There is a small Roman household god (a Lar) on display at the Guildhall Museum in Rochester that found its way back out of the dark after several hundred years. This is something I wrote about it for the ‘Ten Songs for a Lar’ project. It seems right to share it on Super Saturday. … Continue reading ‘Super Saturday’
Lockdown activity for kids (and their grown-ups)
You’ll find them in Christmas crackers and The Hobbit. We all love a riddle (except for Gollum when he can’t work one out!). Why not try out the p|arts ‘Riddling at home!’ lockdown pack with your kids. It can be downloaded here: http://p-arts.co.uk/lockdown-activity-for-kids-and-their-grown-ups…
Surviving the pandemic…
In his report the Medical Officer recommends ‘the immediate breaking up of all the schools at Royston, at Foxton, and at Thriplow.’ It starts with a sore throat, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. Within a day a rash develops on the stomach or chest and spreads over the whole body. The cheeks of infected children… Continue reading Surviving the pandemic…
Finding Roger Britten…
Proceeding up-stairs we came first against a printing press, with which an intelligent looking African was printing off copies of a handbill… Herts Guardian, Agricultural Journal, and General Advertiser Saturday 17 May 1856 I was not looking for Roger, but those words in an article about a small-town exhibition had me hooked. – Why was… Continue reading Finding Roger Britten…
In Black and White | Roger Britten | Royston’s Printer
I’m excited to be able to share details of a project that I have been collaborating on with the composer Jenni Pinnock and artist Stacey Leigh Ross for Black History month (October). Some time ago – while looking for something else – I came across reference to Roger Britten is an old newspaper. He was… Continue reading In Black and White | Roger Britten | Royston’s Printer
Witch-hunter General
When the Royston Crow dropped onto the doormat this afternoon, it came as a bit of a shock to see my ugly mug staring back at me. On page 4, there’s an interesting article written by Bianca Wild for Local and Community History Month. It would appear I’ve become the town’s Witch-hunter General! Read Curiosity… Continue reading Witch-hunter General
Cracked Voices pamphlet
ISBN 978-0-9524753-2-3 48pp One Tree Publishing (UK) The Cracked Voices 48 page pamphlet featuring the stories and poems from the lost borderlands of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire is now on sale. Proceeds will go to help with the restoration of Royston Parish Church which was badly damaged by fire in December 2018. The pamphlet is available… Continue reading Cracked Voices pamphlet
Curiosity killed the cat
If you believe some blogs, the cat was first killed at the turn of the 20th century. Wikipedia claims that the saying first appeared in print in 1873 but a brief search of the British Newspaper Archive reveals it was in common usage in Ireland well before that.So what does that prove? Not a lot.… Continue reading Curiosity killed the cat
National Writing Day 2018
27 June 2018 is National Writing Day. Thanks to Creative Royston, I am delighted to be leading workshops over two consecutive mornings on 26 & 27 June with students from Greneway and Roysia Schools. We’ll be exploring non-fiction writing in the run up to Creative Royston’s writing competition.
Facing Rob Roy
Exhibition Thursday 13 September – Saturday 6 October 2018 10am-4:45pm Royston and District Museum FREE Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the publication of Walter Scott’s novel Rob Roy, this one-off pop-up exhibition explores the changing faces of Scotland’s ‘Robin Hood’. From Macready to Liam Neeson, from Barcelona to Broadway. Vintage playbills, cinema lobby cards, illustrations… Continue reading Facing Rob Roy