History Hunger with Pitt the Younger

Part 128, Young Snotty, Leeches, Soundtracks, and the House of Exotic Fruit

Part 128

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

Please visit https://historypitt.wixsite.com/historypitt-co-uk for more details.

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, Leeches, Soundtracks, and the House of Exotic Fruit

The My History Part

It was November 2016, and we were a long way through our trip to Malaysia. Our next journey outside Kuala Lumpur was to the jungle, about an hour or so outside of the city.
We had quite a wait before the coach came to pick us up from our hotel. It was a large coach and full of people. When it stopped before leaving Kuala Lumpur and let everyone off to get smaller coaches to different locations we were quite relieved that it would not be such a large group accompanying us into the jungle. I say jungle but perhaps I should say rainforest, I’m not quite sure which.

Where we were dropped to wait was a large marketplace. We were very pleased to find souvenirs at much lower prices than they were in the city centre shops, and spent most of our waiting time shopping.
When the driver came and told us our transport was ready we headed to our minibus. We were the only passengers, it would be just us and our guide on our journey into the jungle.

Above, one of the very tall trees we encountered in the jungle, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

We arrived at a small clearing just off the road. Here a sort of large hut had been built as a jungle base from where guides would take people on journeys on foot. The building had a roof but no windows – or doors either, I think – but all that was needed in this climate was a roof to shelter from the heavy rain.
We were introduced to our guide who gave us three routes to choose from. One was very easy, which we ruled out straight away, another was more difficult but known as ‘Leech Valley’ as everyone who uses that route gets covered in leeches that drop from the trees. We also quickly ruled out this one, but the not easy and not so many leeches third option seemed just right for us, and off we set.
Only a few minutes into the journey we came across some of the local inhabitants. They like to keep hidden from visitors to the jungle and soon disappeared but we could spot some of their homes along the river that runs through the trees.

Above, a distant view of some of the houses that belong to those who live in the jungle, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

Our guide pointed out some blocked up tunnels that were used by Communists in the 1950s and 1960s. It was explained that the people who live in the jungle did not like having the Communists there hiding in tunnels, and as soon as the British drove them out and chased them into the jungle the locals would come and block up the tunnels so they couldn’t come back.
Our guide also showed us the different types of leaves and their uses, told us the names of the different types of trees, and explained what was making each of the wonderful sounds we were surrounded by. He could also spot wildlife all around us, which to us seemed quite hidden.

Above, our guide explaining the different leaves in the jungle to William and Penny, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

We followed tracks, walked over fallen tree trunks to cross rivers, looked out for animals, and listened to the sounds of the jungle. It really was so much like being on an exotic film location in an adventure film.

Above, Penny being helped by our guide to cross a river using a fallen tree trunk in the jungle, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

After about an hour walking through the trees we came to a waterfall. A young local man was standing in the water, looking down at his feet, and making frequent but not very loud sounds of pain. When he saw us he didn’t run and hide like the previous people we had seen but pointed at the water and invited us in with a smile.

Above, the amazing scene of a waterfall in the middle of the jungle, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

We couldn’t turn down the chance to enter the water in this fantastic jungle spot and took off our boots, socks, and rolled up our trousers. It was then that Penny and I discovered several leeches had attached themselves to our legs. For some reason William didn’t seem to have any, and our guide said he thought that as William has diabetes the leeches won’t go on him as they don’t like insulin. Whether or not that is the case they seemed only attracted to Penny and me.
Our guide removed them with the aid of a cigarette, and once free of leeches we waded into the water. We then noticed the many small fish all around us. Rather than swim away from us they came nearer. The young local man laughed as the fish began to nibble our toes. We had seen this type of fish nibbling the dead skin off people’s feet in Europe when passing beauty parlours but we never expected to be doing it ourselves and in the wild.

Above, Me watching fish nibble on my feet, Malaysia. As you can see, it was so hot I even had to remove my waistcoat and tie. Photo taken by William, November 2016.

It was a strange sensation. It didn’t hurt a lot but the feel of them biting, and us just standing there and letting them do it was something that we could only stand for a minute or two. We were slightly relieved when our guide informed us it was time to step out of the water and return to base.
We spotted more wildlife on the return journey, but one of the greatest things was just being amongst the trees and listening to the wonderful sounds of the jungle.
When we got back to the large hut where we had started our short jungle journey we found a hot Malaysian meal waiting for us. After this we were taught to use a blow pipe. We all had a few attempts at it, and I think Penny and William were a little better at it than I was.

Above, Me having a go at using a blow pipe. I’m fairly sure Penny and William were much better at doing it than I was. Photo taken by William, November 2016.

It was soon time to head back to the city. Our driver drove us to our hotel, and we headed straight in to get changed and shower. As I was undressing to step into the shower I found that my trousers were covered in streaks of blood. When I examined where this may have come from I found that where the leeches had been attached the blood was still dripping from my legs. You can’t feel them bite, and even when they are gone there is little discomfort to the area they had attached themselves but I wasn’t even aware of bleeding until I actually saw it. After the shower the bleeding stopped, and I have to say although we would never seek to be bitten by leeches it was still an experience Penny and I were glad to have had.
To anyone who gets the chance to visit Malaysia I would highly recommend trying to find time for a quick visit into the jungle – or rainforest – but I would also recommend only doing it with an experienced guide like we had on our little jungle adventure.

Above, Me, Penny, our wonderful jungle guide, and William, in the large hut that served as a base for excursions into the jungle, Malaysia, November 2016.

We were now most of the way through our trip to Malaysia but we still had a little time left to explore the city itself.

Where we went in Kuala Lumpur on our last few days there, and what adventures we had, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

Since I was a small child I have loved listening to film and television soundtracks. I still probably listen to more film soundtracks than any other type of music.
Some I had on cassette such as the soundtrack to 1980s TV series Robin of Sherwood. The album by Irish group Clannad – and titled Legend rather than the series name – was something I listened to a lot in the mid and late 80s including about the time I was filming Blackadder. Today, we still regularly listen to it along with soundtracks from other versions of Robin Hood including the excellent soundtrack to the 2010 Ridley Scott film starring Russell Crowe by Marc Streitenfield.

Above, Russell Crowe, as Robin Hood in the 2010 Ridley Scott film Robin Hood.

As well as being the year I did Blackadder, 1987 was also a great year for cinema. I very much liked Lethal Weapon starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover but although the soundtrack was right for the film it wasn’t something I felt I wanted to hear an entire album of. The same year also saw two films I did buy the Soundtracks of, and still have the original vinyl albums I bought in 1987. Those two films are The Untouchables with music by Ennio Morricone, and The Witches of Eastwick by John Williams.

Above, Mel Gibson, and Danny Glover, as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, in the 1987 film Lethal Weapon. There are now four films in the series, which we regularly watch once a year.

The Untouchables soundtrack very much takes the viewer back to late 1920s and early 1930s America, and it suits the story, the locations, the characters and the time it is set in excellently.

Above, my The Untouchables soundtrack album on vinyl that I bought in 1987. The album cover features Kevin Costner as Eliot Ness. Photo taken by me, October 2026.

The music used in The Witches of Eastwick is fantastic. It sounds so New England – which is where the film is set – but again also suits the characters, the story, and the action.

Above, my The Witches of Eastwick soundtrack album on vinyl that I bought in 1987. The cover features the lead actors in the film Michelle Pfeifer, Susan Sarandon, Cher, and Jack Nicholson. Photo taken by me, October 2026.

John Williams is a definite favourite of mine, and the Indiana Jones soundtracks are something else I listen to a lot. We have travelled to a lot of the locations used in the Indiana Jones films, and in 2023 when we left Petra in Jordan which was used in the end scenes of the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, I had to play the end credits music from the film as we made our way to the horses to ride out of Petra just like Indiana Jones.

On the same trip, whilst resting in our tent in Wadi Rum, I also felt I had to play the overture from the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia by Maurice Jarre. I bought the soundtrack album on vinyl in the late 80s or early 90s. We also got to visit one of the trains used in the film whilst in Jordan.

Above, my Lawrence of Arabia soundtrack album on vinyl that I bought in the late 80s or early 90s. It wasn’t this that I played in the tent in Wadi Rum, I used my phone. Photo taken by me, October 2026.

I also always quietly play the theme music to the 1991 film Prince of Thieves by Michael Kamen when we visit Sherwood Forest, which we do fairly regularly. Another soundtrack I recently found on YouTube is that from the 1996 film Michael Collins by Elliot Goldenthal. It is many years since we have watched the film, and I had forgotten how good the soundtrack was. It somehow manages to mix the sounds of Irish music, military, and orchestratal into something that so suits the film. As soon as I heard the the opening track Easter Rebellion I could immediately remember the opening scenes, and the emotions that the music stirs. Talking of emotions being stirred, we recently watched the newly released film The Uprising set during the Peasants Revolt of 1381. It was directed by Paul Greengrass, and stars Andrew Garfield, Jamie Bell, and Cosmo Jarvis who all give excellent performances. The soundtrack was composed by Volker Bertelmann who somehow manages to keep the music there throughout the film, helping set the scene, guide the viewer, and work alongside the actors’ performances but never overbearing, always just there, almost unnoticed but exactly right. This is an excellent film, and the well-crafted soundtrack is something I have listened to a lot on YouTube since watching it in the cinema.

Above, Cosmo Jarvis, and Andrew Garfield, as Wat Tyler, and The Ploughman, in the 2026 film The Uprising.

With streaming it is now much easier to find and listen to music you may not have been able to easily find otherwise, and this includes film and TV soundtracks.
As well as the albums you can often find ambience tracks that last for hours. I listen to an ambience track of the Hunger Games music by James Newton Howard whilst reading The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins. I am now on the last book Mockingjay, but will still listen to the music after I have finished reading the books.
Other ambience tracks I listen to on YouTube include the music from Braveheart by James Horner. I used to listen to his soundtrack of the 1988 film Willow on cassette a lot, and particularly like his soundtrack from the 2004 film Troy.

Above, Jennifer Lawrence, as Katniss Everdeen, in the 2014 film Mockingjay Part 1.

We have the Braveheart album on CD which we listen to in the car when driving around Scotland, along with the soundtrack CD of the TV series Outlander by Bear McCreary. Another CD soundtrack we have in the car is from another Ridley Scott film, the 2005 Kingdom of Heaven by the excellent Harry Gregson Williams. This soundtrack captures the setting of the Medieval World and both the invading Crusaders and the Arab armies under Saladin – Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub – defending against them.
I have loved the 1971 film Kidnapped since I first saw the film when I was only a few years old. The excellent soundtrack is by Roy Budd, which is available to listen to on YouTube. On a recent visit to Stirling Castle which was used as Edinburgh Castle in the film I couldn’t help recreating Michael Caine’s walk into the castle to hand himself in, and quite unsurprisingly as we left the castle I played the track Alan Breck from the film, Alan Breck Stewart being Michael Caine’s character. The film is based mostly on Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel Kidnapped and partly on his sequel novel Catriona, both of which I have read. Alan Breck was a real historical character, Allan Breck Stewart.

Above, Michael Caine, as Alan Breck Stewart, in the 1971 film Kidnapped.

A lot of the soundtracks I like, along with the films themselves, are from stories about uprising, rebellion, and fighting back. Perhaps this is due to me being slightly a natural rebel, having a hatred of oppressive governments, and a longing for oppressed peoples to be free.
Whether it be the many versions of Robin Hood taking from the rich and giving to the poor, Wat Tyler and The Ploughman standing up against tyranny, William Wallace or Michael Collins fighting for Independence, Allan Breck Stewart escaping the redcoats in the heather, Saladin fighting in the desert, or Katniss Everdeen inspiring a rebellion against the Capitol in The Hunger Games, these films and the stories they tell all inspire feelings, emotions, and sometimes action too, and the soundtracks play an immensely important part in that.
These will always be the films, stories, and soundtracks that I will be drawn to.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about a castle in Scotland that has for many years been a location for many films and TV series. What that castle is, what it is like to visit, and what some of the things that have been filmed there are, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 3 will be aware that Prince George could probably demand any type of food and probably get it. However, one thing that was extremely difficult to get in the Georgian Era was pineapples.

Above, Hugh Laurie, as Prince George, in Blackadder 3.

I wrote in a very early blog about how they used to be rented as table decorations at grand dinners, and how each time it was rented the pineapple would become more and more rotten.
Well, on a recent visit to Scotland we came across something built by John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore in 1761 that shows just how sought after pineapples were. It seems that the 4th Earl of Dunmore thought it not enough to simply display a pineapple on the dinner table and decided he needed to build a house that was shaped like a pineapple too. It is great to see, and just a short walk away is another interesting building.

Above, the Dunmore Pineapple, Falkirk, Scotland. Photo taken by me, October 2026.

Dunmore House was built by the 5th Earl between 1820 and 1825, the architect being William Wilkins. The Murray family lived there until 1911, and after being used as a private residence it was opened as a school. In 1964 the house was abandoned, and in 1972 the roof was removed to avoid paying tax.
It is not the easiest place to find. Leaving our car near the Dunmore Pineapple, we walked through a well kept walled garden until we found the right track through the woods by using online maps.
The track opened up to be a nice path lined by large trees, which also took us past an interesting tower amongst the trees. The map would only take us so far, and eventually we had to head into the woods.
Still using the online map we tried to walk in the general direction of Dunmore House, but this wasn’t easy due to the woods being extremely overgrown.
We eventually saw what looked like a slightly collapsed wall, almost entirely hidden by trees. As we got nearer we could see the remains of Dunmore House just beyond the wall.

Above, a stairway that is now reclaimed by nature, Dunmore House, Scotland. Photo taken by me, October 2026.

We had expected to come out of the woods to see the main entrance at the front but we had approached the house from the back. It was still instantly an amazing sight. We made our way around to the front, found the still very intact but doorless main entrance and entered the house.

Above, Me, William, and Penny, outside the main entrance of Dunmore House, Scotland, October 2026.

So much detail of William Wilkins’ decoration remains, along with enormous glassless windows, stairs that no longer lead anywhere, and nature reclaiming the vast structure. We explored as much as we could, it was an amazing experience.

Above, the enormous windows, now glassless, look out into the woods, and the fields beyond, Dunmore House, Scotland. Photo taken by me, October 2026.

Dunmore House was once the family home of Lady Evelyn Murray, the daughter of the 7th Earl of Dunmore. She grew up spending a lot of time in North Africa where the Murrays had properties.
She married and became Lady Evelyn Cobbold moving away from Dunmore House. She had already separated from her husband when he died in 1929.

Having been brought up in the care of Muslim nannies in North Africa, Evelyn had always considered herself to be a Muslim. In 1915 she publicly confirmed that she had reverted to Islam, changing her name to Zainab. In 1933 she became the first Muslim woman born in the UK to perform the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Evelyn – now Zainab – died in 1963 in Inverness. She was buried on her Glencarron estate in Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands, facing Mecca as she had asked. On her gravestone are the words Allahu nur-us-samawati wal ard, which means Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth.
Although a site sometimes visited by British Muslims, the grave is quite difficult to get to. However, the Dunmore Pineapple is quite easy to park near, and from there it is a relatively short but adventurous walk to Dunmore House.

Above, part of the outside of Dunmore House, Scotland, reclaimed by nature, and very hidden amongst the trees. Photo taken by me, October 2026.

After exploring the house we headed back to our car at the Pineapple. It wasn’t until after our visit that we found out that Dunmore House had been used in some of the opening scenes of the TV series Outlander. It must have been quite difficult getting the cast, crew, and equipment to what is now a fantastic historic building, taken over by nature, making it possibly even more magnificent than it had been when it was the home to the Earls of Dunmore, and the extraordinary young woman who became Lady Zainab Cobbold.

If you haven’t done so already, give the fantastic King of Blackadder on Twitter a follow!
https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed?s=09

Then take a look at this also fantastic Blackadder fan group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507847676134507/?ref=share

For more on Malaysia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia

For more on the TV series Robin of Sherwood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_of_Sherwood

For more on the 2010 film Robin Hood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hood_(2010_film)

For more on the 1987 film Lethal Weapon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethal_Weapon

For more on the 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witches_of_Eastwick_(film)

For more on the 1987 film The Untouchables https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Untouchables_(film)

For more on the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Last_Crusade

For more on the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_of_Arabia_(film)

For more on the 1991 film Prince of Thieves https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Hood:_Prince_of_Thieves

For more on the 1996 film Michael Collins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Collins_(film)

For more on the 2026 film The Uprising https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Uprising_(2026_film)

For more on the 2014 film Mockingjay Part 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games:_Mockingjay_%E2%80%93_Part_1

For more on The Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Collins

For more on the 1995 film Braveheart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braveheart

For more on the 1988 film Willow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willow_(1988_film)

For more on the 2004 film Troy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_(film)

For more on the TV series Outlander https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlander_(TV_series)

For more on the 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Heaven_(film)

For more on the 1971 film Kidnapped https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnapped_(1971_film)

For more on Lady Evelyn – Zainab – Cobbold https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Evelyn_Cobbold

Part 127, Young Snotty, Where Oceans Meet, and Kindness to Cats

Part 127

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, Where Oceans Meet, and Kindness to Cats

The My History Part

It was November 2016, and our travels in Malaysia continued. Our next stop was the historic city of Malacca.
Situated on the coast, the city is a Unesco World Heritage site. It sits at about the centre of the Strait of Malacca, which links the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
This position always made Malacca an important trade port, particularly when the Chinese began to trade there in the early 1400s.

Above, a view of some of the buildings of Malacca, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

By the early 1500s the Portuguese wanted control of the lucrative trade that was based in Malacca. They sent a force of around 1,200 men that sailed from the Portuguese controlled port of Goa in India.
When the Portuguese arrived they spared the Hindu, Burmese and Chinese minorities but the Muslim population were either killed or sold into slavery.
However, far from giving them control of the trade, the behaviour of the Portuguese invaders made the area less safe, and trade dispersed as merchant ships decided to dock at other ports along the Malaysian coast.
In the early 1600s the Dutch attacked the Portuguese that held Malacca. By 1641 they finally defeated them, and it was the Dutch that ruled the city from that time until the British took over in 1824.

Above, the large church built by the Dutch when they ruled over Malacca, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

This Colonial Era in the port’s history has left its mark on the city’s interesting and varied architecture. The multicultural population of Malacca has also given the city a lot of Chinese style buildings such as temples which sit alongside Malay buildings, whilst still maintaining the many historic buildings left behind by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British.
The Malacca River also helped attract trade, and now attracts tourists for boat trips, and to view the Dutch fortress, which still remains largely intact, built to guard the mouth of the river.

Above, part of the walls of the Dutch fortress at the mouth of the Malacca River, Malacca, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

Amongst the other buildings left by the Dutch are some large churches, while the British left behind administrative buildings and other buildings which have that distinct mixture of being British and yet somehow still Malay.

Above, a boat taking visitors on a cruise along the Malacca River, Malacca, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

Once we arrived in Malacca we were guided around a few of the central sites, after which we were left to explore on our own for a while.

Above, a very colourful, and seemingly popular way to get around the city, Malacca, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

At lunchtime we met up with the rest of the group we travelled with from Kuala Lumpur for the day. I think, just as it was on the Island of Pulau Katam, it was a Chinese restaurant that the tour company had chosen for us to eat in. However, unlike on Pulau Katam, this Chinese restaurant in Malacca was not only fish based, and therefore Penny didn’t have to worry as much about her seafood allergies.
Much of the cuisine in Malacca is a mixture of Chinese and Malay, and the restaurant gave us quite a choice of dishes to choose from.
After lunch we were guided around some more of the city. We had already seen some of the churches, and now we saw temples, mosques, and grand houses.

Above, an historic cannon stands guard outside one of the city’s many historic buildings, Malacca, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

In some places it is best to have a guide, but it is the ones we explored on our own that I remember most in Malacca. As with many places from Southern Europe, to Southern Asia, and almost everywhere in between, historic sites are often populated by stray cats. We have always been delighted when we see local people spending their money and their time to feed such strays. Malaysia is a Muslim majority country, and a good Muslim should always be kind to animals which is something we have witnessed on our visits to the Middle East. We have also witnessed such kindness in other places such as Greece where locals of all ages go to great lengths to try and ensure the stray cats – and in many cases also dogs – are fed and looked after. As I have already said, a good Muslim is supposed to be kind to animals, but kind people are kind people whatever their Ethnicity or Faith, and the kindness we have witnessed towards these strays in so many places are proof of that.

Above, just two of the many stray cats we met when exploring the historic buildings of Malacca. May kindness always be shown to them. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

As people who love to travel, it was great being in a part of the world where the Indian and Pacific Oceans meet. As well as its geography Malacca has a lot of other things to offer the visitor. These include the historic buildings charting the history of the different peoples that have chosen to trade in Malacca, the different empires that have ruled over the port, and the multicultural population that has left its mark not only on the architecture but also on the cuisine and atmosphere of this colourful coastal city.

Above, Me and Penny, with the Dutch fortress in the background, Malacca, Malaysia. Photo taken by William, November 2016.

By late afternoon it was time to say goodbye to Malacca and head back to Kuala Lumpur. We arrived back in the capital just as it was beginning to get dark, which is a great way to see the modern buildings and landmarks, all lit up as the sun goes down.
We were now a long way through our trip to Malaysia but there were still more adventures to be had.

Where we went and what we got up to next I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

In the last Behind the Scenes Part I talked about some of my favourite TV series that I watched in the 1970s and early 1980s from the US. This time I will be talking about my TV favourites from the 70s and 80s from the UK.
One of the earliest series I can remember watching is Space 1999. Created by Gerry Anderson – better known for working with puppets – the series starred Martin Landau and Barbara Bain.

Although a UK series it was first aired in Australia. It ran for two series between 1975 and 1977. The story is that an international base on the Moon is blown out of the Earth’s orbit in 1999, and the crew of the base travel through space as the moon keeps moving further and further from the Earth.
I still have a toy Eagle space craft from the series, and some of the collectibles from other series made by Gerry Anderson. I loved the series as a child, and a few years ago I watched both series again. Seeing it now, it is still extremely good, and the 1970s technology used in the moon base makes it even more enjoyable. However, the first series I found much better than the second. The storylines and even the music seems of a higher standard in series one, but I enjoyed watching both.

Above, My Look In Annual from 1977, also featuring Space 1999.

There are so many great comedies from the UK in the 1970s and early 80s that it would be very difficult to name them all. One I particularly liked, and still do, is Dad’s Army, following the adventures of the Home Guard in World War II.
Written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, it starred Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn, John Laurie, James Beck, Arnold Ridley and Ian Lavender with regular appearances by Bill Pertwee. It ran from 1968 to 1977 with 80 episodes. I think that one reason it ages so well is that, like Blackadder, it has an historical setting, and therefore ages differently to something set at the time it was made. There was a Dad’s Army feature film released in 1971 and later a stage show as well.

Above, the cast of the excellent Dad’s Army.

Other UK comedies I watched include The Good Life which ran from 1975 to 1978 and starred Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington, Man About the House which ran from 1973 to 1976 and starred Richard O’Sullivan who recently passed away, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy, George and Mildred which was a Man About the House spin off which ran from 1976 to 1979, and Are You Being Served? written by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft which ran from 1972 to 1985 and starred amongst others John Inman, Frank Thornton, Mollie Sugden and Wendy Richard. Richard O’Sullivan also starred in the drama adventure series Dick Turpin from 1979 to 1982. This is another series which was a favourite of mine.

Above, John Inman, as Mr Humphries in Are You Being Served? Possibly my favourite character in the series as he was always the best dressed.

Like Dad’s Army, most of these sitcoms had feature films as well, and we regularly watch the Are You Being Served film as well as the George and Mildred one. Other films from UK sitcoms we watch about once a year or so include The Likely Lads starring Rodney Bewes and James Bolam, Rising Damp starring Leonard Rossiter and Frances de la Tour – Leonard Rossiter also starred in the excellent The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perin – and Steptoe and Son and Steptoe and Son Ride Again starring Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell.

Above, James Bolam, and Rodney Bewes, as Terry Collier and Bob Ferris in The Likely Lads film, 1976. This scene was shot in Whitley Bay.

There are so many more that could be mentioned but I think I will now move on to series from the 1980s.
One series I watched was Grange Hill which ran from 1978 to 2008. It was a sort of soap aimed at children and set in a school in London. Little did I know when first watching it in 1978 that a few years later I would be in it. When I started at Grange Hill in 1983 it was still being made in BBC TV Centre where so many wonderful things were made including Blackadder. By the time I finished in the series in 1986 production had moved to BBC Elstree where the soap Eastenders – which I later also briefly appeared in a couple of times – was also filmed.

Above, I still have my Grange Hill Badge, and prop School Show Programme, as used in the series in the 1980s.

For the three years I was there it was mostly just in the background but by the time I left I was in part of a gang called the ‘Smokers’. I have written quite some time ago about how out of about 180 children working on Grange Hill the producers chose what must have been about the only 5 that never smoked to be in the Smokers gang.
I did enjoy my three years there – partly as it got me out of real school but even real school was actually stage school – but amongst my main memories from Grange Hill are wondering off to look around the Eastenders set when it wasn’t in use and going to talk to Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbet when they were filming The Two Ronnies in the same studios.

Above, Ronnie Barker, and Ronnie Corbet, in The Two Ronnies.

The Young Ones starring Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan and Alexei Sayle was an instant favourite of mine as soon as I saw it. It ran for two series between 1982 and 1984. We were living in London then, and I think I wasn’t the only boy attending stage school that couldn’t help doing impressions of the cast. I got to meet Adrian Edmondson a couple of times in the late 80s and early 90s, but although I saw Rik many times at the BBC I never got to actually meet him.

Above, Alexei Sayle, Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall, Christopher Ryan, and Adrian Edmondson, in The Young Ones.

Another instant favourite of mine was unsurprisingly Blackadder. This is something else I would do impressions of, and something that I wanted to be in.

Above, Rowan Atkinson, as Prince Edmund, in Blackadder 1.

I have said many times how when I was about to leave school in 1986 and was asked what sort of things I would like to act in I replied ‘Comedy, preferably for the BBC, something like Blackadder’. About a year later there I was in BBC TV Centre acting alongside Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Laurie and Tony Robinson in Blackadder 3.

Above, Hugh Laurie, Me, and Rowan Atkinson, as Prince George, William Pitt the Younger, and Blackadder, in Blackadder 3.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about some of my favourite film soundtracks. What those films are, and what soundtracks I still listen to the most, including one that is actually from another of my 1980s TV favourites, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 1 will be aware of how Baldrick is considered somewhat revolting, although he probably gets more revolting with each series. Blackadder 1 is set in the late 1400s, and at this time it wouldn’t have only been Baldrick who was revolting but peasants everywhere, unhappy with the way they were treated by those in power.

Above, Tony Robinson, as Baldrick, in Blackadder 1.

Just a few years after Blackadder 1 was set the Army of the Cornish Rebellion reached the walls of London. They had marched all the way from Cornwall led by Myghal Joseph An Gof, fighting small skirmishes as they went but when they reached the gates of London they were met with the larger, better armed and better trained army of Henry VII. The Cornish were defeated and Myghal Joseph An Gof was executed along with the other leaders of the Rebellion. This happened in 1497, and 500 years later I took part on the 365 mile march from Cornwall following the route the Rebel Army took right up to the walls of London.

Just over a hundred years earlier another rebellion took place. This was the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. This rebellion not only reached the same part of the walls of London that the Cornish did but also managed to force their way through the gates and into the city.
Inspired by preacher John Ball, and led by Wat Tyler, the Uprising formed an army of people mostly from Essex and Kent. Thousands marched on London, forced their way into the city, took control of the Tower of London, executed royal officials and burnt prominent buildings.

Above, Jamie Bell as John Bull, in the 2026 film The Uprising.

The young King Richard II, who was only 14 years old at the time, rode out to hear the demands of the Rebels. He met them at Smithfield. He listened, made promises that their main concerns would be met, but then fighting broke out between the King’s men and the Rebels. Wat Tyler was injured, and when he was found in a hospital for the poor he was taken back to Smithfield and beheaded.
King Richard never kept the promises he made to the Rebels, which may have been as much to do with his officials as it was with the King himself.
It could be seen as though the Peasants’ Revolt was a failure, demands not met, leaders killed. However, it was a great shock to those in power that those they govern will only take so much oppression before they have had enough and decide to fight back. It also inspired other uprisings to take place.
Wat Tyler may have been executed, but King Richard II didn’t end up much better.
Becoming more and more authoritarian, Richard became almost as unpopular with the nobles as he was with the people. In 1399 he was deposed by Henry Bolingbroke who was crowned King Henry IV. Henry had Richard imprisoned in Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire, where it is thought by many that he was left to starve to death. Henry’s son went on to become King Henry V.

Above, Kenneth Branagh, as Henry V, in the 1989 film adaptation of Shakespeare’s play. This I think is by far the best on screen adaptation of Henry V.

There is a film soon to be released called The Uprising. It is directed by Paul Greengrass, stars Andrew Garfield and tells the story of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. Garfield is reported to have said that he hopes Billionaires are ‘scared’ by what is depicted in the film, and as actions of Billionaires seem to be the cause of most of the world’s biggest problems, then perhaps they should be. This is a film I definitely intend to see.

Above, Andrew Garfield, as The Ploughman, in the 2026 film The Uprising.

So when watching Blackadder and seeing how Baldrick is treated and put upon, just remember, although Baldrick may well just put up with it and stay where he is, eventually the poor, the ill-governed and the oppressed may only take so much before they decide to fight back.

For more on Malacca https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malacca_City

For more on the TV series Space 1999 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space:_1999

For more on the TV series Dad’s Army https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dad%27s_Army

Or more on the 1971 film Dad’s Army https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dad’s_Army_(1971_film)

For more on the TV series The Good Life https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Life_(1975_TV_series)

For more on the TV series Man About the House https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_About_the_House

For more about the 1974 film Man About the House https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_About_the_House_(film)

For more on the TV series George and Mildred https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_and_Mildred

For more on the 1980 film George and Mildred https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_and_Mildred_(film)

For more on the TV series Are You Being Served? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Being_Served%3F

For more on the 1977 film Are You Being Served? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Being_Served%3F_(film)

For more on the TV drama adventure series Dick Turpin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Turpin_(TV_series)

For more on the 1976 film The Likely Lads https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Likely_Lads_(film)

Or more on the 1980 film Rising Damp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_Damp_(film)

For more on the TV series The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_and_Rise_of_Reginald_Perrin

For more on the 1972 film Steptoe and Son https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steptoe_and_Son_(film)

For more on the 1973 film Steptoe and Son Ride Again https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steptoe_and_Son_Ride_Again

For more on Grange Hill https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grange_Hill

For more on Eastenders https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EastEnders

For more on The Two Ronnies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Two_Ronnies

For more on TV sseries The Young Ones https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_Ones_(TV_series)

For more on the Cornish Rebellion of 1497 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_rebellion_of_1497

For more on the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasants%27_Revolt

For more on the 2026 film The Uprising https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Uprising_(2026_film)

For more on Andrew Garfield https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Garfield

Part 126, Young Snotty, Islands of Adventure, and the Submarine Boat

Part 126

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, Islands of Adventure, and the Submarine Boat

The My History Part

It was November 2016, and we were still in Malaysia. One of the trips we took while there was to the Island of Pulau Katam just off the coast of Malaysia at Port Klang.
Founded around 1880 by Chinese fishermen, Pulau Katam – which translates as Crab Island – still has a population which is mainly of Chinese descent.
During high tide the islands are entirely submerged, so all of the buildings are built on wooden poles to keep them above the waterline.

Above, a view of some of the buildings along one of the waterways of Pulau Katam, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

There are no cars on Pulau Katam, and although some of the bicycles there are now motorised the main way of getting around the island is on foot.
We passed some temples on the way to Port Klang, and even stopped off at an enormous Mosque. There are also several temples on the island, and everything has quite a Chinese feel, including the food.
Being an Island most of the local cuisine consists of fish. As Penny is allergic to all seafood we found it quite difficult to find something she could eat. I tested everything to see if it tasted of fish, and William just had a go at eating everything that was placed in front of us, but for Penny lunch mostly consisted of plain boiled rice.
There are places where tourists can stay on Pulau Katam but most people visiting the island mostly seemed, like us, to only be there for the day.

Above, some of the buildings of Pulau Katam, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

As well as temples, restaurants, and the occasional floating small hotel, there were many thriving markets. Goods seemed to arrive regularly from the mainland on boats of all sizes, and tourists mingled with the islanders to see what was on sale and to watch goods being unloaded.

Above, goods being unloaded at one of Pulau Katam’s docks, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

Although quite highly populated for its size, and space limited by not just the size of the Island but what could be built on wooden poles, which included the wooden roads, walkways and bridges, it seemed easy to get around. There were even some open spaces, and trees loaded with what to us were exotic fruits sprung up between the buildings.

Above, Coconuts growing in a tree, Pulau Katam, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

During WWII when what was then known as Malaya was occupied by the Japanese many people fled the mainland and headed to Pulau Katam. This boosted the population greatly, but the islanders, both old and new, were able to survive on the seafood and fruits that the island provided. Although the conditions may have sometimes seemed cramped, and the population was confined to the island, it was most likely a much better option than living on the mainland under Japanese occupation.

The boat out from Port Klang seemed like quite a conventional small ferry, but the boat back was quite different.
We waited at the dock at the time we were told to, but when the boat that arrived resembled a submarine that had surfaced more than a ferry, we weren’t quite sure if this was our boat or not. I liked the boat’s unusual look, and very much hoped it was our transport back to the mainland. When a crew member informed us that the boat was the one we were waiting for I was very pleased.

Above, Penny boarding the very submarine-like boat, Pulau Katam, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

There weren’t many windows, but we managed to find seats beside one. The boat went quite slowly as it manoeuvred its way out of the port but when out at sea it sped up and raced towards Port Klang. By this point there wasn’t much visible through the window except the sea spraying up as the boat sped along.

Above, on board the very submarine-like boat, Pulau Katam, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

It felt quite an unusual way to travel, which we enjoyed, but we were soon back at Port Klang, back on the Malaysian mainland, and soon heading back to the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Above, Me and Penny, with the base of the Petronas Towers in the background, on the edge of the park that led from our hotel to the centre of the city, Kuala Lumpur. Photo taken by William, November 2016.

We were now quite a way into our trip, but we still had a lot more to do. Historic coastal towns, rainforests, and the wonderful city itself were still to be explored. Kuala Lumpur is a lovely city during the day, and finding historic buildings is always something we try to do, but even the very modern buildings in the city are fantastic. They look like something from a film set on a rainforest planet with highly advanced cities.

Above, William, and Penny, on the edge of the park that led from our hotel to the centre of the city, with the Petronas Towers in the background, Kuala Lumpur. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

At night they look even more fantastical. The parks and streets seemed safe at any time of day or night, and as we found walking in the evenings in the park between the Petronas Towers and our hotel, this is when lizards came out to enjoy the surroundings too.
The way the buildings look lit up at night in Kuala Lumpur is amazing, and even the fountains perform with changing coloured lights to delight the assembled onlookers of both tourists and locals alike.
After another evening strolling in the city, and another exotic dinner of mixed cuisines from around the world in the great shopping mall below the Petronas Towers, we headed back to our hotel with more adventures to be had the following day.

What we got up to next in Malaysia, and where we went, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

When I was growing up in Cornwall in the 1970s we were limited to three TV Channels, with a fourth added in 1982. Despite the limited choices, I was always a TV fan. Most of what I liked to regularly watch was from either the UK or the US, and this time I will be concentrating on those from the US.
One of my early favourites was the Six Million Dollar Man starring Lee Majors as Steve Austin. This ran from 1973 to 1978. Steve Austin was an astronaut so badly injured that he could only be saved by using bionic parts. This gave him the ability to run very fast, lift extremely heavy weights, jump over buildings, and see for great distances. Somewhere I still have my Steve Austin action figure who had removable bionic parts, could lift a car engine using a button on his back, and whose bionic eye you could look through even though it made things look further away instead of nearer.

Above, Lee Majors, as Steve Austin, in the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man.

Lee Majors later starred in The Fall Guy which ran from 1981 to 1986. Here he played Colt Seavers, a Film and TV stuntman who also found time to work as a bounty hunter. I remember watching these when we lived in Cornwall, but when we moved to London in 1982 I think I watched them less and less.

Above, Douglas Barr, Lee Majors, and Heather Thomas, as Howie Munson, Colt Seavers, and Jody Banks, in the TV Series The Fall Guy.

Wonder Woman starring Lynda Carter as the DC superhero was a 1970s favourite. It ran from 1975 to 1979. The Incredible Hulk starring Bill Bixby as Dr David Banner who transformed into the Marvel superhero The Hulk when made angry was another favourite. When Dr Banner became The Hulk he was played by Lou Ferrigno. This series ran from 1977 to 1982.
I did very much like Charlie’s Angels which ran from 1976 to 1981. The idea was that a team of women who showed great abilities in the field of law enforcement were recruited by Charles Townsend, a secretive and somehow very wealthy private detective.

Above, David F Doyle, Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, and Cheryl Ladd, as John Bosley, Sabrina Duncan, Kelly Garrett, and Kris Munroe, in the TV series Charlie’s Angels.

Charles – or Charlie as he is usually referred to – is never seen other than some shots from behind. The man Charlie sends to keep an eye on his all female team – the Angels – is John Bosley played by David F Doyle. This character remains the same throughout the series but the Angels seemed to get replaced fairly frequently. The actresses who appeared as Angels over the series include Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd, Shelley Hack and Tanya Roberts.
Tanya Roberts also starred alongside Marc Singer in the 1982 film The Beastmaster which I liked very much in the 1980s.

Above, Tanya Roberts, and Marc Singer, as Kiri, and Dar, in the 1982 film The Beastmaster.

Marc Singer also starred in the TV miniseries V in 1983. I remember I was staying with my Grandmother Ruby in Cornwall when it was on. I think it was shown every night for a few evenings and watching Marc Singer join the Resistance to fight against an Alien Invasion of Earth was definitely something I had to be back in time to watch.

Above, Marc Singer, as Mike Donovan, in the 1983 TV miniseries V.

Whilst talking about Aliens and Space I should also mention Buck Rogers in the 25th Century which ran for two series from 1979 to 1981. The first series was originally aired in the UK in 1980, and I loved it. It starred Gil Gerard as astronaut Captain William ‘Buck’ Rogers who is accidentally frozen and wakes up in the 25th Century. It also starred Erin Gray as Wilma Deering.

Above, Gil Gerard, and Erin Gray, as William ‘Buck’ Rogers, and Wilma Deering, in the TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

By the time the second series aired we were living in London. I watched it but it didn’t really match the first series. I think many people must have thought the same as no more series of Buck Rogers were made.

Above, my Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Annual from 1981, and Buck Rogers figures and ship from about the same time. Photo taken by me, August 2026.

One series I couldn’t miss was The Dukes of Hazard which ran from 1979 to 1985. I remember being able to say in the early 80s that I had watched every episode but I can’t be sure if I watched all of the later episodes or not. When we lived in Cornwall I even walked around the village dressed as my favourite character from the show Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane played by James Best. I still have some of the collectibles from the time.

Above, some of my Dukes of Hazard cars from the early 1980s. Photo taken by me, August 2026.

Something else I used to dress up as was a member of the California Highway Patrol as portrayed by Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox in the TV series CHiPs which ran for six series from 1977 to 1983. Whilst the Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane outfit was just a collection of things I put together, the California Highway Patrol outfit was an official CHiPs one which I bought in Selfridges on a visit to London.

Above, my Charlie’s Angels Annual from 1979, and my CHiPs Annual from 1981. Photo taken by me, August 2026.

One last series from the US I should mention is Fame. This was first aired in the UK in June 1982 a few days after my 12th birthday. This coincided with me being offered a place at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. My parents gave me the choice of whether to stay in Cornwall and hope I can still get more acting roles which would mean travelling to and from London or to move to London, attend stage school and have much more chance of being offered more roles. I chose to move, and by September my parents had sold their business and we were living in London. I’m not sure how much the series Fame influenced my decision but I do remember telling people at school in Cornwall that we were moving to London so I could go to a school like the one in the series Fame.
In 1983, the main cast of the series went on tour to perform concerts of some of the songs from the series. When they came to London we attended their concert at the Royal Albert Hall. I probably wasn’t the only child from a stage school in the audience that day.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about some of the TV series I loved from the 1970s and early 1980s that were made in the UK. What those series were, and what it was like working on some of them, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 3 will be aware of Romantic Poets such as Lord Byron going on the Grand Tour around the Ancient sites of Europe. In the case of Byron, he even got involved in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire, and even died in Greece before the war was over. However, poets didn’t always have to travel as far as Greece to have adventures.

Welsh poet and writer Dylan Marlais Thomas was born in Swansea in 1914. He spent a lot of time as a young man going for walks. Some time in the 1930s – there is no exact date given – he walked – or possibly caught a bus to – Rhossili Bay on the Gower Peninsula in South Wales.

Above, Rhossili Bay, Wales. Photo taken by me, July 2026.

Here, as it was low tide, he decided to make the slightly arduous crossing over the rocks to the island of Worm’s Head. This island – named Pen Pyrod in Welsh – is thought to get its name from the Old English word ‘Wyrm’ which means Sea Serpent, as the three sections of the Island appear like the body, neck and head of an enormous sea creature.
There are only a few hours a day when the crossing is possible at low tide and if you don’t time it right then you could get stuck on the island.

Above, the island of Worm’s Head, as seen from the cliffs of Rhossili, Wales. Photo taken by me, July 2026.

It takes quite a while to climb your way over the rocks, avoiding stepping in rock pools and slipping on still wet sections of large pebbles.
If you cross over to the island now you will find the grass cut on the top of the inner head which could be seen as the sea serpent’s body, and the paths are easily visible even if some of them are quite steep.

Above, someone climbing the steep path up to the top of the inner head, the island of Worm’s Head, Wales. Photo taken by me, July 2026.

When Dylan Thomas visited, the grass was much longer, and he described the inner head in the short story based on his adventure on Worm’s Head called Who Do You Wish Was With US? as being covered in a ‘monstrous thick grass’.

Above, my copy of Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog which contains the short story based on his adventure on Worm’s Head called Who Do You Wish Was With US? featuring a picture of the author on the cover. First published in 1940, this is a later copy.

In the story, Dylan Thomas is with a friend, but in real life he visited the island on his own. He climbed to the middle and outer heads, then lay down in the sun and fell asleep.

Above, me on top of the inner head, with the middle head and outer head behind me, the island of Worm’s Head, Wales, July 2026.

When he woke up the sun had begun to set . As he climbed over the rocks between the outer and middle heads to reach the larger inner head it began to get dark.
He made it to the top and walked towards the end nearest the mainland. There he could see that the tide was in, he had missed the crossing, and he would have to sit in the long grass, hoping that the rats living on the island wouldn’t find him in the dark.
At about midnight, by the light of the moon, he could see that the tide was out again. He made his way down the steep path and began to cross over the rocks to the mainland.
Having recently made the crossing myself, both ways in daylight, I can say this is difficult enough to do during the day. It must have been even more difficult at night.

Above, much of the journey between the mainland and Worm’s Head is over rocks like these. Photo taken by me, July 2026.

When I reached the mainland Penny was waiting for me. We walked along the cliffs, admired the views, and spoke to the wonderful ponies that until a few days ago roamed freely around Rhossili but have now been removed – I hope only temporarily – due to complaints by a few people who have moved to the area and the unhelpfulness of the National Trust. From there we walked back to the car and drove home.

Above, some of the ponies that until recently roamed free at Rhossili. Photo taken by me, July 2026.

For Dylan Thomas there was no one waiting for him on the cliffs, there was no car or even a bus to get him back to where he was staying. Instead, he then had to make an eighteen mile night time journey on foot.
Visiting Worm’s Head recently was a nice little adventure, but for Dylan Thomas in the 1930s, stuck there until midnight, it must have been at least as frightening as it was adventurous.

Above, Me and Penny on the cliffs of Rhossili, with the island of Worm’s Head behind us, July 2026.

So, although the Grand Tour gave the young – and wealthy – poets, writers and travellers of the Georgian Era an opportunity for adventure mixed with a little danger, you don’t always have to travel quite as far as they did. For Dylan Thomas, he was able to find some adventure, and possibly a little bit of danger too, eighteen miles away from where he was staying on the Gower Peninsula of South Wales.

For more on the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Six_Million_Dollar_Man

For more on TV series The Fall Guy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_Guy

For more on the TV series Wonder Woman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Woman_(TV_series)

For more on the TV series The Incredible Hulk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_Hulk_(1978_TV_series)

For more on the TV series Charlie’s Angels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie%27s_Angels

For more on the 1982 film The Beastmaster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beastmaster

For more on the TV miniseries V https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_(1983_miniseries)

For more on the TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fame_(1982_TV_series)

For more on the TV series CHiPs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHiPs

Fore more on the TV series Fame https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fame_(1982_TV_series)

For more on Dylan Thomas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dylan_Thomas

For more on Worm’s Head https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worm’s_Head

Part 125, Young Snotty, the Cave Temples, the Monkeys, and Holding the Python

Part 125

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, the Cave Temples, the Monkeys, and Holding the Python

The My History Part

It was November 2016, and we were still only a couple of days into our trip to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
The first trip we did outside of the city was to an Elephant Sanctuary. We had been to an Elephant Orphanage before in Sri Lanka. That one was extremely good. The elephants were often used in films, including Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, they seemed very well looked after, and had plenty of room to roam freely.
This Malaysian one seemed fine, but the elephants didn’t have anything like the freedom they seemed able to enjoy in Sri Lanka.
We had two other stops before reaching the Sanctuary. The first were the complex of caves known as the Batu Cave Temples, about 10 miles outside Kuala Lumpur.

Above, an opening in the limestone rocks of one of the Batu Cave Temples, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

These huge limestone caves were used as shelter by early Malaysian tribes, but by the mid 1800s were being used by Hindus as a series of temples, the best known of which is the Murugan Temple.

Above, inside the Cave Temples, Batu, Malaysia, looking back towards the entrance. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

It was very hot, and there were many steps – 272 of them – to climb up to the entrance of the caves. We stopped to admire the views, and to talk to the many monkeys that roamed freely inside and outside of the caves. Although you are most likely to see many monkeys when visiting the caves, you may not see the many other creatures that live there. These include snakes, spiders, beetles, scorpions, bees, moths, frogs, lizards, birds, at least 21 species of bats, and hundreds of species of plants.

Above, a monkey, looking very much as though he knows how to pose for pictures, Batu Cave Temples, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

When you are about to ascend the many steps, you will pass the 141 feet high statue of Murugan. This statue was unveiled in 2006, and is painted gold. When we were there, although it had only been there for 10 years, it was already going through some sort of restoration, possibly repainting it gold. This statue is one of the largest Murugan statues in the world, and the largest statue in Malaysia.

Above, Me, William and Penny, about to ascend the 272 steps up to the Batu Cave Temples, with the 141 feet high statue of Murugan in the background, Malaysia, November 2016.

Originally, visitors had to climb the limestone rocks to reach the caves, but in 1920 a set of wooden steps had been installed. By the 1930s these steps had become very worn, and in 1940 the concrete steps, which are still in use, were built.

Above, the view as you enter the Batu Cave Temples, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

There are 20 known caves in Batu, but the Temple of Murugan is the largest of them. Believed to have been formed millions of years ago, rain has helped shape the caves we see today. There is a large and stunning opening in the ceiling of the enormous cave that forms the entrance to the temples, which is something it would be difficult not to stop, look up at, and watch to see the odd cloud travel slowly across the patch of blue sky revealed in the opening.

Above, the opening in the ceiling of the caves, revealing a patch of blue sky with just a touch of cloud, Batu Cave Temples, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

By the time we had left the caves and had walked down the 272 steps, stopping to speak to monkeys on the way, we were quite hot. Our driver was waiting for us at the bottom, and he suggested we stop at the cafe near the caves to have a chilled coconut drink. This sounded good, and we agreed.

Above, Monkey and Baby Monkey, Batu Cave Temples, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

We sat and watched as our driver arranged it with the cafe owner, and soon we saw him reach into a large fridge, take out three whole coconuts, chop the tops off, stick a straw in and bring them to our table.
So simple, so natural, so fresh, and so refreshing, drinking straight from the chilled coconuts was just what we needed before heading further out of Kuala Lumpur, along jungle roads, and to our next stop.

Above, the fresh, chilled coconut, natural and refreshing, Batu Cave Temples, Malaysia. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

We passed several settlements near the road on the edge of the jungle, and then we reached the wildlife sanctuary which was our next stop.
We fed some deer, and then some ostriches before heading off to see where injured lizards were being nursed back to health. We didn’t ask, but hoped and assumed that once these creatures were well again they would be released back into the wild.
After the lizards we then came to the snakes. We spent a while looking at these, some of which were huge. When one of the staff saw us spending quite a while looking at one particular python, we were asked if we would like to hold her. Penny and William both seemed a little unsure but I replied that I would definitely like to hold her.

Above, William, Me holding the python, and Penny, Malaysia, November 2016.

I was told to keep a gentle but firm grip on her, and then she was placed around my neck. She was very strong, and although trying to be gentle I could not have held her firmly enough to stop her going where she wanted. She stayed around my neck but moved through my grip with ease. It was easy to see how in the wild such a large snake can wrap itself around much larger animals.

Above, Me, holding the Python, Malaysia, November 2016.

Our next stop was the Elephant Sanctuary. We were able to feed some of the elephants and then watched them being walked about, and some ridden. It seemed fine, but compared to the Elephant Orphanage we had visited in Sri Lanka years earlier, these Malaysian elephants seemed to have a lot less freedom than the Sri Lankan ones did. They seemed cared for, but I don’t like to see animals shut away, unable to roam freely, and think being in such a place should only be for conservation reasons or if the animal is unwell. Like the animals we saw in the Sanctuary on the way there, I hope that they and these elephants were all allowed to be released into the wild as soon as they were able to do so.
We had quite a few days left in Malaysia, and would be going on more trips outside of the city.

Where we went, and what we got up to next in Malaysia, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind Scenes Part

In the last blog I talked about growing up in Cornwall and what it was like watching films at the cinema there in the 1970s. In 1982 we moved to London so I could attend Stage School. Although at first I didn’t go to the cinema except on a couple of school trips, by the mid 80s I started visiting the cinemas in Leicester Square.
These were very big cinemas, and are where premieres did, and still do, take place. I think my first visit to a Leicester Square cinema was in 1979 to see the Bond film Moonraker. We were still living in Cornwall then so I must have been in London with my parents either for an audition or to visit my agent.
The only other Bond film I have seen in the cinema was The Spy Who Loved Me. Watching Moonraker on the big screen was very good, but as well as being in a very large cinema the other two things I remember about it was that a man nearby sat eating very loudly throughout most of the film, and that the plot to Moonraker was very similar to that of The Spy Who Loved Me except for taking place in space instead of underwater.
What tempted me to go to the cinema in 1985 was to see Back to the Future. I loved it, and although I never saw the sequels in the cinema I have seen them many times since on DVD.

Above, Christopher Lloyd, and Michael J Fox, as Dr Emmett Brown, and Marty McFly, in the 1985 film Back to the Future.

When watching the film on the big screen in 1985 I didn’t know that in 2022, 37 years later, there would be a WestEnd Musical production of it. Penny and I went to see it in January 2022, and loved it. We saw it again in the Summer of 2022, and a third time in early 2023.

As well as being the year of Blackadder 3, I remember 1987 being a great year for cinema. That year I saw Lethal Weapon starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, The Witches of Eastwick starring Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeifer, and The Untouchables starring Kevin Costner,
Sean Connery, Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith and Robert De Niro.

Above, Mel Gibson, and Danny Glover, as Martin Riggs, and Roger Murtaugh, in the 1987 film Lethal Weapon.

As I was working at the Palace Theatre at the time, I would go and see films in Leicester Square between shows. I loved all three of these films, and I still have the soundtrack albums on vinyl bought in 1987 of The Witches of Eastwick, and The Untouchables. The music of The Witches of Eastwick by the great John Williams is fantastic. It suits the plot, the characters and the setting so well.

Above, Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeifer, in the 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick.

The amazing music of The Untouchables by Ennio Morricone adds so much to the film. The setting in Prohibition Era Chicago is created so well, and added to the music really takes the viewer to 1930s America.
I saw these three films twice each in Leicester Square cinemas in 1987, and we regularly watch them on DVD about once a year, including the Lethal Weapons sequals.

Above, Andy Garcia, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, and Charles Martin Smith, in the 1987 film The Untouchables.

In 1988 I saw Beetlejuice starring Michael Keeton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, and Winona Ryder. With another great soundtrack, this time by Danny Elfman, this is another film we regularly watch.
In 2024 a sequel was released titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Penny and I went to see it in the cinema – in Wales not in London – and thought it was great. Winona Ryder returns but is now the mother rather than the teenage daughter, and Catherine O’Hara – who recently passed away – returned to the role she played in the original film. Michael Keeton also returned to his role – it wouldn’t seem quite right if someone else were to play it – and Willem Dafoe joins the cast as does Jenna Ortega who is fantastic as the teenage daughter.

Above, Michael Keeton, in the 1988 film Beetlejuice.

I saw films less in the 90s, and didn’t regularly attend the cinema until returning to Cornwall and meeting Penny in the late 1990s. We started going to the cinema together quite regularly, and the Cinema we went to was The Regal in Redruth, the town I was born in and where my cinema-going began.
When we moved to Wales a few years later we stopped going to the cinema, and it wasn’t until 2015 with the release of the Star Wars sequel The Force Awakens that we started going again.
We have seen many things in the cinema since but it has to be something that we really want to see. In 2023 we watched the 5th Indiana Jones film The Dial of Destiny which we loved and saw it twice just like I used to with films I liked in the 80s.

Above, Harrison Ford, as Indiana Jones, in the 2023 film The Dial of Destiny.

I am a huge Indiana Jones fan but this was the first Indiana Jones film I had seen in the cinema. In 2023 we visited Petra where the fantastic end scenes of the 1989 Indiana Jones film The Last Crusade were filmed.

Above, Harrison Ford, and Sean Connery, as Indiana Jones, and Henry Jones, in the 1989 film The Last Crusade.

Since seeing it first on the small screen I thought ‘I want to go there one day’. Not only did we get to visit this wonderful historical site but we also got to arrive on foot and leave on horseback just as Indiana Jones does in the film.

Above, Penny leaving on Horseback, Petra, Jordan, March 2023.

In March 2024, exactly a year to the day that we were in Petra, a nearby cinema was screening for one day only The Last Crusade, we had to attend. We watch all of the Indiana Jones films at least once a year but it was amazing seeing it on the big screen. We have tried to visit as many of the settings of the films as we can around the world, and later in 2024 we visited some of the British locations of the Dial of Destiny.

Above, Me, leaving on Horseback, Petra, Jordan, March 2023.

With streaming becoming so available, more accessible and easy, less people may go to the cinema than they used to. However, it is still a very different way to see a film, whether it is a new film or a classic being shown again for just that day. It is a wonderful experience, and I hope that cinema is still around to amaze and inspire for a very long time to come.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part, I will be talking about some of my favourite TV viewings in the late 1970s and early 1980s. What those TV shows were, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 1 will be aware of how great it must have been to live in a castle. Many of the castles in England had been around for hundreds of years by the time that Blackadder 1 was set in the late 1400s, but some new ones were still being built.

In Wales, Raglan Castle was still quite new for a castle at the time of Blackadder 1. Built in the 1430s by William ap Thomas, it was greatly modified by his son William Herbert in the 1460s.
Having fought in the Hundred Years War against France, William Herbert supported the Yorkists in the War of the Roses, and was thought by the Welsh at that time to be the man who would deliver Welsh Independence.

Above, Me, William, and Penny, about to enter Raglan Castle, Wales, July 2026.

It is thought by some historians that the design of Raglan’s towers resemble those of Caernarfon Castle built by Edward I in the late 13th Century. Edward had the towers built to resemble the walls of Constantinople which he had seen whilst on Crusade, which has led some historians to believe that William Herbert was redesigning Raglan to resemble Caernarfon to promote himself as a man of power and influence, Caernarfon having been built by the powerful English King Edward I, and Caernarfon itself built to resemble the mighty walls of Constantinople.

Above, Part of the Great Tower from across the moat, with the Gate House in the background, Raglan Castle, Wales. Photo taken by me, July 2026.

William Herbert was captured at the Battle of Edgecote Moor and was executed. His son, also called William Herbert, continued to add to Raglan in the 1470s.
As his daughter Elizabeth married Charles Somerset, it was the Somerset family that inherited the castle.
The Somerset family did well during the Tudor Period, and when the English Civil War broke out in 1642, Raglan became a stronghold for local Royalists. Eventually, Raglan was besieged and then captured by the Parliamentarians.
The usual thing for the Parliamentarians to do when capturing a Royalist castle was to partly destroy it so it was indefensible to further attacks. This is known as Slighting a castle.

Above, Penny, and William, on the path around the moat, with the Great Tower and bridge in the background, Raglan Castle, Wales. Photo taken by me, July 2026.

Henry Herbert, a descendant of William ap Thomas who originally built Raglan, was ordered to not just slight but entirely destroy Raglan Castle. However, Raglan’s defences were so well built that it was found impossible to destroy the castle, which is why we can still enjoy and admire this mighty fortress, built by a Welshman, today.
After the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, Charles II restored Raglan to its owners. However, rather than spend money trying to restore the Medieval castle, it was thought better to concentrate on their more modern buildings, and Raglan was left as a ruin.
Although considered a ruin, much of Raglan Castle is still intact. You can still admire the mighty defences of the gate house, and the imposing Great Tower reached by a bridge over a moat, whose winding stairways lead you to the top for views over the castle and the surrounding countryside. You can spend a lot of time exploring this wonderful castle, and I highly recommend doing so to anyone who gets the chance.

Above, Penny and Me, pretending to arrive in Medieval Style, Raglan Castle, Wales. Photo taken by William, July 2026.

So, many of the greatest castles in the UK, which are amongst the greatest in the World, are found in Wales. Most of the mightiest were built by the English, particularly Edward I, but Raglan reminds us that a Welshman can build a mighty fortress too, one that rivaled Edward’s imposing fortresses, stood up to those besieging it, and when it fell to the enemy, refused to be destroyed.

For more on Malaysia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia

For more on the Batu Cave Temples https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Caves

For more on the 1979 Bond film Moonraker https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonraker_(film)

For more in the 1985 film Back to the Future https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Future

For more on the stage musical Back to the Future https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Future:_The_Musical

For more on the 1987 film Lethal Weapon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethal_Weapon

For more on the 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witches_of_Eastwick_(film)

For more on the 1987 film The Untouchables https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Untouchables_(film)

For more on the 1988 film Beetlejuice https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetlejuice

For more on the 2024 film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetlejuice_Beetlejuice

For more on the 2015 film The Force Awakens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Force_Awakens

For more on the 2023 film The Dial of Destiny https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Dial_of_Destiny

For more on the 1989 film The Last Crusade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Last_Crusade

For more on Petra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra

For more on Raglan Castle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raglan_Castle

For more on Caernarfon Castle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caernarfon_Castle

For more on Edward I https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_I

Part 124, Young Snotty, the Warm Rain, and the Cinema

Part 124

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

Please visit http://www.historypitt.co.uk for more details.

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, the Warm Rain, and the Cinema

The My History Part

It was November 2016. We had found flights to the Far East flying from Cardiff with KLM. They weren’t direct flights, but changing planes in Amsterdam was still easier than making our way to London where most long haul flights left from.
We booked a taxi to take us to the airport which arrived on time. We were soon at Cardiff Airport and checked in to our early morning flight to Amsterdam. It was quite a short flight, and after an even shorter wait we were boarding our next KLM flight, this time to the Far East, to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
I had stopped there twice in the mid 90s when flying to and from Australia, but didn’t leave the airport. I remember that while landing all that you could see for miles was rainforest, and that combined with the friendly staff and nice airport made me want to return to Kuala Lumpur for a proper look around. Now, 21 years later, I was finally returning, along with Penny and William.

Above, the twin Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur from below. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

The flight was long, but there were films and TV shows to choose from on our screens in front of our seats, and we did manage to sleep a bit. We arrived in Kuala Lumpur airport early the following morning. We easily arranged a private transfer to our hotel and were able to check in straight away even though it was still quite early.
This first hotel we only booked for two nights. This was so that if the flights were cancelled we would only be charged for these two nights and would still have time to cancel the following seven nights we had booked in a larger and more expensive hotel nearby without being charged. Thankfully our flights left and arrived on time.
We only rested for a short time and then headed out for a look around. We found that we were only a couple of minutes walk from the twin Petronas Towers, which were an amazing sight. We were booked on a tour to take us up to the top of the Towers on our last day, but for now we were very happy just to be seeing them from below.

Above, the twin Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, seen from below at night. Our first hotel was near enough to stroll to the Towers in a couple of minutes. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

Near our first hotel was a small shopping mall with shops, and places to eat. Beneath the Petronas Towers was another shopping mall, much larger than the other one. It was in these malls that we would head to when wanting a break from the extreme heat when exploring the city.
It was in the high 30s but very cloudy, and would often suddenly rain. The rain however didn’t cool you down as this too was warm. The air conditioning in the malls gave us the necessary breaks we needed, but we soon got used to the heat and warm rain.

Above, Penny and Me, in the park below the Petronas Towers, at night. It was so hot that at times even I was persuaded to wear a short sleeve shirt and no tie or waistcoat. Photo taken by William, November 2016.

The larger mall had a huge dining level, which is where we ate most days. Surrounded by counters selling food from all over the world we were each able to order different things but eat together as the large seating area in the middle served all of the counters. We sometimes had pasta, but mostly I went for the spicy options of Asia.
We slept well our first night in Kuala Lumpur. The next morning we went on a mini bus tour around the city. We saw the city streets, and the national monument celebrating Malaysian independence from Britain. We visited a pewter factory, and spent quite a while at the national museum.

Above, one of the displays in the National Museum, Kuala Lumpur, with Penny in the background, and William to the left. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

The museum is large, and has exhibits charting the history of Malaysia. It is well worth a visit, and this tour was a very good way to get an introduction to the wonderful Malaysian capital.

Above, Me and Penny, in front of another display in the National Museum, Kuala Lumpur. Photo taken by William, November 2016.

The next day we checked out of our small hotel and headed to the larger one where we had booked an apartment for the next seven nights. It was too near to book a taxi but felt far enough as we dragged our luggage along the hot streets.
When we checked in and got to our apartment we were very pleased. As well as two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a large lounge, it also had a large dining area and a kitchen where at least a couple of nights I could cook a Malaysian style dinner.
The views over the city were great, and we could walk to the Petronas Towers through the large park just outside the hotel. Breakfast was included, and I took the opportunity to have curry and rice for breakfast most mornings – perhaps Every morning – of our stay.

Above, William emerging from the undergrowth, in the park that linked our hotel with the Petronas Towers. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

Everything seemed very high quality even though we were only paying a very small fraction of what a much less luxurious hotel would cost in Europe. Even the swimming pool – something I usually try to avoid – tempted us to take a dip.
Outside, on one of the high up floors, surrounded by skyscrapers, with views of the moon and stars, the blue light illuminated swimming pool was a wonderful place to cool down at night. Even if it rained, it was still nice to be in this pool in the sky, high above the busy city streets below.

Above, the illuminated pool at our hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

This first couple of days was only our introduction to Malaysia. We would be travelling far out of the city to visit temples, towns, islands, the rainforest, and being a Muslim majority country, enormous Mosques.

Above, Penny, with umbrella to shelter from the warm rain, in the park between our hotel and the Petronas Towers. The park was always patrolled by police, and always felt safe to walk through day and night. Photo taken by me, November 2016.

Where we went next, what we saw, and what we got up to in wonderful Malaysia, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

I was born in Redruth in Cornwall in 1970. The Regal Cinema and Theatre – which is still open – was a regular place to visit. I have memories of visiting there many times before we moved from Redruth to Pendeen in 1977. Some visits were to see stage shows, where I may or may not have even ventured onto the stage during performances. However, most of my memories of visiting the Regal are when I went to see films.
I must have seen quite a few films there. I think every time I passed it I would try to get whoever was taking me around town to take me in to see a film. I remember my Grandmother Ruby would sometimes use the excuse that the cinema was only showing the news that day, which meant I wouldn’t want to go in.
One film I do remember watching there was the 1976 film At the Earth’s Core. Based on the 1914 novel of the same name by Edgar Rice Burroughs, it starred Peter Cushing, Doug McClure, and Caroline Munro.

Above, Peter Cushing, Caroline Munro, and Doug McClure, as Abner Perry, Pricess Dia, and David Innes, in the 1976 film At the Earth’s Core.

I remember really liking the story of two explorers attempting to tunnel through a mountain and somehow managing to tunnel their way into the centre of the Earth to find a land of people enslaved by a race of prehistoric creatures.
Peter Cushing was excellent as the Victorian scientist, Doug McClure great as the hero type, and Caroline Munro was lovely as the enslaved Princess Dia. Little did I know then, watching this film in the cinema, aged six, that many years later I would be meeting Caroline Munro at a Talking Pictures TV event. I even have a signed photo of her from when she appeared as Margiana in the 1973 film The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. We have met her again since, and she is always lovely.

Above, John Phillip Law, and Caroline Munro, as Captain Sinbad, and Margiana, in the 1973 film The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.

I didn’t see the Golden Voyage of Sinbad in the cinema – although I have seen it many times since on DVD – but I did see Caroline in the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me starring Roger Moore as Bond in the cinema. When we met Caroline for the second time it was our son William’s birthday. As a gift, Caroline gave William a signed photo of her in The Spy Who Loved Me.
When we moved to Pendeen in West Cornwall when I was almost seven, the nearest cinema was the Savoy in Penzance, which like the Regal, is still open. The Regal in Redruth was within walking distance from where we lived, but the Savoy was a car journey away from Pendeen. My parents bought and ran a very successful restaurant in the village. This meant that any cinema visits were now with my Grandmother Ruby on the bus.
The first film I remember seeing there was the 1977 Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. Like The Golden Voyage we have seen this film many times on DVD, but what I remember most about seeing it in the cinema in Penzance was that every time Jane Seymour appeared on the screen all of the young men in the audience loudly stamped their feet. This I have never experienced before or since in any cinema.

Above, Jane Seymour, as Princess Farah, in the 1977 film Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger.

The next film I remember seeing there was the 1979 film Star Trek. I have never been a huge fan of Star Trek but wanted to see it as I was a huge fan of Star Wars. Having missed Star Wars in the cinema in 1977 I still collected the toys – which I still have – and had the story of the film on a vinyl album.
It must have been in 1980, as the other film being shown with Star Trek – cinemas still often showed two films per screening back then – was the 1980 Battlestar Galactica Conquest of the Earth. This was made up of parts of the second series of the Battlestar Galactica TV show.
I didn’t like the Star Trek film at all, but I loved the Battlestar Galactica one. Living in Cornwall, the Battlestar Galactica series was never shown on TV there. However, it was shown in London, and when staying in London for my first TV role as the lead in Thames TV’s schools’ programme The Shadow Cage, I did manage to see one episode.

Above, Richard Hatch, and Dirk Benedict, as Apollo, and Starbuck, in the 1978 series Battlestar Galactica.

It wasn’t until a few years ago that Penny bought me both series of Battlestar Galactica on DVD, and for the first time I was able to watch every episode.
Also in 1980, the second Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back was released. Having missed the first Star Wars film this was something I definitely wanted to see.
My Grandmother Ruby helped run my parent’s restaurant, and so it wasn’t always easy for her to be able to have time to take me to the cinema. However, for this occasion she managed to get one weekday evening off. This would be our only chance of seeing it in the cinema. We caught the bus into Penzance and made our way to the Savoy Cinema. Usually we would just walk straight in and buy a ticket, but on this occasion there was a very long line of people waiting to get in. We waited, the line moved slowly, and just when it was about to be our turn we were told ‘Sorry, sold out’.

Above, Carrie Fisher, as Princess Leia, in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back.

I would have to wait to see the first, second, and third Star Wars films when they came on TV years later. That didn’t stop me collecting the toys, but I had to rely on other people who had seen the films to tell me what happened or just make up my own stories with the toys.
I never wanted to see the prequels, and still haven’t seen them, but when The Force Awakens was released in 2015 we booked tickets to see it in Cardiff as soon as it was released. We did the same with The Last Jedi in 2017, The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, and also the two later prequels Rogue One in 2016, and Solo in 2018.

Above, Carrie Fisher, as Princess Leia, in the 1977 film Star Wars.

I don’t think they quite match the wonder of the original three films, but seeing the Millennium Falcon, X Wings and Tie Fighters on the big screen for the first time was wonderful. For me, the one film of them that stands out as coming anywhere near the original Star Wars trilogy is Rogue One. Set just before the first Star Wars film, and ending where the original film begins was extremely well done. It matches very well, the cast is great, and the film overall reminds me a little of the 1965 war film The Heroes of Telemark starring Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris.

Above, Kirk Douglas, and Richard Harris, as Rolf, and Knut in the 1965 film The Heroes of Telemark.

In 1982 we moved to London so that I could attend Stage School. This gave me much more opportunity to visit cinemas, usually those in and around Leicester Square. I saw many great films on the big screen in London in the 1980s. What those films were, and my memories of London cinemas in the 1980s, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 1 will be aware of the attempts to marry Prince Edmund to the Spanish Infanta to try and put England on better terms with Spain. However, throughout much of history, the two countries have often been not on the best of terms.

Above, Tim McInnerny, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Broadbent, and Miriam Margolyes, as Percy, Prince Edmund, Don Speekingleesh, and the Spanish Infanta, in Blackadder 1.

During the time of Blackadder 2, Spain sent four Armadas against England. The Armada of 1588 was defeated by the better tactics of the much smaller English fleet and by the weather they encountered in the North Sea.

Above, Miranda Richardson, as Queenie – Queen Elizabeth I – in Blackadder 2.

The second in 1596 was sent partly in retaliation to the burning of the Spanish port of Cadiz during a raid by an English and Dutch fleet commanded by Charles Howard and Robert Devereux in June of that year. By the end of 1596 an Armada had been assembled, however, before it could even leave Spanish waters it was partly destroyed by severe weather. The surviving ships were forced to turn back without even sailing against England.
The third Armada was sent the following year, but this too was scattered and partly destroyed by the weather. This Armada also had to return to Spain without actually engaging the English.
The fourth Armada was sent in 1601. The Spanish landed troops in Ireland to fight the English there. However, the combined Spanish and Irish force was defeated again by a combination of English tactics and the weather. The surviving Spanish surrendered, and were allowed to sail home to Spain.

Above, another picture of Miranda Richardson, as Queenie – Queen Elizabeth I – this time looking happy, in Blackadder 2.

Britain – England, Wales, and Scotland united as Great Britain from 1707 – was at war with Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession from 1701 to 1714. In 1704, as part of this war, Britain seized Gibraltar from the Spanish.
During the time of Blackadder 3, Britain was at war with Napoleon. France invaded Spain, and made his brother King. This meant Spanish rebels joined the side of Britain, but the Spanish navy was on the side of France. When the combined fleets of France and Spain were defeated by Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, this marked the decline of Napoleon’s fortunes, the decline of the Empire of Spain, and the rise of the British Empire.

Above, Russell Crowe, as Captain Jack Aubrey, in the 2003 film Master and Commander, set during the Napoleonic Wars.

Even in World War II, although Spain was officially on neither side, Britain knew that the Spanish were gathering information for the Germans. This however was something that Britain could use to their advantage, and many false bits of information were fed to the Germans via Spanish agents throughout the war.

Above, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Broadbent, and Miriam Margolyes, as Prince Edmund, Don Speekingleesh, and the Spanish Infanta, in Blackadder 1.

So, even though Prince Edmund didn’t end up marrying the Spanish Infanta, things between England and Spain were set to become a bit stormy anyway, as was the weather, seemingly every time the Spanish sent an Armada against the smaller, but better led, English fleet.

For more on Kuala Lumpur https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur

For more on the Petronas Towers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronas_Towers

For more on the 1976 film At the Earth’s Core https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_the_Earth%27s_Core_(film)

For more on the 1973 film The Golden Voyage of Sinbad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Voyage_of_Sinbad

For more on the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spy_Who_Loved_Me_(film)

For more on the 1977 film Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinbad_and_the_Eye_of_the_Tiger

For more on the 1978 series Battlestar Galactica https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestar_Galactica_(1978_TV_series)

For more on the 1980 series Battlestar Galactica https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactica_1980

For more on the original Star Wars Trilogy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_original_trilogy

For more on the 2016 film Rogue One https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_One

For more on the 1965 film The Heroes of Telemark https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heroes_of_Telemark

For more on the Spanish Armada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Armada

For more on the War of the Spanish Succession https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Spanish_Succession

For more on the Battle of Trafalgar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Trafalgar

For more on Admiral Lord Nelson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Nelson,_1st_Viscount_Nelson

For more on the 2003 film Master and Commander https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_and_Commander:_The_Far_Side_of_the_World

Part 123, Young Snotty, the Degree, the Museum, and the Ceremony

Part 123

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, the Degree, the Museum, and the Ceremony

The My History Part

It was March 2016. As I was nearing the end of studying for my History Degree I decided it was time to look for work where I could put those years of studying to good use.
Museum work is generally extremely hard to get into, so I decided to look for volunteer work which may then lead to paid work. I found a museum which was situated underneath a prominent castle in Wales. As both Museum work and working in a castle interested me I applied and soon had an interview.
The interview went well, and my studies, my time spent in the Territorial Army, and being an actor probably all added to me being offered a voluntary role at the military museum.
After a visit to Cornwall I started my role as a volunteer. Almost all of the paid staff and other volunteers I got on well with. The director of the museum was great to work for, and the curator was easy to get along with. However, it turned out that there was one senior member of staff who I was not going to find it as easy to get along with.

Above, a photo taken of me in the castle grounds, at a later date, for an article for Wales Online where they describe how they discovered that a ‘Blackadder Star’ was working at the castle. The article was published in 2018.

Imagine if you were someone who worked in an office. There is often in such a place that you find that one member of staff that seems to spend more time walking around the office throwing their weight around and claiming they are working more than anyone else than the time they spend actually doing any work. It felt a little like this at times. It was difficult for me at first to understand why such a person would want to work in History and Heritage, but this was only a minor issue, and the only down side to the job. I soon learnt that most other people felt the same, and that this person was probably a major reason for the sometimes high turnover in staff.
This would eventually lead to perhaps not the best of working conditions, but for now I was happy to be there, and the members of management who did like me outranked the person who didn’t. Most of the time it was an extremely enjoyable place to work, and I will always be grateful for the opportunities I was given there.
I had started working as a volunteer in mid March, by the end of April the museum director offered me a part time contract. I started my paid job at the museum in May, and only a matter of weeks later I was offered a full time contract. All was going well, for now.
After a quick trip to Disneyland Paris, it was time to submit my final work for my degree. This was a long written piece on the adventurous individuals who helped shape empires. I did not need to do an exam this time as well, although Penny still had one for her studies.
By July we got the news that Penny had passed her exam and I had been awarded a BA (hons) Degree in History.
Work continued to go well at the museum – particularly if I could avoid that one member of staff – and I was soon put in charge of giving talks to the public on the historical use of swords within the British Army.
Often I would also be found roaming the castle grounds in historic uniforms – a few other members of staff also did the same – and on certain days would stand guard outside the castle gates to attract visitors inside.

Above, Me dressed as a French WWI soldier, on guard outside the castle. It was decided to put me in a French uniform as although British soldiers were generally not allowed to have beards during WWI the French were allowed to. October 2016.

The museum itself was not large but was quite new, and had been laid out in an interesting, informative, and entertaining way. Spending long times underground did take a bit of getting used to, but the time spent giving talks – swords were not the only talks given, and other members of staff were in charge of some other talks – and time spent above ground in uniform often made the days go quickly.

Above, I still use a sword in some of my Talks. This is me dressed for one of my Highwaymen, Renegades and Rebels of the Georgian Era Talks, with replica flintlock and double-barrelled flintlock, and an actual Police Cutlass from the 1850s, July 2025.

Being an actor I knew that talks needed to be entertaining as well as educational. Visitors to museums come to be entertained not lectured to, and this I encouraged others to remember. I even began referring to the talks as the ‘Shows’ to remind those giving them to add humour and stories to what they were telling people, and that they were ‘Performing’ their Shows rather than just ‘giving’ their talks.
By October it was time for my Graduation Ceremony. This took place at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay. This was our first visit there, but we have been many times since to see many shows there. Although modern, it is such a well designed and interesting building. It is a definite asset to Cardiff, to Wales, and to those who want to see World class performances without having to travel to London every time.

Above, part of the writing on the Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, at night, on a later visit. It is actually a quote by Welsh poet Gwyneth Lewis which says in Welsh and English ‘In These Stones Horizons Sing’. The letters are actually windows which is why they appear to be lit up. Photo taken by me, November 2022.

I hired the Graduation gown but bought the mortarboard cap which I still have. Penny and William were in the audience of relatives and friends of those graduating that day. I found my seat amongst the other History graduates, and waited my turn.

Above, Me, inside the Millennium Centre on my Graduation Day, in my Graduation Gown – possibly not designed for wearing over a double-breasted wool suit – and Mortarboard Cap held high. Photo taken by Penny, October 2016.

A lot of the graduates had brought many friends and relatives to cheer them on as they made their way onto the Millennium Centre’s stage. When it came to my turn, and as my name was announced, I walked onto the stage. Although Penny and William were the only people I had there cheering for me, they were so loud and so effective that it sounded as though it was many people rather than only two. It was so loud that the university official handing me my scroll even commented to me on it. It was a very enjoyable day.

Above, the Writing Windows as seen from inside the Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, November 2022.

It was back to work at the museum a day or two later, but by November we were off on our travels again. This time it was the Far East we were heading to. Where we went, and what we got up to I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

Whilst in Malta in 2023, Penny and I would spend our evenings back at our hotel after long days out and about. Here we would watch TV, in particular a channel called Middle East Movies, at least I think that is what it was called.
Despite the name, the films they showed appeared to all be English language films, mostly from the US. It was this channel that introduced us to a series of films that we had never thought we would want to watch but since seeing them in Malta we now watch them regularly, once a year, at about the same time of year we originally watched them in that hotel on the Mediterranean Coast.
Those films were the four original Hunger Games films, adapted from the series of novels by Suzanne Collins. The channel showed the first two films – The Hunger Games released in 2012, and Catching Fire released in 2013 – on one night and then the next night the other two films – Mockingjay Part 1 released in 2014, and Mockingjay Part 2 released in 2015. Despite our initial reluctance to see the films we began to watch the first one as at least it was in English. We loved it, and the others that followed, we were very surprised.

Above, Jennifer Lawrence, as Katniss Everdeen, in The Hunger Games, 2012.

The films have a fantastic cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland.
The stories are set in the future in a place called Panem, where food is in short supply for the many, while the few who live in the Capitol have almost all of the wealth and power. The Capitol is surrounded by 12 districts, each district having its separate function of providing the Capitol with its needs.
In a supposed remembrance of a rebellion that took place against the Capitol, regular games are held, these are known as the Hunger Games. These games are a fight to the death where only one – or in some cases two – of those sent from one district survive and win. Each district sends two ‘Tributes’ to take part. These are chosen at random from all those aged between 12 and 18. It becomes quite clear for the viewer that these games are meant to keep the poorer districts in their place, to instil fear, and discourage any future rebellions against the oppression of the Capitol.

Above, Jennifer Lawrence, and Josh Hutcherson, as Katniss Everdeen, and Peeta Mellark, being forced to give a speech praising the Capitol, to an unconvinced crowd, in Catching Fire 2013.

The lead character Katniss Everdeen – played by Jennifer Lawrence – volunteers to take her younger sister’s place when her name is chosen at random at the ‘Reaping’ – the choosing of the Tributes – and is sent to represent District 12 in the games along with fellow Tribute Peeta Mellark, played by Josh Hutcherson.
The role of the President of Panem – President Coriolanus Snow – was played by Donald Sutherland. Rather than being offered the role, Sutherland who had read the books wrote a very long impassioned letter to the director of the first film in the series Gary Ross. On reading the letter, Ross decided that Sutherland was the right actor for the role. Sutherland was a life long political activist. He believed that power was being taken from the people and held onto by the rich and powerful few. He believed that films like the Hunger Games could encourage people to become aware of the disappearance of their liberties, and act to regain and protect them.

Above, Donald Sutherland, as President Coriolanus Snow, The Hunger Games.

We first watched these films in 2023. Since that year I believe the rights and freedoms of many people, including those in the West, have been deliberately and systematically stripped away by their governments. Many governments today, including those in the West, including those of the UK and the US, are more interested in serving the foreign powers and the billionaires who give them ‘donations’ than in serving their countries and their people. I believe that Donald Sutherland was right. It is easy to see which foreign power holds sway over our governments, even to the point of them being complicit in genocide. In this country even words are banned if the Prime Minister decides his own misinterpretation of them deems those words offensive. Those taking part in massive peaceful protests against genocide are labeled ‘Terrorists’, while those on the much smaller scale Far Right marches who openly call for violence against anyone who is not them is given protection. Even the behaviour of this country’s police has changed. It would be easy for someone to believe that the World is becoming more and more like living in the Hunger Games every day.

Above, Jennifer Lawrence, as Katniss Everdeen, in Mockingjay Part 1, 2014.

In the Hunger Games series, Katniss Everdeen becomes a symbol of rebellion. People start to question and then refuse to obey the Capitol’s demands. The Mockingjay pin worn by Katniss has even become a real life symbol against oppression. If our Prime Minister finds out he will probably ban that too.
Whether or not these films and the novels they came from reflect real life, encourage resistance, or are a warning about what the future of politics holds, these are very well written, directed, produced, and cast films. The locations are fantastic, and filming took place in various parts of the US, as well as France and Germany. The score by James Newton Howard is also excellent.

Above, Donald Sutherland, as Coriolanus Snow, in The Hunger Games.

There are also two prequel films – The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes released in 2020, and Sunrise on the Reaping released in 2025. Although probably very good films, I have become less and less interested in prequels, and it has become less and less possible to visit a cinema and not see posters for prequels of some kind. I may well get around to seeing them at some point, but so far have not done so. A live version of the Hunger Games has been performed at the purpose-built Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre in London since November 2025. It looks fantastic, but I can’t say much about it as I haven’t actually seen it yet. However, Penny and I are hoping to see it early next year – providing it is still running – and if we do then I will write about it in another Behind the Scenes Part.

Above, a poster for The Hunger Games live on stage, featuring the Mockingjay pin as worn by Katniss Everdeen, making it a symbol of resistance against oppression.

I would highly recommend watching these films to anyone who has not done so, and if possible try and see the live version. Don’t be put off by the predominantly young cast of characters, there are plenty of older actors there too, and I would say that the films are not aimed at any particular age group. Also, if Donald Sutherland was right, and if the World is getting more and more like the Panem of the Hunger Games, then perhaps you should watch these films before you find yourself living in them.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about cinema visits of the past and about the films I managed to see and those I didn’t in the 1970s and 1980s. What those films were, and what those cinema visits were like, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 1 will be aware of the safety that living in a castle provides. However, castles in Medieval Britain were not always as safe as those inside thought they were.

King Edward II was married to Isabella of France. Isabella was the daughter of the King of France, but she preferred the company of her friend Roger Mortimer to that of King Edward.
Edward may not have minded too much as he preferred the company of his friend Hugh Despencer the Younger. Hugh Despencer gained Caerphilly Castle in Wales when he married Eleanor de Clare, Daughter of Gilbert de Clare in 1306. When Edward’s Wife Isabella of France and Roger Mortimer rebelled against the King, Edward decided to head to Caerphilly Castle to hide behind its large concentric walls – high defencive walls behind another set of high defence walls – and also to be with Hugh Despencer.

Above, inside the concentric walls of Caerphilly Castle, Wales. Photo taken by me, May 2026.

Isabella and Mortimer wasted no time in tracking him down, and their army was soon marching towards Wales.
Despite Caerphilly’s massive defences, Edward and Hugh Despencer decided to leave before Isabella and Mortimer’s army arrived. It is still debated why they should have wanted to leave the safety of such a well defended castle and also leave behind a great fortune rather than taking it with them.
Edward and Despencer headed for Llantrisant Castle, but it wasn’t long before Isabella and Mortimer’s men captured them. They were captured near Llantrisant Castle on November 16, 1326 in a wood named Pant-y-Brad which means ‘The Hollow of Treason’ in Welsh.

Above, the story of Edward II and Hugh Despencer the Younger fleeing Caerphilly Castle is told inside the great hall, Caerphilly Castle. Photo taken by me, May 2026.

Edward II and Isabella’s Son Edward III was crowned on the 1st of February 1327
Aged only 14, while Edward II was still alive but imprisoned. Later that year Edward II died, most likely murdered, and probably on the orders of Roger Mortimer. It is thought that Edward II was killed using a red hot poker, which meant that no bruises or wounds were easily visible, allowing Roger Mortimer to display the King’s body to show that as there were no visible wounds the King couldn’t possibly have been murdered by him.
As Edward III was so young, Isabella and Roger Mortimer acted as Regents. However, when Edward III turned 18 he decided it was time to rule on his own, and make his mother and Mortimer pay for what they had done to his father.

Above, another Regent, Hugh Laurie, as Prince George, in Blackadder 3.

Isabella and Mortimer moved around from castle to castle, making it more difficult for Edward’s men to keep track of them. Isabella also insisted that she hold the keys of every castle they stayed in so that no one could enter unless she let them in.
On the 18th of October 1330, Edward’s men finally tracked them down to Nottingham Castle where they were spending the night. Although Isabella held the castle keys she didn’t know that there were hidden tunnels outside Nottingham Castle that led straight into the Castle itself.
Edward III’s men made their way through the tunnels – much like in a Robin Hood film – and into Nottingham Castle, capturing both Isabella and Roger Mortimer.

Above, Sean Connery, as Robin Hood, in the 1976 film Robin and Marion.

These tunnels have since then been known as Mortimer’s Passage, which may or may not refer to what Roger Mortimer did to Edward II with the red hot poker.
Mortimer was executed, but Isabella was held captive and lived well in various castles in the style one would imagine the mother of a King to live. Edward still visited her and asked her advice on political decisions up until her death in 1358.

So, when people are after you but you are safely behind the high walls of a castle, perhaps it is better to stay put, but remember, some castles may be easily accessible, and the people you want to keep out might just know a very convenient way in.

For more on the Wales Millennium Centre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales_Millennium_Centre

For more on The Hunger Games film series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games_(franchise)

For more on The Hunger Games novels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games

For more on Jennifer Lawrence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Lawrence

For more on Josh Hutcherson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Hutcherson

For more on Donald Sutherland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Sutherland

For more on The Hunger Games live on stage https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games:_On_Stage

For more on Edward II https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_II

For more on Isabella of France https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_France

For more on Edward III https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_III

For more on Caerphilly Castle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caerphilly_Castle

Part 122, Young Snotty, Delays, Hotels, Closures, and the Bells of Whitechapel

Part 122

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, Delays, Hotels, Closures, and the Bells of Whitechapel

The My History Part

It was June 2015. After three years of having to travel to West Wales to take exams for my History Degree, this year I had to write a long analysis on Renaissance Art. Our recent trip to Ghent helped with this, and I was able to visit, and photograph, paintings in the National Gallery in London as well. We still needed to make a visit to West Wales as although my analysis was submitted online – I remember the submitting of it was almost as difficult as the writing of it – Penny was taking an exam there.
I am happy to say that we both passed, and awaited the start of the next courses in September. We spent the Summer working in the Church, which as always, gave us somewhere to go when our particularly debased neighbours were at their worst.
After a visit to Cornwall in October, in November we headed to London. From here we would be heading to Paris and Disneyland Paris. We had used our Eurostar vouchers that we were given due to our delayed return from Ghent earlier in the year, but little did we know that this journey would be even more disrupted.

Above, William, Me and Penny on the Cliffs at Pendeen, Cornwall, on a later visit, March 2026.

Our train from Cardiff left on time, but became delayed somewhere between the English border and London. We had booked tickets for the newly opened Shrek’s Adventure near Westminster Bridge. We were slightly concerned that as these were timed tickets we may not make it in time.
We arrived in London, quite late, and headed straight for our hotel in King’s Cross to drop off our luggage. We then headed for Westminster. As we crossed Westminster Bridge, within sight of the Old County Hall Building where Shrek’s Adventure now was, we knew that we had arrived just in time to be allowed entrance.

Above, Old County Hall, London, at night. As well as two hotels, this building also houses attractions, including Shrek’s Adventure. London Eye is also situated here, as can be seen in this picture from a later visit. Photo taken by me, January 2026.

Shrek’s Adventure was extremely well done. Based on the Dreamworks films, the experience has a bit of a Disneyland type feel about it but is much more character based as most of the characters interact with the visitors. The actors were all well cast, the interaction was funny, the special effects were extremely good, and at the end as you get to pose for photos with Shrek himself you can also see exhibits from other Dreamworks films. To anyone who hasn’t done so, I definitely recommend visiting Shrek’s Adventure if you are a fan of the films.

Above, a poster for the 2001 Dreamworks film Shrek.

We headed back to our hotel for a rest. Later, we went out to dinner. After that, we decided to stay in the hotel, knowing that we would have an early start the next day.
We had just got our first smartphone. We didn’t know just how necessary it would be on this trip. We were watching TV when suddenly we began getting messages asking if we were already in Paris. We were then asked if we had seen the news. We hadn’t, but changed channels to see it.
There had been two armed attacks in Paris that evening, both not far from where we were booked to stay the following night. There were reports of many people killed. It was a terrible attack, and on the sort of scale not usually expected in Western Europe.
We tried to follow what was happening but as often happens we just kept hearing the same bits of news over and over again. Whilst wondering how and why such attacks happened, and thinking of those who lost their lives, I also began thinking of what we were to do next.
Using our new smartphone I could see that Eurostar were offering to transfer people to different departure days. That seemed the best thing to do. The next morning, we walked the short distance from our hotel to St Pancras International Train Station and straight to the Eurostar office. We were able to change our departure to two days later. Staff told us that many things were closed in Paris, as was Disneyland Paris.

Above, the outside of St Pancras International Train Station, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, January 2022.

We hoped things may get back to normal, and the attackers would be apprehended by the time we reached Paris, but first we needed to find affordable accommodation for two extra nights in London.
Using the smartphone we found a hotel in Covent Garden for that night. Between us checking out of the hotel we were in and checking in to the Covent Garden hotel I spent most of the time on the phone on hold whilst trying to speak to someone from Disney who could tell us what was happening. After hours on hold, it was time to get to our next hotel.

Above, Penny doing her best ‘Eliza Doolittle’ from My Fair Lady, outside the Actors’ Church Covent Garden, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, January 2023.

We checked in, and I tried Disney again. It was still no use, and we decided to go out. We walked around Covent Garden where the Sylvia Young Theatre School had first been. It moved to a different location after I had been there for a couple of terms but I still knew the area a bit.
We then walked around the outside of St Paul’s Cathedral, crossed the Millennium Bridge, spent some time sitting near Shakespeare’s Globe, and watched boats on the Thames.

Above, Me doing my best ‘Professor Higgins’ from My Fair Lady, outside the Actors’ Church Covent Garden, on a later visit. Photo taken by Penny, January 2023.

When we returned to the hotel I was back on the phone to Disney. After some more time on hold I eventually got through to someone in Florida. I asked what the situation was in Disneyland Paris. I was told it was closed, they didn’t know when it would be reopening, and there would be no refund as the hotels and the shops and restaurants in the village were still open. This was not particularly satisfactory, but given the situation, and the loss of lives in Paris it was difficult to argue at the time.
The next day we checked out of the hotel in Covent Garden and headed back to our original hotel in King’s Cross. After some more time spent walking around London we spent the evening in the hotel room again. The next day we headed for the Eurostar.
I had managed to cancel the hotel in Paris without being charged. I had also arranged our taxi to pick us up from the train station in Paris and take us straight to Disneyland.
It was strange being driven through Paris. Police were controlling the heavy traffic. Vans with the names of various news channels were parked all around. Once we left the city the roads were a lot clearer.
When we arrived at Disneyland Paris we were met by Disney characters, doing their best to try and put a smile on the faces of visitors arriving to what they knew was a closed Disneyland. It was a strange feeling. It was nice to be there, you couldn’t help but smile at the characters, but you also couldn’t forget what had happened a couple of nights previously not that far away from where we now were.

Above, a poster advertising the Wild West themed Hotel Cheyenne. This was one of our regular hotels on our Disneyland Paris visits, and where we stayed in November, 2015.

The Disney Village was open, and it was also quiet. That afternoon we walked around the shops, and ate dinner in a restaurant that on other visits was always too busy to go in. The next day we took the specially laid on transport to a nearby shopping centre, then in the evening it was back to the Village.
As we were eating dinner, we noticed more and more visitors arriving. There were more police as well. Soon, the police were joined by soldiers. Something was definitely happening.
When we got back to the hotel we were told that the parks would open the next day, and that the police and army were there as added security.

Above, a poster advertising Disney Village, Disneyland Paris. The closure of the parks for the first part of our visit in November 2015 did give us the opportunity to have a more detailed look around this area.

It later turned out that although the French had closed all the borders straight after the attacks, the attackers had managed to go straight past the police, into Belgium, and then onto the Middle East. Isis had claimed the attack. This was an unusual attack for Isis. Almost all of the group’s previous victims had been Muslims. So much so that it has since been discussed many times whether Isis was an Islamist group at all. I have read reports claiming how an Isis commander captured in Tunisia was actually an Israeli Secret Service officer, and that Isis was thought up by them and the American Secret Service. We know that the anti government demonstrations earlier this year in Iran were orchestrated by Israel and the US, and that what even the Israeli government appear to claim and what I can only describe as the genocide being committed by Israel on the Palestinians and now also the Lebanese was made possible with US support and UK support. Therefore, it is not impossible to see why claims are made about Isis, a supposedly Islamist group whose victims are almost entirely Muslims is actually an Israeli and American invention. Whether this is true or not, and I am not saying that I know either way, the victims of those attacks in Paris in 2015 were those civilians just out and about on that evening, and the Muslims that live in Paris that were then subjected to suspicion, harassment, and extremely heavy policing in the days that followed.
Disneyland Paris did open the next day. I don’t need to cover our time in Disneyland Paris in this blog as I have written about our visits there before.

Above, the outside of St Pancras International Train Station, at night, on a later visit. Photo taken by me, January 2022.

We arrived back in London, and from there back to Wales. After a day or two I sent an email to Disney. I told them that I understand why Disneyland had been closed, but that I didn’t feel it was right to be charged the same amount for a park that was only open half the time we were there. I also told them that as someone who had studied Walt Disney I was sure that Walt would also not think this was right. I received a reply a couple of days later where I was informed we would be refunded the amount for the days that the park was closed, and we were also offered a voucher for our next trip.
Twice that year we had visited Disneyland, and both times – January and November – there had been armed attacks in Paris a day or two before our arrival. Eurostar handled things very well, and eventually, after sending an email, Disney handled it very well too.

The next year would bring new travels, the end of my studying for my Degree, and a new role working in History. How studying went, what this new role was, and where we went, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

As most of you will know, London is used as a location for many films, and has been for a very long time. In more recent times, Dublin has sometimes been used for films set in Victorian London, and Cardiff sometimes stands in for films and TV series set in London in modern times. There are, however, some London landmarks where only the real thing will do. One such site is the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.
Often known to most people as Big Ben, the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament is actually called the Elizabeth Tower, named after Elizabeth II, while Big Ben actually refers to the great bell – one of five bells – inside the tower. The four smaller bells sound every 15 minutes, while Big Ben chimes the hour.

Above, The Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London, at night. Photo taken by me, January 2026.

The clock tower features in many films, including the 1953 Disney animation Peter Pan. Another Disney film, this time a live-action, also features an important Big Ben scene. The 2018 Mary Poppins Returns – a sequel to the 1964 Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke – has a scene with a group of Leeries – Lamp Lighters – climbing the clock tower to alter the time.
The scene includes Jack – played by Lin-Manuel Miranda – hanging off the clock face. Although many real locations were used around the city some London scenes were filmed at Shepperton Studios. This includes the Big Ben scenes where an exact copy of the clock face was built in the studios.

Above, Lin-Manuel Miranda, as Jack, in the 2018 film Mary Poppins Returns, in a scene set on the clock face of Big Ben, filmed in Shepperton Studios.

Another film that has a similar scene is the 2003 film Shanghai Knights, a sequel to the 2000 film Shanghai Noon, both films starring Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan.
Both are very enjoyable action comedy films, but anyone who knows much history will probably be able to pick out the many historical inaccuracies in Shanghai Knights. Set in 1887, the film has Jack the Ripper making an appearance only to be killed straight away. In real life Jack the Ripper didn’t start committing his murders until 1888, at least that is what Scotland Yard thought at the time, and certainly did not appear in newspaper headlines until 1888, but in Shanghai Knights a newspaper seller is heard to shout ‘Jack the Ripper strikes again’ a year before he was even heard of.
Another inaccuracy is the character of Charlie Chaplin. Played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chaplin is depicted as being a young boy in 1887, while the real Charlie Chaplin wasn’t born until 1889.

Above, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, as Charlie Chaplin as a child, in the 2003 film Shanghai Knights. The film is set in 1887, but the real Charlie Chaplin wasn’t born until 1889.

I will only mention one more of these inaccuracies, but others may find more. The detective from Scotland Yard who plays a major part in the film is named Arthur Conan Doyle. Played by Tom Fisher, Arthur gets the idea for writing stories featuring his famous creation Sherlock Holmes during the film. In reality, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was not a Scotland Yard detective but a doctor. However, the first Sherlock Holmes story – A Study in Scarlet – was first published in 1887, the year when the film was set.

Above, Tom Fisher, as Arthur Conan Doyle, in the 2003 film Shanghai Knights.

The first time I remember a film where the ending action scene took place with someone hanging off the clock face of Big Ben was in the 1978 adaptation of John Buchan’s 1915 novel The 39 Steps.
Here, the main character Richard Hannay – played by Robert Powell – is left hanging on to the hands of the clock whilst battling German agents inside the clock tower. These scenes were again filmed inside a studio, this time in Pinewood. I remember watching these scenes as a child, and have seen the film many times since.

Above, Robert Powell, as Richard Hannay, in the 1978 film The 39 Steps. These Big Ben scenes were shot in Pinewood Studios, but Powell still had to hang off the hands of the clock at quite a height.

There is also a shot almost right at the end of the film where Big Ben is shown in the background with the statue of Boudicca and her daughters in the foreground. This has been for quite a long time one of my favourite statues in London. I can’t say for sure, but it is quite possible that this is at least partly due to watching the 39 Steps as a child, and we still try and visit the statue every time we are in London.

Above, the statue of Boudicca and her daughters, Westminster Bridge, London, at night. One of my favourite statues in London. Photo taken by me, January 2026.

As I have already mentioned, the name Big Ben actually refers to the great bell inside the tower rather than to the tower itself. This bell was made at Whitechapel Foundry in London’s East End in 1858, ringing in Westminster for the first time on the 31st of May 1859.
Whitechapel Foundry was operating as a business from at least 1570. It remained operating until its closure in 2017, and had been until then the oldest continually operating business in the UK. It has remained empty since being sold when it closed, but a campaign is underway to have it reopened and working as a bell foundry again.
It was at Whitechapel Foundry that the Liberty Bell was cast in 1752. This bell famously cracked in the 1800s. Big Ben also cracked, this time only after two months of use. The Big Ben crack was thought to be due to the striking hammer being twice the size recommended for the size of bell.

Above, Whitechapel Foundry, London. Photo taken by me, January, 2026.

So, sometimes only the real thing will do when wanting to feature London landmarks in a film, but when it comes to close up action then sometimes it is easier and safer to reconstruct things in a studio. Disney’s Peter Pan is a classic animation and still loved today, while Disney’s much more recent live-action Mary Poppins Returns is an extremely good match for the first Mary Poppins film of 1964. The setting works very well, the cast is extremely good, and the songs composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Scott Wittman fit very well with those written by the Sherman brothers for the 1964 film.
Shanghai Knights is a good action comedy film, as is Shanghai Noon. With at least as much comedy as there is action, it is easy to overlook the historic inaccuracies and just enjoy the film.
There are a few big screen adaptations of the 39 Steps and at least one comedy stage play. The stage play is wonderful, and takes a lot of inspiration from the 1935 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Robert Donat, which is definitely worth watching. The 1959 film starring Kenneth More is also excellent, and the 2008 made for TV film starring Rupert-Penry Jones is also worth watching, as is the wonderful 1978 film starring Robert Powell.

Above, Robert Powell, as Richard Hannay, on the run in Scotland, in the 1978 film The 39 Steps. We used to live in Scotland in the areas where much of the action in the novel takes place.

All of these adaptations are very different, and none are exactly the same as the novel, but all have something about them that makes them extremely good to watch, and one thing they all have is scenes set in some of London’s greatest sites.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about a series of books that became a series of films and has recently become a live stage production. What the books, films and live production are, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 3 will be aware of the lavish surroundings of the residence of Prince George. At the time of the Regency this would have been Carlton House. This building no longer exists as it was pulled down shortly after Prince George became King George IV. However, many buildings that were around during the Regency Era still stand in that part of London today.

Above, Hugh Laurie, Tony Robinson, and Rowan Atkinson, as Prince George, Baldrick, and Blackadder, in Blackadder 3.

What is now Buckingham Palace started as Buckingham House. This was built for the Duke of Buckingham. It was changed into the residence of Queen Charlotte by George III, and became known as Queen’s House. It was added to over the years, but when George IV’s brother William became King William IV he decided to live in Clarence House.
When the UK Parliament burnt down in 1834 William even offered Buckingham Palace to become the new Houses of Parliament. The offer was declined, and the Houses of Parliament were rebuilt between the 1840s and 1850s. Therefore, Buckingham Palace existed during the Regency Period but not as the official residence of the Monarch, and the Houses of Parliament were rebuilt during the Victorian Era.

Above, the Houses of Parliament, at night, from across Westminster Bridge. Photo taken by me, January 2026.

Some shops that would have been familiar to those living in the Regency Era are still there today. Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly has been a Royal favourite since it opened in 1707, and the King and Queen still shop there.
Just around the corner from there is Lock and Co Hatters. This company has been providing hats to Royals, politicians, and those who know a high end quality hat when they see it since 1676. Lock and Co has been selling hats from their shop in 6 St James’s Street since 1765. Before that their shop was just across the road from their current location, while 6 St James’s Street was a coffee shop which also sold chocolate. This was owned by George Lock, whose grandson James Lock later married the daughter of Robert Davies, a hatter. It was when James inherited the hatter business from his wife’s father that the business became Lock and Co Hatters, which later moved into the family coffee shop where it still is today.

Above, Me wearing my Lock and Co flatcap, Tantallon Castle, Scotland, September 2025.

Burlington Arcade in Piccadilly was opened in 1819. Although too late to be of the Regency Era it is still old enough to be Georgian. It is considered to be the World’s first modern shopping mall, and is very much still in use today.
Across the road from Burlington Arcade is Piccadilly Arcade. This arcade, which even has a statue of Regency Dandy Beau Brummell standing at the Jermyn Street entrance, also appears Georgian. However, although Beau Brummell lived nearby, and would have shopped in Piccadilly for attire suited to his well-known look, Piccadilly Arcade only opened in 1909.

Above, inside Piccadilly Arcade, London. Photo taken by me, January 2026.

Therefore, although many buildings from the Regency Era and before may no longer be standing in Piccadilly, many, including churches, still are, and some of the shops are still there too.

Above, Me and Penny, in a wet Piccadilly, January 2026.

So, if you want to shop like a Royal or a Regency Dandy then you can still do so. Even if you only want to look, a visit to Fortnum and Mason, or the excellent Lock and Co are well worth doing, as is a walk along Burlington Arcade, then cross the road to Piccadilly Arcade, and say hello to the statue of Beau Brummell.

For more on Shrek’s Adventure, London https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DreamWorks_Tours:_Shrek%27s_Adventure!

For more on the 2001 Dreamworks film Shrek https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrek

For more on the 1953 Disney animation film Peter Pan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pan_(1953_film)

For more on the 2018 Disney film Mary Poppins Returns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Poppins_Returns

For more on the 2003 film Shanghai Knights https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Knights

For more on Charlie Chaplin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Chaplin

For more on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle

For more on the stage play The 39 Steps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_39_Steps_(play)

For more on the 1935 film The 39 Steps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_39_Steps_(1935_film)

For more on the 1959 film The 39 Steps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_39_Steps_(1959_film)

For more on the 1978 film The 39 Steps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thirty_Nine_Steps_(1978_film)

For more on the 2008 TV film The 39 Steps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_39_Steps_(2008_film)

For more on the 1915 novel The 39 Steps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thirty-Nine_Steps

For more on Whitechapel Bell Foundry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitechapel_Bell_Foundry

For more on Carlton House https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlton_House

For more on Fortnum and Mason https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortnum_%26_Mason

For more on Lock and Co Hatters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lock_%26_Co.

For more on Burlington Arcade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burlington_Arcade

For more on Piccadilly Arcade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piccadilly_Arcade

For more on Beau Brummell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Brummell

Part 121, Young Snotty, the Castle, the Writer, and the City

Part 121

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, the Castle, the Writer, and the City

The My History Part

It was May 2015. We had enjoyed our visit to Ypres, and now we were on our way to another Belgian city.
We pulled our luggage along the Medieval looking streets of Ypres to the train station, and after a short wait our train arrived. We got on, found seats, and soon we were travelling along on our way to Ghent.
Like Ypres, Ghent is also in Flanders, and also like Ypres, the larger city of Ghent also has a largely Medieval feel to it. It is also the capital of East Flanders, and is Belgium’s third largest city.

Above, Penny and Me, in the city of Ghent. Photo taken by William, May 2015.

One reason for visiting was to see the artwork in the cathedral. This was due to me studying Renaissance Art as part of my Degree. However, we were also there to experience the city, its parks, its canals, and not surprisingly its fantastic castle.

Above, the walls of Gravensteen Castle, Ghent. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

By the 14th Century, Ghent was an important and wealthy city. The cloth trade relied largely on the importing of wool from England and Scotland. This became difficult during the times when England and France were at war. By the 16th Century, Ghent had become less important for trade. However, this meant that much of the city remained untouched, and today the city centre still has its Medieval style buildings.

Above, a view of some of the buildings in the city of Ghent. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

We spent a lot of time walking around the city. The journey from our hotel to the centre of Ghent was a nice stroll, at first through parkland and then along the canals. Although our hotel was not that far from the city centre and the train station we didn’t realise that the window was left open in our room for the first couple of nights we were there, but we were not disturbed by any noise.
As well as viewing the Renaissance Artwork in the cathedral and exploring the city on foot, we also had a cruise along some of the canals and the River Lys. This is quite a relaxing way to see the city, especially the busier parts of the city centre.

Above, a tour boat on the river, Ghent. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

The castle of Gravensteen, also known as the Castle of the Counts, is also found beside the waters of the Lys. This impressive fortress was built in the 12th Century, and for anyone like us who love castles, then a visit to Gravensteen is a must if you find yourself in Ghent.

Above, William, and Me, in the city of Ghent. Photo taken by Penny, May 2015.

Originally fortified in around the year 1000, the first fortifications burnt down sometime in the 1170s. The current castle was built in 1180 by Count Philip. It is thought that the castle’s impressive design was inspired by the Crusader castles that the count saw whilst taking part in the Second Crusade in the Holy Land. As well as protecting the Count and the city, the castle was also built to intimidate any of the population who had any ideas about rebellion.

Above, the walls of Gravensteen Castle, as seen from the River Lys, Ghent. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

Later, when Gravensteen ceased to be the home to Counts, it was used as a court and a prison. In the 19th Century, when Ghent became an important site of manufacturing, the castle was even converted into a mill. It was even decided upon to demolish the magnificent fortress, but fortunately the city Council were able to acquire the site by purchasing bits at a time. They then set about restoring it to how it would have looked in the late 12th Century. The restoration took place between 1883 and 1907, and although some of the way parts of the castle look were only how the architects at the time imagined a Medieval castle would look, today Gravensteen still appears much as it must have done when Count Philip first built it.

Above, a doorway in Gravensteen Castle, Ghent, leading to the battlements. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

This was not the last time the castle would be used as a fortress though. In 1949, what became known as the ‘Battle of Gravensteen’ took place. 138 students stormed the castle, captured the one man guarding it, and locked him up in a cupboard. They then lowered the portcullis and took possession of the fortress.
This was not an attempt at revolution but a protest at the new tax placed on the sale of beer. The students placed banners along the castle walls and refused to leave until the tax was revoked.
When police arrived, the students kept them back by throwing rotten fruit at them. However, the rotten fruit couldn’t keep the police away for long, and soon they gained access to the castle and arrested all of the students.
However, the public were on the side of the students, and pressure was put on the authorities to let them go. This resulted in none of the students being charged, but the tax on beer was still to remain.
Ghent is a great place to visit. There are quiet parts such as the parks, but even the busier parts along the rivers and canals are great to walk around. A cruise along the river and canals is well worth doing for anyone who has the time, and a visit to Gravensteen Castle is a must. To anyone who hasn’t visited this part of Flanders I would highly recommend doing so if you get the chance.

Above, William, Penny and Me, in Gravensteen Castle, Ghent, May 2015.

After three nights in Ghent it was back on the train to Brussels, and from there back on the Eurostar to London. I think this was one of the occasions where the Eurostar was delayed. This time, I think, it was due to British tourists buying souvenirs at a market. Farmers in this part of Belgium are often digging up things from the First World War. Some of these things are explosives, and may even still be active. What looks like a harmless relic of a long past war may turn out to be extremely dangerous. Once the ‘Souvenirs’ had been checked – and probably confiscated – the tourists were allowed to board and we were on our way.
We arrived back in London just late enough to be offered a voucher for a free journey on the Eurostar at a later date. This was one Eurostar journey that we were quite happy to be delayed, and we used our vouchers later in the year, not that the next journey quite turned out the way we had expected.

What happened on our next trip in the November of 2015, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

One of the reasons for us visiting Edinburgh on our trip to Scotland a few months ago was to visit the Writers’ Museum. Scotland has produced some fantastic writers, and a definite favourite of mine is Robert Louis Stevenson, who was born in Edinburgh.
Stevenson was born in 1850, and from 1857 the Stevenson family were living at 7 Heriot Row, where Robert lived until 1879.
His parents were Thomas and Margaret Stevenson. Thomas was a lighthouse engineer, who came from a family of lighthouse engineers. Robert’s mother’s maiden name was Balfour, and this name would feature in one of his best known novels.

Above, Me, with the busts of writers Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson, in the Writers Museum, Edinburgh. Photo taken by William, September 2025.

Robert was often ill as a child, and by his early twenties he had decided against following his father to work on lighthouses, and informed his parents he intended to become a writer.

Above, Me, William, and Penny, outside Robert Louis Stevenson’s former home 7 Heriot Row, Edinburgh, September 2025.

I knew of Stevenson’s novels many years before reading any of them. There have been so many adaptations of one of his best known novels Treasure Island – including the Muppet Treasure Island in 1996 – and the 1971 film Kidnapped starring Michael Caine and Lawrence Douglas has been a favourite of mine since I was a child.

Above, Kermit the Frog, as Captain Smollett, in the 1996 film Muppet Treasure Island.

Treasure Island is a wonderful adventure story, and a lot of what people think of when thinking what pirates were like is likely to be from what they know of this 1883 novel, even if they have only seen it on screen and have not actually read the book.
I had read a collection of Robert Louis Stevenson’s short stories before, but Treasure Island was the first of his novels that I read. Much more recently, Penny gave me a copy of Stevenson’s 1886 novel Kidnapped. Here, the main character is named David Balfour, Stevenson using his mother’s maiden name for the character.

Above, Lawrence Douglas, and Michael Caine, as David Balfour, and Alan Breck, in the 1971 film Kidnapped.

Any fan of the 1971 film of Kidnapped may have noticed that it states it is an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novels Kidnapped and Catriona. I have to say that anyone who has seen the film before reading the book will feel that the book doesn’t tell the whole story, and therefore, a reading of Catriona is also necessary for the story to feel complete. I am happy to say that Penny has now given me a very old copy of Catriona which I will be starting very soon.

Above, my copy of Kidnapped, and my 1894 copy of Catriona, both given to me by Penny. Photo taken by me, March 2026.

Catriona was published in 1893, and my copy is from 1894, which is also the year that Robert Louis Stevenson died. Born in Edinburgh, often sick as a child, Robert travelled as a young adult. He found the slightly warmer climate of Southern England better for his health, and Kidnapped was written while he was in Bournemouth.
He also tried the warmer parts of Southern Europe, and America. When in France in 1877, he met an American woman named Fanny Osbourne – different spelling to mine, and therefore probably not a relative – who had a son and a daughter named Lloyd and Isobel but was no longer with her husband.
Fanny returned to America the following year, and Stevenson remained in Europe to do more writing. Fanny was always in his thoughts, and in 1879 he travelled as a second class passenger – partly to save money and partly for the experience – on a ship across the Atlantic. Arriving in New York, Stevenson then set about making his way across the country. Whilst doing so, his health became worse and worse, and he was very ill by the time he reached California.
Fanny, now divorced, came and nursed Robert back to health. The following year they were married.
The couple moved back to Britain. This was partly to be near Stevenson’s parents. Robert’s health again worsened, and when his father died in 1887, Robert moved his family – now including his widowed mother – back to America.

Above, Wonderful writer Robert Louis Stevenson.

In 1888, Stevenson chartered a boat, and sailed around the Pacific Islands including the Hawaiian Islands where he became a friend of the King of Hawaii, and then onto Tahiti and Samoa. This voyage was partly due to Stevenson seeking warmer climates and sea air for his health, and also for the adventure.
After also visiting Australia, Stevenson sailed to the Samoan port of Apia in 1889. By 1890, the Stevensons had set up a permanent home – named Vailima – in Samoa.
He was well liked by the native Polynesians he lived amongst, and was known to them as Tusitala, meaning the Teller of Tales. It was Stevenson that the islanders went to when they needed someone to advise them on local disputes. Stevenson could also see the influence that rival foreign powers were having on the islands. British, German, and American battleships were often visible from the shore, and these same powers would back varying tribes in order to encourage fighting amongst the islanders.
The tribal system of Samoa reminded Robert of the clan system of Scotland. He began to deeply resent the outside influence on the Polynesians which was only in the interests of the foreign powers doing the influencing. As well as writing novels whilst living at Vailima, including The Master of Ballantrae and Catriona, Stevenson also wrote short stories based on things the natives had told him. He also began to campaign against the damage that foreign influence was having on the lives of the natives.
On the 3rd of December 1894, whilst talking to Fanny in Vailima, Robert Louis Stevenson suddenly collapsed. A few hours later, Stevenson was dead.
So loved by the Samoans, Stevenson’s body was surrounded and watched over through the night, guarded by islanders. The next morning his body was carried to Mount Vaea to a piece of land overlooking the ocean. It was here that Stevenson’s body was buried and where his remains still lie today.
To anyone who loves tales of adventure I would highly recommend the novels of Robert Louis Stevenson, and I would also recommend the many screen adaptations of his novels, including the wonderful comedy The Wrong Box which has an amazing cast including Michael Caine, John Mills, Ralph Richardson, Nannette Newman, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Wilfred Lawson, Peter Sellers, and Tony Hancock. It is based on the novel of the same name co written by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne.

Above, Nannette Newman – who I once met – and Michael Caine, as Julia Finsbury, and Michael Finsbury, in the wonderful 1966 comedy film The Wong Box.

My favourite adventure story of Stevenson’s still most likely remains Kidnapped, and most likely will be Catriona as well once I have read it. The 1971 film always makes me feel like I want to be a Jacobite, clad in tartan, sword in hand, running through the heather of the Scottish Highlands, staying always at least one step ahead of the pursuing government redcoats. Whether or not it was the intention of the novel or even the film, it has always managed to inspire me to side with those who rebel, and siding with rebels is something that in modern times has become easier and easier to do when you see what we have governing us.

Above, Michael Caine, as Alan Breck, in the 1971 film Kidnapped.

The writing of Robert Louis Stevenson is wonderful. His best known novels are most likely his wonderful adventures but he also wrote short stories, travelogues, and comedies. Weakened from a child by ill health, he still managed many real life adventures of his own. These travels took him from Scotland, across Europe, America, and finally to Samoa where his remains still lie.

Above, Fantastic writer, Robert Louis Stevenson.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about a certain landmark in London that has featured in the closing scenes of several films. What that landmark is, what those films are, and some of the landmark’s history, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 1 will most likely be aware that as well as being a Prince, Edmund was also the Duke of Edinburgh. Well, Blackadder 1 is set in the late 1400s, and the first Duke of Edinburgh wasn’t around until 1726.
Edinburgh was made the official capital of Scotland in the 1460s, a couple of decades before Blackadder 1 was set. However, the history of Edinburgh goes back much further.

There was a Roman fort built within what is now Edinburgh, and evidence of settlements have been discovered that go back thousands of years before that. Another fortress was later built on Castle Rock, where Edinburgh Castle now stands. The native inhabitants were defeated by the Northumbrians, and from the 7th to the 10th Centuries it was ruled as part of the Kingdom of Northumbria.
From the late 900s Edinburgh came under the control of the Scottish King, later coming under English control in the 1300s. By the 1400s, the city was once again under the control of the King of Scotland, and was where King James II, of Scotland not England, moved his Court in 1437. It was Scottish King James III who formally made Edinburgh the capital of Scotland in the 1460s.

Above, a view from above Princes Street Gardens, looking towards the Old City area of Edinburgh. Photo taken by me, September 2025.

In 1603 when James VI of Scotland also became James I of England, he moved his court to London, but the city of Edinburgh still remained the capital of Scotland. In 1707 when the Act of Union came into force, the English and Scottish Parliaments became one. This new united Parliament only sat in London, and Scotland had no separate independent government again until 1999.
Edinburgh today is known for its two main areas, the Old Town and New Town. The New Town is itself Georgian but the Old Town dates back to the Medieval Era. The New Town is wonderful to visit. It is where Robert Louis Stevenson’s former home at 7 Heriot Row is found, and there is also a statue of Pitt the Younger not far away.

Above, Me, with the statue of Pitt the Younger in the background, Edinburgh, September 2025.

The Old Town is magnificent. The many long sets of steps leading up towards Castle Hill are well worth the effort to climb.

Above, some of the steps leading up to Edinburgh’s Old Town. Photo taken by me, September 2025.

When you reach the top you are rewarded with views of the New Town, and the main street of the Old Town, the Royal Mile, is lined with historic buildings – many of them now shops – which lead the visitor all the way up to the impressive fortress that is Edinburgh Castle. Here a cannon is fired every day at 1PM, the sound of which can be heard echoing around the historic buildings of the city. A good place to hear the cannon being fired is in Princes Street Gardens, where you can also sit and rest after climbing up and down the steps to and from the Old Town.

Above, a view of Edinburgh Castle. Photo taken by me, September 2025.

One of my favourite things about the Old Town is the many Closes, which are tunnel-like enclosed passages, Wynds which are narrow winding streets, and Courts, which are entrances to courtyards.

Above, one of the tunnel-like passageways in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Photo taken by me, September 2025.

Walking in and out of these – some of which date back to Medieval Times – makes you feel as though you are on a film set, while you are actually walking on the same historic streets, climbing the same historic steps, and finding your way through the same Wynds, Closes, and Courts that people have done for hundreds of years. I even like to think when in Edinburgh that I may be walking the same areas that Alan Breck – real name Allan Breck Stewart – may have walked, hiding in the Closes and Wynds of the Old Town whilst evading being captured by redcoats.

Above, William, Me and Penny, with Edinburgh Castle in the background, September 2025.

So if you visit Edinburgh, and walk around its wonderful streets, you may come across the statue of a quite fantastic Prime Minister from the era of Blackadder 3, and though there wasn’t actually a Duke of Edinburgh during the era of Blackadder 1, you will still be walking around a city whose history goes back much further than the time when Prince Edmund first became the Blackadder.

For more on Ghent https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghent

For more on Gravensteen Castle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravensteen

For more on the Writers’ Museum, Edinburgh https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writers%27_Museum

For more on Robert Louis Stevenson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Louis_Stevenson

For more on the 1996 film Muppet Treasure Island https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muppet_Treasure_Island

For more on the 1971 film Kidnapped https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnapped_(1971_film)

For more on Allan Breck Stewart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Breck_Stewart

For more on the 1966 film The Wrong Box https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wrong_Box

For more on Edinburgh https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh

Part 120, Young Snotty, On the Front Line, with the Producers, and the Dandy

Part 120

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, On the Front Line

The My History Part

It was May, 2015, and following our quick visit to London we caught the Eurostar to Belgium. We had very much enjoyed our previous trip on the train to Bruges and Brussels, and this time we were visiting two other Belgian towns. First was Ypres – Ieper in Flemmish – known to most British soldiers during WWI as Wipers.
Ypres spent most of the Great War in the front line. There were five major battles near the town during WWI, and most of the buildings were at least partly destroyed during the fighting.

Above, the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

Today, anyone visiting Ypres would hardly be aware of any damage. The town was entirely rebuilt after the war to look as it had before the fighting, and today still resembles the Medieval town as it had done previously.
Our hotel was right opposite the Cloth Hall, one of the major buildings of Ypres that had to be rebuilt. When we were there the town was getting ready for the Kattenstoet Parade. This parade commemorates the Medieval practice of the people of Ypres of throwing live cats from the top of the Cloth Hall tower, in the belief that the screams of the cats would frighten away demons. Thankfully, this modern commemoration only involves toy cats being thrown from the tower. Seating was going up in the square, and cat toys were on sale to tourists, but we were visiting a few days before the Kattenstoet, and didn’t have to take part in the commemoration of, what I couldn’t help thinking, was the Medieval animal cruelty of Ypres.

Above, the rebuilt but still Medieval looking Cloth Hall, Ypres, Belgium. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

Most of the people visiting when we were there were British, and I expect for most of those the main reason for visiting Ypres was its connection to the Great War. As well as the great museum dedicated to WWI in the town, the main focus for commemorating those who lost their lives in the fighting is the Menin Gate.
The gate was opened in 1927, and carved into it are the names of over 54,000 British Empire troops whose remains were never identified. Every evening at 8PM the buglers of the local Fire Brigade perform the Last Post ceremony in memory of these men who died defending Ypres and were never found. This has happened every evening since 1928, except for the few years during WWII that Ypres was under Nazi occupation.
We were in Ypres for two nights. The first night we watched the Last Post ceremony from a distance, but the second night we got there early, and were right in amongst the crowds.

Above, the busy crowds attending the evening ceremony performed by the buglers of the local Fire Brigade, the Menin Gate,Ypres, Belgium. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

Around the outside of the town walls there are peaceful walks. Whilst walking around you often come to statues and memorials to those who fought in the Great War. The large war cemeteries are some way outside of Ypres, but there are also some small war cemeteries on the edge of the town.

Above, the peaceful looking water just outside of Ypres, near the Menin Gate. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

We visited one of these smaller cemeteries, in a peaceful setting overlooking the water. Even in this small cemetery there were graves of people from all over the world who, as part of the British Empire, came to fight in defence of Ypres. Some of the war graves in Ypres contain the remains of Muslim soldiers. These are at a different angle to most of the graves as these graves of Muslim soldiers – mostly from what was then British India – are facing towards Mecca.

Above, the peaceful setting on the way to one of the small War Cemeteries on the edge of Ypres. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

British soldiers in Ypres had, for a time, something that probably helped them cope with life in the trenches. This was The Wipers Times, a newspaper first produced in 1916 in a print shop that had been partly destroyed during the fighting. The man who came up with the idea was Fred Roberts, a captain in the British Army.
The paper was mostly filled with trench humour, and included fake advertisements, and poetry. As the soldiers who printed the paper were sent to different parts of the front the paper changed its name to where they were at the time. In 2013 the story of The Wipers Times was told in a made for TV film, and later was adapted as a stage play. Even though for me, as far as World War I history goes, I have a greater interest in what took place in the Middle East at that time than I do in the fighting in Europe, I still do have an interest in places like Ypres, and anyone interested in the history of the Great War would very much like visiting this part of Flanders.
Although most people visiting Ypres are most likely there for the WWI connection, it is also a lovely town to visit anyway. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful, and as well as the large Flanders Great War Museum there are smaller ones within the town’s walls. It is also worth visiting for the Medieval feeling the town has, even though most of Ypres had to be rebuilt after WWI.

Above, some of the interesting buildings in the town of Ypres. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

For those with more time there are also many other WWI sites not far outside of Ypres. These include the larger War Cemeteries, battle sites, and trenches. As we were only in Ypres for two nights we kept our visit to the town itself, but even this is very much worth doing. The centre of the town is easily reached on foot if arriving by train, and the nightly ceremony at the Menin Gate is definitely worth seeing, and I would say it is something that is perhaps necessary to see if visiting Ypres.
When our visit to Ypres had come to an end it was back on the train and on to the next Belgian town, this next one was larger and busier than Ypres but still with so much to see.

What that town was, and what we got up to there, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

I think I was first introduced to the 1967 film The Producers – written and directed by Mel Brooks – in 1982. I had just started Stage School – the Sylvia Young Theatre School – near Covent Garden. One day when one of the teachers wasn’t there for some reason, the Geography teacher was asked to take their class. I can’t remember what the lesson was supposed to be about, but I do remember that the Geography teacher made it about the 1967 comedy film.
The plot was explained to us, and then we were shown scenes from the film on the school’s video player. I think I was quite impressed with the idea of the film, and definitely wanted to see the entire thing.
I am not always a fan of everything that Mel Brooks has done, but The Producers is definitely one of those times when he gets everything exactly right. When eventually I did get to see the entire film I thought it was fantastic.

Above, Gene Wilder, and Zero Mostel, as Leopold Bloom, and Max Bialystock, in the 1967 film The Producers.

The main characters are a theatre producer named Max Bialystock and an accountant named Leopold Bloom. Max used to have Broadway hits but in more recent times the shows he has produced are not successes. When Leopold comes to check his books he mentions that a Broadway disaster could make more money than a hit. This would be done by fooling lots of investors to all fully fund the show, then when the show closes you keep all the money, each investor not realising that the show has been fully funded many times by many different investors. Leopold Bloom just mentions this in passing, but Max Bialystock thinks it is a wonderful idea, and persuades Bloom to become a producer with him. The two then go about finding the worst show they can, followed by the worst cast they can find and the worst director. However, things don’t quite turn out the way they expected.

Above, Zero Mostel, and Gene Wilder, as Max Bialystock, and Leopold Bloom, in the 1967 film The Producers.

In 2001, Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan adapted The Producers into a stage musical. This too was a success, and in 2005 a film version was released. Max Bialystock who in the 1967 film had been played by Zero Mostel was played by Nathan Lane on stage, and Leopold Bloom who was played by Gene Wilder in the 1967 film was played by Matthew Broderick. Lane and Broderick also played the same roles in the 2005 film.

Above, Nathan Lane, and Matthew Broderick, as Max Bialystock, and Leopold Bloom, in the 2005 film musical The Producers.

Having seen the original film quite a few times over the years, and then also seeing the film musical a few times, Penny and I recently got to see it on stage at the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End.

Above, Our view of the stage from the Circle of the Garrick Theatre, London, waiting for the show to start. Photo taken by me, January 2026.

Here Max was played by Andy Nyman, and Leopold was played by Marc Antolin. They were both fantastic, as was the rest of the cast, and I think I should particularly mention Trevor Ashley who played Roger DeBris – also played wonderfully by Christopher Hewitt in the 1967 and Gary Beach in the 2005 films – who Bialystock and Bloom find to direct their show.

Above, Gary Beach, Roger Bart, Nathan Lane, and Matthew Broderick, as Roger DeBris, Carmen Ghia, Max Bialystock, and Leopold Bloom, in the 2005 film musical The Producers. Roger Bart is excellent in the role of Roger DeBris’ assistant Carmen. Penny and I saw Roger Bart three times on stage as Doc Brown in the stage musical of Back to the Future.

Watching the 1967 film many times from the age of 12, I always thought of Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder as being perfect in their roles. When watching the 2005 film musical I was extremely pleased with the casting of Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, who then became for me the ideal people to play those roles in the musical.
It is not an easy thing for any performer to follow such great performances as these. However, the cast we saw in the West End were just right for this live show.

Above, Me and Penny, waiting for the show to start, the Garrick Theatre, London, January 2026.

I think for humour the 1967 original film is probably the best, but the 2005 film musical isn’t far behind, and the songs are excellent. The stage musical is a very good match for the film, and I would highly recommend seeing it to anyone who is a fan of the work of Mel Brooks, the original film, or the 2005 film musical. It may mean even more to people that have been involved in the Theatre World but it is a fantastic show to see for anyone.

Above, a poster for the stage musical The Producers, Leicester Square, London. Photo taken by me, January 2026.

I am very grateful to that Geography teacher who stood in on that day in 1982, who decided that day’s lesson would be on the 1967 Mel Brooks comedy film. It introduced me to this wonderful comedy at a time when I was just starting out at stage school, and I thought it was wonderful. It is something that has stayed with me all these years, and it probably also taught me something about the workings of the theatre. I think I can say that despite what I say about Geography teachers as William Pitt the Younger, this is definitely a Geography teacher on which I wouldn’t impose ‘tougher sentences’.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part, I will be talking about the life of one of my favourite authors, who has written some of my favourite novels, some of which have been turned into films, including one of my favourite films set in Scotland. Who that author is, and how his life was just as adventurous as some of his novels, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 3 will be aware that William Pitt the Younger became Prime Minister at a young age. He was actually 24 years old, so older than I was when I did Blackadder. When Pitt was in his third year of being Prime Minister, there was someone else well-known from the Georgian Era who was then starting school. That person was George Bryan Brummell, better known to most as Beau Brummell.

Above, Me, as William Pitt the Younger, in Blackadder 3.

Although in Blackadder I talk about standing ‘in the big, cold schoolroom, a hot crumpet burning my cheeks with shame’, Pitt the Younger was mostly schooled at home. This wasn’t the case for Beau Brummell who began his schooling at Eton at the age of seven.
Many of the boys at Eton would have been King’s Scholars. These would have been from not so wealthy backgrounds, and were accommodated in the school building in one enormous dormitory. For others, like Beau, they were accommodated in private boarding houses.

Above, George Bryan Brummell, known to most as Beau Brummell, in the early 19th Century.

These boys from wealthier families – some of the boys had already inherited titles whilst still at school – were able to run up bills of credit with the many shops – and in some cases, public houses – of Eton and Windsor.
Although we don’t know just how much Beau, who was often known as Buck Brummell to his friends at Eton, spent in these shops, we do have some idea of how much one of his Eton friends spent.
A boy with the somewhat unusual name of Scrope Davies left some documents with his bank when he left England as an adult never to return. These documents were left sitting in the bank unlooked at until someone finally opened them in 1976, one hundred and fifty six years after Scrope Davies had left the country.
Amongst these documents were some bills that had been run up at cloth merchants, tailors, and hatters while Scrope Davies was at Eton with Beau Brummell. They showed that in just one term at Eton, Scrope Davies spent what today would be the equivalent of around £5,000. This was mostly spent on clothes.
We can see from this that not only did Eton school its boys in Latin, Greek, and the Classics, but also gave them free time to create their own distinctive wardrobes, at least for those whose parents could afford the large bills from the tailors and merchants.
As we know, Beau Brummell grew up to become what was known as a Dandy, as did his friend Scrope Davies. Not only did both of these men create looks that others – including the Prince Regent – wanted to follow, they also both ended up leaving the country when the bills from tailors and merchants became a little too much to pay.

Above, Piccadilly, London. It is this area in which Beau Brummell lived, and also where the best of high end British tailors and hatters were based, and in some cases still are. Photo taken by me, January 2026.

Beau Brummell was so influential in his fashion that his ideas of how a gentleman should dress are still an influence today. It could even be said that most well-dressed British gentlemen of today – there are still a few – still follow many of the wardrobe rules and looks that Beau Brummell and his Dandy friends made so fashionable during the Regency Era.

So, not every Georgian schoolboy from a wealthy family ended up with ‘Crumpets burning’ his ‘cheeks with shame’, but some ended up having to leave the country when their tastes in fashion meant their tailors’ bills became too much for them to pay.

For more on Ypres https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ypres

For more on Mel Brooks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Brooks

For more on the 1967 film The Producers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Producers_(1967_film)

For more on Zero Mostel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Mostel

For more on Gene Wilder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Wilder

For more on the stage musical The Producers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Producers_(musical)

For more on Nathan Lane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane

For more on Matthew Broderick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Broderick

For more in the 2005 film musical The Producers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Producers_(2005_film)

For more on Roger Bart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Bart

For more on Beau Brummell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Brummell

For more on Scrope Davies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrope_Berdmore_Davies

Part 119, Young Snotty, Bad Neighbours, and Good Warhorses

Part 119

Part of History Pitt

Historical Performance Talks – Video Greetings – Meet, Greet and Mingles – and Merchandise

My History, Behind the Scenes History, and Fun History

Young Snotty, Bad Neighbours, and Good Warhorses

The My History Part

It was January 2015. We had been in London for a couple of days, and were now about to head to Paris on the Eurostar. This was to visit both Paris and Disneyland Paris, but as I have covered both in several previous My History Parts I will just talk very briefly about Security.

Above, the outside of Sir John Soane’s House, London. One of the places we visited in London in January 2015 before heading to Paris. We only visited the outside in 2015, but this picture is from a later visit in 2022, when we actually did go inside. I had visited the inside of the house when I started school in London in 1982. This visit in 2022 was the first time I had returned since that first visit. Photo taken by me, June 2022.

There had been an armed attack in Paris while we were in London. By the time we reached France it was all over. However, one might still expect a little more visible security to be put into place.
In Disneyland this was definitely the case, with armed police at the park entrances and more placed at points around the outside of Disneyland. When leaving Paris on the Eurostar a few days later this was not the case.
We had spent a couple of nights in the city after visiting Disneyland, and we turned up early to catch the Eurostar as we expected French Customs to conduct more stringent checks on luggage.
Standing in line took no longer than usual, and when we reached the luggage scanner we could see why. The French Customs officers on duty paid no attention to the suitcases and bags being scanned at all. It seemed to us that they looked at each other while talking and laughing with not even a glance at what the scanner was showing. This is not at all what we expected, and this was not the only armed attack to take place in Paris that year, but that will be covered in a later blog.
After a night in London we arrived back in Wales. It was now back to working in the Church, and to studying.
Working in the Church also gave us an escape from our awful neighbours. It is seldom quiet in the valleys – if indeed it ever is – but our neighbours were just about as loud and as selfish as it would be possible to be.

Above, It would have been much nicer, quieter, and safer living next door to these characters than it was living next to our neighbours in the Valleys. Ade Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan, and Rik Mayall, as Vyvyan, Neil, Mike, and Rick, in the 1980s BBC sitcom The Young Ones.

We had grown used to them having many visitors and taking up the entire street with their cars, most of which arrived and left blasting out music. We had also expected the many parties throughout the year when music was so loud the walls of our house would shake. We had also come to expect vomit outside the house as their intoxicated friends staggered away in the night, beer bottles left on our windowsill, rubbish thrown over the wall into our garden, and being stared at blankly by the open-mouthed and empty that frequented their house, but in the Easter of 2015 there was a new noise to contend with.
It was the Easter weekend, and as we were sitting after breakfast we were suddenly aware of the entire house shaking, and a noise so loud it was not possible to be heard above it even if you were shouting.
On venturing outside we could see why. To copy the neighbours on the other side, our awful neighbours had decided to have the front of their house made to match theirs. This included a man drilling into the front wall of the house to remove the old pointing.
In doing this, the awful neighbours had tried to persuade the man to drill into our wall, presumably to try and make their house look bigger. After telling him, and then our neighbours that we would not allow this, the man drilling moved away from our wall, but this did not stop hours of drilling for several days afterwards, along with the huge amount of dust and mess that went with it.
We couldn’t spend all that time in the Church, so we did have days out, which we enjoyed, even though we felt we were forced out of our own house on these days.
Years later, we were eventually forced to leave the house altogether as the neighbours became even louder, even more selfish and empty, and eventually violent, but that is for a later blog to cover.
Before the exams of the Summer, we decided to head off again on the Eurostar, this time to Belgium. The trip would begin in Ypres.

Above, a view of the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

As the town of Ypres is so linked to the First World War we decided that on our one night in London before catching the train to Belgium we would go and see the show Warhorse.

Above, a poster for the stage play Warhorse.

Warhorse was first performed in 2007. Adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 book, Warhorse is described as a play, but it also has a lot of music in the performance. We had already seen the 2011 film directed and produced by Stephen Spielberg, which I didn’t think quite lived up to what people were saying about the stage show. Therefore, we were hoping for something quite special when we took our seats in the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London’s Drury Lane. We were not disappointed.

Above, the outside of the Gillian Lynne Theatre, Drury Lane, London, advertising Warhorse. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

The life-size horse puppets made by the Handspring Puppet Company of South Africa were so realistic to look at, and so expertly moved around the stage by their puppeteers that you soon forgot that these weren’t real horses you were watching on stage.

Above, another poster for the play Warhorse, this one showing one of the life-size horse puppets.

The cast were great, the music was excellent, the horses were fantastic to watch, and the entire show was inspiring and emotional.

Above, Me and Penny, outside the Gillian Lynne Theatre, Drury Lane, London, about to go in and see the play Warhorse. Photo taken by William, May 2015.

We are all aware of the hardships and loss of life of humans during wars, but Warhorse reminds us of the suffering of animals too, both in the historic sense and in the present as animals still suffer and die alongside humans in the many conflicts of today.

Above, a working donkey amongst the rubble, Palestine, 2025, with a poster advertising the charity Safe Haven 4 Donkeys which helps sick and injured animals. Photo from Safe Haven 4 Donkeys.

The film is fine, but doesn’t come anywhere near matching the experience of seeing the stage show.

Above, a view of the Cloth Hall, Ypres, Belgium, at night. Photo taken by me, May 2015.

The next day it was on the Eurostar and off to Belgium. What we got up to at our first destination there, and what we saw, I will let you know in the next blog.

The Behind the Scenes Part

Penny and I have many favourite Turkish TV series. I could have chosen to write about Magnificent Century – Muhtesem Yuzyil – starring Halit Ergenc as Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and Meryem Uzerli as Hurem Sultan, Abdulhamid starring Bulent Inal as Sultan Abdulhamid II, or Saladin starring Uger Gunes in the title role, but by far our favourite Turkish TV series is Dirilis Ertugrul starring Engin Altan Duzyatan, and produced by Mehmet Bozdag.

Above, Halit Ergenc, and Meryem Uzerli, as Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and Hurem Sultan in Turkish TV series Magnificent Century, 2011 to 2014.

We were fortunate enough to visit the set of Dirilis Ertugrul at Bozdag Studios in Turkiye for a behind the scenes look at the sets, and that visit is what I shall be talking about in this Behind the Scenes Part.

Above, Bulent Inal, as Sultan Abdulhamid II, in Turkish TV series Abdulhamid, 2017 to 2021.

Dirilis Ertugrul finished filming in 2019, but as the same sets were also used for Kurulus Osman telling the story of Ertugrul’s son, and still in use for Kurulus Orhan focusing on Osman’s son almost all of the sets were still in place.

Above, Uger Gunes, as a young Saladin – Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub – in the Turkish and Pakistani TV series Saladin, 2023 to 2025.

Ertugrul, Osman and Orhan are all real historical characters of great importance in the history of Turkiye. It was Ertugrul who united the Turkish tribes, Osman who led what would become the Ottoman Empire – which is why he is known as Sultan Osman I – and Orhan who expanded and strengthened the Empire.

Above, Engin Altan Duzyatan, as Ertugrul Bey, in the Turkish TV series Dirilis Ertugrul, 2014 to 2019.

It was an interesting journey from Istanbul to the studios on the edge of the Black Sea on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, but the site of the huge sets of these three major Turkish TV series as we entered the site was amazing.

Above, Penny and Me, amongst the tents of Ertugrul’s Kayi Tribe, Bozdag Studios, Turkiye, 2025.

It covers such a vast area, and includes the tribal tents of the three series as well as Byzantine castles and towns, and a palace that in Dirilis Ertugrul was used as the home of the Seljuk Turkish Sultans and has now been transformed into part of the set of a new series of The Arabian Nights.

Above, the realistic looking walls of the set of a Byzantine castle, Bozdag Studios, Turkiye. Photo taken by me, 2025.

Walking around the Ertugrul set was definitely a highlight of the visit, but seeing the Osman set was also fantastic. Orhan was very new, and was still in production. One of the sets was being kept secret and we weren’t allowed to see it from the front. We did however get a good look at it from behind. We were told that there was a surprise in the scene that first shows this set, and no one who is not working on that episode is allowed to see it until it has been aired. That night when we returned to our hotel in Istanbul we turned on the TV to find episode one of Orhan was being aired, and that set was shown in one of the scenes.

Above, the side that is not seen on screen of a castle set used in the Turkish TV series Kurulus Orhan, Bozdag Studios. Photo taken by me, 2025.

The tribal tents are about as real as could be, but we had expected that the castle sets wouldn’t look real when up close. This is not the case. If you knock on the stones of the buildings you can just about tell they are not real stone, but the structures are strong enough to walk on, climb on, and for many of the actors in many of the scenes, also fight on.

Above, inside the realistic looking set of a Byzantine castle, Bozdag Studios, Turkiye. Photo taken by me, 2025.

They are most likely the most real looking sets I have ever had the fortune to step onto.
One of the larger tribal tents which was last used in Kurulus Osman has now been turned into a small museum. This museum displays the costumes, weapons, and props used by the main cast in the series, which you walk around looking at as the main title music is being played, making you feel very much a part of it all.

Above, the set of tents, last used as a set for Kurulus Osman, now turned into a studio museum. Photo taken by me, 2025.

There is also a very good restaurant on site that serves traditional Turkish dishes. This we had, and enjoyed, including the traditional sherbet drink.
There is even a theatre tent where at times shows are put on displaying some of the horse riding skills of the stunt performers in the series. This was definitely worth seeing, and again was accompanied with music from the series.

Above, one of the entrances to one of the Kayi Tribe tents, used in Kurulus Osman. Photo taken by me, 2025.

Something we were surprised to find was that at the furthest point of the Ertugrul tribal set were two tents that were used as the studio Mosques, one for women – which I almost walked into – and one for men. This was something unexpected, but as a person of Faith, I was very pleased to find that the studios had thought of providing these spaces.

Above, inside one of the Kayi Tribe tents, on the set of Dirilis Ertugrul, Bozdag Studios, Turkiye. The inside of the Mosque tents were a little different to this one. Photo taken by me, 2025.

Turkiye is a very special place to Penny and I, and these series are something we watch a lot. As I have said – probably many times – before, I have a love of the Middle East, and of the history of this part of the World. I have had a long interest in Ottoman History, but it wasn’t until watching Dirilis Ertugrul that I was really aware of the early origins of what would become the Ottoman Empire.

Above, Penny on a bridge used in Kurulus Osman, leading to the Kayi Tribe set, Bozdag Studios, Turkiye. Photo taken by me, 2025.

Turkish film and TV has in recent years become amongst the best – I would say ‘The’ best – that any country has to offer. This is particularly true in their historical series, of which there are many. The writing, casting, acting, direction, and production are all excellent, and I even love the music from these series. Having visited the sets at Bozdag Studios I also have to say what a fantastic job the set designers and those who build the sets have done. From realistic tribal villages that you can walk around to castles and palaces that, even when inside them, seem so real it is almost impossible to remember that they aren’t really centuries old. It was truly wonderful to set foot on, walk around, and take a behind the scenes look at these amazing sets of these fantastic series at Bozdag Studios.

Above, Me, sitting on a Byzantine throne, on the set of Kurulus Osman, Bozdag Studios, Turkiye, 2025.

If anyone who is interested in historically set series with plenty of action, then I would highly recommend watching any of the series I have mentioned in this Behind the Scenes Part to anyone who gets the chance.

In the next Behind the Scenes Part I will be talking about a comedy film from the 1960s, that later became a stage and film musical. What that film is and what it was like recently watching the stage musical, I will let you know in the next blog.

The History Part

Those of you familiar with Blackadder 4 will be aware of how much of World War I in Europe meant fighting against the Germans and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a huge part of which was done in the trenches.

Above, Rowan Atkinson, as Captain Blackadder, in Blackadder 4.

In the Middle East, it was the Ottoman Empire that Britain was fighting. When the Ottoman Empire surrendered, then much of the former Ottoman territory came under control of the British and French.
If we go back to the times of Blackadder 3, Britain’s links with the Ottomans was mostly about trade, but also supporting the Ottomans against Russian ideas of encroaching on Ottoman territories, and keeping French influence out of Ottoman politics.

If we go back even further to the times of Blackadder 2, Elizabeth I – Queenie – made very strong links with the Ottomans. She saw not only the value in trading with the Ottomans but also offering military assistance if it should ever be required. This was largely due to both Protestant England and the Muslim Ottoman Empire seeing Catholic Spain as a threat. Elizabeth I even wrote letters to Sultan Murad III where she signed herself as Sultana rather than Queen.
Catholic countries were forbidden from trading with the Islamic Ottomans, but Protestant England could trade with whoever they wanted. Elizabethan England supplied the Ottomans with materials for use in war. In return, the Ottomans traded luxury goods, and sent Queenie lavish gifts.

Above, Miranda Richardson, as Queenie – Elizabeth I – in Blackadder 2.

From this time and right up to the Edwardian Era, Britain had very strong links with the Ottomans. However, as British policy became less like a friend helping the Ottoman Empire and more like someone taking over parts of Ottoman Territory – such as Egypt and Sudan – the influence of Germany became an important part of Ottoman foreign relations.
This led to the Ottoman Empire joining World War I on the side of Germany, which meant the Ottoman and British Empires were fighting each other.
T E Lawrence – Lawrence of Arabia – thought that he was helping fight for Arab independence, but when the Ottomans surrendered, rather than independence, control of much of its territories went to Britain and France, and policies were put into place which are still costing lives today.

Above, T E Lawrence – Lawrence of Arabia – in Arab dress, during his time in the Middle East where he believed he was fighting for Arab independence. Lawrence had no idea of the plans that British and French politicians had made regarding the future of the Middle East. If he had, I believe he would have opposed those plans.

When most of the Middle East was run by the Ottoman Empire, that part of the World was stable, secure, and mostly peaceful. Since we went and ‘helped’ after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, much of the Middle East has hardly seen any peace, security, or political stability. It could be said that it is similar to the ‘help’ that the UK and the US gave Iraq and Afghanistan in the early part of this century. If asked the question ‘and are those places better off for it?’ I think even Baldrick might be able to work out that the right answer is most likely ‘probably not’.

Above, Tony Robinson, as Baldrick, in Blackadder 4.

If only more politicians could look at what effect their short term policies will have later on, and if more of them would do what is right for their countries and for the World instead of gaining personal wealth and clinging to power, then not just the Middle East, but the World would be a much safer, and peaceful place.

For more about Sir John Soane’s House https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_John_Soane’s_Museum

For more about the 1980s BBC sitcom The Young Ones https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Young_Ones_(TV_series)

For more about the 2011 film Warhorse https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Horse_(film)

For more about the stage play Warhorse https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Horse_(play)

For more about Ypres https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ypres

For more on the charity Safe Haven 4 Donkeys https://www.safehaven4donkeys.org/about-us/?_gl=1*sw70zs*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAiA7LzLBhAgEiwAjMWzCPM2VARSKvDePAmr0D4cDUh_muEiKWQzlQdsc_8Yc_qAWueZJui8lRoCsvwQAvD_BwE

For more on Turkish TV series Magnificent Century https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhte%C5%9Fem_Y%C3%BCzy%C4%B1l

For more on Turkish TV series Abdulhamid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payitaht:_Abd%C3%BClhamid

For more on Turkish and Pakistani TV series Saladin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kud%C3%BCs_Fatihi_Selahaddin_Eyyubi

For more on Turkish TV series Dirilis Ertugrul https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirili%C5%9F:_Ertu%C4%9Frul

For more on Turkish TV series Kurulus Osman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurulu%C5%9F:_Osman

For more on Turkish TV series Kurulus Orhan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurulu%C5%9F:_Orhan

For more on T E Lawrence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._E._Lawrence