Connections – Sappho and Jonathan Dove’s Odyssey
I told my son, “I’d like to go to a concert one of these days.” He pounced at once. My Dad would have said, “like a dog on a rabbit.” He, my son, is...
Domille Lucia James – A story of a black Bristol woman for Black History Month
Please Note: This post contains words which are no longer acceptable but were commonplace during the 2nd World War when these incidents occurred. I cannot say that DOMILLE LUCIA JAMES is inspirational; in fact,...
My Booklets for Sale – Proceeds to Charity
To those, like me, who prefer to read from a hard copy, I still have a few of my booklets from the days when I photocopied and bound them for interested parties. They are...
More of the Peters family story
The history of Jimmy Peters, the first black man to play Rugby Union for England, and the sketchy life of his father George is told in a previous blog. In this post, I return...
James Peters, 1879-1954, England Rugby Union International and Gentleman
‘Peters, it may be mentioned is, as a Rugby player, English whatever his nationality proper may be.’ Western Mail, 8.9.1906. N.B. This account contains terms that are no longer acceptable, though were in common...
Joachim Ganz or Why I love research………you never know what you’ll find next!
A few years ago, an emailer to my website asked me to help find her Jewish ancestor who lived in Bristol. Alas I found nothing on the lady’s particular family, but after a few...
A mural of Bristol civil rights hero Roy Hackett taken down by emergency services
Avon and Somerset Police were called to St Paul’s when rendering on the side of a building came loose. They then called on firefighters from Temple to join them in Byron Street after part...
“ZULU CHIEF DIES A SOLDIER’S DEATH” – Buried at Arno’s Vale
“With military honours, a Zulu Chief who served with the South African Labour Battalion was buried at Arno’s Vale on Saturday. His name was Private Mrogoy Modlala (sic) who died at Southmead War Hospital...
James Peters: The First Black Rugby player to represent England
Now that a breath taking Six Nations has drawn to a close I would like to shed some light on James Peters, the first black rugby player to represent England. It would be eighty...
More Black Bristolians
My book, “Black Bristolians” was written in 1986 and I added a supplement a few years later. As with much of my output it took the form of lists in name order. The book...
About Me
I have been researching the social history of the West Country for 45 years. During this time I have collated information on a wide range of people living and working in the West Country including miners, ethnic minorities, petty criminals, sailors, tommies, benefactors, brassmakers and many more. The thing that I find amazing is that ordinary people always lived extraordinary lives. I hope you like my blog that brings together my lifetime of research.
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