20th Century
Ostend For Greeneland
According to those better able to describe such things than myself, decades ago the crossing to Ostend was one of drenched decks, the smell of steam and oil and of stale Bass from the bar. [more…]
WW II
20th Century
A Family At War, Part One
In memory of those who have crossed the bar Fearless of storm or foe, Guarding the traffic of the east and west, Giving with hearts heroic of their best, The brave mine-sweepers go. Horace Rumsam [more…]
20th Century
The Reimagining of Nora Baker
Nora Baker was born in Moscow on New Years’ Day 1914. Her mother was Ora Ray Baker, an American from Albuquerque, New Mexico. During her peripatetic early years, Nora was raised in London’s Bloomsberry and [more…]
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Part Eight
After last week’s Nostalgia Album sadness at hearing great aunt Ernestine lost her husband in the First War, her son in the Second War and spent much of her life in the Lancaster County Mental [more…]
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Part Six
Last time, we discovered my father’s cousin John Jr gave his life for his country at Bone in Algeria in 1943. In the First War his father, John Sr, died of sickness after being discharged [more…]
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Part Five
Within weeks of the start of the Second World War, a residence survey was taken across the country with the information it provided used to issue identity cards and distribute ration books. On it, we [more…]
19th Century
Nostalgia Album, Part Four
With there being only 11 years between them both my grandfather, Elihu, and his nephew, John Jr, joined up for the Second War. Last time we looked at my grandfather’s service in the RAOC and [more…]
20th Century
Nostalgia Album, Part Three
The above photograph appears in our family Nostalgia Album captioned “Mauretania Southampton 1939”. Although every Big Boy’s Big Book of Big Ships says something different, the photograph, languishing in the Worth-Saying family album for 83 [more…]
Arts
Postcard from Romania – Part Five
Part Four of this Postcard from Romania revealed the joys of First-Class train travel through the ever-changing landscapes of this beautiful country, and a taste of Ursus, Romania’s most popular brew. We’d arrived at our [more…]