Englishwoman Sarah Baird, on her hundredth birthday April 7th, 1880. Via Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain. Older people often gave the wrong age on census forms. It was common, for example, for people over 85 to overestimate their age. Failing memories obviously played a part and few would have bothered to check civil registration... Continue Reading →

When the First World War started in August 1914 a vigorous propaganda campaign persuaded tens of thousands of young men excitedly to sign up and do their bit for King and Country. To fight abroad you had to be at least nineteen, but you could enlist at eighteen. Many boys of 15, 16 and 17,... Continue Reading →