MOSTLY WOOLGATHERING

  The third epistolary novel published under the legalities of Chancery Standard by the National   Narrative of the Worshipful Company of Foolscap Stippler’s. With desirous offices in Pall Mall, Bath Spa and all printed using the Caxton undercroft process at Droop, Dorset.   The Strange Tale of Ambrose Fudge Or A demi-monde of a mid-winter journey As Narrated in Lieu of Window Tax To Sir Gideon Sydney Stafford Smythe Baron of His Majesty’s Court, Wig Adventurer and Investigator of the Mysterious Flax Weaver Riots of   Hampton Bumpstead.   Copied in long-hand from the original death bed testimony, following a surfeit of burbot, of one Master Daniel Dench, former keeper of the King's Head, Saffron Walden. Published by permission of the Court of Midwifery. 1779 Price sixpence   The Storm : 1770 It was a most early season blizzard. Struggling towards the crossroads, billowing snowflakes greatly obscured his view. Onward travel became confusing, landm

Research into my favourite era of British history - 1750-1850 - often reveals that especially in the earlier part of those 100 years, the Georgians and Regency periods, society had fun. Louch, wild and abandoned fun. So much so the Victorians had to clean up the Empires act (or at least close the shutters to what went on and write about morality). It was with this in mind, that I had a notion to have some fun myself and for a friend's birthday recently I had a go at writing a pamphlet. Pamphlets were common during this time, with little regulation or curbing of reach, style and topic. A deregulation and disruption which is very much repeated today through podcasts and social media; nothing really changes throughout history.  The pressing thought of mine was of which topic to chose for my pamphlet? Well I decided on a much overlooked genera of writing - nature-watching-non-fiction-comic genera reveal of the 1800's. I'm not sure it will be a best seller, but I enjoyed the qui

Where do theories, ideas and thought processes originate?   We like to think of each and every word uttered as being of the now. Our thoughts are pertinent and specific to the narrative of the now. But history tells us that nothing is new.  I, like one third of the Globe, find myself in a Government guidance lock-down. Technically speaking I could suggest I am in a semi lock-down as I am in the office a couple of times a week, yet for the majority of my time I am at home, working. That working from home releases two hours from the commute to the office. Time to think. Time to kill. Days merge into other days and over the last five weeks I like many others have lost track of real time, my world has shrunk to the intimate, the indoors, the familiar, the outside world now radiates only via the internet or from the media. It was the media which began my thinking, but in reality like many things it was actually something else. This morning I heard Professor Brian Cox tal