By Tim Lambert In 690 AD, Empress Wu Zetian became the first woman to rule China. In 1678, Elena Piscopia became the first woman in the world to gain a PhD. In 1725, Catherine I became the first woman to rule Russia. In 1783, two men, Jean-François de Rozier and the Marquis d’Arlandes, made the… Continue reading The First People to do Things
Category: Articles
A Brief History of Sex Work
By Tim Lambert Sex Work in the Ancient World Sex work is often called the world’s oldest profession. Exchanging services for food or other goods probably occurred in Prehistoric times. It certainly was common in the earliest civilizations in Iraq and Egypt. Sex workers were recorded in Ancient Iraq as early as 2,400 BC. Sex… Continue reading A Brief History of Sex Work
A History of Pigs
By Tim Lambert Pigs are intelligent animals. Wild pigs are clean animals. However, for humans, pigs are very useful. Pigs were first domesticated in Western Asia about 8,000 BC. They later spread to Europe. Pigs were independently domesticated in China about 6,000 BC. In the Roman Empire, pork was a common food. The famous doctor,… Continue reading A History of Pigs
A History of Fish and Chips
By Tim Lambert Fish and chips is a traditional British dish, and there are many fish and chip shops. So how did this come about? Potatoes are native to South America, and they were grown by the native people for thousands of years before Europeans discovered them. The Spaniards took potatoes to Spain in the… Continue reading A History of Fish and Chips
A History of Bricks
By Tim Lambert The first bricks were made about 7,000 BC when people in the Middle East mixed clay and straw. They used wooden moulds to mould the bricks. Simple, sun-dried bricks were not very durable, but in about 4,000 BC, people began drying bricks in kilns. The Romans made vast numbers of bricks for… Continue reading A History of Bricks
A History of Eating Birds
By Tim Lambert For thousands of years, people have eaten birds. Many different types of birds were hunted or raised for food. Birds’ feathers were, of course, useful. Chickens Chickens were domesticated in Southeast Asia about 6,000 BC. Later, chickens spread to India, then to the Middle East and Europe. The Romans liked eating chickens… Continue reading A History of Eating Birds
A History of Shaving
By Tim Lambert Early Shaving At times in history, beards have been fashionable for men, while at other times they were clean-shaven. In Ancient Egypt, men were usually clean-shaven. They used razors made of copper or bronze. Stubble was removed with pumice stones. Both men and women shaved off body hair. Egyptians shaved their hair… Continue reading A History of Shaving
The Trunk Murders
By Tim Lambert John Robinson – Hanged by a Matchstick On Friday, 6 May 1927, a man deposited a trunk at Charing Cross Railway Station. By Monday, 10 May, the trunk was beginning to stink. Staff alerted the police and when the trunk was opened, it was found to contain several paper parcels. They contained… Continue reading The Trunk Murders
My Pictures of Hay-on-Wye
By Tim Lambert Hay-on-Wye is a small but charming town in Powys, on the border of England and Wales. It’s famous for its many bookshops, but it also has a castle and some nice restaurants. It’s well worth a visit. A dragon in Hay-on-Wye Hay Castle A Map of Hay Castle The Buttermarket A famous… Continue reading My Pictures of Hay-on-Wye
A History of Bradford on Avon
By Tim Lambert Early Bradford on Avon Bradford means broad ford. Avon is from Afon, the Celtic word for river. The Celts were the original inhabitants of what is now England, but the Anglo-Saxons invaded Eastern England in the 5th century, and they gradually pushed westwards. Bradford on Avon was first mentioned in the year… Continue reading A History of Bradford on Avon