Hamilton on clinching his second Formula One World Championship (his first was back in 2008) yesterday.  So, I thought this would be a good time to run through some British drivers who have competed in F1 over the years.  Okay, there are too many for a complete list right now (as you will see), but here are those who have won at least one Grand Prix.

Poems about London...

It has been a while since I posted some verse about the great capital city, so I think it's time for some more.  London Bells (which seems to be the basis of the nursery rhyme, Oranges and Lemons)is from sometime during the 17th century, with The Cries of London from a century later.  The authors of both are unknown.

A Bit of Glam Rock (Part Two)....

Last month I focused on three of the bands who spearheaded the British Glam Rock boom in the early '70's.  This time, we will look at another three groups, although one - as you will see - were a little different to the others.

What Have the Romans Ever Done For Us?

Apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system, and public health, the Romans also gave us some interesting place names!  Many of you will have heard of Londinium, the Latin name for the capital city, but there are plenty of others too.

I Hope You Understand...

... what I am about to write!

I have covered some poems before, but this time, it is going to be a little different.

I picked up a PDF of a book by William Barnes.  It is from 1864, and is called Poems in the Dorset Dialect.  While this is not a foreign language, it may appear so at first!  The thing is that you will probably have to read it aloud to get it!  If you do understand - even if it's only small parts of it - it should make you smile.

Yes, this is the way that some people speak (or used to speak, anyway)...

More Watch With Mother...

Following on from my previous Watch With Mother post, here are three more of the wonderful kids tv shows!  This time, I will include a couple of later additions; programmes in colour, and one with a slightly different theme,  Ah, those were the days....

On This Day - 10th November...

I haven't done this in a while, so I thought it was time again to celebrate the day.  Here are some births and deaths of famous Britons, and some historical events.

Alnwick, Northumberland...

Alnwick (pronounced "Annick") is a town in North-East England, in Northumberland.  Surrounded by hills and valleys, ancient castles, and of course, the North Sea, it is a wonderful area to visit.  Here are some views of the area...

Remember, Remember...

... the fifth of November...

For the benefit of my American friends, we will be having a quick history lesson.  In the United States, fireworks are used on the 4th of July, and New Year's Eve.  However, there is only ONE real use for fireworks night in Britain.  Also known as fireworks night, or bonfire night, the 5th of November is commonly called Guy Fawkes night.

Watch With Mother...

For Britons of my generation - and perhaps older generations, too - the above title will undoubtedly evoke all sorts of wonderful memories.  Watch with Mother was the daily highlight of British children's television, and broadcast a number of fabulous (well, we thought so, anyway!) programmes.  Without the technology that is available today, we had to rely on very basic cartoons and - more importantly - puppet shows to provide our entertainments.  Here are some of the classics of the day...