Arts
Postcard from Aberystwyth
In September it was our 29th wedding anniversary and we decided it would be good to celebrate by spending a couple of nights away somewhere. As is usual, it was my job to organise these [more…]
Travel
20th Century
Rendezvous with Bond at the Palace
As we head into Switzerland on my father and grandparents’ 1954 Continental road trip, Puffins will be horrified to hear that not only was that year a World Cup year but that the tournament was [more…]
19th Century
The Wild West Trail, Part One
First of a new series by my uncle John Alldridge. This article first appeared in the Derby Evening Telegraph in November 1967 – Jerry F Just 139 years ago, on a powdery ledge of sandstone [more…]
20th Century
A Motor Through The Alps
Here we see caped cyclists rolling downhill from the Brenner pass summit which marks the border between Austria and Italy. The sign to the left, in both English and German, reads ‘Good bye again in [more…]
Arts
A Postcard From India; Delhi
I thought long and hard(ish) on how I could start off a series of “Postcards” about our trip to India. The whole thing came about following an off the cuff remark whilst discussing, with my [more…]
19th Century
Murder Most French
Every once in a while, as one turns a page in an old family photo album, one runs the risk of falling across a cause célèbre or even a grisly murder. If, after braving the [more…]
20th Century
Small Towns in Austria
Lans A sign to the right of the crucified Christ announces that we are arriving at the Tyrolean hamlet of Orfsende Von Lans. That’s certainly what I thought. Further investigation shows we’re leaving, and not [more…]
20th Century
Postcard From Innsbruck
Zurück in den Tag Am I allowed to say that back in the day I loved Austria? Yes, it was too expensive, yes it was full of unrepentant Nazis, and yes the whole place was [more…]
Arts
Pumpkin time
By now, you will doubtless have figured out that I have a very keen interest in glass, so while we were visiting the lovely Northeast of England for a few days recently, we took the [more…]