By Tim Lambert A gruesome murder happened in Portsea, Portsmouth in 1923. The victim was Mary Frances Pelham, aged 37. According to newspaper reports, she was born in ‘the north of England’. During the First World War, she moved to Brighton and later to Portsmouth. She was separated from her husband. Mary was a kind… Continue reading Blossom Alley, 1923
Category: Articles
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 certain that the Benders were a family of four. They were German immigrants. Pa Bender… Continue reading The Bloody Benders
John Robinson
By Tim Lambert On Friday, 6 May 1927, a man deposited a trunk at Charing Cross Railway Station in London. By Monday, 9 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 parts of a body. The… Continue reading John Robinson
Mary Ann Cotton
By Tim Lambert Mary Ann Cotton was one of Britain’s worst serial killers. It’s not certain how many people she killed. She may have poisoned up to 21 people. Mary Ann was born in Durham County in 1832. Her father was a miner, but he died in an accident when Mary Ann was 10. When… Continue reading Mary Ann Cotton
Jack the Ripper
By Tim Lambert Jack the Ripper was a serial killer of women in the East End of London in 1888. The murderer was never caught and the case remains a mystery. The Victims Martha Tabram? Nobody is certain how many women Jack the Ripper killed. Most people think there were 5 victims but there may… Continue reading Jack the Ripper
A Brief History of Flowers
By Tim Lambert Flowers have, of course, given people pleasure for thousands of years. However, they were not only beautiful but also food and medicine. For centuries, flowers were symbols. Each one had a different meaning. The ‘language’ of flowers is called floriography. The Ancient Greeks had a goddess of flowers called Chloris. The Romans… Continue reading A Brief History of Flowers
A Brief Biography of William Booth
By Tim Lambert William Booth founded the Salvation Army with his wife, Catherine. William was born in Nottingham on 10 April 1829. He was one of five children of Samuel and Mary Booth. At first, Samuel Booth was a wealthy builder, and his son William was sent to school. Unfortunately, Samuel Booth lost his money,… Continue reading A Brief Biography of William Booth
A History of Ketchikan, Alaska
By Tim Lambert For centuries, the Tlingit people fished on the site of Ketchikan. The name Ketchikan comes from Kitschk-hin, the Tlingit word for Ketchikan Creek. In 1883, a man named John Snow started a saltery in the area. In 1885, a man named Mike Martin bought 160 acres from Chief Kyan, and in 1886,… Continue reading A History of Ketchikan, Alaska
A History of British Trade Unions
By Tim Lambert Trade unions originated in Britain in the late 18th century. As the country underwent the Industrial Revolution, working men began to unite to press for better wages and conditions. However, for decades, trade unions had to fight for their rights. The British upper class was alarmed by the French Revolution, and in… Continue reading A History of British Trade Unions
A History of the Arctic
By Tim Lambert The Early Arctic The first people in Alaska and Canada crossed the Bering Strait from Asia. The Inuit lived by hunting seals, walruses, caribou, and whales. The first inhabitants of Greenland were also Inuit. The Vikings arrived in Greenland at the end of the 10th century. They were led by Erik Thorvaldsson… Continue reading A History of the Arctic