Adrian & Gee Valentine Cards! (15.2.2025)

Until this year, I was completely unaware that February 7th is “Rose Day” in the UK! This falls just before St Valentine’s Day (Fedrusty 14th). I think many people conflate these two rituals as roses are often given on the 14th. I suspect there is an involved explanation for all this – perhaps pre-Christian (Pagan) verses Christian, etc. Whatever the case, Shakespeare seems to have known both these dates. Both dates are designed to renew assertions of love and affection between men and women.

The Wells - Well Lane - 2024

Stow-on-the-Wold: “Stow Wells” – Ancient Spring-Water in the Heart of Gloucestershire! (29.8.2024)

When an individual was found guilty of some petty offence – they were sentenced to a number of days and nights in the Town “Stocks” held by the wrists, ankles and neck – whilst passers-by were permitted to strike them with kicks, punches and any object to hand (providing disfigurement and death was avoided) and threw rotten food and excrement if any were at hand! Most of this structure is now missing – with two vertical posts (about three-feet high) still being in situé:

The Beautiful Boy!

Emails: The Homosocial World of King James I – as Recorded in Shakespeare’s Sonnets! (10.3.2024)

The Sonnets have been altered, suppressed and repressed over the last four hundred years – and particularly since the advent of the 1885 anti-gay laws in the UK (passed at the same time as the ancient Age of Consent of ’12’ was raised to ’13’ and then to ’16’ in quick succession) which were used to try and imprison Oscar Wilde in 1895. With the 1967 abolition of these anti-gay laws (which outlawed sexual activity between consenting adult men) – the Sonnets were once again lauded as masterpieces of observation and wit. I suspect that an updated edition of Arden will introduce a more astute LBGTQN+ interpretation – one that this community might well find inspiring and uplifting.

Genealogy: ‘DARIИGOLD’ – Provenance of a First-Name! (22.9.2023)

I hope this lady lived a long and happy life free from pain – as out of her genetics I have come into being -and so have my children! Over the years I have broached the subject of her ‘first’ or ‘Christian’ name – ‘Daringold’ – with a number of academic experts who state that they have never encountered this name before and that it must be the consequence of a ‘copying’ mistake or ‘hearing’ error! This certainly happens as in the past (particularly the 17th century CE) the English languish was not yet ‘Standardised’ and illiteracy abounded! Scribes (or ‘Scriveners’) were highly skilled – but these educated individuals often spelt the same word in different ways – even when this word appeared on the same page (Shakespeare was famous for ding this in his original texts)!