90 years of RAF military pilot training

Some nice photos celebrating the 90th anniversary of RAF military pilot training. A number of events were held to celebrate this at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

Religion in history: conflict, conversion and coexistence

Continuing my musings for next year, AA307 looks to be an interesting course. I quite enjoy religious history, i even enjoyed the module on the Reformation when i was doing A200 (which was not a popular opinion!).

Photographs of the 1800s

A nice photo essay on the Daily Telegraph website showing early photography. The British Library is holding an exhibition of 19th century photography later in the year. Looks like it could be well worth a visit.


Nelson's Column under construction in 1844

AdvDip in Local History

Continuing my thoughts about what is next, i apparently can include Oxford University's Advanced Diploma in Local History via the Internet as part of my Open University degree. This could be an option to fill in the "missing" 60 points i still need at the end of this year (assuming i pass of course!)

This Oxford course looks interesting, it would not start until September 2010 so i would be delayed in getting my degree for a year and is a little more expensive than an OU degree but would gain me an Oxford qualification (Advanced Diploma) and of course would make me an alumnus of Oxford which i can use to impress the chicks.

Of course as i would be free for most of next year i could maybe learn Welsh...

Turning one's thoughts to next year

There is still a lot of work to do with my current course but the end is in sight. I am now considering what to do for my final module for the BA History. To be honest the choice is not that broad but Film & TV History looks interesting and gets me away from fascism and war which i am heartily bored with by now!

I've also started thinking about what to do after that, i want to get an MA in History but maybe not with the Open University. Leicester have an interesting MA in English Local History which is distance learning too, i shall be looking more deeply into that as time goes on.

Rare gramophone records found in stately home

Jim Pattison, a retired recording engineer, has discovered rare gramophone records dating back from the early 20th century in a stately home he was visiting. At Brodsworth Hall, in Yorkshire, records such as a 1908 recording of Goodbye to Sweet Awakenings, made by Caruso, Antonio Scotti, Geraldine Farrar and Gina Viafora and a 1905 recording of John Philip Sousa conducting Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No 1 were found among 100 others.

Coast returns

Slightly late i know as the first part of the new series was shown on the 11th of July but Coast has returned to BBC2. It is a very good series which is well worth watching, for those who haven't seen it before, following along a portion of the British coastline and reporting on interesting aspects of local history (as well as some geography and nature). The first part included a feature on the Red Sands Sea Forts, an electric railway that ran along the sea shore (and hence underwater) and early film making in Brighton.