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My favourite TV show - Let’s start this off by going full nerd and saying that my all time fave tv show has to be Star Trek. Something that resonates with me is that this TV show paints the possibility of exploration of the unknown and as a global society we’ve constructed that reality. Perhaps not to the extent of beaming onto another space ship but certainly sending our own technology out to Mars…. it just fascinates me. fact check: the show started production in 67’ and we went to the moon in 69’
My favourite place to go - Easy… into nature! I’ve most definitely spent the majority of my life at Sywell Reservoir, Northamptonshire has a beautiful countryside to offer, in the spring/summer I tend to drive out into the small country villages and find a nice spot (usually a farmer's field with a public walking path) and just go for a stroll
My favourite city - Not a city person! I’ve travelled to many great cities but naturally I drift to the outskirts, the small towns, the countrysides. My favourite town would have to be Alice Springs, Australia. That dirt red town is full of so much life, vibrancy, culture, yes there is an evil side to it but there is so much beauty too
My favourite thing to do in my free time - Oh, easy one…. I love visiting second hand, vintage and charity shops. Honestly you find so many great wonders. Usually on the hunt for 60’s/70’s retro vintage furniture. Northampton has a great deal of vintage shops to offer, I would personally recommend the Vintage Retreat, lovely spot for lunch too
My favourite athlete/sports personality - certainly an oddball answer, but it would have to be Rey Mysterio. His identity eluded me when I was younger and he’s been in the business a long old time! (wrestling business that is)
My favourite actor - Jeff Bridges… what a man
My favourite author - H.P Lovecraft, an outsider in every sense of the word. He dove deep into his own mind and questioned the importance of the human race by stripping back the ego that surrounds us, and enforced the notion that actually human beings are not the most important thing in this universe. Also, he brought Cthulu to life
My favourite drink - Johnny Walker Red Label and Irn Bru (Scottish Heritage)
My favourite food - A sloppy Joe burger with extra rib sauce from Buddies. I'm bit rubbish at this because I can’t just pick one thing, so my other fave food would be my Granny’s home-made stoviesMy favourite place to eat - Smoke Pit, in Northampton town centre, bit pricey but the food is so worth it
I like people who - are honest with themselves
I don’t like it when people - act out of fear
My favourite book - Collection of books, would have to be the graphic novel series Berserk which follows the lone mercenary Guts, for any comic book/manga fans out there, this one is a must
My favourite book character - Sorry but I have spent a few hours trying to figure my fave book character out and its just not happening. In replacement I will offer my fave TV show character and it would have to be Ragnar Lothbrok (from Vikings). Although I'm sure he exists in a historical book somewhere
My favourite film - No Country for Old Men. Need I say more
My favourite poem - I have never been one to frequent in poems, so I will insert my favourite quote here instead and you may seem to notice a reoccurring theme here (my love for H.P Lovecraft). “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” It is certainly poetic
My favourite artist/band - Metallica!!!
My favourite song - Sam Cooke, A Change is Gonna Come and The Eagles, Hotel CaliforniaMy favourite art - ANYTHING Raoul Dufy. Light hearted bursts of colour that paint the most luxurious and relaxing scenes. Artwork to get lost in
My favourite person from history - Marcus Aurelius. If you don’t know who it is get your google on, you won’t regret it. Fun fact: Aurelius’ personal ethics are informed by the philosophical concept of stoicism, a fascinating philosophical concept and one I deeply resonate with
Really enjoyed reading this blog. Loved every minute of it. I am also a big fan of the Vintage Retreat. You never know what you might find there.
Funny you mention Marcus Aurelius. I came across him when I was originally doing research for my Black History Month events at University. If you don’t know, there was an auxillary unit named ‘Numerus Maurorum Aurelianorum’ named of Marcus Aurelius who were stationed in Cumbria (modern-day Brugh-by-Sands). A unit of Black and brown men (or Moors) from the North African provinces.
When we think about Black History, Roman history is not something that springs to mind straight away. If you’re interested, I would look up Dr. Richard Benjamin who is currently the Head of the International Slave Trade museum in Liverpool but he is also an archaeologist.
We all learned Roman History at school but I don’t recall anything about people of colour. I was lead to believe Romans to be White Italians. It was a whitewashed narrative but there’s been a [recorded] Black presence in Britain since the 3rd century. And when I went to HMP Onley with Crim, I did talk about this with the men there, who found it of great interest.
Happy that these diverse histories are now coming to light. Anyhow, excellent blog and look up Dr. Richard Benjamin if you’re interested. ~ Tré Ventour (VP BME, Students’ Union)
I’m not going to pretend I know a great deal about black history because quite honestly I don’t and it’s not because I never wanted to learn about it, it’s more because they didn’t want to teach us about it. I actually have a older black brother whose dad is from the Seychelles, so growing up around a large black family myself I had the pleasure of getting to know both my white family and my black family differently as I grew up. Although as I’ve gotten older I’ve certainly drifted from that side of the family unfortunately.
All I really know about perhaps roman time black history was that whereby the Romans had conquered particular countries whilst on their travels, I guess North Africa being one? They had actually posted black guards at Hadrian’s wall during their fight with Britain, around maybe pre 200?? Can’t remember exactly when. I’ll check out Benjamin, thanks for the recommendation!
I know little bits of the history but i’m no expert either. Like with all things of interest, I just do the reading and hope for the best. Yes, the government have a lot to answer for in their refusal to really impliment diverse histories on to the curriculum.
Growing up in a mixed family, I’m sure that was educational in many ways. Yes, when we think Roman (at school), I felt that it was understating how vast it was. When we talk the British Empire, it is lorded “where the sun never set” but the Roman Empire was diverse. Which begs the question, why isn’t that emphasised at school?
Yes, plenty of diversity in Roman history. Even one of the generals was Black, called Septimus Serverus, born in what is now Libya. I would also look at ‘Staying Power’ by Peter Fryer (there’s some bits in there) and ‘Black and British’ by David Olusoga (as a springboard into more Black History).
Thoughts from the criminology team 
Really enjoyed reading this blog. Loved every minute of it. I am also a big fan of the Vintage Retreat. You never know what you might find there.
Funny you mention Marcus Aurelius. I came across him when I was originally doing research for my Black History Month events at University. If you don’t know, there was an auxillary unit named ‘Numerus Maurorum Aurelianorum’ named of Marcus Aurelius who were stationed in Cumbria (modern-day Brugh-by-Sands). A unit of Black and brown men (or Moors) from the North African provinces.
When we think about Black History, Roman history is not something that springs to mind straight away. If you’re interested, I would look up Dr. Richard Benjamin who is currently the Head of the International Slave Trade museum in Liverpool but he is also an archaeologist.
We all learned Roman History at school but I don’t recall anything about people of colour. I was lead to believe Romans to be White Italians. It was a whitewashed narrative but there’s been a [recorded] Black presence in Britain since the 3rd century. And when I went to HMP Onley with Crim, I did talk about this with the men there, who found it of great interest.
Happy that these diverse histories are now coming to light. Anyhow, excellent blog and look up Dr. Richard Benjamin if you’re interested. ~ Tré Ventour (VP BME, Students’ Union)
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Thanks for liking it!
I’m not going to pretend I know a great deal about black history because quite honestly I don’t and it’s not because I never wanted to learn about it, it’s more because they didn’t want to teach us about it. I actually have a older black brother whose dad is from the Seychelles, so growing up around a large black family myself I had the pleasure of getting to know both my white family and my black family differently as I grew up. Although as I’ve gotten older I’ve certainly drifted from that side of the family unfortunately.
All I really know about perhaps roman time black history was that whereby the Romans had conquered particular countries whilst on their travels, I guess North Africa being one? They had actually posted black guards at Hadrian’s wall during their fight with Britain, around maybe pre 200?? Can’t remember exactly when. I’ll check out Benjamin, thanks for the recommendation!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know little bits of the history but i’m no expert either. Like with all things of interest, I just do the reading and hope for the best. Yes, the government have a lot to answer for in their refusal to really impliment diverse histories on to the curriculum.
Growing up in a mixed family, I’m sure that was educational in many ways. Yes, when we think Roman (at school), I felt that it was understating how vast it was. When we talk the British Empire, it is lorded “where the sun never set” but the Roman Empire was diverse. Which begs the question, why isn’t that emphasised at school?
Yes, plenty of diversity in Roman history. Even one of the generals was Black, called Septimus Serverus, born in what is now Libya. I would also look at ‘Staying Power’ by Peter Fryer (there’s some bits in there) and ‘Black and British’ by David Olusoga (as a springboard into more Black History).
LikeLiked by 2 people