King George V: the First Christmas Speech
King George V gave his first Christmas speech to the nation just after 3 p.m. on Christmas Day 1932, however, the King, a reluctant speaker, had previously rejected the idea for almost 10 years! With radio being the new and exciting medium for entertainment in homes, in 1923 the King was asked by John Reith, Director of the BBC, to broadcast to the citizens of … Continue reading King George V: the First Christmas Speech
A Forces Christmas Card: 1917
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
6 December: the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas
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
Hampton Court Palace: Baubles, Gifts and Posh Nosh this Christmas
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
Christmas Cards: 1905 – 1910
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
Christmas Nostalgia: all I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth
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
Queen Elizabeth II’s First Christmas Speech
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
Christmas Cards: Circa 1900
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
Pocahontas: the Native American Princess Buried in Gravesend, Kent
Pocahontas was born circa 1596, near Jamestown, Virginia, U.S.A. and died in March 1617 in Gravesend, Kent, England. Her story has fascinated for 400 years, but how many people know that she is buried in the Garden of England, as Kent is known? Pocahontas was buried in the chancel of the church of St George in 1617, the church was destroyed by fire in 1727 … Continue reading Pocahontas: the Native American Princess Buried in Gravesend, Kent
Sunshine Blogger Award
Kim from Writer Side of Life has kindly nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award! Kim lives in New Zealand and blogs about writing, reading and blogging and you really should check out her blog! She’s a professional proofreader and if you need any help . . . I haven’t participated in blogger awards for the last six months or so and that is mainly … Continue reading Sunshine Blogger Award
22 November 1963: the Assassination of JFK
It used to be said that everyone could say where they were when they heard the news that President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was dead. It’s now 55 years since that shocking afternoon in Dallas, Texas, and there are obviously fewer people alive who can attest where they were that fateful afternoon. The President and his party, which included his wife Jackie, Governor John Connally and … Continue reading 22 November 1963: the Assassination of JFK
The Children of King George III and Queen Charlotte
King George III married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz on 8 September 1761 at the Chapel Royal, St James’ Palace. Charlotte gave birth to fifteen children, with thirteen surviving to adulthood. George and Charlotte’s remarkable fecundity was assisted by Charlotte’s youthful age on marriage (17), which extended her married fertile years, increasing the likelihood of pregnancy. She also did not gain from the contraceptive benefits of sole … Continue reading The Children of King George III and Queen Charlotte
World War One: when War Reunited a Family
In Killed by Enemy Action: a Family Tragedy I wrote about my uncle Joseph Boyland, who was machine-gunned walking along Scotland Road, Liverpool, in September 1940. That was a story about a family devastated by the consequences of war, yet a generation earlier war had brought the Boyland family together. John Boyland, Joseph’s father, fought for the Liverpool King’s 5th Regiment during World War One. … Continue reading World War One: when War Reunited a Family
Killed by Enemy Action: A Family Tragedy
On Tuesday 17 September 1940, Joseph Boyland, Joey to his brothers, was machine-gunned walking down Scotland Road, Liverpool. He died the following day at the city’s Royal Infirmary. Aged fourteen, he had left school and was about to ‘go to sea’. The Merchant Navy was a common occupation for young men in Liverpool at the time. The Liverpool Evening News briefly reported on 18 September … Continue reading Killed by Enemy Action: A Family Tragedy
Commemorating the Centenary of the End of the Great War #Armistice100
World War One ended at the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918. The Great War, as it was known then, was believed to be ‘the war to end all wars’. Of course, it wasn’t, and just twenty-one years later the world was at war once again. This weekend the world remembers and commemoration events large and small will ensure … Continue reading Commemorating the Centenary of the End of the Great War #Armistice100
HistorianRuby: An Historian's Miscellany 