All articles in Society & Culture
17th September, 2018 in History, Society & Culture
500 years of the Royal College of Physicians
Established in 1518 with the granting of a royal charter by one of history’s most famous monarchs – Henry VIII – the Royal College of Physicians of London is the oldest medical royal college in England and Wales, and amongst the most ancient professional medical organisations sti…
23rd August, 2018 in Local & Family History, Society & Culture
The history of street photography
The saying goes, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ and street photography certainly lives up to this reputation. Since its inception in Victorian times, humankind has had a fascination with capturing not only the real, raw and gritty but also the mundane. Forms of photog…
21st August, 2018 in History, Society & Culture
The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833
On 28 August 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act was given Royal Assent and came into force on the following 1 August 1834. Its full bill title was ‘An Act for the Abolition of Slavery throughout the British Colonies; for promoting the Industry of the manumitted Slaves; and…
18th July, 2018 in Military, Society & Culture
The fall of Tenochtitlan
On 13 August 1521, after over two months of fighting, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés succeeded in bringing about the fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire, and consequently brought an end to Aztec civilisation. In the late 1400s and early 1500s a proficie…
4th July, 2018 in History, Society & Culture
The NHS: Serving the nation for 75 years
On 5 July 1948 the National Health Service (NHS) that we have all come to rely upon was launched. Its intention was to provide a comprehensive healthcare system for all, free at the point of contact and funded by taxation and national insurance contributions. As the NHS celebrate…
22nd June, 2018 in History, Society & Culture
Windrush: A landmark in the history of modern Britain
On 21 June 1948, the former German cruise liner HMT Empire Windrush arrived in the UK at Tilbury Docks, Essex carrying passengers from the West Indies. The following day, in what has become a landmark in the history of modern Britain, Caribbean migrants from countr…
11th June, 2018 in History, Military, Society & Culture
The English Civil War and the rise of journalism
The English Civil War was one of the bloodiest conflicts in Britain’s long history, ending with the execution of King Charles I. What’s lesser known, however, is how the war influenced the evolution of today’s newspapers – something historian Derek J. Taylor has investigated. At…
7th June, 2018 in Society & Culture, Women in History
The Ford sewing machinists equal pay strike of 1968
On 7 June 1968 women workers at Ford in Dagenham went on strike. This in itself seemed no big deal. The women were sewing machinists who made covers for car seats. The cause of their unrest was unequal pay. As part of a Ford rearrangement, their job was being reclassified as Cate…
1st June, 2018 in History, Society & Culture
A short history of the Post Office
The Post Office dates way back to 1660 when it was established by Charles II. Under the guise of the General Post Office (GPO), it soon grew as an important organisation integral within the infrastructure of England during the seventeenth century. Just one year after it was forme…
22nd May, 2018 in History, Society & Culture
The media vs the mighty in seven quotes
Donald Trump’s daily and very public disagreements with the media are nothing new. In fact those in power have been battling with the press for 500 years. ‘God hath opened the Press to preachwhose voice the Pope is not able to stopwith all the power of his triple crown.’- John Fo…
4th May, 2018 in History, Society & Culture
An introduction to Brehon law
I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Anne Boleyn and her designated fiancé, James Butler, son of the Earl of Ormond in Ireland. If only, I used to think when I was young and romantic, if only she had married handsome young James, (who later had six sons), and gone back to…
24th April, 2018 in Society & Culture, Women in History
Princesses on the wards: Royal women and nursing
Royal ladies have always aided the sick. In 1148, Queen Matilda founded the Royal Hospital and Collegiate Church of St Katharine by the Tower and reserved the choice of master to all the queens of England who would follow her. Since then, royal women have patronised, endowed and…