Many people say that it would be impossible to establish an independent Polish state in 1918 without the sacrifices made during the Powstanie Styczniowe (January Uprising)of 1863. Józef Piłsudski, like many...
May 5, 2023
As the UK has celebrated the accession of King Charles III to the throne, I’m looking back at Polish coronations, the crowns used and particularly to the lavish coronation of a...
January 26, 2023
Few people today can name any one of the first eight women in 1919 who were elected to the first Polish Sejm of the II Republic following women receiving the vote. The female Poselki...
March 31, 2022
The plight of people caught up in war in our lifetime is so difficult to watch, given what our parents and grandparents experienced. Poles and Ukrainians have a difficult history...
October 29, 2021
As the winds howl and the rain lashes against our Galloway steading (farm building) in south-west Scotland, I'd like to share with you a tale of three ladies. Their stories...
May 28, 2021
The portrait of Jan Matejko’s “Copernicus: Conversations with God” recently arrived at the National Gallery in London. It is the first work of a Polish artist to be on show there and...
August 29, 2020
Do you know much about your family history at the time of World War I or just after? The last century was an incredibly traumatic one for our ancestors. The war front...
December 30, 2019
This Christmas I've been dreaming of the Polish tradition and romance of kuligi (sleigh rides). Who wouldn't want to be sliding swiftly through the night underneath a frosty sky, behind...
July 12, 2019
At this time of year I'm often helping the harcerki (girl scouts) learn about Polish history. To illustrate my talks I sometimes use the works of the 19th century painter...
September 21, 2018
The internet and genetic testing have truly revolutionised family history and it is astounding what you can find. Books that have rarely seen the light of day are published page...
