NEWS

My next history book is nearly ready to go. It has been a lot of work, but a real labour of love. Watch this space for developments.

I write a regular column in Stamp Collector magazine, featuring a stamp and talking about the history of whatever it portrays. This month (March) I write about Hugh Dowding, who was featured on a 1980s UK stamp. He was a remarkable man, arguably responsible for winning the Battle of Britain, but who also had interests in spiritualism and animal welfare.

Next month the piece is about the Great Exhibition of 1851 - The Greatest Show on Earth (also featured on a stamp from the 1980s)(don't worry, I cover all eras and countries...)

My next public gig will be at Stevenage Museum, on Friday May 8th, at 1.00. I shall be talking about my book Eurovision! A History of Modern Europe Through the World's Greatest Song Contest.

The Museum is under the splendid 1960s church, a much underrated piece of architecture from that era. If you can visit that as well, do so (It's locked some times!) The Museum itself is full of interesting material about the creation of Stevenage, the first of the New Towns designated in the 1946 New Towns Act - a core policy of the Big Idea that was the 1945 Labour government. It also looks back to the town's ancient past, its association with EM Forster (the model for Howard's End is down the road from it) and forward to its future. Local museums are great fun, staffed by enthusiastic people and with plenty of interesting stories to tell. You get cups of tea in proper mugs, time to browse and a general reminder that everywhere has a story and is interesting to the thoughtful and curious person.