Penguin paperbacks
Bristol-born Sir Allen Lane (1902-70) was the genius with the driving force to create a revolution in the publishing industry with his […]
Michael Bond, creator of ‘Paddington Bear’
The children’s stories about the accident-prone bear called Paddington, were written by Berkshire-born Michael Bond, CBE (1926-2017). They encompass three classic themes […]
Oxygen & other gases
Yorkshireman Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) was a skilled experimental chemist, among other occupations, and in 1774 he made some extraordinary discoveries by heating […]
The British Constitution
A constitution sets out how a community has agreed to be governed. The British Constitution is a unique, time-worn set of principles […]
Rag Weeks
University and college Rag Weeks once had the reputation of being an outlet for the rebellious spirit of some young adults on […]
Life Expectancy
Below is an example of the result obtained with the online calculator available at the Office of National Statistics. In 2024, upon […]
Steve Redgrave
Sir Steven G. Redgrave, (1962-) was Great Britain’s first competitor to win five Olympic Gold medals in five consecutive Games and he […]
Monasteries
The monastic movement came to the British Isles in the 6th century. The remote settings of monasteries, such as the Holy Island […]
Listed Buildings
Since its inception in 1882, the designation of ‘Listed Building‘ has been applied to all shapes, sizes and types of structure judged […]
The glider and the seatbelt
Yorkshireman Sir George Cayley (1773-1857) was a man ahead of his time. For the want of a suitable engine, he would have […]
Adam Smith & free trade
Born in Fife, Adam Smith (1723-90) immersed himself in philosopy, ethics, logic theology and jurisprudence at the Universities of Glasgow and Oxford, […]