British History – Page 22 – General History

Tory, Conservative; Whig, Liberal

The term ‘party’ for a political group has been around in Britain for centuries. The Tory Party was a political group that was spoken of in the 1680s. The term ‘Tory’ is itself pejorative, derived from the Irish Gaelic-speaking Catholic toraidhe – ‘outlaw’ or ‘brigand’. In the last quarter of the sevententh century the outlaws were those against the attempt being made to put the Duke of York, who was Catholic, on the throne after the death of his older brother Charles II (q.v.). (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-09-08T09:41:08+00:00 September 8th, 2012|British History, Dutch History, English History, Scottish history, Today, US History, World History|0 Comments

Would you believe it? The ‘Know-Nothings’

We already know the origins of the rising US political party calling themselves ‘The Tea Party’. Tea-loaded ships sailing from Britain in 1773 threatened other tea importers with their monopolies. The American Sons of Liberty, mostly raw young sons of important Boston traders, rowed or swam out to the tea ships, boarded them by main force, and threw all the tea casks overboard. So there! The waters of Boston harbour were stained tea colour for weeks. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-09-07T10:50:01+00:00 September 7th, 2012|British History, Humour, US History|0 Comments

Ghostly armies in the nave?

St. Albans Abbey was built about a thousand years ago by the people of the town, which was already ancient. In fact it was a Roman foundation called Verulanium, and ‘Alban’ was a Roman centurion executed by his superiors for embracing Christianity. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2025-03-06T21:30:09+00:00 September 6th, 2012|British History, English History|0 Comments

Great War Commanders: Horatio Nelson

Horation Lord Nelson

Like so many other men of small stature throughout history, Nelson was not only a successful seaman and admiral, he was popular with his officers and men. Given that naval authority in the 18^th/19^th century was backed by more than ample application of the lash, this popularity is excessively rare. Indeed, when Nelson was shot down dead during the battle of Trafalgar (1805 q.v.) half the crew of his ship Victory were in tears. You had to be really bad to be flogged in any ship under Nelson’s command. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-09-06T10:22:37+00:00 September 6th, 2012|British History, English History, French History, History of Egypt, Italian History, Spanish History, World History|0 Comments

Great War Leaders: Erich von Manstein

Erich von Manstein / amantesdelahistoriabelica.blogspot.com

The future field marshal was born in 1887, destined for the Army because of his Junker background. When World War II started Manstein was Chief of Staff to General von Rundstedt, and it was he who drew up plans for the invasion of France. Hitler accepted them, the armies set out, and the invasion was successful from the start. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-09-02T16:30:17+00:00 September 2nd, 2012|British History, English History, German History, World History|0 Comments

These sports: where do they come from?

Spectator sports they are called, presumably because they are designed for watching by spectators. Soccer, cricket, boxing, tennis, rugby and athletics were nursed, improved and nurtured in hundreds of independent (public) schools in Victorian Britain. Some, like boxing and athletics, had existed in the time of the original Greek Olympics, but they would have become forgotten relics of the past if it had not been for ‘sportin’ instincts’ of young people from the British Isles. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-08-30T11:49:15+00:00 August 30th, 2012|British History, English History, French History, History of Afghanistan, History of India, History of New Zealand, Italian History, Romanian History, Scottish history, Spanish History, Today, US History|0 Comments

Great War Commanders: Joffre, a Victorian Frenchman

Marshal Joffre / reformation.org

Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre was born in 1852, at the beginning of the Victorian epoch in Britain. He eventually became a Marshal of France, but first came to France’s notice when he took part as a very junior officer in the (weak) defence of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). Having survived Bismarch’s onslaught he went on to serve in the French colonial service. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-08-29T11:34:54+00:00 August 29th, 2012|British History, French History, German History, World History|0 Comments

Great War Leaders: Kitchener needs YOU!

Horatio Herbert Kitchener was born in 1850. At school in Switzerland he learned perfect French, and later went to Palestine where he picked up near-perfect Arabic. After military college and commissioning he got to Egypt (where his knowledge of languages was useful for a junior officer).

The British were occupying Egypt in 1882, but this was the time of the Mahdi, an almost mythical religious and military leader who caused consternation in Britain by the brilliance of his strategy, and the blind faith in him showed by his followers. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2023-12-21T15:04:13+00:00 August 28th, 2012|African History, Austrian history, British History, Dutch History, French History, German History, History in The Balkans, History of Egypt, History of India, The Arab races, World History|0 Comments

Great War Commanders: Falkenhayn the honest Junker

Erich von Falkenhayn / wereldoorlog.be

Eric von Falkenhayn was born in 1861, scion of a typical ‘Junker’ family, which means ‘powerful, noble, landowning, and, not infrequently, bullying and proud as well’. At school he showed intelligence, honesty, self-reliance and bravery, qualities that did not desert him either at military college or later when he was commissioned. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-08-27T09:32:18+00:00 August 27th, 2012|A History of Poland, Austrian history, British History, French History, German History, History in The Balkans, Romanian History, Russian history, World History|0 Comments

Great War Commanders: the despised Haig

Douglas Haig / therooms.ca

Despised he was by most historians, many journalists, more idealists, and especially pacifists, Douglas Haig was born in 1861. He served under Kitchener at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898, and continued successful fighting in the colonial South African War. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-08-23T09:46:31+00:00 August 23rd, 2012|British History, English History, French History, German History, Philosophy, US History, World History|0 Comments