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This England Summer 2012 Issue Now Available…

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:18:06 +0100

The Summer 2012 issue of This England is now on sale, and as the front cover of the magazine illustrates the Diamond Jubilee takes centre stage with a colourful six-page article celebrating the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The forthcoming Olympic Games couldn’t be ignored, but rather than getting caught up in all the hype surrounding 2012, we look back to 1948 and the last time the Olympics were held in London. Readers share their entertaining memories of the “Austerity Games”, and we catch up with 87-year-old Bill Nankeville who competed in the 1500 metres final on a puddled, pot-holed cinder track! Other highlights include:

‘Faithful Unto Death’ – The tragic story of Titanic bandsman John Wesley Woodward, whose courage and sacrifice are still remembered 100 years after the great maritime disaster.
Literary Landscapes of England – From the West Country to the Lake District, following in the footsteps of romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
MGB’s Motoring Milestone – A 50th anniversary celebration of one of Britain’s favourite and most successful sports cars.
Yorkshire’s Black Gold – A visit to Whitby to uncover the fascinating story of the town’s highly prized jet jewellery.
Songs of The Spinners – We recall the musical quartet who, for 20 years, were Britain’s most popular folk group, and find out what they are doing today.
Exploring England’s Coastline – A journey through Northumberland, picturesque county of Bede, the Tyne Bridge and Craster Kippers.
A Taste of England – Sampling the delights of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.

Preview our new Summer issue of This England today.

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This England Spring 2012 Issue Now Available…

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:55:56 +0000

The Spring 2012 issue of This England is now on sale: with any luck a herald of finer, milder weather. There is certainly a great deal in the magazine to provide warmth and cheer, with inspiring tributes to several great men, articles exploring different parts of the country, and details of intriguing customs and exciting forthcoming events. Highlights include:

Dickens of London – A bicentenary tribute to one of England’s best-loved novelists.
Ghosts and Games of Long-Ago Liverpool – A writer’s return to the Lancashire port awakens powerful memories.
Exploring England’s Coastline – North through County Durham from the Tees to the Tyne.
Students & St. George – Young people’s thoughts on England today.
Merrie England…in 2012 – An album of colourful customs from around the country.
A Royal History of England – King John has a bad reputation. We find out if it is deserved.
English Excursions – Exploring the wild but beautiful countryside of Dartmoor.
Great Britons – The stirring story of Captain Scott, hero of the Antarctic.
Ten Reasons Why Nottingham is Still Queen – A resident pays tribute to her historic home city.

Preview our new Spring issue of This England today.

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This England Winter 2011 Issue Now Available…

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:22:20 +0000

The Winter 2011 issue of This England is now on sale and, like a Christmas selection box, packed with delights to entertain you through the festive season. Once again our contributors have been out and about exploring England and the beautiful English countryside, discovering fascinating customs, awakening memories of times past, and celebrating the lives of some remarkable men and women. Highlights include:

Great Britons – Seventy years after the invention of the jet engine, an illustrated tribute to its creator Sir Frank Whittle.
Exploring England’s Coastline – A journey through Yorkshire from Hull to Redcar.
Royal Hospital Chelsea – A visit to this great English institution and an interview with one of its illustrious residents.
The English Way of Life – Actus, Pet, Pottal and Tod . . . weights and measures from times past.
A Taste of England – Sampling the traditional food and drink of Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire.
The Man Who Invented Trainspotting – The remarkable life story of Ian Allan.
A Royal History of England – Richard the Lionheart, a national hero who spent most of his reign overseas.
A Ghostly Glimpse of England – Spine-chilling stories of spooks, spirits and mysterious encounters.
Literary Landscapes of England – A visit to Norfolk on the trail of Sir Henry Rider Haggard, author of “King Solomon’s Mines”.

Preview our new Winter issue of This England today.

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This England Autumn 2011 Issue Now Available…

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:28:44 +0100

The “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” is once again upon us, and in the Autumn 2011 edition of This England we reproduce the poem in full and tell the story behind John Keats’s famous celebration of the season. We also explore the custom of afternoon tea and launch our search for England’s finest tea rooms. Other highlights include:

Rhapsody in Blue – Broadcaster and writer Mike Read shines a spotlight on the Heritage Foundation and its familiar blue plaques.
Aspects of English Towns – A visit to Burford in Oxfordshire, ancient “gateway” to the Cotswolds.
Egypt on Thames – The curious story of Cleopatra’s Needle.
When Knights Were Bold – The story of jousting in England and the men and women who continue the tradition today.
From Acting to Animals – An exclusive interview with actress and conservationist, Virginia McKenna.
The Family Car – A reader’s fond memories of her family’s Ford Anglia.
In Sickness and In Health – Bittersweet recollections of medicines and “cures” as given to children in the 1950s.
English Excursions – Off the beaten track in the beautiful Forest of Bowland.
Stars of Yesterday – A tribute to husband-and-wife entertainers Peter Butterworth and Janet Brown.

Preview our new Autumn issue of This England today.

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This England Summer 2011 Issue Now Available…

Fri, 06 May 2011 11:00:04 +0100

The Summer 2011 issue of This England has very much a royal theme, with the result of our poll asking readers to choose a specifically English national anthem, an illustrated tribute to HRH Prince Philip to mark his 90th birthday, and the story of that great 300-year-old sporting institution, Royal Ascot. Other highlights include:

Literary Landscapes of England – The Yorkshire Dales of James Herriot, England’s most famous vet.
A Taste of England – Sampling the food and drink of Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire and Lincolnshire.
Tea Leaves & Coffee Beans – A visit to Atkinson’s of Lancaster, suppliers of tea and coffee for 170 years.
A Postcard from Butlin’s – Memories of the popular holiday camp and glorious summers in days gone by.
Dancing For One Hundred Years – The Morris Men of Thaxted in Essex celebrate their centenary in style.
English Excursions – Discovering the Dorset Ridgeway and its colourful flora and fauna.
Cornish Memories – Black-and-white picture postcards transport us back to the Thirties, Forties and Fifties.
Exploring England’s Coastline – Our journey reaches Norfolk, county of the Broads, Cromer…and Horatio Nelson.

Preview our new Summer issue of This England today.

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This England Spring 2011

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:58:13 +0000

Thank goodness it’s spring and, with any luck, all the bad weather of the past few months is now behind us! This spirit of optimism is reflected in the pages of the magazine as we wish Prince William and Kate Middleton all the very best for their forthcoming marriage in Westminster Abbey, celebrate the life and achievements of Tom Lackey, a sprightly, young-at-heart, and extremely daring 90-year-old wing-walker, and look forward to St. George’s Day on April 23rd which we hope will be marked with just as much energy, enthusiam and patriotism as in recent
years.

At the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 English athletes won 37 gold medals which meant that on 37 occasions the Flag of St. George was hoisted above the victor’s podium and on 37 occasions the familiar strains of “Jerusalem” rang out as England’s triumphant men and women received their hard-won honours. But should William Blake’s mystical poem, set to music by Sir Hubert Parry, be England’s national anthem, or would another piece of music be more suitable? Does England actually need its own national anthem? To enable readers of This England to have their say in time for St. George’s Day, we are conducting an on-line poll. It promises to be fascinating, so please do cast your vote. Results will be published on the website, in the magazine, and on the pages of a special St. George’s Day supplement which will be sent to all postal subscribers free of charge.

As well as looking forward, we also delve into the past, paying tribute to the E-type Jaguar on its 50th anniversary, recalling The Singing Postman, England’s unlikeliest pop star from the 1960s, sharing colourful memories of comic-strip pirate Captain Pugwash, and remembering the Festival of Britain in 1951. Other items include a visit to the deserted village of Imber in Wiltshire, a military historian’s account of the vital part played by factory workers during the Second World War, a literary pilgrimage in the footsteps of John Clare, and the incredible first-hand account of a 50-year-old man who, in spring 2010, walked 1,200 miles from Pershore in Worcestershire to Rome.

Other regular features include: Exploring England’s Coastline, A Taste of England, Forget-Me-Nots, Poets’ Corner, A Royal History of England, Our English Heroes etc.

Preview our new Spring issue of This England today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.

This England Winter 2010

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:55:41 +0000

The winter issue of the magazine wouldn’t be the same without a few Christmas memories, and in our regular “Forget-Me-Nots” feature one lady recalls, as a little girl, the thrill of shopping in Liverpool during the Thirties and visiting Father Christmas at a shop in the city. Christmas is also the theme of “English Excursions”, with a preview of a colourful festive event at Windsor Castle as well as suggestions for other seasonal activities that the whole family can enjoy.

Good food and drink are important ingredients at Christmas, so readers might be tempted by the regional delights described in “A Taste of England” which in this issue explores Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. And even if you don’t splash out on one of their sumptuous hampers for your festive feast, you’ll enjoy reading about the historic West End department store, Fortnum & Mason, in our “London Pride” feature.

Gentlemen who read the magazine might have received Scalextric motor- racing sets as Christmas presents in times past. If so, memories will be rekindled by “Children’s Favourites”, which tells the story of this popular toy. If racing plastic cars round a track isn’t your cup of tea, you might like to escape from the noise and excitement by turning to “All Dressed Up” where you can feast your eyes on some elegant and stylish fashions from yesteryear – all sent in by readers.

All the regular features can be enjoyed in the winter issue – “Exploring England’s Coastline”, “Poets’ Corner”, “A Royal History of England” etc – but there are also a number of articles commemorating special anniversaries: the owner of an original Dunkirk “Little Ship” from 1940 tells us about his experiences, 100 years after his death the aviation and motoring pioneer Charles Rolls is remembered, and we take a walk along the cobbles of “Coronation Street” to celebrate 50 years in the company of Hilda Ogden, Ena Sharples, Ken Barlow and the rest…

Preview our new Winter issue of This England today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.

This England Autumn 2010

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:57:03 +0100

The subject of our “Royal History” series in this, This England Autumn 2010 issue is William Rufus, one of England’s most notorious and unpopular rulers whose mysterious death in the New Forest is still a subject of controversy and debate. Kings and queens in times past employed a jester for their entertainment, so on a lighter note we meet 24-year-old Sam Cross, a young man who, in 2010, is keeping the tradition alive as officially appointed jester for the town of Buckingham.

Our latest “Literary Landscape” article takes us to Manchester and Knutsford to explore the life of “Cranford” author Elizabeth Gaskell. We also enjoy the golden glory of Savernake Forest in Wiltshire, taste the delicious food and drink of Staffordshire and Shropshire, and embark on a nostalgic railway journey through Northumberland and County Durham with four pages of wonderful old railway posters.

Preview our new Autumn issue of This England today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.

This England Summer 2010

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:34:29 +0100

Seventy years ago the future of our country hung in the balance as the might of the German air force, hitherto undefeated, turned its attention to the skies above these islands in preparation for a full-scale Nazi invasion. In This England Summer issue RAF historian Geoff Simpson commemorates the momentous events of the Battle of Britain in two illustrated articles. Both are vivid, often poignant reminders, of the debt we owe to the young men Winston Churchill immortalised as "the few".

Another major event in our island story was the Norman Conquest of 1066, and William the Conqueror is the larger-than-lfe subject of this quarter's "Royal History of England" . And talking of great men - readers can join our "English Excursions" along "Shakespeare's River Avon", calling at many of the places associated with England's premier poet and playwright.

Of course, summer in England is associated with holidays and the seaside so readers will appreciate our regular exploration of England's coastline which has now reached Sussex, where we pay particular attention to the history of Worthing Pier. The seasonal theme continues with an article by practising Punch & Judy man Robert Rae who tells us about his curious craft, and a reader's recollections of a wonderful caravan holiday at Walton-on-Naze in 1953.

Axbridge Pageant in Somerset is only held once every ten years, so with pictures from previous events, we look forward to the 2010 celebrations. Elsewhere in the magazine, amongst all the usual regular features, there is a visit to the world of Richard Adams's "Watership Down", a tribute to composer George Lloyd, and the fascinating story of Laura Ashley whose fabrics and fashions define nostalgic English style.

Preview our new Summer issue of This England today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.

This England Spring 2010

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:29:49 +0100

The Spring issue of This England looks forward to St. George's Day and the celebrations that will be taking place, at home and abroad, on April 23rd. Departing from its usual regional format, "A Taste of England" serves up ideas for a St. George's Day Feast with suggestions from readers that include everything from traditional roast beef, to bangers and mash, Lancashire hotpot and "Dragon steak marinated in dragon's blood"! The patriotic theme is also present in "Poets' Corner" where we publish a selection of poems in praise of England written by young people. England's patron saint has long symbolised courage, sacrifice and steadfastness, qualities found in abundance in the men and women we salute in "Our English Heroes": the military personnel injured in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Help for Heroes charity that is doing such incredible work in enabling them to rebuild their lives.

Elsewhere in the magazine we go on a literary pilgrimage to the Thames-side home of Victorian poet Matthew Arnold, travel along the coast of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, visit Tholthorpe in Yorkshire with its team of young jugglers, and explore picturesque Wicken Fen Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire. Journeys down memory lane can also be enjoyed as we recall the popular cars of the post-war era: Hillmans, Triumphs, Wolseleys, Morris Minors etc, remember the delights once found in traditional sweet shops, and revisit the craze for stamp-collecting. Two great men are remembered - composer Sir Granville Bantock and aviation giant Sir Peter Masefield - and then coming right up-to-date we highlight the work of a new group of artists and designers in the pottery industry.

All the other regular features can, of course, also be found, including "Cornucopia", "A Royal History of England", "London Pride", "Nelson's Column" etc.

Preview our new Spring issue of This England today. Never miss an issue and subscribe here.