Charlie Mayhew (1902-1969) one man's quest to escape the mundane confines of a working-class life
Smokes, skies, and simple pleasures
Category: England
A Soldier’s Return – the Long Road Back
Ted Mayhew (1919-1982): His post-war struggles reveal the challenges faced by returning POWs, seeking reintegration while coping with trauma and change
A ‘blue on blue’ disaster
A tragic wartime incident during a military demonstration when a pilot mistakenly fired on spectators, causing the deaths of dozens of Army and Home Guard officers and men
Echoes of Christmas
During the 1960s, spending Christmas at our family home in Fulham was rare as my mother’s mental illness usually manifested itself in autumn and culminated in her being admitted to hospital around December, so my brother Nick and I were often sent down to stay in our grandmother’s house on the Dorset coast near Portland. … Continue reading Echoes of Christmas
Music and records
This story is not about a human ancestor, but about something else very close to my heart: popular music. Nowadays, anyone with access to the internet can listen to their choice of music instantly via a streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music, or via YouTube. Long gone are the days when the only way … Continue reading Music and records
A snakes and ladders life
William Mayhew (1882-1918): Against the odds, a disadvantaged Englishman embarks on a journey to secure a better future for his family in the US
My grandmother’s house
Wyke Regis is a village and ancient parish in southern Dorset which looks out over the Isle of Portland to the south, Portland Harbour to the south and east, and Chesil Beach and the Fleet lagoon to the west. Historically, the area gained a reputation for both smuggling and the looting of wrecks thanks to … Continue reading My grandmother’s house
One of the lucky ones
Ted Mayhew (1890-1971): A journey of service from volunteering in 1914 to returning home
Farming the future
John Mayhew (1716-1769): a Norfolk farmer at the cutting edge of a rural revolution
Exploring creative expression
My brother and I enjoyed exploring arts and crafts during our childhood. We had easy access to pencils, crayons, and paint, which we eagerly used on rolls of unused ancient wallpaper which smelled slightly of damp and coal due to being stored in our cellar. The paints were little rectangular or round lozenges of dried … Continue reading Exploring creative expression
