St Helena in Focus

sthelenafocus.bsky.social

15 August 2025 08:59

256th anniversary of birth of Napoleon, one of St Helena's most famous residents, in Ajaccio the capital of French Mediterranean island of Corsica, on 15 August 1769. Napoleon was to spend five of his 51 birthdays on St Helena where he was held in exile from October 1815 to his death on 5 May, 1821.

Ronald Biggs

ronaldbiggs.bsky.social

08 August 2025 11:14

55 years ago, 11 March 1970, Ron landed at Rio's old Galeão Airport after a flight from Caracas. It was start of a new chapter of his life. Arguably the most exciting. Ron would live in Rio until his departure on 6 May 2001. The story in Rio is told in new documentary "Ronnie Biggs: Run To Rio"

Ronald Biggs

ronaldbiggs.bsky.social

08 August 2025 11:14

It was 24 March 1981 that Barbados coastguard intercepted motor yacht Nowcani II and rescued Ron from his kidnappers who had taken him from a restaurant in Rio on 16 March. Now the world finally knew where Ron was. All explained in upcoming doc “Ronnie Biggs: Run To Rio”.

Ronald Biggs

ronaldbiggs.bsky.social

08 August 2025 11:14

24 March 1963, saw the birth of Ron's son, Christopher Dean, at Redhill County Hospital. It was the added costs of a second child that would result in him calling Bruce Reynolds for a loan. That conversation would ultimately end up with Ron taking part in the Great Train Robbery.

Ronald Biggs

ronaldbiggs.bsky.social

08 August 2025 11:14

The trial of the Great Train Robbers ended on 16 April 1964. Just 8 of the 16 robbers that had been at the track on 8 August 1963 were in the dock along with 3 accomplices and an innocent man. It took Mr Justice Edmund Davies just 28 minutes to pass sentence on the 12 men to a total of 307 years.