Richmond Read-along: Shakespeare and St George
Today (23rd April) marks both St George's Day and the anniversary of Shakespeare's death. It's also widely believed to be Shakespeare's birthday, although we don't know for certain what day…
Richmond Read-along 92
The Empire Windrush, after which the Windrush generation was named Welcome back to the Richmond Read-along! Today we are reading song lyrics by Lord Kitchener, in celebration of Windrush Day.…
Follow the Drum: a reflection [Part 1] – Post-hostilities
Guerre Finie! Boche Napoo! A grainy image of a German car emerging from the mirk of a battlefield caught my imagination as I was researching this last piece for the…
When the Circus First Came to Town
In 2018 Britain is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the creation of the circus. The Beginning: In 1768, on a patch of land between Westminster Bridge and Blackfriars Road, entrepreneur…
Jane Austen: Behind the Bonnets
Many will have seen the films and luscious TV adaptations of Austen's works - beautiful costumes, affluent country houses, the carriages. And at the centre of it all, an attractive…
Canada’s sesquicentennial: 1867-2017
'On the 1st of July 1867, as soon as the clocks told midnight, in most of the towns and villages from the Atlantic shores of Nova Scotia to the north-west…
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: 20th Anniversary
Just in case you didn't know ..... Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, written by Rowling, was published twenty years ago on 26 June 1997 and fans across the globe…
The Eiffel Tower: a quick tour
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous and most visited landmarks in the world. It opened on 31 March 1889, 128 years ago today. History and background It was…