The story of when King George I adopted a feral child from the forests of Germany into his royal court.
When King George I brought a feral boy into the British Royal Court in 1726 he caused a sensation among London’s high society.
‘Peter the Wild Boy’ as he came to be called, neither walked upright or could speak nor write and, to many, it seemed surely like he’d been raised by wild animals.
Yet, the truth behind why Peter behaved more animal than man only came out two centuries after his passing when a portrait of the boy was carefully scrutinized.
Unearth the story of an incredibly unique young man’s life which begun in a forest and bought him…
Why a friendly, sociable local killed 12 people is a mystery …or is it?
A puzzling episode of Cumbrian History that has bewildered locals still scratching their heads.
After an angry confrontation with some fellow taxi drivers, a man named Derrick Bird shot dead his twin brother, his solicitor, then 10 other mostly random victims as he sped 45 miles (72km) around West Cumbria before finally killing himself.
Yet, ‘Birdy’ as many affectionately referred to him, was well-liked, sociable and friendly up until that fateful day.
Then something inside him snapped and his hidden demons took hold.
The Shooting Rampage
It was in West Cumbria this horror story played out.
Read about how the Wuppertal Schwebebahn came to be and its 120 years of service.
This is the story of the oldest suspension railway in the world and its origins which go back much further than when it first opened for business at the turn of the 20th Century.
Railway from The Future
Film footage (below) from its first year in operation will have steampunk aficionados salivating; heavily dressed pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages throng wide avenues that are lined with trees and classical townhouses.
An elegant iron carriage glides serenely overhead along a suspended rail held together by a framework of struts elevated, in turn, by curved pillars that straddle the road.
The carriage continues over Wuppertal’s narrow river…
The story of Chris Foster, the man who committed familicide rather than face the bailiffs.
One of the most unsettling crimes you’ll ever read about; on the 26th of August 2008, Chris Foster murdered his wife and teenage daughter and set his house on fire before killing himself.
What went so wrong for the once-successful millionaire that he killed his family? Was he evil, or is our obsession with money the true root of this sad saga?
It was in Maesbrook village this tale unfolded, a tranquil, richly green locale in England where city slickers who make their fortunes on the busy streets of Birmingham retreat to enjoy the fruits of their labours. …
Shed a tear for three British aristocrats, with their millions of pounds and stately homes, who suffered such misfortune, one might barely even recognise them from commoners.
Rich and privileged aristocrats are human like the rest of us, and so suffer poor luck and judgement like anybody. But for us unwashed masses there is a certain guilty pleasure in seeing them fall from grace.
Here are three nobles who may have been born with silver spoons in their mouths, but ended up shopping for plastic cutlery at their local supermarket.
Angus Montagu, 12th Duke of Manchester
Marion Stoner… left him after Alexander shot at her with a speargun, which fortunately missed.
The Dukedom of Manchester was created in 1719 for the Montagu family. Charles Montagu had served his king as a diplomat over…
Tiny Lundy isle has sheltered rebels, eccentrics and even a band of Barbary pirates. This is the story of Lundy’s rich history.
Lundy seems an innocuous island; sitting just 10 nautical miles (19km) off the Devon coastline, it’s a mere three miles (5km) long by 1/2 mile (1km) wide, and home to just 28 islanders.
You could say it’s a place coveted much more than it can cater for, being strategically well placed yet barren and too small for any community to grow and prosper. It’s subsequently changed hands so many times, and virtually every period of British history has left a mark on this speck of rock.
Read about the worst that Mother Nature has thrown at Britain
When Mother Nature gets angry the effects can be both spectacular and catastrophic.
You’ll rarely see news images of towns and homes destroyed by violent winds; buildings rocking on their foundations or tornadoes tearing across the land emanate from Great Britain.
The UK has, it seems, a very droll climate and benign landscape, yet you’d be surprised by the extreme weather events and natural disasters that have actually occurred on this supposedly green and pleasant land.
Hurricane
Some towns are so closely linked to some of the world’s most popular foods and drinks they even share the same name. Here we take a look at them and find out why these places are such meccas for foodies and connoisseurs.
Cheddar, UK
If you like any cheese at all it will likely be Cheddar cheese; it is the most widely eaten cheese in the world. With a mild taste, inoffensive to even the most trepid palate, it’s popular either sprinkled over a dish like your favourite pizza, stuffed into a ham and cheese sandwich or just eaten by itself.
Officially Cheddar cheese is described as ‘a relatively hard, off-white, sometimes sharp-tasting, natural cheese made from cow’s milk’. Since the 12th Century the cheese’s popularity has grown and now Cheddar cheese has a place on millions of people’s dinner tables.
Cheddar is a…
The story of the hero policeman who sniffed out trouble to save the lives of his neighbours.
When the nose knows, you’d better take notice; that was certainly the case for Police Constable Nick Shaw in the wee hours of the 9th of January, 1987. It was because of this policeman’s sense of smell and quick thinking that the worst ever disaster to befall a locale of Gloucestershire, UK, was narrowly avoided.
…a queer, muffled popping noise which he described later as the sound of “neighbours falling out of bed.”
It had just gone 3 am and along Wickwar village’s long, wide thoroughfare, with its fine houses which line it, all was still save the prowling of…
My experience of the Czechs and Prague after five years as an expat.
I arrived in Prague in late 2013 to pursue a life as an ESL teacher and to escape a humdrum existence in the UK, and I’m sure glad I did. The city was so darn great I stayed for over five years.
Here, I reflect upon what I made of Prague society and its foibles I had to negotiate in order to thrive.
The Czech Republic
First of all, it is not ‘Czechia’, let’s clear that up straight away. A name concocted by the Western hemisphere, and used by Google Map last time I checked, yet rejected by most Czechs themselves.
The idea…
Alasdair Lea
I love to learn new facts and insight to better understand this crazy world we live in. Let me do what I can to distract you from your life’s drudgery.
