A Child Prodigy

A new-born-baby-a new life, a new hope...perhaps a future Prime Minister, perhaps a scientific genius: no wonder even the poorest families lavish care and love on their youngest offspring. When James and Harriet Mill's first baby was born in 1806, they had a pretty good idea that he was no ordinary...

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The Golden Age

In 1593 Christopher Marlowe was killed in a fight in a pub. He was 29 years old and had been acting as a spy for Queen Elizabeth I. But he had already written some of the finest verse drama in the English Language - plays like Edward II and Dr. Faustus. Shakespeare was also 29. His greatest play...

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No Man Is An Island

'No man is an island' said John Donne, the 17th Century poet. Everything we do has repercussions beyond our wildest imaginings. An old lady picks a rose and, in so doing, disturb a bee. The bee files through the window of a passing car and stings the driver. A clear case of cause and effect. Of...

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The Origin Of Money

'Money doesn't grow on trees', as the saying goes. It is made in the Royal Mint, which is in Wales. But where does the word money come from? The answer is that it comes from the same place as the word mint. Both words are derived from the Latin word moneta. The story is more interesting than that,...

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Robin Hood

Robin Hood stole from the rich to feed the poor. He lived in Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham in the centre of England, and his merry band of followers included Little John (a giant of a man), Friar Tuck (a jolly monk), and the beautiful Maid Marian. Their exploits were related in countless mediaeval...

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Friends For Britain

It is no secret that the British Council wants to win friends for Britain. It spends hundreds of millions of pounds doing it. It is also no secret that when a finance minister authorizes spending on that scale, it is not just for the sake of a smile in the street. A friend is someone who understands...

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The Massacre Of Glencoe

One cold winter's day an old man struggled through the snow in a desolate Scottish valley to sign a piece of paper. He didn't arrivve in time. The consequence was the most treacherous massacre in British History. In 1691 William III was to be crowned King of England. His first task was to gain...

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The British Press

The Times is read by the people who run the country. The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country. The Daily Telegraph is read by the people who used to run the country. The Financial Times is read by the people who own the country. The Daily Express is read by the people...

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Trespassers Will Not Be Prosecuted

You cannot fool children with long words. By the time they are big enough to climb over a wall, they have learned that the sign that the sign that says "Trespassers will be Prosecuted" is an empty threat. Tresspass is not a crime in England, and you can only prosecute someone if they cause damage...

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The Master Of Suspense

The name Hitchcook means 'suspense' and 'horhor'. He was the master. At a time when people used to go to the cinema to see their favourite film stars, they went to see Hitchcook films because of the director. Alfred Hitchcook was born in England in 1899. He was educated by Jesuits, then went into...

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