The Armstrong collection also provides a unique insight into life on the home front, which was no easier than life in the trenches. Mrs Armstrong and her three daughters, who spent most of the war years in Folkestone in Kent in order to be geographically as close to Pat as possible, came face to face … Read more
The weekly posts are primarily based on the letters and diaries of Captain William Maurice ‘Pat’ Armstrong, which provide first-hand accounts of events as they unfolded in the various theatres of war, and the diaries of his sister Jess and mother Rosalie, which illuminate civilian life during the conflict. Pat Armstrong was the son of … Read more
Probably the single most important event that poisoned the already strained relations with Britain was the seizure of the warships Sultan Osman and Res¸adiye on 31 July, before the outbreak of the war and the signing of the Turco-German alliance agreement. This was perceived as an act of open aggression and caused tremendous indignation and … Read more
Britain persistently opposed the main reforming policies of the Young Turks, and actively worked to create zones of influence for herself within the Ottoman Empire. Whenever the Ottomans took steps that they deemed necessary for them to move forward, survive and reform, they had to face Britain’s resistance and active intervention. The antagonistic relations in … Read more
The 1851 Summary Jurisdiction Act banned bullet-throwing, and the extent of the sport then becomes evident in prosecutions and related newspaper coverage. The crescendo does not arise immediately. Of 78 newspaper references found, there are only eight in the entire period up to 1865. The reform of the Belfast police in that year may have … Read more