Edith Nesbit
On the 15th of August, 1858, Edith Nesbit was born. She is most well known as the author of The Railway Children. However she was also a political activist and one of the nine founding members of the Fabian Society, a precursor of the Labour Party. Edith Nesbit,...
Battle of Yellow Ford
The Battle of Yellow Ford, fought on the 14th of August, 1598, was one of the most devastating defeats ever suffered by English forces in Ireland. Taking place near the River Blackwater in County Armagh, it marked the high point of the Irish resistance during the Nine...
Blenheim
This is really starting to get difficult. I’m searching for events for the 13th of August. Michael Servetus was arrested by John Calvin for heresy in 1553, but I’ve written about him already. In 1624 Louis XIII appointed Cardinal Richelieu as prime minister but I’ve...
Charles de La Vieuville
On the 12th of August, 1624, Charles de La Vieuville was arrested and replaced by Cardinal Richelieu as King Louis XIII’s chief advisor. Regular followers may be aware that Louis XIII is a minor character in The Suggested Assassin, the third book in the Sir Anthony...
Hadrian
On the 11th of August, 177CE, Hadrian was proclaimed Roman Emperor two days after Trajan’s death. Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born on the 24th of January, 76 CE, probably in Italica, near modern Seville in Spain. His family was wealthy and of Roman colonial stock....
Battle of Lechfeld
For much of the 10th century, the Magyar horsemen of Hungary terrified western Europe. Riding swiftly across the continent, they raided Germany, Italy, Burgundy, and even parts of France and Spain. Their armies were famous for mounted archery, speed, and sudden...
Battle of Pharsalus
The Battle of Pharsalus was fought on the 9th of August 48BCE near Pharsalus in central Greece. It marked the turning point in the Roman civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. Caesar’s victory destroyed the political power of Pompey and effectively...
Great Train Robbery
On the 8th of August, 1963, £2.61 million was stolen from a Royal Mail train on the West Coast Main Line. I spent around a third of my career working on railway projects and have written about railway events. Sadly there have been a few railway accidents as well as...
Thomas Telford
I have posted about my career as a civil engineer. Thomas Telford was the first president of the Institution of Civil Engineers and he was born on the 8th of August 1757. He was one of the greatest civil engineers of the Industrial Revolution, a man whose roads,...
Edith Nesbit
On the 15th of August, 1858, Edith Nesbit was born. She is most well known as the author of The Railway Children. However she was also a political activist and one of the nine founding members of the Fabian Society, a precursor of the Labour Party. Edith Nesbit,...
Battle of Yellow Ford
The Battle of Yellow Ford, fought on the 14th of August, 1598, was one of the most devastating defeats ever suffered by English forces in Ireland. Taking place near the River Blackwater in County Armagh, it marked the high point of the Irish resistance during the Nine...
Blenheim
This is really starting to get difficult. I’m searching for events for the 13th of August. Michael Servetus was arrested by John Calvin for heresy in 1553, but I’ve written about him already. In 1624 Louis XIII appointed Cardinal Richelieu as prime minister but I’ve...
Charles de La Vieuville
On the 12th of August, 1624, Charles de La Vieuville was arrested and replaced by Cardinal Richelieu as King Louis XIII’s chief advisor. Regular followers may be aware that Louis XIII is a minor character in The Suggested Assassin, the third book in the Sir Anthony...
Hadrian
On the 11th of August, 177CE, Hadrian was proclaimed Roman Emperor two days after Trajan’s death. Publius Aelius Hadrianus was born on the 24th of January, 76 CE, probably in Italica, near modern Seville in Spain. His family was wealthy and of Roman colonial stock....
Battle of Lechfeld
For much of the 10th century, the Magyar horsemen of Hungary terrified western Europe. Riding swiftly across the continent, they raided Germany, Italy, Burgundy, and even parts of France and Spain. Their armies were famous for mounted archery, speed, and sudden...
Battle of Pharsalus
The Battle of Pharsalus was fought on the 9th of August 48BCE near Pharsalus in central Greece. It marked the turning point in the Roman civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. Caesar’s victory destroyed the political power of Pompey and effectively...
Great Train Robbery
On the 8th of August, 1963, £2.61 million was stolen from a Royal Mail train on the West Coast Main Line. I spent around a third of my career working on railway projects and have written about railway events. Sadly there have been a few railway accidents as well as...
Thomas Telford
I have posted about my career as a civil engineer. Thomas Telford was the first president of the Institution of Civil Engineers and he was born on the 8th of August 1757. He was one of the greatest civil engineers of the Industrial Revolution, a man whose roads,...








