Flintshire has a great connectivity to William Ewart Gladstone the late 19th Century Prime Minister and whilst writing Gerald's War, I discovered so much more about him and what he did for our small county in North East Wales.
If you have ever visited the town of Hawarden, you may have missed Gladstone's Library which is another of the hidden gems of Flintshire. Even if you're not into books, it's a great place to visit, with a fantastic coffee shop. The library is unique amongst libraries in Britain - amongst other things, it has accommodation facilities and even holds writers' courses if, like me, you are a writerholic and want to hone your skills, or even just find out a little more about yourself and why you write. The Library is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm.
You can find out more here: www.gladstoneslibrary.org
St Deiniol's Library was established in 1889 by the great man himself who apparently 'wheelbarrowed' a vast collection of his books from his residence at Hawarden Castle to the library to help get the place established. A statue of William Gladstone stands directly in front of the building - a great spectacle in its own right. The place is a must for a visit if you've never been before.
Gladstone (1809 -1898) is recognised as Britain's greatest statesman.
More to come on this in due course.
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The Blenheim Boys
‘The devotion and gallantry… are beyond all praise. The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava is eclipsed in brightness by these almost daily deeds of fame.’
Winston Churchill on the Blenheim Crews - Prime Minister’s Personal Minute, M.852/1, 30 August 1941
