Category: history

Posts predominantly history related.

A look at my local Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association… Trough

The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association was an association set up in London by Samuel Gurney, a Member of Parliament, and philanthropist and Edward Thomas Wakefield, a barrister, in 1859 to provide free drinking water. Originally called the Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association it changed its name to include cattle troughs in 1867,… Continue reading A look at my local Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association… Trough

Coronavirus Diary 18 – Social Distancing with Typhoid!

One of the things I love doing is studying maps; old and new. Having moved back to just one street away from where I spent my teenage years I’m now able to use the internet to piece together answers to questions that have been bugging me for much of my life but which no-one else… Continue reading Coronavirus Diary 18 – Social Distancing with Typhoid!

Coronavirus Diary 15 – Easter and Passover in splendid isolation – How solitude can lead to creativity.

This weekend is Easter (our only 4 day weekend!) for myself and many of us, Passover for many more and Sikhs and Hindu’s have Vaisakhi and in a week or so Ramadan will be starting also.  It will be very different this time of course.   I must confess I have never enjoyed Easter since 2013… Continue reading Coronavirus Diary 15 – Easter and Passover in splendid isolation – How solitude can lead to creativity.

Kent Invicta! – The undefeated Garden of England.

My last post on the re-discovery of Eanswythe of Kent ended with a mention of the proud tradition of the county of Kent.   Today Kent is often known as the garden of England with its kind climate and multitude of fruit, beer and wine related industries but for all that, Kent has some steel.… Continue reading Kent Invicta! – The undefeated Garden of England.

Revealing the remains of Eanswythe – An ancient Anglo-Saxon princess and Saint.

Exciting news has come out recently, at least exciting if ancient skeletal remains are your thing. An Anglo-Saxon princess who was one of England’s earliest Christian saints has been identified by scientists in a church in Kent. The remains have been found to Date from the mid-seventh century AD, the princess was the daughter of King Eadbald… Continue reading Revealing the remains of Eanswythe – An ancient Anglo-Saxon princess and Saint.

Cornish D-Day Veteran Harry Billinge (94) gets his MBE & meets the Queen.

Last year I made a memorable on  The Endcliffe Park Memorial in Sheffield & the incredible devotion of Tony Foulds. Recently a D-Day veteran who raised more than £25,000 towards the cost of building a national memorial honouring his fallen comrades has become an MBE. Incredibly despite having a key role in the Normandy landings,… Continue reading Cornish D-Day Veteran Harry Billinge (94) gets his MBE & meets the Queen.

The Queen homes in on being the longest serving monarch in history

Last week Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II  became the fourth longest-serving monarch today, surpassing legendary Mayan ruler Pakal the Great. The Queen has surpassed  K’inich Janaab Pakal who ruled the Mayan city state of Palenque for 68 years and 33 days before his death in 683AD. The Queen obviously holds several records including her title as the longest-living… Continue reading The Queen homes in on being the longest serving monarch in history

Top 10 worst London (and global) pandemics in history

The current Coronavirus is just the latest in a really long line of pandemic outbreaks with London getting more than its fair share of them as it always does for good and for bad.  It isn’t much consolation as we all wait this thing out and the lucky ones get through it but it’s worth… Continue reading Top 10 worst London (and global) pandemics in history

The Coal Posts of London and Hertfordshire

Almost opposite the hotel that I’m staying in at the moment is this white post below. It is an old Coal Post and is around 140 years old and it goes back to a time when coal entering London was taxed, specifically at this time to fund bridges over the River Thames. The story surrounding… Continue reading The Coal Posts of London and Hertfordshire