Books, Guest Posts

Guest Post: Lady Katherine Grey : A Tragic Inheritance by Conor Byrne.

Conor Byrne studied for his Bachelor's degree in history at Exeter University, and his Master of Arts in medieval and early modern history at the university of York. He is currently a PhD student at the University of Southampton research the history of executed queens. He has previously written on the life of Katharine Howard.… Continue reading Guest Post: Lady Katherine Grey : A Tragic Inheritance by Conor Byrne.

Books, Guest Posts, Louis XIV, Royal Portraits, Subjects for discussion

Henriette: a Sketch of a Childhood – by Dr Jo Wilkinson

My grateful thanks to Dr Wilkinson for giving me the privilege of hosting this article that gives us a wonderful insight into the early life of Henriette d'Angleterre, the daughter of Charles I, and later wife of Philipe d'Orleans, brother of Louis XIV of France. Dr Wilkinson's last two books have been on Louis XIV… Continue reading Henriette: a Sketch of a Childhood – by Dr Jo Wilkinson

Guest Posts, short stories

Parent’s Evening

A little short story from Ian Robertson, especially for all of you with children on half-term. ‘Come on. We haven’t got all night.’ The exasperation was all too evident in Keith Ballantine’s voice. It was always the same. Whenever he and his wife, Anne, had to be somewhere at a specific time he had to… Continue reading Parent’s Evening

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