Category Archives: History

The Anatomy Act, 1832: the Criminal Antecedents

Posted on June 28, 2018 by odeboyz

Prior to 1832, dissection used corpses direct from the gallows. These corpses were the only legal supply of bodies for medical schools. Dissection of executed murderers was uncontroversial as they’d lost all of their rights. Britain’s ferocious penal code provided … Continue reading →

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About the battle of the Somme before it began June 1916

Posted on June 26, 2018 by odeboyz

“The nation must be taught to bear losses. No amount of skill on the part of the higher commanders, no training, however good, on the part of the officers and men, no superiority of arms and ammunition, however great, will … Continue reading →

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Book Review: John Bew ~ Citizen Clem: a biography of Attlee

Posted on June 26, 2018 by odeboyz

Bew hasn’t made this colourless, dour, uncharismatic and secretive man interesting, which is disappointing with 564 pages to read. Endless remarks about Attlee’s shyness, “He was painfully shy and modest and kept up his guard at all times, ‘lest strange … Continue reading →

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Women of the French Resistance 1940-45

Posted on June 15, 2018 by odeboyz

After France was crushed, resistance to the German conquerors came from two principal sources: Communists and the Gaullist Free French. French women were critical to the entire resistance movement as they exploited their femininity. Women moved messages and small arms … Continue reading →

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A Chance Encounter

Posted on May 25, 2018 by odeboyz

I met this old man in Dagnam Park in the London Borough of Havering in the winter of about 1973. He had an old push chair, for transporting his logs, a bow saw to separate them into reasonable sized chunks … Continue reading →

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Every Immigrant is Undesirable: British policy 1905-2018

Posted on May 18, 2018 by odeboyz

British immigration policy isn’t driven by humanitarian principles. Anti-immigrant legislation began in 1905 with the Aliens Act. Mass immigration from Eastern Europe was halted in 1905 because most were destitute and wealth was the sole criterion used for desirability. Nazi … Continue reading →

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Cardinal della Costa: an Italian hero in 1943

Posted on April 6, 2018 by odeboyz

The Archbishop of Florence, Cardinal della Costa, has taken a courageous stand. When some of his nuns were arrested, in consequence of having given shelter to some Jewish women in their convent, the Cardinal, putting on his full panoply, went … Continue reading →

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Traditional forms of punishment: Britain* 1700-1900

Posted on April 2, 2018 by odeboyz

Traditionally, British judges sentencing criminals had five principal options: capital punishment, corporal punishment, exile, imprisonment and torture. Judges sentencing criminals to ‘savage’ sentences were using proportionate and appropriate punishments according to the expectations of the time. The sentences were anticipated … Continue reading →

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French military atrocities 1933, 1944 and 1957: the normalisation of military terror tactics

Posted on March 9, 2018 by odeboyz

Twentieth century French history is filled with horrific examples of brutal violence. Extra-judicial murder, torture, terror attacks on civilians and swaggering intimidation were routinely used*. Beliefs in racial superiority and entitlement legitimised atrocities. The French army provide a chilling context … Continue reading →

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From opulence to squalor: Gibson Square, Islington

Posted on March 2, 2018 by odeboyz

This desirable row of Regency houses was built in the mid-1800s, in the reign of George IV. It was a highly desirable property with servants sleeping quarters in the two attic rooms. One room for the maids the other for … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, History, housing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments