All About History

Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Am bury, Bath, BA1 1UA Editorial Editor Jonathan Gordon jonathan.gordon@futurenet.com Art Editor Kym Winters Features Editor Callum McKelvie Staff Writer Emily Staniforth Production Editor Iain Noble Editor i

c.350 CE Sugar cane is processed in India and solid blocks of sugar are formed. These blocks are called ‘khanda', an ancient Sanskrit word which eventually becomes the origin of the word ‘candy'. The Sanskrit word 'sarkara' also gives us the word 'su

The founder of the world-famous Haribo confectionary company, Hans Riegel Sr is also credited with creating the first Gummy Bear, in 1922. This original gelatin-based sweet was known as the Dancing Bear. Following his death in 1945, the Haribo compan

Who were the first people in history to make sweets? There's a lot of controversy about that but really the first sweet was actually honeycomb that was discovered on a wall painting from about 8000 BCE. The painting showed a caveman who was hanging o

“Albert, who is just as tall as Ernest [Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha], but stouter, is extremely handsome; his hair is about the same colour as mine; his eyes are large & blue, & he has a beautiful nose, & a very sweet mouth with fine t

The future King of Hanover had grown up in England and was one of the earliest young princes to be introduced to Victoria, from around 1828. when both were still children. But they never appeared to hit it off. Introduced to Victoria in 1836 alongsid

A popular 1848 engraving of Victoria and Albert decorating a Christmas may well have helped to popularise the tradition, originally from Germany, in Britain, but they weren't the first royals to do it. Victoria's mother had started doing the same fro

Due to rabbits not being native to Australia, when they were introduced in 1788 they caused vast amounts of environmental damage. So it seems unlikely that the country would promote a rabbit as a cute creature who delivers chocolate eggs to children.

The Pertchen festival takes its name from the Pagan goddess Pertcha, also known as ‘Frau Pertcha', a deity once popular in the Alpine regions. As the goddess had two forms, one good and one evil, traditionally there would be both good and evil creatu

The Japanese tea ceremony, known as cha-no-yu. is inextricably linked to Buddhism. The first reference to the ceremony comes from the 9th century when a monk called Eichū brought tea to Japan from China. After preparing tea for Emperor Saga, it was o

For all the Apollo missions, it was important that the astronauts participated in an intense training programme. This was not only to prepare them for space but also for the specifics of the mission on which they were to embark. However, as the three

RRP £25 www.amberley-books.com This important new book looks at the crucial role played by Indian soldiers in the foundation, control and expansion of the British Empire. It also argues that this group played a vital role in securing Indian independe

Following concerns by the US Federal Reserve about a frenzy of speculation and market trading, trading hit a bump in the road as investors sold off stock in rapid succession, causing a minor crash. For a time, productivity slowed across a number of s

Without the Wall Street Crash, or one of lesser magnitude, there may not have been a wake-up call for America and the rest of the world. President Herbert Hoover would have been free to continue to pursue his policies of non-intervention by governmen

Price: £25 Released: Out now Mark Urban's meticulously researched account of the formation of one of the first airborne units, the 2nd Battalion, provides the main focus for weaving together a series of personal tales. The narrative links the stories

Book Film TV Podcast Games Other Reviews by Jonathan Gordon, Callum McKelvie, Jules Stewart, Emily Staniforth Price: £10.99 Released: Out now The Battle of Brunanburh is a name that, unlike the Battle of Hastings, may not be immediately familiar to r