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Family history is so much more than names and dates

Category: Victorian life

Christmas 1843 in Cumbria

Christmas 1843 in Cumbria

Posted on December 20, 2020 by Harriet
Charles Dickens’ arguably most-popular work, A Christmas Carol, was published in 1843. It was also the year of the first Christmas card. So, how did folk in Westmorland celebrate Christmas 1843?’ ... Read More
The Popular Educator – and lessons for women

The Popular Educator – and lessons for women

Posted on October 11, 2020 by Harriet
The Popular Educator was a series of heavyweight books published by the firm of Cassell, Petter and Gilpin, of the delightful address La Belle Sauvage Yard, London. Founded by John Cassell, the books... Read More
Carlisle Central School vs the Industrial Revolution

Carlisle Central School vs the Industrial Revolution

Posted on August 23, 2020August 23, 2020 by Harriet
Carlisle Central School, in the early years of the 19th century, was set up to counter ‘the pernicious effects’ of the Industrial Revolution. A worthy (if perhaps self-interested) venture, it also... Read More
The telephone: ‘useless for postal purposes’

The telephone: ‘useless for postal purposes’

Posted on June 21, 2020 by Harriet
A 2016 survey by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) asked people what two possessions (non-living things) they’d save from a fire if they had three minutes to do safely. The results were  Cr... Read More
Thomas Hetherington: A policeman’s lot

Thomas Hetherington: A policeman’s lot

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Harriet
Thomas Hetherington gave at least 13 years of his life to the police service at a time when police forces in the UK were in their infancy. During that time he was attacked, praised, rewarded, risked h... Read More
J&J Graham of Penrith and the water closet furore

J&J Graham of Penrith and the water closet furore

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Harriet
Water closet – by any other name Water closet; toilet; privy; lavatory; loo; bog, ty bach in Welsh (‘little house’), khazi, netty… Brits have a LOT of words for what other English-speaking nat... Read More
Electrotherapy and complimentary mourning

Electrotherapy and complimentary mourning

Posted on February 1, 2020 by Harriet
Electrotherapy and complimentary mourning aren’t terms that go naturally together. Unless the former goes horribly wrong. But they were both on the front page of the Carlisle Journal 150 years a... Read More
Winter solstice & fashion tips 1893

Winter solstice & fashion tips 1893

Posted on December 22, 2019 by Harriet
Winter solstice and curious questions ‘Winter solstice 2019 in Northern Hemisphere was at 04:19 on Sunday, 22 December’. So Google informs us. Bringing up with it such puzzling questions as:  ‘... Read More
Dating advice in the 1840s

Dating advice in the 1840s

Posted on August 18, 2019December 15, 2019 by Harriet
The following dating advice was supplied by the Westmorland Gazette in 1841. Some 178 years later, we don’t need dating advice, do we? Because none of us would be daft enough to fall for the wrong ... Read More
Bicycle mania in Cumbria in 1869

Bicycle mania in Cumbria in 1869

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Harriet
The 2019 Tour de France is coming to an end, after 23 gruelling days. The winner on the Champs Elysées on Sunday will have completed around 2,000 miles, over 21 stages, and beaten almost 200 other co... Read More
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Port Carlisle – a history built on hope

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Recent Posts

  • Jacobite occupation: Carlisle 1745
  • Holly, a unique Westmorland tradition
  • Flooding: Carlisle 1822; Whitehaven 1827
  • Christmas 1843 in Cumbria
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