Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at your Community

If you like ceramics, and enjoy colour, then you are bound to be familiar with the work of Clarice Cliff. Her glowingly vibrant plates, cups, teapots, and vases are world famous – and still loved. She was born 125 years ago this month, on 20th January 1899, in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. Clarice’s father worked in an...

All in the month of December The first-ever nativity scene The story behind ‘The Night Before Christmas’ Big Ben Beatrix Potter Little donkey, little donkey Universal Human Rights turns 75 ** Editor:  We continue our column that looks at memorable dates in the month (this time, December) down the years. Here is a range from...

It was: 800 years ago, on 25th December 1223 that St Francis of Assisi created the first nativity scene, in Greccio, Italy, after visiting Jesus’ birthplace in the Holy Land. It proved enormously popular and inspired other communities to stage their own nativity scenes. 250 years ago, on 16th December 1773 that the Boston Tea...

This Christmas, thousands of Nativity plays will be held around the UK. Ever wonder who staged the very first one? It was St Francis of Assisi, and it was 800 years ago, in Greccio, Italy, on 25th December 1223. Francis had been born into a wealthy family, but abandoned his noble inheritance when he became...

It was 200 years ago this Christmas, on 23rd December 1823, that the famous poem ‘The Night Before Christmas’ was first published (anonymously) in the Sentinel newspapers in Troy, New York. It was light-hearted and full of fun, and not at all what you might have expected from its author, Clement Clarke Moore. For Moore...

Do you stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve? If so, this year will be special – it is 100 years ago, on 31st December 1923, that the BBC first broadcast the chimes of Big Ben to welcome in the New Year. For it was not until 31st December 1923 that the chimes of...

It was 80 years ago this month, on 22nd December 1943, that Beatrix Potter, the children’s writer and illustrator, died. Her animal characters such as Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nutkin, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, and Jemima Puddle-Duck brought her worldwide fame – and made her loved by children right round the world. Helen Beatrix Potter (28 July 1866 –...

You are bound to sing about donkeys this Christmas, especially the little one that carried Mary to Bethlehem! But how much do you know about donkeys? They are really rather special. Here are some fun facts: There are more than 44 million donkeys in the world, of all shapes and sizes. There are more than...

This month marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This ground-breaking global pledge was first proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10th December 1948. It set out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected. The UDHR enshrines ‘the inalienable rights that everyone is...

All in the month of November Remembering the National Service – 60 years on Re-Enchantment Remembering the first heart transplant surgeon</strong King Charles’ celebrates his 75th birthday Remembering T S Eliot – poet extraordinaire C S Lewis – remembering the creator of the Chronicles of Narnia Pothole breakdowns have soared ** Editor:  We continue our...

It was: 100 years ago: on 8th Nov 1923 that Christian Barnard, South African cardiac surgeon was born. He carried out the first successful human heart transplant in 1967. (Died 2001.) Also 100 years ago, on 11th Nov 1923 that the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe...

This year marks 60 years since the end of National Service. The Royal British Legion and the nation will be celebrating all that a generation of young men did for this country during those years, when conscription became just a part of growing up. National Service drew in a staggering number of young men –...