Fashion Revolution Day
What is Fashion Revolution Day? On April 24th, 2013, a garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed. Over 1100 people were killed and many more injured. Bangladesh is one of the countries that produces the most garments and many of the clothes that were being manufactured in the ill-fated factory were destined to be sent to the western world. In other words, they were making the clothes that you and I buyin our local stores. To mark the...
The Duchess of Cambridge
The Duchess of Cambridge. On 19th July, 1981, Carole and Mike Middleton sat down in front of their television – as did millions throughout the world – to watch the wedding of Diana Spencer to Prince Charles. Little did they know that thirty years later, they would see their as yet unborn daughter marrying the son of the happy couple. At the time Charles married Diana, Carole Middleton was in the early stages of pregnancy...
Queen Elizabeth II: The world’s oldest serving monarch
Queen Elizabeth II: The world’s oldest serving monarch. Princess Elizabeth became queen on 6th February, 1952. Little did she know that she would become the oldest monarch in the world. On 23rd January, 2015, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia died at the age of ninety making the queen the oldest sovereign. She was born in 1926. Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years, 216 days, a record the queen topped in September 2015. Victoria lived...
Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Living to Tell the Tale
The early life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Should you read this amazing book before you read his novels? That wasn’t an issue for me because I have been reading Marquez for decades so to me, this book is a wonderful way about learning more. More, not just about the author’s life but how his books and stories are crafted. I knew that basic facts of his life – born in the nineteen twenties in Colobia, a journalist in...
Eric Jackson: The Chieftain Rally 1973
Eric Jackson: Chieftain Rally 1973 Rally driver Eric Jackson was strictly a Ford man. The only recorded competition car he drove that wasn’t a Ford was a Vauxhall in the 1959 Monte Carlo Rally. So it’s not surprising that when Jacko had ‘the big one’ – the rally accident that nearly finished him off – he was driving a Ford Escort. Here’s a photograph of how he managed to rearrange the car:...
Fort Lauderdale: For the Business Traveller
Travelling to Fort Lauderdale on business? Every year studies show that business travel is increasing rapidly. And many of these travellers are looking for accommodation that offers something more than faceless chain hotels. We have just the place for you. Instead of an out-of-the-way hotel, stay at your own waterfront apartment with every facility – that’s close to the beach and the very best shopping and dining...
RMS Titanic: The band
The musicians of the Titanic It’s over a hundred years ago that the Titanic sank with such an appalling loss of life but we’re still fascinated by the fate of this ‘unsinkable’ ship and its passengers and crew. All the band members went down with the ship. Who were these men? And what is the truth about the last song they played as the ship went down? Those of us whose first movie exposure to the story...
Myths Surrounding the Sinking of RMS Titanic.
Myths & questions surrounding the sinking of RMS Titanic. It still fascinates us, doesn’t it? And yet it seems that over the years there have been many myths and legends that have appeared surrounding the loss of the RMS Titanic. Many of these, I suspect, have been due to the films that have been made about the sinking. It’s such a good subject for a movie and it’s hardly surprising that filmmakers want to add...
Spicy onion fritters
Spicy onion fritters – or use the vegetables of your choice. These vegetable fritters are so delicious.Part of the reason for that is the beautifully light batter. It’s truly fabulous and contains a special secret ingredient. I like to make onion fritters using this special batter – it’s really so light and tasty – but I’ve experimented with other vegetables too. Use whatever you have available...
Top British Chefs
Top British Chefs How did Britain get its ‘reputation’ as being a place with less than perfect cuisine? It’s a myth that’s easy to explain and you only have to look at the chefs you featured below to see that great food is alive and well in the United Kingdom. Britain has a very long history of fabulous food going back hundreds of years. Our first cookbook appeared in medieval days and the recipes are still...
The White Van: By Patrick Hoffman
The White Van: Review. Emily wakes up – sort of – to find herself alone in a hotel room. As she comes round, she remembers that she’d been in a bar and met a man – a Russian. No, it was nothing like that – she hadn’t exactly been picked up and there’d been no activity of the type normally associated with situations where two people of the opposite sex who met in abar ended up in a hotel room...
Enjoy Yourself, it’s Later Than You Think
Enjoy Yourself, it’s Later Than You Think: Good advice It might just be a song lyric, but it does have a ring of truth,doesn’t it? Admittedly, ‘it’s later than you think‘ might be a touch maudlin but the point is, it’s true. You see, I’m seventeen. Well, you know I’m not but in my head I am. My dad is in his nineties. I wonder how old he is in his head? Much younger, I’ll bet. I...
Unsuccessful? Read This
Heroic Failures There comes a time when I get tired about reading about the great and the good. Sure, it’s nice to read about famous inventors, scientists, literary giants, artists and all the people who have added to our knowledge and enhanced our lives. Maybe there’s a bit of a green tinge to these thoughts – I know that I’m never going to join their ranks. Occasionally there’s something rather...
Formatting print pages: Quick and easy
Formatting print pages: Quick and easy Transform boring print – fast If you’re a designer, you’ll be familiar with the client who sends you a Word document and a photograph and expects you to transform it – in no time. Can you please make this look better? No colour please, we can’t afford colour printing. Speaking of which, the printer has a huge workload – can it be ready within half an hour...
Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran In 1959, Eddie Cochran found out about the tragic deaths of his young fellow musicians, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. They had been killed on tour when their plane crashed in bad weather. Eddie’s friends and family said that this led him towards thoughts of his own doom and that he too was destined to die young. Fourteen months later, when Eddie was on tour in England, he too was killed in an accident....
Je t’aime: Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg
Je t’aime: Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg. Je t’aime – banned. You’d have thought that by the nineteen sixties people were pretty much unshockable. Mind you, I suspect that the song Je t’aime shocked very few real people, if anyone, but the stuffy BBC decided to ban it from their airwaves. I thought it was rather lovely. The title was repeated, whisperingly, to the sound of luscious organ music, by Jane...
The Day Michael Caine Discovered a Family Secret
The day Michael Caine discovered a family secret. When actor Michael Caine and his younger brother, Stanley, were growing up in London, on every single Monday their mother used to go to visit their Aunt Lil. The two boys never thought anything about it – it was simply part of the family routine. But many years later, in 1991, the actor found out the truth.She had been going somewhere very different indeed. Michael Caine was in...
King George I of Greece and the British Royal Family
King George I of Greece and the British Royal Family. What does King George I of Greece have to do with the British royal family of today? Did you know that most of the royal family are descended from him? This is because he was the grandfather of today’s Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip. He became ruler when he was just seventeen and remained on the Greek throne until he was assassinated. It seems strange to us today, but...
Princess Mary
Who was Princess Mary? It’s likely that you’ve never heard of England’s Princess Mary but it’s highly possible that even after all these years you are familiar with the story of her brother. For Princess Mary was the sister of Edward VIII, the English king who famously abdicated so that he could marry his American mistress, Wallis Simpson. When you look at the photograph of her on the right, you can see the...
Britain’s Got Opera!
Britain and opera. In 1990. I still lived in the UK and a friend from America was visiting. I remember him being amazed because the most popular song at the time – it was in the charts, played on the radio and was a favourite on pub jukeboxes – was Nessun Dorma performed by Luciano Pavarotti. ‘Only in England’ he would say ‘could the most popular song be an aria from a Puccini opera’. But was this a...
Apollo One Spacecraft Fire
Apollo 1: Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee. In summer 1966, NASA chose the crew for the first manned Apollo space mission – a mission that was to end in disaster. Gus was the oldest of the team at forty years old. He had been the second American to fly in space. Ed was thirty six and he had the distinction of being the first US astronaut to walk in space. The youngest crew member was Roger Chaffee who at thirty one was...
Who Was Gertrude Ederle?
Gertrude, or Trudy as she was more usually known, was a sportswoman who should have been famous and remembered today but despite her achievements she faded into obscurity. In the 1920s she was seen as a pioneer in showing the world that women were not ‘the weaker sex’. Strangely, women were still considered to be so. Gertrude was the first woman to swim the English Channel She was the first woman to do so and she...
Mint Lime Grilled Mahi-Mahi
Mint Lime Grilled Mahi-Mahi This recipe will work well with any firm white fish but the author recommends mahi-mahi. I suspect that many of us could do with more fish in our diets and this is a wonderful way to serve it. It’s perfect for summer grilling or for those of us who are lucky enough to live somewhere where we can cook outdoors all year round. Save Print Mint Lime Grilled Mahi-Mahi Rating 5 from 1 reviews...
Who Was Percy Shaw?
Who was Percy Shaw? If you’re from Yorkshire, like me, the chances are that you know perfectly well who Percy Shaw was – and what he invented. If you don’t know who he was,there’s still the strong likelihood that you see and use his most famous invention every day. There must be millions of them throughout the world. Although you see them every day, you might be so familiar with them that you don’t even...
The Internet for All
Computers for seniors I really don’t understand why so many older people these days don’t use computers or tablets. Well, I do to some extent. I understand that a) they can not always afford the devices and b) that for some elderly people it might seem as though it’s a technology they will never be able to understand. Are those two problems really too huge to be overcome? Aren’t there so many advantages that...
Who Was Pablo Fanque?
Who was Pablo Fanque? There’s a question. But the chances are that you might well have heard the name before. There he is on the right. I imagine he looks unfamiliar to you but I think that you might have heard his name, especially if you’re a fan of the Beatles. So what on earth can a bloke who was born in England in 1796 possibly have to do with the Beatles? And how is it that you’ve probably heard his name? Read...
The Great Sheffield Flood of 1864
The Great Sheffield Flood of 1864. At about 5.30 in the afternoon of 11th March, quarryman William Horsefield noticed a crack in the embankment of the Dale Dyke Dam, part of a recently built reservoir near Sheffield in Yorkshire. It was only a small crack, he reckoned that he’d be able to slip the blade of a penknife into it and that’s all but nevertheless, he alerted some of the men who worked at the dam. Just over an...
The Museum of Extraordinary Things
The Museum of Extraordinary Things: Review This book, written by Alice Hoffman, is an exceptional fiction, bracketed at the beginning and the end with real events. It’s hard to know which are the more horrifying sections – the fact or the fiction. Set in the early years of the twentieth century. the book tells of a strange character indeed – a man who makes his living at Coney Island running a sideshow of...
How to be Parisian
How to be Parisian – wherever you are Have you ever admired that effortless style that women from Paris seem to have? Everything they do seems to be so stylish and effortless. Whether sitting at a sidewalk café sipping a glass of wine or shopping for the best French bread, they exude a special something and what’s more, they do it with a twinkle in their eye. Sophisticated they may be, but they are also fun. They are...
The Triangle Fire
Death in Manhattan: The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Disaster. Thirty five horse-drawn fire fighting vehicles were dashing through the streets of Manhattan. It was March in 1911 and the streets were quiet on that Saturday afternoon. But nevertheless, the firefighters were unable to save lives that day. They were headed towards the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory where fire had broken out in the ten-storey building. The business, which made...
Urbio: Designer Wall Storage
Storage plus indoor gardening – perfect for small space living. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to own a Uten.Silo – that wonderful wall storage system designed back in the 1960s. But now I’ve discovered Urbio, I’ve found that it’s far more flexible, so very stylish and it comes at a very reasonable price. What’s more, the Urbio can be bought as modular pieces allowing you to stretch...
The Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell: Review
The Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell: Review In later life, Gerald Durrell was a respected naturalist and conservationist but in 1935 he was a ten year old boy when he and his somewhat eccentric family went to live in the Greek Island of Corfu. He was the youngest child of the family and, even though life in the Durrell household was bizarre enough, introduced various creature and animals into the home with disastrous – and...
The Oscars: Harold Russell
Who was Harold Russell? Harold Russell was the only actor to win two Oscars for the same role. He also caused controversy by selling one of the statuettes. And despite winning two Oscars, he wasn’t a professional actor. But his story is much more interesting than that. If you look closely at the photograph above you’ll see why. Harold Russell had no hands He had been born in Canada and when he was a boy, his family moved...
A Circle of Sisters: The MacDonalds
A Circle of Sisters: The MacDonalds Remarkably, four daughters of a nineteenth century Methodist minister became powerful and feted by Victorian society – against all odds. The girls were born into a relatively impoverished family; their father being a minister who moved around the country and their mother the daughter of a wholesale grocer. The had few advantages. They weren’t particularly educated. In that society in...
Last Meals: Death Row
Last Meals: Death Row How differently do men and women eat? Maybe a food psychologist could tell us,or even a restaurateur, but evidently the difference are plain even on death row. It’s customary for people who are about to be executed to have whatever they wish for their final meal and,it seems, jails are pretty good when it comes to satisfying their choices. But what surprises me is: Even on death row, women eat salads...
Rufus Estes – the first African-American Cookbook
Rufus Estes – author of the first African-American Cookbook In 1911, Rufus Estes published cookbook. There is nothing particularly unusual in that except Estes is believed to be the first African-American chef to publish his recipes. Rufus was born in 1857 in Tennessee and given the last name of his master; the man who ‘owned’ Rufus’ mother, a slave. When civil war broke out he said that most of the male...
Can Olive Oil Cure Toothache?
Does olive oil cure toothache? For me it does. I’m not a dentist and it may well depend on the reason why your teeth are aching but I have not had a toothache yet that can’t be sorted out simply using a product I always have in my kitchen. Last week, I was unable to sleep because of this horrible tooth. I suspect strongly that it needs to be pulled out but at my time of life, I need to keep as many of my teeth as I can....
Planning Your Kitchen
Planning your kitchen If you’re remodeling or reorganising your kitchen, it’s very tempting to design it yourself. After all, you know your kitchen and the habits of your household better than anyone else. You want your kitchen to be gorgeous, you know that the more attractive the room is, the more time you and your family will spend there creating delicious meals … and memories. For many years I was a kitchen...
Henry Maybury: You’re Beautiful
Henry Maybury: You’re Beautiful I just heard about Henry today and already he’s my new hero. He’s a young musician / songwriter who wants to ‘make a difference’. He does and he will. Do you have scars? Maybe wrinkles? (Yep) And are you beautiful? According to Henry Mayberry you are and he wants others to see you in the same way. See the wonderful video below. If it doesn’t bring a lump to your...
Unquiet Spirits: Bonnie MacBird
Unquiet Spirits: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure. On the cover of this book, right underneath the titles, are three words that give the potential reader a clue as to what they can expect: Whisky, Ghosts, Murder. Yes, it seems like a strange combination, doesn’t it? But author Bonnie MacBird has skillfully entwined these to create a new Sherlock Holmes novel that will truly be hard for you to put down. Are you a little wary of modern...
British Royal Family: What is Their Surname?
What surname do the British royal family use? This has been a huge controversy on a few occasions in the past. It was brought to a head again in 1952 when the new Queen Elizabeth II was advised by her private secretary and the prime minister (Winston Churchill) to retain the name the family had been using since the First World War, , that of Windsor. This was a problem for Prince Philip. His family name was Mountbatten and he was...
If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?
If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? By Alan Alda: Book Review Yes, that Alan Alda. Hawkeye. M*A*S*H. When this book landed on the review desk at JAQUO HQ my immediate thought was ‘Alan Alda – must be well worth reading’. Then I saw the tag line under the title – My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communication. Hmm. Well… But then I remembered the great title –...
Pear and blue cheese pizza recipe
Pear and blue cheese pizza – delicious recipe We love pizza. I don’t think I’ll ever be bored with it. I’m pretty convinced that I could eat pizza every day if I had to. But, well,there are other considerations such as calories and cholesterol and all those boring things. Boring yes, but we do have to pay attention. This doesn’t mean that I will ever (hopefully) have to give up a delicious Pizza...
The Titanic: Wallace Hartley tribute violin
Arthur Lancaster’s tribute violin: Created in memory of Wallace Hartley Wallace Hartley was the bandleader of the small orchestra on board RMS Titanic. All the band members were lost in the sinking. Wallace was just thirty three at the time and had just become engaged. (The average age of the musicians at the time of the sinking was just twenty six). Wallace had been born in Colne, Lancashire, and had played the violin in the...
The Sad Story of Prince Friedrich
The sad story of Prince Friedrich of Hesse. Who was the prince? He was a grandchild of Queen Victoria – the son of her daughter Alice. Princess Alice married Grand Duke Louis, a member of the German royal family. Friedrich was their fifth child. When just a toddler, he was diagnosed as having haemophilia which, as we know, was hereditary and passed down from Queen Victoria herself. Although Friedrich’s parents were...
When is Towel Day?
What is Towel Day? I’m surprised that you have to ask. Although if you are a Douglas Adams fan – and in particular a devoteé of the amazing Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy – you are very familiar with Towel Day. The Guide is a fictional (um, obviously) handbook for those who are hitching their way through space and everything that entails. Should you ever find yourself hitchhiking in the galaxy (and you never...
Frank Stranahan
Fort Lauderdale history: Frank Stranahan. It’s generally accepted that Frank Stranahan from Ohio was the first permanent resident in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When he arrived, Fort Lauderdale didn’t actually exist. It was a settlement of just handful of people on the New River. Seminole Indians lived in the Everglades nearby but in general, the are was inhospitable with a stifling climate, dangerous wildlife and lots and...
The Mystery of the Saddleworth Moor Body
The mystery of the body found on Saddleworth Moor. One morning a cyclist found the dead body of an elderly man in a remote spot on a moor with a grisly history. At first, the cyclist thought the man was sleeping or resting, but no. When the police arrived it was discovered that the man had no identification, no cellphone — and it seemed that he had taken his own life. But who was he? The body was discovered on December 12th,...
Surrounded by Enemies: Bryce Zabel
‘JFK was not killed at Dallas’. This is the premise of the fascinating novel, Surrounded by Enemies. Author Bryce Zabel has woven a plausible and thoroughly-imagined fictional series of events that might have taken place had Kennedy suirvived. Maybe you have your own theory about how America would have developed over the years if Kennedy had lived? It’s a subject that many people – the general public and expert...
Bob Marley
Bob Marley Being from England, it always surprises me to discover that people have English ancestry. Did you know that Bob Marley’s father was English? Bob’s mother was only eighteen when she married Norval Marley – he was about sixty and the supervisor of a plantation in Jamaica. Bob was the result, although the couple split up when he was just a baby and Norval died ten years later. Bob rarely spoke about him in...
The Cavendon Women: Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Cavendon Women: Barbara Taylor Bradford This is exactly the sort of book to choose when you need a little light, but dramatic reading. It’s set in the nineteen twenties and features the lives of the members of an aristocratic family in England. You’ll certainly see how the other half lived. But the characters in the book are strangely appealing and you’ll be drawn in by the trials and complexities of their lives...
The Sinking of the Lusitania
Why is the Titanic better known than the Lusitania? It seems that the fate of the Titanic captured the imagination of the public much more than that of the Lusitania. Yet it seems that the story of the Lusitania is more dramatic,if not more so. They both ended up at the bottom of the ocean, of course, but whereas the Titanic met its end because of an iceberg, the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German submarine during the First World...
The Rhythm Club Fire of 1940
The Natchez Dance Hall Fire of 1940. At 11.30 pm,on the night of 23rd April, 1940, hundreds of people were enjoying listening to music and dancing at a venue called the Rhythm Club in Natchez, Mississippi. Before midnight, at least two hundred of them were dead. Fire had blazed its way through the packed single-storey building. Just a few weeks before the fire the owner, Edward Frazier, had boarded up with windows to that people...
The Great Train Robbery
How the Great Train Robbers gave themselves away. On August 8th, 1963, a gang of masked men robbed a high-speed mail train. They got away with £2.6 million. That would be the equivalent of almost fifty million pounds today. The robbery had been well-planned. The self-appointed leader, Bruce Reynolds, had planned the robbery meticulously. The train was attacked when it was in open countryside, far away from any towns or villages. The...
Percy Sledge
Percy Sledge: When a Man Loves a Woman Did you know that Percy Sledge’s song, When a Man Loves a Woman, was based on his own experience? When he wrote the song, he had just been dumped by his girlfriend. He understood at the time that she had left him for another man. Someone had told him that was the reason why she had disappeared from his life and gone to New York. In an interview, he later said that the original title of the...
Marthe Cohn
Behind Enemy Lines: Marthe Cohn The number of people who took part in the Second World War is slowly dwindling. But it’s important that we should never forget them- and the heroism that so many of them showed during that terrible conflict. You can read about many of them in this book by Marthe Cohn. Marthe Hoffnung (her maiden name) was born in 1920 and was still a teenager when war broke out. Yet she worked as spy,...
Archibald McIndoe
Archibald McIndoe was a pioneer. During the Second World War, little was known about plastic surgery and yet for the first time, medical staff were seeing men with horrendous burn injuries due to the highly flammable aircraft fuel. Not only were doctors unsure how to rebuild these badly ‘disfigured’ men, they also had no idea that the person himself needed treatment for more than just physical wounds. Archibald McIndoe...
Omar Sharif
Actor Omar Sharif: Alzheimer’s sufferer. In May 2015 Tarek Sharif, the son of actor Omar, announced that his eighty-three year old father was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. He reported that the first signs were memory loss. He was still aware that he was a well-known actor and remembered most of the films he made but confuses them. He couldn’t easily recall his co-stars of where the films were made. The positive...
Sirio Maccioni and Le Cirque
The biography of a restaurateur extraordinaire. Sirio Maccioni was born into a poor Italian family of farmers in the nineteen thirties. And yet this extraordinary man became the most important restaurateur in America, if not the world. The philosophy behind his success was simple. He believed in hard work — it’s as simple as that. He believed in the traditional Italian values that had been passed to him from his family...
Who Was Ruth Snyder?
Who was Ruth Snyder? When you realise that the image above shows the final moments of Ruth Snyder’s life, then it becomes evident that she was a murderer. She was executed on January 12th, 1928 at Sing Sing. She was the first woman to be executed using the electric chair. Her lover, Henry Judd Gray, suffered the same fate. Together, they had murdered Ruth’s husband. The story had begun ten years before the executions....
Who Was Oleg Cassini?
Who was Oleg Cassini? Oleg Cassini and Grace Kelly If anyone today is familiar with the name of Oleg Cassini, that’s probably because he was the couturier of Jackie Kennedy; he designed those strange clothes she was so fond of that look so odd to us today. But what’s much more interesting – and slightly scandalous – is the affair he had with actress Grace Kelly before she became Princess Grace of Monaco. In...
Irish Ice Cream and Chocolate
Irish Ice Cream and Chocolate recipe This is our absolutely favourite dessert. And that’s not just because it’s delicious. It takes only a few minutes to make and yet it’s elegant enough to serve at your next dinner party. It’s also a wonderful finale to a romantic dinner a deux. You can make this ahead by assembling the ice cream and the chocolate in attractive glassware and then keep them in the fridge...
Odette Sansom: WW2 Spy
Odette Sansom Hallowes: Odette was tortured by the Gestapo in the Second World War and sent to a concentration camp where she was sentenced to death. She never gave in and managed to survive – and save others – purely by her wits. In 1942, she had made sure that her three daughters were safe and well-cared for and left England to risk her life helping others. Odette was French by birth.She had married an Englishman and...
The Police Search for Charlie Chaplin’s body
Who stole Charlie Chaplin’s body? Charlie Chaplin, the Little Tramp, died on December 25th, 1977. He was buried in Switzerland, where he had lived since the nineteen fifties. In March 1978, his body disappeared from its grave. The grave had been marked with a simple, engraved oak cross which the police took away to fingerprint. They did not reveal whether prints had been found. It’s assumed none were because the police...
Comparing ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ & ‘The Shadow of the Wind’
Can we really compare Carlos Ruiz Zafon to Gabriel Garcia Marquez? I first read One Hundred Years of Solitude a long, long time ago and I’ve re-read it many times since then. In April 2014, I read The Shadow of the Wind. One of the things that attracted me to the book is that the blurb on the back cover compared these two books. I enjoyed Shadow and, on the evening I finished the book, was determined to read more of Carlos Ruiz...
She Captains by Joan Druett
She Captains: Heroines of the Sea. Prize winning historian and author Joan Druett has created a fabulous book which is chock-full of fascinating about women at sea throughout history. Seafaring was a dangerous business in times gone by and yet many women were attracted to life aboard. Some were captains – and even pirates – in their own right.Others went to sea with their husbands. All their stories are fascinating....
BOAC Flight 911
BOAC Flight 911, Ninjas and James Bond What is it about the number 911? As well as the obvious connotation that we know nowadays, it was also the number of a scheduled passenger airliner that crashed in 1966. Then there was also the mysterious disappearance of Flight 19 just after World War Two. The numbers 9 and 1 are beginning to get a bit spooky to me. The BOAC crash was certainly tragic. The plane, which had only been airborne...
Who Was Barbara Payton?
Who was Barbara Payton? There are some strange and often sad stories that have come out of what was called the Golden Era of Hollywood. Barbara Payton’s is one of them. Blonde and attractive Barbara, seen here with Gregory Peck, was sure of her own stardom. She bought into the Hollywood press releases about herself. She thought she was a huge star. Yet today, hardly no-one remembers the name and she died alone aged only thirty...
Concert for George
The George Harrison Memorial Concert. On the first anniversary of George Harrison’s death, his family and friends took part in a huge concert to celebrate his life and his music. Hundreds of people attended the event which was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Millions more have seen it since. You can see the full, two hour plus video below. The concert had been organised largely by Eric Clapton who acted as musical...
Who’s Flying Your Plane?
Meet Kate McWilliams and Luke Elsworth I remember many years ago hearing a strange story about a commercial flight – the passengers refused to fly because the pilot was a woman. In preparing to write this article, I went to Google to determine just when that was. I couldn’t find that information. But what I did find was something even more weird. In 2014, a passenger left a sexist message for the female pilot who had just...
A Ship Called Rothko: Artwork by Andy Royston
A Ship Called Rothko: Artwork by Andy Royston I’ve loved the work of Mark Rothko for as long as I can remember. The last time I recall one of the artist’s works selling it was at Christie’s in New York. The price was a cool $86.9 million. This price set a record for the top price paid for artwork produced after World War Two. Therefore I think it’s pretty safe to assume that there won’t be a genuine...
Katie Hopkins: British Broadcaster Hates Fat People
Katie Hopkins fights obesity I have to admit that I have a sneaking admiration for people who speak their minds on public platforms. In today’s politically correct world, it’s refreshing (and even more so if I tend to agree with their opinions). Katie, and I have to admit that I had never heard of her until this furore, spoke her mind very clearly about the obese. She declared that they were lazy and that she deplores the...
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day What do you think about Valentine’s Day? Do you look forward to chocolates, gifts and romance? Or do you think is a commercialised holiday? Whatever your opinion, you’ll find plenty to do, read, watch (and eat) right here. We have some lovely recipes that are perfect for any time of year, not just for Valentine’s Day. How about some travel ideas or romantic books to read? Scroll down and see...
The Kidnapping of Jean Paul Getty III
So that there would be no confusion between him, his father and his enormously wealthy grandfather, Jean Paul Getty III was generally known as Paul. In 1973, when he was only sixteen years of age, Paul was kidnapped by a ruthless Italian gang – but yet many people at the time believed it was a hoax. The Golden Hippie Paul lived in Rome where he became known for his hippie lifestyle. Being a Getty, it was not necessary for him to...
The Beatles’ Rooftop Concert
The Beatles: Rooftop concert in 1969 By January 1969, it was obvious that the Beatles were on the verge of breaking up. They were recording in the studio at the Apple headquarters and wondered where to have a live – and final – concert. Various venues were suggested including the Sahara Desert and the Cavern Club in Liverpool where their careers had started. But eventually they decided to simply move upstairs – to...
Who Was Bessie Coleman?
Who was Bessie Coleman? Bessie Coleman was a pilot. When she was born in January 1892, it was several years before the Wright brothers even began to explore the possibility of flight. For Bessie, as a child, human flight was simply an unknown. And yet she became a well-known pilot – the first woman of African-American descent to do so. When she was older, and when flying was in its infancy, Bessie knew that this was what she...
Burns’ Night: Scottish celebration
What is Burns’ Night? Burns’ Night is a Scottish celebration that commemorates the eighteen century poet Robert Burns. Scots all over the world celebrate their heritage by having a supper of traditional Scottish food, traditional clothing is often worn and Scottish music played. For most Scots, this will mean that the men wear kilts, bagpipes are played and the main focus of the meal is haggis. The necessary drink is, of...
Bernie Ecclestone and the Great Train Robbery
Bernie Ecclestone and the Great Train Robbery: The Truth. For many years, a rumour has persisted that the Formula One boss, Bernie Ecclestone, was somehow involved in the Great Train Robbery of 1963. It has often been thought that robber Bruce Reynolds was the mastermind behind this audacious robbery but nevertheless many people thought that it was exactly Bernie’s cup of tea. Most of the robbers were in their early thirties and...
The Murder of Lord Errol
Who murdered Josslyn Hay? Joss Hay, Lord Errol, enjoyed living. He enjoyed loving too so when he was found shot in the head, most people presumed he had been murdered by a jealous husband or a spurned mistress. But which? At the time of his murder, he was involved in a curious love triangle. He was having an affair with the rather beautiful Diana – a young woman who was married to the much older Jock Delves Broughton. The trio...
Jenson Button
Jenson Button – early years Formula One driver Jenson Button might seem to have everything today but his early life was very different. Jenson makes no bones about it- he owes his success to his father, John. At first glance, you might be forgiven for thinking that the photograph on the left is Jenson – but no, it’s his dad taken in 1978. John too was a racing driver. When his son showed interest, it was John who...
Please stop telling me I have OCD
Why does everyone have to have a label? It’s not just a label either – today it seems that everyone should have a ‘disorder’. With me, I’m told, it’s OCD – obsessive compulsive disorder. Truly, I have been told this by many people and I think that their ‘diagnosis’ is totally wrong. Apparently one of my ‘symptoms ‘is that I arrange my books in colour order in the way...
The Last Victorian
Ethel Lang – born in the reign of Queen Victoria On 16th January, 2015, Ethel Lang passed away. She was the oldest living person in the UK, having been born in 1900, when Queen Victoria was still on the throne. Can you imagine that? Mrs Lang lived through six monarchs, twenty-two prime ministers … and let’s not forget two world wars. She had lived through a period of amazing advances. When she was born, public...
Agatha Christie’s Mysterious Disappearance
Agatha Christie’s mysterious disappearance. In 1926 Agatha Christie seemed to have perfect life. She was married to handsome ex-wartime airman and had a lovely young daughter. The war that had kept her and her husband part was now in the past and they lived in a very pleasant home. What’s more, her dream was coming true – she was being paid to write her mystery novels. And yet on the evening of 3rd.December,...
Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Hillary Sir Edmund Hillary is best known for being the first person to scale Mount Everest, along with his Sherpa guide, Norgay Tenzing. Tenzing was more than just his guide and companion though – he provided the inspiration for Sir Edmund to devote much of his life trying to improve the lot and the lifestyle of the Nepal Sherpas. Hillary undertook many expeditions -going to both the North and South Poles, and Everest...
In Praise of Elvis Presley
In Praise of Elvis! Elvis Presley was born in 1935. He first saw light of day on January 8th in Tupelo, Mississippi. Jan07 In Memory of Elvis Presley In Memory of Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley was born January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977 His music is loved by all. He sang Rock and Roll, Country and Gospel. Elvis is regarded as one of the most popular figures of the 20th Century. His good looks, humor, impressive voice and...
David Bowie: Early Years
David Bowie: Early years David Bowie came from a post-war London background. Born in 1947, his father was from Yorkshire and his mother from Kent. Both parents had children from previous relationships. From his earliest days, David – his surname was originally Jones – was interested in music. This was probably because of his father. Haywood Jones had been born in Doncaster in 1912. An orphan, he was brought up by the local...
Rosemary: The Forgotten Kennedy
Rose Kennedy already had two children – Joe Jr. and John – when she gave birth to her first daughter on Friday 13th September 1918. The nurse who had been employed to attend her was in a quandary. She had sent for Mrs Kennedy’s doctor but labour was now advanced and Dr Good hadn’t yet arrived. In those days, nurses were trained to deliver babies but, inexplicably, they were not permitted to do so. Nor were they...
Can goat milk cure eczema?
Is goat milk a cure for eczema? I am convinced that it is because I’ve seen a miraculous cure. Many years ago, I was amazed to see that a young man – who had the most dreadful eczema on his arms – had no trace of the ailment on his body after drinking goat milk for just one week. Of course, I can’t say that this miracle will happen for everyone but over the years I have read hundreds of reports from people who...
Dead Wake: The Story of the Lusitania
Dead Wake: The Story of the Lusitania by Erik Larson The wonderful thing about being a book reviewer is having the opportunity to read books before they are published and sharing them with you. I’ve long been fascinated by the story of the Lusitania and its final voyage and this book is by far the best I have read on the subject. It is incredibly detailed – more so than any other book about the tragedy that I’ve ever...
Easy red lentil soup
Quick & easy red lentil soup This is simply delicious. Although the soup needs to cook for about forty five minutes, it’s incredibly quick and easy to prepare. The ingredients are items that you may normally have in your pantry and in addition to being so very tasty, this soup is nutritious and very inexpensive. To serve 4, you’ll need: 6 oz (1 cup) rinsed and drained red lentils 4 cups vegetable stock 2 tablespoons...
A recipe book that can change your life: VB6
VB6 by Mark Bittman. The ultimate recipe book Some years ago, food writer Mark Bittman was overweight and suffering from various health problems. Typically, his doctor wanted to put him on medication but as a food expert, Mark realised that a change of diet was a better way to go. ‘Oh no!” I can hear you saying’is this another book about health foods, dieting and giving up the foods you love?’ Absolutely not!...
Hot breakfast treat recipe
A hot breakfast for special occasions When there’s a special occasion, such as a family get-together or a house party, it’s a great idea to serve a breakfast treat – something your family and friends would never think about cooking at home for themselves. This recipe combines a pancake with an omelet (almost!) along with fruit and delicious flavourings. Serve it with freshly-squeezed orange juice (or maybe even...
Mitford Marriages: Pamela Mitford and Derek Jackson
Mitford Marriages: Pamela Mitford and Derek Jackson. Pamela Mitford is probably the least known of the six sisters. She’s often thought of as ‘the quiet one’ and certainly she was less scandalous than most of her sisters but nevertheless she married a man who was not just a millionaire, he was also a war hero and a brilliant scientist. Pam had not been without admirers. She had been briefly engaged to Oliver...
The Curious Life and Death of Empress Elisabeth
Who was Empress Elisabeth? The Curious Life and Death of Empress Elisabeth. Elisabeth, or Sisi as she was known, wasn’t destined to be the Empress of Austria but that became her role, nevertheless. She was born into the royal family of Bavaria – her parents were both related to the upper-crust of Europe. It was the fact that her mother, Ludovika, was the sister of Sophie, the mother of Emperor Franz Joseph that sealed her...
Did Prince Charles send Harry to rehab?
Did Prince Charles send Harry to rehab? There is a persistent rumour abounding that in January 2002, the then teenaged Prince Harry of England was sent by his father, Prince Charles, to rehab because Harry had been exposed by the newspapers for ‘smoking drugs’. In other words, having a joint at a local pub. This is, according to a recent book, totally nonsense. It was (apparently) a typical example of the...
Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne: English Eccentric For those who have heard the name of Maud Gonne, they probably have an idea that she was an Irish political activist. It’s true that she was pretty vocal in Irish politics but she was actually English, born in Surrey. She had a curious career but she is probably remembered most for being: The woman who had sex by her baby’s grave She had the child in 1889 in Paris. The father was her older...
Gifts for Cooks
Looking for a great and unusual gift for someone who loves to cook and bake? Not on the High Street offers a wonderful range of fabulous and stylish gifts that are perfect for the cook – amateur or professional. What’s more many of them can be personalised. This makes them so very ideal as a gift because your recipient will know that you really care and took the time and trouble to choose the perfect gift. A great example...
Otis Redding
In the summer of 1967, it seemed that singer-songwriter Otis Redding had everything going for him. His career was really taking off and he’d bought a ranch where he lived with his wife and three children. In the autumn of that year he even purchased his own plane. He hoped that the new airplane would mean that he and his band would be able to travel more easily between gigs. On December 9th, they played for a television show in...
The Incredible Luci Solar Powered Lights
We love Luci! The inflatable, waterproof solar lighting system. The internet is a-buzz – the Luci solar lights are getting great reviews everywhere. Increasingly we are all appreciating the value of using nature’s resources such as the sun to harness energy and that’s exactly what the Luci does. You can see more details in the video below but suffice it to say that these incredible naturally-powered lights are...
Was Dorothy Kilgallen murdered?
Was Dorothy Kilgallen murdered? She died in 1965 so it’s likely that you don’t remember her. But in the middle of the twentieth century, Dorothy Kilgallen was a true media star. She was a journalist with many more strings to her bow. And it may be that her journalistic investigations were the cause of her untimely death. What’s My Line? Despite being a well-known journalist, gossip columnist, crime reporter, actress...