20th Century
A History of Pop Music – 1959
Featured song: Bert Weedon – Guitar Boogie Shuffle 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 [more…]
History
21st Century
Kenya’s Protests Are Different This Time
On 25 June 2024, a youth-led protest primarily composed of Gen Zs, as they are popularly referred to, stormed Kenya’s parliament. Legislators voted to pass the Finance Bill 2024 in its third and last reading [more…]
20th Century
Desert Mysteries Redux – Part Three
Before my late uncle could take part in “air policing” the Middle East (see Part 1) and when not exploring the local sights and antiquities (see Part 2), he was learning to fly. My uncle [more…]
20th Century
Report From Kenya, 1955 – Part Four
In 1955, at the height of the Mau Mau Rebellion, my uncle John Alldridge produced a series of reports from Kenya for the Birmingham Mail and the Manchester Evening News – Jerry F Vachakos First [more…]
20th Century
Disaster at Lockerbie
Returning home from our day trip to Edinburgh, myself and Mrs AWS have pause for thought as we eat our Burger Kings in Standard Premium and watch the Scottish Lowlands flash past from the train [more…]
Arts
The Origins of Terms and Phrases
There are terms and phrases which remain in use today, despite the fact they were coined many years or many centuries ago. In some cases it is quite remarkable that they have survived and stand [more…]
20th Century
Desert Mysteries Redux – Part Two
In Desert Mysteries Redux – Part One, I recounted the ‘Desert Mystery’ of the fate of my uncle in Transjordan in 1938. Whilst he was in the desert and not harassing rebellious Arab gangs via [more…]
Arts
Flaming June (ii)
Every time I look at that picture, I seem almost to be looking out from near where I live, although the vista that includes St. Michael’s Mount is less distantly hazy, and the Mount more [more…]
19th Century
Disaster at Quintinshill
Setting off from Edinburgh on a splendid May day, Mrs. AWS and I enjoy our Burger Kings. In the mad world of railway pricing, one of only two differences between Avanti Trains Standard Premium and [more…]