2016 An "Important" Year?

History Blogs of the future will no doubt make many references to a remarkable (if troubling year). It saw events which felt like massive earthquakes - the British Referendum, which led to a win for the forces seeking withdrawal from the European Union. In November, the shock winner was Donald Trump. Both the UK and US seem destined to be one-party states, at least until the next elections and perhaps for longer. Referenda brought down two European Prime Ministers, and a French President declined to seek a second term.





As this year comes to an end, the questions we need to be asking, are whether these were shooting stars - which may give rise to comments in future history Blogs - or whether they are signs of a seismic shift in world affairs.

But for this history blog, it is too early to be rushing to conclusions. (You might want to visit two of my other blogs - Washminster and jdm_progressive - for tentative conclusions and analysis.

This blog looks further back. During 2016 I had the opportunity to visit some very interesting places, take photographs, and research some of the history associated with them. In 2017 it is my aim to post about these visits and that research. I'm also intending to make further visits. During my pre-Christmas holiday in Rutland, I reviewed Milton Keynes history (which despite its 50th anniversary history in 2017, has a history going back to the Stone Age). I've also been reading up, amongst other things, about Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror and Shakespeare.

I hope you will become a frequent visitor to this blog in 2017. For now, I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.