Monthly Archives: August 2018

The Divine Right of Kings and the Execution of King Charles I

Posted on August 29, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

Ever since I wrote the post Thomas Harrison – Executed whilst cheerful! who was hung drawn and quartered, I have been thinking about the tulmultuous events leading up to the execution of King Charles I. Regicide as it is known, is very … Continue reading →

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William Lenthall -The man who risked his life to uphold democracy and defy the King.

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

Not many people are familiar with William Lenthall but if history were fair then we all would be.  For William Lenthall was once the Speaker of the House of Commons and by his actions changed the course of the world … Continue reading →

Posted in history, London, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

ST PAUL’S MONASTERY IN JARROW AND THE OLDEST STAINED GLASS WINDOW IN THE WORLD

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

Recently when I was in the area for my Hadrians Wall walk, I took a detour to a place I had long wanted to visited.  Not too many miles from the ancestral home of George Washington which I visited on … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Northumberland and Durham, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Spencer Perceval – The only British Prime Minister to be killed in office

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

It is said that the more things change, the more they say the same.  This is perhaps never more true than in May 1812. Britain was in turmoil. Social and political unrest spread had spread across the country, as old … Continue reading →

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Petrichor – The sweet smell of falling rain.

Posted on August 15, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

It’s a sensation most of us familiar with though if you’re living in much of the Northern Hemisphere then like me, it might not be one you’ve been familiar with recently.  The sweet smell of rain or Petrichor.    The … Continue reading →

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Amiens and The Hundred Days Offensive

Posted on August 13, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

This week marks the centenary of one of the pivotal but less known battle of the Western Front in WW1, Amiens and the more broadly labelled 100 Days Offensive. The Western Front is often categorised as being a static war … Continue reading →

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Imprisoned childen, phone zombies… do you ever feel like you’re living on another planet?

Posted on August 8, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

Whilst walking to the cinema this week in the never-ending heatwave, it occurred to me that something wasn’t quite right.  The weather was perfect, the schools are on holiday and yet I didn’t see a single person as I walked … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, News, Opinion | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Gumball 3000 London to Tokyo 2018

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

Yesterday when I was giving one of my tours round London, I stumbled across an unexpected sight.  A collection of over 100 souped up cars all ready to take place in the Gumball 3000. It wasn’t a total surprise as … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Britannia, Life, London, News, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Washington Old Hall – The Ancestral Home of George Washington

Posted on August 1, 2018 by Stephen Liddell

A few weeks ago when I was walking along Hadrians Wall, I took the opportunity to make a few deviations along the way.  One such side-trip was to the ancestral home of George Washington in the aptly named old village … Continue reading →

Posted in Heritage, history, Life, Northumberland and Durham, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments