Category: History

Downton Abbey

Last week I was lent the complete first series of Downton Abbey on DVD. It has not been shown here in South Africa, nor do I expect it to be, but I was aware that it had caused a bit of a stir in Britain when it was broadcast there earlier this year and so I was delighted when I was given the opportunity to watch it. I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely and eagerly anticipate the second series. Continue reading “Downton Abbey”

And so this is..er..NOT Christmas!

If you are full of the joys of the forthcoming Christmas season;  if you have just finished wrapping the last on your list of Christmas gifts and fixing home-made little Hobbycraft holly leaves and berries to it;  if you have all your Christmas cards written and in a wobbly pile on the sideboard waiting to be posted, please don’t read on. You won’t like it. You really won’t. Continue reading “And so this is..er..NOT Christmas!”

Instincts of self preservation.

I would like to think that my survival instincts are quite finely tuned; somewhere between cowardice and neurosis.

I’m normally the first out of a building when the fire-alarm goes off. I happily abandon my shopping and proceed at speed to the nearest exit. Yes, I know they normally go off by themselves but I’d rather not take that chance. I’m always surprised to see everyone else blithely carry on filling their trolleys. Continue reading “Instincts of self preservation.”

Lest We Forget

Rhodesia

Unilateral Declaration of Independence

11th November 1965

Whereas in the course of human affairs history has shown that it may become necessary for a people to resolve the political affiliations which have connected them with another people and to assume amongst other nations the separate and equal status to which they are entitled:

And whereas in such event a respect for the opinions of mankind requires them to declare to other nations the causes which impel them to assume full responsibility for their own affairs: Continue reading “Lest We Forget”

The ‘Other’ Lest We Forget

Without in any way wishing to detract from the solemnity associated with Remembrance Day, I would like to bring attention to another event that took place on the 11th of November, one that changed my life and that of many others in more ways than one can imagine.

http://sipu1.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/lest-we-forget/

For the record, during the Great War my paternal grandfather served  in the Royal Field Artillery and my maternal grandfather was wounded at Gallipoli.

Trafalgar Day

Horatio Nelson : May the Great God, whom I worship, grant to my Country and for the benefit of Europe in general a great and glorious victory; and may no misconduct in anyone tarnish it; and may humanity after Victory be the predominant feature of the British fleet. For myself, individually, I commit my life to Him who made me, and may His blessing light upon my endeavours for serving my Country faithfully. To Him I resign myself and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen. Amen. Amen.

For Janus

I apologise for hijacking your post about education, but it did lead elsewhere and left me wondering about your views on colonisation, especially the colonisation of Africa about which you seem to be extremely critical. I would genuinely like to know, where you think the colonisers went wrong and how things could have been better managed. This is not about mud-slinging and name-calling but a sincere attempt to understand why it is that you think that we, the colonisers and ‘white ruling class’ were so much at fault and what we could have and should have done better. That mistakes were made, I cannot disagree, but they were not all made with malice of forethought. Continue reading “For Janus”

Exodus- Blackpool 1986

To the best of my knowledge all of the following recollection is true-

There were nine of us altogether. Me, my future wife, my future brother-in-law, my future sister-in-law, my future mother-in-law, my future wife’s auntie, my future wife’s uncle and a futureless male/female couple who were friends of the uncle. Not having learned to drive at this particular juncture the uncle and friend agreed to share the driving duties on the mini-bus they had hired from their work. At six AM we headed south on a day trip to Blackpool. Continue reading “Exodus- Blackpool 1986”

The waters around you have grown

Once upon a time I knew the ninety-two home venues of the teams in the Football League. They were constant, reliable, Swiss clockwork even. A few stadium disasters later grounds got upgraded and things changed. Some of them changed names. For a traditionalist like me 1987 was a Bosman year. This was the year a team got promoted from the Conference (second tier football or League 5 in other words) and the bottom team in Division four got relegated. Now, every year there were new grounds to learn and we lost some of the old ones. Since 2003 two teams now get promoted. Continue reading “The waters around you have grown”