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Union
Oct 3, 2023 9:22:50 GMT
via mobile
Post by vicky on Oct 3, 2023 9:22:50 GMT
This is a 4 part exploration of the history of the union between England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales that created the United Kingdom of today. It's written and presented by David Olusoga. That alone makes it worthwhile watching for me as he is a serious historian who presents his subject in a straightforward manner without any gimmicks or silly re-enactments. I thought part one last night was excellent.
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Union
Oct 3, 2023 10:20:16 GMT
Post by sleepyp on Oct 3, 2023 10:20:16 GMT
It was Good feeling when you see a programme presented by him, you know it will have been thoroughly researched - and no silliness  |
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Union
Oct 3, 2023 10:33:28 GMT
Post by sootycat on Oct 3, 2023 10:33:28 GMT
He is good isn't he.
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Union
Oct 3, 2023 11:39:50 GMT
Post by beverley61 on Oct 3, 2023 11:39:50 GMT
It was very good. Simple clear and straightforward. Obviously there could have been a deeper diver but what he told us was excellent. I read an article by him recently where he was calling for the Union to be taught in schools at pre-GCSE levels so that every child in the UK had an understanding of what it meant. I agree and I think the way he presented this would work well.
Not having any kind of real knowledge about the reign of James I/6. I was interested to find that 5th November would have been the day they read the first act of union proposal and because of the Gunpowder Plot it wasn't read.
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Union
Oct 3, 2023 12:10:17 GMT
Post by marion on Oct 3, 2023 12:10:17 GMT
I haven’t watched yet, will record the repeat, but I think he has a wonderful presenting style.
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Union
Oct 3, 2023 14:30:38 GMT
Post by monic on Oct 3, 2023 14:30:38 GMT
I liked the way he highlighted the fact that Scotland and England were always fighting prior to the union of the crowns. James VI’s grandfather was killed in battle and his body desecrated as he’d been defeated yet the English nobles would rather have a Protestant Scot than a Catholic English noble. Union meant Scotland expected access to England’s markets which England wasn’t prepared to share, understandably as it’d mean less profit.
Then David addressed the Irish union where the native Irish were “hunted” by the British nobles who took their land and drove them off their own land.
I didn’t know either than 5th November was meant to be the first reading of the act of union and that’s 1 of the reasons Guy Fawkes tried to blow up parliament. Did you notice that he said the torture of Fawkes was detailed in the documents but it was obviously too gruesome to broadcast.
Will watch the rest of the series to see what else I learn.
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Union
Oct 3, 2023 14:54:16 GMT
Post by dippergirl on Oct 3, 2023 14:54:16 GMT
He is an excellent presenter, everything is very clear , and well researched, as has already been said. It’s a complicated subject, and can easily drift into bias towards one side or other, but he remains calm and objective. Look forward to rest of series.
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Union
Oct 3, 2023 18:00:35 GMT
Post by linseed on Oct 3, 2023 18:00:35 GMT
I’ve recorded this, glad to read the very positive reviews
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Union
Oct 3, 2023 22:58:36 GMT
Post by kakewalk on Oct 3, 2023 22:58:36 GMT
I certainly learnt much more than I thought I knew about the union. Especially about Ireland as that is something that has always puzzled and bothered me. I just didn’t know where all the troubles had come from and I never seemed to get a proper answer ie nobody else I asked really knew either. Quite shocking really.
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Union
Oct 16, 2023 20:02:54 GMT
via mobile
Post by beverley61 on Oct 16, 2023 20:02:54 GMT
I'm liking this so much I don't understand why it's not bring trailed all the time.
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Union
Oct 16, 2023 22:03:56 GMT
Post by Miranda on Oct 16, 2023 22:03:56 GMT
I think this could have been a longer series. He missed out loads of interesting stuff in the second one, especially about the fight for votes. He only did the Chartists and there were way more groups than them. I know it's just about the Union but still....
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Post by monic on Oct 16, 2023 22:08:10 GMT
I agree Miranda, we learnt about the Irish migration but nothing was mentioned about the other land clearances on the poor.
My thoughts about the votes was folk died to get the vote and we don’t bother to exercise our right to vote.
If I’m remembering right we’ve gone from the union of the parliaments and Queen Anne to Queen Victoria- that’s a big timeline
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Union
Oct 16, 2023 22:26:33 GMT
Post by dippergirl on Oct 16, 2023 22:26:33 GMT
Yes, just one more episode to go and there’s still a lot he has to cover, think it goes up to about 1970s.
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Union
Oct 16, 2023 22:39:17 GMT
Post by sleepyp on Oct 16, 2023 22:39:17 GMT
Beginning of next week’s programme says 1911-2023
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Union
Oct 17, 2023 6:25:13 GMT
via mobile
Post by vicky on Oct 17, 2023 6:25:13 GMT
Brilliant as this is I agree that it has been compressed so much to fit into only 4 programmes that it is very superficial and leaves me wanting so much more. It should have been done as a major series like Kenneth Clarke's Civilisation which ran to 13 episodes. No-one seems to make such series anymore and I suppose it is because of the cost.
Interesting take that it was the fight for social rights and justice that cemented the union for ordinary people, especially as that now seems to be what is in danger of tearing it apart.
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Anymore to come?
