History
Posts in The Copybook tagged ‘History’
Gertrude Jekyll throws a tea party for her nine-year-old niece and some very special guests.
Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) liked cats. She kept several of them, and devoted herself and many pages of ‘Home and Garden’ to them. One winter, she threw a little farewell party for her nine-year-old niece following a short stay. The fare was unusual: herring, rice pudding and cream arranged with artistic flair on saucers; but then, the guests were unusual too...
Gertrude Jekyll explains the difference between a garden and a collection of plants.
Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) provided designs for over four hundred gardens across the country, often in collaboration with architect Sir Edward Lutyens (1869-1944). In ‘Colour in the Flower Garden,’ Jekyll explained the difference between a mere collection of plants and a true garden.
Aubrey Herbert MP was called upon to make a speech to Albanians itching to avenge the crimes of neighbouring Montenegro.
In 1913, Aubrey Herbert MP rode through the mountainous country near Albania’s border with Montenegro. The locals in Rrapshë, exhilarated by the successful Albanian Revolt of 1912 against Turkey, were celebrating a festival, and amidst gunshots and denunciations of Montenegro’s historic crimes against Albanians they called on Herbert for a speech.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle looks back on the reign of King William I.
When the editors of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle gave their assessment of William the Conqueror (r. 1066-1087), they admitted that in his day England had been a powerful nation, and that there was good order at home. But the price was an intrusive government that taxed without mercy and had a file on everyone — a price the Chroniclers clearly thought too high.
An Albanian shepherd plans to expand into arable farming, but he needs water and the search is close to ruining him.
In 1913, Aubrey Herbert MP reluctantly agreed to take a message from Ismail Qemali to his rival as leader of Albania, Essad Pasha Toptani. Herbert’s company on the long journey to Durrës included a priest with a fondness for verses; a musician who played air-violin; a murderer; a diplomat who was a bit of a comedian; and a ‘shepherd-king.’
Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, was kind to children and animals but Kings merited firmer handling.
Hugh of Avalon (?1135-1200) was a Frenchman from Burgundy who was appointed Abbot of the Charterhouse at Witham in the reign of Henry II. In 1186, he was raised to the See of Lincoln, where he gained a reputation for kindness towards the sick, to children and to animals, but Henry’s son Richard found that his indulgence did not extend to Kings.