Blog | Conflict of Interest

Lillie Cowling's death - details confirmed

I had always suspected that Fred Cowling's wife had died before he went off to fight in WW1. This was confirmed when I saw Fred's papers...

More talks for 2019

I didn’t know how much interest would be sustained in the First World War after the centenary of the armistice passed last November, but...

What did you do in WW1, great-uncle?

Appropriately, as the centenary of the 1918 Armistice looms, I am making great strides with the research into my great-uncle Fred's war...

At my great-uncle's graveside, exactly 100 years on

The day dawned misty and cold but the cloud soon dispersed over the gently rolling hills and the autumn sun was shining and bringing some...

A visit to the cemetery at St Symphorien

I have been based in northern France since yesterday, but today I took a trip into Belgium to visit the cemetery at St Symphorien which...

Another visit to my great-uncles' birthplace

Last weekend I took another trip back to Scarborough, hoping to deepen my understanding of the family history by visiting some more...

Edinburgh Festival Fringe run finishes

After 24 performances, Conflict of Interest has finished its run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It took place daily at Sweet's new...

The German military cemetery in England

On Friday I visited the German military cemetery at Cannock Chase. Holding the graves of more than 2,000 German and Austrian military and...

Conflict of Interest at July festivals

I'll be taking 'Conflict of Interest to four different venues in the Midlands and South East England between this Saturday and next...

The S.S. Dirk in print

It was great to get hold of my own copy of Duckworth and Langmuir's book 'West Highland Steamers'. First printed in 1935, my copy is a...