October 26, 1898 | ST. JAMES’S GAZETTE THE ANTIQUARIAN ROMANCE. MORE REMARKABLE EVIDENCE. Mr. Lushington sat again specially at Bow-street yesterday for the further hearing of the charges against Herbert Davies, twenty-five, “private surgeon,” of Castlenau-gardens, Barnes, of forging entries in Mangotsfield parish register, tampering with monuments and coffins, forging […]
m’Blog
88 posts
Throughout history, many newspapers have had fleeting existences, often created in response to specific events, movements, or ambitions that were unsustainable in the long term. These rare and short-lived publications offer unique insights into the moments they captured, often serving niche audiences or addressing radical ideas. Their limited runs and […]
“From Quarries to Conservation: Dartmoor’s Granite Industry, Railway, and Transformation” By Ian Waugh, ‘The Princetown Railway’ here Scope and Themes This comprehensive work explores four interrelated themes regarding the Princetown Railway: The Granite Industry and Its Legacy Dartmoor’s granite industry was instrumental in shaping both the moor’s physical landscape and […]
Tavistock Gazette – Friday 22 October 1875 Tavistock Football Club. — At a meeting held at the Queen’s Head Hotel, on Monday last, Mr. G. Gibbings in the chair, it was resolved: — That the club be called the “Tavistock Football Club.” That the annual subscription be 3s. That the […]
In its era, “The Poor Man’s Guardian” was a defiant voice of the working class, a radical, illegal newspaper that challenged oppressive laws and censorship, pushing for press freedom, workers’ rights, and social reform during a time of political repression and economic inequality. Poor Man’s Guardian – Saturday 26 December […]
RIOTS IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE. Illustrated Police News – Saturday 19 November 1887 The article, published in a sensationalist newspaper known for its lurid coverage of crime and public disturbances, would have contributed to shaping public perception of the events. The detailed descriptions of the clashes and the injuries sustained would […]
Western Times – Friday 06 December 1940 This news article provides an interesting snapshot of wartime Britain, revealing how the upheaval of daily life affected young people. It offers a glimpse into the juvenile justice system of the time and the community’s efforts to address and correct youth crime amid the broader […]
Case for Reopening the Princetown Railway Page Index Introduction Historical and Cultural Significance Boost to Local and Tourism Economy Environmentally Friendly Access to Dartmoor Revitalisng Public Interest in Heritage Railways Scenic and Unique Travel Experience Potential for Seasonal and Special Event Services Leveraging Existing Infrastructure and Track bed Preservation Proposed […]
Dealing with a Potential Persistent Impersonator Jump to: Introduction | Initial Contact | Intensifying Messages | Raising Concerns with Family | Protecting My Privacy | Reflection on Internet Safety Introduction Over the years, several people have falsely claimed to be related to me. One particularly persistent individual introduced himself as […]
My Journey as the Family’s “Black Sheep” Jump to: Introduction | Early Years | Challenges and Adversity | Mistakes and Reflection | Becoming the Scapegoat | Growing Self-Reliance | Positives of Being the “Black Sheep” Introduction As the “black sheep” of my family, I’ve often felt isolated or misunderstood from […]
A quarter-century of my dedicated research unveils the narrative of one of the most renowned and painstakingly rediscovered incidents in British Victorian history. This story centres on a man whose existence dangled on the precipice—the individual who encountered the gallows not once, not twice, but thrice.This work delves into the […]
As a lifelong supporter of the British Labour Party, I have been there through the highs and lows, unwavering in my dedication. To me, being a true socialist means advocating for a fairer society, where everyone has equal opportunities and access to basic necessities. I have witnessed the Labour Party’s […]
If it happened, it was in the news. 1750 – 1950. My voluntary research service. As an avid enthusiast of British history, my passion for this captivating subject knows no bounds. I’ve immersed myself in its depths, delving into its intricacies and unearthing hidden aspects that have long remained concealed. […]
I am slowly but surely digitising my collections of Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian and early 20th century personal letters, documents and photographic images acquired over several decades. This process is currently ongoing and will gradually reveal itself here. The collections enables us to look into the lives, loves, ups and downs […]
Since auction websites like eBay entered the online arena the success of moneymaking ventures by some has in a way caused serious social and devastating historic damage. I am referring here to the thousands who have unwittingly taken advantage of these websites by selling off literally tons of “family junk”, […]
Whilst doing more family research I sadly discovered that my great, great grandmother (Emily Cave (nee Windebank)) committed suicide in 1892 after drinking the contents of a bottle of Carbolic Acid. I found out about this after conducting routine research through the London newspapers. London Evening Standard – Wednesday 14 […]
The railway station at Princetown was the scene of an unusual event in September 1895 when a released convict went back to Dartmoor Prison as he felt uncomfortable in the clothes he was wearing. Royal Cornwall Gazette – Thursday 19 September 1895: A Fastidious Convict. An amusing scene was witnessed […]
John Witton was transported in 1834 for stealing from a grocer. John asked if the Court could do him a favour. Cambridge Chronicle and Journal – Friday 10 January 1834 reports the following: John Witton, of Wisbech St. Peter, was convicted of stealing a cheese, on the 1st November last, […]
The expense of operating a horse driven tramway system in London was exposed in the Worcester Journal on Saturday 31 July 1886: “The cost of horsing the tramway cars in London forms, as maybe imagined, a heavy item in the accounts of several companies. The largest of these is the […]
A moment in wartime. Here is an AP WirePhoto dated May 15 1941 taken in Malta during the war: “They live on a “Fortress Island”. These children and the 69 year old woman with them are residents of Malta, British Island Fortress in the Mediterranean. British sources say they’re looking […]
In 1842 a man called H. Wright Esquire received a letter from his proud and excited son, Frank Edward Wright: “Southampton September 17, 1842 My dear Papa, We went to London in the holidays with mamma and stayed there three weeks. I hope you are quite well and I send […]
Todd Ragsdale Scudder was a friend of mine during his and my time in Malta. He was from Virginia (USA) and was supposed to be a student in Malta – he and I used to hang around in Gzira, Sliema and Paceville. Todd was a person with enormous enthusiasm for […]
I am lucky in many ways and happily have travelled and flown a lot from countries across Europe to nations throughout Africa. I have seen and experienced so much as a result. Funny how things come back to haunt. I was trying to remember this morning the worse flights I […]
This is a very long story about a valuable 1867 silver commemoration trowel used in the laying of the foundation stone of Torquay’s Haldon Pier, that was later used to weed a driveway, lost during late 1800’s, then found in the rubbish on Rainham Marshes by an Edwardian Chatham bricklayer, acquired […]
On 25 September 1907 two police inspectors were witness to statements and certain letters at the offices of Buck & Dicksons, 17, Winckley Street, Preston, Lancashire, England. These were written by George Douglas Clementson aged 27 of Ashton Under Lyne to Ernest Leslie Bassett Dixon aged 22 of Bushell Place, […]
My role at DevonAir Radio was of no great consequence. I was, between 1980 and 1987, a loyal member of the station team – hard-working and grossly underpaid. We had built a radio station with local news and information in it’s core – it’s very foundation. My time at this […]
Richard Bettison was my great great grandfather. He was born and brought up just outside Liskeard in Cornwall where, apart from a brief spell in the 1870s when he was in the Durham area, he spent the best part of his long life. My great grandmother Lily was his daughter […]
I am somewhat confused with the British Broadcasting Corporation. When is it okay to use colourful language? At one end of the BBC the use of any words very slightly offensive or indeed with sexual references are banned before 2100 hours on television. Meanwhile at the other end of the […]
I think I have a fairly strong constitution. But there is one aspect of television presentation that really does make me heave. I cannot stand watching people eating or tasting food on camera. To be honest it makes me feel so uncomfortable and even a little nauseous. I quite enjoy […]
I have been researching and building my family tree for about 25 years. In that time I have have discovered that most of my blood (and first generation married) relatives were generally regular working and lower class folk. Some of them aspired to really get on in life, many remained […]
Over the last 20 or 25 years I have been involved in a significant amount of historic research and this has led me to look into the lives of a great many people long since dead. As a result I have amassed a sizable collection of ephemera, including personal letters, […]
In the course of doing historic research I generally find I can usually detach myself even from the most appalling events and situations frequently reported over the centuries. It’s only when a direct blood relative suddenly appears in the Victorian news that I get a feeling of genuine sadness. This […]
Raymond Mitchell Heaselden (1897-1997), was the son of an engine fitter, Walter Heaselden(1865-1954) and Mary Ellen MITCHELL (1868-1965). Raymond, an only child, was born on 19 May 1897 in Dartford, Kent. In 1901 he was living in Crayford, Kent. By 1956 he had moved to in Worthing, Sussex. He died […]
My three times great grandmother really did not have much of an existence although she survived into her sixties. She spent all her life, like so many Victorian women at the bottom of the social and economic scale, cleaning other people’s houses and clothes. In death her body was used […]
Friends of mine who smoke/smoked were always careful in my company and for that I (as a non-smoker) am/was very always grateful. They care and they are friends of mine. In the workplace it was a different story, many who were smokers refused to refrain from smoking, especially in closed […]
The Edwardian era that characteristically did not begin and end with the reign of Edward VII is generally regarded as Britain’s calm before the storm. I would say that this much lauded brief spell began a few years before Queen Victoria’s death and ended abruptly at the outbreak of the […]
Here is a plan. All clothes retailers and importers across the EU pay a three per cent levy at the point of import on all clothing sourced from Asian and third world countries. Importers and retailers will be required NOT to pass on this extra charge to the consumer. The […]
I’ve been working on my genealogy for about twenty years now. When I started out there was no internet and therefore no online data, so the only way to build verified information was to visit record offices and libraries. As my mobility became worse by lucky coincidence internet access improved […]
Since auction websites like eBay entered the online arena the success of moneymaking ventures by some has in a way caused serious social and devastating historic damage. I am referring here to the thousands who have unwittingly taken advantage of these websites by selling off literally tons of “family junk”, […]
Now that the body found under a car-park in Leicester has definitely been identified, the fact that the circumstances surrounding the last moments of life have been ascertained, that Shakespeare, his fellow writers and certain historians should posthumously eat humble pie, there is a discussion underway regarding a potential state […]
Is ‘radio local’ still the audience grabber when it comes to bad weather, emergencies and localised disaster? I have been following a debate online and a user had this to say: “Weather? I can look at my iPhone home screen or check the web. Or, given the detail you often […]
I for one am extremely proud of my country. A lot is published today regarding the closing of the single greatest event this nation has experienced in modern history. As an overall happening London 2012 showcased the capital and nation in way that was calm, cool and British. It made […]
12 months ago to the day the immediate world around here turned into a war zone. And that’s the truth. War had broken out in South London. I was way too concerned with my personal safety to post anything online on the 8th August. As the day progressed the unrest […]
Up until very recently the fact that listeners and viewers in Malta have, since the 1930’s, been capable of receiving radio and television transmissions from Italy has been a ‘technical coincidence’. Radio transmission from Italy before the war was in fact ‘boosted’ to enable Italian broadcasts to be heard in […]
This post was written before the last phase and completion of building works in Valletta. Oh! How an image can create such controversy. There’s a really interesting ‘group’ on Facebook called ‘Malta Once Upon A Time‘. I highly recommend it. From my point of view as a part-time amateur historian […]
London Underground is to go entirely commercial, meaning all stations are to be renamed and linked to branding. London’s Mayor, Boris Johnson, says he had the idea in bed in the middle of the night on Tuesday, phoned his commercial director at 3.30am with the plan. It’s hoped the new […]
Boots Dispensing Medication – Serious Failures Written: June 2012 Some outlets and general businesses here in the United Kingdom over the years have formed part of the retail fabric of our high streets. One of these is Boots the Chemist. The long established and until recently much respected health and […]
I have always maintained that from a historic perspective the British royals are important. Any group, collection or family, rightly or wrongly, who has maintained a place in history for generations is historically noteworthy. When we look at our history these people have featured in the story of our nation […]
Last week I predicted the UK would drop like a lead balloon at the EuroVision 2012 Song Contest. Gosh! How unpatriotic I am. How can you suggest such a thing? Today the British and international press are full of our humiliation. Ok we were not bottom, we were second from […]
Ok gang! Place your EuroVision 2012 bets. Before you go racing to the bookies read on. According to ABC News, reports about alleged rights violations in Azerbaijan are capturing international attention as the country prepares to host this year’s Eurovision song contest. Eurovision is the most prestigious cultural event in […]
Time to grasp your jewellery with all your life. Gulp down that Gin and tonic. Batten down the hatches. Pull up the drawbridges and let battle commence. This is going to be a tantrum like no other as Queen Sofia of Spain and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain go head-to-head […]
For the second time in living memory politicians across Europe are fidgeting dangerously in their respective quarters. In the past couple of weeks the political rhetoric between the big beasts of the EU like France, Germany, Spain and even the United Kingdom have become noticeably and diplomatically noisy, even deafening. […]
This is the story of the day when Italy becomes a little less Italian. From the beginning of the 2014 academic year The Politecnico di Milano, one of Italy’s leading technical universities, all MSc and PhD courses will be taught exclusively in English. While the university already offers several courses […]
Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Edward Lear. Although a talented illustrator and painter, Lear is best known for his nonsense verse. His poetry demonstrates a defining love of eccentricity, verbal invention and poetic delight in the sound of words. His best known poem is The Owl […]
Weetabix. It’s as traditional as you can get at the breakfast table. For generations the semi-healthy option to Kelloggs Corn Flakes and Quaker Oates. The option to a good old fry up. But now that doyen of the early healthy start has been gobbled up by no other than the […]
Ok, so, well, what can I say? Since the General Election I have on occasions been hammered by some for ‘banging on’ about The Labour Party. For ‘not giving the coalition a chance’. For ‘agreeing to disagree’ (something I would never do). Yet today I open the media to discover […]
It appears I need to take elocution lessons. British Telecom has lost the ability to understand what I say, despite my efforts to use English with as few syllables and complicated words as possible. Three times in as many minutes I asked this telecom giant NOT to publish the telephone […]
Norwegian expressionist Edvard Munch’s The Scream has become the most expensive artwork sold at auction. It fetched an alarming $119.9m (£74m). It’s a tad scary because thats more than I earn in a week. Bidding lasted 12 minutes which is better than a bid on eBay which can last a […]
When they write the story of Queen Victoria the picture portrayed is generally that of a slightly stubborn, rather unhappy widowed monarch. In a way she had much to be miserable about. After giving birth to 9 children, the love of her life dying in 1861 and then seemingly spending […]
Over the years various individuals have falsely maintained to be related to me. One of them claims to be a nephew – a son of my sister. And the reason for all this weirdness – he said he wanted to know more about his ‘lost uncle’. This guy originally made […]
I seriously welcome contact from anyone. Friends, colleagues, real members of my family are genuinely welcome . You can send a message here .
I really have to get something off my chest. It’s a presentation matter – on the BBC actually. It’s something that’s seriously driving me up the bleedin’ wall. Some years ago my now 60 year old ears finally retired from UK commercial radio. I could no longer stand the countless […]
The Times of Malta, that bastion of media balance, is in a very boastful mood. An eventful start to 2012 saw over 1.6 million visitors browse timesofmalta.com in the first 10 days of the year – unprecedented figures for a Maltese website. That figure jumps five-fold, to just over 8.5 […]
I love the Internet. Indeed without the World Wide Web that was invented or should I say evolved by some horrible coincidence in my life I think from a personal point of view my existence would be totally different. Just as I was beginning to lose the use of my […]
Apart from uplifting events personally, this has been a rubbish year. Riots, burning, thieving, national political gloom, lies and garbage from those who should know better. Credibility sold for a cent. National pride and a country’s good name kicked in the teeth by those who run it. Good, then not […]
In 2007 I was asked to write a piece on Maltese radio. 20 years after deregulation here is an update. In a medium where “content is king” and where in Malta the Maltese have such choice, in fact all that seems to be on offer is much of the same. […]
The eighth of August 2011 will go down as one of South London’s darker dates. It will stay in our memories probably for ever. As London was burning, the sirens were screaming, as news channels broadcast our hell live to the world, I can remember watching the thick black smoke […]
When I was a boy I remember a scandal in the early 1960s that brought the Macmillan government to its knees. I am of course referring to the Profumo affair, an event so appalling that elderly members of my family refused to discuss it in front of us children. But […]
These last few weeks have been quite extraordinary in a positive and happy way. First there was the build-up and anticipation, then the “big day”, followed by the “getting back to normal” syndrome. I am in fact referring to our civil registration which took place on Saturday as an extremely […]
There is something very creepy that has always in lurked around in this vehicle we call the Internet. There is a grave danger that our lives and indeed our personalities can be penetrated from outside the safety of our keyboards and Internet screens. Human nature seems to have adapted itself […]
I came across this from British Pathé. King George VI opening The Empire Exhibition in 1938. I am actually searching for footage for another unrelated item. Although unused this piece is clearly heavily edited in an attempt to disguise the Kings’ severe voice impediment and nerves. It’s painful to watch […]
I find myself these days are applying myself to the Internet with certain caution for fear of upsetting or shocking the delicate amongst us. So here goes, once more into the breach! In the Mediterranean in the grand old city of Valletta, the capital of Malta, they are having a […]
It has been pointed out to me that I am ‘negative’. To me and many around me, this is real news. The only medium where this claim has been made is Facebook, famous for users to openly express themselves. Several (about half a dozen) people on Facebook take this strange […]
The trouble with having a viewpoint is that invariably there is a danger of alienating half of the recipients of your thoughts. Facebook is the only “social” networking site I use. There are dozens of them out there and all seem to do exactly the same job. I’m not a […]
Since this coalition government has been running the affairs of Great Britain, Prime Ministers Question time (PMQs) scheduled for most Wednesdays has turned into a theatrical fiasco. Yesterday was no exception to the rule. With the Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative party making a total mockery of the […]
If ever a single photograph portrays a scene of dread and sheer disgust then it has to be this one, published last week in The Daily Star in Dhaka Bangladesh. It was taken by chance by a freelance photographer who happened to be in the area on another assignment. While […]
First hitting the streets in colonial Malta in 1935, The Times of Malta is an English-language newspaper with allegedly the highest circulation. In many ways it has been a point of reference to current affairs on these Maltese islands, but in recent times its monopoly and in some ways its […]
On the streets of Malta there is genuine fury, through the pages of Facebook there is indignation and anger. At the offices of RAI there are copious amounts of egg on a great many faces. Emotions are running high in the Mediterranean as it looks like a huge rather ugly […]
This evening I have been filling in my 2011 Census Form. I used my computer, did the process online using the high speed broadband, in my central heated comfortable apartment, lit by electric light whilst listening to some nice music recorded digitally after a rather pleasant dinner. Almost to this […]
A lot of my broadcasting work (especially in the last 25 years) has been in the field of presentation and programming development. Some of this has been to identify talent as a means to improving station output or overall presentation. One such case was in Zimbabwe where I worked for […]
There’s a little story behind this record. I met Marc Almond in the early 80’s when he was the other half of Soft Cell and interviewed Gene Pitney for radio in the mid 80’s. I used to frequent a small bar on the front at Gzira (Malta) opposite the bridge […]
The call for a greater range of real Halal products in our shops and restaurants is growing at a steady and interesting pace. But how do you know that the meat and other products you are purchasing is genuinely Halal? How is it regulated and what measures are in place […]
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
At last all the codes are in place! And blogging is underway from my mobile 🙂
In these times of doom and gloom, I think its nice to take time out and remember when we used to do things of a certain greatness.
Its new! It went live today! ICorrect.com is a new portal for those in (and possibly out) the public eye to put the record straight on various accusations that have been made against them over the years. Here is an example — Cherie Blair putting the record straight about her […]
I commented on Facebook to a Maltese friend of mine who lives on the island: “… this whole thing worries me and deep down it must certainly concern the Maltese as a whole. Colonel Gaddafi and his followers are clearly up against it, and as such as we all know […]