John Welford
Bio
I am a retired librarian, having spent most of my career in academic and industrial libraries.
I write on a number of subjects and also write stories as a member of the "Hinckley Scribblers".
Stories (501/0)
Monica Dickens, an English novelist
Monica Dickens was a notable 20th century writer of both fiction and non-fiction, whose success may or may not have had something to do with her surname. It cannot be said that any favours came her way because she was a great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens, but the name may have prompted many a book buyer to pick her titles off the shelf out of curiosity if nothing else.
By John Welford3 years ago in FYI
The Victoria Embankment, London
London’s Victoria Embankment stretches along the north bank of the River Thames from Westminster Bridge to Blackfriars Bridge, a distance of about one and a quarter miles. It is a broad street that carries two lanes of traffic in each direction, with pavements on both sides. There are features of interest on both the river and landward sides of the road, so care must be taken when crossing from one to the other.
By John Welford3 years ago in Wander
King James II to Queen Anne
The years 1685 to 1714, during which the monarchs mentioned in the title had their reigns, were of vital importance in the history of Great Britain, because the consequences of what took place had a huge effect on the British Constitution down to the present day.
By John Welford3 years ago in FYI
"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead", a play by Tom Stoppard
Tom Stoppard took the title of his 1966 play from a line towards the end of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. All the main characters are dead, which leaves the concluding lines to be spoken by Hamlet’s friend Horatio and the Norwegian general Fortinbras. An ambassador from England announces that he has come too late to tell the Danish king that his orders have been obeyed and that “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead”.
By John Welford3 years ago in Geeks
"Through the Looking Glass", by Lewis Carroll
My early childhood was spent during the 1950s, and I was lucky to have a father who knew his way around books and stories and did everything he could to interest me in the literature that he had enjoyed when he was much younger. However, the considerable age gap between us (he had been born in 1906) meant that the stories he introduced me to came from a much earlier age. I therefore heard and read many stories that had been written prior to World War I!
By John Welford3 years ago in Geeks
Why the British colonized Australia
In some ways, Australia offered the conditions for the perfect colony, but in other ways it was far from ideal. Captain James Cook had sailed along 2,000 miles of the east coast in 1770, landing only at Botany Bay (as named by him). He claimed the coastline for the British crown, but it was another 18 years before any attempt was made to site a colony there. He thought that the southern coastline was reminiscent of South Wales, and “New South Wales” it has been ever since.
By John Welford3 years ago in FYI
Reasons for studying solar system debris
Apart from the planets and moons that are well known and which can be seen from Earth with greater or lesser ease, there is a huge amount of material that also journeys around the Sun. These items range in size from objects many miles in diameter or length (they usually have irregular shapes) to small pieces of rock or even particles of dust. Apart from idle curiosity, why should astronomers bother studying these? And are there aspects of any of these objects that should concern the average non-astronomer?
By John Welford3 years ago in FYI
Waving Their Futures Goodbye
There were five of them, sisters aged from fourteen down to six, and they had all stood by the gate of their Somerset farm and waved as the soldiers marched past. It had been Dora’s idea – she was the eldest – but the rest of them – Lizzie, Martha, Rebecca and Ruth – had jumped at the chance, especially as their 17-year-old brother Reuben was going to be one of the soldiers.
By John Welford3 years ago in Fiction
Our Writers' Group
(This "rondeau" was written to celebrate the Hinckley Scribblers, a long established group of writers that meets on Friday mornings at the central library in Hinckley, Leicestershire - or online if the venue is not available for any reason. We write stories and poems on a given theme and compare notes at our meetings. We range from published writers to aspiring beginners, all striving to improve our writing skills through constructive criticism of each others' work)
By John Welford3 years ago in Poets