Set in 1937, The Winter Garden gives an intriguing insight into pre Second World War Germany. The story follows that of a young girl, Anna Hansen, who is murdered whilst at the school for Brides of the Reich Officers. This school was for young girls who were about to marry an SS officer and must…
Category: Uncategorized
A Look at Retro Romance
Recently, I have been ill. At my age, one takes full advantage! So what better to do than rest in bed and revisit one of my favorite time periods, the late 1970s through to the early 1980’s. Not through films, or corny television shows…but through romance novels, more specifically, ‘Harlequin Presents’. Obviously, I know times have…
The Real Braveheart
Not since the Victorians trampled over one another to get their hands on a scrap of the Highlands have so many cared about kilts, broadswords and glens. Thanks in no small part to a Scottish invasion of Hollywood in 2012, with the country itself playing central roles in Skyfall and Brave, Scottish tourism is undergoing something of a…
A Titanic Ancestor
I never knew my great, great uncle, but many of you have seen his death portrayed in several films and some of you might even remember his name. But the person you see is an actor, not the man himself. My great, great uncle was Edward John Smith, Captain of the White Star Line RMS…
Elopement Extraordinary
All rural communities have idiosyncrasies when it comes to cultural practices. Perhaps the customs surrounding a rural marriage are some of the most strange. Rural Ireland of the 19th and 20th centuries had a wide variety of cultural practices surrounding the event of marriage. Rural Ireland, way back when. Source: fanningfamilyhistory.com In some regions it was customary for…
The Pendle Witches: A Local Phenomena and A Symbol of Injustice
As a child growing up in Lancashire, I vividly recall being enthralled while my dad told me of the local legend of the Lancashire witches (or Pendle witches as they are more locally known). At the time, it seemed to be unreal, a story made up to make sure kids like myself would behave and…
Castell Coch: A ‘Wendy House’ Of Epic Proportion!
Our ‘Castle Of The Week’ feature has been so popular amongst our Twitter and Facebook followers we decided it was high time to commit a full-length article to the subject. And boy what a castle we have chosen! Our Operations Bee, Jenna, explains more… Castell Coch. Simply stunning… Source: www.tripadvisor.co.uk This, my dear readers, is Castell Coch (or, the…
Become A Stone Age Expert in 5 Minutes
Fancy Becoming An Expert in Stone Age Archaeology in 5 Minutes? Yes? Then read on… First things first, because our Stone Age ancestors didn’t actually write anything down, the whole period is conjecture. Finding some flint axes in a cave could mean anything; the cave could have been a religious site or a home, or…
Why You Should Visit Chatsworth
If you haven’t visited Chatsworth House before, you are missing out. Set against a backdrop of stunning countryside in idyllic Derbyshire, Chatsworth is a beacon of decadence, a symbol of wealth and fashion. And it truly is one of the most beautiful stately homes in the country. The stunning Chatsworth House. Source: www.visitengland.com Who Has Lived…
Curious Cures…
From lobotomies to leeching, there have been a multitude of curious medicinal cures throughout history! I’ve listed a few here, but don’t worry, no Paracetamol is required! Got a headache? Why not bind a dead mole to your head! I appreciate it isn’t often you stumble upon a dead mole; as an alternative, place a…