Of Toffees and Toffs
UNESCO’s decision to strip Liverpool of World Heritage status might appear to have little to do with Wessex. Not so. Wessex is home to all or part of five World…
An Empty Space?
The second issue of Wessex Citizen, edited by Keith Southwell and Rick Heyse, is now online. Many thanks to all who contributed. Earlier this month we mentioned the current –…
History is Sunk
“My Lords, a nation gets awarded the character that it deserves. By neglecting to promote some aspect of this character, that aspect becomes increasingly insignificant within the image which other…
Gearing Up
Surveyoris the magazine for highways and transport professionals. This month’s issue is headlined ‘Return of the Regions’ and opens to reveal an editorial by Dominic Browne, and more besides. The…
The Founding Fixers
Avon Local History & Archæology – ALHA – does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s an organisation for local history and archæology in the Avon area, serving some…
Zombie Zones
Last Saturday, a ‘Northern Citizens’ Convention’ was held in the West Riding town of Huddersfield. Those attending shared a determination that the new politics now saturating Scotland should not stop…
Only the Desperate
Today in 1320 the Scottish nobility issued the Declaration of Arbroath, with its ringing line about fighting not for glory, nor riches, nor honours, but for freedom – for that…
Here We Go Again
The regions are being rebuilt, even under the Coalition. Last week a consultation began on the formation of a ‘combined authority’ for Durham, Northumberland and Tyne & Wear. It will…
Anchoring the Future
Popular history has it that the Royal Navy was founded by King Ælfred the Great. It’s not quite accurate – his father, King Æthelwulf also had a fleet of some…
The Quintarchy
“[The accepted code of behaviour in politics] may be stated as follows: Talk about problems. Never mention a solution. Solutions make people mad as hell... Never excite a minority. Therefore…