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All in the month of October Diary of a Momentous Year:  October 1918 Celebrating Paddington Bear’s 60th anniversary The day that ‘War of the Worlds’ came to America Sir Walter Raleigh: Queen Elizabeth l’s favourite adventurer and courtier THE WAY I SEE IT – Whatever happened to ties? Don’t miss the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms!  (19 October...

It was: 400 years ago, on 29th Oct 1618 that Sir Walter Raleigh died.  This famous English explorer, writer, poet and courtier was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth 1. Well known for popularising tobacco in England. Executed for treason by King James 1 (mainly to appease the Spanish). 100 years ago, on 1st Oct 1918...

October 1918 was the month when both sides, in their different ways, decided that they had had enough war. The Germans, following their defeat at Amiens, no longer had any hope of a strong negotiating position in peace talks, let alone victory. Their economy was struggling, and morale was low. The Allies, now sure of...

Paddington Bear made his first appearance 60 years ago, on 13th Oct 1958, when the book A Bear Called Paddington, by Michael Bond, was published. Paddington is of course a fictional, anthropomorphised bear who has featured in more than 20 books that have been translated into 30 languages and have sold more than 30 million...

Orson Welles’ famous radio adaptation of War of the Worlds by H G Wells was broadcast in the USA 80 years ago, on 30th Oct 1938. It was said to have caused nationwide outrage and panic as – in the tense political atmosphere just before the Second World War – listeners thought the events described...

Sir Walter Raleigh died 400 years ago, on 29th Oct 1618. The famous English adventurer, writer, poet and courtier was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. The youngest of five sons in a devout Protestant family from Devon, he had faced persecution under Queen Mary. As a result, he developed a life-long hatred for Roman...

I’ve recently been sorting through some family photographs. What struck me was how easy it was to date them by what people were wearing. My grandmother always wore black, with a crinoline blouse, and had her hair in a bun. I picked up a photo of her in 1945. She looked, to a modern eye,...

(19 October 2018 – 19 February 2019) This month, the British Library is opening a landmark exhibition on the history, art, literature and culture of Anglo-Saxon England. It spans six centuries, from the eclipse of Roman Britain to the Norman Conquest.  The exhibition will even feature the Domesday Book, one of the most iconic manuscripts...

Many of us love animals and would be happy to help them on a regular, local basis.  Here are just some ideas to consider: The local animal shelter (INSERT NAME HERE). Why not volunteer some regular time this winter to helping them?   Many shelters only survive on volunteers, to do everything from admin to dog...

It is that time of year again – when the pumpkins with scary faces appear in our shops, surrounded by skeleton costumes, zombie masks, witch’s hats and sweets with gruesome names. How do Christian parents deal with this annual celebration of evil and death?  For of course 31st October has pagan Celtic roots – it...

All in the month of September Diary of a Momentous Year:  Surviving – and singing – in the trenches Time for a change of national anthem? Better than your average young swimmer! What did we do before Google? Peace for our time? Our local policemen Girl Guides to learn about money ** Editor:  We continue...

It was: 100 years ago, from 26th Sep to 11th Nov that the WW1 Meuse-Argonne Offensive took place in France. It was the last major battle of WW1, and the American Expeditionary Force’s largest and bloodiest operation of the war. Allied victory. 90 years ago, on 28th Sep 1928 that the use of cannabis was...