Spitalfields Walk

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We joined up with 21 other members of the Buckinghamshire branch of the Cambridge Society outside the Aldgate tube station at 11:15 for a walking tour of Spitalfields. The tour was led by Stan Pretty. Stan is the playwright/actor/theatre director who led previous tours of Southwark and Stratford upon Avon. He is a clear, confident and literate speaker, a lively but urbane raconteur of London history and literary heritage, and a professional guide.

The area has a rich history, having seen many waves of immigration: French Huguenot Silk Weavers, the Irish, Jews fleeing C19th pogroms, Socialist Intellectuals, Bangladeshis fleeing poverty, civil war and inundation. It has Hawksmoor’s Christchurch and Art Deco architectural gems. It is also the birthplace of some of the most well established charities and similar organisations of today.

Stan related a few stories about Jack the Ripper as we walked around. Only a few because he was unhappy with some of the Jack the Ripper tours, and this was not a Jack the Ripper tour.

Lunch, which should have been taken at the Pride of Spitalfields pub was taken at the White Hart. A couple of pints of Spitfire, and lots of good unhealthy sausages, port pies, chicken wings etc.

It was an interesting walk in a place I would not normally go to. I now know where to go for a Curry in Bangali. We see how a building turned from a Methodist church, to a Synagogue and know to a Mosque. We see how the one poor falling down buildings and streets are now expensive homes for City workers.

A few of the places visited were:

Toynbee Hall Opened in 1884 to educate and politicise poor local immigrants. Toynbee Hall continues to offer community advice, alongside performance spaces and the Arts Café.

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Established in 1570 and the oldest manufacturing company in the UK, this is where Big Ben and Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell were cast.

Christ Church Built 1714-1729 by Nicholas Hawksmoor, this church’s beauty and lofty spire was designed to impress the locals and show them that Anglicanism was the most heavenly of denominations

St Botolph’s Church A haven of peace dedicated to the patron saint of travellers – Botolph is sometimes called ‘the English St Christopher’. A church has stood at this spot for over a thousand years, the present building dating from 1744. Author Daniel Defoe got married at this church. There are four St Botolph’s Churchs in London. One on each main exit out of London. St Botolph is the patron Saint of Travellers.

I will have a few pictures of the area in the next few weeks.

Royal Ascot

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This Wednesday we both took the day off from work and went to Royal Ascot for the Second Day of Racing.

We met up with the others at the Plough and Anchor for breakfast at 9.30 and left in the coach at 10.30. We got a bit slowed down by traffic at Ascot but arrived in the car park at about 12.45. Out came the wine and luncheon. Jake had provided us with beef, smoked Salmon, chicken and ham. It was a veritable feast.

Then we were off to the racecourse, where we watched the first two races from the rail in the Grandstands. Bet on Ann Summers Two in the second race. It came in fourth.

Next two races we watched from the paddocks, hoping to get a glimpse of the Queen. She passed by us when our backs were turned. Here it was fascinating watching the owners, jockeys, and trainers in the Paddocks and Winners enclosure. All the men were wearing the top hats and grey morning dress (well except the jockeys).

Last two races we met up with the group again at the rail. Placed a bet on Mana d’Argent in the fifth race. No idea where that horse came in, and in the seventh placed a bet on Sky Galaxy. Third at the last furlong, and then it too faded. Not a great success.

We went straight back to the coach to finish the food. On the way back Rosemary asked one of the limo drivers for a look into his car. It was quite fabulous. He said there were 5000 stretched limos registered in the UK. There must have been a very high proportion of them here. He had come from Nottingham. 

At the coach we set up for our evening meal. More of the lunch with Pimms, G&Ts wine beer. We were having great time.

The evening was spoilt by what I consider was some very heavy-handed Thames Valley police action. There was quite a few police in our car park, which contained only 30 coaches. They all seem friendly and some were actually from Aylesbury. We had spoken to them, and had pictures taken with them and their police horses. Near by was one coach which had set up a disco, we had moved over there to take part in some dancing. While we were there it seems a couple tripped over and fell to the ground. Instantly the police where there, including the horses breaking up the event. Some 20 police had appeared from nowhere.

So we took the hint that the party was at an end and departed. Back on the coach we soon left and made a stop on the way home for some additional drinks at a pub.

Left again at 10.45 and back at the P&A at 12.30. The long journey time home was because we got lost coming home. For some reason we seemed to be driving around Reading at one stage. I think some instructions to the coach driver by over enthusiastic navigators got us on the wrong road.

Pond survey

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In the morning we set off to survey some of the ponds in the Grendon Underwood parish. This is part of council run biodiversity initiative. We planned to visit five ponds on a walk to the highest and furthest point of the parish, Finemere Hill. All the ponds, bar one were now overgrown and contained mature trees. It was obvious they had been ponds, but were no longer ponds. At Finemere Hill there was a very nice pond, about 20 meters in size. It had been used by cattle for water, as there was a slope down into the pond for that purpose.

Afterwards it was back home for a BBQ and wine in the Garden.

Gonville and Caius May Week Party

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The weather forecast for Saturday predicted thunderstorms, clearing latter in the day. Not the best for an outdoor buffet lunch. In fact it turned out to be high cloud, which cleared before midday giving us a nice sunny day.

We arrived at Harvey Court, Gonville and Cauis College in plenty of time to park the car. Walked through Kings college to the town and parked the car. It is wonderful to say you are a member of the University and thus are able to go where ever you like. We had a coffee and then went on to the May Week Party in the college.

The trees in Tree Court had grown magnificently and they were now creating a canopy over the pathway. We had a champagne reception, followed by a very good buffet meal. We chatted to a number of people, some from college, the Bursar and parents who had their offspring at the college. One couple had a house in Crickhowel, Wales and could see the paragliders from their window. Another couple from who originated in Guernsey said their daughter came to Cambridge because she could not possible go to a college and University her parents attended, they had been to Oxford. Chris Finden-Browne from my year was in attendance with his son Fergus.

After the reception we visited the new library. The building was in the old schools and had been bought from the University. It was designed by C.R. Cockerell and completed in 1840. The design was based upon some Temple Of Apollo. The pillars inside the building were all monoliths. Down stairs the old books were housed, some of these were hand written books from the 1349. Upstairs was the working library and the reading room, all fitted out with Internet connections. The college completed modernising and renovating the building in 1997 to a very high standard. This tour lasted longer than scheduled and we missed the Bursars talk and headed straight for tea in the Masters Garden. This was beautiful quiet and secluded spot in the middle of the city.

After tea is was back home for a pint.

Kingswood and Wotton Tug of War

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Monday we had the tug of war over Tetchwick Brook between Wotton Underwood and Kingswood. We had lovely weather and a good turn out for the match.

Kingswood men won their match winning 2 pulls to Wotton’s 0.

Kingswood women lost to Wotton, despite their win on the first pull, which was disqualified when a count shouted 12 Kingswood women and only 8 Wotton women.

Kingswood Juniors won their match 2 pulls to 1.

Wotton provided an endless BBQ of burgers and sausages, which never seemed to stop. Kingswood provided the bar of Hook Norton beer, wine and various other liquids. 

Thanks to all the people who organised this event: George Stanton for getting the beer & for organizing the Aunt Sally; Austin Lovell for umpiring the tug of war; Annie Stanton, Graham and Fran for running the bar; the wonderful work put in by the Wotton team on the BBQ and the two field owners who valiantly lent their fields and moved the livestock out.There was a free for all Welly Wanging match, while Austin organised a race for the children across the Brook, round a tree on the far-side and back. The children all arrived back unbelievably muddy and wet, some of the small ones were still scrambling up the sides of the opposite bank when they were overtaken by triumphant returning competitors.

Afterwards we had a buffet supper of cold display plus Thai chicken curry in The Plough and Anchor provided by landlord Paul Ring. A lovely end to a great Bank Holiday.

Edinburgh RBS

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Quick trip to Edinburgh with EasyJet today. Made a long day of it, up at 5.30 in the morning and back home at 21.00. Did not see much of the place, sat in a windowless room all day in meetings at RBS

Hook Norton Brewery

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Today the Plough and Anchor drinkers decamped to Hook Norton for a brewery visit. The brewery still operates a steam engine to power the water pumps, grain hoists and milling machines. The whole place is a wonderful piece of Victorian engineering, and much of this is still operated.

I intend going back there during the day when the machinery is in operation.

After the visit we had a few drinks in the brewery visitor centre, and then onto another pub for sandwiches and chips.

Cambridge Society Ironbridge Weekend

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We had a long weekend with the Berkshire branch of the Cambridge Society. Thirty-five of us met up for a visit to the Severn Valley Railway, and Iron Bridge.

First we met up at the Wenlock Edge Inn near to the market town of Wenlock. Had an excellent baguette for lunch and a pint of Hobsons. Afterwards there was a geological walk along the Wenlock ridge for the able people, and a visit around Wenlock and the priory for those not so able. I had to succumb to the leg and visited the priory.

Afterwards we went back and booked into the hotel in Telford, had drinks, dinner and a presentation of the local geology by Peter Worsley, professor from Oxford University.

The next day was a tour around Bridgenorth, highlights were the castle, as seen by Time Team, the church and the ride on the Cliff railway. Next it was on to the Severn Valley Railway and a tour of Country Park, led by a very articulate and enthusiastic guide who had set up the park.

Back at the hotel it was time for dinner, and then a talk about Ironbridge by Ken Jones, a guide and author of an Ironbridge book.

Sunday was a tour of Ironbridge; we started with the Coalbrookedale Museum of Iron and then Darby House. Abraham Darby was the first person to smelt iron with coke instead of charcoal. He started this in Coalbrookdale. Another Darby, Abraham Darby the Third built the first to build an iron bridge.

After this we went and walked over the Ironbridge, and then had lunch in Mrs Peacock’s Pantry.

The afternoon was spent in Blists Hill. This is a museum located on another mining and smelting site. The museum has also been set up to recreate a village. People recreating the feel of the house inhabited each house. These people interacted with the visitors, and in the shops also traded with the visitors. We visited here 10 years ago. It had changed over the time, and was well worth the visit. 

Pictures and a full write up in a few weeks.

Much thanks to the organiser Catherine Side.