We've moved!

I am no longer going to update this blog, instead i am writing about my continuing studies and other historical topics (as well as other things) on my personal blog which you can find here. Please check it out!

This blog will not be deleted though so feel free to continue linking to it and using it. Thanks for visiting over the years!

MA Day school

Today i attended the first day school of my current Open University course (which is an MA in History of course), the day school was at the OU's HQ in Milton Keynes. This was the first time i had been there, indeed the first time i had been to MK! An interesting if slightly strange place to be sure, both the campus and MK! I of course got lost on my day to the day school (well its traditional for me, i just wonder how it is possible for someone to have such a lack of a sense of direction!)

The day school was good, though tiring, and i had a nice chat with my tutor. Unfortunately at the train was delayed coming back home due to some overhead line problems nearly Wembley (though in the end my train was only delayed 30 minutes). That meant i had time to have a surreal chat with a dopehead on the train platform, he was on the run from the police for breaking his bail conditions because he couldn't go back home because his girlfriend (who seemed also pretty drugged up) had burnt all his clothes and stabbed him. He was looking to go to Wales to hide, though got on a train for Glasgow. I think he was too high to really care one way or the other!

A825, early thoughts

I started my MA with the OU module A825 a few weeks ago. So far i notice it is a lot more hands off by the course team, to date i've been asked to read a book (Family Fortunes: Men and Women of the English Middle Class 1780-1850) and come back when i've done so for discussion. Thats fine with me though i tend to be a bit of a slow reader so i'm only half way through the book yet.

On November 5th there is the first of 3 day schools for the course, at the OU's HQ in Milton Keynes, i am hoping to be able to attend this. That should be where the course really starts to get going.

Its hard to know at this early stage how well i am doing and how well i am understanding the content, the first test comes in December when i have to submit my first assignment! It has been a little difficult getting going, i've had nearly a whole year off since the end of the last module on my BA, and the study habits quickly fade!

Mastodons were hunted in North America 800 years earlier than thought

From the Guardian

"Humans were hunting large mammals in North America about 800 years earlier than previously thought, new analysis of a controversial mastodon specimen – with what appears to be a spear tip in its rib – seems to confirm."

Photo : St Michael at the North Gate, Oxford

This Saxon tower is the oldest building in Oxford. I have just visited the historic university city, you can see all of my photos here!

Ancient 'paint factory' unearthed

From the BBC

"The kits used by humans 100,000 years ago to make paint have been found at the famous archaeological site of Blombos Cave in South Africa.

The hoard includes red and yellow pigments, shell containers, and the grinding cobbles and bone spatulas to work up a paste - everything an ancient artist might need in their workshop."

A silent movie star is reborn: Pola Negri's lost Mania is found

From the Guardian

"The tragedy of silent cinema is that we have so little of it. Of all the films made in the silent era, no more than 20% are extant, and even fewer of those are available to be seen by the public. But happily, that isn't the end of the story. Those missing reels have not all been burned, re-used or left to rot. New discoveries are being made all the time, and each lost film that is returned to the fold has something to teach us about cinema at the beginning of the last century – and the best of them are a delight to watch as well."

A new adventure begins

Next month will mark a year since my final exam of my BA History with the Open University, and as that degree is safely out of the way (i got a 2:1) its time to move onto the MA...

I registered for the course back in April ready for a start in October, that did seem a long way away when i registered but now i am just a few weeks away and yesterday i received my course materials... and there seems to be a lot to read!

Hopefully i don't have to read all of it as there is a choice of module later on in the course, this part of my MA will be a 15 month course too not a 8 month one like the BA modules were. Maybe i'll make a start with reading the introduction at least at the weekend.

Photo : Tomb of King John

The tomb of King John of England in Worcester Cathedral. More photos from the cathedral plus Worcester itself can be seen here.

Is Saudi Arabia finally taking an interest in its own heritage?

From the Guardian

"For years, the country has been erasing any evidence of its polytheistic, desert-dwelling past. But now, slowly, the tide may be starting to turn."

Lost Hitchcock film to be given Hollywood premiere in New Zealand archive

From the Indy

"Thirty years after his death, a film by Sir Alfred Hitchcock will once more enjoy a Hollywood premiere after a copy of what is believed to be the earliest surviving film from his back catalogue was found in New Zealand."

Photo : Hatton Locks

Hatton Locks heritage workshops and offices on the Grand Union Canal. More photos at Hatton Locks can be seen here.

Hilarious and Surprising Predictions of the Future…From the 1960s!

From Singularity Hub

"Nothing should make a futurist more wary than looking at the history of the profession and seeing how hilarious its mistakes have been. Jetpacks, flying cars, death rays…the future isn’t quite what the past hoped it would be. Of course, when predictions do come true it can be really shocking."

(Videos galore included)

Open University new fees

As you may know i am an Open University student having completed a BA in History with them last year and am preparing to start a Masters in October. Today the Open University have announced their new fees from 2012 as part of the big shake-up of university funding and like everywhere prices are going up. "Full time" undergraduate degree fees will now be £5000 a year. That is for 120 points which is the most you can study in a year with the OU. Most people tend to do no more than 60 points a year, from 2012 they will be paying £2500 a year for a 60 point module. For comparison over the 6 years of my degree i paid somewhere between £600 to £700 a year.

Obviously this is a big increase and i fear for the OU's future a bit. A lot of people choose OU degrees for interest not career reasons and they will likely be put off by these fees, i might well have been if i was looking to start in 2012 though a History degree was always my dream.

Although student loans will be available that does not apply to everyone. Value for money will also become a much bigger issue. Although i think the OU is great (obviously) £2500 a year for a few books, a dozen tutorials and an exam seems a lot steeper than a few hundred pounds. "Normal" universities might be still a lot more expensive but you do get the day-to-day university experience as part of that. Working at a university myself i know where the money has to go to pay all the other costs involved in running a university but these are not so apparent or even relevant to your average student.

The Open University is still a great option though but i think they may need to up their game a bit. At where i work i have noticed students becoming much more concerned with value for money and have a much higher expectation from their career mortgage investment (which is what your student fees and loans are) so the same will be true at the OU.

Silent movie scores found at Birmingham central library

From Birmingham News Room

"Staff at Birmingham City Council making preparations for their move to the Library of Birmingham building in 2013 have uncovered what could be the UK’s largest collection of silent movie scores, including a unique Charlie Chaplin theme tune."

Heavy armour would have exhausted the French at Agincourt, say scientists

From the Guardian

"Would the battle of Agincourt have turned out differently if the French had worn lighter armour? Perhaps, say researchers who have discovered that the heavy steel-plate armour worn by the French would have exhausted them before the fight with the English had even started..."

Nice video of people in suits of armour on a treadmill. The comments on the article are interesting.

Photo : Sopwith Camel

See more photos from my visit to the Imperial War Museum here.

A history of the News of the World – in pictures

With the last ever issue of the News of the World, proported to be the largest selling English language newspaper, on Sunday due to the phone hacking scandal the Guardian have a photo gallery looking back over the newspaper's 168 year history.

Bones, hairs and blood: relics that stretched pilgrims' grasp of humanity

From the Guardian

"An understanding of the medieval cult of martyrs' relics can help open our minds to the otherness of beliefs in today's world."

10 more fascinating facts about Erdington

1. Mothers was a famous rock club that ran from 1968 until 1971, it located on Erdington High Street opposite St Barnabas church. Pink Floyd recorded part of their Ummagumma live album there. Other bands that played there included Black Sabbath, The Who and Free. Not a bad line-up!
2. Rookery House in Rookery Park was originally called Birches Green however it was renamed in the early 20th century because it was bought by someone who owned another house just down Kingsbury Road also called Birches Green.
3. In 1960 a Mr T.Haywood, who was a lorry driver from Erdington, became the first person to walk from Edinburgh to London in less than 7 days when he beat the time set by Dr Barbara Moore.
4. In 1880 the landlords of the Roebuck and the Red Lion pubs were questioned by the police for allegedly allowing illegal gambling on their premises.
5. Erdington Safeway was one of a number of the firm's stores which were targetted by an extortioner who deliberately contaminated jars of food in 1981. A ransom demand was sent to the company's headquarters for £500,000. Jars of gherkins at the Erdington store were found contaminated with paraquat. 
6. The orphanage set up by Josiah Mason cost £60,000 back in 1870 and was given an endowment valued at £200,000
7. A notable horse race in the 1870s, often mentioned in the same breath as the Grand National, was the Erdington Plate. The race was often held at Sutton Coldfield race track.
8. The Bagot Arms pub is named after the Bagot family who owned Pype Hayes Hall during the 19th century. The house was sold to the wire making industrialist James Rollason in 1906, who now has a road named after him in Erdington.
9. In the early part of the 20th century Erdington had an ice rink which was on the site of the current fire station.
10. Spring Lane Primary School was the new site of the school that was once on the High Street but moved after WW2, during the war the Spring Lane site was a barracks and armoury.

Sources : various including The Times Digital Archive and old Ordinance Survey Maps.