20th Century
Boxing Day Past
Yes, I know it isn’t Boxing Day, it’s the day after, but not being around a century ago I can’t repeat the newses from those days with the usual mildly exaggerated and slightly embellished personal [more…]
20th Century
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…]
20th Century
Desert Mystery: “Letters from Afrika” Part Four
In Part 3, I described how Afrika Korps Gefreiter, Hans Walden, had written to Hildegard Bronnold about food parcels he had sent to her, his imaginary coloured pencil sketch of the Nile and his hope [more…]
20th Century
Publicans Win Diploma For Bar Etiquette
One secret: No politics As fine a figure of an English landlord (he tips the scale at nearly 17 stones) as ever drew a pint of old-and-mild is Mr. Alfred Leslie Farrell, “mine host” of [more…]
20th Century
Great Uncle Wally
Great Uncle Wally introduced me to Guinness. Well, to be fair Mackeson, its slightly sweeter cousin. A stout more adapted to the tastes of your average seven-year-old. Those regular Sunday trips during the late 60s [more…]
20th Century
Desert Mystery: “Letters from Afrika”, Part Three
In Part 2, I described how Afrika Korps Gefreiter, Hans Walden, had written to Fraü H. Bronnold about not having had any leave, having his hair cut (“eine fläzte”) and drinking salty coffee. His next [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…]
20th Century
What’s in a Street Name?
Do the street names in Kenya’s cities still serve the purpose of memorialising those who have made significant contributions to our country? November 22, 2024 I’m a flâneur. Every time I visit a new town, [more…]