by David West | Feb 1, 2026 | News
History need not be defined by battles, leaders, exploration, or adventure. I choose as my topic today, the Oxford English Dictionary, of which the first volume (A – Ant) was first published on the 1st of February, 1884. Claire gave me the two volume Shorter...
by David West | Jan 31, 2026 | News
The Battle of Gembloux was fought on the 31st of January, 1578, during the Eighty Years’ War. The Spanish forces were commanded by Don Juan, Duke of Austria. Regular readers will know that the Eighty Years’ War was the conflict in which my ancestor, Sir Anthony...
by David West | Jan 30, 2026 | News
On 13th November 1923, Adolf Hitler delivered a speech in Munich where he denounced what he referred to as the “November crime.” This term was used by Hitler and the Nazi Party to describe the events surrounding the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the...
by David West | Jan 30, 2026 | News
For the 30th of January I am drawn to two candidates for my post. They are Adolph Hitler, who took office as Chancellor of Germany on this day in 1933, and Richard Lawrence who in 1835 made the first assassination attempt against a President of the United States when...
by David West | Jan 29, 2026 | News
Usually I am spoilt for choice and I have to check that I haven’t written about the subject before. However the 29th of January offers me only two topics in the pre-1600 category. Sergios III came out of retirement to be elected pope from the deposed antipope...
