Posts by Melissa Brannan
Back in the Good Ol’ Days…
Times were simpler, community spirit thrived, local pubs buzzed with life and children played freely in the traffic-free streets. Our rosy retrospection transports us to quaint village life, the timeless charm of red telephone boxes, afternoon teas and knowing your milkman by name.
Now, in collaboration with renowned jigsaw puzzle artist, Trevor Mitchell, the very best of nostalgic Britain has been interpreted through original artwork and curated to form a charming collection of memories from a bygone age.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the beautiful pieces of art in this collection…
Grandad’s Attic
Before screen-time and social media, hours of carefree enjoyment were spent tucked away in attics and spare rooms, designing model railway lines, cutting tracks and saving every penny for the newest freight wagon to adorn your perfect micro world.
Such quality time – bonding with loved ones over a shared interest, learning intricate craftsmanship and taking pride in a long-term project – has become a thing of the past. Here, Trevor captures brilliantly the joy of simplicity and the importance of time spent with family.
A Day at the Seaside
Deck chairs and donkeys, Punch and Judy and of course, ice cream. Trevor depicts the carefree frivolity of a day at the seaside, with fresh air and salty hair, before it cost an arm and a leg to take the family out for the day.
Brilliantly researched, the swimwear is a true sign of the times, dating mid-twentieth century. And I don’t know about you, but I can almost smell the sea air and hear the unbridled laughter of children without a mobile phone when I look at this painting.
Delivery from the Village Bakery
Remember the smell of warm, fresh bread delivered to your door and a chin wag with the village baker?
Embodying community spirit, this painting harks back to a time when we knew our local baker, milkman and postman by name. In a society that seems to have lost its personal touch, this one brings a real smile to my face.
The special storytelling ability of these paintings evokes a sense of having stepped into the artwork and travelled back in time. And if you could, you’d surely stay a while.
Let us know in the comments what you remember about the Good Old Days. Which design is your favourite? Do any of them take you back to your childhood?
Enjoy more: the Good Old Days Collection
Collect these and many more pieces of Trevor Mitchell’s beautiful nostalgic artwork with the limited edition Good Old Days commemorative collection.
And if you trial the collection today, you can own the very first design – the ice cream van, for just £2.99 (+p&p). No obligation to continue collecting.
The votes are in. These are the Greatest Britons of all time…
A BBC poll in 2002 crowned Sir Winston Churchill the greatest Briton of all time. More than 20 years later, we asked 50,000 collectors the same thing. Let’s see who took the top spot in 2024…
10. Queen Victoria
Taking the throne at just 18 years old, Queen Victoria’s reign lasted 64 years – the second longest reign of any British monarch. Her devotion to her husband, Albert, is well documented, along with her decision to wear black for the rest of her life following his death.
Reigning through the age of great industrial expansion, Queen Victoria is associated with economic growth, empire, trade and industry. She is best known for the Great Exhibition of 1851.
9. Horatio Nelson
Regarded the greatest officer in the history of the Royal Navy, Nelson’s passion for taking risks lost him his sight in one eye, an arm, and ultimately his life at the Battle of Trafalgar, for which he is best known.
8. Diana, Princess of Wales
Once married to the now King Charles III, Princess Diana was patron or president of over 100 charities. Her most notable causes include working to reduce homelessness, spreading awareness of HIV/Aids and campaigning to ban the manufacturing and use of land mines.
Diana was also closely associated with the fashion world, renowned for her style and grace.
7. Alan Turing
‘The father of modern computing’, Turing is best known for his work for the British Intelligence Service at Bletchley Park during the Second World War, including breaking the German Enigma machine.
As a gay man, Turing was prosecuted for gross indecency in 1952. In 2013 he was posthumously pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II, and in recent years was chosen to be the face of the official British £50 note.
6. William Shakespeare
Generally accepted to be the greatest writer and dramatist of all time, Shakespeare’s plays have been immortalised through the ages, originating hundreds of words and phrases that we use in the English language today.
His most notable works include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, the Merchant of Venice and Sonnets.
5. Charles Darwin
Darwin’s theory of natural selection forms the foundations of all modern evolutionary studies. Shocking for religious Victorian Britain, Darwin kept many of his studies private until the publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859 which has had an enormous impact on Western society and thought.
4. Isaac Newton
The inventor of calculus, Newton’s mark on the scientific world is monumental. However, his greatest contribution is the development of a universal law of gravitation and his laws of motion.
A popular myth tells of an apple falling from a tree in Newton’s garden, which brought Newton to an understanding of forces, particularly gravity.
3. Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Brunel’s lasting legacy has transformed that way we approach engineering, transport and construction. Many of Brunel’s constructions are widely recognisable – e.g. The Great Western Railway, The Clifton Suspension Bridge, and Paddington Station.
2. Queen Elizabeth II
Celebrated for her stability and continuity in an ever-changing world, Queen Elizabeth II symbolised the endurance of the British monarchy through dedication to public service and charity.
She is the longest reigning monarch in British history, and the only one to reach her Platinum Jubilee.
1. Sir Winston Churchill – the greatest Briton of all time.
Churchill is remembered as one of the great wartime leaders of the 20th century, pivotal to the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany. He also won the Nobel Prize in literature and earned great renown for his stirring speeches.
In the year that marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, we’re reminded why Churchill’s indelible mark on British history reigns supreme and why, more than 20 years later, British devotion to Sir Winston Churchill remains steadfast, with 63% of the vote.
So, it seems Sir Winston Churchill is still considered the greatest Briton of all time. Do you agree? In your opinion is anyone missing from this list? Let us know in the comments what you think.
Learn more about these (and other) fascinating figures who’ve made a lasting impact on our great nation with the NEW Greatest Britons Collection.
Why these are the most historic moments of the past year…
The first year of a new monarch’s reign is almost always the most important. It’s the one that sets the tone for their chapter in our history.
And as King Charles stepped into the shoes he was born to fill, certain moments from the past year captured the tone for the New Carolean Age brilliantly, with a mutual respect for tradition and adaptation to the modern world.
Indeed, these traditional roles of the King are so ingrained in our history that five new 50p coins have been issued with authorisation from King Charles III himself to mark the first time that each role has been carried out by King Charles.
Let’s take a look at what they are and why they’ve become so integral to British identity…
The Royal Maundy Service – 6th April 2023
This is an annual service held in the Church of England on Maundy Thursday, ahead of the Easter weekend. During the service the British monarch distributes small silver coins known as ‘Maundy money’ as symbolic alms to elderly recipients.
On 6th April 2023, in the beautiful York Minster, the King gave 74 men and 74 women two small purses each – one red and one white – each containing Maundy money.
Importantly, the number of recipients and the value of the coins within the white purse reflects the King’s age. While the red purse held two commemorative coins, one issued to mark his 75th birthday and one to mark the 75th anniversary of the Windrush Generation.
The Coronation – 6th May 2023
Now, we’ll all remember where we were on 6th May 2023, as the nation came together to witness the first Coronation in 70 years, with 20 million of us watching the live TV broadcast.
The crowning of a King or Queen is an ancient ceremony, rich in religious significance, history and pageantry.
A Coronation Liturgy (or Order of Service) was authorised by the Archbishop of Canterbury and produced in close consultation with the King and the UK Government and comprised both traditional and completely new elements.
Trooping the Colour – 17th June 2023
Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in London by regiments of the Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of the British Sovereign. This ancient ceremony has occurred since 1748 and is the highlight of the military ceremonial calendar.
King Charles III led the way on horseback with Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward also on horseback behind him.
The colour trooped in 2023 was that of The Welsh Guards for the first time in 30 years.
The Garter Service – 19th June 2023
In medieval times, King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table that he set up his own group of honourable knights, called the Order of the Garter.
Today, the Order includes The King, several senior members of the Royal Family, and twenty-four knights, chosen in recognition of their work. In 2023 two new members of the Order of the Garter were appointed by the King – Chris Patten, the final governor of Hong Kong, and former Labour minister Catherine Ashton.
Every June, a grand procession of the knights takes place at Windsor Castle, accompanied by a marching band and Officers of the Order, all in grand ceremonial dress.
The State Opening of Parliament – 7th November 2023
“His Majesty’s most gracious speech to both Houses of Parliament” marks the beginning of a new parliamentary year.
The speech sets out the programme of legislation that the Government intend to pursue in the forthcoming parliamentary session.
Importantly, the 2023 State Opening of Parliament was held much later in the year than usual due to the Coronation in May.
These moments will go down in history as the first in the reign of King Charles III, and the most important British traditions upheld in 2023.
That’s why all 5 moments have been immortalised further on five official 50p coins which will remain highly collectable long after this chapter in our history is closed.
Click here to shop the King Charles III Inaugural Year Range
