Sunday, October 16, 2022

Planted some tomatoes

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Today marks the centenary of the birth of the great British variety performer Max Bygraves. From humble origins, he rose steadily to the top...
Thursday, October 13, 2022

We crossed the equator

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‘At last we anchor for the night just inside Nazareth Bay, for Nazareth Bay wants daylight to deal with, being rich in low islands and sand ...
Tuesday, October 4, 2022

They cheered lustily

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Today marks the bicentenary of the birth of Rutherford B Hayes. He became the 19th president of the US, but only after one of the most contr...
Thursday, September 29, 2022

In search of a rich wife

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John Thomlinson, an English clergyman only remembered because of his diary, was born all of 330 years ago today. The diary is variously desc...
Sunday, September 11, 2022

The Chuder Ede diaries

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James Chuder Ede, not a name much remembered these days, was a key Labour Party politician during and after the Second World War. Born 140 y...
Friday, September 9, 2022

The Queen and I

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I have never had a very close relationship with the Queen, who died yesterday, so no mourning for me. But I’m not a republican. I feel I’ve ...
Wednesday, August 31, 2022

The King went from his castle

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Henry V, one the great warrior kings in medieval England, died exactly six centuries ago today. He is honoured especially for his military s...
Monday, August 29, 2022

As if I were flying

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’For the first time I have broken out from the cage which encloses me, and opened a shutter to the outside world. I have touched things whic...
Monday, August 15, 2022

Gandhi and the cat

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‘Bapu has been observing the behaviour of the cats. His letter to the Ashram today is devoted to that subject. The cat’s concentration in ob...