The Titanic – before the Ice Berg
The Titanic was at the forefront of maritime technology, it really was the “Ship of Dreams”. She was: This huge ship was luxurious: Then on April 10th, 1912, as it set out for New York, there were problems. Was the journey doomed? Well, after that everything appeared to be going well. She made two […]
The Great Fire on London
Shortly after midnight on Sunday 2nd September a fire went rogue in Thomas Farriner’s bakery in Pudding Lane in the City of London. Now fires were a regularity in the City of London at this time. Unfortunately, this one, as I said earlier went rogue. It quickly spread to the nearby houses, then to nearby […]
What happened to the White Star Line, owners of the RMS Titanic?
It was a clear, sunny day at 12.13pm on May 31st 1911, when amid much celebration, the RMS Titanic was launched at the Harland and Wolff ship yard in Belfast. It took a further year for her superstructure to be completed and the ship’s sea trials finally began on April 2nd, 1912. Once completed, she […]
Henley’s annual regatta changed the world of Amateurism
In 1839 first Henley Regatta was held for a single day. In March that year Captain Edmund Gardiner proposed Henley’s annual regatta, to be managed under judicious and respectable management. That year the first Henley Regatta was held over a single day, its success meant that next year it ran for two, it kept extending […]
Where did the Circus Come From?
Where Did Circus Come From? The history of the circus is an interesting story that spans many thousands of years, mixing entertainment, skill, and daring performances. We all associate the circus with colourful tents, thrilling acrobatics, and dazzling feats, however, its origins are essentially ancient and complex. There has been some dispute about where “circus” […]
“Unsinkable Sam” a special cat!
Sam was a black and white patched cat, supposedly owned by an unknown crewman of the German battleship Bismarck. The Bismark, which with her sister ship Tirpitz was the largest battleship ever built by Germany for the second World War. In fact, it only ever took part in one action before when in 1941 it […]
The Paul Pry phenomenon!
Well, the noun Paul Pry denotes an inquisitive person; one of its synonyms is nosey parker! The point is that he wasn’t a person! He was the character in a farce of three acts that premiered at the Haymarket Theatre in London on 13th September 1825 and ran for 114 performances, it then continued to be popular all the […]
The 1910 London to Manchester air race
In 1910 there was an air race between an Englishman and a French man. Why? It was all because in 1906 the Daily Mail issued a £10,000 challenge, however, it took until 1910 before anyone decided to accept the challenge, when two people did, and English man and a French man: The race was […]
Sherlock Holmes, a fictional invention of the Victorian era.
He has become the most famous fictional detective of this era, and it could be claimed of all time. During the Victorian era, as Britain’s police force became more professional and successful, it was inevitable that detective novels would follow and become extremely popular, with Sherlock Holmes becoming the most fashionable. When did he become […]
Scotland’s First Football Captain of colour
Andrew Watson: The World’s First Black International Footballer On March 12, 1881, history was made at the Kennington Oval in London. That day, a player born thousands of miles away in British Guiana walked out with the Scottish national team to face England in an international football match. This player was Andrew Watson, and by […]