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It was: 175 years ago, on 4th July 1845 that Thomas Barnardo, Irish humanitarian and philanthropist was born. He founded Barnardo’s, a charity which cares for vulnerable children and young people. Also 175 years ago, on 17th July 1845 that Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, British Prime Minister (1830-34) died. Earl Grey tea was named...

“Save the NHS” was the slogan chosen by the British government when the coronavirus began to spread.  Meant to evoke public compassion, and compliance with emergency regulations, it sounded as though the NHS was an endangered species.  In fact it was the public themselves whose lives were in jeopardy; the National Health Service existed solely...

It was 20 years ago, on 25th July 2000, that an Air France Concorde crashed outside Paris after taking off for New York. All 109 people on board were killed, as well as four people on the ground. The plane was a charter flight from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris to New York, and...

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the multi-talented writer who created Sherlock Holmes, the world’s most famous detective, died 90 years ago, on 7th July 1930 at his home in Sussex, probably of a heart attack. He was 71. He had been born in Edinburgh to a prosperous Irish-Catholic family with a dysfunctional father and a loving mother...

It was 150 years ago, on 18th July 1870, that the Vatican issued the declaration of Papal Infallibility. It preserved the Pope from the possibility of error when he defined a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Roman Catholic Church. The dogma of papal infallibility is one that has, not...

It was 175 years ago, on 4th July 1845, that Thomas Barnardo, the humanitarian and philanthropist, was born in Dublin. He founded Barnardo’s, a charity which continues to care for vulnerable children and young people. The son of a furrier, he worked as a clerk until converted to evangelical Christianity in 1862. He moved to...

Buttercup! What a delicious name! Rumour has it that, as they were frequently to be found in meadows where cows grazed, they were responsible for butter’s yellow colouring.  So the name was an obvious choice. However, since buttercups are poisonous and therefore are avoided as far as possible by our four-footed friends, this is somewhat...

That’s because growers have faced a labour shortfall, when many seasonal workers from eastern Europe were unable to reach the UK due to the pandemic. So instead, there has been a British recruitment drive, targeting inexperienced furloughed workers. As Martin Lines, of the Nature Friendly Farming Network says: “Fresh produce may not be as evenly...

Boots has become one of the first high street stores to create ‘safe spaces’ to help victims of domestic abuse who need help during the coronavirus lockdown. The pharmacy chain, which is the biggest retailer of its kind in the UK, has opened consultation rooms in its 2,400 high street stores. People who have been...

“This summer will be an absolute bonanza for shoppers, and they should be selective and patient… discounting will continue throughout the summer.”  So says Clive Black, a retail analyst at Shore Capital. He explains that billions of pounds of winter stock is coming over to the UK in ships, but the retail warehouses are still...

All in the month of JUNE JUNE 1940 – a month to remember Charles Dickens – prolific writer with a social conscience The day they first climbed Annapurna Discovering the Great Barrier Reef – the hard way! Dandelions! Remember traffic jams? Beware soft drinks No plastic please, we’re the National Trust Keep an eye out...

It was: 250 years ago, on 11th June 1770 that English explorer Captain James Cook discovered the Great Barrier Reef off Australia when his ship ran aground on it and was severely damaged. 200 years ago, on 19th June 1820 that Joseph Banks, British naturalist, died. He was President of the Royal Society for 41...