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Recently on no more wriggling…
- Talking crime – on why we love a good murder mystery….
- Let’s focus on the words: Peter, Tony, and a Portrait of Keats
- Why Mrs T should have left the room quietly, closing the door behind her….
- ‘In relation to’ what? On ‘Talking Books’ and chewing words….
- ‘Talking Books’…On trying to become Somerset’s answer to Mariella Frostrup
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Category Archives: History
Let’s focus on the words: Peter, Tony, and a Portrait of Keats
Two weeks ago (yes, I am a little slow getting this blog post written) the papers offered some interesting headlines for those, like me, who are fascinated by the life and writing of the poet John Keats. A ‘rare lifetime … Continue reading
On receiving some wonderful old news……
As some of my regular readers may be aware, I was commissioned earlier this year, by the new social history imprint of Pen and Sword Books, to write a book about the impact of the first world war on the … Continue reading
Posted in Book, Family History, History, London, Writing
Tagged Books, Family History, First Blitz, First World War, Great War, Historic Newspapers, London, reading, research, Shell Shocked Britain, WW1, Zeppelin raids
2 Comments
Sex lurks in the shadows of the Pre-Raphaelites – phallic symbols in Isabella by Millais
FAIR Isabel, poor simple Isabel! Lorenzo, a young palmer in Love’s eye! They could not in the self-same mansion dwell Without some stir of heart, some malady; They could not sit at meals but feel how well It soothed each … Continue reading
Posted in Art, History, Keats, Poetry
Tagged Holman Hunt, John Keats, Millais, pre raphaelite brotherhood, Pre-Raphaelites, Tate Britain
2 Comments
Sarah’s story – family history and poetry from the darkest places…
In a previous post, I wrote of Sarah Hardiman, the first (and only legal) wife of my Great Grandfather George Hardiman. George Hardiman was a journeyman silversmith, born in 1839 in an impoverished part of Clerkenwell, North London. Sarah (nee … Continue reading
‘From Clapton Pond to Stamford Hill’ – landscape, literature & Pinter at the British Library
Yesterday I made the trip from Somerset to London to meet Sarah Whittingham, author of the wonderful Fern Fever and Wendy Wallace whose recently published The Painted Bridge is my favourite fiction book of the year so far. Although we were looking … Continue reading
Posted in History, Keats, London, Poetry, Writing
Tagged British Library, Fern Fever, Harold Pinter, Literature, The Painted Bridge
6 Comments
What’s in a name? Warnings from our family history…..
Prompted by a short discussion on Twitter with the fabulous @oldpostcards and @CountryBook about the first names our ancestors were given (‘saddled with’ in many cases) I went back through my tree to find patterns or traditional names handed down … Continue reading
Keats the Radical, or Where were those fields of mists and mellow fruitfulness?
At the end of March a blog appeared on the Oxford University Press website explaining the work behind a paper just published in The Review of English Studies. The blog is entitled ‘A Keatsian Field trip’ and was written by Richard Turley, … Continue reading
Posted in History, Keats, Poetry, Writing
Tagged autumn, history, John Keats, Keats, Ode to Autumn, Poetry, politics, reading, Winchester, writing
2 Comments
Telling ‘Sarah’s Story’ – finding truth in family history
It is some time since I have written on the history of my family, or on history in any sense really. I am deep into the process of finalising a manuscript that will be published in the next few months – … Continue reading
Posted in Family History, History, London, Mental health
Tagged Banstead Mental Hospital, depression, family, Family History, history, London, lunatic asylum, mental health, mental-health
8 Comments
‘He is gone…’ Joseph Severn on the death of John Keats
Rome. 27 February 1821. My dear Brown, He is gone–he died with the most perfect ease–he seemed to go to sleep. On the 23rd, about 4, the approaches of death came on. “Severn-I–lift me up–I am dying–I shall die easy–don’t … Continue reading
Posted in History, Keats, Poetry
Tagged death of Keats, history, Italy, John Keats, Joseph Severn, Keats, Piazza Di Spagna, Poetry, relationships, Rome, Spanish Steps
8 Comments
