The Supermarine Spitfire was a remarkable aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and Allied countries during World War II. R J Mitchell was its designer, and improved variants of the plane are still in use. Background and Development of the Supermarine Spitfire R J Mitchell took an interest in aircraft designing and learnt the trade during World War I. He observed early plane models and discovered their weaknesses. The key feature in his designs was pilot safety. Speed seconded this concern in all his models. R J Mitchell wanted…

The Glorious Revolution took place in Great Britain between the periods of 1688-1689. It refers to the overthrowing of King James II by the joint accession of his daughter Queen Mary II and her husband King William II of Orange-Nassau, the Dutch stadtholder of that time. He worked together with British parliamentarians who opposed the reigning monarch to bring about the Glorious Revolution. For their accession, William and Mary had to sign the 'Bill of Rights' which limited the power of the monarch to a certain degree, making England a…

'The Great Plague' or the 'Bubonic Plague' is an epidemic which spread throughout England between 1665-1666. Relatively less widespread and destructive than the 'Black Death' pandemic of 1350, the outbreak, nevertheless, resulted in the deaths of over 100,000 Englishmen, who made up 15% of the country's population. The Great Plague began in London, more precisely in St. Giles-in-the-Field, an overpopulated parish. During the 17th century, London city was surrounded by a 'city wall' which was built to keep out raiders in the past. Outside this wall, small suburbs were rapidly…

The spinning jenny is among the pioneer inventions of the Industrial Revolution. James Hargreaves invented it in the year 1770. Background and Development of the spinning jenny Britain was rapidly engaging in Industrialisation by the turn of the 19th century. Factories and machines replaced farmlands and mass production was required to satisfy increasing demands for products. The textile industry was equally affected by the changes of the period. A century ago, in 1733, a man by the name, John Kay produced an invention which had a marked impact on the…

Moral acceptances of the Victorian era (1837-1901) mainly derived from the honour that the British people had towards their Queen and her husband, Victoria and Prince Albert. However, French culture and dynasty influenced the Victorian morality especially after the ascendancy of the British monarchy by the defeat of the Puritan movement (1600-1700) led by Oliver Cromwell. In this period, shallow living standards prevailed in England for a while which caught the Restoration period as well. For example, the British considered Queen Victoria’s uncle George IV a playboy type character. The…

The combined wealth of the Rothschild family today is estimated to be worth well over a trillion dollars and is certainly the largest private fortune amassed in the annals of global history. It is interesting to trace who the Rothschilds are and how they were able to gather together such colossal wealth. Born in a Jewish ghetto in 1744, Mayer Amschel Rothschild lived in Frankfurt, Germany. He was still a young lad when he lost his father and had to take over the family business dealing in currency- exchange. It…

Outside the National Museums, the Hunterian Museum founded in 1807, is the oldest museum in Scotland which houses the largest collections recognised for its collection of national significance and is a leading university in the world. The founder of the Hunterian Museum was Dr William Hunter, born in 1718 at Long Calderwood, East Kilbride, the seventh child of a family of ten children, a pioneer in obstetrics and teacher. He had a passion for collecting and established his fortune and fame in London as a teacher of anatomy and as…

Take a step into Neolithic Britain at Avebury, Wiltshire. It is home to three stone circles comprising of over 100 large stones surrounded by a stone Henge placed around the Avebury village. The Henge is a great circular bank and surrounding it is a ditch which has four raised entrances. The inner stone circle comprises of upright stones. The two other circles within it also include a striking feature central to its circle. There is a stone avenue which follows a path to the 'Sanctuary' circle of stone on Overton…

Aphra Behn led a colourful life during the Restoration period. Hardly anyone knew for certain anything about the early life of Aphra Behn. Her early childhood is rather obscure. But, the established fact is, that she was born in England. Her father was thought to be a barber and her mother, a wet nurse who lived in Kent. Here is a woman first to identify herself as a writer. And among other matters, her reputation was considered as being a scarlet woman. Aphra Behn lived and worked in a man’s…

Airport Stansted in London (IATA: STN, ICAO: EGSS), an international airport which is becoming popular in Europe in recent years, is the fourth busiest airport in the United Kingdom. Travellers can reserve tickets to 170 destinations from Airport Stansted, including the Mediterranean, European and African countries. A majority of these tours and flights are offered by low-cost airlines in Europe. The Airport Stansted runway is also open to private companies such as 'Harrods Aviation'. The 'Manchester Airports Group' owns, maintains and operates the Stansted Airport along with three more within…

Find yourself turning up the heating experiencing sensitivity to cold? Don’t fancy going out of the house on those winter mornings? With the dropping temperatures of autumn heralding the colder climes in winter, many a British family is divided by one important argument. Should we turn up the thermostat? While it is a financial issue for some, many will admit that Sensitivity to cold is the leading cause of this dilemma. For some, turning up the heating is symbolic of the changing of the seasons, many being reluctant to part…

The Highway Code is a set of rules and legal requirements applicable to all drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians and even horse riders in the United Kingdom. The code is mandatory and essential reading for every road user in the country. Violations and contradictions of the Highway Code result in fines, penalty points, disqualification and in the case of serious infractions even incarceration. The Highway Code consists of over 300 numbered rules and around nine annexes. The code also specifies information on Road Signs and Markings, Road Safety and Vehicle Markings.…