Christian pilgrimage was a well-established part of medieval life. Chaucer’s ‘Pilgrim’s Tales’ attest to the popularity of such a journey and the hugely differing backgrounds and social statuses of pilgrims. With the Ottomans in the ascendancy in the Holy Land and with travel in Europe arduous and, at times, dangerous, what options were available for English pilgrims? In the middle ages, travel abroad was not to […]
Monthly Archives: September 2013
Vaguely Interesting Snippets | 19 September 2013 Chekov is second only to Shakespeare in the number of times a playwright’s plays have been staged around the world. Several Underworld tracks are named after greyhounds that ran at the Romford Stadium, including Born Slippy, Sappy’s Curry, and Pearl’s Girl. Heinz baked beans were first sold in the UK in 1886 in the upmarket Fortnum & Mason store in London […]
One of the greatest fears of the Founding Fathers of the United States was the emergence of a new tyranny of a monarchy or oligarchy. A strong independent and republican strain rebelled against the idea of power being concentrated in the hands of the few. They were even more repelled by the idea of nepotistic families dominating politics in the fledgling nation. But America has never […]
America’s White House dynasties
Part 2: Central London’s lost department stores (a walking tour in two halves) The first post in this series focused on the stately and grand former heart of the Debenhams department store empire on Wigmore Street. It is not the only central London department store to have disappeared. Today, we look at the history and demise of some iconic names from across the heart of the […]
Dearly departed department stores
Few things were more powerful than a Victorian-era duke. They shaped empires, armies, estates and cities and had a particular interest in the development of the railway network. For some, this was manifested in vehement opposition. For others, it was a promise of further riches and easier access to pleasures in both the capital and countryside. Few peers have influenced the development of a railway quite […]