Edwin Ansell received several mentions in the local press, but not for anything of renown, as Jackie Hendry discovered. Finding a criminal in the family was not really what I had in mind. I had toyed with discovering a tenuous link to a title; perhaps a loose association with Ansell’s Brewery; or, who knows, even … Read more
By Nell Darby. The Riot Act came into effect in England on 1 August 1715, a response to a series of civil disturbances that had taken place across England over the previous five years, it was intended to introduce a quicker way of punishing rioters and “riotous assemblies”. The act made it illegal for 12 … Read more
By Nell Darby. It was on 15 September 1830 that the first locomotive-hauled railway to connect two cities opened. The Prime Minister, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, rode on the first of eight inaugural trains from Liverpool, travelling 35 miles to Manchester. The Duke’s train ran on one track, while the seven others made the … Read more
By Nell Darby. The construction of Bethnal Green tube station, as part of the Central Line extension, was still incomplete in March 1943, although the tunnels had been largely finished. Since 1940, the station had been used as an air raid shelter, after being requisitioned by the government. Particularly during the first Blitz in 1940, … Read more
Cate Williams wards off the cold weather by exploring the history of these winter celebrations. Origins Many celebrations involving light and fire have their origins in ancient pagan rituals. One of the oldest winter celebrations in the world is Yule. This occurs around the winter solstice, when people in the northern hemisphere experience the shortest … Read more
You may not be able to trace your forebears to Neolithic times, but Stonehenge is at last worth visiting again, writes Andrew Chapman. Everyone’s been to Stonehenge already, haven’t they? Even if you haven’t, you may be aware of the halcyon days of the early 1970s when it was still possible to meander among the … Read more
Liverpool’s fortunes have been shaped by its port and associated industries – and, as Nicola Lisle explores, your ancestors could have been involved. Originally known as Liuerpul, meaning ‘muddy creek’ or ‘pool’, Liverpool was once little more than a small agricultural settlement within the historic county of Lancashire, clustered on the banks of the River … Read more
Lucy Williams looks at this autumnal celebration of troublemaking. Origins Mischief Night, also known in more recent years as Mizzy or Miggy Night, is an annual celebration of troublemaking popular in parts of England and Northern Europe. When or where Mischief Night first began is not precisely clear. Carnival days of tomfoolery, humour and chaos … Read more
The last battle on English soil saw a Jacobite uprising fall apart, as Kev Lochun explains. November 2015 marked the 300th anniversary of what is widely held to be the last battle on English soil – the showdown between Jacobite rebels and an army loyal to George I at Preston in 1715. It was both … Read more
This museum focuses on the lives of the ordinary – yet extraordinary – people who fought for democracy, writes Nell Darby. The People’s History Museum is one of our all-time favourite museums. It focuses on the lives of ordinary people in the past, looking at their political involvement and how they marched or fought for … Read more