The Copybook

Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.

1525

From Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

Season of Goodwill Clay Lane

‘Goodwill’ was on everyone’s lips, but the Roman Emperor and the God of Israel had very different ideas about it.

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1526
The Disaster of the White Ship Clay Lane

The loss of the heir to the throne threw England into crisis.

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1527

© Christopher Brown, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.

The Fleming Valve Clay Lane

A Victorian children’s book inspired the birth of modern electronics.

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1528

© Peter Smith, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.

Bird’s Custard Clay Lane

Alfred Bird’s wife could eat neither eggs nor yeast. So being a Victorian, Alfred put his thinking-cap on.

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1529

© John Sievert, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Treasure Island Clay Lane

An excited English gentleman hires a ship for a treasure-hunt, but doesn’t check his crew’s credentials.

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1530

© Colin Smith, Geograph. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.

The Alleluia Victory Clay Lane

How hard-pressed Christians on the Welsh border won a battle without bloodshed.

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