Alt.Mustardland

Now who's the fool?

Must go shopping for hot cross buns. I think I'll pass on the Easter eggs. I've always been very suspicious of the bunny. I liked the Hares that played in the field, but after a few years of wheat, I don't think they'll be back. There are a few livery horses (being boarded for payment with a horse farmer) these days but I haven't decided if there are just two, or more. There is a variation of waterproof coats, but at least one of them is wearing a fresh coat every day. It's chestnut with a blaze on its face and two white socks on the driver's side. It was uncloaked the other day. It has worn blue, white and tan. Maybe she wants to make it look as if she has more clients than she has, but the field is a long one and I only see the top 50 metres. We have been asked not to feed them, but there's plenty of grass for them.

It's lovely and sunny so I must go out, water my dianthus and plant the strawberry plants that came this morning. I have a pair of strawberry pots but will put them in a trough for now.

Hi.
Hosses... The BIG park around here (well, actually the RSPB have a large amount of it, but the rest is "Country Park" Mostly woodland and a Large Meadow). Back in pre-Lockdown the boss had some animals - rented from farmers, there - at one summer was Hosses, on another year was Highland Cattle.
Just for the Record... at the other end of town is Wat Tylers The Cul de sac road has a Horse Rescue place - there are stables, but (even pre-lockdown) their Open days were only once per year. I once saw a Gent leading two Shires in from one of their many fields, and brushed them to look magnificant.
I must get out and blow-the-cobwebs-away. Crown Hill is Too Uphill, and there are No Sunday Buses. Many years ago (many) I tried to maintain regular monthly visits to photo the same views. I must find them - I have a Great "sorting-out" to do.

One of those views was changed by Hetletines Docks (formerly Shell Haven). Not obtrusive, but different Even the big container ship (biggest in the world) didn't look any bigger than the others - but she made Her own claim to fame by getting stuck athwartship in foreign parts.

There are/were other Horsey places, but they are NOT in the public gaze - except at racetracks

We had 5 Shire horses on the farm. They were magnificent. I liked ours much better than the ones a local farmer would parade round the ring at the annual Agricultural show. Dolled up in ribbons and brasses, they impressed the crowd. For me seeing them after their harnesses were taken off after a day's work, leaving their stable, going to the pond for a drink and on to the field. They were so tired, they just plodded into the middle of the top section. They would lie down and roll about on the grass then get up and gallop round in a circle. Sitting in the willow tree 100 metres away, I was well aware that the ground shook. About two tons each and seeing 10 tons of horse at play was worth more than I can imagine.

I've been wondering where to go as an outing. The Cob at Lyme (Regis) will probably be solid with people and there's no point in trying Cornwall until Autumn. There are lots of places on Exmoor worth a visit. I rang my sister and we'll go to Winchcombe in Gloucestershire after a couple of weeks to see St Kenelm's Shrine. He really belongs in Clent, but it's too far for a day trip. We'll do Sudeley Castle while we're there. It shouldn't be too busy.

Until "recent years", The Essex Show was moved from what became the Racecourse (Horses that is) for a short-lived time, overtaking the original site. and it became Hired at Barleylands, Laindon - The road and farm at the end of my Grandads road. It was a Weekend show (but took weeks to set it up), It Included Horse Shows and Drives by several Shire Horse Groups. Always impressed... It is now some years since the Last Show. Great shame as there were lots of "lost Skills" and animal demonstrations. Dogs rescuing drownded people from the pond, and a beekeeping demo

An Outing ... Think I'd delay any trips until Boris has certainly declared that Life was Back to Normal. Winchcombe ... Is that The Village around a Castle North of Cheltenham. The Village, The Castle, and the Countryside are all worth a visit.

After April 14 should be safe to venture out carefully. Yes, Sudeley Castle at Winchcombe. There is a chapel and Shrine for St Kenelm, the boy King who was murdered at age 7 years by his sister Quenrida's boyfriend. His soul escaped in the form of a dove which dropped a scroll on the altar in Rome where the Pope was celebrating Mass on Easter Day. There was a cow on Clent that lay every day where his grave was. She ate nothing all day, but gave more milk than the other cows. When they dug him up to bury him at Winchcombe, Capital of Mercia, a spring burst out and the water cured many ills. That's the legend. I've been to the spring and sat there for an hour. It's a very peaceful place by St Kenelm's Church in Clent.

I do hope they have a show at Barleylands next year. Country Crafts were the foundation of many industrial processes, I remember Dunster Show a few years ago. There was a very artistic Blacksmith putting on a show https://westcountryblacksmiths.co.uk/ Also the beekeepers did a blind tasting competition and I discovered that the tastiest honey was actually Rape flower. All round my parent's farmhouse the lime trees were loud with bees. I did a beekeeping course in college, but never got round to keeping them. I would be tempted now, but don't have space for the masks and other paraphernalia let alone the honey pots. And my gardener wouldn't like it. He's paranoid about the wasps that built a nest in the garden a couple of years ago.

Sorry - I was Not ignoring you - A bit of unwellness, combined with visiting Nursey (Who couldn't find my address and I had to go out and find her), and ... House full of paperwork that I'm "Sorting" - including a few editions of Ancestor Missives. (incl DoB's).
I very much doubt if Barleylands will have any more Shows, nor Essex Shows anywhere else. Barleylands still has its regular Craft workshops (The Glass Blowers are still there), but Much has come to a Halt during Lockdowns. Since the demise of the Essex Shoe, they had expanded their rare breeds part of the estate, but, again, The Lockdown seems to have closed it. ... Even worse, elsewhere The Riding School and its indoor arena has been destroyed to extend the "Medics Married Quarters" (aka, Housing Estate) for the expansion of Basildon Hospital, so Part of Barleylands is now the stables and meadows formerly of Riding School...
I once had to go to the extant Arena when I did some cab driving ... to take passengers to a Dog Show... I got them into the back of the Cab, but when I got into my seat, I was too late to close the separating window to stop their Irish Wolfhound resting her head on my shoulder and dribbling...

I've just had my 2nd vaccination and am feeling proud of myself. One of the side effects no doubt. More elation than having given blood, but they don't want mine any more.

I hope some nice events will start happening soon. It is a pity that Barleylands is destroyed as a venue for a show. You may have to look at Bures or Long Melford in Suffolk for agricultural kickshawses.

Not in Essex - The East of England show is the only possibility (Ipswich, currently the Suffolk show)) or The Royal (North of Norwich)... Near to the Royal Estate.

Re the Covid. Not yet read today's mail, but one looks like an NHS docket. My existing 2nd inocculation is Next month ... although I applied to my nearest Venue (OK, nearest vacancy) is listed as Thurrock/Grays Hospital, but after I applied for the Second needle, the next nearest available I was redirected to (Boots the Chemist, in a Kent Shopping area) for the first Needle. On checking up (to print a copy of it into my diary), It too gives the Kent address. Same date and time.

Since the last post, I was checking on Rubbish collections (I am in "declutter mode") Looks like this borough will avoid the "strikes", But I have just noticed the Road Closure ...

One at Billericay Where an unseen Lady was knocked down and Killed on a Pedestrian Crossing in the town centre... Obviously crossing on a crossing is right where one would never be expected...
A127 Closed (near Warley) due to a three-vehicle pile-up (Helicopter has commandeered the Dual Carriageway)
A127 Closed (near Southend) because an unspecified(?) third party had broken into a gas-main (Police controlling dual Carriageway for the Fire Service and the gas--pipe menders that the firemen had contracted)..The Major Cross roads, and Main dual carrigeway, and The pub used by workbase of Fireservice outfit) all affected and closed. ..and No smoking...
A127 closed at Ford Dunton Junction for no idea how long... there are several HGV to be moved.
Is someone aiming for setting an "end of Lockdown" Spectacular Event?

I have delayed going shopping to supermarket (waiting in all day for Medic supply).. but I can't help but think that Busses to/from supermarket are going to be "sparse"

I stopped getting road closure reports because they only said which roads they were, not the nearest village and no useful detail. While a crossing should be a good place to cross, at times, like dead of night the sound of squealing tyres and revving engines might persuade one to wait until it fades away.

I presume you will need to have the same brand of vaccine for your second one. There are now at least 4 available in England, but fewer for 2nd vaccinations. I'm glad I had AZ because I have been reporting into the Oxford symptom app most days. Sometimes if my mobile is in my handbag I can't reach it from my desk so I miss a day. If I had a £1 for every time I have no phone when the car breaks down I'd be rich. So I take the phone to stop it breaking down. Rather like taking a brolly to keep the rain away. The sun is shining here.

The crossing was Daylight, in Town Centre Next to the Vehicular exit from Waitrose - not exactly unexpected.

First Needle was AZ..

Oh woe..
I have been a bit reluctant to go out because My delivery of medical gear got delayed - So I'm reluctant to go out in case I miss the delivery... But,,, I got a phone text telling me that I had something to collect from Boots ... My next Stuff from Boots isn't due until next week - SO was it a week early, or was it the stuff I needs desperately.. So I went into Boots ... They have no idea, their pooter has broke down. They want me togo back tomorrow"

When I got home the postman had delivered a letter... Good Handwriting addressed to "The Occupier" 2nd class stamp. Some "Neighbour in your estate" was asking me if I was aware that there are questions to be asked in the Bible... Important stuff like "After death can one return?" . So if anyone wants to take my place, it is down the road in the "Kingdom Hall" - It looks "Plush" so I'm sure a whip-round is involved. So if anyone is not busy and wants to take my place...

I would, but it's a very long way from Minehead. I sometimes meet my daughter around Salisbury, but the drive back along the A303 is frightening. the sun is in your eyes all the way back unless you wait until after sunset.

That was a shocking accident. In the long hot summer of 1909 Winston Churchill ran over in his car and killed a woman, but seemed to have got away with it.

1909 .... Must have been quite a skill for a Motorist, car and pedestrian to actually meet. How many cars were there... (Little known factoid for Scrabble or whist or something) ...The spirit of Extacy Lived in Essex (until the 1953 Floods - but I don't know how long after that).

Do you mean the original statue or the lady whose limbs inspired it? Are they still adorning Rollers with the emblem or is it just the boring RR? Did they also make Bentleys? I thought those were more attractive in a stylish kind of way. If I grew rich I would buy a classic Hispano Suiza with an osprey on the bonnet. Was that the radiator cap? The RAC would just love me.

The accident happened in a crowded area on a blisteringly hot day. It hadn't been all that long that the 4 mph speed limit and the man walking in front with a red flag had been abandoned.

The Lady Model... She was the official errr "secretary" of (either Lord Montague or Lord Brabazon)... and when it became necessary to Register Motor vehicles, her claim to fame is that she made the first application for a registration number to her boss's car ... A1.

(Laws changed re Sharp equipment on car fronts RR (and Armstrong Siddeley and a few others incl yankee imports, have smaller/ lower bonnet ornaments)

So an accident in 1911 ---- And Motorised was in 1914,,,,, And in the early 1920's The returning warriors had all learned to drive, and insisted that Houuse numbers had to in order, and displayed, so that Fire engines and ambulances could find your address. What a difference 15 years made.

The 1911 coronation was quite an event. I was telling an elderly chap back in the 1980s about my father being peeved that they wouldn't le him turn the spit with an ox on it. He was 6 and looked 4. The old bloke said in his local park the Fire service action display was disrupted when someone set fire to the hut they were going to put the fire out. Because they weren't ready it wasn't as smart a turnout as they'd hoped and the hut burnt out before they could make an impression on it.

Yes I do think I can remember the rule changing about statues on cars. Whatever that girl was like, she was so lovely. Maybe she kept her distance, but some people assume that a pretty girl will be more than just a servant. I think that people see what they want to see. Gerald Nabarro probably suffered from that. He was the constituency MP for my nearest town and everyone knew his Jaguar NAB1. I saw it cruising down the street then when it got round the corner it stopped. I was certain I saw him driving, but I then saw his wife and two sons getting out. He had this huge handlebar moustache - nearly as big as the Jag, and he was nowhere to be seen. When he was prosecuted for driving under the affluence of incahol he said his secretary was driving him. In the light of my own experience I believed him. Whatever the press said about him he was a good constituency MP. He was nice to all his constituents even the underage ones. At a garden party at a neighbouring vicarage he shook my hand. I was only 5 or so and in fact the parish was a mile into the next county and constituency and there wasn't an election in the offing.

Addresses became so important in such a short timespan. And universal suffrage too. It was amazing that the Speaker's conference in 1917 could happen at all, and when anti suffrage people left the committee, the speaker appointed pro suffrage replacements, even though he himself was anti. I can't help feeling that the job of Speaker wears down political affiliations. The last Speaker was a Tory and became notably unbiased. I see signs of this one changing too.

Hi ya...

' not really keeping up here... Damn pooter seems to have invented all sorts of Losses/Stopping/deleting... but I'm trying to pick it up again...
Not seen a Fire set as a demonstration of fire fighting - but as a kid (5 yr old?) I was taken to an RAF display that showed spitfires (Spitfires don't "Bomb") destroying a house ....The "House" was made of canvas in a field in RAF Hornchurch. I was very unimpressed. ... in fact, I didn't see any point at all I certainly didn't realise it was a raid?

The "pretty girl " Spirit of Ecstacy" was said to be "more than a secretary" ..... I have no idea what a 19xx (-whatever the year) it was secretary would do, but as other workers drew nearer she was (allegedly - what do I know: I wasn't there) "In the position of Missionary" ..... in Brabazon Towers, or Montague House....).

Yup, the press could (probably still could) destroy a reputation if it suited their bank accounts. Two of my NHS jobs included 1) using an office that Queen Victoria's errant son used and was accused of being "Jack of Whitechapel),
and 2) getting organised 250 years of Medical Records in a Hospital in Whitechapel??? that A detective tutor had an interest in "Jack".(The Duke seems innocent).

Another lovely day. People are longing for rain and my pots need water. I only water the garden sporadically because I want the plants to survive not get addicted to the stuff.

I've never thought that Prince Eddy was involved. Probably did a lot of things he shouldn't but was more likely to have been a slaughterman. there were plenty of other nutters around, including the Creep who got his kicks from causing as much pain and suffering before death.

Victoria (The Queen, not the Spice Girl) was a parent to Duke of Clarence, Not Eddie. (Clarence was based on the Town of Claire, in Suffolk). HM had a Police Detective to follow his moves to trace any "unofficial" Royal Successors, so the Teck was the Coachman who lived in the Basement. The proprietor of the House was a painter (Sickert, the Younger), who used one (front room) for himself as a Studio, and Clarence and his Ladies were using the back (but still top floor) room.
That house had previously been used by other important persons e.g., The "poor house" Manager that Dickens took action against re improper management of funds.... I'm not certain if the "Poor home" may have been the one I knew as the Nurses Home.
Dickens Himself started Life at the Poorer end on the street - beyond the err - no let's not go there - but as a Kid (said to be when ten yrs old) had to work - putting labels on bootblacking bottles (where The Post office Tower now stands) Because Dickens Dad was doing Porrage for Debt, thus Dickens had to work.

A Police College Tutor came to me when I was involved in The Medical records of the London (latterly the Royal London) Hospital. I wasn't telling him anything (You wouldn't believe how crude the earliest records were ... A Book with one line for each patient .. Date, Surgeons Name. Limb removed, Patient's occupation - Not even his/her name). There was also a Bell (remember Whitechapel Bell foundry - said to be the oldest business still going on the same site was only a stones throw away), to be clanged when Porters were summoned to hold the Patient dowm..... (what reliable anaesthetic was available 250 years earlier?)

The Prime Suspect of Jack (100 years too-late, 1873). was the Wife of Jacks last Victim... Yes, I know, the name of "Mary" as victim came up twice, but it seems that when a merchant sailor came into the pub straight after getting paid would ask for "Mary", any spare Lady needing money would .......

In his resultant book (one of many) the Detective Instructor listed the last four addresses of "The man the Police College students would have Liked to have Interviewed" .
1) The Somme
2) The home for retired London Irish "Great War" injured Officers in Sydney Street (Yup the Same Sydney Street of Churchill's fame/infamy as Home Sec fame).
3) The Third storey of The London Hospital (Just below Edith Cavell's Bungalow on the roof?)
4) and his current address: The London Irish resting place for Injured Officers of The Great War, in The City of London Cemetary, Manor Park....So He won't be charged.

Jacks first name was John, He had been a Cost Controller on Lord Liverpool's extension of Liverpool Street station (to Demolish The "Bedlam" and extend the GER Bishopsgate station into The City), but got the sack for Fiddling the books (He was an Educated man - He could read/write/and calculated the Bank accounts), but His poor parents needed money, so left, got married, and earned his living as a Fish Gutter in one of the London Markets - Damn useful to have been involved in the Great Eastern railway bringing in Lowestoft/yarmouth Fish to London???