“I’m sick to death of this particular self. I want another.” ― Virginia Woolf, Orlando The National Trust is to celebrate the gay history of many of its iconic properties with a year-long programme of events telling the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) story of its homes and halls. Virginia Woolf’s great novel… Continue reading
Read more...
Have you ever been in fog so thick you couldn’t even see your own feet? This was the predicament residents of London’s Isle of Dogs found themselves in in December 1952 when a dense, thick, toxic blanket of smog engulfed the UK capital for five days in what was probably the worst air pollution event… Continue reading
Read more...
History has commonly held smallpox to be an ancient disease. Really ancient. The Centers for Disease, Control and Prevention, for example, says smallpox is “thought to date back to the Egyptian Empire around the 3rd century BCE”. And it’s often said that the pharaoh Ramses – who died in 1145 BC – suffered from smallpox.… Continue reading
Read more...One of the best preserved Roman villas in Britain has been discovered in Brixton Deverill, a small village in Wiltshire, England. The discovery was made by Luke Irwin, who wanted to create a space for his children to play table tennis. After digging in the garden, workers hit a mosaic of orange, grey and cream ceramic… Continue reading
Read more...As summer approach, thoughts turn to the next stage as university looms for many, while for others, it’s the end of university that’s in sight. For those looking forward to starting, or finishing, a history degree, we’re taking a look at the options available at the end of study. History students tend to have strong problem-solving… Continue reading
Read more...
With the centenary anniversary of several bloody battlegrounds including the Somme and Verdun, this blog assesses why, after 100 years, historians are still debating what started World War One. The central question surrounding the start of the war is the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Historians have been at loggerheads as to how Europe went from the… Continue reading
Read more...
From the anniversaries of William Shakespeare’s death to The Great Fire of London, this blog looks at five key anniversaries happening in 2016 and their importance on the world stage. Battle of Hastings (950 years) Nine hundred and fifty years have passed since the Battle of Hastings. Regarded by some to be the most crucial battle… Continue reading
Read more...
Prophecy is a tricky business, but it hasn’t stopped many of the world’s greatest leaders, scientists and thinkers from trying to predict the future. Needless to say, they don’t always get it right, as the five worst predictions in history make abundantly clear! 1. John Maynard Keynes and the 15-hour work week The economist John… Continue reading
Read more...
America in the 1950s saw the rise of popular culture, consumer goods and the suburban home. In 1945, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had declared that America “stands at the summit of the world”. Indeed, to the outside world she was the image of prosperity. Yet in reality America was gripped by something far greater:… Continue reading
Read more...
On this day, 2 September, 349 years ago, a small fire started in the oven of a bakery on Pudding Lane, London. The baker, along with his family and servant, clambered out of a bedroom window as the flames ripped through the building. Before long the whole street was on fire, and shortly after, the… Continue reading
Read more...