Alt.Mustardland

Hi there - Been a bit "tied up"- Are you OK?

Yes. I'm fine. I had written a long screed only to lose it because I was going to check something and got side tracked so didn't post it. I came out of a meeting last Wednesday, posted my brother's birthday card and promptly lost my balance and fell in the middle of the road in the village. I was rescued by the rector and a churchwarden who were more worried I'd be run over than how heavy I was. I was invited to a friend's house for a cup of tea and spent a happy hour getting to know each other a lot better.

I still remember the coronation. It was so exciting. The first big 'Do' since VJ day. The news of the climbing of Mount Everest and the party in the orchard next to the Parish Hall. There was a strong man contest with the longest hold of the anvil, and the Tug of War. Things for the men to enjoy. Nowadays the women would do all that while the men would dress up as fairies, all to vocal applause.

Well... Glad that someone picked you up from the road. Hope you are unscathed and OK now.

It was 18 months to organise the Coronation after the King Died, Like many Londoners, web Lived in a New estate with so many 6 to 8 yr olds. Houses were built without schools - until Coaches were organised to take us to Romford (I still remember the Coach escort Ladies from my road - their sons became well know "Proffesional" sportsmen - Names likr Hurst, and Peters and some Snooker bloke - if you think that playing a game is a proper Profesional wage-earning job). But a local school was built but very few TV, thus I was in a neighbours house to watch the Coronation... No idea where the Tables came from, but I think they were actually in the road,not pavement (Gulp). The nearby neighbour (The Dustman) organised the Street party.

Then back to school on Monday to write a "Composition" of the event - two girls got a rollicking for not finding someones TV to view the event, and had to write their Composition on whatever they were doing that was so important that they missed the event. One of those girls was the Daughter of a Merchant seamen, who had died at war at sea before she was born. Not a wealthy house so no TV to watch.

A man that later worked with (and Later still, He was the "Clients man" at a Hospital job I did) was Just Leaving the Army at that time (To be present to see the effect of men on a ship watching nuclear bomb testing), but had got a Job in London as a Policeman leading up to the Coronation... He Did a Beat Patrol, got lost in the smog, and managed to find a Police (Dr. Who type) phone box to phone for Directions. I wonder why my brain keeps remembering things of no matter - Oh, I know - He told of the time taken to plan the Coronation in those penny-pinching days.

They had two films of the Coronation alleged to be identical except that the colour of the velvet on the Crown was more purple than the other. We were asked which one we were taken to see from our school. We voted to see both, and to our great surprise we went to both films. I think in our little Worcestershire town they were all very excited and said "Why not?" Maybe only one was a school trip but we were encouraged to go and take our parents. Back then, after all the privations, and rationing was more severe in the aftermath of the war, we took the view that we should always aim for the impossible and get back to a better life. The NHS was always impossible like the flight of the bumblebee, but it carries on anyway. There was a lot to arrange, but I still think 68 years later that it was worth every penny. We were so hopeful.

I had been to the Festival of Britain with my mother, sister and brother and it was amazing. We weren't rich but as well as the Festival we went to see the Mikado at the Savoy theatre and a film about soldiers returning on the going home train. We saw Scott of the Antarctic at the Festival but went to Regent's Park Zoo where I lost my new Macintosh. Probably took it off when the sun came out and left it on a bench.

Was Geoff Hurst from your school? And Martin Peters? If you're good at something and people will pay you to do it, it's a job.

Festival of Britain .... I didn't see you there.

I Do remember thre tram to get there. So much bomb damage remained to be repaired, and I saw that House Cellars of destroyed houses extended under the paving and road - I Hope that is was imaginaion that the cellar was not actually under the Rails which seemed to be left unsupported in the air. There was also an underground few yards of tram (Holborn perhaps), and resurfaced under a Thames bridge where the roadbridge continued over the Embankment Road. (Still North of The Thames, of course). The NEWS(?) was that the exit from the tunnel had its track change to curve East instead of West (or vise-versa). The only imprvement to the London tram service since long before the war (and the Last).

I remember the Skylon - but no idea what it did?

I think it was the time of Brumas, (Born 1950, I think) The only Polar Bear to be born in Captivity, in London Zoo. and seen by Prince Charles before the Populace saw his Furriness.;

Hurst, Peters, - one of them was the son of Mr and Mrs Managers of Romford Co-oP (Not Certain of Mrs Barnes Son), but I think the other of our School coach couriers was Higgins - and He was a stalwart of The Billiard Table in Romford. Howard Barnes WAS in my school and class but the other two may have been a year younger.

It was what is now called an installation. a cigar shaped object which like the economy at the time, had "no visible means of support". I don't remember seeing it, but in those days i could never see the wood for the trees. I watched the film "The Dig" about the Sutton Hoo discoveries at Woodbridge this morning, which on the recommendation of a friend turned out to be better than expected. I may add it to the itinerary of my trip to the Wild East after the schools go back in September.

Had an intruder in the night. A little Kitten, about the size of ones hand. I have at last found its home (but not convinced that such a tiny moggy should be away from his Mum and was given Growed-up Catfood). ...but quite adventurous to climb the fences, and gained entry via Ginger George's previously forced entry...?
The Skylon was alledgedly something to do with Weather forcasting - but no idea what was inside it.It had a number of "outward leaning" poles with wires positioning the thing. with no dirct contact wiith the ground and nothing above it.

I hope Ginger George was not offended. Glad you found his proper home. He'll be back I expect so a little kitten food might come in useful.

I've been looking for wild swimming locations in my home county for a friend, but unless you can talk to the locals, even promising sites can have their drawbacks. We have the Bristol channel about half a mile away, but I haven't been tempted. I'd rather sample the Royal Bath in the city of the same name.

George was not offended. The last interloper (a Growed-up cat) had george cowerring - I think his great age has been made him less warlike, But, he did come sniffing all over his domain when I'd got rid of the tiddler.

I know NOTHING about swimming, but doesn't Someone (Redbookish or Bearhug,I think) go in for Rough swimming, over in Paranormal "are we OK?"

Has Your Queen's Birthday Honour yet arrived - Mine seems to have got lost in the post.

I haven't had mine either. Maybe it got lost behind the new wallpaper in No 10.

I went up to Church this morning. It was my turn to lead the intercessions. The Rector's wife remarked how they always fit in with the sermon. Always written by different people with no idea of what the rector is going to say.

I hen went shopping. Even though I'd parked in the shade, the car was hot inside. I got what I wanted in Tesco Minehead, but took a detour and called at the ice Cream van on the sea front road at Blue Anchor but they didn't have any coffee ice cream. It's made by Styles on a local dairy farm, so I said "I'll just go home then" so I did. I haven't got a freezer or I'd make my own. The best I ever made was blackberry from berries I picked in the park. I had to leave mine behind when I moved and the remover bought it from me. It looked just right in the shop but when it arrived it seemed to be half as big again. Downsizing isn't for sissies.

Icecream is a worry... As A kid I was always taught that Rossi (of Southend) was always good for me... and then .... The Italian Rossi passed the various businesses to his descendants who developed their own Recipe... Then a new outfit took it over to set up a Factory (and seems to be distributed by Walls - Yup, I know "walls has ears", but the walls brand might have NO ears in its recipe. but its a poor second place). and yes ... I worked for Walls at one time[*], so I'm cautious with them.
The Other Southend Ice cream, (Tomassi) was from their Tea rooms, and thus closed during Lockdown.
If I become brave enough to face the punch-ups at Southend (two murders this week) to try it...

I must find a map - afraid I did some "Tidying up" and can't find a damn thing I believe that Minehead is on a North-facing Coast, Well away from Mr Biden and the Convoys of (UK) Police (mostly from Scotland I believe) getting in everybody's way.

[*]PS. The bit about "walls have ears" referred to the Pork Pie Factory - And remember those Cinema ice-cream cardboard cups "Contains non-milk fat" - it was Lard.

Walls was pretty disgusting ice cream. I was disenchanted by the age of 9. Having sensitive teeth helped. I did like the choc ices at the cinema. They are 10 for £1 now.

I used to have coffee ice cream at the Kardomah. A coffee house in Birmingham. The Ice cream had little pieces of ice in it. The ice cream in a parlour in Ludlow was similar, so perhaps it was there that the death knell sounded for Walls as far as my custom was concerned. I discovered Baskin Robbins which operated on the ground floor of my dentist surgery. They offered Mocha Almond Fudge so I went there often, but not so often to the dentist. I was visiting North Berwick in about 2006, along the coast from Edinburgh which was having a festival that I was avoiding on grounds of expense and all round cleverness. I saw an Ice cream wheelbarrow/bicycle and found the nice boy in attendance only had one version, vanilla. He explained it was a family firm with its own recipe. Italian of course. Real Vanilla, ice pieces. I was converted to tolerate vanilla if it was the real thing, but hated it for a long time.

T. Sidoli in Shrewsbury had good ices too. We'd go in for coffee though when I was at college in 1961.

Minehead is on the North Coast. I live between Watchet and Minehead, in a house facing the hills and countryside. I love coming round a corner and seeing the sea on the horizon, or through the trees by the roadside. I was born in a land locked county and a trip to the seaside would involve getting up insanely early to catch the coach, taking a picnic to eat on the shingle beach at Aberystwyth. The excitement of the moment when the mountains parted to give a corner of silvery blue on the horizon is one that I treasure. Seeing the sea all the time would deprive it of its charm I think. Another magical vista that I love is going over Clows Top in Worcestershire and seeing Titterstone Clee Hill in the distance. I grew up under that hill, and love it.

Should I mention This.... Sometime after the Walls job, I did some work for Joe Lyons - originally a Tea-maker/blender, and Latterly Good Value cooked Lunches in their Tea Rooms, Then inventors of Computer usage for stock control EE-Leo-Marconi, and then Icecream, Bread, Cakes "Ready brek" porage, Sugar substitute sweetner, and, and, and...
Tea used to arrive via Lighter from East India Dock via Brentford Lock, canalled to their own Basin - A dock under a roof extension from the warehouse. All sold off now - Tea (all the Supermarket brands) now supplied mostly by Yorkshire Tea, and Tetley the brewer; Icecream by a new outfit, Kelly; Readybrek-porage to Nestle. Blend 37 coffee(and I think was also to Nestle. But Oh Woe! The "Good Tea" sold only to the Trade - transport cafe mostly - Had a name something like Corona (nothing to do with that name used elsewhere)- 4" square tea bag to make a gallon of tea from a "still" steam producer (and better than anything else I've tasted)

I still remember the tea blending used Double the strength one would make at home - lots of slurping rather than swallowing, then changing one of the blend ingredients - varied by date, which side of the Tea gardens Hill, the weather etc.

I remember that the Tea blenders took tea breaks, but the Coffee blender never had a coffee break.

Maybe the coffee blenders did what I was taught to do. Grinding individual roasted beans between their teeth to get the true taste. Java is muscular and rich. Mocha is round and Gamey, Kenya is smooth and mild. I like full flavoured without bitterness, so Central American and Caribbean don't get anywhere with me. Tea is probably more variable but I get the best with Assam.

Nestle are so blatant with their total commitment to the bottom line that I decided to boycott them completely. I had to sacrifice Shredded Wheat, but otherwise am fine with substitutes.

I had a rehearsal this morning. My viola sounds very good. It's much better than the first one I bought, and being slightly smaller is easier to play. The Hymns are nicer this time and we're also playing Mozart and Handel.

That has taken four attemts to get here - I keep being told that my Name is already taken?

Bravo! I assume that I can simply forget my password then I can set a new one or reuse the one I was trying to use before.

Well, I have a Password dating back since .... errr... When did the Old King Die? Just that its use on different posts have necessitated other passwords (e.g. someone used my name to advertise some get-rich-quick advert), but this is the only one I remember.. But It was my User Name, not password, that firstly couldn't be found, and then that somebody (i.e. ME) was using it.

Thank you for finding the board name, - Alt Mustardland - that's the bit I couldn't remember.

But now that I'm here ..... nothing happening Just Quiet, Raining, Cold, Moribund, Hapless.
Your Ref to Church Music reminds me of a long-ago friend. I was "link-man" for a Social Club ("Spare Time Club"), When I called her she was on a "Sponsered Sing" ...? A Gang from her choir ("The Harlow Chorus" unknown to me, but apparantly quite famous - Think "Albert Hall" and reciprocal Travel with USA) - Her gang were on a Barge, singing their way down The Stort from Stortford.....
She and her Group were deeply involved with Church singing (Bach = fine; modern composers = not so). She was also A Nun, in "The Sound of Music".... She nearly missed her Cue - Busy marking her day-jobs Schoolwork.

What Fired her Memory was thinking about an "old Girls/Gezzers" equiv of "The Spare Time club", but I don't think it would work today. I think we all used to "so" things then.

I'll stop there - You have suffered enough.
Washing up, Bath and Bed I think.. I'm supposed to be helping someone with a report (well, she helps me), but it needs "Fresh Eyes", as my old colleague would say, in the morn....
Thanks again for finding me.
Goodnight.

I have so many books to provide passwords along with random numbers. Capitals can be popped in at weird places too. To ring the changes any word of more than 7 letters can be used.

There is some good modern Church music, which I have heard at 3 Choirs Festival concerts. John Rutter, Judith Weir and others. Singing on boats is fun. I sang when we were on a canal holiday, and going through a long tunnel, I forget which one, I sang For those in peril on the sea. I chose it for my Ma in Law's funeral as she was with us on the narrowboat and would have enjoyed the joke.

Your mention of the River Stort made me go and look it up on the map. Not physically, Google maps was here to hand. This was because of a character in a book called Bedwyn Stort, who anyone would be lucky to call a friend. I had a Birthday meeting with family in a village called Great Bedwyn a few years ago, but hadn't encountered this fine river which wanders through the Home Counties, splits and reunites then augments the River Lea which behaves much the same only more so before joining the Thames with a sigh. Thank you for introducing us.

I think The Stort starts in Bedfordshire (Luton, Maybe) but at some point south of Harlow Becomes the Lee. I must find your map.
However.... As part of my "De-cluttering" Policy, I found an OS Section of East London - Terrific detail, but included my Chilhood Home, and infant school. But it was dated 1913. Some Sections are Older... My Grandad moved into that home in 1910, just in time for the Ten-year Census and the photo's of the time showed it to be Very Tidy.. I think it went wrong in the 1940,s When the Railings (Built atop a 3ft high wall) were snaffled as War salvage, so it seems that was when the Privat-hedges were extended in hieght, virtually Hiding The Dining room window a few feet away. However, The Map shows Houses that I know to have been Bombsites, and running off the map where I knew Prefab's to be.

I was trying to trace the Route that My Old Mum took me in my pushchair to the Lea Bridge Road Shops.... I can't trace it as I thought it to be... The Lea Bridge Road was where the Lee rejoined The Hackney Cut - which oddly was where a Factory that I worked in was build adjacent to The Cut (That Factory built more cars, busses, lorries and aircraft in the world ... yes, honest .... Oh, and a Coronation Coach, but the other vehicles were sold in Matchboxes?).

I'm Guessing there must have been a later bridge in my time and some new build (or Bodging of bomb damage) - The Power staion was on my Right on the opposite side of the river, but not in the 1913 map - My side had the Tow path for the Barge Hosses... delivering Coal to Lectric and Gas utilities from The Thames Docks.. It was also where the LNER Shunting Yards once stood (all night clanging of loose coupled wagons Shunting to keep me awake... and Latterly when a Japanese railway had their shiny new depot to ferry Eurostar passengers to the Stratford Olympics (Is now The Eurostar new Depot after a Certain Pollytition Scrapped all my lovely International Sleepers - full size, not Matchbox ones - they had long gone.

Oh yes: another thing - in 1910, those Marshes were "watercress Beds" by the 1913 map thet were Recreation Grounds. MY mum used to tell me of their Spaniel dog would follow the Sheep around, pre 1940, but In my time (apart from the odd Kids Plaground slides and swings) it was all Allotments - some concentrated in Heaps of Bombsite detritus (that I thought had been built for us kids to play on).