Friederike Victoria “Joy” Adamson was a passionate, temperamental and controversial woman. Although she married three times and was an infamous seducer, she never experienced happiness with any of her husbands or lovers. She won international renown with her African wildlife books, especially the trilogy describing how, together with her last husband, George Adamson, she raised […]

Serendipity is a remarkable phenomenon which describes a most beneficial outcome achieved purely by chance. We will see that a significant number of scientific discoveries throughout history have been made by mistake; such that the intended result failed but the unintended consequence was so dramatic and useful to society that the researcher was then awarded […]

This is a brief insight to a life on the ocean waves from an Engineer Cadet to Chief Engineer. During this time the world was changing from conventional cargo ships to container ships. Life on board ships in the 60’s and 70’s that I experienced was full of excitement, danger, romance, discipline, old fashioned attitudes […]

In the late 15 th Century, the Spanish Catholic Monarchs, Isabel and Ferdinand, used their children to create a complex web of alliances mainly to curtail the power of France.Two of their daughters, Catalina and Juana, became Queens, but neither got to rule for long as they weredeceived by the powerful male members of their […]

Learn how Juan Garcia a chicken farmer from Barcelona: A fascinating true story not to be missed!

Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun exerted her considerable charm to become the friend, and then official portraitist, of Marie Antoinette. Though profitable, this role made her a public and controversial figure, and in 1789 it precipitated her exile. In a Europe torn by strife and revolution, she nevertheless managed to thrive as an independent, self-supporting artist, […]

What are the stories behind some of the famous products?  Birds Custard and Royal Baking Powder were both invented because Alfred Bird’s wife was allergic to yeast and eggs.  “Marriage is a lot more harmonious when one’s wife can satisfy her sweet tooth”!!!  Why is there no sugar or flavouring in cornflakes?  What was plasticine […]