Seated is my grandfather, William James Gray, not to be confused with my uncle of the same name who you can read about here. Nearly every photograph we have of grandad Gray (and there aren’t many), show him seated. He was almost 6 foot 4 inches tall according to his Attestation Paper, although my mother always said he was 6 foot 5 inches. He was often … Continue reading A Forces Christmas Card: 1917
The feast day of Saint Nicholas is celebrated in many European countries on 6th December, but who was Saint Nicholas? And why is he associated with Christmas? Saint Nicholas was born around 280 A.D. in Patara, in what is now Turkey. He was from a wealthy family and his parents died young, bequeathing him their riches. He used his money to help the poor and … Continue reading 6 December: the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas
I’ve been to Hampton Court Palace to take a look at their sumptuous Christmas collection of decorations, gift ideas and luxurious and tempting Christmas treats! It’s HistorianRuby’s first ever bitofgiftguide but also a howmuchforabauble? chinhitsthefloor sort of post! I love a bit of royal decadence but thankfully the shop carries budget-friendly gifts as well as items that require a more princely purse. I’ve bought presents … Continue reading Hampton Court Palace: Baubles, Gifts and Posh Nosh this Christmas
Here’s another selection [box] of Christmas cards dated from 1905 – 1910. If you would like to see cards dated the turn of the twentieth century, click here. The above card unsurprisingly has no snow! It’s from a collection archived at the State Library of Queensland, Australia. It depicts the Post Office, St George, Queensland – and its workers and their families? Or are the … Continue reading Christmas Cards: 1905 – 1910
This week in my little corner of the universe I got walloped with a big dose of nostalgia. Every year the Rotary Club comes up our street collecting for Christmas. They have Father Christmas on the back of a float, Christmas music, lots of lights and a small army of charity collectors waving collecting tins on peoples’ doorsteps. I always like to contribute as one … Continue reading Christmas Nostalgia: all I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth
On 25 December 1952, Queen Elizabeth II made her first Christmas broadcast to the nation as sovereign on BBC radio. The tradition of the Christmas broadcast began in 1932 with the Queen’s grandfather, King George V. In 1952, at 15.07 p.m. the Queen broadcast from the study at Sandringham House, Norfolk. Families around Britain would listen to the Queen huddled around their radios, for some … Continue reading Queen Elizabeth II’s First Christmas Speech
It’s December! Season’s greetings! Christmas is coming and I thought I’d share some charming Christmas cards to begin the festivities. I’m going to attempt an historically themed #Blogmas – but we’ll see how that progresses throughout the month. Above is an English language Christmas card in the early art nouveau style – there is no reference to country of origin, however, it is included in … Continue reading Christmas Cards: Circa 1900
This blog is a selection of interesting things I've come across during my history research. I have a wide interest in history ranging from Wars of the Roses, country houses, Stuarts, Georgians, Louis XIV, Napoleon and criminals. So expect to see a bit of everything on here, with a focus on little known stories.
Sharing recipes, DIYs and lifestyle tips
The ramblings and obsessions of a longtime Avon lady
The Home Of T-Bird From The Dork Web.
Wellness • Poetry • Life
Adventures in motherhood, fitness, youth hockey & corporate America
Genealogy, Family history, and Whatnot
Piecing together my family history . . .
Stories of immigrants, expatriates and family evolution
Family and local stories and history, favorite books
Discover and re-discover Mexico’s cuisine, culture and history through the recipes, backyard stories and other interesting findings of an expatriate in Canada
Eats plants
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aka Helene Harrison, Author and Historian
Tonight I Dream. Tomorrow I Do!
Exploring historical thoughts and themes, a bit at a time.
HistorianRuby: An Historian's Miscellany 