19th Century
The Battle of Salamanca
As any Puffin knows, I’m a card-carrying member of the ‘First Duke of Wellington Fan Club’. No, not because of his good looks, how very dare you! He’s dead, he is, more’s the pity – [more…]
19th Century
19th Century
Morse Code
Just a few of the umpteen songs I could have chosen! Apparently I’m a bit of a numpty for not making the link between “The Longest Day” and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony! So, with June being [more…]
19th Century
Oysters 2½ Ways
“O Oysters,’ said the Carpenter, You’ve had a pleasant run! Shall we be trotting home again?’ But answer came there none — And this was scarcely odd, because They’d eaten every one.” The final verse [more…]
19th Century
South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company
It is obvious from many of the articles that appear on this website that history and mechanical things are of interest. So here is one that combines the two, the history of a railroad and [more…]
19th Century
The Rise and Fall of the British Police
In light of the recent abominable and unprofessional behaviour, during riots and public demonstrations, by members of what used to be a well-respected British police force — together with their now routine displays of a [more…]
19th Century
The Silver Pit
Some of you may remember that some time ago I wrote an article about my family tree research and how I’d discovered many interesting things about my family history. One thing I learned was that [more…]
19th Century
The Sharps Model 1874 and Reloading the 45-90 Black Powder Cartridge
Introduction One of my favourite scenes in one of my all-time favourite Westerns is when Josie Wales (played by Clint Eastwood) chased by Union Redlegs casually waits for them to reach mid-river on a hand-hauled [more…]
19th Century
Sit Down At Your Computer
QWERTY – Why? Sit down at your computer (or typewriter) and type a few lines. You can work out your speed and efficiency fairly easily – you have a rough knowledge of where the keys [more…]
19th Century
Can lost production ever be recovered?
It’s easy to blame Covid-19 virus for the nation’s woes and, up to a point, that’s understandable. People who focus exclusively on the nation’s health tend to pay less attention to the economic damage wrought [more…]