Category Archives: Framed by a Smoking Gun

First posted on FB 28/12/2019 This year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures begin broadcasting tonight on BBC4 at 8pm, from the famous lecture theatre in which B D Shaw gave a Friday Evening Discourse in 1969. This year’s lectures are on maths but if you fancy something more reminiscent of Shaw, then three given by chemists,Continue reading “Chemistry at the RI”

First posted on FB 09/11/2019 Next event…next Friday (Nov 15th) at 7pm in Bottisham Library (as advertised in Bottisham Shop!) A short talk followed by wine & nibbles and signing. I will bring some photos and letters, and hope to show a couple of videos too.

Another of Brian’s favourites – Jim Gamble uses Brian Shaw’s Crimean War musket to fire a soft tallow candle through a barn door (video clip) See the video on Twitter

First published on FB 09/11/2019 One of Brian Shaw’s favourite experiments, showing how gunpowder explodes when confined, as performed by Nottingham’s Jim Gamble (Go to Twitter for the video clip)

Thanks to Blackwell’s bookshop on the University of Nottingham Highfields campus for managing book sales at my launch event – over 40 sold. They have a stock of signed copies for sale in the shop. See Blackwell’s Uni of Nottingham on Twitter

First posted on FB 09/11/2019 Huge thanks to Nottingham University School of Chemistry for hosting my launch event last week – it really did go with a bang! And what a privilege to share a stage with Prof Sir Martyn Poliakoff, Prof Pete Licence, Jim Gamble, Dr Sam Tang and Neil Barnes. More pics toContinue reading “It went with a bang!”

First posted on FB 05/11/2019 This amazing skyscraper of a bonfire in Ilkeston was actually for the accession of George V but Nov 5th seems as good a time to share it as any. Brian Shaw would have been 12 years old and would have undoubtedly enjoyed the spectacular display of combustion. George V AccessionContinue reading “Remember, remember…”

First posted on FB 04/11/2019 Hope Robinson was the wife of Brian’s long-term friend and second-in-command in France in WW2, Paul Robinson. While Brian was held captive in Germany, the rest of his battalion were posted to the Far East and those captured there experienced far worse than Brian. Hope’s letters drew attention to theContinue reading “Letters of Hope”

First published on FB 04/11/2019 In two weeks‘ time I’m giving an evening talk at the Erewash Museum. This will focus on the local and military aspects of Brian’s life (with a bit of chemistry too!), to coincide with the current Sherwood Foresters exhibition at the museum. https://www.facebook.com/events/265949327653643/

First published on FB 27/10/2019 This Wednesday, Oct 30th… the explosive demonstrations have been rehearsed, the materials for the exhibition are gathered and the slide show is ready to roll… there are still a few tickets available. Register for free here