Thanks for the kind words Chris - Yes everything is well - I've just been sciving away on holiday for a week
I did mean to post a warning on the Friday night but what with a husband who missed his Amsterdam-Glasgow flight on the Friday morning and had to take an afternoon flight into Edinburgh instead (necessitating a two hour journey there and abck through rush hour traffic to get him) and then discovering he had lost his wallet (only cards fortunately - not cash) .... Time just ran out for some of the things I had intended to do
Anyway after that unfortunate start things went much better and we had a nice quiet week in Aviemore doing little or nothing!
I am now going to see if I can catch up and do a report covering what's left of this week! Watch this space.
MONDAY 26th BBC 2 7.00pm Private Life of a Masterpiece. New series of five programmes detailing the little-known stories behind great artworks. The Third of May, 1808. Goya's greatest painting is a nightmarish image of anonymous men being shot at point blank range by a robot-like firing squad. Commissioned to commemmorate an historic moment in Spanish history, the King was not pleased with its brutal imagery and it was largely forgotten, until artists such as Manet and Picasso saw it as the first masterpiece to put the victims of war centre stage.
BBC 2 8.00pm Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam. Steaming Down The Road. Dibnah looks at experiments in the use of steam for road transport that took place a full century before the invention of the combustion engine.
Channel 4 8.00pm Hitler's Plan to Atom Bomb New York. Documentary examining Hitler's plans to secure victory over the Allies during the final stages of WWII through his "Amerika Bomber" project. The programme reveals how Germany's top aviation designers attempted to build an aircraft capable of carrying and dropping a rudimentary nuclear bomb on Manhattan.
Channel 4 9.00pm Spitfire Ace. Third of four episodes. During WWII the Spitfire and its pilots were vital to the Allies' efforts to defeat Hitler's Germany. Now, four young pilots compete for the chance to undergo the same operational training available to Battle of Britain pilots. The successful pilot has been chosen, and now goes on to complete the training, learning navigational skills and the dangers of flying in close formation.
Five 7.30pm Great Scientists. Profiles of five of history's most influential and brilliant scientists. Isaac Newton. The life of a determined scientist who proved that one set of mathematical laws governs every element in the universe, through his exhaustive studies of light, colour and, most famously, gravity.
TUESDAY 27th BBC 2 7.00pm Days That Shook The World. Free Nelson Mandela. The release of the former ANC leader on 11 Febrary 1990 after 28 years in jail.
BBC 2 8.00pm Crafty Tricks of War. Ex-army Lieutenant Colonel Dick Strawbridge pursues a passion for the unusual side of warfare. The wartime use of weather. DS illustrates how the Japanese built and sent bombs to America by balloon, and tries to harness solar energy in order to make a sun cannon - the brainchild of an unknown German inventor. Plus an encounter with two "decoy men" - the only WWII servicemen who actively tried to attract enemy bombs.
BBC 2 9.00pm The Miners' Strike. The winter of 1984-5 saw Britain's beleaguered mining communities as Arthur Scargill's NUM waged war with the Thatcher Government. As striking miners fought with their working counterparts, pickets locked horns with police in some of the most violent confrontations in British industrial history. Five young men from a Yorkshire village were thrown into the mayhem and this documentary follows the five "flying pickets" through their year of living dangerously. Capturing the huge passions aroused by the strike, the film also examines its irrevocable impact on Britain's future.
WEDNESDAY 28th BBC 2 7.00pm Days That Shook The World. Romanovs. 16 July 1918 saw the final moments of Tsar Nicholas II, his family and servants, and the beginning of one of the most bloody periods of Russia's history.
BBC 2 8.00pm The Secrets of Enzo Ferrari - Timewatch. (Scotland only) Glamour, money, sex and danger are all synonymous with the Ferrari brand, and all were evident in the life of its creator, who died in 1988. He was prepared to manipulate, test and shape everyone around him to achieve his dream. But he also led a secretive life, which is explored here.
BBC 2 10.00pm The National Trust. Exploring the intricate negotiations and fine balancing acts required in managing the NT's acquisitions. The Beatles. The semi where John Lennon lived for 18 years and wrote some of the early Beatles hits is now open to the public. This is the inside story of the Trust's makeover of Lennon's house, donated by his widow Yoko Ono.
Five 7.30pm Weapons of WWII. Aircraft Carriers. This edition examines the evolution of the giant floating airstrips that eventually usurped the battleship in marine warfare.
Five 8.00pm We Built This City. New three-part series. London. Originally founded by the Romans as a centre of trade and commerce, the English capital has evolved into one of the world's leading cities over the last 2,000 years. In this documentary, historians, engineers and archaeologists examine the key factors in London's success and some of the turning points in its history.
Five 10.00pm Brief Encounters: the History of Underwear. Historians, fashion experts and celebrities chart the brief history of the undergarment, from corsets to thongs via bras and lacy lingerie.
THURSDAY 29th BBC 2 8.00pm Inventions That Changed the World. Jeremy Clarkson looks at key inventions that have had a global impact in this six-part series. The Jet. In 1929 British pilot Frank Whittle proposed a new method of propulsion for a plane that could cover great distances at great speed. He struggled to secure financial backing - yet, as JC reveals, the jet engine has had a profound impact on the way we travel.
BBC 2 9.00pm Horizon. Secrets of the Star Disc. When grave robbers ransacked a Bronze Age tomb in Germany, little did they realise that the discovery of a small metal disc would lead to a revision of the history books. The artefact combines sophisticated depictions of the stars with religious imagery, and surpasses anything found in the supposedly more advanced ancient societies of Egypt and Greece. It appears that civilisation reached Europe earlier than previously thought.
Five 7.30pm Great Artists 2 with Tim Marlow. Rodin. The art historian profiles one of the founders of modern art, 19th and 20th century sculptor Auguste Rodin. Best known for his works The Kiss and The Thinker, Rodin redefined sculpture in European art, liberating it from the constraints of classicism.
FRIDAY 30th BBC 2 8.00pm Hidden Gardens. The hydrologists, archaeologists and gardeners at Croome Park, Worcestershire are joined by host Chris Beardshaw, who lends a hand in restoring the Capability Brown designs, made originally for the Earl of Coventry.
BBC 2 9.00pm (not Scotland) The Mysteries of the Mediaeval Ship - Timewatch.
BBC 2 9.00pm (Scotland only) Scotland's Empire. Fifth in a six-part series exploring the contribution of Scots to the British Empire. Africa. David Livingstone and his efforts to Christianise and develop Africa. Despite efforts to protect Africa from the worst excesses of European imperialism, Livingstone opens up the continent and blazes a trail for less scrupulous Empire-builders to follow. Inspired by his work, Scots pour into Africa and help drive the continent towards independence in the 20th century.
Five 7.30pm Mission to the Deep. Riddle of the Goldrush Steamer. Divers attempt to solve the mystery of why the steamship Princess Sophia sank off Alaska in 1918.
TIME TEAM REPEATS ON DISCOVERY
Monday Mysterious human bones found in a cave in the Peak District. Tuesday A cliff-top mound known as the Giant's Grave in the Shetland Islands. Wednesday The Team visit Greenwich, Henry VIII's favourite palace. Thursday Liberty's first factory in south London. Friday Searching for a Roman cemetery, and the Fosse Way in Bath.
And don't forget - UKHistory has a full schedule of historical/archaeological programmes for those with access to digital, satellite or cable. Voted best new channel of the year 2003.
No missed it unfortunately - don't have full control of viewing when hubby is home PS I'll put the TV info in the other place last thing before I log off tonite
SATURDAY 31st BBC 2 4.50pm The Great War. A rerun of this epic 26-part series, updated for broadcasting on both digital and analogue channels. First shown in 1964, the series - showing on both BBC 2 and BBC 4 - uses eyewitness accounts and archive film to bring to life the 1914 - 1918 conflict. Narrated by Michael Redgrave. Final episode. And We Were Young. Relief spreads throgh the ranks on all sides as history's bloodiest conflict finally comes to an end. With the Armistice now in effect, the Allied countries are overcome by a frenzy of joy and exultation.
SUNDAY 1st BBC 2 12.40pm House Detectives. The team encounter lust, betrayal and murder as they recreate the mediaeval world of Wigmore Abbey in Herefordshire.
BBC 2 7.00pm War At Sea. First of three episodes recalling the Royal Navy's greatest battles. Trafalgar to Jutland. Nelson's victory over the French in 1805 was a feat of brilliance that stil influences the Royal Navy today. During the WWI Battle of Jutland, however, this reputation became a millstone as nearly 6,000 sailors perished. Using reconstructions, underwater footage of wrecks and personal testimonies of warfare, Professor Andrew Lambert recounts these turning points in history.
Channel 4 5.30pm TIME TEAM ************* Historians have always suspected that, as the invading Roman army headed towards London, it must have established some kind of fortress along the way, but no sign of the stronghold have ever been found. However, some intriguing recent discoveries - ditches, ramparts, coins and pottery - in the grounds of a Kent hotel look promising. TR and the Team have three days to excavate the site. Will it prove to be the location of the first British Roman fort?
MONDAY 2nd BBC 2 7.00pm Private Life of a Masterpiece. Third in a series of five programmes detailing the little-known stories behind great artworks. Dance at the Moulin de la Galette. Was the Moulin de la Galette dance hall really the joyful haven depicted in Renoir's celebratory painting of 1876? Certainly, the Paris of the period was emerging from a violent, bloody political upheaval and Renoir appears to be unique in depicting the renowned venue as a place of pleasure.
BBC 2 8.00pm Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam. Steam on the Water. The steeplejack looks at the steam ship's development, from early paddle steamers and the first iron-hulled ships to have screw propellers, to modern steam turbine-powered vessels such as royal yacht, Britannia.
Channel 4 9.00pm Spitfire Ace. Third of four episodes. During WWII the Spitfire and its pilots were vital to the Allies' efforts to defeat Hitler's Germany. Now, four young pilots compete for the chance to undergo the same operational training available to Battle of Britain pilots. The successful pilot has been chosen, and goes on to complete the training, learning navigational skills and the dangers of flying in close formation.
Five 7.30pm Great Scientists. Profiles of five of history's most influential and brilliant scientists. Charles Darwin. The life and work of the hugely influential naturalist whose theory of evolution, expounded in the seminal "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection", caused controversy which still reverberates today.
TUESDAY 3rd BBC 2 8.00pm Crafty Tricks of War. Ex-army Lieutenant Colonel Dick Strawbridge pursues a passion for the unusual side of warfare. The world of the secret agents in wartime is revealed. DS assembles a suitcase radio and makes a portable steam generator which was invented to power wireless sets used by spies in occupied Europe. He also tests the infamous "lipstick pistol" issued to KGB spies, known as the "kiss of death".
WEDNESDAY 4th BBC 2 8.00pm The Mysteries of the Mediaeval Ship - Timewatch. (Scotland only) The well preserved remains of an 80ft mediaeval merchant ship came to light in 2002 on the banks of the River Usk in Newport, Gwent. Two of the archaeologists involved - Kate Hunter and Nigel Nayling - delve into its history.
BBC 2 10.00pm The National Trust. Exploring the intricate negotiations and fine balancing acts required in managing the NT's acquisitions. The Beatles. The countdown to Yolo Ono's arrival at John Lennon's childhood home begins, but she's in conflict with the Trust over its refurbishment. James Rothwell, a historic buildings expert, is the man in the middle who has curated the renovation of this modest suburban semi.
Five 7.30pm Weapons of WWII. Fighter Bombers. Examining the development of aerial warfare, including Hitler's Stuka bomber, which could dive at an 80-degree angle.
Five 8.00pm We Built This City. Second in a three-part series. New York. Founded by Dutch settlers in the 17th century and originally called New Amsterdam, this vibrant city is today renowned as one of the richest, most distinctive and exciting places in the world. This edition looks at the city's many engineering feats, from Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge to its prominent skyscrapers.
THURSDAY 5th BBC 2 8.00pm Inventions That Changed the World. Jeremy Clarkson looks at key inventions that have had a global impact in this six-part series. The Phone. The telephone was invented by mistake, by a man trying to make a humming telegraph. Elisha Gray, who made the initial breakthrough, would end up with nothing, while Alexander Graham Bell - the man who "borrowed" his idea and is widely credited with having invented it - would end up with arguably the most valuable patent in history. JC tells an epic tale of money, greed, opportunism and blind chance.
Five 7.30pm Great Artists 2 with Tim Marlow. Cassatt. This week's subject is one of the few women to have forged a reputation in the male-dominated art world, American painter Mary Cassatt. Influenced by the French Impressionists, Cassatt's work depicts women as strong, independent characters.
FRIDAY 6th BBC 2 8.00pm Hidden Gardens. The garden at Boveridge Park in Cranbourne, Dorset, is the only one to be designed by both Thomas Mawson and Gertrude Jekyll, two giants of early-20th century landscaping. The house is now a school and, with the help of head teacher and gardener, Chris Beardshaw uncovers its history.
BBC 2 9.00pm (not Scotland) How Mad Was King George? - Timewatch.
BBC 2 9.00pm (Scotland only) Scotland's Empire. Last of a six-part series exploring the contribution of Scots to the British Empire. The Orient. The series concludes with the return of Hong Kong to the Chinese in 1997. The colony was largerly a Scottish creation - a prize in the ruthless Opium Wars against the Chinese in the 19th century. But the Scottish role in the Far East wasn't limited to pushing drugs to the Chinese and nor was it entirely destructive. Reginald Johnson acted as tutor to China's last Emperor Pu Yi, and Aberdonian Thomas Glover helped to lay the groundwork for Japan's postwar economic miracle.
Five 7.30pm Mission to the Deep. Raising the World's First Killer Sub. An attempt to raise an American Civil War submarine, the Hunley.
TIME TEAM REPEATS ON DISCOVERY
A TT programme is scheduled for 7.00am and 5.00pm on Saturday 17th and 7.00pm on Sunday 18th.
Monday Athelney, Somerset - King Alfred's campaign base. Tuesday Kew Gardens, site of a lost palace of George III. Wednesday A Bronze Age cemetery in Fife. Thursday Castle Howard, North Yorkshire. Friday Quest for a lost Roman town near Sedgefield, Durham.
And don't forget - UKHistory has a full schedule of historical/archaeological programmes for those with access to digital, satellite or cable. Voted best new channel of the year 2003.
Wednesday 4th February UK HISTORY 8pm In Search of Ethelred the Unready Michael Wood investigates the monarch whose reign is equated with decline and moral failure
Friday 6th February UK HISTORY 8pm In Search of William the Conqueror Seeking clues about the last successful invader of England. Presented by Michael Wood.
SATURDAY 7th BBC 2 6.30pm Landscape Mysteries - In Search of Irish Gold. Professor Aubrey Manning investigates how Bronze Age people in Ireland had access to large amounts of gold.
Channel 4 7.00pm Jutland: Clash of the Dreadnoughts. An international team of marine divers and historians set out to explore the wrecks of the great Dreadnought battleships, sunk during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916 - the largest battleship conflict of all time. Their aim is to solve an age-old controversy: why did the best ships fighting for Britainin WWI sink so quickly under German fire, despite the Royal Navy enjoying a numerical and technological superiority? Taking advantage of unprecedented good weather in the summer of 2003, the dive team examine the wrecks of the "Queen Mary", the "Defence", the "Invincible" and the "Lutzow", making new discoveries at the bottom of the sea that challenge witness reports from the day of the battle.
SUNDAY 8th BBC 2 7.00pm War At Sea. Second of three episodes recalling the Royal Navy's greatest battles. Will to Win. Detailing the Royal Navy's battles in the Mediterranean during WWII. Winston Churchill risked war with France when he ordered the French fleet to be sunk rather than surrender it to Axis forces - a command that ultimately paid dividends, earning the confidence of the US. And planes launched from new aircraft carriers sank the Italian fleet and crippled the "Bismarck" - attacks studied and used by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. Professor Andrew Lambert presents.
Channel 4 5.30pm TIME TEAM ************* Poole Harbour's beaches and islands make it a tranquil haven for weekend sailors, walkers and sun worshippers. Things were very different during the Iron Age, when it was a thriving port - perhaps the most important in the country - trading myriad goods with the Continent. This week TR and the Team aim to find out whether Poole was also an industrial centre. Green Island, in the middle of the harbour, is the venue for their excavations. The finds come thick and fast, but can it be proved that the area was an astoundingly early site of mass production.
MONDAY 9th BBC 2 7.00pm Private Life of a Masterpiece. Third in a series of five programmes detailing the little-known stories behind great artworks. The Night Watch. The secrets behind the celebrated Rembrandt painting of a group of part-time soldiers are revealed. How did the artist achieve the extraordinary effects of his finished work? Plus the story of how it has survived attacks, mutilation and the danger of the German occupation to become the most famous painting in Holland.
BBC 2 8.00pm Terry Jones' Mediaeval Lives. New series of eight programmes in which the ex-Python-turned-scholar re-assesses the cliches about the Middle Ages, starting with the image of the peasant as a subservient ignoramus. Terry discovers that the average peasant was intelligent, an expert on the law, had up to 80 public holidays a year, and often lived to the ripe old age of 60.
Channel 4 9.00pm Men of Iron. New series of three programmes. Charting the period of the greatest engineering achievements in British history - the 19th century - through the rivalries of two prominent Victorian families, the Brunels and the Stephensons. Competitors, and sometimes collaborators, they were the heroes of the day, with a legacy that has lasted almost 200 years.
Five 7.30pm Great Scientists. Profiles of five of history's most influential and brilliant scientists. Albert Einstein. Arguably the world's most famous scientist, Nobel Prize-winner Albert Einstein's early fascination with the speed of light and the relationship between space and time led to the seminal paper of 1905, "The Special Theory of Relativity", and ultimately to the renowned equation E=mc2, which revolutionised scientific thought.
TUESDAY 10th BBC 2 8.00pm Crafty Tricks of War. Ex-army Lieutenant Colonel Dick Strawbridge pursues a passion for the unusual side of warfare. The humble lawnmower inspired one of the most effective life-saving devices - the bomb disposal robot. DS has, of course, an ingenious design of his own. He also puts together a time-pencil fuse, used on WWII undercover explosives missions in Europe, and transforms a family car into an extraordinary armoured vehicle. can it stand up to machine-gun fire?
BBC 2 10.00pm What The Industrial Revolution Did For Us. Material World. Dan Cruickshank explores the origins of this most inventive in history, a quest that takes him back to the tea tables of Georgian Britain.
WEDNESDAY 11th BBC 2 8.00pm How Mad Was King George? - Timewatch. (Scotland only) He's best known for having suffered bouts of mental illness and losing the American colonies, but what was King George really like? With contributions from the Prince of Wales, Timewatch re-examines the life of Britain's longest-reigning king.
BBC 2 10.00pm The National Trust. Exploring the intricate negotiations and fine balancing acts required in managing the NT's acquisitions. The House. The crusade of the Trust's architectural historian Tim Knox to save Tyntesfield House, a mighty Victorian mansion located just outside Bristol. With the owners wanting hard cash and the asking price running into millions, unexpected competition comes from Kylie Minogue, Madonna and a potential illegitimate heir.
Five 7.30pm Weapons of WWII. Gliders. Examining the role of gliders as a surprise element in warfare, plus the story of how the Germans used one to rescue Mussolini from a mountaintop prison in 1943.
Five 8.00pm We Built This City. Last in a three-part series. Paris. Founded by the Celtic Gauls in the third century BC, the French capital has grown into one of the world's great cultural centres. Yet its location is far from ideal and it has had to survive drought, rampant disease, squalor, bloody revolution and enemy occupation.
Five 9.00pm Britain's Finest Castles. A rundown of the nation's finest castles, as voted for by Five viewers and Radio Times readers. Among the candidates are the Tower of London and Edinburgh Castle.
THURSDAY 12th BBC 2 8.00pm Inventions That Changed the World. Jeremy Clarkson looks at key inventions that have had a global impact in this six-part series. The Television. Europe boasts more TV sets than children, yet its inventors - John Logie Baird and Philo T Farnsworth - would die without acclaim. The BBC has long been synonymous with the dawning of TV, but the first public broadcaster was actually the Nazi party, Hitler having rcognised its propaganda potential. JC gives his unique take on how television has shaped our world.
BBC 2 Midnight BBC 4 on BBC 2: Dan Cruickshank and The House That Wouldn't Die. The historian investigates 18 Folgate Street in east London, the inspired creation of a maverick Californian that's changing the way we look at history.
Five 7.30pm Great Artists 2 with Tim Marlow. El Greco. The art historian assesses the 16th century Greek master whose work has influenced modern artists such as Jackson Pollock and Pablo Picasso. As an exhibition of ElGreco's work is about to be unveiled at London's National Gallery, Marlow explains the importance of this visionary painter.
FRIDAY 6th BBC 2 8.00pm Hidden Gardens. Last in series. At Greenway near Dartmouth in Devon, Chris Beardshaw helps restore two gardens at the home of Agatha Christie. One is a camellia garden and the other a fernery. Ferns were part of a huge Victorian craze and the camellias have been grown at Greenway for over a hundred years.
TIME TEAM REPEATS ON DISCOVERY
A TT programme is scheduled for 7.00am and 5.00pm on Saturday 7th and 7.00pm on Sunday 8th.
Monday A police station standing on the site of a 1771 jailhouse. Tuesday A dig in historic Winchester. Wednesday The Team visit the past in Canterbury. Thursday TR and the Team "rebuild" a ruined 900-year-old castle. Friday Archaeological investigations on the holy island of Lindisfarne.
And don't forget - UKHistory has a full schedule of historical/archaeological programmes for those with access to digital, satellite or cable. Voted best new channel of the year 2003.
SATURDAY 14th BBC 2 7.15pm The Battle For Britain's Soul New four-part series in which the Rev. Peter Owen Jones traces the spread of Christianity throughout the British Isles. The Cult. With disease and famine a constant threat, superstitious Iron-Age Britons sought to appease their pagan gods through ritual sacrifice. Into this climate of fear came a mysterious cult that promised eternal life for those who rejected polytheism in favour of "one true God", and a faith whose doctrine carried messages of fairness and equality.
BBC 2 8.15pm Ancestors. New series of six programmes developed from Meet the Ancestors. Nelson's Forgotten Heroes. In 2002 archaeologists uncovered a mass grave on an island in Aboukir Bay, Egypt, where, 204 years earlier, Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson claimed a decisive victory over Napoleon at the Battle of the Nile. Expert Nick Slope combines forensic evidence, ships' logs and personal memoirs to recreate a vivid picture of life in Nelson's fleet.
SUNDAY 15th BBC 2 7.00pm War At Sea. Final episode recalling the Royal Navy's greatest battles. Six Weeks That Saved the Navy. When the Falkland Islands were invaded in 1982, the Navy was undergoing major cuts. If the invasion had taken place a few months later, the task force that was sent would have been impossible to assemble. Professor Andrew Lambert assesses the conflict with the help of first hand accounts.
Channel 4 5.30pm TIME TEAM ************* England relied on iron workers' skills centuries before the Industrial Revolution. TR and the Team travel to what is now a quiet rural valley in Staffordshire in search of those skills this week. It appears that the valley was a mass of furnaces and blacksmiths for centuries. It's known that Elizabethan's smelted there, but how much further back can they take the story? They've got just three days to see if they can find evidence from the dark days of mediaeval England.
MONDAY 16th BBC 2 7.30pm Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam. Steam in the Modern Age. The steeplejack examines modern steam turbines used to generate electricty, and visits museums and societies preserving Britain's steam heritage.
BBC 2 8.00pm Terry Jones' Mediaeval Lives. Second in a series of eight programmes in which the ex-Python-turned-scholar re-assesses the cliches about the Middle Ages. The Monk. The ideal of a life of solitude and worship was all too often undermined by monks' talent for turning a profit. Sheep, iron-smelting, holy "relics", and even prayer, became money-spinners in the world of the mediaeval monastery.
BBC 2 11.20pm BBC 4 on BBC 2: Robert Hooke - Victim of Genius. The story of the brilliant 17th century British scientist who was erased from history by a jealous rival - Isaac Newton.
Channel 4 9.00pm Men of Iron. New series of three programmes. Charting the period of the greatest engineering achievements in British history - the 19th century - through the rivalries of two prominent Victorian families, the Brunels and the Stephensons. Part two focusses on the families' battle to shape the development of Britain's nascent - and highly lucrative - railway network, including Brunel's Great Western railway route from London to Bristol.
TUESDAY 17th BBC 2 10.00pm What The Industrial Revolution Did For Us. Working Wonders. How Scottish engineer James Watt totally transformed the workplace with the advent of steam engines and the world's first office copier.
WEDNESDAY 18th BBC 2 9.00pm (Not Scotland [and Wales??]) Dunkirk. First episode of a major drama-documentary series, showing over three nights, which tells the story of arguably history's greatest maritime evacuation. Narrated by Timothy Dalton. Retreat. May 1940: overwhelmed by the blitzkrieg, the Allies in northern France head for the coast, where the Navy has improvised a rescue effort.
BBC 2 10.00pm The National Trust. Exploring the intricate negotiations and fine balancing acts required in managing the NT's acquisitions. The House. Having succeeded in its aim to buy Tyntsfield House, the NT renovates it and puts in place measures to encourage the public to visit. The managers aim to make the mansion the blueprint for the modernity central to the Trust in the 21st century, but rising costs is not the only problem project Director John McVerry must overcome, as politicians become involved in the wrangling and a dark secret is uncovered.
THURSDAY 19th BBC 2 9.00pm (Not England) Dunkirk. First episode of a major drama-documentary series, showing over three nights, which tells the story of arguably history's greatest maritime evacuation. Narrated by Timothy Dalton. Retreat. May 1940: overwhelmed by the blitzkrieg, the Allies in northern France head for the coast, where the Navy has improvised a rescue effort.
BBC 2 9.00pm (Not Scotland) Evacuation. The army has made its way to the coast, but there are far too many men to evacuate in the time left before Dunkirk is expected to fall to the Germans. The evacuation effort reaches a new level as Churchill orders that French troops be lifted in the same proportion as the British.
Five 7.30pm Great Artists 2 with Tim Marlow. Schiele. An appraisal of the life and work of Austrian expressionist painter Egon Schiele concludes the series. Art historian Marlow suggests that Schiele's intense, brutally honest and powerful work, which generated considerable contoversy in the artists short life, presents humanity stripped down to its bare essence.
FRIDAY 20th BBC 2 9.00pm (Not Scotland) Final Episode. Dunkirk is under siege and the German advance must be delayed while the evacuation begins.
BBC 2 9.00pm (Not England) Evacuation. The army has made its way to the coast, but there are far too many men to evacuate in the time left before Dunkirk is expected to fall to the Germans. The evacuation effort reaches a new level as Churchill orders that French troops be lifted in the same proportion as the British.
TIME TEAM REPEATS ON DISCOVERY
A TT programme is scheduled for 7.00am and 5.00pm on Saturday 14th and 7.00pm on Sunday 20th.
Monday The experts are in Basildon, Essex. Tuesday Revealing the history behind a fascinating find by two cavers. Wednesday The Team visit Salisbury Plain. Thursday Seeking the remains of a great house in Rycote Park in Oxfordshire. Friday The world's first working railway at Blaenavon.
And don't forget - UKHistory has a full schedule of historical/archaeological programmes for those with access to digital, satellite or cable. Voted best new channel of the year 2003.
SATURDAY 21st BBC 2 6.25pm The Battle For Britain's Soul Second in a four-part series in which the Rev. Peter Owen Jones traces the spread of Christianity throughout the British Isles. From Cradle to Grave. By AD 700, Christianity pervaded all areas of British life. Exploring this period, the Reverend Peter Owen-Jones examines existence in this fundamental state.
BBC 2 7.25pm Ancestors. Second in a series of six programmes developed from Meet the Ancestors. Billy and the Fighter Boys. In May 1940, RAF No1 Squadron pilots faced the Luftwaffe over France. In the battle, Billy Drake had to bale out of his Hurricane. Now, 63 years later, he is reunited with the plane's remains.
BBC 2 8.15pm (Not Scotland) Dunkirk: the Soldier's Story. On 10th May 1940, the Germans overran Holland and Belgium and then turned to France. The British Army - its ranks recently swelled by 18- and 19-year-old men - barely knew what had hit it. Over 60 years on, survivors recall their experiences as withdrawal became out-and-out retreat.
BBC 2 9.00pm (Not England) Dunkirk Final Episode. Dunkirk is under siege and the German advance must be delayed while the evacuation begins.
Channel 4 7.00pm The Day The Earth Was Born. In its infancy, the earth was a primeval hell, bombarded by billions of asteroids and comets. There was no water and the sun was far dimmer than it is today. This one-off documentary follows a spectacular journey tracing the series of cataclysmic events that shaped the planet during the first 100 million years of its existence. Soon after its birth, the earth became a melting pot and a massive iron core was formed. Eventually, the volcanic surface cooled, after which solid rocks and oceans followed. But how did life manage to survive and evolve in such a turbulent environment? In a remote cave in Mexico and the deepest goldmine in the world, reminders of Earth's first life forms still exist. But can they answer the question: how did life first begin on earth?
SUNDAY 22nd BBC 2 9.50pm (Not England) Dunkirk: the Soldier's Story. On 10th May 1940, the Germans overran Holland and Belgium and then turned to France. The British Army - its ranks recently swelled by 18- and 19-year-old men - barely knew what had hit it. Over 60 years on, survivors recall their experiences as withdrawal became out-and-out retreat.
Channel 4 5.30pm TIME TEAM ************* As the beach of the Severn River gradually erodes, it is revealing evidence of some of England's earliest inhabitants. But can this evidence, from flints and food remains to some remarkable fossilised footsteps, be recovered before its destroyed by the tide? TR and the Team must battle mud, tides and weather to preserve these vital clues to a long-lost way of life - clues that will help them step back 8,000 years to get a glimpse of Britain's early hunter-gatherers.
MONDAY 23rd BBC 2 7.00pm The Private Life of a Masterpiece. Last in series. La Primavera. The title of the Florentine artist Sandro Boticelli's exquisite painting translates as "Spring". yet this huge allegorical tableau, with its mythological characters and themes of rape and falling in love, contains some of the first erotic images of the Renaissance.
BBC 2 8.00pm Terry Jones' Mediaeval Lives. Third in a series of eight programmes in which the ex-Python-turned-scholar re-assesses the cliches about the Middle Ages. The Damsel. The familiar notion of mediaeval women as passive, shy and vulnerable was largely created by the Victorians - and, as Jones discovers, nothing could be further from the truth. In the Middle Ages, women ran businesses, led armies - and even abducted their lovers.
Channel 4 9.00pm Men of Iron. Last in series of three programmes. Charting the period of the greatest engineering achievements in British history - the 19th century - through the rivalries of two prominent Victorian families, the Brunels and the Stephensons. Not content with building the finest railway in England, Brunel sets his sights on creating a high-speed, steam-powered transatlantic shipping link.
TUESDAY 24th BBC 2 10.00pm What The Industrial Revolution Did For Us. On The Move. Dan Cruickshank investigates how transport changed dramatically over the course of 100 years.
WEDNESDAY 25th BBC 2 10.00pm The National Trust. Exploring the intricate negotiations and fine balancing acts required in managing the NT's acquisitions. The Lord. Behind the scenes at Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, home to the wealthy Rothschild family, following the audacious theft of priceless objets d'art.
THURSDAY 26th BBC 2 7.00pm (Not Scotland) Two Men in a Trench.
BBC 2 8.30pm (Not England) The Scots at Sea. New series of six programmes exploring aspects of Scotland's maritime history, particularly during the last 200 years. Polar Adventures. Scots hunted the whale for 600 years to feed coastal communities and to aid industrial development, but Victorian explorers and scientists had to test the uncharted seas of the Arctic when stocks in the northern waters diminished. Voyages to the frozen regions elicited extraordinary tales of heroism, although the price paid was the near-extinction of an entire species.
Five 7.15pm Hanging El Greco. Documentary following staff at London's National Gallery as they prepare for the UK's first major exhibition of works by the influential 16th-century painter El Greco. Tonight curator Xavier Bray enters into intense negotiations as he travels to Spain to secure the loan of various masterpieces.
FRIDAY 27th BBC 2 9.00pm Nile: Crocodiles and Kings. New series of three programmes. The Nile flows from the heart of Africa through lands with spectacular wildlife, landscape and history, and is the focus of this lavish natuarl history documentary. Reconstructions show how ancient Egyptians built their civilisation on the Nile's banks and how their lives relied on it.
Five 7.30pm Hanging El Greco. Documentary following staff at London's National Gallery as they prepare for the UK's first major exhibition of works by the influential 16th-century painter El Greco. Paintings begin to arrive from all over the world for the National Gallery's prestigious exhibition and must be carefully unpacked and expertly examined before hanging.
TIME TEAM REPEATS ON DISCOVERY
A TT programme is scheduled for 7.00am and 5.00pm on Saturday 21st.
Sunday 22nd is a dedicated "Time Team" day with programmes starting every hour, on the hour, from 9.00am to 10.00pm.
Monday The team is in the Cotswolds, amongst abundant Roman remains. Tuesday A deep mystery in a Welsh valley. Wednesday The Team investigate the remains of a Norman castle. Thursday A cemetery yields evidence of people who lived 1,500 years ago. Friday The Saxon origins of the cathedral city of Ely.
And don't forget - UKHistory has a full schedule of historical/archaeological programmes for those with access to digital, satellite or cable. Voted best new channel of the year 2003.
Most Haunted is at Avebury looking for spirits in the haunted Red Loin pub (Spirits in a pub, you cant fail to find spirits in a pub) & then on to look around the stones them selves. I suspect we might hear from a certain barber, well may be.
Most haunted is on both Saturday & Sunday nights, but mostly the show from Tuesday is repeated on Sunday. Record both just in case. I recorded Tuesday nights most Haunted, I have not seen it yet.
Ooops hit the button too fast. RTE the Irish national broadcaster is doing a series on celtic and pre-celtic Ireland ( thanks to Gabster for the info)I will be happy to record this prog. for anyone with an interest.Just mail me .
