This is the fourteenth part of a fiction serial, in 734 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for the use of her photo. https://suejudd.com/ The silver sale was one of our best ever. Every item exceeded expectations, and a dated salver relating to George I from 1720 was sold for a record … | Continue reading
The Guardian Newspaper began its life in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian, and was based in that northern city until moving to London in 1976. Over the decades, it has acquired a vast library of photos, taken by staff photographers and also freelancers selling to the newspaper. Th … | Continue reading
This the thirteenth part of a fiction serial, in 750 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for the use of her photo. https://suejudd.com/ The first I heard about Julian showing up was when Gregg got back from work one evening. Lord Branscombe had appeared at the auction house, excited by … | Continue reading
I always enjoy finding these, and have posted many previously. Here are some new ones. California compared to the whole of Italy. Forest distribution in the USA. In 1279, the Mongolian Empire was the biggest empire by immediate landmass that the world had ever seen, and it retain … | Continue reading
This is the twelfth part of a fiction serial, in 755 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for the use of her photo. https://suejudd.com/ My dad came up with a great idea. Gregg had no educational qualifications as such, but he could drive. We always had need of occasional drivers, so it … | Continue reading
This is the eleventh part of a fiction serial, in 742 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for the use of her photo. https://suejudd.com/ He slept all the rest of that day, and most of the night. I stayed downstairs on the sofa so as not to disturb him, but he woke me up at … Continue re … | Continue reading
I have posted something on my other blog today that may be of interest to some readers in the UK. Here is a link to it. It is political in nature, so not really suited to beetleypete. National Conservatism=Neo Nazis | Continue reading
This is the tenth part of a fiction serial, in 735 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for the use of her photo. https://suejudd.com/ These days, not so many people remember the Falklands war. It only tends to be spoken about on anniversaries, like ten years after it happened, and so on … | Continue reading
Photographer John Myers’ work is relatively unknown but is considered superb among his contemporaries. Myers would typically photograph men, women, and children on their own, but also occasionally in groups. This selection is from a project showing ordinary people in their own ho … | Continue reading
Long-term readers of this blog might remember that one of Ollie’s favourite activities was to chase Deer. Over the years, he has managed to chase the three main varieties found around Beetley; Roe, White-Tailed, and Muntjac. Of course, he never managed to catch one, and rarely ev … | Continue reading
This is the ninth part of a fiction serial, in 777 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for the use of her photo. https://suejudd.com/ Lord Julian Branscombe hung around just long enough to get bored of asking me out and getting turned down, as well as being bored with his supposed proje … | Continue reading
The East of England has had some strange weather this week. It started with thunderstorms, heavy rain, and humid temperatures up to 21C. I was wearing shorts earlier this week, then yesterday I was out walking Ollie wearing a heavy winter coat, and gloves. This morning it is stru … | Continue reading
Prostitution is often called ‘The Oldest Profession’, and with good reason. Since the dawn of history, women who found themselves in need of money could sell their sexual favours to eager men willing to pay. But not all the men who were visiting prostitutes were customers. Some w … | Continue reading
This is the eighth part of a fiction serial, in 742 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for the use of her photo. https://suejudd.com/ Julian Branscombe splashed out on a nice lunch in one of Gloucester’s best hotels. To be honest, it wasn’t my thing. Tiny portions of mis-matched ingred … | Continue reading
Before WW2, herds of sheep were kept in London parks to eat the grass to save having to use motor mowers. This is Hyde Park in the early 1930s, the sheepdog is swimming in the water to stop the sheep escaping. The lift attendants in Selfridges Department Store, 1928. Liberty, a f … | Continue reading
This is the seventh part of a fiction serial, in 764 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for allowing me to use her photo. https://suejudd.com/ Julian Branscombe had been described to me as a Bohemian, but the young man I saw looked just like any fashionable Londoner at the time. Except … | Continue reading
Enjoying a healthy break by the sea in Britain was popularised by the Prince Regent, who had a palace built close to the sea in Brighton in 1787. When he became king, he continued to visit, believing the salt water would improve his health. By the Victorian era, seaside resorts w … | Continue reading
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear rocket launchers, shall not be infringed.” They must have obviously foreseen rocket launchers in 1791. What other possible explantion could there be? (I hope he wa … | Continue reading
This is the sixth part of a fiction serial, in 768 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for the use of her photo. https://suejudd.com/ Gregg had been correct when he said I would soon know what all the fuss had been about. Argentina had invaded The Falkland Islands, and Britain was sendi … | Continue reading
As I have mentioned many times, I cannot get enough of this architectural loveliness! The Addis toothbrush factory, Hertfordshire. Another view of the De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill, Sussex. Two views of Marine Court, St Leonard’s-on-Sea. It was designed to look like a cruise lin … | Continue reading
Originally posted on Letters from Athens: We have all heard of the benefits of a Mediterranean diet—but it amused me to find out how far back this goes. What did people in antiquity eat? The Ancient Greeks were not big eaters like the Romans. In fact they mocked the Persians, who … | Continue reading
This is the fifth part of a fiction serial, in 850 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for the use of her photo. https://suejudd.com/ Engrossed as I was in my daily visits to the Hall, I had almost forgotten about Gregg coming up that Saturday. He made the long drive in his dad’s car, a … | Continue reading
Originally posted on Stevie Turner: I’ve always been fascinated by the old Borley Rectory, which was once the most haunted house in England before it was destroyed by fire. I thought I’d write a little story about it below – hope you like it. Borley Rectory Re-Visited. Copyright … | Continue reading
I found some more photos taken by Diane Arbus. These are from 1962-1965 and were taken on her walks around New York City. I like the way Diane often chose to photograph people who looked slightly out of the ordinary, as well as taking conventional photos of children. | Continue reading
This is the fourth part of a fiction serial, in 800 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for allowing me to use her photo. https://suejudd.com/ Lady Branscombe was polite and chatty when she welcomed me to her home. Much younger than her recently-deceased husband, and not the mother of L … | Continue reading
This is the third part of a fiction serial, in 752 words. My thanks for Sue Judd for allowing me to use her photo as a prompt. https://suejudd.com/ When Gregg gave me a lift to the station on Sunday morning, I asked him why his family were talking about us getting married, even t … | Continue reading
Weather took centre stage this past week. I was wearing shorts last Monday, in sunny, warm weather. On Tuesday I was wearing a heavy coat, and by Wednesday I was seriously considering turning the heating back on. On Saturday it rained on and off all day, and was dark enough in th … | Continue reading
This is the second part of a fiction serial, in 762 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for use of her photo as a prompt. https://suejudd.com/ Once Gregg had some leave, I went to visit his family in Essex. I had heard of Basildon, but never been there before. He met me at the railway … … | Continue reading
The NW1 postal area in London covers the districts of Camden, Euston, Regents Park, and Primrose Hill. It was the postal district I lived in for twelve years before I left London for good. In 1982, the famous British Photographer David Bailey published a book of photographs, take … | Continue reading
It will not be news to you that the coronation of Charles III is underway in London today. Tradition, pomp, ceremony, a celebration of British values. Telling us all what a wonderful country we are blessed to live in. A free country, a democracy. But this might be news to you. On … | Continue reading
This varied selection looks at different eras in the history of Britain, from the Victorian age to the dawn of the 21st century. The interior of a mine in Cornwall, 1893. The miners were working on a 30-degree slope, and the photographer wanted to capture that difficulty. Inside … | Continue reading
This is part one of a fiction serial, in 770 words. My thanks to Sue Judd for allowing me to use one of her photos as a story prompt. https://suejudd.com/ Norma was picking me up at ten. It was going to be twenty-six years. Hard to imagine, yet it seemed like yesterday whenever I … | Continue reading
This is all 23 parts of my recent fiction serial, in one complete story. It is a long read, at 17,900 words. Phyllis Harvey. That would be a good name, he decided. A name that spoke of maturity, but not old age. A name associated with a certain class of woman, one who had made … … | Continue reading
During the 1960s, John Claridge took hundreds of photos in the poorer multicultural districts of East London that he knew well. I have featured his work before on this blog, and recently found some more of his interesting portraits. The areas he photographed have changed complete … | Continue reading
Are you a writer hoping to be published? Think you might need a Literary Agent? This article warns of the potential pitfalls involving professional scammers who are out to get your money. It is required reading for anyone thinking of taking the leap to becoming a published author … | Continue reading
Originally posted on Filosofa's Word: I found this very short true story on the Jon S. Randal Peace Page. It is a story that is well worth the retelling, for it is a story of immense importance and wisdom, one that should be remembered for all time, for in many ways, no mat … | Continue reading
This is the final part of a fiction serial, in 822 words. If he was expecting Alan to be angry, Terence was wrong. He was both apologetic, and very affectionate. “I am so sorry about what happened today. It was a trumped-up accusation at best, and that Clive was behind it, I’m su … | Continue reading
The Social Reformer Charles Booth was a wealthy man who campaigned for better conditions for the poorest workers in London. He commissioned photographers to take photographs of some of them to illustrate their plight. Here are a few of the photos he used to try to raise money to … | Continue reading
This is the twenty-second part of a fiction serial, in 772 words. Alan, now exposed as John Digby, looked mortified. He must have known from Terence’s address that he must be Phyllis. The times he had lusted after him, believing him to be a woman, the passionate kisses leaving hi … | Continue reading
I make no apologies for featuring more examples of my favourite architecture. These are from America, Britain, Italy, and Belgium. They include private houses, industrial buildings, offices, and public spaces like swimming pools. Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre, London. Former Kod … | Continue reading
I found a selection of photos online that interested me. They have no particular theme, I just liked them. (Some of them can be enlarged by clicking on them.) Freed slave children in the 1860s. An official measuring bathing suits in the 1920s to enforce ‘modesty regulations’. Fas … | Continue reading
When I was young, I heard a French song called ‘La Mer’, by Charles Trenet. I knew that meant ‘The Sea’, and I enjoyed the music. Not long after, when I was only eight years old, I heard an English language cover version, by Bobby Darin. The title had changed to’Beyond The Sea’, … | Continue reading
This is the twenty-first part of a fiction serial, in 776 words. Sitting in the back of the police car in handcuffs, Terence considered his options. He had been cautioned, and told he was being arrested ‘To allow further investigations into a serious allegation’. He decided to as … | Continue reading
I had already posted some musings on Wednesday, having missed out last Sunday due to becoming forgetful. If you didn’t see that post, here’s a link. Belated Sunday Musings On A Wednesday As a result, today’s offering is shorter than usual. ————————————————————————————– Ollie fina … | Continue reading
Thanks to Mr E. Musk, sharing of your blog posts to Twitter using the automatic process that exists currently will no longer be possible. I received this email today. Hi Pete, From April 30, 2023 you will no longer be able to share your WordPress.com posts automatically to Twitt … | Continue reading
This is the twentieth part of a fiction serial, in 793 words. A year later, and Terence had a thriving business. He was turning down bookings, and had a core of over thirty regular customers who came back week after week. One of them, who liked to be known as Diane, even paid jus … | Continue reading
We are all used to seeing elegant ladies in old photographs, but almost never in colour. This selection was photographed by various uncredited photographers over a ten year period using the ‘Autochrome’ process. The photos were not colourised later, and are shown as they were dev … | Continue reading
This is the nineteenth part of a fiction serial, in 754 words. Terence hadn’t forgotten Alan. Although it was a bit further for him to drive, he felt sure Alan would be keen to be part of New You. He had kept him informed of developments by messaging him on the old fetish site, a … | Continue reading