Merchant navy

The term ‘Merseyside’ was coined around the end of the 19th century. In the county reorganisation of 1974 it became the official name for the area that encompassed the boroughs of Birkenhead, Bootle,

There are many occupations described in historical documents or censuses that almost no one is gainfully employed doing any more. People my age may remember certain jobs that have gone by the wayside.

If your ancestors lived in the UK in the 19th and 20th centuries, the chances are that one or more of them saw some sort of military service. When we think of our ancestors serving in the British mili

I’ve always had a spirit of adventure; an urge to discover what lies beyond the horizon. I was born in France, raised in Algeria, and as an adult I’ve worked all over the world. Wherever I was posted,

Celebrating 100 years of the BBC Shipping Forecast, Jane Russell takes us on a series of coastal cruises through the forecast sea areas, exploring some of the special places on offer in each of them

Jane Archer samples an island-hopping Caribbean cruise with a difference on board a sailing ship