Author: homealonesimon

Interested in Transport and Currency (UK)

The New 20 Pound Note

The Bank of England has released the new £20 note into circulation today, 20 February 2020. The note’s design features a self-portrait of painter JMW Turner and celebrates the contribution of the arts to British culture. According to the Bank, the new note will be its ‘most secure banknote yet’.

The History Boys

The History Boys is a play by British playwright Alan Bennett. The play premiered at the Royal National Theatre in London on 18 May 2004. Its Broadway debut was on 23 April 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre where 185 performances were staged before it closed on 1 October 2006.[citation needed]

The play won multiple awards, including the 2005 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play and the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play.

Plot

The play opens in Cutlers’ Grammar School, Sheffield, a fictional boys’ grammar school in the north of England. Set in the early 1980s, the play follows a group of history pupils preparing for the Oxford and Cambridge entrance examinations under the guidance of three teachers (Hector, Irwin, and Lintott) with contrasting styles.

Hector, an eccentric teacher, delights in knowledge for its own sake but his ambitious headmaster wants the school to move up the academic league table and hires Irwin, a supply teacher, to introduce a rather more cynical and ruthless style of teaching. Hector is discovered sexually fondling a boy and later Irwin’s latent homosexual inclinations emerge.

The character of Hector was based on the schoolmaster and author Frank McEachran (1900–1975).

Tudor period

The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in England whose first monarch was Henry VII (b.1457, r.1485–1509). Historian John Guy (1988) argued that “England was economically healthier, more expansive, and more optimistic under the Tudors” than at any time in a hundred years.

Population and economy
Following the Black Death and the agricultural depression of the late 15th century, the population began to increase. It was less than 2 million in 1600. The growing population stimulated economic growth, accelerated the commercialisation of agriculture, increased the production and export of wool, encouraged trade, and promoted the growth of London.[2]

The high wages and abundance of available land seen in the late 15th century and early 16th century were replaced with low wages and a land shortage. Various inflationary pressures, perhaps due to an influx of New World gold and a rising population, set the stage for social upheaval with the gap between the rich and poor widening. This was a period of significant change for the majority of the rural population, with manorial lords beginning the process of enclosure of village lands that previously had been open to everyone.

History about £1 pound coin

Edge
The edge is not only milled but also inscribed. The inscription in Latin reads:-
DECUS ET TUTAMEN
Which may be translated as “an ornament and a safeguard”. This inscription dates back to the first machine-struck coins minted in 1662 and was a device to prevent “clipping”.

Llantrisant Mint Mark
On the milled edge of the coin is the Llantrisant mint mark – a cross crosslet. This is the first United Kingdom coin to be struck with this distinctive feature. The shape of the cross alluding to Llantrisant, which translated from the Welsh means “Church or Parish of the Three Saints”.

Design Competition
The design process for the pound coin began with a competition for the reverse design of the new coin. The entries were judged by the Royal Mint Advisory Committee, whose President is the Duke of Edinburgh, and the selected design by Eric Sewell, formerly Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint, was then submitted for the approval of Her Majesty The Queen.

by simon schofield

Ultimate pancake recipe

This easy pancake recipe is the ultimate breakfast treat (and a must-make on Pancake Day of course!) If you’re looking for a reliable and guaranteed delicious pancake recipe, then look no further.

You’ll learn how to make perfect pancake batter by following our easy pancake recipe, which comes with a handy step-by-step video to make sure your pancakes turn out perfect every time. All you need for this recipe for pancakes is some flour, salt, eggs and milk, so it couldn’t be simpler. Highly rated and much loved, this is the best pancake recipe for flipping, topping and filling with lots of tasty ingredients and combinations or just the classic lemon and sugar – it’s up to you!

This might be an easy, basic pancake recipe, but we want to know all of your favourite twists, adaptations and toppings! Let us know how you and your family like to eat your pancakes by commenting below.

This recipe makes 6-8 pancakes sized at 20-23cm round. The pancake batter takes 5 mins to whip up and 5 mins to cook. It’s a must-have recipe for Pancake Day.

Love making pancakes? Why not try one of our ideas for savoury pancakes or give some fluffy American style pancakes a go!

Twirl (chocolate bar)

Twirl is a type of chocolate bar currently manufactured by the British chocolate brand Cadbury. Introduced by Cadbury UK as a single bar in the early 1970s, it was repackaged in 1984 as a twin bar. Although still produced in the United Kingdom it has been marketed internationally since the 1990s and is now one of the best-selling chocolate single bar Cadbury owns.[1][2] It consists of two Flake-style bars covered in milk chocolate. It’s rumoured that the Twirl concept evolved from an over-spill flaw in the Flake manufacturing process.

The Twirl bar also has a snack sized version called Twirl Bites, which come in a bag containing several smaller Twirl like chocolates.

There is also a multipack version containing 4 twin twirl bars. This 4 pack weighs 136 grams, meaning each bar weighs exactly 34 grams.

Product type Confectionery
Owner Cadbury
Country United Kingdom
Introduced June 19, 1984; 35 years ago London, United Kingdom

by Simon schofield

Cadbury Fingers

Fingers are a popular chocolate biscuit in the United Kingdom and Ireland which consists of a biscuit centre covered in chocolate. Fingers are produced at Burton’s Biscuit Company in the United Kingdom and sold by Cadbury UK, and are distributed in markets around the world, including North and South America, Europe and Asia. Since March 2013, Cadbury Fingers have also been sold in Australia with three different varieties available.

Fingers are sold in rectangular boxes contained in a compartmented plastic tray sealed in Cellophane. Double size boxes holding two trays are also available. Promotional boxes containing three trays are also available at times. Boxes contain an average of 24 fingers.

The modern style of Cadbury Fingers were launched in 1951. However, a similar biscuit was first introduced in 1897 as part of a Cadbury biscuit assortment. As of late 2012, the Cadbury Fingers brand is worth £40 million and is the number one brand in the special treats biscuit sector.[1]

Each finger contains 30 calories, 1.5g of fat and 3.4g of carbohydrates. Cadbury describes one serving as consisting of 4 fingers.

by simon schofield