Thoughts on the painting, Sarah Campbell by Sir Joshua Reynolds

I often spend research trips buried deep in archives reading documents caked in dust. Every now and then I emerge into the light of an art gallery to learn about people and places from paintings. One of my favourite artists is Sir Joshua Reynolds. On a trip to Yale University, I had been at work in the Boswell office, studying…
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History or Mistory – Emmeline Pankhurst’s date of birth.

For each of us, our date of birth defines us. The date determines when we can start school, marry and retire. It even decides when we have the mental and physical capacity to commit a crime. For astrologers the date of birth opens a window into someone’s personality. For family historians, D.O.B is a key fact in a detective investigation…
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Was Assassin Charlotte Corday, a Heroine or Villain?

Depending on your point of view, Charlotte Corday is either a heroine or villainess. Read on to learn more about the story of this assassin. 13 July 1793, Paris, the eve of Bastille Day, the French Revolution in full swing. Charlotte Corday, the daughter of an impoverished Normandy aristocrat, arrives at Jean Paul Marat’s residence. Hidden in her corset is…
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History or Mistory – Sarah Good’s curse.

Sarah Good, born on 11 July 1655, was one of the first three women to be executed after being found guilty of witchcraft in the Salem Witch trials. Her father, a tavern owner committed suicide when she was 17. Leaving no will, his sizeable estate was divided mostly between his widow and two sons. Sarah received a small parcel of…
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‘Amy, Wonderful Amy’ Johnson

On this day in 1930, Amy Johnson became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. She left Croydon Airport in Surrey on 5th May and landed in Darwin on 24th May. To celebrate, she was the subject of a popular song, Amy, Wonderful Amy, recorded by Jack Hylton and his orchestra only 9 days after her arrival.…
London and Darwin
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