29 January 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of HE Bates. Herbert Ernest Bates (1905-1974) was an English novelist and is widely recognised as one of the finest short story writers of his generation. His first novel The Two Sisters was published in 1926, with a collection of short stories ‘Day’s End, and … Continue reading “H.E. Bates 50th anniversary”
Author: dorothy
National Puzzle Day
National Puzzle Day recognises the value of puzzles including crosswords, jigsaws, word search and sudoku and is celebrated on 29 January. Spending time on puzzles improves memory, cognitive functions and problem solving skills. Different puzzles can test vocabulary or logical thinking. Whilst puzzles are now considered leisure activities, they were originally used for purely educational … Continue reading “National Puzzle Day”
Holocaust Memorial Day 27 January
Holocaust Memorial Day remembers the millions of people murdered under Nazi Persecution as well as subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. The Holocaust was an attempt by the Nazis to murder all Jews in Europe. By the end of the Holocaust in 1945, six million Jewish people had been murdered in concentration camps … Continue reading “Holocaust Memorial Day 27 January”
Student blog: Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau
Author’s note: My name is Tom Prottey and I am a third year BA Modern Languages student studying French and German. I am currently on my year abroad and completing an internship within the sales department at Framatome GmbH (an EDF subsidiary specializing in nuclear products and services). This weekend I travelled to Schwangau (Swan … Continue reading “Student blog: Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau”
Martin Luther King Jr Day
Martin Luther King Jr Day (15 January) celebrates the life of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr who fought for racial equality in America. His achievements include founding the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957 and leading the 1963 March on Washington. At this march he delivered the famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. … Continue reading “Martin Luther King Jr Day”
Wilkie Collins – 200th anniversary
Wilkie Collins was an English novelist and playwright born in 1824. He was an early pioneer of detective fiction and mystery stories having written over 30 novels, as well as plays and short stories. He is perhaps most well known for two novels, The Woman in White and Moonstone, both of which are considered pioneering … Continue reading “Wilkie Collins – 200th anniversary”
100th anniversary of the death of Gustave Eiffel
27 December 2023 marks the centenary of the passing of Gustave Eiffel, most noted for creating the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris. Born in Dijon in 1832, he graduated from the Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures in 1855. Trained as an engineer, he founded and developed a company specialising in metal structural work. The … Continue reading “100th anniversary of the death of Gustave Eiffel”
Hanukkah Sameach!
Hanukkah (7-15 December) celebrates the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 160s BC. After outlawing the Jewish religion and Jewish practices, King Antiochus IV decreed that Jews must worship Greek gods in the Temple. The word ‘Hanukkah’ means dedication and commemorates the triumph of a band of rebel Jews known as the Maccabees … Continue reading “Hanukkah Sameach!”
International Day of People with Disabilities
The International Day of People with Disabilities is celebrated globally each year on 3 December. The day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and to mobilise support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of people with disabilities. It was first launched in 1992 and now marks over three decades of meaningful change for … Continue reading “International Day of People with Disabilities”
St Andrew’s Day 30 November
Andrew, also called Saint Andrew the Apostle, (died 60/70, Patras, Achaia [Greece]) was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, the brother of St. Peter and a son of Jonah. He is the patron saint of Scotland and of Russia, as well as many other countries including Greece, Barbados and Romania. Both he and his brother Peter were fishermen by … Continue reading “St Andrew’s Day 30 November”