Building Folies
About 1866 there was much poverty in Yeovil and the surrounding districts. Many poorer people being near to starvation and begging at the larger houses. The Messiter family of Barwick…
Cricket and Whisky Don't Mix.
Mr A.K. Grabham of Bickenhall, recalls that between 1920 and 1939 Bickenhall had a very good cricket team at staple Fitzpaine, Curland and Bickenhall. The Rector, Rev. Cooke, played himself…
Zeppelin Destroyed
These photographs and text were published in ‘The Illustrated War News, on November 18th 1914. It was no doubt comforting reading for the ‘Home Front’ to see pictures of the…
Gillette's Blades
In 1895 King C. Gillette had a wonderful idea. He was fed up with having to use a cut razor every morning so he set about designing a wafer thin,…
Harrods Escalator
Harrods, one of the smartest shops in London, has always prided itself on caring well for its customers – pandering to their every need. In 1898, Harrods installed the very…
Farm Life In The Civil War
In his excellent short book “A Life Went On” Joe Jeffrey outlines the effect the Civil War had on the small town of Montevallo, Missouri. This extract describes how the…
Forgotten Heroes – Private Joergen Christian Jensen, V.C.
Private Joergen Christian Jensen, 50th Battalion, AIF, Victoria Cross action at Noreuil, France. Joergen (Jorgan) Jensen was born in Denmark. He came to Australia as a young man and was…
Forgotten Heroes – John Wesley Mitchell, 8th Battalion, A.I.F.
John Wesley Mitchell, was born on 16 March 1891 at Tarranyurk, near Dimboola, Victoria, fourth child of Australian-born parents Joseph Mitchell, farmer, and his wife Eliza, née Milkins. While working…
The Fire Bell
A memory from South Petherton, “Most dread of all childish night time fears was the Fire Bell. It was rung by smashing a piece of glass to get at the…
Fire Drill
This memory comes from the Somerset village of Axbridge, “An excitement was the local Fire Brigade, which consisted of a four wheeled horse drawn manual pump operated by local volunteers.…