Today is the 950th anniversary of one of the most pivotal battles in history. Perhaps only the Battle of Manzikert in 1071AD which saw the collapse of the Byzantine Empire and the gradual Turkification of Anatolia can rival it for at least a century before or after. The lead up to the Battle of Hastings… Continue reading The Battle of Hastings and 1066
Category: history
The Bank of England issues plastic £5 notes
Tuesday sees the Bank of England issuing the first in the range of plastic bank notes which will begin the process of phasing out paper money forever. The first note to be issued with be the £5 note and will see Sir Winston Churchill on one side of Fivers whilst the Queen will keep her… Continue reading The Bank of England issues plastic £5 notes
3rd September 1939 – Britain Declares War On Germany
Today I was giving a tour of Chartwell House to two nice folk from Colorado, USA. Chartwell House was the home of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and is full of his old belongings from his radio to his cigars. Whilst we were busy enjoying the magnificent house, we came across a room-guide upstairs in the… Continue reading 3rd September 1939 – Britain Declares War On Germany
Alexander Kinglake – The Tale Of A Very English Shyness
I’ve written before about the trials of introvercy and issues surrounding being shy and the related by British Problems that people like myself encounter in their day to day existence. So it is with great pleasure and also total empathy that I learned today about someone who I whole-heartedly relate to; a 19th Century English gentleman… Continue reading Alexander Kinglake – The Tale Of A Very English Shyness
When playing a hunch leads to The Devil
I see a lot of amazing sights when I am driving around the country or indeed walking around London and giving tours to foreign visitors through my company, Ye Olde England Tours. No matter where I go or how familiar I am with the sights, it seems there is always something new to notice… Continue reading When playing a hunch leads to The Devil
Musa I of Mali – The richest man you may never have heard of
You might never have heard of Musa Keita I of the Mali Empire but it is fair to say that no-one alive today will ever make such an impact on the world today. Born in 1280 AD, Musa grew up in the extremely wealthy Malian Empire of western Africa which occupies the lands roughly around and… Continue reading Musa I of Mali – The richest man you may never have heard of
Has the birthplace of King Arthur been discovered?
In all the names of mythical and semi-mythical beings in history, there are few if any that rank more highly than that of King Arthur and his legendary knights of the Round Table. Quite why people get so worked up about someone who was for a long time largely thought to be a work of… Continue reading Has the birthplace of King Arthur been discovered?
Charles Wells – The Man Who Broke The Bank At Monte Carlo
Charles “Monte Carlo” Wells was the only son amongst 3 sibling daughters and was born into a respectable family in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire before his family moved to Marseille in France. Charles Wells certainly had an interesting life and not always in a good way. He worked in a sugar beet factory in the Ukraine and… Continue reading Charles Wells – The Man Who Broke The Bank At Monte Carlo
Mary Seacole – The Greatest Black Briton
Many of us are familiar with the accounts of Florence Nightingale, the British nurse who worked tirelessly and in the most trying of circumstances during The Crimea War and who in many ways pushed forward and pioneered modern day healthcare and nursing. She is rightly remembered as one of the greatest figures in history and… Continue reading Mary Seacole – The Greatest Black Briton
The Battle of The Somme 100 Years On
Friday July 1st 2016 marks the centerniary of the commencement of The Battle Of The Somme. It is fair to say that July 1st 1916 might possibly the most horrific day in British history and most likely in the top two or three anywhere given the dreadful events of the day. The Battle of The… Continue reading The Battle of The Somme 100 Years On
Stephen Liddell 