March 2013 – Page 3 – Manchester Historian

The discovery of Richard III’s remains in Leicester marks a significant moment for both Historians and Archaeologists in this country. The fact that the remains of the king were situated in Leicester is not what is significant, although the ignominy of an English King being buried ungraciously under a car park does make for an Continue Reading

Winstanley Hall, built in the 1560s, is one of only three Tudor buildings in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan. It was originally built for the Winstanley family, who had been the Lords of the Manor since c.1252; however, only three decades later in 1596, the estate was sold in its entirety to James Bankes, a Continue Reading

HS2 phase 2 is the high-speed train line that will connect Manchester and Leeds to Birmingham and on to London. Promoted as an attempt to bring ‘the UK’s Victorian railway infrastructure dramatically into the 21st Century,’ the Government expects to spend billions in a plan set to transform North-South transport infrastructure, encourage business, boost employment Continue Reading

An overview of the history of gay rights in Britain (and in nations across the world) could easily be perceived as evidence for Francis Fukuyama’s theories of history having an end point – that homosexual men and women obtain full rights and acceptance in all societies and therefore their story ends. A closer look however Continue Reading

Historically the participation of women in warfare as direct combatants has been very rare. Until recently, women have been prohibited from enlisting in the army, and most nations continue to prohibit women from serving as front-line troops. The presence of women on the battlefield has traditionally been consigned to medical and support roles. From the Continue Reading