Tag: Rome

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Notes from bygone years – September after September after September.
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

September 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

From time to time we visit Donna’s brother Paul and his wife Ness in Weston-super-Mare, and their two Labradors (pictured). They are sisters, but they have different temperaments, just like people. On this visit, Paul and Ness were heading off for a holiday so Donna and I looked after the dogs for the week.

One of our favourite walks is to take the dogs to the beach for exercise and then to Stones Cafe, a seafront place where we like the breakfasts, so we get a treat before walking home. If we just take Maizi, she gets a dog sausage as well, but fatty foods are a problem for Marple.

JHM: I wrote articles on ‘Dad’s diaries‘; and on ‘Detail or big picture?‘. World events: A large earthquake struck western Morocco; and the world’s oldest wooden structure (¾ million years old) was discovered in Zambia.

< Aug 2023 – Oct 2023 >

September 2022 (2 years before publishing)

We finished our family holiday in the Pennines, and drove home on 2nd September. And the very next day we set out again to drive to the village of Llantisilio in Pembrokeshire for a week with Paul, Ness, Isobel and the dogs.

It was during our stay that we heard about the death of the Queen and the accession of Charles III.

One day we drove to Tenby to look around and visit the indoor market, and we unexpectedly bumped into some friends that we’d made a few years ago in Cirencester, who have since moved to Yorkshire. And here they were in Tenby!

World events: The G7 Imposed a price cap on Russian oil exports; and  Liz Truss was appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

< Aug 2022 – Oct 2022 >

September 2019 (5 years before)

The fencing around our back garden was finished, and we were very pleased with it.

I was working on some decorating in Tony and Isobel’s new house, next door but one to ours; having them living close would make it far easier for Donna to help her Mum cope as Tony deteriorated (he had Parkinson’s). A local builder made some alterations for them, including bricking up an unwanted door.

JHM: I wrote an index for articles on my family’s old business. World events: In the UK, Thomas Cook went bankrupt; and in the USA an impeachment inquiry began against President Donald Trump

< Aug 2019 – Oct 2019 >

September 2014 (10 years)

Donna started her teacher training at the college in Stewartby; and at a Small Group meeting in St Neots she read out Ezekiel 47 and asked, ‘How deep are we prepared to go?’ This led to some good discussion. She was also helping with the Food Bank at this time.

I was meeting with my friends Matt, Kev, John, and Mo, we’d been reading the Bible together and trying to follow Jesus better. Meanwhile, the BBC reported the grim news that Islamic State had beheaded a British aid worker in Iraq.

We visited York to see Debbie, Beth and their families, Sara was six this month.

World events: ISIS attacked the border town of Kobani; and Scotland voted against independence.

< Aug 2014 – Oct 2014 >

September 2009 (15 years)

I flew to the USA for the House2House Conference in Dallas over the weekend of 2nd-6th. From there I flew to West Palm Beach to stay with Steph and Earl, then on to Boston on 14th to join up with Donna for a holiday, returning home via Gatwick on 26th.

World events:  WikiLeaks exposed internal banking documents in the Icelandic Financial Crisis; and powerful earthquakes struck Samoa and Sumatra.

< Aug 2009 – Oct 2009 >

September 2004 (20 years)

We drove down to the RHS Garden at Wisley and spent a good part of the day there exploring. There’s a lot to see! Donna managed to get this picture of me while we were there.

We’d been invited to a party in St Neots in the evening, but we still had enough time to look around quite thoroughly before driving home and getting ready for the evening event.

JHM: I posted meeting notes on Touch and seasons. World events: Chechen rebels took 1,128 people hostage; and West Sulawesi became the 33rd province of Indonesia.

< Aug 2004 – Oct 2004 >

September 1999 (25 years)

We had a house-warming barbecue on 12th at our new home in St Neots, with a mix of guests from Unilever, Open Door Church and some neighbours.

On 17th we set off for a holiday in Sorrento. The photo shows the remains of a bakery in Pompeii, the grey devices are flour mills and you can see a brick-built oven in the background. Pompeii and Herculaneum were both amazing to see.

World events: An earthquake left 50 000 homeless in Athens; and Kiribati, Nauru and Tonga joined the United Nations.

< Aug 1999 – Oct 1999 >

September 1994 (30 years)

During surgery to remove Judy’s colon tumour, metastases were found in her liver. She was offered a course of chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil) but although this was likely to give her a few more years, it would not be a cure.

This was a shock to the whole family, I have few photos, documents, or notes for the year following Judy’s surgery.

World events: Britain lifted the Northern Irish broadcasting ban on Sinn Féin and paramilitaries; and the Taliban movement was founded in Kandahar, Afghanistan..

< Aug 1994 – Oct 1994 >

September 1989 (35 years)

Due to lack of rainfall and a hot summer, the water levels in Chew Valley Lake fell to the lowest we could remember. The photo shows a road crossing the River Chew over a stone-built bridge, all of which would normally be under water.

World events: An IRA bomb exploded at the Royal Marine School of Music in Deal, killing 11 people; and Hurricane Hugo devastated the Caribbean and the southeastern USA.

< Aug 1989 – Oct 1989 >

September 1984 (40 years)

It’s always fun to do something unusual. Here are Debbie and Beth eating outside in the sunshine, it was lunchtime judging by the direction of the shadows.

There are fully grown apples on the tree beyond the table, but unpicked so presumably not quite ripe at the time of the photo.

World events:  Space Shuttle Discovery landed after its maiden voyage ; and Joe Kittinger became the first person to cross the Atlantic solo, in a hot air balloon.

< Aug 1984 – Oct 1984 >

September 1979 (45 years)

Debbie was 4½ and Beth just over 16 months.

At this time we were busy with faith meetings of various kinds. Our band, Fountain, played and Judy spoke at Pill Baptist Church around 16th, and on 21st Colin Urquhart spoke at Portishead URC where I recorded his address in support of the coming Good News Crusade.

World events: Pioneer 11 became the first spacecraft to fly past Saturn ; and Two families escaped from East Germany by balloon.

< Aug 1979 – Oct 1979 >

September 1974 (50 years)

We visited Blenheim Palace, possibly with Judy’s Mum and Dad. It was a fine, early autumn day with a blue sky and strong sunshine.

Judy was pregnant at the time, we had no way of knowing whether to expect a boy or a girl (no ultrasound scans in those days), but in the event it would turn out to be Debbie. A highly satisfactory outcome!

World events: A bomb exploded on TWA Flight 841 killing 88; and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia was deposed.

< Aug 1974 – Oct 1974 >

September 1969 (55 years)

Judy’s 21st birthday was 10th September and we were all invited to Cheltenham for her party. I think this was at 18 Hales Close, and Judy’s brother Frank must have taken the photo. We were both about to head back to University for our final year, me to Bath and Judy to Aberystwyth.

World events: Colonel Muammar Gaddafi seized power in Libya;  and China carried out an underground nuclear bomb test.

< Aug 1969 – Oct 1969>

September 1964 (60 years)

Our Irish holiday continued into the beginning of September. This is the River Bann at Toome Bridge just north of Lough Neagh. Granda was a water bailiff on the Lough, protecting the eel fishery from poaching. The boat he took us out in is the one in the bottom-right corner.

World events: The Forth Road Bridge opened in Scotland; and the Beatles refused to play to a segregated audience in Florida.

< Aug 1964 – Oct 1964>

September 1959 (65 years)

After my Grandpa’s death and the funeral, Granny (Nor) went to Kent for a holiday in the area where she grew up, and visited places she remembered and was fond of. Perhaps she had friends or family to visit as well, I don’t know. What I do know is that this card had a long strip of conceretina-folded photos with other views that you could pull out. However, this has not survived.

World events:  Luna 2 became the first human-made object to crash on the Moon; and the Xerox 914, the first plain paper copier was introduced.

< Aug 1959 – Oct 1959>

September 1954 (70 years)

We were on holiday at Muddiford, near Christchurch 0n the south coast of Hampshire. I was six at this time and Cindy was three, and Dad decided to send a postcard to Ireland on our behalf. His message on the back seems a bit cheeky, though, recommending Muddiford over Portrush! I wonder what Granny-in-Ireland thought about that? (view the card)

World events: The magnitude 6.7 Chlef earthquake struck northern Algeria; and the novel Lord of the Flies was published.

< Aug 1954 – Sep 1954>

September 1949 (75 years)

It was Mum and Dad’s second wedding anniversary at the end of September, and I was 14 months old. I was likely becoming more confident at both walking and talking. Possibly I’d have been doing unhelpful things as well, like trying to climb the stairs! Keeping a young child safe gets harder as they try new things.

World events:  The Federal Republic of Germany was founded; and the pound sterling was devalued from $4.03 to $2.80.

< Aug 1949 – Oct 1949>

September 1944 (80 years)

Dad’s Uncle Herbert died (he’d been ill for some time). Dad continued working with radar at the Ballinderry RAF site, and visiting Coagh to spend time with his new friend Lilias. And on 6th September Dad reported hearing ‘awe inspiring drumming’ in Coagh.

By the end of the month Lilias was feeling she was falling in love with Dad, but in his diary he wrote that this was ‘a pity’. I’m glad he changed his mind later!

World events:  II: In Operation Market Garden airborne landings began in the Netherlands and Germany; and the first V-2 rocket was used to attack London.

< Aug 1944 – Oct 1944>

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Notes from bygone years – Julys duly described
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

July 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

We decided to take the plunge and install solar panels on our roof. We had a long wait as demand was high, but the installers arrived in July and after a few days work we were delighted to have the system reducing our electricity bills to almost nothing. Of course, we knew it would be different in the winter months, but with a 10 kWh battery included, we found we could get right through the night on our own stored energy in the summer.

I was also experimenting with a reduced eating window, having breakfast around 11:00. I’ve tried restricted eating before, but this time I’m following evidence-based suggestions from Zoe (see also the Zoe website) .

JHM: I posted the first article on our North Coast 500 trip; and an early version of Blast from the past. – World events: New Zealand signed a free trade agreement with the EU; and the films Barbie and Oppenheimer opened.

< Jun 2023 – Aug 2023 >

July 2022 (2 years before publishing)

I was doing Monday walks most weeks with my friend Stephen. We met at one of CBC’s Small Groups here in Stratton, and we got on really well together. Among other interests, Stephen played saxophone in the ‘JJ Band’. We shared similar views on many things and both had backgrounds in computing.

Stephen lived in the town so I’d usually walk down to meet him, we’d enjoy a walk in the park, and often buy coffees from the van or sometimes in town. I always looked forward to my Monday walks.

JHM: The conservative government seemed to be sinking. – World events: The James Webb Space Telescope‘s first operational image was released; and severe heatwaves began in Europe.

< Jun 2022 – Aug 2022 >

July 2019 (5 years before)

This was a busy month, I walked several sections of the old Thames and Severn Canal (something I’ve been doing again in 2024), we were regularly arranging the chairs at CBC on Fridays, and two people I knew died, Bob Morris and then Michael Sleggs.

Donna’s Dad was getting weaker and his Parkinson’s symptoms were worsening, so her Mum was needing more help than before and we travelled to Poole to help out more often.

World events: Japan resumed commercial whaling; and Boris Johnson became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

< Jun 2019 – Aug 2019 >

July 2014 (10 years)

We were living in St Neots, this is a view of the River Great Ouse flowing through the town centre, an easy walk from our house in Eaton Ford. Donna was looking for a school placement for her teaching, I was meeting with a group of friends in coffee shops, hanging out, doing Bible study here and there, hopefully helping people grow and thrive. I was also meeting at home with friends from various local churches.

World events: Israel attacked the Gaza Strip; and a Malaysia Airlines flight was shot down over Ukraine by a missile.

< Jun 2014 – Aug 2014 >

July 2009 (15 years)

I went to a house church conference and was astonished to bump into my friend Jim Russell there. He’d always thought my views on church were not right, yet here he was! We had some great conversation and he took my photo while I took his. I had no idea that this would be the last time I’d see him.

JHM: I posted on how church has been unfaithful. – World events: There was a memorial service for Michael Jackson; and Iceland’s parliament decided to attempt to join he EU.

< Jun 2009 – Aug 2009 >

July 2004 (20 years)

Donna took part in the Bedford Race for Life organised by Cancer Research UK, along with her friends Gayna and Claire, pictured here wearing their medals. There was a big turn out, along with large numbers of pink-themed balloons and so forth.

World events:  Cassini–Huygens arrived at Saturn; and  Russia stopped accepting Soviet passports for ID.

< Jun 2004 – Aug 2004 >

July 1999 (25 years)

We were living in Donna’s cottage near Kimbolton and had decided it was much too small for us both. We’d been looking for somewhere larger and the image shows a survey document for the house in St Neots that we eventually bought.

World events: Europol became fully occupational; and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched.

< Jun 1999 – Aug 1999 >

July 1994 (30 years)

We visited Mum and Dad in Cirencester on my birthday. As usual we enjoyed spending time with my parents. The photo shows my nephew Tom, my Mum, Beth and Judy chatting together in the back garden. Rachael, Dan, Rosie and Tom were here the same day so it was good to see them too.

World events: Jeff Bezos founded Amazon; and fragments of Comet Shoemaker–Levy collided with Jupiter.

< Jun 1994 – Aug 1994 >

July 1989 (35 years)

Debbie flew to Bordeaux on her French exchange trip (her exchange partner, Anne, had come to stay with us in March). We saw her through check-in and then waited with her on the tarmac, waving goodbye as she walked out to board the plane.

It seemed very strange to drive back home again without her.

World events: The world’s first high definition TV broadcasts began in Japan; the Tiananmen Square protests took place in Beijing; and the wreck of the Bismarck was found 600 miles from the French coast.

< Jun 1989 – Aug 1989 >

July 1984 (40 years)

We had a summer holiday travelling through Wales from south to north, staying at bed and breakfast places (gwely a brecwast). A few days before we set out, there was a fairly large earthquake, and in Bethesda our landlady was anxious as aftershocks were still continuing. The photo shows Debbie and Beth at the top of Snowdon with a train waiting at the summit station.

World events: Cirque du Soleil was founded in Canada; and  Virgin Atlantic made its inaugural flight.

< Jun 1984 – Aug 1984 >

July 1979 (45 years)

This was a short note on a combined staining method for plum reproductive tissues, to aid microscopical studies of the fertilisation process. It wasn’t published as a scientific paper as far as I recall, but was part of a poster presentation at a conference. I hoped other people would try it on different kinds of plant material so that together we could get a much broader view of its usefulness. I don’t think anything came of it in the end, but it’s important to try – that’s part of how science works.

World events: The Sony Walkman first went on sale in Japan; and NASA’s Skylab space station re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere.

< Jun 1979 – Aug 1979 >

July 1974 (50 years)

Judy must have become pregnant about this time, but we didn’t know that until a little later, of course.

The Severn Bridge was only eight-years-old, and it still seemed amazing that we could drive to Wales instead of queuing for the old Aust Ferry or driving all the way to Gloucester. And there was no thought of a second crossing, of course! I took this photo, but forgot to adjust the focus (no auto-focus in those days).

World events: Turkey invaded Cyprus; and Australia changed all road signs from miles to km and from mph to kph.

< Jun 1974 – Aug 1974 >

July 1969 (55 years)

I was lodging at Archgrove House in Long Ashton along with other students working at the Research Station that summer. Judy sent me the postcard from York (pictured) where she was on holiday with her parents and brother Frank. You won’t believe what her Dad said about York Minster!

World events: John Fairfax was the first person to row solo across an ocean (the Atlantic);  and Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the Moon (we watched this live at Archgrove House).

< Jun 1969 – Aug 1969>

July 1964 (60 years)

Dad drove out to the gravel pits near South Cerney. Some of these were still being used to extract gravel, but some had been worked out and were used by anglers, for swimming, and for water-skiing which we’d never seen before. I took two cameras with me, my old Kodak Starmite loaded with 127 colour transparency film, and my new Kodak Retinette loaded with 35 mm black and white. This photo shows Dad using his camera and my sisters Rachael, Ruth and Cindy.

World events: Malawi became independent of the UK; and NASA’s  Ranger 7 send back the first close-up images of the Moon.

< Jun 1964 – Aug 1964>

July 1959 (65 years)

I thought you might like to see this birthday letter from my Grandpa. He had emphysema, and died on 22nd August, my 11+ results came in before that and he knew that I had passed. Granny had decided that a sleeping bag would be a useful present as I was off to Cub Camp soon after my birthday and would then move up to the Scouts.

World events:  A 49th star (for Alaska) was briefly added to the US flag; and the first Australopithecus skull was discovered in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.

< Jun 1959 – Aug 1959>

July 1954 (70 years)

This is a postcard from my Mum to her family back in Northern Ireland. She writes about Cindy and me suffering from chicken pox. I had it before Cindy, so it’s likely I gave it to her (sorry, Cindy). Read the card.

World events: Food rationing ended in the UK; and Tolkien’s ‘The Fellowship of the Ring‘ was published.

< Jun 1954 – Aug 1954>

July 1949 (75 years)

My very first birthday came at the end of the month, a special day, no doubt, with doting parents and grandparents. I must have had other birthday cards, but this one from Watermoor Church is the only survivor. That’s interesting in itself; Mum would have kept them all for a while, but this one seemed more important, perhaps because of Mum and Dad’s strong faith.

On the back of the card is written, ‘Christopher James Jefferies, 37 Victoria Road, baptised October 24^th 1948′.

World events:  The UK’s NHS began working; and the 1948 Summer Olympics started in London.

< Jun 1949 – Aug 1949>

July 1944 (80 years)

Dad, along with his friend Joe, travelled by lorry, train and bus to Yatesbury where radar training began for them and many others. Dad liked this posting, writing, ‘Radar people seem a good lot’. He was able to hitch home in two or three hours to see the family in Cirencester, sometimes Joe came along too. By the end of the month Dad and others were using radar equipment to plot movements of real aircraft (‘pukka kites’). The photo shows an old aircraft hanger at Yatesbury in 2014.

< Jun 1944 – Aug 1944>

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Notes from bygone years – Sing along to some crazy Junes
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

June 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

Donna and I had a Scottish holiday; we flew to Inverness Airport and took a hire car anticlockwise around the North Coast 500. It was an amazing journey! The photo is of Dunrobin Castle in Sutherland early on the road trip. We saw many interesting features in the towns and villages, the countryside, geology, and coastline. Definitely a holiday to remember.

JHM: I began writing up the trip and may complete this series one day; and I introduced Yara and Konstantin to my readers. – World events: Russia caused massive flooding in Ukraine; and the submersible, Titan, imploded at depth.

< May 2023 – July 2023 >

June 2022 (2 years before publishing)

We walked a section of the Cotswold Way with Donna’s brother Paul and his wife Vanessa.

This view is from a point near the old ‘Air Balloon‘ pub, now demolished to make way for road improvements. The view is north-west towards Gloucester; Crickley Hill is on the right and peeping up beyond it is Churchdown Hill. Coopers Hill rises from the horizon on the left of the image. Hazy in the far distance are the Malverns and Wales beyond.

World events: There was a G7 summit in Germany to discuss events in Ukraine; and a NATO summit was held in Madrid.

< May 2022 – Jul 2022 >

June 2019 (5 years before)

Vanessa was running in an event from Sharpness to Gloucester along the old ship canal. Paul, Donna and I made the same trip by car, stopping to watch her pass at several points along the way. After completing her run she joined us in the old docks area, now being redeveloped and including the Gloucester Quays shopping centre.

World events: US President Trump made a state visit to the UK; and Hong Kong suspended an extradition law during protests.

< May 2019 – Jul 2019 >

June 2014 (10 years)

It was Aidan’s eighth birthday in June and he had an animal themed birthday with everyone able to hold and interact with many different creatures. The photo shows Meredith getting all wound up about a snake! Ten years ago all our grandchildren enjoyed themed birthday parties; and my word, didn’t we have some amazing themes!

JHM: I wrote about faith, hope and love in prayer. – World events: Islamic State declared itself to be a caliphate; and Felipe VI became King of Spain.

< May 2014 – Jul 2014 >

June 2009 (15 years)

We met our newest grandchild for the first time (that’s the one on the right in the photo). Verity was only a few days old, and it was lovely to see her already holding a philosophical conversation with her Dad. But seriously – new life is such a precious and wonderful gift.

JHM: I wrote about FriendFeed, later sadly bought and killed by Facebook; and protests in the streets in Tehran. – World events: Analog TV closed down in the USA; and Michael Jackson died.

< May 2009 – Jul 2009 >

June 2004 (20 years)

We travelled to Cornwall with Mum and Dad and spent a lovely week staying in Mevagissey. Here we are inside the Mediterranean dome at the Eden Project. We also enjoyed the Lost Gardens of Heligan; Barbara Hepworth’s house and garden; and, not least, the lovely fishing village of Mevagissey itself.

World events: There was a transit of Venus; and SpaceShipOne became the first privately funded spacecraft to carry crew into space.

< May 2004 – Jul 2004 >

June 1999 (25 years)

I bought my first electronic camera with 640 x 480 resolution, ie 0.3 megapixels! We had a week’s holiday in Scotland with our friends Rob and Jean, staying in a log cabin between Fort William and Loch Ness. The photo (taken on my new camera) shows Rob, Jean and Donna in Leakey’s, an Inverness second-hand bookshop.

World events: Napster was created to share music online;  NATO stopped air strikes when Slobodan Milošević agreed to remove his forces from Kosovo.

< May 1999 – Jul 1999 >

June 1994 (30 years)

Beth had bought a small kite when we went to the Bristol Kite Festival in Ashton Park, and here she’s flying it on a windy day in the field at the bottom of our garden in Stowey Road, Yatton. The field was a lovely thing to have, we and all our neighbours shared it and it became a place to relax, a sort of unofficial reserve at the end of the garden.

World events: The film, ‘The Lion King‘ was released by Disney; the last Russian troops left Germany; and MS-DOS was no longer supported by Microsoft.

< May 1994 – Jul 1994 >

June 1989 (35 years)

Dad sold us his old car, a Volkswagon, and we drove to Cirencester in Jumbo to collect it. Here, Judy is about to travel home in Jumbo, and I followed shortly afterwards in the VW with Debbie and Beth. A little later we sold our old Marina for not very much; it had served us well, but was now near the end of its life.

World events: The world’s first high definition TV broadcasts began in Japan; the Tiananmen Square protests took place in Beijing; and the wreck of the Bismarck was found 600 miles from the French coast.

< May 1989 – Jul 1989 >

June 1984 (40 years)

It was about this time that we waved goodbye to Computer Tutor and the Clever Clogs range of software. I wrote some simple educational games for the Sinclair Spectrum, just for my daughters to use; and brother-in-law, Peter, developed the concept as a viable business and extended the range considerably. By this time Peter had sold the business to Argus Press Software, and none of us remained involved.

World events: Cirque du Soleil was founded in Canada; and  Virgin Atlantic made its inaugural flight.

< May 1984 – Jul 1984 >

June 1979 (45 years)

I was working on fruit pollination full time by now, having transferred to the Pomology and Plant Breeding Section at Long Ashton Research Station. I had a particular interest in temperature effects on pollen tube growth. By June I would be starting to study the samples I’d collected earlier in the season. The squiggly, yellow lines in the picture are pollen tubes.

World events: A black-led government took over from Ian Smith in ‘Zimbabwe Rhodesia‘, now Zimbabwe; and the first direct elections to the European Parliament took place.

< May 1979 – Jul 1979 >

June 1974 (50 years)

Judy’s parents and her brother, Frank, had a chance to visit the Falconry Centre at Newent in Gloucestershire. She took my camera with her and grabbed this lovely portrait during the trip. I needed to be at work that day so couldn’t join them. Work? Day out? No brainer, really, but it just wasn’t going to happen, sadly.

World events: A bomb exploded in Westminster Hall; and Isabel Perón was sworn in as the first female President of Argentina.

< May 1974 – Jul 1974 >

June 1969 (55 years)

I was working on the final sandwich section of my Bath University Horticulture course. I’d been assigned to Long Ashton Research Station (LARS) near Bristol and worked for Eddie Catlow and Martin on the experimental farm team. This placement had the advantage that Judy and I were be able to meet up at weekends.

World events: There was a serious collision between an Australian aircraft carrier and a US destroyer;  and Judy Garland died in her London home.

< May 1969 – Jul 1969>

June 1964 (60 years)

I was taking my O-level exams at Cirencester Grammar School. The photo shows a page from one of my exercise books (not related to an exam). ‘The happiest days of your life’, people told me. But I found exams a real trial, suffering with intense hay fever made far worse by everyone wanting the windows wide open because of hot weather.

World events: Greece rejected direct talks with Turkey over Cyprus; and Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment in South Africa.

< May 1964 – Jul 1964>

June 1959 (65 years)

This month brought Rachael’s 2nd birthday, Ruth’s 3rd, Dad’s 33rd and Grandpa’s 80th, I was still 10 in June, nearly 11. We were living at Queen Anne’s Road in Cirencester, the photo shows me, Rachael, Cindy and Ruth playing in and around the blow up paddling pool in the back garden. Summers seemed to go on forever in those days!

World events:  The USS George Washington was launched as the first submarine to carry ballistic missiles; and Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower opened the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

< May 1959 – Jul 1959>

June 1954 (70 years)

In June I was enjoying the start of the long summer school holiday. I was still five-years-old (nearly six) so this was my first school summer holiday. I probably felt very grown up to think that when I went back in September I would be in the second year. Meanwhile I had time to play inside or out in the garden.

The image is a slate sculpture of Alan Turing at Bletchley Park.

World events: Alan Turing committed suicide (he was 41); and UEFA was formed in Switzerland.

< May 1954 – Jul 1954>

June 1949 (75 years)

Dad had his 23rd birthday in June, but of course I was not yet storing long term memories so I don’t remember it. But at nearly eleven months I’m sure I joined in the fun and certainly would have appreciated cake if there was one! It’s likely I was able to stand if I had something to hold on to, and I might have been able to say a few words, but any notes Mum and Dad might have made have been lost.

World events:  A rhesus monkey, Albert II, was the first primate in space but died on return due to parachute failure; and the first TV Western, Hopalong Cassidy, aired in the USA.

< May 1949 – Jun 1949>

June 1944 (80 years)

Dad noted in his diary on his birthday (4th June) that the city of Rome had been taken. And on the 6th he wrote:

‘D. Day!! At last the second front has started. Was transferred to C. shed. Was on guard at 2 Site all night and spent pleasant evening in guard room. Listened to Montgomery and King on radio. Wrote to Phillip and Ronald. Letter from Nor.’

(Nor was his mother, and later my Granny).

At the end of the month he heard unofficially that he was to be posted to Yatesbury (a centre dedicated to radar training).

< May 1944 – Jul 1944>

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Notes from bygone years – May all your Mays be amazing
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

May 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

We took Donna’s Mum, Isobel, for a weekend break at a Warners hotel; the one we visited is Holme Lacy, not far from Hereford. Donna thought Isobel would enjoy this place, and she was right. In the evening there were tribute bands singing songs that were popular in the 50s and 60s, so music that is still popular amongst the older generation these days. The outside areas are attractive too as you can see from the photo.

JHM: I wrote about the expansion of excavations at Pompeii. – World events: – The WHO downgraded COVID from being a global health emergency to just a pandemic; Charles III and Camilla were crowned at Westminster Abbey.

< Apr 2023 – June 2023 >

May 2022 (2 years before publishing)

I had a suspected cold but needed to be sure it wasn’t COVID as I was planning to be with a group of friends, but as you can see the result was negative.

I don’t think any of us wants to go through another pandemic! It was very disruptive in so many ways.

World events: The Eurovision Song Contest was won by Ukraine; and the Event Horizon Telescope revealed Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole.

< Apr 2022 – Jun 2022 >

May 2019 (5 years before)

Choosing a day with beautiful sunshine, we visited Hidcote Gardens and then Charlcote Park (pictured). The ingenuity, design and construction that went into gardens and houses like these is astounding. But they depended on the work of large numbers of people much less fortunate than the people who lived in them.

World events: An inter-governmental report found more than a million species were at risk of extinction; and Theresa May announced her resignation as Conservative leader.

< Apr 2019 – Jun 2019 >

May 2014 (10 years)

New Frontiers were holding their annual gathering at the  National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh and I felt I should take my friends Kev and John to one of the sessions. They’d shown real interest in Jesus and we’d been reading through parts of the Bible in a local coffee shop in St Neots. The photo shows them listening to news about church planting in Pakistan.

JHM: I posted about something unexpected that happened at Stoneleigh. – World events: The ‘Luhansk People’s Republic‘ declared independence from Ukraine; and Narendra Modi became the 14th prime minister of India.

< Apr 2014 – Jun 2014 >

May 2009 (15 years)

River Church in St Neots had a day out at Grafham Water on 25th May. Here’s Jim’s giant Jenga being put to good use. Everyone had a great time, but Jim’s Jenga tower is nowhere near the largest. Try this one for size!

JHM: I wrote about the internet; and about a meeting where freedom was the main thing. – World events: The Hubble Space Telescope was serviced by Atlantis; and the Sri Lankan Civil War ended afer 25 years of fighting.

< Apr 2009 – Jun 2009 >

May 2004 (20 years)

Ken and Gayna are good friends of ours. Ken and Donna were both working and I was working a four day week at that time, so Gayna and I visited Ely Cathedral which she’d never seen before. The photo shows the lantern, an astonishing design and structure for medieval times.

JHM: One of our meetings focused on love and kindness. – World events: The European Union expanded, adding ten further states; and the First Battle of Fallujah ended.

< Apr 2004 – Jun 2004 >

May 1999 (25 years)

On 1st May we visited Donna’s parents. Her Dad had a hot air balloon flight for two as a birthday present and this was the day he chose for the ascent, inviting me to join him. In the photo, I’m on the left and Tony’s on the right. It was an amazing experience!

World events: A tornado in Oklahoma involved record-breaking winds of over 300 mph; at the Hague, Slobodan Milošević and four others were indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

< Apr 1999 – Jun 1999 >

May 1994 (30 years)

I replied to a mailing list message about SUPER.EXE, an MS-DOS utility for getting temporary admin rights on a Novell Netware server. It saved logging out and in again (twice) or, even worse, going to the locked server room to perform the same task from there.

World events: F1 world champion, Ayrton Senna died in a crash; the Channel Tunnel opened between England and France; and Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president.

< Apr 1994 – Jun 1994 >

May 1989 (35 years)

We visited Cirencester and my Mum and Dad took us to North Meadow at Cricklade to look at the snake’s head fritillaries growing wild there. After that we drove up the Stow Road to see orchids and pasqueflowers. It was quite the botanical field trip!

World events: The Soviet Union issued its first Visa card; Hungary dismantled barbed wire fencing along its border with Austria; and the last golden toad (now extinct) was seen in Costa Rica.

< Apr 1989 – Jun 1989 >

May 1984 (40 years)

My daughter Beth loved hamsters, so when she was six I wrote a Sinclair Spectrum text adventure for her, starring a hamster. If you use a Spectrum emulator you can still load and run this game. I suggest the Fuse emulator (free). Once installed, here’s the Hamster! download.

World events: The Severomorsk Disaster was an enormous explosion at the Soviet Severomorsk Naval Base; and a gas explosion in Lancashire killed 16 people.

< Apr 1984 – Jun 1984 >

May 1979 (45 years)

We travelled to a Post Green meeting at Lytchett Minster near Poole with our friends Paul and Jenny as we had no car at this time. Tony and Faith also drove down. This was an eye-opening experience for all six of us, we learned so much about community, making music, and the gifts of the Spirit. We camped in a borrowed tent and our one-year-old, Beth, slept in a cardboard box. Beth’s first birthday came in May as well, Debbie was already four, our family was growing up!

World events: Margaret Thatcher became the UK’s first woman prime minister; and Greenland was granted limited autonomy from Denmark.

< Apr 1979 – Jun 1979 >

May 1974 (50 years)

I was still doing a little work on willow growth rates for Ken Stott, the Willows officer at LARS, but Ken had been providing help to the Pomology Group and I was working more and more on that. I’d had a promotion to Higher Scientific Officer (HSO) and was eager to spend more time on microscopy and pollination.

World events: The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) exploded four car bombs in counties Dublin and Monaghan, killing 33 and injuring 300; and India successfully detonated its first nuclear weapon. 

< Apr 1974 – Jun 1974 >

May 1969 (55 years)

As Bath University Horticulture students, we visited commercial sites from time to time see horticulture in action and ask questions of the managers and staff. The photo shows one of these visits in May 1969. Peter Thoday, one of our lecturers at the time and later a TV personality, is at the back on the right.

World events: An American teenager died of a baffling medical condition, later identified as HIV/AIDS;  Apollo 10‘s lunar module flew two astronauts to within 16 km of the Moon‘s surface.

< Apr 1969 – Jun 1969>

May 1964 (60 years)

Here’s my sister, Ruth, busy with coloured chalks and a little slate. The floor covering is linoleum, bought by my grandparents for the house, now relegated to the garden. In the background is my old scooter from the mid 1950s. Ruth is on the loggia, a covered area in the garden with three open sides.

World events: The first BASIC computer program was run; and large student protests against the Vietnam War began in US cities.

< Apr 1964 – Jun 1964>

May 1959 (65 years)

May probably brought school half-term, Spring Bank Holiday was 18th, the Eleven Plus exams loomed, and probably came in June; it was strange to realise that at the end of term, my days at Junior School would be over! Uncertainty lay ahead but I don’t remember feeling anxious, nor indeed excited.

World events:  North Vietnam implemented plans to invade South Vietnam; and a  Jupiter AM-18 rocket launched two monkeys into space from Cape Canaveral, returning them safely to Earth.

< Apr 1959 – Jun 1959>

May 1954 (70 years)

I had a letter from my older cousin, Jill. At this time she was staying in a hostel in Deptford, London. She had watched the Royal Yacht Britannia returning home with the Queen and Prince Philip on board. The ship was brand new at the time and she wanted to describe the event for me. Click the image to read an extract.

World events: Roger Bannister ran a mile in less than four minutes; and Diane Leather became the first woman to run a mile in less than five minutes.

< Apr 1954 – Jun 1954>

May 1949 (75 years)

Approaching ten months old, I might have started imitating sounds. I’d have been fairly mobile and no doubt making a nuisance of myself by crawling. Perhaps I had a favourite toy by this time too. We were still living with my grandparents, though Mum and Dad were hoping to move to a home of their own soon.

World events:  Britain’s EDSAC, the first practicable stored-program computer, ran its first program; and the Federal Republic of Germany was established.

< Apr 1949 – Jun 1949>

May 1944 (80 years)

In May, Dad had several firsts during basic training for the RAF. He threw a live hand grenade, went through a gas chamber and removed his mask inside, fired a Sten gun, and suffered a carbuncle on his neck that required a stay in Sick Quarters. On 25th May Dad was moved, with 12 others, to an RAF station at Wilmslow in Cheshire.

World events: In the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol, Soviet troops finally drove out all German forces; and on 15th Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton, Bernard Montgomery and other leaders met for the final D-Day joint briefing.

< Apr 1944 – Jun 1944>

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Notes from bygone years – Aprils springing up everywhere
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

April 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

Donna and I spent a week in Weston-super-Mare while her brother and sister-in-law were on holiday walking on Dartmoor. We stayed in their flat and combined looking after their two, black Labradors (Marple and Maizi) with an enjoyable week away ourselves.

The photo shows Maizi holding a stick while watching another one on the beach, clearly hoping I’ll pick it up and throw it; she is ultra-focused on this possibility! They’re senior dogs now, when Maizi was young it would have been a much larger stick!

JHM: I wrote ‘More on groundbreaking‘ about Jesus and his authority. – World events: – Finland joined NATO; and SpaceX launched its Starship rocket for the first time.

< Mar 2023 – May 2023 >

April 2022 (2 years before publishing)

I’ve always enjoyed walking, and I also like taking photos. On April 26th 2022 I walked along the field margins from Stratton to the polo grounds outside Cirencester Park, then down through woodland paths into town. The wild garlic was in full flower in the woods so I took a photo of it, growing here amongst sparse stinging nettle. The flowers look like snow from a distance, but close up they are exquisite.

World events: The IPCC released its sixth assessment warning of serious impacts from a warming climate; Ukraine sank the cruiser, Moskva.

< Mar 2022 – May 2022 >

April 2019 (5 years before)

We visited London for two days, here we’re visiting a tropical jungle at the very top of one of the city’s tallest buildings, the ‘Walkie-Talkie’ building at 20 Fenchurch Street. It’s really strange to visit a hilly area with mature trees on the top three floors of a 38-storey building!

JHM: I wrote about spiritual melody. – World events: A black hole was imaged for the first time; and Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris was seriously damaged by fire.

< Mar 2019 – May 2019 >

April 2014 (10 years)

On 16th Donna and I visited Burwash Manor, near Cambridge, where there were a number of small shops and businesses to explore as well as a place for coffee and refreshments. We very much enjoyed looking around and had lunch while we were there.

JHM: I posted about suffering in its various forms. – World events: The ‘Donetsk People’s Republic‘ declared independence from Ukraine; and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe stripped Russia of its voting rights.

< Mar 2014 – May 2014 >

April 2009 (15 years)

Donna’s birthday is in April, and in 2009 she was forty-years-old. She had a party with family, friends, work colleagues from Unilever at Colworth, and Open Door Church members all present. As you can see in the photo (click to enlarge it), the cake was a Noah’s Ark and was really beautifully and elaborately iced. There was an evening meal and dance at a nearby village hall.

JHM: I posted an article on Wolfram Alpha, this fascinating website is still available – World events: Albania and Croatia joined NATO; and UNESCO launched the World Digital Library.

< Mar 2009 – May 2009 >

April 2004 (20 years)

We flew to Cyprus for a holiday at a hotel in Paphos. Cyprus is a fascinating place in so many ways: archaeology, landscape, biology, society – there was a lot to see. The photo shows ‘The Tombs of the Kings‘ near Paphos. It’ not a built structure, but cut out of the solid rock.

JHM: We had some thoughts about being in the King’s presence. – World events: A referendum failed to reunite Cyprus.

< Mar 2004 – May 2004 >

April 1999 (25 years)

We were living in Tilbrook, Bedfordshire, and had a visit from friends on 5th April, Jacob is playing with a woodpecker toy. My job at Unilever was extended for a second year, good news as it gave me access to the company’s superannuation scheme.

World events: An Inuit homeland, Nunavut, was created; and the Columbine High School Massacre shocked the world.

< Mar 1999 – May 1999 >

April 1994 (30 years)

Around this time, Judy was having slightly odd bowel symptoms and arranged an appointment with her GP who listened, examined her, but found nothing wrong and suggested there was no cause for anxiety and it might sort itself out . We were living in Stowey Road, Yatton.

World events: The Rwandan genocide began in Kigali; and Finland decided to join the European Union.

< Mar 1994 – May 1994 >

April 1989 (35 years)

We discovered a field mouse in the house, cowering in a corner. We caught it by putting food in a tall bucket and building a way for it to climb up the outside of the bucket. The mouse jumped in during the night but couldn’t jump out again. Debbie and Beth released it in a field; in the photo it’s about to jump to freedom.

World events: Margaret Thatcher‘s government introduced the Community Charge in Scotland; the Hillsborough Disaster killed 94 in Sheffield; and the world’s smallest mobile phone was introduced.

< Mar 1989 – May 1989 >

April 1984 (40 years)

My sister, Ruth, and her husband, Martin, are coming up to their ruby wedding, they were married in April 1984. Congratulations Ruth and Martin!

This is Ivy Church at Ampney St Mary where the wedding took place.

World events: An Indian Air Force pilot, Rakesh Sharma, flew on Soyuz; and an X-class solar flare erupted.

< Mar 1984 – May 1984 >

April 1979 (45 years)

This is a draft for the opening of John Jefferies & Sons new Forum Garden Centre in Cirencester. As you can see, it was to be a grand event with Lord and Lady Bathurst taking a leading role in the opening. There was a barbecue, several talks and films, and the Town Crier would announce it in the Market Place.

World events: Iran became an Islamic Republic; and the La Soufrière volcano erupted in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

< Mar 1979 – May 1979 >

April 1974 (50 years)

I was busy working at Long Ashton Research Station (LARS) with experiments on temperature effects of plum pollen tube growth rate. I used growth cabinets at a range of temperatures and plum flowers supported in wet florist’s foam. After some microscope work, the data had to be fitted to mathematical growth models (for which I collaborated with a statistician).

World events: The brand new county of Avon came into existence; and ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest.

< Mar 1974 – May 1974 >

April 1969 (55 years)

I was at Bath University in my third year of their four-year Horticulture degree course. Judy visited Cambridge on a biochemistry trip. Dad went to Fairford Airfield and filmed Concorde on an early test flight. The image is a still frame from his 8 mm movie camera.

World events: Concorde arrived at Fairford for testing; Richard Nixon was sworn in as President of the United States.

< Mar 1969 – May 1969>

April 1964 (60 years)

I was in the 5th year at Cirencester Grammar School. Here’s a photo I took of my sister Cindy in Girl Guides uniform outside the family home in Victoria Road. It was always a happy home, Mum and Dad were great parents and we had opportunities to do so many interesting things.

World events: Sentences were passed in the Great Train Robbery trial; and BBC Two television began broadcasting.

< Mar 1964 – May 1964>

April 1959 (65 years)

I was now in my final term at Junior school (Querns School), the photo is from 2023, but it looks much as it did in 1959. We were spending some of our time practising the sorts of logical problems we’d meet in the 11+ exam and pupils who passed would go to Cirencester Grammar School. About one in three would typically succeed, and although Mum and Dad didn’t make a big deal of it, I think they knew I was marginal and could go either way.

World events: NASA selected it’s first potential astronauts; and the Saint Lawrence Seaway opened, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.

< Mar 1959 – May 1959>

April 1954 (70 years)

The Easter holidays meant that Querns School was closed and I could revert to spending the entire time playing at home or with local friends from Queen Anne’s Road where we lived. Linda next door was probably 6 and I was in the last few months of being 5. Our parents were friends too, so we spent a lot of time in and out of one another’s homes and gardens.
The photo shows a building on the corner of London Road and Beeches Road. Both directions were good for the walk home.

World events: Toscanini had a memory lapse during a concert and retired from conducting; Bill Haley & His Comets recorded ‘Rock Around the Clock‘.

< Mar 1954 – May1954>

April 1949 (75 years)

I was nine months old at the end of the month, and was probably able to pick items up and transfer them from one hand to the other. I might also have looked for objects that had been moved out of sight. I’m glad to report that I can still do those things 75 years later!

World events: NATO was created, originally with 12 members; and  Rodgers and Hammerstein‘s South Pacific opened on Broadway.

< Mar 1949 – May 1949>

April 1944 (80 years)

Dad was now in Skegness (Skeggie) for basic RAF training. This involved marching and parade practice, rifle shooting and bayonet work, fieldcraft, watching training films, aircraft recognition and more. Sometimes there were fatigues to be done, in the cookhouse, for example.

There was also time off when they could visit the town, play football, write letters and generally do whatever they wanted. One highlight was an inspection by an Air Chief Marshal.

World events: The US Air Force accidentally bombed a Swiss city; and a large scale D-Day practice on Slapton Sands was attacked by German U-boats.

< Mar 1944 – May 1944>

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Notes from bygone years – Marching on and on
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

March 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

We visited Bristol for the day on 18th March 1973; it’s only 44 miles from our home in Cirencester. For several years I lived in this fine city, and then for many more years just a few miles to the west. I know the place pretty well and I’ve seen it change with the passing decades. This photo contains many of the places I love: the cathedral, the university, the floating harbour created long ago by damming the River Avon with a lock for entry and exit around times of high tide.

We visited the covered St Nicholas Market where we ate a light Indian lunch, and viewed a gallery of award winning wildlife photos at the M shed. After coffee and cake at a local cafe it was time to drive home. A lovely day to remember.

JHM: I wrote two articles about ChatGPT. – World events: – GPT-4 was launched by OpenAI.

< Feb 2023 – Apr 2023 >

March 2022 (2 years before publishing)

Members of the family met to plant a Siddington Russet apple tree on the site of Siddington Nursery.

When I was young this was a working ornamental and fruit tree nursery, part of the family business run by my grandfather with my father, three uncles, and a cousin. It included a shop in Cirencester and later, a garden centre in the town centre and another at Kingsmeadow on the southern outskirts (now a Tesco Extra). There were a number of nurseries, including Siddington; however, it was a declining business and was wound up in the 1980s.

World events: The UN deplored Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and called for the immediate withdrawal of its forces; and Shackleton’s ship Endurance was discovered in the Antarctic;

< Feb 2022 – Apr 2022 >

March 2019 (5 years before)

This old cedar tree was here when I was a child, a feature of Cirencester’s West Market Place. It must have been here when my father was a child too. Usually I just walk past, but on this March day I stopped to take the tree’s portrait.

World events: An uncrewed SpaceX Crew Dragon test flight docked with the International Space Station; and all Boeing 737 Max aircraft were grounded.

< Feb 2019 – Apr 2019 >

March 2014 (10 years)

We were living in St Neots at this time, the photo is of boats in the centre of town, near the River Great Ouse and an easy walk from our home. The short canal in the photo served the industrial part of the town and follows the course of Hen Brook, a small tributary of the Great Ouse.

JHM: I posted an interview with the author of ‘The Black Swan Effect’. – World events: Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared without trace.

< Feb 2014 – Apr 2014 >

March 2009 (15 years)

In March 2009 I visited friends in Yatton, North Somerset, where I had lived for several decades with my first wife, Judy, and our two daughters. I took this photo of our first house; the weeping birch had grown enormously since I last saw it!

JHM: I wrote a short note about a meeting; – World events: NASA’s Kepler mission was launched to search for planets orbiting other stars.

< Feb 2009 – Apr 2009 >

March 2004 (20 years)

Always apply the handbrake when parking your car. This was the scene in the Unilever car park at work one day in March 2004! Somebody left their car with the handbrake off, and the slight slope had been enough to cause a very big problem later. Whoops!

JHM: I explained how trees figured in a meeting. – World events: Seven European nations were admitted to NATO.

< Feb 2004 – Apr 2004 >

March 1999 (25 years)

To celebrate our first wedding anniversary, Donna and I visited Rome in March. What a fascinating place! We explored many historic sites – the Vatican, the remains of the Roman Forum, the Roman senate, the temple to all the gods (the Pantheon), but most amazing for me was the Colosseum. The photo shows people entering the building.

World events: Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic joined NATO.

< Feb 1999 – Apr 1999 >

March 1994 (30 years)

The Gloucestershire Regiment (Glorious Glosters) was disbanded in March 1994, here they are parading through Cirencester in a still frame from a video taken by my Dad. Their final parade was in the city of Gloucester, just three days later.

World events: China made its first connection to the internet; Schindler’s List won seven Oscars; and the Linux kernel v 1.0.0 was released.

< Feb 1994 – Apr 1994 >

March 1989 (35 years)

We visited the SS Great Britain in Bristol with Debbie’s French Exchange student, Anne. Here are Beth, Anne and Debbie on the old ship. The Bristol/Bordeaux exchange has been running a long time. Judy remembered doing the exchange and now one of her daughters was taking part too.

World events: Tim Berners-Lee wrote a proposal for the World Wide Web; and there was a serious rail crash in Purley.

< Feb 1989 – Apr 1989 >

March 1984 (40 years)

This was the month that my friend, Tony Everest, died. It was such a tragedy; Tony felt he was a failure. A carpenter by trade, he had lost his job and was unable to find a new one; in particular he felt he had let down his wife and children. He left a message asking me to take his funeral, and although I did that willingly, I was very glad to have the help of some other mutual friends in the planning and on the day.

World events: A year-long coal miner’s strike began in the UK; and Iran accused Iraq of using chemical weapons.

< Feb 1984 – Apr 1984 >

March 1979 (45 years)

John Jefferies & Son was redeveloping their small Forum Garden Centre in the area between Tower Street and The Avenue. The site is now Minerva Court, an area of 1980s housing. A number of old, brick and timber greenhouses were demolished and replaced by a single, large aluminium glasshouse for the indoor display area. Debbie had her fourth birthday this month.

World events: NASA’s Voyager 1 probe showed that Jupiter has rings; and Philips demonstrated the first CD audio disc (marketed from 1982).

< Feb 1979 – Apr 1979 >

March 1974 (50 years)

I believe this is a photo of Bristol from the top of Dundry Hill, though I can’t be completely sure. We were living in the city and used to enjoy the drive out to Dundry from time to time. We were saving to buy our first house at a time of rapid inflation, a difficult situation.

World events: The Terracotta Army was discovered in China; and Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese WW2 soldier, surrendered in The Philippines.

< Feb 1974 – Apr 1974 >

March 1969 (55 years)

During March I was in my third year at Bath University while Judy was in her second year at Aberystwyth. Exams were only a few months away for both of us, though it’s fair to say Judy was working far harder than I was.

Judy was planning for a biochemistry trip to Cambridge in April and was carefully considering the finances for it (see image). About £15.60 for four days covered accomodation, meals, and travel from Aber to Cambridge and back!

World events: Concorde‘s first test flight took off at Toulouse; and John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married.

< Feb 1969 – Apr 1969>

March 1964 (60 years)

I was in the 5th year at Cirencester Grammar School, and during the Easter holiday some of us went to Paris on a school trip for a week. I took this photo on the platform at Swindon Station waiting for our train to London. I think we might have caught our first train at Cirencester Town Station to change at Kemble. The Cirencester branch closed the following year.

World events: A huge earthquake struck Anchorage in Alaska; Jerrie Mock started a solo flight around the world, becoming the first woman to do so.

< Feb 1964 – Mar 1964>

March 1959 (65 years)

The end of the spring term fell in March, I had just one final term and the eleven plus exam to go and that would be the end of my time at junior school. I think that made me feel rather grown up and I began wondering how my new life would be at secondary school.

World events: Archbishop Makarios returned to Cyprus from exile; NASA’s lunar probe Pioneer 4 became the first American object to escape Earth orbit; the Barbie doll was released in the USA; and Hawaii became a US state.

< Feb 1959 – Apr 1959>

March 1954 (70 years)

My second term at Querns School continued right through March as Easter wasn’t until mid-April. By this time I was probably getting quite good at copying letters and short, simple words as well as counting small pictures of animals and objects and writing down the correct number. We also got to colour in these little pictures so it seemed quite good fun.

World events: The USA announced that a hydrogen bomb had been tested on Bikini Atoll in the Pacific; the Soviet Union recognised the sovereignty of East Germany.

< Feb 1954 – Apr 1954>

March 1949 (75 years)

I was eight months old at the end of March, perhaps beginning to crawl around and confident at sitting. Mum, Dad and I shared a bedroom upstairs in my grandparents home at 37 Victoria Road in Cirencester. I must have been carried up and down the stairs in that house a number of times every day.

World events: 92 000 Baltic States citizens were deported internally in the USSR; and Newfoundland became part of Canada.

< Feb 1949 – Apr 1949>

March 1944 (80 years)

Dad registered again for military service (just to be sure) and received his calling up papers three months earlier than expected.

Also in March, as a member of the Air Training Corps (ATC) he was lucky enough to be invited on a cross-country flight in an Airspeed Oxford with two Frenchmen. Taking off from South Cerney, they flew over Chippenham, Thame, Droitwich, Malvern, Monmouth, and Stroud, landing again at South Cerney.

World events: In the UK, a prohibition against teaching by married women was lifted; Mount Vesuvius erupted; and the Tetra Pak was invented in Sweden.

< Feb 1944 – Apr 1944>

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