Monthly Archives: June 2013


The proponents of High Speed 2, the planned railway connecting London with Birmingham and the north, face considerable public opposition. This is nothing compared to the nineteenth century when angry aristocrats tried everything to put the breaks on developments on or near their estates. From their first beginnings, railways have divided the public and attracted formidable opposition. The Earl of Darlington opposed the initial plans for […]

Noblesse oblige


Who owns the UK? This is a perennial favourite for newspaper articles and has spawned a series of books. There is no simple answer as wealth can be measured in different ways: cash, shares, GDP and, most tantalisingly of all, land. Land has always been an emotive issue and, even when the vast majority of people no longer work in primary industries, it continues to generate […]

Who owns the UK?



War and reward have always gone together. The commanders of a victorious army could expect treasure, tribute, land, vassals and all the other riches of a conquered land. Many of the most successful commanders are motivated by loftier ideals than mere booty: justice, revenge, glory and a demonstration of manly virtues. But getting a reward, whether a chest of gold or a peerage, a castle or […]

Thy choicest gifts in store