1.
London
–
London /ˈlʌndən/ is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain and it was founded by the Romans, who named it Londinium. Londons ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its 1. 12-square-mile medieval boundaries. London is a global city in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism. It is crowned as the worlds largest financial centre and has the fifth- or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world, London is a world cultural capital. It is the worlds most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the worlds largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic, London is the worlds leading investment destination, hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city. Londons universities form the largest concentration of education institutes in Europe. In 2012, London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times, London has a diverse range of people and cultures, and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region. Its estimated mid-2015 municipal population was 8,673,713, the largest of any city in the European Union, Londons urban area is the second most populous in the EU, after Paris, with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census. The citys metropolitan area is the most populous in the EU with 13,879,757 inhabitants, the city-region therefore has a similar land area and population to that of the New York metropolitan area. London was the worlds most populous city from around 1831 to 1925, Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, St Pauls Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, and The Shard. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world, the etymology of London is uncertain. It is an ancient name, found in sources from the 2nd century and it is recorded c.121 as Londinium, which points to Romano-British origin, and hand-written Roman tablets recovered in the city originating from AD 65/70-80 include the word Londinio. The earliest attempted explanation, now disregarded, is attributed to Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regum Britanniae and this had it that the name originated from a supposed King Lud, who had allegedly taken over the city and named it Kaerlud. From 1898, it was accepted that the name was of Celtic origin and meant place belonging to a man called *Londinos. The ultimate difficulty lies in reconciling the Latin form Londinium with the modern Welsh Llundain, which should demand a form *lōndinion, from earlier *loundiniom. The possibility cannot be ruled out that the Welsh name was borrowed back in from English at a later date, and thus cannot be used as a basis from which to reconstruct the original name. Until 1889, the name London officially applied only to the City of London, two recent discoveries indicate probable very early settlements near the Thames in the London area
2.
Shuttlecock (novel)
–
Shuttlecock is Graham Swifts critically acclaimed second novel, a psychological thriller published in 1981 by Allen Lane. It won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize in 1983, and is said to be the best of his earlier novels and it was not published in the US until 1985, after the success of Waterland. At home, Prentis is alienated from his wife and children and is obsessed about uncovering the truth about the exploits of his father. His father published his memoirs but is now the inmate of a hospital following a breakdown in which he lost the ability to speak. As the story unfolds, Prentis suspects there may be links between Quinns behaviour and his fathers breakdown, Graham Swifts Shuttlecock on www. victorianweb. org Shuttlecock at the Internet Movie Database Graham Swift discusses Shuttlecock with Hermione Lee - a British Library sound recording
3.
Waterland (novel)
–
Waterland is a 1983 novel by Graham Swift. It is considered to be the premier novel and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In 1992, the book was made into a film, the title of the novel refers to its setting in The Fens in East Anglia. Waterland is concerned with the nature and importance of history as the source of meaning in a narrative. For this reason, it is associated with new historicism, major themes in the novel include storytelling and history, exploring how the past leads to future consequences. This personal narrative is set in the context of a history, of the narrators family, the Fens in general. Tom has been married to Mary for as long as he has been teaching, the students in Toms school have grown increasingly scientifically oriented, and the headmaster, a physicist, has little sympathy for Toms subject. One of Toms students, Price, questions the relevance of learning about historical events, the youths scepticism causes Tom to change his teaching approach to telling tales drawn from his own recollection. By doing so, he himself a part of the history he is teaching, relating his tales to local history. The headmaster, Lewis, tries to entice Tom into taking an early retirement, Tom resists this because his leaving would mean that the History Department would cease to exist and be combined with the broader area of General Studies. Toms wife is arrested for snatching a baby, the publicity that attends her arrest reflects badly on the school, and Tom is told that he now must retire. In response, he uses his impending forced retirement as an excuse to unfold a story to his students, the pivot of Waterland focuses on both the past in 1937, and the present time thirty years after - all related through the eyes of adolescent Tom. A wide part of the novel is formed by the basis of three hundred years of local - including family - history, which relates to the broader historical currents of past centuries. Much of the plot centers on Toms tumultuous relationship with Mary, Mary lives close to his family on a farm close to where Toms father, a lock-keeper, has a home with his two sons in the lock-keepers cottage, beside a tributary of the Great Ouse. Toms mother dies when he is eight years old, Marys own mother having died during her birth, resulting in a rigid religious upbringing from her father throughout her childhood. As she matures, her interest in men grows, and she and Tom slip into a relationship, which is marred by Dicks resentment of them. Dick asks Mary if he is the father, thinking if he is he will be able to have control over his strained friendship with Mary. Mary lies to him, telling him that Freddie Parr is the father, Dick, distraught at this information, struggles with a drunken Freddie, who is unable to swim, and pushes him into the river
4.
Last Orders
–
Last Orders is a 1996 Booker Prize-winning novel by British writer Graham Swift. In 2001 it was adapted for the film Last Orders by Australian writer, the plot and style are influenced by William Faulkners As I Lay Dying. Jack Dodds, a butcher, husband of Amy and his death from cancer in St Thomas Hospital brings together four men who take a journey to scatter his ashes. Played by Michael Caine in the movie, Vince Dodds, a used car salesman. Adopted son of Jack and Amy Dodds, when his parents were killed during the London Blitz. Played by Ray Winstone in the movie, Ray Lucky Johnson, an insurance clerk, who has an uncanny ability to wager on the right horses. The main narrator of the book, fought alongside Jack Dodds in the war, who saved his life on one occasion. Was left by his wife Carol, for man, and has a daughter Susie. Ray is attracted to Amy Dodds, wife of Jack, played by Bob Hoskins in the movie. Lenny Gunner Tate, Drinking buddy of Jack Dodds, the odd man in the group, who is the instigator of many conflicts. Lennys daughter Sally had a relationship with Vince Dodds, and became pregnant, played by David Hemmings in the movie. The backbone of the group, who mediates and keeps the peace when conflicts arise, many parallels are drawn between Jacks profession and Vics, in that they both handle bodies. Played by Tom Courtenay in the movie, Amy Dodds, Jacks wife, who declines to join the men when they scatter Jacks ashes. Amy and Jack had a disabled daughter, June. On the day the four men travel to Margate to scatter the ashes, played by Helen Mirren in the movie. Mandy Dodds, Left her home in Blackburn at age 15, at Smithfield Meat Market she met Jack who offered her a job and board and lodgings in his house. She went on to marry Jacks adopted son Vince
5.
Booker Prize
–
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original novel, written in the English language and published in the UK. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured international renown and success, therefore, from its inception, only Commonwealth, Irish, and South African citizens were eligible to receive the prize, in 2014, however, this eligibility was widened to any English-language novel. A high-profile literary award in British culture, the Booker Prize is greeted with great anticipation and it is also a mark of distinction for authors to be selected for inclusion in the shortlist or even to be nominated for the longlist. The foundation is an independent registered charity funded by the profits of Booker Prize Trading Ltd. In 1970, Bernice Rubens became the first woman to win the Booker Prize, the rules of the Booker changed in 1971, previously, it had been awarded retrospectively to books published prior to the year in which the award was given. In 1971 the year of eligibility was changed to the same as the year of the award, in effect, this meant that books published in 1970 were not considered for the Booker in either year. The Booker Prize Foundation announced in January 2010 the creation of an award called the Lost Man Booker Prize. Alice Munro has a place in Booker Prize history, The Beggar Maid is the only short story collection to have been shortlisted. Before 2001, each years longlist of nominees was not publicly revealed, John Sutherland, who was a judge for the 1999 prize, has said, There is a well-established London literary community. Rushdie doesnt get shortlisted now because he has attacked that community and that is not a good game plan if you want to win the Booker. Norman Mailer has found the thing in the US – you have to be a citizen if you want to win prizes. The real scandal is that Amis has never won the prize, in fact, he has only been shortlisted once and that was for Times Arrow, which was not one of his strongest books. He pissed people off with Dead Babies and that lodged in the culture. There is also the feeling that he has looked towards America. In 1972, the winning writer John Berger, known for his Marxist worldview and he blamed Bookers 130 years of sugar production in the Caribbean for the regions modern poverty. Berger donated half of his £5,000 prize to the British Black Panther movement, because they had a socialist, in 1980, Anthony Burgess, writer of Earthly Powers, refused to attend the ceremony unless it was confirmed to him in advance whether he had won. His was one of two books considered likely to win, the other being Rites of Passage by William Golding, the judges decided only 30 minutes before the ceremony, giving the prize to Golding. Both novels had been seen as favourites to win leading up to the prize, 1983s judging produced a draw between J. M. Coetzees Life & Times of Michael K and Salman Rushdies Shame, leaving chair of judges Fay Weldon to choose between the two
6.
James Tait Black Memorial Prize
–
The James Tait Black Memorial Prizes are literary prizes awarded for literature written in the English language. They, along with the Hawthornden Prize, are Britains oldest literary awards, Prizes are awarded in three categories, Fiction, Biography and Drama. From inception, the James Tait Black prize was organised without overt publicity, there was a lack of press and publisher attention, initially at least, because Edinburgh was distant from the literary centres of the country. The decision on the award would be made by the Regius Chair of Rhetoric, the original endowment is now supplemented by the University and, as a consequence, the total prize fund rose from £6,000 to £20,000 for the 2005 awards. This increase made the two prizes, one for fiction and the other for biography, the largest literary prizes on offer in Scotland. The annual prize for drama is worth £10,000, the University is advised in relation to the development and administration of the Prize by a small committee which includes Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith and James Naughtie amongst its members. In August 2007 the prize ceremony was held at the Edinburgh International Book Festival for the first time, only those works of fiction and biographies written in English and first published in Britain in the 12-month period prior to the submission date are eligible for the award. Both prizes may go to the author, but neither prize can be awarded to the same author on more than one occasion. For the drama category, the work should have written in English, Gaelic or Welsh. In 2012, a prize was given called the Best of the James Tait Black. The award celebrated the fiction winners over the past 93 years, a shortlist of six previous winners competed for the title of Best. A judging panel of celebrity alumni and writers decided on the winner announced on 6 December 2012 as Angela Carters Nights at the Circus
7.
English people
–
The English are a nation and an ethnic group native to England, who speak the English language. The English identity is of medieval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Angelcynn. Their ethnonym is derived from the Angles, one of the Germanic peoples who migrated to Great Britain around the 5th century AD, England is one of the countries of the United Kingdom. Collectively known as the Anglo-Saxons, they founded what was to become England along with the later Danes, Normans, in the Acts of Union 1707, the Kingdom of England was succeeded by the Kingdom of Great Britain. Over the years, English customs and identity have become closely aligned with British customs. The English people are the source of the English language, the Westminster system and these and other English cultural characteristics have spread worldwide, in part as a result of the former British Empire. The concept of an English nation is far older than that of the British nation, many recent immigrants to England have assumed a solely British identity, while others have developed dual or mixed identities. Use of the word English to describe Britons from ethnic minorities in England is complicated by most non-white people in England identifying as British rather than English. In their 2004 Annual Population Survey, the Office for National Statistics compared the ethnic identities of British people with their national identity. They found that while 58% of white people in England described their nationality as English and it is unclear how many British people consider themselves English. Following complaints about this, the 2011 census was changed to allow respondents to record their English, Welsh, Scottish, another complication in defining the English is a common tendency for the words English and British to be used interchangeably, especially overseas. In his study of English identity, Krishan Kumar describes a common slip of the tongue in which people say English, I mean British. He notes that this slip is made only by the English themselves and by foreigners. Kumar suggests that although this blurring is a sign of Englands dominant position with the UK and it tells of the difficulty that most English people have of distinguishing themselves, in a collective way, from the other inhabitants of the British Isles. In 1965, the historian A. J. P. Taylor wrote, When the Oxford History of England was launched a generation ago and it meant indiscriminately England and Wales, Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and even the British Empire. Foreigners used it as the name of a Great Power and indeed continue to do so, bonar Law, by origin a Scotch Canadian, was not ashamed to describe himself as Prime Minister of England Now terms have become more rigorous. The use of England except for a geographic area brings protests and this version of history is now regarded by many historians as incorrect, on the basis of more recent genetic and archaeological research. The 2016 study authored by Stephan Schiffels et al, the remaining portion of English DNA is primarily French, introduced in a migration after the end of the Ice Age
8.
Dulwich College
–
Dulwich College is a boarding and day independent school for boys in Dulwich in southeast London, England. It was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, an Elizabethan actor and it currently has about 1,500 boys, of whom 120 are boarders. Admission by examination is mainly into years 3,7,9 and it is a member of both the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference and the Eton Group. The term Dulwich College was used colloquially from that date, such as in 1675 when John Evelyn described his visit to Dulwich College in his Diary, however, for at least 263 years this colloquialism was incorrect as the school was part of the overall charitable Foundation. There is no evidence for the legend that he owned brothels. He was Chief Maister, Ruler and Overseer of games of Beares, Bulls, Mastiff Dogs, rumours that Alleyn turned his attention towards charitable pursuits out of fear for his moral well-being have been traced to the journalist George Sala and questioned. The building on Dulwich Green of a chapel, a schoolhouse and twelve almshouses, on 1 September 1616 the chapel was consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury who became the official Visitor. However, Edward Alleyn faced objections from Francis Bacon, the Lord Chancellor and it was Alleyns persistence that led to the foundation being endowed by James Is signing of the letters patent. The poor brothers and sisters and scholars were to be drawn from the four parishes that were most closely tied to Alleyn, the business of the charity was conducted in the name of these thirty members by the Master, Warden and four Fellows. Alleyn drew upon the experience of similar establishments in order to formulate the statutes and ordinances of the college. Among the many statutes and ordinances signed by Alleyn that pertained to the scheme were provisions that the scholars were entitled to stay until they were eighteen. And to be taught in good and sound learning’…’that they might be prepared for university or for good and sweet trades and occupations. Another stipulation was that the Master and Warden should always be unmarried and of Alleyns blood, and surname, and if the former was impossible then at least of Alleyns surname. Alleyn also made provision that the people of Dulwich should be able to have their men children instructed at the school for a fee as well as children from outside Dulwich for a separate fee. The next two centuries were beset by both external difficulties such as diminishing financial fortunes and failing buildings as well as internal strife between the various Members of the College. The Official Visitor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose function was to ensure that the statutes were obeyed, was called in many times, dr John Allen of Holland House was a most learned and influential man, but neglected the education of the Poor Scholars. Immediately after this criticism, the Dulwich College Grammar School was established in 1842 for the education of boys from Dulwich. To this school were transferred the boys of the James Allen Foundation, the Old Grammar School, as it became known, was erected in 1841 opposite the Old College, designed by Sir Charles Barry, the architect of the Palace of Westminster
9.
Queens' College, Cambridge
–
Queens College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. Queens is one of the oldest and largest colleges of the university, founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou, the college spans both sides of the river Cam, colloquially referred to as the light side and the dark side, with the world-famous Mathematical Bridge connecting the two. Its most famous matriculant is Desiderius Erasmus, who studied at the college during his trips to England between 1506 and 1515, the college has a financial endowment of £54.9 million The current President of the college is the senior economist and Labour Party adviser, Lord Eatwell. Past Presidents of the college include Saint John Fisher, Queens College was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou, and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville. In 1446 Andrew Dokett obtained a Charter from King Henry VI to found St Bernards College, a year later the charter was revoked and Dokett obtained a new charter from the king to found St Bernards College on the present site of Old Court and Cloister Court. In 1448 King Henry VI granted Margaret of Anjou the lands of St Bernards College to build a new college to be called Queens College of St Margaret and St Bernard. On 15 April 1448, Sir John Wenlock, Chamberlain to Queen Margaret, by 1460 the library, chapel, gatehouse and the Presidents lodge were completed and the chapel licensed for service. Between that time and the early 1600s many improvements were made and new buildings constructed, including the Walnut Tree Building, since then the college has refurbished most of its old building and steadily expanded. During the English civil war the college sent all its silver to help the King, as a result, the president and the fellows were ejected from their posts. In 1660 the president was restored, in 1777 a fire in the Walnut-Tree Building destroyed the upper floors which had to be rebuilt 1778-82. In February 1795 the College was badly flooded, reportedly waist-deep in the cloisters, in 1823 the spelling of the colleges name officially changed from Queens to Queens. The earliest known record of the college Boat Club dates from 1831, in 1862 the St Bernard Society, the debating club of the college was founded. In 1884 the first football match was played by the college team, in 1980, the college for the first time allowed females to matriculate as members of college, with the first female members of the college graduating in 1983. These arms are those of the first foundress Queen, Margaret of Anjou, the six quarters of these arms represent the six lordships which he claimed. The green border appears to be intended as a difference for Queens College and these arms are of interest because the third quarter uses gold on silver, a combination which is extremely rare in heraldry. The cross potent is a pun on the letters H and I. These are not the arms of the College, but, rather. The silver boars head was the badge of King Richard III of England, richards wife Anne Neville was the third Queen consort to be patroness of the College
