Arthur Lowe, star of Dad’s Army has been honoured with a blue plaque at his birthplace, Hayfield in Derbyshire. Present at the ceremony was co-star Ian Lavender, who played Private Pike, and a video of the event can be seen on the BBC News website.
The April 2011 issue features our annual 1940’s special – a 32-page extra filled with memories of the wartime decade. This year we look at the experiences of women at war – celebrating the role women played in WWII and beyond. Here are a selection of reader stories – see the April 2011 issue for…
Caravanning is no longer just a way of having a cheap holiday – for many Best of British readers it’s a way of life. In the March 2011 issue, we feature a collection of their memories from the 1930s to the present day. The Friends of Best of British tell us their caravanning memories: We…
Have you seen these books in our shop? Digging for VictoryThe Dig for Victory campaign gave many wartime civilians something to do that was both strenuous and productive so that they, too, could do their bit. After the war, there were still food shortages to be faced and food to be grown in gardens.…
Over the past three issues, we have been marking the 50th anniversary of the end of conscription into National Service in December, 1960. In the December issue, we end the series with a look at those who spent their time with the RAF and Royal Navy. RAF overalls had versatility. Night manoeuvres Most National Servicemen…
In our November 2010 issue we remember the 70th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz. On November 14th, 1940, enemy aircraft dropped 500 tons of bombs and 30,000 incendiaries on the city. Here is an extract from the feature: Young lads of 16 kept communications open despite the tyres on their bicycles being cut to pieces…
Rupert Bear, half boy and half bear, made his debut in the Express on November 8th, 1920, when he appeared in a single panel drawing, setting out from a thatched cottage on the edge of a forest to collect groceries for his mother. Already his distinctive look was established – the checked trousers, matching scarf…
In the October 2010 issue of Best of British, Kay Gillioz-Pettigrew tells of working at Bletchley Park during WWII. We were ferried to and from Bletchley Park by bus. We weren’t encouraged to socialise and I didn’t go anywhere else all the time I was there. We were never allowed to travel alone by train,…
Look out for Best of British‘s Snap Happy feature in today’s Daily Mail newspaper and website! With readers’ holiday photos and memories, you can find the original feature in the July and August 2010 issues of Best of British. Snap Happy is a regular feature in the magazine, so send us your favourite photos and…
Best of British took its camera to the Crich Tramway Village Easter 1940s Weekend to record the first activity of the year. The Forties re-enactors enjoyed two days of Spring sunshine – and showers – at the excellent Derbyshire venue. If you are pictured, contact us to have emailed your own personal photograph free of…
