16th Century
The History of the Pencil
Before the pencil Pens and ink have been in existence for a very long time, being used by the ancient Egyptians for writing and drawing on papyrus, a papery substance made by beating reeds flat. [more…]
17th Century
17th Century
Sir John Vanbrugh – The Supreme Schemer
Its walls and towers stare down – rather snootily it could be said – from Maze Hill, over the lesser buildings clustering round its feet on the edge of Greenwich Common. Opposite, Canary Wharf’s ghostly-looking, [more…]
17th Century
A Postcard from the IFG Part Two
International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge, August 2022 In Part One, I just about managed to shoehorn two days of the fantastic Festival. Before I carry on telling you about the rest, a quick gallop though [more…]
17th Century
A View From The Greenhouse (A Savile Jibe, Really?)
If you thought strawberry tales was boring, then I guess you’d better hold my coat (as the saying goes). Following several days of not being able to even enter the greenhouse, apart from a cursory [more…]
17th Century
Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century “Strip” Maps
Introduction Sorry to disappoint you so early in the piece, but this article is not about the antics of the young Tom Jones, although undoubtedly he and his dissolute friends could and should have availed [more…]
17th Century
Book Review: The Noble Revolt by John Adamson
So, you know all about the causes of and lead up to the English Civil War? John Pym was leader of the Parliamentarian party, it was all about taxation or religious tolerance… Everyone knows that, [more…]
16th Century
The Troubled History of the Potato
The potato is a native of the high Andes, a low-growing plant (Solanum tuberosum) with pretty purple flowers and round black fruits. To survive in its harsh environment it has evolved the habit of growing [more…]
17th Century
17th Century
To Be a Pilgrim
A friend of mine had worked for many years as a replica “Plimoth Pilgrim” at the replica “Plimoth Plantation” in Massachusetts. I went on a visit and observed this strange way of life. For my [more…]