LondonGirl

I am a 30 year old Londoner, by birth and by choice.

We live with our three year old son in the centre of Town, and are a mixed-faith family, Anglican and Jewish.

I tend to write about health, ethical and political issues, lifestyle and history.

My recent articles include one about whether the acai berry is all its cracked up to be, the sinking of the Lusitania, and training to be a barrister in England and Wales.

I have also written about the abortion debate, factory farming in relation to chickens and eggs, five common sources of renewable energy, the long but tragic culture of Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan, "Bringing in the May" - the history and culture of the traditional English May Day

and celebrating Christmas in rural England.

English history interests me a great deal, and I've written hubs about Katherine Swynford, mistress of John of Gaunt and ancestor of all English monarchs since the 15th century, the Knights Templar's remains you can visit in both London and England, and the loves and marriages of the infamous Henry VIII.

I have also written about the appalling experience of living in England during the Nazis' bombing raids, and how England prepared for the Nazi invasion in 1940.

We have a wonderful, if active, 3 year old son, and I've written about activities for a family Easter, painting and decorating Easter Eggs, our rescued white kittens, and tips for wearing out a very active child.

But it isn't all too serious! A bit of silliness is important, and my top ten kitsch items are listed here, as is an article on building your own kitsch collection. A list of ten very odd taxes (including urine tax and wig power tax) is to be found here. Want to know the fattest 10 countries in the world? Look here!

I also have a blog, called History and traditions of England

Recent highlight there include an article on London's little known second river, the River Fleet, the bloody history of executions at the "cute" Tower of London, and the origins of work-related English surnames.

Writing on hubpages is great fun, and it earns you money too, through adsense, kontera, amazon and ebay. Fancy joining in too? You can sign up here!

You can find a feed of my latest hubs at feedburner.

In the Spotlight

Caring for, Protecting and Cleaning Pearl Jewellery

Pearls are beautiful, and in many ways durable. Wearing a wonderful pearl necklace isn't as risky as wearing large, delicate glass bubbles. But pearls do need some care and attention, and they are softer and more prone to damage than, say,...

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  18
  History of England

  Popular Religious Pub Names in England

  13 years ago

  Many pubs in England have names which come from religious symbols and buildings, or Biblical quotes. Some are obvious, many are not. Bishop's Finger is obvious, Cross Keys is not!

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  28
  History of England

  Popular Army, Navy and Military Pub Names in England

  12 years ago

  Pubs are a common and important feature in England's community life. And each pub has a name; many pub names are centuries old. Lot of pubs are named after famous battles, esteemed generals, or heroic admirals. Some are obvious, such as...

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  45
  Health Care, Drugs & Insurance

  What the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK covers, and what costs patients extra

  15 years ago

  This hub examines what types of medical care are covered by the NHS, including doctors, hospital treatments, dentists, and opticians. It also details what patients have to pay for, such as fillings and prescriptions, how much they cost, and who gets them for free. It also considers other...

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  60
  Middle Ages & Renaissance History

  King Henry VIII and His Six Wives—Love, Marriage, and Children

  6 years ago

  This article is about Henry the man - his loves, his wives, his children. Famous for having six wives, Henry is said to be the only English King to have had more wives than mistresses.

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  58
  Middle Ages & Renaissance History

  The Knights Templar: their London headquarters today

  12 years ago

  The Knights Templar remain fascinating to this day. And in London, you can still visit the Templars' New Temple, and see the Temple Church they built. It's still a fully-functioning parish church, and open to visitors. I am a member of Middle Temple, and therefore a parishoner of Temple Church....

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  52
  Middle Ages & Renaissance History

  Katherine Swynford: How a Duke's Mistress Became the Ancestor of Royalty

  4 years ago

  This article is the extraordinary story of how, in an age where rank and virtue were crucial attributes for a wife, a commoner and mistress became the first lady in England, and the mother of a Royal Dynasty.

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  58
  Holidays and Celebrations

  "Bringing in the May" - the history and culture of the traditional English May Day

  13 years ago

  May Day celebrations in England have a rich and diverse history. Strands of the festivals come from different pagan, polytheistic, and Christian traditions, all of which became mixed together over the years. ...

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  64
  wehavekids.com

  10 Tips for Bringing Up a Very Active (Overactive!) Toddler

  14 months ago

  Lovely as it is, it can also be a little exhausting to have a toddler who thinks sleep is for the weak and a moment not spent running is a moment wasted. So here are my top ten tips for surviving and bringing up an extremely active toddler.

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  115
  Law & Legal Issues

  How to become a barrister: requirements, education and training

  13 years ago

  A barrister, in England and Wales, is a specialised legal advocate. He will advise on knotty legal or factual questions, and will appear in court. In many courts, such as the Crown Court or High Court, barristers have exclusive rights of audience...