Probably every family in the UK that celebrates Christmas will have one such story of disaster, calamity or injury that is trotted out over the festive table to the mirth and hilarity of all those seated around it. Like the time Dad cut his finger off carving the turkey or how mum fell off a… Continue reading Invite injury and death into your home this Christmas
Tag: History
A Christmas tale of woe
Whenever I’m wandering around during the festive period, I like to play a little game. If I pass some sort of iconic building or structure I’ll stop and try to imagine what it or the surrounding area would look have looked like during past Christmas’. These nearly always take the form of a Victorian yuletide… Continue reading A Christmas tale of woe
Ham Yard, an apt setting
Philanthropy at Christmas comes in many forms whether it is sending money to an appeal, donating to a food bank or possibly even volunteering to serve Christmas dinner to those who find themselves homeless. I’m afraid I can only own up to one of these and its not the last one. I came across a… Continue reading Ham Yard, an apt setting
This is where it all began
In many ways it’s an unpromising but not unpleasing building at 101 Union Street, Southwark. Unpromising in the respect of that it’s not the original that I was searching for. On maps of the 1840s it shows a pub on the corner, the Three Jolly Gardeners and the building I’m looking for next to it.… Continue reading This is where it all began
Better than a curate’s egg
Don’t know about you, but my go to in the pub snack department is the good old pork scratchin’, nothing better with a pint. I’ve had a dalliance now and again with Bombay Mix, those little pretzels and even the classic cheese biscuits, but if there’s a crunchy, greasy, salty and sometimes hairy mouthful of… Continue reading Better than a curate’s egg
Silent Sunday
Cobblers! No it’s a true story
This year saw the 358th anniversary of the Great Fire of London. The whole event is shrouded in misinformation, untruths and supposition. What the fire did is pretty well documented, but how it affected the lives of those that lived through it is more difficult to come by. I recently came across a story of… Continue reading Cobblers! No it’s a true story
Wordless Wednesday
PC49 was ‘ere
Graffiti is part of everyday life it seems. It annoys some and delights others. It can we witty and insightful or plainly banal and pointless. Recently on a trip up to Hadrian’s Wall I marvelled at some graffito dating back to the Roman occupation. One was a disparaging comment about a roman soldier by a… Continue reading PC49 was ‘ere
A LONDON MISCELLANY 