Catherine Wilson – the Poisoner

By Tim Lambert Catherine Wilson has the distinction of being 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… Continue reading Catherine Wilson – the Poisoner

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

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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 City Hall in Bruges Me in Bruges The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges A canal in Bruges Another view of the canal in Bruges Eekhoetje is a very nice cafe in… Continue reading Pictures of Bruges

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Pictures of Norway

By Tim Lambert These are some pictures I took on a cruise to Norway. Norway is a beautiful country, and the scenery is fantastic. Sailing up a Norwegian Fjord Approaching a village in Norway The cruise ship sailing to Norway The cruise ship at berth Me by the cruise ship The cruise ship in Norway… Continue reading Pictures of Norway

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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 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

A History of Photography

By Tim Lambert Photography in the 19th Century Photography is the art of capturing images. The word photography means drawing with light. It comes from the Greek words photos graphe. The word was coined by John Herschel in 1839. Photography began when people discovered that certain light-sensitive chemicals would ‘fix’ an image when exposed to… Continue reading A History of Photography

A History of Trousers

By Tim Lambert Early Trousers The Cro-Magnon people who lived in Europe during the last Ice Age wore trousers made from animal skins. In a cold climate trousers were practical clothing.  Much later, about 3,00 BC people in Central Asia wore trousers because they spent much time riding horses. Again, trousers were a practical form… Continue reading A History of Trousers