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…]
History
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…]
Authoritarianism
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…]
Christianity
The New Religion
I myself am I Christian, and the more I see of the world today the more convinced I am that for some people science has replaced religion, and in turn become its own religion. You [more…]
America
Army vs Navy
Bear with me Puffins. Murcan fitba. Have patience, your sanity will be preserved. Most of us have probably heard of the NFL and their Superbowl. Well you can forget that. There is another league of [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…]