Lights Out

As we remember 100 years since the UK entered WWI, I thought I would share with my readers the war memorial from King's Cross Station. The 11 stones, engraved with the names of the men from the Great Northern Railway who lost their lives in the conflict, were relocated during the recent refurbishment of the station. The new arrangement reflects Sargent's painting, Gassed, which depicts soldiers injured in a mustard gas attack. And it is beautifully poignant.

Gassed, John Singer Sargent (1919)

All over the country tonight, people and organisations will be marking the beginning of the UK's involvement in the Great War by switching out their lights, leaving a single light or candle glowing. The act is in reference to the British Foreign Secretary's statement in August 1914: "The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime". It is hoped that the collective gesture will encourage reflection on the lives lost and changed during the four years of the war.

Sister Suffragette

Image source

This Friday just past (14 June) marked the hundredth anniversary of the memorial service for Emily Wilding Davison, the Suffragette who died from injuries sustained when she was run down by the king's horse at the Epsom Derby in 1913. She is also known for having hidden out in the Houses of Parliament on census night in 1911, so that she could be recorded as the sole occupant.

The census record for 1911, showing Emily Davidson [sic] occupying Westminster Hall
 (Image source)

In commemoration of the anniversary of her death, there has been a festival of arts and music running over the past few days at St George, Bloomsbury, which is where her funeral took place. Sadly, I wasn't able to make it to any of the events - I had been particularly looking forward to the Suffragettes parade on Saturday morning but, alas, I couldn't get there in the end.

However, I at least made it to the church service this morning. And naturally, I took the chance to dress appropriately. The colours adopted by the Women's Social and Political Union were purple, green and white - purple for dignity, green for hope, and white for purity. (What purity has to do with why women should have suffrage is beyond me, and slightly riles me, I must confess. It suggests that women should be allowed to vote because they are 'good', which just perpetuates sexist ideas, if you ask me. But that's an aside and I'm just going to view it as an indicator of a different time and let it lie...)

Image source

So, for church today I adopted purple, green, and a touch of white, in recognition of our predecessors who secured women's right to vote in this country. I personally look more like a sweet little angel in this photo than a soldier in a petticoat but there you go...

And I will leave you with Mary Poppins and the first I ever heard of the Suffragettes.

Our daughters' daughters will adore us, 

and they'll sing in grateful chorus,

'Well done, sister Suffragette!'

Diamond Jubilee Giveaway

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED -

CONGRATULATIONS SU!

The Diamond Jubilee weekend is not far away now, folks! I've still not actually worked out my plans for the weekend itself, but I do know that a friend and I are planning to wear a decade-appropriate outfit for each of the days leading up to the Bank Holiday, beginning with the 1950s, as the decade of Betty's coronation.

To get in the spirit of the Jubilee, I thought I'd run a wee giveaway, just for a bit of silly fun. Up for grabs are two lovely buttons (warning - they're not those itty bitty ones you get, these babies are a full 2 inches in diameter) and a special edition of the delightfully quaint 'Discover Britain' magazine.

Giveaway now closed.
To be in the draw to win, you simply need to be a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post, telling me your plans for the Jubilee weekend. Anyone making nasty comments about our fine monarch will be disqualified. Entry is open to anyone around the world, even for people in those nasty republican countries. The deadline for entries is next Monday, 21 May at 11.59 pm, and I will draw a winner at random the next day.

I look forward to hearing your responses, and good luck!

Christmas Truce (and Christmas Gifts)

"An Historic Group" (Image source)

I still distinctly remember learning about World War I at school.  I would sit in class blinking back tears as we heard about the sheer numbers of lives lost, often due to the sheer stupidity of the military powers, and as we read personal accounts from people on the front and those left at home to wait and wonder.  The third battle of Ypres, otherwise known as the Battle of Passchendaele, is well known as being one of the bloodiest battles of the war.  But Ypres is also the place where one of the most beautiful and affirming events of World War I occurred - that is, the Christmas Truce of 1914.  

Thousands of British and German troops were involved in an unofficial truce beginning on Christmas Eve that year.  It reportedly started with the Germans lighting candles, singing and calling out Christmas greetings to the British soldiers.  The British soldiers begun to respond and eventually troops from both sides emerged from their trenches and crossed No Man's Land to exchange gifts with one another.  It's such a wonderful story, a perfect Christmas message of peace and humanity and trust and vulnerability.

Here's a lovely wee website where you can read transcripts of some of the letters from people who were involved in the truce.

And if you're stuck for Christmas gift ideas, there's a sweet-looking book about it at the Imperial War Museum shop.  

They've got a whole selection of nice things, in fact, including lots of vintage-inspired items, prints and books.  And, as a bonus, you'll be supporting them if you buy from there.  Which means they can continue to grow their museum collection and educate people about the historic and continuing impacts of war on society and individuals everywhere.

Here's an idea of some of the things they have on offer:

This book sounds really interesting too:

Life in Britain changed dramatically as the war progressed; the annual celebration of Christmas provides fascinating yearly 'snapshots', illuminating the changes over six years of conflict.  What was the weather like? What was on the wireless? What were the popular records and sheet music of the time? What films were showing at the cinema? What about the pantomimes, shows and concerts? Parties, decorations and trees? Gifts and food are discussed with a look at the presents available, and in vogue. As shortages really took a hold, the various make-do-and-mend solutions are described, and insights are gained into how people adapted food recipes to cope.

Hope I've inspired you!  Either with goodwill towards man or gift ideas, or maybe even both!