Books, Original Documents, study days, Subjects for discussion

The Importance of Wills and Other Original Documents.

Gill Whitlock’s article highlights the significance of wills as historical documents that provide insights into personal relationships and societal norms. She discusses Shakespeare’s will, suggesting deep connections to his family and possibly his works. The piece emphasizes the value of examining wills for understanding historical context and the evolution of probate law.

Books, Guest Posts, short stories, Subjects for discussion, Uncategorized

Macbeth and The Mafia

I was intrigued by Gill Whitlock's story, "What Fools!" that I posted last month, and knowing that she has taught drama at a comprehensive school for thirty years I wondered just how she managed to engage some of those teenagers, most of whom would probably never go to a performance of a Shakespeare play. The… Continue reading Macbeth and The Mafia

Books, Guest Posts, Renaissance, short stories

What Fools! by Gill Whitlock

The sky was virtually black,  and the rain was hammering down,  when Henley Street came into view on the horizon. The sense of home filled his head so that he forgot all thoughts of the dampness of his clothes or the constant dripping of raindrops onto his forehead. Home - safety, love, family - Will knew he… Continue reading What Fools! by Gill Whitlock

Artists of Northern Europe, Flemish primitives, Illuminated manuscripts, Illumination of legal documents, portrait miniature, Portraiture, Royal Portraits, short stories, Tudor portraiture

Another Execution! – MV Taylor

This is a work of fiction, but the images referred to all exist as did all the characters and the executions to which they refer. Like other writers of historical fiction, I have taken events as my skeleton and dressed it with the clothes of a possible event, placing imagined words into the mouths of… Continue reading Another Execution! – MV Taylor

Guest Posts, short stories

A VOYAGE OF SELF-ISOLATION – by Ian Robertson.

This pandemic is inspiring some lovely fictional tales. Ian is a naval historian and we met at a conference held at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich last year, 2019, where we were both presenting papers to an international academic audience. This is a great story, based on real events during the reign of Elizabeth I.… Continue reading A VOYAGE OF SELF-ISOLATION – by Ian Robertson.