All girls dream of their wedding; the man, the flowers, the venue…the dress! At one point or another members of your family will have witnessed the sleek and simple phase, 10ft veils and voluptuous meringues. But which decade got it right? Let’s take a look back at the best of the last century… 1910’s The…
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Mistress of Charlecote
If there is one book which can transport me back in time within reading just a few paragraphs, it is this one. When I settle down to read this book, in my minds eye, I see myself sat in front of a warm (if formidable!) lady named Mary Elizabeth. She recounts to me tales of…
The Holocaust during the summer of 1944: The Final Solution
This summer marks the 70th anniversary of the Summer of 1944, the Summer of D Day, and the beginning of the end of World War Two. The world just celebrated the D Day anniversary with much deserved pomp and gratitude, honoring the sacrifice of the survivors, and the memories of the fallen. 1944 holds other…
The Lion and the Lamb by John Henry Clay
John Henry Clay’s first novel is set in Roman Britain, in the run up to the ‘barbarian conspiracy’ of AD 367. The titular Lion and Lamb are the patrician heads of two rival families, although the narrative follows members of just one of those families and, in particular, a young brother and sister – Paul…
The Lost Master Race
The Lebensborn (which loosely means “Fountain of Life” in English) Program was created out of the need to “populate” Germany once the Nazis had won the war. The Nazis had long had a plan to first enslave the Slavic population whilst taking over their land, and then annihilate them completely. If Germany defeated the Allies,…
Commemorate The Centenary of WW1 With The National Trust
2014 is set to be a poignant year, as we commemorate the centenary of the beginning of the First World War. This year, we honour the hundreds and thousands of men and women who fought courageously on the front line and at home, in order for us to be free today. The National Trust is hosting hundreds…
Mademoiselle Boleyn by Robin Maxwell
Like many people, I had my pre-conceptions about Anne Boleyn. Her name alone conjures up the image of a ‘Femme Fatale’, histories most famous ‘other’ woman. She was clever and calculating. Sly, with her eyes unflinching on the ultimate prize, Anne has a reputation of ruthlessness. To snare a king was no task for the…
The Cathars
If, like me, you always thought that the medieval period was made up of monks, peasants and boring manuscripts, then you would be partly right. However, there were also some bizarre sects with what can only be described as unusual (and somewhat hilarious) beliefs, which might just challenge how you see medieval monks, even just…
Top 10 Weird Treatments for Insanity through History
The Lunatics are taking over the asylum! There have been some weird cures for mental illness over the years, some have worked, but the majority have been downright bonkers. Here is our round up of the 10 weirdest cures for mental illness through history… Detail from The Extraction of the Stone of Madness, a painting by Hieronymus…
Concentration Camps of the Second Boer War
“Actually, the British invented the concentration camp”- a claim many will be familiar with if they have ever studied or discussed the Holocaust to any degree, but how justified is this accusation, and what does it really mean? It is a great shock to most when they hear this so-called ‘fact’ for the first time,…