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)
Farmhouse bed and breakfast in the UK
One of the most enjoyable ways to spend a night in the United Kingdom is at a farmhouse bed and breakfast (B&B). Although the accommodation may be basic when judged against hotel standards, it will be perfectly adequate, comfortable, cheap, and an experience in its own right. Every establishment has features that set it apart from the rest, so the overnight stay becomes much more than just a place to sleep.
By John Welford3 years ago in Wander
Devon: some literary connections
Devon is a large and varied county in southwest England that has long been a highly sought-after location, not only for holidaymakers but also for writers. A number of famous poets and novelists have either been natives of the county or have lived there at some time in their lives and found inspiration for their work. These include:
By John Welford3 years ago in Wander
Wiltshire: some literary connections
Wiltshire is the only landlocked county in southwest England, stretching from Dorset and Hampshire in the south to Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire in the north. It is dominated by the chalk plateau of Salisbury Plain that separates the medieval city of Salisbury in the south from the market towns on the western side of the county and the industrial town of Swindon to the north that was largely created by the Great Western Railway in the 19th century. Wiltshire’s claims to literary merit lie with a select group of notable writers from across the centuries. These include:
By John Welford3 years ago in Geeks
Somerset: some literary connections
Although the historical county of Somerset is associated in most people's minds with just two dominant figures in English literature, namely Jane Austen and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, there are several other notable writers for whom the county had particular significance. That said, Austen and Coleridge should be the starting point for any discussion of Somerset writers.
By John Welford3 years ago in FYI
Cornwall: some literary connections
Cornwall, with its dramatic coastal and moorland scenery, has inspired many writers and poets to set their stories and poems there, but there are several who have a more direct connection with the county, due to having been born, or spent an appreciable part of their lives, in Cornwall. These include:
By John Welford3 years ago in Geeks
- Top Story - April 2021
Some notable London tube stations Top Story - April 2021
To be strictly accurate, the word “tube” should only apply to those lines that run through bored tunnels, as opposed to lines that run closer to the surface and were originally built by the “cut and cover” method. However, the term “The Tube” is now used generally to cover all of the London Underground system.
By John Welford3 years ago in Wander
The Classical Era in Music
The term “classical” is often used to mean what might otherwise be called “serious” music, to distinguish it from pop, rock, folk, jazz or any other classification. These terms are never satisfactory, however, and often give rise to confusion.
By John Welford3 years ago in Beat
The Romantic Era in Music
The Romantic era in music is generally taken to mean the period from about 1820 to 1920, which was a century during which a massive amount of music in all genres was produced, and it must also represent the greatest concentration of “famous” composers, if by that is meant those whose works are performed regularly today and which are instantly recognisable.
By John Welford3 years ago in Beat
Fallacious Reasoning
In order to understand what a fallacy is, one must also understand the difference between validity and truth. A fact can be true or false, but only an argument can be valid or invalid. Fallacies have to do with false arguments, not false facts. Likewise, one can tell a lie without committing a fallacy, although it is also possible to do both at the same time.
By John Welford3 years ago in The Swamp