Category: Life

A Brief History of the Penny

As the modern era of a cashless society rolls relentlessly onwards and due to inflation the value of it ever decreasing, the Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has raised the prospect that like the half pence in the 1980’s the Penny be removed from circulation.  The fact that the banking chief claims to rarely… Continue reading A Brief History of the Penny

The Trafalgar Square Fourth Plinth

The Fourth Plinth is probably the most famous public art commission in the world and it all began back in 1994 when after 150 years with an empty plinth, Prue Leith, then chair of the Royal Society of Arts wrote a letter to the Evening Standard suggesting that something should be done about the empty… Continue reading The Trafalgar Square Fourth Plinth

Modern day Grave Robbers who stole from my mothers grave

I wasn’t going to write anything today; I’ve had a chest infection which turned into bronchitis and then manifested itself into something like pneumonia for the last 10-12 weeks. I have been out of the house only a handful of times in this time, two of which were to lay flowers on the grave of… Continue reading Modern day Grave Robbers who stole from my mothers grave

My final Map Medlee!

This is the final posting in my recent collection of motley maps, at least for now.     France is a pretty big country by any going, the only European nation that wouldn’t necessarily be dwarfed by countries on other countinents.   However, incredibly it is the almost the exact same size as Olympus Mons… Continue reading My final Map Medlee!

21 Types of Air Passengers that make life hell.

I don’t know about you but I hate flying.  I’ve flown 39 times and each one I have hated it.  I’m a long distance train sort of person but sometimes flying is the only practical option and if zooming around the skies miles in the air ina  hollow tube isn’t bad enough, then there are… Continue reading 21 Types of Air Passengers that make life hell.

Walking Hadrian’s Wall For Cancer Research

A different sort of post just for a change.  This week is the birthday of my Mother whose death occurred almost 5 years ago.  She suffered from cancer on several occasions and so  my wife, uncle and I have decided that we are going to do something positive in her memory.  We’re going to walk… Continue reading Walking Hadrian’s Wall For Cancer Research

The Battle of Graveney Marsh – The last battle on British soil.

Most history books have Bonny Prince Charlie’s 1746 defeat at Culloden as the final battle to occur in this country.   Of course that is just the stock answer, the actual final combat on British soil is the the virtually unheard of Battle of Graveney Marsh in the Kent countryside  which took place 194 years… Continue reading The Battle of Graveney Marsh – The last battle on British soil.

How the last invasion of Britain was foiled by a lady with a pitch-fork.

This week sees the anniversary of the last attempted invasion of Britain.  Most people will have heard of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the last time these islands were conquered.  There were a few invasions before that occupied various parts of the country from the Romans in the south to the Vikings in the… Continue reading How the last invasion of Britain was foiled by a lady with a pitch-fork.