Archives for History

On the design of American State flags... (August 6, 2006) A few weeks ago I found a weird little sideline in the project I was working on that I decided to explore for a while and it drew me inexorably towards a subject that I'd never even thought about before...

On Belaugh House circa 1900... (January 7, 2004) Here's something quite special (for me at least). While I was up in Norfolk over Christmas, my mother showed me a picture that had been taken of our home shortly after it had been completed (circa 1900). It may sound...

Two early views of income tax... (October 21, 2003) Thanks to Radio 4 for these two early positions on Income Tax. Nicholas Vansittart, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1816 put the case for the tax: "This tax would press less on the lower orders of society than...

Return to Broadcasting House... (July 1, 2003) So I don't know where to start really so I'm just going to come out and say it. After several weeks of organisation, negotiation and discussion I find myself cheerfully back in gainful employment. My new job has almost intimidating...

A piece of writing from a book about Baudrillard pertaining specifically to Nietszche and history... (October 23, 2002) I've been re-reading a little book on Baudrillard because it's the only thing that fits in the pocket of my brand new coat (excessive money spent - we'll say no more about this). In it I've stumbled upon a section...

Factfile: Belaugh, Norfolk (April 1, 2002) I'm collating all the information I can find about the tiny Norfolk village of 'Belaugh' where I grew up, as part of my ongoing attempt to get some sense of personal history and where I fit into the world both geographically and personally...

A brief history of the Western World... (February 16, 2002) One day Mesopotamia is assembled out of bits of twig and mud. It is one of the first places we see the 'Indo-European' language group that will split off into India and Europe forming the basis of most Western languages....