The Air War in WW1
World War 1 happened just nine years after the Wright brothers flew the first powered aeroplane, however, the benefit of air power was quickly recognised by both armies. Initially as spotters, which, inevitably led…
The story of Hunley, the first Submarine
This is an interesting story. It is about the first submarine that ever sank a ship. On February 17th, 1864 during the American Civil War “The Hunley”, a Confederate submarine, sank the “USS Housatonic”. A…
Why did the first horse drawn tram fail?
The first horse drawn tram ran along Victoria Street in London on rails. It was popular with its passengers, but not with officialdom, so inevitably it ran into trouble. It was the brainchild of an…
Where did Coca Cola come from?
It was invented by a morphine addict who was experimenting with various painkillers to help him live with the sabre wound he had sustained in the Civil War. Who was he? John Stith Pemberton was…
The story of the Humble Stamp
The man who came up with the adhesive stamp was given a knighthood, just because he thought of the stamp! It all goes back to “letter carriers”, they took letters around London and there were…
The Tin Can’s journey from France to Bermondsey, England
Would you believe it, the tin can’s journey started in France! Napoleon’s Challenge! Napoleon was losing more troops from hunger and scurvy than in combat, he therefore offered a prize of 12,000 francs (£250,000 today)…
Who invented the Wheel?
The wheel, something we take for advantage, it seems so logical, but somebody had to invented it. I imagine the idea of the wheel came the first time someone saw a rock roll down a…
Did you know that Fax machines came before Telephones!
Did you anyone tell you that they had Fax Machines before there were telephones? This fascinating story that starts with Alexander Bain, who invented the Electric Clock, unfortunately he had no money, another example of…
It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread!
Otto Frederick Rohwedder, invented sliced bread and we are always telling people their idea is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Does that mean that Otto Frederick Rohwedder the greatest inventor? He was born in…
The history of Glasses
The picture above shows the first depiction of someone wearing glasses. That was in 1352, however, well before this, the Romans were using a glass tube of water as a magnifier to read books. Then…