20th Century
Christmas Past
If you think I can remember 1924, you’re wrong. One relies upon our friends at the British Newspaper Archive. Ten decades ago some newspapers did publish on Christmas Day. The Sutton & Epsom Advertiser was [more…]
Arts
Arts
A History of Pop Music – 1968
Featured song: The Bee Gees – Words This is a series of articles looking at pop music from 1955 when in my opinion proper pop music began up to 1999 when they stopped making it. [more…]
Arts
Fabulously Festive Fridays – Who? What? Meh… Needs More Cowbell – Part 6
Seasonal greetings, dear Puffins, and please be welcome to part six in our short series of articles, guaranteed to contain no weirdos, nothing obscure, nothing remotely challenging and no tunes not thoroughly well known to [more…]
Arts
Always Worth Saying’s Question Time Review
Question Time 12th December 2024 The Panel: Wes Streeting (Labour) Tom Tugenhat (Conservative) Nigel Huddleston (Conservative) Christine Jardine (LibDem) Emma Dabiri (Writer) Piers Morgan (Broadcaster) Venue: Beckenham Once upon a time, there was a little [more…]
20th Century
A View From The Greenhouse…..Fixing The Foundations, To Build Back Better
On Sunday night just passed we were treated to the sight of upwards of 150 tractors, of varying shapes and sizes, convoying around the villages in this part of Cumbria be-decked in Christmas lights. As [more…]
20th Century
A History of Pop Music – 1967
Featured song: The Monkees This is a series of articles looking at pop music from 1955 when in my opinion proper pop music began up to 1999 when they stopped making it. One article for [more…]
Arts
Always Worth Saying’s Question Time Review
Question Time 5th December 2024 The Panel: Jacqui Smith (Labour) Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative) Nigel Farage (Reform UK) Alastair Campbell (Author & Podcaster) Venue: Lincoln We can vote them out but we can’t get rid of [more…]
Arts
A snapshot of the Grauniad
A quick(ish) perusal of the Grauniad headlines on the 22nd November. It is eclectic. No 10 says it would arrest Netanyahu, Poland says there is a real risk of escalating war turning Global Gatwick Airport [more…]
19th Century
Enemies Within, Part Four
In late February of 1894, a far-fetched tale appeared in the London penny dreadful newspapers. It concerned the untimely death of an anarchist, Martial Bourdin, blown up by his own bomb near the Royal Observatory [more…]