Culture UK
Who are the British? Do they really drink tea, eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and never leave home without an umbrella? Find out more about true Brits; past and present, myth and legend, fact and fiction.
How the BBC Caused a Snooker Boom — Twice
The advent of colour television and a program called ‘Pot Black’ introduced snooker to a whole new audience and led to a snooker boom in the UK. Then cable television made it possible for ‘Pot Black’ to bring snooker directly into many European living rooms as well…
Shrovetide and the Original Derby Game
Shrovetide football is an ancient, rough and chaotic ball game played on Shrove Tuesday, involving two rival teams of local people who try to manoeuvre a huge ball from one end of town to the other, with a minimal number of rules – and no limit as to the number of players…
Queen Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach
A powerhouse of intellectual enlightenment and a champion of modernity, Queen Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a trailblazer. Married to George II, this most influential queen consort’s political acumen helped secure the Hanoverian dynasty.
Royal Hunting – A Wilderness in Flux
Prior to the Norman Conquest, all classes engaged in hunting as an important source of food, and the land was left largely without human intervention. However with the arrival of the Normans, hunting grounds became the province of the nobility and the vast royal forests were strictly regulated.
St Amphibalus and St Guthlac – Forgotten Saints
Discover the story of St. Amphibalus, the saint named after a cloak, whose shrine lies in St. Albans Cathedral, and that of St. Guthlac, a hermit-saint tormented by demons. These are just two of England’s forgotten saints…
Packet vs. Privateer: The Victory of the Windsor Castle
A true-life David and Goliath story.
The Great Colour TV Scam of the 1970s
Were you, your parents or grandparents victims of the great colour TV scam of the 1970s?
Tudor Dentistry
Queen Elizabeth I set all the trends at court – including her sugar-rotted teeth. Famous for her love of sugar and all things sweet, the queen’s blackened teeth became a beauty trend, with some people even going as far as to purposefully rot their own teeth to emulate the look.
The History of Gentlemen’s Clubs
Dating from the Georgian era, gentlemen’s clubs were reserved exclusively for the aristocracy and the elite, to meet, drink, socialise and gamble. They were also the unofficial stomping grounds of political alliances and business networks. The members of these clubs – the establishment – would steer the political, economic and cultural course of society.
The Great British Biscuit
Rich tea, jammie dodger or chocolate digestive? Garibaldi, bourbon or shortbread? Fancy or plain, biscuits are as much a part of British culture as fish and chips. Whether you like to dunk or nibble delicately around the edges, what would a cup or mug of tea be without a biscuit?