Earl Grey and the Great Reform Act
The Representation of the People Act of 1832 is also known as the Reform Act or even…
The pneumatic tyre
The pneumatic tyre was invented twice, since the second claimant was unaware of a patent registered in…
The Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought on 1st July 1690 on the banks of Ireland’s River…
The hot springs of Bath
The city of Bath in Somerset is renowned for its natural thermal springs, easily the hottest in…
The Ashes
England’s greatest cricketing rivals are Australia and 5-match Test series with them are known as ‘The Ashes‘…
Durham Cathedral
Durham Castle and Durham Cathedral sit side-by-side on a peninsula off the River Wear that looks tailor-made…
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Of the three dozen British dukedoms (duchies) that still exist, several are in royal possession (“merged in…
Smoking
The first concerns from the medical industry over the effects of long-term smoking were raised in 1957.…
The Flying Shuttle
John Kay (1704-c.80) from Lancashire and one of his six sons, Robert (1728-1802), made vital contributions to…
The British Empire
“The British Empire was acquired in a fit of absent-mindedness.” ~ Sir John Seeley (1834-95) The enduring…
Motorway Signs
The UK’s first significant stretch of motorway comprised the M1’s junctions 5-18, opened in 1959, though the…
Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice
Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948-) from London and Sir Tim Rice (1944-) from Buckinghamshire, who met in…