By Tim Lambert Early Swimming Swimming was a common skill in the Ancient World. People in Egypt and other parts of the Ancient World went swimming. It was popular with the Greeks and Romans. Roman soldiers were trained to swim well. In the Middle Ages knights were expected to be able to swim well. In… Continue reading A History of Swimming
Category: Articles
Catherine Wilson – Poisoner
By Tim Lambert Catherine Wilson was the last woman to be hanged in public in London. Public executions drew big crowds as they were free entertainment. Catherine Wilson was a female poisoner. Her poison of choice was colchicum, a kind of crocus. In small doses, it was used as a medicine but in large doses,… Continue reading Catherine Wilson – Poisoner
The Bloody Benders
By Tim Lambert The Bloody Benders were a family of murderers in Kansas in the 1870s. Little is known about them; unfortunately, there are different versions of what happened. No doubt myths and legends have grown up. It’s known for sure that the Benders were four people. They were German immigrants. Pa Bender was described… Continue reading The Bloody Benders
Halloween Facts
By Tim Lambert The idea of zombies is old in Haiti. However, it was unfamiliar to most people in Western countries until 1929 when W B Seabrook published a book about his travels in Haiti. It was called The Magic Island and it was a best seller. It introduced many people to the idea of… Continue reading Halloween Facts
A History of Television
By Tim Lambert Today television is the main form of entertainment for millions of people worldwide. The word is made up of the Greek word ‘tele’ meaning ‘far off’ and the Latin word for vision ‘sight’. John Logie Baird the man who invented television was born in 1888. Baird invented a primitive system of television… Continue reading A History of Television
Pictures of Bruges
By Tim Lambert Bruges is a beautiful city in Belgium. While on a cruise I took these pictures. A market in Bruges Me in Bruges The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges A canal in Bruges Eekhoetje is a very nice cafe in Bruges A clock in Bruges
Pictures of a Cruise to Norway
By Tim Lambert These are some pictures I took on a cruise to Norway and Bruges. Norway is a beautiful country and the scenery is fantastic. Bruges in Belgium is a picturesque old city. It’s a wonderful place to visit. Sailing up a Norwegian Fjord The cruise ship at berth Me by the cruise ship… Continue reading Pictures of a Cruise to Norway
A History of Beheading in England
By Tim Lambert Beheading is an ancient method of punishment. St Alban was the first recorded British martyr. He was beheaded circa 305 AD in the Roman town of Verulamium, which is now called St Albans. In the Middle Ages, William the Conqueror introduced beading as a punishment for the upper class in England. Beheading… Continue reading A History of Beheading in England
A History of Hanging
By Tim Lambert Hanging was the most common method of execution in England from the Anglo-Saxon Era until the 20th century. At first, the prisoner was made to stand on a ladder, which was pulled away, or on a cart, which was moved. From the 18th century, he stood on a trapdoor. Sometimes the prisoner… Continue reading A History of Hanging
A History of The Guillotine
By Tim Lambert Most of us associate the guillotine with the French Revolution. However, mechanical devices for beheading people were used in Europe long before then. One was recorded in Dublin in 1307. The Scots had a beheading device called The Maiden, which was used between 1564 and 1710. Meanwhile, in the town of Halifax… Continue reading A History of The Guillotine