Britain had been transformed since the 1911 census - the First World War upended everything.
Unemployment was high and in 1918 deaths exceeded births for the first time. The Spanish flu was partly to blame, claiming about 228,000 British lives
The country was still clearly affected by the Spanish flu. Ruth and Albert Dunn in Durham even tried to disinfect their census with carbolic acid, leaving it badly stained
In another entry, one serviceman wrote: “Remember no pension [...] received. Fought since 1914 + wounded twice. This case is a disgrace to the nation so called England”
This cartoon on one form describes a group of men as ‘cannon fodder’
Arthur Conan Doyle, spiritualist and author, was being visited by Ada Bassinet, an American medium, James Hewat McKenzie, founder of the British College of Psychic Science, and McKenzie’s wife at the time — suggesting a possible seance 🔮
As for 10 Downing Street, there is no sign of the PM, David Lloyd George, at No 10.
The PM was staying in Chequers, his official country home. That night, there were eight residents at No 10; all of them Welsh and all of them women
Captain Sir Thomas Moore, who died last year, was a 13 month old baby in 1921. At the time the census was taken he was living in Keighley, West Yorkshire, with his parents, Wilfred and Isabel Moore, and his four-year-old sister, Freda
Beatrix Potter listed herself on the census as a ‘farmer’, despite having written and illustrated more than 20 of her books by then. She is listed under her real name –– Helen Beatrix Heelis –– and lived with her husband, William
The National Archives marks the centenary of the census with an exhibition called The 1920s: Beyond the Roar open from January 21 thetimes.co.uk/article/the-19…
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
On Remembrance Sunday in 1987, an IRA bomb went off in Mario Ledwith’s hometown of Enniskillen in Northern Ireland, killing 11 people. A lifetime later, Mario returns to investigate the silence surrounding that terror attack thetimes.com/article/d983fb…
Liana is in bed on a maternity ward when she hears the boom. It sends a chill through her. Heavily pregnant, she heaves herself up and looks out of the window at the centre of Enniskillen. It is November 8, 1987
A bomb has exploded 500 metres away as hundreds of people gather for a Remembrance Sunday event. The impact is catastrophic
Russian forces occupied Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, for just under a month. Across those 29 days in early 2022, they committed acts of barbarity, meaning that this Ukrainian town will forever be synonymous with war crimes
Read more ⬇️
More than 100 residents were buried in a mass grave outside the Orthodox Christian church. The basement of a children’s summer camp was converted into a torture chamber where women and children were systematically raped. Soldiers killed parents in front of their children
The United Nations has described it as ethnic cleansing and a crime against humanity, yet Russia claims the scene was staged by British special forces
British 16 and 17-year-olds are more patriotic than the public overall, but are indifferent about the monarchy, according to a new poll ⬇️
The second part of research for The Sunday Times found that 49% say they are proud of their national identity, while 10% say they are ashamed, a net positive score of 39. Across the population as a whole, 45% are proud while 15% are ashamed, a net score of 30
Despite their national pride, however, these teenagers are no great fans of the royal family. Almost a quarter – 27% – support abolishing the monarchy, while 24% oppose it. Meanwhile 35% say they neither support nor oppose it, and 15% say they don’t know
🔺EXCLUSIVE: Tommy Robinson charging £28 a minute as personal coach to far right.
The self-styled ‘fearless British activist’ is advising clients on issues including protesting, evading infiltration and ‘investigating’ local mosques. Read the full story below
The far-right activist Tommy Robinson is making thousands of pounds charging his followers for video consultations offering “expert advice” on anti-Islam activism
Robinson, 42, who co-founded the English Defence League (EDL), has used a personal mentoring platform to deliver more than 300 sessions in the past two months
🔺EXCLUSIVE: Memos fired off by the monarch to correct grammar and demand single flowers be moved are wrecking morale among staff who are paid as little as minimum wage ⬇️
For 45 years, Highgrove House has been the King’s private home. He still regularly spends several days a week at the house, tending to the exotic flowers and plants that are his pride and joy
In the summer of 2021, Charles quietly signed a deal to preserve his influence over the property when he became King, when they would be due to fall into his son’s hands
🔺EXCLUSIVE: Zia Yusuf is returning to Reform UK just 48 hours after resigning as the party’s chairman and will take up a new role following peace talks with Nigel Farage
In an interview with The Sunday Times, the 38-year-old businessman said his decision to quit was a “mistake”, the result of “exhaustion” and working for 11 months “without a day off”
He was speaking alongside Farage, who said Yusuf will now effectively be doing “four jobs”, although his formal title has not been decided