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Showing posts from May, 2020

Roger Fenton, Britain's First War Photographer

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Photographic Van & Marcus Marcus Sparling // RCIN 2500439 Royal Collection Trust / ©  The Crimean War (1853-1856) was the first war to be documented by a photographer, capturing the reality of the Victorian war zone and allowing the public to witness the front line for the very first time. The Crimean War saw Britain, France and the Ottoman Empire come head to head the Russian Empire in an attempt to curtail Russian expansion into Ottoman Territory and towards India, Britain's 'Jewel in the Crown'. British photographer, Roger Fenton travelled to the front line in a shabby horse-drawn van come darkroom to capture the first ever images of war but did they always depict the truth? Roger Fenton Self Portrait February 1852 / Gilman Collection, Purchase, Harriette and Noel Levine Gift, 2005 Roger Fenton, Lancashire Lad & Professional Photographer Fenton was born and raised in Rochdale, Lancashire and started his adult career as a painter before purs

A Step Back in Time - Cromwell Heritage Precinct

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Throughout history we hear of towns and villages being destroyed for dams and with it losing hundreds of years of history. What if we could do this whilst also saving historic buildings and heritage sites? That's exactly what has been done in Cromwell, New Zealand. This store was opened in 1878 by Sherwood and Wright and by 1885 it was trading as Sherwood & Co Wine, Spirit and Provision Merchants. In 1888 it was trading as Robert Henry & Co, followed in 1895 by owner William T Talboys. By 1925, when William Jelley purchased the business, it was known as London House but the date of the name change is unknown. A Short History of Cromwell  The town that is known today as Cromwell was formerly known simply as 'The Junction'. It was renamed in 1863 after the 17th Century English leader, Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell is a former gold rush town in the heart of Central Otago on New Zealand's South Island. Gold mining by individuals led the way to larger dredgin

Spotlight On: Mariya Oktyabrskaya & the Fighting Girlfriend

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Welcome to the first instalment of my new 'Spotlight On' series where each post will look at the incredible life of a different historical figure. From the famous to the unknown, the subject of each post will range in notoriety. "Mariya Oktyabrskaya" in H. Sakaida,  Heroines of the Soviet Union 1941-45  (Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003) First up is Mariya Oktyabrskaya. Mariya was born in 1905 in the Crimean region of the Ukraine. She was one of ten children in a peasant family and was considered a serf. As a result of her peasant status in life, she welcomed the October Revolution in 1917 and the subsequent Communist regime that followed. It was under Communism that Maria was able to free herself from serfdom and gain an education and a job,firstly in a cannery and later as a telephone operator. Key Word: serf -  an agricultural labourer bound by the feudal system who was tied to working on his lord's estate . In 1925, she married Ilya Oktyabrskay

The Red Cross & The Spanish Civil War

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Dr Marcel Junod, ICRC coordinator in Spain, distributing aid to prisoners in Salamanca. © ICRC / hist-02224-18a It's Red Cross Week! The International Committee of the Red Cross was founded in 1863 and was inspired by Swiss businessman, Henry Dunant. Dunant had fought in the Battle of Solferino in 1859 and became very concerned about the men on both sides of the conflict who were suffering and dying due to lack of care. He proposed creating national societies comprised of volunteers who would train during peacetime and be deployed during international conflict to assist on both sides to relieve suffering caused by war. the International Committee of the Red Cross was established in 1863 as a result. Dunant also made the proposition of an international agreement recognising the status of medical care and of the wounded on the battle field. This agreement was the original Geneva Convention and was drawn up in 1864. The Civil War broke out in July 1936 following a failed c