The Oldie

The idea for the Oldie was cooked up 25 years ago by its founding editor, Richard Ingrams, and his much-lamented successor, the late Alexander Chancellor. Their aim was to create a free-thinking, funny magazine, a light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and celebrity. The Oldie is ageless and timeless, free of retirement advice, crammed with rejuvenating wit, intelligence and delight. With over 100 pages in every issue, The Oldie is packed with funny cartoons and free-thinking and intelligent articles covering a wide range of topics – from gardening and books to travel, arts, entertainment, and so much more.

The Oldie

The Old Un's Notes

NOT MANY DEAD • Important stories you may have missed

Byron, Lord of Panto • Forget the poet – his kinsman created Buttons and Widow Twankey!

I read the news today – oh boy! • Six words in the Daily Mail drove me crazy with terror

OLDEN LIFE

MODERN LIFE

Bill Wyman THE OLDIE OF THE YEAR

Always on our mind • Actor Kenneth Cranham salutes Elvis on his 90th birthday - and his fellow fans the Duchess of Devonshire and writer Elaine Dundy

My bleak midwinter • Pity us church organists at Christmas, overwhelmed by carol services. By Lois Letts

Oxford blues for PMs • Prime Ministers used to get honorary doctorates – until Mrs Thatcher, 40 years ago. By Michael Beloff KC

Ruthless rhymes • Simon Berry salutes Harry Graham's wicked wit on his 150th anniversary

Plenty of room at the inn • One Christmas, publican John Armstrong was astonished when the Christ family booked a room in his stable

Britain's Greek tragedy • What a blow to civilised life - only 200 pupils do Greek A-level

EM Forster's lesson for clever pupils

Mel Tormé

The Jeremy Lewis Prize for New Writing • By Brian Walsh - this year's winner of the annual award in honour of our late Deputy Editor

Tall order • Buying clothes for lanky people is quite a stretch

Self-driving cars on a road to nowhere

The naff British way of death

Sermon from the Mad Monk • Keith Joseph was one of the quirkiest people Mary Kenny ever interviewed

OMG! Mother's got an Old Batphone • Bye-bye, freedom - she now bothers me night and day

My Technicolor dream machine

Magical dream of the Magi

Baroness Gardner of Parkes AM (1927-2024)

Don't be anti-antibiotics • The allergy to penicillin is wildly exaggerated

READERS' LETTERS • The Oldie, 23-31 Great Titchfield Street, London, W1W7PA letters@theoldie.co.uk To sign up for our e-newsletter, go to www.theoldie.co.uk

Nobody knows what tomorrow brings • A new show in Oxford is full of dodgy prophets

Commonplace Corner

RANT

The last Cinderella

Private Eye's patron saint

King of the country

A Life in Books - Lady Antonia Fraser • Santa voted for Clem Attlee

Right royal tragedies

Cleopatra's clan

Depraved new world

FILM

THEATRE

RADIO

TELEVISION

MUSIC

GOLDEN OLDIES

EXHIBITIONS

GARDENING

KITCHEN GARDEN

COOKERY ELISABETH LUARD

RESTAURANTS

DRINK

SPORT

MOTORING

Capercaillie

Embrace the Ghost of Internet Future

Gold, the barbarous currency

King of the Road • Norman Lewis was the doyen of travel writers, says John Hatt, his friend, publisher and editor of a new collection

A Welsh elegy • John Humphrys's youth in Cardiff was scarred by poverty, his father's blindness and his baby sister's death

Portuguese Potter • In Porto, J K Rowling created a young wizard. James Pembroke...