Category: History

A Room With A View

  Never judge a wine by its label is an adage that doesn’t apply in today’s post. The label in question is pictured above and if you’d like to know the back-story read on.

More Chronicles of War

On the evening of Sunday 29th December 1940, seventy-five years ago, there was low cloud over the English Channel and low tide on the Thames. Being a Sunday evening the buildings in the City were mostly locked up and empty. The Luftwaffe had waited for these conditions to launch a devastating firestorm on the City… Continue reading More Chronicles of War

Albinia

A goddaughter had her first child on St. Stephen’s Day, known in the UK as Boxing Day, this year. Mother and daughter are both well and the chosen names are Meredith Grace Albinia.

Off To The Races

The King George VI Chase  will be run over three miles at Kempton Park later today. At least one reader here will be watching and I’d like to congratulate her on being elected to the Jockey Club this year.

Winter Solstice

The winter solstice has just passed and the days are getting longer again. Pagans and Druids gather at Stonehenge to observe this which looks to me pretty dull. If you’d like to see something more spectacular travel to Ireland and Co. Meath.

Published
Categorised as History

Something Old, Something New

It’s usually something old on here so, for a change, here’s something new; talking statues. The first one I saw was Queen Victoria in Kensington Gardens.

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Categorised as Art, History

How About a Bacon Butty?

I expect you have often seen this or similar. At least sixty-one were built and now thirteen remain. It is, of course, a cabman’s shelter. As originally they were parked on public highways and some still are, they could be no  bigger than a horse and cart. 

Chronicles of War

Sir Alan (Tommy) Lascelles cropped up recently in a reply to a comment. He served as Assistant Private Secretary to George V, Edward VIII and George VI and then as Private Secretary to George VI and Elizabeth II, retiring in 1953 aged 66.

Two Prayers

If you read Steps of the Throne here this week you will know that I had a Blue Peter moment. Cutting and pasting is such fun and much quicker than writing an original post. I’m itching to use my electronic scissors again.

A Post About Post

I recently listed a few of the abundant, high quality crop of novels published in 1932. 1847 wasn’t so dusty either: Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Vanity Fair and The Macdermots of Ballycloran were all published. You haven’t heard of The Macdermots? Nor me until now.