Did You Know... Archive
Here you can find a selection of the Did You Know... series. Scroll down for the older pieces.
February 2024
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
During the reign of King Henry V, in the early 15th Century, the idea of ‘the Passport’ was born. Since then, the passport system has become established globally. The British Monarch is one of only 3 people who can travel without a passport. The other two are the Emperor and Empress of Japan. Instead of a passport, King Charles III has a document issued which states: His Britannic Majesty’s Secretary of State requests and requires in the name of His Majesty all those whom it may concern, to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary. The Queen Consort Camilla does not have the same rights as King Charles. She is required to travel with a diplomatic passport.
January 2024
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
In Northumberland, near Rothbury, stands a house of of a quirky Victorian Gothic design. It was designed by Norman Shaw, built for Sir William Armstrong (born 1810). With a keen interest in science and an eye for invention, he gained a notable reputation and a sizeable wealth – mostly with Vickers Armstrong, who amongst other things, produced the Wellington Bomber. Cragside is packed with interest. On the third floor, there is a 10 ton fireplace! This is a real surprise to visitors. It is actually built into the crag with the fireplace resting on solid bedrock. He transformed the surrounding moorland by planting over 6 million trees and created a series of lakes. The lakes allowed him to turn Cragside into the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity.
December 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
Near Durham, just north of Stanley, there is a homage to the global rail networks. Travellers will find a simple arch spanning the valley, suspended over the river. Despite the gloomy nature of the dank valley, the arch sits beautifully in it’s surroundings. Known as ‘Causey Arch’, the bridge holds prominence as the first railway bridge in the world. Built in 1726, Causey Arch was part of the transport system taking coal from Tanfield to the Tyne. The designer, Ralph Wood, apparently used old Roman technology as the backbone for his design. At one time, up to 1000 wagons would pass over it, on wooden tracks, being pulled by horses. The path the wagons took became the Tanfield Railway – the oldest working railway in the world.
November 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
Gloucester, for our American readers it is pronounced ‘Gloster’, has a Cathedral which is the first, and one of the finest examples of the ‘English Perpendicular Style’. It’s east window, known as the Crecy Window, has fame as the largest stained glass window in Britain. Buried within it’s walls, amongst others, are the Son of William the Conqueror and Edward II. Also buried here is one John Stafford-Smith. He was a son of Gloucester, born in 1750. During his life he became a member of the Anachreonic Society. This society was a group of composers and musicians. Their members have included JS Bach and Henry Purcell. John Stafford-Smith is particular notable as he is the man who wrote the American National Anthem, the ‘Star Spangled Banner’.
October 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
In St Just in Roseland, Cornwall, Sir Humphrey Davy, famous for inventing the miners safety lamp, is buried. Despite his fame, it is the firm opinion of many that far more auspicious feet have walked in the area – an area world famous for it’s abundance of ancient tin mines. The hymn Jerusalem offers clues to the stature of the visitor thought to have walked the land. “And did those feet in ancient time, walk upon England’s mountain green?” It speaks of the legend that Joseph of Arimathea, accompanied by Jesus, visited the area to purchase tin. The story has some credibility; Cornwall was the main source of tin at the time. Joseph was a tin merchant and noted in all four Gospels as being a secret disciple of Jesus, whose body he buried in his own tomb.
September 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
What do James Watt, Matthew Boulton and William Murdoch have in common? They all lie side by side at St Mary’s Church in Handsworth. Their eternal resting is in recognition of their contribution to the Industrial Revolution and status as three of the founding fathers. Matthew Boulton, in 1765, was notable for having the biggest factory in the world – the Soho Manufactory. Boulton teamed up with Watt – forming a partnership in 1796 (Boulton & Watt) producing steam engines. Murdoch, a pioneer in steam engines, who invented gas lighting, was sent to oversee operations in Cornwall at the tin and copper mines. In it’s heyday, Boulton & Watt became the biggest and best known industrial concern in the world.
August 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
In Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, there was a motor manufacturer struggling to build six cars a week. Maybe they did not know it at the time, they were in need of a hero- and so entered James Bond. Cubby Broccoli, the producer of ‘Goldfinger’, approached Aston Martin in an attempt to acquire 2 DB 4’s. Because they were struggling, Aston Martin apparently said they could not spare one. Not wanting to take ‘no’ for an answer, Cubby Broccoli persisted. Aston Martin reluctantly agreed to lend the producer 2 DB5’s. What happened next is as much part of movie history as it is motor industry history. The film caused Aston Martin’s DB5 to instantly become one of the most sought after cars in the world.
July 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
Alwalton is a small village, sandwiched between the A1(M) and Peterborough. It is easily missed by the millions of road users who pass nearby every year. Alwalton’s main claim to fame however is most definitely a prestigious one for road users around the globe. Born in 1863, baptised and buried in Alwalton was one Henry Royce. His family were not well off so he went to London and found work with WH Smith. After buying his first car, he decided he could make a better one and so set about making and refining his ‘Royces’. His leaps in innovation and drive for quality saw his reputation grow. This attracted the attention of a rich enthusiast, C.S. Rolls. Their enthusiastic meeting saw the birth of Rolls-Royce in 1906 - producing the Silver Ghost.
June 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
In Suffolk stands Framlingham Castle. It has seen many influential dramas play out within its walls, including the part it played in the succession of Mary Tudor. The original structure was built at the end of the 12th Century by the second Earl of Norfolk – Roger Bigod. It was the first castle in England to be built without a ‘keep’ and saw the curtain wall acting as a defence for a much larger area within. The Bigods were renowned for their quarrelsome nature. They had arrived in England with William the Conqueror and basically saw themselves as kings of East Anglia. The Suffolk writer, Julian Tennyson described the Bigods as “about the toughest brood ever hatched in England.” They persistently challenged the Monarch. King John eventually besieged the castle and won the battle. Their name however passed into the language as ‘bigot’ meaning an intolerance of any opinions other than their own.
May 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
England's most distinctive blue cheese is Stilton, named after the village in Huntingdonshire. Stilton is famous across the world but it’s origins were not in Stilton. It was never produced there. Stilton cheese was first produced in the area around Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire in the 18th Century – a place that is mainly known for it’s pork pies. Frances Pawlett was noted for being supremely skilled in making Stilton. A man called Cooper Thornhill recognised her talent and bought most of her output. Cooper was the landlord of The Bell Inn at the village of Stilton which was a popular stop for travellers on the Great North Road. His customers spread the news of the delicious cheese at Stilton, which subsequently became known as Stilton Cheese.
April 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
For those of you who don’t know, ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is an epic fantasy novel written by JRR Tolkien. The story is set in the fantasy land of Middle Earth where Hobbits, dragons, wizards, and elves, to name but a few, are entwined in adventures of good and evil. Some of you may find it surprising to learn that Middle Earth is based on a real place.
Tolkien was born in South Africa but grew up in a small village in England called Sarehole, near Birmingham. Sarehole was Tolkien’s ‘Shire’. The ‘Two Towers’ are based on Perrots Folly and the Victorian waterworks tower near Edgbaston. He saw his ‘Shire’ changing as it’s charm was eroded by what he described as “the ugliness of the industrial evil”.
March 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
On the South Downs, above Harting, stands the 17th Century house and estate called Uppark. It is currently owned by the National Trust but in 1774 it was inherited by Sir Harry Featherstonhaugh. Sir Harry had quite a rakish reputation. He brought a beautiful escort from London called Emma Hart. When requested, which was apparently often, she would dance naked on the dining room table for Sir Harry’s guests. Her charms must have been considerable because she later became the most famous mistress in Europe as companion of Admiral Lord Nelson, going by the name of Emma Hamilton.
In 1880, a young HG Wells stayed there and got snowed in over Christmas. Later he said his stay there opened his eyes to the world and changed his life.
February 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
In Cambridge near Wisbech, just east of Parson Drove, is the site of the last Woad Mill in England. It closed down in 1910. Woad is from the cabbage family; producing yellow flowers. It favours the northern climate. It was widely used to produce a blue dye using its dried and fermented leaves.
Although the need for Woad to produce blue dye was superseded by the subsequent importing of indigo from Asia, which produced a better blue, the use of Woad and its blue dye reaches back through history. It was a particular favourite of Ancient Britons to use on their bodies and faces to make their appearance fearsome. A point that does not go unnoticed in the film Braveheart
January 2023
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
On Chestnut Avenue in Northwood, Middlesex, there is a cemetery where lies Edward Honey. He was a journalist, born in Australia in 1885 and died from consumption in England in 1922. The work of journalists tends to be transient and forgotten quite quickly. Mr Honey however stands in history as the person credited with the idea of observing 2 minutes silence in remembrance. The idea apparently came to him in a Fleet Street tea shop and published in a letter on 8th May 1919 in the London Evening News. The letter was under his pen name, Warren Foster, initially calling for a 5 minute silence to mark remembrance of the fallen soldiers. It was Sir Percy Fitzpatrick who later called for a period of silence in all the British Empire; an idea which was approved by King George V.
December 2022
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
In 1536, the Dissolution of the Monasteries began by order of King Henry VIII. 800 monasteries were forcibly closed and targeted for wilful destruction. During this period, in 1539, a prosperous merchant called Laurence Washington, bought Sulgrave Manor from Henry VIII. It was, and still is, a fine stone house. The family lived there for 70 years. Above the porch at Sulgrave is carved the Washington family coat of arms which comprises three stars and two stripes. Laurence Washington, was the great great great great great grandfather of one George Washington who became the first President of the United States of America. The family coat of arms would seem to be the inspiration for the subsequent American flag.
November 2022
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
In Paddock Wood, in 1896, on the 20th January, a policeman was having dinner with his family. As he ate his pork chop he observed, according to the court report, ‘an outrage’ as a motor vehicle went speeding through the built up area. The official story tells us he had to abandon his pork chop, got onto his bicycle and gave chase. He caught up and passed Walter Arnold of East Peckham after a pursuit of 5 miles and brought Mr Arnolds 8mph recklessness to an end (the legal speed limit at that time was 2mph). A week later Mr Arnold was fined one shilling plus costs and immediately found a place in history as the first person ever to be issued with a speeding fine. In a turn of events, he became the first person in Britain to manufacture petrol engined cars; forming the Arnold Motor Carriage Company.
October 2022
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
King John, on the 11th October 1216, set out from Lynn (subsequently became known as King’s Lynn) in Norfolk. Travelling with him and his party were the Crown Jewels and other treasures. They were travelling to Lincoln. To quicken their journey they decided to cross the Fens without the help of a guide. The Fens then, before being drained, were a tidal expanse of mud and whirlpools. The party strayed and were soon swamped by the sea. King John had to swim for his life. Many of the party perished and the treasure was lost in an area called Foul Anchor. King John died a week later.
For 800 years, treasure hunters have tried to locate the lost jewels. New LIDAR technology is revealing more but the mystery remains.
September 2022
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
Thomas Hobson, Mayor of Cambridge in the 16th Century, created what became known as Hobson's Conduit. This brought the first fresh water to the city and still exists today, running along side Trumpington Street. This achievement however was not to be his lasting legacy.
Thomas Hobson was also a licensed ‘carrier’; a person permitted to transport passengers, parcels and letters. Hobson’s business mainly operated between Cambridge and London. For this he needed a lot of horses. He would also hire out his horses but would only do it in strict rotation. Any customer who wished to hire a horse was given a choice of any horse – as long as it was standing next to the stable door. This became known as ‘Hobson’s Choice’.
August 2022
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
In Muswell Manor, Kent, there is a photograph of the 3 Shorts brothers. In front of them are Orville and Wilbur Wright, CS Rolls and John Brabazon. At their premises on the Isle of Sheppey, Shorts began building aircraft in 1908, which saw the birth of the British Aviation industry. John Brabazon was the first person to gain a pilots license – issue number 1. The Shorts brothers built craft under licence from the Wright brothers. In 1909, it was Charles Rolls, of Rolls Royce, who drove the Wrights from London to Sheppey in the first Silver Ghost. Sadly, it was CS Roll’s passion for flying that saw his untimely death in 1910 when he was killed flying his aircraft. For better or for worse, a small group of pioneers who left a huge footprint.
July 2022
Did You Know...?
Notes of interest from the United Kingdom
In Hall St, in Chelmsford, Essex, in 1899, Marconi opened the worlds first radio factory. In 1912 Marconi moved to New St in Chelmsford, into the worlds first purpose built radio factory. It was from here, in 1920, that saw Britains first broadcasting service inaugurated, followed shortly by the worlds first wireless news service.
By 1922 there were 3 radio stations in England: Marconi’s, Western Electric and Metropolitan Vickers. In November 1922, the three radio stations merged to form the British Broadcasting Company.
