By Martin Brisland. I recently tried to explain what Great Britain meant when asked how we came to describe ourselves as Great. It is an often misunderstood and misused term, but the Great in Great Britain refers to geography not superiority. The ‘United Kingdom’ refers to a political...
Heritage
Heritage: When Prince Philip was saved from drowning at Netley
By Martin Brisland. All our lives are shaped by simple twists of fate. My grandfather worked for White Star Lines and was due to sail on the Titanic in 1912. He was replaced and went on to serve for many years as a boilermaker on her sister ship the...
Heritage: Here comes the sun!
Photo credit: Katie Belo dos Santos & Words: Martin Brisland. Human society has always been connected to the sun for our survival. The Helios artwork by artist Luke Jerram was on display in Winchester Cathedral earlier in 2026. Helios, which is Greek for sun, is a touring artwork, which features...
The link between Banksy and the Princess Anne Hospital roof garden
Words and images by Martin Brisland. I recently attended a delightful event during Southampton’s Urban Wild Festival. It was a visit to the rooftop garden at the Princess Anne Hospital. Back in May 2020 – during the early phase of Covid – Banksy sent a one square metre work called Game Changer to...
Heritage: Life before smartphones
Image by Niek Verlaan – Words by Martin Brisland. Future Shock was a 1970 international bestseller by Alvin Toffler and Adelaide Farell. They defined future shock as the psychological impact of “too much change in to short a period of time.” They argued that too much change as we moved...
Heritage: Who owns Britain? This land is my land!
By Martin Brisland. In 1940, folk singer Woody Guthrie, champion of the downtrodden in America, wrote This Land is My Land. It was later covered by many, including Pete Seeger. A young unknown Bob Dylan visited Woody when he was in hospital to pay his respects. The song contains a...
Heritage: Quirky Southampton: Part 10
By Martin Brisland. In the latest in our series of fun facts about Southampton we look at some of the city’s most quirky stories. The woman who ‘gave birth to rabbits.’ In March 1776, disgraced royal physician to George 1, Nathaniel St. Andre, was buried in St. Mary’s churchyard. He had...
Heritage: Quirky Southampton: Part 9
By Martin Brisland. In the latest in our series of fun facts about Southampton we look at some more little known gems about the city. Sport in Southampton Southampton FC developed from a St. Mary’s Church Young Men’s Association team. The Rector, Basil Wilberforce, wanted to divert young men from the...
Heritage: Quirky Southampton: Part 8
By Martin Brisland. In the latest in our series of fun facts about Southampton we look at some more little known gems about the city. Celebrities connected to Southampton The celebrity couple of the 1950s were Lord and Lady Docker – they would have been naturals for today’s reality television shows,...
Heritage: Quirky Southampton: Part 7
By Martin Brisland. In the latest in our series of fun facts about Southampton we look at some more little known gems about the city. What’s in a name? As William Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The Southampton area has some road and...