Arts
Another Caribbean Christmas, Part Two
Day One – Christmas Eve I woke up at 04:15, before my alarm went off, with my stomach turning over, I was either worried about the antigen test and failing at the last hurdle, or [more…]
Holiday
Arts
Another Caribbean Christmas, Part One
I have been looking forward to getting back on board a cruise ship for some time now. Covid has caused the cancellation of 3 cruises for me so far (June 2020, Christmas 2020 and June [more…]
20th Century
Ghosts of Christmas Past
Post War Britain I loved Christmas as a child: I would guess most of us did, but I am amazed and humbled when I look back at how much was achieved with how little by [more…]
Arts
St Stephen and St Stephen’s Day
In the church year St Stephen’s Day is traditionally the one after Christmas Day, or two days after in some places. In the Eastern church countries which still use the Julian calendar both it and [more…]
Arts
Postcard from Sunny Skeg
The announcement over the two-carriage rattle-trap train’s tannoy told us this we’d reached the terminus and bid us ‘Welcome to sunny Skegness’. Bearing in mind this was December on the East Coast, these wry words [more…]
20th Century
Mystery Album, Part Thirteen
In the previous episode of Mystery Album, we visited Gotland, gateway to the Baltic and Sweden’s largest island, which lies 100 miles south of Stockholm and 225 miles northeast of Malmo. The above near century-old [more…]
Arts
The Steps to the North Pole
At this time of year there are many traditions that people follow – school carol services and nativity plays; putting up a tree; lights on the front of the house; Black Friday then Cyber Monday; [more…]
20th Century
Postcard From Summer 1954, Part Six – Rhyl
In 1954, the Manchester Evening News launched a “Special Investigation” and tasked my uncle, John Alldridge, with answering the question – Holidaymakers, do you get value for your MONEY? What follows is his report on [more…]
Arts
Mum’s Eightieth Birthday
Some three months before Mum’s 80th my brother, Barry, and I got together to work out what we could organise for her. We came up with a number of ideas, amongst them were a party [more…]