By Tim Lambert Early Prisons Before the 18th century prisons were not commonly used as a punishment. Instead, people were often held in prisons until their trial. The sentence was usually execution or some form of corporal punishment. Early prisons for ordinary people were very dirty and extremely overcrowded. Diseases were rife and being sent… Continue reading A History of Prisons
Tag: History
A History of Sex Toys
By Tim Lambert Ancient Sex Toys People have used sex toys since Prehistoric Times, of course. Stone, bone, antler or wood dildos have been found from the era before writing was invented. Double ended dildos were also made in the Prehistoric Era. In Ancient Greece dildos were made of bronze or leather. Dildos were also… Continue reading A History of Sex Toys
A History of Reigate
By Tim Lambert Early Reigate The town of Reigate in Surrey began as a Saxon village. At the time of the Domesday Book, in 1086 it probably had a population of about 350. By the standards of the time it was quite a large settlement. It had two watermills to grind grain to flour. In… Continue reading A History of Reigate
A History of Dorking
By Tim Lambert Early Dorking Dorking began as a Saxon village. It’s name was probably Deorc ingas, which meant the people of Deorc. It’s not certain where the River Mole got its name but it may be from the Latin word ‘mola’ meaning mill because there were so many watermills along it in the Early… Continue reading A History of Dorking
A History of East And West Horsley
By Tim Lambert In Memory of Maartje Tamboezer East and West Horsely are two charming villages in the English county of Surry. West Horsley is the smaller of the two. The History of West Horsley Horsley began as an Anglo-Saxon village. It’s believed the name comes from two Old English words, hros, meaning horse and… Continue reading A History of East And West Horsley
A History of Leather
By Tim Lambert Early Leather Leather has been used by humans since Prehistoric Times. People preserved animal skins by smoking them or rubbing animal brains on them. In Ancient Iraq vegetable oils were used to treat skins. In Europe in the Middle Ages animal skins were dried then tanned. They were soaked in water with… Continue reading A History of Leather
A History of Trondheim, Norway
By Tim Lambert Early Trondheim Trondheim was founded as a trading settlement in 997. However, before then, it was an assembly point where people met to discuss important issues. There may have been some merchants living there. However, it was formally founded as a town by the Norwegian king Olaf Tryggvason (995-c.1000). Originally, Trondheim was… Continue reading A History of Trondheim, Norway
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 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 Early Trade Unions 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… Continue reading A History of British Trade Unions