By Tim Lambert Early Axminster Axminster is a market town in Devon. It began as a Celtic settlement about 300 BC. However, in 43 AD, the Romans invaded Britain. The Romans built a fort at Woodbury Farm near Axminster. There was also a small town in Roman times. It’s believed the Roman settlement was called… Continue reading A History of Axminster
How Fire Changed the Course of Human History
Fire is one of the most transformative discoveries in human history. Long before the rise of agriculture, cities, or written language, the ability to control fire reshaped how early humans lived, survived, and evolved. From protection and warmth to cooking, technology, and social development, fire fundamentally altered the trajectory of human civilization. Understanding how fire… Continue reading How Fire Changed the Course of Human History
Martha Place
By Tim Lambert Martha Place was the first woman to be executed by the electric chair. She murdered her stepmother and attempted to murder her husband. Martha was born on 8 September 1849 in New Jersey, USA. Her birth name was Martha Garrettson. Martha married Wesley Savacool, and they had a son. But the marriage… Continue reading Martha Place
Mary Blandy
By Tim Lambert Mary Blandy was convicted of murdering her own father and was hanged for the crime. Mary was born in 1720 into a middle class family. Her father was a well-to-do lawyer and the town clerk of Henley-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire. Mary was, by all accounts, an intelligent woman and she was well educated.… Continue reading Mary Blandy
A History of Devizes
By Tim Lambert Devizes in the Middle Ages Devizes is a market town in Wiltshire. In 1080, a motte and bailey castle was built at Devizes. Because the castle was built where 3 manors met, it was called Castrum ad divisas, Latin for castle at the boundaries. The name later changed to Devizes. The original… Continue reading A History of Devizes
A History of Tiverton
By Tim Lambert Medieval Tiverton Tiverton began as a Saxon village. Its name is derived from the words twy ford tun, meaning settlement by the two fords. Tiverton was first mentioned in a document in 885. At the time of the Domesday Book, in 1086, it probably had a population of about 400. By the standards… Continue reading A History of Tiverton
A History of Barnstaple
By Tim Lambert Early Barnstaple Where does the name Barnstaple come from? The ‘staple’ is derived from the Old English stapol word meaning post. The first part of its name probably comes from the word bearde, meaning battle axe. It’s possible the post was used as a meeting place for people in North Devon. It’s… Continue reading A History of Barnstaple
The Mathematical Curiosity That Turned Into Roulette
Blaise Pascal never intended to design a centerpiece for modern entertainment. The 17th-century French mathematician was consumed by the laws of physics and the impossible dream of perpetual motion. His experiments involved a frictionless wheel meant to spin indefinitely without external energy. While the physics failed, the mechanism remained. This failed scientific apparatus evolved into… Continue reading The Mathematical Curiosity That Turned Into Roulette
A History of Telephones
By Tim Lambert Alexander Graham Bell experimented with ways of using electricity to transmit sound, helped by his assistant Thomas Watson and in 1876, he patented the telephone. Over the following decades, telephones had a huge impact on daily life. In 1878, Queen Victoria was given a demonstration of the telephone. She was very impressed… Continue reading A History of Telephones
A History of Blaby
By Tim Lambert Early Blaby Like many settlements in Leicestershire, Blaby has a Danish name, as the Danes settled the area in the 9th century. It was once Blar by, which means Blar’s village. At the time of the Domesday Book, in 1086, Blaby was a typical village with a population of less than 150.… Continue reading A History of Blaby