By Alan Roberts Hinckley played a prominent part in the Civil War. Its proximity to several rival garrisons – the royalist garrisons at Ashby de la Zouch and Leicester, the Parliamentarians at Tamworth and Coventry, and parties of troops or brigands occupying several fortified houses in Warwickshire ensured frequent visits by the warring parties. The… Continue reading Hinckley in the Civil War
Category: Articles
A Brief Biography of John Wesley
By Tim Lambert His Early Life John Wesley was a famous preacher of the 18th century. He helped to found the Methodist movement. John Wesley was born on 28 June in the village of Epworth in Lincolnshire. His father was Samuel Wesley and his mother was Susanna. In 1714 John was sent to Charterhouse School.… Continue reading A Brief Biography of John Wesley
A Brief Biography of William Wilberforce
By Tim Lambert William Wilberforce campaigned against the slave trade. He was born on 24 August 1759 in Wilberforce House in High Street, Hull, Yorkshire. William had 3 sisters but only 1 lived to adulthood. His father, Robert was a merchant. His mother was called Elizabeth. As a child, William was educated at Hull Grammar… Continue reading A Brief Biography of William Wilberforce
The Origins of some Portsmouth Street Names
By Tim Lambert Like many towns, Old Portsmouth has a High Street. It was the most important street. St Thomas’s Street gets its name because Portsmouth Cathedral was, at first a parish church dedicated to St Thomas. Penny Street is probably a corruption of a Latin word that meant supplies because merchants stored supplies there.… Continue reading The Origins of some Portsmouth Street Names
A History of North End, Portsmouth
By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Steve and Jane Skinner Early North End In the Middle Ages, a village existed at the end of Kingston Crescent. It was called King’s tun, which meant king’s estate. In the 17th century houses were built north of the village. The new area was called ‘the north end of Kingston’.… Continue reading A History of North End, Portsmouth
King Alfred and the Danes
By Tim Lambert Alfred the Great was born in Wantage, Oxfordshire in 849. He was the youngest son of King Aethelwulf of Wessex. (In those days England was divided into four kingdoms, Northumbria in the north, East Anglia and Mercia in the Midlands, and Wessex in the south). In 868 Alfred married Ealhswith. King Alfred… Continue reading King Alfred and the Danes
A History of Rotherham
By Tim Lambert Early Rotherham In the 1st century AD, the Romans built a fort by the river Rother. In time civilians moved nearby and a little town grew up. (The soldiers provided a market for the townspeople’s goods). However, in 407 AD, the Roman army left Britain. Afterward, Roman civilization broke down and Roman… Continue reading A History of Rotherham
A History of Uranus and Neptune
By Tim Lambert The Planet Uranus In 1781 William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus. Since ancient times only 6 planets had been known, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The discovery of a previously unknown planet was a landmark and it made William Herschel famous. Herschel wanted to name the new planet Georgium Sidus… Continue reading A History of Uranus and Neptune
A History of Castles
By Tim Lambert Many castles were built in Europe in the Middle Ages. Of course, the idea of a fort goes back to prehistoric times. However, a castle was also a residence for a king, a noble, or a bishop. However each noble usually owned more than one castle and spent some time travelling between… Continue reading A History of Castles
A Brief History of England
By Tim Lambert Prehistoric and Ancient England About 4,500 BC farming was introduced into what is now England. Using stone axes the farmers began clearing the forests that covered England. They grew crops of wheat and barley and they raised herds of cattle, pigs, and sheep. However as well as farming, they also hunted animals… Continue reading A Brief History of England