The recent alleged bribery scandal in cricket may be seen by many as another example of a recent trend where money is said to be influencing players to throw-away matches or produce a particular incident during the course of a game. It is reported that behind it lies the millions spent on gambling on the [more...]
Vindolnda is a Roman fort and settlement just to the south of Hadrian’s Wall in Northumbria, Northern England. It contains the largest collection of Roman buildings to be found anywhere along the Wall. Vindolanda is permanently under investigation by archaeologists and it is estimated that there is sufficient work for them for the next 150 [more...]
Payday Loan is the name given to a short-term loan or cash advance which as its name suggests is only required until the borrower’s next payday when it can be paid back. A tied-you-over loan is often seen as a quick answer to a temporary shortage of money, but it is not designed as a [more...]
The Millennium Bridge at Gateshead is an impressive footbridge with a novel tilting design which crosses the River Tyne from Gateshead to Newcastle in the north-east of England. It is the first tilting bridge in the world. The quaysides of Gateshead and Newcastle has undergone redevelopment and regeneration since the decline of traditional industries in [more...]
The Harry Potter films, Pride and Prejudice, Moll Flanders, Larkrise to Candleford, Cranford, Moonraker, and Emma are among the films and television historical dramas that have been filmed at the Wiltshire village of Lacock and nearby Lacock Abbey. The village is almost entirely owned by the National Trust and there has been little new building [more...]
If you are researching your family history and in particular your English and Welsh ancestors, then a useful new resource is now available online: the England and Wales National Probate Calendars for the 19th and 20th centuries. These Calendars were previously only available for inspection by making a personal visit to a Probate Registry in [more...]
Whether flying on a business trip or a vacation, as your aircraft takes off you will probably be confident that the pilot and the crew have carried out their pre-flight checks, the ground crew have serviced and checked over the aircraft, and throughout the flight the crew will be monitoring the instruments. But you may [more...]
B&Q is the third largest home improvement retail company in the world with 321 stores in the UK and 60 stores spread across the globe. In 2009/10 retail sales were £4 billion, with profits of £195million. It is part of the Kingfisher Group plc. The company’s name B&Q comes from the names of its founders: [more...]
Britain’s newest high street bank has just opened. Metro Bank plc is the first new public bank to be created for over 100 years. The last public bank was the Co-operative (originally CWS Loan and Deposit Department) established in 1872. Metro Bank is completely independent and not associated with any other bank. The bank is [more...]
The peaceful campaign for the women’s vote changed direction in 1905 when militant acts began. The campaign of militancy lasted until the outbreak of the First World War. But how militant were the Suffragettes? The name Suffragettes was coined by the Daily Mail newspaper in March 1906. They were so called after the National Union [more...]
This rather curious image showing the German U-Boat ‘U 155′, better known as ‘Deutschland’, moored by Tower Bridge, London, is an example of just one of the surrendered German submarines which were taken around various British ports and seaside resorts for public display after the end of the First World War. Deutschland sunk 43 allied [more...]
Marks and Spencer is one of the UK’s leading retail brands. It employs over 80,000 people in 500 stores in over 30 countries. Clothing and homeware sales represent 51% of their business, while food is 49%. Yet this company had its humble beginnings at a market stall where Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer sold items [more...]
Garden parties at Buckingham Palace, the monarch’s office residence in London, are one of the highlights of the summer season. Specially invited guests from all walks of life have the chance that they may be introduced to Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, or other members of the Royal Family. Garden parties have been held [more...]
Burberry Group plc is a leading global fashion brand which now sells womenswear, menswear, non-apparel and children’s wear. It is famous for its iconic trademarked check design and British heritage branding. In 2009, the company’s global luxury goods market estimated retail value was over 150bn Euros. A far cry from its establishment as a Victorian [more...]
GlaxoSmithKline plc is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the world with a global market share of at least seven per cent. The company’s headquarters is in the UK with subsidiaries throughout the world. The company conducts research into medicines and vaccines to deal with the major threats of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. It [more...]
British Petroleum finds itself widely and vociferously criticised because of its activities in in the Gulf of Mexico, with ‘British’ used by some as a term of abuse. It is ironic that British Petroleum was originally created by a German company. Before the First World War oil and petrol were beginning to replace coal as [more...]
Barclays PLC is an international bank and financial services company with its headquarters based in London. Through the parent company and various subsidiary companies it provides financial services covering retail banking, investment and corporate banking, wealth management, and credit cards. It has more than forty eight million customers in over fifty countries. This global presence [more...]
The National Savings and Investments, also known as NS&I, is one of the largest savings banks in the United Kingdom, accounting for 10% of the UK retail savings investments market. It has 27 million customers and manages over £66 billion in investments. Unlike other banks which are ultimately owned by shareholders, the NS&I is an [more...]
When you buy a share in a company you are hoping that the company will be successful and it will offer good shareholder dividends and that the share price will also increase. But many people forget that there are a surprising number of companies which also offer perks and benefits to their shareholders. Companies offer [more...]
The Norfolk Broads have been a popular destination for boating holidays since Victorian times. Boating on the many waterways of the Broads provides a chance to enjoy its unique landscapes, history, and wonderful wildlife. The Broads is a network of six rivers, man-made waterways, and open expanses of water called Broads. These were created by [more...]