All articles in History
22nd July, 2016 in History, Society & Culture
1966: When Britain was the envy of the world
The 1960s was arguably the most upbeat and exciting decade of the twentieth century and beyond. Even those who argue against this have to concede that for most of us it was the decade in which our whole way of life changed for the better, like never before in modern history. The…
20th July, 2016 in History, Society & Culture
Celebrating 80 years of the Speaking Clock
First introduced in Britain on the 24 July 1936, the Speaking Clock was created specifically by the General Post Office (GPO) to settle disputes over time. Prior to this the nation was largely run on mechanical wind-up clocks that were prone to drift and increasing numbers of peo…
7th July, 2016 in History, Women in History
Lady Jane Grey in six places
Lady Jane Grey is primarily known as the ‘Nine Days Queen’, the great-niece of Henry VII and the Tudor usurper who took the crown from Queen Mary I. A tragic figure used as a pawn in a political game, she was only 17 when she was beheaded. Though her life was brief, she rem…
27th June, 2016 in History, Military
The man who saved the ninja
Between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, Japan entered into a series of wars: villages were burned, swords – red with gore – stained the sky, and warriors mounted steeds with arrows poised across their armour. During this time there was one branch of the samurai army that…
16th June, 2016 in History, Women in History
Seven little-known facts about Queen Victoria
Seven things you (probably) didn’t know about the ‘Grandmother of Europe’. Full name: Alexandrina Victoria Birth: 24 May 1819 Death: 22 January 1901 Reign: Ascended to the throne on 20 June 1837, and was crowned in Westminster Abbey on 28 June 1838 Marriage: 10 February 184…
12th May, 2016 in History
10 defining objects from the Somme
Objects are the way in which we can touch the past, and they play a living role in history today. They bear witness to events and provide a unique narrative waiting to be explored. Peter Doyle curates this fascinating selection. Liverpool Pals badges Liverpool Pals badges Lord De…
11th May, 2016 in Biography & Memoir, History
Henry VIII: Avaricious, suspicious, inconstant
Henry VIII was a larger than life Tudor monarch. With time he has become a character defined by his many marriages and his portrayal on TV, rather than through his real political skills and leadership. Here author and historian Dr Susan Loughlin exam…
29th April, 2016 in History, Women in History
Mary, Queen of Scots’ great escape
On the 2 May 1568 Mary, Queen of Scots escaped Lochleven castle, where she had been kept prisoner for almost eleven months, in a highly daring escapade. The background Despite acceding to the Scottish throne at just six days old, Mary spent the majority of her childhood in…
22nd April, 2016 in History, Military
The secret court martial records of the Easter Rising
On 29 April 1916, Patrick Pearse signed the surrender order to end the Rising. On 1 May, after the Dublin insurgent garrisons had been escorted to Richmond Barracks, detectives identified those thought to have played the most prominent role; these were to be court-martialled. Pad…
22nd April, 2016 in History
Dogs in Shakespeare
Dogs have long been used as metaphors to describe determination and loyalty, as well as tenacity. William Shakespeare too uses these descriptions, but also describes dogs in relation to their role in war and fighting, and his writings have formed a key part of our study of the En…
20th April, 2016 in Archaeology, History
Rediscovering Shakespeare’s Curtain Theatre
In 2012, the remains of London’s second purpose-built playhouse, the Curtain Theatre, were unearthed in Shoreditch, London by experts from Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) during exploratory digs. History of the Curtain Theatre The Curtain Theatre was used as a playhouse from…
7th April, 2016 in History
Rome and her neighbours: A tale of survival
Much of our culture can trace its roots back to the ancient Mediterranean empire ruled by the Romans. We tend to take the Roman empire for granted, as an unchangeable part of the shared history of a vast area that ran from northern England to the deserts of the Middle East….