Where were you on September 11th 2001?

As a historian, I'd be interested to read your answer to the question posed in the title.

Why? Because it was 102 minutes that changed the World.

At 8.46am local time, Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
At 10.28am local time, the North Tower collapsed.

Those 102 minutes signalled the beginning and the end of a chain of events that have gone down in infamy, and turned the world upside down.

In between, the south Tower had also been struck and had collapsed and the heart of the US Defense - The Pentagon - had also been infiltrated. A 4th plane was grounded by brave citizens before it arrived at its supposed target of the White House or Capitol Hill.

A Game-Changer
It was that epoch-making, era-defining day in history that heralded in a decade of fear as the Cold War that had ended a decade earlier was now replaced by the War on Terror. The attacks in Bali, Madrid and London were to follow and a whole new level of counter-terrorism legislation the world over would take centre stage.

The war in Afghanistan began barely a month later on October 7th 2001 and continues to this day. Likewise, the second Iraqi War begun on March 20th 2003 and is also still on-going. Thousands of allied and civilian lives lost, billions of pounds squandered. All in the name of security. All with its origins in that fateful blue September day.

Where was I?
September 11th 2001 was a seminal moment and day in history for my generation.

For older generations such as that of my mother, it can be asked 'Where were you when JFK was assassinated?' For those of this modern era, the question asked of us by our children and grandchildren will likely be 'Where were you on 9/11?'

It is scarcely believable that it has been a decade since those horrific pictures of 10 years ago. My memory of that day is still vivid - still etched in detail in my mind.

For us here in the UK, it was early afternoon. The timing of the first impact was 1.46pm BST. I recall sitting alone in my bedroom in the Preseli Hills of north Pembrokeshire at my computer, playing Championship Manager. It was coming to the end of the summer holidays and I was just weeks away from starting my second year in University. I had just turned 19.

By the computer was a TV and I was watching ITV at the time whilst playing on the computer. It was I'm sure, an episode of Crossroads which at about 2pm had gone to the mid-programme interval. But instead of returning to the second half, the transmission was broken by breaking news from ITN.

I vividly remember being taken aback at this break from normality and my immediate thought was 'The Queen Mother has died'. She had just turned 101 and it was only a matter of time and in that split second I recall thinking that that time had come. But no, she would outlive her own daughter Princess Margaret who died on 9th February 2002. Queen Elizabeth passed away on March 30th that same year.

The 21s Century's Pearl Harbour
Suddenly what transpired in front of me on that small TV was an awful accident in New York.

A plane had apparently flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. It was a bewildering sight and event to take in. Then came the second impact as the South Tower was hit. Again, such was my utter confusion, I couldn't consider is as anything else than just a horrific coincidence. I don't recall that second impact as clearly as the one that was to follow but that third impact is as clear as day in my mind. When the reports came in that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon, the gravity of the event suddenly struck me in all of its horrific reality.



This, was not an accident. This, was an orchestrated attack on the US mainland, not seen since the attack on Pearl Harbour during WWII.

The rest of the day became a blur from there on in as I no doubt found myself glued to watching the unfolding events.

It was a day of horror that, due to modern technology, was all captured live on camera as it happened. Looking back, it made the event so much more real in the minds of those of us watching it at the time. It wasn't being told that JFK had been assassinated, it was akin to actually seeing the act occur with your own eyes. Here we were, watching this inconceivable act unfold as it happened in real-time.

A New World - A Darker World
I just so happened to be watching a TV at the time that the news broke. Had that not have been the case, the scarring images of the initial impacts would not have lived on with me as they have. But a decade on, the recollection is still fresh in the mind.

It's a haunting feeling. A feeling of a loss of innocence. I had only just began to grow-up having left school to attend University the year before. Here was an added sense that the world in which I now lived was not the one of my childhood. It was a much darker, scarier world. Over the past 10 years, it has remained thus.

Where were you?
So where were you on September 11th 2001? As a piece of social and oral history, I'd be interested to hear your remembrances of this tragic day, 10 years on.

"Mr Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall" - Berlin, 50 years On

Today is the 50th anniversary of the division of Berlin and the coming of the Wall on August 13th 1961.

At the Berlin Wall in 2006

It was the single most visible monument to the failure of Communism. It was an attempt by the authorities to stop their own people from migrating to the democratic west.

It was also as a result, the single seminal moment that marked the end of the Cold War. The indredulous scene of Berliners climbing the Wall unhindered by the East German Security Guards sparked joys throughout the free world.

The wall, which had torn a city in two, witnessed over its 28 years in existence, the deaths of at least 136 Berliners who attempted to scale it to flee that East for life in the free West.

My Pilgrimage to Berlin
As a historian, I have greatly enjoyed my many visits to countries around the world over the past 6 years. There is however, only one city that I would without hesitation put above all of the rest.

Being a historian in Berlin is like leaving a child loose on a box of chocolates. I was that child, in 2006. Is it quite simply, the best city in the world that I have ever visited.

Yes, there is little architecture left from down through the centuries that has survived the devastation of two World Wars and the division of the Cold War Era. But this is nevertheless, a part of that history.

From the concrete East, Alexanderplatz and Unter Den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate, the Wall itself, the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie, the Olympic Stadium and the Monument to the Holocaust alongside Hitler's underground war bunkers, every street in this city speaks and has a story to tell.

I fell in love with Berlin and lapped it all up. In particular, I become wholly engrossed in the post-war, Cold War era and the devastating division that the Wall brought to this city.

Here is JFK speaking at the Wall shortly after it was built in 1961...



In 1987, on the 750th anniversary of the city, President Ronald Reagan called on Mikhail Gorbachev to "Tear Down This Wall".



"A Cheerfully Anarchic Night"
In 1989, the unthinkable became visibly thinkable.

I'm unable to watch scenes of November 9th 1989 in Berlin without shedding tears. When in Berlin, I bought at Checkpoint Charlie a DVD of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. It is moving and incredibly emotional. To see the uncontrolled joy, shock, incredulity and sheer disbelief in the faces of the Berliners who either crossed the border or welcomed those who did so, moves me to tears every time.

The same can be said of a number of the clips that follow from the BBC news bulletins that covered the story. In particular, Brian Hanrahan's piece for me, captured the essence of what was a moment of history in the fall on the Iron Curtain. I blogged on this when he sadly passed away last December.







Here, in brief, is a concise and insightful history of the Berlin Wall to the very apt sound of Scorpion's Wind of Change.



For me, in audio, the perfect accompaniment to the Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall is Beethoven's 7th Symphony in full. The despair of the 2nd movement followed by the joy of the 3rd and 4th for me, hauntingly sums it up perfectly.



It is only right to give the final words on today's sombre anniversary to the current President of Germany, Christian Wulff who said:

"The world situation, of which this wall was a symbol, seemed irreversible to many people. But this was not the case. In the end, freedom is unconquerable. No wall can survive the will for freedom in the long term. The violence of just a few has no hold over the drive for freedom of many."

...and finally to the Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit who told a ceremony on Bernauer Street today:

"The Wall is history but we must not forget it."

Amen to that

Murdoch's Watergate? Cameron's Watergate? A Historian's Perspective

Having been away in London, I've not had time to comment on the incredible #hackgate developments.

It has been an astonishing pace of events that has shook the British media, its police and its politicians to their foundations. Much has been said and is being said about what has happened and the situation is so fluid that we can not tell where this is going to end. So the best that I can do at this juncture is to take a step back and to make some observations on what has already happened from my perspective as a historian.

Hackgate
Modern society overuses the 'gate' suffix at an alarmingly regular rate nowadays and in all reality, none of the modern uses can really match the severity of the original Watgergate moment in history. A pretty comprehensive list can be found here and forasmuch as 'Sharongate' in Eastenders may have had the nation transfixed back in the early 1990s or Nipplegate in which Justin Timberlake revealed Janet Jackson's nipple during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII may have caught the world in awe, do they really deserve comparison with a scandal that ousted an American President? Of course not. But over recent days and weeks, as more information has been released and more people have been implicated in this mire, I get a sense in my historic bones, that something really ia afoot here and what we are watching are the ingrediants for what will be a seismic shift in our cultural politic from what has been over the past four or so decades.

(a) Murdoch's Demise?
The whole point of Watergate was that at its core, there was a rotten political centre which as it transpired, went right up to the very top of America's political chain of command to the Commander-in-Chief in the White House.

James and Rupert Murdoch facing a House of Commons
Select Committee Grilling

Here, the rotten core has been in the ethics and standards of the tabloid journalists primarily in the News of the World but wider than that, throughout the News International empire and indeed, further afield across the spectrum.

It so happens however, that the hideous and disbelieving antics of a number of reporters during the past decade at the very least, were found at News International on the Murdoch's watch. What has transpired since has been a momentus and seemingly never-ending barrage of developments that have further showed this part of the Murdoch Empire to be wrapped up in dirty and dodgy dealings. As a result, the famous and historic News of the World name was allowed to be killed off in an attempt to placate the rising tide of anger and revulsion at what was being disclosed.

But of course, one of the hallmarks of this crisis has been the way in which Rupert and son James Murdoch have been unable to keep up with events and are playing a constant scrambling game of catch-up. For a family that has for so long lived in the public eye and has made its millions by being at the forefront of media campaigns, it is an incredible volte-face that see's them now struggling to deal with the searing light of the world's media attention. They have so badly misunderstood the public mood, their reaction to events has far from calmed the growing current that has turned against them but has in fact exacerbated and made worse that tide.

In only a matter of weeks, everything has changed. Who could seriously have thought just a month ago before the recent Milly Dowler revelations were made public, that a Parliamentary motion calling on Murdoch to drop his bid for the 100% sharehold in BSkyB would be supported unanimously by all parties and that as a result of this rare show of solidarity, Murdoch would indeed drop the bid?

Who could have believed the scenes of watching both Rupert and son James on Tuesday in front of a House of Commons select committee? It was indeed a historic and disbelieving event to witness. Suddenly, here was the media tycoon whose empire has held British politicians from both the Labour and Conservative benches over the past 3 decades in the palm of his hand, being brought back to heel as he faced questions about his company, its ethics and about his role in the events that have seen its share price collapse by some 17%. Murdoch Snr it suddenly became apparent to us, was now this frail old octogenarian who is getting no younger and who is clearly past his prime and not in control of his vast media empire as many may have felt was the case.

It is apparent, that many of his fellow executives at News Corporation are seeking to stregthen their grip on the corporate managment of the company from what seems to have been the lazy gaze of its Chief Executive and his heir apparent. The sudden and dramatic share price collapse of the company will certainly have concentrated minds to this effect. Also rumoured amongst this growing discontent at the Board level is that the company may want to look more seriously at its future in the British press. It is a widely felt view that the ownership of the Times and Sun titles in the UK owes more to Murdoch Snr's pet enthusiasm which emanates from his father's journalistic background and his own earlier years in breaking through in the 1960s than to a financial imperative. For the News International stable of newspapers from a British context at least is only a small part of News Corporation's bigger picture. It may be unlikely but it is not inconceivable that post-Murdoch, these papers might be sold off and what of that? A British tabloid and quality press without the Murdoch fingerprint written all over it after over 40 years at its heart?

Murdoch showed contrition on his appearance in Westminster in Tuesday but then so he might. In a matter of weeks he has seen everything that he has created and everything that he has stood for questioned. Hackgate has made him as vulnerable a target as he has ever been and whilst he may cling on to power or may be moved upstairs to become Chairman of the company, it would seem that these events will hasten the transition from power of this once mighty media mogul. It is now also highly questionable that son James will automatically take over the mantle from his father and if it proves in time that he doesn't, then it will indeed be another humiliating blow to the prestige and power of the Murdoch brand.

Most importantly of all from this perspective is how this on-going episode will alter the relationship between the media and the politicians that run our country. Suddenly, no-one wants to be seen near the toxic Murdoch brand because that's exactly what it has become - toxic. Having a proper and respectful distance and seperation of the media and political worlds in the UK is now likely in the foreseeable future and this in itself, whatever happens to Murdoch and his family, can only be a good thing.

Maybe Vince Cable was right all-along!

(b) David Cameron's Demise?
What then of the political ramifications of these developments?

Disgraced British Prime
Minister David Cameron?

In 1974, it became apparent that the rotten core that had seen US government put under the spotlight was actually orchestrated from the very top. President Nixon was forced to beceome the first and only American President to date in history, to resign his office because of the nature of the deceit and the part that he played in it.

Only last week, it didn't seem as if David Cameron would be badly touched by these events but such has been the speed of the revelations that the bookmakers have slashed the odds of his being the next resignation fron the Cabinet.

The dodgy connection of course is Andy Coulson and whilst the Prime Minister has done his best to robustly defend his position as he did in the House of Commons yesterday, it seems as if the more that is said, the more that is left un-said. It is probably most likely that David Cameron himself is an innocent by-stander in all of this and that his only mistake was one of judgement in which he believed all that Coulson said to him. Coulson may of course be exonerated by the Judicial inquiry and so in connection, will Cameron. But if not, Cameron's judgement will be seriously questioned but of course it does not stop there.

As with Watergate, it all comes down to who knows, what do they know and when did they know it.

Cameron's repeated protestations in the House of Commons yesterday, using the same carefully-phrased legal wording, seemed to cry of Shakespeare's Macbeth: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks".



Disgraced American President Richard Nixon

What did he know of Coulson's relations with the blackened journalists? What indeed did Coulson know himself and did the Prime Minister know the same? What indeed did the PM say to the Murdoch's and Rebekah Brooks during his many meetings with them regarding the possible BSkyB takeover?

Suddenly, every word uttered by the Prime Minister takes on a much greater significance. There are many imponderables and if Cameron honestly is free from all legitimate accusations, then he will be fine. But, if like Nixon, there is a discussion along the way or a knowledge of events that can implicate him in the wider furore, then it could well be as seriously damaging and far-reaching as that American political crisis of 4 decades ago.

All it needs is for one whistleblower or for one errant remark to me made that blows yet more out of this hideous can of worms.

In the meantime, the 24 media coverege that seems to be dedicated to the sensational new twists and turns that unleash yet more interest in this story, can far too easily forget the other great stories of this time. The fragility of the Euro-zone and its impact on us and the starvation of millions in Somalia are just two stories that spring to mind that are being clouded from view by hackgate.

But for all the words and all of the analysis, as is ever the case with such things, it is only time that will tell whether hackgate does indeed have the long-term repercussions on our society as the original 'gate' did on its American counterpart, back in the 1970s.

Belgrano sink River Plate? Hold the Front Page!

It's one of the most famous front page headline images in British press history.

When the British sank the Argentinian Navy light cruiser the Belgrano on May 2nd 1982, it resulted in the death of 323 Argentinians - just over half of their total death toll during the Falklands War.

The Sun's notorious front page summed up what was for many, a jingo-istic campaign. It was also controversial because it was said that the Belgrano was both outside the exclusion zone and also pointing away from the Falkland Islands and towards Argentina when it was struck.

It was named after Argentina's Founding Father Manuel Belgrano.

Club Atlético Belgrano

Argentina's Founding Father was also the inspiration in 1905 for the formation of a football team based in Córdoba.

Having yo-yo'ed between the Argentinian First and Second Divisions over recent decades, they sent shock waves through Argentinian football this week when they defeated River Plate in a promotion/relegation play-off.

It was this article in yesterday's Independent that brought this incredible footballing story to my attention.

River Plate are the Manchester United of Argentinian football. They have won a record 33 Argentinian titles in their long and proud 110-year history as well as a number of intercontinental trophies (the equivalent to our Champions League in Europe) and have never, yes that's right, NEVER, been relegated since they were formed in 1901.


Juan Manuel Belgrano

As a world-wide football fan (which I owe in no small part to the Championship Manager football management computer series!), the concept of River Plate being relegated struck me as being extraorindary. As the Independent article explains, it is even more so because relegation is determined over a 3 year, 6 mini season time-period so it works in favour of Argentina's main teams. But incredibly, River Plate have had an awful past 3 seasons since winning their last title in 2008 and found themselves as a result on points average, in a relegation play-off.

It was seeing that that play-off opponent was indeed Belgrano that caught my attention in addition.

Belgrano? As in that Argentinian Ship that got sunk during the Falklands? Has now in turn sunk Argentina's most successful ever football-team?

There is of course no link between the ship and club apart from their both being named after the same individual but for a historian like me who is also interested in sport, it was one of those quirky bits of coincidence that caught my eye.

What would Juan Manuel Belgrano make of it I couldn't say.

Queen Elizabeth II becomes the 2nd Longest Reigning British Monarch

I'm a historian so forgive me my geekiness here, but as I mentioned in my blog here back in February, Queen Elizabeth II has continued to pass new milestones as her longevity and time on the British throne knows no bounds.

Today sees her overtake the mark of her great-great-great-great grand-father King George III as the second longest reigning monarch in British history.

The only monarch to have reigned for longer of course is Queen Victoria and she still has a 4+ year advantage over her great-great grand-daughter.

Queen Elizabeth II would surpass that record if she were still to reign on September 10th 2015 by which time she would be 89. If she has her mother's constitution and she seems to have so, there's no reason why this incredible additional milestone may not be achieved.

Whatever your personal views on the institution of monarchy itself, I doubt that many would be able or indeed desire to besmirch what has been an incredible reign by an incredible monarch.

My Wonderfully Naïve E-mail to Ted Heath in 2001

For any political historian (of which I enthusiastically count myself as one), BBC Four's documentary this week on the titanic duel at the centre of British politics between 1965-1975 was a 'must watch' event.

I found it absolutely fascinating.

Hearing the accounts of the main players close to both Heath and Wilson at this time, mixed in with the excellent array of political archive footage and the music of the period, brought alive this pivotal period in our history which at its end, began to see the break-down of the consesual style of politics that had marked British political life post-1945.

It can be viewed for the next few days on BBC iPlayer, right here.

Heath, Wilson and I
My University dissertations centred around this period of political history so my views come from much detailed research into a period in which I did not live at first-hand.

My BA dissertation centred around the 1963 Conservative Party leadership crisis and I proudly gathered a First for my efforts (and a 2:1 degree in all). Ted Heath played a minor role in this work whilst Harold Wilson meanwhile, played a central role in my MA dissertation effort which concentrated on the Labour Party's attitude towards Europe between 1964-1983. Admittedly, my effort here was much for the worse of having began gainful employment and I was fortunate to have scraped a 40% pass which also went for my Masters as a whole.

Through these studies, I formed a rather low opinion of Harold Wilson who I've never held in high esteem. For me, his brand of 'personality over politics' marked him out as an early day version of Tony Blair. Much of the credit for the good that came from his time at No.10 (particularly between 1964-1970) I feel belongs to his his Home Secretary and latterly Chancellor of the Exchequer, Roy Jenkins.

Ted Heath meanwhile is a bewilderingly complex character to try and decipher. He certainly lacked Wilson's charisma and common touch and yet he did seem to have a deeper grasp of what he was all about. His singular greatest achievement and one for which I am thankful, was his success in getting Britain into the European Community in the early 1970s.

My E-mail to Ted Heath
It was my admiration for his ability in this arena, if none else, that enticed this young and politically keen though rather green and naïve young 18 year old to send a personal e-mail to him back in 2001.

I was a first year student in Aberystwyth University and I recall sitting in the Pantycelyn Halls of Residence computer room, prior to the 2001 General Election, sending a handful of electronic messages out to politicians both local and national, asking questions to them on various issues. I was only beginning to become politically active (indeed, I only joined the Liberal Democrats the autumn previous and my total effort in the 2001 campaign was to deliver one leaflet for the party around Pantycelyn!) and I was keen to communicate my various political interests to these different politicians.

Specifically, I recall sending an e-mail out to Alec Dauncey who is an Aberystwyth Town Councillor who at that time was standing as the Welsh Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Preseli Pembrokeshire where my parents moved back to from south Pembrokeshire in 1999. He had the good grace to reply to my e-mail and we have struck up a good friendship ever since.

I also decided to e-mail Ted Heath. For it was now 2001 and he was retiring from Parliament having been an MP for a remarkable 51 years since the General Election of 1950. I haven't got the text of that e-mail that I sent a decade ago but if I recall correctly, it was in the spirit of grateful thanks for the work that he did with Europe. I also recall rather cheekily asking him, (particularly as the Conservatives were struggling against a popular Tony Blair and New Labour project at the time) why he remained a Conservative and wasn't now alligned with the more moderate and internationalist Liberal Democrats. I must've been in a slightly provocative mood at the time but suffice to say, I never received a reply - which was a great shame!

A Reflection
My sentiments on both Wilson and Heath were summed up neatly at the end of the BBC Four documentary by Lord Donoughue who was Harold Wilson's senior policy advisor between 1974-1976 and remained in that role under Jim Callaghan until his defeat to Margaret Thatcher in 1979.

He therefore had a greater insight into the mind of Harold Wilson than many and yet his startling comment, for one with Labour links, of Wilson was this...

"He wasn't a revolutionary and he wasn't very radical. Ted Heath was much more radical than Harold Willson".

I rest my case.

A Scilly War that lasted 335 Years (1651-1986)

I love historic quirks.

One that I was unaware of until this week was that of the 335 year war between the Isles of Scilly and the Netherlands! Today, April 17th, is the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Peace Treaty in 1986 which ended this unlikliest of rivalries!

Isles of Scilly

Republic of the Seven United
Netherlands

Vs

It apparently all began during the English Civil War. Cromwell's Parliamentarians had taken control of mainland Britian, forcing the Royalist Navy to retreat to the Isles of Scilly, which lie off the Cornish coast and which were under the ownership of Royalist John Grenville.

The United Provinces of the Netherlands had been supported by the English in its Eighty Years War against Spain. Having finally gained official independence from Spain in 1648, they therefore sought to maintain their English alliance and sided with Cromwell's Roundheads.

The Dutch Navy suffered losses at the hands of the stubborn Royalist Naval fleet based in Scilly and on March 30th 1651, Admiral Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp arrived in Scilly to demand reparation from the Royalist fleet for the Dutch ships and goods taken by them.

According to Whitelocke's Memorials (cited in Bowley, 2001), a letter of 17 April 1651 explains:

"Tromp came to Pendennis and related that he had been to Scilly to demand reparation for the Dutch ships and goods taken by them; and receiving no satisfactory answer, he had, according to his Commission, declared war on them".

As mainland Britain was under Parliamentary control, this was therefore a Declaration of War on the Scilly Islands themselves and themselves alone.

Royalist Defeat
Just months later in June 1651 and without a shot having been fired, the Parliamentarians forced the Royalist fleet to surrender. The Dutch Navy left as a result but did not officially declare peace with the islands.

Peace at Last!
In 1985, Roy Duncan, a historian and Chairman of the Isles of Scilly Council, wrote to the Dutch Embassy in London to dispose of the "myth" that the islands were still at war. Embassy staff found the myth to be accurate and Duncan invited Ambassador Jonkheer Rein Huydecoper to visit the islands and sign a peace treaty.

Peace was declared on 17 April 1986, 335 years after the "war" began.

The Ambassador joked that it must have been harrowing to the Scillonians "...to know we could have attacked at any moment".

Well, indeed!

When Jodie Foster Nearly Killed Ronald Reagan - 30 Years On

On March 30th 1981, Ronald Reagan became the first President in US history to survive an assassination atttempt.

Only 69 days into his Presidency, he was gunned down by John Hinckley Jnr in Washington. At first, the secret service declared that 'Rawhide (Reagan's codename) is ok...we're going to the Crown' (codename for the White House). But when blood came out of Reagan's mouth, he was rushed instead to the George Washington University Hospital. He'd suffered a punctured lung and after a successful operation, left hospital on the 13th day.

Hinckley, who wanted to get the attention of movie star Jodie Foster and decided that the way to do so was by assassinating the President of United States of America, was found not guilty due to insanity and has been in a secure psychiatric unit ever since.

Here is footage of that moment 30 years ago today...



What if?
It's a beloved question of historians but what if Reagan had died from his wounds?

George Bush Snr would've assumed the Presidency as the incumbant Vice-President, 8 years before he would actually do so in January 1989. The Cold War could've had a variant course from the one that was followed by Reagan and Gorbachov.

There are so many imponderables but what actually happened is that on the back of his recovery, Reagan, with his sunny personality, was feted as a hero and it can be argued, made his Presidency. He swept to a landslide re-election in 1984 and left office in 1989 with high approval ratings. Had he been allowed to stand again for President, he'd probably have got it by a wider margin than George Bush Snr eventually managed.

Here, speaking to Larry King, is Reagan's own recollection of a day that shaped his life and the life of the western world.

Colin Firth Crowned King at the Oscars (and The King's Speech wins Best Picture Award!)

Well, who would believe it!

That low budget film that I blogged about looking forward to watching here before Christmas has only gone and won the Best Film Oscar in Hollywood!

Best Actor Colin Firth and Best Director Tom Hooper

In in spirited contest with its supposed main rival 'The Social Network', 'The King's Speech' won the big 4 Oscars ovenight. It won for Best Orginial Screenplay, Hooper won the coveted Best Director Award whilst Colin Firth as was widely expected walked off with the award for Best Actor. To crown a fantastic evening, it then won the biggest accoloade going - that for Best Picture which now puts him it alongside Schindler's List, Gandhi, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Godfather, The Sound of Music, Lawrence of Arabia, West Side Story, Ben-Hur, Casablanca and Gone with the Wind in the pantheon of Hollywood film greats.

It is a quite phenomenal achievement and the British sweep of the main awards on the evening was maintained by Christian Bale's victory in the Best Supporting Actor category in the film 'The Fighter'. Whilst 'The Social Network' only won 2 Oscars in the end, 'Inception' did match 'The King's Speech's haul of 4 statuettes but there's no question which film has taken the main plaudits.

I followed up my original blog post about my interest in the film from a historical perspective with additional posts here and here having watched the film and followed its success over recent weeks and I'm absolutely delighted to add to it with this final piece.

Well done to King Colin! A Royal Performance and Richly Rewarded for it!

BAFTAs Fit For A King - Next Stop Hollywood

Well, the plaudits keep coming.

King Colin

'The King's Speech' has followed up its Golden Globes success by winning 7 BAFTAs - the British Oscars.

The British film phenomenon swept the board by winning the Best Film and Best Picture awards as well as those for Best Actor for Colin Firth, Best Supporting Actor for Geoffrey Rush and Best Supporting Actress for Helena Bonham Carter.

It also won awards for Original Screenplay by David Seidler, Outstanding British Film and Best Score by French film composer Alexandre Desplat.

Next up is the main event, the Academy Awards on Sunday February 27th - in just 2 weeks time.

Queen Helena

Can Coilin Firth follow Helen Mirren by winning another Royal Oscar? Can The King's Speech go one better than 'The Queen' by walking away with the best picture award?

I mentioned here in my blog back in December of my excitement at what looked to be a great film. Never did I realise at the time just how well it would do, as I later blogged here and here.

Time will tell but in the meantine, this fantastic film is sweeping all before it.

Long Live The King!

Long Lives the Queen (6th February 1952 - Present)

I happened to fall upon the realisation earlier that today is the 59th anniversary of the death of King George VI in February 1952.

Interest in this under-stated monarch has been rejuvenated of late because of the success of the cinematic block-buster, 'The King's Speech' which I have gushingly written about here, here, and here.

I've always had an interest in the Royal Family - an interest that begat a more general fascination and love of history in the whole as I mentioned in my blog here.

A Second Elizabethan Age?

Today therefore sees the 59th anniversary of the accession to the throne of our current monarch, George VI's daughter, Elizabeth II.

Queen Victoria
(1837-1901)



King George III
(1760-1820)

Whatever the reader's individual's view of the monarchy may be, I hope that all can take a dispassionate view on what has been a rather incredible reign.

Elizabeth II is currently the 3rd longest reigning monarch in British history. She is now just 96 days short of eclipsing the then record set by George III, her great-great-great-great grandfather who passed away on January 29th 1820 after 59 years and 96 days on the throne. Elizabeth II will surpass this date on May 13th.

The only monarch of course to have reigned for more than 60 years is the current's great-great grandmother and grand-daughter to George III, Queen Victoria. She reigned for 63 years and 216 days when she passed away on January 22nd 1901. Elizabeth II, already Britain's oldest reigning monarch, would take the title of the country's longest reigning monarch on September 10th 2015. She would be 89 years of age at that time.

A World of Change
She has lived through a transformation in British society and in global relations, as did her great-great grandmother, these past 59 years. She has seen 11 Prime Minister's come and go and David Cameron is now her 12th.

Her reign has encompased the build and the fall of the Berlin Wall, the arrest and imprisonment, release from captivity, Presidency and retirement of Nelson Mandela and the sounds of Chuck Berry, Elvis, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Queen, ABBA, Dire Straits, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Blur, Oasis, the Spice Girls, Take That and all of this modern music from the past decade.

Family Strife

She has seen her family live a typical late 20th century lifestyle.

Her sister, her only daughter and two of her 3 sons have all married and divorced. Between them all, they have done much to bring the institution of monarchy  into disrepute. For which reason, its future can not be laid out before us easily. Will the public want King Charles III (or George VII as he'll probably be known) and his wife Camilla to lead us? Will they want a jump to another generation under King William V? What will happen to the dominions? Will Australia cut away and elect its own Head of State and will other countries from the former Empire follow?



Queen Elizabeth II
(1952-Present)

That is all for the future, but what can not be denied is that the current encumbant has gone about her life and duties over the past 59 years in a roubstly professional and respected manner. She has devoted her life to the public service of her country which she sees as being 'God's will' - a devotion that her uncle King Edward VIII was unwiling to commit and which led to his abdication and the accession to the throne of her father. If she has the constitution of her mother who passed away at the age of 101, then there's no reason why she can't go on to her 90th year and eclipse the mark of Victoria.

Whatever happens to her and to the future of the family line which she has endeavoured to resolutely uphold despite many personal family setbacks, one thing can be certain on this the 6th day of February - her father, now being made famous by Hollywood, would be proud of his daughter.

The King's Speech Sweeps the Oscars (Nominations)

The nominations for the 83rd Academy Award were announced earlier and Britain leads the way.

The King's Speech has 12 nominations, including those for Best Picture and for Colin Firth as Best Actor. Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush are also up in their Best Supporting Roles. I've seen the film and blogged a raving review here.

The 12 nominations earned are only 2 short of the all-time record of 14 held by All About Eve in 1950 and Titanic in 1997. 

The Western re-make True Grit is up for 10 Oscars, whilst The Social Network and Inception are up for 8 each.

Colin Firth will be favourite to win the Best Actor Award having won the Golden Globe last week though the competition for the Best Picture is fierce.

A Nod for Toy Story 3
I also noticed with great satisfaction that Toy Story 3 is also in the running for Best Picture. Never in the 83 year history of the Academy Awards has an animated film won the top prize but this is nevertheless only the 3rd time that one has even been nominated for it - the others were Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Up (2009).

I don't expect it to make history this year but it really is a technical masterpiece and it deserves to be comsidered with its real-life alternatives.

God Speed
But good luck to Colin Firth and co. Come February 27th, we'll hopefully have another Royal Oscar triumph to celebrate - following that of Helen Mirren as The Queen back in 2006.

'The King's Speech' - The Book Vs The Film (SPOILER WARNING!)

Well, I finally saw this film that I've been eagerly anticipating to watch since I read about it as blogged here.

The reviews from those who had seen it have all been fantastic so I knew I was letting myself in for a real treat.

So much so, that I couldn't resist buying 'The King's Speech' book when I happened to fall upon it in Aberystwyth's Waterstones last Thursday. It was written by Lionel Logue's grandson and gave an account of his life, including of course his time as Bertie's speech therapist. It was full of original source material from Lionel's extensive archive and so gave a fascinating insight into what was a truly unique relationship.

I only had 2 days to read the book before watching the film last night but it was worth it to give myself, as an historian, an accurate historical background to the blockbuster that I was about to watch.

The Film Vs The Book
The film didn't let me down and Colin Firth's performance in particular was superb. He is rightly being touted for a Best Actor Oscar for his performance and I hope he gets it.

The casting all round was excellent with Helena Bonham Carter playing a very convincing Queen Elizabeth. Michael Gambon looked and acted every inch the patriarchal George V whilst Guy Pearce at times looked so strikingly like his alter ego King Edward VIII that it was almost spooky. I've always liked Timothy Spall and he gave a Churchillian performance as the soon-to-be Prime Minister.

Ramona Marquez (better known from the BBC1 hit programme, Outnumbered), and Freya Wilson were adorable as the Princesses Margaret and Elizabeth whilst Derek Jacobi played a convincing Archbishop Cosmo Lang.

Fact or Fiction?
There were some historical anomalies in the film such is the way of film-making. Particularly was the fact that Bertie and Logue only met in 1934 in the film whereas they actually met back in the mid '20s after his shambolic performance at Wembley. It's also greatly unlikely that they had the 'spat' that was played out in the film during the abdication crisis. By the book's accounts, by 1936, they were already very close having had a 10 year association by that time. But by tightening the chronology, the film makers added extra drama and suspense to the plot as is their wont.

There were other minor historical issues such as Churchill's apparent criticism of Edward VIII at the climax to the abdication crisis when in fact he was one of his greatest supporters.

But there were some lovely true to form references such as George V's statement that David would ruin himself within a year and also the fact that Bertie delivered his speeches standing up instead of sitting down because that made him feel more comfortale. Also having done so the fact that he then went to have an obligatory photo of him sitting at his table to make it look as if he gave his speeches from his desk like his father did when in fact he didn't. By his side throughout as was the case in real life as illustrated in the book, was Logue (who would remain lifelong friends with Bertie until they died in 1953 and 1952 respectively).

The moments between Bertie and his children were particularly tender and lent themselves to the descriptions that were in the book of a loving father and a close family unit.

It would have been nice to have seen the film move on throughout the war years to 1945 and not just conclude in 1939 but then that's just me.

A Superb Muscial Score

So taking the pickyness out of it, the film itself is without a doubt a run-away success. What topped it off for me was the music score. That and the choice of classical music during the film was great. The choice of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik during Bertie's first session with Logue was an excellent choice. But the film came to a wonderful conclusion for me with Bertie's war-time speech in September 1939 with the haunting sound of the 2nd movement to Beethoven's 7th Symphony in the background. It has always been one of my favourite pieces of classical music and it was ideal for the moment. Bravo!

So go and see the film for a cinematic feast and read the book as well for the full historical context to what really was a fascinating relationship that changed one family's life and in doing so, played a significant contribution to the future of our country.

PS - For an Oscars update, please read by blog posts from January 25th here and February 28th here.

Margaret Thatcher Vs Diana Gould (Falklands War Revisited)

I was having a chat with Tom and Richard in Aberystwyth a few days ago and on discussing a myriad of topics, we fell upon the Falklands War - in the year of my birth.

I happened to mention how it was a controversial decision made in the midst of that war, the sinking of the Belgrano, that led to one of THE televisual duels of that decade.

One of the few times that I can recall seeing Margaret Thatcher really flustered on TV was not at loggerheads with a David Frost or a Robin Day, but with a housewsife by the name of Diana Gould on BBC TV's Nationwide.

I was surprised that neither had seen nor heard of this famous live altercation so I thought I'd blog it out there before I make my way to Cardiff this morning for a day of training as a reminder to myself and to show those who haven't seen it before, the power of the individual.

Diana Gould clearly caught Margaret Thatcher off-guard and her specific and persistant mentioning of the Belgrano being on a bearing of 280 degrees whilst off West Falkland and therefore heading away from the islands rattled the Prime Minister.



What I noted on watching this again was Thatcher's comment that all would be made clear in 30 years time. Of course, we are now 29 years on from the Falklands War and over the next few years it is to be hoped that the national archives will release some very interesting documents from this period.

Both Thatcher and Gould were born in 1925. As far as I'm aware, Gould like Thatcher, is still alive in her 86th year. If that is indeed the case, I hope that she will see some of this information to vindicate her forthright stance.

Because, after all, Thatcher never answered the question...

The King's Speech

I like a good film and I enjoy the whole cinematic experience - I have ever since I was a child.

Having said that, I don't go to the cinema half as much as I should. Mostly that's down to a lack of time as my work commitments take over but also because I often find there's little on that I want to watch.

I've always liked 'real-life' stories - particulary if they are actually based in reality. There are rarely that many about so I'm not often found chomping at the bit waiting to go to the cinema with excitement.

King George VI
Well, for once, I am. January 7th is the day when British cinemas shall be shown the dramatisation of a true and incredible story - that of King George VI and his battle to overcome a debilitating stammer.

'Bertie', as he was known to his family, was in this historian's opinion one of the most under-rated monarchs of modern British times. He only reigned for 15 years but in that time he led, alongside Churchill, his country through the ravages of war. He did so despite his condition and despite the fact that he had never expected to carry the mantle of Kingship. As Duke of York, he should never have had to have dealt with the pressure of being King but his brother's abdication (my father incidently was born during King Edward VIII's short reign of Jan-Dec 1936) to marry the divorced American love of his life shook the monarchy to its foundation and put on the throne a man who detested public speaking.

This film looks to explore and delve into these issues and it should be an absolute treat.

I found The Queen, starring Oscar Winning Helen Mirren to be absolutely absorbing and I have no doubt that her father's story will be the same. It is already being critically acclaimed and has been nominated for 7 Golden Globes. Colin Firth's acting in the lead role has been widely approved and with the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi and Timothy Spall in the line-up also, the production just oozes confidence and class.

Here is a snippet...



It seems to show signs of being another 'The Madness of King George' which excelled under the wonderful leadership of Nigel Hawthorne.

I can't wait!

Killer Corrie Quotes - The Greatest Hits

Such has been the popularity of my Corrie blog posts this past week (smashing a number of my blog records along the way), I thought I'd conclude what has been a dramatic and historic week on the Cobbles by putting my 10 Killer Corrie Quotes into one blog post in descending order, based on their popularity in terms of page profile views on this blog.

So here goes pop pickers...

In at Number 10...

"Mike Baldwin might be a smooth lecherous Cockney. But there's aren't many of the boss class left like him. Dedicated to grinding the faces of the working classes and laughing all the way to the bank. Now that's what I call job satisfaction" - Alec Gilroy

At Number 9...

"Natalie Barnes is that hard faced, if she fell on the pavement she'd crack a flag" - Vera Duckworth

At Number 8...
"I was really something when I was young. A different lad every night of the week, they queued up just to walk me 'ome from work. An' then the dance 'alls...'Ow I come to throw meself away on a nothin' like Arnold Tanner I'll never know. I could 'ave done anythin'. Got anywhere. I don't just mean fellers. I mean life generally. I was a fighter...I walked down this street last night in the pourin' rain an' cried...for a girl 'oo once 'ad guts, and hope...only she's dead now. I'm not sure just when it was she died" - Elsie Howard (nee Tanner)

At Number 7...
"You could meet Alf Roberts riding on a horse in the middle of the Sahara Desert and still know he's a grocer" - Audrey Potter (later Roberts)

At Number 6...
"It wasn't just the cobbles that got us here all together today. It was a feeling of tradition, of community and I'm proud of where I come from. I've lived here all my life. I've seen a lot of people come and go, a lot of changes, a lot dramas down this street. Like lots of other streets where people are living and trying to get together but it's just that I find that there's something a little bit special about this one and I know that you all feel the same. So I want you to raise your glasses with me and drink a toast, to Coronation Street" - Ken Barlow

At Number 5...

"Annie Walker'd attend her own funeral if God let 'er" - Albert Tatlock

At Number 4...
"I've always wanted to be stormy, passionate and tempestuous. But you can't be. Not when you're born with a tidy mind" - Emily Bishop

At Number 3...
"If my wife put her mind to it, she could find reasons why Mary and Joseph were unfit parents" - Don Brennan speaking about wife Ivy Brennan

Just missing out on top spot at Number 2 is...
"You know what your trouble is, Stan? You're lax - lax from the neck up and relax from the neck down" - Hilda Ogden to husband Stan Ogden

But top of the Killer Corrie Quotes at Number 1 is the original Corrie Battle-axe...

"There's some very peculiar people in this Street" - Ena Sharples

Thank you Coronation Street for an incredible week, but more importantly, for the past 50 years. Here's to the next 50.

Killer Corrie Quotes (No.10) - Ken Barlow

Well, what a week that was for the residents of Coronation Street!

It was a dramatic week on the Cobbles which began with the great tram crash on Monday. It culminated with the soap celebrating its 50th birthday on Thursday with a live 1 hour episode. We've seen the death of Ashley and of Molly whilst both Charlotte and Peter seem to be at death's door. Rita was pulled out of the debris of the Kabin although she is still in a critical condition. Fizz has given birth to a baby girl whilst Leanne made her wedding vows to Peter with what seemed to be his dying breaths.

To pay tribute to the world's longest current runnning soap, I've been blogging a quote a day from Corrie's past up until the big day and beyond.

During the week, I've quoted Coronation Street legends that include Albert Tatlock, Hilda Ogden, Elsie Tanner, Ena Sharples, Emily Bishop and Vera Duckworth to name but a few.

But it is only apt and fitting that I conclude with a quote from the legend that is Ken Barlow. He was there on that very first episode on December 9th 1960 and was there again this Thursday, December 9th 2010 at his son's hospital bedside - a world record for an on-going running soap character.

His quote comes from the conclusion to the corresponding live episode on Coronation Street's 40 anniversary back in December 2000.

He summed Coronation Street up in one simple, but wonderful moment. So, here is that final quote, quote No.10...

"It wasn't just the cobbles that got us here all together today. It was a feeling of tradition, of community and I'm proud of where I come from. I've lived here all my life. I've seen a lot of people come and go, a lot of changes, a lot dramas down this street. Like lots of other streets where people are living and trying to get together but it's just that I find that there's something a little bit special about this one and I know that you all feel the same. So I want you to raise your glasses with me and drink a toast, to Coronation Street" - Ken Barlow

Thank you Coronation Street for an incredible week, but more importantly, for the past 50 years. Here's to the next 50.

Killer Corrie Quotes (No.9) - Vera Duckworth on Natalie Barnes

Yesterday was Coronation Street's 50th anniversary. An incredible 1 hour long episode last night will be concluded this evening..

We're sen death, a marriage and a birth and there's more to come this evening.

To pay tribute to the world's longest current runnning soap, I'm blogging a quote a day from Corrie's past up until the big day.

Today, Vera Duckworth paints Rovers Return landlady Natalie Barnes as a hard-faced old so-and-so. Natalie of course sparked controversy when she split up the Cobbles' happiest couple - Kevin and Sally Webster in 1997.

Vera, as one half of the comic husband-and-wife double act with Jack, was always known to speak her mind and she didn't mince her words here either.

So, quote No.9...

"Natalie Barnes is that hard faced, if she fell on the pavement she'd crack a flag" - Vera Duckworth

Killer Corrie Quotes (No.8) - Elsie Tanner

It's a historic day for Coronation Street. Today is the 50th anniversary of what is a British institution.

We're in the middle of a dramatic week on the Cobbles of Coronation Street. On Monday we saw a great tram crash and since then, the frantic rescue operation has been underway.

It culminates with the soap celebrating its 50th birthday tonight with a live 1 hour episode.

To pay tribute to the world's longest current runnning soap, I'm blogging a quote a day from Corrie's past up until the big day.

Today's quote comes from Elsie Tanner - the siren of the street who was there on December 9th 1960. She had more sparring battles with battle-axe Ena Sharples than she had hot dinners (or men). She was the last ever-present female character from the first episode in the show by the time she herself left in January 1984.

This quote sums her up and how she saw her life in her latter years on the street.


So, quote No.8...

"I was really something when I was young. A different lad every night of the week, they queued up just to walk me 'ome from work. An' then the dance 'alls...'Ow I come to throw meself away on a nothin' like Arnold Tanner I'll never know. I could 'ave done anythin'. Got anywhere. I don't just mean fellers. I mean life generally. I was a fighter...I walked down this street last night in the pourin' rain an' cried...for a girl 'oo once 'ad guts, and hope...only she's dead now. I'm not sure just when it was she died" - Elsie Howard (nee Tanner)