UK Child Migrants - Government To Say Sorry

I hadn't heard of this before today, hundreds of thousands of British children were deported to former colonies.

The child immigration scheme, mainly organised by the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Nazareth, was intended to bring "pure white stock" to former colonies, and ran from about 1850-1967.

The full details of the scheme are only now emerging. It has become clear that about 85% of the children were not orphans at all.

Their parents were told by the church and state authorities that they had been adopted by middle-class parents in Britain. The children were unceremoniously told that their parents were dead.

Essentially the migration was intended to stop the children being a burden on the British state while supplying the receiving countries with potential workers of 'white stock'. Worst still, some of the people they were entrusted to abused, neglected or used them as cheap labour. I lack the words to express just how awful that is. I'm usually very sceptical about government issued apologies, they seem so hollow and inadequate. Yet in this case drawing attention to these shameful events will hopefully aid in reuniting these families. It is shocking however that Brown won't be issuing the apology until the new year, as if it's something he has to work into his schedule.

So often the sentiment of "never again" is echoed yet nothing is ever learnt, I truly hope lessons are leant from this. Devaluing human life, taking advantage of those that don't have the ability to stand up for themselves and brushing aside those we should protect, is just disgusting.

No 10's Garden Room Girls

The Garden Room Girls are an elite band of secretaries that work for the prime minster. The BBC have interviewed some of them, Ann Finchett recalls:

Her clearest memories are of working for Winston Churchill, who would often dictate while he lay in bed. "He had a budgerigar which used to fly about his bedroom," remembers Ann. The bird would land in her lap and start nibbling the edges of the paper. "I often wondered what ministers made of the letters they used to get with bits taken out of them."

That's wonderful, I love those sort of details in history, it seems less distant and remote.

For those interested the documentary will be on BBC radio 4.

Anniversary of the Magna Carta

The Magna Carta was signed by King John today in 1215, it's importance is that it subjected the king to the law of the land for the first time in Britain's history. The relevance to today is within this charter of freedoms is Habeas corpus:

No free man shall be seized, or imprisoned, or disseised, or outlawed, or exiled, or injured in any way, nor will we enter on him or send against him except by the lawful judgement of his peers, or by the law of the land.

The principle is essentially no person should be deprived of freedom without due process of law. In short it protects us from the state. Thomas Paine captures the wonderful British cynicism, I like to think was illustrated 794 years ago today and has continued through out our history:

Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.

D Day Landing - 65 Years

Today in 1944, thousands of men from the 4 corners of the world landed on the beaches in Normandy. Politicians have tried to turn today into an Obama photo opportunity and political event. By doing so they disgrace the memory of all the men, that fought their way up those beaches, thousands of whom never went home to their families. Today's event should always be first and foremost for them.

I am grateful that I've never seen the side of war, that the veterans and the generation of D-Day did. As my Granddad's silence when I asked him about the war, always said more to me than words ever could.

Big Ben 150 Years old

Parliaments clock tower usually just referred to as Big Ben, was completed on the 31st May in 1859. The Times have a very good article on the history of the clock tower, what caught my eye is that the tower's building project suffered long delays and spiralling costs before the clock finally began to tick. A expensive government project, shocking.

Built in Queen Victoria's rein, beneath each of the four clock faces is a carved Latin inscription - "Domine salvam fac Reginam nostrum Victoriam primam" which means "O Lord, save our Queen Victoria the First." It's a striking piece of Victorian engineering as Big Ben is completely clockwork, which is incredible given in this technological age you're lucky to buy a washing machine that lasts a year.

So long may Victorian engineering prevail, leaving Big Ben counting and marking the hours for many more years. As it is a wonderful sight to see and hear, one that always leaves me in awe.

For those interested behind the scenes videos can been seen on Parliaments YouTube channel.

The Memory Palace - Abraham Lincoln

I love history, not text book boring history, but the little quirks and details that make it come alive. I recently discovered a fascinating blog called The Memory Palace which does podcasts on historic figures and events. They focus on American history though inevitably because of that, it overlaps sometimes with British history.

Today's one was on the Booth Brothers, and though I knew John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln, I didn't know he was apart of a famous acting family. Effectively making Lincoln's assassination like Michael Douglas or Martin Sheen, pulling the trigger when compared to today.

Well worth a listen.

Nationalism In The EU Elections

There's an informative article on the Huffington Post. About an uprising of anti EU and nationalist candidates standing for the forthcoming EU election. There is quite a wave of hostility being directed at the EU from all over Europe. Along with an opportunity seen by nationalist parties to cash in on disillusionment and fear. With a lot of talk about BNP gaining seats it worth putting it in context as their election could have a bigger effect.

Elected party members form international groups within the EU, in order to wield influence effectively. 28 is the minimum number of MEPs needed to form a political grouping. If nationalist get 28 seats from all across the EU, that's more power than we should free comfortable with them having. As the article rightly points out, if the Lisbon Treaty is passed they could wield real influence over justice, immigration and foreign policy.

Some MEPs dismiss nationalists as being disorganised, yet clearly there is a reason why Nick Griffin of the BNP is making his move now. The Daily Mail have an article on Austria’s Freedom Party (FPO) and their links with the BNP, Nick Griffin sent a personal message to the FPO after their election win in September 2008.

We in Britain are impressed to see that you have been able to combine principled nationalism with electoral success. We are sure that this gives you a good springboard for the European elections and we hope very much that we will be able to join you in a successful nationalist block in Brussels next year.

The FPO themselves have the support of Herbert Schweiger a former SS officer and Nazi, who said:

Our time is coming again and soon we will have another leader like Hitler

The issues that anger seems to be building upon is firstly the Franco-German team have too strong an influence on the EU model, their vice like grip means other countries then fall into the hierarchy of those that have the loudest voice. This combined with the EU parliament being considered a gravy train and very remote. Clearly for many this makes the EU a waste of time and money.

Fear is also big diver, troubled economic times does lend itself well to stoking the fire of fear. When you're afraid or uncertain it stands to reason you'll want to protect yourself, self-preservation is a powerful driver. Nationalism is perceived as a way to do that, if of course you belong to the group nationalist want to protect.

In Britain with the expense saga we have the added factor of a protest vote. Putting a cross next to the BNPs name is the biggest protest to make. That I'm sure for many will make it appealing. Yet with EU elections a vote isn't just for the BNP, it's also for all the people that form the group they will belong to, the FPO have a Nazi seal of approval.

Which takes the EU full circle, the very beginnings of it are from the idea of "never again". The principle was to overcome nationalism that had dragged Europe into war and conflict, by creating an united and peaceful Europe. It's incredible that in the place that is meant to be an embodiment of that, nationalist parties stand to take seats. Given their laws effect us all in Europe, it shouldn't take divisive nationalists sitting in parliament to reflect on reform. Nor should we in Britain, however angry or frustrated anyone may be, consider a vote for that kind of nationalism a legitimate protest to make.

Speaker Martin Motion of No Confidence

The MP Douglas Carswell has gained support from both sides of the house and will table a motion of no confidence in the speaker. There are three main obstacles with this firstly, only a small amount of tabled motions are actually debated by MPs. Secondly as the Daily Mail reports, if Martin resigns before the next election he stands to lose a £100,000 'golden handshake'. It would take a huge amount of outrage for the man who allegedly said: "I did not come into politics not to take what is owed to me", to leave. Thirdly the politics of who will become speaker, Tories who stand to win the election, will not want a Labour minster.

Michael Martin will be the first speaker in 314 years to face this formal challenge to his authority. The last Speaker was Sir John Trevor, who was sacked for taking bribes in 1695. Entertainingly Interestingly as a little back history on Sir John:

...he was memorable for being severely cross-eyed—the affliction was so confusing to members of the House that they were frequently uncertain as to which of them had "caught the Speaker's eye"...

I wonder what Michael Martin will be remember for?

Oliver Cromwell's Speech

I came across Oliver Cromwell's Speech on the dissolution of the long parliament, which was given to the House of Commons on 20 April 1653. It's always striking to me how history can seem like the present, or even why we rarely learn from it.

It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.

Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter'd your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?

Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves gone! So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. In the name of God, go!

Scotland Yard's 'Black Museum'

Scotland Yard’s unofficially named "Black Museum" has items from some of the most gruesome and infamous crimes of London. The displays were created for educational purposes and only police officers have been granted access, until possibly now. Boris Johnson is backing a plan for a "Blue Light Museum" to celebrate the capital’s emergency services.

I know there's an argument of it being disrespectful to the victims. Yet a lot of these crimes and killers are so much apart of our poplar culture now, that I would be fascinated to visit the museum. It's macabre, but it's a side of people that we will never be exposed to otherwise. Well I hope not.

The Prime Ministers

Nick Robinson has done a very interesting series that examines how, over three centuries, the occupants of Ten Downing Street have used - and misused - political power. It's quite remarkable that in 300 years not a lot has changed.

You can listen to the series on the BBC website.

Henry VIII Jousting Accident Tyrant

There's an interesting article on the Independent site, about Henry VIII personality changing due to a jousting accident, which turned him from a relativity nice chap as Kings go, into the tyrant remembered by history:

"After the accident he was unconscious for two hours; even five minutes of unconsciousness is considered to be a major trauma today." Henry may have suffered a brain injury, Dr Worsley says. "Damage to the frontal lobe of the brain can perfectly well result in personality change."(read more)

That's quite an interesting theory, I'm reminded of a documentary on the BBC about Walter Freeman who horrifically preformed frontal lobotomies on patients. Howard Dully who was one of the people Freeman performed this on, afterwards found his behaviour became uncontrollable and erratic. Doctors in the documentary said it because the frontal lobes assist in planning, coordinating, controlling and executing behaviour and judgement. It also controls social and sexual behaviour.

So the theory seems sound, just not as exciting as thinking of him as a tyrant though.

A link to an overview of Howard Dully and Walter Freeman, though I forewarn they do have picture on the page of the lobotomy being preformed, and they explain how he did it.

First World War Colour Photos

German Prisoners-of-War with a French officer

I came across a WWI photograph that reminded me of a programme I saw about French photographers, who were using colour photography to document the war. When you've been used to seeing the first world war in black and white, it's a strange effect seeing it in colour, immediately it seems less distant.

The photos that stuck me the most were the earlier ones of the French military. Their uniform was a revolutionary red hat and trousers (photo above/below) which made them look like a walking target. The Manchester Guardian describes them at the time.

These soldiers are as conspicuous as claret stains on a new tablecloth.

To give a better idea of just how bad it was, the picture below is a hand coloured German photo, depicting French POW's being transported.

After the unsurprising heavy loss of life on the front lines, their uniforms were changed to the light blue one below.

More photos including some rare non propaganda ones are at The Heritage of the Great War and WWI colour photos sites.

Frenchman in observation Post

1930s Depression Any Parallels?

There has been an increasing amount of articles over the last few weeks on terrorism and immigration. From Jacqui Smith being the bearer of the news that dirty bombs will kill us all, immigration numbers being the equivalent to the population of Birmingham and all that falls in-between.

I've noticed from the responses to these articles an increasing hostility directed at immigrates, this has been particularly oblivious with regard to Binyam Mohamed. I'm reminded of an interview I listened to with Eric Hobsbawn. When asked about the consequence of the 1930s depression i.e Hitler's election, and if anything like that could happen again he replied.

In the 1930s the net political effect in the short run of the great depression was an amorous strengthening of the right. With two exceptions one was Scandinavia which managed to succeed in moving left towards it's sort of social democratic thing and interestingly enough the United States. Where in fact they reacted against the equivalent of Bush . . .

It's an interesting parallel given of the elections so far, America voted for Obama, and Iceland has moved from a centre right Prime Minster to social democrat. The main reason however I raise this is, part of the reason Hitler was elected was immigration, blame and fear was focused surrounding the depression on a group of people. I'm not suggesting however that Cameron is just waiting to be elected to grow a small moustache! More that it concerns me given Labour's immigration and terrorist policies have already created a lot of ill feeling, without adding a financial crisis on top.

So what parties in Britain stand to benefit? Though the Conservatives will gain votes, they won't really benefit from that fear. Parties like the BNP with a more decisive approach stand to gain and Labour themselves if they stoke the fire of fear enough. As by doing so they're effectively saying "only we can save you". Is that agenda what we are seeing by being more up front with data surrounding terrorism and immigration? The cynic in me says yes, yet I hope not, as George Santayana famously said “those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Elizabeth's Super Gun

There's an interesting article on the BBC about two cannons that were recovered from an Elizabethan warship. During Elizabeth's reign the English Navy were greatly feared, but historians couldn't clearly show why this was, until now.

The cannons that were recovered from the wreak, were reconstructed and historians believe that Elizabeth changed English warships to have guns, of uniform size, firing rates and standard ammunition. The benefit of this is it's more effective to have lots of small guns, all the same and firing all at once.

Timewatch did firing tests on the replica gun, which showed the cannonballs were travelling at almost the speed of sound, estimating that they could hit a target about a mile away, and puncher right through a ship at 100 yards. The historians involved say this made the English Navy 50 years ahead of their time technologically.

Which goes some way to explaining the mystery of why Elizabeth's fleet were able to the defeat the Spanish Armada, even though they were out numbered by 200 ships to 130.