20th Century
Champagne, a Plan and A Philosopher
On New Year’s Eve 1946, my uncle reviewed his first year at home since the end of the War for the Manchester Evening News. It would seem that at times he was finding it hard [more…]
Journalism
Arts
Is That True Or Did You Hear It On The BBC?
In his latest book, author David Sedgwick quotes the BBC’s own words back it giving the broadcaster nowhere to hide. Cast your minds back a couple of years to the start of the so-called covid-19 [more…]
20th Century
Naples – Front Line Problem City
In March 1944 my uncle John Alldridge visited Naples a few months after it had been liberated and produced this report for the Manchester Evening News. – Jerry F *** War brought disease and desolation [more…]
20th Century
All That Was Ended, 15th August 1945
In August 1945 my uncle, John Alldridge, wrote this article commemorating the sixth anniversary of the end of World War II for the Manchester Evening News. He ended with the implication that the memory was [more…]
Journalism
Rotherham’s Brown Wall And Thin Blue Line
Previously in Oldham In July’s first part of Brown Wall, Blue Line we looked at Oldham. A report entitled Review into historic safeguarding practices in the borough of Oldham exposed a seedy underbelly of child [more…]
20th Century
Men Against Everest
In August 1951, as preparations for the 1953 Everest Expedition were underway, my uncle John Alldridge wrote about the previous expeditions for the Manchester Evening News – Jerry F “I guess my real reason for [more…]
20th Century
The Wickedest Man in History
This is my uncle John Alldridge’s article for the Manchester Evening News on the 10th anniversary of Hitler’s death on 30 April, 1945 – Jerry F By today it was clear the Reichswehr had had [more…]
Journalism
Blue Line, Brown Wall
Life in a Northern Town If this were the Whitechapel in the 1960s, retired dockers debating over pints of London Pride in the ‘Blind Beggar’ would glance nervously about while muttering under their breaths. Faces [more…]
20th Century
The Front Line Reporter
In this extract from his book* my uncle describes his time as a war correspondent with the Army’s official newspaper Union Jack in the latter stages of World War II. Jerry F. In World War [more…]