Bury St Edmunds

 I wrote the history of the old English town of Bury St Edmunds 

Comfortable Corsets

 It's a myth that corsets were torture instruments that made it difficult to breathe and caused you to faint.

Honduras

 I wrote about the history of the Central American nation of Honduras 

Yeovil

 I wrote a history of the old Somerset town of Yeovil 

Women in Anglo-Saxon England

 In Anglo-Saxon England, women had considerable rights and freedom (unless they were slaves! Both men and women were slaves). Married women could own and inherit property. Some women were landowners. If a man married a woman he had to give her either money or land. After they married it was her property to what she liked. She could sell it or leave it in her will to anyone she wished. 

Nepal

 I wrote a brief history of Nepal 

Bristol

 I wrote a short history of the great British city of Bristol. It began as a Saxon settlement and in the Middle Ages it became one of England's largest towns. 

HMS Warrior

 HMS Warrior Britain's first iron warship was launched on 29 December 1860. She is now a major tourist attraction in Portsmouth. Happy birthday.

Victorian myth

 Another myth about 19th century women: they were not allowed to raise their arms above their heads https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DHn0VOwYVQ 

Bath

 I wrote a history of the city of Bath. Originally it was a Roman town.

Abbotsbury

 I wrote a brief history of the charming village of Abbotsbury 

The Bog

 In Britain, a cesspit was once called a bog. The toilet was the bog room. When people stopped using cesspits and had flushing toilets they kept calling the toilet room the bog room. Soon it shortened to bog. Apparently the Australian word dunny comes from an old English word meaning a store of dung. There is a lot more to the history of toilets than you might think.

Swindon

 I wrote a history of the Wiltshire town of Swindon 

Louis Pasteur

 Louis Pasteur the great doctor who invented the germ theory of disease was born on 27 December 1822. His work saved countless lives.

Croatia

 I wrote a brief history of Croatia 

Cerne Abbas

 I wrote a history of the charming English village of Cerne Abbas 

Blandford Forum

 I wrote a little history of the town of Blandford Forum in Dorset 

Vietnam

 I wrote a history of Vietnam. It has a long and fascinating history. 

Bridport

 I wrote a history of the small but attractive town of Bridport in Dorset 

Charles Babbage

 Famous mathematician and pioneer of computers Charles Babbage was born on 26 December 1791

Wareham

 I wrote a history of Wareham, which began as a Saxon town

Libya

 24 December is Libya Independence Day

Dorchester

 I wrote a little history of the Dorset town of Dorchester 

Sumerian Women

 Sumer was the world's first civilization. It arose in what is now Iraq about 3,500 BC. Sumerian women could own and sell property such as land and slaves. They could also own businesses. Women could be witnesses in court the same as men. Some Sumerian women could read and write. Some women were doctors, others were scribes or priestesses.

Square Meal

 Why do we say 'a square meal' There is a popular myth that this saying comes from the time when British sailors ate off square plates. In reality, the phrase began in California in the mid-19th century and it simply meant a good meal for your money, as in the phrase 'fair and square'. Later the saying made its way to Britain.

Cardiff

 I wrote a brief history of the Welsh city of Cardiff. It became the capital of Wales in 1955. 

Morocco

 I wrote a brief history of Morocco. It has a long and rich history. 

Wareham

 I wrote about the town of Wareham in Dorset. It began as a Saxon settlement. 

Spartan Women

 In Sparta women owned much of the land. We also know from records that women owned land in Thessaly and in the Cretan city-state of Gortyn. In Ancient Greece some women were tavern keepers. Others sold food or perfume. Some were wool workers.

Girls married when they were about 15. (Except in Sparta where they were typically older). Marriages were often arranged. However Ancient Greek women could divorce their husbands.

Four poster beds

 I sometimes come across this old myth: Four Poster Beds had canopies to catch mice falling from thatched roofs. No,

four-poster beds had canopies and curtains to keep out drafts. (Old houses had many drafts). There is no evidence that the canopy was designed to catch falling rodents. In any case, a four-poster bed was very expensive. If you were wealthy enough to afford one you would normally have a roof of tiles, not thatch. Even if you did have a thatched roof in a wealthy home all bedrooms had proper ceilings. So there was a ceiling between the bed and the roof.

Christchurch

 I wrote a history of the town of Christchurch in England 

Oxford

 I wrote a brief history of the old English city of Oxford. It's famous for its university but there is much more to it than that. 

Slovenia

 I wrote a brief history of Slovenia 

Gosport

 I wrote a history of the town of Gosport in Hampshire. It was founded in the early 13th century and it was originally Goose Port probably because of the wild geese who gathered there.

Southampton

 I wrote a history of Southampton. There was a Roman town near the modern city but the Saxons founded the 'modern' city. 

Its a Wonderful Life

 The first Christmas film was made in Britain in 1898. It was called Santa Claus. One of my favourite Christmas films, It’s a Wonderful Life was first shown on 20 December 1946. 

Portsmouth

 I wrote a history of Portsmouth. It was founded in the late 12th century and it has been an important English naval base for centuries. 

Kings Lynn

 I wrote a history of Kings Lynn. It was once a large and important town and port. 

Japan

 I wrote a brief history of Japan 

Bournemouth

 I wrote about the English seaside town of Bournemouth, which grew up in the 19th century. 

A Christmas Carol

 In the 19th century, it was traditional to tell ghost stories on Christmas Eve (not sure why). The most famous Christmas ghost story is, of course, A Christmas Carol, which was published on 19 December 1843. I love old Scrooge. Bah! Humbug!

Garden Gnomes

 Today we have garden gnomes but in the 18th century, rich people sometimes paid human beings to pose in their gardens. They were called ornamental hermits and they usually lived in a hut on the grounds of a large house. Often they were paid to wear strange clothes (sometimes they were dressed as druids). Sometimes they were supposed to just stand or sit in the garden without speaking to anyone. Garden gnomes were introduced in the 19th century.

Waterlooville

 I wrote a brief history of Waterlooville in Hampshire. It began as a town in the early 19th century. 

Slovakia

I wrote a brief history of the Eastern European country of Slovakia 

Switzerland

 I wrote a brief history of Switzerland 

Newbury

 I wrote a history of the town of Newbury. The Normans founded it as a 'new town'. 

Bhutan

 17 December 2023 is Bhutan National Day 

Amesbury

 I wrote about the Wiltshire village of Amesbury 

Salisbury

 I wrote a history of the English cathedral city of Salisbury  

Boston Tea Party

 The Boston Tea Party took place on 16 December 1773. In the late 18th century the British imposed a tax on tea in the North American colonies, which was bitterly resented by the colonists. Then in 1773, three ships were sent to Boston with 298 chests of tea. On 16 December 1773 men dressed as Indians boarded the ships and threw the tea into the sea.

Poole

 I wrote a history of Poole. It has been a flourishing town since the Middle Ages.

Titchfield

 I wrote a history of the charming village of Titchfield in Hampshire 

Portugal

 I wrote a history of Portugal. It has a long and rich history.

Eastleigh

 I wrote a history of the old railway town of Eastleigh in Hampshire 

Suffragette Bomb

 On 15 December 1913 suffragettes used dynamite to try and blow up the wall of Holloway prison. They did not succeed but the prison wall was badly damaged. (Suffragettes were held in Holloway for arson, smashing windows etc.)

Melbourne

 I wrote a history of the great Australian city of Melbourne 

Purbrook

 I wrote a history of the village of Purbrook in Hampshire. Its name means water spirit's brook. 

Leeds

 I wrote a history of the great English city of Leeds 

Table Tennis

 The first table tennis tournament was held in London on 14 December 1901 

Wuthering Heights

 Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte, was published on 13 December 1847 

Lymington

 I wrote a history of the charming town of Lymington in Hampshire 

China

 I wrote a history of China. It's a fascinating civilisation that has survived for thousands of years. 

Unemployment

 I wrote a history of unemployment in the Western World. It's a harrowing subject but an interesting one. 

Harwich

 I wrote about the Essex town of Harwich 

Christmas Carols

 A carol was originally a dance with an accompanying song. Carols were once sung all year not just at Christmas. However, Christmas carols were first mentioned in English in 1426. But most of the carols we sing today were written in the 18th century and 19th century.

At first, people sang carols in pubs, not in churches. The first carol service was created in 1880 by the Bishop of Truro, Edward White Benson. He wrote a service called the Nine Lessons with Carols. (He hoped he could draw people away from pubs to church!)

Crawley

 I wrote about the town of Crawley in Sussex. Although it became a 'new town' after the Second World War it was a market town long before it. 

Droxford

 I wrote a history of the small but charming village of Droxford in Hampshire 

Austria

 I wrote a brief history of Austria 

Happy Birthday

 Today is localhistories.org Day. On 11 December 2001 my website was switched on. At first, it contained the history of 6 places, Portsmouth, Winchester, Chichester, Petersfield Dublin, and London. It now has a history of about 130 towns and cities. I went on to write histories of countries and articles about life in the past. And I wrote some brief biographies. I remember when I was pleased when it got over 1,000 hits in a month. It now gets more than 100,000 hits each month.

Santa's Reindeer

 Santa’s reindeer were first mentioned in writing in 1821. Their names were first recorded in 1823 - except for one. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created in 1939 by Robert L. May. He wrote a story about the famous reindeer. 😊

Farnham

 I wrote a history of Farnham a charming town in Surrey, England 

Lager Day

 10 December is National Lager Day. This is my history of drinks. 

Poland

 I wrote a brief history of Poland from Ancient Times to the 21st Century

Andover

 I wrote about the town of Andover in Hampshire 

Dover

 I wrote a history of the town of Dover, the gateway to England

Denmead History

 I wrote a little history of the village of Denmead 

Clifton Suspension Bridge

 Clifton Suspension Bridge opened on 8 December 1864. It was designed by the great engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This is his monument in Portsmouth.

First Actress

 On 8 December 1660, Margaret Hughes performed on stage as Desdemona in Othello. She was the first recorded actress in England. Before then women's parts were played by boys.

Christmas Decorations

 Long before the 19th century people in England decorated their houses at Christmas with holly, ivy, and mistletoe. In the 19th century people began to use coloured paper decorations.

East Meon, Hampshire

 I wrote a history of the charming village of East Meon in Hampshire 

Reading

 I wrote a history of the town of Reading in Berkshire 

Happy St Nicholas Day

 6 December is St Nicholas Day. As I am sure you know he morphed into Santa Claus. St Nick is the patron saint of children. He is also the patron saint of sailors.

In Portsmouth, the Garrison Church was originally called the Domus Dei (House of God). It was a hostel for pilgrims. It was dedicated to John the Baptist and St Nicholas. There is a St Nicholas Street in Old Portsmouth, so named because it led to the Domus Dei, dedicated to St Nick.

Hambledon Village

 I wrote a history of the Hampshire village of Hambledon 

Basingstoke

 I wrote a brief history of the town of Basingstoke. It was designated a 'new town' and grew rapidly in the late 20th century but it has been a market town since the Middle Ages. 

History of Shops

 I wrote a brief history of shops. Some people may not buy it. 

Horndean

 I wrote a brief history of the English village of Horndean. It was once called Dormouse Valley. 

Cookies

 4 December is National Cookie Day. This is my history of biscuits. 

Christmas Pudding

 Christmas pudding was once called plum pudding or plum pottage (plum was a generic term, it included raisins and sultanas). But it was eaten all through the year. In the 19th century, it became associated with Christmas and people began calling it Christmas pudding.

Godalming

 I wrote the history of the old town of Godalming in Surrey

Guildford

 I wrote a history of the old English town of Guildford 

Advent

 3 December is Advent Sunday. Here is a little history of Advent. 

Who Was Jack the Ripper?

I have seen several books claiming to reveal the 'true identity' of Jack the Ripper. Every few years you get a new book claiming to reveal his 'true identity'. It has become quite an industry. I think I should write a book revealing the 'true identity' of Jack the Ripper. Yes - it was Queen Victoria. She went out at night dressed as a man and killed women. Seriously, I think 'Jack the Ripper' was a nobody. He lived locally. He did a mundane job and if you passed him in the street or saw him in a pub you wouldn't give him a second glance.

There is a scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where the Ark of the Covenant is placed in a box in a warehouse with a huge number of other boxes and is forgotten. I think Jack the Ripper's real name is written down somewhere in official records along with thousands of other men who lived in 19th century London and it has been completely forgotten. This is my article about Jack the Ripper.

History of Children

 I wrote a history of children from Ancient Times to the Present Day

Horsham

 I wrote a history of the old town of Horsham in Sussex 

Portland

 I wrote a history of the great American city of Portland, Oregon 

Buriton, Hampshire

 I wrote a history of the charming but small village of Buriton in Hampshire

Antarctica Day

 Today is Antarctica Day. On 1 December 1959, the Antarctic Treaty was signed. Antarctica was to be preserved for peaceful research. This is my history of Antarctica.

Merry Christmas

 A Merry Christmas to all our readers. Here is my history of Christmas.