The History of Britain Magazine
Welcome to the History of Britain! The home nations share a varied and shared history unlike anywhere else, so we thought it only right to create a section dedicated to our mutual heritage.
The Forty Elephants Gang
In the crime-ridden underworld of Victorian London, a group of working-class women rose to notoriety. This was the all-female gang of ‘hoisters’ known as the Forty Elephants (or Forty Thieves), whose speciality was shoplifting from high end department stores. For them, life was a rollercoaster of thieving, lavish spending and prison…
A Timeline of Parliament
The UK Parliament is made up of the Monarch, House of Lords and the House of Commons. Known as ‘The Mother of Parliaments’ this parliamentary system has been copied by many countries around the world. Its foundation began way back with the Anglo-Saxon Witan…
Lady Mary Lovelace
Artist, architect and writer, Lady Mary Lovelace was a passionate supporter of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
The Cavity Magnetron
Hard to believe, but a vital component of your domestic microwave oven helped the Allies win World War Two. Invented by John Randall and Harry Boot in 1940, the cavity magnetron was essential for creating compact, high-frequency radar…
Indian Cavalry Units in British Wars: Diversity and Gallantry
Multi-ethnic cavalry was as essential to the British during the days of Empire as it had been to the Romans in the days of the Roman Empire.
Voices of War: How Radio Shaped Everyday Life in World War Two
At the outbreak of the Second World War, around three quarters of Britain’s homes owned a radio, known as the “wireless”. It was a lifeline during the dark days of World War Two, entertaining and informing the public, and through the BBC Forces Programme, making those at home feel more connected with those serving abroad.
Sir Charles Parsons – the Man who Powered the World
Electricity: it is impossible to imagine the modern world without it. Simply turn the switch on and it works, but how is it generated? Well, that can be traced back to something called a steam turbine, invented by Charles Algernon Parsons back in 1884…
Frank Whittle and the Jet Engine
British engineer Sir Frank Whittle patented his pioneering design for the turbojet engine in 1932. His invention would go on to revolutionise aviation.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel – King of Engineers
In a 2002 poll by the BBC, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was voted the second greatest Briton of all time, after Winston Churchill. This prolific and gifted engineer designed railways (Great Western Railway), bridges (the Clifton Suspension Bridge) and transatlantic steamships (SS Great Western, Great Britain and Great Eastern), all of cutting edge design and technology.
