Category: History

The Beaufort Portcullis

As the Palace of Westminster is likely to close for a substantial refurb it is a good moment at look back at its origins and Caroline Shenton has done just that in The Day Parliament Burned Down and Mr Barry’s War.

Lest We Forget

Walking across Hyde Park one evening I noticed this fine memorial. The inscription set me thinking.

Last Week of the Proms

The BBC splash out on some big hitters to play at the last week of the Proms. This year it is the Staatskapelle Berlin and their conductor Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Dresden, under Christian Thielemann.

Edward VIII – Remember Him?

As we remember the Great War and the Somme there seems much to mourn and little to celebrate. However, fifty-three parishes are known as Thankful Villages.

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Categorised as History

Boodle’s

Take care of yourself if you’re a partridge; the season opened in the UK yesterday. Parliament reconvenes next week and those London clubs that take a summer holiday have re-opened. I was a guest at Boodle’s which has pretty much everything you could ask for.

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Categorised as History

Plane, Train or Slow Lane?

I haven’t ridden my Brompton bike for years. I say this is a safety play as I don’t want to be squashed under a lorry. This happened to me on Hyde Park Corner in the 1970s and I don’t want a repeat. You may say I’m lazy.