The More Things Change | Issue 16

Posted 3:59pm Sunday 21st July 2013

This week, numbers abound and humanity attempts to advance – to varying degrees of success. July 22, 1587: The second group of English settlers arrived at Roanoke Colony in the US in an attempt to establish a permanent settlement, and this was pretty much the last anyone in England ever heard Read more...

The More Things Change | Issue 15

Posted 8:23pm Sunday 14th July 2013

This week, there is as much violence and mystery as you could want on a Monday morning. July 19, 64 AD: The Great Fire of Rome started, and no one knows how. One of the more sensationalist rumours was that Nero, the Emperor at the time, had started the fire so he could rebuild the city the Read more...

The More Things Change | Issue 14

Posted 6:05pm Sunday 7th July 2013

Welcome to the second semester of “The More Things Change” – now with more historic events to commemorate as you please. This week, there are some great successes and some even greater failures. 11 July, 1776: Captain Cook set off on his third voyage, an attempt by the Admiralty to find the Read more...

The More Things Change | Issue 13

Posted 3:03pm Sunday 26th May 2013

This week, public health goes on a real rollercoaster ride. June 2, 1692: Quite unfortunately for her, the first suspect in the Salem witch trials went to court. Records say that she was suspected of witchcraft because she wore black clothing and “odd costumes” and had a coat that had been Read more...

The More Things Change | Issue 12

Posted 1:24pm Sunday 19th May 2013

This is a week of memorable stories, some perhaps more so than others. May 24, 1830: “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” one of probably very few nursery rhymes based on a true story, was first published. Inspired by an incident where a schoolgirl, actually called Mary, took her pet lamb to school with Read more...

The More Things Change | Issue 11

Posted 2:26pm Sunday 12th May 2013

This week, fixtures of the modern world are born, and a truly ambitious voyage is undertaken. May 15, 1940: Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first fast-food restaurant, and probably had no idea that it would end up being such a big deal. A few years later, the guy who sold them their Read more...

The More Things Change | Issue 10

Posted 4:00pm Sunday 5th May 2013

This week, people everywhere disagree with each other. Results vary. 9 May, 1671: In an act of defiance against the English government, a guy called Thomas Blood dressed up as a clergyman and tried to steal the Crown Jewels. He’d already gotten into trouble for attempting to kidnap and Read more...

The More Things Change | Issue 09

Posted 3:14pm Sunday 28th April 2013

This week in history, some new places are confirmed to exist, and forensic science becomes a thing. 30 April, 1492: After two years of negotiations with the Spanish government, Christopher Columbus received his commission of exploration. He then sailed off to Central and South America and Read more...

The More Things Change | Issue 08

Posted 5:13pm Sunday 21st April 2013

This week, records and computers go bad, but the Internet does all right. 23 April 1564: William Shakespeare was allegedly born. The exact date of his birth isn’t known, because somebody in the eighteenth century wrote their records down wrong, but he was baptised on the 26th so people Read more...

The More Things Change | Issue 07

Posted 5:49pm Sunday 14th April 2013

This week one of the better-remembered Kings of England takes the throne, which makes up for not much else actually happening. 21 April, 1509: The 18-year-old Henry VIII ascended to the throne of England and started causing trouble. His first order of business was to change his mind about who Read more...