History Was A Weird Time

A blog to remind you that the class you slept through in high school can actually be entertaining sometimes.

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A guide on how to prepare a house for military defense.

This poster was targeted towards British Troops during the late Cold War Era, in case the USSR would attack.

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A cartoon protesting against the widespread use of electricity. (Early 20th century)

An entry in a reporter's notebook from January 1900 reads:

"(...) We have long acknowledged the value of the telegraph, bringing us speedy long distance communication, but bringing with it, an unsightly army of poles and wires that pollute the view of our historic city. Now comes the electric telephone, which offers promise. It promises, detractors fear, to strike at the very sociability of our community. People who would normally seek out each other's company, may now speak over a wire, and so far, with minimal fidelity. Still, the prophets (or should we say "profits") tell us that some two million telephone receivers may be in use by this time next year in 1901. Whether all these gentle people truly have something worthy to say, remains a mystery. (...)"

Find the full excerpt here.

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An advertisement for a Bell telephone from around 100 years ago, most likely published during the Spanish flu pandemic.

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Piper Gilbert Kerr playing the bagpipes to an indifferent pinguin while wearing traditional dress. (March 1904)

A picture taken during the Scottish National Arctic Expedition (1902 - 1904). The expedition has been praised as "by far the most cost-effective and carefully planned scientific expedition of the Heroic Age of Arctic exploration."

Sadly, the crew that undertook the trip received no formal recognition from the British Government and were denied the prestigious Polar Medal despite their best efforts.

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Deseret News on how to avoid catching influenza, exactly 100 years ago. (23rd of March 1920)

An old article, but a good example on how history can still be relevant today.

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Opening ceremony of the Moskow Olympic Games. (1980)

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Photograph of the set/filming of the famous "I am your father" scene in 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'. Unlike modern film sets, who often use big inflatable pillows, mattresses sufficed. (1979)

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Race car driver Kenny Bräck was in one of the worst accidents in racing sport’s history during an Indy in Fort Worth, Texas. His body withstood a total of 214 G’s, the most a human has ever survived. (2003)

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A police officer on his Harley Davidson motorcycle. The vehicle includes a mobile holding cell. (1921)

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Recently I've been noticing that several followers of this blog are struggling with depression. I know I can do nothing to help. Just know that even though the present may hurt so much, there's still too much future left in you to let yourself become part of the past.

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Astronauts were not used to the weaker gravity on the moon, resulting in moments like these.

Credit: Gfycat

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Photographs of airplane landings made at Hong Kong’s Tai Tak Airport.

Before it’s closure in 1998, Tai Tak Airport was known as one of the most difficult airports in the world to fly into. It was located right at the heart of the city, meaning pilots were required to make a 45 degree turn to line up with the tarmac and fly in between buildings to land.

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A group of tree trimmers at work. (1869)

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"Big Joe" leaving the 'Buckeye Bell and Brass Foundry' on it's way towards the steeple of St. Francis de Sales Church. (1895)

The bell was only rung once because it shattered windows and caused surrounding buildings to shake.

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A dog sleeping between Russian soldiers. (Prague, 1945)

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Thank you all.

Dear time travellers, I'm so grateful to announce that we have grown to over a 1000 strong! I hope we'll have a grand and historical time together in the past, present and future.

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Drawing of an angry dolphin. (1860)