Upper High Street, Guildford 1923

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Julie Goucher
This picture was produced by Raphael Tuck & Sons.

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Chapel Street, Guildford circa 1908

Posted on November 23, 2014 by Julie Goucher

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Book of Me, Written by You, Prompt 65

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Julie Goucher


Today is week 65 of what is going to be a 15 month project. Each Saturday, at around 12.30 am UK time I will release the prompt for that week’s Book of Me, Written by You.

If you are new here, welcome! The details, background flyer and Face Book link to the Book of Me can be found HERE.

This week’s prompt is – Colleges & University

  • Did you go to college and / or University
    • if not, did you want to or did you not want to?
    • did you perhaps change your mind at a later date?
  • What did you study?
  • Was your studying vocational or a step on the ladder to another profession?
  • What was the educational path you took to get to University or college?
  • Where did you go? & why there?
  • Regrets of study choice?
  • Did you belong to clubs there?
  • Friends?
  • Pictures?
As always, share what you are comfortable with.
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Fire at St. Catherine’s School Bramley 1907

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Julie Goucher

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Braboeuf Manor, Guildford circa 1910

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Julie Goucher
The Manor House was previously part of the Manors at Artington and Godalming and is first mentioned as being under the ownership of Alfred the Great. The Manor made its way into the Wight Family in 1559 where it remained in their ownership until 1914.The College of Law purchased the property in 1964 they still own it today.

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Book of Me, Written by You, Prompt 64

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Julie Goucher


Today is week 64 of what is going to be a 15 month project. Each Saturday, at around 12.30 am UK time I will release the prompt for that week’s Book of Me, Written by You.

If you are new here, welcome! The details, background flyer and Face Book link to the Book of Me can be found HERE.

This week’s prompt is – Jobs and Careers

  • Did you have a Saturday job, holiday job?
    • Where was it?
    • What did you do?
    • Can you recall who you worked for and with?
    • What was the biggest / most important thing you learnt here?
    • Did it inspire your future?
    • Do you have any pictures / photos / clippings?
  • Did you have full / part time job?
    • Job or career
      • Does it not matter?
      • Is it the same?
    • Did you enjoy what you did? – Why?
    • Was it a passion or a means to an end?
    • Who did you work with?
  • Did you have work place reviews?
    • Did they fit with your personal plan?
    • Did you have a career / employment work plan?
  • Did you stay at home?
    • Or did you really want to?
  • Did you have employment hopes and dreams
    • Regrets
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Weekend Cooking – First World War Trench Cake

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Julie Goucher

Back in the summer The Daily Telegraph newspaper here in the UK published an article about those at home sending Christmas cakes to the battle fields of World War One.

The official recipe was produced by the Government and is published here. The recipe contains no eggs and vinegar was used to react with the baking soda to assist the cake to rise.

Trench Cake

Ingredients

1/2lb flour

4 oz margarine
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 pint of milk
3 oz brown sugar
3 oz cleaned currants

Trench cake
Photo: Department for Culture, Media and Sport

2 teaspoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
nutmeg
ginger
grated lemon rind

Method

Grease a cake tin.
Rub margarine into the flour in a basin.
Add the dry ingredients.
Mix well.
Add the soda dissolved in vinegar and milk.
Beat well.
Turn into the tin.
Bake in a moderate oven for about two hours.

I have not made this, but might give it a go. Anyone want to join me?

Weekend Cooking is hosted by BethFishReads

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The Bitter Trade by Piers Alexander

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Julie Goucher

I was drawn to this book by the cover and having read the synopis expected a book about the importation of coffee in the seventeenth century.

Instead the book was about a young man, called Calumny living with his family in rural England during the terbulance of the seventeenth century, the removal of James II and the installation of William of Orange.

Calumny has a hatred for his father, He can not understand why they live in the middle of nowhere, why he can not read and why he not allowed to learn a trade that will enable him to leave his family home and become his own person.

Very little is known of his father’s background, but before long a visitor from his father’s past arrives and with them a set of decisions to be made and Calumny has to find a way to undestand and deal with the secrets of his father.

Overall, I was a little disappointed there was not more details of coffee trading, but overall this was a good storyline. There was a little disjoinedness between the historical facts, but nonetheless this was an enjoyable read and this is a book I would recommend and I am looking forward to the sequel.

To whet your appetite here is an excerpt from the book

“In 1688, torn by rebellions, England lives under the threat of a Dutch invasion. Redheaded Calumny Spinks is the lowliest man in an Essex backwater: half-French and still unapprenticed at seventeen, yet he dreams of wealth and title.

When his father’s violent past resurfaces, Calumny’s desperation leads him to flee to London and become a coffee racketeer. He has just three months to pay off a blackmailer and save his father’s life – but his ambition and talent for mimicry pull him into a conspiracy against the King himself. Cal’s journey takes him from the tough life of Huguenot silk weavers to the vicious intrigues at Court. As the illicit trader Benjamin de Corvis and his controlling daughter Emilia pull him into their plots, and his lover Violet Fintry is threatened by impending war, Cal is forced to choose between his conscience and his dream of becoming Mister Calumny Spinks.”


This is a debut novel from Piers Alexander and you can read al little about him as well as following via various social media channels.
Piers Alexander is an author and serial entrepreneur. After a successful career as CEO of media and events companies he became a Co-Founder and Chairman of three start-up businesses. In 2013 he was awarded the PEN Factor Prize for The Bitter Trade. He is currently working on the sequel, Scatterwood, set in Jamaica in 1692.

For more information visit Piers Alexander’s website. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Bitter Trade has been on a book tour for the last month and today marks the end of the tour. You can read the reviews from other readers by clicking the relevant links below:

Monday, October 13
Spotlight at Literary Chanteuse

Tuesday, October 14
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, October 15
Interview at Back Porchervations
Guest Post at Historical Tapestry

Thursday, October 16
Spotlight & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, October 20

Tuesday, October 21

Wednesday, October 22

Thursday, October 23

Tuesday, October 28

Wednesday, October 29
Spotlight at Unshelfish

Thursday, October 30
Review at Broken Teepee

Saturday, November 1

Monday, November 3
Review at Book by Book
Review & Interview at Dab of Darkness

Tuesday, November 4

Wednesday, November 5
Guest Post at Just One More Chapter

Thursday, November 6
Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Monday, November 10
Review at A Book Geek

Tuesday, November 11
Review at Book Nerd

Wednesday, November 12
Spotlight at Layered Pages

Friday, November 14
Review at Anglers Rest
Review & Giveaway at Booklover Book Reviews

The book tour was hosted by Amy at Historical Fiction Book Tours and this review will also appear at Historical Tapestry next week.
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Remembering Christmas During the Great War – Television Advert

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Julie Goucher

As we move towards Christmas retailers are releasing their Christmas adverts. I saw the one for John Lewis last week and thought it was long and very sweet, but the advert I am about to share is my one of the season.

Produced by Sainsbury’s it encapsulates the spirit of Christmas and friendship even in a war torn Europe during the First World War.

There is also film about the historical event behind the advert.

The final video is about how Sainsbury’s made the advert

I think it is a lovely advert. Capturing the spirit of Christmas and enabling us to perhaps learn and ponder over Christmas in the trenches. Whoever thought of the advert has down Sainsbury’s proud!

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Guildford Borough Council Civil Defence Duties – February 1942

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Julie Goucher

This small card, which measures about 5″ x 3″ is a first for me. This was issued by Guildford Borough Council to members of the Civil Defence Duties. This is named – Frederick S Warner who resided at 40 Fenton Road (a road this Guildfordian has never heard of!) and is dated 26th February 1942. This individual was enrolled into the fire prevention team.

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