The Britain that emerged from WW2 was very different from the one that entered it. As is often the case the victors pay a heavy price for what is often a short-lived triumph. Now effectively bankrupt and in hoc to the Americans, the second half of the 20th century for the British would be in large part defined by trying to keep up imperial pretensi…

The British aircraft industry had had a good war and at the end of 1945 were probably the most advanced in the world. A combination of almost limitless war funding meant it was also one of the countries largest industrial sectors. There were some 22 British companies designing and building airframes and a further 9 manufacturing engines employing m…

The South Sea Bubble of 1720 was one of the first major financial crashes in history. It a story that mixes avarice, corruption, deceit and vast sums of other peoples money all topped off with political infighting and an unpopular monarch. In this second part the bubble bursts in both London and Paris, but for different reasons. And Robert Walpole …

The South Sea Bubble of 1720 was one of the first major financial crashes in history. It a story that mixes avarice, corruption, deceit and vast sums of other peoples money all topped off with political infighting and an unpopular monarch. The company promised high returns and its stock price soared as investors rushed to buy shares. However, the c…

In the village of Putney in 1647 a radical idea was born out of radical times. England had just endured five years of civil war. The king was under house arrest, and Parliament was clueless about the next steps. They certainly didn’t anticipate demands from sections of the army and their civilian supporters calling for democracy, religious toleranc…

Binge Thinking History is back and in your ears!By tonycocks