Where did Wonderland come from? Alice and the Author.

You’ve fallen down a rabbit hole, only this time you’re not in a room full of doors, no, you’re on a rowing boat on your way to a picnic with you two sisters and two close friends. It’s July 4^th 1862 and you want Charles to tell you one of his strange whimsical story’s for the journey. You hear him talking of rabbit holes and white rabbits in waistcoats, doors, talking animals, a red queen with an enormous head, you hear him talk of Wonderland.

The story teller, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson better known as Lewis Carroll was close friends with the Liddell family. Dodgson was the eldest of eight siblings. The Liddell family became friends with him after their father was appointed church dean at the church were Charles worked as a mathematician. The Liddell’s had three daughters Edith, Lorina and Alice. The girls got on well with Dodgson as they liked the strange, exotic and engagingly whimsical stories that he told them. 

 

Wonderland came alive on July 4^th 1862, when the three girls, Dodgson and one of his friends Robert Duckworth set out on a rowing boat from Folly Bridge to Godstow to have a picnic. The three daughters wanted Charles to tell them one of his fascinating stories. Charles told them a tale of a girl named Alice who fell down a rabbit hole and found herself in a bizarre new world. The real Alice, Alice Liddell, was so taken with the story that she asked Charles to write it down for her, which, of course he did. Late he added a few more chapters and illustrations so the story, and named the tale Alice’s adventures underground. A friend of Dodgson, an author George McDonald read the story to his children and they were taken with the story to, he highly encouraged Charles to get the tale published. In 1865 Dodgson changed his name to Lewis Carroll and had his book published by Macmillan.

 

There are some rumours that Dodgson favoured Alice Liddell, and that there are connections with her and fantasy Alice. For example the poem through the looking glass every letter at the start of each line spells out Alice Liddell’s full name, Alice Pleasance Liddell. Also the two Alice’s are the same age although both Alice’s are the complete opposite, Alice Liddell has short dark hair were as fantasy Alice has long blonde hair and is short in size. Both Alice’s even had the same birthdays, May 4^th. Incidentally, it also seems that the character of the Red Queen in Through the Looking Glass owed something to the Liddell children’s alarming governess. Dodgson denied that he intended to portray Alice Liddell in this whimsical tale.

 

In 1963 the friendship between the Liddell’s and Dodgson broke down for unclear reasons, it might have been that Alice’s mother was uncomfortable with Alice’s and Dodgson friendship. A part of his diary that explains this was torn out by one of Dodgson’s descendants. After a few months polite relations were returned but none of the earlier warmth of the friendship. Dodgson died in 1898, he remained a bachelor until his death, and Dodgson revealed the nature of his feelings for Alice Liddell in his diary but poured ink over it a few days before he passed. Alice Liddell died at the age of 82 in 1934, Alice married Reginald Hargreaves who died in 1926, and Alice’s was so short of money that she sold the original manuscript of Alice’s adventures underground for £15,400. In her last years she said that she was “tired of being Alice in wonderland.”

 

In through the looking glass

 

A boat, beneath a sunny sky

Lingeringonward dreamily,

In an evening in July

 

Children three that nestle near

Eager eye and willing ear

Please a simple tale to hear,

Long had paled that sunny sky
Echoes fade and memories die

Autumn frosts have slain July

 

Still she haunts me, phantom wise
Alice moving under skies

Never seen by waking eyes

 

Children yet, the tale to hear
Eager eye and willing ear

Lovingly shall nestle near

 

In a wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the day goes by
Dreaming as the summers die

Ever drifting down the stream

Lingering in the golden gleam
Life, what is it but a dream?

Author: Sophie Johnson

 

The Boat that Rocked

Pirate Radio!

To many the idea of ‘pirate radio’ and broadcasting 60s pop music illegally to teens with wireless radios seems really interesting. But other than having watched ‘The Boat That Rocked’ and having a vague idea of what it could have been like, I really don’t know much about it. So, first of all I did a bit of research, my starting point being Radio Caroline.

 Radio Caroline was the first British pirate radio station and began broadcasting in 1964, just outside of British waters. The original Radio Caroline ship was formerly called the Fredericia and she broadcast until the 3rd March 1968. Yes, they broadcast from an actual boat. To most people that’s no surprise but I think it’s difficult to appreciate just how hard that must have been. Pirate Radio paints a really great picture in my imagination; there are people so passionate about music that they live out at sea and break the law. Radio Caroline and the people who broadcasted from the ship became a great symbol of the swinging sixties.

 ‘Another timeless day has begun on Radio Caroline South. Another 24 hours of brisk pop music and ruthless happiness.’ This is a quote I found from one of the DJ’s journals. When I came across it I realised it had what I felt was true importance. ‘Ruthless happiness’ was the part that really got me. It says that there will be happiness whether or not it feels right. They broadcast this to countless people who will hear the music and have their day changed by it. Hearing a good song in the morning can mean the difference between a bad day and a good day.

 Pirate radio was highly successful, offshore stations had an audience of around 24.5 million listeners. Travis Lee Davies, chief DJ at only 21 said ‘They like us because they recognise us as normal, human, fallible people like them and not remote, anonymous impersonal voices’ when he tried to explain a little about why Radio Caroline was so popular. The general sale of transistor radios meant that people could now listen on their own, away from the family radio. This meant that the teenagers could listen to Radio Caroline upstairs in their rooms without their parents knowing.

DJs spent two weeks on board and a week off. In theory this lifestyle sounds very appealing. You do your time slot and the rest of the time you can sleep or read or lounge around. It seems very relaxed and a friendly environment. However their lives onboard were set by schedules; it was very routine and even dull. You couldn’t leave; all you could do was shut yourself away. I can imagine it being a very unhealthy way to live. As well as dangerous, if somebody had an emergency the hospital would be too far away for them to get the treatment they may need in order to save their lives. Pirate radio shows paid no taxes and were essentially stealing from the everyday taxpayer, you would expect a symbol for sixties youth and change would be on the public’s side completely.

 I love the concept of pirate radio and I hope you do too. It makes me wish that there was a radio station that played alternative music, which had engaging hosts and no adverts. I will leave you with some 60s music so that you can reminisce about an age that you probably didn’t experience, I suggest ‘Elenore’ by The Turtles’ or ‘Dancing in the street’ by Martha Reeves and The Vandella.

 

Author – Rowan Thorp

 

Historical reality or Hollywood fantasy

Has anyone seen the bridge?

Braveheart is famously known to be riddled with several historical inaccuracies which lead me to question the impact that simplified and fictionalised History has upon its audience. The absence of the “Bridge” at the Battle of Stirling is an unmistakable error to which Gibson admits was done to make the battle more cinematically appealing. The Battle of Stirling was indeed a turning point for Scottish independence however the movie portrays their victory very differently. Wallace’s troops in fact waited for the English to cross the bridge and brutally murdered them one by one. In the movie however the Scots used man made spears to remove the English cavalry before following Wallace’s cunning and deceitful plan to eradicate the English archers from behind. Not only was the Battle of Stirling grossly inaccurate, Gibson also failed to portray the real happenings at the Battle of Falkirk. Although the movie rightly depicts it was in fact their first significant military disaster, it fails to illustrate how and why the Scots were defeated. The movie dramatically emphasises the betrayal of the nobles of Scotland and Robert the Bruce. This is exceedingly inaccurate as the nobles played very little part in this and Robert the Bruce was in fact very supportive of Wallace. The Scots were defeated due to the highly trained Welsh archers who had high-tech weaponry and therefore could shoot from a long distance.

Gibson falls in love with a 4 year old?

Another distinctive yet intentional error made by Gibson is the far-fetched romance between himself and Murron. In the movie William and Murron secretly married beneath a canopy of trees in the dead of night. Although there is no solid evidence that Murron did not exist, Gibson admitted to accentuating the romance between them for screening purposes. He didn’t want to portray Wallace as a mindless barbarian although this wasn’t far from the truth. Instead he wanted people to sympathise with Wallace and therefore he played on the idea he was hopelessly in love. Gibson used this as a motive for Wallace to fight claiming he was desperately trying to avenge his beloved wife who was wretchedly torn from him (she was killed by an English soldier after assaulting one). Furthermore, towards the end of the movie Wallace has an encounter with Isabelle of France. As the movie progresses the princess begins to inform Wallace and his troops of danger and soon enough she falls in love with him. However, at the time of Wallace’s military escapades Isabelle of France was merely four years old which picks a huge hole in Gibson’s plot.

Scott’s in skirts?

There are two major wardrobe related errors within the movie. The most well-known is the portrayal of the Scots wearing kilts in the 13^th century as they didn’t become a popular form of men’s wear until the 17^th century. Another inaccuracy is that English soldiers are seen to be wearing “uniforms” when in actuality soldiers in this era would wear anything they could get their hands on. Gibson will have done this for the audience’s convenience so it’s easy to distinguish the English from the Scottish throughout the duration of the movie. Not only was there wardrobe malfunctions but the Scottish no longer painted their faces during battle in the 13^th century. This originated from the Scottish tradition of painting their faces blue to scare away Roman’s from their lands. Gibson did this for cinematic purposes as the blue face paint is so iconic you couldn’t imagine Braveheart without it.

The wrong kind of torture

The last scene in the movie although is not inaccurate is noticeably tamed. It is understandable as realistically traitors endured the five stage punishment: a person was hanged, cut open to expose his intestines, castrated, chopped into pieces and finally beheaded. However in the movie Wallace is seen to be stretched and hanged before finally being beheaded. The film also fails to touch on how before the execution Wallace was stripped naked and dragged around by a rope tied to his ankle. The movie does on the other hand note that Wallace’s arms and legs were sent to the four corners of Britain and his head was set on London Bridge. This is historically accurate as King Edward did this as a warning to others.

The conclusion

Very few History films can be historically accurate throughout. You have to applaud Gibson on his remarkable attempt at recreating the events during this period. If you overlook the inaccuracies, the movie was visually stunning and the story was faultless. Although a student shouldn’t refer to a historical movie as a factual source they do indeed capture audiences and recreate a certain intrigue in history which occasionally gets lost beneath the increase of modern technology.

Author- Beth Manning

 

Penny for the Guy?

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
Gunpowder treason and plot.
We see no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!

The famous children’s nursery rhyme that echoes around primary school assemblies during this time of year! But putting all the firework safety lectures aside for a minute, Bonfire night actually proves to be an interesting time of year.

But just as a slight digression, a survey says that roughly one in fifteen people that buy fireworks will spend on average more than they would on a Christmas present for their partner… A bit odd don’t you think on a bunch of explosives? But if you’re like me then you will probably either head to the local firework hotspot (even if that is the back garden) to watch other people’s hard earned cash just blow up in a kaleidoscope of colour in the sky!

The words of “Remember Remember” refers to Guy Fawkes who as we all know on the 5^th November 1605, was caught with several dozen barrels of gunpowder in the cellars of Parliament, ready to blow it up! Unfortunately for Mr Fawkes he was found guilty of treason and hung, drawn and quartered. Still, ten for effort Guy!

The following year in 1606 it became an annual custom for the King (James I) to commission a sermon to commemorate Fawkes’ failure. An Act was also passed referred to as the “Observance of 5^th November Act” to legally enforce public acknowledgement. It makes sense as a bit of British History that the UK makes more of an effort on Bonfire night. We commemorate this event each year with fireworks and bonfires, culminating in burning an effigy (or “Guy”) of Guy Fawkes himself.

Although our celebrations on the 5^th November are associated with Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder plot, it has more ancient roots than most realise. The beginning of November marked the start of the Pagan year and the first day of winter. Bonfires were lit and torches carried in processions. Sacrifices of animals were also made as it was believed to drive away evil spirits.

The concept of fireworks can actually be dated back 2000 years. Chinese firecrackers were used to celebrate a wedding, christening, birth or any other religious festival. This is a custom that is still used today. Fireworks were used for centuries in ancient Indian and Siamese religious ceremonies. Some of the rockets were 8-10 feet long and were attached to bamboo canes which were 40 feet high! Fireworks were certainly used in Europe by the 14th Century they were probably brought back from the East by the Crusaders and used for entertainment.

Author – Fiona Gray

 

A bit of History… In Runcorn?

Yes that’s right folks! Runcorn has produced a little snippet of genuinely interesting history!  A 750 year old murder secret has been uncovered. A researcher at the University of Liverpool found that a 13^th century knight buried at Norton Priory was killed by a sword cut to his upper back.

The Knight is believed to have been Sir Geoffrey Dutton, son of a nobleman and born around 1170 AD.  From the evidence gathered from his remains, he was said to have been around 48 years old when he died, a surprising age for the time. A large majority of Knights would have died during battle or through illness and injury. The likelihood is Dutton spent the majority of his time protecting the fortified Motte and Bailey castle on the top of Halton hill built in the 1070s.

The Knight comes with his own story of murder. Instead of a more “honourable” death in battle, curators at Norton priory say that the knight may have been murdered by any number of individuals; from those he had disputes with, to burglars in the night. Medieval weapons expert and TV presenter Mike Loades said “It seems almost inconceivable that a wound of this nature could be caused to anyone wearing armour. The slice would have had to cut through the armour for the entire length of the wound.” Shirley Curtis-Summers Ph.D. said that the knight sustained a mortal wound that would have left him alive for several hours, yet unable to walk.

Dutton was found buried in the grounds of Norton Priory in a stone coffin with a lid bearing two carved shields that once would have represented his nobility; he took pride of place in the nave of the priory church. The skeleton is now on display in the priory museum.

Author – Fiona Gray

 

The Mystery of the Military Pigeon…

Skeleton of World War two carrier pigeon, discovered transporting a secret coded message, found in a chimney in Surrey!

 Recently, David Martin, 74, an inhabitant of Bletchingley, Surrey, was renovating his chimney within the comfort of his home, when suddenly he came across the skeleton of a veteran carrier pigeon, with a mysterious top secret coded message attached to its leg.

The bird had the cigarette-thin paper message, rolled up within a small red capsule, and was thought to have been carrying top secret war information back home to the UK from Nazi Germany, in which it was believed that the bird was making its way to Bletchley Park.

During the war, there was a mass squadron of birds –known as the “National Pigeon Service”, whose duties were to help pass information behind enemy lines, and it was due to this that they have been used as military messengers throughout history. This was specifically due to the way in which they are able to reach speeds of 80mph, cover distances of 700 miles, and are also extremely efficient navigators. These birds were deemed so precious to the war effort that they were even awarded with royal protection. This meant that anyone who was found to ‘wound or molest’ a bird during WWII faced as much as six months within prison, or a £100 fine.

However there was one thing about this particular bird which was special, the coded message which it was transporting, has not been recognised.

As Colin Hill, a volunteer for the Royal Pigeon Racing Association and the curator of Bletchley Park’s permanent ‘Pigeons at war’ exhibition states;

“We have more than 30 messages from WWII carrier pigeons in our exhibition, but not one is in code. The message Mr. Martin found must be highly top secret.”

“The Royal Pigeon Racing Association” believe the bird had either lost its route, got disorientated by the bad weather at the time, or just simply stopped off after being exhausted by the long trip over the channel.

All that is known at this present moment in time, is that code breakers at GCHQ in Cheltenham, are desperately trying to decipher  the message, to uncover what the secret message that cost this pigeon it’s life, could possibly be saying. As David Martin states
“Who knows; maybe it’ll tell us something really shocking like, god forbid, Churchill was actually working undercover for the Nazis!”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20164591 – BBC News report on the find.

Author – Samantha Filkins