Dr Tony Shaw

  Edgar Wallace is usually thought of foremost as a crime writer, and perhaps secondly as a journalist. As a large sign on the Edga...

William Mompesson (1638 or 1639 –1709) was an Anglican clergyman from Yorkshire who became Rector at Eyam (pronounced 'Eem') in...

I resolved to watch more of director Alexander Payne's films after seeing The Descendants . Both films concern self-discovery, and b...

I was reading about Roland Dorgelès and his amazing painting spoof when I suddenly remembered I had a photo of the famous bistro the La...

4 Days  is filmed in Southport and directed by David Town and Paul Bagshaw, two former teachers who moved into the video industry. The c...

The Peacock, Mansfield Road, Nottingham.   'With a history of famous clientele [the Peacock] is reputed to have been a regular...

'IN MEMORY OF CLARA GREEN, DAUGHTER OF THE LATE GEORGE GREEN, M.A. OF CAIUS COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE; AND FORMERLY OF SNEINTON; D...

'SITE OF THE NAVY OFFICE IN WHICH SAMUEL PEPYS LIVED AND WORKED DESTROYED BY FIRE 1673'   The above plaque is...

'Harry Cole Voluntary Worker, Policeman, Writer Attended this school 1934–40   Voted by the People'   The Charles...

(FORENOTE: Francine Prose was among 203 other scarcely believably mean-spirited  writers such as Kamila Shamsie, Peter Carey, Michael On...

Le Scaphandre et le papillon (translated into English as The Diving Bell and the Butterfly ) is a remarkable book by any standard. It wa...

Carlton le Morland windmill, Lincolnshire   I've just added several photos to my biography (linked below), the most notable bei...

We often see the 'secret ballot' as an inalienable part of the tradition of British democracy. The Chartists in the great agi...

  This sketch of Ruth Bryan (1805–60), 'Ruth the Gleaner', was drawn from memory by Margaret Lacey. This is taken from the front...

On Exeter Bridge over the River Derwent in Derby, England, are four impressive plaques dedicated to people associated with the city. ...

'THE FRENCH POETS PAUL VERLAINE AND ARTHUR RIMBAUD LIVED HERE MAY–JULY 1873' A simple plaque on 8 Royal College S...

Finally, I located the grave of the novelist James Prior, most noted for Forest Folk * (1901), in Bingham Cemetery, Nottinghamshire. ...

  'GEORGE ORWELL 1903–1950 Novelist and Political Essayist lived here'   For a few months in the second half o...

'ELIZABETH BOWEN 1899–1973 Writer lived here 1935–1952'   This blue plaque was unveiled as recently as March 20...

  '221b SHERLOCK HOLMES CONSULTING DETECTIVE 1881–1904'   221b Baker Street is the address of the fictional Sher...

    'WILLIAM WILKIE COLLINS 1824–1889 NOVELIST lived here'   Wilkie Collins lived at 90 Gloucester Place (no...