Category Archives: London

British? Moi?

Posted on March 25, 2013 by

This is a tough one. I have been nominated by the lovely writer Vivienne Tuffnell over at zen and the art of tightropewalking (whose novel Away With the Fairies I am currently reading and enjoying very much) for A Very British Blog … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Dandelions and Bad Hair Days, London, Poetry, Reading, Work, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

On Victorian London, forensics and writing inspiration: a conversation with D.E. Meredith, author of The Devil’s Ribbon

Posted on February 25, 2013 by

Today I am lucky enough to have a guest on my blog – the author D. E. Meredith writer of the historical crime series, The Hatton and Roumande Mysteries featuring the first forensic scientist, Professor Adolphus Hatton, and his trusty … Continue reading →

Posted in Author interviews, Book, London, Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

‘London Snow’ and the joy of a trip to the capital whatever the weather

Posted on January 22, 2013 by

Last week I went to London and spent three happy hours in The Wellcome Library, taking advantage of their beautiful reading rooms. I was researching shell shock and PTSD to inform Shell Shocked Britain, the book I am writing for … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, London, Mental health, Poetry, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ho Ho Ho – a Happy, healthy Christmas from No Wriggling!

Posted on December 24, 2012 by

Just a quick post to wish all those who follow my blog and any who just drop by the very merriest of Christmases and the happiest and healthiest of New Years. This has been a good year on No wriggling. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Dandelions and Bad Hair Days, London, Poetry, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything, Religion, Writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

On receiving some wonderful old news……

Posted on December 18, 2012 by

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 , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sarah’s story – family history and poetry from the darkest places…

Posted on August 25, 2012 by

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 →

Posted in Family History, History, London, Mental health, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

‘From Clapton Pond to Stamford Hill’ – landscape, literature & Pinter at the British Library

Posted on July 4, 2012 by

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 , , , , | 6 Comments

‘I’m forever blowing bubbles’; or maybe this explains a lot…

Posted on April 25, 2012 by

Earlier this week my son wrote a blog post on The Magical Mirror in which he was debating with himself which football team he should support next season. I had to point out to him that to ask that question is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Family History, London, Random musings on family life, love the universe and everything | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Telling ‘Sarah’s Story’ – finding truth in family history

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

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 , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Calling Clerkenwell home – roots in roguish & revolutionary soil

Posted on October 12, 2011 by

The line between ‘family’ and ‘social’ history is becoming ever more blurred. For me, studying my tree has always been more about the history surrounding the lives of my ancestors than finding each and every distant relation. I know I … Continue reading →

Posted in Family History, History, London | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments