Hello, this is Editor Des back from the West Country of Olde England. I’ve chosen this little piece because I liked the story Pauline told me about the nursery rhyme and the 15th century cathedral clock at Exeter. I’m sure you know you how it goes;
Read more →There is such a strong link between Christmas and bells. Images of them adorn our trees and greeting cards, and the faithful are summoned to church by them on Christmas morning. I wasn’t sure whether to post this article as history or humour, but the humour is
Read more →A DAY WITH DR JOHNSON by EDITOR DES Well I wrote this story a long time ago, but it’s Dr Johnson’s birthday tomorrow, so I’m sharing it with you again, I’m sorry the photos are so crappy, but that’s not my fault! Oh dear… where to start?!
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OH TO BE IN ENGLAND! It was the perfect time for my elderly Aunt Leah to visit England, as my partner Rob and I were based in London. It was Leah’s first trip, and we were happy to take her on a tour of the country. Heading
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I’m almost beyond joking about the dreadful Coronavirus, but this image did make me smile, albeit a very wry smile. The following piece will explain why. MISGUIDED MUSICAL AMBITION After watching too many episodes of Australia’s Got Talent, my associate Editor Des decided he wanted to become
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LINDEN SHADBOLT – the child who stayed behind The following is a continuation of my convict ancestors’ story The Exoneration of Solomon Shadbolt. The first piece was prompted by what I saw as an unfair representation of my three times great-grandfather, in the late Maurice Shadbolts’s memoir
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A STORY ABOUT MY G-G-G-GRANDFATHER When Australian author Kate Grenville was researching her convict ancestor for the novel Secret River, she admitted to feeling slightly anxious about the nature of his crime. Theft was one thing, but what if he had been transported for something really serious;
Read more →In The Beginning Yes, well Pauline thinks this touristy story is not very nice because it’s mostly about ….a lavatory. But first I have to give you a bit of background information. In 1985 the very famous artist and fashion designer Jenny Kee, who lives
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Note from Editor Des’ guardian Pauline Conolly…..As you will see at the bottom of the story, fire has swept through the area he wrote about. He is very sad, as we all are. A Double Bunger Day Out, by Editor Des Hello down there! Here’s my first
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A DICTIONARY IS BORN IN ‘STRAYA’ In 1812 the convict James Hardy Vaux (pictured ) produced what is credited as being the first Australian dictionary: A New and Comprehensive Vocabulary of the Flash Language. It was essentially a compilation of slang used by the ‘flash’ criminal element
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