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In certain species of birds, what is the name of the pouch used for temporarily storing food? | Bird Digestion
BIRD DIGESTION
FOOD'S TRIP THROUGH A BIRD:
bill
rectum
cloaca
A typical bird's digestive tract is usually considered to consist of the parts listed at the right. You know what the bill, mouth and tongue are. The
pharynx
(FAIR-ingx) is the part between the mouth and the esophagus, much involved with swallowing. The
esophagus
is the tube leading down from the pharynx.
THE CROP:
Not present in all birds, the crop serves more or less as a "doggy bag" when the bird eats. Notice the crop in the picture above. Let's say you're a Song Sparrow and you discover a weed just loaded with delicious-looking seeds, but the weed grows in the open. If you flit into the open area to eat the weed's seeds, you're making yourself vulnerable to predators who want to eat you. What to do?
What you do is to flit into the open and gobble up those seeds far faster than any stomach could possibly handle them, then fly to safety. You can do this because of your crop. For, as you cram in those seeds, a few at first go straight to the gut but, when that fills, further seeds begin detouring to the bag-like crop. Once the crop is full of seed, you fly to your favorite perch, and now there's not much to do but let your stomach digest. As those first seeds in the stomach begin working their way through the rest of the body, seeds stored in the crop automatically refill the stomach. If someday you pick up a bird, perhaps one that has flown into a window and you want to save it from the cat, if that bird has recently eaten, you well may be able to feel the crop in the chest area, feeling like a bag filled with grit right below the feathers.
Actually, specialists in the field of bird guts would want to insist that some birds have real crops, other birds have "pseudocrops," and that there are other croplike variations, but we don't want to get too confused so we'll just leave it at that.
THE TWO-CHAMBERED STOMACH:
The proventriculus:
The stomach is an amazing affair consisting of two chambers. The proventriculus is the first chamber. It secretes an acid for breaking down food, and is best developed in birds that swallow entire fish and other animals containing bones which must be digested. If you know a little chemistry, you'll know how amazing it is that bird stomach-acid can have a pH as low as 0.2. In most of North America there's a kind of bird known as a shrike, which eats small animals, especially rodents and songbirds. A shrike's well developed first stomach-chamber can digest an entire mouse in only three hours!
The gizzard:
The bird stomach's second chamber is known as the gizzard. If you've ever eaten a chicken gizzard you know how tough and rubbery it is. To accomplish what the gizzard does, it absolutely must be tough, for the gizzard's main function is to grind and digest tough food. Though the gizzard consists of very powerful muscles, it alone can't pulverize everything the typical bird eats; you know how hard uncooked rice and corn kernels are, and these aren't even considered hard types of grain.
OWL PELLETS
products of a special gizzard
Several hours after an owl eats, the fur, bones, teeth & feathers of its prey still in the gizzard are compressed into a pellet the same shape as the gizzard. In the above photo you can see white bones enmeshed in a mass of fur and feathers. Once formed, the pellet moves up from the gizzard to the proventriculus, where it remains for up to 10 hours before being regurgitated. Owls can't eat while a fully formed pellet is present, blocking the digestive track. When an Owl is ready to produce a pellet it usually closes its eyes, gets a funny luck in its face, doesn't want to fly and, when the pellet is ready to come out, the beak is opened and the pellet simply drops out. Other birds of prey, such as hawks, also produce pellets but the owl's digestive juices are less acidic than those of other birds of prey, so there is more material present to form a pellet. The pellet above is from a Barn Owl found in a barn near my own home.
Something other than muscle power is needed. This "something else" is acquired when grain- eating birds pick up grit and small rocks as they peck seeds from the ground.
This mineral matter accumulates in the gizzard, and ultimately the gizzard grinds the particles against the seeds, smashing them. Turkey gizzards can actually pulverize English walnuts and steel needles! Bird species that eat softer food possess less well developed gizzards. In some species, the gizzard remains small and insignificant during the summer when the diet consists of soft food such as flesh, insects, or fruit, but it grows more powerful during the winter when seeds are the main food. Since birds eat such a wide variety of foods, you can imagine that variations on the stomach theme are many. One of the most elegant is found among grebes, which are very common water-birds you're bound to see if you visit local lakes or the seashore. Grebes swallow their own feathers, which accumulate in the region between the gizzard and the intestine following it. This feather-clogged zone then serves as a filter for sharp fish bones that somehow make it past the stomach.
BEYOND THE STOMACH:
| Crop |
Buried in Highgate in London and subsequently immortalised in economic and social theory, who wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848? | Glossary
Glossary
Abdomen: Ventral part of the bird; belly.
Aberrant: Atypical; an aberrant bird differs strikingly in some aspect from most individuals of its species.
Acacia: Deciduous trees in the genus Acacia. In Africa these are thorny, with bipinnately compound leaves (each leaf is again divided into small leaflets) and small powderpuff�like or elongated flowers.
Accipiter: A woodland bird of prey that hunts other birds by chasing them through trees. Accipiters have short, fat wings and a long tail for maneuvering through trees.
Activity Range: The area over which a bird regularly carries on its affairs.
Adaptation: A special physical or behavioural ability that has allowed a species adjust to a particular way of life.
Addled: (of eggs) Rotten, usually infertile.
Afromontane: Term used for the mountainous ranges across the Afrotropical Region; mostly inland at high altitude and with temperate climate conditions.
Air sac: An expandable, featherless, often brightly colored and textured area on the sides of the neck in some birds; certain grouse and prairie-chickens inflate air sacs in courtship displays. In anatomical usage, the term refers to internal organs connected to the lungs in all birds.
Alate: Winged (usually in reference to winged termites).
Albinism: White plumage and pink soft parts resulting from a complete lack of the pigment melanin.
Alien: Introduced from another part of the world.
Allopatric: The geographical range of one species (or taxon) not overlapping with that of another, similar, species (or taxon). (See also parapatric and sympatric).
Allopreening: Preening of one bird by another.
Alternate plumage: In most bird species, the plumage worn during the breeding season; often more vividly colored and patterned than the nonbreeding (or basic) plumage, particularly in males.
Altitudinal migrant: A bird that moves seasonally from one altitude to another, usually from high-altitude breeding grounds in summer to low-altitude non-breeding grounds in winter.
Altitudinal migration: Seasonal movements from one altitude to another, usually from high-altitude breeding grounds in summer to lower altitudes in winter.
Altricial: Describes a young bird that is more or less helpless at hatching and has to be fed in the nest by adults (see Precocial).
Alula: Usually four small feathers found on a bird's 'thumb' (first digit), also known as the 'bastard' wing; controls airflow over the leading edge of the wing.
Alular quill coverts: Alular quill coverts are smaller feathers covering the quill of each flight feather. Each wing has primary, secondary and tertiary coverts based on the location of the feather.
Alular quills: Three feathers attached to the alula originating from the base of the primaries. They are essential for low speed flight and aid in coordinated landing and take-off.
Anisodactyl: Foot arrangement with toes 2-4 pointing forwards, toe 1 backwards; found in most birds.
Anting: Bird on ground either lies down, wings and tail spread, allowing ants to crawl over plumage (passive), or picks up ants and rubs them over feathers (active). Function debated: may be to remove stale preening oil (with formic acid produced by ants), or glandular secretions of ants may act as antibiotics, protecting feathers.
Antiphonal: (of song) Given alternately (in duet) by two birds.
Apical: Terminal; refers to the apex or outer end.
Apteria (pl): Unfeathered parts of bird's; body between feather tracts.
Aquatic: Living in or on water.
Arboreal: Living in trees.
Arm: Informal term for the inner portion of the wing between the body and the carpal joint.
Arthropod: Invertebrate with segmented body, jointed limbs and external skeleton (Phylum Arthropoda).
Ascendent: (of flight feather moult) From the outside of a feather tract inwards (e.g. P10 to P1).
Aspect ratio: In birds, the ratio of wing length to wing breadth.
Asynchronous hatching: Staggered hatching of birds in a single clutch (group of eggs), often over several days.
Auriculars: Soft webbed feathers on the side of the bird's head. These feathers overlap the ear and as such are also called ear coverts or ear patch.
Austral: Of the southern hemisphere.
Aviculture: The breeding and raising of birds in captivity; when such species are cross-bred, new “strains,” or types, are sometimes created that do not closely resemble their wild ancestors.
Axillaries: The feathers found where the underwing joins the body (the 'armpit').
Back: The dorsal part of the bird between the base of the wings from the neck to the tail.
Backcross: Offspring resulting from the mating of a hybrid bird with one of its parental species.
Bailkiaea woodland: A broadleaved deciduous woodland type (usually tall), restricted to Kalahari sands and dominated by Baikiaea plurijuga, also known as 'teak' woodland. In the subcontinent mainly found in north-eastern Namibia, northern Botswana and north-western Zimbabwe.
Banding: A research activity in which birds are captured, examined, measured, and banded by having a metal band placed around their leg. Each band has a unique number, so if the bird is ever recaptured or recovered, data can be shared with the original banding station.
Basic plumage: In most bird species, the plumage worn during the nonbreeding season; often less strikingly patterned or coloured than breeding (or alternate) plumage.
Basypterygoid process: Protrusion of skull that prevents pterygoid bones from being disarticulated (e.g. in parrots).
Belly: The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.
Belly band: A streak across the a bird's belly that is either lighter or darker than the main belly colour.
Bib: Informal term for a distinctly pigmented area of the throat, usually a dark patch.
Bill: Birds do not have a mouth like humans, but instead have a bill or a beak. The bill reveals much about the bird’s food and lifestyle.
Binocular vision: Having eyes facing the front of the head so the animal can focus both eyes on an object. Most predators have this type of vision. It helps them be more accurate hunters.
Biotope: A particular area which is substantially uniform in its environmental conditions and its flora and fauna.
Bolus: Soft ball of processed food.
Brachystegia woodland: A broadleaved deciduous woodland type, dominated by leguminous Brachystegia trees (belonging to the Pea family); also known as miombo woodland. In the subcontinent mainly found in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Bracken: The robust fern Pteridium aquilinum that forms dense thickets in montane grassland and forest margins.
Brackish: Characterized by a mixture of salt and fresh water, as found in tidal areas such as bays, lagoons, and marshes.
Breast: Section of a bird’s underparts below the throat and before the belly. Front part of the chest.
Breast band: A contrasting band across the breast.
Breast spot: The breast spot is a small area of contrasting colour on the breast.
Breeding endemic: Species that breeds only in southern Africa, but migrates (at least partially) outside the region in non-breeding season.
Brood parasite: A species that lays its eggs in the nests of other species, which then incubate the eggs and raise the young; the southern African obligate brood parasites are the honeyguides, cuckoos, indigobirds, whydahs and Cuckoo Finch, although some level of facultative interspecific brood parasitism also occurs in some other groups, e.g. waterfowl in the genus Oxyura to which the Maccoa Duck belongs, and intraspecific brood parasitism can also be common, e.g. in colonially nesting weavers.
Brood parasite: Bird that lays its eggs in the nest(s) of other (foster or host) species (e.g. honeyguides, cuckoos, indigobirds, whydahs).
Brood patch: An area on the belly where feathers are shed at the onset of breeding, forming a bare, featherless patch, which is well supplied with blood vessels and used to cover the eggs during incubation.
Brood reduction: Process (several mechanisms) whereby number of eggs/chicks is reduced, producing fewer, but healthier offspring.
Brow line: Line extending from the eye to the base of the maxilla.
Bushveld: An informal, general habitat description referring to areas with mixed trees of moderate height (5 - 10 m), where the trees frequently touch each other below canopy height; sometimes in dense thickets and usually with a grassy groundcover.
Cainism: Process in which older (first-hatched) chick kills younger sibling (see Siblicide).
Call: A usually brief vocalization birds use for contact, alarm, or warning or to solicit feeding, copulation, or gathering.
Cap: A well-defined patch of colour or bare skin on the top of the head.
Carnivorous: Flesh-eating birds (usually fresh or live as opposed to carrion). Raptors (hawks and owls) are carnivorous birds.
Carpal joint: The joint found between the 'arm' (ulna/radius) and the 'hand' (carpometacarpus) of the wing.
Carpal patch: A well-defined patch of colour on the underwing in the vicinity of the carpal joint.
Caruncle: Fleshy growth on head.
Casque: Horny ridge on upper mandible of horn bills.
Centrifugal: (of tail moult) From the centre outwards.
Centripetal: (of tail moult) From outside inwards.
Cere: Bare wax-like or fleshy structure at the base of the bill; found in raptors, doves and parrots; (See Operculum).
Cheek: Located between the lore, eye, auricular and the lower mandible.
Chest: Also called the breast area, it is the frontal area on the body containing the breastplate and major flight muscles.
Chin: The area of the face just below the bill. Informal term for the uppermost part of a bird’s throat, adjacent to the mandible.
Clinal: Showing gradual change in a character from one end of a species’ (or population’s) range to the other; this change typically is correlated with an environmental gradient, and forms at the endpoints may appear strikingly different.
Cline: Gradual geographic change in size or colour or other biological attributes.
Cloaca: Birds do not have two separate cavities for excrement and reproduction like humans do. In birds, there is one entrance/exit that suits both functions. It is also called anus or vent.
Cloacal kiss: This term is analogous to sexual intercourse in humans. It is used to describe copulation between birds.
Cock's nest: Open, nest-like structure added to ball-shaped nest (e.g. to roof of waxbill nest); function may be to decoy predators from true nest or to provide male with roost site.
Collar: Similar to the upper part of the human neck, located at the back of the crown. A well-defined band of colour that encircles or partly encircles the neck.
Colony: In birds, usually a group of the same species nesting together in close proximity; some birds, especially terns, herons, and egrets, nest in colonies comprised of several species, and some birds nest in widely scattered colonies.
Colour morph: Different plumage colour and pattern, usually without intermediates, within a single interbreeding population, unrelated to season, sex or age (and less correctly also known as 'colour phase'), e.g. Mountain Wheatear and Olive Bush Shrike.
Comb: Only found in male birds and consists of a coloured area over the eye. A well developed comb can also signal (sexual) health to a potential mate.
Commensal: Living together with another animal or plant from which benefit (e.g. food, protection) is derived.
Commissure: Base of the bill where the mandibles join; gape, rictus.
Congener: Species grouped in the same genus.
Conspecific: Member of the same species.
Contour feathers: Outer feathers forming external outline of bird (including flight feathers).
Cooperative breeding: Breeding system in which breeding pair is assisted (in nest-building and/or incubation and/or chick-rearing) by one or more 'helpers', often related to breeding pair.
Cosmopolitan: Having a nearly worldwide distribution.
Coverts: Smaller feathers covering the bases of larger wing and tail feathers (remiges and rectrices), both above and below, as well as the ear opening.
Covey: Group of game birds, especially smaller species such as quail.
Cowl: Informal term for a distinctly pigmented area of plumage that appears to drape from the upperparts to the sides of the breast.
Cr�che: Group of precocial young birds of the same age from multiple nests in a colony; pelicans, terns, cormorants, and eiders of some species “pool” their young in cr�ches at an early stage.
Crepuscular: Active at dawn and dusk, i.e. in twilight.
Crest: Group of crown feathers that show a peak or elongation; adults of some species are always obviously crested, while others may raise a small crest only when alarmed.
Crissum: The feathers in a triangular area on the underside of a bird between its vent and the base of its tail feathers.
Crop: A sac inside a bird where its neck meets the body. It holds food before digestion.
Crown: The crown is the top part of the birds head.
Cryptic: Secretive in habits and/or having protective colouring or camouflage, e.g. plumage of larks matching the substrate.
Culmen: The ridge along the top of the bill from tip to base of feathers at forehead.
Culminicorn: In albatrosses and some tubenose allies, a distinct bill plate that lies along the culmen up to the nail.
Dambo: Seasonal, grassy wetlands that are found along drainage lines in woodland such as Brachystegia. Term usually applied only in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and further north in Africa. (See Vlei).
Decurved: Curved downwards (e.g. bill of sunbird or ibis).
Dentate: Toothed or serrated.
Descendent: (of flight feather moult) From the inside of a feather tract outwards (e.g. P1 to P10).
Desmognathous: Palate in which maxillopalatine bones are fused, as in ducks and geese.
Diagnostic: An identification character, or suite of characters, unique to a taxon and hence of great value in confirming identification.
Diffuse: Dispersed or spread widely, referred to here in the context of feather streaking.
Dihedral: When a bird in flight holds its wings such that they appear to form a “V” shape they are called dihedral. (e.g. as wings of soaring Bateleur or harrier).
Dimorphic: With two distinct forms or colour morphs.
Dimorphism: The occurrence of two distinct types of morphology within a taxon, e.g. in size, shape, plumage colour and/or patterns, e.g. between the sexes of the same species ('sexual dimorphism').
Discontinuous: Geographically separate (in reference to distribution).
Disjunct: Geographically widely separated (in reference to distribution).
Dispersal: Movement of young bird away from its birthplace.
Displacement activity: Behaviour performed out of context, usually in response to stress.
Display: Innate, stylized activity or signal through which birds communicate.
Disruptive: (of coloration) Patterned to break up outline to enhance camouflage (e.g. stripes in downy plumage of precocial young).
Distal: Away from the body (e.g. wing tip is distal to carpal joint) (see Proximal).
Distribution: The geographic area(s) where a given species of bird can be found.
Diurnal: Used to describe birds that are active during the day. Most birds are diurnal.
Dominance: The ability of one bird to control the actions of another.
Dominance hierarchy: Order of dominance among individuals or species in a group.
Donga: Erosion gully, usually with vertical sides.
Dorsal: Pertaining to the upperside of the body; in birds, refers especially to the tail, back, and wings.
Dorsoventral: From top to bottom, i.e. from back to belly.
Dorsum: Back.
Double-brooded: Lays second clutch in one breeding season after rearing first brood successfully.
Dread: Erratic mass flight (e.g. of sandpipers).
Ear patch: Consists of soft, loose-webbed feathers on the side of the bird's head below and behind the eyes.
Ears: The rounded areas on the bird’s face covered with feathers, also called facial discs.
Eccentrical: (of moult) Erratic, in no fixed sequence.
Eclipse plumage: Short-lived, drab non-breeding plumage acquired by some if sunbirds and ducks.
Edge Effect: The tendency of birds and other animals to be more numerous at the boundaries of ecological types than in the interior.
Edgings or edges: Outer feather margins, which can frequently result in distinct paler or darker panels of colour on wings or tail.
Egg-dumping: Laying of egg(s) in nest of conspecific or other species.
Emarginated: Pertaining to a primary feather that is notched or abruptly narrowed, usually near the tip.
Endemic: Species whose normal breeding and non-breeding ranges are contained entirely within southern Africa.
Ephemeral: Refers to wetlands that remain dry for long periods, only filling during periods of high rainfall, e.g. Nylsvley wetland, Limpopo Province.
Erythrism: Chestnut-red replaces black or brown plumage pigments.
Escarpment: The steep face of a tilted plateau. In southern Africa usually refers to the eastern escarpment, which forms the edge of the inland plateau or highveld.
Estuary: Passage of the lower course of a river where its current meets the tides and the water is brackish.
Etymology: The study of the origins and history of words or names and how they evolved.
Eutrophic: Rich in nutrients, usually applied to (polluted) wetlands.
Exotic: Introduced from another part of the world (i.e. not indigenous). The word 'alien' or 'alien invasive' a better term and more commonly used now.
Extralimital: Beyond the borders of the geographical area under review (eg. in a book).
Eye line: The line of feathers just in front of and behind the eyes. It extends back from the posterior angle of the eye. This can be a useful trait used in identification in the field since it is very noticeable.
Eye ring: The circle around the eye formed of feathers that are a different colour from the rest of the face.
Eye: The eye is the organ of sight. The bird's eyes are larger compared to the bird's skull and are, therefore, proportionally larger than human eyes. Since the skull is lighter compared to the human skull (adjusted for size), the eyes take up about 15% of the weight.
Eye arc: Area of pale, arc-shaped plumage above and/or below the eye; thicker than “eye crescent.”
Eyebrow: Also called the supercilicum or superciliary it is the arch of feathers over each eye.
Eye-comb: Thick, fleshy growth above the eye in certain galliforms; most noticeable when males are displaying or agitated but also seen in females of many species.
Eye crescent: Narrow area of contrasting plumage above and/or below the eye, of almost even thickness.
Eyelid: Birds have one upper and one lower eyelid - the latter being more moveable. Birds also have a nictitating membrane between both eyelids and the cornea. It has its own lubricating duct equivalent to the human tear duct to clean and protect the eye.
Eye line: Line formed by dark plumage that extends through or behind the eye; also called an “eye stripe”
Eye patch: Area of dark plumage around the eye.
Eye ring: Area of contrasting plumage encircling the eye (compare “orbital ring”).
Face: The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.
Facial discs: Rounded, earlike areas on the face; ears.
Facultative movements: In birds, movements made in response to pressures or stresses in the immediate environment, such as food crop failures, drought, cold, or snow cover (compare “migration”).
Feet: The feet are located at the terminal part of the legs, and most birds have four toes. The first toe points backwards while the other three toes point forward. The second, third and fourth digits or toes are counted from the inside of the foot out and have 2, 3 and 4 phalanges respectively. Most birds do not have a fifth toe except for some where it has evolved into a defensive spur, such as in the chicken.
Feral: Describes a species that has escaped from captivity and now exists as a self-sustaining 'wild' population (e.g. Rose-ringed Parakeet).
Field Mark: A characteristic or combination of characteristics such as colour, shape, or specific marking (eye rings, wing bars, breast stripes), by which a species of bird can be distinguished from other species Camouflage: Having a colour and/or pattern that allows a bird to blend with its habitat.
Filoplume: A thin, hair-like feather.
Flank: The lateral area posterior to the side of the bird’s body that extends back to the base of the tail.
Flank stripe: Contrasting coloured stripes on the flanks.
Fledge: To grow a first set of contour feathers (as opposed to a coat of downy feathers), or juvenal plumage.
Fledgling: Bird that has fledged (acquired juvenal plumage) and left the nest; most birds begin to become independent of their parents at this time (compare “nestling”), although precocial birds leave the nest as downy chicks, long before acquiring their first set of contour feathers.
Flight call: Call used chiefly by flying birds, thought to function as a contact call among members of the same species, especially during nocturnal migration.
Flight feathers: Located on the wing, and collectively called remiges (singular, remex). The long stiff feathers are subdivided into two major groups based on the location and are called primaries and secondaries.
Floater: Itinerant non-breeding birds.
Flock: A group of birds made up of either the same or different species.
Floodplain: The area inundated when a river is in flood. These areas tend to become progressively wider the closer the river gets to the sea.
Food chain/Food web: The interrelationships among animals and plants concerning the transfer of energy (food). Birds are part of the food chain because they feed on plants and animals and are fed upon by other animals (sometimes other birds).
Food larder: Site where birds store food (e.g. shrikes storing insects on thorns or barbed-wire fences).
Food pass: Aerial food presentation by raptor, from male to female.
Foot-trembling: Rapid vibration of toes against or in substratum (to disturb or attract prey).
Forecrown: Foremost part of the crown; a smaller area than the forehead.
Forehead: Part of the face above the eyes.
Foreneck: Also called the jugulum or throat patch, it is located on the front of the neck.
Fringes: Complete feather margins, which can frequently result in a scaly appearance to body feathers or wing-coverts.
Frons: The forehead or feathered front of the crown, immediately above the base of the upper bill.
Frontal shield: The area where the bill extends onto the forehead of the bird. It is often brightly coloured and is meant to grab the attention of other birds.
Frontlet: Small area of distinctly delineated plumage near the foremost portion of the forehead.
Frugivorous: Birds that feed primarily on fruit. Cedar Waxwings are frugivorous birds.
Furcular sac: Pouch of skin lying just in front of the sternum that can be inflated to produce sounds in a few species.
Fynbos: A distinctive habitat in the winter� rainfall region of the Western Cape and extending east to about Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, characterised by evergreen dwarf shrubs with hard, needle-shaped leaves and an abundance of proteas, ericas and restios.
Gape tubercle (or flange): Colourful outline to gape of chick, presumably to guide adult when feeding
Gape: The fleshy base of the beak, which is often cream, yellow or orange in young birds. Also called commissure, it is the hinge where the mandibles meet.
Gens (pl gentes): (of brood parasites with multiple hosts) Group of birds all of whom parasitise the
Genus (pl. genera): A taxonomic category between family and species, i.e. a group of closely related species.
Geophagy: The practice of eating earth.
Gizzard: Muscular hind part of a bird's stomach, used for grinding food.
Glean: To pick small food items singly, usually with delicate movements; warblers glean insects from leaves or needle clusters.
Glide: A flight pattern where a bird flies with its wings outstretched but slightly tucked. Birds of prey often glide in between thermals.
Gonydeal angle: Cusp on the outer portion of the mandible along the gonys; prominent on some birds, such as gulls.
Gonys: Ridge formed by junction of two rami of lower jaw (near bill tip). The lower most ridge on the lower mandible.
Gorget: Throat band or broad necklace, e.g. as found in Bar-throated Apalis or Bokmakierie. A small iridescent patch on the throat of a hummingbird.
Graduated: Decreasing stepwise from long to short, usually used to describe tail shape, e.g. Fork-tailed Drongo.
Graduated tail: A tail in which the longest feathers are the central pair and the shortest the outermost, with those in between intermediate in length.
Granivorous: Eating grain or seeds.
Greater secondary coverts: The feathers overlying the bases of the secondaries. In some birds, the primary converts are completely covered by them.
Grit: Small pieces of rock, shell, or other hard substances that birds eat to help them digest other foods. Grit helps grind up coarse vegetable matter.
Gular: Of the throat. A gular pouch is distensible skin in the central area of the throat.
Gular fluttering: Rapid fluttering of thin skin of floor of mouth and upper throat; used to reduce heat load by evaporative cooling.
Gular pouch: A loose and pronounced area of skin extending from the throat (e.g. on pelicans or hornbills).
Gular region: The area between the chin and the foreneck.
Gular skin: Bare skin that surrounds the throat in some birds.
Gular stripe: A usually very narrow (and often dark) stripe running down the centre of the throat.
Habitat: The environment where a particular species of bird lives. Forests and wetlands are both examples of habitats.
Hackles: Long and pointed neck feathers that can extend across mantle and wing-coverts.
Hallux: Hind toe (first digit on foot), usually directed backwards, sometimes reduced (e.g. coucals) or absent (e.g. Ostrich and bustards).
Hand: The outer part of the wing, from the carpal joint to the tip of the wing.
Harem polygyny: Breeding system in which single male has harem of breeding females.
Head stripes: The head stripes are the contrasting coloured lines on the top of the bird's head. This is a useful feature to discriminate between species. However, juvenile birds often have less pronounced stripes than adults.
Helper: Non-breeding immature or adult bird that assists breeding pair with care of their eggs and/or young; often from a previous brood.
Herbivorous: Birds that primarily eat plants.
Heronry: Colonial breeding site of herons or egrets; sometimes applied to other colonially breeding waterbirds (e.g. ibises).
Heterodactyl: Foot arrangement with toes 1 and 2 pointing backwards, and toes 3 and 4 forwards (e.g. trogons).
Hindcrown: Rear part of the crown, just forward of (above) the nape.
Hindhead: Also called the occiput, it is the back portion of the bird's crown.
Hindneck: Also called the nape and collar, it is the back of the neck.
Holarctic: The combined northern hemisphere Nearctic and Palearctic biogeographical regions.
Holotype: The specimen designated by the taxonomist to which the name of a newly created taxon applies. If there is ever a dispute about the validity of a taxon, then the holotype is critical in deciding its status relative to other described taxa.
Humerals: Feathers of the inner portion of the wing that lie along the humerus (wing bone nearest the body).
Home Range or Territory: The total area a bird inhabits while living in a given place.
Horns: Paired contour feathers on top of the head of the bird.
Host: The species which incubates the eggs and raises the young of avian brood parasites.
Hover-hawk: (of foraging) To hover before striking prey aerially or gleaning from foliage.
Hovering: A technique a bird uses for various reasons, including to search for food. To hover, a bird remains stationary in mid-air, usually by rapidly flapping its wings.
Humeral: Tertial.
Hybrid: Offspring resulting from the breeding of different species (compare “Intergrade”); certain bird species, including gulls, orioles, hummingbirds, and sapsuckers, regularly or occasionally hybridize.
Hyoid apparatus: Bony or cartilaginous structure that supports and extends tongue.
Hyperphagia: 'Over eating' by migratory birds during pre-departure fattening; onset driven by hormones.
Immature: All plumages that occur between the first ('juvenile') plumage and the final adult plumage (= 'sub-adult'). These birds are usually independent of adults.
Inner primaries: The inner primaries are a group of feathers closest to the body on the wing of the bird. They are generally covered partially by the secondaries.
Inner secondaries: The group of secondary feathers located closest to the body with respect to the outer secondary coverts.
Inner wing: Includes the shoulder, the secondaries and the secondary coverts.
In pin: Feather emerged from skin, but still contained within shaft.
Intergrade: Offspring resulting from the breeding of different subspecies (compare “hybrid”).
Indigenous: Native to a geographical area (ie. not alien or introduced).
Insectivorous: Birds that eat mainly insects. Swallows are a good example.
Inselberg: Isolated, usually steep-sided hill or mountain rising from a plain.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS): Was established in the mid-1990's as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Centre (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Intertidal zone: Area of a shoreline between the low- and high-tide points.
Intra-African migrant: Bird that migrates entirely within Africa, e.g. Lesser Striped Swallow.
Iridescence: Glossy colouration created by the reflectance or refraction of light on feathers and related to feather structure; not a pigment colour.
Iris (plural irides): The iris is the coloured part of the eye, equal to the human iris, located around the pupil.
Irruption: A temporary influx into an area, usually brought about by more favourable conditions in that region, or unfavourable conditions in the species' usual range, e.g. following a drought. White-crested Helmetshrike, Lark-like Bunting and Harlequin Quail are good examples of irruptive species.
Isabelline: Greyish yellow.
Isohyet: Line (on map) connecting sites of equal rainfall.
Jizz (or Gizz): The concept that bird watchers can accurately identify birds by their general aspect and behavior rather than by any specific field marks (Jizzing or Gizzing).
Jugulum: Front part of the neck; foreneck, throat, throat patch.
Juvenal plumage: A bird’s first covering of contour feathers; it is often brown or streaked.
Juvenile: A young bird still in first plumage, ie. the plumage with which it fledged.
Karoo: A semi-arid habitat of central and western South Africa consisting of low woody dwarf shrubs and little grass, on a largely stony ground.
Keet: Young guineafowl.
Kettle: A group of birds circling on the same thermal. So named because the birds look like a boiling kettle.
Kite: In bird flight, to hang in one position while facing into the wind with minimal or no flapping.
Kleptoparasitise: To steal food from another individual.
Kloof: A gully or ravine (often densely wooded), usually on a mountainside.
Knee: The joint in the middle part of the leg, in the same location as the human knee.
Koppie: A small hill, often with a rocky summit.
Krill: Marine plankton of the Order Euphausiacea.
Lacustrine: Of a lake.
Lagoon: Sheltered, shallow body of water separated from deeper, more open water.
Lamella (pl. lamellae): Comb-like projections along edge of bill, designed for filtering minute food organisms from water or soft mud.
Lanceolate: Pointed feather, like the head of a spear.
Lateral: On the side.
LBJs: 'Little Brown Jobs', a collective term for drab and difficult to identify species such as warblers, cisticolas and pipits.
Leading edge of wing: The leading edge of the wing is the first from a frontal position when the bird is in flight.
Leaf-gleaner: Small birds that forage in trees searching for invertebrate prey, e.g. apalises and eremomelas. Other 'gleaners' are adapted to different niches; these include bark gleaners (e.g. Spotted Creeper).
Lectotype: A type specimen that is designated from a syntype series.
Leg: Proportionally the bird’s legs are extremely strong in order for it to be able to land and take off without getting injured.
Leguminous: Belonging to the Fabaceae or pea family.
Lek: Assembly of females of some polygynous species in a display arena visited by males to select potential mates.
Lesser secondary coverts: The short feathers overlying the median secondary coverts on the top of the wing. They are located near the shoulder and can be seen as the first row of feathers on the bird’s wing. They are also called marginal coverts and are referred to as the shoulder.
Leucism: Failure to express the normal feather colouring pigments resulting in areas of white plumage to a greater or lesser extent but not affecting other body parts, e.g. skin and eye colour; distinct from albinism which invariably effects the entire plumage as well as skin, eye colour, etc.
Lift: Upward force exerted on a wing due to air flow across its surface.
Littoral: Regions situated adjacent to the coast.
Local: Occurring or common within a small or restricted area.
Lores: Area between the base of the bill and the eye; may be bare or feathered.
Lower mandible: The lower part of the bill.
Lower mandibular tomia: The cutting edge of the lower mandible.
Lowveld: The low-lying (<900 m asl) eastern part of southern Africa, mostly comprising savanna.
Malar: Of the cheeks. Small group of feathers, sometimes distinctively coloured, that extends from the base of the bill downward and slightly backward along the throat (see Submalar stripe).
Malar stripe: Line from base of bill down sides of throat, often forming distinctive stripe in birds.
Mandible: The lower half of the bill (upper bill = maxilla).
Mandibular ramus: A prong-like projection from the bill on the posterior side.
Mangrove: Trees or shrubs of the genera Rhizophora and Avicennia that form swamps in the intertidal area mainly along tropical coasts and have tangled roots that grow above ground forming dense thickets.
Mantle: Feathers forming a covering of the upper back.
Manus: The wing from the radius and ulna outwards.
Marginal coverts: The feathers overlying the base of the median secondary coverts and are also called lesser secondary coverts or shoulder. They are positioned at the top edge of the wing closest to the body of the bird.
Mask: Black or dark area that encloses the eyes or ear coverts and part of the face.
Mast: The nuts of forest trees accumulated on the ground.
Maxilla: The upper half of the bill; sometimes called “upper mandible”.
Median line: The stripe along the very top part of the head through the crown.
Median secondary coverts: The feathers on the wing covering the bases of the greater secondary coverts.
Melanism: Excess of melanin, making bird appear black or blackish.
Melanistic: Tending to be black or blackish, resulting from an excess of the dark pigment melanin in the feathers.
Mesic: Opposite of 'arid'. Areas of reasonably high rainfall, creating mesic grassland or mesic savanna.
Mesoptile: The second of two down plumages of nestling.
Migration: Repeated movement, usually annual, predictable in space and time.
Migratory: With seasonal geographical movement between two areas. (See also Nomad and Irruption).
Miombo: A broadleaved deciduous woodland type of Leguminous trees (belonging to the pea family); also known as Brachystegia woodland. In the subcontinent mainly found in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Mirror: White spot near tip of flight feather of large, dark-backed gull.
Mob: In birds, to gather around a perched predator (or pursue a flying predator) while calling vigorously (“scolding”) and sometimes making swooping flights to strike; mixed flocks of small birds will often mob an owl in daylight.
Molt: The process by which a bird renews part or all of its plumage by shedding old, worn feathers and growing new ones.
Monogamy: The condition of having only one mate during a breeding season or during the breeding life of a pair.
Monogamous: mating exclusively with one individual for a given amount of time.
Monophyletic: Group of species that includes the most recent common ancestor of all its members and all descendants of that ancestor. A monophyletic group is called a clade.
Monotypic genus: A genus with only one species.
Monotypic species: A species without any subspecies.
Montane: Referring to mountainous country.
Mopane: A broadleaved, deciduous tree, Colophospermum mopane. Forms a dense woodland in some regions (e.g. northern Kruger National Park); stunted on poorly drained soils but reaches a canopy height of 15-20 m in suitable areas.
Morph: A distinct plumage type that occurs alongside one or more other distinct plumage types exhibited by the same species.
Morphology: Size and shape of external features, e.g. plumage, bill, etc.
Moult: The process of shedding old feathers and replacing them with new ones.
Moustache/Mustache: Also called a malar streak, stripe or whisker it is the contrasting colour on each side of the chin down through the throat area.
Moustachial crescent: Distinct area of dark plumage forming a curve along the lower border of the auriculars above the malar and somewhat resembling a mustache (as in Prairie Warbler).
Mouth: The mouth is similar in function to the human mouth and refers to the cavity bounded by the bill.
Mouth spot: Spot (usually several) that forms part of characteristic pattern inside mouths of nestlings.
Msasa: A common tree in miombo woodland; Brachystegia spiciformis.
Mudflat: Area of mud along rivers, lakes, or other water bodies usually exposed by receding tides or by drought; often important habitat for foraging shorebirds and waterbirds.
Multi(ple)-brooded: Laying more than two clutches in one breeding season after successfully rearing earlier broods.
Myiasis: Infestation with dipteran larvae (e.g. maggots).
Nail: Distinct horny plate at the end of the maxilla or mandible, most pronounced and obvious in larger tubenoses (in the order Procellariiformes).
Nape: Also called the hindneck or collar, it is the back of the neck where the head joins the body.
Nasal canthus: Anterior corner of eye.
Nasal fossa: The depression in which the bird’s nostril is located.
Natal philopatry: Return to natal area to breed.
Nearctic: Zoogeographic region covering North America, Canada and Greenland (Iceland IS linked to Palearctic).
Near-endemic: Species whose range extends only marginally outside southern Africa.
Neck: The neck connects the head to the body of the bird.
Neck patch: A sac located on the neck that is inflatable and is only visible in males during courtship displays.
Nectivorous: Birds that feed largely on the nectar of flowers or the juices of fruit, such as hummingbirds.
Neossoptile: The first of two down plumages of nestling.
Nestling: A young bird not yet ready to leave nest.
Nest-stained: Refers to eggs, especially of waterbirds, that become stained by damp plant material used for building nest.
New World: The Americas; the western hemisphere.
Niche: The role a bird plays in the ecosystem, including what it eats and where it lives (habitat).
Nictitating membrane: The third eyelid of the bird that can be closed for protection. It has its own moisturizing system similar to tear ducts.
Nidicolous: Describes a young bird that remains in nest after hatching (see Altricial).
Nidifugous: Describes a young bird that leaves the nest immediately after hatching (the term semi-nidifugous refers to those that leave within a few days) (see Precocial).
Nocturnal: Used to describe birds that are active at night. Most owls are nocturnal.
Nomad: A species with no fixed territory, that wanders widely when not breeding, e.g. Lark-like Bunting.
Nomadic: Of variable, often erratic movement with regard to time and area.
Nominate subspecies (race): The original (first) taxon of a polytypic species to be described, in which the sub specific name mirrors the species name, e.g. Passer domesticus domesticus for the nominate subspecies of House Sparrow.
Non-native Species: Birds that have introduced or have been released from or have escaped captivity, eg. The Common (Indian) Mynah.
Non-passerine: All orders other than Passeriformes.
Nostril: The nostrils are the two small openings on the top of the bill; External naris.
Nuchal collar: A collar across the hind neck, e.g. as seen on Cape Turtle Dove (Ring necked Dove).
Nuchal crest: Crest positioned on the nape, e.g. Cuckoo Hawk.
Occipital plumes: The breeding or ornamental feathers (plumes) originating from the crown/nape of egrets.
Occiput: Rear portion of crown; hindhead.
Ocelli: Eye-like spots of iridescent colour eg. the Emerald-spotted Wod-Dove.
Offshore waters: Open ocean waters, rather than nearshore waters; also called “pelagic waters” (see also Pelagic).
Old World: The part of the world that was known to Europeans before Columbus' discovery of the Americas; Europe, Asia and Africa.
Oligotrophic: Low in nutrients, with low productivity.
Omentum (pl. omenta): Fold in dorsal portion of membrane lining abdominal cavity.
Omnivorous: Eating both plant and animal foods of many kinds, eating anything that is considered digestible/edible. Crows are a common example.
Operculum: The smooth and featherless patch of skin located where the beak attaches to the forehead of certain birds. It is often enlarged and brightly coloured such as one can observe in pigeons, parrots and birds of prey. It is also called the cere.
Orbital ring: Ring of often brightly coloured bare skin encircling the eye.
Ornithologist: Scientist who studies birds.
Ortstreue: Fidelity to non-breeding site.
Oscines: Collective term for a suborder (Passeri) of the songbirds (passerines); (see also Suboscines).
Ossuary: Accumulation of bones and fur that may surround nest of some ground-nesting owls. Also open rocky area on which bones are dropped by Bearded Vultures.
Outer primaries: The outer primaries are the primary feathers on the wing farthest from the body. They often appear to be the longest feathers on the wing.
Outer secondaries: The outer secondaries are the secondary feathers of the wing furthest away from the body.
Outer tail feathers: The tail feathers farthest from the centre.
Outer wing: The alula and the primary feathers.
Palearctic: The zoogeographical region which includes Europe, North Africa and northern Asia east to eastern Siberia.
Pamprodactyl: Foot arrangement with all four toes directed forwards (e.g. swifts); toe 1 sometimes reversible (e.g. mousebirds).
Parapatric: (applied to two or more species) Having ranges that abut, but do not overlap.
Paratype: A specimen forming part of the original series collected in a locality from which a single specimen, or holotype, has been selected as the type of a species; may be collected at any time subsequent to the description of the species.
Partial albinism: Most common form of albinism, in which colour pigments are lacking in parts of plumage and/or soft parts, producing patchy appearance.
Partial migrant: A term applied to a species in which only part of the population migrates annually.
Passage migrant: Birds passing through on migration from one point to another, but not stopping over, or only stopping briefly.
Passage: (in reference to migration) The active movement of migrating birds, often in large numbers.
Passerines (Passeriformes): The largest and most recently evolved order of birds; includes the 'songbirds' that are characterised by a complex syrinx (voice-box) or 'perching birds' that have feet adapted for perching, with three toes facing forward and one facing backward (anisodactyl). In the current Southern African order, all the birds from the broadbills and pittas onwards.
Patagial mark or patch: Dark patch on leading edge of underside of inner wing.
Patagium: Expandable membranous fold of skin between body and leading edge of wing.
Pause-travel technique: Foraging technique whereby bird walks forward, then pauses to search for prey (e.g. plovers).
Peck Order: The rank of the several members of a social hierarchy; arrangement according to dominance.
Pectinate: Comb-like; bearing numerous tooth-like projections as in the middle claw of nightjars.
Pectoral patch: A well-defined dark area of plumage on either side of the breast, e.g. Red-capped Lark.
Pelagic: Oceanic, living far from land except when nesting, e.g. albatrosses.
Peripheral vision: Having eyes located more on the side of the head, which increases visibility to the side and behind. Most prey animals have peripheral vision.
Permanent Resident: A species of bird that does not migrate and so spends the entire year in the same region.
Phenology: The study of patterns of events in nature, especially in the weather and in the behaviour of plants and animals.
Phenotype: Observable physical properties of an organism.
Phylogeny: The patterns of evolutionary history and inter-relationships of a group of taxa, usually depicted in a tree-like diagram ('evolutionary tree').
Pinnae: Elongated feathers projecting from the upper body area, generally the neck or head.
Pipping: Stage at which chick first breaks through shell of egg.
Piscivorous: Fish-eating birds. The Osprey is piscivorous.
Pishing: Giving vocal imitations of parid calls (that sound a bit like steam escaping in quick bursts) to attract woodland birds.
Plumage: The feathers that cover a bird's body.
Plumes: Large, conspicuous, showy, feathers.
Plume: A long, showy display feather, e.g. in nesting egrets.
Plunge-dive: To dive on aquatic prey from the air.
Podotheca: Horny covering of unfeathered part of leg.
Pollex: Innermost digit of forelimb.
Polyandry (adj. polyandrous): Simultaneous mating of one female with two or more males, e.g. jacanas.
Polychromatic: Haying many colour morphs.
Polygamy (adj. polygamous): A mating system in which an individual will have more than one sexual partner; polyandry and polygyny are specific variants of polygamy.
Polygyny: Breeding system in which one male mates with more than one female. Females usually undertake all parental care.
Polymorphic: Having two (then called dimorphic) or more distinct colour morphs within a species, independent of age, sexual, seasonal or subspecific variation, e.g. Mountain Wheatear.
Polynya: Area of open water surrounded by sea ice.
Polytypic: Having two or more taxonomic divisions; usually applies to those species divisible into two or more subspecies. (See also Monotypic).
Population: The total number of individuals of a single species inhabiting a given area.
Post-orbital process: Small forward-pointing notch in skull behind eye.
Precocial: Describes young bird that is active from hatching and leaves nest soon afterwards (see Altricial).
Predation: When one animal kills another for food. The animal that is taken is the prey, and the animal doing the taking is the predator.
Preening: The process by which a bird cleans, arranges, and cares for its feathers, usually by using its bill to adjust and smooth feathers.
Primaries: The long outer flight feathers of the wing, usually numbering ten in all, attached to the 'hand' and which together with the secondaries form the remiges (flight feathers).
Primary coverts: The primary coverts are shorter feathers that cover and protect the primary flight feathers.
Primary numbering: The primary numbering is a system developed to assign numbers to each primary feather for easier identification.
Primary projection: The extent to which folded primaries project beyond tertials.
Primary shaft: The stiff central axis of the primary feather, sometimes distinctly visible in flying birds if the feather color is contrastingly dark.
Proventriculus: Forepart of the stomach, between the oesophagus and the gizzard.
Proximal: Towards the body (e.g. carpal joint is proximal to wing tip) (see Distal).
Pupil: Contractile aperture in iris.
Race: Subspecies, a geographical population whose members all show constant differences (e.g. in plumage or size) from those of other populations of the same species.
Rachis: The central shaft of a feather.
Range: Geographic area typically occupied by a species.
Raptor: Birds with strongly hooked beaks and sharp talons for catching and tearing prey. Usually used with reference to the diurnal birds of prey (Falconiformes), but applies also to owls (Strigiformes). Generally hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls. These birds prey upon Mammals, smaller birds, and other animals. A bird of prey.
Rectrix (pl. rectrices): Tail feather.
Recurved: (of bill) Upcurved (e.g. as Pied Avocet and Terek Sandpiper).
Remex: (pl. remiges): Flight feathers (primaries and secondaries) of the wing.
Remiges: Refers to the flight feathers-primaries, secondaries, and tertials.
Renosterveld: Dwarf shrubland associated with low-lying areas in the fynbos biome, usually dominated by renosterbos Elytropappus rhinocerotis.
Restio: Sedge-like plants in the family Restionaceae, which are components of fynbos.
Rectrices: The principal feathers that make up the tail. They range in number from eight to twenty-four.
Resident: Usually non-migratory and present throughout the year.
Rhamphotheca: Keratinised outer layer of bill.
Rictal bristles: Specialised stiff, whisker-like protrusions about the base of the bill, e.g. in nightjars.
Rictus: Base of the bill where the mandibles join; gape, commissure.
Riparian: Of or on river banks.
Roost: A place where a bird sleeps, sometimes in groups.
Ruff: A fringe of feather growth on the neck of a male bird used in courtship displays.
Rufous: Reddish-brown.
Rump: The area between the lower back and base of the tail.
Sahel: Semi-desert zone immediately south of the Sahara Desert.
Saltpan: Shallow basin in a desert region containing salt and gypsum deposited by an evaporated salt lake; also a flat area of dry or drying salt water that opens or once opened onto tidal water.
Savanna: Lightly wooded habitat with a grassy understorey, typically dominated by Acacia, Rhus, Commiphora and Euclea tree species. Informally referred to as 'bushveld'.
Scansorial: Adapted to or specialized for locomotion by climbing, especially on tree trunks.
Scapular: Feathers situated on the upperparts between the mantle and the wing coverts. Short feathers in the area where the bird’s back and wings join.
Scree: Loose rock debris covering a slope.
Scrub: Dry habitat (also called “scrubland”) characterized by short or stunted vegetation, sometimes but not always with heavy undergrowth.
Secondaries: Inner long flight feathers of the wing attached to the ulna ('arm'), which together with the primaries form the remiges (flight feathers).
Secondary coverts: The feathers that cover and protect the secondaries.
Sedentary: Used to describe birds that are resident in the same place year-round.
Semi-precocial: Referring to chicks that hatch open-eyed, covered with down, and capable of leaving the nest soon, but which stay at the nest and are fed by parents (as in tern and gull chicks).
Serial polygyny: A polygamous breeding system in which one male mates with several females in succession.
Sexual dichromatism: Condition in which male and female of same species have markedly different plumages.
Sexual dimorphism: Where male and female of the same species differ in morphology, including size, shape, plumage pattern or colour, or sometimes a combination of these, e.g. Stonechat.
Shaft: The main stem (rachis) of any feather.
Shaft streak: A fine line of pale or dark colour in the plumage, produced by the feather shaft.
Shoulder: The short feathers overlying the median secondary coverts on the top of the wing. They are located near the back and can be seen as the “first row” of feathers on the birds wing. They are also called marginal coverts and lesser secondary coverts.
Shrubland: Vegetation dominated by short woody plants less than 2 m tall.
Siblicide: Killing of one chick by another to reduce competition for food (see Cainism).
Sibling species: Species that are very closely related to one another and have the same immediate ancestor (in some cases possibly to the extent that their recognition as distinct taxa is not warranted).
Side: The area between the belly, the wing and back, It is equivalent to the area between the human armpit and the hip bone.
Single-brooded: Refers to birds that, after successfully rearing a first brood, do not attempt to nest again in the same season (see Double-brooded, Multi(ple)-brooded).
Site fidelity: Faithfulness to a particular site.
Soar: A flight pattern where the bird "rides the wind" with its wings fully spread.
Soft parts: Unfeathered areas of the body - bill, eyes, legs, feet and any bare skin, wattles, etc.
Song: Vocalization used mostly by male birds to attract a mate or to define and defend a territory (compare “Call”).
Spatulate: Shaped like a spoon or a spatula.
Speciation: The process through which new species evolve from those in existence.
Species: The taxonomic rank below genus. A population of organisms that interbreed freely with one another, or are judged likely to interbreed freely with one another were they to be in geographical contact, but which do not normally interbreed with other species, and which usually also differ consistently in morphological or genetic features from other species.
Spectacles: Informal term for a combination of contrastingly pigmented lores and eye rings, which resemble eyeglass frames.
Speculum: Iridescent, reflective dorsal patch on the secondaries of a duck's wing, best seen in flight; contrasts with the rest of the wing.
Spectacle: The spectacle refers to the combination of the eye ring and supraloral line.
Spermatogenesis: The process of sperm formation.
Spish: To attract birds by making hissing noise between teeth. Birds attracted either out of curiosity or because noise resembles alarm call, signalling the presence of, e.g., snake or owl.
Spur: Sharp bony projection on the shoulder of the wing or the leg (rear of the tarsus).
Squamosal: Scale-like.
Staffelmauser (= wave moult): (of flight feathers) With more than one generation of feathers present, because second (even third or fourth) wave of moult has started before previous wave(s) has/have finished.
Staging area: Place where large numbers of birds traditionally gather en route to breeding or sometimes wintering areas, where they feed and/or roost before continuing onward.
Stitch: (of foraging) To make multiple rapid probes - with bill (as in many waders).
Stoop: Form of aerial dive in which wings held almost fully closed (e.g. Peregrine Falcon).
Strandveld: Tall and dense shrubland along the southern and Western Cape coastline.
Striated (noun striations): Streaked, i.e. usually dark marks aligned along a bird's long axis.
Subadult: Bird intermediate in age and plumage between immature and adult.
Submalar mark: Or submalar stripe; mark or line of contrastingly dark plumage between the malar and the throat feathers.
Subsong: Loose, rambling, quiet song (especially of young birds), often bearing little similarity to full adult song.
Subspecies: Morphologically and geographically defined populations or 'races' within a species. The different subspecies of a species interbreed where (and if) their ranges overlap and for this reason, in these areas of contact the distinctions between subspecies tend to lose distinctiveness (zones of intergradation).
Sub-terminal: Just short of the tip of a structure (usually refers to tail).
Subterminal band: The bands of contrasting colour located just before the tip of the tail.
Subtropical: Relating to areas adjacent to the tropics where summers are hot but winters are nontropical.
Supercilium: 'Eyebrow', or part of the head immediately above the eye; in many birds marked by a superciliary stripe. The arch of feathers over the eye.
Supercilliary Stripe/Line: Stripe immediately above the eye. Also called supercilium or eyebrow, it is the arch of feathers over the eye in the same approximate location as the human eye brow.
Superspecies: One of a group of very closely related Species with non-overlapping breeding ranges, e.g. as found in some vultures, swifts and batises. A term no longer used frequently.
Supra-: A prefix meaning 'above', e.g. supraloral lines are those above the lores.
Supraloral line: A contrasting line between the eye and the bill.
Supraorbital ridge: Protruding bony 'eyebrow ridge' (especially in raptors and albatrosses).
Sympatric: Occurring together in the same area. (See also allopatric and parapatric).
Syndactyl: Toes 3 and 4 fused at the base, e.g. kingfishers and hornbills (three toes forward, one backwards). In the case of trogons, toes 3 and 4 are forward and fused at the base, and toes 1 and 2 face backwards. (See Zygodactyl).
Synonym: A different name proposed for the same species or subspecies. According to the rules of zoological nomenclature, the older name takes precedence, ie. must be used instead of the later name.
Syntype: Anyone of a series of skins collected in a locality from which the Type is collected.
Syrinx: The voice box of the bird; located at the lower end of the trachea.
Tail: Feathers extending from the rear of the bird and used for balance and as an asset to attract potential mates.
Tailband: Contrastingly pigmented area of the tail, perpendicular to the axis of the tail.
Tail coverts: The short tail feathers covering the base of the long tail feathers.
Tail numbering: The tail numbering is a system developed to assign a number to each tail feather which can convey certain characteristics about certain species.
Talon: Sharply hooked claw used for holding and killing prey, e.g. in birds of prey.
Tarsus (pl. tarsi): The tarsometatarsus; the lower part of the leg of a bird, usually bare of feathers. The part of the leg between the knee and the foot of the bird, similar to the lower leg in humans.
Taxon (pl. taxa): A neutral term for any formally established scientific name, at any level in a taxonomic grouping, e.g. genus, species, subspecies.
Taxonomy (adj. taxonomic): The science of classification of plants and animals according to their evolutionary relationships.
Teak woodland: see Baikiaea woodland.
Temporal canthus: The outer corner of the eye closest to the ear.
Terminal: At the end or tip of a structure.
Terminal band: The terminal band refers to the contrasting stripe at the tip of the tail.
Terrestrial: Living on land (not aquatic or arboreal).
Territoriality: Behavior pattern in birds concerned with the occupation and defense of a territory, often characterized by intensive singing and clashes with rivals.
Territory: Area occupied by a single bird, mated pair, or group and often vigorously defended against intruders, especially those of the same species.
Tertials: innermost flight feathers on a bird's 'upper arm' (humerus). Often applied incorrectly to modified, conspicuous inner secondaries, e.g. those of pipits. The third set of flight feathers located closest to the body.
Thermal: A rising column of warm air, often found above rock outcrops, areas of rock or sand or burnt areas of land.
Thicket: A number of shrubs or low trees growing very close together, usually with a bare understorey. In the steep river valleys of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, thicket-type vegetation is often dominant and has recently been recognised as a distinct biome.
Throat: Area of the underparts bounded by the malars and the breast.
Throat patch: Feathers of a contrasting colour found on the throat.
Tibia: Part of the leg above the knee.
Tideline: Area where two different water masses or currents meet, often concentrating nutrients, prey items, and flotsam.
Toe: The toes are digits attached to the feet just like human toes. Most birds have four toes. The first toe points backwards while the other three toes point forward. The second, third and fourth digits or toes are counted from the inside of the foot out and have 2, 3 and 4 phalanges respectively. Most birds do not have a fifth toe, except for some where it has evolved into a defensive spur, such as in the Spurfowl.
Tomial notch: Toothlike serration in the edge of the maxilla, as seen in shrikes and vireos.
Tomium: Cutting edge of bill.
Tongue spot: Spot (usually several) that forms part of characteristic pattern on tongues of nestlings of certain species (e.g. warblers and waxbills).
Trailing edge: The back or hind edge of a wing or flipper.
Transilient (also random transilient): (of flight feathers) Moult pattern in which moult proceeds by forward or backward jumps across one or more adjacent feathers.
Tree line: The elevation in a mountainous region above which trees do not grow or the northern (or southern) latitude beyond which trees do not grow; also called “timberline.”
Tremolo: Rapid repetition of a single tone with a tremulous quality, similar to vibrato in human singing.
Tropics: The region of earth centered on the equator and lying between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer.
Type locality: The location where the type specimen was collected.
Type species: The nominal species that is the type of a genus or a subspecies.
Type specimen: The single specimen that is the type of a nominal species or subspecies. (See also Holotype).
Uapaca (or Uapaca woodland): A group of trees in the Euphorbia family of plants. In parts of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, Uapaca kirkiana forms the dominant species within the woodland.
Ulnar bar: Area of dark plumage in the underwing coverts that extends from the humerals to the carpal joint.
Underparts: Under surface of body from throat to under tail coverts.
Undertail coverts: Also called crissum, they are feathers in a triangular area on the underside of a bird between its vent and the base of its tail feathers. Adult females tend to have conspicuous dusky edging to most of these feathers. Juvenile females tend to have nearly pure white undertail coverts.
Updraft: Air that rises when the wind meet a ridge or rock outcrop.
Upper mandibular tomia: The cutting edge of the upper bill.
Upperparts: The dorsal surface of a bird, i.e. the frons, lores, face, crown, nape, mantle, back, upper wing, rump, base of tail and uppertail.
Uppertail: The dorsal surface of a bird.
Uppertail coverts: Short feathers covering the upper side of the base of the tail.
Upperwing: Visible part of the wing when looking at the bird from a top view while the bird is stationary and has its wings pressed against its body.
Vagrant: A bird found in an area that is not within its usual distribution, having strayed there by mistake, e.g. through disorientation, or by adverse winds.
Vent: The feathers around the cloacal area (anus, oviduct/sperm-duct openings) between the belly and the undertail coverts. Birds do not have two separate cavities for excrement and reproduction like humans do. In birds, there is one single entrance/exit that suits both functions called the vent, cloaca or anus.
Ventral: Pertaining to the undersurface of the body (see Underparts).
Vermiculations/Vermiculated: Patterned with dense, fine lines.
Vestigial: Describes a morphological structure or behaviour pattern that is so reduced through long disuse as to be almost absent.
Vlei: A wetland.
Wattle (adj. wattled): Bare fleshy structure around eye, base of bill, throat or elsewhere on the head of a bird.
Wave moult: see Staffelmauser.
Wetland: Low-lying area, such as a marsh or swamp, that is saturated with moisture for at least some period of time during a year or cycle.
Whisker: Also called the moustache, malar steak or stripe, it is the contrasting coloured feathers on each side of the chin down through the throat area.
Wing: The wing is the feathered appendage that allows a bird to fly. Strong flight muscles are attached to the wing such that the bird can lifts its own bodyweight.
Wing bars: The wing bars make the bird's wing look "striped". They are pale or white tips of the greater and median secondary coverts on the wings. From a distance, it can be viewed as a horizontally striped pattern making the wing look layered.
Wing coverts: The feathers that cover and protect the flight feathers.
Wing formula: Schematic representation of the relative lengths and shapes of the primaries of a bird's wing; used to identify some species in the hand (e.g. Acrocephalus warblers).
Wing lining: The short and softer median, lesser and marginal coverts on the underwing. The entire underwing-coverts.
Wing-loading: The weight of a bird divided by its wing area.
Wing panel: A pale or dark band across the upperwing (often formed by pale edges to the remiges or coverts), broader and generally more diffuse than a wing-bar.
Wingpit: Also called the axillary, is located between the body and the wing of the bird, similar to the area of the human armpit.
Wingspan: The distance between the tips of the spread wings.
Wing stripe: The area at the base of the wing which is made up of pale or white tips on the flight feathers.
Wrist: The wrist refers to the base of the primaries in the bird’s wing.
Wrist comma: A comma shaped mark at the middle joint on a bird's wing.
Xanthochroism (adj. xanthochroic): Abnormal and excessive yellow pigmentation in feathers.
Yard egg: Single egg laid and abandoned (by pelicans and flamingos) in roosting or loafing area.
Zygodactyl: Toes 2 and 3 pointing forwards, and toes 1 and 4 pointing backwards, e.g. in woodpeckers, cuckoos, coucals and barbets.
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TO PLACES IN BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
Stonehenge Wiltshire, England
The Peace Bridge Derry-Londonderry, Northen Ireland
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Introduction 2012 is a big year and we are welcoming you to Britain with our Top 12 attractions and experiences in our regions and cities!
has it that the start of the marathon was moved to the Castle’s East Terrace because the then Princess of Wales wanted her children to see the race), and much, much more.
Not only is Britain hosting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games but we have many more exciting and excellent events to celebrate, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a series of colourful Jubilee activities progressing through the year . The bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens makes this year a mustvisit to Kent, home to many of his literary inspirations. In addition, 2012 marks the centenary of the Titanic in Belfast, where the iconic ship was built with the world’s largest & greatest Titanic visitor experience.
Hopefully you will get a chance to experience some of this yourself and discover your own Top 12!
The London 2012 Festival (21 June – 9 Sept) reaches across the entire country including free events (Britain has collections of the world’s finest art in iconic galleries – most of them free to visit); breath-taking views (pop in to the Lookout Café for the sweeping views to Portland, Dorset, while munching sandwiches made with locally-caught crab); literary highlights ( the World Shakespeare Festival in Warwickshire and around the world celebrates the bard’s influence); historical sites galore (visit the Little Chapel in Guernsey, possibly the world’s smallest consecrated church); family fun and attractions (Longleat Safari Park is in the heart of the English countryside, Wiltshire); palatial gardens (stroll through Bath’s Royal Victoria Park en route to taking tea in the Pump Room); sports to participate in (learn to play polo in Windsor), hidden gems (seek out Project Pigeon in Birmingham); bon vivants’ delights (West Sussex alone has 12 world-class vineyards); little known regional facts (visit Windsor to hear the amazing story of the 1908 Olympic marathon and why the official marathon route is 26 miles and 385 yards - legend
How to use We have created an easy-to-use guide that provides you with all the information needed to experience the Top 12 in each region; click on the Contents Page to take you to the sections - England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands Then, within each section, you will find categories for regions recommending their Top 12s, with contact details, opening times and websites providing more information. Hopefully this guide has given you some ideas and inspiration that will thrill your readers and viewers. Britain – You’re Invited.
Paul Gauger Global Leader, 2012 Games Media www.visitbritain.com/media
Media contacts in Americas New York Meredith Pearson PR Executive USA 845 Third Avenue, Floor 10, New York, NY 10022 T: 001 212 850 0377 C: 001 917 412 0124 E: [email protected] Kathleen O’Connell PR Executive USA 845 Third Avenue, Floor 10, New York, NY 10022 T: 001 212 850 0364 E: [email protected] Callum Roberts Business Development Assistant 845 Third Avenue, Floor 10, New York, NY 10022 T: 001 212 850 0336 E: [email protected] Lisa Kearns PR & Communications Executive 845 Third Avenue, Floor 10, New York, NY 10022 T: 001 212 850 0327 E: [email protected]
Los Angeles Katrina Early Film Tourism and PR Manager (West Coast) 11766 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1200, Los Angeles, CA 90025 T: 00 1 310 268 2132 F: 00 1 310 481 2960 E: [email protected] Odalys Flores E: [email protected]
Canada Ted Flett PR & Communications Manager 160 Bloor Street East, Suite 905, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1B9 T: 001 416 646 6676 F: 001 416 642 2240 C: 001 647.202.4184 E: [email protected]
Brazil Mitsi Goulias Press & PR Manager Centro Brasileiro Britanico, Rua Ferreira de Araujo 741, 1 Andar, Pinheiros, Sao Paulo, Sp, 05428-002 Brazil T: 0055 11 3245 7653 F: 0055 11 3245 7651 E: [email protected] 4
Media contacts in APAC India and Middle East China - Beijing Tamily Liu Press & PR Executive Beijing Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy, 4/F Landmark Building,Tower 1, 8 North Dongsanhuan Road, Chaoyang District, 100004, Beijing, China T: 0086 10 65906903 F: 0086 10 6590 0977 E: [email protected]
China - Shanghai Bonnie Hua Press & PR Manager - China & Hong Kong VisitBritain/Cultural and Education Section British Consulate General Shanghai 1st Floor Pidemco Tower, 318 Fu Zhou Lu , Shanghai 200001, China T: 0086 21 5117 5838 E: [email protected]
Hong Kong Janice Cheung Representative HK & South China T: 00852 35157878 E: [email protected]
India Srishti Bhatia PR Executive - India 202-203 JMD Regent Square, Merhrauli-Gurgaon Road, Gurgaon 122001, Haryana, India T: 0091 124 262 4255 M: +0091 981 003 5669 F: 0091 124 262 4200 E: [email protected]
Japan Katsue Takeshima PR Manager VisitBritain, Kenkyusha Eigo Centre Bldg 3F, 1-2 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Japan 162-0825 T: 0081 03 5227 6233 F: 0081 03 5227 6240 E: [email protected]
Australia Sarah Stevenson B2B and PR Executive Level 16, 1 Macquarie Place, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia T: 0061 2 8247 2248 E: [email protected]
UAE and Saudi Arabia Carol Maddison Manager, UAE PO Box 33342 2nd Floor, Sharaf Building, Khalid Bin Waleed Road, Dubai, U.A.E T: 009 71 4 3960809 E: [email protected] PR Agency: Sharon Salazar T: 00 971 4 390 1950 [email protected] PLEASE ONLY CONTACT PR AGENCY THROUGH CAROL MADDISON
Media contacts in Europe Belgium Myriam De Mulder Press Executive Avenue D’Auderghem-Oudergemselaan 10 1040 Brussels T: 00 322 287 6223 M: 00 322 472 487964 E: [email protected]
Denmark Jette Ward Representative Denmark Kristianeiagade 8, 3rd floor, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark T: 00 45 3375 5005 F: 00 45 3375 5080 E: [email protected]
France Florence Valette Communications Manager VisitBritain BP 70-154 75363 Paris Cedex 08 T: 0033 (0) 1 44 51 34 95 F: 0033 (0) 1 44 51 34 91 E: [email protected]
Germany Andrea Hetzel Media Relations Manager Dorotheenstr. 54 10117 Berlin T: 0049 30 3157 1941 F: 0049 30 31571940 E: [email protected] Sabine Kalkmann PR Executive Dorotheenstr. 54 10117 Berlin T: 0049 30 3157 1942 F: 0049 30 3157 1940 E: [email protected]
Italy
Spain
Destination PR:
Silvia Bocciarelli Press and PR VisitBritain Italia c/o Consolato Britannico Via San Paolo 7 20121 Milano T: 00 39 02 72300228 F: 00 39 02 72020153 M: 00 39 340 3524660 E: [email protected]
Maria Eugenia Benito Press and PR VisitBritain British Embassy Torre Espacio Paseo de la Castellana 259D 28046 Madrid T: 0034 91 714 6498 M: 0034 647 57 36 54 E: [email protected] (not open to the public)
Jo Leslie Head of International Destination PR T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1037 E: [email protected]
Netherlands
Sweden
Margot Eggink Media Relations Manager Prins Hendrikkade 186, 1011 TD Amsterdam (Postal address Postbus 20650, 1001 NR Amsterdam) T: 00 31 206077706 F: 00 31 206186868 E: [email protected]
Helene Hofverberg Press and PR Manager Box 3102, SE- 103 62 Stockholm T: 00 46 8 4401 706 M: 00 46 702 58 64 53 E: [email protected]
Norway
Switzerland/Austria
Kim Lovlie Marketing Executive VisitBritain Norway British Embassy 0244 Oslo T: 00 47 23 13 65 80 M: 00 47 971 04 944 E: [email protected]
Andrea Hetzel Media Relations Manager Dorotheenstr. 54 10117 Berlin T: 0049 30 3157 1941 F: 0049 30 31571940 E: [email protected]
Poland Joanna Sosnowska Marketing Representative VisitBritain British Council, Al. Jerozolimskie 59 00-697 Warszawa T: 0048 22 695 59 25 E: [email protected]
Russia Ekaterina Merenchuk PR & Marketing Executive 10 Smolenskaya Naberezhnaya, Moscow, 121009 T: 00 74 95 95 67 310 E: [email protected]
Sabine Kalkmann PR Executive Dorotheenstr. 54 10117 Berlin T: 0049 30 3157 1942 F: 0049 30 3157 1940 E: [email protected]
Media contacts in London 2012 Games Media: Paul Gauger Global Leader 2012 Games Media T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1180 M: 0044 (0) 7884 233 647 E: [email protected]
Val Austin International Press Visits Manager T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1039 E: [email protected] Rose Hughes International Press Visits Officer T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1038 E: [email protected] Emma Fitzgerald International Press Visits Officer T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1032 E: [email protected] Emma Wilkinson International Press Visits Officer T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1156 E: [email protected] Rmishka Singh PR Editor T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1155 E: [email protected] Corporate PR: Mark Di-Toro Press Officer T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1098 M: 0044 (0) 7919 392 137 E: [email protected] David Leslie Coporate PR Manager T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1141 M: 0044 (0) 7919 392 137 E: [email protected]
Julian Jacome Broadcast Media Manager, 2012 Media T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1188 E: [email protected]
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Wales
Northern Ireland
LONDON Top 12 Free Things to Do in London 1). Changing of the Guard, Buckingham Palace – One of Britain’s greatest traditions and attractions is the heritage of the British Monarchy. From May - July the Changing of the Guard happens daily at 11a.m. (10a.m. on Sundays) and lasts approximately one hour. The process is the changing of the old guard from Buckingham Palace with a new guard from St. James’s Palace. The guards are from one of five regiments: the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards, the Welsh Guards, the Grenadier Guards and the Coldstream Guards. www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/ChangingtheGuard/Overview.aspx 2). Art Galleries, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, National Gallery – London has some great art galleries and what’s even better is they are free! Tate Britain, situated in Millbank, and Tate Modern, situated in Bankside, are home to artwork from 1500 to the present day. Along with these two museums, the famous National Gallery, situated to the north of Trafalgar Square, boasts an impressive collection of Western European artwork from the early 20th century to present day. www.tate.org.uk/britain / www.tate.org.uk/modern / www.nationalgallery.org.uk 3). Primrose Hill – Primrose Hill, situated on the north side of Regent’s Park, offers remarkable views over London’s skyline, especially at sunset. The park, which is 166ha, was designed in 1811 by John Nash, a renowned architect. The park has its own soccer, softball, rugby and cricket pitches in addition to a boating lake, bandstand, and a beautiful rose garden. The region is full of pubs, cafes, restaurants and celebrities. Primrose Hill is the ideal location for visitors to take a picnic and do some celebrity spotting. www.royalparks.gov.uk/The-Regents-Park.aspx 4). The British Museum – Not only are art galleries free, but most museums are also free in London. The British Museum, founded in 1753 by Act of Parliament, is home to nearly 2m objects making it a fascinating experience. Visitors can take a guided tour to discover Ancient Egypt or how the Romans lived. The British Museum offers a wealth of artifacts from around the world in one place. www.britishmuseum.org The National Gallery Trafalgar Square, London 8
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LONDON 5). Covent Garden – Covent Garden is always full of hustle and bustle. Visitors can watch the street entertainers, dine in a fine restaurant or shop in the boutique stores. Covent Garden is a place that will charm travelers of all tastes. www.coventgardenlondonuk.com
11). National Theatre – Visitors who head down to the Southbank near Waterloo Bridge can catch one of the free jazz and folk concerts. These take place Monday – Saturday, 5:45p.m., and 1:45p.m. on Saturday afternoons. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
6). The Royal Parks, Kensington Gardens – The Royal Parks are the perfect escape from the busy city with green open spaces and plenty of events the whole family can enjoy. Parents and children alike will enjoy the Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens that is inspired by Peter Pan. With the pirate ship surrounded by sand and nearby Notting Hill, the delightful area is perfect for a Sunday afternoon stroll. www.royalparks.gov.uk
12). Nottinghill Arts Club – Nottinghill Arts Club has been open for 11 years and showcases London’s up and coming acts. The small stage makes the atmosphere intimate while the large sofas make enjoying the new music comfortable. www.nottinghillartsclub.com
7). London at Night – Walk by the houses of Parliament after dark and walk south across Westminster Bridge. Here you will find a remarkable view of the London Eye. Once you reach St. Thomas’ Hospital, turn around to take in the view. The lights of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben glistening in the River Thames is an incredible view that no visitor should miss. www.parliament.uk/visiting 8). Chinatown on a Sunday – Chinatown on a Sunday is alive with entertainment, busy supermarkets and restaurants. Visitors will enjoy the array of entertainment and 78 restaurants that make up this vibrant neighborhood. www.chinatownlondon.org 9). Sunday UpMarket and Backyard Market, Brick Lane – The Sunday UpMarket and Backyard Market are for the fashion lovers who fancy getting off the beaten track and want to experience local markets. With both markets being in hidden hotspots, only locals shop at them. They are both very unique. Backyard Market has an array of garments from up and coming fashion designers with many arts and crafts deals to be had. Sunday UpMarket has many food delights such as cupcakes, Moroccan and Spanish paella - with free tastings. www.sundayupmarket.co.uk 10). City Farms – London has many city farms that are free to visit. Vauxhall City Farm offers pony care classes and donkey rides, while MudChute Park and Farm is the largest urban farm in London sitting on 13.5ha. Many of the farms also host children’s playgrounds and fresh farm shops. Visitors won’t want to miss the unique experience of visiting a city farm while in London. www.vauxhallcityfarm.org
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Chinatown London 9
LONDON Top 12 London Views 1). London Eye – on a clear day they say you can see around 40km from the top - as far as Windsor Castle! The EDF Energy London Eye is 135m high - equivalent to 64 red telephone boxes piled on top of each other. 2). The Monument – was built to commemorate the Great Fire of London in 1666 and to celebrate the rebuilding of the City. It was erected close to the baker’s house in Pudding Lane where the fire began. You need to be fit to reach the top - there are 311 spiral steps to the Monument’s observation gallery; but for those unable to make it to the top there is a “live” image via a video screen display near the base of the Monument. 3). Tower Bridge – climb up to the High Level Walkways, 42 m above the River Thames, for great views east and west, from this famous London landmark, which was painted red, white and blue to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 – before that it was painted a chocolate brown colour. The walkways were originally opened to allow people to cross when the bridge was raised – this happens about 1000 times a year. In 1952, a London bus driven by Albert Gunton had to leap from one bascule to the other when the bridge began to rise with the number 78 bus still on it. 4). Richmond Hill – The celebrated view of the Vale of the Thames (looking upriver), from the summit of Richmond Hill, has long been the inspiration of writers and artists, including Turner. The view is actually protected by an Act of Parliament, of 1902. 5). Restaurants – Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows is located on the 28th floor of London Hilton on Park Lane in trendy Mayfair, and the restaurant and bar have breathtaking views over the capital, including iconic sites such as Buckingham Palace, The London Eye and Hyde Park. Other good places for food with a view include the Tate Modern restaurant on the 7th floor of the South Bank gallery, offering great views along the Thames and across to St Paul’s Cathedral; the Oxo Tower Restaurant:, Vertigo 42 in the BT Tower and Paramount in the Centre Point building View from the Shell Building towards the London Eye London 10
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LONDON 6). St Paul’s Cathedral – climb 259 steps to The Whispering Gallery, which runs around the interior of the Dome. It gets its name from a quirk in its construction, which makes a whisper against its walls audible on the opposite side 7). Greenwich Park – climb up the hill in Greenwich Park to the Wolfe statue, for great views back over the park, Canary Wharf and towards North London 8). Primrose Hill – The top of Primrose Hill, in north London, is 63 m above sea level and the view over London is now protected in planning law. Visitors can look down on the zoo in Regent's Park and further afield to landmarks such as Canary Wharf, the North Greenwich Arena and the BT Tower. They may also spot a film crew because Primrose Hill has become a popular movie location with British directors. The view from the top was used in the 1987 spy thriller The Fourth Protocol and it starred in the opening credits of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004). 9). See the city from the top deck of a bus – The Original London Sightseeing Tours founded over 60 years ago they are the largest open-top sightseeing red bus operator in the world. With a high proportion of the tour buses now wheelchair accessible the tours cover all of London’s highlights and include free river cruises and walking tours. Big Bus Tours - created around a carefully designed route that takes you to the key places of interest, and a hop-on hop-off facility that lets you discover them. All tours offer an informative and entertaining commentary and are delivered by a regular service of purpose built open-top buses. 10). From a boat – Many of the most iconic buildings in London can be viewed from the River Thames – with the choice of a cruise boat, a faster Thames Clipper a fleet of high speed catamarans leave the major piers every 20 minutes and will be running a special 2012 Games service. High speed RIB boat a formidable sight on The Thames are usually used by the special forces and other police agencies, they are the ultimate and fastest fleet on the river. 11). Get a bird's eye view of the city with a helicopter tour - when it comes to unforgettable experiences, a helicopter ride has to rate pretty high on the list. To combine a helicopter ride with a flight over London taking in the aerial views of our Capital just adds that extra WOW factor to your experience. 12). And coming soon? – There are plans to construct a walkway over the 02 Arena/North Greenwich Dome, hopefully in time for London2012.
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Regent Street Location 11
COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE & SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND Coventry’s Top 12 Experiences 1). Coventry Cathedral – Set your senses soaring by climbing the 180 steps of the cathedral spire to take in the breath-taking panoramic views of Coventry. Then explore the world famous Cathedral of St Michael, the site of Coventry's ‘new' cathedral and see examples of world-class works of art, including: Graham Sutherland's tapestry, John Piper's baptistry window and Epstein's bronze statue of St Michael defeating the devil. In sharp contrast, the medieval ruins of its predecessor stand proudly alongside. 2). Coventry Transport Museum and Trust SSC - Come face to face with Royal cars, military vehicles and the current land speed record holding vehicle Thrust SSC. Be amazed by this spectacular piece of engineering, then experience for yourself what it's like to travel through the sound barrier at over 760mph in the Thrust SSC simulator. 3). The Doom Painting, Holy Trinity Church - Holy Trinity Church's story goes back nearly 1000 years! This extraordinary building has survived fire, reformation and the Blitz. Marvel at the many rare artefacts that the church houses, perhaps the most exceptional being the famous medieval wall painting of the Last Judgement. 4). Herbert Art Gallery & Museum – Coventry’s award winning museum, art gallery, records archive, learning centre and creative arts facility located in Jordan Well, Coventry city centre. It is named after Sir Alfred Herbert, a Coventry industrialist and philanthropist whose benefactions enabled the original building to be opened in 1960. Building began in 1939, with an interruption by the Second World War, and The Herbert opened in 1960. In 2008 it reopened after a £20m refurbishment.. 5). St Mary's Guild Hall - Discover more than 600 year's worth of history in one of Coventry's most remarkable survivors of the medieval age. Arguably the finest medieval guildhall in the country, with original artworks and décor; the Great Hall dates from the late 14th and early 15th century and houses a fine tapestry dating from 1500. The Mary Queen of Scots Room is so named because of the imprisonment of the Scottish Queen here in 1569. Coventry Cathedral Coventry 12
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COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE & SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND 6). Priory Visitor Centre - Discover Coventry's first Cathedral - join us beneath the 21st Century city to discover the amazing ruins preserved beneath the rubble of this once magnificent religious centre. The Priory Undercroft offers a fascinating glimpse into the best preserved remains of Coventry's original Benedictine monastery. 7). Garden Organic Ryton - the home of Garden Organic, in a delightful setting in the Heart of England. Four hectares of beautifully landscaped grounds highlight the delights of organic gardening and with an award winning restaurant on site serving fresh, organic produce; it’s both a healthy and enjoyable day out for all.
12). Ricoh Arena (City of Coventry Stadium) - Set within a site covering more than 16ha, the Ricoh Arena is unlike any other development of its kind in the UK. With its state-of-the-art conference, banqueting, exhibition, hotel and sports facilities, the multi-purpose complex has already won countless awards for its design. With hundreds of events and exhibitions taking place all year round as well as hosting several key Olympic Football matches in 2012, this unique development truly is world class. During the 2012 London Olympics, the arena will be re-named the City of Coventry Stadium.
8). Off Road Fun at the Heart of England Centre - Enjoy an exhilarating "off road" experience in 65ha of fields and woodlands. Driving Quad Bikes, Rage Carts and Land Rovers you will face many challenges as you’re taken through rough terrain, up and down steep slopes and more! 9). Pleasure Flight Coventry Airport – Take in the glorious sights of Coventry's skyline and surrounding countryside as you experience a scenic tour of Coventry & Warwickshire by helicopter with Patriot Aerospace. Gain a fantastic birds-eye view of the local area, offering a superb way to view some traditional English heritage from a different vantage point! 10). Medieval Banquet at Coombe Abbey – Step back in time and join the Lords and Ladies of Coombe Abbey in a medieval celebration of food, wine and mead. The night is filled with bawdy fun, fine food and wines, colour and music. Miss it at your peril! 11). Midland Air Museum -Situated just outside the village of Baginton in Warwickshire, and adjacent to Coventry Airport, this exciting museum includes the Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre (named after the local aviation pioneer and inventor of the jet engine), where many exhibits are on display in a large hangar. It also has a smaller hangar, and a fenced-off outdoor area where many military, commercial and trainer aircraft are on display.
Ricoh Arena Coventry Index
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COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE & SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND Top 12 Literary highlights and attractions 1). William Shakespeare – born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1632, William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the world’s most famous poet and playwright. A favourite of the Elizabethan Court, Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems and several other poems. His plays are as well loved today as they were 400 years ago, and almost 50 percent of the world’s school children study his work. 2). World Shakespeare Festival - a celebration of Shakespeare as the world’s playwright, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, in an unprecedented collaboration with leading UK and international arts organisations, and with Globe to Globe, a major international programme produced by Shakespeare’s Globe. It runs from 23 April - November 2012 and forms part of London 2012 Festival, which is the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad; bringing leading artists from all over the world together in a UK-wide festival in the summer of 2012. 3). Shakespeare’s Houses – the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust owns and manages five significant homes linked to William Shakespeare including Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (his wife’s family home), Mary Ardens’ Farm (his mother’s family homestead), Nash’s House and New Place, (his granddaughters home), and Hall Croft (his daughter’s home). All houses are open to the public and host excellent tours and events. 4). Warwick Words – a week-long festival held in Warwick celebrating ‘words’. Warwick has literary connections with figures such as Tolkien, who was married in the Catholic church in West Street; Philip Larkin, whose parents moved from Coventry to a house in Coten End during the Second World War, and Walter Savage Landor, poet and prose writer, who was born in a house in Smith Street, Warwick in 1775 and whose friends included Dickens, Carlyle, Browning and Emerson. The Festival offers story writing and telling sessions, author’s readings and performances, discussions, lectures and tours. The 2012 event will be held 1-9 October. 5). Jane Austen - See ‘Sotherton Court’ as it is described in Mansfield Park by looking up Stoneleigh Abbey, one-time country seat of Jane Austen’s relatives. The author visited in 1806 and wove details of rooms, furnishings and family intrigues into her novels: not least the romantic saga of Elizabeth Lord – her portrait hangs in the Blue Parlour – which is mirrored in the experiences of Anne Elliot in Persuasion. Jane Austen tours are led by a costumed guide at Stoneleigh Abbey. 14
Shakespeare’s Birthplace Stratford-upon-Avon Index
COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE & SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND 6). Astley Book Farm - Find tomes to treasure at prices to please at one of the country’s largest second-hand bookshops. The shop specialises in George Eliot books and has some first editions. Some 75,000 volumes are held, from fiction to antiquarian and out-of-print rarities. The imaginatively transformed farm buildings now boast a new coffee shop for lunch or afternoon tea. 7). Follow in the footsteps of George Eliot – Take a tour – walking, cycling or driving – in the steps of George Eliot to places the author knew from growing up in Warwickshire. Highlights include inspirations for her Scenes of Clerical Life: Arbury Hall, model for the ‘castellated house of grey-tinted stone’ Cheverel Manor, and Astley Church, still recognisable as Knebley Church ‘with coats of arms in clusters on the lofty roof’. 8). Polesworth Poetry Trail - Stir your imagination on a walk around Polesworth (north Warwickshire), following the trail of ten poems and sculptures that highlight landmarks and events in local history: the abbey and tales of the Devil, the River Anker and famous men – surprisingly, Polesworth was once an important gathering-place for poets such as John Donne, Ben Jonson, Michael Drayton, and even Shakespeare.
11). Shakespeare Country Driving itineraries - Ideal for visitors on a short break, these circular routes allow you to discover for yourself the hidden secrets of Shakespeare Country. Explore market towns with their individual character and charm, relax in welcoming pubs with traditional ales and home cooked food, and discover peaceful churches, historic attractions and a range of craft and antique centres. Don’t miss the The Bell Inn at Welford-on-Avon where Shakespeare drank with Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton and The Kings Head at Aston Cantlow where Shakespeare’s parents celebrated their wedding breakfast. You may also like to solve a Shakespearian mystery at Charlecote Park where Shakespeare was allegedly caught poaching deer – the reason he later poked fun at owner Sir Thomas Lucy, ‘Justice Shallow’ in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV – Part II. Or did Shakespeare hate Lucy for his persecution of Warwickshire Catholics and his role in the arrest of Edward Arden, head of the family of Shakespeare’s mother? 12). A Story Book in Stone - Discover Warwickshire’s oldest church, St Peter’s in Wootton Wawen, and literally read a storybook in stone that begins in the 900s or even earlier, when the church tower was built. This ‘one-stop encyclopaedia of English history’ features the Saxon Sanctuary Exhibition spanning local life from Iron Age times to the third millennium, with plenty of twists and turns of plot.
9). Elizabeth Gaskill - As a child Elizabeth Stevenson – better known as the Victorian novelist Mrs Gaskell of Cranford fame – was sent away to school in Warwickshire, including Barford. Although the neo-classical school building is now a private residence, you can still look around St Peter’s Church which the pupils attended. Mrs Gaskell, a pen pal of George Eliot, would draw on her memories of Barford and ‘the old low grey church’ for her novella Lois the Witch. 10). Rugby School – the birthplace of the sport Rugby - is a leading co-educational independent boarding school. Rugby School’s famous Headmaster, Dr Thomas Arnold, is immortalised in Thomas Hughes’ book ‘Tom Brown’s School Days’, which brought Baron Pierre de Coubertin to Rugby School. It was Arnold’s legacy that inspired him here and fuelled his vision of the modern day Olympic Games. Other literary heroes who were schooled at Rugby include Lewis Carroll, Salman Rushdie and Matthew Arnold. Rugby was also the birthplace of poet Rupert Brooke and Rosemary Macauley. Rugby School Warwickshire Index
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MANCHESTER Top 12 Manchester Attractions 1. Spinningfields Europe’s new premium financial and professional services destination. Alongside the many office-led businesses that have moved into the area, visitors will discover an impressive group of commercial, leisure and retail units. Restaurants include Carluccios, Giraffe, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Wagamama. 2. Cornerhouse - Manchester's international centre for contemporary visual arts and film. Located in the heart of the city and open seven days a week, it covers three floors of contemporary art galleries, three screens showing the best of independent cinema, a bar, a café and a bookshop. 3. The Avenue - Shop to your heart’s content on The Avenue, Spinningfields, where our retailers showcase the best international fashion collections in the North West. Take a peek at the collections from Flannels, DKNY, Armani, Mulberry LK Bennett, All Saints, Brooks Brothers and many more for all your fashion must-haves. 4. MOSI - (The Museum of Science and Industry). The Museum is based on the site of the oldest passenger railway station in the world. The huge, 3 hectare site has five historic buildings packed with fascinating exhibitions, hands-on galleries, historic working machinery and superb special exhibitions.
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MANCHESTER 5. People’s History Museum - The Museum tells the dramatic story of the British working classes’ struggle for democracy and social justice. The old and new buildings have been joined together by a spectacular glass walkway. The museum galleries, changing exhibitions, education service, Labour History Archive & Study Centre, Textile Conservation Studio, corporate facilities, café and shop are all housed in a new fantastic building. 6. John Rylands Library - For those who set eyes on John Rylands Library for the first time, ‘library’ might not be the first word that comes to mind. This masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture looks more like a castle or cathedral. 7. Manchester Art Gallery - One of the country's finest art collections in spectacular Victorian and contemporary surroundings. The gallery's recent £35m transformation has enabled the collection to be presented to visitors in imaginative new ways. 8. Manchester Craft and Design Centre - A unique organisation comprising 16 retail/studio spaces, an excellent cafe and a rolling programme of exhibitions from leading national and international makers. 9. The Royal Exchange Theatre - There is a varied programme of plays and other special events, the theatre also houses the Craft Shop and Craft Shop Gallery, recognised as a major focal point of contemporary craft work in the Northwest.
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10. Manchester United Museum & Tour Centre - Re-live the clubs triumphs, tragedies and trophies at the Manchester United Museum. Follow the history of the club from 1878 to the present day, including the Hall of Fame and dazzling Trophy Room. Delve behind the scenes at the Theatre of Dreams by taking the Stadium Tour. Stand in Sir Alex Ferguson's spot in the dug out, sit in the home changing room at your favourite players peg and emerge from the player's tunnel to the roar of the crowd. Not what you would expect from a museum and tour. Everything you would expect from Manchester United. 11. Manchester City Football Club - Manchester City's new home, the City of Manchester Stadium, is one of the spectacular sporting arenas in the country. It also doubles as a venue for a variety of uses. Take the Manchester City Experience Tour - shortlisted for an Award for Excellence at the Museums & Heritage Show 2004. 12. Lowry - A spectacular home to the arts and entertainment with a wealth of activity under one roof! Inside this magnificent building you will find two stunning theatres, The Lyric (the largest stage in England outside London) and the more intimate Quays, offering a variety of performance from ballet, drama, opera, comedy music and family entertainment. The Lowry Galleries showcase changing exhibitions by one of Britain's best loved artists, LS Lowry, as well as paintings, sculpture and photography by artists of local, national and international renown. With cafe's, a restaurant and gift shops all set against spectacular waterside views, there is something for everyone at The Lowry.
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MANCHESTER 12 things you should know about Manchester Manchester is the ‘original modern’ city and has earned a reputation as being revolutionary, innovative and entrepreneurial. The city was at the forefront of the industrial revolution, leading in the development of the modern world…“What Manchester does today, the world does tomorrow” Read on to find out more about this fascinating city: 1. Manchester Population Manchester’s population is approximately 490,000. Within the Greater Manchester region which includes the ten districts of Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan there are 2.5m people. 2. First Computer In 1948 at Manchester University, the first computer to have a stored programme and memory was developed by Professors Tom Kilburn and Fred Williams. It was nicknamed ‘The Baby’ and has made the computer what it is today. A replica can be seen at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. 3. Votes for Women The Women’s Social and Political Union, later known as the Suffragettes, was founded by Mancunian Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903. Emmeline dedicated her life to the campaign for women’s votes. Visit the Pankhurst Centre, previously the home of Emmeline, this museum displays the work and struggle of women suffragettes, as well as reflecting everyday domestic life in the Pankhurst parlour. 4. Birthplace of Vegetarianism Inspired by the sermons of Rev. William Cowherd the vegetarian movement began in 1809 in Salford Bible Christian Church. The Altrincham-based Vegetarian Society holds events all year round, visit www.vegsoc.org for more information. Manchester is now a culinary city with a burgeoning restaurant scene offering a multitude of cuisines. Bridgewater Hall, Manchester’s International concert venue Manchester 18
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MANCHESTER 5. First Commercial Canal Opened in 1761, The Bridgewater Canal was the first man-made waterway in Britain. This instant commercial success invoked ‘canal mania’. In Manchester today the existing network of canals are now home to uber chic apartments, restaurants and bars. Take a break from the bustle of the city to experience the beautiful, tranquil canal-side culture of Castlefield. 6. First Commercial Railway The Duke of Wellington opened the Liverpool to Manchester Railway in 1830; this moment in history began the railway revolution. The site of the first passenger railway station celebrated its 175-year anniversary in 2005 and is a feature at the fascinating Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.
11. TV The first Top of the Pops was broadcast from a disused church in Rusholme in 1964. The Rolling Stones and The Beatles headlined. 12. First UK domestic air service The first UK domestic air service was recorded as being from Alexandra Park Aerodrome in Manchester to Southport and Blackpool and commenced on 24th May 1919.
7. Professional Football League In 1888 the world’s first professional football league was set up at the Royal Hotel, Piccadilly. Today, Manchester is home to four premiership football teams, including Manchester United and Manchester City Football Clubs. For the football fanatic, enjoy the stadia and museum tours of the UK’s most successful football region or visit the National Football Museum in Preston. 8. Manchester Busy Bee Adopted by Manchester in the 19th Century to symbolise the industrious nature of the city and its people, the logo can be found dotted around on much of Manchester’s street furniture and can be seen as a part of the mosaic floor at the Town Hall. Pop into Manchester Tourist Information Centre for ‘Manchester Bee’ souvenirs. 9. Rolls-Royce Charles Rolls met Fredrick Royce for the first time at The Midland Hotel in 1904 and went on to set up the prestigious automobile company two years later. 10. Manchester Music The Manchester diverse music scene is legendary, Mancunian artists include The Hollies, 10cc, The Bee Gees, The Smiths, Joy Division, New Order, Simply Red, The Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, Oasis, Take That and more recently, Badly Drawn Boy, Jim Noir, Doves and Elbow. The longest established symphony orchestra in Britain is Manchester’s Hallé, founded in 1858.
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NEWCASTLE-GATESHEAD Top 12 Newcastle-Gateshead Experiences 1). Touch the feet of an Angel - The Angel of the North is a multi award-winning sculpture created by artist Antony Gormley. The Newcastle-Gateshead icon stands at 20m high, it is seen by more than 33m people every year passing by road and rail. Striking from a distance, the Angel of the North is most breathtaking close up and is well worth the 15-minute drive from the city centre. Stroll around the grass mound on which the Angel stands and don’t leave without perching on its giant feet. The Angel of the North was named as the UK’s most recognisable landmark in a survey by Travelodge in May 2008. 2). Watch the bridge wink - Gateshead Millennium Bridge is the world's first tilting bridge. Situated on the banks of the River Tyne, linking Newcastle Quayside and Gateshead Quays, it has won a multitude of awards not least the country's top architecture prize (Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize), and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2011. Check out the website before you visit to find out scheduled tilting times (there are also information boards at either side of the bridge displaying these times). A spectacular sight, the bridge turns on pivots on both sides of the river to form a magnificent gateway arch resembling the opening and closing of a giant eyelid – have your camera ready! 3). Find seventh heaven - Towards the mouth of the River Tyne is the Ouseburn Valley, an area which is being transformed into a thriving cultural quarter. Here you’ll find Seven Stories, the Centre for Children’s Books. There was nowhere in Britain that treasured and shared the richness, diversity and innovation of modern Britain’s authors and illustrators for children. Founded in the 1990s, Seven Stories has become such a place. Both a gallery and archive, the centre is used to bring books and their creators to life, in playful exhibitions, events and inspirational learning programmes. It is also proving to be a fantastic resource for original research.
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NEWCASTLE-GATESHEAD 4). Be a culture vulture - No visit to Newcastle–Gateshead would be complete without soaking up some world-class culture in two high profile venues, the iconic architecture of which now dominates the Gateshead Quays’ skyline. The Sage Gateshead, a spectacular glass and steel Sir Norman Foster building, is an international music centre with top notch acoustics. It features performances of all genres – from folk and classical to jazz and pop. BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, just two minutes walk along the quays, is based in a converted 1950's grain warehouse. Housing five galleries it offers a changing programme of contemporary art exhibitions and has a roof top restaurant with amazing, panoramic views of Tyneside. Both are free to enter and well worth exploring. More cultural delights can be experienced at the Theatre Royal, Northern Stage, the Live Theatre and newly opened Great North Museum which welcomed its one millionth visitor in August 2010 after opening in May 2009. 5). Buy your own masterpiece - The Biscuit Factory is the biggest commercial arts space in Europe, based in a beautifully restored Victorian building that was indeed once a biscuit factory. Prices for paintings, sculpture, ceramics and glass range from £20 to £20,000 – whatever the budget or taste you’re sure to find your very own unique piece of original art to take home, it’s one of a number of other art galleries in the Ouseburn Valley. 6). Admire the architecture - Grey Street, in the heart of Newcastle–Gateshead’s historic Grainger Town, was voted the Best Street in Britain by listeners of national station BBC Radio 4 and the area boasts more listed classical Georgian buildings than anywhere else in England, other than Bath and the capital. As you’re exploring Grainger Town make sure you look up to enjoy the dramatic architecture on offer. And whilst you’re in this area keep your wallet handy for some of the city’s designer boutiques and a cluster of fashionable shoe shops. 7). Gourmet Geordies – eat out in style - Newcastle–Gateshead has been recognised at a national level as a new hotspot of emerging culinary talent and gourmet excellence having scooped a raft of high profile Restaurant Remy Awards. The outstanding range and quality of the city’s restaurants never fails to surprise first time visitors. Highlights include Black Door, Six @ BALTIC or Jesmond Dene House. Why not grab a cocktail or two first in one of the many stylish bars littered across the cityscape?
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8). Climb the real ‘New Castle’ - Newcastle Castle Keep (built by Henry II in 1168) is situated on the original site of the ‘New Castle’. Built in 1080, it gave the city its name and was founded by Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror. It overlies the Roman fortification Pons Aelius. Climb to the top and enjoy some of the best views over the city. 9). Shop till you drop - Metrocentre, Gateshead is once again the largest indoor shopping centre in Europe and offers a huge array of high street outlets, department stores and speciality shops, all under one roof. For those looking for a more boutique shopping experience, Jesmond, a surburb to the north of the city centre has been dubbed ‘the Notting Hill of the North’. 10). Sample the Nightlife - Named the third best party city in Europe in TripAdvisors 2010 poll, Newcastle–Gateshead hosts a wealth of bars, pubs, clubs and music venues within easy reach of one another. Just some examples are The Gate entertainment complex which has a wide range of bars and restaurants, The Cluny which offers a unique music venue, bar and gallery space and Newcastle’s super club Digital, which frequently plays host to world class DJs. There really is something for everybody! 11). Lets go to the movies - Take a break from the fast pace and visit the Tyneside Cinema, a grade two listed building with a choice of three intimate screens. As well as this there are heritage displays, live music and comedy evenings and an ever changing program of events. Built in 1937, the art deco cinema is a must-see after it was restored to its former glory in 2008. 12). Not too Far Away - Jump on a Metro train to the suburb of Jesmond and enjoy a leisurely coffee in one of the many pavement cafes on Osborne Road. It’s a bustling little place to relax and watch the world go by. Stroll across to Armstrong Bridge for the arts and crafts market, packed with stalls selling unusual and affordable locally made wares. Then wander through the wooded valley of Jesmond Dene which is threaded with walks and pretty bridges - complete with waterfall and a pets’ corner. Or alternatively, jump on the Metro, the area’s local train network, and head to Tynemouth, with its broad beaches, ruined Priory, and weekend markets at the Metro station, plus shops and cafes – it’s only thirty minutes away.
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WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND & DORSET Top 12 things to do in Dorset 1). Explore the glorious Dorset countryside by following one of the many walking trails which criss-cross the county. The Wessex Ridgeway is one of the longest – along the way there are intriguing artistic sculptures with poetry by James Crowdon www.dorsetforyou.com/wessexridgeway 2). Go to a farmers’ market held in the key towns around the county to savour some of the area’s delicious local food; one of the best is Bridport’s every 2nd Saturday of the month; the town is in the heart of Dorset’s farmlands. Dorset Vinny Cheese with Knob Biscuits or Dorset Apple Cake are just two of the local specialities. If you visit during Dorset Food Week in October, you can join in activities at over 100 locations www.dorsetfoodweek.co.uk 3). Take to the water on some of the country’s finest sailing and watersports spots – the National Sailing Academy is at Weymouth & Portland in recognition of the quality of the waters www.wpnsa.org.uk Along the Dorset coast, there are plenty of locations to hire boats and kayaks or let someone else do the work and take a boat trip from one of the harbours such as Weymouth, Lyme Regis, Bridport, Swanage or Christchurch. 4). Visit one of the county’s many gardens which flourish in one of the country’s mildest climates. Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens has a extensive collection of plants from around the world www.abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk , Athelhampton House is famous for its topiary www.athelhamptonhouse.co.uk and Knoll Gardens is seen as one of the best gardens for grasses in the country www.knollgardens.co.uk 5). Dorset hosts England’s only natural World Heritage Site, known as The Jurassic Coast. The beaches of Lyme Regis and Charmouth abound with fossils – regular guided public fossil walks are held. www.charmouth.org www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk
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WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND & DORSET 6). Dorset’s coastal location ensures fresh fish is available at the local pubs and restaurants; watch the catch come into picturesque Weymouth or West Bay harbours for example and then eat at one of the many restaurants offering local seafood; among the best are the Crab House Café overlooking Chesil Beach www.crabhousecafe.co.uk, the Hive Beach Café in Burton Bradstock www.hivebeachcafe.co.uk, Hix’s Oyster and Seafood Restaurant in Lyme Regis www.hixoysterandfishhouse.co.uk and Shell Bay in Studland www.shellbay.net
12). Follow the Swanage Art Trail for a taste of county’s artistic richness; the trail takes you around a series of paintings by famous artists who visited the area such as Paul Nash and Walter Field http://www.swanageseen.co.uk/hello-world/. The biennial Dorset Arts Week is one of the largest in open studio events in the country www.dorsetartweeks.co.uk For further information: www.visit-dorset.com
7). Unwind by flying through the trees at Go Ape! in Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, one of the country’s best outdoor leisure parks (more sedately you can also hire bikes to cycle around!) www.moors-valley.co.uk 8). Climb up to the top of Christchurch Priory for panoramic views across the area. The Priory is the longest church in England and one of the few to survive Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries www.christchurchpriory.org 9). Clamber up to the top of the many prehistoric hillforts in Dorset such as Hambledon Hill near Blandford Forum or Eggardon Hill near Bridport for some of the best views of Dorset – steep climes are involved but there’s always a pub nearby in which to recover! 10). Explore Thomas Hardy country; key ‘musts’ are seeing Hardy’s rather stern statue in Dorchester, visiting the Dorset County Museum www.dorsetcountymuseum.org for the world’s largest collection of Hardy memorabilia and visiting the picturesque cottage where he was born www.nationaltrust.org.uk Around the Dorset countryside are countless places which appeared in his novels – much of the countryside still looks the same as described in his novels. 11). Admire the glorious fan-vaulted ceiling of the county’s ‘cathedral’ Sherborne Abbey www.sherborneabbey.com. Afterwards, explore the boutiques and antique shops of Sherborne, one of the county’s most historic and attractive towns which was once the capital of Wessex.
A view looking towards The Priory Christchurch, Dorset Index
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WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND & DORSET Top 12 Dorset views to take your breath away Dorset has some of England’s most unspoiled, stunning scenery and the best place to view the expanses of open countryside are on higher ground. 1). St Catherine’s Hill, Christchurch – This hill has been used as a lookout beacon since prehistoric times. Now a nature reserve with a wide variety of wildlife species, the Hill offers tree-line walks with views across the Avon valley, surrounding heathlands and Christchurch Priory in the distance. 2). Hengistbury Head – This headland south-east of Christchurch (off the B3059) was an important trading port even from the Iron Age but is now a Nature Reserve; stand on top of the plateau and you will see views of Christchurch Harbour, Mudeford, Isle of Wight and Bournemouth beach. 3). Hambledon Hill – A prehistoric hillfort situated near Blandford Forum (off the A350); there is evidence of human habitation from 3000BC and standing on top of the Hill gives glorious views across the Blackmore Vale. Nearby Fontmell Down offers similarly spectacular views. 4). Badbury Rings – As you wander round the perimeter of this ancient hillfort (off the B3082 near Kingston Lacy, Wimborne), you will have momentous views over the Cranborne Chase and towards the coastal hills. 5). Chesil Beach view near Abbotsbury – The coastal road from Bridport to Abbotsbury (the B3157) offers wonderful views along the Jurassic Coast and just before you arrive in the picturesque village of Abbotsbury, Chesil Beach stretches before you with views to Portland.
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WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND & DORSET 6). Golden Cap – This is the highest point along the south coast of England and on a clear day, you can see to Dartmoor in Devon (off the A35 between Bridport and Lyme Regis). 7). Hardy’s Monument, Portesham – Erected in 1844, a monument to Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy who captained Nelson’s ship HMS Victory at the battle of Trafalgar and was born in Dorset; views across both heathland and the coast (off B3157 north of Abbotsbury) 8). Swyre Head – The highest spot in the Purbeck hills near Swanage; the hill commands extensive views from the Isle of Wight to Portland (from B3069 near Kingston village and accessed by a narrow track) 9). Agglestone Rock – a curious sandstone block at which, legend has it, the devil threw with the intent of hitting Corfe Castle! Walking up to it through the heathland of Studland Nature Reserve gives the opportunity to enjoy some of England’s most biodiverse terrain and views of Brownsea Island and Poole Harbour (off B3351 from Studland; parking available in village or beach car parks). 10). Hardown Hill – in the lush countryside behind Chideock (off the A35 just before Morecombelake), Hardown Hill is higher than Golden Cap and you can look down on Thorncombe Beacon, Chardown Hill, Quarry Hill and Langdon Hill. 11). Views of Chesil Beach from Portland – as you arrive in Portland, there is a statue recognising the importance of the quarry industry to the local area; standing by the statue gives great views of Chesil Beach and Weymouth and Portland Harbour (park at the Harbour Heights hotel). 12). Views from Bowleaze, Weymouth – Follow the beach to the east of the town until you get to Bowleaze area; standing on the hill over the Cove gives wonderful views across town and to Portland; pop in to the Lookout Café for sandwiches made with locally-caught crab. For further information: www.visit-dorset.com
Bowleaze Weymouth, Dorset Index
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ESSEX Top 12 things to do in Essex 1). Hadleigh Farm – As part of the London 2012 Games, on August 11th and 12th 2012, Essex will be hosting the Olympic Mountain Bike Events at Hadleigh Farm located in the south east of the county. While Essex may not be known for its rolling hills, the steep gradients of Hadleigh Farm will provide not only a great challenge to the world’s best mountain bikers, but also one of the most picturesque landscapes of the Games, set against the backdrop of ruined 13th century Hadleigh Castle, painted by Constable and owned by three of Henry VIII’s wives, with spectacular views across the Thames Estuary. The main driver behind the building of the course has been Essex County Council, who recognised that this once in a lifetime event offers the opportunity to use the games as a catalyst to inspire residents to get involved and feel part of the Games. Website: www.essexlegacy.org Email: [email protected] 2). White Water Rafting at Lee Valley Park – Lee Valley White Water Centre has been the only brand new London 2012 venue that has been open for the public to try out ahead of the Games. Visitors have been able to experience adrenalin pumping white water rafting, canoeing or kayaking. Named as the best in the world, the white water centre has two courses - a 300m Olympic Standard Competition Course with a 5.5m descent and a 160m Legacy Loop with a 1.6m descent - with 1200 rapid blocs. The centre is situated in the award-winning Lee Valley Regional Park which stretches 26 miles along the banks of the River Lee, from Ware in Hertfordshire, through Essex, to the Thames at East India Dock Basin. If white water rafting isn’t for you, you can also try canoeing or just enjoy strolling or biking through the acres of parkland. Website: www.leevalleypark.org.uk Email: [email protected] Hadleigh Farm Essex 26
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ESSEX 3). Audley End House and Gardens, Saffron Walden – Audley End is one of England’s most magnificent stately homes. The Jacobean Mansion has plenty of period rooms and furniture to explore including one of the most important surviving late eighteenth-century beds in the country. The Victorian service wing has been restored to its former heyday and during special events you can experience the team at work as they would have done all those years ago. Its stunning formal gardens include an Organic Kitchen Garden with a variety of fruit and vegetables, as well as various other herbs, flowers and grasses in keeping with those grown and used in the house around 1880. The doors of the restored historic stables recently opened and are complete with resident horses and a Victorian groom. This new experience, together with Audley End’s Service Wing including kitchen, scullery, pantry and laundries, gives you an insight into Victorian life below stairs and is very popular with old and young.
5). Sparks will Fly – Sparks will Fly will be a cultural celebration of the Olympics in 2012, a specially commissioned unique piece of outdoor theatre by internationally renowned arts organisation Walk the Plank that will encompass the whole county - the first of its kind in the region. The story highlights and showcases Essex’s heritage, telling the story of two giant visitors who arrived in Harwich and at Stansted airport in May 2012 and travel across the county, attending an event in every district. Each visitor will share and collect stories from across the region, whilst garnering supporters for a giant competition at the Sparks will Fly Finale at Hylands Parks on 6th July 2012 to coincide with the Torch Relay. Website: www.sparkswillfly.org.uk Email: [email protected]
Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk/audleyend Email: [email protected] Web: www.grayling.com 4). Follow in the footsteps of Constable – The Dedham Vale, often referred to as Constable Country, is rich in history and has been the inspiration to many writers and artists. It was immortalised by John Constable in his paintings over 200 years ago. John Constable himself said that "I associate my careless boyhood with all that lies on the banks of the Stour. Those scenes made me a painter". Follow in the artist’s footsteps by taking a relaxing walk. There are way-marked footpaths along the River Stour between Flatford, Dedham and East Bergholt, which form part of the long distance Stour Valley Path. You can even follow Constable's walk to school across the fields and feel his spirit in the rustle of the leaves and the tranquillity of the river. For a more active exploration, cycle the Painters' Trail, a 111km long cycle route through the picturesque and historic Dedham Vale, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Website: www.dedhamvalestourvalley.org Email: [email protected]
Audley End Essex Index
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ESSEX 6). Firstsite, Colchester – This breathtaking new art gallery is designed by Rafael Vinoly Architects and its stunning architecture and forthcoming collections are sure to leave a lasting impression on visitors. Firstsite's name reflects Colchester's status as the oldest recorded town in England, and the original Roman capital of Britannia. The centrepiece and only permanent display is the Berrylands mosaic, a masterpiece, which once decorated the floor of a Roman villa located where firstsite is now located. Andy Warhol's Oyster Stew can, part of his Campbell's soup series, was created only a couple of generations ago. What does this imported icon have to do with north-east Essex? The main ingredient - oysters. Ten miles away are the oyster beds of Mersea Island considered among the richest in Britain. Opened to the public in September 2011, it features inspiring exhibitions, innovative learning programmes, a resource centre, conference facilities, a café and restaurant. Website: www.firstsite.uk.net Email: [email protected] 7). RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Rettendon, Chelmsford – Keen gardeners will love visiting RHS Garden Hyde Hall. The 145.5 hectare garden is full of ideas, particularly for those wanting to learn about the kind of plants that thrive in challenging conditions. With sweeping panoramas, big open skies and far reaching views, this Essex garden is an inspiration to visitors of all ages. Highlights of the Garden are: the Dry Garden - showcasing a range of drought tolerant plants. The Australian and New Zealand Garden - a contemporary garden designed around existing Eucalyptus trees; the Hilltop Garden – includes a colour-themed herbaceous border, ponds, rose garden, gold garden, farmhouse garden, shrub rose border, woodland garden and island beds. The Queen Mother’s Garden – with meandering paths and a mix of grasses, perennials and roses. Regular events are also held including exhibitions, farmer’s markets, and Grow Your Own talks where visitors can learn more about growing and using herbs.
8). Layer Marney Tower – Layer Marney Tower was constructed in the first half of Henry VIII’s reign, around 1520, and is in many ways the apotheosis of the Tudor Gatehouse. It is in fact the tallest Tudor Gatehouse in Great Britain. The building is surrounded by formal gardens and parkland with magnificent views to the Blackwater Estuary. Visitors can climb the tower and enjoy light lunches, teas and cakes in The Tea Room in the old stable. For a unique experience, accommodation includes the Edwardian folly known as the Tea House or one of six luxurious encampments under canvas in the grounds for fans of ‘glamping’. Website: www.layermarneytower.co.uk Email: [email protected] 9). Dunmow Flitch Trials, 14 July 2012, Great Dunmow – Taking place every four years, the Dunmow Flitch Trials exist to award a flitch of bacon to married couples from anywhere in the world, who can prove marital harmony. The trial takes the form of a court presided over by a Judge, with Counsel representing the claimants and Opposing Counsel representing the donors of the Flitch of Bacon. There is also a Jury of six maidens and six bachelors, a Clerk of the Court to record the proceedings and an Usher to maintain order. Couples married for at least a year and a day come from far and wide to try and claim the Flitch, which is vigorously defended by Counsel employed on behalf of its donors. Successful couples are then carried shoulder-high by bearers in the ancient Flitch Chair to the Market Place, where they take the oath kneeling on pointed stones. Unsuccessful couples have to walk behind the empty chair to the Market Place, consoled with a prize of gammon. A common claim of the origin of the Dunmow Flitch dates back to 1104 with many mentions of it throughout history, however, is it not until 1445 that the winners of the Flitch were officially recorded. Since then, the trials have been held every four years since the end of WWII. Website: www.dunmowflitchtrials.co.uk Press contact details: [email protected]
Website: www.rhs.org.uk/Gardens/Hyde-Hall Email: [email protected]
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ESSEX 10). Rope Runners – Situated at The Secret Nuclear Bunker at Kelvedon Hatch, Rope Runners offer an exciting menu of activities ranging from their challenging pole based High Ropes courses to Water Zorbing, Tunnel Adventures, Archery, Quad Biking and Air Rifle Target Shooting. Challenge yourself on the new high ropes adventure courses on three levels plus a big zip wire, climbing wall and 13 metre free fall fan. Open all year round, this woodland adventure will see you take to the trees as you make your way around the various courses. Low level and more advanced courses are available and you can tie in your trip with a visit to the Secret Nuclear Bunker. Phobia training is also available for those with a fear of heights, the dark or confined spaces. Website: www.roperunners.co.uk E-mail: [email protected]
12). Relive the age of the Roman Empire at Colchester Castle – Once the capital of Roman Britain, Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town, which is why heritage fans should include a visit to the castle during their trip. Since the 16th century, the Castle has been a ruin, a library and a gaol for witches. Today it is an awardwinning museum featuring many hands-on displays showing Colchester's history from the Stone Age to the Civil War. The town wall, surrounding much of the centre for 2.4km is the oldest of its kind in Britain while the foundations of the enormous Temple of Claudius can still be seen beneath the castle. Today, if you lay your hand on the stonework of the temple it can be said that you are touching the very foundation of Roman Britain. Website: www.colchestermuseums.org.uk Email: [email protected]
11). Essex Discovery Coast – seal watching with Nature Break – With more than 563km the Essex coast is the longest of any English county. It is a most diverse coastline offering a variety of fun and enjoyment including miles and miles of remote and unspoiled coastline important for wildlife. Nature Break offers you the opportunity to explore the wealth of wildlife in and around Foulness Island and nearby Wallasea Island. The trips are escorted and are suitable for all ages. The boat trip takes you to parts not accessible by car or on foot where you can enjoy birds and seals in their own environment without disturbance. The main cruises are generally 4 hours but due to popular demand 2-hour cruises to view the Wallasea Wetlands and sail round into the River Roach have also been introduced when the tide is suitable. Website: www.wildlifetrips.org.uk Email: [email protected]
Colchester Castle Essex Index
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ESSEX Top 12 Historical Sites 1). Audley End House and Gardens, Saffron Walden – Audley End is one of England’s most magnificent stately homes. The Jacobean Mansion has plenty of period rooms and furniture to explore including one of the most important surviving late eighteenth-century beds in the country. The Victorian service wing has been restored to its former heyday and during special events you can experience the team at work as they would have done all those years ago. Its stunning formal gardens include an Organic Kitchen Garden with a variety of fruit and vegetables, as well as various other herbs, flowers and grasses in keeping with those grown and used in the house around 1880. www.english-heritage.org.uk/audleyend 2). Layer Marney Tower, Layer Marney – This beautiful Tudor building built around 1520 is surrounded by formal gardens and parkland with magnificent views to the Blackwater estuary. Visitors can climb the tower and enjoy light lunches, teas and cakes in The Tea Room in the old stable. For a unique experience, accommodation includes the Edwardian folly known as the Tea House or one of six luxurious encampments under canvas in the grounds for fans of ‘glamping’. www.layermarneytower.co.uk 3). Colchester Castle, Colchester – Once the capital of Roman Britain, Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town, which is why heritage fans should include a visit to the castle during their trip. Since the 16th century, the Castle has been a ruin, a library and a gaol for witches. Today it is an award-winning museum featuring many hands-on displays showing Colchester's history from the Stone Age to the Civil War. www.colchestermuseums.org.uk 4). Hyland’s House, Chelmsford – Hylands House is a stunning Grade II listed property, spectacularly restored to its former glory situated in 924ha of historic landscaped parkland. Visitors can explore the park for free or visit the house for a small entry fee. Various events are regularly held including murder mystery evenings, workshops and farmers markets. www.chelmsford.gov.uk/hylands
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Hedingham Castle Essex Index
ESSEX 5). Ingatestone Hall, Ingatestone – The Hall stands in open countryside, one mile from the village of Ingatestone and substantially retains its original Tudor form and appearance with its mullioned windows, high chimneys, crow-step gables and oak-panelled rooms and is surrounded by ten acres of enclosed gardens comprising extensive lawns, walled garden and stew pond. On specified days during the summer months, visitors are able to spend a couple of hours or more exploring the house and grounds. Guided tours for parties are available by prior arrangement at other times. www.ingatestonehall.com 6). Hedingham Castle, Castle Hedingham – A visit to the castle and its beautiful grounds is ideal for a family outing. There are four floors to explore, including a magnificent Banqueting Hall spanned by a 8.5m arch, one of the largest Norman arches in England. A good view of this splendid room can be obtained from the Minstrels' Gallery, built within the thickness of the 3.5m walls. During the summer there are a variety of special events including jousting tournaments, a pirate treasure hunt and a haunted walk. www.hedinghamcastle.co.uk 7). Naze Tower, Walton-on-the-Naze – The Naze Tower is an historic landmark dramatically situated on the cliffs at the Naze. The 26m tall octagonal tower has played an important part in maritime history and is grade II* listed, as the only building of its type and era in the country. Today it offers visitors a unique experience of heritage and culture that is fun for all ages. www.nazetower.co.uk 8). Paycocke’s, Coggeshall – Paycocke's is a National Trust Property built 1509/10. It is an attractive half-timbered merchant's house with uncommonly intricate carved woodwork and panelling. Built for Thomas Paycocke it shows off the wealth generated by the cloth trade in Coggeshall and in Essex. Saved from demolition by the local community in the 19th century the house was restored to its former glory by Lord Noel Buxton in the early 20th century. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
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9). Royal Gunpowder Mills , Waltham Abbey – Set in 69ha of natural parkland and boasting 20 buildings of major historic importance, the site mixes secret history, exciting science and beautiful surroundings. Evidence shows that gunpowder was produced in the Waltham Abbey area from at least the 17th Century. Later the Royal Gunpowder Mills became the leading English producer. www.royalgunpowdermills.com 10). Tilbury Fort, Tilbury – Tilbury Fort on the Thames estuary has protected London’s seaward approach from the 16th century through to the Second World War. The present fort is much the best example of its type in England, with its circuit of moats and bastioned outworks. Henry VIII built the first fort here, and Queen Elizabeth I famously rallied her army nearby to face the threat of the Armada. Explore the magazine houses used to store vast quantities of gunpowder or enter the bastion magazine passages and feel what it was like for the soldiers who lived here. The exhibition traces the role of the fort in the defence of London. www.english-heritage.org.uk/tilburyfort 11). Cressing Temple Barns, Nr. Witham – An ancient medieval moated farmstead with a fascinating range of rural barns and two vast spectacular oak barns built during the 13th century for the Knights Templar. Also a newly created 16th century paradise garden, gift shop and cafe. www.cressingtemple.org.uk 12). Hadleigh Castle, Hadleigh – The romantic ruins of a royal castle overlooking the Essex marshes. Hadleigh Castle was built by Hubert de Burgh in the 1230s during the reign of King Henry III for the 1st Earl of Kent and Chief Justice of England. It was extensively refortified by Edward III during the Hundred Years War, becoming a favourite residence of the ageing king. The barbican and two striking drum towers – one later used by Georgian revenue men looking out for smugglers – are part of his substantial building works during the 1360s. The castle formed part of the dower of several English queens in the 15th and 16th centuries, including Elizabeth Woodville the wife of Edward IV and three of the wives of Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, Anne of Cleves, and Catherine Parr. www.english-heritage.org.uk/hadleigh
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SURREY Top 12 – Experiences, Fun things to do and Family Fun 1). Chessington World of Adventures – one of two theme parks in Surrey and one of the most popular in England. Chessington has nine themed lands full of rides and experiences but also encompasses the original zoo, with tigers, penguins, reptiles and more. This is a fun day out for younger members of the family. 2). Thorpe Park – The second theme park in Surrey, which has become one of the nations most popular. Focusing on older children and young adults this thrill seeking park is only for the brave who enjoying being frightened whilst strapped to gravity defying rides. 3). Bocketts Farm and Godstone Farm – The Farm provides very small children the chance to see and have a hands on experience with farm animals and other small animals. 4). Mercedes Benz World at Brooklands – Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands is probably the only car show room in England with a difference. Showing the history of Mercedes-Benz as well as displaying the new models for sale visitors can have their own thrill with the driving experiences. The race-track gives visitors experience on the skid pan, off road or just extra driving experience with trained drivers. 5). Horse racing – Surrey is lucky enough to have several racecourses, Sandown, Lingfield Park, Kempton and Epsom with the Derby. With race days throughout the year this is fun day out for adults. 6). The Spectrum leisure centre – The Spectrum leisure centre in Guildford is a fun place for adults and children. With excellent sporting facilities plus leisure pool, ice rink and bowling alley.
The Vampire rollercoaster at Chessington Surrey 32
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SURREY 7). Go Ape at Alice Holt – Described as a tree-top adventure this is outdoor adventure for everyone. Climb trees, go down zip wires and much more - this is getting out side at its very best. 8). For adults only – Visiting England’s largest wine estate, Denbies, is the chance to see how England’s most well known wine is produced. With tours around the vineyard, winery and cellar. 9). Guildford Boat house – Offers day river trips and hiring of rowing boats in the main summer season. So for a relaxing afternoon on the river this is the perfect place to be. 10). Guildford Lido – One of England’s few remaining 1930’s open air swimming pools, Guildford Lido is an Olympic sized swimming pool open in the summer months. With surrounding gardens this is a perfect day out in the summer for families or the serious swimmer. 11). Surrey Hills Llama trekking – is a superb day out for all the family. This unique activity has become very popular and combines the beautiful Surrey Hills and animals. 12). The Lightbox in Woking – Surrey’s main art gallery and exhibition space. With several exhibition spaces which alternate with incoming exhibitions, The Lightbox always has something special to see. With a keen interest in the arts and education there is plenty for younger visitors.
Email: [email protected] www.visitsurrey.com
Derby Day Epsom, Surrey Index
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SURREY Top 12 – Gardens and Countryside 1). The largest and internationally world famous RHS Garden Wisley – As the premier garden of the Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley has been in existence for over 100 years and has been attracting people from the beginning. Described as being able to show more ranges of horticultural expertise than most gardens Wisley is a not only a must for all gardeners but is also a great place to meet friends and enjoy the stunning displays. Open year-round. 2). Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding National Beauty – Covering almost a quarter of Surrey, the area of countryside known as the Surrey Hills stretches from east to west across the county, taking in woodland, grass chalkland, heathland, rivers, streams and lakes. For stunning views, walks, trails, cycling and much more there is no where quite like this in England. 3). Loseley Park – Situated just south of Guildford, this is an Elizabethan historic house and superb example of a Walled garden. 4). National Trust, Claremont – A Capability Brown landscape garden. Created in 1726 with lake, grotto, vistas and follies this is a nationally important garden. 5). Boxhill and Leith Hill – both part of the Surrey Hills these two hills almost look at each other across the valley providing some of the most dramatic views in the South-east. Both managed by the National Trust these areas are stunning to walk and Leith Hill has its famous town on the top, perfect for families and walkers to aim for.
View from Boxhill Surrey 34
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SURREY 6). Savil Gardens – An ornamental garden covering 14ha gives visitors a wonderful experience through its classic gardens all beautifully designed and planted. 7). Winkworth Arboretum – A year round arboretum with a huge range of trees and shrubs offering magnificent displays from spring through to autumn. 8). The River Wey and Wey Navigations – Runs from the south in Surrey north and joins the Thames in Weybridge, part river and part canal this route had its hey-day from the 17th century through to the late 19th century. Now a picturesque route through the county with both the Guildford Boat House and Farncombe Boat House offer day boat trips as well as narrow boat hire. This form of travel is a wonderful way to see the county. 9). Painshill Park – Created as a romantic ornamental landscape garden around the 18th century had a succession of owners and fell into disrepair after WWII. A trust was formed in 1981 to save the garden and over the last 30 years this beautiful garden with its formal lakes, follies, views and exquisite grotto has been restored. 10). Titsey Place and garden – A wonderful hidden gem in Surrey. A large historic estate with house, estate and stunning kitchen walled garden, rose and ornamental gardens plus woodland walks. 11). Devils Punch Bowl – A natural basin formed by springs eroding the soft rock, the areas is now covered with woodland and heathland. 12). Busbridge Lakes – A fascinating water garden covering 6.5ha with specimen trees plus an amazing collection of wild waterfowl birds.
Email: [email protected] www.visitsurrey.com
Painshill Park Surrey Index
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WINDSOR AND ETON Top 12 things to do in Windsor 1). Visit The Queen’s official home – Windsor Castle, the world’s oldest and largest inhabited castle, is an official residence of Her Majesty The Queen. Highlights include the State Apartments, St George's Chapel, the burial place of 10 monarchs, and Queen Mary's Dolls House. The Changing of the Guard, usually accompanied by a band, takes place at 11a.m. daily from April until the end of July and on alternate days for the rest of the year (weather permitting and except Sundays). The best viewing point is the Corn Exchange at the famous Windsor Guildhall. Once inside the Castle, you can watch the actual changing ceremony outside the Guardroom in the Lower Ward at 11a.m. Email: [email protected] www.royalcollection.org.uk 2). Learn to play polo – the sport of Kings – The Royal Borough hosts polo at a number of venues featuring the world’s top professionals and plenty of opportunities to take part in half time ‘divot stamping’ – Pretty Woman style. National and International teams compete, with their entourage of ponies (never horses!) Lessons are also available where you can learn the rules and tactics and perfect your polo swing. No experience necessary. Email: [email protected] www.windsor.gov.uk 3) Dine out celebrity chef style – Looking for top notch dining? The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead offers Michelin stars, celebrity chefs and world-class cuisine. The latest addition is Antony Worrall Thompson’s Windsor Grill. A stone’s throw from The Long Walk, the Windsor Grill menu boasts an unrivalled range of prime Aberdeenshire steaks, handmade burgers, exquisite fish and seafood dishes and daily changing specials. In the nearby village of Bray you can choose from two, three-starred Michelin restaurants – The Waterside Inn run by Michel Roux and The Fat Duck run by Heston Blumenthal – voted best restaurant in the world in 2005. These are two of only four triple-starred Michelin restaurants in the UK. Email: [email protected] www.AWTRestaurants.com www.waterside-inn.co.uk www.thefatduck.co.uk
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Windsor Castle Windsor, Berkshire Index
WINDSOR AND ETON 4). Celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – To mark 60 years of The Queen's reign the Diamond Jubilee will take place in 2012. Celebrations centred around an extended weekend in 2012 on 2-5 June. A portrait of The Queen’s reign will be captured in 60 photographs on display at Windsor Castle, highlighting fleeting moments from both official occasions and relaxed family gatherings (from 4 February 2012 – January 2013). Email: [email protected] www.windsor.gov.uk 5). Tour Eton College – World famous Eton College opens its doors to visitors from April to October. Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, the School Dress still consists of a black tailcoat, waistcoat and pin-striped trousers introduced in the 1850s. Eton has educated 18 British Prime Ministers, Princes William and Harry and four-times Olympic Gold Medal rower Sir Matthew Pinsent. Short guided tours of approximately one hour in length are available. Pre-booking is essential. Email: [email protected] www.etoncollege.com 6). Discover Windsor’s Olympic heritage – Book a private walking tour for your group with an expert Blue Badge tourist guide and discover Windsor's Olympic heritage. Hear the amazing story of the 1908 Olympic marathon and why the official marathon route is 26 miles and 385 yards. Legend has it that the start of the marathon was moved to the Castle’s East Terrace because the then Princess of Wales wanted her children to see the race. See the only 1908 marathon route marker on Eton High Street and walk along part of the actual route. Also, visit The Long Walk to see where the 1948 Olympic road cycle race took place. Email: [email protected] www.windsortouristguides.co.uk
Eton College Windsor, Berkshire Index
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WINDSOR AND ETON 7). The Savill Garden – The Savill Garden is part of The Royal Landscape, which also includes the Valley Gardens and Virginia Water. It is one of England’s finest woodland and ornamental gardens with 14ha of trees, shrubbery, ponds and streams, lawns, meadows and formal beds which are home to some of the world’s most decorative plants. The new rose garden was opened by Her Majesty The Queen in June 2010. This exciting and contemporary garden is best visited from mid- June to September. Email: [email protected] www.thecrownestate.co.uk 8). Horse-drawn carriage ride through the Royal Landscape – Explore Windsor Great Park in style with a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride. Ascot Carriages offers scenic drives in a beautiful Victorian carriage previously used by the Queen’s Equerry and Horsemaster. Orchard Poyle runs tours from outside Windsor Castle and down The Long Walk to Home Park. Email: [email protected] www.ascotcarriages.co.uk www.orchardpoyle.co.uk 9). Walk the Riverside – Escorted by the Royal Boatmen, the Royal Family once used the Thames to travel between royal palaces. It's less common these days to see royals on the river, but walks along the Thames Path are not to be missed. Start from Old Windsor, and once past the weir at Old Windsor Lock, cross Albert Bridge for a detour into the village of Datchet - you'll soon return over Victoria Bridge into Home Park, with picture postcard views of both Windsor Castle and Eton. Email: [email protected] www.windsor.gov.uk
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WINDSOR AND ETON 10). Dress up for Royal Ascot – For almost 250 years, Royal Ascot has established itself as a national institution and the centrepiece of the British social calendar as well as being the ultimate stage for the best racehorses in the world. Tradition, pageantry, fashion and style all meet in a glorious setting where stewards wear bowler hats, ladies show off elaborate outfits and the after racing “singing round the bandstand” is a feast of fun and flag waving. Royal Ascot is the South of England’s most popular picnic spot and the most popular sporting occasion at which to picnic in the country and under-18’s go free when accompanied by an adult. Email: [email protected] www.ascot.co.uk/?page=royal_ascot 11). Count swans with HM Swan Marker – Follow The Queen's Swan Marker, the Royal Swan Uppers and the Swan Uppers of the Vintners' and Dyers' livery companies. The party use six traditional Thames rowing skiffs and The Queen's Swan Uppers wear scarlet uniforms. When a brood of cygnets is sighted, a cry of "All up!" is given to signal that the boats should get into position. On passing Windsor Castle, the rowers stand to attention in their boats with oars raised and salute "Her Majesty The Queen, Seigneur of the Swans". After weighing, measuring and a quick health check the swans are released back to the river Thames. Email: [email protected] www.royalswan.co.uk/ 12). Attend evensong at St George’s Chapel – The Choir of St George's Chapel is one of the leading Church Choirs in the country. It comprises 24 boy choristers and twelve Lay Clerks singing alto, tenor and bass. They perform Evensong at 5.15 pm (sung every day except Wednesdays) in a service which lasts approx. 45 minutes. Founded in 1348, the choir sings regularly in the presence of the Queen and other members of the Royal family and has a large repertoire of music drawn from all ages and traditions. Email: [email protected] www.stgeorges-windsor.org St. George’s Chapel Windsor, Berkshire Index
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WINDSOR AND ETON Top 12 Windsor Olympic connections 1). The 2012 Games will be the third time that the Olympic Games have been hosted by Great Britain and the third time events have taken place in Windsor. In 1908 the marathon started at Windsor Castle; in 1948 the cycling took place in Windsor Great Park and in 2012 the rowing and kayak events take place at Eton Dorney. 2). Local man, William Henry Grenfell, Lord Desborough, organised the 1908 Games. He lived at Taplow Court, Nr. Maidenhead and his sporting accomplishments include rowing in the University boat race, rowing across the English Channel, climbing the Matterhorn by three different routes, winning the national putting championships, swimming across the bottom of Niagara Falls (twice) and winning a silver medal in fencing at the 1906 unofficial Olympics. He was elected an MP at 25, marred an heiress, was Mayor of Maidenhead, became a peer in 1905 and served as a Knight of the Garter. Taplow Court can be seen from the Eton Dorney venue. 3). In 1908 Windsor hosted the Marathon which started outside the castle. At the time the actual race distance wasn’t fixed. Moving the starting point from Queen Victoria’s statue to East Terrace so that spectators wouldn’t hinder the athletes added 700 hundred yards to the total distance. A few changes at the White City finishing point meant the eventual race distance was 26 miles 385 yards and this was officially adopted as the length of the Marathon in 1924. 4). On the day of the Marathon the Princess of Wales (later Queen Mary) and her children decided to come from Frogmore House to the Castle to see the start. The Crown Prince of Sweden was due to start the race but protocol dictated he should defer to her so an elaborate plan was devised to keep all happy. The Princess of Wales pressed a button on a table which connected by electric cable to Lord Desborough’s car. He fired a pistol and the Crown Prince of Sweden shouted “Go”. 5). Eton High Street has the only 1908 marathon route marker still in existence. It is high up on a house next to Barnes Bridge – just past the Post Office and before the Eton College shop – and reads “25 miles to go”. Rowers on the Thames Windsor, Berkshire 40
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WINDSOR AND ETON 6). The 1948 Olympic torch came through Windsor down Sheet Street Road, Kings Road, High Street and over the bridge to Eton where the hand over was outside the ‘burning bush’ Eton College’s school hall. This famous meeting point is made of wrought iron and was designed by architect Woodyear in 1864. It was lit by gas and on a central island but was moved in 1963 on safety grounds and is no longer illuminated. 7). The 1948 road cycle race was moved to Windsor from the originally planned venue, Richmond Park, when it was discovered that any activity at more than 20 miles an hour was prohibited. The race was held on Friday 13th August and was started in a torrential downpour on Smith’s Lawn, Windsor Great Park, by HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The race distance was 120 miles, comprised of 17 laps which took approximately 18 minutes each to complete.
11). Rowing has been an event at every modern Olympic games; a women’s competition was added in 1976. With an oar stroke rate of up to 47 strokes per minute rowing is known for its display of stamina and strength. Physiologists say rowing 2000m is equivalent to playing back-to-back basketball games. 12). Windsor Castle featured on the cover of the 1908 Marathon official programme rather than the main stadium or an athletic representation. The Great Western Railway put on a special train from London’s Paddington Station to Windsor, and allowed the runners to change in the waiting room at Windsor Station. In 2008, the Queen held a reception at Windsor Castle to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1908 marathon. www.windsor.gov.uk/2012/press-and-media/history-olympics-and-windsor
8). Britain won silver in the 1948 cycling team race. Competitors suffered punctures due to the loose gravel on the roads: Of the 91 who started – 52 suffered punctures and only 28 finished. One of the team speaking to Prince Philip afterwards said “I got a medal despite your dirty old park”. “Jolly good show” replied the Duke. 9). Dorney Lake is a 2200m, eight-lane course with a separate return lane constructed to international standards by Eton College. Set in 182ha of parkland which includes an Arboretum and Nature Conservation area, up to 30000 spectators per day will be able to enjoy the Rowing, Kayak and Paralympic Rowing events, assisted by 3500 staff and volunteers. 10). London had been selected as the host city for the 1944 Games, however these were postponed due to WWII. Eventually taking place only three years after the end of the War, the 1948 Games became known as the Austerity Games, due to the ongoing rationing and post-war conditions. Most countries brought their own food and athletes were housed in army barracks and transported to venues in double decker buses.
Windsor Castle Windsor, Berkshire Index
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BATH Top 12 ways to relax in Bath 1). Bathe at the Thermae Bath Spa – Using the warm, mineral-rich waters which the Celts and Romans enjoyed over 2000 years ago, Thermae Bath Spa is Britain's original and only natural thermal Spa. Thermae is a remarkable combination of 'old and new' where historic spa buildings blend with the contemporary design of the New Royal Bath. Relax in the roof-top pool while enjoying views of Bath’s surrounding cityscape. 2). Explore the Roman Baths – Around Britain's only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water. See the water's source, walk where Romans walked on the ancient stone pavements and discover the beginnings of this spa town. 3). Treat yourself at a hotel or day spa – Bath has a large number of hotel and day spas where you can pop in for a quick treatment or spoil yourself with a full day of indulgence. Luxurious treatments and top spa facilities are all available at 5-star hotels, Macdonald Bath Spa, Royal Crescent and nearby Lucknam Park. 4). Stroll through Bath’s unique architecture – One of Bath’s most striking features is its unique architecture that has earned it a worldwide reputation. Strolling around Bath’s picturesque streets and discovering architectural gems such as the Royal Crescent, Circus and Pulteney Bridge is an enjoyable way to discover the World Heritage Site of Bath. 5). Relax in one of Bath’s parks and gardens – Bath has many green spaces with lots of beautiful parks and gardens including Royal Victoria Park, with its 23ha of parkland, and Prior Park Landscape Gardens, on the outskirts of the city, offering fantastic views across Bath. 6). Enjoy a quintessential British afternoon tea – It’s easy to experience a quintessential British afternoon tea in Bath with a good choice of cafes and quaint tearooms. The Pump Room has been regarded as the social heart of Bath for more than two centuries and is where Bath’s hot Spa water is drawn for drinking. Sernaded by the Pump Room Trio, diners can enjoy a choice of afternoon tea in elegant 18th Century surroundings. Alternatively, Sally Lunn's – located in the oldest house in Bath (c.1482) - serves the most famous local delicacy; the Original Sally Lunn Bun. 42
The Great Bath Bath, Somerset Index
BATH 7). Dine in Bath – Discover a foodie heaven in Bath with restaurants offering flavours to suit all tastes. There is a fantastic mix of cafes, pubs and bars, a vibrant independent restaurant sector and a superb selection of award winning restaurants. On a sunny day, there are many relaxing spots to dine al fresco such as Milsom Place - a tucked away pedestriansed courtyard with a number of popular eateries. 8). Discover Bath and the surrounding area with a personal guide – There are so many hidden secrets to explore in Bath and the surrounding area, with beautiful countryside and intruiging towns and villages waiting to be discovered. Organise a personal walking tour of Bath or opt for a chauffeur-driven tour to explore the nearby region. 9). See Bath by boat – The picturesque River Avon runs through the centre of Bath and under the famous Pulteney Bridge. Join one of the city’s leisurely boat trips and explore Bath from a different perspective. 10). Relaxing retail therapy – Bath offers a unique shopping experience with a fabulous selection of small independent shops and stylish boutiques, alongside familiar big name stores and exclusive designer brands. The city centre is traffic free and compact making it easy to reach all the top spots on foot. 11). Walk along the Kennet & Avon Canal – The Kennet & Canal runs through the centre of Bath and onto nearby countryside. A level walk will take you into picturesque meadows and farmland and you’ll even be able to pop into one of the cosy country pubs along the way. 12). Visit one of Bath’s many museums & galleries – Bath has a huge number of museums for a city of its size – 17 in the city centre alone – providing visitors with an interesting way to discover more about the city. There are also many art galleries including the newly refurbished Holburne Museum which is set in an impressive Georgian building and complemented by its brand new and very modern extension.
Thermae Bath Spa Bath Index
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BIRMINGHAM Birmingham’s Top 12 buildings 1). Selfridges at the Bullring – Birmingham’s Selfridges store, designed by architects Future Systems and covered with 15000 spun aluminium discs was named one of the world’s ‘ultimate sights’ by Lonely Planet in September 2011. 2). The Cube – Inspired by a visually enchanting jewellery box, The Cube – vision of award winning architect, Ken Shuttleworth, draws on Birmingham’s heritage as a leading centre for jewellery design and manufacture, transforming the city’s skyline. 3). Birmingham Cathedral – St Philip’s Church was one of the first new parish churches to be built after the Reformation. Its architect, Thomas Archer, had a relatively brief architectural career and left few completed buildings but is well known both for his flamboyant interpretation of the Baroque style and for the quality of his designs. Construction of St Philip’s Church commenced in 1709. The church was consecrated in 1715, although lack of funding meant that the imposing Tower remained incomplete until 1725. The church was originally constructed on a simple rectangular plan with a shallow Apse at the east end. Internally, the liturgical arrangements and furnishings were typical of the period with a central “three-decker” pulpit, box pews and galleries on three sides. The Baroque stone font was placed under the West Gallery in a railed enclosure and the organ was situated at the centre of the Gallery immediately above. Plain oak wainscoting clad the lower parts of the walls and columns. The church was built of a local brick and faced in a pale grey calcareous limestone, which came from the Rowington Quarries on the Archer Estates at Umberslade. It is thought that much of the timber used in the building also came from the Archer Estates. The structure is built on “substantial brick footings, approximately 3.5m below ground level on a stratum of dense sand”. A Crypt, of no great size by contemporary standards, was constructed below the Nave. Curiously this is understood to be structurally independent of the remainder of the building and considerably smaller than the overall plan (both of Archer’s other churches have vaulted crypts which occupy the full plan area and are integrated structurally with the remainder of the building). The Crypt apparently featured a coffin lift and an access stair below the Tower. Selfridges Birmingham 44
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BIRMINGHAM 4). Birmingham Town Hall – Town Hall re-opened on Thursday 4 October 2007, with a two-week festival of events on the theme Celebrating the Past, Pioneering the Future. Town Hall has undergone a £35m renovation, funded by Birmingham City Council (£18.3m), Heritage Lottery Fund (£13.7m) and European Regional Development Fund (£3m). Acclaimed at its opening in 1834 as the finest music hall in the country, this Grade 1 listed landmark has been lovingly and painstakingly renovated by a dedicated team of conservation and construction professionals. Since that time, its imposing neo-classical design has dominated the City centre’s Victoria and Chamberlain Squares. 5). Library of Birmingham – The Library of Birmingham will be a major new cultural destination, rewriting the book for 21st century public libraries. It opens in 2013. The Library of Birmingham will provide a showcase for the city’s internationally important collections of archives, photography and rare books. New facilities including state-of-the-art gallery space will open up public access to the collections for the first time. It will also be home to a BFI Mediatheque, providing free access to the National Film Archive. Other facilities will include a new flexible studio theatre, an outdoor amphitheatre and other informal performance spaces, a recording studio, and dedicated spaces for children and teenagers. By harnessing new technology, everyone from Birmingham to Beijing, Bangalore and beyond will be able to access the Library of Birmingham’s world-class resources. More than three million visitors are expected each year, and millions more online. Described by its architect Francine Houben as a ‘people’s palace’, the Library of Birmingham will be highly accessible and family-friendly. It will deliver excellent services through collaboration between the library, The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, partners and communities. It will provide a dynamic mix of events, activities and performance together with outstanding resources, exhibitions and access to expert help for learning, information and culture. As a centre of excellence for literacy, research, study, skills development, entrepreneurship, creative expression, health information and much more, the Library of Birmingham will change people’s lives. 6). The Rotunda – Situated at the heart of the city for more than 40 years, Rotunda is Birmingham’s most iconic building. Following redevelopment by Urban Splash, Rotunda is home to 232 citypads, and one and two bedroom apartments. Rotunda sits above the Bullring shopping centre and Birmingham New Street Station and has 360 degree views across the city.
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The Rotunda Birmingham 45
BIRMINGHAM 7). Birmingham Council House, Victoria Square – Built between 1874 and 1879 on what was once Ann Street, and designed by Yeoville Thomason, the Council House is now a Grade II listed building, used for all Council and most Committee meetings. The front, facing Victoria Square, has a pediment showing Britannia receiving the manufacturers of Birmingham. Before it was built the town council met at such places as the Public Offices in Moor Street, and even at a public house. The town argued long and hard whether the finished building should be called The Municipal Hall, Council House, or Guildhall. The total cost was £63,805. Behind it stands the Museum and Art Gallery, built by the same architect in 1881-5. 8). Winterbourne House – Restored to its Edwardian Arts and Craft splendour, Winterbourne House is a unique heritage attraction – set within three hectares of beautiful botanic gardens. Only minutes from Birmingham city centre, Winterbourne is a hidden gem – home to beautiful antiques and over 6000 plant species from around the world. Wander along the woodland walk, stroll through the hazelnut tunnel, cross the 1930’s Japanese Bridge or simply soak up the tranquillity of this perfectly English Edwardian home. 9). Fort Dunlop – Fort Dunlop is a Birmingham landmark and architectural icon. Original trye factory and main office of Dunlop Rubber, developer Urban Splash has kept all of the best old bits of the building and poured new ideas into the shell. The redevelopment includes a stunning atrium, new green roof and a new hotel has been bolted onto the end. Headquarters to the Birmingham Post and Mail newspapers and a vast array of other businesses from accountants and insurance companies to PR and design consultants – Fort Dunlop’s tenants benefit from a host of onsite retailers, eateries and great access to the M6 motorway.
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BIRMINGHAM 10). Custard Factory – Six hundred paces from the Bull Ring is The Custard Factory, Built 100 years ago it is now home to a hive of young creative companies, galleries, fine artists, independent shops and terrific restaurants. One of Birmingham’s biggest nightclubs and a number of renowned live music venues are located here. All are part of a vigorous working community that knows how to party too! 11). Mailbox – The Mailbox opened in 1998 and was the redevelopment of the former Royal Mail sorting office in Birmingham City Centre. Now it is the UK’s largest mixed-use building incorporating retail, leisure, offices and residential in a well managed, security patrolled complex of the highest quality. The tenants included Malmaison and Ramada hotels, the BBC Midlands headquarters, luxury retailers such as Harvey Nichols, Emporio Armani, Hugo Boss and sixteen restaurants and cafe bars. The Mailbox is one of Birmingham’s premier shopping and lifestyle destination with exclusive stores, restaurants, cafe bars, hotels and 24 hr parking. It is the ultimate location for designer shopping in the Midlands with international brands as well as chic salons & spas in one central Birmingham location. 12). St Martins – St Martin in the Bull Ring is one of the most ancient and contemporary buildings in Birmingham. Most of the Grade II listed church is from the nineteenth century. It was built in 1873 and is an example of gothic Victorian architecture, designed by Alfred Chatwin, from Birmingham, who also worked on the houses of parliament. But St Martin's is much older than that. There has been a church on this site since 1290 and may well have been a simple place of worship here in Saxon times. St Martin's is also a place of worship for a thriving community who refurbished the building in 2000 making it more light and open.
St Martin in the Bull Ring Birmingham Index
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BIRMINGHAM Top 12 Hidden Gems in Birmingham 1). Electric Cinema – Established in 1909 The Electric Cinema is the oldest working cinema in the UK. It has been through many name changes and was mostly rebuilt in the 1930s. Click here to find out more information and to watch short documentaries on the cinema’s amazing life story. 2). VIVID Gallery – Established in 1992, VIVID has a longstanding commitment to the development of contemporary media arts through research, production, and commissioning programmes. Based in Birmingham's Eastside district, the VIVID project space, The Garage, is used to introduce audiences to both emerging talent and work of international significance, with a strong focus on the moving image and innovation. VIVID takes an inter-disciplinary approach to moving image to also embrace music, new media, live and visual arts and in so doing, supports audiences to navigate their own way through complex and important histories and territories. 3). ZELLIG – ZELLIG is a creative art studios in the Custard Factory Quarter – provides an inspiring, entertaining and commercially fertile environment for one hundred and one independent creative enterprises. 4).Project Pigeon – Project Pigeon is an organisation that brings people from diverse communities together and works with pigeons, gardens and boats as a vehicle to do so. Project Pigeon keeps 70 pigeons in a loft in Birmingham and with the pigeons run workshops, make performances, make publications, curate exhibitions, race in a local pigeon club and design and build pigeon lofts. The project started in January 2009 and is open ended and expansive. Project Pigeon’s Loft, is located on Milk Street, Digbeth, Birmingham (in Boxxed’s backyard) 5). Ikon Slow Boat – Slow Boat is Ikon’s innovative three year project (2011-2013) aimed at engaging young people with contemporary artists and the local heritage and history of the Inland Waterways.
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BIRMINGHAM 6). Edgbaston Priory Club – Edgbaston Priory Club is firmly established as one of the country’s most prestigious racquet and leisure clubs. It is a private members club with over 3000 members who regularly enjoy playing racquet sport, keeping fit and socialising. The origins of Edgbaston Priory Club date back around 130 years. The Club as we know it today was formed in December 1964 as a result of a merger between two very long established clubs; Edgbaston Lawn Tennis Club, founded in 1878 and Priory Lawn Tennis Club, founded in 1875. This merger came about when, in May 1963, a disastrous fire completely destroyed Priory's Clubhouse - hence the Club's logo which is a Phoenix rising from the ashes. Edgbaston Priory Club is a very different place today than it was in the 1880’s when it moved to its current location. Set in 5ha of beautiful grounds the private members club now boasts 29 tennis courts, 10 squash courts, heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, outside spa, Technogym equipped fitness facilities and a licensed bar and restaurant. 7). Barber Institute of Fine Arts “one of the finest small art galleries in Europe” - The Observer Monet, Manet, and Magritte; Renoir, Rubens, Rossetti and Rodin; Degas, Delacroix and van Dyck — not to mention Botticelli, Poussin, Turner, Gainsborough, Gauguin, van Gogh, Picasso, Hodgkin…You can see major works by all these great artists in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, at the University of Birmingham. There’s also a stunning coin gallery and an exciting programme of exhibitions, concerts, lectures, gallery talks, workshops and family activities. The Barber is also home to the University of Birmingham's departments of History of Art and Music, as well as the Barber Fine Art and Music libraries. 8). Number 11 bus route – The number 11 bus route is a circular route from Perry Barr to Handsworth. At 43.5km long, it is the Longest urban bus ride in Europe. It takes 2.5 hours to complete and takes in local sights including: •
Sarehole Mill – one of two surviving water mills in B’ham and inspiration for JRR Tolkien
•
Villa Park
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9). St Paul’s Gallery – St Pauls Gallery is the World's leading retailer in signed limited edition album cover fine art. Opened in 2002 St Paul’s has steadily grown to what is now the largest collection of licensed album cover art in the World. With well over 100 signed prints on permanent show and sale, the gallery is a place not to be missed if music is your passion. Also on show are exclusive collections of signed limited edition musician portrait photographs and fine art prints. St Pauls also actively invests and trades in rare fine art prints and originals by world renowned artists including Andy Warhol, Picasso, Bridget Riley and Salvador Dali. 10). The Pen Room Museum – During the 19th Century, 75 percent of everything written in the world was with a ‘Birmingham’ pen. Birmingham was at the forefront of this trade until it declined in the 1950’s with the invention of the biro and fountain pen. At one time there were about 100 factories in the Jewellery Quarter area. The development of the steel pen reduced the cost of writing and enabled the spread of literacy throughout the world. Set in the atmosphere of a former Victorian pen factory, the Pen Room Museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of this trade. There is ongoing research into the social, historical and technical aspects of the trade and also the Jewellery Quarter itself. The museum has assisted people tracing their genealogy and is keen to hear from anybody who has had connections with the trade. 11). Hare and Hounds Kings Heath – Hare & Hounds is a fully equipped live entertainment venue. We cater for all tastes by hosting fantastic artists across all musical genres. We also have a mixture of alternative events such as comedy, vintage fairs, spoken word, quizzes … and now serves food! 12). The Old Joint Stock Theatre – "If you don't already know it, the Old Joint Stock is an absolute jewel box of a theatre. Perched on the top floor of a grand nineteenth century building that was once a private bank, right opposite the front door of Birmingham's St Philip's Cathedral, it's the jewel in the crown of a brilliant and vibrant pub conversion. For those of us who like their theatre experiences up close and personal it is one of the midlands' most perfect venues..." from a review by the Lichfield Blog
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BLACKPOOL Top 12 Things to do in Blackpool 1). Blackpool Tower – There’s also great plans for the world famous Tower. Look out later this year for the newly refurbished observation deck - the Blackpool Tower Eye – for a brand new 4D cinema experience and the undisputed best view in town. Then, when you've been to the top of the Tower, take the Elevator to Hell and descend into the grisly world of the new Tower Dungeon where you'll come faceto-face with 100 years of the dark history of the North West. Meet the Skippool Smugglers, try to escape the Labyrinth of the Lost and explore the isolated communities of eerie Pendle Woods - where anyone can be accused of witchcraft – even you...If you're found guilty you'll be sentenced to experience the drop-ride of doom – taste the fear as you drop, screaming into the darkness below! 2). Showzam! – 15th-24th February 2013 - Showzam! is Blackpool's festival of Circus, Magic and New Variety taking place during February Half-Term. The Showzam! festival will see the town come alive with a myriad of world class performances and highly acclaimed entertainers appearing at venues throughout the town. During Showzam!, Blackpool will be awash with colour and excitement throughout the resort. 3). Winter Gardens Floral Hall – For something a little less high-octane, experience the golden age of Hollywood glamour as you step into the splendour of the newly restored Grade II listed Winter Gardens and enjoy a stroll along the stunning Floral Hall. Enjoy a coffee break in the Mazzei coffee shop whilst you marvel at newly rediscovered plasterwork by renowned film set designer Andrew Mazzei; or stay for a meal and revel in the art deco designs and glasswork from your seat the glamorous Empress Grill. First-class North West restaurateurs Heathcoats are in charge of both new eateries in the Winter Gardens – guaranteeing you a fabulous dining experience. Gorgeous! 4). Pleasure Beach, Blackpool – There’s something for everyone at Pleasure Beach Resort with over 125 rides and attractions plus spectacular shows. In May 2011 Nickelodon Land, a new 2.5ha area of Pleasure Beach, opened, brimming with 12 rides and attractions, a Nickelodeon shop, fun game stalls, a huge new restaurant and home to a whole host of famous Nickelodeon characters. Blackpool 50
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BLACKPOOL 5). Madame Tussauds – Madame Tussauds is the 12th place in the world to carry the iconic brand name following on from others in London, New York, Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Amsterdam. Brand new £150,000 wax models take centre stage, offering visitors the chance to mingle with sporting heroes, favourite characters, big name movie stars and world leaders. 6). Sandcastle Waterpark – Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool is the UK’s largest indoor waterpark and with 18 slides and attractions it is easy to see why Sandcastle Waterpark continues to make a splash. 7). Blackpool Trams – An essential part of any visit to Blackpool, a tram journey is the perfect way to travel. This Easter 16 brand new state-of-the-art vehicles will join the heritage cars as part of a £100m upgrade to the system to ensure its survival into the 21st Century and beyond. Whether you choose to travel in accessible luxury on board the new cars, or choose a more traditional vehicle this is a great way to see Blackpool's beach and experience the promenade. 8). Blackpool Zoo – Voted “Visitor Attraction of the Year” for Blackpool and Lancashire, the zoo has all your favourite animals from aardvarks to zebras residing in spacious, natural enclosures with lakes and mature parkland. You can see over a thousand exotic and endangered animals, reptiles, birds and invertebrates from all around the world.
11). Stanley Park – The 158ha Stanley Park is a landmark in its own right, with a magical blend of architecture, horticulture and recreation. Stanley Park abounds in wildlife and its features appeal to the naturalist, the plant lover or one who would do nothing more than relax in elegant surroundings. Delightful horticultural displays can be found throughout the park. Don’t miss the Italian gardens, water fountains, statues, rose gardens and Remembrance Garden. Admire the impressive Cocker Tower - a memorial to Blackpool’s first Mayor Dr William Cocker, the bandstand and ornamental bridges over the lake. 12). Tower Festival Headland – In 2012 we welcome the brand new Tower Festival Headland to the town as the central section of the seawall renewal reaches its final stages. The £15.5m headland will jut into the sea beneath the Tower and feature a comedy carpet with dozens of quotes and catchphrases from well known classic and contemporary comics. In addition, there’ll be a 20000 capacity open air arena designed to host world class events.
Blackpool Tower by night Blackpool
9). Blackpool Illuminations – 31st August – 4th November 2012 - Have you seen them? The sort of spectacle that everyone should see at least once, Blackpool Illuminations enthral millions of visitors every year. The greatest free light show on earth has been a major part of Blackpool’s attraction since 1879 when they were described as ‘Artificial Sunshine’. 10). Sea Life Centre – Are you a shark lover, seahorse fanatic or a clownfish groupie? Perhaps it’s the graceful jellyfish or the clever octopus that you love the most. Maybe you simply can’t decide! Here at SEA LIFE Blackpool you can make up your mind and see them all - from the curious and the rescued to the rare and the enigmatic. And you’ll be able to get closer to them than ever before.
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BRIGHTON & HOVE Top 12 Brighton & Hove Royal connections 1). One of the country's most iconic attractions is in the heart of Brighton, The Royal Pavilion, was the seaside home of the Prince Regent who later became George IV. 2). Brighton Dome is part of the Royal Pavilion estate and visitors who join the 'Behind the Scenes' tour can see the tunnel which links the Brighton Dome and the Royal Pavilion. 3). Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is also part of the Royal Pavilion estate and originally housed the Prince Regent's horses. 4). The Theatre Royal Brighton is situated in the cultural quarter of the city and the Prince Regent gave his Royal Ascent for the theatre to be built. 5). Brighton & Hove has several parks and green spaces to relax in and one of the largest is Queen's Park which was originally a Victorian pleasure garden known as Brighton Park but it was later renamed in honour of Queen Adelaide and formally opened to the public on 10 August 1892. 6). The city is known for the stunning regency architecture and one of the finest examples is Adelaide Crescent, which was named after Queen Adelaide who regularly visited Brighton with her husband King William IV. Similarly Brunswick Square is named after Caroline of Brunswick who was the Prince Regent's wife.
Royal Pavillion Brighton 52
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BRIGHTON & HOVE 7). The Old Steine was the fashionable centre of town and today there are two buildings here with blue plaques on them to commemorate royal links. The Royal York hotel is where King William IV and Queen Adelaide stayed during a visit to the city. At number 55 (Steine House) there is a blue plaque dedicated to Maria Fitzherbert who was the Prince Regent's mistress and said to be his one true love. 8). Along the seafront promenade there is a large statue of an angel which marks the border between Brighton & Hove. The Peace Statue was erected as a memorial to King Edward IV who was known as the 'Peacemaker' and was very fond of Hove and once said: "I like Hove. I like its surroundings and I like its climate". 9). The Duke of York's Picturehouse is the oldest continually operating cinema in the UK and was actually named after the London theatre although it's opening in 1910 coincided with the accession to the throne of George V, Duke of York. 10). Each May the city hosts the biggest offshore yacht race in Sussex. The Royal Escape is an annual recreation of Charles II's flight from his puritan pursuers during the Civil War. 11). Captain Nicholas Tettersell is buried at St Nicholas's Church; he was the owner of the Old Ship Hotel which he bought with money from a grateful King Charles II. The captain had helped the King to escape to France in 1651 after the Battle of Worcester. 12). The main road along the seafront is called King's Road as King George IV had contributed ÂŁ200 to the project and opened the road on 29 January 1822. The lower promenade on beachfront level includes the King's Road Arches home to the Artist's Quarter as well as a variety of shops, bars and restaurants.
Theatre Royal Brighton Index
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BRIGHTON & HOVE Top 12 Brighton Beach facts 1). The city's iconic beachfront attraction, Brighton Pier, cost £137,000 to build, is 525m long and welcomes over 4m visitors each year.
2). Brighton beach is 13.35km long and scientists have calculated that it is made up of 648 billion pebbles.
3). The world’s oldest operating electric railway, Volks Railway, runs along Brighton beach from Brighton Pier to Brighton Marina in the summer months.
4). The world's oldest aquarium is the Sea Life Brighton which opened in 1872.
5). Brighton beach was the scene of the famous Mods & Rockers riots in the mid 60’s, which was a pivotal point in modern British history and became immortalised on screen in the film ‘Qaudrophenia’.
6). On average 47500 sheets of toilet paper are used in the seafront toilets every day.
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BRIGHTON & HOVE 7). Brighton Marina is the biggest marina development in Europe.
8). The newest attraction on Brighton beach is the Brighton Wheel which takes visitors 50m above sea level in one of 36 enclosed glass gondolas, offering incredible views out to sea and across the city.
9). Brighton Bandstand on the beachfront was originally completed in 1884, and was completely restored in 2009 and is now a popular wedding and civil partnership venue.
10). The city of Brighton & Hove is still the largest fishing centre in Sussex and the Brighton Fishing Museum on the beachfront traces the original history of the industry since the days of Brighthelmstone.
11). The Brighton Swimming Club swims in the sea every day, including Christmas Day!
12). On 1 April 1980, the UK’s first naturist beach in a prime British resort was opened at the Cliff Bathing Beach below Dukes Mound to the west end of Brighton beach.
Brighton Marina Brighton Index
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BRISTOL Top 12 ways to enjoy the best of Bristol 1). Street art scene – Bristol is home to the most ambitious permanent street art project ever to take place in the UK. The world’s leading street artists from numerous countries have painted the facades of 10 multi-storey Bristol buildings along Nelson Street in the city centre as part of ‘See No Evil’, making the street one of the world’s largest outdoor art exhibitions. Synonymous with the city’s street art scene is Banksy, the elusive graffiti artist extraordinare, whose collection of artistic works is featured on streets, walls and bridges all over the world, and it all started in Bristol. Born out of the city’s vibrant underground scene, Banksy became involved in graffiti during the great Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980’s which was heavily influenced by artists and musicians in New York City. During a visit to the city, don’t miss these top three city locations to admire Banksy’s art: 1) Stoke’s Croft - Banksy’s Mild, Mild West can be found right next to The Canteen 2) Frogmore Street - Banksy’s artwork is on the side of a sexual health clinic, with the best views being had from the small bridge on Park Street that crosses Frogmore Street 3) Thekla - An infamous piece of work viewed on the side of the Thekla Social boat moored in Bristol harbour 2). M Shed – Travel back in time and visit Bristol’s new £2m history museum, M Shed, which opened its doors in June 2011. The new museum in the historic Harbourside area uncovers the story of the city including its trading past and wartime experiences. Designed to appeal to all family generations, the museum features a children’s area to creatively engage with history, whilst older generations will appreciate the fascinating insight into Bristol’s wartime history. 3). St Nicholas Market – Take a stroll through the heart of Bristol’s Old City and discover St Nicholas Market, named by The Guardian newspaper as one of the best 10 markets in the UK and it’s not hard to see why. This is where Bristol’s largest collection of independent retailers gather under one roof, bringing together an inviting mix of smells and flavours from its food and drink section. It provides the perfect atmosphere for tasting the city’s locally produced goods, particularly when the Slow Food Market opens up on the first Sunday of every month. 56
‘Banksy’ Street Art Bristol Index
BRISTOL 4). Pieminister – A steaming hot pie filled to its pastry-brim with heart-warming ingredients is a comfort food loved by all. Bristol is home to the successful Pieminister, an innovative pie-making company set up in the city during 2004. The brains behind the pies, brothers-in-law Jon Simon and Tristan Hogg, explain that Bristol was their choice city for setting up the business due to its greenminded ethos and passion for locally-reared produce. All Pieminister pies are handmade by chefs who use free-range meat and fresh vegetables, and this attention to using good quality ingredients is at the heart of the company’s success in Bristol and now throughout the country. Enjoy a taste of Bristol’s finest exports in the heart of the St Nicholas Market. 5). Bristol Pirate Walks – Bristol’s pirating past is one of the most fascinating aspects of the city. Bristol Pirate Walks, run by Pirate Pete, are one-hour guided walking tours of Bristol's historic Harbourside. The walks cover Bristol's often grizzly 16th, 17th and 18th century maritime history, including discovery, trade, slavery and piracy. The walk discovers Long John Silver’s treasure chest in the smugglers cave, visit Treasure Island’s Spy Glass Inn where the press gangs roamed and find Blackbeard’s Lair in the medieval port. 6). Bristol Blue Glass – unique to the city, Bristol Blue Glass has been free blown in Bristol since the 18th Century. From jewellery and small animal figurines to goblets and plates, Bristol Blue Glass is perfect as a souvenir to gift friends and relatives from beyond the city. Today, the skilled glass makers at Bristol Blue Glass Factory & Shop are continuing a time-honoured tradition at the thriving, working factory. Visitors can observe these skilled craftsmen at their workshop in Brislington, South Bristol, watch glass being blown, spend time in the museum of glass, listen to fascinating commentaries and join in with exciting, hands-on activities. 7). Llandoger Trow – Originally built in 1664, this is one of the last timber-built buildings in all of Bristol. The building retains many of its original features and has been meticulously restored. There are many myths and legends surrounding the pub, of pirates and secret tunnels. The name derives from the Welsh village of Llandogo on the River Wye. The Llandoger Trow serves a range of traditional pub grub at reasonable prices and has plenty of outside seating on the cobbles of King Street for those summer days and evenings.
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8). Dine on water – The Spyglass Restaurant in the heart of Bristol's docks offers a fine waterside dining experience. The venue is split between a converted barge and the adjacent quayside, occupying one of Bristol's most stunning waterside settings. Further along the docks is The Glassboat Restaurant which has been a Bristol institute for nearly 25 years in the historic Harbourside area of the city. The restaurant consists of two decks on a lovingly-converted barge. 9). Up, up and away – Bristol has many high profile events throughout the year. The skies are ablaze with colour when over 120 hot air balloons ascend over Bristol for the annual International Balloon Fiesta in August. Other events include the International Festival of Kites & Air Creations. Throughout the year, visitors to Bristol can take to the skies to enjoy breath-taking views of the city and its stunning countryside with Bailey Balloons or Bristol Balloons. 10). Weigh a brain and look at your veins – At-Bristol is the place to go for an interactive science adventure. Enjoy over 30 new exhibits at this leading UK hands-on science centre including All About Us, an interactive exhibition all about the human brain and body which opened in 2011. Visitors can also sit back and enjoy a presenter-led show below the stars in the Planetarium. 11). Become a Victorian passenger – Step back in time, on board the world's first great ocean liner, Brunel's ss Great Britain, in Bristol's historic Harbourside. Explore the sumptuous surrounds of the First Class Dining Saloon, once admired by Queen Victoria, then scramble into the cramped bunks in steerage. Take a whiff of the smells, from gorgeous freshly baked bread to passenger vomit, and search out the talking toilet. Discover the true story of Victorian passengers and crew on a super-speedy two-month voyage to Australia. 12). Cheddar Cave and Gorge – Cheddar Gorge, with its 137m high cliffs, is the most dramatic geological formation in Somerset. Created by ice age melt-waters over millions of years, it carves a deep 4.82km long ravine in the south side of the Mendip Hills. Visitors can enjoy the stunning views from the top of the Lookout Tower or follow the Cliff Top Walk through the 146ha Nature Reserve.
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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Top 12 Milton Keynes Highlights 1). Bletchley Park – Home to the famous Enigma codebreakers during World War II and where the first ever semi-programmable computer was invented, Bletchley Park is a truly fascinating and humbling experience. You can take a guided tour of the museum and grounds, and take part in activities in and around the splendid Victorian mansion that was the headquarters to wartime intelligence staff. Bletchley Park also holds many events across the year with re-enactors bringing the park to life with costumes and military vehicles. 2). Xscape – Xscape offers some of the best and most diverse entertainment and leisure activities in the UK and all under one roof. Try your hand at indoor skiing and snowboarding, indoor sky-diving or rock climbing and then afterwards go to the multiplex cinema, the many retail outlets or the numerous bars and restaurants. 3). Woburn Abbey/Safari Park – The Abbey is home to the Duke of Bedford and is set in a 1214ha deer park. It houses one of the most impressive collections of art, furniture and porcelain on public view in the UK. The safari park is the UK’s largest, where visitors can see animals such as lions, tigers, wolves and elephants up close and personal. 4). Spectator sports – Home to three professional sports teams, Milton Keynes offers something for everyone. Live League One football with the Milton Keynes Dons at their 21000 seater stadiumMK, pro-league basketball with the MK Lions and all-action pro ice hockey with MK Lightning. 5). MK Theatre – Milton Keynes Theatre opened in 1999 and since then has become one of the most successful theatres outside the West End. It stages a vast range of productions from large scale musicals to smaller, intimate dramas and one-off comedy gigs. The auditorium ceiling has been carefully designed to accommodate these differing shows and can be lowered or raised depending on the scale of the production. 6). Stables – The Stables is Milton Keynes’ premier live music venue. Home to the late Sir John Dankworth and his wife Dame Cleo Laine, it offers a wide choice of musical genres including jazz, blues, rock, folk, classical, pop and world music.
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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 7). Shopping – Milton Keynes is known for its shopping experience with over 30m people coming to shop here each year. The undercover shopping areas of thecentre:mk and Midsummer Place house some of the country’s best loved high street names but also many specialist stores. 8). Stowe Landscape Gardens – Just outside Milton Keynes, Stowe is one of the most remarkable creations of Georgian England. It was created by a family once so powerful they were richer than the king. As a National Trust property, Stowe has see an ambitious programme of restoration to ensure that over 40 temples and monuments remain, gracing an inspiring backdrop of lakes and valleys with an endless variety of walks and trails. 9). Willen Lake – As one of the most visited free places in South East England, Willen Lake is a mix of nature and activities sports. You can walk or cycle around the two beautiful lakes taking in a spot of bird-watching on the way. Or for the thrill seekers why not try out cable waterskiiing or wakeboarding, or maybe hang around on the aerial high ropes course. 10). “City in the Country” – Enjoy exploring over 1821ha of parkland, woodland, lakes and rivers that play such an important part in the city’s environment. 11). Market Towns – Milton Keynes is surrounded by historic market towns such as Stony Stratford, Newport Pagnell and Olney. Stony Stratford was an important strategic travelling location; kings, queens, highwaymen and the military have all visited the town over the centuries. The origins of the Cock & Bull Story started in the town with outlandish stories being told by travellers and highwaymen at the old coaching inns, The Cock and The Bull. 12). Cycling – Milton Keynes is a cyclist’s paradise waiting to be discovered. With rides to suit both leisure and more serious cyclists, you can mountain bike on challenging trails or take the family to explore the beautiful lakes and parkland. Two National Cycle Network routes pass through the city connecting you to other parts of the region. There are 273km of Redways, a network of maintained paths that criss-cross the city and allow you to ride safely to the city centre or the outlying villages and towns. Stowe Landscape Gardens Buckinghamshire Index
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CHESHIRE Top 12 Cheshire Views 1). Beeston Castle – Set 107m above the Cheshire Plain on the sheer rocky crags and with origins stretching back over 4000 years, Beeston Castle is a magical site. On a clear day visitors can see across eight counties, reputedly the best views from any castle in England. 2). White Nancy – Standing at the top of Kerridge Hill overlooking Bollington White Nancy is an iconic Cheshire landmark. Originally built as a summer house in about 1815 by the Gaskell family the views from White Nancy are stunning with nearby hills to the east, the Cheshire Plain to the west and Bollington below. 3). Chester’s Eastgate Clock & City Walls – The Eastgate Clock is Chester’s most famous landmark, built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, the clock sits above the Eastgate of the ancient city walls. From the clock you get views of Chester’s main shopping area, The Chester Grosvenor hotel, one of a handful of five red-star hotels outside of London and the famous Rows, two-tiered medieval shopping galleries. The clock is set on the city walls, originally built in Roman times and the most complete of any city in Britain Walls. The 3.5km circular route provides some of the best views around the city with views of Chester’s Roman Amphitheatre; the river Dee, Chester Cathedral and Chester Racecourse the oldest in Britain with racing dating back to 1539.
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CHESHIRE 4). The Edge at Alderley Edge – ‘The Edge’ offers visitors stunning views across the Cheshire plain. The inspiration behind the Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner ‘The Edge’ is steeped in fascinating legend waiting to be discovered by visitors. Legend has it that a long time ago a farmer from Mobberley was crossing the Edge to sell his beautiful milk-white mare at market. Upon reaching the Thieves’ Hole an old man appeared and offered to buy the horse. The farmer refused and the old man told his that no one would buy his horse and he would return later and the old man await his return and buy the horse. The old man’s prediction came true and when the farmer returned to Thieves’’ Hole the old man, who was now a tall, proud wizard was waiting. He led the farmer and horse to a large rock in the hillside, which when he touched it with his staff opened to reveal a pair of Iron Gates. The wizard led them to a large cavern full of sleeping knights. Beside all of but one knight was a milk-white mare. The wizard led the farmer into another cavern full of jewels and told him to take what he wanted as payment for the horse as it was needed for the last knight. The farmer took payment and left. The farmer returned many times to search for the Iron Gates but never found them. From that day to this people have scoured the Edge trying to find the Gates. Will you be the one to find them!?
9). Discover Chester’s exciting past and hidden secrets with a Guided Tour or Roman Tour. 10). Accommodation – Cheshire is full of accommodation with stunning views, set in picturesque countryside are Harrop Fold Farm, Best View in Britain Barn, Common Barn Farm and Peckforton Castle. Accommodation with more urban but still impressive views there’s Abode Chester and BEST WESTERN Forest Hills Hotel 11). Take a walk along The Gritstone Trail for some truly breath-taking views. Split into three sections the trail covers 35 miles/56 kilometres and is both a challenge and delight. 12). See into outer space at Jodrell Bank, home of the famous Lovell Telescope the centre is constantly receiving live data from outer space, see the giant telescope in action, listen to the sound of the Big Bang and explore the invisible Universe.
5). Restaurants – Set in a peaceful corner of rural Cheshire on a hill The Pheasant Inn in Burwardsley enjoys some of the most magnificent panoramic views in Cheshire. The Cat and Fiddle in Macclesfield is the second highest pub in England, from here you get fantastic views of rural Cheshire. The Michael Caines Fine Dining Restaurant & Champagne Bar on the 5th floor of the hotel provide diners with panoramic views over Chester and the Welsh Hills. 6). Mow Cop Castle – Set high on a Cheshire hillside close to Congleton, Mow Cop was built in 1754 as a summerhouse for the then owners or nearby Rode Hall. The picturesque castle is now owned by the National Trust and is a peaceful and scenic part of the Cheshire countryside. 7). ChesterBoat River Cruise – Climb aboard one of ChesterBoat’s Showboats for a cruise down the River Dee. Take the half hour city cruise under the suspension bridge, past Grosvenor Park and the meadows or the two hour Iron Bridge Cruise which takes you through the ‘Eaton Estate’ home of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster. 8). See Chester from the top deck of a bus with Chester City Sightseeing Tour or Chester Heritage Tours. Index
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CHESHIRE Top 12 Things to do in Cheshire 1). Visit Chester – Visit the ancient city of Chester for a truly breath-taking experience. Walk around the city’s walls, the most complete in Britain; stand inside the largest Roman Amphitheatre in Britain; shop on The Rows, Chester’s Medieval two-tiered galleries or stroll along the banks of the River Dee. www.visitchester.com 2). Visit a Garden of Distinction – From stately homes and secret gardens, the quintessentially English to exotic oriental planting, Cheshire’s Gardens of Distinction have it all. The ever-changing landscape in Cheshire means that there is always something different every day. www.visitcheshire.com/gardens 3). Go to the Races – Chester is home to the oldest racecourse in Britain with racing dating back to 1539. Originally a Roman harbour and then the site of football matches, racing began when the football matches were banned for being too violent. Today the Roodee is a venue like no other where spectators can get really close to the racing action, and enjoy cuisine created b award winning chefs. www.chester-races.co.uk 4). Discover a Taste of Cheshire – Cheshire has an abundance of local treasures from Cheshire potatoes to delicious cheese, tasty asparagus to juicy apples and not forgetting some fabulous vineyards. You’ll also find plenty of delicious tearooms and restaurants serving the finest dishes from Michelin starred chefs to quaint English tearooms whether you want a fine dining experience or afternoon tea Cheshire has it all. www.tastecheshire.com 5). Explore Delamere Forest – Delamere Forest is Cheshire’s largest woodland area and the perfect place for exciting adventures and picnics. Swing through the tree tops at Go Ape! Follow one of the woodland walks, mountain bike through the woodland terrain or find your own way through the forest. www.forestry.gov.uk/delamere
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CHESHIRE 6). Visit Chester Zoo – Discover over 8,000 wonderful animals and 400 different species including some of the most endangered in the world! From the magnificent elephants and rhinos to the delicate butterflies, there is a different animal to see around every corner of this amazing 110 acres of award-winning gardens. Between April and November 2012 Chester Zoo is also home to 19 lifesized animatronic dinosaurs in the exciting ‘Dinosaurs Bite Back’ exhibition. www.chesterzoo.org 7). Explore a Market Town – From ancient wizards and shining locomotives, to Saxon crosses and Roman ruins, Cheshire’s market towns offer a day out with a difference. Unique, stylish and lively, each town has its own individual charm. Soak up the atmosphere in the medieval market town of Nantwich, or stroll out into the Peak District from the pretty village of Disley. Discover Crewe's ghoulish past, take afternoon tea in Macclesfield, then head to Alderley Edge for a sophisticated night out. Whatever you want to do, you'll find it in Cheshire. Use this website to plan your perfect day out and enjoy the best that Cheshire has to offer. www.cheshiremarkettowns.co.uk
11). Take a Guided Tour – From Ghost tours to Roman tours, history tours to brewery tours Cheshire has an exciting range of tours to suit all tastes. March around the historic streets of Chester with your very own Roman Soldier on the awardwinning Roman Tour or be led around by one of our Blue or Green Badge guides and discover the fascinating history of the city. Visit Bollington for a tour of Bollington Brewery, taste their delicious brews and enjoy delicious sausage and mash or if you’re feeling brave book yourself onto a ghost tour in Chester or Nantwich and hear about the many ghosts and ghouls that have been spotted in some of the most haunted places in Britain! www.visitcheshire.com 12). Watch a game of rugby league – Visit Warrington where you’ll find the Halliwell Jones Stadium, home to Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club. Games run from January to September so book your tickets and soak up the buzz of the match day atmosphere. An exciting event for all ages. www.warringtonwolves.org
8). Walk the Sandstone Trail – Cheshire’s Sandstone trail is one of the finest and most popular long distance walks in the North West. Stretching for 34 miles across the Cheshire countryside from the market town of Frodsham in the north to the Georgian Whitchurch in the south the trail is a great way to explore rural Cheshire. www.discovercheshire.co.uk 9). Discover Cheshire’s waterways – In the age of the Industrial Revolution, a significant canal network was built in Cheshire to transport materials. Today, the waterways provide the perfect way to discover the county. Hire a narrowboat and navigate your way through Cheshire stopping at fabulous pubs and villages; explore the towpaths which provide some of the most scenic walking and cycling routes throughout Cheshire; or set up your fishing rod and sit and relax in the tranquil scenery as you wait to see what fish you can catch. www.visitcheshire.com 10). Explore Cheshire’s Peak District – Brimming with breath-taking scenery, dramatic landscapes and world class events Cheshire’s Peak District delights just about everybody. Covering nearly 100 square miles of Peak District National Park from Lyme Park and the hills above Buxton in the north to Biddulph’s moorlands in the south there’s plenty to entertain the whole family. www.cheshirepeakdistrict.com
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CUMBRIA Top 12 extreme activites In the lakes 1). You can with Kankku – Nobody sees the Lake District quite like Kankku who take you out on off-road driving adventures on wild trail routes throughout the National Park. Whether you want to take the wheel of a 4x4 for the first time, upgrade your existing skills, take along your own motor, or just sit back and enjoy the ride, Kankku does it all. There are opportunities for individuals, groups and Kankku also has a Rally team which you can join for the day on a Live Championship Rally. www.kankku.co.uk 2). Go Ape in Grizedale Forest – Enjoy a forest like never before by taking part in this high adventure assault course up to 18.2m off the ground as you negotiate the tree tops of Grizedale Forest. You will tackle a series of breath-taking zipwires, hair-raising Tarzan swings and wobbly rope bridges in two-hours of adrenalinesoaked fun. Definitely not one for the faint-hearted. www.goape.co.uk 3). Canoe Ullswater – Ullswater is one of the most dramatic Lakes in the whole of the Lake District, surrounded on all side by amazing mountains, not least Helvellyn, the third largest in England. For another way to see the Lake pick up a copy of the Ullswater Canoe Trail. The leaflet explains where to hire canoes, park vehicles, launch boats and profiles a number of short canoeing trips including one and twodayers. There’s also information about accommodation and facilities in the area. Call in at the Tourist Information Centre at Glenridding or go to www.golakes.co.uk/adventure-capital/default.aspx 4). Honister Slate Mine Via Ferrata – In May 2007, Honister Slate Mine opened England’s first ever mountain Via Ferrata. Combining the skills of climbing, scrambling and walking you don’t need to be proficient in any of them. Don a hard hat and negotiate the craggy sheer cliff-face of Fleetwith Pike hundreds of feet up. Walkers are secured to a fixed cable and then use steel ladders, solid bridges and a challenging slate pathway to reach the 648m summit. The reward is uninterrupted views down the magnificent Borrowdale Valley www.honister.com
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CUMBRIA 5). Build A Raft – How do you build a raft from garden cane, tape and tarpaulin? More importantly, would it float? Keswick Climbing Wall and Activity Centre has the answers in a fun supervised day which involves testing your creations on Derwentwater. Your whole crew has to fit onboard so will you be the one to sink it? If Robinson Crusoe days aren’t your thing, have a go at the Bungy Trampoline which allows you to pull off gymnastic-like somersaults, and back flips at heights of up to eight metres. 6). Learn To Paraglide – Seeing the Lake District from the heavens is to see it in all its glory and one way to achieve this is through Air Ventures Paragliding School. As well as a range of paragliding courses, tandem flights, and gift vouchers, for £110 you can have a taster day to introduce yourself to the sport. The emphasis of the day is on fun and enjoyment, with theory being kept to a minimum. Once you have mastered taking off and landing, flights are gradually increased until you try one off a 60 - 91m hill…under the guidance of instructors. www.airventures.co.uk 7). Mountainbiking – Another good thing about all the hills in the Lake District is that you can cycle down many of them! Cumbria is home to thousands, yes thousands of different cycle routes depending on your type of bike, and many of them are of the off-road variety in forests, woods, and open countryside. You can hire bikes, find out about providers, routes, maps, guided rides, rental centres and much more by going to: www.golakes.co.uk/adventure-capital/cycling-lake-district.aspx 8). Caving – Glaramara offers caving, amongst a variety of other adventure packages. Take a trip underground and discover the caves that lie beneath the Yorkshire Dales. An instructor will be with you throughout, teaching you the all-important difference between stalactites and stalagmites. You may even get to meet some of the underground inhabitants! There are a number of different routes, with caves of different sizes, depending on how much you want to have to squeeze your way through those passageways. There are even routes with slides and swims for the very adventurous. www.glaramara.co.uk/activities/caving/ 9). Gorge Scrambling – It doesn’t sound all that logical but walking up a mountain river sure is a lot of fun! An opportunity to climb up waterfalls and dive into rock pools. What’s more, trips are organized for most abilities and it’s up to you just how wet and daring you get. Rain or shine, guaranteed thrill factor. www.lakesactivities.co.uk/activitiesgroup/adventure.htm
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10). Abseiling at Dave’s Adventure Company – Learn to abseil with Dave, working your way up from smaller to bigger challenges in the birthplace of British climbing, The Lake District. All very secure, with an additional safety rope, although with some abseils at 40m up, it’s sure to get the adrenaline pumping! If that doesn’t sound scary enough, then why not be really daring and try Dave’s night abseil? www.adventuremakers.co.uk/ 11). Skydive at the Northwest Parachute Centre – The North West Parachute Centre is one of the longest established skydiving and parachuting centres in Europe. Skydive North West has introduced thousands of people from all over the world to the magical sport of skydiving and is considered to be the friendliest skydiving centre in the country. Set in the beautiful Lake District amongst some of the finest scenery in England we boast excellent facilities for new and experienced skydivers. If you want to experience a tandem skydive, learn to skydive, skydive for fun or skydive for charity you should choose Skydive North West. www.skydivenorthwest.co.uk/ 12). Sea Cliff Climbing & Rock Climbing with Go Higher Mountaineering – Rock climbing, scrambling and mountaineering holidays in the Lake District, wherever adventure is to be found. The Morgan family has been providing mountain adventure holidays and courses based in the Lake District since 1976 and enjoy sharing our love of the hills with kindred spirits, whatever their levels of experience. Why not join them and roam throughout the Lake District to make the most of the varied landscape and to take advantage of the best conditions. The family farm house at High Dyonside is particularly well placed for access to the wilder western valleys of Ennerdale, Buttermere, Wasdale, Eskdale as well as Borrowdale and Thirlmere www.gogetadventure.com/350/go_higher_mountaineering
For further information about visiting the Lake District, Cumbria, visit www.golakes.co.uk or email [email protected]
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DEVON Top 12 Things To Do on Devon’s English Riviera The English Riviera, known fondly as South Devon’s Beautiful Bay is one of the leading resorts in the South West and is located around a picturesque horseshoe- bay; it is also a UNESCO-recognised Global Geopark. 1). Agatha Christie’s Riviera - Agatha Christie was born in the English Riviera town of Torquay, and spent many of the most important chapters of her life here, as well as using real places in the area as settings for her murder mysteries. From the Agatha Christie Mile to the legendary Agatha Christie Festival held in September each year plus visits to her beloved and spectacular estate at Greenway, the English Riviera is the place to discover the real Christie. www.englishriviera.co.uk/agathachristie 2). Beaches - With the highest concentration of Blue Flag beaches in England and winners of the Cleanest Beaches Award 2011, the English Riviera, South Devon’s beautiful bay, has some of the best beaches in the country. With over 22 to choose from, whether you’re looking for a quiet spot to sunbathe, a sandy stretch to build sandcastles or a safe place for the little ones to paddle, there’s something for everyone. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/english-riviera-attractions/beaches 3). Kent’s Cavern and Geopark Discovery - Kents Cavern is one of Europe’s top prehistoric Stone Age caves with an extensive labyrinth of spectacular and easily accessible caverns open daily all year. A piece of jawbone found in Kents Cavern, always one of the UK’s classic prehistoric caves, was recently found to be the oldest modern human fossil to be found in Britain and even northwestern Europe. The whole resort is a UNESCO recognised English Riviera Global Geopark. There is an annual English Riviera Geopark Festival plus amazing new Geopark Discovery Packages such as Canoe the Coves and Mussels by Moonlight. The English Riviera has also just opened a new FREE Geoplay Park suitable for toddlers, juniors & teens. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/english-riviera-attractions/global-geopark 4. South West Coast Path – Walking - Walking is one of the most popular holiday pastimes on Devon’s English Riviera. With a unique coastline, peaceful paths and the opportunity to stumble upon hidden coves or villages, it’s easy to see why. The English Riviera has a total of 22 miles of coastline – all of which can be discovered on the South West Coast Path, which runs along South Devon’s beautiful bay between Maidencombe in the north to Sharkham Point beyond Brixham in the south. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/sports-and-leisure/walking 66
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DEVON 5). Steam Railway - Everyone loves steam trains! The scenery is breathtaking, along the spectacular English Riviera Geopark coast line, to the picturesque station at Churston, then on through the wooded slopes of Long Wood bordering the Dart Estuary to Kingswear. This is one of the finest heritage steam railway journeys anywhere in Europe. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/dartmouth-steam-railway-and-river-boat-company-salcombe-p1322863
6). Cockington Country Park and Craft Centre - Many villages lay claim to being ‘picturesque’, but the village of Cockington is the real deal. Take a walk back in time along Cockington’s narrow lanes, lined with thatched houses and you’ll experience a quiet charm that is quintessentially English. Everything about Cockington oozes with history – there’s a water mill, a forge and even the cricket pitch was once a medieval deer park. Cockington Court, the historic manor house, is a hub for art and crafts and in the brand new contemporary craft centre you’ll find a canoe maker and a chocolate maker and you can watch glassblowers and blacksmiths in action. And don’t miss out on a Cream Tea at the tea rooms here and across the English Riviera – Devon is famous for them! 7). Sailing for Spectators and a Chance to Give it a Go! - Regatta Season on the English Riviera is wonderful for spectators as the home of the 1948 Sailing Olympics welcomes visiting sailors from around the world. There are great racing conditions in this beautiful, horseshoe shaped bay with plenty of vantage points for spectators, giving everyone the chance to see seamanship at its best. And for those who want to give it a try, there is a superb selection of RYA-recognised sailing schools located in Brixham and Torquay that offer first class instruction and affordable sailing experiences. Trained by skilled and fully qualified teachers, students receive first-hand sailing practice, tuition in navigational techniques and the opportunity to discover Devon's most beautiful spots. As well as sailing trips there are also many other waterside activities available including deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, jet-skiing and wind-surfing. http://www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/maritime/sailing 8). Brixham’s Picturesque Harbour - Fish Market Tours - Does your fish eating experience extend to just cod, haddock, salmon and mackerel? Then the Brixham Fish Market tour is for you, where you'll see over 40 different types of fish at the auctions. More than £25 million of fish is landed, bought and sold in Brixham and then delivered to many of the top restaurants across the nation and indeed abroad to our European neighbours. Come along and see the auctions in action, as featured in the recent Sky Atlantic series 'Fish Town'. You will be guided around by Rick Smith, head of Brixham Trawler Agents, who has decades of experience in Index
the fish trade. After the tour we then head to the nearby Fishermen's Mission for a delicious full English. You can enjoy a wealth of freshly cooked fish in restaurants across the English Riviera. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/brixham-fish-market-tours-p1291373 9). Model Village - At Babbacombe’s fascinating model village, thousands of miniature buildings, people and vehicles, along with animated scenes and touches of English humour, capture the essence of England's past, present and future. It’s all set in 4 acres of beautiful award-winning gardens. Don't miss one Devon's most popular days out! OPEN ALL YEAR - Except Christmas Day! www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/babbacombe-model-village-p142123 10). Boat Trips - There are a wide range of boat trips running across beautiful Tor Bay, from ferries between Torquay and Brixham to wildlife cruises and special events boats. Just off the coast, an array of wildlife awaits discovery including dolphins, seals and other marine animals. There are also many fishing trips which depart regularly from the English Riviera. Mackerel and bass fishing are particularly popular, many organised by Greenway Ferry and Pleasure Cruises and Paignton Pleasure Cruises. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/maritime/boat-trips 11). Ghost Walks - On the surface Brixham is a charming fishing village. Look deeper and you’ll be spellbound with it’s rich powerful history where man has lived since the Ice Age. Naturally Brixham is crammed with ghostly tales, spooky stories and paranormal activity. Join Deadly David, Matilda Balm, Madame Noir and Treacherous Tracy whatever the weather for a journey into Brixham’s darker side. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/the-original-brixham-ghost-walk-p1292363 12). English Riviera for Foodies - Some of the very best West Country produce awaits you here on the English Riviera, South Devon's Beautiful Bay, so we’ve created a fabulous Food and Drink Trail with some of our favourite English Riviera Foodie Experiences. With its wonderfully mild climate, fishing and farming traditions as well as home-made ciders, beers, wines and cheeses, the English Riviera is a food-lovers delight. Couples, friends and families as well as children, will enjoy some of the best food and drink they have ever tasted right here in a variety of spectacular settings. www.englishriviera.co.uk/eating-out/food-and-drink-trail
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DEVON Top 12 off-beat Devon 1). Catch the South Sands Ferry – In the summer months this foot ferry service operates between Whitestrand in the centre of Salcombe and the picturesque South Sands beach and can only be reached by sea tractor! www.southsandsferry.co.uk 2). The Warren House Inn near Postbridge on Dartmoor is said to be the 3rd highest pub in England. Originally built to serve the busy local tin mining community, locals and visitors keep warm by the fire, which is said to have been burning continuously since 1845. www.warrenhouseinn.co.uk 3). For a tour with a difference - the Exeter’s Red Coat Guides offer an evening Ghosts & Legends tour, which explores the city that is said to be the most haunted in the country! The free tour takes in some of Exeter’s historic buildings and most chilling tales. www.exeter.gov.uk/guidedtours 4). Totnes Orange Rolling – It wouldn't be summer without a strange tradition or two - in this case it’s the odd spectacle of watching people chase oranges down a steep high street in Totnes, South Devon. The tradition reputedly dates back to the day Sir Francis Drake bumped into a delivery boy, causing him to spill his fast-moving fruit down the hill. Nowadays it’s an excuse for a bit of fun as the racing participants fly past 16th and 17th century merchants' houses in the ancient borough town. 5). Pixie Day – A day on which the pixies can take their revenge on the town! Pixie Day is an old tradition that takes place annually on a Saturday in June. The day commemorates the age old legend of Ottery St. Mary's infamous 'Pixies' being banished from the town (where they caused havoc) to the local caves know as 'Pixie's Parlour'. Hundreds of 'Pixies' (made up of local Cubs, Scouts, Brownies and Girl Guides dressed in pixie attire) capture the St. Mary's church bell ringers and drag them from the church to the square, where a re-enactment of the pixies’ banishment takes place. Ottery St Mary, June www.pixieday.org
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DEVON 6). Ottery St Mary Flaming Tar Barrels – Every year on bonfire night, the locals of Ottery St Mary swap pixies for tar barrels as they run through the streets of the town carrying flaming tar barrels! The custom is said to date back to the 17th century and the event starts with women’s and boy’s barrels and as the evening progresses the barrels get larger and heavier with some men’s barrels weighing over 30k. The streets of the town are packed with people eager to feel the lick of flames as the barrels speed past. Ottery St Mary, 5th November www.otterytarbarrels.co.uk
11). Walk with a llama – The not-so-native-to-Devon llama is right at home on the Jurassic Coast and Peak Hill Llamas offers the chance to walk them along this beautiful stretch of coastline. An ‘Afternoon Cream Tea Walk’ includes a one or two hour walk followed by a traditional cream tea back at base. www.walkingwithllamas.co.uk 12). The annual Devon Open Studios event in September gives you the chance to see why Devon inspires so many artists and craftsmen as they open their studios to visitors. http://www.devonartistnetwork.co.uk/AboutDOS
7). On safari – You won’t see any elephants or tigers, but taking a safari on Exmoor does offer the chance to see spectacular moorland and coastal scenery as well as possible sightings of red deer and Exmoor ponies. 8). Blackawton Worm Charming – Adults and children compete to extract the greatest number of worms from their dedicated one metre square patch of grassland but they have to do it without digging up any of the turf! The annual festival was started in 1984 when two locals decided to try it as a means of banishing the winter blues. Favourite tools to bring the beasts to the surface include questionable liquid combinations of water, beer, gravy and sugar - which contestants are required to sample themselves beforehand, just to prove that it won't do the worms any harm! Blackawton, May 9). Tavistock Goosey Fair – The unusually named Tavistock Goose Fair dates back to the 12th Century, when farmers brought their geese for sale, and drove them through the streets to the market. The fair continues to attract market traders and showmen from all over the country with their stalls and side-shows. Tavistock, October 10). Widecombe Fair - Nestled in the heart of Dartmoor National Park, the village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor hosts the world-famous fair which gave rise to the wellknown folksong 'Widecombe Fair' and the characters of Uncle Tom Cobley and All. The traditional fair has everything from horsemanship to hounds, show jumping to sheep, vintage tractors to pasties and, not to be missed, the Tom Cobley Novelty Race. Widecombe-in-the-Moor, September www.widecombefair.com
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DURHAM Top 12 must see in Durham From ancient castles to England's largest waterfall, find out what's not to be missed on a trip to Durham. 1). Durham Castle and Cathedral – The iconic Cathedral and Castle World Heritage Site in Durham City was one of the first ever to be designated and the Cathedral is one of the finest surviving examples of Romanesque architecture on the planet. 2). Beamish Museum – The award winning Beamish Museum in the Vale of Durham vividly recreates life in the North of England in the early 1800s and early 1900s. 3). The Bowes Museum – Teesdale in the Durham Dales is home to one of the country's most fascinating museum experiences - The Bowes Museum was created over 100 years ago and contains the greatest collection of European fine and decorative arts in the North. 4). Durham University Botanic Garden – 7.2ha garden in mature woodland on the outskirts of Durham City. Exotic trees from America and the Himalayas, plus the Prince Bishops Garden, tropical house, cactus house, butterflies, insects and plant sales. 5). Raby Castle – Teesdale in the Durham Dales is home to one of England's most impressive medieval castles, built by the Nevills and home to Lord Barnard's family since 1626. It features fine furniture, impressive artworks and elaborate architecture. Also has extensive grounds. 6). Crook Hall and Gardens – Stunning medieval manor house surrounded by glorious gardens in the heart of Durham City. Includes secret walled garden, Shakespeare garden, Cathedral garden, silver and white garden, moat pool and meadow with maze.
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DURHAM 7). High Force – The largest waterfall in England. A woodland walk leads you to the spectacular site. Relax, unwind and marvel at this magnificent natural attraction in Upper Teesdale in the Durham Dales. 8). DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery – The museum at this family friendly attraction in Durham City features The Durham Light Infantry (with emphasis on WWI & WW2) and looks at Durham Home Front life during WW2. Durham art gallery presents an exciting programme. 9). Killhope, The North of England Lead Mining Museum – Killhope in Upper Weardale in the Durham Dales explores the life of North Pennine lead mining families. Park Level Mine underground experience, Northern England's largest working water wheel and 'hands on' activities, as well as woodland walks. 10). Locomotion - The National Railway Museum – The Vale of Durham is home to Locomotion which houses over 70 railway vehicles from the national collection, plus lively interactive displays relating to the development of the railways in Shildon. 11). Durham Heritage Coast – The magnesian limestone of the Durham Heritage Coast has created spectacular cliff scenery. The grassland of the cliff tops is home to several rare plant species, as well as being a haven for wildlife. 12). North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – Designated in 2003 as Britain's first European Geopark, the North Pennines AONB is internationally important because of its world-class geology, as well as being home to many species of flora and fauna.
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DURHAM Top 12 Outdoor Activities in Durham Whether you're in search of some tranquil time out or a chance to get active Durham's your destination. 1). Walking – The real beauty of Durham’s countryside is in the mix of walks available and the variety of landscapes to enjoy. From gentle strolls along footpaths in our city and towns, to more challenging routes in the Durham Dales and North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - our routes were made for walking! 2). Cycling – Durham has cycling to suit all ages and abilities. Head for Hamsterley Forest where colour coded routes help you decide which is best for you, whilst our quiet country roads offer easy cycling on gentle gradients, plus more challenging climbs and routes including the Walney to Wear (W2W) and Coast to Coast (C2C). 3). Water Sports – Durham boasts rivers, reservoirs and coast - so whether you enjoy fishing, sailing or canoeing, you're sure to find something to whet your appetite. Try the superb sailing on Derwent and Grassholme Reservoirs, join the waterskiers on Balderhead, or take a rowing boat out on the River Wear. 4). Adventure Sports – For something a little out of the ordinary why not try Beamish Wild where the high ropes course will test your nerve. And if you are after an adrenalin fix, Supreme Adventure Sports, Fury and Weardale Off Road are just some of the places which offer a host of action-packed activities including quad biking, archery and clay pigeon shooting. 5). Golf – Looking to reduce your golf handicap? Some of our hotels, such as Headlam Hall and Ramside Hall, offer golf packages and tuition. And there are beautiful courses in lovely settings including one which has panoramic sea views of the Durham Heritage Coast.
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DURHAM 6). Nature and Wildlife – A haven for nature lovers - head to Hamsterley Forest to spot many species of birds. Teesdale and Weardale in the Durham Dales and the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offer a rich mix of habitats attracting many species of flora and fauna - as does Durham's Heritage Coast. 7). Countryside Events and Guided Walks – If you would prefer someone guiding you on the trail then join one of the Countryside Ranger led walks organised by Durham County Council. An annual programme of events will help you to enjoy Durham's great outdoors. 8). Cricket – 'Outdoor Activities' doesn’t mean you have to be the active one! Sit back and relax on a warm summer day and enjoy watching world famous cricketers play at Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground in Chester-le-Street. 9). A Day at the Races – Sedgefield Racecourse is an attractive and friendly course which provides a good day’s racing with plenty of excitement as you cheer your horse and rider on. And with meetings spread over ten months of the year you can always come back again. 10). Fishing – One day the biggest fish in the lake is going to swim by - and you will be there to catch it! Try your hand at wild brown trout on Selset, Baldershead and Cow Green reservoirs in Teesdale in the Durham Dales. Remember to book ahead 11). Riverbank Walks – How many cities can boast a green heart where a river seems to bring the countryside right into the middle of the city? Stroll along the city’s riverbanks and your eye may be drawn by the splash of a leaping salmon as it makes its way to spawning grounds up river. Or the vivid electric blue flash which signals the kingfisher’s progress upstream. Flora and fauna surveys have shown that Durham’s riverbanks are a haven for Mother Nature. 12). Boating on the River Wear – Hire a rowing boat or take the easy option and join a cruise on the Prince Bishop River Cruiser to enjoy the River Wear from a completely different perspective. Take binoculars and spy for ducks and cormorants.
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EAST SUSSEX Top 12 best kept secrets in Hastings & 1066 Country 1). The beautiful town of Rye, East Sussex is not only the most perfectly preserved medieval town in England, but it is also one of the most haunted too. The Mermaid Inn is a rich source of many ghostly apparitions, including a lady in white, chairs rocking for no reason, rooms which suddenly turn chilly. A secret entrance to the Priest’s Hole, hidden passages and walls with panels which move all add to the mystery of the inn. 2). Battle, East Sussex – the Guy Fawkes connection! – The Battle of Hastings 1066, didn’t take place in Hastings but near a tiny hamlet, later to be named as ‘Battle’ after the famous event that changed the course of English history with the victory of William of Normandy (Norman the Conqueror) over the Saxon king Harold. However, this is not the only claim to fame of this pretty market town. Guy Fawkes is said to have sourced his gunpowder from the mills in Powdermill Lane, Battle, for his failed plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. The Museum of Local History in Battle has the oldest Guy Fawkes effigy in the world, which makes its annual appearance for the Battle Bonfire and Torchlight Procession, held each year on the closest Saturday to 5th November. www.youtube.com/user/hastingscouncil#p/u/0/QIlI20c_Mhw The Battle Bonfire Society is the longest continuously running society in the world (formed in 1605). 3). Bexhill is the birthplace of British Motor Racing – The 8th Earl De La Warr secured Bexhill’s place in history by hosting Britain’s first automobile races on the 19th May 1902. The event was organised by the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland and attracted international attention. The races were part of a campaign to promote Bexhill-on-Sea as a fashionable new resort and used the Bicycle Boulevard, which the 8th Earl had built along De La Warr Parade in 1896. The event was run along a one kilometre track with a flying start from the top of Galley Hill. Bexhill Museum, the Motor Heritage Centre and the Bexhill 100 (classic car club) bear testimony today to Bexhill’s motor racing past Mermaid Street Rye, East Sussex 74
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EAST SUSSEX 4). The East Hill Cliff Railway, Hastings, is the steepest working furnicular railway in the UK, with a 78% gradient. The replica Edwardian carriages rise 267 feet (81metres) up to magnificent views of the coastline, the fishing fleet and the picturesque Old Town of Hastings. It is complemented by the West Hill Cliff Railway, giving visitors access to Hastings Castle and the Smugglers Adventure in St Clements Caves. It is also used as a method of everyday transport by people living on the West Hill. 5). Shirley Leaf & Petal Company – also known as the Flowermakers Museum, is a working museum situated in Hastings Old Town, which celebrated its centenary in October 2010. This tiny museum holds the national collection of artificial flowermaking artefacts, and the company produces petals, leaves and flowers for prestigious clients such as West End Theatre companies, Hollywood and Disney (Gladiator and Reign of Fire included), top fashion designers and national opera companies. 6). Sleep like a king at Herstmonceux Castle, where Queens University, Canada has a study centre. When the students go home on vacation, the rooms become free and the castle has just been awarded two – 4* university accommodation standard. 7). The Adventure and Crazy Golf complex on Hastings seafront is the largest in the UK and each October hosts the annual World Crazy Golf Championships. 8). Top B&Bs, Rye has the highest number of 5-star Gold Award B&Bs in the country and three of the ‘Top 15 Cool B&Bs’ listed by ‘Coast Magazine’ in July 2011 are be found in Hastings. Of particular note is the gay friendly nature of Hastings Old Town and Rye. The three aforementioned cool B&Bs are all gay-owned and run. 9). The beautiful ‘Antient’ Cinque Port town of Winchelsea, perched high on a hill just outside Rye, has a large underground network of medieval wine cellars – the largest in the country with the (possible) exception of those of Southampton and Norwich. In the Middle Ages, Winchelsea was one of the principal English ports importing wine from Gascony in southwest France. For example, during 1306/07, ships owned by Winchelsea merchants carried the equivalent of almost threequarters of a million gallons of wine from Bordeaux alone! Members of the public can tour the cellars during the summer months. Spike Milligan, lately of Udimore, just outside Rye, is buried in St Thomas's churchyard, Winchelsea . His gravestone says in Gaelic ' I told you I was ill' and has this year been named the nation's favourite epitaph. Index
10). There is an area of Hastings town centre called The America Ground. The roots of the America Ground lay in the weather. Back in 1287 a series of terrible storms wreaked havoc on Kent and Sussex with Hastings badly affected. Once the south’s best natural port, the storms blocked the town’s harbour with silt and pebbles, forming a huge shingle bank. This new piece of land fell just outside the boundaries of Hastings Borough - effectively making it a no-man’s land. The locals soon realised that they could live on this land free from taxes and rents. Consequently, many moved in, building a thriving but ramshackle community of shops, houses and workplaces. By 1822, an estimated 1000 people lived on the bank, forcing Hastings Borough into action. Taking inspiration from the recent American Revolution, the residents reacted defiantly, declaring themselves independent from Hastings as the ‘twenty-fourth’ US state and hoisting the Stars and Stripes flag. The famous America Ground was born. Each year this area of town holds its own Independence Day celebrations with a weekend of music and outdoor events. 11). Shipwreck! – Well and truly hidden under the sands between Hastings and Bexhill is the wreck of The Amsterdam. However, during extremely low tides the outline of the wreck can still be seen and guided tours take place. A replica version of the ship can be seen at the Scheepvaart Museum in The Netherlands. The Shipwreck Museum in Hastings is the place to go to see artefacts rescued from the wreck and to find out more about the geology and history of this fascinating section of coastline. 12). Famous contemporary people associated with 1066 Country: Bexhill boy, comedian Eddie Izzard maintains strong connections with the town. He is patron of the Bexhill Museum and is known to give impromptu performances at the De La Warr Pavilion and local comedy clubs. Sir Paul McCartney has a house in a village just outside Rye and continues to be a frequent visitor to the town. He and his late wife, Linda, brought up their children in the area, who attended the local state comprehensive school in the 1980s. His windmill recording studio can be seen at Icklesham. Former manager of the Pet Shop Boys, Tom Watkins has recently opened up a new bar/restaurant/delicatessen in Winchelsea Beach, called The Ship. Keane – the three original members come from Battle and their new album Strangeland has a track (Sovereign Light Café) that name checks various locations in Battle and Bexhill. Their two nights at De La Warr Pavilion in March 2012 sold out in 6 minutes. 75
KENT Top 12 Castles and Historic Houses in Kent In Kent, England’s oldest county, you can discover more castles and historic houses than in any other region in the UK, so deciding on a Top 12 is no easy decision! Take inspiration from this list and get close to thousands of years of heritage. 1). Leeds Castle – One of the most romantic and historic buildings in England has been home to royalty, lords and ladies for almost 900 years. Visitors to the castle today can wander through the castle rooms, have fun in Go Ape, the exciting tree top adventure park, and enjoy the tranquility of the beautiful gardens. Hot air balloon flights and a pay and play golf course are just some of the many other activities to get involved in during your visit; and if that’s not enough, why not attend one of the hugely popular summer concerts or one of the many other events happening throughout the year. 2). Dover Castle – Set in a spectacular location high above the famous White Cliffs, Dover Castle commands the shortest sea crossing between England and the continent and boasts an eventful history. Visitors to the Castle today can step inside the newly-renovated Great Tower to meet themed characters or re-live the turbulent war years and drama of the Dunkirk evacuation of May 1940 in the recently opened Operation Dynamo. With exciting exhibitions, winding tunnels to explore, ghosts to hunt out and of course restaurants, shops and ample space for youngsters to run around, Dover Castle offers a fantastic day out for everyone. 3). Hever Castle – A romantic double-moated 13th Century castle which houses historic 16th Century portraits, paintings, furniture, tapestries and treasures. Once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, artifacts here include two Books of Hours (prayer books), both signed and inscribed by Anne herself, and many other mementoes. Visitors can explore the magnificent gardens all year around, with Italian, Rose and Tudor gardens, the Topiary garden, Yew Maze and a splashing water maze. Take a stroll around the informal areas of Sunday Walk and ‘Anne Boleyn’s Walk’ or attend one of the exclusive events hosted throughout the year, including talks with the head gardener and jousting tournaments every summer.
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KENT 4). Walmer Castle – An enchanting castle built in 1540 during the reign of King Henry VIII, originally designed as part of a chain of coastal artillery defences. Centuries of domestic refinements have transformed the Castle from a fortress into an elegant stately home with beautiful gardens, and it is now home of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The Duke of Wellington held the post for 23 years and enjoyed his time spent at the castle and in recent years Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother made regular visits. 5). Penshurst Place and Gardens – Set in the rural Weald of Kent surrounded by picturesque countryside and ancient parkland, Penshurst Place and Gardens possess centuries of captivating history. The medieval masterpiece has been the seat of the Sidney family since 1552 and it retains the warmth and character of a much-loved family home. The garden at Penshurst is considered to be one of the most beautiful in England and also one of the oldest, with records dating back to 1346. As well as the house and gardens, Penshurst is one of the largest privately owned estates in the South East, with 1012ha of parkland, farmland and woodland for visitors to explore. 6). Knole – Knole is situated in the heart of a 405ha acre deer park, the only remaining medieval deer park in Kent, where Sika & Fallow deer roam freely amongst ancient oak, beech and chestnut trees. Knole's fascinating links with kings, queens and the nobility, as well as its literary connections with Vita Sackville-West and her close friend, Virginia Woolf, make this one of the most intriguing houses in England. Thirteen superb state rooms are laid out much as they were in the 18th Century to impress visitors by the wealth and standing of the Sackville family who continue to live at Knole today. The house includes Royal Stuart furniture, paintings by Gainsborough, Van Dyck and Reynolds as well as many 17th Century tapestries. A guided tour exploring Vita Sackville-West’s private garden and Knole’s Christmas concerts are just some of the special events on offer throughout the year.
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KENT 7). Scotney Castle – Based in Lamberhurst in Kent, Scotney Castle is a wonderful country house. At the top of the hill is the New House, designed by Anthony Salvin in Elizabethan style and built in 1837 for Edward Hussey III, who took the picturesque style as his inspiration. At the bottom of the valley are the romantic ruins of a medieval castle and moat. This is the focal point of the celebrated gardens and features beautiful examples of Rhododendrons, Azaleas and kalmia in May/June, voted among the top ten best English gardens to visit. Apart from the obvious architectural and historical interest, Scotney Castle represents a romantic and picturesque representation of a bygone era. 8). Ightham Mote – Nestling in a sunken valley, Ightham Mote, dating from 1320 with important later additions and alterations, is a rare example of a moated medieval manor house. Built nearly 700 years ago, this house has seen many changes and had previous owners including medieval knights, courtiers to Henry VIII and highsociety Victorians. Ightham Mote has many special features, including a Great Hall, Crypt, Tudor Chapel with a hand-painted ceiling and the apartments of the American donor Charles Henry Robinson. Ightham Mote also offers lovely gardens and water features, with lakeside and woodland walks, plus the only Grade I listed dog kennel in England! 9). Chartwell – Bought by Sir Winston Churchill for its magnificent views over the Weald of Kent, Chartwell was his home and the place from which he drew inspiration from 1924 until his death. The rooms remain much as they were when he lived here, with pictures, books and personal mementoes evoking the career and wide-ranging interests of this great statesman. The hillside gardens reflect Churchill’s love of the Kentish landscape and nature. Visitors can explore his gardens and the lakes he created, as well as catching a glance of his famous portraits in his garden.
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KENT 10). Down House, The Home of Charles Darwin – Nominated as a World Heritage Site, Down House, the home of Charles Darwin, has a unique place in the history of science. Visitors to Darwin’s home can see the study where he wrote 'On the Origin of Species' still as it was when he worked here, and stroll through the extensive gardens that inspired the great scientist. Equally as fascinating are the glimpses visitors get into the life of the Darwin family and the fascinating interactive multimedia tour, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, to tell you more about how Darwin developed his ideas of evolution. 11). Quex Park – Set in 101ha on the Isle of Thanet, Quex Park hosts a number of surprising finds. Within the park is Quex House which was built in 1805, and a bell tower built in 1819 with an extremely rare secular peal of 12 bells. The park also has a Gun Tower which was built as a sea lookout post, and a Clock Tower built around 1820 with a pre-reformation bell. The park’s main interest however is the Powell-Cotton Museum which hosts a wide collection of African wildlife exhibitions, alongside other items of weaponry, porcelain and fine furniture. Its natural collections of animals preserved through taxidermy are of world-class importance as a scientific resource. 12). Smallhythe Place – The half-timbered house, built in the early 16th Century when Smallhythe was a thriving shipbuilding yard, was the home of the Victorian actress Ellen Terry from 1899 - 1928, and contains her fascinating theatre collection. The cottage grounds include her rose garden, orchard, nuttery and the still used Barn Theatre. Smallhythe Place also offers unique open-air theatre performances, indoor plays and music in the Barn Theatre. Experience family fun days at Smallhythe including children's theatre, and both music concerts and beer festivals in September.
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KENT Top 12 Dickens Destinations in Kent In 2012, Kent will be celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens. The year will bring many activities and events to commemorate the 200th anniversary of one of Britain's best loved authors. 1). Dickens World – Walk into the atmospheric Victorian world of Charles Dickens recreated just for you! Jump aboard the Great Expectations Boat Ride for a splash with Pip, experience a real Victorian school or take a look in The Haunted House of 1859 if you dare! Afterwards, experience 4D cinema in Peggoty’s Boathouse or the Animatronic show in the Britannia Theatre! Seize the chance to come face to face with Dickens' best loved characters in this magnificent rendition of a Victorian town courtyard; there's something for all the family to enjoy! 2). The Historic Dockyard Chatham – Charles Dickens' father, John, worked here and often brought a young Charles with him to work. This made a great impression on Dickens and he used the dockyard as a gloomy backdrop in many of his novels. The BBC adaptation of Little Dorrit was partly filmed here, as was the 2007 adaptation of Oliver Twist. Jump aboard a WWII destroyer, explore the cramped living quarters of a submarine and walk in the footsteps of the likes of Horatio Nelson as he boarded his new ship, the HMS Victory, built at Chatham. The history, the memories and the atmosphere itself inspires, just as it did for Dickens’ himself.
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KENT 3). Gad’s Hill Place – Gad's Hill Place was the country home of Charles Dickens, where he lived until his death in 1870. Dickens first saw the estate when he was nine years old and his father told him if he worked hard enough, he might one day own such a place. After he rocketed to success, Dickens heard it was up for sale and turned Gad's Hill into his country home, entertaining many of his literary friends there such as Hans Christian Anderson and Wilkie Collins. Now Gad's Hill is a school, but it can still be viewed clearly from the road and tours can be arranged. 4). The Guildhall – Once the town hall the Guildhall appears in Great Expectations as the establishment where Pip is bound as an apprentice, with the town of Rochester itself the basis for many of Dickens’ stories. The building is now a museum and houses a must-see exhibition for all Dickens pilgrims. There are a number of rooms dedicated to him for visitors to sample, including a small recreation of his study containing items that once belonged to him. Immerse yourself in the Rochester of Dickens, watching a short film showcasing nearby literary sites and studying personal items from his past. A beautiful building with a beautiful past, this is an exciting, visual attraction that all ages will enjoy. 5). Dickens House Museum – Currently undergoing expansion work, this house was once the home of Miss Mary Pearson Strong, on whom Dickens based much of the character of Miss Betsey Trotwood in his novel David Copperfield. The refurbishment is set to re-display rooms at 48 Doughty Street as they once were. Containing original manuscripts, memorabilia prints, costumes and Victoriana, the museum often hosts exhibitions with changing displays and interests. Tours are available and many local areas of interest that will have undoubtedly inspired Dickens are close at hand. 6). Restoration House – This was Dickens' inspiration for the famous house of Miss Haversham in Great Expectations, where she sat dressed in her faded wedding gown before a cobwebbed feast of mouldy food. Approach it through Vines Park, just like Pip, and marvel at its superb structure and exquisite gardens. An amalgamation of two medieval buildings, it is situated in the heart of historic Rochester, a town entirely built into the heart of Dickens entirely. The house and gardens are open on certain days of the year.
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7). Dickens Countryside – Surrounding the River Medway in the area of Rochester is the marshlands that inspired those of Great Expectations. If you walk the Saxon Shore Way between Hoo and Upnor, you will get a great view of the creepy marshes and experience the same unease as Pip does on that fateful night. Head out on the new Turner and Dickens Walk; running between Broadstairs seafront and near-neighbour Margate’s Harbour, it links attractions such as the Dickens House Museum and St Peter’s village with the brand new Turner Contemporary, exploring their links with Dickens. You can bet that Dickens, a passionate walker, would certainly have stepped out along this route, alongside the many other beautiful countryside landscapes that fill Kent. 8). St James’ Church, Cooling – A great, inexpensive way to get a slice of Dickens culture, Cooling Church is the location of the famous opening scene from Great Expectations where Pip meets the convict Magwitch. The little lozenge-shaped graves which Pip stood beside can still be seen now. Visit this inspiring place with the marshland all around you and experience the desolateness of Pip's life. Inside, the church is light and spacious. There is a 500-year-old timber door that still swings on its ancient hinges - even though it now leads to a blocked north doorway! Another quirky feature is the 19th Century vestry - its walls are lined from top to bottom with thousands of cockle shells, the emblem of St James. 9). Eastgate House – Now a Grade I-listed building, in Dickens’ time, Eastgate House was a girl's boarding school. An excellent example of an Elizabethan town house, Dickens lovers will recognise it as both Miss Twinkerton's school for young ladies in The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Westgate House Seminary for young ladies in The Pickwick Papers. The house is set in its own gardens and the site also encompasses an annexe building and cottage designed by Sir Guy Dawber in the 1920s. In addition, it is home to the Swiss chalet where Dickens used to write. This was moved to Eastgate in the 1960s and was previously sited at nearby Gad’s Hill, where Dickens lived from 1856 until his death in 1870. Eastgate House was once the home of the Dickens Centre and is now a venue for weddings.
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KENT 10). Dickens Festivals: Broadstairs Dickens Festival – (16-22 June) Charles Dickens visited Broadstairs in Kent regularly from 1837 until 1859 and immortalised the town as "Our English Watering Place". In 1937, to commemorate the centenary of the author's first visit, Gladys Waterer, the then owner of Dickens House, conceived the idea of putting on a production of 'David Copperfield' and having people about the town in Victorian dress to publicise it. Thus the festival was born and, with the exception of the years of WWII, has been held annually in the third week of June ever since. Medway Dickens Festival – (8-10 June) A spectacular event of colour, costume and entertainment! Spending five of his childhood years here, and returning regularly until his death, Medway offers a fantastic festival that celebrates the author’s life. Thousands of visitors soak up the Victorian atmosphere, while parades make their way through central historic Rochester each day, featuring costumed characters, readings, parades and much more! Dickens Christmas Market, Rochester Castle – (30 November- 18 December, except Mon and Tues) set in the beautiful grounds of Kent's Rochester Castle, overlooking the River Medway and just a few steps from Rochester's picturepostcard Victorian High Street, you can enjoy a truly festive atmosphere with traditional Christmas trees filled with twinkling fairy lights, the smell of roasted chestnuts and glühwein. Discover an array of wonderful German 'style' Christmas market huts selling a range of Christmas gifts, hand-crafted goods and festive fair. In addition to all of this, street entertainers and Dickensian characters mingle amongst the revelers, whilst bands and carol singers entertain visitors to the market.
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KENT 11). Rochester Castle – Spending most of his childhood in Rochester, Dickens would have known the familiar sight of the Castle very well. Set as the backdrop to many of the scenes in his stories, this amazing medieval castle has experienced untold horrors and also features in the new film Ironclad (2011). Climb this Norman keep for bird’s eye views of Cloisterham (Edwin Drood) and Pip’s hometown spread out below. It is said that Dickens’ ghost haunts the grassy castle moat – a church graveyard in his time – because he wanted to be buried here but was honoured at Westminster Abbey instead. 12). The Leather Bottle Inn – The small village pub is situated in the quaint little village of Cobham, Kent. It was here, in this half-timbered watering-hole, that Dickens would test his storytelling skills by giving readings from his latest work. The Pickwickians also came here looking for love-struck Mr Tupman in The Pickwick Papers. It is no wonder that the menu lists such dishes as Mr Pickwick Sirloin Steak, and Mr Micawber’s Mixed Grill. The Inn still holds a unique collection of Dickensiana, mirroring the author���s connection to it, alongside the three tastefully decorated bedrooms (two with four-poster beds) that are all en suite and named after Dickensian characters.
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LANCASHIRE Top 12 Lancashire Royal Connections 1). Duchy of Lancaster & Lancaster Castle - Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire and the seat of the Duchy of Lancaster (a city since 1937), with most of the land owned by Her Majesty The Queen, who also holds the hereditary title of Duke of Lancaster. Lancaster has a long and fascinating history stretching back to pre-Roman times and evidence of an active Roman settlement can be found throughout the city, much to the delight of visitors drawn to the city’s castle, galleries, museums and attractive Georgian architecture. A Roman Fort once stood on Castle Hill where the current castle, which dates back to 12th Century, now stands. As well as being a fortification the castle is also one of Europe’s longest serving operational prisons. Notorious as the place where the Pendle Witches were tried, convicted and sentenced to death, and from where many convicts were transported to Australia. A fascinating mix of the ghoulish and historic awaits those who take the castle tour, with some of the country’s most entertaining and knowledgeable guides – watch out, you may even find yourself locked in one of the dungeons! Today, Lancaster is a modern vibrant city, chic and bohemian with an array of bars, restaurants, boutiques, specialist shops, street markets, theatres, smart hotels and B&Bs. Close by in Morecambe you’ll find Art Deco chic in The Midland Hotel, where you can also see the famous Eris Morecambe statue; head to Carnforth Station and take tea in the station tea room, made famous by David Lean’s iconic film, Brief Encounter; take a guided walk along the sands of the bay, in the expert hands of the Queen’s Guide, Cedric Robinson MBE. www.lancastercastle.com www.citycoastcountryside.co.uk 2). Sir Loin at Hoghton Tower - The next time you order a sirloin steak you might want to spare a thought for Sir Richard de Hoghton of Hoghton Tower near Preston. The lavish and unstinting hospitality of this 17th Century baron to his King did result in the knighting of ‘Sir Loin’ but it was also his ruin. In 1617 the Lancashire baronet invited King James I to stay at his hilltop manor, welcoming the monarch with a huge red velvet carpet that stretched the full length of the 1 /2 mile driveway. During the three day visit the King enjoyed stag hunting and dined lavishly in the company of Dukes, Earls and knights - at the expense of Sir Richard. It is said that the King was so enamoured by a loin of beef he ate during a banquet at Hoghton Tower that he knighted it ‘Sir Loin’- which is how it got its name.
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During this same visit James I was also reported to have ridden his horse up the stairs of the house to his bedchamber – to avoid any attempts being made on his life. The unflagging hospitality (not to mention the property damage) bankrupted Sir Richard and he spent some years in Fleet Debtors Prison. Today you can take a tour of the same banqueting hall and staterooms visited by James I - where you’ll also see the menu from the famous ‘Sir Loin’ banquet. The spooky underground passages and eerie dungeons will send shivers down your spine especially when you find out that Hoghton Tower is reputedly the third most haunted house in Britain. A less scary option is to follow the discovery trail through the extensive gardens and along the ramparts - where the views are magnificent. Hoghton Tower hosts a range of events throughout the year including concerts, exhibitions and the regular Merchants of Hoghton, the largest farmer’s market in the county. www.hoghtontower.co.uk 3). The Exact Centre of the Kingdom - According to Ordnance Survey, Dunsop Bridge is the exact centre of the kingdom. The village nestles in the Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty flanking the Duchy of Lancaster Estate, where Her Majesty The Queen in her official biography, Elizabeth by Sarah Bradford, said that she would like to retire. This largely unspoilt countryside is one of Lancashire’s most cherished gems and a destination for walkers, cyclists and lovers of wildlife. www.forestofbowland.com 4). Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club - 1926 was a significant year for the club, not only did it host its first Open, but King George V gave his approval to adding the word 'Royal' to the club's title just in time for the championship to start. In July 2012 (15th – 22nd) the club will host the Open Golf Championship 2012 where the world’s greatest golfers will gather to do battle for the famous Golf Champion Trophy, now commonly referred to as the Claret Jug, and where Darren Clarke will defend the trophy he famously won a Royal St George’s in 2011. www.royallytham.org
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LANCASHIRE 5). The Queen’s Guide to the Sands - People have walked across the sands of Morecambe Bay for hundreds of years. Before the arrival of the railway it was the main route to and from Furness. Now people cross for fun, and to raise money for charity: guided by the 25th appointed Queen's Guide to the Sands Cedric Robinson who has been leading the walks since 1963 and is the longest serving guide. Cedric, a lifelong local fisherman, knows the ever-changing sands like the back of his hand. The first appointment was in 1536, an appointment still made by the Duchy of Lancaster. Morecambe Bay's cross-bay walk is internationally renowned and has been described as "one of the world's most wonderful journeys”. www.morecambebay.com/bay-walks 6). King George V’s Coach - The coach used by the Queen’s grandfather George V will be on display at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum in Leyland during 2012 and will run in some special events around the time of the Diamond Jubilee. The British Commercial Vehicle Museum has dedicated the last 20 years to preserving the history of road transport in the UK. Over one million people in the UK are employed in some way with the road transport industry and its infrastructure. The museum featured in the TV series Behind the Scenes at the Museum on BBC Four. www.bcvmt.co.uk 7). The King’s Speech - Queens Street Mill in Burnley, Lancashire was the location for scenes in this multi-Oscar winning film, which told the story of King George VI's determination to overcome his problems with speech. Starring Colin Firth, Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush the scenes were shot at the mill in 2009 and the film was released in 2010. www.visitburnley.com 8). HRH The Prince of Wales - Northcote’s Chef Patron, Nigel Haworth and Head Chef Lisa Allen, have both won the TV chef challenge Great British Chef and helped deliver a charity banquet hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. Northcote is a Michelin starred restaurant and stylish hotel located in the Ribble Valley. Nigel and Lisa are both champions of Lancashire produce and each year help present Northcote’s Obsession food festival, where acclaimed chefs from all over the world descend on the county to deliver an amazing array of dishes to the delight of Northcote diners. www.northcote.com
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9). Leyland’s Royal Guests - Farington Lodge is a superb AA four star Grade II listed Georgian house set in three acres of mature lawns and gardens. It blends lavish period splendour and a fascinating history with the very best contemporary luxury. Farington Lodge, Leyland has many royal connections. HRH Princess Diana visited in 1992 and, since March 2001, they have had the privilege of welcoming HRH Princess Anne to several dinners in aid of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Farington Lodge was formerly the Leyland Motors Guest House, a venue for visiting dignitaries, which included Prince Edward and Mrs Simpson, HRH The Queen Mother and HRH Prince Philip. www.classiclodges.co.uk/Farington_Lodge_Hotel_Preston 10). Royal Lancashire Water - King Henry’s legendary divining skills are said to be responsible for his discovering a spring and founding a well at Bolton Hall, where he stayed with Sir Ralph Pudsey in 1464 after the Wars of the Roses. The well survives intact as a Listed Ancient Monument and has recently been sensitively restored. King Henry VI English Spring Water® is now bottled on the Lancashire estate and supplied to quality establishments across the country. www.kinghenryviwater.com 11). Inn at Whitewell - The Inn at Whitewell in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley, is renowned for its links with the Royal family. From Her Majesty The Queen to Princess Diana, this rural idyll is on land owned by the Duchy of Lancaster (The Queen). The Inn sits proudly above the River Hodder, with breathtakingly beautiful views over some of Lancashire’s finest countryside making it a much sought after venue for weddings (with the delightful St Michael’s Church just a couple of minutes walk away, for those seeking a church wedding). The Inn at Whitewell also featured on the recent hit TV programme The Trip – with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. www.innatwhitewell.com 12). HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton - Lancashire was the destination for HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton’s final official engagement before their wedding in April 2011. They visited a new school in Darwen and Witton Country Park, Blackburn. Let’s hope it’s the first of many more visits.
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NATIONAL FOREST Top 12 things to do We all have things that we have always wanted to do ….but have somehow never got around to doing. Well, it is now time to do all those things that you have always dreamt of. 1). Compete in the Olympics! – Ever dreamt of taking part in the Olympics? Well – if you didn’t make the British team for 2012 you could always look at entering the Agrilympics at the National Forest Adventure Farm. This annual event, taking place on 4th August, includes the corn javelin, tossing the hale bale, welly sprint and many more heats! 2). Walk through a carpet of beautiful bluebells – Some of the best places to walk through bluebell-carpeted woods are in The National Forest. Serpentine Wood within the Calke Abbey Estate, Outwoods in Charnwood near Loughborough, Jackson’s Bank in Staffordshire or Staunton Ridgeway through Spring Wood Nature Reserve, near Staunton Harold. Set in beautiful rolling parkland at Newchurch, Yoxall Lodge was once a forest lodge situated in the heart of the ancient Needwood Forest. Woodland walks give access to a magical carpet of native bluebells which blankets the floor of these old, natural woodlands. 3). Horse ride across open countryside – Ride through beautiful Bradgate Park, past the babbling brook and the ruins of Lady Jane Grey’s (the nine-day queen) former home. Park View Riding Stables offers off-road hacking to Bradgate Park and Swithland Woods in the ancient Charnwood Forest. 4). Take part of a Murder Mystery night on an old steam train – Step into the world of Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ on a Murder Mystery evening at Great Central Railway or have a go at driving a steam dream on their locomotive driving experiences. 5). Go Ghost hunting – Take part in a ghost hunt at Tutbury Castle, a ghost walk at Grace Dieu Priory or paranormal evening at Moira Furnace. 6). Bottle feed a new-born lamb – Bottle feed new-born lambs at the National Forest Adventure Farm. This year-round attraction hosts the popular annual Agrilympics and holds pig and sheep racing (complete with teddy bear jockeys) every day. 86
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NATIONAL FOREST 7). Be a zookeeper for a day – Ever fancied being a zookeeper for the day? Twycross Zoo offers a zookeeper experience which involves helping in all aspects of animal care including cleaning, food preparation and feeding in one its primate houses (langurs, lemurs, marmosets and woolly monkeys) or the giraffe section (vicunas, guanacos, camels and tapir). 8). Watch the countryside drift past on a lazy narrow boat holiday – There are 30 miles of canal stretching through the National Forest. A canal cruise is a great tonic to slow down and relax. Embark on a relaxing canal boat holiday or short break with Aqua Narrowboat Hire at Willington-based Mercia Marina. 9). Feel the warmth of a hot stones massage – Treat yourself to a bit of ‘me-time’ at the luxurious health spas Champneys Springs or Eden Day Spa at Hoar Cross Hall. Be pampered and feel stress ebb away at the excellent Reeds Health Club and Spa within Best Western Premier Yew Lodge Hotel. 10). Learn how to be a chocolatier for a day – Bitter Sweet Chocolates’ courses reveal the secrets of a chocolatier. A must for chocoholics everywhere! Or for budding Masterchefs, join the passionate chefs at Seasoned Courses whose cookery courses will teach and enthuse you about food. 11). Organise a ‘party’ in a brewery – Formerly the Bass Museum, the National Brewery Centre is a world-class museum and visitor centre that celebrates Burton upon Trent’s proud brewing heritage. Brilliant holograms and costumed characters from the brewery’s past stroll around the centre and truly bring the history of brewing, beer and Burton to life. The brewing experience includes beer tasting, magnificent shire horses, and a brand new micro brewery. Marston’s Brewery also offers tours for groups. Both venues have rooms that groups can hire to organise their own ‘party’ in a brewery. 12). Go ‘glamping’ or stay in a log cabin – Nestling in their own woodland glade Rosliston Forestry Centre’s Forest Lodges are a dream come true for those who have always wanted to stay in a log cabin. Or how about a spot of ‘glamping’ in one of the new luxury canvas cottages with Dandelion Hideaway – complete with gorgeous roll-top bath. These are set in stunning countryside on a working farm. Perfect for a relaxing getaway! National Forest Photo credit: Christopher Beech Index
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NEW FOREST Top 12 New Forest Views ). Forest canopy – For a stunning vantage point across the top of the trees of the New Forest canopy without a building in sight, film from the rooftop garden of the luxurious Herb House Spa at five red star country house hotel Lime Wood near Lyndhurst. 2). Coast – 43 miles of wonderful coastline is a short drive from the woodland heart of the New Forest is its. For the ultimate view, the Art Deco roof terrace restaurant at The Marine at Milford on Sea has a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view of the Solent coast and the famous Isle of Wight Needles. 3). Knightwood Oak – For the largest oak in the New Forest (7.4m girth) park at the Knightwood Oak car park (take the A35 from Lyndhurst to Christchurch and after two miles turn right into Bolderwood Ornamental Drive and the car park is on the left). Stand under its shady branches and imagine life 600 years ago, when it first began to grow. 4). Castle Hill – Stunning viewpoint overlooking the beautiful Avon valley and Breamore House on the western edge of the New Forest. 5). Rufus Stone - The historic site of a former great oak where King William II (known as William Rufus because of his ruddy complexion) is said to have been left by Sir Walter Tyrell, who fired the shot that killed him. Conspiracy theories of the day claimed it was no hunting accident. 6). Forest Tour – Jump aboard the open-top hourly New Forest Tour throughout the summer for the best views of the of the forest from the highest possible vantage point. As well as the original route from the centre to the coast, a new route takes you from the heart of the New Forest to the beautiful Avon Valley and back.
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NEW FOREST 7). Buckler’s Hard – The unspoilt 18th Century village of Buckler’s Hard is where some of Nelson’s Trafalgar fleet was built. A gently sloping street of original shipbuilders’ cottages leads down to the stunning waterfront of the Beaulieu River. 8). Exbury – Exbury Gardens, with its world-famous Rothschild Collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and rare trees and shrubs, is a riot of colour with picturesque reflections of lakeside tints . . . and the perfect backdrop for filming. 9). Sunset over the Solent – Film at Keyhaven marshes on the Solent Way for the most dramatic sunset shots. The fiery, orange ball sinking behind the clouds to the still backdrop of tranquil surroundings and moored boats can be perfect. 10). Lepe – Lepe Country Park has panoramic views across the Solent from its mile of beach, pine fringed cliffs and wild flower meadows. It is a popular destination for family days out walking, swimming, fishing, windsurfing and watching the cruise ships sailing to and from Southampton. 11). Blackwater – The best place for giant redwoods and majestic Douglas firs along the Tall Trees Trail at Rhinefield Ornamental Drive. This arboretum has some of the tallest and oldest trees in Britain. 12). Myths and legends – Burley is the best place to head for thatched cottages, witches, gnomes and pixies. It is steeped in legends and mystique – and you can even explore the area in a horse-drawn wagon.
To arrange interviews or filming at any of these locations contact Polymedia on 01329 822866 or at [email protected] or call Anthony Climpson, Employment and Tourism Manager, on 02380 285102.
Buckler’s Hard Hampshire Index
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NEW FOREST Top 12 New Forest Wildlife 1). Bolderwood deer – Stunning views, Great British scenery and the best place to see deer. There is a special viewing platform as well as a trail to get great pictures/films of a herd of fallow deer which are easily spotted at this New Forest beauty spot. 2). New Forest Ponies – The New Forest is famous for its iconic ponies. About 3,500 New Forest ponies roam its common land under an ancient management system created by William the Conqueror, when he recognised its rare qualities nearly 1,000 years ago. 3). Pannage Pigs – As many as 600 Commoners’ pigs are turned out in the New Forest in the autumn to pannage for acorns which are poisonous to the ponies, cattle and deer which roam free. The pigs are let loose to roam for 60 days. The tradition was recently celebrated by a Beaulieu chocolatier who made handcrafted chocolate pigs with praline acorns. 4). Cattle - Roam the common land of the New Forest which making it the perfect English idyll. The land management system which protects and preserves the special woodlands and wilderness heath is still enacted today by Verderers, Agisters and Commoners (literally the judges, Police and land users of this historic landscape). 5). Pony Drift – In a Drift round-up, Commoners and Agisters enact a centuries-old tradition every autumn in the New Forest. During the Drift in early autumn, skilled riders herd the 3,000 or so ponies. Veterinary health checks are carried out and foals are weaned from their mothers, often to be sold at regular pony sales. 6). Bluebells – For the perfect backdrop in spring, a beautiful wash of colour covers the forest floor at the Pondhead Inclosure near Lyndhurst, as a sea of bluebells breaks through.
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NEW FOREST 7). Donkeys – Can often be seen meandering along the main street of Burley, which is famous for tales of legends, witches and smuggling and can be explored by horse-drawn wagon. 8). Falconry – Amews Falconry in Beaulieu lets you hold and fly some of Britain’s most beautiful birds of prey. 9). Bottle-feed kid goats and calves - See the animals in their seasonal homes at Longdown Activity Farm at Ashurst. 10). Dragonflies – Hatchet Pond, the largest body of water in the New Forest, has a vast array of spectacular dragonflies and damselflies that live in its natural habitat. 11). Birds – The New Forest is a twitcher’s paradise. Among its treasures, rare nightjars gather at the New Forest’s Matley Ridge, a small, secluded woodland site. And at Blackwater arboretum, migrating Hawfinches can be spotted in the trees. 12). Bats - Swooping low at dusk to catch insects, bats are an unforgettable sight. Blackwater arboretum is the best place to film their nocturnal activity.
New Forest Ponies Hampshire Index
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NORFOLK Norwich Top 12 Norwich 12 is the UK's finest collection of individually outstanding heritage buildings from the Norman, medieval, Georgian, Victorian and modern eras located in Norwich, Norfolk. Explore these 12 iconic landmarks through guided walks and tours, visitor attractions, exhibitions, music, performances, cafes, restaurants and gifts shops – many are free to enter. Here are the Norwich 12 buildings from oldest to newest – spanning 1000 years of history in Norwich. 1). Norwich Castle – Norwich Castle (built 1067 – 1075) is one of the finest surviving secular Norman buildings in Europe. The Castle mound is the largest in the country. From the 14th to the 19th century the keep was used as a county gaol. The Castle was converted to a museum in 1894 and today is the county’s principle museum and art gallery. 2). Norwich Cathedral – Built 1096-1145. Most of Norwich Cathedral's Norman architecture is still intact and it forms one of the finest examples of the Romanesque style in Europe. Norwich Cathedral has the highest Norman tower (40m) and largest monastic cloisters in England, the second highest spire as well as a unique and world-renowned collection of medieval roof carvings. 3). The Assembly House – Built 1754-1755. The Assembly House is a Georgian building designed by the architect Thomas Ivory. It incorporates the original layout of a previous building, the medieval college of St Mary in the Fields. Today the rooms appear almost exactly as they did at the height of the Regency period, and are used for exhibitions, concerts, conferences and weddings - the Assembly House offers a superb year-round programme of arts and culture to enjoy. Recent developments include a state-of-the-art kitchen and a Cake Counter where you can indulge in delectable delicate hand-made biscuits, cakes and chocolates! This is the place to be if you want to take a traditional Afternoon Tea in sumptuous surroundings. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is also available with a huge choice of dishes using local produce wherever possible. 4). St James Mill – Built 1836 – 1839. St James Mill is the archetypal English Industrial Revolution mill in perhaps an unexpected part of the UK. It was built on a site occupied by the White Friars (Carmelites) in the 13th century, and an orginal arch and undercroft survive. Jarrolds have twice been owners of the mill the last purchase being in 1933, today it is a private office complex. 92
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NORFOLK 5). The Great Hospital – Built 1249, Norwich's Great Hospital has been in continuous use as a caring institution since it was founded for the care of poor chaplains in the 13th century. The 2.5ha complex of buildings and extensive archives provide a unique living history of the last 750 years. The site includes the ancient parish church of St Helen and Eagle Ward with its lavishly decorated 'eagle ceiling', originally the chancel of the church. Today the hospital provides sheltered housing and a residential care home. 6). The Halls - St Andrew’s and Blackfriars – Built 1307 – 1470. St Andrew's Hall is the centrepiece of several magnificent flint buildings, known as The Halls, which form the most complete friary complex surviving in England. During the reformation, the site was saved by the City Corporation which bought it from the king for use as a 'common hall'. Since then the complex has been used for worship, as a mint and as a workhouse. Today the two halls, crypt, chapel and cloisters host conferences, fairs, weddings and concerts. 7). St John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral – Built 1884 – 1910, St John's Roman Catholic Cathedral is a particularly fine example of 19th-century Gothic revival architecture. Designed in the Early English style by George Gilbert Scott Junior, St John's contains some of the finest 19th-century stained glass in Europe. It also has a wealth of Frosterley marble and exquisite stone caving. 8). Surrey House - Marble Hall – Built 1900 – 1912, Surrey House, the historic home of Aviva (formally Norwich Union), is a spectacular piece of Edwardian architecture by George Skipper. He was commissioned by The Norwich Union Life Insurance Society's directors to produce a 'splendid yet functional office space', incorporating Greek influences and the themes of insurance, protection and wellbeing. The building has a commanding Palladian exterior and an interior adorned with 15 varieties of marble, classically inspired frescos and a stunning glass atrium. This is not to be missed! 9). The Guildhall – Built 1407 – 1424, the elaborate design and size of the Guildhall reflect Norwich's status as one of the wealthiest provincial cities in England in medieval times. The building represents the growing economic and political power of the new ruling elite that was emerging - wealthy freemen who were merchants and traders. Norwich was given more self-governing powers in 1404 and the Guildhall was built to house the various civic assemblies, councils and courts that regulated its citizens' lives.
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10). Dragon Hall – Built 1427 – 1430, Dragon Hall is a medieval trading hall, built by Robert Toppes, a wealthy local merchant, for his business. The first floor of the 27m timber-framed hall has an outstanding crown post roof with a beautifully carved dragon, which gives the building its name. After Toppes' death, the building was converted for domestic use and then, in the 19th century, subdivided into shops, a pub and tenements. Today Dragon Hall is a heritage attraction open to visitors and is a unique venue for weddings, private and corporate functions, and performances. 11). City Hall – Built 1936 – 1938, Norwich City Hall was build when the Guildhall and existing municipal offices could no longer accommodate the growth in local government duties in the early 20th century. City Hall has an exceptional art deco interior and many fine architectural features, including a top-floor cupola, rich in mahogany panelling and one of the longest balconies in England. 12). The Forum – Built 1999 – 2001, the Forum is the landmark millennium project for the East of England and a striking example of post-war architecture. Funded by a Millennium Commission grant and matching support from Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council and the business community, it houses the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium and the 2nd Air Division Memorial Libraries BBC East's regional headquarter, Norwich Tourist Information Centre, a shop, a cafe, restaurant, Fusion - a giant digital gallery (the largest in Europe), BBC open studio and The Curve auditorium.
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NORFOLK Top 12 Norfolk Historic Houses and Gardens 1). Sandringham House – (Her Majesty The Queen), all the ground floor rooms used by The Royal Family, full of their treasured ornaments, portraits and furniture, are open to the public. The Ballroom displays a different exhibition each year and in 2012 will be celebrating 60 years of Her Majesty the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and 150 years of the Royal Family at Sandringham. More family possessions are displayed in the museum housed in the old stables and coach houses including vehicles ranging in date from the first car owned by a British monarch, a 1900 Daimler, to a half-scale Aston Martin used by the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, www.sandringhamestate.co.uk 2). Holkham Hall – (Viscount Coke) is one of Britain's most majestic stately homes. With stunning architecture in the Marble Hall, classical Roman statuary in the Statue Gallery and original paintings and furniture in the opulent Saloon, plus much more. Each room has a wealth of treasures to be discovered. Nearby Holkham Beach has been voted Best British Beach by the readers of Coast magazine for the last three years, www.holkham.co.uk 3). Oxburgh Hall – (National Trust), step back in time through the magnificent Tudor gatehouse into the dangerous world of Tudor politics. Home to the Bedingfield family since 1482 this stunning redbrick house charts their precarious history from medieval austerity to neo-Gothic Victorian comfort. Oxburgh houses beautiful embroidery by both Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick. Panoramic views from the roof look out over the Victorian French parterre, walled orchard, kitchen garden and a Catholic chapel, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburghhall 4). Houghton Hall – (Marquis of Cholmondeley) was built in the 1720s by Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's First Prime Minister. It is one of the grandest Palladian Houses in England, designed by James Gibbs and Colen Campbell with the interiors by William Kent and opulently furnished to reflect Walpole's status. Houghton retains most its original furnishings, www.houghtonhall.com 5). Blickling Hall – (National Trust). This exquisite red brick early 17th century house with spectacular long gallery, and plasterwork ceilings, has fine collections of furniture, pictures and books. The house is surrounded by extensive gardens and park with ornamental lake, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling
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NORFOLK 6). Felbrigg Hall – (National Trust). This fine country house is a composite of architectural styles from the early 17th to early 19th century. There is a Grand Tour collection of paintings, period furniture and fine library. Walled garden, working dovecote, exotic planting, extensive parkland and ancient woodland, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-felbrigg-hall
12). Invitation to View – Invitation to View co-ordinates openings of historic country houses that are not regularly open to the public in East Anglia. Currently 54 properties are involved in the scheme, www.invitationtoview.co.uk More information www.visitnorfolk.co.uk
7). Mannington Hall Gardens – (Lord Walpole), the gardens around this medieval moated manor house feature a wide variety of plants, trees and shrubs in many different settings. Throughout the gardens are thousands of roses especially classic varieties. The Heritage Rose and 20th century rose gardens have designs reflecting their date of origin from the 15th century to the present day. Wolterton Hall (Lord Walpole), www.manningtongardens.co.uk 8). Wolterton Hall – (Lord Walpole), was built by Thomas Ripley in the 1720s for Horatio Walpole: politician, diplomat and younger brother to Britain's first Prime Minister - Sir Robert Walpole. The current Lord Walpole inherited the property in 1989. Since then, there has been a programme of reorganisation, conservation and research into the history of the family, hall and park using previously neglected archives. There is an extensive family portrait collection, www.manningtongardens.co.uk 9). Euston Hall – (Duke of Grafton), home of the Dukes of Grafton for more than 300 years. The hall contains, among is treasures, a unique collection of paintings of the court of Charles II and includes works by Van Dyck, Lely and Kneller. There are also tranquil gardens a river walk and restored watermill, www.eustonhall.co.uk 10). Raveningham Gardens – (Sir Nicholas Bacon), a place away from the hurly burly of modern life, where visitors can reflect on how a modern garden can evolve and explore a traditional walled garden which still produces fruit and vegetables for the family as it did for the current owners Victorian ancestors, www.raveningham.com 11). Somerleyton Hall – (Lord Somerleyton) on the Norfolk/Suffolk border is an early Victorian stately mansion built in Anglo-Italian style with lavish architectural features, magnificent carved stonework and fine state rooms. Paintings by Landseer, Wright of Derby and Stanfield. Wood carvings by Wilcox of Warwick and Grinling Gibbons. The justly renowned 5ha gardens feature an 1846 yew hedge maze, glasshouses by Paxton, fine statuary, pergola and walled garden, www.somerleyton.co.uk Index
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NORTHUMBERLAND Top 12 Northumberland Attractions 1). Alnwick Castle – Associated with Harry Hotspur and still owned by the Percies – current Dukes of Northumberland, magnificent Alnwick Castle is stuffed full of priceless works of art and impressive collections of armour and weapons. More recently Alnwick Castle was one of the settings for Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. 2). Bamburgh Castle – In a stunning location overlooking the wild North Sea, Bamburgh has been a seat of kings for over a thousand years. Restored by Lord Armstrong, the current castle is a treasure trove of armour, artwork, porcelain and furniture. 3). Hadrian’s Wall – Built in just six years from AD122 as the frontier of Hadrian’s Roman Empire, Hadrian’s Wall snakes across some of England’s most spectacular countryside for 117km. Along the way are impressively preserved forts, garrisons and temples. 4). Holy Island – Cut off by the tide each day, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne is still a place of pilgrimage. It was on Holy Island that St Cuthbert spread his early Christian message and that the unique illustrated manuscript, the Lindisfarne Gospels – a true national treasure – was produced. 5). The Alnwick Garden – One of the most exciting contemporary gardens on earth. A garden for gardeners with a design that looks to the future. It's a stunning attraction, a floral wonderland. a place for families with lots of chances to get wet and play. 6). Cragside House, Gardens & Estate – The creation of Lord Armstrong, Victorian inventor and landscape genius, Cragside was the first house in Britain to be lit by hydro electricity. Enjoy the estate drive, pinetum and formal gardens. 7). Warkworth Castle – An impressive 12th Century fortress with magnificent cross shaped keep, Warkworth was owned by the Percy family, whose lion badge can be seen carved into the stronghold. Near the castle and accessible only by boat is a late medieval Hermitage and chapel. Alnwick Castle Northumberland 96
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NORTHUMBERLAND 8). Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum – The home of Charles, 2nd Earl Grey who was Prime Minister during the passing of the Great Reform Bill of 1832 and better known for the famous tea which was blended especially for the water at Howick and named after him. The gardens are a plantsman’s delight with extensive grounds offering a stunning variety of unusual plants throughout the seasons. Enjoy a cup of Earl Grey in the garden’s tea room. 9). Berwick Barracks and Ramparts – Purpose-built barracks housing several attractions. The ramparts are the fortifications of gateways, curtain walls and projecting bastions built in 1558-70. 10). The Farne Islands – Off the coast of Northumberland, the Farne Islands are one of the greatest wildlife experiences in England. In the summer they are home to more than 100,000 pairs of breeding seabirds including puffins and rare Roseate Turns. 11). Chillingham Castle and the Chillingham Cattle – Rumoured to be the most haunted castle in England, Chillingham occupied a strategic position during Northumberland's bloody border feuds, as often under attack as basking in the patronage of Royal visitors. Nearby a walled enclosure is home to the Chillingham Wild Cattle, a unique pure-bred herd of white cattle descended from the wild cattle that once roamed the forests of Britain. 12). Belsay Hall, Castle & Gardens – Belsay’s grand medieval castle was later extended to include a magnificent Jacobean mansion. The nearby Belsay Hall was inspired by the temples of ancient Greece and has a fabulous pillar hall. The huge grounds include a unique Quarry Garden, a fantasy of ravines, pinnacles and exotic plants.
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Top 12 Nottinghamshire Free Things to Do 1). Creswell Crags – Creswell Crags is an historic limestone gorge, honeycombed with caves and smaller fissures. Stone tools and remains of animals found in the caves provide evidence for a fascinating story of life during the last Ice Age between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago. Further evidence came to light in 2003 with the discovery of Britain's only known Ice Age rock art. 2). Wollaton Hall and Deer Park – Wollaton Hall is a spectacular Elizabethan mansion in the heart of Nottingham. It is a prominent Grade I Listed building, situated in a 202ha historic deer park, and herds of red and fallow deer roam freely throughout the site. The Hall was built by Sir Francis Willoughby between 1580 and 1588, and now houses Nottingham’s Natural History Museum along with reconstructed room settings. 3). Major Oak – legendary as a hide-out of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year as they trace the footsteps of the legend. The reserve covers 182ha and incorporates some truly ancient areas of native woodland, including over 1,000 veteran oaks, most of which are over 500 years old. 4). Nottingham Contemporary – Nottingham Contemporary, designed by the award winning architects Caruso St John, is one of the largest contemporary art centres in the UK. It has four galleries lit by 132 skylights, a performance and film Space, a Learning room, The Study, The Shop and Cafe.Bar.Contemporary. The gallery runs a range of special events and children’s workshops, and entry is free. 5). Attenborough Nature Reserve – This beautiful complex of flooded former gravel pits and islands provides 146ha of exceptional habitat for a wide range of plants, birds and other wildlife. The Nature Reserve is nationally designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), featuring many walking trails and opportunities for spotting rare and beautiful wildlife. The Nature Centre was opened by Sir David Attenborough in 2005 and has been named as one of the top ten eco destinations in the world by BBC Wildlife magazine. Creswell Crags Nottinghamshire 98
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 6). Mansfield Museum – Named as the Family Friendly Museum of the Year in 2011 by The Guardian Newspaper, Mansfield Museum offers a range of wonderful permanent and temporary exhibitions, exploring the social history of the area, including interactive exhibitions aimed at entertaining children. 7). Southwell Minster – the stunning twin spires of Southwell Minster are one of the highlights of the beautiful market town of Southwell. The Minster, the Cathedral of Nottinghamshire, is rich in historical and architectural interest, featuring some of the finest examples of naturalistic carvings in the country. 8). Sherwood Pines Forest Park – The largest woodland open to the public in the East Midlands, the forest offers fantastic outdoor experiences all year round. From cycling to mushroom foraging to picnics – the park has plenty of activities on all year round. 9). Newstead and Annersley Country Park – a beautiful 89ha eco-friendly park, Newstead and Annersley Country Park has been developed by the local people to benefit the community. Hosting numerous events and attractions throughout the year, the Park is only three minutes from Newstead Railway Station and eight minutes by car from Junction 27 of the M1. 10). Thoresby Gallery – Thoresby Gallery in Thoresby Courtyard is an imaginative conversion of a Grade I listed building, recently transformed into a thriving retail area including an art gallery, busy cafe and a home for working crafts people. The courtyard sits beside Thoresby Hall, built by the third Earl Manvers in 1860. The Courtyard is set within several thousand acres of forest, farmland and parkland that you can explore via a series of way marked walks. 11). Rufford Country Park – 60.7ha of historic parkland, woodland and gardens in the North of Nottinghamshire’s ‘Dukeries’ region, Rufford Country Park includes the ruins of a medieval monastery, gardens, woodland walks, a sculpture trail and a lake. All the ingredients for a relaxing day outside. 12). Walking and Cycling – Beautiful Nottinghamshire offers a wide range trails and routes for walking and cycling, for visitors wanting to explore the countryside at their own pace. Welbeck Estate offers a beautiful 2 ½ mile loop including the Harley Gallery and Creswell Crags, and the Ancient Sherwood Route and Adventure Pines Route for cyclists are 32km journeys designed to be enjoyed in a day, stopping off at key attractions along the way. Index
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Top 12 Nottinghamshire Historic Sites 1). Creswell Crags – Creswell Crags is an historic limestone gorge, honeycombed with caves and smaller fissures. Stone tools and remains of animals found in the caves provide evidence for a fascinating story of life during the last Ice Age between 50000 and 10000 years ago. Further evidence came to light in 2003 with the discovery of Britain's only known Ice Age rock art. 2). Welbeck Estates – Stretching more than 6070ha acres to straddle the borders of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, the Welbeck Estates are home to historic Welbeck Abbey and Welbeck Village. Find out about the 4km walking trail which covers some of the most scenic parts of the estate, and be sure to stop for refreshments at Welbeck Farm Shop and the Lime House Cafe. 3). Papplewick Pumping Station – the finest working Victorian water pumping station in Britain, the site has recently undergone extensive restoration and once again stands proud as a spectacular example of Victorian craftsmanship. It boasts a range of original features including an ornate Engine House, ornamental cooling pond and a Boiler House complete with six Lancashire Boilers, all set amidst formal landscaped grounds. Designed as a statement of Victorian flare and pride, it is hard to believe today that the site was never intended to be seen by the general public. 4). Ruddington Framework Knitters Museum – a small independent working museum, established by the efforts of the local community, which saved it from the bulldozer and put it under the control of a charitable Trust. Framework knitting was the basis for the growth of the village of Ruddington, and also, looking further afield, for the development of machine lace and the East Midlands textile industry. 5). Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem – England’s Oldest Inn, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem is built into caves beneath Nottingham Castle, with an inn and brewery in operation on the site for over 800 years. On stepping inside, visitors to England’s oldest Inn will immediately sense that they truly are taking a step back in time. Major Oak Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire 100
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 6). Clumber Park – This grand National Trust Property features over 1538ha of parkland, farmland and woods, and is home to the longest avenue of Lime Trees in Europe at over two miles long. Stroll around the gardens, stop for a bite at Barkers restaurant overlooking the walled kitchen garden. At the heart of the estate is the magnificent serpentine lake, complete with balustraded bridge and delightful Doric Temple. A stroll along the lakeshore gives spectacular views and offers good fishing and bird watching. 7). Wollaton Hall and Deer Park – Wollaton Hall is a spectacular Elizabethan mansion in the heart of Nottingham. It is a prominent Grade One Listed building, situated in a 202ha historic deer park, and herds of red and fallow deer roam freely throughout the site. The Hall was built by Sir Francis Willoughby between 1580 and 1588, and now houses Nottingham’s Natural History Museum along with reconstructed room settings.
11). Newstead Abbey – This beautiful historic house is the ancestral home of the great romantic poet Lord Byron. From April to September, visitors may explore the historic house with its medieval cloisters, splendid Victorian room settings and even the private apartments of Byron - complete with his personal belongings and the table at which he wrote his poetry. 12). Major Oak –legendary as a hide-out of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year as they trace the footsteps of the legend. The reserve covers 182ha and incorporates some truly ancient areas of native woodland, including over 1000 veteran oaks, most of which are over 500 years old.
8). Great Central Railway – The Great Central Railway Nottingham offers over 10 miles of heritage railway running through the beautiful scenery of South Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. Journeys run between Ruddington, just south of the city to Loughborough. Services are pulled by heritage steam and diesel locomotives, re-creating the experience of train travel from a bygone age. 9). Newark Castle – has stood proudly on the banks of the River Trent for nearly 900 years – with now only one and a half sides of the castle remaining which includes the oldest part of the castle, a large gatehouse. The castle was built in 1133 by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, and it remained a seat of the Bishops of Lincoln until 1547 when King Henry VIII took it for the Crown. 10). Thoresby Courtyard & Hall – Thoresby Courtyard is an imaginative conversion of a Grade I listed building, recently transformed into a thriving retail area including an art gallery, busy cafe and a home for working crafts people. The Courtyard sits beside Thoresby Hall, built by the third Earl Manvers in 1860. A Victorian mansion, it has been recently renovated and is now a luxury hotel and spa open to visitors. The Courtyard and Hotel are set within several thousand acres of forest, farmland and parkland that you can explore via a series of way marked walks. The Park has been owned by the Pierrepont family since the 1600s and remains a picture of a traditional country estate. Woolaton Hall Nottinghamshire Index
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OXFORDSHIRE Top 12 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Harry Potter' Locations in Oxford 2012 marks 150 years since the story of Alice's adventures was told to the young Alice Liddell and her sisters as Charles Dodgson rowed them along the River Isis (Thames) to Godstow.(1862) 1). Christ Church (the college) – Its Great Tudor Hall inspired Hogwarts Hall, the staircase featured as Hogwarts' entrance and the cloisters were Hogwarts' Trophy Room. 2). Christ Church Great Tudor Hall – Look out for the window depicting characters from the 'Alice' books, the long-necked firedogs, the portrait of Henry VIII ('off with their heads') and of Charles Dodgson and Alice's father, Dean Liddell. Look for the door to the Rabbit Hole (behind High Table). The Hall was not used for filming Harry Potter: Hogwarts required four tables for the four Houses; Christ Church has but three. 3). Look for the window of Charles Dodgson's study in Tom Quad. He taught mathematics here. 4). Look for the door to the Deanery where Alice lived. 5). Look at your watch. Christ Church runs on its own time - 5 minutes after Greenwich- that's why the White Rabbit was always late. 6). Christ Church Cathedral – The real Alice in Wonderland - Alice Liddell's father was Dean. She would have come here often. Her sister, Edith's face appears in the St Catherine window by Burne Jones as that of Catherine of Alexandria; she died shortly before her marriage. The name of Alice's son, Stephen Hargreaves, appears on the WWI memorial as you enter the Cathedral. You are welcome to stay for services and listen to the beautiful singing. 7). The 'treacle well' or 'healing well is at Binsey – It features in the story of St Frideswide, Oxford's patron saint. Her story is depicted in the stained glass windows by Burne Jones in the Cathedral. Alice and her sisters were rowed up to Binsey by Charles Dodgson. You can take an Oxford River Cruise to get there.
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Christ Church college Oxford 8). 'Alice's Shop' – which appears in mirror image as the Old Sheep Shop in 'Through the Looking Glass' - was where Alice would buy her sweets, across the road from Christ Church. 9). In New College Cloisters Malfoy was turned into a ferret. 10). Visit the Bodleian Library's Divinity School (Hogwarts' dance practice room and Infirmary). 11). Don't miss Duke Humfrey's Library - Hogwarts Library. It is part of the Bodleian Library. 12). The Pitt Rivers Museum's shrunken head appears on the Night Bus. The museum itself may have inspired Diagon Alley. Index
OXFORDSHIRE Top 12 Views of Oxford 1). From the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, High Street - wonderful views over All Souls and Brasenose colleges, the Radcliffe Camera and the High Street. A steep spiral staircase but the climb is well worth the effort! 2). Climb the 99 steps of Carfax Tower for views down the High Street - said to be 'the most noble street in Europe'. You decide. Look down on Magdalen Tower and across to the Radcliffe Camera.
11).Rooftop restaurants: the Living Room at Oxford Castle complex and the Ashmolean Museum. 12). Stroll round Radcliffe Square with the iconic circular Radcliffe Camera at its heart. Admire its setting against the backdrop of St Mary the Virgin church's soaring spire, Brasenose College (look for the door knocker), All Souls' gold-encrusted gates and sundial (in the wrong place) or the Bodleian Library's warm honey-stone walls. Mind the cobbles!
3). The Sheldonian Theatre's views are across central Oxford. Excellent in inclement weather as you are under cover. 4).St Michael at the North Gate is one of Oxford's oldest buildings. Look down on the lay-out of Medieval Oxford - its narrow streets and close-packed houses unchanged for a thousand years. See the door which imprisoned the three Protestant martyrs, Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley, burned alive in the town ditch, and the pagan fertility sculpture which used to be set into the wall. 5). St George's Tower – part of Oxford Castle Unlocked, may once have formed part of the Saxon city wall. Views to the west, across to Wytham, Cumnor and Boars Hill. Shows Oxford ' a jewel in a sea of green'. 6). From South Park you probably have the best distant views of the 'dreaming spires'. In sunshine or snow, as you picnic or ride your toboggan, Oxford's towers are the back cloth. 7). From the church tower of St Mary and St John, Cowley Road, Oxford, you see the distant spires and the Victorian terraces of Oxford's working people. 8). From Exeter College's Fellows' Garden some say you have the finest views of the Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian and Radcliffe Square. 9). From Hinksey Heights Golf course you see the distant spires from the west. 10). A walk round Christ Church Meadow gives views of Christ Church, Merton, Magdalen Colleges and the rivers Cherwell and Isis - with a foreground of rare breed cattle. and maybe a few punts gliding by.
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OXFORDSHIRE Top 12 South Oxfordshire film spotter locations 1). The Social Network - The Golden Globe winning story of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg features scenes filmed at Henley Royal Regatta and used 16 rowers from the town’s Leander Club. For the film they staged a re-enactment of the 2004 Grand Challenge Cup – the main events for the men’s eights competition. Losing side Harvard University included identical twin brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and the race is depicted as the catalyst that led the brothers to sue Zuckerman in a multi-million dollar court battle. Filming took place during the lunch interval and after the last race on the Sunday of the regatta in July 2010 2). Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Russell’s Water, a beautiful location nestled in the lovely Chiltern Hills, was deemed the ideal place to film the scene where on several occasions Truly Scrumptious drives her car CUB1 into a pond. You can still see the Duck Pond; it’s not far from the village hall. The Cobstone Windmill at nearby Turville also featured in the film. 3). Howards End - Rotherfield Peppard near Henley on Thames is the location of Howards End starring Sit Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. The wisteria clad country retreat is a private house situated on Peppard Common a few doors down from the pub. General village scenes were shot in Dorchester-on-Thames. 4). Saving Private Ryan - The grounds of Thame Park became the ‘French’ countryside and hinterland of the Normandy beaches in Steven Spielberg’s multiOscar wining epic. The Chapel interior was used for the scene where the American soldiers rested overnight inside a French church, a fitting echo of Thame Park’s role during World War Two in the training of the Special Overseas Executive. 5). Sherlock Holmes 2 - Didcot Railway Centre often hosts large green screens to film action scene of the sheds and surroundings. Guy Ritchie’s latest outing starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law is released winter 2011 with Didcot set to assume a look depicting Victorian London.
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OXFORDSHIRE 6). Midsomer Murders - Perhaps the most recognisable location, Wallingford is 'Causton' in the popular TV series shown in over 220 countries. This market town fringes the banks of the Thames and the show's lead character, DCI Barnaby, is often seen wandering here. South Oxfordshire’s market towns and villages like Dorchester on Thames, Warborough, Thame and Ewelme often feature due to their picturesque appeal, village greens and country pubs. 7). The Eagle Has Landed - In this 1976 classic war tale, Mapledurham estate featured heavily. Mapledurham watermill was chosen by film producers to stage the dramatic rescue of a local girl by a German paratrooper that results in the unmasking and ultimate failure of the raid. The Church of St Margaret is where the villagers are held hostage and The Manor House, where Churchill is taken, was 16th century Mapledurham house itself.
11). Agatha Christie’s Poirot - The 2008 episode ‘Cat amongst the Pigeons’ used Joyce Grove in Nettlebed for the exterior shots of Meadowbank, a girls' school run by the progressive Miss Bulstrode. The building was purchased by Robert Fleming in 1903. His grandsons were Ian Fleming, author of James Bond (and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), and Col Peter Fleming the renowned travel writer who was married to actress Celia Johnson of Brief Encounter fame. Joyce Grove is now a Sue Ryder hospice. 12) Anna Karenina - Didcot Railway Centre once again takes centre stage in the forthcoming British film adaptation loosely based on Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel. Set builders recreated a 19th century snowy Russian railway scene to feature emotional arrivals and departures. Keira Knightly and Jude Law lead the cast as Anna and her jilted husband Aleksei. Shooting on location between October and December 2011, the film is due for general release during 2012.
8). The Living Daylights - Stoner Park, about five miles north of Henley-on-Thames, was used as the ‘Bladen’ safe house, from which Koskov is abducted by Necros in this 1987 James Bond film starring Timothy Dalton. Stonor was also used as Robbie Coltrane's stately mansion in the film adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's classic 'Danny the Champion of the World', starring Jeremy Irons. 9). The Madness of King George - Thame Park doubles as Kew Palace where the King is sent to be cured by his physician. Thame Park is a private residence situated southeast of Thame. 10). St Trinians - Park Place, the 600 acre estate at Remenham, near Henley featured as the notorious girl’s school in the 2007 remake starring Colin Firth and Rupert Everett. The Grade-II listed house used to be a boarding school and Academy award winner Firth reportedly said “There's a rather ghostly suggestion of its distant past, which makes you think of something like The Shining”. It was previously used for hospital scenes in Atonement. After filming it was sold for £42million - the record for a UK house outside London.
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PEAK DISTRICT Peak District’s Top 12 film and TV locations 1). Chatsworth – Classic home of the Dukes of Devonshire, and backcloth for films such as Pride & Prejudice (Film 2005, BBC TV series 1995), The Duchess (2008) and The Wolfman (2009). www.chatsworth.org 2). Haddon Hall – Fairytale setting for several film and TV versions of Jane Eyre – including Cory Fukunaga’s acclaimed 2011 movie, cult film The Princess Bride (1987, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2012), Elizabeth (1998) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). www.haddonhall.co.uk 3). Dovedale – Lindale and Ilam Hall. Featured in the 2010 version of Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe, also in Jane Eyre (BBC TV series 2006) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-dovedale 4). Stanage Edge – Found fame as the scenic spot where Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Bennet) daydreamed of dashing Mr Darcy (played by Matthew Macfadyen) in the 2005 blockbuster Pride & Prejudice. www.peakdistrict.gov.uk 5). Hardwick Hall – Bess of Hardwick’s impressive Elizabethan masterpiece – ‘more glass than wall’ - and inspiration for Malfoy Manor in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (2010). www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardwick 6). Kedleston Hall – Imposing, neo-classical house, once the home of the influential Curzon family, and setting for The Duchess (2008) and Jane Eyre (BBC TV series 2006) www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kedleston
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PEAK DISTRICT 7). Lyme Park – Dating from Tudor Times, Lyme was later transformed into an Italianate palace, though some Elizabethan interiors survive. Visitors still flock to its lake to see where actor Colin Firth emerged, dripping wet in white shirt and breeches, as Mr Darcy in the BBC TV version of Pride & Prejudice (1995). www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-lymepark 8). Derwent Valley – Scenic training ground for pilots who later deployed Barnes Wallis’s famous ‘bouncing bomb’ designed to breach German dams in the Second World War, featured in the post war film The Dam Busters, starring the late Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd (1955). www.stwater.co.uk/upload/pdf/Discover_and_Enjoy_Derwent.pdf 9). Longnor – This sleepy Staffordshire Moorlands village starred in ITV’s peak-time medical drama Peak Practice in the 1990s, and more recently in psychological thriller The Holding (2011), starring Vincent Regan and David Bradley (caretaker of Hogwarts, Argus Filch, in the Harry Potter series of films). www.theholding-movie.co.uk 10). Matlock Bath – Location for Derbyshire director Nick Whitfield’s award-winning debut film, Skeletons (2010), a quirky cult movie that was acclaimed as Best New British Film at the Edinburgh Film Festival. www.skeletonsthemovie.com 11). Tatton Park – One of the UK’s most complete historic estates, with a Tudor Old Hall, neo-classical mansion, 20ha of gardens and 405ha acres of parkland, Tatton played host to the popular ITV drama Brideshead Revisited (1981), starring Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Claire Bloom and Sir John Gielgud. www.tattonpark.org.uk 12). Hadfield – Unassuming village near Glossop in the High Peak, which doubled as Royston Vasey in darkly satiric comedy The League of Gentlemen BBC TV series (1999 – 2002) and film (2005). www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/leagueofgentlemen For more information, contact Janette Sykes, [email protected]
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PEAK DISTRICT Peak District’s top 12 unique customs and unusual traditions 1). Ashbourne Shrovetide Football – Age-old game dating back to the 12th century and played each year on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday (February). The footie free-for-all is started by someone ‘turning up’ a specially-made ball – famous ‘turner ups’ include Prince Charles in 1973 and the late football manager Brian Clough in 1975. www.visitpeakdistrict.com 2). Well Dressing – An ancient art unique to the area, dating back to Roman or Celtic times and revived to give thanks for fresh water supplies during the Great Plague. More than 80 towns and villages across the Peak District and Derbyshire decorate their wells with huge natural art installations made from flower petals and other natural materials between May and September. www.visitpeakdistrict.com 3). Castleton Garland Day – Each year on May 29 – the anniversary of the Battle of Worcester, when King Charles II hid in an oak tree – a huge garland of wildflowers is made and the ‘Garland King and Queen’ parade around the village on horseback in 17th century dress. www.visitcastleton.co.uk 4). Flash Teapot Parade – A huge papier-mâché black and white teapot heads this annual ceremony in June, when residents in the highest village in England (1518 feet above sea level) re-enact the traditional parade of the Flash Loyal Union Society. Coincides with the annual Flower Festival and Well Dressing. No website – contact Mrs. Andy Collins on (00 44) 1298 24854 5). World Toe Wrestling Championships – Nail-biting foot-to-foot combat held each June at The Bentley Brook Inn near Ashbourne – launched in the 1970s to give England the chance to be world-beaters in at least one sporting sphere! www.bentleybrookinn.co.uk 6). World Hen Racing Championships – Feathers fly each August during the Peak District’s own ‘chicken run’ at the Barley Mow public house in Bonsall, which attracts clucking contestants from all over the world each August! www.world-championship-hen-racing.com Well dressing Derbyshire 108
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PEAK DISTRICT 7). Great Kinder Beer Barrel Challenge – Barrel-toting mayhem each September as intrepid contestants bid to carry a nine-gallon barrel from the Snake Pass Inn to the Old Nags Head Inn at Edale in the fastest possible time. Almost 275m of ascent and descent – so not for the faint-hearted! www.kinderbeerbarrel.org 8). The International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival – Join performers and visitors from all over the world for a visual and vocal feast of the famous partnership’s quintessentially British works in Buxton each August. www.gsfestivals.org 9). Rushbearing – Ancient ceremony each August at Forest Chapel, Macclesfield Forest, when the building is decorated with plaited rushes, interwoven with flowers, and rushes are strewn on the floor. Once designed to keep the chapel warm and dry, now symbolic of spiritual renewal. www.wildboarclough.co.uk/rushbearing.service.htm 10). Padfield Plum Fair – Fruity fun harking back to the days when Padfield was wellknown for its plum orchards, which disappeared when Longedendale’s reservoirs were built in the 19th century. A plum pie making competition, races for all ages, dog show, art and floral competition add spice to the event each September. www.padfieldvillage.org/PlumFair 11). Abbots Bromley Horn Dance – One of England’s oldest and most unusual traditions – a dance with reindeer antlers that is thought to date back 800, maybe 1,000 years, held each September. www.abbotsbromley.com/horn_dance 12). Indietracks – Get right on track for an offbeat music festival performed on trains at Midland Railway Butterley in July. Heritage railway meets indiepop on a musical journey with a difference. www.indietracks.co.uk
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SHROPSHIRE 12 things you never knew about Britain’s Olympic heritage 1). 2012 will be the 126th Much Wenlock Olympian Games. For further details, visit www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk 2). The Much Wenlock Museum, packed with memorabilia from the Games from the last 125 years, has been the subject of a major facelift – and re-opened its doors to the public in February 2012. www.shropshire.gov.uk/news/2011/05/much-wenlock-museum-wins-huge-lottery-grant/ 3). One of the Olympic mascots shares the same name as this historic Shropshire market town, “Wenlock”. To find out more about the 2012 Games Mascots, ‘Wenlock’ and ‘Mandeville’. www.ourlondon2012.com/mascots/about-us/ 4). The mascots are being produced by local Shropshire company, Golden Bear, in Telford. For more details, visit www.goldenbeartoys.com 5). While Much Wenlock is the cradle of the international modern Olympic Games, nearby Ironbridge is the cradle of the world’s Industrial Revolution, visit www.visitironbridge.co.uk/ 6). Cricketer W.G.Grace won the 440 yards hurdles, in the forerunner of the modern Olympic Games in London, in 1866. This is just one of several incredible facts unearthed by author Catherine Beale who has written the definitive book – Born Out Of Wenlock - about William Penny Brookes, and Shropshire’s key role in the history of the modern Olympic Games. www.cbeale.co.uk/ 7). The acknowledged founder of the modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, also took from William Penny Brookes’ the idea of “host cities”: as a result, the Olympian Games have been held in various host towns throughout Shropshire over the years; and the Olympic Games remain a highly sought-after prize amongst the world’s leading cities to this day. For details of the 2012 London Games. www.london2012.com/ Ironbridge Near Much Wenlock, Shropshire 110
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SHROPSHIRE 8). A flavour of the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games can now be tasted across the globe following the launch of Wenlock Hampers. Much Wenlock in Shropshire is widely recognised as the home of the modern Olympic Games, with the Wenlock Olympic Society having been founded by local doctor William Penny Brookes in 1860. Wenlock Hampers celebrate this historical link by offering a truly local food and drink experience with all products sourced from producers within a 26.2 mile radius - a marathon’s distance of Much Wenlock! This novel concept is the brainchild of HEART of ENGLAND fine foods (HEFF), the food group representing Shropshire and the rest of the heart of England region. www.heff.co.uk/shop 9). Much Wenlock is not only the birthplace of the modern international Olympic movement, but also a perfect example of the county’s attractive market towns. The bookshop, Wenlock Books, for example, was named The Times Bookshop of the Year in 2006, and now hosts and annual Poetry Festival, presided over by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy. www.wenlockbooks.co.uk/ 10). Guided tours of Much Wenlock are available for £1 per person in the company of Wenlock Guild of Tour Guides by contacting Helen Clare Cromarty at [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1952 277772. 11). It is possible to see a re-creation of a Victorian street at the time when the Olympian Games were being held, at nearby Blists Hill Museum, in Ironbridge. www.ironbridge.org.uk/our_attractions/blists_hill_victorian_town/ 12). Shropshire is one of the finest ‘hidden gems’ in Britain, famous for its food, dramatic landscapes, and many picturesque market towns For further details, www.muchwenlock2012.com
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STAFFORDSHIRE Top 12 Things You Didn’t know about Stoke-on-Trent 1). The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery houses one of the finest and largest ceramic collections in the world. The Spitfire is housed here too.
2). The captain of the Titanic, Captain Edward Smith was from Stoke-on-Trent, and in 2012 its 100 years since the maiden voyage. A reminder of the City’s maritime connection with the famous liner is the locally brewed Titanic Ale available from many local pubs and supermarkets and is said to “go down well”.
3). Famous sons of the City include: Sir Stanley Matthews, the former football player, Arnold Bennett the writer, Reginald Mitchell the designer of the Spitfire.
4). Wedgwood the Company is over 250 years old.
5). Charles Darwin, the famous scientist, was the son of Josiah Wedgwood’s eldest daughter.
6). English Bone China is manufactured with 50% calcinated cattle bone, hence Bone China. English Bone China was originally invented by Josiah Spode in 1799.
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STAFFORDSHIRE 7). Stoke-on-Trent is the nearest city to the famous theme park Alton Towers.
8). It is known all over the world as The Potteries and there are over 30 pottery factory shops, award winning museums, pottery cafes, factory tours and opportunities to create your own masterpiece.
9). The local delicacy is the Staffordshire oatcake – perfect fresh from a local oatcake baker with cheese and bacon as a favourite filling.
10). Robbie Williams, the famous singer originally with Take That was born and bred here.
11). There are six towns that make up the one city of Stoke-on-Trent: Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton.
12). The unique Staffordshire Hoard is housed at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, the most valuable collection of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found valued at ÂŁ3.285m.
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SUSSEX Top 12 – Only in Sussex 1). Stoolball – Over 500 years old and the forerunner of both cricket and baseball, the game is played with similar equipment. One team fields while the other bats. There re 8 balls to an over, the bats are shaped like table tennis bats and made of willow. There are leagues of teams playing across East and West Sussex. 2). The Churdle – Sussex’s answer to the Cornish Pasty is a tasty treat of liver and bacon stuffed in a mitre-shaped pastry, tapered at both ends and with a top ‘chimney’ stuffed with breadcrumbs and cheese. It is believed to have originated in Chichester and was most popular 400 years ago. Modern variations exist with lamb, fish and vegetarian options. 3). Bonfire – A serious business in Sussex and Lewes is the Granddaddy of them all. Run by bonfire societies steeped in pageant and tradition, each year's enemy of the bonfire is a closely guarded secret. There are colourful costumes, lighted torches and burning effigies in processions through the streets of towns and villages from September to the end of November. Gala bonfire and firework displays see huge crowds packed into small spaces and firecrackers set off at random intervals for days. It's loud, boisterous and not for the faint-hearted. 4). Battle of Hastings – 1066 is probably the most famous date in England’s history when William, Duke of Normandy landed in Sussex to claim his right to the Kingdom. William marched his army inland to do battle with King Harold, who was slain when an arrow pierced his eye. Battle Abbey marks the location of this most famous battlefield on Senlac Hill. 5). Glorious Goodwood – A five day summer sporting highlight of the flat horseracing season and social calendar. Set overlooking the rolling Sussex Downs which give the meeting its Glorious moniker, the festival welcomes over 100,000 people with chic fashions, strawberries, chilled fizz and the best jockeys and thoroughbreds. 6). Brighton Royal Pavilion – Famous for its exotic appearance inside and out, this spectacular seaside palace of the Prince Regent (George IV) is one of the most dazzling buildings in the British Isles. Revered by fashionable Regency society, the Royal pleasure palace houses furniture, works of art and a magnificent display of Regency silver-gilt.
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SUSSEX 7). Kew Millennium Seedbank – The largest ex situ plant conservation project in the world. The focus is on global plant life faced with the threat of extinction and plants of most use for the future. Partners in 50 countries have to date successfully banked 10 percent of the world's wild plant species with a target to save 25 percent by 2020. The Millennium Seedbank is situated at Wakehurst Place Gardens. 8). Beachy Head – The highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 162m (530ft) above sea level. The cliff faces southward and is subjected to fierce gales and erosion from the English Channel so parts are eroding at up to a meter every year. This natural action maintains the whiteness by revealing clean white chalk underneath. Beachy Head lighthouse, below the cliff, has distinctive red and white stripes. 9). Hickstead – Almost every great show jumper, horse and rider, of the past 50 years has competed at Hickstead. The All England Jumping Course is the home of international show jumping in Great Britain and the famous arena was described by legendary American show jumping Chef D'Equipe George Morris as a "magic carpet". Dressage, another Olympic equestrian discipline, was introduced in 1996 and the course hosted the European Championships seven years later. 10). Pooh Corner – The Ashdown Forest was the inspiration and setting of the Winniethe-Pooh Stories written by A.A. Milne and illustrated by E.H. Shepard. Many of the Enchanted Places mentioned in Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner - 100 Acre Wood, Poohsticks Bridge, The Heffalump Trap and Galleon's Lap - are located here. 11). Spiked Rampion – The flower stolen by Rapunzel in the 1812 Brothers Grimm fairytale has suffered a rapid decline in numbers and only grows in East Sussex. It is now so rare and endangered it is protected by an army of volunteers known as flora guardians at top secret sites. Spiked rampions bloom for most of May and June and can be identified by their angular white flowers. 12). Tapsel Gate – Made of wood and balanced on a solid central pivot, instead of being hinged on one side, a Tapsel Gate can rotate through 90° in either direction to two fixed points. It was invented by, and named after, a Sussex family of bell-founders, essentially to keep cattle out of churchyards. Only six examples survive, all within a 16 km radius of Lewes.
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SUSSEX Top 12 – Sussex Vineyards 1). Bluebell Vineyard – A former pig farm is the unlikely home of the award-winning vines at Bluebell Vineyard Estates. Yet, Glenmore Pig Farm, tucked away down a quiet country lane in the heart of Sussex, is now producing some of the region’s top wines from its own grapes and those tended by other growers in the area. 2). Bolney Wine Estate – In 1972, Rodney Pratt set up a vineyard with his wife Janet and while he continued his job on the Square Mile, Janet ran the vineyard. They planted three acres of vines, establishing one of the first commercial vineyards in the country. Twenty five years later, their daughter Samantha took on the mantle and is now producing award-winning, quality wines from 16ha on the same site amid ancient woodland in the heart of Sussex. 3). Breaky Bottom Vineyard – Another of the pioneering vineyards in Sussex, Breaky Bottom lies in a fold in the South Downs, five miles from Lewes. Back in 1974, Peter Hall recognised the potential for grape-growing and winemaking in the UK and decided to tap into the increasing demand for clean, elegant, cool-climate wines. Breaky Bottom now concentrates solely on sparkling wine production. 4). Carr-Taylor Vineyard – When Linda and David Carr Taylor purchased the 8.5ha estate surrounding their family home in Westfield, near Hastings, back in 1969, they didn’t have firm plans for its future. But after identifying that the freedraining, sandy soil was perfect for vines, they gradually put all 8.5ha under vine, from 1971 to 1977, making Carr Taylor the most established vineyard in England. 5). Highdown Vineyard – When Aly Englefield helped out at vineyards as a stressreliever from her work as a film-set designer, she fell in love with viticulture and said goodbye to the starry world of the movies, enrolling to study wine production at Plumpton College. She bought Highdown with husband Paul and reopened it as a family business. Set on south-facing slopes near the sea, the vineyard’s 4.25ha is now mostly under vine, growing seven grape varieties.
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SUSSEX 6). Lurgashall Winery – Ever tasted wine made from the sap of the silver birch tree? This is just one of the unusual flavours on offer at Lurgashall Winery, where brambles, honey, even walnuts, are among the quirky choice of ingredients turned into liqueurs, country wines and meads. The winery was first established more than a quarter of a century ago at this complex of 17th- and 19th-century farm buildings in the shadow of Blackdown Hill.
11). Stopham Vineyard – When Simon Woodhead – a former electronic engineer on the Formula 1 circuit – spotted a fallow field with trees, sandy soil and southerly slopes in idyllic Stopham, he knew it was the ideal location for the vines he wanted to grow. So, this graduate of Plumpton College planted 8ha in 2007 and harvested his first crop in 2010. Simon completed a state-of-the-art winery on site for the 2010 harvest, and made his first wines in 2011.
7). Nutbourne Vineyard – A 19th-century windmill provides the charming setting for a tasting at Nutbourne Vineyards. Step out onto its first-floor balcony and you can survey the slopes of south-facing vines that produce an award-winning collection of white, rosé and sparkling wines. London restaurateur and chef Peter Gladwin and his wife Bridget took charge of this small Sussex wine estate in 1992. They have since expanded the vines to cover 12ha and produced 50000 bottles a year.
12). Storrington Priory – The Norbertine monks at Storrington don’t just serve the local Catholic community these days, they also tend 4,000 vines on a slope just across the road from their home, Our Lady of England Priory. The county’s most unusual vineyard is possibly its smallest, too. Just a hectare of land was put under vine by Father Paul MacMahon in 2006, with the first major harvest of its pinot noir and chardonnay grapes taking place in 2009. That harvest yielded around 4000 kilos of fruit, enough to make 1300 bottles of Storrington Priory sparkling wine.
8). Plumpton Vineyard – So, you want to learn all about wine? Well, Plumpton is in a class of its own – this is the only educational institution offering a degree in wine production in the UK and its wine business course is becoming increasingly popular. But it’s also home to a vineyard producing award-winning wines. Six hectares in the lee of the South Downs are tended by scores of students under the watchful eye of their lecturers. It’s a breeding ground for new vineyards and wine businesses. 9). Ridgeview Wine Estate – Heard the buzz about how Sussex vineyards are taking on the French Champagne houses at their own game? Since 1994, Mike and Chris Roberts and family have garnered more than 150 trophies and medals for the bubbly they produce from Sussex’s chalky soils, using traditional Champagne varieties and methods. In 2010 they beat off the likes of Taittinger and Charles Heidsieck to pick up one of wine’s most coveted prizes, Best Sparkling Wine in the World at the Decanter World Wine Awards, for their 2006 Grosvenor Blanc de Blanc. 10). Sedlescombe Organic Wines – Another early pioneer on the English wine scene, Roy Cook – along with his wife Irma – used their experience from abroad to establish England’s first organic vineyard back in 1979. Continuing on their innovative path, the couple achieved their dream when Sedlescombe became the producer of the first biodynamic English wine in late 2010. Spread across three sites – including the attractive, original 10-acre, south-facing plot, next to the visitor centre and shop – their 9.3ha includes the vineyard in the grounds of nearby Bodiam Castle.
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SUSSEX Top 12 – International Sussex 1). Blue Touch Paper Carnival – Awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark, has the ambition to enable carnivals across the world to create a more accessible, inclusive, integrated and friendly experience. Carnival is about expression through drumming, dancing, making costumes, storytelling, dj-ing and watching the fun. The project is linked with the Rio Carnival among others. 2). Whispering Woods – A singing project in partnership with the Bulgarian National Choir leading towards a choir of one thousand singing together in a forest at night. The choirs include people who have never sung in public before, student chamber choristers and dancers from the University of Chichester and visual artists Same Sky, to create a magical performance. The next event is scheduled for summer 2012. 3). The Seed – Involves a large-scale outdoor production and virtual reality quest game, created for four of Sussex Great Gardens linked by a common history: Wakehurst Place, Nymans, Borde Hill, and High Beeches. The game and performances are inspired by the stories of the remarkable 19th Century Plant Collectors and their sponsored expeditions to far-off lands – the Himalayas, China, Burma, Tasmania and The Andes, sourcing rare plant species to create the Great Gardens - some were also spies. 4). Brighton Festival – In May, England’s largest arts festival comes alive with a powerful and exciting programme of cultural events through the form of music, dance, circus, theatre, art, film, talks and many fantastic free outdoor events for all ages, by both local and international artists. 5). Goodwood Revival – Revel in the glamour and allure of motor racing 1940s, 50s and 60s style and join motor sport luminaries including Sir Stirling Moss, John Surtees and Derek Bell in an unabashed celebration of flat-out wheel-to-wheel racing around a classic racetrack. 6). Eastbourne Tennis – Two weeks of world class tennis action in this exciting preWimbledon tournament at Eastbourne's Devonshire Park. Competitors include male and female tennis stars from the World's top ten competitors.
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SUSSEX 7). Kew Millennium Seedbank – Is the largest ex situ plant conservation project in the world. The focus is on global plant life faced with the threat of extinction and plants of most use for the future. Partners in 50 countries have to date successfully banked 10 percent of the world's wild plant species with a target to save 25 percent by 2020. The Millennium Seedbank is situated at Wakehurst Place Gardens. 8). Crawley International Mela – A multi-cultural and multi-ethnic festival based around The Hawth. Stalls, performances and workshops including classical Indian dance, Ghanaian drumming, Japanese calligraphy, Dohl, Bollywood, RnB and the list goes on. 9). Hickstead British Jumping Derby – This is the only competition where riders take on the front descent of the infamous Derby Bank, the biggest of its kind to be found anywhere in the world. Other equestrian highlights include junior showjumping, polo and carriage driving. Enjoy with a glass of chilled bubbly. 10). Eastbourne Airborne – The world's biggest free seafront airshow featuring RAF and international display teams. Flying displays include the RAF Red Arrows, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Eurofighter, F16, plus parachute display teams, wingwalkers and aerobatic teams. 11). Chichester International Film Festival – This prestigious festival brings cinema enthusiasts 18 days of premiers, previews and new releases plus two separate pre-festival open air screenings, special events and a shoalful of guests. 12). Gatwick Airport – Is the UK’s second largest airport and the busiest singlerunway airport in the world. It serves more than 200 destinations (more than any other UK airport) in 90 countries for around 33m passengers a year on short- and long-haul point-to-point services. Gatwick has a £1bn investment programme to enable passenger growth to 40m by 2020.
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SUSSEX Top 12 – Notorious Sussex 1). The Rolling Stones 1 – In 1968, original Rolling Stone Brian Jones bought Cotchford Farm, the country manor house formerly owned by A. A. Milne, author of the Winnie The Pooh books. Situated at Hartfield in the Ashdown Forest, Jones drowned in the swimming pool on July 02 1969. He was 27 years old. 2). The Rolling Stones 2 – Are responsible for another piece of Sussex infamy. In 1967 the band’s Mick Jagger and Keith Richards took friends down to Keith’s Grade II listed country mansion, Redlands, in West Wittering near Chichester, and began to party. One police raid, drugs bust and a naked Marianne Faithful later and the event became part of rock folklore. 3). Missing Link – Piltdown Man was a celebrated hoax and paleontological ‘man who never was’. In 1912, bone fragments from a skull were discovered in a gravel pit at Piltdown. It took over 40 years to expose Piltdown Man as a forgery and the identity of the forger has never been discovered 4). Author Virginia Woolf and her husband Leonard lived in Monk’s House, a county retreat in the village of Rodmell. For over twenty years she found inspiration from the South Downs setting, working on her more experimental novels To the Lighthouse and Mrs Dalloway. Affected by mental illness, Virginia Woolf weighted her pockets with stones, and waded into the nearby River Ouse. 5). Smuggling – The activity was rife in 18th century Sussex and of all the smugglers groups, the Hawkhurst Gang gained most notoriety. Formed around the mid 1730’s, its reputation for violence, torture and murder was second to none. It developed unprecedented power could call on upwards of 500 men within a few hours. Hastings and Rye saw most activity. The gang eventually broke up after the execution of leaders, Arthur Grey and Thomas Kingsmill. 6). Regency Brighton – The Prince Regent, later George IV, carried on a life of extravagance and excess. He made Brighton his fashionable seaside retreat and created the Royal Pavilion, built in the style of a Maharajah’s Palace and containing the most extravagant chinoiserie interiors ever attempted in the British Isles.
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SUSSEX 7). Sedition – Thomas Paine, radical thinker, powerful orator, founding father of the United States and Citizen of the World, lived in Lewes while employed as an excise officer. He was a regular debater at the town’s Headstrong Club, author of The Age of Reason and The Rights of Man and was directly involved with both the American and French revolutions where he is revered in both countries. 8). Bloomsbury in Sussex – Centred around Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, E.M Forster, Lytton Strachey, Leonard and Virginia Woolf, this group of thinkers, writers and artists banished stuffy Victorian conventions and created a Bohemian lifestyle at Charleston, a Grade II* listed building. 9). Madam Cyn – Celebrated madam Cynthia Payne of the swinging parties and luncheon vouchers who was convicted of running "the biggest disorderly house" in history, grew up in Bognor Regis. Her early life was turned into a film ‘Wish you were here’ starring Emily Lloyd. 10). Petworth House of Correction – Opened in 1788 to deliver hard labour and solitary confinement to petty criminals, mostly convicted of vagrancy. A succession of brutal governors employed a method of punishment equivalent to climbing a flight of stairs within a specified time. Called the ‘treadwheel’, it was the equivalent of climbing Mount Snowdon three times a day for six days a week and had to be completed within 10 hours in summer, seven hours in winter. Many prisoners fell off and were mangled. The practice was outlawed in 1898. 11). Battle of Lewes – In 1264, tired of bad government and royal extravagance, the barons led by Simon de Montfort, raised an army to challenge Henry III. The king's defeat led to the Mise of Lewes, a treaty which restricted the authority of the king and eventually gave rise to the UK parliamentary system of government. 12). Scientology – The Saint Hill College for Scientologists is situated on fifty-five acres of rolling countryside in Sussex. Nearby Saint Hill Castle is Saint Hill Manor, where L. Ron Hubbard lived and worked from 1959 to 1966.
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SUSSEX Top 12 – Sussex Literary Hot Spots 1). Worthing – In 1894, Oscar Wilde wrote The Importance of Being Earnest at No 5, The Esplanade. The author spent the summer in the town with his family and named the hero of the play Jack Worthing. In the 1960s, playwright Harold Pinter wrote The Homecoming when living at his home in Ambrose Place. 2). Ashdown Forest – In 1925, A.A. Milne bought Cotchford Farm near Hartfield as a weekend and holiday home and the family moved there permanently in 1940. It became the setting for Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories, created for his son Christopher Robin and inspired by his son’s toy animals. 3). Lodsworth – E.H. Shepard, the illustrator of Winnie the Pooh, lived near the church in this tiny Sussex village, situated in the South Downs National Park. He is buried in the churchyard, with Winnie the Pooh and Piglet engraved on his tomb. 4). Horsham – Great romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was born on the outskirts of the town at Warnham. His life and work are chronicled at the Horsham Museum. Thriller writer Hammond Innes was also born in the town. He wrote over 30 novels, as well as children's stories and travel books. 5). Rye – Henry James lived in Lamb House, Rye and wrote Wings of a Dove, The Golden Bowl, and The Ambassadors during his stay. He was one of several authors to have success while living in Lamb House. E.F. Benson, also lived there and wrote the Mapp and Lucia books. He based the town Tillingham on Rye. 6). Burwash – Batemans the Jacobean home of Rudyard Kipling had no bathroom, no running water upstairs and no electricity yet he loved it for the country escape it provided. Now owned by the National Trust and open to the public there are original illustrations of the Jungle Book and Kipling's 1928 Phantom 1 Rolls-Royce. In 1907 Kipling was the first English writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature and he wrote the stirring anthem ‘Sussex By The Sea’.
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SUSSEX 7). Rodmell – Monk's House was the home of the novelist Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard Woolf. They bought the house in 1919 as a country retreat from London. For over two decades, the Sussex countryside inspired Virginia Woolf's writing and she worked on her more experimental works including To the Lighthouse, and Mrs Dalloway. Afflicted by mental illness, Virginia Woolf eventually committed suicide in the nearby River Ouse. 8). Slindon – Although born near Paris, Hilaire Belloc wrote more about his beloved Sussex than any other writer. Much of his childhood was spent in Slindon and as an adult he returned, bought ‘King’s Land’ in the village of Shipley and spent over 40 years living and writing there until his death in 1953. 9). Rottingdean – Enid Bagnold wrote plays, novels and non-fiction. Her best known work is National Velvet, a role which established Elizabeth Taylor’s acting career. She lived at North End House and the garden inspired her play The Chalk Garden. Rudyard Kipling was another resident of Rottingdean and produced some of his most revered and memorable work including Kim and the Just So Stories there. 10). Crowborough – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle settled at Windlesham Manor in Crowborough where he spent the last 23 years of his life. Although best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, he also wrote novels, short stories, plays and nonfiction. Sherlock Holmes first appeared in ‘A Study in Scarlet' published in 1887, but several of the later stories were written at Windlesham. 11). Felpham – Poet and author William Blake lived in a cottage in Felpham. It is believed his lyrics to Jerusalem were inspired by the view towards the South Downs from Lavant. Blake was tried for sedition in Chichester and eventually found not-guilty. "Sussex is certainly a happy place and Felpham in particular is the sweetest spot on earth." (William Blake) 12). Houghton – The classic stories 'The Wind in the Willows', 'Grimms Fairy Tales' and 'Gullivers Travels' were illustrated by Arthur Rackham, who lived in the village.
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WARWICKSHIRE Top 12 Olympic Moments Create a unique break and your own Olympics moments around Warwickshire with Olympics football and Tudor Olympics, or a dip into a Shakespeare marathon. You’ll also find fantastic savings on many great days out. 1. Best ‘20.12’ breaks - Scoop super money-saving deals on staying in Warwickshire thanks to Great 2012 Offers inspired by this Olympics year. Enjoy up to 20.12% off selected cottage breaks in Shakespeare Country with cottages4u (to 18 July). Or unwind with a free bottle of bubbly and chocolates at 5-star Arbor Holiday and Knightcote Farm Cottages, on beautiful farmland at Southam (to 31 July). Stay and dine at 3-star Mallory Court, Royal Leamington Spa, on the 12th or 20th of each month and get a 20.12% discount on your final bill (to 31 December). Or how about a two-night break for two at 4-star Walton Hall, Warwick, or 4-star Billesley Manor Hotel, Alcester, at a 20.12% discount (to 31 August). 2. Best for Torch Relay celebrations - The relay of the Olympic Flame on its 70-day tour of the UK will have particular resonance when it passes through Coventry and Warwickshire – the glittering gold torch was made by Warwickshire manufacturers The Premier Group. Share celebrations en route through the county on 1-2 July as the torch visits Alcester, Newbold on Stour, Alderminster, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, Coventry and Rugby. Coventry hosts a special evening event on 1 July before the torch continues next day to Rugby, where Rugby Festival of Culture bursts into life, 2-15 July. Coventry also hosts a Flame Celebration as part of the Paralympic Torch relay – make a date for 25 August. 3. Best for Olympic football - Coventry, as an Olympic co-host city, is in the spotlight from 25 July to 9 August when 12 football matches are played at the Ricoh Arena – renamed the City of Coventry Stadium for the Games. If you don’t have a ticket you can still enjoy the buzz of lots of Olympics action at the new London 2012 Live Site in Millennium Place where news, events and live screenings of the Olympic and Paralympic Games are taking place.
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WARWICKSHIRE 4. Best ticket to tour - Launched especially to entice visitors to explore over the Olympics period and beyond, The Big Ticket is a winning way to see more of Coventry and Warwickshire’s iconic attractions – for less money. You’ve up to a month to visit three different venues all on one ticket: maybe go behind the scenes at the Ricoh Arena, immerse yourself in 1,000 years of compelling history at Warwick Castle, and survey superb views of Stratford-upon-Avon from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Tower. (£49.99 for a family of four, £34.99 for two adults.) 5. Best for messing about with boats - While the Olympic Torch passes through Warwickshire and Britain’s boating Olympians make their final preparations, there’s lots of light-hearted ‘messing about’ at Stratford River Festival, 30 June-1 July. Drop by for a glorious family summer weekend filled with music, narrow boats, craft and food stalls, an illuminated boat parade and dazzling fireworks. 6. Best Cultural Olympiad moments - Coventry’s Godiva Awakes is a breathtaking piece of public art created for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The heroine, who rode naked through the streets of Coventry in the 11th century, is re-imagined as a contemporary icon of courage and fairness, awakening to a thrilling performance by dancers, aerialists, musicians and pyrotechnicians. There’s a procession through the city centre by 2012 carnivalists and 220 young people, then, powered by 100 cyclists, Godiva journeys to London to celebrate the Games. (Godiva Awakes 28 July, city procession 29 July, journey 30 July-5 August.) 7. Best for Tudor Olympics - Join in the excitement of the second annual Tudor Olympics at The Falstaff Experience Tudor World in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Tudors played many sports and Henry VIII in particular had a passion for archery, jousting and tennis. Take part in the Tudor Olympic Torch procession (24-27 August), win a prize for completing the Tudor Olympic Trail and have fun with interactive versions of different events. (Tudor Olympics, 21 July-2 September.)
9. Best of British record breakers - While we all hope our athletes break Olympic records, the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, is blazing a trail with its Motoring Record Breakers Exhibition. Admire the fastest British cars, the slowest, the smallest, the most economical – and a few of the more wacky record breakers too. (Motoring Record Breakers Exhibition, to 2 September.) 10.Best cultural marathon - Where better to be part of the World Shakespeare Festival than the Bard’s hometown: Stratford-upon-Avon is a main hub of the biggest celebration ever staged of Shakespeare ‘the world’s playwright’. It’s part of the London 2012 Festival, which is the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad. Catch a host of plays, director talks, post show talkbacks and more, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, The Courtyard Theatre, Swan Theatre, Swan Room and other local venues. (World Shakespeare Festival, to November.) 11. Best pedals to medals - Be inspired by bikes and memorabilia from Olympic champions Tommy Godwin, Chris Boardman and Tom Sabin, at Coventry Transport Museum’s fabulous, free Pedals To Medals exhibition. Come face to wheel with bikes ridden to glory on roads, in velodromes, up mountains and on Cyclo-Cross tracks, and get to know the local heroes who have influenced the cycling world. Even make your own piece of cycling history through interactive fun. (Pedals to Medals, 22 June-14 October.) 12.Best artistic escape - If you want to escape the Olympics hubbub, why not immerse yourself in the creative world of Warwickshire Open Studios. Featuring over 200 artists and makers in 150 venues, from Nuneaton to Whichford and Bidford-on-Avon to Dunchurch, it is the largest exhibition of unique and original art and craft in Warwickshire. Meet the people behind the painting, pottery, jewellery, silversmithing, textiles and much more; buy original art and find out about demonstrations and workshops.(Warwickshire Open Studios, to 15 July.)
8. Best savings on great days out - Pay less and do more with Great 2012 offers that also highlight the rich diversity of attractions around Warwickshire. Head for Twycross Zoo, Atherstone, and feed the Meerkats for just £20.12 (normal price £40) in July and August. Or maybe Tudor heritage and tales of the Gunpowder Plot are more your thing – get 2 for 1 entry at Coughton Court, near Alcester, during June. Explore with full-day cycle hire at half-day price at Stratford Bike Hire until 31 August. Or make a day of it driving the most iconic English sports car, a Jaguar E-Type Roadster – bookings before the end of June are discounted by 20.12% at The Open Road Classic Car Hire based at Sherbourne. Index
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WILTSHIRE Top 12 Wiltshire attractions 1). Stonehenge – If you were to ask people around the world to name the most famous historical site in Britain, Stonehenge would certainly make the top five, if not the number one slot and this status is well deserved. Standing majestically on Salisbury Plain these grey-green stones are visible from miles around and attract visitors from across the globe. Geology tells us that some of these prehistoric stones originated in Pembrokeshire but how they came to stand in the formation we see today is anyone’s guess. Theories range from the placement being that the builders were from a sun worshipping culture to the circle and banks being part of a huge astronomical calendar. Either way the site, which also includes earthworks, burial mounts and other circular ‘henge’ monuments, is not to be missed. Adult tickets cost £7.80, while children can enter for £4.70 per child. www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge 2). Longleat – Longleat is probably the best known and most popular family attraction in Wiltshire and with its fascinating safari park, spectacular grounds and 15 on-site attractions it’s not hard to see why. Firstly there is the stately home with all its magnificent treasures, an attraction which in itself could take a full day to explore. Then there is the fantastic parkland within which you will find a safari park, maze, safari boats and miniature railway just for starters! Ticket options vary greatly but for one which allows entry into all of the attractions in one day, book the ‘All in one day ticket’ for £19.50 for children and £27.50 for adults. www.longleat.co.uk 3). Salisbury Cathedral – This magnificent and picturesque building looks as good today as it did when it was first constructed over 750 years ago. Towering into the sky at 123m, the spire of Salisbury Cathedral is the tallest in Britain and the building itself is located in the largest medieval close in Britain. Situated right in the centre of Salisbury the Cathedral is surrounded by beautiful historic buildings and 3.2ha of landscaped lawns. Inside the cathedral is equally impressive and you can see the world’s best preserved Magna Carta (AD 1215) and Europe’s oldest working clock (AD 1386). A tower tour will take you onto the roof spaces where you can enjoy breathtaking views of Salisbury and surrounds. Tours to the cathedral floor areas are free with visitors being invited to make a £6.50 donation per adult and £3, which help with the continuing conservation work. Tower Tours are also available for £10 for adults and £8 for seniors/children. www.salisburycathedral.org.uk 126
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WILTSHIRE 4). Avebury – Perhaps not as well known as Stonehenge but equally awe-inspiring is the great stone circle of Avebury. Some 100 stones create a ring a quarter of a mile in diameter, Avebury is a site to behold. And it doesn’t end there. Across the fields and within full view of the stones is Silbury Hill, a 40m high mound, which despite excavations remains a mystery as to what it represents. Avebury is free to visit. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury 5). Bowood House & Gardens – Dating back to the 18th century, Bowood is the home of the Marquis and Marchioness of Landsdowne. The exhibition rooms display an impressive collection of family heirlooms including silver, porcelain and paintings. The gardens comprise terraces, lake, waterfall, Doric temple and 20ha of rhododendron gardens, plus an amazing adventure playground for children. www.bowood.org. 6). Caen Hill Locks – In 2010 the Kennet & Avon Canal celebrated its bicentenary. The canal, which is Wiltshire’s main waterway, offers great days out for all the family including the fun of King Alfred’s Trail near Pewsey where visitors can collect brass rubbings of insects, plants and wildlife that can be seen on route. The most spectacular section of the canal is that at Caen Hill near Devizes where a compact flight of 16 locks form part of the 29 locks which raise the canal 72m in just 3.2km. www.waterscape.com 7). Lacock & Lacock Abbey – A visit to the beautiful National Trust village of Lacock is like taking a step back in time. The beautiful and fascinating cobbled streets are a delight and here visitors can find a range of traditional shops including the famous Lacock Bakery. Other highlights include Lacock Abbey and Fox Talbot Museum. Visiting the village is free, although admission charges apply for the Abbey and Museum. Lacock is famed for being a location for numerous films and TV dramas including Cranford and Harry Potter. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock
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WILTSHIRE 8). White Horses – Wiltshire’s countryside is famous for its chalk white horses which can be found on many hills. The horses are thought to date back to 878AD when the first appeared at Westbury, although the original horse is no longer visible as a new one was cut on top in 1778. Of the 13 known white horses of Wiltshire - eight remain visible today, the most recent of which was cut on the hill above Devizes to celebrate the Millennium. The best of the remaining White Horses are as follows: Westbury White House – cut in 1778 and measures 55.4m x 33m and is best seen from the B3098 Westbury to Lavington Road. Cherhill – cut in 1780 and measures 39.3m x 43.3m and is best viewed from the main A4 road between Calne and Beckhampton. Marlborough – The smallest of the horses at just 18.6m x 74.3m, it lies in the grounds of Marlborough College having been cut in 1804 and is best viewed from the A4 between Marlborough and Manton. Alton Barnes – cut in 1812, it measures 50.3m x 55m and is best viewed on the Kennet and Avon canal bridge, one mile south of the horse. Broad Hinton/Hackpen – Cut in 1838 for the Coronation of Queen Victoria, this horse measures 27.5m x 27.5m and is best viewed from the A361 between Avebury and Swindon. Broad Town – originally cut in 1863 and restored to its former glory in 1991, this horse measures 26m x 18.6m and is best viewed from the B4041 between Broad Hinton and Broad Town. New Pewsey – there was an Old Pewsey horse which is now barely visible so in 1937 the Pewsey Fire Brigade cut this figure to commemorate the Coronation of George V1. The horse measures 20m x 13.7m and is best viewed from the A345, Pewsey to Amesbury.
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WILTSHIRE 9). STEAM Museum – STEAM is Swindon’s premier museum and tells the story of the men and women who built the Great Western Railway. Visitors can climb aboard locomotives and discover all there is to know about STEAM Railways. Various special events occur throughout the year including half-term pirate parties and special Christmas events. www.steam-museum.org.uk 10). Stourhead House & Gardens – It takes a full day to explore the entire splendour of Stourhead House and Gardens at Stourton. The House itself is a beautiful 18th century Palladian mansion filled with Georgian treasures, Chippendale furniture and fine paintings. However it is the landscaped gardens with their lakeside walks, grottoes and classical temples that attracts most visitors. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead 11). Malmesbury Abbey – Situated in the centre of the historic market town of Malmesbury, the Abbey is a Norman/Romanesque Abbey, founded by St Aldhelm in Saxon times. Today it acts are the parish church but in its heyday Malmesbury Abbey was one of the largest buildings in the country and even though only about one third of the 12th century Abbey Church remains today, it still constitutes one of the most notable remains of Norman ecclesiastical architecture in England. It is also the burial place of King Athelstan (895-940). www.malmesburyabbey.com 12). Crop circles – Have been associated with Wiltshire for centuries. While some have been created by ‘circle-makers’ who construct these amazing formations in crops such as Linseed and Rapeseed, others remain a mystery, appearing quite literally overnight. In Wiltshire they often appear close to ancient monuments, leaving some people thinking that they are a paranormal phenomenon. However you view it the circles remain impressive and each year during the summer months many ‘crop’ up throughout the county. For listings of the latest circles visit www.visitwiltshire.co.uk
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YORKSHIRE Top 12 - Hidden Gems in York Look up and around all the time when you’re walking through York – you will see little faces looking down at you, peculiar old signs and fascinating details on York’s old buildings. Take Monk Bar for instance. Perched on the two towers of the bar are six stone figures, all seemingly ready to rain down boulders on passers-by. Along Stonegate, at the entrance to Coffee Yard sits the bright red “Printer's Devil”, a carved sign that indicated the location of the print works up until the 18th century. The apprentices, who carried the hot plates, were known as the printer’s devils. The figure of an American Indian at 76 Low Petergate is the former advertising sign of the tobacconist – the boy’s kilt and headwear represent tobacco leaves. Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, sits on the corner of Minstergates, leaning on a pile of books, to advertise the bookseller’s shop below, where authors and literary readers met as members of one of Britain’s earliest book groups. York is crammed with museums, attractions, shops, restaurants, pubs and magnificent architecture. Here are a few that are less well known but every bit as deserving of the visitor’s attention. 1). Richard III Museum – Located in the imposing gateway of Monk Bar at the entrance to Goodramgate, this is the only one of York’s four Bars or gateways whose wooden portcullis is still in working order. The museum presents a reconstructed, modern day Trial presenting the case both for and against Britain’s most notorious King – was he an evil, hunchbacked monster who brutally murdered the “Princes in the Tower”, or a loyal, courageous ruler, unfairly maligned by historians? Make up your own mind here. [email protected] www.richard3museum.co.uk. 2). Bar Convent Museum – The history of Christianity in the north of England is explained in this charming museum housed in a Georgian building which is also a working convent, licensed café, gift shop and one of York’s most unusual guesthouses (fifteen bedrooms are available). The beautiful chapel was hidden in the centre of the building to avoid detection at a time when Roman Catholics were subject to persecution. The Bar Convent Museum is the oldest active convent in the country. [email protected] www.bar-convent.org.uk
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YORKSHIRE 3). Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate – Adjoining Lady Row on Goodramgate – York’s oldest row of houses, is a little gateway that would be all too easy to miss, but leads to Holy Trinity Church, one of York’s finest medieval churches, hemmed in and hidden by buildings on all sides. In this secret garden of tranquility, the ghost of Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland is supposed to wander, searching for his head – he was beheaded for high treason. The church escaped the 19th century reformers and has retained its original character, with box pews and medieval glass, including a stunning east window dating back to 1470. 4). St Mary’s Abbey – The statuesque ruins of St Mary’s Abbey lie in Museum Gardens, the grounds of the Yorkshire Museum. The picturesque setting has been used as a backdrop to open-air theatre on many occasions, including the York Mystery Plays. St Mary’s was once the most important Benedictine monastery in northern England. 5). Statue of Constantine the Great – The striking statue of an elegantly reclining Constantine complete with sword is positioned outside the Minster, a fitting reminder that a great Roman military headquarters once stood on this very site. Nearby is the single surviving pillar excavated from Constantine’s fortress. 6). Margaret Clitherow’s House – This tiny Shambles house was home to butcher’s wife Margaret Clitherow, a Roman Catholic who sheltered priests from persecution. She suffered for her selfless bravery by being deliberately crushed to death beneath a door in 1586. The house is now a shrine to her memory, and one of the most peaceful and simple chapels in the whole of York. 7). Barley Hall – This meticulously restored medieval townhouse, right in the heart of York’s historic streets, was once home of Alderman William Snawsell, Goldsmith and Lord Mayor of York. Its remains were found behind centuries of buildings in the atmospheric ginnel Coffee Yard. Step back in time and discover what life was like for the Alderman and his family in the 15th century. Costumed guides or an audio tour – presented by York-born Judi Dench and Robert Hardy – fill you in on the building’s colourful history. [email protected] www.barleyhall.org.uk
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YORKSHIRE 8). Mansion House – In the centre of York there's a hidden gem, a building rich in the city's history, and just waiting to be discovered. Behind its imposing facade, through the blue door is a remarkable story of the Lord Mayors of York and their entertainment for the good of the city! Since 1725 the house has been the home of the Lord Mayors of York and houses one of the finest civic collections in the country, including fine silverware, clocks and furniture. Guided tours from July until December every Friday and Saturday at 11:00 and 14:00 lasting approximately 1 hour. [email protected] 9). Treasurer’s House – A beautiful house, attractive gardens, welcoming tearoom – and some of the most famous ghosts in York. Originally the Minster’s Treasurer lived on this site; it was his responsibility to run the Minster efficiently. The present building dates from the late 16th century, and was a private residence, but the name stuck. It is now home to a magnificent antiques collection, and is run by the National Trust. And the ghosts? A company of Roman foot soldiers, who appeared through a cellar wall in 1953 – the terrified young plumber who saw them, described their garb in meticulous detail – and experts later confirmed that the house is indeed built over a Roman road. [email protected] www.nationaltrust.org.uk/treasurers-house-york/ 10). Merchant Adventurers’ Hall – The splendidly named Merchant Adventurers were one of medieval York’s most prestigious guilds. These were the overseas traders, the men who helped make the city rich, and their guildhall reflects their exalted status. The building is one of the best preserved of its kind in Europe, and has stood largely untouched for over 600 years. www.theyorkcompany.co.uk
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YORKSHIRE 11). York Brewery – Take a tour of York’s award-winning independent brewery, to see each stage of the brewing process. Tasting of the end products – including Stonewall and the stronger Yorkshire Terrier – are of course included! www.york-brewery.co.uk 12). York Cold War Bunker – Visitors are able to take a guided tour of a semisubmerged secret bunker on the outskirts of York. At the height of the Cold War, Britain had a total of 1,561 nuclear shelters, designed to withstand severe bombardment. The shelter was one of the best surviving examples of its type in the UK, and the first to be designated a Scheduled Monument. Complete with original fixtures and fittings, visitors can experience an atmosphere as authentic as that found in films such as the Ipcress File or the TV serial Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Visits to the Bunker will be by pre-booked guided tour only. To make a booking please ring Clifford’s Tower. www.english-heritage.org.uk
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YORKSHIRE Top 12 – Things That Make York Special 1). Largest Gothic cathedral – in Northern Europe – York Minster – This massive cathedral took 250 years to build, from 1220 till its consecration in 1472. 2). York is home to the largest Railway Museum in the world where visitors can book rail trips on the iconic Flying Scotsman and view the only Japanese Bullet train outside of Japan. 3). The Best Race Course in Great Britain – York Races run from May to October – Did you know the Romans started racing in York in 208AD? 4). The Biggest Festival of Food and Drink in Great Britain – takes place for 10 Days in September. 5). The one and only Jorvik – the only attraction of its kind that is based on a real archaeological dig – the authenticity of Jorvik makes it unique. York was the trading hub of the Viking world. Jorvik has attracted over 13.5m visitors in 20 years and it has become one of Britain’s top visitor attractions. 6). York and Chocolate – York has a long history of chocolate making – Nestlé (formerly Rowntrees) and Terry’s (now owned by Kraft) chocolate factories grew up here – all the famous names are made here – Kit Kat being the biggest seller. Some 47 bars are eaten every second and in 1999 sales amounted to £250m, breaking the half a billion pounds barrier for the first time – and all made in York! York’s first chocolate attraction is set to open in Spring 2012.
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YORKSHIRE 7). We have two of the countries most beautiful national parks right on our doorstep – the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. The North York Moors Steam Railway at Goathland was the location for the first Harry Potter film. 8). The Treasurer’s House in York was in the Guinness Book of Records for having the ‘Ghosts of Greatest Longevity’. Built over the main Roman thoroughfare leading into York, the house was the site of a remarkable apparition in the 1950. There are several evening ghost walks in the city. 9). York has the Longest and Best Preserved town walls in England. 10). The city is an archaeologist’s delight. York contains one of Britain’s very few ‘wet sites’, where organic materials such as wood and leather survive. Find out more at Dig and Jorvik visitor attractions. 11). York is home to the earliest custom built dance hall in the UK – the Assembly Rooms, designed by Lord Burlington and now home to Ask restaurant. 12). Finally don’t forget there are lot of new things in the city – if you haven’t visited for a year or two you will find a multitude of new bars, cafes and award winning restaurants.
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YORKSHIRE Top 12: Family Friendly Museums 1). Eureka! National Children’s Museum, Halifax – Eureka is a wonderful museum dedicated entirely to games, entertainment and downright fun for people for children both young and old. If a bit of messy jelly-making is your thing or perhaps some more active fun with a ball out in the garden, the Eureka! National Children’s Museum has a bit for everything. 2012 marks the 20th birthday of this extravaganza of childhood memories brought together under one fun-filled roof and in celebration thereof, the new play20 website has just been launched, brimming with ideas on all the way people of all ages can have a good time! For more information, visit play20.org. 2). National Media Museum, Bradford – At the National Media Museum (formally known as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television) in Bradford, you can go back in time and see the first photographic negative, the earliest television footage, the world’s first moving image, the UK’s first permanent installation of an IMAX cinema and much much more. The museum hosts Bradford Film Festival in March, Bite the Mango in September and Bradford Animation Festival in November. These attract international speakers and new and classic works from around the world. 3). National Coal Mining Museum for England, Wakefield – One of the prime traits that Yorkshire is famous for has always been coal-mining so what better place to open The National Coal Mining Museum for England than in Wakefield. The museum takes its visitors down the lengthy and at times distressing timeline of events which developed the industry over the years. Underground, you can experience the conditions which miners worked in and see the tools and machines which they used. Above ground a visitor centre exhibits the social and industrial history of the English mines. Read through the “Coal News” or visit the boiler house and the coal screening plan or take a ride on the paddy train; this is England’s ultimate mining experience. The NCM is an Anchor Point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.
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YORKSHIRE 4). Thackray Medical Museum, Leeds – Right next to St James Hospital in Leeds, West Yorkshire, the Thackray Museum presents a detailed history of medicine. Its Grade II listed building, built in 1858, boasts a colourful past including providing care for armed services personnel in WWI and accommodating the poor in Victorian times. One of the museum’s highlights - Leeds 1842: Life in Victorian Leeds - presents a reproduction of slum streets complete with authentic sights, sounds and smells to tickle all the senses and take visitors back in time to follow the lives, ailments and treatments of eight Victorian characters. The museum also houses the skeleton of Mary Bateman, the "Yorkshire Witch", who was executed for witchcraft in 1809. 5). Royal Armouries, Leeds – The National Collection of Arms and Armour is displayed in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire, part of the Royal Armouries family of museums which includes the Tower of London, Fort Nelson in Hampshire and the Frazier History Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Located in Clarence Dock, the Royal Armouries Museum is a £42.5 million purpose-built museum which opened its doors to the public in 1996. Exhibitions include ancient, medieval and 17th to 20th century warfare, hunting weapons, oriental artillery and self-defence arms. 6). World of James Herriot, Thirsk – Enjoy a great family day out at the World of James Herriot - The premier visitor attraction in Yorkshire! Set in the picturesque market town of Thirsk, 23 Kirkgate is home to the world famous vet-cum-author James Herriot. Today you can step back in time and experience the life of a vet and see what has made James Herriot into a global phenomenon. Come and get behind the scenes of the BBC TV series 'All Creatures Great and Small', and see what has been capturing the hearts and minds of so many around the world, all the while putting Yorkshire firmly on the map.
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7). Bronte Parsonage, Bradford – Home to the Brontes, the world’s most famous literary family, between 1820 and 1861, the beautifully preserved Haworth Parsonage has had its doors opened to visitors from all over the world over the past 75 years. This quintessentially English family including, Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte, has produced some of England’s most praised books and their Georgian home still retains the atmosphere as it once was in Bronte-time with the furniture, clothes and personal possession that they once used changed annually to entice visitors to see something new each time they visit. 8). Yorkshire Air Museum, York – Britain’s largest independent museum, The Yorkshire Air Museum, and the location of the Allied Air Force Memorial, can be found in Elvington just outside the City of York. Spreading over a 20 acre parkland site on the former WWII RAF Bomber Command Station, the museum is the largest and most original WWII station open to the public. The museum also boasts the only base used by the French heavy bomber squadrons during the war and today includes award winning gardens, a large NAAFI style restaurant and shop, plus over 15 top class exhibitions, a large range of military vehicles and 50 historic aircraft, many of which are in working order. 9). Yorkshire Museum, York – Reopening its doors in the summer of 2010, the Yorkshire Museum presented itself in full pride after a nine-month £2 million refurbishment project. Today, five new galleries showcase a special selection of some of Britain’s finest archaeological treasures, extinct animals, birds and fossils. The four permanent collections at the museum all have English designated collection status, of pre-eminent national and international importance. The collection began in the 1820s with the collection of animal bones and fossils from Kirkdale Cave. The collections exhibit collections of biology, geology, astronomy and astrology.
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YORKSHIRE 10). The Hepworth Wakefield – This renowned art gallery brought over 100,000 visitors to Wakefield, West Yorkshire just five weeks after it opened its doors to the public on 21st May 2011. Situated on the south side of the River Calder, it carries the name of artist and sculptor Barbara Hepworth, who was born and schooled in Wakefield. Costing over £35 million to build, the Hepworth Gallery was funded by Wakefield Council, Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The 1600 square meters of gallery space is the home of 44 plaster and aluminium working models donated by Dame Barbara Hepworth’s family and other temporary contemporary art exhibitions from artists in the likes of Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson, Graham Sutherland, Jacob Epstein, David Hockney, Ivon Hitchens and others. 11). Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield – This open-air gallery in West Bretton, Wakefield shows the works of UK and International artists in the likes of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, natives of the West Yorkshire area. The park is situated in Bretton Hall, an 18th century private estate which in the mid-1900s became a College of Further and Higher Education. The garden present an array of follies, landscape features and architectural structures to its thousands of visitors each year. 12). Jorvik Viking Centre, York – Visitors of this magnificent centre are really offered an experience to remember by being taken back to 5:30PM on 25th October 975AD in a time-capsule embarking on a tour of a reconstructed Viking settlement. Speaking in Old Norse and tickling your sense of smell with aromas both appetizing and not, this extravaganza will leave visitors of all ages literally speechless. Amongst others, the centre is also the home of a replica of the Coppergate Helmet found near the site of the Centre, the original of which can be found in the Yorkshire Museum. The Jorvik Viking Centre also hosts the annual Viking Festival taking place in the second week of Febraury. The festival commemorates the ancient Viking “Jolablot” tradition.
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YORKSHIRE Top 12: Yorkshire Film Locations 1). Malham Tarn and Cove, North Yorkshire Moors Railway – Situated 1 km north of the small village of Malham in North Yorkshire, lies the breathtaking curved limestone cliff of Malham Cove. Originally covered by a large waterfall formed by a melting glacier above it, the cove is famous for its 400 irregular stone steps which form part of the Pennine Way route leading up to the uneven limestone pavement at the top of the cliff. The remainder of what was once a massive waterfall now forms a stream which flows out of the lake of Malham Tarn, 2 km north of the cove. Malham Cove is also one of the places that Hermione and Harry visit on their adventurous travels in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1). 2). Aysgarth Falls – Thousands of gallons of water cascade down the triple flight of waterfalls surrounded by farmland and forest in a one-mile stretch of the River Ure near the village of Aysgarth. These picturesque waterfalls are the Aysgarth Falls and are their surroundings are the home of countless wild birds, squirrels and deer during the months of spring. The waterfalls have been featured in many television programs and feature films including Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, where the people’s hero first meets Little John right at the river crossing on the upper fall. 3). Whitby Abbey - Dracula – Overlooking the ever stormy North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, lies the Grade I listed ruined Benedictine abbey – Whitby Abbey. Currently in the care of the English Herritage, Whitbey Abbey was ruined during the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the reign of Henry VIII and has been featured in the 1992 production of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. 4). Kettlewell and Skipton - Calendar Girls – Kettlewell is a small town situated in Upper Wharefedale, North Yorkshire between the villages of Grassington, Kinsey and Conistone. It is believed that Kettlewell is an old Anglo Saxon village and traces of their farming methods can still be seen in the terraced fields. The village lies some 14 miles north of Skipton which is a lovely market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire. The town spreads its realms along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire. Both villages were featured to represent the village of Knapely in the 2003 film Calendar Girls. You can even find ‘Calendar Girl Trail’ brochures available at local Kettlewell and Skipton shops and public houses which give information on the locations and buildings used in the film’s scenes. Index
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YORKSHIRE 5). Nostell - Brideshead – In the City of Wakefield lies the tiny village of Nostell, a civil parish with population of 90. It is the home of the Augustinian Nostell Priory, an 18th Century Palladian historic house currently owned by the National Trust. The Baroque Castle Howard, in Nostell was used as the location for the television series Brideshead Revisited. 6). Fountains Abbey – Founded in 1132 and situated 3 miles south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire the Fountains Abbey is one the largest and best preserved Cistercian monasteries in England. The Grade I UNESCO World Heritage Site is currently owned by the National Trust and operated for over 400 years until Henry VIII ordered the Dissolution of Monasteries. Over the past 30 years Fountains Abbey has been a popular filming location for film productions including the 2006 film adaptation of the comedy-drama play The History Boys, The Secret Garden as well as the TV series Flambards, A History of Britain and the game show Treasure Hunt. 7). Harewood - Emmerdale – The village of Harewood is a civil parish in the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire most famous for Harewood House, a stately home and the All Saints’ Church situated on the house’s grounds. The Grade I listed building built in the 15th Century is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Harewood and more specifically the Harewood Estate is also famous for being used as the exterior set of the hit soap opera Emmerdale. 8). Keighley and Worth Valley Railway – Being the only railway in the world offering real ale on board its trains, Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a 5 mile long branch line that served the mills and villages in the Worth Valley. Today, it a heritage railway line running in its original form from Keighley to Oxenhope and connecting to the national rail network line at Keighley railway station. The Old Gentleman’s Saloon, featured in the 1970s British drama film based on the E. Nesbit novel The Railway Children is situated on the railway line and is a former North Eastern Railway directors’ Saloon.
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YORKSHIRE 9). Elland Road and Headingley Stadium – Elland Road Stadium has been the permanent residence of the Leeds United A.F.C. since the club’s foundation in 1919. Situated in Beeston, Leeds in West Yorkshire, the football stadium is the 12th largest all-seater in England and has hosted a number of FA Cup semi-final matches as well as concert performances from bands like Queen, U2 and Rod Stewart. Elland Road Stadium as well as the Headingley Stadium, home to the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, the Leeds Rhinos and the rugby union team Leeds Carnegie, were both used as film-locations for The Damned United, centered around the 44-day reign of Brian Clough (played by Michael Sheen) at the Leeds United club in 1974. Elland Road Stadium was further used for filming the alternative of old Wembley Stadium in the 2010 epic The King’s Speech. 10). Haworth – Once home to the literary gurus the Bronte family, Haworth is where you should come to see Wuthering Heights brought to life. Used as the set of the 2011 Andrea Arnold film adaptation, the small village in West Yorkshire provides the perfect choice for a weekend getaway to see the famous Bronte Parsonage Museum and the traditional steam train on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. 11). Harrogate and Old Swan Hotel – Used as the film location for the 1977 production of Agatha, starring Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave, the Old Swan Hotel is the very hiding place that Agatha Christie used in her 1926 disappearance. The prestigious hotel, spreading its grounds in the heart of Harrogate is the ultimate melange of contemporary luxury and Victorian splendour. 12). Holmfirth - Last of the Summer Wine – Holmfirth is a small town in the Holme Valley within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire right in the middle of the Holme and Ribble rivers consisting of stone-build cottages nested in the Pennine Hills. Holmfirth was primarily famous for the Bamforth & Co Ltd filmmaking centre but in recent times it has become mostly recognized as the location of the BBC sitcom written by Roy Clarke - Last of the Summer Wine, which brings thousands of tourists to the town annually to enjoy the stunning landscapes and reminisce on scenes of the long-running TV comedy.
Haworth Moor Yorkshire Index
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GUERNSEY Top 12 Food Experiences 1). The Ormer – Guernsey’s own seafood delicacy, the Ormer is a favourite with islander’s who can spend hours wading through rock pools on Guernsey’s coastline in search of the elusive abalone. 2). Try deliciously creamy Guernsey Ice Cream – found in most restaurants and beach kiosks. The Guernsey cow produces some of the best milk in the world; look out for the golden butter and local yoghurts as well. 3). Traditional Guernsey Gâuche – One of Guernsey’s definitive delicacies is Guernsey Gâche. Tune in your taste buds before you visit, with this genuine recipe and it’s easy to make too. 4). A very hearty Guernsey beanjar – The traditional Guernsey Bean Jar has been around for centuries, and still proves popular today. 5). Rich Guernsey cream – You simply can’t visit Guernsey without sampling some of the finest Guernsey cream with your scones! 6). Gâuche Mélée – traditional Guernsey apple dessert and is a favourite with local Guernsey folk. Gâche Mélée is particularly good in the autumn when the nights are becoming colder and darker and the apples are freshly picked. It’s great eaten hot or cold and with a dollop of Guernsey cream or custard. 7). Crab Sandwiches – Visit a beach kiosk and tuck in to this seafood delight. 8). Have a Beach BBQ – A real favourite pastime when the tide is up. 9). Enjoy Fish & Chips – on the sea wall at Cobo as you watch the sun go down on the West Coast. 10). Fort Grey Blue Cheese – Award winning cheese, ideal baked into a quiche or used in a fondue. 11). Locally brewed Rocquettes Cider – The island has a long brewing tradition and local beers are widely available in bars and restaurants. 12). Hedge vegetables – locally grown and delicious. islanders love to buy and sell them from makeshift stalls at the side of the road. 143
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GUERNSEY Top 12 day visit activities 1). One good turn deserves another – take part in a cliff walk to explore the Islands rugged coast and beautiful scenery. 2). A cornet of a different type – Castle Cornet is an ancient castle with three museums and historic gardens. The noon-day gun is fired daily by soldiers in 19th Century costume. The museum is a gentle 15-minute walk from the town centre. 3). You know your worth it – St Peter Port is home to a wealth of independent retailers offering everything from antiques to clothes, to jewellery. Most are concentrated around the High Street, Arcade, Smith Street and Pollet areas, but it is also worth visiting Guernsey’s newly rejuvenated Market Halls and the Old Quarter in and around Mill Street. 4). Lucky number 7 – Take a coastal drive of the island on the Number 7 or 7A public bus. Journeys cost as little as £1 for the circular trip and can provide a really good way of sampling a taste of island life. 5). You will have such a good time you will be in stitches – Why not walk up Smith Street towards St James and visit the Guernsey Tapestry. Our fantastic tapestry depicts Guernsey’s history in 10 unique embroidered panels with audio interpretation. The work, love and labour that went into the tapestry was for one of Guernsey’s Millennium projects and really does give a fascinating insight into Guernsey over the ages.
8). Approach with Military precision – For visitors with a keen interest in WWII and Guernsey’s military history, La Vallette Underground Military Museum in St Peter Port offers an award winning and unique display of Guernsey’s military history housed in a German tunnel complex. 9). Recharge those batteries – Relax and sample one of Guernsey’s 27 beaches and bays, take in one museum of choice, have alfresco coffee, a spot of retail therapy all being the general ambiance of our European flavoured Town. Guernsey is your oyster. 10). A visit to paradise Island is only 20 minutes away – If the departure and return times for the Herm Trident fit with your schedule then why not take the 20-minute boat journey to the paradise island of Herm. If time allows, you may choose to walk all the way around Herm and experience the glorious Shell Beach and Belvoir Bay or alternatively stop at the picturesque quay, have coffee and admire the scenery. 11). It’s little and very loveable – Visit the Little Chapel possibly the world’s smallest consecrated church and beautifully decorated with seashells, pebbles and colourful pieces of broken china. 12). Tantalise your taste buds – Head West and visit a beach kiosk to try the crab sandwiches, and local Guernsey Gâuche with lashings of golden Guernsey butter whilst sunbathing on one of Guernsey beautiful West coast bays.
6). Bienvenue à la maison de Victor Hugo – Victor Hugo’s exquisitely ornate home during his exile in Guernsey is located in Hauteville. This museum, owned by the City of Paris, has been preserved as it would have been found in the eighteen hundreds and tells the story of Victor Hugo during his 15 years in the island. 7). Trails, Trials and Tribulations of St Peter Port – Pick up the St Peter Port Trails Map from the Guernsey information centre and choose one of the five fantastic routes around our capital explaining the Town’s colourful history as you go. There are different walks for those who prefer a gentler stroll to those who are more ambitious. On many days walking tours of St Peter Port are also offered from the Information Centre for Guernsey visitors.
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SCOTLAND Top 12 of Scotland 1). Edinburgh Castle – A fortress perched on an extinct volcano, dominates the Scottish capital. See the Honours of Scotland, the nation’s Crown Jewels; tour the rooms of the Royal Palace and see where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to her son James ; watch the One O’Clock Gun being fired each day (except for Sundays) as it has been since 1861, when it was a signal for ships in the Firth of Forth and the port of Leith – and coinciding with the Time Ball, a large white ball which is raised above the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill, and drops at exactly 13:00. 2). Visit a whisky distillery – There are over 40 open to the public, large and small, on the mainland and on the islands. You can follow the Malt Whisky Trail through the Highlands, or the Whisky Coast Trail along the west coast and islands from Mull to the Isle of Skye. If you don’t have time to explore those areas learn about it at The Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh. 3). Watch or play a round of golf – With more than 550 courses in Scotland, the “Home of Golf”, you certainly won’t have a problem finding one to play on! There are courses in all parts of Scotland, and aimed at different levels of skill, including championship courses like the Old Course in St Andrews, to Turnberry on the west coast and Gleneagles near Perth, venue for the Ryder Cup in 2014. 4). Traquair – The oldest inhabited house in Scotland, dating back to 1107. Originally built as a hunting lodge for Scottish kings and queens, it was later a refuge for Catholic priests, and the family supported Mary Queen of Scots and the Jacobite cause. Mary visited Traquair with her husband and baby son James in 1566 and the baby’s cradle, her bed and some other possessions can still be seen in the house. The Bear Gates outside the house were installed in 1738 and after Bonnie Prince Charlie visited a few years later, legend says the Earl vowed they wouldn’t be opened again until a Stuart was crowned in London – so they have been closed ever since. Drink in all the history along with a pint from Traquair’s own brewery! 5). The Royal Yacht Britannia – Played host to some of the most famous people in the world, as well as being home to HM The Queen and the Royal Family. Now you can tour the ship in its permanent mooring in the revived port area of Leith in Edinburgh.
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SCOTLAND 6). Scotland with Style – Glasgow – Scotland is the city of the unique designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Follow in his footsteps on a Mackintosh Trail, to include the Glasgow School of Art, refreshments in the Willow Tea Room and The Lighthouse, one of Mackintosh’s earliest buildings (originally designed as offices for the Glasgow Herald newspaper) brought to new life with a modern extension. 7). Loch Ness – Famous for the monster Nessie. You may not be guaranteed a viewing but the loch is well worth a visit: Scotland has over 500 freshwater and saltwater lochs, and Loch Ness is the second largest, behind Loch Lomond. Make sure to visit the half ruined Urquhart Castle, perched above the loch. 8). Ghosts – Like Nessie, visitors to Scotland aren’t guaranteed a sighting of (or hearing) a ghost but there’s no shortage of tales of hauntings at castles such as Glamis, and Fyvie – and even without the spirits, they are great castles to visit! 9). Get active! – Scotland is a great destination for activities, whether they be kayaking, cycling, walking or more extreme sports such as river bugging in Perthshire! 10). Visit an island – but which one, there are so many! From the Shetlands in the north, via the Outer Hebrides to the Inner Hebrides and down to Arran, named “Scotland in miniature” the Scottish Islands are a must-see for any visitor. 11). Take in an Edinburgh Festival – In case you thought there was just one, think again! As well as the Edinburgh International Festival, and Fringe Festival, there are book, jazz and film festivals, in the summer, as well as the fun-filled Hogmanay Festival at New Year. 12). Eat Scotland! – If you want some good food to accompany the whisky, you won’t go here. Yes you can try the traditional haggis, but there are many other mouthwatering offerings – try them out at the weekly, award-winning Edinburgh Farmers’ Market, or at cafes and restaurants around the country.
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GLASGOW Top 12 things to do in Glasgow 1). Riverside Museum – Glasgow’s iconic new Riverside Museum is a fitting home for the city’s world-class transport collection and is a place that will inspire, educate and entertain. The stunning building is located where the River Clyde meets the River Kelvin at the heart of Glasgow Harbour. The design reflects internationallyrenowned architect Zaha Hadid’s dramatic interpretation of the collection. www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums One of the undoubted stars of the new attraction is the The Tall Ship SV Glenlee, which has moved to a permanent berth at Riverside - a move that reinforces The Tall Ship‘s position as a major visitor draw and an icon of Glasgow’s shipbuilding heritage. www.thetallship.com 2). Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum – Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of Scotland's most popular free attractions. It is home to 22 themed, state-ofthe-art galleries displaying an astonishing 8000 objects. The collections are extensive, wide-ranging and internationally significant. They include - natural history, arms and armour, art from many art movements and periods of history, and much more. www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums 3). Glasgow School of Art – Charles Rennie Mackintosh was one of the most creative figures of the 20th century and a leading figure in the European Art Nouveau movement. The Glasgow School of Art, completed in 1909, is thought to be his greatest architectural achievement. Still a working art school, the regular guided tours take visitors through the corridors of this fascinating building, into the Mackintosh Room and furniture gallery, and finishing in one of the most celebrated interiors, the Mackintosh Library. www.gsa.ac.uk
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GLASGOW 4). Mackintosh House – The Mackintosh House House is a reconstruction of the principal interiors from 78 Southpark Avenue (originally 6 Florentine Terrace), the Glasgow home of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife, the artist Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh from 1906-1914. The Mackintosh House opened as an integral part of the University’s Hunterian Art Gallery in 1981 and great care has been taken to ensure that the sequence of rooms mirrors that of the original. www.gla.ac.uk/hunterian 5). The Burrell Collection – More than 8000 art objects amassed in a lifetime by the Glasgow shipping magnate Sir William Burrell are housed in the award winning Burrell Collection in the beautiful woodland setting of Pollok Country Park. The collection ranges from work by major artists including Degas and Cezanne, to important examples of late medieval art and Chinese and Islamic art. www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums 6). Gallery of Modern Art – The Gallery of Modern Art, housed in an iconic building located in the heart of the city, is the most visited modern art gallery in Scotland and is home to a range of cutting-edge painting and sculpture and a wealth of innovative installations. For over 100 years the building was a centre for business and commercial exchange where information and goods were traded. www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums 7). Scottish Football Museum – The Scottish Football Museum celebrates the unique football heritage of Scotland and is home to some of the world’s most impressive national collection of football related objects, memorabilia and ephemera, including the oldest national trophy, the Scottish Cup. The 14 galleries allow you to explore the development of the modern game in Scotland, from the 19th century to the present day. www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk 8). Glasgow City Chambers – The City Chambers, the headquarters of Glasgow City Council is over 100 years old and Glasgow's finest example of 19th Century architecture. The City Chambers is an impressive symbol of Glasgow’s political strength and historical wealth. www.glasgow.gov.uk
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9). Glasgow style mile – Glasgow’s style mile offers the best shopping in the UK outside of London’s West End. Sauchiehall, Buchanan and Argyll Street are packed full of well-known brands and are home to numerous malls and department stores including Buchanan Galleries, John Lewis, St Enoch Centre and House of Fraser. Princes Square houses a range of designer favourites and the Merchant City is home to exclusive brands and luxury boutiques. 10). Music in Glasgow – Glasgow has been hailed by Lonely Planet as having one of the best live music scenes in the world and is also a UNESCO City of Music. The city hosts an average of 130 music events each week and it is estimated that music businesses generate some £75m a year for Glasgow’s economy. Glasgow’s legendary music scene stretches across the whole spectrum from contemporary and classical to Celtic and Country. Its venues are equally varied and include King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut (consistently voted the top live music venue in the UK), the Barrowlands, O2 Academy, the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre, Glasgow Royal Concert Halls and many pub and clubs throughout the city. 11). Contemporary Art in Glasgow – No fewer than five Turner Prize winners (Martin Creed, Douglas Gordon, Simon Starling, Richard Wright and Susan Philipsz); six Turner Prize nominees (Christine Borland, Phil Collins, Nathan Coley, Jim Lambie, Cathy Wilkes, Lucy Skaer) have hailed from, trained in, or worked out of the city in recent years. Innovative spaces such as Trongate 103 (www.trongate103.com) and The Briggait (www.thebriggait.org.uk) in the heart of the Merchant City); CCA on Sauchiehall Street (www.cca-glasgow.com) and Tramway on Glasgow’s South Side (www.tramway.org) are just some of the cutting-edge venues at the very epicentre of the city’s creativity with their year-round programmes of thought provoking events and exhibitions. 12). 12. People's Palace and Winter Gardens – The People’s Palace, set in historic Glasgow Green, tells the story of the people and city of Glasgow from 1750 to the end of the 20th century. The Palace is home to a wealth of historic artifacts and paintings and film and interactive displays all of which give an insight into www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums
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GLASGOW Top 12 things to do within 1 hour of Glasgow 1). The Wallace Monument – Completed in 1869 after eight years' construction, the 220 feet high Wallace Monument sits prominently on the Abbey Craig two miles north of the city of Stirling itself. It was from this prominent hilltop in 1297 that William Wallace watched the English army approach across Stirling Bridge before leading the Scots into battle, and to victory, so it’s a fitting, and striking, location for the national monument to a national hero. Also on display is what is said to be the 700 year old Wallace sword, some 1.6m long. Coming face to face with such a magnificent piece of metalwork you wonder how anyone could have lifted or carried it, still less fought with it! When you reach The Crown at the top of The Monument the view will take your breath away. It’s one of the finest sights Scotland has to offer, from Ben Lomond and The Trossachs in the west and through The Forth Valley past the city of Stirling and The Ochil Hills to The Pentland Hills in the east. www.nationalwallacemonument.com 2). Mackintosh Hill House at Helensburgh – Charles Rennie Mackintosh was one of the most creative figures of the 20th century and a leading figure in the European Art Nouveau movement. The Hill House is considered to be Charles Rennie Mackintosh's finest domestic creation, dating from 1902. Sitting high above the Clyde, it is home to original Mackintosh furniture and interior design by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife and also has attractive formal gardens designed recognisably in the Mackintosh style. www.nts.org.uk/Property/The-Hill-House/About/ 3). Auchentoshan Distillery – Established in 1823, Auchentoshan (Ock-un-tosh-un) Distillery is situated on the A82 between Glasgow and Loch Lomond. This Lowlands Malt Distillery rests at the foot of the Kilpatrick Hills, overlooking the famous River Clyde, once renowned as the Scottish gateway to the world. Auchentoshan, meaning 'corner of the field', produces a delicate, smooth and light Single Malt Whisky. The subtle aroma and flavour of its spirit is achieved by the unique Triple Distillation process, whereby the spirit is not distilled twice, as elsewhere in Scotland, but instead, distilled three times producing even greater refinement to its character. The distillery has had six careful owners who have handed down its unique production process and Auchentoshan has been extensively refurbished since its acquisition by Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd in 1984. A warm welcome awaits you - take a guided tour of the distillery and sample a wee dram. www.auchentoshan.co.uk
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4). Visit Edinburgh for a day – Edinburgh, the inspiring capital of Scotland, is a historic, cosmopolitan and cultured city. The setting is wonderfully striking; the city is perched on a series of extinct volcanoes and rocky crags which rise from the generally flat landscape of the Lothians, with the sheltered shoreline of the Firth of Forth to the north. Edinburgh Castle dominates the city-centre skyline and from its ramparts you can look down on medieval lanes and elegant, sweeping terraces that hold over a thousand years of history, mystery and tradition. Yet you will also see a modern, dynamic capital where international festivals attract the world's leading performers, galleries display cutting-edge art, and bars, restaurants and clubs create a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere with a distinctly Scottish twist. 'Edinburgh,' said writer Robert Louis Stevenson, 'is what Paris ought to be'. 5). Burns Country - Ayrshire – Venture 58km south of Glasgow to Ayrshire, the heart of Burns Country. Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns, was born in Alloway and visitors can make a trip to his birthplace and experience the new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum nearby. The museum comprises the famous Burns Cottage where the poet was born, the historic landmarks where he set his greatest work, the elegant monument and gardens created in his honour and a modern museum housing the world’s most important collection of his life and works. www.burnsmuseum.org.uk 6). The Carrick Course, Cameron House – Weaving through an area of outstanding natural beauty on the banks of Loch Lomond, The Carrick golf course at the deluxe resort at Cameron House is one of Scotland’s newer championship standard golf courses and, arguably, the country’s most breathtaking round. Sympathetically designed in keeping with its position within Scotland’s first National Park, the par 71 course follows a traditional Scottish heathland style and, uniquely, straddles the rolling Lowlands and majestic Highlands of Scotland. Challenging holes stretch over beautiful undulating fairways, hug inland lagoons and overlook the glittering waters of the Loch and rugged mountains beyond. Designed by acclaimed golf architect, Doug Carrick, The Carrick extends from 4755m, from the front tees, to 6480m from the championship tees. www.golf.visitscotland.com/courses/the_carrick.aspx
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GLASGOW 7). Loch Lomond – The single biggest expanse of inland water in the British Isles, Loch Lomond brings together two very different Scotlands. From its 'bonnie banks', located within the boundaries of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park to Helensburghs elegant promenades and the shipping heritage of the Clyde, this is an area of dramatic contrasts. The sheltered harbour at Balmaha is the ideal centre for sailing and water-sports, while the championship golf course at Loch Lomond Golf Club regularly attracts household names to world-class golfing tournaments. Why not see Scotland as you've never seen it before by taking off and landing on the waters of Loch Lomond with Loch Lomond Seaplanes, the UK's only commercial seaplane service. They provide regular excursions, charters and lunch flights across Scotland from their base on Loch Lomond. Cruise Loch Lomond also offers cruises throughout the year allowing you to experience the beauty, tranquillity and adventure on Loch Lomond - the jewel in Scotland’s first National Park. 8). New Lanark UNESCO World Heritage Site – New Lanark is a beautifully restored 18th century cotton mill village nestled in the spectacular south Lanarkshire valley in southern Scotland, close to the Falls of Clyde and less than an hour from Glasgow. Discover the fascinating history of New Lanark which has been interpreted in the award-winning New Lanark Visitor Centre. The impressive cotton mill village of New Lanark was founded in 1785. New Lanark quickly became known under the enlightened management of social pioneer, Robert Owen. He provided good homes, fair wages, free health care, a new education system for villagers and the first workplace nursery school in the world! Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Lanark, has been beautifully restored as a living community, which welcomes visitors from all over the world. www.newlanark.org 9). Falkirk Wheel – Measuring 35m, The Falkirk Wheel is the world’s only rotating boatlift and is used to connect the Forth & Clyde and Union canals in central Scotland. This magnificent, mechanical marvel has been constructed to 21st Century, state-of-the-art engineering and it is already being recognised as an iconic landmark worthy of Scotland's traditional engineering expertise. Designed to replace a series of lock gates built in the 19th Century - long since demolished and replaced by housing - The Falkirk Wheel is the showpiece of the Millennium Link project where coast-to-coast navigation of the canals has been re-established for the first time in over 40 years. www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk
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10). Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park – Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is Glasgow’s nearest big countryside attraction for healthy family fun days out or outdoor activities. All visitor centres have free parking and entry, sign posted woodland walks and nature trails, easy wildlife watching, indoor and outdoor attractions, cafes, gift shops and a Ranger Service. The park boasts seasonal row boat and mountain bike hire as well as walks in Parkhill Wood, the designed landscape woodlands of the Semple Clan. Ask the Rangers about the Parkhill Challenge - a treasure-hunt style activity suitable for all the family. www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk 11). Glengoyne Distillery – Glengoyne is open all year round for guided distillery tours, whisky tastings, in-depth blending sessions and Masterclasses. Situated just 22.5km north of Glasgow, Glengoyne is close to Loch Lomond, Stirling and the Trossachs. The visit begins with a dram of 10 year old Single Highland Malt before enjoying a guided tour of the distillery. After the tour, guests are invited in to the new state-of the-art whisky 'Sample Room' to take their whisky knowledge to new levels. With its locally hand crafted, light oak fixtures and fascinating array of sample bottles, the spectacular Sample Room is where guests can create their own unique blend of whisky, under the watchful eye of the expert blender. www.glengoyne.com 12). Stirling Castle – For generations Scotland’s royalty gathered at Stirling Castle to revel in its impressive buildings, superb sculptures, fine craftsmanship and beautiful gardens. Today, visitors can do the same. Highlights include The Great Hall, Chapel Royal, Regimental Museum of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, The Great Kitchens and Tapestry Studio. Guided tours of the castle help bring its rich and colourful past to life in vivid detail. Audio tours in six languages are available and a free guided tour of Argyll’s Lodging, one of Europe’s finest surviving 17th-century townhouses, is also included in the entry price. The Palace Project has now seen the six ground floor Kings’ and Queens’ apartments in Stirling Castle’s Renaissance Palace restored to their mid-16th century opulence. Also restored to the Castle for the first time since 1777, are the Stirling Heads, the supreme example of hand carved renaissance iconography in Scotland. The courtiers are depicted in the style of classical gods at some sort of celestial court, and this reflects the Renaissance hankering for the cultural glories of classical Rome and Greece. www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk
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CARDIFF Top 12 Cardiff 1). Cardiff Castle – Cardiff may only have been a city for 100 years, but there has been a castle here for nearly 2000 years. The original Roman walls and Norman keep can still be explored, but the highlight of a visit is the tour of the refurbished Victorian interiors – transformed into a mock-Medieval palace by the 3rd Marquess of Bute. www.cardiffcastle.com 2). Millennium Stadium – When the stadium isn’t hosting major sports matches or concerts you can take a tour of the 74000 seater stadium. Walk down the player’s tunnel, try out the Queen’s seat in the Royal box and discover how they removed the curse from the away-team changing rooms. www.millenniumstadium.com 3). Wales Millennium Centre – Dominating the skyline in Cardiff Bay, the Wales Millennium Centre is home to seven major arts organizations, including Welsh National Opera and Diversions Dance Company. The centre presents international opera, ballet, modern dance and musicals. ‘Arts Sherpas’ run backstage tours of the centre, and if you’re lucky you may even catch a glimpse of a rehearsal. www.wmc.org.uk 4). Techniquest – Enter a world of science and technology at Cardiff Bay’s Techniquest, which is sure to delight children of all ages. Fancy firing a rocket, launching a hot air balloon or racing an electric car? There are over 160 hands-on exhibits with puzzles and activities to entertain the whole family. There are also shows in the Science Theatre and tours of the Universe in the Planetarium. Visitors can also conduct their own experiments in the science Laboratory. www.techniquest.org 5). National Museum of Wales – Two wealthy Welsh sisters bequeathed their large art collection to the museum and gallery in the mid 20th century, resulting in Cardiff owning one of the largest collections of Impressionist paintings outside of Paris, with works by Renoir, Monet and Cezanne on display. A couple of hours can easily be spent exploring the extensive museum exhibits too. (free entry, closed Mondays) www.museumwales.ac.uk Millennium Stadium Cardiff 153
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CARDIFF 6). National History Museum St Fagans – The national History Museum at St. Fagans is home to a variety of historic buildings from across Wales – all of which were taken apart brick by brick and carefully reconstructed in the museum to present a view of life in Wales over the last 500 years. Re-erected buildings include an elegant mansion house, a humble quarryman’s cottage, farmhouses, a terrace of six cottages and a Victorian shop complex from the South Wales valleys with a working bakery, blacksmiths, saddler, tea shop and store. The museum is open every day and also runs regular seasonal events. www.nmgw.ac.uk 7). Chapter Arts Centre – Chapter has earned a reputation as one most diverse arts centres in Europe, and combines theatre, art, film, music and literature into one venue. The gallery hosts exhibitions by artists from across the globe, and is the venue for the annual Experimentica Festival, boasting some of Britain's most dynamic art. The Chapter has recently undergone a £3.5 million facelift and is celebrating its 40th birthday with a year of special events. www.chapter.org
11). The Cardiff Story Museum – Discover how Cardiff was transformed from the small market town of the 1300s to one of the world's biggest ports in the 1900s, to the cosmopolitan capital we know today. www.cardiffstory.com 12). Cardiff’s’ Arcades – Cardiff’s arcades still retain many of their Victorian and Edwardian features and are now home to dozens of unique stores and cafés. All manner of Welsh gifts can be found in these arcades, from handmade Welsh textiles to Welsh love spoons and rugby shirts. Visit Morgan and Castle Arcades for the latest designer fashions in independent stores such as Woodenwood or rest your feet and enjoy a meal in cafes such as vegetarian café Crumbs, or The Plan, which specialise in organic and FairTrade food. www.royalarcadecardiff.com www.cardiffcastlearcade.co.uk
8). Cardiff International White Water – THE most popular and sociable of all our water sports, White Water Rafting ranges from the thrills and spills to the gentler float trip. Descend raging rapids in the heart of our capital city on this adrenalin fuelled activity. Whatever your experience you are in for an enjoyable ride! www.ciww.com 9). The Senedd (Welsh Parliament Building) – The Welsh Assembly Government’s new debating chamber, The Senedd, was opened by the Queen in March 2006. Visitors can explore the building, have coffee and Welsh cakes in the café or watch Assembly debates from the public viewing gallery. www.wales.gov.uk 10). Spillers Records – Officially the oldest record store in the world, Spillers Records has been a fixture in Cardiff since 1894. As well as a diverse selection of CDs and vinyl from the latest up and coming indie and dance acts, the store has a section dedicated to Welsh bands and singers. www.spillersrecords.co.uk
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WALES Top 12 Wales – Castles and More 1). Wales has 641 castles – so you won’t be spoilt for choice! From Raglan in the south east to Pembroke in the south-west of Wales; from Beaumaris on the Isle of Anglesey to Powis near the mid Wales border, they all tell a story… below are just four of the best. 2). In the south, Cardiff Castle dominates the centre of the capital city, and from outside looks imposingly medieval, definitely a fortress to repel rather than a luxurious home. But venture inside and you will see stunning, colourful, decorative interiors, the exuberance of the architect William Burges who redesigned the castle in the 19th century. For more exuberance, why not join a Welsh banquet in the castle’s undercroft. Just outside town, on a hill, stands Castell Coch, by the same architect and with equally stunning interiors. 3). In North Wales, Caernarfon Castle is one of the most famous and impressive castles, now a World Heritage Site, taking nearly 50 years to build - and which you can spend hours exploring it. Conwy Castle and its Town Walls together form another World Heritage Site, just along the coast. 4). Celtic Manor in south Wales hosted the Ryder Cup in 2010 and dedicated golfers will want to attempt to equal their scores with a game there. But like the castles, there are courses all across the country. Not surprisingly, there may be a castle looming over the next green – notably at Harlech. And for anyone who thinks they know about water hazards – you haven’t been to Nefyn in North Wales, famous for The Point, where the sea is all round you! 5). For those who are looking for a more adrenalin-charged experience, they don’t come much more memorable than coasteering: – “a wild combination of scrambling, climbing, traversing, cliff jumping and swimming that was first developed in Pembrokeshire in the 80s and 90s and has now taken off all over the world” 6). For those who prefer to look at the view from a cliff, rather than jump off it, there are great walks (and views) along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, a national trail set in a National Park. It will form part of the 1368km Welsh Coast Path, which it is hoped will open in 2012.
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WALES 7). If you are agonising over what books to take on holiday – forget about choosing them till you get to Wales. Hay on Wye, near the border with England has become famous for its second-hand and antiquarian bookshops, and for one of the best literary festivals. 8). The daffodil is one of the national symbols of Wales, so it’s no surprise the Welsh take their gardens seriously. Powis Castle is the backdrop to enormous clipped yew trees in a 10.5ha garden; Bodnant has a magnificent collection of rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias as well as its famous laburnum tunnel; while Aberglasney Gardens in Carmarthenshire were saved from ruin when a trust was set up about 15 years ago to restore them. 9). From Anglesey Sea Salt to Salt Marsh Lamb, from Caerphilly Cheese to beef from pedigree Welsh Black cattle, Wales produces some very tasty food. Sample it in some of Wales’s great pubs and restaurants, in towns and village which have a reputation for good food (and a food festival) such as Narberth and Abergavenny, or at the specialist Great British Cheese Festival, held in Cardiff in September. Check out Welsh Food & Restaurants. A Guide to Eating out in Wales 10). In Wales trains aren’t just for getting from A to B, but a fun day out in their own right. Try one of the Great Little Trains of Wales, whether travelling along coastline, through woods and along river banks, or up Wales’ tallest mountain, Snowdon. 11). St Fagan’s is Wales’s most popular heritage attraction, an open-air museum featuring over 40 buildings from different periods which have been moved from elsewhere and rebuilt on a site on the outskirts of Cardiff, while regular displays of traditional crafts and activities bring the site to life. Currently “only” covering the history of Wales over 500 years, there are plans to bring the National Museum of Wales’ archaeological collections to St Fagan’s, so the period covered extends to 250,000 years. 12). Premier League football - Swansea City has just been promoted to the Premier League – the first time a Welsh team has played in the league since it kicked off in 1992. Powys Castle Powys Index
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WALES Top 12 Wales 1). Castles and Historic Houses – How do you like your history? With over 600 castles and historic houses in Wales, we’re certain Wales has something that’ll appeal to every interest. For a castle with added bite, try Beaumaris. Its defences include entrances protected by murder holes, from which defenders would be able to rain down hot oil onto any would-be attackers. If you’re more of a lover than a fighter, then perhaps Carreg Cennen will be for you. It’s been named in a shortlist of 10 castles vying for the UK’s most romantic ruin. 2). Museums and Heritage – Welsh history is written all over the landscape, from Neolithic burial chambers to hands-on science discovery centres. There are museums for every passion: from the origins of Wales to Doctor Who. We’ve got 7 national museums that help tell Wales’s story through art, history and the natural environment. At Big Pit: National Coal Museum you can go 90m underground with a real miner to discover what life was like at the coal face. A great day out guaranteed and even better, all seven museums are free to visit. 3). National Parks – There are three National Parks in Wales. Snowdonia is the largest, with the highest mountain in Wales (Snowdon) and largest natural lake (Llyn Tegid). Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is Britain’s largest coastal national park, with spectacular landscapes. For a small country, there’s a breathtaking remoteness to the Brecon Beacons, but there are also sheltered woodlands, reservoirs, waterfalls and caves. 4). Go Coastal – With 1,200 km of coastline, Wales has plenty of seaside resorts. In Victorian resorts like Llandudno, you can indulge in seaside traditions like strolling along the prom. There are harbour towns, like New Quay, from which you can take a boat-ride to look for some more unusual local inhabitants – dolphins, seals and porpoises. Then there are villages where the sand and sea are the focal points – like Llangennith, the (unofficial) surf capital of Wales, with its laid-back vibe. Our coastline also has more than its fair share of Blue Flags: 45 in 2010. 5). Gardens – Wales is full of gardens. It’s location on the Western edge of Britain, combined with the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, means things grow bigger and better here. That might explain why Bodnant Garden is home to the UK’s tallest California Redwood. Or why Portmeirion has a giant herbaceous flowering plant native to the Brazilian forests. 157
Sgwd Gwladys Waterfall Brecon Beacons National Park Index
WALES 6). Great Little Trains of Wales – Built at a time when the pace of life was slower, Wales’s narrow gauge steam railways are a charming way of taking in the scenery, some having a history of well over 100 years. 2011 will be memorable for the Welsh Highland Railway as, for the first time ever, passengers will be able to ride the complete route from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, where they can jump aboard the world-famous Ffestiniog Railway. A total trip of 64 km – a great railway journey for anyone with a soft-spot for steam travel. 7). Galleries/Venues – In 2011, the National Museum Cardiff will complete the development of a National Museum of Art for Wales, exhibiting works by Renoir and Van Gogh alongside collections by distinguished Welsh artists. Ffotogallery in Cardiff hosts exhibitions, workshops and courses of all kinds; Oriel y Parc in St Davids is an innovative architectural home to many of the finest pieces of landscape art in Wales. The Wales Millennium Centre is a striking addition to the Cardiff landscape and home to several of Wales’s premier performing arts companies. 8). Inspired by Wales – Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven is said to have been created at Bron-yr-Aur, a cottage in southern Snowdonia. The Pembrokeshire coastline inspired the makers of the latest Harry Potter movie to build Shell Cottage, set in fictional Tinworth, on Freshwater West beach. Charles Darwin – yes, the one who ‘invented’ evolution – actually trained as a geologist and honed his skills observing the natural world during field trips across North Wales. And you can’t talk about people inspired by Wales without mentioning Dylan Thomas, who wrote many of his finest works, including Under Milk Wood, from his writing shed overlooking the Tâf Estuary.
9). Adventure – If you’ve a passion for adventure you can choose the challenge in Wales. Have a go at coasteering. First, kit yourself out in a wetsuit, helmet and buoyancy aid. Then, do everything your mum told you not to: climb, swim, slip, slide and scramble your way along the rugged coastline before throwing yourself off the cliffs into the swirling waves below. If that doesn’t appeal there’s always rock climbing, white water rafting, canyoning, caving, scrambling or paragliding. Our Visit Wales websites will point you in the right direction. So what are you waiting for? Go play. 10). Golf – Wales was proud to host The Ryder Cup in October 2010. And what a thrilling Ryder Cup it turned out to be, with Europe clinching victory over the US right at the death. But that was just the start. There’s a whole nation of golf to explore – over 200 courses – from outstanding links courses like Royal Porthcawl and Royal St David’s, or laid back courses like Clifftop Cardigan or Cradoc, and nine-hole hilly delights at St Davids City and Priskilly Forest. Golf in Wales has it all – whether you’re looking for a challenging 18-hole course, just want to ‘pay and play’ or practice your swing at the driving range. 11). Walking – Wales is a strong contender for the best walking country in Europe, maybe even the world. It’s not just the 805 km of National Trails, the five Areas of Outstanding Beauty, the treasure trove of Welsh history or the astonishingly ancient landscape. It’s the sheer variety packed into such a relatively small space. Work continues to create the Wales Coast Path, which by 2012 will provide walkers, cyclists and horse riders a continuous 1,368 km path running right around the coastline. National Geographic recently voted Pembrokeshire the second best coastal destination in the world! So that’s what you should do get out there and take a walk! 12). Cardiff – Cardiff or Caerdydd as the Welsh say is the capital city of Wales. A modern and cosmopolitan city with an event calendar to rival any other European capital. In the Cardiff Bay area, you’ll find some stunning showpiece buildings; the Millennium Centre, a fantastic arts and cultural venue, the new slate and glass Welsh Parliament Building and in the city centre, the Millennium Stadium with its sliding roof. But despite all that forward thinking, it’s a city that has not forgotten its past. The Civic Centre and National Museum are one of the finest in Europe and Cardiff Castle an unexpected city centre surprise.
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Wales
Northern Ireland
BELFAST Top 12 Titanic: Built in Belfast Explore the history of Titanic, Built in Belfast. The story of the most magnificent ship of her age and the tragedy of her sinking in freezing Atlantic waters less than two weeks later has captured the hearts and imaginations of people all over the world ever since. 2012 marks the centenary of Titanic’s maiden voyage and tragic end. Only in Belfast can you trace the Titanic story to its source, discover the passion and pride of those who built her and relive the excitement of Titanic Town at the height of its powers. Titanic is coming home. Come and share the moment with us in Belfast 2012!
3). Titanic and Olympic Slipways – On 31st March 1911 in just over 60 seconds using over 20 tonnes of tallow (grease) and soap to ease her passage, Titanic was launched from these very slipways, directly in front of Titanic Belfast visitor attraction, just a few metres away. It was here too that thousands of riveters, welders, shipwrights and others laboured on her giant hull, clambering over the towering Arrol Gantry, the biggest in the world when it was specially built for Titanic and her sister ships.
1). Titanic Belfast – Welcome to Titanic Belfast, the world’s largest and greatest Titanic visitor experience. This is an iconic six-floor building featuring nine interpretive and interactive galleries, including a shipyard ride and recreation of the ship’s decks and cabins, which explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Titanic, as well as the city and people which made her. Visitors will learn about the conception of Titanic in the early 1900s, through to her construction and launch, to her maiden voyage and the aftermath of the sinking, continuing into the present day with a live undersea exploration centre, giving you unparalleled access to high-definition footage from Titanic’s wreck on the ocean floor. As well as a stunning banqueting suite, there is space for community arts and education facilities, a gallery for touring and temporary exhibitions, cafes, restaurants and shops. Titanic Belfast opened on 31st March 2012, in time to commemorate the centenary of Titanic’s maiden voyage and tragic end. www.titanicbelfast.com
4). Titanic’s Dock & Pumphouse – Titanic’s last footprint on land, the Thompson Dry Dock was built to accommodate the near 275m length of Titanic and her sister ship Olympic. The largest dry dock in the world at the time, it was here that Titanic was fitted out. Adjacent is the Edwardian Thompson Pump-House whose pumps drained 23m gallons of water from the dry dock in just under 100 minutes. Enjoy a snack and drink while learning about Belfast’s incredible shipbuilding heritage, including audio displays and rare footage of Titanic. You can still see the original pumps on regular tours. Later in 2012, members of the public will be able to descend the 13.4m into Titanic’s Dock and walk in the footsteps of Titanic’s builders. www.titanicsdock.com
2). Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices – Forget Hollywood, here in Belfast you can only relive the romance and passion of the Titanic story but take your own epic adventure though its creation in the Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices. These beautiful rooms have barely changed from the time Thomas Andrews and his ingenious colleagues designed Titanic and her sister ships. This is where it all began and the dream took shape. Explore this evocative room as part of a Titanic Walking Tour or a Titanic Tour. www.titanicwalk.com
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5). SS Nomadic – The last remaining White Star Line vessel, SS Nomadic is currently being restored at Hamilton’s Dock, near Titanic Belfast. The boat which once ferried first and second class passengers to Titanic from the French port of Cherbourg, was designed by Tomas Andrews and built at Harland and Wolff beneath the giant profiles of Titanic and Olympic. On 10th April 1912, Nomadic took 142 passengers from Cherbourg to join Titanic on her maiden voyage. On-board were some of Titanic’s most famous passengers – Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon and his celebrated fashion designer wide, Lucille, American socialite Molly Brown and wealthy industrialist Benjamin Guggenheim. Nomadic would then go on to serve Olympic during her long and successful career, returning to Belfast in 2006. She is due to open to the public following restoration in Autumn 2012 www.nomadicbelfast.com
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BELFAST 6). Ulster Folk and Transport Museum: TITANICa The Exhibition & The People’s Story – Head out of Belfast and enjoy Northern Ireland’s most comprehensive Titanic Exhibition at the Ulster Transport Museum, featuring artefacts, technical plans and photographs including the original White Star Line collection. Over 500 original artefacts are on display in the exhibition which focuses on the lives and skills of the shipyard workers and the human stories of those connected to Titanic and her sister ships. The exhibition includes 35 fascinating artefacts raised from Titanic’s seabed wreck including a porthole, crockery, personal belongings, silverware and glassware. Take the short walk across to the Ulster Folk Museum and walk the streets lined with original cottages, schools and shops that reflect the era of Titanic’s maiden voyage. Explore the home of a Harland and Wolff riveter, visit the post office to compose your own Morse code message sent from Titanic and pop into the printers for a Titanic launch ticket or newspaper of the period. www.nmni.com/Titanic 7). The Belfast Barge – Located at Lagan Quay, just minutes from the city centre, the 600 ton barge hosts a fascinating exhibition exploring the story of Belfast’s incredible maritime history through touch screens, interpretive panels and interactive displays. The Barge also houses personal audio accounts from many Belfast shipbuilders. You can also enjoy a superb meal of locally sourced food on board at the acclaimed Galley café. www.belfastbarge.com 8). Belfast City Hall – Also known as the Stone Titanic for its many links to the legendary liner, the magnificent Belfast City Hall is one of the city’s most popular visitor attractions. A commemorative event was held at Belfast City Hall on April 15th 2012 to mark the centenary of Titanic’s maiden voyage and tragic end. The new Titanic Memorial Garden was unveiled, the centrepiece being a feature which names all 1512 people lost on Titanic, the only memorial in the world to do this. In the City Hall itself you can enjoy an exhibition about Belfast’s industries from the 1600s to the present day in the Bobbin Café. Tours of the City Hall and its famous marble halls are conducted daily. www.belfastcity.gov.uk/cityhall 9). Maritime Masts, Belfast City Centre – Whilst heading down Belfast’s main thoroughfare of Royal Avenue, take time to appreciate the spectacular sculptured masts that line this famous street. There are eight in total, celebrating the famous ships that were built in Belfast including Titanic, her sister ships Olympic and Britannic and other including Titanic’s tender vessel, Nomadic. Each mast carries a sail which celebrates Belfast’s maritime heritage. Index
10). Titanic Menu at Rayanne House – Treat your tastebuds at Rayanne House, where head chef Conor McClelland prepares for you a lavish nine course menu based on the last meal served in Titanic’s first class dining room, served to famous passengers like the unsinkable Molly Brown and Benjamin Guggenheim. From Rayanne House, enjoy views of Belfast Lough, out of which Titanic sailed to embark on her maiden voyage. www.rayannehouse.com 11). Titanic Tours – You can explore Belfast and its Titanic history in many different ways! Titanic Walking Tour: exploring Titanic Quarter with special access to the historic Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices and finishing a Titanic’s Dock and Pump-House where you can enjoy coffee or lunch. www.titanicwalk.com Titanic Boat Tour: The world’s only tour of the key Titanic sites by boat is right here in Belfast, taking you back to the time when Titanic and her sister ships were designed, built and launched. www.laganboatcompany.com Titanic Tours Belfast: Enjoy a thrilling luxury car tour of Titanic sites with a unique personal insight. Tour Guide Susie Millar is the great grand-daughter of Thomas Millar who worked on the construction of Titanic and sailed on her maiden voyage as an engineer, tragically never to return. www.titanictours-belfast.co.uk Titanic Self Guided Tours There is an exciting range of self-guided tours available! www.belfasttours.com www.mytourtalk.com www.visitstrangfordlough.co.uk www.goexplore.com 12). Sir Thomas Andrews’ Belfast – This walking tour takes visitors back to the Belfast or Sir Thomas Andrews, chief designer of the Titanic. En route is the school he attended as a child, the nearby technical college he studied at, his bachelor flat, the church at which he worshipped and many more locations of interest. www.bluebadgeireland.com
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NORTHERN IRELAND Top 12 – Causeway Coastal Route 1). The Old Bushmills’ Distillery - The craft of whiskey making has been carried out at Bushmills for over 400 years using the same traditional methods to create the finest Irish whiskeys. Why not join us to see for yourself in the company of an experienced guide who will take you through the heart of the oldest working distillery in Ireland. Please call for opening times and age restrictions. 2). Cushendun & Torr Head - Nestling at the foot of Glendun, is Cushendun, with its distinctive Cornish-style village square and cottages by architect Clough WilliamsEllis. Artists Maurice Wilkes, Deborah Brown and Charles McAuley were inspired by its beauty. Along the coast, only twelve miles separate rocky Torr Head from the Mull of Kintyre. Many Scottish clansmen settled along this North Antrim Coast. 3). Gracehill Village - Two miles west of Ballymena lies the village of Gracehill, where you can step back 250 years in time. This small village was founded by the Moravians between 1759–1765 and is Ireland’s only Moravian settlement. The layout of the village and unique Georgianstyle architecture remains unchanged. In 1975, it was designated Northern Ireland’s first Conservation Area. 4). Bonamargy Friary, Ballycastle - On the outskirts of Ballycastle are the picturesque ruins of Bonamargy Friary, founded around 1500 by the Franciscans. It contains the remains of chieftain Sorley Boy McDonnell. In Ballycastle, there is a memorial to Guglielmo Marconi who carried out the first tests on radio signals here in 1898.
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NORTHERN IRELAND 5). Rathlin Island & RSPB Viewpoint - Take the 20-40 minute ferry trip to Rathlin Island. Amidst the rugged landscape of this isolated island, you can let your mind wander and discover a tranquility and beauty that is so unexpected. The ferry to Rathlin Island travels just six miles across the "Sea of Moyle". This island is six miles long, one mile wide, "L" shaped and home to a small population of around seventy people. Thousands of nesting seabirds can be viewed from Kebble National Nature Reserve. There are many tales of myth and mystery surrounding Rathlin, the most famous tells of Robert the Bruce. In 1306, the Scottish King was driven from Scotland by Edward I of England and took refuge on Rathlin. While he was on Rathlin, it is said that he watched a spider persevering again and again to bridge a gap with its web. Eventually it succeeded. Robert the Bruce took heart from the spider's efforts, raised fresh forces and returned to Scotland to fight for his kingdom. He too, eventually succeeded and in 1314, regained the crown of Scotland. 6). Glenariff Forest Park Waterfalls & Carnlough Harbour - Enjoy the space and freedom of this beautiful forest park. It is a rambler’s paradise with woody glades, small lakes and tumbling waterfalls. Take a leisurely coastal drive to Carnlough, where fishing boats rest in the harbour. Call in for refreshment at The Londonderry Arms Hotel, an 1848 coaching inn once owned by Winston Churchill. 7). Giant’s Causeway - (World Heritage Site). The Giant’s Causeway World Heritage Site is Northern Ireland’s most famous visitor attraction. The extraordinary geometric columns were formed as a result of volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. However, you may prefer the story that the giant Finn McCool built these stepping stones to reach and defeat his adversary in Scotland. The exciting new ‘Giant’s Causeway Visitor Experience’ interpretive centre is due to on 3 July 2012.
9). Dunluce Castle - This late Medieval 17th century castle, strikingly perched on rocky cliffs and overlooking the North Atlantic, was the headquarters of the MacDonnell Clan. Constantly fought over, it eventually succumbed to the power of nature, when part of it fell into the sea one stormy night in 1639. It was abandoned shortly afterwards. 10). Patterson’s Spade Mill - Watch as billets of red hot steel are hammered into perfectly balanced spades at the last water-driven spade mill in the British Isles. The Patterson family made spades at this site for generations using tools and techniques little changed from the Industrial Revolution. Take a step back in time and see firsthand how the common garden spade is created using age old methods. Bespoke hand crafted spades can be made to order. 11). Carrickfergus Castle - This is one of Northern Ireland’s most striking monuments whether approached from land, sea, or air. It is the first building of its kind in the north of Ireland. Today, this 800 year old castle is open to the public for fun days out. Those wishing to learn more about its history can follow the story of the castle’s transformation over time from family home to centre of royal power, army barracks and modern day visitor experience. 12). Royal Portrush Golf Club - Royal Portrush is widely recognised as one of the top golf courses in Europe. It regularly features in top 20 golf rankings across the world, and has hosted many elite international events in its prestigious history. After an absence of almost 60 years, the Irish Open will return to Northern Ireland this summer. The world class links course at Royal Portrush Golf Club will host this prestigious event, from Thursday 28 June to Sunday 1 July.
8). Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge - Take the exhilarating rope bridge challenge to Carrick-a-Rede island (a Site of Special Scientific Interest) and enjoy a truly cliff top experience. Near the North Antrim Coast road, amid unrivalled coastal scenery, the 30-metre deep and 20-metre wide chasm is traversed by a rope bridge that was traditionally erected by salmon fishermen.
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NORTHERN IRELAND Top 12 – Derry/Londonderry 1). Derry Walls - Among the many historic monuments in Derry, the massive city Walls on the west bank of the River Foyle are the most striking and memorable. Built between 1614 and 1619, the original Walls are almost perfectly preserved today, making Derry one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe. Using earth, lime and local stone (some from ruined medieval monastery buildings) Peter Benson from London skilfully constructed the thick defensive ramparts and angular artillery bastions following closely the design of Sir Edward Doddington of Dungiven. Despite sieges in 1641, 1649 and the Great, Derry's Walls were never breached proof indeed of their careful planning and excellent construction, and reason for the title 'The Maiden City'. 2).St. Columb’s Cathedral - The Cathedral was the first of its kind to be built after the Reformation. As one of the city’s most historic buildings, its Chapter House Museum contains artefacts from the Siege of 1689 as well as information on famous personalities; Cecil Frances Alexander (the hymn writer), the Earl Bishop and world famous philosopher, George Berkeley. 3). First Derry Presbyterian Church and Blue Coats Visitor Centre - The First Derry Presbyterian Church has recently been re-opened following a programme of works that has totally renovated the building. Having been closed for a period of eight years, the church is once again being used as a place of worship. Adjoining the church is the refurbished Blue Coats School, now home to the Blue Coats Museum and Interpretation Centre. This new facility tells the history behind the church, along with the history of Presbyterians in the city (andbeyond) and the role they played in the Great Siege. 4).The Tower Museum - The Tower Museum immerses you in Londonderry’s potent history with two engrossing exhibitions: The Story of Derry Exhibition, which narrates the city’s development from monastic times to present day and An Armada Shipwreck – La Trinidad Valencera, the story of a Spanish galleon that sank off the Donegal coast in 1588. Opening times vary during summer months.
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NORTHERN IRELAND 5). Walking, Bus, Road Train and Taxi Tours - Learn about the city’s past and present by going on a guided walking tour. Or go it alone with the MyTourTalk MP3 player. Take an hour-long bus tour or a 30-minute ride on the LegenDerry Road Train which takes in the colourful street murals. On board commentary informs, entertains and uncovers the city’s history. Alternatively take a more intimate taxi tour and explore the stories of this historic city. Details of all tours available from the Tourist Information Centre. 6). Museum of Free Derry - The museum focuses on the civil rights campaign which emerged in the 1960s and the Free Derry/early Troubles period of the early 1970s. It tells the people’s story of the civil rights movement, the Battle of the Bogside, Internment, Free Derry and Bloody Sunday. The museum has an archive of over 25,000 individual items relating to the period. Most items with immense historical significance were donated by local residents. 7). The Craft Village - The charming Craft Village is located in the area between lower Shipquay Street and Magazine Street in the centre of the city and is a reconstruction of an 18th century street and 19th century square. This village combines lovely craft shops, a thatched cottage, balconied apartments, a licensed restaurant and a coffee shop. The square is used throughout the year for different outdoor events such as live music performances. 8).Loughs Agency, Riverwatch - Riverwatch at the Loughs Agency is a must for all ages. Learn about the incredible fish life in our loughs, rivers, sea and shore through interactive exhibitions and activities. Eight aquariums hold freshwater and saltwater species from different eco-systems. If you’re lucky, you might just arrive at feeding time. 9). Creggan Country Park - A great place for sports enthusiasts, or those who simply want to enjoy the scenery. Enjoy outdoor pursuits, paintballing, watersports, water park and angling, available here with professional instruction. There are wonderful views including the Donegal Hills and across the city to the Lough Foyle estuary, with Binevenagh Mountain visible in the distance.
Index
10). Peace Bridge - Talk a walk across the Peace Bridge, officially launched on 25th June 2011. The bridge physically links the two banks of the River Foyle, providing a new and exciting shared public space. Its distinctive form - representing a human handshake across the water - joins all communities living in Derry~Londonderry in a symbolic gesture of reconciliation and peace". The bridge measures 235 metres bank to bank (312 metres in total) and it is approximately 4 metre wide, with landing points at the rear of the Guildhall and Ebrington embankment. 11). Ebrington Heritage Trail and Barracks - The Barracks are named after Lord Ebrington, the then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and were built between 1839 and 1841 on a prime site overlooking the River Foyle. During the Second World War the barracks became part of the 'H.M.S Ferret' naval base, the main escort base and Anti-Submarine Training School for the allied navies operating from Derry. After the war it became known as 'H.M.S Sea Eagle' and operated as the Joint AntiSubmarine School until 1970, when it was handed back to the British Army and re-named again as Ebrington Barracks. The base was closed by the Ministry of Defence in 2004. The Ebrington site has been recently developed as an exciting new events space for the city of Derry. 12). Austin’s Roof Top Restaurant - Have lunch in the world's oldest independent department store. Austins store has been the cornerstone of the city’s Diamond area since 1830. At 180 years of age, Austins is 5 years older than Jenners of Edinburgh, 15 years older than Harrods of London and 25 years older than Macy’s of New York. This is the oldest such store in the world and are soon to celebrate yet another golden age. Located in the historic centre of Derry, Austins is now a most imposing 5 storey Edwardian building with its conglomeration of large windows, columns, pedestals, balconies and a copper roofed cupola. Always a department store, Austins is renowned throughout Ireland for its impressive range of Irish crystal, Giftware, Fashions, Linens and Homewares.
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In which year was the first British vehicle registration issued? | VisitBritain_Top 12 Guide to Britain & Northern Ireland_01 by Jamm Design Ltd - issuu
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TO PLACES IN BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
Stonehenge Wiltshire, England
The Peace Bridge Derry-Londonderry, Northen Ireland
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Introduction 2012 is a big year and we are welcoming you to Britain with our Top 12 attractions and experiences in our regions and cities!
has it that the start of the marathon was moved to the Castle’s East Terrace because the then Princess of Wales wanted her children to see the race), and much, much more.
Not only is Britain hosting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games but we have many more exciting and excellent events to celebrate, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a series of colourful Jubilee activities progressing through the year . The bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens makes this year a mustvisit to Kent, home to many of his literary inspirations. In addition, 2012 marks the centenary of the Titanic in Belfast, where the iconic ship was built with the world’s largest & greatest Titanic visitor experience.
Hopefully you will get a chance to experience some of this yourself and discover your own Top 12!
The London 2012 Festival (21 June – 9 Sept) reaches across the entire country including free events (Britain has collections of the world’s finest art in iconic galleries – most of them free to visit); breath-taking views (pop in to the Lookout Café for the sweeping views to Portland, Dorset, while munching sandwiches made with locally-caught crab); literary highlights ( the World Shakespeare Festival in Warwickshire and around the world celebrates the bard’s influence); historical sites galore (visit the Little Chapel in Guernsey, possibly the world’s smallest consecrated church); family fun and attractions (Longleat Safari Park is in the heart of the English countryside, Wiltshire); palatial gardens (stroll through Bath’s Royal Victoria Park en route to taking tea in the Pump Room); sports to participate in (learn to play polo in Windsor), hidden gems (seek out Project Pigeon in Birmingham); bon vivants’ delights (West Sussex alone has 12 world-class vineyards); little known regional facts (visit Windsor to hear the amazing story of the 1908 Olympic marathon and why the official marathon route is 26 miles and 385 yards - legend
How to use We have created an easy-to-use guide that provides you with all the information needed to experience the Top 12 in each region; click on the Contents Page to take you to the sections - England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands Then, within each section, you will find categories for regions recommending their Top 12s, with contact details, opening times and websites providing more information. Hopefully this guide has given you some ideas and inspiration that will thrill your readers and viewers. Britain – You’re Invited.
Paul Gauger Global Leader, 2012 Games Media www.visitbritain.com/media
Media contacts in Americas New York Meredith Pearson PR Executive USA 845 Third Avenue, Floor 10, New York, NY 10022 T: 001 212 850 0377 C: 001 917 412 0124 E: [email protected] Kathleen O’Connell PR Executive USA 845 Third Avenue, Floor 10, New York, NY 10022 T: 001 212 850 0364 E: [email protected] Callum Roberts Business Development Assistant 845 Third Avenue, Floor 10, New York, NY 10022 T: 001 212 850 0336 E: [email protected] Lisa Kearns PR & Communications Executive 845 Third Avenue, Floor 10, New York, NY 10022 T: 001 212 850 0327 E: [email protected]
Los Angeles Katrina Early Film Tourism and PR Manager (West Coast) 11766 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1200, Los Angeles, CA 90025 T: 00 1 310 268 2132 F: 00 1 310 481 2960 E: [email protected] Odalys Flores E: [email protected]
Canada Ted Flett PR & Communications Manager 160 Bloor Street East, Suite 905, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1B9 T: 001 416 646 6676 F: 001 416 642 2240 C: 001 647.202.4184 E: [email protected]
Brazil Mitsi Goulias Press & PR Manager Centro Brasileiro Britanico, Rua Ferreira de Araujo 741, 1 Andar, Pinheiros, Sao Paulo, Sp, 05428-002 Brazil T: 0055 11 3245 7653 F: 0055 11 3245 7651 E: [email protected] 4
Media contacts in APAC India and Middle East China - Beijing Tamily Liu Press & PR Executive Beijing Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy, 4/F Landmark Building,Tower 1, 8 North Dongsanhuan Road, Chaoyang District, 100004, Beijing, China T: 0086 10 65906903 F: 0086 10 6590 0977 E: [email protected]
China - Shanghai Bonnie Hua Press & PR Manager - China & Hong Kong VisitBritain/Cultural and Education Section British Consulate General Shanghai 1st Floor Pidemco Tower, 318 Fu Zhou Lu , Shanghai 200001, China T: 0086 21 5117 5838 E: [email protected]
Hong Kong Janice Cheung Representative HK & South China T: 00852 35157878 E: [email protected]
India Srishti Bhatia PR Executive - India 202-203 JMD Regent Square, Merhrauli-Gurgaon Road, Gurgaon 122001, Haryana, India T: 0091 124 262 4255 M: +0091 981 003 5669 F: 0091 124 262 4200 E: [email protected]
Japan Katsue Takeshima PR Manager VisitBritain, Kenkyusha Eigo Centre Bldg 3F, 1-2 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Japan 162-0825 T: 0081 03 5227 6233 F: 0081 03 5227 6240 E: [email protected]
Australia Sarah Stevenson B2B and PR Executive Level 16, 1 Macquarie Place, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia T: 0061 2 8247 2248 E: [email protected]
UAE and Saudi Arabia Carol Maddison Manager, UAE PO Box 33342 2nd Floor, Sharaf Building, Khalid Bin Waleed Road, Dubai, U.A.E T: 009 71 4 3960809 E: [email protected] PR Agency: Sharon Salazar T: 00 971 4 390 1950 [email protected] PLEASE ONLY CONTACT PR AGENCY THROUGH CAROL MADDISON
Media contacts in Europe Belgium Myriam De Mulder Press Executive Avenue D’Auderghem-Oudergemselaan 10 1040 Brussels T: 00 322 287 6223 M: 00 322 472 487964 E: [email protected]
Denmark Jette Ward Representative Denmark Kristianeiagade 8, 3rd floor, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark T: 00 45 3375 5005 F: 00 45 3375 5080 E: [email protected]
France Florence Valette Communications Manager VisitBritain BP 70-154 75363 Paris Cedex 08 T: 0033 (0) 1 44 51 34 95 F: 0033 (0) 1 44 51 34 91 E: [email protected]
Germany Andrea Hetzel Media Relations Manager Dorotheenstr. 54 10117 Berlin T: 0049 30 3157 1941 F: 0049 30 31571940 E: [email protected] Sabine Kalkmann PR Executive Dorotheenstr. 54 10117 Berlin T: 0049 30 3157 1942 F: 0049 30 3157 1940 E: [email protected]
Italy
Spain
Destination PR:
Silvia Bocciarelli Press and PR VisitBritain Italia c/o Consolato Britannico Via San Paolo 7 20121 Milano T: 00 39 02 72300228 F: 00 39 02 72020153 M: 00 39 340 3524660 E: [email protected]
Maria Eugenia Benito Press and PR VisitBritain British Embassy Torre Espacio Paseo de la Castellana 259D 28046 Madrid T: 0034 91 714 6498 M: 0034 647 57 36 54 E: [email protected] (not open to the public)
Jo Leslie Head of International Destination PR T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1037 E: [email protected]
Netherlands
Sweden
Margot Eggink Media Relations Manager Prins Hendrikkade 186, 1011 TD Amsterdam (Postal address Postbus 20650, 1001 NR Amsterdam) T: 00 31 206077706 F: 00 31 206186868 E: [email protected]
Helene Hofverberg Press and PR Manager Box 3102, SE- 103 62 Stockholm T: 00 46 8 4401 706 M: 00 46 702 58 64 53 E: [email protected]
Norway
Switzerland/Austria
Kim Lovlie Marketing Executive VisitBritain Norway British Embassy 0244 Oslo T: 00 47 23 13 65 80 M: 00 47 971 04 944 E: [email protected]
Andrea Hetzel Media Relations Manager Dorotheenstr. 54 10117 Berlin T: 0049 30 3157 1941 F: 0049 30 31571940 E: [email protected]
Poland Joanna Sosnowska Marketing Representative VisitBritain British Council, Al. Jerozolimskie 59 00-697 Warszawa T: 0048 22 695 59 25 E: [email protected]
Russia Ekaterina Merenchuk PR & Marketing Executive 10 Smolenskaya Naberezhnaya, Moscow, 121009 T: 00 74 95 95 67 310 E: [email protected]
Sabine Kalkmann PR Executive Dorotheenstr. 54 10117 Berlin T: 0049 30 3157 1942 F: 0049 30 3157 1940 E: [email protected]
Media contacts in London 2012 Games Media: Paul Gauger Global Leader 2012 Games Media T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1180 M: 0044 (0) 7884 233 647 E: [email protected]
Val Austin International Press Visits Manager T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1039 E: [email protected] Rose Hughes International Press Visits Officer T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1038 E: [email protected] Emma Fitzgerald International Press Visits Officer T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1032 E: [email protected] Emma Wilkinson International Press Visits Officer T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1156 E: [email protected] Rmishka Singh PR Editor T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1155 E: [email protected] Corporate PR: Mark Di-Toro Press Officer T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1098 M: 0044 (0) 7919 392 137 E: [email protected] David Leslie Coporate PR Manager T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1141 M: 0044 (0) 7919 392 137 E: [email protected]
Julian Jacome Broadcast Media Manager, 2012 Media T: 0044 (0) 20 7578 1188 E: [email protected]
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LONDON Top 12 Free Things to Do in London 1). Changing of the Guard, Buckingham Palace – One of Britain’s greatest traditions and attractions is the heritage of the British Monarchy. From May - July the Changing of the Guard happens daily at 11a.m. (10a.m. on Sundays) and lasts approximately one hour. The process is the changing of the old guard from Buckingham Palace with a new guard from St. James’s Palace. The guards are from one of five regiments: the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards, the Welsh Guards, the Grenadier Guards and the Coldstream Guards. www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/ChangingtheGuard/Overview.aspx 2). Art Galleries, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, National Gallery – London has some great art galleries and what’s even better is they are free! Tate Britain, situated in Millbank, and Tate Modern, situated in Bankside, are home to artwork from 1500 to the present day. Along with these two museums, the famous National Gallery, situated to the north of Trafalgar Square, boasts an impressive collection of Western European artwork from the early 20th century to present day. www.tate.org.uk/britain / www.tate.org.uk/modern / www.nationalgallery.org.uk 3). Primrose Hill – Primrose Hill, situated on the north side of Regent’s Park, offers remarkable views over London’s skyline, especially at sunset. The park, which is 166ha, was designed in 1811 by John Nash, a renowned architect. The park has its own soccer, softball, rugby and cricket pitches in addition to a boating lake, bandstand, and a beautiful rose garden. The region is full of pubs, cafes, restaurants and celebrities. Primrose Hill is the ideal location for visitors to take a picnic and do some celebrity spotting. www.royalparks.gov.uk/The-Regents-Park.aspx 4). The British Museum – Not only are art galleries free, but most museums are also free in London. The British Museum, founded in 1753 by Act of Parliament, is home to nearly 2m objects making it a fascinating experience. Visitors can take a guided tour to discover Ancient Egypt or how the Romans lived. The British Museum offers a wealth of artifacts from around the world in one place. www.britishmuseum.org The National Gallery Trafalgar Square, London 8
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LONDON 5). Covent Garden – Covent Garden is always full of hustle and bustle. Visitors can watch the street entertainers, dine in a fine restaurant or shop in the boutique stores. Covent Garden is a place that will charm travelers of all tastes. www.coventgardenlondonuk.com
11). National Theatre – Visitors who head down to the Southbank near Waterloo Bridge can catch one of the free jazz and folk concerts. These take place Monday – Saturday, 5:45p.m., and 1:45p.m. on Saturday afternoons. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
6). The Royal Parks, Kensington Gardens – The Royal Parks are the perfect escape from the busy city with green open spaces and plenty of events the whole family can enjoy. Parents and children alike will enjoy the Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens that is inspired by Peter Pan. With the pirate ship surrounded by sand and nearby Notting Hill, the delightful area is perfect for a Sunday afternoon stroll. www.royalparks.gov.uk
12). Nottinghill Arts Club – Nottinghill Arts Club has been open for 11 years and showcases London’s up and coming acts. The small stage makes the atmosphere intimate while the large sofas make enjoying the new music comfortable. www.nottinghillartsclub.com
7). London at Night – Walk by the houses of Parliament after dark and walk south across Westminster Bridge. Here you will find a remarkable view of the London Eye. Once you reach St. Thomas’ Hospital, turn around to take in the view. The lights of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben glistening in the River Thames is an incredible view that no visitor should miss. www.parliament.uk/visiting 8). Chinatown on a Sunday – Chinatown on a Sunday is alive with entertainment, busy supermarkets and restaurants. Visitors will enjoy the array of entertainment and 78 restaurants that make up this vibrant neighborhood. www.chinatownlondon.org 9). Sunday UpMarket and Backyard Market, Brick Lane – The Sunday UpMarket and Backyard Market are for the fashion lovers who fancy getting off the beaten track and want to experience local markets. With both markets being in hidden hotspots, only locals shop at them. They are both very unique. Backyard Market has an array of garments from up and coming fashion designers with many arts and crafts deals to be had. Sunday UpMarket has many food delights such as cupcakes, Moroccan and Spanish paella - with free tastings. www.sundayupmarket.co.uk 10). City Farms – London has many city farms that are free to visit. Vauxhall City Farm offers pony care classes and donkey rides, while MudChute Park and Farm is the largest urban farm in London sitting on 13.5ha. Many of the farms also host children’s playgrounds and fresh farm shops. Visitors won’t want to miss the unique experience of visiting a city farm while in London. www.vauxhallcityfarm.org
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LONDON Top 12 London Views 1). London Eye – on a clear day they say you can see around 40km from the top - as far as Windsor Castle! The EDF Energy London Eye is 135m high - equivalent to 64 red telephone boxes piled on top of each other. 2). The Monument – was built to commemorate the Great Fire of London in 1666 and to celebrate the rebuilding of the City. It was erected close to the baker’s house in Pudding Lane where the fire began. You need to be fit to reach the top - there are 311 spiral steps to the Monument’s observation gallery; but for those unable to make it to the top there is a “live” image via a video screen display near the base of the Monument. 3). Tower Bridge – climb up to the High Level Walkways, 42 m above the River Thames, for great views east and west, from this famous London landmark, which was painted red, white and blue to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 – before that it was painted a chocolate brown colour. The walkways were originally opened to allow people to cross when the bridge was raised – this happens about 1000 times a year. In 1952, a London bus driven by Albert Gunton had to leap from one bascule to the other when the bridge began to rise with the number 78 bus still on it. 4). Richmond Hill – The celebrated view of the Vale of the Thames (looking upriver), from the summit of Richmond Hill, has long been the inspiration of writers and artists, including Turner. The view is actually protected by an Act of Parliament, of 1902. 5). Restaurants – Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows is located on the 28th floor of London Hilton on Park Lane in trendy Mayfair, and the restaurant and bar have breathtaking views over the capital, including iconic sites such as Buckingham Palace, The London Eye and Hyde Park. Other good places for food with a view include the Tate Modern restaurant on the 7th floor of the South Bank gallery, offering great views along the Thames and across to St Paul’s Cathedral; the Oxo Tower Restaurant:, Vertigo 42 in the BT Tower and Paramount in the Centre Point building View from the Shell Building towards the London Eye London 10
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LONDON 6). St Paul’s Cathedral – climb 259 steps to The Whispering Gallery, which runs around the interior of the Dome. It gets its name from a quirk in its construction, which makes a whisper against its walls audible on the opposite side 7). Greenwich Park – climb up the hill in Greenwich Park to the Wolfe statue, for great views back over the park, Canary Wharf and towards North London 8). Primrose Hill – The top of Primrose Hill, in north London, is 63 m above sea level and the view over London is now protected in planning law. Visitors can look down on the zoo in Regent's Park and further afield to landmarks such as Canary Wharf, the North Greenwich Arena and the BT Tower. They may also spot a film crew because Primrose Hill has become a popular movie location with British directors. The view from the top was used in the 1987 spy thriller The Fourth Protocol and it starred in the opening credits of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004). 9). See the city from the top deck of a bus – The Original London Sightseeing Tours founded over 60 years ago they are the largest open-top sightseeing red bus operator in the world. With a high proportion of the tour buses now wheelchair accessible the tours cover all of London’s highlights and include free river cruises and walking tours. Big Bus Tours - created around a carefully designed route that takes you to the key places of interest, and a hop-on hop-off facility that lets you discover them. All tours offer an informative and entertaining commentary and are delivered by a regular service of purpose built open-top buses. 10). From a boat – Many of the most iconic buildings in London can be viewed from the River Thames – with the choice of a cruise boat, a faster Thames Clipper a fleet of high speed catamarans leave the major piers every 20 minutes and will be running a special 2012 Games service. High speed RIB boat a formidable sight on The Thames are usually used by the special forces and other police agencies, they are the ultimate and fastest fleet on the river. 11). Get a bird's eye view of the city with a helicopter tour - when it comes to unforgettable experiences, a helicopter ride has to rate pretty high on the list. To combine a helicopter ride with a flight over London taking in the aerial views of our Capital just adds that extra WOW factor to your experience. 12). And coming soon? – There are plans to construct a walkway over the 02 Arena/North Greenwich Dome, hopefully in time for London2012.
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COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE & SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND Coventry’s Top 12 Experiences 1). Coventry Cathedral – Set your senses soaring by climbing the 180 steps of the cathedral spire to take in the breath-taking panoramic views of Coventry. Then explore the world famous Cathedral of St Michael, the site of Coventry's ‘new' cathedral and see examples of world-class works of art, including: Graham Sutherland's tapestry, John Piper's baptistry window and Epstein's bronze statue of St Michael defeating the devil. In sharp contrast, the medieval ruins of its predecessor stand proudly alongside. 2). Coventry Transport Museum and Trust SSC - Come face to face with Royal cars, military vehicles and the current land speed record holding vehicle Thrust SSC. Be amazed by this spectacular piece of engineering, then experience for yourself what it's like to travel through the sound barrier at over 760mph in the Thrust SSC simulator. 3). The Doom Painting, Holy Trinity Church - Holy Trinity Church's story goes back nearly 1000 years! This extraordinary building has survived fire, reformation and the Blitz. Marvel at the many rare artefacts that the church houses, perhaps the most exceptional being the famous medieval wall painting of the Last Judgement. 4). Herbert Art Gallery & Museum – Coventry’s award winning museum, art gallery, records archive, learning centre and creative arts facility located in Jordan Well, Coventry city centre. It is named after Sir Alfred Herbert, a Coventry industrialist and philanthropist whose benefactions enabled the original building to be opened in 1960. Building began in 1939, with an interruption by the Second World War, and The Herbert opened in 1960. In 2008 it reopened after a £20m refurbishment.. 5). St Mary's Guild Hall - Discover more than 600 year's worth of history in one of Coventry's most remarkable survivors of the medieval age. Arguably the finest medieval guildhall in the country, with original artworks and décor; the Great Hall dates from the late 14th and early 15th century and houses a fine tapestry dating from 1500. The Mary Queen of Scots Room is so named because of the imprisonment of the Scottish Queen here in 1569. Coventry Cathedral Coventry 12
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COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE & SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND 6). Priory Visitor Centre - Discover Coventry's first Cathedral - join us beneath the 21st Century city to discover the amazing ruins preserved beneath the rubble of this once magnificent religious centre. The Priory Undercroft offers a fascinating glimpse into the best preserved remains of Coventry's original Benedictine monastery. 7). Garden Organic Ryton - the home of Garden Organic, in a delightful setting in the Heart of England. Four hectares of beautifully landscaped grounds highlight the delights of organic gardening and with an award winning restaurant on site serving fresh, organic produce; it’s both a healthy and enjoyable day out for all.
12). Ricoh Arena (City of Coventry Stadium) - Set within a site covering more than 16ha, the Ricoh Arena is unlike any other development of its kind in the UK. With its state-of-the-art conference, banqueting, exhibition, hotel and sports facilities, the multi-purpose complex has already won countless awards for its design. With hundreds of events and exhibitions taking place all year round as well as hosting several key Olympic Football matches in 2012, this unique development truly is world class. During the 2012 London Olympics, the arena will be re-named the City of Coventry Stadium.
8). Off Road Fun at the Heart of England Centre - Enjoy an exhilarating "off road" experience in 65ha of fields and woodlands. Driving Quad Bikes, Rage Carts and Land Rovers you will face many challenges as you’re taken through rough terrain, up and down steep slopes and more! 9). Pleasure Flight Coventry Airport – Take in the glorious sights of Coventry's skyline and surrounding countryside as you experience a scenic tour of Coventry & Warwickshire by helicopter with Patriot Aerospace. Gain a fantastic birds-eye view of the local area, offering a superb way to view some traditional English heritage from a different vantage point! 10). Medieval Banquet at Coombe Abbey – Step back in time and join the Lords and Ladies of Coombe Abbey in a medieval celebration of food, wine and mead. The night is filled with bawdy fun, fine food and wines, colour and music. Miss it at your peril! 11). Midland Air Museum -Situated just outside the village of Baginton in Warwickshire, and adjacent to Coventry Airport, this exciting museum includes the Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre (named after the local aviation pioneer and inventor of the jet engine), where many exhibits are on display in a large hangar. It also has a smaller hangar, and a fenced-off outdoor area where many military, commercial and trainer aircraft are on display.
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COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE & SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND Top 12 Literary highlights and attractions 1). William Shakespeare – born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1632, William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the world’s most famous poet and playwright. A favourite of the Elizabethan Court, Shakespeare wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems and several other poems. His plays are as well loved today as they were 400 years ago, and almost 50 percent of the world’s school children study his work. 2). World Shakespeare Festival - a celebration of Shakespeare as the world’s playwright, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, in an unprecedented collaboration with leading UK and international arts organisations, and with Globe to Globe, a major international programme produced by Shakespeare’s Globe. It runs from 23 April - November 2012 and forms part of London 2012 Festival, which is the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad; bringing leading artists from all over the world together in a UK-wide festival in the summer of 2012. 3). Shakespeare’s Houses – the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust owns and manages five significant homes linked to William Shakespeare including Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (his wife’s family home), Mary Ardens’ Farm (his mother’s family homestead), Nash’s House and New Place, (his granddaughters home), and Hall Croft (his daughter’s home). All houses are open to the public and host excellent tours and events. 4). Warwick Words – a week-long festival held in Warwick celebrating ‘words’. Warwick has literary connections with figures such as Tolkien, who was married in the Catholic church in West Street; Philip Larkin, whose parents moved from Coventry to a house in Coten End during the Second World War, and Walter Savage Landor, poet and prose writer, who was born in a house in Smith Street, Warwick in 1775 and whose friends included Dickens, Carlyle, Browning and Emerson. The Festival offers story writing and telling sessions, author’s readings and performances, discussions, lectures and tours. The 2012 event will be held 1-9 October. 5). Jane Austen - See ‘Sotherton Court’ as it is described in Mansfield Park by looking up Stoneleigh Abbey, one-time country seat of Jane Austen’s relatives. The author visited in 1806 and wove details of rooms, furnishings and family intrigues into her novels: not least the romantic saga of Elizabeth Lord – her portrait hangs in the Blue Parlour – which is mirrored in the experiences of Anne Elliot in Persuasion. Jane Austen tours are led by a costumed guide at Stoneleigh Abbey. 14
Shakespeare’s Birthplace Stratford-upon-Avon Index
COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE & SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND 6). Astley Book Farm - Find tomes to treasure at prices to please at one of the country’s largest second-hand bookshops. The shop specialises in George Eliot books and has some first editions. Some 75,000 volumes are held, from fiction to antiquarian and out-of-print rarities. The imaginatively transformed farm buildings now boast a new coffee shop for lunch or afternoon tea. 7). Follow in the footsteps of George Eliot – Take a tour – walking, cycling or driving – in the steps of George Eliot to places the author knew from growing up in Warwickshire. Highlights include inspirations for her Scenes of Clerical Life: Arbury Hall, model for the ‘castellated house of grey-tinted stone’ Cheverel Manor, and Astley Church, still recognisable as Knebley Church ‘with coats of arms in clusters on the lofty roof’. 8). Polesworth Poetry Trail - Stir your imagination on a walk around Polesworth (north Warwickshire), following the trail of ten poems and sculptures that highlight landmarks and events in local history: the abbey and tales of the Devil, the River Anker and famous men – surprisingly, Polesworth was once an important gathering-place for poets such as John Donne, Ben Jonson, Michael Drayton, and even Shakespeare.
11). Shakespeare Country Driving itineraries - Ideal for visitors on a short break, these circular routes allow you to discover for yourself the hidden secrets of Shakespeare Country. Explore market towns with their individual character and charm, relax in welcoming pubs with traditional ales and home cooked food, and discover peaceful churches, historic attractions and a range of craft and antique centres. Don’t miss the The Bell Inn at Welford-on-Avon where Shakespeare drank with Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton and The Kings Head at Aston Cantlow where Shakespeare’s parents celebrated their wedding breakfast. You may also like to solve a Shakespearian mystery at Charlecote Park where Shakespeare was allegedly caught poaching deer – the reason he later poked fun at owner Sir Thomas Lucy, ‘Justice Shallow’ in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV – Part II. Or did Shakespeare hate Lucy for his persecution of Warwickshire Catholics and his role in the arrest of Edward Arden, head of the family of Shakespeare’s mother? 12). A Story Book in Stone - Discover Warwickshire’s oldest church, St Peter’s in Wootton Wawen, and literally read a storybook in stone that begins in the 900s or even earlier, when the church tower was built. This ‘one-stop encyclopaedia of English history’ features the Saxon Sanctuary Exhibition spanning local life from Iron Age times to the third millennium, with plenty of twists and turns of plot.
9). Elizabeth Gaskill - As a child Elizabeth Stevenson – better known as the Victorian novelist Mrs Gaskell of Cranford fame – was sent away to school in Warwickshire, including Barford. Although the neo-classical school building is now a private residence, you can still look around St Peter’s Church which the pupils attended. Mrs Gaskell, a pen pal of George Eliot, would draw on her memories of Barford and ‘the old low grey church’ for her novella Lois the Witch. 10). Rugby School – the birthplace of the sport Rugby - is a leading co-educational independent boarding school. Rugby School’s famous Headmaster, Dr Thomas Arnold, is immortalised in Thomas Hughes’ book ‘Tom Brown’s School Days’, which brought Baron Pierre de Coubertin to Rugby School. It was Arnold’s legacy that inspired him here and fuelled his vision of the modern day Olympic Games. Other literary heroes who were schooled at Rugby include Lewis Carroll, Salman Rushdie and Matthew Arnold. Rugby was also the birthplace of poet Rupert Brooke and Rosemary Macauley. Rugby School Warwickshire Index
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MANCHESTER Top 12 Manchester Attractions 1. Spinningfields Europe’s new premium financial and professional services destination. Alongside the many office-led businesses that have moved into the area, visitors will discover an impressive group of commercial, leisure and retail units. Restaurants include Carluccios, Giraffe, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Wagamama. 2. Cornerhouse - Manchester's international centre for contemporary visual arts and film. Located in the heart of the city and open seven days a week, it covers three floors of contemporary art galleries, three screens showing the best of independent cinema, a bar, a café and a bookshop. 3. The Avenue - Shop to your heart’s content on The Avenue, Spinningfields, where our retailers showcase the best international fashion collections in the North West. Take a peek at the collections from Flannels, DKNY, Armani, Mulberry LK Bennett, All Saints, Brooks Brothers and many more for all your fashion must-haves. 4. MOSI - (The Museum of Science and Industry). The Museum is based on the site of the oldest passenger railway station in the world. The huge, 3 hectare site has five historic buildings packed with fascinating exhibitions, hands-on galleries, historic working machinery and superb special exhibitions.
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MANCHESTER 5. People’s History Museum - The Museum tells the dramatic story of the British working classes’ struggle for democracy and social justice. The old and new buildings have been joined together by a spectacular glass walkway. The museum galleries, changing exhibitions, education service, Labour History Archive & Study Centre, Textile Conservation Studio, corporate facilities, café and shop are all housed in a new fantastic building. 6. John Rylands Library - For those who set eyes on John Rylands Library for the first time, ‘library’ might not be the first word that comes to mind. This masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture looks more like a castle or cathedral. 7. Manchester Art Gallery - One of the country's finest art collections in spectacular Victorian and contemporary surroundings. The gallery's recent £35m transformation has enabled the collection to be presented to visitors in imaginative new ways. 8. Manchester Craft and Design Centre - A unique organisation comprising 16 retail/studio spaces, an excellent cafe and a rolling programme of exhibitions from leading national and international makers. 9. The Royal Exchange Theatre - There is a varied programme of plays and other special events, the theatre also houses the Craft Shop and Craft Shop Gallery, recognised as a major focal point of contemporary craft work in the Northwest.
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10. Manchester United Museum & Tour Centre - Re-live the clubs triumphs, tragedies and trophies at the Manchester United Museum. Follow the history of the club from 1878 to the present day, including the Hall of Fame and dazzling Trophy Room. Delve behind the scenes at the Theatre of Dreams by taking the Stadium Tour. Stand in Sir Alex Ferguson's spot in the dug out, sit in the home changing room at your favourite players peg and emerge from the player's tunnel to the roar of the crowd. Not what you would expect from a museum and tour. Everything you would expect from Manchester United. 11. Manchester City Football Club - Manchester City's new home, the City of Manchester Stadium, is one of the spectacular sporting arenas in the country. It also doubles as a venue for a variety of uses. Take the Manchester City Experience Tour - shortlisted for an Award for Excellence at the Museums & Heritage Show 2004. 12. Lowry - A spectacular home to the arts and entertainment with a wealth of activity under one roof! Inside this magnificent building you will find two stunning theatres, The Lyric (the largest stage in England outside London) and the more intimate Quays, offering a variety of performance from ballet, drama, opera, comedy music and family entertainment. The Lowry Galleries showcase changing exhibitions by one of Britain's best loved artists, LS Lowry, as well as paintings, sculpture and photography by artists of local, national and international renown. With cafe's, a restaurant and gift shops all set against spectacular waterside views, there is something for everyone at The Lowry.
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MANCHESTER 12 things you should know about Manchester Manchester is the ‘original modern’ city and has earned a reputation as being revolutionary, innovative and entrepreneurial. The city was at the forefront of the industrial revolution, leading in the development of the modern world…“What Manchester does today, the world does tomorrow” Read on to find out more about this fascinating city: 1. Manchester Population Manchester’s population is approximately 490,000. Within the Greater Manchester region which includes the ten districts of Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan there are 2.5m people. 2. First Computer In 1948 at Manchester University, the first computer to have a stored programme and memory was developed by Professors Tom Kilburn and Fred Williams. It was nicknamed ‘The Baby’ and has made the computer what it is today. A replica can be seen at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. 3. Votes for Women The Women’s Social and Political Union, later known as the Suffragettes, was founded by Mancunian Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903. Emmeline dedicated her life to the campaign for women’s votes. Visit the Pankhurst Centre, previously the home of Emmeline, this museum displays the work and struggle of women suffragettes, as well as reflecting everyday domestic life in the Pankhurst parlour. 4. Birthplace of Vegetarianism Inspired by the sermons of Rev. William Cowherd the vegetarian movement began in 1809 in Salford Bible Christian Church. The Altrincham-based Vegetarian Society holds events all year round, visit www.vegsoc.org for more information. Manchester is now a culinary city with a burgeoning restaurant scene offering a multitude of cuisines. Bridgewater Hall, Manchester’s International concert venue Manchester 18
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MANCHESTER 5. First Commercial Canal Opened in 1761, The Bridgewater Canal was the first man-made waterway in Britain. This instant commercial success invoked ‘canal mania’. In Manchester today the existing network of canals are now home to uber chic apartments, restaurants and bars. Take a break from the bustle of the city to experience the beautiful, tranquil canal-side culture of Castlefield. 6. First Commercial Railway The Duke of Wellington opened the Liverpool to Manchester Railway in 1830; this moment in history began the railway revolution. The site of the first passenger railway station celebrated its 175-year anniversary in 2005 and is a feature at the fascinating Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.
11. TV The first Top of the Pops was broadcast from a disused church in Rusholme in 1964. The Rolling Stones and The Beatles headlined. 12. First UK domestic air service The first UK domestic air service was recorded as being from Alexandra Park Aerodrome in Manchester to Southport and Blackpool and commenced on 24th May 1919.
7. Professional Football League In 1888 the world’s first professional football league was set up at the Royal Hotel, Piccadilly. Today, Manchester is home to four premiership football teams, including Manchester United and Manchester City Football Clubs. For the football fanatic, enjoy the stadia and museum tours of the UK’s most successful football region or visit the National Football Museum in Preston. 8. Manchester Busy Bee Adopted by Manchester in the 19th Century to symbolise the industrious nature of the city and its people, the logo can be found dotted around on much of Manchester’s street furniture and can be seen as a part of the mosaic floor at the Town Hall. Pop into Manchester Tourist Information Centre for ‘Manchester Bee’ souvenirs. 9. Rolls-Royce Charles Rolls met Fredrick Royce for the first time at The Midland Hotel in 1904 and went on to set up the prestigious automobile company two years later. 10. Manchester Music The Manchester diverse music scene is legendary, Mancunian artists include The Hollies, 10cc, The Bee Gees, The Smiths, Joy Division, New Order, Simply Red, The Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, Oasis, Take That and more recently, Badly Drawn Boy, Jim Noir, Doves and Elbow. The longest established symphony orchestra in Britain is Manchester’s Hallé, founded in 1858.
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NEWCASTLE-GATESHEAD Top 12 Newcastle-Gateshead Experiences 1). Touch the feet of an Angel - The Angel of the North is a multi award-winning sculpture created by artist Antony Gormley. The Newcastle-Gateshead icon stands at 20m high, it is seen by more than 33m people every year passing by road and rail. Striking from a distance, the Angel of the North is most breathtaking close up and is well worth the 15-minute drive from the city centre. Stroll around the grass mound on which the Angel stands and don’t leave without perching on its giant feet. The Angel of the North was named as the UK’s most recognisable landmark in a survey by Travelodge in May 2008. 2). Watch the bridge wink - Gateshead Millennium Bridge is the world's first tilting bridge. Situated on the banks of the River Tyne, linking Newcastle Quayside and Gateshead Quays, it has won a multitude of awards not least the country's top architecture prize (Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize), and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2011. Check out the website before you visit to find out scheduled tilting times (there are also information boards at either side of the bridge displaying these times). A spectacular sight, the bridge turns on pivots on both sides of the river to form a magnificent gateway arch resembling the opening and closing of a giant eyelid – have your camera ready! 3). Find seventh heaven - Towards the mouth of the River Tyne is the Ouseburn Valley, an area which is being transformed into a thriving cultural quarter. Here you’ll find Seven Stories, the Centre for Children’s Books. There was nowhere in Britain that treasured and shared the richness, diversity and innovation of modern Britain’s authors and illustrators for children. Founded in the 1990s, Seven Stories has become such a place. Both a gallery and archive, the centre is used to bring books and their creators to life, in playful exhibitions, events and inspirational learning programmes. It is also proving to be a fantastic resource for original research.
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NEWCASTLE-GATESHEAD 4). Be a culture vulture - No visit to Newcastle–Gateshead would be complete without soaking up some world-class culture in two high profile venues, the iconic architecture of which now dominates the Gateshead Quays’ skyline. The Sage Gateshead, a spectacular glass and steel Sir Norman Foster building, is an international music centre with top notch acoustics. It features performances of all genres – from folk and classical to jazz and pop. BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, just two minutes walk along the quays, is based in a converted 1950's grain warehouse. Housing five galleries it offers a changing programme of contemporary art exhibitions and has a roof top restaurant with amazing, panoramic views of Tyneside. Both are free to enter and well worth exploring. More cultural delights can be experienced at the Theatre Royal, Northern Stage, the Live Theatre and newly opened Great North Museum which welcomed its one millionth visitor in August 2010 after opening in May 2009. 5). Buy your own masterpiece - The Biscuit Factory is the biggest commercial arts space in Europe, based in a beautifully restored Victorian building that was indeed once a biscuit factory. Prices for paintings, sculpture, ceramics and glass range from £20 to £20,000 – whatever the budget or taste you’re sure to find your very own unique piece of original art to take home, it’s one of a number of other art galleries in the Ouseburn Valley. 6). Admire the architecture - Grey Street, in the heart of Newcastle–Gateshead’s historic Grainger Town, was voted the Best Street in Britain by listeners of national station BBC Radio 4 and the area boasts more listed classical Georgian buildings than anywhere else in England, other than Bath and the capital. As you’re exploring Grainger Town make sure you look up to enjoy the dramatic architecture on offer. And whilst you’re in this area keep your wallet handy for some of the city’s designer boutiques and a cluster of fashionable shoe shops. 7). Gourmet Geordies – eat out in style - Newcastle–Gateshead has been recognised at a national level as a new hotspot of emerging culinary talent and gourmet excellence having scooped a raft of high profile Restaurant Remy Awards. The outstanding range and quality of the city’s restaurants never fails to surprise first time visitors. Highlights include Black Door, Six @ BALTIC or Jesmond Dene House. Why not grab a cocktail or two first in one of the many stylish bars littered across the cityscape?
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8). Climb the real ‘New Castle’ - Newcastle Castle Keep (built by Henry II in 1168) is situated on the original site of the ‘New Castle’. Built in 1080, it gave the city its name and was founded by Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror. It overlies the Roman fortification Pons Aelius. Climb to the top and enjoy some of the best views over the city. 9). Shop till you drop - Metrocentre, Gateshead is once again the largest indoor shopping centre in Europe and offers a huge array of high street outlets, department stores and speciality shops, all under one roof. For those looking for a more boutique shopping experience, Jesmond, a surburb to the north of the city centre has been dubbed ‘the Notting Hill of the North’. 10). Sample the Nightlife - Named the third best party city in Europe in TripAdvisors 2010 poll, Newcastle–Gateshead hosts a wealth of bars, pubs, clubs and music venues within easy reach of one another. Just some examples are The Gate entertainment complex which has a wide range of bars and restaurants, The Cluny which offers a unique music venue, bar and gallery space and Newcastle’s super club Digital, which frequently plays host to world class DJs. There really is something for everybody! 11). Lets go to the movies - Take a break from the fast pace and visit the Tyneside Cinema, a grade two listed building with a choice of three intimate screens. As well as this there are heritage displays, live music and comedy evenings and an ever changing program of events. Built in 1937, the art deco cinema is a must-see after it was restored to its former glory in 2008. 12). Not too Far Away - Jump on a Metro train to the suburb of Jesmond and enjoy a leisurely coffee in one of the many pavement cafes on Osborne Road. It’s a bustling little place to relax and watch the world go by. Stroll across to Armstrong Bridge for the arts and crafts market, packed with stalls selling unusual and affordable locally made wares. Then wander through the wooded valley of Jesmond Dene which is threaded with walks and pretty bridges - complete with waterfall and a pets’ corner. Or alternatively, jump on the Metro, the area’s local train network, and head to Tynemouth, with its broad beaches, ruined Priory, and weekend markets at the Metro station, plus shops and cafes – it’s only thirty minutes away.
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WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND & DORSET Top 12 things to do in Dorset 1). Explore the glorious Dorset countryside by following one of the many walking trails which criss-cross the county. The Wessex Ridgeway is one of the longest – along the way there are intriguing artistic sculptures with poetry by James Crowdon www.dorsetforyou.com/wessexridgeway 2). Go to a farmers’ market held in the key towns around the county to savour some of the area’s delicious local food; one of the best is Bridport’s every 2nd Saturday of the month; the town is in the heart of Dorset’s farmlands. Dorset Vinny Cheese with Knob Biscuits or Dorset Apple Cake are just two of the local specialities. If you visit during Dorset Food Week in October, you can join in activities at over 100 locations www.dorsetfoodweek.co.uk 3). Take to the water on some of the country’s finest sailing and watersports spots – the National Sailing Academy is at Weymouth & Portland in recognition of the quality of the waters www.wpnsa.org.uk Along the Dorset coast, there are plenty of locations to hire boats and kayaks or let someone else do the work and take a boat trip from one of the harbours such as Weymouth, Lyme Regis, Bridport, Swanage or Christchurch. 4). Visit one of the county’s many gardens which flourish in one of the country’s mildest climates. Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens has a extensive collection of plants from around the world www.abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk , Athelhampton House is famous for its topiary www.athelhamptonhouse.co.uk and Knoll Gardens is seen as one of the best gardens for grasses in the country www.knollgardens.co.uk 5). Dorset hosts England’s only natural World Heritage Site, known as The Jurassic Coast. The beaches of Lyme Regis and Charmouth abound with fossils – regular guided public fossil walks are held. www.charmouth.org www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk
Sailing in Weymouth Weymouth, Dorset 22
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WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND & DORSET 6). Dorset’s coastal location ensures fresh fish is available at the local pubs and restaurants; watch the catch come into picturesque Weymouth or West Bay harbours for example and then eat at one of the many restaurants offering local seafood; among the best are the Crab House Café overlooking Chesil Beach www.crabhousecafe.co.uk, the Hive Beach Café in Burton Bradstock www.hivebeachcafe.co.uk, Hix’s Oyster and Seafood Restaurant in Lyme Regis www.hixoysterandfishhouse.co.uk and Shell Bay in Studland www.shellbay.net
12). Follow the Swanage Art Trail for a taste of county’s artistic richness; the trail takes you around a series of paintings by famous artists who visited the area such as Paul Nash and Walter Field http://www.swanageseen.co.uk/hello-world/. The biennial Dorset Arts Week is one of the largest in open studio events in the country www.dorsetartweeks.co.uk For further information: www.visit-dorset.com
7). Unwind by flying through the trees at Go Ape! in Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, one of the country’s best outdoor leisure parks (more sedately you can also hire bikes to cycle around!) www.moors-valley.co.uk 8). Climb up to the top of Christchurch Priory for panoramic views across the area. The Priory is the longest church in England and one of the few to survive Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries www.christchurchpriory.org 9). Clamber up to the top of the many prehistoric hillforts in Dorset such as Hambledon Hill near Blandford Forum or Eggardon Hill near Bridport for some of the best views of Dorset – steep climes are involved but there’s always a pub nearby in which to recover! 10). Explore Thomas Hardy country; key ‘musts’ are seeing Hardy’s rather stern statue in Dorchester, visiting the Dorset County Museum www.dorsetcountymuseum.org for the world’s largest collection of Hardy memorabilia and visiting the picturesque cottage where he was born www.nationaltrust.org.uk Around the Dorset countryside are countless places which appeared in his novels – much of the countryside still looks the same as described in his novels. 11). Admire the glorious fan-vaulted ceiling of the county’s ‘cathedral’ Sherborne Abbey www.sherborneabbey.com. Afterwards, explore the boutiques and antique shops of Sherborne, one of the county’s most historic and attractive towns which was once the capital of Wessex.
A view looking towards The Priory Christchurch, Dorset Index
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WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND & DORSET Top 12 Dorset views to take your breath away Dorset has some of England’s most unspoiled, stunning scenery and the best place to view the expanses of open countryside are on higher ground. 1). St Catherine’s Hill, Christchurch – This hill has been used as a lookout beacon since prehistoric times. Now a nature reserve with a wide variety of wildlife species, the Hill offers tree-line walks with views across the Avon valley, surrounding heathlands and Christchurch Priory in the distance. 2). Hengistbury Head – This headland south-east of Christchurch (off the B3059) was an important trading port even from the Iron Age but is now a Nature Reserve; stand on top of the plateau and you will see views of Christchurch Harbour, Mudeford, Isle of Wight and Bournemouth beach. 3). Hambledon Hill – A prehistoric hillfort situated near Blandford Forum (off the A350); there is evidence of human habitation from 3000BC and standing on top of the Hill gives glorious views across the Blackmore Vale. Nearby Fontmell Down offers similarly spectacular views. 4). Badbury Rings – As you wander round the perimeter of this ancient hillfort (off the B3082 near Kingston Lacy, Wimborne), you will have momentous views over the Cranborne Chase and towards the coastal hills. 5). Chesil Beach view near Abbotsbury – The coastal road from Bridport to Abbotsbury (the B3157) offers wonderful views along the Jurassic Coast and just before you arrive in the picturesque village of Abbotsbury, Chesil Beach stretches before you with views to Portland.
Signpost to local attractions Dorset 24
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WEYMOUTH, PORTLAND & DORSET 6). Golden Cap – This is the highest point along the south coast of England and on a clear day, you can see to Dartmoor in Devon (off the A35 between Bridport and Lyme Regis). 7). Hardy’s Monument, Portesham – Erected in 1844, a monument to Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy who captained Nelson’s ship HMS Victory at the battle of Trafalgar and was born in Dorset; views across both heathland and the coast (off B3157 north of Abbotsbury) 8). Swyre Head – The highest spot in the Purbeck hills near Swanage; the hill commands extensive views from the Isle of Wight to Portland (from B3069 near Kingston village and accessed by a narrow track) 9). Agglestone Rock – a curious sandstone block at which, legend has it, the devil threw with the intent of hitting Corfe Castle! Walking up to it through the heathland of Studland Nature Reserve gives the opportunity to enjoy some of England’s most biodiverse terrain and views of Brownsea Island and Poole Harbour (off B3351 from Studland; parking available in village or beach car parks). 10). Hardown Hill – in the lush countryside behind Chideock (off the A35 just before Morecombelake), Hardown Hill is higher than Golden Cap and you can look down on Thorncombe Beacon, Chardown Hill, Quarry Hill and Langdon Hill. 11). Views of Chesil Beach from Portland – as you arrive in Portland, there is a statue recognising the importance of the quarry industry to the local area; standing by the statue gives great views of Chesil Beach and Weymouth and Portland Harbour (park at the Harbour Heights hotel). 12). Views from Bowleaze, Weymouth – Follow the beach to the east of the town until you get to Bowleaze area; standing on the hill over the Cove gives wonderful views across town and to Portland; pop in to the Lookout Café for sandwiches made with locally-caught crab. For further information: www.visit-dorset.com
Bowleaze Weymouth, Dorset Index
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ESSEX Top 12 things to do in Essex 1). Hadleigh Farm – As part of the London 2012 Games, on August 11th and 12th 2012, Essex will be hosting the Olympic Mountain Bike Events at Hadleigh Farm located in the south east of the county. While Essex may not be known for its rolling hills, the steep gradients of Hadleigh Farm will provide not only a great challenge to the world’s best mountain bikers, but also one of the most picturesque landscapes of the Games, set against the backdrop of ruined 13th century Hadleigh Castle, painted by Constable and owned by three of Henry VIII’s wives, with spectacular views across the Thames Estuary. The main driver behind the building of the course has been Essex County Council, who recognised that this once in a lifetime event offers the opportunity to use the games as a catalyst to inspire residents to get involved and feel part of the Games. Website: www.essexlegacy.org Email: [email protected] 2). White Water Rafting at Lee Valley Park – Lee Valley White Water Centre has been the only brand new London 2012 venue that has been open for the public to try out ahead of the Games. Visitors have been able to experience adrenalin pumping white water rafting, canoeing or kayaking. Named as the best in the world, the white water centre has two courses - a 300m Olympic Standard Competition Course with a 5.5m descent and a 160m Legacy Loop with a 1.6m descent - with 1200 rapid blocs. The centre is situated in the award-winning Lee Valley Regional Park which stretches 26 miles along the banks of the River Lee, from Ware in Hertfordshire, through Essex, to the Thames at East India Dock Basin. If white water rafting isn’t for you, you can also try canoeing or just enjoy strolling or biking through the acres of parkland. Website: www.leevalleypark.org.uk Email: [email protected] Hadleigh Farm Essex 26
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ESSEX 3). Audley End House and Gardens, Saffron Walden – Audley End is one of England’s most magnificent stately homes. The Jacobean Mansion has plenty of period rooms and furniture to explore including one of the most important surviving late eighteenth-century beds in the country. The Victorian service wing has been restored to its former heyday and during special events you can experience the team at work as they would have done all those years ago. Its stunning formal gardens include an Organic Kitchen Garden with a variety of fruit and vegetables, as well as various other herbs, flowers and grasses in keeping with those grown and used in the house around 1880. The doors of the restored historic stables recently opened and are complete with resident horses and a Victorian groom. This new experience, together with Audley End’s Service Wing including kitchen, scullery, pantry and laundries, gives you an insight into Victorian life below stairs and is very popular with old and young.
5). Sparks will Fly – Sparks will Fly will be a cultural celebration of the Olympics in 2012, a specially commissioned unique piece of outdoor theatre by internationally renowned arts organisation Walk the Plank that will encompass the whole county - the first of its kind in the region. The story highlights and showcases Essex’s heritage, telling the story of two giant visitors who arrived in Harwich and at Stansted airport in May 2012 and travel across the county, attending an event in every district. Each visitor will share and collect stories from across the region, whilst garnering supporters for a giant competition at the Sparks will Fly Finale at Hylands Parks on 6th July 2012 to coincide with the Torch Relay. Website: www.sparkswillfly.org.uk Email: [email protected]
Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk/audleyend Email: [email protected] Web: www.grayling.com 4). Follow in the footsteps of Constable – The Dedham Vale, often referred to as Constable Country, is rich in history and has been the inspiration to many writers and artists. It was immortalised by John Constable in his paintings over 200 years ago. John Constable himself said that "I associate my careless boyhood with all that lies on the banks of the Stour. Those scenes made me a painter". Follow in the artist’s footsteps by taking a relaxing walk. There are way-marked footpaths along the River Stour between Flatford, Dedham and East Bergholt, which form part of the long distance Stour Valley Path. You can even follow Constable's walk to school across the fields and feel his spirit in the rustle of the leaves and the tranquillity of the river. For a more active exploration, cycle the Painters' Trail, a 111km long cycle route through the picturesque and historic Dedham Vale, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Website: www.dedhamvalestourvalley.org Email: [email protected]
Audley End Essex Index
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ESSEX 6). Firstsite, Colchester – This breathtaking new art gallery is designed by Rafael Vinoly Architects and its stunning architecture and forthcoming collections are sure to leave a lasting impression on visitors. Firstsite's name reflects Colchester's status as the oldest recorded town in England, and the original Roman capital of Britannia. The centrepiece and only permanent display is the Berrylands mosaic, a masterpiece, which once decorated the floor of a Roman villa located where firstsite is now located. Andy Warhol's Oyster Stew can, part of his Campbell's soup series, was created only a couple of generations ago. What does this imported icon have to do with north-east Essex? The main ingredient - oysters. Ten miles away are the oyster beds of Mersea Island considered among the richest in Britain. Opened to the public in September 2011, it features inspiring exhibitions, innovative learning programmes, a resource centre, conference facilities, a café and restaurant. Website: www.firstsite.uk.net Email: [email protected] 7). RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Rettendon, Chelmsford – Keen gardeners will love visiting RHS Garden Hyde Hall. The 145.5 hectare garden is full of ideas, particularly for those wanting to learn about the kind of plants that thrive in challenging conditions. With sweeping panoramas, big open skies and far reaching views, this Essex garden is an inspiration to visitors of all ages. Highlights of the Garden are: the Dry Garden - showcasing a range of drought tolerant plants. The Australian and New Zealand Garden - a contemporary garden designed around existing Eucalyptus trees; the Hilltop Garden – includes a colour-themed herbaceous border, ponds, rose garden, gold garden, farmhouse garden, shrub rose border, woodland garden and island beds. The Queen Mother’s Garden – with meandering paths and a mix of grasses, perennials and roses. Regular events are also held including exhibitions, farmer’s markets, and Grow Your Own talks where visitors can learn more about growing and using herbs.
8). Layer Marney Tower – Layer Marney Tower was constructed in the first half of Henry VIII’s reign, around 1520, and is in many ways the apotheosis of the Tudor Gatehouse. It is in fact the tallest Tudor Gatehouse in Great Britain. The building is surrounded by formal gardens and parkland with magnificent views to the Blackwater Estuary. Visitors can climb the tower and enjoy light lunches, teas and cakes in The Tea Room in the old stable. For a unique experience, accommodation includes the Edwardian folly known as the Tea House or one of six luxurious encampments under canvas in the grounds for fans of ‘glamping’. Website: www.layermarneytower.co.uk Email: [email protected] 9). Dunmow Flitch Trials, 14 July 2012, Great Dunmow – Taking place every four years, the Dunmow Flitch Trials exist to award a flitch of bacon to married couples from anywhere in the world, who can prove marital harmony. The trial takes the form of a court presided over by a Judge, with Counsel representing the claimants and Opposing Counsel representing the donors of the Flitch of Bacon. There is also a Jury of six maidens and six bachelors, a Clerk of the Court to record the proceedings and an Usher to maintain order. Couples married for at least a year and a day come from far and wide to try and claim the Flitch, which is vigorously defended by Counsel employed on behalf of its donors. Successful couples are then carried shoulder-high by bearers in the ancient Flitch Chair to the Market Place, where they take the oath kneeling on pointed stones. Unsuccessful couples have to walk behind the empty chair to the Market Place, consoled with a prize of gammon. A common claim of the origin of the Dunmow Flitch dates back to 1104 with many mentions of it throughout history, however, is it not until 1445 that the winners of the Flitch were officially recorded. Since then, the trials have been held every four years since the end of WWII. Website: www.dunmowflitchtrials.co.uk Press contact details: [email protected]
Website: www.rhs.org.uk/Gardens/Hyde-Hall Email: [email protected]
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ESSEX 10). Rope Runners – Situated at The Secret Nuclear Bunker at Kelvedon Hatch, Rope Runners offer an exciting menu of activities ranging from their challenging pole based High Ropes courses to Water Zorbing, Tunnel Adventures, Archery, Quad Biking and Air Rifle Target Shooting. Challenge yourself on the new high ropes adventure courses on three levels plus a big zip wire, climbing wall and 13 metre free fall fan. Open all year round, this woodland adventure will see you take to the trees as you make your way around the various courses. Low level and more advanced courses are available and you can tie in your trip with a visit to the Secret Nuclear Bunker. Phobia training is also available for those with a fear of heights, the dark or confined spaces. Website: www.roperunners.co.uk E-mail: [email protected]
12). Relive the age of the Roman Empire at Colchester Castle – Once the capital of Roman Britain, Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town, which is why heritage fans should include a visit to the castle during their trip. Since the 16th century, the Castle has been a ruin, a library and a gaol for witches. Today it is an awardwinning museum featuring many hands-on displays showing Colchester's history from the Stone Age to the Civil War. The town wall, surrounding much of the centre for 2.4km is the oldest of its kind in Britain while the foundations of the enormous Temple of Claudius can still be seen beneath the castle. Today, if you lay your hand on the stonework of the temple it can be said that you are touching the very foundation of Roman Britain. Website: www.colchestermuseums.org.uk Email: [email protected]
11). Essex Discovery Coast – seal watching with Nature Break – With more than 563km the Essex coast is the longest of any English county. It is a most diverse coastline offering a variety of fun and enjoyment including miles and miles of remote and unspoiled coastline important for wildlife. Nature Break offers you the opportunity to explore the wealth of wildlife in and around Foulness Island and nearby Wallasea Island. The trips are escorted and are suitable for all ages. The boat trip takes you to parts not accessible by car or on foot where you can enjoy birds and seals in their own environment without disturbance. The main cruises are generally 4 hours but due to popular demand 2-hour cruises to view the Wallasea Wetlands and sail round into the River Roach have also been introduced when the tide is suitable. Website: www.wildlifetrips.org.uk Email: [email protected]
Colchester Castle Essex Index
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ESSEX Top 12 Historical Sites 1). Audley End House and Gardens, Saffron Walden – Audley End is one of England’s most magnificent stately homes. The Jacobean Mansion has plenty of period rooms and furniture to explore including one of the most important surviving late eighteenth-century beds in the country. The Victorian service wing has been restored to its former heyday and during special events you can experience the team at work as they would have done all those years ago. Its stunning formal gardens include an Organic Kitchen Garden with a variety of fruit and vegetables, as well as various other herbs, flowers and grasses in keeping with those grown and used in the house around 1880. www.english-heritage.org.uk/audleyend 2). Layer Marney Tower, Layer Marney – This beautiful Tudor building built around 1520 is surrounded by formal gardens and parkland with magnificent views to the Blackwater estuary. Visitors can climb the tower and enjoy light lunches, teas and cakes in The Tea Room in the old stable. For a unique experience, accommodation includes the Edwardian folly known as the Tea House or one of six luxurious encampments under canvas in the grounds for fans of ‘glamping’. www.layermarneytower.co.uk 3). Colchester Castle, Colchester – Once the capital of Roman Britain, Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town, which is why heritage fans should include a visit to the castle during their trip. Since the 16th century, the Castle has been a ruin, a library and a gaol for witches. Today it is an award-winning museum featuring many hands-on displays showing Colchester's history from the Stone Age to the Civil War. www.colchestermuseums.org.uk 4). Hyland’s House, Chelmsford – Hylands House is a stunning Grade II listed property, spectacularly restored to its former glory situated in 924ha of historic landscaped parkland. Visitors can explore the park for free or visit the house for a small entry fee. Various events are regularly held including murder mystery evenings, workshops and farmers markets. www.chelmsford.gov.uk/hylands
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Hedingham Castle Essex Index
ESSEX 5). Ingatestone Hall, Ingatestone – The Hall stands in open countryside, one mile from the village of Ingatestone and substantially retains its original Tudor form and appearance with its mullioned windows, high chimneys, crow-step gables and oak-panelled rooms and is surrounded by ten acres of enclosed gardens comprising extensive lawns, walled garden and stew pond. On specified days during the summer months, visitors are able to spend a couple of hours or more exploring the house and grounds. Guided tours for parties are available by prior arrangement at other times. www.ingatestonehall.com 6). Hedingham Castle, Castle Hedingham – A visit to the castle and its beautiful grounds is ideal for a family outing. There are four floors to explore, including a magnificent Banqueting Hall spanned by a 8.5m arch, one of the largest Norman arches in England. A good view of this splendid room can be obtained from the Minstrels' Gallery, built within the thickness of the 3.5m walls. During the summer there are a variety of special events including jousting tournaments, a pirate treasure hunt and a haunted walk. www.hedinghamcastle.co.uk 7). Naze Tower, Walton-on-the-Naze – The Naze Tower is an historic landmark dramatically situated on the cliffs at the Naze. The 26m tall octagonal tower has played an important part in maritime history and is grade II* listed, as the only building of its type and era in the country. Today it offers visitors a unique experience of heritage and culture that is fun for all ages. www.nazetower.co.uk 8). Paycocke’s, Coggeshall – Paycocke's is a National Trust Property built 1509/10. It is an attractive half-timbered merchant's house with uncommonly intricate carved woodwork and panelling. Built for Thomas Paycocke it shows off the wealth generated by the cloth trade in Coggeshall and in Essex. Saved from demolition by the local community in the 19th century the house was restored to its former glory by Lord Noel Buxton in the early 20th century. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
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9). Royal Gunpowder Mills , Waltham Abbey – Set in 69ha of natural parkland and boasting 20 buildings of major historic importance, the site mixes secret history, exciting science and beautiful surroundings. Evidence shows that gunpowder was produced in the Waltham Abbey area from at least the 17th Century. Later the Royal Gunpowder Mills became the leading English producer. www.royalgunpowdermills.com 10). Tilbury Fort, Tilbury – Tilbury Fort on the Thames estuary has protected London’s seaward approach from the 16th century through to the Second World War. The present fort is much the best example of its type in England, with its circuit of moats and bastioned outworks. Henry VIII built the first fort here, and Queen Elizabeth I famously rallied her army nearby to face the threat of the Armada. Explore the magazine houses used to store vast quantities of gunpowder or enter the bastion magazine passages and feel what it was like for the soldiers who lived here. The exhibition traces the role of the fort in the defence of London. www.english-heritage.org.uk/tilburyfort 11). Cressing Temple Barns, Nr. Witham – An ancient medieval moated farmstead with a fascinating range of rural barns and two vast spectacular oak barns built during the 13th century for the Knights Templar. Also a newly created 16th century paradise garden, gift shop and cafe. www.cressingtemple.org.uk 12). Hadleigh Castle, Hadleigh – The romantic ruins of a royal castle overlooking the Essex marshes. Hadleigh Castle was built by Hubert de Burgh in the 1230s during the reign of King Henry III for the 1st Earl of Kent and Chief Justice of England. It was extensively refortified by Edward III during the Hundred Years War, becoming a favourite residence of the ageing king. The barbican and two striking drum towers – one later used by Georgian revenue men looking out for smugglers – are part of his substantial building works during the 1360s. The castle formed part of the dower of several English queens in the 15th and 16th centuries, including Elizabeth Woodville the wife of Edward IV and three of the wives of Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, Anne of Cleves, and Catherine Parr. www.english-heritage.org.uk/hadleigh
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SURREY Top 12 – Experiences, Fun things to do and Family Fun 1). Chessington World of Adventures – one of two theme parks in Surrey and one of the most popular in England. Chessington has nine themed lands full of rides and experiences but also encompasses the original zoo, with tigers, penguins, reptiles and more. This is a fun day out for younger members of the family. 2). Thorpe Park – The second theme park in Surrey, which has become one of the nations most popular. Focusing on older children and young adults this thrill seeking park is only for the brave who enjoying being frightened whilst strapped to gravity defying rides. 3). Bocketts Farm and Godstone Farm – The Farm provides very small children the chance to see and have a hands on experience with farm animals and other small animals. 4). Mercedes Benz World at Brooklands – Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands is probably the only car show room in England with a difference. Showing the history of Mercedes-Benz as well as displaying the new models for sale visitors can have their own thrill with the driving experiences. The race-track gives visitors experience on the skid pan, off road or just extra driving experience with trained drivers. 5). Horse racing – Surrey is lucky enough to have several racecourses, Sandown, Lingfield Park, Kempton and Epsom with the Derby. With race days throughout the year this is fun day out for adults. 6). The Spectrum leisure centre – The Spectrum leisure centre in Guildford is a fun place for adults and children. With excellent sporting facilities plus leisure pool, ice rink and bowling alley.
The Vampire rollercoaster at Chessington Surrey 32
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SURREY 7). Go Ape at Alice Holt – Described as a tree-top adventure this is outdoor adventure for everyone. Climb trees, go down zip wires and much more - this is getting out side at its very best. 8). For adults only – Visiting England’s largest wine estate, Denbies, is the chance to see how England’s most well known wine is produced. With tours around the vineyard, winery and cellar. 9). Guildford Boat house – Offers day river trips and hiring of rowing boats in the main summer season. So for a relaxing afternoon on the river this is the perfect place to be. 10). Guildford Lido – One of England’s few remaining 1930’s open air swimming pools, Guildford Lido is an Olympic sized swimming pool open in the summer months. With surrounding gardens this is a perfect day out in the summer for families or the serious swimmer. 11). Surrey Hills Llama trekking – is a superb day out for all the family. This unique activity has become very popular and combines the beautiful Surrey Hills and animals. 12). The Lightbox in Woking – Surrey’s main art gallery and exhibition space. With several exhibition spaces which alternate with incoming exhibitions, The Lightbox always has something special to see. With a keen interest in the arts and education there is plenty for younger visitors.
Email: [email protected] www.visitsurrey.com
Derby Day Epsom, Surrey Index
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SURREY Top 12 – Gardens and Countryside 1). The largest and internationally world famous RHS Garden Wisley – As the premier garden of the Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley has been in existence for over 100 years and has been attracting people from the beginning. Described as being able to show more ranges of horticultural expertise than most gardens Wisley is a not only a must for all gardeners but is also a great place to meet friends and enjoy the stunning displays. Open year-round. 2). Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding National Beauty – Covering almost a quarter of Surrey, the area of countryside known as the Surrey Hills stretches from east to west across the county, taking in woodland, grass chalkland, heathland, rivers, streams and lakes. For stunning views, walks, trails, cycling and much more there is no where quite like this in England. 3). Loseley Park – Situated just south of Guildford, this is an Elizabethan historic house and superb example of a Walled garden. 4). National Trust, Claremont – A Capability Brown landscape garden. Created in 1726 with lake, grotto, vistas and follies this is a nationally important garden. 5). Boxhill and Leith Hill – both part of the Surrey Hills these two hills almost look at each other across the valley providing some of the most dramatic views in the South-east. Both managed by the National Trust these areas are stunning to walk and Leith Hill has its famous town on the top, perfect for families and walkers to aim for.
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SURREY 6). Savil Gardens – An ornamental garden covering 14ha gives visitors a wonderful experience through its classic gardens all beautifully designed and planted. 7). Winkworth Arboretum – A year round arboretum with a huge range of trees and shrubs offering magnificent displays from spring through to autumn. 8). The River Wey and Wey Navigations – Runs from the south in Surrey north and joins the Thames in Weybridge, part river and part canal this route had its hey-day from the 17th century through to the late 19th century. Now a picturesque route through the county with both the Guildford Boat House and Farncombe Boat House offer day boat trips as well as narrow boat hire. This form of travel is a wonderful way to see the county. 9). Painshill Park – Created as a romantic ornamental landscape garden around the 18th century had a succession of owners and fell into disrepair after WWII. A trust was formed in 1981 to save the garden and over the last 30 years this beautiful garden with its formal lakes, follies, views and exquisite grotto has been restored. 10). Titsey Place and garden – A wonderful hidden gem in Surrey. A large historic estate with house, estate and stunning kitchen walled garden, rose and ornamental gardens plus woodland walks. 11). Devils Punch Bowl – A natural basin formed by springs eroding the soft rock, the areas is now covered with woodland and heathland. 12). Busbridge Lakes – A fascinating water garden covering 6.5ha with specimen trees plus an amazing collection of wild waterfowl birds.
Email: [email protected] www.visitsurrey.com
Painshill Park Surrey Index
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WINDSOR AND ETON Top 12 things to do in Windsor 1). Visit The Queen’s official home – Windsor Castle, the world’s oldest and largest inhabited castle, is an official residence of Her Majesty The Queen. Highlights include the State Apartments, St George's Chapel, the burial place of 10 monarchs, and Queen Mary's Dolls House. The Changing of the Guard, usually accompanied by a band, takes place at 11a.m. daily from April until the end of July and on alternate days for the rest of the year (weather permitting and except Sundays). The best viewing point is the Corn Exchange at the famous Windsor Guildhall. Once inside the Castle, you can watch the actual changing ceremony outside the Guardroom in the Lower Ward at 11a.m. Email: [email protected] www.royalcollection.org.uk 2). Learn to play polo – the sport of Kings – The Royal Borough hosts polo at a number of venues featuring the world’s top professionals and plenty of opportunities to take part in half time ‘divot stamping’ – Pretty Woman style. National and International teams compete, with their entourage of ponies (never horses!) Lessons are also available where you can learn the rules and tactics and perfect your polo swing. No experience necessary. Email: [email protected] www.windsor.gov.uk 3) Dine out celebrity chef style – Looking for top notch dining? The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead offers Michelin stars, celebrity chefs and world-class cuisine. The latest addition is Antony Worrall Thompson’s Windsor Grill. A stone’s throw from The Long Walk, the Windsor Grill menu boasts an unrivalled range of prime Aberdeenshire steaks, handmade burgers, exquisite fish and seafood dishes and daily changing specials. In the nearby village of Bray you can choose from two, three-starred Michelin restaurants – The Waterside Inn run by Michel Roux and The Fat Duck run by Heston Blumenthal – voted best restaurant in the world in 2005. These are two of only four triple-starred Michelin restaurants in the UK. Email: [email protected] www.AWTRestaurants.com www.waterside-inn.co.uk www.thefatduck.co.uk
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Windsor Castle Windsor, Berkshire Index
WINDSOR AND ETON 4). Celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – To mark 60 years of The Queen's reign the Diamond Jubilee will take place in 2012. Celebrations centred around an extended weekend in 2012 on 2-5 June. A portrait of The Queen’s reign will be captured in 60 photographs on display at Windsor Castle, highlighting fleeting moments from both official occasions and relaxed family gatherings (from 4 February 2012 – January 2013). Email: [email protected] www.windsor.gov.uk 5). Tour Eton College – World famous Eton College opens its doors to visitors from April to October. Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, the School Dress still consists of a black tailcoat, waistcoat and pin-striped trousers introduced in the 1850s. Eton has educated 18 British Prime Ministers, Princes William and Harry and four-times Olympic Gold Medal rower Sir Matthew Pinsent. Short guided tours of approximately one hour in length are available. Pre-booking is essential. Email: [email protected] www.etoncollege.com 6). Discover Windsor’s Olympic heritage – Book a private walking tour for your group with an expert Blue Badge tourist guide and discover Windsor's Olympic heritage. Hear the amazing story of the 1908 Olympic marathon and why the official marathon route is 26 miles and 385 yards. Legend has it that the start of the marathon was moved to the Castle’s East Terrace because the then Princess of Wales wanted her children to see the race. See the only 1908 marathon route marker on Eton High Street and walk along part of the actual route. Also, visit The Long Walk to see where the 1948 Olympic road cycle race took place. Email: [email protected] www.windsortouristguides.co.uk
Eton College Windsor, Berkshire Index
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WINDSOR AND ETON 7). The Savill Garden – The Savill Garden is part of The Royal Landscape, which also includes the Valley Gardens and Virginia Water. It is one of England’s finest woodland and ornamental gardens with 14ha of trees, shrubbery, ponds and streams, lawns, meadows and formal beds which are home to some of the world’s most decorative plants. The new rose garden was opened by Her Majesty The Queen in June 2010. This exciting and contemporary garden is best visited from mid- June to September. Email: [email protected] www.thecrownestate.co.uk 8). Horse-drawn carriage ride through the Royal Landscape – Explore Windsor Great Park in style with a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride. Ascot Carriages offers scenic drives in a beautiful Victorian carriage previously used by the Queen’s Equerry and Horsemaster. Orchard Poyle runs tours from outside Windsor Castle and down The Long Walk to Home Park. Email: [email protected] www.ascotcarriages.co.uk www.orchardpoyle.co.uk 9). Walk the Riverside – Escorted by the Royal Boatmen, the Royal Family once used the Thames to travel between royal palaces. It's less common these days to see royals on the river, but walks along the Thames Path are not to be missed. Start from Old Windsor, and once past the weir at Old Windsor Lock, cross Albert Bridge for a detour into the village of Datchet - you'll soon return over Victoria Bridge into Home Park, with picture postcard views of both Windsor Castle and Eton. Email: [email protected] www.windsor.gov.uk
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WINDSOR AND ETON 10). Dress up for Royal Ascot – For almost 250 years, Royal Ascot has established itself as a national institution and the centrepiece of the British social calendar as well as being the ultimate stage for the best racehorses in the world. Tradition, pageantry, fashion and style all meet in a glorious setting where stewards wear bowler hats, ladies show off elaborate outfits and the after racing “singing round the bandstand” is a feast of fun and flag waving. Royal Ascot is the South of England’s most popular picnic spot and the most popular sporting occasion at which to picnic in the country and under-18’s go free when accompanied by an adult. Email: [email protected] www.ascot.co.uk/?page=royal_ascot 11). Count swans with HM Swan Marker – Follow The Queen's Swan Marker, the Royal Swan Uppers and the Swan Uppers of the Vintners' and Dyers' livery companies. The party use six traditional Thames rowing skiffs and The Queen's Swan Uppers wear scarlet uniforms. When a brood of cygnets is sighted, a cry of "All up!" is given to signal that the boats should get into position. On passing Windsor Castle, the rowers stand to attention in their boats with oars raised and salute "Her Majesty The Queen, Seigneur of the Swans". After weighing, measuring and a quick health check the swans are released back to the river Thames. Email: [email protected] www.royalswan.co.uk/ 12). Attend evensong at St George’s Chapel – The Choir of St George's Chapel is one of the leading Church Choirs in the country. It comprises 24 boy choristers and twelve Lay Clerks singing alto, tenor and bass. They perform Evensong at 5.15 pm (sung every day except Wednesdays) in a service which lasts approx. 45 minutes. Founded in 1348, the choir sings regularly in the presence of the Queen and other members of the Royal family and has a large repertoire of music drawn from all ages and traditions. Email: [email protected] www.stgeorges-windsor.org St. George’s Chapel Windsor, Berkshire Index
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WINDSOR AND ETON Top 12 Windsor Olympic connections 1). The 2012 Games will be the third time that the Olympic Games have been hosted by Great Britain and the third time events have taken place in Windsor. In 1908 the marathon started at Windsor Castle; in 1948 the cycling took place in Windsor Great Park and in 2012 the rowing and kayak events take place at Eton Dorney. 2). Local man, William Henry Grenfell, Lord Desborough, organised the 1908 Games. He lived at Taplow Court, Nr. Maidenhead and his sporting accomplishments include rowing in the University boat race, rowing across the English Channel, climbing the Matterhorn by three different routes, winning the national putting championships, swimming across the bottom of Niagara Falls (twice) and winning a silver medal in fencing at the 1906 unofficial Olympics. He was elected an MP at 25, marred an heiress, was Mayor of Maidenhead, became a peer in 1905 and served as a Knight of the Garter. Taplow Court can be seen from the Eton Dorney venue. 3). In 1908 Windsor hosted the Marathon which started outside the castle. At the time the actual race distance wasn’t fixed. Moving the starting point from Queen Victoria’s statue to East Terrace so that spectators wouldn’t hinder the athletes added 700 hundred yards to the total distance. A few changes at the White City finishing point meant the eventual race distance was 26 miles 385 yards and this was officially adopted as the length of the Marathon in 1924. 4). On the day of the Marathon the Princess of Wales (later Queen Mary) and her children decided to come from Frogmore House to the Castle to see the start. The Crown Prince of Sweden was due to start the race but protocol dictated he should defer to her so an elaborate plan was devised to keep all happy. The Princess of Wales pressed a button on a table which connected by electric cable to Lord Desborough’s car. He fired a pistol and the Crown Prince of Sweden shouted “Go”. 5). Eton High Street has the only 1908 marathon route marker still in existence. It is high up on a house next to Barnes Bridge – just past the Post Office and before the Eton College shop – and reads “25 miles to go”. Rowers on the Thames Windsor, Berkshire 40
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WINDSOR AND ETON 6). The 1948 Olympic torch came through Windsor down Sheet Street Road, Kings Road, High Street and over the bridge to Eton where the hand over was outside the ‘burning bush’ Eton College’s school hall. This famous meeting point is made of wrought iron and was designed by architect Woodyear in 1864. It was lit by gas and on a central island but was moved in 1963 on safety grounds and is no longer illuminated. 7). The 1948 road cycle race was moved to Windsor from the originally planned venue, Richmond Park, when it was discovered that any activity at more than 20 miles an hour was prohibited. The race was held on Friday 13th August and was started in a torrential downpour on Smith’s Lawn, Windsor Great Park, by HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The race distance was 120 miles, comprised of 17 laps which took approximately 18 minutes each to complete.
11). Rowing has been an event at every modern Olympic games; a women’s competition was added in 1976. With an oar stroke rate of up to 47 strokes per minute rowing is known for its display of stamina and strength. Physiologists say rowing 2000m is equivalent to playing back-to-back basketball games. 12). Windsor Castle featured on the cover of the 1908 Marathon official programme rather than the main stadium or an athletic representation. The Great Western Railway put on a special train from London’s Paddington Station to Windsor, and allowed the runners to change in the waiting room at Windsor Station. In 2008, the Queen held a reception at Windsor Castle to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1908 marathon. www.windsor.gov.uk/2012/press-and-media/history-olympics-and-windsor
8). Britain won silver in the 1948 cycling team race. Competitors suffered punctures due to the loose gravel on the roads: Of the 91 who started – 52 suffered punctures and only 28 finished. One of the team speaking to Prince Philip afterwards said “I got a medal despite your dirty old park”. “Jolly good show” replied the Duke. 9). Dorney Lake is a 2200m, eight-lane course with a separate return lane constructed to international standards by Eton College. Set in 182ha of parkland which includes an Arboretum and Nature Conservation area, up to 30000 spectators per day will be able to enjoy the Rowing, Kayak and Paralympic Rowing events, assisted by 3500 staff and volunteers. 10). London had been selected as the host city for the 1944 Games, however these were postponed due to WWII. Eventually taking place only three years after the end of the War, the 1948 Games became known as the Austerity Games, due to the ongoing rationing and post-war conditions. Most countries brought their own food and athletes were housed in army barracks and transported to venues in double decker buses.
Windsor Castle Windsor, Berkshire Index
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BATH Top 12 ways to relax in Bath 1). Bathe at the Thermae Bath Spa – Using the warm, mineral-rich waters which the Celts and Romans enjoyed over 2000 years ago, Thermae Bath Spa is Britain's original and only natural thermal Spa. Thermae is a remarkable combination of 'old and new' where historic spa buildings blend with the contemporary design of the New Royal Bath. Relax in the roof-top pool while enjoying views of Bath’s surrounding cityscape. 2). Explore the Roman Baths – Around Britain's only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water. See the water's source, walk where Romans walked on the ancient stone pavements and discover the beginnings of this spa town. 3). Treat yourself at a hotel or day spa – Bath has a large number of hotel and day spas where you can pop in for a quick treatment or spoil yourself with a full day of indulgence. Luxurious treatments and top spa facilities are all available at 5-star hotels, Macdonald Bath Spa, Royal Crescent and nearby Lucknam Park. 4). Stroll through Bath’s unique architecture – One of Bath’s most striking features is its unique architecture that has earned it a worldwide reputation. Strolling around Bath’s picturesque streets and discovering architectural gems such as the Royal Crescent, Circus and Pulteney Bridge is an enjoyable way to discover the World Heritage Site of Bath. 5). Relax in one of Bath’s parks and gardens – Bath has many green spaces with lots of beautiful parks and gardens including Royal Victoria Park, with its 23ha of parkland, and Prior Park Landscape Gardens, on the outskirts of the city, offering fantastic views across Bath. 6). Enjoy a quintessential British afternoon tea – It’s easy to experience a quintessential British afternoon tea in Bath with a good choice of cafes and quaint tearooms. The Pump Room has been regarded as the social heart of Bath for more than two centuries and is where Bath’s hot Spa water is drawn for drinking. Sernaded by the Pump Room Trio, diners can enjoy a choice of afternoon tea in elegant 18th Century surroundings. Alternatively, Sally Lunn's – located in the oldest house in Bath (c.1482) - serves the most famous local delicacy; the Original Sally Lunn Bun. 42
The Great Bath Bath, Somerset Index
BATH 7). Dine in Bath – Discover a foodie heaven in Bath with restaurants offering flavours to suit all tastes. There is a fantastic mix of cafes, pubs and bars, a vibrant independent restaurant sector and a superb selection of award winning restaurants. On a sunny day, there are many relaxing spots to dine al fresco such as Milsom Place - a tucked away pedestriansed courtyard with a number of popular eateries. 8). Discover Bath and the surrounding area with a personal guide – There are so many hidden secrets to explore in Bath and the surrounding area, with beautiful countryside and intruiging towns and villages waiting to be discovered. Organise a personal walking tour of Bath or opt for a chauffeur-driven tour to explore the nearby region. 9). See Bath by boat – The picturesque River Avon runs through the centre of Bath and under the famous Pulteney Bridge. Join one of the city’s leisurely boat trips and explore Bath from a different perspective. 10). Relaxing retail therapy – Bath offers a unique shopping experience with a fabulous selection of small independent shops and stylish boutiques, alongside familiar big name stores and exclusive designer brands. The city centre is traffic free and compact making it easy to reach all the top spots on foot. 11). Walk along the Kennet & Avon Canal – The Kennet & Canal runs through the centre of Bath and onto nearby countryside. A level walk will take you into picturesque meadows and farmland and you’ll even be able to pop into one of the cosy country pubs along the way. 12). Visit one of Bath’s many museums & galleries – Bath has a huge number of museums for a city of its size – 17 in the city centre alone – providing visitors with an interesting way to discover more about the city. There are also many art galleries including the newly refurbished Holburne Museum which is set in an impressive Georgian building and complemented by its brand new and very modern extension.
Thermae Bath Spa Bath Index
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BIRMINGHAM Birmingham’s Top 12 buildings 1). Selfridges at the Bullring – Birmingham’s Selfridges store, designed by architects Future Systems and covered with 15000 spun aluminium discs was named one of the world’s ‘ultimate sights’ by Lonely Planet in September 2011. 2). The Cube – Inspired by a visually enchanting jewellery box, The Cube – vision of award winning architect, Ken Shuttleworth, draws on Birmingham’s heritage as a leading centre for jewellery design and manufacture, transforming the city’s skyline. 3). Birmingham Cathedral – St Philip’s Church was one of the first new parish churches to be built after the Reformation. Its architect, Thomas Archer, had a relatively brief architectural career and left few completed buildings but is well known both for his flamboyant interpretation of the Baroque style and for the quality of his designs. Construction of St Philip’s Church commenced in 1709. The church was consecrated in 1715, although lack of funding meant that the imposing Tower remained incomplete until 1725. The church was originally constructed on a simple rectangular plan with a shallow Apse at the east end. Internally, the liturgical arrangements and furnishings were typical of the period with a central “three-decker” pulpit, box pews and galleries on three sides. The Baroque stone font was placed under the West Gallery in a railed enclosure and the organ was situated at the centre of the Gallery immediately above. Plain oak wainscoting clad the lower parts of the walls and columns. The church was built of a local brick and faced in a pale grey calcareous limestone, which came from the Rowington Quarries on the Archer Estates at Umberslade. It is thought that much of the timber used in the building also came from the Archer Estates. The structure is built on “substantial brick footings, approximately 3.5m below ground level on a stratum of dense sand”. A Crypt, of no great size by contemporary standards, was constructed below the Nave. Curiously this is understood to be structurally independent of the remainder of the building and considerably smaller than the overall plan (both of Archer’s other churches have vaulted crypts which occupy the full plan area and are integrated structurally with the remainder of the building). The Crypt apparently featured a coffin lift and an access stair below the Tower. Selfridges Birmingham 44
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BIRMINGHAM 4). Birmingham Town Hall – Town Hall re-opened on Thursday 4 October 2007, with a two-week festival of events on the theme Celebrating the Past, Pioneering the Future. Town Hall has undergone a £35m renovation, funded by Birmingham City Council (£18.3m), Heritage Lottery Fund (£13.7m) and European Regional Development Fund (£3m). Acclaimed at its opening in 1834 as the finest music hall in the country, this Grade 1 listed landmark has been lovingly and painstakingly renovated by a dedicated team of conservation and construction professionals. Since that time, its imposing neo-classical design has dominated the City centre’s Victoria and Chamberlain Squares. 5). Library of Birmingham – The Library of Birmingham will be a major new cultural destination, rewriting the book for 21st century public libraries. It opens in 2013. The Library of Birmingham will provide a showcase for the city’s internationally important collections of archives, photography and rare books. New facilities including state-of-the-art gallery space will open up public access to the collections for the first time. It will also be home to a BFI Mediatheque, providing free access to the National Film Archive. Other facilities will include a new flexible studio theatre, an outdoor amphitheatre and other informal performance spaces, a recording studio, and dedicated spaces for children and teenagers. By harnessing new technology, everyone from Birmingham to Beijing, Bangalore and beyond will be able to access the Library of Birmingham’s world-class resources. More than three million visitors are expected each year, and millions more online. Described by its architect Francine Houben as a ‘people’s palace’, the Library of Birmingham will be highly accessible and family-friendly. It will deliver excellent services through collaboration between the library, The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, partners and communities. It will provide a dynamic mix of events, activities and performance together with outstanding resources, exhibitions and access to expert help for learning, information and culture. As a centre of excellence for literacy, research, study, skills development, entrepreneurship, creative expression, health information and much more, the Library of Birmingham will change people’s lives. 6). The Rotunda – Situated at the heart of the city for more than 40 years, Rotunda is Birmingham’s most iconic building. Following redevelopment by Urban Splash, Rotunda is home to 232 citypads, and one and two bedroom apartments. Rotunda sits above the Bullring shopping centre and Birmingham New Street Station and has 360 degree views across the city.
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BIRMINGHAM 7). Birmingham Council House, Victoria Square – Built between 1874 and 1879 on what was once Ann Street, and designed by Yeoville Thomason, the Council House is now a Grade II listed building, used for all Council and most Committee meetings. The front, facing Victoria Square, has a pediment showing Britannia receiving the manufacturers of Birmingham. Before it was built the town council met at such places as the Public Offices in Moor Street, and even at a public house. The town argued long and hard whether the finished building should be called The Municipal Hall, Council House, or Guildhall. The total cost was £63,805. Behind it stands the Museum and Art Gallery, built by the same architect in 1881-5. 8). Winterbourne House – Restored to its Edwardian Arts and Craft splendour, Winterbourne House is a unique heritage attraction – set within three hectares of beautiful botanic gardens. Only minutes from Birmingham city centre, Winterbourne is a hidden gem – home to beautiful antiques and over 6000 plant species from around the world. Wander along the woodland walk, stroll through the hazelnut tunnel, cross the 1930’s Japanese Bridge or simply soak up the tranquillity of this perfectly English Edwardian home. 9). Fort Dunlop – Fort Dunlop is a Birmingham landmark and architectural icon. Original trye factory and main office of Dunlop Rubber, developer Urban Splash has kept all of the best old bits of the building and poured new ideas into the shell. The redevelopment includes a stunning atrium, new green roof and a new hotel has been bolted onto the end. Headquarters to the Birmingham Post and Mail newspapers and a vast array of other businesses from accountants and insurance companies to PR and design consultants – Fort Dunlop’s tenants benefit from a host of onsite retailers, eateries and great access to the M6 motorway.
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BIRMINGHAM 10). Custard Factory – Six hundred paces from the Bull Ring is The Custard Factory, Built 100 years ago it is now home to a hive of young creative companies, galleries, fine artists, independent shops and terrific restaurants. One of Birmingham’s biggest nightclubs and a number of renowned live music venues are located here. All are part of a vigorous working community that knows how to party too! 11). Mailbox – The Mailbox opened in 1998 and was the redevelopment of the former Royal Mail sorting office in Birmingham City Centre. Now it is the UK’s largest mixed-use building incorporating retail, leisure, offices and residential in a well managed, security patrolled complex of the highest quality. The tenants included Malmaison and Ramada hotels, the BBC Midlands headquarters, luxury retailers such as Harvey Nichols, Emporio Armani, Hugo Boss and sixteen restaurants and cafe bars. The Mailbox is one of Birmingham’s premier shopping and lifestyle destination with exclusive stores, restaurants, cafe bars, hotels and 24 hr parking. It is the ultimate location for designer shopping in the Midlands with international brands as well as chic salons & spas in one central Birmingham location. 12). St Martins – St Martin in the Bull Ring is one of the most ancient and contemporary buildings in Birmingham. Most of the Grade II listed church is from the nineteenth century. It was built in 1873 and is an example of gothic Victorian architecture, designed by Alfred Chatwin, from Birmingham, who also worked on the houses of parliament. But St Martin's is much older than that. There has been a church on this site since 1290 and may well have been a simple place of worship here in Saxon times. St Martin's is also a place of worship for a thriving community who refurbished the building in 2000 making it more light and open.
St Martin in the Bull Ring Birmingham Index
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BIRMINGHAM Top 12 Hidden Gems in Birmingham 1). Electric Cinema – Established in 1909 The Electric Cinema is the oldest working cinema in the UK. It has been through many name changes and was mostly rebuilt in the 1930s. Click here to find out more information and to watch short documentaries on the cinema’s amazing life story. 2). VIVID Gallery – Established in 1992, VIVID has a longstanding commitment to the development of contemporary media arts through research, production, and commissioning programmes. Based in Birmingham's Eastside district, the VIVID project space, The Garage, is used to introduce audiences to both emerging talent and work of international significance, with a strong focus on the moving image and innovation. VIVID takes an inter-disciplinary approach to moving image to also embrace music, new media, live and visual arts and in so doing, supports audiences to navigate their own way through complex and important histories and territories. 3). ZELLIG – ZELLIG is a creative art studios in the Custard Factory Quarter – provides an inspiring, entertaining and commercially fertile environment for one hundred and one independent creative enterprises. 4).Project Pigeon – Project Pigeon is an organisation that brings people from diverse communities together and works with pigeons, gardens and boats as a vehicle to do so. Project Pigeon keeps 70 pigeons in a loft in Birmingham and with the pigeons run workshops, make performances, make publications, curate exhibitions, race in a local pigeon club and design and build pigeon lofts. The project started in January 2009 and is open ended and expansive. Project Pigeon’s Loft, is located on Milk Street, Digbeth, Birmingham (in Boxxed’s backyard) 5). Ikon Slow Boat – Slow Boat is Ikon’s innovative three year project (2011-2013) aimed at engaging young people with contemporary artists and the local heritage and history of the Inland Waterways.
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BIRMINGHAM 6). Edgbaston Priory Club – Edgbaston Priory Club is firmly established as one of the country’s most prestigious racquet and leisure clubs. It is a private members club with over 3000 members who regularly enjoy playing racquet sport, keeping fit and socialising. The origins of Edgbaston Priory Club date back around 130 years. The Club as we know it today was formed in December 1964 as a result of a merger between two very long established clubs; Edgbaston Lawn Tennis Club, founded in 1878 and Priory Lawn Tennis Club, founded in 1875. This merger came about when, in May 1963, a disastrous fire completely destroyed Priory's Clubhouse - hence the Club's logo which is a Phoenix rising from the ashes. Edgbaston Priory Club is a very different place today than it was in the 1880’s when it moved to its current location. Set in 5ha of beautiful grounds the private members club now boasts 29 tennis courts, 10 squash courts, heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, outside spa, Technogym equipped fitness facilities and a licensed bar and restaurant. 7). Barber Institute of Fine Arts “one of the finest small art galleries in Europe” - The Observer Monet, Manet, and Magritte; Renoir, Rubens, Rossetti and Rodin; Degas, Delacroix and van Dyck — not to mention Botticelli, Poussin, Turner, Gainsborough, Gauguin, van Gogh, Picasso, Hodgkin…You can see major works by all these great artists in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, at the University of Birmingham. There’s also a stunning coin gallery and an exciting programme of exhibitions, concerts, lectures, gallery talks, workshops and family activities. The Barber is also home to the University of Birmingham's departments of History of Art and Music, as well as the Barber Fine Art and Music libraries. 8). Number 11 bus route – The number 11 bus route is a circular route from Perry Barr to Handsworth. At 43.5km long, it is the Longest urban bus ride in Europe. It takes 2.5 hours to complete and takes in local sights including: •
Sarehole Mill – one of two surviving water mills in B’ham and inspiration for JRR Tolkien
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Villa Park
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9). St Paul’s Gallery – St Pauls Gallery is the World's leading retailer in signed limited edition album cover fine art. Opened in 2002 St Paul’s has steadily grown to what is now the largest collection of licensed album cover art in the World. With well over 100 signed prints on permanent show and sale, the gallery is a place not to be missed if music is your passion. Also on show are exclusive collections of signed limited edition musician portrait photographs and fine art prints. St Pauls also actively invests and trades in rare fine art prints and originals by world renowned artists including Andy Warhol, Picasso, Bridget Riley and Salvador Dali. 10). The Pen Room Museum – During the 19th Century, 75 percent of everything written in the world was with a ‘Birmingham’ pen. Birmingham was at the forefront of this trade until it declined in the 1950’s with the invention of the biro and fountain pen. At one time there were about 100 factories in the Jewellery Quarter area. The development of the steel pen reduced the cost of writing and enabled the spread of literacy throughout the world. Set in the atmosphere of a former Victorian pen factory, the Pen Room Museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of this trade. There is ongoing research into the social, historical and technical aspects of the trade and also the Jewellery Quarter itself. The museum has assisted people tracing their genealogy and is keen to hear from anybody who has had connections with the trade. 11). Hare and Hounds Kings Heath – Hare & Hounds is a fully equipped live entertainment venue. We cater for all tastes by hosting fantastic artists across all musical genres. We also have a mixture of alternative events such as comedy, vintage fairs, spoken word, quizzes … and now serves food! 12). The Old Joint Stock Theatre – "If you don't already know it, the Old Joint Stock is an absolute jewel box of a theatre. Perched on the top floor of a grand nineteenth century building that was once a private bank, right opposite the front door of Birmingham's St Philip's Cathedral, it's the jewel in the crown of a brilliant and vibrant pub conversion. For those of us who like their theatre experiences up close and personal it is one of the midlands' most perfect venues..." from a review by the Lichfield Blog
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BLACKPOOL Top 12 Things to do in Blackpool 1). Blackpool Tower – There’s also great plans for the world famous Tower. Look out later this year for the newly refurbished observation deck - the Blackpool Tower Eye – for a brand new 4D cinema experience and the undisputed best view in town. Then, when you've been to the top of the Tower, take the Elevator to Hell and descend into the grisly world of the new Tower Dungeon where you'll come faceto-face with 100 years of the dark history of the North West. Meet the Skippool Smugglers, try to escape the Labyrinth of the Lost and explore the isolated communities of eerie Pendle Woods - where anyone can be accused of witchcraft – even you...If you're found guilty you'll be sentenced to experience the drop-ride of doom – taste the fear as you drop, screaming into the darkness below! 2). Showzam! – 15th-24th February 2013 - Showzam! is Blackpool's festival of Circus, Magic and New Variety taking place during February Half-Term. The Showzam! festival will see the town come alive with a myriad of world class performances and highly acclaimed entertainers appearing at venues throughout the town. During Showzam!, Blackpool will be awash with colour and excitement throughout the resort. 3). Winter Gardens Floral Hall – For something a little less high-octane, experience the golden age of Hollywood glamour as you step into the splendour of the newly restored Grade II listed Winter Gardens and enjoy a stroll along the stunning Floral Hall. Enjoy a coffee break in the Mazzei coffee shop whilst you marvel at newly rediscovered plasterwork by renowned film set designer Andrew Mazzei; or stay for a meal and revel in the art deco designs and glasswork from your seat the glamorous Empress Grill. First-class North West restaurateurs Heathcoats are in charge of both new eateries in the Winter Gardens – guaranteeing you a fabulous dining experience. Gorgeous! 4). Pleasure Beach, Blackpool – There’s something for everyone at Pleasure Beach Resort with over 125 rides and attractions plus spectacular shows. In May 2011 Nickelodon Land, a new 2.5ha area of Pleasure Beach, opened, brimming with 12 rides and attractions, a Nickelodeon shop, fun game stalls, a huge new restaurant and home to a whole host of famous Nickelodeon characters. Blackpool 50
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BLACKPOOL 5). Madame Tussauds – Madame Tussauds is the 12th place in the world to carry the iconic brand name following on from others in London, New York, Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Amsterdam. Brand new £150,000 wax models take centre stage, offering visitors the chance to mingle with sporting heroes, favourite characters, big name movie stars and world leaders. 6). Sandcastle Waterpark – Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool is the UK’s largest indoor waterpark and with 18 slides and attractions it is easy to see why Sandcastle Waterpark continues to make a splash. 7). Blackpool Trams – An essential part of any visit to Blackpool, a tram journey is the perfect way to travel. This Easter 16 brand new state-of-the-art vehicles will join the heritage cars as part of a £100m upgrade to the system to ensure its survival into the 21st Century and beyond. Whether you choose to travel in accessible luxury on board the new cars, or choose a more traditional vehicle this is a great way to see Blackpool's beach and experience the promenade. 8). Blackpool Zoo – Voted “Visitor Attraction of the Year” for Blackpool and Lancashire, the zoo has all your favourite animals from aardvarks to zebras residing in spacious, natural enclosures with lakes and mature parkland. You can see over a thousand exotic and endangered animals, reptiles, birds and invertebrates from all around the world.
11). Stanley Park – The 158ha Stanley Park is a landmark in its own right, with a magical blend of architecture, horticulture and recreation. Stanley Park abounds in wildlife and its features appeal to the naturalist, the plant lover or one who would do nothing more than relax in elegant surroundings. Delightful horticultural displays can be found throughout the park. Don’t miss the Italian gardens, water fountains, statues, rose gardens and Remembrance Garden. Admire the impressive Cocker Tower - a memorial to Blackpool’s first Mayor Dr William Cocker, the bandstand and ornamental bridges over the lake. 12). Tower Festival Headland – In 2012 we welcome the brand new Tower Festival Headland to the town as the central section of the seawall renewal reaches its final stages. The £15.5m headland will jut into the sea beneath the Tower and feature a comedy carpet with dozens of quotes and catchphrases from well known classic and contemporary comics. In addition, there’ll be a 20000 capacity open air arena designed to host world class events.
Blackpool Tower by night Blackpool
9). Blackpool Illuminations – 31st August – 4th November 2012 - Have you seen them? The sort of spectacle that everyone should see at least once, Blackpool Illuminations enthral millions of visitors every year. The greatest free light show on earth has been a major part of Blackpool’s attraction since 1879 when they were described as ‘Artificial Sunshine’. 10). Sea Life Centre – Are you a shark lover, seahorse fanatic or a clownfish groupie? Perhaps it’s the graceful jellyfish or the clever octopus that you love the most. Maybe you simply can’t decide! Here at SEA LIFE Blackpool you can make up your mind and see them all - from the curious and the rescued to the rare and the enigmatic. And you’ll be able to get closer to them than ever before.
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BRIGHTON & HOVE Top 12 Brighton & Hove Royal connections 1). One of the country's most iconic attractions is in the heart of Brighton, The Royal Pavilion, was the seaside home of the Prince Regent who later became George IV. 2). Brighton Dome is part of the Royal Pavilion estate and visitors who join the 'Behind the Scenes' tour can see the tunnel which links the Brighton Dome and the Royal Pavilion. 3). Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is also part of the Royal Pavilion estate and originally housed the Prince Regent's horses. 4). The Theatre Royal Brighton is situated in the cultural quarter of the city and the Prince Regent gave his Royal Ascent for the theatre to be built. 5). Brighton & Hove has several parks and green spaces to relax in and one of the largest is Queen's Park which was originally a Victorian pleasure garden known as Brighton Park but it was later renamed in honour of Queen Adelaide and formally opened to the public on 10 August 1892. 6). The city is known for the stunning regency architecture and one of the finest examples is Adelaide Crescent, which was named after Queen Adelaide who regularly visited Brighton with her husband King William IV. Similarly Brunswick Square is named after Caroline of Brunswick who was the Prince Regent's wife.
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BRIGHTON & HOVE 7). The Old Steine was the fashionable centre of town and today there are two buildings here with blue plaques on them to commemorate royal links. The Royal York hotel is where King William IV and Queen Adelaide stayed during a visit to the city. At number 55 (Steine House) there is a blue plaque dedicated to Maria Fitzherbert who was the Prince Regent's mistress and said to be his one true love. 8). Along the seafront promenade there is a large statue of an angel which marks the border between Brighton & Hove. The Peace Statue was erected as a memorial to King Edward IV who was known as the 'Peacemaker' and was very fond of Hove and once said: "I like Hove. I like its surroundings and I like its climate". 9). The Duke of York's Picturehouse is the oldest continually operating cinema in the UK and was actually named after the London theatre although it's opening in 1910 coincided with the accession to the throne of George V, Duke of York. 10). Each May the city hosts the biggest offshore yacht race in Sussex. The Royal Escape is an annual recreation of Charles II's flight from his puritan pursuers during the Civil War. 11). Captain Nicholas Tettersell is buried at St Nicholas's Church; he was the owner of the Old Ship Hotel which he bought with money from a grateful King Charles II. The captain had helped the King to escape to France in 1651 after the Battle of Worcester. 12). The main road along the seafront is called King's Road as King George IV had contributed ÂŁ200 to the project and opened the road on 29 January 1822. The lower promenade on beachfront level includes the King's Road Arches home to the Artist's Quarter as well as a variety of shops, bars and restaurants.
Theatre Royal Brighton Index
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BRIGHTON & HOVE Top 12 Brighton Beach facts 1). The city's iconic beachfront attraction, Brighton Pier, cost £137,000 to build, is 525m long and welcomes over 4m visitors each year.
2). Brighton beach is 13.35km long and scientists have calculated that it is made up of 648 billion pebbles.
3). The world’s oldest operating electric railway, Volks Railway, runs along Brighton beach from Brighton Pier to Brighton Marina in the summer months.
4). The world's oldest aquarium is the Sea Life Brighton which opened in 1872.
5). Brighton beach was the scene of the famous Mods & Rockers riots in the mid 60’s, which was a pivotal point in modern British history and became immortalised on screen in the film ‘Qaudrophenia’.
6). On average 47500 sheets of toilet paper are used in the seafront toilets every day.
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BRIGHTON & HOVE 7). Brighton Marina is the biggest marina development in Europe.
8). The newest attraction on Brighton beach is the Brighton Wheel which takes visitors 50m above sea level in one of 36 enclosed glass gondolas, offering incredible views out to sea and across the city.
9). Brighton Bandstand on the beachfront was originally completed in 1884, and was completely restored in 2009 and is now a popular wedding and civil partnership venue.
10). The city of Brighton & Hove is still the largest fishing centre in Sussex and the Brighton Fishing Museum on the beachfront traces the original history of the industry since the days of Brighthelmstone.
11). The Brighton Swimming Club swims in the sea every day, including Christmas Day!
12). On 1 April 1980, the UK’s first naturist beach in a prime British resort was opened at the Cliff Bathing Beach below Dukes Mound to the west end of Brighton beach.
Brighton Marina Brighton Index
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BRISTOL Top 12 ways to enjoy the best of Bristol 1). Street art scene – Bristol is home to the most ambitious permanent street art project ever to take place in the UK. The world’s leading street artists from numerous countries have painted the facades of 10 multi-storey Bristol buildings along Nelson Street in the city centre as part of ‘See No Evil’, making the street one of the world’s largest outdoor art exhibitions. Synonymous with the city’s street art scene is Banksy, the elusive graffiti artist extraordinare, whose collection of artistic works is featured on streets, walls and bridges all over the world, and it all started in Bristol. Born out of the city’s vibrant underground scene, Banksy became involved in graffiti during the great Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980’s which was heavily influenced by artists and musicians in New York City. During a visit to the city, don’t miss these top three city locations to admire Banksy’s art: 1) Stoke’s Croft - Banksy’s Mild, Mild West can be found right next to The Canteen 2) Frogmore Street - Banksy’s artwork is on the side of a sexual health clinic, with the best views being had from the small bridge on Park Street that crosses Frogmore Street 3) Thekla - An infamous piece of work viewed on the side of the Thekla Social boat moored in Bristol harbour 2). M Shed – Travel back in time and visit Bristol’s new £2m history museum, M Shed, which opened its doors in June 2011. The new museum in the historic Harbourside area uncovers the story of the city including its trading past and wartime experiences. Designed to appeal to all family generations, the museum features a children’s area to creatively engage with history, whilst older generations will appreciate the fascinating insight into Bristol’s wartime history. 3). St Nicholas Market – Take a stroll through the heart of Bristol’s Old City and discover St Nicholas Market, named by The Guardian newspaper as one of the best 10 markets in the UK and it’s not hard to see why. This is where Bristol’s largest collection of independent retailers gather under one roof, bringing together an inviting mix of smells and flavours from its food and drink section. It provides the perfect atmosphere for tasting the city’s locally produced goods, particularly when the Slow Food Market opens up on the first Sunday of every month. 56
‘Banksy’ Street Art Bristol Index
BRISTOL 4). Pieminister – A steaming hot pie filled to its pastry-brim with heart-warming ingredients is a comfort food loved by all. Bristol is home to the successful Pieminister, an innovative pie-making company set up in the city during 2004. The brains behind the pies, brothers-in-law Jon Simon and Tristan Hogg, explain that Bristol was their choice city for setting up the business due to its greenminded ethos and passion for locally-reared produce. All Pieminister pies are handmade by chefs who use free-range meat and fresh vegetables, and this attention to using good quality ingredients is at the heart of the company’s success in Bristol and now throughout the country. Enjoy a taste of Bristol’s finest exports in the heart of the St Nicholas Market. 5). Bristol Pirate Walks – Bristol’s pirating past is one of the most fascinating aspects of the city. Bristol Pirate Walks, run by Pirate Pete, are one-hour guided walking tours of Bristol's historic Harbourside. The walks cover Bristol's often grizzly 16th, 17th and 18th century maritime history, including discovery, trade, slavery and piracy. The walk discovers Long John Silver’s treasure chest in the smugglers cave, visit Treasure Island’s Spy Glass Inn where the press gangs roamed and find Blackbeard’s Lair in the medieval port. 6). Bristol Blue Glass – unique to the city, Bristol Blue Glass has been free blown in Bristol since the 18th Century. From jewellery and small animal figurines to goblets and plates, Bristol Blue Glass is perfect as a souvenir to gift friends and relatives from beyond the city. Today, the skilled glass makers at Bristol Blue Glass Factory & Shop are continuing a time-honoured tradition at the thriving, working factory. Visitors can observe these skilled craftsmen at their workshop in Brislington, South Bristol, watch glass being blown, spend time in the museum of glass, listen to fascinating commentaries and join in with exciting, hands-on activities. 7). Llandoger Trow – Originally built in 1664, this is one of the last timber-built buildings in all of Bristol. The building retains many of its original features and has been meticulously restored. There are many myths and legends surrounding the pub, of pirates and secret tunnels. The name derives from the Welsh village of Llandogo on the River Wye. The Llandoger Trow serves a range of traditional pub grub at reasonable prices and has plenty of outside seating on the cobbles of King Street for those summer days and evenings.
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8). Dine on water – The Spyglass Restaurant in the heart of Bristol's docks offers a fine waterside dining experience. The venue is split between a converted barge and the adjacent quayside, occupying one of Bristol's most stunning waterside settings. Further along the docks is The Glassboat Restaurant which has been a Bristol institute for nearly 25 years in the historic Harbourside area of the city. The restaurant consists of two decks on a lovingly-converted barge. 9). Up, up and away – Bristol has many high profile events throughout the year. The skies are ablaze with colour when over 120 hot air balloons ascend over Bristol for the annual International Balloon Fiesta in August. Other events include the International Festival of Kites & Air Creations. Throughout the year, visitors to Bristol can take to the skies to enjoy breath-taking views of the city and its stunning countryside with Bailey Balloons or Bristol Balloons. 10). Weigh a brain and look at your veins – At-Bristol is the place to go for an interactive science adventure. Enjoy over 30 new exhibits at this leading UK hands-on science centre including All About Us, an interactive exhibition all about the human brain and body which opened in 2011. Visitors can also sit back and enjoy a presenter-led show below the stars in the Planetarium. 11). Become a Victorian passenger – Step back in time, on board the world's first great ocean liner, Brunel's ss Great Britain, in Bristol's historic Harbourside. Explore the sumptuous surrounds of the First Class Dining Saloon, once admired by Queen Victoria, then scramble into the cramped bunks in steerage. Take a whiff of the smells, from gorgeous freshly baked bread to passenger vomit, and search out the talking toilet. Discover the true story of Victorian passengers and crew on a super-speedy two-month voyage to Australia. 12). Cheddar Cave and Gorge – Cheddar Gorge, with its 137m high cliffs, is the most dramatic geological formation in Somerset. Created by ice age melt-waters over millions of years, it carves a deep 4.82km long ravine in the south side of the Mendip Hills. Visitors can enjoy the stunning views from the top of the Lookout Tower or follow the Cliff Top Walk through the 146ha Nature Reserve.
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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Top 12 Milton Keynes Highlights 1). Bletchley Park – Home to the famous Enigma codebreakers during World War II and where the first ever semi-programmable computer was invented, Bletchley Park is a truly fascinating and humbling experience. You can take a guided tour of the museum and grounds, and take part in activities in and around the splendid Victorian mansion that was the headquarters to wartime intelligence staff. Bletchley Park also holds many events across the year with re-enactors bringing the park to life with costumes and military vehicles. 2). Xscape – Xscape offers some of the best and most diverse entertainment and leisure activities in the UK and all under one roof. Try your hand at indoor skiing and snowboarding, indoor sky-diving or rock climbing and then afterwards go to the multiplex cinema, the many retail outlets or the numerous bars and restaurants. 3). Woburn Abbey/Safari Park – The Abbey is home to the Duke of Bedford and is set in a 1214ha deer park. It houses one of the most impressive collections of art, furniture and porcelain on public view in the UK. The safari park is the UK’s largest, where visitors can see animals such as lions, tigers, wolves and elephants up close and personal. 4). Spectator sports – Home to three professional sports teams, Milton Keynes offers something for everyone. Live League One football with the Milton Keynes Dons at their 21000 seater stadiumMK, pro-league basketball with the MK Lions and all-action pro ice hockey with MK Lightning. 5). MK Theatre – Milton Keynes Theatre opened in 1999 and since then has become one of the most successful theatres outside the West End. It stages a vast range of productions from large scale musicals to smaller, intimate dramas and one-off comedy gigs. The auditorium ceiling has been carefully designed to accommodate these differing shows and can be lowered or raised depending on the scale of the production. 6). Stables – The Stables is Milton Keynes’ premier live music venue. Home to the late Sir John Dankworth and his wife Dame Cleo Laine, it offers a wide choice of musical genres including jazz, blues, rock, folk, classical, pop and world music.
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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 7). Shopping – Milton Keynes is known for its shopping experience with over 30m people coming to shop here each year. The undercover shopping areas of thecentre:mk and Midsummer Place house some of the country’s best loved high street names but also many specialist stores. 8). Stowe Landscape Gardens – Just outside Milton Keynes, Stowe is one of the most remarkable creations of Georgian England. It was created by a family once so powerful they were richer than the king. As a National Trust property, Stowe has see an ambitious programme of restoration to ensure that over 40 temples and monuments remain, gracing an inspiring backdrop of lakes and valleys with an endless variety of walks and trails. 9). Willen Lake – As one of the most visited free places in South East England, Willen Lake is a mix of nature and activities sports. You can walk or cycle around the two beautiful lakes taking in a spot of bird-watching on the way. Or for the thrill seekers why not try out cable waterskiiing or wakeboarding, or maybe hang around on the aerial high ropes course. 10). “City in the Country” – Enjoy exploring over 1821ha of parkland, woodland, lakes and rivers that play such an important part in the city’s environment. 11). Market Towns – Milton Keynes is surrounded by historic market towns such as Stony Stratford, Newport Pagnell and Olney. Stony Stratford was an important strategic travelling location; kings, queens, highwaymen and the military have all visited the town over the centuries. The origins of the Cock & Bull Story started in the town with outlandish stories being told by travellers and highwaymen at the old coaching inns, The Cock and The Bull. 12). Cycling – Milton Keynes is a cyclist’s paradise waiting to be discovered. With rides to suit both leisure and more serious cyclists, you can mountain bike on challenging trails or take the family to explore the beautiful lakes and parkland. Two National Cycle Network routes pass through the city connecting you to other parts of the region. There are 273km of Redways, a network of maintained paths that criss-cross the city and allow you to ride safely to the city centre or the outlying villages and towns. Stowe Landscape Gardens Buckinghamshire Index
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CHESHIRE Top 12 Cheshire Views 1). Beeston Castle – Set 107m above the Cheshire Plain on the sheer rocky crags and with origins stretching back over 4000 years, Beeston Castle is a magical site. On a clear day visitors can see across eight counties, reputedly the best views from any castle in England. 2). White Nancy – Standing at the top of Kerridge Hill overlooking Bollington White Nancy is an iconic Cheshire landmark. Originally built as a summer house in about 1815 by the Gaskell family the views from White Nancy are stunning with nearby hills to the east, the Cheshire Plain to the west and Bollington below. 3). Chester’s Eastgate Clock & City Walls – The Eastgate Clock is Chester’s most famous landmark, built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, the clock sits above the Eastgate of the ancient city walls. From the clock you get views of Chester’s main shopping area, The Chester Grosvenor hotel, one of a handful of five red-star hotels outside of London and the famous Rows, two-tiered medieval shopping galleries. The clock is set on the city walls, originally built in Roman times and the most complete of any city in Britain Walls. The 3.5km circular route provides some of the best views around the city with views of Chester’s Roman Amphitheatre; the river Dee, Chester Cathedral and Chester Racecourse the oldest in Britain with racing dating back to 1539.
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CHESHIRE 4). The Edge at Alderley Edge – ‘The Edge’ offers visitors stunning views across the Cheshire plain. The inspiration behind the Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner ‘The Edge’ is steeped in fascinating legend waiting to be discovered by visitors. Legend has it that a long time ago a farmer from Mobberley was crossing the Edge to sell his beautiful milk-white mare at market. Upon reaching the Thieves’ Hole an old man appeared and offered to buy the horse. The farmer refused and the old man told his that no one would buy his horse and he would return later and the old man await his return and buy the horse. The old man’s prediction came true and when the farmer returned to Thieves’’ Hole the old man, who was now a tall, proud wizard was waiting. He led the farmer and horse to a large rock in the hillside, which when he touched it with his staff opened to reveal a pair of Iron Gates. The wizard led them to a large cavern full of sleeping knights. Beside all of but one knight was a milk-white mare. The wizard led the farmer into another cavern full of jewels and told him to take what he wanted as payment for the horse as it was needed for the last knight. The farmer took payment and left. The farmer returned many times to search for the Iron Gates but never found them. From that day to this people have scoured the Edge trying to find the Gates. Will you be the one to find them!?
9). Discover Chester’s exciting past and hidden secrets with a Guided Tour or Roman Tour. 10). Accommodation – Cheshire is full of accommodation with stunning views, set in picturesque countryside are Harrop Fold Farm, Best View in Britain Barn, Common Barn Farm and Peckforton Castle. Accommodation with more urban but still impressive views there’s Abode Chester and BEST WESTERN Forest Hills Hotel 11). Take a walk along The Gritstone Trail for some truly breath-taking views. Split into three sections the trail covers 35 miles/56 kilometres and is both a challenge and delight. 12). See into outer space at Jodrell Bank, home of the famous Lovell Telescope the centre is constantly receiving live data from outer space, see the giant telescope in action, listen to the sound of the Big Bang and explore the invisible Universe.
5). Restaurants – Set in a peaceful corner of rural Cheshire on a hill The Pheasant Inn in Burwardsley enjoys some of the most magnificent panoramic views in Cheshire. The Cat and Fiddle in Macclesfield is the second highest pub in England, from here you get fantastic views of rural Cheshire. The Michael Caines Fine Dining Restaurant & Champagne Bar on the 5th floor of the hotel provide diners with panoramic views over Chester and the Welsh Hills. 6). Mow Cop Castle – Set high on a Cheshire hillside close to Congleton, Mow Cop was built in 1754 as a summerhouse for the then owners or nearby Rode Hall. The picturesque castle is now owned by the National Trust and is a peaceful and scenic part of the Cheshire countryside. 7). ChesterBoat River Cruise – Climb aboard one of ChesterBoat’s Showboats for a cruise down the River Dee. Take the half hour city cruise under the suspension bridge, past Grosvenor Park and the meadows or the two hour Iron Bridge Cruise which takes you through the ‘Eaton Estate’ home of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster. 8). See Chester from the top deck of a bus with Chester City Sightseeing Tour or Chester Heritage Tours. Index
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CHESHIRE Top 12 Things to do in Cheshire 1). Visit Chester – Visit the ancient city of Chester for a truly breath-taking experience. Walk around the city’s walls, the most complete in Britain; stand inside the largest Roman Amphitheatre in Britain; shop on The Rows, Chester’s Medieval two-tiered galleries or stroll along the banks of the River Dee. www.visitchester.com 2). Visit a Garden of Distinction – From stately homes and secret gardens, the quintessentially English to exotic oriental planting, Cheshire’s Gardens of Distinction have it all. The ever-changing landscape in Cheshire means that there is always something different every day. www.visitcheshire.com/gardens 3). Go to the Races – Chester is home to the oldest racecourse in Britain with racing dating back to 1539. Originally a Roman harbour and then the site of football matches, racing began when the football matches were banned for being too violent. Today the Roodee is a venue like no other where spectators can get really close to the racing action, and enjoy cuisine created b award winning chefs. www.chester-races.co.uk 4). Discover a Taste of Cheshire – Cheshire has an abundance of local treasures from Cheshire potatoes to delicious cheese, tasty asparagus to juicy apples and not forgetting some fabulous vineyards. You’ll also find plenty of delicious tearooms and restaurants serving the finest dishes from Michelin starred chefs to quaint English tearooms whether you want a fine dining experience or afternoon tea Cheshire has it all. www.tastecheshire.com 5). Explore Delamere Forest – Delamere Forest is Cheshire’s largest woodland area and the perfect place for exciting adventures and picnics. Swing through the tree tops at Go Ape! Follow one of the woodland walks, mountain bike through the woodland terrain or find your own way through the forest. www.forestry.gov.uk/delamere
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CHESHIRE 6). Visit Chester Zoo – Discover over 8,000 wonderful animals and 400 different species including some of the most endangered in the world! From the magnificent elephants and rhinos to the delicate butterflies, there is a different animal to see around every corner of this amazing 110 acres of award-winning gardens. Between April and November 2012 Chester Zoo is also home to 19 lifesized animatronic dinosaurs in the exciting ‘Dinosaurs Bite Back’ exhibition. www.chesterzoo.org 7). Explore a Market Town – From ancient wizards and shining locomotives, to Saxon crosses and Roman ruins, Cheshire’s market towns offer a day out with a difference. Unique, stylish and lively, each town has its own individual charm. Soak up the atmosphere in the medieval market town of Nantwich, or stroll out into the Peak District from the pretty village of Disley. Discover Crewe's ghoulish past, take afternoon tea in Macclesfield, then head to Alderley Edge for a sophisticated night out. Whatever you want to do, you'll find it in Cheshire. Use this website to plan your perfect day out and enjoy the best that Cheshire has to offer. www.cheshiremarkettowns.co.uk
11). Take a Guided Tour – From Ghost tours to Roman tours, history tours to brewery tours Cheshire has an exciting range of tours to suit all tastes. March around the historic streets of Chester with your very own Roman Soldier on the awardwinning Roman Tour or be led around by one of our Blue or Green Badge guides and discover the fascinating history of the city. Visit Bollington for a tour of Bollington Brewery, taste their delicious brews and enjoy delicious sausage and mash or if you’re feeling brave book yourself onto a ghost tour in Chester or Nantwich and hear about the many ghosts and ghouls that have been spotted in some of the most haunted places in Britain! www.visitcheshire.com 12). Watch a game of rugby league – Visit Warrington where you’ll find the Halliwell Jones Stadium, home to Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club. Games run from January to September so book your tickets and soak up the buzz of the match day atmosphere. An exciting event for all ages. www.warringtonwolves.org
8). Walk the Sandstone Trail – Cheshire’s Sandstone trail is one of the finest and most popular long distance walks in the North West. Stretching for 34 miles across the Cheshire countryside from the market town of Frodsham in the north to the Georgian Whitchurch in the south the trail is a great way to explore rural Cheshire. www.discovercheshire.co.uk 9). Discover Cheshire’s waterways – In the age of the Industrial Revolution, a significant canal network was built in Cheshire to transport materials. Today, the waterways provide the perfect way to discover the county. Hire a narrowboat and navigate your way through Cheshire stopping at fabulous pubs and villages; explore the towpaths which provide some of the most scenic walking and cycling routes throughout Cheshire; or set up your fishing rod and sit and relax in the tranquil scenery as you wait to see what fish you can catch. www.visitcheshire.com 10). Explore Cheshire’s Peak District – Brimming with breath-taking scenery, dramatic landscapes and world class events Cheshire’s Peak District delights just about everybody. Covering nearly 100 square miles of Peak District National Park from Lyme Park and the hills above Buxton in the north to Biddulph’s moorlands in the south there’s plenty to entertain the whole family. www.cheshirepeakdistrict.com
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CUMBRIA Top 12 extreme activites In the lakes 1). You can with Kankku – Nobody sees the Lake District quite like Kankku who take you out on off-road driving adventures on wild trail routes throughout the National Park. Whether you want to take the wheel of a 4x4 for the first time, upgrade your existing skills, take along your own motor, or just sit back and enjoy the ride, Kankku does it all. There are opportunities for individuals, groups and Kankku also has a Rally team which you can join for the day on a Live Championship Rally. www.kankku.co.uk 2). Go Ape in Grizedale Forest – Enjoy a forest like never before by taking part in this high adventure assault course up to 18.2m off the ground as you negotiate the tree tops of Grizedale Forest. You will tackle a series of breath-taking zipwires, hair-raising Tarzan swings and wobbly rope bridges in two-hours of adrenalinesoaked fun. Definitely not one for the faint-hearted. www.goape.co.uk 3). Canoe Ullswater – Ullswater is one of the most dramatic Lakes in the whole of the Lake District, surrounded on all side by amazing mountains, not least Helvellyn, the third largest in England. For another way to see the Lake pick up a copy of the Ullswater Canoe Trail. The leaflet explains where to hire canoes, park vehicles, launch boats and profiles a number of short canoeing trips including one and twodayers. There’s also information about accommodation and facilities in the area. Call in at the Tourist Information Centre at Glenridding or go to www.golakes.co.uk/adventure-capital/default.aspx 4). Honister Slate Mine Via Ferrata – In May 2007, Honister Slate Mine opened England’s first ever mountain Via Ferrata. Combining the skills of climbing, scrambling and walking you don’t need to be proficient in any of them. Don a hard hat and negotiate the craggy sheer cliff-face of Fleetwith Pike hundreds of feet up. Walkers are secured to a fixed cable and then use steel ladders, solid bridges and a challenging slate pathway to reach the 648m summit. The reward is uninterrupted views down the magnificent Borrowdale Valley www.honister.com
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CUMBRIA 5). Build A Raft – How do you build a raft from garden cane, tape and tarpaulin? More importantly, would it float? Keswick Climbing Wall and Activity Centre has the answers in a fun supervised day which involves testing your creations on Derwentwater. Your whole crew has to fit onboard so will you be the one to sink it? If Robinson Crusoe days aren’t your thing, have a go at the Bungy Trampoline which allows you to pull off gymnastic-like somersaults, and back flips at heights of up to eight metres. 6). Learn To Paraglide – Seeing the Lake District from the heavens is to see it in all its glory and one way to achieve this is through Air Ventures Paragliding School. As well as a range of paragliding courses, tandem flights, and gift vouchers, for £110 you can have a taster day to introduce yourself to the sport. The emphasis of the day is on fun and enjoyment, with theory being kept to a minimum. Once you have mastered taking off and landing, flights are gradually increased until you try one off a 60 - 91m hill…under the guidance of instructors. www.airventures.co.uk 7). Mountainbiking – Another good thing about all the hills in the Lake District is that you can cycle down many of them! Cumbria is home to thousands, yes thousands of different cycle routes depending on your type of bike, and many of them are of the off-road variety in forests, woods, and open countryside. You can hire bikes, find out about providers, routes, maps, guided rides, rental centres and much more by going to: www.golakes.co.uk/adventure-capital/cycling-lake-district.aspx 8). Caving – Glaramara offers caving, amongst a variety of other adventure packages. Take a trip underground and discover the caves that lie beneath the Yorkshire Dales. An instructor will be with you throughout, teaching you the all-important difference between stalactites and stalagmites. You may even get to meet some of the underground inhabitants! There are a number of different routes, with caves of different sizes, depending on how much you want to have to squeeze your way through those passageways. There are even routes with slides and swims for the very adventurous. www.glaramara.co.uk/activities/caving/ 9). Gorge Scrambling – It doesn’t sound all that logical but walking up a mountain river sure is a lot of fun! An opportunity to climb up waterfalls and dive into rock pools. What’s more, trips are organized for most abilities and it’s up to you just how wet and daring you get. Rain or shine, guaranteed thrill factor. www.lakesactivities.co.uk/activitiesgroup/adventure.htm
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10). Abseiling at Dave’s Adventure Company – Learn to abseil with Dave, working your way up from smaller to bigger challenges in the birthplace of British climbing, The Lake District. All very secure, with an additional safety rope, although with some abseils at 40m up, it’s sure to get the adrenaline pumping! If that doesn’t sound scary enough, then why not be really daring and try Dave’s night abseil? www.adventuremakers.co.uk/ 11). Skydive at the Northwest Parachute Centre – The North West Parachute Centre is one of the longest established skydiving and parachuting centres in Europe. Skydive North West has introduced thousands of people from all over the world to the magical sport of skydiving and is considered to be the friendliest skydiving centre in the country. Set in the beautiful Lake District amongst some of the finest scenery in England we boast excellent facilities for new and experienced skydivers. If you want to experience a tandem skydive, learn to skydive, skydive for fun or skydive for charity you should choose Skydive North West. www.skydivenorthwest.co.uk/ 12). Sea Cliff Climbing & Rock Climbing with Go Higher Mountaineering – Rock climbing, scrambling and mountaineering holidays in the Lake District, wherever adventure is to be found. The Morgan family has been providing mountain adventure holidays and courses based in the Lake District since 1976 and enjoy sharing our love of the hills with kindred spirits, whatever their levels of experience. Why not join them and roam throughout the Lake District to make the most of the varied landscape and to take advantage of the best conditions. The family farm house at High Dyonside is particularly well placed for access to the wilder western valleys of Ennerdale, Buttermere, Wasdale, Eskdale as well as Borrowdale and Thirlmere www.gogetadventure.com/350/go_higher_mountaineering
For further information about visiting the Lake District, Cumbria, visit www.golakes.co.uk or email [email protected]
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DEVON Top 12 Things To Do on Devon’s English Riviera The English Riviera, known fondly as South Devon’s Beautiful Bay is one of the leading resorts in the South West and is located around a picturesque horseshoe- bay; it is also a UNESCO-recognised Global Geopark. 1). Agatha Christie’s Riviera - Agatha Christie was born in the English Riviera town of Torquay, and spent many of the most important chapters of her life here, as well as using real places in the area as settings for her murder mysteries. From the Agatha Christie Mile to the legendary Agatha Christie Festival held in September each year plus visits to her beloved and spectacular estate at Greenway, the English Riviera is the place to discover the real Christie. www.englishriviera.co.uk/agathachristie 2). Beaches - With the highest concentration of Blue Flag beaches in England and winners of the Cleanest Beaches Award 2011, the English Riviera, South Devon’s beautiful bay, has some of the best beaches in the country. With over 22 to choose from, whether you’re looking for a quiet spot to sunbathe, a sandy stretch to build sandcastles or a safe place for the little ones to paddle, there’s something for everyone. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/english-riviera-attractions/beaches 3). Kent’s Cavern and Geopark Discovery - Kents Cavern is one of Europe’s top prehistoric Stone Age caves with an extensive labyrinth of spectacular and easily accessible caverns open daily all year. A piece of jawbone found in Kents Cavern, always one of the UK’s classic prehistoric caves, was recently found to be the oldest modern human fossil to be found in Britain and even northwestern Europe. The whole resort is a UNESCO recognised English Riviera Global Geopark. There is an annual English Riviera Geopark Festival plus amazing new Geopark Discovery Packages such as Canoe the Coves and Mussels by Moonlight. The English Riviera has also just opened a new FREE Geoplay Park suitable for toddlers, juniors & teens. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/english-riviera-attractions/global-geopark 4. South West Coast Path – Walking - Walking is one of the most popular holiday pastimes on Devon’s English Riviera. With a unique coastline, peaceful paths and the opportunity to stumble upon hidden coves or villages, it’s easy to see why. The English Riviera has a total of 22 miles of coastline – all of which can be discovered on the South West Coast Path, which runs along South Devon’s beautiful bay between Maidencombe in the north to Sharkham Point beyond Brixham in the south. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/sports-and-leisure/walking 66
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DEVON 5). Steam Railway - Everyone loves steam trains! The scenery is breathtaking, along the spectacular English Riviera Geopark coast line, to the picturesque station at Churston, then on through the wooded slopes of Long Wood bordering the Dart Estuary to Kingswear. This is one of the finest heritage steam railway journeys anywhere in Europe. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/dartmouth-steam-railway-and-river-boat-company-salcombe-p1322863
6). Cockington Country Park and Craft Centre - Many villages lay claim to being ‘picturesque’, but the village of Cockington is the real deal. Take a walk back in time along Cockington’s narrow lanes, lined with thatched houses and you’ll experience a quiet charm that is quintessentially English. Everything about Cockington oozes with history – there’s a water mill, a forge and even the cricket pitch was once a medieval deer park. Cockington Court, the historic manor house, is a hub for art and crafts and in the brand new contemporary craft centre you’ll find a canoe maker and a chocolate maker and you can watch glassblowers and blacksmiths in action. And don’t miss out on a Cream Tea at the tea rooms here and across the English Riviera – Devon is famous for them! 7). Sailing for Spectators and a Chance to Give it a Go! - Regatta Season on the English Riviera is wonderful for spectators as the home of the 1948 Sailing Olympics welcomes visiting sailors from around the world. There are great racing conditions in this beautiful, horseshoe shaped bay with plenty of vantage points for spectators, giving everyone the chance to see seamanship at its best. And for those who want to give it a try, there is a superb selection of RYA-recognised sailing schools located in Brixham and Torquay that offer first class instruction and affordable sailing experiences. Trained by skilled and fully qualified teachers, students receive first-hand sailing practice, tuition in navigational techniques and the opportunity to discover Devon's most beautiful spots. As well as sailing trips there are also many other waterside activities available including deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, jet-skiing and wind-surfing. http://www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/maritime/sailing 8). Brixham’s Picturesque Harbour - Fish Market Tours - Does your fish eating experience extend to just cod, haddock, salmon and mackerel? Then the Brixham Fish Market tour is for you, where you'll see over 40 different types of fish at the auctions. More than £25 million of fish is landed, bought and sold in Brixham and then delivered to many of the top restaurants across the nation and indeed abroad to our European neighbours. Come along and see the auctions in action, as featured in the recent Sky Atlantic series 'Fish Town'. You will be guided around by Rick Smith, head of Brixham Trawler Agents, who has decades of experience in Index
the fish trade. After the tour we then head to the nearby Fishermen's Mission for a delicious full English. You can enjoy a wealth of freshly cooked fish in restaurants across the English Riviera. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/brixham-fish-market-tours-p1291373 9). Model Village - At Babbacombe’s fascinating model village, thousands of miniature buildings, people and vehicles, along with animated scenes and touches of English humour, capture the essence of England's past, present and future. It’s all set in 4 acres of beautiful award-winning gardens. Don't miss one Devon's most popular days out! OPEN ALL YEAR - Except Christmas Day! www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/babbacombe-model-village-p142123 10). Boat Trips - There are a wide range of boat trips running across beautiful Tor Bay, from ferries between Torquay and Brixham to wildlife cruises and special events boats. Just off the coast, an array of wildlife awaits discovery including dolphins, seals and other marine animals. There are also many fishing trips which depart regularly from the English Riviera. Mackerel and bass fishing are particularly popular, many organised by Greenway Ferry and Pleasure Cruises and Paignton Pleasure Cruises. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/maritime/boat-trips 11). Ghost Walks - On the surface Brixham is a charming fishing village. Look deeper and you’ll be spellbound with it’s rich powerful history where man has lived since the Ice Age. Naturally Brixham is crammed with ghostly tales, spooky stories and paranormal activity. Join Deadly David, Matilda Balm, Madame Noir and Treacherous Tracy whatever the weather for a journey into Brixham’s darker side. www.englishriviera.co.uk/things-to-do/the-original-brixham-ghost-walk-p1292363 12). English Riviera for Foodies - Some of the very best West Country produce awaits you here on the English Riviera, South Devon's Beautiful Bay, so we’ve created a fabulous Food and Drink Trail with some of our favourite English Riviera Foodie Experiences. With its wonderfully mild climate, fishing and farming traditions as well as home-made ciders, beers, wines and cheeses, the English Riviera is a food-lovers delight. Couples, friends and families as well as children, will enjoy some of the best food and drink they have ever tasted right here in a variety of spectacular settings. www.englishriviera.co.uk/eating-out/food-and-drink-trail
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DEVON Top 12 off-beat Devon 1). Catch the South Sands Ferry – In the summer months this foot ferry service operates between Whitestrand in the centre of Salcombe and the picturesque South Sands beach and can only be reached by sea tractor! www.southsandsferry.co.uk 2). The Warren House Inn near Postbridge on Dartmoor is said to be the 3rd highest pub in England. Originally built to serve the busy local tin mining community, locals and visitors keep warm by the fire, which is said to have been burning continuously since 1845. www.warrenhouseinn.co.uk 3). For a tour with a difference - the Exeter’s Red Coat Guides offer an evening Ghosts & Legends tour, which explores the city that is said to be the most haunted in the country! The free tour takes in some of Exeter’s historic buildings and most chilling tales. www.exeter.gov.uk/guidedtours 4). Totnes Orange Rolling – It wouldn't be summer without a strange tradition or two - in this case it’s the odd spectacle of watching people chase oranges down a steep high street in Totnes, South Devon. The tradition reputedly dates back to the day Sir Francis Drake bumped into a delivery boy, causing him to spill his fast-moving fruit down the hill. Nowadays it’s an excuse for a bit of fun as the racing participants fly past 16th and 17th century merchants' houses in the ancient borough town. 5). Pixie Day – A day on which the pixies can take their revenge on the town! Pixie Day is an old tradition that takes place annually on a Saturday in June. The day commemorates the age old legend of Ottery St. Mary's infamous 'Pixies' being banished from the town (where they caused havoc) to the local caves know as 'Pixie's Parlour'. Hundreds of 'Pixies' (made up of local Cubs, Scouts, Brownies and Girl Guides dressed in pixie attire) capture the St. Mary's church bell ringers and drag them from the church to the square, where a re-enactment of the pixies’ banishment takes place. Ottery St Mary, June www.pixieday.org
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DEVON 6). Ottery St Mary Flaming Tar Barrels – Every year on bonfire night, the locals of Ottery St Mary swap pixies for tar barrels as they run through the streets of the town carrying flaming tar barrels! The custom is said to date back to the 17th century and the event starts with women’s and boy’s barrels and as the evening progresses the barrels get larger and heavier with some men’s barrels weighing over 30k. The streets of the town are packed with people eager to feel the lick of flames as the barrels speed past. Ottery St Mary, 5th November www.otterytarbarrels.co.uk
11). Walk with a llama – The not-so-native-to-Devon llama is right at home on the Jurassic Coast and Peak Hill Llamas offers the chance to walk them along this beautiful stretch of coastline. An ‘Afternoon Cream Tea Walk’ includes a one or two hour walk followed by a traditional cream tea back at base. www.walkingwithllamas.co.uk 12). The annual Devon Open Studios event in September gives you the chance to see why Devon inspires so many artists and craftsmen as they open their studios to visitors. http://www.devonartistnetwork.co.uk/AboutDOS
7). On safari – You won’t see any elephants or tigers, but taking a safari on Exmoor does offer the chance to see spectacular moorland and coastal scenery as well as possible sightings of red deer and Exmoor ponies. 8). Blackawton Worm Charming – Adults and children compete to extract the greatest number of worms from their dedicated one metre square patch of grassland but they have to do it without digging up any of the turf! The annual festival was started in 1984 when two locals decided to try it as a means of banishing the winter blues. Favourite tools to bring the beasts to the surface include questionable liquid combinations of water, beer, gravy and sugar - which contestants are required to sample themselves beforehand, just to prove that it won't do the worms any harm! Blackawton, May 9). Tavistock Goosey Fair – The unusually named Tavistock Goose Fair dates back to the 12th Century, when farmers brought their geese for sale, and drove them through the streets to the market. The fair continues to attract market traders and showmen from all over the country with their stalls and side-shows. Tavistock, October 10). Widecombe Fair - Nestled in the heart of Dartmoor National Park, the village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor hosts the world-famous fair which gave rise to the wellknown folksong 'Widecombe Fair' and the characters of Uncle Tom Cobley and All. The traditional fair has everything from horsemanship to hounds, show jumping to sheep, vintage tractors to pasties and, not to be missed, the Tom Cobley Novelty Race. Widecombe-in-the-Moor, September www.widecombefair.com
Dartmoor National Park Devon Index
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DURHAM Top 12 must see in Durham From ancient castles to England's largest waterfall, find out what's not to be missed on a trip to Durham. 1). Durham Castle and Cathedral – The iconic Cathedral and Castle World Heritage Site in Durham City was one of the first ever to be designated and the Cathedral is one of the finest surviving examples of Romanesque architecture on the planet. 2). Beamish Museum – The award winning Beamish Museum in the Vale of Durham vividly recreates life in the North of England in the early 1800s and early 1900s. 3). The Bowes Museum – Teesdale in the Durham Dales is home to one of the country's most fascinating museum experiences - The Bowes Museum was created over 100 years ago and contains the greatest collection of European fine and decorative arts in the North. 4). Durham University Botanic Garden – 7.2ha garden in mature woodland on the outskirts of Durham City. Exotic trees from America and the Himalayas, plus the Prince Bishops Garden, tropical house, cactus house, butterflies, insects and plant sales. 5). Raby Castle – Teesdale in the Durham Dales is home to one of England's most impressive medieval castles, built by the Nevills and home to Lord Barnard's family since 1626. It features fine furniture, impressive artworks and elaborate architecture. Also has extensive grounds. 6). Crook Hall and Gardens – Stunning medieval manor house surrounded by glorious gardens in the heart of Durham City. Includes secret walled garden, Shakespeare garden, Cathedral garden, silver and white garden, moat pool and meadow with maze.
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DURHAM 7). High Force – The largest waterfall in England. A woodland walk leads you to the spectacular site. Relax, unwind and marvel at this magnificent natural attraction in Upper Teesdale in the Durham Dales. 8). DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery – The museum at this family friendly attraction in Durham City features The Durham Light Infantry (with emphasis on WWI & WW2) and looks at Durham Home Front life during WW2. Durham art gallery presents an exciting programme. 9). Killhope, The North of England Lead Mining Museum – Killhope in Upper Weardale in the Durham Dales explores the life of North Pennine lead mining families. Park Level Mine underground experience, Northern England's largest working water wheel and 'hands on' activities, as well as woodland walks. 10). Locomotion - The National Railway Museum – The Vale of Durham is home to Locomotion which houses over 70 railway vehicles from the national collection, plus lively interactive displays relating to the development of the railways in Shildon. 11). Durham Heritage Coast – The magnesian limestone of the Durham Heritage Coast has created spectacular cliff scenery. The grassland of the cliff tops is home to several rare plant species, as well as being a haven for wildlife. 12). North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – Designated in 2003 as Britain's first European Geopark, the North Pennines AONB is internationally important because of its world-class geology, as well as being home to many species of flora and fauna.
The Town of Beamish Durham Index
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DURHAM Top 12 Outdoor Activities in Durham Whether you're in search of some tranquil time out or a chance to get active Durham's your destination. 1). Walking – The real beauty of Durham’s countryside is in the mix of walks available and the variety of landscapes to enjoy. From gentle strolls along footpaths in our city and towns, to more challenging routes in the Durham Dales and North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - our routes were made for walking! 2). Cycling – Durham has cycling to suit all ages and abilities. Head for Hamsterley Forest where colour coded routes help you decide which is best for you, whilst our quiet country roads offer easy cycling on gentle gradients, plus more challenging climbs and routes including the Walney to Wear (W2W) and Coast to Coast (C2C). 3). Water Sports – Durham boasts rivers, reservoirs and coast - so whether you enjoy fishing, sailing or canoeing, you're sure to find something to whet your appetite. Try the superb sailing on Derwent and Grassholme Reservoirs, join the waterskiers on Balderhead, or take a rowing boat out on the River Wear. 4). Adventure Sports – For something a little out of the ordinary why not try Beamish Wild where the high ropes course will test your nerve. And if you are after an adrenalin fix, Supreme Adventure Sports, Fury and Weardale Off Road are just some of the places which offer a host of action-packed activities including quad biking, archery and clay pigeon shooting. 5). Golf – Looking to reduce your golf handicap? Some of our hotels, such as Headlam Hall and Ramside Hall, offer golf packages and tuition. And there are beautiful courses in lovely settings including one which has panoramic sea views of the Durham Heritage Coast.
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DURHAM 6). Nature and Wildlife – A haven for nature lovers - head to Hamsterley Forest to spot many species of birds. Teesdale and Weardale in the Durham Dales and the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offer a rich mix of habitats attracting many species of flora and fauna - as does Durham's Heritage Coast. 7). Countryside Events and Guided Walks – If you would prefer someone guiding you on the trail then join one of the Countryside Ranger led walks organised by Durham County Council. An annual programme of events will help you to enjoy Durham's great outdoors. 8). Cricket – 'Outdoor Activities' doesn’t mean you have to be the active one! Sit back and relax on a warm summer day and enjoy watching world famous cricketers play at Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground in Chester-le-Street. 9). A Day at the Races – Sedgefield Racecourse is an attractive and friendly course which provides a good day’s racing with plenty of excitement as you cheer your horse and rider on. And with meetings spread over ten months of the year you can always come back again. 10). Fishing – One day the biggest fish in the lake is going to swim by - and you will be there to catch it! Try your hand at wild brown trout on Selset, Baldershead and Cow Green reservoirs in Teesdale in the Durham Dales. Remember to book ahead 11). Riverbank Walks – How many cities can boast a green heart where a river seems to bring the countryside right into the middle of the city? Stroll along the city’s riverbanks and your eye may be drawn by the splash of a leaping salmon as it makes its way to spawning grounds up river. Or the vivid electric blue flash which signals the kingfisher’s progress upstream. Flora and fauna surveys have shown that Durham’s riverbanks are a haven for Mother Nature. 12). Boating on the River Wear – Hire a rowing boat or take the easy option and join a cruise on the Prince Bishop River Cruiser to enjoy the River Wear from a completely different perspective. Take binoculars and spy for ducks and cormorants.
River Wear Durham Index
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EAST SUSSEX Top 12 best kept secrets in Hastings & 1066 Country 1). The beautiful town of Rye, East Sussex is not only the most perfectly preserved medieval town in England, but it is also one of the most haunted too. The Mermaid Inn is a rich source of many ghostly apparitions, including a lady in white, chairs rocking for no reason, rooms which suddenly turn chilly. A secret entrance to the Priest’s Hole, hidden passages and walls with panels which move all add to the mystery of the inn. 2). Battle, East Sussex – the Guy Fawkes connection! – The Battle of Hastings 1066, didn’t take place in Hastings but near a tiny hamlet, later to be named as ‘Battle’ after the famous event that changed the course of English history with the victory of William of Normandy (Norman the Conqueror) over the Saxon king Harold. However, this is not the only claim to fame of this pretty market town. Guy Fawkes is said to have sourced his gunpowder from the mills in Powdermill Lane, Battle, for his failed plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. The Museum of Local History in Battle has the oldest Guy Fawkes effigy in the world, which makes its annual appearance for the Battle Bonfire and Torchlight Procession, held each year on the closest Saturday to 5th November. www.youtube.com/user/hastingscouncil#p/u/0/QIlI20c_Mhw The Battle Bonfire Society is the longest continuously running society in the world (formed in 1605). 3). Bexhill is the birthplace of British Motor Racing – The 8th Earl De La Warr secured Bexhill’s place in history by hosting Britain’s first automobile races on the 19th May 1902. The event was organised by the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland and attracted international attention. The races were part of a campaign to promote Bexhill-on-Sea as a fashionable new resort and used the Bicycle Boulevard, which the 8th Earl had built along De La Warr Parade in 1896. The event was run along a one kilometre track with a flying start from the top of Galley Hill. Bexhill Museum, the Motor Heritage Centre and the Bexhill 100 (classic car club) bear testimony today to Bexhill’s motor racing past Mermaid Street Rye, East Sussex 74
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EAST SUSSEX 4). The East Hill Cliff Railway, Hastings, is the steepest working furnicular railway in the UK, with a 78% gradient. The replica Edwardian carriages rise 267 feet (81metres) up to magnificent views of the coastline, the fishing fleet and the picturesque Old Town of Hastings. It is complemented by the West Hill Cliff Railway, giving visitors access to Hastings Castle and the Smugglers Adventure in St Clements Caves. It is also used as a method of everyday transport by people living on the West Hill. 5). Shirley Leaf & Petal Company – also known as the Flowermakers Museum, is a working museum situated in Hastings Old Town, which celebrated its centenary in October 2010. This tiny museum holds the national collection of artificial flowermaking artefacts, and the company produces petals, leaves and flowers for prestigious clients such as West End Theatre companies, Hollywood and Disney (Gladiator and Reign of Fire included), top fashion designers and national opera companies. 6). Sleep like a king at Herstmonceux Castle, where Queens University, Canada has a study centre. When the students go home on vacation, the rooms become free and the castle has just been awarded two – 4* university accommodation standard. 7). The Adventure and Crazy Golf complex on Hastings seafront is the largest in the UK and each October hosts the annual World Crazy Golf Championships. 8). Top B&Bs, Rye has the highest number of 5-star Gold Award B&Bs in the country and three of the ‘Top 15 Cool B&Bs’ listed by ‘Coast Magazine’ in July 2011 are be found in Hastings. Of particular note is the gay friendly nature of Hastings Old Town and Rye. The three aforementioned cool B&Bs are all gay-owned and run. 9). The beautiful ‘Antient’ Cinque Port town of Winchelsea, perched high on a hill just outside Rye, has a large underground network of medieval wine cellars – the largest in the country with the (possible) exception of those of Southampton and Norwich. In the Middle Ages, Winchelsea was one of the principal English ports importing wine from Gascony in southwest France. For example, during 1306/07, ships owned by Winchelsea merchants carried the equivalent of almost threequarters of a million gallons of wine from Bordeaux alone! Members of the public can tour the cellars during the summer months. Spike Milligan, lately of Udimore, just outside Rye, is buried in St Thomas's churchyard, Winchelsea . His gravestone says in Gaelic ' I told you I was ill' and has this year been named the nation's favourite epitaph. Index
10). There is an area of Hastings town centre called The America Ground. The roots of the America Ground lay in the weather. Back in 1287 a series of terrible storms wreaked havoc on Kent and Sussex with Hastings badly affected. Once the south’s best natural port, the storms blocked the town’s harbour with silt and pebbles, forming a huge shingle bank. This new piece of land fell just outside the boundaries of Hastings Borough - effectively making it a no-man’s land. The locals soon realised that they could live on this land free from taxes and rents. Consequently, many moved in, building a thriving but ramshackle community of shops, houses and workplaces. By 1822, an estimated 1000 people lived on the bank, forcing Hastings Borough into action. Taking inspiration from the recent American Revolution, the residents reacted defiantly, declaring themselves independent from Hastings as the ‘twenty-fourth’ US state and hoisting the Stars and Stripes flag. The famous America Ground was born. Each year this area of town holds its own Independence Day celebrations with a weekend of music and outdoor events. 11). Shipwreck! – Well and truly hidden under the sands between Hastings and Bexhill is the wreck of The Amsterdam. However, during extremely low tides the outline of the wreck can still be seen and guided tours take place. A replica version of the ship can be seen at the Scheepvaart Museum in The Netherlands. The Shipwreck Museum in Hastings is the place to go to see artefacts rescued from the wreck and to find out more about the geology and history of this fascinating section of coastline. 12). Famous contemporary people associated with 1066 Country: Bexhill boy, comedian Eddie Izzard maintains strong connections with the town. He is patron of the Bexhill Museum and is known to give impromptu performances at the De La Warr Pavilion and local comedy clubs. Sir Paul McCartney has a house in a village just outside Rye and continues to be a frequent visitor to the town. He and his late wife, Linda, brought up their children in the area, who attended the local state comprehensive school in the 1980s. His windmill recording studio can be seen at Icklesham. Former manager of the Pet Shop Boys, Tom Watkins has recently opened up a new bar/restaurant/delicatessen in Winchelsea Beach, called The Ship. Keane – the three original members come from Battle and their new album Strangeland has a track (Sovereign Light Café) that name checks various locations in Battle and Bexhill. Their two nights at De La Warr Pavilion in March 2012 sold out in 6 minutes. 75
KENT Top 12 Castles and Historic Houses in Kent In Kent, England’s oldest county, you can discover more castles and historic houses than in any other region in the UK, so deciding on a Top 12 is no easy decision! Take inspiration from this list and get close to thousands of years of heritage. 1). Leeds Castle – One of the most romantic and historic buildings in England has been home to royalty, lords and ladies for almost 900 years. Visitors to the castle today can wander through the castle rooms, have fun in Go Ape, the exciting tree top adventure park, and enjoy the tranquility of the beautiful gardens. Hot air balloon flights and a pay and play golf course are just some of the many other activities to get involved in during your visit; and if that’s not enough, why not attend one of the hugely popular summer concerts or one of the many other events happening throughout the year. 2). Dover Castle – Set in a spectacular location high above the famous White Cliffs, Dover Castle commands the shortest sea crossing between England and the continent and boasts an eventful history. Visitors to the Castle today can step inside the newly-renovated Great Tower to meet themed characters or re-live the turbulent war years and drama of the Dunkirk evacuation of May 1940 in the recently opened Operation Dynamo. With exciting exhibitions, winding tunnels to explore, ghosts to hunt out and of course restaurants, shops and ample space for youngsters to run around, Dover Castle offers a fantastic day out for everyone. 3). Hever Castle – A romantic double-moated 13th Century castle which houses historic 16th Century portraits, paintings, furniture, tapestries and treasures. Once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, artifacts here include two Books of Hours (prayer books), both signed and inscribed by Anne herself, and many other mementoes. Visitors can explore the magnificent gardens all year around, with Italian, Rose and Tudor gardens, the Topiary garden, Yew Maze and a splashing water maze. Take a stroll around the informal areas of Sunday Walk and ‘Anne Boleyn’s Walk’ or attend one of the exclusive events hosted throughout the year, including talks with the head gardener and jousting tournaments every summer.
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KENT 4). Walmer Castle – An enchanting castle built in 1540 during the reign of King Henry VIII, originally designed as part of a chain of coastal artillery defences. Centuries of domestic refinements have transformed the Castle from a fortress into an elegant stately home with beautiful gardens, and it is now home of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The Duke of Wellington held the post for 23 years and enjoyed his time spent at the castle and in recent years Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother made regular visits. 5). Penshurst Place and Gardens – Set in the rural Weald of Kent surrounded by picturesque countryside and ancient parkland, Penshurst Place and Gardens possess centuries of captivating history. The medieval masterpiece has been the seat of the Sidney family since 1552 and it retains the warmth and character of a much-loved family home. The garden at Penshurst is considered to be one of the most beautiful in England and also one of the oldest, with records dating back to 1346. As well as the house and gardens, Penshurst is one of the largest privately owned estates in the South East, with 1012ha of parkland, farmland and woodland for visitors to explore. 6). Knole – Knole is situated in the heart of a 405ha acre deer park, the only remaining medieval deer park in Kent, where Sika & Fallow deer roam freely amongst ancient oak, beech and chestnut trees. Knole's fascinating links with kings, queens and the nobility, as well as its literary connections with Vita Sackville-West and her close friend, Virginia Woolf, make this one of the most intriguing houses in England. Thirteen superb state rooms are laid out much as they were in the 18th Century to impress visitors by the wealth and standing of the Sackville family who continue to live at Knole today. The house includes Royal Stuart furniture, paintings by Gainsborough, Van Dyck and Reynolds as well as many 17th Century tapestries. A guided tour exploring Vita Sackville-West’s private garden and Knole’s Christmas concerts are just some of the special events on offer throughout the year.
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KENT 7). Scotney Castle – Based in Lamberhurst in Kent, Scotney Castle is a wonderful country house. At the top of the hill is the New House, designed by Anthony Salvin in Elizabethan style and built in 1837 for Edward Hussey III, who took the picturesque style as his inspiration. At the bottom of the valley are the romantic ruins of a medieval castle and moat. This is the focal point of the celebrated gardens and features beautiful examples of Rhododendrons, Azaleas and kalmia in May/June, voted among the top ten best English gardens to visit. Apart from the obvious architectural and historical interest, Scotney Castle represents a romantic and picturesque representation of a bygone era. 8). Ightham Mote – Nestling in a sunken valley, Ightham Mote, dating from 1320 with important later additions and alterations, is a rare example of a moated medieval manor house. Built nearly 700 years ago, this house has seen many changes and had previous owners including medieval knights, courtiers to Henry VIII and highsociety Victorians. Ightham Mote has many special features, including a Great Hall, Crypt, Tudor Chapel with a hand-painted ceiling and the apartments of the American donor Charles Henry Robinson. Ightham Mote also offers lovely gardens and water features, with lakeside and woodland walks, plus the only Grade I listed dog kennel in England! 9). Chartwell – Bought by Sir Winston Churchill for its magnificent views over the Weald of Kent, Chartwell was his home and the place from which he drew inspiration from 1924 until his death. The rooms remain much as they were when he lived here, with pictures, books and personal mementoes evoking the career and wide-ranging interests of this great statesman. The hillside gardens reflect Churchill’s love of the Kentish landscape and nature. Visitors can explore his gardens and the lakes he created, as well as catching a glance of his famous portraits in his garden.
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KENT 10). Down House, The Home of Charles Darwin – Nominated as a World Heritage Site, Down House, the home of Charles Darwin, has a unique place in the history of science. Visitors to Darwin’s home can see the study where he wrote 'On the Origin of Species' still as it was when he worked here, and stroll through the extensive gardens that inspired the great scientist. Equally as fascinating are the glimpses visitors get into the life of the Darwin family and the fascinating interactive multimedia tour, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, to tell you more about how Darwin developed his ideas of evolution. 11). Quex Park – Set in 101ha on the Isle of Thanet, Quex Park hosts a number of surprising finds. Within the park is Quex House which was built in 1805, and a bell tower built in 1819 with an extremely rare secular peal of 12 bells. The park also has a Gun Tower which was built as a sea lookout post, and a Clock Tower built around 1820 with a pre-reformation bell. The park’s main interest however is the Powell-Cotton Museum which hosts a wide collection of African wildlife exhibitions, alongside other items of weaponry, porcelain and fine furniture. Its natural collections of animals preserved through taxidermy are of world-class importance as a scientific resource. 12). Smallhythe Place – The half-timbered house, built in the early 16th Century when Smallhythe was a thriving shipbuilding yard, was the home of the Victorian actress Ellen Terry from 1899 - 1928, and contains her fascinating theatre collection. The cottage grounds include her rose garden, orchard, nuttery and the still used Barn Theatre. Smallhythe Place also offers unique open-air theatre performances, indoor plays and music in the Barn Theatre. Experience family fun days at Smallhythe including children's theatre, and both music concerts and beer festivals in September.
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KENT Top 12 Dickens Destinations in Kent In 2012, Kent will be celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens. The year will bring many activities and events to commemorate the 200th anniversary of one of Britain's best loved authors. 1). Dickens World – Walk into the atmospheric Victorian world of Charles Dickens recreated just for you! Jump aboard the Great Expectations Boat Ride for a splash with Pip, experience a real Victorian school or take a look in The Haunted House of 1859 if you dare! Afterwards, experience 4D cinema in Peggoty’s Boathouse or the Animatronic show in the Britannia Theatre! Seize the chance to come face to face with Dickens' best loved characters in this magnificent rendition of a Victorian town courtyard; there's something for all the family to enjoy! 2). The Historic Dockyard Chatham – Charles Dickens' father, John, worked here and often brought a young Charles with him to work. This made a great impression on Dickens and he used the dockyard as a gloomy backdrop in many of his novels. The BBC adaptation of Little Dorrit was partly filmed here, as was the 2007 adaptation of Oliver Twist. Jump aboard a WWII destroyer, explore the cramped living quarters of a submarine and walk in the footsteps of the likes of Horatio Nelson as he boarded his new ship, the HMS Victory, built at Chatham. The history, the memories and the atmosphere itself inspires, just as it did for Dickens’ himself.
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KENT 3). Gad’s Hill Place – Gad's Hill Place was the country home of Charles Dickens, where he lived until his death in 1870. Dickens first saw the estate when he was nine years old and his father told him if he worked hard enough, he might one day own such a place. After he rocketed to success, Dickens heard it was up for sale and turned Gad's Hill into his country home, entertaining many of his literary friends there such as Hans Christian Anderson and Wilkie Collins. Now Gad's Hill is a school, but it can still be viewed clearly from the road and tours can be arranged. 4). The Guildhall – Once the town hall the Guildhall appears in Great Expectations as the establishment where Pip is bound as an apprentice, with the town of Rochester itself the basis for many of Dickens’ stories. The building is now a museum and houses a must-see exhibition for all Dickens pilgrims. There are a number of rooms dedicated to him for visitors to sample, including a small recreation of his study containing items that once belonged to him. Immerse yourself in the Rochester of Dickens, watching a short film showcasing nearby literary sites and studying personal items from his past. A beautiful building with a beautiful past, this is an exciting, visual attraction that all ages will enjoy. 5). Dickens House Museum – Currently undergoing expansion work, this house was once the home of Miss Mary Pearson Strong, on whom Dickens based much of the character of Miss Betsey Trotwood in his novel David Copperfield. The refurbishment is set to re-display rooms at 48 Doughty Street as they once were. Containing original manuscripts, memorabilia prints, costumes and Victoriana, the museum often hosts exhibitions with changing displays and interests. Tours are available and many local areas of interest that will have undoubtedly inspired Dickens are close at hand. 6). Restoration House – This was Dickens' inspiration for the famous house of Miss Haversham in Great Expectations, where she sat dressed in her faded wedding gown before a cobwebbed feast of mouldy food. Approach it through Vines Park, just like Pip, and marvel at its superb structure and exquisite gardens. An amalgamation of two medieval buildings, it is situated in the heart of historic Rochester, a town entirely built into the heart of Dickens entirely. The house and gardens are open on certain days of the year.
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7). Dickens Countryside – Surrounding the River Medway in the area of Rochester is the marshlands that inspired those of Great Expectations. If you walk the Saxon Shore Way between Hoo and Upnor, you will get a great view of the creepy marshes and experience the same unease as Pip does on that fateful night. Head out on the new Turner and Dickens Walk; running between Broadstairs seafront and near-neighbour Margate’s Harbour, it links attractions such as the Dickens House Museum and St Peter’s village with the brand new Turner Contemporary, exploring their links with Dickens. You can bet that Dickens, a passionate walker, would certainly have stepped out along this route, alongside the many other beautiful countryside landscapes that fill Kent. 8). St James’ Church, Cooling – A great, inexpensive way to get a slice of Dickens culture, Cooling Church is the location of the famous opening scene from Great Expectations where Pip meets the convict Magwitch. The little lozenge-shaped graves which Pip stood beside can still be seen now. Visit this inspiring place with the marshland all around you and experience the desolateness of Pip's life. Inside, the church is light and spacious. There is a 500-year-old timber door that still swings on its ancient hinges - even though it now leads to a blocked north doorway! Another quirky feature is the 19th Century vestry - its walls are lined from top to bottom with thousands of cockle shells, the emblem of St James. 9). Eastgate House – Now a Grade I-listed building, in Dickens’ time, Eastgate House was a girl's boarding school. An excellent example of an Elizabethan town house, Dickens lovers will recognise it as both Miss Twinkerton's school for young ladies in The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Westgate House Seminary for young ladies in The Pickwick Papers. The house is set in its own gardens and the site also encompasses an annexe building and cottage designed by Sir Guy Dawber in the 1920s. In addition, it is home to the Swiss chalet where Dickens used to write. This was moved to Eastgate in the 1960s and was previously sited at nearby Gad’s Hill, where Dickens lived from 1856 until his death in 1870. Eastgate House was once the home of the Dickens Centre and is now a venue for weddings.
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KENT 10). Dickens Festivals: Broadstairs Dickens Festival – (16-22 June) Charles Dickens visited Broadstairs in Kent regularly from 1837 until 1859 and immortalised the town as "Our English Watering Place". In 1937, to commemorate the centenary of the author's first visit, Gladys Waterer, the then owner of Dickens House, conceived the idea of putting on a production of 'David Copperfield' and having people about the town in Victorian dress to publicise it. Thus the festival was born and, with the exception of the years of WWII, has been held annually in the third week of June ever since. Medway Dickens Festival – (8-10 June) A spectacular event of colour, costume and entertainment! Spending five of his childhood years here, and returning regularly until his death, Medway offers a fantastic festival that celebrates the author’s life. Thousands of visitors soak up the Victorian atmosphere, while parades make their way through central historic Rochester each day, featuring costumed characters, readings, parades and much more! Dickens Christmas Market, Rochester Castle – (30 November- 18 December, except Mon and Tues) set in the beautiful grounds of Kent's Rochester Castle, overlooking the River Medway and just a few steps from Rochester's picturepostcard Victorian High Street, you can enjoy a truly festive atmosphere with traditional Christmas trees filled with twinkling fairy lights, the smell of roasted chestnuts and glühwein. Discover an array of wonderful German 'style' Christmas market huts selling a range of Christmas gifts, hand-crafted goods and festive fair. In addition to all of this, street entertainers and Dickensian characters mingle amongst the revelers, whilst bands and carol singers entertain visitors to the market.
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KENT 11). Rochester Castle – Spending most of his childhood in Rochester, Dickens would have known the familiar sight of the Castle very well. Set as the backdrop to many of the scenes in his stories, this amazing medieval castle has experienced untold horrors and also features in the new film Ironclad (2011). Climb this Norman keep for bird’s eye views of Cloisterham (Edwin Drood) and Pip’s hometown spread out below. It is said that Dickens’ ghost haunts the grassy castle moat – a church graveyard in his time – because he wanted to be buried here but was honoured at Westminster Abbey instead. 12). The Leather Bottle Inn – The small village pub is situated in the quaint little village of Cobham, Kent. It was here, in this half-timbered watering-hole, that Dickens would test his storytelling skills by giving readings from his latest work. The Pickwickians also came here looking for love-struck Mr Tupman in The Pickwick Papers. It is no wonder that the menu lists such dishes as Mr Pickwick Sirloin Steak, and Mr Micawber’s Mixed Grill. The Inn still holds a unique collection of Dickensiana, mirroring the author���s connection to it, alongside the three tastefully decorated bedrooms (two with four-poster beds) that are all en suite and named after Dickensian characters.
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LANCASHIRE Top 12 Lancashire Royal Connections 1). Duchy of Lancaster & Lancaster Castle - Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire and the seat of the Duchy of Lancaster (a city since 1937), with most of the land owned by Her Majesty The Queen, who also holds the hereditary title of Duke of Lancaster. Lancaster has a long and fascinating history stretching back to pre-Roman times and evidence of an active Roman settlement can be found throughout the city, much to the delight of visitors drawn to the city’s castle, galleries, museums and attractive Georgian architecture. A Roman Fort once stood on Castle Hill where the current castle, which dates back to 12th Century, now stands. As well as being a fortification the castle is also one of Europe’s longest serving operational prisons. Notorious as the place where the Pendle Witches were tried, convicted and sentenced to death, and from where many convicts were transported to Australia. A fascinating mix of the ghoulish and historic awaits those who take the castle tour, with some of the country’s most entertaining and knowledgeable guides – watch out, you may even find yourself locked in one of the dungeons! Today, Lancaster is a modern vibrant city, chic and bohemian with an array of bars, restaurants, boutiques, specialist shops, street markets, theatres, smart hotels and B&Bs. Close by in Morecambe you’ll find Art Deco chic in The Midland Hotel, where you can also see the famous Eris Morecambe statue; head to Carnforth Station and take tea in the station tea room, made famous by David Lean’s iconic film, Brief Encounter; take a guided walk along the sands of the bay, in the expert hands of the Queen’s Guide, Cedric Robinson MBE. www.lancastercastle.com www.citycoastcountryside.co.uk 2). Sir Loin at Hoghton Tower - The next time you order a sirloin steak you might want to spare a thought for Sir Richard de Hoghton of Hoghton Tower near Preston. The lavish and unstinting hospitality of this 17th Century baron to his King did result in the knighting of ‘Sir Loin’ but it was also his ruin. In 1617 the Lancashire baronet invited King James I to stay at his hilltop manor, welcoming the monarch with a huge red velvet carpet that stretched the full length of the 1 /2 mile driveway. During the three day visit the King enjoyed stag hunting and dined lavishly in the company of Dukes, Earls and knights - at the expense of Sir Richard. It is said that the King was so enamoured by a loin of beef he ate during a banquet at Hoghton Tower that he knighted it ‘Sir Loin’- which is how it got its name.
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During this same visit James I was also reported to have ridden his horse up the stairs of the house to his bedchamber – to avoid any attempts being made on his life. The unflagging hospitality (not to mention the property damage) bankrupted Sir Richard and he spent some years in Fleet Debtors Prison. Today you can take a tour of the same banqueting hall and staterooms visited by James I - where you’ll also see the menu from the famous ‘Sir Loin’ banquet. The spooky underground passages and eerie dungeons will send shivers down your spine especially when you find out that Hoghton Tower is reputedly the third most haunted house in Britain. A less scary option is to follow the discovery trail through the extensive gardens and along the ramparts - where the views are magnificent. Hoghton Tower hosts a range of events throughout the year including concerts, exhibitions and the regular Merchants of Hoghton, the largest farmer’s market in the county. www.hoghtontower.co.uk 3). The Exact Centre of the Kingdom - According to Ordnance Survey, Dunsop Bridge is the exact centre of the kingdom. The village nestles in the Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty flanking the Duchy of Lancaster Estate, where Her Majesty The Queen in her official biography, Elizabeth by Sarah Bradford, said that she would like to retire. This largely unspoilt countryside is one of Lancashire’s most cherished gems and a destination for walkers, cyclists and lovers of wildlife. www.forestofbowland.com 4). Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club - 1926 was a significant year for the club, not only did it host its first Open, but King George V gave his approval to adding the word 'Royal' to the club's title just in time for the championship to start. In July 2012 (15th – 22nd) the club will host the Open Golf Championship 2012 where the world’s greatest golfers will gather to do battle for the famous Golf Champion Trophy, now commonly referred to as the Claret Jug, and where Darren Clarke will defend the trophy he famously won a Royal St George’s in 2011. www.royallytham.org
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LANCASHIRE 5). The Queen’s Guide to the Sands - People have walked across the sands of Morecambe Bay for hundreds of years. Before the arrival of the railway it was the main route to and from Furness. Now people cross for fun, and to raise money for charity: guided by the 25th appointed Queen's Guide to the Sands Cedric Robinson who has been leading the walks since 1963 and is the longest serving guide. Cedric, a lifelong local fisherman, knows the ever-changing sands like the back of his hand. The first appointment was in 1536, an appointment still made by the Duchy of Lancaster. Morecambe Bay's cross-bay walk is internationally renowned and has been described as "one of the world's most wonderful journeys”. www.morecambebay.com/bay-walks 6). King George V’s Coach - The coach used by the Queen’s grandfather George V will be on display at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum in Leyland during 2012 and will run in some special events around the time of the Diamond Jubilee. The British Commercial Vehicle Museum has dedicated the last 20 years to preserving the history of road transport in the UK. Over one million people in the UK are employed in some way with the road transport industry and its infrastructure. The museum featured in the TV series Behind the Scenes at the Museum on BBC Four. www.bcvmt.co.uk 7). The King’s Speech - Queens Street Mill in Burnley, Lancashire was the location for scenes in this multi-Oscar winning film, which told the story of King George VI's determination to overcome his problems with speech. Starring Colin Firth, Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush the scenes were shot at the mill in 2009 and the film was released in 2010. www.visitburnley.com 8). HRH The Prince of Wales - Northcote’s Chef Patron, Nigel Haworth and Head Chef Lisa Allen, have both won the TV chef challenge Great British Chef and helped deliver a charity banquet hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. Northcote is a Michelin starred restaurant and stylish hotel located in the Ribble Valley. Nigel and Lisa are both champions of Lancashire produce and each year help present Northcote’s Obsession food festival, where acclaimed chefs from all over the world descend on the county to deliver an amazing array of dishes to the delight of Northcote diners. www.northcote.com
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9). Leyland’s Royal Guests - Farington Lodge is a superb AA four star Grade II listed Georgian house set in three acres of mature lawns and gardens. It blends lavish period splendour and a fascinating history with the very best contemporary luxury. Farington Lodge, Leyland has many royal connections. HRH Princess Diana visited in 1992 and, since March 2001, they have had the privilege of welcoming HRH Princess Anne to several dinners in aid of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Farington Lodge was formerly the Leyland Motors Guest House, a venue for visiting dignitaries, which included Prince Edward and Mrs Simpson, HRH The Queen Mother and HRH Prince Philip. www.classiclodges.co.uk/Farington_Lodge_Hotel_Preston 10). Royal Lancashire Water - King Henry’s legendary divining skills are said to be responsible for his discovering a spring and founding a well at Bolton Hall, where he stayed with Sir Ralph Pudsey in 1464 after the Wars of the Roses. The well survives intact as a Listed Ancient Monument and has recently been sensitively restored. King Henry VI English Spring Water® is now bottled on the Lancashire estate and supplied to quality establishments across the country. www.kinghenryviwater.com 11). Inn at Whitewell - The Inn at Whitewell in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley, is renowned for its links with the Royal family. From Her Majesty The Queen to Princess Diana, this rural idyll is on land owned by the Duchy of Lancaster (The Queen). The Inn sits proudly above the River Hodder, with breathtakingly beautiful views over some of Lancashire’s finest countryside making it a much sought after venue for weddings (with the delightful St Michael’s Church just a couple of minutes walk away, for those seeking a church wedding). The Inn at Whitewell also featured on the recent hit TV programme The Trip – with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. www.innatwhitewell.com 12). HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton - Lancashire was the destination for HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton’s final official engagement before their wedding in April 2011. They visited a new school in Darwen and Witton Country Park, Blackburn. Let’s hope it’s the first of many more visits.
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NATIONAL FOREST Top 12 things to do We all have things that we have always wanted to do ….but have somehow never got around to doing. Well, it is now time to do all those things that you have always dreamt of. 1). Compete in the Olympics! – Ever dreamt of taking part in the Olympics? Well – if you didn’t make the British team for 2012 you could always look at entering the Agrilympics at the National Forest Adventure Farm. This annual event, taking place on 4th August, includes the corn javelin, tossing the hale bale, welly sprint and many more heats! 2). Walk through a carpet of beautiful bluebells – Some of the best places to walk through bluebell-carpeted woods are in The National Forest. Serpentine Wood within the Calke Abbey Estate, Outwoods in Charnwood near Loughborough, Jackson’s Bank in Staffordshire or Staunton Ridgeway through Spring Wood Nature Reserve, near Staunton Harold. Set in beautiful rolling parkland at Newchurch, Yoxall Lodge was once a forest lodge situated in the heart of the ancient Needwood Forest. Woodland walks give access to a magical carpet of native bluebells which blankets the floor of these old, natural woodlands. 3). Horse ride across open countryside – Ride through beautiful Bradgate Park, past the babbling brook and the ruins of Lady Jane Grey’s (the nine-day queen) former home. Park View Riding Stables offers off-road hacking to Bradgate Park and Swithland Woods in the ancient Charnwood Forest. 4). Take part of a Murder Mystery night on an old steam train – Step into the world of Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ on a Murder Mystery evening at Great Central Railway or have a go at driving a steam dream on their locomotive driving experiences. 5). Go Ghost hunting – Take part in a ghost hunt at Tutbury Castle, a ghost walk at Grace Dieu Priory or paranormal evening at Moira Furnace. 6). Bottle feed a new-born lamb – Bottle feed new-born lambs at the National Forest Adventure Farm. This year-round attraction hosts the popular annual Agrilympics and holds pig and sheep racing (complete with teddy bear jockeys) every day. 86
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NATIONAL FOREST 7). Be a zookeeper for a day – Ever fancied being a zookeeper for the day? Twycross Zoo offers a zookeeper experience which involves helping in all aspects of animal care including cleaning, food preparation and feeding in one its primate houses (langurs, lemurs, marmosets and woolly monkeys) or the giraffe section (vicunas, guanacos, camels and tapir). 8). Watch the countryside drift past on a lazy narrow boat holiday – There are 30 miles of canal stretching through the National Forest. A canal cruise is a great tonic to slow down and relax. Embark on a relaxing canal boat holiday or short break with Aqua Narrowboat Hire at Willington-based Mercia Marina. 9). Feel the warmth of a hot stones massage – Treat yourself to a bit of ‘me-time’ at the luxurious health spas Champneys Springs or Eden Day Spa at Hoar Cross Hall. Be pampered and feel stress ebb away at the excellent Reeds Health Club and Spa within Best Western Premier Yew Lodge Hotel. 10). Learn how to be a chocolatier for a day – Bitter Sweet Chocolates’ courses reveal the secrets of a chocolatier. A must for chocoholics everywhere! Or for budding Masterchefs, join the passionate chefs at Seasoned Courses whose cookery courses will teach and enthuse you about food. 11). Organise a ‘party’ in a brewery – Formerly the Bass Museum, the National Brewery Centre is a world-class museum and visitor centre that celebrates Burton upon Trent’s proud brewing heritage. Brilliant holograms and costumed characters from the brewery’s past stroll around the centre and truly bring the history of brewing, beer and Burton to life. The brewing experience includes beer tasting, magnificent shire horses, and a brand new micro brewery. Marston’s Brewery also offers tours for groups. Both venues have rooms that groups can hire to organise their own ‘party’ in a brewery. 12). Go ‘glamping’ or stay in a log cabin – Nestling in their own woodland glade Rosliston Forestry Centre’s Forest Lodges are a dream come true for those who have always wanted to stay in a log cabin. Or how about a spot of ‘glamping’ in one of the new luxury canvas cottages with Dandelion Hideaway – complete with gorgeous roll-top bath. These are set in stunning countryside on a working farm. Perfect for a relaxing getaway! National Forest Photo credit: Christopher Beech Index
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NEW FOREST Top 12 New Forest Views ). Forest canopy – For a stunning vantage point across the top of the trees of the New Forest canopy without a building in sight, film from the rooftop garden of the luxurious Herb House Spa at five red star country house hotel Lime Wood near Lyndhurst. 2). Coast – 43 miles of wonderful coastline is a short drive from the woodland heart of the New Forest is its. For the ultimate view, the Art Deco roof terrace restaurant at The Marine at Milford on Sea has a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view of the Solent coast and the famous Isle of Wight Needles. 3). Knightwood Oak – For the largest oak in the New Forest (7.4m girth) park at the Knightwood Oak car park (take the A35 from Lyndhurst to Christchurch and after two miles turn right into Bolderwood Ornamental Drive and the car park is on the left). Stand under its shady branches and imagine life 600 years ago, when it first began to grow. 4). Castle Hill – Stunning viewpoint overlooking the beautiful Avon valley and Breamore House on the western edge of the New Forest. 5). Rufus Stone - The historic site of a former great oak where King William II (known as William Rufus because of his ruddy complexion) is said to have been left by Sir Walter Tyrell, who fired the shot that killed him. Conspiracy theories of the day claimed it was no hunting accident. 6). Forest Tour – Jump aboard the open-top hourly New Forest Tour throughout the summer for the best views of the of the forest from the highest possible vantage point. As well as the original route from the centre to the coast, a new route takes you from the heart of the New Forest to the beautiful Avon Valley and back.
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NEW FOREST 7). Buckler’s Hard – The unspoilt 18th Century village of Buckler’s Hard is where some of Nelson’s Trafalgar fleet was built. A gently sloping street of original shipbuilders’ cottages leads down to the stunning waterfront of the Beaulieu River. 8). Exbury – Exbury Gardens, with its world-famous Rothschild Collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and rare trees and shrubs, is a riot of colour with picturesque reflections of lakeside tints . . . and the perfect backdrop for filming. 9). Sunset over the Solent – Film at Keyhaven marshes on the Solent Way for the most dramatic sunset shots. The fiery, orange ball sinking behind the clouds to the still backdrop of tranquil surroundings and moored boats can be perfect. 10). Lepe – Lepe Country Park has panoramic views across the Solent from its mile of beach, pine fringed cliffs and wild flower meadows. It is a popular destination for family days out walking, swimming, fishing, windsurfing and watching the cruise ships sailing to and from Southampton. 11). Blackwater – The best place for giant redwoods and majestic Douglas firs along the Tall Trees Trail at Rhinefield Ornamental Drive. This arboretum has some of the tallest and oldest trees in Britain. 12). Myths and legends – Burley is the best place to head for thatched cottages, witches, gnomes and pixies. It is steeped in legends and mystique – and you can even explore the area in a horse-drawn wagon.
To arrange interviews or filming at any of these locations contact Polymedia on 01329 822866 or at [email protected] or call Anthony Climpson, Employment and Tourism Manager, on 02380 285102.
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NEW FOREST Top 12 New Forest Wildlife 1). Bolderwood deer – Stunning views, Great British scenery and the best place to see deer. There is a special viewing platform as well as a trail to get great pictures/films of a herd of fallow deer which are easily spotted at this New Forest beauty spot. 2). New Forest Ponies – The New Forest is famous for its iconic ponies. About 3,500 New Forest ponies roam its common land under an ancient management system created by William the Conqueror, when he recognised its rare qualities nearly 1,000 years ago. 3). Pannage Pigs – As many as 600 Commoners’ pigs are turned out in the New Forest in the autumn to pannage for acorns which are poisonous to the ponies, cattle and deer which roam free. The pigs are let loose to roam for 60 days. The tradition was recently celebrated by a Beaulieu chocolatier who made handcrafted chocolate pigs with praline acorns. 4). Cattle - Roam the common land of the New Forest which making it the perfect English idyll. The land management system which protects and preserves the special woodlands and wilderness heath is still enacted today by Verderers, Agisters and Commoners (literally the judges, Police and land users of this historic landscape). 5). Pony Drift – In a Drift round-up, Commoners and Agisters enact a centuries-old tradition every autumn in the New Forest. During the Drift in early autumn, skilled riders herd the 3,000 or so ponies. Veterinary health checks are carried out and foals are weaned from their mothers, often to be sold at regular pony sales. 6). Bluebells – For the perfect backdrop in spring, a beautiful wash of colour covers the forest floor at the Pondhead Inclosure near Lyndhurst, as a sea of bluebells breaks through.
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NEW FOREST 7). Donkeys – Can often be seen meandering along the main street of Burley, which is famous for tales of legends, witches and smuggling and can be explored by horse-drawn wagon. 8). Falconry – Amews Falconry in Beaulieu lets you hold and fly some of Britain’s most beautiful birds of prey. 9). Bottle-feed kid goats and calves - See the animals in their seasonal homes at Longdown Activity Farm at Ashurst. 10). Dragonflies – Hatchet Pond, the largest body of water in the New Forest, has a vast array of spectacular dragonflies and damselflies that live in its natural habitat. 11). Birds – The New Forest is a twitcher’s paradise. Among its treasures, rare nightjars gather at the New Forest’s Matley Ridge, a small, secluded woodland site. And at Blackwater arboretum, migrating Hawfinches can be spotted in the trees. 12). Bats - Swooping low at dusk to catch insects, bats are an unforgettable sight. Blackwater arboretum is the best place to film their nocturnal activity.
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NORFOLK Norwich Top 12 Norwich 12 is the UK's finest collection of individually outstanding heritage buildings from the Norman, medieval, Georgian, Victorian and modern eras located in Norwich, Norfolk. Explore these 12 iconic landmarks through guided walks and tours, visitor attractions, exhibitions, music, performances, cafes, restaurants and gifts shops – many are free to enter. Here are the Norwich 12 buildings from oldest to newest – spanning 1000 years of history in Norwich. 1). Norwich Castle – Norwich Castle (built 1067 – 1075) is one of the finest surviving secular Norman buildings in Europe. The Castle mound is the largest in the country. From the 14th to the 19th century the keep was used as a county gaol. The Castle was converted to a museum in 1894 and today is the county’s principle museum and art gallery. 2). Norwich Cathedral – Built 1096-1145. Most of Norwich Cathedral's Norman architecture is still intact and it forms one of the finest examples of the Romanesque style in Europe. Norwich Cathedral has the highest Norman tower (40m) and largest monastic cloisters in England, the second highest spire as well as a unique and world-renowned collection of medieval roof carvings. 3). The Assembly House – Built 1754-1755. The Assembly House is a Georgian building designed by the architect Thomas Ivory. It incorporates the original layout of a previous building, the medieval college of St Mary in the Fields. Today the rooms appear almost exactly as they did at the height of the Regency period, and are used for exhibitions, concerts, conferences and weddings - the Assembly House offers a superb year-round programme of arts and culture to enjoy. Recent developments include a state-of-the-art kitchen and a Cake Counter where you can indulge in delectable delicate hand-made biscuits, cakes and chocolates! This is the place to be if you want to take a traditional Afternoon Tea in sumptuous surroundings. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is also available with a huge choice of dishes using local produce wherever possible. 4). St James Mill – Built 1836 – 1839. St James Mill is the archetypal English Industrial Revolution mill in perhaps an unexpected part of the UK. It was built on a site occupied by the White Friars (Carmelites) in the 13th century, and an orginal arch and undercroft survive. Jarrolds have twice been owners of the mill the last purchase being in 1933, today it is a private office complex. 92
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NORFOLK 5). The Great Hospital – Built 1249, Norwich's Great Hospital has been in continuous use as a caring institution since it was founded for the care of poor chaplains in the 13th century. The 2.5ha complex of buildings and extensive archives provide a unique living history of the last 750 years. The site includes the ancient parish church of St Helen and Eagle Ward with its lavishly decorated 'eagle ceiling', originally the chancel of the church. Today the hospital provides sheltered housing and a residential care home. 6). The Halls - St Andrew’s and Blackfriars – Built 1307 – 1470. St Andrew's Hall is the centrepiece of several magnificent flint buildings, known as The Halls, which form the most complete friary complex surviving in England. During the reformation, the site was saved by the City Corporation which bought it from the king for use as a 'common hall'. Since then the complex has been used for worship, as a mint and as a workhouse. Today the two halls, crypt, chapel and cloisters host conferences, fairs, weddings and concerts. 7). St John’s Roman Catholic Cathedral – Built 1884 – 1910, St John's Roman Catholic Cathedral is a particularly fine example of 19th-century Gothic revival architecture. Designed in the Early English style by George Gilbert Scott Junior, St John's contains some of the finest 19th-century stained glass in Europe. It also has a wealth of Frosterley marble and exquisite stone caving. 8). Surrey House - Marble Hall – Built 1900 – 1912, Surrey House, the historic home of Aviva (formally Norwich Union), is a spectacular piece of Edwardian architecture by George Skipper. He was commissioned by The Norwich Union Life Insurance Society's directors to produce a 'splendid yet functional office space', incorporating Greek influences and the themes of insurance, protection and wellbeing. The building has a commanding Palladian exterior and an interior adorned with 15 varieties of marble, classically inspired frescos and a stunning glass atrium. This is not to be missed! 9). The Guildhall – Built 1407 – 1424, the elaborate design and size of the Guildhall reflect Norwich's status as one of the wealthiest provincial cities in England in medieval times. The building represents the growing economic and political power of the new ruling elite that was emerging - wealthy freemen who were merchants and traders. Norwich was given more self-governing powers in 1404 and the Guildhall was built to house the various civic assemblies, councils and courts that regulated its citizens' lives.
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10). Dragon Hall – Built 1427 – 1430, Dragon Hall is a medieval trading hall, built by Robert Toppes, a wealthy local merchant, for his business. The first floor of the 27m timber-framed hall has an outstanding crown post roof with a beautifully carved dragon, which gives the building its name. After Toppes' death, the building was converted for domestic use and then, in the 19th century, subdivided into shops, a pub and tenements. Today Dragon Hall is a heritage attraction open to visitors and is a unique venue for weddings, private and corporate functions, and performances. 11). City Hall – Built 1936 – 1938, Norwich City Hall was build when the Guildhall and existing municipal offices could no longer accommodate the growth in local government duties in the early 20th century. City Hall has an exceptional art deco interior and many fine architectural features, including a top-floor cupola, rich in mahogany panelling and one of the longest balconies in England. 12). The Forum – Built 1999 – 2001, the Forum is the landmark millennium project for the East of England and a striking example of post-war architecture. Funded by a Millennium Commission grant and matching support from Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council and the business community, it houses the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium and the 2nd Air Division Memorial Libraries BBC East's regional headquarter, Norwich Tourist Information Centre, a shop, a cafe, restaurant, Fusion - a giant digital gallery (the largest in Europe), BBC open studio and The Curve auditorium.
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NORFOLK Top 12 Norfolk Historic Houses and Gardens 1). Sandringham House – (Her Majesty The Queen), all the ground floor rooms used by The Royal Family, full of their treasured ornaments, portraits and furniture, are open to the public. The Ballroom displays a different exhibition each year and in 2012 will be celebrating 60 years of Her Majesty the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and 150 years of the Royal Family at Sandringham. More family possessions are displayed in the museum housed in the old stables and coach houses including vehicles ranging in date from the first car owned by a British monarch, a 1900 Daimler, to a half-scale Aston Martin used by the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, www.sandringhamestate.co.uk 2). Holkham Hall – (Viscount Coke) is one of Britain's most majestic stately homes. With stunning architecture in the Marble Hall, classical Roman statuary in the Statue Gallery and original paintings and furniture in the opulent Saloon, plus much more. Each room has a wealth of treasures to be discovered. Nearby Holkham Beach has been voted Best British Beach by the readers of Coast magazine for the last three years, www.holkham.co.uk 3). Oxburgh Hall – (National Trust), step back in time through the magnificent Tudor gatehouse into the dangerous world of Tudor politics. Home to the Bedingfield family since 1482 this stunning redbrick house charts their precarious history from medieval austerity to neo-Gothic Victorian comfort. Oxburgh houses beautiful embroidery by both Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick. Panoramic views from the roof look out over the Victorian French parterre, walled orchard, kitchen garden and a Catholic chapel, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburghhall 4). Houghton Hall – (Marquis of Cholmondeley) was built in the 1720s by Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's First Prime Minister. It is one of the grandest Palladian Houses in England, designed by James Gibbs and Colen Campbell with the interiors by William Kent and opulently furnished to reflect Walpole's status. Houghton retains most its original furnishings, www.houghtonhall.com 5). Blickling Hall – (National Trust). This exquisite red brick early 17th century house with spectacular long gallery, and plasterwork ceilings, has fine collections of furniture, pictures and books. The house is surrounded by extensive gardens and park with ornamental lake, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling
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NORFOLK 6). Felbrigg Hall – (National Trust). This fine country house is a composite of architectural styles from the early 17th to early 19th century. There is a Grand Tour collection of paintings, period furniture and fine library. Walled garden, working dovecote, exotic planting, extensive parkland and ancient woodland, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-felbrigg-hall
12). Invitation to View – Invitation to View co-ordinates openings of historic country houses that are not regularly open to the public in East Anglia. Currently 54 properties are involved in the scheme, www.invitationtoview.co.uk More information www.visitnorfolk.co.uk
7). Mannington Hall Gardens – (Lord Walpole), the gardens around this medieval moated manor house feature a wide variety of plants, trees and shrubs in many different settings. Throughout the gardens are thousands of roses especially classic varieties. The Heritage Rose and 20th century rose gardens have designs reflecting their date of origin from the 15th century to the present day. Wolterton Hall (Lord Walpole), www.manningtongardens.co.uk 8). Wolterton Hall – (Lord Walpole), was built by Thomas Ripley in the 1720s for Horatio Walpole: politician, diplomat and younger brother to Britain's first Prime Minister - Sir Robert Walpole. The current Lord Walpole inherited the property in 1989. Since then, there has been a programme of reorganisation, conservation and research into the history of the family, hall and park using previously neglected archives. There is an extensive family portrait collection, www.manningtongardens.co.uk 9). Euston Hall – (Duke of Grafton), home of the Dukes of Grafton for more than 300 years. The hall contains, among is treasures, a unique collection of paintings of the court of Charles II and includes works by Van Dyck, Lely and Kneller. There are also tranquil gardens a river walk and restored watermill, www.eustonhall.co.uk 10). Raveningham Gardens – (Sir Nicholas Bacon), a place away from the hurly burly of modern life, where visitors can reflect on how a modern garden can evolve and explore a traditional walled garden which still produces fruit and vegetables for the family as it did for the current owners Victorian ancestors, www.raveningham.com 11). Somerleyton Hall – (Lord Somerleyton) on the Norfolk/Suffolk border is an early Victorian stately mansion built in Anglo-Italian style with lavish architectural features, magnificent carved stonework and fine state rooms. Paintings by Landseer, Wright of Derby and Stanfield. Wood carvings by Wilcox of Warwick and Grinling Gibbons. The justly renowned 5ha gardens feature an 1846 yew hedge maze, glasshouses by Paxton, fine statuary, pergola and walled garden, www.somerleyton.co.uk Index
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NORTHUMBERLAND Top 12 Northumberland Attractions 1). Alnwick Castle – Associated with Harry Hotspur and still owned by the Percies – current Dukes of Northumberland, magnificent Alnwick Castle is stuffed full of priceless works of art and impressive collections of armour and weapons. More recently Alnwick Castle was one of the settings for Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. 2). Bamburgh Castle – In a stunning location overlooking the wild North Sea, Bamburgh has been a seat of kings for over a thousand years. Restored by Lord Armstrong, the current castle is a treasure trove of armour, artwork, porcelain and furniture. 3). Hadrian’s Wall – Built in just six years from AD122 as the frontier of Hadrian’s Roman Empire, Hadrian’s Wall snakes across some of England’s most spectacular countryside for 117km. Along the way are impressively preserved forts, garrisons and temples. 4). Holy Island – Cut off by the tide each day, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne is still a place of pilgrimage. It was on Holy Island that St Cuthbert spread his early Christian message and that the unique illustrated manuscript, the Lindisfarne Gospels – a true national treasure – was produced. 5). The Alnwick Garden – One of the most exciting contemporary gardens on earth. A garden for gardeners with a design that looks to the future. It's a stunning attraction, a floral wonderland. a place for families with lots of chances to get wet and play. 6). Cragside House, Gardens & Estate – The creation of Lord Armstrong, Victorian inventor and landscape genius, Cragside was the first house in Britain to be lit by hydro electricity. Enjoy the estate drive, pinetum and formal gardens. 7). Warkworth Castle – An impressive 12th Century fortress with magnificent cross shaped keep, Warkworth was owned by the Percy family, whose lion badge can be seen carved into the stronghold. Near the castle and accessible only by boat is a late medieval Hermitage and chapel. Alnwick Castle Northumberland 96
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NORTHUMBERLAND 8). Howick Hall Gardens & Arboretum – The home of Charles, 2nd Earl Grey who was Prime Minister during the passing of the Great Reform Bill of 1832 and better known for the famous tea which was blended especially for the water at Howick and named after him. The gardens are a plantsman’s delight with extensive grounds offering a stunning variety of unusual plants throughout the seasons. Enjoy a cup of Earl Grey in the garden’s tea room. 9). Berwick Barracks and Ramparts – Purpose-built barracks housing several attractions. The ramparts are the fortifications of gateways, curtain walls and projecting bastions built in 1558-70. 10). The Farne Islands – Off the coast of Northumberland, the Farne Islands are one of the greatest wildlife experiences in England. In the summer they are home to more than 100,000 pairs of breeding seabirds including puffins and rare Roseate Turns. 11). Chillingham Castle and the Chillingham Cattle – Rumoured to be the most haunted castle in England, Chillingham occupied a strategic position during Northumberland's bloody border feuds, as often under attack as basking in the patronage of Royal visitors. Nearby a walled enclosure is home to the Chillingham Wild Cattle, a unique pure-bred herd of white cattle descended from the wild cattle that once roamed the forests of Britain. 12). Belsay Hall, Castle & Gardens – Belsay’s grand medieval castle was later extended to include a magnificent Jacobean mansion. The nearby Belsay Hall was inspired by the temples of ancient Greece and has a fabulous pillar hall. The huge grounds include a unique Quarry Garden, a fantasy of ravines, pinnacles and exotic plants.
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Top 12 Nottinghamshire Free Things to Do 1). Creswell Crags – Creswell Crags is an historic limestone gorge, honeycombed with caves and smaller fissures. Stone tools and remains of animals found in the caves provide evidence for a fascinating story of life during the last Ice Age between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago. Further evidence came to light in 2003 with the discovery of Britain's only known Ice Age rock art. 2). Wollaton Hall and Deer Park – Wollaton Hall is a spectacular Elizabethan mansion in the heart of Nottingham. It is a prominent Grade I Listed building, situated in a 202ha historic deer park, and herds of red and fallow deer roam freely throughout the site. The Hall was built by Sir Francis Willoughby between 1580 and 1588, and now houses Nottingham’s Natural History Museum along with reconstructed room settings. 3). Major Oak – legendary as a hide-out of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year as they trace the footsteps of the legend. The reserve covers 182ha and incorporates some truly ancient areas of native woodland, including over 1,000 veteran oaks, most of which are over 500 years old. 4). Nottingham Contemporary – Nottingham Contemporary, designed by the award winning architects Caruso St John, is one of the largest contemporary art centres in the UK. It has four galleries lit by 132 skylights, a performance and film Space, a Learning room, The Study, The Shop and Cafe.Bar.Contemporary. The gallery runs a range of special events and children’s workshops, and entry is free. 5). Attenborough Nature Reserve – This beautiful complex of flooded former gravel pits and islands provides 146ha of exceptional habitat for a wide range of plants, birds and other wildlife. The Nature Reserve is nationally designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), featuring many walking trails and opportunities for spotting rare and beautiful wildlife. The Nature Centre was opened by Sir David Attenborough in 2005 and has been named as one of the top ten eco destinations in the world by BBC Wildlife magazine. Creswell Crags Nottinghamshire 98
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 6). Mansfield Museum – Named as the Family Friendly Museum of the Year in 2011 by The Guardian Newspaper, Mansfield Museum offers a range of wonderful permanent and temporary exhibitions, exploring the social history of the area, including interactive exhibitions aimed at entertaining children. 7). Southwell Minster – the stunning twin spires of Southwell Minster are one of the highlights of the beautiful market town of Southwell. The Minster, the Cathedral of Nottinghamshire, is rich in historical and architectural interest, featuring some of the finest examples of naturalistic carvings in the country. 8). Sherwood Pines Forest Park – The largest woodland open to the public in the East Midlands, the forest offers fantastic outdoor experiences all year round. From cycling to mushroom foraging to picnics – the park has plenty of activities on all year round. 9). Newstead and Annersley Country Park – a beautiful 89ha eco-friendly park, Newstead and Annersley Country Park has been developed by the local people to benefit the community. Hosting numerous events and attractions throughout the year, the Park is only three minutes from Newstead Railway Station and eight minutes by car from Junction 27 of the M1. 10). Thoresby Gallery – Thoresby Gallery in Thoresby Courtyard is an imaginative conversion of a Grade I listed building, recently transformed into a thriving retail area including an art gallery, busy cafe and a home for working crafts people. The courtyard sits beside Thoresby Hall, built by the third Earl Manvers in 1860. The Courtyard is set within several thousand acres of forest, farmland and parkland that you can explore via a series of way marked walks. 11). Rufford Country Park – 60.7ha of historic parkland, woodland and gardens in the North of Nottinghamshire’s ‘Dukeries’ region, Rufford Country Park includes the ruins of a medieval monastery, gardens, woodland walks, a sculpture trail and a lake. All the ingredients for a relaxing day outside. 12). Walking and Cycling – Beautiful Nottinghamshire offers a wide range trails and routes for walking and cycling, for visitors wanting to explore the countryside at their own pace. Welbeck Estate offers a beautiful 2 ½ mile loop including the Harley Gallery and Creswell Crags, and the Ancient Sherwood Route and Adventure Pines Route for cyclists are 32km journeys designed to be enjoyed in a day, stopping off at key attractions along the way. Index
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Top 12 Nottinghamshire Historic Sites 1). Creswell Crags – Creswell Crags is an historic limestone gorge, honeycombed with caves and smaller fissures. Stone tools and remains of animals found in the caves provide evidence for a fascinating story of life during the last Ice Age between 50000 and 10000 years ago. Further evidence came to light in 2003 with the discovery of Britain's only known Ice Age rock art. 2). Welbeck Estates – Stretching more than 6070ha acres to straddle the borders of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, the Welbeck Estates are home to historic Welbeck Abbey and Welbeck Village. Find out about the 4km walking trail which covers some of the most scenic parts of the estate, and be sure to stop for refreshments at Welbeck Farm Shop and the Lime House Cafe. 3). Papplewick Pumping Station – the finest working Victorian water pumping station in Britain, the site has recently undergone extensive restoration and once again stands proud as a spectacular example of Victorian craftsmanship. It boasts a range of original features including an ornate Engine House, ornamental cooling pond and a Boiler House complete with six Lancashire Boilers, all set amidst formal landscaped grounds. Designed as a statement of Victorian flare and pride, it is hard to believe today that the site was never intended to be seen by the general public. 4). Ruddington Framework Knitters Museum – a small independent working museum, established by the efforts of the local community, which saved it from the bulldozer and put it under the control of a charitable Trust. Framework knitting was the basis for the growth of the village of Ruddington, and also, looking further afield, for the development of machine lace and the East Midlands textile industry. 5). Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem – England’s Oldest Inn, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem is built into caves beneath Nottingham Castle, with an inn and brewery in operation on the site for over 800 years. On stepping inside, visitors to England’s oldest Inn will immediately sense that they truly are taking a step back in time. Major Oak Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire 100
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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 6). Clumber Park – This grand National Trust Property features over 1538ha of parkland, farmland and woods, and is home to the longest avenue of Lime Trees in Europe at over two miles long. Stroll around the gardens, stop for a bite at Barkers restaurant overlooking the walled kitchen garden. At the heart of the estate is the magnificent serpentine lake, complete with balustraded bridge and delightful Doric Temple. A stroll along the lakeshore gives spectacular views and offers good fishing and bird watching. 7). Wollaton Hall and Deer Park – Wollaton Hall is a spectacular Elizabethan mansion in the heart of Nottingham. It is a prominent Grade One Listed building, situated in a 202ha historic deer park, and herds of red and fallow deer roam freely throughout the site. The Hall was built by Sir Francis Willoughby between 1580 and 1588, and now houses Nottingham’s Natural History Museum along with reconstructed room settings.
11). Newstead Abbey – This beautiful historic house is the ancestral home of the great romantic poet Lord Byron. From April to September, visitors may explore the historic house with its medieval cloisters, splendid Victorian room settings and even the private apartments of Byron - complete with his personal belongings and the table at which he wrote his poetry. 12). Major Oak –legendary as a hide-out of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year as they trace the footsteps of the legend. The reserve covers 182ha and incorporates some truly ancient areas of native woodland, including over 1000 veteran oaks, most of which are over 500 years old.
8). Great Central Railway – The Great Central Railway Nottingham offers over 10 miles of heritage railway running through the beautiful scenery of South Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. Journeys run between Ruddington, just south of the city to Loughborough. Services are pulled by heritage steam and diesel locomotives, re-creating the experience of train travel from a bygone age. 9). Newark Castle – has stood proudly on the banks of the River Trent for nearly 900 years – with now only one and a half sides of the castle remaining which includes the oldest part of the castle, a large gatehouse. The castle was built in 1133 by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, and it remained a seat of the Bishops of Lincoln until 1547 when King Henry VIII took it for the Crown. 10). Thoresby Courtyard & Hall – Thoresby Courtyard is an imaginative conversion of a Grade I listed building, recently transformed into a thriving retail area including an art gallery, busy cafe and a home for working crafts people. The Courtyard sits beside Thoresby Hall, built by the third Earl Manvers in 1860. A Victorian mansion, it has been recently renovated and is now a luxury hotel and spa open to visitors. The Courtyard and Hotel are set within several thousand acres of forest, farmland and parkland that you can explore via a series of way marked walks. The Park has been owned by the Pierrepont family since the 1600s and remains a picture of a traditional country estate. Woolaton Hall Nottinghamshire Index
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OXFORDSHIRE Top 12 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Harry Potter' Locations in Oxford 2012 marks 150 years since the story of Alice's adventures was told to the young Alice Liddell and her sisters as Charles Dodgson rowed them along the River Isis (Thames) to Godstow.(1862) 1). Christ Church (the college) – Its Great Tudor Hall inspired Hogwarts Hall, the staircase featured as Hogwarts' entrance and the cloisters were Hogwarts' Trophy Room. 2). Christ Church Great Tudor Hall – Look out for the window depicting characters from the 'Alice' books, the long-necked firedogs, the portrait of Henry VIII ('off with their heads') and of Charles Dodgson and Alice's father, Dean Liddell. Look for the door to the Rabbit Hole (behind High Table). The Hall was not used for filming Harry Potter: Hogwarts required four tables for the four Houses; Christ Church has but three. 3). Look for the window of Charles Dodgson's study in Tom Quad. He taught mathematics here. 4). Look for the door to the Deanery where Alice lived. 5). Look at your watch. Christ Church runs on its own time - 5 minutes after Greenwich- that's why the White Rabbit was always late. 6). Christ Church Cathedral – The real Alice in Wonderland - Alice Liddell's father was Dean. She would have come here often. Her sister, Edith's face appears in the St Catherine window by Burne Jones as that of Catherine of Alexandria; she died shortly before her marriage. The name of Alice's son, Stephen Hargreaves, appears on the WWI memorial as you enter the Cathedral. You are welcome to stay for services and listen to the beautiful singing. 7). The 'treacle well' or 'healing well is at Binsey – It features in the story of St Frideswide, Oxford's patron saint. Her story is depicted in the stained glass windows by Burne Jones in the Cathedral. Alice and her sisters were rowed up to Binsey by Charles Dodgson. You can take an Oxford River Cruise to get there.
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Christ Church college Oxford 8). 'Alice's Shop' – which appears in mirror image as the Old Sheep Shop in 'Through the Looking Glass' - was where Alice would buy her sweets, across the road from Christ Church. 9). In New College Cloisters Malfoy was turned into a ferret. 10). Visit the Bodleian Library's Divinity School (Hogwarts' dance practice room and Infirmary). 11). Don't miss Duke Humfrey's Library - Hogwarts Library. It is part of the Bodleian Library. 12). The Pitt Rivers Museum's shrunken head appears on the Night Bus. The museum itself may have inspired Diagon Alley. Index
OXFORDSHIRE Top 12 Views of Oxford 1). From the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, High Street - wonderful views over All Souls and Brasenose colleges, the Radcliffe Camera and the High Street. A steep spiral staircase but the climb is well worth the effort! 2). Climb the 99 steps of Carfax Tower for views down the High Street - said to be 'the most noble street in Europe'. You decide. Look down on Magdalen Tower and across to the Radcliffe Camera.
11).Rooftop restaurants: the Living Room at Oxford Castle complex and the Ashmolean Museum. 12). Stroll round Radcliffe Square with the iconic circular Radcliffe Camera at its heart. Admire its setting against the backdrop of St Mary the Virgin church's soaring spire, Brasenose College (look for the door knocker), All Souls' gold-encrusted gates and sundial (in the wrong place) or the Bodleian Library's warm honey-stone walls. Mind the cobbles!
3). The Sheldonian Theatre's views are across central Oxford. Excellent in inclement weather as you are under cover. 4).St Michael at the North Gate is one of Oxford's oldest buildings. Look down on the lay-out of Medieval Oxford - its narrow streets and close-packed houses unchanged for a thousand years. See the door which imprisoned the three Protestant martyrs, Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley, burned alive in the town ditch, and the pagan fertility sculpture which used to be set into the wall. 5). St George's Tower – part of Oxford Castle Unlocked, may once have formed part of the Saxon city wall. Views to the west, across to Wytham, Cumnor and Boars Hill. Shows Oxford ' a jewel in a sea of green'. 6). From South Park you probably have the best distant views of the 'dreaming spires'. In sunshine or snow, as you picnic or ride your toboggan, Oxford's towers are the back cloth. 7). From the church tower of St Mary and St John, Cowley Road, Oxford, you see the distant spires and the Victorian terraces of Oxford's working people. 8). From Exeter College's Fellows' Garden some say you have the finest views of the Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian and Radcliffe Square. 9). From Hinksey Heights Golf course you see the distant spires from the west. 10). A walk round Christ Church Meadow gives views of Christ Church, Merton, Magdalen Colleges and the rivers Cherwell and Isis - with a foreground of rare breed cattle. and maybe a few punts gliding by.
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OXFORDSHIRE Top 12 South Oxfordshire film spotter locations 1). The Social Network - The Golden Globe winning story of Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg features scenes filmed at Henley Royal Regatta and used 16 rowers from the town’s Leander Club. For the film they staged a re-enactment of the 2004 Grand Challenge Cup – the main events for the men’s eights competition. Losing side Harvard University included identical twin brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and the race is depicted as the catalyst that led the brothers to sue Zuckerman in a multi-million dollar court battle. Filming took place during the lunch interval and after the last race on the Sunday of the regatta in July 2010 2). Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Russell’s Water, a beautiful location nestled in the lovely Chiltern Hills, was deemed the ideal place to film the scene where on several occasions Truly Scrumptious drives her car CUB1 into a pond. You can still see the Duck Pond; it’s not far from the village hall. The Cobstone Windmill at nearby Turville also featured in the film. 3). Howards End - Rotherfield Peppard near Henley on Thames is the location of Howards End starring Sit Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. The wisteria clad country retreat is a private house situated on Peppard Common a few doors down from the pub. General village scenes were shot in Dorchester-on-Thames. 4). Saving Private Ryan - The grounds of Thame Park became the ‘French’ countryside and hinterland of the Normandy beaches in Steven Spielberg’s multiOscar wining epic. The Chapel interior was used for the scene where the American soldiers rested overnight inside a French church, a fitting echo of Thame Park’s role during World War Two in the training of the Special Overseas Executive. 5). Sherlock Holmes 2 - Didcot Railway Centre often hosts large green screens to film action scene of the sheds and surroundings. Guy Ritchie’s latest outing starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law is released winter 2011 with Didcot set to assume a look depicting Victorian London.
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OXFORDSHIRE 6). Midsomer Murders - Perhaps the most recognisable location, Wallingford is 'Causton' in the popular TV series shown in over 220 countries. This market town fringes the banks of the Thames and the show's lead character, DCI Barnaby, is often seen wandering here. South Oxfordshire’s market towns and villages like Dorchester on Thames, Warborough, Thame and Ewelme often feature due to their picturesque appeal, village greens and country pubs. 7). The Eagle Has Landed - In this 1976 classic war tale, Mapledurham estate featured heavily. Mapledurham watermill was chosen by film producers to stage the dramatic rescue of a local girl by a German paratrooper that results in the unmasking and ultimate failure of the raid. The Church of St Margaret is where the villagers are held hostage and The Manor House, where Churchill is taken, was 16th century Mapledurham house itself.
11). Agatha Christie’s Poirot - The 2008 episode ‘Cat amongst the Pigeons’ used Joyce Grove in Nettlebed for the exterior shots of Meadowbank, a girls' school run by the progressive Miss Bulstrode. The building was purchased by Robert Fleming in 1903. His grandsons were Ian Fleming, author of James Bond (and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), and Col Peter Fleming the renowned travel writer who was married to actress Celia Johnson of Brief Encounter fame. Joyce Grove is now a Sue Ryder hospice. 12) Anna Karenina - Didcot Railway Centre once again takes centre stage in the forthcoming British film adaptation loosely based on Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel. Set builders recreated a 19th century snowy Russian railway scene to feature emotional arrivals and departures. Keira Knightly and Jude Law lead the cast as Anna and her jilted husband Aleksei. Shooting on location between October and December 2011, the film is due for general release during 2012.
8). The Living Daylights - Stoner Park, about five miles north of Henley-on-Thames, was used as the ‘Bladen’ safe house, from which Koskov is abducted by Necros in this 1987 James Bond film starring Timothy Dalton. Stonor was also used as Robbie Coltrane's stately mansion in the film adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's classic 'Danny the Champion of the World', starring Jeremy Irons. 9). The Madness of King George - Thame Park doubles as Kew Palace where the King is sent to be cured by his physician. Thame Park is a private residence situated southeast of Thame. 10). St Trinians - Park Place, the 600 acre estate at Remenham, near Henley featured as the notorious girl’s school in the 2007 remake starring Colin Firth and Rupert Everett. The Grade-II listed house used to be a boarding school and Academy award winner Firth reportedly said “There's a rather ghostly suggestion of its distant past, which makes you think of something like The Shining”. It was previously used for hospital scenes in Atonement. After filming it was sold for £42million - the record for a UK house outside London.
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PEAK DISTRICT Peak District’s Top 12 film and TV locations 1). Chatsworth – Classic home of the Dukes of Devonshire, and backcloth for films such as Pride & Prejudice (Film 2005, BBC TV series 1995), The Duchess (2008) and The Wolfman (2009). www.chatsworth.org 2). Haddon Hall – Fairytale setting for several film and TV versions of Jane Eyre – including Cory Fukunaga’s acclaimed 2011 movie, cult film The Princess Bride (1987, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2012), Elizabeth (1998) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). www.haddonhall.co.uk 3). Dovedale – Lindale and Ilam Hall. Featured in the 2010 version of Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe, also in Jane Eyre (BBC TV series 2006) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-dovedale 4). Stanage Edge – Found fame as the scenic spot where Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Bennet) daydreamed of dashing Mr Darcy (played by Matthew Macfadyen) in the 2005 blockbuster Pride & Prejudice. www.peakdistrict.gov.uk 5). Hardwick Hall – Bess of Hardwick’s impressive Elizabethan masterpiece – ‘more glass than wall’ - and inspiration for Malfoy Manor in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (2010). www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardwick 6). Kedleston Hall – Imposing, neo-classical house, once the home of the influential Curzon family, and setting for The Duchess (2008) and Jane Eyre (BBC TV series 2006) www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kedleston
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PEAK DISTRICT 7). Lyme Park – Dating from Tudor Times, Lyme was later transformed into an Italianate palace, though some Elizabethan interiors survive. Visitors still flock to its lake to see where actor Colin Firth emerged, dripping wet in white shirt and breeches, as Mr Darcy in the BBC TV version of Pride & Prejudice (1995). www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-lymepark 8). Derwent Valley – Scenic training ground for pilots who later deployed Barnes Wallis’s famous ‘bouncing bomb’ designed to breach German dams in the Second World War, featured in the post war film The Dam Busters, starring the late Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd (1955). www.stwater.co.uk/upload/pdf/Discover_and_Enjoy_Derwent.pdf 9). Longnor – This sleepy Staffordshire Moorlands village starred in ITV’s peak-time medical drama Peak Practice in the 1990s, and more recently in psychological thriller The Holding (2011), starring Vincent Regan and David Bradley (caretaker of Hogwarts, Argus Filch, in the Harry Potter series of films). www.theholding-movie.co.uk 10). Matlock Bath – Location for Derbyshire director Nick Whitfield’s award-winning debut film, Skeletons (2010), a quirky cult movie that was acclaimed as Best New British Film at the Edinburgh Film Festival. www.skeletonsthemovie.com 11). Tatton Park – One of the UK’s most complete historic estates, with a Tudor Old Hall, neo-classical mansion, 20ha of gardens and 405ha acres of parkland, Tatton played host to the popular ITV drama Brideshead Revisited (1981), starring Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Claire Bloom and Sir John Gielgud. www.tattonpark.org.uk 12). Hadfield – Unassuming village near Glossop in the High Peak, which doubled as Royston Vasey in darkly satiric comedy The League of Gentlemen BBC TV series (1999 – 2002) and film (2005). www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/leagueofgentlemen For more information, contact Janette Sykes, [email protected]
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PEAK DISTRICT Peak District’s top 12 unique customs and unusual traditions 1). Ashbourne Shrovetide Football – Age-old game dating back to the 12th century and played each year on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday (February). The footie free-for-all is started by someone ‘turning up’ a specially-made ball – famous ‘turner ups’ include Prince Charles in 1973 and the late football manager Brian Clough in 1975. www.visitpeakdistrict.com 2). Well Dressing – An ancient art unique to the area, dating back to Roman or Celtic times and revived to give thanks for fresh water supplies during the Great Plague. More than 80 towns and villages across the Peak District and Derbyshire decorate their wells with huge natural art installations made from flower petals and other natural materials between May and September. www.visitpeakdistrict.com 3). Castleton Garland Day – Each year on May 29 – the anniversary of the Battle of Worcester, when King Charles II hid in an oak tree – a huge garland of wildflowers is made and the ‘Garland King and Queen’ parade around the village on horseback in 17th century dress. www.visitcastleton.co.uk 4). Flash Teapot Parade – A huge papier-mâché black and white teapot heads this annual ceremony in June, when residents in the highest village in England (1518 feet above sea level) re-enact the traditional parade of the Flash Loyal Union Society. Coincides with the annual Flower Festival and Well Dressing. No website – contact Mrs. Andy Collins on (00 44) 1298 24854 5). World Toe Wrestling Championships – Nail-biting foot-to-foot combat held each June at The Bentley Brook Inn near Ashbourne – launched in the 1970s to give England the chance to be world-beaters in at least one sporting sphere! www.bentleybrookinn.co.uk 6). World Hen Racing Championships – Feathers fly each August during the Peak District’s own ‘chicken run’ at the Barley Mow public house in Bonsall, which attracts clucking contestants from all over the world each August! www.world-championship-hen-racing.com Well dressing Derbyshire 108
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PEAK DISTRICT 7). Great Kinder Beer Barrel Challenge – Barrel-toting mayhem each September as intrepid contestants bid to carry a nine-gallon barrel from the Snake Pass Inn to the Old Nags Head Inn at Edale in the fastest possible time. Almost 275m of ascent and descent – so not for the faint-hearted! www.kinderbeerbarrel.org 8). The International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival – Join performers and visitors from all over the world for a visual and vocal feast of the famous partnership’s quintessentially British works in Buxton each August. www.gsfestivals.org 9). Rushbearing – Ancient ceremony each August at Forest Chapel, Macclesfield Forest, when the building is decorated with plaited rushes, interwoven with flowers, and rushes are strewn on the floor. Once designed to keep the chapel warm and dry, now symbolic of spiritual renewal. www.wildboarclough.co.uk/rushbearing.service.htm 10). Padfield Plum Fair – Fruity fun harking back to the days when Padfield was wellknown for its plum orchards, which disappeared when Longedendale’s reservoirs were built in the 19th century. A plum pie making competition, races for all ages, dog show, art and floral competition add spice to the event each September. www.padfieldvillage.org/PlumFair 11). Abbots Bromley Horn Dance – One of England’s oldest and most unusual traditions – a dance with reindeer antlers that is thought to date back 800, maybe 1,000 years, held each September. www.abbotsbromley.com/horn_dance 12). Indietracks – Get right on track for an offbeat music festival performed on trains at Midland Railway Butterley in July. Heritage railway meets indiepop on a musical journey with a difference. www.indietracks.co.uk
Pennine Way Edale, Derbyshure Index
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SHROPSHIRE 12 things you never knew about Britain’s Olympic heritage 1). 2012 will be the 126th Much Wenlock Olympian Games. For further details, visit www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk 2). The Much Wenlock Museum, packed with memorabilia from the Games from the last 125 years, has been the subject of a major facelift – and re-opened its doors to the public in February 2012. www.shropshire.gov.uk/news/2011/05/much-wenlock-museum-wins-huge-lottery-grant/ 3). One of the Olympic mascots shares the same name as this historic Shropshire market town, “Wenlock”. To find out more about the 2012 Games Mascots, ‘Wenlock’ and ‘Mandeville’. www.ourlondon2012.com/mascots/about-us/ 4). The mascots are being produced by local Shropshire company, Golden Bear, in Telford. For more details, visit www.goldenbeartoys.com 5). While Much Wenlock is the cradle of the international modern Olympic Games, nearby Ironbridge is the cradle of the world’s Industrial Revolution, visit www.visitironbridge.co.uk/ 6). Cricketer W.G.Grace won the 440 yards hurdles, in the forerunner of the modern Olympic Games in London, in 1866. This is just one of several incredible facts unearthed by author Catherine Beale who has written the definitive book – Born Out Of Wenlock - about William Penny Brookes, and Shropshire’s key role in the history of the modern Olympic Games. www.cbeale.co.uk/ 7). The acknowledged founder of the modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, also took from William Penny Brookes’ the idea of “host cities”: as a result, the Olympian Games have been held in various host towns throughout Shropshire over the years; and the Olympic Games remain a highly sought-after prize amongst the world’s leading cities to this day. For details of the 2012 London Games. www.london2012.com/ Ironbridge Near Much Wenlock, Shropshire 110
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SHROPSHIRE 8). A flavour of the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games can now be tasted across the globe following the launch of Wenlock Hampers. Much Wenlock in Shropshire is widely recognised as the home of the modern Olympic Games, with the Wenlock Olympic Society having been founded by local doctor William Penny Brookes in 1860. Wenlock Hampers celebrate this historical link by offering a truly local food and drink experience with all products sourced from producers within a 26.2 mile radius - a marathon’s distance of Much Wenlock! This novel concept is the brainchild of HEART of ENGLAND fine foods (HEFF), the food group representing Shropshire and the rest of the heart of England region. www.heff.co.uk/shop 9). Much Wenlock is not only the birthplace of the modern international Olympic movement, but also a perfect example of the county’s attractive market towns. The bookshop, Wenlock Books, for example, was named The Times Bookshop of the Year in 2006, and now hosts and annual Poetry Festival, presided over by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy. www.wenlockbooks.co.uk/ 10). Guided tours of Much Wenlock are available for £1 per person in the company of Wenlock Guild of Tour Guides by contacting Helen Clare Cromarty at [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1952 277772. 11). It is possible to see a re-creation of a Victorian street at the time when the Olympian Games were being held, at nearby Blists Hill Museum, in Ironbridge. www.ironbridge.org.uk/our_attractions/blists_hill_victorian_town/ 12). Shropshire is one of the finest ‘hidden gems’ in Britain, famous for its food, dramatic landscapes, and many picturesque market towns For further details, www.muchwenlock2012.com
Much Wenlock Museum Much Wenlock, Shropshire Index
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STAFFORDSHIRE Top 12 Things You Didn’t know about Stoke-on-Trent 1). The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery houses one of the finest and largest ceramic collections in the world. The Spitfire is housed here too.
2). The captain of the Titanic, Captain Edward Smith was from Stoke-on-Trent, and in 2012 its 100 years since the maiden voyage. A reminder of the City’s maritime connection with the famous liner is the locally brewed Titanic Ale available from many local pubs and supermarkets and is said to “go down well”.
3). Famous sons of the City include: Sir Stanley Matthews, the former football player, Arnold Bennett the writer, Reginald Mitchell the designer of the Spitfire.
4). Wedgwood the Company is over 250 years old.
5). Charles Darwin, the famous scientist, was the son of Josiah Wedgwood’s eldest daughter.
6). English Bone China is manufactured with 50% calcinated cattle bone, hence Bone China. English Bone China was originally invented by Josiah Spode in 1799.
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STAFFORDSHIRE 7). Stoke-on-Trent is the nearest city to the famous theme park Alton Towers.
8). It is known all over the world as The Potteries and there are over 30 pottery factory shops, award winning museums, pottery cafes, factory tours and opportunities to create your own masterpiece.
9). The local delicacy is the Staffordshire oatcake – perfect fresh from a local oatcake baker with cheese and bacon as a favourite filling.
10). Robbie Williams, the famous singer originally with Take That was born and bred here.
11). There are six towns that make up the one city of Stoke-on-Trent: Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton.
12). The unique Staffordshire Hoard is housed at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, the most valuable collection of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found valued at ÂŁ3.285m.
Emma Bridgewater Factory Stoke-on-trent Index
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SUSSEX Top 12 – Only in Sussex 1). Stoolball – Over 500 years old and the forerunner of both cricket and baseball, the game is played with similar equipment. One team fields while the other bats. There re 8 balls to an over, the bats are shaped like table tennis bats and made of willow. There are leagues of teams playing across East and West Sussex. 2). The Churdle – Sussex’s answer to the Cornish Pasty is a tasty treat of liver and bacon stuffed in a mitre-shaped pastry, tapered at both ends and with a top ‘chimney’ stuffed with breadcrumbs and cheese. It is believed to have originated in Chichester and was most popular 400 years ago. Modern variations exist with lamb, fish and vegetarian options. 3). Bonfire – A serious business in Sussex and Lewes is the Granddaddy of them all. Run by bonfire societies steeped in pageant and tradition, each year's enemy of the bonfire is a closely guarded secret. There are colourful costumes, lighted torches and burning effigies in processions through the streets of towns and villages from September to the end of November. Gala bonfire and firework displays see huge crowds packed into small spaces and firecrackers set off at random intervals for days. It's loud, boisterous and not for the faint-hearted. 4). Battle of Hastings – 1066 is probably the most famous date in England’s history when William, Duke of Normandy landed in Sussex to claim his right to the Kingdom. William marched his army inland to do battle with King Harold, who was slain when an arrow pierced his eye. Battle Abbey marks the location of this most famous battlefield on Senlac Hill. 5). Glorious Goodwood – A five day summer sporting highlight of the flat horseracing season and social calendar. Set overlooking the rolling Sussex Downs which give the meeting its Glorious moniker, the festival welcomes over 100,000 people with chic fashions, strawberries, chilled fizz and the best jockeys and thoroughbreds. 6). Brighton Royal Pavilion – Famous for its exotic appearance inside and out, this spectacular seaside palace of the Prince Regent (George IV) is one of the most dazzling buildings in the British Isles. Revered by fashionable Regency society, the Royal pleasure palace houses furniture, works of art and a magnificent display of Regency silver-gilt.
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SUSSEX 7). Kew Millennium Seedbank – The largest ex situ plant conservation project in the world. The focus is on global plant life faced with the threat of extinction and plants of most use for the future. Partners in 50 countries have to date successfully banked 10 percent of the world's wild plant species with a target to save 25 percent by 2020. The Millennium Seedbank is situated at Wakehurst Place Gardens. 8). Beachy Head – The highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 162m (530ft) above sea level. The cliff faces southward and is subjected to fierce gales and erosion from the English Channel so parts are eroding at up to a meter every year. This natural action maintains the whiteness by revealing clean white chalk underneath. Beachy Head lighthouse, below the cliff, has distinctive red and white stripes. 9). Hickstead – Almost every great show jumper, horse and rider, of the past 50 years has competed at Hickstead. The All England Jumping Course is the home of international show jumping in Great Britain and the famous arena was described by legendary American show jumping Chef D'Equipe George Morris as a "magic carpet". Dressage, another Olympic equestrian discipline, was introduced in 1996 and the course hosted the European Championships seven years later. 10). Pooh Corner – The Ashdown Forest was the inspiration and setting of the Winniethe-Pooh Stories written by A.A. Milne and illustrated by E.H. Shepard. Many of the Enchanted Places mentioned in Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner - 100 Acre Wood, Poohsticks Bridge, The Heffalump Trap and Galleon's Lap - are located here. 11). Spiked Rampion – The flower stolen by Rapunzel in the 1812 Brothers Grimm fairytale has suffered a rapid decline in numbers and only grows in East Sussex. It is now so rare and endangered it is protected by an army of volunteers known as flora guardians at top secret sites. Spiked rampions bloom for most of May and June and can be identified by their angular white flowers. 12). Tapsel Gate – Made of wood and balanced on a solid central pivot, instead of being hinged on one side, a Tapsel Gate can rotate through 90° in either direction to two fixed points. It was invented by, and named after, a Sussex family of bell-founders, essentially to keep cattle out of churchyards. Only six examples survive, all within a 16 km radius of Lewes.
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SUSSEX Top 12 – Sussex Vineyards 1). Bluebell Vineyard – A former pig farm is the unlikely home of the award-winning vines at Bluebell Vineyard Estates. Yet, Glenmore Pig Farm, tucked away down a quiet country lane in the heart of Sussex, is now producing some of the region’s top wines from its own grapes and those tended by other growers in the area. 2). Bolney Wine Estate – In 1972, Rodney Pratt set up a vineyard with his wife Janet and while he continued his job on the Square Mile, Janet ran the vineyard. They planted three acres of vines, establishing one of the first commercial vineyards in the country. Twenty five years later, their daughter Samantha took on the mantle and is now producing award-winning, quality wines from 16ha on the same site amid ancient woodland in the heart of Sussex. 3). Breaky Bottom Vineyard – Another of the pioneering vineyards in Sussex, Breaky Bottom lies in a fold in the South Downs, five miles from Lewes. Back in 1974, Peter Hall recognised the potential for grape-growing and winemaking in the UK and decided to tap into the increasing demand for clean, elegant, cool-climate wines. Breaky Bottom now concentrates solely on sparkling wine production. 4). Carr-Taylor Vineyard – When Linda and David Carr Taylor purchased the 8.5ha estate surrounding their family home in Westfield, near Hastings, back in 1969, they didn’t have firm plans for its future. But after identifying that the freedraining, sandy soil was perfect for vines, they gradually put all 8.5ha under vine, from 1971 to 1977, making Carr Taylor the most established vineyard in England. 5). Highdown Vineyard – When Aly Englefield helped out at vineyards as a stressreliever from her work as a film-set designer, she fell in love with viticulture and said goodbye to the starry world of the movies, enrolling to study wine production at Plumpton College. She bought Highdown with husband Paul and reopened it as a family business. Set on south-facing slopes near the sea, the vineyard’s 4.25ha is now mostly under vine, growing seven grape varieties.
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SUSSEX 6). Lurgashall Winery – Ever tasted wine made from the sap of the silver birch tree? This is just one of the unusual flavours on offer at Lurgashall Winery, where brambles, honey, even walnuts, are among the quirky choice of ingredients turned into liqueurs, country wines and meads. The winery was first established more than a quarter of a century ago at this complex of 17th- and 19th-century farm buildings in the shadow of Blackdown Hill.
11). Stopham Vineyard – When Simon Woodhead – a former electronic engineer on the Formula 1 circuit – spotted a fallow field with trees, sandy soil and southerly slopes in idyllic Stopham, he knew it was the ideal location for the vines he wanted to grow. So, this graduate of Plumpton College planted 8ha in 2007 and harvested his first crop in 2010. Simon completed a state-of-the-art winery on site for the 2010 harvest, and made his first wines in 2011.
7). Nutbourne Vineyard – A 19th-century windmill provides the charming setting for a tasting at Nutbourne Vineyards. Step out onto its first-floor balcony and you can survey the slopes of south-facing vines that produce an award-winning collection of white, rosé and sparkling wines. London restaurateur and chef Peter Gladwin and his wife Bridget took charge of this small Sussex wine estate in 1992. They have since expanded the vines to cover 12ha and produced 50000 bottles a year.
12). Storrington Priory – The Norbertine monks at Storrington don’t just serve the local Catholic community these days, they also tend 4,000 vines on a slope just across the road from their home, Our Lady of England Priory. The county’s most unusual vineyard is possibly its smallest, too. Just a hectare of land was put under vine by Father Paul MacMahon in 2006, with the first major harvest of its pinot noir and chardonnay grapes taking place in 2009. That harvest yielded around 4000 kilos of fruit, enough to make 1300 bottles of Storrington Priory sparkling wine.
8). Plumpton Vineyard – So, you want to learn all about wine? Well, Plumpton is in a class of its own – this is the only educational institution offering a degree in wine production in the UK and its wine business course is becoming increasingly popular. But it’s also home to a vineyard producing award-winning wines. Six hectares in the lee of the South Downs are tended by scores of students under the watchful eye of their lecturers. It’s a breeding ground for new vineyards and wine businesses. 9). Ridgeview Wine Estate – Heard the buzz about how Sussex vineyards are taking on the French Champagne houses at their own game? Since 1994, Mike and Chris Roberts and family have garnered more than 150 trophies and medals for the bubbly they produce from Sussex’s chalky soils, using traditional Champagne varieties and methods. In 2010 they beat off the likes of Taittinger and Charles Heidsieck to pick up one of wine’s most coveted prizes, Best Sparkling Wine in the World at the Decanter World Wine Awards, for their 2006 Grosvenor Blanc de Blanc. 10). Sedlescombe Organic Wines – Another early pioneer on the English wine scene, Roy Cook – along with his wife Irma – used their experience from abroad to establish England’s first organic vineyard back in 1979. Continuing on their innovative path, the couple achieved their dream when Sedlescombe became the producer of the first biodynamic English wine in late 2010. Spread across three sites – including the attractive, original 10-acre, south-facing plot, next to the visitor centre and shop – their 9.3ha includes the vineyard in the grounds of nearby Bodiam Castle.
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SUSSEX Top 12 – International Sussex 1). Blue Touch Paper Carnival – Awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark, has the ambition to enable carnivals across the world to create a more accessible, inclusive, integrated and friendly experience. Carnival is about expression through drumming, dancing, making costumes, storytelling, dj-ing and watching the fun. The project is linked with the Rio Carnival among others. 2). Whispering Woods – A singing project in partnership with the Bulgarian National Choir leading towards a choir of one thousand singing together in a forest at night. The choirs include people who have never sung in public before, student chamber choristers and dancers from the University of Chichester and visual artists Same Sky, to create a magical performance. The next event is scheduled for summer 2012. 3). The Seed – Involves a large-scale outdoor production and virtual reality quest game, created for four of Sussex Great Gardens linked by a common history: Wakehurst Place, Nymans, Borde Hill, and High Beeches. The game and performances are inspired by the stories of the remarkable 19th Century Plant Collectors and their sponsored expeditions to far-off lands – the Himalayas, China, Burma, Tasmania and The Andes, sourcing rare plant species to create the Great Gardens - some were also spies. 4). Brighton Festival – In May, England’s largest arts festival comes alive with a powerful and exciting programme of cultural events through the form of music, dance, circus, theatre, art, film, talks and many fantastic free outdoor events for all ages, by both local and international artists. 5). Goodwood Revival – Revel in the glamour and allure of motor racing 1940s, 50s and 60s style and join motor sport luminaries including Sir Stirling Moss, John Surtees and Derek Bell in an unabashed celebration of flat-out wheel-to-wheel racing around a classic racetrack. 6). Eastbourne Tennis – Two weeks of world class tennis action in this exciting preWimbledon tournament at Eastbourne's Devonshire Park. Competitors include male and female tennis stars from the World's top ten competitors.
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SUSSEX 7). Kew Millennium Seedbank – Is the largest ex situ plant conservation project in the world. The focus is on global plant life faced with the threat of extinction and plants of most use for the future. Partners in 50 countries have to date successfully banked 10 percent of the world's wild plant species with a target to save 25 percent by 2020. The Millennium Seedbank is situated at Wakehurst Place Gardens. 8). Crawley International Mela – A multi-cultural and multi-ethnic festival based around The Hawth. Stalls, performances and workshops including classical Indian dance, Ghanaian drumming, Japanese calligraphy, Dohl, Bollywood, RnB and the list goes on. 9). Hickstead British Jumping Derby – This is the only competition where riders take on the front descent of the infamous Derby Bank, the biggest of its kind to be found anywhere in the world. Other equestrian highlights include junior showjumping, polo and carriage driving. Enjoy with a glass of chilled bubbly. 10). Eastbourne Airborne – The world's biggest free seafront airshow featuring RAF and international display teams. Flying displays include the RAF Red Arrows, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Eurofighter, F16, plus parachute display teams, wingwalkers and aerobatic teams. 11). Chichester International Film Festival – This prestigious festival brings cinema enthusiasts 18 days of premiers, previews and new releases plus two separate pre-festival open air screenings, special events and a shoalful of guests. 12). Gatwick Airport – Is the UK’s second largest airport and the busiest singlerunway airport in the world. It serves more than 200 destinations (more than any other UK airport) in 90 countries for around 33m passengers a year on short- and long-haul point-to-point services. Gatwick has a £1bn investment programme to enable passenger growth to 40m by 2020.
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SUSSEX Top 12 – Notorious Sussex 1). The Rolling Stones 1 – In 1968, original Rolling Stone Brian Jones bought Cotchford Farm, the country manor house formerly owned by A. A. Milne, author of the Winnie The Pooh books. Situated at Hartfield in the Ashdown Forest, Jones drowned in the swimming pool on July 02 1969. He was 27 years old. 2). The Rolling Stones 2 – Are responsible for another piece of Sussex infamy. In 1967 the band’s Mick Jagger and Keith Richards took friends down to Keith’s Grade II listed country mansion, Redlands, in West Wittering near Chichester, and began to party. One police raid, drugs bust and a naked Marianne Faithful later and the event became part of rock folklore. 3). Missing Link – Piltdown Man was a celebrated hoax and paleontological ‘man who never was’. In 1912, bone fragments from a skull were discovered in a gravel pit at Piltdown. It took over 40 years to expose Piltdown Man as a forgery and the identity of the forger has never been discovered 4). Author Virginia Woolf and her husband Leonard lived in Monk’s House, a county retreat in the village of Rodmell. For over twenty years she found inspiration from the South Downs setting, working on her more experimental novels To the Lighthouse and Mrs Dalloway. Affected by mental illness, Virginia Woolf weighted her pockets with stones, and waded into the nearby River Ouse. 5). Smuggling – The activity was rife in 18th century Sussex and of all the smugglers groups, the Hawkhurst Gang gained most notoriety. Formed around the mid 1730’s, its reputation for violence, torture and murder was second to none. It developed unprecedented power could call on upwards of 500 men within a few hours. Hastings and Rye saw most activity. The gang eventually broke up after the execution of leaders, Arthur Grey and Thomas Kingsmill. 6). Regency Brighton – The Prince Regent, later George IV, carried on a life of extravagance and excess. He made Brighton his fashionable seaside retreat and created the Royal Pavilion, built in the style of a Maharajah’s Palace and containing the most extravagant chinoiserie interiors ever attempted in the British Isles.
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SUSSEX 7). Sedition – Thomas Paine, radical thinker, powerful orator, founding father of the United States and Citizen of the World, lived in Lewes while employed as an excise officer. He was a regular debater at the town’s Headstrong Club, author of The Age of Reason and The Rights of Man and was directly involved with both the American and French revolutions where he is revered in both countries. 8). Bloomsbury in Sussex – Centred around Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, E.M Forster, Lytton Strachey, Leonard and Virginia Woolf, this group of thinkers, writers and artists banished stuffy Victorian conventions and created a Bohemian lifestyle at Charleston, a Grade II* listed building. 9). Madam Cyn – Celebrated madam Cynthia Payne of the swinging parties and luncheon vouchers who was convicted of running "the biggest disorderly house" in history, grew up in Bognor Regis. Her early life was turned into a film ‘Wish you were here’ starring Emily Lloyd. 10). Petworth House of Correction – Opened in 1788 to deliver hard labour and solitary confinement to petty criminals, mostly convicted of vagrancy. A succession of brutal governors employed a method of punishment equivalent to climbing a flight of stairs within a specified time. Called the ‘treadwheel’, it was the equivalent of climbing Mount Snowdon three times a day for six days a week and had to be completed within 10 hours in summer, seven hours in winter. Many prisoners fell off and were mangled. The practice was outlawed in 1898. 11). Battle of Lewes – In 1264, tired of bad government and royal extravagance, the barons led by Simon de Montfort, raised an army to challenge Henry III. The king's defeat led to the Mise of Lewes, a treaty which restricted the authority of the king and eventually gave rise to the UK parliamentary system of government. 12). Scientology – The Saint Hill College for Scientologists is situated on fifty-five acres of rolling countryside in Sussex. Nearby Saint Hill Castle is Saint Hill Manor, where L. Ron Hubbard lived and worked from 1959 to 1966.
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SUSSEX Top 12 – Sussex Literary Hot Spots 1). Worthing – In 1894, Oscar Wilde wrote The Importance of Being Earnest at No 5, The Esplanade. The author spent the summer in the town with his family and named the hero of the play Jack Worthing. In the 1960s, playwright Harold Pinter wrote The Homecoming when living at his home in Ambrose Place. 2). Ashdown Forest – In 1925, A.A. Milne bought Cotchford Farm near Hartfield as a weekend and holiday home and the family moved there permanently in 1940. It became the setting for Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories, created for his son Christopher Robin and inspired by his son’s toy animals. 3). Lodsworth – E.H. Shepard, the illustrator of Winnie the Pooh, lived near the church in this tiny Sussex village, situated in the South Downs National Park. He is buried in the churchyard, with Winnie the Pooh and Piglet engraved on his tomb. 4). Horsham – Great romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was born on the outskirts of the town at Warnham. His life and work are chronicled at the Horsham Museum. Thriller writer Hammond Innes was also born in the town. He wrote over 30 novels, as well as children's stories and travel books. 5). Rye – Henry James lived in Lamb House, Rye and wrote Wings of a Dove, The Golden Bowl, and The Ambassadors during his stay. He was one of several authors to have success while living in Lamb House. E.F. Benson, also lived there and wrote the Mapp and Lucia books. He based the town Tillingham on Rye. 6). Burwash – Batemans the Jacobean home of Rudyard Kipling had no bathroom, no running water upstairs and no electricity yet he loved it for the country escape it provided. Now owned by the National Trust and open to the public there are original illustrations of the Jungle Book and Kipling's 1928 Phantom 1 Rolls-Royce. In 1907 Kipling was the first English writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature and he wrote the stirring anthem ‘Sussex By The Sea’.
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SUSSEX 7). Rodmell – Monk's House was the home of the novelist Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard Woolf. They bought the house in 1919 as a country retreat from London. For over two decades, the Sussex countryside inspired Virginia Woolf's writing and she worked on her more experimental works including To the Lighthouse, and Mrs Dalloway. Afflicted by mental illness, Virginia Woolf eventually committed suicide in the nearby River Ouse. 8). Slindon – Although born near Paris, Hilaire Belloc wrote more about his beloved Sussex than any other writer. Much of his childhood was spent in Slindon and as an adult he returned, bought ‘King’s Land’ in the village of Shipley and spent over 40 years living and writing there until his death in 1953. 9). Rottingdean – Enid Bagnold wrote plays, novels and non-fiction. Her best known work is National Velvet, a role which established Elizabeth Taylor’s acting career. She lived at North End House and the garden inspired her play The Chalk Garden. Rudyard Kipling was another resident of Rottingdean and produced some of his most revered and memorable work including Kim and the Just So Stories there. 10). Crowborough – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle settled at Windlesham Manor in Crowborough where he spent the last 23 years of his life. Although best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, he also wrote novels, short stories, plays and nonfiction. Sherlock Holmes first appeared in ‘A Study in Scarlet' published in 1887, but several of the later stories were written at Windlesham. 11). Felpham – Poet and author William Blake lived in a cottage in Felpham. It is believed his lyrics to Jerusalem were inspired by the view towards the South Downs from Lavant. Blake was tried for sedition in Chichester and eventually found not-guilty. "Sussex is certainly a happy place and Felpham in particular is the sweetest spot on earth." (William Blake) 12). Houghton – The classic stories 'The Wind in the Willows', 'Grimms Fairy Tales' and 'Gullivers Travels' were illustrated by Arthur Rackham, who lived in the village.
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WARWICKSHIRE Top 12 Olympic Moments Create a unique break and your own Olympics moments around Warwickshire with Olympics football and Tudor Olympics, or a dip into a Shakespeare marathon. You’ll also find fantastic savings on many great days out. 1. Best ‘20.12’ breaks - Scoop super money-saving deals on staying in Warwickshire thanks to Great 2012 Offers inspired by this Olympics year. Enjoy up to 20.12% off selected cottage breaks in Shakespeare Country with cottages4u (to 18 July). Or unwind with a free bottle of bubbly and chocolates at 5-star Arbor Holiday and Knightcote Farm Cottages, on beautiful farmland at Southam (to 31 July). Stay and dine at 3-star Mallory Court, Royal Leamington Spa, on the 12th or 20th of each month and get a 20.12% discount on your final bill (to 31 December). Or how about a two-night break for two at 4-star Walton Hall, Warwick, or 4-star Billesley Manor Hotel, Alcester, at a 20.12% discount (to 31 August). 2. Best for Torch Relay celebrations - The relay of the Olympic Flame on its 70-day tour of the UK will have particular resonance when it passes through Coventry and Warwickshire – the glittering gold torch was made by Warwickshire manufacturers The Premier Group. Share celebrations en route through the county on 1-2 July as the torch visits Alcester, Newbold on Stour, Alderminster, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa, Kenilworth, Coventry and Rugby. Coventry hosts a special evening event on 1 July before the torch continues next day to Rugby, where Rugby Festival of Culture bursts into life, 2-15 July. Coventry also hosts a Flame Celebration as part of the Paralympic Torch relay – make a date for 25 August. 3. Best for Olympic football - Coventry, as an Olympic co-host city, is in the spotlight from 25 July to 9 August when 12 football matches are played at the Ricoh Arena – renamed the City of Coventry Stadium for the Games. If you don’t have a ticket you can still enjoy the buzz of lots of Olympics action at the new London 2012 Live Site in Millennium Place where news, events and live screenings of the Olympic and Paralympic Games are taking place.
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WARWICKSHIRE 4. Best ticket to tour - Launched especially to entice visitors to explore over the Olympics period and beyond, The Big Ticket is a winning way to see more of Coventry and Warwickshire’s iconic attractions – for less money. You’ve up to a month to visit three different venues all on one ticket: maybe go behind the scenes at the Ricoh Arena, immerse yourself in 1,000 years of compelling history at Warwick Castle, and survey superb views of Stratford-upon-Avon from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Tower. (£49.99 for a family of four, £34.99 for two adults.) 5. Best for messing about with boats - While the Olympic Torch passes through Warwickshire and Britain’s boating Olympians make their final preparations, there’s lots of light-hearted ‘messing about’ at Stratford River Festival, 30 June-1 July. Drop by for a glorious family summer weekend filled with music, narrow boats, craft and food stalls, an illuminated boat parade and dazzling fireworks. 6. Best Cultural Olympiad moments - Coventry’s Godiva Awakes is a breathtaking piece of public art created for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The heroine, who rode naked through the streets of Coventry in the 11th century, is re-imagined as a contemporary icon of courage and fairness, awakening to a thrilling performance by dancers, aerialists, musicians and pyrotechnicians. There’s a procession through the city centre by 2012 carnivalists and 220 young people, then, powered by 100 cyclists, Godiva journeys to London to celebrate the Games. (Godiva Awakes 28 July, city procession 29 July, journey 30 July-5 August.) 7. Best for Tudor Olympics - Join in the excitement of the second annual Tudor Olympics at The Falstaff Experience Tudor World in Stratford-upon-Avon. The Tudors played many sports and Henry VIII in particular had a passion for archery, jousting and tennis. Take part in the Tudor Olympic Torch procession (24-27 August), win a prize for completing the Tudor Olympic Trail and have fun with interactive versions of different events. (Tudor Olympics, 21 July-2 September.)
9. Best of British record breakers - While we all hope our athletes break Olympic records, the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, is blazing a trail with its Motoring Record Breakers Exhibition. Admire the fastest British cars, the slowest, the smallest, the most economical – and a few of the more wacky record breakers too. (Motoring Record Breakers Exhibition, to 2 September.) 10.Best cultural marathon - Where better to be part of the World Shakespeare Festival than the Bard’s hometown: Stratford-upon-Avon is a main hub of the biggest celebration ever staged of Shakespeare ‘the world’s playwright’. It’s part of the London 2012 Festival, which is the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad. Catch a host of plays, director talks, post show talkbacks and more, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, The Courtyard Theatre, Swan Theatre, Swan Room and other local venues. (World Shakespeare Festival, to November.) 11. Best pedals to medals - Be inspired by bikes and memorabilia from Olympic champions Tommy Godwin, Chris Boardman and Tom Sabin, at Coventry Transport Museum’s fabulous, free Pedals To Medals exhibition. Come face to wheel with bikes ridden to glory on roads, in velodromes, up mountains and on Cyclo-Cross tracks, and get to know the local heroes who have influenced the cycling world. Even make your own piece of cycling history through interactive fun. (Pedals to Medals, 22 June-14 October.) 12.Best artistic escape - If you want to escape the Olympics hubbub, why not immerse yourself in the creative world of Warwickshire Open Studios. Featuring over 200 artists and makers in 150 venues, from Nuneaton to Whichford and Bidford-on-Avon to Dunchurch, it is the largest exhibition of unique and original art and craft in Warwickshire. Meet the people behind the painting, pottery, jewellery, silversmithing, textiles and much more; buy original art and find out about demonstrations and workshops.(Warwickshire Open Studios, to 15 July.)
8. Best savings on great days out - Pay less and do more with Great 2012 offers that also highlight the rich diversity of attractions around Warwickshire. Head for Twycross Zoo, Atherstone, and feed the Meerkats for just £20.12 (normal price £40) in July and August. Or maybe Tudor heritage and tales of the Gunpowder Plot are more your thing – get 2 for 1 entry at Coughton Court, near Alcester, during June. Explore with full-day cycle hire at half-day price at Stratford Bike Hire until 31 August. Or make a day of it driving the most iconic English sports car, a Jaguar E-Type Roadster – bookings before the end of June are discounted by 20.12% at The Open Road Classic Car Hire based at Sherbourne. Index
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WILTSHIRE Top 12 Wiltshire attractions 1). Stonehenge – If you were to ask people around the world to name the most famous historical site in Britain, Stonehenge would certainly make the top five, if not the number one slot and this status is well deserved. Standing majestically on Salisbury Plain these grey-green stones are visible from miles around and attract visitors from across the globe. Geology tells us that some of these prehistoric stones originated in Pembrokeshire but how they came to stand in the formation we see today is anyone’s guess. Theories range from the placement being that the builders were from a sun worshipping culture to the circle and banks being part of a huge astronomical calendar. Either way the site, which also includes earthworks, burial mounts and other circular ‘henge’ monuments, is not to be missed. Adult tickets cost £7.80, while children can enter for £4.70 per child. www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge 2). Longleat – Longleat is probably the best known and most popular family attraction in Wiltshire and with its fascinating safari park, spectacular grounds and 15 on-site attractions it’s not hard to see why. Firstly there is the stately home with all its magnificent treasures, an attraction which in itself could take a full day to explore. Then there is the fantastic parkland within which you will find a safari park, maze, safari boats and miniature railway just for starters! Ticket options vary greatly but for one which allows entry into all of the attractions in one day, book the ‘All in one day ticket’ for £19.50 for children and £27.50 for adults. www.longleat.co.uk 3). Salisbury Cathedral – This magnificent and picturesque building looks as good today as it did when it was first constructed over 750 years ago. Towering into the sky at 123m, the spire of Salisbury Cathedral is the tallest in Britain and the building itself is located in the largest medieval close in Britain. Situated right in the centre of Salisbury the Cathedral is surrounded by beautiful historic buildings and 3.2ha of landscaped lawns. Inside the cathedral is equally impressive and you can see the world’s best preserved Magna Carta (AD 1215) and Europe’s oldest working clock (AD 1386). A tower tour will take you onto the roof spaces where you can enjoy breathtaking views of Salisbury and surrounds. Tours to the cathedral floor areas are free with visitors being invited to make a £6.50 donation per adult and £3, which help with the continuing conservation work. Tower Tours are also available for £10 for adults and £8 for seniors/children. www.salisburycathedral.org.uk 126
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WILTSHIRE 4). Avebury – Perhaps not as well known as Stonehenge but equally awe-inspiring is the great stone circle of Avebury. Some 100 stones create a ring a quarter of a mile in diameter, Avebury is a site to behold. And it doesn’t end there. Across the fields and within full view of the stones is Silbury Hill, a 40m high mound, which despite excavations remains a mystery as to what it represents. Avebury is free to visit. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury 5). Bowood House & Gardens – Dating back to the 18th century, Bowood is the home of the Marquis and Marchioness of Landsdowne. The exhibition rooms display an impressive collection of family heirlooms including silver, porcelain and paintings. The gardens comprise terraces, lake, waterfall, Doric temple and 20ha of rhododendron gardens, plus an amazing adventure playground for children. www.bowood.org. 6). Caen Hill Locks – In 2010 the Kennet & Avon Canal celebrated its bicentenary. The canal, which is Wiltshire’s main waterway, offers great days out for all the family including the fun of King Alfred’s Trail near Pewsey where visitors can collect brass rubbings of insects, plants and wildlife that can be seen on route. The most spectacular section of the canal is that at Caen Hill near Devizes where a compact flight of 16 locks form part of the 29 locks which raise the canal 72m in just 3.2km. www.waterscape.com 7). Lacock & Lacock Abbey – A visit to the beautiful National Trust village of Lacock is like taking a step back in time. The beautiful and fascinating cobbled streets are a delight and here visitors can find a range of traditional shops including the famous Lacock Bakery. Other highlights include Lacock Abbey and Fox Talbot Museum. Visiting the village is free, although admission charges apply for the Abbey and Museum. Lacock is famed for being a location for numerous films and TV dramas including Cranford and Harry Potter. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock
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WILTSHIRE 8). White Horses – Wiltshire’s countryside is famous for its chalk white horses which can be found on many hills. The horses are thought to date back to 878AD when the first appeared at Westbury, although the original horse is no longer visible as a new one was cut on top in 1778. Of the 13 known white horses of Wiltshire - eight remain visible today, the most recent of which was cut on the hill above Devizes to celebrate the Millennium. The best of the remaining White Horses are as follows: Westbury White House – cut in 1778 and measures 55.4m x 33m and is best seen from the B3098 Westbury to Lavington Road. Cherhill – cut in 1780 and measures 39.3m x 43.3m and is best viewed from the main A4 road between Calne and Beckhampton. Marlborough – The smallest of the horses at just 18.6m x 74.3m, it lies in the grounds of Marlborough College having been cut in 1804 and is best viewed from the A4 between Marlborough and Manton. Alton Barnes – cut in 1812, it measures 50.3m x 55m and is best viewed on the Kennet and Avon canal bridge, one mile south of the horse. Broad Hinton/Hackpen – Cut in 1838 for the Coronation of Queen Victoria, this horse measures 27.5m x 27.5m and is best viewed from the A361 between Avebury and Swindon. Broad Town – originally cut in 1863 and restored to its former glory in 1991, this horse measures 26m x 18.6m and is best viewed from the B4041 between Broad Hinton and Broad Town. New Pewsey – there was an Old Pewsey horse which is now barely visible so in 1937 the Pewsey Fire Brigade cut this figure to commemorate the Coronation of George V1. The horse measures 20m x 13.7m and is best viewed from the A345, Pewsey to Amesbury.
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WILTSHIRE 9). STEAM Museum – STEAM is Swindon’s premier museum and tells the story of the men and women who built the Great Western Railway. Visitors can climb aboard locomotives and discover all there is to know about STEAM Railways. Various special events occur throughout the year including half-term pirate parties and special Christmas events. www.steam-museum.org.uk 10). Stourhead House & Gardens – It takes a full day to explore the entire splendour of Stourhead House and Gardens at Stourton. The House itself is a beautiful 18th century Palladian mansion filled with Georgian treasures, Chippendale furniture and fine paintings. However it is the landscaped gardens with their lakeside walks, grottoes and classical temples that attracts most visitors. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead 11). Malmesbury Abbey – Situated in the centre of the historic market town of Malmesbury, the Abbey is a Norman/Romanesque Abbey, founded by St Aldhelm in Saxon times. Today it acts are the parish church but in its heyday Malmesbury Abbey was one of the largest buildings in the country and even though only about one third of the 12th century Abbey Church remains today, it still constitutes one of the most notable remains of Norman ecclesiastical architecture in England. It is also the burial place of King Athelstan (895-940). www.malmesburyabbey.com 12). Crop circles – Have been associated with Wiltshire for centuries. While some have been created by ‘circle-makers’ who construct these amazing formations in crops such as Linseed and Rapeseed, others remain a mystery, appearing quite literally overnight. In Wiltshire they often appear close to ancient monuments, leaving some people thinking that they are a paranormal phenomenon. However you view it the circles remain impressive and each year during the summer months many ‘crop’ up throughout the county. For listings of the latest circles visit www.visitwiltshire.co.uk
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YORKSHIRE Top 12 - Hidden Gems in York Look up and around all the time when you’re walking through York – you will see little faces looking down at you, peculiar old signs and fascinating details on York’s old buildings. Take Monk Bar for instance. Perched on the two towers of the bar are six stone figures, all seemingly ready to rain down boulders on passers-by. Along Stonegate, at the entrance to Coffee Yard sits the bright red “Printer's Devil”, a carved sign that indicated the location of the print works up until the 18th century. The apprentices, who carried the hot plates, were known as the printer’s devils. The figure of an American Indian at 76 Low Petergate is the former advertising sign of the tobacconist – the boy’s kilt and headwear represent tobacco leaves. Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, sits on the corner of Minstergates, leaning on a pile of books, to advertise the bookseller’s shop below, where authors and literary readers met as members of one of Britain’s earliest book groups. York is crammed with museums, attractions, shops, restaurants, pubs and magnificent architecture. Here are a few that are less well known but every bit as deserving of the visitor’s attention. 1). Richard III Museum – Located in the imposing gateway of Monk Bar at the entrance to Goodramgate, this is the only one of York’s four Bars or gateways whose wooden portcullis is still in working order. The museum presents a reconstructed, modern day Trial presenting the case both for and against Britain’s most notorious King – was he an evil, hunchbacked monster who brutally murdered the “Princes in the Tower”, or a loyal, courageous ruler, unfairly maligned by historians? Make up your own mind here. [email protected] www.richard3museum.co.uk. 2). Bar Convent Museum – The history of Christianity in the north of England is explained in this charming museum housed in a Georgian building which is also a working convent, licensed café, gift shop and one of York’s most unusual guesthouses (fifteen bedrooms are available). The beautiful chapel was hidden in the centre of the building to avoid detection at a time when Roman Catholics were subject to persecution. The Bar Convent Museum is the oldest active convent in the country. [email protected] www.bar-convent.org.uk
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YORKSHIRE 3). Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate – Adjoining Lady Row on Goodramgate – York’s oldest row of houses, is a little gateway that would be all too easy to miss, but leads to Holy Trinity Church, one of York’s finest medieval churches, hemmed in and hidden by buildings on all sides. In this secret garden of tranquility, the ghost of Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland is supposed to wander, searching for his head – he was beheaded for high treason. The church escaped the 19th century reformers and has retained its original character, with box pews and medieval glass, including a stunning east window dating back to 1470. 4). St Mary’s Abbey – The statuesque ruins of St Mary’s Abbey lie in Museum Gardens, the grounds of the Yorkshire Museum. The picturesque setting has been used as a backdrop to open-air theatre on many occasions, including the York Mystery Plays. St Mary’s was once the most important Benedictine monastery in northern England. 5). Statue of Constantine the Great – The striking statue of an elegantly reclining Constantine complete with sword is positioned outside the Minster, a fitting reminder that a great Roman military headquarters once stood on this very site. Nearby is the single surviving pillar excavated from Constantine’s fortress. 6). Margaret Clitherow’s House – This tiny Shambles house was home to butcher’s wife Margaret Clitherow, a Roman Catholic who sheltered priests from persecution. She suffered for her selfless bravery by being deliberately crushed to death beneath a door in 1586. The house is now a shrine to her memory, and one of the most peaceful and simple chapels in the whole of York. 7). Barley Hall – This meticulously restored medieval townhouse, right in the heart of York’s historic streets, was once home of Alderman William Snawsell, Goldsmith and Lord Mayor of York. Its remains were found behind centuries of buildings in the atmospheric ginnel Coffee Yard. Step back in time and discover what life was like for the Alderman and his family in the 15th century. Costumed guides or an audio tour – presented by York-born Judi Dench and Robert Hardy – fill you in on the building’s colourful history. [email protected] www.barleyhall.org.uk
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YORKSHIRE 8). Mansion House – In the centre of York there's a hidden gem, a building rich in the city's history, and just waiting to be discovered. Behind its imposing facade, through the blue door is a remarkable story of the Lord Mayors of York and their entertainment for the good of the city! Since 1725 the house has been the home of the Lord Mayors of York and houses one of the finest civic collections in the country, including fine silverware, clocks and furniture. Guided tours from July until December every Friday and Saturday at 11:00 and 14:00 lasting approximately 1 hour. [email protected] 9). Treasurer’s House – A beautiful house, attractive gardens, welcoming tearoom – and some of the most famous ghosts in York. Originally the Minster’s Treasurer lived on this site; it was his responsibility to run the Minster efficiently. The present building dates from the late 16th century, and was a private residence, but the name stuck. It is now home to a magnificent antiques collection, and is run by the National Trust. And the ghosts? A company of Roman foot soldiers, who appeared through a cellar wall in 1953 – the terrified young plumber who saw them, described their garb in meticulous detail – and experts later confirmed that the house is indeed built over a Roman road. [email protected] www.nationaltrust.org.uk/treasurers-house-york/ 10). Merchant Adventurers’ Hall – The splendidly named Merchant Adventurers were one of medieval York’s most prestigious guilds. These were the overseas traders, the men who helped make the city rich, and their guildhall reflects their exalted status. The building is one of the best preserved of its kind in Europe, and has stood largely untouched for over 600 years. www.theyorkcompany.co.uk
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YORKSHIRE 11). York Brewery – Take a tour of York’s award-winning independent brewery, to see each stage of the brewing process. Tasting of the end products – including Stonewall and the stronger Yorkshire Terrier – are of course included! www.york-brewery.co.uk 12). York Cold War Bunker – Visitors are able to take a guided tour of a semisubmerged secret bunker on the outskirts of York. At the height of the Cold War, Britain had a total of 1,561 nuclear shelters, designed to withstand severe bombardment. The shelter was one of the best surviving examples of its type in the UK, and the first to be designated a Scheduled Monument. Complete with original fixtures and fittings, visitors can experience an atmosphere as authentic as that found in films such as the Ipcress File or the TV serial Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Visits to the Bunker will be by pre-booked guided tour only. To make a booking please ring Clifford’s Tower. www.english-heritage.org.uk
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YORKSHIRE Top 12 – Things That Make York Special 1). Largest Gothic cathedral – in Northern Europe – York Minster – This massive cathedral took 250 years to build, from 1220 till its consecration in 1472. 2). York is home to the largest Railway Museum in the world where visitors can book rail trips on the iconic Flying Scotsman and view the only Japanese Bullet train outside of Japan. 3). The Best Race Course in Great Britain – York Races run from May to October – Did you know the Romans started racing in York in 208AD? 4). The Biggest Festival of Food and Drink in Great Britain – takes place for 10 Days in September. 5). The one and only Jorvik – the only attraction of its kind that is based on a real archaeological dig – the authenticity of Jorvik makes it unique. York was the trading hub of the Viking world. Jorvik has attracted over 13.5m visitors in 20 years and it has become one of Britain’s top visitor attractions. 6). York and Chocolate – York has a long history of chocolate making – Nestlé (formerly Rowntrees) and Terry’s (now owned by Kraft) chocolate factories grew up here – all the famous names are made here – Kit Kat being the biggest seller. Some 47 bars are eaten every second and in 1999 sales amounted to £250m, breaking the half a billion pounds barrier for the first time – and all made in York! York’s first chocolate attraction is set to open in Spring 2012.
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YORKSHIRE 7). We have two of the countries most beautiful national parks right on our doorstep – the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. The North York Moors Steam Railway at Goathland was the location for the first Harry Potter film. 8). The Treasurer’s House in York was in the Guinness Book of Records for having the ‘Ghosts of Greatest Longevity’. Built over the main Roman thoroughfare leading into York, the house was the site of a remarkable apparition in the 1950. There are several evening ghost walks in the city. 9). York has the Longest and Best Preserved town walls in England. 10). The city is an archaeologist’s delight. York contains one of Britain’s very few ‘wet sites’, where organic materials such as wood and leather survive. Find out more at Dig and Jorvik visitor attractions. 11). York is home to the earliest custom built dance hall in the UK – the Assembly Rooms, designed by Lord Burlington and now home to Ask restaurant. 12). Finally don’t forget there are lot of new things in the city – if you haven’t visited for a year or two you will find a multitude of new bars, cafes and award winning restaurants.
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YORKSHIRE Top 12: Family Friendly Museums 1). Eureka! National Children’s Museum, Halifax – Eureka is a wonderful museum dedicated entirely to games, entertainment and downright fun for people for children both young and old. If a bit of messy jelly-making is your thing or perhaps some more active fun with a ball out in the garden, the Eureka! National Children’s Museum has a bit for everything. 2012 marks the 20th birthday of this extravaganza of childhood memories brought together under one fun-filled roof and in celebration thereof, the new play20 website has just been launched, brimming with ideas on all the way people of all ages can have a good time! For more information, visit play20.org. 2). National Media Museum, Bradford – At the National Media Museum (formally known as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television) in Bradford, you can go back in time and see the first photographic negative, the earliest television footage, the world’s first moving image, the UK’s first permanent installation of an IMAX cinema and much much more. The museum hosts Bradford Film Festival in March, Bite the Mango in September and Bradford Animation Festival in November. These attract international speakers and new and classic works from around the world. 3). National Coal Mining Museum for England, Wakefield – One of the prime traits that Yorkshire is famous for has always been coal-mining so what better place to open The National Coal Mining Museum for England than in Wakefield. The museum takes its visitors down the lengthy and at times distressing timeline of events which developed the industry over the years. Underground, you can experience the conditions which miners worked in and see the tools and machines which they used. Above ground a visitor centre exhibits the social and industrial history of the English mines. Read through the “Coal News” or visit the boiler house and the coal screening plan or take a ride on the paddy train; this is England’s ultimate mining experience. The NCM is an Anchor Point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.
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YORKSHIRE 4). Thackray Medical Museum, Leeds – Right next to St James Hospital in Leeds, West Yorkshire, the Thackray Museum presents a detailed history of medicine. Its Grade II listed building, built in 1858, boasts a colourful past including providing care for armed services personnel in WWI and accommodating the poor in Victorian times. One of the museum’s highlights - Leeds 1842: Life in Victorian Leeds - presents a reproduction of slum streets complete with authentic sights, sounds and smells to tickle all the senses and take visitors back in time to follow the lives, ailments and treatments of eight Victorian characters. The museum also houses the skeleton of Mary Bateman, the "Yorkshire Witch", who was executed for witchcraft in 1809. 5). Royal Armouries, Leeds – The National Collection of Arms and Armour is displayed in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire, part of the Royal Armouries family of museums which includes the Tower of London, Fort Nelson in Hampshire and the Frazier History Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Located in Clarence Dock, the Royal Armouries Museum is a £42.5 million purpose-built museum which opened its doors to the public in 1996. Exhibitions include ancient, medieval and 17th to 20th century warfare, hunting weapons, oriental artillery and self-defence arms. 6). World of James Herriot, Thirsk – Enjoy a great family day out at the World of James Herriot - The premier visitor attraction in Yorkshire! Set in the picturesque market town of Thirsk, 23 Kirkgate is home to the world famous vet-cum-author James Herriot. Today you can step back in time and experience the life of a vet and see what has made James Herriot into a global phenomenon. Come and get behind the scenes of the BBC TV series 'All Creatures Great and Small', and see what has been capturing the hearts and minds of so many around the world, all the while putting Yorkshire firmly on the map.
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7). Bronte Parsonage, Bradford – Home to the Brontes, the world’s most famous literary family, between 1820 and 1861, the beautifully preserved Haworth Parsonage has had its doors opened to visitors from all over the world over the past 75 years. This quintessentially English family including, Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte, has produced some of England’s most praised books and their Georgian home still retains the atmosphere as it once was in Bronte-time with the furniture, clothes and personal possession that they once used changed annually to entice visitors to see something new each time they visit. 8). Yorkshire Air Museum, York – Britain’s largest independent museum, The Yorkshire Air Museum, and the location of the Allied Air Force Memorial, can be found in Elvington just outside the City of York. Spreading over a 20 acre parkland site on the former WWII RAF Bomber Command Station, the museum is the largest and most original WWII station open to the public. The museum also boasts the only base used by the French heavy bomber squadrons during the war and today includes award winning gardens, a large NAAFI style restaurant and shop, plus over 15 top class exhibitions, a large range of military vehicles and 50 historic aircraft, many of which are in working order. 9). Yorkshire Museum, York – Reopening its doors in the summer of 2010, the Yorkshire Museum presented itself in full pride after a nine-month £2 million refurbishment project. Today, five new galleries showcase a special selection of some of Britain’s finest archaeological treasures, extinct animals, birds and fossils. The four permanent collections at the museum all have English designated collection status, of pre-eminent national and international importance. The collection began in the 1820s with the collection of animal bones and fossils from Kirkdale Cave. The collections exhibit collections of biology, geology, astronomy and astrology.
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YORKSHIRE 10). The Hepworth Wakefield – This renowned art gallery brought over 100,000 visitors to Wakefield, West Yorkshire just five weeks after it opened its doors to the public on 21st May 2011. Situated on the south side of the River Calder, it carries the name of artist and sculptor Barbara Hepworth, who was born and schooled in Wakefield. Costing over £35 million to build, the Hepworth Gallery was funded by Wakefield Council, Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The 1600 square meters of gallery space is the home of 44 plaster and aluminium working models donated by Dame Barbara Hepworth’s family and other temporary contemporary art exhibitions from artists in the likes of Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson, Graham Sutherland, Jacob Epstein, David Hockney, Ivon Hitchens and others. 11). Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield – This open-air gallery in West Bretton, Wakefield shows the works of UK and International artists in the likes of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, natives of the West Yorkshire area. The park is situated in Bretton Hall, an 18th century private estate which in the mid-1900s became a College of Further and Higher Education. The garden present an array of follies, landscape features and architectural structures to its thousands of visitors each year. 12). Jorvik Viking Centre, York – Visitors of this magnificent centre are really offered an experience to remember by being taken back to 5:30PM on 25th October 975AD in a time-capsule embarking on a tour of a reconstructed Viking settlement. Speaking in Old Norse and tickling your sense of smell with aromas both appetizing and not, this extravaganza will leave visitors of all ages literally speechless. Amongst others, the centre is also the home of a replica of the Coppergate Helmet found near the site of the Centre, the original of which can be found in the Yorkshire Museum. The Jorvik Viking Centre also hosts the annual Viking Festival taking place in the second week of Febraury. The festival commemorates the ancient Viking “Jolablot” tradition.
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YORKSHIRE Top 12: Yorkshire Film Locations 1). Malham Tarn and Cove, North Yorkshire Moors Railway – Situated 1 km north of the small village of Malham in North Yorkshire, lies the breathtaking curved limestone cliff of Malham Cove. Originally covered by a large waterfall formed by a melting glacier above it, the cove is famous for its 400 irregular stone steps which form part of the Pennine Way route leading up to the uneven limestone pavement at the top of the cliff. The remainder of what was once a massive waterfall now forms a stream which flows out of the lake of Malham Tarn, 2 km north of the cove. Malham Cove is also one of the places that Hermione and Harry visit on their adventurous travels in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1). 2). Aysgarth Falls – Thousands of gallons of water cascade down the triple flight of waterfalls surrounded by farmland and forest in a one-mile stretch of the River Ure near the village of Aysgarth. These picturesque waterfalls are the Aysgarth Falls and are their surroundings are the home of countless wild birds, squirrels and deer during the months of spring. The waterfalls have been featured in many television programs and feature films including Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, where the people’s hero first meets Little John right at the river crossing on the upper fall. 3). Whitby Abbey - Dracula – Overlooking the ever stormy North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, lies the Grade I listed ruined Benedictine abbey – Whitby Abbey. Currently in the care of the English Herritage, Whitbey Abbey was ruined during the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the reign of Henry VIII and has been featured in the 1992 production of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. 4). Kettlewell and Skipton - Calendar Girls – Kettlewell is a small town situated in Upper Wharefedale, North Yorkshire between the villages of Grassington, Kinsey and Conistone. It is believed that Kettlewell is an old Anglo Saxon village and traces of their farming methods can still be seen in the terraced fields. The village lies some 14 miles north of Skipton which is a lovely market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire. The town spreads its realms along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire. Both villages were featured to represent the village of Knapely in the 2003 film Calendar Girls. You can even find ‘Calendar Girl Trail’ brochures available at local Kettlewell and Skipton shops and public houses which give information on the locations and buildings used in the film’s scenes. Index
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YORKSHIRE 5). Nostell - Brideshead – In the City of Wakefield lies the tiny village of Nostell, a civil parish with population of 90. It is the home of the Augustinian Nostell Priory, an 18th Century Palladian historic house currently owned by the National Trust. The Baroque Castle Howard, in Nostell was used as the location for the television series Brideshead Revisited. 6). Fountains Abbey – Founded in 1132 and situated 3 miles south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire the Fountains Abbey is one the largest and best preserved Cistercian monasteries in England. The Grade I UNESCO World Heritage Site is currently owned by the National Trust and operated for over 400 years until Henry VIII ordered the Dissolution of Monasteries. Over the past 30 years Fountains Abbey has been a popular filming location for film productions including the 2006 film adaptation of the comedy-drama play The History Boys, The Secret Garden as well as the TV series Flambards, A History of Britain and the game show Treasure Hunt. 7). Harewood - Emmerdale – The village of Harewood is a civil parish in the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire most famous for Harewood House, a stately home and the All Saints’ Church situated on the house’s grounds. The Grade I listed building built in the 15th Century is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Harewood and more specifically the Harewood Estate is also famous for being used as the exterior set of the hit soap opera Emmerdale. 8). Keighley and Worth Valley Railway – Being the only railway in the world offering real ale on board its trains, Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a 5 mile long branch line that served the mills and villages in the Worth Valley. Today, it a heritage railway line running in its original form from Keighley to Oxenhope and connecting to the national rail network line at Keighley railway station. The Old Gentleman’s Saloon, featured in the 1970s British drama film based on the E. Nesbit novel The Railway Children is situated on the railway line and is a former North Eastern Railway directors’ Saloon.
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YORKSHIRE 9). Elland Road and Headingley Stadium – Elland Road Stadium has been the permanent residence of the Leeds United A.F.C. since the club’s foundation in 1919. Situated in Beeston, Leeds in West Yorkshire, the football stadium is the 12th largest all-seater in England and has hosted a number of FA Cup semi-final matches as well as concert performances from bands like Queen, U2 and Rod Stewart. Elland Road Stadium as well as the Headingley Stadium, home to the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, the Leeds Rhinos and the rugby union team Leeds Carnegie, were both used as film-locations for The Damned United, centered around the 44-day reign of Brian Clough (played by Michael Sheen) at the Leeds United club in 1974. Elland Road Stadium was further used for filming the alternative of old Wembley Stadium in the 2010 epic The King’s Speech. 10). Haworth – Once home to the literary gurus the Bronte family, Haworth is where you should come to see Wuthering Heights brought to life. Used as the set of the 2011 Andrea Arnold film adaptation, the small village in West Yorkshire provides the perfect choice for a weekend getaway to see the famous Bronte Parsonage Museum and the traditional steam train on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. 11). Harrogate and Old Swan Hotel – Used as the film location for the 1977 production of Agatha, starring Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave, the Old Swan Hotel is the very hiding place that Agatha Christie used in her 1926 disappearance. The prestigious hotel, spreading its grounds in the heart of Harrogate is the ultimate melange of contemporary luxury and Victorian splendour. 12). Holmfirth - Last of the Summer Wine – Holmfirth is a small town in the Holme Valley within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire right in the middle of the Holme and Ribble rivers consisting of stone-build cottages nested in the Pennine Hills. Holmfirth was primarily famous for the Bamforth & Co Ltd filmmaking centre but in recent times it has become mostly recognized as the location of the BBC sitcom written by Roy Clarke - Last of the Summer Wine, which brings thousands of tourists to the town annually to enjoy the stunning landscapes and reminisce on scenes of the long-running TV comedy.
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GUERNSEY Top 12 Food Experiences 1). The Ormer – Guernsey’s own seafood delicacy, the Ormer is a favourite with islander’s who can spend hours wading through rock pools on Guernsey’s coastline in search of the elusive abalone. 2). Try deliciously creamy Guernsey Ice Cream – found in most restaurants and beach kiosks. The Guernsey cow produces some of the best milk in the world; look out for the golden butter and local yoghurts as well. 3). Traditional Guernsey Gâuche – One of Guernsey’s definitive delicacies is Guernsey Gâche. Tune in your taste buds before you visit, with this genuine recipe and it’s easy to make too. 4). A very hearty Guernsey beanjar – The traditional Guernsey Bean Jar has been around for centuries, and still proves popular today. 5). Rich Guernsey cream – You simply can’t visit Guernsey without sampling some of the finest Guernsey cream with your scones! 6). Gâuche Mélée – traditional Guernsey apple dessert and is a favourite with local Guernsey folk. Gâche Mélée is particularly good in the autumn when the nights are becoming colder and darker and the apples are freshly picked. It’s great eaten hot or cold and with a dollop of Guernsey cream or custard. 7). Crab Sandwiches – Visit a beach kiosk and tuck in to this seafood delight. 8). Have a Beach BBQ – A real favourite pastime when the tide is up. 9). Enjoy Fish & Chips – on the sea wall at Cobo as you watch the sun go down on the West Coast. 10). Fort Grey Blue Cheese – Award winning cheese, ideal baked into a quiche or used in a fondue. 11). Locally brewed Rocquettes Cider – The island has a long brewing tradition and local beers are widely available in bars and restaurants. 12). Hedge vegetables – locally grown and delicious. islanders love to buy and sell them from makeshift stalls at the side of the road. 143
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GUERNSEY Top 12 day visit activities 1). One good turn deserves another – take part in a cliff walk to explore the Islands rugged coast and beautiful scenery. 2). A cornet of a different type – Castle Cornet is an ancient castle with three museums and historic gardens. The noon-day gun is fired daily by soldiers in 19th Century costume. The museum is a gentle 15-minute walk from the town centre. 3). You know your worth it – St Peter Port is home to a wealth of independent retailers offering everything from antiques to clothes, to jewellery. Most are concentrated around the High Street, Arcade, Smith Street and Pollet areas, but it is also worth visiting Guernsey’s newly rejuvenated Market Halls and the Old Quarter in and around Mill Street. 4). Lucky number 7 – Take a coastal drive of the island on the Number 7 or 7A public bus. Journeys cost as little as £1 for the circular trip and can provide a really good way of sampling a taste of island life. 5). You will have such a good time you will be in stitches – Why not walk up Smith Street towards St James and visit the Guernsey Tapestry. Our fantastic tapestry depicts Guernsey’s history in 10 unique embroidered panels with audio interpretation. The work, love and labour that went into the tapestry was for one of Guernsey’s Millennium projects and really does give a fascinating insight into Guernsey over the ages.
8). Approach with Military precision – For visitors with a keen interest in WWII and Guernsey’s military history, La Vallette Underground Military Museum in St Peter Port offers an award winning and unique display of Guernsey’s military history housed in a German tunnel complex. 9). Recharge those batteries – Relax and sample one of Guernsey’s 27 beaches and bays, take in one museum of choice, have alfresco coffee, a spot of retail therapy all being the general ambiance of our European flavoured Town. Guernsey is your oyster. 10). A visit to paradise Island is only 20 minutes away – If the departure and return times for the Herm Trident fit with your schedule then why not take the 20-minute boat journey to the paradise island of Herm. If time allows, you may choose to walk all the way around Herm and experience the glorious Shell Beach and Belvoir Bay or alternatively stop at the picturesque quay, have coffee and admire the scenery. 11). It’s little and very loveable – Visit the Little Chapel possibly the world’s smallest consecrated church and beautifully decorated with seashells, pebbles and colourful pieces of broken china. 12). Tantalise your taste buds – Head West and visit a beach kiosk to try the crab sandwiches, and local Guernsey Gâuche with lashings of golden Guernsey butter whilst sunbathing on one of Guernsey beautiful West coast bays.
6). Bienvenue à la maison de Victor Hugo – Victor Hugo’s exquisitely ornate home during his exile in Guernsey is located in Hauteville. This museum, owned by the City of Paris, has been preserved as it would have been found in the eighteen hundreds and tells the story of Victor Hugo during his 15 years in the island. 7). Trails, Trials and Tribulations of St Peter Port – Pick up the St Peter Port Trails Map from the Guernsey information centre and choose one of the five fantastic routes around our capital explaining the Town’s colourful history as you go. There are different walks for those who prefer a gentler stroll to those who are more ambitious. On many days walking tours of St Peter Port are also offered from the Information Centre for Guernsey visitors.
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SCOTLAND Top 12 of Scotland 1). Edinburgh Castle – A fortress perched on an extinct volcano, dominates the Scottish capital. See the Honours of Scotland, the nation’s Crown Jewels; tour the rooms of the Royal Palace and see where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to her son James ; watch the One O’Clock Gun being fired each day (except for Sundays) as it has been since 1861, when it was a signal for ships in the Firth of Forth and the port of Leith – and coinciding with the Time Ball, a large white ball which is raised above the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill, and drops at exactly 13:00. 2). Visit a whisky distillery – There are over 40 open to the public, large and small, on the mainland and on the islands. You can follow the Malt Whisky Trail through the Highlands, or the Whisky Coast Trail along the west coast and islands from Mull to the Isle of Skye. If you don’t have time to explore those areas learn about it at The Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh. 3). Watch or play a round of golf – With more than 550 courses in Scotland, the “Home of Golf”, you certainly won’t have a problem finding one to play on! There are courses in all parts of Scotland, and aimed at different levels of skill, including championship courses like the Old Course in St Andrews, to Turnberry on the west coast and Gleneagles near Perth, venue for the Ryder Cup in 2014. 4). Traquair – The oldest inhabited house in Scotland, dating back to 1107. Originally built as a hunting lodge for Scottish kings and queens, it was later a refuge for Catholic priests, and the family supported Mary Queen of Scots and the Jacobite cause. Mary visited Traquair with her husband and baby son James in 1566 and the baby’s cradle, her bed and some other possessions can still be seen in the house. The Bear Gates outside the house were installed in 1738 and after Bonnie Prince Charlie visited a few years later, legend says the Earl vowed they wouldn’t be opened again until a Stuart was crowned in London – so they have been closed ever since. Drink in all the history along with a pint from Traquair’s own brewery! 5). The Royal Yacht Britannia – Played host to some of the most famous people in the world, as well as being home to HM The Queen and the Royal Family. Now you can tour the ship in its permanent mooring in the revived port area of Leith in Edinburgh.
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SCOTLAND 6). Scotland with Style – Glasgow – Scotland is the city of the unique designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Follow in his footsteps on a Mackintosh Trail, to include the Glasgow School of Art, refreshments in the Willow Tea Room and The Lighthouse, one of Mackintosh’s earliest buildings (originally designed as offices for the Glasgow Herald newspaper) brought to new life with a modern extension. 7). Loch Ness – Famous for the monster Nessie. You may not be guaranteed a viewing but the loch is well worth a visit: Scotland has over 500 freshwater and saltwater lochs, and Loch Ness is the second largest, behind Loch Lomond. Make sure to visit the half ruined Urquhart Castle, perched above the loch. 8). Ghosts – Like Nessie, visitors to Scotland aren’t guaranteed a sighting of (or hearing) a ghost but there’s no shortage of tales of hauntings at castles such as Glamis, and Fyvie – and even without the spirits, they are great castles to visit! 9). Get active! – Scotland is a great destination for activities, whether they be kayaking, cycling, walking or more extreme sports such as river bugging in Perthshire! 10). Visit an island – but which one, there are so many! From the Shetlands in the north, via the Outer Hebrides to the Inner Hebrides and down to Arran, named “Scotland in miniature” the Scottish Islands are a must-see for any visitor. 11). Take in an Edinburgh Festival – In case you thought there was just one, think again! As well as the Edinburgh International Festival, and Fringe Festival, there are book, jazz and film festivals, in the summer, as well as the fun-filled Hogmanay Festival at New Year. 12). Eat Scotland! – If you want some good food to accompany the whisky, you won’t go here. Yes you can try the traditional haggis, but there are many other mouthwatering offerings – try them out at the weekly, award-winning Edinburgh Farmers’ Market, or at cafes and restaurants around the country.
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GLASGOW Top 12 things to do in Glasgow 1). Riverside Museum – Glasgow’s iconic new Riverside Museum is a fitting home for the city’s world-class transport collection and is a place that will inspire, educate and entertain. The stunning building is located where the River Clyde meets the River Kelvin at the heart of Glasgow Harbour. The design reflects internationallyrenowned architect Zaha Hadid’s dramatic interpretation of the collection. www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums One of the undoubted stars of the new attraction is the The Tall Ship SV Glenlee, which has moved to a permanent berth at Riverside - a move that reinforces The Tall Ship‘s position as a major visitor draw and an icon of Glasgow’s shipbuilding heritage. www.thetallship.com 2). Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum – Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of Scotland's most popular free attractions. It is home to 22 themed, state-ofthe-art galleries displaying an astonishing 8000 objects. The collections are extensive, wide-ranging and internationally significant. They include - natural history, arms and armour, art from many art movements and periods of history, and much more. www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums 3). Glasgow School of Art – Charles Rennie Mackintosh was one of the most creative figures of the 20th century and a leading figure in the European Art Nouveau movement. The Glasgow School of Art, completed in 1909, is thought to be his greatest architectural achievement. Still a working art school, the regular guided tours take visitors through the corridors of this fascinating building, into the Mackintosh Room and furniture gallery, and finishing in one of the most celebrated interiors, the Mackintosh Library. www.gsa.ac.uk
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GLASGOW 4). Mackintosh House – The Mackintosh House House is a reconstruction of the principal interiors from 78 Southpark Avenue (originally 6 Florentine Terrace), the Glasgow home of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife, the artist Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh from 1906-1914. The Mackintosh House opened as an integral part of the University’s Hunterian Art Gallery in 1981 and great care has been taken to ensure that the sequence of rooms mirrors that of the original. www.gla.ac.uk/hunterian 5). The Burrell Collection – More than 8000 art objects amassed in a lifetime by the Glasgow shipping magnate Sir William Burrell are housed in the award winning Burrell Collection in the beautiful woodland setting of Pollok Country Park. The collection ranges from work by major artists including Degas and Cezanne, to important examples of late medieval art and Chinese and Islamic art. www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums 6). Gallery of Modern Art – The Gallery of Modern Art, housed in an iconic building located in the heart of the city, is the most visited modern art gallery in Scotland and is home to a range of cutting-edge painting and sculpture and a wealth of innovative installations. For over 100 years the building was a centre for business and commercial exchange where information and goods were traded. www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums 7). Scottish Football Museum – The Scottish Football Museum celebrates the unique football heritage of Scotland and is home to some of the world’s most impressive national collection of football related objects, memorabilia and ephemera, including the oldest national trophy, the Scottish Cup. The 14 galleries allow you to explore the development of the modern game in Scotland, from the 19th century to the present day. www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk 8). Glasgow City Chambers – The City Chambers, the headquarters of Glasgow City Council is over 100 years old and Glasgow's finest example of 19th Century architecture. The City Chambers is an impressive symbol of Glasgow’s political strength and historical wealth. www.glasgow.gov.uk
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9). Glasgow style mile – Glasgow’s style mile offers the best shopping in the UK outside of London’s West End. Sauchiehall, Buchanan and Argyll Street are packed full of well-known brands and are home to numerous malls and department stores including Buchanan Galleries, John Lewis, St Enoch Centre and House of Fraser. Princes Square houses a range of designer favourites and the Merchant City is home to exclusive brands and luxury boutiques. 10). Music in Glasgow – Glasgow has been hailed by Lonely Planet as having one of the best live music scenes in the world and is also a UNESCO City of Music. The city hosts an average of 130 music events each week and it is estimated that music businesses generate some £75m a year for Glasgow’s economy. Glasgow’s legendary music scene stretches across the whole spectrum from contemporary and classical to Celtic and Country. Its venues are equally varied and include King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut (consistently voted the top live music venue in the UK), the Barrowlands, O2 Academy, the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre, Glasgow Royal Concert Halls and many pub and clubs throughout the city. 11). Contemporary Art in Glasgow – No fewer than five Turner Prize winners (Martin Creed, Douglas Gordon, Simon Starling, Richard Wright and Susan Philipsz); six Turner Prize nominees (Christine Borland, Phil Collins, Nathan Coley, Jim Lambie, Cathy Wilkes, Lucy Skaer) have hailed from, trained in, or worked out of the city in recent years. Innovative spaces such as Trongate 103 (www.trongate103.com) and The Briggait (www.thebriggait.org.uk) in the heart of the Merchant City); CCA on Sauchiehall Street (www.cca-glasgow.com) and Tramway on Glasgow’s South Side (www.tramway.org) are just some of the cutting-edge venues at the very epicentre of the city’s creativity with their year-round programmes of thought provoking events and exhibitions. 12). 12. People's Palace and Winter Gardens – The People’s Palace, set in historic Glasgow Green, tells the story of the people and city of Glasgow from 1750 to the end of the 20th century. The Palace is home to a wealth of historic artifacts and paintings and film and interactive displays all of which give an insight into www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums
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GLASGOW Top 12 things to do within 1 hour of Glasgow 1). The Wallace Monument – Completed in 1869 after eight years' construction, the 220 feet high Wallace Monument sits prominently on the Abbey Craig two miles north of the city of Stirling itself. It was from this prominent hilltop in 1297 that William Wallace watched the English army approach across Stirling Bridge before leading the Scots into battle, and to victory, so it’s a fitting, and striking, location for the national monument to a national hero. Also on display is what is said to be the 700 year old Wallace sword, some 1.6m long. Coming face to face with such a magnificent piece of metalwork you wonder how anyone could have lifted or carried it, still less fought with it! When you reach The Crown at the top of The Monument the view will take your breath away. It’s one of the finest sights Scotland has to offer, from Ben Lomond and The Trossachs in the west and through The Forth Valley past the city of Stirling and The Ochil Hills to The Pentland Hills in the east. www.nationalwallacemonument.com 2). Mackintosh Hill House at Helensburgh – Charles Rennie Mackintosh was one of the most creative figures of the 20th century and a leading figure in the European Art Nouveau movement. The Hill House is considered to be Charles Rennie Mackintosh's finest domestic creation, dating from 1902. Sitting high above the Clyde, it is home to original Mackintosh furniture and interior design by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife and also has attractive formal gardens designed recognisably in the Mackintosh style. www.nts.org.uk/Property/The-Hill-House/About/ 3). Auchentoshan Distillery – Established in 1823, Auchentoshan (Ock-un-tosh-un) Distillery is situated on the A82 between Glasgow and Loch Lomond. This Lowlands Malt Distillery rests at the foot of the Kilpatrick Hills, overlooking the famous River Clyde, once renowned as the Scottish gateway to the world. Auchentoshan, meaning 'corner of the field', produces a delicate, smooth and light Single Malt Whisky. The subtle aroma and flavour of its spirit is achieved by the unique Triple Distillation process, whereby the spirit is not distilled twice, as elsewhere in Scotland, but instead, distilled three times producing even greater refinement to its character. The distillery has had six careful owners who have handed down its unique production process and Auchentoshan has been extensively refurbished since its acquisition by Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd in 1984. A warm welcome awaits you - take a guided tour of the distillery and sample a wee dram. www.auchentoshan.co.uk
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4). Visit Edinburgh for a day – Edinburgh, the inspiring capital of Scotland, is a historic, cosmopolitan and cultured city. The setting is wonderfully striking; the city is perched on a series of extinct volcanoes and rocky crags which rise from the generally flat landscape of the Lothians, with the sheltered shoreline of the Firth of Forth to the north. Edinburgh Castle dominates the city-centre skyline and from its ramparts you can look down on medieval lanes and elegant, sweeping terraces that hold over a thousand years of history, mystery and tradition. Yet you will also see a modern, dynamic capital where international festivals attract the world's leading performers, galleries display cutting-edge art, and bars, restaurants and clubs create a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere with a distinctly Scottish twist. 'Edinburgh,' said writer Robert Louis Stevenson, 'is what Paris ought to be'. 5). Burns Country - Ayrshire – Venture 58km south of Glasgow to Ayrshire, the heart of Burns Country. Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns, was born in Alloway and visitors can make a trip to his birthplace and experience the new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum nearby. The museum comprises the famous Burns Cottage where the poet was born, the historic landmarks where he set his greatest work, the elegant monument and gardens created in his honour and a modern museum housing the world’s most important collection of his life and works. www.burnsmuseum.org.uk 6). The Carrick Course, Cameron House – Weaving through an area of outstanding natural beauty on the banks of Loch Lomond, The Carrick golf course at the deluxe resort at Cameron House is one of Scotland’s newer championship standard golf courses and, arguably, the country’s most breathtaking round. Sympathetically designed in keeping with its position within Scotland’s first National Park, the par 71 course follows a traditional Scottish heathland style and, uniquely, straddles the rolling Lowlands and majestic Highlands of Scotland. Challenging holes stretch over beautiful undulating fairways, hug inland lagoons and overlook the glittering waters of the Loch and rugged mountains beyond. Designed by acclaimed golf architect, Doug Carrick, The Carrick extends from 4755m, from the front tees, to 6480m from the championship tees. www.golf.visitscotland.com/courses/the_carrick.aspx
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GLASGOW 7). Loch Lomond – The single biggest expanse of inland water in the British Isles, Loch Lomond brings together two very different Scotlands. From its 'bonnie banks', located within the boundaries of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park to Helensburghs elegant promenades and the shipping heritage of the Clyde, this is an area of dramatic contrasts. The sheltered harbour at Balmaha is the ideal centre for sailing and water-sports, while the championship golf course at Loch Lomond Golf Club regularly attracts household names to world-class golfing tournaments. Why not see Scotland as you've never seen it before by taking off and landing on the waters of Loch Lomond with Loch Lomond Seaplanes, the UK's only commercial seaplane service. They provide regular excursions, charters and lunch flights across Scotland from their base on Loch Lomond. Cruise Loch Lomond also offers cruises throughout the year allowing you to experience the beauty, tranquillity and adventure on Loch Lomond - the jewel in Scotland’s first National Park. 8). New Lanark UNESCO World Heritage Site – New Lanark is a beautifully restored 18th century cotton mill village nestled in the spectacular south Lanarkshire valley in southern Scotland, close to the Falls of Clyde and less than an hour from Glasgow. Discover the fascinating history of New Lanark which has been interpreted in the award-winning New Lanark Visitor Centre. The impressive cotton mill village of New Lanark was founded in 1785. New Lanark quickly became known under the enlightened management of social pioneer, Robert Owen. He provided good homes, fair wages, free health care, a new education system for villagers and the first workplace nursery school in the world! Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Lanark, has been beautifully restored as a living community, which welcomes visitors from all over the world. www.newlanark.org 9). Falkirk Wheel – Measuring 35m, The Falkirk Wheel is the world’s only rotating boatlift and is used to connect the Forth & Clyde and Union canals in central Scotland. This magnificent, mechanical marvel has been constructed to 21st Century, state-of-the-art engineering and it is already being recognised as an iconic landmark worthy of Scotland's traditional engineering expertise. Designed to replace a series of lock gates built in the 19th Century - long since demolished and replaced by housing - The Falkirk Wheel is the showpiece of the Millennium Link project where coast-to-coast navigation of the canals has been re-established for the first time in over 40 years. www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk
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10). Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park – Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is Glasgow’s nearest big countryside attraction for healthy family fun days out or outdoor activities. All visitor centres have free parking and entry, sign posted woodland walks and nature trails, easy wildlife watching, indoor and outdoor attractions, cafes, gift shops and a Ranger Service. The park boasts seasonal row boat and mountain bike hire as well as walks in Parkhill Wood, the designed landscape woodlands of the Semple Clan. Ask the Rangers about the Parkhill Challenge - a treasure-hunt style activity suitable for all the family. www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk 11). Glengoyne Distillery – Glengoyne is open all year round for guided distillery tours, whisky tastings, in-depth blending sessions and Masterclasses. Situated just 22.5km north of Glasgow, Glengoyne is close to Loch Lomond, Stirling and the Trossachs. The visit begins with a dram of 10 year old Single Highland Malt before enjoying a guided tour of the distillery. After the tour, guests are invited in to the new state-of the-art whisky 'Sample Room' to take their whisky knowledge to new levels. With its locally hand crafted, light oak fixtures and fascinating array of sample bottles, the spectacular Sample Room is where guests can create their own unique blend of whisky, under the watchful eye of the expert blender. www.glengoyne.com 12). Stirling Castle – For generations Scotland’s royalty gathered at Stirling Castle to revel in its impressive buildings, superb sculptures, fine craftsmanship and beautiful gardens. Today, visitors can do the same. Highlights include The Great Hall, Chapel Royal, Regimental Museum of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, The Great Kitchens and Tapestry Studio. Guided tours of the castle help bring its rich and colourful past to life in vivid detail. Audio tours in six languages are available and a free guided tour of Argyll’s Lodging, one of Europe’s finest surviving 17th-century townhouses, is also included in the entry price. The Palace Project has now seen the six ground floor Kings’ and Queens’ apartments in Stirling Castle’s Renaissance Palace restored to their mid-16th century opulence. Also restored to the Castle for the first time since 1777, are the Stirling Heads, the supreme example of hand carved renaissance iconography in Scotland. The courtiers are depicted in the style of classical gods at some sort of celestial court, and this reflects the Renaissance hankering for the cultural glories of classical Rome and Greece. www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk
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CARDIFF Top 12 Cardiff 1). Cardiff Castle – Cardiff may only have been a city for 100 years, but there has been a castle here for nearly 2000 years. The original Roman walls and Norman keep can still be explored, but the highlight of a visit is the tour of the refurbished Victorian interiors – transformed into a mock-Medieval palace by the 3rd Marquess of Bute. www.cardiffcastle.com 2). Millennium Stadium – When the stadium isn’t hosting major sports matches or concerts you can take a tour of the 74000 seater stadium. Walk down the player’s tunnel, try out the Queen’s seat in the Royal box and discover how they removed the curse from the away-team changing rooms. www.millenniumstadium.com 3). Wales Millennium Centre – Dominating the skyline in Cardiff Bay, the Wales Millennium Centre is home to seven major arts organizations, including Welsh National Opera and Diversions Dance Company. The centre presents international opera, ballet, modern dance and musicals. ‘Arts Sherpas’ run backstage tours of the centre, and if you’re lucky you may even catch a glimpse of a rehearsal. www.wmc.org.uk 4). Techniquest – Enter a world of science and technology at Cardiff Bay’s Techniquest, which is sure to delight children of all ages. Fancy firing a rocket, launching a hot air balloon or racing an electric car? There are over 160 hands-on exhibits with puzzles and activities to entertain the whole family. There are also shows in the Science Theatre and tours of the Universe in the Planetarium. Visitors can also conduct their own experiments in the science Laboratory. www.techniquest.org 5). National Museum of Wales – Two wealthy Welsh sisters bequeathed their large art collection to the museum and gallery in the mid 20th century, resulting in Cardiff owning one of the largest collections of Impressionist paintings outside of Paris, with works by Renoir, Monet and Cezanne on display. A couple of hours can easily be spent exploring the extensive museum exhibits too. (free entry, closed Mondays) www.museumwales.ac.uk Millennium Stadium Cardiff 153
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CARDIFF 6). National History Museum St Fagans – The national History Museum at St. Fagans is home to a variety of historic buildings from across Wales – all of which were taken apart brick by brick and carefully reconstructed in the museum to present a view of life in Wales over the last 500 years. Re-erected buildings include an elegant mansion house, a humble quarryman’s cottage, farmhouses, a terrace of six cottages and a Victorian shop complex from the South Wales valleys with a working bakery, blacksmiths, saddler, tea shop and store. The museum is open every day and also runs regular seasonal events. www.nmgw.ac.uk 7). Chapter Arts Centre – Chapter has earned a reputation as one most diverse arts centres in Europe, and combines theatre, art, film, music and literature into one venue. The gallery hosts exhibitions by artists from across the globe, and is the venue for the annual Experimentica Festival, boasting some of Britain's most dynamic art. The Chapter has recently undergone a £3.5 million facelift and is celebrating its 40th birthday with a year of special events. www.chapter.org
11). The Cardiff Story Museum – Discover how Cardiff was transformed from the small market town of the 1300s to one of the world's biggest ports in the 1900s, to the cosmopolitan capital we know today. www.cardiffstory.com 12). Cardiff’s’ Arcades – Cardiff’s arcades still retain many of their Victorian and Edwardian features and are now home to dozens of unique stores and cafés. All manner of Welsh gifts can be found in these arcades, from handmade Welsh textiles to Welsh love spoons and rugby shirts. Visit Morgan and Castle Arcades for the latest designer fashions in independent stores such as Woodenwood or rest your feet and enjoy a meal in cafes such as vegetarian café Crumbs, or The Plan, which specialise in organic and FairTrade food. www.royalarcadecardiff.com www.cardiffcastlearcade.co.uk
8). Cardiff International White Water – THE most popular and sociable of all our water sports, White Water Rafting ranges from the thrills and spills to the gentler float trip. Descend raging rapids in the heart of our capital city on this adrenalin fuelled activity. Whatever your experience you are in for an enjoyable ride! www.ciww.com 9). The Senedd (Welsh Parliament Building) – The Welsh Assembly Government’s new debating chamber, The Senedd, was opened by the Queen in March 2006. Visitors can explore the building, have coffee and Welsh cakes in the café or watch Assembly debates from the public viewing gallery. www.wales.gov.uk 10). Spillers Records – Officially the oldest record store in the world, Spillers Records has been a fixture in Cardiff since 1894. As well as a diverse selection of CDs and vinyl from the latest up and coming indie and dance acts, the store has a section dedicated to Welsh bands and singers. www.spillersrecords.co.uk
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WALES Top 12 Wales – Castles and More 1). Wales has 641 castles – so you won’t be spoilt for choice! From Raglan in the south east to Pembroke in the south-west of Wales; from Beaumaris on the Isle of Anglesey to Powis near the mid Wales border, they all tell a story… below are just four of the best. 2). In the south, Cardiff Castle dominates the centre of the capital city, and from outside looks imposingly medieval, definitely a fortress to repel rather than a luxurious home. But venture inside and you will see stunning, colourful, decorative interiors, the exuberance of the architect William Burges who redesigned the castle in the 19th century. For more exuberance, why not join a Welsh banquet in the castle’s undercroft. Just outside town, on a hill, stands Castell Coch, by the same architect and with equally stunning interiors. 3). In North Wales, Caernarfon Castle is one of the most famous and impressive castles, now a World Heritage Site, taking nearly 50 years to build - and which you can spend hours exploring it. Conwy Castle and its Town Walls together form another World Heritage Site, just along the coast. 4). Celtic Manor in south Wales hosted the Ryder Cup in 2010 and dedicated golfers will want to attempt to equal their scores with a game there. But like the castles, there are courses all across the country. Not surprisingly, there may be a castle looming over the next green – notably at Harlech. And for anyone who thinks they know about water hazards – you haven’t been to Nefyn in North Wales, famous for The Point, where the sea is all round you! 5). For those who are looking for a more adrenalin-charged experience, they don’t come much more memorable than coasteering: – “a wild combination of scrambling, climbing, traversing, cliff jumping and swimming that was first developed in Pembrokeshire in the 80s and 90s and has now taken off all over the world” 6). For those who prefer to look at the view from a cliff, rather than jump off it, there are great walks (and views) along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, a national trail set in a National Park. It will form part of the 1368km Welsh Coast Path, which it is hoped will open in 2012.
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WALES 7). If you are agonising over what books to take on holiday – forget about choosing them till you get to Wales. Hay on Wye, near the border with England has become famous for its second-hand and antiquarian bookshops, and for one of the best literary festivals. 8). The daffodil is one of the national symbols of Wales, so it’s no surprise the Welsh take their gardens seriously. Powis Castle is the backdrop to enormous clipped yew trees in a 10.5ha garden; Bodnant has a magnificent collection of rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias as well as its famous laburnum tunnel; while Aberglasney Gardens in Carmarthenshire were saved from ruin when a trust was set up about 15 years ago to restore them. 9). From Anglesey Sea Salt to Salt Marsh Lamb, from Caerphilly Cheese to beef from pedigree Welsh Black cattle, Wales produces some very tasty food. Sample it in some of Wales’s great pubs and restaurants, in towns and village which have a reputation for good food (and a food festival) such as Narberth and Abergavenny, or at the specialist Great British Cheese Festival, held in Cardiff in September. Check out Welsh Food & Restaurants. A Guide to Eating out in Wales 10). In Wales trains aren’t just for getting from A to B, but a fun day out in their own right. Try one of the Great Little Trains of Wales, whether travelling along coastline, through woods and along river banks, or up Wales’ tallest mountain, Snowdon. 11). St Fagan’s is Wales’s most popular heritage attraction, an open-air museum featuring over 40 buildings from different periods which have been moved from elsewhere and rebuilt on a site on the outskirts of Cardiff, while regular displays of traditional crafts and activities bring the site to life. Currently “only” covering the history of Wales over 500 years, there are plans to bring the National Museum of Wales’ archaeological collections to St Fagan’s, so the period covered extends to 250,000 years. 12). Premier League football - Swansea City has just been promoted to the Premier League – the first time a Welsh team has played in the league since it kicked off in 1992. Powys Castle Powys Index
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WALES Top 12 Wales 1). Castles and Historic Houses – How do you like your history? With over 600 castles and historic houses in Wales, we’re certain Wales has something that’ll appeal to every interest. For a castle with added bite, try Beaumaris. Its defences include entrances protected by murder holes, from which defenders would be able to rain down hot oil onto any would-be attackers. If you’re more of a lover than a fighter, then perhaps Carreg Cennen will be for you. It’s been named in a shortlist of 10 castles vying for the UK’s most romantic ruin. 2). Museums and Heritage – Welsh history is written all over the landscape, from Neolithic burial chambers to hands-on science discovery centres. There are museums for every passion: from the origins of Wales to Doctor Who. We’ve got 7 national museums that help tell Wales’s story through art, history and the natural environment. At Big Pit: National Coal Museum you can go 90m underground with a real miner to discover what life was like at the coal face. A great day out guaranteed and even better, all seven museums are free to visit. 3). National Parks – There are three National Parks in Wales. Snowdonia is the largest, with the highest mountain in Wales (Snowdon) and largest natural lake (Llyn Tegid). Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is Britain’s largest coastal national park, with spectacular landscapes. For a small country, there’s a breathtaking remoteness to the Brecon Beacons, but there are also sheltered woodlands, reservoirs, waterfalls and caves. 4). Go Coastal – With 1,200 km of coastline, Wales has plenty of seaside resorts. In Victorian resorts like Llandudno, you can indulge in seaside traditions like strolling along the prom. There are harbour towns, like New Quay, from which you can take a boat-ride to look for some more unusual local inhabitants – dolphins, seals and porpoises. Then there are villages where the sand and sea are the focal points – like Llangennith, the (unofficial) surf capital of Wales, with its laid-back vibe. Our coastline also has more than its fair share of Blue Flags: 45 in 2010. 5). Gardens – Wales is full of gardens. It’s location on the Western edge of Britain, combined with the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, means things grow bigger and better here. That might explain why Bodnant Garden is home to the UK’s tallest California Redwood. Or why Portmeirion has a giant herbaceous flowering plant native to the Brazilian forests. 157
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WALES 6). Great Little Trains of Wales – Built at a time when the pace of life was slower, Wales’s narrow gauge steam railways are a charming way of taking in the scenery, some having a history of well over 100 years. 2011 will be memorable for the Welsh Highland Railway as, for the first time ever, passengers will be able to ride the complete route from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, where they can jump aboard the world-famous Ffestiniog Railway. A total trip of 64 km – a great railway journey for anyone with a soft-spot for steam travel. 7). Galleries/Venues – In 2011, the National Museum Cardiff will complete the development of a National Museum of Art for Wales, exhibiting works by Renoir and Van Gogh alongside collections by distinguished Welsh artists. Ffotogallery in Cardiff hosts exhibitions, workshops and courses of all kinds; Oriel y Parc in St Davids is an innovative architectural home to many of the finest pieces of landscape art in Wales. The Wales Millennium Centre is a striking addition to the Cardiff landscape and home to several of Wales’s premier performing arts companies. 8). Inspired by Wales – Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven is said to have been created at Bron-yr-Aur, a cottage in southern Snowdonia. The Pembrokeshire coastline inspired the makers of the latest Harry Potter movie to build Shell Cottage, set in fictional Tinworth, on Freshwater West beach. Charles Darwin – yes, the one who ‘invented’ evolution – actually trained as a geologist and honed his skills observing the natural world during field trips across North Wales. And you can’t talk about people inspired by Wales without mentioning Dylan Thomas, who wrote many of his finest works, including Under Milk Wood, from his writing shed overlooking the Tâf Estuary.
9). Adventure – If you’ve a passion for adventure you can choose the challenge in Wales. Have a go at coasteering. First, kit yourself out in a wetsuit, helmet and buoyancy aid. Then, do everything your mum told you not to: climb, swim, slip, slide and scramble your way along the rugged coastline before throwing yourself off the cliffs into the swirling waves below. If that doesn’t appeal there’s always rock climbing, white water rafting, canyoning, caving, scrambling or paragliding. Our Visit Wales websites will point you in the right direction. So what are you waiting for? Go play. 10). Golf – Wales was proud to host The Ryder Cup in October 2010. And what a thrilling Ryder Cup it turned out to be, with Europe clinching victory over the US right at the death. But that was just the start. There’s a whole nation of golf to explore – over 200 courses – from outstanding links courses like Royal Porthcawl and Royal St David’s, or laid back courses like Clifftop Cardigan or Cradoc, and nine-hole hilly delights at St Davids City and Priskilly Forest. Golf in Wales has it all – whether you’re looking for a challenging 18-hole course, just want to ‘pay and play’ or practice your swing at the driving range. 11). Walking – Wales is a strong contender for the best walking country in Europe, maybe even the world. It’s not just the 805 km of National Trails, the five Areas of Outstanding Beauty, the treasure trove of Welsh history or the astonishingly ancient landscape. It’s the sheer variety packed into such a relatively small space. Work continues to create the Wales Coast Path, which by 2012 will provide walkers, cyclists and horse riders a continuous 1,368 km path running right around the coastline. National Geographic recently voted Pembrokeshire the second best coastal destination in the world! So that’s what you should do get out there and take a walk! 12). Cardiff – Cardiff or Caerdydd as the Welsh say is the capital city of Wales. A modern and cosmopolitan city with an event calendar to rival any other European capital. In the Cardiff Bay area, you’ll find some stunning showpiece buildings; the Millennium Centre, a fantastic arts and cultural venue, the new slate and glass Welsh Parliament Building and in the city centre, the Millennium Stadium with its sliding roof. But despite all that forward thinking, it’s a city that has not forgotten its past. The Civic Centre and National Museum are one of the finest in Europe and Cardiff Castle an unexpected city centre surprise.
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BELFAST Top 12 Titanic: Built in Belfast Explore the history of Titanic, Built in Belfast. The story of the most magnificent ship of her age and the tragedy of her sinking in freezing Atlantic waters less than two weeks later has captured the hearts and imaginations of people all over the world ever since. 2012 marks the centenary of Titanic’s maiden voyage and tragic end. Only in Belfast can you trace the Titanic story to its source, discover the passion and pride of those who built her and relive the excitement of Titanic Town at the height of its powers. Titanic is coming home. Come and share the moment with us in Belfast 2012!
3). Titanic and Olympic Slipways – On 31st March 1911 in just over 60 seconds using over 20 tonnes of tallow (grease) and soap to ease her passage, Titanic was launched from these very slipways, directly in front of Titanic Belfast visitor attraction, just a few metres away. It was here too that thousands of riveters, welders, shipwrights and others laboured on her giant hull, clambering over the towering Arrol Gantry, the biggest in the world when it was specially built for Titanic and her sister ships.
1). Titanic Belfast – Welcome to Titanic Belfast, the world’s largest and greatest Titanic visitor experience. This is an iconic six-floor building featuring nine interpretive and interactive galleries, including a shipyard ride and recreation of the ship’s decks and cabins, which explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Titanic, as well as the city and people which made her. Visitors will learn about the conception of Titanic in the early 1900s, through to her construction and launch, to her maiden voyage and the aftermath of the sinking, continuing into the present day with a live undersea exploration centre, giving you unparalleled access to high-definition footage from Titanic’s wreck on the ocean floor. As well as a stunning banqueting suite, there is space for community arts and education facilities, a gallery for touring and temporary exhibitions, cafes, restaurants and shops. Titanic Belfast opened on 31st March 2012, in time to commemorate the centenary of Titanic’s maiden voyage and tragic end. www.titanicbelfast.com
4). Titanic’s Dock & Pumphouse – Titanic’s last footprint on land, the Thompson Dry Dock was built to accommodate the near 275m length of Titanic and her sister ship Olympic. The largest dry dock in the world at the time, it was here that Titanic was fitted out. Adjacent is the Edwardian Thompson Pump-House whose pumps drained 23m gallons of water from the dry dock in just under 100 minutes. Enjoy a snack and drink while learning about Belfast’s incredible shipbuilding heritage, including audio displays and rare footage of Titanic. You can still see the original pumps on regular tours. Later in 2012, members of the public will be able to descend the 13.4m into Titanic’s Dock and walk in the footsteps of Titanic’s builders. www.titanicsdock.com
2). Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices – Forget Hollywood, here in Belfast you can only relive the romance and passion of the Titanic story but take your own epic adventure though its creation in the Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices. These beautiful rooms have barely changed from the time Thomas Andrews and his ingenious colleagues designed Titanic and her sister ships. This is where it all began and the dream took shape. Explore this evocative room as part of a Titanic Walking Tour or a Titanic Tour. www.titanicwalk.com
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5). SS Nomadic – The last remaining White Star Line vessel, SS Nomadic is currently being restored at Hamilton’s Dock, near Titanic Belfast. The boat which once ferried first and second class passengers to Titanic from the French port of Cherbourg, was designed by Tomas Andrews and built at Harland and Wolff beneath the giant profiles of Titanic and Olympic. On 10th April 1912, Nomadic took 142 passengers from Cherbourg to join Titanic on her maiden voyage. On-board were some of Titanic’s most famous passengers – Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon and his celebrated fashion designer wide, Lucille, American socialite Molly Brown and wealthy industrialist Benjamin Guggenheim. Nomadic would then go on to serve Olympic during her long and successful career, returning to Belfast in 2006. She is due to open to the public following restoration in Autumn 2012 www.nomadicbelfast.com
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BELFAST 6). Ulster Folk and Transport Museum: TITANICa The Exhibition & The People’s Story – Head out of Belfast and enjoy Northern Ireland’s most comprehensive Titanic Exhibition at the Ulster Transport Museum, featuring artefacts, technical plans and photographs including the original White Star Line collection. Over 500 original artefacts are on display in the exhibition which focuses on the lives and skills of the shipyard workers and the human stories of those connected to Titanic and her sister ships. The exhibition includes 35 fascinating artefacts raised from Titanic’s seabed wreck including a porthole, crockery, personal belongings, silverware and glassware. Take the short walk across to the Ulster Folk Museum and walk the streets lined with original cottages, schools and shops that reflect the era of Titanic’s maiden voyage. Explore the home of a Harland and Wolff riveter, visit the post office to compose your own Morse code message sent from Titanic and pop into the printers for a Titanic launch ticket or newspaper of the period. www.nmni.com/Titanic 7). The Belfast Barge – Located at Lagan Quay, just minutes from the city centre, the 600 ton barge hosts a fascinating exhibition exploring the story of Belfast’s incredible maritime history through touch screens, interpretive panels and interactive displays. The Barge also houses personal audio accounts from many Belfast shipbuilders. You can also enjoy a superb meal of locally sourced food on board at the acclaimed Galley café. www.belfastbarge.com 8). Belfast City Hall – Also known as the Stone Titanic for its many links to the legendary liner, the magnificent Belfast City Hall is one of the city’s most popular visitor attractions. A commemorative event was held at Belfast City Hall on April 15th 2012 to mark the centenary of Titanic’s maiden voyage and tragic end. The new Titanic Memorial Garden was unveiled, the centrepiece being a feature which names all 1512 people lost on Titanic, the only memorial in the world to do this. In the City Hall itself you can enjoy an exhibition about Belfast’s industries from the 1600s to the present day in the Bobbin Café. Tours of the City Hall and its famous marble halls are conducted daily. www.belfastcity.gov.uk/cityhall 9). Maritime Masts, Belfast City Centre – Whilst heading down Belfast’s main thoroughfare of Royal Avenue, take time to appreciate the spectacular sculptured masts that line this famous street. There are eight in total, celebrating the famous ships that were built in Belfast including Titanic, her sister ships Olympic and Britannic and other including Titanic’s tender vessel, Nomadic. Each mast carries a sail which celebrates Belfast’s maritime heritage. Index
10). Titanic Menu at Rayanne House – Treat your tastebuds at Rayanne House, where head chef Conor McClelland prepares for you a lavish nine course menu based on the last meal served in Titanic’s first class dining room, served to famous passengers like the unsinkable Molly Brown and Benjamin Guggenheim. From Rayanne House, enjoy views of Belfast Lough, out of which Titanic sailed to embark on her maiden voyage. www.rayannehouse.com 11). Titanic Tours – You can explore Belfast and its Titanic history in many different ways! Titanic Walking Tour: exploring Titanic Quarter with special access to the historic Harland and Wolff Drawing Offices and finishing a Titanic’s Dock and Pump-House where you can enjoy coffee or lunch. www.titanicwalk.com Titanic Boat Tour: The world’s only tour of the key Titanic sites by boat is right here in Belfast, taking you back to the time when Titanic and her sister ships were designed, built and launched. www.laganboatcompany.com Titanic Tours Belfast: Enjoy a thrilling luxury car tour of Titanic sites with a unique personal insight. Tour Guide Susie Millar is the great grand-daughter of Thomas Millar who worked on the construction of Titanic and sailed on her maiden voyage as an engineer, tragically never to return. www.titanictours-belfast.co.uk Titanic Self Guided Tours There is an exciting range of self-guided tours available! www.belfasttours.com www.mytourtalk.com www.visitstrangfordlough.co.uk www.goexplore.com 12). Sir Thomas Andrews’ Belfast – This walking tour takes visitors back to the Belfast or Sir Thomas Andrews, chief designer of the Titanic. En route is the school he attended as a child, the nearby technical college he studied at, his bachelor flat, the church at which he worshipped and many more locations of interest. www.bluebadgeireland.com
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NORTHERN IRELAND Top 12 – Causeway Coastal Route 1). The Old Bushmills’ Distillery - The craft of whiskey making has been carried out at Bushmills for over 400 years using the same traditional methods to create the finest Irish whiskeys. Why not join us to see for yourself in the company of an experienced guide who will take you through the heart of the oldest working distillery in Ireland. Please call for opening times and age restrictions. 2). Cushendun & Torr Head - Nestling at the foot of Glendun, is Cushendun, with its distinctive Cornish-style village square and cottages by architect Clough WilliamsEllis. Artists Maurice Wilkes, Deborah Brown and Charles McAuley were inspired by its beauty. Along the coast, only twelve miles separate rocky Torr Head from the Mull of Kintyre. Many Scottish clansmen settled along this North Antrim Coast. 3). Gracehill Village - Two miles west of Ballymena lies the village of Gracehill, where you can step back 250 years in time. This small village was founded by the Moravians between 1759–1765 and is Ireland’s only Moravian settlement. The layout of the village and unique Georgianstyle architecture remains unchanged. In 1975, it was designated Northern Ireland’s first Conservation Area. 4). Bonamargy Friary, Ballycastle - On the outskirts of Ballycastle are the picturesque ruins of Bonamargy Friary, founded around 1500 by the Franciscans. It contains the remains of chieftain Sorley Boy McDonnell. In Ballycastle, there is a memorial to Guglielmo Marconi who carried out the first tests on radio signals here in 1898.
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NORTHERN IRELAND 5). Rathlin Island & RSPB Viewpoint - Take the 20-40 minute ferry trip to Rathlin Island. Amidst the rugged landscape of this isolated island, you can let your mind wander and discover a tranquility and beauty that is so unexpected. The ferry to Rathlin Island travels just six miles across the "Sea of Moyle". This island is six miles long, one mile wide, "L" shaped and home to a small population of around seventy people. Thousands of nesting seabirds can be viewed from Kebble National Nature Reserve. There are many tales of myth and mystery surrounding Rathlin, the most famous tells of Robert the Bruce. In 1306, the Scottish King was driven from Scotland by Edward I of England and took refuge on Rathlin. While he was on Rathlin, it is said that he watched a spider persevering again and again to bridge a gap with its web. Eventually it succeeded. Robert the Bruce took heart from the spider's efforts, raised fresh forces and returned to Scotland to fight for his kingdom. He too, eventually succeeded and in 1314, regained the crown of Scotland. 6). Glenariff Forest Park Waterfalls & Carnlough Harbour - Enjoy the space and freedom of this beautiful forest park. It is a rambler’s paradise with woody glades, small lakes and tumbling waterfalls. Take a leisurely coastal drive to Carnlough, where fishing boats rest in the harbour. Call in for refreshment at The Londonderry Arms Hotel, an 1848 coaching inn once owned by Winston Churchill. 7). Giant’s Causeway - (World Heritage Site). The Giant’s Causeway World Heritage Site is Northern Ireland’s most famous visitor attraction. The extraordinary geometric columns were formed as a result of volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. However, you may prefer the story that the giant Finn McCool built these stepping stones to reach and defeat his adversary in Scotland. The exciting new ‘Giant’s Causeway Visitor Experience’ interpretive centre is due to on 3 July 2012.
9). Dunluce Castle - This late Medieval 17th century castle, strikingly perched on rocky cliffs and overlooking the North Atlantic, was the headquarters of the MacDonnell Clan. Constantly fought over, it eventually succumbed to the power of nature, when part of it fell into the sea one stormy night in 1639. It was abandoned shortly afterwards. 10). Patterson’s Spade Mill - Watch as billets of red hot steel are hammered into perfectly balanced spades at the last water-driven spade mill in the British Isles. The Patterson family made spades at this site for generations using tools and techniques little changed from the Industrial Revolution. Take a step back in time and see firsthand how the common garden spade is created using age old methods. Bespoke hand crafted spades can be made to order. 11). Carrickfergus Castle - This is one of Northern Ireland’s most striking monuments whether approached from land, sea, or air. It is the first building of its kind in the north of Ireland. Today, this 800 year old castle is open to the public for fun days out. Those wishing to learn more about its history can follow the story of the castle’s transformation over time from family home to centre of royal power, army barracks and modern day visitor experience. 12). Royal Portrush Golf Club - Royal Portrush is widely recognised as one of the top golf courses in Europe. It regularly features in top 20 golf rankings across the world, and has hosted many elite international events in its prestigious history. After an absence of almost 60 years, the Irish Open will return to Northern Ireland this summer. The world class links course at Royal Portrush Golf Club will host this prestigious event, from Thursday 28 June to Sunday 1 July.
8). Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge - Take the exhilarating rope bridge challenge to Carrick-a-Rede island (a Site of Special Scientific Interest) and enjoy a truly cliff top experience. Near the North Antrim Coast road, amid unrivalled coastal scenery, the 30-metre deep and 20-metre wide chasm is traversed by a rope bridge that was traditionally erected by salmon fishermen.
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NORTHERN IRELAND Top 12 – Derry/Londonderry 1). Derry Walls - Among the many historic monuments in Derry, the massive city Walls on the west bank of the River Foyle are the most striking and memorable. Built between 1614 and 1619, the original Walls are almost perfectly preserved today, making Derry one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe. Using earth, lime and local stone (some from ruined medieval monastery buildings) Peter Benson from London skilfully constructed the thick defensive ramparts and angular artillery bastions following closely the design of Sir Edward Doddington of Dungiven. Despite sieges in 1641, 1649 and the Great, Derry's Walls were never breached proof indeed of their careful planning and excellent construction, and reason for the title 'The Maiden City'. 2).St. Columb’s Cathedral - The Cathedral was the first of its kind to be built after the Reformation. As one of the city’s most historic buildings, its Chapter House Museum contains artefacts from the Siege of 1689 as well as information on famous personalities; Cecil Frances Alexander (the hymn writer), the Earl Bishop and world famous philosopher, George Berkeley. 3). First Derry Presbyterian Church and Blue Coats Visitor Centre - The First Derry Presbyterian Church has recently been re-opened following a programme of works that has totally renovated the building. Having been closed for a period of eight years, the church is once again being used as a place of worship. Adjoining the church is the refurbished Blue Coats School, now home to the Blue Coats Museum and Interpretation Centre. This new facility tells the history behind the church, along with the history of Presbyterians in the city (andbeyond) and the role they played in the Great Siege. 4).The Tower Museum - The Tower Museum immerses you in Londonderry’s potent history with two engrossing exhibitions: The Story of Derry Exhibition, which narrates the city’s development from monastic times to present day and An Armada Shipwreck – La Trinidad Valencera, the story of a Spanish galleon that sank off the Donegal coast in 1588. Opening times vary during summer months.
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NORTHERN IRELAND 5). Walking, Bus, Road Train and Taxi Tours - Learn about the city’s past and present by going on a guided walking tour. Or go it alone with the MyTourTalk MP3 player. Take an hour-long bus tour or a 30-minute ride on the LegenDerry Road Train which takes in the colourful street murals. On board commentary informs, entertains and uncovers the city’s history. Alternatively take a more intimate taxi tour and explore the stories of this historic city. Details of all tours available from the Tourist Information Centre. 6). Museum of Free Derry - The museum focuses on the civil rights campaign which emerged in the 1960s and the Free Derry/early Troubles period of the early 1970s. It tells the people’s story of the civil rights movement, the Battle of the Bogside, Internment, Free Derry and Bloody Sunday. The museum has an archive of over 25,000 individual items relating to the period. Most items with immense historical significance were donated by local residents. 7). The Craft Village - The charming Craft Village is located in the area between lower Shipquay Street and Magazine Street in the centre of the city and is a reconstruction of an 18th century street and 19th century square. This village combines lovely craft shops, a thatched cottage, balconied apartments, a licensed restaurant and a coffee shop. The square is used throughout the year for different outdoor events such as live music performances. 8).Loughs Agency, Riverwatch - Riverwatch at the Loughs Agency is a must for all ages. Learn about the incredible fish life in our loughs, rivers, sea and shore through interactive exhibitions and activities. Eight aquariums hold freshwater and saltwater species from different eco-systems. If you’re lucky, you might just arrive at feeding time. 9). Creggan Country Park - A great place for sports enthusiasts, or those who simply want to enjoy the scenery. Enjoy outdoor pursuits, paintballing, watersports, water park and angling, available here with professional instruction. There are wonderful views including the Donegal Hills and across the city to the Lough Foyle estuary, with Binevenagh Mountain visible in the distance.
Index
10). Peace Bridge - Talk a walk across the Peace Bridge, officially launched on 25th June 2011. The bridge physically links the two banks of the River Foyle, providing a new and exciting shared public space. Its distinctive form - representing a human handshake across the water - joins all communities living in Derry~Londonderry in a symbolic gesture of reconciliation and peace". The bridge measures 235 metres bank to bank (312 metres in total) and it is approximately 4 metre wide, with landing points at the rear of the Guildhall and Ebrington embankment. 11). Ebrington Heritage Trail and Barracks - The Barracks are named after Lord Ebrington, the then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and were built between 1839 and 1841 on a prime site overlooking the River Foyle. During the Second World War the barracks became part of the 'H.M.S Ferret' naval base, the main escort base and Anti-Submarine Training School for the allied navies operating from Derry. After the war it became known as 'H.M.S Sea Eagle' and operated as the Joint AntiSubmarine School until 1970, when it was handed back to the British Army and re-named again as Ebrington Barracks. The base was closed by the Ministry of Defence in 2004. The Ebrington site has been recently developed as an exciting new events space for the city of Derry. 12). Austin’s Roof Top Restaurant - Have lunch in the world's oldest independent department store. Austins store has been the cornerstone of the city’s Diamond area since 1830. At 180 years of age, Austins is 5 years older than Jenners of Edinburgh, 15 years older than Harrods of London and 25 years older than Macy’s of New York. This is the oldest such store in the world and are soon to celebrate yet another golden age. Located in the historic centre of Derry, Austins is now a most imposing 5 storey Edwardian building with its conglomeration of large windows, columns, pedestals, balconies and a copper roofed cupola. Always a department store, Austins is renowned throughout Ireland for its impressive range of Irish crystal, Giftware, Fashions, Linens and Homewares.
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Which UK football team is nicknamed 'The Posh'? | Official Website of the Posh - Peterborough United FC latest news, photos and videos
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Jamaica Inn, made famous by writer Daphne du Maurier, lies on which moor? | Pre-War Football, Peterborough & Fletton United. - Your Grandad's Football
Pre-War Football in Peterborough - The Posh
Peterborough & Fletton United
My earliest recollection of football is in the era 1930-33, mainly through family talk of ‘The Posh’, Yes! They were called ‘The Posh’ long before Peterborough United, contrary to many beliefs. At that time they were Peterborough & Fletton United, played at London Road, changed at The Peacock and walked across the road to Glebe Road corner of the ground. The colours were Claret & Gold stripes, white shorts, Old Fletton School colours were the same.
The regular topic of conversation was when ‘Posh’, playing in the Southern League were drawn to play Birmingham, away, in the F.A.Cup (1928), lost 4-3 after leading 3-1. Joe Bradford scored a hat-trick for Birmingham. Various stories were heard surrounding this historic occasion: - crowds lining Market Harborough railway station platform as Posh supporters' trains passed through on their way to Birmingham. (Posh had beaten Harborough Town in a previous round). There was also talk of an away Cup-tie at Botwell Mission (Now Hayes), which was abandoned through fog and had to be re-played mid-week.
A popular song of the period was ‘Yes! We have no bananas’ and I recall the adapted version going something like this: -
Yes!, we have some Posh players,
We have some Posh players to day
When you’re reading the ‘Pink-un’
Of old Andy Lincoln, who scored the only goal to day—
We’ve got some fine Posh defenders
The best that Taylor can send us,
So Yes!, we have some Posh players,
We have some Posh players to day
Players were spoken of affectionately for a number of years, among them Harry Salt (played for Walsall when they knocked Arsenal out of the F.A.Cup), Ted Whitehead, Pat Tyrrell, Bruton, ‘Bowie’ Willis, Walter Betteridge, Watson, McNaughton and Jack Thain.
Peterborough & Fletton United were disbanded in 1932.
I recall the many visits to our local Barber’s shop. The Barber, Johnny Braines was most popular, although he was known to go ‘over the top’ regularly with the shears whilst engaged in conversation with a large audience, consisting of a number of unemployed with nothing to do, some picking out winners? (Johnny being the bookies runner), and the odd one or two requiring a shave or haircut!
A few pennies came my way when I was challenged to give the scores from the previous Saturdays and to name the top three teams in each division of the English Leagues.
After Peterborough & Fletton United disbanded only local football was seen-
Central Sugar Sports: - Played at Celta Mills round behind the Flax Factory (now Hotpoint).
Known player - Ted Whitehead, goalkeeper, Ex Posh.
Electricity Sports: - Played at New Road, Woodston, between Brewster Avenue and Palmerston Road, a natural little stadium with banked sides. Newalls F.C. used this ground during the war.
Known players - Harry Steward, ‘Dimmock’ Eason, Gillings.
South Ward Amateurs: - Played at the rear of Belsize Avenue (over the railway lines).
Wesleyans: - The ground was also used by Old Fletton School.
The Peterborough Thursday League was in existence and included teams - Co-op, Peterborough Thursday, Whittlesey Thursday and the Police.
I remember watching an F.A. Cup-tie between London Brick (Phorpres) and the renowned Kettering Town, which I believe Kettering won 4-3 but not before a few punch-ups and a sending-off. I recall the names of Eric (Tubby) Woods (son Ray later played for Posh and Southend), Len Burnham, goalkeeper Harbour, ‘Dubber’ Cox, Percy Moulds and Bert Browning. The game was played at Bunting’s Lane, just off the Stanground-Farcet Road.
I also saw a match, billed as the ‘Neverwins’, played at London Road between two teams without a win all season, Hildersham (Cambridge) and Barholm (Stamford), the result escapes me - perhaps 0-0!. Later discovered that Hildersham won 6-4 on 13th May 1933. They even warranted a mention years later in the Daily Mail, see article below from 29th July 2011.
Excitement as Peterborough United was formed, elected to the Midland League, the reserves joining Peterborough League Division 1. I was thrilled when I watched Posh’s first match against Gainsborough Trinity, and the thought of forthcoming games against Football League reserve teams was out of this world.
WOW! - Grimsby Town Reserves, Nottingham Forest Reserves, Bradford Park Avenue Reserves.
Posh did not enter the F.A.Cup in 1934/5 Season, the deadline was missed due to the late formation of the Club.
Meanwhile, my friends were being divided at school, some going to Fletton Secondary School (Grammar), and were often in opposition in school matches. Fletton Secondary played their games on the area between Orton Avenue and Westbrook Park Road, at the rear of Woodston Junior School, and mostly under the guidance of Mr. Walter Betteridge some of the boys were groomed for professional football: -
Des Farrow Leicester, QPR, Stoke and Posh
Johnny King Leicester and Kettering
Derek Woolley West Bromwich Albion, March Town
Barry Reed Luton
Old Fletton School won the Mobbs Cup (all Northamptonshire), and although before my time at the school, I knew many of the players as the ‘big boys’ who had just left. To quote a few names: - Charlie (Skinny) Vincent (goalkeeper), Jack Rose (later QPR), Ernie 'Nat' Brooksbank (Posh and March Town), Don Hitchborn, Harry Preston (later Posh), Len Brown, ‘Sparrow’ Broughton.
In the days before floodlighting (introduced in the1950’s) matches started earlier as the days grew shorter and in mid-winter a 2.15 kick-off was usual for league matches, with a 1.30 or 1.45 start for Cup replays. So prior to floodlights football was confined to Saturdays, except early autumn or late spring. Cup replays were midweek as were International matches.
Football League results were heard on the wireless but non-league and local scores could be non-existent for days - Tuesday’s Peterborough Citizen, Friday’s Peterborough Advertiser, or Friday’s Peterborough Standard being local media - UNLESS, you went to the local corner shop, or the pub, in the early part of Saturday evening, and managed to secure a copy of the cherished Evening Telegraph, locally called the ‘Kettering Telegraph’ or the ‘Pink-Un’. This treasure was available in villages and towns throughout Northants, Hunts, Beds and Fenland. In addition to the final scores there were reports to half-time of all local matches including Football League, Midland, Southern and United Counties Leagues with minor results in the ‘stop press’ column on the back page. Caricatures and nicknames were in abundance – Luton were ‘The Hatters’ with a straw ‘boater’, The ‘Cobbler’ with a boot and an apron, ‘Posh’ with his top hat and a monocle, Spalding a tulip, Stamford a fat ‘Daniel Lambert’’, Bedford an eagle (their ground was ‘The Eyrie’), Wellingborough a doughboy with a baker’s hat, Rushden a Russian with fur collar and hat, Rothwell ‘The Bones’ a skeleton, Kettering the friar or a poppy, Biggleswade ‘The Waders’, a wading bird, St Neots ‘The Newts’- and many more.
An award for the best local team performance was by way of ‘The Biscuit’, the size of a digestive biscuit, with the name of the performing team across the middle, displayed on the front page. The respective winners received an official certificate to mark the award.
With all the technology of the modern era nothing appears to match this publication, Web-sites, mobile phones etc., do not seem to gather as much information in such a short time. Reports in most cases were made by telephone to the printers and ‘The Pink-un’ was delivered by vans or cars, mostly on rural roads, yet available between 6 and 7pm to a 50 odd mile radius. To us who experienced the anticipation on a Saturday evening, nothing today captures the excitement of that time.
Any boy who owned a football had friends for life, well, the life of the ball!, and in Woodston a new Cold-Store was being constructed, possibly prompted by the threat of war. It meant that in the long days of that summer our 15 a-side became 20-30 a side as brickies, navvies and plant drivers swarmed in with their hobnailed boots, trampling 7 to 14 year olds in the stampede. George Woods, one of our smallest and youngest would pick himself up and be at it again, playing until dark like the rest of us. Same again the following night. No television!
Being a lightweight, I had difficulty in making an impression but eventually made the school team, thanks to a paper round which demanded Cyril Parrott’s time - thanks Cyril! Mr Anderson was our Sportsmaster, Assistant Headmaster and disciplinarian, he attended afternoon, after school and Saturday games - how times change!
In 1938 Posh were drawn away to Rushden Town and I was overwhelmed to be going away with the Posh. We travelled by train from Peterborough East Station, changed trains at Manton (Rutland) and eventually arrived at Rushden. At the Newton Road ground I sat with many other youngsters on the grass behind the goal - the goal in which Charlie McCartney scored from the penalty spot to give Posh a 4-4 draw after being 3-1 down.
The replay was on Thursday afternoon (no floodlights remember!) and I was at school - almost! Thursday morning, Headmaster Mr Young summoned me to his room and asks if I would like to go to the match (he knows I’m a football nut) - Yes please! Two conditions - ‘Don’t tell anyone I gave you permission, and make sure you call at my house in Queen’s Walk and tell me the result’ - easy!
Posh won 3-1 and later played their first league opponents in the Cup - Bristol Rovers, and lost 4-1.
In the Midland League, Grantham, Boston United, Scunthorpe, Scarborough and Shrewsbury were the most formidable non-league opponents, although many hard tussles were fought against colliery teams, Denaby, Frickley, Mexborough and Ollerton. Grantham’s centre-forward, Jack McCartney, was a prolific scorer, brother of Posh’s Charlie. Boston’s player-manager was Fred Tunstall (hairless), a Sheffield United legend in his earlier days. Posh defeated Boston 12-0 on New Year’s Eve 1938, Charlie McCartney scoring 5 goals. Pre-War Right Back, Cecil Hart, kept the shop and Off-Licence in Palmerston Road, Woodston, opposite the Savoy Cinema for a number of years.
Posh would play a home game on each Bridge Fair Thursday, and on one such occasion entertained Bradford City Reserves who fielded one left back, Jim Smith. Jim made his presence felt in no uncertain manner, and joined Posh the following season, eventually becoming trainer before taking the Bread Street Pub, The Swiss Cottage.
A fellow affectionately known as ‘Old Harry’ would entertain the crowd at half-time by taking off his jacket and sprinting the length of the Glebe Road touchline, and on occasions given a start with a firework.
Pre-War transfers were rare, of note: -
Jefferson, full back, to Queens Park Rangers
Chiverton, centre half, to Millwall
Wyles, centre forward, to Everton
In March 1939 I saw 19 year old Eric Boon defend his British Lightweight Title against Johnny McGrory at London Road with a reported attendance of 18,000. Boon from Chatteris won by a knock-out in the 9th round.
August 1939 and Posh, under Manager Sam Haden, signed new players, Tom Johnston (later Notts Forest and Notts County), Tommy Rudkin (later Arsenal) and Jack Haycox (Ex-Northampton). They won their first three fixtures, then War broke out and League football was closed down.
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The 'Hogarth' or 'S Shape' is an arrangement of what? | How to Make Hogarth Flower Arrangements | eHow
How to Make Hogarth Flower Arrangements
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William Hogarth, an English, painter introduced designs that had curves like an S, often called the lazy S. These minimal arrangements are some of the most complex floral pieces to make. They are based on the subtle S curve and use a small amount of greenery and flowers. Some are nearly all flowers. You can use many kinds of flowers and natural elements in a Hogarth Arrangement. The modern day Hogarth Floral Arrangement may have very few components. The most important thing is to capture the S curve and keep the materials to a minimum. Garden flowers in particular are a tribute to the artist.
Things You'll Need
Line greenery, cedar, eucalyptus or fern for example
Fresh flowers
Floral shears
Prepare container with floral foam. The foam should rise no higher than an inch above the rim if at all. Make sure it is secure. Use waterproof tape if needed. Soak foam with water if the flowers are fresh.
Chose very fresh greenery that has a curve or can be curved with your hands. Bend slowly and carefully to keep from breaking. Notice that the highest greenery piece curves slightly down from it's highest point.
Place the second piece of greenery securely into the foam on the opposite side of the container. It must curve downward. Step back and 'eye' the greenery. Do you see a subtle 'S' curve flowing from the highest point to the lowest? Keep manipulating the greenery or flowers if you chose to use them until you can see that Hogarth 'S' curve.
Add mass flowers at the meeting point between the high and low main pieces of greenery. This should flow over the rim of the container causing all components to blend together.
Start adding in line flowers that compliment the arrangement. Remember to keep them within the 'S' curve area in the arrangement.
Finish placing the remainder of the flowers. Keep checking that the Hogarth flower arrangement curve is dominant. Trim away any greenery or leaves that look out of place.
Tips & Warnings
Wire can be used to bend the flowers or greenery into the Hogarth 'S' curve. Be sure no wires show at all.
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| Flower |
Wendy Deng are the first names of what famous media mogul's wife? | Reference notes: FLOWER ARRANGEMENT
FLOWER ARRANGEMENT
FLOWER ARRANGEMENT
Decorating flowers is a creative and stimulating art which often carries a message or theme and express the mood or emotions of the arranger. The basic principles which any visual art must comply with are:
· Proportion or scale
· Variation
· Contrast
PROPORTION – This relates to the height of plant material, size of container, its shape, size of room, wall or table or other interior decor.
BALANCE – The arrangement is made to appear balanced by adopting a self-balancing shape like S; placing arrangement on one side of container so that the void in design is towards the vacant side of the container or table or by keeping an accessory on the empty side. These help produce a visual weight, which can be increased by tall height, compactness, stronger darker colours or greater distance from the central axis. An asymmetrical design can be viewed from the front only while a symmetrical design is free standing and is usually a mass arrangement.
CENTRAL INTEREST – Also known as the focal point. It is characterised by converging of lines or flowers, presence of largest and most interesting flower stronger and darker colours and greater density. Besides this, there may also be a dominant theme:
· Movement
· Colour
· Flower
RHYTHM – It is the related movement in respect to line, form, pattern or colour. The eye should move smoothly and freely without any distraction.
REPETITION – It must be restrained to avoid monotony.
VARIETY AND CONTRAST – These aspects especially in relation to shape, texture, colour and foliage impart interest and strength to the design.
Tools for flower arrangement
For proper arrangement of flowers, the right tools should be used, like:-
1. Container / Flower Vase
2. Stem holder / Flower holder
3. Sponge / Foam
8. Sand, pebble, Stone, Marbles
9. Moss
Rules for storing cut flowers
1. Remove all extra leaves and stem.
2. Spray water continuously so that flowers and leaves do not dry.
3. Always keep the stems of flowers and foliage under water.
4. Pick flowers at late night or early morning, before they are fully open.
5. Split hard stems at the end so that they do not dry.
6. Cut stems diagonally so that they can absorb more moisture.
7. Stems that give out sticky substances should be washed before betting into the water.
8. Cut flowers should be wrapped in wet newspaper and put into polythene bags so that they do not dry.
9. The container should be filled with warm water before starting an arrangement.
10. Dip a piece of charcoal to keep the water pure.
11. Fill up the empty flower vase with warm water every day.
12. Sugar may be added to water, in which flowers are kept, to increase the life of the flowers.
13. All flowers and foliages should be kept in a dark place or under cover until they are arranged.
Themes
1. Vertical lines depicting stately and bold character.
2. Horizontal lines appear restful and calm.
3. Circular patterns denote satisfaction or completeness.
4. Diagonal suggests movement or force.
5. Radiating lines symbolise alertness and activity.
6. Cascading or hanging lines stand for depressive mood.
7. Colour schemes may be monochromatic or poly chromatic;
Red Love and Bravery
Orange Courage, Energy and Hope
Magenta Richness and Luxury
Grey Mildness Restraint
Types of flower arrangement for different places and occasions
· The setting often dictates the type of arrangement. Ceremonial settings, such as weddings, funerals, graduations and banquets use the triangular arrangement, as it is large and dramatic making a bold statement.
· Formal gatherings use oval or Hogarth's curve arrangements, as they are sophisticated and blend well with formal settings.
· Crescent arrangements lend a touch of artistic beauty to coffee tables and horizontal arrangements make delightful table centre pieces.
· Vertical arrangement fit a variety of settings depending on the overall height and size of the display. Mantels and side tables highlight these arrangements.
· Minimal arrangements brighten dark corners and nooks and liven up bookshelves and cabinets.
Arrange fresh flower bouquets for buffet style gatherings. Place several small bud vases that hold over-size Gerbera daisies between various dishes offered. Avoid fragrant flowers since they can interfere with the enticing aroma of the foods. Another way you can display the flower arrangements is to place a couple of fresh bouquets in a wicker basket. Line the baskets with plastic, and insert a moistened block of floral foam in the center. The centerpiece can serve as a divider between main dishes and desserts or food and paper goods.
TRIANGULAR SHAPE – They are placed on the reception counter, lobby, corner table, side table and alcoves. The right or left facing triangular shapes are always meant for corner tables.
CRESCENT SHAPE – It is always placed along the wall and not at the centre so that only one side is visible because the crescent arrangement is a one-sided arrangement.
TORCH SHAPE – This arrangement can be one-sided or both-sided and is placed on buffet table, corner table, reception counter. The large ones are used in a banquet hall or lobby. It is one-sided, so it should always be placed against the wall. As it is a tall arrangement, it should not be used on the dining table.
FAN SHAPE – It is a one-sided arrangement and is to be placed along the wall, side table, corner table, buffet table, etc.
HOGARTH SHAPE – It is also a one-sided arrangement and is to be placed along the wall or corner tables only.
CHRISTMAS TREE – It is used during Christmas or New Year. It is placed in the lobby, foyer and banquet hall only.
FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS ON A DINING TABLE –
· No such flowers should be chosen that are infected by insects.
· Aromatic or fragrant flowers should not be used.
· The flower arrangement should be small in size so that people sitting opposite can see each other.
· The colours of the flowers should be chosen according to the container, table layout theme. Very bright flowers should be avoided.
General rules
1. Consider the size of the blooms when choosing a design for arrangement. Large flowers, such as sunflowers or peonies require large displays such as the vertical or triangle design. Small delicate flowers require a small vase and may be displayed in a minimal design or as the central focus of a horizontal display.
2. The size of the vase or container determines the height of the arrangement. The tallest blooms are displayed three to four times time the height of the vase for best appearance and balance. In vertical displays, the vertical sprays are three to four times as long as the height of the vase. Minimal displays do not incorporate these rules, although the vase selected should be considerably smaller than the central bloom.
3. Florists create floral arrangements following eight basic designs. Horizontal flower arrangements created in shallow containers feature one large central bloom, such as a rose, as focal point. Horizontal sprays spread to either side with fillers like baby breath clustered near the central bloom. Vertical arrangements display tall flowers with a variety of fillers to create a balance. Baby's breath, forget-me-nots or other airy sprays create attractive fillers. Crescent arrangements shaped like a crescent moon feature curved branches and flowers like gladiolas. A triangular arrangement features tall flowers in the center with smaller flowers completing the triangle. Oval flower arrangements take advantage of both color and size with the biggest brightest flowers in the center and gradually decreasing hues to the sides. The minimal arrangement focuses on the central flower with few fillers or smaller blooms. Hogarth's curve is a complex arrangement shaped like an S.
HOW TO MAKE FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS
A beautifully designed flower arrangement can add a unique personal touch to any home decor. Not only is making an arrangement easy, it allows for unlimited individual creativity and expression whether using silk, dried, artificial or live flowers to achieve the final result.
1 Wash and dry bowl. Never use a container or vase that hasn't been washed after the last arrangement.
2 Prepare foam by soaking it in cool water. Let the foam float until it is half way submerged in the water, then remove it immediately and let it drain. Don't push foam under the water, just let it sink naturally.
3 Place the ball of floral foam in the bowl. Make sure there is ample room in the bowl for water to come up covering about 1/4 of the foam ball. Add water with the correct mixture of floral preservative.
4 Remove leaves from the part of the stems that will be in the foam.
5 Place the single specimen rose in the middle of the foam and push it in carefully. Add clusters or single, smaller roses and buds of the same variety in a close circle around the center rose.
6 Insert small bunches of violets between every third rose in the circle.
7 Alternate one small and one large carnation in the next circle. Be sure carnations are placed closely together and right under the rose and violet circle. Place a small cluster of violets between every fifth carnation.
8 Begin another circle with one hydrangea head, then 3 carnations, then one bunch of violets. Continue around the foam with this sequence until there is room for only one more circle of flowers on the bottom.
9 Add one last row of all hydrangeas to the very bottom of the floral arrangement. Stand back and look at the floral arrangement. There should be no foam showing and the arrangement should look tight and symmetrical. Add additional rows or flowers where needed.
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What is the longest side of a right-angled triangle called? | Pythagoras Theorem
Pythagoras' Theorem
Over 2000 years ago there was an amazing discovery about triangles:
When a triangle has a right angle (90°) ...
... and squares are made on each of the three sides, ...
... then the biggest square has the exact same area as the other two squares put together!
It is called "Pythagoras' Theorem" and can be written in one short equation:
a2 + b2 = c2
c is the longest side of the triangle
a and b are the other two sides
Definition
The longest side of the triangle is called the "hypotenuse", so the formal definition is:
In a right angled triangle:
the square of the hypotenuse is equal to
the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
Sure ... ?
Let's see if it really works using an example.
Example: A "3,4,5" triangle has a right angle in it.
Let's check if the areas are the same:
32 + 42 = 52
It works ... like Magic!
Why Is This Useful?
If we know the lengths of two sides of a right angled triangle, we can find the length of the third side. (But remember it only works on right angled triangles!)
How Do I Use it?
Write it down as an equation:
Now you can use algebra to find any missing value, as in the following examples:
Example: Solve this triangle.
You can also read about Squares and Square Roots to find out why √169 = 13
Example: Solve this triangle.
Take 81 from both sides:
b2 = 144
Example: What is the diagonal distance across a square of size 1?
c2 = 2
c = √2 = 1.4142...
It works the other way around, too: when the three sides of a triangle make a2 + b2 = c2, then the triangle is right angled.
Example: Does this triangle have a Right Angle?
a2 + b2 = 102 + 242 = 100 + 576 = 676
c2 = 262 = 676
Yes, it does have a Right Angle!
Example: Does an 8, 15, 16 triangle have a Right Angle?
Does 82 + 152 = 162 ?
82 + 152 = 64 + 225 = 289,
but 162 = 256
So, NO, it does not have a Right Angle
Example: Does this triangle have a Right Angle?
So this is a right-angled triangle
And You Can Prove The Theorem Yourself !
Get paper pen and scissors, then using the following animation as a guide:
Draw a right angled triangle on the paper, leaving plenty of space.
Draw a square along the hypotenuse (the longest side)
Draw the same sized square on the other side of the hypotenuse
Draw lines as shown on the animation, like this:
Cut out the shapes
Arrange them so that you can prove that the big square has the same area as the two squares on the other sides
Another, Amazingly Simple, Proof
Here is one of the oldest proofs that the square on the long side has the same area as the other squares.
Watch the animation, and pay attention when the triangles start sliding around.
You may want to watch the animation a few times to understand what is happening.
The purple triangle is the important one.
becomes
| Hypotenuse |
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of what? | How is the hypotenuse the longest side of any right triangle? - Mathematics Stack Exchange
How is the hypotenuse the longest side of any right triangle?
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1
I see that the hypotenuse of a right triangle is opposite the right angle, but how is it always the longest side? I also know that it connects to endpoints of other sides. Please help me out with this! I'm really wanting to know this surprising thing. Here's an example of a right triangle:
This is an isosceles right triangle because sides a and b (the height and the base) are the same lengths with two of the angles being 45 degrees adding up to a total with the right angle of 180 degrees (all triangles have angles that add up to 180 degrees). I just want to know from this triangle or any other right triangles why the hypotenuse is the longest side. You'll really be helping me out.
Pythagorean Theorem. – Edward Jiang Oct 26 '14 at 2:18
Wow. I know that $$a^2+b^2=c^2$$ and I'm hoping what you said is good. – Mathster Oct 26 '14 at 2:20
It's the result of a basic theorem in Euclidean Geometry: if in the triangle $\;\Delta ABC\;$ we have that $\;AB>AC\;$ , then $\;\angle C>\angle B\;$ , and in words: given two sides of a triangle and their opposite angles, the biggest angle is opposite to the biggest side... and the other way around . The claim now follows from the easy fact that in euclidean geometry a triangle can have at most one straight angle, which automatically is then the biggest one. – Timbuc Oct 26 '14 at 4:15
Alternatively, you have the law of sines: For any triangle with sides, $A,B,C$ and corresponding angles $a,b,c$ with angle $a$ opposite side $A$ et cetera, you have the following:
$$\frac{\sin a}{A} = \frac{\sin b}{B} = \frac{\sin c}{C}$$
Let $a$ be $90$ degrees, making $A$ our hypotenuse. Since $a+b+c = 180$ and we don't want to consider negative angles or angles equal to zero in a triangle, we have that $b<90$ and $c<90$.
$\sin a = \sin (90^\circ) = 1$
$0 < \sin b < 1$ for $0^\circ<b<90^\circ$
Using these pieces of information, you have that $B\cdot\sin a = B = A\cdot \sin b < A$
Showing that $B < A$.
Similar proof shows that $C < A$.
All of this together shows that the side opposite the 90 degree angle is the longest side in the triangle.
In a similar fashion, you can show that even for triangles which are not right triangles, the side opposite the biggest angle will be the biggest side.
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Who was British ex-prime minister Tony Blair's press secretary and influential strategist? | Famous People
Famous People
Famous People
Leicester and Leicestershire proudly boast of many famous residents past and present…
We are still adding to this list, so if there is anyone you think should be included, please get in touch.
Leicester City Council is not responsible for the content or services on external websites.
Laurel Aitken
Born 1927. Died 2005 - Singer
Lorenzo Aitken, born in 1927 and better known as Laurel Aitken, was a singer and one of the originators of Jamaican Ska music. Often referred to as the ‘Godfather of Ska’, Aitken lived in Leicester from 1970. > Read more about Laurel Aitken on Wikipedia
James Allen
Born 1864. Died 1912 – Author
James Allen was an author known for his inspirational books and poetry and was known as a pioneer of the self-help movement. He was born in Leicester, where his father worked as a factory knitter. > Read more about James Allen on Wikipedia
Richard Armitage
Born 1971 - Actor
Famous for his roles in 'North & South', 'Robin Hood' and 'Spooks', Leicestershire born Armitage plays Thorin Oakenshield in the three-film adaptation of 'The Hobbit'. > Read more about Richard Armitage on Wikipedia
Sir David Attenborough, CBE
Born 1926 – Broadcaster & naturalist
David Attenborough grew up on the campus of University College, Leicester, (now the city's university), where his father was principal. His career as the respected face and voice of British natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years. He is best known for writing and presenting the nine "Life" series, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, which collectively form a comprehensive survey of all terrestrial life. He is the younger brother of director, producer and actor Lord Richard Attenborough. > Read more about David Attenborough on Wikipedia
Lord Richard Attenborough, CBE
Born 1923. Died 2014 - Actor, director & producer
Lord Attenborough was born in Cambridge but educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester.
His acting career started on stage and he appeared in shows at Leicester's Little Theatre prior to going to RADA. Lord Attenborough, along with his brother Sir David Attenborough, spent a lot of their childhood exploring the collections held at New Walk Museum & Art Gallery. Lord Attenborough had been collecting Picasso ceramics since the 1950s and in 2007, a large part of his collection went on public display at New Walk Museum & Art Gallery for the first time. > Read more about Lord Attenborough on Wikipedia
Tina Baker
Born 1958 - TV critic
Tina Baker is a leading British soap opera and TV critic. She was born in Leicester in 1958. She has featured on many TV programmes such as, Coronation Street Secrets, The Good Soap Guide, How Soaps Changed the World, Big Brother's Big Mouth, and The Top 100 TV Christmas Crackers. She is well known as the soap opera expert on the morning television programme GMTV and is member of the judging panel on the annual British Soap Awards. > Read more about Tina Baker on Wikipedia
Sam Bailey
Born 1977 - Singer - X Factor winner 2013
Bailey was born in Bexley, London. Prior to auditioning for The X Factor, Bailey worked as a prison officer in HM Prison Gartree. She lives in Leicester with her husband and two children. She is a Leicester City fan. She is known for winning the tenth series of The X Factor. Following her win, her debut cover single "Skyscraper" was released and achieved Christmas number 1 in December 2013. > Read more about Sam Bailey on Wikipedia
George Percy Bankart
Born 1866. Died 1929 - Specialist plaster and lead worker - Arts and Crafts Movement
Bankart was born in Leicester and studied at the Wyggeston Boys' Grammar School and attended the Leicester School of Art. He trained as an architect but became a specialist in ornamental plaster and lead work. He wrote a number of books on the subject, two of which are still considered standard works on the craft. In 1883 he was articled to Isaac Barradale and would have worked alongside Ernest Gimson. His work can still be seen on buildings in Leicester and elsewhere. > Read more about George Percy Bankart on the Leicester Arts & Craft Movement website.
Ian Baraclough
Born 1970 – Professional football player and manager
Baraclough was born in Leicester and started his professional career at local club Leicester City. He is currently the manager for Sligo Rovers. > Read more about Ian Baraclough on Wikipedia
Julian Barnes
Born 1946 - Writer
Born in Leicester in 1946, Julian Barnes is the author of several books of stories, essays, novels and a transalation of Alphonse Daudet's 'In the Land of Pain'. His novels include 'Flaubert’s Parrot' (1984), 'A History of the World in 10½ Chapters' (1989), 'England, England' (1998) and 'The Sense of an Ending' (winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize). > Read more about Julian Barnes on his official website
Henry Bates
Born 1825. Died 1892 - Naturalist and explorer
Born in Leicester in 1825, Henry Bates was a naturalist and explorer who gave the first scientific account of mimicry in animals. He was most famous for his Amazonian expedition with his friend Alfred Wallace, starting in 1848 and returning in 1859. He sent back over 14,700 species (mostly of insects), of which 8000 were new to science. > Read more about Henry Bates on Wikipedia
Joan Maureen 'Biddy' Baxter
Born 1933 - Producer
Biddy Baxter was born in Leicester and educated at Wyggeston Girls' Grammar School. After becoming editor on Blue Peter in 1965, she devised the Blue Peter badge to encourage children to send in programme ideas, pictures, letters and stories. She also introduced the now famous annual appeals. > Read more about 'Biddy' Baxter on Wikipedia
Charles Bennion
Born 1857. Died 1929 – Businessman, manufacturer, philanthropist
In the 1880s, Charles Bennion settled in Leicester, which was at that time the centre of Britain’s boot and shoe industry. He was managing director of the British United Shoe Machinery Co. Ltd. His affection for Leicestershire and its people is best shown in his extraordinarily generous purchase of Bradgate Park on their behalf, as the money needed to buy the land could not be raised. It was formally presented to the people of Leicestershire in 1928. > Read more about Charles Bennion on Wikipedia
Norman Bird
Born 1920. Died 2005 - Actor
Norman Bird was a British actor born in Coalville in 1920. A Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate, Bird made his West End debut in Peter Brook's production of The Winter's Tale at the Phoenix Theatre in 1951. One of his last film appearances was as a taxi driver in Richard Attenborough's Shadowlands (1993). > Read more about Norman Bird on Wikipedia
Christopher Bruce, CBE
Born 1945 - Dancer, choreographer and artistic director
Christopher Bruce, born in Leicester in 1945, is one of UK's leading choreographers and was Artistic Director of Rambert Dance Company. His reputation as an outstanding dancer was established in his classic performance in Tetley's 'Pierrot Lunaire' (1960s). > Read more about Christopher Bruce on Wikipedia
Gaye Bykers On Acid
Formed in 1984 - Psychedelic rock band
Gaye Bykers On Acid were a psychedelic rock band from Leicester and one of the founder members of the
Grebo music scene. They later released both thrash punk and dance music albums under various aliases. > Read more about Gaye Bykers on Acid on Wikipedia
Alastair John Campbell
Born 1957 - Communicator, writer, strategist
Alistair Campbell is best known for his role as spokesman, press secretary and director of communications and startegy for ex-prime minister Tony Blair. Born in Yorkshire, his family moved to Leicester in 1968 and he attended the City of Leicester Boys' Grammar School. > Read more about Alastair Campbell on his official website
Graham Chapman
Born 1941. Died 1989 – Comedian, writer and actor
Chapman was born in Stoneygate, Leicester and was educated at Melton Mowbray Grammar School. He went on to study medicine at Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he also joined Footlights, a comedy group whose other members included Bill Oddie and John Cleese. With John Cleese, Chapman wrote for the BBC during the 1960s. In 1969 with Cleese he joined Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam for Monty Python's Flying Circus. > Read more about Graham Chapman on Wikipedia
John Cleveland
Born 1613. Died 1658 - Poet
John Cleveland was born in Loughborough and educated at Hinckley Grammar School. He graduated from Christ's College, Cambridge in 1632 and became a fellow of St John's College in 1634. At St John's, he became college tutor and lecturer on rhetoric and was much sought after. > Read more about John Cleveland on Wikipedia
Rosemary Conley, CBE
Born 1946 - Businesswoman, author and broadcaster
Rosemary Conley was born in Leicestershire and is a businesswoman, author and broadcaster on exercise and health. She is the founder and president of Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs, a franchise-based organisation that is one of the "big three" weight loss organisations in the UK. She has released several exercise videos and books. > Read more about Rosemary Conley on Wikipedia
Nathaniel Corah
Born 1777. Died 1832 – Framesmith, manufacturer, entrepreneur
Founder of N. Corah & Sons, once the largest knitwear producer in Europe, Nathaniel Corah was born in Leicestershire and trained as a framesmith. He first produced garments on a knitting frame on his farm. From 1815 he built a business buying locally produced textiles in Leicester and trading them in Birmingham. The business expanded rapidly and eventually moved to the famous St Margaret’s Works site. By 1866 over one thousand people were employed at St Margaret’s Works. > Read more about Nathaniel Corah in the Leicester Chronicler
Cornershop
Formed in 1991 – Indie rock band
Cornershop were formed by Tjinder Singh, his brother Avtar, (both of whom lived in Leicester at the time the band was formed), David Chambers and Ben Ayres. Their music is a fusion of Indian music, Britpop and electronic dance music. > Read more about Cornershop on their official website
Thomas Cook
Born 1808. Died 1892 - Founder of Thomas Cook & Son
In 1841 Thomas Cook organised the world's first advertised package tour from Leicester to Loughborough. By 1888, the company had established offices around the world. Thomas Cook moved back to Leicestershire when he retired and lived here until his death. > Read more about Thomas Cook on Wikipedia
William Edward Cooke
Born 1843. Died 1916 – Artist
William Edward Cooke was a professional artist and art teacher. He was a distinguished rustic and landscape artist who lived in Victoria Street, Loughborough for many years. He exhibited at the Royal Academy and Royal Society of Arts between the 1870's and 1890's. His work includes many rural scenes around the Leicester area, including sometimes the hardships of rural life. > Read more about W E Cook on the Quorn Museums website
Crazyhead
Formed in 1986 - Garage punk band
Crazyhead were a garage punk band from Leicester who were influenced by the garage rock scene of the late 1960s. Their songs ranged in theme from trenchant social commentary to the surreal, but always with an underlying vein of black humour. > Read more about Crazyhead on Wikipedia
Henry Curry
Born 1850 – Founder of electrical retailer Currys
Henry Curry was born in 1850 in Leicester, and founded Currys electrical stores. He began by building bicycles full-time in a shed at the back of his garden on Painter Street in Leicester. He opened his first store on Belgrave Gate. From this small enterprise grew Currys, the national electrical retail chain, which was still selling bicycles until the 1960s.
The Dallas Boys
Music Group
The Dallas Boys were a five-piece vocal group from Leicester, England who were regular performers on British television in the 1950s and 1960s. They have been described as "Britain's first boy band". > Read more about The Dallas Boys on Wikipedia
John Deacon
Born 1951 - Musician (bassist for the rock band Queen)
John Deacon was born in Oadby in 1951 and is best known as the bassist for the rock band, Queen. Deacon
wrote a number of songs for Queen including ‘You’re My Best Friend’, ‘I Want to Break Free’ and ‘Another One
Simon de Montfort - Earl of Leicester
Born 1208. Died 1265
Simon de Montfort was the 6th Earl of Leicester, brother-in-law and later a leader of opposition to King Henry III of England. He was regarded as a leader in parliamentary democracy as he became part of the first elected parliament in medieval Europe which also included ordinary elected citizens from the boroughs. De Montfort Hall and De Montfort University are both named after him. > Read more about Simon de Montfort on Wikipedia
Anthony d'Offay
Born 1940 - Art dealer
For more than four decades, Anthony d'Offay was one of the world's leading art dealers and represented some of Europe and America's leading artists. Born in Sheffield, but grew up in Leicester, d'Offay had his first experiences with art visiting New Walk Museum & Art Gallery (then Leicester Museum & Art Gallery). He opened his gallery in London in 1965 and in 2001 he retired and closed the gallery. In 2008, he founded ARTIST ROOMS, through which he has donated an incredible collection of contemporary art to the nation. > Read more about Anthony d'Offay and his connection to Leicester in The Leicestershire Magazine
Terri Dwyer
Born 1973 – Actress
Born in Syston, Leicestershire, Dwyer began her career as a model. She is best known for playing the role of Ruth Osborne in the British soap opera Hollyoaks. > Read more about Terri Dwyer on her official website
John Ella
Born 1802. Died 1888 - Violinist
Born in Leicester, John Ella was a violinist and music critic. He was also the the founder and director of the Musical Union, a society dedicated to the performance of chamber and instrumental music to the highest standards.
Derrick Errol Evans aka 'Mr. Motivator'
Born 1952 - Television fitness instructor
Evans was born in Manchester, Jamaica in 1952 and moved to Leicester in 1961. Evans found fame on the British breakfast television broadcaster GMTV in the early 1990s as Mr. Motivator, promoting health and fitness as a way of life. He performed fitness routines live on-air in highly-coloured outfits, which quickly became his trademark. > Read more about 'Mr. Motivator' on his official website
Family
Formed in 1966 - Rock band
Family were a rock band formed in Leicester in late 1966 and disbanded in 1973. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock although their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles such as folk, psychedelia, acid, jazz fusion and rock and roll. > Read more about Family on Wikipedia
Stephen Frears
Born 1941 - Actor
Acclaimed film director Stephen Frears was born in Leicester on 20 June, 1941. Frears has directed a number of notable British films since the 1980s including 'My Beautiful Laundrette', 'Dangerous Liaisons', 'High Fidelity', 'The Queen' and 'Philomena'. Collaborting with playright Alan Bennett he also directed the biopic 'Prick Up Your Ears', on the fellow Leicester born playwright Joe Orton . Frears has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, for 'The Grifters' and 'The Queen'.
Stephen Graham
Born 1973 - Actor
The Hollywood star Stephen Graham and his wife actress Hannah Walters, choose to live in a Leicestershire village. His list of films include 'Snatch', 'Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides' and 'Blood' and he's well-known for his role as "Combo" in 'This is England' and as Al Capone in the HBO series 'Boardwalk Empire'. > Read more about Stephen Graham on Wikipedia
Ernest Gimson
Born 1864. Died 1919 - Architect and furniture designer - Arts & Craft Movement
Gimson was born in Leicester in 1864. He is associated with the Barnsley brothers, Sidney and Ernest, as he moved to the Cotswolds with them where they designed and made furniture. Today he is regarded as one of the most influential designers of the English Arts and Crafts movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His designs included ladder-back chairs, cabinets and metalwork. > Read more about Ernest Gimson on the Leicester Arts & Crafts Movement website
Joseph Goddard
Born 1813. Died 1877 - Chemist, inventor of Goddard's Silver Polish
Goddard was born in Market Harborough, Leicestershire and it was in Leicester that he perfected the silver poish so that it could even clean silver-plated silverware without spoiling the finish. > Read more about Joseph Goddard on the Goddard's website
Lady Jane Grey
Born 1536/37. Died 1554 - Queen of England
Great granddaughter of Henry VII of England, Lady Jane Grey is said to have been born at Bradgate Park. She was Queen of England for nine days in 1553. > Read more about Lady Jane Grey on Wikipedia
Gypsy
Formed in 1969 - Band
Gypsy was a 70's Leicester band. They released two albums, four singles, supported Led Zeppelin on their first UK tour, performed on Top of the Pops and were banned by the BBC. > Read more about Gypsy on Facebook
Joseph Hall
Born 1574. Died 1656 - Bishop, moral philospher, writer, satirist
Born near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, he attended Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He wrote the first English satire successfully modeled on Latin satire. He was also the first writer in English to emulate Theophrastus, the ancient Greek philosopher. > Read more about Joseph Hall on Wikipedia
Alice Hawkins
Born 1863. Died 1946 - Suffragette
Alice Hawkins was a working class leader of the women's suffragette movement in Leicester. > Read more about Alice Hawkins on her memorial website
Emile Heskey
Born 1978 - Football player
Emile Heskey, born in Leicester, is a footballer who started his career at Leicester City after progressing through their youth system. Heskey, an England international, went on to play for Liverpool, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletics, Aston Villa and Newcastle Jets (Australia). > Read more about Emile Heskey on Wikipedia
Tom Hopper
Born 1985 - Actor
Tom Hopper was born in Coalville, Leicestershire. He is an English actor who has appeared in several television programmes and films including Merlin, Doctor Who, Casualty and Tormented. > Read more about Tom Hopper on Wikipedia
Engelbert Humperdinck
Born 1936 – Pop Singer
Born in Madras, India as Arnold George Dorsey but raised in Leicester, he adopted the stage name Engelbert Humperdinck, after the German opera composer of the same name. Humperdinck has sold over 150 million records and has established himself as one of the world's premiere live performers in a number of sold-out tours. > Read more about Engelbert Humperdinck on his official website
John Illsley
Born 1949 – Musician
John Illsley, born in Leicester, was the bass guitarist of the critically acclaimed rock band, Dire Straits. With Dire Straits, Illsley has been the recipient of multiple BRIT and Grammy Awards. > Read more about John Illsley on his official website
David Icke
Born 1952 – Writer and public speaker
David Icke was born in Leicester and is best known for his conspiracy literature, although prior to this he was a known sports-presenter on the BBC. His core theory which is discussed heavily in his books claims that a secret group of reptilian humanoids control humanity. > Read more about David Icke on his official website
Sir Alec John Jeffreys
Born 1950 – Geneticist
Sir Alec Jeffreys invented DNA fingerprinting in Leicester and he and his team developed DNA profiling, techniques which are now used all over the world in forensic science. He is a professor of genetics at the University of Leicester and an honorary freeman of Leicester. > Read more about Sir Alec John Jeffreys on Wikipedia
Martin Johnson
Born 9 March 1970 - Rugby Union player
Martin Johnson CBE is a former English rugby union player who represented and captained England and Leicester. He is mostly known for captaining England to victory in the World Cup in 2003. He lived in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. He played for Leicester Tigers from 1989 to 2005. > Read more about Martin Johnson on Wikipedia
Kasabian
Formed in 1999 - Band
The original band members were from the Leicestershire villages of Blaby and Countesthorpe. Kasabian have won 8 major music awards and have been nominated 27 times to date. They are one of the biggest indie bands in the country. > Read more about Kasabian on their official website
Michael Kitchen
Born 1948 – Actor
Born in Leicester, Michael Kitchen is best known for his starring role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series 'Foyles War'. He's also appeared in many films, including 'Out of Africa', 'Mrs Dalloway' and two bond films with Pierce Brosnan. > See the Michael Kitchen Fans' website
Chris Kirkland
Born 1981 – Footballer
Born in Barwell, Leicestershire, Kirkland shot to prominence as one of the most promising young English goalkeepers in the country while with his first club Coventry City. He now plays for Sheffield Wednesday. > Read more about Chris Kirkland on Wikipedia
Dominic Keating
Born 1962 – Actor
Born in Leicester, Keating is a television, film and theatre actor, who's known for his portrayal as Lt. Commander Malcolm Reed on 'Star Trek: Enterprise' (2001). > Read more about Dominic Keating on his official website
Daniel Lambert
Born 1770. Died 1809 - Leicester's largest son
Lambert was a Leicester man who became famous for his obesity. At the time of his death, his weight was a massive 53 stone and his waist measurement was over nine feet. During his life he had become quite a personality, and was used in a cartoon as an emblem for a hearty Britain against the threat of Napoleon. > Read more about Daniel Lambert on the BBC Radio Leicester website
Lisa Lashes
Born 1971 - DJ
Lisa Lashes (real name Lisa Dawn Rose-Wyatt) was born in Coventry and now lives in Leicester. According to her official website, she is the world's leading female DJ. > Read more about Lisa Lashes on her official website
Hugh Latimer
Born c.1487. Died 1555 - Protestant reformer
Latimer was born into a family of farmers in Thurcaston, Leicestershire. He was a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and Bishop of Worcester before the Reformation. Later he was Church of England chaplain to King Edward VI. In 1555, he was burnt at the stake, becoming one of the three Oxford Martyrs of Anglicanism. > Read more about Hugh Latimer on Wikipedia
John Leeson
Born 1943 – Actor
John Leeson was born in Leicester. He is best known for voicing K-9 on the television series, 'Doctor Who'. He was also the orignal Bungle in ITV's 'Rainbow'. > Read more about John Leeson on Wikipedia
Legay
Formed in 1965 - Band
Influenced by Tamla Motown, Legay formed in Leicester in 1965 and were famous for their live shows, image
Lilian Lenton
Born 1891. Died 1972 - Suffragist
'Lillie' Lenton was born in Leicester in 1891, the eldest of five children. On leaving school she trained to be a dancer, but after hearing Emmeline Pankhurst speak, she resolved that at the age of 21 she would join the Suffragette campaign. On attaining that age, she joined the Women's Social and Political Union, and with fellow members took part in a window-smashing campaign in March 1912. She gained notoriety for participating in a hunger strike in Holloway Prison, where after two days of starvation she was force fed, causing serious illnes. > Read more about Lilian Lenton on Wikipedia
Gary Lineker, OBE
Born 1960 - Professional footballer and sports presenter
Born and raised in Leicester, Lineker began his football career with Leicester City. He is regarded as one of the all-time best English strikers and is the only player to have won the English Golden Boot with three different clubs. He scored 48 goals for England, now third in the all-time top scorers. After retiring he's become a sports broadcaster and regularly presents with the BBC. > Read more about Gary Lineker on Wikipedia
Mary Linwood
Born 1755. Died 1845 - Needlework artist
Mary Linwood was a celebrated needlework artist and during her lifetime she achieved international fame for her embroidered pictures. Her work can be seen at the V&A and New Walk Museum & Art Gallery. She moved to Leicester as a child when her mother opened a girls' boarding school at Belgrave Gate. At her mother's death she took over the school and ran it for almost 50 years. > Read more about Mary Linwood on Wikipedia and Story of Leicester
Jon Lord
Born 1941. Died 2012 - Musician
Jon Lord was born in Leicester and was a composer, pianist and organ player famous for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical music. He was best known for co-founding the rock band Deep Purple. In 2011, Lord was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the University of Leicester. > Read more about Jon Lord on his official website
Bill Maynard
Born 1928 – Actor and comedian
Born Walter Frederick George Williams, he adopted the stage name Bill Maynard and has lived in Leicestershire for many years. He starred in the television sitcom 'Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt'. > Read more about Bill Maynard on Wikipedia
Ed McLachlan
Born 1940 - Cartoonist
Ed McLachlan is a British cartoonist from Leicester. He was educated at Humberstone Junior School before attending Wyggeston Grammar School and, from 1956 to 1959, Leicester College of Art. He has been named Cartoonist of the Year five times and won a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. > Read more about Ed McLachlan on his website
Daniel McLay
Born 1992 - Cyclist
Born in Wellington, New Zealand, McLay moved to the UK as a young infant and was brought up in Leicester. A former member of Leicestershire Road Club, in 2010 he became World Champion in the Junior World Madison Track Championships. McLay is now set to to become the first rider from Leicestershire to compete in the iconic Tour de France 2016. > Read more about Daniel McLay on Wikipedia.
Joseph Merrick aka The Elephant Man
Born 1862. Died 1890.
Born in Leicester, he began showing signs of deformity at an early age. For the better part of his life he was unemployable beacuse of his disabilities, so as a last resort he took a job as a sideshow attraction as 'The Elephant Man'. He spent his last few years living in the London Hospital. > Read more about Joseph Merrick on Wikipedia and on this tribute website
Mark Morrison
Born 1972 – Singer
Morrison is an R&B singer from Leicester, most famous for his single 'Return of the Mack'. > Read more about Mark Morrison on his official website
Rendall Munroe
Born 1980 - Super bantamweight boxer
Born and living in Leicester, Rendall Munroe is a WBA International Super Bantamweight Champion and holder of EBU and Commonwealth Super Bantamweight titles. His day job as a binman in Leicester is well publicised and his nickname is 'The Boxing Binman'. He and his corner men also come out wearing fluorescent yellow binman jackets. > Read more about Rendall Munroe on Wikipedia
Parminder Nagra
Born 1975 - Actress
Film and televison actress Parminder Nagra was born and raised in Leicester and is best known for her starring role in the film 'Bend It Like Beckham' (2002), which was the breakthrough film both for her and Keira Knightly. The success of the movie in the U.S led her to a part in America's medical drama 'ER'. > Read more about Parminder Nagra on Wikipedia
Phil Oakey
Born 1955 - Composer, singer, songwriter and producer
Phil Oakey, born in Leicestershire, in 1955, is best known for being the lead singer of band The Human League. > Read more about Phil Oakey on Wikipedia
Kate O'Mara (born Frances M. Carroll)
Born 1939. Died 2014 - Actress
Born in Leicester, Kate O'Mara is perhaps most widely known for her role as Caress Morell, the scheming sister of Alexis Colby in the 1980s American primetime soap opera Dynasty and as The Rani in Doctor Who. > Read more about Kate O'Mara on Wikipedia
Joe Orton
Born 1933. Died 1967 - Playwright
Born in Leicester, Orton shockerd, outraged and amused audiences with his scandalous comedies, characterised by a dark yet farcical cynicism. His plays included 'Entertaining Mr Sloane', 'Loot' and 'What the Butler Saw'. > Read more about Joe Orton
Sarah Outen, MBE
Born 1985 – Adventurer
Sarah Outen grew up in Rutland and continues to live there between her adventures. In 2009 she became the first woman and the youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean. > Read more about Sarah Outen on her official website
Lynda Page
Born 1950 – Author
Lynda Page, born and based in Leicestershire, is one of the UK's top-selling saga authors. Page’s novels are predominantly set in Leicester and are renowned for their strong plots and characters. > Read more about Lynda Page on her official website
Jenny Pitman, OBE
Born 1946 - Racehorse trainer
Jenny Pitman was born and grew up on her family's farm near Hoby, in Leicestershire. She became the first woman to train a Grand National winner in 1983. > Read more about Jenny Pitman on Wikipedia
Chris Pyatt
Born 1963 – Professional boxer
Chris Pyatt is a former world middleweight champion boxer from Leicester. He is currently running a boxing gym in Leicester. > Read more anout Chris Pyatt on Wikipedia
Mark Selby
Born 1983 – Professional snooker player
Born in and still living in Leicester, Selby is the reigning World Snooker Champion and the current number one in the world rankings (June 2016). He has formerly won three Masters titles and in 2012/13 season, he also won the UK Championship. > Read more about Mark Selby on his official website
Peter Shilton, OBE
Born 1949 – Footballer
Shilton was born in Leicester and began his career at local club Leicester City. He holds the record for being England's most capped player and has played 3 FIFA World Cups. > Read more about Peter Shilton on his official website
Showaddywaddy
Formed in 1973 - Band
The band was formed in Leicester in 1973 by the amalgamation of two groups, 'Choise' and 'The Golden Hammers'. In total they had ten Top Ten singles, one number one, and spent 209 weeks in the UK Singles Chart. > Read more about Showaddywaddy on their official website
David Shrigley
Born 1968 - Visual Artist
Shrigley moved with his family to Leicestershire in 1970. He did the Art and Design Foundation course at Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University) then studied at Glasgow School of Art. He had a major survey of his work at the Hayward Gallery, London in 2012 and was on the Turner Prize 2013 shortlist. > Read more about David Shrigley on his official website
Tony Sibson
Born 1958 - Former professional boxer
Born in Leicester, Sibson is former British, Commonwealth and European champion and world title challenger, middleweight division. > Read more about Tony Sibson on Wikipedia
C. P. Snow, CBE
Born 1905. Died 1980 - Novelist and physicist
Born in Leicester and educated at Leicester and Cambridge, Snow was raised to the peerage as Baron Snow of Leicester. He served several important positions in the UK civil service and government. > Read more about C. P. Snow on Wikipedia
Una Stubbs
Born 1937 - Actress and dancer
Born in Leicestershire, Stubbs has appeared extensively on British television and in the theatre, and less frequently in films. She is particularly known for playing Rita in the sitcom 'Till Death Us Do Part'. > Read more about Una Stubbs on Wikipedia
Willie Thorne
Born 1954 – Snooker player & commentator
Born in Leicester, Thorne was a strong junior player, who later became national under-16 champion at both snooker and English billiards. > Read more about Willie Thorne on his official website
Frederick Thorpe, OBE
Born 1913. Died 1999 - Entrepreneur, founder Ulverscroft Foundation
Large print book publishing in English began in 1964 in Leicester, when Thorpe decided to meet the needs of elderly poor-sighted readers. > Read Frederick Thorpe's obituary
Sue Townsend
Born 1946. Died 2014 - Novelist and playwright
Sue Townsend was born in Leicester and was best known as the author of the Adrian Mole books. Her writing primarily combined comedy with social commentary. > Read more about Sue Townsend on her official website
George Villiers
Born 1592. Died 1628 - 1st Duke of Buckingham
Born in Brooksby, Leicestershire, Villiers was a favourite of James I. Under the King's patronage, he prospered greatly. > Read more about George Villiers on Wikipedia
Gok Wan
Born 1974 - Fashion consultant & TV presenter
Gok Wan was born in Leicester to a Chinese father and an English mother. He has become one of UK's most sought after stylists and fashion gurus. > Read more about Gok Wan on his official website
Henry Walker (Walkers Crisps)
Started making crisps in 1948
Henry Walker worked in a butchers shop in Leicester and meat rationing after the war led him to start making crisps as the meat would run out early. Now, the Walkers site in Leicester is one of the largest crisps production sites in the world.
Diesel Park West
Formed in 1980 - Band
Diesel Park West are an alternative rock band from Leicester. They have released ten albums and six singles which have appeared in the UK Singles Chart. > Read more about Diesel Park West on their official website
Colin Henry Wilson
Born 1931 - Novelist and philosopher
Born and raised in Leicester, Wilson has written widely on true crime, mysticism, the paranormal and other topics. He prefers calling his philosophy new existentialism or phenomenological existentialism. > Read more about Colin Henry Wilson on Wikipedia
Ray Wilson
Born 1947 - Speedway rider
Raymond "Ray" Wilson is a former international speedway rider who was World Pairs Champion in 1972 and British Speedway Champion in 1973, was also England Team Captain for five years in the early 1970s. He was the first Englishman to record a maximum score in a World Team Cup Final. He competed for the Leicester Lions for nine seasons, scoring over four thousand points (including bonus points). > Read more about Ray Wilson on Wikipedia
David "Pick" Withers
Born 1948 - Drummer
David ‘Pick’ Withers, born in Leicester, was the original drummer in the rock band, Dire Straits. > Read more about David "Pick" Withers on his official website
Lawrence Wright (Horatio Nicholls)
Born 1888. Died 1964 - Composer and publisher of popular songs
Wright was a composer of popular music born in Leicester. In 1906 he rented a shop on Lower Conduit Street and the Wright Music Company was established. He wrote more than 600 songs during his career, mostly under his pen name of Horatio Nicholls. His most famous tune is 'Among My Souvenirs' which has been recorded by many artists. He received the Ivor Novello Award in 1962 for 'Outstanding service to British popular and light music'.
William Wyggeston (Wigston)
Born ca. 1467. Died 1536 - Wealthy wool merchant and benefactor
Leicester man William Wyggeston became extremely wealthy in his trade, and having no children, devoted his wealth to various charitable works, some of which today can still trace their history back to him. His statue is one of the four figures on the clock tower in the city centre. > Read more about William Wyggeston on Wikipedia and on Story of Leicester
Young Knives
Formed in 1998 - Band
Formed in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, the band is known for its energetic live performances and trendy tweed outfits. They broke into the music industry in 2002. > Read more about Young Knives on their offficial website
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Famous People
Famous People
Leicester and Leicestershire proudly boast of many famous residents past and present…
We are still adding to this list, so if there is anyone you think should be included, please get in touch.
Leicester City Council is not responsible for the content or services on external websites.
Laurel Aitken
Born 1927. Died 2005 - Singer
Lorenzo Aitken, born in 1927 and better known as Laurel Aitken, was a singer and one of the originators of Jamaican Ska music. Often referred to as the ‘Godfather of Ska’, Aitken lived in Leicester from 1970. > Read more about Laurel Aitken on Wikipedia
James Allen
Born 1864. Died 1912 – Author
James Allen was an author known for his inspirational books and poetry and was known as a pioneer of the self-help movement. He was born in Leicester, where his father worked as a factory knitter. > Read more about James Allen on Wikipedia
Richard Armitage
Born 1971 - Actor
Famous for his roles in 'North & South', 'Robin Hood' and 'Spooks', Leicestershire born Armitage plays Thorin Oakenshield in the three-film adaptation of 'The Hobbit'. > Read more about Richard Armitage on Wikipedia
Sir David Attenborough, CBE
Born 1926 – Broadcaster & naturalist
David Attenborough grew up on the campus of University College, Leicester, (now the city's university), where his father was principal. His career as the respected face and voice of British natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years. He is best known for writing and presenting the nine "Life" series, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, which collectively form a comprehensive survey of all terrestrial life. He is the younger brother of director, producer and actor Lord Richard Attenborough. > Read more about David Attenborough on Wikipedia
Lord Richard Attenborough, CBE
Born 1923. Died 2014 - Actor, director & producer
Lord Attenborough was born in Cambridge but educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester.
His acting career started on stage and he appeared in shows at Leicester's Little Theatre prior to going to RADA. Lord Attenborough, along with his brother Sir David Attenborough, spent a lot of their childhood exploring the collections held at New Walk Museum & Art Gallery. Lord Attenborough had been collecting Picasso ceramics since the 1950s and in 2007, a large part of his collection went on public display at New Walk Museum & Art Gallery for the first time. > Read more about Lord Attenborough on Wikipedia
Tina Baker
Born 1958 - TV critic
Tina Baker is a leading British soap opera and TV critic. She was born in Leicester in 1958. She has featured on many TV programmes such as, Coronation Street Secrets, The Good Soap Guide, How Soaps Changed the World, Big Brother's Big Mouth, and The Top 100 TV Christmas Crackers. She is well known as the soap opera expert on the morning television programme GMTV and is member of the judging panel on the annual British Soap Awards. > Read more about Tina Baker on Wikipedia
Sam Bailey
Born 1977 - Singer - X Factor winner 2013
Bailey was born in Bexley, London. Prior to auditioning for The X Factor, Bailey worked as a prison officer in HM Prison Gartree. She lives in Leicester with her husband and two children. She is a Leicester City fan. She is known for winning the tenth series of The X Factor. Following her win, her debut cover single "Skyscraper" was released and achieved Christmas number 1 in December 2013. > Read more about Sam Bailey on Wikipedia
George Percy Bankart
Born 1866. Died 1929 - Specialist plaster and lead worker - Arts and Crafts Movement
Bankart was born in Leicester and studied at the Wyggeston Boys' Grammar School and attended the Leicester School of Art. He trained as an architect but became a specialist in ornamental plaster and lead work. He wrote a number of books on the subject, two of which are still considered standard works on the craft. In 1883 he was articled to Isaac Barradale and would have worked alongside Ernest Gimson. His work can still be seen on buildings in Leicester and elsewhere. > Read more about George Percy Bankart on the Leicester Arts & Craft Movement website.
Ian Baraclough
Born 1970 – Professional football player and manager
Baraclough was born in Leicester and started his professional career at local club Leicester City. He is currently the manager for Sligo Rovers. > Read more about Ian Baraclough on Wikipedia
Julian Barnes
Born 1946 - Writer
Born in Leicester in 1946, Julian Barnes is the author of several books of stories, essays, novels and a transalation of Alphonse Daudet's 'In the Land of Pain'. His novels include 'Flaubert’s Parrot' (1984), 'A History of the World in 10½ Chapters' (1989), 'England, England' (1998) and 'The Sense of an Ending' (winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize). > Read more about Julian Barnes on his official website
Henry Bates
Born 1825. Died 1892 - Naturalist and explorer
Born in Leicester in 1825, Henry Bates was a naturalist and explorer who gave the first scientific account of mimicry in animals. He was most famous for his Amazonian expedition with his friend Alfred Wallace, starting in 1848 and returning in 1859. He sent back over 14,700 species (mostly of insects), of which 8000 were new to science. > Read more about Henry Bates on Wikipedia
Joan Maureen 'Biddy' Baxter
Born 1933 - Producer
Biddy Baxter was born in Leicester and educated at Wyggeston Girls' Grammar School. After becoming editor on Blue Peter in 1965, she devised the Blue Peter badge to encourage children to send in programme ideas, pictures, letters and stories. She also introduced the now famous annual appeals. > Read more about 'Biddy' Baxter on Wikipedia
Charles Bennion
Born 1857. Died 1929 – Businessman, manufacturer, philanthropist
In the 1880s, Charles Bennion settled in Leicester, which was at that time the centre of Britain’s boot and shoe industry. He was managing director of the British United Shoe Machinery Co. Ltd. His affection for Leicestershire and its people is best shown in his extraordinarily generous purchase of Bradgate Park on their behalf, as the money needed to buy the land could not be raised. It was formally presented to the people of Leicestershire in 1928. > Read more about Charles Bennion on Wikipedia
Norman Bird
Born 1920. Died 2005 - Actor
Norman Bird was a British actor born in Coalville in 1920. A Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate, Bird made his West End debut in Peter Brook's production of The Winter's Tale at the Phoenix Theatre in 1951. One of his last film appearances was as a taxi driver in Richard Attenborough's Shadowlands (1993). > Read more about Norman Bird on Wikipedia
Christopher Bruce, CBE
Born 1945 - Dancer, choreographer and artistic director
Christopher Bruce, born in Leicester in 1945, is one of UK's leading choreographers and was Artistic Director of Rambert Dance Company. His reputation as an outstanding dancer was established in his classic performance in Tetley's 'Pierrot Lunaire' (1960s). > Read more about Christopher Bruce on Wikipedia
Gaye Bykers On Acid
Formed in 1984 - Psychedelic rock band
Gaye Bykers On Acid were a psychedelic rock band from Leicester and one of the founder members of the
Grebo music scene. They later released both thrash punk and dance music albums under various aliases. > Read more about Gaye Bykers on Acid on Wikipedia
Alastair John Campbell
Born 1957 - Communicator, writer, strategist
Alistair Campbell is best known for his role as spokesman, press secretary and director of communications and startegy for ex-prime minister Tony Blair. Born in Yorkshire, his family moved to Leicester in 1968 and he attended the City of Leicester Boys' Grammar School. > Read more about Alastair Campbell on his official website
Graham Chapman
Born 1941. Died 1989 – Comedian, writer and actor
Chapman was born in Stoneygate, Leicester and was educated at Melton Mowbray Grammar School. He went on to study medicine at Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he also joined Footlights, a comedy group whose other members included Bill Oddie and John Cleese. With John Cleese, Chapman wrote for the BBC during the 1960s. In 1969 with Cleese he joined Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam for Monty Python's Flying Circus. > Read more about Graham Chapman on Wikipedia
John Cleveland
Born 1613. Died 1658 - Poet
John Cleveland was born in Loughborough and educated at Hinckley Grammar School. He graduated from Christ's College, Cambridge in 1632 and became a fellow of St John's College in 1634. At St John's, he became college tutor and lecturer on rhetoric and was much sought after. > Read more about John Cleveland on Wikipedia
Rosemary Conley, CBE
Born 1946 - Businesswoman, author and broadcaster
Rosemary Conley was born in Leicestershire and is a businesswoman, author and broadcaster on exercise and health. She is the founder and president of Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs, a franchise-based organisation that is one of the "big three" weight loss organisations in the UK. She has released several exercise videos and books. > Read more about Rosemary Conley on Wikipedia
Nathaniel Corah
Born 1777. Died 1832 – Framesmith, manufacturer, entrepreneur
Founder of N. Corah & Sons, once the largest knitwear producer in Europe, Nathaniel Corah was born in Leicestershire and trained as a framesmith. He first produced garments on a knitting frame on his farm. From 1815 he built a business buying locally produced textiles in Leicester and trading them in Birmingham. The business expanded rapidly and eventually moved to the famous St Margaret’s Works site. By 1866 over one thousand people were employed at St Margaret’s Works. > Read more about Nathaniel Corah in the Leicester Chronicler
Cornershop
Formed in 1991 – Indie rock band
Cornershop were formed by Tjinder Singh, his brother Avtar, (both of whom lived in Leicester at the time the band was formed), David Chambers and Ben Ayres. Their music is a fusion of Indian music, Britpop and electronic dance music. > Read more about Cornershop on their official website
Thomas Cook
Born 1808. Died 1892 - Founder of Thomas Cook & Son
In 1841 Thomas Cook organised the world's first advertised package tour from Leicester to Loughborough. By 1888, the company had established offices around the world. Thomas Cook moved back to Leicestershire when he retired and lived here until his death. > Read more about Thomas Cook on Wikipedia
William Edward Cooke
Born 1843. Died 1916 – Artist
William Edward Cooke was a professional artist and art teacher. He was a distinguished rustic and landscape artist who lived in Victoria Street, Loughborough for many years. He exhibited at the Royal Academy and Royal Society of Arts between the 1870's and 1890's. His work includes many rural scenes around the Leicester area, including sometimes the hardships of rural life. > Read more about W E Cook on the Quorn Museums website
Crazyhead
Formed in 1986 - Garage punk band
Crazyhead were a garage punk band from Leicester who were influenced by the garage rock scene of the late 1960s. Their songs ranged in theme from trenchant social commentary to the surreal, but always with an underlying vein of black humour. > Read more about Crazyhead on Wikipedia
Henry Curry
Born 1850 – Founder of electrical retailer Currys
Henry Curry was born in 1850 in Leicester, and founded Currys electrical stores. He began by building bicycles full-time in a shed at the back of his garden on Painter Street in Leicester. He opened his first store on Belgrave Gate. From this small enterprise grew Currys, the national electrical retail chain, which was still selling bicycles until the 1960s.
The Dallas Boys
Music Group
The Dallas Boys were a five-piece vocal group from Leicester, England who were regular performers on British television in the 1950s and 1960s. They have been described as "Britain's first boy band". > Read more about The Dallas Boys on Wikipedia
John Deacon
Born 1951 - Musician (bassist for the rock band Queen)
John Deacon was born in Oadby in 1951 and is best known as the bassist for the rock band, Queen. Deacon
wrote a number of songs for Queen including ‘You’re My Best Friend’, ‘I Want to Break Free’ and ‘Another One
Simon de Montfort - Earl of Leicester
Born 1208. Died 1265
Simon de Montfort was the 6th Earl of Leicester, brother-in-law and later a leader of opposition to King Henry III of England. He was regarded as a leader in parliamentary democracy as he became part of the first elected parliament in medieval Europe which also included ordinary elected citizens from the boroughs. De Montfort Hall and De Montfort University are both named after him. > Read more about Simon de Montfort on Wikipedia
Anthony d'Offay
Born 1940 - Art dealer
For more than four decades, Anthony d'Offay was one of the world's leading art dealers and represented some of Europe and America's leading artists. Born in Sheffield, but grew up in Leicester, d'Offay had his first experiences with art visiting New Walk Museum & Art Gallery (then Leicester Museum & Art Gallery). He opened his gallery in London in 1965 and in 2001 he retired and closed the gallery. In 2008, he founded ARTIST ROOMS, through which he has donated an incredible collection of contemporary art to the nation. > Read more about Anthony d'Offay and his connection to Leicester in The Leicestershire Magazine
Terri Dwyer
Born 1973 – Actress
Born in Syston, Leicestershire, Dwyer began her career as a model. She is best known for playing the role of Ruth Osborne in the British soap opera Hollyoaks. > Read more about Terri Dwyer on her official website
John Ella
Born 1802. Died 1888 - Violinist
Born in Leicester, John Ella was a violinist and music critic. He was also the the founder and director of the Musical Union, a society dedicated to the performance of chamber and instrumental music to the highest standards.
Derrick Errol Evans aka 'Mr. Motivator'
Born 1952 - Television fitness instructor
Evans was born in Manchester, Jamaica in 1952 and moved to Leicester in 1961. Evans found fame on the British breakfast television broadcaster GMTV in the early 1990s as Mr. Motivator, promoting health and fitness as a way of life. He performed fitness routines live on-air in highly-coloured outfits, which quickly became his trademark. > Read more about 'Mr. Motivator' on his official website
Family
Formed in 1966 - Rock band
Family were a rock band formed in Leicester in late 1966 and disbanded in 1973. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock although their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles such as folk, psychedelia, acid, jazz fusion and rock and roll. > Read more about Family on Wikipedia
Stephen Frears
Born 1941 - Actor
Acclaimed film director Stephen Frears was born in Leicester on 20 June, 1941. Frears has directed a number of notable British films since the 1980s including 'My Beautiful Laundrette', 'Dangerous Liaisons', 'High Fidelity', 'The Queen' and 'Philomena'. Collaborting with playright Alan Bennett he also directed the biopic 'Prick Up Your Ears', on the fellow Leicester born playwright Joe Orton . Frears has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, for 'The Grifters' and 'The Queen'.
Stephen Graham
Born 1973 - Actor
The Hollywood star Stephen Graham and his wife actress Hannah Walters, choose to live in a Leicestershire village. His list of films include 'Snatch', 'Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides' and 'Blood' and he's well-known for his role as "Combo" in 'This is England' and as Al Capone in the HBO series 'Boardwalk Empire'. > Read more about Stephen Graham on Wikipedia
Ernest Gimson
Born 1864. Died 1919 - Architect and furniture designer - Arts & Craft Movement
Gimson was born in Leicester in 1864. He is associated with the Barnsley brothers, Sidney and Ernest, as he moved to the Cotswolds with them where they designed and made furniture. Today he is regarded as one of the most influential designers of the English Arts and Crafts movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His designs included ladder-back chairs, cabinets and metalwork. > Read more about Ernest Gimson on the Leicester Arts & Crafts Movement website
Joseph Goddard
Born 1813. Died 1877 - Chemist, inventor of Goddard's Silver Polish
Goddard was born in Market Harborough, Leicestershire and it was in Leicester that he perfected the silver poish so that it could even clean silver-plated silverware without spoiling the finish. > Read more about Joseph Goddard on the Goddard's website
Lady Jane Grey
Born 1536/37. Died 1554 - Queen of England
Great granddaughter of Henry VII of England, Lady Jane Grey is said to have been born at Bradgate Park. She was Queen of England for nine days in 1553. > Read more about Lady Jane Grey on Wikipedia
Gypsy
Formed in 1969 - Band
Gypsy was a 70's Leicester band. They released two albums, four singles, supported Led Zeppelin on their first UK tour, performed on Top of the Pops and were banned by the BBC. > Read more about Gypsy on Facebook
Joseph Hall
Born 1574. Died 1656 - Bishop, moral philospher, writer, satirist
Born near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, he attended Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He wrote the first English satire successfully modeled on Latin satire. He was also the first writer in English to emulate Theophrastus, the ancient Greek philosopher. > Read more about Joseph Hall on Wikipedia
Alice Hawkins
Born 1863. Died 1946 - Suffragette
Alice Hawkins was a working class leader of the women's suffragette movement in Leicester. > Read more about Alice Hawkins on her memorial website
Emile Heskey
Born 1978 - Football player
Emile Heskey, born in Leicester, is a footballer who started his career at Leicester City after progressing through their youth system. Heskey, an England international, went on to play for Liverpool, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletics, Aston Villa and Newcastle Jets (Australia). > Read more about Emile Heskey on Wikipedia
Tom Hopper
Born 1985 - Actor
Tom Hopper was born in Coalville, Leicestershire. He is an English actor who has appeared in several television programmes and films including Merlin, Doctor Who, Casualty and Tormented. > Read more about Tom Hopper on Wikipedia
Engelbert Humperdinck
Born 1936 – Pop Singer
Born in Madras, India as Arnold George Dorsey but raised in Leicester, he adopted the stage name Engelbert Humperdinck, after the German opera composer of the same name. Humperdinck has sold over 150 million records and has established himself as one of the world's premiere live performers in a number of sold-out tours. > Read more about Engelbert Humperdinck on his official website
John Illsley
Born 1949 – Musician
John Illsley, born in Leicester, was the bass guitarist of the critically acclaimed rock band, Dire Straits. With Dire Straits, Illsley has been the recipient of multiple BRIT and Grammy Awards. > Read more about John Illsley on his official website
David Icke
Born 1952 – Writer and public speaker
David Icke was born in Leicester and is best known for his conspiracy literature, although prior to this he was a known sports-presenter on the BBC. His core theory which is discussed heavily in his books claims that a secret group of reptilian humanoids control humanity. > Read more about David Icke on his official website
Sir Alec John Jeffreys
Born 1950 – Geneticist
Sir Alec Jeffreys invented DNA fingerprinting in Leicester and he and his team developed DNA profiling, techniques which are now used all over the world in forensic science. He is a professor of genetics at the University of Leicester and an honorary freeman of Leicester. > Read more about Sir Alec John Jeffreys on Wikipedia
Martin Johnson
Born 9 March 1970 - Rugby Union player
Martin Johnson CBE is a former English rugby union player who represented and captained England and Leicester. He is mostly known for captaining England to victory in the World Cup in 2003. He lived in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. He played for Leicester Tigers from 1989 to 2005. > Read more about Martin Johnson on Wikipedia
Kasabian
Formed in 1999 - Band
The original band members were from the Leicestershire villages of Blaby and Countesthorpe. Kasabian have won 8 major music awards and have been nominated 27 times to date. They are one of the biggest indie bands in the country. > Read more about Kasabian on their official website
Michael Kitchen
Born 1948 – Actor
Born in Leicester, Michael Kitchen is best known for his starring role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series 'Foyles War'. He's also appeared in many films, including 'Out of Africa', 'Mrs Dalloway' and two bond films with Pierce Brosnan. > See the Michael Kitchen Fans' website
Chris Kirkland
Born 1981 – Footballer
Born in Barwell, Leicestershire, Kirkland shot to prominence as one of the most promising young English goalkeepers in the country while with his first club Coventry City. He now plays for Sheffield Wednesday. > Read more about Chris Kirkland on Wikipedia
Dominic Keating
Born 1962 – Actor
Born in Leicester, Keating is a television, film and theatre actor, who's known for his portrayal as Lt. Commander Malcolm Reed on 'Star Trek: Enterprise' (2001). > Read more about Dominic Keating on his official website
Daniel Lambert
Born 1770. Died 1809 - Leicester's largest son
Lambert was a Leicester man who became famous for his obesity. At the time of his death, his weight was a massive 53 stone and his waist measurement was over nine feet. During his life he had become quite a personality, and was used in a cartoon as an emblem for a hearty Britain against the threat of Napoleon. > Read more about Daniel Lambert on the BBC Radio Leicester website
Lisa Lashes
Born 1971 - DJ
Lisa Lashes (real name Lisa Dawn Rose-Wyatt) was born in Coventry and now lives in Leicester. According to her official website, she is the world's leading female DJ. > Read more about Lisa Lashes on her official website
Hugh Latimer
Born c.1487. Died 1555 - Protestant reformer
Latimer was born into a family of farmers in Thurcaston, Leicestershire. He was a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and Bishop of Worcester before the Reformation. Later he was Church of England chaplain to King Edward VI. In 1555, he was burnt at the stake, becoming one of the three Oxford Martyrs of Anglicanism. > Read more about Hugh Latimer on Wikipedia
John Leeson
Born 1943 – Actor
John Leeson was born in Leicester. He is best known for voicing K-9 on the television series, 'Doctor Who'. He was also the orignal Bungle in ITV's 'Rainbow'. > Read more about John Leeson on Wikipedia
Legay
Formed in 1965 - Band
Influenced by Tamla Motown, Legay formed in Leicester in 1965 and were famous for their live shows, image
Lilian Lenton
Born 1891. Died 1972 - Suffragist
'Lillie' Lenton was born in Leicester in 1891, the eldest of five children. On leaving school she trained to be a dancer, but after hearing Emmeline Pankhurst speak, she resolved that at the age of 21 she would join the Suffragette campaign. On attaining that age, she joined the Women's Social and Political Union, and with fellow members took part in a window-smashing campaign in March 1912. She gained notoriety for participating in a hunger strike in Holloway Prison, where after two days of starvation she was force fed, causing serious illnes. > Read more about Lilian Lenton on Wikipedia
Gary Lineker, OBE
Born 1960 - Professional footballer and sports presenter
Born and raised in Leicester, Lineker began his football career with Leicester City. He is regarded as one of the all-time best English strikers and is the only player to have won the English Golden Boot with three different clubs. He scored 48 goals for England, now third in the all-time top scorers. After retiring he's become a sports broadcaster and regularly presents with the BBC. > Read more about Gary Lineker on Wikipedia
Mary Linwood
Born 1755. Died 1845 - Needlework artist
Mary Linwood was a celebrated needlework artist and during her lifetime she achieved international fame for her embroidered pictures. Her work can be seen at the V&A and New Walk Museum & Art Gallery. She moved to Leicester as a child when her mother opened a girls' boarding school at Belgrave Gate. At her mother's death she took over the school and ran it for almost 50 years. > Read more about Mary Linwood on Wikipedia and Story of Leicester
Jon Lord
Born 1941. Died 2012 - Musician
Jon Lord was born in Leicester and was a composer, pianist and organ player famous for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical music. He was best known for co-founding the rock band Deep Purple. In 2011, Lord was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the University of Leicester. > Read more about Jon Lord on his official website
Bill Maynard
Born 1928 – Actor and comedian
Born Walter Frederick George Williams, he adopted the stage name Bill Maynard and has lived in Leicestershire for many years. He starred in the television sitcom 'Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt'. > Read more about Bill Maynard on Wikipedia
Ed McLachlan
Born 1940 - Cartoonist
Ed McLachlan is a British cartoonist from Leicester. He was educated at Humberstone Junior School before attending Wyggeston Grammar School and, from 1956 to 1959, Leicester College of Art. He has been named Cartoonist of the Year five times and won a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. > Read more about Ed McLachlan on his website
Daniel McLay
Born 1992 - Cyclist
Born in Wellington, New Zealand, McLay moved to the UK as a young infant and was brought up in Leicester. A former member of Leicestershire Road Club, in 2010 he became World Champion in the Junior World Madison Track Championships. McLay is now set to to become the first rider from Leicestershire to compete in the iconic Tour de France 2016. > Read more about Daniel McLay on Wikipedia.
Joseph Merrick aka The Elephant Man
Born 1862. Died 1890.
Born in Leicester, he began showing signs of deformity at an early age. For the better part of his life he was unemployable beacuse of his disabilities, so as a last resort he took a job as a sideshow attraction as 'The Elephant Man'. He spent his last few years living in the London Hospital. > Read more about Joseph Merrick on Wikipedia and on this tribute website
Mark Morrison
Born 1972 – Singer
Morrison is an R&B singer from Leicester, most famous for his single 'Return of the Mack'. > Read more about Mark Morrison on his official website
Rendall Munroe
Born 1980 - Super bantamweight boxer
Born and living in Leicester, Rendall Munroe is a WBA International Super Bantamweight Champion and holder of EBU and Commonwealth Super Bantamweight titles. His day job as a binman in Leicester is well publicised and his nickname is 'The Boxing Binman'. He and his corner men also come out wearing fluorescent yellow binman jackets. > Read more about Rendall Munroe on Wikipedia
Parminder Nagra
Born 1975 - Actress
Film and televison actress Parminder Nagra was born and raised in Leicester and is best known for her starring role in the film 'Bend It Like Beckham' (2002), which was the breakthrough film both for her and Keira Knightly. The success of the movie in the U.S led her to a part in America's medical drama 'ER'. > Read more about Parminder Nagra on Wikipedia
Phil Oakey
Born 1955 - Composer, singer, songwriter and producer
Phil Oakey, born in Leicestershire, in 1955, is best known for being the lead singer of band The Human League. > Read more about Phil Oakey on Wikipedia
Kate O'Mara (born Frances M. Carroll)
Born 1939. Died 2014 - Actress
Born in Leicester, Kate O'Mara is perhaps most widely known for her role as Caress Morell, the scheming sister of Alexis Colby in the 1980s American primetime soap opera Dynasty and as The Rani in Doctor Who. > Read more about Kate O'Mara on Wikipedia
Joe Orton
Born 1933. Died 1967 - Playwright
Born in Leicester, Orton shockerd, outraged and amused audiences with his scandalous comedies, characterised by a dark yet farcical cynicism. His plays included 'Entertaining Mr Sloane', 'Loot' and 'What the Butler Saw'. > Read more about Joe Orton
Sarah Outen, MBE
Born 1985 – Adventurer
Sarah Outen grew up in Rutland and continues to live there between her adventures. In 2009 she became the first woman and the youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean. > Read more about Sarah Outen on her official website
Lynda Page
Born 1950 – Author
Lynda Page, born and based in Leicestershire, is one of the UK's top-selling saga authors. Page’s novels are predominantly set in Leicester and are renowned for their strong plots and characters. > Read more about Lynda Page on her official website
Jenny Pitman, OBE
Born 1946 - Racehorse trainer
Jenny Pitman was born and grew up on her family's farm near Hoby, in Leicestershire. She became the first woman to train a Grand National winner in 1983. > Read more about Jenny Pitman on Wikipedia
Chris Pyatt
Born 1963 – Professional boxer
Chris Pyatt is a former world middleweight champion boxer from Leicester. He is currently running a boxing gym in Leicester. > Read more anout Chris Pyatt on Wikipedia
Mark Selby
Born 1983 – Professional snooker player
Born in and still living in Leicester, Selby is the reigning World Snooker Champion and the current number one in the world rankings (June 2016). He has formerly won three Masters titles and in 2012/13 season, he also won the UK Championship. > Read more about Mark Selby on his official website
Peter Shilton, OBE
Born 1949 – Footballer
Shilton was born in Leicester and began his career at local club Leicester City. He holds the record for being England's most capped player and has played 3 FIFA World Cups. > Read more about Peter Shilton on his official website
Showaddywaddy
Formed in 1973 - Band
The band was formed in Leicester in 1973 by the amalgamation of two groups, 'Choise' and 'The Golden Hammers'. In total they had ten Top Ten singles, one number one, and spent 209 weeks in the UK Singles Chart. > Read more about Showaddywaddy on their official website
David Shrigley
Born 1968 - Visual Artist
Shrigley moved with his family to Leicestershire in 1970. He did the Art and Design Foundation course at Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University) then studied at Glasgow School of Art. He had a major survey of his work at the Hayward Gallery, London in 2012 and was on the Turner Prize 2013 shortlist. > Read more about David Shrigley on his official website
Tony Sibson
Born 1958 - Former professional boxer
Born in Leicester, Sibson is former British, Commonwealth and European champion and world title challenger, middleweight division. > Read more about Tony Sibson on Wikipedia
C. P. Snow, CBE
Born 1905. Died 1980 - Novelist and physicist
Born in Leicester and educated at Leicester and Cambridge, Snow was raised to the peerage as Baron Snow of Leicester. He served several important positions in the UK civil service and government. > Read more about C. P. Snow on Wikipedia
Una Stubbs
Born 1937 - Actress and dancer
Born in Leicestershire, Stubbs has appeared extensively on British television and in the theatre, and less frequently in films. She is particularly known for playing Rita in the sitcom 'Till Death Us Do Part'. > Read more about Una Stubbs on Wikipedia
Willie Thorne
Born 1954 – Snooker player & commentator
Born in Leicester, Thorne was a strong junior player, who later became national under-16 champion at both snooker and English billiards. > Read more about Willie Thorne on his official website
Frederick Thorpe, OBE
Born 1913. Died 1999 - Entrepreneur, founder Ulverscroft Foundation
Large print book publishing in English began in 1964 in Leicester, when Thorpe decided to meet the needs of elderly poor-sighted readers. > Read Frederick Thorpe's obituary
Sue Townsend
Born 1946. Died 2014 - Novelist and playwright
Sue Townsend was born in Leicester and was best known as the author of the Adrian Mole books. Her writing primarily combined comedy with social commentary. > Read more about Sue Townsend on her official website
George Villiers
Born 1592. Died 1628 - 1st Duke of Buckingham
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What Swiss Alpine town hosts the annual World Economic Forum gathering of international leaders, financiers and business chiefs? | World Economic Forum: a history and analysis | Transnational Institute
Transnational Institute
World Economic Forum: a history and analysis
20 January 2015
Article
The annual gathering in Davos has certainly cemented the power of a tiny global elite, but its real power has been as a spawning ground for neoliberalism's major advances - the rise of the financial sector, the spread of corporate trade agreements and the integration of emerging economic powers into the global economy.
Authors
Henry Kissinger at the World Economic Forum in 2008
This article and its accompanying infographic have been jointly published by the Transnational Institute and Occupy.com.
The annual meetings of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, bring together thousands of the world’s top corporate executives, bankers and financiers with leading heads of state, finance and trade ministers, central bankers and policymakers from dozens of the world’s largest economies; the heads of all major international organizations including the IMF, World Bank, World Trade Organization, Bank for International Settlements, UN, OECD and others, as well as hundreds of academics, economists, political scientists, journalists, cultural elites and occasional celebrities.
The WEF states that it is “committed to improving the state of the world through public-private cooperation,” collaborating with corporate, political, academic and other influential groups and sectors “to shape global, regional and industry agendas” and to “define challenges, solutions and actions.” Apart from the annual forum meeting in Davos, the WEF hosts regional and sometimes even country-specific meetings multiple times a year in Asia, Latin America, Africa and elsewhere.
The Forum is host to dozens of different projects bringing together academics with corporate representatives and policy-makers to promote particular issues and positions on a wide array of subjects, from investment to the environment, employment, technology and inequality. From these projects and others, the Forum publishes dozens of reports annually, identifying key issues of importance, risks, opportunities, investments and reforms.
The WEF has survived by adapting to the times. Following the surge of so-called anti-globalization protests in 1999, the Forum began to invite non-governmental organizations representing constituencies that were more frequently found in the streets protesting against meetings of the WTO, IMF and Group of Seven. In the 2000 meeting at Davos, the Forum invited leaders from 15 NGOs to debate the heads of the WTO and the President of Mexico on the subject of globalization.
The participation of NGOs and non-profit organizations has increased over time, and not without reason. According to a poll conducted on behalf of the WEF just prior to the 2011 meeting, while global trust in bankers, governments and business was significantly low, NGOs had the highest rate of trust among the public.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal last September, the founder and executive chairman of the WEF, Klaus Schwab, was asked about the prospects of “youth frustration over high levels of underemployment and unemployment” as expressed in the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street movements, noting that the Forum was frequently criticized for promoting policies and ideologies that contribute to those very problems. Schwab replied that the Forum tries “to have everybody in the boat.”
Davos, he explained, “is about heads of state and big corporations, but it’s also civil society – so all of the heads of the major NGOs are at the table in Davos.” In reaction to the Occupy Wall Street movement, Schwab said, “We also try... to put more emphasis on integrating the youth into what we are doing.”
WEF's beginnings
So, what exactly has the World Economic Forum been doing, and how did it emerge in the first place? It began in 1971 as the European Management Forum, inviting roughly 400 of Europe’s top CEOs to promote American forms of business management. Created by Klaus Schwab, a Swiss national who studied in the U.S. and who still heads the event today, the Forum changed its name in 1987 to the World Economic Forum after growing into an annual get together of global elites who promoted and profited off of the expansion of "global markets." It is the gathering place for the titans of corporate and financial power.
Despite the globalizing economy, politics at the Forum have remained surprisingly national. The annual meetings are a means to promote social connections between key global power players and national leaders along with the plutocratic class of corporate and financial oligarchs. The WEF has been a consistent forum for advanced “networking” and deal-making between companies, occasional geopolitical announcements and agreements, and for the promotion of "global governance" in a world governed of global markets. Indeed, the World Economic Forum’s main purpose is to function as a socializing institution for the emerging global elite, globalization’s "Mafiocracy" of bankers, industrialists, oligarchs, technocrats and politicians. They promote common ideas, and serve common interests: their own.
Writing in the Financial Times, Gideon Rachman noted that more than anything else, “the true significance of the World Economic Forum lies in the realm of ideas and ideology,” noting that it was where the world’s leaders gathered “to set aside their differences and to speak a common language... they restate their commitment to a single, global economy and to the capitalist values that underpin it.” This reflected the “globalization consensus” which was embraced not simply by the powerful Group of Seven nations, but by many of the prominent emerging markets such as China, Russia, India and Brazil.
Indeed, the World Economic Forum’s main purpose is to function as a socializing institution for the emerging global elite, globalization’s "Mafiocracy" of bankers, industrialists, oligarchs, technocrats and politicians. They promote common ideas, and serve common interests: their own.
Geopolitics and Global Governance
The World Economic Forum has been shaped by – and has in turn, shaped – the course and changes in geopolitics, or "world order," over the past several decades. Created amidst the rise of West Germany and Japan as prominent economic powers competing with the United States, the oil shocks of the 1970s also produced immense new powers for the Arab oil dictatorships and the large global banks that recycled that oil money, loaning it to Third World countries.
New forums for "global governance" began to emerge, such as the meetings of the Group of Seven: the heads of state, finance ministers and central bank governors of the seven leading industrial powers including the U.S., West Germany, Japan, UK, France, Italy and Canada, starting in 1975. When the debt crisis of the 1980s hit, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank achieved immense new powers over entire economies and regions, reshaping the structure of societies to promote “market economies” and advance the interests of domestic and international corporate and financial oligarchs.
Between 1989 and 1991, the global power structure changed dramatically with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. With that came President George H.W. Bush’s announcement of a "New World Order" in which America claimed "victory" in the Cold War, and a unipolar world took shape under the hegemony of the United States. The ideological war between the West and the Soviet Union was declared victorious in favor of Western Capitalist Democracy. The "market system" was to become globalized as never before, especially under the presidency of Bill Clinton who led the U.S. during its largest ever economic expansion between 1993 and 2001.
During this time, the annual meetings of the World Economic Forum became more important than ever, and the role of the WEF in establishing a "Davos Class" became widely acknowledged. At the 1990 meeting, the focus was on Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union’s transition to “market-oriented economies.” Political leaders from Eastern Europe and Western Europe met in private meetings, with West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl articulating his desire to reunify Germany and cement Germany’s growing power within the European Community and NATO.
Helmut Kohl laid out his strategy for shaping the “security and economic structure of Europe” within a unified Germany. Kohl’s “grand design” for Europe envisioned a unified Germany as being “firmly anchored” in the expanding European Community, the main objective of which was to establish an "internal market" by 1992 and to advance toward an economic and monetary union, with potential to expand eastward. Kohl presented this as a peaceful way for German power to grow while assuaging fears of Eastern Europeans and others about the economically resurgent country at the heart of Europe.
At the 1992 WEF meeting, the United States and reunified Germany encouraged “drastic steps to insure a liberalization of world trade,” and furthered efforts to support the growth of market economies in Eastern Europe. The German Economics Minister called for the Group of Seven to meet and restart global trade talks through the 105-nation General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). At that same meeting, the Chinese delegation included Prime Minister Li Peng, who was the highest-level Chinese official to travel internationally since the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Of great significance also was the attendance of Nelson Mandela, the new president of South Africa. When Mandela was released from prison in 1990, he declared the policy of the African National Congress (ANC) was to implement “the nationalization of the mines, banks and monopoly industries.” When Mandela attended the January 1992 meeting of the WEF just after becoming president, he changed his views and embraced “capitalism and globalization.”
Mandela attended the meeting alongside the governor of the central bank of South Africa, Tito Mboweni, who explained that Mandela arrived with a speech written by ANC officials focusing on nationalization. As the week’s meetings continued, Mandela met with leaders from Communist Parties in China and Vietnam, who told him, “We are currently striving to privatize state enterprises and invite private enterprise into our economies. We are Communist Party governments, and you are a leader of a national liberation movement. Why are you talking about nationalization?”
As a result, Mandela changed his views, telling the Davos crowd that he would open South Africa up as a market economy and encourage investment. South Africa subsequently became the continent’s fastest growing economy, though inequality today is greater than it was during apartheid. As Mandela explained to his official biographer, he came home from the 1992 WEF meeting and told other top officials that they had to choose: “We either keep nationalization and get no investment, or we modify our own attitude and get investment.”
At the 1993 meeting, the main consensus that had emerged called for the U.S. to maintain its position as a global economic and military power, and for it to take the lead encouraging greater “co-operation” between powerful nations. The major fear among Davos participants was that while economies were becoming globalized, politics was turning inward and becoming “renationalized.”
Later that year, Anthony Lake, Bill Clinton’s National Security Adviser, articulated the “Clinton Doctrine” for the world, explaining: “The successor to a doctrine of containment must be a strategy of enlargement – enlargement of the world’s free community of market democracies.” Lake explained that the United States “must combine our broad goals of fostering democracy and markets with our more traditional geostrategic interests.” No doubt, the Davos crowd welcomed such news.
At the 1994 meeting, the director-general of GATT, Peter D. Sutherland, declared that world leaders needed to establish “a new high-level forum for international economic co-operation,” moving beyond the Group of Seven to become more inclusive of the major "emerging market" economies. Sutherland told the assembled plutocrats that “we cannot continue with the majority of the world’s people excluded from participation in global economic management.” Eventually, the organization Sutherland described was formed, as the Group of 20, bringing the leading 20 industrial and economic powers together in one setting. Formed in 1999, the G20 didn't become a major forum for global governance until the 2008 financial crisis.
In 1995, the Financial Times noted that the new “buzzword” for international policymakers was “global governance,” articulating a desire and strategy for updating and expanding the institutions and efforts of international co-operation. The January 1995 World Economic Forum meeting was the venue for the presentation of an official UN report on global governance. President Clinton addressed the Davos crowd by satellite, stressing that he would continue to push for the construction of a new “economic architecture,” notably at meetings of the Group of Seven.
The arrival of the Davos Class
[The Davos Class] “have little need for national loyalty, view national boundaries as obstacles that are thankfully vanishing, and see national governments as residues from the past whose only useful function is to facilitate the elite’s global operations." (Samuel Huntington)
In 1997, the highly influential U.S. political scientist Samuel Huntington coined the term "Davos Man," which he described as a group of elite individuals who “have little need for national loyalty, view national boundaries as obstacles that are thankfully vanishing, and see national governments as residues from the past whose only useful function is to facilitate the elite’s global operations.”
An article that year in The Economist came to the defense of the "Davos Man," declaring that he was replacing traditional diplomacy which was “more likely to bring peoples together than to force them apart,” noting that the WEF was “paid for by companies and run in their interests.”
Samuel Huntington presented a thesis, summarized in a 1997 Financial Times article, that outlined a world that “would be divided into spheres of influence,” within which “one or two core states would rule the roost.” Huntington noted that the “Davos culture people,” while extremely powerful, were only a tiny fraction of the world’s population, and the leaders of this faction “do not necessarily have a secure grip on power in their own societies.”
The Financial Times, however, noted that while the "Davos culture people" did not constitute a “universal civilization” being such a tiny minority of the world’s population, “they could be the vanguard of one.”
Russian Oligarchs and the Rise of China
In fact, at the previous year’s meeting in Davos, the World Economic Forum functioned precisely as the vanguard for seven Russian oligarchs to take control of Russia and shape its future. At the 1996 meeting of the WEF, the Russian delegation was made up largely of the country’s new oligarchs who had amassed great fortunes in the transition to a market economy. Their great worry was that Russian President Boris Yeltsin would lose his re-election later that year to the resurgence of the Communists.
At the WEF meeting, seven Russian oligarchs, led by Boris Berezovsky, formed an alliance during private meetings, where they decided to fund Yeltsin’s re-election and work together to “reshape their country’s future.” This alliance (or cartel, as some may refer to it), was the key to Yeltsin’s re-election victory later that year, as they held weekly meetings with Yeltsin’s chief of staff, Anatoly Chubais, the architect of Russia’s privatization program that made them all so rich.
Berezovsky explained that if the oligarchs did not work together to promote common ends, it would be impossible to have a transition to a market economy “automatically.” Instead, he explained, “We need to use all our power to realize this transformation.” As the Financial Times noted, the oligarchs “assembled a remarkable political machine to entrench and promote the market economy – as well as their own financial interests,” as the seven men collectively controlled roughly half the entire Russian economy.
Russian politician Anatoly Chubais commented on this development and the role of the oligarchs, saying: “They steal and steal and steal. They are stealing absolutely everything and it is impossible to stop them... But let them steal and take their property. They will then become owners and decent administrators of this property.”
In the 1990s, with the spread of global markets came the spread of major financial crises: in Mexico, across Africa, East Asia, Russia and then back to Latin America. At the WEF meeting in 1999, the key issue was “reform of the international financial system.” As the economic crises spread, the Group of Seven nations, and the Davos Class, told the countries in crisis that in order “to restore confidence [of the markets], they should adopt politically unpopular policies of radical structural reform,” promoting further liberalization and deregulation of markets to open themselves up to Western corporate and financial interests and 'investment.'
The major emerging markets have been frequent participants in annual Davos meetings, providing a forum in which national elites may become acquainted with the global ruling class, with whom they then cooperate and do business. China started sending more high-level delegations to the WEF in the mid-1980s. During the 2009 meeting, two prominent speakers were President Putin of Russia and the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. Both leaders painted a picture of the crisis as emanating from the centers of finance and globalization in the United States and elsewhere, with the “blind pursuit of profit” and “the failure of financial supervision” – in Wen’s words – and bringing about what Putin described as a “perfect storm.” Both Wen and Putin, however, declared their intentions to work with the major industrial powers “on solving common economic problems.”
In 2010, China’s presence at Davos was a significant one. Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, who attended the previous year, was not to return. In his stead, his chosen successor, Li Keqiang, attended. China’s economy was performing better than expected as its government was coming under increased pressure from major global corporations.
Kristin Forbes, a former member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers and an attendee at Davos, commented, “China is the West’s greatest hope and greatest fear... No one was quite ready for how fast China has emerged... Now everyone is trying to understand what sort of China they will be dealing with.” China sent its largest delegation to date to the World Economic Forum, with a total of 54 executives and government officials, many of whom were intending to “go shopping” for clients among the world’s elite.
Li Keqiang, the future Chinese prime minister, told the Davos audience that China was going to shift from its previous focus on exports and turn to “boosting domestic demand,” which would “not only drive growth in China but also provide greater markets for the world.” Li explained that China would “allow the market to play a primary role in the allocation of resources.”
In 2011, The New York Times declared that the World Economic Forum represented “the emergence of an international economic elite” that took place at the same time as unprecedented increases in inequality between the rich and poor, particularly in the powerful countries but also in the fast-emerging economies. Chrystia Freeland wrote that “the rise of government-connected plutocrats is not just a phenomenon in places like Russia, India and China,” but that the major Western bailouts reflected what the former chief economist at the IMF, Simon Johnson, referred to as a “quiet coup” by bankers in the United States and elsewhere. Davos and the Financial Oligarchy
The power of global finance – and in particular, banks and oligarchs – has grown with each successive financial crisis. As the financial crisis tore through the world in 2008, the January 2009 meeting of the World Economic Forum featured less of the Wall Street titans and more top politicians. Klaus Schwab declared, “The pendulum has swung and power has moved back to governments,” adding that “this is the biggest economic crisis since Davos began.” Goldman Sachs, which in past years was “renowned for hosting one of the hottest parties at the World Economic Forum’s glittering annual meeting in Davos,” had cancelled its 2009 party. Nonetheless, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, decided to continue with his plans to host a Davos party.
Goldman Sachs.. was “renowned for hosting one of the hottest parties at the World Economic Forum’s glittering annual meeting in Davos" In 2010, thousands of delegates assembled to discuss the "important’ issues of the day. And despite the reputation of banks and bankers being at all-time lows, top executives of the world’s largest financial institutions showed up in full force. The week before the meeting, President Obama called for the establishment of laws to deal with the "too big to fail" banks, and European leaders were responding to the anger of their domestic populations for having to pay for the massive bailouts of financial institutions during the financial crisis. Britain and France were discussing the prospect of taxing banker bonuses, and Mervyn King, then governor of the Bank of England, suggested the possibility of breaking up the big banks. Several panels at the WEF meeting were devoted to discussing the financial system and its possible regulation, as bankers like Josef Ackermann of Deutsche Bank suggested that they would agree to limited regulations (at least on "capital requirements").
More important, however, were plans for a series of private meetings of government representatives and bank chiefs, who would meet separately, and then together, in Davos. Roughly 235 bankers were to attend the summit – a 23% increase from the previous year. Global bankers and other corporate leaders were worried, and warned the major governments in attendance against the financial repercussions of pursuing “a populist crackdown” against banks and financial markets. French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke to the Forum’s guests about a need for a “revolution” in global financial regulation, and for “reform of the international monetary system.” The heads of roughly 30 of the world’s largest banks held a private meeting at Davos “to plot how to reassert their influence with regulators and governments,” noted a report on Bloomberg. The “private meeting” was a precursor to a later meeting at Davos involving top policymakers and regulators.
Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America, said of the assembled bankers, “We’re trying to figure out ways that we can be more engaged.” According to Moynihan, a good deal of the closed-door discussion “was about tactics, such as who the executives should approach and when.” The CEO of UBS, a major Swiss bank, commented that “it was a positive meeting, we’re in consensus.”
The bankers said they were aware that some new rules were inevitable, but they wanted to encourage regulators and countries to coordinate the rules through the Group of 20, revived in 2009 as the premier forum for international cooperation and "global governance."
Josef Ackermann, CEO of Deutsche Bank, suggested that “we should stop the bank bashing,” and affirmed that banks had a “noble role” to play in managing the economic recovery. Christine Lagarde, France's Finance Minister and current Managing Director of the IMF, encouraged a “dialogue” between governments and banks, saying, “That’s the only way we’re going to get out of it.” Later that week, the bankers met “behind closed doors with finance ministers, central bankers and regulators from major economies.”
The key message at the time from finance ministers, regulators and central bankers was a political one: “They [the banks] should accept more stringent regulation, or face more draconian curbs from politicians responding to an angry public.” Guillermo Ortiz, who had just left his post as governor of the central bank of Mexico, said, “I think banks have misjudged the deep feelings of the public regarding the devastating effects of the crisis.” French President Sarkozy stated that “there is indecent behavior that will no longer be tolerated by public opinion in any country of the world,” and that bankers giving themselves excessive bonuses as they were “destroying jobs and wealth” was “morally indefensible.”
As the 2011 Davos meeting began, Edelman, a major communications consultancy, released a report that revealed a poll conducted among 5,000 wealthy and educated individuals in 23 countries, considered to be “well-informed.” The results of the poll showed there to be a massive decline in trust for major institutions, with banks taking the biggest hit. Prior to the financial crisis in 2007, 71% of those polled expressed trust in banks compared with a new low of 25 percent in 2011.
A home for a global elite
Despite the lack of public trust in banks and financial institutions, Davos remains devoted to protecting and expanding the interests of the financial elite. In fact, the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum (its top governing body) includes many representatives of the world of finance and global financial governance.
Davos Faces 2015
Among them, (as this infographic makes clear) are Mukesh Ambani, who sits on advisory boards to Citigroup, Bank of America and the National Bank of Kuwait; and Herman Gref, the CEO of Sberbank, a large Russian bank. Ernesto Zedillo, the former President of Mexico who is also a member of the board, currently serves as a director on the boards of Rolls Royce and JPMorgan Chase, international advisory boards to BP and Credit Suisse, an adviser to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and is a member of the Group of Thirty and the Trilateral Commission as well as sitting on the board of one of the world's most influential economic think tanks, the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Also notable, Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, is a member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum. Carney started his career working for Goldman Sachs for 13 years, after which he was appointed as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada. After a subsequent stint in Canada’s Ministry of Finance, Carney returned to the Bank of Canada as governor from 2008 to 2013, when he became the first non-Briton to be appointed as head of the Bank of England in its 330-year history. From 2011 to present, Carney has also been the Chairman of the Financial Stability Board, run out of the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland.
Apart from heading the FSB, Mark Carney is also a board member of the BIS, which serves as the central bank for the world’s major central banks. He is also a member of the Group of Thirty, a private and highly influential think tank and lobby group that brings together dozens of the most influential economists, central bankers, commercial bankers and finance ministers. Carney has also been a regular attendee at annual meetings of the Bilderberg Group, an even more-exclusive "invite only" global conference than the WEF.
Though there are few women among the WEF’s membership – let alone its leadership – Christine Lagarde has made the list, while simultaneously serving as the managing director of the IMF. She previously served as the French finance minister throughout the course of the financial crisis. Lagarde also attends occasional Bilderberg meetings, and is one of the most powerful technocrats in the world. Min Zhu, the deputy managing director of the IMF, also sits on the WEF’s board.
Further, the World Economic Forum has another governing body, the International Business Council, first established in 2002 and composed of 100 “highly respected and influential chief executives from all industries,” which “acts as an advisory body providing intellectual stewardship to the World Economic Forum and makes active contributions to the Annual Meeting agenda.”
The membership of the WEF is divided into three categories: Regional Partners, Industry Partner Groups, and the most esteemed, the Strategic Partners. Membership fees paid by corporations and industry groups finance the Forum and its activities and provide the member company with extra access to meet delegates, hold private meetings and set the agenda. In 2015, the cost of an annual Strategic Partner status with the WEF had increased to nearly $700,000. Among the WEF’s current strategic partners are Bank of America, Barclays, BlackRock, BP, Chevron, Citi, Coca-Cola, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Dow Chemical, Facebook, GE, Goldman Sachs, Google, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, PepsiCo, Siemens, Total, and UBS, among others.
Depending on its finances from these sources, as well as being governed by individuals from these and others institutions, it is no surprise that Davos promotes the interests of financial and corporate power above all else. This is further evident on matters related to trade.
Davos and "Trade"
Trade has been another consistent, major issue at Davos meetings – which is to say, the promotion of powerful corporate and financial interests has been central to the functions of the WEF. As the Wall Street Journal noted, “it is pretty much a tradition that trade ministers meet at Davos with an informal meeting.”
At the 2013 meeting, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk explained at Davos that the Obama administration was “committed to reaching an agreement to smooth trade with the European Union,” saying in an interview that “we greatly value the trans-Atlantic relationship.” The week’s meetings suggested that there “were signs of progress toward a trade accord.” Thomas J. Donohue, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who was present at Davos, commented that “half a dozen senior leaders in Europe are ready to move forward.” In fact, at the previous Davos meeting in January 2012, high level U.S. and EU officials met behind closed doors with the Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD), a major corporate grouping that promotes a U.S.-E.U. “free trade” agreement. The TABD was represented at the meeting by 21 top corporate executives, and was attended by U.S. Trade Representative Kirk, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy, the European Commissioner for Trade, Karel De Gucht, other top technocrats, and Obama’s Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economic Affairs, Michael Froman (who is now the U.S. Trade Representative). The result of the meeting was the release of a report on a "Vision for the Future of EU-US Economic Relations," which called “to press for urgent action on a visionary and ambitious agenda.”
The meeting also recommended the establishment of a "CEO Task Force" to work directly with the "High Level Working Group" of trade ministers and technocrats to chart a way forward.
Just prior to the 2013 meeting in Davos, the TABD corporate group merged with another corporate network to form the Transatlantic Business Council (TBC), a group of top CEOs and chairmen of major corporations, representing roughly 70 major corporations. The purpose of the TBC was to hold “semi-annual meetings with U.S. Cabinet Secretaries and European Commissioners (in Davos and elsewhere).” At the Davos 2013 meeting, the TBC met behind closed doors with high level officials from the U.S. and EU. Michael Froman, who would replace Ron Kirk as the U.S. Trade Rep, spoke at the meeting, declaring that “the transatlantic economy is to become the global benchmark for standards in a globalized world.”
The following month, the U.S. and EU "High Level Working Group" released its final report in which it recommended “a comprehensive trade and investment agreement” between the two regions. Two days after the publication of this report, President Obama issued a joint statement with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, in which they announced that “the United States and the European Union will each initiate the internal procedures necessary to launch negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership,” or TTIP.
At the announcement, Kirk declared the sectors that will fall under the proposed agreement, stating that, “for us, everything is on the table, across all sectors, including the agricultural sector.”
The World Economic Forum in a World of Unrest
Perhaps most interestingly, the World Economic Forum has been consistently interested in the prospects of social unrest, protests and resistance movements, particularly those that directly confront the interests of corporate and financial power. This became particularly true following the mass protests in 1999 against the World Trade Organization, which disrupted the major trade talks taking place in Seattle and marked the ascendency of what Davos called the “anti-globalization movement.”
These issues were foremost on the minds of the Davos Class as they met less than two months later in Switzerland for the annual WEF meeting in 2000. The New York Times noted that as President Clinton attempted to address the issue of restoring “confidence in trade and globalization” at the WEF, global leaders – particularly those assembled at Davos – were increasingly aware of the new reality that “popular impressions of globalization seem to have shifted” with growing numbers of people, including the protesters in Seattle, voicing criticism of the growing inequality between rich and poor, environmental degradation and financial instability.
The head of the WTO declared that “globalism is the new ‘ism’ that everyone loves to hate... There is nothing that our critics will not blame on globalization and, yes, it is hurting us.”
The guests included President Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, along with the leaders of South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia and Finland, among others. The head of the WTO and many of the world’s trade ministers were also set to attend, hoping to try to re-start negotiations, though protesters were also declaring their intention to disrupt the Forum’s meeting. With these worries in mind, the Swiss Army was deployed to protect the 2,000 members of the Davos Class from being confronted by protesters.
As the World Economic Forum met again in January of 2001 in Davos, “unprecedented security measures” were taken to prevent “hooligans” from disrupting the meeting. On the other side of the world, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, roughly 10,000 activists were expected to converge for the newly-formed World Social Forum, a counter-forum to Davos that represented the interests of activist groups and the Third World. As the Davos Class met quietly behind closed doors, comforted by the concrete blocks and razor wire that surrounded the small town, police on the other side of the fence beat back protesters.
In the wake of the financial crisis, the WEF meeting in 2009 drew hundreds of protesters to Davos and Geneva where they were met by riot police using tear gas and water cannons. Inside the Forum meeting, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde warned the assembled leaders, “We’re facing two major risks: one is social unrest and the second is protectionism.” She noted that the task before the Davos Class was “to restore confidence in the systems and confidence at large.” Protesters assembled outside held signs reading, “You are the Crisis.”
The January 2012 WEF meeting took place following a year of tumultuous and violent upheavals across the Arab world, large anti-austerity movements across much of Europe, notably with the Indignados in Spain, and the Occupy Wall Street movement just months prior in the United States and across much of the world. As the meeting approached, the WEF announced in a report that the top two risks facing business leaders and policy makers were “severe income disparity and chronic fiscal imbalances.” The report warned that if these issues were not addressed it could result in a “dystopian future for much of humanity.” The Occupy Movement had taken the issue of inequality directly to Davos, and there was even a small Occupy protest camp constructed at Davos. As the Financial Times noted, “Until this year [2012] the issue of inequality never appeared on the risk list at all, let alone topped it.” At the heart of it was “the question of social stability,” with many Davos attendees wondering “where else unrest might appear.” Beth Brooke, the global vice chair of Ernst & Young, noted that “countries which have disappearing middle classes face risks – history shows that.”
With citizens taking to city streets and protesting in public squares from Cairo to Athens and New York, the Financial Times noted that discontent was “rampant,” and that “the only consistent messages seem to be that leaders around the world are failing to deliver on their citizens’ expectations and that Facebook and Twitter allows crowds to coalesce in an instant to let them know it.” For the 40 government leaders assembling in Davos, “this is not a comforting picture.”
In Europe, democratically elected leaders in Italy and Greece had been removed and replaced with economists and central bankers in a technocratic coup only months earlier, largely at the behest of Germany. Mario Draghi, the head of the European Central Bank (ECB), was perhaps “the most powerful leader in Europe,” though an Occupy movement had sprung up at the headquarters of the ECB in Frankfurt as well. During the Forum, Occupy protesters outside clashed with police. Stephen Roach, a member of the faculty at Yale University and a chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, wrote an article in the Financial Times describing his experiences as a panelist at the "Open Forum," held on the last day of the Davos gathering, in which citizens from the local community could participate along with students and Occupy protesters.
The topic he discussed was “remodeling capitalism,” which, Roach wrote, “was a chance to open up this debate to the seething masses.” But the results were “disturbing” as “chaos erupted immediately” with chants from Occupy protesters denouncing the forum and calling for more to join them. Roach wrote that it was “unruly and unsettling” and he “started thinking more about an escape route than opening comments.”
Once the discussions began, Roach found himself listening to the first panelist, a 24-year-old Occupy protester named Maria who expressed anger at “the system” and that there was a “need to construct a new one based on equality, dignity and respect.” Other panelists from the WEF included Ed Miliband from the UK, a UN Commissioner, a Czech academic and a minister from the Jordanian dictatorship. Roach noted that compared to Maria from Occupy, “the rest of us on the panel spoke a different language.”
Having spent decades as a banker on Wall Street, Roach confessed that “it as unsettling to engage a hostile crowd whose main complaint is rooted in Occupy Wall Street,” explaining that he attempted to focus on his expertise as an economist, “speaking over hisses.” He explained that all of his "expert" insights on economics “hardly moved this crowd.” Maria from Occupy, Roach wrote, got the last word as she stated, “The aim of Occupy is to think for yourself. We don’t focus on solutions. We want to change the process of finding solutions.” As “the crowd roared its approval,” Roach “made a hasty exit through a secret door in the kitchen and out into the night.” Davos, he wrote, “will never again be the same for me. There can be no retreat in the battle for big ideas.”
In October of 2013, The Economist reported that “from anti-austerity movements to middle-class revolts, in rich countries and in poor, social unrest has been on the rise around the world.” A World Economic Forum report from November 2013 warned of the dangers of a “lost generation” that would “be more prone to populist politics,” and that “we will see an escalation in social unrest.” Over the course of 2013, major financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase, UBS, HSBC, AXA and others were issuing reports warning of the dangers of social unrest and rebellion. JPMorgan Chase, in its May 2013 report, stated that Europe’s “adjustment” to its new economic order was only “halfway done on average,” warning of major challenges ahead. The report complained about laws hindering the advancement of its agenda, such as “constitutional protection of labor rights... and the right to protest if unwelcome changes are made to the political status quo.”
The 2014 meeting of the World Economic Forum drew more than 40 heads of state, including then-president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich, as well as Mexico’s Enrique Pena Nieto, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Brazilian Presient Dilma Rousseff, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan. U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and prominent central bankers such as Mario Draghi and Mark Carney also attended alongside IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde and World Bank president Jim Yong Kim.
As the meeting began, a major report by the World Economic Forum was published, declaring that the “single biggest risk to the world in 2014” was the widening “gap between rich and poor.” Thus, income inequality and “social unrest are the issue[s] most likely to have a big impact on the world economy in the next decade.” The report warned that the world was witnessing the “lost generation” of youth around the world who lack jobs and opportunities, which “could easily boil over into social upheaval,” citing recent examples in Brazil and Thailand.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is due to attend the annual Davos meeting this week. But just prior to that meeting, violent protests erupted in the streets of Brazil in opposition to austerity measures imposed by President Rousseff, recalling “the beginnings of the mass street demonstrations that rocked Brazil in June 2013.” One wonders whether Rousseff will be attending next year’s meeting of the WEF, or whether she will still even be president.
Indeed, the growth and power of the Davos Class has grown with – and spurred – the development of global unrest, protests, resistance movements and revolution. As Davos welcomes the global plutocrats to 2015, no doubt they'll be reminded of the repercussions of the "market system" as populations around the world remind their leaders of the power of people.
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Claret wine comes from which wine region of France? | Magic Mountain - The New Yorker
Magic Mountain
Nick Paumgarten
Among the guests at Davos, the tension between self-celebration and self-doubt engenders a kind of social electricity.CreditIllustration by Andy Friedman
The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, was well under way when it officially commenced, early on a Wednesday evening in January, with an address, in the Congress Hall of the Congress Center, by Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. She had a lot to say about Europe. Some of it—“Do we dare more Europe? Yes, we do dare”—made the news. But outside the hall many Davos participants paid her no mind. They loitered in various lounges carrying on conversations with each other. They talked and talked—as though they hadn’t been talking all day. They had talked while sitting on panels or while skipping panels that others were sitting on. “Historic Complexity: How Did We Get Here?,” “The Compensation Question,” “Global Risks 2012: The Seeds of Dystopia”: over the course of five days, a man could skip more than two hundred and fifty such sessions.
Many Davos participants rarely, if ever, attend even one. Instead, they float around in the slack spaces, sitting down to one arranged meeting after another, or else making themselves available for chance encounters, either with friends or with strangers whom they will ever after be able to refer to as friends. The Congress Center, the daytime hub, is a warren of interconnected lounges, cafés, lobbies, and lecture halls, with espresso bars, juice stations, and stacks of apples scattered about. The participants have their preferred hovering areas. Wandering the center in search of people to talk to was like fishing a stretch of river; one could observe, over time, which pools held which fish, and what times of day they liked to feed. Jamie Dimon, running shoes in hand, near the espresso stand by the Global Leadership Fellows Program, in the late afternoon. Fareed Zakaria, happily besieged, in the Industry Partners Lounge, just before lunch. The lunkers would very occasionally emerge from their deep holes (there were rumors of secret passageways) and glide through the crowd, with aides alongside, like pilot fish. (The W.E.F. says that Davos is an entourage-free zone, but this doesn’t seem to apply to the biggest of the big wheels, like heads of state.) It is said that the faster you walk the more important you are.
I walked very slowly. I was new here, a first-timer. That Wednesday, I was eager to hear Merkel, but on my way I got sidetracked in the lounge by conversations that seemed interesting, especially the ones I wasn’t part of. It was a name-dropper’s paradise. Central bankers, industrial chiefs, hedge-fund titans, gloomy forecasters, astrophysicists, monks, rabbis, tech wizards, museum curators, university presidents, financial bloggers, virtuous heirs. I found myself in conversation with a newspaper columnist and an executive from McKinsey & Company, the management-consulting firm. This was serendipitous, as so many conversations in Davos turn out to be, because, at the urging of many, I was supposed to be angling for an invitation to the McKinsey party, at the Belvedere Hotel. A must, people said, with a glint. I was suspicious, owing to an incongruity between the words “party” and “management consulting.” But this was Davos. The executive cheerfully added me to the list. A McKinsey for a Merkel: a fair trade.
The newcomer hears repeated bits of Davos advice. Ride the shuttle: you might meet someone. Go to a session that deals with a subject you know nothing about: you might learn something. Come next year, and the one after, if they invite you back: you might begin to understand. Everyone says that you can’t get the hang of Davos until you’ve been three or four times. So many things are going on at once that it is impossible to do even a tenth of them. You could spend the week in your hotel room, puzzling over a plan, wrestling with your doubts and regrets, but a person who would do this is not the kind who would be invited to Davos.
Another admonition: no matter how much you do, you will always have the sense that something else, something better, is going on elsewhere. On the outskirts of town, three men are hunched in the candlelit corner of a pine-panelled Gaststube, discussing matters of grave importance. You may think you don’t care about such things, but the inkling burrows like a tapeworm. The appetite for admittance can become insatiable. Whenever I passed through town, I noticed men in good suits and sturdy boots, walking with intent in the opposite direction. Where were they going? They ducked into tea shops or into Mercedes sedans with darkened passenger windows. “Wheels within wheels,” one woman whispered to me. “What happens in Davos stays in Davos,” many people said, but even when you’re there it’s hard to know what is happening in Davos.
One of the things that people talk about at Davos is Davos. They murmur analogies. Davos is like Congress, the Factory, the Mormon Tabernacle, the Bohemian Grove, the “best dinner party in the world,” the financial system, Facebook, Burning Man, boot camp, high school, Los Angeles, Quogue. Davos is an onion, a layer cake, a Russian doll. “Never feel that you’re out of the loop, because the loop is you,” Platon, the photographer, assured me, by which he meant that Davos is whatever experience you are having there. But could he be trusted? It was only his second Davos. Yossi Vardi, an Israeli tech investor and an eighteen-year Davos veteran, said, “What you see here, in the Congress Center, is just twenty per cent of the action.”
Whether you think the World Economic Forum is a worthy enterprise or a bunch of baloney, its annual meeting is an extraordinary creation—a miniature society, at once fluid and defined. Forty-two years ago, a German academic named Klaus Schwab willed it into being, and now, at seventy-four, he continues to nurture it, with a kind of dogged sincerity that contradicts some of the Forum’s more cynical functions and outlandish mutations. He may well be the most connected man on the planet. Around the Congress Hall, no one walks faster than Klaus.
During the opening ceremony, Schwab, who, besides being the Forum’s chairman, is also a professor at the University of Geneva, descends the Congress Center’s grand stairway like a tax-haven monarch, pausing to take in the applause of the nobles. In the Congress Center, there is a giant video screen that spools conference quotes and international cityscapes interspersed with photos of Schwab and his wife, Hilde, and the mountains of Graubünden. A remark of unknown provenance made the rounds: “The question is, When God and Klaus Schwab are face to face, who blinks first?” This year, over the course of five days, Schwab made it to a hundred and fifty-six commitments. God blinks, and then nods off.
Schwab was born in Germany in 1938, in a town near the Swiss border. A serious boy with an organizational bent, he was a regional leader in a French-German youth movement that arose out of the early idea, propagated by the likes of Winston Churchill and Jean Monnet, of a more integrated Europe—a “European Family,” as Churchill put it in 1946. In some respects, he is, intellectually, a product of the movement to unify Europe, but in others he is a graduate-school conception, a kind of Frankenstein’s monster of technocratic academe. He earned doctorates in mechanical engineering and economics, and then spent a year pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at the Kennedy School at Harvard, where he courted, as mentors, Henry Kissinger and John Kenneth Galbraith. His 1971 book, “Moderne Unternehmensführung im Maschinenbau,” set forth a new notion of the corporation—of one beholden not only to shareholders but to “stakeholders,” meaning a wider array of constituents, including the government, the community, the workers, and the customers. He had in mind a broader definition of the partnership between private and public, likely derived from Switzerland’s cantonal form of government. He was also interested in the academic study of business as it had blossomed in the United States.
In 1971, Schwab organized a European Management Forum. He chose Davos as a locale, after glimpsing the construction of a new Congress Center from a nearby swimming pool. He was attracted to the relative isolation of Davos—“People are moved out of ze daily patterns,” he told me—and its blend of rusticity and comfort, and to the crisp mountain air, or the idea of it, anyway. (Men who debate management theory tend to do so indoors.) He was also attracted by its history. Davos, in the late nineteenth century, was one of the leading sanatorium towns of Europe, the site of Hans Castorp’s edification in “The Magic Mountain.” Between the world wars, Davos became a kind of intellectuals’ retreat. Einstein delivered a lecture on relativity at an inaugural Hochschule there, in 1928; Heidegger and Cassirer had a famous debate the next year. After the Second World War, Davos reinvented itself as a medical-conference town. For all the beauty of the surrounding peaks and the talk of chalets and fondue, the town is cheerless and unlovely. Also, it is not on top of a mountain, as people seem to portray it. It is in a valley.
“Are you sure you don’t want a pretty little lamp for your man cave?”
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Schwab’s first symposium drew four hundred and fifty people from thirty-one countries. It would grow over the years, steadily becoming more international (it became the World Economic Forum in 1987), more eclectic in its interests and participants, and ever more prolific in its expressions of self-regard—within years, Schwab had spoken of a Davos Manifesto, the Davos Club, the Davos Spirit. From the start, there was a patina of altruism. Jacques Cousteau came in 1974 to talk about the ocean, and Dom Hélder Câmara, the renegade Catholic archbishop from Brazil, scolded the world’s élite for their “false values” and their hoarding of the world’s resources. An overhead photograph from that year of a cocktail reception shows a room full of debonair Roger Moore types, with only a half-dozen women sprinkled in. The world was in turmoil, in one way or another, pretty much every year, but in 1977 the kidnapping and murder by German terrorists of the German industrialist Hanns-Martin Schleyer, who was to have been the chairman of the symposium a few months later, led to an extreme degree of security that has become a Davos hallmark. So have the perennial appearances of world leaders, many of them at odds and encouraged by Schwab to reconcile on his turf.
NAFTA
is said to have been conceived here.
Today, the W.E.F., with lavish headquarters overlooking Lake Geneva, has more than four hundred employees, who churn out reports and convene conferences around the world. You get the sense that they sometimes regret the attention paid to Davos, and even to Schwab. “Davos is less and less important to the organization,” Adrian Monck, the W.E.F.’s media director, told me. “It’s no longer the best example of what we can do.” Monck, a former television-news executive and journalism-school dean, joined the Forum in 2009. He isn’t really a P.R. guy, but during the annual meeting he does send out a fusillade of releases that approach self-parody (“To Survive, Companies Must Constantly Reinvent Themselves, Become Socially Responsible”). He spends a great deal of his time combatting what he and his colleagues deem to be misconceptions about what the W.E.F. actually does.
People like to project onto Davos their fears and fantasies about the way the world works. Right-wingers see insidious, delusional liberalism, in its stakeholder ethos and its pretense of world improvement. They picture a bunch of Keynesians, Continentals, and self-dealing do-gooders participating in some kind of off-the-books top-down command-control charade. Left-wingers conjure a plutocratic cabal, a Star Chamber of master puppeteers, the one per cent—or .01 per cent, really—deciding the world’s fate behind a curtain of heavy security and utopian doublespeak. The uninvited, the refuseniks, and even many of the participants see a colossal discharge of hot air, a peacock strut. They all deploy, with a sneer, the term Davos Man, coined by the late political scientist Samuel Huntington, who decried a post-national wealthy globe-trotting élite. Davos Man can be either a capitalist oppressor or a Commie conspirator. Either way, he is a windbag, a pedant, and a hypocrite. Businesspeople who have never been to Davos find many ways to be dismissive of it: “I can’t do business there.” “It’s too political.” “It’s not what it used to be.” The translation may be that that person has not been invited. Non-businesspeople assume the same. “Solipsistic wankers,” one person wrote me. “Kill the bastards,” wrote another.
Davos is, fundamentally, an exercise in corporate speed-dating. “Everyone comes because everyone else comes,” Larry Summers told me. A hedge-fund manager or a C.E.O. can pack into a few days the dozens of meetings—with other executives, with heads of state or their deputies, with non-governmental organizations whose phone calls might otherwise have been ignored—that it would normally take months to arrange and tens of thousands of Gulfstream miles to attend. They conduct these compressed and occasionally fruitful couplings, the so-called bilateral meetings, either in private rooms that the W.E.F. has set aside for this purpose or in hotel rooms, restaurants, and hallways. All that’s missing is the hourly rate.
“What this is is Brownian motion, with human beings,” Niall Ferguson, the financial historian, said one morning, outside the Congress Hall, as his eyes darted about. Vikram Pandit (Citigroup) marched by, and then Brian Moynihan (Bank of America). “Last year, I bumped into Tim Geithner, and he said, ‘We’re going to prove you wrong with our fiscal policy.’ “ At that moment, Ferguson was jostled by a woman who was pushing swiftly through the center, with an entourage of journalists and aides. “Hello, Christine!” he said. It was the I.M.F. chief, Christine Lagarde. She touched his shoulder in greeting. Ferguson turned back to me. “See there? Right on cue.”
The W.E.F., as the entity staging the conference, is set up as a nonprofit foundation. Last year, it took in a hundred and fifty-seven million dollars. (The W.E.F. doesn’t disclose Schwab’s salary, only that he is “paid less than the highest-paid Swiss public official.” The President of the Swiss Confederation makes about half a million dollars a year.) The money comes from its members, who are required to be among the world’s top thousand companies, in revenue terms. A basic W.E.F. membership is fifty-five thousand dollars, and for a member to come to Davos costs an extra twenty-seven thousand. The Forum has a hundred so-called Strategic Partners—corporate members who pay dues of more than half a million dollars a year—and two hundred and fifty Industry Partners, who pay more than a quarter of a million. Many of these big spenders happen to turn up on many of the panels in the sessions at the Congress Center. They also subsidize the scores of academics, scientists, artists, journalists, and N.G.O. chiefs who attend for free. Everyone, whether he pays or not, has to be invited. “You cannot buy your way in,” Schwab said. “It’s a large club meeting, let’s say.”
There are as many Davoses as there are perceptions of Davos. Schwab might use the term “stakeholders,” and the stakeholders may be partial to the word “silos,” but another term that springs to mind when you are there is “cliques.” There is a tech crowd, a finance crowd, a media crowd, the spouses. (The annual meeting this year was merely eighty-three per cent male, in part because the W.E.F. imposed a quota.) A certain ferment occurs where the cliques overlap, but as often as not they pass in the night. “Davos is the Land of a Thousand Agendas,” an ex-U.S. senator, who would know from such lands, told me. As Monck put it, “You don’t understand your own interests until you encounter others with other interests. This is the foundation of enlightened self-interest.”
“It’s Heaven for curious guys,” a longtimer told me. “All these people who are not easily approachable in their natural habitat—whose lives, as a result, are quite secluded—here they can all talk to each other.”
“I look at it as a programmer would,” Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google and a longtime Davos participant, told me. “What did Klaus put in place to make it successful over the long term, that allowed it to grow and change? I try to isolate the variables. Does it have to be in Switzerland? Does it have to be in a ski town? Does it have to happen in winter? And so on.”
The most essential variable may be one that Schwab introduced unwittingly. In Davos, he established a setting for a perpetually subdividing game of status, a minuet of subtle distinctions. There is something almost Warholian in his apparent guilelessness. (Just substitute Tom Friedman, Shimon Peres, and Larry Summers for Edie Sedgwick, Nico, and Rotten Rita.) The anxiety of exclusion pervades. It is the natural complement to the euphoria of inclusion. The tension between self-celebration and self-doubt engenders a kind of social electricity. It is one of those places, like New Orleans, where you may find that you hardly need sleep. After twenty-four frantic hours, I felt as though I had unwittingly walked into an Ecstasy party—why did all these people keep touching each other? (Not literally: collegial as everyone may be, I saw one hug all week, and it was an ironic one.) It’s not the whisper of conspiracy as much as it is the thrum of mutual regard—of proximity to power, money, and expertise. But insecurity sets it all alight.
The stratification begins with the badges. Every participant wears a badge on a lanyard. Every encounter begins with an unabashed glance or two down at the other’s badge. It is Davos Man’s defining gesture. So frequently did gazes slip to reëxamine my badge that I came to know what it must be like to have cleavage. The color of the badge denotes a role, and a degree of access. W.E.F. staff wear blue badges—dark blue for full time and light for temps. “Reporting Press” wear orange and can’t get in a lot of places. Entourages get mint green. The coveted pass is the white one, granting delegates free rein. There are variations: A Strategic Partner gets a blue dot and access to an exclusive lounge. A special hologram used to signal membership in an élite faction called the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders, or
IGWEL
, but now “serves boring logistical purposes,” according to Monck. I was given a white badge, which meant I’d been knighted a Media Leader. Media Leaders may trump Reporting Press (ha!), but they bow before the Media Governors (curses!), who get invited to the off-the-record sit-downs with Geithner and Merkel.
In general, the W.E.F. greets the media with a warm, if wary, embrace. This has apparently been the strategy since the 1999 anti-globalization riots in Seattle and elsewhere turned Davos into a target of popular, and then journalistic, bile. The place is lousy with reporters. The catch is that most of what goes on is off the record. Most of the sessions and private events are governed by the so-called Chatham House rule. The bargain is generally acceptable to the insidious extent that the thrill of access outweighs the urge to reveal. Anyway, as the journalists all say, nothing newsworthy ever happens at Davos, even if the journalists must occasionally pretend that it does, in order to justify their presence there. For most of them, it’s an occasion for cultivating sources, ideas, and the short-lived delusion that they belong among the white badges of the world.
“For what it’s worth, ‘Yo-ho-ho and chilled Pinot Grigio’ actually rhymes.”
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Now and then, Davos has a celebrity guest or two, an elusive figure more exotic or enticing than the usual array of Prime Ministers, Nobelists, and billionaires. One year it was Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, another it was Bono. This year’s white rabbit was the London School of Economics dropout Mick Jagger. Reports had initially had him leaving Davos, as a result of his misgivings that his presence might be seen as an endorsement of the policies of the British Prime Minister, David Cameron. It turned out, though, that Jagger, who was not an official participant, had merely skipped a tea party hosted by Cameron and had stuck around town, popping up at private events here and there, but not, evidently, at the Congress Center. Jagger sightings were conversational currency.
On Thursday evening, I blew off Korea Night at the Schweizerhof and the F.T.I. Consulting nightcap at the Caprizzi Bar, and, following a private Interactive Dinner Session at the Hotel National (a discussion of the “State of the World” with eight Nobel laureates), I made my way to the Belvedere Hotel. The Belvedere, perched above the Congress Hall, like an iced-in cruise ship, is the annual meeting’s hub after dark. Often, there are a half-dozen parties going on at once. To get into it, as into pretty much any building in town during the meeting, you must pass through airport-like security (Davos is a frequent flier’s fever dream). The line, on this night, was long enough that a Nobel laureate in economics, who, moments earlier at the Hotel National, had been holding forth on unfairness, deemed it worth cutting. Beyond the metal detector, there was a coat-check queue; the Nobelist, rather than cut this one, decided to keep his coat: “We save time twice, on the way in and on the way out—although it’s not a perfect predictor.” A sign directed people to this or that party. McKinsey’s was to the left, down a long corridor, past a display of slogans: “You’re Looking for Talent. But Is It Looking for You?” “Confidence Is Contagious. Pass It On.” “Worldly Wise, Locally Savvy.”
Chelsea Clinton was by the entrance to the McKinsey party. She began to talk about Leymah Gbowee, last year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, who had been at the Nobel dinner, but Matt McKenna, her spokesman, shooed me away because I had a notebook in hand. “Really?” he said with disdain. “It’s eleven o’clock at night. Really?” A moment later, I found myself shoulder to shoulder at the bar with the Cassandra economist Nouriel Roubini, but the music was too loud to talk. There was a band onstage, GDO Soul, playing classic R. & B. (apparently, they were flown in every year from New York), and, at their feet, a vigorous dance circle, into which one, then another, man in a suit jumped to pull a few moves. There weren’t many women around. A throng of grinning silverbacks watched from a comfortable distance. I thought of Angela Merkel. Yes, more Europe, please.
At the coat check, I ran into a Media Governor who was showing his boss around. They were going to a Mick Jagger party and invited me along. Fair enough: a Mick for a McKinsey. We bundled up and walked the length of town, through a swirl of light snow and some sideways talk about an off-the-record meeting they’d been in. Our destination, it emerged, was the Schatzalp, the old hotel almost a thousand feet above town that was featured in “The Magic Mountain.” We boarded a funicular, which climbed steeply along a course of multicolored fluorescent lights. Davos dropped away. We disembarked at the Schatzalp’s deserted front patio and rode an old elevator with carpeted walls to an upper floor, where we went out a back door, over a footbridge, and down a path that tunnelled through towering drifts to a snowbound chalet. The place had been rented by Matthew Freud (Sigmund’s great-grandson, Rupert Murdoch’s son-in-law). Inside, a couple of dozen people stood around drinking and talking.
Jagger was there. He had on a pink button-down, black jeans, and snazzy Nike running shoes. There was a Ping-Pong table folded up against the wall; apparently Jagger had been playing when the first guests arrived. Now he was dancing, with one woman, then another, to classic reggae playing at mid-volume. No one else was dancing, but Jagger, tiny and lithe, mugging and grinning, stalked the floor. Perhaps he danced to absolve himself of having to talk to people—a motive so foreign to Davos that no one suspected him of it. I met the editor of a Turkish newspaper, the editor of a German newspaper, an Israeli hedge-fund manager, the founder of Wikipedia, and then a tall and elegant woman in a black dress named Claudia Gonzalez, who was the former P.R. boss for the W.E.F. She wanted to introduce me to Jagger, but first she needed to tell me something about my attempts to understand and convey the Davos scene. She fixed me with a fierce look and said, “Be humble. Do you understand? Be humble. Because this is your first Davos.”
Professor Schwab says that he doesn’t go to any of the private parties. “We do not welcome them,” he told me. “They detract from what we are doing. Many people come to Davos to exploit the presence of so many top-level people. They organize shadow programs.” But he acknowledges that there isn’t much he and his staff can do about them. “People know that I am very much against caviar and champagne and expensive wines, which are out of character with the atmosphere of a mountain village.”
One night at the Belvedere, I met Richard Stromback, a technology entrepreneur who was introduced to me as Ultimate Davos. For several years, he attended the annual meeting as a Technology Pioneer, then as a Young Global Leader, but this year he didn’t actually have a W.E.F. badge; rather, he had a Belvedere badge, thanks to a connection with a C.E.O. who was hosting meetings at the hotel. Sturdy, wild-eyed, and gregarious, Stromback told me that his first paid job, twenty years ago, was as an enforcer in the Ontario Hockey League. (YouTube confirms this. And one would be remiss, in this context, not to drop the name of a famous guy he fought, the longtime N.H.L. pugilist Tie Domi.) Stromback lives in Detroit, but in a way he considers Davos—not so much the five-day event as the community that assembles there and then stays in touch throughout the year—to be his home. His shadow program involves trying to create, as he put it, a “Burning Man for billionaires,” mostly by throwing parties at the Piano Bar in the Europa Hotel, the meeting’s longtime late-night hangout. “This is the real Davos,” he told me, when I found him there the next night. It was, technically, Stromback’s forty-third-birthday party. The scene was a kind of louche facsimile of the Congress Hall lounge, with an array of unlikely bar fellows joining the standard contingent of finance magnates and Silicon Valley turks: some Mongolian oligarchs, the executive chairman of Google, and the crown prince of the Dish Network empire, who was dressed in Cathay Pacific pajamas.
The real Davos, in Stromback’s estimation, revolved around the keyboardist and piano-bar m.c. Barry Colson, who for seventeen years has come to Davos from his home in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to play during the month of the annual meeting. Colson encourages people to take the mike and the rest of the house to sing along. One night, I saw the Cantor Fitzgerald C.E.O. Howard Lutnick, hair slicked back, sing a rousing rendition of Robbie Williams’s “Feel.” Stromback, at his birthday party, was serenaded by Randi Zuckerberg (Mark’s sister), and then got Eric Schmidt to goad Drew Houston, the founder of Dropbox, into singing “Rocket Man.” (YouTube, to Houston’s dismay, confirms this.) In the Europa lobby, on my way out, the benches were occupied by women changing from their snow boots to their high heels.
The mood at Davos: every year, people try to put their finger on it, as though a single state of mind can be attributed to so many stakeholders dwelling in so many silos. The economic and geopolitical context of the meeting this year was the potential collapse of the European monetary and political union, a teetering global financial system, the threat of chronic unemployment, widening wealth disparity, increasingly restive populations, and the shift in resources and capital, and therefore in power, from West to East and from North to South, to say nothing of ongoing environmental degradation, global poverty, and widespread armed conflict and mistreatment of women. So it is safe to say that, in terms of the W.E.F.’s stated commitment of “improving the state of the world,” the mood was a little blue.
The theme of the meeting was “The Great Transformation.” Schwab, early in the week, struck a note of self-flagellation. “Capitalism, in its current form, no longer fits the world around us,” he said. “We have sinned.” He also spoke of the danger of “intergenerational conflict.” In the next few days, the phrase “the end of capitalism” got tossed around, yet for all but a few of the stakeholders present such a prospect was as inconceivable as it would be unwelcome. David Roth, a protester with the Occupy movement, dismissed such talk as “staged self-criticism.” Certainly, all the commotion about the world’s problems didn’t yield many concrete solutions. As a foreign economic minister said dryly during one of the sessions, while discussing some common-sense alterations to the global financial system, “Implementation is problematic.”
“It’s as if we woke up and discovered we were now in a different world,” the economist W. Brian Arthur told me. “It’s like that bit in ‘Lord of the Rings,’ where they are underground, and they hear the distant rumblings of the Balrog. Here there are rumblings of dissatisfaction. But only rumblings.”
The rumblings were faint indeed. I walked into a panel one morning in time to hear Kumi Naidoo, the South African human-rights activist who now serves as the executive director of Greenpeace, intone, melodiously, “Those in power ignore the growing frustration and desperation at their own peril.”
“Every piece of paper you see is here for a reason: I haven’t thrown it away.”
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Naidoo had been to Davos eleven times, the first eight as the secretary-general of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. “When I came in that capacity, I never could get a C.E.O. to talk to me,” he told me later. “I used to follow them into the toilet. I met Bill Clinton in 2003, when we were standing next to each other at the urinals. When I came as Greenpeace, two years ago, I was amazed how keen they were to meet me. A C.E.O. told me, ‘Some of my peers are eager to have you at their table so they won’t be on your menu.’ “
He went on, “The problem here is the preference for incremental thinking—baby steps. They talk more about system recovery than about system design.”
On the Promenade through town, I came upon a couple of protesters, who had set up a foosball table, marked “reich/rich” on one end and “arm/poor” on the other, and tilted in favor of the reich. One of the protesters had on flowing robes, garlands of fake hundred-dollar bills, fake chains, and a monster mask. He growled my name through the mask several times, as though he knew me. (The mask had disguised his use of the Davos glance to read my badge.) Then he quoted T. S. Eliot: “Do not let me hear / Of the wisdom of old men, but rather of their folly.” After a moment, he lifted his mask and introduced himself. He was a sixty-six-year-old architect named Gunnar Jauch, who had lost eighty per cent of his savings in the financial crisis and had since become a vocal presence in the Occupy Zurich movement. He knew Davos. He’d taught skiing here in the early seventies. He showed me a cartoon that encapsulated his feeling about the W.E.F. annual meeting. It depicts a woman in a fur coat walking into the Congress Center and saying to her companion, “There are so many sessions, I can’t decide between ‘hunger’ or ‘poverty.’ “
One afternoon, I walked outside with a couple of other Media Leaders. The Occupiers had set up in a spillover parking lot, which the mayor of Davos had lent them. They’d built several igloos and put up two yurts, which were festooned with handmade signs, the best of which read “The Great Transformation?? Bullshit. Nobody with 4 Aces Wants a New Deal!” Edward Sutton, a Minnesotan currently living in Zurich, came over to talk to us. His beef was “the fundamental illegitimacy of the W.E.F.” He said, “It has no democratic basis whatsoever. Those people can’t claim to represent the seven billion.” He also objected to the fact that the W.E.F. isn’t transparent. “They don’t open up their books to the public.” As he spoke, the other two dozen or so members of the encampment were standing in a circle, holding a meeting. The W.E.F. had invited them to attend a session, and they were trying to decide how to respond. Sutton asked that I not listen in, and also that I not mention what he did for a living. The Chatham Yurt rule.
That day, a group of them showed up at an Open Forum session (the Open Forum is an annex of the W.E.F., open to the public) on the subject of “remodelling capitalism.” One of the panelists, Stephen Roach, the chairman of Morgan Stanley’s Asian operations, found himself in the role of Wall Street apologist, which, as a mere economist and a longtime critic of some of Wall Street’s excesses, he took on with some delicacy. Nonetheless, he felt, as he wrote in a column in the Financial Times, that he was at physical risk. At the end, after an Occupier’s closing remark, one of the Occupiers declared, “We don’t focus on solutions. We want to change the process of finding solutions.” Roach wrote, “The crowd roared its approval and surged towards the stage. I made a hasty exit through a secret door in the kitchen and out into the night. But Davos will never again be the same for me. There can be no retreat in the battle for big ideas.” Two weeks later, Roach announced his retirement.
One morning at the Congress Hall, I wandered over to the espresso counter at the Industry Partners Lounge, where one could find stimulating conversation as well as individually wrapped miniature sandwiches and slices of cake.
Seated alone at a table was a man named Daniel Arbess. I’d first encountered him there my first day, when I’d overheard a muscular voice making Davosian remarks (“When Gorbachev came to power . . .”). He had glasses midway down his nose, stubble, and thinning brown hair: the assertive dishevelment of improbably well-compensated bookishness. Over the course of the next couple of days, I kept seeing him around. At a dinner one night, I introduced myself, and, in the exhilaration of the moment—that fleeting feeling of actually wanting to meet new people—we agreed to talk. Now here he was. The affiliation on his badge was Perella Weinberg, the boutique investment firm. He said he ran a hedge fund.
What kind of a hedge fund? I asked.
“My approach is shaped by a single generational theme, an idea I came upon thirty years ago,” he said. A fuller explanation required some life history. Arbess, who is fifty-one, grew up in Montreal and got a law degree at Harvard. In the early eighties, he developed an interest and expertise in nuclear policy. He was among the motley array of intellectuals, celebrities, and arms-control experts who flew to Moscow by Aeroflot jetliner, in 1987, to hear Mikhail Gorbachev unveil some of his intentions with regard to perestroika and glasnost. “Listening to him, I developed this conviction: If he is going to start democratizing the country, the regime will not be able to maintain control. It will collapse, and this will mean the end of the Communist system.” He signed on as a first-year associate at the law firm White & Case, and volunteered to work in the Stockholm office, for its proximity to Russia. Back in New York, in 1989, a partner introduced him to the manager of the U.N. Plaza Hotel, a Czech expat whose sister, an actress in Prague, had a friend who needed legal advice. That friend was Vaclav Havel. In the coming years, Arbess became the main legal adviser to Havel’s government in its efforts to privatize the Czech economy. He later expanded the firm’s practice into Russia, Poland, and Kazakhstan and developed the belief that, as he put it, “the devolution of Communism would be the single biggest driver of opportunity in our time.” He spent the ensuing decades investing in some of the repercussions: privatized companies, the transformation of China, the acceleration of leveraged consumption in the United States, mining interests, currencies, consumer goods. He sold his latest fund, Xerion, to Perella Weinberg in 2007, but still managed it. “The money follows the ideas,” he said.
He cited, as his reason for coming to Davos, “three concentric circles of inquiry that are worth pursuing.” The first was to deepen his understanding of the European debt crisis. “For an investor to be sitting with central bankers and to have the chance to motivate outcomes and contribute to their understanding of the marketplace is a great opportunity.” The second circle was to “cross and mix disciplines to get a deeper understanding of what’s driving the world”—that is, to meet non-money people. For example, he had attended a presentation by Saul Perlmutter, the Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist, on the accelerating expansion of the universe. He’d found it enlightening, if not investable. “Explain to me why this is relevant,” he asked Perlmutter, who responded, “Thinking about basic science leads to basic applications.”
The third circle had to do with his recent interest in the potential for intergenerational discord. “Kids who are twenty or thirty years younger than we are have a totally different experience in and manner of absorbing and processing information,” he said. “How will this generation make decisions? How will they understand the big, looming debate about the legacy of entitlements and debt left by their elders? How do they understand the economy?” It was his suspicion, from his conversations here and elsewhere, that they may not understand it very well, or at least that polarizing rhetoric—fostered by social media, amplified by a cynical political class—may be corrupting their ability to discuss it in terms their elders can understand or abide.
“There’s a lot of intellectual confusion about the causes and culprits institutionally of the mess that we are in,” he said. “The language and the thinking that have evolved after the financial crisis have had an impact on the way young people think. All this talk that companies need to change, and so on—it’s a misconception of the role that companies play. Shareholders risk capital. Banks intermediate capital. This is what keeps an economy going.” He went on, “The root cause of everything we’re experiencing is a failure of holistic thinking in a world of increasingly complex, fragmented, and ubiquitous information.”
Big data, the proliferation of information and the problem of processing it, was a big subject at Davos. I befriended a Brown University biology professor named Casey Dunn, whose specialty is data. He had a bushy brown beard and wore a brown suit, which made him stand out among the hundreds of men in dark Italian-cut suits. He thought, at first, that this was like any other conference he’d been to, albeit a little fancier, and with more celebrity sightings. Michael Dell wandered by. David Rubenstein, of the Carlyle Group, was talking to Jamie Dimon. “For instance, is that the Dalai Lama?” He pointed to a small throng, in the middle of which stood a bald man in saffron and burgundy Tibetan robes.
“You have to learn to relax, even though I’m creeping you out.”
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It turned out to be a French monk named Matthieu Ricard. He was another habitué of the Industry Partners Lounge. We connected there one morning. After getting a Ph.D. in molecular genetics in 1972, Ricard went to the Himalayas to study Tibetan Buddhism and reëmerged, two decades later, as a celebrity magus, thanks to his best-selling book “The Monk and the Philosopher,” a dialogue between him and his father, the philosopher Jean-François Revel. He now lives in Nepal, where he spends three months a year in silent isolation and, in his uptime, writes and translates books, oversees a hundred and ten humanitarian projects, and in general advances the cause of compassion. His participation in various brain studies has earned him the sobriquet “the happiest person in the world.”
“The sensory input here is too much,” Ricard told me. This was his fourth Davos. “I’ve heard some talk about rebuilding capitalism from scratch. It tells you something that they are even talking about this. But I’m not betting on it!” He went on, “There is a dilemma, to reconcile three time scales: in the short term, the economy; in the middle range, global well-being generally; and, in the long range, the environment.” He recalled some criticism of Davos of a kind voiced two years ago by Jody Williams, the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize winner. (“These guys just want to convince people that they care about others, which they don’t, and then get back to making money as fast as they can,” she said at a dinner.) “There are all kinds of people here,” Ricard said. “It’s not just economic and financial people. Maybe it’s for show, but I think it’s not.” He went on, “Look, we’re not speaking to the deaf. They can hear us.”
The question underneath it all, at least as it pertained to “improving the state of the world,” was: Can you change people, or must you change the people—that is, get new ones? “People very rarely change,” Platon told me. “What does change is the cycle of power. Power’s not yours to keep. You borrow it.”
“I’ve changed my mind,” Dunn, the bearded Brown data man, said when I ran into him later in the week. “It’s not like any other conference. Usually, you have to find the guy who can get you to the guy who can get you to the guy who can make a decision. Here we are several levels closer to the decider.” Earlier, a man had walked away from him mid-sentence, and he’d turned to see the man shaking hands with Ehud Barak. (I, too, encountered Barak, along with Shimon Peres, at a private Shabbat dinner—the “Davos within Davos,” as the host, a W.E.F. official, called it—at which Barak gave a rambling and pugnacious speech. “We must hold out our hand in peace,” he said, at one point. “But it should be the left hand.”)
On the last day, when I saw Dunn, he was wearing a dark suit, as though he’d finally succumbed to the place. “It’s like the emergence of Darth Vader,” he said. “I finally had someone explain it to me. Davos is actually tons of different meetings.” We reckoned that they overlapped, in a series of Venn diagrams that brought to mind the symbols for Audi (a Strategic Partner) or the Olympics (a distant cousin). He found it noteworthy that while the scientists were expected to present their ideas in terms that laymen could understand—“We’re expected to do science lite”—the economists and the financiers hadn’t indulged their scientific counterparts with any primer for the financial crisis or what was happening in Europe. This was, to his eyes, a sign that the scientists and philosophers were window dressing. “I never felt excluded,” he said. “But it suggests that ultimately this isn’t for us.”
Each year, Viktor Pinchuk, the Ukrainian oligarch and friend of Bill Clinton, hosts a panel discussion at Davos, under the aegis of his charitable foundation. Last year, he invited the artists Olafur Eliasson and Jeff Koons to discuss philanthropy with a moderator, the novelist and Davos regular Paulo Coelho. (A writer griped to me, as if addressing Schwab, “You know, Klaus, there are other novelists.”) This year, the subject was “e-philanthropy”—that is, using the Internet to raise money. Davosians streamed into the Schweizerhof Hotel. Reedy waitresses gave out glasses of juice and champagne. A couple of hundred guests filed into a ballroom, and Pinchuk stood. “This is Internet. We really believe to the power of Internet, when increasing the efficiency of philanthropy,” he said. “We have here the best possible panel, the best people, the best specialists who can speak about it.” These were the Internet entrepreneur Sean Parker, Google’s Eric Schmidt, the Russian investor Yuri Milner, and Alec Ross, the tech adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The moderator was Chelsea Clinton, who started off by addressing Ross: “Since you work for my mom, and I hope you’ll give her a good report . . .”
“I’m sure I will, Chelsea. You’re off to a good start. You’re doing a good job.”
“Aw, shucks, thank you,” she said, and then her face went serious. “Given all the tumult and these existential questions that are being asked around the world about what is the role of government, what is the role of philanthropy, as power is being argued about, fought over, redistributed . . .”
I looked around the room. Many of the people in the audience were on their BlackBerrys and iPhones. It seemed that Davos men and women attended sessions just to catch up on their e-mail—to take a break from talking to each other in order to e-mail each other about meeting up to talk later. There was considerable crowding at the rear of the hall. The back row is always popular for ease of exit.
Ross was saying, “If there was one lesson I’ve learned in the last three years working for your mom and being witness to significant shifts in power around the world, it’s that there is a significant shift in geopolitical power globally right now, from hierarchies, like the nation-state, to individuals and networks of individuals. This is something that’s being accelerated by increasingly powerful and ubiquitous information networks.”
Schmidt said something about giving people phones to empower them. This reminded Ross of an app that had enabled Africans to track the menstrual cycles of dairy cattle.
After a while, some people got up to leave. One was Saul Perlmutter, the astrophysicist. Another was a man named Murat Sonmez, an executive at the Silicon Valley software firm Tibco. Sonmez, like Arbess, had attended Perlmutter’s talk that morning, called “Dark Forces at Play.” He had been astonished by Perlmutter’s description of the acceleration of the expansion of the universe, about how every time scientists look at the night sky through a powerful telescope they see the vestiges of events that occurred billions of years ago.
They walked out together and headed down the Promenade, toward the Congress Hall. The sky had cleared. The mountains, newly covered in snow, sparkled beyond the rooftops. Snow misted down from the pines like pixie dust; now and then, as the sun warmed the boughs, clumps fell noiselessly to the street. Sonmez began to tell Perlmutter about Tibco and its expertise in sifting through and finding patterns in the acceleratingly expansive universe of digital data. Tibco had designed the data-sorting software for Amazon, Federal Express, Goldman Sachs, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, eBay, the airlines, and the Department of Homeland Security. “We can prevent blackouts,” Sonmez was saying. “We can predict when a gambler at a slot machine will cease to be happy.” He explained how Tibco, on behalf of Harrah’s, had designed a system that can figure out when a gambler is about to encounter a loss of such magnitude that it will cause him to leave the casino and perhaps never come back. The casino’s Luck Ambassadors will then offer the gambler a free meal or a ticket to a show (Tibco’s software having determined that there are otherwise empty seats to fill or excess inventory to slough off), and distract the gambler long enough to entice him to return later, to continue losing money in palatable increments. At the moment, he said, Tibco was building an engine that will mimic the way the human brain recognizes patterns.
Such wonders amazed even Perlmutter, a man who passes the hours considering the mysteries of the cosmos. It sounded like just the thing he’d been searching for. He spent his days engaged in a visual analysis of unstructured data—looking, as he put it, for a needle in a haystack. Perlmutter, who is at Berkeley, said that he would like to visit Tibco in Palo Alto and talk about ways in which Tibco might be able to help him understand the universe. Sonmez said that he would love to hire some of Perlmutter’s Ph.D.s. They exchanged cards, shook hands, and parted ways. ♦
Nick Paumgarten has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 2005.
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What is the term, of French origin, loosely translated 'into mouth', for using facial muscles and shaping the lips for the mouthpiece to play a woodwind or brass musical instrument? | Macclesfield Pub Quiz League: February 2011
Macclesfield Pub Quiz League
22nd Feb–Cup/Plate Semi Finals
Questions set by Plough Horntails and the Dolphin
1. How many hoops are used in the standard game of Croquet?
A, 6.
2. Which African kingdom was known as Basutoland before it gained independence in 1966?
A. Lesotho.
3. The work "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" is the textbook of which religious movement founded in 1879?
A. Christian Science.
4. What is the fruit of the Blackthorn called?
A. The Sloe.
5. How many countries sit on the full United Nations Security Council?
A. 15.
6. According to the book of Genesis, which land lay to the "east of Eden"?
A. The Land of Nod.
7. What is the name of the southernmost point of Africa?
A. Cape Agulhas
(note: The Cape of Good Hope is just south of Cape Town and is NOT correct).
8. Responding to a pressing issue in year 1095, what appeal did Pope Urban II make to Kings, Nobles and Knights in a sermon at the Council of Clermont?
A. Please help to regain the Holy Lands… the First Crusade. (Accept any answer relating to freeing Jerusalem from Moslems/ Mohammadens / Turks/ Saracens)
9. Who holds the post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union?
A. Baroness Ashton (Accept Catherine Ashton).
10. Which city was awarded the 1944 Summer Olympic Games?
A. London.
11. In which country did the Maoist organization the Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) operate?
A. Peru.
12. Which major city’s name translates into English as Fragrant Harbour?
A. Hong Kong.
13. In which country was the Granny Smith apple first grown?
A. Australia (in 1868)
15. Who was the architect of Coventry Cathedral?
A. Basil Spence.
16. Who opened an historic address to his people with the following, “In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself.”
A. King George VI (as taken from the King’s Speech)
17. Which car company makes the Alhambra model?
A. Seat.
18. Which car company makes a model called the Sirion?
A. Diahatsu
19. What is the Nationality of Stefaan Engels who set a World record on Saturday 5th February in Barcelona by completing a marathon every day for a year, a total of 9,569 miles?
A. Belgian.
20. Who wrote Memoirs of a Fox-hunting Man and Memoirs of an Infantry Officer, as well as collections of poetry?
A. Siegfried Sassoon.
21. Approximately what percentage of the planet’s surface is covered by Tropical rainforests?
A. 2% (but they are home to more than 50% species on Earth). Accept any figure less than 5%.
22. What is the name of the point on the Celestial sphere directly below an observer or a given position?
A. Nadir. (Note this is the opposite of zenith).
23. What is the term, of French origin, loosely translated 'into mouth', for using facial muscles and shaping the lips for the mouthpiece to play a woodwind or brass musical instrument?
A. Embouchure (origin, em = into, bouche = mouth) also accept embrasure.
24. In his 2011 memoir, ‘Known and Unknown’, which US ex-politician tries to deflect blame onto others including Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice, for Iraq War mistakes?
A. Donald Rumsfeld.
(The book title alludes to Rumsfeld's famous statement: "There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know..." The statement was made by Rumsfeld on February 12, 2002 at a press briefing addressing the absence of evidence linking the Iraq government with the supply of weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups.)
25. How many vertices (corners) has a regular dodecahedron (a dodecahedron is a 3D form with 12 faces)?
A. 20.
26. The Salmon River in Idaho, USA is known by what nickname, It is also the name of a 1954 film, whose title soundtrack was recorded by each of its stars, Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum?
A. The River of No Return (the Salmon River is only navigable downstream).
27. The reproduction method serigraphy, said to be based on the Japanese art of katazome, is better known by what name?
A. Silk-screen printing (or screen-printing).
28. British photographer Carl Warner's collection of landscapes went on display in London in October 2010. What did he use to create the landscapes?
A. Food.
29. Discovered by Ben Corson and Roger Stoughton in 1928, 2-chloro benzal malono nitrile is more commonly called what sort of gas?
A. C S Gas (from the names of its discoverers) Accept Tear Gas.
30. Which World War II leader was captured in April 1945 trying to flee to Switzerland with gold and looted Ethiopian sovereigns which became known as The Treasure of Dongo?
A. Mussolini (Benito Mussolini).
31. What were either of the first names of retailer F W Woolworth ?
A. Frank Winfield (the second was used as a brand name for this store).
32. Whisky, honey, oatmeal, cream and egg are the ingredients for which Scottish drink?
A. Atholl Brose.
33. Which British high street retailer started selling DNA / paternity tests over the counter in January 2011?
A. Boots.
34. The Bolton and England footballer Nat Lofthouse, who died age 85 in 2011, earned what nickname after his courageous match-winning performance in 1952?
A. The Lion of Vienna (the game was against Austria).
35. What was the name of the cyclone that struck Queensland Australia in early February 2011?
A. Yasi.
36. Which sea area is the most northerly of those used in the BBC radio shipping forecast?
A. South East Iceland.
37. In the TV series ‘Father Ted’, Mrs Doyle was the housekeeper and her role was described as ‘violently hospitable’. Her catchphrase was ‘Ah Go on, Go on, Go on, Go on, Go on…..’ etc’. Which actress played the part?
A. Pauline McLynn.
38. In the TV series ‘The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin’ which actor played the role of CJ whose catchphrase was ‘I didn’t get where I am today without ….. ?
A. John Barron.
39. Who was the Vice President of the USA for the whole of the period when Ronald Reagan was President?
A. George Bush (senior).
40. As of February 7th 2011, who is the UK Secretary of State for Defence?
A. Liam Fox
41. In the 1959 film ‘Some like it Hot’, what was the name of the character played by Marilyn Monroe?
A. Sugar Kane.
42. Also In the 1959 film ‘Some like it Hot’, which actor plays the part of the gangster ‘Spats’ Columbo?
A. George Raft.
43. Which county won the Clydesdale Bank 40 trophy, for UK 40-over cricket that was first held in the 2010 season?
A. Warwickshire Bears.
44. In which city of the USA is the sports ground called Wrigley Field?
A. Chicago (it is the home ground of the Chicago Cubs).
45. Which famous engineer’s factory is mentioned in ‘The Blaydon Races’
A. (William George) Armstrong.
46. A legacy of money from which engineer started Owen’s Park educational establishment in Manchester which ultimately became Manchester University?
A. Joseph Whitworth.
47. What’s the current name of the sea area that was called Heligoland up till 1956?
A. German Bight.
48. On March 17th 2003, what was the cause of the first ever standing ovation given by MPs in the House of Commons?
A. Robin Cook’s resignation speech (he opposed the invasion of Iraq).
49. In 2005, what caused Cherie Blair to say … ‘Honestly, what a load of fuss about trivia. It would be nice to be judged for who you are’?
A. The alleged £7,700 cost of her hairdos for the general election.
50. What is the name of the woman presenter who won her employment tribunal case against the BBC in January 2011 for wrongful dismissal based on ‘ageist’ reasons?
A. Miriam O’Reilly.
51. Which radio broadcaster has recently employed Andy Gray and Richard Keys after their removals from Sky Sports after their sexist comments about Sian Massey?
A. TalkSport.
52. The game in which Sian Massey was officiating on January 22nd 2011 was between Liverpool and which other football team?
A. Wolverhampton Wanderers.
53. In particular, what happened on Wall Street on at 2.45 p.m. on 6 May 2010?
A. The “Flash Crash” or the “2010 Flash Crash”. (Around 2:45pm the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged about 900 points only to recover those losses within minutes. It was the second largest point swing, 1,010.14 points and the biggest one-day point decline, 998.5 points, on an intraday basis in Dow Jones Industrial Average history. There are several possible reasons for the crash, one of which is the “fat-finger theory”).
54. What is considered the prime target of the Stuxnet Worm?
A. Centrifuges used in Iran for uranium enrichment. (Also accept: uranium enrichment, centrifuges, industrial control systems).
55. Howard Devoto and John McGeoch were members of which seminal Manchester band?
A. Magazine.
56. Which actress and singer starred in Derek Jarman’s film of “The Tempest”?
A. Toyah Wilcox (also accept Elisabeth Welch).
57. Which poet died and was buried at Skyros en route to battle in Gallipoli in 1915?
A. Rupert Brooke.
58. Where did Lord Elgin loot and destroy the Summer Palace?
A. Beijing (Peking).
(Lord Elgin was the son of the 7th Earl of Elgin who had obtained the Parthenon (Elgin) Marbles from the Ottoman authorities.)
59. Who is the current (as of 7th February 2011), Shadow Home Secretary?
A. Yvette Cooper.
60. Who wrote the Regeneration Trilogy of novels. (“Regeneration”, “The Eye in the Door” and “The Ghost Road”)?
A. Pat Barker.
61. By what name is Beethoven’s 5th Piano concerto popularly known in this country? (Though the name was not Beethoven’s).
A. The Emperor.
62. Complete this quotation, attributed (dubiously) to Oscar Wilde: “We have everything in common with America nowadays except, of course,.......”
A. The language.
63. In the past Penguin Books used to publish whole ranges of similar books under the name of a different bird. What bird gave its name to Penguin’s academic books, always published in blue cover?
A. Pelican.
64. What type of art form is made up of tesserae?
A. A mosaic.
65. In Greek mythology, what form did the god Zeus adopt in order to seduce Europa?
A. A bull.
66. During the war, “Operation Crucible” was the German code name for the bombing of which British city?
A. Sheffield. (Crucible – steel industry).
67. In which geological period did trilobites first appear?
A. Cambrian. (Also accept Atdabanian).
68. Which anti-art movement, which emerged during the First World War, took its name from a French childish word for hobbyhorse?
A. Dada, or Dadaism.
69. What do the following Shakespeare characters, who all appear in different plays, have in common? Feste, Touchstone, Trinculo, Costard, and Launcelot Gobbo.
A. They are all clowns, fools or jesters.
70. When a person or event has a brief moment of fame it may be described as “a flash in the pan”. To what activity does this metaphor refer?
A. Firing a musket. (Or, more precisely, mis-firing!).
71. The width of a ship at its widest point is known as what?
A. Beam.
72. Which was the last Scottish football club other than Rangers or Celtic to win the Scottish Premier League?
A. Aberdeen. (1984-85).
73. Who is the star of the Legally Blonde series of films?
A. Reece Witherspoon.
74. In terms of residence, what do Peru, Nutwood and the 100 Acre Wood have in common?
A. They are all home to fictional bears, respectively Paddington, Rupert and Winnie the Pooh.
75. What nickname was shared by the creator of Jeeves and Wooster, and the man who gave his name to the Warner stand at Lords Cricket Ground?
A. Plum. (For Pelham).
76. Why was Mark Kennedy in the national news lately?
A. The undercover policeman who infiltrated climate change protesters and then appeared to change sides.
77. In cooking what would beurre manié be used for?
A. Thickening stews or casseroles. (A mixture of butter and flour).
78. Who, in 1932, received the Nobel Prize for Physics for “the indeterminancy principle of quantum mechanics”.
A. Werner Heisenberg. (Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle).
79. Which actor appeared in all 295 episodes of the BBC sitcom The Last of the Summer Wine, from the first in 1973 to the last in 2010?
A. Peter Sallis. (Norman Clegg).
80. In which geological period did dinosaurs first appear?
A. Triassic.
81. Which former West Indian fast bowler had the nickname “the Whispering Death”?
A. Michael Holding. (Immortalised in the commentary “the bowler’s Holding the Batsman’s Willey”).
82. At which battle did Horatio Nelson put the telescope to his blind eye?
A. Copenhagen.
83. In a famous play, what are the characters Vladimir and Estragon doing?
A. Waiting for Godot.
84. In the acronym SIM, as in SIM card, what does the S stand for?
A. Subscriber.
85. What did the philosopher Sartre consider Hell to be?
A. Other people.
86. A character in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice shares a name with a character in Julius Caesar. What name?
A. Portia.
87. Who fell to an untimely death from the roof of his stately home in Ambridge on 6th January this year?
A. Nigel Pargeter.
88. The music hall entertainers Wilson, Keppel and Betty were famous for what act?
A. The Sand Dance.
89. Alyson Krauss, who recently released a joint album with Robert Plant, is better known for performing with her own band. What is it called?
A. Union Station.
90. Sue Ryder is a prominent name in the field of palliative health care, but who was her husband, also famous in the charity field and for other reasons?
A. Leonard Cheshire.
91. Which Commonwealth country is divided administratively into three counties, Cornwall, Surrey and Middlesex?
A. Jamaica.
92. Who plays Rooster Cogburn in the Coen Brothers 2011 remake of the film True Grit?
A. Jeff Bridges.
93. Which actress, who played Superman’s mother in film, died recently?
A. Susannah York.
94. Tschaikovsky’s 6th Symphony has the same name as Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 8, Opus 13. What is it?
A. Pathétique.
95. The first volume of which writer’s autobiography was published in November, 9010, 100 years after his death, in accordance with his wishes?
A. Mark Twain.
96. How many cards are required to play the game of Canasta?
A. 108. (2 full decks, plus 4 Jokers).
97. In ancient Greece a small piece of broken pottery was called an ostrakon. In politics, what were they used for?
A. Citizens wrote on them the name of anyone they wanted to be exiled. Hence the word “ostracism”.
98. Every Christmas The Guardian newspaper publishes the pretentiously obscure quiz set for the pupils of which Isle of Man school?
A. King William’ School.
99. What is the name of the political party founded in Israel in 1973 by Menachem Begin, and currently led by Binyamin Netenyahu?
A. Likud.
100. Which US city is served by Louis Armstrong Airport?
A. New Orleans.
101. Someone who puts in the maximum effort to achieve something may be said to be “pulling out all the stops”. To what activity does this metaphor refer?
A. Organ playing.
102. After spending only a few weeks at Saracens, which French Rugby club has Gavin Henson recently joined?
A. Toulon.
103. What name is given to the tube connection the pharynx to the middle ear?
A. The Eustachian Tube. (Also accept Pharyngotympanic Tube).
104. The King Cobra has an alternative name, which it shares with the tree Nymphs of Greek mythology. What is it?
A. Hamadryad.
105. The father of which TV comedienne commanded the ill-fated HMS Coventry during the Falklands War, being last to leave when it sank?
A. Miranda Hart.
106. In which of G. B. Shaw’s plays is a Salvation Army officer the central character?
A. Major Barbara.
107. The prize for winning the American Football Super Bowl is named after the coach of the Green Bay Packers, who won the first two. Who was he?
A. Vince Lombardi.
108. In which town do Wallace and Gromit reside?
A. Wigan.
109. Who, in 1935, received the Nobel Prize for Physics for discovering the Neutron?
A. Sir James Chadwick.
110. Which popular garden shrub has a name derived from the Greek for water vessel?
A. Hydrangea.
111. What distinctive method of painting is particularly associated with the French artist Georges Seurat?
A. Pointillism. (Applying colours in lots of tiny dots on the canvas, rather than mixing them beforehand).
112. American actress Linda Gray made her name in the role of Sue Ellen Ewing in Dallas. But what contribution did she make to the 1967 film The Graduate?
A. It was her seductively stocking-clad legs which appeared on the film posters. (Not those of female lead, Anne Bancroft).
113. In the wartime acronym ATS, what did the T stand for?
A. Territorial. (Auxiliary Territorial Service).
114. Which European capital city stands on the River Vltava?
A. Prague.
115. Who is the fictional proprietor of the satirical magazine Private Eye?
A. Lord Gnome.
116. The American writers and cousins Frederick Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee wrote crime novels under which pseudonym, which was also the name of their fictional detective?
A. Ellery Queen.
117. Where did James IV of Scotland die in 1513?
A. The battle of Flodden.
118. Who was the UK’s first female Foreign Secretary?
A. Margaret Beckett. (2006).
119. In which Dickens novel would you hear the message “Barkis is willing”?
A. David Copperfield.
120. Which former Thin Lizzie guitarist died earlier this month aged 58?
A. Gary Moore.
1. Who directed the film Black Swan released in late 2010?
A. Darren Aronofsky.
2. Who directed the film The King’s Speech?
A. Tom Hooper.
3. In the Booker Prize winner Wolf Hall, what is Wolf Hall?
A. The family home or seat of the Seymour family. (Accept the home of Jane Seymour).
4. Name one of the two authors who has won the Booker Prize twice. (Note to QMs: this is the straight Booker Prize, not the special awards like “Booker of Bookers” or “Best of Booker”).
A. J. M. Coetzee or Peter Carey.
5. What was the name of the US sitcom based on Steptoe and Son?
A. Sanford and Son.
6. What was the name of the UK sitcom based on the US sitcom Who’s the Boss??
A. The Upper Hand.
7. Who is the President of South Africa (as of 20th Feb.)?
A. Jacob Zuma.
8. Bertha Mason was the mad wife of which of Charlotte Bronte’s characters?
A. Mr. Rochester (in Jane Eyre).
9. Sagamore Hill in New York state was the home of which US President, who lived there from 1885 until his death in 1919?
A. Theodore Roosevelt.
10. Which was England’s first Garden City?
A. Letchworth.
Tie Breaker Question:
In view of the recent thread about ‘ageism at the BBC’, carry out the following calculation:
Multiply the age (as at February 7th 2011) of Miriam O’Reilly by age of Joan Bakewell by age of Arlene Phillips
and then divide the result by the age of Jennie Bond multiplied by the age of Gloria Hunniford .
Suggestion for question masters: Allow 2 minutes for responses and allow calculators to be used if both sides have them available.
Answer: (53 x 77 x 67) ÷ (60 X 70) = 273,427 ÷ 4,200
= 65.10
The team with the closest answer to this is the winner.
All ages used for this question are from the Guardian article on this topic on February 5th 2011 titled ‘Who are you calling Past it? Female Presenters fight back’.
Round 7 : Arts and Entertainment
Round 8 : This Green And Pleasant Land
Love is in the Air (A round inspired by St Valentine’s Day)
1. What nationality was legendary heartthrob Rudolf Valentino?
A. Italian
2 The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife. It took 21 years to complete. Give one of the years in this period of construction.
A 1632 to 1653
3 In which city was Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set?
A Verona
4 Who created the statue The Kiss?
A Auguste Rodin
5 The St Valentine’s Day Massacre, with a distinct lack of love in the air, was an attack by Al Capone on which of his rival gang leaders?
A Bugs Moran
6 Valentino Rossi, winner of 9 Motorcycle World Championships, has announced that he will ride which make of bike in 2011?
A Ducati
7 In which year was Captain James Cook killed on Hawaii on February 14th?
A 1779 (accept anything between 1774 and 1784)
8 Who played the female lead opposite Ryan O’Neal in the 1970 film Love Story?
A Ali McGraw
1. Who was the first woman in space?
A. Valentina Tereshkova
2 Which singer married Renate Blauel in Sydney on February 14th, 1984?
A Elton John
1. What did Leonard Rossiter pour over Joan Collins?
CINZANO
2. Who manufactures the “Ultimate driving machine”?
BMW
3. The painting, called “Bubbles”, as used in the Pears soap advert, was painted by whom ?
Sir John MILLAIS
4. In relation to which product did Ian Botham cause a stir by ordering three?
SHREDDED WHEAT
5. Which product is described as “Liquid engineering”?
CASTROL GTX
6. Which brand of soup was depicted in a famous painting by Andy Warhol?
CAMPBELL’S
7. Which was the first product to be advertised on ITV ?
GIBBS SR TOOTHPASTE (accept toothpaste)
8. In which year was the first advertisement on British TV?
1955 (allow 1 year either side)
Supplementaries
1. Which European football team this season has no shirt sponsorship and instead makes a donation to advertise UNICEF on its shirts ?
BARCELONA
2. Which company currently sponsors both Rangers and Celtic football teams ?
TENNENT’S LAGER
SPORT All these events have taken place this year
Which golfer was recently named as the European captain for the 2012 Ryder Cup ?
Jose Maria OLAZABAL
2. To whom did Andy Murray lose in the final of the Australian Open tennis tournament ?
Novak DJOKOVIC
3. In the January transfer window, which footballer was transferred from Sunderland to Aston Villa for £18 million ?
Darren BENT
4. England won the 5th and final test match against Australia by an innings and 83 runs, having made their highest ever innings score on Australian soil. How many runs did England score ? There is some leeway.
644 RUNS (allow 624 to 664)
5. The winner of the 2011 Snooker Masters tournament at Wembley and the runner-up in the Australian Open women’s singles final share which nationality ?
CHINESE (Ding Junhui won the snooker, Na Li was the defeated tennis player)
6. Why was Sian Massey in the news recently ?
SHE IS THE FEMALE LINESMAN/ASSISTANT REFEREE ABOUT WHOM ANDY GRAY MADE SEXIST COMMENTS, THUS GETTING HIM THE SACK FROM HIS JOB AS A FOOTBALL PUNDIT ON SKY SPORTS
7. The clear favourite to win a 5th consecutive King George VI Chase only finished 3rd in January to the winner Long Run. What was the name of that horse ?
KAUTO STAR
8. On January 19th at a Romford greyhound racing meeting something happened for probably the 1st time ever in a race. What ?
A THREE WAY DEAD HEAT
Supplementaries
S1. Which golfer was recently named as the American captain for the 2012 Ryder Cup ?
DAVIES LOVE III
S2. Why was footballer Jermaine Pennant’s Porsche featured in the news recently ?
IT HAD BEEN ABANDONED IN A STATION CAR PARK FOR 5 MONTHS AND HE’D FORGOTTEN HE’D BOUGHT THE CAR. HE EVEN LEFT THE KEYS ON THE DASHBOARD !!!
GEOGRAPHY
1. Which is the largest of the National Parks in England and Wales ?
LAKE DISTRICT
2. Which lake in the Lake District lies immediately south of Keswick ?
DERWENT WATER
3. Where in Cheshire is the National Waterways Museum ?
ELLESMERE PORT
4. Which city has the largest port in Europe ?
ROTTERDAM
5. Rotterdam is the 2nd largest city in The Netherlands. Amsterdam is the largest. Which city was formerly known as New Amsterdam ?
NEW YORK
6. York stands at the confluence of two rivers. Name either.
OUSE or FOSS
7. The Fosse Way links 2 cities in England. Name either.
EXETER or LINCOLN
8. Until 1974, Lincolnshire was split into 3 parts, each with their own administration. Lindsey and Holland were two. What was the third ?
KESTEVEN
1. Podgorica is the capital city of which European country ?
MONTENEGRO
2. Which country has the longest land border with Russia ?
KAZAKHSTAN
HISTORY
1. Which English king was buried next to his wife and son at Faversham Abbey, which he had founded with his wife Matilda in 1148?
STEPHEN
2. Which tax was introduced in England in 1662 to support the Royal Household of Charles II? It was abolished in 1689.
HEARTH TAX
3. What was the name of the first qualified female doctor in Britain?
ELIZABETH GARRETT ANDERSON
4. After declaring war on Russia on 1st August 1914, which country did Germany invade the next day?
LUXEMBOURG
5. Opened in 1863, what is the name of Britain’s oldest museum, which houses the "Alfred Jewel", a Saxon relic, possibly made for Alfred the Great?
ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM
6. Who in 1768, became the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts?
JOSHUA REYNOLDS
7. Buried in Rome in 1821, on whose gravestone are the words, “Here lies one whose name is writ in water”?
JOHN KEATS
8.What is the name of the British political regime of 1649-60 established by Oliver Cromwell?
THE COMMONWEALTH (accept The Protectorate although this was 1653 to 1659)
Supplementaries
9. Following the 'Mutiny’, which island did Fletcher Christian and his cohorts colonise?
PITCAIRN
10.Whose report led to savage railway cuts in Britain in the 1960s?
DR. BEECHING
1. Which product do you associate with the Gay-Lussac process?
SULPHURIC ACID
2. Who first demonstrated electro-magnetic inductance to the Royal Society in 1831?
Michael FARADAY
3. What drug occurs naturally in the bark of a willow tree?
ASPIRIN
4. Which city is the centre of the French aeroplane industry ?
TOULOUSE
5. The Spitfire aircraft was produced with 2 engines. Name either
(Rolls Royce) MERLIN or (Rolls Royce) GRIFFON
6. What name is given to the process of treating rubber with sulphur at great heat to improve elasticity and strength?
VULCANISATION
7. Which geological period comes between the Devonian and Permian periods?
CARBONIFEROUS
8. Rocks can be one of three types: metamorphic and sedimentary are two. What is the other?
IGNEOUS
1. Bora, Brickfielder and Levanter are types of what?
WINDS
2. Who was the last man to walk on the moon ?
EUGENE CERNAN
1 Which classic 1994 movie had leading characters called Vincent Vega, Mia Wallace & Zed?
A Pulp Fiction
2 Who were the British band whose albums in the late 1960’s included On the Threshold of a Dream and Days of Future Passed?
A The Moody Blues
3 La Pieta by Michelangelo, which was damaged by a lunatic with a hammer in 1972, can be found where?
A St Peter’s Basilica (in Rome)
4 In 2006 record producer and film maker David Geffen sold the painting “No 5, 1948” for $140 million, still the world’s most expensive piece of art. Who painted it?
A Jackson Pollock
5 In January 2011 who, at the British Comedy Awards, won Best Female Comedy Actress and Best New TV Comedy for her eponymous sitcom?
A Miranda Hart
6 Which classic 1979 movie had leading characters called Biggus Dickus, Mandy Cohen & Pontius Pilate ?
A The Life of Brian
7 Who were the British band whose 1970’s albums included Sheer Heart Attack and News of the World?
A Queen
8 Who was the host of the 2011 Golden Globes who was heavily criticised for being overly offensive to many of the stars present?
A Ricky Gervais
Supplementaries
1 Who has been nominated for the Best Supporting Actor for his role as Lionel Logue the voice coach in The King’s Speech?
A Geoffrey Rush
2 In which field of the arts is Ansel Adams a famous exponent?
A Photography
This green and pleasant land (Picture Round)
All of the pictures in this round are of tourist attractions in England, which feature on brown signs.
If anyone is visually impaired, use the extra supplementaries.
1. Anderton boat lift
3. Epstein’s St Michael and the Devil, Coventry cathedral (accept either)
4. Angel of the North, Gateshead
5. Eden Project, Cornwall
7. Mow Cop castle or folly
8. Tatton Hall
1. Cleopatra’s Needle Thames Embankment
2. Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth
1. The Monument in London is a memorial to what ?
THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
2. In which Lakeland town would you find the Laurel and Hardy museum ?
ULVERSTON
Worth Having a Look At
ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT
1/ Who wrote the children’s stories entitled PUCK OF POOK HILL?
ANS RUDYARD KIPLING.
2/ Which fictional doctor lived in the village of PUDDLEBY-ON-THE-MARSH?
ANS Dr DOOLITTLE.
3/ Which town, in Britain, has a brick monument called TRAIN, by David Mach, unveiled in 1997 and showing a life size brick steam train exiting a tunnel?
ANS DARLINGTON.
4/ What is the name of the hotel in The Archers radio series run by Caroline Sterling?
ANS GREY GABLES. (Oliver Sterling now deceased)
5/ Which Scottish novelist is commemorated by a 61 metre high monument in Princess street, Edinburgh.
ANS SIR WALTER SCOTT.
6/ What artists colour is made from the pigment gamboges?
ANS YELLOW (mustard yellow)
7/ The title of which classic American cop show refers to an event that took place in America in 1959?
ANS HAWAII FIVE-O (in that year Hawaii became the 50th state).
8/ Who painted the cartoon-style picture Whaam! Now in the Tate Gallery London?
ANS ROY LICHTENSTEIN.
SUP1 Rambo, played by Sylvester Stallone, has appeared in 4 films, what is his Christian name?
ANS JOHN.
SUP2 Which film distribution company was formed by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D W Griffith?
ANS UNITED ARTISTS
1/ Which American sport is played under the CARTWRIGHT rules.
ANS BASEBALL.
2/ Which sport generates the highest recorded ball speed of 204mph?
ANS GOLF (Jason Zuback’s drive, 2nd Pelota Jai Alai 188mph)
3/ Who was the first person to captain and manage a world cup winning team?
ANS FRANZ BECKENBAUER
4/ How many laps have to be completed in the Indianapolis 500?
ANS 200.
5/ Whose autobiography was entitled “Scoring at Half Time”?
ANS GEORGE BEST.
7/ Name the cricket coach found dead in his hotel room during the 2007 world cup?
ANS BOB WOOLMER
6/ Which famous American sports star was nicknamed “The Juice”?
ANS O J SIMPSON.
8/ “Stand up Pinocchio” is an autobiography by which Liverpool footballer?
ANS PHIL THOMPSON.
SUP1 In darts, what is the lowest number that cannot be scored with a single dart?
ANS 23.
SUP2 What colour hat does a water polo goalkeeper wear?
ANS RED.
Space, The Final Frontier
These are the questions of the Bowling Club “Pack Horse”
1. What links the Chuck Berry song Johnny B Goode with the Voyager space probe launched in 1971?
A It is included on a record of Earth sounds carried by the probe (in the event of being intercepted by Aliens)
2. Which book of the Old Testament did the Apollo 8 crew read from, on a broadcast to
Earth, whilst orbiting the Moon on Christmas Eve 1968?
A Genesis
3. Who was the first Briton in space?
A Helen Sharman.
4. What space first was achieved by Alexei Leonov on March 18th 1965?
A A space walk or E.V.A.
5. What was the name of the unsuccessful British space probe sent to Mars in 2003?
A Beagle 2 (Accept Beagle)
6. In which successful film did astronaut Jim Lovell have a bit part?
A Apollo 13 (he played the captain of the ship sent to pick the astronauts up. Tom Hanks played Jim Lovell, if you follow me)
7. The space centre at Kourou, French Guiana is owned by which organisation?
A The European Space Agency.
8. What was the name of the spaceship Yuri Gagarin was in when he made the first space
flight?
A Vostok 1 (accept Vostok).
Supplementaries
S1 In which year was the first Space Shuttle launched?
A 1981 (accept 80-82)
S2 Which Apollo 11 astronaut did not walk on the Moon?
A Michael Collins
1/ Which Chancellor of the Exchequer introduced Premium Bonds in 1956?
ANS HAROLD MACMILLAN.
2/ In which prison did John Bunyan write The Pilgrims Progress?
ANS BEDFORD GAOL.
3/ At 64, who, up until now, was the oldest heir apparent to accede to the British throne, (Prince Charles now being in his 63rd year)
ANS WILLIAM IV.
4/ What emblem was adopted by the Free French forces during WWII?
ANS THE CROSS OF LORRAINE.
5/ Which King of Ireland defeated The Danes at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.
ANS BRIAN BORU
6/ Dick Whittington was Mayor of London 4 times and under 3 monarchs, name one?
ANS RICHARD II, HENRY IV, and HENRY V. Mayor 1397/8 1398/9 1406/7 and 1419/20.
7/ Which king was threatened by the Rye House plot?
ANS CHARLES II
8/ “He is not a great man” said Herbert Asquith “he is a great poster”. Who?
ANS LORD KITCHENER.
SUP1 Which battle of the Spanish Civil War marked the final defeat and demise of the International Brigades?
ANS The BATTLE of the EBRO.
SUP2 Which British monarch was only crowned 11 years after becoming king?
ANS CHARLES II
1/ Where would you find an ABYSSAL PLAIN?
ANS. On the SEAFLOOR. (Adjacent to a continent 10 to 20,000ft deep.)
2/ Infamously known as STALINGRAD during the war, what is it’s
current name?
3/ In which body of water would you find The LEVANTINE basin?
ANS. The MEDITERRANEAN Sea. (Just off Cyprus.)
4/ If you travelled from Berkeley to Fort Bragg to Eureka, in which American state would you be in?
ANS. CALIFORNIA.
5/ If you travelled from St Petersburg to Clearwater to Tallahassee, in which American state would you be in?
ANS. FLORIDA
6/ On which parallel is a significant part of the American, Canadian border?
ANS. 49th.
7/ Which island is divided into six administrive regions called SHEADINGS
ANS THE ISLE OF MAN
8/ On the shores of which sea is the Pakistani port of Karachi?
ANS The ARABIAN SEA
SUP1 The Union Jack flag appears in the top left corner of the flag of which US state?
ANS HAWAII (the flag is one of the oldest in the world in continuous use)
SUP2 Which Arab country had a capital city known as Philadelphia up to the Byzantine period.
ANS JORDON (Amman)
COMICAL CHARACTERS
In this round you will be given the years of publication and 3 characters / story lines from a comic. All I need is the name of the comic concerned.
1/ 1937 – present. Korky the cat, Harry Hill, Tin Lizzie.
Ans. THE DANDY.
2/ 53 – 90 Beryl the Peril, Mickey the Monkey, Tricky Dicky.
Ans. THE TOPPER
3/ 19 – 29 and 50 – 65 The Silent 3, Bessie Bunter, The Storyteller.
Ans. SCHOOL FRIEND
4/ 38 – Present. Biffo the Bear, Ivy the Terrible, Roger the Dodger.
Ans. THE BEANO
5/ 56 – 90 Baby Crockett, Little Mo, The Banana Bunch.
Ans. THE BEEZER
6/ 58 – 2001 The 4 Mary’s, Little Miss Lonely, Ernie’s Girl.
Ans. BUNTY.
7/ 61 – 92 Alf Tupper, I Flew with Braddock, Gorgeous Gus.
Ans. THE VICTOR.
8/ 22 – 63 Wilson – Wonder Athlete, Wolf of Kabul, Limp along Leslie.
Ans. THE WIZARD.
Sup1/ 52 – 74 Paddy Payne, Robot Archie, Danger Man.
Ans. THE LION.
Sup 2/ 54 – 85 Roy of the Rovers, Bulldog Bryant, Dodger Caine.
Ans. THE TIGER.
Sup 3/ 50 – 69 PC49, Storm Nelson, Dan Dare !
Ans. THE EAGLE.
1/ What process is used to harden fats and oils in the manufacture of margarine?
ANS HYDROGENATION.
2/ Which cluster of blue stars is also known as the SEVEN SISTERS?
ANS THE PLEIADES.
3/ What metallic element is obtained from the ore Cassiterite?
ANS TIN.
4/ The use of which dangerous gas, known to kill white blood cells, was instrumental in pioneering chemotherapy in the 1940’s?
ANS MUSTARD GAS.
5/ What is Neptune’s largest moon?
ANS TRITON.
6/ What name did the Romans give to the hottest days of the year – July 3rd to August 15th – when the star Sirius is rising?
ANS DOG DAYS. (DIES CANIS)
7/ What name is given to the sugary substance exuded by aphids feeding on sap?
ANS HONEYDEW.
8/ What is the more common name for 2H2O or D2O.
ANS HEAVY WATER
SUP 1/ What does a Limnologist study?
ANS LAKES
SUP2/ What did the word Astronaut originally mean?
ANS STAR SAILOR
SUP3 What is the densest element?
ANS OSMIUM (followed by Iridium 0.1% lower)
Worth Having a Look At
You will be given the name of a well known artefact which has artistic or historical importance and you have to name the Museum, Gallery or Institution where you would have to go in the UK or beyond to see it (but don’t touch anything).
Q1. The Venus de Milo.
A The Louvre
Q3. The “Spirit of St Louis” aeroplane
A The Smithsonian (Institute or Museum)
Q4. Stephenson’s Original Rocket
A The Science Museum London
Q5. The Book of Kells.
A Trinity College Library Dublin (accept Trinity College)
Q6. The Mary Rose
Q7. A painting entitled “Going to Work”.
A The Lowry (Manchester)
Q8. The earliest surviving version of “Alice’s Adventures Underground”
A The British Library
S1. An item of clothing simply labelled “Mary Quant Mini Dress 1967”
A The Victoria and Albert Museum, or V &A.
S2. The original Prime Meridian.
A Greenwich Royal Observatory (accept Greenwich)
set by The Cock Inn Henbury
1. Which nation first gave women the vote?
NEW ZEALAND
2. Who played Mrs Peel in The Avengers?
DIANA RIGG
3. Who played Steed in The Avengers?
PATRICK McNEE
4. Which singer is known as The Queen of Soul?
ARETHA FRANKLIN
5. What was Lady Chatterley's first name?
CONSTANCE
6. What is the Star of India?
THE WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST BLUE STAR SAPPHIRE
7. Which is the most common non-contagious disease in the world?
TOOTH DECAY
8. What, in feet, is the stopping distance of a car travelling at 50mph?
175
9. What is the currency of Chile?
THE PESO
10. What is the chemical symbol for potassium?
K
11. Groucho, Harpo And Zeppo were three of the Marx Brothers, who
was the fourth?
12. Which year did the pound note cease to be legal tender?
1983
13. What year did the first public library open in Britain?
1847 (allow 1845-1850)
14. What did the F stand for in JFK?
FITZGERALD
15. Which musical term means quickly?
ALLEGRO
16. Who was Luke Skywalker's father in Star Wars?
DARTHVADER
17. Which is the earth's smallest ocean?
THE ARCTIC
18. How many lines are there in a Limerick?
5
19. Which tube-train line would you use to get to Heathrow?
PICCADILLY
20. In which year were the Olympics held in Mexico?
1968
21. Which of the Lake Poets had a sister named Dorothy?
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
22. Which plant is used to make linen?
FLAX
23. What is the maximum score possible in Ten Pin Bowling?
300 (12 strikes)
24. In which city is the Taj Mahal?
AGRA
25. What was the name of the dummy of Ray Allen ventriloquist?
LORD CHARLES
26. Who was Nelson's mistress?
LADY HAMILTON
27. How many cards are there in a Tarot pack?
78
28. What was a pedologist study?
SOIL
29. How long is a Dog Watch when at sea?
2 hours
30. What is a Culverin?
A TYPE OF GUN/CANNON
31. In which year was the formal abolition of the death penalty in
Britain?
32. What was the surname of Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde?
PARKER
33. Who was the first Tory Prime minister?
Earl of Bute
39. What is the name of the prisoner in The Birdman of Alcatraz?
Robert Stroud
40. In which of Charles Dickens's novels does Jarndyce appear?
Bleak House
41. Which is the largest National Park in Britain?
Cairngorms
42. In the TV comedy Rising Damp what was Rigsby's first name?
Rupert
43. Ruth Ellis was the last woman to be banged in England, whom did she kill?
David Blakeley
44. Who is the artistic director of the National Theatre?
Nicholas Hytner
45. By what name is Brian Robson Rankin better known?
Hank Marvin
46. . In Verdi's opera "Otello" how does Otello die?
Stabs himself
47. Where is Hellenikon airport?
Athens
48. . Cronus, the father of Zeus, was which Greek God?
Agriculture
49. In which 1996 film does Eddie Murphy play seven parts?
The Nutty Professor
50. . Who was Eric Arthur Blair?
George Orwell
51. What was the name of the first Carry on film?
Carry On Sergeant
52. Which creature nests in a fortress?
Mole
53. Which British city had the Roman name of Noviomagus Reginorum?
Chichester
54. What is the main constituent of the Earth atmosphere?
Nitrogen
55. What is the last (and unfinished) Charles Dickens novel?
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Earl of Bute
56. For which monarch was Hampton Court Maze built?
William III
57.. The adjective "taurine" relates to which animal?
Bull
58. Who said "Wine is sunlight held together by water"?
Galileo Galilei
59. Who did Alex Higgins beat to win the 1982 World Snooker Championship?
Ray Reardon
60. What is the state capital of Alaska?
Juno
61. What does a soldier keep in a frog?
Bayonet
62. What name is given to the negative electrode of an electrolytic cell?
Cathode
63. Which military dictator died on August 16th 2003 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the age of 78?
Idi Amin
64. In the motoring acronym OHC, what does the "C'stand for?
Camshaft
65. How many teeth does an elephant have?
4
66. How many valves does a trumpet have?
3
67. How many players are there in an Australian Rules football team?
18
68. What is the opposite of oriental?
Occidental
69. For what was Operation Z the codename in World War II?
The attack on Pearl Harbour
70. What is the process known by which plants make food using light?
Photosynthesis
71. Sardines and pilchards belong to which family of fish?
Herring
72. With which heavy metal band did Ozzy Osbourne come to fame?
Black Sabbath
73. . What is a cross between a Blackberry and a Raspberry?
Loganberry
74. What is a cross between an Orange, Tangerine and Grapefruit?
Ugli fruit
75. How is David Robert Jones better known?
David Bowie
76. How is Marie Mcdonald McLaughlin Lawrie better known?
Lulu
77. Who married Constanze Weber in 1782?
Mozart
78. Who married his cousin Maria in 1707?
Bach
79. Who plays the Archbishop of Canterbury in "The King's Speech"?
Derek Jacobi
80. Who was the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time?
Cosmo Lang
91. What shape is the pasta called Farfalle?
Butterfly or bow-tie shape
82. What shape is the pasta called Conchigilette?
Shell shaped
83. How is the mountain called Mont Cervin in French better known?
The Mattgerhorn
84. In which country is Mount Aconcagua?
Argentina
,85. In the Just William books, what is the name of William's sister?
Ethel
86. In Peter Pan, Wendy Darling has two brothers, Peter is one, what is the name of the other?
Michael
87. Which river flows through Carlisle?
Eden
88. Which river flows through Winchester?
Itchen
89. What is the name of the largest diamond ever mined?
Cullinen/Star of Africa
90. What does the name of the diamond Koh I Moor mean?
Mountain of Light
91. In a TV or film studio, what is a dolly?
Mounting for a camera
92. In the acronym BAFT A, what does the "A" stand for?
Arts
93. On which island is Mount Etna?
Sicily
94. What colour is the central line on the London Underground?
Red
95. Who was the Queen of the Greek gods?
Hera
96. Who was the Greek Messenger of the gods?
Hermes
EAST, WEST, HOME’S BEST
DUPLICATES
HISTORY – MURDER MOST FOUL
This bloodthirsty round seeks the names of victims of some notable assassinations
1) Which Israeli Prime Minister was assassinated in Tel Aviv on the 4th November 1995 as he left a meeting in support of the Oslo Peace accords?
YITZHAK RABIN
2) Which Tory politician was assassinated by a car bomb as he drove out of the Palace of Westminster on 30th March 1979?
AIREY NEAVE
3) Which Irish soldier and politician was assassinated on the 22nd August 1922 in an ambush as he drove back to Cork City during the Irish Civil War?
MICHAEL COLLINS
4) Which Swedish Prime Minister was assassinated as he walked home from a cinema in Stockholm on February 28th 1986?
OLAF PALME
5) Which Egyptian President was assassinated in Cairo on 6th October 1981 as he took the salute during a military parade?
ANWAR SADAT
6) Which SS General was assassinated in Prague on the 27th May 1942?
REINHARD HEYDRICH
7) Which Indian Prime Minister was assassinated by two of her bodyguards on 31st October 1984 as she was about to be interviewed by Peter Ustinov?
INDIRA GANDHI
8) Which Soviet politician, soldier and revolutionary was assassinated in Mexico City in August 1940?
LEON TROTSKY
SUPPLEMENTARIES
9) Which crusading journalist was assassinated as she sat in her car at traffic lights near Dublin on 26th June 1996?
VERONICA GUERIN
10) Which South African Prime Minister was assassinated in Parliament in Cape Town on 6th September 1966?
HENDRIK VERWOERD
Sport
1 In football in which decade was the first substitute called on in a Football League match
= 1960s (1965)
2 Which jockey shot himself in 1886 at the age of only 29 having already won 13 successive jockey championships?
= Fred Archer
3 On which course will the 2011 Open Golf championship be held?
= Royal St Georges at Sandwich (accept either)
4 The rugby union World Cup will be held in New Zealand in 2011. How many nations will compete?
= 20
5 Which player won the Golden Ball award as the best player at the football World Cup tournament held in South Africa in 2010?
= Diego Forlan (of Uruguay)
6 In athletics who has held the men’s 400 metres world record for over 10 years?
= Michael Johnson
7 Roger Federer holds the record for the most consecutive weeks ranked men’s number one in the official tennis rankings. For how many weeks was he at number 1?
= 237 (allow 217 to 257)
8 On which track did Sebastian Vettel win the 2010 world drivers championship?
= Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi (accept either)
Supplementaries
1 Which team won the rugby league grand final in October 2010?
= Wigan Warriors (beat St Helens)
2 Which version of the world heavyweight championship does David Haye hold?
= WBA (World Boxing Association)
1 Which African country has the capital Maseru?
= Lesotho
2 The Nubian Desert lies within which modern country?
= Sudan
3 Which motorway connects the M60 with Manchester and Salford city centres from the west?
= M602
4 In which country is the town and holiday resort of Bodrum?
= Turkey
5 Catania is a main town and airport on which island?
= Sicily
6 Part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park also lies within which other county?
= Cumbria
7 Which French city is the capital of the Acquitaine region?
= Bordeaux
8 What is the county town of Wiltshire?
= Trowbridge
1 What is a moraine?
= Mound or ridge formed by a glacier
2 How long in miles is the Great Wall of China?
Latest estimate (from Wikipedia) is 5,500 miles. Accept 5,200 to 5,800
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
1 Which American composer wrote the music to the 1938 ballet “Billy the Kid”?
= Aaron Copland
2 John Hamm is the star, and Matthew Weiner the creator of which recent TV series set in 1960’s America?
= Mad Men
3 Which Verdi opera is based on Dumas’ novel “La Dame Aux Camellias”?
= La Traviata
4 Which music did Tchaikovsky write to commemorate the battle of Borodino?
= The 1812 Overture
5 Who wrote the novel “Birdsong”, set in World War I, and the recent best seller “A Week in December”?
= Sebastian Faulks
6 Which artist painted “The Light of the World”?
= Holman Hunt
7 Highclere Castle featured as what, in a TV series shown in 2010?
= Downton Abbey
8 Who wrote the poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade?”
= Alfred Lord Tennyson
9 What is the name of the title music/theme tune to “The Archers”?
= Barwick Green
10 Give the next line in this song:
“Let the wind blow high, let the wind blow low,
Down the street in ma’ kilt I’ll go!
All the lassies shout, “Hello!” ………………..
= “Donald! Where’s your troosers?”
SCIENCE & NATURE
1 What is a gecko?
= A Lizard
2 What is a young beaver called?
= Kit
3 What ancient scent comes from the bark of the commiphora tree?
= Myrrh
4 Which astronomer coined the term “Big Bang”?
= Fred Hoyle (1915-2001)
5 What is the chemical symbol for silver?
= Ag
6 Which of the senses is missing if you suffer from anosmia?
= Smell
7 What is the average resting heart rate per minute in men?
= 68 (Accept 65 to 70)
8 In which year did the Chernobyl nuclear power station incident occur?
= 1986 (Accept 1985 to 1987)
SUPPLEMENTARIES
9 What is the PV system of converting solar energy into electrical energy?
= Photo-voltaic
10 The kittiwake is a species of which family of birds?
= The Gulls
GOING TO THE MOVIES
From the details given, name the famous film.
1 Comedy directed by Robert Hamer in 1949 starring Dennis Price as a homicidal social outcast, and Alec Guiness as the aristocratic relatives who stand between Price and his seat in the House of Lords.
= Kind Hearts and Coronets
2 World War II story directed by Robert Aldrich in 1967 about a bunch of psychos and misfits, assembled to kill senior German officers on the eve of D-Day. Donald Sutherland, Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson star.
= The Dirty Dozen
3 Thriller directed by Joel Coen in 1996 in which a car dealer hires a pair of inept criminals to kidnap his own wife. When things go wrong, Francis McDormand (as the Sherriff) investigates.
= Fargo
4 Horror/sci-fi directed by Ridley Scott in 1979. Sigourney Weaver plays Ripley, who is the only survivor of the crew of the “Nostromo” after it picks up an unwelcome passenger on its return to Earth.
= Alien
5 Directed by Barry Sonnenfield in 1997, this comedy thriller stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as members of a top secret US Government agency which polices extra-terrestrials in USA
= Men in Black
6 Directed by Mike Hodges in 1971, in which Michael Caine plays a London gangster who travels to Newcastle to investigate his brother’s death, and confront a Tyneside racketeer played by John Osborne. There is also a memorable cameo appearance by Britt Ekland.
= Get Carter
7 A musical version of the Collette play about the making of a Parisienne courtesan played by Leslie Caron. Directed by Vincente Minnelli in 1958, with script and score by Lerner and Lowe.
= Gigi
8 Musical directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly in 1952. Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor dance and sing in a story about the coming of sound to Hollywood
= Singing in the Rain
SUPPLEMENTARIES
9 Directed by Robert Neame and Irwin Allen in 1972, Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine and Shelley winters fight for survival in a luxury liner submerged upside down in the Mediterranean.
= The Poseidon Adventure
10 Russell Crowe stars in an historical epic directed by Ridley Scott in 2000, as a Roman general betrayed by the vicious emperor Joachin Phoenix. Sold into slavery, he returns in triumph before his inevitable death.
= Gladiator
EAST, WEST HOME’S BEST;
A “POT POURRI” of LOCAL INTEREST
1 How many miles is it necessary to sail to complete the Cheshire Ring (of canals)?
= 97 (Accept 95 to 99. Do not accept 100.)
2 According to the 2010 handbook, how many National Trust locations are in Cheshire (East and West)? (NB. Where places have multiple attractions such as Quarry Bank Mill, count these as a total of ONE for this question.)
= 13 (Accept 12-14) (Alderley Edge, Bickerton Hill, Bulkeley, Hare Hill, Helsby, Little Moreton Hall, Lyme Park, Maiden Castle, Nether Alderley Mill, Oakmere Hill Fort, Peckforton Hills, Quarry Bank Mill, Tatton)
3 There is a town called Macclesfield in Australia. In which state does it lie?
= South Australia (Pop. 350!)
4 There are 2 National Nature Reserves in Cheshire. Wybunbury Moss is one. What is the other?
= Rostherne Mere
5 Which number junction of the M56 is the most common to use for Manchester Airport?
= Junction 5
6 In which year did The RHS have its first show at Tatton Park?
= 1999 (Accept 1998-2000)
7 Near which local town would you find Prince’s Incline and Lady’s Incline?
= Poynton
8 What is the number of the Macclesfield to Buxton (Cat & Fiddle) road?
= A537
9 Which is the highest peak in Cheshire?
= Shining Tor
10 Which metal was mined at Alderley Edge?
= Copper
DUPLICATES
This round involves words that have two meanings, e.g.: NOGGIN: a small tot of spirits and a slang word for your head
1) This word can describe both a the nickname of a swashbuckling movie character and a US state
= INDIANA
2) This word can describe both a type of cabbage and a famous London hotel
= SAVOY
3) This word can describe both a high Chinese official and a type of fruit
= MANDARIN
4) This word can describe both a type of loaf and a mistake
= BLOOMER
5) This word can describe both a Turkish dynasty and a type of upholstered bench or stool
= OTTOMAN
6) This word can describe both a wise man and a variety of herb
= SAGE
7) This word can describe both a kitchen utensil and an exclusive news story
= SCOOP
8) This word can describe both part of a human foot and a fish
= SOLE
9) This word can describe both a suit of cards and a type of weapon
= CLUB
10) This word can describe both a military vehicle and a receptacle for holding fish
= TANK
SET BY THE KNOT KNOW-ALLS
1
| Embouchure |
Which European country found itself without a government from June 2010 into 2011 because of failed coalition talks between its seven political parties? | The Friends of Chamber Music by Sunflower Publishing - issuu
issuu
2013-14
38th season
Table of Contents 6 2013-14 Concert Schedule 10 Welcome from Cynthia Siebert 11 Welcome from the Board Chair 13 The Venues 16 Pre-Concert Lecture Schedule
Cover Art
22 FORTE Film Series
Title: Carlo Broschi, called Farinelli Artist: Bartolomeo Nazzari (1699-1758) Date: 1734 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 141 x 117 cm (estimate) © Royal College of Music, London
24 Mission and Values
17 The Live Concert Experience 18 Ticket Information 20 Soirée 2013
104 Special Thanks 106 Contributors 110 Glossary 120 Ad Index
Concert Programs and Notes 26 Vladimir Feltsman, piano 32 Blue Heron 40 Pacifica Quartet 46 Jordi Savall and Hespérion XXI 52 Tallis Scholars 60 Horszowski Trio 62 Garrick Ohlsson, piano 68 Sō Percussion 70 Venice Baroque Orchestra and Philippe Jaroussky 80 Arnaldo Cohen, piano
Publisher: Sunflower Publishing Editor-in-Chief: Cynthia Siebert Editors: Marcy Chiasson and Dr. Lee Hartman Associate Editors: Tricia Kyler Bowling, Robert Holland, & Amy Inderlied Program Annotator: Laurie Shulman, Alexandra Coghlan, Manuel Forcano, Ellen Hargis, Scott Metcalfe, and Jacqueline Minett Advertising Sales: Sunflower Publishing Content Design & Layout: Amy Inderlied Advertising Layout: Sunflower Publishing
The Friends of Chamber Music Staff Cynthia Siebert Founder and President Tricia Kyler Bowling Director of Development Marcy Chiasson Director of Marketing and Public Relations Robert Holland Director of Production and Artist Services Amy Inderlied Customer & Creative Services Manager
88 Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Contact The Friends
4635 Wyandotte, Suite 201 Kansas City, Missouri 64112 Telephone: 816-561-9999 Fax: 816-561-8810 www.chambermusic.org
38th season 2013-14
Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor (February 14, 2014)
2013-14 Season SEPTEMBER
Vladimir Feltsman, piano Master Pianists Series Friday, September 27 | 8pm Folly Theater $35-$25; $15 for 18 and under
OCTOBER Blue Heron
Early Music Series Saturday, October 12 | 8pm Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception $30; FREE for 18 and under General Admission
Pacifica String Quartet
International Chamber Music Series Saturday, October 26 | 8pm Folly Theater $30-$20; FREE for 18 and under
Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI International Chamber Music Series and Early Music Series Thursday, October 31 | 8pm Folly Theater $40-$30; FREE for 18 and under
DECEMBER Tallis Scholars
Friday, December 13 | 8 pm Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception $30; FREE for 18 and under General Admission
Live performance.
JANUARY
Horszowski Trio
Co-presented with the UMKC Conservatory of Music & Dance International Chamber Music Series and Music Alliance Series Thursday, January 23 | 7:30pm White Recital Hall - UMKC $25
Garrick Ohlsson, piano Master Pianists Series Friday, January 31 | 8pm Folly Theater $35-$25; $15 for 18 and under
FEBRUARY Sō Percussion
Co-presented with the UMKC Conservatory of Music & Dance Music Alliance Series Wednesday, February 5 | 7:30pm White Recital Hall - UMKC $25
MARCH
Master Pianists Series Saturday, March 8 | 8pm Folly Theater $35-$25; $15 for 18 and under
APRIL
Akademie Für Alte Musik Berlin International Chamber Music Series and Early Music Series Friday, April 11 | 8pm Folly Theater $40-$30; FREE for 18 and under
Benjamin Grosvenor, piano Master Pianists Series Friday, April 25 | 8pm Folly Theater $35-$25; $15 for 18 and under
Venice Baroque Orchestra and Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor Co-presented with The Performing Arts Series at JCCC International Chamber Music Series and Early Music Series Friday, February 14 | 8pm Yardley Hall - JCCC $40-$30
Special thanks to our sponsors:
the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
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It motivates.
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from the
president and founder
Dear Friends, Be moved, be astonished, be present We often talk about the on-going conversation—the great conversation—that takes place at every FCM concert, where our hearts and minds expand as the music connect us to a larger world. For a couple of hours, time stops and is measured differently. All of the sounds of our daily lives are put aside and we focus our full attention on the sound of another time, another place, another voice, another life. The Master Pianists Series opens with the legendary Russian, Vladimir Feltsman, who defied the Soviet Union for years before his unexpected release to the west, followed by our own legend, Garrick Ohlsson, who defied Europe’s expectations when he became the first American ever to win the Chopin Competition in Warsaw. Latino élan meets German precision in the artistry of the charismatic Brazilian pianist, Arnaldo Cohen, and Britain’s 20-year-old wunderkind, Benjamin Grosvenor, will take your breath away. When the great conversation embraces diverse cultures from around the world, it often creates stunning surprises and moments of rare, imaginative insights. Imagine a string quartet comprised of four people, one of whom hails from Pakistan, another, a blend of Russian and Hungarian heritage, yet another of Norwegian and Japanese parentage and, lastly, an Icelander. What we will hear from the Pacifica Quartet as they create a dialogue between two of the greatest avant-garde pieces of the 19th and 20th centuries: Beethoven’s Great Fugue and Schnittke’s third string quartet? Or when an Indian cellist, Japanese pianist and an American violinist join forces in the Horszowski Trio, they create a piano trio unlike any you’re likely to have heard before. The great conversation becomes a debate when we present two Baroque chamber orchestras—one from Venice, the other from Berlin— each with programs that compare music from the German and Italian schools. The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin does so with instrumental master works of that period, while the Venice Baroque Orchestra reframes the discussion with vocal music featuring the French countertenor and superstar, Philippe Jaroussky, singing arias from the two greatest operatic rivals in history: Porpora and Handel. Sometimes we almost lose great conversations from the past, which makes the research and retrieval of great Renaissance masterpieces, unearthed and re-imagined by Blue Heron and the Tallis Scholars all the more precious. Sometimes the conversation is cast in a different voice, which will be ours to hear when the highly-innovative ensemble Sō Percussion performs on the Music Alliance series. The great conversation gets even bigger when Jordi Savall brings us an illuminating program of music from the Balkan Peninsula under the Ottoman Empire (see map, p.?). To further enrich this particular conversation, we join the NelsonAtkins Museum of Art in a new partnership to compliment their show entitled Echoes: Islamic Art and Contemporary Artists, which runs August 31-April 27. Look for other lectures and activities that will surround this series of events on our website. We hope you cannot resist our invitation for you to join us in the great conversation, for you will add your own unique contribution to the mix. And what better way to do this? Nowhere else in our city will you hear music of this breadth and depth. These are thought-provoking programs, where artistic excellence and intellectual insight are enticingly intertwined. Experience the gift of the great conversation that can only happen through live performance and you, too, will be moved and astonished—but only if you’re present. Warmest regards,
Cynthia Siebert President & Founder
the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
from the
chair
of the board Dear Friends, I am pleased to welcome you to the 38th season of The Friends of Chamber Music, which continues the grand tradition of superb music on an intimate scale with both internationally renowned and up-and-coming headliner artists from around the globe. The Friends is delighted to maintain its devotion to presenting the world’s finest musicians in a lovely aura of performance venues in downtown Kansas City including beautiful churches evocative of the early music series, and the area’s venerable concert venue – The Folly Theater. The splendor and fine acoustics of these environments will only add to your experience of the exquisite music. I encourage you, also, to take advantage of the innovative supplemental programs which The Friends offers throughout the season. These visual, intellectual and educational programs will enhance your concert-going experience: the FORTE Film Series, panel discussions, master classes, pre-concert lectures, and the Music Alliance Series with the UMKC Conservatory and a new partnership concert with the Performing Arts Series at JCCC are all wonderful ways to broaden your understanding of the genre. In addition, the Young Friends program expands accessibility to classical music, especially for young people, through several programs, including free tickets for students 18 and younger. Clearly, the focus of The Friends is not solely on providing great music, but to further its appreciation by all. My husband and I have been attending FCM concerts for thirty years, and have delighted in sharing these performances with our children and friends. When we receive FCM’s brochure, we immediately put every concert date on our calendar and plan on attending. No matter what the ensemble or repertoire – we know it will be excellent! I am very proud to be involved with The Friends. Thank you for your support of this outstanding series. Very truly yours,
Nancy Lee Kemper Chair of the Board of Directors
Board of Directors Nancy Lee Kemper Board Chair
David M. Eisenberg Vice Chairman and Treasurer Cynthia Siebert President Dwight Arn Secretary Tom Bowser Scott Martinsen Patricia Miller
Finance Committee
Endowment Oversight Committee
David M. Eisenberg, chair Joseph T. Fahey Nancy Lee Kemper Harold J. Nicholson Christy Peterson Dale W. Young
William Coughlin Nancy Lee Kemper Janice Newberry Gary Smith Joshua Sosland
Board Liaisons, Endowment Committee J. Scott Francis and Patricia Cleary Miller
38th season 2013-14
11
There’s Magic Just Down the Road
Come Visit Lawrence. Just 40 short miles from Kansas City, where big-city sophistication meets college-town charm.
Rich in hisToRy, it offers World Class Museums and attractions.
Find out more and book your hotels at
visitlawrence.com
You will see why it’s called one of AMeRicAs MosT AuThenTic MAin sTReeTs when you visiT hisToRic DownTown. Offering Eclectic boutiques, sidewalk cafes and restaurants, and one of kind galleries... soMeThing foR eveRyone! The nighT coMes To life every night of the week with Rock, blues, jazz and everything in between.
the
venues Please note: Because of other events downtown, there may be times when the garages are full, and you may be directed to another parking area by the attendant. Please plan your trip accordingly.
FOLLY THEATER
300 West 12th Street | Kansas City, MO 64105 Parking is available in the garage west of the theater for $8-$10. For a donation of $150 to the Folly Theater, patrons receive the benefit of complimentary parking next to the Folly. For details, call the Folly Theater at 816.842.5500.
YARDLEY HALL - JCCC CAMPUS
12345 College Blvd | Overland Park, KS 66210 The Carlsen Center is on the campus of Johnson County Community College at the southwest corner of College Boulevard and Quivira Road in Overland Park, Kansas. The main entrance is on College Boulevard at Oakmont Street. Parking will be free for the February 14th concert co-sponsored by the Performing Arts Series at JCCC and The Friends of Chamber Music featuring the Venice Baroque Orchestra with countertenor Philippe Jaroussky. If you have any questions, please call the JCCC Box Office at 913.469.8500. The closest place to park is in either the East or West Carlsen Center parking garage.
CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 416 West 12th Street | Kansas City, MO 64105 There is limited parking in the church parking lot on the east side of the building. Paid parking is available at a variety of downtown lots.
WHITE RECITAL HALL - UMKC CAMPUS
4949 Cherry | Kansas City, MO 64110 Free parking is provided in the lot adjacent on the east side of White Recital Hall and in the multi-tiered garage west of White Recital hall at Oak Street and 51st for evening and weekend performances.
TIVOLI CINEMAS 4050 Pennsylvania Avenue | Kansas City, MO 64111 Free covered parking is available in the Manor Square Parking Garage which can be entered off of Pennsylvania Avenue or Mill Street. The main pedestrian entrance is on Pennsylvania. Look for the Tivoli sign above the doorway. Free surface parking is also available in the lot just east of the front door on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Want up-to-date information on downtown parking for upcoming events? Sign up for our e-newsletters. The week of a concert, we send updated information on local parking, parking fees, the possibility of heavy trafffic near the venue, and links to suggested area restaurants to help make your concert experience truly enjoyable. To sign up, visit www.chambermusic.org and click on E-News.
38th season 2013-14
13
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Pre-concert
Lecture series
Pre-Concert Lectures are FREE for concert ticket holders. All lectures begin at 7 pm the evening.
OCTOBER 12 - Blue Heron
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Subject: New music from old manuscripts: The Peterhouse Partbooks (c. 1540) Lecturer: Scott Metcalfe of Blue Heron
October 26 - Pacifica Quartet
Folly Theater - Shareholder's Room Subject: The Wonder of the String Quartet This “quartet” of musicologists will discuss the possibilities that exist in the string quartet medium, using the three works on this concert as source material. Lecturers: Dr. William Everett, Dr. Andrew Granade, Dr. Erika Honisch, Dr. David Thurmaier, UMKC Musicology and Music Theory faculty members
October 31 - Jordi Savall and Hespérion XXI
Folly Theater - Shareholder's Room Subject: Convergences of Music, Art and Belief in the Balkans under the Ottoman Empire Lecturers: Dr. Erika Honisch, Medieval Music Dept, UMKC; Professor Ali Asani of Harvard University, Kimberly Masteller and Jeanne McCray Beal, curators of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
DECEMBER 13 -Tallis Scholars
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Subject: A Conversation with Peter Phillips of the Tallis Scholars Lecturer: Peter Phillips of the Tallis Scholars
January 31 -Garrick Ohlsson, piano
Folly Theater - Shareholder's Room Subject: Fantasies and Sonatas Using Mr. Ohlsson’s program as inspiration, this talk will explore the connections between a fantasie, which is supposed to be free and spontaneous, and a sonata, which is characterized by careful planning and detailed processes. Lecturer: Dr. William Everett, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
FEBRUARY 14 Venice Baroque Orchestra with Philippe Jaroussky
Polsky Theatre, Carlsen Center at JCCC Subject: Period Performance and Music of the Italian Baroque Lecturer: Dr. Paul Laird, Musicology Dept. at University of Kansas
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April 11 - Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Folly Theater - Shareholder’s Room Subject: The Worlds of the Baroque Concerto Drs. Everett and Honisch explore the dualities in the concerto genre in terms of national origin (Germany, Italy) and styles (one soloist, multiple soloists, and the entire ensemble). And highlight the chamber music qualities associated with the form during the Baroque period, and as performed by the Akademie für alte Musik Berlin this evening. Lecturers: Dr. William Everett and Dr. Erika Honisch, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
April 25 - Benjamin Grosvenor, piano
Folly Theater - Shareholder’s Room Subject: The Joy of Personality: Character Pieces for Piano Distinctive moods and approaches make character pieces some of the most appealing works for solo piano. Taking inspiration from Benjamin Grosvenor’s program, this talk will explore some of the possibilities inherent in world of character pieces. Lecturer: Dr. William Everett, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
It takes great audiences to make great artists. - Walt Whitman
Your Guide to Live performance Welcome to today’s live performance. No matter the quality of a compact disc, and regardless of opportunities to hear “virtual” concerts on the Internet, nothing can replace the exhilaration of experiencing a live performance. Chamber music concerts, especially, provide audiences the opportunity to participate in a unique musical event, where the energy is unpredictable and always affected by those in attendance. We hope the following notes, reminders and rules of etiquette help make today’s concert one you’ll remember for a lifetime. Enjoy! What if I arrive late? Latecomers are asked to remain in the lobby and not enter the hall until the first work is completely finished and the audience is clapping. There are no exceptions to this rule. The ushers will prompt you when it is time to enter, and you may then quietly enter the hall and take a seat nearest the door. What if I need to leave during the performance? When possible, please wait for the end of a piece to leave the concert hall. Of course, if you need to leave the hall at once due to an emergency or an incessant cough, please do so as quietly as possible.
Pacifica Quartet ( see p. 40)
Other Notes and Reminders If you wish to receive future mailings from The Friends of Chamber Music, please leave your name and address at the box office, call our offices during business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) or visit our website at www.chambermusic.org. Patrons needing wheelchair seating or other assistance are asked to notify the box office when ordering tickets. Smoking is prohibited at all concert venues. Food and drink, including bottled water, are not permitted in the concert hall. Lost articles may be claimed at the box office, or at the offices of The Friends of Chamber Music. Programs and artists are subject to change.
Is it okay to cough? Extraneous noise does affect the musicians on stage and those around you. The Friends of Chamber Music provides free cough drops in an effort to keep distractions to a minimum. These are available in the lobby by the doors; please take only what you expect to use during the concert. It is advisable to unwrap the cough drop before the work begins. No matter how quietly you attempt to remove the wrapper, it will cause some annoying rustlings that are sure to distract those seated around you. When should I clap? Most musical works consist of a series of movements, and it is at the end of the last movement that audiences applaud the musicians. Still unsure? Follow along in your program, watch for the musicians to completely lower their instruments, or wait until others around you begin clapping. Are children welcome at concerts? If you are using this concert to introduce a young person to fine music, Bravo! We welcome young people to our concerts and have many students in our audience. However, as a general rule, we ask that children 12 years and younger be accompanied by an adult. It is a good idea to talk about concert etiquette before the performance begins, ensuring the best experience for all. Please note that infants and children less than six years old are not allowed at concerts. What if there is an emergency? Should a medical emergency arise, please contact an usher or a Friends of Chamber Music staff person. May I photograph the performance? No. Cameras (including cell phone cameras), recording equipment and flashlights all are prohibited in the concert hall. What about cell phones, watches and other electronic devices? For the enjoyment of all, please ensure that all electronic devices are turned off. I’m on call and must keep my pager with me at all times. If your pager or mobile phone can be placed on vibrator mode, please do so before the concert begins. However, if you have an audio pager and are on call, please check your pager with the box office. Your pager will be monitored during the performance, and you’ll be notified immediately of any pages. Please note that your seating assignment may be changed to accommodate such an emergency. 38th season 2013-14
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Ticket Information → How to order
1. Mail: 4635 Wyandotte, #201, Kansas City, MO 64112 2. Phone: 816.561.9999 or toll-free 877.MY.SEATS 3. Choose your seats online: www.chambermusic.org Cash, checks and all major credit cards acccepted.
→ Box office hours
Season Hours: Monday—Friday, 9 am–5 pm Summer Hours: Monday—Thursday, 9 am–5 pm On Location: 90 minutes before the start of the concert
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All sales are final. There are no refunds.
Ticket exchanges are free for series subscribers up to 48 hours before the performance.
There are no exchanges for single tickets.
If you are unable to attend a concert, please return your tickets to The Friends 24 hours before the concert. You will receive a tax deduction letter for your donation.
For questions, email [email protected] Follow Us on Twitter: Follow us on Twitter and get up-to-date information on artists and concerts.
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BOX OFFICE SCHEDULE
You may purchase and print tickets online up to 30 minutes before a performance (excluding Music Alliance concerts or the Vencie Baroque Orchesta on February 14th) or by phone during office hours. Ticket orders that do not meet these criteria cannot be confirmed or guaranteed. You may also purchase tickets the night of the performance at the Box Office beginning 90 minutes before each performance. Student rush tickets (see explanation of discounts below) are sold 30 minutes before each performance at the box office window.
DISCOUNTS
Series Subscriptions are available at significant savings to you! For more information on series subscriptions, request a subscription brochure or visit us online at chambermusic.org. Rush Tickets: College students with a valid student ID receive a special rate of $15 per ticket beginning 30 minutes prior to each concert. Senior citizens (60+) are also eligible for this rush discount. This discount is not applicable for Music Alliance Concerts or the Vencie Baroque Orchestra on February 14. Group Sales: Adult groups of 10 or more receive a special rate of $20 per ticket to all The Friends’ concerts. Please contact the box office manager at 816.561.9999 for more information. This discount is not applicable for Music Alliance Concerts or the Vencie Baroque Orchestra on February 14. Young Patron Incentives: We offer FREE tickets to students 18 and younger to most concerts on the International Chamber Music and Early Music Series. Master Pianists Series tickets for students18 and under are only $15 each. This discount is not applicable for Music Alliance Concerts or the Vencie Baroque Orchestra on February 14. Piano Teacher/ Student Discount Piano Teachers and Students can purchase the entire Master Pianists Series for $50-$60. Please call 816-561-9999 for more details.
Employee Share Discounts: If your employer participates in our Employee Share Program, you may pay as little as half of the total single ticket price (your employer pays the balance.) Call The Friends of Chamber Music or check our website for a current list of participating companies. Ask for information on how your company can become part of our Employee Share Program! Our Partners: • Cerner Corporation • D.S.T. Systems, Inc. • State Street Other Employee Discounts: UMB employees can purchase tickets for 20% off the regular ticket price. This may not be combined with any other promotion or discount.
EXCHANGES/REFUNDS
Exchange privileges: If you are a series subscriber and are unable to attend a performance on your subscription series, you may exchange your tickets for a different performance. All exchanges must be made within the same season and you must call The Friends of Chamber Music at least 48 hours before the performance. Tickets are non-refundable. If you are not a subscriber and unable to attend a concert and would like to release your tickets, we will mail you an acknowledgement of a taxdeductible contribution for the amount you paid for your tickets. To release your seats, please call The Friends of Chamber Music at least 48 hours before the performance. Lost tickets: If you have lost your tickets, please contact us at least 48 hours before the performance. We will hold reprinted tickets for you in Will Call. If you forget your tickets on a performance night, please see the Box Office Manager in the box office to reprint your ticket. *We ask that children under the age of 12 years be accompanied by an adult. Infants and children under six years old are not allowed at concerts.
38th season 2013-14
the friends of chamber music Benefit & Wine Auction
Soirée 2013
FCM Board Chair Nancy Lee Kemper and Jonathan Kemper
Larry Hicks with Cynthia Siebert, FCM President and Founder
Soirée, The Friends of Chamber Music's annual benefit, was held on May 11 at the Kansas City Country Club. Jennifer and Charles L. “Bud” Bacon were the honorary chairs. Guests enjoyed silent and live auctions and a performance by the Ariel String Quartet. Master of Wine and Master Sommelier Doug Frost served as auctioneer.
Honorary Chairs Jennifer and Charles L. “Bud” Bacon with their daughter Sarah
Soirée FCM Board Member Patricia Miller and Dan Miller
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Tuck and Susan Spaulding with Wendy Powell
2013
More scenes from Soirée 2013
photos by Stu Nowlin Imaging
Jane Chu, Kauffman Center for the Perdorming Arts
Ed Milbank and Beth Ingram
Dennis and Susan Marker
The Ariel String Quartet performed for the guests.
Save the date! Soirée 2014 will take place on Saturday, May 10, at Indian Hills Country Club. Visit www.chambermusic.org for more information.
Soirée W ine. M usic. Dinner.
2014
forte film series
forte
film series Returning for its fifth year, the FORTE Film Series is a delightful complement to The Friends’ renowned concert series. This season again brings two amazing films presented for FREE at the Tivoli Cinemas. Reserve your seats today! Call 816-561-9999 or RSVP at chambermusic.org.
Tivoli cinemas
4050 Pennsylvania Avenue | Kansas City, MO 64111 Free covered parking is available in the Manor Square Parking Garage which can be entered on either Pennsylvania Avenue or Mill Street. The main pedestrian entrance is on Pennsylvania. Look for the large Tivoli sign above the doorway.
FORTE Film Fan? Check out Tivoli Cinemas for more films celebrating the arts. Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 816-561-5222 for more information. Special thanks to Jerry Harrington and the Tivoli staff for making this possible.
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forte film series
Tous les Matins du Monde (1991) October 24 | Tivoli Cinemas |7pm
Tous les Matins du Monde is a seductive tale of music and passion set in provocative 17th century France. Academy Award® nominee Gérard Depardieu stars in a fascinating story filled with romance, lust, desire, devotion, revenge and intrigue. A reclusive composer and his two beautiful daughters’ lives are forever changed by a flamboyant young student who enters their lives. See for yourself why critics and audiences alike applauded this magnificent film and celebrated winner of 7 César Awards including Best Picture! The soundtrack was certified platinum (500,000 copies) and made Jordi Savall an international star.
Farinelli (1994)
February 4 | Tivoli Cinemas |7pm Set against the sumptuous world of 18th century Italian high art and music, this film is based on the life of Farinelli who became one of Europe’s most famous castrati. The story begins with two brothers, Ricardo Broschi and his younger sibling, Carlo. To preserve his beautiful voice, the 7-year-old Carlo undergoes surgery to become a “castrato.” This was a 200-year -old tradition which created glorious male singers with the vocal purity of young boys combined with the power of a grown man and the high register of a woman. Blessed with the “voice of an angel,” he embarks on a glorious journey of music and passion. A highly skilled performer who is also sensuously handsome, Farinelli quickly attains a quasi-mythical status in his own lifetime. But the jealousies caused by his celebrity status and the strained relationship with his brother as well as other artists of his time cast a shadow over Farinelli’s bright existence. And so, he chose a life of exile in Spain, thus ending one of the most illustrious — and colorful — vocal careers in history. Featuring the music of Nicola Porpora, Farinelli’s teacher, and Handel, much of the music in this film will be reperesented in the February 14th program co-presented by the Performing Arts Series at JCCC and The Friends of Chamber Music featuring the Venice Baroque Orchestra and countertenor Philippe Jaroussky.
38th season 2013-14
m i s s i o n a n d va l u e s
our
mission and values
→ Our Mission Statement
The Friends of Chamber Music is dedicated to providing the Kansas City community with the transformative gift of the world’s greatest chamber music played by the world’s finest artists.
→ Artistic Beliefs and Values of Live Chamber Music Performances: 1. Fulfill the human need for beauty, inspiration, and spiritual sustenance. 2. Nurture and refresh the soul and mind. 3. Bind a community together with shared values. 4. Stimulate the public imagination and provide a place where imaginations meet. 5. Engage the audience in a conversation that transcends geographic, cultural and time barriers. 6. Provide touchstones to illuminate everything from our own personal history to our national character. 7. Reflect upon the human condition, opening avenues for self-discovery and self-actualization. 8. Uphold the highest artistic standards of excellence and elegance, truthfulness and authenticity.
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What is
chamber music anyway?
CHAMBER MUSIC is classical music written for a small group of instruments or voices and performed in an intimate space. Chamber MUSIC is any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer per part. A “CHAMBER” can be a humble room or a grand salon, as long as it has an intimate atmosphere.
Dawn of Man
the muriel mcbrien kauffman master pianists series
VLadimir Feltsman, piano Friday, September 27
8 pm
The Folly Theater
HAYDN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Hob.XVI:46 Allegro moderato Adagio Finale: Presto SCHUBERT Sonata in A Minor, D. 537 (Op. Posth. 164) Allegro ma non troppo Allegretto quasi andantino Allegro vivace INTERMISSION LISZT
Ballade No. 2 in B Minor, S. 171
LISZT Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude (from Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, S. 173) SCRIABIN
Vers la flamme (Poème), Op. 72
The Master Pianists Series is underwritten, in part, by the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation Additional suport is also provided by:
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program notes
scholars agree that it dates from the late 1760s. We are able to verify the work’s authenticity because Haydn How unfortunate it is that Haydn composed literally listed it in the Entwurf-Katalog, a catalogue of works he began keeping in 1765.) dozens of keyboard sonatas – about sixty – yet only a small handful show up on concert programs. One is The opening Allegro moderato is noteworthy for more likely to hear a Haydn sonata at a student its delicate, precise ornaments and rhythmic intricacy. piano recital than in a The left hand, while varied, public venue. functions as a rhythmic stabilizer, while the right hand Tonight, Mr. Feltsman shifts its contour in almost bucks that tradition by every measure. Irregularity and bringing us one of Haydn’s disrupted textures abound; jewels. Like most serious several fermate (complete pianists who spend time with stops) add to the feeling the rich trove of Haydn’s of improvisation. keyboard music, he finds Sonata in A-flat Major, Hob.XVI:46 Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
in these works a completely different world from the better-known sonatas of Mozart. Haydn’s solo sonatas trace the transition from harpsichord to fortepiano in the second half of the late 18th century. While some of them are galant works with relatively modest technical demands and with an emphasis on pleasantness and charm for the amateur, others were clearly written to challenge the most accomplished players of the day.
Haydn’s Adagio, in the unusual key of D-flat Major, is the crown jewel of this sonata. The old-fashioned ‘walking bass’ of its opening bars functions almost like a chaconne, unfolding as a series of continuous variations. This is deeply expressive music that works beautifully on the modern piano. Haydn’s sudden changes of mood seem indebted to Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
The Galant style, with its good-humored themes, and Portrait of Haydn by Thomas Hardy, 1792 (Royal College of Music virtuosic passage work make Museum of Instruments) Haydn’s principal the presto finale a persuasive instrument was the violin; however, he was thoroughly closer. Haydn presents another full-bore sonata form, competent on the clavichord and harpsichord. As the with more attention to development than in his earlier newer fortepiano gradually replaced the harpsichord in sonatas. Twenty years after its composition, when the the 1780s, he navigated the transition smoothly. Most Viennese firm of Artaria published this sonata, it still of his keyboard sonatas were conceived for performance appealed to the public. It retains that appeal today. in private parlors, or perhaps semi-public salons, rather than what we think of today as public concert halls. Sonata in A Minor, D. 537 [Op. Posth. 164] The A-flat Major Sonata is an early example of Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828) a concert sonata: larger in scope, more expressive Something about the key of A at the piano resonated in content, with increased psychological weight to strongly within Schubert at the piano. Of his completed individual movements and the employment of a full keyboard sonatas, three are in A Minor and two are in A five-octave keyboard range. No autograph has survived, Major. There is no other duplication of key center among which makes precise chronology impossible, but most the remaining six sonatas. 38th season 2013-14
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program notes
In his songs, Schubert chose A Minor to set texts dealing with desolation and disenchantment, alienation and sometimes the despair of heartbreak or unrequited love. Since vocal lines are never far from Schubert’s writing in any medium, it is tempting to transfer those associations to his piano sonatas in the same key. His lyrical impulse, so at home with the Lied, worked well in the sonatas. In the early 19th century, sonatas were as important for the keyboard literature as symphonies were to the orchestra. Not until the 1820s did miniatures – bagatelles, nocturnes, impromptus, waltzes and other dances – begin to supersede sonatas as the vessel of choice for pianistic ideas. Schubert was one of the most prolific contributors to the genre in the first three decades of the 19th century. He started 23 sonatas, completing 13, three of them in his final year. His busiest year for cultivating the sonata was 1817. Most of the seven such works he undertook that year remained incomplete. (There’s more ‘unfinished’ to Schubert than that famous symphony!) This A Minor Sonata, published posthumously in 1852, is the earliest of those he completed which secured its place in the repertoire. Unusually concise for Schubert, the A Minor Sonata is less about display and virtuosity, and more about the music. It opens with a bold, tragic, symphonic Allegro, ma non troppo that looks forward to Bruckner in its insistence and repetitive patterns. Schubert maximizes contrast between his principal themes with a full bar of silence before introducing the second theme. When he does, it is in F Major, rather than C Major (the key that one would expect for a Sonata in A Minor.) Irregular phrase lengths, unusual modulations, and extended passages marked pp and ppp enhance the movement. The coda is ingeniously derived from the second theme. Schubert’s central Allegretto quasi andantino is a pre-echo of the finale to his ‘Great’ A Major Sonata, D. 959 (1828.) He used the same theme in both works, improving it in the later sonata, but its inherent beauty is readily apparent in this earlier version. Folklike simplicity fuses with classic Schubertian lyricism. The melody is legato, the accompaniment detached. Schubert’s structure for this E Major movement is a simple rondo with an unusual sequence of keys in the episodes.
The finale is also a rondo, merged with elements of sonata form. In 3/8 meter, it wants to feel dance-like, but the rondo theme is again tinged with tragedy. As in the first movement, dramatic silences add to suspense. The coda is short and relatively flashy, with a surprise ending. Ballade No. 2 in B Minor, S.171 Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Chopin and Liszt were the quintessential Romantic pianist-composers. They were nearly the same age: Chopin was born in 1810, Liszt a year later. Both of them came to Paris from a Central European country, Chopin from Poland via Vienna, Liszt from Hungary, near the Austrian border (his mother tongue was German.) Yet two artists farther apart in temperament can hardly be imagined. While the shy, introverted Chopin rarely performed, preferring the intimacy of the private salon, the extroverted Liszt sought the public spotlight and adulation, and toured extensively. His public performances launched the solo piano recital into a cultural phenomenon that survives to this day. A vain man, Liszt was the first to perform with the keyboard perpendicular to the stage front in order to show off his profile to an adoring public (hitherto, pianists generally performed with their backs to the audience, as an organist or harpsichordist would.) He was also the first to play recitals from memory. During their shared years in Paris during the 1830s, Chopin and Liszt were friends, despite the fact that they were in a very real sense rivals. Certainly they admired each other. When Chopin died of consumption in 1849, Liszt, who was then living in Weimar, immediately began writing a book about Chopin; it was published in 1852 and remains a moving tribute. Chopin’s influence is most apparent in Liszt’s cultivation of genres in which the Polish master excelled: études, polonaises, mazurkas, and ballades. Liszt composed his first Ballade in 1845, a work heavily indebted to Chopin and possibly intended as an homage; it was published in 1849. The Second Ballade that Mr. Feltsman plays tonight is a larger, more ambitious, and more successful work. It is contemporary with the magnificent B Minor Sonata and Liszt’s first experiments with symphonic poems. Like the Sonata, it adapts the sonata form with considerable
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program notes
freedom. The structure is significantly more complex than the essentially ternary form Chopin favored in his Ballades. It is almost as if Liszt had so many ideas left beyond his giant B Minor Sonata that they overflowed into this Ballade – which is, significantly, in the same key.
tower to join him in death. The tale has been popular in art and literature for centuries and was well known in 19th century settings by Keats, Schiller, Grillparzer, and Byron. A grand, dramatic work , the Second Ballade has an abundance of bravura moments. It opens with ominous chromatic runs in the sepulchral low register, with mysterious chords above presenting the main theme. We are meant to imagine Leander swimming from Abydos to Sestos. After a brief Lisztian interlude introducing a romantic theme in F-sharp Major, Liszt restates the rumbling music of the opening, but now a half step lower, in B-flat Minor. Such frequent tempo and key changes give the music a narrative, spontaneous feeling that is very much in keeping with the romantic ethos. At the same time, extreme contrast between the two principal themes conforms, with the classical tradition. As one would expect from a pianist of Liszt’s stature, the Ballade presents an array of technical and musical challenges. The pianist must execute extended passages of broken and interlocking octaves. Liszt also requires a sophisticated and challenging use of the sostenuto pedal to sustain chords while he weaves decorative figuration around those harmonies. The original conclusion to the Ballade was two pages of virtuosic wizardry in a Presto tempo at triple forte volume. Perhaps thinking of the legend that initially inspired the work, he revised his coda. In its final version, he transforms the main theme by setting it in the radiant key of B Major: a peroration for the doomed lovers, now united in eternity.
Portrait of Franz Liszt by Henri Lehmann, 1839 (Carnavalet Museum)
Ballades take their name from folk poetry and song. Chopin’s Ballades are loosely linked to the poetry of Adam Mickiewicz. Liszt’s Second Ballade is associated with the story of Hero and Leander. According to Greek legend, Hero was a priestess of Aphrodite who lived in a tower in Sestos, on the Tracian side of the Dardanelles. Leander, who dwelled in Abydos on the Greek side, swam the Hellespont every night to meet her, guided by a light she shone for him in her tower. One night during a storm, Hero’s light went out and Leander drowned. When his corpse washed ashore, Hero jumped from her
Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude (from Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, S.173) Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Liszt was a compulsive reviser. Many of his works, both piano and orchestral, went through multiple versions before he was satisfied. This was true of the cycle known as Harmonies poétiques et religieuses (Poetic and Religious Harmonies) which also had an unusually long gestation period. The earliest sketches, for a single movement, date from 1835; several of the pieces in the eventual set had their origins in the late 1830s. The concept of a unified cycle, however, did not take shape for more than a decade. Liszt did not permit its 38th season 2013-14
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program notes
LISZT AND LAMARTINE Alphonse de Lamartine’s 1820 collection Méditations poétiques established him as a central figure in French romantic literature. He conceived most of Harmonies poétiques et religieuses in Italy between 1826 and 1828, while attached to the French embassy in Florence. This collection of 48 poems was published in June 1830, and is widely considered to be Lamartine’s lyric masterpiece. Franz Liszt responded to Lamartine’s sentiments about nature, the spontaneity of the poet’s religious feeling, his rhythmic variety and rich imagery. Liszt place six lines from one of Lamartine’s poems as an epigraph to Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude. Many modern editions include the entire poem, a translation of which follows. Whence comes, O God, this peace which floods over me? Whence comes this faith with which my heart overflows? To me who, not long ago, uncertain, restless, And tossed on waves of doubt by every wind, Sought the good, the true, in the dreams of worldly sages And peace in hearts resounding with tempests? Scarcely have a few days brushed past my brow, And it seems that a century and a world have passed away, And that, separated from them by an immense abyss, A new man is reborn and begins again in me. The verse serves as a program for Liszt’s piano piece, which is effectively a symphonic poem for the piano. L.S.©2013
publication until 1853, at which point he had discarded some of the earlier pieces and made extensive revisions on those that remained. By 1845, when Liszt first blocked out the ten-movement collection, he had turned increasingly toward sacred works. Several of the Harmonies poétiques et religieuses have sacred or mystical names; a few are piano versions of his sacred choral pieces. The title of the larger work comes from the religious poetry of Alphonse de Lamartine, whose 1820 collection Méditations poétiques established the poet as a central figure in French romantic literature.
Albumin photograph of Lamartine by Nadar, 1856
Only half the Liszt’s Harmonies poétiques are related to Lamartine, but the connection is direct in No. 3, the Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude (God’s Blessing in Solitude.) Six lines of Lamartine’s poetry appear at the head of the score (see sidebar.) The atmosphere is tranquil as the luscious melody unfolds in the bass with a rippling accompaniment above. Liszt weaves intricate textures around his expressive theme. He treats the piano symphonically, but with more restraint and delicacy than in the Second Ballade. This music is lyrical rather than dramatic. The melody wants to float, gossamer-like, as if airborne on a summer breeze. The piece unfolds in several sections, including an Andante in D Major – a sort of slow waltz – and a nocturne-like section in B-flat Major in the middle. Liszt reserves his climaxes for the exquisite richness of F-sharp Major, which opens and closes the work. The English pianist John Ogdon points out that, in setting the Bénédiction in the key of F-sharp Major, used to denote religious devotion, Liszt foreshadows a choice that Olivier Messiaen would later chose for his own religious works.
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program notes
Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude was one of the composer’s personal favorites. He played it regularly for friends during his years in Weimar. Few pianists can navigate its glorious textures and sustain the transcendent mood. It is one of Liszt’s loveliest works for solo piano. Vers la flamme [Poème], Op. 72 Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) In many respects, Scriabin is the direct heir to Chopin. Like his Polish-French predecessor, Scriabin composed waltzes, mazurkas, preludes, études, nocturnes, and other smaller salon pieces. He composed almost exclusively for the piano, and was much admired as a pianist, particularly for the elegance of his pedaling. In his early works, one can easily hear Chopin’s influence and little Russian or Slavic imprint. One also hears shadows of Lisztian technique and Wagnerian harmony. In his later years, Scriabin composed in larger forms, including sonatas and some broader scale poèmes. The piano poème is a genre Scriabin made his own. The style of his poèmes is fragile and refined, with the occasional dazzling flight of fancy reminding us that he was a virtuoso pianist. These are futurist works, providing the transition in piano music from the post-romantic to the modern era. His last poème, Vers la flamme (1914) is constructed from the same mystic hexachord that underlies many of his late pieces. The six pitches – C, F-sharp, B-flat, E, A, and D, are constructed from fourths rather than triads. Extensive use of trills add to the exotic atmosphere. The late Vladimir Horowitz thought Vers la flamme prescient. When he recorded it in 1972, he told his producer at CBS records, “This is psychedelic music dealing with the mysterious forces of fire and the atom that can destroy all of humanity. Scriabin previewed a vision of the atom bomb.” Most listeners find its progression from quietude to radiance a journey of rapture, bordering on the ecstatic. Program Notes by Laurie Shulman ©2013
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Vladimir Feltsman
orn in Moscow in 1952, Mr. Feltsman debuted with the Moscow Philharmonic at age 11. In 1969, he entered the Moscow Tchaikovsky State Conservatory of Music to study piano under the guidance of Professor Jacob Flier. He also studied conducting at both the Moscow and Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Conservatories. In 1971, Mr. Feltsman won the Grand Prix at the Marguerite Long International Piano Competition in Paris; extensive touring throughout the former Soviet Union, Europe and Japan followed this. In 1979, because of his growing discontent with the restrictions on artistic freedom under the Soviet regime, Mr. Feltsman signaled his intention to emigrate by applying for an exit visa. In response, he was immediately banned from performing in public and his recordings were suppressed. After eight years of virtual artistic exile, he was finally granted permission to leave the Soviet Union. Upon his arrival in the United States in 1987, Mr. Feltsman was warmly greeted at the White House, where he performed his first recital in North America. That same year, his debut at Carnegie Hall established him as a major pianist on the American and international scene. A dedicated educator of young musicians, Mr. Feltsman holds the Distinguished Chair of Professor of Piano at the State University of New York, New Paltz, and is a member of the piano faculty at the Mannes College of Music in New York City. He is the founder and Artistic Director of the International Festival-Institute PianoSummer at New Paltz, a three-week-long, intensive training program for advanced piano students that attracts major young talents from all over the world. Mr. Feltsman’s extensive discography has been released on the Melodiya, Sony Classical, Musical Heritage Society, and Nimbus labels. His discography includes eight albums of clavier works of J.S. Bach, recordings of Beethoven’s last five piano sonatas and of the Moonlight, Pathetique and Appasionata Sonatas, solo piano works of Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Messiaen and Silvestrov, as well as concerti by Bach, Brahms, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Prokofiev. For more information visit http://feltsman.com Mr. Feltsman appears courtesy of Arts Management Group
38th season 2013-14
the friends of cha mber music endowment early music series
Blue heron Saturday, October 12
8 pm
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Scott Metcalfe, director Trebles Julia Steinbok Sonja Tengblad Shari Wilson
Means Jennifer Ashe Pamela Dellal Martin Near
Countertenors Owen McIntosh Jason McStoots
Tenors Michael Barrett Mark Sprinkle
Basses Paul Guttry Steven Hrycelak David McFerrin
Music for an English Cathedral LUDFORD
Votive antiphon: Ave cujus conceptio
SARUM PLAINCHANT Introit: Benedicta sit sancta trinitas Kyrie Deus creator omnium JONES
Gloria / Missa Spes nostra Credo / Missa Spes nostra INTERMISSION
HUNT
BYRD
Sanctus / Missa Spes nostra Agnus dei / Missa Spes nostra
This concert is underwritten, in part, by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund The Early Music Series is underwritten, in part, by The Friends of Chamber Music Endowment Funds Additional suport is also provided by:
the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
program notes
New music from old manuscripts
With this program Blue Heron continues its long-
But the brilliant choral institution at Canterbury would not last long. Henry died in 1547 and the Protestant Reformation that ensued took a dim view of such popish decorations as professional choirs and the highly sophisticated Latin music they sang. All the elaborate polyphonic music of late medieval English Catholicism became, at best, obsolete; at worst it was viewed as a gaudy ornament to a despicable ritual. Many musical sources were destroyed, and if a manuscript escaped deliberate destruction by zealots, it might have been subjected to other indignities as well:
range project of performing and recording long-unsung music from the so-called Henrician set of partbooks now residing at Peterhouse, Cambridge. The partbooks, originally five in number, contain a large collection of Masses, Magnificats, and votive antiphons. They were copied in the latter years of the reign of Henry VIII at Magdalen College, Oxford, by the professional singer and music scribe Thomas Bull, just before Bull left Oxford to take up a new position in the choir of Canterbury Cathedral. Within a very short time, Bull transcribed a great quantity of music in carefully checked, highly legible but plain copies that were clearly intended to be used for performance in church services, rather than for study or for presentation to a noble as a gift, an end that would demand decoration and fancy trimmings. Why did Bull copy so much music so quickly? He appears to have been acting on commission. The monastic foundation at Canterbury was dissolved by Henry VIII in April 1540, one of nearly a dozen great monastic cathedrals dissolved in 1539-41. Most were refounded in short order as secular (i.e. non-monastic) institutions, subject not to an abbot—a member of a religious order—but to a bishop and thus to the king as head of the Church of England. These reorganized cathedrals aspired to considerable more pomp and circumstance than their monastic predecessors, which typically did not attempt virtuosic polyphonic music, and so they sought to hire a large choir of professional singers, as well as to recruit choirboys for training. Bull appears among twelve vicarschoral on a list of the staff of the newly refounded Canterbury Cathedral. The first of the twelve is Thomas Tallis. There are also ten “queresters” (choristers, “quire” being the normal sixteenth-century spelling of the word) and their master. The new choral establishment required an entirely new library of up-to-date polyphonic repertory, which Bull provided, bringing with him about 70 works from Oxford.
A greate nombre of them whych purchased those superstysyouse mansyons [former monasteries], reserved of those librarye bokes, some to serve their jakes [privies], some to scoure their candelstyckes, and some to rubbe their bootes. Some they solde to the grossers and sopesellers…. Yea the universytees of thys realm are not all clere in this detestable fact…. I know a merchaunt man, whych shall at thys tyme be namelesse, that boughte the contentes of two noble lybraryes…. Thys stuffe hath he occupied in the stede of graye paper [wrapping-paper] for the space of more than these x yeares, and yet hath store ynough for as many yeares to come. Preface to The laboryouse Journey & serche of Johann Leylande for England’s Antiquities (1549)
Photo of Canterbury Cathedral
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Very few collections of church music survived. The main sources surviving from the entire first half of the 16th century are a mere three choirbooks, four sets of partbooks, and one organ manuscript. (Compare this paucity to, for example, the sixteen choirbooks owned in 1524 by a single establishment, Magdalen College, Oxford.) We do not know what happened to Bull’s five partbooks (one each for the standard five parts of early 16th century English polyphony: treble, mean, contratenor, tenor, and bass) between 1547 and the early years of the next century, but by the 1630s they had made their way to the library of Peterhouse, where they would survive yet another cataclysm of destruction, that wrought by the Puritans in the 1640s. Or, at least, some of Bull’s five partbooks survived. At some point the tenor book disappeared, along with several pages of the treble. Now, of the 72 pieces in the set, 39 are transmitted uniquely, while another dozen or so are incomplete in their other sources. The result is that some fifty pieces of music—a significant portion of what survives from pre-Reformation England—now lack their tenor parts, and some of these are also missing all or part of their treble. In the Peterhouse collection, music by the most famous masters of the early 16th century, such as John Taverner and Thomas Tallis, sits next to music by less celebrated, but nonetheless first-class composers such as Nicholas Ludford and Hugh Aston, and a number of wonderful pieces by musicians who have been virtually forgotten, for the simple reason that so little of their work survives: Richard Pygott, John Mason, Robert Jones, Robert Hunt and others. Some of these men cannot even be identified with certainty.
Nicholas Ludford (c 1490-1557) Ave cujus conceptio
Of the three composers on this program, only Nicholas Ludford has achieved any latterday fame, and his name is hardly a household word. Ludford was unquestionably a marvelous composer, but whatever fame he may enjoy today is largely due to the accidential preservation of much of his music. His Festal Masses, small-scale Lady Masses, antiphons, and one Magnificat can be found in four of the Peterhouse partbooks, which were copied at Oxford around 1540. The rest of his works are found in three other sources that were copied earlier, between the late 1510s and the mid-1520s, and are all connected in some way with Ludford’s place of employment for most of his working life, the Royal Free Chapel of St. Stephen in the Palace of Westminster. Ave cujus conceptio sets five stanzas on the Five Corporal Joys of Our Lady: her Conception, Nativity, Annunciation, Purification, and Assumption. The text was a popular one, printed in many books of Hours and set by several other English composers. Ludford’s antiphon is warm and genial, filled with cascades of melisma. Robert Jones (fl. 1520 -1535) Missa Spes nostra
We preface Robert Jones’s polyphonic setting of the Ordinary of the Mass—those items that are sung invariably at every Mass—with a plainchant Introit, the first item in the Proper of the Mass, which varies according to the feast being celebrated. The Introit Benedicta sit sancta trinitas is that created for Trinity We are able to sing the Peterhouse music today thanks to the extraordinarily skilled recomposition of the Sunday in the English Sarum rite, the liturgical occasion missing parts by the English musicologist Nick Sandon. suggested by the cantus firmus that underlies Jones’s Mass, the chant Spes nostra, which is an antiphon for (Sandon also pieced together the story of the genesis Matins on Trinity Sunday. The first item of the Ordinary, of the partbooks that I have discussed above.) Sandon the Kyrie, is also sung in plainchant, since Jones’s Missa completed his dissertation on the Peterhouse partbooks Spes nostra, as is usual in 16th century English use, in 1983, including in it recompositions of most of the does not include a Kyrie. The Kyrie chanted on Trinity missing lines; in the years since, he has been refining Sunday, Deus creator omnium, is an elaborately troped his work and gradually issuing it in Antico Edition. For version of the usual ninefold plea for mercy to God Robert Jones’s Missa Spes nostra and Nicholas Ludford’s Ave cujus conception, Sandon recomposed the entire tenor and Christ. Jones quotes the melody of the chant Spes nostra in its entirety in the tenor in every movement of line. In the case of Robert Hunt’s Stabat mater, both the Mass, and the chant’s striking first gesture, rising tenor and treble parts were entirely lost: thus fully twofifths of the polyphonic texture you will hear in this piece from the final of the mode (the first note, or tonic of the scale, its home base) through the triad above it, and up have been restored by Sandon in a brilliant feat to the seventh degree of the scale, is given to the treble of reimagination. (soprano) at the beginning of each movement. the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
program notes
As for Robert Jones himself, virtually nothing is known about his life except that he was a singer in the Royal Household Chapel from at least the summer of 1520 until about 1534. The Missa Spes nostra and a Magnificat (which you can hear on Volume 1 of our 5-CD series of Peterhouse repertoire) survive only in the Peterhouse partbooks; these works, plus the bass part of a three-voice song, are all that remain of the work of a highly skilled and inspired composer. Like the Magnificat, the Mass is full of supple melodies and lustrous harmonies. While sharing its musical grammar and vocabulary with Jones’s contemporaries like Tallis and Taverner, it is at the same time the unique creation of a mature composer with an unmistakeably distinct, individual voice, singing out to us from across a divide of more than four and a half centuries.
The Peterhouse partbooks are the only extant source of music by Robert Hunt, a composer even more obscure than Jones. Almost nothing is known about him and only two pieces by him exist. His Stabat mater is, as Sandon remarks, “remarkable for its eloquence, dignity and cohesiveness…in its overall effect, the music involves and moves the attentive listener rather than merely pleasing or impressing him. It fulfills admirably the task of the poem and the visual images traditionally associated with it of ‘arousing compassion for the Saviour.’” Vocal scoring and voice types
The five-voice scoring of pre-Reformation English polyphony employs four basic voice types: treble (sung by a boy with a specially-trained, higher voice), mean (usually sung by a boy with an ordinary voice, or by an adult male falsettist), tenor, and bass. Tenor parts Robert Hunt (early 16th century) are further divided into tenor and contratenor, the Stabat mater dolorosa latter a part written “against the tenor” and originally The text of Hunt’s Stabat mater draws on a wellin the same range. Beginning around 1515 to 1520 in known, 13th-century hymn to Mary, variously attributed England, the contratenor tended to lie slightly higher to the Franciscan Jacopone da Todi, Pope Innocent III, than the tenor. On the continent this bifurcation St. Bonaventure, and others. The original text comprises happened somewhat earlier: the higher part was called 20 paired tercets (a group of three lines rhyming together a contratenor altus, a “high part written against the or connected with triplets by a double or triple rhythm), tenor,” and eventually would be known simply as altus. but Hunt’s version of the poem corresponds to that set A contratenor was not a falsettist but a high tenor. The by other English composers in replacing many of the specialty flourished later in French Baroque opera, called later stanzas with pairs of quatrains. the haute-contre. Since we are not bound by the old ecclesiastical prohibition against men and women singing sacred music together, our treble parts are sung by women, rather than boys. 16th-century English choirs usually used boys on the “mean” line, the second from the top in the standard five-part scoring; on the Continent, an adult male falsettist was the norm for this range, and may have been an alternative in England. Our mean is sung by one male falsettist and two women. Contratenor, tenor, and bass lines are sung by high, medium, and low mens’ voices, respectively. Photo of Oxford, Magdalen College
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program notes
In its size and distribution, our ensemble closely resembles the one pre-Reformation choir for which we have detailed evidence of the distribution of voices used in an actual performance, as opposed to a roster of the singers on staff. This choir—that of the household chapel of the Earl of Northumberland in 1518—was divided exactly as ours is, 3/3/2/2/3 from top to bottom. Grand collegiate foundations such as Magdalen or cathedrals like Canterbury may have sung polyphonic music with larger forces. Magdalen College, between 1500 and 1547, generally maintained a complement of 16 boys and 9 or 10 men, and the refounded Canterbury staff list of 1541 includes 12 adult male singers and 10 boy choristers. I know of no evidence, however, connecting a particular complement or distribution of forces with an actual liturgical performance of a piece of English polyphony. As always, we are immensely grateful to Nick Sandon for his matchless skill in restoring this wonderful music and allowing it to sound anew, as well as for sending us Hunt’s Stabat mater in advance of its publication and providing us with a version of Ave cujus conceptio that has been somewhat revised from its publication in 1993. Program notes by Scott Metcalfe A thorough account by Nick Sandon of the history of the Peterhouse partbooks and his restoration work may be found in Volume 1 of Blue Heron’s CD series, Music from the Peterhouse Partbooks.
Blue Heron
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lue Heron is a professional vocal ensemble that combines a commitment to vivid live performance with the study of original source materials and historical performance practice. Blue Heron’s principal repertoire interests are 15th century English and FrancoFlemish polyphony, ranging from Dunstable and Du Fay through Ockeghem to Josquin; Spanish music between about 1500 and 1575; and neglected early 16th century English music, especially the rich and unexplored repertory of the Peterhouse partbooks (c. 1540.) Founded in 1999, Blue Heron presents its own series of concerts in Cambridge, Massachusetts and New York City; it has appeared as part of the Boston Early Music Festival, travelled all over the Northeast, sung at the Festival Mozaic in San Luis Obispo, California, performed with Piffaro in Philadelphia, at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, DC, and on the Music Before 1800 series in New York City. Blue Heron’s first CD, featuring music by Guillaume Du Fay, was released in 2007, to wide critical acclaim. A second CD, of music from the Peterhouse partbooks by Aston, Jones and Mason, was released in 2010. The Aston recording has received high praise from reviewers on both sides of the Atlantic, was featured in an article by Alex Ross in The New Yorker discussing new developments in the performance of Renaissance polyphony (January 10, 2011), was recently named WGBH’s CD of the month, and hit the Billboard chart. Scott Metcalfe, Music Director of Blue Heron since its founding in 1999, is a specialist in music between 1400 and 1750 whose career as a violinist and conductor has taken him all over North America and Europe. He holds a master’s degree in historical performance practice from Harvard University and is a lecturer in choral repertoire and performance practice at Boston University. In January 2010 he directed the Green Mountain Project in an all-star 400th anniversary performance of Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers at St. Mary the Virgin in Times Square which the New York Times called “simply terrific”; the production was revived in January 2011 for a sell-out crowd. For more information visit http://blueheronchoir.org
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t e xt s a n d t r a n s l at i on s
Ave cujus conceptio Nicholas Ludford Translation Š Nick Sandon 1993 Ave cujus conceptio, Solemni plena gaudio, Celestia terrestria Nova replet letitia. Ave cujus nativitas Nostra fuit solemnitas, Ut lucifer lux oriens Ipsum solem preveniens. Ave pia humilitas, Sine viro fecunditas, Cujus annuntiatio Nostra fuit redemptio. Ave vera virginitas, Immaculata castitas, Cujus purificatio Nostra fuit purgatio. Ave plena in omnibus Angelicis virtutibus, Cujus fuit assumptio Nostra glorificatio.
Ave cujus conceptio Nicholas Ludford Translation Š Nick Sandon 1993 Hail, thou whose Conception, filled with devout joy, makes heaven and earth replete with a new gladness. Hail, thou whose Nativity was our celebration, like the morning star, a dawning light preceding the sun itself. Hail, thou humble obedience, fertility without man’s intervention, whose Annunciation was our redemption. Hail, thou true virginity, spotless chastity, whose Purification was our purgation. Hail, thou filled with all angelic virtues, whose Assumption was our glorification.
Introit Sarum Plainchant Benedicta sit sancta trinitas atque indivisa unitas: confitebimur ei quia fecit nobiscum misericordiam suam. Benedicamus patrem et filium: cum sancto spiritu. Gloria patri et filio et spiritui sancto: sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in secula seculorum. Amen.
Introit Sarum Plainchant Blessed be the Holy Trinity and undivided unity: we will give thanks to him, for he has shown us his mercy. Let us bless the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, for ever and ever. Amen.
Kyrie Sarum Plainchant Deus creator omnium tu theos ymon nostri pie eleyson. Tibi laudes conjubilantes regum rex Christe oramus te eleyson. Laus virtus pax et imperium cui est semper sine fine eleyson. Christe rex unice patris almi nate coeterne eleyson. Qui perditum hominem salvasti de morte reddens vite eleyson. Ne pereant pascue oves tue Jesu pastor bone eleyson. Consolator spiritus supplices ymas te exoramus eleyson. Virtus nostra domine atque salus nostra in eternum eleyson. Summe Deus et une vite dona nobis tribue misertus nostrique tu digneris eleyson.
Kyrie Sarum Plainchant O God, creator of all things, thou our merciful God, have mercy. Singing your praises, O Christ, king of kings, we pray to thee, have mercy. Praise, power, peace, and dominion to him who is forever without end: have mercy. O Christ, sole king, born coeternal with the kind father, have mercy. Thou who saved lost humanity, giving life for death, have mercy. Lest your pastured sheep should perish, have mercy. Consoler of suppliant spirits below, we beseech thee, have mercy. Our strength, O Lord, and our salvation in eternity, have mercy. Highest and only God, grant us life, the gift of compassion to those whom you favor: have mercy.
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Gloria Robert Jones Gloria in excelsis deo, et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine deus, rex celestis, deus pater omnipotens. Domine fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. Domine deus, agnus dei, filius patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus dominus, tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum sancto spiritu in gloria dei patris. Amen.
Gloria Robert Jones Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all of good will. We praise you. We bless you. We adore you. We glorify you. We give thanks to you for your great glory. Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God the Father. Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son. Lord God, lamb of God, Son of the Father. Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Who takes away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Who sits at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are holy, you alone are the Lord, the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Credo Robert Jones Credo in unum deum, patrem omnipotentem, factorem celi et terre, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. Et in unum dominum Jesum Christum, filium dei unigenitum: et ex patre natum ante omnia secula. Deum de deo, lumen de lumine, deum verum de deo vero. Genitum non factum, consubstantialem patri: per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de celis. Et incarnatus est de spiritu sancto ex Maria virgine: et homo factus est. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato: passus et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas. Et ascendit in celum: sedet ad dexteram patris. Et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos: cujus regni non erit finis. Et in spiritum sanctum dominum et vivificantem qui ex patre filioque procedit. Qui cum patre et filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur: qui locutus est per prophetas. Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi seculi. Amen.
Credo Robert Jones I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God. Begotten, not made; of one being with the Father, through whom all things are made. For us and for our salvation he came down from Heaven. He was born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man. He was crucified for our sake under Pontius Pilate, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again, in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge both the living and the dead, and his kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. And I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. And I await the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Stabat mater dolorosa Robert Hunt Translation Š Nick Sandon 1993 and 2013 Stabat mater dolorosa Juxta crucem lacrimosa, Dum pendebat filius, Cuius animam gementem, Contristantem et dolentem Pertransivit gladius. O quam tristis et afflicta Fuit illa benedicta Mater unigeniti, Que merebat et dolebat Dum videbat et gerebat Penas nati incliti. Quis est homo qui non fleret Matrem Christi si videret In tanto supplicio?
Stabat mater dolorosa Robert Hunt Translation Š Nick Sandon 1993 and 2013 The grieving mother stood beside the doleful cross while her son hung there, and the sword went through her weeping soul, sorrowing and lamenting. Oh, how sad and afflicted was that blessed mother of the only-begotten, who sorrowed and lamented while she saw and experienced the sufferings of her illustrious son. Who is the man who would not weep if he saw the mother of Christ in such great anguish?
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t e xt s a n d t r a n s l at i on s
Quis non potest contristari Matrem Christi contemplari Dolentem cum filio? Eya mater, fons amoris Me sentire vim doloris Fac, ut tecum lugeam. Fac ut ardeat cor meum In amando Christum deum Ut illi complaceam. Stabat mater rubens rosa Juxta crucem lachrimosa Videns ferre criminosa Nullo reum crimine. Et dum stetit generosa Juxta natum dolorosa Plebs tunc clamat clamorosa, “Crucifuge, crucifige!” O quam gravis illa pena Tibi virgo pene plena, Commemorans preamena Jam versa in mesticiam. Color rose non est inventus In te mater dum detentus Stabat natus sic contentus Ad debellandum Sathanam. Per hec nata preamata Natum tuum qui peccata Dele cuncta perpetrata Deprecare dulciflue, Ut nostra tergens ingrata In nobis plantet firme grata, Per quem dando prelibata Prestet eterna requie. Amen.
Who would not be moved to compassion if he beheld the mother of Christ grieving with her son? Ah, mother, fount of love, make me feel the force of grief so that I may mourn with thee. Make my heart take fire in loving Christ the God that I may be pleasing to him. The mother stood, blushing red, beside the dolorous cross, watching him borne in ignominy who was guilty of no crime. And while the noble woman stood there beside her suffering son, the people cried out clamorously, “Crucify, crucify!” Oh, how intense was that grief to thee, maiden full of sorrows, remembering great happiness now turned into sorrow. No natural complexion was found in thee, mother, while fixed there thy son stood, thus intent on doing battle with Satan. For this reason, most beloved daughter, in sweet-flowing words beseech thy son, that he will cancel all sins that have been committed, so that, wiping away our unworthiness, he may plant worthiness firmly within us, and by giving us this aforesaid gift may bestow everlasting repose. Amen.
Sanctus William Byrd Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, dominus deus sabaoth. Pleni sunt celi et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini. Osanna in excelsis.
Sanctus William Byrd Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Agnus Dei William Byrd Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Agnus Dei William Byrd Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
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T h e W i l l i a m T. K e m p e r I n t e r n a t i o n a l c h a m b e r M u s i c s e r i e s
Pacifica Quartet Saturday, October 26
The Folly Theater
Simin Ganatra Sibbi Bernhardsson Masumi Per Rostad Brandon Vamos
violin violin viola cello
HAYDN String Quartet No. 63 in B-flat Major, Op. 76 No. 4, Hob. III:78 “Sunrise” Allegro con spirito Adagio Menuetto; Trio: Allegro Finale: Allegro ma non troppo SCHNITTKE String Quartet No. 3 (Played without pause) Andante – Agitato – Pesante INTERMISSION BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130 with Grosse Fuge, Op. 13 Adagio ma non troppo; Allegro Presto Andante con moto ma non troppo Alla danza tedesca: Allegro assai Grosse Fuge: Overture: Allegro; Meno mosso e moderato; Allegro Fuga: Allegro; Meno mosso e moderato; Allegro molto e con brio
This concert is underwritten, in part, by The Sosland Foundation. The International Chamber Music Series is underwritten, in part, by the William T. Kemper Foundation
Additional suport is also provided by:
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program notes
Beethoven is the common denominator in this evening’s thoughtfully constructed program. The Pacifica Quartet anchors its performance with Beethoven’s String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130, with the original finale, the mighty Grosse Fuge. Before intermission, they play two works with links to Beethoven. The finale to Haydn’s “Sunrise” Quartet foreshadows the analogous movement in Beethoven’s Quartet in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3, while Alfred Schnittke’s Third Quartet incorporates a quotation from the Grosse Fuge.
Despite its broad swath of music spanning nearly two hundred years, this concert demonstrates continuity in the western classical tradition – and the power of musical DNA. Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 76 No. 4, Hob. III:78 “Sunrise” Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) After Joseph Haydn returned from his second English trip in autumn 1795, he was unquestionably the most famous composer in Europe. In an era when life expectancy was much shorter than it is today, one of music’s great miracles is that Haydn lived so long, and continued to compose with such inspired mastery. During this final period in his creative life, he concentrated primarily on vocal works. Most important among them are his oratorios The Creation (1796-98) and The Seasons (1799-1801); the choral version of The Seven Last Words of Christ (1795-96); and a series of Masses written for the name-day of Princess Marie Hermenegild Esterházy, the wife of Haydn’s employer. Instrumental works from Haydn’s pen are less common during these years. The familiar Trumpet Concerto, Hob. VIIe:1 (1796) is a noteworthy instrumental exception. His incomparable symphonic cycle had concluded with the last three of the “London” symphonies, written for the English capital’s 1795 season. But the crown jewels of Haydn’s maturity among the instrumental compositions are certainly the last quartets.
Lithograph of Haydn by Wien, 1799
Nine quartets date from Haydn’s final productive years: six in Opus 76, published in 1799; two in Opus 77 (1802), and an unfinished final quartet from 1803, published in 1806 as Op. 103. The half-dozen in Opus 76 were commissioned by Count Joseph Erdödy, and have thus become known collectively as the “Erdödy” quartets; however, three of them have acquired their own nicknames and are well known to quartet enthusiasts. Op. 76, No. 2, in D Minor, is called the “Fifths” because its opening theme was built on intervals of fifths. Op. 76, No. 3 is subtitled “Emperor,” after its famous slow movement which was later adapted to become the Austrian national anthem. The quartet we hear this evening has long been known as the “Sunrise.” Its label aptly describes the graceful climbing melody Haydn 38th season 2013-14
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entrusts to the first violin in the opening measures, while the lower strings shimmer expectantly beneath its leisurely ascent. That theme rewards careful listening, for it constitutes the principal building block of the entire first movement. One of Haydn’s favorite techniques-and one of the easiest ways to distinguish between the music of Haydn and Mozart-is to reconfigure a first theme as a second theme in a sonata form movement. In this case, Haydn inverts the first theme in two ways: Not only does he turn the melody upside down, he also inverts the scoring. Thus, where the violin soared upward in the opening measures, the cello now takes the helm and meanders downward, with the upper strings accompanying its lyrical descent. Haydn’s means are amazingly simple, and the result is intoxicating. He spins more magic out of this pregnant theme in the development section, exploring its potential still further in a free recapitulation that introduces elements of variation.
fascinating bicultural background. He was born to German parents in an area of the former USSR that was once the German Republic of Volga. His father was a correspondent with a German-language newspaper published in the Soviet Union, which meant that the family traveled an unusual amount during Schnittke’s childhood. Although he taught for years in Hamburg in northern Germany, Schnittke also maintained a residence in Moscow. Many of Schnittke’s instrumental compositions grew out of his training in Soviet orthodox musical views. He wrote more than 60 film scores between 1961 and 1984.
The four movements of the “Sunrise” Quartet differ in the ways one would expect from a high classical period multi-movement instrumental work: in tempo, meter, key, and form. The slow movement is appropriately introspective; the minuet wellmannered, and the finale dotted with flirtatious French ornaments. What sets the movements of this quartet apart from the others in the Erdödy set is their overriding sense of serenity and good nature, a shared character that binds them in spirit without compromising the endless variety of Haydn’s imagination. Lest we settle too comfortably into the amiable dialogue of his democratic quartet writing, Haydn adds a splendid coda to the last movement, suddenly accelerating the tempo, not once, but twice. By providing this unexpected boost of momentum, he firmly plants one foot of this quartet in the nineteenth century. Surely his one-time student Beethoven had this finale in the back of his mind some ten years later when he devised the brilliant concluding coda to the fugue in his own Quartet in C Major, Op. 59, No.3. String Quartet No. 3 (1983) Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) From the 1970s until his death in 1998, Alfred Schnittke was regarded by many to be the most important living Russian composer. He had a
Portrait of Alfred Schnittke by Reginald Gray (1972) (Russian Academy of Music, London, U.K.)
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Musically, he acknowledged the influence of Gustav Mahler, Charles Ives, and the serialist music of Henri Pousseur. Spiritually, his journey was more complicated. According to his biographer Alexander Ivashkin, Schnittke’s father, was an atheist and both his parents endorsed Communist ideology.
tasto [bowing lightly over the fingerboard to produce a flute-like effect] and without vibrato; superimposed, urgent trills to create a buzzing effect; glissando passages and sliding pitches for tension and tonal uncertainty; playing sul ponticello [bowing close to the bridge, yielding a brittle, nasal timbre].
Although Schnittke worked extensively within the Soviet system, his relationship with the Soviet authorities was sometimes tense. Like Shostakovich before him, he was subject to stringent criticism in the official press. In the mid-1970s, Schnittke was wrestling with the importance of personal faith. This spiritual journey moved Schnittke to write more chamber music, a media that was to become so important to his personal and creative development. Ivan Moody has written: “Schnittke’s chamber music, as well as being a vehicle for his most intimate thoughts, also served as a kind of laboratory for refining procedures which were then used on a larger scale in other works.”
The basic material recurs in various guises throughout the quartet. Schnittke is a master at confounding our expectations. Consonant chorales descended from the Lasso snippet provide oases of repose, only to be interrupted by violent outbursts that take their impetus from Beethoven or Shostakovich. Dynamics shift frequently, ranging from pianissimo to quadruple forte.
The Third Quartet opens with three quotations that Schnittke identifies in the score: a cadence from the Stabat Mater of the Flemish Renaissance master Orlando di Lasso; the first two measure of Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, Op. 133 (originally the finale to the String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130) and the D-S-C-H motive that Shostakovich used as his personal musical signature in various works beginning with the Symphony No. 10 (1953) and culminating in his Eighth String Quartet (1960.) In the first eight measures, Schnittke has introduced the principal building blocks of his entire three-movement, twenty-minute quartet. His choices are significant. First, they span half a millennium: from the 16th century with Lasso, to the early 19th century with Beethoven, and mid-20th century via Shostakovich. In this comprehensive, diverse nod to vastly different traditions, Schnittke acknowledges his musical forefathers and influences. The contrast between the first quotation and the ones that follow is striking. Where the Lasso is serene and consonant, both the Beethoven and the Shostakovich motives are chromatic, questioning, and harmonically unstable.
According to Maria Bergamo’s preface in the published score, Schnittke’s form is A-A-B-A in the opening Andante and A-B-A-C-A in the Agitato; she does not specify a form for the concluding Pesante. While the repeat in the second movement relates it to a sonata form, the overall impression this quartet leaves with us, is one of densely-woven polyphony and complex layers drawing on several centuries of musical vocabulary. The three movements are played attacca (without pausde.) Dramatic pauses within each movement add to a sense of continuity. Combined with the motivic coherence shared among the three movements, the Third Quartet has a convincing sense of organic solidity. On this program in particular, the Schnittke is a singularly appropriate prelude to the Beethoven that follows intermission. Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130 with Grosse Fuge, Op. 133 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
The Russian Prince Nikolas Galitzin, an amateur cellist who was fond of playing chamber music, wrote to Beethoven late in 1822 asking for “one, two, or three new quartets.” Beethoven accepted the commission, but was diverted by the engrossing work on his Missa Solemnis, Op. 123, the Diabelli Variations, Op. 120, Schnittke immediately demonstrates his own musical and the Ninth Symphony, Op. 125. He kept his patron waiting a long time, thereby incurring Galitzin’s persona. Manipulating the three quotations as building impatience and irritation. Finally, in 1824 and 1825 blocks, he plunges us into a variety of sonic worlds. Some of them come from methods of sound production: Beethoven turned his energy to the quartets, fulfilling and exceeding Galitzin’s request, leaving the world a expanding the quartet to eight or even twelve ‘voices’ legacy far greater than the Russian prince could possibly through the use of double and triple stops; playing sul have imagined. 38th season 2013-14
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We all know that the late Beethoven quartets constitute not only the crown jewels of the string quartet repertoire, but also Beethoven’s supreme artistic achievement. That does not make them one whit easier to digest or understand. Nearly 190 years after they were written, Beethoven’s late-harvest chamber works continue to confound, mystify and enrapture us. The five final quartets are both concentrated and expansive, the ultimate absolute music, imbued with a philosophy words cannot fully express. Opus 130 in B-flat Major was the third quartet Beethoven completed in fulfillment of Prince Galitzin’s commission. Beethoven’s good friend Ignaz Schuppanzigh and his quartet played the first performance of the work on March 21, 1826 in Vienna. The audience loved the shorter, more melodious Presto and Alla danza tedesca, demanding encores of both. They were mystified, however, by the two slow movements and in particular by the finale, which they found incoherent. For the composer, who did not attend the premiere, all that mattered was the success of the finale. When Karl Holz, then his personal secretary and second violinist in the Schuppanzigh Quartet, told him of the encores, Beethoven is said to have snapped back with irritation, “Yes, these delicacies! Why not the Fugue?” adding his opinion of the audience: “Cattle! Asses!”
Ludwig van Beethoven: detail of an 1804 portrait by Joseph Willibrord Mähler.
It was to be expected that the Viennese would The complete painting depicts Beethoven with a lyre-guitar (Archiv für Kunst und Geschichte) be puzzled by the quartet, and particularly by the was published posthumously as Opus 133; and in a monumental finale. The work was enigmatic and long: second version for one piano, four-hands, as Opus 134. six movements was a lot of unfamiliar new music, and The Rondo movement composed as the replacement Beethoven’s finale, the Grosse Fuge, was too much for finale for Op. 130, was his last completed composition. them to grasp at one sitting. At the first performance, In performance, quartets are faced with an either/or the fugue was deemed incomprehensible in itself, and too weighty to serve as a conclusion for the quartet. Karl situation. Most recordings opt for the Rondo, sometimes adding the Grosse Fuge as an enormous postscript. Holz reported that the premiere audience was inspired, astonished, or questioning. They failed to find fault with Musicians and scholars continue to argue the merits of the fugue vs. the alternate finale. Each string quartet the fugue only because of their awe of Beethoven. must choose which version feels right for them. Tonight Beethoven’s friends and publisher were able to the Pacifica Quartet plays Opus 130 as Beethoven persuade him, in this lone case, to cede to public opinion originally conceived it. with respect to the fugue. In an unprecedented move, At more than sixteen minutes, the Grosse Fuge is a Beethoven withdrew the movement and substituted colossus, daunting by its sheer size. In many ways it is an alternate finale to Op. 130. He did so with the understanding that the withdrawn movement would be the consummation of a lifetime of contrapuntal study. Rhythmically jerky, even violent, the music strains issued separately, and for an additional fee. The fugue the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
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from within, placing enormous demands on both performers and listeners. Two inherently incompatible fugue subjects struggle together in musical combat. Beethoven scholar Denis Matthews gives an idea of the Grosse Fuge’s kaleidoscopic moods: Its official title is really a misnomer, for the movement incorporates an introduction, a double fugue, a slower and only mildly contrapuntal section brought about with an abrupt modulation from B-flat to G-flat, a scherzo that is soon overwhelmed by a resumption of the fiercest fugal developments, followed by a stream of afterthoughts and retrospects.
Whether or not one comprehends the stunning musical craftsmanship of Beethoven’s polyphonic technique, the Grosse Fuge makes an heroic impression. Program Notes by Laurie Shulman ©2013
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Pacifica Quartet
ecognized for its virtuosity, exuberant performance style, and often-daring repertory choices, over the past two decades the Pacifica Quartet has gained international stature as one of the finest chamber ensembles performing today. The Pacifica tours extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia, performing regularly in the world’s major concert halls. Named the quartet-in-residence at Indiana University’s Jacob School of Music in March 2012, the Pacifica was also the quartet-in-residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (2009 – 2012) – a position previously held by the Guarneri String Quartet – and received the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance. Formed in 1994, the Pacifica Quartet quickly won chamber music’s top competitions, including the 1998 Naumburg Chamber Music Award. In 2002 the ensemble was honored with Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award and the appointment to Lincoln Center’s CMS Two, and in 2006 was awarded a prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, becoming only the second chamber ensemble so honored in the Grant’s long history. Also in 2006 the Quartet was featured on the cover of Gramophone and heralded as one of “five new quartets you should know about,” the only American quartet to make the list. And in 2009, the Quartet was named “Ensemble of the Year” by Musical America. In 2008 the Quartet released its Grammy Award-winning recording of Carter’s quartets Nos. 1 and 5 on the Naxos label; the 2009 release of quartets Nos. 2, 3, and 4 completed the two-CD set. In 2012 Cedille Records released the second of three CDs comprising the entire Shostakovich cycle, along with other contemporary Soviet works, to rave reviews. The members of the Pacifica Quartet live in Bloomington, IN, where they serve as quartet-in-residence and full-time faculty members at the Jacobs School of Music. Prior to their appointment, the Quartet was on the faculty of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana from 2003 to 2012. The Pacifica Quartet also serves as resident performing artist at the University of Chicago. For more information, please visit www.pacificaquartet.com. The Pacifica Quartet appears courtesy of Melvin Kaplan Inc.
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T h e W i l l i a m T. K e m p e r I n t e r n a t i o n a l c h a m b e r M u s i c s e r i e s
Jordi Savall and HespÈRion XXI Thursday, October 31
8 pm
The Folly Theater
Jordi Savall vielle, rebec, and direction Hespèrion XXI Vocalists Stoimenka Outchikova-Nedialkova, voice (Bulgaria) Marc Mauillon, voice (France) Lior Elmaleh, voice (Israel) Gürsoy Dinçer, voice (Turkey) Irini Derebei, voice (Greece)
Musicians Nedyalko Nedyalkov, kaval (Bulgaria) Hakan Güngör, qanun (Turkey) Yurdal Tokcan, oud (Turkey) Haïg Sarikouyoumdjian, duduk (Armenia) Dimitri Psonis, santur and morisca (Greece) David Mayoral, percussion (Spain)
Honey and Blood: The Cycles of Life in the Mosaic of Christians, Sephardic Jews and Muslims of the Balkan peoples CREATION The Life, the Meeting Séfer Ietsirà The Book of Creation, Chap. V, 1-3 Kadona sedi v bahchona Song from the Rhodope Mountains Zajdi, zajdi Aleksandar Sarijevski (Serbia, instr.) Dentri Dance & song (Cyprus, Orthodox tradition) SPRING Birth & Infancy, Learning and Adolescence Moma e moma rodila Bulgarian lullaby En la excola de l’Aliança Sephardic romance Tiliriotissa Song of young people (Greek & Turkish) SUMMER Love, the Meeting & Marriage LaMoledet shuvi roni Asher Mizrahi (Jerusalem) Milo mou Kai Mandarini Song & dance (Greek tradition) Mori zemi me, bela Aishe A Pomak (Bulgarian Muslim) love song from the Pirin Region Duy, duy, duy, denomori deshudui Gypsy song
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INTERMISSION AUTUMN The Family, Work, Maturing & Celebrations Por qué llorax blanca niña Sephardic tradition Yasemi mou Traditional song from Cyprus Godini, ludi mladi godini A lyrical Macedonian folk song Koniali Greek tradition WINTER Experience, Wisdom, Sacrifice, Spirituality, Exile & Death Balkan Elegie En to stavro pares tosa Byzantine chant Prituri se planinata A slow, dramatic folk song from Aegean Thrace Hisar Ağir Semai Buhuri Zade Mustafa Itri Shuvi nav shi Sephardic tradition (RE)CONCILIATION Apo xeno meros (Christian) Torah (Hebrew) Üsküdar (Ottoman) Durme (Sephardic) Ghazali (Bosnian instr.) + (All together)
Panorama of the Balkan Mountains from the region of Berkovitsa
The Early Music Series is underwritten, in part, by The Friends of Chamber Music Endowment Funds The International Chamber Music Series is underwritten, in part, by the William T. Kemper Foundation Additional suport is also provided by:
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The Balkans are a mountainous region in south-eastern Europe which extend from west to east; from the Mediterranean coast to the Black Sea; and from north to south through the Danube river basin to the Peloponnese and the Greek islands in the Aegean. This area, covering 550,000 Km2, and which currently comprises twelve countries (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and the European part of Turkey) and almost 60 million people, forms what is known as the Balkan Peninsula. The term was coined in 1808 by the German geographer Johann August Zeune, and with the passage of time, and as a result of the region’s constant political and cultural divisions and subdivisions, has proved to be an ill-defined geographical concept, for it joins together what history has shown to be unwilling to be united. The word “Balkans”, which is Turkish in origin and which incorporates the words for “honey and blood”, dates back to the time when this vast geographical area was occupied by the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans encountered not only riches, fruitfulness, sweetness and honey, but also the ferocious, warlike, indomitable peoples who fiercely fought against them. The constant quarrels between the Balkan nations, the angry disputes between their peoples, and their struggle to resist outsiders who tried to subdue them, have given rise to the term “Balkanisation.” Western historians have endowed this concept with a pejorative connotation;
The Balkan Peninsula, as defined by the Danube-Sava-Kupa line
and it is used to designate a constant process of political fragmentation and violent division. Perhaps that is why the countries of the region now prefer to define it with the more neutral term of “Southeast Europe” in a bid to shake off the history of wars of independence and fratricidal massacres. Nevertheless, despite their linguistic and political divisions, the Balkan peoples share a number of common cultural traits and the legacy of a shared historical past. Beginning with an Indo-European substrate dating back to the second millennium BC, the influence of Hellenistic civilization, from the third century BC, led to a system of roads and a network of ports and cities that helped to unify the region and bring about a cultural synthesises. In the eastern half of the Mediterranean, the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century gave way to the Byzantine Empire with its capital at Constantinople, the largest, richest city in the Balkans for a thousand years until 1453. This period would unify the entire peninsula in both political and religious terms, and leave its legacy of the Orthodox Christian faith, which continues to be an essential characteristic of the majority of Balkan countries to this day. In the 5th and 6th centuries the Slavic peoples arrived and settled in the region, finally toppling Byzantine authority. And although they adopted the Orthodox faith, they were southern Slavs, bringing languages such as Serbo-Croat, Bulgarian, Slovenian, Bosnian and Macedonian, which share syntactical, grammatical and phonological features, and today, are still spoken in many of the Balkan countries. The Middle Ages were marked by the wars between the Byzantines and the two empires which emerged in the region: the Bulgarian (7th-14th centuries) and the Serbian (14th-15th centuries), as well as the arrival of the Romany people, who continue to be a major presence in all of these countries. In the 16th century, the whole region of the Balkans was overtaken by a new unifying force, the Ottoman Empire. And from its capital at Istanbul from 1453 onward, they would practise the traditional Islamic policy of tolerance towards the Christian majority as “a people of the Book,” so long as they agreed to abide by the laws of the Muslim government and pay the taxes exempting them from military service. There was no attempt at mass conversion of
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the population, although a minority did adopt the faith of their new overlords in Bosnia, Albania and ThraceMuslim communities that survive to this day. In 1492 the Ottoman sultans also allowed Jewish refugees from Castile and Aragon to settle unhindered in the Empire, thus giving rise to the major Sephardic Jewish communities in the Balkans, such as those in Sarajevo, Belgrade, Skopje, Vidin, Sofia, Edirne, Patras, Corfu and the great congregation of the Greek city of Thessalonika, where they came to account for the majority of the population.
most recent violent episodes in the Balkans occurred in the 1990s when the various nations that had belonged to the former Republic of Yugoslavia (or “southern Slavs”), fought for freedom and gained independence, resulting in the emergence of six different countries from the aftermath of cruel massacres and acts of genocide, especially those perpetrated against the Muslim population of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Despite their frequently shared history and their family of kindred languages, the rise of Romantic nationalism in the 19th century, as well as the exclusive, xenophobic, Despite its policy of tolerance towards the population of nationalist movements of the 20th century, has led to the Balkans, the Ottoman Empire took no interest in the each of the Balkan peoples reappropriating the history development of the territories, which they saw chiefly of the region and understating the contributions and as their northern frontier in the wars against Hungary influence of its neighbours, or indeed any commonality and the Europeans. Whereas at the beginning of the with them. This has resulted, for example, in a disregard 16th century the population of the Balkans was eight for the importance of Romanisation and the legacy million, by the mid-18th century it had shrunk to only of four hundred years of Ottoman occupation. In three million. Condemned to flagrant neglect, burdened their quest for legitimisation, the Balkan nations have with taxes and wearied by the invariably violent and downplayed their common heritage and projected their brutal passage of the Ottoman armies through their modern-day nations into the past as if they had existed lands, the people of the Balkans revolted against Turkish from antiquity, or at the very least from the Middle Ages. authority and struggled to free themselves from the The program Honey and Blood aims to show that, for yoke of Muslim rule. The majority of the national all their individual national traits, the various peoples heroes of the Balkan countries were the freedom fighters of the Balkan Peninsula are united at a very deep level and leaders who waged the wars of independence and by other shared characteristics: including those of song re-conquest, such as Nikola Šubić Zrinski and Petar and celebration. Music and texts from the rich mosaic of Kružić for the Croatian peoples; Miloš Obilić and Tzar the Balkan peoples converge in their expressions of joy Lazar Hrebeljanović, for the Serbs; Đurađ I Balšić and in festive celebrations and life, their sorrows born out of Ivan Crnojević for the Montenegrins; Gjergj Kastriot the suffering of separation and uprootedness, and their Skanderberg for the Albanians; Nikola Karev and longing for departed loved ones. Gotse Delcev for the Macedonians; Husein-kapetan Jordi Savall and his guest musicians from different parts Gradaščević for the Bosnians; Vasil Levski, Georgi Sava of the great Balkan region, stage a multicultural musical Rakovski and Hristo Botev for the Bulgarians; and Constantine XI Palaiologos and Theodoros Kolokotronis program tracing The Cycles of Life from the cradle to the grave structured around the four seasons of the year and for the Greeks. the corresponding seasons of human life: the prologue of As the Turks were forced to withdraw, the troops of the spring, the plenitude of summer, the reflective maturity Austro-Hungarian Empire moved in to take their place, of autumn and the spirituality and epilogues of winter, particularly in the territories south of the Danube. Both as they are forged and experienced by the Balkan peoples these empires were, ultimately, to crumble, and the 19th of yesterday and today. They are the honey and blood of century and the beginning of the 20th century witnessed musical traditions whose beauty and spirituality have the the birth of the nation states of Greece (1829), Serbia, power to astonish and enchant the listener. Romania, Bulgaria and Montenegro (1878), Albania (1912), Croatia and Slovenia (1918). After the two Manuel Forcano, Barcelona 2013 world wars, most of these countries were drawn into Translated by Jacqueline Minett the orbit of the Soviet Union, and during the Cold War had Communist regimes or, in the case of Greece and Turkey, military dictatorships forced upon them. The 38th season 2013-14
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A Guide to the instruments in this evening’s performance The duduk is a traditional woodwind instrument indigenous to Armenia. Variations of it are popular in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. It is a distant relative of East Asian instruments, such as the Chinese guanzi, the Korean piri and the Japanese hichiriki. Unlike other double reed instruments such as the oboe or shawm, the duduk has a very large (in proportion to the instrument) and unflattened reed, and is cylindrical in shape (not conical) giving it a quality closer to a clarinet or saxophone than a double-reed. The kaval is a chromatic end-blown flute traditionally played throughout Azerbaijan, Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, southern Serbia, northern Greece, Romania and Armenia. The kaval is primarily associated with mountain shepherds throughout the Balkans and Anatolia. Unlike the transverse flute, the kaval is fully open at both ends, and is played by blowing on the sharpened edge of one end. It has 8 playing holes (7 in front and 1 in the back for the thumb) and usually four more unfingered intonation holes near the bottom of the instrument. The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in Arabic, Hebrew/Jewish, Greek, Turkish, Byzantine, North African (Chaabi, Classical, and Andalusian), Somali and Middle Eastern music. Construction of the oud is similar to that of the lute, and both descend from a common ancestor. It is considered an ancestor of the guitar. The instrument is easily distinguishable by its lack of frets and smaller neck. The oldest pictorial record of a lute dates back to the Uruk period in Southern
Mesopotamia (modern Nasiriyah city), over 5000 years ago on a cylinder seal currently housed at the British Museum. The santur is a Iranian hammered dulcimer. It is a trapezoid-shaped box often made of walnut or different exotic woods. The Iranian classical santur has 72 strings, 18 sets of four. The right-hand strings are made of brass or copper, while the left-hand strings are made of steel. The oval-shaped Mezrabs (mallets) are feather-weight and are held between the thumb, index and middle fingers. It has two sets of bridges, providing a range of approximately three octaves. The name santur was first referenced in ancient Iranian poetry. The qanun is a string instrument played in much of the Middle East, Central Asia, and southeastern Europe. The name derives from the Arabic word kānun, which means “rule, norm, principle”. It is a type of large zither with a narrow trapezoidal soundboard. Strings are stretched over a single bridge poised on one end, attached to tuning pegs at the other end. Turkish kanuns have 26 courses of strings, with three strings per course. It is played on the lap by plucking the strings with two tortoise-shell picks, one in each hand, or by the fingernails, and has a range of three and a half octaves.
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J
Jordi Saval
ordi Savall is one of the most multifariously gifted musicians of his generation, his career as a concert performer, teacher, researcher and creator of new projects, both musical and cultural, make him one of the principal architects of the current revaluation of historical music. Together with Montserrat Figueras he founded the ensembles Hespèrion XXI, La Capella Reial de Catalunya and Le Concert des Nations. He has recorded over 170 CDs most of which are on Aliavox. In 201 they received a Grammy Award for Dinastia Borja and the Midem Classical Music Award for Jerusalem, City of Two Peaces. In 2008 he was appointed “Artist for the Peace” into the good will Ambassador’s program of the UNESCO. In 2009 he has been appointed once again Ambassador of the European Year of creativity and innovation by the European Union. Most recently he received the Leonie Sonning Music Award in Denmark joining the company of Daniel Barenboim, Celilia Bartoli, Mstislav Rostropovich, Olivier Messiaen and many others.
HespÈrion XXI
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or 39 years Hespèrion has led the way into the vibrant world of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music. From Hespèrion XX’s beginning in Basel, the founding director, Jordi Savall, and his co-founders Montserrat Figueras, Lorenzo Alpert, and Hopkinson Smith never wavered from their initial motivation. Thanks to the energy and virtuosity of its ever-changing and evolving members, Hespèrion XXI has conquered a new world of nations and extracted the precious ore of their musical traditions. Harvesting the music of Europe, the Middle and Far East, and the New World, Hespèrion XXI has revealed Sepharad through live performances and recordings of Judaeo-Christian songs, Golden Age Spain, the Madrigals of Monteverdi, the Creole villancicos of Latin America…and much, much more. Guided by the energy and commitment of Savall and Figueras, Hespèrion XXI has succeeded in uniting the common threads of disparate cultures. For bios of individual musicians, please visit www.chambermusic.org/jordi-savall-and-hespirion-xxi.
Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI appears courtesy of Jon Aaron Artists This program is also made possible with the support of the Departament de Cultura of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Institut Ramon Llull, the “Culture Programme” of the European Union and the Fondations Edmond de Rothschild For more information visit www.alia-vox.com
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the friends of cha mber music endowment early music series
Tallis Scholars Friday, December 13
8 pm
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Peter Phillips, director Sopranos Janet Coxwell Amy Haworth Emma Walshe Amy Wood
Altos Patrick Craig Caroline Trevor
VICTORIA
Tenors Christopher Watsom Simon Wall
Basses Robert Macdonald Greg Skidmore
Dum complerentur, dum ergo essent
Missa Gaudeamus Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus Benedictus Agnus Dei INTERMISSION VERDELOT
Beata es Virgo Maria
Usquequo Domine
Maria Magdalene
This concert is underwritten, in part, by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund The Early Music Series is underwritten, in part, by The Friends of Chamber Music Endowment Funds Additional suport is also provided by:
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Mary, Mother of God, and Mary Magdalene: two women, two contrasting figures at the heart of the Christian story. Virgin and whore, saint and redeemed sinner, both occupy an unusually prominent role in Gospels dominated by men, and have proved to be fruitful inspiration for artists and composers alike. Tonight’s works comes mostly from Spain and France, and represent the Renaissance period and the 19th century. But across nations and eras, these works find a shared point of expressive reference in these woman whose musical portraits vividly depict their human truths and exuberant as well as their spiritual personas. With the exception of Thomas Tallis’ Loquebantur variis linguis (“Speak in Other Tongues”), few works for Pentecost achieve the sense of euphoric urgency
captured in Victoria’s Dum complerentur dum ergo essent (“When the Day of Pentecost was Fully Come”) with the words “And suddenly they heard a great sound from heaven, alleluia, like a hurricane in its fury.” Mirroring the liturgical form of the Responsory in his musical setting, Victoria structures his motet in two sections, each punctuated with a returning “alleluia” refrain. The counterpoint is unusually conventional; each section opens with staggered points of imitation, giving a sense of organic growth that culminates each time in an “alleluia.” These alleluias develop from the almost homophonic first statement to the pealing scalic chatter of the final one, a vivid aural rendering of the flickering fire of the Holy Spirit and the clamour of the disciples speaking in tongues. Although perhaps best-known for the austere beauty of his Lamentations or his Requiem, Victoria’s music can also display an extroverted, muscular beauty. A prominent example of this can be heard in the Missa Gaudeamus, composed for that most joyous of festivals – All Saints’ Day. The Mass’s origins are something of a palimpsest, taking Morales’ motet Jubilate Deo omnis terra (“Shout with joy to God, all over the Earth”), apparently written for the celebration of the 1539 peace treaty between Charles V and Francis I, as its basis, which in turn uses the plainchant proper Gaudeamus omnes as a cantus firmus. Victoria preserves the chant which can be heard in the second tenor of the Kyrie and later in rhythmic augmentation in the second alto part of the final Agnus Dei, with the lower voices of the Credo also peppered with quotations. Morales’ own motet also gets a musical nod in the melodic motifs that are woven through Victoria’s six-part polyphony. The Mass sustains this full texture almost throughout, giving it a weight suitable for a festal occasion, but also heightening the drama for the occasional reduced-voice sections such as the magical per quem omnia (“By whom all things are made”) heard in the upper voices in the Credo. Other striking moments include the extended opening phrase of the Sanctus, where the resolution is exquisitely delayed, and the web of imitative entries that closes the second iteration of the Kyrie.
Phillipe Verdelot, as painted by Lorenzo Luzzo
The first of tonight’s explicitly Marian works, Philippe Verdelot’s Beata es virgo Maria (“Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary”) is an exquisite motet, whose 38th season 2013-14
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delicate contrapuntal flowerings are rooted in the Ave Maria chant that is heard throughout as a cantus firmus in the second sopranos. The work doesn’t so much open as unfold, growing upwards through the voices in a sequence of imitative entries. Phrases are long, and Verdelot deploys his seven voices in varying rhythmic pairs, quartets and trios, creating a work that pulses gently with syncopated interest while never losing its surface tranquillity. Verdelot’s Sint dicte grates Christo (“Let Thanks be Given to Christ”) is perhaps more typical of a composer celebrated for his secular madrigals rather than his motets. Supposedly written during the Siege of Florence (and dedicated to the city’s patron saint John the Baptist), the work’s colourful chromaticisms and dramatic harmonic shifts echo the emphasis of the text, which celebrates St. John for his protection. Divided into two, large-scale parts, the motet swings between sections of harmonic stasis and sudden movement, delighting in the unexpected cadence (et urbis [“...of the city”] is a striking example) and bold gestures (the repeat at the semitone of nostrorum et procerum [“...salvation to our nobility”]). When listening to polyphony from the 16th to the 19th century, one might expect significant changes, but it is far less dramatic than one might think. While the text-driven directness of Victoria’s liturgical music was shaped by the Counter-Reformation, Bruckner’s own motets emerged under the shadow of the Cecilian Movement – a reaction to the operatic excesses in 19th century church music. Thoroughly trained in counterpoint, and fascinated by the works of Palestrina and Bach, Bruckner produced a series of a capella motets that married the spare, contrapuntal elegance of these earlier masters with a distinctly Romantic sensibility – embracing techniques beloved of the Cecilian Movement while rejecting its ascetic agenda absolutely. The seven-part Ave Maria initially sets a choir of female voices against one of men, only uniting the forces at the mention of Jesus – a statement that is repeated three times in a growing crescendo, creating a climax that then gives way to pealing waves of suspension-laden echoes between all seven voices. At the peak of this emotional arc, the tension subsides gradually through the remaining text, creating a work whose formal balance and proportions frame a peculiarly intimate supplication to the Virgin.
Victoria was both priest and composer, and while it may be dangerous to trace an artist’s personal faith through his work, the sheer number of Marian works Victoria produced – setting popular antiphons such as the Alma Redemptoris (“Gracious mother of the Redeemer) and Ave Regina (“Hail, Holy Queen”) multiple times, with four different surviving settings of the Salve Regina (“Hail, Holy Queen”)–leave little doubt as to the significance the composer placed upon the Virgin. Tonight’s two motets – although both written for the same double-choir forces – are contrasting in mood, reflecting the emotional range of Victoria’s Marian works that explore many facets of a woman who is both saint and mother. The Ave Maria à 8 sees Victoria at his most refined and austere. Far from an ecstatic hailing of the Queen of Heaven, the opening phrases – passed in traditional fashion between the two choirs – are kept deliberately simple. The all-but homophony creates a sense of rapt collective awe. While the music unbends a little at the mention of Mary’s motherhood, benedictus fructus ventris (“blessed is the fruit of thy womb”), it soon returns to potent simplicity, almost starkness, for the crux of the verse of O Mater Dei (“O, Mother of God”). Even the triple-time section at ora pro nobis (“pray for us”) is more a stately processional than the dance that the timesignature suggests. Surpassing Victoria in reputation during his lifetime, the older Guerrero was revered above all as a technician. Capable of supreme polyphonic feats, his personal faith informed a style whose smooth-surfaced elegance frames an awkward and intense spiritual sincerity. Scored for six voices, Guerrero’s setting of Psalm 13 – Usquequo, Domine (“How long, O Lord”) – is sombre in tone. Whereas many of the composer’s penitential motets are colored with vivid chromaticism, the tonality of Usquequo, Domine is barely disturbed. The long melodic lines and unhurried pace heighten the motet’s emotional scope, framing with changelessness the question stressed so poignantly in the many rising intervals, the question that roots the work in human grief: “How long, O Lord, will you disregard me, forever?” Although a sacred work, there is little of the contemplative about Guerrero’s Easter motet Maria Magdalene. Unusually, the focus here is on a narrative rather than thematic musical development, though there are some unifying gestures such as the scalic embellishments for each mention of spices or anointing
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program notes
(“aromata”, “ungerunt”) which become extended and transformed in the “alleluia” that closes Part I. The madrigalian urgency of the piece is driven by the intricate quaver moment, and it’s almost impossible to hear the two echoing treble parts and not characterize them as the voices of the two Marys. A simpler, more declamatory voice is heard in Part II for the direct speech of the ‘young man in white,’ which in several of the Gospels is identified as an angel and in the Gospel of St. John is actually the risen Christ. The beauty of this vivid work goes some way to explaining Guerrero’s unofficial title among his contemporaries: “El cantor de Maria.” Program Notes © Alexandra Coghlan
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Tallis Scholars
he Tallis Scholars were founded in 1973 by their director, Peter Phillips. Through their recordings and concert performances, they have established themselves as the leading exponents of Renaissance sacred music throughout the world. Peter Phillips has worked with the ensemble to create, through good tuning and blend, the purity and clarity of sound, which he feels best serve the Renaissance repertoire, allowing every detail of the musical lines to be heard. It is the resulting beauty of sound for which The Tallis Scholars have become so widely renowned. The Tallis Scholars perform in both sacred and secular venues, giving around 70 concerts each year across the globe. They will continue their association with the Choral at Cadogan series, of which Peter Phillips is Artistic Director giving two performances in the Hall. The group celebrates their 40th anniversary in 2013 with two commissions from Gabriel Jackson and Eric Whitacre, extensive touring and special CD releases. Much of The Tallis Scholars reputation for their pioneering work has come from their association with Gimell Records, set up by Peter Phillips and Steve Smith in 1980 solely to record the group. In February 1994 Peter Phillips and The Tallis Scholars performed on the 400th anniversary of the death of Palestrina in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, where Palestrina had trained as a choirboy and later worked as Maestro di Cappella. The concerts were recorded by Gimell and are available on both CD and DVD. Recordings by The Tallis Scholars have attracted many awards throughout the world. In 1987 their recording of Josquin’s Missa La sol fa re mi and Missa Pange lingua received Gramophone Magazine’s Record of the Year award, the first recording of early music ever to win this coveted award. In 1989 the French magazine Diapason gave them two of its critical Diapason d’Or de l’Année awards. They were awarded Gramophone’s Early Music Award in 1991, 1994 and 2005. The Tallis Scholars appear courtesy of Jon Aaron Artists in the USA and Hazard Chase Ltd., in England. For more information visit www.thetallisscholars.co.uk
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Dum complerentur, dum ergo essent Tomรกs Luis de Victoria Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes, erant omnes pariter dicentes alleluia. Et subito factus est sonus de caelo, alleluia, tamquam spiritus vehementis, et replevit totam domum, alleluia. Dum ergo essent in unum discipuli congregati propter metum judaeorum, sonus repente de caelo venit super eos, alleluia, tamquam spiritus vehementis, et replevit totam domum, alleluia.
Dum complerentur, dum ergo essent Tomรกs Luis de Victoria When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place saying alleluia. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, alleluia, like a hurricane in its fury, and it filled the whole house. Alleluia. When therefore the disciples were gathered together secretly for fear of the Jews, a sound from heaven came upon them, alleluia, like a hurricane in its fury, and it filled the whole house, alleluia.
Pentecost, painted by Jean II Restout, 1732 (Lourve, Paris)
Missa Gaudeamus Tomรกs Luis de Victoria Kyrie Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Missa Gaudeamus Tomรกs Luis de Victoria Kyrie Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
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t e xt s a n d t r a n s l at i on s
Gloria Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te; benedicimus te; adoramus te; glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe; Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram; qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus; tu solus Dominus; tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
Gloria Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men. We praise thee; we bless thee; we worship thee; we glorify thee. We give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly king, God the Father almighty. O Lord the only-begotten Son, Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us; thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art Holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art Most High in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Credo Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem caeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium. Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula. Deum de Deo; Lumen de Lumine; Deum verum de Deo vero; genitum, non factum; consubstantialem Patri; per quem omnia facta sunt. Qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem descendit de caelis, et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato; passus et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die secundum Scripturas; et ascendit in caelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris; et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos; cuius regni non erit finis. Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit; qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur; qui locutus est per prophetas. Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.
Credo I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds. God of God; Light of Light; very God of very God; begotten, not made: being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Sanctus Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis
Sanctus Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.
Benedictus Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.
Benedictus Blessed is he that cometh in name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
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Agnus Dei Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Agnus Dei O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace.
Beata es Virgo Maria Philippe Verdelot Beata es, Virgo Maria, quae Dominum portasti creatorem mundi: Genuisti eum, qui te fecit, et in aeternum permanes virgo. Alleluia. Ave Maria gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Beata es Virgo Maria Philippe Verdelot Blessed are you, O virgin Mary, who bore the Lord, the Creator of the universe. You brought forth him who made you, and remain forever a virgin. Alleluia. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Sint dicte grates Christo Philippe Verdelot Sint dicte grates Christo, sint vota peracta: unicuique suam jam licet ire domum. Nos hic virginei cantemus sacra Baptiste ut procula Tuscis arceat insidias. Huius enim templi est pariter defensor et urbis. Subducenda claro nulla timenda malo, est Florentini populi tutela Johannes, nostrorum est procerum certa Baptista salus. Gaude sub tanto, Florentia, tuta patrono, da protectori carmina digna tuo. Cessabit bellum externum penuria pestis, sit modo mens viciis inmaculata tibi. Alleluia. Fuit homo missus a deo cui nomen erat Johannes.
Sint dicte grates Christo Philippe Verdelot Let thanks be given to Christ! Let the vows be fulfilled! For everyone may now go to his home. Let us sing here the sacred songs of the chaste Baptist, that he may keep intrigues far from the Tuscans. For he is defender of this temple as well as of the city. John provides the Florentine people with protection: the Baptist provides sure salvation to our nobility. There is no fear that it may be withdrawn in time of trouble. Rejoice, Florence, safe under such a patron! Give worthy songs to thy protector. War outside (the city walls), famine, and pestilence will come to an end, provided that thy spirit be unstained by vices. Alleluia. There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
Ave Maria Anton Bruckner Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus (Christus). Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Ave Maria Anton Bruckner Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus (Christ). Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Ave Maria à 8 Tomás Luis de Victoria Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus (Christus). Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Ave Maria à 8 Tomás Luis de Victoria Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus (Christ). Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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t e xt s a n d t r a n s l at i on s
Usquequo Domine Francisco Guerrero Usquequo, Domine, oblivisceris me in finem? Usquequo avertis faciem tuam a me? Quamdiu ponam consilia in anima mea, dolorem in corde meo per diem? Us quequo exaltabitur inimicus meus super me? Respice, et exaudi me Domine Deus meus.
Usquequo Domine Francisco Guerrero How long, O lord, will you disregard me, forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord, my God.
Maria Magdalene Francisco Guerrero Maria Magdalene et altera Maria emerunt aromata ut venientes ungerent Jesum. Et valde mane una sabbatorum veniunt ad monumentum orto iam sole. Alleluia. Et introeuntes in monumentum viderunt iuvenem sedentem in dextris coopertum stola candida et obstupuerunt. Qui dicit illis: Jesum quem quaeritis Nazarenum, crucifixum: surrexit, non est hic: ecce locus ubi posuerunt eum. Alleluia.
Maria Magdalene Francisco Guerrero Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had bought spices that they might come and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sun. Alleluia. And they entered into the sepulchre and saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he said unto them: ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. Alleluia.
Magdalen with the Smoking Flame, by Georges de La Tour (c.1640) (Louvre, Paris)
38th season 2013-14
Horszowski Trio Thursday, January 23
White Recital Hall
Jesse Mills Raman Ramakrishnan Rieko Aizawa
violin cello piano
A Music Alliance Production FAURÉ Trio in D Minor, Op. 120 Allegro ma non troppo Andantino Allegro vivo WUORINEN Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1983) (In one movement) INTERMISSION SCHUMANN Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 100, D. 929 Allegro Andante con moto Scherzando: Allegro moderato; Trio Allegro moderato
This concert is a partnership between The Friends of Chamber Music and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance The International Chamber Music Series is underwritten, in part, by the William T. Kemper Foundation Additional suport is also provided by:
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biography
Note of interest. . . Horszowski Trio Master Class
Wednesday, January 22 | 3:30 - 5:30 pm White Recital Hall - UMKC Master classes are FREE and open to the public. Please join us.
Music Alliance is a partnership between The Friends of Chamber Music and the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. The series is designed to bring the world’s finest artists to Kansas City, highlighting masterworks and new music, building bridges between emerging and established artists, and fostering student and community access to professional musicians through concerts, residencies and master classes. For more information, please visit: www.musicallianceseries.org.
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Horszowski trio
ailed by The New Yorker as “destined for great things” when they played together for the first time, Jesse Mills, Raman Ramakrishnan, and Rieko Aizawa immediately felt the spark of a unique connection. Many years of close friendship had created a deep trust between the players, which in turn led to exhilarating expressive freedom. And so, in 2011, they formed the Horszowski (Hor-SHOV-ski) Trio. Two-time Grammy-nominated violinist Jesse Mills first performed with Raman Ramakrishnan, founding cellist of the prize-winning Daedalus Quartet, at the Kinhaven Music School over twenty years ago, when they were children. In New York City, they met pianist Rieko Aizawa, who, upon being discovered by the late violinist and conductor Alexander Schneider, had made her U.S. concerto debuts at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. Their musical bonds were strengthened at various schools and festivals around the world, including the Juilliard School and the Marlboro Festival. Ms. Aizawa was the last pupil of the legendary pianist, Mieczysław Horszowski (1892-1993), at the Curtis Institute. The Trio takes inspiration from Horszowski’s musicianship, integrity, and humanity. Like Horszowski, the Trio presents repertoire spanning the traditional and the contemporary. In addition, they seek to perform works from the trove of composers with whom Horszowski had personal contact, such as Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Martinu, Villa-Lobos, and Granados. The Trio’s 2012-2013 engagements include the People’s Symphony, Music Mondays and New School Concerts series in New York, the Phillips Collection in Washington, the Da Camera Society in Los Angeles, the Athenaeum in La Jolla, the Friends of Chamber Music in Troy and Fullerton, the University of Texas in Brownsville, the Bard and Cooperstown festivals, Bargemusic in Brooklyn, and several concerts in India. The 2013-2014 season will include their debut performances in Japan. They will be featured on a recording of music of Dan Visconti, to be released by Bridge Records in 2013. In 2012 they were appointed the Ensemble-in-Residence at Electric Earth Concerts in New Hampshire. Based in New York City, the members of the Horszowski Trio teach at Columbia University and the Longy School of Music of Bard College. The Horszowski Trio appears courtesy of Besen Artists For more information www.horszowskitrio.com
38th season 2013-14
the muriel mcbrien kauffman master pianists series
Garrick ohlsson, piano Friday, January 31
8 pm
Folly Theater
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109 Vivace, ma non troppo; Adagio espressivo; Tempo I Prestissimo Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung (Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo) Var. I. Molto espressivo Var. II. Leggieramente Var. III. Allegro vivace Var. IV. Un poco meno andante ciò è un poco più adagio come il tema Var. V. Allegro ma non troppo Var. VI. Tempo primo del tema, cantabile SCHUBERT Fantasy in C Major, D. 760, Op. 15 “Wandererfantasie” Allegro con fuoco ma non troppo Adagio Presto Allegro INTERMISSION GRIFFES
The Fountain of the Aqua Paola, Op. 7, No. 3 The White Peacock, Op. 7, No. 1 Scherzo, Op. 6, No. 3
CHOPIN Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58 Allegro maestoso Scherzo: Molto vivace Largo Finale: Presto, non tanto
This concert is underwritten, in part, by Irv and Ellen Hockaday The Master Pianists Series is underwritten, in part, by the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation Additional suport is also provided by:
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program notes
Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) The year 1820 was emotionally chaotic for Beethoven. In autumn of 1819, he had been removed as guardian of his adolescent nephew Karl, forcing him to relinquish custody to his sister-in-law Johanna. He appealed the decision in early January 1820. Three months later, he was reappointed co-guardian with Hofrat (Privy Councillor) Karl Peters, tutor to the children of Beethoven’s patron Prince Lobkowitz.
Beethoven’s scherzo is even more concise than the first movement. It is barely two and one-half minutes of resolute, angry, disruptive music. Surprisingly, this prestissimo is set in a taut sonata-form structure. Beethoven is setting up the listener with this sturdy construction. Having ascertained that he has our full attention, he then moves to the emotional heart of the sonata, the third and final movement. It is a set of
Resolution of that difficult situation seemed to break a compositional logjam. Nevertheless, the E Major piano sonata was the only significant composition Beethoven completed in 1820. He interrupted work on the Missa Solemnis when the Berlin publishing house of A. Schlesinger wrote to request three new piano sonatas. The commission restored Beethoven’s productivity, which he would sustain nearly unabated until his death in 1827. This sonata followed the oversized Hammerklavier, Op. 106, of 1817-18. In contrast to that notorious finger-buster, Op. 109 is filled with intimacy and warmth. Beethoven never strayed far from his architectural instincts. His intellect is present both in the sonata’s clear sense of formal organization and in its contrapuntal devices. Both of these aspects would occupy him increasingly in his last years. The first movement is surprisingly brief: an economical four minutes. In discussing this sonata, William Kinderman writes of Beethoven’s “intense interest at this time with parenthetical structures that enclose musical passages within contrasting sections.” That translates to interruptions and startling shifts between highly animated music and adagio sections. The effect is not unlike a Baroque fantasia, resulting in a sense of improvisation. Such flexibility in his treatment of the sonata form is a noteworthy trait of the late piano sonatas, and points the way to the world of romantic piano music yet to come.
Beethoven in 1818 by August Klöber
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double variations marked mit der innigsten Empfindung (with innermost feeling.) If we were not certain that this was the centerpiece of the sonata, sheer length would persuade us otherwise. The finale is more than twice as long as the previous two movements combined. More to the point is that it is a profound meditation, initially serene and later ecstatic. The theme moves like a sarabande, another connection to Baroque thinking, as is Beethoven’s reliance on a variety of contrapuntal devices. Biographer Marion Scott has noted the influence of Bach in the sonata’s emphasis on counterpoint as a variation tool.
Opus 109 reveals a distinctly private side of Beethoven. In this third-to-last piano sonata, he achieves a spiritual ecstasy that clearly paved the way for the glorious heights he would scale with the late string quartets. Fantasy in C Major, D. 760, Op. 15 “Wandererfantasie” Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
The Schubert “Wandererfantasie “ that Mr. Ohlsson plays this evening is part of a family of related works. Schubert composed two songs entitled “Der Wanderer,” Charles Rosen, in his landmark book The Classical the first on a text by Friedrich Schlegel, and the second Style, offers a more philosophical insight to Beethoven’s on a text of Schmidt von Lübeck. The latter setting, approach. composed in 1816 when Schubert was still in his late In many of the late variation sets (opp. 109, 111, 127, ‘teens, is the one that concerns us. His original song etc.) there is a progressive simplification as the variations title was “Der Unglückliche” (“The Unfortunate One,”) proceed — not of the texture but of the conception of the after the poem; however, the poet later changed his title underlying theme. . . Beethoven tends to simplify as the to “Des Fremdlings Abendlied” (“The Stranger’s Evening texture becomes more complex. For this reason, his late Song.”) When Schubert published his song in 1821 as variations give the impression that they are not so much part of his Opus 4, he assigned to this work the title decorating the theme as discovering its essence. “Der Wanderer.” The six variations that follow Beethoven’s heartfelt theme span a universe of emotions, capitalizing on the expressive contrast of which the piano is capable. First is a slow waltz that preserves the dignity of the theme. Among the variations that follow are a playful virtuoso Allegro vivace (Var. III) and a distinctly Bach-like Allegro ma non troppo (Var. V.) The movement culminates in the radiant sixth variation, which reëstablishes the serene opening tempo. By means of an extended pedal point trill, introduced as an inner voice, then transferred from left hand to right, Beethoven somehow suspends Signature of Schubert us weightless in midair. The extended gesture lifts One year later, he borrowed the song’s melody, us, bird-like, aloft to the realm of the sublime. Our using it as the theme for a set of variations in the slow heavenly destination is the restatement of the theme, movement of a newly-composed fantasia for solo now layered with significance because of the journey we piano. (He did the same thing in the “Trout” Quintet: have completed. Listeners familiar with Bach’s Goldberg incorporating one of his song melodies into a movement Variations may sense a connection to that work in of an otherwise unrelated instrumental composition.) Beethoven’s reprise of the theme with reinforced octaves The piano fantasia, which has become known as in the bass. the “Wanderer” Fantasy, is one of Schubert’s most stupendous accomplishments. Certainly it is one of his most formidably difficult pieces for the pianist.
Signature of Beethoven
The Fantasy owes much of its difficulty to Schubert’s inherently symphonic concept of the piano. Indeed, where some historians classify the Fantasy as a free piano sonata, and others as an elaborate set of variations, a
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third group- including Franz Liszt, who orchestrated the work as a piano concerto -- viewed it as a prototype for the symphonic poem. Schubert’s melding of four movements played without pause surely contributed to this view. Liszt learned much from Schubert’s masterful unification of the Fantasy, in the artful way he deploys the same thematic material throughout. The rhythmic unit of a dactyl (long-short-short) dominates three of the movements, and forms the basis for the stupendous concluding fugue that provides the “Wanderer” Fantasy with its virtuosic end. The Fountain of the Aqua Paola, Op. 7, No. 3; The White Peacock, Op. 7, No. 1; and Scherzo, Op. 6, No. 3 Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884-1920)
The best known piano works of Griffes are the Three Tone Pictures, Op. 5 (1910-12); the four Fantasy Pieces, Op. 6 (1912-15); and the four Roman Sketches, Op. 7 (1915-16.) Poetic epigraphs appear in the score to all of these collections. The authors – William Butler Yeats, Edgar Allan Poe, William Sharp, Paul Verlaine – attest to the composer’s keen interest in literature and its relationship to music. Each piece evokes the pictorial and descriptive language of the poems. While the composer’s subtle piano writing is indebted to Debussy, Scriabin, and Ravel, his music sounds fresh, even daring with flashes of brilliance. Harmonies, sonorities and textures are mysterious and mesmerizing. This music will haunt you.
If Franz Joseph Haydn had died at the age of 35, as did Mozart, he would be remembered today only as a minor 18th-century composer. That fate is precisely what has befallen Charles Tomlinson Griffes, one of America’s first great composers. A native of Elmira, New York, Griffes studied piano and organ as a boy. At the age of 19, he went to Berlin, where he studied with Engelbert Humperdinck (the composer of Hänsel and Gretel.) Not unexpectedly, his early works show a Teutonic influence reminiscent of both Brahms and Richard Strauss. He spent most of his brief career on the faculty of the Hackley School in Tarrytown, New York. Six months shy of his 36th birthday, he died of a lung abscess. Despite his study in Germany, Griffes ultimately favored French musical culture over German. He was keenly interested in the art of the French impressionist painters, and shared with his French contemporary Claude Debussy a fascination with Asian and whole tone scales. Beginning in 1911, his style became even more impressionistic in flavor, with descriptive titles such as The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan and The Lake at Evening, quasi-oriental sonorities, and free, often rhapsodic forms. His compositions from the last two years of his life show a more personal style that synthesizes elements of French impressionism with his own voice. It is a pity that his life was cut short before he was able to fully realize his gifts.
Photograph of Charles Tomlinson Griffes by Herman Mishkin
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Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58 Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849) One of Chopin’s universally recognized works is his funeral march in the slow movement to the Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 35. Because of that movement’s disproportionate familiarity and the popularity of the Second Sonata, the Third Sonata has taken something of a back seat to its older sibling. Among pianists and musical connoisseurs, however, the B Minor Sonata is much beloved and an undisputed masterpiece of Chopin’s final years. It dates from 1844 – just five years before he succumbed to tuberculosis– and ranks with his other late masterpieces such as the Berceuse, Op. 57 and the Barcarolle, Op. 60. Chopin completed the Third Sonata in autumn 1844. The Parisian house of Joseph Meissonier published it in June 1845 with a dedication to Comtesse Emilie de Perthuis, a friend and pupil who was the wife of the royal aide-de-camp. Chopin also dedicated his Op. 24 Mazurkas to her. At nearly half an hour, this sonata is the largest scale of Chopin’s solo compositions. Like the B-flat Minor sonata, it is cast in four movements of widely disparate length and content. As in that sonata, Chopin places the scherzo second and invests the slow third movement with considerable rhetorical power and emotional weight. However, the B Minor Sonata shows considerable advances in Chopin’s style, particularly in his integration of pianistic filigree and in the musical imagination of its episodes. In April 1844, the German poet and critic Heinrich Heine, who lived in Paris, wrote: I am forced to keep repeating that there are only three pianists worthy of serious notice; these are, in the first place Chopin, the enchanting poet-musician, who has unfortunately been very ill this winter, and is seldom visible to the public. (The other two, in his estimation, were Lizst and Thalberg..) . . When I am near Chopin, I quite forget his mastery of piano technique, and plunge into the soft abysses of his music, into the mingled pain and delight of his creations, which are as tender as they are profound.
The Third Sonata has every quality Heine mentions, from its anguished opening declamation to the sublime second theme, which becomes the dominant melodic
One of two known photographic images of Chopin, by Bisson, taken in 1849, or possibly earlier
idea of the first movement. The rich textures of this first movement, an Allegro maestros, show Chopin’s absorption with the broken chord techniques reminiscent of Carl Maria von Weber and piano figuration from contemporary virtuoso works like Schumann’s Carnaval and Davidsbündlertänze. A more startling influence is a significantly earlier composer, however: Johann Sebastian Bach. Chopin freely acknowledged that Bach and Mozart were his principal models. Before composing the B Minor Sonata, he had spent weeks poring over counterpoint treatises by Luigi Cherubini and Jean-Georges Kastner. And always, he studied Bach. His preoccupation with this composer’s dense polyphony and imitative counterpoint, found an outlet in the development section of the first movement.
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Chopin’s scherzo movement is brilliant and fleet, requiring a deftness and evenness of touch on the part of the performer. Its understated, Mendelssohnian atmosphere only partly masks the tumultuous harmonic journeys. The slow Largo movement shows a kinship to the first movement through its brief, dramatic introduction, followed by a nocturne-like texture in the dominant lyric theme. The Largo’s extended middle section is vocal in nature, specifically the caressing bel canto style of Bellini, another composer much admired by Chopin. As Charles Rosen has observed: Here, for the only time in Chopin, the accompaniment is a literal pastiche of Italian opera orchestration–a pastiche full of affection and admiration.
The finale is both dramatic and virtuosic, with dazzling passage work to balance the quasi-military principal theme. Chopin sustains momentum through his adaptation of the rondo form, which allows him to alternate romantic passion with bravura display. The mood is at once epic and driven, culminating in a triumphant B Major flourish. Program Notes by Laurie Shulman ©2013
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Garrick Ohlsson
ince his triumph as winner of the 1970 Chopin International Piano Competition, Garrick Ohlsson has established himself worldwide as a musician of magisterial interpretive and technical prowess. Although long regarded as one of the world’s leading exponents of the music of Frédéric Chopin, Mr. Ohlsson commands an enormous repertoire, which ranges over the entire piano literature. A student of the late Claudio Arrau, Mr. Ohlsson is noted for his masterly performances of the works of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, and the Romantic repertoire. To date he has at his command more than 80 concertos, ranging from Haydn and Mozart to works of the 21st century, many commissioned for him. A native of White Plains, N.Y., Garrick Ohlsson began his piano studies at the age of 8, at the Westchester Conservatory of Music; at 13 he entered The Juilliard School, in New York City. His musical development has been influenced in completely different ways by a succession of distinguished teachers, most notably Claudio Arrau, Olga Barabini, Tom Lishman, Sascha Gorodnitzki, Rosina Lhévinne and Irma Wolpe. Although he won First Prizes at the 1966 Busoni Competition in Italy and the 1968 Montréal Piano Competition, it was his 1970 triumph at the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, where he won the Gold Medal (and remains the single American to have done so), that brought him worldwide recognition as one of the finest pianists of his generation. Since then he has made nearly a dozen tours of Poland, where he retains immense popularity. Mr. Ohlsson was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize in 1994 and received the 1998 University Musical Society Distinguished Artist Award in Ann Arbor, MI. He makes his home in San Francisco. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Ohlsson has collaborated with the Cleveland, Emerson, Takács and Tokyo string quartets, among other ensembles. Together with violinist Jorja Fleezanis and cellist Michael Grebanier, he is a founding member of the San Francisco-based FOG Trio. Passionate about singing and singers, Mr. Ohlsson has appeared in recital with such legendary artists as Magda Olivero, Jessye Norman, and Ewa Podles. Mr. Ohlsson can be heard on the Arabesque, RCA Victor Red Seal, Angel, BMG, Delos, Hänssler, Nonesuch, Telarc, and Virgin Classics labels. His ten-disc set of the complete Beethoven sonatas, for Bridge Records, has garnered critical acclaim, including a GRAMMY® for Vol. 3. For more information visit http://www.opus3artists.com/artists/garrick-ohlsson Mr. Ohlsson appears courtesy of Opus 3 Artists
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SĹŒ Percussion Wednesday, February 5
7:30 pm
Eric Beach Josh Quillen Adam Sliwinski Jason Treuting
A Music Alliance Production LANG
the so-called laws of nature (2002)
DESSNER
new work (2013) Other Works TBA
This concert is a partnership between The Friends of Chamber Music and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance This concert is underwritten by the James and Vera Olson Fund for the Arts Additional suport is also provided by:
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biography
F
SŌ Percussion
or over a decade, Sō Percussion has redefined the modern percussion ensemble as a flexible, omnivorous entity, pushing its voice to the forefront of American musical culture. Praised by the New Yorker for their “exhilarating blend of precision and anarchy, rigor and bedlam,” When the founding members of Sō Percussion convened as graduate students at the Yale School of Music, their initial goal was to present an exciting repertoire of pieces by 20th century luminaries such as Cage, Reich, and Iannis Xenakis. An encounter with David Lang, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and co-founder of New York’s “Bang on a Can” organization, yielded their first commissioned piece: the 36-minute, three movement the so-called laws of nature. Since that first major new work, Sō has commissioned some of the greatest American composers of our time to build a new repertoire, including Steve Reich, Steve Mackey, Paul Lansky, Martin Bresnick, and many others. Since 2006 with group member Jason Treuting’s amid the noise, the members of Sō Percussion have been composing in their own right within the group and for others. In 2012 their third evening-length work Where (we) Live premiered at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, travelling to the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s 30th Next Wave Festival and the Myrna Loy Center in Helena, MT. Where (we) Live follows on the heels of 2009’s Imaginary City, a fully staged sonic meditation on urban soundscapes. In 2011, Sō was commissioned by Shen Wei Dance Arts to compose Undivided Divided, a 30-minute work conceived for Manhattan’s massive Park Avenue Armory. Sō Percussion’s artistic circle extends beyond their contemporary classical roots. They first expanded this boundary with the prolific duo Matmos, whom The New York Times called “ideal collaborators” on their 2010 combined album Treasure State. Further projects and appearances with Wham City shaman Dan Deacon, legendary drummer Bobby Previte, jam band kings Medeski, Martin, and Wood, and Wilco’s Glenn Kotche drew the circle even wider. In 2011, the rock band The National invited So to open one of their sold-out shows at New York’s Beacon Theater.
Sō’s recording of the so-called laws of nature became the cornerstone of their self-titled debut album on Cantaloupe Music in 2004. In subsequent years, this relationship blossomed into a growing catalogue of exciting records. In 2011, Sō released six new albums, ranging from their definitive recording of Steve Reich’s Mallet Quartet – composed for them in 2009 - on Nonesuch Records, to Steve Mackey’s epic quartet It Is Time on Cantaloupe, to their collaborative album Bad Mango with jazz trumpeter Dave Douglas on Greenleaf Music. The BBC raved of Sō’s performance of Mallet Quartet that they “have it nailed, finding both the inner glow and the outer edge, and never letting the tapestry lapse into the flat or routine.” Sō Percussion is heavily involved in mentoring young musicians. Its members are Co-Directors of a new percussion department at the Bard College-Conservatory of Music. This top-flight undergraduate program enrolls each student in a double-degree (Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts) course in the Conservatory and Bard College, equipping them with elite conservatory training and a broad liberal arts education. In 2009, they created the annual Sō Percussion Summer Institute on the campus of Princeton University. The Institute is an intensive two-week chamber music seminar for college-age percussionists featuring the four members of Sō as faculty in rehearsal, performance, and discussion of contemporary music for students from around the world. During the 2011-2012 academic year, Sō was an ensemble-in-residence at Princeton University, teaching seminars and collaborating extensively with talented student composers. Sō would like to thank Pearl/Adams Instruments, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, Remo drumheads, Black Swamp Accessories, and Estey organs for their sponsorship. Sō Percussion appears courtesy of Music Alliance Artist Management For more information visit http://sopercussion.com
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T h e W i l l i a m T. K e m p e r I n t e r n a t i o n a l c h a m b e r M u s i c s e r i e s
Venice Baroque Orchestra and Philippe Jaroussky Friday, February 14
8 pm
“Mi lusinga il dolce affetto” from Alcina
“Sta nell’ircana” from Alcina INTERMISSION
HANDEL
“Agitato da fiere tempest” from Oreste
“Scherza infida” from Ariodante
“La Tempesta, in tempo di Ciaccona”
PORPORA
“Alto Giove” from the autograph version of Polifemo
“Nell´attendere il mio bene” from Polifemo
This concert is co-presented byThe Friends of Chamber Music and the Performing Arts Series of JCCC This concert is underwritten, in part, by the National Endowmnet for the Arts The Early Music Series is underwritten, in part, by The Friends of Chamber Music Endowment Funds The International Chamber Music Series is underwritten, in part, by the William T. Kemper Foundation The Venice Baroque Orchestra is supported by Fondazione Cassamaraca in Treviso. Phillipe Jarousky records exclusively for Virgin Classics. Additional suport is also provided by:
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program notes
This evening’s program focuses on a grand operatic rivalry between German-born George Frederic Handel and the Neapolitan composer Nicola Porpora. The competition unfolded in London in the 1730s, dominating the city’s cultural life and involving Frederick, Prince of Wales as a central figure. Handel’s Italian operas were immensely popular in England in the 1720s and 1730s. (Only later did he focus on English language sacred oratorios, most famously the Messiah.) Initially, his Royal Academy of Music stage productions were mounted at the King’s Theatre in Haymarket. In 1733, with the backing of the Prince of Wales and other aristocrats, the Opera of the Nobility was formed to challenge Handel. Many of Handel’s singers from the Haymarket Theatre – including the celebrated castrato Senesino – defected to the new company, which had invited the famous Italian master Nicola Porpora to England as its music director. The company opened in the 173334 season at the Lincoln’s Inns Fields Theater with Porpora’s Arianna in Nasso. The following season, they displaced Handel’s Royal Academy from the Haymarket, and lured the famous castrato Farinelli to London to sing for the Opera of the Nobility. Handel was forced to move his productions to the newly constructed Covent Garden Theatre. The two companies went head to head against each other for three seasons, at which point both were plagued by debt. Porpora returned to Italy in 1736; Handel suffered a physical breakdown in April 1737. By then, Italian opera was waning in popularity with London audiences, but the competition had inspired Handel and Porpora to compose some of their greatest music. Dramatis personae: The Composers Nicola Porpora (1686-1768) was an opera composer and the foremost voice teacher of his age. He was educated in his native Naples and composed his first opera for the Neapolitan royal theatre. The Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, stationed in Naples with the Austrian army,
NAPLES AND ITALIAN OPERA Italy was the birthplace of opera. The genre flourished in all major Italian cities and many minor urban centers. Naples boasted a particularly rich, diverse, and influential opera culture that derived in part from the city’s unique political history. From the 16th through the 18th centuries, Naples was one of Europe’s most important musical capitals. Though we think of Naples as Italian, the city actually lost its independence in 1503, becoming a vice-royalty of Spain. During the two centuries of Spanish rule, Naples became a natural meeting point for Italian and Spanish traditions. Science, philosophy, and literature all flourished, but music most of all. During that time, Naples also boasted the largest and most important royal chapel in Europe. In an overwhelmingly Catholic kingdom, that meant sacred music, which was essential to the image of a royal court. The nobility wanted entertainment as well, leading to a vibrant culture of opera. Members of the aristocracy sang, played instruments, and learned to dance as part of their general education. In 1707, Naples came under Austrian rule, which lasted until 1734, when the city regained its independence. During the Austrian decades and Naples’ initial years as an independent kingdom, Neapolitan music blossomed as never before. The Teatro San Carlo was part of a surge of new construction in the late 1730s, rising up in an astounding 270 days in 1737. The years between 1720 and 1750 were a period of great prestige for Neapolitan composers, whose influence affected opera throughout Italy. Francesco Durante, Nicola Porpora, Nicola Logroscino, Leonardo Vinci, Leonardo Leo, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, and Niccolò Jommelli were all active during these years. Though their names are known primarily to specialists today, in their time, the music of these composers was performed all over Europe. Equally important was Naples’ dominance in the school of Italian singing. The combination of a large number of gifted composers, an influential approach to singing, and a bevy of accomplished vocalists all helped elevate the city’s reputation for operatic excellence. Between 1725 and 1740, Neapolitan operas dominated the stage in Rome and Venice and flourished throughout Europe. The most popular composers were Leo, Vinci and Porpora. This evening’s program is dominated by music of Porpora, a Neapolitan native who traveled widely, and Handel, who spent many years in Italy but settled permanently in England by about 1716. We also hear an overture by Leonardo Leo, who spent his entire career in Naples, and a work by the later 18th-century composer Domenico Cimarosa, a contemporary of Mozart who studied in Naples and became a central figure in late 18thcentury comic opera. – L.S. ©2013
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was an early patron. Between 1715 and 1721, Porpora was Maestro di capella at the Conservatorio di San Onofrio, where he gained a reputation as an excellent singing teacher. His students included Farinelli, Caffarelli, Salimbeni, Appiani, and Porporino, five of the most famous castrati of the day.
George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) was born in Halle and at the age of ten, demonstrated considerable talent as an organist. He moved to Hamburg in 1703, playing violin and harpsichord in the opera orchestra while learning about the business of theatre. He composed his first operas in Hamburg, then was invited to Italy by Gian Gastone de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Between 1706 and 1710, he worked in Florence and Rome, mastering the Italian style. After returning to Germany, Handel was appointed Kapellmeister in the Electoral Court of Hannover. The position allowed him considerable latitude for travel. He was in England from 1710 to 1711 and again in 1712. His music enjoyed enormous popularity there, and when his German employer fell heir to the throne of England, Handel’s career became anchored in the British Isles. He was appointed music director of the new Royal Academy of Music, an opera venture, in 1719 and remained there until the company collapsed in 1728. Handel was then hired to produce operas at the King’s Theatre. He soon faced competition from a short-lived English Opera at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, then from fledgling Opera of the Nobility. When that troupe took over the Haymarket Theatre, Handel moved his company to the new Covent Garden.
By the late 1730s, Italian opera was waning in popularity with English audiences. Handel reinvented himself, focusing on English language oratorios, the most famous of which is the Messiah. He was blind in his last Domenico Cimarosa years, but continued playing organ until his death in As his reputation grew, Porpora wrote for the Vienna 1759. Leonardo Leo (1694-1744) was a Neapolitan Hoftheater, then took a position in Venice in 1726. composer of oratorio and opera who spent most of In 1733 he traveled to London at the invitation of the newly-formed Opera of the Nobility. Porpora wrote five career in service to the Neapolitan viceroy. He began as an organist and held some church jobs early on. After of his best operas for them, including Arianna in Nasso and Polifemo. His London compositions include chamber Alessandro Scarlatti died in 1725, Leo was appointed first organist in the viceregal chapel. He composed cantatas and other instrumental pieces for the Prince of Wales, who was a competent cellist. Porpora returned primarily opera seria, but he also experimented with comic opera and intermezzi. He often supervised to Venice in summer 1736, less than a year before performances of his operas in Roman and Venetian both London opera companies collapsed for lack of theatres. The pinnacle of his career was the mid-1730s, public support. including the 1737 L’olimpiade. Porpora spent his later career in Venice, Dresden (where he was singing teacher to the Electoral Princess), and Vienna. Haydn studied with him in 1752 and 1753, also serving as his valet. The Italian composer spent his last years back in his native Naples.
Domenico Cimarosa (1749-1801) was born in Aversa, just outside Naples. He studied the organ, singing, violin, harpsichord, and composition at the Conservatorio di Santa Maria di Loreto, producing his
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first opera in Naples in 1772. He spent four years at the court of Russia’s Catherine the Great from 1787 to 1791 as maestro di capella, but disliked the climate and returned to western Europe, accepting a position in the Viennese Imperial Court of Leopold II until 1794. Cimarosa composed primarily opere buffa, several of which were among the most popular in Europe. The Librettists Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782) was trained as a notary in his native Rome. He traveled to Naples in 1719 and began writing poetry for music. He became the greatest Italian poet of the 18th century, producing 27 opera seria libretti, each of which was set by dozens of composers: more than 1000 operas in all. His career took him to Rome, Venice, and eventually Vienna, where he was appointed court poet. Writing in the 1780s, Stefano Arteaga observed in his History of Opera: No one better than [Metastasio] has known how to bend the Italian language to the nature of music . . . No one better than he has understood the needs of opera in accommodating the lyrical style to drama.
Leonardo Leo adapted Metastasio’s libretto for L’Olimpiade; Porpora set his Semiramide riconosciuta. Paolo Antonio Rolli (1687-1765) was the son of a Burgundian architect, who probably introduced him to great French literature. He studied with Gian Vincenzo Gravina, who also trained Metastasio, and had his first plays produced in Rome by 1714. Within two years he went to London to teach Italian and translate literary works between the two languages. He forged an excellent relationship with the Princess of Wales. When her husband became King George II in 1727, she appointed Rolli tutor to the royal children.
16th century, castrati had become the norm for soprano and alto parts in sacred music. With the invention of the new genres of opera and cantata, castrati were called upon for secular music as well. Properly trained, these singers achieved astonishing levels of skill, in part because their training could begin so many years earlier than training for female singers, whose voices are not fully mature until their late 20’s or early 30’s. Naples became an important center for schooling singers, with four major conservatories. The poverty of the area prompted many parents to forfeit one of their sons to this practice in the hope of achieving wealth and glory. The best castrati enjoyed high social status and immense prestige, especially in their youth. Their androgynous appearance made them attractive to both sexes, and their musicianship was unimpeachable. Caffarelli (born Gaetano Majorano; 1710-1783) was a student of Porpora in Naples who made his debut in Rome in 1726. He took his stage name from his first teacher, Caffaro. He sang in several major Italian cities before accepting a position as chamber virtuoso to the Grand Duke of Tuscany in Rome in 1730. From 1734, he was based at the royal chapel in Naples, where he continued to perform mezzo-soprano roles for another twenty years. In his day, he was ranked as second only to Farinelli; however, he had a reputation for arrogance and a short temper that landed him under house arrest or even in prison on several occasions. Porpora wrote the role of Arminio, Prince of Germania in Germanico in Germania for Caffarelli.
Giovanni Carestini (c.1704-c.1760) was from a small town near Ancona, on Italy’s Adriatic coast. He was under the protection of the Milanese Cusani family after his castration and made his debut in Milan in 1719. During the 1720s he sang in Rome, Venice, and Rolli remained in England until 1744, writing and Munich; he was also at the Viennese court during the revising libretti for dozens of operas. He was the librettist 1723-24 season. In 1733 he followed Handel to London, for Porpora’s Arianna in Nasso and Polifemo. appearing in five Handel operas during the next two seasons, including Alcina and Ariodante. He was back in Naples by 1735, and his career declined after 1740. The Singers Handel’s writing for Carestini took advantage of The arias Mr. Jaroussky sings were all composed for castrati. The 1730s was a golden age for this phenomenon of music history. The rise of the castrato can be attributed to the Catholic Church, which proscribed women’s voices in church from about the 4th century AD. Initially boys and falsetti sang high parts. By the late
the singer’s astonishing two-octave range. He was apparently an excellent actor, and was considered handsome by contemporaries.
Farinelli (born Carlo Broschi; 1705-1782) was the most celebrated of the castrati, and is one of the most famous singers of all time. He appeared in more than 38th season 2013-14
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60 operas over the course of 17 active years on the stage. Farinelli began study with his father in his native Apulia, the studied privately with Porpora in Naples, making his debut in Porpora’s Angelica in 1720. He soon made triumphal appearances in virtually every important musical center in Italy, as well as in Vienna and Munich.
He made his debut in Venice in the 1707-08 season, soon appearing in Genoa, Rome, Reggio, Brescia, and Naples. By 1717 his reputation had spread beyond Italy and he took a position in Dresden, but soon made enemies there because of his prickly personality and volatile behavior in rehearsals. Handel heard Senesino in Dresden and invited him to London, where Senesino created the title role of Giulio Cesare and sang in more than a dozen other Handel operas. Composer and castrato had a falling-out in 1733, prompting Senesino to defect to the newly-formed Opera of the Nobility. There he appeared in five operas by Porpora and a couple by other composers. In the late 1730s he returned to Florence and Naples, where his last documented performance took place in 1740. Senesino did not have an especially wide range, but he was renowned for his coloratura technique in heroic arias, his declamation in recitative, and his expressivity in slower passages. Overture from Germanico in Germania Nicola Porpora
Farinelli, by Wagner after Amigoni 1735
Porpora brought Farinelli to London in 1734 as the flagship star for the newly-formed Opera of the Nobility. After that troupe failed in 1737, Farinelli left for Paris, then received an extraordinary summons from the Spanish royal court. He sang exclusively for the ailing Spanish monarch Philip V and his successor, Ferdinand VI, until Charles III ascended the throne in 1759 and dismissed him. Farinelli retired to Bologna, where his distinguished visitors included Padre Martini, the boy Wolfang Mozart, Casanova, and the Austrian Emperor Joseph II. Senesino (born Francesco Bernardi; c.1686-1759) took his stage name from his home town of Siena. He was as renowned for arrogance as for his vocal prowess.
Germanico in Germania is a two-act opera seria first produced in Rome in February 1732 at the Teatro Capranica. The libretto is by Niccolò Coluzzi (fl.1730s), an obscure figure who was also active in Turin; he is best known for this libretto. As its title implies, the plot concerns Germanicus’s adventures in the northern outposts of the Roman Empire. The convoluted plot deals with love, patriotism, betrayal, and military conflict between the Romans the the Germans. “Mira in cielo” from Arianna e Teseo “Si pietoso il tuo labbro” from Semiramide riconosciuta Nicola Porpora These arias come from two of Porpora’s most popular works. By 1711, Porpora had become maestro di cappella under the Prince of Hessen-Darmstadt at Naples, and two years later, following the departure of the Prince, became the maestro di cappella for the Portuguese ambassador. In 1714, he received a Viennese Court commission for his opera Arianna e Teseo. At Court during this same time, was the young librettist, Pietro Pariati, just beginning the first years of his appointment
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program notes
in Vienna. Pariati was to write the libretto for Arianna e Teseo. He added new subplots and two new characters, the lovers Alceste and Laodice, to the Greek story.
1737. L’Olimpiade was only the second production in the theatre, which is still standing and is one of the city’s Baroque glories.
The story unfolds on the island of Crete where several young Athenian men and maidens await ritual sacrifice to the fearsome Minotaur who dwells in the labyrinth. Among the Athenians is Arianna, the daughter of Minos (Minosse), King of Crete, who was abducted as a child by King Aegeus. Also in the group is the disguised Prince Teseo, son of Aegeus. Teseo is determined to kill the Minotaur in order to save Arianna’s friend Laodice, whom Arianna believes that Teseo loves. In spite of her doubts, she whispers to Teseo a secret plan to kill the Minotaur. The work ends with Teseo’s victory and reconciliation with Arianna. Porpora would compose the second half of Arianna’s story, Arianna in Naxos in 1733 and debut it at the Opera of Nobility in England.
The opera takes its title from the Olympic Games that take place in the ancient city of Sicyon. The principal characters are lovers, rulers, and competitors, some in disguise. They interact through the plot devices of deception, banishment, rescue, and attempted assassination. Virtue triumphs, and the strong women at the center of the story are successful in being united with their lovers. A revival of L’Olimpiade in the 1742-43 season included chorus for the first time in a Neapolitan opera.
Semiramide riconosciuta (‘Semiramis Recognized’) is earlier. Porpora wrote it for the Venetian Teatro di San Giovanni Grisostomo for performance during Carnival season 1729. His was only the second setting of this Metastasio libretto; Leonardo Vinci’s Roman production was the first, also in early 1729. The title character is an Egyptian princess who elopes with an Indian prince and survives an attempt on her life and false accusations of infidelity. When Semiramide riconosciuta begins, she is disguised as Nino, the ruler of Assyria. Both her Indian husband and her brother, the Egyptian prince Mirteo, believe her dead. Semiramis dramas were popular in Spain and France throughout the 17th and 18th centuries; Rossini’s Semiramide attests to the topic’s ongoing appeal into the 19th century. Metastasio’s libretto was set by some 30 composers between 1729 and 1819. The cast for Porpora’s 1729 production featured Farinelli in the role of Mirteo. Overture from L’Olimpiade Leonardo Leo Metastasio’s libretto for L’Olimpiade was one of his most popular. First set by Antonio Caldara in Vienne in 1733, it was subsequently inspiration for dozens of composers including Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Baldassare Galuppi, and Niccolò Jommelli. Leonardo Leo’s version is among the finest. The premiere took place in Naples’ new Teatro San Carlo on December 19,
CASTRATO A castrato (Italian, plural: castrati) is a type of classical male singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto. The voice is produced by castration of the singer before puberty, or it occurs in one who, due to an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity. Castration before puberty (or in its early stages) prevents a boy’s larynx from being transformed by the normal physiological events of puberty. As a result, the vocal range of prepubescence (shared by both sexes) is largely retained, and the voice develops into adulthood in a unique way. Prepubescent castration for this purpose diminished greatly in the late 18th century and was made illegal in Italy in 1870. As the castrato’s body grew, his lack of testosterone meant that his epiphyses (bone-joints) did not harden in the normal manner. Thus the limbs of the castrati often grew unusually long, as did the bones of their ribs. This, combined with intensive training, gave them unrivalled lung-power and breath capacity. Operating through small, child-sized vocal cords, their voices were also extraordinarily flexible, and quite different from the equivalent adult female voice. Their vocal range was higher than that of the uncastrated adult male. Visit Youtube to hear Alessandro Moreschi, a castrati, who was First Soprano of the Sistine Chapel Choir for 30 years. This was recorded between 1902 and 1904 when Moreschi was around 50 years old. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQo2PNnwOww
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“Mi lusinga il dolce affetto” from Alcina “Sta nell’Ircana” from Alcina George Frederick Handel Alcina was presented at the newly-constructed Covent Garden Theatre on April 16, 1735; it was the last opera in the 1734-35 season. The anonymous libretto was based on two cantos from Orlando furioso (1516) the masterpiece of the 16th century Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto about adventures of paladins in Charlemagne’s court. The opera deals with a sorceress, Alcina, who lures brave men to her island, seducing them before she transforms them into boulders, trees, streams, or wild animals. Her latest captive is the knight Ruggiero, who has not yet been transformed. Ruggiero is besotted with the sultry Alcina. Living in sin with her, he has forgotten his betrothal to Bradamante, who has pursued him to the island, disguised as a youth. Eventually Ruggiero succeeds in destroying Alcina’s magic powers. All the enchanted heroes are restored to their human form and Ruggiero is reunited with Bradamante. This type of magical opera provided opportunities for elaborate staging and special effects that were immensely popular with Handel’s audiences. The two numbers that Mr. Jaroussky sings are both da capo arias, but could not be farther apart in character; one is leisurely and introspective, the other bold and aggressive. In “Mi lusinga il dolce affetto,” Ruggiero has been freed from the enchantment and his affections are restored to his fiancée, but he fears that Alcina may have disguised herself as Bradamante in order to further deceive him. The melodic line stresses expressivity and lyricism. Handel wrote the part of Ruggiero for Carestini, taking full advantage of the castrato’s technical skill in coloratura arias like “Sta nell’Ircana.” In this virtuosic number, Ruggiero resumes his heroic stance, with rapid runs and trills in the Neapolitan style. “Agitato da fiere tempeste” from Oreste “Scherza infida” from Ariodante George Frederick Handel Both Oreste and Ariodante date from 1735, after Handel’s troupe had moved to the Covent Garden theatre. Oreste is a pasticcio – a hodgepodge compiled from different sources and adapted to an existing libretto. In this case the poetic source was adapted from a 1723
libretto by Giovanni Gualberto Barlocci based on Euripides’s drama Iphigenia in Tauris. Handel drew on nine of his earlier operas for the arias, as well as ballet music from two other operas. “Agitato da fiere tempeste” is a dazzling bravura aria with even more extended passage work than the one that closed the first half. “Scherza infida” is more a scena than an aria: an extended movement of nearly ten minutes. It comes from Ariodante, which premiered at Covent Garden on 8 January 1735; the anonymous libretto is adapted from a 1708 text that in turn derives from Ariosto’s Orlando furioso. In the aria, the title character, a vassal prince, expresses his despair upon learning that his intended bride apparently loves another. The aria is noteworthy for Handel’s remarkable orchestration, with bassoon obbligato, muted violins, and pizzicato bass. La tempesta, in tempo di Ciaccona Domenico Cimarosa Cimarosa’s La tempesta is the sole representative from the second half of the 18th century on this program. He tapped into two favorite sub-genres: the storm movement and the Baroque chaconne, a series of sequential variations, generally in slow triple meter, on a repeating ground bass. Their combination in one piece makes this music unique. “Alto Giove” from Polifemo “Nell’attendere il mio bene” from Polifemo Nicola Porpora In ancient Greek mythology, Polyphemus was the Cyclops who imprisoned Odysseus and his men in a cave, systematically devouring them until the surviving men succeeded in blinding him while he was passed out from drink. Before his demise, Polyphemus loved the seanymph Galatea, and wooed her with little finesse – and no success. The tale was popular with pastoral writers in Greece and Baroque authors, including Porpora’s librettist Rolli. Porpora’s three-act opera seria was the first of his operas to be produced after the Theatre of the Nobility took over the Kings Theatre, having successfully displaced Handel.
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Program Notes by Laurie Shulman ©2013
program notes
Venice Baroque Orchestra F
ounded in 1997 by Baroque scholar and harpsichordist Andrea Marcon, Venice Baroque Orchestra is recognized as one of the premier ensembles devoted to period instrument performance. Committed to the rediscovery of 17th and 18th-century masterpieces, VBO has given the modern-day premieres of Francesco Cavalli’s L’Orione, Vivaldi’s Atenaide and Andromeda liberata, Benedetto Marcello’s La morte d’Adone and Il trionfo della poesia e della musica, and Boccherini’s La Clementina. With Teatro La Fenice in Venice, the Orchestra has staged Cimarosa’s L’Olimpiade, Handel’s Siroe, and Galuppi’s L’Olimpiade, and reprised Siroe at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York in its first full staging in the United States. The Orchestra’s recent disc for Naïve, a pasticcio of Metastasio’s L’Olimpiade featuring the recording premieres of many 18th-century opera arias, was released in 2012 and awarded Choc du Monde de la Musique. The VBO has an extensive discography with Sony and Deutsche Grammophon. The Orchestra has been honored with the Diapason d’Or, Choc du Monde de la Musique, Echo Award and the Edison Award. In addition to frequent radio broadcast of their concerts, the Orchestra has been seen worldwide through several television specials, including films by the BBC, ARTE, NTR (Netherlands), and NHK. They have been the subject of three recent video recordings, in Romania, Croatia and Lisbon. Their performances will also be featured on Swiss TV in an upcoming documentary on Vivaldi. The Venice Baroque Orchestra is supported by Fondazione Cassamarca in Treviso and can be heard on Deutsche Grammophon, Sony Classical, Naïve and Virgin Classics The Venice Baroque appears courtesy of Alliance Artist Management For more information visit www.venicebaroqueorchestra.it/cms/
P
Philippe Jaroussky
hilippe Jaroussky is arguably the most prominent French countertenor today. His main focus is on early music, with a preference for the works of Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Handel, and many lesser-known 17th and 18th century composers. He is noted for a virtuosic technique of melisma, and for compelling and enlivened interpretations of baroque cantatas and opera. This has contributed to his unusual revival of repertoire. Jaroussky was born in Maisons Lafitte, France, on January 13, 1978. He first studied violin, and later piano. He enrolled at the Paris Conservatory, where he graduated with a diploma in violin performance from the Ancient Music department there. In 1996 he began vocal studies with soprano Nicole Fallien and three years later debuted at the music festivals in Royaumont and Ambronay, where he sang in the Alessandro Scarlatti oratorio Sedecia, rè di Gerusalemme. A critically acclaimed recording derived from these performances was released shortly afterward on Virgin Classics. The following year, he appeared in the Monteverdi operatic trilogy Orfeo, Il Ritorno d’Ulisse and Incoronazione di Poppea under conductor Jean-Claude Malgoire. In 2001 Jaroussky’s schedule swelled with major appearances all over France and abroad: he sang Arbace in Vivaldi’s opera Catone in Utica and also appeared in performances of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Jaroussky’s meteoric rise continued with his critically praised portrayal of Nero in Handel’s Agrippina at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris in 2003. Mr Jaroussky has formed his own ensemble called Artaserse, and also often performs with the Ensemble Matheus under Jean-Christophe Spinosi and with L’Arpeggiata under Christina Pluhar. He has made several recordings with Artaserse. Philippe Jaroussky’s first recital disc with works by Benedetto Ferrari received outstanding critical acclaim, winning Diapason Découverte, Recommandé de Repertoire, Timbre de Platine d’Opéra International, Prix de l’Academie Charles Cros, Grand Prix du Syndicat de la Critique, etc. Mr. Jaroussky now records exclusively for Virgin Classics. Mr. Jaroussky appears courtesy of Alliance Artists Management For more information visit: www.philippejaroussky.fr/en
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“Mira in cielo” from Arianna e Teseo Porpora Pietro Pariati, librettist Mira in cielo; a Giove impera. vedi in mar; comanda all’ onde, turba il cielo, il mar confonde, Pluto cede, e Stige nera pur paventa il suo poter. È fanciullo, e tutto affalle, cieco impiaga, e tutti atterra; scherza, alletta, e poi fa guerra colla face, collo strale, ed è legge il suo voler.
“Mira in cielo” from Arianna e Teseo Porpora Pietro Pariati, librettist Look up to heaven, Love gives orders to Jove, consider the sea, Love commands the waves, he shakes the heavens, agitates the sea, Pluto yields and even the black Styx fears his power, Although he is a child, he orders everything, he blindly wounds and brings down everyone; he jokes and entices, then makes war with his torch and his arrows, and his will imposes his laws.
“Si pietoso il tuo labro” from Semiramide Riconosciuto Porpora Pietro Metastasio, librettist Si pietoso il tuo labbro ragiona che quesť alma non teme che finga; s’ abbandona alla dolce lusinga e contenti sognando si và. Care pene, felici martiri, se mostrasse ĺ ingrata Tamiri qualche parte di questa pietà.
“Si pietoso il tuo labro” from Semiramide Riconosciuto Porpora Pietro Metastasio, librettist Since you speak so sympathetically, my heart fears no deception; it abandons itself to sweet blandishment and continues happily dreaming. Dear pains, happy torments, if only the ungrateful Tamiri would show some part of this pity.
“Mi lusinga il dolce affetto” from Alcina Handel Riccardo Broschi, librettist Mi lusinga il dolce affetto con l’aspetto del mio bene. pur chi sa? Temer conviene che m’inganni amando ancor. Ma se quella fosse mai che adorai e l’abbandono, infedele, ingrato io sono, son crudele e traditor.
“Mi lusinga il dolce affetto” from Alcina Handel Riccardo Broschi, librettist Sweet passion tempts me at the appearance of my beloved. But who knows? I fear that by loving once more, I deceive myself. But if it ever should come to pass that I adore and yet abandon her, unfaithful, ungrateful am I, I am cruel and and a traitor
“Sta nell’ircana” from Alcina Handel Riccardo Broschi, librettist Sta nell’ircana pietroso tana Tigre sdegnosa, e incerta pende Se parte, o attende il cacciator.
“Sta nell’ircana” from Alcina Handel Riccardo Broschi, librettist In her stony Caspian lair The fierce tiger stands, unsure whether to flee, or await the hunter.
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t e xt s a n d t r a n s l at i on s
Dal teso strale guardar si vuole Ma poi la prole lascia in periglio. Freme e l’assale, desio di sangue Pieta del figlio poi vince amor.
She wants to defend herself from his arrow, But that would leave her offspring in danger. She trembles, and struggles between her taste for blood and her duty to her young; then love prevails
“Agitato da fiere tempeste” from Oreste Handel libretto adapeted anonymously from Giangulberto Barclocci’s L’Oreste Agitato da fiere tempeste, se il nocchiero rivede sua stella tutto lieto e sicuro se n’va. Io ancor spero tra l´ire funeste dar la calma a quest´alma rubella, che placata, poi lieta sará.
“Agitato da fiere tempeste” from Oreste Handel libretto adapeted anonymously from Giangulberto Barclocci’s L’Oreste Shaken by ferocious storms, if the sailor sees his star again, he sails on happy and safe. I hope, even amidst deadly wrath, to calm this rebellious heart, which, appeased, shall then be happy.
“Scherza infida” from Ariodante Handel libretto adopted anonymously from a work by Antonio Salvi Scherza infida in grembo al drudo, io tradito a morte in braccio per tua colpa ora men vò. Ma a spezzar l’indegno laccio, ombra mesta, e spirto ignudo, per tua pena io tornerò.
“Scherza infida” from Ariodante Handel libretto adopted anonymously from a work by Antonio Salvi Mock me, faithless one, in your lover’s arms. Betrayed by you, I lie in the arms of death. But to break these unworthy bonds, for your sentence I shall return, a sad ghost and a naked spirit.
“Alto Giove” from Ifigenia in Aulide Porpora Paolo Antonio Rolli, librettist Alto Giove, è tua grazia, è tuo vanto il gran dono di vita immortale che il tuo cenno sovrano mi fa. Ma il rendermi poi quella già sospirata tanto diva amorosa e bella è un dono senza uguale, come la tua beltà.
“Alto Giove” from Ifigenia in Aulide Porpora Paolo Antonio Rolli, librettist Mighty Jove, the great gift of immortal life that your sovereign command granted me is your blessing and your glory. But to give me that beautiful, loving goddess I so sighed for is a gift beyond compare, as is your magnificence
“Nell’attendere il mio bene” from Ifigenia in Aulide Porpora Paolo Antonio Rolli, librettist Nell’ attendere il mio bene mille gioie intorno all’ alma, sul momento ch’ ella viene, la speranza porterà. Rammentarti sol vog’ io che il mio cor, se torni o parti, teco va, bell’ idol mio, e con te ritornerà.
“Nell’attendere il mio bene” from Ifigenia in Aulide Porpora Paolo Antonio Rolli, librettist While I await my beloved, hope promises a thousand joys for my soul at the moment of her arrival. Only remember this: that whether you leave or return my heart goes with you, fair treasure, and comes back with you.
38th season 2013-14
the muriel mcbrien kauffman master pianists series
Arnaldo Cohen, piano Saturday, March 8
8 pm
Folly Theater
BACH Partita No. 1 in B-flat Major, BWV 825 Praeludium Allemande Corrente Sarabande Menuets I and II Gigue BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, “Pathétique” Grave; Allegro di molto e con brio Adagio cantabile Rondo: Allegro BACH-BUSONI
Chaconne in D Minor (from the Violin Partita No. 2, BWV 1004) INTERMISSION
LISZT
“Sonetto 104 del Petrarca” from 2ème Années de pèlerinage, S. 161
RAVEL Sonatine in F-sharp Minor Modéré Mouvement de Menuet Animé PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 Allegro inquieto; Andantino; allegro inquieto, come prima; andantino; allegro inquieto Andante caloroso Precipitato
This concert is underwritten, in part, by the Sanders and Blanche Sosland Music Fund The Master Pianists Series is underwritten, in part, by the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation Additional suport is also provided by:
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program notes
Partita No. 1 in B-flat Major, BWV 825 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Bach’s six keyboard Partitas differ from his English and French suites in three principal respects. First, they are technically more difficult and require a larger keyboard. Second, their dance movements tend to be larger and more ambitious in scale. Finally, the Partitas are among the few of Bach’s compositions to be published during his lifetime. Furthermore, he had a hand in their publication and may even have been personally responsible for their engraving. He began publishing them three and one-half years after his move to Leipzig.
Sarabande a model of elegance. Bach’s two Minuets have a startling simplicity, especially in comparison to the virtuoso movements that flank them. The second Minuet moves almost exclusively in quarter notes. Perhaps Bach sought to make at least some of the Partita accessible to less advanced players.
His Gigue is singular in that the meter is in common time (4/4) rather than the customary 6/8, though the characteristic, rhythmic element of the perpetual triplet references the gigue’s tradition. This work requires hand crossings in every measure representing technical challenges for the pianist and a charming antiphonallike conversation between the high and low voices. This communication is under-girded with galloping triplets in The First Partita holds a special place in the Bach the center. The texture is akin to a toccata–or an étude. canon because it was the first composition whose This movement was widely known throughout the late publication he oversaw while working with Balthasar eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, even when Schmid, a Leipzig engraver. The Partita appeared in 1726 most of Bach’s other music had fallen into oblivion. with a dedication to the Prince of Anhalt-Cöthen. It is the best known of the Partitas and the most frequently recorded. Bach was at the top of his game in his melodic Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, “Pathétique” and rhythmic ingenuity, and there is a wonderful Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) playfulness and tenderness to this work. We live in a world dominated by media that often Baroque suites were fairly standardized by Bach’s day: influences the public’s taste. Beethoven’s Pathétique an opening movement followed by a courante, allemande, Sonata is a good example; it has worked its way into sarabande, and gigue. Optional additional dances were the public consciousness in various ways. Music lovers customarily inserted between the sarabande and gigue. associate the eloquent slow movement with the old Karl In the First Partita, Bach interpolated a pair of minuets. Haas syndicated radio program, “Adventures in Good These stylized dances are all in binary form, or two parts, Music.” That theme has also been adapted as an Anglican each of which is repeated. hymn and as a pop song. Poetic and transporting as the His texture is relatively light throughout, leaning Adagio cantabile may be on its own, its impact in the toward a more galant, less rigorously polyphonic context of the complete sonata is even greater. We can approach to these dances. Each of his seven movements hardly fathom the revolutionary effect this sonata must has its own charm. Bach casts his Praeludium as a have had on Beethoven’s listeners in 1798. three-part invention, expanding to four and five parts In French, pathétique means touching the in the last three bars of the movement which ends emotions, full of pathos, rather than the “pathetic” of with a decisive. Although only 21 measures long, this the direct English cognate. The German playwright Praeludium is a thoroughly convincing and satisfying Friedrich Schiller–the author of the “Ode to Joy” that opening to the suite. Bach follows it with a dizzying and Beethoven would later set as the choral finale to his virtuosic Allemande that requires smooth transference of Ninth Symphony–published an essay in 1793 called the sixteenth-note melody from one hand to the other. “Über das Pathetische.” The title is difficult to translate The Corrente, though technically still set in standard binary form, foreshadows sonata structure, with a shortened recapitulation. The suite would eventually be replaced by the sonata form which dominated the field in the mid-18th century through the 19th century. Stylish ornamentation and subtly varied rhythms make the
because Pathetische has various meanings in German, but Schiller’s subject was focused primarily on the place of tragedy in works of art, including music. Beethoven biographer William Kinderman has argued persuasively that Schiller’s aesthetic concept fits well with Beethoven’s rhetoric and expressivity in this sonata. 38th season 2013-14
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The term Pathétique – which Beethoven himself assigned to this work – is not precisely programmatic, but rather descriptive of the music’s general character. Beethoven’s tonality supports this interpretation, since eighteenthcentury aestheticians regarded C Minor as a key of pathos. As is well known, Beethoven would return to the key of C Minor throughout his life.
his Grave chords back twice: once at the beginning of the development section and again in the coda. We hear them differently each time because of the turbulence that has raged in the interim. The second movement, Adagio cantabile, provides a much-needed respite after the turmoil of the opening movement. Its texture, with both melody and an innervoice accompaniment is in the right hand, which was quite original for the time; it would become a more common practice in the Romantic era. The left hand moves in contrary motion to the melody. The movement is a rondo with variations on the theme each time it reappears. The finale is also a rondo whose principal motive is clearly connected to the second theme in the opening Allegro. Will you hear it? Not necessarily, unless you are an unusually analytical listener, but the subtle links in melodic gestures in all three movements are part of Beethoven’s genius in this remarkable sonata. Technically it is an eighteenth-century work, but almost everything about the stormy, passionate Pathétique is a foretaste of romanticism. Chaconne in D Minor (after Bach’s Violin Partita No. 2, BWV 1004) Ferruccio Busoni (1866–1924)
Ferruccio Busoni is not a composer on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Yet he was an extraordinarily imaginative thinker, and one of the most fascinating figures in early twentieth-century music. The son of an Italian clarinet virtuoso and an Austrian pianist, he spent most of his youth in Austria, and was ultimately more Germanic than Italianate in his music and philosophy, although he remained fond of Italian culture. He showed enormous talent early and began to perform and compose when he was just a boy, taking his first Photograph of Ferruccio Busoni (circa 1911) composition lessons at age thirteen. Between 1881 and 1894, Busoni studied at the Accademia Filarmonica in The essential pathétique conflict opposes the capacity for Bologna for three years, then lived in Vienna, Leipzig, suffering with rational resistance against capitulation to Helsinki, Moscow, Boston, and New York. By the time those feelings. In Beethoven’s astonishing first movement, he established a permanent home in Berlin in 1894, he marked Grave, the conflict takes musical shape in the was an internationally famous pianist. alternation of tempi. He starts with a slow introduction, the first in any of his piano sonatas. Solemn, forbidding As a composer, Busoni’s evolution was somewhat rockier. He was heavily influenced by Bach, Schumann, chordal gestures lingers on tense chords and maximize the impact of silence. When the music explodes into the and Mendelssohn as a young man. Then, at the turn of Allegro, rapid tremolo octaves in the left hand underscore the century, he underwent an abrupt change of heart and the agitation and fury of the material. Beethoven brings became keenly interested in such innovators as Arnold Schoenberg and Béla Bartók. Ultimately his greatest the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
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obsession proved to be Bach. Starting in 1892 he began transcribing and arranging many of Bach’s organ compositions for piano. He continued to do so until 1919, incorporating many of the transcriptions into his touring repertoire. The Chaconne became one of his most successful works in this vein. Busoni’s biographer Larry Sitsky describes the composer’s version as “a type of double transcription.” Busoni first mentally imagined it as an organ piece and then transcribed it for piano in his particular style. There was never any intention to imitate the violin. Although faithful to the original, it maintains its own pianistic integrity as well. Bach’s simple four-bar harmonic progression makes the Chaconne comparatively easy to follow for the listener. It consists of thirty sequential variations in D Minor, and then twenty in D Major, with a coda of ten final variations back in the original minor mode. We do not realize how emotionally draining this music is until the ineffably tender D Major variations provide temporary respite from the stern atmosphere of the whole. Busoni is remarkably faithful to the formal construction of the original, making only two adjustments to the music: he lengthens a diminishedseventh arpeggio by one measure for dramatic effect, and repeats one four-bar variation to introduce a different internal voicing. Pianistically, his concept is stunning. He celebrates the Chaconne’s multiple voices, adding doublings for emphasis, filling out the chords and exploring the full range of the piano’s seven octaves as well as its potential for dynamic variety. The piano technique draws on both Lisztian virtuosity and Brahmsian breadth. Busoni also incorporates a late Romantic approach to Bach, designating tempo changes and other performance indications not present in the original. Busoni’s student Egon Petri reported that, late in life, Busoni maintained a steadier tempo when performing the Chaconne. Modern interpreters tend to be more flexible with respect to how closely they observe Busoni’s tempi. Whatever interpretive choices a performer makes, there is no disputing that all performers who tackle this work must have stamina, a flair for the drama and sheer courage.
BORROWING FROM THE SOLO VIOLIN REPERTOIRE Each of Bach’s solo violin sonatas is in four movements, following the accepted Baroque church sonata pattern of slow-fast-slow-fast. All three have a fugue as the second movement. The three partitas vary more in structure, although each is partly based on popular dance movements of the era. Only one, however, has a Ciaccona: the second partita. It concludes the partita and, at about fifteen minutes, is longer than the previous four movements combined. The Chaconne (to use it’s more common French spelling) is arguably the most celebrated movement in the violin literature. A series of 64 continuous variations, it places extraordinary demands on both the player and the listener. Bach composed his violin partitas in 1720 (the manuscript, which survives, is dated), but the pieces were not published until 1802. Since then, the list of editors reads like a who’s who of violinists, including Ferdinand David (edition published 1843), Joseph Hellmesberger (1865), Arnold Rosé (1901), Joseph Joachim and Andreas Moser (1908), Leopold Auer (1917), Jenö Hubay (1921), Carl Flesch (1930), and Ivan Galamian (1971.) Mendelssohn arranged the Chaconne as a concerto movement; Schumann wrote a piano accompaniment for it. Johannes Brahms arranged the Chaconne for Clara Schumann in 1879 as a left-hand piece, in order to give her right hand a rest during concerts. Other chamber and orchestral versions proliferated during the nineteenth century. None of these formidable precedents deterred the young Ferruccio Busoni from turning his hand to the Chaconne in 1892. – L.S. ©2013
“Sonetto 104 del Petrarca” from 2ème Années de pèlerinage, S. 161 Franz Liszt (1811–1886) Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage (Years of Pilgrimage) are three volumes of piano music originating in the mid1830s, when he and his mistress Marie d’Agoult first left Paris for Switzerland and Italy. The first volume is subtitled Suisse, the second Italie; the third, which was not published until 1883, remained untitled. Liszt continued to work on the Années de Pèlerinage until the late 1870s. Most of the pieces are descriptive, and many of them exist in more than one version. 38th season 2013-14
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That is the case with the Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, which originated as a song for tenor and piano, taking its name Pace non travo (“I find no peace”) for the title of Petrarch’s sonnet. In 1846, Liszt published the three Sonetti as solo piano pieces, twelve years before the entire 2ème Année de pèlerinage appeared. He revised them for the 1858 publication of the larger set. In that version, which most pianists play, Sonetto 104 is thought to be the finest of the three. The Pace non trovo named after the poetic incipit, is vintage Liszt, but one needs to suspend the commonlyassumed perception of his music as only flamboyant display. This piece takes its cue from the lyrical love poetry that Petrarch wrote to his beloved Laura in the fourteenth century. That does not mean it is absent of the rhetorical flourishes associated with Lisztian piano technique. Rather, it interpolates such passages judiciously, housed within a reverie. Mostly reflective, occasionally passionate, Sonetto 104 is six minutes of understated romantic extravagance. Sonatine in F-sharp Minor Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Durand to publish the Sonatine in 1905, launching a successful and lifelong publishing relationship. The next ten years were to be the most productive and fruitful of Ravel’s career. Ravel began work on the Sonatine in 1903 in response to a competition advertised in The Weekly Review, an Anglo-French publication founded by Arthur Bles, dealing with literature and the arts. The contest, which was a ploy to increase circulation, called for entries of a sonatina no longer than 75 bars of music. Ravel’s friend Michel-Dmitri Calvocoressi, a prominent critic and musicologist, urged him to submit an entry. The resulting work became the Sonatine’s first movement (it was 77 measures long.) Alas, the competition never came to pass, because The Weekly Review was on the verge of bankruptcy. Fortunately, Ravel chose to complete the piece, adding a Menuet and a brilliant finale over the next two years. Mme Paul de Lestang introduced it at a private performance in Lyon on March 10, 1906. The Paris premiere followed three weeks later at the Salle de la Schola Cantorum; Gabriel Gravlez was the pianist. The piece was an immediate success and has been a staple of the keyboard literature ever since.
From 1803 to 1968, France’s Académie des Beaux-Arts awarded the Prix de Rome annually to gifted young French composers and artists. The prize ceased only during the two World Wars. In music, Prix de Rome recipients included—among the forgotten composers—such greats as Berlioz, Gounod, Bizet, Massenet, Debussy, and Charpentier. The award, bestowed by a jury, carried a stipend covering three years of residency at the Villa Medici in Rome. Maurice Ravel tried and failed five times to win the Prix de Rome between 1900 and 1905. He had already established a reputation with his popular Pavane pour une infante défunte (1899.) That reputation was enhanced by Jeux d’eau (1902) and his String Quartet (1903.) The oversight by the Prix de Rome jury became something of a scandal in 1905 when Ravel was disqualified again, and it emerged that all the finalists were students of one teacher who was a member of the jury. Though smarting from the humiliation, Ravel’s inspiration flourished. He rebounded by completing two masterpieces for piano that same year: the Sonatine (1903–05) and Miroirs (1904–05.) He also authorized Auguste and Jacques the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
Ravel in 1925
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Do not confuse Ravel’s Sonatine with the study sonatinas of Muzio Clementi. The title is indeed a throwback, and the first movement is a textbook neoclassical sonata form. Ravel’s musical language is tinged with the whole-tone scales and impressionist textures of the early 20th century, and is decidedly French. The work’s genius lies in his amalgam of old techniques with original piano writing and an individual style. The composer’s biographer H.H. Stuckenschmidt has written: Emotion and mechanics become compatible worlds in this piece. Just as clear and self-contained as are the three mood-impulses of the three clearly separated movements, equally astonishing is the unity achieved through the motivic kernel common to all of them. . . . [The Sonatine] is a monothematic, or more correctly, a monomotivic cycle. The impulse of a single interval, the fourth, sets the themes of all three movements into motion.
the so-called wartime trilogy followed a sixteen-year hiatus during which he ignored the solo sonata form. It is as if he had been stockpiling a wealth of ideas and the floodgates opened. Although one cannot ignore World War II in any consideration of these three works, the Seventh Sonata is more closely linked to a personal crisis in Prokofiev’s life. His marriage to his first wife, the Spanish singer Lina Llubera, had been disintegrating since the mid1930s. He met the young writer Mira Mendelson in 1939; they soon became lovers. In March 1941, he left Lina and began living with Mira (they eventually married in 1948.) After Hitler’s armies invaded the USSR in the summer of 1941, Prokofiev and Mendelson’s existence became nomadic. That August, the Soviet authorities ordered large numbers of artists to evacuate to Nalchik
The first movement is deliberate, with its lyrical opening theme broken up by the motor rhythm of the inner voices. Ravel’s Menuet is cast in the mold of his early Menuet antique (1895), with a lighter, more sophisticated touch. He rethinks the ancient dance, infusing it with elements of intellect and wit that add to its charm. The finale, Animé, is a toccata related to the finale of Debussy’s Pour le piano (1901.) Dazzling in its difficulty, this conclusion eradicates any misconception that the Sonatine is a student work, as it drives to a scintillating climax in F-sharp Major. Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953) The publication of Prokofiev’s Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Piano Sonatas as Opp. 82, 83, and 84 seems to link them chronologically, and they have been historically grouped as a wartime trilogy. In fact, Prokofiev sketched all three sonatas in 1939, before Europe erupted into war. The premieres took place between 1940 and 1944 with publication in 1941, 1943, and 1946, respectively. The association with the Second World War has clung to the Seventh Sonata, probably because of its violent, forceful rhythms. Prokofiev composed for piano throughout his career. His sonatas span the period from 1907 to the end of his life. When he died in March 1953, he left a tenth sonata incomplete and was planning an eleventh. Yet
Sergei Prokofiev (c. 1918)
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in the Southern Caucasus. In December, with Nazi troops just 200 miles away, the couple was relocated to Tbilisi. There, in the first months of 1942, Prokofiev worked on the Seventh Piano Sonata and the first draft of his opera War and Peace. He completed the sonata on May 2, 1942, then traveled with Mira to Alma-Ata, the capital of Kazakhstan, to begin work on his next large project: writing the musical score for director Sergei Eisenstein’s film Ivan the Terrible. The couple returned to Moscow for two months at New Year’s 1943, in part to attend Sviatoslav Richter’s first performance of the new sonata. The premiere on January 18 was a musical milestone for the Soviets, who perceived music, cinema, theatre and the other arts as valuable propaganda vehicles to assert the Soviet Union’s cultural superiority. Two months later, Prokofiev was awarded a Stalin Prize for the B-flat Major sonata. The piece is a striking combination of percussive, brittle writing juxtaposed with passages that verge on reverence. Although Prokofiev identifies the sonata as being in B-flat Major, there is no key signature. The first movement opens with persistent march rhythms, demonic and forceful, then changes abruptly to a dreamy Andantino in alternating 9/8 and 6/8 meter. Prokofiev alternates tension and repose, but the overriding mood is summed up in his marking Allegro inquieto (anxious.) The flowing Andantino returns, but nervousness and anxiety ultimately carry the movement. Rich, sonorous harmonies in E Major and A-flat Major link the Andante Caloroso (warm) slow movement to the romantic tradition. At least one scholar finds both a quotation from Schumann and a coded message in this movement (see sidebar.) It unfolds as a slow waltz, building to a dramatic climax in the middle of the movement marked Poco più animato. Twice, Prokofiev requires runs of sixty-fourth notes in the right hand against thirty-seconds in the left. The chords are big and far flung, approaching the clangor of church bells. A mysterious, hypnotic transition returns to the opening E Major theme. The Sonata’s show-stopper is its perpetual motion finale, marked Precipitato. It is indeed precipitous, with a lurching 7/8 punctuated by
A CODED MESSAGE? The opening theme of the Seventh Sonata’s slow movement bears a striking resemblance to Robert Schumann’s Wehmut (“Melancholy”), the ninth song from the cycle published as Liederkreis, Op. 39 (1842.) Both pieces are in E Major, and the contour of Prokofiev’s melody is indeed close to Schumann’s. Daniel Jaffé, in his biography of Prokofiev, perceives a secret meaning that derives from the song’s text written by Joseph Eichendorff: Sometimes I may be singing As if I were full of joy, But secretly tears are flowing, And then my heart feels free. The nightingales will sing, When spring breezes play outside, Their melody of yearning Out of their prison’s tomb. Then all the hearts are listening, And everyone is glad, But none can feel the sorrows, The bitter grief in the song. Jaffé makes a point that Prokofiev sketched most of the Sonata’s themes in 1939, when he was far more concerned with the impact of Stalin’s purges than by the threat of war. His theory is borne out by the reminiscences of Sviatoslav Richter, the pianist who premiered the Seventh Sonata and who became the foremost interpreter of Prokofiev’s piano music. Richter recalled: The audiences perceived the spirit of the composition as if it were reflecting everything with which they lived, just as they did when they heard Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony for the first time. Right from the start the sonata projects you into an alarming atmosphere of a world that has lost its balance, so to speak. Disorder and uncertainty reign supreme. Man is observing the havoc of destructive forces. But life . . . does not cease to exist for him. He still senses it, he is still capable of love. And with these emotions he addresses himself to everybody. He joins everyone in their protests and common suffering. Then comes a sudden stiffness of will and desire for victory which sweeps away everything in its path. Man gains strength in his struggle and achieves gigantic power which assert life itself.
Although the Soviets seized on Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 (the “Leningrad”) as a patriotic symbol of resistance to the Nazis in wartime, Shostakovich conceived most of the symphony in 1939, before the outbreak of war and the German invasion. Richter knew this, of course. His description of Prokofiev’s Sonata reads like an alternative program for the sonata, suggesting the composer’s personal and political subtext for all three movements. – L.S. ©2013
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ostinato octaves on B-flat and D-flat in the left hand. The movement falls squarely in the toccata tradition, requiring flexibility and strength, clarity and lightning quick reflexes. Satanic, propulsive and chaotic, this is music to make the heart pound, which is why the Seventh Sonata is the most popular of Prokofiev’s nine sonatas. Program Notes by Laurie Shulman Š2013
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Arnaldo Cohen
razilian-born pianist Arnaldo Cohen has a reputation for astonishing his audiences with the musical authority and blistering virtuosity of his performances. His graceful and unaffected platform manner belies playing of white-hot intensity, intellectual probity, and glittering bravura technique bordering on sheer wizardry. Arnaldo Cohen came to prominence after winning First Prize at the Busoni International Piano Competition and making his debut at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. For five years, he was a member of the acclaimed Amadeus Trio and has performed with many string quartets, including the Lindsay and Chillingirian Quartets. He began his musical studies at the age of five, graduating from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro with an honors degree in both piano and violin, while also studying for an engineering degree. He went on to become a professional violinist in the Rio de Janeiro Opera House Orchestra to earn his livelihood while continuing piano studies with Jacques Klein, a disciple of the legendary American pianist William Kapell. Cohen pursued further training in Vienna with Bruno Seidlhofer and Dieter Weber. Mr. Cohen is also recognized for his deep dedication to educating the next generation of musicians and music lovers, was in October 2012 appointed Artistic Director of the prestigious Portland Piano International Series. He is the recipient of an honorary fellowship awarded by the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and until recently held a professorship at the Royal Academy of Music in London. After living in London for many years, he relocated in 2004 to the United States, where he holds a full professorship at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. His performances in recent seasons have spanned the United States and Canada geographically, including appearances with major orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Recital appearances regularly include important venues in Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco and Toronto, among other music centers. He has also performed with the Royal Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and the Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome under such leading conductors as Kurt Masur, Yehudi Menuhin and Wolfgang Sawallish. Arnaldo Cohen appears courtesy of Arts Management Group For more information visit www.arnaldocohen.com
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T h e W i l l i a m T. K e m p e r I n t e r n a t i o n a l c h a m b e r M u s i c s e r i e s
Akademie FĂźR Alte Musik Berlin Friday, April 11
8 pm
Folly Theater
Georg Kallweit, concertmaster Xenia LĂśffler, oboe VERACINI Overture (Suite) No. 6 in G Minor Allegro Largo Allegro Menuetto BACH Concerto in F Minor for Violin, Strings and Continuo, BWV 1056a (Allegro) Largo Presto VIVALDI Concerto for Strings in C Major, RV 114 Allegro; Adagio Ciaccona MARCELLO Concerto in D Minor for Oboe, Strings and Continuo Andante e spiccato Adagio Presto INTERMISSION HANDEL Concerto Grosso in F Major, Op. 6 No. 2, HWV320 Andante larghetto Allegro Largo; Adagio; Larghetto andante, e piano Allegro, ma non troppo VIVALDI Concerto in C Major for Oboe, Strings and Continuo, RV 450 Allegro molto Larghetto Allegro TELEMANN Ouverture (Suite) in A Minor, TWV55:a1 Ouverture Rondeau Gavotte Courante Rigaudon Forlane Menuet
This concert is underwritten, in part, by the Francis Family Foundation This concert is underwritten, in part, by the National Endowmnet for the Arts The International Chamber Music Series is underwritten, in part, by the William T. Kemper Foundation The Early Music Series is underwritten, in part, by The Friends of Chamber Music Endowment Funds Additional suport is also provided by:
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This evening’s program probes the complex relationship between Italian and German Baroque concertos. Two principal structures exist: the solo concerto, showcasing the virtuosity of an individual player, and the concerto grosso, showcasing a group of soloists known as a concertino, from among the larger ensemble. Both of these forms originated in Italy and spread throughout Europe. Inevitably, aspects of Italian style found their way into the music of German composers. Complicating this cross-pollination process were French elements, including the so-called French overture and several French dances whose rhythmic profiles became popular in other countries. Each of the seven works that the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin performs presents a different approach to the concept of the concerto. Their selections include works by the Baroque titans Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and Telemann, as well as discoveries by two less familiar composers, Veracini and Marcello. Overture (Suite) No. 6 in G Minor Francesco Veracini (1690-1768) Two Florentine musicians named Veracini figured prominently in the Italian Baroque. Francesco’s uncle, Antonio Veracini (1659-1733), remained in Florence for most of his career, working in church and school positions. His nephew Francesco had a far more international career – and a more flamboyant life. To begin with, Francesco was one of the most distinguished violinists of his day, which is saying a great deal. (His contemporaries included Tartini, Vivaldi, and Geminiani, all brilliant players.) Veracini began touring at age 21. Over the next several years he performed in London, Düsseldorf, and Venice, eventually earning a post at the Dresden Court. There he became embroiled in the politics of jealous musicians, who allegedly plotted to murder him (or so Veracini claimed in his writings.) He fled Dresden in 1722 by jumping out a window and apparently breaking a leg in the fall. The injury left him with a lifelong limp. Subsequent travels took him to Prague, Florence, and twice back to London, where he concertized actively in the 1730s. Veracini spent his last 18 years in Florence, performing and conducting concerts into his old age.
Francesco Maria Veracini
One would expect that a virtuoso violinist would write extensively for his instrument, and there are several dozen sonatas for violin and basso continuo, but Veracini’s compositions also include operas, oratorios, cantatas, and a theoretical treatise that was important in its day. The Overture that opens this evening’s program is one of six believed to date from 1716, and the only one in minor mode. The title ‘Overture’ was synonymous and interchangeable with ‘Suite’ in the early 18th century. As in a Baroque instrumental suite, all the movements are in the same key and are stylized dances. Veracini synthesizes the concerto format with that of the suite, calling for a concertino group of two oboes and bassoon. The bold triplets of the opening Allegro are characteristic of his strong musical personality. All four movements attest to Veracini’s mastery of counterpoint and the concerto style.
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Concerto in F Minor for violin, strings and continuo, BWV 1056a Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Bach played a crucial role in the development of the solo keyboard concerto. The best known example is the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto, which features the harpsichord as the most prominent of three solo instruments. Over the next two decades, Bach produced more than a dozen concertos for one, two, three, or four solo harpsichords. Some were composed anew, but he reworked most of them from his existing concertos for other instruments, most often those for the violin or oboe. Early 18th century composers did not necessarily restrict their music to a specific instrument, and such rearrangements were common. This F Minor concerto is better known in its keyboard version, but could well have originated for the violin, as we hear it.
BACH AND SECULAR MUSIC From 1723 until his death in 1750, Bach served as music director of the St. Thomas church in Leipzig. His responsibilities lay primarily in the area of composing, rehearsing, and conducting church music. Beginning in 1729, however, he also became director of the Leipzig Collegium Musicum, a university society that Telemann had founded. Members met weekly in coffee-houses or gardens (depending on the season), for the purpose of making music. In such a context many of Bach’s instrumental compositions, including the concertos, received their first performances. Music historians believe that Bach’s works for keyboard and string orchestra date from the Leipzig Collegium years; however, the original music upon which they are based was probably composed earlier. – L.S. ©2013
The most famous part of this concerto is its lovely central movement, whose lyrical melody is nearly as beloved as the so-called “Air on a G string.” Bach used the same melody for the instrumental prelude to his Cantata No.156, Ich steh mit einem Fuss im Grabe written in 1729, (“I am standing with one foot in the grave”.) Modern arrangers have appropriated this movement for many other instrumental combinations. The comfort and solace offered by Bach’s theme attest to music’s enduring power to touch our souls. Concerto for Strings in C Major, RV 114 Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Vivaldi’s renown as a composer began in the early 1700s. After a Dutch music publisher issued a collection of his concertos in 1711, his fame spread throughout Europe. Today his reputation rests primarily on his legacy of nearly 500 instrumental concertos. Vivaldi’s most popular work, The Four Seasons, is a series of four programmatic violin concertos. Some 230 other Vivaldi concertos feature solo violin. About sixty others that have survived fall into the category of concerto à quattro: for a full string complement and continuo, with no soloist. This type – known as a ripieno concerto – fell out of favor as the popularity of the solo concerto grew, which means that such works probably date from the early 1700s. The Concerto in C Major RV 114 belongs to a group known as the Paris Concertos, because Vivaldi’s manuscripts are housed at the Paris Conservatoire library. By coincidence, this one does have some stylistic traits consistent with French music at the turn of the 18th century, such as Vivaldi’s extensive reliance on dotted rhythms in the first movement, suggesting a French Ouverture. Generally, in such cases, Vivaldi was writing for a patron whose taste leaned toward the French style.
Listening to this concise work, one is struck anew by Vivaldi’s limitless imagination. He treats each string In all his solo concertos, Bach adopted the threegroup as an oversize soloist with a bigger, blocked sound. movement Italian form developed by Vivaldi. The first Complementing the brisk dotted rhythms of the Allegro and final movements were in fast tempos, with full are a rippling sequence and a scale pattern; from these orchestral sections (tutti or ripieno) alternating with simple means he constructs a lively movement that solo passages for the featured instrument. The middle movement was always slow, with an elaborately decorated showcases unity among the individual sections and ensemble in the whole. Providing harmonic variety with melody rather like an Italian opera aria. The F Minor momentary flashes of minor mode, this brisk opening – concerto is consistent with this overall structure. Its emphasis on melodic line is convincing stylistic evidence barely 2-1/2 minutes of music– fully satisfies the ear. supporting the music’s origins as a violin or oboe work. the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
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Concerto in D minor for Oboe, Strings and Continuo Alessandro Marcello (1673-1747) If you think you’ve never heard of Marcello, much less heard a note of his music, you may be surprised. This concerto is one of the best known works of the Baroque era, in large part because Bach transcribed it for solo harpsichord. Ironically, Bach believed it to be by Vivaldi, the Italian composer he admired most. Bach grouped his Marcello transcription with a group he labeled XVI Concerto nach A. Vivaldi. A century after his death, a German researcher reviewed Bach’s manuscripts and assumed that Bach’s identification of the music as Vivaldi’s was correct. (In fact, nine of the sixteen transcriptions are after Vivaldi.) When copies of the original concerto surfaced in libraries in Mecklenburg and Darmstadt, bearing the name Marcello, two different German scholars attributed the piece to the prolific Benedetto Marcello (1686-1739.) As it turned out, they were still incorrect.
Antonio Vivaldi in 1725
This concerto has no slow movement proper; rather there is just a two-measure transition marked Adagio and comprised three chords. These chords invite an improvised solo to provide the transition to the last movement. (Bach employed the same device in his Third Brandenburg Concerto.) The finale is a Ciaccona; the more familiar French term is chaconne, in which a simple repeated bass line of eight bars forms the basis for a set of variations. Vivaldi’s use of the ciaccona, which was more popular in France than in Italy, is another bow to French taste. Once again, Vivaldi’s imagination is astounding, using the string ensemble to employ a wide variety of syncopated, rhythmic patterns; bowings, articulations, and dynamics. Toward the end of the movement, five variations in a minor mode alter the bass line, making it chromatic. Following the return to C Major, a decisive coda brings the Ciaccona to an energetic close.
An English researcher discovered yet another copy of the Marcello concerto in the British Library. This one, part of Jeanne Roger’s collection published in Amsterdam about 1717, clearly identifies Alessandro Marcello as the composer. After more than two centuries of misattribution, the concerto’s correct authorship was established. Even then, the confusion did not abate, for copies of the concerto exist in both C minor and D minor. We hear it here in the original key of D minor. The Marcellos were a noble and artistic Venetian family. The two brothers, Alessandro and Benedetto – and probably their other brother Gerolamo – studied violin with their father Agostino and had additional music instruction from Francesco Gasparini (one of Vivaldi’s predecessors at the Ospedale della Pietà) and Antonio Lotti, the organist at San Marco. Alessandro served in the Venetian judiciary and as a diplomat for the Republic. He was also an artist, and published some poetry that was well known in Paris. He used the pseudonym ‘Eterio Stinfalico’ for his music. Because this concerto is so popular, its music is familiar. Marcello was indebted to Vivaldi and particularly to Tommaso Albinoni, who wrote extensively for oboe and orchestra. That stated, his achievement is no less remarkable. As Arthur Hutchings observed in his landmark study The Baroque Concerto:
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The elegiac beauty of the first movement, the noble pathos of the second, and the clean strength of the finale could have been matched by Bach himself but for the fact that the style is so thoroughly Italian. . . as for the finale, an expert could be excused for supposing it to be by Albinoni, who was surely among those who attended some of Alessandro Marcello’s academies.
Relatively few of Marcello’s compositions have survived: eighteen cantatas, nine other concerti, and a dozen sonatas for violin and continuo. The transparent elegance of this Oboe Concerto prompts interest in discovering more by this little known master. Concerto Grosso in F Major, Op. 6 No. 2, HWV320 George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) The composer we know and love best because of the Messiah actually did not compose sacred oratorios until late in his career. Handel began his study of music as an organist and harpsichordist. In 1705 his first operas were produced in Hamburg. The following year, he went to Italy to learn more about Italian opera, which was considered the most fashionable in all of Europe. That journey changed his style of composing, and indeed the course of his career. After travel and study in Florence, Rome, Naples and Venice, young Handel understood as much about Italian opera as any native.
week span in September and October 1739. They were the first of Handel’s works to be protected by a Royal Privilege to copyright his music. Issued on October 31, 1739, the copyright specified Twelve Grand Concerto’s [sic] in 7 parts, for Four Violins, a Tenor, a Violoncello with a Thorough-Bass for the Harpsichord. His publisher John Walsh issued Op. 6 early the following year. Handel’s biographer Percy Young calls these pieces Handel’s crowning works in concerto form. Because Handel had also played violin in Hamburg early in his career, he understood both string playing and the way an orchestra worked. Obviously the instrumental concerti of his Italian contemporaries were familiar to him as well. However, his concerto model differs from that of Vivaldi and Albinoni, whose Venetian concerti tended to be in three substantial movements, organized fast-slow-fast. Handel composed more movements and shorter ones, (continued on page 94)
He returned briefly to Germany in 1710, where he secured a position in service to the Elector of Hannover. A series of trips to England ensued. In Britain Handel found great favor and a huge, monied audience eager for his Italian operas. When his German patron became heir to the throne of England in 1714, becoming King George I, Handel’s English future was sealed. By the late 1730s, his reputation was such that entire concerts of his compositions drew capacity audiences. Long concerts-sometimes lasting several hours-mandated that both instrumental and vocal pieces were included to create variety. (18th century audiences demanded their money’s worth!) This is the context for which Handel composed the 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6. He wrote them in a characteristic fever of inspiration during a five-
George Frideric Handel, born in 1685, the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach. By Balthasar Denner (c. 1726–1728)
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BAROQUE DANCES Bach, Telemann, and Handel used a variety of dances and occasional, other movements in their instrumental suites and Ouverturen. By the time these dances were incorporated into the instrumental suite, they are no longer intended (nor is it even possible) to be used as dances; rather they are stylized dances who references would have been familiar to their contemporaries. This glossary identifies some of the most common ones. Allemande - the word is the French term for “German.” This dance, in two-part or binary from, originated in Germany during the Renaissance and remained in regular use throughout Europe in the Baroque era. It was customarily the first dance movement in an instrumental suite. Most allemandes are in quadruple meter (4/4 time.) Bourrée - a quick, energetic dance in duple meter and generally in two-part or binary form. Such dances generally start with a single quarter note upbeat. Bourrées are generally faster than Gavottes. The bourrée became popular in the court of Louis XIV as a dance in the ballets of Jean-Baptiste Lully, and soon gained favor as an independent instrumental dance elsewhere in Europe. Courante - this dance, called Corrente in Italian, is in a triple meter, with its origins in the 16th century. In Italy, the corrente was often fast, which tallies with the term’s meaning: literally ‘running;’ however, in France the dance was slower and more dignified, sometimes even approaching the solemn character of the sarabande. Most courantes are in a 3/2 meter (three half notes per measure) and in a two-part or binary form. They open with an upbeat. Forlane - in German suites, this dance generally appears with its French name, but the origins are the Italian forlana, a brisk dance with origins in Friuli, an area of Northern Italy. Italian musicians brought it to the French court, where the forlane developed into a fast dance in a compound meter of 6/4 or 6/8 and a character that embraced both elegance and gaiety. The most celebrated 20th century forlane is in Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin. Gavotte - a dance in a moderate duple meter that is generally constructed of four-measure phrases with two quarter-note upbeats; the phrases customarily end mid measure. Gavottes grew out of the Renaissance branle and gained favor in the operas and ballets of Lully and Rameau. Gavottes surface in the music of many later composers. Famous examples include Ambroise Thomas’s Mignon and the third movement of Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony. However, the dance is most celebrated for its Baroque glories.
Gigue - this dance, related in rhythm, meter, and etymology to the Irish jig, customarily concludes a Baroque suite. In compound meter – most often 6/8 but sometimes 12/8 – the gigue provided a bouncy, brisk close to a set of dance movements. Its rhythmic and textural characteristics draw on both French and Italian models and often feature dotted rhythms. Generally gigues are in a two-part or binary form. Menuet [or Minuet] - an elegant, courtly dance in triple meter that enjoyed tremendous vogue in the late Baroque and high Classic eras. Most minuets are constructed of regular four-bar phrases; complete movements divide into two halves of roughly even length (two-part or binary form.) Minuets are often in pairs, the second of which is a contrasting section called a trio. After the trio’s two halves have each been played and repeated, the first Minuet is played again, this time without repetition. Passepied - a brisk dance in triple meter, usually 3/8. Most examples feature an upbeat and play rhythmic games within regular phrases to form a hemiola (the momentary suggestion of three groups of two, rather than two groups of three; think “America” from West Side Story.) Rigaudon - this lively, upbeat dance in duple time was as popular in England – where it was known as rigadoon – as in France. It is closely related to the bourrée. Most rigaudons retain simple melodies and a simple structure, which makes them eminently suitable for dancing. Rondeau - in the Baroque suite, a rondeau was a simple refrain form common to various dance movements. It is not associated with a specific tempo or meter. Sarabande - a slow, elegant dance in triple meter, usually in a two-part or binary form. Particularly in France and Germany, the sarabande carried weight and solemnity. Most instrumental examples were highly ornamented and rhythmically complex. – L.S. ©2013
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placing his concerti closer to those of Corelli, particularly in their scoring. All twelve of the Opus 6 concerti feature what amounts to a trio sonata (two violins, one cello) as soloists, with a larger accompanying string ensemble (called a ripieno.) This is in marked contrast to the concerti of Handel’s contemporary Johann Sebastian Bach, whose six Brandenburgs, for example, have different scoring in each concerto, and larger scale movements that link them to their Vivaldian model. The second concerto in the set consists of four movements arranged slow-fast-slow-fast, along the lines of the Italian sonata da chiesa (church sonata.) The key of F major had strong pastoral associations in the 18th century. Handel plumbs this idea in the gentle, flowing Andante larghetto. The two concertino violins play mostly in imitation, occasionally introducing more forceful motives for contrast with the main idea. The movement’s coda is a surprise: three separate cadences, all involving dotted rhythm. The third of them effects a transition to D minor and the first Allegro, which proceeds attacca (without pause.) Handel adopts the style of a trio sonata, with the primary musical interest focused in the two violin soloists. They play primarily in imitation, with a few passages in parallel thirds. The second slow movement is sectional, moving between and among multiple tempi: Largo, Adagio, and Larghetto andante. Dotted rhythms in the opening Largo relate to the French overture style and the ceremonial world of Handel’s Water Music; the Adagio passages invite improvisation from the soloists, while the placid Larghetto andante restores the pastoral atmosphere. The concerto concludes with a vigorous fugue in triple meter. Concerto in C Major for Oboe, Strings, and Continuo, RV 450 Antonio Vivaldi For most of the years between 1703 and 1740, Vivaldi served as music-master, composer-in-residence, and conductor at the Seminario musicale dell’Ospedale della Pietà in Venice. The institution, itself, consisted of an orphanage, school, convent, and conservatory for girls. Vivaldi wrote most of his instrumental compositions for the talented girls under his tutelage at the Ospedale. Judging from the astonishing variety of solo instruments featured in these works, Vivaldi’s students excelled on virtually every instrument that was in common use during the early 18th century.
The concerto on this program is one of about twenty that Vivaldi wrote for solo oboe (a few are either incomplete or of doubtful authenticity.) It conforms to the standard three-movement pattern of the Baroque concerto, but has features that point toward the emerging classical style. In the first movement, the orchestra presents a full exposition before the oboe enters, foreshadowing the double exposition of the classical concerto yet to come. The concept of ritornello passages for orchestra that alternate with those sections for the soloist has more of a sense of dialogue than the concerto format that was eventually to replace the ritornello form. Most important is that the texture is more homophonic – melody with accompaniment – rather than polyphonic. The Larghetto is an A Minor movement that crosses a sarabande with an opera aria. Slow movements favor the oboe, which can sustain long, expressive melodic lines through extended phrases. Vivaldi’s harmonies are inventive, wandering through several surprising key centers. The concluding Allegro is a classic Vivaldian romp, again with an orchestral exposition, now giving momentary cameos to the first chair strings. The sequences and sixteenth-note passages common to Vivaldi’s fast movements are much in evidence, but there is also considerable rhythmic variety in both the oboe and the orchestra parts. This is not sewing-machine music, but music carefully crafted to entertain, please and flatter the players. Both the second and the third movements have places for brief, improvised cadenzas. Throughout the concerto, Vivaldi writes as if he were composing for the violin, the instrument he knew best. While string players can draw the bow back and forth repeatedly to sustain lengthy phrases, oboists rely on breathing to produce their sound. The extended rapid passagework in the outer movements makes breath control a challenge, adding to the difficulty for the oboist. Ouverture [Suite] in A Minor, TWV55:a1 Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1757) Posterity views Bach and Handel as the greatest musical geniuses of the Baroque era. During their lifetimes, Georg Philipp Telemann all but eclipsed them both. He was regarded as the finest German composer
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of his day, and he was unquestionably the most successful commercially. Telemann’s career followed a dizzying path, starting with the direction of the Leipzig Opera one year after he matriculated at Leipzig University. Subsequent appointments included organist at Leipzig’s Neue Kirche, Kapellmeister to the court of Count Erdmann II of Promnitz at Sorau, Kapellmeister in Eisenach (Bach’s home town), director of music in Frankfurt, and Kapellmeister at Gotha. In all these places, he wrote staggering amounts of sacred and secular music. Telemann’s longest and most significant professional position was in the northern city of Hamburg. From 1721 until his death, he was the guiding light of Hamburg’s musical life. His official title was Kantor of the Johanneum. In that capacity, he directed musical activity for the city’s five principal churches as well as civic musical events for ceremonies, holidays, and festive occasions. He also oversaw weekly public concerts by the Collegium Musicum and, from 1722 to 1738, served as music director of the Hamburg Opera. With a finger in every conceivable musical pie, Telemann was Hamburg’s de facto concert manager for an extraordinary tenure of 46 years. Telemann was a master of both the Italian and French styles. He composed more than 200 Ouverturen – multi-movement instrumental suites modeled after the French taste. The one that concludes this evening’s program is probably from 1721, his first year in Hamburg. It begins with a French overture: a slow introduction with dotted rhythms, moving to a brisker central allegro in fugal texture before a brief return to the Grave at the close. The succeeding movements are bipartite dances with each half repeated. Telemann often assigned fanciful French titles to his suite movements, indicating their character. In this case he retained the dance names as movement titles, interpolating the less standardized rigaudon and forlane and concluding with a menuet rather than a gigue.
Akademie füR Alte Musik Berlin T he Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (or Akamus for short) began in 1982 as a courageous display of musical sovereignty against the East German socialist regime, and now, over thirty years later, they enjoy recognition as one of Europe’s greatest musical success stories. In May of 2005, the Akamus made its US debut tour to critical acclaim and sold-out houses at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, Berkeley, and Los Angeles, among others. They returned to the US in April 2008 in conjunction with a new Harmonia Mundi CD release. Highlights of that tour included stops in Ann Arbor, Kansas City, Spivey Hall, Krannert Center, Charlottesville (VA), Berkeley, Vancouver, Chicago, UCLA, and Carnegie Hall. Their most recent critically acclaimed US Tour in March 2011 included performances at Disney Hall in Los Angeles, First Congregational Church in Berkeley, Jordan Hall in Boston, Carnegie Hall in New York, Old Cabell Hall in Virginia, the Folly Theatre and Krannert Center in the Midwest, and a live “Impromptu” on WFMT Chicago. The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin has received numerous awards for their recordings including the Cannes Festival Award, the French Diapason d’or, the Dutch Edison Award, the British Gramophone Award, The Telemann Prize, as well as a Grammy Award in the US. The ensemble records exclusively for Harmonia Mundi, and, in addition to their annual sold-out series at the Berlin Konzerthaus, they appear at London’s Wigmore Hall, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Zürich Tonhalle, and the Vienna Musikverein. Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin appears courtesy of Frank Solomon and Associates For more information, please visit: www.akamus.de/
This tour is presented by International Arts Foundation, Inc 121 West 27th Street, Suite 703 New York, NY 10001
Program Notes by Laurie Shulman ©2013
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the muriel mcbrien kauffman master pianists series
Benjamin Grosvenor, piano Friday, April 25
8 pm
Andante & Rondo capriccioso, Op. 14
SCHUBERT
Impromptu in G-flat Major, Op. 90, No. 3 (D. 899)
Folly Theater
SCHUMANN Humoreske, Op. 20 Einfach; Sehr rasch und leicht; Noch rascher; Erstes Temp; Wie im Anfang Hastig; Nach und nach immer lebhafter und starker; Wie vorher; Adaigo Einfach und zart; Intermezzo Innig Sehr lebhaft; Immer Lebhafter; Stretta; Mit einigem Pomp wZum Beschluss; Adagio; Allegro INTERMISSION MOMPOU Paisajes La fuente y la campana El lago Carros de Galicia MEDTNER Two Märchen (Fairy Tales) Op. 51, No. 3 in A Major Op. 14, No. 2 in E Minor, “March of the Paladin” RAVEL Valses nobles et sentimentales Modéré Assez lent Modéré Animé Presque lent Assez vif Moins vif Epilogue: Lent STRAUSS/SCHULZ-EVLER Concert Arabesques on motifs by Johann Strauss (“An der schönen blauen Donau”)
The Master Pianists Series is underwritten, in part, by the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation Additional suport is also provided by:
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Andante & Rondo capriccioso in E Major, Op. 14 Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Felix and Delphine first met in Paris in 1825; she was 12, he 16. Five years later, their paths crossed again when he journeyed to Munich, the first stop on a trip that would take him to Vienna and on to several Italian cities. Both young people had grown up, and Felix was smitten. In a letter to his sister Fanny on June 11, 1830, he confided that he was considering proposing to Delphine.
We don’t hear much Mendelssohn on professional piano recitals. Many pianists consider his Lieder ohne Worte (“Songs without Words”) the domain of students and accomplished amateurs. Mendelssohn’s four piano sonatas and various other small pieces are sadly neglected. There are two exceptions to this oversight: the splendid Variations sérieuses, Op. 54 (1841) and the work In the end, he did not do so, but his ardor that opens Mr. Grosvenor’s program. prompted him to dust off the E Minor piece. He added an introduction in E Major with a transition to the étude, now relabeled Presto leggiero, and presented the manuscript to Delphine on June 13. She was the work’s first interpreter, but Mendelssohn himself played it a great deal. It became a signature piece that helped to establish him as a composer/performer. Considering the time that elapsed between the composition of its two parts, the unity of musical content between the sections is impressive, with subtle thematic links between his slow and fast sections. The juxtaposition of slow and fast movements with no pause is a pattern Mendelssohn would adopt in several later works. The sequence of a slow section in major mode followed by a fast movement in the parallel minor, also similarly recurs in subsequent piano pieces. (Mendelssohn’s model may have been Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata for violin and piano, which opens with an Adagio sostenuto in A Major preceding a Presto in A Minor.)
Portrait of Mendelssohn by the English miniaturist James Warren Childe (1778–1862), 1839
The Andante and Rondo capriccioso has a history that unfolded in two episodes. Mendelssohn sketched an étude in E Minor in January of 1828, adding the A Major Andante two and a half years later. His impetus for expanding the piece was Delphine von Schauroth, a gifted Munich pianist who was a star pupil of the virtuoso Friedrich Kalkbrenner.
The Rondo capriccioso is a superb example of Mendelssohn’s keyboard style: elegant, balanced in form, with direct and appealing melodies. His incomparable grasp for writing leggiero (with a light touch) anticipates the world of his Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Rapid oscillating parallel thirds, chromatic scales, ascending and descending arpeggios, and double octaves are all intended to dazzle. With good reason, the Andante and Rondo capriccioso remains a popular virtuoso showpiece. Impromptu in G-flat Major, Op. 90 No. 3 (D. 899) Franz Schubert (1797-1828) The year 1827 was both annus mirabilis and annus tragicus for Franz Schubert. Increasingly ill with the syphilis that would take his life the following year, he vacillated between psychological highs and lows. Some 38th season 2013-14
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weeks he participated in jovial gatherings with his friends. When the symptoms of his disease worsened, he withdrew from society, experiencing serious bouts of depression. Remarkably, he continued to compose prolifically. The quality of his new works was extraordinarily high. They included two sets of piano Impromptus (published as Op. 90 and Op.142) and the song cycle Die Winterreise, which is thought to be, in part, Schubert’s acknowledgment of his impending death. Ironically, his reputation was beginning to solidify after years of relative neglect by his contemporaries. This change occurred in large part because of Tobias Haslinger, who assumed the directorship of the Steiner publishing house in May 1826 and quickly entered into a contractual relationship with Schubert. During the last year of Schubert’s life, Haslinger published a dozen of his new pieces, including the G Major Piano Sonata, Die Winterreise, and the first two Impromptus of Opus 90. (For reasons that remain obscure, the third and fourth Impromptus were not published until 1857.)
Humoreske, Op.20 Robert Schumann (1810-1856) In September 1838, Robert Schumann visited Vienna, hoping to establish an Austrian foothold and market for his music journal, and a possible future home for himself and Clara Wieck. Her father, Friedrich Wieck, was strongly opposed to their engagement, making it clear that if they married, they could not remain in Leipzig. Robert’s Viennese sojourn did not yield the professional results he had hoped for, but his six months there proved richly productive. This was the trip during which he met Ferdinand Schubert, the older brother of Franz Schubert, and discovered the manuscript of the ‘Great’ C Major symphony. He also composed a raft of piano pieces, including the Arabeske, Op.17, Blumenstück, Op.18, Humoreske, Op.20, Nachtstücke, Op.23, Drei Romanzen, Op.28, and the beginning of the Faschingsschwank aus Wien. Shortly before his return
Haslinger was also responsible for giving the Impromptus their name, which was less formal than the traditional (and stodgy) ‘sonata’ and appears to have been intended to appeal to the new generation of keyboard players. There was precedent in the works of two Bohemian composers, Jan Vořišek (1791-1825) and Jan Tomášek (1774-1850), both of whom published Impromptus in the early 1820s. (Tomášek also used the titles Eclogue, Rhapsody, and Dithyramb for his smaller piano pieces.) Even Beethoven published two sets of Bagatelles. These works set the stage for the Romantic piano miniature, which would dominate keyboard literature for the next several decades. Schubert’s Impromptus are larger in scale and superior in musical quality than those of his Bohemian contemporaries. The third Impromptu, in G-flat Major, is atmospheric and songful, a precursor both to Mendelssohn’s Songs without Words and Chopin’s Aeolian Harp étude. When Haslinger published it, he transposed it to G major, presumably so that it would be easier to play and thereby improve sales. Mr. Grosvenor performs it in Schubert’s original key. Music room of Schumann
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to Leipzig in March 1839, he wrote to Clara with pride after completing 12 sheets of music paper in a week. I have been all the week at the piano, composing, writing, laughing and crying, all at once. You will find this state of affairs nicely described in my Op. 20, the Grosse Humoreske.
When the First World War erupted, Mompou left France for Barcelona. He returned to Paris in 1921 and was based there for the next two decades.
Not surprisingly, there is abundant French influence in Mompou’s compositions. He is frequently compared to Erik Satie, but most listeners also discern an His comments reflect the diversity of moods in the piece. impressionist flavor in his works, reminiscent of If the Humoreske had any underlying humor, it was more Debussy. Yet the pull of his native Catalan music in the style of the novelist Jean-Paul Richter: combining remained strong as well. Mompou was particularly fascinated by 15th-century Catalan music of the high wry realism with sentiment. Renaissance, an era when Spain was one of Europe’s Schumann seems to have recognized that the richest and most powerful countries and support for Humoreske was the finest of his completed new piano church music was lavish. pieces. At nearly 25 minutes, it is certainly the most Most of Mompou’s piano pieces are miniature tone ambitious. Five principal sections (plus an epilogue) poems in a quasi-impressionist style. Many omit key comprise the whole. Several are self-contained tripartite forms, yet they are intended to be played without pause. signatures, bar lines, and perfect cadences, which links The challenge for the pianist is to switch gears smoothly them to Satie’s iconoclasm. Their distinctive character, however, derives primarily from Mompou’s unique and rapidly, with the ease of a skilled cinematographer. harmonic vocabulary. Neither fish nor fowl, it is an The faster sections are sometimes jovial, elsewhere frenetic. Poetry and wistfulness color the slower sections. amalgam of tonal, modal, occasionally pentatonic scales Throughout, a sense of melancholy tips the balance away and chords, and Catalan folk tunes. He was determined to plumb the essence of music by returning to its most from the humorous, ultimately making the Humoreske primitive elements. a more personal and complicated work than either the Arabeske or the Blumenstück. One near-constant element in his music is the belllike sonorities he employed. They are an autobiographical recuerdo: Mompou grew up within earshot of his father’s Paisajes (1942-1960) bell foundry and was fascinated by the sound of bells his Federico Mompou (1893-1987) entire life. Another recurrent trait is the innocent lilt of Two things are essential to know about Mompou: Catalan folk music. These snatches of melody have the One, is that he was Catalan; and two, that he loved the timelessness of tradition. One senses that Catalonian sound of bells. children have sung these tunes for centuries. Born in Barcelona to a mother of French descent Paisajes (“Landscapes”) consists of three pieces and a Catalan father, Mompou appeared to be headed written over a span of 18 years. Mompou composed toward a career as a pianist. In 1909, when he was 16, La fuente y la campana (“The Fountain and the Bell”) he heard the French pianist Marguerite Long play an in 1942, upon his return to Barcelona. Both fountain all-Fauré program and realized he was destined to be a and bell state their presence quietly and in a relaxed composer rather than a performer. After securing a letter tempo. El lago (“The Lake,” 1947) is another water of recommendation from his older countryman Enrique piece, inspired by Barcelona’s Parc Montjuic. Flowing, Granados, he set out for Paris. impressionist figuration suggests the lake on a placid day. Mompou’s music is all about texture. When a quasi Like many of his countrymen (Granados, Albéniz, cadenza first interrupts the soothing ripples, it is as if Falla, Joaquín Nin, and later Rodrigo) Mompou found someone tossed a pebble into the water, disturbing its the magnet of Parisian life irresistible. Arriving in glassy surface. The sole forte outburst has the impact of 1911, he enrolled at the Conservatoire to study piano breaking glass, so violently does it shatter the calm. and harmony, immersing himself in the panoply of cultural options available. He came of age in the heady Both La fuente y la campana and El lago are in atmosphere of the French capital and cultivated a circle ternary form with a brief coda. By contrast, Carros de that included composers, sculptors, painters, and literati. Galicia (“Carts of Galicia”) is freer in structure. It is 38th season 2013-14
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also more complex harmonically, using cluster chords. Mompou added this piece to Paisajes in 1960. His experimental approach points to the abstract, almost mystic writing of his late series Música Callada (“Silent Music”.) Two Märchen (Fairy Tales) Op. 51 No. 3 in A Major Op. 14 No. 2 in E minor, “March of the Paladin” Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951) Nikolai Medtner may be the most significant composer-pianist you’ve never heard of. In the first half of the 20th century, he was known as the ‘Russian Brahms.’ He wrote primarily piano music and songs; there are also three fine piano concerti that deserve to be heard. The solo keyboard works comprise 14 sonatas and more than 100 character pieces with fanciful titles in the tradition of Schumann and Grieg.
examples that show Medtner’s indebtedness to Schumann and Brahms. The writing is dense and chromatic, with complex cross-rhythms, syncopations, inner voices, and surprising turns in harmony. Opus 51 No. 3 is one of a set of six Märchen published in 1928. Marked Allegretto tranquillo e grazioso, this A Major movement has imaginative textures, lovely inner melodies, and a wonderful sense of flow. The themes have the flavor of Russian folk song; the structure feels akin to a Brahms Intermezzo German tradition crossed with a Russian soul. This piece was a Horowitz favorite, and one of the few Medtner pieces he recorded.
Medtner came by his very un-Russian-sounding surname via his father, who was of Danish descent; his mother’s roots were Swedish and German. He claimed Russian citizenship by virtue of being born in Moscow, where his family had established roots in the mid-19th century. Medtner matriculated at the Moscow Conservatory at age 12 and appeared to be headed toward a career as a virtuoso pianist; however, upon graduation in 1900, he opted instead for composition (though he continued to teach piano.) Like many Russian musicians, Medtner fled his homeland after the Revolution. He and his wife initially relocated to Berlin. The German capital’s avant-garde scene had little appeal for the traditionalist Medtner. After an American concert tour in 1924-5, facilitated with assistance from Sergei Rachmaninoff, the Medtners settled in Paris for a couple of years. The French environment was only marginally more comfortable to the expatriate Russian. Eventually, he made his permanent home in London, where he continued to compose and perform insofar as his declining health permitted. Medtner gave the title Skazka (Fairy Tale) to thirty-three of his piano pieces. The Russian word is akin to the German Märchen, a term comprising a broader range of stories beyond fairy tales. The two that Mr. Grosvenor plays are representative the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
Nikolai Medtner, postcard (1910)
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“March of the Paladin” is one of two Märchen composed from 1905 to 1907; it is known as Ritterzug in German. The Paladins were warrior knights in the court of Charlemagne. Vigorous and technically demanding, Medtner’s March requires rapidly repeated notes, clean pianissimo chromatic scales, and careful management of multiple sound layers. He develops his opening theme elaborately and with dazzling contrapuntal skill. Valses nobles et sentimentales Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) Valses nobles et sentimentales is one of the works that Ravel wrote originally for piano and subsequently orchestrated. Other examples are his Menuet antique, Pavane pour une infante défunte, Alborado del gracioso, Ma mère l’Oye, and Le tombeau de Couperin. Valses nobles has a special affinity with Le tombeau de Couperin in that Ravel conceived each as a tribute to a composer from another era. Ravel loved the dance and was entranced by dance rhythms. The waltz in particular held a powerful fascination for him; examples occur throughout his oeuvre. His preoccupation with the musical seductiveness of the waltz culminated in La valse. Valses nobles et sentimentales is La valse’s most important predecessor. In an oftquoted autobiographical sketch, Ravel explained his title: The title Valses nobles et sentimentales sufficiently indicates my intent to write a set of waltzes in emulation of Schubert. The virtuosity which formed the chief part of Gaspard de la nuit (for solo piano, 1908) has been replaced by obviously greater clarity, which strengthens the harmony and sharpens the contrasts.
The labels “noble” and “sentimental” both occur in Schubert’s waltzes. Ravel’s music, however, is more sophisticated than its simple and graceful Schubertian models. His score includes a quotation from Henri de Régnier: “…le plaisir délicieux et toujours nouveau d’une occupation inutile” (“the delicious and always new pleasure of a useless occupation”.) Is he mocking us for listening with such enjoyment? Or himself
THE ORIGINAL BLUE DANUBE Johann Strauss II composed this waltz early in 1867 as a choral piece for Vienna’s premier all-male chorus, the Männergesangsverein. Accustomed to assigning imaginative titles to his waltzes, quadrilles, and polkas, he hit upon a line by the popular Austrian poet Karl Beck: An der Donau, der schönen blauen Donau. Voilà: he had the name for his new work. Using that title as a takeoff point, Joseph Weyl, a member of the Männergesangsverein who was a policeman by profession and a poet by avocation, wrote words. Immortal verse they were not: Wiener seid froh Viennese, be gay Oho, wieso? Oho, why, why? Ein Schimmer des Lichts A glimmer of light Wir sehen noch nichts. We see only night. Der Fasching its da. Fasching [Carnival] is here. Ah so, na na. Oh yes, well then. Weyl’s cohorts were to sing in divided choruses, in call-andresponse fashion. Austrian morale was low because of a decisive military defeat in late 1866 at Koeniggräetz at the hands of the Prussian army. At the time of its première on 15 February, 1867, the ‘Blue Danube’ waltz fizzled in large part because the unfortunate words served only to remind the humiliated Viennese that they had lost a war. Joseph Wechsberg has observed, “Perhaps never has a beautiful melody been matched with such a stupid text.” The piece was dismissed. That summer, the “Blue Danube” waltz was performed at the Exposition in Paris, without chorus. Unburdened by the albatross of its words, the music freed the listener’s imagination. Parisian audiences grasped what the Viennese had somehow missed: the simple elegance and captivating grace of Strauss’s melodies, the spirit of a beautiful and beloved city. Virtually overnight, Strauss catapulted past Jacques Offenbach as the French capital’s musical darling. (French words were written, but thankfully never caught on.) London was the next city to be conquered. Within six months, the Viennese publisher Spina had issued more than one million copies of the waltz. The fame of the ‘Blue Danube’ has never ceased. Anyone who has traveled to Vienna knows that the Danube is not, in fact, blue, unless it is placid and reflecting the sky on a clear day. That is not the point. Like Strauss’s other large-scale waltzes, this one is a tone poem whose successive segments capture different facets of Austria’s charm. The tremolo strings evoke sunlight playing on the ripples of the river. The Danube meanders through picturesque countryside, past quaint villages nestled near its banks, beneath vineyards and ruined castles up in the hills. This waltz is perhaps Strauss’s most successful symphonic attempt to encapsulate the spirit of a city, a country, and a people. – L.S. ©2013
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for writing derivative music? The intoxicating mixture of charm, rhythmic and harmonic subtlety, and flirtatious mood changes keeps us wondering. When Valses nobles was premiered in the original piano version, the audience was oblivious of the composer’s identity. The Société musicale indépendante presented a concert series in 1911 at which composers were not named. They provided the audience with work titles, then polled them as to who might have written each work. Amazing as it seems today, the guesses as to the author of Valses nobles et sentimentales included Gounod, Kodály, and Satie!
flows. Not until Paris audiences heard it did this glorious work make friends. When it did, it made up for lost time, becoming one of the first bona fide successes of the 19th century.
The piece opens with a proud waltz that clearly fits the “noble” designation, then follows it with a sentimental one. In the five succeeding segments, the distinction between the two types blurs somewhat. Ravel uses his Epilogue to sum up the variety he finds in the waltz. Rollo Myers describes it thus: The Epilogue, marked Lent (slow), is a kind of résumé of all the seven preceding waltzes, disembodied fragments of which come floating to the surface in the course of this highly evocative movement in which Ravel passes in review, as it were, what has gone before, not insisting on, but alluding discreetly and nostalgically to, the seven links which have formed his golden chain.
Ravel’s orchestration was written for a ballet produced in 1912 with the title Adélaïde ou le langage des fleurs. An orchestral premiere followed in 1914, with Pierre Monteux conducting. The score’s panache and sensuality have made it a favorite ever since, on the ballet stage and in the recital hall as we hear it this evening. Concert Arabesques on motifs by Johann Strauss (“An der schönen blauen Donau”) Adolf Schulz-Evler (1852-1905)
“An der schönen blauen Donau” Cover
In our culture, super-popular tunes find their way into television commercials, movie soundtracks, and elevator music. In the 19th century, pianist-composers adapted them into virtuoso transcriptions that helped to bring opera arias, orchestral music, and even Lieder to a broader listening public. In his concert fantasy on the celebrated waltz, Adolf Schulz-Evler decorated Strauss’s celebrated melodies with all the trappings of postLisztian keyboard virtuosity: rapid delicate filigree work, scales, thirds, octaves, and a lavish introduction that gives the aural impression of the pianist having three hands.
The unforgettable strains of Strauss’s immortal ‘Blue Danube’ waltz -- a simple ascending triad -- are so familiar as to be part of popular culture. Perhaps only the lively Fledermaus waltz has the same recognition among the Waltz King’s dozens of masterpieces in the Schulz-Evler is a shadowy figure in late 19th century genre. Ironically, however, the ‘Blue Danube’ had a rocky music. Born in a part of Poland that was part of the start in Vienna, the city through which the Danube Russian Empire, he studied at the Warsaw Conservatory, the friends of chamber music | Live Performance. Be There.
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then with the great German virtuoso Karl Tausig in Berlin. The last twenty years of his life he was on the faculty of the Kharkiv Conservatory in Ukraine. Concert Arabesques – effectively a free transcription – is his best known composition, and was a popular encore in the first half of the 20th century. Its golden-age proponents included Josef Lhévinne and Shura Cherkassky and the mid-century stars Byron Janis, Jorge Bolet, and Earl Wild. More recent advocates are Marc-Andre Hamelin and now Mr. Grosvenor. Program Notes by Laurie Shulman ©2013
B
BENJAMIN GROSVENOR
ritish pianist Benjamin Grosvenor is internationally recognized for his electrifying performances and penetrating interpretations. An exquisite technique and ingenious flair for tonal color are the hallmarks which make him one of the most sought-after young pianists in the world. His virtuosic command over the most strenuous technical complexities never compromises the formidable depth and intelligence of his interpretations. He first came to prominence as the outstanding winner of the Keyboard Final of the 2004 BBC Young Musician Competition at the age of eleven. Since then, he has become an internationally regarded pianist performing with orchestras including the London Philharmonic, RAI Torino, New York Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Tokyo Symphony, and in venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Centre, Singapore’s Victoria Hall, The Frick Collection and Carnegie Hall (at the age of thirteen.) At just nineteen, Mr. Grosvenor performed with the BBC Symphony Orchestra on the First Night of the 2011 BBC Proms to a sold-out Royal Albert Hall. Benjamin returned to the BBC Proms in 2012, performing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Charles Dutoit. In 2011 he signed to Decca Classics, and in doing so became the youngest British musician ever to sign to the label, and the first British pianist to sign to the label in almost 60 years. Recorded with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and James Judd, his most recent recording for Decca includes Saint Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major, interspersed with transcriptions by Godowsky and Percy Grainger. Mr. Grosvenor has received Gramophone’s ‘Young Artist of the Year and ‘Instrumental Award’, the Classic Brits ‘Critics’ Award’ and the UK ‘Critics’ Circle Award’ for Exceptional Young Talent. He has been featured in two BBC television documentaries, BBC Breakfast, The Andrew Marr Show and CNN’s Human to Hero series. The youngest of five brothers, Benjamin Grosvenor began playing the piano aged 6. He recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, where he was awarded the ‘The Queen’s commendation for excellence’. Benjamin has had lessons with Christopher Elton, Leif Ove Andsnes, Stephen Hough, and Arnaldo Cohen amongst others. For more information visit www.benjamingrosvenor.co.uk Benjamin Grosvenor appears courtesy of Arts Management Group
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Folly Theater Staff and Volunteers Sincere appreciation goes to Gale Tallis, Lee Saylor, Stephanie Spatz-Ornburn, Kathy Stipek-Nehls, Joan Hubbard, Martha Atlas, Linda Bowlen, Kelley Lapping, Travis Ives, Brandy Hersch, Khalid Johnson, Gregory Markowski, Bryant M. Stoll of the Folly Theater; and to all the friendly and helpful Folly volunteers who make The Friends’ Folly concert experiences so enjoyable. Church Venue Staff and Volunteers Special thanks to the staff and volunteers of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception who supported the presentation of our concerts in their beautiful sanctuary last season: Reverend Monsignor Robert Gregory, Mario Pearson, and Gail Monaco. The Friends Volunteers Our heart-felt thanks to some of our favorite people— our invaluable volunteers, the “friends of The Friends!” Last season this hard-working, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable group of chamber music aficionados performed innumerable tasks from selling CDs to transporting artists, tearing tickets and helping out in the office and the beautiful event. We couldn’t have produced the season without them! Thanks go to Lynda Allison, Hugo Becker, Anne Biswell, Julia Brettle, Ashley Carlson, Jessica Cary, Shauna Clark, Marcia Cooper, Nancy Corwin, Liz Craig, Karlon Cruse, Joe Davidson, Gordon Davis, Michelle Davis, Walter Davis, Danny Fischer, Amanda Graor, Brenda Hill, Carmen Hostiuc, Ryan Inderlied, Lyn and Jim Jandt, Jessica and Jack Jarsulic, Richard Keith, Margaret Lange, Brian Logan, Virginia Long, Jerri Miller, Deb and Jack McLaren, Bill Mikkelsen, Ryan Morris, George Moss, Jessica Rousseau, Rick Stephenson, Cindy Sundeen, Claudia Toomim, and Stan Willis.
Firm Financial and Legal Footing A special thank you goes to our fantastic accountant, Christy Peterson, and Harold J. Nicholson, CPA, for donating time and resources in performing our annual audit and preparing our tax returns. Special thanks to the law firm of Dentons for legal advice. Page Turner A special thanks to John Schaefer who has been an avid, long-time supporter of The Friends, including artfully turning pages (yes – there is an art to it!) when needed. Piano Sincere thanks to our expert piano tuner, Conrad Hulme. And to the Harriman-Jewell Series for the use of the spectacular Hamburg Steinway at the Folly Theater. Harpsichords With extreme generosity, Oliver Finney makes his harpsichords available for The Friends’ artists to play, including the transportation, maintenance, and tuning of these beautiful instruments. We appreciate his liberal kindness. Our Friends in the Legislature Thank you to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and the legislature for supporting the arts in our state.
Bon Appetit A big thank-you goes to those who so generously hosted pre- and post-concert dinners and receptions for our artists and patrons last season: Scott Francis and Susan Gordon; Jonathan and Nancy Lee Kemper; James and Patricia Miller; Landon and Sarah Rowland; Cynthia Schwab; and Cynthia Siebert and Larry Hicks.
Beyond the Concert Experience The Friends provides complementary programming to enhance the concert-going experience. Special thanks to those who have shared their vast expertise in supporting our efforts in the 2012-13 season: Dr. William Everett, Dr. Andrew Granade and Dr. Erika Honisch of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, and Dr. Stuart Munro, MD. Thanks to the following for presenting engaging and informative lectures in the 2013-14 season: Dr. William Everett, Dr. Andrew Granade and Dr. Erika Honisch of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, Dr. Paul Laird of KU, Kimberly Masteller of the Nelson-Aktins Museum of Art and Professor Ali Asani of Harvard University.
Sweet Intermission André’s Confiserie Suisse and the Bollier family add a sweet note to every concert by kindly allowing us to sell their delicious chocolates.
Forte Films A big special thanks to Jerry Harrington and all his staff for his generosity in providing the Tivoli Cinemas for the showing of our FORTE Film Series.
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special thanks
Soirée 2013 Benefit and Wine Auction Our utmost thanks to the Soirée 2012 contributors, table hosts, attendees, and auction items donors. Thanks also to Doug Frost, Lucille Windsor, Stu Nowlin of Stu Nowlin Imaging, the Kansas City Country Club, Marquee Selections, and Soli Printing for their invaluable help with Soirée. Further Thanks Annette Luyben and Luyben Music; Julia Scherer; Schmitt Music; Boelte Hall; Wheat State Pizza: The Kansas City Marriott Downtown; Sheraton Suites Country Club Plaza; Kasama Kasemvudhi; The Kansas City Police Department.
Become a volunteer. . . The Friends depends heavily on its corps of volunteers-especially to perform important duties at our concerts. From selling luscious Andre’s chocolates, CDs by our renowned performers, or concert tickets, to setting up receptions and transporting artists, The Friends of Chamber Music's magnificent volunteers are integral to our success. In appreciation, our volunteers attend our gorgeous concerts for free! For additional information, please contact Robert Holland at 816.561.9999.
Nancy Corwin, Amy Inderlied, and Marcia Cooper man the registration table at Soirée 2013, © Stu Nowlin Imaging
Our volunteers enjoy refreshments prior to Soirée 2013, © Stu Nowlin Imaging
FCM volunteer Rick Stephenson at Soirée 2013, © Stu Nowlin Imaging
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Why Give?
The Friends of Chamber Music is loyal to its mission of presenting worldclass artists for affordable ticket prices. Our tickets cost a fraction of what other major cities charge for the same artists, and most of our concerts are free to students 18 and under. As ticket sales cover only one-third of our expenses, we rely on the generosity of individuals, foundations, corporations, and government funders for the remaining two-thirds of our budget. Your generous financial support of our concerts and educational activities allows you to share in the joy of bringing outstanding music to our community. If you have not yet made a donation to The Friends, we invite you to join our donor family. Please call the Development Department at 816-561-9999 to learn more about making a contribution.
VISIONARIES ($50,000 and above) Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation William T. Kemper Foundation GUARDIANS ($25,000 - $49,000) Charles and Virginia Clark SUSTAINERS ($15,000 - $24,999) The H & R Block Foundation Hall Family Foundation David Woods Kemper Foundation Michael Waterford MAJOR BENEFACTORS ($10,000 - $14,999) ArtsKC Fund of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City Mr. and Mrs. Tom Bowser Stanley H. Durwood Foundation Francis Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr. Irv and Ellen Hockaday Fund for The Friends of Chamber Music Steven and Jeannette Karbank Dr. and Mrs. Douglas McNair James and Patricia Miller Missouri Arts Council Oppenstein Brothers Foundation SBSM Sweep Fund Sosland Foundation Sanders and Blanche Sosland Music Fund BENEFACTORS ($5,000 - $9,999) Dwight and Naomi Arn Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Bacon, Jr. Chamber Music America Commerce Bank of Kansas City J. Scott Francis/Francis Family Foundation Discretionary Fund Master Craftsmen Foundation Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund J. B. Reynolds Foundation RLS Illumination Fund Shook, Hardy & Bacon Morton and Estelle Sosland PATRONS ($1,000 - $4,999) Mrs. Wayne Barnes Hugo and Sharon Becker Eugene Bileski and Diane Krizek
Contributors
We gratefully acknowledge the kindness of our many contributors who have given their financial support on behalf of our concerts and our educational activities. This list of contributors represents donations and pledges received between July 1, 2012 and August 1, 2013. The Friends of Chamber Music’s fiscal year is July 1 – June 30. Special thanks to the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts for underwriting the Hamburg Steinway piano.
Drs. Melissa Rosado and Paul Christenson Copaken Family Foundation Jay and Kit Culver David M. and Sandy Eisenberg Mr. and Mrs. Joseph T. Fahey Fike Corporation The Friends of Chamber Music Endowment Funds John R. and Ellen R. Goheen Nancy Hawley Mr. and Mrs. Michael Herman Vera Isenberg Jonathan and Nancy Lee Kemper Ian Kennedy Herbert and Nancy Kohn Dr. Jeffrey B. Kramer Donald B. Marquis Marshall and Janet Miller Sherrill Mulhern Mark and Lynne O’Connell Ms. Cynthia H. Schwab Cynthia Siebert and Lawrence Hicks Ten Ten Foundation Louis and Frances Swinken Supporting Foundation Martha Lee Cain Tranby Music Enrichment Fund DONORS ($500 - $999) Anonymous Lennie and Jerry Berkowitz Alietia Caughron Mr. Jack Coakley and Ms. Jane Ratcliffe Anne Fraser William R. Gann Mr. and Mrs. James B. Hebenstreit Rita and Lamar Hunt, Jr. Monica Jeffries Hazangeles and John Peter Hazangeles Mr. and Mrs. William B. Kort Edward P. Milbank Nan Muchnic and Rick Pardy Drs. Samuel and Nancy Robertson Lisa and Charles Schellhorn Shalon Fund Mr. & Mrs. Willard Snyder Joshua and Jane Sosland Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City Ellen and Jerome Wolf
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SUPPORTERS ($250 - $499) Mr. and Mrs. Richard O. Ballentine Dan Bernstein Adelman Family Dr. and Mrs. Robert H. Easterday Charles J. Egan, Jr. Norman E. and Marilyn A.W. Gaar Sherrill Gerschefske Alan Grimes Klaus and Claudia Grunewald Hallmark Corporate Foundation Neil and Lona Harris Nanci Hawkins Shirley and Barnett Helzberg Foundation Dave Hughes Donna and Parker LaBach Catherine A. Larrison Thomas Lucero P. Alan McDermott Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation David Field Oliver June and Cal Padgett Richard and Louise Parizek Stanley S. and Ardyce H. Pearson Jana E. Pinker Memorial Foundation George and Wendy Powell Mr. and Mrs. William E. Quirk John and Fiona Schaefer Naoma and Webster Schott Glenn and Rita Spillman Arthur and Barbara Stern Gerald and Marilyn Uppman Thomas S. Watson Family Foundation Heinz K. Wehner Joyce Zibro SPONSORS ($100 - $249) Anonymous Mr. Randy Attwood Mr. and Mrs. Russell W. Baker, Jr. Thomas and Susan Bamford Vern Barnet Jane Anne Beachner Duane and Nancy Benton Mark and Kathy Berger James L. Bingham Rita and Irwin Blitt Sandra Bowlby Marilyn T. Bradt Dorothy Burggraaff & Tim Scott
contributors Jim and Kay Calvert Karen L. Christiansen Dr. Robert L. Claassen Don and Patricia Dagenais Robert Delisle Mr. John E. Dieter III Roger Dirks and Cindy Capellari Jon and Juli Ellis William Fossati Jerry Fry Melvin and Meta George Baila Goldstein Peter and Lynda Goulet Bob and Marlese Gourley Dr. Richard K. Gutknecht Karen and William Halverhout Mr. Jerome Harrington Caroline and George Helmkamp Kim and Ted Higgins Mr. and Mrs. George S. Huff Margaret Jackson Joseph T. Jensen John and Sangeetha Kelly Drs. John and Ann Kenney Pamela D. Kingsbury Mr. and Mrs. Art Lafex Judith A. Lindquist Dr. N. J. Lindsey, in memory of Dr. Elizabeth Wilson Wayne Lippman Sharon Lundy Robert and Heather Maynard The Honorable Patrick and Patricia McAnany Ms. Angela C. McClelland Dr. and Mrs. H. Richard McFarland Metzler Bros. Insurance Rosemary Polk Tom and Vicki Smith Alice Statland Barney Goodman Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City Howard and Gail Sturdevant Dr. and Mrs. John Sutphin Thomas Taylor Gary Tegtmeier Vendini Rebecca Vogt Robert Weirich and Karen Kushner Paul and Meta Ann White John Wilkinson Murray and Elsie Winicov E. David and Judith Frame Wiseman Raymond Zbacnik
Nancy Cramer Dennis Crow Consuelo Cruz Mrs. Ray W. Dunn Phyllis Holter Dunn Julie Elfving Amanda Emerson Rob and Melissa Falkner Rick Fortner Eyual Getahun Elizabeth Mueller Grace, NCTM Greater Horizons GKCCF Sonja and Louis Joline Duane and Cosette Kelly Christina Kolm Jane Lee Michael and Linda Lyon Ms. Linda T. Lyon Santiago Martinez Donald J. McCoun Jay and Symie Menitove Tad Messenger Keith Myles Ben and Lyndal Nyberg Dr. and Mrs. Jorge C. Paradelo Dick and Audre Patel Randall Patton Steve and Kathy Peters Richard I. Preis Ann T. Reed, in memory of Catharine Gardner Dale and Anne Shipley Jack and Norma Jean Sigler Egon Stammler James and Elena Steffen Clyde D. Stoltenberg Anthony and Diane Stolz Twelve Winds Tea Company Melanie Vandenberg Christina Webster Ron Williams Meredith Williams Deborah Williamson Malinde Wilson Shu-Kuei Yang Every effort has been made to ensure an accurate list of contributors. If we have made an inadvertent mistake, please bring it to the attention of the Development Department by calling 816-561-9999. The lists printed here represent donations and pledges received between July 1, 2012 and August 1, 2013.
FRIENDS (Up to $99) Anonymous Gary N. Anderson Donald and Jeanne Andrade Jan Armstrong Edna Atkisson Joseph and Francoise Bien Curtis and Sharon Bock Scott Bosworth Betty Brand Ms. Dorothy Brandwein Mary Carmona Sanna Cass
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Endowment Donors
In addition to their annual gifts, endowment donors have given to The Friends of Chamber Music’s future. The Friends’ endowments are permanent funds from which earnings may be used at the Board’s discretion for special initiatives, concerts, or operations. We thank the following donors for recognizing the need to strengthen The Friends’ endowments for the sake of future audiences. Amounts shown are cumulative, reflecting multiple gifts over the years.
$100,000 and above The Cleveland Quartet Award The Irv and Ellen Hockaday Fund William T. Kemper Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Challenge Grant Sanders & Blanche Sosland Music Fund
$2,500 - $4,999 Mr. and Mrs. Richard O. Ballentine Charles and Virginia Clark Robert Loyd Whitney F. and Ann Miller Jane E. Ratcliffe Beth K. Smith
$10,000 - $99,999 Anonymous Anonymous, in memory of James W. & Ruth T. Evans Commerce Bank of Kansas City Mr. & Mrs. George C. Dillon David M. & Sandy Eisenberg Isaac (Jack) & Rena Jonathan Steven & Jeanette Karbank David Woods Kemper Memorial Foundation Mr. & Mrs. William G. Levi Mr. & Mrs. Robert P. Lyons Vera Patton William Quirk Mr. & Mrs. Lamson Rheinfrank, Jr. Cynthia H. Schwab Cynthia Siebert & Lawrence Hicks Joshua and Jane Sosland Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City Lester T. Sunderland Foundation Sutherland Lumber Courtney S. Turner Charitable Trust, Daniel C. Weary and Bank of America, Trustees Mark & Nancy Viets
$1,000 - $2,499 Leonard and Irene Bettinger Julie A. Burgess Jack Coakley Mr. and Mrs. Charles French Tom and Ann Gill Dr. and Mrs. John R. Goheen Mr. and Mrs. William Greiner Hallmark Cards, Inc. Mrs. G.M. Mulhern Janice Newberry Julia Scherer Claudia Scognamiglio-Pasini Mr. and Mrs. Barney White Marc and Elizabeth Wilson
$5,000 - $9,999 Nancy Martin Barnes Vera Isenberg Douglas McNair & Cecelia Stadler McNair Patricia Y. & Gerald B. Rivette
$500 - $999 Butler Manufacturing Company Sally Chapple, in memory of Charles Culloden Chapple $250 - $499 Joan Gallos and Lee Bolman Jon and Janet Henderson Kathleen A. Markham Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Parks Mr. and Mrs. Glenn R. Spillman
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Special thanks to those who remember The Friends of Chamber Music or The Friends of Chamber Music Endowment Funds in their wills or estate plans: Anonymous (3) Nancy Martin Barnes Mr. and Mrs. Charles Abbott Carter, Jr. Sally Chapple Victor (Vic) Contoski Dorothy Dreher Marsha L. Enterline Adele Levi Sally Verburg Livengood Jane E. Ratcliffe Julia Scherer Cynthia H. Schwab Cynthia Siebert & Lawrence Hicks Joshua and Jane Sosland Dr. Harry and Alice Statland, in memory of Suzanne Statland Kaleen Tiber Michael Waterford
soirée 2013 acknowledgements
Soirée 2013 Acknowledgements
For more information on Soirée, The Friends of Chamber Music’s annual benefit and wine auction, please see pages 20 and 21.
Honorary Chairs of Soirée 2013 Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Bacon Wine Auction Consultant Doug Frost Auctioneers Doug Frost Lucille Windsor Photographer Stu Nowlin, Stu Nowlin Imaging Floral Arrangements Trapp and Company CONTRIBUTORS Sponsors (as of April 30, 2013) $25,000 and Above Charles L. and Jennifer Bacon $5,000 and Above Commerce Bank Douglas and Cecelia Stadler McNair Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP /Barkley and Barbara Clark $1,000 - $4,999 Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation David Kiersznowski and Demi Lloyd Steve Karbank William B. and Regina M. Kort Benny and Edith Lee Robert Jr. and Lynn Mackle Marshall and Janet Miller Mark and Lynne O’Connell John J. Olichney and Renee L. Siebert George and Wendy Powell Tuck and Susan Spaulding $100 - $999 Dick and Emily Ballentine Gene Bileski and Diane Krizek Jane Chu Cliff and Pennie Cohn Daniel and Anne Durrie Marsha Enterline Julie Kemper Foyer John and Ellen Goheen Walter and Jean N. Hiersteiner Joan Hunt Mary Elizabeth Ingram John D. and Ann Kenney Hibberd and Chris Kline
Catherine Larrison Dennis C. and Susan Lordi Marker Edward P. Milbank Whitney and Ann Miller Dr. and Mrs. James E. Miller Stu Nowlin Dr. Robert and Kathryn Smith Dr. David M. Steinhaus Dr. Teresa and Marcin Varanka In-Kind Sponsors Doug Frost Marquee Selections Marriott Hotel Downtown Stu Nowlin, Stu Nowlin Imaging Soli Printing/Kamal and Mary Lynn Mikhail Table Hosts Dwight and Naomi Arn Charles L. and Jennifer Bacon Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice L.L.C./ David and Sandy Eisenberg Tom and Judy Bowser Bruce Campbell Law Firm L.L.P./ Bruce and Cynthia Campbell Commerce Bank/ Jonathan and Nancy Lee Kemper Dentons Law Firm/Jerry and Ellen Wolf Hallmark Cards, Inc. Steve Karbank Brad and Dr. Jan-Marie Kroh Soli Printing/Kamal and Mary Lynn Mikhail James and Patricia Miller Sherrill Mulhern Cynthia H. Schwab Shook Hardy & Bacon L.L.P./John Sherk Larry Hicks and Cynthia Siebert Soirée 2013 Committee Nancy Lee Kemper, Chair Jennifer Bacon, Honorary Chair Mary Corneil Chris Kline Jan-Marie Kroh Catherine Larrison Hillary McCoy Mary Lynn Soli Mikhail Patricia Cleary Miller Sherrill Mulhern Cynthia Siebert
André’s Confiserie Suisse Asiatica Bijin Salon and Spa Tom and Judy Bowser Brookside Jewelers Café Europa Café Provence Charlecote Antiques Paul and Bunni Copaken Dillard’s Department Stores Le Fou Frog Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole Scott Francis and Susan Gordon Halls Kansas City Kansas City Repertory Theater Kate Spade New York Julia Irene Kauffman/Kansas City Royals Elisabeth Kirsch/Lizzie Drake Designs Lon Lane Inspired Occasions Phil and Patty Love Meierotto Midwest Jewelry Michael Smith Restaurant Sherrill Mulhern Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City Pacifica String Quartet Pear Tree Antiques Peruvian Connection Raphael Hotel Robyn Nichols Room 39 Shop Beautiful Swirk Jewelry Terry Binns Skincare Inc. Webster House Restaurant Paula Winchester/HerbGathering Wines David and Sandy Eisenberg Gerald Eisterhold Doug Frost Steve Karbank Dennis Lowden Major Brands Mark and Lynne O’Connell Mr. & Mrs. Scott T. Penning Josh and Jane Sosland Morton and Estelle Sosland Neil and Blanche Sosland
Auction Item Donors Affäre Restaurant Aixois Restaurant Aixois Brasserie American Legacy Gallery Ambience Furs
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glossary A abendmusik [Ger.] evening music. accompaniment the musical background for a melody or principal part or parts. adagio very slow tempo. adagio ma non tanto a slow tempo, but not too much. affettuoso affectionate, tender. agitatto agitated, excited. air a tune, vocal or instrumental. allegro fast tempo; merry or lively. allegro non troppo merry and lively, but not overly so. allegretto moderately fast tempo; often lighter in texture or character than allegro. allemande a German dance of the mid16th century in a moderate 2/4 or 4/4 time which eventually became incorporated into instrumental suites in the 18th century. andante moderately slow; a walking tempo. andantino slightly faster than andante. animé [animando or animato, It.] animated. In common use since the 19th century to indicate either a quickening of the tempo or a more excited expression. antiphon brief Latin liturgical chant sung as the refrain or response to the verses of a psalm. antiphony [adj. antiphonal] the use of two or more performers or ensembles that are spatially separated, and that alternate or oppose one another in a musical piece. aperto [It.] “open”. the first of two endings for a section of a piece. appassionato impassioned. appoggiatura meaning a “leaning,” this term describes a dissonant pitch that is in a strong metrical position as if “leaning” against a note or notes, that is resolved or ceases to “lean” by moving to a consonant* pitch in a relatively weaker position by ascending or descending a step. arco bow; often seen in music following pizzicato* sections (where the strings are plucked with the fingers); “arco” indicates the performer is to play with the bow. aria elaborate solo song found primarily in operas*, oratorios* and cantatas*. arietta a small aria or song, usually sung by a secondary character in an opera*. articulation the characteristics of attack and decay of tones and the means by which these characteristics are produced. Staccato* and legato* are types of articulation.
arpeggio a chord whose pitches are sounded successively, usually from the lowest note to the highest rather than simultaneously. assai [It.] much, very much. atonal the absence or opposite of tonality, or the absence of a key center. attacca attack immediately. When placed at the end of a movement, it serves as an instruction to begin the next movement without pause. augmentation the reappearance of a musical theme in notes of longer value than those in the original statement. The opposite of diminution. B bariolage a virtuoso string technique requiring rapid shifting back and forth between two or more strings to produce a tremolo effect. ballade In the 19th century, a long, dramatic type of piano piece; musical equivalent of a poetic ballad, such as the Chopin Ballades. bar line in musical notation, a line drawn vertically through one or more staves to mark off a measure.* Baroque period period or style in Western music extending from roughly 1600-1750, during which J. S. Bach, Teleman, Vivaldi, and Handel composed. basso continuo [It.] “thoroughbass.” Also called simply “continuo.” Independent, continuous bass line throughout a piece that serves as an accompaniment to instruments or voices performing the melody. At a minimum, it consists of a keyboard instrument (harpsichord, organ, clavichord) and a bass instrument (viola da gamba, violoncello, bassoon.) In earlier Baroque works, a lute, guitar, or theorbo* participates as part of the continuo. In late Baroque concertos the continuo most often comprises harpsichord and cello; however, period instrument ensembles frequently call on the other continuo instruments. bel canto bel canto singing characteristically focuses on evenness throughout the voice, skillful legato*, a light upper register, flexibility, and a lyric, “sweet” timbre. It also refers to the art and science of that vocal technique which originated in Italy during the late seventeenth century and reached its pinnacle in the early part of the nineteenth century. binary form describes a piece comprised of two sections, each usually repeated. The first section generally modulates* to a related key, and the second generally progresses back to the original key. Symbolized by AA’. bitonality simultaneous use of two tonalities or keys (also see polytonality.)
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breve [Lat.] short, brief. brio [It.] vivacity; spirit. buffo [It.] comic. burden an archaic term for the drone or bass in some musical instruments, and the pipe or part that plays it; also refers to a part of a song that is repeated at the end of each stanza. C cadence harmonic formula that concludes a musical phrase, section or piece. cadenza elaborate passage for the soloist in a concerto, during which all other instruments are silent; usually near the end of a movement and often not written out by the composer but left to the performer to improvise. canon [adj. canonic] piece, or moment in a piece, in which a subject or musical idea is imitated by one or more voices playing the same musical idea, but beginning after the first voice states the subject and overlapping with it. A well-known example is “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” The voices which follow the first statement of the subject may or may not begin on the same note or pitch as the first voice. This was a technique commonly employed in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. This was a technique most commonly employed in the Renaissance and Baroque periods, though the practice has been occasionally used for the 18th century to the present. cantabile to be performed in a melodious, singing manner. cantata vocal composition developed in the Baroque period for chorus and/or solo voice(s), based on secular or religious texts, generally with several movements* and accompanied* by an instrumental ensemble. canticle song from a book of the Bible other than Psalms. cantilena [Lat.] 1) in the Middle Ages, melody or song, including liturgical chant as well as secular songs; 2) In the 13th – 15th centuries, polyphonic* song, especially the French chanson*; 3) In the 19th century to present, a lyrical vocal or instrumental melody. cantiones sacred songs. cantus firmus a “fixed” song or melody, commonly used as a basis for contrapuntal treatment. canzona [It., ‘song’] instrumental arrangement of French chansons* popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. canzonetta [It.] a light vocal piece popular in Italy from the 1560’s, in England in the late 16th century, and in Germany in the early 17th century.
glossary capella [Ger. “Chapel”]; usually refers to a church or court musical ensemble. However, in Germany in the 15th and 16th centuries, the term came to be used to describe any musical group. capriccio [It.: ‘whim, fancy’; Fr. ‘caprice’] it does not signify a specific musical technique or structure, but rather a general disposition toward the exceptional, the whimsical, the fantastic and the arbitrary, “wherein the force of imagination has better success than the observation of the rules of art.” (Furetière, 1690) cauda a textless passage that often appears at the end of lines in medieval sacred songs. cavatina in 18th- and 19th- century opera, a short solo song, simple in style and without a da capo or repeat. Usually consists of a short, instrumental introduction followed by a single statement set to music. chaconne a form of variations based on a basic chord progression of a dance in triple meter and major mode which originated in Latin America and spread across Europe in the17th century. Ciaccona [It.] chamber concerto works for chamber orchestra in which all instrumentalists participate in both the orchestral tutti as well as sharing the solo sections. chamber music music written for small ensembles or soloists, for either private or domestic performance, or before an audience in a relatively small hall. chanson [Fr.] song. chant see plainsong. chitarrone [It.] 1) in 16th-century Italy, a large bass lute whose strings were tuned similarly to the descant* (soprano) lute, but with the first two courses* an octave lower. 2) In the17th century, the theorbo. chorale the congregational song or hymn of the German Protestant Church. chord (adj., chordal) three or more tones played simultaneously. The most commonly used chord is built on intervals of thirds, such as a C major chord comprised of the notes C, E and G. chromatic scale scale which includes all 12 tones of the octave; moving in half steps.* chromaticism the addition of at least some pitches of the chromatic scale, which is the scale that includes all 12 pitches (half steps* or semitones) contained in an octave. This may result simply from the filling in of whole steps with half steps. Classical 1) in Western music, the period or style extending from the early 18th century through the early 19th century; 2) art music, as opposed to folk or popular music forms. claveciniste referring to an era of 18thcentury French harpsichord compositions.
clef sign placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the position of pitches. coda concluding section of a composition or movement,* usually reinforcing the final cadence. compound meter a meter* that includes a triple subdivision within the beat; i.e., 6/8 time. con brio [It.] with vivacity, spirited. concertante in the 18th century, works for two or more performers (including orchestral works) in which one or more performers is called upon for soloistic display. Mozart’s Concertante for violin and viola soloists plus orchestra is an example. concertino (1) the group of soloists in a concerto grosso,* (2) in the 18th century, a multi-movement work for orchestra or chamber music ensemble. concerto a work for one or more solo instruments accompanied by orchestra, often in three movements. concerto grosso a concerto for a small group of soloists (the concertino), and larger orchestra (the tutti* or ripieno*.) conductus in medieval music, a type of sacred, non-liturgical vocal composition for one or more voices. con moto literally “with motion”; to be played more rapidly. con spirit with spirit. consort [Eng.] a group of instruments for playing music composed before about 1700. A broken consort consists of instruments from different families using different methods of producing sound. A whole consort consists of instruments all belonging to the same family. continuo see basso continuo. cornetto [It.] a wooden or ivory instrument of the brass family, with a wide conical bore and side holes for a thumb and six fingers. It was used in church and chamber music from about 1550 to 1700. corrente [It. courante, Fr.: running, flowing] a dance and instrumental form which flourished in Europe from the late 16th century to the mid 18th century, often as a movement* of a suite in 3/8 or 3/4 time. countermelody an accompanying part with distinct, though subordinate, melodic interest, in a piece with a clear melody and accompaniment. counterpoint contrapuntal texture in which two or more melodic voices proceed simultaneously and relatively independently. Renaissance and Baroque works are particularly rich in contrapuntal writing. couplet two successive lines of poetry forming a pair, often within a larger form.
courses in a string instrument, the term refers to a pair of strings tuned to the same note and sounded as one, producing a stronger, more ringing sound. An example is the four-course* mandolin, strong in four double courses. crescendo [It.] gradually increasing in loudness. cross rhythm a rhythm in which the regular pattern of accents of the prevailing meter is contradicted or challenged. D da capo to repeat a composition by returning to the beginning and playing until the word “fine” (“the end”) appears in the music. decrescendo [It.] gradually becoming softer. descant [discant] (from medieval Latin, discantus, ‘sounding part’), term first used in the 12th century , a technique of composition where one voice is added to a plainchant* (or single-voiced song), usually note against note and usually in contrary motion. descant lute a high-pitched member of the lute family, played in the soprano clef. development growth of a musical idea or ideas through variations or transformation; middle section in a sonata* form. diatonic a scale with seven different pitches, made-up of five whole* and two half* steps such as a major* or minor* scale. (The pattern is: hhwhhhw.) diminished seventh chord a chord composed of four tones, each a minor third above the next. It is often used to modulate* to another key. diminution in counterpoint*, the repetition of a subject or figure in notes of shorter value than those of its original statement. The opposite of augmentation*. dissonance musical sounds that create a feeling of tension, as opposed to consonance. All music consists of the play between dissonance and consonance. divertimento in the second half of the 18th century, especially in Austria, typically, a light, secular instrumental work for a chamber music ensemble or soloist. dominant the fifth degree or note of a major or minor scale.* doppio [It.], double the speed. double canon a piece in which two melodic subjects, or ideas, are employed in canonical style (see canon*.) double counterpoint a method of counterpoint that consists of adding to an existing melody a second melody which will fit well either above or below the first.
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glossary double fugue fugue in which two subjects* are first given full and independent treatment, and then are combined contrapuntally with one another. drone an instrument that plays only a constant pitch or pitches; sustained tone in a piece of music. dumky (pl. dumka) literally “to ponder.” (1) A Slavonic folk ballad from the Ukraine, alternating between moods of elation or despair. (2) Instrumental music involving sudden changes of mood between melancholy and despair. duple meter any meter in which there are two basic beats in a measure, such as 2/2 or 2/4. dynamics the aspect of music relating to degrees of loudness; dynamic markings. E embouchure the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the the lips to the mouthpiece of a woodwind or brass instrument. étude literally “study”; instrumental piece designed to improve a player’s technique. equal temperament a musical temperament or system of tuning in which the octave is divided into 12 semitones* of equal size and every pair of adjacent notes has an identical frequency ratio. exposition first section in a fugue*, sonata*, symphony or concerto* movement, where a subject* or musical ideas/themes are first heard or exposed. F fantasy, fantasia composition in no fixed forms wherein a composer may follow freely his or her imagination; may consist of multiple styles, moods, keys,* meters,* tempi* or forms. fermata a performance indication sign used in a composition directing the performer to stop or hold for an unspecified time, to be determined by the performer. figured bass a bass part in which numbers provide the harmonic guidelines within which the performer is expected to improvise. finale the final movement of a sonata,* symphony,* concerto* or string quartet;* usually in a fast tempo.* fine the end. fioriture ornamental passages that are improvised or written out. fipple a constricted mouthpiece common to many end-blow flutes, such as the recorder. flautino [It.] a small flute which is played vertically; more similar to a recorder rather than a piccolo. forte loud. fortissimo very loud.
fragmentation a compositional technique using only a part or fragment of a musical idea/motif.* fret a piece of material placed across the fingerboard or neck and under the strings of some string instruments, limiting the strings to be played at a specific pitch. frisch [Ger.], fresh, new. fughetta [It.] a short fugue. fugue (adj. fugal) From the Latin for “flight;” in music, a composition in which three or more voices enter imitatively one after another, each giving chase to the previous voice which “flies” before it. A double fugue refers to a fugue with two themes or subjects often developed simulataneously. A triple fugue has three subjects. fugato a fugue-like passage occurring in a larger work or movement that is not in itself a fugue.* fuoco [It.] fire. G galante term used in 18th-century French music to describe a free or homophonic style, as opposed to the strict, learned, contrapuntal style. gavotte [Fr.] a French dance of the 16thcentury court of moderate tempo* in duple meter* usually danced in a line or a circle. gesangvoll, gesang [Ger.], songfully, song. geschwind [Ger.], quick, swift. gigue a fast and usually final dance movement of a suite* of English origin and using some rhythmic multiple of triplets. giusto [It.] just, precise; an appropriate or usual tempo* for the type of piece at hand, or return to regular tempo after passage of a flexible tempo. glissando a continuous movement from one pitch* to another. This may be produced by a sliding movement on a string instrument or the slide of a trombone or sackbut, with all of the micro-intervals (smaller than half or whole steps) contained in between the beginning and ending notes of the slide. On the piano, it is produced by a rapid succession of half and/or whole steps, played with the hand upside down on the fingernail giusto [It.] just, precise; an appropriate or usual tempo* for the type of piece at hand, or return to regular tempo after passage of a flexible tempo. grave slow or solemn. grazioso graceful. Gregorian chant named for Pope Gregory I, unaccompanied, monophonic* music cells, codified in the 8th and 9th centuries and used as the basis for compositions for the Catholic Church for several centuries.
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grosse fuga great fugue referring specifically to Beethoven’s final movement of the same name, included in his original Quartet No 13, Op 130. ground bass a pattern of notes, most often a melodic phrase with a consistent harmonic progression set in the bass, repeated over and over again with changing upper parts. Grounds are basically a series of continuous variations. In Italy, grounds were called basso ostinato, or “obstinate bass.” H half steps the smallest interval in use in most instruments of the western music tradition. There are twelve such intervals contained in an octave. harmonics a tone produced on a stringed instrument by lightly touching a vibrating string at a given fraction of its length so that both segments vibrate. This creates a glassy sound. harmonic minor scale a type of minor scale in which the third and sixth degrees of the scale are each lowered a half step from the major scale. harmony the relationship of tones when they sound simultaneously; also, any number of pitches sounded simultaneously, or a chord. harpsichord stringed keyboard instrument in prominent use from the 16th to 18th centuries, and revived since the 1880’s. Similar in shape to a grand piano, but in the harpsichord, strings are plucked by a plectrum as opposed to being struck by a felt-covered hammer. homophony (adj. homophonic) music in which one voice, carrying the melody, is supported by an accompaniment which is far less important than the melody; as opposed to monophony* and polyphony*. hymn a song in praise of god(s) or heroes. hymnodist composer of hymns. I Impressionism an artistic movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries represented in music chiefly by Debussy and Ravel. The term describes the aesthetics and techniques of a group of composers who emphasized atmosphere and more intangible, flashy effects. Past rules of counterpoint and strict structures, meters and keys were replaced with new colors, more complex and ambiguous harmonies and structures that suggested a greater intimacy with the psychological. impromptu a title of a single-movement composition, characterized by an off-hand style, as if the result of sudden inspiration, but not necessarily of an improvisatory nature. The most famous of these were composed by Schubert and Chopin. innig, innigkeit [Ger.], heartfelt, intimacy.
glossary intermezzo (1) a 19th-century character piece; the term suggests the casual origin of the composition; (2) same as “interlude” or “entr’acte.” A movement that comes in between two movements, and is usually meant to serve as a lighter refreshment to those movements*. interval distance between two pitches. invertible counterpoint a technique of contrapuntal* writing that allows the voices to change places (the higher becoming the lower and vice versa.) invention the name given by J.S. Bach to 15 short keyboard pieces, each in two parts and each developing from a single idea. The 15 companion three-part pieces are now known also as “inventions.” The term also appears in earlier music, implying creativity but with no particular musical characteristics. isorhythm In the 13th century, a repeated rhythmic pattern in the tenor part of a motet. K Kapellmeister the leader of a musical chapel, or court ensemble, which might provide both sacred and secular music. (Bach held this position at the court at Cöthen from 1717-1723.) key in tonal* music, the pitch relationships that establish a single pitch as a tonal center or tonic.* klavierstücke [Ger.], keyboard pieces. L ländler an 18th-century folk dance from Austria and southern Germany in slow ¾ time. langsam, langsamer [Ger.], slow, slower. larghetto slightly less slow than largo. largo very slow tempo; considered the slowest tempo by some theorists. laude non-liturgical religious song, of greatest importance in the 13th through 16th centuries, but in continual use through the 19th century. Usually composed in Italian or Latin, these songs were anonymous, monophonic*, and simple in style. legato, [It., from legare,‘to bind’] a directive indicating that notes should be played smoothly, without noticeable breaks between them. The opposite of legato is staccato. lento [It.] slow tempo. libretto the text of an opera or oratorio, originally and more specifically the small book containing the text. lirone [It.] a bass bowed string instrument developed in the 16th century. Held between the legs and usually fretted, with 9-14 melody strings and 2 drone strings.
lute a European, plucked, string instrument with an oblong, rounded body, a flat soundboard featuring a rosette, and a short, fretted* neck with an angled pegbox,* sometimes even perpendicular to the neck. Six-course* lutes were standard after about 1600, but later Italian instruments had as many as fourteen courses.* M macaronic a mixture of vernacular words jumbled together with Latin words or Latinized words or with words from one or more other foreign languages. Magnificat the canticle* of the Virgin, Luke 1:46-55, which begins “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” The Magnificat is part of the Office of the Vespers. marsch [Ger.] forward, march, off with you. Mass the central service of the Roman Catholic rites, deriving from a ritual commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ, usually made up of several sections that fall into two categories: the Proper* and the Ordinary*. measure a way of dividing music into specific units of time set off by bar lines*; most often, with the same number of “beats.” mediant the third degree of the scale*, so called because it is midway between the first degree of the scale (the tonic)* and the fifth degree of the scale* (the dominant)*. Medieval music from the period of the Middle Ages, from about 500 until about 1430. melismata in vocal music, the setting of a single syllable to be sung over several notes as opposed to its opposite, syllabic, in which each syllable of a text is set to a single note. melody succession of musical tones forming a line of individual significance and expressive value, as opposed to harmony (tones sounded simultaneously); thus, melody and harmony represent the horizontal and vertical elements of music. meno [It.] from Italian meaning “no.” menuetto minuet. mesto [It.] sad, mournful. meter in a given composition or section, the basic pattern of regular pulses and accents found in each measure* and indicated by a time signature.* Middle Ages period of history from about 500-1430 A.D. Musical notation began in Western Europe during this time (9th century.) Some forms of music from this period include plainsong,* the Mass,* motets,* and liturgical dramas.
minimalism school or mode of contemporary music marked by extreme simplification of rhythms, patterns, and harmonies; prolonged chordal or melodic repetitions; often creating a trance-like effect. minor key a key which has a minor interval* between its first and third, sixth and seventh degrees or notes of a major scale. minuet [Fr. menuet, It. menuetto] a stately French dance of the 17th and 18th centuries, in triple meter* and moderate tempo*; often paired with a another section of music called a trio*, and is most often the third movement of a Classical symphony, sonata or quartet. mit [Ger.] ‘with’. mode (adj. modal) scale; usually used to denote scales* used by churches in the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Each mode is based on a series of pitches, with different patterns of intervals. moderato [Fr. modéré] moderate tempo. modulate to change from one key to another. molto much or very; used with such musical terms as allegro molto (very fast.) monophonic* (all voices in unison) music of the Middle Ages which was influenced by the chants* of Jewish synagogue music and the early Eastern Church. monophony (adj; monophonic) music consisting of a single voice* or line, for either one performer or an ensemble performing in unison*, such as in chant.* mosso [It.] moved, animated. motet (1) prominent type of composition of the 13th century, usually for three voices, often combining religious and secular texts; (2) an unaccompanied choral composition of the 15th and 16th centuries, contrapuntal*, usually for four or five voices*, generally with a religious text. motive [Fr. motif; Gr. Motiv] a brief melodic figure, too short to be called a theme, and often a fragment of a theme, which may become the basis for an entire composition. moto ‘motion;’ con moto, ‘with motion,’ i.e. quickly. movement a complete and relatively independent part of a larger composition such as a sonata*, quartet*, concerto* or symphony.* mute, or sordino* a device for reducing the volume and/or altering the tone color of an instrument.
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glossary N nocturne [Fr. “of the night”; It. notturno]. Title used for certain instrumental works of the 19th and 20th centuries, suggesting night and usually quiet and meditative in quality. non not. notturno (see nocturne.) novellette [Fr.; Ger.] a title given by Schumann to some of his character pieces. O obbligato [It., ‘obligated’] an accompanying* part that is of integral importance. It is not as important as the subject or melody, but has more independent character than accompaniment.* octave the interval* made up of the first and eighth tones of a minor or major scale.* office distinct from the Mass*, these are the daily services of the Western Christian rites. opera a drama set to music, which consists of singing with arias and recitatives with orchestral accompaniment, and usually also comprising an orchestral overture* and intermezzo.* opera buffa [It.] comic opera. opera seria [It.] serious opera. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the chief operatic genre. opus (abbr. op.) literally “work”; numbers used to indicate the order in which a composer’s works were published; not necessarily an indication of the order in which they were written. oratorio an extended musical drama with a text based on religious subject matter. Usually performed without scenery, costume, or action; instead, it emphasizes narration, and uses a chorus. orchestra see symphony. ordinary refers to the five Mass* texts, which remain the same for every liturgical service (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus,Agnus Dei.) organum a plainchant melody with at least one added voice to enhance the harmony, developed in the Middle Ages. ostinato a melodic and/or rhythmic motive or phrase that is repeated persistently, often in the bass.
overtone in acoustics, a faint higher tone contained within every musical tone. A body producing a musical pitch such as a taut string or a column of air within the tubular body of a wind instrument-vibrates not only as a unit but simultaneously also in sections, resulting in the presence of a series of overtones within the fundamental tone (i.e., the one identified as the actual pitch.) overture a composition intended as an introduction to a suite*, opera* or other dramatic work. Sometimes designated as a sinfonia or an introduzione (“introduction”.) P pantonic (pantonality) synonym for atonality*, Schoenberg preferred this term as indicating the combination of all keys rather than the absence of any key, but it is rarely used. partita (1) in the late 16th and 17th centuries, a variation, usually on a traditional melody, (2) in the late Baroque period and early Classical period, a type of multi-movement* instrumental suite*, whose movements* are based on dances that have become stylized and suitable only for listening. The most common movements in a partita are prelude*, allemande*, bourrée, sarabande*, minuet*, and gigue*, though other lighter movements may be included. passacaglia a continuous variation form, mostly from the Baroque, whose basso ostinato* formulas are originally derived from ritornellos.* passepied [Fr.] a French dance of the 17th and 18th centuries resembling a fast minuet.* It was usually in binary* form and in 3/8 or 6/8 time with continuous running movement. It became part of the18thcentury suite* as one of the optional dances. passamezzo antico an Italian dance in duple meter based on a specific Renaissance choral scheme popular from the mid-16th century to about 1650. passion music form that began in the Medieval period which depicts the Passion of the Christ (his crucifixion and resurrection.) pastorale a work of music or literature that represents or evokes life in the countryside. pathétique with great emotion. pedal point a sustained tone in the lower register, occurring under changing harmonies in the upper parts. pegbox a boxlike construction at the far end of the neck of a stringed instrument which houses ‘pegs’ or screws to which the strings are attached and which can be turned to tune the strings, either by tightening or lessening them.
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perpetuum mobile a composition in which rhythmic motion, often in a single notevalue in a rapid tempo, is continuous from beginning to end. pianissimo very soft. piano (1) the instrument; (2) a directive found within a score to indicate playing quietly. (The first pianos were called “fortepianos” meaning “loudsoft” because a performer could affect the volume of the note by altering the way the keys are struck as opposed to the harpsichord. piano trio (1) a trio consisting of piano, violin, and cello, (2) a work for such a trio. più more. pizzicato in music for bowed and stringed instruments, a directive to pluck, with the fingers or thumb, the strings for certain notes or passages of notes. plainsong (plainchant or chant) unaccompanied. poco little. poco adagio a little slower tempo. polka a moderately fast Bohemian dance that originated in Europe around 1830, and was popular throughout the 19th century. polonaise a festive aristocratic Polish dance in triple meter,* in a moderate tempo with a strong emphasis on the first beat, usually performed as a processional with couples. polyphony music that simultaneously combines several lines of equal or almost equal importance; as opposed to monophony* and homophony.* polytonality simultaneous use of two or more tonalities or keys. praembulum or praeludeium (see prelude) [Lat.] prelude. prelude or praeludium a piece or movement that precedes other movements of a larger work, such as in a partita* or suite.* prestissimo a tempo marking indicating a piece or section of a piece is to be played as fast as possible. presto a tempo marking indicating a piece or section of a piece is to be played very fast. programmatic music intended to express or depict specific images or stories, as opposed to representing abstract ideas. proper those sections of the Mass* whose texts change according to the occasions in the Church calendar.
glossary Q quartet (1) an ensemble comprised of four instruments or vocalists, or some combination of the two. The most common combination consists of two violins, a viola and a cello, which is known as a string quartet, a form founded by Haydn (2) a composition written for such instrumental/ vocal combinations. quodlibet [Lat.] “What you please.” A composition in which well-known melodies or texts are presented simultaneously or successively, the result being humorous and displaying technical virtuosity. R rallentando [It., abbr., rall.] gradually slowing down; same as ritardando.* rasch, rascher [Ger.], quick, quicker, sehr rasch, very quick recapitulation section of thematic restatement; usually the third and final section in a movement* of a sonata* form work. recitative [It.] a vocal style designed for the speech-like declamation of narrative episodes in operas*, oratorios* or cantatas.* relative key has to do with the number of pitches two keys or scales* share in common, e.g., relative major/minor keys. Renaissance period in Western music, the period extending from approximately 1425 to 1600. ricercar [It., ‘to seek’] a type of late Renaissance and early Baroque instrumental composition. It usually refers to an early kind of fugue*, particularly one of a serious character in which the subject uses long note values. In the 16th century, the word ricercar could refer to several types of compositions, which mostly fell into two general types a predominantly improvisatory work and a sectional work in which each section begins imitatively, usually in a variation form. ripieno [It., ‘filled’] term used in Baroque music to denote the tutti (or concerto grosso) sections, as opposed to the solo (or concertino) group. ritardando [It., abbr. rit.] gradual slowing of tempo; same as rallentando. ritornello prelude material for full orchestra, stated at outset and recurring at periodic intervals throughout the movement. Ritornello are always present in first movements of Baroque concertos and frequently play a part in last movements. rococo a term from art used to describe the graceful and ornamented music of the 18th century. romanesca a song form popular in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, usually in triple meter, composed of a sequence of four chords with a simple, repeating bass
providing the groundwork for variations and improvisation. Originating in Spain, it was most popular with Italian composers of the early Baroque period. Romanticism a period in European music history, usually considered to have spanned from the early to late 19th century. rondeau one of the three standard poetic forms used for chansons in the 14th and 15th centuries. rondo form prominent in the Classical period in which a main theme alternates with contrasting episodes; one of the most common rondo patterns is ABACABA. S sarabande a slow, highly ornamented Baroque dance whose historical origin is Spanish, usually in triple meter* and part of an instrumental suite consisting of several movements.* SATB initialism for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass designating the voice ranges required to perform a particular piece of choral music. scale a schematic arrangement of notes in ascending and descending order of pitch which are regularly used in the music of a particular period or culture. scherzo [It., ‘joke,’ ‘game’] movement of a sonata*, symphony* or quartet* that replaced the minuet in the 19th century; usually written in a light, rapid style often with a contrasting trio* section. schnell, schneller [Ger.], ‘fast’, ‘faster’. scordatura also called cross-tuning, is an alternative tuning used for the open strings of a stringed instrument. sehr [Ger.], ‘very’. semitones see half steps. semplice [It.] simple, without ornament. serenade a vocal or instrumental work intended for performance in the evening, and usually addressed to a lover, friend, or person of rank, and composed for a specific occasion. sforzando [It., “forcing” pl. sforzandi ] an indication for a strong accent on a note or chord.* sonata composition for one or more instruments, usually in several movements;* takes on different forms in different periods of history. Most sonatas written in the 18th and 19th centuries contained at least one movement in sonata-allegro form. sonata-allegro a large-form movement in three parts: exposition, development and recapitulation. symbolized ABA’ (see diagram on page 117) Most commonly employed in sonatas, quartets, concertos and symphonies.
sonatina [Fr. sonatine] a work with the formal characteristics of a sonata (see sonata-Allegro diagram below), but on a smaller scale and often less technically demanding for the performer. sordino [It.] see mute.* sostenuto [It.] sustained, sometimes with the implication of a slowing tempo. sotto voce [It.] under the breath, in lowered tones, softly, as an aside. spiccato [It.] a fast, detached stroke in which the bow is dropped on the string and lifted again after each note. staccato literally “detached”; a manner of performance in which each note is shortened and separated from the notes that follow. The opposite of legato.* staff, stave (pl. staves) a group of horizontal lines, on which notes are placed to indicate pitch. The number of lines in a staff varied throughout many centuries, until a five-line staff was adopted to create a standard common to all composers and countries in the West. stop (pl. stops) refers to a string technique wherein a performer “stops” a string by pressing his finger on it at different places to produce a specific pitch. A string player may “stop” several strings at a time to produce a chord or cluster of sounds simultaneously. stretto [It., ‘squeezed together’] in a fugue, the imitative treatment in which the subjects follow so closely in succession that each overlaps with the next creating greater stress or tension. string quartet (1) an ensemble comprised of two violins, a viola, and a cello, (2) a composition written for this combination of instruments. strophe (adj., strophic) units of text set to music and characterized by repetition of the same music for all strophes. sturm und drang [Ger., “storm and stress”] A movement in late 18th-century German music that aimed to produce a powerful, even violent expression of emotion. style gallant refers to an 18th-century style that was written in a more free, homophonic* style as opposed to the older, more strict style of employing counterpoint.* stücklein [Ger.], little pieces. subdominant the fourth scale degree of a major or minor scale.* subject a melody or melodic fragment on which a fugue* is based. submediant the sixth scale degree.
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glossary suite a series of different instrumental movements* with some element of unity, often performed as a single work. The piece’s unity may be derived from a common key, or from some thematic connections and overall form. A partita* is a particular kind of suite. sul ponticello [It. “near”] marking which indicates to play near the bridge of a stringed instrument. suspension a dissonance* which is created by holding a note from a previous chord, while the other notes of the chord* change to create a new chord in which the held note no longer belongs. The suspended note creates tension or dissonance*, until it is resolved by moving to a harmonic pitch or note that is part of the new chord. symphony (1) a large-scale, public composition usually based on sonata* form, usually in multiple movements* written for orchestra; (2) a large-scale instrumental ensemble intended for public performance. syncopation displacement of the normal accent by transferring it from a strong to a weak beat. Used throughout all classical music periods, it has been employed more aggressively in the 20th century by musicians in the “classical” and jazz fields. T tanto [It.] so much, too much. tardamente [It.] slow, slowly; slowing down. tempo (pl. tempi) speed at which a composition is performed; common tempo markings include (listed from slow to fast): largo, lento, adagio, andante, allegretto, allegro, vivace, presto, prestissimo. ternary form a movement with three sections. The first and third sections are identical or closely related, and the second is contrasting. An ABA form. terrace dynamics a technique applied when performing a sequence wherein the dynamic or volume level is louder for each statement of a sequence that usually rises in volume when the pitch rises and decreases in volume if the sequence is going down. theme principal melody in a composition. theorbo a large bass lute, which was developed in the late 16th century especially for playing basso continuo*. It will have six courses* and seven or eight contrabass courses in a second pegbox attached to the first. timbre tone color.
time signature the sign placed at the beginning of a composition or during the course of it to indicate its meter.* It normally consists of two numbers: the top number indicates how many beats are in each measure*, and the bottom number indicates what type of note value is worth one beat. tiorba [It.] see theorbo. toccata [It., “touch”] an instrumental composition, often featuring several virtuosic sections, designed to show off the player’s technical capabilities. tonal in Western music, the organized relationship of tones with reference to a definite key center or tonic, and generally, a work written in a specific scale or key. tonic first degree, or pitch, of a major or minor diatonic scale. tranquillo tranquil. transposition the rewriting or performance of music at a pitch other than the one in which it was originally written. transverse flute [It. traverso, Fr. traversière, Ger. Traversflöte] a term used until the middle of the 18th century to distinguish a side-blown flute from the end-blown recorder. tremolando or tremolo the fast, unmeasured repetition of a single note or alternation of two notes. triad a chord* consisting of three pitches, each pitch usually separated by the interval of a third or fourth (see chord.) trill (1) a fluttering or tremulous sound; warble; (2) in music, the rapid alternation of two tones either a whole or half step apart. triple counterpoint counterpoint into which a third melody is written. trio (1) composition for three performers; (2) The B section of an ABA form of a minuet* or scherzo*, usually in two parts, each of which is repeated. trio-sonata a sonata written for three instruments, usually two upper voices and one basso continuo*. triple meter any meter* in which there are three basic beats in a measure*, such as 3/4 or 3/8. triplet three notes of the same rhythmic value to be played/sung in the time normally occupied by one or two note(s) of the same value, thus making them faster. tromba [It.] trumpet.
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trope in the Roman Catholic liturgy of the 9th century and later, an addition, textural and or musical, to the charts that had become standardized under Pope Gregory (c 600) or later . The simplest of these may be only a few words inserted within the original text of a section of the mass. Frequently long sentences or even entire poems would be placed between words of the original text. troppo too much (as in ma non troppo, ‘not too much’.) tutti literally, “all”; in orchestral works, particularly concertos, a passage where the entire orchestral force resumes playing after a passage in which only a soloist or small group of soloists (concertante*) are playing (see also concerto grosso* and ripieno*.) U unison (1) the interval formed by two statements of the same pitch; (2) simultaneous performance at the same pitch, or sometimes at one or more octaves.* V valse [Ger.] see waltz.* variation compositional technique in which musical ideas or themes are manipulated and repeated many times with various changes. vespers [Lat., evening] a devotional service, part of the Divine Office, usually performed in monasteries and convents in the early evening. viola da braccia a 16th- and 17th-century bowed, string instrument played on the arm as distinct, from one played on or between the legs (da gamba.) viola da gamba a 16th and 17th-century bowed stringed instrument played on-or between the legs. virtuosic a term used to describe music that requires great technical capability on the part of the performer. vivace lively; indicates a tempo equivalent to or faster than allegro. voice (1) the human voice; (2) a single part or line in an instrumental composition. W walking bass a bass accompaniment that moves steadily in a rhythm contrasting to that of the parts played in the upper registers. It consists of unsyncopated* notes of equal value, using a mixture of scale tones, arpeggios*, and passing tones to outline the chord progression, often with a melodic shape that alternately rises and falls in pitch over several bars.
glossary waltz a ballroom dance, always in triple meter*, but the tempo may range from slow to moderately fast; one of the best known of the 19th century Austrian/German dances. whole step an interval consisting of two half steps or semitones.* Z ziemlich [Ger.], ‘rather,’ ziemlich schnell ‘rather fast’.
Abbreviations: AV. abbreviation for Asow Verzeichnis,the thematic catalog of Richard Strauss’s works by E.H. Mueller von Asow
* denotes words that are defined in this glossary.
Hob. abbreviation for catalogue of Haydn’s works compiled by Anthony van Hoboken. The number after Hob. indicates the musical form, and the number after the colon indicates the numbering within that type of work.
Note: These definitions are taken from The New Harvard Dictionary of Music, edited by Don Randel; The New Oxford Companion to Music, edited by Denis Arnold; and The New Groves Dictionary of Music, edited by Stanley Sadie; with additional edits by The Friends of Chamber Music staff.
BWV. abbreviation for Bach Werke Verzeichnis, the catalog of the works of J.S. Bach, developed by Wolfgang Schmieder. D. abbreviation for Otto Erich Deutsch’s thematic catalog of the works of Schubert.
HWV. abbreviation for Händel-WerkeVerzeichnis, the modern-day thematic catalog of Handel’s works compiled by Bernd Baselt. K. or KV. abbreviation for KöchelVerzeichnis, the thematic catalog for the works of Mozart first prepared by Ludwig von Köchel. K. abbreviation for Ralph Kirkpatrick’s chronological system of cataloging the works of Domenico Scarlatti. RV. abbreviation for Peter Ryom’s Verzeichnis, the definitive catalog for the works of Antonio Vivaldi. TWV. abbreviation for Telemann Werke Verzeichnis (Telemann Work Catalogue.) The first number after TWV indicates the general type of medium, the letter after the colon is the key of the particular work, and the following number is the numbering within that type of work WoO abbreviation for Werk ohne Opuszahl (work without opus number), in the thematic category of Beethoven’s works.
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CONSERVATORY ARTIST SERIES
Conservatory Wind Symphony & Robert Weirich, piano Sat. Sept. 28, 8 p.m. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center Holst, The Planets, & Dohnรกnyi, Variations on a Nursery Tune. photo: Duncan Coop & NASA/JPL Opus 3 Artists
No Limits: Crescendo Fri. Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center
MUSIC ALLIANCE
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Tickets 816-235-6222 umkc.edu/cto
Finale Fri. Apr. 25, 8 p.m. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center
Horszowski Trio Thur. Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m. White Recital Hall
So Percussion Wed., Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m. White Recital Hall This concert is underwritten by the James and Vera Olson Fund for the Arts.
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Which book of the Bible features Noah's Ark? | The Story of Noah's Ark From the Bible’s Book of Genesis - The Daily Beast
Antediluvian
The Story of Noah's Ark From the Bible’s Book of Genesis
Read the passage from the book of Genesis of the King James Version of the Bible that is the source of Darren Aronofsky’s new epic, ‘Noah.’
The Daily Beast
03.24.14 9:45 AM ET
And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: and he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed. And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto thern, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him. And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, there went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; they, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in. And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: all in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; and the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.
And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: and he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; but the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; and the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.
And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.
And God spake unto Noah, saying. Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
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A 'salt eel' is a nautical term for the end of a what? | What is the Meaning of Noah and the Ark?
What is the Meaning of Noah and the Ark?
Category: Scripture
Created: 26 March 2014
The story of Noah and his Ark has been told as a children’s story for so many centuries that nowadays no one suspects the real meanings it hides. Instead, it is seen like all children’s stories: as something sweet and foolish. Yet, the story of Noah was written in the Bible by Moses not as entertainment for babies, but as part of the sacred science he encoded in his books. Moses, a man who stood face to face with God, did not waste his time on trifles. He wrote the story of Noah to teach something important to those who wished to have the experiences he had. Meeting divinity is no easy feat.
"...when [after speaking with God] he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him." - Exodus 34
In case you do not know the story of Noah, it is told in the first book by Moses, called Genesis / Bereshit, chapters 6-8. In short, it explains how divinity, seeing the degeneration of humanity, decides to destroy all living things, save the few who are pure, led by Noah. He is told to build “an ark” (a boat) in which he takes his family and two of every animal, within which they survive a worldwide flood.
Moses was not the only one to tell the story. The story of Noah is older than the Bible.
Contemporary scholars believe the books of Moses were composed in the sixth century BC. Yet the story is told in books more than a thousand years older than the Bible.
From The Instructions of Shuruppak, Sumerian, 1700 BC or older:
“Day by day, standing constantly at ……. Something that was not a dream appeared, conversation ……, …… taking an oath by invoking heaven and earth. In the Ki-ur, the gods …… a wall. Zi-ud-sura, standing at its side, heard: "Side-wall standing at my left side, ……. Side-wall, I will speak words to you; take heed of my words, pay attention to my instructions. A flood will sweep over the …… in all the ……. A decision that the seed of mankind is to be destroyed has been made. The verdict, the word of the divine assembly, cannot be revoked. The order announced by An and Enlil cannot be overturned. Their kingship, their term has been cut off; their heart should be rested about this…” […]
“All the windstorms and gales arose together, and the flood swept over the ……. After the flood had swept over the land, and waves and windstorms had rocked the huge boat for seven days and seven nights, Utu the sun god came out, illuminating heaven and earth. Zi-ud-sura could drill an opening in the huge boat and the hero Utu entered the huge boat with his rays. Zi-ud-sura the king prostrated himself before Utu. The king sacrificed oxen and offered innumerable sheep…
[…]
"Zi-ud-sura the king prostrated himself before An and Enlil. An and Enlil treated Zi-ud-sura kindly ……, they granted him life like a god, they brought down to him eternal life. At that time, because of preserving the animals and the seed of mankind, they settled Zi-ud-sura the king in an overseas country, in the land Dilmun, where the sun rises.”
This story is also preserved in Hindu scriptures as old or older than the Bible.
“…there was a powerful and great Rishi of the name of Manu. He was the son of Vivaswan and was equal unto Brahma in glory. And he far excelled his father and grandfather in strength, in power, in fortune, as also in religious austerities.
“…the dissolution of all this mobile and immobile world is nigh at hand. The time for the purging of this world is now ripe… Thou shall build a strong massive ark and have it furnished with a long rope. On that must thou ascend, O great Muni, with the seven Rishis and take with thee all the different seeds which were enumerated by regenerate Brahmanas in days of yore, and separately and carefully must thou preserve them therein… thou shall act according to my instructions, for, without my assistance, thou canst not save thyself from that fearful flood.'
[…]
“And there was water everywhere and the waters covered the heaven and the firmament also. …the fish diligently dragged the boat through the flood for many a long year and then… it towed the vessel towards the highest peak of the Himavat. And, O Bharata, the fish then told those on the vessel to tie it to the peak of the Himavat.” - The Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Markandeya-Samasya Parva: Section 186
There are more: the story of the “great deluge” has been told not only by the Hebrews, Christians, Sumarians, and Hindus, but also by the Greeks (Deukalion), the K’iche’, Maya, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa, and Muisca, people from many cultures, on many continents, and many eras.
Many interpret the worldwide sources of the story as evidence that the Noah story happened physically, literally, and conveys an historical account of a literal worldwide flood. Like all ancient stories, there are literal elements. Noah was a person. Civilizations were destroyed, and some inhabitants — those who listened to divine guidance — were saved. Yet, this is not the real importance of the story. Ancient history has little bearing on our suffering in these moments. The value of the story is much deeper than can be found in a literal interpretation. To get the real meanings, one must know how to read the code.
Symbolism and Myth
All genuine scriptures are allegorical and symbolic. They are not literal documentations of history, although some of the figures, personages, and characters described in the holy texts did exist. Nevertheless, their depiction within sacred scriptures have meant to serve as a representation of principles the spiritual devotee of any religion seeks to develop within themselves as part of the path that leads to complete development. The Ark of Noah hides this mystical science in a symbolic way.
The Bible is a collection of writings. The first part, the Old Testament, is translated from the Jewish tradition. In Judaism, that collection of writings is called the Tanakh. Specifically, the story of the Ark is in the Torah, the five books of Moses. Yet, in Judaism, there are many more scriptures, and not all are available to the public. In other words, there are levels of teachings. Christianity, on the other hand, has rejected most of those other writings, even though the founder of Christianity is a master of those writings. We point this out because Jesus, as a Jew and a master of Hebrew and the secret teachings of Judaism, has not been followed as an example by his students. They have willingly avoided the knowledge needed in order to understand their own tradition. A Christian who knows Hebrew and Kabbalah understands Jesus and Christianity far better.
The secret teachings of Judaism are beautifully documented in a scripture called “The Book of Splendor” (Sepher ha Zohar ). About the symbolic nature of the scriptures, it says:
“Rabbi Simeon says: ‘Woe to the man who says that the Torah came to relate stories, simply and plainly, and simpleton tales about Esau and Laban and the like. If it was so, even at the present day we could produce a Torah from simplistic matters, and perhaps even nicer ones than those. If the Torah came to exemplify worldly matters, even the rulers of the world have among them things that are superior. If so, let us follow them and produce from them a Torah in the same manner. It must be that all items in the Torah are of a superior nature and are uppermost secrets.
“Come and behold: the world above and the world below are measured with one scale. The children of Yisrael below correspond to the lofty angels above. It is written about the lofty angels: "who makes the winds his messengers" (Psalms 104:4). When they descend downwards, they are donned with the vestments of this world. If they had not acquired the dress for this world, they would not be able to exist in this world, and the world would not be able to stand them. And if this is so for the angels, how much more so is it for the Torah that created these messengers and all the worlds that exist due to her. Once it was brought down to this world, if it had not donned all these covering garments of this world, which are the stories and simplistic tales, the world would not have been able to tolerate it.”
Therefore, what is important is the message behind the veil.
Those who seek only literal interpretations of scripture become confused, because the Bible is not an explicit historical text. Scriptures were written to communicate spiritual knowledge, and the best way to communicate that kind of knowledge is in spiritual language, which is that language of metaphor, allegory, and symbolism. It would be absurd to believe that everything in America is red, white, and blue like its flag, yet this is what is being done by those who read spiritual documents literally: they interpret the symbols literally. A flag is a symbol. So are the characters and stories in scripture.
Those who seek physical evidence of the events described in the Bible are as foolish as someone trying to find the bodies of Humpty Dumpty or Jack and Jill. Children’s stories are designed to teach, not to be read as literal history. Scriptures also are designed to teach, but on a higher level than children’s stories. The characters of children’s stories represent qualities, events, ways of behaving; so do the characters of the scriptures, yet even more, they represent stages of spiritual development.
The events mentioned in the Bible may be drawn from past events, yet many more of its events, characters, and places never even existed in the first place. Again: each element of the Bible is primarily symbolic, not literal.
Although some scientists believe they have found the physical ark used by Noah in the Old Testament, this is not plausible, since there was never a wooden boat used by a man named Noah to escape a worldwide flood. The ark is a symbol.
What little actual history is in the Bible is the least significant content within it. Moreover, if one does attempt to interpret scriptures literally, it is easy to see that little of it makes logical, practical sense, and is often completely contradictory. This underscores the fact that the Bible is not meant to be interpreted literally.
Some examples of the symbolic nature of scripture include the life span of the Bible’s characters, with important figures living up from anywhere between 150 to 900 years old. Noah was reported to live 500 years old, a miraculous feat in itself, before he even begot children, whom also lived to extensive old age. Although in esoteric teachings we are taught that in previous eras, before humanity degenerated into barbarism, the life span of the human being was longer than it is today, still these numbers point towards something symbolic, not literal. This relates to the study of numerology within Judaism, known as the Kabbalah . By knowing Kabbalah , we can interpret these ages as something representative of stages in spiritual development, dramatized through the Bible’s characters like Noah, his wife, and his children. These numbers bear spiritual meaning, since the Bible is a book of spiritual instruction, and is not, as many people think, a literal documentation for the physical lifespans of historical individuals.
Although it is unknown to most of humanity, the fact is that religious and mystical literature was always written for a specially educated, small group, who in turn provided from that literature the tiny servings they felt would help the uneducated. Those lacking the special understanding would have no idea there was more meaning than what they were told. In fact, there are many levels of meaning in each scriptural story. Symbolically, we say there are seven levels of meaning to every scriptural tale. Yet, even that statement is symbolic, metaphorical.
Before we can analyze one important meaning of the story of Noah, we will summarize it here for those who are not familiar with it.
Synopsis of Genesis, Chapters 6 through 9
As humanity developed from the lineage of Adam, Eve, and their children, it progressively degenerated through cruelty, evilness, and barbarism. Therefore God repented for having created humanity, alongside the fish of the sea, the animals of the earth and the birds of the sky.
However, Noah and his family found grace before the eyes of God, for while the earth became filled with violence and corruption, Noah, his wife, and three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, were the favored generations of the Lord.
Therefore, God told Noah that He would destroy the earth, and instructed Noah to build an ark of gopher wood, fortified with pitch, the length being three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height thirty cubits. The ark would have a window, alongside three levels or stories to house Noah, his family, his son’s wives, and a male and female animal of every species from the earth, including cattle, birds and creeping things. Of every clean beast, Noah was instructed to take seven pairs; but of every unclean animal, only two. He was also told to take seven pairs for the birds of the air.
God told Noah that he would cause rain to flood the earth for forty days and forty nights, and that all life on the earth would be extinguished. Noah was 600 years old when the rains came, during the seventeenth day of the second month of the year. He and his family were raised in the ark above the flood which swallowed earth and heaven, the waters having risen 15 cubits up above the earth. The floods prevailed over the earth 150 days.
Afterward, God provided wind to assuage the floods, remembering Noah, his family, the ark and the animals therein. The rains subsided and the floods diminished, thereby placing the ark, on the seventeenth day of the seventh month, above the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to decrease until the tenth month, when the tops of the mountains could be seen.
Noah then sent a raven and a dove to scout the earth for dry land, having found no place to rest except for the ark. After seven more days, Noah sent the dove again to scout for dry land, and when the dove returned with an olive leaf in its beak, he knew the floods have subsided.
On the first day of the six hundredth and first year, Noah removed the covering of the ark and saw dry land. God then spoke to him, telling him to bring his family and the animals of the ark in order to be fruitful and multiply on the earth. Out of gratitude, Noah built an altar and made burnt offerings of every clean animal, and the fragrance was appealing to God, who said that He would never again destroy humanity as he had done with the flood.
God therefore made a covenant with Noah, his family, his successors, and the animals of the earth, that He would not destroy the earth as He did previously, and as a token of his promise, showed a rainbow representing His pact with man.
The Ark
To begin understanding how the story of Noah is symbolic, let us examine the word “Ark.”
Firstly, there is no reference to a boat in the original Hebrew scriptures.
In English, the Bible says:
“Make thee an ark of gopher wood…” - Genesis / Bereshit 6:14
By popular interpretation, this has been understood to be “a boat.” Yet in Hebrew , the original writing, it says:
“Make thee a תבה tebah of gopher wood…” - Genesis / Bereshit 6:14
Tebah תבה means “chest, box, case,” or “hull, body.” In short, tebah indicates a container. In Hebrew , there are many words for boat or ship, but tebah is not one of them.
Obviously, the word tebah is pretty far from the word ark. So where did the word Ark come from?
Although the word ark does not appear in the Hebrew scriptures (Tanakh or Torah), it does appear in the Latin translations of the Bible as “arca,” which translates into different words, including 1) a chest, both as a box and the trunk of the human body, and 2) also as a coffin, as that which Joseph in the Old Testament was placed within when he died.
Of course, in the Bible, there are several types of “arks.” In each case, the “ark” is a container that protects something sacred. It is not a literal ship or a boat; rather, it is like the “hull” of a seed: it protects the life-giving elements inside.
The word “ark” is obviously related to “arcane, arcanum” which means something hidden, a secret, known only to those specially informed. Therefore, the Ark of Noah refers to something unbeknownst to the public level of religion. The arcane knowledge has always been reserved for those who were prepared beforehand to use it.
In order to understand that secret and what it means, we have to look at the implications of the story and the meanings of the Hebrew words used in it.
The Story of Noah Begins
The story of Noah begins in Chapter 6 of the book of Genesis.
“And הוהי Iod -Chavah [God] saw that the impurity [רע rah: pollution] of Adam was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only רע impurity continually.
“And it repented הוהי Iod -Chavah that he had made Adam on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
“And הוהי Iod -Chavah said, I will destroy Adam whom I have created from the face of the earth; both Adam, and behemoth [animal, beast], and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the heavens; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
“But [Noach, Noah] found grace in the eyes of הוהי Iod -Chavah.” –Genesis 6:5-8
So this story really starts with Adam.
Adam and Eve
The first drama in the Bible is the story of Adam and Eve [Genesis 1-4], who at first lived in a state of bliss and knew divinity personally, yet later chose to eat the “forbidden fruit” of the Tree of Knowledge of “Good and Evil.” Those important words are written tob ve rah in Hebrew , which mean “goodness and impurity.” They imply that the Tree of Knowledge is dual: it can be used for benefit through purity, or harm through pollution or impurity. Adam and Eve left Eden because they broke the commandment given to them by divinity, thus they became polluted by רע rah: impurity. That is how they lost the ability to walk and talk with Elohim.
As we mentioned, the importance of these stories is found in how they apply to us now. Although Adam and Eve have significance in relation with the ancient past, the brilliance of Moses is clearly seen in how by the grace of the divine he wrote very deep, multilayered stories.
Adam and Eve relate to us personally here and now.
Adam represents our mind, our psychological state. Eve, the “mother of the living,” who brings living things into the world, represents our sexual organs. Eve, our sexual organs, offers the forbidden fruit to our mind, Adam. When we “eat of it,” we leave “Eden,” a Hebrew word that means “bliss.” To leave Eden means to leave behind that state of being in which one knows the Elohim personally, directly. Naturally, that is the state of all of us now. If someone claims to know God, we think they have gone insane. Yet, that was the primordial state of humanity.
Cain and Abel
After the story of Adam and Eve occurs that of their “children” Cain and Abel. Their story represents the conflict in us between the innate purity of the psyche (represented by Abel) and the ever-dissatisfied desires we have (Cain). Our desires “kill” the purity of the psyche (Cain kills Abel). Now, Abel, that part of us, does not cease to exist; by “dying” is represented how it has become almost completely powerless, trapped, overwhelmed, by the spread of desire. In other words, when desire rules us psychologically, Abel is rendered “dead.”
We let our desires (Cain) kill our conscience (Abel).
"Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." - Genesis 4
So what happens next in the Bible? The story of Noah.
Let us review. This is a summary of chapters 1-4 of Genesis, from the point of view we are examining:
1st: Adam and Eve (mind and sexual organs) succumb to temptation and leave the blissful state.
2nd: Cain (desire) “kills” Abel (the innate purity of the mind), rendering it impotent.
3rd: Divinity sees us in our corrupted state: divorced from Eden (the state of bliss in which we know divinity directly), ruled by desire (Cain), craving for even more impurity (ער rah). Since our inner divinity loves us and wants to help us, it regrets our being in that state.
So you see, this is not hard to understand.
Our current state of being is that of “Adam and Eve” in the wilderness: we suffer, we cannot talk to God face to face, in fact we may not even believe in divinity. Yet, if we learn how to rectify that mistake, and overcome the temptation of Eve, we can return to Eden: a state of happiness and spiritual perception. That is the point of the story of Noah.
The Cleansing of "the Earth"
So let us read this passage again, but first, let us understand the symbol of the word “earth.” The “earth” represents that which houses our psyche; the “earth” is our body; it is our “kingdom,” our own world or land. We live in our “earth,” the body, yet that body is not just physical. It is also the body we inhabit when we dream, when we imagine, daydream, or fantasize. When we dream, we inhabit a kind of body that is not physical; that body is also our “earth.” So altogether, we call that matter our “earth.”
The bacchanal that is always ongoing in our minds.
“And יהוה Iod -Chavah [our inner divinity] saw that the impurity [ער rah: pollution] of [our mind] was great in the [body], and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only impurity continually.
“And it repented יהוה Iod -Chavah that he had made [the mind that is] in the [body], and it grieved him at his heart.
“And יהוה Iod -Chavah said, I will destroy [that corrupted mind] whom I have created from the [image] of the [body]; both [the mind], and [the animal ego ], and the creeping thing [perverted elements in our mind], and the fowls of the heavens [distracting thoughts that fly in fantasy]…” –Genesis 6
Psychologically, this story makes sense now. None of us are “meek sheep,” or “innocent angels.” Our minds are deeply corrupted with pride, lust, anger, envy, greed, etc. All of that exists because of the choices we have made: tempted by desire, we grow those elements in our psyche, and have been growing them for centuries. So, just as happens on a large scale in nature when a region becomes sick, nature must cleanse it to prevent the spread of impurity. Our own inner divinity must also cleanse us. Yet, that cleansing is not pleasant. This is the meaning behind many stories in the scriptures: the story of Lot, Moses, Adam and Eve, Job, Babylon, Egypt… all represent how our mind — a state of psychological slavery to impure elements — has to be purged, cleansed, and destroyed, so that the pure element — the Consciousness — can be freed.
The Preservation of Noah
“But [Noach, Noah] found grace in the eyes of יהוה Iod -Chavah.” - Genesis 6:8
So, amongst all that degeneration within us, the divinity sees one element worth saving: Noah.
The Hebrew name נח Noah has two letters.
The first letter, נ Nun , represents a fish.
The second letter, ח Chet , is the root of the word Chai, “life.”
In all the versions of the flood story from around the world, because of widespread corruption, all living things have to be destroyed. Yet, for life to continue, that which is pure is preserved by staying above the waters. In the Hindu versions of the story, a god in the form of a fish guides the pure souls to the safety of a mountain top.
“…the [God in the form of a] fish diligently dragged the boat through the flood for many a long year and then… it towed the vessel towards the highest peak of the Himavat. And, O Bharata, the [divine] fish then told those on the vessel to tie it to the peak of the Himavat.” - The Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Markandeya-Samasya Parva: Section 186
It is exceedingly interesting that the name Noah hides these very elements: the fish, and life itself.
The fish is a core symbol in all religions, especially Christianity. The primary symbol of early Christians was not the cross — it was a fish. Yet few know why. Jesus himself pointed out its importance when he pointed towards Jonah and the story of the great fish (the name Jonah also has the letter נ Nun , the fish, in it). One of the great miracles of Jesus is that of the loaves and the fishes, another important symbolic event. There are very deep esoteric mysteries related to the fish, mysteries completely ignored by the modern interpretations of the scriptures.
In each case, the fish represents the life force in the waters. Clearly, that is what is indicated by the very name Noah: נ Nun (fish) + ח Chet (life). Where do we find that in ourselves? For that, we look to the source of our lives: the sexual energy. The sperm and the ovum are “fish” in the “waters” of sexuality. When combined, life emerges. The only way to create life is through working with those “seeds.”
Thus, “Noah” is a seed hidden inside of us. Noah is the “seed of the soul.”
Noah represents the true nature of our psyche, which is known in different traditions by names like the Consciousness , the soul, the jiva, the “buddha nature” — a pure, unblemished, naturally radiant and cognizant spark of the divine, which through a specific science can be grown into a fully-fledged master, angel, or buddha (whatever name you want to use). In fact, the name Noach means “rest.” If you have studied Hinduism or Buddhism, you will see immediately that this corresponds to the ultimate goal of those traditions: Nirvana, which means “rest, cessation.” That is why the scripture continues with:
“These are the result of Noah: Noah was a righteous איש iysh [masculine fire] and perfect in his generation [sexual outcome], and Noah walked with Elohim [gods and goddesses]. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” - Genesis 6:9-10
In case you did not know, the Hebrew word Elohim is plural: it means “gods and goddesses.” It is odd that people claim Judaism and Christianity are monotheistic, when the scriptures themselves are not.
“So Elohim [gods and goddesses] created Adam in their image, in the image of Elohim [gods and goddesses] created they them: male-female created they them.” - Genesis 1:27
Let us not digress too far, however.
We were explaining that Noach represents the seed of the soul. This is clearly explained in the very next passage of the scripture.
The Creation of the Soul
“These are the result of Noah: Noah was a righteous איש iysh and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with Elohim [gods and goddesses]. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” - Genesis 6:9-10
The three “sons” of Noah are symbolic of the three parts of the fully developed soul.
In spite of the degeneration that has corrupted us all, “Noah” must survive if the soul is to be developed.
If this idea about developing the soul seems new to you, it may be because that aspect of Christianity was edited out of the teaching. Nevertheless, Jesus did say:
“With patience ye will [eventually] possess your souls.” - Luke 21:19
The developed soul is represented by the wedding garment mentioned by Jesus, the chariot of Ezekiel, the chariot of Krishna, the solar boat of the Egyptians, the golden body of the Greeks, and many other mythological symbols.
From The Mahabharata, Krishna (Christ) drives the chariot (Solar Bodies) of Arjuna (the Human Soul).
The soul can only be made through a “second birth,” taught by Jesus as resulting from the Holy Spirit (fire) and a secret living water, both of which were discussed at length by Jesus, and are hidden symbolically throughout the scriptures.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of [living] water and of the [Holy] Spirit [which is fire], he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh [physical]; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit[-ual; in other words: soul].” - John 3
Birth is sexual, whether relating to physical birth or spiritual birth. The soul has to be made, born. We do not have a true soul until we make one. We have the seed of the soul, the potential to be born, but we are not “born again” until the soul is born.
No one is born by saying words or believing something. Birth is a sexual matter.
Noah is the seed of the soul, and the spark that starts the fire.
“Noah a righteous איש [iysh]…” - Genesis 6:9
The word איש can be translated as “man,” yet the symbolism of this word is overwhelming: it is the word אש esh, “fire,” with the letter י Iod in the middle. י Iod has so many meanings that we gave several lectures just about it: it represents a man, the covenant between man and God, circumcision, the phallus, and much more. So איש can be understood as representing someone who is following the commandments, obeying the pact of fire (sexual purity), who “stands in the midst of the fire of the furnace and is not burned” (see Daniel 3, where the three men, the parts of the soul, stand in the fire of the furnace with a mysterious fourth man, like Noah and his three “sons.” You should also be aware that “furnace” is etymologically connected to the word “ fornication .”)
In synthesis, by preserving our inner Noah, our divinity can purge the impurity that traps us in suffering. That inner fire, Noah, has to be protected in the ark-anum — the secret knowledge — within which he will float upon the waters that consume all impurity. You see: the water and the fire work together.
The Corruption of the Earth
The scripture continues:
“The earth [body] also was corrupt before Elohim [the gods and goddesses], and the earth [body] was filled with wrongdoing.
“And Elohim [the gods and goddesses] looked upon the earth [body], and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth [body].
“And Elohim [the gods and goddesses] said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth [body] is filled with wrongdoing through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth [body].” –Genesis 6:11-13
This does not mean that by destroying the physical body liberation is achieved. The corruption of the “earth” is deeper than that: it is a corruption of more than just the physical body. Death does not clean your mind of impurities. The cleansing we need cannot be had through mere physical death. That is why the gods have to intervene.
We explained that the “earth” is not just the physical body: it is our matter, which extends beyond the physical world. When you feel angry, that quality takes over your mind, heart, and physical body. All of that together is your “earth.” So, to destroy that anger, it is necessary to destroy it where it resides: in the mind itself. When you dream, you dream with that anger. Your physical body is not there; it is asleep in its bed. Yet, in your dream, you are still in your earth, but not your physical earth. So, the corruption of the earth extends beyond just the physical body. The cleansing we need must also extend beyond physicality. That is why hell exists: it cleanses the mind. Yet, if one becomes clean first, there is no need to go there.
The Seed in the Shell
In fact, we need the physical body in order to achieve liberation. You see, as well as being related to the true nature of our being, Noah is also related to elements in us physically. To be saved from the flood,” Noah has to be preserved in the Ark.
We explained that the Ark is not a boat, but is a deep symbol with many overlapping meanings. The Ark represents the teaching: the arcanum. The Ark also represents the physical body. Hidden within the body, secretly, is a precious, life-giving, divine element. In other words, your body is the hull (tebah: hull) of the seed (Noah), and inside of it are the raw elements from which something great can be created. That seed is your own inner Noah (Manu).
Every seed contains an archetype. Notice the words: ark-etype. An archetype is a blueprint, a plan, a potential. The word archetype comes from Latin archetypum, from Greek arkhetypon "pattern, model, figure on a seal," from arkhetypos "first-moulded," from arkhe- “first."
Within the seed of a plant is the potential to become that plant. Likewise, within the human seed ( semen and ovum) are archetypes: potentials — yet, in our case, that potential has not been fully realized. We have a human shape, but we are not like Noah, Moses, Manu, Zi-ud-sura. Yet, we have that potential: it is in our ark, our seed.
Building the Ark
So if the Ark is the secret science and also the physical body, why does Noah have to build it? Because the Ark represents stages of development of that body.
The common English translation says,
“Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.” - Gen 6:14
There is no such wood called “gopher.” Scholars have debated its identity, but will never uncover it, because it is not a literal wood.
In Hebrew , this passage is עצי־גפר. The first two letters עץ ets can be interpreted as “wood” or “tree.” There are two trees of significance in the Bible, both of which are written with עצ:
עץ החיים: the Tree of Life
עץ הדעת טוב ורע: the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil
This whole story started with the abuse of the Tree of Knowledge . It is why Adam and Eve had to leave the garden. Thus, the way to return is by the same tree. Likewise, it then makes sense to translate עצ of this passage not as "wood," but as "tree."
The Hebrew word גפר gopher is shortened from גפרית, gophriyth, sulphur (called in the Bible “brimstone”). In Alchemy , sulphur is the symbol of fire. Thus, this passage actually says:
“Make thee a tebah [container] from the sulfurous tree…” - Gen 6:14
The sulfurous tree is the same as the “burning bush” seen by Moses. It is a “matchstick,” wood topped by sulphur, and used to start fires. It is the Tree of Knowledge .
In the Bible, “knowledge” or “to know” is sexual:
“Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain... - Genesis 4:1
“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS...
“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” - Luke 1:30-34
In the Bible, knowledge implies sexual knowledge. Moreover, it is related to fire: sexual desire is a “burning” energy. It is a kind of fire, that if used wisely, can be very constructive. Yet if used foolishly, can be very destructive. The “ Tree of Knowledge of good and evil” is dualistic, meaning sexual knowledge can be good or evil. Naturally, to build the ark, to return to Eden, one has to know how to use the tree in the good way.
This sentence continues:
“…qenim shalt thou make in the tebah…” - Gen 6:14
In English, qenim is translated as “rooms,” but actually it is plural for reeds, canes, or stalks. The reed, cane, staff, or rod is an ancient symbol of the spinal column of a spiritually developed person. The ancient masters carried staves not for fashion, but as a symbol of the fire developed in their spinal column. It is plural here because the work to create the Ark is a collaboration between man and woman.
John Collier painted this portrait of a Greek Baccante with her symbolic items: the skin of the slain animal desire, the wreath of victory on her head, and in her hand, the staff topped by a pine cone, symbol of the awakened pineal gland, the "seat of the soul," the "eye of Brahma," or in other words, the source of spiritual vision.
It is of great significance that the whole of this description occurs in chapter six of Genesis / Bereshit. Firstly, because the name of the book means “beginning” and thus explains how to begin the spiritual path. Secondly, because in Hebrew the number six is the letter ו Vav , which represents the spinal column. So, this chapter is about the work with our spinal column.
Why is the spinal column important spiritually? It is the conduit that transmits all the energies of our nervous systems, and supports the energetic channels between our sexual organs and our brain. The caduceus of Mercury represents this symbolically, as does the staff topped by a pine cone as carried by the masters of old (the pine cone represents the pineal gland, whose very name has pine in it).
“…and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.” - Gen 6:14
“Pitch” refers to how the vessel is hermetically sealed, to keep the impure flood waters out.
Continuing:
“And this Assiah shalt thou make…” - Gen 6:15
In Kabbalah , we study Four Worlds . Assiah is the fourth. It relates to the final state of a creative work, when the work is completed and made. Assiah can also refer to the physical body. (Assiah is mentioned in the book of Revelation, but mistranslated as “Asia.”)
“The length of the tebah shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.” - Gen 6:15
Every Hebrew letter is also a number. So these numbers are actually letters:
300: ש Shin , which represents fire
50: נ Nun , which represents a fish
30: ל Lamed , which represents a staff
These letters represent the work that must be done in the physical body in order to achieve liberation.
The letter ש Shin relates to the trinity, the three primary forces. It is the creative fire at the base of life. It is the fire that enflamed the burning bush before Moses. ש Shin represents the power of creation inherent in every atom, a power that we must harness and direct towards liberation, rather than using our energies to degenerate ourselves further.
The letter נ Nun is life in movement, the “fish” or living power of sexuality. As already mentioned, the fish resides in our sexual waters. By harnessing that force, we can achieve the “second birth.” Jesus spoke often of the “living water.”
The letter ל Lamed is the staff of Moses, the rod of Aaron, which represent the creative fire of the letter Shin “raised upon a pole” as a brazen serpent, like Moses did. This creative fire, raised up the spinal column “healed the Israelites” (see Numbers 21). More specifically, it is the qenim (reed, cane) of the previous verse, but developed, enflamed. In the East, this is called Kundalini . In the book of Acts, it is represented by the fire that alights on the heads of the apostles (after rising up their spinal columns).
Spiritual illumination is produced by an abundance of inner light. That light is radiated from the fire, the letter ש Shin , which represents the fundamental trinity of forces in all things, and which is within the sulfurous wood of the Tree of Knowledge within us.
The story of Noah represents an alchemical process of transmutation, in which the base matter is purged and purified and a perfected matter can be elaborated.
The rest of the story — the flood, the forty days and nights, the death of the impure – all relate to the psychological transformations we must undergo on the spiritual path.
Spiritual advancement is accomplished through purification and transformation. All that is impure in us must die, while the purity must be developed and perfected.
When we study Kabbalah we know that תבה Tebah, the Ark, is the physical body. This body receives the forces of divinity, known as יהוה Iod -Chavah or Jehovah in the Old Testament, which can be activated if one knows the secret, the method, the ark or Arcanum. Religious writings throughout antiquity have referred to the need for purification within the body, for “know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). When there is filthiness in the body and soul, the flood waters of degeneration destroy it. But if the soul knows the secret science, the ark or Great Arcanum, then it can develop like Noah in order to be righteous and favored by divinity.
However, in the Book of Genesis we find that humanity had abused these energies for their own personal, egotistical whims.
The Flood and the Earth
Divinity throughout all traditions instructed the prophets and guides of humanity to respect the use of the body and mind, since it is a temple that can house the forces of God. It is only when human beings lost sight of the divine purpose of their temple did they fall into degeneration and sin.
The ark, or physical body, was once considered sacred by all ancient religious traditions, and that it is the storehouse of spiritual principles that can liberate the human being.
"The Ark is the sacred Argha of the Hindus, and thus the relation in which it stands to Noah's ark may be easily inferred when we learn that the Argha was an oblong vessel, used by the high priests as a sacrificial chalice in the worship of Isis, Astarte, and Venus-Aphrodite, all of whom were goddesses of the generative powers of nature, or of matter—hence representing symbolically the Ark containing the germs of all living things." - H.P. Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled
The animals of the Noah story represent these germs of all living things, the sperm and ovum contained within the physical body. These germs within man and woman are represented by the “male and female animals” stored within the “ark.” These primordial root elements can provide physical life or spiritual life, depending upon their usage. This is the hidden principle behind the Book of Genesis, which has traditionally been read as a story of the “generations” of Adam and Eve—a literal history—but the symbols actually signify the process of generating, creating, and cleansing the soul.
When God said, “Be fruitful and multiply on the earth” in Genesis, this is a reference to the conservation and propagation of one’s vital, spiritual forces. However, these divine influences can only flourish within us by building the Ark: by practicing the arcane or secret science. Those who do not practice the secret teachings as given in the scriptures are swallowed by the floodwaters of destruction.
This story is a tremendous warning regarding the behavior of humanity in this day—if people continue to indulge in passion, violence, greed, promiscuity, and war—then the Elohim have no choice but to annihilate this humanity out of compassion for the soul, so that it may resonate with the divine laws after its purification. This destruction is not just physical, but psychological and spiritual, since when the physical body dies, the psyche continues in more subtle levels of matter, energy, and Consciousness . Physical death does not guarantee purification and salvation, since this is something internal, beyond the physical world.
It is necessary to understand that there are two ways for divinity to purify the psyche.
“Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.” –Jeremiah 21:8
No matter what, the psyche must be purified. However, if we chose not to willingly purify ourselves as Noah did, then nature will do it for us, through the process religions call “hell.” This path of failure is one of great suffering, and in the end provides no development for the soul. On the other hand we have the path of life, of reunion with the divine that results in beautification, sanctification, knowledge, and harmony with divinity. It is represented in the lives of the prophets, saints, buddhas, etc.
Despite the sufferings, difficulties, and sacrifices involved by walking this path, it is the only one that results in the complete development and liberation of the soul, for as Jesus of Nazareth taught:
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction [Gehenna], and many there be which go in thereat:
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” –Matthew 7:13-14
This “straight and narrow way” to heaven, a pure state of being, is entered in by the few who long to obey divinity and who willingly work on their defects in order to be purified, developing virtue, humility, compassion, and love as a result of approaching divinity. Most of humanity throughout the different ages have chosen to be cleansed by nature, as evidenced throughout world mythologies and scripture. While there is a physical component to the destruction of humanity, the most painful process is within the inferior dimensions of the cosmos, known as hell, Gehenna, where the disincarnated souls continue to suffer from their own afflictions and desires until they are cleansed and recycled through the destructive powers of nature.
Before this process of purification in hell, humanity must first be annihilated through physical catastrophes. While the Biblical text explained that the Elohim would not destroy humanity as in the past, we find other natural disasters occurring on an exponential scale in our world today, such as tsunamis, earth quakes, sea quakes, volcanoes, and devastating storms. Many thousands of people have died already and survivors are forced to endure great tribulation resulting from destruction and poverty.
This is tremendous suffering on the physical level, yet the souls of the dead continue in other levels of matter, energy, and Consciousness with the same preoccupations, worries, sufferings, and hatreds they had when they were physically alive. However, in the inferior dimensions of nature, which can be accessed when one goes to sleep in order to dream, such sufferings are by far more intense than what can be experienced in our physical world.
Such cataclysms are a gentle prelude to a much worse catastrophe that has been mentioned by the prophets and teachers of all the world’s great religions and spiritual traditions, and which is symbolically hidden in the story of Noah. If we wish to avoid the prophesied destruction mentioned throughout all the great religious writings, then we must learn and practice this mysterious science. However, few have ever entered onto the path of life, which is the path followed by Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, and the great spiritual guides. To follow it takes tremendous courage, since it requires the complete destruction of one’s psychological impurity.
Many “spiritual” people want to live in the new heaven and new earth mentioned in the Book of Revelation, but they ignore that it is primarily a symbol — a reference to a pure state of mind. In order to inhabit the new world, the mind and heart must be cleansed. This is impossible to accomplish without knowing the secret science of Noah, since those who are recycled by nature do not gain anything but suffering, and who will not be privileged to populate the newly-purified world.
It is only once our internal psychological filthiness is eradicated by the floodwaters of spiritual practice that Elohim can establish a new heaven and a new earth, meaning: a new life for the practitioner of genuine religion, the heavens representing a pure state of Consciousness , and the earth referring to purity within one’s physicality and mind—the temple of the divine.
"Now learn a parable of the fig [or Gopher] tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
"Verily I say unto you, This generation [of humanoids] shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
"But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in those days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." - Matthew 24: 32-39
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Which species of animal at an East German zoo had a hip replacement operation in January 2011? | Tiger, tiger, moving right: Pioneering hip operation gives Girl a new start | Environment | The Guardian
Wildlife
Tiger, tiger, moving right: Pioneering hip operation gives Girl a new start
Malayan tiger suffering arthritis in her right hip gets prosthetic hip in world first operation by Leipzig vets
Malaysian tiger Girl is given a replacement hip by vets at the University of Leipzig. Photograph: Waltraud Grubitzsch/AFP/Getty Images
Sunday 30 January 2011 09.15 EST
First published on Sunday 30 January 2011 09.15 EST
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A tiger at an east German zoo has had a hip replacement in a world first operation by vets from the University of Leipzig.
The eight-year-old Malayan tiger, called Girl, had been suffering from arthritis in her right hip since spring. Now she has been given a prosthetic hip of the kind first developed for dogs.
The operation was not easy. During the three-hour procedure last week, Girl's heart almost stopped, the university said in a statement, before anaesthetist Michaele Alef saved her life.
Girl is recovering in a separate enclosure back in Halle Zoo in Saxony-Anhalt, away from visitors. She is being carefully monitored for the next six weeks, when the risk of dislocation is highest.
The university says there is every chance she will take the new hip to her grave – female Malayan tigers have a life expectancy of around 20 years.
Leipzig vets said they believed their operation was the first of its kind. "I don't know of any other cases in the world where a tiger has been given an artificial hip joint," Peter Böttcher, in charge of the operation, said.
The operation is usually expensive, but Leipzig carried it out free of charge because Girl is such a rare creature.
"Malayan tigers are one of the world's most endangered species, with only around 500 estimated to be living in the wild. This was another reason to operate on Girl," the university statement said.
| Tiger |
In his 2011 memoir, Known and Unknown, which US ex-politician deflected blame onto others including Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice for Iraq War mistakes? | Issue 180 by East Cork Journal - issuu
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East Cork Journal
POOR PADDY Issue No. 180
WHILE Ireland's political parties fought for supremacy last weekend, an over-sized leprechaun was making waves across East Cork.
Yes, you read that right. Poor Paddy, first sighted erecting signs at broken traffic lights near the Midleton Park Hotel late last week, which read, '6 MONTHS BROKEN. SAFETY?' has become East Cork's resident vigilante / superhero, with his Facebook page already garnering more than 500 friends.
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Dressed as a leprechaun, Paddy aims to highlight and 'seek help in finding areas of Midleton and surrounds which require urgent attention.' 'Problems can range from litter, health and safety issues or absolute negligence on behalf of the relevant local authorities,' PP's Facebook page states - and his 506 followers have been more than happy to offer their own opinions, citing footpaths at the end of Bailick Road where 'someone's going to get run over'; the Rocky Road Underpass (with the writer - who has five children and a double buggy - stating 'I'm desperate for access to the town'); ramps outside a Midleton
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from €22 per person Playschool ('It's like the Grand Prix) and plenty of potholes.
While Poor Paddy's identity remains secret for the moment, his profile is rising sharply and he
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plans to unveil his 'Top 10 List' of areas requiring attention on March 17th, 2011. Happy St. Patrick's Day, anyone?
Search 'Poor Paddy' on Facebook for more details.
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JAMES Butler, a Midleton man with 89 previous convictions, was up in court again last week - this time on two charges. On November 25th, 2010, at 8.20pm, Mr. Butler entered the Topaz Filling Station in Midleton and picked up groceries amounting to €17.10. He then left without paying. Subsequently apprehended by the Gardaí, Mr. Butler was brought before Midleton District Court last week, where Judge Pattwell sentenced him to 6 months imprisonment, noting the severity of the sentence was not related to the value of the goods, but to the fact that Mr. Butler had so many previous convictions. Mr. Butler also pleaded guilty, that same day, to a charge of being drunk in a public place at 11pm on February 18th of this year. Gardaí discovered Mr. Butler intoxicated and, deeming him to be a danger to himself and others, arrested him. Following his guilty plea, Judge Pattwell fined Mr. Butler €250 or 3 additional days to his sentence in lieu. Mr. Butler opted for the latter option. - BG
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DAVID STANTON TD
CONSTITUENCY OFFICE:
29 St Mary’s Road, Midleton OPEN: 10AM - 1PM, 2PM - 4.30PM (MONDAY-FRIDAY) for advice or assistance Tel: 021 4632867, Fax: 021 4621133
Email: [email protected]
Please visit my website www.stanton.ie
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
New building almost ready for Youghal Health Centre – Deputy Stanton
CORK East Fine Gael TD, David Stanton has been advised that a new premises will soon be ready for Youghal Health Centre. The Health Centre, currently located at Catherine Street, is due to be relocated to Unit 4, Millennium Court, Youghal. ‘I am delighted that Youghal Health Centre will soon be moved to a new location. The current premises has limited access and is neither suitable for users of the Health Centre nor its staff. I am sure that the new building being leased by the HSE will be more modern, efficient and comfortable,’ said Deputy Stanton. ‘I understand from the HSE that some minor alterations to the new premises are needed. Once these are completed I have been assured that Youghal Health Centre will be relocated without delay. Hopefully, Youghal will have a new Health Centre in the very near future,’ he concluded.
Exhibition based on ‘Homeless Galleries’ at the Sirius, Cobh
SIRIUS Arts Centre presents, for the 4th year running, Open House 4 which celebrates a wide range of artists who live and work in the Cork area. They began Open House three years ago based on a presentation made in Łodz, Poland of the Homeless Gallery (Galeria Bezdomna) www.galeriabezdomna.art.pl (pictured above) which was a spontaneously created exhibition begun in 2002. The idea of the Homeless Gallery is to make an exhibition space available to everyone. The initial Homeless Gallery was organised in the former Merchants Guild House in Warszawa in May 2002, followed by the second Homeless Gallery in the Gdansk shipyards. Since then there have been over one hundred Homeless Galleries successfully organised in a wide range of areas such as Wrocław, Kielce and Kraków in Poland, as well as in South America, Australia and Algeria.
Unlike these Homeless Galleries – Sirius Arts Centre doesn’t have the vastness of space for a completely free for all exhibition, so we had to change the format slightly to suit our organisation. In January we made a public call out to artists living and working in the Cork area. They opened the submissions to any 2D visual art work that was ready to hang on the wall, not bigger than 80cm squared. Artists had the opportunity to pre-book their space in the exhibition. Reservations had to be taken due to our limited space, allowing only those artists who took the time to arrange an appointment for dropping off their work, to participate.
The response has been astounding! All spaces were filled in a mere three hours! This illustrates to us the huge need for more exhibition space in the Cork region. The presentation of this exhibition is very casual, our Open House exhibitions are not
The exhibition will be officially opened on Thursday, March 10th at 7pm and runs until April 3rd.
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Instead, it is evidence of the huge energy, variety and talents existing in the area and the creativity that abounds in our community.
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Fermoy whist drive
Results from Sunday, February 20th: Best overall score: Daniel O’Flynn Winning ladies: Kay Clifford, Mary Dowling, Evelyn Hales, Katie O’Flynn, Catherine O’Flynn, Claire Kennedy, Abina Murphy and Joan McHugh. Winning gents: M. Scannell, K. Lee, Lesley Snell, Henry Forde, M. Howard, James Leamy, Jim Ryall and Noel Hales. Raffle: James Leamy, Margaret Regan and Katie O’Flynn Whist Drive every Sunday night at 8.30pm sharp in Fermoy Bridge Centre. All welcome (enquiries to 025 32086).
“formal” in the traditional sense of the word.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Youghal student among high WIT achievers 11 first year students at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) who achieved excellent results in their Leaving Cert have been honoured at a reception at WIT on Wednesday, February 16th. David Arnott from Youghal, studying BSc in Software Systems Development, was among those who were honoured for their excellent Leaving Cert results.
Five students from Waterford, three from Tipperary and one each from Wexford, Cork and Wicklow received presentations from Dr Derek O’Byrne, Registrar at Waterford Institute of Technology, in recognition of their achievements in their Leaving Cert exams.
The Waterford students who were honoured were Sarah Fitzgerald from Portlaw, Co. Waterford who is studying the BBS (Hons); Emma Morahan, also from Portlaw and studying the BA Arts (Hons); Stephen Walsh from Tramore who is pursuing the BSc (Hons) in Entertainment Systems; Viktorija Cumikova from Ferrybank who is in her first year of the BA (Hons) in Design (Visual Com-
Cobh gears up for St. Patrick’s Day 2011
THE 2011 Cobh St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Thursday, March 17th starting at ‘The Bench’ at 3.30 pm. Three dynamic groups, See You in Cobh, Cobh Tourism and Cobh Tidy Towns Committee have joined forces to organise the Parade.
In view of the economic situation, and to encourage maximum participation, there is no entry fee and no financial contributions are being sought from the business community.
munications) and Orla Kelly from Kilmacthomas who is studying the BBS (Hons).
The Tipperary students who were recognised at the reception on Wednesday were Kevin Landers from Clonmel who is studying for a BA in Applied Social Studies; Martha Clark from Carrick-on-Suir who is pursuing the BA (Hons) in Psychology and Michelle McCausland from Clonmel who is studying the BSc in Multimedia Applications.
Rebecca Smith from Castlebridge, Co. Wexford, studying the BA (Hons) in Psychology and Laura O’Sullivan from Arklow, Co. Wicklow, studying the BSc (Hons) in General Nursing were also recognised at the reception.
Congratulating the students on their achievements, Dr Derek O’Byrne, WIT Registrar said, ‘Well done to each and every one of you for your successes in your Leaving Cert exams. It is a considerable achievement and
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one that required determination, focus, and of course, support from those at home and at school. WIT is well known for the calibre of students that come to study here every year and you are a great example of this. Already you will have experienced the breadth of opportunities that exist at the Institute, both academic and social, so I would urge you to continue your successes by making the most of your time at WIT.’
It is hoped that imagination, colour and a huge participation will make us all feel positive and that the Parade will be the best seen in Cobh for many years! The theme of this year’s Parade is, therefore, ‘Positivity’ and aims to encourage everyone to face the future with optimism. All businesses, sporting, community and cultural groups are being encouraged to enter this year’s Parade and to help to build on the success of last year. Despite the economic uncertainty, Ireland still has a lot to be proud of and this is everyone’s chance to show how proud they are to be Irish. The organisers hope to raise sufficient funds through a bag-packing fundraiser on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 10th to 12th in Garvey’s SuperValu. Support would be greatly appreciated and it will help to ensure a Parade that everyone in Cobh and The Great Island can be proud of. If you can help with the bag packing please contact Ursula Duffy on 085 1668271.
To request an entry form for the Parade please email [email protected] or go to www.visitcobh.com
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
From the courts... Man fined for cannabis possession in Midleton
A MAN from Togher, Cork City, was apprehended by Gardaí near Ballintubber, Midleton, on May 11th, 2010 at approximately 8.45pm. Tony Kelly, in a 97 Cork reg. vehicle, was noted to smell strongly of cannabis and, subsequent to a Garda search of the car, €20 worth of cannabis was discovered. At Midleton District Court last week, Mr. Kelly - who has 37 previous convictions (although none pertaining to drugs) was fined €150.
Midleton man told to ‘keep the peace’ after charges for intoxication
A MIDLETON man who was intoxicated and exhibited threatening behaviour towards other members of the public and An Garda Siochana, was in front of Midleton District Court last week. Senan Connor, Midleton, was found to be in breach of Sections 4 and 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act.
In the early hours of January 23rd, 2011, Gardaí were called to a scene of disturbance on Main Street, Midleton where two groups one from Cobh, the other from Midleton - were noted to be exhibiting some aggressive behaviour. The Gardaí managed to get the situation under control quickly, but Mr. Connor continued to exhibit threatening behaviour. He was deemed intoxicated, a danger to himself and others, and was arrested.
At the court last week, Judge Pattwell imposed a fine of €300 under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order Act), relating to the offence of being drunk in a public place, with a 6 month suspended sentence under Section 6 of the same act - relating to threatening behaviour in a public place. The sentence was suspended for a period of 2 years, the defendant entered into a bond and was ordered to keep the peace. - BG
Youghal's traders aim to 'resurrect' the town
DENISE FITZGERALD REPORTS
ON Tuesday night, February 22nd, a meeting was held in the Red Store, Youghal with the aim of helping the town through the economic crisis which it - and all other areas of the country - are currently experiencing.
Organised by some of the town's traders, a large attendance - covering most areas of commerce in Youghal - met with the aim of, as Kay Curtin, Condon's Flower Shop and chair of the meeting, put it, 'of bringing Youghal back to its feet.'
Kay added, 'Youghal is down on its knees and something must be done about it. It is hoped that this meeting' she continued, 'will throw up some ideas and suggestions to bring it back on its feet'. Jimmy Flanagan, Flanagan’s Insulation and Glazing concurred, stating, 'Youghal is a town that is dying, and it is the business of everyone in the town, every Club, organisation, group, the general public and everyone who loves the town of Youghal, to get involved. We need ideas, and we need them fast,’ said Jimmy. It was agreed by all in attendance that this would not in any way represent a 'Splinter Group' of any other organisation.
A positive and constructive meeting ensued with many suggestions and ideas being mooted by those present, as detailed below:
Transportation an issue
Judy Ansbro of The Coffee Pot, commented on the fact that visitors staying outside the town of Youghal, such as in Ardmore and the Quality Hotel, would be delighted to be able to visit the town, for social evenings but the cost of mini-buses and cabs was just too expensive. She queried if the Youghal Community Bus could get involved in these runs, with stops along the way. Cllr. Michael Beecher agreed that this was a good idea and confirmed that the bus is there for the community. It is funded by SECAD, sponsored by the Credit Union and various businesses in the town. Currently, it is used to bring the elderly and disabled in the community into Youghal two days weekly, and it is idle for much of the time after that. Cllr. Beecher promised to work with Judy and Darragh Murphy, from Read & Write on this. Michaela Bailey of Team Bailey addressed the meeting and proposed that businesses have a late opening one night a week. Team
Late opening?
etc., so that when tourists stop to take their photographs, they should be able to browse around inside this marvellous building, and afterwards would more than likely stay in Youghal for lunch, coffee, shopping or overnight stay'.
Frank Murphy, Toymaster; Sal Tivy, Perks; Dara Murphy, Read and Write and Lil Danne, Danelle's
Cllr. Beecher, in reply, said the Engineering Surveys have been completed, funding has been allocated and the go-ahead has been given for its refurbishing. However, no information was available on whether or not this funding would include the refurbishing of the interior. Mr. Cummins and John Coleman of Coleman’s Shoe Shop agreed to contact the Town Clerk in this respect.
Sign(s) of the times
Local traders, Richenda Kelly, The Quays Bar; John Flavin, Flavin's Shop, Ollie Hegarty, Solo Hair Salon; Maria Thuroe, Hair Design and Eleanor Hegarty at the meeting held in Youghal last week
Bailey is open until 7.30pm each Thursday night and she is convinced that to have other premises also open would make a huge difference.
Michaela offered to undertake a survey of the town's businesses, to ascertain any interest they may have in this suggestion.
Parking: 'The biggest problem by far'
Frank Murphy, Toymaster spoke about the parking problem, which he said, ‘is the biggest problem by far’. . Various suggestions to help alleviate this situation included: -That the car parks at The Quays and Red Store should be freeflowing -The Bye Laws to be enacted -The first 30 minutes parking should be free on the Main Street or, ideally, do away with pay parking altogether in this area.
Sal Tivy of Perks Entertainment Centre said that, 'Industry was once our tourism, but tourism is now our industry' and to help accomplish this, the town's Main Street needs to be void of any payment. 'There should be no machines,' she stated, to much agreement from the floor. Frank Murphy and Tony Flavin, Flavins Shop agreed to work on this with Ms. Tivy. Michael McGrath of Genesis said that, even though there are approximately 9,000 residents in
Shopping
Youghal and surrounding areas, they are not shopping on the Main Street. Many of Youghal’s residents live on the hills overlooking the town and, as there is plenty of parking available to them in the supermarkets on the outskirts of town, they do not come into the centre of town. He suggested a newsletter be compiled portraying the town and what it has to offer, and that at least 30 minutes free parking should be available, with perhaps a small charge per hour after that. Helen Brooks agreed to work on this with Michael. Jimmy Flanagan, in agreement, said the local media should be fully utilised to bring the message to the people and acknowledged the presence at the meeting of the East Cork Journal, Youghal News and local reporter, Christy Parker
On the clock?
Larry Cummins, 4Kidz commented on the fact that the Clock Gate is the town's most visible asset, is known worldwide and is, basically, neglected as a tourist attraction. 'Tourists' stop their cars to take a picture and then, because the Clock Gate is closed, they get back in their cars and drive away,' he stated, adding, 'The Clock Gate should be open as a centre for Youghal and, to get the people of Youghal believing in their town, it is necessary to make the Clock Gate its focal point. ‘It's our Blarney Castle’, he stated, ‘and the inside should contain such items as Youghal Lace and local pottery
John Flavin, Flavin’s Shop, spoke of the lack of signage coming into Youghal from the Cork side. 'There is nothing', he said, 'to attract the motorist into the town. We need extra, lighted signage at the turn off to Youghal to make motorists aware that our town is even there'. With two County Council representatives in Youghal, it was agreed to contact them. Cllr. Beecher agreed to undertake this task.
Student contribution
The problems associated with the fact that the largest school in Youghal, Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, is disassociated from the town because of its location was discussed, and suggestions looked for.
John Flavin told the meeting of new student credit cards, which were being launched by the Chamber that very night, and introduced to the students of Pobalscoil, which offered each card holder a 10% discount on purchases in participating shops. 'This incentive', Mr. Flavin continued, 'should help to bring the students into town, encourage them to shop locally, and get more involved on a local level.' At this point, it was suggested that all local groups such as Chamber of Commerce, SECAD, Sports Clubs, Traders etc., get together as one group, in an effort to 'resurrect' the town and bring it back to successful trading, which would be for the benefit of all. On this positive and forward thinking incentive, the meeting was called to a close by Kay Curtin who thanked everyone for their attendance and set the next meeting for Tuesday, March 8th at the Red Store at 6pm, at which everyone will be welcome to attend.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Leamlara’s Pat invites a host of musical friends to sing for Marymount DURING Christmas 2010, well known musician, Pat Daly, Leamlara, came up with the idea of organising a fundraiser event for Marymount Hospice. With his love for music and entertaining people, he decided to involve local musicians and people with whom he had made contact within the business. One CD was planned with the co-operation of his music colleagues. Such was the response he received, that this fundraising event turned out to be a double
CD featuring 30 tracks by well known entertainers. Each artist provided their services, tracks and time free to record this double CD called ‘Songs for Marymount’. The CD includes songs from Art Supple, Liam Dalton, Derek Veale, Crystal Swing, Richie Halpin, Mary Daly, Paddy Greenslade, Colette Prendergast, The Irish Echos, Gina and Liam Cantillon, amongst others and the launch night will take place
Fána Nurseries, Ballyhooly receives Quality Award
on March 16th at the Midleton Park Hotel.
This double CD will be on sale for €15 and three launch nights are now planned with the co-operation of his colleagues in the music business. Admission to the launch nights at the venues detailed will be €10. We wish to thank everybody most sincerely for their co-operation in this project, they will be publicly thanked at all the venues.
Scartleigh NS, Saleen wins 2010 ENFO Showcase Your Place competition
JOE Ahern of Fána Nurseries, Ballyhooly, recently received a Quality Award in recognition of standards achieved under the Bord Bia Nursery Quality Programme, from Dan Browne of Bord Bia. With over 45 acres of nursery under trees Fána Nurseries caters for wholesale, landscapers, councils, golf courses, and individual garden enthusiasts offering a wide range of mature and semi-mature trees.
The business has grown significantly this year and has now entered the export market, shipping to Northern Ireland, England, and the Netherlands.
‘I am delighted with this acknowledgment of our dedication to excellence at Fána Nurseries,” says Joe Ahern. ‘It is a tribute to the variety, choice and quality of trees and service that we provide,’ he concluded.
Midleton Tile Centre Ltd. & Unique Lighting
Massive SALE Students of Scartleigh NS pictured with Cllr. Niall O’Neill, Mayor of Midleton and Dr. Mary Stack, Environmental Awareness Officer with Cork County Council
SCARTLEIGH National School in Saleen, Cloyne has been selected as a winner in the 2010 ENFO Showcase Your Place competition.
Award winners were selected based on their demonstration of working to create a greener living space for their area. Scartleigh National School documented their efforts in Our Greener Space a short video which showed how they have been developing and maintaining their school garden, planting fruit, vegetables and herbs, feeding wild birds, taking measures to protect wildlife, conserv-
ing energy in the classrooms, recycling and reducing waste.
A cash prize was be presented by Dr. Mary Stack, Environmental Awareness Officer with Cork County Council to the school on Thursday, February 17th at 11am at the ENFOpoint in Midleton Library. Details of the winning projects and further information on greener living are available on www.enfo.ie or at the ENFOpoint in Midleton Library.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Rainbow night for ECP&FOTMH
ON February 11th, the East Cork Parents & Friends of the Mentally Handicapped - who are celebrating the 21st year of their Midletonbased summer camp in 2011 - held their annual fundraising dinner at the Ambassador Hotel, Cork, with a few surprises in store, including the arrival of the Lord and Lady of the Manor who greeted guests in their own inimitable way. Described as a ‘Rainbow evening of fun and entertainment’ and organised by Angela Savage, a large crowd turned out to support this worthwhile group which, each summer, hosts countless children and young adults with mental handicaps, as well as providing teenagers from across East Cork with a fantastic experience working as camp helpers. In the past few years, the summer camp has seen record numbers of helpers turning out - more than 100 in 2010 - with their yearly trip to Dublin Zoo one of the camp’s highlights.
Margaret Walsh is greeted by the Lord Mayor of the Manor
Kay Shannon and Ruth Savage. (Photos: Meryvn Daly)
The proceeds of the evening will provide funds for the high running costs of the camp, which caters to the entire East Cork area.
Jo Horgan, Margaret Hurley, Grace Horgan & Pat Parker Chris Kelly, Christine Savage and Noelle Savage
Alice O’Connor, Mary Power, Chris Crowley and Margaret Hoarey
William and Angela Savage, organisers
Alan and Anne Ahern, Glanmire, get the royal treatment on arrival
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Showboat to open in Youghal Have you tried Sikkens yet? THE Sikkens brand provides professional coating systems for wood which bring innovation, technical excellence, premium quality and high performance to Decorators, Architects, Specifiers and Interior Designers for new and maintenance applications. When only the best will do, why not use the brand professionals recommend?
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DENISE FITZGERALD REPORTS
SHOWBOAT the musical, that is. Not the ballroom!
Youghal Musical Society is at it again –bringing the best of music and song to the town of Youghal in a Show which has it all. ‘ Showboat’ is one of the better known and more popular of the Musicals, with much loved favourites such as “Old Man River”, “Only Make Belief”, “Lovin’ dat Man o’Mine” to name but a few.
Eileen Hunt, Chair, Youghal Musical Society told the East Cork Journal that way back in the early 1990’s the Parish of Youghal produced a very successful Pageant on Blessed Dominic Collins which was written by Edmond Fitzgerald (recently deceased, RIP), and assisted by Eileen herself. The enjoyment and sense of achievement gained from this production led to the formation of Youghal Musical Society in 1993 with the founding members being Edmond Fitzgerald, Dean Thornhill, Fr. Dan Gould, Mrs Jo Kelly and Eileen Hunt. Their first musical was The Sound of Music, and again it was a huge success. Eighteen years later Youghal Musical Society are still singing, playing and bringing enjoyment to the people of Youghal and surroundings.
On Saturday night last, February 26th, the first meeting/rehearsal of Youghal Musical Society 2011 took place in the Walter Raleigh Hotel, with a good turnout of interested singers/entertainers. ‘Showboat’ is due to premiere on May 23rd next for six nights up to May 28th inclusive at the Mall Arts Centre and, with such a large cast required, the Society are still looking for new members, and singers of all sorts would be very welcome – whether you are Soprano or Alto, Tenor or Bass – your contribution to the show would be very welcome.
Eileen Hunt told the East Cork Journal that, ‘even though the music and singing is what brings the people along to each show, this would not be possible without the services of the back stage people, many of whom would describe themselves as ‘crows’. Sound, lighting, tidying, costumes, make up, hair, prompters and general handymen(women) are the life blood of any production, she continued, and we need help in these areas also. Anybody who would like to come along and be part of the Show, or get involved and help us out backstage would be very welcome’ Eileen concluded. Please contact Margaret on 087 1347496, 087 6192594, or 086 4062608 for further details. It might be “Only Make Belief” but the members of Youghal Musical Society have every intention of making this great show a wonderful Reality.
Midleton’s dancing queens (and king!) CONGRATULATIONS to the Keniry School of Irish Dancing, Midleton who won three titles at the recent Cork and Kerry Irish Dancing Championships. Therese O’Sullivan, Midleton was the winner of the U17 title while Michael Cahill, from Cloyne, took the Senior title. Finally, Shannon Burke, Midleton took first place in the U15 competition.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
The Economic Review
Aer Lingus returns to profit for 2010
AER LINGUS expects high fuel prices, increased airport charges and a weak domestic market to hit its 2011 performance after it returned to profit in 2010 following cost cuts.
email: news@ eastcorkjournal.ie
Report urges case-by-case VHI rulings
utilisation management will have the greatest impact in terms of reduced claims costs, and conduct a cost benefit analysis to determine whether an investment in additional administrative costs would be justified by the benefit of reduced claims costs.
A NEW report on the VHI recommends that the insurer should decide what treatment patients would receive on a case by case basis. It says this change to a ‘utilisation management’ business model would see the VHI adopt a US-style insurance approach requiring pre-authorisation for many types of treatment.
This would give it greater freedom to refuse cover for some treatments, and so keep its spiralling costs down. The report was commissioned by the Department of Health and Children who have published a review of VHI’s claims costs carried out by its actuarial advisors, Milliman. The purpose of the review was to examine the drivers behind the increase in costs, and to identify any possible actions which could be taken by VHI to manage its claims in the future.
VHI must be authorised and regulated by the Central Bank alongside other insurers in the market. To achieve authorisation, it must present a viable and sustainable business plan and meet all necessary capital requirements. The Milliman report suggests that VHI closely analyse its data to see where
Some of the key findings of the report include an acknowledgement of the good work that VHI has done in relation to the unit costs of healthcare, including reductions in private hospital charges and reductions in the fees it pays to consultants. It expressed the need, however, to introduce “utilisation management” which can ensure that VHI members receive the right treatment, at the right time in the right facility. It says this is considered best practice in various international health systems, including the Netherlands, South Africa and the UK and can reduce unnecessary care, and optimise both quality and efficiency. The report says the VHI currently lacks the infrastructure to determine whether it is paying for treatments which have a proven medical value, or whether treatments are taking place in the most appropriate setting from the point of view of cost or quality of care. “In practice, through utilisation management, VHI could exercise more control over claims costs by agreeing parameters within which consultants would have the freedom to operate,” it says.
“VHI pays for healthcare which is inefficient, or for which there is no medical evidence to suggest that the healthcare improves patient outcomes, then the additional costs of those treatments will ultimately be passed on to VHI customers through price increases.”
Ireland has bright future
- The Economist
IRELAND has a bright economic future after suffering a “horrendous correction”, a leading international magazine has argued.
The Economist says the country is extremely well placed to recover, and adds that current pessimism among the population is excessive. “Ireland is not about to return to the dark days of the 1980s,” the magazine says.
“Numerically, the recession has sent living standards back only to 2002 levels.
“The flexible economy will remain attractive to multinationals seeking a toehold in Europe, especially if it keeps its low corporate tax rate.” Its report says that Ireland’s painful pay corrections have led to a slimmer, fitter economy.
“Unlike other European countries, Ireland is regaining competitiveness by reducing unit labour costs.
“Exports are booming and there should be a current account surplus this year for the first time in over a decade.” While the domestic consumer market has remained alarmingly weak, not all of the progress made since the mid 1990s had been lost. “Not all of the Celtic Tiger gains have been squandered. An optimistic entrepreneurial spirit emerged that will not be crushed by a few years of recession. “Higher education has expanded dramatically; a generation has grown up knowing nothing but prosperity. “The country has been overcome by excessive pessimism.”
Aer Lingus said it had posted an operating profit of €57.6m in 2010, a swing in profitability of €139m, despite bad weather conditions and the volcanic ash cloud which severely disrupted its flights. It made pre-tax profits of €30.4m, as against a loss of €154.8m in the previous year. But it expects 2011 to be tougher still.
“We do not expect that improvements in yield performance and ongoing cost savings can offset these increased costs,” Chief Executive, Christoph Mueller said.
“If current fuel prices persist, we expect that 2011 operating profit will be significantly below that of 2010.”
Aer Lingus said it expected its capacity to remain flat in 2011, unlike other European carriers, because of its difficult home market which has been hit by a severe economic downturn and is reliant on a European Union and International Monetary Fund bailout.
And it also expects its 2011 fuel bill to be substantially higher than the 2010 bill. “While we expect to see the benefit in 2011 of the flowthrough of actions taken in 2010, and some benefit from further cost saving measures, these upsides will not be sufficient to deal with the twin increases in cost in airport charges and fuel,” it said. Aer Lingus posted full-year revenue of €1.22bn, in line with analysts’ forecasts. Its operating profit of €57.6m was ahead of forecasts.
Primark records a slowdown in sales
MORE evidence of a squeeze on household budgets has emerged after the owner of Primark revealed a “noticeable” slowdown in consumer demand in its main market, the UK.
Its parent, Associated British Foods, said the discount fashion chain’s half-year sales rose 3pc across all its markets on a like-for-like basis - half the level achieved during its previous financial year.
AB Foods said while Primark traded well ahead of Christmas, despite the snow chaos, the mood had changed among UK shoppers since the start of the year. It is also battling against an ongoing squeeze on profit margins since the new year VAT rise, and impact of soaring global cotton prices.
The update comes after a long period when Dublin-based Primark weathered the recession and consumer downturn with forecast-beating sales growth.
John Bason, finance director at AB Foods, said: “Even for people who don’t feel they will lose their jobs, they will feel they are being squeezed. “It won’t just be Primark, but we’ll see it for a number of retailers.” Primark has been the group’s star performer in recent years, as it has ridden the boom in demand for budget clothing on the high street.
But this news highlights the pressure on cut-price retailers since the UK VAT rise to 20pc and as rising inflation takes its toll. AB Foods, which has been cautioning over the impact of input prices in recent months, confirmed Primark’s first-half profit margins will be lower than a year earlier, and will remain under pressure in the second half. The group said the division would see underlying earnings ahead of last year, although these figures suggest it will be less than expected in the market.
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Wednesday, March 2nd. 2011 - The East Cork Journal
The Ecclesiastical Review East Cork
Ecclesiastical Events Parish of Carrigtwohill Church Collection
The Church Gate total for the weekend of February 19th and 20th amounted to €1,114. Thank you.
IN the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the season of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. (In Eastern Rite Catholic churches, Lent begins two days earlier, on Clean Monday.) While Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, all Roman Catholics are encouraged to attend Mass on this day in order to mark the beginning of the Lenten season.
The Distribution of Ashes:
During Mass, the ashes which give Ash Wednesday its name are distributed. The ashes are made by burning the blessed palms that were distributed the previous year on Palm Sunday; many churches ask their parishioners to return any palms that they took home so that they can be burned.
After the priest blesses the ashes and sprinkles them with holy water, the faithful come forward to receive them. The priest dips his right thumb in the ashes and, making the Sign of the Cross on each person's forehead, says, "Remember, man, that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return" (or a variation on those words).
A Day of Repentance:
The distribution of ashes reminds us of our own mortality and calls us to repentance. In the early Church, Ash Wednesday was the day on which
those who had sinned, and who wished to be readmitted to the Church, would begin their public penance. The ashes that we receive are a reminder of our own sinfulness, and many Catholics leave them on their foreheads all day as a sign of humility.
Fasting and Abstinence Are Required:
The Church emphasises the penitential nature of Ash Wednesday by calling us to fast and abstain from meat. Catholics who are over the age of 18 and under the age of 60 are required to fast, which means that they can eat only one complete meal and two smaller ones during the day, with no food in between. Catholics who are over the age of 14 are required to refrain from eating any meat, or any food made with meat, on Ash Wednesday.
Taking Stock of Our Spiritual Life:
This fasting and abstinence is not simply a form of penance, however; it is also a call for us to take stock of our spiritual lives. As Lent begins, we should set out specific spiritual goals we would like to reach before Easter and decide how we will pursue them—for instance, by going to daily Mass when we can, and receiving the Sacrament of Confession more often.
If you wish to contribute to this page, please contact Denise on 087 8128262 or email [email protected]
Padre Pio
Parish Faith Development
Devotions to Padre Pio will be held tonight, Wednesday March 2nd in the Holy Family Church after 7.30pm Mass.
Summer Recreation Scheme
Sunday, March 6th: Morning Worship Service at 10am, led by Rev. Colin Milligan. Bible Study and Prayer Time each Thursday evening at 8.30pm. You are welcome. Further details from 0214294622.
The Parish will run a course in Faith Development during the weeks of Lent. The course will start on Thursday, March 10th from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. Please note that thereafter the course will run on Wednesdays. Everyone is welcome, particularly those involved in Parish Ministry.
The First Day of Lent:
Adoration
Someone needed to spend the following hour in Adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist on Friday mornings from 1am to 2am. Please phone Una on 087 9961004.
The Annual Church Gate Collection for the Summer Recreation Scheme will take place before all Masses on Saturday and Sunday, March 12th and 13th. The Scheme will run as follows in 2011. Teen Scheme: Week commencing July 4th. Preschool Scheme: Week commencing July 4th. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Classes – week commencing July 11th. 4th, 5th and 6th Classes – week commencing July 18th. Juniors/Seniors – week commencing July 25th. All enquiries and bookings to the Family Resource Centre.
Parish of Youghal Youghal Baptist Church
(people trusting in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life)
We meet every Sunday morning at 11am in Brú na Sí (kindly loaned). March 6th, continuing in Hebrews with Ernie Tromsness. People from all backgrounds and nationalities are welcome. For more details, contact Mervyn Scott, 024-25964/0861732034 or see www.youghalbaptist.ie " For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart". Hebrews Ch 4v12
Spring Stations
The following are details of the Spring Stations Piper’s Bog, Clashadonna, Barnageehy West, Ballyjvergan West, Ballyhobbert, Knocknacally at the home of Joe and Agnes O’Sullivan, on Tuesday, March 8th at 8pm. Fanisk, Inchquinn and Burgess at the home of Anne O’Neill on Friday, March 11th at 8pm. Clonpriest, at the home of Willie and Noreen Cashman on Monday, March 14th at 8pm.
Town Stations
For those not living in any of the Country Stations, all are invited to one of the following Masses: Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Monday March 21st at 7.30pm. St Mary’s Church, Tuesday March 22nd, at 7.30pm. Holy Family Church, Wednesday March 23rd at 7.30pm.
World Day of Prayer
A service for the World Day of Prayer will be held in St Mary’s Collegiate Church on Friday, March 4th next at 7.30pm.
Youghal Methodist Church, Friar Street services
Cork Methodist Church, Ardfallen, Douglas Road
Sunday, March 6th: Morning Service at 11.30am, led by Rev. Colin Milligan. You are welcome. Other activities during the week include Bible Studies, Prayer Meetings, Bowls, Badminton, Youth Groups, Women's Groups etc. Further details from Rev. Colin Milligan 021-4292503.
Parish of Midleton and Ballintotis Spring Serenade at St. John the Baptist Church
The Group, Spring Serenade is made up of Caoimh Kett, Deborah Desmond, Dave Maguire, Tom Barry and Betty Moloney. They will be performing in St. John the Baptist Church, Midleton on Sunday, March 13th at 7pm. Proceeds in aid of Christian Aid and Midleton Twinning Association. Tickets €15 from Betty Moloney on 021 4633062.
Irish Guide Dogs
A Church Gate Collection for the Irish Guide Dogs will be held at the Holy Rosary Church in Midleton on Saturday and Sunday next, March 5th and 6th. Your support would be very much appreciated.
First Friday
Confessions on Thursay at the usual times. Additional Mass on Friday in Ballintotas at 9.15am and in the Holy Rosary at 7.30pm.
St. Pio Devotions
Devotions to St. Pio will take place today, Wednesday March 2nd in the Hospital Chapel. Rosary 7.45pm. Mass 8pm. All are welcome.
Lenten Rural Stations – all Stations begin at 7.30pm
Monday, March 7th: Dromada, Gurstoke, Glenagare, Meelshane and Dromarane at the home of Michael and Kathleen O’Brien. Friday, March 11th: Kilbree, Killorga, Gurteenina and Attaquin at the home of John and Julie McCarthy. Friday, March 11th: Stumphill, Castleview, Churchtown, Whiterock and Dunsfort at the home of John and Veronica O’Farrell. Friday March 11th: Ballintotis, Ballybutler, Ballyedkin and Farrantrenchard at the home of Martin and Mary Donnelly. Friday, March 11th: Broomfield and Killeagh at the home of John and Mary O’Grady.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Cobh broadcasts hopes for radio station
CORK East Fine Gael TD, David Stanton has given his support to the establishment of a local radio service in Cobh. Deputy Stanton has been assisting a small group of people who are examining the possibility of developing a community radio station for Cobh and the Harbour area.
‘It would be great to see a community radio station in operation in the Cobh area. Community radio is great asset to any community. Youghal has been fortunate to have had an excellent radio service which has been very successful for many years. Community radio provides a great medium for local businesses to advertise products and services, and also for different community groups to keep people updated about their activities. A local radio service can also prove very important for many elderly people, or other people who are housebound, as it can keep them updated about what it happening in their locality. It can also broadcast religious services and reports from other events. I believe that a community radio station in Cobh would be a very worthwhile project. Hopefully, those trying to set it up will get all the support they need to get it up and running soon,’ concluded Deputy Stanton.
MAJOR push to open facilities on Spike Island this summer to increase visitor numbers - Cllr John Mulvihill
COBH councillor, John Mulvihill, is to lobby council authorities to have restaurant facilities opened to encourage day visitors on Spike Island.
that we, as locals, rally round to support new business initiatives,‘ Cllr Mulvihill said.
A report on the next stage of development on Spike Island is to be completed in March.
‘We have a unique opportunity to develop a world class tourist attraction here in Cork Harbour momentum is key. We must put in place incentives to have facilities opened up to attract visitors to the island immediately,’ he said. ‘The council needs to advertise for interested parties to run a restaurant on Spike and provide support for further development of small business facilities on the island, like a craft or souvenir shop,’ Cllr Mulvihill said.
‘Transport is in place already, now we have a window of opportunity to put facilities in place while work continues on the
A ferry service transporting visitors to and from the Cork Harbour island became operational last October.
Walking tours of the island continue to operate, taking in the island’s prison and fort buildings, and covering the history of the island, with evidence of settlement since the 7th century.
overall development of the island. I want to see a restaurant be that a diner or a tea shop or a
family restaurant - opened on the island. It is imperative that we keep Spike on the agenda and
The council hopes to develop Spike Island into a major new Alcatraz-style tourist attraction, in stages, over the next ten to fifteen years.
CORK DAWG Cork DAWG urgently require donations of food for our dogs in foster care.
PLEASE, PLEASE CAN YOU HELP US All donations go towards the care & upkeep of our dogs
Donations can be left in our shop at
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Bitesize News
MIDLETON
Compiled by Kathleen Woulfe
Toyboyz in Midleton Craft Workshop on A series of fundraising events in aid of the East Corks Parents and Friends of the Mentally Handicapped Association will take place over the the next few months. The first fundraising event will be held in Wallis' Bar on March 4th and entertainment on the night will be courtesy of The Toyboyz doing the Full Monty. There will also be music by the Millstreet Sound, with raffles and prizes on the night.
Midleton Tidy Towns Association litter clean up
Meeting point at Hurley’s SuperValu Car Park at 9.30pm, on Saturday, April 2nd; Tuesday, April 5th; Saturday, Apri; 9th; Saturday, April 16th and Saturday, April 30th. For more information, please contact Nick Becker on 087 1319220 or email [email protected]. Find us on Facebook – Midleton Tidy Towns.
Friday, March 4th:: Whist at the Edmond Rice Centre at 2.30pm. Monday, March 7th: Tai Chi Exercises at the Community Forum, Youghal Road, 10.30am to 11.30am and 11.30am to 12.30pm. Indoor Bowling at the GAA Pavilion, from 2pm to 4pm. All welcome. Nothing required, except flat soled shoes. Tuesday,March 8th: 45 Drive at the Edmond Rice Centre at 2.30pm. Wednesday, March 9th: Swimming available at the Midleton Park Hotel Leisure Centre & Spa, from 11.30am to 12.30pm. Choir practice at the Edmond Rice Centre at 2pm.
card making and crochet Mobile Blood Donor The above will be held on Saturday, February 26th, from 11am to 3.30pm, at the Edmund Rice Centre, beside St. Mary’s High School. Tea and coffee are provided, but you need to bring a packed lunch. For more information on card making please contact 087 9761479 or on crochet 087 6158347.
Irish Heart Foundation Blood Pressure & Cholesterol Clinic
The above will be held at the Family Resource Centre, Midleton, today, Wednesday, March 2nd from 2.30pm to 4pm. All are welcome. For further information please contact the Regional Office on 021 4505822.
WIN ALL OF THIS: 2 Sirloin Steaks 6 Steak Burgers 3 Chicken Fillets 3 Pork Chops llb. Mince Beef
Midleton & District Active Retirement Association calendar of events
AND Pepper Cream Sauce
Clinics in Midleton
Mobile Blood Donor Clinics will take place today, Wednesday, March 2nd and tomorrow Thursday, March 3rd from 4.30pm to 8pm each day at the Midleton Park Hotel. Queries on 021 4807400.
Wednesday, March 2nd, at the Midleton Park Hotel, at 10.30am. Guest speakers will be Mary O’Mahony and companion, who will speak on Synergy Natural Products.
Cloyne Diocesan Youth Services: New Youth Club for Midleton
The new stop for youth, Bus Stop, is open every Thursday evening from 7.30pm until 9pm, in the Parish Hall, Church Lane, Midleton. We welcome all teenagers aged 13 to 18 years. Weekly contributions of €2 for amenities, including table tennis, air hockey, darts, board games, arts and crafts, mini basketball, music and dance. Organised outdoor activities such as cycling, surfing, football and creative workshop are also available. For further information, contact Ross/Peter on 086 2239936 or [email protected].
Midleton GAA Pavilion dancing diary
Friends of Midleton Community Hospital
NEW SPECIALS TEXT MESSAGE SERVICE IN STORE MILL ROAD, MIDLETON
021 4613542 www.crowleyscraftbutchers.com
TEXT YOUR ANSWER TO 086 8073862 How many years is it since Liverpool FC last won a league title?
dleton Community Hospital, and committee members are invited to see the refurbishments that are already completed.
John McCarthy was asked to contact the Lions Club re tickets for the Fashion Show, as the Friends of Midleton Community Hospital are to be part beneficiaries of funds.
Wedding bells
Heartiest congratulations to Majella Keniry and Alan Mordaunt on the occasion of their marriage last weekend, and good luck wishes to the happy couple for the future.
Good luck
Good luck wishes to Julie Daly, Midleton, who will be taking part in the‘Rebels Come Dancing Competition’, at the Silversprings Hotel, on March 5th, and she will be partnered by Dee Kelly Morgan.
Ballintotis Tuesday Club
Ballintotis Tuesday Club members will hold their next meeting at the Two Mile Inn on Tuesday, March 8th.
Irish Guide Dogs Midleton Farm Family Group church gate collection The next meeting of the above will be held today,
Saturday, March 5th: Mary Darcy Saturday, March 12th: Sam Doherty Thursday, March 17th, St. Patrick’s Night: Richie Halpin Saturday, March 19th: Checkers Saturday, March 26th: Eoin Condon Manager, Pat Wafer and his wife Anne, ask for your support for an ideal night for all dance lovers.
CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST WEEK’S WINNER: Mike Byrne, Castlemartyr (Answer: Apple sauce)
11
A meeting of the above took place in the Parish Hall, last week and Chariman, John McCarthy, presided. Opening prayers were recited by Fr. Naughton and the Minutes of the last meeting were read by Secretary, Helen. The main item on the agenda for discussion was the Garden Fete to be held on June 19th and John asked Co-ordinator, Kitty O’Sullivan, and her Sub-committee for their report. (Maura Milton, Con Walsh, Deirdre Carr, Katherine Doran and MC Charlie McAllister). Maura Milton said that Crystal Swing, Sons of Steve McQueen and Seán Gill and Pat McCarthy, have agreed to supply the music. Breda Hourihan has agreed to take charge of a raffle. Con to contact Tattans re trailer for the bands and Treasurer, Deirdre Carr is to contact business people for medical and food supplies for sponsorship. Those interested in participating should be contacted as soon as possible. Director of Nursing, Katherine Doran, gave up to date details of the work in progress at Mi-
Church Gate Collections in aid of the above in Midleton at the Holy Rosary Church this coming Saturday and Sunday.
Midleton Male Voice Choir
The above will hold their annual concert on Thursday, March 24th at the Midleton Park Hotel. Tickets are €10 and are available form members.
East Cork Fine Gael rejoices!
A HISTORIC weekend locally, nationally also, for the Fine Gael Party and our esteemed Leader, Deputy Enda Kenny. In Cork East the election of Deputy David Stanton and Cllr. Tom Barry was certainly the icing on the cake. The fact that David Stanton increased his vote considerablly, is a tribute to his diligence, and his vast contribution to the electorate in his constituency during the last difficult period of Government, and we look forward to continuity in this area. He has proven to be an excellent worker and hopefully he will get the promotion he deserves after the formation of the next Government. To David, his wife Mary and family, who were his loving supporters, we extend sincere good wishes for the future and our special wish for David is that his next term in Dåil Eireann is fruitful and rewarding. Well done, David, and all who supported him. - Kathleen Woulfe (above)
Happy Birthday!
Birthday greetings to Tara Crotty, Noreen O’Donovan, Breda Hourihan, Imelda Jeffery, Sarah Hartnett, Sandra Walsh, Willie (Bawnie) O’Sullivan and our grandson 8 year old Luke Dunne, Co. Laois. K.W.
Happy birthday to sweet 1 year old babies, Donnacha Tobin son of Sarah and Richard and twins Abbie and Ben, daughter and son of Carol and Kevin Fitzgerald. K.W.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Tesco launches 2011 voucher scheme to give equipment to schools and clubs
TESCO Ireland has announced the launch of this year’s Tesco for Schools & Clubs voucher collection programme. The annual scheme has given away over 400,000 pieces of equipment, worth €16 million, to Irish schools and clubs over the past 13 years.
O'Driscoll Architecture:
Specialists in the science of building design O’DRISCOLL Architecture are Chartered Architectural Technologists based in Cork providing architectural design services and solutions. We are specialists in the science of architecture, building design and construction and form the link between concept and construction. We negotiate the construction project and manage the process from conception through to completion.
Fiori Musicali for Fota House
For further information or a free quote, please call us on 086 8224678 or 021 7319550.
THE Cork based group Fiori Musicali, will give a recital of Baroque Chamber Music at Fota House on Sunday, March 13th at 3pm.
Now serving all day
Jumbo Breakfast for just €7.95
The programme will include music by JS Bach, Handel, Boismortier and Rameau.
The group is directed by Tom O’Drisceoil - Harpsichord, with Conor O’Connell - Recorders, Sarah Groser – Viola da Gamba and Aoife O’Donovan – Baroque Flute. Is there a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon in springtime than to have lunch in Fota, walk in the gardens to see the unique collection of daffodils, then experience the magic of early music in the drawing room of Fota House? Tickets for concert: €15 (students €10). Early booking recommended at 021 4815543.
The scheme is the most successful programme of its kind in Ireland.
Last year alone, over €850,000 worth of school equipment and sports kit was delivered to schools and clubs around the country.
Running until May 8th, the voucher collection programme offers clubs and schools a huge catalogue of over 1,000 items to choose from, including everything from paint brushes to goal posts to laptops. Commenting on the launch of the scheme, Kenny Jacobs, Marketing Director, Tesco Ireland said, ‘Tesco is delighted to continue supporting local schools and clubs throughout Ireland. Now, more than ever, we realise how important this scheme is to parents, coaches and teachers. This year we would like communities to get behind their local club or school and pledge their vouchers, in selected stores or online through our newly launched Facebook page.’ Bigger and better this year, the programme has been extended to include early learning material, as well as offering sports gear and equipment, technology, educational and creative tools. Also this year teachers, parents, schools and clubs may interact on a dedicated Tesco for Schools & Clubs Facebook page.
To take part, schools and clubs may register at tesco.ie. All equipment from this year’s Tesco for Schools & Clubs scheme will be delivered in autumn 2011. Customers will receive one Tesco for Schools and Clubs voucher for every €10 spent in stores during this period. For more information on Tesco for Schools & Clubs visit tesco.ie or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/tescoschoolsandclubs.
Corina Grant helping Eric Davis (aged 8) to get his collection campaign started for the Tesco for Schools & Clubs 2011 voucher collection scheme. (Photo: Jason Clarke)
Butterfly Ball spreads its wings in 2011 BUTTERFLY Wings host their 5th Annual Butterfly Ball on March 26th at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island. This year’s ball is a Spring Masquerade and all funds go to the Irish Cancer Society’s Night Nurse Unit. A very worthy and deserving cause. Music on the night is provided by The Big Band and tickets are €80, available from the committee on [email protected], 021 4814172 or 086 3779948.
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It’s a strange world
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
13
WEIRD WORLD NEWS... AND IT’S ALL TRUE
Burglary in Poland goes wrong as robber asks victim to let him out
Skateboarding Smokey the cat dog an ASBO risk to hopes for a bewildered owner world record with
92-decibel purr Owner Jonanthan Fell proudly watches Bodhi (Picture: YouTube)
A MAN from Brighton has taught his dog, Bodhi, to skateboard, but now faces receiving an ASBO if he continues to let him do so in the street. BUNGLING burglar, Pawel Adamczyk, got himself into a spot of bother during a recent raid in Poland when, unable to escape with his stash of stolen goods, he had to ask his victim to let him out of the house.
Adamczyk, 27, was drunk as he tried to steal from a house in Poland in a crime that went not quite to plan. The burglar had made a hole in a garden fence before entering the property, but he later found that he could not escape.
Mr Adamczyk could not squeeze through the gap in the fence as he had too many stolen goods. Not wanting to leave the wide load behind Mr Adamczyk knocked on the front door and asked the owner to let him out.
He was arrested after filling his coat with stolen items, and drinking a bottle of whisky. The owner said: ‘I walloped him and called the cops.’
Heidi the cross-eyed opossum 'on diet to cure crossed eyes'
A diet of lettuce, carrots and lean chicken may help Leipzig Zoo's cross-eyed opossum, Heidi, get her peepers back to normal.
It is believed that Heidi's crossed eyes, which have made her an international sensation, could be a result of a bad diet when she was younger, which led to fat deposits forming behind her eyes.
'Heidi has been on a diet since she arrived last May,' zoo spokeswoman, Maria Saegebarth said.
'Her eyes could go back to normal but at this moment we don't know.'
Jonathan Fell has been told by officials from the local council that, following a complaint from a local resident, he must keep the dog on a lead, and can only let him ride the skateboard on his own in certain areas. Mr Fell told The Daily Telegraph: 'As far as I am concerned if Bodhi is under control he is not causing a problem. He is always under control. 'If I call him he comes to me and sits. He loves skateboarding with the wind sailing through him.' He added he would feel proud of being the first person to receive an ASBO for having a skateboarding dog.
'I would hang it on the wall. He is not doing anything wrong, it is a joke, Bodhi is no criminal,' the landscape gardener said.
A spokesperson for Brighton and Hove Council at least seemed to have a sense of humour about the issue, saying Mr Fell must keep the dog on a lead while he is on the road or pavement, but adding: 'Should the rules be breached further we may be forced to issue the dog with an As-Bone.' Heidi first rose to fame in December last year when a picture appeared in the German newspaper Bild. She now has around 290,000 Facebook followers, and her fans can listen to a song in her honour on YouTube and buy their very own Heidi plush toy. Heidi is approximately two-and-a-half years old and was found abandoned outside an animal shelter in North Carolina, USA, along with her sister, Naira. She is the latest in a line of German animals to catch the media's attention, following on from Paul the Octopus, who correctly predicted the outcome of a number of World Cup matches last year.
Ruth Adams with her pet cat Smokey, who is thought to have the loudest purr in the world (Pic: Geoff Robinson)
MEET Smokey, the cat thought to have the loudest purr in the world – making a racket which feels ten times louder than a regular purr.
Her roars of contentment have left her owners reaching for earplugs and unable to watch television or talk on the phone when she is nearby.
‘She has always been very vocal and purrs at some level nearly all the time,’ said Ruth Adams, who adopted Smokey from a rescue centre, for her ten-year-old daughter, Amy.‘She even manages to purr while she eats. The only time she is quiet is when she is asleep. ‘When I’m on the phone, friends often ask what the loud noise is. They can’t believe it is coming from a cat.’
Most cats purr at about 25 decibels but Smokey averages more than 80 and has been recorded at a deafening 92 – the same as a hair dryer.
‘It’s either adorable or annoying, depending on what mood you’re in,’ said Mrs Adams, who also shares her house with husband Mark, two children, two dogs and two other cats. ‘You don’t even have to stroke her to start a purring session – often she’ll do it for no reason. ‘It can be annoying if her loud purring starts as you are watching television and it has reached a romantic bit in a film, because it’s impossible to hear and spoils the moment.’
Smokey, 12, did not seem bothered by the noise, although it sometimes made her cough, said Mrs Adams.
‘It’s not just the volume of her purr which is unusual – she makes quite a unique sound, as if she has a dove stuck in her throat,’ she added. ‘My daughter thinks it is adorable.’
The family, of Pitsford near Northampton, has now sent an application to Guinness World Records. ‘The record for the loudest scream by a human is 129 decibels,’ said a record official.
‘If Smokey the cat is able to purr at over 80 decibels, it would be an astonishing feat.’
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
ROMA WALSH M.I.S.C.P. Chartered Physiotherapist would like to announce the opening of her
Spilling the beans in Carrigtwohill A VERY successful coffee day in aid of the Motor Neuron Disease Association (IMDA) was held at the Community Centre in Carrigtwohill on Wednesday, 16th February 2011.
The event was attended by family members of those affected by this disease, friends and Carrigtwohill Community.
‘It was heart warming to receive such immense support for this worthy cause. The response from those who offered to bake for the coffee morning, and those who attended it, was wonderful and their contributions will assist the Motor Neuron Disease Association’ stated Margaret Long, who was responsible for organising this event.
PHYSIOTHERAPY & SPORTS INJURY CLINIC Coffee morning volunteers: Margaret Long, Fiona Kenny and Ger O’Flynn
at Ballintubber, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork
For appointments contact 087 6810930
Cork County has the highest number of patients in Ireland with motor neuron disease, and this incurable condition begins with paralysis of body muscles and ultimately in death. There is currenly only one dedicated nurse in the Republic of Ireland for patients of motor neuron disease, and it is hoped that funds can be raised to provide an additional nurse to
support patients families.
and
their
The event was attended by Mr Oliver Sheehan, Chairman of Carrigtwohill Community Council, who said ‘Carrigtwohill Community are behind this excellent fundraiser, and we will continue to provide our support to help the lives of those affected by this disease’.
Spice up your life forHope Midleton Youghal RNLI honours long service Oliver Sheehan, Chairman of Community Council, enjoys a cuppa
in
DENISE FITZGERALD REPORTS
TANTALISE your taste buds at the ‘Taste of India’ fundraiser at Sangam Indian Restaurant, Mill Road, Midleton on Friday, March 11th, in aid of The Hope Foundation. ‘Taste of India’ starts at 8pm and promises diners a gastronomic journey through India, where they can enjoy a two course meal with a glass of wine, choosing from the wide range of dishes available. Diners will also be in with the chance to win some great raffle prizes on the night.
Proceeds from ‘Taste of India’ go to The Hope Foundation, which was set up in 1999 to raise funds for one girls’ home, now works with 16 Indian NGO partners to rescue thousands of children from the streets and slums of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), improve their quality of life, and give them a better future. Today, HOPE funds over 60 projects including education; primary healthcare; shelter; vocational training; child protection; and drugs rehabilitation; and has reached out to almost 25,000 children through education alone and hundreds of thousands more through primary healthcare, in partnership with Irish Aid.
Local woman and organiser, Pauline Coffey, has visited Kolkata on a number of occasions with The Hope Foundation and has witnessed firsthand the dire conditions in the slums and on the streets for the poverty stricken children of this vast Indian city. However, Pauline states “From visiting the many HOPE projects, it’s encouraging and moving to see positive changes being made in children’s lives as a result of HOPE’s fundraising efforts.”
Tickets for ‘Taste of India’ are €20 and include a starter and main course and a glass of wine. Booking is essential and a limited number of tickets are available from Pauline on (087) 8189655. For more information on The Hope Foundation visit www.hopefoundation.ie
THE RNLI charity saves lives at sea.
Their voluntary members provide a 24 hour search and rescue service around Ireland and the United Kingdom, operating over 230 lifeboat stations with forty three in Ireland. Since the formation of the RNLI, the voluntary lifeboat crews and life guards have saved over 137,000 lives.
John Innes, Brendan O’Driscoll and Sean Slattery with Gareth Morrison, Deputy Divisional Inspector and Declan Dixon, Deputy Divisional Engineer In Youghal, the RNLI Lifeboat has a strong Deputy Divisional Inspector, Gareth Morriand committed group of people who are son and Deputy Divisional Engineer, Declan proud to do their best in every way to help Dixon and the Awards Ceremony took place those in peril on the seas, often putting their in Youghal Lifeboat station. own lives at risk. On Tuesday night last, awards for Long Service were presented to Sincere congratulations are extended to each three of these members who have each com- of the three Awards recipients on their pleted twenty years service with the RNLI. twenty years of dedication and commitment Sean Slattery, John Innes and Brendan O’ to such a wonderful, unselfish and crucial Driscoll received their Awards from RNLI’s service on our seas.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Getting the last ATURALLY word in Midleton PEAKING and Garryvoe
N S The
mating game with John Whelan-Curtin
Midleton Club President Jean Michel Rubillon and Garryvoe Club President, Tara Murphy both try to get the last word!
EACH year the hares box each other, the stags lock antlers and birds of every description perform wild antics and displays. These certainly seem like strange things to do when nature rewards species that are efficient and capable of conserving time and energy. Why then do animals evolve where performing bizarre mating rituals are not just beneficial but completely essential for reproduction? The beginning of each breeding season is the beginning of the wars for the male deer. The stags grow their antlers almost exclusively for the purpose of duelling other stags. When stags rattle their antlers to decide who will be the one to breed, it is very rare for any serious damage to be inflicted, even though the forces involved would be murderous in human terms.
The cock pheasant in late February and March is more beautiful and colourful than the cock pheasant of a few months before. They fill their forms with increased colour and more brilliant plumage to add an emphasis to their courtship dance. The distinct and wonderful long tail feathers also exist to draw attention to the various steps in the elaborate dance. Even the common and forgettable house sparrow has a series of steps to his courtship. Firstly the little male must find a good site for a nest and defend it against other males. The tiny creature must then build a nest that will suitably impress a female. Finally, he must chirp until a female responds and then he must perform a dance for her. If all of this is sufficient then a female might have
something to do with him. Many people don’t realise that, despite their seemingly random interactions, house sparrows are generally monogamous and mate for life.
Notice how it is commonly the male acting like the fool in an effort to attract the attention of the female? It is important to keep in mind that the male can (potentially) breed several times with several females each year, while the female is restricted to one mate per breeding season or litter of young. For this reason the male does not need to be terribly selective, but the female does. This is why cock pheasants burst into colour each year, and stags grow ridiculous ‘branches’ from their heads for the sole purpose of wrestling other stags.
These protocols don’t exist solely to serve the female of the species, they are a part of natural selection. When the stags fight for control of a harem the process ensures that only the stags with strongest, healthiest genes will be allowed to breed and pass those genes along. When cock pheasants perform it is not simply to show off their colours but to display their health, condition and vigour. Regardless of the functions and mechanics of these rituals the display still exists for us to watch. There is no spectacle to match the intricacies and subtleties of these courtships, from pigeons parading with their tails brushing the ground, to 500lb gargantuan red deer stags shaking the earth as they do battle.
MIDLETON Toastmasters and Garryvoe Toastmasters had a joint meeting in the Grainstore, Ballymaloe House on Tuesday, February 22nd. 34 members and guests were present.
There was a very full programme on the night, with three speeches, a lively topics session, comprehensive evaluations and a chance for both club presidents to have their say.
It was the first time a Toastmasters meeting has ever been held in the grounds of Ballymaloe House, and the location proved to be ideal.
The meeting kicked off with an address by Jean Michel Rubillion, president of the Midleton Club. Catherine Kelly then took charge as Toastmaster on the night. She passed control of the meeting over to Chris Dunne who got nearly everyone speaking with topics such as pig slurry. how newborn babies look alike and how long this year's resolutions lasted, as well as various tongue twisters. Bernadette Hegarty brought the house down when she managed to speak for two minutes on the subject of 'Nonsense.' We then had three speeches. John Colbert spoke eloquently about the Youghal Credit Union. Eleanor Herlihy gave us all pause for thought when she talked about the work of the Vin-
Eleanor Herlihy talks the talk... cent De Paul charity, and John Finn took a trip down memory lane as he spoke about his childhood. All the talks were of an exceptionally high standard.
The evaluation session was conducted by Christine Conway and we had contributions from Ivan O'Sullivan, Jean Michel Rubillon and Bernadette Hegarty. Tara Murphy, president of the Garryvoe Talking Heads Club, rounded up proceedings and the members all went to the bar to continue lively deliberations. Judging by the success of the night, it won't be long before a rematch is called. Midleton and Garryvoe Toastmasters have both been long-
... While John Finn stands up to be counted! standing neighbours for many years. Midleton is 16 years young while Garryvoe Talking Heads is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year. The Midleton Toastmasters club meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month, while Garryvoe Talking Heads meet every second Tuesday. The members of both clubs come from all walks of life, and guests are always welcome to come along to see what Toastmasters is all about. The next meeting of the Midleton club is on March 9th in McDaid's Pub, and the next meeting of Garryvoe Talking Heads Club is on Tuesday, March 8th in the Garryvoe Hotel. Both meetings start at 8pm.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Bitesize News
YOUGHAL
Youghal Men's Social Club
A special meeting of Youghal Men’s Social club will take place on tomorrow, Thursday March 3rd, from 11.05am to 11.30am. Then, at 11.35am Guest speaker, Mr Pat Deasy, will give a talk on photography which should be very interesting and informative. All are welcome.
Growing with Youghal Flower and Garden Club
Grow your own vegetable garden with the greatest of ease. On Tuesday next, March 8th at 8pm in the Walter Raleigh Hotel, Mr Michael McKenna of Blackwater Garden Centre will be guest of the Flower and Garden Club, when he will speak on ‘Setting up a Vegetable garden’. We are guaranteed that this is a lot easier than it sounds, and there is no doubt that Mr McKenna will make it even more enjoyable, with his easy and professional way of explaining the how, where, whys and whats. All are welcome.
Youghal Bay Bridge Club hold successful Charity event
On Thursday night last, February 24th, the Walter Raleigh Hotel was the venue for the very successful annual Charity Night organised by Youghal Bay Bridge Club.
A very large number of players came along to support the event, and a sum of €1,100 was raised on the night.
Compiled by Denise FitzGerald 087 812 8262 / [email protected] Afternoon Recital Who Wants to Youghal Pipe Band be a Millionaire? in Killeagh organise St. For Jack and Jill... Patrick's Day Parade KILLEAGH Choir will perform a Sunday Afternoon Recital on March 6th at 3pm in Killeagh Hall. Songs from the shows, soloists and instrumentalists will be joined by East Cork Youth choir, in what promises to be a very entertaining afternoon. This recital is one in the series of very popular and successful Sunday afternoon Recitals. On this occasion, proceeds from the recital will be going towards St. Fergal’s National School Building Fund. Tickets (€15, concessions €10) for the Recital can be purchased at Coleman’s Newsagents, or any member of Killeagh Choir or Killeagh Parents Association. Come along and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of singing and music, at the same time helping a very good cause.
There may not be Phone a Friend, or Ask the Audience but at the CRY Table Quiz which is being held in Farrell’s of Summerfield Bar, you can certainly win a couple of nice prizes. A Table of four costs €40, and the Question Master will be firing his questions from 8.30pm. Raffle, prizes, and all proceeds towards CRY, your own local Community Radio.
Results of the GAA 45 Drive
1st Cecilia and Lily; 2nd Chrissie and Noel; 3rd: Dan and Jerry; Best of Last 5, Kathleen and Assumpta; Last Game Teresa and Sheila. 45 Drive every Tuesday night at 8.30pm. All are welcome.
Keys to new car for Trish, courtesy of
Youghal Credit Union Car Draw
YOUGHAL Credit Union, as part of their great service to the people of Youghal and surrounds, hold a bi-annual Car Draw for their participating members. The prize is a superb Kia Ria car from Pat Ryan’s Garage, Youghal and excitement is always high with everyone hoping to win such a great prize. On Saturday, February 19th Credit Union Manager, Barry Treacy, drew the winning ticket in the draw, and local lady, Trish Flanagan, was the very popular winner. Trish lives in Crestfield with her husband, Jimmy, and they have two sons also living in Youghal, Gavin and Ian.
When asked by the East Cork Journal how she discovered she was the lucky winner, Trish said that she was at home alone when her sister, Christine, telephoned her to tell her the good news, having heard it on the local Community Radio Youghal, who had broadcast live at the Draw. Trish said she couldn’t believe it, and thought it was a windup, 'but then,' she said, 'all the phones started ringing all over the place and then Barry Treacy rang to tell me”. 'I was on my own at the
Youghal Pipe Band are organising the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Thursday, March 17th. We invite you to take part in this year’s 61st Parade by putting on a float or by marching behind your club banner. Make a special effort this year and help us keep alive this great tradition which is so much part of our heritage and culture here in the town of Youghal. The parade will assemble in Dolphin Square at 2.30pm and will commence at 3pm through Catherine Street, Market Square, Strand Street, Pearse Square, South Main Street, North Main Street and back to Dolphin’s Square for presentation of prizes at 4pm. All trucks, cars, vans, tractors etc. taking part in this parade MUST have their OWN insurance cover in the event of any accident. Looking forward to seeing you all on St. Patrick’s Day. For further information on 024 92580 or 086 8843740.
Bunscoil Mhuire School Enrolments
Bunscoil Mhuire is now taking enrolments for September 2011. Closing date for enrolment is Friday, March 16th, 2011. For enrolment forms and additional information please contact the school office at 024-93234. We expect numbers to be high this year, therefore to secure a place, please do not delay in enrolling your child.
Lotto Jackpot won
Delighted car winner Trish Flanagan with her husband, Jimmy, pictured at their home in Crestfield, Youghal.
time,' Trish continued, 'and I just started screeching. It was like winning the Lottery.' Trish and Jimmy are long time members of Youghal Credit Union, but she said she never thought she would be lucky enough to win the car.
Trish asked the East Cork Journal to thank, on her behalf, the staff at Youghal Credit Union, Pat Ryan’s Garage Youghal, and
all the many, many people who telephoned her to give their good wishes and congratulations. 'I really appreciate it,' Trish smiled. We wish Trish every enjoyment of her new car, spinning out the miles in great safety. There were also four further prizes of €500 and congratulations are extended to Elaine O'Dwyer , Ardmore; Barry O'Neill, Main Street, Killeagh; Elizabeth Griffin, Ballyhubbard and David Colbert from Ladysbridge.
Last week’s GAA lotto of €6,140 was won by Eleanor Barry and €200 was shared between Hanna Power, Eugene Fox and N. Mohally. Seller's prize was won by Mary O'Regan. Next week’s Jackpot is €2,500. Go raibh maith agat as do thacaiocht.
GAA Card Drive Results 23/2/2011
1st 2nd and 3rd divided between John Cunningham and Joe Smiddy, Davie Murray and Jimmy Roche, and Eugene Kent and Ned O Connell. Best of last 5 Sheila O Sullivan and Eugene Fox. Last game Luke and Josephine Swayne
Energy Awareness
Youghal Library will present an Energy Awareness day on tomorrow, Thursday March 3rd from 10.30am to 3.30 pm. A Representative will be available to answer questions and give out information. This is a great opportunity to learn more about energy and saving money, and there is no entry charge. All are welcome.
The proceeds will be allocated to local charities within the next few weeks. Very well done to the organising committee and all those who attended and supported the event. The winners in Section 1 were: 1st Maura Flynn and Marie Gleeson; 2nd A McNulty and K Groeger; 3rd R Landers and H Keane. (President). The winners in Section 2 were; 1st Fidelma O`Connell and Brid Groeger; 2nd Jean and Liam Kelly; 3rd Margaret Kelleher and Gretta Plante. A fundraising dance in aid of the Jack and Jill Foundation will take place in the Walter Raleigh Hotel on Friday March 18th at 9pm.
The night will feature music by Dave Rae and guests.
There’ll also be a raffle on the night with many prizes on offer, including hampers. Admission is €8 and your support would be greatly appreciated.
Craft Classes
Craft Classes are available at Cumann na Daoine on Monday mornings from 10am to 12noon and also on Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. For more information contact Cumann na Daoine on 024 91900.
PTAA
The monthly meeting of the Youghal P.T.A.A will be held tonight, March 2nd in the Holy Family Hall at 8pm.
COPE Foundation AGM
The Annual General Meeting of COPE Foundation will be held tomorrow, Thursday, March 3rd at 8pm in Cumann na Daoine.
Upcoming events at the Walter Raleigh Hotel
4/3: CRY fundraiser. Dancing to Catriona O’Sullivan. Doors open at 9pm 8/3: Youghal Flower Club monthly meeting at 8pm 12/3: Youghal Bay Bridge Club An Toastal from 2pm to 10pm 13/3: CRY fundraiser. Dancing to Glen Flynn. Doors open at 3pm 18/3: Dancing to Dave Rea & Guest - Fundraiser for Jack & Jill Foundation 22/3: Fashion Show – Annual Event . Style from a local Boutique. Great night assured 25/3: Y-Factor DVD Launch & Concert . Doors open at 7.30pm
Social Dancing Diary as follows: 3/3: Dermot & Irene Ring, open at 3pm 4/3: Catriona & High Country open at 9pm 13/3: Glen Flynn Band open at 3pm.
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17
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Seismic changes in Irish Politics as South East Cork and Waterford lose their FF TD’s
DECLAN BARRON LOOKS BACK ON ELECTION 2011
Freefall for Fianna Fail as Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Fein prosper
ALL over the world changes are taking place with unrest in Libya, Bahrain and many other Middle Eastern countries, while New Zealand has had to deal with the aftermath of an earthquake. Back here in Ireland a seismic shock has also taken in place the political system, with Fianna Fail suffering across the country as a huge number of their outgoing TD’s have lost out, while the Green Party has been wiped out losing all six of its outgoing TD’s.
The dust has now settled on the General Election with major stories unfolding from all over the country. The almost total wipeout of the outgoing Government was the big story, with only a handful of outgoing ministers returned to the 31st Dáil. It was even worse for the back benchers who were also tarred with the one brush, with Michael Ahearn losing out in East Cork as Fianna Fail lost both its seats
Gael and his transfers ensured a second seat for Fine Gael’s Tom Barry. While Sean Sherlock topped the poll for Labour his running mate, Cllr John Mulvihill from Cobh, just lost out with Kevin O’Keeffe and Sandra McLellan finishing ahead of him as the final count at the Mallow Centre was completed at around 3.30am on Sunday morning.
in the constituency. Kevin O’Keeffe also failed to hold onto the seat vacated by his father, Ned... In keeping with the nationwide upsurge FG picked up two seats here with David Stanton elected
on the 5th count and Tom Barry being elected on the 7th count. Labour’s Sean Sherlock topped the poll and was declared elected on the 1st count. The battle for the 4th seat came down to Ned O’Keeffe’s son, Kevin and Sandra McLellan with John Mulvi-
hill’s elimination deciding the outcome in favour of Youghalbased McLellan, who took the seat for Sinn Fein on the 7th count without reaching the quota. The Youghal woman’s election will now mean that the East Cork Town will be repre-
sented in Dáil Eireann, while David Staunton will represent Midleton with Sean Sherlock and Tom Barry representing the northern end of the constituency.
Newcomer Pa O’Driscoll from Rathcormac, polled well for Fine
The four Independent candidates, along with the Green Party candidate, finished at the bottom while just above them was outgoing TD, Michael Ahern, who polled just over four and a half thousand first preferences but got hardly any transfers. The new candidates will take up their positions on March 9th, and East Cork will be hoping that it may well get a seat at the cabinet table, or at least a junior minister, when Enda Kenny has finally worked out the nuts and bolts of the new government.
Deputy Seán Sherlock
Labour tallymen input their tallies during the count, as Deputy Sean Sherlock is re-elected
Deputy Sherlock takes a breath as his re-election is confirmed
"I wish to thank most sincerely everyone who voted for me in the General Election. I am humbled and honoured by the mandate I received and will do my very best for the people of Cork East in the years ahead. My door is always open so please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance - Seán Sherlock TD Tel: 022 53523 Email: [email protected] Website: www.seansherlock.ie
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18
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Deputy stanton delighted to retain Dail seat CORK East Fine Gael TD, David Stanton has expressed his delight at being re-elected to the new Dail.
This is the fourth time in a row David Stanton has been elected in Cork East Constituency which includes the towns of Carrigtwohill, Cobh, Fermoy, Mallow, Midleton, Mitchelstown and Youghal and the surrounding areas and states, ‘I would like to say a sincere thank you to all the people who voted for me. ‘It is wonderful to, once again, be chosen by the people of Cork East to represent them in Dail Eireann. ‘I was first elected as a TD in 1997 and have been very fortunate to be successful in each general election since.
‘This election was particularly exciting as Fine Gael won two of the four seats in Cork East.
‘I would also like to thank all the people who helped me throughout my campaign.
‘I was astounded at the huge level of support I received. ‘Fine Gael and Young Fine Gael members and other supporters gave so generously of their time.
‘ I really appreciate it. I could not have done it without them. “I am looking forward to the commencement of the new Dail next week. ‘ I am delighted about the success of Fine Gael which makes it possible for us to lead the new Government. ‘I am sure that our policies will get Ireland working again.
‘In addition to dealing with national issues, I will, of course, continue to do my best to work for the people of Cork East,’ the newly re-elected Deputy concluded.
‘You raise me up’: David stanton (fine Gael) gets a little lift from sean Kelly MeP and Noel ryall as he emerges victorious. (Photos: Denis o’flynn)
Three new faces elected in Waterford IN keeping with the rest of the country the electorate of Waterford, too, took its revenge on Fianna Fáil. While outgoing deputy Brendan Kenneally held out until the final count, he was eventually overtaken by surprise Independent, John Halligan, who got past the post after the elimination of Sinn Fein’s David Cullinane who, at one stage, looked to be in the mix to take the final seat in Waterford.
DECLAN BARRON REPORTS
Outgoing TD, John Deasy of FG, as expected topped the poll but had to wait until the 3rd count to pass the post in first place.
He was followed by running mate, Paudi Coffey, who got home on the 9th count.
The only woman in the race, Ciara Conway of Labour got elected on the 10th count after the elimination of running mate
VoTe DeTails count: complete (11) seat filled: 4/4 Turnout: 69.2% electorate: 78,435 spoiled: 578 Valid: 53,720 Quota: 10,745 TDs elecTeD Paudie Coffey (FG) Ciara Conway (Lab) John Deasy (FG) John Halligan (Ind)
David stanton TD
% 1sT Pref 18.1 10.3 20.0 10.3
Seamus Ryan, whose transfers took Conway past Brendan Kenneally to claim the third seat in Waterford. It was now down to the wire and with John Halligan also doing well from Ryan’s transfers, he moved ahead of David Cullinane of Sinn Fein, who was last to be eliminated.
sincere thanks to everyone who voted for me and to all those who supported my campaign. special thanks to the many Fine Gael and Young Fine Gael members who gave of their time so generously.
When Cullinane’s votes were distributed the bulk of them went to John Halligan, who moved past Brendan Kenneally to end FF hopes of hanging onto a seat in Waterford. With Martin Cullen not running and Kenneally failing to retain either FF seat the party lost two seats in Waterford.
With three new faces heading for Dáil Eireann on March 9th it is hoped that at least one of the elected FG candidates might get to the cabinet table, although with a likely Government made up of FG and Labour coalition, it does not look too good for Waterford to get a Minister, in my opinion. For Ciara Conway, who was the only woman in the field, it was a great triumph as she retained the seat held by Brian O’Shea for Labour, and becomes the first woman since 1954 to be elected for Waterford.
constituency office:
29 st Mary’s road, Midleton t: 021 4632867 e: [email protected] www.stanton.ie
During a hectic election campaign it sometimes happens that some issues raised may not get a response. If you have such an outstanding query or would like assistance on any matter please contact my office
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
A sincere thank you from Sandra McLellan FIRSTLY I would like to take this opportunity to thank the thousands of voters from all over the constituency of Cork East, for placing your faith in me and allowing me the honour of representing you in the Dail.
This was a very hard fought campaign and one where your votes have not only determined the outcome of the contest, but will also determine how you will be represented over the coming years. The only promise I can make to you at the outset of this new Dail term, is that I and my party will work tirelessly to represent your interests, to reverse the cuts, the increased charges and hidden taxes and all the unjust measures that led to your anger before this election, and to offer the strongest possible opposition in the Dail to the conservative consensus for cuts and the squandering of €billions into Zombie Banks. Over the term of this Dail, I will represent all the people of Cork East without fear or favour and will make myself both accessi-
The newly elected Cllr. Sandra McLellan (Sinn Féin) with her supporters ble and accountable to everyone, that I am the first ever female I would like to thank my camregardless of the area to which Sinn Féin TD to be elected to the paign workers from all around they belong. I will do this at a Cork East constituency. I am Cork East, who recently went personal level and in conjunc- also honoured to be part of a out knocking on doors in the tion with my party colleagues on team which will push my party’s dark and in the rain to help me Councils in Cobh, Midleton, Equality Agenda in the Dail, and get elected. You’re hard and tireFermoy, Mallow and Youghal. to help bring about a fairer soci- less efforts in the promotion of In terms of history, I am aware ety of equals. our republican/socialist message
The Green Party’s Malachy Harty thanks his supporters and reflects on ‘an electoral wipeout’ I HAD the honour of representing the Green Party in Cork East in last Friday’s election. This was my first general election campaign and I thoroughly enjoyed engaging with voters, meeting interest groups and debating with the other candidates during the lead up to the election. I felt that, at all times, there has been a spirit of co-operation and a collective desire to do the best for the country.
I knew from the outset that this would not be a good year for incoming, low profile Green candidates such as myself. However, the Green Party results that came in from around the country and from Cork East on Saturday confirmed that we were not merely struggling, we were being washed away. Although I am immensely disappointed, I’m delighted that the country has turned out in such high numbers to choose our public representatives. Our democratic electoral system truly is a beautiful feedback and appointment structure. I wish Fine Gael and Labour, who will surely form the next coalition, the very best of luck as they face the significant challenges that lie ahead, and attempt to steer an equitable and stable course to recovery. Congratulations to the successful and unsuccessful candidates who have all made valu-
have finally reaped rewards, and I share in your joy and in your pride for what we have achieved through this victory. Finally, I would again like to thank all who voted for me. I will do all in my power to ensure your votes and trust in me will
be sound political investments. I and my party are mere ambassadors to represent your interests in the Dail and, together, I hope we will see our country a fairer and more equal and united place in which to live, by the time of the next election.
Thank you all... Cllr. Sandra McLellan would like to sincerely thank all of her constituents and those who voted for her in last weekend’s Election.
Green Party candidate, Malachy Harty, with Danny Kenneally, Chief Tallyman for Fine Gael in Mallow
able contributions during the process. Meanwhile, it is time for the Green Party to regroup as a movement and consider the messages that have come from the electorate. We will undoubtedly go through a difficult, but necessary, period of soul-searching, learning and innovating. One thing that remains clear to me, however, is that the issues which are central to the Green movement, remain. It is essen-
tial that we prepare for the next local and national elections and continue as a voice for better planning, social justice, sustainable economic growth and protection of our natural environment. Finally, I would like to say an enormous thank you to all the people who voted for me on Friday. Thanks also to members of the Cork East Green Party, my family and friends who have been very supportive. It has been a privilege.
I am looking forward to serving you as YOUR representative in Dáil Eireann
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
BHÍ SIAD GO-HÁLAINN! ON Saturday, February 26th, the Scór na bPáistí Imokilly Divisional Finals took place at the Éire Óg Club Pavilion.
Aghada NS emerged with the most awards - picking up three individual awards, and awards for the Best Club in Scór, Scór na nÓg and Scór na bPáistí - and shared the award for the best club on the night with Carraig na bhFearr.
Aghada’s Roisin O’Callaghan, Christine Gilroy, Luke O’Connell, Ciara Counihan and Christine Moran receive their trophies from Tom Sheehan, Chairman, Imokilly Scór Committee, following their win in the Ballad Group competition The Midleton Instrumental Music group of Kate Leahy, Eve Moore, Robyn Scannell, Julia Wagrowska and Clodagh Murphy
Congratulations to the Aghada boys who won Question Time; the Carrigtwohill boys Ballad Group who were runners-up; the Aghada Ballad Group who won their section; the Fr. O’Neill’s Instrumental Music Group winners; the Aghada Set Dancers who were runners-up in their section; Christine Gilroy, Aghada who won the Solo Music Trophy; the Fr. O’Neill’s Figure Dance team who won the Micheal Foley Memorial Cup; Lisgoold’s Searlaith Walsh who won the Solo Dance Trophy; another Lisgoold lady, Laura Whelan who won the Recitation Section; Midleton Ladies Football Novelty Act who won their section and, finally, Aghada Ladies Football Figure Dancers - who came second in their section.
All in all, a great Scór na bPáisti, proving, yet again, that East Cork’s got talent to spare.
The Fr. O’Neill’s Instrumental Music Group - Olan Steele, Aoife Millerick, Rachel Mellerick and Maeve Steele - who were winners, received their trophies from Tom Sheehan, Chairman
The Carrigtwohill Ballad Group - Kevin Cody, Jack Scully, Darragh McCann, Daniel Murphy and Dean Fitzgerald - were runners up at the Imokilly Scór na bPáistí Finals
Sean Damery, Diarmuid Kearney, Sinead Meaney, Orla Damery and Aoife O’Connell represented Cobh in the Instrumental Music section
Aghada Ladies Football Figure Dance group of Bridget Wall, Kate McCarthy, Tadgh McCarthy, Ann Marie O’Halloran, Holly Broderick, Kate Wall, Michelle Stafford and Saoirse Cahill, who were runners up
Christine Gilroy, Aghada who received the Solo Music trophy from Tom Sheehan, Chairman
Full results as follows: RINCE FOIRNE: 1. Athair Uí Néill Iomáint (Corn Micheál Foley) 2. Áth Fhada Peil na mBan RINCE AONAIR: 1. Lios gCúl/Saerlaith Breathnach 2. Cóbh Peil/Aisling Breathnach AMHRÁNAÍOCHT: 1. Áth Fhada Iomáint/Cristín Ní Mhóráin AONAIR: 2. Carraig na bhFear Iomáint/Éilís Nic Cárthaigh CEOL UIRLISE: 1. Athair Uí Néill Iomáint 2. Carraig na bhFear Iomáint CEOL AONAIR: 1. Áth Fhada Iomáint/Cristín Nic Giolla Rua 2. Lios gCúl Peil na mBan/Liam de Staic NUACHLEAS: 1. Mainistir na Corann Peil na mBan 2. Fánuithe na Bríde Peil na mBan BAILÉAD GHRÚPA: 1. Áth Fhada Iomáint 2. Carraig Thuathail AITHRISEOIREACHT: 1. Lios gCúl/Laura Ní Fhaoláin 2. Fánuithe na Bríde Camógaíocht/Emma de Barra RINCE SEIT: 1. Carraig na bhFear Iomáint (Corn May Cahill) 2. Áth Fhada Peil na mBan TRÁTH NA GCEIST: 1. Áth Fhada Peil 2. Carraig na bhFear Pei CORN CASEY/BUCKLEY: Áth Fhada Iomáint/Carraig na bhFear Iomáint (Club is Fearr Inniu) CORN CHRIS O’ MAHONY: Áth Fhada Iomáint (Club is Fearr/3 Scór) Beidh na buaiteoirí ag dul ar aghaidh chuig Comórtaisí Leath-Cheannais an Chontae ar an Domhnach 6ú Márta (6/3/11) i gCnocán na Biolraí ag a 2.30 i.n.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
21
East Cork excels at Scór na bPáistí
Siobhan Foley presents the Micheal Foley Memorial Cup to Fr. O’Neill’s Figure Dance team, winners at the Imokilly Scór na bPáistí Finals, alongside Tom Sheehan,Chairman, Imokilly Scór Committee
Aghada’s Jack McDonnell, PJ Meaney and Conor Cotter, winners of the Imokilly Scór na bPáistí Question Time receive their trophies from Tom Sheehan, Chairman, Imokilly Scór Committee. (Photos: Mike English)
Tom Sheehan, Chairman, Imokilly Scór Committee, presents the Solo Dance trophy to Searlaith Walsh, Lisgoold, winner at the Scór na bPáistí Finals
Solo Dance Finalists Erin Burke (Midleton), Aisling Walsh (Cobh), Maeve Rutledge (Aghada) and Searlaith Walsh (Lisgoold)
Aghada’s Christine Moran picked up the Solo Singing trophy from Tom Sheehan, Chairman, Imokilly Scor Committee
Laura Whelan, Lisgoold, winner of the Recitation Section of the Imokilly Scór na bPáistí gets her head on straight!
Midleton Ladies Football Novelty Act group - consisting of Molly Rabbitte, Leanne O’Riordan, Kaleigh Stack-McKay, Maeve O’Sullivan, Orlaith Crowley, Deanna Browne, Charley Browne and Kate Desmond who were winners at the Imokilly Scór na bPáistí Finals
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22
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Tesco Midleton treads ahead for the Irish Cancer Society
ON Friday and Saturday last, staff members at Tesco, Market Green Shopping Centre, Midleton held a ‘Walkathon’ in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. Caroline Hegarty - on the treadmill when the East Cork Journal arrived, stated, ‘We’re all doing 20 minutes on it to raise funds for the ICS. It was running all day yesterday and again today.’
Meanwhile, Shelley Tanner, Personnel Manager at Tesco Midleton stated, ‘We cannot thank all of our customers enough for their generous support - and thanks too to all the staff who are stepping up - literally to raise money for this worthy cause. In total, on Friday last, €853 had been raised for the Irish Cancer Society with Mary, Eileen, Catherine, Kay and others all lining up to take their turn on the treadmill on Saturday.
East Cork snippets
Fermoy whist drive
RESULTS FROM SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH: Best overall score: Catherine O’Flynn Winning ladies: Ina O’Brien, Mairead Scannell, Maureen Hales, Anne Hurley, Mary Mason, Joan O’Callaghan, Evelyn Hales and Margaret Forde. Winning gents: B. Brennan, Noel Hales, Daniel O’Flynn, K. Clifford, James Leamy, Fr. Aquin Casey, M. Hurley & Gerard Donovan. Raffle: Jim Ryall, Lesley Snell & Abina Murphy. Whist Drive every Sunday night at 8.30pm sharp at Fermoy Bridge Centre. All welcome - enquiries to 025 32086.
GALAXY LIGHTING THE THE SALE SALE YOU YOU HAVE HAVE BEEN BEEN WAITING WAITING FOR FOR
SALE NOW ON ( $ '" ! %&
*+ )))
&& &$ & #$ , * &" $ #! " & *+ & " #$ #!
Ballycotton Bridge Club results 9/2/11 Simultaneous Pairs 1st Phil O`Lomasney/Mary Fitzgerald 2nd Kay Smiddy/Betty Murray 3rd Marie O`Hanlon/Florence Bowe
16/2/11 N/S 1st Diarmuid Cashman/Maureen O`Mahony
2nd Margaret Holland/Pat Melvin 3rd Mary Shorten/Florence Bowe E/W 1st Betty Hanley/Collette Long 2nd Mary Draddy/Ellen Clifford 3rd Mary Tattan/Helen Cullen
East Cork Flower Club
East Cork Flower Club are holding a Teaching Demonstration with Maureen O’Keeffe, AOIFA on Monday, March 7th, 2011 at 8pm in St. John the Baptist National School, Midleton. New members and visitors welcome.
Change your room by changing your lighting
LIGHTING can set the mood for any occasion. Soft lighting can make you feel mellow, while bright lighting can energize you. When a room is not properly lit, it can put you in a dismal mood. Fortunately, you can transform a dark room into a brighter one without taking drastic measures; just change your lighting. Dark furniture, upholstery, wall colour, and carpeting can contribute to making a room appear gloomy. But you don’t have to completely renovate your home to make it brighter. Some simple actions can transform your room. Before you do anything, ask yourself the following question. What is the function of this room and what kind of lighting is best suited for it? Your answer to this question will help you figure out the best lighting options for you. Lighting can change the whole feel of a room; specifically, it can influence the height, the overall size and the space within a room. Here are a few pointers:
To make your room seem higher, use up-lighting on the floor to light the walls and the ceiling. This will lead the eye all the way from the floor up to the ceiling, elongating the size of the walls. Hang any wall lights low on the wall.
To make the room seem larger, light up each corner of the room with its own light, and light up large surfaces like the ceiling, large walls and make sure each section of the floor is lit. Also paint large surfaces in one colour, such as the ceiling and feature walls. Use panels of light at one end of the room to draw the eye from one end to the other. Make sure there is light bouncing from the walls and the ceiling. Be careful not to create too much light and cause a dazzling effect. To make the room seem smaller or cosier, do not let any light touch the ceiling. Instead, concentrate the light in small patches, and ensure the light is low lit or dimmed. Use table lamps and small floor lamps to light the nearby area but always concentrate on low, floor-lit spaces. A well-lit home is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also comfortable for you and your family. There are many options to consider as you search for the type of lighting that is perfect for your needs and your budget. Take the time to shop and compare before you make your decision.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
The
Waterford With Declan Barron
Fine Gael front runners to lead Waterford in Election 2011
WELL, the results are in and Waterford will have three new faces going to Dáil Eireann on March 9th. It comes as no surprise that FG lead the way with John Deasy and Paudi Coffey getting home in front, but the election of Ciara Conway, Labour and Independent John Halligan were a bit of a surprise. For a county that had two FF TD’s in the outgoing Dáil, the failure of the FF party to get Brendan Kenneally elected will be a big talking point. The decision to go it alone, with no running mate, certainly backfired as he attracted very few transfers. With no running mate from the West of the county, in particular, the die was cast for FF who lost out in the final count. For Ciara Conway it was a great triumph and she will be the first woman from the county since 1954 to sit in Dáil Eireann.
Election Posters
I hope that all of the political parties will be as quick to take down their posters as they were to put them up. Many, of course, blew down with the weather but now that the dust has settled a quick clean up should be expected. Many observers I have encountered were surprised by the lack of canvassers appearing at the doors prior to election, but it does not appear to have mattered as there was a high turnout across the nation. In a time of recession the €30 million spent on election literature delivery to An Post was a complete waste of money as all of it is by now burned or recycled, which makes you wonder if the money could not go to build a school or fund something for the Children’s Hospital in Crumlin or Temple Street, who had to close part of the building due to lack of funding.
Devonshire Day in Lismore Castle on March 13th
THE chance to see the Lismore Castle Gardens with head gardener, Chris Tull, and take tea in the Pugin room will be available to those who visit Lismore Castle on Sunday March 13th as part of the Immrama Festival Fundraising who organise the “Devonshire Day “visits. The cost of entry is €20 which, in addition to the gardens and tea, includes a visit to the exhibition galleries and an audio visual presentation of “The Lismore Experience” as well. Tours will start 11.30 am, 12.40pm, 1.50pm, 3pm and 4.10pm with early booking recommended, as these tours are usually booked up in advance. To secure a place contact 058-53365 or 058-54975 without delay.
Scórr semi finals in Cappoquin
THE Cappoquin Community Centre will, on this Saturday night host the Munster Senior Scór semi final with Waterford, Tipperary and Clare winners taking part, commencing at 7.30pm. The winners will go forward to the Munster Finals in Templemore on March 19th.
Way Don’t get in too deep: Join the Helvick swim training programme 2011
Awaiting the start of the 2010 Dungarvan Bay Sponsored Swim from Ballinacourty to Helvick Pier in aid of the RNLI Helvick Lifeboat. (Joan Clancy)
SWIMMERS who are already registered for the 2011 Helvick Lifeboat Swim and wish to take part in the specially designed training programme should contact Clare Morrissey at [email protected] as soon as possible.
The 17th Annual RNLI Dungarvan Bay Sponsored Swim & BBQ scheduled for 1.30pm on Sunday, June 26th is earlier than in previous years.
‘The timing of this major fundraising event for the Helvick Lifeboat is always dependent upon two prime factors: the tides and the day of the week,’ says John Quealy, ‘and swimmers registering expressions of interest should e-mail me at [email protected] for further information.’
Green Flag for Ardmore NS ARDMORE NS will be presented with their first Green Flag on March 10th at the Lifetime Lab in Cork City. Needless to say the school teachers and pupils are delighted that all of their hard work has paid off.
The flag is awarded to schools that have shown the ability to reduce litter and waste over a sustained period of time and, with the help of the local Tidy Towns committee and the teachers, the pupils of Ardmore NS have demonstrated that they do possess civic pride in their place. As a result, they have won the first of many Green Flags, I suspect.
Ardmore Sewage Treatment Plant expected to go ahead in 2012
THERE appears to be good news in the offing for Ardmore as the long running saga about the water treatment plant appears to have come to a successful conclusion, with way leaves and compulsory purchase orders been approved by An Board Pleanala. What this means is that the tender process that began in November and ended on January 5th can now proceed, with permission from the Department of the Environment expected sometime in April for the waste collection system.
The tenders to construct the treatment plant will be out shortly, and once these are completed it is hoped that work can then begin early in 2012 provided, of course, that funding is committed for the project. If this happens then Ardmore would have a modern treatment plant which would be good for tourism, as Ardmore has lost its blue flag beach status for the past few years. Ardmore is one of a number of areas where sewage treatment is a problem, and now it appears that an end to this long running saga is finally in sight.
Potholes continue to be a problem
SEVERAL local West Waterford county councillors have complained about the delay in fixing pot holes, which are getting worse by the day on many of the West Waterford roads. Despite the best efforts of council staff on the ground, more work needs to be done as many roads are now in an awful state. Cllr Tommy Cronin said that the Jet Patcher needs to return for a longer period to do a greater area, as not enough staff are available to get the job done. Fellow FF Councillors, Michael J O’Ryan and James Tobin agreed that many areas are getting progressively worse. The NRA came in for much criticism also as they are spending significant money in replacing every sign on the N25 Cork to Waterford main road, yet many of the byroads are falling apart for the want of repair, with the National Roads Authority responsible only for the main roads. Many of the signs that are being replaced were in splendid condition with nothing wrong with them. It was pointed out that the new signs were commissioned some time ago, and while the timing of the project is unfortunate, it will be of overall benefit to Waterford to have good, clear signs at each cross roads, especially for tourists coming to the County.
Free Legal Advice Centre available again
FLAC, which is the Free Legal Advice Centre, will again be open on the first Thursday of every month at the Citizens Information Centre in Scanlon’s Yard Dungarvan. Appointments can be made by calling 058-44633 to arrange a time for your consultation.
Sympathy
THROUGH our column we would like to extend our sympathy to the Allen family of Village View, Clashmore on the passing of Mary Allen which occurred while on holiday in Spain. Mary was the retired post mistress of Kinsalebeg Post Office. Mary’s body was flown home over the weekend and the funeral took place on Tuesday. To her husband, Billy, and all of her sons and extended families we extend our sympathy on your sad loss. May she rest in Peace. Amen.
Clubs with news or sporting events Get in touch!
IT IS not easy to keep track of everything that is going on in the West Waterford locality, so if you are a group, club or organisation and you wish to get your notes in to me then please feel free to send them to [email protected] marked West Waterford Notes or call me on 087-9126566 as I will be happy to assist you in any way in 2011.
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24
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Glanmire Macra takes to the roads...
OUR two Drama groups have been practising solid for the past few months to participate in the Drama Competition. The Drama casts took to the roads recently and headed for Ringsakiddy for the Seandún Round of the Competition, where both groups put on fantastic performances. Our Glanmire A Team consisted of Deirdre Healy and Orla Ryng who were performing the play, ‘Positive Dead People’ by Pauline Shanahan, directed by our very own Catriona O’Connor. Our Glanmire B team consisted of Gavin Pollard, Tomás Cuffe, Bertie Cuffe, Sean Keegan, Heather Kenny and Marella Fitzgerald who were performing the play ‘The Marriage Plan’ by Brian Drum, directed by Julie Dennehy and by our very own Donal Twomey. After outstanding performances both teams successfully made it through to the Cork County round along with Whitechurch, Carrigaline, Knockraha and Leeside Macra. It was a great two nights of entertainment. Well done to all involved. Congratulations to Whitechurch for winning first
place on the night and to our Glanmire A team for being runners up. A huge congratulations to our very own Deirdre Healy who took home the award for best actress on the night, and the Glanmire A team who the award for best set. Well done ladies. Also well done to all the other teams from Seandún that won awards on the nights. They were very well deserved by all.
Once again the Drama Casts took to the road last weekend. This time they headed for the Briery Gap Theatre, Macroom to compete in the Cork County round of the Drama Competition. Both Drama groups put on amazing performances on the night. A huge congratulations to both teams and to our very own Deirdre Healy who again took away the award for best actress on the night. It was a great two nights of entertainment so well done to all involved. Best of luck to our Glanmire A team and to our neighbouring clubs, Whitechurch and Carrigaline, who made it through to the semifinal round of the competition in
Glanmire A Drama Producer and cast: Catriona O'Connor, Deirdre Healy and Orla Ryng March, along with Clonakilty. Thanks to everyone who helped out and supported both groups throughout the past few months. Well done to the Glanmire B cast for putting on outstanding performances on both weekends and a special thank you to their producers, Julie Dennehy and Donal Twomey, who gave their time and support over the past few months.
The Glanmire B Drama Cast includes Sean Keegan, Heather Kenny, Marella Fitzgerald, Tomas Cuffe, Gavin Pollard and Bertie Cuffe
Our monthly meeting took place in Sarsfield Pavilion on Wednesday, February 9th where we presented a cheque to Eileen Ní Murchú from the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, from our Field Day Fundraiser. The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation provides care and support for children with severe neurological development issues, as well as offering some respite to the parents and families. They rely on donations to provide for the €3.6 million per year that it takes to offer these services, so Glanmire Macra members present Eileen Ní Murchú from why not recycle your old stuff The Jack and Jill Chidren's Foundation with a cheque from their and you not only help the envi- Fundrasing Field Day held at the Upper Glanmire Community Field ronment but you also help these children. Seandún Titles night was held in the Ambassador Hotel on Friday, February 18th where contestants competed for the title of Miss Blue Jeans, Queen of the Land, Miss Macra and Mr Personality. Well done to Petrice Dineen O’Leary, Anita O’Brien, Donal O’Callaghan, Sean Keegan and Patrick McGrath for taking part on the night. A huge congratulations to Petrice Dineen O’Leary who will now represent Seandún as Miss Blue Jeans, and Donal O’Callaghan who will represent Seandún as Mr Personality. Also well done to Sean Keegan who came runner up for Mr Personality. We are all looking forward to the festivals in the upcoming months. Our Glanmire Club Question Time Team which includes Oliver Moloney, Killian Woods, Dermot Sheahan and Patrick Healy made it to the National Final in the Ramada Hotel, Waterford on Saturday 19th February. On the night they faced some tough questions and stiff competition, with 32 teams around the country competing. Well done to all involved and to Treble R Macra from Dublin for winning the competition. Our weekly fun sports night will continue throughout the year in Watergrasshill Community Hall at 9pm every Tuesday night. We play a variety of sports ranging
Patrick McGrath, Donal O'Callaghan, Sean Keegan, Petrice Dineen O'Leary and Anita O'Brien at the Seandún Titles night held recently at the Ambassador Hotel
from basketball, soccer, volleyball, uni-hoc to mention a few! It has been so successful that our Sports Officer, Killian Woods, is planning to add another night of sports to our agenda. We are all beginners, so why not come along to join us, we are always looking for new members. After another busy month for the club, a much needed relaxing evening was on the agenda. We had a night at the cinema in Mahon Point where we went to see the film ‘Love and other drugs’. Even though we were feeling a bit sick from all the sweets, we had to agree it definitely gets Glanmire Macra’s approval. Not forgetting our club night out which was on Friday 4th February where we started what was
a great night in The Castle Bar, Riverstown and then we hit the city. I think I can speak for everyone when I say it definitely was a fantastic night.
Interested in joining this active and fun club? Well, the Macra calendar is extremely busy so there is no better time to join than the present. Our next monthly meeting will be held on Wednesday 9th March in Sarsfield Pavilion at 9pm, or just come along to our weekly sports nights. If you would like to get in contact with us, simply send us an email to [email protected] or contact Tomás on 087 2125705 or Deirdre on 087 9959547. Also check out all Glanmire Macra’s upcoming events by looking up our facebook page, just enter ‘Glanmire Macra’ and leaving us a comment.
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
EAST CORK TRAVEL
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
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FOLLOWING our recent ‘Best Specialist Tour Operator Award’, Congratulations are in order once again – this time to Kelly, Liana and Maureen of East Cork Travel who recently graduated from DIT with third level accredited ‘Travel Professionals Higher Certificates’ mapped on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ HECTAC level 6) and recognised internationally.
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Blue Insurance are official sponsors of the Travel Professionals Higher Certificate, and Paul Hudson, Sales Manager of Blue Insurance, presented ‘Awards of Excellence’ and gift vouchers to the top three scoring graduates-Maureen Walsh & Liana O’Shea, both of East Cork Travel came first and second.
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Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
26
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
East Cork’s young artists paint a pretty picture in Mayfield
EAST Cork’s young artists excelled at the Mayfield Credit Union art exhibition, with children from Killeagh, Glounthaune and Rathcormac all picking up prizes. Congratulations to Adam Higgins, who took first prize in the Over 18 category; David O’Driscoll who took second place in the 8-10 group; Sarah Murphy - 3rd prize in the 8-10 year section; Emma O’Driscoll who, in the 7 years and under category, took first prize and Nicola Murphy who took first in the 11-13 year old section. ABOVE: The prizewinners photographed at Our Lady Crowned Credit Union, Mayfield with board members and staff at the presentation of awards in the ‘Local Trusted Serving You’ credit union art exhibition (Photos: Billy MacGill)
Laura O’Sullivan of Our Lady Crowned Credit Union, Mayfield Noel McCarthy, Chairman, Our Lady Crowned Credit Union, presenting 2nd Prize in the 8-10 Year section to David O’Driscoll Mayfield presents 1st Prize in the 11-13 Year section to Nicola Murphy from Rathcormac from Glounthaune
Laura O’Sullivan of Our Lady Crowned Credit Union, Mayfield presenting 1st Prize in the 8-10 Year section of the ‘Local Trusted Serving You’ credit union art exhibition to Stephen O’Driscoll from Glounthaune, Co. Cork
Noel McCarthy, Chairman, Our Lady Crowned Credit Union, Mayfield presenting 1st Prize in the Over 18 Year section of the ‘Local Trusted Serving You’ credit union art exhibition to Adam Higgins from Killeagh
021 4638022 All photos available to buy
Audrey O’Sullivan of Our Lady Crowned Credit Union, Mayfield presenting 1st Prize in the 7 Years and Under section of the credit union art exhibition to Emma O’Driscoll from Glounthaune
Laura O’Sullivan presenting 3rd Prize in the 8-10 Year section to Sarah Murphy from Rathcormac
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
27
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
In The
Lower road tax for new look Suzuki 1.5 SX4
Cork Road, Midleton
(Across the road from O’Brien’s Car Sales)
Providing you with the best price tyres
Computerised wheel balancing 4 wheel laser alignment Fast puncture repairs Alloy wheel repairs E mark on all tyres
FREE TRACKING
WITH EVERY FOUR TYRES PURCHASED
NOW AVAIL ABLE
Full range of valeting and car wash
THE successful Suzuki SX4 hatchback has a new look and a new fine-tuned 1.5 engine line up. Lower CO2 emissions, lower road tax and lower fuel consumption. Suzuki has updated its urban sport crossover, the SX4, giving the compact hatchback with a great new look and under-theskin revisions including refined, Euro 5-compliant engine— all ensuring that the crossover vehicle will continue to shine.
New 1.5 Litre Engine
Building on the SX4 hatchback’s success, Suzuki has updated it — starting with the engine. Suzuki has cut CO2 emissions and raised fuel economy with the new 1.5 engine. The new 1.5-litre petrol engine with variable valve timing (VVT) has a 10% increase in power and performance over the previous model. The power output is now 82KW (109BPH) and develops 145Nm Torque at 4400rpm. The new engine has CO2 emissions of just 139g/km* current road tax of €156 with fuel consumption (combined) of just 6.1 L/100km (46mpg). This is an 11% increase in fuel efficiency over the previous model.
Driving Style
A short turning radius, relatively short gear ratios, a highly rigid body structure, and suspension tuned for the road make for a nimble, fun driving experience that has endeared the SX4
hatchback to the motoring public. And now, the SX4 hatchback has become even better.
Extensive new noise-cutting measures promote occupant comfort. Suzuki’s engineers included a larger engine undercover, refined propeller-shaft damper and a new shift device cover. In the body, they included increased body parts rigidity and refined internal materials. These yield higher noise-insulation and noise-absorption performance, thereby keeping engine noise and other external noise out of the cabin more effectively.
Safety features
Rear disc brakes are newly fitted to the SX4 hatchback. The SX4 hatchback has become one of the most affordable cars to have an antilock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution function and six airbags.
The SX4 hatchback is ideally placed in the emerging crossover sector. An ideal combination of style, space, high driving position, hatchback practicality, and fuel economy has made the SX4 hatchback a winner with the buying public. And its strong, eye-catching exterior styling shows that it’s an urban necessity with a sense of fun. The SX4 1490cc GLX hatchback is available in Cosmic Black, Silky Silver, Kashmir Blue, Galactic Grey, Bright Red, Sunlight Copper for €17,385. www.suzuki.ie
The AA’s Fuel Saving Tips * Buy fuel in units of litres, not euros. This makes it obvious where you get the best value
* Shop around: don’t always use the same garage out of habit
* Drive smoothly and slowly; a harsh driving style burns more fuel
* At this time of year the heaters are in constant use. This is hard to avoid but try to take it easy: Air conditioners can add up to 10% to fuel usage.
* Don’t use the air conditioning all the time: once the air conditioning has heated the inside of the car, you may be able to turn it down or off.
Opening Hours Mon - Fri: 9am - 6pm Sat : 9am - 4pm
Contact Gar y on: 021 4634402
No relief as fuel prices rise again THE AA monthly index of fuel prices shows there has been no relief from rising prices. The average price of petrol across the country rose by 1.9 cent to 144.5 cents per litre, pushing the all time record retail price even higher. Diesel was even worse, rising 3.3 cent this month to its new record high at 138.5 cent. “What was a bad situation continues to get worse”, says Director of Policy, Conor Faughnan. “Fuel prices dropped to a modern low 2 years ago but since then they have risen steadily and continuously.” “Irish tax increases have been added as well, and the most recent 4 cent per litre increase in last December’s budget pushed fuel to an all time record high. That record was broken in January and now again in February.” The price of fuel is a major concern to Irish motorists. 98.1% of drivers rated rising fuel prices as either ‘very important’ or ‘somewhat important’ in the AA’s most recent Motorists Panel survey*. That same survey showed that 46.8% of drivers will reduce the amount of kilometres they drive this year be-
cause of rising fuel prices. “Two thirds of the retail price of fuel is tax, because of recent tax rises”, says Faughnan. “From a revenue point of view this has backfired as people are driving less in response. The benefit of cross-border fuel purchases, where motorists from Northern Ireland buy their fuel in the south, is also reduced as the gap between Irish and UK tax on fuel narrows.” The incoming government can address this immediately by removing the excise duty increases from the last budget. The AA will be making this call on the new administration when it takes office. In the meantime, the AA continues to encourage its members to shop around. Even as we are at the mercy of tax and oil prices, the local price per litre still varies considerably. Motorists need to keep their eyes open to take advantage of this. The AA is asking its Members and all motorists to share their concerns about prices and report any issues they come across via its website blog section, http://blog.aaireland.ie/
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
28
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Eastt Cork Journal’s guide to
Communions and
Confirmations 2011 Planning the perfect family day for your child
O’BRIEN’S DELI & CAFE
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION & CONFIRMATION CarrigtwoHill, Co. Cork 021 4883069
SPECIAL OFFERS Finger Food based on 30 guests €180
PLANNING celebrations for your child’s Communion or Confirmation may seem like a daunting task, but breaking it down into smaller tasks can help.
First of all, ascertain how many people you will be inviting to your child’s big day.
If you’re planning on dining out, try to book as early as possible - Communion & Confirmation dates fill up rapidly. Check with the restaurant that they can accommodate a group of your size, ask about special menus and make sure to note if any of your guests have special dietary requirements.
Choose a restaurant that, first and foremost, your child likes - or one with a menu they will enjoy. It’s their big day after all, you don’t want them going home hungry!
Secondly, if you’re planning on hiring caterers and celebrating at home or at a community hall etc., lay out your specifications.
Caterers will be able to advise you on how much food to order for the number of guests coming - take their advice - you don’t want to be swimming in hors d’ouevres for the next month!
Ask about special offers for Communions and Confirmations and ensure that you’re certain of the time you’ll be arriving for the party. Regardless of whether you opt for dining out or getting the caterers in - one final note: whatever you do, leave the tidying up to someone else!
Cold meat platters based on 30 guests €280 Hot Food based on 20 guests €190 Full selection of home-made desserts available
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
29
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Now taking bookings
artisan Woodfifirred Pizza at farmers’ markets, events and your home... i n b u S i n eS S f o r o v er a y ea r We cater for corporate events, private parties, Christenings, Communions, Confifirrmations and Weddings our prices are sensible and affordable. Please contact Simon for a price
for Communions
Contact Simon on 086 7930062 [email protected] www.volcano.ie
La Bella Roma 90 North Main St., Youghal
024 85411
Experience a little taste of Italy
C l a ire O + C onn or+ s Gou rmet Ki t chen
* T r a i n e d b y B a l l y ma l o e C o o k e r y S c h o o l *
* Hi gh q u a l i t y l o c a l l y s o u r c e d p r o d u c e a n d h o m e - m a d e f oo d * * H i g h ly C o mp e ti ti v e p r i ce s * * C h ri s t e n i n g s a n d C o m m u n i o n s * * H o t and co ld buffe t * * C o ok e r y c l a s s e s f o r k i d s 8 - 1 6 y e a r s *
Fo r in q u ir ie s c a ll C l ai r e O +C on n or on 0 21 4 6 320 8 1 o r 08 6 3 8 9 36 8 3
baRnabRow house COMMUNIONS & CONFIRMATIONS €28 per adult 1/2 price for children Communions only available may 7th Spacious grounds for children to roam and enjoy watching our grazing donkeys, geese and goats For Reservations phone 021 4652534 or email:[email protected]
PRAYERS FOR YOUR CONFIRMATION May God give you... For every storm, a rainbow, For every tear, a smile, For every care, a promise, And a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, A faithful friend to share, For every sigh, a sweet song, And an answer for each prayer.
May the blessing of light be on you; light without and light within. May the blessed sunlight shine on you and warm your heart ’til it glows like a great peat fire.
Volcano Woodfifirred Pizza -
proper pizza in your home
VOLCANO has been catering to Cork's pizza officianados for over a year now, and they have catered corporate events and private parties for communions, confirmations, christenings and weddings. Based in Aghada, Volcano fervently believe that the moist air there is helping them to produce the perfect dough.
Where possible, Volcano source their ingredients locally. Ham, sausage, rashers and Lardons are from Woodside Farm a few miles North of Midleton, and the Pepperoni is supplied by the Gubbeen Smokehouse in Schull. Veggies are grown by the Burns family in Killeagh and from Dave and Siobahn Barry in Ballintubber. Herbs are from Derek Hannon at Greenfield farm in Cork. Goats cheese is from local goats such as those at Orchard Farm in Ballymacoda, and those that belong to the people from Ardsallagh. Volcano are very open to feedback and comments and love to hear new ideas for pizzas, so if you would like to see something on a pizza, you can email them at [email protected]
May God grant you always A sunbeam to warm you A moonbeam to charm you A sheltering angel so nothing can harm you Laughter to cheer you Faithful friends near you And whenever you pray Heaven to hear you.
Why not have wood-fired pizza cooked at your home with Volcano’s mobile woodfired oven?
Café, Restaurant, Pizzeria
- Woodside Farm cumberland sausage meat with sweet onion confit, chilli mozzarella and parmesan - Real black pudding from the Gubbeen Farmhouse with onion and leeks and pine nuts. - Cashel Blue Cheese with black olives - Smoked dry cure rashers - Cork Hawaiian. Chopped dry cured ham with Bellish apple relish -Spicy Woodside Farm sausage with roasted peppers -Anchovies with lemon zest, parsley, chilli and capers -Ginger sausage
La Trattoria
48 Main Street, Midleton 021 463 1341
Catering for Communions and Confirmations from €100+ for cold meat buffet Or celebrate the day by dining in our family friendly restaurant
H a vi n g a P a r t y ?
It's small enough to be wheeled into the garden of most houses and is the real deal. Prices are sensible and affordable and are dependant on numbers. Please phone or email Simon on 0867930062 and [email protected]
Me n u
Volcano offer two staple pizzas, the Margherita and the Pepperoni with chorizo from the Gubbeen Smokehouse. They also offer some unique specials, all made with locally sourced ingredients, such as the following:
Why don’t you try them out for yourself? Volcano can be found at the following markets: Mahon Point: Thursday 10am-3pm Midleton: Saturday 9am-2pm
Douglas: Saturday 10am-3pm
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
A sporting chance 30
Wednesday,March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Youghal RFC all even with Cork Con. U11s Youghal 4 Cork Con 4.
YOUGHAL faced a physically much bigger side in what was a fairly bruising encounter, on a fine day for rugby at Frogmore Park. Youghal started well, with some excellent passing allowing Thomas Ahern to gallop down the wing to score in the opening three minutes. Cork Con reacted well, showing very good ruck and maul skills to push their way up field to where Youghal were forced to concede their first try. Youghal went back and kicked off immediately, and to be fair to Con, against the run of play, scored another try courtesy of Adam, born in the corner. Nice try Adam! This match could have gone to either of the sides during the second half , with Youghal’s serious display of speed down the wings countered by Cork Con’s skill at rucking and mauling. Cork Con went on to score three more in the second half, with Youghal matching them all the way. A nail biting finish, with Youghal’s two year unbeaten run on the line. A final score of 4 all ensured a share of the spoils for both sides.
\
Watergrasshill’s Barry to run Paris half-marathon for GOAL Barry O’Regan, second from right, says ‘Ooh, la, la’ with his fellow Paris half-marathon runners
TRIES FOR YOUGHAL: Ben Donovan 1, Thomas Ahern 2, Adam Born 1. TEAM B. DONOVAN, P. Quilligan, H. Yellop, T. Ahern, M. Vrieseme, M. Mulcahy, R. McSweeney, D. Roche, S. Kelly, A. Born, K. O’Keeffe, C. O’Halloran. WM. Baker, P. McCarthy, Mark Mulcahy.
Youghal 4 Douglas 1
Youghal’s second match of the blitz started with Youghal playing with the hill, to their advantage. Douglas was superior, with their technical ability very much evident at the breakdowns. Youghal, though, were not to be denied. Ben Donovan danced and dodged his way down the left wing to firmly plant the ball down, as if to mark Youghal’s future intentions. Douglas kicked off and, after displaying some considerable skill, ended up on Youghal’s 5 metre line where they went for the final push that would have seen them over the line. It was not to be, with some fine defending from Simon Kelly, William Baker, and both Mulcahys, Martin and Mark. Kane O’Keeffe was very solid in his defending, and his tackling was a joy to watch considering he was, up to that point, invisible in the match. More displays like that Kane, please!! Although ending up a one sided affair with further tries by Padraig Quilligan, Padraig McCarthy, and Thomas Ahern, Youghal need to show that they can mix it up, and front up to the bigger teams. Their failure to clean out their own rucks. and the rate of conceded turnovers. almost led to what would have been this team’s first defeat in almost two years. Ye have been warned lads...!
An Bol Chumann East Cork region
Fixtures:
Saturday March 5th in Ballincurrig: Senior Championship at 2.30pm: Eamonn Bowen (Senior) vs. Bill Daly
Sunday, March 6th in Ballincurrig: Junior B Championship at 11.30am:
Novice C Championship: Gerard O’Driscoll vs. Joe O’Neill In Clashmore - Junior A Championship at 3pm: Patrick Butler vs. Mick Hurley
Munster Youth Team Finals
Photos of the above finals, held recently in Ballineen, can be viewed at Irishroadbowling.ie online
All the East Cork players are included. Also a full list of the Senior and Intermediate Championship Draws is on the web.
Results:
Michael Wall defeated Terry Sexton in the Junior B Championship
Billy Dalton defeated Dan O’Connor in the Junior A Championship
Declan Fennessy defeated William O’Brien in the Veterans Championship Gerry Greene defeated John Gleeson in the Veterans Championship
Jerry O’Driscoll defeated Seamus O Tuama in the Veterans Championship
WATERGRASSHILL’S Barry O’Regan will be among a number of Irish ex-pats in Paris to run the city’s famous half-marathon on Sunday, March 6th in aid of GOAL and the Paris Gaels GAA Club.
and they will be hoping to match the figure of €1,500 that they managed to raise last year.
East Cork ladies darts
Corkbeg pitch & putt
This will be the third year in succession that the Irish Parisians will run the 21km course
Results for week on February 24th:
BATT’S were at home to McDaid’s, with the latter team winning 5-1 (legs 8-10) and the Long Point at home to Maggie May’s were defeated by the away team 4-2 (legs 12-6). Colbert’s had their bye. Next week’s games are as follows: The Long Point are at home to Batt Murphy’s, McDaid’s are at home to Colbert’s and Maggie May’s have their bye. Thanks to McDaid’s for sponsoring this tournament.
All new teams are welcome. Contact Ann McGann on 086 3365165 and teams to text Liz the results of scores on the night.
Just a note to let all teams know that there will be no darts on March 17th. We’ll be back on the oche on March 24th. Now, let’s play darts.
Meanwhile, the Paris GOAL Ball Paris has been scheduled for Saturday, June 18th at the Irish Cultural Centre in Paris. For more details visit www.goalfrance.org
A FOURBALL competition was played in nice spring weather last Sunday morning. Joe Carlile and Redmond Walsh produced a good consistent round to win the first nett prize with 41. Scott Garde and Joe Wall won the gross with four under par. Noel Kirby and Scott Garde again finished in second nett spot. Recent results 20/2/11 - Singles Strokeplay: 1st Nett: Terry Dunne 1st Gross: Joe Wall 2nd Nett: Sean Busteed 3rd Nett: Mick O’Brien
23/2/11: Fourball versus Par 1st Nett: Terry Dunne and Mick O’Brien 1st Gross: Victor McDonald & Joe Carlile 2nd Nett: Pat Lordan & Con O’Sullivan
Fixtures
There will be competitions on Wednesday afternoon at 2.30pm and Sunday morning at 10.30am.
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
Cloyne road bowling club
Wednesday, MArch 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
BBC Radio4 Bowling report
Several weeks ago, we were glad to welcome Trish Flanagan, a BBC foreign correspondent, to Cloyne, as she attended a score here. Trish - originally from Cork - can be heard online by Googling in ‘BBC radio 4 from our own correspondent’.’ The date should be February 17th - scroll down to chapter 6.
with Declan Barron
Recent results: JUNIOR B
In Cloyne last Saturday, Michael Wall defeated Terry Sexton in the first score of the Junior B Championship which is played on a round by round basis. Michael led in the first throw, but then Terry was in front for the next five shots. Wall regained the lead in the 7th throw and after 12 to O`Mahoney’s Bend, Terry was a metre in front. It was all square at the no-play line, which was reached in 17 throws. However, Wall finished stronger to beat the line in four from here to win by 50 metres.
VETERANS
In Cobh last Sunday, Cloyne’s John Gleeson was defeated by Gerry Greene in a good show, after John threw a huge third shot to go ahead. Gerry threw a bad one after, putting John ahead. John threw consistently for the the first half, edging further ahead, but before the no-play lines he threw a bad shot, falling short, which allowed Gerry his first advantage. Both players were battling against injuries, and this was a good natured score, played well by both players.
Youghal golf club Ladies
23/2/11 - 14 Holes Singles Stableford Silver 1st Mary Lawton (17) 29pts, 2nd Loretto Morrison (18) 28pts Bronze 1st Breda O’ Donoghue (22) 30pts, 2nd Amanda O’ Neill Coyne (25) 27pts, 3rd Trish Landers (22) 25pts, 4th Frances Cunningham (32) 25pts
Team Standings after week 3: JOINT FIRST: Team D - 299pts: Mary Pomphrett - Betty Coter Trish Landers - Anne Mc Carthy - Avril Kelly Noreen Linehan and Team F - 299pts: Sharon Lupton - Breda Fitzgerald - Paula Brennan - Ann Rochford - Tricia Treacy - Moira Crimmins 3rd Team C - 298pts: Marian Sweeney - Catherine Mc Carthy - Marian Feely - Amanda O’ Neill Coyne - Celia Cotter - Eithne Pyne
Gents
21/2/11 - 14 Holes Singles Stableford 1st Paul O’ Brien (11) 34pts 24/2/11 - 14 Holes Singles Stableford 1st Billy Gleeson (15) 33pts, 2nd James Condon (19) 33pts, 3rd Bertie Lupton (18) 33pts, 4th Stephen Mulcahy (21) 32pts 25/2/11 - 14 Holes Singles Stableford 1st Pat Coyne 36pts
The Week In Sport
Michael Wall, Mick O’Donovan & Terry Sexton who were in action for the Cloyne club
Underage Training
Underage training resumes this Saturday, March 5th at 2pm. Meeting just before Churchvilla FC. Open to all players, old and new. All aged between 9-16 welcome.
Harty’s Perpetual Cup
This Sunday at 2.30pm in Cloyne Team A, captained by Graham Fleming, will throw out, against Team F, captained by Colm O’Riordan. Playing back will be Team J, captained by Jamie Costine against Team G, captained by Jerry O’Sullivan. For further information, please contact John Rossiter on 087 6252936.
Winter League Team Standings after week 4:
Palmer Group Qualified for final Team F - 64pts P.J. Bunyan - Billy Joyce - George Treacy - Dermot Hogan - Frank Galvin Team J - 62pts: Tony Lynch - Jack O’ Donoghue Mce Power - Dermot Dromgoole - Clement Ruxton Nicklaus Group qualified for final Team B - 63.5pts: John Hooley - Michael O’ Doherty - John Cronin - Dave Callaghan - Sean O’ Sullivan Team C - 63pts: Joe Murphy - Tom Linehan Tadgh O’ Mahony - Bertie Lupton - Billy Forrest 26/2/11 - 14 Holes Scramble 1st Tommy Kenefick (2) Colin Donoghue (5) Mark Mc Sweeney (6) 41. 3/8 2nd Donie Mc Carthy (11) Dermot Hogan (17) Donal Leahy (21) 43. 7/8 3rd Shane Pomphrett (13) Liam Sloane (6) Karl O’ Flynn (4) 44. 1/8 4th Noel O’ Driscoll (14) John Cronin (13) Paul O’ Brien (11) 44. 2/8 27/2/11- 14 Holes Scramble 1st Noel Parsons (23) Eddie Hayes (19) Ciaran Coleman (15) 42. 7/8 2nd Eoin O’ Siochru (10) David Fitzgerald (15) Joe Fitzgerald (17) 43. 6/8 3rd Conor Coyne (2) Kevin Coyne (7) Bryan Walsh (8) 43. 7/8
Fixtures
Midweek Open Singles 5/3 and 6/3/11 - Open Fourball.
Get ready to race ahead in Ballycotton this weekend THE annual Ballycotton ‘10’ Mile Race will be held this Sunday, March 6th. Organising the race is a huge venture with plenty of help required, particularly on race day. If you feel you can lend a hand on the big day in Ballycotton, particularly in relation to stewarding, please contact Tommy Hartnett of Ballycotton Running Promotions or, locally, John Cashman. The event is a great sporting and social occasion, and stewarding is a great way of sampling the atmosphere and sharing in the excitement.
Nemo Rangers bow out as St. Brigid’s and Crossmaglen reach Final
THE AIB football club championship semi finals produced two upsets on Saturday and Sunday with St. Brigid’s from Roscommon upsetting Nemo Rangers in Páirc Na nGael in Limerick. The sending off of David Niblock early in the second half proved to be the turning point, as the Connaught champions won by 0-13 to 1-8.
There was three players sent off by Waterford referee, Maurice Condon from Clashmore, in the second semi final and these were all warranted, but they upset favourites, Kilmacud Crokes, and it is Crossmaglen who won through to the All Ireland Final on St. Patrick’s Day.
East Cork clubs in FAI Intermediate Cup quarter finals
Youghal United will make the journey to Dublin to take on Sacred Heart in the quarter final of the FAI Intermediate Cup on Sunday next, while Midleton will host Dublin side, Crumlin, in the same competition at Knockgriffin Park on Sunday, March 6th with a 2.30pm kick off.
Both East Cork clubs are wished the best of luck as they battle to reach the semi finals of this prestigious competition.
Ireland on Triple Crown hunt
Ireland managed to hold out for victory over Scotland in Murrayfield to keep their Triple Crown hopes alive, as they came away with a 21 points to 18 triumph. Three converted tries gave Ireland a badly needed win that now sets them up for a trip to the Millennium Stadium to play Wales, before facing England in the Aviva Stadium for what could be a Triple Crown clincher. The omens are now slightly better for Declan Kidney’s side after this win, but a lot of work remains to be done before the World Cup later in the year. Consistency of selection and performance appears to be the main problem for the Irish, with Ronan O’Gara giving a man of the match performance. If Ireland can get their best team on the field, remain injury free, and play with confidence then they are a match for most of the top sides. At the moment, however, there are a lot of if’s in there which must be sorted out before the team heads for New Zealand in the Autumn.
Gone in 60 seconds for Arsenal as Birmingham claim Carling Cup
The expectations that Arsenal would claim the Carling Cup on Sunday, went up in smoke at Wembley as unfashionable Birmingham, took the lead early on. While the Gunners equalised, it was a mix up in defence 60 seconds from time that led to Birmingham going back in front and claiming a famous victory. Arsenal last won a trophy in 2005 and were expected to win comfortably, but in sport nothing is certain and the Gunners must now contend with a growing injury list as they look to remain in the FA Cup, Champions League and Premier League. They face Barcelona in the champion’s league and this might prove beyond them. The premier league sees them on the tail of Manchester United, but an injury crisis could well see them end up with nothing once again. For Birmingham the prize for winning is entry into European competition next season, so Sunday was a great day for the underdog.
Airtricity League kicks off this weekend
Cork City will open their new season on Friday night in Turner’s Cross when they meet Wexford Youths in their first match. A recent 1-0 win over Bohemians will have Tommy Dunne’s side in good spirits as they aim to get promotion back to the Premier division. This time last season Cork City were scrambling to get a team on the field, and twelve months later things are looking much brighter for the club with a good pre season behind them. Wexford Youths will be buoyed by the performance of mentor, Mick Wallace, in the recent election where he topped the poll and they will travel full of confidence. Having seen Cork in action in pre season I feel that they can get their season off to a winning start on Friday night, with kick off at Turner’s Cross at 7.45pm.
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Midleton Indoor Bowls are champions of Mallow
32
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
THIS week saw the return of the sun for our Sunday morning cycle and not a moment too soon, as we had 6 members head off to Lanzarote on Thursday for a week of winter training in the sun. So, the good weather here helped us to not feel too jealous of the guys cycling in 30 degree heat in February.
IT HAS been a very busy two weeks for our club, with league games, the Martha Tracey Cup matches and Frances Cody Cup games.
A total of 20 members met at the Courthouse for the 9am start, with everyone heading off together towards Rathcormac via Lisgoold on what was a fabulous sunny morning.
We have been very active in tournaments in Garryduff, Highfield, Douglas GAA and Mallow, with a lot of success in these games. Dick Carley and Joe Kirby’s teams had good wins in cup matches.
The group split in Rathcormac with the Beginner Group of 8 riders heading towards Watergrasshill, Glanmire & home, with the other 12 riders heading to Glenville, Blackpool, Sunday’s Well and back.
Our Frances Cody game against Ballincollig in the quarter-final is fixed for Tuesday, March 8th next in Ballincollig GAA.
With Lee Palmer riding with the Beginner Group this week & Alan Sheehan away in Lanzarote this gave Ken Savage a chance of glory in the sprint into Midleton at the end of the spin, and he was sure to take it!
This week also saw the start of the Road Racing season in Munster and we had 2 riders racing in the Lacey Cup in Tralee on Sunday. Brendan O’Riordan & Noel Berkeley were competing in the A4 category in what was a tough, hilly, race. Brendan finished in the lead group which included many A1 & A2 ranked riders, and finished a very respectable 17th overall. Noel, in his first ever bike race, finished a few minutes further back and was inside the top 50. Finally, the entries for the local Stephen Roche Tour de Cure sportive on May 7th are now open – this is the first sportive of the season, and is a very well run event with all monies going towards very worthy, local causes.
We have league games for our Yellow and Pink Teams this week, at home to Blackpool and away to St. Lukes.
and there are plenty of route options to suit all levels of ability.
For more information see www.stephenrochetourdecure.ie. Entries close on 30th April.
Hope to see everyone next Sunday at 9am, and as always new members are welcome and encouraged. For more club information regarding spins or membership be sure to check out our website (www.midletonctc.com) or our Facebook page.
Has Cork got Sportsmania?
A large number of our members will again be taking part in this year’s event
New exhibition coming to Little Island says ‘yes’ A NEW event, titled Sportsmania, scheduled to take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island in mid-March, promises to display a range of sports codes, both outdoor and indoor. Taking place on Friday, March 18th, Saturday, 19th, and Sunday, 20th, Sportsmania will focus on the Cork city and county market, and the exhibition concept is a brand new approach to the marketing of sports and sports related products and services.
Sportsmania is a brand new event, as part of the Irish Exhibition Calendar, and aims to have representation from many of the sports codes enjoyed across Cork. Sports fans can look forward to a busy weekend of exhibitions and demonstrations. Extensive research indicates that exhibition attendants have a strong interest in the content of the exhibition visited, and the opportunity for potential customers to meet and discuss their sporting interests with the exhibitors. The main aim of Sportsmania is to give the general public as much information as possible, on a broad range of sports. The Radisson Blu Hotel is a well established exhibition centre. Held over a weekend, from Friday to Sunday, patrons, with free of charge entry, will be able to attend ‘the one stop shop”, that is Sportsmania.
Whether you are a sports organisation, sports service provider, or sports enthusiasts, make a date to attend Sportsmania in March. For further information, visit www.sportsmania.ie
Our own tournament is on in the GAA Pavilion from Tuesday, March 22nd until Sunday, March 27th. We will have up to 80 teams competing for the Perpetual Cup, and super prizes.
The winning Midleton team with supporters in Mallow GAA Club
We would like to extend an invitation to everyone to come along to the GAA Pavilion on Tuesday and Thursday nights and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, when the finals take place. Well done to Con, Callie and Joe Kirby, who produced some great displays to reach the Douglas GAA Tournament final last week. They had seven big wins, and lost out to a very strong Watergrasshill team before a big crowd in a competition with over 100 teams. We had three teams in Mallow at the weekend and it was like a Club Night in the Pavilion, as all the teams progressed to the last 16.
Con, Joe and Callie receiving the Cup and prizes from the Mallow Captain
Pride of place went to Liz Butler, Finbarr McCarthy and J.P. Hennessy, who won two games against very strong clubs and only lost out to Con, Callie and Joe, after a very good game. Tadgh, Rose and Charlie had three very good wins on Friday night last to qualify for the last eight on Sunday.
Mallow GAA Club was the place to be on Sunday evening, as two teams from the club were in the last eight, but unfortunately our teams were drawn against each other. After a great contest Con, Callie and Joe progressed to the semi-final against Mitchelstown, and had a good win to qualify for their second final in a week. Our good friends and rivals from Conna were opponents in the final and after a game that produced some wonderful bowls, it all hinged on the last end, as the score read eight shots each after eight ends. The tension around the hall was electric as the game swayed one way and then the other, until Callie produced a great shot and helped Midleton to record a one point win in a Titanic final. The joy of our supporters told the story, as the Mallow GAA Cup and prizes were presented to Con, Callie and Joe at the end of a great tournament. Well done to everyone.
Anyone for tennis?
Con, Callie and Joe with prizes won in the Mallow GAA Club
EOCHAILL Cumann Lúthchleas Gael has built a brand new Tennis Court at Arás and will soon be putting up an entry sheet for a members tennis tournament. For details contact PRO Derek Kiely on 089-4191901 or Ken Bulman on 086-6013225.
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Seconds out, round 1! Youghal GAA and St Coleman’s box for charity
YOUGHAL GAA Club and St Coleman’s Boxing Club come together for a worthy cause on March 18th at Club Aras at Magners Hill for a charity boxing night in aid of the Youghal Branch of St Vincent De Paul. The Youghal Intermediate Footballers are very much part of the night and fitness trainer and Intermediate player, Ken Dempsey said, ‘It’s been a real pleasure training with the lads over the Winter months and to spice things up we had some boxing training in some of our sessions. After speaking with Kevin Walsh of St. Coleman’s Boxing Club in Shanagarry we decided to have the night for this great cause. As the night draws closer, some of the lads are getting a little nervous now, but we are all looking forward to it and I hope we get a great crowd to support the St Vincent De Paul”.
The event was launched on Thursday, February 24th in Club Aras, the home of Eochaill Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, by Mayor Patrick O’Mahony, Ken Dempsey, James Murray of Youghal Town Council, Mary Linehan Foley who praised and Barry Walsh both Youghal GAA Club and everyone else involved in the ‘Charity Boxing Night’ in a bid to raise funds for the St Vincent De Paul. The doors open at 7pm on March 18th and on the bill, in conjunction with St Coleman’s Boxing Club will be Pa O’Shea (World Military Silver Medallist) James Murray (Waterford Senior Hurler) and Adam Curley All Ireland Champion, plus members of Youghal GAA and St Coleman’s Boxing Club, in what should be a very entertaining night. Dave Kilgannon, Chairman of Eochaill Cumann Lúthchleas said, ‘We are delighted at Youghal GAA Club to have nights like this, because not only will it be a great night of boxing, but also because it is really for a great cause. Local GAA players, Brendan Coleman, Brendan and Damien Ring, Patrick O’Mahony, Barry Goggin and Ken Dempsey will pull on the gloves for the night so there should be plenty of laughs in store with these guys in the ring.’
Youghal GAA players, Brendan Coleman and Barry Goggin with Damien and Brendan Ring, square up to one another
Barry Ring, Barry Goggin, James Murray, Ken Dempsey, Brendan Coleman, Damien Ring, Barry Walsh and Patrick O’Mahony get in some pre bout warm up practice for the Youghal GAA and St. Colman’s Boxing Club charity night in aid of St Vincent De Paul
Dave added, ‘Nights like these are very important to the Community and I, along with many people, have a huge amount of admiration for the work which the St Vincent De Paul do. ‘We are delighted to be able to host a night like this’, said David. So as the bell rings for round one on March 18th the hope is that everyone will come along to support this very worthy fundraiser.’
John Power, President of the Youghal Branch of the St Vincent De Paul, outlined the work that they were doing to help people in these difficult times and thanked all involved, especially The boxers are joined by David Kilgannon, Eoin Coleman and Jillian Corcoran of Youghal GAA Youghal GAA Club and sponsors, Cara Ambulance Service and club with John Power of St. Vincent De Paul, Jimmy Healy Physiotherapist, Nessa Cashell of Cara John Long’s World Wide Cabs. Ambulance Service and Noel Fitzpatrick of World Wide Cabs at the launch of the Youghal GAA club and St. Colman’s Boxing Club Charity Night The night will be an official boxing night, with medical testing, official referees and timing all provided, while Jimmy Healy will provide Physiotherapy Services if required. So, a great night’s entertainment is assured.
Youghal GAA members, Jillian Corcoran and David Kilgannon with sponsors Nessa Cashell of Cara Ambulance Services, Noel Fitzpatrick of John Long’s World Wide Cabs and Mayor of Youghal, Cllr. Mary Linehan –Foley
Patrick O’Mahony, Ken Dempsey, Sponsors Nessa Cashell of Cara Ambulance Service and Noel Fitzpatrick of World Wide Cabs with James Murray and Barry Walsh
Jimmy Healy Physiotherapist with Patrick O’Mahony
John Power of St. Vincent De Paul and David Kilgannon, Chairman of Youghal GAA Club are joined by boxers Barry Walsh, Ken Dempsey, James Murray and Patrick O’Mahony
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
Youghal cycling club
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Club Spin
A BIG change from last week’s weather when the sun rose to greet a healthy 18 members of Youghal C.C. lining up at Moby Dick’s for our weekly club spin. As is now usual, we split up in to two groups of 14 and 4 and departed at 9am and 9.10am respectively.
East Cork Darts Association
THE third rounds of the East Cork Darts Tournament took place on Friday night last, February 25th, with the following game results: Premier Division Gerald McCarthy Shield, sponsored by Gerald Mc Carthy SECTION A: Maggie May’s A 2 Two Mile Inn 5 Thatch, Killeagh 2 Central Star 5 SECTION B: Mc Grath’s 4 Tosh Cahill’s 3 O’Coileain’s v Sars 3 Result from Friday, February 18th 0’Coileain’s 2 McGrath’s 5 Division 1, sponsored by The Two Mile Inn, Midleton: The Hut Bar 1 Session 6 Niall McCarthy’s 1 Woods 6 SECTION B: Gaelic A 4 Schooner 3 Colbert’s 5 Maggie May’s B 2 Division 2 sponsored by Colbert’s Bar, Ballinacurra: Mackeys 7 Thatch, Lisgoold 0 Harty’s 5 Gaelic B 2 Batt Murphy’s 5 Castle 2
Fixtures for Friday, March 4th: PREMIER DIVISION: SECTION A: Maggie May’s A vs. Thatch, Killeagh Two Mile Inn vs. Central Star SECTION B: Tosh Cahill’s vs. Sars McGrath’s vs. O’Coileain’s
DIVISION 1: SECTION A: Session vs. Woods The Hut Bar vs. Niall McCarthy’s SECTION B: Schooner vs. Maggie May’s B Gaelic A vs. Colberts DIVISION 2: Mackey’s vs. Batt Murphy’s Castle vs. Gaelic B Thatch, Lisgoold vs. Harty’s
League Table after 3 rounds: PREMIER DIVISION: SECTION A: Two Mile Inn 14 Central Star 12 Thatch, Killeagh 10 Maggie May’s A 6 SECTION B: DIVISION 1: Session 16 Woods - 11 The Hut Bar 9 Niall McCarthy’s 6 SECTION B: Colberts 12 Schooner 12 Gaelic A 10 Maggie May’s B - 8
DIVISION 2: Harty’s 14 Thatch, Lisgoold 13 Mackey’s 13
The first group of 14 headed for Youghal Bridge and then Knockanore where everyone was well warmed up after the climb. Dropping from there down to Campfire Bridge we went the back road to Tallow, where we all gave a big wave to the Secretary’s home place as we quickly spun by. From Tallow we took the Conna road but took a sharp left at Curraghglass for the long climb up to the Midleton road. Riding steady as a group, with the exception of Fabian and Tom, we re-grouped at the top for the slog to Dungourney and then the fast descent into Midleton where we stopped for the coffee. Suitably refueled, and with Anthony first finished his tea for a change, we struck off again through the town for the journey home. With the wind at our backs the big rings were engaged for the high, but steady, tempo on the main road back to Youghal via Castlemartyr and Killeagh. All was going well, of course, until someone suggested a quick diversion up Boreen Nora and it was Marty and John, a.k.a. Fabian, who took the plaudits at the top. We regrouped and rode steady back into town for 12.30pm with a good 90km completed at an average speed of 28km/hr. Nice spin lads!
The second main group of 4 headed West to Killeagh where they stopped at Mark’s Place for a quick mechanical change. Ready for road again, they took on a club favorite spin by diverting down to Ballymacoda and climbing over to Garryvoe. From there they headed for Shanagarry and Cloyne before making their way on to Rostellen and then taking in the scenic route around East Ferry. Views enjoyed, they made their way through Ballinacurra before stopping in Midleton for their cup of coffee. Break time over, they also hit the main road to Youghal via Castlemartyr and Killeagh before grinding it up the by-pass and back into town for 1pm with an enjoyable 80km completed at an average speed of 25km/hr. The third and final group of 5 also gathered at Moby Dick’s last Sunday morning at 10.00am for their weekly run. They covered a sheltered route around East Cork taking in Ballymacoda, Ladysbridge, and Castlemartyr for the coffee stop, Killeagh and back to Youghal for 12.30pm with a challenging 40km loop completed. Good
Youghal Cycling Club’s Chris Mintern takes a well earned break after completing the Limerick event
to see two new cyclists out on the road with this group.
Lacey Cup, Tralee, Co. Kerry
The club was well represented last Sunday in Tralee for the first race of the season when Brian Sanders and Eoin Whyte travelled to take part in the Annual Lacey Cup. A 75km rolling route around Kerry took in two climbs at Gleann a Gealt and Sliabh Mish. Approximately 120 riders took to the start line with the race being won by Sean Lacey from the Cork Club, The Edge, for the third time in succession. Both Eoin and Brian made the selection over the last climb of the day and came home in the main group for the mass sprint for 15th and 30th position. Well done boys.
Limerick Duathlon 2011
Club member, Chris Mintern had a great result two weekends ago when he raced at the Limerick Elite Duathlon and qualified to compete at the European Elite Junior Duathlon Championships which will be held in Limerick next April. The race was a 4km run, 20km bike and another 4km run. Chris finished in a fantastic 8th position in the Senior Elite Category, as well as 3rd Junior overall. Well done Chris from all at the club.
Club Monthly Meeting
Our second Club Monthly Meeting of the year will take place tonight, Wednesday, March 2nd, at the Holy Family Church, Youghal at 8.00pm. All club members are asked to attend, with some membership fees still outstanding. All club members are asked to attend and in particular, anyone doing the Mizen to Malin Head cycle. New members are, as always, welcome to attend.
Castle 9 Batt Murphy’s 7 Gaelic B 7 All Clubs are reminded to text in results to Stef at 089 4170405 after games have been played. COBH DARTS Return game this coming Saturday, March 6th at the Com-
Ring Of Kerry 2011
This year’s Ring of Kerry Cycle takes place on Saturday, July 2nd. It is intended that a large group from the club will be travelling to Killarney this year to participate in same, and the club is currently arranging accommodation for the night before the event. Anyone looking to be included in this group booking is asked to confirm their place at this Wednesday’s Club meeting, as accommodation is usually booked out in Killarney for the event each year. Details and costings of the accommodation will be given out at the club meeting.
Club Website
Information about the club, cycling in the area and cycling in general, can be viewed at our club website. It has to be seen by all at www.youghalcyclingclub.com
Weekend Spins
As you are all well aware by now, there is a weekly spin every Sunday morning at 9am sharp leaving from Moby Dick’s Pub by the Clock Gate and covers on average between 80 to 100km. A second group also departs at 9am for a 3 - 4 hour spin, and covers a 70 to 90km distance. A third group also goes on a weekly spin every Sunday morning at 10am sharp leaving from Moby Dick’s Pub by the Clock Gate. This spin, which runs on various routes every week, usually takes around 3 hours to complete and covers on average between 30 to 40km. The pace is again very comfortable. This is an ideal group for anyone interested in taking up the sport. New members or visitors to the area are always welcome. If you have any questions about the club, or attending one of our weekend spins, please contact our Club Secretary, Jonathan at 086-8563292 for details. See you all Sunday morning! Until next week, safe cycling!
modore Hotel, starting at 5pm. Bus leaving Youghal at 4pm, Killeagh at 4.25pm, Midleton at 4.45pm, Carrigtwohill at 5pm and then on to Cobh. DVDs of the Darts Exhibition are now availabe to buy with an option of the Saturday night or Sunday afternoon show. €15 each. Contact Ned Donovan at 086 0215258 to get your copy now.
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
Midleton athletic club juveniles
Midleton RFC need to win three in a row to stand any chance of promotion
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Wednesday, MArch 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Munster Indoor Track & Field (U9 U13) Juvenile Championships
THERE was an action packed programme of indoor athletics for our juveniles in Nenagh on February 19th and 20th. Competition was of a very high standard and there were superb performances throughout the championship, with between 70 and 130 athletes taking part in each event. Saturday saw the girls in action. Jessica Strain: competed in the U13 600m and ran really well to finish 2nd in her heat. As there were so many competing, the result went on the time they ran in their heats. Jessica finished 8th overall in a time of 2.00.53. She also came 5th in her heat of the 60M sprint. Nollaig O’Sullivan: ran very well to come through the field and she finished 4th in the same heat as Jessica. Roisin O’Callaghan : ran strongly in her heat of the U12 60M sprint to finish in 3rd position, and progressed to the semi-final where she finished 7th . Holly Tyrrell: had a busy day, competing in the U10 Long-jump, 60M and 300M. Holly ran a great race to finish 3rd in her heat of the 300M. Lia O’Brien: competed in the U10 Longjump and 60M sprint. Lia ran superbly to win her heat and later came second in her semi-final. In the final, Lia ran really well to come 5th in the final. With only 8/100th of a second separating 2nd to 5th, this was an outstanding performance by Lia in a very closely run race.
Day 2 saw our boys in action. Jack Hallahan: got the day off to a super start. Jack had a massive putt of 9.12 to win the U12 Shot. This also qualifies him for the All-Ireland’s U12-U19 Championships. Aaron Hutchinson: competed in the Longjump and 60M sprint. Aaron qualified from his heat by finishing a good 3rd. He ran well to finish 6th in his semi-final. Cathal Morrissey: had a busy day, competing in the Long-jump, 60M and 300M – producing P.B.s in all events. Lucca Allen: competed in the U10 Longjump, 60m and 300M. Lucca ran strongly in the 300M winning his heat in a time of 57.43. With this time, Lucca finished 9th overall. Luke Thompson, Bevan Forde and Adam O’Lomassney: all competed well in the U10 Long-jump, 60M sprint and 300M, and posted personal bests in all events. John Forde: had a busy day. He started by winning the first heat of the U11 600M in a time of 2.01.21 with 6 heats to follow. With eager attention, we watched all the other heats. Only 6/10th of a second separating the top 3, John proudly picked up a Munster Bronze medal. John then went on to record a P.B. in the Long-jump finishing in the top 10. In the heat of the 60M sprint he finished 3rd and qualified for the semi-final where he came 5th. Richard Philips: competed in the U11 Long-jump and 60M. Richard won his 60M heat and then came 3rd in his semifinal. Richard then produced a superb performance to come 4th in the final. In a very close finish, Richard was just 3/100th of a second off 3rd position. Andrew Ryan: Our U13 captain, put in a super run to finish 3rd in his 600M heat. He
also competed in the 60M and Long-jump. Andrew used his speed to jump further than he ever did before with a leap of 4.21M in his 3rd and final jump. Andrew finished in 9th position overall, just missing out by 1cm in making the final 8 jump-off. Dara Thompson: ran well in his U13, 600M heat by finishing in 4th place. Andrew Nestor and Ciaran Newland: both put in good performances in both the U13, 600M heats and 60M heats. Adam Wilson: competed in both the Longjump and 60M. Adam competed well in the Long-jump with a best of 4.01M. In the 60M sprint, Adam made the top 3 in his heat to qualify for the semi-final. He was quick out of the blocks and won his semifinal. Adam produced an outstanding run in a hotly contested final where he finished 4th – only 3/100th of a second separated 2nd, 3rd and 4th! This was a superb performance by Adam, considering that this was his first time competing on the track. As the day came to an end, we came to the relays. There were four heats in each of our age groups with 4 teams in each. The teams with the best four times would qualify for the final. Our U10 team of Adam, Bevan, Luke and Lucca came 2nd in their heat. Our U11 team of Lucca, Richard, Luke and John came 2nd in their heat and were 5th overall, just missing out making the final. Our U12 team of Aaron, Cathal, Richard and John came 3rd in their heat.
Well done to all our athletes, for being so sporting and supporting each other in all events. For many this was their first time competing at the Indoors Championships, and they would have gained valuable experience for the future, as well as making new friends. Also, we wish to thank all the parents of the athletes who travelled and put in a “marathon” of a day! Our young athletes seemed to run on “Duracell” all day but surely even the Duracell batteries ran out that night! At the Munster Indoor U14 - U19 Championships on Sunday, February 27th, U16 athlete, Aideen Hallahan, got off to a great start this year in the Shot Putt event where she finished a well deserved 2nd with a fine throw of 10.31m. Aideen now qualifies for the upcoming All Ireland Championships in March.
At the All-Ireland Inter-Club Cross Country Championships in Santry, Dublin on Saturday, February 26th, David Murphy, Eoin Casey and Michael Furlong put in very strong performances in a highly competitive 8000m Junior men’s race when they finished 29th, 30th and 54th respectively, well done lads!
Other news
We would like to wish the best of luck to our athletes who have qualified for the upcoming School’s All Ireland Cross Country Championships. This follows their achievement at the recent Munster Schools where the first 15 individuals and the first 3 teams qualified in each category. The results were as follows: Junior Girls: Caoilinn Hickey – 10th Intermediate Girls: Cara O’Brien – 11th Senior Girls: Orlagh Farmer – 2nd Senior Boys: Eoin Casey, David Murphy, Michael Furlong & James Griffin – 3rd Team
Finally, U15 athlete Séadnaidh Smyth is wished a very speedy recovery from his recent injury.
Ulster Bank League Division 2: Midleton 14 Ballinahinch 34 BALLINAHINCH showed why they are going to be a force in Division One next season as they ran in six tries against Midleton at Towns Park in the Ulster Bank League Division Two clash last Saturday.
THE EAST CORK JOURNAL REPORTS FROM TOWNSPARK
It took the visitors only four minutes to get their first try when full back, Adam Craig, split the Midleton defence before off loading to winger, Johnny Cullen, who got the ball down on the left wing inside the flag for the games opener. More confusion in the Midleton midfield just six minutes later led to Ballinahinch’s second try of the afternoon. This time Craig, with the help of Harry McAleese, set up Aaron Ferris who touched down in exactly the same spot. With both conversions missed there was only ten points between the sides, and Midleton found their way back into the game and won a penalty which tailed off wide. Midleton continued to pin Ballinahinch down deep inside their own ‘22’, but when the ball broke the way of the Co. Down side they took full advantage, this time on the right wing, with Craig getting his own try with a blistering run to the line.
Ballinahinch had the bonus point sealed on the stroke of half time when out half, Ryan Bambry, intercepted and ran to touch the ball down under the posts. Bambry converted and the visitors led by 22 points to nil at the break. Most teams would have given up at half time against Ballinahinch who were in complete control of the game, but Terry Kingston’s men battled hard in the second half and, even when Bambry eluded the Midleton defence on the 55th minute to again touch down under the posts for a converted try, Midleton battled back and were rewarded with an Alan Long try on the 62nd minute, which was converted by Jeff Hitchmough.
Ballinahinch hit back with their sixth try on the 75th minute through their flanker, Michael Graham, but Midleton did have the final say in this game when Glen Deacon scored a try on the 80th minute. Hitchmough sent over the conversion to end a game where Ballinahinch dominated throughout. Midleton will now have to re-group ahead of their game against Clonakilty in three weeks time at the Vale.
Ballinahinch will play Division One rugby next year and Midleton will have to excel in their last three league matches if they want to have any chance of joining them there.
Midleton Coach, Terry Kingston, was obviously disappointed with the result,telling the East Cork Journal, ‘We have just come off five games and it is physically and mentally draining for my players. We have a small enough squad here at Towns Park and, not taking anything away from Ballinahinch, they are a very good side, but they have a very big squad selection and a very capable and strong second team that they can call on. We need to look at that for the future here in Midleton.’ Kingston believes that there is a good chance that Midleton could still have a say in the promotion race from Division two, stating, ‘Look, we are still there with three games to go and we travel to play Clonakilty next. They are fighting for their lives, so that won’t be easy, but we have three games to play and I believe we can still make the fifth place play-off spot. I know that the lads here are pretty tired after a long run of games. We will give them a rest on Tuesday night and then get back into it later on next week, but I am very proud of the way they played in the second half. Obviously, going two tries down in the first ten minutes wasn’t ideal and then we had to chase the game. We had a real battle on our hands to come back out in the second half 22 points down, but this side have great character and battled when some other team may have caved in,’
Kingston concluded by saying, ‘The defeat at Bective last week was a hard pill to swallow, especially as we played really well and, just like today, at ten points down we commanded long spells of possession, but just couldn’t score. We will take the positives out of today’s game. There were plenty of good points in the second half, and hopefully we will bring those positives forward to the Clonakilty game in a few weeks time.’ This defeat has put Midleton back to eighth in the league, three points behind Ballymena in fifth place play-off spot in the league, and Ballymena also have two games in hand.
Midleton will now need to win all their remaining games and hope that results go their way, if they are to have any chance of promotion.
SCORERS FOR MIDLETON: Alan Long and Glen Deacon a try each, Jeff Hitchmough two conversions. BALLINAHINCH: Ryan Bambry two tries and two conversions, Aaron Ferris, Michael Graham, Johnny Cullen and Adam Craig one try each. MIDLETON: K Brierly, D Lee (Cpt) G Sweeny, D Gee, A McCarthy, B Sweeny, M Cronin, G Deacon, R Smyth, E Lane, K Wall, D Smyth, A Long, D Hurley, J Hitchmough. BALLINAHINCH: C Stevenson, M Nelson, J Simpson, C Napier, M Graham, J Donaldson, G Crowe, H McAleese, R Bambry, A Ferris, J Thompson, S Morrow, J Cullen, A Craig. REF: Barry O’Keefe (IRFU).
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
East Cork Athletic Board celebrates Midleton, Youghal and Carraig’s young athletes
Some of the Midleton athletes who were present to accept their awards. David Coates, Aaron Hutchinson and Eoin Casey were absent on the night THE East Cork Athletic Board held their first ever awards get together to celebrate the success of Midleton, Youghal and Carraig na bhFearr club athletes who completed a fantastic season for club and province. The athletes were presented with certificates to mark the achievements as follows:
Midleton AC Athletes
First up is the U9 Relay Team made up of Lia O’Brien, Holly Tyrrell, Jade Troy and Ellen Ryan. The girls qualified from the Munsters for the National U9 – U11 Track & Field Championships, and ran superbly in the 4 X 100m race, showing great determination and teamwork to achieve silver status.
Following on from a confident win at the Munsters two talented and promising U9 athletes, Lucca Allen & Paul Hartnett, put in great performances at the U9 – U11 National 2 X Team Championships in Templemore. Their combined times in the 300m final ensured them of Silver position.
In the Boys U10 60m sprint another very impressive pairing, John Forde & Richard Philips, finished well deserved winners at the Munsters and went on to finish in a brilliant 2nd position at the All Irelands. In the final of the Boys U11 Ball Throw, David Coates & Aaron Hutchinson were worthy winners of the Bronze medals, with a fantastic combined throw of 58.43m. In the Girls U11 race Tamzin Muldowney proudly brought home gold, silver and bronze medals following a fantastic run at the National Uneven Age Cross Country Championships. Tamzin finished 12th overall securing an individual bronze. She won a gold medal as first scorer for Cork in the Inter-county sec-
tion, and silver as 3rd scorer for Munster.
The Youghal athletes who were presented with their awards on the night
U12 athlete, Tara O’Keeffe, who often proves to be one of our strongest competitors, had a very fine run to come in 31st position achieving a gold medal as 5th scorer for Cork on the day. At the Indoor Track & Field Championships back in February of last year Cleeva Motherway finished 2nd in the U12 Shot Putt competition at the Munsters with a throw of 6.75m. She then went on to make fantastic progress to attain golden glory at the All Irelands with an excellent throw of 8.20m.
Caoilinn Hickey accomplished medal success in both the Even and Uneven Age National Cross Country Championships. Caoilinn ran superbly to cross the line in 19th place in the highly contested U14 race. She was 3rd scorer for Cork, who came 2nd in the Inter County section. Once again Caoilinn’s hard work paid off as she finished in 21st position in the U15 race. This was a great achievement as she was running a year out of age and yet came in 3rd for Cork who took Gold. Cara O’Brien also had a great run in the U15 race, finishing 38th to ensure her of a Gold medal as 5th scorer for Cork. It was once again a great day for Midleton AC as both Cara and Caoilinn were members of the winning Cork team. Treble All Ireland medal winner, Séadnaidh Smyth, firstly powered his way to national success in 2010 at the Indoor U14 Shot Putt final. Following a fine performance at the Munsters with a throw of 11.09m to finish 2nd, Séadnaidh went on to take silver at the All Irelands throwing a powerful 11.37m.
Members of the organising committee - Tommy Houlihan, Willie O’Mahony, Dan McCarthy, Tim Twomey, Ger Foley and Helen McSweeney Later in the year, Séadnaidh continued on his winning ways at the outdoor Track & Field Championships, as he accomplished the coveted All Ireland gold title following his win in the U14 Javelin final with a fantastic best throw of 35.20m. Séadnaidh also qualified for the national finals from the Munsters in the U14 Shot Putt event having thrown an excellent 11.06m. Through hard work and determination he improved this distance to a massive throw of 12.37m at the All Ireland final, to achieve a well deserved Bronze medal.
Aideen Hallahan accomplished double All Ireland medal success last season in the U15 Shot Putt event. Aideen experienced success at both the Indoor and Outdoor Championships. At the Munster Indoors Aideen threw a very strong 10.03m to take 1st spot, and went on to finish 3rd at the nationals throwing a brilliant 10.37m. When it came to the Outdoors Aideen once again stamped her authority at this event in the Munster final, finishing 1st following a best throw of 10.05m. At the national finals Aideen displayed great talent to attain silver status with a throw of 10.45m. In the Boys U18 Cross Country
final Eoin Casey, who was also up against the best in the country, had a very strong performance. This led him to take home a Gold Inter-County medal having finished in 29th place and 5th scorer on the Cork team.
Last, but not least from Midleton AC is top-class athlete Orlagh Farmer. As well as winning an individual Bronze medal having crossed the line in 10th position in the U19 race, Orlagh was 1st scorer on the Munster team who finished 3rd in the Regional section.
Also, back in January of 2010, Orlagh was selected to represent Ireland in the U20 Junior team at the Celtic International where she proudly finished in a very credible 10th place, and was honoured to have been 3rd scorer for Ireland who finished 3rd overall. A lot of credit for Midleton AC’s juvenile success must go to Coach, Joan Hough. Joan’s constant hard work and dedication to these athletes is incredible, and Midleton Athletic Club wishes to express continued appreciation. Peter Buckley and Matthew Cody: These boys competed in the
Youghal AC Athletes
The Carraig na bhFearr athletes that were presented with their awards on the night
Munster 2 x 500m B/10 Championships in Castleisland in June 2010. Both had excellent runs. Peter’s time was 1.38.32 and Matthew’s time was 1.41.81 giving them a combined time of 3.20.13 earning them 2nd place in the Munsters and qualifying them for the All Irelands in Templemore. At the All Irelands the boys came 2nd overall, thus winning their first silver All Ireland medals in the B/10 2x 500m Team event. Peter’s time was 1.40.69 and Matthew’s time was 1.41.84 giving a combined time of 3.22.53.
Diarmuid Clancy: Diarmuid came 2nd in the B/12 High Jump when he cleared 1.29m in the Counties. He came 3rd in the Munsters with a jump of 1.28m and went on to win the B/12 All Ireland High Jump title with a fabulous clearance of 1.38m. This was Diarmuid’s first individual All Ireland title. He has previously won individual and team medals in Cross Country. Diarmuid also won Munster B/12 Multi-events.
Cian Greene: Cian had a fantastic sprinting season. He had a clear win in the Counties in the B/15 100m. He went on to the Munsters in Castleisland where he won his heat and won the Munster title in a great time of 11.99m. Cian had a great day at the All Irelands in Tullamore in July, when he came 2nd in a time of 11.74. This was a fantastic achievement for Cian in a highly competitive field.
Lee Curley: Lee won the B/16 County Pole Vault title, jumping 2.50m. He went on to win the Munster U/16 title clearing 2.80m. Lee had a great win at the All Irelands with a big jump of 2.80m winning the ultimate Gold medal and title. He also came 3rd in the Munster Junior Championships. Nikita Savage: This was Nikita’s last year as a
juvenile and she had a tremendous year. Nikita won the County G/19 Pole Vault title jumping 3.10m and the Munster G/19 title clearing 2.90m. Nikita won the G/19 All Ireland title with a good jump of 3.10m. She also won the County Junior Pole Vault 3.40m. She established a new Munster Junior Pole Vault record of 3.30m. She won the All Ireland Junior title. She also won the Munster Junior and All Ireland Indoor Championships and came 3rd in the Senior All Ireland Championships. Nikita also represented Ireland in the Celtic Cup in February 2010, when she jumped 3.51m, which is a new Munster and Senior indoor record. Nikita is on first year scholarship in DCU this year!
Maebh Daly & Andrea Quinn O’Donovan: Maebh and Andrea won a silver medal for ball throw in the 2x Competition at the Munster T&F Championships. This talented pair then followed this up with an excellent Bronze medal in the Ball Throw Competition at the National Juvenile T&F team competition in Templemore on June 26th.
Carraig Na bhFear A.C
Maeve Ahern: Maeve had a great Cross Country season, winning medals in the Counties and Munster Championships before finishing the year off with a Silver medal as part of the Cork Team in the Girls U14 race at the National Juvenile even age Cross Country Championships held in Derry.
Robyn O’Callaghan Roche: Robyn missed the County T&F through injury, but came back in time to win Gold in the 80m at the Munster T&F Championships. She followed this up with a gold medal in the 80m Sprint at the National Juvenile Track & Field Championships in Tullamore on July 3rd.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
37
Glanmire has it in spades when it comes to sporting talent
Monthly award winners and guests photographed at the Glanmire & District SportsAwards 2010 at the Fitzgerald's Vienna Woods Hotel, Cork with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress Michael and Catherine O'Connell, Denis Hurley (President Sarsfield GAAClub), Mary Fitzgerald (Joint Sponsor), Michael O'Muirtheartaigh (Guest Speaker), Tadgh Murphy (Chairman Sarsfield GAAClub/Overall Winner), Michael Magner The Lord Mayor Cllr. Michael O'Connell with award winners Mick Devane (Hall of Fame), Tadgh Murphy (Chairman Sarsfield GAA Club) Overall Award Winner and Michael Magner (Joint Sponsor) (Joint Sponsor), Dick Fitzgerald (Joint Sponsor) and Deputy County Mayor Cllr. Gerry Kelly
Damien Irwin (Principal Scoil Inse Ratha, Little Island), monthly award winners with guest speaker Michael O'Muirtheartaigh and members of the teaching staff at the Glanmire & District SportsAwards 2010
Sarsfield GAAClub members photographed at the Glanmire & District SportsAwards at the Fitzgerald's Vienna Woods Hotel, Cork with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress Michael and Catherine O'Connell, Denis Hurley (President Sarsfield GAAClub), Jerry O'Sullivan (Chairman Cork GAABoard), Tadgh Murphy (Chairman Sarsfield GAAClub/Overall Winner), Micheal O'Muirtheartaigh (Guest Speaker), Tom Connolly (Vice Chairman Sarsfield GAAClub),Anne Walsh and Michael Magner (Joint Sponsor)
Members of St. Stephen's P&P Club photographed with Hall of Fame winner Michael Devane, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress Michael and Catherine O'Connell, Deputy County Mayor Cllr. Gerry Kelly, Kathleen Lynch TD, Cllr. Dara Murphy, Michael Magner (Joint Sponsor), Micheal O'Muirtheartaigh (Guest Speaker), Michael Moore (Chairman St. Stephen's P&P), Phil Allen, Con O'Driscoll, Jim Forde, Jim Manning and Denis O'Connor
Members of Riverstown Boxing Club with Michael Devane (Hall of Fame Winner), Lord Mayor Cllr. Michael O'Connell, Michael O'Muirtheartaigh (Guest Speaker), Michael Magner joint sponsor and Deputy County Mayor Cllr. Gerry Kelly
Eve O'Mahony, Mary Mullins, Gene O'Mahony and Lisa Mullins members of Glanmire Ladies Basketball Club photographed with Sean O'SullivanAwards Co-Ordinator
Eric Scully, Dick and Mary Fitzgerald (Joint Sponsors Fitzgerald's Woodlands Hotel Adare, Co. Limerick) and Michael Magner (Joint Sponsor Fitzgerald's Vienna Woods Hotel, Cork) with Michael O'Muirtheartaigh (Guest Speaker)
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
W.W.E.C.
BRIDEVIEW CLOSE THE GAP ON INCH CLASHMORE HEADING FOR THE PREMIER LISMORE SELECTED FOR JOHN GILES WALK
LAST Friday night in Cappoquin, Brideview showed their intention of not giving up their title, with a hard fought victory over a gallant Cappoquin in a cracking tie, and the three points collected by the reigning champions sees them six points adrift of the leaders, Inch, with a game less played and meeting each other next Saturday. What a crowd should be in Sexton Park on Saturday. At the bottom of the table Castlebridge lost to Blackwater, and the Cork side are six points behind Accrington, but with three games less played.
In the 1st division Clashmore A played twice and had a very productive week with two victories and six points, and they now open a lead at the top of the table. With two games to play, they need three points for promotion and a return to the premier. In the lower section, Ballybridge put the disappointment of a mid week cup defeat behind them as they defeated Kilworth to stay tops, with Glen View breathing down their necks following a big win for the Melleray outfit.
Lismore has been selected as the venue for the John Giles Walk of Dreams which will take place on Sunday, March 27th, with all the clubs in the league, junior and schoolboy and girls taking part.
Cappoquin 2 Brideview 3
This was a must win game for the reigning champions, and as happened so often in their proud tradition, the Tallow side came out on top at the final whistle. The three points from this win sets them up nicely for the final three games, starting with a game in Sexton Park next Saturday against the leaders, Inch. Heavy rain which fell throughout the afternoon and evening made the pitch soft, and it cut up as the game progressed. However, both sides played attacking football with Cappoquin creating more of the chances, and when Paul Murray scored before the break, it was a score which was well deserved. In the second half, Brideview came more into the game and went in search of the equaliser, and were rewarded when
William Henley scored. The visitors went in search of the winner and William Curley scored from a free kick to give the large Brideview support relief, as the three points seemed safe. But credit Cappoquin, they then attacked for the goal that would guarantee them a share of the points and with only minutes remaining, Corey Roche found the net for the home side. However, Brideview have proved through the years that they are never beaten until the final whistle. Again last Friday they attacked for the winner with injury time looming, and were awarded a penalty in the last minute. William Curley scored from the spot kick and this goal gave the champions the three points, and a step closer to regaining their title.
For Cappoquin, this was a disappointing result as they played as well as ever they have in the league, and feel they deserved at least a share of the points. But they can look forward to next season with a confidence instilled in them by Ray Murphy. But once again Brideview showed us why they are champions for the past two seasons, with their ‘never beaten’ attitude. This season is turning out to be a replica of last season when they won the title in the second last game defeating title hopefuls Mogeely in the second last game of the season. No doubt Inch is aware of this also.
Castlebridge 2 Blackwater 4
Another disappointing result for Castlebridge as they prop up the premier division, six points adrift of Accrington, but with three games less played.
Blackwater went into an early two goal lead. When they added a third through Sean Cotter, the game as a contest seemed over, but credit the home side as they fought back with a Conor McNulty goal before the break. In the second half, Johnny Sullivan scored. With only the minimum between them Castlebridge went in search of the goal that would guarantee them a share of the points. But it was Blackwater who scored, and this from a Johnny Wall free kick. This finished the challenge from Castlebridge and they must now travel to Ballinameela next Saturday to play Blackwater again. With five
games remaining, the Cork side will have to win all their games for any chance to stay in the premier for another season. It is a big ask, but nothing but wins will do now. Mathematically, Kilworth had a chance of catching Inch in the title race, but after this defeat at Railway Park, the North Cork sides chances of the championship have disappeared. Under strength on the day, Kilworth took the lead through Seanie Shanahan, but Jake O Shea equalised before the break. In the second half, Mogeely proved to be the stronger side and it came as no surprise when Dwane Bernard found the net and the points were staying in Mogeely when Alan Collins scored the third goal for the home team. They now leap frog their defeated opponents in the league table.
Mogeely 3 Kilworth 1
Both sides have had a good season, finishing in the top four and a game each to play.
Brideview B 0 Clashmore A 4
Played in Tallow last Wednesday night Clashmore, by virtue of this victory, went top of the table and they faced into last Sunday’s match of the day with Pinewood in confident mode. Goals from John Mason and John Prendergast had the visitors in the lead at the break. In the second half, Prendergast went on to score twice more to complete his hat trick and give all three points to the visitors. Brideview battled to the end, but came up against a team with the premier division as their goal, and we think they must be favourites to do so.
Pinewood 1 Clashmore A 2
We billed this game as match of the day, and we were not disappointed. Fresh from their win in Tallow in mid week, the new leaders of the division travelled with confidence to the Ballymac venue on Sunday morning. Pinewood took the lead on 10 minutes, but the visitors equalised on 30 minutes when Aidan Trihy scored, and this was the score at half time. In the second half both sides attacked and, as in their two previous league games, both served up good free flowing football, but the goal
Paddy Tobin, Chairman, WWEC League - alongside fellow committee members, is pictured with Liam Fraser, representing the Fraser family (sponsors) at the draw for the Fraser Cup competition. (Photo: Sean Byrne, Deise Sport)
that was needed came from Johnny Murphy and this with about 15 minutes remaining. The visitors then closed out the home attack and when the final whistle blew Clashmore had opened a six point lead with only two games to play, while Pinewood have three games to play. Clashmore must be favourites at his stage to be back in premier football next season, while Pinewood need to win at least two of their remaining games to join them in the top flight.
Ballybridge 2 Kilworth B 0
Disappointed after their mid week cup defeat in Cappoquin, Ballybridge came back with an important league win at home to Kilworth’s second string last Sunday morning. After a scoreless opening half, Paul McNamara gave the home team the lead early in the second half. When Will Sliney added a second shortly afterwards, the points were staying in Ballymacoda and the points meant Ballybridge were still leading Section B of the division, two points clear of Glen View. The Ballymacoda side are playing good attractive football all season, but their inability to score has definitely cost them many games and points. Still, they must be happy with their position as leaders of the section.
Glen View 7 Clashmore B 1
A resounding victory for the Melleray side against a very under strength Clashmore second string on Sunday morning last. Brendan Bennett gave the home side a half time lead, and after the restart the same player scored three times to give him a four goal haul. The home side had further goals from Kevin Power, Shane Bennett and Owen O’Donoghue. Overall a very easy win for the home team and they stay in second place in Section B, two points behind the leaders, Ballybridge.
Valley Rangers B 4 Railway Ath 4
What a cracker of a game we had in Conna on Sunday morning with eight goals and the points shared between the sides, in a game that could easily have seen
a few more goals scored. Railway took an early lead through John Lynch, before Diarmuid Hogan scored an equaliser, and the home team then added two more goals through Sean McInerney and Adam Sheridan, but just before the break Liam McLoughlin reduced the deficit. In the second half, Valley restored their two goal advantage when John Noonan scored, but Railway fought back for a share of the points with goals from Killian O’Sullivan and John Lynch to give both sides a point each from a very entertaining game, with a draw a fair result on the day.
Cappoquin B 2 Ballybridge 2 AET Cappoquin wins 4-2 on penalties
In this Liam Fitzgerald Cup game played at Cappoquin last Wednesday night, Cappoquin came from behind twice to force extra time and then penalties to defeat a gallant Ballybridge in a very entertaining cup game. Ballybridge took the lead early in the opening half when James Furlong scored. But just on the stroke of half time the home side equalised when Power scored. In the second half Furlong restored the Ballybridge lead and then the visitors were awarded a penalty, but Willie Hill sent the spot kick over the bar. Cappoquin tried hard to get back on level terms and in the last minute their perseverance paid off when Peter Coughlan scored to send the sides into extra time. The 20 minutes of play did not produce a score, and then we went to penalties with the home side winning by 4 goals to 2 goals. Cappoquin now play away to Clashmore B in the ¼ finals.
RESULTS
MARI MINA PHARMACY PREMIER Cappoquin 2 Brideview 3 Mogeely 3 Kilworth 1 Castlebridge 2 Blackwater 4
LISMORE HOUSE HOTEL 1st DIV Brideview B 0 Clashmore A 4 Glen View 7 Clashmore B 1 Ballybridge 2 Kilworth B 0 Pinewood 1 Clashmore A 2 LIAM FITZGERALD CUP (sponsor Celtic
Furniture Enterprises Ltd) Cappoquin B 2 Ballybridge 2 Aet Cappoquin 4-2 penalties U17 LEAGUE Ballybridge 3 Castlebridge 0 Valley Rangers 2 Kilworth 3 Brideview 4 Pinewood 2
There is no doubt the match of the day this weekend is in Sexton Park where Brideview are the visitors, and the league can, in fact be won on Saturday if Inch get the result they require. At the same time, Blackwater will be hosting Castlebridge in a return fixture to last Sunday where the Waterford side came out on top.
PREVIEWS
In the 1st division, Clashmore A has the opportunity to move a step closer to promotion when they travel to Conna. Match of the day, match of the weekend, and more importantly, a league decider at Sexton Park on Saturday afternoon. For both sides this is a cup final.
Inch vs. Brideview
Inch has a six point advantage, but a game more played than the champions. Brideview go into this game knowing the result must be a win for them, and then win their two remaining games for at least a play off. But a home win and the league trophy will be situated at Sexton Park for the next twelve months. Brideview come as champions for the past two seasons, and their terrific victory last week in Cappoquin showed their never beaten attitude up to the final whistle. Last season it was a similar scenario as they won the title in the second last league game defeating favourites, Mogeely, and Saturday will be no different for them. Inch has had one of their best seasons and their decision to enter only one team in the league has worked in their favour, as they have a strong panel each weekend. However, Inch will not forget when they played in Tallow in October; Brideview had a resounding victory by 4 goals to 1 goal. Many felt after this result that Inch would be slow to get
CONTINUES NEXT PAGE
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
back to their best, but credit to Declan and company, they have come back a stronger side since then and have led the table since the last Sunday in October. There is no disputing they have the players to lift the title, but this game is cup final status and all players will have to be at their best. In the Byrnes, Leonard and Michael, they have two of the top goal scorers in the league, a solid midfield and defence, but all will have to function in unison against the most experienced team in the league. Players laden with league trophies and medals, who have been in this position on so many occasions, came out on top at the end. Indeed, if we were to write of those victories we would need a full page, as leagues have been brought to Brideview Park with victory on the last day, or second last league game. But it was always the non stop fighting, the never beaten attitude, and the experience gained in those years that have stood to Brideview. They will go to Sexton Park knowing that this experience will again be put to the test against a team who play the same attractive attacking game as the champions. So what is our prediction? Definitely not an easy call. We think that, with so much at stake, this could very easily end with a share of the points and this, of course, will suit Inch as a victory on the last day would give them the title. Sexton Park should house the largest crowd ever on Saturday and is a game we all look forward to.
Blackwater vs. Castlebridge
Both sides played each other last Sunday with victory going to the Ballinameela outfit who led at one stage in the opening half by 3 goals to nil. Castlebridge fought back with two goals but conceded a late fourth goal. Castlebridge need points urgently as the games are starting to run out for them as they prop up the table six points behind Accrington, and three games in hand. But games in hand are useless unless there are points coming from those games. This could be a cracker, and a must win for Castlebridge, but Blackwater at home will not want to lose. Could be a draw.
Valley Rangers B vs. Clashmore A
Clashmore travel to Conna on Sunday knowing that a win will almost push them into the premier with a final game to play. They had two great victories last week, defeating Brideview and Pinewood in the space of five days, and the six points have pushed them into a wonderful position for premier football next season. Valley Rgs played a
cracking game last week, sharing eight goals with Railway Ath, and Clashmore will be aware of this on Sunday. With so much confidence flowing at present, Clashmore will enter this game as favourites but, so near the door at present, they will not take anything for granted. But we think Clashmore will win.
Brideview lost to Clashmore last week, but with Pinewood also losing, the door for promotion is still open for the Tallow side. Only a point behind the Ballymac side, Brideview have the opportunity to go second in the table with a victory on Sunday. Railway are out of the promotion race, but are in 4th position, and had a wonderful draw in an absolute cracking game in Conna, sharing eight goals. Brideview need the points and we think if, at full strength, and with so much at stake, the Tallow side should collect all three points.
Railway vs. Brideview
Kilworth vs. Glen View
A must win game for the visitors as they chase Ballybridge for the winners of Section B. Last week at home Glen View had a very easy win against an under strength Clashmore second string, but they know this has to be a victory if they want to finish the season with some silverware. Kilworth were defeated in Ballymacoda last week, but played well and made the winners fight for the points, and they will have played in Cappoquin in mid week. We have often predicted victories for the Melleray team but they do not always deliver when the chips are down. This is a situation in which only a win will do, and we stick our necks out with them saying Glen View to win.
Clashmore B vs. Ballybridge
Ballybridge come to Clashmore as leaders of Section B and at this stage are favourites to win the trophy, but they need to keep on winning as Glen View are just behind them waiting for a slip up. Last week Ballybridge defeated Kilworth, but did not play as well as we know they can, but they got the points which is all that matters. At the same time a very under strength Clashmore were losing by seven goals in Melleray, and we think that Ballybridge will collect all three points on Sunday morning.
Cappoquin vs. Kilworth
Cappoquin had a great victory last week in the Fitzgerald Cup defeating Ballybridge on penalties, and while they do not have any chance of winning the lower section of the league, they play their fellow bottom of the table side, Kilworth, this Wednesday night in Cappoquin. Kilworth
lost last week in Ballybridge and they would love to get back to winning ways with a victory over Cappoquin. A game that can go either way with a draw predicted. 2/3/11: LISMORE HOUSE HOTEL Cappoquin B vs. Kilworth B, 7.30pm, M. Curran 5/3/11 MARI MINA PHARMACY PREMIER Blackwater vs. Castlebridge, 3pm, J. O’Riordan Inch vs. Brideview, 3pm, D. Coleman 6/3/11 LISMORE HOUSE HOTEL 1st DIV Valley Rangers B vs. Clashmore A, 11.30am, S. Drislane Railway Ath vs. Brideview B, 11.30am, K. Griffin Kilworth B vs. Glen View, 11.30am, M. Hartnett Clashmore B vs. Ballybridge, 11.30am, P. Griffin
Springfield Ramblers
FIXTURES
The next Delegate Meeting of the WWEC League will take place on Monday, March 14th, at the Brideview Complex, Tallow, commencing at 8.30pm. Coming to the end of the season, league and cup fixtures will be announced and The John Giles Walk of Dreams on Sunday, March 27th which will take place in Lismore will be finalised for all the clubs in the league.
DELEGATE MEETING
The Golden Boot, sponsored by The Red Store, Youghal, sees no change in the Premier Division, with Paudie Lynch, Kilworth on 19 goals, and Leonard Byrne, Inch on 16 goals. In the 1st division, John Lynch, Railway Ath, has taken the lead with 12 goals and Vinnie Coonan, Clashmore A with 10 goals.
GOLDEN BOOT
Just to say a sincere thanks to our friend, Liam Fraser, who looked after the notes two weeks ago while we took a break from football for a few days. No need to say, Liam did a wonderful job. Many thanks.
THANKS
JOHN GILES WALK OF DREAMS
The first ever John Giles Walk of Dreams will take place throughout the country on Sunday, March 27th next. 14 centres will be selected in the country, but both John Giles and the FAI agreed to add the WWEC League to their centres, and Lismore is the centre selected.
The walk will be in Lismore around the town commencing and finishing at the Blackwater School, by kind permission. We will give more details in our notes in the next weeks.
The Under 13 National Cup tie team who took on Bellurgan United (Dundalk)
U13 National Cup: Springfield Ramblers 1 Bellurgan United 3
THIS was a game of chances taken and chances missed. The Springfield Ramblers side held their own against a very big and physical Bellurgan side. In a game where both sides played some very good football, the Dundalk side took the chances that they created to qualify for the last 16 of the competition. They led by a single goal at the break and doubled their lead midway through the second half. The home side rallied and took the game to the Bellurgan team, and were rewarded when they got a goal back with ten minutes remaining. But, as they searched for an equalising goal they were exposed at the back and the Dundalk side snatched the decisive third goal in the dying minutes. U11 Cup: Springfield Ramblers 10 Mayfield United B 0 U11 Cup: Douglas Hall 9 Springfield Ramblers A 0
U15 Cup: Springfield Ramblers 2 Crosshaven 1
Springfield Ramblers went a goal down early in this game, but dominated the game, and two second half goals from Kieran Histon and Dave Meaney gave them a much deserved win. Well done to all.
U11 Cup: Midleton A 2 Springfield Ramblers B3
This was a fantastic result for our Under 11 Development Squad against a team from a higher division. The team worked very hard with only 11 players and no substitutes, due to illness among several of the squad. From goalkeeper, Oisin Cronin through defenders, Olan Mackey, Josh O’Mahony, Cian O’Mahony and Kealan Kavanagh, midfielders Con Lynch, Luke Quinn, Jamie Gilmartin and Olan Farrell and forwards Sam Noonan and Adam Delaney, it was a great display from all and a great result. Well
done to all.
Under 16 Premier League: Cobh Ramblers 3 Midleton 2
This was a very hard fought win for Cobh Ramblers in this Under 16 Premier League tie against a dogged Midleton side at a very windy VEC Grounds. The home team started very well and went a goal ahead when a through ball found Dave Cahill one on one with the Midleton goalkeeper, and he proceeded to scoop the ball over the advancing keeper. The second goal came from an attack down the right and from the resultant cross Cillian Tallon finished to the far corner. The Midleton side were resolute, however, and continued to contest every ball. They were rewarded for their efforts when they won a free kick outside the penalty area and from the resultant kick the ball struck Adam Thompson in the defence and was deflected past Shane Hallahan in the goal.
The second half continued as a tough encounter, and with Midleton now playing with the strong wind behind them they pressed forward looking for the equaliser. They were again rewarded when, after a mistake in the home defence, Midleton were awarded a penalty. The kick was sweetly struck to the corner of the goal for the equaliser, and Rambler’s woes were compounded when the referee showed a red card to the defender for the ‘last man’ tackle for the penalty. The home side were now under pressure to attain a result but, fresh from a midweek trip to Nottingham, they showed great team spirit and camaraderie to up their game again to take the game to the Midleton side. With time running out the ten men won a corner on the right and from the kick Brendán Frahill, just out of his sick bed, powered a header home for the winning goal. www.springfieldramblers.ie [email protected]
Mogeely FC vs. Kilworth
ON a spring Sunday morning this was our last home league game with Kilworth the visitors.
This game started with Mogeely pushing forward but, after only 5 minutes, Kilworth got a corner and with some loose marking in the box it was an easy header for the centre forward to put the visitors one up. This was against the run of play. A few minutes later Charlie had a shot that the keeper failed to hold and, with Jake following up, hit his shot over the top. On the 26th minute the first change was made when Eithan came on for Charlie, who went off injured. That change came up with the difference as Mogeely again pushed on and Eithan had a shot that the keeper failed to hold again and with Jake following up heading the ball home. So at half time it was all square. With a good team talk at half time from Timmy getting the boys to push on and play some football, after only 5 minutes John Clifford had a shot that curled just wide. Less than 10 minutes later a free kick 30 yards from goal, up stepped Dwain and put it into the danger area. With no one getting a touch the ball ended up in the net so now this was the start that we wanted in the second half. Only 4 minutes later Doly got in on the scoring with a tap in from only a few yards, so now Mogeely were heading for all 3 points. After that, Timmy made a few changes bringing on Chubby and Barry for the last 15 minutes so Mogeely ran out easy winners, with a score line of 3 goals to 1. The club would like to send their congratulations to man of the match, Johnny Clifford and Carina on the birth of their baby girl.
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Midleton Football Club
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Main Sponsor: Wallis’ Bar
Midleton A 2 Springfield B 3
Goal Scorer Conor Fitzgerald 2
IN the last 32 of the local cup, playing away against Watergrasshill, on a wet and windy morning on a very sticky pitch, turned out to be a difficult assignment. We played against the elements in the first half, and should have taken the lead after 5 minutes when Conor was clear through, but he struck his shot straight at the keeper.
The U8 Girls team who took part in the Crosshaven Blitz on Sunday, February 20th. These girls train on Saturdays at 3pm at the all-weather pitch, Knockgriffin
We then had to defend for long periods of the half, but with Joe Wyer in fine form we thought we would get to half time all square, but on the stroke of half time the Hill scored.
Second half saw us with the wind and after 5 minutes of pressure Conor Fitzgerald finished a good move with a powerful shot to the corner. We then continued to apply the pressure and a deft pass by Kyle was slotted home by Conor for his second of the match. With a little more luck we could have added a third but we saw the game out with some good defending at the end to win 2-1. We now move to the last 16 and await the winners of the Leeds/Douglas Hall game. All round a good display where we had to battle hard against a very strong and skillful Hill team.
For us Cormac Beausang, covering for the injured Seanaidh put in a sound performance alongside Ryan at the heart of the defence, we wish Seanie well with his recovery. Up front it was great to see Conor back to his best with a fine performance and 2 goals to boot, but just shading man of the match with his great handling and saves when we needed them was goalkeeper, Joe Wyer. Well done Joe. TEAM: Joseph Wyer, Ross Cummins, David Murphy, James Leahy, Cormac Beausang, Ryan Denny, Killian Browne, Kyle McCarthy, Conor Fitzgerald, Jamie Warrington, Dylan Casey, Aaron Butler, Jack Enright and Eolann Shanahan.
FAI Intermediate Cup on Sunday, March 6th
THE FAI Intermediate Cup quarter-final match, Midleton vs. Crumlin United, Dublin, will take place on Sunday, March 6th next at Knockgriffin Park, with a 2.30pm kick-off.
Crumlin United beat the Cork side, Rockmount 1 – 0 at Rockmount Park in a replay, so now all is set for the Midleton clash, which will surely draw a big crowd to Knockgriffin Park for a place in the semi-final of the FAI Intermediate Cup. This should be a great cup match with Midleton the in form team in the Munster Senior League, while Crumlin United’s win in Cork was their first clash.
Lotto results
THE results for Thursday, February 24th, for a jackpot of €15,250. The numbers drawn were 8, 16, 18 and 20. There was no winner. Bonus jackpot of €1,000. The numbers drawn were 8, 11, 14 and 23. There was one lucky winner, Mary Keohane, Suncourt, Midleton.
Players who performed well against Leeds: Alan Horgan, Sean O’Leary, Matthew Lambe and Andrew Nestor
MIDLETON began very slowly and looked slow on the ball. There were isolated attacks, but Springfield held the ball and used it much better. There was a strong wind blowing into the faces of the Midleton team which made defending difficult but they could not cope with the eager Springfield team that were 3 – 0 up before half-time, two of the goals resulting from sloppy play at the back. Luke Smith smashed a fine goal before the break, a goal he deserved as Midleton’s best player, to bring Midleton back into the game. In the second half Midleton did not get the better of the wind as it dropped quickly at the start of the half. However, Midleton finally began to play and the introduction of Chigozie Igboanusi gave the team extra edge up front. Cal Baldwin provided some dynamic running and Adam Morris began to push into midfield to add some bite. Midleton began to make serious chances which were not taken until they had two ‘goals’ ruled out somewhat harshly, for offside. Cal Baldwin scored a great goal from the edge of the box to give Midleton a glimmer of hope, but time ran out. In the end they were unlucky to lose but the team have only themselves to blame for a poor first half.
Match Players who performed well against Springfield Ramblers Chigozie Igboanusi, Luke Smyth, Cac Balwin andAdam Morris
Upcoming Fixture
FAI Intermediate Cup Quarter Final: Midleton vs. Crumlin Utd on Sunday, March 6th, kick off at 2.30pm, Knockgriffin Park. It has been 20 years since we last reached the quarter final of the FAI Intermediate national cup so a big day out for everyone.Come out and cheer on the team next Sunday at Knockgriffin Park. Wishing Manager, John Ryan, the backroom team and all the players the best of luck.
Market Green presents Youths with December Sport Star of the Month
Lucky dip winners who each received €20 were, Reece Bawden (U11), Jesse, Gillian and Nora (Pa), Jamie Kelly (Pa), Ann Marie Murphy (David U13), James Carroll (U14), Breda Meaney (J. O’Rourke), Irene Garde (Wallis’), Cyril Condon (Wallis’) Philip Walsh (Marian) and Ger (Ger). The next lotto draw will take place at the Club House, Knockgriffin Park, tomorrow, Thursday, March 3rd, for a jackpot of €15,500.
The Midleton FC Youth team received the Market Green December Sport Star of the Month award from Andrew McVea, Regional Shopping Centre Manager, Market Green Midleton who presented the award to team captain Andy Howich, along with some of his teammates.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Ladies 6 a Side League at Cappoquin
MATCH day 5 and a fine mild night had all teams in attendance. We are down to 7 teams as Cappoquin B pulled out, so each week there will be one challenge match. Two very close games last night and in the other leaders, Cappoquin A, continue to set the early pace as they scored seven times on the night. Youghal earned a win over second placed Brideview, and replace them as nearest challengers to Cappoquin.
Cappoquin A 7 Clashmore Ramblers 2
Cappoquin continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 7-2 win over the Ramblers who were missing a few players but still gave the leaders a tough game, especially in the opening half. Cappoquin led at the break 5-2 and had Player of the Match, Rachel Whelan, at the centre of every attack and she scored some great goals. Paula Kelly and Francis Mc Gonigle scored the Ramblers goals. Mary Kate Morrissey also scored and played her part in the win for Cappoquin, which sees them move two points clear at the top of the table after Brideview’s defeat.
Youghal Utd 2 Brideview Utd. 1
What a game we had, as second played third in the league table and it lived up to expections as both sides fought hard for every ball, and chances were few and far between. Youghal opened the scoring through Player of the Match, Elaine Walsh, with a sweet strike and led by 1-0 at the break. Kerri Hancock increased their lead 5 minutes after the restart, but then Brideview really put on some sustained pressure and when Ciara
The Youghal Masters side
Hallahan scored a great goal to reduce the deficit, it was game on. Hancock and Walsh both had chances for Youghal, but in the dying seconds of the game Brideview were very unlucky not to equalise as Hallahan struck an angled shot which came back off the post into the keeper’s arms and the whistle went to see Youghal swap places with Brideview in the league table. It was a great game of soccer.
Kilworth Celtic 2 Mogeely FC 1
Kilworth and Mogeely also played out an equally exciting 2-1 match in the next game, as both sides again fought for every ball with no quarter given. Player of the Match, Ciara Lynch, was at the centre of Kilworth’s goal and they led at the break 1-0. Mogeely battled back into the game and scored through Nok Mottalebi, and it was game on with 5 minutes remaining. Before Mogeely could settle down it was 2-1 as Lynch scored a great goal into the top corner as she got her shot off just before she was tackled. This proved to be the winning goal in another great game of soccer.
Ballymac FC 5 Cappoquin B 0
Again, this game was given as a walkover to Ballymac as we are down to seven teams after Cappoquin B pulled out, but the odd team will still play each week and receive the points for the win. Cappoquin and Clashmore ladies joined force to play against the Ballymac girls, but it didn’t matter as Lauren Guiry scored twice and Sinead O’Meara and Danielle Hallahan also scored in a 4-1 win. Thanks to the girls for the challenge game.
Mens Over 35 League at Cappoquin
Another great turnout with all teams in attendance and some excellent games played on the night with 2 draws in really exciting close matches. Early season leaders, Railway, only had 5 players for their match but still recorded a draw and stay top of the table, but only on goal difference, as Youghal won and joins them on five points leading the way, closely followed by Cappoquin who hit 5 past The Ramblers without reply.
Railway Masters 0 Inch Utd. 0
The first 0-0 of the season but it was action packed and the League Leaders were full value for their draw as they played the whole game minus a player as only 5 players turned up on the night. Frankie Keniry had plenty of chances but found Alan Mc Namee in fine form in the Inch goal. Inch had Player of the Match in Clem, who was unlucky on a few occasions not to break the deadlock. A well earned point by Railway to keep them joint top of the league table with Youghal, but disapYoughal Masters 4 pointment for Inch against 5 Mogeely Legends 2 men as they couldnt make the Goals by Tim Mc Gann and a Pat extra man count. The Railway Masters team Costigan penalty weren’t enough to overcome a Youghal side missing a few regulars in Monday night’s action as Player of the Match, Christof Colin, scored twice for the now joint league leaders in a 4-2 win. Mogeely keeper, John Treacy, had a good game in goal, keeping out some fine efforts. At the other end Pierce Hennessy also had to be on U11 Local Cup Everton A 5 - Corkbeg 5 (Everton won 4-3 on penalties) his toes as the Mogeely lads The Corkbeg U-11 team were beaten 4-3 on penalties by Everton pressed on looking to score. In AFTER a thrilling 5-5 draw in Corkbeg’s dominance contin- didn’t have the rub of the green the end a win for Youghal which an amazing contest in Togher ued, but the equaliser didnt ar- on the day. Well done to everymoves them level with Railway on Saturday morning, Everton rive until 5 minutes from full one in what was a great team as they only drew their game. started strongly and drew first time. A Corkbeg corner was performance. Luke Foley, Jack Maquire, Cappoquin FC Legends 5 blood after only 8 minutes played short for Conor Mal- TEAM: when their striker ran 15 yards oney, and his super cross found Daniel O’Callaghan, Craig Hogan, Dara Murphy, Conor Maloney, Conor The Master and drove the ball home. It Dara Murphy, who headed the O’Callaghan, Niall Hill, Robin Ward, could have been worse for the ball in from 6 yards out to Ryan Forde, Alan Hogan. Sub: Oisin Ramblers 0 ‘Beg after Everton had a goal make it 4-4. Indeed, Corkbeg Counihan Conor Prendergast turned in a disallowed for offside, and could have won it in the final Player of the Match performace they made the most of this minute, but Alan Hogan’s 18 to put Cappoquin on the road to good fortune to draw level yard shot went agonisingly victory, and now only a point besoon after, when Niall Hill wide. hind joint leaders, Railway and added the finishing touch to a Youghal, as the action hots up at great Dara Murphy through And so, to extra time! Corkbeg the top end of the table. Prenderball. Everton responded started as they had finished and The ‘Beg had a good victory gast scored twice as the Ramblers strongly and two quick goals had the upper hand with man over a plucky Midleton side in trailed 3-0 at the break, but they had them leading by three of the match, Craig Hogan, still Whitegate on Sunday morning had Joe Salmon retire through ingoals to one. Corkbeg reduced dominating midfield after his last. The ‘Beg were out of the jury early in the game and this traps faster, and an early Gavin the lead to 3-2 only 5 minutes switch from centre half. didn’t suit them. Peter Fitzgerald Kelly strike put them on their before the break, as Alan played well n the Ramblers goal, Hogan fired a screamer to the But Everton were always dan- way. but in the end it was Cappoquin top corner after a rampaging gerous and after a bit of sloppy who ran out winners 5-0. run from the heart of midfield. defending, a goalmouth scram- To their credit both sides were Oisin Counihan replaced ble led to another lead goal for trying to play passing football Inch legends 4 Robin Ward just before the in- the home team. Corkbeg’s on a heavy pitch. The ‘Beg Lismore Masters FC 4 terval, and a reshuffle of the dominance continued and fi- midfield was suberbly marCorkbeg side saw Craig Hogan nally they got their reward only shalled by Jordan Tynan in a This was the game of the night as move to midfield in a move 4 minutes from the end of extra new role, with able assistance 8 goals were scored with some that transformed the game. time when a move, which by Ciaran O’Shea. great performances and high Four minutes after half time, started from deep, ended up quality goals also. Inch raced into the sides were level. with an exchange of passes be- Jordi scored a second just bea 2-0 lead through Player of the tween Conor Maloney and fore the break and added a third Match, Gerald Dobbs, with two Craig Hogan intercepted a Dara Murphy, and Dara fired a from the penalty spot midway fine goals. Lismore replied but great ball in midfield and superb equaliser to the top cor- through the second half. Inch scored again to lead 3-1 at worked a great through ball to ner to send the game to penalthe break. Inch increased their his brother, Alan. Alan’s sensa- ties.Penalties are always a All in all this was a reasonably lead to 4-1 early in the second tional looping strike was wor- lottery and this time, fortune good performance from the half but then it was all Lismore as thy of winning any game. did not favour the ‘Beg as lads, considering over a month the Inch lads tired and Owen Corkbeg were now dominant, Everton triumphed on a 4-3 of inactivity due to weather Madden scored to make it 4-2. conditions. but luck was against them scoreline. Keith Hornibrook then made two again soon after when an Everfine saves to keep his Lismore ton cross evaded everyone and It was extremely harsh on Fundraising Table Quiz in team in the game, and they ended up in the net to give the Corkbeg, who dominated the Rosie’s Bar, Lower Aghada on proved vital as two late goals reshome side an unlikely lead. game for the most part but just March 11th at 9pm - please cued a point for the Lismore men support. which they deserved in the end.
Heartbreak for ‘Beg U11’s in cup after 10 goal thriller
U12 Friendly Corkbeg 3 Midleton A 0
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Killeagh camogie
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SPORTS leaders have an important role to play in promoting good practice in children’s sports. They should have, as their first priority, each child’s safety and enjoyment of the sport. To this end a number of our trainers and Committee members took part in a recent Code Of Ethics Course, organised by the club and, delivered to us by Mairead of Cork Sports Partnership. The course was also attended by a number of other Camogie Club members and by a number of Inch Rovers Football Club committee members. As sports leaders we are encouraged to be positive, praise and encourage effort, as well as results, and to strike a balance between young people’s welfare and winning. At times this can be very challenging for both the child and coach. With this in mind our club has appointed Krysten Tyrrell as our Child’s Welfare Officer for the upcoming season. Thanks go to her for continuing in this important role for another year. Thanks also to those who took part in this Course, which certainly sent everyone home with plenty of food for thought.
Last weekend saw Elizabeth Kelly line out with CIT in the Ashbourne Shield. Claire Keohane was part of the UL team that took part in the Ashbourne Cup, and Niamh O Keeffe played in the Purcell Cup. Well done girls! For Stephanie Beausang who is in 1st year in WIT, it was a great weekend. She was also on the panel that beat UCC 2-10 to 2-2 in the Ashbourne Cup in Galway, making it 3 in a row for WIT. Stephanie, we know it is the first of many such wins. The Club would like to wish Orla Cotter of St. Catherine’s a speedy recovery from her nasty injury in last week’s Ashbourne Cup –definitely a day she will not forget but for all the wrong reasons. A last appeal for any outstanding club membership to be paid, and a big thanks to all those who have already registered for what looks like a great year for Killeagh Camogie Club! With a higher than normal demand on the pitch/hall at the moment please check training times with your coach regularly, as time may change at short notice. Finally, best of luck to any girls who are preparing to do pre –junior/leaving cert exams in the near future.
Castlemartyr Junior Football League
LAST weekend’s fixture away to Youghal had to be cancelled. Next week we are due to play Dungourney at home, but the exact date and time has yet to be finalised at the time of going to print. Check www.castlemartyrgaa.com for details of this fixture.
Membership
Club membership is now due. Adult membership is €50 with 2nd level students and OAP’ s €25, which can be paid to any committee member.
East Cork GAA fixtures WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2ND: Garryvoe Hotel JFL Div 1: Glanmire vs. Erin’s Own at Glanmire, 7.30pm - POSTPONED TO A LATER DATE.
FRIDAY, MARCH 4TH: Garryvoe Hotel JFL Div 2: Aghada vs. Cobh at Aghada, 8pm SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH: Garryvoe Hotel JFL Div 1: Glenbower Rovers vs. Midleton at Killeagh, 2pm Bride Rovers vs. Carraig na bhFearr at Bride Rovers, 3pm SUNDAY, MARCH 6TH: Garryvoe Hotel JFL Div 1: Ballinacurra vs. Fr. O’Neill’s at Ballinacurra, 12 noon Lisgoold vs. Carrigtwohill at Lisgoold, 3pm Garryvoe Hotel JFL Div 2: Youghal vs. Russell Rovers at Youghal, 12 noon
RESULTS
Garryvoe Hotel JFL Div 1: Erin’s Own 1-12, Carraig na bhFearr 0-6 Midleton 2-7 Lisgoold 2-3 Garryvoe Hotel JFL Div 2: Cobh 3-10 Russell Rovers 0-3 Glenville 1-19 Youghal 2-3.
Russell Lisgoold County MFL Rovers U14s Lisgoold 0-17 Crosshaven 0-05
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
RUSSELL Rovers U14’s got the season off to a great start when they all headed across the border to New Inn in Co. Tipperary for a fun filled day-out on Sunday Feb 20th. Russell Rovers took on the locals in an evenly fought hurling challenge game on a wet and blustery day, but were all well rewarded afterwards with an evenings bowling and good grub in Clonmel. If the season ahead is as good as the singing on the bus, then we should be in for a good run.
On Sunday, February 27th the U14’s headed to St Finbarr’s in Togher, to take on Barrs 2 in the first Football league match of the season. The going was heavy and it only took the Barrs two minutes to register their first point. Conor Parker equalised for the Rovers in the 9th minute with a well-taken point. Five minutes later Shane Finn lobbed the ball over the bar, after receiving a long ball pass from Colin Maher. Kevin Moynihan, James Kennefick and Luke Murray kept the game flowing in around the middle of the field for the Rovers, but the Barrs finished strong just before half time when they rattled the net, to leave the score 1-2 to 0-2. Kennefick, who won the ball at the throw-in, laid it off to Shane O’Neill, then ran on to receive it back from O’Neill, before running through the Barrs defence to rattle the net with a well taken goal. Shane Finn added another goal for the Rovers 5 minutes later when he lobbed the Barrs keeper for a great goal. Barrs came back well and responded with three points in a row, and only for some great defending from Stephen Walsh, Chris Ruddy, Eoghan Cronin, Luke O’Riordan and Andrew McMahon the Barrs would have surely scored another goal. The ever consistent Dara Healy in goals for the Rovers also had a fine game, with some excellent saves and great clearances to the ever waiting Kieran O Riordan who worked hard continuously for the full 60 minutes. Rovers added on a few more scores with another goal from Kennefick, and points from Parker, and Moynihan to leave the final score Rovers 3-4, Barrs 1-4.
Kiltha Óg
A lot of training will be needed over the next few weeks to ensure we are all moving the big ball fast and accurate. Well done to all.
Minors
First football game of the season saw our new minor panel lose by 2 points to Glanmire, 2-9 to 2-7. All round it was a very good display and with a little more luck in front of goal the game could have a different outcome. Best on the day were Kieran Ahearne, James and Stephen McCarthy, Diarmuid Rohan and Jack Griffen.
U14s
Our U14s travelled to Whitechurch for their first football match of the new season and were beaten by a very good Whitechurch team on the day. Our lads tried hard to the end but were unable to match the quality of the opposition. They now look forward to the next match at home against Mayfield next weekend.
Facebook
You can now follow us on facebook for the new season, where club information will be posted on the Kiltha Óg facebook page
Dungourney
‘Mol an Óige agus tiocfaidh si.’
LOTTO results for Monday, February 21st. The numbers drawn were 5, 6, and 12. There was no winner. Lucky dip winners were Gerard Mackey €35, Gary Connery €25 and Lily Hegarty €15. The next jackpot was €900.
Fixtures
Monday, February 28th, Junior Football League Division 2 Glenville vs. Dungourney at 7,45pm. Thursday, March 17th, Junior A Football Championship, in Ballynoe. Dungourney vs. Bride Rovers at 12pm.
AN all round team performance, shooting fourteen scores from play, saw Lios gCúl gain the two league points on offer at Crosshaven on Sunday. Driven by a powerhouse performance by John McCarthy, who slotted six points throughout the hour, our lads settled well and led at the short whistle by 0-10 to 0-01. Our solid play continued in the second period and, aided by great displays by John Cashman (004) as well as Cian Scannell and Kevin O’Keeffe, our boys ran out deserving victors. Our next outing sees a home game in Páirc Lios gCúl next Sunday v Shamrocks
JFL Div 1 Lisgoold 2-03 Midleton 2-07
With both team venues out of condition at this time of year, this Division 1 League game was played at neutral Carrigtwohill on Saturday afternoon between two sides where the victors made the most of their chances, while we failed to do so. Brian O’Leary held the central defensive position well, and was best assisted by Noel Connery and Patrick O’Mahony, whilst Eoin Riordan battled gamely in the middle third. We failed to trouble the umpires in the early stages, where poor shooting cost us throughout. However, pitch based training will surely benefit this facet of our play. Our goal scorers, Brian O’Leary (pen) and Eoin Riordan kept the game in the balance, but our big town neighbours ran out deserved victors at the conclusion.
Upcoming games
JH Challenge: Wednesday, March 2nd at 7.30pm in Sars All County Minor Football League vs. Shamrocks, Sunday, 2pm in Lisgoold JFL Div 1 vs. Carrigtwohill in Lisgoold, Sunday at 3pm
Lotto
Winning numbers this week were 13, 24 and 27. We had no winner as no one matched those numbers. Consolation prize winners were John Barrett, Noel Hallihan, Tom Coleman and Donal Woods.
Best wishes
Best wishes to Jer O’Connell who continues on his upward path as one of the most promising young referees in the country. Jer takes centre stage at the National Hurling League game next weekend between London and Wicklow in Ruislip. All in CLCG extend wishes of continued success to Jer and his officiating team on this milestone achievement. Also best wishes to Trish Walsh and Denis O’Brien who announced their engagement recently. We wish them both a long and happy life together. And finally, if you’re going to Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday for the Cork game v Galway, make sure you get your half time cuppa early to ensure you support our U12 hurlers as they play in the half time game. We hope that these boys enjoy their experience on Sunday, and, who knows, this may even be the first time of many for some of these boys to play in the Páirc.
Congratulations
Congratulations to local racehorse trainer, and Lisgoold former player and captain, Donie Murphy, who saddled Gentle Alice to success at Leopardstown on Sunday. Returned at an attractive 10/1 price, The popular Lisgooldman was the toast of many a sip in the local hostelries on Sunday night. The winner was ridden by another neighbour Paul Townend, another former Lisgoold player, is currently leading the Irish Jump Jockeys Championship race. With Cheltenham looming, who knows, we might see one of our own in the winners enclosure there before too long more. Congratulations, and continued success to Donie and Paul.
Killeagh New season
OUR hurling and football season is just starting, with a comprehensive win over Ballinacurra in junior football and a narrow defeat to Dungorney in junior hurling, which was played in Pilmore last week, under our belts.
Membership
ALL club membership is now due. Also anybody interested in taking part in the 200 Club contact any club member.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
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Cork GAA clubs congratulated after canines come home first
Smiles all round as Aidan and Margaret Long, Carrigtwohill, receives a cheque for €500 from Jerry O’Sullivan, Chairman, Cork County Board, at the Cork GAA Club Members’ Draw Greyhound Spectacular at Curraheen Park. Included are Andrew and Jamie Long, Sean O’Sullivan and Seamus Coughlan , Draw Manager. (Photos: Mike English)
Mary Walsh, Sarsfields / Glanmire gets her €500 cheque from Denis Kelleher with Denis Hurley, President, Sarsfields, Eddie Walsh and Seamus Coughlan, Draw Manager
Norma Creech, Sars / Glanmire receives a €500 cheque from Jerry O’Sullivan, Chairman, Cork County Board, alongside Eamonn Creech, Seamus Coughlan, Draw Manager and Denis Hurley, President Sarsfields GAA
Fr. Liam Hickey, on behalf of his sister, Helen Clynch, Erin’s Own GAA, accepting the prize from Jerry O’Sullivan, Chairman, Cork County Board, at the Cork GAAClub Members’Draw Greyhound Spectacular at Curraheen Park with Seamus Coughlan, Draw Manager
Jerry O’Sullivan, Chairman, Cork County Board presents Toddy and Catherine Lawton, Fr. O’Neill’s GAA with €1,000 after their nominated dog came first in Race 6. They are pictured with Triona Gardiner, Draw Officer
Maurice Twomey, Lisgoold, receiving a cheque for €1,000 from Jerry O’Sullivan, Chairman, Cork County Board, after his nominated dog finished first in Race 3 at the Cork GAA Club Members’ Draw Greyhound Spectacular at Curraheen Park. Included are Triona Gardiner, Draw Officer and Liam Twomey
Jerry O’Sullivan, Chairman, Cork County Board, presents €1,000 to Mary O’Connor, Killeagh, who accepted on behalf of her daughter, Mary, whose nominated dog finished first in Race 4. Included are Helen, Orla and Dan Cusack
Jerry O’Sullivan, Chairman, Cork County Board, presents a €500 cheque to Michelle and Ben Dalton,Youghal with Triona Gardiner, Draw Officer
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GAA Castlelyons Minors complete double extra time Club CASTLELYONS 1-20 SLIABH RUA 0-14 Weekly Lotto results
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Wednesday,March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal in
Castlelyons P2Minor Hurling team Championship and League County Champions 2010 THE Minor Hurling P2 County Champions team went to Riverstick to play the Premier 2 minor league final against the home side, Sliabh Rua. The game ended in a draw, 1-9 to Castlelyons and 0-12 to Sliabh Rua. The Castlelyons players powered their way through extra time to win impressively with a margin of nine points.
Fr. O’Neill’s
There was no winner of this week’s Jackpot of €6,200. The numbers drawn were 6, 8, 24 and 28 and the €40 consolation winners were Eleanor Herlihy, Eileen O’Sullivan, P & K Sexton and Chris Kirby.
Killeagh
There was no winner of the €4,000 Jackpot. The numbers drawn were 2, 9 and 25 and the €30 consolation winners were Carmel Murphy, Ray Higgins, Ann Marie Joyce and Ivan Daly. Next week’s jackpot stands at €4,200.
Shamrocks
There was no winner of this week’s Jackpot of €11,000. The numbers drawn were 9, 16, 19 and 23 and the €20 consolation winners were Oisin Ormand, Edmund Flanagan, Cathy O’Neill, Leo Donnell and C. Parker.
Imokilly Division fixtures
JF1 Div. 1 - 2/3/11: Erin’s Own vs. Glanmire, Sallybrooke, 7.30pm JFL Div. 2 - 4/3/11: Aghada vs. Cobh, Rostellan, 8pm JFL Div 1. - 5/3/11: Glenbower Rovers vs. Midleton, Killeagh, 4pm Bride Rovers vs. Carraig na bhFearr, Rathcormac, 3pm JFL Div. 1 - 6/3/11: Lisgoold vs. Carrigtwohill, Lisgoold, 3pm Ballinacurra vs. Fr. O’Neill’s, Ballinacurra, 12 noon JFL Div. 2 - 6/3/11: Youghal vs. Russell Rovers, Magners Hill, 12 noon JFL Div. 2 - 11/3/11: Glenville vs. Cobh, Fouhy Park, 8pm U21AFC - 16/3/11: Erin’s Own vs. Glanmire, Caherlag, 7.30pm JAFC - 17/3/11: Dungourney vs. Bride Rovers, Ballynoe, 12 noon U21BFC - 19/3/11: Fr. O’Neill’s vs. Carrigtwohill, Ballinacurra, 2.30pm
The game started out at a very quick pace without either side dominating. Eoin Maye opened the scoring with a point each in the second and third minutes. Points in the eight and ninth minutes to Sliabh Rua saw the sides level. In the eighteenth minute Sliabh Rua took a point. However in the same minute Castlelyons went on the attack and earned a 65 metre free, which Ml Spillane put over the bar, to put the sides level again. On the resumption of play Castlelyons were awarded another free. The resulting shot took a deflection and went out for another 65 metre free. Ml Spillane put this one over the bar also. Two frees to Sliabh Rua allowed them to level the score again. Alan Fenton scored a point in added on time, but before the whistle went, a point to Sliabh Rua meant the side were level at six points each going into the break.
of normal time Castlelyons were two points behind. In the twenty-eighth minute Colm Spillane drove through the Sliabh Rua defense and got the vital goal. At the end of the hour Castlelyons had a point lead. A sixty five metre free gave the home side the chance to level, which they did, and they deserved nothing less. The extra time game was a totally different affair. Almost immediately Castlelyons went ahead. Substitute, Ronan O’Regan, one of the youngest players on the panel, scored a point in the first minute. Colm Spillane extended the lead by two points in the second and third minutes. Two minutes later Darragh Lawlor put the ball over the bar to extend the lead to four points. The sixth minute saw Sliabh Rua get the first of their two points of extra time, the second came two minutes later. Ronan Bransfield, another very young substitute player, scored a point from a very tight angle with two minutes of extra time to go and Ronan Fenton finished off the scoring of the first half of extra time with another point.
metre line and, in spite of very determined tackles, carried it the opposition’s forty five and sent the ball over the bar. The final margin was nine point to Castlelyons. This was a well deserved victory. Again, this group of players showed their mettle. They came back after an indifferent forty five minutes of play to make sure of the draw. In extra time they came out and put on a performance of hurling worthy of champions.
The Castlelyons defence was excellent. Eoin Barry kept a clean slate in goals. He caught a number of good balls on the line and made good clearances.
into the minor scene over the last number of years. John Healy is taking up duty as manager of the Intermediate team, and Barry Fitzgerald continues as manager trainer of the minors. The best of luck to both
Intermediate Challenge
The Intermediate hurling team will line out in the first challenge game of the season on Saturday. The opposition will be Tallow. The venue will be Tallow at 4;00pm
Cheltenham Preview night launch
Eoin Maye as usual played a great game from beginning to end. Colm Spillane’s strength and skill were vital for the overall victory. His goal in the twenty-eighth minute almost won the game in normal time. He was the dominant force in extra time.
Castlelyons GAA club, in conjunction with Boyle Sports and Kerrins Bar, Fermoy will hold a Cheltenham Preview night at the Corrin Mart Centre on the night of Tuesday, March 8th, 2011.
Eochaill Intermediate footballers draw with Baile Nóra Eochaill 0-08 Baile Nóra 0-08
There will be two well known
When play resumed Castlelyons struggled, and by the end of the third quarter were three points behind. Eoin Maye pulled back two of these from frees in the sixteenth and nineteenth minutes. Going into the last three minutes
LAST Sunday saw Eochaill’s Intermediate footballers start their Intermediate Football League campaign against Baile Nóra at Magners Hill. Youghal played into the strong wind in the first half and started brightly with some great defensive work in the half back line, restricting Baile Nóra to a passing game. It took five minutes for the visitors to get a score on the board, which came from a John Fitzgerald free. A further nine minutes went by in this tough match and it was Eochaill to strike back with a Brendan Ring pointed free to level matters. Youghal’s work rate in and around Lár Na Páirce with Ken Dempsey and Damien Ring, was superb, blocking, out passing and frustrating the opposition. As Baile Nóra got more frustrated, kicking four first half
Going into the final ten minutes of play Castlelyons led by five points. Sliabh Rua failed to score during this period. Good combining on the part of the forwards led to the first point of the second half from the hurley of Ronan Fenton. Ronan O’Regan had another point within a minute. In the dying moments of the game Colm Spillane gained possession on his own forty-five
wides, it took a free from the visitors on the 21st minute from Colm O’Shea to regain the lead.
The response from Eochaill was magnificent, with a great move up the right wing finding the hands of Adrian Curtin, who turned and put over a powerful score from play to level matters with six minutes to go to half time.
Baile Nóra could have had a goal on the 27th minute when Ian Wycherley was one on one with the Eochaill keeper, Pat Mackey, but Pat brought off a first class save and as the ball was cleared Baile Nóra’s, Alan O’Neill, made the most of his chance slotting over the point giving the visitors a one point lead, which they held until the break.
Youghal came out in storming form at the start of the second half, and after just 45 seconds
Congratulations to all the players for bringing off the double. Well done also to the three mentors, John Healy, Barry Fitzgerald and William O’Sullivan for the work and commitment they have put
the match was level for the third time when Damien Ring kicked a great score.
Eochaill took the lead for the first time seconds later, when Brendan Ring pointed from the resulting kick out and Peter Queally’s men were on fire. To Baile Nóra’s credit they fought back to level it three minutes later with a pointed score from play off the boot of full forward, Conor Brosnan. It was obvious throughout the second half that Baile Nóra’s advantage of already playing and beating Aghabullogue by 2-08 to 1-04 a week earlier, was standing to them.
Eochaill showed some tremendous passion, regaining the lead on the 37th minute through Damien Ring, but a free from the Baile Nóra corner forward, Colm O’Brien, levelled matters for the fifth time on the 39th minute.
There will be an expert panel in attendance. They include horse owner, Paul Barber. Paul is the owner of Denman. Trainer, Paul Nichols, who trains for Paul Barber, will attend. Paul Nolan, also a trainer, will also be on the panel. With the sides level at five points each with just 19 minutes to go, it was Baile Nóra who regained the lead with a well taken point from play through Gearóid O’Sullivan.
Eochaill again responded with a Brendan Ring point on the 44th minute and when Jonathan Ormonde sent a brilliant point over on the 51st minute it was looking like a Youghal win. But Baile Nóra had other ideas. Two quick scores from the visitors swung the game completely, first second half substitute Bernard Aherne and then with just one minute to go Colm O’Shea scored his third free of the match to give Baile Nóra the one point lead.
Commeth the hour, commeth the man and with two minutes of injury time played and referee, James Bermingham, looking at his watch, a loose ball found its way into the hands of Ken Dempsey who calmly slotted over the match levelling point from 35 metres out, earning
jockeys on the panel, Ruby Walsh and Davey Russell of Youghal.
Irish Examiner correspondent, Pat Keane will also attend. The MC for the night will be Kevin O’Ryan. Leon Blanche of Boyle Sports will also be in attendance. The event is in association with Boyle Sports.
Lotto Jackpot at €11,200
The Lotto numbers drawn this week were 9, 10, 20 and 27. There was no winner. The following won €20 each: Ina O’Brien, Corrin, c/o Jo McGann Bill Kelleher, c/o N Fitzgerald Phil Shanahan, Castlelyons, c/o Post Office Pat Mannix, c/o N Fitzgerald Liam Hayes, c/o J Martin Eily Shanahan, Fermoy, c/o N Fitzgerald Cliona Crowley, c/o Jo McGann Conor McCarthy, Ballydaw, c/o B McCarthy Next draw will be on Monday night next at Peddlar’s Rock Bar, Castlelyons, The jackpot will be €11,200.
Eochaill a draw against one of the most formidable sides in the league.
EOCHAILL: Pat Mackey; Mihéal Cronin, Paul O’Driscoll, Stephen Twomey; Paul Kelly, John Grace, Brendan O’Sullivan; Ken Dempsey, Damien Ring; Jonathan Ormonde, Aaron Kenny; Brendan Ring; James O’Mahony, Barry Ring, Adrian Curtin. SUBS: Conor O’Sullivan for Adrian Curtin (41) Kieran O’Mahony for Jonathan Ormonde (51) Paul O’Sullivan for Paul Kelly (54) BÁINISTEOR: Peter Queally REF: James Bermingham (Bride Rovers)
Youghal’s East Cork JFL Division 2 match against Castlemartyr was postponed, and also the Youghal Minor Footballers match versus Passage was also postponed.
Lotto winner
Congratulations to Eleanor Barry who scooped the Youghal GAA Lotto Jackpot of €6,140. The lucky numbers were 1, 10, 13 and 25 comhgairdeas, next week’s jackpot is worth €2,500.
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Killeagh - Ita’s juvenile
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
THIS has been a busy, busy weekend of football fixtures, with our Minors, Fé 15, 14 and 13’s all in action.
Fé 14 Peil
Our Fé 14 footballers opened their league campaign on Friday night last, February 25th, with a visit to Carrigaline. Despite the heavy rain, Killeagh-Ita’s got off to a dream start with a well finished goal by corner forward, Jack O’Rourke, after 2 minutes. Sam Desmond and Darragh O’Brien added points soon after as the boys took control of the game. On 10 minutes a well worked move down the right wing ended with Jack Merkushev scoring a great goal. Further points by Sam Desmond and Aaron Walsh left the half time score 2.04 to 0.00 in favour of Killeagh-Ita’s. Carrigaline came at us at the start of the second half and were rewarded with a fine goal for their efforts. Despite this, the boys added to their tally with fine scores including goals for Cathal Deane and Darragh O Brien. The final score of the game was an expertly taken point by Jack O’Rourke. All in all, this was a good performance, with Christy Coughlan proving to be a safe pair of hands in goal. Further out Dan Landers and Eoin Fitzgibbon were outstanding in the half back line. Darragh O Brien worked tirelessly in midfield while Sam Desmond, Cathal Deane and Aaron Walsh played well in the forwards. At the final whistle, we peeled off our sodden jerseys, dried off and returned home with the league points. Final score: Carrigaline 1-00; Killeagh Ita’s 4-07.
Fé 18 Peil
Pilmore was the venue for our Saturday games (Minors & Fé 15’s). Our Minors were first up against the St. Michael’s lads. This turned out to be a game of two halves as again the weather played a big part. St. Michael’s opted to play with the extra man, (the wind!) in the opening half, cruised into an early lead and had secured a 1-10 lead at the break, leaving us to yet register a score and with a fight on our hands. With the wind now wearing the green jersey we set about pegging back their lead. We took control of this game and kept the ball in our opposition’s half, securing some fine scores. We slowly ate into their lead, and managed to come within a point of it, securing 2-6 in this half and holding our visitors scoreless. But alas it was not enough, as the final whistle sounded a little too soon for us. St. Michael’s took the spoils by the minimum, 1-10 to 2-6.
Fé 15 Peil
Our Fé 15 lads took to the sod at 4.15pm, this time welcoming the city boys of St Vincent’s. The opening half was closely contested, with the defence standing
firm for both teams, and scores hard to pick off, thus the 0-2 to 0-1 scoreline at the half time break. On the resumption we got a blistering start with two quick goals. This settled us and set us up for a great finish, which we executed in fine style, tapping over some lovely points (4) and again finding the St Vincent’s net and holding our opposition to just one point in this closing half. A 3-6 to 0-2 victory was recorded for the Killleagh-Ita’s boys.
Fé 13 Football
On Sunday morning last, February 27th, our Fé 13 footballers played their opening game of the season when they travelled to the Glen Rovers complex to play St. Nicholas in a league fixture. Despite being short a number of regulars, and playing the entire game with only fourteen players, the boys proved to be far too strong for the home side and came away with a comfortable victory. Well done lads!
Fé 14 Iomáint
On Saturday, February 19th, we travelled to Carrigeen, Co. Kilkenny to play John Locke’s of Callan in our second game of this 8-a-side all-weather pitch competition. After our good performance in the opening game we were brought back down to earth with a bang. The Kilkenny side swept into a commanding lead right from the throw in, and went on to dominate the game. Were it not for the excellence of Darren Cusack in our goal the half time score could have been much worse. On the resumption we played much better and can take some pride from the manner in which we approached the second half. Final score: John Lockes 12-09; Killeagh-Ita’s 502.
Sunday, February 26th saw us return to Carrigeen to play our final game against yet another Kilkenny side. This time the boys from Glenmore lay in wait. This game was a much more competitive affair than our last visit, with scores coming thick and fast. The game was in the balance until the final 5 minutes when the Kilkenny side grabbed 3-03 to put the game beyond our reach. Final score in this one was Glenmore 9-11, Killeagh-Ita’s 405. Best for Killeagh-Ita’s in this one were Darragh O’Brien, who
was outstanding at full back, and who was ably supported by Corey Broderick in the corner. Up front big Dan Landers was a constant threat, while Sam Desmond supported well from midfield. Many thanks to all parents and supporters who made the journey over the last three weekends to cheer on the lads. Thanks also to Hilary and the Carrigeen club for their hospitality.
Home comfort for Cork in National Football League CORK 1-15 MONAGHAN 1-12
DECLAN BARRON REPORTS FROM PÁIRC UÍ CHAOIMH
Indoor Hurling League concludes
Our six week session of U-12 hurling leagues concluded last Monday evening with all 8 teams playing their final game. Alec Fitzgerald and Cathal Mariga captained the Yellows 2 and Greens 1 teams respectively, who contested the final game, as their teams had won their sections on the penultimate night. In a cracking game, Richie Long and Paul Delaney led the scoring for the Yellow team, while Alec manned the defence admirably. Keane Kelly Budds, Dylan Hogan and Owen Cosgrove battled gamely for the Greens, but they were fairly beaten on a scoreline of 15 goals to 9 at the final whistle. Thanks to all the boys who participated in the league over the past 6 weeks – it is heartening to watch the gradual improvement in touch, confidence and contesting in all the boys. Many thanks also to all those who helped each night, and in particular to our referees Adrian, Colin and John, and to Ursula for overseeing that operations ran smoothly each evening.
Congratulations
Our Fé 10 coach, John Irwin, was absent for training on Saturday last, which is most unlike him. However, he had a good excuse as John became a dad for the first time on the previous day. We would like to send heartiest congratulations to John and to Niamh on the arrival of baby Seán, who will be starring for the Killeagh-Ita’s Fé 10 team in 2021, no doubt!
Upcoming fixtures
Saturday next, March 5th: Minor Football and Fé 13 football league games, both vs. Inniscarra in Inniscarra at 1.45p.m. Fé 15 Football League vs. Mayfield in Mayfield at 4pm.
Midleton Ladies Football hold Code Of Ethics course
MIDLETON Ladies Football Club were delighted to hold the East Cork Division Code of Ethics Course last Tuesday night in the GAA Pavilion. This was very well attended by the East Cork Clubs, with representatives from Youghal, Cloyne, Glanmire, St. Coleman‘s and Midleton. Midleton were delighted to hold this course which ran from 7pm to 10pm, and there were some good, open, discussions. We are thrilled this year to have Mairead Farmer as theCclub’s Children’s Officer. Mairead will be atending the Ladies club registration evening in the coming weeks.
One of the many aerial battles in midfield watched by referee, David Coldrick
THIS third round game in the Allianz National football league saw Cork play at home for the first time this season, and while only 1375 supporters paid in to see the All Ireland champions in action, they were rewarded with a fully deserved three point victory.
Cork will undoubtedly need to play better come championship time, but for now they are progressing nicely and this second brace of points keeps them very much in the mix for league honours. Cork, who was captained by Aghada’s Pierce O’Neill, opened brightly with Daniel Goulding and Fintan Gould raising early white flags as the rebels played with the breeze in the opening half. Pierce O’Neill had one of his best outings in attack and he showed great leadership throughout, slotting over two fine points as Cork looked to be in cruise control early on. Owen Duffy steadied the Monaghan attack with a good point from play, while Conor McManus slotted over a free as the visitors began to show some spirit. Indeed, a well worked goal saw Monaghan go in front as the Cork rearguard was again breached with Owen Duffy crashing the ball to the net. Daniel Goulding landed the equaliser before putting Cork in front, only for Paul Finlay to bring the visitors level for the only time in the game. As the game wore on Eoin Cadogan asserted his influence at the back and with Michael Shields and
Pierce O’Neill, who captained Cork, in action with Paddy Kelly who scored the Cork goal, impressive in attack
Paudie Kissane also doing well, the Cork defence looked a lot better than it did against Dublin last time out.
Cork had an early goal chance but Monaghan keeper, Mark Keogh, denied Paddy Kelly with a terrific save, and the Monaghan custodian was again called into action later in the half and he again proved equal to the task, with Kelly again denied. Pierce O’Neill fired Cork ahead with his third point of the half, but the Cork defence had another escape as Conor McManus fired wide when a goal looked to be on. After that let off the rebels struck for a goal when Paddy Kelly did well to squeeze his shot home, and while both sides added a further brace of points, Cork had done enough to lead by 1-9 to 1-5 at the interval.
On the resumption, Paddy Kelly stretched the Cork lead as Monaghan, now playing with the breeze, wasted a number of good chances. Owen Duffy, who was their best attacker, shot two points, while Paul Finlay also hit a brace in their best period, but Daniel Goulding kept Cork in front with a brace of his own before being replaced by Colm
O’Neill. With Donnacha O’Connor shooting over a magnificent point the home side remained in control, and while Dick Clerkin with two points and Dessie Mone with one, closed the gap the rebels responded with points from Colm O’Neill and Pierce O’Neill to secure another two valuable points. Next up for Cork will be a home game against Down, whom Cork defeated in the All Ireland Final, and that game should attract a full house to Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday March 12th. For Monaghan, it will be a visit from table toppers, Dublin.
CORK: P O’Neill and D Goulding 0-5 each, P Kelly 1-1, C O’Neill, D O’Connor, C O’Driscoll and F Gould 01 each. MONAGHAN: O Duffy 1-3, P Finlay 0-3, D Clerkin and C McManus 0-2 each, D Mone and C McGuinness 0-1 each. CORK: K O’Halloran, R Carey, E Cadogan, M Shields, C O’Driscoll, P Kissane, D O’Sullivan, A O’Connor, A Walsh, P O’Neill, P Kelly, F Gould, D Goulding, C Sheehan and D O’Connor. Subs used F Lynch, P O’Flynn, C O’Neill and N Murphy. MONAGHAN: M Keogh, K Duffy, D Hughes, C Walshe, J Turley, D Mone, D Hughes, D Clerkin, N McAdam, G Doogan, B McKenna, O Duffy, C McGuinness, P Finlay and C McManus. Subs used D Linehan and D Freeman. REFEREE: David Coldrick, Meath.
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
HealthUpdate From
Morning-after pill finally available without prescription WOMEN WHO require the morning-after pill will no longer have to obtain a prescription for it, following a decision by the Boots pharmacy chain to introduce a new emergency contraception service. The service is now available in all Boots pharmacies nationwide. It comprises a one-toone consultation with a pharmacist, provision of the medicine and advice on long-term contraception and sexual health. The all-in cost of the service will be €45, which is the same or less than just the cost of a GP visit to a private patient, which until now was required in order for a woman to get a prescription and then visit a pharmacist and pay for the medicine separately. According to the pharmacy chain, this new service is offered under a patient group direction (PGD), which allows Boots pharmacists to provide a range of clinical services, including medical treatments. All services are conducted under strict guidelines laid down its medical director, claims Boots Ireland. The emergency contraception service is the second PGD service to be rolled out by Boots Ireland, following the recent introduction of a flu vaccination service. Thechainpointedoutthatemergencyhormonal contraception is available over the counter (OTC) in pharmacists throughout Europe. The provision of emergency contraception has been licensed for use in Ireland since 2001, however until now, those who sought the service required
New poisons info service launched The National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) has launched a new telephone service aimed at advising members of the public, particularly parents, how to respond to accidents involving poisons. Calls from the public already account for around one in four of the 10,000 enquires received by the centre each year. The service will initially only be available from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. Outside of these hours, callers will be advised to contact their GP or local hospital. The number for the new service is (01) 809 2166.
Antibiotics – asthma link claimed Babies under six months who are prescribed antibiotics face up to a 70% greater risk of developing asthma, new research has found.
a doctor’s prescription. “This emergency contraception service has been introduced as part of Boots’ objective to provide responsible, accessible and affordable healthcare to its customers,” said Boots Ireland chief pharmacist, Mary Rose Burke. The pharmacy chain said that all pharmacists have completed in-depth training on all aspects of emergency contraception, long-term contraception and other sexual health issues. This incorporates a rigorous sign-off procedure that includes an assessment of their consultation skills. However GPs have expressed concern about the move. According to the Irish College of General Practitioners, it raises issues about the quality and continuity of care given to patients. In reality, however, many GPs are unavailable at night and at weekends, the times of highest demand for emergency contraception.
Has my drinking damaged my liver?
According to US scientists, these infants faced a 40% rise in risk after being prescribed a single course of treatment. The risk increased by 70% if other courses of drugs were to be given. The team believes that antibiotic use may alter microbial flora in the gut, thereby causing imbalances in the immune system and a poor allergic response, potentially leading to asthma.
Driving convertibles damages hearing Driving a convertible with the top down could damage your hearing, according to a new study. US scientists found that driving at speeds in excess of 88km per hour (55 miles per hour) put drivers at an increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Exposure to noise above 85 decibels for prolonged periods is not recommended and the higher the noise level, the shorter the recommended exposure time. At 120 km per hour (75 mph) the average noise exposure inflicted on the driver of a convertible car driven with the top down was 89.9 decibels.
I have recently stopped drinking after several years of drinking too much. I am 31. Could I have done permanent damage to my liver? The liver has some limited powers of recuperation. However if the level of alcohol consumption was very excessive, it is possible that the liver could have been permanently damaged. You can establish if your liver is working normally by a blood test. Your GP will take a blood sample and run liver function tests. This will measure various chemicals in the blood including specific liver enzymes. If the liver enzyme levels are high, this would indicate that some damage may have been done. The extent of that damage can be evaluated through further testing. If the enzyme levels are normal, you can take it all is well.
© irishhealth.com 2011
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Which football club broke the British transfer record in January 2011 by paying Liverpool F C £50million for Fernando Torres? | BBC Sport - Football - Torres makes record move from Liverpool to Chelsea
Torres makes record move from Liverpool to Chelsea
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Chelsea move a step forward - Torres
Chelsea have broken the British transfer record by paying a reported £50m to seal the capture of striker Fernando Torres from Liverpool.
The 26-year-old Spain international signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with the Blues.
"This is the target for every footballer - to try to play for one of the top clubs in the world," he said.
"They [Chelsea] are one of the biggest teams in Europe and are always fighting for everything."
The signing was pushed through shortly before the transfer deadline and came on a dramatic day, with Chelsea and Liverpool involved in the four biggest transfers of the day.
PHIL MCNULTY'S BLOG
The Anfield club looked to plug the gap left by Torres leaving by signing two strikers - Uruguayan Luis Suarez from Ajax for £22.7m and Andy Carroll from Newcastle for £35m.
Chelsea also brought in Benfica defender David Luiz for a reported fee of £21.3m.
But it will be the capture of Torres that sends out the strongest message that the club remain a force to be reckoned with in the transfer market.
Torres, a World Cup winner in 2010 and European champion in 2008 with Spain, spent three-and-a-half years at Liverpool after joining from Atletico Madrid for a fee of £20m, scoring 81 goals in 142 matches.
BIGGEST WORLD TRANSFERS
Man Utd-Real Madrid (July 2009)
2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (£56.5m)
AC Milan-Real Madrid (June 2009)
4. Fernando Torres (£50m)
Liverpool-Chelsea (Jan 2011)
"I'm so happy and proud to be here," added Torres, who is available to play in the Champions League having only featured in this season's Europa League and could face Liverpool in the league on Sunday.
"It's been two, three, four very hard days for me. I'm really happy - this is a great club. I'm prepared and ready for the challenge.
"I know there are many great players here and I will work hard to win a place in the team.
"I am looking forward very much to helping my new team-mates this season and for many years to come.
"It's my dream to win the Champions League and I'm sure I can, playing for Chelsea."
Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti has selected both Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka up front in four of Chelsea's last five league games.
606: DEBATE
Torres is a quality player and he is reaching his peak so for 50mill I believe we have a bargain
Andrew_S_95
The defending champions' only defeat in that period - a 1-0 reverse against Wolves - came when Anelka started the match on the bench.
"I am a big fan of all of the Chelsea strikers," said Torres of his competition for a striking berth.
"When I was very young I remember Anelka was playing for Arsenal. Obviously Drogba is the best striker in the world by far.
"It is a big responsibility for me to play alongside them because the level they have is so high."
Torres becomes the fourth most expensive signing in world football behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kaka.
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck added: "This is a very significant day for Chelsea, capturing one of the best players in the world with his peak years ahead of him.
"We have long admired the talents of a player who is a proven goalscorer in English football and Fernando's arrival is a sign of our continuing high ambitions. I hope every Chelsea fan is as excited as I am with this news."
The Reds rejected a £35m bid from Chelsea after Torres' transfer request was turned down on Friday.
Mark Lawrenson on deadline day activities at Liverpool
But with Torres clearly intent on a move away from Anfield the Reds finally accepted defeat and cashed in on their prize asset.
Manager Kenny Dalglish said earlier on Monday: "Movement is part and parcel of football but the most important people at Liverpool Football Club are the ones who want to be here."
Liverpool had been angered by the timing of Torres' transfer request last week and reportedly believe the London club "tapped up" the player by encouraging him to express a desire to leave.
Torres had a £50m release clause in his contract that entitled him to leave if the Merseysiders, who are seventh in the Premier League, failed to qualify for the Champions League this season.
Torres, who signed a six-year contract when he joined the Reds, had been linked with Chelsea before.
The west Londoners were reported to be interested in luring the Spaniard from Anfield in the summer of 2008 and made a bid in May 2010, but after helping Spain win the World Cup in June, Torres pledged his future to Liverpool.
He said at the time: "My commitment and loyalty to the club and to the fans is the same as it was on my first day when I signed."
Torres notched three hat-tricks in his first season at Liverpool, scoring 33 goals in 46 appearances, and netted the winner as Spain beat Germany 1-0 to win the European Championship in 2008.
Hamstring injuries plagued him during the 2008-09 season but he still managed 17 goals in 38 games, while groin problems and knee surgery disrupted his 2009-10 campaign, although he still managed to find the net 22 times in 32 games.
Torres picked up a World Cup winners' medal with Spain but he failed to score during the finals in South Africa and pulled up with an abductor problem in the final, having come on as an 89th-minute substitute in the 1-0 victory over the Netherlands.
He has endured an indifferent 2010-11 season, scoring only nine goals in 26 games.
Torres hits brace against Chelsea (UK users only)
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How many vertices (corners) has a regular dodecahedron (a dodecahedon is a 3D form with 12 faces)? | Transfer window deadline day - as it happened | Barney Ronay, Barry Glendenning and Rob Bagchi | Football | theguardian.com
Transfer window
Transfer window deadline day - as it happened
A huge day of deals with the British transfer record smashed twice in 17 minutes, Fernando Torres joining Chelsea for £50m and Andy Carroll signing for Liverpool for £35m
Monday 31 January 2011 08.00 GMT
Andy Carroll arrives at Liverpool's Melwood training ground. Photograph: Stringer/AFP/Getty Images
9.06am:
Hello and welcome to the most inane/exciting/gruesome/compelling/disappointing/cruelly hope-infused day of football's most frenzied month. I will be your host for most of it. "Host" is probably the right word too, in the sense of posessed, babbling in tongues, frothing with lunatic excitement and - who knows - perhaps even driven to hurling any passing preists out of my second floor window by the end of it.
9.15am:
Please do send me your emails, or you can tweet me at twitter.com/ barneyronay if you like.
Some early guff from Jules in Brisbane: "My uncle's former roomates' dog walker works on the Brighton pier. Apparently a press conference has been set up to announce Torres's arrival at Brighton & Hove Albion. He is longing for Championship football and it looks like Liverpool will no longer provide that next season"
See? It's not exactly hard.
9.16am:
Nothing really happening yet update: nothing has really happened yet.
The only real activity of the day to date: Paulo da Silva has left Sunderland for Real Zaragoza
May I join with you in saying. Erm. Good luck with that then. Sometimes goodbye can be the hardest word of all. But only when it involves actually knowing someone was there in the first place.
9.25am:
People we will be talking about a lot today:
Andy Carroll (will go to Spurs?)
Fernando Torres (can he escape?)
Sergio Aguero (will he go to Spurs?)
And also, apparently, waddling goal-ace Lero Lita:
"I just got off a train at Bristol Temple Meads only to see Leroy Lita at the security gate wearing pver sized headphones and a crisp white purffer jacket. When asked by another passenger what he was doing in Bristol he replied ' I am coming home....'" So says Jim in Bristol.
9.31am:
A "funny" from Tony Brady: "My Auntie works for a well known greetings cards chain and has just rung me in a terrible fluster. As she was preparing to open this morning, she heard frantic knocking at the front of the shop. She peered out to be greeted by the gloomy face of Liverpool's Steven Gerrard clawing at the window. She quickly allowed him access to the premises where he explained that he needed a card urgently. As he frenziedly perused the racks of reasonably priced cards, she noticed him wipe a small tear from his cheek whilst humming a Phil Collins classic . He eventually came to the till and she couldn't help but notice the front of the card which read, "Good Luck in Your New Job!". Could it be true? Has someone managed to land the hard working, yet ineffective Dirk Kuyt?"
9.32am:
There's masses of it out there. Rumour chaff and rumour thicket. It's sprouting like Russian Vine on steroids: "After Spurs defensive display yesterday Harry Redknapp is looking to sure things up with a new right back & Chimbonda has been spotted at the Lodge this morning and told my dad who was walking his dog that he is having a medical." So says Will Morris in Reading. And Ian Copestake points out: "The Exorcist seems an appropriate reference in view of the extent to which Torres' head has been turned."
9.34am:
Tong Gilfoyle has some Celtic blurt: "Hello, apparently we're in for Danny Gabbidon, Shane Long and/or Faye from Stoke." Shane Long. Is he the one who stood at the back in Westlife and looked sad during the slow songs?
9.36am:
Oivind is sad: "The thing that really bothers me with Torres, though I think I am coming to terms with it today thanks to spending an hour on the phone with my psychologist (ok, some stranger on the tube I think was listening), is that I thought he was different. Sounds like something you would say about someone cheating on you, I know, but come on: He said he would stay! He really did! He says he's a Liverpool fan, for god's sake, and then he wants to go to the most soulless club in Britain. What the hell?"
On the other hand: he's one of the best players in the world and he wants to win at least one club trophy before he gives up. Take his goals, take his profit, let him go I say.
9.38am:
Tim in Cambridge, who no doubt doesn't agree that Chelsea are "the most soulless club in the country" retorts: "My mind is a febrile mess today. This whole thing is bringing back horrible memories of the Robinho saga a few years ago. My rational brain is saying £50m for a footballer is ridiculous, but on the other hand it might be worth it just to avoid the horrific embarrassment of not getting Torres now." Who cares really. It's only Siberian fossill fuel money that otherwise wouldn't otherwise be entering the British economy. Maybe we can keep a couple of libraries open now with the treasury skim.
9.41am:
OK. I'm going to chase down a few rumour leads. Don't forget, as well as the usual snidey comments you will get all the moves as they happen here, plus the first hints that something interesting might be about to happen.
9.48am:
Some news: Tuncay is apparently having a medical at Wolfsburg. James Richardson, to my left, comments: "that's it. That alters the paradigm". He may be just joking though. Shaunkrish via Twitter asks: "is Sturridge's Bolton move confirmed?" No. It isn't.
9.55am:
But I can reveal that Obafemi Martins, 46, is talking to Birmingham City. Talking, presumably, about sprinting around up front looking slightly panicked and occasionally hoofing one in improbably.
9.56am:
Breaking news: Paul Konchesky has gone on loan to Nottingham Forest. It's huge.
9.58am:
A baseless but compelling rumour: "Word around these parts is that Steve Clarke is using his Jose connection to land Canales on loan until the end of the season." These parts are Liverpool. Funny isn't it, the real challenge with transfer deadline day is perspective. Sifting through the guff for the slightly more important guff. Perhaps we should have a ranking system. For example, that last piece of news was roughly as interesting as reading a slightly water-damaged two week old Sunday newspaper style magazine.
10.04am:
A Joke! Dave Gill writes: "Liverpool FC have just made a £20 million bid for Andy Murray … Kenny Dalglish said he has never witnessed anybody hit the net so many times in 90 minutes." Meanwhile Sky have just reported from Chelsea's training ground that "there is an expectation Fernando Torres will become a Chelsea player". Does that mean anything?
10.05am:
Harry Redknapp is doing one of those interviews through his car window. The interviewer keeps mentioning players' names, to which he says "yeah... Great player..." or "Like him. Yeah". He denied knowing anything about the Sergio Aguero rumour. He also said injury's Jonathan Woodgate is not going out on loan because they now need him.
10.08am:
Nikcub via Twitter says Liverpool have now removed all promotional Fernando Torres stuff from the club website. Get them. On another note Loig Thivend writes: "On another note, these Nani + 12 million for Gourcuff rumours just won't go away... " That isn't going to happen really though is it?
10.10am:
Ian Ashbee is leaving Hull City. Oh yes. Real actual news. I'm not sure where he's going yet. Celtic are definitely "interested" in singing Abdoulaye Faye from Stoke Neil Lennon says. And just to update you on the latest Torres whispers: Liverpool. will apparently sell him if they get a £50m cash bid today. You would wouldn't you? That's 2009-form money in 2011.
10.16am:
I'm drowning in emails, Tweets, sweatily-tendered rumours and guff on the telly. Time to wade into your thoughts: Mark in Peterborough mongers: "It's not the most glamorous of deadline day spots but I work in the offices at London Road and it appears that Sir Alex is helping out his little boy again (and might be showing the first signs of giving up on a certain Portuguese). Bebe and the lesser known Magnus Eikrem are here looking to confirm loan deals."
10.18am:
Richard Powell, along with others, points out that you can in fact still buy Torres merchandise on the Liverpool website. He also says: "Ayala has gone to Derby on loan."
10.19am:
James Harvey writes: "Just had a text from a mate who works at Heathrow. Lisandro Lopez has just been seen in Arrivals at Heathrow T4. Internet reports are suggesting Spurs for 30 million euros." That's good. very good. And some confirmed news : Daniel Sturridge is having a medical at Bolton.
10.20am:
OK, Kenny Dalglish is doing a live TV interview. Stay tuned for updates on his pronouncements.
10.21am:
Kenny confirms the Konchesky to Forest and Ayala to Derby stories. He also confirms Suarez has signed.
10.21am:
He's sticking to the club statement on Torres. So still up in the air that one. And that's all he's going to say about that. Fair enough Kenny. Audible sighs of disappointment on the Sky Sports News feed.
10.23am:
Rory Murphy has the goods on Eikrem: "Tell Mark in Peterborough to recheck his facts – Eikrem was sold to Molde in Norway (where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is manager) a few weeks ago."
10.25am:
A plaintive transfer day story from Ibrahim Yusuf: "Sat in portacabins on a construction site in the middle of nowhere in Dubai hoping, just hoping Torres stays. Its going to be a long day (and night for me as 11pm means 3am over here)." And Sam in Brisbane is feeling bruised and sad but also a little wiser: "Torres to Chelsea feels like the moment when all your childhood fantasies were completely undermined. Santa, The Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy get revealed as frauds and some time later you realise you don't win trophies by being a romantic at sticking with clubs like Athletico and Liverpool. Pity reality has to be so stark and brutal. Now losing a tooth costs me a couple of hundred at the dentist, Christmas brings increasingly diminishing returns and poor Torres will have to pretending to like John Terry and Ashley Cole."
10.28am:
So. What do we know so far?
We know that Paul Konchesky has gone to Forest. That, to date, is pretty much what this is all about.
We know that Fernando Torres has not gone to Chelsea, but that he might do before that day is out. Nobody is actually ruling it out.
And we know Daniel Sturridge is currently coughing for the doctor at Bolton.
10.31am:
The rest is all snurk and counter-snurk. For example, Vennlig Hilsen writes: "Maximillian Haas from Bayern Munich to Middlesbrough". And why not?
10.33am:
Some pictures of Robbie Keane arriving at West Ham for training. He;s wearing a long shimmery blue scarf and a tweedy mixed-fibre overcoat and he looks like an expensively-styled Hollywood musical depiction of a cheerful Victorian tramp.
10.37am:
Dalglish also said on Ashley Young: "we're not going to talk about someone else until he's our player." Which sounds fairly hopeful that he might be.
10.38am:
Kaspar Nymand interjects: "The Danish media are reporting that Aalborg have a surprise trick up their sleeve as they plan to reveal Celtic flop Morten "Duncan" Rasmussen on loan. He is already on loan (and on the bench) at Mainz in Germany, so I doubt many Celtic fans will even notice." He also points out that ""Vennlig Hilsen" [10.31] means "Kind regards" in Norwegian and Danish". What a lovely name.
10.43am:
Hello, Barney has gone to lunch. Or maybe record Football Weekly. I just walked in and was told "to be Barney". Meanwhile, news from our man in the field than Stephen Warnock may be on his way to Liverpool on loan to cover Paul Konchesky's absence.
10.49am:
"Stephen Warnock may be on his way to Liverpool on loan to cover Paul Konchesky's absence," says Michael Ryan. "Isn't that replacing an average left with an average left back don't see the point." Look every side needs an average full-back. It's a Premier League law. What do you think the point of Tony Hibbert is?
10.51am:
Here's Adam Leach: "Having watched the interview with Kenny Dalglish I can't help thinking that his reminder about Carragher coming back into the squad was a clear message to Torres, the sentiment being: 'If you want to leave son, you're free to do so, but just be aware that you're first game will put you up against a very angry Jamie Carragher.'" In other news, Mikael Forssell went to Nobu last night and had some sushi fot starters. It was excellent.
10.53am:
Don't listen to Twitter, say Sky: Liverpool deny they have accepted an offer for Torres.
10.56am:
Justin Nolan has news of some intergalactic transfer dealings: "I've heard rumours that Liverpool are going to do a straight swap for Jay Spearing with a Sontaran from the Doctor Who television series ." Ah, the comedy lookalike: a transfer deadline staple.
10.59am:
In case you missed them, here's Kenny Dalglish on Torres to/not to Chelsea: "We've not brought anyone in as a replacement for anyone else," said Dalglish, as he passed my desk on the way to the coffee machine. "Movement is part and parcel of football but the most important people at Liverpool Football Club are the ones who want to be here."
11.01am:
First rule of lazy journalism: when there's no news, print a Gary Naylor email. "Sky, unusually for them, are missing a trick. The NFL and IPL have shown the way with auctions for players and all the attendant razzamatazz that goes with it. Killing two birds with one stone, Sky could also address their recent problems by balancing off sexism through having the players under the hammer parade in bathing costumes and evening dress. Richard Keys could take the David Vine role, lovingly describing "Mr Liverpool's" ambition to work towards world peace, while Andy Gray could intervene with his vital (Opta) statistics. The whole thing could be run out of Blackpool Tower Ballroom, which might just be free on a Monday in January." I don't see Tony Hibbert working towards world peace.
11.04am:
Villa say Ashley Young is not for sale. "I see the propaganda war has already begun between the two main propagators of transfer blablabla: Sky and Twitter," says Ethan Dean-Richards. "I fancy Sky to beat Twitter today actually, but I think the outcome we all want is fisticuffs with casualties on both sides."
11.07am:
There are pictures of Luis Suárez arriving at Liverpool's training ground. I can confirm he hasn't got Andy Carroll or Ashley Young stuffed under his shirt.
11.08am:
Surreal scene on Sky as their man outside the Spurs ground just shouts the names of random footballers in Harry Redknapp's face:
"SERGIO AGUERO!"
[Pause for thought, then negative face wobble]
11.15am:
Our man in Liverpool, Andy Hunter, says the offer from Liverpool for Carroll was £25m but has been rebuffed.
11.16am:
Thanks, Tom Lutz. Barney Ronay back with you for the crucial pre-lunch session. You can, again email me at the above address or tweet me if you like on twitter.com/barneyronay .
11.19am:
Some interesting news there from our top north-west correspondent Andy Hunter. In a similar vein legendary Guardian-Observer news-hound Jamie Jackson hears on his grape-vine that West Ham could be in for an as-yet unnamed defender, with Danny Gabbidon also on his way out today.
11.22am:
And while we're at it the acknowledged voice of Scottish fitba Ewan Murray has this: "Celtic set to step up long-term interest in Abdoulaye Faye at Stoke. Probable loan deal until summer. Celtic will also try again with a bid for Notts Forest's Kelvin Wilson, who they have on a pre-contract anyway. Forest holding out for £600k. Neil Lennon desperate for one, probably two, centre-halves. Also keen on a striker but might be priced out of a move for Shane Long (2.5-3mil) at Reading. Speculation linked Conor Sammon of Kilmarnock (whom Derby also want) with Celtic a couple of weeks ago but this was denied, back then... Expect a few fringe departures from Celtic, Marc Crosas the most likely to move on. Rangers also seeking a defender. Andre Bikey may be that man. Hibs captain Derek Riordan may be on the move- hasnt been seen at the club since Wednesday night's loss to Rangers. Linked with Burnley in the recent past, out of contract in the summer..."
11.23am:
Ewan Murray extra: "...and Rangers could be prepared to let James Beattie go, if any takers back in England."
11.24am:
Just been up in the Football Weekly studio where the pod are currently, ahem, smashing it. I did a quick bit on Crawley Town and found myself weirdly sticking up for Steve Evans. Meanwhile Alex Carey writes: "A friend with "insider" info tells me Andy Carroll is al set for a move to Arsenal? Shall I slap him for talking rubbish?" Yeah probably.
11.26am:
Ken Williams has this inside-sniff: "Apparently SAF hasn't sacked Ravel Morrison yet because he thinks he may get an offer today. Hibs are being talked about as a possible place for him." The mind boggles.
11.29am:
Alkesh Mistry lies: "Reliable source from within Anfield, apparently Iniesta is on his way in from Catalunya. Arrving at John Lennon airport at circa 14.30. Swap deal for Torres is imminent my friend!" No it isn't. But I like your general vision of the world. Latest news by the way is that Aston Villa have not received any bids for Ashley Young. And Man City are definitely not signing Fernando Torres. Man not doing something shock.
11.35am:
Some flesh on those bare, but fascinating, bones from Jamie Jackson: "Despite Liverpool's reported interest Aston Villa's Ashley Young is not for sale though whether a sizeable bid in the £20m-plus region from the Merseyside club may cause Gerard Houllier, the manager, and Randy Lerner, to reconsider is moot. Stephen Warnock, the left-back, may move on loan to Liverpool after Paul Konchesky signed for Nottingham Forest on a temporary basis until the close of the season. Stephen Ireland, the Villa midfielder, is currently at Newcastle United having a medical with a view to a loan deal and Michael Bradley, the Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder, is currently at Aston Villa undergoing a medical and may complete his move soon."
11.37am:
More news on West Ham too: according to our finely-placed source Tal Ben Haim may be West Ham's defensive signing. He will cost an amazing £2m; Portsmouth are desperate to get his amazing £37,000-a-week off their payroll.
11.41am:
On Twitter Grizz9999 blurts: "I'm a postman at Huddersfield's galpharm stadium... I've spotted Kevin Phillips outside." He's always hanging around there. Evan Farrell emails: "Paddy Madden of Bohemians FC in Dublin off to Carlisle on permanent move. According to RTE (official state) Radio morning report."
11.44am:
Jon Baker has these harsh words: "There are some harsh (but funny) words about Ian Ashbee in the comments section of the Hull Daily Mail... "Make no mistake Ian Ashbee will go down in history as the clubs greatest ever captain. Even he couldnt have dreamt that when he left Cambridge Utd on a free transfer that he would end up captaining City to the Premier league, be driving about in a Bentley, earning £20,000 a week. and still being two stone over weight. Which, sadly is the hard facts. Thanks Ash, time for pastures new mate.""
11.45am:
Si Quick writes: "Just seen Emile Heskey in Newcastle....although he was aiming for Middlesbrough." And on Twitter the lovely-sounding Craptown suggests the Andy Carroll to Liverpool deal was called off when NUFC threatened to throw in Shola Ameobi as a "sweetener". A little harsh on the hulking Toon goal-ace. Fascinating that Liverpool bid for Carroll. Seems slightly desperate and impulsive to me.
11.49am:
Sam from Brisbane has this keen piece of analysis: "Life must be a bit boring for an Arsenal fan on transfer deadline day. They can all have a lie in while Arsene Wenger follows Angelina Jolie out into the world and starts purchasing babies he likes the look of to take back to North London and rear on the Castrol Index." Dominic Toms points out that "Rohan Ricketts has signed for Liverpool apparently", at least according to his Wikpedia page .
11.54am:
Just to be clear: that Liverpool bid for Carroll was £30m. £30m! He's a decent enough gangling junior targetman. But give him a chance. £30m! Harry Wassell has this: "Just had a call from a sheffield wednesday insider saying that Lee "the-balti-boy" Hughes has been met by Alan Irvine and Milan mandaric. Talk of a £250000 2 year deal with £10k, 20 poppadums, 11 lamb bhunas and unlimited onion bhajis a week." Mmm. Lamb bhuna.
11.59am:
So... Fernando Torres still hasn't gone anywhere. Ashley Young isn't looking like going anywhere. The Aguero thing was basically made up. And Liverpool have tried to buy Andy Carroll, which suggests Torres will may have, by the end of the day, done one. Meanwhile Luke P has this: "Just seen Dennis Wise, with the big man himself Andy Scott outside Griffin Park! Good things come to those who wait Dennis!"
12.02pm:
Yvonne Fletcher, once, famously, of this parish, writes (along with several other people): "Sticking up for Steve Evans? That's not weird, that's perverse. Now I'll have to listen to the podcast to find out why on earth you'd want to do that. Keep an eye out for Andy Drury on the move from Luton to Ipswich/some other championship club."
Yeah. I guess Evans just seemed genuinely contrite about the whole Boston thing. I did feel a bit sorry for him. It was ten years ago.
12.05pm:
Peter Armstrong writes: "My Mother works as Karen Bradys secretary and apparently they are in advanced talks to sign Pablo Aimar from Benfica on loan. She knows nothing about football and won't have a clue who that is so must be some truth in it." Er. Won't Mrs Armstrong now be sacked for breach of confidentiality or something. Still. Ne'er mind, eh?
12.08pm:
Adam from Lancaster has a semi-serious piece of rumour: "My dad, who being from Liverpool knows pretty much everyone is also on the Guardian and he's just been told by a lad who lives outside Melwood that theres a lot of buzz about the name Benitez, not Rafa but Christian." There you go then. Knows everyone in Liverpool and also "on the Guardian". Must be true.
12.11pm:
Hang on! Anon writes: "I can confirm that Fernando Torres is staying. You heard it first from an Liverpool insider." Kenny? Sammy?... Is that you Sammy?
12.12pm:
Harry Redknapp is still saying no one's coming in or going out at Spurs today. He's obviously lying. Duncan Bishop muses: "Re. Peter Armstrong's claim. His mother works as Karen Brady's secretary? Do me a favour, love." Indeed. Ironical and humorous non-sexism there.
12.15pm:
Adam Leach is throwing his hands up in the air: "Just as I was beginning to believe that the new owners and the return of Dalglish was going to bring about a sense of perspective at my beloved club they go and offer £30m for a guy who can't even sit on a stool. If we sell Torres we need to use the money smartly to build a stronger squad, we definitely do not need to spank a record transfer fee on someone who could well rival the likes of Djibril Cisse and Robbie Keane for the honour of being our worst knee-jerk purchase." Bit harsh on Carroll. But it is a massive gamble if you already don't have much money. In my opinion Carroll is only ever going to be worth less than £30m in the future.
12.17pm:
Phil Spooners asks: "Have you seen any evidence of Brazilian newspapers linking West Ham with Roberto Carlos? I keep being told about it but I've seen nothing." No. I like it though.
12.18pm:
Ole Martin Reime says "Vennlig Hilsen". He also says "Leeds United, once known as Super Leeds have sent Frederico Bessone on loan to Charlton."
12.19pm:
And this just in: Ian Dennis on Five live says that Torres has been sold to Chelsea. It may be just a rumour. He also might just have the goods ahead of everyone else. But there it is anyway.
12.23pm:
On the other hand Roderick Kenny, who sounds suspiciously like a Kenny Dalglish alias, writes: "My dad works in the administration support team for Comolli and apparently all the focus today is on bringing in at least two new players and the chances of Torres leaving are 'highly unlikely'". Sky Sports are still saying Liverpool have rejected Chelsea's latest offer.
12.25pm:
Paul Ttereve argues: "Surely the Carroll deal is just the kind of deal that Liverpool should be making. He made a hugely impressive England debut and whilst obviously a diamond in the rough he exhibits all the signs of being a hugely talented footballer and he's YOUNG too." Yes, sure. It's just too much money. I can understand Man city paying that much for him, but then they also probably shop in Waitrose and only ever buy expensive deli-style sandwiches on fancy non-crap bread. Liverpool are more Tesco and perhaps the occasional fancy coffee.
12.30pm:
David Howarth writes: "Just seen James Richardson on the number 58 bus getting off in front of The Times HQ…" AC Jimbo doesn't "do" buses. Plus I believe he is currently on his way to local BBC TV-land to do his local BBC TV.
12.32pm:
The inexplicably convincing Anon again writes: "Having some good laughs about Torres deal is done. I can guarantee Torres is staying however ONLY a 60 Mill deal might change the the circumstances slightly to selling." For some reason I kind of want to believe him/her. He/she seems to know something.
12.34pm:
Cillian writes: "My brother texted me that ''Rossi who used to play for United has checked in''. He works in Heathrow. Spurs??" Harry did says "excellent player" when a Sky reporter blurted Rossi's name at him earlier today.
12.35pm:
This is good from Andrew Holden: "My brother works as a Hospitality Manager at Elland Road and has just rung me to say that he was showing some clients around the building when he overheard two Executives talking in the canteen about Fulham's Andrew Johnson having agreed personal terms this morning with Leeds. He tried to get closer to hear more but was seen by the Execs, who then moved away." Grrr. Those execs.
12.37pm:
Chris Hollindale writes: "Given the rumours about Roberto Carlos, surely it would only be right to post a link to the fantastic goal he scored for Corinthians the other week?" I'd be asking questions about the goalkeeper. He seems to be going for a walk.
12.41pm:
On sandwiches-as-transfer-metaphor Robert Marriott suggests: "Liverpool might be more of a Tesco club, or even Morrisons. Trouble is, Chelsea are dangling a voucher for Harrod's, and Liverpool are too busy trying to find some presentable trousers to worry about what they'll buy when they get there." On Twitter danprice_md writes: "any news on Everton? Can it really be this depressing?" No. And yes.
12.43pm:
This stuff just goes on and on, endlessly recycling itself for ever. It's like I've been mail-bombed. It is physically impossible for me to read all your emails. Maybe you could do me a favour and if you're actually secretly Sammy Lee or Joe Jordan or a leading football agent you could say so in the subject line, perhaps in capitals. Otherwise it's all stuff like this from Richard Scannell: "I'm almost certain I just saw CSKA's Keisuke Honda rather messily eating a cinnamon roll in the back of an audi limo just near Bruce Castle Park by White Hart Lane. "
12.48pm:
Tom Davies suggests that Torres has "just left the training ground in a helicopter in the last few minutes, although the destination has not been confirmed." Keith adds: "My little cousin's boss (they work at Heathrow) has just told her that Grafite of Wolfsburg has just gone past with a Spurs official. Make of that what you will..."
12.53pm:
Davebaileyessex on Twitter writes: "Marca claiming Spurs have bid for Forlan again". And Mirrorfootball are also reporting the Torres-leaves-in-a-helicopter story. Presumably he doesn't always leave training in a helicopter. Shades of Kevin Keegan there. I'd guess he's going off somewhere to discuss whether to leave or not/has just said goodbye. and on that dramatic note I'm going to hand over for the next couple of hours to a fired-up Barry Glendenning, who is literally raring to get his teeth into this and other huge stories of the day. Please email him now.
1pm: Good afternoon all. Glendenning here, sitting in for Barney Ronay, who's gone to find a bridge from which to hurl himself, having recently decided that a life spent reporting that a young Spanish man may or may not be in helicopter is no life at all. It's certainly not one he has any interest in living, and who can blame him. Send your emails to [email protected] or Tweet me to within an inch of my worthless life here .
1.04pm: M'learned colleague Paul Hayward is currently featuring on Twitter's "top[ tweets" section: "Andy Carroll will never - repeat never - be worth more than these offers, so Newcastle are either 1. deluded or 2. ambitious. Hope it's 2," he writes. Hopefully.
1.07pm: This much we know. Robbie Keane has a nice blue coat. Fernando Torres might be in a helicopter. Daniel Sturridge is doing a medical at Bolton. Newcastle have turned down a £30m - £30m! - bid from Liverpool for Andy Carroll.
1.10pm: I can categorically confirm that Fernando Torres is not - repeat not - in a helicopter. According to Sky's man on the spot, he left Liverpool's training ground in a car. Barney Ronay is absolutely devastated that I've scooped him him in the race to bring our readers news pertaining the kind of conveyance in which Fernando is being ferried about.
1.14pm:
" can't believe we've offered £30m for Carroll, that has to be a lie," writes Paul Bernie, echoing the sentiments of many. "If we had, Newcastle would take it, wouldn't they? I mean, wouldn't they?! They would though, wouldn't they? Yes, they would." I think Paul needs a lie-down.
1.15pm:
Sky's man outside Chelsea's training ground has just reported that Nicolas Anelka arrived for training this morning in a car, but has little else of interest to report. He says Chelsea are refusing to comment on their reported interest in Fernando Torres, but that their deal with Benfica for David Luiz could be resurrected today.
1.17pm:
"Venky's have made an audacious bid to bring Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo to Blackburn from Corinthians," writes Jimbo Harvey, who sounds like he knows what he's talking about but may be a fantasist. "They heard of the Carlos deal from an earlier West Ham rumour and they have jumped on it - making it very clear that they need to make landmark signings as soon as possible."
1.20pm:
On Sky Sports News, Charlotte Jackson has just made the world a better place by introducing footage of Bolton manager Owen Coyle being very non-commital about Daniel Sturridge's move from Chelsea. He goes on to say that Bolton won't be selling anyone today.
1.22pm:
After Coyle's interview, Sky Sports News show an interview with David Moyes, in which he speaks quite a few words, but says absolutely nothing. Nothing. It's time to start waterboarding these taciturn Scotsmen.
1.25pm:
This from BBC football correspondent Dan Roan on Twitter: "Reliably informed that talks on image rights and salary (approx 175k/week) are all that remains for Torres deal to be completed," he Tweets.
1.25pm:
"Lots of talk about where James Beattie might be heading," says Sky's Ed Chamberlin, exaggerating slightly. James Beattie is heading to Blackpool.
1.28pm:
"Nicola Legrottaglie has signed for Milan from Juve," writes Thomas Kelly, who may be making it up. "In keeping with their policy of only signing young players, Nicola is a mere 34," he adds.
1.29pm:
"My mum who is a nurse in a maternity ward said she just saw Arsene Wenger being given the key to the radiology records room," writes Ruairi Sparks, who may be making it up. "He will be spending the next 7 hours pouring through ultrasound sonograms of promising youngsters kicking their way through the third trimester."
1.29pm:
Sky Sports News have just reported on cricket. Cricket?!?!? On Transfer Deadline Day? Madness. For anyone who's interested, Stuart Broad's knack is clearing up nicely.
1.32pm:
No Transfer Deadline Day would be complete without input from cynicism's Gary Naylor, so please be upstanding for the great man. "I'm quite happy for Everton not to piss £30M up the wall in the hope of getting from about tenth to about fifth and the chance to play boring Europa league matches against IFK Sheepshaggers of the Faroe Islands and their ilk," he snipes. "I'd rather see the likes of Coleman, Rodwell and Anichebe given an extended run in the side and a chance to prove themselves as regulars. Without oil money, what club can make a realistic pitch to join the oligarchy squatting fatly season-in, season-out atop the Premier League?"
1.35pm:
"Aston Villa say Ashley Young is not for sale and they haven't received a bid for the winger," says boyishly handsome Ed Chamberlin. I believe Ed, but I don't know if I believe Aston Villa.
1.37pm:
"My dad is a retired chartered accountant," writes David Hopkins. "He doesn't have any transfer gossip as far as I know, but I wanted to contribute to today's traditional sharing of parents' occupations." My father is a vet. As in veterinary surgeon, not a grizzled former soldier who suffers flashbacks to his harrowing time in Saigon.
1.39pm:
Hats off to David McAllister, who has just made me laugh out loud. "Re: Beattie going to Blackpool," he writes. "The last time Holloway signed a fat and apparently useless Rangers player it worked out pretty well for him. Should we also expect a cheeky bid for Andy Goram?"
1.40pm:
Some actual concrete news: Sergio Aguero has inked a new deal with Atletico Madriod and is not going to Tottenham Hotspur or anywhere else. "I'm staying because I want to," he is reported to have said. So now we know ...
1.41pm:
Preston North End-supporting Guardian racing hack Tony Paley isn't in the office today, almost certainly because he's sitting at home waiting to see if Ian Ashbee is moving to Deepdale from Hull City. It looks like it's gonna happen, Paley! Free transfer. Eighteen month contract. you heard it here first.
1.42pm:
Luis Suarez will be handed the vacant Liverpool No7 shirt, once filled by his new manager, Kenny Dalglish. No pressure, Luis.
1.45pm: "Up until last week my dad was a Quantity Surveyor, and had been for 30 years," writes David Britton. "I still have no idea whatsoever what a Quantity Surveyor is or what one does. Seems like a perfect opportunity to seek confirmation. PS Have Huddersfield signed anyone yet? I think I already know the answer." Beyond looking at stuff and deciding whether or not there's much of it, I have no idea what quantity surveyors do either.
1.48pm:
I can unexclusively reveal that occasional Rangers striker James Beattie is undergoing a medical at Blackpool. Meanwhile, this from Bernard Keenan. "I'm perhaps one of the few Liverpool fans happy to see the club cashing in on a striker who is now approaching 'Chelsea age' with 'Chelsea legs', while cutting the wage bill and making a huge profit by anyone's standards in the process," he writes. "Just hope we don't piss it up the wall by paying over the odds on deadline day for a rushed replacement. Carroll's unlikely to rise in value over the coming years. Stick the cash in an ISA then buy up next bright young 22-year-old come July."
1.50pm:
Some actual, bona fide deadline day tittle-tattle from our man in Madrid, Sid Lowe. "I cant stand it strongly yet," he whispers, tapping his nose. "But I'm getting told that Forlan to Spurs is back on [Harry] Redknapp's mind." Forlan to Tottenham Hotspur? Interesting.
1.52pm:
"A friend of a friend (of a friend of etc.) works for Tottenham
communications dept and tells me Gary Neville is scheduled for a medical at
4pm," writes Mick from Brighton. "Harry, why? He really is like a single guy at the end of the disco, desperately asking women to dance, regardless of how lame/ugly/useless (in
GN's case, all three) they are." Is there a man among us who hasn't been that single guy?
1.54pm:
"I had my work experience at a quantity surveyors," writes Daniel Fitzgerald. "I had to phone customers and get their addresses, but I'm pretty sure that's not all they do."
1.55pm:
"A quantity surveyor is a person brought in to estimate how many more players it will take for Man City to finish 4th in the Premiership," purrs Tom Rooney.
1.58pm:
I've been in the hotseat for an hour now. In that time, we've learned that Ferrnando Torres is not in a helicopter, James Beattie is coughing for the doctor at Blackpool and Ian Ashbee is probably going to Preston. I'm not sure how much more of this impossibly glasmourous work I can do without fainting from excitement.
2.01pm:
Standing outside Liverpool's training ground, Sky reporter Richard Graves reminds us that Newcastle have rejected a £30m bid for Andy Carroll and that Kenny Dalglish has said he won't be discussing any of their transfer wheeling-dealing until the club has something concrete to report. On the subject of Fernando Torres, Graves says the player turned up for training this morning at 9am and left at 1pm. In a car. Not a helicopter.
2.04pm:
Outside Chelsea's training ground, Craig Slater says "a reliable Sky source" has told him that Fernando Toirres will be arriving at Cobham in a helicopter in ther next 30 minutes.
2.06pm:
More glamour. "I've just spotted Tony Hibbert in Barnstaple Town market (next to Butchers Row)," writes Gethin Jones. "I was with my girlfriend but she didn't know who he was. I tried taking a picture of him with my phone but my girlfriend pulled my arm back to stop me. She said I was being rude and that I should respect his privacy. Why did she bother? She doesn't even know who he is! Could this mean a move to Exeter City FC?"
2.07pm:
"Since retiring, my father has followed the traditional British course of inventing stuff in his shed," writes Robert Marriott. "I can therefore break the news, exclusively, that he designed the jetpack that is currently hurtling Fernando Torres out of Anfield and in the general direction of south. Expect him to sign for wherever he lands before the day is out. Possibly somewhere near Cape Town."
2.09pm:
Sky Sports sources have informed Charlotte Jackson that Manchester City are interested in signing midfielder Sebastian Larsson from Birmingham City.
2.10pm:
"My mate at the local paper tells me Preston's Adam Barton is at Stoke's training ground as is Eidur Gidjohnssens dad and a Dutch agent," writes Gibbo, from Stoke. "However last week he told me there were now more black people in USA than Africa and that if everyone in Sweden jumped up and down at the same time Denmark would be flooded and this was considered as a tactic in WW2, so he may not be the most reliable of sources."
2.14pm:
Sky Sports News have just cut to a rather crestfallen Gary Cotterrill, who is standing outside Tottenham's training ground. He probably thought he'd be very busy today, but only has Sergio Aguero's non-move to Spurs to report.
2.16pm: The Guardian's Dominic Fifield says that Liverpool and Chelsea haven't struck a deal for Fernando Torres yet, a state of affairs that may be down to Liverpool's reluctantance to sell him without lining up a replacement first.
2.19pm:
"My mum's a teaching assistant," writes Adam Leach. "She said she's not sure whether Torres will go or not but he looks like a nice boy and his parents have done a good job raising him." Mrs Leach seems like a very astute judge of character.
2.21pm:
If you're in Surrey, go stick your head out the window and listen for the unmistakable sound of rotating helicopter blades. As soon as you hear anything, let me know.
2.22pm:
"Spurs' master plan to build a team of Mamnchester United rejects has so far included: Beckham, Phil Neville, Rossi and now Forlan," writes Ben Denton. "Surely a move for Eric Djemba-Djemba is next?" What? No Liam Miller or Seba Veron?
2.23pm:
Sky's man outside St James' Park, whose name escapes me, seems to think that Andy Carroll will be sold before the Transfer Window slams shut this night, when Liverpool make Mike Ashley a new and improved offer he can't refuse.
2.26pm:
Several people have written in to point out that the Liverpool No7 shirt once worn by Kenny Dalglish and soon to cover the torso of Luis Suarez, was also worn by Nigel Clough, Robbie Keane and Harry Kewell. So, it seems there really is no pressure.
2.29pm:
Having been put back for 90 minutes until 3.30pm, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew's scheduled press conference this afternoon has now been cancelled. Make of that what you will ...
2.31pm:
This is sensational .
2.38pm:
That Franny Jeffers advert is from the Liverpool Echo !" writes Barrie Mills, who works at the Liverpool Echo. It was forwarded on to me by Football Rambler Luke Moore, whose parents have probably never taken out a newspaper advert to wish him a happy birthday.
2.41pm:
Torres latest: Sid Lowe has been in touch from Madrid to say that the negotiations between Liverpool and Chelsea over the striker remain ongoing. Meanwhile in my inbox, somebody mailed to say that the player's agent has been in touch with a south London school I won't name, to secure places for his two sons. Does Fernando Torres have two sons of school-going age? I have no idea.
2.45pm:
"May I contribute to the fevered excitement by reporting that
there are no helicopters currently to be heard in this corner of Surrey (which is probably close enough to Cobham for it to be heard if there were one, particularly if the pilot's following the A3)," writes Simon Cherry.
2.48pm:
"Just heard from my source at the Bernabeu that the pool are to put in a shock offer for Benzema, with cash + Ngog being offered," writes Alkesh Mistry. "Es hablo espanol ...Si Senor!"
2.49pm:
It looks like I might have been sold a pup. "Torres has an 18-month-old daughter and a one month old son," writes Clive X. "So, he's planning to be with Chelsea for the rest of his career, obviously."
2.51pm:
Gerry McGregor has interesting whirlybird news. "A helicopter has just flown over us," he writes. "We are just south of Wick, Caithness. Does this mean Torres has signed for Wick Academy?"
2.55pm:
Psst! Psst! I've received the following from somebody purporting to be an anonymous Liverpool "insider". Make of it what you will: "Latest news on Torres - he is going nowhere, as Chelsea are nowhere close to making a deal with Liverpool. People inside Liverpool headquarters are under strict rules in regard to supplying information to media."
2.57pm:
"My mate is a chef at LFC and he's told me that Torres is still on Merseyside and not in a helicopter," writes Rich Stewart. "Don't know how reliable that is, but he does work at the club." OK, this is getting even more ridiculous - could everybody look up in the sky now - if there's a helicopter containing Fernando Torres up there, one of us is bound to spot it.
2.59pm:
Right, that's me done for the day, so I'm going to hand over to Barney Ronay, who's very resentful that I got to break the big news of the day about James Beattie's move from Rangers to Blackpool. Thanks for your time and you emails, enjoy the rest of the window ...
3.02pm:
Thanks Barry. Right. Me again, Barney Ronay. I actually have some actual news now too.
3.03pm:
It's fairly amazing stuff too. According to our correspondent, the excellent Andy Hunter, Liverpool have bid £35m for Andy Carroll and it has been accepted . [Gasps... Takes deep breath. Imagines what £35m looks like. Fails narrowly to conjure picture of Andy Carroll]
3.05pm:
Geh. Amazing isn't it. Does anybody - anybody? - think that's an appropriate transfer fee? That's a Bent and a half.
British Midland International lost £198m in 2009 but the airline's chief executive, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, remains upbeat, writes Dan Milmo
3.09pm:
Will Hayward points out: "Whilst £35m is a Bent and a half, it's also just under a Lescott and a half... Seems fair." Yes, but if Manchester City jumped off a cliff would you?
3.10pm:
OK here's the thing: Liverpool could have bought Blackburn Rovers for £35m.
3.11pm:
Ben Fox makes a fair point: "Liverpool are of course overpaying for Carroll due in part to his nationality and the circumstances. But surely Chelsea are also overpaying for Torres? Has he looked worth anywhere near £50m in the last year?" And Benji Lanyado notes: "Allow me to shatter your world. West Ham seem to have signed a bloke from Dulwich Hamlets of the Ryman League. BOOOOOM!" Paul McCallum is his name. He's 17.
3.12pm:
Andy Reid has joined Blackpool until the end of the season. And Manchester City are "interested" in signing Birmingham wing-trundler Sebastian Larsson.
3.15pm:
More top sniffing around from Ewan Murray: "Blackburn call off the loan of midfielder Jason Lowe to Aberdeen. They want to retain him due to injury problems." And Jamie Jackson has this from inside the inner sanctum of insider-dom: "West Ham United are considering signing Eduardo Cesar Gaspar, the former Arsenal midfielder, who has been on trial at the east London club. Avram Grant would like to sign a holding midfielder as he currently has no specialist in the position. Edu played more than 100 times for Arsenal and was a member of the Invincibles side of 2003/4. Benni McCarthy looks set to miss out on West Ham 25-man Premier League squad which has to be submitted tomorrow by the club. The manager may also decide to leave out Herita Illunga. West Ham are also set to sign a 17-year-old striker from Dulwich Hamlet, thought to be Paul McCallum."
3.26pm:
Gerard Houllier has said that Michael Bradley "will be signing" for Villa.. It's a season-long loan from Borussia Moenchengladbach. And Ipswich have signed Andy Drury for £150,000 from Luton town. That's huge for Luton, who currently only have one bean, but can perhaps now buy another one in order to rub them together.
3.29pm:
Ben Heywood gurgles: "THIS IS SPARTA!! Seriously, the Andy Carroll transfer - this is the sort of madness that made Gerrard Butler go all shouty and boot messengers down wells. I can't fathom who's the bigger nutjob - Fenway Sports for offering £35m for a crock (Carroll's got thigh-knack, remember), or Mike Ashley for considering selling his only asset and goalscorer mere weeks after appointing a new manager." It's a good deal for Newcastle. They can now buy four very good players from mainland Europe.
3.31pm:
Ewan Murray is quite literally on fire: "Blackburn are in talks to sign Mauro Formica and Reuben Rochina. There could be a paperwork problem with the former (an Argentine) but the second should be fine. Rochina plays as a striker for Barcelona B, Formica an attacking midfielder with Newell's Old Boys." Quite a cheap option, Formica, but does still have a lovely finish.
3.33pm:
Mark Judd sighs: "Man Utd pay £7m+ for Hernandez and Liverpool pay £35m for Carroll. Just thought I'd point it out." And a similar sum for Bebe don't forget. Brett Turner writes: "King Kenny buying a Newcastle hero to replace a former LFC striking icon - it's 1988 all over again!!! If Carroll is as good a signing as 'Cabbage' Beardsley we'll all be very happy Scousers! Meanwhile a message to Chelsea fans - look forward to spending the rest of the season obsessing about Fernando's fitness and praying he doesn't get injured, whilst being bewildered at mood swings that change with the wind."
3.36pm:
Talking of Beardsley, Luis Suarez is going to wear the No7 shirt at Liverpool. Keegan, Dalglish, Beardsley. What a lineage of scurrying creators that was. Nigel Clough seemed to break the spell a bit.
3.40pm:
"In the last few seconds ..." Andy Carroll has climbed on his horse and set off for Liverpool. According to Sky Sports News.
3.41pm:
Meanwhile Gavin Hillery writes: "I just ate lunch in the Trent House by St. James' Park. Shane Long was in the corner having tea and a Boston cream. When giving me his autograph he said with a smirk that he had a 'sponsorship appointment'. Looks like Alan Pardew is planning for life after Andy Carroll." Shane Long. He was my favourite one in Boyzone.
3.42pm:
Is £35m too much money? Does anyone think that's a reasonable price? Who, exactly, is making this decision? Oliver Neilson calculates: "Andy Carroll may be a Bent and a half.... but 1 Andy Carroll = 583 Seamus Colemans and enough left over for a modestly priced car, nothing OTT, Maybe a Ford or mid range Vauxhall. Possibly with a bit left over for a few extras, metallic paint, hands free kit, Sat Nav that kind of thing."
3.45pm:
Ivor in Moscow suggests: "35 mill's a David Villa AND Charlie Adam - but why oh why not go for Forlan who plays with Suarez so well?" Why oh why. Well put.
3.46pm:
Andrew Davidson makes a fair point: "I think you've missed two very important facts in your assessment of the Carroll deal from Newcastles POV: 1) that there's no chance that Ashley will re-invest that money into the squad, now if ever, and; 2) we have the best part of 7 hours to find, bid for and sign up a quality forward to replace the man that all of our tactics are based around." What about Shane Long though?
3.47pm:
Robert Hunter has been snuffling about in his laboratory like a "going semi-retard" Matt Damon: "Andy Carroll = Mesut Ozil + Sami Khedira + Rafael Van der Vaart; Nando Torres = Andy Carroll + Didier Drogba".
3.50pm:
Karl writes: "Stephen Ireland has failed his medical at Newcastle so the deal's off. Bizarre considering he thought he was fully fit going into it." Oh dear. This is presumably the same stringent medical that Sol "Enormous Shorts" Campbell successfully passed.
3.54pm:
Alex Warwick screams :"CARROLL IS WORTH IT. When you're working out a players worth its all context. Carroll costs that much because Newcastle don't want to sell, its January amd he's English. Villa cost 28 mill, or whatever it was, because Valencia had to bit the bullet at some point, he wanted to leave, and it was summer. Bent's a similar case, he's English, its January, and Sunderland didn't want to sell." But... David Villa is one of the best players in the world. He was top scorer at the Euros and the World Cup in the space of two years. The context here is: aargh! We've got loads of money!
3.57pm:
Alex Kouzarides notes; "Barney - just a thought but isn't Andy Carroll currently injured?" Yes. He has thigh-knack. Should be out for a month or so. You don't tend to hear terrible things about thigh injuries - the career ending thigh strain etc - so currently the word is he should be back in February. More worrying perhaps is the way he picked it up .
4.03pm:
Mmmm. £35m on someone who's currently injured after falling off a casino stool while drinking Jagerbombs.
4.05pm:
Dave Priaulx wails: "Any news on Arsenal? New CB we were promised by Wenger a fortnight ago? That Chamberlain lad from Southampton? ANYTHING?" No. None [emits heartless Sid James-style yuk yuk yuk laugh].
4.07pm:
On Liverpool No7s Ian Gresham points out: "Don't forget that Paul Walsh was there in between Dalglish and Beardsley. Surely he wasn't bad enough to be ignored?" Certainly not. A hugely under-appreciated talent. Brilliant at Charlton.
4.11pm:
Robert Marriott points out: "Now, I don't claim to be an expert on helicopters. But if Torres has been up in the air for the past three and a half hours, isn't he in danger of running out of fuel? Please, everyone, keep an eye out for whirligigs plummeting to earth somewhere between Liverpool and London." It's like Day of the Dead. We're going down Flyboy! Shrewsbury have signed David Davis on loan from Wolves.
4.13pm:
Ewan Murray is back with more elite snippets: "Senior source at Manchester City says there is a "slight chance of a loan" arrival but "that looks less and less likely as time goes on." Also stressed said loan would be of the "cover" variety. Denied knowledge of any interest in Jan Vertonghen."
4.16pm:
"Producer" Ben Green asks: "is there any chance carroll will go to jail? because that would make it a *very* bad bit of bidness for LFC". Good point. Jail-knack would certainly rule him out of a few games.
4.18pm:
Gary in Ireland writes: "Interesting stats - if Liverpool pay £35million for Andy Carroll they are getting a player outscored in the Championship last season by Peter Whittingham, Nicky Maynard, Gary Hooper, Michael Chopra and Charlie Adam." But... He has done pretty well in the Premier League. I would suggest that's what it's about.
4.21pm:
Mark Francombe is needlessly sticking up for the un-slighted Luton: "Ok, we let the pop at Luton Town go (only having the "two beans to rub together") … but Paul Walsh (who you correctly highlight as a hugely under-rated player) played his best football at Kenilworth Road (when he got a brief outing in the England team)." It's not a "pop". Luton don't have much money. Neil Toolan points out: "Speaking of career ending thigh strains, maybe you have forgotten about a certain Spurs centre half, Jonathan Woodgate, and his reoccurring thigh injury?" Of course.
4.25pm:
John Allen writes: "No mention of Daniel Uchechi signing on loan for the Svenolution? Typical Premiership love in!" Yes, I am single-handedly maintaining the popular prominence of the Premier League. Grrr. How dare I make the Premier League so over-hyped? In future I should use my incredible, all-encompassing powers for good, not bad.
4.28pm:
Mike Cameron is suggesting Charlie Adam is having a medical at Man Utd. "Any truth in what I'm hearing?" I've not heard that. He did play very well against them. Would be lovely to watch him passing it around that big pitch with time on the ball.
4.29pm:
Blimey. sky are now saying that Liverpool will pay "more than £35m for Carroll". That is the rumour from "reliable sources". A deal has apparently now been struck.
4.31pm:
A snatch of hot gossip from Sid Lowe: "Sevilla have told me there's nothing doing on Fabiano. Because, they say, Spurs are going for Forlan". Fascinating stuff. Forlan at spurs would be a very good signing.
4.32pm:
Olly, like many others, is worried about Andy Carroll's bail conditions: "Do Andy Carroll's current bail conditions still dictate that he has to reside with Kevin Nolan? If so, does that mean he a) has a commute to training at Liverpool, or b) Nolan is part of the deal?" I don't think it has to be specifically Kevin Nolan he lives with. The point was that Nolan was his club captain. Maybe he can just move in with Steven Gerrard. Actually, hang on...
4.34pm:
Alberto Tobias shares this : "Freddy Adu, the "new Pele", has signed for a 2nd division club in Turkey. Most surprising about this story? He's still only 21!" Poor old Adu. He was meant to be a thing of beauty.
4.37pm:
Some breaking news. Seb Larsson will not be leaving Birmingham for Man City, or in fact anywhere. Gareth Evans writes: "Am I alone in thinking that Torres resembles a young Alan Partridge? I'm not feeling 100% and might be on quite strong cold and flu medication but I'm pretty certain that in some pictures he does indeed have a resemblance to North Norfolk Digital's star broadcaster." You know, I think you're right.
4.40pm:
Ben Yelton writes: "Luton have 50,000 less beans to run together after pinching Cambridge United's best (only) decent player this season, Robbie Wilmott, leaving us to sit through the second half or an ever more turgid, desperate season looking forward to when
Rushden visit because they are a "big" team." Luton are still up 100,000 beans on the day though.
4.41pm:
OK: some new news on Carroll. Sky are reporting that the second, improved, bid for Carroll has been rejected. The man from the cut-price sports shop: he says no. What does this mean? Are they holding out for more? Is the Torres move now stymied? It's implausibly tangled.
4.43pm:
At least there are some things we know for sure: Obafemi Martins has joined Birmingham. Andy Reid has signed for Blackpool. Leeds have signed David Gonzalez from Man City on a temp to perm deal. Onder Susam adds this: "Former LFC goalkeeper Hakan Burton leaves Shrewsbury Town to join Turkish Super League side Gaziantepspor." And good luck to him.
4.47pm:
Ewan Murray is back with more of his finest: "Negative jungle drums beating over proposed arrivals at Celtic of Faye and Wilson today. If this is confirmed, Neil Lennon either needs to move onto Plan C or face Aberdeen tomorrow night without a fit and recognised centre-back. Apart from maybe Glenn Loovens, and nobody knows his current status."
4.48pm:
The talk about Adam going to Man Utd is getting a little louder and more insistent. Odds are apparently plummeting. Do United have a left-footed midfielder at the moment, Giggs aside?
4.52pm:
Sky say "nothing is happening" on the Charlie Adam to United rumour. The word is they will not be doing any business. Also, Anderson is left-footed. Although, he looks double left-footed when he gets near goal. Plus, as many of you have pointed out Alan Partridge has a son called Fernando. What does it mean?
4.56pm:
Nick Read suggests: "Every single human involved in the Carroll to Liverpool transfer is an idiot; whoever it was who offered £35 million, whoever it was who turned it down, and Andy Carroll." Just to be clear: currently there is no transfer. Liverpool have had their (ludicrous) bid rejected.
4.57pm:
Dan York offers: "Some deadline day exclusives for the Guardian from Fisher FC of the Kent Premier League (www.fisherfc.co.uk). In a triple swoop, the Fish have snapped up former QPR midfielder Tamba Ngongue, ex-Sevenoaks target man Dwayne Cowan, and midfielder Ernest "JJ" Simon. All three should feature in the big game against VCD Athletic, 3pm this Saturday at Champion Hill Stadium, East Dulwich..." The Fish.
4.59pm:
Wait! Another twist! Andy Hunter reports that Carroll is on his way down to Liverpool to discuss terms, despite reports in the North East that Newcastle have rejected the bid. Where will it end? I'm giddy with excitement.
5.02pm:
That is all from me for now. Rob Bagchi will be taking you through the night from here. Thanks for all your emails. Please send them to Rob from here on in.
5.08pm:
Evening all and within a minute of Barney handing over, ding, ding, ding, there's 12 emails in my inbox. Where do we stand? Newcastle have turned down offers from two clubs for Andy Carroll – one suggestion being that Spurs offered cash plus Peter Crouch. Where does selling Carroll leave Newcastle? Here's Mark Carroll's titbit: "I'm just after landing in Newcastle International Airport on the British Airways 3.30pm flight from Hamburg and one Ruud Van Nistlerooy was sitting two rows in front of me. He was wearing sunglasses, scarf and hat but you would recognise his hung-drawn look anywhere." Hmmm.
5.13pm:
Luke Jerromes has news of the journalists' least liked footballer, owing to the number of accents you need to use. "Rumours that Abdoulaye Méïté is on his way to Celtic on loan from West Brom. We've tried to pay him off so this is a cheap way to clear his wages off our books and boost our chances of getting Ewerthon as a free agent, which we're in less of a rush about because he's not part of the transfer window."
5.17pm:
Many, if not all, of you are not impressed with Liverpool's £35m offer for Carroll. Here's Liam Doyle, patron saint of Word of Sport books. "Andy Carroll? You sir, are surely having a laugh? Out with Sabrenomics and in with ****upenomics." Very good, Liam. OK, what if Kenny considers Carroll to be a 2011 version of 1993 era Shearer, not the one who was battling his body for the last six years of his career. What if he thinks in terms of "net spend", it doesn't matter what he pays if he gets who he wants. What if the world's gone madder?
5.19pm:
"Thinking that Chelsea have been playing Liverpool on the Torres deal. I don't think they are serious … and will not make a deal until the summer," writes Chris Browne. They're definitely in for him. Newcastle have accepted Andy Carroll's transfer request, very, very reluctantly. Here we go. We're under starter's orders
5.20pm:
They've rejected £35m plus add ons for Carroll but now they have no option but to sell, according to David Craig, SSN's reliable North-East mole.
5.22pm:
Very, very heavy hearts at St James' according to David Craig. Bid accepted of £35m plus add ons. "Luis Suarez told Dutch media a couple of days ago that he would not sign for Liverpool if Torres was sold, so are we absolutely sure he is a Liverpool player?" writes Mark Reeves. Our man says he's signed, Mark.
5.24pm:
Genius sub-editing skills from Eddie Smithwick at the end of this missive: "Where is Suarez??? I'm sitting here thinking what the hell has happended to the 'bitey' Uraguayan guy who we should have well and truly signed today? Is King Kenny waiting for Andy Carroll and Charlie Adam to arrive so he can do the traditional smile, hold the shirt and tell us you supported Liverpool as a boy photo shoot. I can see the headlines now: 'And All The Kings Men' or alternatively "Bitey, Fighty and I'll take you to a tribunal unless you give me my bonus alrighty" would be a fun headline?" Very good. Liverpool confirm theor bid has been accepted for Carroll, on way for medical.
5.25pm:
Here's this from Michal Pac Pomarnacki: "Just heard from a reliable inside source - Johan Elmander to have medical at Newcastle ASAP." Not really much consolation is it?
5.26pm:
On Torres, we understand that Liverpool signing Carroll, as will happen this evening, then Torres will sign for Chelsea for £50m plus add ons. Suarez to sign in the next couple of hours, followed by Carroll and then possibly Charlie Adam, who may, or may not be, the subject of a £10m rival bid from Manchester United.
5.30pm:
"No information on Cowdenbeath? I've been sitting in Uni pressing refresh for what seems like days. Give me something. Infact, just lie to me. PS You might not know who Cowdenbeath are..." The Blue Brazil, Colin McKinlay. You've signed Frankie Bunn.
5.30pm:
Blackpool accept Liverpool's bid for Charlie Adam according to SSN and he's on his way, in a car sent by Liverpool.
5.31pm:
"Rob, why is it the transfer fee seems to be the only thing anybody considers when deciding whether a player has cost a club the 'right' amount?" asks Anthony Hulse. "The transfer fee is probably less than 50% of the overall cost of a player to a club. As a young player who is not a fully established "star", there is every chance Carroll's wage demands (he's currently on £27k per week) would be considerably lower than an established star who might on the face of it justify £35m. You can't just say £35m is a stupid fee without knowing what the wages would be. £35m at £50k per week (hypothetically, but it would still pretty much double what he's on at the moment) is probably actually very good business." I think he's an enormous talent, Anthony. We'll see if he's worth it.
5.33pm:
More on the Fenway purchase of Carroll from Bobby Otter from the University of Chicago: "Actually you shouldn't be surprised by the Andy Carroll signing/offer/whatever it is right now. The Fenway guys just spent $142m on a left-fielder (Carl Crawford) over the next seven years and are going to resign a first baseman (Adrian Gonzalez) for probably about the same amount of money. So $56m for a young striker is next to nothing for these guys." Fair point, Bobby. Shall we leave Newcastle and Liverpool and Chelsea alone for a bit and look elsewhere?
5.37pm:
Jamie Jackson of this parish informs us that it's all quiet on the Fulham front. And after yesterday, why not?
5.38pm:
This is getting a wee bit tricky. Thirty-seven minutes in and I've got 147 emails so far. Where were you Bangladesh v England second ODI February 2010? Ewan Murray our correspondent says the Charlie Adam deal, taking him from Blackpool to Liverpool is a goer and may be worth about £14m to the Seasiders.
5.41pm:
Here's Steve Jazz, bebop, not trad, with an interesting perspective on Chelsea's purchase of Torres: "I got two words for Chelsea buying Torres: Shev-chenko. We've got a nose for paying way over the odds for injured ex-genius strikers. Shevvers, Crespo, Vialli - we'll love Torres to bits for a couple of years and, then some time in 2013, sigh and wonder why we didn't hold on to Sturridge/ever play him. It's what we like to call our youth policy."
5.45pm:
The lights are burning at Anfield. Suarez deal lodged with the Premier League, crossing two more Ts apparently. Torres is in Liverpool awaiting permission to go to meet Chelsea. Liverpool fans at Melwood, sweary Mary and her little brothers, are ecstatic that Carroll's on his way. Our man at the Cottage, Jamie Jackson, now hears that Fulham are trying to tie up a deal for Eidur Gudjohnsen from the Stokies on loan.
5.47pm:
Breaking news. The car Liverpool are sending to pick up Charlie Adam is an Audi. Don't say we're not thorough.
5.50pm:
"£35m for Carroll?" writes Chris Langmead. "No wonder George Osborne's worried about inflation; sounds like he has every right to be if Torres cost only £20m in 2007. Meanwhile, judging by the deafening silence, it seems as though Arsène Wenger has locked up and turned off all the lights at the Emirates having made the square root of eff-all progress towards getting our desparately needed centre back … hey ho." Sky have gone to an ad break. The bat signal is shining above Anfield. What else? Leeds have dumped Fede Bessone on Charlton and Jason Crowe on Orient. Are you happy now, mam?
5.54pm:
News from Dom Fifield, our man on the Cobham beat. The deal for David Luiz is not dead and Chelsea are still hopeful of getting him for about £25m. This is also the view of our own Jamie Jackson, reporting the rumour that it's on. Reminds me of Yes Minister. "Is it true?" "Yes!" Yes, my God". "No, minister, it is true that it is rumoured."
5.57pm:
A very interesting email from Tyler Dellow. It's lengthy but raises some astute observations:
I'm a Red Sox/Blackpool fan so I've got some idea of how NESV operates and I'm hoping that they don't sign Adam (although it's not looking promising). With that said, I am a bit surprised about the prices that they've paid. While the Chicago emailer was right that they've spent a lot of money on Adrien Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, it's generally believed that they have some sophisticated pricing mechanisms in place for their baseball team. They paid a lot for Gonzalez and Crawford but they expect to make money on the transactions through winning more games and selling more expensive baseball tickets. Their transactions are notoriously drawn out in baseball - they identify someone they want and then pursue him for a while, working to get the price down. There's a whole side issue here - you can make lots of money with a good baseball team but I'm not sure that you can with a good soccer team - and I'd sort of wondered if they were looking for big ROI on the soccer team. It looks like they aren't.
My sense, as a relatively new soccer fan, is that the sport is a lot less sophisticated in terms of putting prices on players. I've been very surprised that they're just pouring money into the gaping maw of the beast, if only because I'm not sure that they've got a system in place like they've got with the Red Sox that can reliably price talent. Hope not - if they're going to get Adam, I'd just as soon they pay an insane price and never get the return.
I'll get back to you with thoughts on that, Tyler. If there's time and my hands can take the strain.
6.01pm:
How's this from Neil Howson for a coup? How's it going Fiery? "Rob, just heard that SG 'would love' the ginger spud lover at ER and Paul Scholes is 'considering' his Red future. Can he be a Strachan for the banana pants generation? Off to buy a season ticket…" We can dream, Neil.
6.04pm:
Mike Ashley is reported as being very, very, very, very, reluctant to part with Andy Carroll. David Craig has been asked to stress "very reluctant". Got that. They'd have held on if Carroll hadn't asked for a transfer. Does asking for a transfer now move you into Judas territory?" Here's Dan Littler: "Answer me this. Journalists have sometimes reported today on 'odds having suddenly plummeted on whatsisface moving to wherever'. How can bookies have access to information that journalists don't? Or do they just have better noses for a scoop?" They follow the money, Dan. When they say England are 4-1 to win the World Cup, they don't think they're really 4-1 they're just hedging their bets, literally. Same here. It's a journalistic cliche, aimed to give what you say a bit more weight.
6.07pm:
Spurs are desperately looking to sign a striker before the window closes and are reportedly still monitoring the Andy Carroll situation. He's a player "they like" and it is thought that Newcastle would like a solution to their No9 hole and Peter Crouch would fit the bill.
6.10pm:
Some of you have called Andy Carroll's fee, and I quote, "ludicrous", "ridiculous", "madness personified" and Clinton Yates says it's "asinine". Pete Marland disagrees: "Just on Andy Carroll's ability. In his time Kenny has bought Barnes, Beardsley, Aldridge, Shearer and Sutton. When he signed Speedie people were perplexed, but forget Dalglish then resigned him as his first Blackburn signing, with Speedie going on to score the goals that got Blackburn into the Premier League. Moral of the story is that goals win trophies, not transfer fees. Only time will tell if Carroll is worth the money but Dalglish has a good track record." Fair point, Peter.
6.12pm:
Tim Clark asks: "Evening, can I throw an 'unconfirmed' rumour of Harry Redknapp spotted at the side of the M3 with a big bag of money and a sign saying 'Take me to Scott Parker'. But seriously, any news on the wheeler dealer at all?" Possibly trying to gazump Liverpool for Carroll, possibly talking to Diego Forlan, possibly sitting with steam coming out of his ears. He's gone to ground.
6.17pm:
SSN are still saying they understand Manchester United have matched Liverpool's bid for Blackpool's Charlie Adam.
6.20pm:
Neil Brock with some Newcastle perspective: "After all these years, Kenny Dalglish has finally repaid the Newcastle fans for the horror show of signing both Stéphane Guivarc'h and Andreas Andersson. You've taken your time Kenny, but you are finally forgiven. Please go and sign Marc Janko now Pardew, the clock is ticking!" Thirteen years, Neil, a gnat's breath for a football fan. I love lingering disdain. West Brom have signed Carlos Vela on loan from Arsenal – you may have known that.
6.22pm:
More of your comments on Carroll in a bit. Here's Christian Boger: "Looks like Roman suddenly have got his taste for football and spending back. If rumours are to be believed a £25m offer for David Luiz has now been accepted in Portugal. The Russian is burning £75m today…" He wants a winger as well. Back to Carroll, he's arrived by helicopter at Speke or some private field and is off to Melwood. Rumours at the airport have it that Torres has finally got into a chopper.
6.27pm:
"What in the name of bejabbers is this comment about?" asks Phil Keegan. "Just heard that SG 'would love' the ginger spud lover at ER and Paul Scholes is 'considering' his Red future. I am truly mystified." SG is Simon Grayson, ER be Elland Road. All tripe of course, but we've printed sillier stuff today. Well, perhaps not.
6.29pm:
"Will Carroll have to stay with Gerrard as part of his bail agreement?" questions Ashley Brown. No he's stopping with Kevin Nolan's mum.
6.33pm:
I'm going to have to take Hugo Mendes's word for this as I can't read Portuguese. But "the Portuguese press is announcing that the transfer of David Luiz to Chelsea has been completed. Thanks Hugo, much appreciated.
6.35pm:
Sky are now reporting that Luiz is on a plane to tie up personal terms. £21m, £17-18m paid up front. Luiz goes fixed wing, Torres prefers choppers.
6.37pm:
Nathan Rhodes–Brandon auditions for the role of scriptwriter for Blackadder V: "Andy Carroll for £35 million?! The deal's madder than a box of frogs who have escaped, formed some kind of amphibian gang, started terrorising other pond life and some cygnets before starting a manic chase, knocking over pensioners before being sectioned and forced to lick lily-padded walls." In the Toon Newcastle are rushing around trying to buy a centre-forward. Andy Carroll's agents are saying it's been a tough decision for him, his wages are likely to go from £27k a week to £80k a week at Anfield. Just passing it on.
6.40pm:
"I may be living in fantasy land - but as a Spurs fan, that has been my lot for 25 years now! - but wouldn't it be great if we gazumped Liverpool for Carroll, off-loading Crouch in the process, and putting an end to Chelsea's hopes of signing Torres? Oh, please make it happen!" Thanks, Niall Sheerin. Newcastle have said they're not after Carlton Cole.
6.43pm:
Blackburn have signed Ruben Rochina from Barcelona on a four-year deal.
6.45pm:
Thanks to Phi Sawyer for pointing out that Andy Carroll's court case was dropped and the bail conditions no longer apply. However Kevin Dev has this thought: "I think it's entirely possible that he may be staying at Kevin Nolan's mum's. She happens to be my cousin and I know that her father (Kevin's grandad) thinks he is a 'smashing' lad …erm, he also said the same about Joey Barton!" Hope that hasn't queered your pitch for the next reunion, Kev.
6.49pm:
Flaming hell, some very daft Liverpool fans are burning a Torres shirt outside Melwood. I'm starting to think that certain clubs' fortunes are even more tied in to some supporters' notions of their personal self worth than they ever were in the past. Burn, baby, burn.
6.51pm:
Ian Holloway on Andy Reid, a "dinky-doo little player and perfect for us". And "everyone's after a bag of carrots today." Any more vegetable metaphors out there?
6.54pm:
Have a look at Ruben Rochina , courtesy of Rob Walker. SSN now reporting rugby. How flippin' dare they?
6.55pm:
Simon Burnton's going to sit in for five minutes.
6.56pm:
Hello world! Simon here. Don't email me, though – keem 'em coming to Rob, I'm just going through his inbox as we speak.
6.59pm:
I'm told that Rangers are in talks with El-Hadji Diouf over a short-term deal, to run until the end of the season.
7.01pm:
Very occasionally, someone tweets something so interesting I have to pass it on. So these figures are from Gavin Hamilton ( @worldsoccered ): Biggest deal in Spain: Elias from Corinthians to Atletico, £6m; Germany: Luiz Gastavo from Hoffenheim to Bayern, £12m; Italy: Pazzini from Sampdoria to Internazionale, £11m plus a player; France: Rod Fanni from Rennes to Marseille, £3.25m plus a few childish sniggers; Russia: Ibricic (from Hajduk to Lokomotiv Moscow, £4.2m; Turkey: Bogdan Stancu from Steaua to Galatasaray, £4.75m. England? Madness...
7.04pm:
"Please don't lump us all in with the people burning shirts outside Anfield," writes Paul Williams. "Take a look at any of the prominent red forums and you'll see widespread condemnation of the actions of those few irresponsible morons." The thing is, if you're currently burning a Torres shirt outside Anfield you might not necessarily be a moron – you might just be a bloke who's got a now-useless shirt, and is cold.
7.05pm:
Newcastle "hard at work" at replacing Andy Carroll says SSN, with Emile Heskey and Peter Crouch among those linked.
7.06pm:
And Rob's back, just like that. Seamless, it is.
7.10pm:
"I know it's probably a function of getting old, but football appears never to have been so charmless - its players, administrators, media, shirt burning fans ... everything," says The sage Gary Naylor. " And it's at its worst on deadline day." A few of you have pointed out that the shirt burning has echoes of an alleged incident when Gerrard was mooted to be joining Chelsea, ie that it makes for good television. I can't say what you're saying but work it out for the other angle.
7.12pm:
This from Thomas Kelly: " Juventus have signed Alessandro Matri from Cagliari. He's really good. In their outbox is Brazilian/Italian wardrobe Amauri, who's off to gum up the works at Parma." Poor Parma. My mate Dominic Bercelli is from the city, what a team they had in the mid 90s.
7.14pm:
As Tom Wilkisnon points out. Chelsea play Liverpool on Sunday. "Hell of a way for Torres to make his debut if it goes through....!" I understand that the Torres deal is done, pending a medical. It also shows that Kenny will be Liverpool manager next season. Has to be after that vote of trust.
7.17pm:
"Since replica shirts are usually 100% polyester, would they actually burn or just sort of melt, releasing a load of noxious chemicals in the process? If someone outside Anfield could please let us know, perhaps we could put out some sort of public notice to Newcastle fans before it's too late." You're right, Pranjal Tiwari. It melted. On Newcastle fans, the ones interviewed outside SJP were very calm, saying the fee was too big to turn down.
7.19pm:
Something's afoot at Spurs. What that might be, I'm not sure, but Arry's not gone home and the rumour is pizzas are being delivered.
7.21pm:
"Assuming the Torres deal does go through, would it not make sense for Liverpool to insist on a clause being inserted to say that Torres can't play against them on Sunday?" posits Ronan Hayes. The "embarrassment clause". Would make sense, depends who's calling the tune I suppose. Who's got the upper hand on that?
What is afoot at the Lane? Here's Ben Dunn's view: "Harry pulled off a lovely late-in-the-day signing last time out, I say he's looking for a Van Nistlerooy." Russ Down has a different view: "Pizza eh? Italian food can only mean one thing: it has to be Rossi to Spurs."
7.25pm:
Confirmed by Liverpool that they;'ve accepted a bid for Fernando Torres from Chelsea – thought to be £50m.
7.26pm:
Michael Bradley signs for Villa on loan, Stephen Ireland on his way home from St James' Park after reportedly failing a medical.
7.29pm:
The word from Villarreal is that Giuseppe Rossi is not going anywhere.
7.32pm:
Torres will play on Sunday unless a gentleman's agreement is reached. And why should Chelsea agree. This from Tom Davis: "I'm pretty sure a selling club can't insert a clause preventing their former player from playing against them. Article 18bis of Fifa's Rules on the Status and Transfer of Players apples. Or so Google tells me." And this from Rich Harris: "Surely any kind of 'embarrassment clause' is unenforceable in law, (how could an ex-employer decide what someone can do in their next job??!?). So Liverpool would have to rely on a gentleman's agreement for Torres not to play on Sunday. Can't see Chelsea agreeing to that in their current position." And on a lighter note, from Matt McCartney: "Hi Rob, just to let you know, football shirts actually melt. I know this from the experience of accidentally cooking one last week." Tasty.
7.36pm:
More on economics and there's plenty more where this came from. Jam Williams: "Although the sums being talked about are ludicrous, there is a certain logic from FSG, I think. We'll probably never know the true amounts, but Carroll at £35m, Suarez at £22m, and Adam at £10m is £67m. If Liverpool really are receiving £50m for Torres, then they would have spent about £17m. That is close to the total of the original bids of £12m and £4m for Suarez and Adam respectively while getting rid of Torres' £110,000 per week wages. Might seem like a smart bit of business from their end." Yes, sort of but we hear Carroll will get £80k a week, and guess Suarez must be close to that and Adam, perhaps half that, maybe less. That's a lot on to the weekly bill. Having said that, Mascherano's sale will have saved a lot.
7.37pm:
Jonny Mac has a lament for Torres: "Now he's gone, I'll have to change a bunch of passwords that were based on his name. Also, my wife has just reminded me that we named our Christmas tree after him one year too. Has the man no heart?" You named your Christmas tree after Torres? Hang on, you named your Christmas tree full stop?
7.43pm:
Please share this glimmer of hope for the ever-miserable Everton fans.' Everton have signed 19-year-old Greek youngster Apostolos Vellios from Iraklis FC, according to the clubs website .' I'll take anything at this point. Cheers, Harvey Coleman. Fernando Torres has now arrived in London, the news editor tells me.
7.45pm:
Important tree update from Johnny Mac: "I was a very handsome tree, we called it Nando." Here's Mark Judd on it: "Maybe Jonny Mac (7.37pm) will now realise that a Torres is just for Christmas, not for life." Burn the tree, Johnny.
7.50pm:
And it's all gone quite while the doctors do their work. Here's Cho Jing Qin. "I'm a Singaporean following the transfer deadline and it's 3.42 am here as I'm typing! As much as I hate Torres from leaving, fans should never burn the shirt as the crest on the shirt is definitely more valuable than the name itself. It's disappointing to see him leave, but I guess we'll have to make do." Stephan Kalinski (and others) point this out: "Almost comical that this story leads the news section on Chelsea's website . So much hard work undone in one fun day."
7.51pm:
The splendidly named John McGiggles tells us this: "Latest news from over here in Iceland is that according to sources close to Eidur Gudjonsson, he is staying put at Stoke after Tony Pulis asked him to stay at the club and indicated there might be a bigger role for him to play at Stoke." Ta, John. We heard he may be off to Fulham but his pa seems a decent source.
7.55pm:
I'm indebted to Patrick Bignante for this: Just a quickie from Italy … in the UK you are gripped by the Carroll-Torres-who will Spurs sign saga with money flying around. But here in Italy we held our breath today …until we were sure that … Nagatomo's had signed for Internazionale. BTW the deal was done so late...they had to send a courier to the FA HQ with the contract as they were running out of time...how very last-minute-but-with-style Italian modus operandi." Now real news … Stephen Ireland's move to Newcastle may be back on. The problems may be ironed out later … not literally of course. Is that a second opinion, you'd be happy giving. This afternoon he's said to have failed a medical, this evening he passes it.
7.56pm:
Here's Chris Cook on a Kop conundrum: "Given their recent histories dare we in the Kop chant ' ttack, attack, attack-attack-attack' lest our new front pair get the wrong message and go all WWE on the oppo?" Very good, Chris. Many of you are pointing out that we haven't factored in the Ryan Babel windfall either. Saifedean Ammous, speaks for loads of you: "Jan Williams makes an excellent point, but he forgets to mention the £6m that Liverpool were paid to stop paying the wages of DJ and part-time footballer Ryan Babel. That makes it 11m in net spending and an arguably far stronger squad. But the larger point about Carroll's price is this: There is no such a thing as 'real' or 'fair' price of anything. Prices are determined in a market based on the preferences and needs of the participants at the time and place. Chelsea desperately needed a striker, and so paid over the odds, which left Liverpool in desperate need of a striker, with a ton of cash lying around. Carrol looks like he can play very well with Suarez. Sure they might be able to get him for a better price later, but they need him now. You pay over the odds for a drink in fancy restaurant, when you can cross the street and buy it for less – but you want it when you're at the fancy restaurant. 'Fair' value is a myth – it's all subjective, baby!" Ah net spend, net spend, where would we be without net spend? I thought it went with Rafa. But it's alive and well.
8.00pm:
The love for Torres was huge. Christmas trees and a place in Tim Daw's heart: "He made me feel like a 14 year old girl and I named my kitten after him. A piece of me died today." You know what you've got to do with that cat, Tim? No … no … put the bag back. Just rename him Carroll.
8.05pm:
Newcastle closing in on Elmander. This from George Ward: "According to the Forest website (yes, my evening is that dull that I was looking at it - it's all there was to do in the library, apart from write my essay), Forest have completed the signing of USA international Robbie Findley."
8.06pm:
Now reverse ferret time with Eidur Gudjohnsen, on his way to Fulham to have a medical. Pertinently for Rachel Bickerton: "As a Stokie, kind of disappointed at Tuncay going. Few rumours about what TP might be getting up to but I've got high hopes, as like Harry he's fond of some deadline day action. Such a diva – he just loves the drama." Expect one signing, we hear.
8.08pm:
OK, OK, Peter Coles. Here you go: "I sent this before but although Saifedean Ammous's supply/demand has a logic to it, I'll say again: Torres: £50m. Carroll: £35m Szczesny, Clichy-Djourou-Vermaelen-Sagna, Fabregas-Song-Wilshere, Nasri-RVP -Walcott collectively: £44m.
Nuff said."
8.10pm:
Lots of questions re Charlie Adam. The last we heard it's in the balance. Liverpool sent a car to pick him up as he's not currently driving. It was supposed to be taking him to Melwood. Then we heard an hour or so ago that he was still at Bloomfield Road. As soon as we hear anything else I'll let you know.
8.12pm:
As a Newcastle fan, writes Chris Williamson, "I fear the club intends to implement the little known 4-6-0 formation. Who needs a striker anyway?" That's the Craig Levein template.
8.13pm:
An email from Aston Villa:
Stephen Ireland has moved to Newcastle United on loan until the end of the season.
The midfielder links up with Alan Pardew at the north-east club on deadline day.
The 24-year-old has so far made 13 appearances – eight starts and five as substitute - in all competitions in claret and blue and ironically made his Villa debut against Newcastle at St James Park.
The temporary moves gives Ireland the chance to get some first team football under his belt, having not figured for Villa since the defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in December.
Gérard Houllier said: "I think Stephen was, first of all, a bit unlucky because he has had several injuries. I remember the first game he was about to play and he picked up a dead leg and maybe when he was given his chance the team wasn't at its best.
"The door remains open for him as an Aston Villa football player.
8.15pm:
Andrew Lane has this tittle tattle: "Just a rumour on some NUFC chat, £17m for Bendtner. Heard anything? £17m is way too much for him!!" You're the first Andrew. Thanks. Keep you posted.
8.16pm:
Here's a link to Nick Harris's excellent website, Sporting Intelligence. If youy get the chance, also read the stuff about John Higgins. "Looks like the January record could be smashed to smithereens ."
More rumours about David Luiz from Portugal via Bruno Freitas: "David Luiz was grounded for now. Brazilian defender had already embarked on a private flight for London, due to last-minute proposal from Chelsea. However, around 19:30, David Luiz came to pass at the gate at the Portela Airport, in the opposite direction. The player will have received orders to go back. This case has similarities with what happened with Simao Sabrosa, when he received an offer from Liverpool. The information was confirmed by the Maisfutebol source familiar with the process." We'll try to get more on that, too.
8.21pm:
"Naming your Christmas tree after your favourite player is probably more common than you think," writes Chris Angle. I must get out more. "The year Liverpool signed Peter Crouch me and my flatmate christened our Christmas tree the Crouchmas Tree. We kept it up for a whole year in his honour and I think we even had a picture of his face on the top." That was no epiphany for you, Chris.
8.23pm:
Sky are reporting that Luiz did in fact fly from Lisbon and is expected in London in half an hour. Our Jamie Jackson tips me a wink: "West Ham are working on bringing in a midfielder and bringing Ben Haim back from Pompey – both in the balance…" Thanks, Jamie.
8.25pm:
The news from Rangers is that El Hadji Diouf is at Murray Park, having talks and a medical to complete a loan deal. Didn't he once gob at Celtic fans? That'll be fun, then, for the Old Firm games.
8.26pm:
Here's our very own David Hopps: "By the way, I know I have been detained in Australia recently, but if Torres joins Chelsea will that be the most determined run he has made all season? It's amazing what you can get away with when you have star quality and a hurt expression." Too true, Hoppsy.
8.29pm:
So, the most common email today has been the one about Howard Webb … being too valuable for Manchester United to sell. Fifteen of them. Next up, the ones pointing out that although Arsenal's team cost only £44m, they haven't won anything. Twelve of them. And almost a hundred on Sabremetrics which I would get to printing, but it would take all day. I'll try to post a few later.
8.33pm:
Rob Parker tells me Mauro Formica has completed his move to Blackburn . Thanks Rob
8.34pm:
Daniel Sturridge joins Bolton on loan, according to Sky. Harry Redknapp says there's nothing happening at White Hart Lane.
8.37pm:
"Torres being prepared for an interview on Chelsea TV," writes Fergus McKee. "Just heard from a friend of friend who works for Chelsea TV." We'll try and get the quotes as and when. Thanks, Fergus. Robert Gallo has a take on Torres: "50 mil + pay packet for a 27 year old striker? Total Bonkers. If any one at Chelsea is reading this column, I am currently in NYC and have a lovely bridge I'd like to sell you."
8.39pm:
"I was in Geneva at the weekend and paid 28 Swiss Francs for two big mac meals, which is about £11 each, writes Ian Westlake, possibly or not the former Ipswich johnny. "I was very very hungry at the time. That's similar to what Liverpool are doing today, right?" Yep. Spot on. On Luiz, there's talk that the deal may be done in Portugal.
8.41pm:
Real news from Jamie Jackson: "Eidur Gudjohnsen having medical in Stoke and terms agreed with Fulham so looks like it will happen."
8.43pm:
Then pundits on Sky, Iain Dowie and Tony Cascarino, reckon today's deals put Chelsea back in the title race and Liverpool as a very good chance of grabbing fourth. Not so sure myself. Next year, maybe. On David Luiz, our Dom Fifield reports there is no hitch. It's still on.
8.45pm:
This from Liverpool: "The club agreed a fee of up to 26.5m euros with Ajax for the transfer of the Uruguayan international on Friday. The deal was subject to the completion of a medical, which the player has now passed. Luis Suarez will wear the No.7 shirt for Liverpool."
8.50pm:
Charlie Adam is still at Blackpool, according to SSN. Two hours and 10 minutes to go.
8.51pm:
So Luiz will sign for Chelsea but will do so in Lisbon tonight, hoping the fax machines are working. "I'll be the first to admit that all the money, cars, jets, and helicopters percolating all over the UK at the moment is really fascinating but this has to be the most incompetent way to run a club," says Salif Romano Niang. "It is often argued that football clubs are businesses above all else but if an executive at a major company in any other industry waited for deadline day to launch bids and/or clinch deals, shareholders would call for their heads. Food for thought, Barcelona signed Afellay for $3m after concluding negotiations PRIOR to the window opening..." Jim White is starting to bellow now.
8.53pm:
Mr Ewan Murray, our man with the shortbread, reports: "Rangers will also complete loan deal for Arsenal youngster Kyle Bartley until the end of the season." Cheers, Ewan.
8.54pm:
And here's Polly: "Are City still ruining football? Or is it Chelsea now? Or Liverpool? We demand to be told. Who is leading the destruction of our national game?" Snick, snick.
8.59pm:
Waiting for these medicals to be completed, speaking of which, Peter Middleman asks: "So, how do these medicals work then? Can hardly throw him on a treadmill for half an hour if he's got a dodgy thigh can they?" A player told me that when he moved from a big club to another big club 20 years ago and it was known he had a long history of injuries, the doctor was so concerned about the latest muscle strain he focused on that for the full hour and didn't test the part of his body that had a chronic weakness. I suspect with Carroll, they'll just get an expert opinion on his medical file, look at the scans, sign him on.
9.02pm:
Probably nothing, Rob," writes Chris Jordan. That's what today's all about, Chris, "probably nothing". "But the 'spursonside' official Tottenham Twitter has gone very quiet for the last few hours, unusual for them seeing as they normally talk about literally anything. Perhaps saving it all up for a big announcement?"
9.04pm:
I'm starving. Trying to coax Simon Burnton to step in. Luiz fee, according to Sky's ticker, is £21m plus Matic.
9.07pm:
Time's running out for Charlie Adam but it's still on we think, if they've got any spare negotiators at Liverpool. I'll get the picture changed pretty soon, plenty of you want to see something else. And YES I've heard the Torres/Terry joke. I've heard it 26 times today. But thanks, anyway.
9.11pm:
There's your new pic. Unless you want the shirt-burners/melters.
9.12pm:
Joseph Pascual has put an extraordinary image into my mind. Must get it out: "A lot of medicals today. That's a lot of balls being cupped, one hopes not by the same doctor."
9.14pm:
Good to hear from Petr Fremont again. I like this insight: "It is often argued that football clubs are businesses above all else but if an executive at a major company in any other industry waited for deadline day to launch bids and/or clinch deals, shareholders would call for their heads. The guy has clearly never traded anything more valuable than an email. Many investments and contracts have expiration dates and trade increasingly heavily as those expiration dates approach. It was an Englishman, Peter Drucker, who said, 'Work without deadlines is never taken seriously.' Today is ample proof.
9.16pm:
Hearing that Bolton posted news of signing Danny Sturridge with a picture of Danny Welbeck . Here comes the cavalry. Simon will see you through for a while then I'll be back. Carry on emailing me, though.
9.21pm:
Under-the-radar transfer of the day, perhaps, was the arrival of Portugal's gloveless England-thwarter Ricardo at Leicester. You'd have thought that Sven-Goran Eriksson wouldn't want any reminders of this (and the one from Euro 2004 that I couldn't find in my 20-second YouTube search).
9.27pm:
Harry Redknapp admits he's slapped in a last-minute offer for Phil Neville. In the meantime, Bolton will surely find a picture of the bloke they've actually signed at some point, but they can never delete this .
9.28pm:
My highly-placed sources tell me that Blackpool turned down two bids from Liverpool for Charlie Adam today, one worth about £8m, the other £10m. They want £14m, but Liverpool won't go that far. It looks like the deal is probably off, as we stand.
9.30pm:
"I named my new kitten 'Fernando' when we signed Fernando Morientes, convinced he'd become a legend," writes Martin Gwynn Jones. "Naturally, I was relieved when Torres arrived. But what now?" Er, Fern-Andy?
9.35pm:
Everton have rejected an in-the-region-of-£1.5m offer from Tottenham for Phil Neville. And we're supposed to believe that's the end of Harry Redknapp's wheeler-dealing?
9.37pm:
Sky Sports News just "broke" news of Ricardo joining Leicester. Looks like Jim White and co are reading this very blog, then.
9.40pm:
@LFCGlobe on Twitter report that Liverpool have switched attention to Ashley Young, and are currently £3m away from meeting Aston Villa's asking price. I've no idea how reliable they are.
9.41pm:
And with that I hand back to Rob. It's been fun.
9.44pm:
I'm back. It looks like Charlie Adam is off, Blackpool turning down bids of £8m and then £10m, holding out for £14m. No wonder he's got a sour puss.
9.48pm:
"May I be among the 1,057 pedants pointing out to you that the Vienna-born Peter Drucker, who became an American citizen while still in his thirties, was no more an Englishman than Owen Hargreaves is a German? A good deal less so, in fact," writes Jason Timms. "In Canada, we have a habit of claiming as Canadian accomplished men and women with the flimsiest connections to our soil and country. Surely you lot needn't be so desperate." Point taken, Jason.
9.49pm:
"Re 9.37pm: Sky Sports News just "broke" news of Ricardo joining Leicester. Looks like Jim White and co are reading this very blog, then. Be fair Rob, unless I am to assume that you are not also frantically F5ing football websites of questionable veracity." Er, a big lad did it then ran away.
9.51pm:
Families are taking the strain, Fernando, all because of you. Glenn Moloney writes of a shocking encounter: "My brother (Everton fan) called me to explain his pregnant wife (Liverpool fan - she has sense) is devastated about the possible imminent departure of Fernando Torres, in fact she is wondering what to do with her red car (named Torres for many years) now he has gone. Apparently she was in tears the poor girl. I assured her 100% my brother was not laughing. No, definitely not laughing at all. Seriously, not p***ing himself with laughter. In fact I swore to her he was very sympathetic."
9.56pm:
As you can probably tell we've hit an impasse. So time for some insults. Jonah Gadsby: "In response to the 9:51. That's all Everton supporters have got, bitterness at just how great a club we are. Makes me sick." Play nice, chaps. James from Kiama, Australia is musing on that nation's favourite band: "If Torres has left Melwood by helicopter, does that mean there's something in the air tonight, Fernando?" SOS for Carroll.
10.03pm:
The news from Sky's man at the Bridge is that there is no official word on Torres or Luiz. Torres is having a medical, though. Touché from correspondent calling themselves didx: "'In Canada, we have a habit of claiming as Canadian accomplished men and women with the flimsiest connections to our soil and country. Surely you lot needn't be so desperate.' See also Greg Ruzedski."
10.04pm:
Colin May asks: "Who will buy Nile Ranger 12 months from now and how much will they pay?" Can we up that to 38 for the Torres/Terry gag? So is Torres going to be known as a "Judas" by Liverpool fans from now on. Leeds had four – Jordan, McQueen, Cantona and Smith – who get referred to as such. Evertonians and Rooney. Spurs and Campbell. Who else?
10.09pm:
Hearing from Ewan Murray that Kilmarnock's Conor Sammon is off to Wigan for £600,000. And that Torres will sign live on Chelsea TV. That's not Ewan's scoop but Dom Fifield's.
10.11pm:
This from our man in Jorvik, Marti Ost. "At the Hotel du Vin in York, have just spotted Elmander with a few suits meeting another couple of suits. My guess is officials from NUFC but what do I know?" Perhaps he's been to the railway museum as well.
10.14pm:
Judas news from Scott Bassett: "Carroll is being proclaimed a Judas by a few commenters on Newcastle blogs, so you can chuck him on the list. Luis Figo too, for joining Real Madrid. He had the pig heaved at him but an ornery Barca fan, right?" And Niels Bundgaard: "There is Barcelona with Figo, Laudrup and Bernd Schuster. Schuster also signed for Atletico Madrid from Real." Mention of Denis Law, too. But I'm not having it. he was a City player pre and post United. Ashley Cole, says Michelle Peter-Jones. Of course. And Paul Cockburn reminds us of Paul Ince.
10.17pm:
David Walker mourns the sale of Conor Sammon: "'Hearing from Ewan Murray that Kilmarnock's Conor Sammon is off to Wigan for £600,000.' I thought we might have dodged a bullet but good luck to him anyway. All the best Connor!" More Judases of the Hibee variety from Allan Hosey: "Craig Patterson (now chairman of the Hibernian Historical Trust), Ian Murray (now the sometime Hibs captain and back to being liked), Derek Riordan (now the only object of affection from a much disaffected Hibs support since he's back at Easter Road). Moral of the list? Fans are like spurned lovers who will forgive all if someone is back playing for them. Kevin Thomson is still a judas wee ¢€•€¢ though."
10.20pm:
We hear from Dom Fifield that Jeffrey Bruma is off to Leicester on loan.
10.23pm:
Newcastle, Bolton, West Ham, Everton and Portsmouth all had loan bids for Man City's Shaun Wright-Phillips turned down today.
10.25pm:
According to Sky Newcastle have made a "significant offer" to re-sign Charles N'Zogbia. Good work that, Joe Kinnear, you …
10.27pm:
"Continuing on the theme of Judases, one has surely got to point out Tevez and Schmeichel, although Schmeichel did go the long way round. For a United player to even court the idea of joining city, looking at you here Wayne, sends me in to wild rage. After all Schmeichel achieved with United, how could he go there? It made me sick to my stomach." That's Owain Tomblin. Wigan say they've turned down the offer for N'Zogbia because it's too late.
10.28pm:
Wigan turn down £10m bid for Charles N'Zogbia.
10.32pm:
"Re: Leeds Judases - I think you missed a certain Mr Rio Ferdinand," writes Tim Booth. I did. Other suggestions include Frannie Jeffers, Steve McMahon, Kenny Miller and Mo Johnston from David Brennan. Thanks to Andrew Emmerson for this: " Here's what the faithful Newcastle Fans get to wake up to in the morning …" It chafes.
10.39pm:
"Thanks for that reminder about Joe and 'Insomnia'!" writes John Kelly. "I remember him calling Dumitrescu, 'Dum-a-choo-choo' while doing punditry for RTE during in the World Cup. Never was good on those funny names, was Joe.
10.40pm:
Shocking rumour from Michael Shand: "I've heard Newcastle are looking at Kris Boyd, think we're starting to panic!" You're doomed if that's the case, says Private Fraser.
10.42pm:
This just in from Gosia Scibor. "I'm Polish girl, who chose Liverpool as a place to study, because of LFC and my love of the team, as well as Fernando Torres. I came in the worst moment, from a sport point of view, but all the time I have been with a team - and my favourite player - Torres. I watched interviews with him, when he said 'I want my daughter to speak with a Scouse accent'. I feel cheated, and well, I need to rename my puppy, throw the scarf, and move on." Jesus. Has anyone got a hankie? Never despair, Gosia.
10.45pm:
Several of you are making the case for Michael Owen joining the Judas club. Not sure he had much choice when he left Newcastle. Would you turn down United and join Wigan instead?
10.47pm:
Despair has gripped Ahad Ali: "We have Shola 'ball control of an amoeba' Ameobi, Leon 'one good game' Best, Nile 'well, I try hard' Ranger, and Peter 'free transfer and great choice for a Championship team in Football Manager' Lovenkrands." Mike Smith's view: "Newcastle are probably looking at anyone who can get to St James' in 15 mins now. Down to Wallsend Boys Club again."
10.50pm:
Sky are saying Carroll has signed a five and a half year deal to smash the transfer record, signing for £35m. Newcastle have upped their bid to £12m for Charlie N'Zogbia now. It's been rejected.
10.51pm:
Tick tock nine minutes to go.
10.53pm:
Apparently Tottenham are now in for Charlie Adam according to Sky sources. Sky sauces. Seven minutes to go.
10.54pm:
Spurs and their brinkmanship. Every time.
10.55pm:
As Mike Smith points out, Newcastle's bid for Charles N'Zogbia defies logic: "So flog the guy who can head the ball and then buy back the guy who can cross it!"
10.57pm:
Fernando Torres and David Luiz have both signed for Chelsea according to unofficial sources. Liverpool, however, have confirmed that Torres has been sold. Carroll will wear the No9 shirt at Anfield.
10.59pm:
| i don't know |
English 17th century 'Hearth Money' was a tax on which part of a house? | Hearth Money | Living in the Past
Living in the Past
Posted on December 12, 2014 by LIP | Comments Off on In at the Ground Floor: Exploring a 17th Century Home in South Derbyshire
Introduction
In this post (the second post in a series that considers everyday life in Early Modern England [i] through ‘archaeological stories’ that places historical evidence within a fictional narrative: see ‘ Expedition into the Past: Tales of a 17th Century Derbyshire Manor House ’ for a brief explanation of this approach), [ii] we continue to follow Samuel Beighton. This Constable [iii] is investigating ‘Upper Hall’ (a privately occupied dwelling in the Swadlincote area of South Derbyshire), [iv] in order to verify the number of chargeable fireplaces for the first Hearth Tax assessment, in September 1662. [v]
This post continues from ‘ The Taxman Cometh: Exploring a 17th Century South Derbyshire Home ’, in which Samuels examines the setting and front façade of the manor House. The real-life characters encountered within these posts are discussed (alongside other occupants and events connected with the house) in ‘ From Yeoman to Gentleman: Peopling a 17th Century South Derbyshire Manor House ’, which includes tentative ‘family histories’ to consider social relationships within and between the Hall and the wider community. ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past: the 17th Century Home ’ outlines the domestic environment and material culture of the typical yeoman household at this time, providing a backdrop and comparisons for the society and culture of Upper Hall. ‘ Expedition into the Past ’ provides background information, and discusses how this series uses written and materials sources to create a historically descriptive, but imaginary, tale. (Please see the endnotes for information on the sources used, and on the introduction of fictional characters and circumstances. Italicised text is used to denote discussion of later and features, and to present background information, outside the main narrative.)
Constable Beighton resumes his investigations as one of the servants reluctantly admits him into the property through the porch: he now stands within the entrance hall.
Entrance Hall
The constable looks about him as the servant hesitates over where she should first conduct the officious intruder. Muffled voices permeate a closed oak door to the right, which intrigue Beighton, though this room appears not to be their destination. Samuel can just see stairs to another floor through the opening in the wattle panels in front of him. Through another oaken door to the left, he glimpses what must be the kitchen.
Parlour-Dining Room
Though not visible to Samuel at this time, visitors in later years would have encountered a door to the left of that which led to the kitchen, which opened into an extension built in the late 18th or early 19th century, to the north of the porch. Its construction therefore postdates Beighton’s assessment of 1662, and the repeal of the hearth tax in the 1680s.
It will be seen below (in the section on the Hall) that the house has at several times been subdivided; this extension was most likely built as a parlour-dining room, after the south wing – and its dining room and parlour – was separated from the rest of the house. This modification appears to have been carried out in or after the late Georgian period (by which time the Benskin family had vacated the property), perhaps by the grandson of the third owner (William Cant), William Bailey (or ‘Bayley’) Cant (see ‘ From Yeoman to Gentleman ’).
The room is fitted with a fine (original?) late 18th – early 19th century style fire surround (perhaps made of what in the past was commonly called ‘ deal ’). Within the fireplace is a late 19th – 20th century cast iron combination grate, with transfer-printed ceramic tiles. The ceramic hearth tiles appear to be relatively recent additions, perhaps set on top of an earlier hearth-stone (possibly raising the level of the fireplace floor, in order to comply with modern building regulations for fitting a gas fire within the grate). To the right of the chimneybreast is an arched alcove (which may have once contained a carved wooden or plaster back), within which expensive possessions may have been displayed.
Fireplace in late 18th – early 19th century parlour-dining room
The room would most likely have contained a central mahogany dining table (perhaps of gate-leg design, so that it might be folded and placed against the wall when not in use), with upholstered and carved mahogany dining chairs, and perhaps a small mahogany sideboard.
For more information on, and descriptions of late 17th – 19th century parlour-dining rooms, see ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’; and the Geffrye Museum virtual display .
Here the servant-girl suddenly leaves Samuel, as a male servant approaches through the kitchen door to take her place, and grudgingly bids the constable to follow.
Kitchen and Cellars
Kitchen, viewed through hallway door
Samuel is impressed by the modern and well-equipped kitchen, which has not one, but two, bread ovens (see ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’) within the brick inglenook fireplace – no sending victuals out to the village baker, as the less fortunate must do. One of the arched openings bears sooty traces from the flames and smoke of a previous fire.
The following is a description of the possible arrangements for the kitchen hearth at the time of the first Hearth Tax assessment. Inglenook fireplaces were built to contain open grate wood fires, whereas the central brick feature (enclosing a narrow flue) now visible was likely to have been inserted at a later date to burn coal (late 17th – late 18th century: closer examination might enable a more accurate estimate of the most likely date when this modification took place). Bricked in flues could more efficiently (and with less smoke, and fewer noxious fumes) burn fossil fuels; prior to this change, chimney flues were chamfered. [vi]
The ashes from the fire (saved for cleaning purposes) part fill a deep brick-lined grate-covered pit (perhaps 2’ square) set in brick floor in front of the fireplace. [vii] A young boy brings in faggots from outdoors, in readiness for baking, and wood to keep the main fire alive, and eyes the constable warily, as the other servant departs – perhaps to consult with the master of the house.
Bread ovens within brick and stone inglenook fireplace
Samuel takes this opportunity to look around the room. Like the treads of the stairs that he saw in the hallway, the massive oak lintel of the inglenook is a reminder of the substantial rooms above. The fireplace is conveniently equipped with side niches, which provide a dry place for the saltbox and sugar loaf between use, away from vermin that might have escaped the attention of the house cat.
Inglenook niche (right). Note pale blue distemper on the stone base of the bread oven (within which faggots have been laid)
Logs burn upon iron firedogs (see ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’) in the hearth; Mistress Benskin prefers to keep the blaze perpetually alight, for what seems to be a continuous round of cooking. (As the wife of a prosperous farmer, she has as much fuel as she might need – which is a good thing, considering the frustration that both she and the kitchen maid find in using the tinderbox to re-light an extinguished flame.)
Through his assessments of the tax, Beighton has noticed that some (albeit mainly the landowning gentry) have begun to burn locally mined coal within their homes, in place of wood. He suspects that this well-off household will soon make this change: he has seen grates adapted for this purpose by the placement of iron bars between the dogs (see ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’). With coalmines only a few miles away, transportation costs should not prohibit the use of this new fuel (which is often the case for even ‘middling’ families in other areas).
As Samuel hears the servant returning, his gaze quickly casts around the room, excepting the occasional trace, no lime-wash covers the walls, as is customary (though servants usually perform this task in spring, perhaps they have scrubbed them in readiness to receive a fresh coat).
A patch of pale blue tinted lime-wash is evident on the stone base of the right bread oven (see photo above). Blue was often added to whitewash on kitchen, pantry, cupboard interiors, external yard and passageway walls, and privy walls, and any other place where hygiene was particularly required (including the walls of children’s bedrooms) in the Victorian or Edwardian periods. This finish was thought to repel flies (though this belief had no basis in fact); for further examples of this finish, see posts on ‘No. 8’ – a later 19th century terrace house in Derby that was also examined by LIPCAP.
The room is simply furnished, with table, chair, benches and stool, a meat safe on the wall, and equipment suspended from the walls and hearth (see ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’ for a description of 17th century kitchen furnishings).
Cellar stairs
A kitchen maid accompanies the returning man; he motions to the constable to follow her as she moves towards a door leading from the kitchen. As she opens the door, Beighton sees a flight of stairs, down which he follows his young guide.
Stone mullion window in cellar
As Samuel descends, a breeze stirs the cool air, streaming in through an open window. On reaching the bottom of the steps, an unglazed stone mullion becomes visible (expensive glass would be wasted in these out-of-sight cellars). Though windows are barred to intruders, this precaution has clearly proved no obstacle to this unwelcome visitor.
Cellar room with brick thralls, showing brick-vaulted ceiling, and ceramic floor tiles of probable 18th century date
Brick walls divide the cellar into barrel-vaulted rooms, the size of the bricks suggesting later insertions and extensions (built during or after the 19th century). In places, these walls top earlier brick courses. The size of the bricks used for the extant thralls suggests a later date (late 18th – 19th century) for these features.
Brick and stone cellar floor, indicating different phases of construction (17th century, with 19th – early 20th century modifications)
The floors are paved with stone flags, and patches of early (17th – mid 18th century) and later (19th century onwards) bricks and ceramic tiles. The walls have at some point been lime-washed, the colour reflecting the limited light, and lime content of the wash acting as a disinfectant.
Cellar room, showing stone walling, and different phases of brick construction
The serving girl continues to fulfil her charge from Mistress Benskin, and goes to fetch milk. She picks up a glazed yellow earthenware jug, made locally at Ticknall , which sits on the thrall (platform on which food, particularly dairy produce, was kept chilled) besides a large, wide, shallow, red earthenware bowl. The shiny black glaze that lines this pan can just be seen above the cream it contains. [viii]
(See ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’ for more information on 17th century material culture and practices associated with the home dairy.)
Black-glazed coarse red earthenware sherds – from (a) possible milk pan(s) and / or bowls – found in the topsoil of Upper Hall garden
Though finding no hearths, Samuel can see that food is processed as well as stored in these rooms. Through an open door, a large stone salting trough is visible, in which a flitch of bacon is partway through the curing processes, in preparation for the rapidly approaching cold winter months.
(See ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’ for information on 17th century material culture and practices relating to meat preservation.)
Salting trough, in cellar room, above brick thralls
This use of cellar space for household chores continues over the centuries, as land for housing becomes more precious: dwellings not only rise in height, but sink in depth, condemning many domestic servants – particularly young girls and boys, and women – to a largely subterranean life well into the 20th century, in the basements of middle-class households.
After responding affirmatively to the enquiry of the maid as to whether she could show him back to the house, Samuel follows her up the steps, which are (as with the other stairs) made of thick oak blocks. Rising from the dim underbelly of Upper Hall, he returns to the heat and light of the kitchen.
Cellar stairs to kitchen
By this time, the women have begun to prepare the next meal. Samuel’s mouth waters at the smell of roasting mutton (was it reared on Benskin lands?) and fresh thyme (likely picked from the garden). The serving girl takes over turning the spit from the weary pink-faced boy – an increasingly automated task in wealthier households by use of a mechanical spit jack. As the spit scrapes upon a wrought iron andiron, Mistress Maria pours claret from a squat bottle into a large bowl, into which she then grates nutmeg (using a recipe of the day for those sufficiently wealthy to afford meat. A bell-metal cauldron of bubbling pottage gently swings on the wrought iron trammel hook that suspends the vessel over the flames.
(For illustrations and more information on the above-mentioned kitchen objects, see ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’.)
Beneath this array of aromas, the tang of vinegar and rosemary is just perceptible. Eliza had earlier scrubbed the ash kitchen table – with some success; the Master and Mistress have spoken together of her progress – though not yet 9 years old, she is coming on as a maid.
Master John has distant childhood memories of his grandfather John – whose son John (the current Master’s father) built the house (see ‘ From Yeoman to Gentleman ’) – talking of a maid bearing the same name, who served his family in the previous century. Long gone, she has lain buried in the nearby church since 1602 (though not being of the gentry, her grave has no marker) (see ‘ From Yeoman to Gentleman ’). The couple hope that this young girl will prove as faithful as her namesake, for she is almost one of the family, having been part of the household for over a year now. [ix]
Handle of a coarse earthenware jug, of 14th – 17th century date, found in the topsoil of Upper Hall garden. There are possibly slight traces of yellow glaze (which might be clarified by closer examination); if certainly evident, this would suggest local manufacture in the 17th century.
Sherds from possible contemporary ceramics found within the garden of Upper Hall will be examined in more detail in a subsequent post.
PANTRY AND SCULLERY?
Samuel makes a note of the kitchen hearth, before the man who previously accompanied led him out of the room. The men pass a small room – or large cupboard, to the right of the kitchen; he can see through the door that no hearth lies within. This is perhaps a pantry, providing storage for precious ingredients that were more susceptible to damp (and more expensive), such as spices imported from foreign lands thanks to expanding trade networks.
Beyond is another small room, possibly a scullery for preparing food, and for other dirty household chores. Samuel can see no soft water cistern (often a T-shaped feature in stone), and supposes that water is fetched from a well in the yard outside.
(See ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’ for a description of 17th century pantry and scullery material culture.)
Early occupants would have to wait nearly three centuries for an indoor running water supply (though a washhouse is later built in the yard: see the forthcoming post ‘ Out Back: Exploring a 17th Century Home in South Derbyshire ’).
As the men move towards another closed door ahead of them, the suppressed clamour of children emanates from beyond; this is a familiar sound – perhaps the same he encountered earlier through another door, when first entering into the hall. The room hence is perhaps large, spanning the width of the house; Samuel consequently suspects that he is about to enter the hub of the house: the Hall.
The Hall
The Benskin family are gathered in the Hall, and eye Beighton as he enters the room. Sitting by the fire in an upholstered high-backed chair is the Master, Johannis (John) – a man of 62 years, referred to as ‘old’ John, to differentiate from his younger son who is in his early 30s; beside him sits his wife Maria, on a similar chair.
This is before the time of sofas and settees, which did not become fashionable within middle class homes until the end of the following century. In the mid 17th century, few common folk would have an upholstered chair, and often had to make use of a plain wooden stool or bench.
The Mater and Mistress have several children: two sadly died in infancy (as is commonplace – even within affluent households such as this), though seven have survived into adulthood, and have homes and families of their own. They also have many grandchildren, some of whom join them today, seated on stools about the room.
(See ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ‘ for information on derivation of, and material culture associated with, the 17th century hall; and ‘ From Yeoman to Gentleman ’ for further information on the family.)
Hall Fireplace
A fireplace of large stone blocks, and lined with the small bricks of the period, almost fills one wall of the room. It inevitably captures the constable’s attention, and he makes a note of it for his assessment. Burning logs that rest upon a cupped andiron warm the room; the cast iron back-plate (designed to reflect the heat forwards) is decorated, though soot and ash obscure the image. Beside the fire is an inverted earthenware bowl – of a type known as a curfew – which a servant will place over the flames when the family later retire to bed. In this way, the wood will continue smouldering overnight in relative safety (and thus avoid the need to re-light the fire in the morning).
Cup-iron dog-grate, with ceramic curfew (to the left of the grate)
Larger bricks, most likely manufactured in nearby Measham, line the back of the hearth; these are later insertions (known by some as Gob, or Jumb, bricks), made in the late 18th – early 19th centuries. [x] Between 1784 and 1803, Joseph Wilkes made these bricks twice the usual size (up to 11” × 5 “ × 3 1⁄2 “ / 280 mm × 125 mm × 80 mm, reduced in 1801 to 10” x 5” x 3” , prior to firing, which usually led to substantial shrinkage), in order to limit liability for the new brick taxation . [xi] This charge was imposed by George III in an attempt to reduce the debt incurred by the failed American war of 1776-83 . [xii] Although builders required fewer of these new style bricks than they had for the previously smaller bricks, the manufacturer aimed to maintain a profit by charging higher for the larger bricks; however, loses were made through the charge being set prior to firing – a process liable to include failures. [xiii] The tax was initially levied at 2s 6d per thousand bricks, but was increased in 1794, 1797, and 1805, ultimately reaching 5s 10d; it was not repealed until the middle of the 19th century. [xiv]
South wall of the Hall: location of blocked doors either side of the fireplace
On either side of the fireplace would have been two doors (now blocked), leading to the parlours, in the southern wing of the house, which can be seen in the photo of the back of the building, below. This part of the house now forms the neighbouring property, to which the author has not had access. The following therefore provides only a description of features commonly encountered within the rooms that would have lay beyond these doors in the later 17th century.
North wall of the Hall, showing location of blocked doors either side of the central panel
Dining Parlour
The door to the left of the fireplace led to the Dining Parlour, within which Beighton would have found a further hearth. It would have been lined with oak panels, which were often painted during and after the late 17th century. The room would have contained an oak table, which may have had folding leafs to allow storage against the wall when not in use, and chairs (perhaps caned or upholstered), and an oak sideboard (see ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’) and perhaps a corner cupboard (which were often wall-mounted). In subsequent decades, mahogany often replaced oak in wealthy homes.
Although Chinese porcelain may have been used (or displayed) in particularly prosperous times, blue-tinted and polychromatic tin-glazed earthenware (imitative ‘ Delftware ’, imported from Holland, or English-made imitations , imported from Bristol, Liverpool or London) was more probably used, alongside locally produced wares. Glazed and slip-decorated wares were made at potteries located only a few miles away (nearby Ticknall was a significant production centre , and wares manufactured in and around Swadlincote (such as by TG Green and Sharpe’s ) gained in prominence over the following centuries). [xv] Decorative wares may have been increasingly imported from Staffordshire potteries, made easier during the late 18th century with the development of the canal system. (With fewer breakages in transit reducing costs, the market expanded for regionally produced wares.)
Artefacts found within the garden topsoil of Upper Hall, showing some of the material culture used by the occupants, will be considered in a later post. For more information on the fixtures and fittings and other material culture (such as dining sets) that might have been used within these rooms, see ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’.
Sherds of locally made slip-decorated ‘yellow’ earthenware, found in the topsoil of Upper Hall
Parlour
The parlour, in the early 17th century, often referred to as the ‘Hall’, would have been the best appointed in the house, and only used by the family and special guests. It would have had a timber floor, perhaps covered with a woven wool carpet, or rush mat, and may have in later years been dry lined with lathe and plaster, and perhaps wallpapered, and fitted with a plaster or painted wood cornice.
Samuel Beighton would have found another fireplace to add to his list. Mistress Benskin may have displayed her most treasured possessions within cupboards in the alcoves at either side of the chimney, or within a corner cupboard. The windows, facing on to the road, may have been fitted with shutters, for warmth and privacy.
The room perhaps contained a small table, and several chairs, where of an evening the Master and Mistress, and perhaps the occasional close friend, passed their leisure time in polite conversation, or playing a fashionable card game, away from less refined company. Master Benskin and his sons may have smoked tobacco in their clay pipes (sherds of which have been found within Upper Hall gardens: see above) within this room – or perhaps, deemed offensive to ladies, this pursuit was restricted to the dining room after meals.
Clay tobacco pipe bowls of 17th – 18th century date, found within the garden of Upper Hall
For more information on, and descriptions of, late 17th – 19th century parlour-dining rooms, see ‘ Living in the Early Modern Past ’; and the Geffrye Museum virtual display .
The light is fading fast, and soon the household must retire to bed. The constable is ushered out of the door (not permitted by law to continue his search after dark), but will return tomorrow to explore the floors above…
Next: ‘ Onwards and Upwards: Exploring a 17th Century Home in South Derbyshire ‘
Notes
[i] This series of posts use the common definition of the Early Modern period in Britain as covering the mid 16th to mid 18th centuries; see the endnotes of ‘ Expedition into the Past: Tales of a 17th Century Derbyshire Manor House ’ for a brief discussion of the term, and of categorising historical periods.
Constable Beighton begins his search of the house in the following post ‘ In at the Ground Floor: Exploring a 17th Century Home in South Derbyshire: ’.
Notes
[i] Within British archaeology, the Early Modern period is typically seen as beginning in the mid 16th century, and ending in the mid – late 18th century. For a fuller discussion see the previous post the preceding post ‘ Expedition into the Past: Tales of a 17th Century Derbyshire Manor House ’.
[ii] For information on the circumstances of access to the property, see ‘Expedition into the Past’ (op. cit.). The full address of this property is withheld in order to retain the occupant’s privacy.
| Chimney |
The Salmon River in Idaho USA is known by what nickname, (also the name of a 1954 film, whose title soundtrack was recorded by each of its stars, Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum)? | Index of Terms used in 17th Century Wills & Inventories
November [i.e. abbreviation for the 9th month because the year started in March)
10ber, 10bris, VIIber
December [i.e. abbreviation for the 10th month because the year started in March)
Abbey Milton
Now known as Milton Abbas
accompt
account (used a lot in Letters of Administration)
Adtrix or (Admintrix)
(abbreviation for latin Administratrix) female administrator of an estate
advowson
In ecclesiastical law the right to recommend a member of the Anglican clergy for a vacant benefice, or to make such an appointment. The 'advowson' was often purchased from the church by wealthy landowners to ensure that they had control over the appointment of clergy to the church in their Manor
aet. or aetas
aet. is an abbreviation for the latin word aetas - aetis meaning age or life time. 'aet. 13' for example when used in Visitation records indicates that the person was still living at the date of the visitation aged 13 years. This enables you to roughly calculate year of birth.
Aff. or (Affid. Affidavit)
A written statement made on oath or by affirmation. On burial registers it confirmed that the individual had been buried in a woollen shroud in accordance with the law. Acts in 1666 and 1678 encouraged the wool trade by laying down that bodies were not to be buried wrapped in anything but wool, and a relative had to make an affidavit before a justice, or failing him, a clergyman, within eight days of the funeral stating that the law had been complied with. In some parishes at the conclusion of the burial service the clergyman asked 'Who makes the affidavit?. The making of a satisfactory reply was indicated in the register by the word Affidavit, or an abbreviation such as Affid..
akers
acres of land. Old Land Apportionment and Tithe maps often refer to measures of land simply by the letters 'a' (meaning acre) 'r' (rood) and 'p' (square perch). A square perch was equal to 160th of an acre
aletaster
The person responsible for calling from time to time to ensure that ale and beer were being sold by the correct measures and at a price and quality laid down. This was extremely important as nobody drank water as this was generally unfit for consumption. Ale was made from a mash, which was used three times to give three different strengths. The first and strongest mash was for men, the second for women and the weakest for children.
alias (aleas)
or alias dictus
alias is latin for: 'otherwise named or called'. When a person changed his/her surname, or was known by more than one name, he might sometimes be described as "Smith alias Jones". The term has no disreputable connotation. In a few cases both names joined by 'alias' were retained for several generations and so became the equivalent of our hyphen in a modern double barrelled name. Once hereditary surnames became established, a change of name might be caused by the inheritance of a property from a maternal relative, by a young person being adopted, by becoming known by a stepfather's surname, or by a number of other causes. In legal papers a married woman often had her maiden name added as an alias to show her connection with the matter in hand. It was much more common in Dorchester & Fordington in the 16th and 17th centuries than it is now.
'als' [or Ales and sometimes 'ats']
alias (See above) - Usually in parish registers e.g. '18 Aug 1678 - John the son of John MORY Ales [alias] WILES' as in St Peters register
Allhallows (or Alhalens or Allhallon or Allhallons)
An older name for All Saints Church in High East Street Dorchester. In 'Speeds' map of Dorchester dated 1611 it is referred to as 'Alhalens'. Examples:- John Williams (1473-1549) of Herringston in his Will dated 29 May 1548 gives 6s 8d to the reparation of the parish church of Alhalones in Dorchester. Jasper COLSON in his will dated 5th June 1667 refers to his 'house and garden being in Allhallowes parish'. See also Corporate Development document on this site " Allhallon Church Lane. Although this lane, running from East Street, at the west end of All Saints' Church, to Durnelane, is frequently indicated in the documents enrolled in Domesday, it first occurs by this name in a grant made 15th May, 32 Henry VIII. [1540], by John Clerke to John Corbyn, baker, of Belamys bakehouse, situate on the east side of the venella ibidem communiter vocata Alhalon Churche lane, having the King's burgage (late the Abbot of Byndon's) on the north, and the burgage of John Pynge, formerly Margaret Boith's, on the south (600)"
amry or (amery, ambry, ambree, ambary, ambreye, aumbrey)
early type of large cupboard with doors originally for food but in 17th century Fordington seems to be used for books, linen, clothes etc Picture Link
Anabaptist
Member of a Protestant movement characterized by adult baptism. Anabaptists held that infants were not punishable for sin because they had no awareness of good and evil and thus could not yet exercise free will, repent, and accept baptism. Denying the validity of infant baptism, they accepted adult baptism, which was regarded as a second baptism by those outside the group who identified them as Anabaptists . This is a particular problem in trying to trace ancestors in Dorchester as there is no infant baptism and records of adult baptisms often do not survive. The most famous family of anabaptits in Dorchester is the BROOKS family whose daughter Mrs Mary CHANNING(1687-1705/6) was executed for the murder of her husband in 1704
Andirons or (Andjorns, Andier, Andire, Andjorns; And Eyrons; Andeyorns)
'Andier' is old French - an earlier form of 'Andiron' - a utensil placed one at each side of the hearth and therefore usually found in pairs; for supporting wood when burning in a fireplace, an ornamental form of fire dog Picture Link
Anno Domini
Latin - In the year of Our lord. Often abbreviated in parish records (A.D.) or (An.Dm.) or (Ano Dom).
Annution
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary or 25th March
aparitor; apparitor
A messenger who serves the process of a spiritual court
appurtenances
The rights and duties attached to the holding of manorial land. The most important were submission to the manor court, grazing rights and the payment of various fines to the lord of the manor. A pew, or part of a pew, in church was often an 'appurtenance' of a specific house in the parish.
apron (aperne)
The apron hung down the front of the dress, Made of Linen it would be hand made and hand sown. Where worn by ladies of fashion it would could have an edging of needle or bobbin lace, and even be embroidered in coloured silks. White was common for respectable ladies of the town, but around the house or for working women, coloured cloth was more usual. An apron (or a Napron as it should be more correctly called) was used for all sorts of work; drying hands and dishes, carrying hot or dirty pans, wiping surfaces and utensils etc. For the less well off it might be unbleached and made of wool. Picture Link
apud
Latin word used in probate statements meaning 'at, by, near; to; towards'
a pynt or appoynt
An esquire, one entitled to bear heraldic arms
Armitage in Dorset
Not to be confused with "Armitage in Staffordshire". This is an old spelling for the parish of 'Hermitage' in Dorset where there was a Priory with close associations with Dorchester. 'Hermitage' is approximately 15k (10miles) NNW of Dorchester where the Priory of Hermitage was situated in the heart of the forest of 'Blackmore'. In the 15th Century the house became the free chapel of St Mary simply refered to as 'The Hermitage'
See the History of the County of Dorset: Volume 2. It's association with Dorchester and Fordington appears to date from 1469 when Edward IV placed it in the custody of William BROWN Clerk who already held the Mastership of the Hospital of St John at Dorchester. The grant for life of the yearly annuity of 52s 2d with which the chapel was charged to the King of which 38s 10d was payable to the exchequer and 13s 4d to the Bailiff of the Manor of Fordington for the use of the Duke of Cornwall. Fordington has long been a Royal Manor within the estates of the Dutchy of Cornwall. Parish Registers are held at the DHC in Dorchester but only date from 1712. Some earlier records exist however dating from 1604 These are the Bishops Transcripts imagerd by CLDS
athwart
an axle or the pivot on which a wheel revolved
backsyde, backside
a phrase in common use meaning the back outside of buildings, usually including a partially or wholly enclosed yard.
bailiff
A Manorial Lord's local manager, appointed from outside the tenantry. He looked after the Lords interests, superintended his demesne land, and liaised with tenants of the manor through their representatve the Reeve. He was responsible to the Lord of the Manor or his steward for the efficient carrying out of his duties. In Dorchester things were handled slightly differently as the King had granted them a Charter empowering the Corporation to administer various forms of local Government. Two Bailiffs were appointed by the Corporation and they together with the Capital Burgesses were given power to make Bye-laws for the due government of the inhabitants. Link to a list of Bailiffs for Dorchester (1394-1834)
ballastman
A person who loads ballast into the empty hold of ships
bands or bandes
(1) a loose, turnover collar which succeeded the ruff. (2) pair of strips of thin white material, worn by men round the neck, the ends hanging down in front. Still worn by the legal profession. (3) hinges with long flat bands of iron fixed across the door [Source A Glossary of Household farming and Trade Terms from Probate Inventories by Rosmary Milward Derbyshire Record Society Occasional Paper published 1977]
baptizatus(-a) erat
The practice of exciting or encouraging disputes or law-suits
bargaine
'a contract' often referring to a lease of property. In Dorchester/Fordington Wills it is often used less formerly as a condition of inheritance, such as 'I give you these goods/land etc on condition that you do something else such as look after your mother or allow a sister or son to reside in the house until they die or marry or receive the interest from an investment etc.
basing
basin - often listed in Dorchester inventories as a 'basing and yewr' ie a 'basin and ewer' usually owned by better off traders etc
Bathsua [Bathsuha]
'Bathsuha' is a biblical name meaning the same as 'Bathsheba' example Bashsua was the first wife of William Allen who was the 2nd husband of Elizabeth White the sister of the Rev John White (1575-1648).
Bathsheba
'Bathsheba' is a biblical name meaning the seventh daughter; the daughter of satiety
batrye
a frame with slats or boards or rope laid across under the mattress Picture Link
bearing sheet
More correcty referred to as a 'bearing cloth': Bearing cloths were used for ceremonial occasions, particularly baptisms, up to the end of the 17th century. The bearing cloth would have been wrapped round the swaddled child during the procession to church but removed for the immersion of the child in the font as part of the ceremony. The cloths were generally very ornate, and therefore expensive to produce. Such a cloth would traditionally be passed down through the family, being used for sons, daughters and cousins alike, and many remained treasured family possessions. The bearing cloth was effectively replaced by the christening robe when total immersion ceased to be used, therefore allowing the child's clothing to be more decorative in itself. Source V & A follow link for image. Example: Dorchester Will of Richard Barker (1542-1621)
bely
a spelling said to be nearly obsolete in 1775 - To belie to falsify - represent in an unjust light
behoofe
a broom
bethlam or bethlem
Bethlem Royal Hospital or the treatment of mental illness, See Holy Trinity Vestry Minutes for examples of parishioners being referred to the Hospital : e.g. 19th March 1780 James GRIFFIN appears to have been sent and died there as the Overseers had to pay for his funeral expenses. also June 9th 1788 Elizabeth the wife of Jacob BANKES was taken there by the Overseer Thomas SHEPPARD and the Overseers paid for her husband to attend her as well. She returned to Dorchester to be placed in the workhouse on 14th June 1789
bibell or (byble)
Bible: The bible played an important part in the lives of most families in Dorchester in the 17th century. For them to be itemised in an Inventory would have meant they were of both sybolic in as much as it was a demonstration of the Lords word being studied in the home, and also a valuable item in its own right. Some were highly decorated and generally secured in a bible box. Picture Link
billows (or bellowes, billowes)
bellows: mechanical contrivance for creating a jet of air, consisting usually of a hinged box with flexible sides, which expands to draw in air through an inward opening valve and contracts to expel the air through a nozzle. When included in a household inventory would have been used to speed combustion when cooking. Picture Link
birth date estimation - 27 years old for a man and 25 years old for a woman.
Estimated year of birth:- Where year of birth is unknown it has been estimated (identified by use of the letter 'c' for circa before the year) as being 27 years old for a man and 25 years old for a woman. These are averages applying to the Tudor period (1485-1603) for England. See the 'History Today' website under 'Courtship in Tudor England' and many others. It continued however during the House of Stuart (1603-1714). the ' Oxford Illustrated History of Britain' states regarding the Stuart Period" In all social groups, marriage was usually deferred until both partners were in their mid twenties and the wife only had twelve to fifteen childbearing years before her. The reason for this pattern of late marriage seems to be the firm convention that the couple save up enough money to launch themselves as an independent household before they wed. For the better off, this frequently meant university, legal training, an apprenticeship of seven years or more; for the less well off a long term of domestic service, living in with all found but little in the way of cash wages". I have tested this against known birth and marriage dates when writing other biographies and this held up really well for Anthony EAMES (1595 – 1686) of Fordington who emigrated to New England and its true of the Labouring classes as well
blackmoor (or blackmoore)
a negro [Source The new and complete dictionary of the English language by John Ash published 1775] Also see comments under Slave Trade
B.M.V
B.V.M. Is usually used in the context of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary also known as Ladys day or 25th March:
B.M.V. refers to Blessed Mary the Virgin [Note:- There was a Fraternity of the Blesseds Mary the Virgin in Dorchester described under the History of All Saints, Holy Trinity and St Peters. Also in Charters 431; 508; 524; 526.557, etc as "on the south side of High West Street, Dorchester in St. Peter's church on the west" Charter 560 states Robert Moreye, was chaplain, and John Pasco, Steward of the Blessed Mary in church of St. Peter of Dorchester,]
board (tableboard)
Table top supported on trestles but not fixed to them, they were joined by a central stretcher near the ground, which was secured by removeable pegs. After use the table would be taken to pieces and stored against the wall. Picture Link
board cloth (bord cloth)
bowl
bolster
bolster - a cylinder of stuffed fabric, filled with feathers or flock or wool. Stretched the whole width of the bed and was covered by the lower sheet.
bond points
laces for tying garments or footwear
bolster
a cylinder of stuffed fabric, filled with feathers or flock or wool. Stretched the whole width of the bed and was covered by the lower sheet
boot catcher
a person employed at an Inn or Tavern to remove and clean a persons boots. e.g. William BULLEN is described as a 'boot catcher' at the Antelope Inn in South street Dorchester on 18th Dec 1842 on the baptism of his son William at HT church - and Richard DYKE is described as a 'boots' at the Kings Arms in Dorchester on 23rd March 1853 on the baptism of his son Richard at All Saints.
bord (or bord cloth)
board - a term used to describe a table as it was a loose board which was supported by trestles. a board cloth was a tablecloth
borler
person who made cheap coarse clothing
box
16th Century Box Picture Link
boucher
bra (or braas or brase or brasse)
brass
brightsmith
metal worker - seems to have been used for polished metalwork on ships or other vehicles rather than blacksmith which was more concerned with wrought iron or basic blacksmith skills such as horse shoes etc
bristle grazier
The only place that I have come across this phrase is as an occupation given on a baptism record for All Saints on 22nd July 1832 for a Mr Elias COLE who was described as a 'bristle grazier'. The 1775 dictionary defines 'bristle' as one of the stiff hairs that stand up on the back of swine and a research document that I came across suggests that a bristle grazier was a person who cut and sorted hair into different grades and colours for manufacture presumable for things like shaving brushes. Whether this was Mr Coles occupation remains to be seen as I could not locate him elsewhere apart from his marriage at Radipole where no occupation is given.
brother
brother - commonly used in Dorchester Wills to mean a 'brother-in-law' Some wills try to make it clearer by referring to a real brother as 'my own brother'
bruing
leaden cooling vessel used in brewing
buh
abbreviation for bushel; measure of capacity 8 gallons for corn fruit malt etc
Bull Stake
The 'Bull Stake' is another name for 'North Square' in the Parish of St Peters in Dorchester. It is mentioned in various wills for example that of Andrew Lake who was buried at Dorchester St Peters 9th Aug 1745 but not proved by his widow Ann until 8th June 1767. It is shown on RL Kingstons Map of Dorchester dated 1771 see Street 'F'. Also the will of William Foot 1831.
burgage
A house or other property in a town, rented by a free burgess under burgess tenure
Burgess
originates from Anglo Norman French 'burgeis' :- an inhabitant of a town or borough with full rights of citizenship. In Dorchester 6 Aldermen & 6 other Burgesses were appointed under the charter published by Charles I on 6 Oct 1629 who with the Mayor and two Bailiffs were to be termed ' Capital Burgesses '.
buryell
burial
bushell
bushel - a vessel used as a measure, containing 4 pecks or 8 gallons. often used to measure wheat, etc
butterchurn
butter making vat in which milk or cream is agitated Link to background to butter making. In Dorchester they seem to refer to the barrel type as a butterchurn and the plunger type as a butterpump.
butterpump
storeroom for liquor and food and also for relevant equipment
B.V.M.
B.V.M. Is usually used in the context of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary also known as Lady's day or 25th March: B.M.V. refers to Blessed Mary the Virgin [Note:- There was a Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin in Dorchester described under the History of All Saints, Holy Trinity and St Peters. Also in Charters 431; 508; 524; 526.557, etc as "on the south side of High West Street, Dorchester in St. Peter's church on the west" Charter 560 states Robert Moreye, was chaplain, and John Pasco, Steward of the Blessed Mary in church of St. Peter of Dorchester,]
Calendar (start of the New Year)
CALENDAR - (Including the START OF THE NEW YEAR) The system fixing the civil years beginning, length and sub divisions. In the middle ages dates were usually indicated (for years) by the REGAL YEAR of the reigning monarch, and (for days) by the number of days before or after the nearest CHURCH FESTIVAL or fast. When 'Anno Domini' years are shown, there was no regularity as to the day on which the year was considered to have begun. To the writer of any document New Years day might have been 1st January, 25th March or 25th December. At the reformation it was laid down in the Book of Common Prayer that 'the Supputation [reckoning] of the year of our Lord in the Church of England beginneth the Five and twentieth day of March, the same day supposed to be the first day upon which the world was created and the day when Christ was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary'.
In Fordington for example the vicar John JACOB usually started the year on 25th March in accordance with common convention but for the period 1722/4 he started the year on 1st March before reverting to the 25th in 1725.
In Dorchester when the existing Rector Edward Doughtie left in 1584 the curate gave a nil return for burials for the year, meaning to the end of December, and started 1585 in January.
In 1752 two changes were made in the English calendar. The first was from the Julian to the more accurate Gregorian system that had been introduced in Catholic countries by Pope Gregory XIII in March 1582. A difference of eleven days had accumulated between the systems, so the change necessitated England's losing that number of days. To bring that about the day following 2nd September 1752 was renumbered the 14th.
The second change which was of far greater importance to genealogists, was that the commencement of that year was brought forward from 25th March to the preceding 1st January. This changed January, February and most of March from being the last months of the Old year to the first of the New. As the new system had already been put into use by some people in advance of its official introduction, care has to be taken when transcribing documents of the pre 1752 period dated between 1st Jan and 24th March. The correct transcription procedure is to use both Old and new reckonings; for example, by copying '11th Jan 1645' as '11th Jan 1645/6'. When viewing the National Burial Index (which does not follow this procedure but relies upon a purely computer general sort by calendar month) it is necessary therefore when recording the burial to fully appreciate that burials with dates 1st Jan to 24th March actually post date those for March to December.
The months of September, October, November and December, which used to be the seventh to tenth months of the year, are sometimes found abbreviated to '7ber, 8ber, 9ber, 10ber' respectively and must not be mistaken for the present seventh to tenth months July to October.
See separate entry below for Christian Festivals
canvas
A kind of unbleached cloth made of hemp or flax (Source 1775 Dictionary) Used for hard wearing items such as shirts and aprons, it was not like the modern cotton canvas of today but of a coarser woven natural coloured cloth which could be made in several different qualities and sometimes trimmed.
capite
See 'title in capite'
car (or car II)
'car' was often used in documents to refer to the regnal years of the reign of Charles Ist whose reign started on 27th March 1625. Hence Car 3 refers to the 3rd year of his reign which ran for 12 months from 27th March 1827. Charles the II's reign was usually referred to as car II and commenced from 30th January 1648/9. After the first year his reign was interupted by Cromwell so his reign years are 1 followed by 15 up to 37. Hence 'Car.II 17' runs for 12 months from 30th Jan 1664.
chandler (chandlery)
In most cases that I have seen concerning Dorchester and the surrounding district this does not generally refer to someone dealing in supplies for ships and boats but a dealer in household items such as oil, soap, and particularly candles and groceries
chapman
Around Dorchester it was used to describe an itinerant trader or peddler
charger
chattels
chayre or (charres)
chair(s) The inventory of Joseph Purchase of Dorchester in 1682 for example refers to tymber, lether and rush chayres. A Rush chair for example was one with a rush or canework seat.
cherchiefe (or kerchief)
A kerchief was a large square of linen folded diagonally and pinned or tied about the neck. By covering the back and neck heat was kept in when cold and sunstroke avoided when hot.
chest
Picture Link : Picture Link
chiluer or chilver (lamb)
a chilver is a female lamb. They were often identified as such in the wills of yeomen and husbandsmen in Fordington who had little money but left bequests of female lambs to their children as they were worth a lot more and could be bred from and used to start their own flock
chirurgion, or chirugeon, chyrurgeon, or chursurgeon
A surgeon [Examples Will of Thomas Herne, Chirurgeon of Dorchester Buried St Peters 31 Jan 1700; Will of Robert Wallis, Chirurgeon now belonging to His Majesty's Ship Defiance of Dorchester, Dorset; Will of Josiah BYLES barber and chirurgeon of Dorchester dated 20th Dec 1707 buried 20 Jan 1707/8;
Christian Names
List of Religious Christian Names used in Dorchester & Fordington: Religion played an important part in the lives of Dorchester and Fordington inhabitants in years gone by. Stimulated by the preaching's of the Rev John White many named their children after qualities they strove to attain in their community and this practice extended right through the Victorian age. In many ways I suppose I regret the loss of such names in our society today and this nostalgia, for a reason I can't even properly explain to myself, made me list some examples of them as I faithfully transcribed over 50,000 records for this site. For those as sentimental as myself I have listed them in the attached document. Needless to say human frailty being what it is many did not live up to the names given to them.
C.L.D.S.
Church of Latter day Saints. Link to their website . Based in Salt Lake City and responsible for the creation of a computer programme called the IGI ( International Genealogical Index ) to be used as an aid to church members who were asked to research their ancestry as a part of their belief. Their catalogue is especially useful as it is possible to enter a parish and get a listing of all the records that they have microfilmed. These can be viewed at a local CLDS History Center (there is usually a center within about 20 miles of where you live) where these films can be viewed. Here is a link to records they hold on Fordington as an example. In recent years they have started to image these records and make them available on line for which it is necessary to register. There are no charges involved in dealing with the CLDS nor do you have to be a member of the church to use their history centre. It was members of the church that were originally responsible for setting up Ancestry.com.
Church Festivals
The CHURCH FESTIVALS and fasts often used to date events are too numerous to list but those that are fixed, or ones most often used, plus some of the dates observed as 'solemn days' are available via the link provided. In most parishes the day of the saint to whom the local church is dedicated may also be found used for dating purposes. For example St Georges day was the 23rd April although I have not found this being used to date documents at Fordington. A table for the moveable feast of Easter Day and other feasts linked to when Easter Day occurred can be accessed via this link.
CLDS
Church of Latter Day Saints at Salt Lake City Utah. Search their catalog by entering the parish name to see a listing of records held for that parish. Click on the indexed category to see individual films for the period you want. These films can then be ordered and viewed at the nearest CLDS Church that has a family History section. I viewed films for more than a decade at my local church without once being asked to join.
close stool
cobord or (cobbord, cubbard, cuppboard)
cupboard Picture Link to 17th century example, most would not be as grand as this
cockloft
A small upper loft under the ridge of a roof
coelebs
Latin for:- bachelor
coffer or coffre, cofer, copher
Wooden box or chest with a rounded top, often a strong box for valuables. Picture Link : Picture Link : Picture Link : Picture Link
Cokers Froome
a Hamlet in the parish of Holy Trinity Dorchester
comp or (comp et ex)
A phrase used in Quarter Sessions order books. 'Comp' was variously used and may mean that he 'complied with' or is ordered to comply with, the court order'; or 'he appeared' (comparuit); or that two or more people have now settled their differences (compromissum). 'et ex' means and is discharged.
coney or coneyes
rabbit or rabbits
constable
Elected annually by the tenantry, he had to report, and take action on a great number of matters among them: felonies committed, escaped prisoners, riots, unlawful assemblies, non attendance at church, oppression by other officers, commercial irregularities, licensing of ale houses, compiling juror lists, drunkenness. He usually had assistants who dealt with things such as unauthorised building of additional cottages and dovecotes, vagabonds, intruders, militia muster rolls, taking of lewd women before justices of the peace and detaining refractory fathers of bastards
copulati sunt
latin for:- were married
Copyhold
Copyhold is a form of tenure for land held of a Lord of teh Manor in return, originally for agricultural services butsince Tudor times for money payments. On the admission of a new tenant a payment (fine) to the Lord was requiered, and on death of the Tenant a Heriot. Tenure of such land could be transferred only by its surrender to the Lord, and by admission by him of the new tenant, who was often the heir of the old one. Each admission was recorded in the Court Rolls and a copy of the entry given to the new tenant, for whom it fulfilled the functionof a title deed, hence the name Copyhold.
This form of tenure was made commutable to freeholdby an Act of 1841, but it was an Act of 1853/4 that brought about a general commutation, although copyhold tenure was not finally abolished until 1st January 1926. Copyhold is also known as customary tenure, since its conditions were governed by custom of the manor. An example of Copyhold tenure was the Will of Elias GALPIN (1756-1846) Maltster & Beer Retailer
coram
Latin - before 'in ones presence; in person'
cordwainer
A shoemaker. Cordwain was originally a kind of leather imported from Spain and used to make shoes
corn pike
to cosen is to cheat or deceive
cosier
a cobbler - The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language by John Nash published in 1795 states 'COSIER nearly obsolete, from the french couser to sew. a cobler, a botcher, a sowter'
cosin or (cozen)
Cousin: I have been asked about the definition of cousin in the 17th century a number of times so I think the best thing to do is quote verbatim the entry in "The Dictionary of Genealogy" my bible by Terrick VH Fitz Hugh (since deceased) who used to be a member of the West Surrey Family History Society to which I belonged for many years.
"Cousin: A term formerly loosely used, and often meaning a nephew or niece. A cousin German is a first cousin, i.e. the child of an uncle or aunt. A cousin-once removed expresses the relationship between a person and his cousin's child or parent, the 'once removed' referring to a difference of one generation. Hence 'twice removed' indicates a difference of two generations, and so on. People who are 'second cousins' to each other are the children of first cousins".
couch-bed
a bed with no hangings
counterfeit pass
false document alleged to be from a justice of the peace or other official authorising the bearer to travel
coverled or (covelled, coverlett, coverlid)
A modern term for a coverled is a bed cover or bedspread See definition of 'Coverlet' in "Dictionary of Traded Goods and Commodities, 1550-1820" at British History On Line
coverture
Coverture A phrase used in Wills meaning the legal status of a married woman, considered to be under her husbands protection and authority. Prior to 1882 a married woman could not normally make a will without her husbands consent, because her property was considered to be her husbands; but there were some exceptions for example when she held specifically devised property from a previous husband. She could also be left money or property for her own use if this was specifically written into a will when the phrase 'for her own and separate use and benefit notwithstanding coverture' was often used. Examples are:- (1) The Will of John Foot (1762-1831); (2) Will of Elias Galpin (1756-1846) and (3) Will of Rebecca Bridle dated 1794, widow of Dorchester
crocke or crock crocke or Crock
commonly a small earthenware pan although in south-west England the word also applied to metal pots.
croft
Land adjoining a house, often enclosed. as in 'croft of pasture' not to be confused with 'toft'
crok or (croke, crooke)
crook. Usually seen as part of a kitchen or fireplace inventory. It later simply became 'hook'. It was used to suspend a cooking pot or kettle at the desired height above the fire.
Cuckold's Row
Cuckold's Row : Located in East Fordington refer Entry 716 in the Parish Baptism Registers of St Georges Church Fordington made on 13th Nov 1881 (image available on ancestry.com) states " Cukold's Row to be called in future 'School Street' or School Lane" Initialed by the Vicar
crowd-strings
fiddle strings
curatrix
a legal term like executrix but meaning a guardian appointed by the court to look after the interests of a minor named as a main beneficiary in a deceased persons will. Example:- When William PADDOCH died and was buried at Holy Trinity church in Dorchester on 9th July 1756 his will appointed his wife Elizabeth as executrix. His widow however failed to administer his estate and when she died Letters of Administration were granted on 27th Jan 1766 to Mary HAYDON (widow of Richard) as curatrix or guardian of his grandaughter Rachel PADDOCK in her minority. Note:- Rachel PADDOCK was baptised at Holy Trinity Church Dorchester on 7th Nov 1759 so she was still only 7 years old at the time.
curier
a currier a person who curries leather. Currying was the name given to the process of stretching and finishing tanned leather, thus, rendering it supple and strong for the use of a saddler or cobbler.
curtlidge
A plot of land near a house, usually a vegetable garden
dafer (or dafter, daffter)
daughter
dairyman
dairyman worker on, or owner of a dairy farm, or seller of dairy products such as butter and cheese
damask
See 'diap/diaper' below
D.C.M.
D.C.M. when used in Dorchester or Fordington Parish Registers usually refers to the 'Dorset County Militia' not the Distinguished Conduct Medal. An example of this is in the West Fordington marriage register for 22nd April 1872 when James Reuben Toogood a bandsman (a drummer) in the D.C.M married Charlotte Read. His father Absolum Toogood was also a Staff Serjeant in the Militia.
death head rings
A 'death head ring' is a morning or posie ring Link to pictures of posie rings
de ead
Latin - 'of the same' or 'from the same place' often encountered in Letters of Administration
deforcement; deforciant
Deforcement: Legal term for the act of holding lands and tenements by force from the right owner. Deforciant is a person doing the same. Source: The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language published by john Ash in 1775
demesne or deamense
Those parts of the land and rights of a manor that the lord retained for himself, as distinct from those used by his tenants. What might now be called the 'home farm'. Ancient Demeasne was a Manor that had been in the king's hands at the death of Edward the Confessor.
derbys
deceased
demise
Demise To convey by Willor leasean estate either in Fee Simple (see Fee) or Fee Tail (See entail) or for a term of life or years. When applied to the crown of England it signifiesits transmission to the enxt heir on the death of the soverign
deu
due
diap , diaper
'Diap' is a common abbreviation used in wills for 'diaper'. Linen diaper and damask were a self patterened fine white linen that had been used in western Europe since the 15th century for tablecloths, napkins and handtowels. These linens were described in various ways but in England in the mid 16th century they were classed, notably in probate inventories, as either 'diaper' or 'damask'. This classification was descriptive rather than technical, 'diaper' and 'damask' being differentiated solely by the complexity of the pattern: small repeat patterns often of a geometrical form were described as 'diaper' and figurative patterns with longer repeats as 'damasks'. Source The Grove Encyclopedia of materials and techniques in Art
die
Latin for: 'day' or 'day of ' -- often encountered as 'die solis' [meaning Sunday]
doe
do
dowlis, dowlas
Dowlis was a course linen cloth made at Doulas near Brest in France and imported in the 17th century through the port of Weymouth by Dorchester Merchants . Joan Christopher (1704-1780) my 6th great grandmother had clothing made for her from dowlis in Dec 1762 which was paid for by the Obverseers of the Poor at Cheselbourne.
Source: Page 38 Studies in Dorset History by Maureen Weinstock M.A.,F.R.Hist.S published by Longmans (Dorchester) 1953
drawer
a tapster or waiter
dower
The portion to which a widow was entitled of the estate of her late husband for her subsistence and the education of their children. By Common Law it was fixed at one-third, but this could be over-ruled by the customary law of the manor (or other area) to one-quarter or one half, or his whole estate. In connection with copyhold property, the last mentioned right was called 'Freebench'. Dower is also used of a daughter's portion of inheritance. Dower (Latin dotarium) is not to be confused with Dowry.
dowry
was the property in land or money that a wife brought to her husband at their marriage. This may have been given her by her father, or it may have been property already in her possession by inheritance. Dowry (Latin maritagium) is not to be confused with Dower
dredge corn
mixture of wheat and barley or another corn such as oats
drinking vessels 17th Century
17th Century Drinking Vessels. Water being generally undrinkable the stable 17th century drink for all classes was ale. Ale made from the 1st mash, which had a stronger alcoholic content, was generally reserved for men, woman drank from the 2nd mash which was slightly weaker and children from the third the weakest of all. This system was followed for many generations as the brewing process killed germs.
Water particularly in towns carried infection as human waste was more often than not disposed of in cess pits under the houses and the sewage leaked into the water supply. This was still a problem in the mid 19th century - See the biography of Rev Henry Moule and page down to his invention of the dry earth closest for more background.
The better off would have wine or even spirits. Dorchester Inventories seldom refer to any kind of drinking vessel and I can only assume that this is because they were in common use and generally considered of little intrinsic value. As such they are probably included in the reference often made to "other lumber". In general use were Goblets, Mugs, Jugs or Tankards. Tankards, differ from mugs in being lidded, and were made in vast numbers from 1660 - 1780. As taste turned from ale to wine and spirits, tankards began to lose their popularity. Early tankards are straight-sided and late 17th-century examples are sometimes chased or decorated.
driping pan or drippynge pann
dripping pan - pan placed below meat on a revolving spit to catch the drips
dust bed (or doust bed)
Evident in a number of Dorchester & Fordington Inventories (usually not the main bed) Dust beds are frequently shown in smaller rooms/ store rooms and mainly on farms: I have used the definition given by Phillimore; "bed-tick mattress filled with chaff". I have also seen 'dust pillow'. [Thanks to Peter Fullalove for this definition]
Easter Day
The most important movable Feast is Easter Day and a separate listing can be accessed via the link provided which also lists the dates of other movable feasts which as determined from Easter Daye
eftsoons
ejusdem is latin for - the same and is sometimes abbreviated to 'eju'
entail
abbreviated latin for eodem annus - in the same year
Eodem die (abbrev. Eod die)
Latin for:- on the same day
et
Latin = and
(a symbol meaning) etc
Et Cetera - meaning 'and other things' or 'and so forth'. Added here as often included in Wills as a funny symbol which looks like a backward facing rounded 'E' or 'Ʒ' followed by a 't' e.g. 'Ʒt' both surrounded by a capital C .
extraparochial
situate so as not to be included in any parish. (Source The new and complete dictionary of the English language: by John Ash published 1775) Example at Dorchester is the marriage of 'Matthew GARLAND of Watercomb an Extraparochial Place & Elizabeth PRESTLY of the parish of Holy Trinity in Dorchester 07-Jan 1759' [Note:-In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Watercombe as " an extra-parochial tract in Weymouth district, Dorset; 5� miles SE of Dorchester. Pop., 37. Houses, 7"]
eyron or (eyern,)
iron, as in andeyrons for andirons or eyron candlestickes
fagot (or ffaggott)
A bundle of sticks bound together for the fire
fardle(s)
old french for a bundle(s) As in fardles of derbys (bundles of cloth quoted in William Whiteways diary entry for 30 Dec 1633)
farrier
A person who shoes horses also 'one who professes to cure the diseases of horses (1775 dictionary)'
fate or fatehorse; ffatehorsses
vat or vat stand
featherbed or (father bed)
a �quilt� fabric bag (tick) filled with feathers. Often accompanied by a matching bolster
fee
Fee The expression 'in fee' means 'hereditarily', and 'in fee male' means through the male line of descent. A Fee Simple was a freehold estate in land which passed at death to the common law heir. For Fee Tail see entail. Fee Farm was a fixed annual rent charge payable to the king by chartered boroughs
fellmonger (or velmonger)
One whose business it is to part the wool from pelts, one who deals in sheepskins. Example is Simeon Furber Scard who married Jane Old Curtis at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester on 8th April 1861 is described as a fellmonger when he married and later a farmer.
feodary
a feudal tenant. see also 'feudalism'.
feoffee
a trustee invested with a freehold estate to hold in possession for a purpose typically a charitable one. In Dorchester there were for example "Feoffees" elected to administer endowments and funds for the Free School
feudalism
the dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their Lord's land and give him homage, labour, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection.
Fforthington: or (Fording; Fordinge)
Parish of Fordington in Dorset
filius [abbrev: fili] (or fila)
latin for:-son (or daughter)
fine
not a penalty as in modern English but refers to the sum of money paid or due; for example to the Lord of the Manor
Firedog or ffyerdogge
Firedog is like an andier, but generally smaller less ornamental. They were used to support wood buring in a hearth Picture Link
ffirepan
iron tray beneath a grate to catch the ashes
ffirepike (ffyrepicke, fyer picke, fyre pich)
An implement used for stiring or making up a fire, sometimes abbreviated as in 'a pich shovel & tonges'
ffireshole or fyreskomar
flask in which to carry gunpowder
fifth monarchy
Fifth Monarchists or Fifth Momonarchy men were a quasi-political religious movement which was prominent from 1649-61 Link to more information.
flitch or (flicke; flyck; flytch, ffliche)
the side of an animal, usually bacon, cured and commonly hung from the roof or ceiling
flock bed
flock-bed was a mattress filled with bits and pieces of wool (flock) or possibly carded wool
fluke or (fflucke, ffluck)
mainly used in the context of bedding such as 'fluke bed' (which I cant trace as a type of bed) or 'ffluck bolster' which is clearly a bolster filled with fluck so I have assumed this is a local pronunciation for 'flock' see 'flock bed' above.
ffoure or (foure; fowre)
four (so fowtte for example is forty)
'ffurnace pann' or ('fornace pann' ; 'ffurnispan'; 'ffurnes pan'; furnes pan)
furnace pan - Some references to it being used to cook beef (when it was placed in the kitchen with other items and made of brass) but may generally be reference to a vessel for heating water for washing or more likely boiling the wort in brewing as several times listed next to brewing equipment.
flesh iron (flesh poke)
see iron flesh
Forthington
an old form of 'Fordington' as in 'the pish of Forthington' In the Parish of Fordington
fourme(s) or forme(s) or fforme or furme(s)
form - a long seat without a back often used with a tableboard on a trestle
frank-almoigne
A tenure by which a religious corporation holds lands given to them and their successors forever, usually on condition of praying for the soul of the donor and his heirs; - called also tenure by free alms
F.R.C.S.
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) it is a professional qualification enabling the individual to practise as a senior surgeon in Ireland or the United Kingdom.
frith
underwood or brushwood
Frome [Froome]
River Frome - often spelt Froome in older records. The river rises in the Dorset Downs at Evershot , passes through Maiden Newton , Dorchester, West Stafford and Woodsford . At Wareham it and the River Piddle, also known as the River Trent, flow into Poole Harbour via the Wareham Channel. It gave its name to several places in the Froome Valley and along its course such as Frome St Quentin and Frome Vauchurch and Chilfrome . References in Dorchester & Fordington records to people being from "Froome" however generally refers to the area North of the River Frome, but still within the parish of Holy Trinity known as Cokers Frome or Frome Whitfield or Frome wood.
Frome Whitfield
A hamlet within the parish of Fordington
fuit
Latin - suggests a past tense = has been erat = was est = is
fuller
A cloth worker who cleansed and thickened the cloth, called a tucker in the west country
fulling mill
From the medieval period, the fulling of cloth often was undertaken in a water mill, known as a fulling mill. In these, the cloth was beaten with wooden hammers, known as fulling stocks or fulling hammers. Fulling stocks were of two kinds, falling stocks (operating vertically) that were used only for scouring, and driving or hanging stocks. In both cases the machinery was operated by cams on the shaft of a waterwheel or on a tappet wheel, which lifted the hammer. Driving stocks were pivotted so that the foot (the head of the hammer) struck the cloth almost horizontally. The stock had a tub holding the liquor and cloth. This was somewhat rounded on the side away from the hammer, so that the cloth gradually turned, ensuring that all parts of it were milled evenly. However, the cloth was taken out about every two hours to undo plaits and wrinkles. The 'foot' was approximately triangular in shape, with notches to assist the turning of the cloth.
furze or furse or ferhes
gorse or whin used in heating bread ovens
fustian (fustian weaver)
A kind of cloth made of cotton ; or cotton and linen; one who produced a thick course cloth -- blanket made of coarse linen fustian
fyer
a turkey
gauger
A 'gauger' in 18th & 19th centuries was another name for an exciseman working for HM Customs. The 1775 Dictionary definition states "Guager - One who measures vessels or one who measures by a gauge"
geney
a heron
gighouse
a gig was a one horse drawn two whelled carriage suspended at the rear by leather starps attached to whip springs. Thought to have originated circa 1790 they were very popular as they were inexpensive compared to other modes of transport and reasonably comfortable. Gigs were also easy to handle and therefore suited to poor roads and because they were light moved quite quickly if road conditions were good so became a favourite mode of transport between local villages. A gighouse was a miniture form of coachouse that was an adjunct to a middle class home in which a gig was kept when not in use.
glebe land
The land held by a beneficed clergyman. Glebe Terriers describe the boundaries of such land and mention the holders of lands adjoining.
gossip or gossippe
relation one who is sponsor for a child at the font [godson - goddaughter]. Source:- The new and complete Dictionary of the Enlish Language by John Ash Vol 1 Published London 1775 Example Will of Henry DERBY of Beaminster dated 8 Mar 1620. See William Deby biography
gould (or goulde)
gown
Grampound House
'Grampound House' in Fordington was re-named 'Grove House' see Holy Trinity Baptism Register baptism of Eliza Ann daughter of William Lewis HENNING Esq and his wife Rose Ann dated 21st dec 1830
Gregory's Buildings
Located in Mill street, East Fordington
grist
corn to be ground or that has just been ground to make flour or ground or crushed malt to make a mash for brewing
gristy
gritty
Guinea (Ginney)
Guinea - the sum of �1.05 (21 shillings in pre-decimal currency). First minted in 1663 from gold imported from West Africa with a value that was later fixed at 21 shillings it was issued up to 1813. It was replaced by the sovereign from 1817 but the guinea as a monetary unit continued until decimalisation in 1971. [Source Oxford English Dictionary] Often found in Dorchester Wills. Link to Pictures
G.W.R.
Abbreviation for Great Western Railway
haberdasher
The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language published in 1775 states 'a dealer in small wares but 17th century examples in Dorchester suggest a dealer in hats or clthing. In 1623 John White's nephew Josias Terry was described in the Freemen of Dorchester membership Register as a haberdasher by trade as was John Watts in 1625/6 (he was the brother-in-law of Richard Bushrod also described in his will in 1629 as a haberdasher) . In 1656 Josiah Terry took on an apprentice from which we know he was a haberdasher of hats. in 1621 Richard Bushrod of Dorchester was described as a haberdasher and he primarily sold hats
half head
bedstead with a wooden back of medium height, short corner posts without a canopy
hall
In the 17th century the 'Hall' was generally the main living room so it's often the first chamber to be itemised and for the better off contains things like tableboards and stools, an amry, a trencher cage, with trenchers and chargers for eating. The other main room was the kitchen and bedrooms might be described as 'the chamber within the hall' or 'the chamber above the hall'
Worth remembering that in the 17century many if not most houses in Dorchester were shared accommodation. It was quite common therefore for one person to own half of a house, or where they owned the whole house to live in one part and lease out the rest. This led to even the main room being divided between families.
haps
the bar or shaft of a lock
a hay
A net used for catching hares or rabbits
Hayward
As in Hayward of the Manor: An official of the Manor primarily responsible for the maintenance of its hedges. Dictionary for 1775 also refers to looking after cattle and preserving the hedges of the common fields. Saxon in origin.
heifer or (heffer, hefer, heypher bease, heyffer, hypher)
heifer beasts would be young cows that have not had a calf
hellier or hellyer
the right of pasture on another persons land
heriot
A fine payable by a villein, and later a copyholder, to his Lord on inheriting copyhold land. Some freeholders too, were liable to pay heriots. It was an early form of estate duty. In practice, it might take the form of the best beast of the new tenant. Example Will of Henry DERBY of Beaminster dated 8 Mar 1620. See William Deby biography
hey reek
hayrick - another term for haystack
hide
a measure of land that varied between 60 and 120 acres
hind
a servant in the countryside typically a farm servant or bailiff
hobelers
used as in "consisted of twelve men at arms and six hobelers" which latter were a kind of light horse, who rode about from place to place in the night, to gain intelligence of the landing of boats, men, &c. and were probably so called from the hobbies, or small horses, on which they rode. Explanation from: 'The island of Graine', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 4 (1798), pp. 250-258.
hock'day or hokkeday
A holiday commemorating the expulsion of the Danes, formerly observed on the second Tuesday after Easter; -- called also hocktide . [ Eng.] [ Written also hokeday .] Found on http://www.encyclo.co.uk/webster/H/51
hog or hogg
In the context of probate wills & inventories a hog was a domesticated male pig raised for slaughter (often castrated)
hogshead or Hogsed; Hoggesheade
A Hogshead was a large cask holding 54 gallons of beer or 52 and a half gallons of wine but sometimes varied in capacity
holland
holland today is used to refer to 'The Netherlands' but in the 16th & 17th century in Dorchester & Fordington it was a term used to refer to a kind of smooth hard wearing linen fabric imported from Amsterdam in huge quantities by the Dorchester Merchants . The definition given in The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language published by John Ash in 1775 states 'A fine substantial sort of linen cloth".
holle
whole
homage
To respect, to pay honour to profess feilty Source:- The new and complete Dictionary of the Enlish Language by John Ash Vol 1 Published London 1775 Example Will of Henry DERBY of Beaminster dated 8 Mar 1620. See William Deby biography
home
a maker of hoops or bonds for barrels
hosyer
maker of hosiery e.g. stockings
huckster
huckster (derived from the german hock 'a pedlar') One who sells small articles retail, a pedlar, a low tricking dealer. Source:- The new and complete dictionary of the English language published 1775
huiod
latin word abbreviation often used in probates for hujusmodi or huiusmodi as 'i' & 'j' are interchangeable meaning 'of this kind; this'
hurdler
worker who made hurdles for a living - i.e. a portable rectangular frame strengthened with withies or wooden bars, used as a temporary fence
husbandmen
a tenant farmer or small-holder who might also have to work on the land of larger landowners to maintain himself, below the rank of Yeoman. As such they were sometimes included in tax returns, eg hearth tax, or annual rates levied for the repair of the highways etc. An indicator of their status in these returns would be that they are contributing only small amounts compared to the main landowners.
hypher
heifer - a cow that has not born a calf
iak
jack of iron - device for turning the spit when roasting meat before the fire [note:- 'i' and 'j' were interchangeable in 17the Century]
ibidem (abbreviated ibm)
Latin for 'in the same place; or at the same time'
iiij (as an example)
The value of items appraised in inventories were written in roman numbers but whereas we would write 'iv' meaning '4' they wrote 'iiij'. Figures were succeeded by 'l' for pounds, 's' for shillings, and 'd' for pence and written above the line. Valuations of items often ended in 4 pence. A 'mark' (See below) for example was thirteen shillings and four pence in value and written as 'xiijs iiijd
Imprimis: [Abbreviated form Imp: or Impris]
Latin for �In the first place� usually at the start of a list of bequests in a Will
inter alia
among other things
iron flesh (or tosten eyen, or flesh poke, flesh iron)
iron flesh is a toasting iron or toasting fork. Altough sold as Fleah Irons and Toasting forks as far as I can see they were mainly used for taking meat (i.e. flesh) out of boiling water. Link to pictures
Item: [abbreviated form Itm: or even It:]
Usually following on from �Impremis� Itemising each bequest in a Will
Jac
Often used as an abbreviation for the Reigh of James I hence Jac 5 was the fifth year of his reigh (which ran from 24th march each year) or 24 Mar 1606 to 23rd Marcxh 1607
jewter
Jouster, a retailer of fish
jointure (or joynture)
an estate settled on a wife for the period during which she survives her husband
joyne (or joynt, joyne, joyned, joined, ioyne, ioyned)
usually used with �joyne stoole(s)� meaning a stool(s) made by a carpenter usually with four turned legs and of a joined construction - fixed with wooden pegs Picture Link
jump coate or (iump coate)
short coat (The Glossary of Household, Farming and Trade Terms from probate inventories published by Rosemary Milward of the Derbyshire Record society from 1977-1991 states ' short coat worn by men in the seventeenth century'. I have only come across this in one Inventory in Dorset - that for Lucy Eames who died in 1665 - where the inventory was specifically only for her apparel as a separate inventory was drawn up for everything else as her son inherited his fathers estate - so it looks like it applied to a short coat worn by both sexes).
juncti sunt
latin - by the oath of
kart or carte
strong springless vehicle of two wheels used mainly in agriculture
kettel or kettell, kettele, keddle, keydyll, keytell, cetle, kittle
kettle: An open cooking pot or pan with semi-circular handles , one on each side, to suspend it over the fire. The modern type did not come into use until the 18th. century. A kettle pan is a four handled pan. [One source used : A Glossary of Household farming and Trade terms from Probate inventories by Rosmary Milward Derbyshire Record society]
kine (or kyne)
cows
kings evil
Kings Evil: A serophulous ulceration of the glands: 'The gift of curing this malady has been superstitiously attributed to the kings and queens of England as successors to edward the confessor' [Source: The New and complete Dictionary of the English language by Jon Ash published in 1775]. or "Scrofula" formerly held to be curable by the royal touch [Source Oxford Dictionary of English] SCROFULA or Struma is a state of constitutional weakness generally exhibiting itself in early life, and characterized mainly by defective nutrition of the tissues, which renders them a ready prey to tuberculosis. The condition as it manifests itself in disease of the glands in the neck, was formerly known in England as 'kings evil' from the belief that the touch of the sovereign could effect a cure. This superstition can be traced back to the time of Edward the Confessor in England and to a much earlier period in France. Samuel Johnson was touched by Queen Anne in 1712, and the same supposed prerogative of royalty was exercised by Prince Charles Edward in 1745. [Source Blacks Medical Dictionary 32rd edition.] Example in Dorchester Division Militia list for 1762 Peter Green of Melcombe Regis was selected by ballot to serve in the Militia but discharged as "having Kings Evil".
kinsman or kinswoman
kinsman / kinswoman is a very loose term used to denote a member of the same family. It is unlikely to be used for a direct descendant such as a son or daughjter or for a parent. It is used a lot in 1`7th Dorchester Wills
knitche of straw
Willelmus - William
Latin dates
Dates were often expressed in roman numbers. The letter 'i' was interchangable with the letter 'j' and in writing numbers they generally used 'i' but if more than one in Dorchester and Fordington the last would be a 'j'. So the latin 'three' would be written as 'iij' and the 'third' as iijth. Today we would write '3rd' for the third. '2nd' for the second, or '5th' for the fifth but then they only used the suffix 'th' which was normally elevated into what today we term as superscript. In Wills and Letters of Administration dates were generally written in letters rather than numerals so you would get 'fuit sepult vicesimo quinto die mensis Novebris' [was buried twenty fifth day of the month of November].
i - primo ( ith - on the 1st )
ii/ij - secundo ( ijth - on the 2nd )
iii/iij - tertio ( iijth - on the 3rd )
iv/iij - quarto ( iiij th - on the 4th )
v - quinto ( vth - on the 5th )
vi - sexto ( vith - on the 6th )
vii/vij - septimo ( vijth - on the 7th )
viii/viij - octavo ( viijth - on the 8th )
ix - nono ( ixth - on the on the 9th )
x - decimo ( xth - on the 10th )
xi - undecimo ( xith - on the 11th )
xii/xij - duodecimo ( xijth - on the 12th )
xiii/xiij - decimo tertio ( xiijth - on the 13th )
xiv - decimo quarto ( xivth - on the 14th )
xv - decimo quinto ( xvth - on the 15th )
xvi - decimo sexto ( xvith - on the 16th )
xvii/xvij - decimo septimo ( xvijth - on the 17th )
xviii/xviij - decimo octavo ( xviijth - on the 18th )
xix - decimo nono or decimo undevicesimo ( xixth - on the 19th)
xx - vicesimo or rarely vigesimo ( xxth - on the 20th )
xxi - vicesimo primo (xxith - on the 21st ) and so on until
xxix - vicesimo nono or undetricesimo ( xxixth - on the 29th )
xxx - tricesimo (xxxth - on the 30th )
xxxi - tricesimo primo ( xxxith - on the 31st ) NOTE:- 'ultimo die' may also be used to mean the last day of the month of eg: 'ultimo die mensis Septembris' is 30th September
Latin Months
usually expressed in dorchester parish registers, wills and Letters of Administration as 'month of' or "mensis":-
mensis Ianuarii (or Januarii)-- for January
mensis Februarii -- for February
latten or (latyn, laytyn, laten)
alloy of copper, zinc, lead, and tin, similar to fine brass: as in 'latten skimmer'
lay by the heels
to put in the stocks or imprison
lea; leas; leaze; lease, leasse
meaning depends upon the context of the sentence 1) 'lea' is still used today to describe an open area of grassy or arable land but was often used in Dorchester wills as (2) 'leas' to describe meadow. Meadow was an area where grass was grown for a hay crop. After the festival of the wheat harvest, the hay having been cut, the beasts of the mannor were driven into the meadow, which was then used as pasture during the ensuing autumn, winter and spring. Meadows were often on low-lying ground near a river or stream , where beasts were more protected and had ready access to water. Not to be confused with (3) 'leaze' which can mean 'to glean'; or (4) 'a lease' used then as now meaning a legal contract to convey land or property to another party for a period of specified time. An added complication is the interchangability of 's' or 'ss' with 'z' depending upon the scribe
legum
Latin - law. In probate 'legum dotore' = Doctor at Law
lettell
little
Letter of Administration
Letters of Administration: When a person died intestate [i.e. leaving no will] the next of kin or a close friend would often have to apply to the probate court for Letters of Administration to enable them to take possession of and distribute the estate. The applicant had to swear that there was no will, that the applicant would pay all funeral expenses and debts, administer truly, and submit a true inventory and account of his/her stewardship. The Court then granted Letters of Administration and might require the administrator to enter into a bond to administer the estate faithfully, in which case a copy of the act was endorsed on the document. A Bond is a binding agreement with a penalty for non performance. A bond deed is in two parts, the Obligation and the Condition. Before 1733 the Obligation, which records the penalty, was written in Latin. The Condition describes what the bonded person has undertaken to do, or otherwise committed himself or herself to (e.g. administer an estate), and was always in English. An inventory of all the goods of the deceased then had to be drawn up and exhibited into the Registry of the Court
lic. (or per licenciam)
linen, articles such as sheets or clothes made of linen
linsey (or linsey woolsey)
A kind of cloth made of linen and wool often described as a 'coarse, inferior woolen cloth'.
Lippath Hill
It has mainly been referred to throughout history as 'Glydepath' this name being found in the charters of Dorchester (See the following Charters already transcribed on this site: 151 (dated 1407); 153 (dated 1408); 293 (dated 1417) and 591 dated 1547). In 1603 it is referred to as 'Glippath Hill' (See Speeds 1611 Map of Dorchester - page down for index) and simply ran from 'Glippath Bridge' over the river and up the hill where it became 'Colliton Row'. I suspect that Glippath is simply a colloquial for of Glydepath. In the 1700's it is recorded as 'Glide Path Hill' but also commonly referred to as 'Lippath Hill' another colloquial form of the word (See Will of James Bly Senior 1769, image on ancestry.com which conveniently quotes both alternative names for the street). The 1771 Map of Dorchester shows little change; 'North Walk' now joins the start of 'Glyde Path Hill' but it still climbs the hill to 'Colliton Row' (Where the Churchill family lived). Throughout his tenure as Rector of Holy Trinity the Rev George Wood in his parish registers referred to it as 'Libboth Hill' or 'Glyde Path Hill' so both forms seem to have been in common use for many years. By the 1901 Old Ordnance Survey Map, 'Glyde Path Hill' has now been extended to run at the base of 'North Walk' but rises from the river on its original course further along to the junction with Colliton Street where it becomes Glyde Path Road.
lit or littened
to light or lighted
livery in seisen
One of the earliest methods of transferring land was known as, �livery of seisin�. The buyer was known to be, "seized of the land".
L.L.B
Abbreviation used for a graduation degree standing for 'Bachelor of Law' - often found against the name of Rectors/Vicars of one of the churches in Dorchester or Fordington to indicate that they had graduated in Canon Law
lockram (locqueram; locram)
A kind of coarse linen - often referred to in Dorchster wills eg. 'kerchief of lorcram' Source The New and complete Dictionary of the English Language published by John Ash in 1775
looms (loomes, lomes, lowmes, lommes, lowmys, lumes, loms)
Two meanings:- (1) An open vessel of any kind; tub, bucket or vat (2) a weaving loom, usually identifiable by the presence of gears or tools of the trade such as sleas (slays). Link to article in Dorset Ancestors about weaving and the Act of 1666 for everyone to be buried in woollen.
lumber
literally means disused articles of furniture etc but generally used in inventories to describe an assortment of items of little value
'lying in'
'Lying in' was a phrase commonly used to refer to the period a mother spent before and after childbirth when she could not work to support herself. It's importance came from the poor law where the churchwardens and overseers of the poor were required to account for the monies raised by the annual rate from landowners in the parish to support the poor. It gave rise to the interrogation of single women who were pregnant to clearly identify the father and ensure that he met the cost not only of her 'lying in' (usually in the workhouse) but also the future support of the bastard. This in turn led to the issue of Bastardy Bonds for the better off.
maijtrate
A Magistrate
Manor
At the Norman Conquest land had been granted to various nobles and landed gentry. Each agricultural estate was called a Manor headed by the Lord of the manor who held the estate from the King. Over a large part of England the typical estate contained a village with a church, and agricultural land consisting of two or more very large arable fields in which the inhabitants held scattered strips. The Lord�s demesne was usually held in a consolidated block adjoining the village. The land near the local stream was the meadow where grass was grown for hay, and the less lush grassland was the permanent pasture for the beasts of the manor, often a common. Typically the inhabitants of the early Manor were villeins a term used to denote a tenant of manorial land and a messuage or house that they held by agricultural service. He would be a free man to everyone except his feudal lord, which meant that he was bound to his holding in exchange for service. His work service was of two kinds: week work i.e. agricultural work done each week; and boon work, which was extra work done at important stages in the agricultural year such as harvest. This would include for example 3 days a year when everyone repaired the roads to the nearest town. The Lord of the manor had to provide horses, carts, and equipment. A villein could not bring a suit in the king�s court, and could not marry without his Lord�s permission; but he had rights, even against his lord, which were protected by the manor court. His holding - a house and usually a garden plot and orchard � carried with it the right to a certain number of arable strips of land on which he could grow his own food, the right to graze a certain number of beasts in the pasture, and the right to a certain crop of hay from the meadow. Sometimes there were rights to cut timber such as ash and elm from local forests. Oak was generally an exception harvested by the Lord and sold for shipbuilding etc. In addition to his work service the tenant paid rent of assize, which remained fixed for centuries despite the continuous fall in the value of money. At death his chattels were forfeit to the lord but might be bought by his heir. From about 1500 when the death of a tenant occurred, tenure of the land would be transferred only by copyhold, which meant its surrender to the lord of the manor and admission by him of the new tenant. Each admission was recorded in the Court Rolls.
Manor Court
Manor Court: The organs of manorial administration were the Manor Courts of which there were two types the Court Baron (which mainly dealt with disputes and administration of the lords estate), and Court Leet, dealing with such things as criminal proceedings where the principal was that Justice will be seen to be done by the Lord�s Court, not the Lord. Custom governed everything and checked the rights and duties of both the Lord and tenants. The Court Leet for Wareham still sits even today, although its functions are now largely ceremonial. The Lord of the Manor appointed a Bailiff and Hayward. The Bailiff looked after the lords interests, superintended his land, and liaised with tenants of the manor. The Hayward was responsible for all the hedges, fences, and enclosures of the manor.
Tenants elected from the most respected members of their community a number of officials. A Reeve was appointed to negotiate with the Bailiff on their behalf but the 'Constables', 'Tithing Men', 'Pinfalds', and 'Aletasters' had specific functions and were common across most of English Manors and had to report directly to the Manor Court. In Wareham for example, which was larger than most villages, they seem to have also had: - Carniter�s to check the freshness of meat and poultry, Bread Weighers to check on the freshness and ensure consistency of weight for the 2lb loaf; Scavengers to ensure standards of hygiene within the lanes and privies of the town; Leather Sealers to maintain the quality of leather goods and ever since 1762 Surveyors of Chimneys and Mantles to check that chimneys were regularly swept clean.
mantua (mantua maker,mantuamer )
A Mantua was a womans loose gown worn over a petticoat and open down the front usually made of a sumptuous material such as damask or brocade and worn for dressy occasions.- fashionable during the 17th & 18th Centuary. A 'mantua maker' also recorded as a' mantuamer' was one who makes gowns for women. Example:- Mary ABBOTT of Dorchester a 'mantuamer' took on an apprentice 'Ann BARTLETT' on 25th July 1767
mark or marke
As long as currency was based on the value of silver, the basic monetary unit was the penny. Because that was a rather small unit the Mark (160 pence) and later the pound (240 pence) were used for accounting purposes, although no Mark coin was issued it was worth thirteen shillings and four pence. It was also common to leave six shillings and eight pence or half a mark in wills or see it as fees etc.
Matie
Means Majesty - usually referred to as the 'Kings Matie'
mazer or maze
from the old french word 'masere' - a hardwood drinking bowl
medleygowne
a gown made of a mixture or miscellany of cloth - I am not sure whether this is a reference to colour or fabric but Joan HUNT in her will in 1609 lists her medleygown after her wedding gown so likely to have been her best and most expensive dress
meire or mere
mare female horse
mendicant
a begger ( from the latin Mendico - to beg) The new and complete dictionary of the English language published in 1775 also refers to 'one of some begging fraturnity in the Roman church'. Used in 1838 in Holy Trinity Dorchester burial register to descibe a 31 year old man (John Whiticombe) who died at the Queens Arms Public House whilst in transit
mensis
Latin for:- 'of the month'
Menster
Minister as in Vicar or Rector
mercer
a dealer in cloth and other textiles
meshing vate [or fate]
mashing vat - used in brewing beer
messuage
a dwelling house with outbuildings and land assigned to its use
Methodist Movement
[Note:- My great Grandfather Arthur William CHRISTOPHER (1859-1916) & my grandmother Catherine Lucy Denman (1857-1935) were Methodists]
History of Methodism
The Methodist movement began in 1738, when John and Charles Wesley, the sons of an Anglican Rector, set out to revive a sense of spirituality and inner holiness in worship. At first, they preached to church congregations and religious societies; then their followers formed themselves into two societies and met at member’s houses. In 1739 George Whitfield, an associate of the Wesley brothers when they were at Oxford, began to preach in the open air, and the Wesley’s followed his example. They accepted the nickname “Methodist” which had been mockingly bestowed upon them at Oxford as a derisive allusion to the methodical manner in which they performed the various practices and that their sense of Christian Duty and Church ritual required.
Although they remained members of the established church, they built supplementary preaching houses (Wesley) and tabernacles (Whitefield), and these became grouped into circuits under a Circuit Chapel.
In 1741 the followers of Whitfield, who were Calvinists and believed in predestination to heaven or hell, separated from those of the Wesley’s, who were Armenian and held that salvation was open to all true believers. During the eighteenth century both sects continued to be called Methodists. Much to my surprise Caerphilly became a centre of the Methodist revival in the 18th century; the first synod of the Calvinistic Methodists was held in a farmhouse near the town in 1743.
Wesley travelled the whole country and his following grew greatly. In 1778, Wesley’s chapel in City Road, London, was founded, with its own graveyard and burial register. By 1784, Methodist clergy were being barred from Anglican churches so they invoked the Toleration Act and became officially Dissenters. From then on they took less care to arrange their meetings at times that did not conflict with Church of England services, but the baptisms of their children were still performed and registered in church.
Charles Wesley died in 1788 and John in 1791. The movement continued to grow but in the following decades it was subject to an almost constant state of change, as a succession of sub-denominations developed and split off from the main body. In 1797 a sect called the Methodist New Connection was founded. It gave its laity more control over its affairs, and by 1837 it had thirty circuits, each with its own register.
In 1807, a small group called Independent or Quaker, Methodists left the main body, and in the following year the followers of Hugh Bourne were expelled from the Burslem Circuit for open camp meetings to the rural poor and built their first chapel at Tunstall. In 1812 they adopted the name Primitive Methodists and expanded, especially in the industrial towns of the north. Three years later, the Bible Christians (O,Bryanites) broke away in the south-western area of England. In 1818 a Metropolitan Wesleyan Registry of Births and Baptisms was begun in London, from duplicate certificates sent in by Circuits.
Three other groups resented the dominance of the Methodist Conference and the movement continued to divide. In 1827 the Protestant Methodists became a separate body, wanting more rights for ordinary members. In 1833, the Independent Methodists took over the name United Churches of Christ, and in 1836 the Wesleyan Methodist Association was formed, with the same aim of lay member rights.
In 1837 the Methodists obeyed the call to deposit their registers with the General Registrar – they sent 856 of which the oldest is one for London of 1738. However not all registers were sent although some have since found their way to local record offices.
Fragmentation however had taken its toll and there then began a program of consolidation. The Wesleyan Methodist Reformers from 1849, joined by the majority in 1857 then formed the United Methodist Free Churches. A further merger with the Methodist New Connexion group and the Bible Christians occurred around 1907 and became The United Methodist Church. All the ones against forming a Union became the Wesleyan Reform Union, mainly the Independent Methodists, United Churches of Christ and United Free Gospel Church. Source The Dictionary of Genealogy by Terrick VHFitzHugh published 1985
Michaes (or Michaiah)
Old form of 'Michael'. Origin 'Michaelis' Latin, and 'Micha' or 'Michaiah' both used in the Bible meaning 'Michael'. Michaes is generally used in parish registers whilst Michaiah is more often used in cases before magistrates or JP's
Militia
A body of men enrolled for emergency military service, on a local basis. From Anglo Saxon times there was an obligation on every grown male between the ages of 15 and 60 to defend his country but it was the Normans who enshrined this obligation into law with The Assize of Arms in 1181, the Statute of Winchester in 1285 and other decrees which laid down what weapons each man must keep according to his means and status. In the middle ages the force was raised by the sheriff but in tudor times it became the responsibility of the lieutenant, later known as the Lord Lieutenant. In 1558 two Acts were passed revising each mans responsibilities for providing arms, armour and horses. Those with incomes of �5-�10 per year had to have a coat of plated armour, a steel cap, a longbow with arrows and either a bill or a halberd. men with an annual income of £10-£20 had to find the same, but with a harquebus instead of a bill or halberd and a morion instead of a cap. Additional armour had to be supplied by the gentry, and the scale of requirements went on up to men worth £1,000 per year or more, who had to provide 16 horses, 80 suits of light armour, 40 pikes, 30 longbows, 20 bills or halberds, 20 harquebuses and 50 steel caps or helmets and so on. From time to time, all men liable for service were called with their arms to musters and from 1570 men who were both fit and keen underwent regular training in small units. Consequently it became the custom to distinguish in muster certificates between trained and untrained men and so arose the term 'Trained Bands'. This system of self defence was taken to New England by settlers, an example being the churchwarden of St Georges in Fordington, Anthony EAMES (1595-1686) who trained in the Militia in England before emigration in 1633 to Charlestown and rose to Captain such a band at Hingham in Massachusetts.
In Stuart times in England many of the local militias ceased to be summoned but in some places, the more prosperous gentry raised their own volunteer forces. One problem of the age when firearms were replacing halberds and bills was to ensure that that all such arms brought to the musters had the same bore and used the same type of powder.
The Militia Act of 1757 aimed to create a more professional national military reserve. Records were kept, and the men were selected by ballot to serve for longer periods - typically 3 years. Uniforms and weapons were provided, and the force was 'embodied' from time to time for training. This Act resulted in the Militia lists of 1758 for Dorchester and Fordington which I have transcribed for this site and from the minutes of the Militia meetings in 1761 it can be seen that the Dorchester subdivision alone consisted of over 3,000 men. All men between the ages of 18 and 45 who were fit to serve were listed by the constables or tythingmen in each parish. In 1796 all men with more than a wife and one child were then crossed off the list as it was recognised that removal of the breadwinner would only result in his dependants seeking support from the overseers of the poor. When in 1798 the danger of invasion by the French seemed acute, the militia was increased and its organisation made more rigorous. By this time the cavalry units were known as Yeomanry to distinguish the from the infantry who were still called the Militia.
millesimo
Latin - one thousand
mistlen
mistlen or mistlin is interpreted as meaning a medley or mixture. Explanation from: British History on Line 'Introduction', Calendar of wills proved and enrolled in the Court of Husting, London: Part 2: 1358-1688 (1890), pp. I-LIV.
mittimus
a warrant from a Justice of the Peace committing a person to prison
mixon
a dunghill
moiety
a term often used in 17th Century Wills - legally meaning: 'A portion of something, typically half'
mort
a slang term for a woman, a female vagabond
mourning rings
See Posie Rings below
Mr
Mr. an abbreviation for Master and originally so pronounced. A title used to denote social class - in the Seventeenth Century it was a courtesy title for any man of respectable means
M.R.C.S.
Member of the Royal College of Surgeons
Mrs
Mrs (Mistress) The courtesy title for women of the status corresponding to that of men addressed as Mr., but throughout the seventeenth century applied to both married and unmarried women, and even through the eighteenth century to spinsters of mature age as a mark of respect. An example in Dorchester is Mrs Elizabeth Templeman who was buried at Holy Trinity on 20th July 1756 and we know from her Will that she was a spinster. Also Mrs Mary Shergold (1750-1840) of Dorchester who also left a will identifying her as a spinster.
Nat:
meaning nativity - usually found in parish registers following a baptism entry meaning 'born' e.g. "Holy Trinity Baptisms 1696 - Jann. 4 Josiah ye son of Mr Joseph Cooper Nat: 10.bris 30.o (i.e. born December 30th 1697)"
natus fuit
Latin - found in parish registers = 'born has been' = 'has been born'
nephew
nephew - until the end of the seventeenth century this word could mean a grandson, descendant or kinsman. The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language published in 1775 states " The son of a brother or sister; a descendant, a grandson, but this sense has now grown obsolete"
nepkens
A trial court for the hearing of civil cases before a judge and jury
noble
a gold coin worth six shillings and eight pence
nonage
The period of a persons immaturity or youth - used in Wills and Letters of Administration when the inheritance might be placed in trust and used for their education or payment delayed until they reached their majority or a specified age. The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language published 1775 description:- Minority; the time of life before a person comes of age.
nonagenaria (or nonagecius)
Latin - nonaginta = 90 ; nonagesimus= 90th; I would welcome advice from someone who has studied Latin regarding the difference in pharses. nonagenaria seems to be a locally used latin phrase for nonagenarius i.e. a nonagenarian or a person aged between 90 and 99 years old. Examples for Dorchester from burials at Holy Trinity church include "John PALMER Nonagenarium November 9 1630" or "Gertrude Comfrey nonagenaria 16 March 1628/9" or that for "John Bailey nonagecius on 10 Feb 1636/7" which I think means aged 90.
non-conformist , quaker
Non-conformist: Registers were indexed by Ancestry.com in August 2013 and are now available to view on line for those with membership. Tip go to card index and input 'non-conformist'. Do not omit the hyphen as the search engine is character specific. This gives you direct access to the 'England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1970' file holding 2.5million records. many of these do not come up on general searches. What you input affects every search you do, for example input of 'visitation' as opposed 'visitations' brings up completely different listings of what is available (someting i reported in 2010!). Input of 'quaker' not 'quakers' will give you access to their new file added in Nov 2013 'England & Wales, Quaker Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers, 1578-1837, which holds over another 580,000 records.
nou
now
Noverint universi per prsents nos
Latin phrase used at the start of many Letters of Administration where the first part of the Letter of Administration known as the 'Obligation' is usually written in Latin. The next part known as the 'Condition' is usually written in English. My latin leaves a lot to be desired but 'Noverint universi per prsents nos' is usually transcribed as 'Know all men by these presents that I ----(followed by the persons name)' I have also seen it transcribed as 'Let all take notice that by these presents I ---' The first persons name may also be written in Latin but will be repeated in English in the first part of the condition.
nuncupative
Law (of a Will or Testament) declared orally as opposed to in writing. Until 1838 these were testamentary intentions expressed by the decease's word of mouth before credible witnesses', who later made sworn statements before the probate court. By the Statute of Frauds, 1678, there had to be at least three witnesses who had heard the deceased's wishes spoken in his own house and during his last illness. They needed to have them written down within six days, and not proved until 14 days after the death. Examples are the will of James Pook of Fordington or Robert Anthony of Dorchester dated 8th June 1724 and the subsequent letter of Administration issued 1st Oct 1724 - see wills index - images available on Ancestry.com
Since 1838, nuncupative wills can be made only by soldiers on active military service, and by seamen at sea. Freehold land could not be devised by a nuncupative will, nor could a written will be revoked by one. Example of a nuncupative Will is that for Nicholas Purchase of Dorchester who died in 1620. Also in Wills Index are nuncupative wills for Thomas Lymington 20th Oct 1660; Mathias BRINE 10th March 1692; Christopher FOY 19th Nov 1692 ; John MILBORNE of Frome Whifield in Holy Trinity Parish in 1696; Jasper COLSON of St Peters 30 Dec 1726; Mary ROGERS of Blandford Forum 03 22 Aug 1736; Edmund BRYER 5th Oct 1770
nupti fuerunt (abbrev: nupt.)
Latin for:-were married
ob. or (ob. s.p.)
If used in a visitation record ob. stands for died. It is usually shown under a persons name as 'ob. s.p'. indicating that he was heir but died without children before inheriting so the estate passed to next eldest son.
octagenaria
Latin - octagenaria = octagenarian, or a person aged between 80 and 89 years of age. An example in Dorchester is the burial at Holy Trinity Church Dorchester of "Agnes Brine Octagenaria October 5 1630"
orerrable
arable as in 'arable pasture'
Overseers of the Poor
Before the reformation the care of the poor was the responsibility of the Church i.e. the monaseries and the parish clergy. In fact one third of the parson's tithes were intended to be given to the poor. When the monasteries were dissolved the problem of relieving the poor became acute and the clergy were ordered to collect alms for poor people. An act of 1572 created Alms collectors and supervisors of Labour of Rogues and vagabonds in each parish. People who did not give alms could be compulsary assessed. In 1597 the two offices were combined under the title 'Overseers of the Poor' who was an official that required the approval of the Justices of the Peace. By the great poor law act of 1601 churchwardens became ex-officio Overseers of the Poor, together with those approved by the Justices. One of their number was appointed executive officer of the Overseers and looked after the funds raised by parochial rates. From 1691 the Overseers were obligued to keep a record of his disbursements and distribution of clothing etc .
His rate books list the sums collected from parishioners according to the value of their properties. Where records have survived this is a good way of identifying the wealthy in each parish and you can even establish a pecking order over time. These lists were generally made annually so where your ancestor had some wealth and is listed you can get an approximate idea of when they were in the parish. As owners of property it may also be worth checking for land records, and wills.
The Overseers accounts are usually split into two lists each month. The first will list those in the parish in receipt of relief each month. The second list often headed as Extra Payments for the month covers all other expenditure. Included in this latter listing will be any payments made to bury the poor for example those already on relief. What the overseers paid for differed but you will often find entries in the accounts for:- laying the person out, (the corpse was washed and dressed to be as presentable as possible). Cloth for a woollen shroud, the expense of making it, an affidavit, a waking which was an all night vigil (often by a close friend rather than family) by the corpse in the church. The coffin. In Fordington in 1818 there were often entries for 'Clark and Saxon's bill'. Saxon appears to have been a carpenter who made the coffins and Clark I suspect dressed them. A black cloth, which would be draped across the coffin, bearers (often with separate entries for beer for the bearers or the ladies laying out the corpse). Digging the grave and ringing the bells. If your ancesters were in receipt of weekly poor relief you may well also find entries in the Extra listing when they were bought a new coat, a shirt, a shift or a pair of shoes.
For those with access to ancestry.com they have imaged many of these records which can be accessed via the card index [Dorset - Poor Law records - Parish] but as at April 2014 these have not been indexed so they will not appear during name searches and you can't therefore automatically attach the images to your tree. What you can do is once you have found an image is save it onto your computer and then upload that image to your tree.
pane or pann
pan as in cooking pan
pannitor
panniter - a clothier or draper
parochie
Latin for:-of the parish (of)
partlett
The partlett was originally a small yoke of cloth to cover the low square necklines of the Tudor period. It was worn on the outside of the garment and often made of the same material as the dress, but it could be made of other materials and highly decorated. Between the Tudor and Elizabethan period it migrated from the outside of the dress to be worn inside but over the corset. In Elizabethan times the better off used it to protect the ruff from the face and neck but in others it was plainer and served a similar purpose to the kerchief.
payre or (apayer)
peck or (peake, pecke, peke, peyck)
a vessel for measuring two gallons of dry goods
pen
a female swan - whose feathers were used to create quills hence 'quill pen' and a 'pen knife' was the knife used to cut the feathers into quill pens
perch
a measure of length especially of land, equal to a quarter of a chain or 5½ yards - also called a pole rod. Old Land Apportion and Tithe maps often refer to measures of land simply by the letters 'a' (meaning acre) 'r' (rood) and 'p' (square perch). A square perch was equal to 160th of an acre
perukemaker [peruke maker or perriwig maker]
perukemaker = one who makes periwigs - periwig comes from the Franch peruque - a cap of false hair worn by men. EXAMPLES:- John Martin the elder and his son John Martin the younger are both recorded as perukemakers in Dorchester on a Letter of Administration granted 21st Jan 1750. John Kerby from Lyme Regis is recorded as perukemaker in the Militia return for the Dorchester Subdivision of the Militia for the year 1762 . Thomas Purse of Fordington is recorded as a Peruke Maker when he acted as security for Mary Bartlett on a letter of Administration granted on 1st Oct 1798 to administer her husband John Bartlett's estate. Peter Buckland of Dorchester a beneficiary under the will of Ann Clines dated 12th May 1780 is recorded as a perukemaker
pes or pese
piece as in each
pettie coate or (petycot, peticote, peteycote)
Petticoat - The modern term for petticoat is an underskirt which is not seen which then would have been called a shift. 15th to 18th Century petticoats were termed an under skirt because it went under an apron or a top skirt. There were several reasons for wearing petticoats. One reason was practical: Petticoats added body to the skirt and kept the women who wore them warm. But wearing petticoats was usually done to keep in fashion, especially in the seventeenth century. Once women quit using farthingales, or stiff hoops, to add body to their skirts, they turned to petticoats to do the job. Petticoats worn for warmth were made of wool or cotton, while those worn for fashion were made of taffeta, satin, linen, or a combination of starched fabrics. Petticoats were gathered at the waist and flared outward at the hem. Many were highly ornamental, featuring layers of ruffles, trimming, and lace. Most of the trimming was along the bottom edges, the part most likely to be seen. Beginning in the late seventeenth century women pinned up their outer skirts, allowing the petticoats to be seen. For the widow of a Yeoman petticoats would have been to the ground, and for the more wealthy may have had a short train at the back. Even working class ladies usually had some sort of trim on the petticoat and many were padded for warmth. Red petticoats seem to have been popular, even among puritans
pewterer
Pewterer - one who works in pewter, an artificial metal used to make plates and dishes for the table
pfect or perfet
perfect
pharmacopolam
An apothecary - one who prepares medicines. Example John Morey alias Wilse of Dorchester a barber by trade the nephew and next of kin of Frances Ffildew spinster see letter of administration of her estate 14th July 1709
phillip (female)
Today we would call a male child PHILLIP and a female child PHILLIPA. In the 16th and 17th centuries in Dorchester and Fordington however PHILLIP could be a male or female child and I have given some examples where it was used for females below:-
(1) On 10th May 1568 Phillip Overy a widow married John Shepparde in Holy Trinity. Initially I thought this was just a clerical error for Phillipa but she was buried at Holy Trinity on the 4th August 1569 again referred to as 'Phillip the wife of John Sheppard
(2) Phillippe Longe married John Narton at Holy Trinity church on 3rd April 1611
(3) Philipp Shepherd a widow was buryed the 28th of August 1615 at Holy Trinity church
(4) Philipp the daughter of John Watercombe was baptized the fifth day of Maye 1616 at Holy Trinity church
(5) Philipp
sonne
(sic) daughter of William Mrtin June 12 1630 & buried as his daughter on 14th June 1630 at Holy Trinity church
(6) Philip Paule married John Birche at Holy Trinity Dorchester on 12th February 1635
(7) In the Will for Christian Lawrence Widow of Fordington in 1663 there is a bequest to 'my dafter [i.e. daughter] Phillip Shepard.
phthisis
Means wasting, and is the general term applied to that progressive enfeeblement and loss of weight that arise from tuberculous disease of all kinds, but especially from the disease as it affects the lungs source Blacks Medical Dictionary.
piche pot or pich pan
pot in which pitch was heated for marking animals with initials, or other identification marks
Piddle or Puddle (The River which gives its name to many parishes)
The River Piddle (or Trent or North River) is a small rural Dorset river which rises next to Alton Pancras church (Alton Pancras was originally named Awultune, a Saxon name meaning the village at the source of a river) and flows south and then south-easterly more or less parallel with its bigger neighbour, the River Frome, to Wareham, where they both enter Poole Harbour via Wareham Channel. Many of the villages it passes through are named after it: Piddletrenthide , Piddlehinton , Puddletown , Tolpuddle , Affpuddle , Briantspuddle, Turnerspuddle . All but two of those names now contain "puddle" rather than "piddle"; a local tradition tells that the villages were renamed to avoid embarrassment before a visit by Queen Victoria but this is certainly not the case. The names appearing in parish registers clearly show use of both versions. The marriage registers of St Peters is a good example where there are lots of references to both from at leat 1700 and probably before that.
piece
a gun or musket
pillowtie or (pillowtye, pilities; pillow bere, pillow beares)
A 'pillowtie' is the outer cover of a pillow - now called pillowcases and as such is nearly always listed with other bedding such as a 'coverled' or 'rugg'. The word pillow was spelt in many different ways other examples e.g. from Rosmary Milward's Glossary of Household farming and trade terms that she took from probate inventories and as ever are affected by local accent. She quotes:- Pellowbere, pelo berys, pealobeare, pillow beer - or- pelowes, peylowes, pyllas, pillues, pelys. In Dorchester in the 16th 7 17th centuries most of this cloth was imported from holland by the Dorchester Merchants.
pinfald
The person responsible for rounding up stray animals and confining them to the pound, or pinfold, of the manor. This was either an open (overt) enclosure or one roofed over (covert) or entirely enclosed like a stable or byre. Animals were released on payment of a fine by the owner. The parish officer in charge can be referred to as a Pinder, a Pinfald, Pinfold, Poundkeeper, Pounder, or Punder
pish (or psh or pishe)
common abbreviation for "Parish" , used a lot on Dorchester and Fordington parish registers and Wills in 17th century
pitcher of withie
a person employed in laying and maintaining railway track.
plater or platur, plater
platter a flat dish or plate of pewter, wood or earthenwear
pleb
Pleb. an ordinary person, especially one from the lower social classes. Extensively used in Alumni for Oxford and Cambridge Universities who enrolled pupils as "plebeians" as opposed to sons of gentry and aristocrats.
pleno jure
with full right - origin Latin
poldavis
poldavis was a coarse sacking or sail cloth imported from the Normany ports [also known as Normandy canvas] in the 17th century via the port of Weymouth by Dorchester Merchants
Source: Page 38 Studies in Dorset History by Maureen Weinstock M.A.,F.R.Hist.S published by Longmans (Dorchester) 1953
Polly
Nickname for Mary. In the Biography of William Cuming MD of Dorchester his friendship with Miss Mary (known as Polly) Oldfield is referred to.
pooles or (peeles, pelowes, peylowes, pelowys,)
pillows as in 'ffeather pooles'.
pooke
propose
posie rings (posy, poesy. posey)
Posie rings (sometimes spelled "posy ", "posey" or "poesy rings") are finger rings with short inscriptions on their outer surfaces. More rarely the inscription is on the inner surface. Link to pictures of posie rings
posnet
A small bason, a porringer, a skillet
pottes
Pots
potthookes or (pothokes)
pot hooks were long iron rod with a hook either end usually about 2 feet long but various lengths used to suspend pots from the iron bar across the top inside of the fireplace above the fire for cooking
pottinger (porringer)
A pottinger is an earlier form of porringer or small basin from which broth, soup or porridge (pottage) was eaten; often with one or two flat handles. Most 17th century Dorchester inventories do not specify what they were made of, but I have seen several which specify pewter. They could be made of other metals see Picture Link ; The poorer classes would have had pottingers made of wood.
pouter or pauter
pewter as in pewter dish or charger Picture Link
praepositus
The Reeve or chief representative of the tenants
praised
appraised at �-- used extensively in inventories of 'household stuff' attached to wills or letters of administration to mean valued at £
prebendary
honorary canon of the anglican church who receives a prebend or stipend drawn from the endowment or revenues of an Anglican cathedral or church. Link to a listing of Prebenary's for Fordington
precentor
a minor canon who administers the musical life of a cathedral
premise; premised
used in a lot of 17th century wills does not refer to a house or dwelling but to 'a previous statement or proposition in the will from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion. origin from old french 'premisse'
presents (or prets or prsentes)
legal term used in 17th century wills a lot e.g. "make and declare these presents to be my last will and testament". meaning the present writings, or this document, used in a deed of conveyance, a lease, and especially Letters of Administration to denote the document itself: e.g. Know all men by these presents
pro hac vice
Latin - (pronounced "pro hack wee-chay"), meaning "for this occasion" or "for this event", (literally, "for this turn") Often used in the legal profession but in Dorchester in the 18th century used by the clergy meaning an 'Officiating Minister' as the normal vicar/rector or curate was absent and had arranged for another to take his place - usually from one of the surrounding parishes. Examples include (1) marriage of James Hawkins and Katharine Davidge who were married at Holy Trinity Church Dorchester on 21-Nov 1774 by Harry Place the curate of Marnhull whose father & grandfather lived in Dorchester, (2) marriage of Robert Tite to Elizabeth Standage by William Floyer the curate of Bradford Abbas 21st Feb 1776 at Holy Trinity.
probat (latin abbreviation for probatum)
probate or proving of a will
proctor
proctor - historically meant 'a qualified practitioner of law in ecclesiastical and certain other courts' source Oxford Dictionary of English. The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language by John Ash published 1775 states " A manager of another mans affairs, an attorny in the spiritual court ---etc".
psor
Abbreviation for 'Pastor' or Minister
pte or pt
abbreviation for 'part' often used in Wills - as in 'inherits one 3rd pte of my estate'
Puddle
puter dish or (putter dish)
dish made of pewter
querent
a law tern for a complainent, or a plaintiff. Source. The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language: by jiohn Ash published 1775
quingentesimo
Latin - five hundred
quart
quart - When listed in a kitchen inventory likely to be a tankard as they were often referred to as 'quarts' See Picture Link
quietus
quietus - a latin phrase meaning at rest, peaceful, neutral, calm, quiet, or asleep. In Dorchester it was generally used on legal documentation by the Courts on Letters of Administration where 'a quietus' was a formal endorsement by the court to show that the administrator was properly bound with surities to the court, had lodged an Inventory at the Registry of the deceased estate and paid any necessary fees and was therefore safe from prosecution.
Rafe
Rafe was a male Christian name, a variation on Ralph it was fairly common in 16th/17th century Dorchester. Examples:- Rafe PERIN had his daughter Rose baptised at Holy Trinity Dorchester 28th Jan 1615/6: Rafe ROBAT was Churchwarden at Fordington in 1619: Rafe CORBIN was buried at Holy Trinity 8th Jan 1626/7. Rafe MULLETT married Elizabeth LIE at Glanville Wootton in 1589. It was also a surname eg Edith RAFE married in Fordington in 1590.
reade
a barrister appointed to serve as a part time judge
rede
red as in a 'rede rugg' for 'red rug' on the floor
reek
a ruck; a heap; a stack; or a pile of: As used in 'a reek of corn' or 'a reek of wheat' or 'a reek of hay'
reeve
officially the foreman of the villeins - and later the copyholders - of a Manor. He was the official with whom the Lord's Bailiff dealt. He was elected by the tenants, but could pay to be excused his office. In small villages, the reeve was also often the constable.
regnal years
I have given an explanation and a listing of regnal years in the 'Bailiffs of Dorchester' file
relieving officer
"The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834" ended parochial responsibility for the poor. Parishes were amalgamated for such purpose into Poor Law Unions and Governed by Poor Law Guardians. The Reieving Officer was employed by the Union to receive applications for relief and make payments when these had been approved by the Board of Guardians. They also issued orders to admit people to the workhouse.
reparens
to take men or animals from the custody of the constable or other official
reversion
particularly used in 17th century Wills - reversion is a right after the death of the present posesser, a succession or right to succession. Source The new and complete dictionary of the English language by John Ash published 1775
R.H.A.
R.H.A. Abbreviation for 'Royal Horse Artillery' who were often stationed at Fordington Barracks
right heires
'right heirs' is a phrase often used in 17th century Dorchester Wills to mean heirs lawfully begotton - i.e. not illegitimate
rood
a measure of land area equal to a quarter of an acre. Old Land Apportion and Tithe maps often refer to measures of land simply by the letters 'a' (meaning acre) 'r' (rood) and 'p' (square perch). A square perch was equal to 160th of an acre
rother beasts (rother cattle)
rother beasts are horned cattle, or black cattle. Source: The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language By John Ash published 1775
rugge or (rugg)
Rug: A term generally found in Dorchester & Fordington Inventories in the chamber off the hall (usually the bed chamber) and included in a general description of bedding. For example the inventory for Tamzine Windsor 1649 states " In the Lodging Chamber one father [feather] bed one Bolster one Rugg two Pillowtyes [pillowcovers or pillowcases] one Lynning tester cloth and Bedsteed [bedstead] one pare [pair] of sheete praised at £3. 8s. 0d ". used in this way it refers to a large piece of thick woollen fabric used as a covering on the bed rather than on the floor. The 'Dictionary of Traded Goods (1550-1820)' indictaes that some of these were very big. Blankets which generally came in pairs were rarely coloured whilst ruggs are listed singly and often green or red.
sacers
saucers. Although cups and saucers existed I have never seen any listed in Dorchester inventories. See "drinking vessells 17th century" explanation given above. When sacers or saucers are listed on their own in a kitchen inventory, but alongside ' chargers' or 'pottingers' for example, they are more likely to be a type of dish See Picture Link
salt
steward of a medieval great house
sennight
derived from 'seven' and 'night' A week, the space of seven days and seven nights
sepultus (-a) erat (abbrev: sept)
latin for:-was buried - hence sepultus 'he was buried' and sepulta 'she was buried'
Serjeant-at-Mace
Serjeants-at-Mace were officials appointed by the Mayor with the approbation of the Corporation. Their main function seems to have been ceremonial and to keep order at official meetings. See Link to Dorchester's Serjeants at Mace
sethed
scythed (if used in the right context)
settell bord or settel
A settle was a long wooden bench usually with arms and a high back with a locker or box under the seat Picture Link Picture Link
Settlement (Source The Dictionary of Genealogy by Terrick VH FitzHugh)
A legal right to poor relief arising out of a settled place of abode. By the poor law Act of 1601, a person was recognised as being legally a settled inhabitant of a parish after a month's abode. Parish vestries soon began to use the principle to operate an unofficial system of refusing relief to paupers who had settlement elsewhere. The Settlement Act of 1662 laid the basis of the law of settlement for the next two centuries.
Anyone entering a township and occupying a tenement worth less than "10 per annum might, within the next forty days, be removed by the parochial Overseers of the Poor, acting on an order from two Justices of the Peace who had examined him on oath.He would then be escorted by the constable or by a series of constables along a route back to the place where he was considered to be legally settled unless he could give security for indemnity against becoming chargeable to the parish. However if he managed to stay for forty days he obtained settlement in his new abode.
In a family, a child's place of settlement was the same as his father's until he or she was apprenticed which could happen at the age of seven. Then his place of apprenticeship would become his parish of settlement. Unmarried persons not apprenticed could obtain a new settlement after service in a parish for one year. At marriage a woman took on the same settlement as her husband.
Illegitimate children were granted settlement where they were born. This led Overseers to try to get rid of women pregnant with bastards. If the child was born while the mother was actually under an order of removal it was given the same settlement as hers.
From 1685 the forty days removal period began from the date of delivery in writing to the Overseers of a notice of residence. This led to private compassionate arrangements between paupers and Overseers; so in 1691nthe forty days were made to begin from the publication of the notice in the church . It is from this year that records of removal began.
In 1697 ban Act circumvented paupers who hired themselves to serve a master or mistress for a year but actually quitted their service after a few weeks. It also took the important step of authorising Overseers to issue Settlement Certificates to paupers of their parish but this issue was a grace not a right. The document eased the paupers temporary acceptance into another parish (e.g. for helping with the harvest) since it enabled the parish authorities there to send him back where he had come from if he even looked like becoming chargeable to them. In fact the parish into which he removed was given the right of demanding such a certificate.
In 1795 removal by the Overseers was forbidden unless the pauper became chargeable to the parish which did away with much of the injustice of the law. Though the Settlement Act was repealed in 1834, the principle of settlement remained substantially in force until 1876. The main documents relating to settlement are:
(1) The Indemnity Certificate of Settlement, given to the pauper by his own churchwardens
(2) The Examination of the pauper by the churchwardens or a magistrate prior to the issue of a Removal Order. This mentions his family, recent moves, and other valuable information
(3) The Removal Order, made out in duplicate after application by the Overseers to two Justices of the Peace; one copy to each parish concerned.
(4) Quarter Sessions records of appeals against removal orders sometimes with councils opinions on the case
(5) Vestry Minutes and the accounts of overseers and constables.
sexton
an under officer of the church; usually a person who looks after the church and churchyard, typically acting as a bell ringer and gravedigger. Those identified for Dorchester can be found in the Church Officials File
Sheep Lane
'Sheep Lane' (See Speeds 1611 Map of Dorchester - page down for index) was a common name in use during the early 1700's for 'Pease Lane' (See the 1771 Map of Dorchester )
shearman
a cloth worker or finisher
Shaston
Shaston is an earlier form of Shaftesbury for confirmation see 'A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis published in London in 1831' The problem is that like Dorchester there are three distinct parishes Shaftesbury Holy Trinity , Shaftesbury St James and Shaftesbury St Peter.
(sic)
used in brackets after a copied or quoted word that appears odd or erroneous to show that the word is quoted exactly as it stands in the original
sidesman (sidesmen)
Sidesman: An assistant to a churchwarden. Sidesmen the Vestry, the paymasters of the parish assembled to assist the parish officers. Definition fron the 'The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Languarge by John Ash published in 1775
skillet or (skellet, skillett)
a small metal pot with a long handle and usually 3 short legs for cooking in the fire - Note Americans use the term for a frying pan but not in Fordington or Dorchester. Picture Link
skimmer
generally a cooking ladle, lots of different types Picture Link
skyrn (or skrine)
Latin for Signature - used a lot on Wills and Letters of Administration
simony
the buying or selling of ecclesiastical privileges, for example pardons or benefices
sister
sister - a term often used in Dorchester Wills to mean a 'sister-in-law' . sometimes a real sister is distinguished by referring to 'my own sister'
sithe
Sithe is Old English for Scythe
sizar
usually admitted 'Sizar' ie as an undergraduate at university receiving financial help from the college and formally having certain menial duties to carry out
Slave Trade [In looking for evidence I searched for a 'negro' a 'blackamore' a 'black man, woman or child' and 'slave'].
Given the thousands of documents I have transcribed, unlike Bristol, I have not found any real evidence of Dorchester being involved in or profiting from the slave trade. I am sure there must have been some who owned a slave here at one time or another but documentary evidence showing this is virtually non existent. I have therefore used this file to simply record the very few occasions that I have found any reference to someone who could even possibly have been a slave or involved in the trade:-
--The nephew of the Rev John White (1575-1648), Captain James White of Barbados (1621-1666), left a 'negro boy valued at £25' when he died at Boston in 1667 who was sold to pay off part of his funeral expenses. Capt White was not of course operating at Dorchester but features in John White's biography.
--'John Laurence a blackmoor 16 years old or more' baptised at Holy Trinity on 16th April 1719.
--A black woman a prisoner was buried at All Saints Church on 1st Dec 1729.
--'Charles Leek ( a West Indian) aged 21 years of age' also baptised at Holy Trinity on 20th June 1746.
--Also Dr John Gordon (1728-1774) helped to quell a rebellion of negroes in the parish of St Mary on the Island of Jamaica, on the 8th April 1760, as recorded on his tombstone in St Peter's Church where he was buried on 4th October 1774. Link to Memorial Plaque .
---Municipal Records page 485 ' Nov 3rd 1788 Mr Edward Cozens money by him paid when Mayor for a packet received from the Chairman of the society established in Exeter for the Abolition of the African Slave Trade (this is the only entry in the official records of the town)
--At Melcombe Regis there is an entry in the parish register " A black man belonging to his Majesty's ship the Wasp - found drowned - a pauper 7th Sept 1791.
--An Infant son of a negro name unknown buried at All Saints 2nd July 1810. This individual would have been freed already by the Abolition of Slavery Act passed in 1807.
I do know of a few that emigrated to the West Indies to profit from Sugar Plantations which undoubtedly were run by slave labour but most of these just left never to return to Dorchester. Nathaniel Branker the son of Damaris Strong by her first marriage was a typical example of a son seeking his fortune abroad. He arrived in Barbados circa 1673 and descendants owned the Sunbury plantation in St Philip's Parish in Barbados. Another was Christopher Stoodley (1670-1731) the son of Charles Stoodley the Mayor of Dorchester in 1682. His son did make a fortune on Antigua and eventually returned to London to live bringing two personal slaves with him. When he died in 1731 he left instructions that they were to be freed and he even stated that she could return to antigua and continue to receive a small weekly sum for her support.
sleas (sles)
part of a loom that is pulled by hand among the threads. Seen used as 'sles harnis' (Inventory of Alice Ford of Dorchester 1668) which is a girdle or belt encircling the hips, from which sleas were suspended from hangers, presumably holding sleas with different coloured wool etc. Link to article in Dorset Ancestors about weaving and the Act of 1666 for everyone to be buried in woollen.
smallpox (inoculation, vaccination, variolation)
(Info extracts from "Vaccination Jenner's Legacy" by Derrick Baxby published by the Jenner Educational Trust 1994) Before control measures were developed most people in populous areas contracted smallpox and of those approximately 20% died. The survivors were often terribly scarred, and blindness was a common complication. It is estimated that 200,000 to 600,000 people were killed annually by smallpox in Europe in the 18th Century, and it was a major killer of children. Smallpox caused about 10% of all deaths and 25-35% of deaths in children. With its characteristic appearance it was realised that those who survived smallpox did not get it again, and this led to a greater willingness to employ servants etc with pock marks because of their immunity. Prevention of smallpox by isolation of patients required some idea that the disease was specific and had a specific transmissible cause, and predated proof of the germ theory of disease. It also required specific knowledge of the infectious period which was from about the time the rash appeared until after the scabs dropped off. Such knowledge was acquired gradually and as presented by John Haygarth in his 'Rules for the prevention of Smallpox (published 1785)' meant that by this date many villages had an old cottage or similar on the outskirts of town that was used to immediately isolate individuals suspected of having the disease. Dorset was at the forefront of many of these developments.
Deliberate infection as a preventative measure was practiced in India and China centuries before it was introduced to Britain by Lady Mary, wife of the British Ambassador to Turkey. The process involved deliberate inoculation of smallpox material into the arm in the hope that mild smallpox would develop. The practice was called inoculation later called variolation. Lady Mary had her son variolated in Constantinople in 1717 and on her return to England she had her daughter variolated in 1721 and so introduced the practice to London Society. A successful trial on six prisoners soon followed and in 1723 two children of Caroline of Ansbach, Princess of Wales were variolated. Initially Variolation was used mainly only in populous areas and when epidemics threatened but became increasingly common in the 1760's. Dorchester and Fordington of course sat at the crossroads of major trade routes not just throughout Dorset to places like London, Oxford and Exeter but also with the continent through the nearby coastal ports as many of the merchants in Dorchester imported wine and other produce from the continent. Protection was therefore a major concern and not just for the rich.
There is no doubt that inoculated smallpox produced a less severe effect reducing mortality significantly, but there were occasional disasters such as at Blandford in 1766 when many were very ill and 13 out of 384 died. There was particular concern about the fact that those in contact with variolated individuals caught smallpox which was fully virulent and fatal and this was a major barrier to its widespread use. Individuals could be isolated but few could afford it so the practice arose for a whole village to be inoculated so that everyone was infectious at the same time.
Although Edward Jenner (1749-1823 ) is credited with the widespread introduction of vaccination using cowpox he did not carry out his first vaccination until May 1796. The use of cowpox was in use in Dorset well before that date mainly because of the work of Benjamin Jesty (1736-1816) (picture) who was using the practice some 22 years earlier. Jesty and two of his female servants, Ann NOTLEY and Mary READE, had been infected with cowpox. When an epidemic of smallpox came to Yetminster in 1774, Jesty decided to try to give his wife Elizabeth and two eldest sons immunity by infecting them with cowpox. He took his family to a cow at a farm in nearby Chetnole that had the disease, and using a darning needle, transferred pustular material from the cow by scratching their arms. The boys had mild local reactions and quickly recovered but his wife's arm became very inflamed and for a time her condition gave cause for concern, although she too recovered fully in time. There is a blue plaque commemorating Jesty's pioneering work at Upbury Farm at Yetminster. Jesty's experiment was met with hostility by his neighbours. He was labeled inhuman, and was "hooted at, reviled and pelted whenever he attended markets in the neighbourhood’". The introduction of an animal disease into a human body was thought disgusting and some even "feared their metamorphosis into horned beasts". But the treatment's efficacy was several times demonstrated in the years which followed, when Jesty's two elder sons, exposed to smallpox, failed to catch the disease.
Vestry minutes in Dorchester & Fordington record:-
Holy Trinity Paris, Dorchester: 15th Dec 1763 "At a Vestry held this day according to public notice given on Sunday last it is agreed :- Such Poor as will be inoculated at the expense of the Parish are to make their application so the officers who are to apply to Mr William DAVIS Apothecary and are to be inoculated at ten shillings and six pence per head
Holy Trinity Parish, Dorchester: 25 Mar 1770 "At a Vestry then held by public notice this day after divine service:- Ordered that a List of the Poor unable to be at the expense [i.e. unable to afford the expense] of the Smallpox of themselves be taken, and when the number appears, to employ some person at the lowest expense that can be to inoculate such as are willing to undergo the operation
Holy Trinity Parish, Dorchester: 12th Dec 1779 that James KEATS & five of his children be inoculated at this parishes expense & that Mr James BUCKLAND be employed to inoculate them
Holy Trinity Parish, Dorchester: 3rd June 1781 "At a vestry held this day pursuant to notice given it was agreed that Dr BUCKLAND do inoculate the poor of this parish at 5/3 each - that the Officers are requested to ascertain in the mean time the number of proper objects that the expense of the undertaking may be known"
St Georges Parish, Fordington "For the month of May 1789 Minutes show that the poor of the parish had all been inoculated at the cost of the ratepayers.
Holy Trinity Parish, Dorchester 28th April 1789. "At a Vestry held this day pursuant to notice given it is agreed that Mr Christopher ARDEN do inoculate the poor of this parish at 5shillings each agreeable to the list now ascertained, and again on 12th Feb 1792, 10th April 1796 and 9th Oct 1798.
Most burial records do not record the cause of death but a few are known and these include:- The Rev Baruch NOWELL dissenting Minister in Dorchester for 50 years from 1689 to 1739 buried at St Peters on 10th Sep 1739 and Mary HUGHES the daughter of John and Alice Hughes who died 13th Dec 1739 and was also buried at St Peters on 16th. A John White was buried at Holy Trinity on 23 Jan 1821
smock (smoc; smocke)
The basic item of underclothing worn by women - an old saxon word later became a shift or chemise
smockfrock
A loose outter garment work to protect one's clothes
sojourner
often used in parish registers to mean someone of temporary residence. i.e. his/her place of settlement would be elsewhere, often they had work locally and lived in rented accommodation.
solis
Latin meaning 'sun' -- note most often in Dorchester registers as 'die solis' for Sunday
sonne
son
s.p.
means died without children. Usually used in a visitation pedigree and shown as (ob. s.p.) i.e died without children
Stamp Duties (tax on baptisms, marriages, & burials)
The Stamp Duties Act of 1783 (23 Geo.III c.67) was passed by the House of Commons of Great Britain in order to raise money to pay for the American War of Independence. Under the provisions of this act, all baptism, marriage and burial entries in each parish register were subject to a tax of 3d (old pence). Church ministers were empowered to collect the duty, and were allowed to keep 10% of this fee as compensation for their trouble. Refusal to pay carried a fine of five pounds]. This was a deeply unpopular tax, and many clergymen were sympathetic to the plight of their parishioners, and as paupers were exempt from this tax, it is not uncommon for family history researchers and genealogists to find that the number of supposed poor people within a parish has increased many times above normal during these years until the act was finally repealed in 1794. Such entries in a parish register are annotated with either the letter "P." or "Pauper". If a family could not claim exemption then it was not unusual for them simply not to bother, and this would result in a number of adult "late" baptisms during the following decades. The Act was repealed by section 1 of the Act 34 Geo.3 c.11.
standing bed
bed, actually the bed frame. It had a board or rope mesh foundation on which was placed a mattress. If the bedstead was 'furnished' it was appraised together with its hangings which would be worth more than the bedstead. (e.g. see 'tester' below) It would usually be the most impotrtant piece of furniture in the house and a prized status symbol. A 'standing bedstead' would be high enough to have a 'truckle bed' sliding beneath it on which generally a maid would sleep. Picture Link
stockes (or stokes)
Colonies of bees
stoles
See also 'joyne' above. Usually referred to as 'joyne stoles' meaning a stool(s) made by a carpenter usually with four turned legs and of a joined construction - fixed with wooden pegs Picture Link
strumpet
The 1775 Dictionary still gives more or less the definition we use today of "A woman of ill fame, a prostitute". The only person that I have seen use the expression extensively is the Rev George WOOD [1773-1847] the Rector of Holy Trinity church in Dorchester from 1825 to 1847. Most Rectors simply left the column for 'occupation' blank for illegitimate births but he religiously used 'strumpet' and some of the women involved were certainly not common protitutes.
stuffe
woollen fabric. Also used to mean goods as in Household stuff as a title on inventories.
sum or sume; summe; svmme
did not seem to differentiate between sum and some except by the context of the sentence
suprascripto
Latin - in the above written
surmaster
deputy to the head master of the school
Swann Inn
Situated at the end of Mill street opposite Fordington Corn Mill
sweyne or swine
sweyne/swain are female pigs used to breed piglets
S.W.R.
Abbreviation for South Western Railway
't' (or) 'ti' as in 100ti
often seen in 17th century wills as superscript as in t or ti and after a sum of money such as 100ti: It's meant to be a capital L with a cross bar and stands for the latin word 'libra' or the english 'pound'. Today we simply prefix the amount with £ as in £100
tablebord (or 'tableborde' or 'tabell board')
tableboard - The flat top of a table, often appraised separately from the frame (or tressylle or tressle ) on which it stood, being fixed with removable wooden pegs Picture Link
tampons
Long Pellets used to kill game
tankards
Tankards - see 'drinking vessels 17th century' explanation above"
terrier
A written description of a landed property by acreages and boundaries. Manorial estate records usually include a terrier of the estate. Glebe Terriers are thos dealing with the land belonging to a parish incumbent's benefice. The bondaries are described by reference to the holders of adjacent lands.
Testa de Nevill
The Book of fees compiled by the Kings Remembrancer commonly called the Testa de Nevill (1198-1242).
testamento
Latin - Testament
tester
[ Note: A linen tester cloth was the covering for the upper rectangular part of a four poster bed. Usually, the function of the tester was to hold bed curtains that could surround the bed to keep out draughts.]
testtum (latin abbreviation for testamentum)
Latin often used in probate statements for 'by testament or bequest' i.e. will
tex toris
harness maker
ti (in superscript)
't' (or) 'ti' as in 100ti [often seen in 17th century wills as superscript as in t or ti and after a sum of money such as 100ti: It's meant to be a capital L with a cross bar and stands for the latin word 'libra' or the english 'pound'. Today we simply prefix the amount with £ as in £100]
Tilley's Buildings
situated in Mill Street Fordington.
tinman or tinnman
a person who makes or trades in tin which was often mined in Devon and particularly in Cornwall. It was often used in making Pewter which has a 85% to 99% tin content.
tinning or tinnen
17th century used to mean tin
tippler, tippling house, tippler supprest
a retailer of ale or the place where ale was sold. excessive drinking is not necessarily implied by either term as everybody including children drank ale as water carried infection. The strongest ale from the first mash was generally reserved for men, the second mash for women and the weakest third mash for children. A tippler supprest was one whose licence was revoked
tithingman [tythingman]
The elected representative of the manor court responsible for presenting to the Court the tithing list at each View of Frankpledge. This was reviewed to ensure that all men and boys of the age of 12 or over were enrolled in a tithing. Originally this referred to a group of ten men and boys who were held responsible to the manor court (by giving a frankpledge) for its member’s good conduct. If one member offended then the other nine were responsible. The Tithingman would therefore report to court all misdemeanours committed by members of the families within the tithing. Another function sometimes carried out by the Tythingman was to draw up the Militia Listing for the parish as was the case in 1796 in Cheselbourne. Other parishes used the constable as was the case in Fordington.
title in capite
by the laws of England, one who holds immediately of the king. According to the feudal system, all lands in England are considered as held immediately or mediately of the king, who is styled lord paramount. Such tenants, however, are considered as having the fee of the lands and permanent possession
tonges (or tongues)
Although often part of inventories of kitchen items 'tonges' usually meant iron tonges for placing coal on the fire, hence they also appear in inventories in the 'Hall' (or main room of the house)
to or too
two
toft
A plot of land on which a building stood, or, as the word is more often used, had formerly stood. In a manor, it had manorial rights of common attached to it. Not to be confused with 'croft'.
toubs
tubs
trammel
an iron hook in a fireplace for a kettle. The ones that I have seen have a hook at one end ( like one end of a pot hook) to go on the iron bar which stretches cross the inside of the top of the fireplace. The other end of the hook goes through one end of a flat iron strip of metal about a foot long by an inch wide which is bent into an "S" shape. This then provides a secure resting place for the handle of a kettle to hang over the fire from which it can easily be removed. Also see below
trammel net
sometimes just referred to as a 'trammel' as well - a net for fishing - a modern description from the oxford english dictionary is "a three layed dragnet designed that a fish entering through one of the large meshed outer sections will push part of the finer meshed central section through the large meshes on the further side, forming a pocket in which the fish is trapped".
tramper
a person who travels from place to place on foot in search of work or as a vagrant or begger. not to be confused with a tranter see below
tranter
a person who carries fish from the sea coasts to sell them inland (From Dictionary dated 1775). The husband of Elizabeth Martha BROWN (executed at Dorchester gaol in 1856 for his murder) was described as 'a tranter or waggoner possessing a horse and waggon'. I have a feeling that it was a phrase used in Dorset more to describe anybody who owned their own cart or waggon and traded goods from the larger towns into the countryside villages. John Anthony Brown, Elizabeth's husband, for example bought goods in Beaminster and they owned a small chandlers shop in Broadwinsor where presumably they sold much of the merchandise.
travayle
travail - ie a painful or laborious effort or labour pains as in 'a woman's in travail'
treager
Treager was another linen fabric which got its name from Treguier in Brittany and was imported into Dorset in the 17th century via the port of Weymouth by Dorchester Merchants
Source: Page 38 Studies in Dorset History by Maureen Weinstock M.A.,F.R.Hist.S published by Longmans (Dorchester) 1953
trencher
a trencher was a plate or platter usually of wood, but occasionally of pewter . It could be square or circular, flat (the most useful shape for carving meat) or turned up to provide a rim. Some were even shaped like a plate. The trencher constituted the cheapest, and commonest form of utensil from which to eat solid food. Trenchers were usually made of a hardwood that was non-porous, did not transmit its taste or odour to the food and turned well, such as beech or sycamore. There is also reference to trencher boxes in which typically a dozen or more trenchers where kept and in one will a 'trencher cage' which I assume is more like a rack into which trenchers could be stored when not in use. Picture Link
trendelles or (trendle, trendol, trondell, trondele)
'trondell' appears to refer to Trendle or Trendell a round or oval tub - also described as a dough trough
trilbed, trenbed,
probably refers to a trindlebed see trucklebed
truckle bed [trunole, trockle, trunle, trundle, trundel, truggle]
a low bed running on truckles or small wheels which could be pushed under a high or standing bed when not in use. Picture Link Definition from Dictionary of Traded Goods and Commodities, 1550-1820 (2007). URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=58901.Trundle bed An alternative and common name for a TRUCKLE BED, designed to slide under a high bed or STANDING BED during the day; hence 'one standinge bed and a trundle bed' [Inventories (1596)]. Trundle beds were by their nature smaller and so needed their own-sized furnishings, hence 'Trundle ffeather Bed & Bedstid' [Inventories (1694)].
[Common variations :- tundle bedstead; trunle bed; trundlested; trundlebedstead; trundlebedd; trundle-bed; trundle bedstid; trundle bedsteed; trundle bedstedle; trundle bede; trundle bedd; trundle bed sted; trundle bed stead; trundell steed; trundell bedsteede; trundell bedsted; trundell bedstead; trundell bedd; trundele bedsted; trundelbed; trunale bed; trondle bedde; trendle]
trunke
a trunk used as now for travel but also for storage within the house Picture Link
Tubb's Corner
Situated in East Fordington on Tubb's Road [See 1901 Ornance Survey Map of Dorchester now part of Kings Road] close to the Swan Inn and Fordington Corn Mill
turnkey
a jailer. Most worked at the County Gaol in Dorchester and some are known from records at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester (unless otherwise stated) such as:-
Thomas BUNN described as a late turnkey on the baptism record of his son William Thomas Bunn on 1st Jan 1826.
William MONKTON whose dau Elizabeth bap HT 7 Feb 1842 & lived in Pease Lane
George BOWRING who married Mary WARREN on 19 Feb 1844 and lived in Shire Hall Lane; also 26 Apr 1848 at bap of dau Charlotte at HT or
Henry HELLIER married Mary HILL on 29 Apr 1844; or
Jesse PHELPS who married Margaret BAKER on 12th Oct 1847 and later Sarah WELLSPRING at West F 9th Mar 1854
Jerimiah JOINER who married Frances Matilda SAMWAYS on 03 May 1848;
Robert SEAL who married Elizabeth GREGORY 15th Dec 1857.
Robert MORGAN described as a turnkey from St Peters at baptism of his son Edmond at All Saints church 21 Sep 1864
Henry PITFIELD (1837-1889) described as a prison warden in 1871 census lived in Fordington
Edward CONWAY described as a warden in a prison on the baptism of his son Edward at All Saints church on 16th May 1880
usher
under master at a Dorchester Free school
uxor [also seen oxor] (abbrev: ux. uxr)
Latin for:-wife of. uxor ejus =' wife his' = 'his wife'
vassal
a holder of land by feudal tenure on condition of homage and allegiance. see also 'feudalism'.
vailes
I have not located an official definition but the context within which it is used was where an under master at Dorchester Free school appears to have had a right to voluntary contributions made towards the running of the school
velmonger
virtue (Used a lot in Letters of Administration as in "abide in full force & vertue")
Vid. (abbreviation for vidua)
Latin for widow
vill
Old English (from the Latin villa) A village ; a part of a parish. [Source:- The New Complete Dictionary of the English Language by John Ash Volume 2 published 1775]
villein or villain
a feudal tenant entirely subject to a lord or manor to whom he paid dues and services in return for land. (see also 'feudalism'). The term was introduced in Norman times and he was free in regard to everyone except his feudal lord, which meant that he was bound to his holding. Even there, he held his land hereditarily only by right of the custom of the manor. His work service was of two kinds: week work i.e. regular agricultural work done each week; and boon work which was extra work done at important stages in the agricultural year e.g. harvest
A villein could not bring a suit in the king's court, and could not marry without his Lords permission; but he had rights even against his lord. which were protected by the Manor Court. His holding - a house and, usually, a garden plot on which there was often an orchard - carried with it the right to a certain number of arable strips of land, the right to graze a certain number of beasts in the pasture, and the right to a certain crop of hay from the meadow. Villein status virtually died out by 1500, after which time the villein's descendants became entirely free and held their land of the Lord of the Manor by Copyhold
vidua (abbrev: vid:)
latin for:-widower
virgate
Usually thirty acres of arable land scattered among the common fields of a manor, but it varied from as little as ten acres to as many as eighty in some parts of the country. It was a quarter of a hide and was also known as a yardland.
vizt
viz - to witt, namely (from videelicet) Often used as an abbreviation in Dorchester Wills. Source the New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language Published by John Ash in 1775
wainscotte [wynscott or wenscott]
woodden panelling to line the walls of a room but the word is also used to describe a panneled chest or chairs etc.
waking
An all night vigil (usually by a close friend) next to the body laid out in the church prior to burial, sometimes accompanied by ritual observances
warming pan
A flat metal pan with a lid and a long handle which was filled with hot coals and used to warm a bed before retiring at night. Picture Link
wascote, wasacote
waistcoat
MEN: The waistcoat has been one of the standard pieces of formal dress in the West since the late sixteenth century, and it has gone through several changes over time. From the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, men's waistcoats were long-sleeved garments worn as middle layers of clothing, over a shirt but underneath a topcoat or justaucorps. Some men's waistcoats extended only to the waist, hence their name, while others continued several inches lower. Generally, they grew shorter as time passed. Waistcoats were buttoned down the front, and featured collars and pockets. By the eighteenth century, a man's formal suit consisted of a coat, waistcoat, and breeches, or pants
WOMEN: Women also sometimes wore waistcoats between their outer-wear and underwear. Some were sleeved but most were sleeveless. Unlike menswear, however, women's waistcoats were considered intimate apparel, and were not meant to be seen by anyone but the wearer. Still, they cannot be classified as underwear. By the eighteenth century, women wore vest-like waistcoats as riding attire and white, snugly sleeved waistcoats as blouses with long skirts. Read more: Waistcoat - Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/European-Culture-17th-Century/Waistcoat.html#ixzz1EaV44IUU
waste
the land of a manor, not devoted to arable,meadow or wood. It usually lay on the manorial boundaries and was used for pasture, and was gradually assarted (brought under cultivation) over the centuries. Applications to build on the waste had to have permission from the Lord of the manor and be approved at the Quarter Sessions.
wayne
wagon or cart
waywarden
Overseers accounts sometimes refer to "Way Wardens". The Highways Act of 1555 transferred the responsibility for maintaining the roads from Manors to the Parish Vestry. Each parishioner owning ploughland or keeping a plough horse was required to provide a cart for 4 days a year for use in road repairs. Similarly each able bodied parishioner was required to give 4 days labour a year (increased to 6 days in 1563) or pay a fine in lieu. The act also established the office of Surveyor of the Highways (also called�Waywardens) & made the churchwardens, constable and some parishioners responsible for selecting such an officer. From 1662 the selection was made by a majority of parishioners and finally in 1691 the Vestry was expected to produce a short list from which the Justices of the Peace sected a Surveyor for the ensuing year - he was not paid. His job was to organise whatever work needed doing and ensure this was carried out properly. Repairs usually consisted of filling potholes with stones, which would be quarried nearby. Less frequently the work might consist of repairing a bridge or clearing of ditches or watercourses. At the end of each year the Waywardens (often two per Parish) would draw up an account of income and expenditure and submit it to�the Justices of the Peace for approval. Wheeled vehicles were rare until the mid sixteenth century and they caused much more damage to roads than horses. As coaches and carriages became more common the cost to parishioners rose & was not always sufficient to effect repairs. The Highways Act of 1691 authorised the levying of a Highways Rate. For the next 140 years the cost of repairs was covered by a combination of statute labour and a highway rate.�
weilles, welles,wheales, wheles, wheilles
wheels
whitesmith
A person who makes articles out of metal especially tin, often refers to a person who polishes metal goods
whittle
a fringed mantle worn by women out of doors
widdoe or (widdow; widdowe or abbreviated to wid:)
widow
wife
window tax
In 1696 a new tax on houses replaced the Hearth Tax which had been discontinued a few years earlier. One of the chief objections to the latter had been that it meant the intrusion of inspectors into private dwellings. The window tax was assessed from outside and was imposed on occupiers not the owners and small dwellings whose occupants did not pay poor rates were exempt. All paid a basic 2 shillings but houses with 10 to 20 windows paid 8 shillings and rates for large houses was increased in 1709. Householders would reduce their rates by blocking up non essential windows. In 1747 the act was repealed and replaced by a new one where in addition to the basic rate houses with 10 to 14 windows paid 6 pence per window; those with over 20 windows paid 1 shilling per window with rates being increased in the 1750's and 1760's. It was abolished in 1851
Winterborne Farringdon & Winterborne Germain
Winterborne Faringdon, the latter part of the name derived from the name of former landholders, also known at one time as Saint Germain's due to the dedication of the church that once stood here. It also occurs in old records as Winterborne Germain. It was once a parish, but became depopulated and the church was in ruins by 1648. It became united to the rectory of Winterborne Came in 1751. It lies just west of Winterborne Herringston and between that and Winterborne Came, a mile to the east. [Source http://www.weymouth-dorset.co.uk/herringston.html]
wth
An abbreviation commonly used in 17th century wills which can mean 'with' or 'which' according to the context of the sentence
woodman
A person working in woodland, especially a forester or woodcutter [not a carpenter]. The new and complete dictionary of the English language published in 1775 refers to him as "someone who takes care of woods; a hunter, a sportsman". As far as I can see around Dorchester they were often employed by the larger landowners to manage their woodland, cutting timber. This was then trimmed into uniform lengths by 'woodcutters' and stacked to season before being taken to the sawmill by a 'carrier'.
woolstapler
A person who buys wool from a producer, grades it (by the quality of the staple or fiber), and sells it to a manufacturer
wynowing shet or (wydowynge cloth; winsheat; winsheet)
large sheet or cloth on which corn was winnowed or a sheet or sack over an unglazed window to keep out the cold
xp�for (or xtopher)
xp�for = Christopher - Some parish priests looked upon the 'x' as the cross of Christ and used it to abbreviate 'Christopher' to 'xpõfor' or 'xtopher' in parish registers. I have seen ''xtian' for 'Christian' as well (see below) but not so often. Examples in Dorchester are William son of Xtopher [Christopher] & Sarah PARKER baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 13 Nov 1763; and Elizabeth daughter of Xtopher & Sarah PARKER bap HT 15 Mar 1769 here it is written in full on the original register but abbreviated to Xtopher in the copy.
xtian
xtian = Christian (See comments above for 'Xtopher') Examples 'Xtian the daughter of Thomas WINSOR was christened the viij [8th ] day of March' 1607 at St Georges Church Fordington : 'Xtian CHAPLINE married Thomas (Thomasine) BIRDE' at Sherborne Abbey 13th September 1579 : 'Henry son of Joseph & Xtian CHURCHILL' bap at Holy Trinity 23rd Oct 1751 and Thomas son of Joseph & Xtian Churchill bap Holy Trinity 15th Dec 1769.
xtned
xtned = Christened or baptised, often encountered in early baptism registers eg All Saints Church 1708
yardland
A yardland is an area of about thity acres. hence a 'half yard meadow' would be an area of about 15 acres of meadowland.
ye
the
yelle or ielle
aisle - (Late middle English ele, ile from old French ele) The spelling was changed in the late 17thc because of confusion with isle
yeoman
Yeoman in the plantagenet period, meant a knight's retainer. There were also Yeomen of the King's Chamber, who were minor court officials under the Chamberlain. At that period, there was a class of freemen called Franklins, and under the Tudors the name of yeoman gradually became attached to them. Broadley speaking they constituted a stratum of cultivators of the soil, either freeholders or tenants, who differd from the minor gentry more by way of life than by any economic category. The yeoman would put his own hand to work that the gentleman would employ servants to do, and his wife likewise; but many a young man of gentle and even armigerous family was styled yeoman, as long as he lived like one (i.e. until he inherited his father's estate). Below the yeoman class came the equally ill defined stratum of husbandman, whose landholding was normally smaller. The standing of the yeomanry is reflected in the later use of the word for the local volunteer force, mounted on their own horses, as distinct from the (infantry) militia.
yeoting or yeoteing fate
yeoting is the process of soaking barley before making malt; a yeoting fate is the vat used for the purpose
yewre or (ewre, owre, youre)
ewer; a pitcher with a wide spout, used to bring water to the table for washing hands in a basin [often spelt 'basing'], before and after meals. Some could be very elaborate such as those at the British Museum or sold a Christies and were often made of brass or silver but there is no indication in the inventories that I have seen from Dorchester as to what they were made of.
yous
| i don't know |
Which prolific 18th century German-British composer created Water Music, Music for the Royal Fireworks and the opera Serse? | Composers | TSO | Live It Live TSO | Live It Live
Arne
Thomas Arne (1710-1778) is today remembered for little else apart from the song “Rule, Britannia!” In his day, however, Arne was a prolific composer for the London stage. He wrote operas in English (Artaxerxes being the most significant), ballad operas, masques and pantomimes, and composed music for plays, including the works of Shakespeare. “Rule, Britannia!” comes from the masque, Alfred. Arne’s career overlapped with that of his more famous contemporary and fellow Londoner, George Frideric Handel. A Catholic, Arne composed some masses, odes, cantatas, many songs and a small quantity of instrumental music including concertos and sonatas. According to the Oxford Companion to Music, Arne “appears to have been something of a scoundrel”. He sounds like a most interesting man.
© Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Bach, C P E
With its irregular, non-symmetrical phrasing, sudden shifts in harmony, and melodic twists and turns, the music of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788) constantly surprises. Musical aptitude ran through the Bach family. Centred around Saxony and Thuringia in Germany, the Bachs were a force in music for many hundreds of years. C P E Bach, one of the sons of Johann Sebastian, ventured out of the traditional Bach homelands and made his career in Berlin and Hamburg. Indeed, for many years he was a keyboard player in the service of Frederich II (aka Frederick the Great) of Prussia. In addition to composing a significant quantity of keyboard music, C P E Bach wrote a very important treatise on playing the instrument, Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments. Bach’s essay also offers important nuggets of information on musical style and taste generally. In 1768 he succeeded Telemann as director of music in Hamburg and, in this new role, produced a considerable body of Protestant church music. C P E Bach’s music sounds nothing like his father’s. He eschewed complex polyphony in favour of cleaner textures and is regarded as a key exponent of the Empfindsamer Stil (expressive style).
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Bach, J C
Often known as the ‘London Bach’, Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782), one of the sons of Johann Sebastian Bach, left Saxony, the traditional stronghold of the Bach family, and made his career in the English capital. Aged only 15 when his father died, J C Bach travelled first of all to Berlin where he studied with his half-brother, C P E Bach, and later abandoned Germany for Italy, living in Milan for a number of years (1755-1761). Already an unconventional career trajectory for a Bach, J C Bach’s career became still more unconventional when he entered the Roman Catholic communion and developed an interest in opera. Indeed, the success of his operas in Italy brought his name to the attention of the King’s Theatre in London, which commissioned two operas from him for the 1762-3 season (Orione and Zanaida). Bach left Italy for England in 1762 and was based in London for the remainder of his life. Despite his activities as a composer of opera, his posthumous reputation rests largely on his contribution to the symphony and concerto. Indeed, his music was highly influential upon the young Mozart, who came to know J C Bach when the Mozart family spent 18 months in London as part of their pan-European tour. Significantly, Mozart’s earliest experiments with piano concertos are arrangements of works by J C Bach. In subsequent years Mozart’s father, Leopold, reminded his son of the pleasing and agreeable works of the ‘London Bach’. He praised it as music worthy of emulation.
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Bach, J S
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was one of the leading composers of the Baroque. Although he never left central and northern Germany (he held positions in Weimar, Cöthen and Leipzig and his travels took him to Hamburg, Lübeck and Berlin), Bach was fully aware of musical developments elsewhere in Europe and remained up-to-date with music by his Italian contemporaries, Vivaldi above all. He also had a secure understanding of the French style. In fact, Bach was able to turn his hand to Italian and French styles with ease. As a writer of contrapuntal music (i.e. music which proceeds by simultaneously weaving different melodic lines), he was without peer. He was also an outstanding organist and was able to improvise contrapuntal music at the keyboard. A devout Lutheran, Bach wrote a huge quantity of music for the church, including cantatas, chorales, Passions and organ works. He also wrote a Catholic Mass, the colossal Mass in B minor. His music for keyboard includes the monumental Well-Tempered Clavier and his orchestral music includes the Brandenburg Concertos and Orchestral Suites. He fathered 20 children, ten of whom survived infancy including the composers C P E Bach and J C Bach.
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Barber
American composer Samuel Barber (1910-1981) is best known for a single work, the celebrated Adagio for Strings. The Adagio, in fact, is an arrangement of the slow movement of Barber’s String Quartet, which was composed in 1936. Barber had no interest in 20th-century modernist aesthetics, preferring to write in a lyrical, mildly chromatic vein. American idioms such as jazz and the ‘prairie’ style of Aaron Copland also held little attraction for him. That said, he ventures reasonably close to the latter in his work for soprano and orchestra, Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Given his conservative bent, Barber’s output includes symphonies, concertos and sonatas. He also composed operas, including Antony and Cleopatra, which was written for the opening of New York’s Metropolitan Opera in its new home at Lincoln Centre in 1966. Barber’s partner was fellow composer Gian Carlo Menotti.
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Bartók
When he wasn’t composing, Béla Bartók (1881-1945) was out in the field recording the songs and dances of Eastern European peasant cultures. Bartók was a trailblazing ethnomusicologist, accumulating thousands of recordings of the folk music of Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania, above all. He even ventured further afield, recording music in Turkey and northern Africa. Not surprisingly, his ethnomusicological research seeped into his own compositions, mainly in the form of scales and harmonies that lie outside the Western tonal tradition, and rhythms and time signatures that likewise do not conform to ‘classical’ norms. In addition to his own original music, Bartók arranged some of the music which he collected out in the field for Western ensembles (e.g. the Romanian Folk Dances for small ensemble). His six-volume piano collection Mikrokosmos is an important pedagogical resource (the 153 pieces are arranged in ascending order of difficulty) as well as a fascinating anthology of his personal style(s). Bartók left his native Hungary in 1940 and settled in the United States. Sadly, his final years were marked by declining health and professional neglect. He was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1944 and died in New York the following year. Bartók’s most significant works include the Concerto for Orchestra, three piano concertos, two violin concertos, six string quartets and the one-act opera, Bluebeard’s Castle.
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Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) hardly needs any introduction. The composer of nine symphonies, five piano concertos, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, the opera Fidelio and many other works, Beethoven is firmly ensconced on classical music’s A-list. A native of Bonn and long-time resident of Vienna, Beethoven lived at a time of political, social and cultural transition including the events and consequences of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. It was a time when classical music left the grand houses of the aristocracy and entered the marketplace. Rather than being beholden to an aristocratic patron, Beethoven wrote for the concert-going public. Which is not to say that he did not enjoy the patronage of Viennese aristocrats – quite the contrary – but that he inverted the composer-patron power relationship so that the aristocrat sought the association with the composer rather than the other way around. The status of the composer, in other words, was raised immeasurably. Beethoven was also a crucial figure in elevating the status of instrumental music and using music as a force for the expression of human subjectivity. Sorrow, despair, triumph and joy are some of the states that he explores in his music. Beethoven suffered from a degenerative hearing disorder and was totally deaf before he reached the age of 50. Nevertheless, he continued to compose, writing the Symphony No 9, late piano sonatas and late string quartets in the last decade of his life.
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Berg
Best known for the opera Wozzeck, Alban Berg (1885-1935) was one of the composers of the Second Viennese School, a small group clustered around master teacher Arnold Schoenberg. Taking their point of departure from the highly chromatic music of the late 19th century, the composers of the Second Viennese School saturated their music with still more chromaticisms to the point where key (i.e. major/minor tonality) was obliterated. Thus was born ‘atonal’ music – music in which all notes of the chromatic spectrum were granted equal standing. The aforementioned Wozzeck is an atonal work. Berg subsequently adopted the 12-note technique – a system for writing atonal music – devised by his erstwhile master, Schoenberg. The Lyric Suite, a string quartet, is an example of an atonal work written according to this system. Another 12-note work is the Violin Concerto, a profoundly moving piece of music dedicated to the memory of Manon Gropius, daughter of Alma Mahler-Gropius and Walter Gropius, who died in April 1935 at the tragically young age of 18. In a further tragedy, Berg himself died (of septicaemia, following an insect bite) in December that same year. Little did he suspect that the Violin Concerto would be his own requiem.
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Berio
One of the leading Italian composers of the post-World War II period, Luciano Berio (1925-2003) was influenced to varying degrees by most of the major currents in 20th-century music including neoclassicism, serialism and electronic music. His most famous work is Sinfonia, for orchestra and amplified solo voices, from the late 1960s. Controversially, its middle movement includes substantial chunks from Mahler’s Symphony No 2 and bits and pieces from works by Debussy, Stravinsky, Brahms and others. Between 1958 and 2002 Berio composed more than a dozen highly virtuosic works for solo instruments, all of which have the generic title Sequenza. Sequenza II, for example, is for harp. Sequenza XIII is for accordion. Berio’s first wife was the American soprano Cathy Berberian, for whom he wrote a number of works including the Folk Songs and Sequenza III. One of his last projects was completing Act III of Puccini’s unfinished opera Turandot. Berio took as his point of departure sketches left by Puccini at the time of his death. The work was premièred at Las Palmas in 2002 and performed at the Salzburg Festival later that year.
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Berlioz
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869), like Robert Schumann, was both a composer and a music critic. Surprisingly for a composer, he had no competence as a pianist. His two instruments were flute and guitar, and he was only able to fumble his way through a few chords on the piano. It was the orchestra above all that interested him. Indeed, he not only wrote orchestral music, he wrote about it – one of his most significant publications is the orchestration manual, Grand traité d’instrumentation et d’orchestration modernes. Berlioz also had a great love for vocal music. In addition to a large body of songs and choral works, he wrote for the stage, including the epic five-act opera Les Troyens (The Trojans). One of his boldest creations was Symphonie fantastique, a ‘programmatic symphony’ composed in 1830. Among the innovative features of the work is the use of a theme – an idée fixe – which appears in some form or another in all of the work’s five movements. The idée fixe is not so much a structural device as a programmatic one – it signifies a figure (‘the beloved’) who is the object of desire of the protagonist of the symphony, a young artist in love. Controversially, Berlioz prepared a written account of the symphony’s ‘story’ which was distributed to audience members for ease of listening.
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Bernstein
One of the great American musicians of the 20th century, Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) was a composer, conductor and educator. His musical interests were varied: he composed the Broadway musical West Side Story, conducted Mahler’s symphonies to great acclaim and wrote the soundtrack to the Hollywood film On the Waterfront. The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Lenny, as he was known colloquially, lived the American dream: he went to Harvard, was the first American to conduct at La Scala (Cherubini’s Medea with Maria Callas in the title role) and when he was appointed music director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 40, was the youngest person to take up that position. Other orchestras with which he had long-standing relationships include the Vienna Philharmonic and Israel Philharmonic. Bernstein was a superb communicator. His lecture/demonstrations on music with the New York Philharmonic, many of which were filmed for television, are outstanding examples of their type. He not only inspired young listeners but adults too. Bernstein had a complicated private life. He married the Chilean-American actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn in 1951 and together they had two sons and a daughter. He also pursued sexual relationships with men. Indeed, he left his wife for a man in 1976 but returned to her a short while later. She died in 1978. In addition to being bisexual, Bernstein was sympathetic to left-wing causes. As a result, he was a prime candidate for surveillance by the FBI, which amassed a substantial file on him.
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Bizet
In a cruel twist of fate, Georges Bizet (1838-1875) died without ever knowing that Carmen would become one of the great success stories of opera. It premièred at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 3 March 1875. Three months later Bizet was dead. A musically gifted child, Bizet was nine years of age when he commenced studies at the Paris Conservatoire where he excelled at piano, organ and composition. The Symphony in C dates from this early period. He won the coveted Prix de Rome in 1857 and remained in Italy for three years. Upon his return to Paris he undertook whatever work he could find – composing, arranging, working as a rehearsal pianist and doing the rounds of theatres in search of commissions. He wrote a number of operas (including The Pearl Fishers) but none of them held the stage. He had a breakthrough in 1872 when his suite of incidental music from the play L’Arlésienne won widespread popularity and a succès de scandale with Carmen. Of course, Carmen went on to become a huge hit worldwide (it reached both Melbourne and Sydney before the end of the 1870s) and won the admiration of Brahms, Nietzsche, Mahler and countless others.
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Brahms
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was one of the most celebrated composers of the nineteenth century. A native of Hamburg, he settled in Vienna in 1871. Like Beethoven – another famous German composer who came to call the Austrian capital home – Brahms laboured long and hard over musical composition. A strong advocate for the structural integrity of music, he devoted great care and attention to musical form, structure and logic. He held off writing a symphony until he felt fully comfortable writing for orchestra. Thus, his Symphony No 1 (1876) was preceded by two Serenades (1858 and 1859), the Piano Concerto No 1 (1859), A German Requiem (1868) and the Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn (1873). Influential Viennese critic Eduard Hanslick was one of Brahms’s strongest supporters, finding in his music an antidote to what he believed were the deplorable ‘innovations’ of the other leading German composer of the time, Richard Wagner.
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Britten
When the curtain fell at the conclusion of the first performance of the opera Peter Grimes in 1945, Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) had proven decisively what many had suspected – that he was unquestionably England’s finest living composer. Britten had enjoyed success prior to Grimes (notably with the Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge and Piano Concerto), but the tremendous ovation that greeted the opera not only confirmed his reputation, it raised his profile immeasurably and heralded the start of a long career as a composer of opera. Later successes in the theatre included Billy Budd, The Turn of the Screw and Death in Venice. As befitting an English composer, Britten was drawn to choral music and with the War Requiem (1962) he composed one of the great 20th-century works for choir and orchestra. But Britten was not only interested in large-scale music. He arranged British folksongs for voice and piano, wrote music for musical amateurs and was interested in music education (his most famous work in this respect is The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra). Britten was openly homosexual, which is notable given that sexual acts between consenting adult males were punishable by law for most of his lifetime. Britten’s life-long partner was the tenor Peter Pears, who sang the title role in Peter Grimes and many other works. Britten accepted a life peerage in June 1976 (he died later that year). Pears was knighted in 1978. Britten and Pears founded the Aldeburgh Festival in 1948. Held every June, it continues to this day.
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Bruch
Some composers, no matter how prolific, are known for just one work – Pachelbel and his Canon, Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur and Jeremiah Clarke’s Trumpet Voluntary. Max Bruch (1838-1920) is a case in point. Bruch happened to compose one of the best loved of all violin concertos – the Concerto No 1 in G minor – which has tended to obscure the fact that he also wrote a significant quantity of other music including three symphonies, three operas, chamber music, sacred music and songs. That said, Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy for violin and orchestra and Kol nidrei for cello and orchestra are not entirely forgotten and have found a place in the concert repertory to a greater or lesser extent. A slightly younger contemporary of Johannes Brahms, Bruch lived through the period that saw Germany transformed from a patchwork of kingdoms, duchies and free city-states (indeed, he wrote the Violin Concerto No 1 while music director at the court of Koblenz in 1865-7) to a united country and, later still, a defeated nation at the end of World War I. Put another way, Mendelssohn and Chopin were alive in his childhood and Schoenberg and Stravinsky were on the rise in his old age. Born in Cologne, Bruch held conducting posts in Berlin, Liverpool and Breslau (present-day Wroclaw) and taught composition at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin where his pupils included Ottorino Respighi and Ralph Vaughan Williams. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Cambridge in 1893.
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Canteloube
Like Bartók and Kodaly in Hungary, and Vaughan Williams in England, Joseph Canteloube (1879-1957) was a collector of folk songs as well as a composer. A native of the Auvergne region in central France, Canteloube is best known for his five volumes of Songs of the Auvergne, arrangements of folk songs for soprano and orchestra that were published between 1923 and 1954. Canteloube also composed original music including the opera Le mas, which was staged at the Paris Opéra in 1929. During the Occupation he worked with the Vichy Government in promoting French folk music, poor judgement on his part although possibly understandable given his genuine commitment to the traditional music of France.
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Cherubini
Like Jean-Baptiste Lully, Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842) was an Italian-born composer who made his career in France. In fact, both composers hailed from the same city: Florence. Cherubini made his way to Paris via London and in 1786 was appointed music director of the Italian opera at the Théâtre de Monsieur. Over the next decade or so he consolidated his reputation to the point that when he met Beethoven in 1805, he was hailed by his German contemporary as Europe’s foremost composer of opera. Indeed, Beethoven’s opera Fidelio belongs, in part, to the tradition of ‘rescue opera’ popularised by Cherubini. (Cherubini attended the première of the first version of Beethoven’s opera.) Nowadays, Cherubini is best known for his French opera, Medée. His career had its ups and downs but, happily, finished on an upward swing. In 1822 he was appointed director of the Conservatoire and spent the last two decades of his life composing and teaching. His pupils included leading opera composers of the next generation: Auber, Halévy and Boieldieu.
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Chopin
Poland’s most famous musical son, Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849), left his homeland at the age of 20 and settled in Paris where he made a name for himself as one of the leading composers of his time. Renowned for his music for solo piano – etudes, mazurkas, nocturnes, ballades, impromptus and so on – Chopin was himself a pianist, although he preferred to perform in private salons rather than public concert halls. He made his living primarily from sheet music sales and piano teaching. Despite composing a large quantity of piano music, Chopin wrote relatively little for piano and orchestra, and almost all of it was composed before he left Poland. In addition to the two piano concertos (rather confusingly, the Piano Concerto No 1 was written after the Piano Concerto No 2), his music for piano and orchestra includes the Fantasy on Polish Airs and Grande polonaise brilliante. As these titles indicate, Chopin drew upon the music of his homeland from time to time. Indeed, he was able to bring to the attention of Parisians Polish dissatisfaction with the country’s tripartite division (Polish territory was divided between Russia, Prussia and the Austrian Empire) and lack of home rule. Chopin died at the appallingly young age of 39. He is buried in Paris’ Père Lachaise cemetery (not far from the grave of Jim Morrison of The Doors). Fittingly, his heart was taken to Poland where it resides in the church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw.
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Coates
For a time, Eric Coates (1886-1957) had a dual career as a violist and composer, but ongoing neuritis put an end to his viola-playing activities in 1919. Composer of orchestral marches, fantasies and suites, Coates also wrote 160 songs, including “Love Among the Daffodils”, “Marry Me, Nancy, Do” and “I Pitch My Lonely Caravan at Night”. In addition to the “The Dambusters March”, which featured in the 1955 film, The Dam Busters, Coates’ music has appeared in more recent films, including Annie Hall, Vera Drake and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
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Corelli
Although he left behind a small body of music, Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) was tremendously influential. He was renowned as a violinist and did much to establish violin practice and technique. Bologna was an early centre of his activities before he established himself in Rome, where he worked in many important households including those of Queen Christina of Sweden and Cardinal Ottoboni. There are five published collections of sonatas by Corelli – mostly trio sonatas but also violin sonatas – and a single collection of concertos. It is possible that he wrote a good deal more music which never made it into print. Corelli’s influence was felt far and wide, from Couperin in France, to Telemann in Germany to Handel in England. In his native Italy he was an important influence upon Vivaldi.
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Dean
Brisbane-born Brett Dean (born 1961) trained as a violist and was a permanent member of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for more than 15 years. He began composing in 1988 and has become not only one of Australia’s leading composers but a composer of international stature having won the Grawemeyer Award (which has been dubbed the Nobel Prize of music) in 2009 for his violin concerto The Lost Art of Letter Writing. He has received commissions from the Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, BBC Proms, Lucerne Festival, Stockholm Philharmonic, Cologne Philharmonie, BBC Symphony and the Tasmanian, Sydney and Melbourne symphony orchestras. His opera Bliss, based on the novel by Peter Carey, was premièred in Sydney by Opera Australia in 2010 and subsequently staged at the Edinburgh Festival. In 2009 the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra released Testament, a CD of music by Brett Dean conducted by Sebastian Lang-Lessing, as part of its Australian Music Series on ABC Classics.
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Debussy
French composer Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was one of music’s great innovators. He opened his ears to sounds outside those of the prevailing musical culture of his time. As a result, his music echoes with unusual scales (such as the whole-tone and pentatonic), unorthodox chord progressions and voice-leading (he was fond of consecutive fifths), and sonorities borrowed from non-Western music (he relished the sound of a Javanese gamelan when he heard it at the Universal Exposition of 1889). He did not write a huge body of work but nevertheless made a significant contribution to the piano repertory (with two books of Préludes, among other works), orchestral music (including the Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune and La Mer) and opera (Pelléas et Mélisande). Debussy’s orchestral music typically calls for a large group of players but he tends not to use the sheer mass of instruments for the sake of volume but, rather, for the full range of colours that they able to provide (significantly, in light of Debussy’s enthusiasm for the gamelan, he tends to favour a largish percussion section). Debussy had a stormy private life. Four years into his marriage he left his wife for a married woman, Emma Bardac. His wife subsequently shot herself while standing in the Place de la Concorde but survived and the bullet remained lodged in her body for the remainder of her life. Debussy married Emma in 1908. Some years before she bore him a child, Claude-Emma, to whom Debussy dedicated his Children’s Corner suite.
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Delibes
The reputation of composer Léo Delibes (1836-1891) rests upon three works above all: the ballets Coppélia and Sylvia, and the opera Lakmé. Like many French composers, Delibes’ early exposure to music was as an organist and church chorister. From there he made his way into theatre, where he worked as a composer (chiefly of operettas) and chorus director. The success of Coppélia in the early 1870s allowed him to devote himself full-time to composition. In 1876, the year in which he composed Sylvia, he was made a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur. At the time of his death he had completed, but not orchestrated, the opera Kassya, which is based upon a story by the Austrian writer Leopold von Sacher-Mosach, whose name has given us the term “masochism”. Kassya was subsequently orchestrated by Jules Massenet.
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Dukas
For many people the name Paul Dukas (1865-1935) will always be synonymous with the ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ episode from Walt Disney’s Fantasia in which Mickey Mouse (as the eponymous apprentice) is overwhelmed by an army of brooms and buckets sloshing more and more water in the sorcerer’s den. It’s a catastrophe set to music and a classic sequence from a classic film. Premièred in 1897, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice was an immediate success and has remained Dukas’ most famous work. Like every other aspiring French composer of his time, Dukas was drawn to writing music for the theatre. The opera Ariane et Barbe-bleue and ballet La Péri are his best known works for the stage. In addition to composing, Dukas was a music critic and an educator. He held positions at the Paris Conservatoire and the École Normale de Musique de Paris where his pupils included Olivier Messiaen, Maurice Duruflé and Jean Langlais.
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Dvorak
Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) probably did more than any other composer to put Czech music on the map in the 19thcentury. The son of a butcher and innkeeper, Dvořák rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most successful composers of the day and a celebrated figure on both sides of the Atlantic. A citizen of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, Dvořák, a Czech, had to overcome prejudice from the German-speaking élite in his quest to be taken seriously as a composer. He received the welcome support of Johannes Brahms who personally recommended Dvořák to Berlin publisher Fritz Simrock. Simrock made a tidy sum from Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances, a collection of pieces which brought Dvořák to international attention virtually overnight. Dvořák developed a strong following in England – thanks, in large measure, to his choral works – and in the United States where, in the period 1892-95 he was Director and Professor of Composition at the National Conservatory of Music in New York. Dvořák’s ‘American period’ saw the composition of the New World symphony and American string quartet. In addition to nine symphonies, numerous symphonic poems, a truly great Cello Concerto and plentiful chamber works, Dvořák composed a number of operas, including Rusalka.
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Edwards
Few contemporary Australian composers have contributed as strongly to the concerto repertory as Ross Edwards (born 1943). In addition to a Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto (Maninyas), Oboe Concerto (Bird Spirit Dreaming) and Clarinet Concerto, Edwards has composed a Guitar Concerto (Arafura Dances), Shakuhachi Concerto (The Heart of Night) and a Saxophone Concerto (Full Moon Dances). Additionally, he has composed symphonies, choral music, chamber music, ballets and a chamber opera, Christina’s World. A former student of Richard Meale and assistant to Peter Sculthorpe, Edwards has forged a distinctly personal style, one that draws upon the sounds and rhythms of the natural world and the diverse music of Australia and the Pacific region. White Ghost Dancing, a CD of Edwards’ music, forms part of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s Australian Composer Series on ABC Classics. In addition to the title work, White Ghost Dancing includes the string octet Veni creator spiritus (Come, O Creator Spirit), Mountain Village in a Clearing Mist (an important early work which displays the influence of Asian music) and the Concerto for Guitar and Strings (Arafura Dances), played by guitar virtuoso Karin Schaupp.
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Elgar
Edward Elgar (1857-1934) rose from humble beginnings to become the most famous English composer of his generation. The son of a Worcester shopkeeper and piano tuner, Elgar was largely self-taught as a composer. Determined to make a career in music, he moved to London in 1889 but returned to the West Midlands in 1890 following a commission from the Worcester Festival (for which he wrote Froissart). He settled in Malvern, near Worcester, where he remained for the rest of his life. His most celebrated works include the Enigma Variations, Cello Concerto and Violin Concerto. He made a strong contribution to the English choral tradition with The Dream of Gerontius. Land of Hope and Glory, adapted from his Pomp and Circumstance March No 1, is one of his most enduring works and holds its place as England’s unofficial national anthem. Elgar received a knighthood in 1904 and a baronetcy in 1931.
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Faure
Famous for his setting of the Requiem, Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) trained as a church musician and composed a significant quantity of sacred music before turning his attention to other genres. His orchestral music includes the suite Pelléas et Mélisande (which predates Debussy’s opera of the same name by a number of years) and the Fantasie for piano and orchestra. Among his best known works are two miniatures: the Pavane, which began life as a piano piece but is equally well known in other arrangements, and Sicilienne, originally for cello or violin and piano and, like the Pavane, well known in other arrangements. His chamber music includes cello sonatas, piano quartets and quintets, and a single string quartet. He also wrote a significant quantity of songs and solo piano music. Among his works for the stage is the opera Pénélope, which was premièred in Monte Carlo in 1913 and is dedicated to his former teacher Saint-Saëns. Fauré was director of the Paris Conservatoire from 1905 until 1920.
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Ford
A Liverpudlian by birth, composer, writer and broadcaster Andrew Ford (born 1957) has been based in Australia since 1983. His works include the music theatre piece Night and Dreams: the Death of Sigmund Freud, the opera Rembrandt’s Wife (which won the 2009 Green Room Award for ‘Best New Australian Opera’) and the song cycle Learning to Howl. He was composer-in-residence with the Australian Chamber Orchestra 1992-94 and, more recently, with the Australian National Academy of Music. He has received commissions from the Sydney Symphony, Sydney International Piano Competition and Victorian Opera. Additionally, his music has been performed by the New Juilliard Ensemble, Brodsky Quartet and London Sinfonietta. In 2010 and 2011 he was a tutor at the Symphony Australia/TSO Composers’ School. In 2012 the TSO and TSO Chorus gave the world première of his work Blitz. His books include Illegal Harmonies, In Defence of Classical Music and The Sound of Pictures. Every week he reaches a wide audience through The Music Show, his Saturday morning program on ABC Radio National.
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Franck
Belgian-born composer, organist and teacher, César Franck (1822-1890) was a great admirer of J S Bach. To that end, much of Franck’s music is imbued with the contrapuntal rigour and chromaticism of the German Baroque master and illustrated, for example, in one of his best-known piano works, the Prélude, choral et fugue. Franck also kept abreast of current musical developments and was an early champion in France of the Lisztian symphonic poem. Les Djinns (1884), for orchestra and piano, is the most famous of Franck’s symphonic poems. Psyché, a multi-movement symphonic poem for orchestra and chorus, is also an important (and unjustly neglected) work. Franck wrote a considerable body of sacred music and his chamber music includes a piano quintet, string quartet and violin sonata. His pupils at the Paris Conservatoire included d’Indy, Vierne and Lekeu. Bizet and Debussy also sat in on some of his classes. Franck died in tragic circumstances: he was struck by a horse-drawn bus.
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Geminiani
Born in the Tuscan city of Lucca, Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762) studied violin with Archangelo Corelli and composition with Alessandro Scarlatti. He held posts in various orchestras in his native Italy before moving to London in 1714 where he pursued a tripartite career as a performer, composer and teacher. Towards the end of his life he settled in Ireland, a country he knew well having stayed there for extended periods since the 1730s. He died in Dublin. Geminiani’s compositions are modelled closely on those of Corelli and include solo sonatas, trio sonatas and concertos. His treatise, The Art of Playing on the Violin, which was published in 1751, is one of the most important publications of its type.
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Gershwin
High-school dropout George Gershwin (1898-1937) entered the workforce at the age of 15 as a promoter for a music publishing firm in New York’s Tin Pan Alley. His job was to play the piano and sing the firm’s songs to prospective buyers. He thus got to know contemporary song styles inside out. Gershwin soon started to compose his own music and set his sights on Broadway. He got his first break in the theatre as a rehearsal pianist and quickly worked his way up the ladder, first of all by composing songs that were included in shows and then, with La La Lucille (1919), his first full-length musical. Al Jolson made Gershwin’s song ‘Swanee’ a hit and Fred and Adele Astaire starred in the 1924 show Lady be Good! In the same year Gershwin appeared as soloist in his recently completed work for piano and orchestra, Rhapsody in Blue. From this point on Gershwin wrote for traditional ‘classical’ genres (the Piano Concerto followed a few years later and the opera Porgy and Bess in 1934) as well as for Broadway. He met Maurice Ravel in Paris in 1928 and evidently asked him for composition lessons. Ravel supposedly replied, ‘Why be a second-rate Ravel when you are a first-rate Gershwin?’ Gershwin’s career came to an abrupt and unexpected end when he fell into a coma in July 1937. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour. An operation was performed but he never recovered.
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Glanert
Among the works by German composer Detlev Glanert (born 1960) are the comic opera Jest, Satire, Irony and Deeper Meaning, the chamber sonata Secret Room, Mahler/Skizze for ensemble, and Four Preludes and Serious Songs for bass-baritone and orchestra. He has also written three symphonies. A former student of Hans Werner Henze, Glanert has held residencies in Mannheim, Sapporo and with Radio Orchestra Cologne. As of 2011 he has been ‘house composer’ with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. In 2010 the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra with soloist Teddy Tahu Rhodes performed Four Preludes and Serious Songs at the Adelaide Festival and subsequently recorded it on CD for ABC Classics.
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Gounod
Like the great majority of 19th-century French composers, Charles Gounod (1818-1893) displayed little interest in the symphony. He was more strongly drawn to various kinds of vocal music: opera, choral music, and sacred and secular songs for voice and piano/organ. Far and away his greatest success was the opera Faust, an adaptation of the play by Goethe. Although it had a rather shaky start when it was premièred in Paris in 1859, Faust went on to become one of the most successful operas of the nineteenth century. Indeed, it was performed in Australia as early as 1864. Faust was the work which opened New York’s Metropolitan Opera House in 1883. Another work that brought Gounod’s name to prominence was the ‘Ave Maria’ – his adaptation of the Prelude No 1 from Das wohltemperierte Clavier by J S Bach. It remains a sentimental favourite.
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Grandage
Iain Grandage (born 1970) has been Composer-in-Residence with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and has had his music performed by a variety of ensembles including the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Brodsky String Quartet and the Australian Brass Quintet. In addition to writing for orchestral and chamber forces, he has been active as a composer for the theatre, including scores for Cloudstreet, The Secret River and When Times Stops. His opera The Riders, which is based upon Tim Winton’s celebrated novel, was staged to great acclaim by Victorian Opera in 2014. Active as a music director, he has worked with cabaret artist Meow Meow, collaborated with the ACO on The Reef, and conducted orchestras for Garrumul and Tim Minchin. His orchestral piece Suspended appears on the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s Hush CD, The Magic Island.
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Grenfell
Maria Grenfell (born 1969) holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California, an MA from the Eastman School of Music and an MMus from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. She is Senior Lecturer and Co-ordinator of Classical Music at the Conservatorium of Music at the University of Tasmania where she has been a lecturer since 1998. A represented composer at the Australian Music Centre and SouNZ Centre for New Zealand Music, her music has been commissioned, performed and recorded by symphony orchestras and chamber groups in Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
Grieg
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) is the composer of some of the most instantly recognisable of all orchestral works including the Piano Concerto, In the Hall of the Mountain King and Morning Mood. Ironically, it is not in the area of orchestral music that Grieg felt most comfortable but, rather, intimate genres such as music for solo piano (his ten volumes of Lyric Pieces are masterpieces) and solo songs with piano accompaniment. Like many composers of his generation, Grieg turned to the folk music of his homeland – in his case, Norway – in an attempt to fashion a distinctly national style. Grieg’s incidental music for Ibsen’s Peer Gynt further consolidated his credentials as a Norwegian composer. But Grieg was no stay-at-home provincial. He studied at the Leipzig conservatory, travelled widely, attended the inaugural Ring cycle at Bayreuth in 1876 (also Parsifal some years later) and formed friendships with fellow composers Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Delius. Melbourne-born composer and pianist Percy Grainger (1882-1961) came to know Grieg in his last years and remained a strong advocate of the Norwegian composer’s music throughout his life.
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Handel
The man who gave us the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’, ‘Zadok the Priest’ and the Water Music also wrote concertos, trio sonatas, the Music for the Royal Fireworks and more than two dozen operas. George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was born a German (well, Saxon) and died an Englishman. A native of Halle, he travelled widely – Hamburg, Italy, Hanover, Düsseldorf, London – before settling in England towards the end of 1712. Handel’s travels in Italy were especially important as it was the ‘Italian style’ above all that he assimilated and perfected (even the German cities where he spent his career-building years were centres of Italian musical culture). Handel’s principal activity in London was as a composer of Italian opera. Opera was a private business in the English capital (unlike in many European centres where it was a court activity) and was underwritten by investors as well as by the composer himself. Success with the public was therefore crucial to its on-going viability. Among Handel’s many operas are Rinaldo (1711), Giulio Cesare in Egitto (1724), Alcina (1735) and Serse (1738). It was only when Londoners tired of Italian opera that Handel focused on oratorios in English. Consequently, most of his best-known oratorios date from the last decades of his life: Israel in Egypt (1739), Messiah (1742) and Judas Maccabaeus (1747). Handel’s eyesight failed in his later years and he was blind from about 1753. He was plagued by further illnesses over the next few years and died at the age of 74. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
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Haydn
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) toiled away for decades as a musician in the service of the aristocratic Esterházy family. He was required to compose music for everyday use in the Esterházy household, mostly instrumental works but also music for the chapel and theatre. The advantage of this to him as a composer was that it presented him with plenty of opportunities to hone his craft. He came to know the symphony and the string quartet inside out for the simple reason that he constantly had to churn out new works. Haydn was a crucial figure in establishing the Classical style and his innovations in form, phrasing and texture were wide-ranging and highly influential. His reputation spread beyond the German-speaking world and by the mid-1780s he had received commissions from elsewhere in Europe. In 1790 the Esterházy orchestra and opera company were disbanded which allowed Haydn the opportunity to travel to London at the invitation of impresario J P Salomon who commissioned 12 new symphonies from Haydn. These are known as the London symphonies (they are sometimes called the Salomon symphonies) and include the Surprise, Clock and Drumroll. Haydn knew Mozart and Beethoven personally. He sometimes played quartets with the former and gave counterpoint lessons to the latter.
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Higdon
Jennifer Higdon (born 1962) is among the most lauded of contemporary American composers. She is also among the most performed. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto and a Grammy Award for her Percussion Concerto, Higdon has received commissions from America’s leading orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra. Additionally, she has written for the Tokyo String Quartet and eighth blackbird. Her music has been recorded by Hilary Hahn with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, eighth blackbird with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (the title track on the CD Soliloquy). A New Yorker by birth, she currently holds the Rock Chair in Composition Studies at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.
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Humperdinck
Many people are surprised to discover that Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) was first and foremost a 19th-century German composer and not, as they imagined, a 1960s-70s Anglo-Indian crooner. (Indeed, the later Engelbert Humperdinck, famous for hits such as ‘Release Me’ and ‘The Last Waltz’, was born Arnold George Dorsey; he took his name from the German composer.) Humperdinck got his first big break in his mid-20s when he made the acquaintance of Richard Wagner. He assisted Wagner on his final opera, Parsifal, by copying out the score by hand. Once the opera was in rehearsal in 1882 a technical glitch meant that there was not enough music for one of the scene changes. In exasperation, Wagner asked Humperdinck to compose music to fill the gap and the younger composer obliged. Humperdinck’s most famous work, the opera Hansel and Gretel, took shape in the early 1890s. Ironically, he did not set out to compose an opera – the work started out as a kind of domestic entertainment for the family of his sister, and it escalated from there. The finished work was declared a ‘masterpiece’ by Richard Strauss, conductor of the first performance in 1893. Hansel and Gretel proved to be tremendously successful. Indeed, none of Humperdinck’s subsequent works (the best known of which is the opera Königskinder) proved to be as successful as his first opera.
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Janacek
Czech composer Leoš Janáček (1854-1928) should be the patron saint of late bloomers. He was aged 50 when he wrote the ground-breaking opera, Jenůfa, which didn’t bring him widespread success until it was premièred in Prague in 1916, by which time he was aged 62. The last 15 years of Janáček’s life brought one first-rate work after another: the operas Katya Kabanova (1921), The Cunning Little Vixen (1924) and The Makropulos Affair (1926); the orchestral works Taras Bulba and Sinfonietta; and the two string quartets. From about the age of 30 Janáček began to collect folksongs from his native Moravia. This was to have a profound effect upon his music with Moravian rhythms, accents and inflections seeping into his original compositions. If you’ve ever wondered where Janáček’s distinctive “edge” came from, this is probably the answer.
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Kats-Chernin
Elena Kats-Chernin (born 1957) is one of Australia’s most successful composers. She studied music in Moscow, Sydney and Hanover, and her music featured in the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympic Games and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Her concert suite Wild Swans was recorded by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra with conductor Ola Rudner and released in the TSO’s Australian Music Series on ABC Classics. ‘Eliza Aria’, one of the tracks from Wild Swans, reached the top spots in the iTunes classical charts having been used by UK banking giant Lloyds TSB in an extremely successful television commercial. In December 2009 the TSO with conductor Baldur Brönnimann and soloist Michael Collins gave the Australian première of Kats-Chernin’s Ornamental Air for basset clarinet and orchestra, jointly commissioned by the TSO and the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia and Swedish Chamber Orchestra. In August 2011 the TSO gave the world première of Obsidian Light, a work commissioned by the TSO.
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Kay
Born in the northwest Tasmanian town of Smithton, Don Kay studied music at the University of Melbourne and subsequently took private lessons in London with expatriate Australian composer Malcolm Williamson. He returned to Tasmania in 1964 where he has remained ever since, lecturing at the Conservatorium of Music at the University of Tasmania. Tasmania has been a potent force in his music, as revealed in the titles of a number of his works, such as Hastings Bay (1986), Tasmania Symphony – The Legend of Moinee (1988) and The Edge of Remoteness (1996). Among his other works are six piano sonatas, a sonata for violin and piano, and a full-length opera, The Bushranger’s Lover (libretto by John Honey), which was given a concert performance in Hobart in November 2014. Don Kay was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1991 “for service to the arts particularly in the field of music composition” and was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001 “for outstanding contribution to music, music education and composing in Tasmania”. In 2010 he was awarded the Clive Lord Memorial Medal by the Royal Society of Tasmania.
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Kelly
Sydney-born Frederick Septimus Kelly (1881-1916) was a pianist, composer and oarsman, having rowed for Eton and Oxford, and won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in London in 1908. Upon completing studies at Balliol College, Oxford, where he read history, he studied piano, composition and counterpoint at the Conservatorium of Music in Frankfurt. Concerts in Sydney followed in 1911 and, upon his return to the United Kingdom, recitals and performances in London, including concerto appearances with the London Symphony Orchestra. Among his chamber music partners were the violinist Jelly d’Aranyi and cellist Pablo Casals. With the outbreak of war in 1914, Kelly fought in Belgium and at Gallipoli, and was killed in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. En route to the Dardanelles in 1915, he sailed with Rupert Brooke and was a mourner at Brooke’s burial on the Greek island of Skyros. Elegy for Strings “In Memoriam Rupert Brooke” was composed at Gallipoli a short time later.
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Kodaly
In his long life Zoltan Kodály (1882-1967) contributed to the fields of music composition, ethnomusicology and music education. Like his friend and fellow Hungarian Bela Bartók, Kodály developed a strong interest in the folk music traditions of Eastern Europe, an interest that is played out in his original compositions. Like Bartók, he held an academic post at the Budapest Academy of Music and the two men jointly edited a number of folk music collections. Among Kodály’s best known works are the opera Háry Janós, the Dances of Galanta and the Psalmus hungaricus. A passionate music educator, Kodály wrote a vast quantity of pedagogical music which still holds a key place in music education curricula today.
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Koehne
Graeme Koehne (born 1956) is Professor of Composition at the University of Adelaide. His many orchestral works includeRainforest, Unchained Melody, Powerhouse and Elevator Music (for oboe and orchestra). His dance scores include The Selfish Giant, Nearly Beloved (both for the Sydney Dance Company) and 1914 (for The Australian Ballet). Tivoli was commissioned by the Sydney Dance Company for the Centenary of Federation in 2001. Other theatrical works include the chamber opera Love Burns and a mini operetta, The Ringtone Cycle. Koehne was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001 ‘For service to the community, particularly through composing for orchestra, ballet and opera.’ In 2004 he received the Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award from the University of Melbourne. In 2008 the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra released Tivoli Dances, an all-Koehne CD in its Australian Composer Series on ABC Classics.
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Korngold
Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957) composed some of the finest Hollywood film scores of the 1930s and 40s, including The Adventures of Robin Hood and Anthony Adverse (he won Oscars for both) and Kings Row. But before Hollywood, Korngold was a young composer of distinction in his native Austria. Indeed, he was aged only 11 when he composed the music for the ballet Der Schneemann (The Snow Man) which was performed at the Vienna Court Opera in 1910 (it was orchestrated by his teacher, Alexander Zemlinsky). His other works for the stage include the opera Die tote Stadt (The Dead City), a weird and wonderful work about grief, obsession and dreams. Korngold was lured to the United States by celebrated Austrian director Max Reinhardt for his 1934 film adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Korngold, who was Jewish, remained in America – a wise move given the Anschluss in 1938 and the anti-Semitic pogroms which followed. Among Korngold’s music for the concert hall is the Violin Concerto, which was premièred by Jascha Heifetz in 1947. A lush and tuneful work, it makes use of themes from some of Korngold’s film scores.
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Lalo
Edouard Lalo (1823-1892) is one of those French composers whom many assume to be Spanish on account of his most popular work, the Symphonie espagnole for violin and orchestra. His other works include a Fantaisie norvégienne and Concerto russe, yet it seems that he has never been taken for a Norwegian or Russian. Despite these and other works for orchestra (including a Cello Concerto), Lalo felt that his true métier was as an opera composer and spent years working on Le roi d’Ys, an opera based upon the Breton legend of the drowned city of Ys (Debussy’s piano piece “The Submerged Cathedral” draws from the same myth). Lalo had a battle getting the work performed. Although finished in 1875 (and revised in 1886), Le roi d’Ys did not reach the stage until 1888 when it was mounted, very successfully, by the Opera-Comique. Popular for the next few decades, it has since fallen into obscurity but it revived as a curiosity from time to time.
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Langdon
Julian Langdon’s music has been performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria. In addition to writing for orchestra, he has composed for short films, documentary films, animated films, television productions, video games and commercials. He was a student at the TSO Composers’ School in 2007. In November 2012 the TSO will perform The Moonlight Jewel, commissioned for the TSO and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra by Joy Selby Smith, TSO Principal Trumpet Chair Sponsor.
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Ledger
A graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, James Ledger (born 1966) has been composer-in-residence with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and at the Australian National Academy of Music, and held residencies with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has performed Indian Pacific, the work which first brought him to national attention in 1996, and Crossing the Ditch, among other works. Neon, which was commissioned by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, received its world première season in Burnie, Launceston and Hobart in 2010. Golden Years won Orchestra Work of the Year at the 2014 Art Music Awards, presented by APRA and the Australian Music Centre. Chronicles won in the same category in 2011. James Ledger is currently lecturer in composition at the University of Western Australia.
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Lehár
The Merry Widow (original title: Die lustige Witwe) was the work that brought Franz Lehár (1870-1948) to international attention. Premièred in Vienna in 1905, it soon went on to conquer the stages of the world. Up to that point Lehár had eked out an existence as a military bandmaster and enjoyed only moderate success as a composer of operetta. But all that changed with The Merry Widow. His subsequent works include Der Graf von Luxemburg (The Count of Luxembourg), Zigeunerliebe (Gypsy Love) and Das Land des Lächelns (The Land of Smiles). In the 1920s and 30s Lehár found a strong advocate in tenor Richard Tauber, who further popularised his music not only in Austria and Germany, but also in the English-speaking world.
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Ligeti
Hungarian composer György Ligeti (1923-2006) is probably best known for his opera Le Grande Macabre (1977) which received its Australian première at the 2010 Adelaide Festival. That said, millions have heard excerpts from his orchestral work Atmosphères (1961) and the Requiem (1965) thanks to their use in Stanley Kubrick’s landmark film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The dense clusters of micropolyphony heard in these excerpts typify much of Ligeti’s music of the 1950s and 1960s. Ligeti crossed the Iron Curtain in 1956 (hidden in a mail train) to take advantage of the freer cultural policies of the West, settling first in Vienna and later in Hamburg. His career reached a high point with the première of Le Grande Macabre in Stockholm in 1978. Works from the last decades of his life include concertos for cello, piano and horn and a large series of Études for solo piano, considered to be among the most dazzling piano music of the second half of the 20thcentury.
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Liszt
Franz Liszt (1811-1886) was one of the most famous concert pianists of his time. Indeed, he did much to popularise the piano and played a key role in inventing the piano recital. Having made his career as a pianist, Liszt retired early from the concert stage and became a composer of orchestral music and a conductor. He was an early advocate for the music of Richard Wagner and conducted the première of Wagner’s opera Lohengrin in 1850. Liszt’s daughter Cosima married Wagner (who was 36 years her senior). Interestingly, for someone who scandalised Paris society in 1835 when he eloped with a married woman – Marie d’Agoult, the mother of his three children – Liszt later took religious orders and was known as ‘Abbé Liszt’ for the last two decades of his life. He was innovative as a performer and innovative as a composer. ‘If one person can be credited as being the fountainhead of modern music’, writes pianist Stephen Hough, ‘it is Franz Liszt.’
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Lutoslawski
The career of Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski (1913-1994) was contingent to a significant degree upon the political situation in his country. After preliminary studies in piano and composition he was prevented from pursing further study in Paris on account of World War II. But the end of the war did not improve his situation greatly. Indeed, he found that his Symphony No 1 was ‘unacceptable’ in communist Poland. A thaw in the political climate in the mid-1950s brought some relief. It gave him the freedom, for example, to reveal some of the musical innovations that he had been working on quietly behind the scenes (including 12-note pitch organisation and chance procedures) and he was even allowed to travel to the United Kingdom and the USA. Commissions from front-rank performers and organisations followed. Peter Pears commissioned the Paroles tissées (1965), the Cello Concerto (1970) was written for Mstislav Rostropovich and the Symphony No 3 (1983) was written for the Chicago Symphony. At the time of his death he was working on a violin concerto for Anne-Sophie Mutter, for whom he had already composed Chain II for violin and orchestra.
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MacCunn
A minor composer of Victorian and Edwardian Britain, Hamish MacCunn (1868-1916) had considerable success with his opera, Jeanie Deans (1894), which is based upon a much loved character invented by Sir Walter Scott. Scottish influences are found in other works by MacCunn, including the concert overture, The Land of the Mountain and the Flood, and cantata, The Lady of the Last Minstrel. Although he was born in Scotland, MacCunn spent all of his adult life in London, where he worked as a composer, conductor and teacher (his teaching positions included stints at the Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music). As a conductor, MacCunn helped to promote the music of Richard Wagner in Britain, conducting the first English-language performances by the Carl Rosa Company of Tristan and Isolde and Siegfried. Not surprisingly, the influence of Wagner is heard in MacCunn’s music, along with Weber, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Brahms.
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Mahler
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was far better known in his lifetime as a conductor than as a composer. Coming from a small town in what is now the Czech Republic, Mahler went on to become director of the Royal Hungarian Opera in Budapest, chief conductor of the Hamburg State Theatre and in 1897, at the age of 37, director of the Vienna Court Opera, one of the most prestigious conducting positions in Europe. After ten years in Vienna, Mahler moved to New York to become director of the Metropolitan Opera and subsequently director of the New York Philharmonic. In July 1907, shortly before leaving for America, one of his two daughters died and, soon thereafter, Mahler was diagnosed with a degenerative heart condition, the illness that would lead to his death in May 1911. From the early 1890s onwards, Mahler followed a routine of composing in the summer – usually in a picturesque outdoor retreat – and conducting and orchestrating in the winter. Among Mahler’s works are ten large-scale symphonic works. These consist of nine numbered symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth). There is also an unfinished Symphony No 10. Mahler expanded the bounds of the symphony – both in terms of overall length and forces involved – and used it as a vehicle for exploring as far as possible the joys, sorrows, mysteries, conflicts and contradictions of human existence.
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Meale
Richard Meale (1932-2009) was among the first Australian composers to embrace modernist trends in music. He made a name for himself with a number of works in the 1960s – among them Homage to García Lorca and Very High Kings – and furthered his modernist credentials with works such as Coruscations and Incredible Floridas (both 1971). Non-Western music, notably the music of Japan, also influenced his early works. Towards the end of the 1970s Meale’s music took on a simpler, less confrontational style. Works of this period include Viridian (1979), the Second String Quartet (1980) and the opera Voss (1986). The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s CD Cantilena Pacifica provides an overview of Meale’s music from the 1960s to the 1990s.
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Melody Eötvös
Melody Eötvös studied composition at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, where her tutors included Stephen Leek and Gerardo Dirié. She holds a Master of Music from the Royal Academy of Music in London and a Doctor of Music from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music at Bloomington in the USA. In 2008 and 2009, she attended the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s Australian Composers’ School. In 2010, she was selected for the National Composers Forum in Adelaide, which included the première of her first string quartet, “Olber’s Dance in the Dark”, by the Australian String Quartet, a later version of which won the Kuttner String Quartet Prize in the USA. Other awards and prizes include the APRA Professional Development Classical Award, 3MBS National Composers Award, Soundstream National Composer Award, Gallipoli Songs Competition, Virginia B Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commission and Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra International Composition Competition. She has participated in festivals and workshops worldwide including a collaboration with Musica Viva/The Red Room/Claire Edwardes, the American Composers Orchestra Underwood New Music Readings in New York, and the Aspen Music Festival and School. She is currently Adjunct Lecturer in Music in General Studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) displayed extraordinary talent from a young age. As a boy he played the piano, organ, and violin and joined the choir of the Berlin Singakademie. By the age of 12 he had composed a Singspiel, Die Soldatenliebschaft, and shortly thereafter wrote further works for the stage along with string symphonies, choral music and chamber music. His paternal grandfather was Moses Mendelssohn, a philosopher of the German Enlightenment who argued for religious tolerance and advocated the assimilation of Germany’s Jewish population into the culture at large. Mendelssohn’s father, Abraham, converted to the Lutheran faith and had his children baptised. The Mendelssohns cultivated one of the most illustrious salons in Berlin. In addition to composing, Mendelssohn was active as a conductor and was a key figure in the 19th-century ‘Bach revival’. Mendelssohn enjoyed a devoted following in England thanks, in no small measure, to his large-scale works for chorus and orchestra including the oratorios St Paul (1836) and Elijah (1846). He died of a stroke a few months short of his 39th birthday. Among his most famous works are the Scottish and Italiansymphonies, the Violin Concerto and the overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
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Mills
Richard Mills (born 1949) is a well-known Australian composer and conductor. In 2009 he conducted the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in the première of his Passion According to St Mark. Incoming Artistic Director of Victorian Opera, he is the former Director of the TSO’s Australian Music Program and is the conductor on many of the TSO’s recordings in the Australian Music Series (released on ABC Classics) including Concertos for Strings (Richard Mills), Quamby (Peter Sculthorpe) and Etruscan Concerto (Peggy Glanville-Hicks). He has received Helpmann Awards for his work as a composer (Batavia) and conductor (Tristan und Isolde and The Love of the Nightingale). Other awards include the Sir Bernard Heinze Award, Don Banks Fellowship and the Ian Potter Foundation Award for Established Composers. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1999.
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Mozart
In his short life Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) made an astonishing contribution to the world of music. The composer of the finest buffa operas of the 18th century (including The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni), Mozart also brought German opera to new heights with The Magic Flute and contributed substantially to other genres including the symphony, string quartet and piano concerto. His Clarinet Concerto is the best loved of all concertos for that instrument and his sacred music includes motets, Masses and a Requiem. Supremely gifted from a young age, Mozart toured Europe as a child prodigy. As an adult, however, he never found a position equal to his talents and, in frustration, quitted his job as a salaried musician in Salzburg and embarked upon a freelance career in Vienna. At the mercy of the market and subject to the vagaries of local taste, he had good years in Vienna but lean ones too. His career took a turn for the better in 1791 with many commissions in the offing. Tragically, he died in December of that year after a short illness. Contrary to popular belief, he was not interred in a pauper’s grave but was buried in a common individual grave as per Viennese funeral customs at the time.
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Mussorgsky
Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) was one of music’s great independent thinkers. He had little time for rules, regulations and conventions. Although he made a formal study of music composition, he was more interested in experimenting as he went along instead of adhering to a given set of laws. Interestingly enough, when we hear a piece of orchestral music by Mussorgsky, chances are we are hearing a work that was orchestrated by someone else. Pictures at an Exhibition, which is probably his most famous work, is almost always heard in the version orchestrated by Ravel (Mussorgsky actually wrote it for solo piano). Similarly, Mussorgsky’s opera Boris Godunov is best known in the revised and orchestrated version by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Shostakovich also revised it). Mussorgsky was a member of a group of Russian composers known as ‘The Mighty Handful’ (also known as ‘The Five’), a group which was committed to cultivating a distinctly ‘Russian’ sound (Rimsky-Korsakov was another member). Mussorgsky was born a nobleman but lost most of his property (and therefore income) following the emancipation of the serfs in the early 1860s. To his credit, he was not resentful of this progressive social reform; on the contrary, his politics were decidedly left-leaning. Mussorgsky dealt with alcohol dependency for much of his life and died from the effects of chronic alcoholism.
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Pachelbel
Nowadays, Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) is known for a single work, the Canon in D (usually known simply as the “Pachelbel Canon”), which has been recorded countless times and is a staple of buskers and wedding musicians everywhere. Born in Nuremberg, Pachelbel travelled widely in German-speaking lands – he held positions in Vienna, Eisenach, Erfurt, Stuttgart and Gotha – before returning to Nuremberg for the last two decades of his life. An organist and composer, Pachelbel wrote a large quantity of sacred music (most of it for the Lutheran confession), as well as non-liturgical organ works and keyboard suites. As for the celebrated Canon in D, when and where and why it was written remain a mystery. But there is no mystery is to how it became famous over the past half century. This can be attributed to the recording industry and the dissemination of music on radio, LP/CD and in film. It all started with a 1968 recording by the Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra. The rest, as they say, is history.
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Parry
With a wife called Maude and children called Dorothea and Gwendolyn, Sir Hubert Parry (1848-1918) was every inch a Victorian. To please his family he embarked upon a career in banking but abandoned it once he felt confident enough to earn a living from music. His earliest compositions were chamber works – sonatas, trios, quartets and the like. Orchestral works followed, including the concert overture Guillem de Cabestanh in 1878, in which we can hear the influence of a composer Parry revered, Wagner. In 1883 Parry was appointed Professor of Musical History at the newly founded Royal College of Music in London. Honorary doctorates from Cambridge and Oxford followed. Success as an opera composer failed to eventuate but he found his métier as a composer of choral music – Victorian England being a golden period for massed choirs – with oratorios, odes and other choral works, both secular and sacred, proving highly successful. Fittingly, his best known work today is the choral song “Jerusalem”, a setting of William Blake’s short poem, “And Did those Feet in Ancient Time”. “Jerusalem” is most frequently heard in the version orchestrated by Elgar.
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Pärt
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt (born 1935) has forged one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music. He has long held an interest in plainchant and the music of J S Bach, influences which are played out in his own compositions in a number of ways including a preference for austere and hypnotic rhythmic and melodic lines (the plainchant influence), and polyphonic textures and sacred genres (the Bach influence). His music entered a new and idiosyncratic phase in the mid-1970s with the unveiling of his ‘tintinnabuli technique’ (his term), a system of pitch organisation whereby a single melodic line hovering around a central pitch is ornamented by a second part which sounds notes from the tonic triad. In the words of Alex Ross, ‘He [Pärt] is a composer who speaks in hauntingly clear, familiar tones, yet he does not duplicate the music of the past.’ Pärt’s best known works include Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, Tabula Rasa and St John Passion. He has composed a significant quantity of sacred choral music including works which set Latin, Russian Orthodox and Church Slavonic texts. He left Estonia for Western Europe in 1980, living briefly in Vienna before settling in Berlin. He now lives in Tallinn, Estonia.
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Poulenc
Have you ever bought a box of aspirin in France and noticed the name ‘Rhône-Poulenc’ on the packaging? Poulenc pharmaceuticals was founded by Étienne Poulenc, grandfather of composer Francis Poulenc (1899-1963). As a young man Francis Poulenc mixed with the smart set in Paris, including Apollinaire, Cocteau, Gide, Stravinsky and Diaghilev. Together with the composers Milhaud, Auric, Honegger, Tailleferre and Durey, he was a member of the group known as Les Six (a group which didn’t have a manifesto, as such, but which maintained a generally anti-Romantic bias). His works include the ballet Les biches (commissioned by Diaghilev for the Ballets russes), the opera Les mamelles de Tirésias (adapted from a play by Apollinaire), an Organ Concerto and many songs and solo piano works. In the 1950s he received a commission from La Scala, Milan, for Dialogues des Carmélites, an opera set in a community of nuns in revolutionary France. It was subsequently taken up by other major houses worldwide. The work points to Poulenc’s devout Catholicism. At the same time, he had a love for and interest in the witty and subversive. Indeed, some would argue that his sacred music is altogether too frivolous. Whatever the verdict on that score, his varied output is among the most interesting of any 20th-century composer. Like Diaghilev, Gide and Cocteau, Poulenc was homosexual. That said, he fathered a child who was born in 1946.
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Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was a precocious and gifted child. Born in Ukraine, he began piano lessons at the age of four and wrote his first opera before the age of ten. He studied piano and composition at the St Petersburg Conservatory and had the audacity to perform as his graduation concerto not a standard work from the repertory, but his newly written Piano Concerto No 1. Prokofiev spent many years overseas including lengthy periods in the United States and France. Works from this period include the Piano Concerto No 3 (premièred in Chicago in 1921), the opera The Love for Three Oranges (premièred in Chicago in 1923) and the Violin Concerto No 2 (premièred in Madrid in 1935). He returned to the Soviet Union in 1936, precisely the time when the political climate took a turn for the worse with curbs on artistic freedoms. Works from this period include Peter and the Wolf, the ballet Romeo and Juliet, the opera War and Peace, music for Sergei Eisenstein’s film Alexander Nevsky and the Cantata for the 20th Anniversary of the October Revolution. He had the misfortune to die on the same day as Joseph Stalin (5 March 1953). Stalin’s death stole the headlines while Prokofiev’s death was treated as a minor news item.
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Puccini
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) was the leading composer of Italian opera in the generation after Verdi. He is responsible for some of the most popular operas of all time including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot. Puccini knew how to write and develop a well-crafted melody and he utilised harmony and orchestration to highly individual and colouristic effects. An avid smoker, he died of throat cancer. Interestingly, the statue erected outside his birth house in Lucca shows the composer holding a cigarette. The statue raised in his honour outside the house where he spent much of his life (and where he is buried) in Torre del Lago Puccini goes one further: he actually has a cigarette in his mouth.
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Purcell
In his short life Henry Purcell (1659-1695) composed a not insignificant body of music, including the opera Dido and Aeneas, a landmark in the history of opera in English. His other stage works include King Arthur, The Fairy Queen and The Indian Queen. Purcell was attached to the Chapel Royal from a young age, first as a boy soprano and later as an organist. Not surprisingly, he composed a good deal of sacred music, including many anthems. He also wrote a large quantity of secular songs. In 1694 he composed music to be played at the funeral service for Queen Mary. The following year it was played at his own funeral.
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Rachmaninov
As both a concert pianist and a fully-fledged composer, Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) was one of the last of a now extinct breed: the composer-performer. In this respect he was part of a tradition dating back to at least the time of Franz Liszt (and let’s not forget that, prior to Liszt, Mozart and Beethoven were pianist-composers). Born in Tsarist Russia, Rachmaninov fled his homeland in the aftermath of the Revolution and based himself in the United States in the early 1920s. That said, he travelled overseas frequently (from the early 1930s he had a house in Switzerland) and did not become a US citizen until shortly before his death. His reputation was assured with the success of the Piano Concerto No 2 in 1901 and the work remains to this day one of the most famous (and beloved) works for piano and orchestra. Close behind is the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini from 1934. As a pianist Rachmaninov was blessed with an exceptionally large hand span and a phenomenal technique. By common consent he is held to be one of the greatest pianists of all time. His recordings remain in circulation. In addition to solo piano works and works for piano and orchestra, Rachmaninov composed symphonies, operas, choral music and songs (the Vocalise being the most famous). The choral symphony The Bells (1913) and the Symphonic Dances (1940) are among his finest orchestral works.
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Ravel
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was the leading French composer of his generation. Although his output is small, he made significant contributions to ballet (Daphnis et Chloé), the piano concerto (Piano Concerto in G and Concerto for the Left Hand), music for solo piano (Miroirs and Gaspard de la nuit), solo violin (Tzigane) and chamber music (String Quartet and Piano Trio). He had a special gift for orchestration, as revealed in Bolero and many works which were originally written for piano and later orchestrated (such as Pavane pour une infante défunte and Le tombeau de Couperin). A man of slight build and small stature, Ravel was rejected from military service in World War I but was allowed to enlist as an army driver and carried out duties near Verdun. He was offered the Légion d’Honneur in 1920 but refused.
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Rebel
Jean-Fery Rebel (1666-1747) studied violin and composition with French baroque master Jean-Baptiste Lully. In 1705 he joined the prestigious 24 Violons du Roi, Louis XIV’s string orchestra, which is often said to be the world’s first orchestra, and later rose in the ranks to become batteur de mesure (i.e. timekeeper or, in modern parlance, conductor). Rebel was among the first French composers to adopt the Italian sonata model, composing trio sonatas and solo violin sonatas. He also wrote a single opera, Ulysse. Dance music was Rebel’s forte. His most notable work being the suite of dances Les caractères de la danse.
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Respighi
Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) is chiefly known for his Ancient Airs and Dances and two suites of tone poems, The Pines of Rome and The Fountains of Rome. Less well known are his operas, of which he wrote nearly a dozen, and other works for the stage, including the ballet La boutique fantasque. He took lessons from Rimsky-Korsakov in Russia, attended Max Bruch’s composition class in Berlin and was himself appointed professor of composition at Rome’s Accademia di S Cecilia in 1913. It is in the area of orchestration that Respighi is generally thought to have displayed his strongest suit.
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Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was largely self-taught as a composer. He joined the navy, went to sea and at the age of 27 was appointed Professor of Practical Composition and Instrumentation at the St Petersburg Conservatory. ‘Having undeservedly become a Conservatory professor, I soon became one of its best students,’ he later wrote of himself. His orchestral works Sadko and Antar were written while he was still a naval lieutenant. He was a member of an informal group of Russian composers known as ‘The Five’ (the others were Balakirev, Cui, Mussorgsky and Borodin). Some key works by Mussorgsky and Borodin (including Night on Bald Mountain and Prince Igor) are well known through editions prepared (and often orchestrated) by Rimsky-Korsakov. Influential as a teacher, Rimsky-Korsakov’s pupils included Glazunov and Stravinsky. His best known orchestral works are Scheherazade and Capriccio espagnol and his many operas include The Snow Maiden and The Golden Cockerel. His music made a strong impression in Western Europe when it was performed in Paris in 1907 (with Rimsky-Korsakov as conductor) as part of the first season of Serge Diaghilev’s ground-breaking Russian Concerts.
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Rossini
It’s no accident that Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) had a dish named after him, Tournedos Rossini. Rossini, who was of considerable girth, loved to eat and loved to entertain. Indeed, having made his fortune young, thanks to the success of works such as Tancredi, L’italiana in Algeri and The Barber of Seville, he largely retired from composition before the age of 40 and lived the life of a wealthy man about town (the ‘town’ in question being Paris, for the most part). Easily the most important composer of opera in the first decades of the 19th century, Rossini was able to turn his hand to a whole range of genres, from opera seria (Semiramide) to opera buffa (The Barber of Seville) to tragédie lyrique (Le siège de Corinthe) to French Grand Opera (William Tell). One of his signature ‘tricks’ is the so-called ‘Rossini crescendo’, whereby a musical phrase is atomised and repeated over and over, gradually becoming more densely orchestrated with each repeat and, most importantly, louder and louder. It’s a simple device but a very effective one. The overture to The Barber of Seville contains several examples. As for Tournedos Rossini, it’s basically a heart attack on a plate: a filet mignon fried in butter, topped with foie gras (also briefly fried), garnished with black truffle and topped with Madeira demi-glace.
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Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) composed a sizeable quantity of music in the course of his rather long life; from songs for solo voice and piano (“Mandoline” being particularly celebrated) to symphonies (the Symphony No 3, “Organ”, is the best known) to operas (Samson et Dalila, among others). He also composed solo piano music, chamber music, concertos, ballets, incidental music, choral music (sacred and secular) and orchestral works apart from symphonies, such as the famous Danse macabre. In other words, he was across all genres. It is ironic that the work that is probably his most famous – The Carnival of the Animals – is one that he went out of his way to conceal. Believing it a mere trifle, he forbade performances of it but for a single movement, “The Swan”.
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Schnittke
The music of Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) ought to be better known. It is thoughtful, dramatic, clever and frequently witty. Born in the Soviet Union, Schnittke commenced music studies in post-war Vienna – his family was domiciled in the Austrian capital at the time – and continued them in Moscow once the family returned to Russia. Like other Soviet composers, he was obliged to write ‘politically correct’ music if his career was to prosper (his oratorio Nagasaki received official condemnation in 1958). But Schnittke was no lackey of the state and wrote a large number of film scores while simultaneously developing a more personal, ‘unofficial’ idiom. He studied the scores of non-Soviet 20th-century composers and was thus aware of trends in Western music. Early influences include the music of Shostakovich, while later ones include Mahler, Bruckner, Berg and Nono. His own idiom is markedly polystylistic (indeed, he wrote an essay in 1971, ‘Polystylistic Tendencies in Modern Music’). Schnittke travelled abroad a few times and, once his reputation became known in the West, with greater regularity. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, he moved to Germany, settling in Hamburg, where he died following a series of debilitating strokes.
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Schoenberg
More than any other composer, Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) was crucial in pushing music in an atonal, modernist direction. In his role as a composition teacher Schoenberg influenced a number of other composers, notably Anton Webern and Alban Berg. This triumvirate is known as the Second Viennese School. It should be stressed, however, that Schoenberg developed into a modernist composer, he did not start out as one. His earliest works are essays in luscious and somewhat overripe late Romanticism, Verklärte Nacht being a particularly fine example. Schoenberg believed that the breach with tonality was a logical and necessary step given that late-Romantic tonality had become saturated by dissonance (he was thinking, for example, of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde). In obliterating the consonant/dissonant divide, he claimed to have ‘emancipated’ dissonance from its subservient role in tonal music. Active initially in Vienna and later in Berlin, Schoenberg, who was Jewish, lost his teaching post when the National Socialists came to power in 1933. Schoenberg settled in Los Angeles the following year. His most significant ‘discovery’ – something which he said would ‘guarantee the supremacy of German music for the next 200 years’ – was the invention in the 1920s of the 12-note technique, in which the notes of the chromatic scale are organised in a tone row, which then acts as the melodic and harmonic building block of the musical work.
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Schubert
For a composer who died at such a young age, Franz Schubert (1797-1828), wrote a staggering amount of music including nine symphonies (not all of them complete), 21 piano sonatas, nearly 20 operas (not all of them complete) and approximately 600 songs. All up, his output amounts to approximately 1,000 works. What is extraordinary about Schubert’s works list is not just the sheer quantity of music but also the quality and, furthermore, the quality across genres. For example, his songs are among the finest works ever written for voice and piano (and the song cycleWinterreise is one of the great achievements in any genre), his late piano sonatas are likewise outstanding as are theUnfinished and Great symphonies and the Quintet in C. Schubert was a gifted tunesmith and a remarkable innovator in the area of harmony. But for all Schubert’s originality and innovativeness, he received little recognition during his lifetime (indeed, he did not get to hear one of his symphonies performed by an orchestra). He enjoyed the company of a close circle of friends in Vienna who would hold all-Schubert concerts (known as Schubertiads) in intimate domestic settings, but success in large-scale concert venues and in the theatre eluded him. He probably contracted syphilis in his mid-20s which is very likely the disease that took his life (or, if not the disease, the treatment of it which, at that time, involved doses of mercury).
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Schultz
Andrew Schultz (born 1960) has composed orchestral works, chamber music and three operas (Black River, Going Into Shadows and The Children’s Bach). The Adelaide-born composer studied at the universities of Queensland, Pennsylvania and King’s College, University of London. He is currently Professor of Music and Head of the School of English, Media and Performing Arts at the University of New South Wales. In 1999 the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Intervarsity Choir gave the world première of Schultz’s Southern Ocean (text by Margaret Scott), a work written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Intervarsity Choir. More recently the TSO has recorded Endling, the Violin Concerto (with soloist Jennifer Pike) and Once upon a time…, works which have been released on Andrew Schultz – Orchestral Works, a CD in the TSO’s Australian Composer Series on ABC Classics.
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Schumann
Robert Schumann (1810-1856) was one of the most brilliant composers of the so-called ‘Romantic Generation’ – the generation of composers born in the first decade of the 19th century (in addition to Schumann, it includes Chopin, Mendelssohn, Berlioz and Bellini). Schumann’s imagination and inquiring mind led him to compose some of the most original music of his time. His songs and piano music are particularly outstanding but he also made and important contribution to chamber music and the symphony. Schumann even wrote an opera, the little-known Genoveva. In addition to composing, Schumann briefly pursued a parallel career as a music journalist and was founder of the New Journal for Music, a magazine which helped promote the careers of Chopin, Berlioz and the young Johannes Brahms. At the age of 25 Schumann fell in love with the pianist Clara Wieck, a woman nearly ten years his junior. They were married five years later and had a family of eight children, three of whom lived until the 1920s and 1930s. Schumann’s mental health was often precarious and after a suicide attempt in 1854 he was hospitalised. His mental and physical condition deteriorated further and he died two years later.
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Sculthorpe
For more than half a century Peter Sculthorpe (1929-2014) was a leading figure in Australian music. The Launceston-born composer was included among the nation’s 100 Living National Treasures in a popular poll conducted in 1988 and named one of Australia’s 45 Icons in 1999. His name is familiar to concert-goers and to the average man in the street. Indeed, his arrangements of music by Tim Freedman of The Whitlams have brought him to a still wider audience. Among Sculthorpe’s most renowned orchestral works are the four-part Sun Music, Earth Cry (which includes obbligato didgeridu) and Kakadu. Other works include Port Essington for chamber orchestra, 18 string quartets and a Requiem for mixed chorus, didgeridu and orchestra. The composer’s use of didgeridu signals the influence that Indigenous Australian music and culture have played in his music. Other non-Western influences include the music of Bali and Japan. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has been a strong advocate for Sculthorpe’s music over the years. In 1963 the TSO under Thomas Matthews gave the première of The Fifth Continent with poet James McAuley as the speaker. In 1976 the TSO presented an all-Sculthorpe ‘Meet the Composer’ concert and in 1999 commemorated the composer’s 70th birthday with concerts in Launceston and Hobart. The TSO and TSO Chorus gave the Tasmanian première of the Requiem in 2005 and the TSO commemorated the composer’s 80th birthday in 2009 with performances in Hobart and Burnie of My Country Childhood. There are two Sculthorpe CDs in the TSO’s Australian Composer Series on ABC Classics, The Fifth Continent and Quamby.
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Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was the leading composer of the Soviet Union. A gifted pianist, he displayed an aptitude for composition from a young age and became one of the foremost symphonists of the 20th century. He also wrote concertos, chamber music, film music, operas and ballets. He was more or less forced into toning down his early complex and brittle idiom in the mid-1930s when his opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was denounced as ‘muddle’ by the Communist Party newspaper Pravda. It is believed that Josef Stalin was the author of the attack. With works such The Sun Shines over Our Motherland to his credit, it is unclear whether Shostakovich embraced Soviet ideology or merely paid lip service to it. This debate has helped to make his music endlessly fascinating for many listeners.
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Sibelius
A conservatory-trained musician, Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) embarked upon violin studies before finding his true métier as a composer. Although he was brought up in a Swedish-speaking household, Sibelius became deeply sympathetic to the Finnish nationalist cause, a fact reflected in works such as Karelia and Finlandia. More than any other figure he put Finland on the map, musically speaking. His violin concerto is one of the greatest works of its type and his seven symphonies – which date from 1899 to 1924 – hold an important place in the history of the 20th-century symphony. Sibelius struggled with depression and alcohol dependence for much of his life and experienced a very powerful creative crisis from the early 1930s. Retreating to his log villa at Järvenpää outside Helsinki, he wrote almost nothing in his last 25 years. Oddly enough, this was a time when he enjoyed considerable fame at home and abroad. We know that Sibelius laboured over his Eighth Symphony during this period but no trace of the work survives – he tossed the manuscript into a combustion stove in the mid-1940s and it went up in smoke.
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Smetana
Film director Milos Forman tells a story from his childhood during the Nazi occupation of his country, Czechoslovakia. A silent film of an opera was screened in his home village. The audience sat quietly during the (silent) overture but then everyone spontaneously burst into song when the opening chorus began. This was a moment for Czechs to sing as one and declare their national identity during a dark period in their history. The opera was The Bartered Bride by Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884). Smetana would no doubt have been delighted to know that the words of the opening chorus were known by heart well over half a century after the opera was premièred. Smetana worked tirelessly to promote a Czech identity in music. It is all the more remarkable that he pursued this task without drawing upon folk music. Opera in Czech was a good place to start. All up, he composed eight complete operas. In the area of instrumental music he is best known for Má vlast (My Homeland), a cycle of symphonic poems on Czech themes. Smetana’s private life was marked by tragedy. Three of his four daughters died in infancy and ten years into their marriage, his wife died. He subsequently remarried but around the age of 50 suffered from the effects of syphilis. This led to total loss of hearing, insanity and death.
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Stanhope
Sydney-based composer Paul Stanhope (born 1969) won the prestigious Toru Takemitsu Composition Award in 2004 for his orchestral work Fantasia on a Theme by Vaughan Williams (performed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in 2010). Commissions from orchestras soon followed including one from the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for Cloudforms. In 2010 he was Musica Viva’s featured composer, which brought his String Quartet No 2 and Agnus Dei – After the Fire to the attention of chamber music audiences throughout the country. In the same year he was awarded the Albert H Maggs Award from the University of Melbourne for his String Quartet No 1. The String Quartet No 2 was named Instrumental Work of the Year at the 2011 APRA/Australian Music Centre Awards and his unaccompanied choral work Deserts of Exilewas named Vocal/Choral Work of the Year. In addition to composing, Stanhope is active as a choral conductor and is director of the Sydney Chamber Choir. He teaches composition part-time at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and at MLC School.
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Strauss II, J
‘You’re the melody from a symphony by Strauss, / You’re a Bendel bonnet, / a Shakespeare sonnet, / you’re Mickey Mouse!’ The ‘Strauss’ in Cole Porter’s ‘You’re the Top’ is most probably Johann Strauss II (1825-1899), even though he was a composer of waltzes and other popular works, and not symphonies. The fact is, Porter would have known that the name Strauss would have meant ‘classical music’ to his audience. Composer of ‘The Blue Danube’, ‘Tales from the Vienna Woods’, and the operetta Die Fledermaus, Johann Strauss II trained as a banker before following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a conductor and composer. (His father, Johann Strauss I, is the composer of the ‘Radetzky March’.) It turned out to be a wise move, as he enjoyed a 50-year career in music and became known as the ‘Waltz King’. In addition to the works cited above, his many successes include ‘Wine, Women and Song!’, the ‘Tritsch-Tratsch Polka’ and the ‘Emperor Waltz’. Strauss’s music reached a different audience altogether when Stanley Kubrick used ‘The Blue Danube’ for one of the remarkable spaceship sequences in his trippy cult film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Johann Strauss II is no relation to the composer Richard Strauss.
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Strauss, R
Richard Strauss (1864-1949) grew up in a musical household. His father, Franz, who was a horn player in the Munich Court Orchestra, played in the premières of Wagner’s Tristan, Meistersinger, Rheingold, Walküre and Parsifal. That said, Franz Strauss disapproved strongly of Wagner’s music. His son, on the other hand, did not. Indeed, Richard Strauss embraced Wagner’s sound world in his symphonic poems (including Don Juan, Death and Transfiguration and Also sprach Zarathustra) and early operas (Salome and Elektra in particular) before cultivating a style and idiom that veered more in the direction of Mozart. For most of his life Strauss was both a composer and a conductor. Indeed, there is film footage of him conducting excerpts from his opera Der Rosenkavalier at the age of 85. He composed right to the end of his life too. His Four Last Songs, among the most famous of his works, were premièred posthumously in London in 1950 with conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler and soprano Kirsten Flagstad. Other late works include the Oboe Concerto and Metamorphosen for 23 solo strings. In December 1999, Alex Ross, music critic for the New Yorker, described Strauss as the ‘composer of the century.’
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Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) entered the music profession after commencing but never completing a law degree at St Petersburg University. He studied piano as a boy and later took composition lessons with esteemed composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov – a fact reflected in Stravinsky’s early works which demonstrate not only the influence of his teacher but also Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Debussy and Dukas. Stravinsky’s career breakthrough came with performances in Paris of a series of ballets for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes: The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911) and Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring, 1913). All three works created a sensation. In fact, Le sacre du printemps, with its pounding rhythms, biting harmonies and unconventional choreography (the work of renowned dancer Vaslav Nijinsky), did more than create a sensation, it provoked a riot at its première. Stravinsky’s music is generally said to have entered a ‘neoclassical’ phase around 1920. Works of this period include the Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1920), Symphony of Psalms (1930) and the opera The Rake’s Progress (1951). After the Russian Revolution of 1917 Stravinsky remained in the West and took out French citizenship in 1934 and American citizenship in 1945. In the 1940s he lived not far from composer Arnold Schoenberg in Los Angeles but the two men were not close. However, following Schoenberg’s death in 1951 Stravinsky became interested in Schoenberg’s 12-note technique and composed a number of partially 12-note works including the Canticum sacrum (1955) and the ballet Agon (1957). Stravinsky visited Australia in 1961 at the invitation of the ABC and conducted concerts of his music in Sydney and Melbourne. He died in New York at the age of 88 and is buried on the island of San Michele in Venice.
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Suppé
Franz von Suppé (1819-1895) was born Francesco de Suppe-Demelli. His early years were spent in Croatia (he was born in Split) after which he had a brief stint as a law student in Padua. While in Italy he met Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi. Following the death of his father in 1835, his mother whisked him away to her hometown of Vienna and it was there that his career in music took off. He wrote a vast quantity of music for the stage, mostly operettas. These include Light Cavalry,Flotte Bursche, and Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna. He also wrote parodies of famous operas, including Martl (a parody of Flotow’s Martha) and the Wagner parodies Tannenhäuser and Lohengelb. One of his orchestral works is a concert overture based upon Dalmatian folk songs, an affectionate tribute to the land of his birth.
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Takemitsu
Japanese composer Tōru Takemitsu (1930-1996) came of age in the period after World War II. His first exposure to Western music was from listening to radio broadcasts on the US military station. Almost at once he decided to become a composer. Debussy and Messiaen were early influences and, along with many composers in the 1950s, he became interested in electronic music. His gaze was fixed firmly on the West for the first two decades of his compositional career until, in the early-to-mid 1960s, he started to incorporate Japanese influences in his music, notably Japanese instruments such as the biwa (a Japanese lute) and shakuhachi (a Japanese flute). These two instruments are featured in his orchestral work November Steps, which was commissioned in 1967 by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1985 he wrote the music for the film Ran, by renowned Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. By this time Takemitsu was in demand as a guest lecturer in prestigious universities throughout the world. In 1985 he was admitted to the American Institute of Arts and Letters and the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Takemitsu is without question Japan’s leading 20th-century composer in the Western tradition.
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Tan Dun
Chinese-born American composer Tan Dun (born 1957) reached a world-wide audience with his score for the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which won him an Academy Award in 2001. Although he is principally a composer in the Western tradition (or “traditions”, as he is interested in classical, jazz, rock and pop music), Tan also draws upon the musical traditions of his native China, including Chinese opera and folk music. The theme of “East meets West” is played out on a number of levels in his opera Marco Polo, which was premièred at the Bavarian State Opera in 1996 and staged the following year at New York City Opera. This theme is examined further in a series of works entitled Orchestral Theatre which, in addition to Western orchestral instruments, include Chinese instruments such as the xun, bianzhong and pipa. Tan is interested generally in unusual sound sources including basins filled with water (Water Passion after St Matthew and Water Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra) and instruments made out of paper (Paper Concerto for Paper Percussion and Orchestra). Tan’s career in China has been chequered. His music was blacklisted for a time in the early 1980s but it is now looked upon with favour. Indeed, he composed music in an official capacity for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
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Tchaikovsky
Composer of operas (Eugene Onegin, The Queen of Spades), ballets (Swan Lake, The Nutcracker), symphonies and concertos, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was successful in every genre he turned his hand to. A well-travelled Russian, Tchaikovsky attended the first season of Carmen at the Opéra-Comique in Paris in 1875 (he had the highest admiration for Bizet’s opera) and, the following year, the first Ring cycle at Bayreuth. He conducted at the official opening of Carnegie Hall in 1891 and travelled to England in 1893 to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Cambridge. His stature inside Russia was immense and his music to this day remains a staple of the concert repertory everywhere. His death remains shrouded in mystery. It was long thought that he died from cholera after drinking contaminated water, but it is also possible that he was forced to take his own life to avoid a public scandal involving a sexual relationship he had with a young man of noble birth. In any case, his death at the age of 53 was horribly premature.
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Vasks
It might be said that Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks (born 1946) writes music with heart. Man’s inhumanity to man and man’s precarious balancing act with nature are themes which run throughout his music. Growing up behind the Iron Curtain and in a Soviet satellite country, Vasks experienced first-hand the soul-destroying conditions of the authoritarian state. In light of this, the struggle of the Latvian people is a cause which he holds dear. But in addition to nationalist impulses and Cold War experiences, Vasks is also driven by what he believes to be the spiritual impoverishment of contemporary society. As he put it: “Most people today no longer possess beliefs, love and ideals. The spiritual dimension has been lost. My intention is to provide food for the soul.” His works include Musica dolorosa, the violin concerto Distant Light and three symphonies.
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Vaughan Williams
Like Beethoven, Bruckner and Dvořák, Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) belongs to the ‘ninth club’, the small coterie of 19th- and 20th-century composers who have clocked up nine symphonies. Indeed, Vaughan Williams composed five of his nine symphonies in the last 15 years of his life. Like Mahler, he was not averse to including voices in his symphonies – two of them, A Sea Symphony (Symphony No 1) and Sinfonia antarctica (Symphony No 7) include chorus and vocal soloist(s). But today Vaughan Williams is less remembered for his symphonies than for his single movement works for orchestra (such as The Lark Ascending and Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis), the song ‘Linden Lea’ and song cycle On Wenlock Edge. As these titles indicate, he had a strong interest in English folk music and English music of the 16th century. Vaughan Williams studied briefly with Max Bruch and Maurice Ravel and was himself a notable teacher, holding the position of professor of composition at London’s Royal College of Music between 1919 and 1939.
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Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was without question the greatest Italian composer of the 19th century. The composer ofNabucco, Rigoletto, Il trovatore, La traviata, Aïda and many other operas, Verdi had a great love for the theatre and a flair for drama. Constantly innovating, Verdi pushed opera in ever more insightful directions. His two final works, Otello and Falstaff, mark the high point of 19th-century Italian serious and comic opera respectively. Verdi was a keen supporter of the push for a united Italy and the plots of his operas were sometimes thought to be allegories for Italian political independence. Between 1861 and 1865 Verdi was a member of the first Italian parliament.
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Vine
Carl Vine (born 1954) was born in Perth. A graduate of the University of Western Australia, he moved to Sydney in the mid-1970s where he has pursued an active career as a composer and performer. From 1980 to 1982 he was lecturer in Electronic Music Composition at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and since November 2000 has been the Artistic Director of Musica Viva Australia. He has more than 20 dance scores to his credit (including Poppy and Daisy Bates), seven symphonies, seven concertos (including a percussion concerto and a concerto for koto and strings), film and television music, chamber music and other works. In 2004 the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra released The Tempest, a CD of music by Carl Vine conducted by Ola Rudner, as part of its Australian Music Series on ABC Classics.
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Vivaldi
Famous for The Four Seasons, a suite of concertos for solo violin and string orchestra, Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was one of the most influential composers of the baroque. The Venice-born composer wrote hundreds of concertos, many of them for the girls at the Ospedale della Pietà, the orphanage where Vivaldi was music tutor. (Vivaldi, incidentally, was a priest. He had red hair, which gave rise to the nickname “Il prete rosso” – the red priest.) His Op 3 collection of concertos, L’estro armonico, which was published in Amsterdam in 1711, made him famous throughout Europe. Johann Sebastian Bach, for instance, came to know the ins and outs of the Italian Style through close examination of Vivaldi’s music. He even arranged some of the concertos from L’estro armonico, a sure sign of his admiration for Vivaldi. Less well known is the fact that Vivaldi composed a significant quantity of operas, of which 21 survive, although not all in complete form. Vivaldi also composed sacred music, including masses, psalms and motets. Sadly, given his reputation and influence, he died in penury in Vienna. His music remained neglected for the better part of two centuries but has made a spectacular comeback in recent decades. Indeed, The Four Seasons is one of the most recorded pieces of classical music of all time.
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Wagner
Composer, librettist, essayist and philosopher (of sorts), Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was one of the towering figures of the nineteenth century. Against all odds, he managed to pull off an astounding coup when he had a theatre built in the town of Bayreuth expressly to his specifications and expressly for the performance of his works. The Bayreuth Festival Theatre was inaugurated in 1876 with the first ever stagings of his epic work The Ring of the Nibelung (often abbreviated to the Ring), which consists of four full-scale operas. Composition of the Ring occupied Wagner for the better part of a quarter century. Typically for Wagner, he wrote both words and music. His other works include Tristan and Isolde, Lohengrin, Parsifal, The Flying Dutchman and The Mastersingers of Nuremberg. He also wrote a small quantity of non-theatrical music but, compared to his other works, it holds a marginal place in his output. Wagner believed that music’s rightful place was alongside words in the service of drama, hence his focus on music for the stage. Despite Wagner’s reputation for Teutonic severity, countless brides have walked down the aisle to ‘Here Comes the Bride’, possibly unaware that it comes from Act III of Lohengrin. Other famous excerpts from his stage works include ‘The Ride of the Valkyries’ and ‘Siegfried’s Funeral Music’, both of which are from the Ring. A notorious anti-Semite, Wagner was by all accounts a rather unpleasant person. That said, he was an extraordinarily gifted composer and a tremendously influential figure. Indeed, he was the progenitor of a movement in art and literature known as Wagnerism.
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Walton
William Walton (1902-1983) first came to prominence in the early 1920s with Façade, instrumental music written to accompany the recitation of poems by Edith Sitwell. Other successes of this decade include the orchestral overture Portsmouth Point and the Viola Concerto, the latter being one of the finest examples of its type. Subsequent works include the oratorio Belshazzar’s Feast, a major contribution to the English oratorio tradition, and scores for three of Laurence Olivier’s Shakespeare films, Henry V, Hamlet and Richard III. Walton composed music for two coronations: Crown Imperial, for the coronation of George VI in 1937, and Orb and Sceptre for the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953 (Crown Imperial was reprised at this coronation). He was knighted in 1951. In the late 1940s he moved to the island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples where he lived for the remainder of his life. Today, concerts are held in his former home, which sits in one of the most beautiful private gardens in Italy, the Giardini La Mortella.
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Warlock
The fact that Peter Warlock (1894-1930) was born at London’s Savoy Hotel tells us something about the class into which he was born. Schooling at Eton followed and later Christ Church, Oxford. He disliked the latter and did not return after his first year. Warlock came to know Frederick Delius, Thomas Beecham and D H Lawrence (there is an unflattering portrait of him as “Halliday” in Woman in Love). Indeed, “Peter Warlock” is a pseudonym. His real name is Peter Heseltine, but he adopted the surname Warlock in 1916 to reflect his interest in the occult. All of his musical works were published under the pseudonym. Warlock had no interest in composing large-scale works and devoted his attention to songs above all. He also wrote some choral works and a small number of pieces for piano. The Capriol Suite is very nearly his only orchestral work (he conducted a performance of it at a Proms concert in 1929). Warlock also had a parallel career as a writer on music and, in addition to many journalistic pieces, wrote studies on Delius and Gesualdo and, reflecting his interest in early music, a book titled The English Ayre. Having been born in the Savoy, he died, of gas poisoning, in his basement flat in Chelsea. The coroner returned an open verdict.
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Weill
Best known for The Threepenny Opera, which was written in 1928 in conjunction with librettist Bertold Brecht, Kurt Weill (1900-1950) came to prominence in 1920s Germany and helped to create the soundtrack for the Weimar Republic. Other works from the period include The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (again, to a libretto by Brecht) and The Seven Deadly Sins. The son of a rabbi, Weill realised straightaway that Nazi Germany was no place for him and fled to Paris in the very first days of the Hitler regime. In 1935 he left Europe altogether and settled in New York where he wrote for the Broadway stage. His American works include Knickerbocker Holiday, One Touch of Venus and Street Scene. Among his best known songs are ‘Mack the Knife’, ‘The Alabama Song’ and ‘Surabaya Johnny’. Weill’s wife was the singer Lotte Lenya, who sang in the original productions of some of his works (she created the role of Jenny in The Threepenny Opera) and achieved big-screen notoriety as the villainess in the early James Bond film, From Russia with Love.
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Westlake
A musical all-rounder, Nigel Westlake (born 1958) is a composer, conductor and professional clarinettist. He has performed in a broad range of ensembles including orchestras, chamber groups and fusion bands and his conducting engagements have included appearances with the Sydney and Queensland symphony orchestras. His original music is heard in concert halls and chamber venues around the world and his film music credits include Babe, Miss Potter and the IMAX films Antarctica and Solarmax. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has performed the Antarctica Suite on many occasions including concerts in Sydney and Canberra. The TSO has also recorded the Antarctica Suite along with Out of the Blue andInvocations. All three works appear on Nigel Westlake – Out of the Blue, a CD in the TSO’s Australian Music Series on ABC Classics. Westlake’s Missa Solis – Requiem for Eli, which was written to the memory of his slain 21-year-old son, was awarded Work of the Year at the 2012 APRA/Australian Music Centre Awards.
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Yu
Beijing-born Julian Yu (born 1957) settled in Australia in 1985. His many awards include the Koussevitzky Tanglewood Composition Prize (1988), Vienna Modern Masters Composition Award (1992) and Paul Lowin Orchestral Prize (1991 and 1994). His music has been performed all around the world including at the BBC Proms, Munich Biennale and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. In 2007 the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, with the support of TSO Patron Dr Peter Stanton, commissioned Yu’s Oriental Rain, which was premièred in Hobart on 27 July. In 2012 the TSO performed Yu’s orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) as part of Synaesthesia: Music of Colour and Mind.
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| George Frideric Handel |
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George Frideric Handel, 1733, by Balthasar Denner
George Frideric Handel (German: Georg Friedrich Händel;
pronounced
[ˈhɛndəl]) (23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-English Baroque composer who is famous for his operas , oratorios , and concertos . Handel was born in Germany in the same year as JS Bach and Domenico Scarlatti . He received critical musical training in Italy before settling in London and becoming a naturalised British subject. [1] His works include Messiah , Water Music , and Music for the Royal Fireworks . He was strongly influenced by the techniques of the great composers of the Italian Baroque and the English composer Henry Purcell . Handel's music was well-known to many composers, including Haydn , Mozart , and Beethoven .
Contents
Early years
Handel's baptismal registration (Marienbibliothek Halle)
Handel was born in Halle (which was then in the Duchy of Magdeburg , a province of Brandenburg-Prussia ) to Georg and Dorothea (née Taust) Händel in 1685, [2] :[1]. His father, Georg Händel , 63 when his son was born, was an eminent barber-surgeon who also served as surgeon to the court of Saxe-Weissenfels and the Margraviate of Brandenburg . [3] According to John Mainwaring , his first biographer, "Handel had discovered such a strong propensity to Music, that his father who always intended him for the study of the Civil Law, had reason to be alarmed. He strictly forbade him to meddle with any musical instrument but Handel found means to get a little clavichord privately convey'd to a room at the top of the house. To this room he constantly stole when the family was asleep". [4] At an early age Handel became a skillful performer on the harpsichord and pipe organ . [5] :[3–4] One day Handel and his father went on a trip to Weissenfels to visit either his son (Handel's half-brother) Carl, or grandson (Handel's nephew) Georg Christian [6] who was serving as a valet to Duke Johann Adolf I . [7] According to legend, the young Handel attracted the attention of the Duke with his playing on the churchorgan. At his urging, Handel's father permitted him to take lessons in musical composition and keyboard technique from Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow , the organist of the Lutheran Marienkirche. From then on Handel learned about harmony and contemporary styles, analysed sheet music scores, learned to work fugue subjects and copy music. Sometimes he would take his teacher's place as organist for services. [8] :[17] In 1698 Handel played for Frederick I of Prussia and met Giovanni Bononcini in Berlin; in 1701 Georg Philipp Telemann went to Halle to listen to the promising young man.
From Halle to Italy
The Hamburg Opera am Gänsemarkt in 1726
In 1702, following his father's wishes, Handel started studying law at the University of Halle ; [8] :[17–18] and also succeeded in getting an appointment as the organist at the local protestant cathedral. After a year Handel seems to have been very unsatisfied and in 1703, he moved to Hamburg , accepting a position as violinist and harpsichordist in the orchestra of the opera house. [9] :[18] There he met Johann Mattheson , Christoph Graupner and Reinhard Keiser . His first two operas, Almira and Nero, were produced in 1705. [9] :[19] He produced two other operas, Daphne and Florindo , in 1708. It is unclear if Handel directed these performances himself in the Oper am Gänsemarkt.
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According to Mainwaring, in 1706 Handel travelled to Italy at the invitation of Ferdinando de' Medici , but Mainwaring must have been confused. It was Gian Gastone de' Medici , whom Handel had met in 1703/1704 in Hamburg. [10] Ferdinando, who had succeeded in making Florence the musical capital of Italy, attracting the leading talents of his day, had a keen interest in opera. There Handel met the librettist Antonio Salvi , with whom he would collaborate. According to rumours at the time, he also had a love affair with Vittoria Tarquini, a singer. Handel left for Rome and, as opera was (temporarily) banned in the Papal States , composed sacred music for the Roman clergy ; the famous Dixit Dominus (1707) is from this era.:[24, 26] He also composed many cantatas in pastoral style for musical gatherings in the palace of Cardinals Pietro Ottoboni , Benedetto Pamphili and Carlo Colonna . Two oratorios , La Resurrezione and Il Trionfo del Tempo, were produced in a private setting for Ruspoli and Ottoboni in 1709 and 1710, respectively. Rodrigo , his first immature, but all-Italian opera, was produced in the Cocomero theatre in Florence in 1707. [9] :[29–30] Agrippina was first produced in 1709 at Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo , the prettiest theatre at Venice, owned by the Grimani's. The opera, with a libretto by cardinal Vincenzo Grimani , ran for an unprecedented 27 performances. It showed remarkable maturity and established Handel's reputation as a composer of opera. The audience, thunderstruck with the grandeur and sublimity of his style, [11] applauded for Il caro Sassone.
The move to London
In 1710, Handel became Kapellmeister to George, Elector of Hanover , who would become King George I of Great Britain in 1714. [9] :[38] He visited Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici and her husband in Düsseldorf on his way to London in 1710. With his opera Rinaldo , based on La Gerusalemme Liberata , Handel enjoyed great success, "but it is difficult to see why he lifted from old Italian works unless he was in a hurry". [12] This work contains one of Handel's favourite arias, Cara sposa, amante cara. In 1712, Handel decided to settle permanently in England. He received a yearly income of £200 from Queen Anne after composing for her the Utrecht te Deum performed in 1713. [13] [14]
One of his most important patrons was the young and wealthy Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington , who showed an early love of his music. [15] For him he wrote Amadigi di Gaula , an unusual opera, featuring Nicolo Grimaldi and no voices lower than alto . In July of 1717 Handel's Water Music was performed more than three times on the Thames for the King and his guests, such as Anne Vaughan, the Duchess of Bolton , Countess Godolphin , Countess of Darlington and the Earl of Orkney . The barges, heading for Chelsea or Lambeth and leaving the party after midnight, used the tides of the river. The composition was successful in reconciling the king and Handel. [9] :[77]
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Main article: Handel at Cannons
Handel spent the most carefree time of his life as house composer at Cannons in Middlesex and laid the cornerstone for his future choral compositions in the twelve Chandos Anthems. [16] Romain Rolland stated that these anthems were as important for his oratorios as the cantatas were for his operas. Rolland also highly estimated Acis and Galatea , like Winton Dean , who wrote that "the music catches breath and disturbs the memory". [17] During Handel's lifetime it was his most performed work.
Handel was a canny investor: he put money into South Sea stock in 1716 when prices were low [18] and had sold up by 1720 when the South Sea credit bubble burst in one of the greatest financial cataclysms in fiscal history. [19]
Handel House at 25 Brook Street , Mayfair, London
Royal Academy of Music (1719–34)
In May 1719 Handel was ordered by Lord Chamberlain Thomas Holles, the Duke of Newcastle to look for new singers. [20] Handel travelled to Dresden to attend the newly built opera. He saw Teofane by Antonio Lotti , and engaged the cast on account of the Royal Academy of Music . Handel may have invited John Smith, his fellow student in Halle, and his son Johann Christoph Schmidt , to become his secretary and amanuensis . [21] In or even before 1723, he moved into a Georgian house at 25 Brook Street, which he rented for the rest of his life. [9] :[387] This house, where he rehearsed, copied music and sold tickets, is now the Handel House Museum . [22] In 1724 and 1725 Handel wrote several outstanding and successful operas, Giulio Cesare , Tamerlano and Rodelinda , with many of the da capo arias that made him famous, such as Svegliatevi nel core in a typical mood. After composing Silete venti, he concentrated on opera and stopped writing cantatas. Scipio , from which we have the regimental slow march of the British Grenadier Guards [2] :[194] was performed as a stopgap, waiting for the arrival of Faustina Bordoni .
In 1727 Handel was commissioned to write four anthems for the coronation ceremony of King George II . One of these, Zadok the Priest , has been played at every British coronation ceremony since. In 1728 John Gay's The Beggar's Opera premiered at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre and ran for 62 consecutive performances, the longest run in theatre history up to that time. After nine years Handel's contract was ended by the directors but he soon started a new company.
In 1729 Handel became joint manager of the King's Theatre with John James Heidegger . Handel travelled to Italy to engage seven new singers. He composed seven more operas, but the public did not come to listen to his music but to hear the singers. [23] After two English oratorios Esther and Deborah , both commercially successful, he was able to invest again in the South Sea Company . Handel reworked his Acis and Galathea which then became his most succesfull work ever. In the long run Handel failed to compete with the Opera of the Nobility , engaging musicians such as Johann Adolf Hasse , Nicolo Porpora and the famous castrato Farinelli . The strong support by Frederick, Prince of Wales caused conflicts in the royal family. In March 1734 Handel directed a wedding anthem This is the day which the Lord hath made, and a serenata Parnasso in Festa for Anne of Hanover . [5] :[33]
Opera at Covent Garden (1734–41)
Portrait of George Frederick Handel engraved by Charles Turner, 1821
In 1733 the Earl of Essex received a letter with the following sentence: "Handel became so arbitrary a prince, that the Town murmurs". The board of chief investors expected Handel to retire when his contract ended, but Handel immediately looked for another theatre. In cooperation with John Rich he started his third company at Covent Garden Theatre . Rich was renowed for his spectacular productions: he suggested Handel use his small chorus and introduce the dancing of Marie Sallé , for whom Handel composed Terpsichore . In 1735 he introduced organ concertos between the acts. For the first time Handel allowed Gioacchino Conti , who had no time to learn his part, to substitute arias. [24] Financially, Ariodante was a failure, although he introduced ballet suites at the end of each act. [25] Alcina , his last opera with a magic content, and Alexander’s Feast or the Power of Music based on John Dryden's Alexander's Feast starred Anna Maria Strada del Pò and John Beard (tenor) .
In April 1737, at age 52, Handel suffered a stroke which left his right arm temporarily paralysed, preventing him from performing. [9] :[395] He also complained of difficulties in focussing his eyesight.[citation needed] In summer the disorder seemed at times to affect his understanding. Nobody expected that Handel would ever be able to perform again. But whether the affliction was rheumatism, a stroke or a nervous breakdown, he recovered remarkably quickly. [26] To aid his recovery, Handel had travelled to Aachen , a spa in Germany. During six weeks he took long hot baths, and ending up playing the organ for a surprised audience. [27]
Deidamia his last, and only baroque opera without an accompagnato , was performed three times. Having lost a fortune in operatic management,[citation needed] Handel gave up the business in 1741. In the meantime Handel enjoyed more and more success with his English oratorios, and John Walsh published six organ concertos and Twelve Grand Concertos .
Later years
Queen's Theatre on Haymarket by William Capon
Following his recovery Handel focused on composing oratorios instead of opera. His Messiah was first performed at the New Music Hall in Fishamble Street , Dublin, on 13 April 1742, with 26 boys and five men from the combined choirs of St Patrick's and Christ Church cathedrals participating. [28] :[48]
In 1749 he composed Music for the Royal Fireworks ; 12,000 people attended the performance. [9] :[297–98]
In 1750 Handel arranged a performance of Messiah to benefit the Foundling Hospital . The performance was considered a great success and was followed by annual concerts that continued throughout his life. In recognition of his patronage, Handel was made a governor of the Hospital the day after his initial concert. He bequeathed a copy of Messiah to the institution upon his death. [28] :[56] His involvement with the Foundling Hospital is today commemorated with a permanent exhibition in London's Foundling Museum , which also holds the Gerald Coke Handel Collection. In addition to the Foundling Hospital, Handel also gave to a charity that helped to assist impoverished musicians and their families. Also, during the summer of 1741, the Duke of Devonshire invited Handel to Dublin to give concerts for the benefit of local hospitals. [5] :[40, 41]
Portrait of George Friderick Handel by William Hogarth
In August 1750, on a journey back from Germany to London, Handel was seriously injured in a carriage accident between The Hague and Haarlem in the Netherlands. [5] :[63] In 1751 his eyesight started to fail in one eye. The cause was a cataract which was operated on by the great charlatan Chevalier Taylor . This led to uveitis and subsequent loss of vision. Jephtha was first performed on 26 February 1752; even though it was his last oratorio, it was no less a masterpiece than his earlier works. [9] :[354–55] He died some eight years later in 1759 in London, at the age of 74, with his last attended performance being his own Messiah. More than three thousand mourners attended his funeral, which was given full state honours, and he was buried in Westminster Abbey . [28] :[60]
Handel never married, and kept his personal life private. He left a sizable estate at his death, worth £20,000, the bulk of which he bequeathed to a niece in Germany, with additional gifts to his other relations, servants, friends and favourite charities.
Works
Main articles: List of compositions by George Frideric Handel and List of operas by Handel .
Handel's compositions include 42 operas, 29 oratorios, more than 120 cantatas , trios and duets , numerous arias , chamber music , a large number of ecumenical pieces, odes and serenatas , and 16 organ concerti . His most famous work, the oratorio Messiah with its "Hallelujah" chorus, is among the most popular works in choral music and has become a centrepiece of the Christmas season. Amongst the works with opus numbers published and popularised in his lifetime are the Organ Concertos Op.4 and Op.7 , together with the Opus 3 and Opus 6 concerto grossi ; the latter incorporate an earlier organ concerto The Cuckoo and the Nightingale in which birdsong is imitated in the upper registers of the organ. Also notable are his sixteen keyboard suites, especially The Harmonious Blacksmith .
Handel introduced various previously uncommon musical instruments in his works: the viola d'amore and violetta marina (Orlando), the lute (Ode for St. Cecilia's Day), three trombones (Saul), clarinets or small high cornets (Tamerlano), theorbo , horn ( Water Music ), lyrichord, double bassoon , viola da gamba , bell chimes, positive organ , and harp (Giulio Cesare, Alexander's Feast). [29]
Handel's works have been catalogued in the Händel-Werke-Verzeichnis and are commonly referred to by a HWV number. For example, Messiah is catalogued as HWV 56.
Legacy
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After his death, Handel's Italian operas fell into obscurity, except for selections such as the aria from Serse , " Ombra mai fù ". Throughout the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, particularly in the Anglophone countries, his reputation rested primarily on his English oratorios, which were customarily performed by enormous choruses of amateur singers on solemn occasions. These include Esther (1718); Athalia (1733); Saul (1739); Israel in Egypt (1739); Messiah (1742); Samson (1743); Judas Maccabaeus (1747); Solomon (1748); and Jephtha (1752). The best are based on libretti by Charles Jennens .
Since the 1960s, with the revival of interest in baroque music, original instrument playing styles, and the prevalence of countertenors who could more accurately replicate castrato roles, interest has revived in Handel's Italian operas, and many have been recorded and performed onstage. Of the fifty he wrote between 1705 and 1738, Agrippina (1709), Rinaldo (1711, 1731), Orlando (1733), Ariodante (1735), Alcina (1735) and Serse (1738, also known as Xerxes) stand out and are now performed regularly in opera houses and concert halls. Arguably the finest, however, are Giulio Cesare (1724), Tamerlano (1724) and Rodelinda (1725),.
Hand-coloured etching of the royal fireworks on the Thames, 1749
Recent decades have also seen the revival of a number of secular cantatas and what one might call 'secular oratorios' or 'concert operas'. Of the former, Ode for St. Cecilia's Day (1739) (set to texts by John Dryden ) and Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (1713) are particularly noteworthy. For his secular oratorios, Handel turned to classical mythology for subjects, producing such works as Acis and Galatea (1719), Hercules (1745) and Semele (1744). In terms of musical style, particularly in the vocal writing for the English-language texts, these works have a close kinship with the sacred oratorios, but they also share something of the lyrical and dramatic qualities of Handel's Italian operas. As such, they are sometimes performed onstage by small chamber ensembles. With the rediscovery of his theatrical works, Handel, in addition to his renown as instrumentalist, orchestral writer, and melodist, is now perceived as being one of opera's great musical dramatists.
A carved marble statue of Handel, created for the Vauxhall Gardens in 1738 by Louis-François Roubiliac , and now preserved in the Victoria & Albert Museum .
Handel has generally been accorded high esteem by fellow composers, both in his own time and since. [30] Bach even attempted, unsuccessfully, to meet with Handel while he was visiting Halle. [5] :[23] Mozart is reputed to have said of him, "Handel understands effect better than any of us. When he chooses, he strikes like a thunder bolt." [31] and to Beethoven he was "the master of us all... the greatest composer that ever lived. I would uncover my head and kneel before his tomb". [31] Beethoven emphasised above all the simplicity and popular appeal of Handel's music when he said, "Go to him to learn how to achieve great effects, by such simple means".
After Handel’s death, many composers wrote works based on or inspired by his music. The first movement from Louis Spohr ’s Symphony No. 6, Op. 116, "The Age of Bach and Handel", resembles two melodies from Handel's Messiah. In 1797 Ludwig van Beethoven published the 12 Variations in G major on ‘See the conqu’ring hero comes’ from Judas Maccabaeus by Handel, for cello and piano. Guitar virtuoso Mauro Giuliani composed his Variations on a Theme by Handel, Op. 107 for guitar, based on Handel's Suite No. 5 in E major, HWV 430, for harpsichord. In 1861, using a theme from the second of Handel's harpsichord suites, Johannes Brahms wrote the Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel , Op. 24, one of his most successful works (it even received praise from Richard Wagner ). Several works by the French composer Félix-Alexandre Guilmant use themes by Handel, for example his March on a Theme by Handel for organ, which uses a theme from Messiah. French composer and flautist Philippe Gaubert wrote his Petite marche for flute and piano based on the fourth movement of Handel’s Trio Sonata, Op. 5, No. 2, HWV 397. Argentine composer Luis Gianneo composed his Variations on a Theme by Handel for piano. In 1911, Australian-born composer and pianist Percy Grainger based one of his most famous works on the final movement of Handel's Suite No. 5 in E major (just like Giuliani). He first wrote some variations on the theme, which he titled Variations on Handel’s ‘The Harmonious Blacksmith’ . Then he used the first sixteen bars of his set of variations to create Handel in the Strand, one of his most beloved pieces, of which he made several versions (for example, the piano solo version from 1930). Arnold Schoenberg ’s Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra in B flat major (1933) was composed after Handel's Concerto Grosso, Op. 6/7.
He is commemorated as a musician in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church on July 28, with Johann Sebastian Bach and Heinrich Schütz .
Handel's works were edited by Samuel Arnold (40 vols., London, 1787–1797), and by Friedrich Chrysander , for the German Händel-Gesellschaft (100 vols., Leipzig, 1858–1902).
Handel adopted the spelling "George Frideric Handel" on his naturalisation as a British subject, and this spelling is generally used in English-speaking countries. The original form of his name, Georg Friedrich Händel, is generally used in Germany and elsewhere, but he is known as "Haendel" in France. Another composer with a similar name, Handl, was a Slovene and is more commonly known as Jacobus Gallus .
Media
Frosch, W.A., The "case" of George Frideric Handel , New England Journal of Medicine, 1989; 321:765–769, Sep 14, 1989. [5]
Harris, Ellen T. (general editor) The librettos of Handel's operas: a collection of seventy librettos documenting Handel's operatic career New York: Garland, 1989. ISBN 0-8240-3862-2
Harris, Ellen T. Handel as Orpheus. Voice and Desire in the Chamber Cantatas Harvard University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-674-00617-8
Hogwood, Christopher. Handel. London: Thames and Hudson, 1984. ISBN 0-500-01355-1
Keates, Jonathan. Handel, the man and his music. London: V. Gollancz, 1985. ISBN 0-575-03573-0
Meynell, Hugo. The Art of Handel's Operas The Edwin Mellen Press (1986) ISBN 0-889-46425-1
External links
Sourced
Whether I was in my body or out of my body I know not. God knows it!
Quoted in The Harvard Magazine (December 1862), p. 141.
On composing the " Hallelujah Chorus " in 1741.
I did think I did see all heaven before me, and the great God himself.
Horatio Townsend An Account of the Visit of Handel to Dublin (1852) p. 93, citing Laetitia Matilda Hawkins Anecdotes, Biographical Sketches and Memoirs vol. 1 (1822).
His reply on being asked what his feelings were while writing the "Hallelujah Chorus".
I should be sorry if I only entertained them, I wish to make them better.
James Beattie , letter of May 25, 1780, published in William Forbes An Account of the Life and Writings of James Beattie, LL.D. (1806) p. 331.
In reply to Lord Kinnoull, who had complimented him on his Messiah, "the noble entertainment which he had lately given the town". Beattie had this on the authority of Kinnoull himself.
You have taken far too much trouble over your opera. Here in England that is mere waste of time. What the English like is something that they can beat time to, something that hits them straight on the drum of the ear.
Richard Alexander Streatfeild Handel (2005) p. 195, citing Anton Schmid Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck (1854) p. 29
In conversation with Gluck .
Unsourced
It is much too good for them,they don't know what to do with it.His comment on 'borrowing' others music.
Criticism
| i don't know |
A major critic of the conventional notion of God, who wrote the 1976 book, extending ideas of natural selection in evolution, The Selfish Gene? | Theoretical Approaches to Evolution
Theoretical Approaches to Evolution
Edmund E. Jacobitti
It is sometimes forgotten how young a discipline evolutionary biology is. Right up to the last part of the nineteenth century, the fixity of species was accepted by most biologists and by common sense. Any goatherd knew that there were true breeding species and that intermediate species were non-existent. That is why Linnaeus�s classification system was accepted and Ovid�s Metamorphoses was regarded as irreverent and scandalous.
Then in 1859, Darwin introduced the astonishing idea that all living things, from the simplest to the most complex, had a common ancestry, that� a single species had somehow metamorphosed into another and another ad infinitum until the entire globe was filled with countless millions of distinct flora and fauna. The notion that the natural world had immanent and terrestrial causes rather than miraculous ones is so much of a common place today that it is difficult to believe the idea really only began to take hold� a century ago and that it rocked nineteenth and early twentieth century thought. In this essay, I will try to sort out several schools of thought that address the problem of how one species became many.
The Passage from Darwinism to Neo-Darwinism
Darwin�s theory of common origin for all organisms began the marriage of evolution and paleontology. Paleontology was the study of prehistoric forms of animal and plant life through the study of fossils. If Darwin�s theory of evolution was correct, then the fossils studied by paleontologists ought provide empirical evidence for the theory. Suggesting that evolution could be documented with fossils, however, provided no theory of evolution. To make paleontology more than descriptive bone collecting required marrying it to a biological explanation of speciation.
But if paleontology was a discipline still in its infancy, [1] biology was a field only in adolescence. What brought biology, ever so much more complex than physics and chemistry, out of this early stage was the discovery of genetics, the keystone of modern biology and of evolution. The rudiments of genetics had been discovered in 1866 by Darwin�s contemporary, Gregor Mendel (1822-84) but no one paid much attention to it.
Though Darwin was a creative genius, even he had only a partial explanation of how evolution occurred. He was convinced that adaptation to the great variety of earthly environments played some major role in the evolutionary process. Some individual variants within a species, he thought, were better suited to survive in one time or place than others. The �unfit� went extinct or migrated, while those that adapted gradually became new species. Furthermore, from a reading of Thomas Maltus� Essay on Population (1837), he had run across the phrase �survival of the fittest� and concluded that it was this principle that nature �used� when selecting variants for survival. But, without genetics, Darwin had no way to explain where the variation within a species came from--and modern genetics was still a generation away.
Darwin, therefore, was forced to accept the common notion of the time, that traits in offspring were an average or a blend of the traits of the parents. Males and females certainly had different sexual characteristics, but those were the exception. Non-sexual characteristics, it was assumed, operated according to what Darwin called pangenesis [2] where the genes (�pangenes� as he called them) of each parent (say the gene for tallness) blended evenly with those of the other parent (say the gene for shortness), to produce a person of average stature. But had that idea been correct, variation would have ended since everything would soon average out and every unique characteristic would disappear like a drop of red paint in a bucket of white.
Aware of this, Darwin, tried to explain the constant appearance of variation by appealing to another common idea, namely, that the use of an organ by certain variants within a species would ensure that the organ or part would be passed on. �There can be no doubt that use in our domestic animals has strengthened and enlarged certain parts, and disuse diminished them; and that such modifications are inherited.� [3] The idea seemed to fit with natural selection for if a variant found a certain organ useful in the struggle to survive, natural selection would, it seemed, retain the organ. The idea was remarkably like that of Lamarck who suggested that characteristics acquired during adaptation to the environment must be passed on to the next generation. When August Weismann famously proved that wrong (by cutting the tails off� generation after generation of mice without ever bringing about the birth of a mouse without a tail), fixity of species seemed to acquire a new life.
It took another generation before Mendel�s ideas were revived in the work of Thomas Hunt Morgan, August Weismann, Hugo De Vries, and others. Mendel had presented a kind of atomic theory of heredity in which parental genes did not blend but retained their individual integrity in the offspring. Some genes were expressed; others remained dormant, but genes did not blend out. Instead, each parent provided a complement of its unique genetic units to the fertilized egg, half from the male and half from the female. Mating of even one female with several males would thus produce great variation and generations of mating would produce a breathtaking number of variations.
Even though it was not until 1953 that James Watson and Francis Crick identified DNA [4] as the material that composed the genes, the discovery of the genetic cause of variation within a species lay the foundation for the synthesis of laboratory genetics and evolutionary theory known as Neo-Darwinism or the Neo-Darwinian Synthesis. Many figures--for example, C. D. Darlington, Theodosius Dobzhansky, Sir Ronald Fisher, Viktor Hamburger, Julian Huxley, Ernst Mayr, G. Ledyard Stebbins--contributed to this synthesis which occurred in the second quarter of the twentieth century and which remains for most thinkers the foundation of modern molecular biology. [5]
Marrying genetics and evolution led to a number of provocative insights: that all the genes in a species population, the so-called genome or gene pool of a species, give that species its distinctive morphology and character; that nature at certain times and in certain places selects or rejects certain of a species� characteristics; that evolution could be defined as a change in the species� gene pool leading to a change in the characteristics or attributes of a species.�������
Even with these insights, however, there remained (and there still remains) a large number of puzzles about exactly how speciation occurs. For example, are there other mechanisms involved in speciation besides natural selection? Is speciation a sudden occurrence producing a variant so different that it is clearly another species or is the process more gradual? Do genes always retain their integrity and if so, how could new species come from variation within a species? What is the role of sexual selection in mating? What is the role of isolation that Darwin emphasized in the Galapagos?
�
���� The Complexities of Variation and Evolution
As is often the case, answers to complex questions lead not to closure but to more questions. The early idea that random mating of genes produced variation which natural selection then acted upon got much more complicated after the first two decades of the twentieth century, Not only was natural selection found to be much more complex than at first thought, but other forces and mechanisms were seen to play equal roles in evolution.
To understand the various schools of contemporary thought on speciation and evolution, a rudimentary knowledge of the actions and interactions of the mechanisms of evolution is necessary. For evolution to continue, there must a source of continued variation but also a limit to that variation. The forces that are thought to prevent runaway variation are (1) gene drift and (2) natural selection or adaptation.� The forces that are now thought to promote variation are (1) gene flow, (2) gene mutation, and (3) gene recombination.
Negative forces in Evolution
The first force identified with speciation was adaptation through natural selection set out by Darwin in chapters two and three of his 1859 Origin of Species. Everyone is now familiar with the idea that the organisms that are those adapted to an environment are the �fittest� and that these are the �survivors� while those organisms that do not keep up with changes in the neighborhood are negatively selected and go extinct.
Adaptation is measured by reproductive ability. Organisms that are most adapted will survive to reproduce and will leave the largest population footprint. The �unfit� do not have to be eliminated. They simply do not survive long enough or in sufficient quantities to reproduce as effectively as those better adapted. Thus natural selection is primarily concerned with breeding. Indeed, it may not necessarily help an organism in other ways. The classic case is the peacock whose tail makes the male attractive for breeding purposes, but also makes him a target for predation.
Natural selection, therefore, is not a source of variation for it acts only on already existing species and only as a kind of gate keeper preventing the unfit from over breeding. Natural selection does not impose an optimum design on an organism; rather it rejects poor designs, abnormalities, and novelties that fall too far out of the phenotype. This disappearance of organisms is constant. Indeed, as the famous geneticist George C. Williams is supposed to have wisecracked, evolution of new species takes place despite natural selection.
According to Darwin, (and most everyone since then) whatever the cause of new species may be, their design is random and independent of the environment. And since the environment itself is in constant flux, there is no way to know which species will be selected or which will go extinct. Thus there is no direction to evolution, no arrow or ladders.
����� Moreover, the relationship between environment and species is not one way. Species are not passive but act on the environment that in turn acts on them. Beavers build dams, change the course of rivers, alter fish populations and so on. Herds of wild mammals graze plants to extinction, pollute water sources, and alter ecologies. And Homo sapiens industrialize. The picture of natural selection that results is of a complex and chaotic feedback loop whose ramifications are nearly always unpredictable.
������ Gene drift is the second negative mechanism acting against variation. Gene drift is the random decrease in the alleles of a genome [6] and the this decrease occurs because not every allele in a population�s gene pool is passed on to the next generation. Of the incalculable number of diverse spermata and ova in the genome of a species, only a random sample will be passed on to the next generation. Because of such selective sampling, rare alleles drift out and are replaced by others. Gene drift then is measured by the rate of allele substitution.
������� In theory, this rate of change in an infinite population is nil, for an allele is as likely to be lost as it is to become fixed, just as flipping a coin an infinite number of times to see whether heads or tails would prevail would never produce an answer. In computer simulations of such infinite populations, the graph appears as a straight line. In evolutionary theory this is called the �Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
������� But the real world is not infinite; it is finite and stochastic; [7] and equilibrium is affected by the size of the population. The smaller the population or number of coin flips, the greater chance that heads or tails will prevail. In gene drift, therefore, the smaller the population of sexual partners, the greater the chance an allele has to be lost to the genome. [8] The effect of �gene drift� on smaller populations can be even more dramatic due to the so-called �founder effect� where a sexually dominant breeder establishes a harem and imprints a genetic blueprint on the isolated population.
Thus the net effect of gene drift is to decrease variation in a population as rare alleles drift out or some allele becomes fixed to the exclusion of others. This decrease in variation complicates things for it works against natural selection. The more homogenous the genome becomes, the less chance there is that a population could adapt to some change in the environment. The danger of genetic homogeneity is obvious in small populations of endangered species where variation is critical to survival.
However, at the same time that gene drift decreases genetic variation in finite populations, it increases the variation and dissimilarity between these populations and the rest of the world. If one assumes that everything had at one point a common genome, isolated parts of that genome could through gene drift become different. Eventually, gene drift could lead to speciation and the inability of different populations to interbreed.������
Positive forces in Evolution
����� If natural selection and gene drift decrease variation, gene flow, recombination, and mutation increase variation. Gene flow occurs when an individual from another population moves into a population bringing with it alleles not already present in that population. Breeding between the new arrival and the established population would increase variation in the genome.� Likewise, recombination also increases variation in the genome. Recombination results from the fact that sperm and egg cells are haploid and must combine to form a complete zygote. The near infinite number of diverse spermata that could combine with an egg and the unpredictable results of random mating all contribute to increased variation.
Finally, there is mutation which also increases variation. Mutation was discovered at the beginning of 20th century when the Dutch geneticist Hugo de Vries tried to reproduce Mendel�s hybridization results by breeding the �pangenes� of the evening primrose. Instead of the predictable Mendelian results, however, de Vries got scattered or random patterns. �Pangenes� evidently could recombine in unpredictable ways. Though it was later found that the primrose (Oenothera lamarckiana) has so flimsy a genetic structure that it is unusually susceptible to mutation, de Vries�s results were still unsettling.
Until de Vries� experiments, the orthodox view of speciation was that it occurred through �continuous variation� or minute and steady changes in organisms. De Vries� experiments, however, suggested instead a theory of �discontinuous variation,� the abrupt appearance of a deviant offspring that could be the first of a new species. This departure from the Mendelian formula put genetics into the realm of the probable, a box in which it still remains. [9]
De Vrie�s work thus suggested the appearance of mutants; but investigating mutation involves a quantum leap into a whole new magnitude of difficulties. Though mutant alleles are numerous enough, the effects of mutation, other than those induced by radiation or some other artificial intervention, are sufficiently rare and mysterious, especially in diploid cells, that understanding their behavior is difficult. [10] Mutation itself is now generally thought to be a result of a mistake in the DNA base pair sequence. Such a mistake could come from a so-called �typographical error�or the loss of or inappropriate gain of a sequence of bps.
Looking at these five mechanisms, one must see how difficult it is for� speciation to occur. Natural selection pares down already existing species but does not produce new ones. Gene drift, because it reduces variation within a species, could make it unadaptable and drive it into extinction. Gene flow, the injection of new alleles from a visitor, could increase variation within a species, but with whom would the interloper breed to produce a new species? Likewise, recombination only increases variation within a species unless interspecific breeding took place (improbable) and was successful (even more improbable), and produced a fertile offspring (still more improbable). One can imagine mutation leading to new species; but to do so it would have to defy natural selection. The obvious question, therefore, is how does variation within a species lead to new species?� Is the five or so billion years the earth has been around enough time for the oddities that escaped negative selection to produce all the species that have come and gone since the beginning? In short, there are plenty or ways to explain variation within a species or microevolution, but macroevolution is still puzzling.
It was Ernst Mayer, one of the founders of Neo-Darwinism, who began to weave all these mechanisms together into what is still for many the standard explanation of speciation. Since his 1942 classic, Systematics and the Origin of Species, Mayr had become the dean of evolution theory and in the 1950s, he proposed a theory to answer the questions surrounding speciation. Known as allopatric [11] speciation, the theory built on the genetic research of Morgan, Fischer, Weismann and on the idea of gene drift. It was also rooted in Darwin�s emphasis on geographic isolation of populations, which he had noted in the Galapagos.
According to Mayr, because of gene drift, new species appear at first as tiny genetic mutations in select individuals among groups which are isolated (allopatric from the Greek for �other�) for some (geological, climatic, etc) reason from the parent population. [12] As the larger world population becomes more and more subdivided, and breeding is confined to local partners, the various local populations, because of gene drift, gradually become genetically incompatible. Eventually, according to the theory, all the sub-populations became incapable of interbreeding and, over time, the various species branches developed. Since geography, climate, or some other barrier was constantly isolating small groups, an infinite source of speciation was evidently available. Mayr, in short, proposed a totally immanent, materialistic, and natural explanation for evolution. Macro-evolution or speciation was simply a lot of micro-evolution. [13]
Mayr�s theory is now the most widely accepted explanation of speciation. Its acceptance depended partly on the fact that it seems to be the only way to weave the various mechanisms of evolution together and partly on the fact that Mayr�s theory remained within the Darwinian tradition of gradual speciation (phyletic gradualism) and the importance of isolation. Widely accepted as it is, however, there are many who doubt that� is a complete theory and propose various supplements, codicils, and modifications. There are, also, those who reject the theory altogether.
Creationists
The most stalwart opponents are creationists like the Lehigh University biochemist Michael Behe, [Darwin�s Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution, (The Free Press, 1996)], Phillip E. Johnson, Jefferson E. Peyser Professor of Law at Berkeley, [Darwin on Trial (InterVarsity Press, 1992), Reason in the Balance, (InterVarsity Press, 1996),Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds, (InterVaristy Press, 1997)], and the Baylor philosopher and mathematician, William Dembski, [The Design Inference: Eliminating Chance Through Small Probabilities (Cambridge UP, 1998) Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science and Theology (InterVarsity Press, 1999). Anyone who thinks that creationists are yahoos from the hills will be jarred by the importance of the arguments they raise. Unfortunately, I can only make brief references to creationist thought here because my aim is to explore the prevailing schools of secular thought. This should not imply, however, that many creationists do not understand biology or the naturalistic philosophy that animates it.
For the layman, Philip Johnson�s books are probably the most accessible. In addition to his scientific arguments against Darwinism, Johnson raises telling points about the ease with which we accept the scientific perspective. For those with an open mind, Johnson�s work is very troubling, pointing out how the scientific mental framework--especially the Darwinian faith--into which we have all, to use Martin Heidegger�s word, been �thrown,� blinds us not only to other explanations but to problems in the scientific method. The naturalistic perspective forces us to believe that blanks in scientific metaphysics are simply minor problems that will be filled in later on. When postmoderns and others suggested that, even in principle, the gaps could never be filled in, pragmatism, relativism, historicism, the Nietzschean abyss, Heideggerian gloom, and postmodernism set in. It may, of course, be that these anti-philosophies are salutary corrections to modern chutzpah and that Johnson, never having accepted the modern project, does not need such benefits. It could be, too that he is just whistling in the dark. But, if nothing else, it is clear that Johnson understands how thin the ice upon which so much modern secular theory skates really is.
Creationists, also, however, raise scientific arguments or at least point out problems in the accepted wisdom. To oversimplify, creationists argue first, that allopatric speciation should be evidenced in the fossil record; but, they say, the record reveals no transition species. If there are no intermediate species, then complex organisms must have been independently created ex nihilo. There may not be much or even any evidence for the independent creation of species, but the argument does make it obvious that whether one accepts allopatric speciation or not, if there were a continuous fossil record, it would be very difficult to determine when one species ended and another began unless there were sudden dramatic differences--in which case if could be argued that the species were always different since they were independently created by God.
Secondly, as Michael Behe points out, evolution is always said to go from the simple to the complex; but there are, he says, a number of cases where one encounters �irreducible complexity� for which there is no simple predecessor. If there are cases of irreducible complexity, descent from a single ancestor is out. Where then did such species come from?� As we shall see below, complexity theorists have provided some astonishing answers to this argument.
Thirdly, creationists argue that design is the most logical explanation for what exists. Dembski, for example, a mathematician, distinguishes between undirected or random natural events and specific events whose occurrence are of such small probability that one must infer a designer. I cannot say I find this argument very convincing. Because something is improbable does not mean it is impossible. Life is filled with unexpected singularities many of which bear non-linear consequences.
It is easy to say that creationists have an easy time of it. They know the answer they are looking for and just shoehorn the evidence into it. If this were not also the case with so many secular theorists, one could dismiss the creationists as anachronisms. The problem is that evolutionary theory itself is still so sketchy that many questions remain; and creationists are formidable at sniffing out the lacunae that remain in modern synthetic theory. Nothing, it seems, raises the ire of the secular biologist more than having a theist discover an inconsistency, even if it is legitimate. It is, in fact, disconcerting to find out how much creationism weighs on the mind of evolutionary theorists. It is partly for this reason that creationists are rarely if ever permitted to publish in scientific journals [14] and secular theorists occasionally evaluate each other�s work not for its contribution to biology but for how much potential comfort it might provide enemy theists. [15]
Discussing the various points of view of creation theory or attempts like those of the Jesuit paleontologist Teilhard de Chardin to marry religion and science are beyond the scope of this essay, but their work is not easily dismissed if for no other reason than its ability to keep secularists from smug overconfidence.
SECULAR THEORY
The primary debates among secular biologists today seem to be between four schools of thought; reductionists, pluralists, secular theorists of constrained evolution, and theorists of complexity.
Reductionists
Reductionists are perhaps the most orthodox of Neo-Darwinians in the evolutionary debate. By reductionists I mean those who hold a monistic theory of evolution and believe they have cut through the complex world of microbiology to isolate the most important single factor in determining evolutionary change. John Maynard Smith, a pioneer of molecular evolution, sums up the approach: �I see myself as a reductionist...I seek simple models of the world...If I have to ignore some of the detail, too bad.� [16] Smith may be the Strabo of reductionism, but the group has many followers. Among them are George C. Williams, an evolutionary theorist at Stoney Brook and editor of the Quarterly Review of Biology; Robert Wright, the senior editor at the New Republic and author of many scientific books and articles; the Harvard socio-biologist Edward O. Wilson; Jonathan Weiner, author of, among other things, The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in our Time; [17] and, of course, to Richard Dawkins, [18] claimed by many to be the most important theorist of evolution today. Though there are certainly differences among these scholars, what unites them is the conviction that the gene is the basic engine of evolution. To these scholars, neo-Darwinism is the genetic micro-evolutionary production of new species. Other factors--climate, geography and so on--are, of course, important, but genetics is the key factor.
According to contemporary evolutionary theory, the winner of the �survival of the fittest�is no longer the one Tennyson described as most �red in tooth and claw,� but the one that produces the greatest number of offspring and thus wins control of the genome. This desire to pass on one�s genes is, according to reductionist theory, implanted in all organisms.
Perhaps the most outspoken representative of this monistic view is Richard Dawkins, a former anti-war protester and supporter of Eugene McCarthy and presently the Professor of Public Understanding of Science at Oxford. Dawkins� accessible and instructive popular writings have established genetic reductionism as the primary force in evolution not only among laymen but among many biologists as well. Dawkins eschews the interdisciplinary, metaphorical, and historical explanations of biology favored by figures like Niles Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould. His approach is direct and analytical. Complex organisms and mechanisms, he argues, are animated by intrinsic forces that metaphor, analogy, and multidimensional explanations only mask. Indirect language leaves the door open to misunderstanding and misuse of the evidence. However complex a mechanism may be, it is still guided by a single rudder and the task of the scientist is to explain how that rudder guides the whole.
The Selfish Gene (1976)was the work that first established the gene in popular literature as the rudder of evolution. The work made Dawkins famous; for it elaborated in plain English what G. C. Williams [19] and others had stated earlier in opaque �biologese,� namely that all genes aim at replicating themselves by the most efficient means possible, and at the expense of all competitors. Organisms themselves (humans, included) are, therefore, simply �throwaway survival machines,� used for gene propagation.
To be passed on, a gene must develop a host organism whose �armament� makes it strong enough to survive to breeding age. Developing this host requires that genes engage in an endless R&D program to maintain and update their host organisms until breeding occurs. Once that process is complete, the gene hitches a ride to the offspring and the breeding organism itself is of no further use. If the offspring contains a beneficial allele, and enough of the offspring survive to produce enough fertile offspring to establish a new gene pool or genome, then evolution of a new species occurs. Evolution, therefore, is a byproduct of this struggle to build better and better organisms--or to use Dawkins-like language, �gene delivery systems.�
Dawkins� gradualist theory is pretty orthodox Darwinism. Evolution is a piecemeal, micro process without dramatic speciation events. Likewise, it is cumulative in the sense that deleterious traits in organisms are weeded out and beneficial traits retained. It is this retentive process that helps the organism create better and better mechanisms of DNA replication.
Dawkins has little patience with those who see a more complicated and multifaceted evolutionary engine. Most of his sarcasm, however, is reserved for those who see a higher purpose in man or who deny the inherent predatory nature of genetic warfare by raising the issue of altruism. Altruism may seem to contradict genetic predation, but according to Dawkins it always has a self-interested motive. He is especially impatient with those who subscribe to the idea of a great Designer. According to Dawkins, �religion is a virus� that has found an especially well-armed survival mechanism in gullible humanity.
It is especially in The Blind Watchmaker and Climbing Mount Improbable, that Dawkins attacks believers. The magnificence of the universe and everything in it, he argues, really has little mystery. Given enough time and the narrow constraints imposed by genetic warfare, life was, in a sense, built into the material of the primordial bang. Because the sun and the earth are at least an unfathomable 4.5 billion years old, the steps taken by genetic mutation need only have been tiny, gradual, and superficially inconsequential to produce macro-evolutionary results. Eventually, according to Dawkins, DNA would emerge from the primordial chemical soup that followed the Big Bang and then life would begin. Indeed, once DNA emerged out of the originary ooze, nothing was going to keep it from becoming more and more efficient at survival.��
Thus, though Dawkins resists the idea that Homo sapiens are the �aim� of evolution and rejects snobbish phrases like �subhuman primates,�� he believes that evolution is progressive. [20] Definitions of progress that imply the superiority of brainier organisms miss the point, however. Organisms evolve differently and in the ways that suit their particular needs. And needs can come in the form of brains, speed, agility, immunity, morphological complexity and so on. In short, evolution is progressive, but progress is measured differently for each species.
Dawkins, like many biologists, sees evolution as a kind of �bush� in which all species evolve from a common ancestor and then gradually branch out into different species. It is, in this metaphor, absurd to say that one branch has progressed more than another. Each �species branch� is progressing and improving, eliminating losers one after another. This accounts for the fact that so many species--99.9%, by most calculations--have disappeared.
�������� Being no more than a �throwaway gene machine,� one would think, might make one a bit weary; but not Dawkins. He never tires, indeed, he seems to positively thrive on iconoclastic debunking of religion and slamming seemingly altruistic acts as deviously selfish methods that in reality only advance the interests of the gene. Spreading this kind of iconoclasm about seems to truly elate Dawkins.
Dawkins explains why in his latest book, Unweaving the Rainbow, the title taken from Keats� lament about the way Newtonian �optiks� had destroyed the beauty and mystery of the rainbow. Solving mystery, says Dawkins, is as satisfying, more satisfying really, than living in its presence. For Dawkins, it is insufferable to have people living in the cave. Everyone must be brought to see the truth. And as Professor of the Public Understanding of Science, a chair endowed by the wealthy Hungarian Microsoft executive, Charles Simonyi, it is Dawkins� job to show people that truth.
Dawkins� biology may be satisfactory--though there are plenty who doubt it--but his views seem a bit too satisfied for this postmodern world, a bit too assured that, as Max Born once said of physics, that everything will be known �in six months.� Those that doubt that we can and will know everything, Dawkins dismisses as �intellectual imposters� without �honest thought.� [21] Thus, in his �What�s Wrong with the Paranormal,� [22] he explains that there is nothing science cannot explain; for everything unknown is only unknown �yet� and �mystery� is an absurdity. Genetic warfare and the natural selection that results explain all we need to know.
According to Dawkins, even his own passion for proselytizing the gene is genetically determined. According to Dawkins, humans have developed certain attributes--big brains, perseverance, persistence, goal seeking, for example�that were once helpful in hunting deer and bear and can now be put to use writing books, seeking money, and overpopulating. [23]
This ability to control and direct attributes, however, seems to leave room for something that is consciously rather than genetically determined. And indeed, when cornered, Dawkins, avers that though he is a socio-biologist, [24] any one-to one determinism that implies that complex wholes like humans are merely the sum of their parts is too simple. Genes are only �powerfully predictive� [25] of human behavior; they do not have absolute control over the organism.
Even with this concession, Dawkins� dogmatism is still so evident that he cannot avoid unnerving those who see biology as just one factor in determining human action. Perhaps it was to allow some wiggle-room between biological determinism and free will, that Dawkins introduced the idea that humanity has to a very limited extent been able to overlay its natural biological roots with �culture.� Thus in the last chapter of The Selfish Gene, Dawkins introduced the idea of the �meme,� a unit of cultural evolution corresponding to the gene in biological information. According to Dawkins, a meme can be a catch-phrase, a tune, a mode of dress, an idea or any number of other cultural entities. Such entities are like genes in the sense that once launched they gain a life of their own and �colonize� or parasitize their human vehicles. In �Viruses of the Mind,� [26] Dawkins gives the example of the current juvenile craze of wearing a baseball cap backwards. It is not that people are �determined� to duplicate the behavior of others and wear their caps backwards; but that they do so, he says, is evidence of the existence of memes.
And if memes play a role in mating patterns--if sexual selection is affected by advertising, music, dress, the car one drives or even by the way one wears a baseball cap--they become as biologically significant as genes. Perhaps in Homo sapiens the backwards baseball cap is an ingenious design by the male chromosomes to attract females and allow the wearers to dominate the human genome. Developing a scientific epidemiology of something as ephemeral as the meme, however, seems daunting to say the least. And this is a shame for, as the world shrinks, the activity of homogenizing memes seems to be accelerating; and it would be nice to know who to blame for this emerging uniformity.
But if genes were lightning rods in the struggle between the �biology is destiny� school and liberal theory that advocates personal responsibility, memes have their own problems. By conceding that cultural constructs can to some extent oversee reality, the idea of memes seemed to confirm what opponents of socio-biology had been saying all along.
The debate between determinists and liberals might, however, have remained a �debate� had liberal thought not itself become more radical. Soon the debate turn into the �culture war,� the struggle between the �biology as destiny� school and the New Left and postmodern thought that began, with the influence of Heidegger, Foucault, Lyotard and others, to marginalize liberal thought. For postmoderns, science was a �metanarrative� or a cultural construct created by White Victorian Males. Biological determinism as set out by E. O. Wilson had always been opposed by liberal thought, but with the hegemony of the �New Left� and �political correctness� in academia, the conflict reached a new level of radiation. Part of the problem is that most biologists and scientists do not understand the Nietzschean/Heideggerian insight that in our non-algorithmic world science is just a �point of view� and thinkers in the humanities do not understand that all reality is not a �construct.�
One example of this lies in the way that memes and genes entered the age-old debate between those who see gender roles as natural and those who see those roles as the result of nurture; or, to use the modern jargon, those who see gender as �constructed� and essentialists who see it as biological. [27] Political correctness, of course, put socio-biology and its newest manifestation, evolutionary psychology, squarely in the cross hairs; for if biology or genetics explained behavior, one could not, as political correctness required, maintain that human nature is infinitely malleable and that genders were merely social constructs. The meme may, however, constitute a last minute reprieve; for if biology had been superceded by culture then gender roles are mere memes imposed by that culture. Erase offending memes and gender differences evaporate. �Poof!� [28]
Certainly there can be little doubt that feminist, gay, and lesbian activists have politicized biology, but it is also true they have brought into the open political implications that were already there when biology/science was� treated as divine wisdom. There is, in short, very little politically neutral or unsituated ground in biological matters.
Meme theory, however interesting from a cultural point of view departs from genetic determinism and has little support among most reductionists. Evolutionary psychologists like Richard Wright (The Moral Animal 1994; Non-Zero: The Logic of Human Destiny 2000), for example,� find a genetic base for gender differences and for all human psychology and activity. Evolutionary psychology, an outgrowth of socio-biology, argues that gender differences are a natural result of different male and female physiology. Since passing on their genes is relatively simple for males, males are, in every known society, far more promiscuous, polygamous, and adventurous than females. They have, in short, glutted the market and made sperm cheap and easy to find.
It is much more complicated, on the other hand, for females to pass on their genes. Sperm may be cheap, but eggs are few, far between, and must be carefully protected before and after fertilization. A less risky life is a necessity. Moreover, since there is no problem locating sperm, polyandry and promiscuity are infrequent among females. Indeed, for females, sexual active males are important only at the outset. The challenge is to keep them around afterwards for protection and opening jars.
It may have been Dawkins who first suggested the idea of memes, but it is Daniel C. Dennett who most developed it. Dennett is the Director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts and author of some ambitious works [The Intentional Stance, (1987); Consciousness Explained (1991)]; and recently, Darwin�s Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meaning of Life (1995). There is a similarity between Dennett and Dawkins that goes beyond their friendship. Like Dawkins, Dennett is a daunting thinker who sees in Darwinian thought a universal answer to questions that have plagued humanity from the beginning of thought; and like Dawkins, Dennett seems convinced that postmodern skepticism about the abilities of human reason is vastly overblown.
For Dennett, �natural selection� is a �universal acid,� an allusion to the child�s notion of an acid so powerful that it burns through everything--the beaker, the laboratory table, the floor, the building, the ground, the entire earth, and whatever else gets in its way. According to Dennett, the problem with natural selection is that the idea has been fire-walled inside biology. Dennett�s argument is that natural selection is �substrate neutral,� that is, it is a universal process that not only explains mutation but the development and progress of culture, politics, morality and everything else. If the corrosive power of natural selection were to be applied to society, politics, economics, the arts, morality, and everything else, it would explain the way improved varieties and species of all of these entities have emerged.
The power of explanation by natural selection, according to Dennett, has been stymied by what he dismisses as �skyhooks.� Skyhooks are natural laws, universals, and other pie-in-the-sky notions (Chomsky�s universal grammar particularly bothers him) dragged in to protect the idea of order or design in the universe. If such skyhooks are abandoned, it would be evident that outmoded and unfit elements are eliminated from our world by natural selection.
But, if I understand it correctly, Dennett�s universal acid provides the same kind of Superman rescue he condemns in religion, teleology, natural law and so on. Every universal, every Grund, he claims, is dissolved by natural selection--except his idea of progress through natural selection, a Grund that supports everything and leads to ever greater levels of perfection. And if he did not have faith in that acid as the engine of progress, Dennett would also be a postmodern philosopher plagued with doubt as everything dissolved--including his acid.
With natural selection spared, however, Dennett can bring order and design back, not from above or beyond, but from the ground up according to the �natural� engineering that he believes lies within the evolutionary process itself. If engineering is building things, then by a process Dennett calls �reverse engineering,� biologists can or should ask �why has natural selection built this organism this way?� Answering that question answers the only question that matters, the question that fascinated Leibnitz, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and many others: why is there something rather than nothing. The answer may, however, be chance, an answer that Nietzsche--but not Dennett--might like.
Several questions occur to me in reductionist genetics. The first is that the idea of �reverse engineering� seems to imply that the engine of evolution lies in an organism�s ability to �choose� better and better modes of gene replication. But how can one know that the 99.9% of all known species that are now extinct were less efficient reproducers and not simply unlucky? Most evolution at the molecular level is simply the result of genetic drift, the chance replacement of one gene with another slightly different but functionally equivalent gene. Why assume that such changes are anything other than the result of errors in DNA replication? The question of why a species� �engineers� things in a certain way seems to be like asking why a million typing monkey eventually produce whatever they produce. Even if they finally do reproduce Shakespeare�s works, no one would wonder �why� they typed his works instead of Tolstoy�s. In other words, if environment selects survivors and environmental change is random and unpredictable, why suppose that later species are any more adapted than earlier ones? Is the environment progressing too? Why not simply suppose that chance dictates which organisms emerge, which environment they will encounter, and who or what survives? [29]
Secondly, the assumption that everything is designed by natural selection, makes evolutionary biologists into creative writers whose purpose is to figure out what nature had in mind. In fact, all we know is what there is and very little about why it is. As Orr put it--in his italics--�evolutionary biologists thrive on creating adaptive stories where Design is least obvious.� After all, where is the glory in explaining why some new species of mite is brown (�it hides in dirt�)? The great challenge is to explain why some feature--whose Design is far from apparent--is actually adaptive and optimally Designed (�this enzyme is more common in mother than the fetus because...�).� [30] It is problems like this that put Dennett at odds with biologists who argue that aature�s designs are simply the blind product of the shuffling of the genetic dice. [31]
For Dennett, however, questioning whether there is purpose in natural selection is smoking-gun-evidence that one is a closet anti-Darwinian, maybe even a theist (a believer in �skyhooks�), rather than one who is raising legitimate questions about what we can know. To imply that human knowledge is limited, however, need not derive from a belief in original sin--however salutary that may be--or that one is a believer in divine purpose. It merely implies that the world is a pretty complicated and multidimensional place, a place too complicated for the certainties of algorithmic reason and the logos. It might be better, in other words, to treat nature as a force with a life of its own with which we can have a �conversation� but never completely know and master. Whatever one may feel about the excesses of postmodern thought, the weaknesses of the modern project and the notion of the omniscient and objective observer have all been glaringly pointed out by Foucault, Derrida, Heidegger, chaos theory, Prigogine and others.
Darwin�s Dangerous Idea, however, is not only a book about genes and extending the universal acid of natural selection to all human and social phenomena, but about explaining memes and their role in reproduction. As Dawkins noted, memes may well play a role in sexual selection, but there are also a lot of reasons to think that memes and genes are pretty dissimilar. In the first place, isolated memes--fads, ideas, etc--cannot reproduce and in any case few (as Dawkins points out) would say that ideas just because they stick around a long time or have lots of offspring are any more fit than those that do not. The flat earth advocates or Platygaeanists, after all, have a website and UFO and Elvis sightings are pretty common.
Most importantly, memes differ from genes because as memes spread they tend to produce homogenization throughout the population (blue jeans, the ubiquitous book packs of young travelers, new age air-head �philosophy,� popular �music�) whereas genes, precisely because they are genes, never blend. If they did natural selection would cease. Despite the fact that genes do not tend toward homogeneity, Dennett, like Dawkins, implies that memes have superceded genes as the primary force in natural selection. This seems to suggest that individual physiology or intellectual factors are less important in sexual selection in Homo sapiens than is conformity to the current culture of the herd. It is a fearsome thought.
However much Dennett empowers the meme and its ability to bind humans into a single tribe, when it comes to morality, he reverts back to genetics and his understanding of the genetic arrow in evolutionary theory. Far from emphasizing the eternal diversity that Mendelian genetics indicated, however, Dennett develops a kind of new age genetics that argues--to summarize--that because mothers nurse their young, siblings care for each other, and family and kinship relationships are stronger than relations between passengers on a bus, we are headed, as the globe shrinks, toward a huge family with a universal morality. All of this, he argues, is genetically based and programmed. One might make a genetic argument about gender differences, even about nursing mothers, and maybe about sibling behavior, but seeing the emergence of a global morality as genetically rather than culturally based seems a bit of a reach, to say nothing about its Brave New World dimensions.
A lot of Dennett�s ideas about memes and global morality are similar to those of the evolutionary psychologist Robert Wright. Most figures in evolutionary psychology tilt toward nature rather than nurture, that is, to use Dennett�s language, they make genes more important than memes. Wright takes this idea even farther arguing that there was from the beginning a kind of genetic �destiny� in evolution that leads toward more and more complex and tightly knit organic and social organisms and organizations. [32] It may be that social evolution is moving toward some kind of modern nightmare of tightly knit complexity, the McWorld of Benjamin Barber, but that this has anything to do with genetics seems suspicious to me.
For Dawkins and Dennett, and for that matter for Wright, the arrow of evolution seems to be straight forward. Everything has a purpose or a destiny. Genes and finally memes are the central focus of change and these forces seem to be converging toward a world-wide human ant farm or, as they say today, a �global village.�
PLURALISTS: By pluralists I mean figures like Stephen Jay Gould, Niles Eldredge, and Richard Lewontin. Pluralists dispute the idea that natural selection at the genetic level or at any other level supplies a complete explanation of evolution. They suggest other �things� are at work here and whatever they are--extrinsic elements like geological forces, climatic changes, collisions with asteroids-- they have made evolution a random and aimless affair. It may have produced man but could just as well have produced whistling sunflowers: no destination, no arrow of time, no point at all. Pluralists are, therefore, fond of emphasizing the large roles played by contingency and by the often accidental non-adaptive and even deleterious consequences that occur in some areas of an organism�s physiology when its overall morphology does adapt.
The conflict between reductionists like Dawkins on the one hand and Gould, Eldredge, and Lewontin on the other is probably the major battle in evolutionary theory today. The beginning of the conflict dates back a quarter of a century when Gould began to have doubts about whether gradualist microevolution, the very foundation of neo-Darwinism, was a sufficient explanation for the huge number of species that have existed since life began.
�According to the traditional view, species were in a constant state of evolution with microscopic changes occurring at an even rate for the entire taxa and over the entire geographic range of the species. The microscopic changes were a response to an environment that was itself constantly evolving and to which species had to constantly adapt. Species, in other words, were, like marbles rolling over the ground, in a state of constant adaptation to the environment. It followed that somewhere there was a fossilized record of these gradual changes and that any gap in that record� was simply a result of incomplete research that could at least in theory, be completed.
In 1972, Gould and Niles Eldredge introduced the idea of punctuated equilibrium, usually abbreviated as PE or, by its detractors, as �Punk Eek.� Punctuated equilibrium presented a revolutionary contrast to the traditional� view of �phyletic gradualistm.� What made PE exceptional was first that it suggested that the fossil record did not indicate a norm of gradual change. In fact, rather than change, the fossils indicated eons during which no morphological change occurred at all. Normality was not change but stasis.
Secondly, Gould and Eldredge suggested that these periods of stasis were suddenly �punctuated� by rapid speciation events produced by unpredictable mutations. Most mutations were neutral, occurring constantly without producing evident morphological changes. Then for some reason, a mutation produced really dramatic changes. The gaps in the fossil record, in other words, did not indicate �missing links� but the parenthesis between rapid speciation events. [33] Moreover, said Gould and Eldredge, whatever fossil record did exist was unlikely to ever be filled in, for it was subject to asteroids, earthquakes, geological, and climatic changes. [34]
Thirdly, Gould and Eldrege suggested that if morphological change was the result of a genetic mutation suddenly taking hold, then such a change could occur, in fact, was likely to occur in allopatric populations, but could also occur in sympatric populations. Rapid genetic mutation could occur anywhere at any time in large or small populations. All populations, even allopatric populations, remain in a period of stasis for millions of years despite their geographic isolation and even during extreme geological and climatic changes. Then, for very contingent reasons, speciation occurs. The idea that the fossil record was subject to chance, that eons could pass without morphological change, and that unpredictable mutations suddenly caused rapid speciation among allopatric and sympatric populations cast the whole notion of Darwinian gradualism into controversy. This opening of the door to chance, the enemy of all those who, like Dawkins believe everything can be known, was the great threat presented by punctuated equilibrium.
Along with punctuated equilibrium, Gould, Lewontin, and Eldredge are most famous for their strong endorsement of the aimlessness and deep contingency of evolution and of the consequent impossibility of seeing any direction in it. Richard Lewontin�s argument is illustrative. Lewontin�s hostility to reductionist genetics is well known and is pretty accessible in his cleverly entitled The Triple Helix: Gene, Organism, and Environment and It Ain�t Necessarily So: The Dream of the Human Genome and Other Illusions, [35] both strong attacks on the notion that DNA represents the equivalent of the Holy Grail in evolution and biology.
For Lewontin, there are multiple forces at work and it is simplistic to think that one can hold all these constant and just examine the genome. The complex and unpredictable way that gene, organism, and environment all interact and feed back into each other means that evolution could never be understood through mere genetics. Indeed, reason itself might not be able to grasp such contingencies because reason is limited to cause and effect processes that can be duplicated. According to Lewontin, cracking of the double helix can tell us a great deal about human disease, but genes are not mere blueprints for the organism. Knowing the nucleotide sequence of DNA does not tell us about the other parts of the cell, about the interaction of the genes with those other parts or with other cells. The view that DNA is the key to everything is a relic of modernity, a product of the view that the whole can be understood by taking it apart and putting it back together again. Instead, the organism, its neighboring species, and the environment are never constant but an ever evolving complex of �co-creation.�
Co-creation challenges any concept of �reverse engineering.� By putting contingency at center stage, it emphasizes not engineering but the miraculous. So many tiny and seemingly insignificant events had to occur to produce the present catalogue of critters that these conditions could never be occur again. The interrelatedness of species, the possibilities for variation, convertibility, and odd mutation, all facilitated by the crowding of the genetic material of all organisms into a tiny area of the DNA sequence, make it clear that any rerunning the evolutionary tape would produce a whole new symphony. There can be no �play it again, Sam� in this scenario. In Wonderful Life (1989) and Full House (1996), Gould argues that man is simply an accident, �a detail, not a purpose;� a �wildly improbable evolutionary event.� [36]
Gould�s argument is illustrated in his reading of the Burgess Shale in British Colombia�s Yoho National Park in the Canadian Rockies. This gold mine of Cambrian (550 million years ago) fossils was discovered in 1909 by Charles D. Walcott and is famous as a fossil storehouse of quite unique and bizarre organisms (the five-eyed Opabinia whose elephant-trunk has a giant claw at the end; the Anomalocaris, an arthropod-like predator; the Dinomischus, an animal that looks like a flower; and a host of other Cambrian flora and fauna) that went extinct even though they were well adapted, even better adapted than those that survived.
According to Gould, when Walcott discovered this mother-lode of fossils, he did not recognize their uniqueness and �shoehorned� them into early predecessors of contemporary phyla because that was the only thing that made sense in orthodox phyletic gradualism. In fact, again according to Gould, the Cambrian fossils were those of species that were wiped out by freakish events. And, more sobering, it could well have been our ancestors that went extinct rather than these weird creatures. In short, what occurs is not survival of the fittest, but survival of the luckiest, a prospect that takes all direction and purpose out of evolution. Indeed, it implies not only that if the evolutionary tape were run again, it would not produce man, but it makes one wonder how many times it has already been run. [37]
One of the most famous illustrations of the central role of contingency in evolution was suggested by Gould and Lewontin when they pointed out that not all aspects of a species physiology revealed adaptation. In fact, evolution seems, according to Gould and Lewontin, to have produced a lot of so-called �spandrels,� physiological accidents that serve no useful purpose to an organism and have no adaptive function. They were simply the accidental byproduct of some other mutation that might have served a useful purpose. Reverse engineering, in other words, was pointless because so many elements in the morphology of species were pointless.
To illustrate the point, in 1979 Gould and Lewontin presented to the Royal Society of London a now famous paper entitled �The Spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian Paradigm: A Critique of the Adaptationist Programme.� [38] The paper was an attempt to dislodge the prevailing orthodoxy which gave �near omnipotence [to] natural selection in forging organic design and fashioning the best among possible worlds.� Using examples from architecture and anthropology, the authors ridiculed evolutionary biology�s belief that every part of an organism was perfectly designed just as Voltaire�s Pangloss had argued �things cannot be other than they are...Everything is made for the best purpose. Our noses were made to carry spectacles, so we have spectacles. Legs were clearly intended for breeches, and we wear them.�
Gould is fond of drawing examples from literature, history, and other disciplines to illustrate biological points, a habit that distinguishes him from Dawkins. Here he and Lewontin elided Pangloss� vision of the world to the interior architecture of the cathedral in Venice. The authors discussed the way roughly triangular surfaces with great decorative potential had emerged at the top of the columns at San Marco when the architects erected the large dome-shaped roof. Since such a large dome would have looked absurd if it were just set atop the four columns like a lid on four sticks, the architects widened the top of the columns by flaring them out to the right and left and then erecting the roof-dome on the widened tops. Two roughly triangular surfaces or spandrels resulted at the widened tops of each of the four columns.
No one thought of in advance of creating a �spandrel.� It was the accidental byproduct--a �secondary epiphenomenon�--of erecting the dome. Yet the spandrels became the surfaces on which appeared the imposing mosaics of the four evangelists and below them, the Biblical rivers, Tigris, Euphrates, Indus, and Nile. A Panglossian reading of the spandrels would� conclude not that they were serendipitous but that they had been part of the best of all possible designs, created precisely for the evangelists. �Spandrels,� however, argued Gould and Lewontin, �do not exist to house the evangelists.� And like cathedrals, �organisms� must be seen as �integrated entities, not collections of discrete objects� all of which were designed to fit the whole. [39]
�The pluralist position has multiple ramifications beyond challenging biological monism. This should not be too surprising since to talk about evolution is already to talk about both things your mother told you should never be discussed at dinner: religion and politics. In the political realm, Lewontin�s and Gould�s argument that the products of evolution are a random, chaotic complex of genetics and environment [40] is grist for the mill of the politically correct position that human nature is constructed while others argue that Gould�s endorsement of contingency veers so closely to the miraculous that he aids creationism.
A still more intriguing issue that critics sometimes raise against Gould and Lewontin is the possibility that their biology is subordinate to their socialist-leftist politics, the anthropology of Franz Boas, and to the agenda of fellow travelers like Margaret Mead, Ruth Benedict, and Ashley Montague. [41] At base, lest anyone think debates in science are different than those in other fields, the conflict is over whether individuals and their history are a product of� biological determinism, nature, and science on the one hand or culture, nurture, and environment on the other.
The debate is not new. Recall that in the 19th century, many religious leaders who did not reject Darwin�s 1859 Origin of Species outright, incorporated it into their religion arguing that evolution was God�s plan for creation, his method of creating man. Never mind that it took several billion years before God got around to that main event, what evolution implied to these �progressive,� religious evolutionists was that if �survival of the fittest� was God�s ideal, then by God �social Darwinism� was God�s work in action. The exploitation of the weaker classes, races, and peoples was simply doing God�s work.
Horrified at the use of Darwinian science to justify such an interpretation of the survival of the fittest, Gould and Lewontin, so their critics allege, created punctuated equilibrium, an evolution complete with periodic bursts of revolutionary upheaval from below and with environment trumping genetics. PE, in other words, was not biology, but a way to advance the agenda of environmental determinism, cultural relativism, and to instill Marxism into academia, culture, and science.
Certainly Gould�s and Lewontin�s politics seem to intrude constantly and unnecessarily in their writings. And certainly one can see a parallel between Marxism and punctuated equilibrium. Gould has never denied his left wing biases or his participation in leftist organizations like Science for the People at Cambridge. But even if Gould and Lewontin got their biological theory from their political theory--or from the air or eating their vegetables--this does not mean the ideas are wrong. Planck supposedly got his idea of quanta from a dream about tiny insects.� Biological assertions require biological refutations. In any case, their argument that, since contingency is everywhere, humans can only make modest claims about evolution and history is not exactly the most obvious characteristic of Marxism. In summary, what stands out in the arguments of pluralists is their willingness to acknowledge how little we know and how large a role contingency plays in everything.
Many of Gould�s detractors also argue that he is tilting at windmills, that no one believes in teleological evolution anyway and that all acknowledge the contingency of evolution. I have no idea about the proportion of believers, atheists, and agnostics on this question, but it certainly seems that the common metaphor of evolutionary theorists is that of the ladder.
Secular Theorists of Constrained Evolution
By constrained evolution, I mean a teleological or directed evolution, the view that an intelligent species was somehow built into the things from the beginning. Theorists of constrained evolution like Robert Wright, Simon Conway Morris [42] at Cambridge, and, Denton argue--against Gould, Lewontin, and Eldredge--that evolution of intelligent life is not the result of a freakish coincidence. Asteroids do strike but on the whole the laws of nature constrain chance and provide, if not a design, at least an arrow to the evolutionary process. This �arrow� guides evolution from the simple to the complex, from a (relatively) simple bacterium to Homo sapiens or at least to some form of intelligent life.
If the pluralists are wrong to incorporate so much contingency, say the theorists of constraint, so too, are the reductionists like Dawkins wrong to promote simplistic arguments like the primacy of the gene. S. Conway Morris, a biologist (with a political message as well) provides an interesting introduction to this school of thought. Lamenting the relativistic fallout of Sausurre�s separation of res and verba and Derrida�s �poisonous ideas,� Morris aims at a middle ground between postmodern relativism and Gould�s contingency on the one hand and Dawkin�s simplistic reductionism on the other.
Morris certainly makes a good case for dismissing Dawkins on the grounds that recent research has shown that different morphologies and behaviors do not have a genetic cause. Indeed, so much genetic information is shared by all living creatures that we must conclude that the gene is only part of the mechanism of evolution, morphology, and behavior. [43] Morris� criticism of Gould, [44] however, seems less convincing, based on the idea--the faith--that Gould�s emphasis on extinct organisms and evolutionary cul de sacs is too one-sided. Such evolutionary dead ends were, according to Morris, really only stumbling blocks in a wider, progressive evolutionary process. In other words, where one organism fails to overcome a roadblock, another organism eventually succeeds. Gould, argues Morris, concentrates on the fate of particular organisms rather than on the process as a whole. If one looks at the whole process through the eons of time, says Morris, one finds that apparent roadblocks are really �convergences� along the evolutionary process, necessary junctions or crossroads through which organisms must pass in order to progress. Bursting through the convergences makes the arrow of evolution possible, or better, necessary.
This seems to me to be a metaphysical rather than a biological argument. It stems from Morris� conviction that postmodernism is just a fad that could--or should--be overcome if we only jumped outside the context and took a more objective point of view. But how does one jump out of a context that began with the Big Bang and still surrounds us? How can we know where it is going?
The essence of constrained theory is that the laws of physics, chemistry and biology impose a certain behavior on inorganic and only to a slightly lesser extent, organic material. This means that there are only certain permissible paths that matter can take as it evolves from the inorganic to organic. Evolution in this view is never reversed. It is always from the simple to the complex whether one is talking about the formation of basic elements or about organic material.
Stellar nuclear fusion begins--and must begin--by synthesizing complex elements of the universe out of the simplest atomic building blocks: Hydrogen, the lightest and most common element (90% of all atoms) is heated in the stellar furnace until it becomes helium (four hydrogen atoms); helium, the second lightest element� is then heated at extraordinary temperatures until it becomes carbon, (three helium nuclei or alpha particles), and then carbon is heated into oxygen and so on. Lighter elements always precede heavier ones so that there is a natural progression from hydrogen to carbon, the element that predominates in living organisms, the very basis of life. These elements, because they are the lightest and regularly share electrons to form strong double and triple bonds with each other, are the basic building blocks of the natural world.
Likewise, in organic evolution, the simplest organisms at the beginning are, it is said, transformed into later complex organisms. In short, the laws of physics and chemistry operating on the basic components constrain the course of development and �force� them toward complexity. And since thinking creatures are the most complex organisms we know, the simple-to-complex arrow made rational organisms of some sort very likely if not inevitable.
Though one can understand that stellar fusion proceeds from lighter simpler elements to heavier complex ones, I wonder why the same logic applies to much more complex organic procedures. In chaos theory complicated things go not only go from the simple to the complex, but from the complex to the simple.
Moreover, far from indicating the reassuring view that rational complex life was built into things from the beginning, this secularized version of the design argument seems to me to give one a disconcerting sense of just how delicate, precarious, and unlikely the whole process was. The universe had to have a certain size/age before life producing elements could evolve; the gravitational constant had to be just as it was for galaxies and stars to form; the stars had to live long enough and get hot enough to produce the basic elements; hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon had then to be shielded from the high energy ultraviolet waves that earlier had produced them; the planets had to be in certain orbits with respect to the sun; molecules had to remain stable once formed, and so on. To believe that these and the many other things that made the universe the way it is had evolve in this fashion rather than being a random result, seems an act of extraordinary faith. In short, the fact that everything is so tightly organized and interdependent, far from eliminating chance, seems to reenforce one�s suspicion that one tiny unexpected jolt could at any time have thrown the whole business into a tailspin--and still could. Such a jarring thought makes one understand why a Designer is so often invoked.
An arresting description of just how dicey the circumstances under which life is permitted in the cosmos is in John D. Barrow and Frank J. Tipler, The Anthropic Principle. [45] The anthropic principle is the principle that demonstrates the way everything in the universe is integrated to support human life. Tipler and Barrow particularly emphasize the crucial importance of carbon as the foundation of organic life. They make no appeal to a Designer, however. In fact, everything for them seems to result from chance and coincidence.
One of the most fascinating cases of believers in constrained evolutionary theory is that of Robert Wright, the author of The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology and Everyday Life (1994) and� Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny (2000). Wright believes that there is an arrow leading from �the primordial ooze to the world wide web� and thinks that Gould has overemphasized the flukier dimensions of evolution. This is particulary disturbing, says Wright (and others) because by hammering home the miraculous appearance of humans, Gould plays into the hands of creationists who also doubt that evolution could have produced human beings.
����� Non-zero is divided into two parts, �life� and �evolution.� Wright�s thesis in Non-Zero, at least in the first part (which is well over half the book), is not so much biological as sociological. To him human progress, ever and ever higher levels of it, is built into history. This progressive element stem from the fact that humans are naturally acquisitive and acquisition requires cooperation; and cooperation testifies to progress. For Wright, it is cooperation that leads to the agricultural revolution, the industrial revolution, and the information revolution. Each revolution leads to an increasingly complex and integrated society. Greater population density leads to--or it better lead to--greater levels of innovation. It is a non-zero game in which everyone wins and, as the world shrinks, no one will be left out of the game. Everything, it seems, work to this good end: overpopulation and even war are not, in the non-zero sum world, unmixed blessings for they too, require greater cooperation. [46]
������ Whether this rush to complexity and ever greater levels of integration is progress and not nightmare is certainly open to question. Many social theorists are not so sanguine about where things are going while still others challenge the orthodox conviction that the world is headed toward globalization and integration. For example, David Reynolds argues that there is a dialectical process of integration and division going on in the world. For every NAFTA, there are the counterexamples of the former Yugoslavia, the Muslin/Hindu time bomb in the Asian subcontinent, and so on. [47] In any case, it is not only that Wright ignores disintegration in favor of integration or that he ignores the fact that bad things like wars fuel the drive to integration that troubles me. It is rather that he does not see any darker side in the whole beehive he envisions at the end. [48]
������� In the last third of Non-Zero, Wright argues that there is a parallel between human evolution (progress in civilization) and biological evolution because biological evolution also evinces ever greater levels of complexity. According to Wright, biological evolution leads to diversity. The bacterium naturally becomes more and more complicated and this increasing complexity eventually leads to new organisms and eventually to organisms with large brains. [49] And large brained organisms survive best because they are better able to acquire things than simpler organisms. And once acquisition takes place, progress begins.
������� I don�t know if Wright�s arrow of evolution is better biology than Gould�s biology of roulette. It is certainly true that �life starts simple and gets more complicated.� Even the bacterium and the virus, as we unfortunately well know, seem to respond to danger and become more complicated. But I have a hard time seeing increasing complexity as anything but increasing complexity. Besides, if a simple bacterium, mysterious as it may be, is going to change at all, it obviously has a lot more possibilities for becoming more complicated than it does of becoming simpler.
�������� If Wright�s work is optimistic about the way evolution must go, it is nothing compared to Michael Denton�s Nature�s Destiny: How the Laws of Biology reveal Purpose in the Universe. [50] Denton is a fascinating case. In 1986, he wrote Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, a harsh criticism of the whole idea that evolution could answer the �enigma of life�s origin.� I have to say, I preferred that first book over the second, not because I doubt evolution or think that Denton had discovered a crisis, but because he raised a number of questions that biologists just don�t like to talk about.
Not the least of the questions raised in A Theory in Crisis appears in chapter eleven, entitled �The mystery of life�s origin.� Here Denton points out the fact that since science deals with repeatable phenomena--events that can be observed and tested again and again, occasionally even reproduced in the laboratory--and since as far as we know life exists only here on earth, there is no way to make scientific hypotheses about its origins. Such an endeavor would require many empirical observations of the spontaneous generation of the kind of life that exists here. Even the laboratory creation of organic material from inorganic could not prove that it was this route that led to life on earth. In short, to know, to know how this our order came about will probably always remain in the realm of the probable.
Indeed, as science moves more and more into issues like spontaneity, randomness, and chaos theory, it is finding that, at least at this level of inquiry, one is not doing traditional science but having a conversation with enigmatic nature. Sometimes nature responds openly, sometimes in an enigmatic way, and sometimes not at all. Hard evolutionists do not like to talk about such things because they think it fuels the fire of creationism. It may; but it is also true that a �science� of a �singularity� is a contradiction in terms.
A second question Theory in Crisis raised was the difficulty of distinguishing between �micro� and �macro� evolution. According to Denton, intermediate species did not exist and Darwin had extended an acceptable and rather trivial �micro� evolutionary theory of limited change (the most famous being the way the biston betularia moth changed its color from light to dark as the environment changed from rural to sooty industrial) into the �macro� world of speciation where the theory was unwarranted. Not all biologists, of course, agree on the distinction. Some argue that macro is just a lot of micro and others see the mechanism of speciation as quite different than that of microscopic change. Still, it is interesting to speculate how one could ever determine when a supposedly continuous process of microscopic change can be said to have generated a new species and when it resumed its journey, stopped again, spit out another species, and so on. Discussing �transition� species is, obviously, not something that can always be done with precision or proven and always runs the same danger of creative writing that Orr complained about in the realm of adaptation. [51]
Denton, of course, willingly or not, helped creationists [52] argue that micro evolution around a basic �type� or structure is all the evidence ever warranted and that to extend the theory into speciation, as Darwin did, was to take a �partial truth� too far. For the layman, it is probably best to leave the matter of how micro becomes macro open.
Denton�s new book, Nature�s Destiny,� is quite different. In this text, Denton accepts evolution. Indeed, he has become one of the greatest champions of constrained evolution. His claim, as the title implies, is that the evolution of human life is a natural process of self-organization that can be completely understood by human reason and is, therefore, a thorough refutation of creationist claims that special intervention was necessary. In short, far from being impossible, evolution was inevitable, comprehensible, and rational..
To claim that evolution is natural is not so novel; but to claim that it is completely accessible to reason and to do so after the postmodern or Heideggerian fallout seems positively daredevil. According to Denton, the origin of human life must be �viewed as something quite inevitable and built into the laws of nature from the beginning,� [53] What convinces Denton of this view is the fact that the thermal properties of water, the make-up of cells, the characteristics of carbon and all the elements of life synthesized in the interior of stars seem designed to sustain life in a certain way. The hub of the argument, however, it seems, is the DNA evidence.�One of the most surprising discoveries that has arisen in DNA sequencing,� he writes, �has been the remarkable finding that the genomes of all organisms are clustered together in a tiny region of DNA sequence space forming a tree of related sequences that can all be interconverted via a series of tiny incremental steps....The distance between man and chimp which seems so significant and obvious at a gross morphological level is trivial in DNA space.� [54]
In other words, it is the infinitesimal size of the DNA space that living organisms share that makes mutation possible and constitutes the case for the genesis from a single species. That is, of course, the heart of evolutionary theory. But Denton seems to me to take the argument too far, asserting that the DNA alphabet that produced the present catalogue of species was itself inevitable. It is true that in the double helix structure that characterizes DNA, the four base pairs always follow the same patter: cytosine always pairs with guanine and adenine with thymidine. But does the nucleotide alphabet have to be the way is? Why couldn�t the letters be arranged differently? To say that the sequence is what it is or we wouldn�t be here seems to be a tautological teleology that proves that if DNA did not do its job Watson and Crick wouldn�t have been around to discover the double helix. But the fact that we are here seems to me to prove only we are here not that this is the only way things could be.
There is, in other words, something too comfortable about Denton�s claim; for like most theorists of constraint, it implies an elimination of the random and chaotic but does not seem to give evidence for that elimination. Instead, what Denton provides is a kind of Aristotelian argument that the universe has a purpose or teleological end. It may: but this argument for it is unconvincing.
Denton�s new theory may not be religion, it may not even be metaphysics, but it is something like the design principle. He argues that �the basic thesis of this book is that the cosmos is uniquely fit for human existence.� [55] This is probably true, but it does not explain why the universe is not simply the result of some cosmic roulette game. How many times has this game been played with different results or with results that established some other form of life? Why anyway, in a cosmos supposedly designed for human life are there so many dangerous things out there like zooming asteroids, lethal cosmic radiation, and wily retroviruses. Why is there so much wasted or pointless energy? Why does the sun radiate in all directions? It would be ever so much more economical if sunlight just followed us around. How many empty galaxy mistakes are there out there in this anthropic cosmos anyway?
Moreover, relying on DNA sequencing doesn�t seem to me to be the most persuasive case for a definitive theory. Taxonomy has changed its measuring stick so many times and forced species to jump from one hoop to another so many times that I have to doubt that the new DNA measure will be anymore definitive than say cell structure or plain morphology was before. If Homo sapiens is 97% the same as the chimp when we look at the DNA sequences, it seems to me to indicate either that there is a lot more to making Homo sapiens than DNA or that this 3% must pack one hell of a wallop. My suspicion is that DNA is not the ultimate building block, but just one of a series of Chinese biological boxes which hold deeper mysteries inside.
A theory somewhat related to the constrained theory just describe is
Self-Organization Theory
Though self-organization theory or complexity theory as it is also called deals with evolution, it is primarily concerned with the origin of life from inorganic matter.� It is similar to constrained theory in its belief that some kind of intelligent life was to be expected. However, where constrained theory focus on the logical progression of things, self-organization theory emphasizes randomness and contingency. Complexity theory grew up in biology out of the study of non-linear dynamics in mathematics, physics, and chemistry and builds on the ideas of autocatalysis developed by Manfred Eigen and Ilya Prigogine.
Pluralist biologists like Gould, Eldredge, and Lewontin, as we have seen, emphasize extrinsic causes of evolution. Organisms are said to live in a constantly changing universe to which species must constantly respond. Complexity theorists, on the other hand, begin evolution with the intrinsic forces operating within an organism. Climatic and geological forces are important, but secondary. An organism must first be born, have a viable structure, survive the challenges of its local environment, and so on before it encounters the larger forces.
One aspect of this emphasis on the intrinsic is the study of the way that organization can arise from primordial disorganization. One might think of the way that ancient Greek or Christian myths explored the way a deity brought order out of chaos--except that in this case there is no deity. The process is entirely rational with chaos giving way to order through random autocatalysis. The idea is relatively new and attracted attention in 1967 when Manfred Eigen won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his work on autocatalytic set theory and again in 1977 when Ilya Prigogine won the same prize for his study of non-linear dynamics in dissipative systems.
What makes self-organization out of disorder surprising is that, at least in conventional physics, such a thing is very unlikely. According to the second law of thermodynamics, things run downhill, not up. There is some question about whether the second law is a law or just a statistical probability, but certainly entropy is the norm. Disorder does not normally decrease but gets worse. Systems, bodies, engines, and so on do not get more efficient with time. There is no known explanation for the spontaneous appearance of order out of disorder, let alone for the appearance of increasingly complex versions of order. Someone compared the sudden appearance of order from disorder to a tornado blasting through a landfill and assembling a Mercedes-Benz. It is for this reason that theorists hypothesize the existence of hidden �strange attractors.�
An attractor is a point in space. An easy metaphor for an ordinary attractor is the way a magnet or the solar system controls the behavior of metal filings or planets. More complex examples occur in dissipative systems where energy is lost causing new patterns to constantly emerge in space. For example, a dissipative attractor would be the point in the bottom of a hemispherical bowl that attracts a marble spinning around the side; or the point that attracts a swinging pendulum into eventual submission at six o�clock.
A �strange attractor� is different because it is not a fixed point and does not produce stability. Rather, it moves in a fractal pattern with infinite variation but always in a fixed space. This produces patterns like the variety in snowflakes. No one knows how many such attractors there might be, but one could suppose that a strange attractor accounts for the ever varying formations of groups of birds, schools of fish, traffic patterns, the rivulets of a waterfall, the fluttering of a leaf, or the weather. It is thought that biological systems of self-organization might be attracted to several attractors so that the organism changes or iterates through time.
A related dimension of self-organization of chemical systems is the principle of auto-catalysis where a random soup of chemicals, without any external stimulus, spontaneously interacts to generate a new chemical which then interacts with the preceding system to produce still other interacting chemicals or systems. The result is, or can be, a cascade of spontaneous and utterly unpredictable �births� of new evolving agents or organisms. The end result of this autocatalytic process may be unpredictable, but it is nonetheless rational and the result of comprehensible laws of nature--but only in retrospect. The process does not, in other words, lend itself to algorithmic reduction. For many in self-organization theory, the primary causal agent for change in the organism is an internal attractor. Natural selection (another attractor?) plays a secondary or complementary role.
�������� When one thinks about the complex interaction of proteins, enzymes, amino acids, peptides and so on in a living organism as self-organizing systems dancing to their own rhythm while interacting with the evolving environment, scientific �prediction� goes out the window. This is pretty dramatic stuff and not the kind of things--disorder leading to order, randomness, unpredictability, self-generation--that hard evolutionists want to talk about. It means mystery has reappeared and science was supposed to end all that.
The miraculous and the mysterious may be inexplicable, but the response to it by many scientists has been quite predicable. They deny that such events exist and insist that there is some hidden variable that will make randomness disappear. They may, of course, be right, but I doubt it. Science has operated for so long in the rational paradigm where everything has an answer and closure is just a matter of removing ignorance, that the logos has become a kind of deity whose only support or proof is that using it in the past has worked. At least it worked in certain places. Complexity theory or chaos theory argues, however, that there are dimensions of reality or nature that are too complicated for anything as simple as algorithmic or mechanical reason.
Though complexity theory is lauded by many theorists, Gould and Lewontin among them, the dean of complexity theory is Stuart Kauffman, author of Origins of Order: Self Organization and Selection in Evolution [56] and At Home in the Universe: the Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity. [57]
������� Kauffman�s autocatalytic set theory is heavy going for the laymen, involving computer simulations of �chemical�automata that are assigned numbers (known as Boolean functions [58] ) and then let loose to interact by chance. The simulated interaction of this prebiotic soup of chemicals (automata) is unprogrammed and random. There is no way of knowing which chemicals (automata) are necessary for life to begin nor can one calculate or control which automata catalyze with each other. But at a certain point, the system often crosses a tipping point, becomes stable, and acquires a life of its own.
No DNA is involved here and no natural selection. It is simply an autocatalytic generation of life and DNA comes later. This theory challenges the standard model of Darwinian gradualism and of genetic reductionism. Life does not emerge fractionally over time, but like Botticelli�s Venus, at a certain point it springs full blown from the sea of chemicals.
It is no wonder then that Kauffman draws the ire of those who, like Dawkins, hold a monochromatic view of evolution. At the same time, of course, Kauffman annoys creationists because his theory does not mean that Homo sapiens had to evolve, but only that some form of life would evolve. Given a sufficient number of chemicals in the soup, some kind of metabolism will eventually occur.
There is, of course, no proof that this is the way life originated. Gradualists like Dawkins maintain that life evolved piecemeal. Nonetheless, Kauffman�s successful simulation certainly indicates that Darwinian theory may not provide a complete explanation of cells, organisms, and ecological systems.
If Kauffman attracts a lot of criticism from creationists who do not understand why he will not say that self-organization results from design, he also is in conflict with the pluralists because he does not believe that the emergence of intelligent life was a freakish happenstance. Like Wright and others, Kauffman shares the anthropic view that some kind of intelligent life had to evolve from the initial chemical soup produced by the �Big Bang.� As he put it in At Home in the Universe, humans or at least some form of intelligent life, are, because of the laws of complexity, �expected [and] at home in the universe.�
The only thing that bothers me in Kauffman�s autocatalysis is this bias toward intelligent life. If a random mix of chemicals can unpredictably generate life, why cannot the process also at a later time degenerate just as unpredictably? In chaos theory in physics, orderly systems appear from nowhere and disappear into the same place.
In any case, if complexity theory is correct, and if I understand it correctly, the implications for a rational theory of evolution are not promising. However much life might be necessitated in the original chemical broth, the particular form of life that evolved was random. Moreover, since each evolving organism interacts with and produces an effect on all other organisms, and all these organisms interact with and produce effects on the environment, there seem to be a near infinite number of possible courses for evolution to take. Chance, once thought to have been banished from the modern world, seems to lurk everywhere.
I ought to arrive at a conclusion here, but I�m not sure what it would be. I have a hard time accepting the idea that there is an intelligent design to this world of tragedy and just as hard a time accepting any reductionist view of its cause. Kauffman�s theory of intrinsic autocatalysis and contingency combined with Gould�s view of the forces of extrinsic contingency seems the most intellectually satisfying. Certainly Philip Johnson raises all the moral implications of accepting the meaninglessness of things, but accepting intelligent design just to avoid the Nietzschean abyss seems too artificial.
[1] In some sense, of course, paleontology was an age old discipline. Ancient Greeks like Anaximander, Xenophanes, and Herodotus had suggested that the discovery of marine fossils in inland areas indicated that the earth�s geography varied in time. And, in the eighteenth century, Georges Cuvier and George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon had used fossil evidence to suggest that the age of the earth was much longer than tradition had held. Nonetheless, modern paleontology only began to emerge when Darwin suggested that there was a relationship between physical/climatic changes and the� morphological change of plants and animals.
[2] Darwin referred to the idea in chapter VIII ( �Principles of Sexual Selection�) of� Descent of Man, under the subsection, Laws of inheritance. A fuller account is in The variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication, 2 vols. (London: 1868), reprint (New York: AMS Publishing, 1972).
[3] Origin of Species, Chapter V on �Laws of Variation,� subsection Effects of the Use and Disuse of Parts, as Controlled by Natural Selection, in Darwin, Vol. 49 of Great Books of the Western World, ed. Robert Maynard Hutchins, (Chicago: Encyclopedia Brittanica, 1952), p. 66.
[4] Genes are infinitesimal particles of DNA on the chromosomes of the cell. Stretched out and unwound, however, genes become yard-long molecules with a twisted ladder-like �double helix� shape. The rungs of the ladder join the two sides in a set of base pairs (bps) made up of one of four nucleotides, adenine, guanine, thymine, or cytosine, usually abbreviated as A, G, T, or C. This �alphabet,�with its near infinite number of base pair combinations and positions on the long molecule, is the genetic code. As with any piece of real estate, the key element of a gene is location, location, location; and for this reason genes are often referred to as specific loci on the double helix. For living organisms, these loci are all in very close proximity, with nearly all living organisms from worms to Homo sapiens sharing an unnerving number of genes. The genes provide instructions or codes for amino acids which build the proteins that manufacture parts and provide instructions for the functions and organs of the body.
[5] Ernst Mayer and William B. Provine, The Evolutionary Synthesis: Perspectives on the Unification of Biology, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1998).
[6] Most genes come in pairs (are �diploid�), one from each parent, but the body also makes the germ cell or gamete which contain only half the necessary information (are �haploid�) and acquire the other half from the sperm or egg of the other parent. When the two haploid genes differ, as for example in eye color, the result is an allele, an alternative form of the gene. Where there are alleles, the dominant prevails over the recessive. As it matures, a body cell becomes a new body cell following the instructions of the genetic code in each cell. The organism, therefore, is the result of these genes and alleles. If a coding mistake occurs, natural selection normally eliminates it.���
[7] Unlike most abstract theoretical problems or controlled laboratory experiments, nearly all practical problems in the real world involve uncertainty. Stochastic programming is an effort to develop practical procedures for operating in an uncertain and unpredictable world. Such programming often employs computerized random number generators and is often used in non-linear theories with many variables. An example is demographics where climate, geography, predation, disease, and so on make prediction dicey. Stochastic is used more and more in theories of evolution, environment, finance, politics, in short, everywhere except in the realm where most academics dwell.. In the political realm, perhaps the most famous catalogue of such practical procedures, in politics would be Machiavelli�s Prince.
[8] But some recent research has indicated quite the opposite, that is, the greater the size of the population, the greater the chance of fixation. See, for example, Jeffrey McKee, The Riddled Chain: Chance, Coincidence, and Chaos in Human Evolution, (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2000), pp. 234ff.
[9] Though de Vries continued to use the term �pangene,� it may well have been because of his work that the term was abandoned ( a suggestion of W. L. Johannsen (1857-1927) in favor of �gene�which did not have the �blending� and �continuous variation� baggage of the former term.
[10] In the first place, mutant alleles are often quickly eliminated. Some researchers even argue that sexually active females become pregnant during every menstrual cycle and then naturally and unobtrusively abort because the fetus is a mutant. Second, aside from being quickly eliminated, mutant alleles are often recessive and do not announce themselves until the allele of an individual many generations later is joined by a reprint of the mutant. Thirdly, many researchers argue that most mutations are neutral, invisible, and never have any effect. Others argue that a mutant allele may not produce any effects unless it happens to be near another �trigger allele� on the DNA molecule. And if all this is not enough, the phenotypical result of a mutant allele may vary in individuals and mask its origin. For these reasons and many others, many if not most laboratory mutation experiments are performed on relatively �simple� haploid bacteria. This may help us understand the way, say an antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria has mutated, but it is still for off from the more complicated studies of human mutation.
[11] Allopatric implies separation because of a� physical (glacial, volcanic, etc), A similar concept is known as peripatric which describes species at the periphery of a population but not separated physically.
[12] Populations can also be isolated because they have adapted to some local habitat and are called parapatric.
[13] There is, obviously,� a large investment in the theory of gene drift here for without it, speciation becomes more difficult to explain. Still, some do question whether gene drift actually exists. Perhaps genes lie dormant in a large population and then for some reason appear, become fixed in some individuals who then breed and produce a new species. Such a notion would involve sympatric speciation, that is the evolution of different species from one population rather than many isolated ones. Sympatric speciation is out of favor, but the etiology of a new allele is no easy thing to track down. The unknown already plays so large enough role in the macro world of tracing individual genealogies back through missing, damaged, records, adoptions, the subterfuges of the unfaithful wife, (the so-called �milkman effect�) and so on, that it is difficult if not impossible to really know the source of an allele. And when one enters the microscopic world, things become even more complex. Consider only the possible problem raised by some researchers of �polymorphism,� that is the existence in an individual of multiple functionally equivalent alleles, anyone one of which could take command in the offspring. Polymorphism allows for variation in such things as eye color, blood type, hair color, stature as well as exotic morphologies. How is one to know whether the appearance of an odd allele in the past occurred because of gene drift, gene flow, or had simply been dormant in a polymorph for a long period?
[14] Scientific American, for example, refused Phillip Johnson, Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, the right to respond to a hostile review of his Darwin on Trial by Stephen Jay Gould. See editor�s note, to Phillip Johnson,�The Real Issue: The Religion of the Blind Watchmaker,� Origins, cited from the net, February 25, 2001. Www.origins.org/real/ri9203/watchmakr.html.
[15] Robert Wright, �The Accidental Creationist: Why Stephen Jay Gould is bad for evolution,� New Yorker, December 13, 1999.
[16] �The Cheshire Cat�s DNA,� New York Review of Books, (December 21, 2000), p. 46.
[17] (New York: Vintage, 1995; orig, 1994)
[18] See for example, George C. Williams, Natural Selection: Domaines, Levels, and Challenges (1992), [a defense of the gene as the primary vehicle of selection],� Adaptation and Natural Selection, (1966) [his defense of evolution as occurring individual organisms rather in entire groups] J. Maynard Smith and Eors Szathmary, Origins of Life: From the Birth of Life to the Origins of Language, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999) which is a layman accessible revision of the earlier Major Transitions in Evolution; the famous geneticist, Seymour Benzer [on Benzer, see J. Weiner, Time, Love, Memory A great Biologist and His Quest for the Origins of Human Behavior, (New York: Knopf, 1999)]; Edward O Wilson, Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, (Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1975); On Human Nature, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978); Biophilia, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1984),� The Diversity of Life, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992); Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, (New York: Knopf, 1998); and Dawkins, The Selfish Gene, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1976); The Extended Phenotype; �(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1982); The Blind Watchmaker. (New York: Norton, 1986) and Unweaving the Rainbow. (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1998).
[19] Adaptation and Natural Selection (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1966)
[20] Richard Dawkins, �Human Chauvinism,� review of Stephen Jay Gould� Full House in Evolution (vol. 51, 1997, no. 3 cited from the net February 26, 2001. www. world-of-dawkins.com/fullhouse.html
[21] See for example his �Postmodernism Disrobed,� Nature 394, (July 9, 1998), pp. 141-143.
[22] Richard Dawkins, �Sociobiology: the debate continues,� review of Steven Rose, Leon J. Kamin, R.C. Lewontin, Not in Our Genes:Biology, Ideology, and Human Nature in New Scientist (24 January, 1985), cited from net waw. world-of-dawkins.com/notinourgenes.html
[23] See for example the Dawkins interview �Richard Dawkins on Evolution and Religion,� with Ben Wattenberg on the PBS program Think Tank, aired November 8, 1996. The interview is on line and can be found www.world-of-dawkins-.com/thinktnk.html.
[24] See his review of Steven Rose, Leon J. Kamin, R.C. Lewontin, Not in Our Genes: Biology, Ideology, and Human Nature (London: Panthoen, 1985) in New Scientist 24, 1985) www.world-of-dawkins.com/notinourgenes.html
[25] �What Your Genes Reveal About You,� The Independent, (February 24, 1997), p 15.cited from the net www.world-of-dawkins.com/what-your-genes-reveal.html
[26] Richard Dawkins, Free Inquiry, Summer 34-41 (1993) cited from the www.santafe.ed/~shalizi/dawkins/viruses-of-the-mind.html
[27] Simply exploring the parameters of this superheated debate could occupy a warren of graduate students for a decade and I will just hint at some of the dimensions. At the simplest and perhaps the most sane level, there is the debate between those who believe there is a human nature that scripted more by biology than culture and those who hold that culture to some extent can trump biology. As one moves farther to the extremes of this debate, suspicions rise about cultural relativism, the supposed absence of biological gender differences, the work of Franz Boas, Margaret Meade, and Ashley Montagu, and, entering areas where angels fear to tread, ponder the genetics of� race and homosexuality, At the other end of the spectrum, the defenders of culture deny that a human nature exists at all, see no biological gender differences, denounce Darwin as a White Victorian Male, and dismiss biology as epiphenomenal. Generally, but not always, the debate is between liberals who defend cultural relativism, environmental determinism, and human malleability and conservatives who believe in human nature, more or less absolute values, and doubt the possibility of� human melioration.
This �culture war� became a hot war after Alan Sokal, troubled by fashionable postmodern attacks on science, succeeded in having a nonsense article (�Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards� a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity�) published in Social Text 46/47, Spring/Summer, 1996, pp. 217-252), a journal associated with elites like Fredric Jameson and Andrew Ross. He then revealed the hoax in �A Physicist Experiments with Cultural Studies,� Lingua Franca (May/June 1996), pp. 62-64. In the biological world, the spectrum runs from more dogmatic biological determinists like E. O. Wilson and David Barash, to figures like Steven Pinker, Robert Wright, Daniel Dennett, Dawkins who (reluctantly) allow for some input by culture, to more middle grounders like Paul Gross and Norman Levitt who make a sensible case for the scientific perspective, Gould, Lewontin, Barbara Ehrenreich, and Ruth Hubbard who see the Holy Grail of the Human Genome as a fantasy but accept certain biological parameters in gender differences, to, on the other side, philosophers of science like Bruno Latour� who really do understand that a lot of what passes for science is in fact constructed, feminists who deny biological differences between the genders, and fringe elements who deny the existence of DNA.. The attack on science is so strong that some, even from the left, view it as a kind of creationist flat earth opposition. See, for example,� Barbara Ehrenreich and Janet MacIntosh, �The New Creationsts: Biology Under Attack,� The Nation, June 9, 1997; and Patrick Sand, �Left Conservatism,� Nation, (March 9, 1998). The polemic between socio-biology and the politically correct view that human nature is a construct is strewn all over the popular and scientific literature. For some of the more provocative literature on both sides, see the various debates on Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray, The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1994), for example, the two reviews by the evolutionary psychologist Thomas J. Bouchard on the one hand and the liberal Donald D. Dorfman in Contemporary Psychology, vol. 40, no. 5, (May 1995). Important literature on the socio-biological side is Matt Ridley, The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature (New York: MacMillan, 1994); The Origins of Virtue:Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation, (New York: MacMillan, 1997) Steven Pinker, The Language Instinct (New York: Harper Collins, 1994); How the Mind Works, New York: Norton, 1997); Anne. Moir and David. Jessel, Brain Sex: The Real Differences Between Men and Women, (New York: Dell, 1991).On the other side, see Ann Fausto-Sterling, Myths of Gender (1992); Jerome Kagan, Three Seductive Ideas, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1999)
[28] The dust has not settled yet on this issue, however, for some argue that only �traditional� gender roles are imposed. Homosexual behavior, according to politically correct biology, is genetic; and fleet-of-foot biologists and other scientists in that camp have set to work to find examples of homosexuality all over the animal kingdom. See, for example, Bruce Bagemihl, Animal Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity, (New York: St. Martins, 1999); Noreen O�Conner and Joanna Ryan, Wild Desires and Mistaken Identities:Lesbianism and Psychoanalysis, (London: Virago, 1993). The political nature of sexual dissidence is discussed in� Johnathan Dollimore, Sexual Dissidience: Augustine to Wilde, Freud to Foucault, (London: Clarendon, 1991)
[29] According to the late Motoo Kimura for example, a species� evolution or survival has nothing to do with its designing an increased reproductive ability but is a result of simple chance. The Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1983).
[30] H. Allen Orr, �Dennett�s Strange Idea,� review of Dennett�s Darwin�s Dangerous Idea, (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1996). cited from the net March 22, 2001 www.polisci.mit.edu/bostonreview/BR21.3/Orr.html
[31] This does not deny that survival to a reproductive age is aided by sound engineering. It simply means that the engineering is the blind product of trial and error and �sound� only so long as all others things remain equal, in other words, for a very short time. Francois Jacob has a witty and deep book on this subject. See, Of Flies, Mice, and Men, trans. Giselle Weiss, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1999)
[32] Three Scientists and their Gods: Looking for Meaning in an Age of Information (which won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1988) and The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology and Everyday Life (which according to the New York Times was one of the �best books� of 1994) and most recently, Non-Zero: The Logic of Human Destiny (2000).
[33] Recent research with E.coli bacteria may have confirmed such rapid speciation. See, S. F. Elena, V. S. Cooper, and R. E. Lenski, �Punctuated Equilibrium Caused by Selection of Rare Beneficial Mutations,� Science Magazine, No. 5269, Vol. 272, (June 21, 1996),
[34] Moreover, such events can, according to taphonomists who study the process of fossilization, preserve or hinder (or utterly destroy) fossils or, certain parts of organisms. Moreover, since harder parts of an organism fossilize more easily than softer, the record is by nature spotty.
[35] Both texts, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2000
[36] Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History, (New York: Norton, 1989), p. 291
[37] The Crucible of Creation: The Burgess Shale: The Burgess Shale and the Rise of Animals (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989). On the other hand, to biologists like Simon Conway Morris, argue that the underlying structure of the creatures of the Burgess fit into or between known phyla quite well and only diverge superficially or when viewed carelessly. Likewise, Dawkins notes that the fact that 550 year-old fossils are not congruent with modern phyla does not mean that they were not closely related 550 million years ago.
[38] Originally in 1979 and now in Conceptual Issues in Evolutionary Biology, (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1984) pp. 581-598.
[39] Pp. 582-5. Though the point about evolution seemed valid, Dennett could not resist attacking it in Darwin�s Dangerous Idea where he said a spandrel was really a pendentive and was intentional anyway.
[40] See, for example, Richard Lewontin, Stephen J. Rose, and Leon J. Kamin, Not in our Genes: Biology, Ideology, and Human Nature,� (New York: Random House, 1984); Lewontin, Human Diversity, (Boston: Scientific American Library, 1995).and, most recently, Lewontin, The Triple Helix: Gene, Organism, and Environment, (2000)
[41] Gould�s and Lewontin�s debt to Marxism is well known. See for example the preface to Gould, Full House, Lewontin and Richard Levins, The Dialectical Biologist, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1985). Discussions, critiques, and an astonishing trip through biology as� Marxism, subversion, Semitism, anti-Semitism, class warfare, egalitarianism, and a half-dozen other �isms� can be found in Dennett, Darwin�s Dangerous Idea, (1995), in the works of and reviews of Kevin MacDonald, The Culture of Critique: An Evolutionary Analysis of Jewish Involvement in Twentieth-Century Intellectual and Political Movements, (Westport CN: Greenwood Press, 1998) Michael Ruse, �Transcript: Speech by Professor Michael Ruse,� to the American Academy for the Advancement of Science at the Symposium �The New Antievolutionism,� (Feb. 13, 1993,) from the net on July 1, 2001 at� www.leaderu.com/orgs/arn/orpages/or151/mr93tran.htm.� All of this barely scratches the surface of this debate.
[42] The Crucible of Creation: The Burgess Shale and the Rise of Animals, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999)
[43] See chapter one of The Crucible of Creation
[44] See Chapter 8 of The Crucilbe of Creation
[45] (Oxford:Oxford University Press, 1988)
| Richard Dawkins |
First made in 18th century France, a bergere (correctly bergère, confusingly meaning shepherdess), is what type of furniture? | In the News: Oh My Darwin! Who's the Fittest Evolutionary Thinker of Them All?: Schwartz, James
Who's the Fittest Evolutionary Thinker of Them All?
by James Schwartz
As the featured speaker at the twentieth annual Darwin festival at Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts, Harvard professor Stephen Jay Gould is lecturing to a packed auditorium--not only professional biologists and students but also retirees and blue-collar workers. It is the birthday of both Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin (who happened to be born in the same year as well as on the same day), and Gould is talking about American history. Stocky and clean shaven, with a plump baby face and thick graying hair, he wears a tie in honor of the occasion but no jacket. He is unfolding bit by bit what he calls his Back to the Future theory of history, his belief that hundreds of chance occurrences got us where we are today. If Robert E. Lee's second in command hadn't misunderstood his orders, Gould suggests, the South might have won the Battle of Gettysburg, and then the war, and we might still be a divided country. He's building up to his central theme: that history is unpredictable and serendipitous, that human existence arose by chance, and that life, intelligent or otherwise, is devoid of any special significance in the larger scheme of things.
Toward the end of his rhythmic, free-form lecture, Gould pauses in mid-sentence. He has noticed that one person in the crowd of nearly a thousand is quietly leaving through a back exit. "Don't you want to hear the last ten minutes?" he cries out in obvious distress. "I don't mean to be arrogant about my status, but most of these folks you have all the time. Me you only got for a little while."
Such pugnacity is hardly surprising to Gould's numerous admirers and critics. For years, he has been an aggressive voice of reason in the argument against creationism and other varieties of pseudoscience. But Gould, who seems to thrive on controversy, is also entangled in a battle with a school of fierce anti-creationists called evolutionary psychologists, who believe that human nature is largely mapped out in our genes. Most recently, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology psychology professor Steven Pinker has been responsible for generating public interest in evolutionary psychology (EP). Not only does Pinker have a gift for the clear expression of complicated ideas, but, with his good looks and stylish clothes, he knows how to get media attention. His first book, The Language Instinct(1995), was an engaging discussion of the nature of language and its evolution. In 1997, Pinker's How the Mind Works appeared to great fanfare and quickly became a national best-seller.
The disagreement between Pinker and Gould is the latest variation on the old nature-versus-nurture debate that has been raging for centuries. The most recent skirmishes date back to the 1970s, when sociobiology, a new discipline dedicated to explaining social behavior in biological terms, was catapulted into the limelight. Gould became a leading early critic of sociobiology, penning eloquent disquisitions on the ability of humans--not their genes--to determine their own fate. But in the 1980s, molecular biologists began identifying more and more genes involved in human diseases and behavior. Sociobiology once again gripped the public imagination, but this time under the name of evolutionary psychology--sociobiology with a relentless focus on human psychology.
The argument between evolutionary psychologists and their critics centers on elemental mysteries of human nature. It is about the sort of tough questions that kids ask--Why are some people bad? Why do some breeds of dogs kill squirrels, and can they be taught not to?--as well as some more adult concerns: Are older men genetically programmed to abandon their longtime wives and take up with younger women? To what extent is intelligence, sexual preference, or the capacity to nurture mapped out in our genes? How deeply entrenched is the hatred and distrust of warring ethnic groups throughout the world?
There is a certain poetry in the fact that Gould's office is located in Harvard's venerable Museum of Comparative Zoology, founded in 1859 by Louis Agassiz, its first director and Harvard's last creationist. The walls of Gould's office bear the names of the animal classes, the letters visible in faded black paint dating from the days when the room was still an exhibition hall. The office itself is the size of a basketball court, filled with crowded bookshelves and tables piled high with the great diversity of the world Gould celebrates in his writing. This is the perfect Gould habitat, sprawling and packed with stuff.
A brilliant essayist and lecturer, Gould is the most popular science writer in America, which is remarkable because he engages serious ideas and draws from a rich store of knowledge of literature and history. In addition to half a dozen books, Gould has published nine collections of the essays he's been writing for Natural History over the last twenty-five years. He thinks of himself as a scientist in the tradition of Galileo, who was unusual in his time for writing in Italian, the language of the people, rather than Latin, which was then the norm for serious scientific discourse. He is still troubled by the fact that his friend the late astronomer Carl Sagan was denied entrance to the National Academy of Sciences. "Scientists will say, 'he was a popular writer but also a good scientist,'" Gould complains. "The but has to be changed to an and."
Gould himself has been the object of a fair amount of sniping over the quality of his science. His theory of punctuated equilibrium--the idea that sudden rapid changes in evolutionary history are followed by long periods of relative stability--has a limited following among his colleagues. Gould proposed his theory--sometimes called jerky evolution--as an alternative to the classical theory of slow, continuous evolution. A Gould antagonist, Richard Dawkins, the English evolutionary biologist responsible for the term "selfish gene," has been known to refer to the theory of punctuated evolution as "evolution by jerks." In his most recent book, Unweaving the Rainbow(1998), Dawkins characterizes Gould as a guy who's been "seduced by bad poetry."
Whereas Gould prefers to see human behavior as a complex and unpredictable interaction of culture, and a highly pliable set of genetic potentials, EPists have little patience with such a wishy-washy notion. They prefer to break down human psychology into a set of "complex adaptations," specific traits exquisitely suited to perform their functions, in the often repeated mantra. To EPists, it is a given that everything complicated and interesting about animals, and humans in particular--ranging from the way we find mates, to the working of the eye, to the ability to detect cheaters in social interactions--is the result of the long, slow, incremental process of Darwinian natural selection.
"You can't have a parent without an eye and an offspring with one," Pinker explains to me. "It's all gradual and Darwinian." We are sitting at the dining room table in his newly renovated condo a few blocks north of Harvard Square. The apartment, like Pinker's understated dark dress shirt and black jeans, is up-to-the-minute and impeccable. Every counter and surface is shiny and clear; there's not a stray magazine or envelope in sight. It's the kind of home that makes you suspect that there must be a back room where all the mess is stored.
The eye is the classic example of a complex adaptation. As Pinker explains it, an animal picks up a random mutation for a clearer lens, which makes it better able to avoid predators and find mates than animals with less clear lenses. This individual will give rise to offspring with better eyes, and over the course of generations, animals with clearer lenses will take over the population. At some point down the line, one of these animals may acquire another random mutation, this time for a rounder eyeball, which enables the eye better to focus images. In this way, mutation by mutation, over hundreds of generations, the multiple components of a complex function are acquired.
For Gould, it is Pinker's insistence on natural selection as the only valid scientific explanation for the origin of complex animal behaviors that is so galling. Although Gould acknowledges the importance of natural selection, he believes that the EPists have failed to appreciate other principles of evolutionary change such as random genetic drift, catastrophic events, and the constraints of basic laws of form. Furthermore, he contends, by identifying a genetic origin for many complex human behaviors, the EPists would have us believe that human behaviors are far more entrenched and immutable than they really are. Whereas Pinker argues that all of our complex mental functioning has been crafted over thousands of generations by natural selection to achieve a particular end, Gould believes that human attributes as basic as language may be accidental.
It was a British graduate student named Bill Hamilton who in the early 1960s had the insight that leads directly to Pinker's view of the human mind. Believing he'd forfeited his chance for a Ph.D. from London University by pursuing his heretical approach to the study of altruism, Hamilton sat for hours in train stations and public gardens to relieve the loneliness of his student rooms. While he sat, he mulled over a startling new idea, which he later named the theory of inclusive fitness.
Today, Hamilton is a tall, white-haired man of sixty-three, a Royal Society professor at Oxford widely considered the most influential evolutionary thinker since Darwin. "I had the feeling that I might be a crank," recalls Hamilton of his student days. He describes three experiences that influenced his thinking. As a schoolboy, he recognized that he felt a greater sense of obligation to his brothers and sister than to his school friends. Also, his mother kept bees, and he'd seen how the sister worker bees often sacrificed their lives for the good of the colony. Lastly, he had been deeply dissatisfied with the lectures on evolution he received as an undergraduate at Cambridge University, where it seemed to him that his professors did not give Darwin's mechanism of natural selection its proper due.
Hamilton realized he could explain the puzzling phenomenon of sister bees sacrificing themselves for the good of the hive by shifting the perspective from the survival of an animal's offspring to the dissemination of its genes. Thanks to a peculiar system of sex assignment, a female bee shares more genes with her sisters than with her direct descendants. If the goal is to make the greatest number of copies of her genes, a female bee is better off helping her mother make more sisters than she is producing her own offspring. In 1964, Hamilton pointed this out in a seminal two-part paper titled "The Genetical Evolution of Social Behavior." More generally, his gene's-eye point of view made it clear that the traditional Darwinian concern with an organism's investment in its children was too limited. Post-Hamilton, sacrifice for siblings and more distant relatives as well as one's own children made sense. In 1976, Dawkins popularized this idea in an enormously influential book, The Selfish Gene.
But if it hadn't been for the Harvard entomologist E.O. Wilson, Hamilton's theory would very likely never have come to Dawkins's attention. Wilson seized on the idea and prodded his reluctant peers to recognize its significance. At sixty-nine, Wilson still has the lean, angular build of a marathon runner. Though he has an almost courtly conversational style and retains the aura of a southern gentleman, he has a relentlessly driven, competitive nature that has resulted in an extraordinarily productive career. There are many folktales surrounding Wilson that illustrate one or another of the qualities that have made him successful, including the story of his reaction to Hamilton's 1964 paper. In one widely circulated version, Wilson is sent a copy of the paper to review, skims it, and, believing it to be the ravings of another manic graduate student, tosses it in the trash. Hours later, in the middle of the night, he realizes he's made a terrible mistake, bolts out of bed, and rushes back to the lab to retrieve the paper before the janitors empty the trash.
"That's a great story," Wilson laughs, "but it's not true." The truth, he insists, is that he read the paper on a long train ride from Boston to Miami (he's a reluctant flier). Hamilton's idea struck him as improbable and too simple, and it didn't seem to lend itself to broad applications. But when Wilson couldn't find a logical flaw in the paper, he grew angry. He, not Hamilton, was the world authority on social insects, and certainly no one else was going to explain the behavior of insect societies. Yet the more he thought about it, the more he became convinced that the theory was fundamentally correct. By the time he reached Miami, he was a convert. "I would never throw out an article like that," he explains. "At the very worst, I'd file it for future reference."
With Hamilton's ideas in mind, Wilson went on to formulate the basic tenets of sociobiology. In 1975, he published a beautifully illustrated overview of his theory titled Sociobiology: The New Synthesis. If he had confined himself to animals other than ourselves, as he'd originally intended, his life would have been more peaceful. But in a characteristically ambitious finale, he tacked on a chapter extending his theory to humans. Our species is genetically programmed to be warlike and territorial, he wrote, and males will typically dominate females in human social hierarchies. He hypothesized the existence of genes for spitefulness and homosexuality, genes for conformity that make humans easy to indoctrinate, and genes that make us favor kin and be wary of strangers. In a section on hunter-gatherer societies, Wilson cataloged the behavior patterns of various members. He found that, just as in ant colonies, different members of the groups played different roles. There were individuals of higher status, leaders and outstanding specialists, for example, who generally established themselves by their mid-thirties. These elites, he wrote, do more than their share of work and dominate the group's sluggish, unproductive members.
Inside the academic anthill, there was no doubt as to which kind of ant Wilson was. Already, as a graduate student, he'd sensed he had a special destiny, as another Wilson tale suggests: He and a fellow graduate student are driving back to Harvard after attending a meeting at which all the greatest minds in evolutionary biology had gathered. Wilson's friend is awestruck at having been in the presence of such greatness. After driving along in silence for a while, Wilson turns to him and says, "It shouldn't be very hard to get to the top of that heap."
In Cambridge, the reaction to Wilson's book was intensely negative. Fifteen local scientists, including Gould and Richard Lewontin, a universally admired population geneticist, formed the Sociobiology Study Group. Together, Lewontin, who had been brought up by a French nanny on Manhattan's Upper East Side, and Gould, the Queens-born son of a Marxist court stenographer, led the opposition. With his ease with mathematics and a powerful analytic mind, Lewontin brought rigor and salience to the critique of sociobiology. For months, the small group of allies plotted against sociobiology in Lewontin's office. At his own desk one floor above, Wilson had no idea what was brewing just below his feet. In November 1975, the Sociobiology Study Group published a letter in The New York Review of Books(NYRB).
The letter, signed by all fifteen members of the study group, stated its objections in no uncertain terms. Sociobiology, it asserted, is part of a tradition of biological determinism that has "provided an important basis for the enactment of sterilization laws and restrictive immigration laws by the United States...and also for the eugenics policies which led to the establishment of gas chambers in Nazi Germany." The invocation of Nazism was clearly intended to cause alarm. Less widely appreciated, however, was that there had been a pseudoscientific crusade in the early part of this century to improve the American gene pool. Laws passed in more than thirty states led to the sterilization of tens of thousands of people judged mentally feeble or morally inferior, and immigration from nations deemed of inferior genetic stock was restricted. Gould and Lewontin's letter sounded a warning bell: Supposedly objective science had been used--and could be again--to justify dubious politics and prejudices.
Wilson was not one to take the Sociobiology Study Group attack lying down. After licking his wounds for several weeks, he began a counteroffensive. Since both Lewontin and Gould were widely known for their radical politics, he devoted himself to the study of Marxist economic theory so as better to understand the "enemy in the field." In December 1975, his rebuttal appeared as a letter in the NYRB. In it, he accused the authors of intentionally distorting his meanings in order to make a case against him. In March of the following year, Wilson wrote a more detailed reply to his detractors in BioScience, a professional journal. In that article, he refers to a statement by a Harvard professor characterizing Wilson as a "privileged member of Western industrial society whose book attempts to preserve the status quo." Wilson points out that, as a Harvard professor, the author of the statement enjoyed identical privileges.
Today, Wilson recalls those days with a wry chuckle. "Gould and Lewontin going on in Marxist tones--we're talking about a bygone era, in an intellectual as well as a political sense. Sometimes we wondered, 'Who did Lewontin think he was, writing those letters from his Vermont dacha?'" The Vermont dacha is a reference to Lewontin's cabin in southern Vermont, where he has long spent as much time as possible, talking crops and weather with local farmers and acting the part of crusty old New England codger.
In 1978, Wilson was a featured speaker at the symposium on sociobiology held by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Washington, D.C. Gould was scheduled to speak at the same session. Wilson, who had fractured his ankle jogging, had decided to deliver his speech from his seat onstage rather than make his way to the lectern. A few minutes after he had begun to talk, a group of protesters from the International Committee Against Racism (INCAR) stormed the stage. One dumped a pitcher of water over his head while the others chanted, "Wilson, you're all wet!" A few minutes later, the protesters withdrew, and the audience broke out in a spontaneous standing ovation for the injured, dripping Wilson. Gould took the microphone and quoted Lenin on the inappropriate use of violence. Later he explained that the attack on Wilson had been an "infantile disorder" of socialism.
Did Gould and Lewontin's attacks push Wilson further down the path toward human sociobiology? "Their attacks and other criticisms coming particularly from the New Left saying that this was bad science, and that I was racist and capitalist, were one of the major stimuli for me to move ahead," Wilson says. "Otherwise I might have delayed a considerable period of time before I wrote a book aimed at a broad audience." In 1978, he brought out On Human Nature, a broad defense of sociobiological theory. "Not just to answer them," he says, "but perhaps in part to respond to what I considered scurrilous and unfounded criticism." A few years later, Wilson began to move in new directions, becoming a tireless and influential crusader for the cause of biodiversity, the movement devoted to the preservation of the diversity of animal and plant species.
An inconspicuous directory in the dim lobby of the Museum of Comparative Zoology Laboratories informs you that Lewontin's office is on the third floor and Wilson's is on the fourth. It's a long, slow elevator ride up. A veteran of the sociobiology wars recalls unwittingly stepping into the elevator with Wilson and Lewontin in the late 1970s, shortly after Wilson had published a new monograph on ants. The tension was nearly unbearable as the elevator inched its way to the third floor. No one uttered a word. As the doors opened and Lewontin got out, he turned to Wilson and said, "I'm glad that you're doing real science again."
A central hall with laboratories on either side leads from the elevator to the Lewontin lab common room. In it, there's a vast rectangular wooden table covered with old copies of the NYRB and scientific journals. Mounted to the wall, a magnificent moose head has watched over generations of students. A minute after the appointed hour, Lewontin appears and ushers me into his office. Lean and fit, with a round face and a full head of dark hair, one would never guess that he's seventy. Though he's one of Harvard's most eminent faculty members, there's no sign of his special status--no couches, Oriental rugs, honorary degrees, or art--not a luxury or frill of any kind.
Why is it, I ask, that he objects to the Wilson-Pinker view of major human behaviors as adaptations crafted by natural selection? "Instead of talking about adaptations," Lewontin replies, "we should say organisms do the things they can do: Fish gotta swim and birds gotta fly.
"We'd be better off flying," he continues, though he, like Wilson, is afraid of flying in airplanes. "It would increase our fitness, we'd be better able to flee from predators. But if we flap our arms, we don't get any lift." He stands up and starts flapping his arms to illustrate. "Even if I picked up a pair of Ping-Pong paddles, it wouldn't help." He's walking around the room now, madly flapping his arms and still not getting any lift. "Until you're doing something, you're not doing it," Lewontin says by way of summary, "and natural selection can't help. What natural selection does is to make more efficient what the organism is already doing."
Lewontin's argument is that natural selection alone can't explain the origin of flight or of any complicated new function. Unless a little bit of change gives an animal a little bit of an advantage, the change won't be selected for, and obviously a little bit of a wing doesn't do any good. Darwin was well aware of the problem and devoted considerable thought to it. "An organ originally constructed for one purpose...may be converted to one for a wholly different purpose," he wrote in The Origin of Species(1859). This principle of functional shift makes it impossible to presume that any complex adaptation was crafted by natural selection, argue Gould and Lewontin. In particular, it doesn't make sense to say that a specific human behavior was selected for its current function when its original function may have been entirely different. Gould later proposed the term "exaptation" (to be distinguished from "adaptation") for features arising along these circuitous pathways. This is the first line of defense against Wilson-Pinker sociobiological thinking.
But Gould and Lewontin went further. In 1979, they wrote a paper for a British conference on adaptation and natural selection titled "The Spandrels of San Marco," in which they argued that many aspects of the design of animals are purely accidental. The paper has acquired legendary status. There even exists a collection of essays using the techniques of postmodern literary criticism to analyze the spandrels paper as scientific rhetoric.
Gould and Lewontin cleverly chose an example from the history of architecture to illustrate their point. Spandrels are unintended by-products of an architectural design. At the medieval cathedral of San Marco in Venice, the spandrels are four triangular spaces inadvertently created when the church's dome was mounted on four rounded arches. In the case of the cathedral, Lewontin and Gould argued, it would be easy to infer that the lavishly decorated spandrel is the heart of the architect's design. By analogy, "adaptationists," as Lewontin and Gould dub sociobiologically inclined biologists, mistake a by-product of an adaptation for a genuine adaptation. The origin of a complex adaptation is impossible to know, and any such attempt to invent hypotheses is, according to Lewontin and Gould, unscientific speculation. Critics of sociobiology label these hypothetical scenarios "Just So Stories," after Rudyard Kipling's children's book in which fanciful explanations are offered for adaptations such as the elephant's trunk.
Lewontin added another important piece to the case in his 1984 book, Not In Our Genes. Even if it were possible to understand an individual in terms of his genes and environment, he argued, we still would not understand group behavior. The whole could not, even in principle, be reduced to the sum of its parts.
For a period in the early 1980s, it seemed Gould and Lewontin's views had gained the upper hand. But it was precisely at this time that the revolution in molecular biology spun into high gear. With the development of new techniques for the sequencing and manipulation of DNA, it became easier and easier to identify and clone genes. Suddenly genes were being identified for just about everything. In Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly and beloved laboratory organism of generations of geneticists, genes were found that affected sexual behavior, the pace of the internal clock, learning, and memory. Not only that, but many virtually identical genes were found in humans, whose evolutionary line diverged from insects more than half a billion years ago. Simultaneously, molecular biologists started identifying the genes that play roles in human disorders, such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases. As the decade progressed, the flood of DNA information led to the formation of a generously funded human genome project to sequence the entire three billion base pairs of human chromosomal DNA.
Now Gould and Lewontin were on the defensive. They had always argued that it was bad science to break up an animal into individual traits or behaviors in order to claim that they are determined by particular, selectable genes. In the early days, the Sociobiology Study Group had criticized the idea that there were genes for specific and variable forms of human behavior, including spite, aggression, xenophobia, conformity, and homosexuality. Later, Gould expanded the argument to include even body parts. "Hundreds of genes contribute to the building of most body parts and their action is channeled through a kaleidoscopic series of environmental influences," he wrote in a Natural History essay.
Yet by the early 1990s, gene-based explanations for human behavior were on the rise. The stage was set for the reemergence of sociobiology under the new name of evolutionary psychology. In 1992, the husband-wife psychologist-anthropologist team of Leda Cosmides and John Tooby laid down the manifesto for the new discipline of EP in their introduction to an edited volume of original papers titled The Adapted Mind. EP was essentially an extension of Wilson's program applied exclusively to humans, with a few amendments to quell the leftist critique. Proponents of EP are quick to emphasize that human nature was crafted by natural selection to solve the problems of life on the African savanna 1.8 million years ago and that traits that may have been advantageous then, like xenophobia and aggression, may not confer a selective advantage in the modern world. Hoping to avoid the criticisms that were leveled against the first sociobiologists, the new generation insists it is most interested in understanding the evolution of universal features of the human species, not in the particular genes that make one person different from another, such as genes for IQ or homosexuality.
In 1997, an especially acrimonious debate over EP broke out when Gould took on the new school of sociobiologists in a long two-part article in the NYRB. Describing his foes as "Darwinian fundamentalists," he addressed himself to what he saw as the essential weakness of the adaptationist approach: "The human brain must be bursting with spandrels that are essential to human nature and vital to our self-understanding but that arose as nonadaptations, and are therefore outside the compass of evolutionary psychology, or any other ultra-Darwinian theory."
No wallflower when it comes to protecting his turf, Steven Pinker leaped to defend his science. "The ideas of EP are not as stupid as Gould makes them out to be," he wrote in a letter to the NYRB published later that year. "Indeed, they are nothing like what Gould makes them out to be." It doesn't matter, Pinker argued, whether a complex adaptation originated as an exaptation or a spandrel; if it later serves a useful function for the organism, it must have been acted on by natural selection to serve that function. "That there is a particular school of adaptationism is a rhetorical device," Pinker told me. "The school is just about everybody," he asserted, referring to the legions of scientists who study animal behavior using the sociobiological paradigm. "Gould and Lewontin have influence over social scientists and literary types who read The New York Review of Books and Natural History; they didn't like the direction sociobiology was going. Marxists don't want there to be an innate human nature, particularly not one that smacks of selfishness, greed, and aggression. They always say that a person's science can't be divorced from his politics, but they never apply this argument to themselves."
In the case of Lewontin, at any rate, this charge is often made. "There's almost no scientific subject on which he's positive," says Bill Hamilton. "I can't understand how such a good mind can be so negative about science per se. The politics always comes first. He doesn't admit it, but that's the case." Writing in his autobiography, Naturalist(1994), Wilson says that Lewontin "was stage-cast for the role of contrarian. He possessed a deep ambivalence that kept both friend and foe off balance." Before publication, Wilson sent Lewontin a copy of the manuscript asking for his comments. After a long period of silence, Wilson had his assistant hunt Lewontin down. A few days later, the manuscript was returned unopened with a letter attached to it. "Dear Ed," Lewontin wrote, "Given that our disagreements are so fundamental and broad and given the wide-spread misapprehension that they are personal rather than scientific, you can always say with complete honesty that you gave me the opportunity to comment on your manuscript and I declined. Autobiography is not a genre I am tempted either to read or to write. In order to get through life we all create elaborate fictions about ourselves, but I have always felt that these were better left to the hours between waking and sleeping."
Gould, who has always been somewhat more interested than Lewontin in finding common ground with his opponents, has recently shown some openness to EP ideas about the differences between the sexual attitudes of males and females. In the EP view, males are likely to be promiscuous because it is advantageous to spread their sperm far and wide. Females, on the other hand, are programmed to be more selective: Their eggs are more precious than male sperm, and they are strapped into months of gestation and suckling after conception. In his NYRB attack on EP, Gould goes so far as to call this line of reasoning the "most promising" EP has to offer, and he admits that it "probably does underlie some different and broadly general emotional propensities of human males and females." However, he cautions the EPists against pushing this theory too far and suffering the fate of Freudians, who "elevated a limited guide into a rigid creed that became more of an untestable and unchangeable religion than a science."
Lewontin, who married his high school sweetheart and can to this day be seen walking hand in hand across Harvard Yard with her, takes a much harder line. "I'm a man, and I don't go around screwing young girls," he says. "I'm human, and so I have to be explained."
One can almost see Lewontin hiking through the Vermont woods shaking his head in despair at the loss of Comrade Gould. There had been no more articulate spokesman in the battle against bourgeois decadence.
Meanwhile, Pinker, busy promoting his latest book, Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language(Norton), marches forward. In a recent appearance in London, Pinker and Dawkins held a public forum titled "Is Science Killing the Soul?" which was attended by 2300 people and sold out weeks in advance. Pinker spoke of the fiction of the unified self. "It's only an illusion that there's a president in the Oval Office of the brain who oversees the activity of everything," he said, in what undoubtedly struck many as a particularly apt metaphor.
The notion that there is no unified self is fundamental to EP. If the brain is a collection of computers, each one of which performs a highly specialized function, then it makes sense to invoke natural selection acting over millions of years to account for the existence of those computers.
This view of the mind broken up into an array of independently evolved modules is disquieting to many. As the Rutgers philosopher Jerry Fodor, the author of a forthcoming book titled The Mind Doesn't Work That Way(MIT), puts it, "If there is a community of computers in my head, there had also better be somebody who is in charge, and, by God, it had better be me." If one does not believe that human intelligence is the sum of an array of computers, then one must postulate the existence of some more general cognitive ability that gives us the capacity for complex thought. And this general ability, Fodor believes, may be the result of a small but crucial evolutionary shift that distinguished our brains from the brains of other primates.
Like Fodor, Lewontin and Gould argue that the EPists have it wrong: Language, consciousness, and most of our distinctively human mental capacities are side effects of the fact that our brain grew big for other reasons. Furthermore, they caution, these reasons cannot be reconstructed. Our extraordinary human abilities are epiphenomena of "all those loose connections with nothing to do," explains Lewontin. As an example of a nonadaptive trait, he offers the uniquely human ability to use recursion in language, that is, to make sentences of the form: "I say that Noam Chomsky says, when people say..." Though chimps can be taught to compose simple sentences of the form "I want" or "I see" on a computer, they cannot be taught to use recursion.
Does Lewontin have a theory about the origin of this unique linguistic ability of humans? "You could invent a story," he explains with distaste. "You could say it was an advantage to early human beings in being able to say, 'I saw Joe doing that,' but that's just yak!"
Pinker insists that our ability to use language has evolved because language offered a selective advantage. "Being articulate is highly valued in all cultures," he says. "Tribal chiefs are high in verbal skills and have more offspring."
It is symbolically fitting that Gould and Lewontin were teaching their undergraduate course on evolution for the last time this spring while a few hundred yards down the road Pinker and a recently tenured Harvard animal behaviorist named Mark Hauser were giving a popular graduate seminar on evolutionary psychology.
The point of Pinker and Hauser's course is to trace the origins of human thought. There is no doubt that we can learn a lot about human language from studying apes and birds, Hauser told me after the seminar one afternoon. The way birds learn their songs is strikingly similar to the way humans learn language.
In his characteristically acerbic way, Lewontin dismisses this idea. It is simply impossible to say how novel abilities like human language arose. He jibes: "One way to get around the problem that language is a novelty is to define it in such a way that doesn't make it a novelty. You'll say bird twitter is language." In a 1998 article titled "The Evolution of Cognition: Questions We Will Never Answer," Lewontin wrote, "It might be interesting to know how cognition (whatever that is) arose and spread and changed, but we cannot know. Tough luck." This spring, Lewontin will publish a collection of his essays with the appropriately contrarian title It Ain't Necessarily So.
Even if God were to descend on Cambridge and part the waters of the Charles River at Lewontin's feet, it would still be unthinkable to imagine the skeptical biologist embracing religion. Gould, on the other hand, has recently been evincing a new sympathy for the realm of the unscientific. In his most recent book, Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life(1999), he not only sets out terms for a peaceful coexistence with the obdurate religious believers among us but seems to offer another defense against the sociobiological threat. His thesis is that it makes perfect sense to see science and religion as distinct and complementary forms of human endeavor: Science addresses the "factual character of the natural world"; religion is concerned with spiritual meaning and morality.
This dualism stands in stark contrast to the views of Wilson, Dawkins, and Pinker, who categorically deny the existence of a soul or spirit. Indeed, from the outset, it was Wilson's goal to deny the existence of an independent moral realm. In On Human Nature, he says, "Human behavior...is the circuitous technique by which human genetic material has and will be kept intact. Morality has no other demonstrable ultimate function." Consilience(1998), Wilson's latest and most ambitious statement to date, takes an even more radical position, arguing that "there is intrinsically only one class of explanation." He goes on to make the bold assertion that "all tangible phenomena, from the birth of stars to the workings of social institutions, are based on material processes that are ultimately reducible, however long and tortuous the sequences, to the laws of physics."
Gould insists that it is not possible to reduce ethics to sociobiology or to unify knowledge by subsuming one theory in another. Even if human traits like xenophobia and aggression, for example, were in the end shown to be the result of adaptations in the Pleistocene era, Gould contends, science alone will not suffice as an explanatory system. The man who largely made his name insisting on the purposelessness of life has found a place in his heart for religion. But that's not to say Gould has turned into any kind of crypto-creationist. No matter who turns out to be right in the end, he and his adaptationist foes can at least agree with Darwin that "whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."
James Schwartz is a writer who lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Copyright © 1999 Lingua Franca, Inc. All rights reserved. File Date: 3.13.01
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British photographer Carl Warner's collection of landscapes went on display in London in October 2010. What did he use to create the landscapes? | Carl Warner???s Whimsical Food Landscapes | Collected articles
Carl Warner???s Whimsical Food Landscapes
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via Brain Pickings by Maria Popova on 11/9/11
What the London skyline has to do with asparagus, rhubarb, and Pink Floyd.
British photographic artist Carl Warner , whom you might recall as one of our favorite architects of edible landscapes , is a master of food and form, crafting astounding fantasy food landscapes that are part Ansel Adams, part Anthony Bourdaine, part your childhood daydreams dreamt from the counter of your grandmother???s kitchen. These miniature vignettes are painstakingly hand-crafted with only minimal Photoshop involvement and exude a kind of vibrant whimsy that stands in stark contrast with the mundane, dully ordinary ingredients Warner uses. Food Landscapes collects Warner???s most magnificent work, alongside detailed production notes and ingredient lists for each scene.
Making landscapes out of food seems like a rather unusual thing to do for a living, and people often ask, ???What made you start doing this???? It seems that the burning heart of this question is really the curiosity about what it is that motivates any human being to do something out of the ordinary, and my short answer to this is usually a simple, because I had the idea and I chose to do something about it.??? ~ Carl Warner
Salmon Sea
Smoked salmon sea, dark soda bread rocks, sugar and pinto beans sand and pebbles, foreground rocks from new potatoes and parsley; pea pod and bean sprout boat, side of salmon sky
Coconut Haystacks
Parsley trees with horseradish trunks, red cabbage sky, toasted almonds as distant haystacks, and loaves of bread for hills
Chinese Junk
The roster of ingredients includes dried lotus leaves for snails, noodles for the wood floor, physalis lanterns, and the obscure wild green yamakurage for the rope.
And since we???re on the subject of influences today , Warner traces the kernel of his inspiration to the work of Tessa Traeger, a food photographer who in the early 1990s published A Visual Feast , a collection of painterly, two-dimensional pictures composed using food. Warner wondered whether he could take this a step further and create three-dimensional vignettes with food. Then, one day, as he was strolling through the fruit and vegetable market, he noticed the curving trunks and parasol canopies of portobello mushrooms were reminiscent of trees in the African savannah. He quickly grabbed the mushrooms and some grains, and headed back to his studio to create a tabletop scene that would photograph like a larger landscape. The rest was creative history.
Of his start with photography, Warner recounts:
For me, drawing and music were a means of escape into other worlds and alternate realities, and this provided the means to stimulate and exercise the muscles of my imagination. This went on for years, until I discovered photography. I found that I could photograph the real world but make it surreal by the techniques and the processes I was able to use in the camera and in the darkroom. I soon realized that this was a lot quicker than drawing, and I was able to develop ideas and concepts with more ease??? At the same time, album cover art was in its heyday, and graphic designers such as Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis were creating amazing surreal images for bands like Pink Floyd. I knew that this was what I wanted to do with my life.???
Celery Rain Forest
Canope made of okra with dried chili oarsman, tiny mushroom hat and a cardamom pod; path: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and lentils
Cart & Balloons
Balloons made of red onion, apple, garlic bulb and other fruits; balloon baskets: nuts; hills and fields: bread, cucumber, string beans, green beans, corn, asparagus
Broccoli Forest
Broccoli trees, chopped parsley ground, fresh herb plants, small foreground rocks from Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes, cumin, turmeric and fennel seed pathway, crusty bread rocks, sugar waterfall, cauliflower clouds
London Skyline
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Brougham, Hackney, Buckboard, and Phaeton are horse-drawn vehicles with how many wheels each? | art | British Museum blog
British Museum blog
Conservation mounting of Picasso’s 347 Suite
Christina Angelo, Conservation Mounter of Western Art on Paper, British Museum
When the Museum receives new acquisitions to its collection of prints and drawings, either through gifts or purchased through special funds, it is of the upmost importance that they are cared for appropriately for future generations to enjoy. This is why my role as a conservation mounter is so vital. I’m one of three British Museum conservation mounters who specialise in western art on paper. Mounting enables prints and drawings to be handled safely by staff, and visitors to the Prints and Drawings Study Room , without risk of damage to the objects. It also facilitates the option to frame if another institution requests to borrow an object as part of our on-going exhibition programme. All the mounts are made of the highest museum-quality mount board and all the materials we use are tested by our department’s scientists to ensure they won’t damage the artwork over time. In order to maximise space for storing this huge collection of prints and drawings, standard size mounts are used which are then stored in Solander boxes in the Study Room.
Over the years I’ve seen and mounted some of the most interesting and outstanding works of art in our collection, from Leonardo da Vinci to Tracey Emin, and this year is no exception. Over the last few months I’ve been very privileged to have been part of the team involved in the mounting of Picasso’s 347 Suite , aptly named because there are 347 prints. This important collection was funded by generous donor Hamish Parker, and in the autumn 2015 edition of the British Museum Magazine , Stephen Coppel, Curator of the Modern Collection, explained the fascinating story of how they were produced.
With so many prints requiring mounting, the new studios in the World Conservation and Exhibition Centre (WCEC) have come into their own. It makes my job so much easier using the specially designed space and new equipment we now have. Initially Stephen Coppel and I discussed the mounting of the Picasso prints. Once we agreed on a plan it was full steam ahead for the team. After the prints were measured the mount board was cut to the standard sizes on the board chopper.
Every print’s platemark was measured carefully as they all varied in size in preparation for cutting the mount’s apertures on our new computerised electronic mount cutter, before the mounts were assembled together.
The prints were now ready to be secured into their mounts using handmade Japanese paper, which we use for its longevity and fibre strength, and a fine layer of water soluble adhesive that can be easily removed by conservators if necessary in the future.
To give the prints added protection whilst inside their Solander boxes, a sheet of polyester was hinged inside the mount which covers the front of the print.
Finally to give the mounts their unique British Museum touch, Picasso’s name and the print’s identifying number were stamped on the front of each mount using our handheld typeset tools and etching ink which have been standard practice at the museum since the 19th century.
After several months the project is now complete. I will miss the prints as they have been a talking point with our numerous visitors and museum professionals who come to the studio to see the work we do. The prints are safely stored in their Solander boxes in the Study Room waiting for researchers to view them, and to mark the completion of this successful team effort, from both curators and conservation staff, we all had a celebratory drink to honour the occasion.
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The Blackfoot at the British Museum
John Davy, Collaborative Doctoral Student, Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, British Museum
With the generous assistance of art brokers C S Redlick , the British Museum has recently been able to acquire the painting Event II by the Siksika Blackfoot artist Adrian A Stimson. The Blackfoot are a Native American tribe whose home is on the plains of historic Saskatchewan, now Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada, and Montana in the United States. They have a long history of subsistence on the land, and Stimson – also known by the pseudonym ‘Buffalo Boy’ – produces artworks which engage with conceptions of what it means to be Native in the modern world.
Event II, by Adrian Stimson, 2015, 121.9 x 61 cm. British Museum 2015,2023.1
Event II depicts two American bison, commonly known as buffalo, a mother and calf, playing in deep snow. The cow rolls in the snow as the calf leaps excitedly beside her. In the background the featureless while plains stretch for miles underneath a wide expanse of sky studded with dark clouds. It is a timeless natural scene, broken by one small feature: in the far distance, on the horizon, a tiny nodding-donkey pumpjack beats away, draining oil from far below.
The painting is part of a series of artworks Stimson has produced which illustrate the effects of mineral exploitation on traditional Native landscapes, each depicting buffalo on snowy plains against a backdrop of pipelines and factories. Mineral extraction has become a major issue for the Blackfoot in recent years, as mining companies have increasingly sought to gain access to mineral deposits on historic tribal lands. Although there is substantial wealth to be made, the potential damage to the environment and upheaval in the traditional way of life are significant concerns, reflected in these paintings in which the buffalo stand for the Blackfoot peoples.
The British Museum is particularly pleased to be able to purchase this artwork as the Museum already contains important historical collections from the Blackfoot peoples, most notably the Deane-Freeman collection. At the turn of the twentieth century Maude Deane-Freeman, wife of ration distributer Frederick, lived among the Kainai Blackfoot, on what was then known as the Blood Reservation of Alberta. At this time, the Kainai were under pressure from the Canadian government to abandon traditional religious and social beliefs. Many people, faced with the threat of starvation, disposed of the regalia used in Blackfoot ceremonial life. Rather than see this beautiful material destroyed by the reservation agents, Maude purchased it from its original owners, building a substantial collection. She wrote that:
‘They are giving up the old life and customs, and trying to earn their living by toil like the white man, consequently the things that belong to their old life and religion are getting very scarce. As the old people die their belongings are buried with them and the younger generation seem to have lost their desire of making them, particularly as every obstacle is put in the way of their holding their religious dances.’
Ceremonial Kainai tomahawk from the Deane-Freeman collection, c. 1900, 93 x 37 cm. British Museum Am1903,-.82
When Maude’s collection was discovered by her husband’s superiors, Frederick was summarily dismissed from his post and the couple moved to Toronto, where Frederick died soon afterwards. There, Maude’s collection was recognised by Governor-General of Canada Lord Minto as of great importance, and he arranged for it to be purchased by the government in 1903, dividing the collection between Victoria College in Toronto and the British Museum. A century later, the collection was reunited for an exhibition at Lethbridge, close to the Kainai Reservation, where the visitor interpretation and labels were provided by the families whose ancestors had once owned the material. This information continues to inform the presentation of the collection in the Native North American gallery at the British Museum.
Adrian Stimson’s provocative painting joins a growing body of modern Native American artwork which can be exhibited alongside and in direct dialogue with the existing historic collections of Native American artefacts at the British Museum, illustrating both the continuity of tradition and the modern environmental, political and social concerns of America’s First Peoples.
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Spring cleaning with Dürer: conserving the Triumphal Arch
Lauren Buttle, candidate for a Masters of Art Conservation, Queen’s University, Ontario, Canada
As a student placement in the Western Art on Paper Conservation Studio at the British Museum this summer, I was expecting a few objects to be placed on my workbench that would present some new and interesting challenges. I was not, however, expecting a 3.5 m x 3 m, 16th-century print collage.
As readers of Joanna Kosek’s previous article on this project will know, the task of unframing Albrect Dürer’s Triumphal Arch and transporting the work to the conservation studio was a major undertaking on its own. Now that the work is in the studio, the even trickier question arises: how do you clean the centre of such a large print? Unfortunately, as high-tech as the brand new studios here at the British Museum are, the option of having conservators suspended from the ceiling like ninjas, was not part of the design brief. A more practical option was designed by heads of department, Joanna Kosek and Caroline Barry, along with the conservation mounters.
To transport the print to the studio, a large tube was designed and created to gently roll up the Triumphal Arch. A secondary, smaller tube was then created to catch the print as it was partially unrolled onto the table. The surface of the print could then be cleaned in horizontal bands across the edge of the table and then rolled beneath the table surface onto the second roll in stages.
Diagram of the surface cleaning set-up for Dürer’s Triumphal Arch.
Although the print has been behind glass for at least 30 years there is still some surface dirt. If dust and dirt were not removed at this early stage then any subsequent wet treatments would fix the dirt in the paper fibres. While the surface cleaning of the print continues, the team carefully documents all aspects of condition and structure of each sheet of paper: everything from tiny pinholes to large watermarks and embossings. This information helps to inform us of the history of the print and will come in very useful during the next stages of treatment. To do this, thin sheets of transparent polyester are placed over each of the 42 individual pages that make up the image, and all characteristics of the page are mapped using permanent markers and a key of symbols created specially for this project by conservator, Megumi Mizumura.
Conservators Emma Webb (left) and Megumi Mizumura (right) mapping out damage to individual pages of Dürer’s Triumphal Arch.
Once the mapping is complete, the fun begins! The conservation team has been hard at work for several weeks now using a variety of different dry sponges, erasers and brushes to lift the surface dirt from the print, taking care to avoid all printed media. This means using magnification and a steady hand to carefully clean in between each printed letter… for 10 square-metres. Luckily for us summer students, the conservation team have been happy to let us step in and get involved.
Conservation student placements, Tom Bower (left), Carina Rosas (centre) and Lauren Buttle (right) surface-cleaning Dürer’s Triumphal Arch.
The cleaning continues in the studio for now. Once this is complete, the next step will be to remove the soiled and degraded textile backing from the assembled pages. No doubt, there will be more exciting challenges to come!
The conservation of Dürer’s Triumphal Arch has been made possible by the generous support of Howard and Roberta Ahmanson.
Indigenous Australia: an artist’s story
Abe Muriata, Girramay man and master basket weaver from North Queensland, writes on visiting the British Museum for the opening of the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation .
Muriata is renowned for making bicornual baskets, an elegant and structurally complex form that is unique to the region. His most recent basket, commissioned by the British Museum, is on display in the exhibition.
Abe Muriata, Bicornual basket, 2015. Abe Muriata is represented by the Girringun Aboriginal Arts Centre.
To start with, London, it’s a historical place. To be in a historical place like London would make any artist stop and wonder about how a place like this could possibly connect to me, my art or my culture. But it was in London that the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation was held.
An invitation and visit to this event became the highlight of my more than 15 years of basket weaving, of practising my culture and as an artist. Seeing my own work on display at the British Museum made me as proud as the day my first basket was displayed at the Queensland Art Gallery. It was not only an achievement for me but it was there for everyone to see. I’ve taken my work out of my cultural home, the home of my ancestors, and given it to the world.
Abe Muriata studying bicornual baskets in the British Museum store, 2015.
In the back of my mind I had to keep telling myself this is London. The city of London itself was so spectacular that I marvelled at the sights, the history, the people and felt the energy. The ever-visible presence of an enduring monarchy fascinated me enough to forget its past dealing with our people and culture and to take in its grandeur. The purpose of my visit coincided with meeting the patron of the exhibition, none other than the royal man himself, HRH Prince Charles.
Abe Muriata and HRH Prince Charles during the opening reception of the exhibition. (Photo: Benedict Johnson)
To have my work included in an exhibition of this calibre, I experienced recognition and respect for me and my culture. When I returned to Australia, wherever I went and whoever I met, people recognised me. I don’t have a Facebook account but people said to me, ‘you are all over Facebook’. I have also had acknowledgement at a Native Title Conference and at other meetings. My involvement in the exhibition has put more spotlight on our rainforest culture and my efforts and those of others to preserve it. This is important, because if you lose a single element of your weaving or of your artefact making or whatever part of your culture you engage with, it is an erosion that gradually washes away at the core of culture. So this spotlight on culture is a way of reminding you and me to help it endure in its fullest and purest form.
In the British Museum I saw my heritage surrounded by long-lost cultures and civilisations from all over the world. To think that my culture has endured so much longer than most can only make me more determined to pass on my culture to the generations following me. My dedication to my culture and the art I create is driven by the loss in the last 20 years or so of tribal elders and leaders whose knowledge may otherwise be lost if it is not celebrated, learned and enjoyed by our next generation.
Abe Muriata watches as British Museum Director Neil MacGregor accepts a gift from Peter Yu, Chair of the National Museum of Australia Indigenous Reference Group.
I am an artist working with the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre and they have taken me from obscurity to the length and breadth of Australia’s galleries and museums, all the while showcasing this unique culture. All I had to do was to practise my culture and create my art as a traditional Girramay person. So being an artist at Girringun along with the Girramay Elders will ensure that a strong continuation is maintained.
Having seen the old objects of 150 years ago in the exhibition and archival collection at the British Museum, and then looking at my works, it really pleases me to see that there is little or no change in traditional object making, although in some areas modernisation brings our culture new ideas and contemporary forms. So, for me, another world has emerged alongside my ancient culture where traditional materials are complemented with contemporary methods and materials.
I am really looking ahead and striving to maintain and improve the status quo in all aspects of my art-making, cultural activities and responsibilities as a Traditional Owner and growing into an Elder role.
The BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation is at the British Museum until 2 August 2015
Supported by BP
Organised with the National Museum of Australia
Logistics partner IAG Cargo
The accompanying book is available from the British Museum shop online
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Indigenous Australian rock art: Injalak Hill, Gunbalanya
The artists from Injalak Arts and Crafts Centre, Gunbalanya, worked closely with the British Museum on the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation . Here they write on the importance of rock art and its relevance to today’s visitors of West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia.
Injalak Arts is a unique centre based in the town of Gunbalanya. One of only two fully Indigenous-governed and continuously operating organisations in the town, it plays an important role within the community, functioning as a social hub, a charity and an enterprise that generates livelihoods for local people. The sale of arts and crafts to tourists is an important source of self-generated income for many people, and the Injalak Rock Art Tour developed by the Centre has enabled a fruitful cultural exchange with the Aboriginal people.
Gunbalanya lies at the limits of the Arnhem Plateau, the sandstone escarpment country at the heart of West Arnhem Land. This escarpment, and its outliers such as Injalak Hill in Gunbalanya, is one of the most important rock art areas in the world. It is from this rock art – as well as ceremonial body and object designs, and paintings on the walls of wet season bark shelters – that the art of the Injalak artists finds its origin.
Gabriel Maralngurra and Isaiah Nagurrgurrba are co-managers and founding members of Injalak Arts and Crafts Centre, as well as being widely exhibited artists.
Injalak Hill boasts extensive galleries, literally thousands of paintings scattered amongst the boulders and breathtaking views of floodplains and the famed Arnhem Land escarpment. Injalak Hill was a significant occupation site for the inhabitants of the region.
The paintings in the rock art galleries show continuous habitation over millennia, with images layered over and over one another. Carbon dating shows some are more than 15,000 years old.
Since the beginning of time the traditional owners of West Arnhem Land have used rock art as an important form of visual communication. Together with dance, music and oral stories, rock art has been used to express and pass down ancestral beliefs, traditions and laws regulating the life of the Kunwinjku people of the Northern Territory.
As well as being a form of visual communication, rock art was also made to document daily life. Hunting and harvesting of bush foods still plays an important part in the life of Aboriginal people (bininj), and revolves around the traditional calendar of six distinct seasons. For example, in bangkerreng (the late wet season) the dragonflies over the water tell people that the fish are fat and plentiful. Game and bush tucker are some of the most important subjects in rock art and this continues in the art of today.
X-ray style rock art depiction of a cooked barramundi, Injalak Hill.
Namarnkol, the barramundi, is a very important fish for bininj. Barramundi are found in the ocean, in floodwaters, and in freshwater billabongs, rivers and creeks. In the old days, people used to spear them with djalakirradj (three-pronged fish spears) and walabi (traditional triangular nets). Nowadays, they are caught with fishing lines and modern nets. You can see a bark painting of a barramundi in the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation .
Bark painting of a barramundi, Gunbalanya, about 1961. British Museum Oc1961,02.1
According to the Kunwinjku, Mimihs were the original spirit beings and taught Aboriginal people many of the skills they needed to survive in the bush along with ceremonies, dance and song. These spirits continue to live in rocks, trees and caves but are rarely seen by humans. They are frequently seen in the rock art of Arnhem Land as small, dynamic figures.
Mimih spirits hunting, Injalak Hill.
The Kunwinjku of West Arnhem Land, one of the longest continuing Indigenous cultures today, leave a lasting impact on all those who come into contact with them, whether it be through working with them, by visiting Injalak Hill or through the walls of an exhibition. From Gunbalanya to the British Museum in London, one can only hope that we are contributing towards keeping culture strong and sustainable for the generations to come.
The BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation is at the British Museum until 2 August 2015
Supported by BP
Organised with the National Museum of Australia
Logistics partner IAG Cargo
The accompanying book is available from the British Museum shop online
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Stories of the past and present: Indigenous Australia
Tynan Waring, Indigenous Visitor Services Host at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra, spent three weeks at the British Museum during the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation .
He writes on professional development, educating audiences on Indigenous Australia and holding stone tools used by his ancestors.
Tynan Waring, holding the family guide during a talk to primary school children in the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation, 2015.
My name is Tynan Waring, and I am an Indigenous Visitor Services Host working for the National Museum of Australia (NMA), in Canberra, Australia’s capital city. I was lucky enough to be selected for a professional development opportunity at the British Museum and was flown to London to work for three weeks around the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation . The exhibition resulted from a joint research project between the institutions and a version of the exhibition called Encounters, focusing on contact between Indigenous Australians and European visitors to our shores, is due to open at the NMA at the end of the year.
I had the honour and privilege to work in many different areas of the British Museum – visitor services, learning services, the Anthropology Library and adult programming. It really was remarkable, despite the vast differences in not only distance and location, but also the themes of the two institutions’ collections, just how similar Museums are. The problems faced by museums and collecting institutions seem universal and even the people working at them almost have doppelgangers, or at least foreign versions of themselves working at other museums.
I was working with the brilliant curatorial staff of the Oceanic collection and I was very fortunate to take a trip to the stores and see and hold some objects that will be displayed in the Encounters exhibition. Even more exciting than that, was the opportunity to connect with my past and my heritage. The British Museum has a vast collection of Indigenous material, even if not permanently displayed and I was able to find stone tools and ochre that my Awabakal ancestors had used on the beaches of the place I was born and raised.
In the Anthropology Library, with more than a little help from the supremely knowledgeable Jim Hamill (Curator, Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas), I was able to find images of Awabakal men with ritual scarring I had never seen and a photograph of a man labelled Weymera ‘king’ of the Hunter River, at one point recognised by the European settlers as leader of my people. For a person whose heritage was only realised at the age of 14 after extensive research into family history, this provided a connection to my past and where my family has come from. Touching objects used by people I may be descended from, or who knew the people I am descended from, and seeing images of them was a very moving experience.
The Zugubal Dancers performing in the Museum’s Great Court, 2015. (Photo: Benedict Johnson)
I had a very touching and educational visit, I learnt so much not just about the British Museum’s collection and storied history, but about museums in general, about collecting, about sense of self. I was there during the biannual Origins – Festival of First Nations. I helped to organise the Museum’s Indigenous Australia Friday night late event featuring Alick Tipoti’s Zugubal Dancers and it was wonderful to see Indigenous Australian culture so eagerly enjoyed and accepted.
This makes me very hopeful for the continuation of the partnership between the museums and I hope our exhibition at the NMA continues the illuminating look at the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their cultural items and how collections play a part in that story.
The BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation is at the British Museum until 2 August 2015
Supported by BP
Organised with the National Museum of Australia
Logistics partner IAG Cargo
The accompanying book is available from the British Museum shop online
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Howzat! The 1868 Aboriginal Australian cricket tour of England
Gaye Sculthorpe, Curator, Oceania, British Museum
The first Australian cricket team to tour England was an all-Aboriginal side in 1868. Between May and October 1868, a group of 13 cricketers, mostly from the state of Victoria, played matches at various towns in England. Before or after the cricket game, they displayed their traditional skills in throwing and dodging spears, boomerangs and clubs. While these performances were popular with the public, the members of the Marylebone Cricket Club were initially reluctant to host the players at Lord’s as they deemed such traditional displays, like other novelty displays such as pony races, unfitting to take place on that ground. The cricket tour occurred not long after the publication of Darwin’s The Origin of the Species in 1859. William Tegetmeier (1816–1912), a poultry fancier and correspondent of Charles Darwin, went to see them play. He subsequently took their physical measurements, arranged for three of them, including Jungunjinuke, to be photographed as three different physical ‘types’ and displayed their weapons in a small museum in the offices of The Field magazine, a publication dedicated to those who shoot, fish and hunt way beyond the call of duty.
Jungunjinuke, or ‘Dick-a-Dick’ (as he was also known), quickly developed a reputation for his skill and dexterity in dodging cricket balls thrown at him, which he would deflect with his spear and club, only rarely being hit. During his time in England, he was noted not only for his cricketing skills, but also his style of fashionable dress, his Swiss clock and his ability to charm an audience. A club used by Jungunjinuke has remained in the UK since that tour and, from 1947, has been housed at the Marylebone Cricket Club. An old paper label stuck on the club is signed ‘GWG’, suggesting it passed through the hands of George W. Graham (1828–1886), the Sydney solicitor who was the co-promoter of the tour. The style of the club is typical of those from western Victoria, which are often referred to as ‘leangles’, used in fighting at close quarters. All members of the team returned to Australia, save for Bripumyarrumin (‘King Cole’) (d. 1868) who is buried in Meath Gardens in east London.
Jungunjinuke’s club from the 1868 Aboriginal cricket team. Western Victoria, about 1868. Marylebone Cricket Club. (On display until 2 August at the British Museum’s BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation).
Until 9 July 2015, the club associated with Jungunjinuke was the only known artefact associated with the cricket tour known to have survived. What happened to the other artefacts used in demonstrations of skills? A chance find last week has uncovered many of them. During a visit to inspect the Australian collections at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery (RAMM) last week to assist with redevelopment of their World Cultures Gallery, I came across a name and date associated with Aboriginal artefacts from the state of Victoria: W. R. Hayman 1868. Eureka!
William Reginald Hayman (1842–1899) was the manager of the Aboriginal team that toured England. He was the eldest son of Philip Charles Hayman, a doctor of Axminster, Devon. In 1858, Hayman emigrated to western Victoria, where most of the cricketers came from. As a key person in organising the tour, he came to England early in 1868 ahead of the cricketers to make arrangements for the tour. The team played 47 matches, the last one 15–17 October at The Oval, London. On 18 October, they left for what has been described as a ‘brief holiday’ in Devon. Some of the Aboriginal cricketers staged a display of traditional skills at Plymouth on 19 October. This included ‘native sports’ of throwing the spear and boomerang. The cricketers sailed from Plymouth on 26 October 1868.
Hayman did not sail on the ship with the cricketers. On 29 October, described as living at Oakhayes House, Woodbury (about 7 miles from Exeter, where his father lived), he donated 12 ‘native weapons’. They included 2 spears, 2 spearthrowers, 1 boomerang, 4 clubs and some firesticks. The objects have remained in the museum since then, but only now has their significance been uncovered.
The 1868 cricket tour of England has been included in a list of 100 defining moments in Australian history. To have identified these Aboriginal artefacts is an amazing discovery that adds tangible evidence to this historic event.
The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery (RAMM) is delighted to know they are the custodians of this significant collection.
Gaye Sculthorpe, British Museum and Tony Eccles, Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, with artefacts from 1868 tour found at Exeter Museum.
The BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation is at the British Museum until 2 August 2015
Supported by BP
Organised with the National Museum of Australia
Logistics partner IAG Cargo
The accompanying book is available from the British Museum shop online
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Celeste Farge, Exhibition Project Curator, British Museum
Bronze statue of an apoxyomenos. Greek, about 300 BC. Ministry of Culture, Croatia.
Image: Mali Losinj Tourist Board / photography by Mr Marko Vrdoljak.
Many of the objects in Defining beauty: the body in ancient Greek art have fascinating histories which, because they don’t form part of the essential narrative of the exhibition, are not mentioned in the labels and catalogue. For me, the most compelling is the story of the discovery of the bronze statue of an athlete, most probably a wrestler, and one of the star pieces of the exhibition generously lent by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia.
This statue is extremely rare, for very few life-size bronzes have in fact survived. Most were destroyed in late antiquity when they were valued more as scrap metal than as artworks and were melted down for other uses, such as in the manufacture of weapons and armour and the minting of coins. Occasionally a chance discovery, usually from the seabed, resurrects such masterpieces. This bronze statue, dating from around 300 BC, was found by a Belgian tourist diving off the coast of Croatia near the island of Lošinj.
The statue lying on the seabed where it was discovered. © Mr Danijel Freka
The statue being raised from the sea. © Ministry of Culture, Conservation Department Zagreb
In a carefully planned operation, with additional expertise and financial support from the Oxford Maritime Trust, it was raised in 1999 after having been in the sea for more than 2000 years. The surrounding area was then searched for other finds by using a pneumatic suction pipe, metal detectors and a remote operated device complete with camera but, although some amphora fragments and part of an anchor were found, the only significant item recovered was the base of the statue. It seems, therefore, unlikely that this statue was from a shipwreck. It may perhaps have been thrown overboard to lighten the load when the ship carrying it ran into difficulty during a storm.
The statue needed six years of conservation work eradicating soluble salts and harmful chlorides, removing layers of maritime encrustations, consolidating cracks and breaks, and building an internal support, to restore it to the exceptional condition it is in today. Extensive research on the statue was conducted to gather information on matters concerning the production techniques and composition. The statue had been constructed using the indirect lost wax process and cast in seven separate parts – the head, torso, legs, arms and genitals. Various factors indicate that ancient Greek casting techniques had been used, such as the low lead content, and the skill of the craftsmen is demonstrated in the application of hundreds of small patches to repair casting flaws before the final chasing and polishing and in the precision of the joins.
Remnants of a mouse nest, including straw, fig seeds and cherry stones (with bite marks!), were found inside the left forearm of the statue. At some point after its manufacture, the statue must have toppled over (the weight-bearing leg had been weakened when the clay core in the mould shifted causing bubbles and an unequal thickness of the bronze) damaging the figure’s left sole and right calf, and it is through these areas that the mouse would have been able to crawl in and out. The organic material deposited by the mouse has been carbon dated and the oldest material was found to date from around 50 BC.
It was a thrilling moment when the statue arrived at the British Museum accompanied by a team of guards, conservators and art handlers. It travelled inside a purpose-built hexagonal cage, designed to allow the statue to be moved with ease particularly during conservation work, but also during transport and hoisting onto its plinth.
Known as the ‘apoxyomenos’, which literally means ‘the scraper’, the statue would originally have had in its hands a strigil – a metal implement used for scraping the oil, dust and dirt from the body after exercising and before bathing. Bizarrely, in antiquity this mixture was collected and used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes. In fact, this gloop from the bodies of victorious athletes was especially prized for its healing properties. Statues, like this one, were erected in honour of prizewinning athletes but also as dedications to the gods, for it was believed that the victorious athletes had been favoured by them. Sanctuaries and gymnasia abounded with such statues ensuring the heroic status and, in a sense, immortality of the victors. Although the name of this athlete is no longer known, the fame of the statue lives on.
For more information, see http://www.h-r-z.hr/en/index.php/djelatnosti/konzerviranje-restauriranje/metal/222-hrvatski-apoksiomen
Last chance! Defining beauty: the body in ancient Greek art is on display until 5 July 2015.
Sponsored by Julius Baer
In memory of Melvin R Seiden
Mrs Jayne Wrightsman, OBE
Conserving Dürer’s Triumphal Arch: photography and imaging
Ivor Kerslake, Photography and Imaging Manager, British Museum and Joanna Russell, Scientist, British Museum
Before any conservation treatment could commence, and with the Arch now out from behind its screen of glass for the first time in a generation, we were granted the opportunity to create a series of high-resolution images. The British Museum’s newly commissioned photographic studio was cleared for two days and Dürer’s masterpiece was expertly transported down the six flights of stairs and carefully unrolled in the main studio. Because of the fragility of the print we were unable to position the work vertically, which would have made our work considerably easier, so it was delicately unrolled on the floor. The challenge was then how to get high enough over the print to get it all within one shot. This was the first real test of the new facility. We decided to use a mobile extendable work platform (MEWP). Since the studio had been designed to enable access to and photography of large objects, we had sufficient space to manoeuvre.
Carefully unrolling the print ready for photography, with the mobile extendable work platform in place.
Senior photographers, Kevin Lovelock and Saul Peckham used their skills to light the print to give an even and colour-balanced appearance, and also employed a raking light technique to highlight areas of special interest to both conservators and curators.
The print recto (front) in direct light.
The print verso (back) in raking light.
Detail of cotton backing with embossed reversed ‘1515’, the date in which the printing of the Arch commenced.
While the print was in the photographic studio, scientists Joanna Russell, Joanne Dyer and Antony Simpson took the opportunity to capture some detail shots using infrared and ultraviolet imaging.
Joanna Russell setting up the ultraviolet and infrared photography apparatus.
Visible light is only a tiny part of the electromagnetic spectrum – beyond the red end of the visible spectrum is infrared radiation, and beyond the violet end is ultraviolet light. This non-visible radiation can also be recorded in images, by using special lights, cameras and filters. These imaging techniques may tell us more about the materials or construction of an object or artwork, depending on the ways the materials interact with the different wavelengths of light.
The ink used for the print absorbs infrared radiation, so appears clearly in these images, and is likely to be a carbon-based ink. However, an ink inscription becomes invisible in the infrared image, showing it is made using a different type of ink, probably iron gall ink.
Left: A visible image of a detail from the Arch. Right: An infrared reflectogram of the same detail. The words ‘The Gate of the Nobility’ do not appear in the infrared image.
Ultraviolet light causes some materials to luminesce, that is to give off visible light. The ultraviolet-induced luminescence from the paper has a yellower appearance in one area of the detail shown below. This reveals that the scene in the bottom left of this detail is printed on a separate piece of paper to the surrounding areas.
Image showing an ultraviolet-induced luminescence detail. The scene in the lower left is printed on a paper with a more yellow luminescence than the surrounding areas.
The information revealed from these images can tell us more about how the Triumphal Arch was made, and can help to further inform the process of conserving the print.
The conservation of Dürer’s Triumphal Arch has been made possible by the generous support of Howard and Roberta Ahmanson. To find out more, see the earlier blog post here .
Collecting Indigenous Australian art
Rachael Murphy, Exhibition Project Curator, British Museum
There should always be controversy in the air surrounding artists and makers, museums and objects and culture… It is this that keeps museums alive and relevant, part of an on-going dialogue and questioning as the past and the present collide and coalesce like a walk in wardrobe of old, deep memories and sparkling new acquisitions.
Judy Watson, artistic fellow
There is no need for me to explain the importance of the contemporary art in the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation when Judy Watson, who has two prints on display in the show ( 2015,2004.3 and 2015,2004.4 ), does it so eloquently. The exhibition showcases some of the most striking work to come out of Australia in the last five years, as well as the breadth and diversity of art forms, from an installation by Tasmanian artist Julie Gough to a basket by Abe Muriata , a master weaver from rainforest Queensland. These pieces pose a range of opinions, statements or questions, contributing to the dialogues throughout the show. The reasons for collecting, commissioning and displaying these works are as diverse as the art forms themselves. It is only, perhaps, the artists’ ability to engage with the visitor, that provides some common ground.
Judy Watson at the British Museum in 2013. The paddle that she is drawing features in one of the prints she produced after this visit, see below. © The Trustees of the British Museum
Watson, a Waanyi artist, who lives and works in Brisbane, first visited the British Museum and other museum collections in the UK at the end of 1995 and beginning of 1996, beginning a long relationship with UK institutions. She returned to the British Museum in 2013 as an artistic fellow on the research project Engaging Objects, a collaborative research project between the British Museum, the National Museum of Australia and the Australian National University. After this trip Watson produced a series of prints, the holes in the land, which layer delicately etched drawings of Indigenous Australian objects in the British Museum collection over historical plans for the Museum’s building and showcases. Behind these silhouettes are bright, swirling colours, suggesting, perhaps, the blues, greens and yellows of the Australian landscape.
Judy Watson, the holes in the land 2, 2015.
(Courtesy of Judy Watson and Grahame Galleries + Editions. Photographer: Carl Warner)
Other contemporary works in the exhibition, such as Angela’s Torenbeek’s ghost net basket speak of events that take place far beyond the Museum walls. Ghost nets are fishing nets which have been detached from commercial vessels and drift in the ocean. Many wash up on islands in the Torres Strait, including on the beaches of Torenbeek’s home, on the island of Moa. Nets pose a significant hazard to marine life and weaving provides a way to recycle them. The plastic fibres are hard to weave, but resistant to damage and decomposition. There are parallels with Torenbeek’s own gentle persistence in educating people about ghost nets.
Mahnah Angela Torenbeek, Ghost net basket, 2010.
(Reproduced by permission of the artist on behalf of the Rebecca Hossack Gallery)
The value of Torenbeek’s work does not lie only in the messages it conveys. The basket on display is small and shallow, its modest form made bold by the bright blue, green and red of the coarse synthetic fibres. Frayed white nets, trailing from tight stitches, evoke feathers, a material that has been used in the Torres Strait for (at the very least) hundreds of years. While many other artists in the Torres Strait and along the northern coastline of Australia weave with ghost nets, Torenbeek’s work stands out for this striking use of colour and form and playful use of materials. Her flair for innovation is apparent in every work, from small baskets to large scale sculptures. In 2012 she collaborated on a giant ghost net crocodile which sat at Bondi Beach in Sydney. More recently she has been using animal bone in her work. As Torenbeek modestly puts it: ‘I like to do something different’. It is a quality that makes her work compelling to collectors, both private and institutional.
The Museum considers many factors when acquiring contemporary works, not least that they complement and enrich existing collections. Private collectors may collect artworks for other reasons, which speak to their personal experiences, interests or aesthetic tastes. Despite this, there are often close parallels between public and private collections, suggesting that while there is no single definition for a good artwork, it is still an interesting question.
For an insight into the world of collecting Indigenous Australian art you can listen to some of the most esteemed collectors, advisors and dealers at the upcoming debate Collecting Indigenous Australian art, chaired by the renowned art dealer Rebecca Hossack, on Friday 03 July .
Thank you, as always to all of the artists and other groups and individuals across Australia who have contributed to this exhibition.
The BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation is at the British Museum until 2 August 2015
Supported by BP
Organised with the National Museum of Australia
Logistics partner IAG Cargo
The accompanying book is available from the British Museum shop online
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A papal cross has how many horizontal sections? | Papal Cross
古代のシンボル (Japanese)
Papal Cross
The Papal Cross is representative of the ultimate authority of the Roman Catholic Church. This emblem of ecclesiastical heraldry is specifically assigned to the Pope, who heads the Church. It is made of a staff that has three horizontal bars at the top, placed in an order of diminishing length. As it is the official symbol of papacy, the use of Papal Cross for any purpose by any other church and organization has been strictly prohibited.
The Papal Cross is distinct from the Archiepiscopal Cross, which is a two-barred cross and is used to signify an archbishop. It is also not to be confused with the Cross of Lorraine that comprises of two horizontal bars, evenly spaced on a vertical bar. This is a heraldic cross that was granted to the original Knights Templar and carried by them to the Crusades. Relative to the Catholic Church, this equal-armed Cross Lorraine represents the office of the Cardinal.
The three bars of the Papal Cross are generally considered to be representative of the Trinity – the Father God, the son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They are also believed to symbolize the realms that come under the Pope’s authority, namely the Church, the heaven and the world.
Some physical crosses have also come to be called ‘papal crosses’ on account of being associated with a pope. For instance, a 35 meter high white cross made of steel girders erected in Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland is popularly referred to as the Papal Cross. This is so because it was installed there on the occasion of Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1979.
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Which World War II leader was captured in April 1945 trying to flee to Switzerland with gold and looted Ethiopian sovereigns which became known as The Treasure of Dongo? | Francis brings back the Bent Cross, Broken Cross – Novus Ordo Watch
It was just a matter of time…
Francis Brings Back Bent Cross Crozier
Francis with the Broken Cross Staff on April 7, 2013, at St. John Lateran
It was bound to happen. Mr. Jorge Bergoglio — whom the world calls “Pope Francis” — has reintroduced the repulsive ‘Bent Cross’ Crozier (sometimes referred to as the “Broken Cross”), after Benedict XVI had, for the most part, abandoned it. The indult blog Rorate Caeli has the story .
The “bent cross” ferula, or staff, which is a hideous rendition of a crucifix, shows our Lord’s legs immodestly spread apart and shows the cross bars bent, rather than straight. The following photos show that this “crucifix” is repulsive indeed, dishonors Christ, and does not inspire pious thoughts:
This sinister-looking cross was designed by Italian Lello Scorzelli (1921-1997) during – you guessed it – the 1960s and was introduced – you guessed it again – by “Pope” Paul VI (Giovanni Battista Montini), who used it for the first time at the closing of his modernist robber synod known as the “Second Vatican Council”, on December 8, 1965. In fact, in 1963 Paul VI had given Scorzelli a permanent job in Rome to design this and other “art” for the Vatican.
The blasphemous Scorzelli cross bears some striking resemblance to the the crucifix drawn by Belgian “artist” Albert Servaes (d. 1966) as part of his “stations of the cross”, which were condemned by the Church in 1921 under Pope Benedict XV (see here) . Notice in particular the hanging head and the bent legs:
Striking Resemblance to the Scorzelli Cross:
“Crucifixion” by Servaes, condemned by the Holy Office in 1921
(The full decree of the Holy Office condeming these drawings, dated March 30, 1921, can be found in the original Latin here .)
On September 11, 1670, under Pope Clement X, the Holy Office prohibited the making of crucifixes “in a form so coarse and artless, in an attitude so indecent, with features so distorted by grief that they provoke disgust rather than pious attention” (quoted by Jacques Maritain, Speech to Journées d’Art Religieux , Feb. 23, 1924). The reason for this prohibition has never been more obvious than now, now that the Vatican II Church has spent decades disregarding this decree and has commissioned, promoted, allowed, and tolerated the foulest modernistic displays of religious “art” around the world.
In addition, the indecent Scorzelli crucifix also has something in common with the heretical crucifixes of the Jansenists:
Jansenist Altar Crucifix (heretical and condemned)
The so-called “Jansenist Crucifix” is defined as a “crucifix in which the arms of our Lord are not extended at right angles with His sacred body, but are contractedly suspended from the cross-beam parallel with the upright portion of the cross. The symbolism of the outstretched arms is that Christ died for all men; that of the Jansenist crucifix, that Christ died only for the elect” (Frederick George Lee, A Glossary of Liturgical and Ecclesiastical Terms, s.v. “Crucifix, Jansenist” [London: Bernard Quaritch, 1877], p. 103). (This is not to be confused with the “for many” vs. “for all” issue in the Canon of the Mass – the Catechism of the Council of Trent clarifies: “…if we look to its value, we must confess that the Redeemer shed His blood for the salvation of all; but if we look to the fruit which mankind have received from it, we shall easily find that it pertains not unto all, but to many of the human race”.)
When Paul VI died in 1978, his successor John Paul I retained the ferula, and John Paul II used it pehaps more frequently than anyone else. Benedict XVI used it as well, though not as often. The following photos show Benedict XVI, John Paul II, John Paul I, and Paul VI with the Scorzelli staff:
Tragically, the hideous Scorzelli cross is also attached to many Rosary beads among Novus Ordos, and probably even some traditional Catholics unwittingly use it, not realizing what an affront to Our Lord it is.
It is quite telling that out of all the beautiful and truly Catholic crucifixes and croziers the Vatican II “Popes” could use, they use the disgusting and repulsive Bent Cross, but this is no accident: It is definitely a fitting symbol for the sinister Vatican II Church, which has mocked Christ, humiliated Him, betrayed Him, has trampled Him under foot, loathes Him, teaches heresy, and presents to the world a distorted and twisted faith that is repulsive to true Catholics.
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In what country are/were violent demonstrations in 2011 against President Hosni Mubarak and his 30-year leadership? | Q&A: Egyptian protests against Hosni Mubarak - BBC News
BBC News
Q&A: Egyptian protests against Hosni Mubarak
By Martin Asser BBC News
11 February 2011
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President Hosni Mubarak has resigned after nearly 30 years in power and 18 days of relentless pressure from street demonstrations demanding an end to his rule. Here is a guide to what is happening and why it matters for the rest of the world.
What prompted Mr Mubarak to step down?
Friday's announcement that Hosni Mubarak had handed control to the Supreme Military Council came as a surprise in one way, but in another way it was remarkable how long he had lasted.
"Game over" was the message from the streets, and protesters were adamant that they would not go home until he left office.
But the government hung on, offering various concessions and deploying various tactics to intimidate the pro-democracy crowds, but they only became more numerous and more passionate.
It seemed as though the game was up on Thursday, when the army council met without a senior government figure in the chair.
But the president came back with one last throw of the dice - in a state address on TV reiterating his position.
This enraged the expectant multitude in Cairo's Tahrir Square and around the country, and their zeal perhaps was the final message that the game was finally over.
How did it all start?
Egypt has long been known as a centre of stability in a volatile region, but that masked malignant problems which erupted in popular demonstrations against the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak on 25 and 28 January.
His National Democratic Party (NDP) monopolised political power through a mixture of constitutional manipulation, repression and rigged elections, cronyism, and the backing of powerful foreign allies.
The main drivers of the unrest have been poverty, rising prices, social exclusion, anger over corruption and personal enrichment among the political elite, and a demographic bulge of young people unable to find work.
The catalyst was fellow Arabs in Tunisia successfully overthrowing their autocratic ruler, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali , with a popular uprising on 14 January.
Popular anger was fuelled by dozens of deaths at the hands of the security forces, while protesters' voices have been heard thanks to social media and the presence of independent news broadcasters at the scene.
Their rallying cries were "The people want the fall of the regime", "Mubarak, go", and "Illegitimate, illegitimate".
Why does it matter?
Egypt is by far the most populous Arab country and what happens there carries great political weight around the world, especially the Middle East.
Cairo's relationship with Washington is underpinned by a peace treaty with Israel, agreed in the late-1970s after four Arab-Israeli wars in which Egypt was standard-bearer of the Arab cause.
Hosni Mubarak's autocracy, and billions of dollars of US military aid, permitted him a free hand to engage with Israeli governments, unhindered by deep public concern about Israel's military and political handling of the Palestinians and Lebanon.
The realities of democratic politics could bring about a recasting of those relationships; hence the apprehensiveness of Israelis and Americans as they follow events.
There are also major economic implications, as Egyptian industry and the valuable tourism sector have been paralysed by the political unrest. Oil prices have risen amid fears of unrest affecting traffic through the Suez Canal and, in the long term, of a wider regional crisis.
Who are the anti-government protesters?
The protests have included people from all sectors of society, but at the forefront have been young, tech-savvy Egyptians who have never known another ruler of their country.
There is no single figurehead or unified leadership, although a number of opposition political figures and groupings are taking part.
They include the UN former nuclear agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei and Ayman Nour, a lawyer and leader of the Ghad party, who was jailed after contesting the 2005 presidential election.
The Muslim Brotherhood , officially banned but still Egypt's only large-scale organised opposition movement, has also joined the protests.
Although the Muslim Brotherhood is signed up to democratic reform and has renounced violence, fears of a swift post-Mubarak lurch towards Islamist rule is the main worry for Western powers and Israel.
A "Council of Wise Men" has been formed, including prominent businessmen, lawyers and academics, who see dialogue with the government as the way out of the crisis.
What was the government's initial response?
Hosni Mubarak made concession after concession hoping to appease public and international opinion, but his refusal to step down immediately made the protests more vociferous.
His main gambit was to appoint a new vice-president, in the shape of Omar Suleiman , the shadowy head of Egypt's intelligence service, and to cede some powers to him.
He has also confirmed he would not stand for re-election, and nor would his son Gamal, who for years was apparently being lined up as a successor to his father.
Although talks took place between Mr Suleiman and opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood despite its official ban, they quickly hit an impasse.
The government insisted that the street protests should end immediately and life return to normal, while the protesters believed that pressure must be kept up to ensure any reforms are not purely cosmetic.
As the protests entered their third week, the authorities changed tone somewhat, describing protesters as honourable people with honourable aspirations, rather than wayward youths.
The government's moves were dismissed by most opponents as a ploy to hang onto exclusive power.
Protesters were especially unhappy about the prospects of a President Suleiman. Not only is he linked to the alleged detention and torture of government opponents, but he is also Egypt's main go-between with Israel.
Both president and his deputy have been branded by protesters as "agents", acting in US and Israeli interests rather than those of Egyptians.
It is too early to tell whether they will accept Defence Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi as interim de-facto leader, or if Mr Suleiman will have a role in the new set-up.
What is the role of the army?
Observers say the army has always been the key power in a highly fluid, opaque and dangerous situation - able either to shepherd Egypt towards a democratic future of free elections, or to uphold the status quo.
In contrast to the security police, it has pledged not to use violence to quell what have been near-universally peaceful protests.
This apparently neutrality has won it praise from other governments, concerned about the possibility of a bloody denouement of this crisis.
After the 10 February Supreme Military Council meeting, a military communique was issued appearing to back the protesters' demands, prompting a day of speculation of a military take-over.
It was therefore a shock to protesters when Mr Mubarak gave a state address some hours later not offering his resignation, but expressing more determination than ever to ride out the crisis.
Speculation then turned to the possibility of a split in the army, with an old guard backing the old order and younger officers more in harmony with the protesters.
The air force, whose aircraft have buzzed the protests' epicentre in Cairo's Tahrir (Liberation) Square as a show of intimidating force, was believed to have remained loyal to the president, who was himself a military pilot and commander.
What caused the street clashes early on in the conflict?
Countrywide protests after Friday prayers on 28 January were met with typically repressive measures by the security police, but the determination and sheer numbers of protesters proved overwhelming.
Government tactics appeared to be in disarray. Security police melted away, and heavy military armour appeared on the streets to the cheers of protesters.
There followed several days of carnival-like protests centred on Cairo's Tahrir (Liberation) Square, effectively celebrations of the newfound freedom and mutual respect among protesters.
It culminated in the so-called "march of the million" on 1 February.
However, a more sinister atmosphere was emerging, as state media reported a wave of looting in Cairo, causing many people to set up armed neighbourhood watch groups to protect their homes.
Government loyalists also voiced frustration, especially with the media for giving too much prominence to the protests.
On 2 February, pro-Mubarak marchers tried to gain access to Tahrir Square and what had been a peaceful scene deteriorated into vicious stone- and petrol-bomb-throwing street battles.
Barricades were erected by the anti-Mubarak side and they appeared ready to dig in for a long occupation of the square until the president resigned.
Is this the long-awaited "Arab Spring"?
The consequences of Egypt's unrest could be great for other Arab countries and rulers. Democracy is a rare commodity in the region and several other governments could be sitting on similar political volcanoes.
What surprised many Egypt-watchers was the vehemence and cohesiveness of the first day of protests, which seemed to change the entire political landscape within a few hours.
Protests were seen in the second city, Alexandria, as well as in many large conurbations in the Nile Delta, Suez and Ismailiya. It is testimony to the resilience and tenacity of Mr Mubarak's rule that he was not swept immediately away like Mr Ben Ali.
Mr Mubarak's most influential Western ally, the US, has been caught in a serious bind. Should it live up to its professed desires for democracy or support the Egyptian president for fear of loss of influence and what might follow his overthrow?
It has been able to exert little influence beyond calling for an "orderly transition" at the earliest opportunity.
Other Arab autocrats offered Mr Mubarak support, but faced mass protests of their own.
After the initial flurry of imitative protests in Yemen, Jordan, Algeria and elsewhere, their rulers made hasty concessions. Meanwhile, their simmering populations awaited the outcome of the struggle in Egypt.
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No one in the entire Middle East is watching the proceedings in Cairo with more trepidation than Bashar Assad in Damascus. The dictator continues the relentless massacre of his own people, and the bodies pile up in Hama, Deir A Zor, Damascus suburbs and other places.
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The liberation of Egypt seems to be just the start. Who will be next? If Jordan and Yemen follow, so will Saudi Arabia and Riyadh would be in a critical position, with no choice but to evolve towards a more open political system.
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Which British film secured the most Oscar nominations, and top commendation at the Directors Guild of American Awards, in January 2011? | Oscar Bait - TV Tropes
Oscar Bait
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— "Hollywood Rule Book"
, Vanity Fair
You would think that a good movie is a good movie, and that good movies get Oscars for being good movies. But they don�t.
An Oscar is a big deal. It gets people to the theater, it boosts ticket sales, and it bolsters the studio�s bottom line. As such, studios and producers try to engineer a film so that it can win an Oscar rather than be good in its own right. Typically, this meant a more serious, depressing, or �artistic� film. Such a film is called Oscar Bait, and the practice is also derisively known as �Oscarbation�.
The trend started in the 1970s and 1980s with the emergence of the Summer Blockbuster and the decline of New Hollywood . Before then, it was a pretty good bet that the most popular movies were also the best ones (and thus the likely Oscar-winners). But then directors like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas hit their stride, making beloved and well-received movies which were seen as too �lightweight� to win the �important� categories (acting, direction, writing, and picture). The �serious� fare that did win those categories would become Oscar Bait.
Such films are usually depressing dramas , Glurgey inspirational films, and examples of man�s inhumanity to man � as such, an abnormally large proportion of Oscar Bait films are set during The Holocaust . There�s also a big focus on mental illness or Inspirationally Disadvantaged characters. It�s rare for a comedy film to do well at the Oscars ; sci-fi and horror don�t do much better, and animated films usually only get their own categories. It�s not a hard and fast rule; you might see a Dramedy or Dark Comedy get a nomination, mostly because there�s still room for suffering.
Oddly, many Oscar Bait movies don�t do so well at the box office. A big reason for that is Hype Backlash and Hype Aversion ; the heavy campaigning to win an Oscar can be a big turn-off. Furthermore, many Oscar Bait films are released around December or January (as a direct lead-in to the Academy Awards show in late February), so it�s easy to tell them apart from Summer Blockbusters . And they don�t even always win Oscars, perhaps because the Academy can actually tell the difference between a good, honest movie and an Oscar Bait attempt, and partly because sometimes they respect the general public�s opinion of a movie and will try to reflect that. (But when they don�t, that�s an Award Snub .)
The phenomenon isn�t exclusive to the Oscars, either; on TV it�s �Emmy Bait�, on Broadway it�s �Tony Bait�, and in music it�s �Grammy Bait�. See also Death by Newbery Medal and Award Bait Song .
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Oscar Bait tactics and examples:
Positioning the film to win awards
The Deer Hunter was a game-changer. After a disastrous preview screening, the studio brought in Allan Carr as a consultant. He concluded that the film was so grim and depressing that people would only watch it if they had heard that it had been nominated for Oscars. Before then, it was the other way around; films got Oscar nominations based on their popular reception. Carr turned the system on its head and gave the film only a short screening in New York and Los Angeles near the end of 1978; the audience was mostly limited to film critics and Academy members. The former raved about the film, and the latter nominated it for multiple Oscars. Only then was it put into wide release to the general public.
�Oscar-worthy� films tend to be released in the last two months of the year, to get them in before the December 31 deadline but as close to the February ceremony as possible. Sometimes it results in a rushed production .
Studios will shamelessly lobby the judges directly, through one of the following:
Massive advertising directly to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (i.e. the famed �For Your Consideration� ads). These campaigns got so out of hand that people speculated that it may have been a reason the Oscar ceremony was moved from March to February � to get people to pay attention to the films and not the ads. (The main reason, of course, was to coincide with Sweeps .)
Widespread distribution of free �screeners�, often for �little� films which may not have been in theaters for long. These are typically just DVDs mailed en masse to all the voting members (which are so pervasive that many Academy members never even go to theatrical screenings, although they often don�t have the time to). Academy members have also been known to �accidentally� leak these screeners to smugglers, although that never dissuaded the studios (and a Mexican scientist
did invent a watermarking technology for them).
Studios will sometimes vie to be the one to �get the most Oscars�, which leads them to release several Oscar Bait films in a row. One of the most notorious for this was Miramax Films , who in one year hit us with Shakespeare in Love , Chocolat , Chicago , and Cold Mountain . They might also set up subdivisions specifically for �arthouse�-style films, like Paramount Vantage.
Subject matter and characters
The typical Oscar Bait film is a Period Piece or Costume Drama with �serious� subject matter. This often leads them to be Biopics (or at least Based on a True Story ) as well. But they don�t always follow this pattern. Some Oscar Bait films can be lower-budget dramas aimed more at the age group of the Academy voters, such as Away From Her and Steel Magnolias .
Set it during The Holocaust . It checks all the boxes: historical, dramatic, man�s inhumanity to man , Downer Ending , True Art Is Angsty . It works even if you usually do Summer Blockbusters (like Steven Spielberg finally winning for Schindler's List ). It even works if you make it a comedy ( Life Is Beautiful did it). It�s basically a license to print money. (And yes, you can win with a movie about people in a concentration camp printing money .)
It�s particularly prominent in the Best Documentary Feature category. From 1995 to 2000, three of the five winners directly involved the Holocaust (Anne Frank Remembered, The Final Days, and Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport) � and another was about post-WWII Jewish refugees.
This phenomenon was referenced in Extras , where Kate Winslet �s character notes that the best way to win an Oscar was to play in a Holocaust movie. Winslet herself then tried (but failed) to win an Oscar doing exactly that in The Reader , and Ricky Gervais did not let her forget it.
Broadway musicals adapted to films might pick up a Movie Bonus Song purely to snag a �Best Original Song� Oscar nomination. This was a common strategy even before the category existed, just as a way to differentiate the film version from the play (and get people to see both). But with the Oscar incentive added on, studios will add songs whether or not the score needs it. The movie versions of A Chorus Line , Little Shop of Horrors , Evita , Chicago , The Phantom of the Opera , Dreamgirls and Les Mis�rables all got original song nominations this way; the only one of these to win was �You Must Love Me� from Evita.
Animated films tend not to do well at the Oscars . This hasn�t stopped people from trying, particularly Disney . When Beauty and the Beast was nominated for Best Picture in 1991, Disney ramped up its efforts to win the whole thing, but this led to films like Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame having bizarre mixtures of serious, Anvilicious fare and Tastes Like Diabetes , because they were unwilling to completely break away from the Animation Age Ghetto . The only Disney film of that era to get a screenplay nomination was Toy Story , which wasn�t trying to be Oscar Bait.
Make it about mental illness or disability . It�s been a consistent Oscar winner over the years:
The first actor to win an Oscar for playing such a character was Cliff Robertson in 1968, for playing the mentally handicapped hero of Charly (an adaptation of the short story Flowers for Algernon ), after a massive �For Your Consideration� campaign.
Rain Man gets a lot of credit for kicking off the modern trend. The film won Best Picture, Best Direction, and Best Original Screenplay in 1988, and Dustin Hoffman won Best Actor for his portrayal of the mentally handicapped protagonist.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of only three films to win all of the �Big Five� Oscars (Picture, Screenplay, Director, Actor, and Actress).note The other two, for those keeping score, are It Happened One Night and The Silence of the Lambs Oddly, though, the acting awards were given to actors who played non-mentally ill characters.
Forrest Gump won four of the �Big Five� (Actor, Director, Screenplay, and Picture) plus two more in 1994, and it centered around a mentally handicapped man. It�s considered a textbook example of how to win an Oscar because of its historical setting and social commentary.
John Mills won Best Supporting Actor in 1970 for playing a mentally deficient, mute, and crippled character in Ryan's Daughter , baffling his costar Sarah Miles.
Leonardo DiCaprio got his first Oscar nomination for playing a mentally handicapped boy in What's Eating Gilbert Grape . He kept going to try and win one, many times acting even better in typical Oscar Bait films, but wouldn�t win one for another 22 years.
Peter Sellers was the subject of an infamous Award Snub when he was nominated but didn�t win an Oscar for playing the mentally-challenged Chance the Gardener in 1979�s Being There . He was hit by the Comedy Ghetto and his insistence on treating the film not as Oscar Bait, but rather the role�s inherent challenge and extremely personal Reality Subtext . When people later found out how much Sellers put himself into that role and how badly he wanted that Oscar, Sellers himself became the subject of award bait in 2004�s The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (where he was even played by Geoffrey Rush , who had himself won an Oscar for playing a mentally disabled character in Shine ) � that film, released on TV in the U.S., nearly swept that year�s Emmy and Golden Globe awards.
The female equivalent of the mental health angle is having an attractive actress play an ugly character . But Hollywood Homely isn�t good enough; you would have to drastically change your physical appearance to do it . Actresses who have won Oscars this way include Charlize Theron , who put on 30 pounds and thinned her hair and eyebrows for Monster ; Nicole Kidman , who wore a number of prosthetics to play Virginia Woolf (a character with mental illness, to boot) in The Hours ; and Anne Hathaway , who played a bald, emaciated, filthy, and apparently toothless Broken Bird in Les Mis�rables in 2012.
Physical disability can get you an Oscar. This is what got Jamie Foxx a win for Ray , Al Pacino for Scent of a Woman , and Daniel Day-Lewis for My Left Foot . Even John Wayne got his only Oscar this way, by playing the half-blind Marshall Rooster Cogburn in True Grit .
White Man's Burden is a common trend; a privileged white character will take it upon himself to help an underprivileged minority and thus show his nobility. It earns nominations � like for Gran Torino , The Blind Side , Freedom Writers , Glory Road , The Soloist , and Dangerous Minds � but of these, only The Blind Side got one.
An oddly specific recurring theme related to that is the subject of abused, illiterate black women. It�s more or less �Oscar Bait: Black Edition�). The Ur-Example of this trend is The Color Purple , which got eleven Oscar nominations (but didn�t win any because it was controversial in the black community for its portrayals of abusive black men and lesbianism). Precious was more successful, being about an almost implausibly depressing character � an illiterate black teenager who�s raped by her father, abused by her mother, has a child called �Mongo� (short for �Mongoloid�), and whose uplifting ending to the film is just getting the chance to take the GED test.
A more recent phenomenon is playing a gay, lesbian, or transgender character and outlining the injustices or tragedies they face. Examples include Sean Penn in Milk ; Tom Hanks in Philadelphia ; Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote ; Hilary Swank in Boys Don't Cry ; Christopher Plummer in Beginners ; and Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club . It wasn�t always a winning formula; films like Transamerica and Brokeback Mountain are considered Award Snub victims (although the latter did win Best Director).
Dyeing for Your Art is a common way to win, but only if it�s bad for you; actors tend to do better by losing weight, gaining body fat, or otherwise becoming uglier as opposed to adding muscle mass (although Robert De Niro is credited with starting this trend by bulking up to become a convincing boxer and winning Best Actor for Raging Bull ). Actors who have won by punishing their body to look less attractive include:
George Clooney , who gained 35 pounds for his Oscar-winning role in Syriana ;
Philip Seymour Hoffman , who lost 40 pounds for his winning role in Capote ;
Tom Hanks and his generally downtrodden and disheveled look in Cast Away ;
Charlize Theron , who gained 30 pounds and underwent an extreme Beauty Inversion to win for Monster ;
Heath Ledger , whose extreme Method Acting to play The Joker in The Dark Knight may have contributed to his untimely death but won him an Oscar anyway;
Natalie Portman , who did it twice � first slimming down to 97 pounds and undergoing intense ballet training to win for Black Swan , and second for shaving her head in V for Vendetta to win the Best Actress Saturn;
Christian Bale , who lost a lot of weight to win Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter ;
Anne Hathaway , who lost 25 pounds, had her head shaved, and picked up the general look of a tuberculosis-stricken prostitute to win Best Supporting Actress for Les Mis�rables (2012) ;
Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto , both of whom lost a lot of weight to earn Oscars for Dallas Buyers Club (Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively); and
Leonardo DiCaprio , who broke his long losing streak by doing extreme things for his role in The Revenant , including putting on weight, eating raw bison, and sleeping in animal carcasses. Observers joked that the Academy should give him the Oscar right away before he kills himself .
Make it foreign. If nothing else, Europeans are very responsive to Oscar Bait films . And the Academy likes films set in interesting foreign locations. Films like Slumdog Millionaire , City of God , and Babel are successful examples.
An interesting trend is to subvert the typical Oscar Bait film by creating a �quirky� independent film - some success stories in this field include American Beauty , Juno , and Little Miss Sunshine . These films always feature �hip� dialogue, eccentric characters, and many a Snark Knight . The problem here is that such films rarely completely leave the Oscar Bait sphere; they�re still often commentaries on the pointless emptiness of modern society and those who inhabit it , and they strive to appear edgy and radical without ever actually being edgy and radical .
Don�t make it sci-fi or fantasy; the Sci-Fi Ghetto is very much in effect at the Oscars. They usually only get nominated for Visuals, Sound, or Makeup rather than the �Big Five� categories. The only way they get one of those nominations is if they are more cerebral or philosophical, like The Dark Knight , Avatar , Inception , and Gravity . If you actually want to win with a sci-fi or fantasy film, it should be based on a highly acclaimed previous work (no, not Star Trek , older than that) � this was a big reason Return of the King won Best Picture (because it was a big-budget groundbreaking adaptation of a highly acclaimed work of literature).
An unusually specific type of Oscar Bait is the movie about a troubled country singer . Robert Duvall (for Tender Mercies ), Jeff Bridges (for Crazy Heart ), and Sissy Spacek (for Coal Miner's Daughter ) all won Oscars this way. And Reese Witherspoon won hers for Walk the Line , where she plays a troubled country singer helping an even more troubled country singer (played by Joaquin Phoenix , who snagged a nomination).
Actors have had success playing previously celebrated actors. Examples include Robert Downey, Jr. as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin ; Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood ; Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator ; and Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn . Ironically, of these older famous actors, only Hepburn ever won Best Actor or Actress herself.
Films (or otherwise) that come across as particularly obvious in their ambitions:
Oscar Bait
Come See the Paradise
was identifed by a UCLA study as the most blatant Oscar Bait in film history. A period drama that spanned The Great Depression and World War II ; touched on Japanese internment despite having a safely white, clean-cut male protagonist; included a Maligned Mixed Marriage between the hero and a Japanese woman; and ends with the main character returning to his family after serving prison time for a years-old crime he was an unwitting, innocent accomplice in. The Academy basically ignored it, apparently out of disdain for the sheer shameless pandering.
The Lovely Bones was based on a critically acclaimed book about a murdered girl watching her family from the afterlife. It was directed by Oscar winner Peter Jackson and pushed to the end of the year into Oscar Bait time. The film was widely panned, and the only nomination it got was for Stanley Tucci for Best Supporting Actor.
This seems to be a trend among the later oeuvre of Clint Eastwood :
Million Dollar Baby is about a disadvantaged woman who makes a place for herself in a traditionally male-dominated occupation — boxing. It has Morgan Freeman as the Narrator and stars Eastwood himself as a character who faces an intense moral dilemma near the end. It won four Oscars in 2004, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Hilary Swank , and it was also a sleeper box office hit.
Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima are both set during World War II .
Changeling was a 1920s-era Period Piece conspiracy film about a missing child, which starred Oscar-baity actress Angelina Jolie .
Gran Torino was a film about a bigot�s redemption, starring Eastwood himself. It didn�t get nominated for an Oscar, but it did win Eastwood a special Palme d�Or at Cannes.
Invictus had Morgan Freeman playing Nelson Mandela, trying to unite South Africa after The Apartheid Era with The Power of Rugby.
J. Edgar was a Biopic of famous FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, as played by Leonardo DiCaprio in one of his many unsuccessful bids at an Oscar.
American Sniper was a rather controversial Biopic which starred Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, a Navy Seal noted for racking up a high kill count during the Iraq War.
The film adaptation of Jersey Boys , itself a multiple Tony-winning musical, was a biopic of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons with an All-Star Cast .
David Fincher has tried this off and on ever since The Curious Case of Benjamin Button . His next film was The Social Network , which got pretty badly out-baited by The King's Speech . Then he did The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo , which he backed out of campaigning out of his belief that the film has �too much anal rape� (not that this stopped other films, like Pulp Fiction or Deliverance ). And he followed that up with Gone Girl , which got a single nomination for Rosamond Pike in spite of it being one of the most praised films of 2014.
The Revenant has been derided as being a �lifetime achievement Oscar� for its star Leonardo DiCaprio , subject of many previous Award Snubs . It�s a historical dramatization of the true story of a man struggling to overcome the harsh elements and take revenge for the death of his totally fictional son. It shows everything in excruciating, realistic detail and a gritty, washed-out color palette . It has lingering, beautiful establishing shots and minimal sound with long periods of silence. And Di Caprio was so into Dyeing for His Art that he method acted himself half to death. Di Caprio finally won that elusive Oscar for this film, but audiences thought it wasn�t necessarily the best performance of his career.
The Cider House Rules is a serious drama about a disadvantaged orphaned main character during WWII who suffers several tragedies. He encounters another character who becomes disabled, has a crisis of morality, and is eventually forced to discard his traditional ethics. It won two Oscars and was nominated for many more.
Doubt started as total Tony Bait and moved into Oscar Bait with its film adaptation. It�s about the Catholic altar-boy pedophile abuse scandal, which was Ripped from the Headlines . The young victim is also the first black student in an otherwise white school , who may or may not be gay as well (and his father is not happy ). It won multiple Tonys, including Best Play and Best Actress. The film version stars Philip Seymour Hoffman , Amy Adams , and Meryl Streep — an Oscar-winning machine if there ever was one.
The Hours checks all the boxes. It�s a Costume Drama . It references homosexuality, AIDS, and the oppression of women. It has Nicole Kidman undergoing severe Beauty Inversion . And it has Meryl Streep in it.
Dreamgirls was designed to be Oscar Bait, and it got nominated for eight awards (including three for Movie Bonus Songs ) — but failed to get nominations for Best Picture, Actor, Actress, or Director. On the big night, it was shut out in many of the categories it was nominated in. It�s often speculated that Eddie Murphy would have won for Best Supporting Actor, were it not for the poor timing of Norbit coming out two weeks before that year�s Oscars; the film was a major Creator Killer for him. Just as astonishingly, it didn�t win Best Original Song either (although having three nommed songs might have split the vote). In the end, the only Oscars Dreamgirls won were for Best Supporting Actress and Best Sound Mixing.
The Reader is a Holocaust-themed drama, complete with promotion from master Oscar Baiter Harvey Weinstein. It supplanted both WALL�E and The Dark Knight for Best Picture, despite most people feeling both those films were better; and it couldn�t even beat out the big winner Slumdog Millionaire . That experience was enough that Hugh Jackman was already lamenting the Batman film�s snub during the ceremony, and it is also often seen as the impetus for doubling the number of Best Picture nominations to ten.
The Great Ziegfeld , Best Picture winner of 1936, was three long hours of big Broadway musical and angsty melodrama. This lavish Biopic starred William Powell as the producer whose name, four years after his death (depicted in the film�s last scene), was the most legendary in show business.
The 2008 film Defiance is one of the most shameless Oscar grabs in recent memory. It�s Based on a True Story and follows a community of Belarussian Jews hiding in the forest from the Nazis . It has a brooding Anti-Hero (played by frequent winner Daniel Craig ) who is forced into cruel, angsty moral dilemmas. It took a page from Schindler's List and ended with a Photo Montage of the real-life survivors and their descendants as a "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue . And it totally bombed at the Oscars, only getting music nominations.
2011 saw two Younger and Hipper hosts who had previously been in Oscar-baity movies, Anne Hathaway (who played a woman falling in love and dying of a disease in Love and Other Drugs ) and James Franco (who played a hiker who gets in a Life-or-Limb Decision in 127 Hours , which was Based on a True Story ). Both were willing to lampshade their situations as they related to this trope; Franco actually was up for Best Actor (but didn�t win), and as for Hathaway:
I thought getting naked would get me an Oscar nod.
Johnny Belinda is Based on a True Story of a deaf-mute girl who gets raped, has her rapist�s baby, gets declared �unfit� to raise the baby and has to fight to keep it, and is put on trial for her rapist�s murder — all while struggling to pay the bills on the family farm. Jane Wyman won Best Actress for playing her.
Danish director Susanne Bier has this reputation:
Hævnen (Danish for �revenge�, but released internationally as In A Better World ) had everything: a failing marriage, vicious school bullies and attacks, Troubling Unchildlike Behavior , dead parents, and a doctor in an African refugee camp terrorised by a man who cuts pregnant women open. It won Best Foreign Film at the Oscars.
Serena is a bleak Period Piece set during The Great Depression , starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper (fresh from the success of Silver Linings Playbook ) as a morally dubious timber tycoon and his increasingly unstable wife. It bombed critically and commercially and sat on the shelf for a year and a half.
The Help checks many boxes. It�s a Period Piece set in The '60s whose main character is a white female reporter who helps out black maids , and it�s also based on a best-selling novel.
War Horse , a 2001 film by Steven Spielberg , was widely accused of being Oscar Bait — even on the sole basis of its bombastic, overwrought trailer, which basically resulted in massive Hype Backlash .
The Iron Lady , a biopic of Margaret Thatcher , is clear Oscar Bait, and not just because Thatcher is played by Meryl Streep . It didn�t shy away from controversy, addressed Thatcher�s struggle with dementia , is technically a Period Piece , and its initial release was in select theaters in Los Angeles and New York on December 30, 2011 — barely meeting the requirements to be eligible for the next year�s Oscars. Observers joked that the Academy must have had a whole box of Oscars with Streep�s name on them and was looking for an excuse to give them to her.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close stars Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock who try to raise a child with an Ambiguous Disorder in the aftermath of 9/11, as he struggles to deal with the attacks. It was also made by a number of people with big Oscar Bait credentials; it was directed by Stephen Daltry ( The Hours , The Reader ); written by Eric Roth ( Forrest Gump , The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ); and produced by Scott Rudin (second only to the Weinsteins in influence over the Academy). It got a Best Picture nomination, but it had mixed critical reviews.
Ron Howard�s A Beautiful Mind is a loose account of the life of John Nash, pioneer economist, Nobel laureate, and paranoid schizophrenic. The film controversially whitewashed some of the potentially unsavory details of his life (like his bisexuality ) and suggested he was cured by The Power of Love .
Green Zone is a Post-9/11 Terrorism Movie which tried to have an Anvilicious anti-war message but only really proved that Truffaut Was Right . It starred Matt Damon and was directed by Paul Greengrass , so it had the star power, too. But it got pushed back and was panned by critics when it was released.
12 Years a Slave , a visceral depiction of a man tricked into slavery in the South and the abuses he faced there, was also prime Oscar Bait material. It won Best Picture in 2014 (although it lost many others to Gravity ). This was seen as so inevitable that Ellen DeGeneres addressed this at the start of the ceremony:
Possibility number one: 12 Years a Slave wins Best Picture. Possibility number two: you�re all racists.
David O. Russell 's last four films ( The Fighter , Silver Linings Playbook , American Hustle , and Joy ) were all basically designed to win Oscars. Their premises were all based on Oscar-proven subject matter (either Based on a True Story or a best-selling book), they all had popular actors in showy roles, and they all touched on serious subject matter. Russell may also have been trying to prove that he was a serious director (as he had had issues with his cast and crew in previous films). Russell himself didn�t win Oscars for any of these films (only three actors did), none of them won Best Picture, and Joy went 0-for-10 at the ceremony.
Selma is a 2014 biopic of Martin Luther King Jr. , depicting Dr. King�s march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 in support of the Civil Rights Act. It was released in the fallout from 12 Years a Slave and tried to tick the same boxes. But the Academy didn�t take the bait; it won only Best Original Song, and it was nominated for but didn�t win Best Picture.
Get On Up stars Chadwick Boseman as James Brown , in a musical biopic / dramedy about the musician�s complicated life and career. It bombed at the Oscars, in spite of observers feeling that at least Boseman�s performance should have gotten him a Best Actor nomination.
The Hundred Foot Journey is a joint project from Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey about two chef families — one from France, the other from India — who work to reconcile their differences, while the Indian son has to choose between his family and his dream of becoming a great Parisian chef. It received no Oscar nominations.
Argo was Very Loosely Based on a True Story of a group of American diplomats who escape the siege of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Ben Affleck plays a CIA agent who smuggles them out by having them pretend to be Canadians making a fake movie. It won three Oscars in 2013, including Best Picture.
The Imitation Game was a biopic about Alan Turing , famous World War II -era codebreaker and later computer scientist, as played by Benedict Cumberbatch . It had the one-two punch of Turing being a genius, Inspirationally Disadvantaged , and gay in an era when that was very bad . It got plenty of nominations, but only won one Oscar for Best Screenplay. Ultimately, people pinned this on Artistic License � History and the choice to exaggerate Turing�s mental problems and downplay his homosexuality .
Alejandro Gonz�lez I��rritu believes so hard in True Art Is Angsty that Rolling Stone dubbed him Hollywood�s �King of Pain�. And he�s raked in the Oscars, for such films as 21 Grams , Babel , Biutiful , and The Revenant (yes, he�s angsty enough to get Leonardo DiCaprio his elusive Oscar). Even Birdman , his least Oscar-baity film, won three Oscars, including Best Picture.
Mommie Dearest is a biopic based on Joan Crawford (herself an Oscar winner) and her abusive relationship with her adopted daughter — it�s even based on the daughter�s autobiography. The film was meant to be total Oscar Bait, and Faye Dunaway was convinced that she would win an Oscar for playing Crawford. But she botched it, Chewing the Scenery so hard that it made the film a veritable Narm fountain. The studio even resorted to a Parody Retcon to try and claim that it was a campy comedy. The film saw the decline of Dunaway�s career as an A-list star.
The 1992 Spike Lee film Malcolm X is an epic biopic about the eponymous icon of the civil rights movement, with an inspirational cameo from none other than Nelson Mandela himself. It was nominated for two Oscars, winning neither. Subverted , though, in that Lee was more concerned with doing justice to the life of Malcolm X than actually winning anything, but the cynics among us will say that the film was calculated Oscar Bait.
Millennium Actress is a unique anime take on Oscar Bait. It's a weeper movie that opens with an old woman recalling her past through flashbacks , heavily features Been There, Shaped History -type period piece, and has a tragic ending. It failed to receive any nominations, even in Best Animated Feature (then again, this was the year of Spirited Away ).
In Tropic Thunder :
One of the fake trailers at the beginning of the movie shows Kirk Lazarus and Tobey Maguire playing Irish monks who fall in love with each other in a clearly Oscar-baity film, Satan�s Alley.
Action star Tugg Speedman reflects on the failure of his Oscar Bait film Simple Jack, in which he plays a mentally-challenged farmhand. It was a total Box Office Bomb and called one of the worst films of all time. Kirk Lazarus explains that it�s because people who won for playing Inspirationally Disadvantaged characters never went �full retard�:
Speedman: What do you mean?
Lazarus: Check it out. Dustin Hoffman , Rain Man : look retarded, act retarded — not retarded. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho� — not retarded. You know Tom Hanks , Forrest Gump : slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain�t retarded. Peter Sellers , Being There : infantile, yes. Retarded, no. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. You don�t buy that? Ask Sean Penn , 2001, I Am Sam . Remember? Went full retard, went home empty-handed.
Lazarus has a lot of experience with these, as he himself is a spoof of Oscar Bait actors. He's a five-time Oscar winner, and that's before Satan's Alley. He mentions having played Neil Armstrong, ticking the "based on a true story" box. His third Oscar was for a Chinese film called Land of Silk and Money, which he prepped for by working eight months in a textile factory . According to supplemental material , one of his five Oscars is for Best Actress, having apparently tackled a Cross-Cast Role , going Up to Eleven with the usual Oscar-worthy physical transformations. In the movie itself, he's attempting that again, having undergone "pigmentation alteration" surgery to play a black man, a move which has generated more in-universe controversy than Oscar buzz. He never breaks character, despite realizing very early on in the film that production is ruined. As the icing on the cake, Robert Downey, Jr. actually received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Lazarus.
At the end of the film, the Oscar for Best Actor is presented. The stills of the nominees include Tom Hanks winning a race in a wheelchair and a blind Sean Penn learning braille.
In Bowfinger , black action star Kit Ramsey ( Eddie Murphy ) weighs in on the trope:
Ramsey: White boys get all the Oscars — it's a fact!
Manager: I know that, but look—
Ramsey: Did I get nominated? No, and you know why? �Cos I haven�t played any of them slave roles, where I get my ass whipped — that's how you get the nominations! A black dude plays a slave role and gets his ass whipped, they get the nomination; a white boy plays an idiot, they get the Oscar. Maybe I�ll split it; get me a five-minute script as a retarded slave, then I'll get the Oscar!
Manager: (awkward pause) Uh, I'm gonna go schmooze. I'll be right back. (starts to leave)
Ramsey: Yeah, and go find that script. �Buck the Wonder-Slave�!
In Blazing Saddles , villain Hedley Lamarr announces to his gang of thugs near the climax:
You will only be risking your lives, while I will almost certainly be risking an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
done by BriTANicK.com and hosted on Cracked . It was such a spot-on parody that it even got its own page on TV Tropes, A Trailer For Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever .
Catchphwase!
Kickassia has this in every scene regarding Spoony�s attempts to avoid �giving in to the madness� (i.e. his Enemy Within Dr. Insano). He�s dramatic enough about it to frequently engage in Ham-to-Ham Combat about it.
Atop the Fourth Wall : In the third segment of Linkara�s History of Power Rangers series, he shows a clip of Bulk and Skull trying to save a bunch of kids from drowning in a lake. They run down the pier in slow motion with inspirational music. Linkara responds by putting �Oscar Clip� at the bottom of the screen. (And it turns out the lake was knee-deep and the children were just playing.)
Nerd To The Third Power host Dr. Gonzo swore up and down that Precious would win Best Picture, because �it's about an underprivileged black rape victim who gives birth to an incest baby with down syndrome. I haven't even seen the movie and I already want to kill myself! It has to win!" (It didn�t; The Hurt Locker did.)
11points.com had an 11 Points Countdown webisode about the 11 Least Deserving Best Picture Winners
, which claimed that The English Patient and The King's Speech were Oscar Bait. One of the commentators even says that The King's Speech was blatantly pandering to the older Academy voters, saying that it wouldn't have looked out of place winning Best Picture in 1965.
On Midnight Screenings , Brad Jones says he thinks calling a film Oscar Bait is an overused criticism. But he says he thinks it fits at least the trailer for the film of The Book Thief .
CollegeHumor made a video on this topic titled 21 Steps to Making an Oscar Movie
, including: high-contrast low-saturation lighting, suspenseful piano music, period clothing, disability, drug addiction, low camera angle, suicide, and a lot of other clichés.
Game Theorist Matthew Patrick on his second channel Film Theory spends fifteen minutes discussing
the formula yielding the highest statistical chance of winning an Oscar.
Animaniacs :
One short was an Anvilicious spoof of not just Oscar Bait, but also the animated awards the show could actually compete with. It started with saving a beached whale and went on from there. They didn�t win, and everything went to Hell after that.
In a Thanksgiving episode, Miles Standing is out hunting turkeys, while the Warners play Native Americans raised by turkeys. While Dot waxes eloquent over their hardship, the caption �ACADEMY MEMBERS VOTE NOW!� flashes on the screen.
During their �Jokahontas� sketch, a Take That against Disney movies, the song �Same Old Heroine� has this line:
The Schloscar it will win / With the same old heroine / It worked once, why not again?
The Simpsons :
Burt Reynolds describes his new film Fireball and Mudflap:
�I play Jerry �Fireball� Mudflap, a feisty Supreme Court justice who�s searching for his birth mother while competing in a cross-country firetruck race. It's... garbage.�
An an entry form for Best Documentary is shown to ask entrants to declare if they are �Holocaust-related� or "Non-Holocaust-related�.
Spoofed in The Boondocks episode �The Color Ruckus�, where Uncle Ruckus tells his depressing life story to Robert, Huey, and Riley, who can�t help but listen because it�s so sad.
Huey: That's like, Academy Award winning sad.
| The King's Speech |
What were the first names of retailer F W Woolworth, the second of which was a store brand? | Bedlam Productions - news
26/08/2011
Gareth joins Empire's Big Screen events
Keen readers of Empire magazine will have spotted Bedlam's Gareth Unwin among the gaggle of movie stars at the recent Big Screen event, organised by Empire at the O2 in London. Gareth was on a panel with producer and director Stephen Woolley, discussing the anatomy of making a Brit hit.
See the picture below for a clipping of Gareth sharing his Oscar success.
20/06/2011
Gareth joins Academy
Gareth Unwin was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Friday, following his success with The King's Speech at the 83rd Academy Awards this year.
Gareth is one of 178 new members, along with the following King's Speech collaborators: Tariq Anwar, Ian Canning, Danny Cohen, Judy Farr, Nina Gold, Tom Hooper, John Midgley, Emile Sherman, David Seidler and Eve Stewart.
01/03/2011
Oscar success for King's Speech
The dust has settled, the hangovers have lifted, and the amazing truth still stands - Bedlam's The King's Speech took four Academy Awards home on Sunday night, winning the big prizes with Best Actor (Colin Firth), Best Original Screenplay (David Seidler), Best Director (Tom Hooper), and Best Film (Gareth Unwin, Iain Canning and Emile Sherman).
It was a wonderful night for all, capping off a great run of awards, and we offer huge celebrations to all involved!
27/02/2011
King's Speech picks up more awards
The King's Speech was tonight recognised as Best Foreign Film at the Independent Spirit Awards, the only category the film was eligible for due to it not being American made.
This adds to an impressive haul as we approach the end of the awards season, which has also recently seen Eve Stewart win the Art Directors Guild Award for Excellence in Production Design for Period Film, Jenny Beavan win the Costume Designers Guild Award for Excellence in Period Film, and Alexandre Desplat win Best Score for a Drama Film and Composer of the Year at the International Film Music Critics Association Awards.
Next up...the Oscars! The King's Speech leads the field with 12 nominations, so please have all 12 fingers crossed!
13/02/2011
BAFTA success for The King's Speech
Another great night at the awards saw Bedlam's The King's Speech take home an amazing 7 BAFTA Awards - huge congratualtions to Gareth and everyone else involved.
Colin Firth became only the second actor in the history of the BAFTAs to win back-to-back awards for Best Actor, whilst Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush won for Best Supporting Actress and Actor respectively. Alexandre Desplat picked up the first award of the evening for his music in the Best Original Score category, and David Seidler was deservedly rewarded for his great script in the Best Original Screenplay category.
The film also secured the two big prizes, winning both Outstanding British Film and Best Film, capping off a fantastic evening for everyone.
Meanwhile, The King's Speech recently became the highest-grossing independent British film of all time...which is rather nice.
10/02/2011
King's Speech at London Critics' Awards
Congratulations are again due to the brilliant Colin Firth who picked up another acting award this evening, at the London Film Critics' Circle Awards, where he won Actor of the Year. The King's Speech also won Best British Film of the Year, whilst director Tom Hooper took home British Director of the Year.
Also, Eve Stewart recently won the Art Directors Guild Award for Excellence in Production Design for a Period Film, so congratulations to her too.
Next up on Sunday...the BAFTAs, where The King's Speech is nominated for an incredible 14 awards!
31/01/2011
DGA and SAG awards for King's Speech
The King's Speech continued its success in the awards season with three more prizes over the weekend. Congratulations to Tom Hooper for winning the Directors Guild of America award for Outstanding Director on Saturday, before Colin Firth continued his impressive winning streak with the Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor on Sunday. The film also won the SAG's ensemble prize celebrating the entire cast's performance, which many see as the awards' equivalent to Best Film.
25/01/2011
King's Speech leads Oscar nominations
A huge congratulations to everyone involved in The King's Speech , which has just been announced as the Oscar frontrunner with an incredible 12 Academy Awards nominations. The ceremony takes place on 27 February but until then all at Bedlam are riding high.
Click the link for a full list of The King's Speech 's nominations.
24/01/2011
Top award for King's Speech
Huge congratulations to Bedlam's own Gareth Unwin, and Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See Saw Films, after they landed the top prize at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Saturday night. The King's Speech won Best Theatrical Motion Picture, proving the Oscar race is still wide open, with nominations announced tomorrow.
17/01/2011
Golden Globes honour Firth
Congratulations to Colin Firth, who won his first ever Golden Globe Best Actor award last night for his role as King George VI in The King's Speech . The film was also nominated in six other categories.
Next up are the BAFTA nominations, announced tomorrow, followed by the Academy Award nominations next week. Fingers crossed.
14/01/2011
Firth gets Hollywood Star
Congratulations to Colin Firth, currently winning accolades for his performance in The King's Speech , who was awarded the 2,429th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday, joining some of the greatest actors from throughout the ages.
Meanwhile, Gareth has joined Colin and the rest of gang in Los Angeles in preparation for Sunday's Golden Globes Awards ceremony, with The King's Speech nominated in 7 categories. Good luck everybody!
07/01/2011
King's Speech leads BAFTA Long List
It was announced today that The King's Speech has made the Long List for 15 awards at the 2011 BAFTAs. We look forward to the official nominations when they are released on 18 January.
04/01/2011
PGA nomination for Gareth
Congratulations to our very own Gareth Unwin , who has been nominated for the Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures award by the Producers Guild of America, along with Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See Saw Films. The PGA nod is the latest in a long line of prestigious nominations for The King's Speech , and the first of 2011!
16/12/2010
SAG back TKS
The King's Speech has been nominated for 4 Screen Actors Guild awards, for Best Cast, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The winners will be announced on 30 January, 2011.
14/12/2010
Firth is Star of the Year
Congratulations to Colin Firth, who won Variety Magazine's International Star of the Year Award at the 7th Dubai Film Festival, which was opened by The King's Speech . The award was presented by the lovely Carey Mulligan.
14/12/2010
AFI honours TKS
The King's Speech has been honoured with a Special Award by the American Film Institute, which typically celebrates only American-made films.
14/12/2010
STOP PRESS - King's Speech leads Golden Globes nominations
Nominations for the 2011 Golden Globes have just been announced and The King's Speech is out in front with seven nominations. We'll find out on 16 January whether or not the film has won Best Drama, Best Director (Tom Hooper), Best Screenplay (David Seidler), Best Actor (Colin Firth), Best Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Best Supporting Actress (Helena Bonham Carter), and Best Score (Alexandre Desplat). Congratulations to all!
14/12/2010
Five more awards for TKS
The King's Speech has picked up five more end-of-year awards in the US. The Southeastern Film Critics Association awarded Colin Firth the Best Actor prize, Geoffrey Rush won for Best Supporting Actor, and David Seidler picked up the Best Original Screenplay award. Colin and David won again at the San Fransisco Film Critics Circle Awards.
13/12/2010
More nominations for King's Speech
The Critics Choice Movie Awards nominations were announced today and The King's Speech has been put forward for a massive 11 awards, including four nods for Acting, as well as Direction, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Costume Design, Art Direction, Score, and Best Film.
13/12/2010
Colin Firth wins again - thrice!
Colin added another accolade to his collection after winning the Los Angeles Film Critics Association award for Best Actor, for his stammering performance as King George VI in The King's Speech . Geoffrey Rush was also runner-up in the Best Supporting Actor category, David Seidler was runner-up for Best Screenplay, and Eve Stewart was the runner-up for Best Production Design.
Then a little later in the day it was announced that Colin has been awarded Best Actor by the New York Film Critics Circle, and closer to home he also won Best Actor at the Richard Attenborough Film Awards, voted for by regional film critics in the UK.
06/12/2010
Colin wins in Washington
Colin Firth was awarded the Best Actor prize by the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) today. The King's Speech had also been nominated for Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Screenplay.
06/12/2010
STOP PRESS - King's Speech enjoys BIFA success
We are delighted to announce that The King's Speech scooped FIVE awards at the British Independent Film Awards last night, winning Best Film, Best Actor (Colin Firth), Best Supporting Actress (Helena Bonham Carter), Best Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush) and Best Screenplay (David Seidler). Congratulations to all involved!
02/12/2010
King's Speech recognised amongst year's best
The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures - one of America's oldest and most celebrated critical bodies - has included The King's Speech in its Top Ten films of 2010. The NBR is often seen as an early indicator of those films that will be recognised by the Oscars...
30/11/2010
King's Speech nominated for Spirit Award
It was today announced that The King's Speech has been nominated in the Best Foreign Film category at the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards , a key event in the lead up to the Oscars that celebrates films made outside Hollywood's major studios.
01/11/2010
King's Speech leads BIFA nominations
We are delighted to announce that The King's Speech has been nominated for an amazing 8 awards at the 2010 British Independent Film Awards, recognising both the fantastic on-screen talent and the creative team behind the film. Nominations include Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actor for Colin Firth.
25/10/2010
Bonham-Carter bags acting award for TKS
Helena Bonham-Carter was today the first member of the cast for The King's Speech to win herself an acting prize after she was presented with the Hollywood Supporting Actress Award at the Hollywood Film Festival for her portrayal of Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Tom Hooper was also honoured with the Hollywood Directing Award.
11/10/2010
Exam picks up an award
We are delighted to announce that Exam was the recipient of the Bronze Hitchcock award at the Dinard Festival of British Film, in France. As part of the prize, the film will now be shown in 40 cinemas across Brittany.
11/10/2010
Another win for The King's Speech
Director Tom Hooper was on hand to collect The King's Speech 's latest accolade, the Audience Award at the Hamptons Film Festival.
06/10/2010
King's Speech wins again!
The lovely people of Aspen, Colorado have chosen The King's Speech as the recipient of the Audience Favourite Feature award at the 2010 Aspen FilmFest.
18/01/2010
King's Speech tops BAFTA noms
Congratulations to everyone involved with The King's Speech , which has been nominated for an incredible 14 BAFTA awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actor, as well as every other category the film is eligible for. The awards ceremony will take place in Covent Garden on 13 February.
| i don't know |
"""Hale knew before he had been in Brighton three hours that they meant to murder him..."" are the opening words to which Graham Greene novel?" | Brighton Rock by Graham Greene | book word
Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
Lobby Lud, the man from the News Chronicle was a perpetual disappointment in my youth. If you spotted Lobby Lud, you were supposed to strike him on the shoulder with a copy of the News Chronicle and say, ‘You are Lobby Lud and I claim my £5’. But he never appeared in my home town in South Wales and on the occasion he came to Newport we did not. The paper ceased publication in October 1960 when my chance disappeared for ever.
Why read this novel?
I picked up Brighton Rock from my TBR pile because I needed a thin book to read on the train. It was on the pile as a classic to re-read. I was immediately rewarded with the brilliant opening paragraph of the novel.
Hale knew, before he had been in Brighton three hours, that they meant to murder him. With his inky fingers and his bitten nails, his manner cynical and nervous, anybody could tell he didn’t belong – belong to the early summer sun, the cool Whitsun wind off the seam the holiday crowd. They came in by train from Victoria every five minutes, rocked down Queen’s Road standing on the tops of the little local trams, stepped off in bewildered multitudes into fresh and glittering air: the new silver paint sparkled on the piers, the cream houses ran away into the west like a pale Victorian water-colour; a race in miniature motors, a band playing, flower gardens in bloom below the front, an aeroplane advertising something or the health in pale vanishing clouds across the sky. (5)
This opening paragraph is acclaimed for setting up the novel’s violence, tension, and the place and time of its events. The first sentence is apparently contradicted by the picture of Brighton on a Whitsun holiday. But we know at once that Hale is doomed.
Brighton Beach on Whitsun, 31 May 2009. By David Hawgood of Geography Project via Wiki Commons.
I am working on the revision of the first draft of my novel. So I read the most acclaimed novels with attention. Graham Greene was one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century and this is one of several of his novels classed as classics.
There is one major novelistic problem for me in Brighton Rock. For this story to work we have to believe in several unlikely aspects of the characters. We have to believe that, knowing his life was in danger Hale would not try to escape; that Pinkie, only 17 years old, would go as far as he does; that Ida really cares enough about a man she barely knew to pursue the truth and put her own life in danger; that Rose is as innocent, stupid and gullible as she acts. None of these are givens, but there would be no story without them.
The story
We are in the late 1930s. You may be visualising the Boulting Brothers 1947 film, which starred Richard Attenborough as Pinkie and Hermione Badderly as Ida Arnold. (The more recent film has not made a big impression.) That rather pasty face, with its scar and huge eyes, a baby face with the eyes of a mean old man, this is the Pinkie of the novel and 1947 film.
Good and evil were themes in the air in the late ‘30s and through the 40s, the time of the Second World War. And they are themes for all times. Graham Greene was a Roman Catholic and embraced these themes. The orthodox Roman church is not the hero of this novel. Rather it is the wholesome goodness of Ida Arnold, (almost a tart with a heart of gold). Pinkie’s evil is set against Ida’s humanity.
Lobby Lud lives on in Killey Kibber, aka Fred Hale, a journalist with the Messenger, in Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock. He is in Brighton to leave his cards (finders could claim 10/-) and be ready to be challenged by a member of the public.
Pinkie, the Boy, is 17 and trying to assert himself as the leader of a violent gang in Brighton by stepping into the shoes of Kite, slashed in the waiting room at St Pancras station in London. Pinkie organises Hale’s murder, because the journalist exposed gangs in Brighton and is on Killey Kibber duty in Brighton that Whitsun holiday. Pinkie is conscious that if caught he will not hang because he is a minor. But the gang do not lay the false trail according to his directions and in putting this right he meets 16-year old waitress Rose. She is a potential witness and Pinkie has to marry her so that she will not be able to testify against him. But he becomes so revolted by the idea of being tied to her he plans her murder as well.
Brighton West Pier October 2009. By Lars Olsson via Wiki Commons
As the story progresses Pinkie finds that the more violent he becomes, the more he compromises himself with everyone, including of course his God. Meanwhile his hold on his gang diminishes in the face of his rival Mr Corleoni. Evil will get its just desserts.
Ida Arnold, who likes a good time, was friendly with Hale, and she suspects foul play and injustice when she finds he has died. She sets out to find the truth which brings her into conflict with Pinkie. She also tries to rescue Rose but the girl has never received any attention before and is determined to do what Pinkie wants.
Why do we care?
Of course we want Pinkie’s plans to fail. But we also have some sympathy for Pinkie and Rose, they are young and naïve and come from impoverished backgrounds. Pinkie has no concept of any one else’s experiences and feelings. Consequently, he is very dangerous. Although Pinkie is evil, he experiences fear and frustration as his plans unravel. For example when he is tricked and cut at the races.
The poverty of Rose’s parent’s house and of her upbringing are stark. This is the scene when Pinkie goes to get permission for their marriage from her father.
There was only one door and a staircase matted with old newspapers. On the bottom step between the mud marks stared up the tawny child face of Violet Crow violated and buried under the West Pier in 1936. He opened the door and there beside the black kitchen stove with cold dead charcoal on the floor sat the parents. They had a mood on : a small thin elderly man, his face marked deeply with the hieroglyphics of pain and patience and suspicion : the woman middle-aged, stupid, vindictive. The dishes hadn’t been washed and the stove hadn’t been lit.
‘They got a mood,’ Rose said aloud to him. ‘They wouldn’t let me do a thing. Not even light the fire. I like a clean house, honest I do. Ours wouldn’t be like this.’
‘Look here, Mr -.’ The Boy said.
‘Wilson,’ Rose said.
‘Wilson. I want to marry Rose. It seems as she’s so young I got to get your permission.’
They wouldn’t answer him. They treasured their mood as if it was a bright piece of china only they possessed : something they could show to neighbours as ‘mine’. (141-2)
The childish mood persists until Pinkie offers 15 guineas for Rose. It is accepted. Poverty, violence, inadequacy, ignorance, mean-spiritedness – all these in so few lines.
Following the civil ceremony they wander at a loss around Brighton until they return to Pinkie’s lodgings. Finally he graduates in the last human shame (sexual consummation of the marriage) and now he believes he could face anyone. Both young people have been raised as ‘Romans’ and because their marriage is not solemnised in church, they are aware they have committed a mortal sin. Now they are lost they go on to plan more mortal sins.
The references to the church are to not to everyone’s taste, but this novel is an excellent thriller and raises important questions relevant to all beliefs and all times.
Brighton Rock by Graham Greene (1938) Penguin pp247 (Page references are to the 1977 Penguin edition).
How do you react to this classic? Is it a book you would re-read?
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| Brighton Rock |
Bayern is the German name for which region of Germany? | Brighton Rock by Graham Greene – review | Books | The Guardian
Brighton Rock by Graham Greene – review
Graham Greene's malevolent young antihero in this 1938 bestseller still resonates with modern audiences
Sam Riley as Pinkie Brown in the new film version of Brighton Rock, set in the 1960s. Photograph: c.Everett Collection / Rex Features
Sophia Martelli
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It is the tension between the two faces of Brighton – the illuminated tourist bling and the gritty, mobster-laced industry behind the façade – that sets up the intrigue in Greene's classic 1938 novel of good and evil; and it's the menacing, sinisterly youthful antihero Pinkie who continues to fascinate today. This reissue, with an introduction by JM Coetzee, coincides with the book's adaptation (again) to screen by Rowan Joffe, setting it in 1964 with Sam Riley in the lead role; Joffe's foreword to this edition is almost an apologia for daring to remake John Boulting's 1947 version, famous for Richard Attenborough's ferocious performance as Pinkie.
As well as bringing Greene commercial success, Brighton Rock also heralded the author's emergence as a "Catholic novelist". From the opening line – "Hale knew, before he had been in Brighton three hours, that they meant to murder him" – the narrative has the pull of a thriller. Seventeen-year-old Pinkie is trying to cover up his involvement in Hale's murder. To do this he must silence Rose – waitress, fellow "Roman", key witness, and as innocent and youthful as her name suggests – either by marriage or by death. To Pinkie, allergic as he is to intimacy, these are interchangeable fates.
The person that stands in his way is Ida Arnold, Fred Hale's companion on his last day on earth. Ebullient and full of laughter, middle-aged Ida is determined to find the truth behind Hale's death; and once she finds it, to save Rose from her terrible destiny. Ida is a curious but effective avenging angel: non-religious but superstitious (she believed "only in ghosts, ouija boards, tables which rapped") and her outlook contrasts vividly with that of Pinkie and Rose, who are enmeshed by images of heaven and hell; of redemption offered but never taken up.
Why does this bleak, seething and anarchic novel still resonate? Its energy and power is that of the rebellious adolescent, foreshadowing the rise of the cult of youth in the latter part of the 20th century. And while Catholicism may have given way to secularism, Pinkie ultimately realises that hell isn't located in some distant realm: it's right here, present on earth, all around us.
| i don't know |
Skiving, beading and perforating are terms used in which industry? | Untitled Document
"Closing"
In the closing room the uppers are received from the clickers and, in orderly sequence, each pair is handled by about
thirty operatives. The following are just a few of the jobs which the closers, mainly women, do :-
opening, marking, lining, printing, size-stamping and fancy stitching. These are followed by skiving, beading and
perforating. After the uppers have been through these operations, they are ready to be stitched and this involves
quarter-seaming, lining-marking and through to vamps, lacing and passing.
"Finishing"
The finishers trim, smooth and colour the shoes or boots. This is one of the last stages the shoes go through before the
final gloss, which is on the shoe when it is sold, is added.
"Making / Lasting"
The operatives would be responsible for joining the soles and uppers together using a foot-shaped last to which they
then attach a heel.
"Rough Stuff"
In the rough stuff room the heavier leather required for the soles is cut and matched. Rough stuff us thought to be rather
an unworthy name as some of the most important parts of the shoe such as the foundations and understandings are cut in
this department. These include the heel lifts, top pieces, toe and heel stiffener, the welts and also the sole. Many of the
pieces cut in this room are the invisible part of the shoe.
"Clicker"
The clicker cuts out the upper parts of the shoe from the leather. He has always been the elite of the trade. Personal
care and skill is needed for this work in order to gain maximum use of a skin. The ideas of a creative designer are
carried into effect by the clicker.
Martin Skeffington writes, "My father who worked for a firm of slipper manufacturers in Earl Shilton in Leicestershire
was a clicker. He made his own blades for his clicking knife out of old hacksaw blades which were ground at one end
to form an extremely sharp rounded and pointed blade which he used to cut out the uppers for the slippers. He always
told me that the term clicker was derived simply from the fact that as they drew the blade around the pattern the blade made
a clicking sound. Later on in his working life the clicking knife became obsolete in the factory where he worked except for
samples. The main cutting of the uppers were then done on a press known as a clicking press which cut through several
layers of the materials using a metal pattern beneath the press. My father passed away in 1969 and it was only in the 1960's
that the change took place. I would guess the same probably applied in the shoeing industry in Northants."
Another term for shoemaker
"He was what they called a cordwainer. Everything they did with the boots and shoes was made by hand, no machinery
at all, only the machine that stitched the uppers of the boots or shoes, you see."
(Mr Joseph Marlow)
"Outwork"
Outwork is the making of part of a shoe outside the factory. The work carried on this way included closing, lining,
hand stitching and hand finishing. Pieces would be collected from the factories and would then be made up by the
shoemaker. From the time of the introduction of sewing-machines in 1857, groups of workers, particulary women, set up
small closing shops in their homes or in purpose-built closing rooms, the machinery often rented from manufacturers.
"Shoemakers Monday"
"Most of them they never used to work on a Monday... they used to have their white apron on, and they would stand on
their doorsteps talking and one thing and another. They they would go up to the pub dinner-time and have a drink and
evening-time as well and the rest of the week they would settle in and work then right up till ten o'clock at night..."
(Mr Joseph Marlow)
"They used to work all hours bar Monday, they used to go the booze Mondays... the pawnshop used to be open Mondays
to take the shirts and everything, suits; there used to be a pawnbroker's nearly on to of every street."
(Mr Charlie Marlow)
"Bespoke Shoemaking"
Bespoke shoemaking continues the traditions of the handsewn shoemakers who laid the foundations of the trade in
Northampton long before mechanisation. The idea is that a shoe is made to fit the boot that will it is fundemental to the
bespoke shoemaker. Careful and detailed measurement is the first stage of the making of the bespoke shoe, and it is this that
sets an individually-tailored shoe apart from its mass produced counterparts. The customer will know that this boot / shoe
has been made for their comfort as the prime concern.
"Shoemaking at home"
"You see most of them worked at home in them days and they would have one of the bedrooms as a workroom and they
had the bench in the middle and they would sit, place themselves round on little stools. They wouldn't be stools, what
they'd be was chairs that'd broke and they'd sawn the legs down and made little stools of them you see. Well at night-time
I used to go up my granny's... they lived with my grandma and I used to run errands for them... at night-time while they
were working I used to sit and read the newspaper to them."
(Mr Joseph Marlow)
"When people took the work back when they had finished it, which we called 'shopping' the work, when you 'shopped'
your work... he booked it down... you got paid for what you did and he was a passer and he was known as 'foreman at the
wicket' and that was his job."
(Mr Gordon White)
Shopping The Work
Charles Marlow, born about 1850, and his brother Ted were shoemakers from Desborough who followed their trade to
Northampton in the 1870's. Charles had eight children, six of them sons whom he taught shoemaking at their home in Little
Cross Street. When the family moved to Market Street in the 1890's Charles and Ted continued to work from home with sons
Ted, Joe, George, William and Tom.
| Shoemaking |
What number is topaz on the Mohs scale of hardness? | Untitled Document
"Closing"
In the closing room the uppers are received from the clickers and, in orderly sequence, each pair is handled by about
thirty operatives. The following are just a few of the jobs which the closers, mainly women, do :-
opening, marking, lining, printing, size-stamping and fancy stitching. These are followed by skiving, beading and
perforating. After the uppers have been through these operations, they are ready to be stitched and this involves
quarter-seaming, lining-marking and through to vamps, lacing and passing.
"Finishing"
The finishers trim, smooth and colour the shoes or boots. This is one of the last stages the shoes go through before the
final gloss, which is on the shoe when it is sold, is added.
"Making / Lasting"
The operatives would be responsible for joining the soles and uppers together using a foot-shaped last to which they
then attach a heel.
"Rough Stuff"
In the rough stuff room the heavier leather required for the soles is cut and matched. Rough stuff us thought to be rather
an unworthy name as some of the most important parts of the shoe such as the foundations and understandings are cut in
this department. These include the heel lifts, top pieces, toe and heel stiffener, the welts and also the sole. Many of the
pieces cut in this room are the invisible part of the shoe.
"Clicker"
The clicker cuts out the upper parts of the shoe from the leather. He has always been the elite of the trade. Personal
care and skill is needed for this work in order to gain maximum use of a skin. The ideas of a creative designer are
carried into effect by the clicker.
Martin Skeffington writes, "My father who worked for a firm of slipper manufacturers in Earl Shilton in Leicestershire
was a clicker. He made his own blades for his clicking knife out of old hacksaw blades which were ground at one end
to form an extremely sharp rounded and pointed blade which he used to cut out the uppers for the slippers. He always
told me that the term clicker was derived simply from the fact that as they drew the blade around the pattern the blade made
a clicking sound. Later on in his working life the clicking knife became obsolete in the factory where he worked except for
samples. The main cutting of the uppers were then done on a press known as a clicking press which cut through several
layers of the materials using a metal pattern beneath the press. My father passed away in 1969 and it was only in the 1960's
that the change took place. I would guess the same probably applied in the shoeing industry in Northants."
Another term for shoemaker
"He was what they called a cordwainer. Everything they did with the boots and shoes was made by hand, no machinery
at all, only the machine that stitched the uppers of the boots or shoes, you see."
(Mr Joseph Marlow)
"Outwork"
Outwork is the making of part of a shoe outside the factory. The work carried on this way included closing, lining,
hand stitching and hand finishing. Pieces would be collected from the factories and would then be made up by the
shoemaker. From the time of the introduction of sewing-machines in 1857, groups of workers, particulary women, set up
small closing shops in their homes or in purpose-built closing rooms, the machinery often rented from manufacturers.
"Shoemakers Monday"
"Most of them they never used to work on a Monday... they used to have their white apron on, and they would stand on
their doorsteps talking and one thing and another. They they would go up to the pub dinner-time and have a drink and
evening-time as well and the rest of the week they would settle in and work then right up till ten o'clock at night..."
(Mr Joseph Marlow)
"They used to work all hours bar Monday, they used to go the booze Mondays... the pawnshop used to be open Mondays
to take the shirts and everything, suits; there used to be a pawnbroker's nearly on to of every street."
(Mr Charlie Marlow)
"Bespoke Shoemaking"
Bespoke shoemaking continues the traditions of the handsewn shoemakers who laid the foundations of the trade in
Northampton long before mechanisation. The idea is that a shoe is made to fit the boot that will it is fundemental to the
bespoke shoemaker. Careful and detailed measurement is the first stage of the making of the bespoke shoe, and it is this that
sets an individually-tailored shoe apart from its mass produced counterparts. The customer will know that this boot / shoe
has been made for their comfort as the prime concern.
"Shoemaking at home"
"You see most of them worked at home in them days and they would have one of the bedrooms as a workroom and they
had the bench in the middle and they would sit, place themselves round on little stools. They wouldn't be stools, what
they'd be was chairs that'd broke and they'd sawn the legs down and made little stools of them you see. Well at night-time
I used to go up my granny's... they lived with my grandma and I used to run errands for them... at night-time while they
were working I used to sit and read the newspaper to them."
(Mr Joseph Marlow)
"When people took the work back when they had finished it, which we called 'shopping' the work, when you 'shopped'
your work... he booked it down... you got paid for what you did and he was a passer and he was known as 'foreman at the
wicket' and that was his job."
(Mr Gordon White)
Shopping The Work
Charles Marlow, born about 1850, and his brother Ted were shoemakers from Desborough who followed their trade to
Northampton in the 1870's. Charles had eight children, six of them sons whom he taught shoemaking at their home in Little
Cross Street. When the family moved to Market Street in the 1890's Charles and Ted continued to work from home with sons
Ted, Joe, George, William and Tom.
| i don't know |
Which British high street retailer started selling DNA/paternity tests over the counter in January 2011? | Retail News | Retail 360 …International Retail Consultants www.retail-news.net
Retail 360 …International Retail Consultants www.retail-news.net
Posted by retail360uk
Amazon.com and India’s Flipkart Online Services have reportedly walked away from talks to buy Dubai-based Souq.com after disagreeing over price.
Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the e-commerce business is now seeking other potential investors and is negotiating with mall operator Majid Al Futtaim, citing people familiar with the matter.
It was reported in November that US giant Amazon.com was in talks to acquire Souq.com for about $1 billion to give it a footprint in the high-growth Middle East market.
Amazon was reportedly considering a bid for all of the site, which had initially planned to sell a stake of at least 30 percent.
Bloomberg said a spokesman for Majid Al Futtaim declined to comment, while Amazon and Flipkart didn’t immediately return requests for comment and Souq.com wasn’t immediately available to comment.
In September, Souq.com, the largest online retailer in the Middle East, was planning to sell a stake of 30 percent and had appointed advisers at Goldman Sachs Group to find buyers for the stake.
In February, Souq.com announced it had completed a funding round of more than AED1 billion ($275 million), the largest financing of an e-commerce business in the region.
Posted by retail360uk
South Africa’s Mr Price reported lower third-quarter sales on Tuesday, as weak economic growth and tough competition forced the no-frills retailer to sell its clothing at lower prices.
* Total retail sales of 6.1 billion rand for the three months to end-December, 0.5 percent lower than the corresponding period in 2015.
* The difficult trading environment has extended into the second half of the year, Mr Price said in a statement.
* Sales by the firm’s apparel division down 1.9 percent and 4.1 lower when measured against comparable stores.
* Higher promotional markdowns were required, particularly in the apparel division, Mr Price said.
* “Poor economic growth, low levels of consumer confidence and higher selling prices driven by a weak and volatile exchange rate has resulted in a very competitive retail environment, with persisting high levels of price discounting and promotional activity,” the firm said.
* Other South African clothing retailers Woolworths Holdings and Truworths International last week flagged a drop in half-year profit.
* “Looking ahead, any improvement in economic growth and consumer health is likely to be gradual,” Mr Price said.
Posted by retail360uk
In the nine months to December 24, TFG reported a 14.5% rise in group sales.
Between November 27 and December 24 of 2016, sales increased by 14.6% compared with the year-earlier period.
Growth for TFG International was 47.9% in sterling, and growth for TFG Africa was 11.5% with same-store growth of 5.6%. Price inflation in the Africa division averaged 8.5%.
TFG’s results are a welcome surprise after updates from Woolworths and Truworths sparked fear of a further downturn in the retail sector.
TFG’s broader range of merchandise categories compared with its retail peers has cushioned it against the economic headwinds that have depressed the retail sector.
Its brands include apparel retailers Markham, Due South and G-Star Raw, jewellery brands Sterns and American Swiss, and furniture store @home.
Last week Truworths reported a 21% increase in group sales for the 26 weeks to December 25, to R10.2bn (including sales from its UK fashion footwear chain Office Retail Group). However, Truworths’ like-for-like retail sales (excluding Office Retail Group) decreased by 3%.
Woolworths reported a volume decline in both the clothing and food divisions in the 26 weeks to December 25.
At 11.15am on Monday, the TFG share price was up 5.91% at R169.49, valuing the company at about R35bn.
Posted by retail360uk
Boux Avenue
The Growth Retailer Award, the winner of which will be revealed at the on March 9, is representative of entrepreneurial retailers that are growing fast.
Here, in alphabetical order, is the 10-strong shortlist.
Boux Avenue’s UK sales have grown to reached the £35m milestone in the year to March 2015.
Lingerie retailer Boux Avenue was established by retail entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis in 2011.
As a relative newcomer, Boux Avenue has been able to build its store network relevant to the multichannel world.
It has already established a credible nationwide presence with close to 30 stores, has launched 14 international franchise stores and has ambitious plans for further international expansion.
Paphitis is highly experienced in the lingerie sector, having launched the La Senza chain in the UK in the 1990s before selling it on in 2006.
The motivation behind the launch of Boux Avenue was that he perceived there to be a gap in the market for a mid-market retailer that put great emphasis on the shopping experience.
Boux Avenue’s UK sales have grown to reach the £35m milestone in the year to March 2015.
Childrensalon
The clothing specialist was founded in 1952 but is a very modern retailer.
While it still trades from a store in Tunbridge Wells, it has adapted to carve itself out a strong position in ecommerce and describes itself as “the world’s largest online store for designer childrenswear”. It reported sales of £41.4m in 2015.
Childrensalon sells 270 brands ranging from well-known names such as Burberry and Gucci to smaller, emerging labels.
The retailer has featured in successive years in the London Stock Exchange’s ’1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ report.
Farfetch
The etailer is able to offer smaller retailers high exposure and relatively low shipping costs.
Farfetch operates an online fashion website that acts as a portal to more than 400 independent boutiques and showcases more than 1,000 brands. It arranges collection from these boutiques and has them delivered to its customers.
The company says it “brings together the world’s best independent boutiques, offering customers a vast selection of designer pieces curated by some of the most renowned, exciting and unique buyers in the fashion industry”.
The etailer is able to offer smaller retailers high exposure and relatively low shipping costs, while at the same time providing its mainly affluent customer base with a deep range.
Farfetch has also made a move into physical retailing through the acquisition of the London-based Browns boutique. This store is used as an ‘incubator lab’ to test new retail technologies.
The etailer achieved turnover of £87.1m in 2015, but gross sales through the website amounted to just over £300m.
Green Man Gaming
Etailer Green Man Gaming is a videogames specialist launched in 2009 by founder and chief executive Paul Sulyok.
His aim is “to challenge and revolutionise the consumer offer in a digital games retail space”.
Green Man Gaming works with more than 500 publishers, developers and distributors of games in 190 countries, and has created an online community that connects gamers and rewards them for their involvement.
Green Man Gaming is currently tracking 200,000,000 gamers, which Sulyok told last year’s Retail Week Buzz conference allows the business to treat its customers as individuals.
He said: “It is absolutely key for what we do, to understand our customers on a deeper level. Our customers were all born after 1980 and their expectations are higher than the rest of the nation.”
Its overall sales stood at £29.6m in 2015.
Loaf
Making furniture buying as simple and convenient as possible is at the heart of the Loaf strategy.
Loaf is a fast-growing online furniture retailer. Its mission is to make the buying and delivery process as simple and hassle-free as possible for its customers.
Founded by Charlie Marshall in 2008, the retailer originally sold a limited range of beds. But the offer has been widened and now covers furniture and accessories for the whole house.
Making furniture buying as simple and convenient as possible is at the heart of the Loaf strategy. Its proposition is based on the relationship between commerce and content.
Loaf is now having a massive push on full multichannel development and is driving ahead with the development of a series of Loaf Shacks – relaxed retail destinations where customers have the opportunity to “loaf around” on the products and try them out at first hand.
Marshall, who still heads up the business, said “Loaf’s move to bricks and clicks is all about reaffirming our brand and giving customers a fantastic experience”.
Retail sales stood at £26.9m in 2015/16 and Loaf aims to hit the £100m mark in the next few years.
Made.com
Made completed a £38m funding round in July 2015 which is helping to accelerate its expansion plans.
Made.com is an online furniture retailer that offers designer furniture at more affordable prices. Costs are kept low by grouping together all orders once a week and sourcing directly from overseas factories.
Its mission is to become Europe’s number-one online destination for home design and make great design accessible to everyone.
Made.com has set itself apart from other furniture retailers through the merging of commerce and content on its website. It also hosts Unboxed – an online forum where customers share photos of their furniture.
Made.com has expanded internationally into France, Italy, the Netherlands and, most recently, Germany and Belgium. In 2015, overseas sales accounted for approximately 30% of its overall turnover of £61.6m.
The etailer completed a £38m funding round in July 2015, which is helping to accelerate its expansion plans.
Matchesfashion.com
Matchesfashion
Matchesfashion.com is a luxury fashion retailer offering more than 450 designer labels.
Founded by Ruth and Tom Chapman as Matches in 1987, the business has transitioned from a bricks-and-mortar operation into a multichannel player that now generates 84% of its sales online.
It currently trades through four Matchesfashion stores and also operates seven franchise stores for the Max Mara and Diane von Furstenberg brands.
Matchesfashion’s ultimate aim is to make the physical more digital and the digital more physical. To that end it has invested in store technology such as tablets that provide access to the full online range and mobile points of sale.
Online customers also have access to a team of online stylists that are available 24/7.
Ruth and Tom Chapman stepped down from the day-to-day running of the business to become joint chairmen in July 2015, when Ulric Jerome – the founder of electricals site Pixmania – took over as chief executive.
Matchesfashion’s sales stood at £126.9m in the year to January 2016.
Missguided
Founded by Nitin Passi in 2009, Missguided sales reached £117.2m in 2015/16 and it now delivers to 160 countries.
Missguided is a rapidly growing fast-fashion etailer targeting the 16- to 34-year-old female market with a range of celebrity-inspired, affordable clothing.
The etailer describes itself not as fast fashion, but a “rapid fashion specialist that celebrates everything it means to be a girl in a digitally immersed world today”.
Founded by Nitin Passi in 2009, sales reached £117.2m in 2015/16 and it now delivers to 160 countries.
It has also dipped its toes into physical retailing through concessions in department stores and opened a first standalone store in the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre in November 2016.
Speed to market and value for money are at the heart of Missguided’s offer. The retailer says on its website that it has “thousands of styles live at one time and fresh new threads hitting down every single day”.
Typically there are 250 new catwalk-inspired items per week.
Passi said in an interview in May 2015 that he believes Missguided can generate turnover of £1bn within five years.
Notonthehighstreet
Notonthehighstreet is a curated online marketplace focusing on handcrafted and unique gifts that has undergone a period of rapid growth since it was founded in 2006.
As part of a three-year plan outlined in 2014, Notonthehighstreet is seeking to widen the appeal of the site beyond its core audience of females and to become more gender-neutral.
It hopes to achieve that by increasing the number of male sellers on its site as well as by raising brand awareness among men through its marketing.
Notonthehighstreet is also in the process of diversifying its offer into the wider lifestyle market as it looks to reduce the seasonality of the business.
The business reported sales of £38.7m in the year to March 2016, while gross sales through its website amounted to £158.6m.
Oak Furniture Land
Oak Furniture Land launched a US site – Oakfurnitureland.com – in summer 2016, which is reported to have shown a “healthy growth” in sales.
Hardwood specialist Oak Furniture Land was founded by Jason Bannister in 2004.
It originally started out by selling on eBay, but by 2006 established its own ecommerce sites and made a move into physical showrooms in 2010.
It has since undergone a rapid store-opening programme and was trading through 71 outlets at the end of its last financial year, during which it notched up sales of just under £240m.
Offering low prices is an important part of Oak Furniture Land’s proposition, and in order to do this it contains costs across all stages of the supply chain.
This has been helped by a degree of vertical integration, which includes the use of an in-house delivery service.
The retailer is now also active internationally. It launched a US site – Oakfurnitureland.com – in summer 2016, which is reported to have shown a “healthy growth” in sales.
Methodology
The growth retailer award, a non-entered category, is based on a ranking of retailers with the fastest-growing sales. The shortlist is drawn from retailers that had sales of at least £25m in their latest available accounts. They must be privately owned and registered in the UK. Calculations are based on the latest available accounts for each retailer as of December 2016.
Posted by retail360uk
Sales over the Christmas period were particularly strong, aided by a favourable trading pattern.
The company said its new ‘Balanced Choice’ bakes proved very popular along with hot food options such as its new burritos.
The results mean that company managed shop like-for-like sales climbed by 4.2% in the 52 weeks to 31 December. Total sales rose by 7%.
During the year Greggs opend 145 new shops and closed 79 to leave a total 1,764 shops trading as at 31 December. It also converted a further 208 shops to its new “bakery food-on-the-go” format.
Greggs chief executive Roger Whiteside said: “We finished 2016 well, delivering our thirteenth consecutive quarter of like-for-like sales growth, and anticipate that we will report full year results for 2016 slightly ahead of our previous expectations.
“In the year ahead, whilst we will undoubtedly see a number of well-documented industry headwinds, we are confident we will continue to make progress with the implementation of our strategic plan, including significant investment in our capability to supply a growing shop estate.”
Posted by retail360uk
Barton originally joined Well in March 2015 in the position of human resources director before becoming the interim retail stores director in October last year. She was appointed to the role on a permanent basis earlier this month.
Prior to Well, Barton worked at the Asda supermarket chain where her roles included senior director of organisational effectiveness and head of people. She was also trading law director at One Stop Stores.
In her new position, she will report directly to Well chief executive John Nuttall and will be responsible for growing Well’s prescription business and ensuring good retail standards.
Commenting on the appointment, Nuttall said: Tracy’s track record of bringing forward improvements to services, as well as her reputation for developing relations with staff and stakeholders, were key reasons for her permanent appointment to the role as retail stores director.
“Her exceptional leadership skills, deep knowledge of consumer retail, and proven track record of execution and operational excellence, made Tracy an obvious choice.”
Well operates 780 pharmacies across the UK.
Posted by retail360uk
The company grews its sales by 27% year-on-year in the six weeks prior to Christmas. Customer volumes climbed by 28% on the same period in the previous year.
During the week immediately after Christmas the company celebrated an all-time record week with sales up 51%.
Joes Browns managing director and founder Simon Brown said: “We held our nerve not discounting early with many other brands. We sat around the table and agreed we had a strong range offering great value for money, so the ‘D’ word was strictly off the table.
“I whole heartedly agree with the stance taken by the likes of Fat Face and Jigsaw who recently quoted ‘reduced by nothing – standing for something’. I couldn’t agree more and giving the customer something different and exactly what they want has worked well for us.”
Posted by retail360uk
Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim joins forces with Saudi fashion brand
Jeddah-based fashion label femi9 has partnered with Lebanese actress and former Miss Lebanon, Nadine Nassib Njeim. The new brand ambassador has designed a collection, titled Selectedbynadine, with Femi9, which will be unveiled this Thursday, January 19 at a VIP event in Dubai.
Femi9 has been in business since 1999, and now has retail outlets in the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Syria and even Switzerland. The collection with Nassib Njeim features a colour palette dominated by reds, blacks and whites, in feminine silhouettes that embody a festive, Mediterranean-inspired spirit.
“I am thrilled to announce my brand ambassadorship with femi9; there is a perfect fit between me and the femi9 woman,” says Njeim. “Femi9 is like my ideal wardrobe as it caters to the dynamism of my life and the various roles I take on a daily basis: a mother, an actress and a woman, who just loves fashion.”
Femi9 stores in the UAE are located in Dalma Mall in Abu Dhabi and Sahara Center in Sharjah.
Posted by retail360uk
Fathima opens flagship hypermarket in Dubai
Fathima Group, a UAE-based retail major, opened its largest hypermarket in Dubai, UAE in line with its wider growth plan in the GCC retail sector.
The new hypermarket, spanning over a massive area of 35,000 sq ft, is located on Khalid Bin Walid Street in Bur Dubai.
Fathima Group of Companies is one of the oldest companies in the UAE with operations in 22 business verticals and a number of own brands to its portfolio. The Group operates a chain of hypermarkets, supermarkets and department stores that enjoy a strong brand recognition and reputation among shoppers across the GCC and India.
Brigadier Dr Matar Hameed Al Shamsi from Ajman Police General Headquarters inaugurated the new hypermarket in the presence of Fathima Group chairman E P Moosa Haji, managing director E P Sulaiman Haji, CEO Sameer Sulaiman and other senior dignitaries.
Moosa Haji said: “We are proud to open our flagship hypermarket in the heart of Dubai aimed at serving residents in the busy Bur Dubai area. We continue to grow our hypermarket chain in the UAE and beyond with the addition of four more outlets that would address the current demand for convenient stores in the region and India.”
“We are extremely grateful to the visionary Rulers and people of this country, the foundation of our business that started out in 1968 in Abu Dhabi and grew together being encouraged in all our expansion strategies and efforts. We have seen a steady growth in our retail business and hope to keep the momentum. Over the years, we have achieved great success with over 3,000 employees and tens of thousands of loyal shoppers,” he added.
Sameer Sulaiman said: “We are opening here in one of the most populated areas of Dubai with dedicated service to ensure our shoppers a comfortable and complete shopping experience. We are committed to ensuring great service and convenience to all our shoppers. Consistent growth in our business has bought in remarkable changes over the years. Quality, consistency and sustainability are the hallmark of our value system that has been cascaded across the organization at all times. We have streamlined our operations to create a high level of efficiency that delivers the best quality products to our shoppers at competitive price.”
“We hope this is the right time for us to open more outlets to provide value to the shoppers. Fathima Group also wants to be present in locations that would be beneficial to our shoppers. The four new hypermarkets to be rolled out by Fathima Group in the near future are planned in Sharfiya, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Sobha City – Thrissur in India; Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah in the UAE. These outlets would focus on grocery, fresh fruit and vegetables, electronics, household appliances, fashion garments, luggage and other daily need products with a product range that are tailored to the large multinational population in these regions,” he elaborated.
The new hypermarket, laid out with the best facilities for the convenience of shoppers and product variety in mind, offers a range of world-class products and brands at the fairest price. The outlet is spread in two levels showcasing everything from grocery, foodstuff including fresh fruits and vegetables, bakery, fish, meat and poultry, roastery to household items and health & beauty products on the Ground level.
The Second level displays fashion garments and footwear for men, women and children, in addition to consumer electronics, mobile, fashion jewellery and accessories, among other things. The Ground Floor also houses Al Ghurair Money Exchange, Smart Travels, Life Pharmacy, Hot Food from Bombay Chowpatty. – TradeArabia News Service
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Mall operator Majid Al Futtaim has announced that it will open a new distribution centre at the National Industries Park in Dubai.
The centre, once operational, will be the largest and most advanced distribution hub of its kind for Carrefour in the region, the company said in a statement.
The facility is being built on a land area of 1.5 million square feet and covers a built-up area of over 800,000 square feet, almost four times the size of Carrefour’s current largest distribution centre building in the region.
The centre will also feature advanced warehousing, storage and logistics technologies.
The multi-temperature storage at the new distribution centre is designed to meet the storage needs of the different food types including fruits, vegetables, meat and dry foods as well as warehousing for non-food goods, the statement said.
It added that with a total storage capacity of over 400 million units, the new distribution hub is expected to save over 50 percent energy per cubic metre and manage more than 150,000 orders per day to support Carrefour’s brick and mortar stores in addition to the omni-channel business of Carrefour.
Miguel Povedano, executive regional director, Carrefour UAE, said: “With our new distribution centre in NIP, we have significantly expanded our operational capabilities in the region in terms of storage facilities as well as technological infrastructure.
“We continue to look at the Middle East and North Africa as one of the key growth regions for Carrefour and one that we will continue to invest in over the coming years. We are confident that this new facility will help us deliver even better quality of products and services to our customers.”
South Africa’s Truworths flags lower H1 profit on tighter credit rules
Pedestrians walk past a branch of South African clothing retailer Truworths in Cape Town
Pedestrians walk past a branch of South African clothing retailer Truworths, in central Cape Town, February 18, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African clothing retailer Truworths International expects lower half-year profit as in-store credit sales stalled due to tougher regulations, the firm said on Thursday.
Truworths said diluted headline earnings per share for the 26 weeks to 25 December will decrease to between 380.6 cents and 397.9 cents per share, up to 6 percent lower than in the corresponding period in 2015.
The firm said new credit affordability assessment regulations – rules introduced by South Africa in 2015 that require banking statements and proof of income – weighed on sales.
South African clothing and furniture retailers rely heavily on in-store credit cards to boost sales in a sluggish economy.
Truworths said its total retail sales rose 21 percent to 10.2 billion rand ($756 million), but cash sales accounted for all of the growth, while credit sales remained unchanged.
“Increased pressure on consumers from rising inflation, especially in food prices, and a weak employment market characterised by job losses and soft real growth in incomes have also impacted the Group’s performance,” Truworths said in a statement.
The trading update was released after the close of trading on the JSE.
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Woolworths suffered a sharp slowdown in Christmas sales growth. Excluding a R3.8bn windfall from the sale of David Jones’s Sydney head office, the retail chain expects to report a decline in interim earnings.
Basic earnings for the 26 weeks to December 25 are expected to be boosted by between 30% and 40% from the matching period’s 253.7c by the A$360m sale of David Jones’s head office in August.
But headline earnings, which exclude the property sale, were expected to decline by up to 7.5%, Woolworths said in a trading update on Thursday morning.
Woolworths is scheduled to release its interim results on about February 16.
Overall group sales growth for the 26 weeks to Christmas Day was 6.7% — less than half the matching period’s 17.1%. The previous year’s interim sales figures were boosted by the inclusion of Australian acquisition David Jones. Excluding David Jones, group sales grew 12.3% for the 26 weeks to December 27 2015.
Woolworths blamed the exclusion of Boxing Day from the first-half figures for its 2017 financial year for part of its lacklustre sales growth figures.
The group’s clothing and general merchandise sales growth slowed to 3.5% from the matching period’s 11.7%. Excluding new stores, sales grew 1.2%. Net retail space allocated to clothing and general merchandise expanded by 2.9%.
Food sales were up 9.5%, down from the matching period’s 12.1%. Excluding new stores, food sales grew 5.6% and retail space grew by a net 7.9%.
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Sale inventory was therefore 22% lower than prior year which enabled the retailer to launch its Spring range two weeks early
FatFace enjoyed a record week of full price sales in the final week before Christmas.
Anthony Thompson, chief executive of FatFace, said: “We are pleased to report another good trading performance despite a challenging retail environment.
“The November ‘Price Promise’, guaranteeing prices up until Christmas, clearly resonated with our customers, as evidenced by the 7.9% increase in full price sales on the prior year.
“Our focus on improved quality, design innovation and more choice of luxury yarns, fabric and gifting was also received well, and provides opportunity to further enhance our offer in coming seasons.”
Looking at current trading, Thompson said currency devaluation, consumer uncertainty and cost inflation are contributing to an already challenging environment. He added: “We remain confident that with our focus on quality, design modernity and value for money we will remain resilient and become even stronger in a weaker market.”
FatFace’s new distribution centre is on track to open during 2017 and the retailer is planning to open around eight to 12 new stores in the UK and US this year.
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During the six weeks to 31 December, Waitrose’s gross sales excluding fuel rose by 4.8% to £914.9 million with like-for-like sales growth of 2.8%.
Meanwhile, gross sales at John Lewis were up 4.9% to £998.1 million with a 2.7% increase in like-for-like sales.
At John Lewis the channel mix saw a continued shift to online. Shopping on mobile phones was the online channel of choice with sales up 80.9% and accounting for 37% of all traffic. Click & collect sales rose by 14.5%. Shop sales were up, trading well pre-Christmas as last-minute shopping delivered a record week for branches.
Sir Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said: “We traded strongly over Christmas with sales up nearly 5% and both Waitrose and John Lewis grew market share.
“Sales were particularly strong in the areas that have been the focus for product innovation this year, such as our Waitrose 1 premium range and John Lewis own-brand fashion.
“Our multi-channel capability has again proved its worth with online accounting for 40% of total sales in John Lewis.”
The retailer said its pre-tax profit before Partnership Bonus and exceptional items for the year to 28 January is expected to be up on last year with lower pension accounting charges offsetting trading pressures on profit.
Its Partnership Board will decide on the level of staff Bonus in March but the company said it is likely to be “significantly lower” than last year due to a challenging market outlook and its focus for investment for the future.
Mayfield added: “Although we expect to report profits up on last year, trading profit is under pressure. This reflects the greater changes taking place across the retail sector. We expect those to quicken, especially in the next 12 months as the effects of weaker Sterling feed through.
“We will now accelerate aspects of our strategy. This will involve a period of significant change, investment and innovation to ensure the Partnership’s success.”
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Retail group, which also includes Waitrose, reports strong Christmas but says retailers will face rising costs from brexit
John Lewis’s chairman says he expects ‘a period of significant change’. Photograph: Sean Dempsey/PA
John Lewis has warned that its annual bonus for staff will be significantly lower than last year as it prepares to take a hit from the post-Brexit slump in sterling.
Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the staff-owned group, which includes Waitrose, said he anticipated a “challenging” year ahead as retailers would have to absorb a big chunk of the rising cost of importing goods just as they are coping with shoppers’ shift to buying online.
“Sterling, I think, is the dog that hasn’t really barked,” said Mayfield. He said a near-20% drop in the value of the pound had yet to affect most businesses because they had bought currency six months to a year in advance.
But he warned that would now begin to unwind: “My view is quite a lot of [the increased costs] will be absorbed by retailers as we are in an increasingly competitive market place with excess of retail space. Even if it is passed on to customers it is not necessarily a good thing as it will dampen demand especially if we see a swing in inflation versus wage growth.”
Mayfield said the devaluation of sterling was “one of the most significant factors overhanging the outlook for the year ahead.”
This will be the fourth consecutive year that the group, which is collectively owned by its staff, has reduced the payout, but it is highly unusual for it to cut the bonus when profits rise. Last year its 91,500 employees, known as partners, were awarded bonuses of 10% of salary, the lowest for 13 years, averaging just over £1,500 each.
The bonus payout started in 1920. It was suspended during the second world war and the early 1950s recession, and peaked at 24% of salary in the 1980s. The highest payout in recent years was 18% in 2011.
John Lewis staff cheer their 18% bonus in 2011; it is likely to be less than 10% this year.
John Lewis staff cheer their 18% bonus in 2011; it is likely to be less than 10% this year. Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters
Its decision to cut the payout comes despite a strong Christmas and expectations of higher profits for the year to the end of January, thanks to lower pension costs.
Sales for the John Lewis department store business, including online, rose by 2.7% in the six weeks to 31 December as the group enjoyed strong trading in fashion and homewares. Online sales soared nearly 12% while store sales rose 0.8%, helped by the opening of two new outlets.
The Waitrose chain also had a strong Christmas with sales at established stores up by 2.8% over the period, partly thanks to strong trading at the group’s growing network of in-store cafes and restaurants. Sales of its premium Waitrose 1 range, which includes specialities such as Sicilian lemon meringue eclairs, rose more than 21%.
Mayfield said: “Although we expect to report profits up on last year, trading profit is under pressure. This reflects the greater changes taking place across the retail sector.”
The shift towards online sales hits profits because of the cost of home deliveries and returns. Nick Bubb, an independent retail analyst, said John Lewis’s never knowingly undersold price-matching scheme was also likely to have cost the company profit margin as discounting across the market increased ahead of Christmas.
Mayfield said the group would have to lift investment in product innovations, such as its premium Waitrose 1 food line or Modern Rarity fashion label, as well as developing infrastructure to cope with rising demand for online shopping. He said the group would also be investing more in its existing stores to ensure they could continue to attract shoppers.
About 40% of John Lewis’s sales were online over Christmas, up from 36% last year, and Mayfield said there was no sign of a slowdown in the pace of growth. He predicted that the department store, whose new boss Paula Nickolds takes the helm this month, was likely to book half its sales via the internet ahead of the 2020 deadline previously expected.
Mayfield said that John Lewis’s board had a responsibility to look at the long term rather than maintain the bonus for staff.
“We have to strike a balance and we believe it is right to retain a bit more profit in order to invest in the future of the business,” he said.
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Dubai’s retail sector added about 260,000 square metres of new space in 2016, the highest volume since 2010, according to consultants JLL.
Its Year In Review 2016 report said Q4 saw the completion of about 20,000 square metres of retail space in the Dubai Festival City expansion while other notable completions throughout the year were phase 2 of The Avenue in City Walk and the Ibn Battuta Mall phase 2.
It also said that retail sales in neighbouring Abu Dhabi are likely to remain under pressure in 2017 despite no major malls being scheduled for completion in the UAE capital this year.
JLL added mall rents in Abu Dhabi are unlikely to change significantly over the next 12 months as new supply remains stagnant.
It said no major mall completions occurred in the UAE capital throughout 2016, with total stock remaining at about 2.6 million square metres.
JLL added that approximately 85,000 square metres of retail space is scheduled for completion in 2017, mostly within residential communities or towers.
Craig Plumb, head of research at JLL MENA, said: “Despite a number of retailers reporting a decline of sales during 2016, average retail rents remained unchanged in the primary malls of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
“In Dubai, retail rents are expected to remain stable in prime malls, but could soften in secondary locations as new supply enters the market.”
The JLL report also said that Dubai’s hotel market witnessed the completion of approximately 7,000 rooms in 2016, bringing the total hotel stock to 79,000 keys.
About 14,000 keys are currently scheduled to be handed over in 2017, but these are unlikely to all materialise in time, it added.
Abu Dhabi saw the introduction of about 1,000 hotel keys throughout 2016, bringing total hotel supply to 21,400 keys while another 2,000 hotel keys are expected to be handed over in 2017.
JLL added that Abu Dhabi’s hospitality sector has suffered from a reduction in corporate demand, driven by the decline in oil prices, reduced government spending and corporate consolidation. This has, however, partly been offset by increased leisure demand, driven by the government’s major initiatives to diversify towards leisure tourism.
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In the 13 weeks to 31 December, like-for-like clothing and homeware sales rose by 2.3% while food sales edged up 0.6%.
On a total basis, UK sales rose by 4.5% while group sales increased by 5.9%.
Steve Rowe, Marks & Spencer chief executive, said: “I am pleased with the customer response we have seen to the changes we are making in line with our plan for the business. I would like to thank the whole team for their hard work over this busy period.
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“In clothing & home, better ranges, better availability and better prices helped to improve our performance in a difficult marketplace. We also continued to substantially reduce discounting, including over Black Friday.
“Our food business continues to grow market share with customers recognising our product as special and different. Our Simply Food store pipeline remains strong.”
Within the clothing and home category, the retailer substantially reduced sales on promotion in the period, with fewer category promotions particularly over Black Friday. Stock into sale during the quarter declined by around 7% with one fewer clearance event than last year. This resulted in a further improvement in full price sales.
International sales were up 2.9% at constant currency as the retailer benefited from earlier shipments of spring ranges to its franchise partners.
Looking ahead Rowe said: “As we look forward, our Q4 reported numbers will be adversely affected by sale timing and a later Easter. Against the background of uncertain consumer confidence the business remains focused on delivering the strategic actions announced last year.”
The company said its full year guidance remains unchanged.
Debenhams hails 5% rise in Christmas like-for-like sales
DEPARTMENT STORES
12 January 2017 | by The Retail Bulletin
In the seven weeks to 7 January, online sales at the department store chain climbed by 17%.
Sergio Bucher, chief executive of Debenhams, said: “I’m pleased with the performance we have achieved in the key trading weeks of Black Friday and over the Christmas peak, given the challenges in the broader environment and the strong performance last year. The resilience of Debenhams’ differentiated offer is beginning to show through, with the growth we have driven in beauty and gifting.”
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The results mean that in the 18 weeks to 7 January Debenhams’ group gross transaction value rose by 3.7% while group like-for-like sales increased by 3.5%. UK like-for-like sales were up 1%.
By the end of the period, Debenhams had completed 75% of its current store space optimisation programme, rolled out a further nine food service offers and launched two new partnerships with James Martin Kitchen and Franco Manca.
It also made further progress in growing its non-clothing categories. Beauty and gift sales grew strongly to take the non-clothing sales mix in the period to 57%.
Bucher added: “It’s encouraging to see that the service improvements we have made helped us to deliver strong multi-channel sales growth.
“There is a lot more we can do to build from this base and I’m looking forward to providing an update on our plans for Debenhams alongside our interim results in April.”
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In the period covering 12 November to 24 December, online sales rose by 29.3% while in-store sales were up 1.4% across the company’s 217 UK stores.
Oliver Meakin, chief executive of Maplin, said: “Christmas 2016 has been one of our most successful trading periods and highlights the significant investment we have made across our whole business in the last two years.”
Bestselling products included Google’s Chromecast and Amazon Fire Stick. Drones were also popular with more than 25,000 units sold over the period. In addition, the retailer achieved a 135% uplift in sales of Smart Home tech items.
Meakin added: “As we accelerate investment in digital, our people and stores into 2017 we expect to see sales continue to grow, as well as develop other initiatives including the roll out of a new store format and refreshed branding across the estate, which was first trialed at Cambridge Beehive in November 2016.”
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Alibaba to buy China mall operator in $2.6bn plan
Alibaba is China’s dominant player in online commerce, with its Taobao platform estimated to hold more than 90 percent of the consumer-to-consumer market
Alibaba and Intime founder Shen Guojun have together offered to pay HK$10 per share to buy the shares they do not already own of the Hong Kong-listed chain.
The deal will increase Alibaba’s stake from 28 percent to 74 percent after it first invested $692 million in the firm in 2014. Shen will take the other 26 percent. News of the deal sent Intime’s shares soaring 35 percent to HK$9.49 in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
The maximum cash required for the proposal is expected to be HK$19.8 billion ($2.6 billion), the statement said.
The deal will see Alibaba expand further into physical stores, which founder Jack Ma envisions integrating with the company’s online platforms and logistics network.
The move came after Ma — China’s richest man — met US President-elect Donald Trump in New York Monday to discuss how Alibaba can help create one million US jobs by enabling small businesses to sell goods to China and Asia.
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Tesco announces job losses in shake-up of distribution centre network
The proposed changes will reduce the number of Tesco distribution centres from 25 to 23. This will include the closure of the Welham Green centre and moving its grocery operations to Tesco’s Reading centre. In addition, the supermarket will be bringing the majority of general merchandising into one distribution centre at Middlesbrough which will result in the closure of the Chesterfield centre.
Tesco has also announced plans to withdraw from a Daventry hanging garments shared distribution centre which is currently operated by third party DHL. As a result, the centre’s clothing operations will move to Tesco’s Daventry distribution centre. It also plans to bring all warehouse operations currently carried out by DHL and Wincanton in house.
The 500 new jobs created elsewhere in the distribution centre network will include roles in Reading and Middlesbrough as well as the creation of staff support roles in the majority of Tesco’s centres.
Matt Davies, Tesco UK & ROI chief executive, said: “As the needs of our customers change, it’s vital we transform our business for the future.
“As part of this we are proposing to close two of our distribution centres in the UK. These changes will help to simplify our distribution operations so we can continue to serve our customers better.
“Our priority throughout this process has been our colleagues and we will continue to do all we can to support them at this time.”
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Morrisons hails best Christmas performance in seven years
In the nine weeks to 1 January, total sales excluding fuel increased by 2% despite the continuing impact of store closures.
Like-for-like transaction growth was strong, up 5.2% year-on-year during the period.
The supermarket said the growth was a result of an improved shopping experience for customers both in its stores and online. During the period, Morrisons.com achieved its biggest ever week for sales.
David Potts, Morrisons chief executive, said: “This Christmas we made further improvements to the customer shopping trip. We stocked more of what our customers wanted to buy, more tills were open more often, and product availability improved as over half of sales went through our new ordering system. Both like-for-like and total sales grew, which was very encouraging.
“Eighteen months ago, I said that this would be a colleague-led turnaround, and our improving performance is entirely due to the continuing hard work of the Morrisons team of food makers and shopkeepers. I would like to thank all colleagues for making Christmas and New Year extra special for our customers.”
Morrisons said its new ‘Best’ range is proving very popular, with over half of customer baskets including at least one ‘Best’ item. The supermarket launched over 100 new ‘Best’ products for Christmas shoppers in addition to the first 470 products launched last autumn.
The supermarket now expects its 2016/17 underlying pre-tax profit to be ahead of consensus and in the range of £330 million to £340 million.
Costa Coffee opens first Middle East drive-through Hotelier Middle East
Costa Coffee opens first Middle East drive-through
Located near Kite Beach on Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai, the two-storey Costa Coffee building is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Emirates Leisure Retail chief operating officer Kevin Zajax said: “This is a milestone occasion, and the latest offering in our response to what our customers are looking for. They want to be able to get a handcrafted Costa Coffee at any time of the day, sometimes without leaving their car.
“We brought Costa here in 1999 with the first store outside the UK, and now we have the first purpose-built Costa drive-through in the Middle East.”
The staff at the new site have visited London to work in the brand’s UK drive-throughs and “to learn how it is done”, added Zajax
Costa is developing its food offering with a new ‘made fresh on site’ deli range that is rolling out to more of its UAE outlets and adding new brews to the coffee menu, including the Old Paradise Street limited edition.
And to celebrate the launch of the new drive-through, Costa is giving away Jeep Wrangler. Every customer that spends AED30 (US $8) between January 9 and February 9 will be entered into the prize draw.
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Apple announced on Friday that a retail store is coming to Samsung’s home turf of South Korea. Neighbors!
It’s hard to believe Apple doesn’t already have a retail store in South Korea, but Koreans have been getting by with two certified Apple reseller stores up until now. Apple’s website now shows 14 new retail job listings in South Korea, including store leader and Genius bar staff.
“We’re now hiring the team that will offer our customers in Seoul the service, education and entertainment that is loved by Apple customers around the world,” Apple told Reuters in a statement on Friday.
The new brick-and-mortar store is said to be opening in the ritzy Gangnam district. South Korea’s Yonhap News reports that construction for a 6,000-square-foot building with two underground floors and one above ground floor has started in the Garosu-gil shopping district and should be completed around the end of November.
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Sports Direct: Mike Ashley thumbs his nose at City again. Watchdogs must tighten rules that allow him to do this
Mike Ashley has thumbed his nose at the City once again, using his majority shareholding to secure the appointment of his man Keith Hellawell as chairman of Sports Direct, despite a majority of independent shareholders voting against him. Twice.
A little while ago the Financial Conduct Authority, the City’s chief watchdog, became concerned at the way wealthy individuals were able make pots of cash by taking companies public in London only to ride roughshod over minority investors having done so.
In response, a new rule was introduced giving minority investors the power to vote down directors. If they said no to a particular candidate, said candidate would, in effect, be put into a sort of corporate purdah ahead of an EGM at which a fresh vote would be held.
The idea was that there should be no need for that. Company directors are supposed to represent the interests of all shareholders. Having failed to secure the support of a majority of independent investors, the candidate was supposed to step aside because their position would, in theory, be untenable.
Peace talks would then be held behind closed doors, a way forward agreed, a new candidate put forward and approved. Move on, nothing to see here.
Until Mike Ashley exposed the problem with the new rule. It doesn’t work.
Minority investors have for the second time voted against Mr Hellawell.
He has sat at the head of the board as a string of problems at the company have come to light, and so really ought to be held to account.
In fact, an increased majority of independent shareholders tried to do this. Some 54 per cent voted against his reappointment at the latest EGM, up from 53 per cent at the last AGM.
While Mr Hellawell did offer to resign in the wake of the first negative vote, Mr Ashley asked him to stay put and so he did. Mr Ashley, who has appointed himself as chief executive in the meantime, further issued a statement to the stock exchange after the latest no saying that he hoped to persuade Mr Hellawell to reconsider his pledge to stand down if he failed to receive the backing of independent shareholders for the third occasion at the company’s AGM later this year.
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Other investors who maintain large shareholdings in their companies after going public like Mr Ashley will take note of this. What it tells them is that, while they might have to endure a bit of bad publicity, at the end of the day the rules allow them to do more or less what they want.
That’s not good enough. The point about Sports Direct, and about companies like it, is that they are public companies. Ordinary Britons have money invested in them through their ISAs and through their pensions. The Government has told them that it is a good idea for them to save in this way, and thus provide for themselves.
Mr Ashley’s behaviour, and Sports Direct’s poor corporate governance, is a problem that goes beyond Sports Direct. But he isn’t going to change it until watchdogs step up to the plate and force the issue. It’s time for them to do that.
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Jamie Oliver has announced he is to close six of his Italian restaurants, blaming tough trading amid rising Brexit cost pressures.
The celebrity chef’s company said outlets in Aberdeen, Cheltenham, Exeter, Richmond, Tunbridge Wells and Ludgate Hill, London, will close by the end of March.
Simon Blagden, chief executive of Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, said: “As every restaurant owner knows, this is a tough market and post-Brexit the pressures and unknowns have made it even harder.”
The closures will affect 120 members of staff, although Mr Oliver said that he hopes to find alternative jobs for employees affected by the closures.
As well as staff costs and lower footfall, the company has been hit by the sharp collapse in the value of the pound, which has ramped up the cost of buying ingredients from Italy.
What does the falling pound mean for you?
“Because we refuse to compromise on the quality and provenance of our ingredients and our commitment to training and developing our staff, we need restaurants that can serve an average of 3,000 covers every week to be sustainable,” Mr Blagden added.
There are currently 42 Jamie’s Italians in the UK. Mr Blagden said the six restaurants account for only 5 per cent of the company’s total turnover, which meant that overall the business was “in very good shape”.
The company’s plans to launch another 22 Jamie’s Italian restaurants overseas are going ahead.
Businesses and consumers alike are under increased pressure due to rising costs.
Earlier this week Lord Wolfson, the chief executive of retailer Next, signalled that clothing prices could rise next year as the impact of Brexit boosts inflation, amid warnings that food prices could also climb.
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Vietnam retail sales reached $117.6 billion in 2016, according to the General Statistics Office.
Sales rose 10.2 per cent year-on-year, thanks to foreign investment from overseas, especially Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
Ranked among the 30 global retail markets with best opportunities by American management consulting firm AT Kearney, Vietnam witnessed major mergers and acquisitions in the retail sector in 2016.
Retailers from Thailand – with Central Group and Berli Jucker the pioneers – gained a strong foothold in the Vietnam market with Central’s stakes in Nguyen Kim and Big C and BJ acquiring Metro. Central plans to double its network to 70 supermarkets and 13 shopping malls by 2021.
Japanese retail operator Aeon joined the race with 30 per cent stake in Hanoi-based Fivimart and 49 per cent of Ho Chi Minh City-based Citimart. Department store operator Takashimaya stirred the market, opening its first Vietnam department store inside the Saigon Center in Ho Chi Minh City.
Korean conglomerate Lotte Group introduced its first online store Lotte.vn, and plans to open 60 new supermarkets in Vietnam by 2020.
A young population and a rapidly rising middle class are driving retail growth. Sixty per cent of the country’s 90 million people are aged under 35 and are familiar with global trends and brands. The average Vietnamese income has risen from US$433 to $2200 in just five years, allowing Vietnamese consumers to afford products and services from international brands.
There are currently 800 supermarkets and 160 department stores and shopping malls across the country, a number forecast to double in the next four years, thanks to government-backed development plans.
Supermarkets, convenience stores and shopping malls account for 25 per cent of total consumer spending – and that is expected to rise to 45 per cent in the near future. The last three days before New Year holiday in Ho Chi Minh City saw a rise of 20 per cent in purchasing in all commodities with food, confectionery and beverages driving growth. The rise was partly due to promotional and discount programs, and is predicted to continue to grow in the few weeks ahead before Lunar New Year.
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Washington — More grim news for malls as women’s apparel designer and retailer The Limited says it will close all its brick-and-mortar stores at the end of this weekend.
The New Albany, Ohio company says it will continue to operate online only after the Jan. 8 closures.
The Limited made the announcement just two days after Macy’s said it would close 68 retail stores and cut more than 10,000 jobs. Sears also announced Thursday that it would close another 150 stores as clothing retailers continue to struggle to compete as consumers increasingly buy online.
Limited Stores, founded in 1963, says it has already ceased operations at several stores in recent weeks and would be offering “highly discounted prices” on merchandise until all its doors close for good Sunday.
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Majid Al Futtaim, a leading shopping mall, retail and leisure pioneer, will open a major new distribution centre for Carrefour at the National Industries Park (NIP) in Dubai, UAE.
The centre, once operational, will be the largest and most advanced distribution hub of its kind for Carrefour in the region, said a statement from the company.
The facility is constructed on a land area of 1.5 million sq ft and covers a built-up area of over 800,000 square feet, almost four times the size of Carrefour’s current largest distribution centre building in the region, it said.
The centre will also feature advanced warehousing, storage and logistics technologies, it added.
The multi-temperature storage at the new distribution centre is designed to meet the storage needs of the different food types including fruits, vegetables, meat and dry foods as well as warehousing for non-food goods.
With a total storage capacity of over 400 million units, the new distribution hub is expected to save over 50 per cent energy per cubic metre and manage more than 150000 orders per day to support Carrefour’s brick and mortar stores in addition to the omni-channel business of Carrefour, said a statement.
Miguel Povedano, executive regional director, Carrefour UAE, said: “With our new distribution centre in NIP, we have significantly expanded our operational capabilities in the region in terms of storage facilities as well as technological infrastructure.”
“We continue to look at the Middle East and North Africa as one of the key growth regions for Carrefour and one that we will continue to invest in over the coming years. We are confident that this new facility will help us deliver even better quality of products and services to our customers,” he added.
Younis Al Mulla, senior vice president – development and government affairs, Majid Al Futtaim Retail, said: “It gives us great pleasure at in establishing this strategic partnership with NIP and in the development of our central warehousing and distribution facility within their premises.”
“As part of our company’s vision, we are committed to constantly improving our operational facilities and capabilities for delivering high value to our customers in the UAE and other operating markets,” he said.
“In addition to being our largest distribution centre in the region, the facility at NIP is also highly energy efficient and will help us become more environmentally friendly, while reducing the overall carbon footprint of our stores,” he added.
Mohammed Al Muallem, senior vice president and managing director, UAE region of DP World, said: “I welcome Majid Al Futtaim, one of the leading national companies, to the NIP to establish their advanced integrated logistics centre.”
“The company is renowned regionally and globally for their pioneering contribution to the retail and leisure industry and we are confident of providing Majid Al Futtaim with distinctive logistic solutions that meet their requirements for various markets,” he said.
“NIP has an advanced multi-modal connectivity that reduces transportation duration, especially in reaching the Mena countries, through our flagship Jebel Ali Port and the Al Maktoum International Airport,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service
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Amid rumors that the Galeries Lafayette Apple Watch pop up shop will be shuttered this month, Apple also appears to have shut down its Apple Watch shop at the high-end Selfridges department store in London, England.
The Selfridges retail store listing, which previously showed the Selfridges store front along with store hours and location, has been removed from Apple’s website and now redirects to a list of UK stores.
Apple’s Selfridges pop up shop was first introduced in 2015 alongside the launch of the Apple Watch. It was located in the iconic Wonder Room, which is a 19,000 square-foot hall that houses a number of luxury jewelry and watch brands.
selfridgespopupshop There was no warning that the Selfridges pop up shop would be shut down, but rumors have suggested Apple is planning to close the Galeries Lafayette Apple Watch pop up shop this month due to poor sales.
At this time, the Galeries Lafayette Apple Watch page is still intact, as is the Isetan listing for Apple’s luxury pop up shop at the Isetan department store in Tokyo, Japan.
There’s no word on whether the Isetan shop is shutting down, but Apple has reportedly been reducing the number of employees at Galeries Lafayette ahead of its closure.
If poor sales are the reason behind the end of the Galeries Lafayette pop up shop, it’s likely the Selfridges store suffered from similar problems. Both stores were originally set up to sell the high-end Apple Watch Edition made from 18-karat gold and priced up to $17,000, but Apple discontinued that model in September of 2016, replacing it with the lower-priced ceramic Edition models.
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In a statement, Next said the 0.4% decline in the 54 days to 24 December was an improvement on the third quarter and better than the run rate for the full year. However, the company was expecting sales in the fourth quarter to grow year-on-year as the comparative numbers in 2015 were poor.
While Next’s total sales, including markdown sales, for the year to date are up 0.4% year-on-year, full price sales are down 1.1%.
Despite the difficult season, Next said stock for its end-of-season sale has been well controlled and down 3% on last year. However, sales in the end-of-season sale are down 7% year-on-year.
The company has now forecast that group profit for the year to January 2017 will be £792 million and said this may increase or decrease by £7 million depending on trade in January. This compares to the previous guidance of £785 million to £825 million.
Looking ahead, Next said the year ahead is likely to be challenging and added: “The fact that sales continued to decline in quarter four, beyond the anniversary of the start of the slowdown in November 2015, means that we expect the cyclical slow-down in spending on clothing and footwear to continue into next year.”
Next also warned that there may be a further squeeze in consumer spending as inflation begins to erode real earnings growth and that clothing prices could rise by “no more than 5%” following the devaluation of the pound last year.
The company is budgeting for Next brand full price sales growth in the year to January 2018 to be between -4.5% and +1.5% with pre-tax profit within the range of £680 million to £780 million.
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In the six weeks to 31 December, like-for-like sales were up 6.8%.
The retailer said its busiest day was 23 December when it sold over 80,000 bottles. Sales of male fragrance grew faster than female thanks to new launches.
Top performers included Dior Sauvage, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and Hugo Boss – The Scent For Her and Diesel BAD. Fragrances from other luxury fashion houses such as YSL, Viktor & Rolf & Loewe were also big sellers.
Sanjay Vadera, chief executive of The Fragrance Shop, said: “New, accessibly-priced perfumes from high-end fashion houses were by far the top performing scents this Christmas, reflecting Britain’s enduring love affair with luxury brands.”
The Fragrance Shop also recorded significant growth in gift set sales and purchases of larger 100ml+ fragrances as shoppers traded up from spending less on smaller sizes to get better value.
With a total of 184 stores, The Fragrance Shop opened 12 new shops last year and plans to open a further three in early 2017.
Vadera added: “Our complete focus on bringing a wide selection of brands to customers within the best possible retail experience continues to be the secret of our success, while also enabling us to outperform the market in luxury fragrances for the second year running, making this our fastest-growing segment.”
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The Five Best Shopping Malls In Dubai
If there’s any city in the world that takes shopping malls seriously, it’s Dubai. Not only do global brands flock to this retail capital, but shoppers from all over the Middle East and beyond come to Dubai to appreciate the grandiosity and beauty of its shopping centers.
The city’s physical climate, consistently sunny and known to surpass 110 °F, mixed with its economic climate, deeply rooted in property development to the point of experiencing hypergrowth creates a unique mix of tropical and capitalistic energy rarely matched in other cities. Dubai builds with a panache seldom seen anywhere else around the world, so it’s no wonder that stepping into a Dubai shopping mall is an experience in itself.
Playing home to everything from one of the world’s largest indoor aquariums to an indoor ski slope, these are the top five shopping malls in Dubai.
#5 Ibn Battuta Mall
Photo: Ibn Battuta Mall
Photo: Ibn Battuta Mall
Inspired by the Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta, the Ibn Battuta Mall is considered the largest theme mall in the world. Shopping becomes an adventure here, with six distinct retail courts waiting to be discovered and explored. Anchor stores include Debenhams, Geant, Marks & Spencer, Sharaf DG and Decathlon.
#4 Dubai Outlet Mall
dubai-outlet-mall
Photo: Dubai Outlet Mall/Instagram
In 2007, Dubai Outlet Mall opened its doors to the United Arab Emirates. It’s a part of Dubai Outlet City and offers as much as 30%-90% off the regular price across its 240 stores. Labels include Adidas, Coach, Fred Perry, Mango and Aldo.
#3 BurJuman
Photo: Burjuman
Photo: BurJuman
BurJuman offers a healthy mix of luxury fashion brands and popular labels at the center of Bur Dubai, the city’s business and heritage district. Like many malls in Dubai, BurJuman also places a heavy emphasis on entertainment and lifestyle options, with the most recent addition being its newly-opened 14-screen Vox Cinemas. Shops in BurJuman include Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari, H&M, Charles & Keith and Burberry.
#2 Mall of the Emirates
Photo: Mall of the Emirates/Ski Dubai
Photo: Mall of the Emirates/Ski Dubai
Known as the world’s first shopping resort, Mall of the Emirates has an astounding 2.4 million square feet of retail floor space. Not only does it boast 630 high-end brands, but fashion designers from around the world are put on full display in the mall’s Fashion Dome and Luxury Wing. Tenants include Boutique 1, Centrepoint, Forever 21, Kate Spade New York, DKNY and an Apple store.
If you get tired of shopping, there are still plenty of things to do at Mall of the Emirates. Enjoy the games and be entertained at Magic Planet, a family theme park, or drop by the renowned indoor ski resort, Ski Dubai, for a day of skiing or snowboarding, tobogganing and playing with the penguins.
#1 Dubai Mall
The 5 Best Shopping Malls In Dubai
Photo: Dubai Mall
Dubai Mall is an exceptionally vast retail, leisure and entertainment space right in the heart of downtown Dubai. It’s the world’s largest and most visited shopping mall, with a total internal floor area of 5.9 million square feet. In 2014, more than 80 million visitors shopped at the mall’s 1,200+ retail stores. Flagship brands include Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Gucci, Chanel and Ralph Lauren.
If the shopping alone isn’t enough, Dubai Mall is also home to one of the world’s largest aquariums and aquatic zoos, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, complete with a 270-degree walk-through tunnel for a truly immersive experience of the deep sea.
Of course, if you can’t find what you need in these five malls, you can always drive the ninety miles to Abu Dhabi, where you’ll find even more world-class shopping malls, or if you need something from abroad, Amazon also ships to the UAE, though not every item the website sells can be sent there directly.
All of that said, Dubai is the international shopper’s dream, but with so many exceptional malls to choose from, hopefully, this short list will help you navigate your way.
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The Five Best Shopping Malls In Abu Dhabi
There may be no nation in the world that treats shopping the way the UAE does. Malls serve every purpose from a meeting point between friends or colleagues to a refuge from the hot desert sun, and when you see the insides of these shopping complexes, you’ll know why locals and visitors alike keep coming back.
I’ve been to Abu Dhabi twice, though reasonably quickly both times, so it was important to me that I get my shopping done as swiftly as possible so as to leave room for other activities and city exploration. Stemming from my own experience and supported by some additional research, here’s my breakdown of the top five shopping malls in Abu Dhabi.
#5 The Galleria
Best Shopping Malls Abu Dhabi
Photo: The Galleria
As you explore Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island, you’re bound to discover The Galleria, the spacious, modern mall on Abu Dhabi Global Market Square. The Galleria, featuring shops like Dolce & Gabbana, La Martina, Jimmy Choo, Alexander McQueen and Michael Kors, has a wide range of fashion and luxury goods to suit even the pickiest shoppers and an equally diverse set of dining options to boot.
#4 Al Wahda Mall
Best Shopping Malls Abu Dhabi
Photo: Al Wahda Mall
Al Wahda Mall, named after Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahda Football Club who plays at the stadium next door, is considered one of the city’s most well-known landmarks. The mall opened in 2007 with an offering of around 150 retail brands, but it’s evolved over the past decade into one of the largest shopping complexes in the UAE with a total footprint of 3.3 million square feet and over 350 stores. Shops include Armani Exchange, Gap, Izod, Victoria Secret and Tommy Hilfiger.
#3 Marina Mall
Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Opened in 2001, Marina Mall has 5 levels covering 1.3 million square feet of 400+ retail outlets such as Tiffany & Co., Hugo Boss, Gucci, Prada and Yves Saint Laurent. Marina Mall also offers a bowling alley and a revolving restaurant on top of its 30-story observation tower, which gives some pretty spectacular views of Abu Dhabi and the surrounding Persian Gulf.
#2 Abu Dhabi Mall
Best Shopping Malls Abu Dhabi
Photo: Abu Dhabi Mall/Facebook
Conveniently nestled in the heart of the city, Abu Dhabi Mall offers more than 200 stores of fashion labels and designer boutiques. Directly connected to the renowned Beach Rotana Hotel, Abu Dhabi Mall is a centerpiece in the social fabric of the city. Anchor stores include Carolina Herrera, Zara, Pandora, Weekend Max Mara and Anne Klein.
#1 Yas Mall
Photo: Cedric Ribeiro/Getty Images
Located at the center of Yas Island, Yas Mall offers the ultimate shopping, dining and entertainment experience in Abu Dhabi. It boasts a total area of 2.5 million square feet and features 370 stores that include well-known brands like American Eagle Outfitters, Bershka, Calvin Klein, Lacoste and Terranova. Tired of shopping? With more than 60 restaurants and cafes to choose from, indulge your palate with sumptuous dishes from around the world while enjoying the ambiance of this ultra-modern mall.
Abu Dhabi is full of great shopping options, but if you’re looking for an even larger, more diverse retail paradise, just drive ninety miles down the highway to Dubai. There are plenty of great shopping centers there to choose from, including the largest mall in the world, Dubai Mall. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, Amazon ships to the UAE as well, though not every Amazon item can be shipped there directly.
Abu Dhabi is certainly a remarkable place to shop, and my hope is that this list will help point you in the right direction to discover the mall that’s right for you.
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The world is a very different place after the rollercoaster ride that was 2016, the retail sector is certainly no different.
Here are the top 10 stories that made waves in the retail sector this year — as picked by Retail Gazette’s journalist Ben Stevens and editor Elias Jahshan.
The stories selected, listed in no particular order, are a combination of those that consistently landed in the weekly top 5 most-read stories on Retail Gazette’s website to stories that had far-reaching impacts beyond the retail sector.
The fall of BHS
The demise of BHS has dominated the headlines this year.
Not only did the once mighty British department store chain close all 163 of its stores, but 11,000 staff lost their jobs and 22,000 had their pensions put in jeopardy.
Once the initial shock of the heritage retailer’s disappearance from the high street had faded, what was left was a far more complex story of billionaires and black holes.
Both former owners — Sir Philip Green and the man he infamously sold the chain to for £1, Dominic Chappell — have come under fierce scrutiny from everyone: from MPs to the taxman.
The fallout has been huge, sparking a new government inquiry into corporate governance, earning Green the title of “the unacceptable face of capitalism” and his knighthood questioned, and his mulit-million pound superyacht the name “BHS Destroyer”.
The dispute over the who will plug the £571 million pensions deficit, who was responsible for the loss of so many jobs, and whether any criminal wrongdoing occurred looks set to continue well into 2017.
Sports Direct’s controversy
Another spectacular fall from grace comes from the discount sportswear retailer, owned by the eccentric billionaire Mike Ashley.
In the first of many large workers’ rights scandals of the year, Sports Direct’s main warehouse in Shirebrook gained notoriety after an investigation by The Guardian uncovered “Victorian” working conditions.
Not only did this contribute to the new government inquiry into corporate governance, but sparked a tirade of heated debate around zero hours’ contracts, and over foreign labour.
As the billionaire continued to drag his feet in sorting the controversial issue, the headlines piled up, largely focusing on the blunders of its founder.
These include pulling out a large wad of £50 notes during a press event at the Shirebrook warehouse to demonstrate he was looking after low paid workers; admitting her flew to work by private helicopter because it was more efficient; admitting on live television he was a “PR disaster”; and, most recently, being accused of trying to secretly film a group of MP’s at a surprise inspection.
Sainsbury’s Argos acquisition
The country’s second-largest grocery retailer acquired Home Retail Group — the parent company of Argos and Habitat — in a move which will see the transformation of some of the high street’s most recognisable brands.
In the £1.4 billion takeover, Sainsbury’s will transform itself into what resembles a department store, moving away from its classic grocer roots and sparking a trend which is likely to be mirrored across the entire supermarket sector.
Next year a click-and-collect point will be established in most of Sainsbury’s 601 supermarkets, as well as concessions in its 773 convenience stores, not to mention the 739 Argos outlets it now owns.
The group’s empire now has over 2000 outlets and employs roughly 195,000 staff.
Sainsbury’s or Argos will never be the same after 2016.
High street closures
This year saw the tragic death of many famous people, with David Bowie, Prince, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Gene Wilder to name just a few, but many high street giants have also felt 2016’s icy hand.
Of course BHS was the biggest and perhaps messiest demise of the year, but job losses in the retail sector reached 26,000 — the highest since the peak of the recession.
American Apparel bit the bullet late this year closing all its UK operations.
Staples, Banana Republic and Austin Reed also disappeared from the UK high streets in 2016.
Many more retail jobs were lost from stores that remain open,such as Marks & Spencer announcing 600 head office job cuts along with 2100 international staff cuts.
Travis Perkins, Co-op and plenty of others have also seen job cuts skyrocket – with the latter having 298 of its stores acquired by McColl’s Retail Group.
National Living Wage
The somewhat confusingly-titled National Living Wage, which came into force in April this year, has caused a raft of controversy and anxiety among retailers.
What is essentially a rebranded National Minimum Wage for the over 25s has seen an estimated 33,835 retailers to decline into “financial distress” as they struggle to meet the new pay rates.
The new £7.20 rate has made many headlines, from M&S’ holiday pay cuts, Sports Direct’s warehouse workers and recently, JD Sports reportedly failing to pay its own warehouse workers the minumum wage.
With the incoming and new business rates looking to pile on extra pressure for businesses, and post-Brexit vote financial anxieties squeezing margins as it is, the new wage has been a significant thorn on the side of retailers.
It’s set to ris incrementally to £9 per hour by 2020, and the next few years will be critical for retailers who can no longer absorb the costs of the new rates on top of financial drains.
Brexit
One of the biggest issues that affected the retail sector this year – let alone every aspect of the UK and globally – was the Brexit vote in June.
While all polls in the lead-up to the referendum pointed to looking like the UK would remain in the European Union – the UK sent shockwaves around the world when the referendum turned out to be in favour of leaving it.
Immediately after, the ramifications were felt on the economy as the sterling took a tumble and consumer confidence plummeted to its lowest since the recession.
While the sterling only managed to claw back a fraction of the value it had pre-Brexit vote, consumer confidence has fluctuated – it recovered in September but then it plummeted again in November, before marginally improving in December, ending the year in a stark contrast to the relatively healthy consumer confidence felt in January.
In addition, the economic ramifications of the Brexit vote sparked fears around the future of EU workers in the retail sector, inflation, higher costs of living and decreasing revenue and sales among retailers.
While experts have consistently said it was too early to assess the impact of the Brexit vote, especially as the UK is still technically part of the EU until it triggers Article 50 and leaves by 2018, many retailers have felt the brunt of it already in their quarterly and annual financial updates.
However, most online retailers bucked the downturn trend that faced high street fashion chains, while the UK welcomed an influx of tourists taking advantage of the weaker pound – which inadvertently led to London to replace Paris as the best place to buy luxury goods.
Tesco’s accounting scandal re-emerges
A scandal from 2014 came back to haunt one of the UK’s biggest retailers this year, with several former senior figures of Tesco being brought to court.
In September, former Tesco UK managing director Christopher Bush, former UK food commercial director John Scouler and former finance director Carl Rogberg pleaded not guilty for the charges pressed against them by the Serious Fraud Office.
The three former senior staff members had been accused of false accounting relating to a scandal in which Tesco was found to overstate its half-year profit by £326 million.
The trio denied the charges of fraud by abuse of position and false accounting, and were released on bail but will return to court next year.
Meanwhile, it was confirmed this month that former commercial director Kevin Grace will not face charges from the Serious Fraud Office, while Philip Clarke, the former chief executive, also had his charges dropped.
News of Grace’s and Clarke’s alleviation from the charges could mean that a charge is no longer brought against the company itself, as they had been identified as the most likely route to group prosecution.
The rise and rise of Amazon
One retailer which consistently grabbed headlines this year was Amazon – and that’s hardly surprising.
This year was a significant year for the online retail behemoth, as it pushed the boundaries and expanded into new territories – shaking up not just the retail sector, but also hospitality, technology and entertainment.
The Seattle-based company expanded its workforce exponentially in the UK with the opening of new distribution centres and offices outside of London, and introduced its ground breaking Echo machine and Dash button.
It also launched AmazonFresh – taking the “go economy” competition in grocery directly to the likes of Ocado – and Amazon Restaurant, a direct challenge to the likes of Deliveroo and Just Eat.
In addition, its Prime Day event continued to rise in popularity this year, and the retailer played a leading role during the Black Friday sales period – stretching its sales over a week or so rather than just the long weekend immediately after Thanksgiving Day in the US.
Back in the US, Amazon also successfully trialled deliveries with drones, and announced its first foray into bricks-and-mortar retail with plans to open up supermarket stores that have no tills whatsoever.
John Lewis’ first female boss
One of the biggest stories on Retail Gazette’s website this year was when Paula Nickolds was named John Lewis’ first-ever female boss.
Effective from January 2017, Nickolds will replace Andy Street, who also grabbed headlines when he stepped down in September to pursue a political career as a Conservative MP.
Once Nickolds moves into the managing director’s office in the new year, she will be the heritage retailer’s first female boss since the department store was founded 1864.
The news rose questions about the lack of female representation in the retail sector’s board rooms, which prompted the Retail Gazette to investigate further and find out why that is. Click here to read the full story.
Missguided ventures into bricks-and-mortar
The most-read story on Retail Gazette’s website this year was a somewhat unexpected one – the opening of Missguided’s first bricks-and-mortar store.
The 20,000sq ft flagship within Westfield Stratford City in east London is the first in a series of store openings for the online fashion retailer, with three others scheduled to open around the UK in early 2017.
News of Missguided’s plans to open a shop was first reported back in April, and that story, along with the updates since, all feature in the Retail Gazette’s top 20 most-read online stories list for the year – with the story of the store opening in November taking the #1 spot.
The Manchester-based etailer – or multichannel retailer as it should probably be called now – has experienced a dramatic rise to success since it was founded in 2009, winning multiple awards and grabbing headlines with multiple celebrity collaborations.
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ENOC Retail, Emirates National Oil Company’s retail business segment, announced the opening of the largest ZOOM standalone store spread over an area of 6,731 sq ft.
The eco-friendly store is not only aligned with the sustainable objectives of the Dubai Plan 2021 but also with the goals of The Sustainable City to reduce the development’s energy consumption and carbon footprint.
His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group Chief Executive Officer, ENOC, said: “The new store in The Sustainable City highlights our commitment to further strengthen ZOOM’s footprint in Dubai and the wider region with a focus on providing the highest quality of products matched by superior customer service standards. The expansion also highlights the competencies we have gained in convenience retailing, and the appeal of ZOOM as a retail outlet of choice.”
The store features a number of eco-friendly features including biodegradable plastic bags and waste that are recycled through TADWEER.
All the water used at the site is treated and used for maintenance of common areas such as watering plants while power to the store is provided through the community’s solar panels and the DEWA grid.
To further reduce energy consumption and its carbon footprint, various green technologies are incorporated such as LED lighting inside the store, high performance refrigeration units and the Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) units, for the air conditioning (AC) system.
Eng. Faris Saeed, the CEO and Co-Founder of Diamond Developers, said: “We are delighted to welcome ZOOM’s largest stand-alone store to The Sustainable City. The outlet is part of our mixed-use area of the project and with partners such as ENOC, we collectively envision our goals and work effectively towards the Dubai Government’s vision to make Dubai one of the top ten sustainable cities in the world by Expo 2020. With practical eco-friendly practices, this outlet is in line with the DNA of The Sustainable City.”
To meet customer expectations and to prevent them from queuing, the new store offers seven checkout counters with easy access. In addition to phone delivery, ZOOM now offers online and mobile service through INSTASHOP, an app for home delivery that will cater to neighbouring communities like Layan, Mudon and Remraam, through an online platform.
The ZOOM Service Counter, which is a new addition to all stores, will offer customers’ services like DEWA bill payment, Lootah Gas bill payment, iTunes, gift cards, VoIP cards, Du Hello cards, Etisalat/DU recharge, Fly Dubai payment, Salik and laundry services.
With over 200 strategic locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, ZOOM has a variety of formats from service station convenience stores to mini marts, metro stores up to large scale supermarkets.
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The Adidas Originals flagship store in London has undergone a revamp with a localised twist to make it uniquely relevant to London. StudioXAG designed and implemented two long-term dwell areas within the store, adding authentic elements of familiarity to the store as well as encouraging the local consumer to spend more time in the store.
Taking reference from the iconic housing estates of the city, StudioXAG brought the outside in with reclaimed chimney pots used as planters and even a piece of the London streets in the form of the reclaimed pavement light repurposed as a coffee table.
Sourced mid-century British furniture, phone charging facilities and local magazines offer an inviting retreat from the busy streets of Soho.
Other subtle nods to London include the rubber flooring from the Victoria Line tube used as tabletops outside the fitting rooms, as well as cushions made from the London Underground moquette fabric. The team even had a blue plaque especially produced for the store, referencing the English Heritage plaques commonly found across the city.
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Struggling specialty apparel retailer Limited Stores is preparing to file for bankruptcy in the coming weeks and will most likely liquidate its business, Bloomberg reports.
Last month, the retailer hired Guggenheim Partners to explore a sale and said it was entertaining bids, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The company has some $100 million in debt, sources told Debtwire. Private equity firm Sun Capital owns the struggling chain, but private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management is its largest lender, sources told the New York Post last month; that sets up a potential clash of interests as the retailer’s fate unfolds.
News of The Limited Stores’ continued efforts to prepare for restructuring, a sale or ultimately liquidation comes at a time when executives are missing from its CEO and CFO posts. John Buell, elevated from his CFO role to become interim CEO when CEO Diane Ellis left to become president of women’s apparel brand Chico’s in October, also left the company last week. Buell abandoned ship to become the senior vice president and CFO of fashion and home decor brand Altar’d State
At the time, Limited Stores said without a CEO or a CFO its “existing executive team is working collaboratively on management of the company’s operations, and senior financial team personnel are continuing to oversee finances.”
The company also recently notified the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services that it may lay off as many as all 248 employees, including its entire headquarters staff, and close down that Columbus, OH-area office as it struggles with plummeting sales.
The retailer is a shadow of its heyday as a successful speciality mall retailer. Former parent L Brands (owner of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works) sold a 75% stake in The Limited to private equity firm Sun Capital in 2007; three years later, Sun acquired the remaining 25% stake. But some malls, themselves suffering from falling foot traffic as e-commerce sales rise, aren’t always especially helpful to stores like The Limited, which has 243 stores across the country.
Limited Stores has hired RAS Management Advisors to advise on strategic and financial alternatives, including a potential restructuring, sources familiar with the matter told Debtwire, and the company has also hired Kirkland & Ellis as its legal adviser, according to Bloomberg. The Limited, Guggenheim Partners and RAS Management didn’t respond to requests for comment.
John Buell, named interim CEO of struggling women’s apparel retailer The Limited in October, has left the company to become the senior vice president and CFO of fashion and home decor brand Altar’d State, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
Buell, a 13-year veteran of The Limited, was elevated from his CFO position to the top spot after CEO Diane Ellis left to become president of women’s apparel brand Chico’s. His departure likely signals the end of The Limited, according to Lee Peterson of retail consultancy WD Partners (a Limited veteran himself): “The party’s over,” he told the Dispatch. “[Buell’s exit was] so quick — what does that tell you? But you can’t blame him. After the layoff announcements, I’m sure a lot of people at the headquarters are thinking about doing the same thing — and I’m sure people in the stores have their resumes out there, too.”
Limited Stores said in a statement that, without a CEO or a CFO, its “existing executive team is working collaboratively on management of the company’s operations, and senior financial team personnel are continuing to oversee finances.”
Earlier this month The Limited said it might shutter its headquarters and close all stores permanently amid plummeting sales and crushing debt. The company had previously hired Guggenheim Partners as financial adviser to explore a possible sale or restructuring, with rival retailers or private equity firms as potential suitors.
The New Albany-based retailer, which has 243 stores across the country, was formerly owned by L Brands (owner of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works), which sold a 75% stake in The Limited to private equity firm Sun Capital in 2007. Sun acquired the remaining stake three years later.
While Sun Capital touts The Limited as a place to buy “upscale” women’s clothing, the retailer is operating as a shadow of its former self, beset by falling mall traffic and styles that can also be found at rivals like Loft and at department stores. The Limited’s appeal may be further muddled by its recent “Backroom” off-price effort.
As online sales of apparel continue to rise, pressure on malls to revive or shutter is increasing, vexing specialty retailers like The Limited that are so dependent on their customer appeal. The U.S. currently has about 1,100 enclosed malls, but Jan Rogers Kniffen, CEO of J. Rogers Kniffen Worldwide Enterprises, said earlier this year that number should be closer to 700.
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Committee proposes ‘nuclear deterrent’ to stop companies trying to avoid responsibilities to pension schemes
Sir Philip Green ‘would have sorted’ the BHS pension scheme long ago if he had faced a £1bn fine, said Frank Field MP.
Sir Philip Green ‘would have sorted’ the BHS pension scheme long ago if he had faced a £1bn fine, said Frank Field MP. Photograph: Ian West/PA
Sir Philip Green may have to pay £1bn to resolve the problems facing the BHS pension scheme under proposals tabled by MPs.
The work and pensions committee, which is chaired by Labour MP Frank Field, has called for the government to introduce a “nuclear deterrent” to stop companies or individuals trying to avoid their responsibilities to pension schemes.
This deterrent would be a fine from The Pensions Regulator (TPR) worth three times the amount it believes a company or individual should contribute towards filling the deficit in a pension scheme. Given that the regulator is understood to be seeking £350m from Green for the BHS pensions scheme, this means it could threaten the billionaire tycoon with a charge of about £1bn.
The deterrent is part of a package of measures proposed by the parliamentary committee to avoid another BHS scandal.
BHS collapsed into administration in April, leading to the loss of 11,000 jobs and leaving a £571m deficit. The regulator has started legal proceedings against Green and Dominic Chappell, the former owners of BHS, in an attempt to fill the deficit. They collected millions of pounds from the retailer.
Field said: “It is difficult to imagine [TPR] would still be having to negotiate with Sir Philip Green if he had been facing a bill of £1bn, rather than £350m. He would have sorted the pension scheme long ago.”
As well as threatening punitive fines, the MPs said TPR must become a “nimbler, more proactive regulator”. They said the regulator must consider recovery plans for pension schemes in deficit that last more than 10 years as “exceptional” and that it should approve every major corporate transaction.
These powers would have allowed the regulator to block a 23-year plan drawn up by Green for the BHS pension scheme while he owned it in 2012, and stop the sale of the retailer to Chappell, a three-time bankrupt.
In addition, the committee wants pension trustees to have the power to negotiate a restructuring of struggling schemes that could result in better outcomes than entering the Pension Protection Fund, where benefits are cut by at least 10%. The PPF, a government-backed lifeboat scheme, is funded by a levy on all defined benefit pension schemes. The MPs say that good corporate behaviour could be rewarded in future by paying less into the PPF.
Field added: “The measures we set out in this report are intended to reduce the chance of another scheme going down the BHS route. We hope and expect that we will never again see a company like BHS be able to come up with a 23-year recovery plan for its pension fund, and certainly not that it would take the regulator two years to really begin to do anything about it.
“It is further inconceivable that Sir Philip Green’s deal to dispose of BHS and its giant pension deficit for £1 to a dismally unqualified man, with no plan for the pension schemes and no means of financing one, would have evaded or passed any mandatory clearance scheme.”
Aside from the BHS scandal, the pension problems facing British companies are stark. By the standard measure used by the PPF, 4,272 defined benefit schemes are in deficit and the size of the black hole is £195bn. There are 5,794 defined benefit pension schemes in the UK.
In response to the report, a spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “The majority of employers are managing their pension schemes responsibly but a few recent examples have raised some important questions. In the coming months we’ll be publishing a green paper on pension funding and as part of this we’ll be looking at powers of [TPR].”
Lesley Titcomb, chief executive of TPR, said: “We welcome the committee’s report which recognises the importance of robust and proportionate regulation for workplace defined benefit pension schemes and of ensuring that workplace pension savers and the Pension Protection Fund are well-protected. We note its recommendations and will consider them carefully.
“We continue to discuss options with DWP for the legislative and regulatory framework for workplace pensions, and how this might be improved, ahead of the green paper, which will consider the future of pension funding, the regulatory framework and TPR’s powers.”
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Department store chain House of Fraser has opened its first standalone shop in China as it begins to build its brand in the Asian powerhouse.
House of Fraser warned in September over high street conditions in the UK as it revealed “very challenging” trading
House of Fraser warned in September over high street conditions in the UK as it revealed “very challenging” trading
The retailer, owned by Chinese conglomerate Sanpower Group, will set up shop in Sanpower Plaza in the commercial zone of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province.
The store will span six floors, trade over 425,000 sq ft of retail space and see the introduction of brands such as Cambridge Satchel Company, Peter Werth and Radley into the Chinese market for the first time.
In September the firm warned over high street conditions in the UK as it revealed sales woes amid “very challenging” trading.
House of Fraser chairman Frank Slevin said at the time that the UK retail sector was facing significant change in “structural dynamics as consumers shopping habits and delivery expectations continue to evolve”.
The chain will look to benefit from the strong demand for UK brands among Chinese consumers.
Mr Slevin said: “The opening of the store in Nanjing is a strong way to finish 2016. The store has focused on bringing international brands and a premium shopping experience to China.
“We are confident that our first store will clearly demonstrate the unique status that House of Fraser can achieve in the market, and will be a standout platform for our brand partners.”
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Inaugurated in September 2009, the Hermes store at Elements in Hong Kong has been relocated and renovated now counting a total retail surface of 234 square meters which will further expand to 326 square meters in late 2017. With this renovation, the store benefits from an open and spacious layout to present the richness of the Parisian house’s 16 metiers
Upon request, the adjacent fitting rooms can be privatized through sliding panels as to become a VIP area. At the back, one can discover the Maison collection. For the opening celebration, a digital installation on window display will be featured
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Discounts on clothes, electronics, watches will go up to 75% Staff Report 15:44 December 17, 2016
Dubai: Starting on December 26, Dubai Shopping Festival will see 34 days of deals, prize draws and shows across the emirate.
This year, thousands of retail outlets will offer discounts of up to 75 per cent. The discounts will apply to apparel and fashion, consumer electronics, watches, perfumes, furniture and home appliances.
Organised by an agency of the emirate’s tourism board, Dubai Tourism, the festival hopes to help attract 20 million visitors a year to Dubai by the end of the decade.
“The Dubai Shopping Festival is one of the most important on Dubai’s annual events calendar that will further enhance Dubai’s position,” said Dubai Tourism chief Helal Saeed Al Merri.
The festival will begin with the launch of a new waterfront attraction at Dubai Festival City and a fireworks show.
This year’s retail promotions include a 12-hour period on New Year’s Day when discounts in some malls — including Mall of the Emirates and Mirdif City Centre will reach 90 per cent.
Carmakers Nissan and Infiniti will also be giving away cars as prizes for raffle tickets bought in petrol stations.
The festival will also see daily fireworks displays at 8pm across the city.
Ending on January 28, organisers claim that this year’s festival is one of the longest in its 22-year history.
Here’s a full list of the festival’s events:
Retail promotions:
12-Hour Exclusive New Year Shopping
Starting 12 pm, January 1 – Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira, City Centre Me’aisem City Centre Al Barsha and City Centre Al Shindagha
Infiniti Mega Raffle
Daily draws from December 26 to February 4. Tickets available at Eppco and Enoc petrol stations.
Nissan Grand Raffle
Daily announcements on SAMA Dubai TV at 10pm from December 26 to January 28. Tickets available at EPPCO and ENOC petrol stations, and Zoom shops in Dubai.
Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group promotion
Gold to be won every day from December 26 to January 28. Promotion open for shoppers spending at least Dh500 at participating gold and jewellery outlets in Dubai.
‘Happy Shopping, Happy Winnings’ promotion
From December 26 to January 28, every Dh200 spent at a participating mall in Dubai is entitled to one raffle coupon to win prizes worth up to Dh600,
Dubai Festival City Mall promotion
During the festival, shoppers spending Dh250 at any outlet in Dubai Festival City Mall will have the chance to win a night’s stay for four at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.
VISA Impossible Deals
From December 26 to January 28, VISA customers can take advantage of discounts using their VISA credit cards
Annual favourites:
December 29-31; January 5-7; January 12-14; January 19-21; January 26-28
Market Outside the Box
19-28 January 2017, Burj Park
Carpet and Art Oasis
December 28- January 15, Shaikh Saeed Halls 1 & 2, Dubai World Trade Centre
Roaming Artistes
Beauty and perfume themed events:
Beauty District
January 6-14, The Fashion Catwalk, The Dubai Mall
Apparel and fashion-themed events:
January 12-14, Mall of the Emirates
Fashion Express
January 12-14 – Ibn Battuta Mall; January 19-21 – Dubai Festival City Mall; January 26-28 – City Centre Deira
Street Runways
December 29- 3D Office (Dubai Future Foundation);January 5: THE BEACH; January 17: Gold Souq; January 25: CITY WALK
For more details of the festival’s events calendar, visit:
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South African retail giants Steinhoff International and supermarket group Shoprite Holding Wednesday said they were in talks to merge their African operations to form a single company worth over $14 billion.
The companies said in a statement they had initiated talks “regarding the potential combination of their respective African retail businesses” with an objective of creating what could be regarded as “the retail champion of Africa”.
The new venture to be called Retail Africa would have annual revenues of about 200 billion rand ($14.6 billion).
The companies said the proposition of this “formidable entity” was supported by their shareholders.
Shoprite is Africa’s largest food retailer with a presence in 14 African countries, including Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, oil-producing Angola and Zambia.
It is said that the new venture would employ nearly 186,000 people and would give Steinhoff “African exposure”.
Steinhoff’s African businesses include a range of credit-based household goods and the company has vast interests in Europe.
The company recently bought UK discount chain Poundland and US retailer Mattress Firm Holding.
According to the companies, the proposed retailer is geared to become a leading discount retailer for value conscious African consumers.
They stated that Retail Africa would have “the required size and scale to compete with any other international retailer” and lead to job creation in various countries.
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Furla has recently opened a new store in London at 71 Brompton Road. This follows the success of its standalone Regent Street store, and continues to strengthen the brand’s presence in the UK.
Located in the heart of the high-end shopping district of Knightsbridge, the new store is set across two floors, occupying 280 sq m. It houses the brand’s women’s bag and leather accessory offering, with its men’s collection on the lower ground floor alongside two areas dedicated entirely to footwear.
To mark the opening, Furla has launched a new custom version of its star Metropolis bag with a print featuring a London Bridge motif, which is exclusive to the store. Each bag is a limited-edition model, accompanied by an “Exclusive for Brompton Road London” tag.
Furla will also offer the option to match the bag with a bright blue fur pompon, adding an extra personalised touch.
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Former investment banker, who took on role six years ago, will remain in post until his successor is found
Robert Swannell has overseen a tricky period during his time as chair of M&S. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
The chairman of Marks & Spencer is to retire next year after six years in the role.
Robert Swannell, a former investment banker, has overseen a tricky time at the high street stalwart, appointing long-term staffer Steve Rowe to take over as chief executive a year ago from former boss Marc Bolland.
Swannell, 66, who was previously an adviser to M&S helping to fend off a bid attempt by the Topshop boss, Sir Philip Green, during his 30 years in banking at Schroders and Citigroup, joined the company’s board as a non-executive in late 2010. He became chairman a few months later, taking over from Sir Stuart Rose.
His departure is another step in the changing of the guard since Bolland stepped down in the spring.
Rowe has since pulled back on some of Bolland’s key initiatives, including international expansion.
Swannell said: “A year ago we chose Steve Rowe as our chief executive. Steve completed a thorough analysis of the business and developed a detailed plan to build a simpler and more relevant M&S.
“This plan is now under way and I feel that it is the right time for the business to look for a new chairman. It is a real privilege to chair this iconic company and I will continue to do so until my successor is in place.”
M&S’s senior independent director, Vindi Banga, will now lead the process to identify and appoint the next M&S chairman.
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Famille-rose porcelain originated in which country? | Retail News | Retail 360 …International Retail Consultants www.retail-news.net
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Amazon.com and India’s Flipkart Online Services have reportedly walked away from talks to buy Dubai-based Souq.com after disagreeing over price.
Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the e-commerce business is now seeking other potential investors and is negotiating with mall operator Majid Al Futtaim, citing people familiar with the matter.
It was reported in November that US giant Amazon.com was in talks to acquire Souq.com for about $1 billion to give it a footprint in the high-growth Middle East market.
Amazon was reportedly considering a bid for all of the site, which had initially planned to sell a stake of at least 30 percent.
Bloomberg said a spokesman for Majid Al Futtaim declined to comment, while Amazon and Flipkart didn’t immediately return requests for comment and Souq.com wasn’t immediately available to comment.
In September, Souq.com, the largest online retailer in the Middle East, was planning to sell a stake of 30 percent and had appointed advisers at Goldman Sachs Group to find buyers for the stake.
In February, Souq.com announced it had completed a funding round of more than AED1 billion ($275 million), the largest financing of an e-commerce business in the region.
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South Africa’s Mr Price reported lower third-quarter sales on Tuesday, as weak economic growth and tough competition forced the no-frills retailer to sell its clothing at lower prices.
* Total retail sales of 6.1 billion rand for the three months to end-December, 0.5 percent lower than the corresponding period in 2015.
* The difficult trading environment has extended into the second half of the year, Mr Price said in a statement.
* Sales by the firm’s apparel division down 1.9 percent and 4.1 lower when measured against comparable stores.
* Higher promotional markdowns were required, particularly in the apparel division, Mr Price said.
* “Poor economic growth, low levels of consumer confidence and higher selling prices driven by a weak and volatile exchange rate has resulted in a very competitive retail environment, with persisting high levels of price discounting and promotional activity,” the firm said.
* Other South African clothing retailers Woolworths Holdings and Truworths International last week flagged a drop in half-year profit.
* “Looking ahead, any improvement in economic growth and consumer health is likely to be gradual,” Mr Price said.
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In the nine months to December 24, TFG reported a 14.5% rise in group sales.
Between November 27 and December 24 of 2016, sales increased by 14.6% compared with the year-earlier period.
Growth for TFG International was 47.9% in sterling, and growth for TFG Africa was 11.5% with same-store growth of 5.6%. Price inflation in the Africa division averaged 8.5%.
TFG’s results are a welcome surprise after updates from Woolworths and Truworths sparked fear of a further downturn in the retail sector.
TFG’s broader range of merchandise categories compared with its retail peers has cushioned it against the economic headwinds that have depressed the retail sector.
Its brands include apparel retailers Markham, Due South and G-Star Raw, jewellery brands Sterns and American Swiss, and furniture store @home.
Last week Truworths reported a 21% increase in group sales for the 26 weeks to December 25, to R10.2bn (including sales from its UK fashion footwear chain Office Retail Group). However, Truworths’ like-for-like retail sales (excluding Office Retail Group) decreased by 3%.
Woolworths reported a volume decline in both the clothing and food divisions in the 26 weeks to December 25.
At 11.15am on Monday, the TFG share price was up 5.91% at R169.49, valuing the company at about R35bn.
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Boux Avenue
The Growth Retailer Award, the winner of which will be revealed at the on March 9, is representative of entrepreneurial retailers that are growing fast.
Here, in alphabetical order, is the 10-strong shortlist.
Boux Avenue’s UK sales have grown to reached the £35m milestone in the year to March 2015.
Lingerie retailer Boux Avenue was established by retail entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis in 2011.
As a relative newcomer, Boux Avenue has been able to build its store network relevant to the multichannel world.
It has already established a credible nationwide presence with close to 30 stores, has launched 14 international franchise stores and has ambitious plans for further international expansion.
Paphitis is highly experienced in the lingerie sector, having launched the La Senza chain in the UK in the 1990s before selling it on in 2006.
The motivation behind the launch of Boux Avenue was that he perceived there to be a gap in the market for a mid-market retailer that put great emphasis on the shopping experience.
Boux Avenue’s UK sales have grown to reach the £35m milestone in the year to March 2015.
Childrensalon
The clothing specialist was founded in 1952 but is a very modern retailer.
While it still trades from a store in Tunbridge Wells, it has adapted to carve itself out a strong position in ecommerce and describes itself as “the world’s largest online store for designer childrenswear”. It reported sales of £41.4m in 2015.
Childrensalon sells 270 brands ranging from well-known names such as Burberry and Gucci to smaller, emerging labels.
The retailer has featured in successive years in the London Stock Exchange’s ’1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ report.
Farfetch
The etailer is able to offer smaller retailers high exposure and relatively low shipping costs.
Farfetch operates an online fashion website that acts as a portal to more than 400 independent boutiques and showcases more than 1,000 brands. It arranges collection from these boutiques and has them delivered to its customers.
The company says it “brings together the world’s best independent boutiques, offering customers a vast selection of designer pieces curated by some of the most renowned, exciting and unique buyers in the fashion industry”.
The etailer is able to offer smaller retailers high exposure and relatively low shipping costs, while at the same time providing its mainly affluent customer base with a deep range.
Farfetch has also made a move into physical retailing through the acquisition of the London-based Browns boutique. This store is used as an ‘incubator lab’ to test new retail technologies.
The etailer achieved turnover of £87.1m in 2015, but gross sales through the website amounted to just over £300m.
Green Man Gaming
Etailer Green Man Gaming is a videogames specialist launched in 2009 by founder and chief executive Paul Sulyok.
His aim is “to challenge and revolutionise the consumer offer in a digital games retail space”.
Green Man Gaming works with more than 500 publishers, developers and distributors of games in 190 countries, and has created an online community that connects gamers and rewards them for their involvement.
Green Man Gaming is currently tracking 200,000,000 gamers, which Sulyok told last year’s Retail Week Buzz conference allows the business to treat its customers as individuals.
He said: “It is absolutely key for what we do, to understand our customers on a deeper level. Our customers were all born after 1980 and their expectations are higher than the rest of the nation.”
Its overall sales stood at £29.6m in 2015.
Loaf
Making furniture buying as simple and convenient as possible is at the heart of the Loaf strategy.
Loaf is a fast-growing online furniture retailer. Its mission is to make the buying and delivery process as simple and hassle-free as possible for its customers.
Founded by Charlie Marshall in 2008, the retailer originally sold a limited range of beds. But the offer has been widened and now covers furniture and accessories for the whole house.
Making furniture buying as simple and convenient as possible is at the heart of the Loaf strategy. Its proposition is based on the relationship between commerce and content.
Loaf is now having a massive push on full multichannel development and is driving ahead with the development of a series of Loaf Shacks – relaxed retail destinations where customers have the opportunity to “loaf around” on the products and try them out at first hand.
Marshall, who still heads up the business, said “Loaf’s move to bricks and clicks is all about reaffirming our brand and giving customers a fantastic experience”.
Retail sales stood at £26.9m in 2015/16 and Loaf aims to hit the £100m mark in the next few years.
Made.com
Made completed a £38m funding round in July 2015 which is helping to accelerate its expansion plans.
Made.com is an online furniture retailer that offers designer furniture at more affordable prices. Costs are kept low by grouping together all orders once a week and sourcing directly from overseas factories.
Its mission is to become Europe’s number-one online destination for home design and make great design accessible to everyone.
Made.com has set itself apart from other furniture retailers through the merging of commerce and content on its website. It also hosts Unboxed – an online forum where customers share photos of their furniture.
Made.com has expanded internationally into France, Italy, the Netherlands and, most recently, Germany and Belgium. In 2015, overseas sales accounted for approximately 30% of its overall turnover of £61.6m.
The etailer completed a £38m funding round in July 2015, which is helping to accelerate its expansion plans.
Matchesfashion.com
Matchesfashion
Matchesfashion.com is a luxury fashion retailer offering more than 450 designer labels.
Founded by Ruth and Tom Chapman as Matches in 1987, the business has transitioned from a bricks-and-mortar operation into a multichannel player that now generates 84% of its sales online.
It currently trades through four Matchesfashion stores and also operates seven franchise stores for the Max Mara and Diane von Furstenberg brands.
Matchesfashion’s ultimate aim is to make the physical more digital and the digital more physical. To that end it has invested in store technology such as tablets that provide access to the full online range and mobile points of sale.
Online customers also have access to a team of online stylists that are available 24/7.
Ruth and Tom Chapman stepped down from the day-to-day running of the business to become joint chairmen in July 2015, when Ulric Jerome – the founder of electricals site Pixmania – took over as chief executive.
Matchesfashion’s sales stood at £126.9m in the year to January 2016.
Missguided
Founded by Nitin Passi in 2009, Missguided sales reached £117.2m in 2015/16 and it now delivers to 160 countries.
Missguided is a rapidly growing fast-fashion etailer targeting the 16- to 34-year-old female market with a range of celebrity-inspired, affordable clothing.
The etailer describes itself not as fast fashion, but a “rapid fashion specialist that celebrates everything it means to be a girl in a digitally immersed world today”.
Founded by Nitin Passi in 2009, sales reached £117.2m in 2015/16 and it now delivers to 160 countries.
It has also dipped its toes into physical retailing through concessions in department stores and opened a first standalone store in the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre in November 2016.
Speed to market and value for money are at the heart of Missguided’s offer. The retailer says on its website that it has “thousands of styles live at one time and fresh new threads hitting down every single day”.
Typically there are 250 new catwalk-inspired items per week.
Passi said in an interview in May 2015 that he believes Missguided can generate turnover of £1bn within five years.
Notonthehighstreet
Notonthehighstreet is a curated online marketplace focusing on handcrafted and unique gifts that has undergone a period of rapid growth since it was founded in 2006.
As part of a three-year plan outlined in 2014, Notonthehighstreet is seeking to widen the appeal of the site beyond its core audience of females and to become more gender-neutral.
It hopes to achieve that by increasing the number of male sellers on its site as well as by raising brand awareness among men through its marketing.
Notonthehighstreet is also in the process of diversifying its offer into the wider lifestyle market as it looks to reduce the seasonality of the business.
The business reported sales of £38.7m in the year to March 2016, while gross sales through its website amounted to £158.6m.
Oak Furniture Land
Oak Furniture Land launched a US site – Oakfurnitureland.com – in summer 2016, which is reported to have shown a “healthy growth” in sales.
Hardwood specialist Oak Furniture Land was founded by Jason Bannister in 2004.
It originally started out by selling on eBay, but by 2006 established its own ecommerce sites and made a move into physical showrooms in 2010.
It has since undergone a rapid store-opening programme and was trading through 71 outlets at the end of its last financial year, during which it notched up sales of just under £240m.
Offering low prices is an important part of Oak Furniture Land’s proposition, and in order to do this it contains costs across all stages of the supply chain.
This has been helped by a degree of vertical integration, which includes the use of an in-house delivery service.
The retailer is now also active internationally. It launched a US site – Oakfurnitureland.com – in summer 2016, which is reported to have shown a “healthy growth” in sales.
Methodology
The growth retailer award, a non-entered category, is based on a ranking of retailers with the fastest-growing sales. The shortlist is drawn from retailers that had sales of at least £25m in their latest available accounts. They must be privately owned and registered in the UK. Calculations are based on the latest available accounts for each retailer as of December 2016.
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Sales over the Christmas period were particularly strong, aided by a favourable trading pattern.
The company said its new ‘Balanced Choice’ bakes proved very popular along with hot food options such as its new burritos.
The results mean that company managed shop like-for-like sales climbed by 4.2% in the 52 weeks to 31 December. Total sales rose by 7%.
During the year Greggs opend 145 new shops and closed 79 to leave a total 1,764 shops trading as at 31 December. It also converted a further 208 shops to its new “bakery food-on-the-go” format.
Greggs chief executive Roger Whiteside said: “We finished 2016 well, delivering our thirteenth consecutive quarter of like-for-like sales growth, and anticipate that we will report full year results for 2016 slightly ahead of our previous expectations.
“In the year ahead, whilst we will undoubtedly see a number of well-documented industry headwinds, we are confident we will continue to make progress with the implementation of our strategic plan, including significant investment in our capability to supply a growing shop estate.”
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Barton originally joined Well in March 2015 in the position of human resources director before becoming the interim retail stores director in October last year. She was appointed to the role on a permanent basis earlier this month.
Prior to Well, Barton worked at the Asda supermarket chain where her roles included senior director of organisational effectiveness and head of people. She was also trading law director at One Stop Stores.
In her new position, she will report directly to Well chief executive John Nuttall and will be responsible for growing Well’s prescription business and ensuring good retail standards.
Commenting on the appointment, Nuttall said: Tracy’s track record of bringing forward improvements to services, as well as her reputation for developing relations with staff and stakeholders, were key reasons for her permanent appointment to the role as retail stores director.
“Her exceptional leadership skills, deep knowledge of consumer retail, and proven track record of execution and operational excellence, made Tracy an obvious choice.”
Well operates 780 pharmacies across the UK.
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The company grews its sales by 27% year-on-year in the six weeks prior to Christmas. Customer volumes climbed by 28% on the same period in the previous year.
During the week immediately after Christmas the company celebrated an all-time record week with sales up 51%.
Joes Browns managing director and founder Simon Brown said: “We held our nerve not discounting early with many other brands. We sat around the table and agreed we had a strong range offering great value for money, so the ‘D’ word was strictly off the table.
“I whole heartedly agree with the stance taken by the likes of Fat Face and Jigsaw who recently quoted ‘reduced by nothing – standing for something’. I couldn’t agree more and giving the customer something different and exactly what they want has worked well for us.”
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Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim joins forces with Saudi fashion brand
Jeddah-based fashion label femi9 has partnered with Lebanese actress and former Miss Lebanon, Nadine Nassib Njeim. The new brand ambassador has designed a collection, titled Selectedbynadine, with Femi9, which will be unveiled this Thursday, January 19 at a VIP event in Dubai.
Femi9 has been in business since 1999, and now has retail outlets in the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Syria and even Switzerland. The collection with Nassib Njeim features a colour palette dominated by reds, blacks and whites, in feminine silhouettes that embody a festive, Mediterranean-inspired spirit.
“I am thrilled to announce my brand ambassadorship with femi9; there is a perfect fit between me and the femi9 woman,” says Njeim. “Femi9 is like my ideal wardrobe as it caters to the dynamism of my life and the various roles I take on a daily basis: a mother, an actress and a woman, who just loves fashion.”
Femi9 stores in the UAE are located in Dalma Mall in Abu Dhabi and Sahara Center in Sharjah.
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Fathima opens flagship hypermarket in Dubai
Fathima Group, a UAE-based retail major, opened its largest hypermarket in Dubai, UAE in line with its wider growth plan in the GCC retail sector.
The new hypermarket, spanning over a massive area of 35,000 sq ft, is located on Khalid Bin Walid Street in Bur Dubai.
Fathima Group of Companies is one of the oldest companies in the UAE with operations in 22 business verticals and a number of own brands to its portfolio. The Group operates a chain of hypermarkets, supermarkets and department stores that enjoy a strong brand recognition and reputation among shoppers across the GCC and India.
Brigadier Dr Matar Hameed Al Shamsi from Ajman Police General Headquarters inaugurated the new hypermarket in the presence of Fathima Group chairman E P Moosa Haji, managing director E P Sulaiman Haji, CEO Sameer Sulaiman and other senior dignitaries.
Moosa Haji said: “We are proud to open our flagship hypermarket in the heart of Dubai aimed at serving residents in the busy Bur Dubai area. We continue to grow our hypermarket chain in the UAE and beyond with the addition of four more outlets that would address the current demand for convenient stores in the region and India.”
“We are extremely grateful to the visionary Rulers and people of this country, the foundation of our business that started out in 1968 in Abu Dhabi and grew together being encouraged in all our expansion strategies and efforts. We have seen a steady growth in our retail business and hope to keep the momentum. Over the years, we have achieved great success with over 3,000 employees and tens of thousands of loyal shoppers,” he added.
Sameer Sulaiman said: “We are opening here in one of the most populated areas of Dubai with dedicated service to ensure our shoppers a comfortable and complete shopping experience. We are committed to ensuring great service and convenience to all our shoppers. Consistent growth in our business has bought in remarkable changes over the years. Quality, consistency and sustainability are the hallmark of our value system that has been cascaded across the organization at all times. We have streamlined our operations to create a high level of efficiency that delivers the best quality products to our shoppers at competitive price.”
“We hope this is the right time for us to open more outlets to provide value to the shoppers. Fathima Group also wants to be present in locations that would be beneficial to our shoppers. The four new hypermarkets to be rolled out by Fathima Group in the near future are planned in Sharfiya, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Sobha City – Thrissur in India; Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah in the UAE. These outlets would focus on grocery, fresh fruit and vegetables, electronics, household appliances, fashion garments, luggage and other daily need products with a product range that are tailored to the large multinational population in these regions,” he elaborated.
The new hypermarket, laid out with the best facilities for the convenience of shoppers and product variety in mind, offers a range of world-class products and brands at the fairest price. The outlet is spread in two levels showcasing everything from grocery, foodstuff including fresh fruits and vegetables, bakery, fish, meat and poultry, roastery to household items and health & beauty products on the Ground level.
The Second level displays fashion garments and footwear for men, women and children, in addition to consumer electronics, mobile, fashion jewellery and accessories, among other things. The Ground Floor also houses Al Ghurair Money Exchange, Smart Travels, Life Pharmacy, Hot Food from Bombay Chowpatty. – TradeArabia News Service
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Mall operator Majid Al Futtaim has announced that it will open a new distribution centre at the National Industries Park in Dubai.
The centre, once operational, will be the largest and most advanced distribution hub of its kind for Carrefour in the region, the company said in a statement.
The facility is being built on a land area of 1.5 million square feet and covers a built-up area of over 800,000 square feet, almost four times the size of Carrefour’s current largest distribution centre building in the region.
The centre will also feature advanced warehousing, storage and logistics technologies.
The multi-temperature storage at the new distribution centre is designed to meet the storage needs of the different food types including fruits, vegetables, meat and dry foods as well as warehousing for non-food goods, the statement said.
It added that with a total storage capacity of over 400 million units, the new distribution hub is expected to save over 50 percent energy per cubic metre and manage more than 150,000 orders per day to support Carrefour’s brick and mortar stores in addition to the omni-channel business of Carrefour.
Miguel Povedano, executive regional director, Carrefour UAE, said: “With our new distribution centre in NIP, we have significantly expanded our operational capabilities in the region in terms of storage facilities as well as technological infrastructure.
“We continue to look at the Middle East and North Africa as one of the key growth regions for Carrefour and one that we will continue to invest in over the coming years. We are confident that this new facility will help us deliver even better quality of products and services to our customers.”
South Africa’s Truworths flags lower H1 profit on tighter credit rules
Pedestrians walk past a branch of South African clothing retailer Truworths in Cape Town
Pedestrians walk past a branch of South African clothing retailer Truworths, in central Cape Town, February 18, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African clothing retailer Truworths International expects lower half-year profit as in-store credit sales stalled due to tougher regulations, the firm said on Thursday.
Truworths said diluted headline earnings per share for the 26 weeks to 25 December will decrease to between 380.6 cents and 397.9 cents per share, up to 6 percent lower than in the corresponding period in 2015.
The firm said new credit affordability assessment regulations – rules introduced by South Africa in 2015 that require banking statements and proof of income – weighed on sales.
South African clothing and furniture retailers rely heavily on in-store credit cards to boost sales in a sluggish economy.
Truworths said its total retail sales rose 21 percent to 10.2 billion rand ($756 million), but cash sales accounted for all of the growth, while credit sales remained unchanged.
“Increased pressure on consumers from rising inflation, especially in food prices, and a weak employment market characterised by job losses and soft real growth in incomes have also impacted the Group’s performance,” Truworths said in a statement.
The trading update was released after the close of trading on the JSE.
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Woolworths suffered a sharp slowdown in Christmas sales growth. Excluding a R3.8bn windfall from the sale of David Jones’s Sydney head office, the retail chain expects to report a decline in interim earnings.
Basic earnings for the 26 weeks to December 25 are expected to be boosted by between 30% and 40% from the matching period’s 253.7c by the A$360m sale of David Jones’s head office in August.
But headline earnings, which exclude the property sale, were expected to decline by up to 7.5%, Woolworths said in a trading update on Thursday morning.
Woolworths is scheduled to release its interim results on about February 16.
Overall group sales growth for the 26 weeks to Christmas Day was 6.7% — less than half the matching period’s 17.1%. The previous year’s interim sales figures were boosted by the inclusion of Australian acquisition David Jones. Excluding David Jones, group sales grew 12.3% for the 26 weeks to December 27 2015.
Woolworths blamed the exclusion of Boxing Day from the first-half figures for its 2017 financial year for part of its lacklustre sales growth figures.
The group’s clothing and general merchandise sales growth slowed to 3.5% from the matching period’s 11.7%. Excluding new stores, sales grew 1.2%. Net retail space allocated to clothing and general merchandise expanded by 2.9%.
Food sales were up 9.5%, down from the matching period’s 12.1%. Excluding new stores, food sales grew 5.6% and retail space grew by a net 7.9%.
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Sale inventory was therefore 22% lower than prior year which enabled the retailer to launch its Spring range two weeks early
FatFace enjoyed a record week of full price sales in the final week before Christmas.
Anthony Thompson, chief executive of FatFace, said: “We are pleased to report another good trading performance despite a challenging retail environment.
“The November ‘Price Promise’, guaranteeing prices up until Christmas, clearly resonated with our customers, as evidenced by the 7.9% increase in full price sales on the prior year.
“Our focus on improved quality, design innovation and more choice of luxury yarns, fabric and gifting was also received well, and provides opportunity to further enhance our offer in coming seasons.”
Looking at current trading, Thompson said currency devaluation, consumer uncertainty and cost inflation are contributing to an already challenging environment. He added: “We remain confident that with our focus on quality, design modernity and value for money we will remain resilient and become even stronger in a weaker market.”
FatFace’s new distribution centre is on track to open during 2017 and the retailer is planning to open around eight to 12 new stores in the UK and US this year.
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During the six weeks to 31 December, Waitrose’s gross sales excluding fuel rose by 4.8% to £914.9 million with like-for-like sales growth of 2.8%.
Meanwhile, gross sales at John Lewis were up 4.9% to £998.1 million with a 2.7% increase in like-for-like sales.
At John Lewis the channel mix saw a continued shift to online. Shopping on mobile phones was the online channel of choice with sales up 80.9% and accounting for 37% of all traffic. Click & collect sales rose by 14.5%. Shop sales were up, trading well pre-Christmas as last-minute shopping delivered a record week for branches.
Sir Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said: “We traded strongly over Christmas with sales up nearly 5% and both Waitrose and John Lewis grew market share.
“Sales were particularly strong in the areas that have been the focus for product innovation this year, such as our Waitrose 1 premium range and John Lewis own-brand fashion.
“Our multi-channel capability has again proved its worth with online accounting for 40% of total sales in John Lewis.”
The retailer said its pre-tax profit before Partnership Bonus and exceptional items for the year to 28 January is expected to be up on last year with lower pension accounting charges offsetting trading pressures on profit.
Its Partnership Board will decide on the level of staff Bonus in March but the company said it is likely to be “significantly lower” than last year due to a challenging market outlook and its focus for investment for the future.
Mayfield added: “Although we expect to report profits up on last year, trading profit is under pressure. This reflects the greater changes taking place across the retail sector. We expect those to quicken, especially in the next 12 months as the effects of weaker Sterling feed through.
“We will now accelerate aspects of our strategy. This will involve a period of significant change, investment and innovation to ensure the Partnership’s success.”
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Retail group, which also includes Waitrose, reports strong Christmas but says retailers will face rising costs from brexit
John Lewis’s chairman says he expects ‘a period of significant change’. Photograph: Sean Dempsey/PA
John Lewis has warned that its annual bonus for staff will be significantly lower than last year as it prepares to take a hit from the post-Brexit slump in sterling.
Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the staff-owned group, which includes Waitrose, said he anticipated a “challenging” year ahead as retailers would have to absorb a big chunk of the rising cost of importing goods just as they are coping with shoppers’ shift to buying online.
“Sterling, I think, is the dog that hasn’t really barked,” said Mayfield. He said a near-20% drop in the value of the pound had yet to affect most businesses because they had bought currency six months to a year in advance.
But he warned that would now begin to unwind: “My view is quite a lot of [the increased costs] will be absorbed by retailers as we are in an increasingly competitive market place with excess of retail space. Even if it is passed on to customers it is not necessarily a good thing as it will dampen demand especially if we see a swing in inflation versus wage growth.”
Mayfield said the devaluation of sterling was “one of the most significant factors overhanging the outlook for the year ahead.”
This will be the fourth consecutive year that the group, which is collectively owned by its staff, has reduced the payout, but it is highly unusual for it to cut the bonus when profits rise. Last year its 91,500 employees, known as partners, were awarded bonuses of 10% of salary, the lowest for 13 years, averaging just over £1,500 each.
The bonus payout started in 1920. It was suspended during the second world war and the early 1950s recession, and peaked at 24% of salary in the 1980s. The highest payout in recent years was 18% in 2011.
John Lewis staff cheer their 18% bonus in 2011; it is likely to be less than 10% this year.
John Lewis staff cheer their 18% bonus in 2011; it is likely to be less than 10% this year. Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters
Its decision to cut the payout comes despite a strong Christmas and expectations of higher profits for the year to the end of January, thanks to lower pension costs.
Sales for the John Lewis department store business, including online, rose by 2.7% in the six weeks to 31 December as the group enjoyed strong trading in fashion and homewares. Online sales soared nearly 12% while store sales rose 0.8%, helped by the opening of two new outlets.
The Waitrose chain also had a strong Christmas with sales at established stores up by 2.8% over the period, partly thanks to strong trading at the group’s growing network of in-store cafes and restaurants. Sales of its premium Waitrose 1 range, which includes specialities such as Sicilian lemon meringue eclairs, rose more than 21%.
Mayfield said: “Although we expect to report profits up on last year, trading profit is under pressure. This reflects the greater changes taking place across the retail sector.”
The shift towards online sales hits profits because of the cost of home deliveries and returns. Nick Bubb, an independent retail analyst, said John Lewis’s never knowingly undersold price-matching scheme was also likely to have cost the company profit margin as discounting across the market increased ahead of Christmas.
Mayfield said the group would have to lift investment in product innovations, such as its premium Waitrose 1 food line or Modern Rarity fashion label, as well as developing infrastructure to cope with rising demand for online shopping. He said the group would also be investing more in its existing stores to ensure they could continue to attract shoppers.
About 40% of John Lewis’s sales were online over Christmas, up from 36% last year, and Mayfield said there was no sign of a slowdown in the pace of growth. He predicted that the department store, whose new boss Paula Nickolds takes the helm this month, was likely to book half its sales via the internet ahead of the 2020 deadline previously expected.
Mayfield said that John Lewis’s board had a responsibility to look at the long term rather than maintain the bonus for staff.
“We have to strike a balance and we believe it is right to retain a bit more profit in order to invest in the future of the business,” he said.
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Dubai’s retail sector added about 260,000 square metres of new space in 2016, the highest volume since 2010, according to consultants JLL.
Its Year In Review 2016 report said Q4 saw the completion of about 20,000 square metres of retail space in the Dubai Festival City expansion while other notable completions throughout the year were phase 2 of The Avenue in City Walk and the Ibn Battuta Mall phase 2.
It also said that retail sales in neighbouring Abu Dhabi are likely to remain under pressure in 2017 despite no major malls being scheduled for completion in the UAE capital this year.
JLL added mall rents in Abu Dhabi are unlikely to change significantly over the next 12 months as new supply remains stagnant.
It said no major mall completions occurred in the UAE capital throughout 2016, with total stock remaining at about 2.6 million square metres.
JLL added that approximately 85,000 square metres of retail space is scheduled for completion in 2017, mostly within residential communities or towers.
Craig Plumb, head of research at JLL MENA, said: “Despite a number of retailers reporting a decline of sales during 2016, average retail rents remained unchanged in the primary malls of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
“In Dubai, retail rents are expected to remain stable in prime malls, but could soften in secondary locations as new supply enters the market.”
The JLL report also said that Dubai’s hotel market witnessed the completion of approximately 7,000 rooms in 2016, bringing the total hotel stock to 79,000 keys.
About 14,000 keys are currently scheduled to be handed over in 2017, but these are unlikely to all materialise in time, it added.
Abu Dhabi saw the introduction of about 1,000 hotel keys throughout 2016, bringing total hotel supply to 21,400 keys while another 2,000 hotel keys are expected to be handed over in 2017.
JLL added that Abu Dhabi’s hospitality sector has suffered from a reduction in corporate demand, driven by the decline in oil prices, reduced government spending and corporate consolidation. This has, however, partly been offset by increased leisure demand, driven by the government’s major initiatives to diversify towards leisure tourism.
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In the 13 weeks to 31 December, like-for-like clothing and homeware sales rose by 2.3% while food sales edged up 0.6%.
On a total basis, UK sales rose by 4.5% while group sales increased by 5.9%.
Steve Rowe, Marks & Spencer chief executive, said: “I am pleased with the customer response we have seen to the changes we are making in line with our plan for the business. I would like to thank the whole team for their hard work over this busy period.
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“In clothing & home, better ranges, better availability and better prices helped to improve our performance in a difficult marketplace. We also continued to substantially reduce discounting, including over Black Friday.
“Our food business continues to grow market share with customers recognising our product as special and different. Our Simply Food store pipeline remains strong.”
Within the clothing and home category, the retailer substantially reduced sales on promotion in the period, with fewer category promotions particularly over Black Friday. Stock into sale during the quarter declined by around 7% with one fewer clearance event than last year. This resulted in a further improvement in full price sales.
International sales were up 2.9% at constant currency as the retailer benefited from earlier shipments of spring ranges to its franchise partners.
Looking ahead Rowe said: “As we look forward, our Q4 reported numbers will be adversely affected by sale timing and a later Easter. Against the background of uncertain consumer confidence the business remains focused on delivering the strategic actions announced last year.”
The company said its full year guidance remains unchanged.
Debenhams hails 5% rise in Christmas like-for-like sales
DEPARTMENT STORES
12 January 2017 | by The Retail Bulletin
In the seven weeks to 7 January, online sales at the department store chain climbed by 17%.
Sergio Bucher, chief executive of Debenhams, said: “I’m pleased with the performance we have achieved in the key trading weeks of Black Friday and over the Christmas peak, given the challenges in the broader environment and the strong performance last year. The resilience of Debenhams’ differentiated offer is beginning to show through, with the growth we have driven in beauty and gifting.”
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The results mean that in the 18 weeks to 7 January Debenhams’ group gross transaction value rose by 3.7% while group like-for-like sales increased by 3.5%. UK like-for-like sales were up 1%.
By the end of the period, Debenhams had completed 75% of its current store space optimisation programme, rolled out a further nine food service offers and launched two new partnerships with James Martin Kitchen and Franco Manca.
It also made further progress in growing its non-clothing categories. Beauty and gift sales grew strongly to take the non-clothing sales mix in the period to 57%.
Bucher added: “It’s encouraging to see that the service improvements we have made helped us to deliver strong multi-channel sales growth.
“There is a lot more we can do to build from this base and I’m looking forward to providing an update on our plans for Debenhams alongside our interim results in April.”
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In the period covering 12 November to 24 December, online sales rose by 29.3% while in-store sales were up 1.4% across the company’s 217 UK stores.
Oliver Meakin, chief executive of Maplin, said: “Christmas 2016 has been one of our most successful trading periods and highlights the significant investment we have made across our whole business in the last two years.”
Bestselling products included Google’s Chromecast and Amazon Fire Stick. Drones were also popular with more than 25,000 units sold over the period. In addition, the retailer achieved a 135% uplift in sales of Smart Home tech items.
Meakin added: “As we accelerate investment in digital, our people and stores into 2017 we expect to see sales continue to grow, as well as develop other initiatives including the roll out of a new store format and refreshed branding across the estate, which was first trialed at Cambridge Beehive in November 2016.”
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Alibaba to buy China mall operator in $2.6bn plan
Alibaba is China’s dominant player in online commerce, with its Taobao platform estimated to hold more than 90 percent of the consumer-to-consumer market
Alibaba and Intime founder Shen Guojun have together offered to pay HK$10 per share to buy the shares they do not already own of the Hong Kong-listed chain.
The deal will increase Alibaba’s stake from 28 percent to 74 percent after it first invested $692 million in the firm in 2014. Shen will take the other 26 percent. News of the deal sent Intime’s shares soaring 35 percent to HK$9.49 in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
The maximum cash required for the proposal is expected to be HK$19.8 billion ($2.6 billion), the statement said.
The deal will see Alibaba expand further into physical stores, which founder Jack Ma envisions integrating with the company’s online platforms and logistics network.
The move came after Ma — China’s richest man — met US President-elect Donald Trump in New York Monday to discuss how Alibaba can help create one million US jobs by enabling small businesses to sell goods to China and Asia.
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Tesco announces job losses in shake-up of distribution centre network
The proposed changes will reduce the number of Tesco distribution centres from 25 to 23. This will include the closure of the Welham Green centre and moving its grocery operations to Tesco’s Reading centre. In addition, the supermarket will be bringing the majority of general merchandising into one distribution centre at Middlesbrough which will result in the closure of the Chesterfield centre.
Tesco has also announced plans to withdraw from a Daventry hanging garments shared distribution centre which is currently operated by third party DHL. As a result, the centre’s clothing operations will move to Tesco’s Daventry distribution centre. It also plans to bring all warehouse operations currently carried out by DHL and Wincanton in house.
The 500 new jobs created elsewhere in the distribution centre network will include roles in Reading and Middlesbrough as well as the creation of staff support roles in the majority of Tesco’s centres.
Matt Davies, Tesco UK & ROI chief executive, said: “As the needs of our customers change, it’s vital we transform our business for the future.
“As part of this we are proposing to close two of our distribution centres in the UK. These changes will help to simplify our distribution operations so we can continue to serve our customers better.
“Our priority throughout this process has been our colleagues and we will continue to do all we can to support them at this time.”
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Morrisons hails best Christmas performance in seven years
In the nine weeks to 1 January, total sales excluding fuel increased by 2% despite the continuing impact of store closures.
Like-for-like transaction growth was strong, up 5.2% year-on-year during the period.
The supermarket said the growth was a result of an improved shopping experience for customers both in its stores and online. During the period, Morrisons.com achieved its biggest ever week for sales.
David Potts, Morrisons chief executive, said: “This Christmas we made further improvements to the customer shopping trip. We stocked more of what our customers wanted to buy, more tills were open more often, and product availability improved as over half of sales went through our new ordering system. Both like-for-like and total sales grew, which was very encouraging.
“Eighteen months ago, I said that this would be a colleague-led turnaround, and our improving performance is entirely due to the continuing hard work of the Morrisons team of food makers and shopkeepers. I would like to thank all colleagues for making Christmas and New Year extra special for our customers.”
Morrisons said its new ‘Best’ range is proving very popular, with over half of customer baskets including at least one ‘Best’ item. The supermarket launched over 100 new ‘Best’ products for Christmas shoppers in addition to the first 470 products launched last autumn.
The supermarket now expects its 2016/17 underlying pre-tax profit to be ahead of consensus and in the range of £330 million to £340 million.
Costa Coffee opens first Middle East drive-through Hotelier Middle East
Costa Coffee opens first Middle East drive-through
Located near Kite Beach on Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai, the two-storey Costa Coffee building is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Emirates Leisure Retail chief operating officer Kevin Zajax said: “This is a milestone occasion, and the latest offering in our response to what our customers are looking for. They want to be able to get a handcrafted Costa Coffee at any time of the day, sometimes without leaving their car.
“We brought Costa here in 1999 with the first store outside the UK, and now we have the first purpose-built Costa drive-through in the Middle East.”
The staff at the new site have visited London to work in the brand’s UK drive-throughs and “to learn how it is done”, added Zajax
Costa is developing its food offering with a new ‘made fresh on site’ deli range that is rolling out to more of its UAE outlets and adding new brews to the coffee menu, including the Old Paradise Street limited edition.
And to celebrate the launch of the new drive-through, Costa is giving away Jeep Wrangler. Every customer that spends AED30 (US $8) between January 9 and February 9 will be entered into the prize draw.
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Apple announced on Friday that a retail store is coming to Samsung’s home turf of South Korea. Neighbors!
It’s hard to believe Apple doesn’t already have a retail store in South Korea, but Koreans have been getting by with two certified Apple reseller stores up until now. Apple’s website now shows 14 new retail job listings in South Korea, including store leader and Genius bar staff.
“We’re now hiring the team that will offer our customers in Seoul the service, education and entertainment that is loved by Apple customers around the world,” Apple told Reuters in a statement on Friday.
The new brick-and-mortar store is said to be opening in the ritzy Gangnam district. South Korea’s Yonhap News reports that construction for a 6,000-square-foot building with two underground floors and one above ground floor has started in the Garosu-gil shopping district and should be completed around the end of November.
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Sports Direct: Mike Ashley thumbs his nose at City again. Watchdogs must tighten rules that allow him to do this
Mike Ashley has thumbed his nose at the City once again, using his majority shareholding to secure the appointment of his man Keith Hellawell as chairman of Sports Direct, despite a majority of independent shareholders voting against him. Twice.
A little while ago the Financial Conduct Authority, the City’s chief watchdog, became concerned at the way wealthy individuals were able make pots of cash by taking companies public in London only to ride roughshod over minority investors having done so.
In response, a new rule was introduced giving minority investors the power to vote down directors. If they said no to a particular candidate, said candidate would, in effect, be put into a sort of corporate purdah ahead of an EGM at which a fresh vote would be held.
The idea was that there should be no need for that. Company directors are supposed to represent the interests of all shareholders. Having failed to secure the support of a majority of independent investors, the candidate was supposed to step aside because their position would, in theory, be untenable.
Peace talks would then be held behind closed doors, a way forward agreed, a new candidate put forward and approved. Move on, nothing to see here.
Until Mike Ashley exposed the problem with the new rule. It doesn’t work.
Minority investors have for the second time voted against Mr Hellawell.
He has sat at the head of the board as a string of problems at the company have come to light, and so really ought to be held to account.
In fact, an increased majority of independent shareholders tried to do this. Some 54 per cent voted against his reappointment at the latest EGM, up from 53 per cent at the last AGM.
While Mr Hellawell did offer to resign in the wake of the first negative vote, Mr Ashley asked him to stay put and so he did. Mr Ashley, who has appointed himself as chief executive in the meantime, further issued a statement to the stock exchange after the latest no saying that he hoped to persuade Mr Hellawell to reconsider his pledge to stand down if he failed to receive the backing of independent shareholders for the third occasion at the company’s AGM later this year.
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Other investors who maintain large shareholdings in their companies after going public like Mr Ashley will take note of this. What it tells them is that, while they might have to endure a bit of bad publicity, at the end of the day the rules allow them to do more or less what they want.
That’s not good enough. The point about Sports Direct, and about companies like it, is that they are public companies. Ordinary Britons have money invested in them through their ISAs and through their pensions. The Government has told them that it is a good idea for them to save in this way, and thus provide for themselves.
Mr Ashley’s behaviour, and Sports Direct’s poor corporate governance, is a problem that goes beyond Sports Direct. But he isn’t going to change it until watchdogs step up to the plate and force the issue. It’s time for them to do that.
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Jamie Oliver has announced he is to close six of his Italian restaurants, blaming tough trading amid rising Brexit cost pressures.
The celebrity chef’s company said outlets in Aberdeen, Cheltenham, Exeter, Richmond, Tunbridge Wells and Ludgate Hill, London, will close by the end of March.
Simon Blagden, chief executive of Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, said: “As every restaurant owner knows, this is a tough market and post-Brexit the pressures and unknowns have made it even harder.”
The closures will affect 120 members of staff, although Mr Oliver said that he hopes to find alternative jobs for employees affected by the closures.
As well as staff costs and lower footfall, the company has been hit by the sharp collapse in the value of the pound, which has ramped up the cost of buying ingredients from Italy.
What does the falling pound mean for you?
“Because we refuse to compromise on the quality and provenance of our ingredients and our commitment to training and developing our staff, we need restaurants that can serve an average of 3,000 covers every week to be sustainable,” Mr Blagden added.
There are currently 42 Jamie’s Italians in the UK. Mr Blagden said the six restaurants account for only 5 per cent of the company’s total turnover, which meant that overall the business was “in very good shape”.
The company’s plans to launch another 22 Jamie’s Italian restaurants overseas are going ahead.
Businesses and consumers alike are under increased pressure due to rising costs.
Earlier this week Lord Wolfson, the chief executive of retailer Next, signalled that clothing prices could rise next year as the impact of Brexit boosts inflation, amid warnings that food prices could also climb.
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Vietnam retail sales reached $117.6 billion in 2016, according to the General Statistics Office.
Sales rose 10.2 per cent year-on-year, thanks to foreign investment from overseas, especially Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
Ranked among the 30 global retail markets with best opportunities by American management consulting firm AT Kearney, Vietnam witnessed major mergers and acquisitions in the retail sector in 2016.
Retailers from Thailand – with Central Group and Berli Jucker the pioneers – gained a strong foothold in the Vietnam market with Central’s stakes in Nguyen Kim and Big C and BJ acquiring Metro. Central plans to double its network to 70 supermarkets and 13 shopping malls by 2021.
Japanese retail operator Aeon joined the race with 30 per cent stake in Hanoi-based Fivimart and 49 per cent of Ho Chi Minh City-based Citimart. Department store operator Takashimaya stirred the market, opening its first Vietnam department store inside the Saigon Center in Ho Chi Minh City.
Korean conglomerate Lotte Group introduced its first online store Lotte.vn, and plans to open 60 new supermarkets in Vietnam by 2020.
A young population and a rapidly rising middle class are driving retail growth. Sixty per cent of the country’s 90 million people are aged under 35 and are familiar with global trends and brands. The average Vietnamese income has risen from US$433 to $2200 in just five years, allowing Vietnamese consumers to afford products and services from international brands.
There are currently 800 supermarkets and 160 department stores and shopping malls across the country, a number forecast to double in the next four years, thanks to government-backed development plans.
Supermarkets, convenience stores and shopping malls account for 25 per cent of total consumer spending – and that is expected to rise to 45 per cent in the near future. The last three days before New Year holiday in Ho Chi Minh City saw a rise of 20 per cent in purchasing in all commodities with food, confectionery and beverages driving growth. The rise was partly due to promotional and discount programs, and is predicted to continue to grow in the few weeks ahead before Lunar New Year.
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Washington — More grim news for malls as women’s apparel designer and retailer The Limited says it will close all its brick-and-mortar stores at the end of this weekend.
The New Albany, Ohio company says it will continue to operate online only after the Jan. 8 closures.
The Limited made the announcement just two days after Macy’s said it would close 68 retail stores and cut more than 10,000 jobs. Sears also announced Thursday that it would close another 150 stores as clothing retailers continue to struggle to compete as consumers increasingly buy online.
Limited Stores, founded in 1963, says it has already ceased operations at several stores in recent weeks and would be offering “highly discounted prices” on merchandise until all its doors close for good Sunday.
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Majid Al Futtaim, a leading shopping mall, retail and leisure pioneer, will open a major new distribution centre for Carrefour at the National Industries Park (NIP) in Dubai, UAE.
The centre, once operational, will be the largest and most advanced distribution hub of its kind for Carrefour in the region, said a statement from the company.
The facility is constructed on a land area of 1.5 million sq ft and covers a built-up area of over 800,000 square feet, almost four times the size of Carrefour’s current largest distribution centre building in the region, it said.
The centre will also feature advanced warehousing, storage and logistics technologies, it added.
The multi-temperature storage at the new distribution centre is designed to meet the storage needs of the different food types including fruits, vegetables, meat and dry foods as well as warehousing for non-food goods.
With a total storage capacity of over 400 million units, the new distribution hub is expected to save over 50 per cent energy per cubic metre and manage more than 150000 orders per day to support Carrefour’s brick and mortar stores in addition to the omni-channel business of Carrefour, said a statement.
Miguel Povedano, executive regional director, Carrefour UAE, said: “With our new distribution centre in NIP, we have significantly expanded our operational capabilities in the region in terms of storage facilities as well as technological infrastructure.”
“We continue to look at the Middle East and North Africa as one of the key growth regions for Carrefour and one that we will continue to invest in over the coming years. We are confident that this new facility will help us deliver even better quality of products and services to our customers,” he added.
Younis Al Mulla, senior vice president – development and government affairs, Majid Al Futtaim Retail, said: “It gives us great pleasure at in establishing this strategic partnership with NIP and in the development of our central warehousing and distribution facility within their premises.”
“As part of our company’s vision, we are committed to constantly improving our operational facilities and capabilities for delivering high value to our customers in the UAE and other operating markets,” he said.
“In addition to being our largest distribution centre in the region, the facility at NIP is also highly energy efficient and will help us become more environmentally friendly, while reducing the overall carbon footprint of our stores,” he added.
Mohammed Al Muallem, senior vice president and managing director, UAE region of DP World, said: “I welcome Majid Al Futtaim, one of the leading national companies, to the NIP to establish their advanced integrated logistics centre.”
“The company is renowned regionally and globally for their pioneering contribution to the retail and leisure industry and we are confident of providing Majid Al Futtaim with distinctive logistic solutions that meet their requirements for various markets,” he said.
“NIP has an advanced multi-modal connectivity that reduces transportation duration, especially in reaching the Mena countries, through our flagship Jebel Ali Port and the Al Maktoum International Airport,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service
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Amid rumors that the Galeries Lafayette Apple Watch pop up shop will be shuttered this month, Apple also appears to have shut down its Apple Watch shop at the high-end Selfridges department store in London, England.
The Selfridges retail store listing, which previously showed the Selfridges store front along with store hours and location, has been removed from Apple’s website and now redirects to a list of UK stores.
Apple’s Selfridges pop up shop was first introduced in 2015 alongside the launch of the Apple Watch. It was located in the iconic Wonder Room, which is a 19,000 square-foot hall that houses a number of luxury jewelry and watch brands.
selfridgespopupshop There was no warning that the Selfridges pop up shop would be shut down, but rumors have suggested Apple is planning to close the Galeries Lafayette Apple Watch pop up shop this month due to poor sales.
At this time, the Galeries Lafayette Apple Watch page is still intact, as is the Isetan listing for Apple’s luxury pop up shop at the Isetan department store in Tokyo, Japan.
There’s no word on whether the Isetan shop is shutting down, but Apple has reportedly been reducing the number of employees at Galeries Lafayette ahead of its closure.
If poor sales are the reason behind the end of the Galeries Lafayette pop up shop, it’s likely the Selfridges store suffered from similar problems. Both stores were originally set up to sell the high-end Apple Watch Edition made from 18-karat gold and priced up to $17,000, but Apple discontinued that model in September of 2016, replacing it with the lower-priced ceramic Edition models.
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In a statement, Next said the 0.4% decline in the 54 days to 24 December was an improvement on the third quarter and better than the run rate for the full year. However, the company was expecting sales in the fourth quarter to grow year-on-year as the comparative numbers in 2015 were poor.
While Next’s total sales, including markdown sales, for the year to date are up 0.4% year-on-year, full price sales are down 1.1%.
Despite the difficult season, Next said stock for its end-of-season sale has been well controlled and down 3% on last year. However, sales in the end-of-season sale are down 7% year-on-year.
The company has now forecast that group profit for the year to January 2017 will be £792 million and said this may increase or decrease by £7 million depending on trade in January. This compares to the previous guidance of £785 million to £825 million.
Looking ahead, Next said the year ahead is likely to be challenging and added: “The fact that sales continued to decline in quarter four, beyond the anniversary of the start of the slowdown in November 2015, means that we expect the cyclical slow-down in spending on clothing and footwear to continue into next year.”
Next also warned that there may be a further squeeze in consumer spending as inflation begins to erode real earnings growth and that clothing prices could rise by “no more than 5%” following the devaluation of the pound last year.
The company is budgeting for Next brand full price sales growth in the year to January 2018 to be between -4.5% and +1.5% with pre-tax profit within the range of £680 million to £780 million.
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In the six weeks to 31 December, like-for-like sales were up 6.8%.
The retailer said its busiest day was 23 December when it sold over 80,000 bottles. Sales of male fragrance grew faster than female thanks to new launches.
Top performers included Dior Sauvage, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and Hugo Boss – The Scent For Her and Diesel BAD. Fragrances from other luxury fashion houses such as YSL, Viktor & Rolf & Loewe were also big sellers.
Sanjay Vadera, chief executive of The Fragrance Shop, said: “New, accessibly-priced perfumes from high-end fashion houses were by far the top performing scents this Christmas, reflecting Britain’s enduring love affair with luxury brands.”
The Fragrance Shop also recorded significant growth in gift set sales and purchases of larger 100ml+ fragrances as shoppers traded up from spending less on smaller sizes to get better value.
With a total of 184 stores, The Fragrance Shop opened 12 new shops last year and plans to open a further three in early 2017.
Vadera added: “Our complete focus on bringing a wide selection of brands to customers within the best possible retail experience continues to be the secret of our success, while also enabling us to outperform the market in luxury fragrances for the second year running, making this our fastest-growing segment.”
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The Five Best Shopping Malls In Dubai
If there’s any city in the world that takes shopping malls seriously, it’s Dubai. Not only do global brands flock to this retail capital, but shoppers from all over the Middle East and beyond come to Dubai to appreciate the grandiosity and beauty of its shopping centers.
The city’s physical climate, consistently sunny and known to surpass 110 °F, mixed with its economic climate, deeply rooted in property development to the point of experiencing hypergrowth creates a unique mix of tropical and capitalistic energy rarely matched in other cities. Dubai builds with a panache seldom seen anywhere else around the world, so it’s no wonder that stepping into a Dubai shopping mall is an experience in itself.
Playing home to everything from one of the world’s largest indoor aquariums to an indoor ski slope, these are the top five shopping malls in Dubai.
#5 Ibn Battuta Mall
Photo: Ibn Battuta Mall
Photo: Ibn Battuta Mall
Inspired by the Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta, the Ibn Battuta Mall is considered the largest theme mall in the world. Shopping becomes an adventure here, with six distinct retail courts waiting to be discovered and explored. Anchor stores include Debenhams, Geant, Marks & Spencer, Sharaf DG and Decathlon.
#4 Dubai Outlet Mall
dubai-outlet-mall
Photo: Dubai Outlet Mall/Instagram
In 2007, Dubai Outlet Mall opened its doors to the United Arab Emirates. It’s a part of Dubai Outlet City and offers as much as 30%-90% off the regular price across its 240 stores. Labels include Adidas, Coach, Fred Perry, Mango and Aldo.
#3 BurJuman
Photo: Burjuman
Photo: BurJuman
BurJuman offers a healthy mix of luxury fashion brands and popular labels at the center of Bur Dubai, the city’s business and heritage district. Like many malls in Dubai, BurJuman also places a heavy emphasis on entertainment and lifestyle options, with the most recent addition being its newly-opened 14-screen Vox Cinemas. Shops in BurJuman include Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari, H&M, Charles & Keith and Burberry.
#2 Mall of the Emirates
Photo: Mall of the Emirates/Ski Dubai
Photo: Mall of the Emirates/Ski Dubai
Known as the world’s first shopping resort, Mall of the Emirates has an astounding 2.4 million square feet of retail floor space. Not only does it boast 630 high-end brands, but fashion designers from around the world are put on full display in the mall’s Fashion Dome and Luxury Wing. Tenants include Boutique 1, Centrepoint, Forever 21, Kate Spade New York, DKNY and an Apple store.
If you get tired of shopping, there are still plenty of things to do at Mall of the Emirates. Enjoy the games and be entertained at Magic Planet, a family theme park, or drop by the renowned indoor ski resort, Ski Dubai, for a day of skiing or snowboarding, tobogganing and playing with the penguins.
#1 Dubai Mall
The 5 Best Shopping Malls In Dubai
Photo: Dubai Mall
Dubai Mall is an exceptionally vast retail, leisure and entertainment space right in the heart of downtown Dubai. It’s the world’s largest and most visited shopping mall, with a total internal floor area of 5.9 million square feet. In 2014, more than 80 million visitors shopped at the mall’s 1,200+ retail stores. Flagship brands include Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Gucci, Chanel and Ralph Lauren.
If the shopping alone isn’t enough, Dubai Mall is also home to one of the world’s largest aquariums and aquatic zoos, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, complete with a 270-degree walk-through tunnel for a truly immersive experience of the deep sea.
Of course, if you can’t find what you need in these five malls, you can always drive the ninety miles to Abu Dhabi, where you’ll find even more world-class shopping malls, or if you need something from abroad, Amazon also ships to the UAE, though not every item the website sells can be sent there directly.
All of that said, Dubai is the international shopper’s dream, but with so many exceptional malls to choose from, hopefully, this short list will help you navigate your way.
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The Five Best Shopping Malls In Abu Dhabi
There may be no nation in the world that treats shopping the way the UAE does. Malls serve every purpose from a meeting point between friends or colleagues to a refuge from the hot desert sun, and when you see the insides of these shopping complexes, you’ll know why locals and visitors alike keep coming back.
I’ve been to Abu Dhabi twice, though reasonably quickly both times, so it was important to me that I get my shopping done as swiftly as possible so as to leave room for other activities and city exploration. Stemming from my own experience and supported by some additional research, here’s my breakdown of the top five shopping malls in Abu Dhabi.
#5 The Galleria
Best Shopping Malls Abu Dhabi
Photo: The Galleria
As you explore Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island, you’re bound to discover The Galleria, the spacious, modern mall on Abu Dhabi Global Market Square. The Galleria, featuring shops like Dolce & Gabbana, La Martina, Jimmy Choo, Alexander McQueen and Michael Kors, has a wide range of fashion and luxury goods to suit even the pickiest shoppers and an equally diverse set of dining options to boot.
#4 Al Wahda Mall
Best Shopping Malls Abu Dhabi
Photo: Al Wahda Mall
Al Wahda Mall, named after Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahda Football Club who plays at the stadium next door, is considered one of the city’s most well-known landmarks. The mall opened in 2007 with an offering of around 150 retail brands, but it’s evolved over the past decade into one of the largest shopping complexes in the UAE with a total footprint of 3.3 million square feet and over 350 stores. Shops include Armani Exchange, Gap, Izod, Victoria Secret and Tommy Hilfiger.
#3 Marina Mall
Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Opened in 2001, Marina Mall has 5 levels covering 1.3 million square feet of 400+ retail outlets such as Tiffany & Co., Hugo Boss, Gucci, Prada and Yves Saint Laurent. Marina Mall also offers a bowling alley and a revolving restaurant on top of its 30-story observation tower, which gives some pretty spectacular views of Abu Dhabi and the surrounding Persian Gulf.
#2 Abu Dhabi Mall
Best Shopping Malls Abu Dhabi
Photo: Abu Dhabi Mall/Facebook
Conveniently nestled in the heart of the city, Abu Dhabi Mall offers more than 200 stores of fashion labels and designer boutiques. Directly connected to the renowned Beach Rotana Hotel, Abu Dhabi Mall is a centerpiece in the social fabric of the city. Anchor stores include Carolina Herrera, Zara, Pandora, Weekend Max Mara and Anne Klein.
#1 Yas Mall
Photo: Cedric Ribeiro/Getty Images
Located at the center of Yas Island, Yas Mall offers the ultimate shopping, dining and entertainment experience in Abu Dhabi. It boasts a total area of 2.5 million square feet and features 370 stores that include well-known brands like American Eagle Outfitters, Bershka, Calvin Klein, Lacoste and Terranova. Tired of shopping? With more than 60 restaurants and cafes to choose from, indulge your palate with sumptuous dishes from around the world while enjoying the ambiance of this ultra-modern mall.
Abu Dhabi is full of great shopping options, but if you’re looking for an even larger, more diverse retail paradise, just drive ninety miles down the highway to Dubai. There are plenty of great shopping centers there to choose from, including the largest mall in the world, Dubai Mall. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, Amazon ships to the UAE as well, though not every Amazon item can be shipped there directly.
Abu Dhabi is certainly a remarkable place to shop, and my hope is that this list will help point you in the right direction to discover the mall that’s right for you.
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The world is a very different place after the rollercoaster ride that was 2016, the retail sector is certainly no different.
Here are the top 10 stories that made waves in the retail sector this year — as picked by Retail Gazette’s journalist Ben Stevens and editor Elias Jahshan.
The stories selected, listed in no particular order, are a combination of those that consistently landed in the weekly top 5 most-read stories on Retail Gazette’s website to stories that had far-reaching impacts beyond the retail sector.
The fall of BHS
The demise of BHS has dominated the headlines this year.
Not only did the once mighty British department store chain close all 163 of its stores, but 11,000 staff lost their jobs and 22,000 had their pensions put in jeopardy.
Once the initial shock of the heritage retailer’s disappearance from the high street had faded, what was left was a far more complex story of billionaires and black holes.
Both former owners — Sir Philip Green and the man he infamously sold the chain to for £1, Dominic Chappell — have come under fierce scrutiny from everyone: from MPs to the taxman.
The fallout has been huge, sparking a new government inquiry into corporate governance, earning Green the title of “the unacceptable face of capitalism” and his knighthood questioned, and his mulit-million pound superyacht the name “BHS Destroyer”.
The dispute over the who will plug the £571 million pensions deficit, who was responsible for the loss of so many jobs, and whether any criminal wrongdoing occurred looks set to continue well into 2017.
Sports Direct’s controversy
Another spectacular fall from grace comes from the discount sportswear retailer, owned by the eccentric billionaire Mike Ashley.
In the first of many large workers’ rights scandals of the year, Sports Direct’s main warehouse in Shirebrook gained notoriety after an investigation by The Guardian uncovered “Victorian” working conditions.
Not only did this contribute to the new government inquiry into corporate governance, but sparked a tirade of heated debate around zero hours’ contracts, and over foreign labour.
As the billionaire continued to drag his feet in sorting the controversial issue, the headlines piled up, largely focusing on the blunders of its founder.
These include pulling out a large wad of £50 notes during a press event at the Shirebrook warehouse to demonstrate he was looking after low paid workers; admitting her flew to work by private helicopter because it was more efficient; admitting on live television he was a “PR disaster”; and, most recently, being accused of trying to secretly film a group of MP’s at a surprise inspection.
Sainsbury’s Argos acquisition
The country’s second-largest grocery retailer acquired Home Retail Group — the parent company of Argos and Habitat — in a move which will see the transformation of some of the high street’s most recognisable brands.
In the £1.4 billion takeover, Sainsbury’s will transform itself into what resembles a department store, moving away from its classic grocer roots and sparking a trend which is likely to be mirrored across the entire supermarket sector.
Next year a click-and-collect point will be established in most of Sainsbury’s 601 supermarkets, as well as concessions in its 773 convenience stores, not to mention the 739 Argos outlets it now owns.
The group’s empire now has over 2000 outlets and employs roughly 195,000 staff.
Sainsbury’s or Argos will never be the same after 2016.
High street closures
This year saw the tragic death of many famous people, with David Bowie, Prince, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Gene Wilder to name just a few, but many high street giants have also felt 2016’s icy hand.
Of course BHS was the biggest and perhaps messiest demise of the year, but job losses in the retail sector reached 26,000 — the highest since the peak of the recession.
American Apparel bit the bullet late this year closing all its UK operations.
Staples, Banana Republic and Austin Reed also disappeared from the UK high streets in 2016.
Many more retail jobs were lost from stores that remain open,such as Marks & Spencer announcing 600 head office job cuts along with 2100 international staff cuts.
Travis Perkins, Co-op and plenty of others have also seen job cuts skyrocket – with the latter having 298 of its stores acquired by McColl’s Retail Group.
National Living Wage
The somewhat confusingly-titled National Living Wage, which came into force in April this year, has caused a raft of controversy and anxiety among retailers.
What is essentially a rebranded National Minimum Wage for the over 25s has seen an estimated 33,835 retailers to decline into “financial distress” as they struggle to meet the new pay rates.
The new £7.20 rate has made many headlines, from M&S’ holiday pay cuts, Sports Direct’s warehouse workers and recently, JD Sports reportedly failing to pay its own warehouse workers the minumum wage.
With the incoming and new business rates looking to pile on extra pressure for businesses, and post-Brexit vote financial anxieties squeezing margins as it is, the new wage has been a significant thorn on the side of retailers.
It’s set to ris incrementally to £9 per hour by 2020, and the next few years will be critical for retailers who can no longer absorb the costs of the new rates on top of financial drains.
Brexit
One of the biggest issues that affected the retail sector this year – let alone every aspect of the UK and globally – was the Brexit vote in June.
While all polls in the lead-up to the referendum pointed to looking like the UK would remain in the European Union – the UK sent shockwaves around the world when the referendum turned out to be in favour of leaving it.
Immediately after, the ramifications were felt on the economy as the sterling took a tumble and consumer confidence plummeted to its lowest since the recession.
While the sterling only managed to claw back a fraction of the value it had pre-Brexit vote, consumer confidence has fluctuated – it recovered in September but then it plummeted again in November, before marginally improving in December, ending the year in a stark contrast to the relatively healthy consumer confidence felt in January.
In addition, the economic ramifications of the Brexit vote sparked fears around the future of EU workers in the retail sector, inflation, higher costs of living and decreasing revenue and sales among retailers.
While experts have consistently said it was too early to assess the impact of the Brexit vote, especially as the UK is still technically part of the EU until it triggers Article 50 and leaves by 2018, many retailers have felt the brunt of it already in their quarterly and annual financial updates.
However, most online retailers bucked the downturn trend that faced high street fashion chains, while the UK welcomed an influx of tourists taking advantage of the weaker pound – which inadvertently led to London to replace Paris as the best place to buy luxury goods.
Tesco’s accounting scandal re-emerges
A scandal from 2014 came back to haunt one of the UK’s biggest retailers this year, with several former senior figures of Tesco being brought to court.
In September, former Tesco UK managing director Christopher Bush, former UK food commercial director John Scouler and former finance director Carl Rogberg pleaded not guilty for the charges pressed against them by the Serious Fraud Office.
The three former senior staff members had been accused of false accounting relating to a scandal in which Tesco was found to overstate its half-year profit by £326 million.
The trio denied the charges of fraud by abuse of position and false accounting, and were released on bail but will return to court next year.
Meanwhile, it was confirmed this month that former commercial director Kevin Grace will not face charges from the Serious Fraud Office, while Philip Clarke, the former chief executive, also had his charges dropped.
News of Grace’s and Clarke’s alleviation from the charges could mean that a charge is no longer brought against the company itself, as they had been identified as the most likely route to group prosecution.
The rise and rise of Amazon
One retailer which consistently grabbed headlines this year was Amazon – and that’s hardly surprising.
This year was a significant year for the online retail behemoth, as it pushed the boundaries and expanded into new territories – shaking up not just the retail sector, but also hospitality, technology and entertainment.
The Seattle-based company expanded its workforce exponentially in the UK with the opening of new distribution centres and offices outside of London, and introduced its ground breaking Echo machine and Dash button.
It also launched AmazonFresh – taking the “go economy” competition in grocery directly to the likes of Ocado – and Amazon Restaurant, a direct challenge to the likes of Deliveroo and Just Eat.
In addition, its Prime Day event continued to rise in popularity this year, and the retailer played a leading role during the Black Friday sales period – stretching its sales over a week or so rather than just the long weekend immediately after Thanksgiving Day in the US.
Back in the US, Amazon also successfully trialled deliveries with drones, and announced its first foray into bricks-and-mortar retail with plans to open up supermarket stores that have no tills whatsoever.
John Lewis’ first female boss
One of the biggest stories on Retail Gazette’s website this year was when Paula Nickolds was named John Lewis’ first-ever female boss.
Effective from January 2017, Nickolds will replace Andy Street, who also grabbed headlines when he stepped down in September to pursue a political career as a Conservative MP.
Once Nickolds moves into the managing director’s office in the new year, she will be the heritage retailer’s first female boss since the department store was founded 1864.
The news rose questions about the lack of female representation in the retail sector’s board rooms, which prompted the Retail Gazette to investigate further and find out why that is. Click here to read the full story.
Missguided ventures into bricks-and-mortar
The most-read story on Retail Gazette’s website this year was a somewhat unexpected one – the opening of Missguided’s first bricks-and-mortar store.
The 20,000sq ft flagship within Westfield Stratford City in east London is the first in a series of store openings for the online fashion retailer, with three others scheduled to open around the UK in early 2017.
News of Missguided’s plans to open a shop was first reported back in April, and that story, along with the updates since, all feature in the Retail Gazette’s top 20 most-read online stories list for the year – with the story of the store opening in November taking the #1 spot.
The Manchester-based etailer – or multichannel retailer as it should probably be called now – has experienced a dramatic rise to success since it was founded in 2009, winning multiple awards and grabbing headlines with multiple celebrity collaborations.
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ENOC Retail, Emirates National Oil Company’s retail business segment, announced the opening of the largest ZOOM standalone store spread over an area of 6,731 sq ft.
The eco-friendly store is not only aligned with the sustainable objectives of the Dubai Plan 2021 but also with the goals of The Sustainable City to reduce the development’s energy consumption and carbon footprint.
His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group Chief Executive Officer, ENOC, said: “The new store in The Sustainable City highlights our commitment to further strengthen ZOOM’s footprint in Dubai and the wider region with a focus on providing the highest quality of products matched by superior customer service standards. The expansion also highlights the competencies we have gained in convenience retailing, and the appeal of ZOOM as a retail outlet of choice.”
The store features a number of eco-friendly features including biodegradable plastic bags and waste that are recycled through TADWEER.
All the water used at the site is treated and used for maintenance of common areas such as watering plants while power to the store is provided through the community’s solar panels and the DEWA grid.
To further reduce energy consumption and its carbon footprint, various green technologies are incorporated such as LED lighting inside the store, high performance refrigeration units and the Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) units, for the air conditioning (AC) system.
Eng. Faris Saeed, the CEO and Co-Founder of Diamond Developers, said: “We are delighted to welcome ZOOM’s largest stand-alone store to The Sustainable City. The outlet is part of our mixed-use area of the project and with partners such as ENOC, we collectively envision our goals and work effectively towards the Dubai Government’s vision to make Dubai one of the top ten sustainable cities in the world by Expo 2020. With practical eco-friendly practices, this outlet is in line with the DNA of The Sustainable City.”
To meet customer expectations and to prevent them from queuing, the new store offers seven checkout counters with easy access. In addition to phone delivery, ZOOM now offers online and mobile service through INSTASHOP, an app for home delivery that will cater to neighbouring communities like Layan, Mudon and Remraam, through an online platform.
The ZOOM Service Counter, which is a new addition to all stores, will offer customers’ services like DEWA bill payment, Lootah Gas bill payment, iTunes, gift cards, VoIP cards, Du Hello cards, Etisalat/DU recharge, Fly Dubai payment, Salik and laundry services.
With over 200 strategic locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, ZOOM has a variety of formats from service station convenience stores to mini marts, metro stores up to large scale supermarkets.
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The Adidas Originals flagship store in London has undergone a revamp with a localised twist to make it uniquely relevant to London. StudioXAG designed and implemented two long-term dwell areas within the store, adding authentic elements of familiarity to the store as well as encouraging the local consumer to spend more time in the store.
Taking reference from the iconic housing estates of the city, StudioXAG brought the outside in with reclaimed chimney pots used as planters and even a piece of the London streets in the form of the reclaimed pavement light repurposed as a coffee table.
Sourced mid-century British furniture, phone charging facilities and local magazines offer an inviting retreat from the busy streets of Soho.
Other subtle nods to London include the rubber flooring from the Victoria Line tube used as tabletops outside the fitting rooms, as well as cushions made from the London Underground moquette fabric. The team even had a blue plaque especially produced for the store, referencing the English Heritage plaques commonly found across the city.
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Struggling specialty apparel retailer Limited Stores is preparing to file for bankruptcy in the coming weeks and will most likely liquidate its business, Bloomberg reports.
Last month, the retailer hired Guggenheim Partners to explore a sale and said it was entertaining bids, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The company has some $100 million in debt, sources told Debtwire. Private equity firm Sun Capital owns the struggling chain, but private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management is its largest lender, sources told the New York Post last month; that sets up a potential clash of interests as the retailer’s fate unfolds.
News of The Limited Stores’ continued efforts to prepare for restructuring, a sale or ultimately liquidation comes at a time when executives are missing from its CEO and CFO posts. John Buell, elevated from his CFO role to become interim CEO when CEO Diane Ellis left to become president of women’s apparel brand Chico’s in October, also left the company last week. Buell abandoned ship to become the senior vice president and CFO of fashion and home decor brand Altar’d State
At the time, Limited Stores said without a CEO or a CFO its “existing executive team is working collaboratively on management of the company’s operations, and senior financial team personnel are continuing to oversee finances.”
The company also recently notified the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services that it may lay off as many as all 248 employees, including its entire headquarters staff, and close down that Columbus, OH-area office as it struggles with plummeting sales.
The retailer is a shadow of its heyday as a successful speciality mall retailer. Former parent L Brands (owner of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works) sold a 75% stake in The Limited to private equity firm Sun Capital in 2007; three years later, Sun acquired the remaining 25% stake. But some malls, themselves suffering from falling foot traffic as e-commerce sales rise, aren’t always especially helpful to stores like The Limited, which has 243 stores across the country.
Limited Stores has hired RAS Management Advisors to advise on strategic and financial alternatives, including a potential restructuring, sources familiar with the matter told Debtwire, and the company has also hired Kirkland & Ellis as its legal adviser, according to Bloomberg. The Limited, Guggenheim Partners and RAS Management didn’t respond to requests for comment.
John Buell, named interim CEO of struggling women’s apparel retailer The Limited in October, has left the company to become the senior vice president and CFO of fashion and home decor brand Altar’d State, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
Buell, a 13-year veteran of The Limited, was elevated from his CFO position to the top spot after CEO Diane Ellis left to become president of women’s apparel brand Chico’s. His departure likely signals the end of The Limited, according to Lee Peterson of retail consultancy WD Partners (a Limited veteran himself): “The party’s over,” he told the Dispatch. “[Buell’s exit was] so quick — what does that tell you? But you can’t blame him. After the layoff announcements, I’m sure a lot of people at the headquarters are thinking about doing the same thing — and I’m sure people in the stores have their resumes out there, too.”
Limited Stores said in a statement that, without a CEO or a CFO, its “existing executive team is working collaboratively on management of the company’s operations, and senior financial team personnel are continuing to oversee finances.”
Earlier this month The Limited said it might shutter its headquarters and close all stores permanently amid plummeting sales and crushing debt. The company had previously hired Guggenheim Partners as financial adviser to explore a possible sale or restructuring, with rival retailers or private equity firms as potential suitors.
The New Albany-based retailer, which has 243 stores across the country, was formerly owned by L Brands (owner of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works), which sold a 75% stake in The Limited to private equity firm Sun Capital in 2007. Sun acquired the remaining stake three years later.
While Sun Capital touts The Limited as a place to buy “upscale” women’s clothing, the retailer is operating as a shadow of its former self, beset by falling mall traffic and styles that can also be found at rivals like Loft and at department stores. The Limited’s appeal may be further muddled by its recent “Backroom” off-price effort.
As online sales of apparel continue to rise, pressure on malls to revive or shutter is increasing, vexing specialty retailers like The Limited that are so dependent on their customer appeal. The U.S. currently has about 1,100 enclosed malls, but Jan Rogers Kniffen, CEO of J. Rogers Kniffen Worldwide Enterprises, said earlier this year that number should be closer to 700.
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Committee proposes ‘nuclear deterrent’ to stop companies trying to avoid responsibilities to pension schemes
Sir Philip Green ‘would have sorted’ the BHS pension scheme long ago if he had faced a £1bn fine, said Frank Field MP.
Sir Philip Green ‘would have sorted’ the BHS pension scheme long ago if he had faced a £1bn fine, said Frank Field MP. Photograph: Ian West/PA
Sir Philip Green may have to pay £1bn to resolve the problems facing the BHS pension scheme under proposals tabled by MPs.
The work and pensions committee, which is chaired by Labour MP Frank Field, has called for the government to introduce a “nuclear deterrent” to stop companies or individuals trying to avoid their responsibilities to pension schemes.
This deterrent would be a fine from The Pensions Regulator (TPR) worth three times the amount it believes a company or individual should contribute towards filling the deficit in a pension scheme. Given that the regulator is understood to be seeking £350m from Green for the BHS pensions scheme, this means it could threaten the billionaire tycoon with a charge of about £1bn.
The deterrent is part of a package of measures proposed by the parliamentary committee to avoid another BHS scandal.
BHS collapsed into administration in April, leading to the loss of 11,000 jobs and leaving a £571m deficit. The regulator has started legal proceedings against Green and Dominic Chappell, the former owners of BHS, in an attempt to fill the deficit. They collected millions of pounds from the retailer.
Field said: “It is difficult to imagine [TPR] would still be having to negotiate with Sir Philip Green if he had been facing a bill of £1bn, rather than £350m. He would have sorted the pension scheme long ago.”
As well as threatening punitive fines, the MPs said TPR must become a “nimbler, more proactive regulator”. They said the regulator must consider recovery plans for pension schemes in deficit that last more than 10 years as “exceptional” and that it should approve every major corporate transaction.
These powers would have allowed the regulator to block a 23-year plan drawn up by Green for the BHS pension scheme while he owned it in 2012, and stop the sale of the retailer to Chappell, a three-time bankrupt.
In addition, the committee wants pension trustees to have the power to negotiate a restructuring of struggling schemes that could result in better outcomes than entering the Pension Protection Fund, where benefits are cut by at least 10%. The PPF, a government-backed lifeboat scheme, is funded by a levy on all defined benefit pension schemes. The MPs say that good corporate behaviour could be rewarded in future by paying less into the PPF.
Field added: “The measures we set out in this report are intended to reduce the chance of another scheme going down the BHS route. We hope and expect that we will never again see a company like BHS be able to come up with a 23-year recovery plan for its pension fund, and certainly not that it would take the regulator two years to really begin to do anything about it.
“It is further inconceivable that Sir Philip Green’s deal to dispose of BHS and its giant pension deficit for £1 to a dismally unqualified man, with no plan for the pension schemes and no means of financing one, would have evaded or passed any mandatory clearance scheme.”
Aside from the BHS scandal, the pension problems facing British companies are stark. By the standard measure used by the PPF, 4,272 defined benefit schemes are in deficit and the size of the black hole is £195bn. There are 5,794 defined benefit pension schemes in the UK.
In response to the report, a spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “The majority of employers are managing their pension schemes responsibly but a few recent examples have raised some important questions. In the coming months we’ll be publishing a green paper on pension funding and as part of this we’ll be looking at powers of [TPR].”
Lesley Titcomb, chief executive of TPR, said: “We welcome the committee’s report which recognises the importance of robust and proportionate regulation for workplace defined benefit pension schemes and of ensuring that workplace pension savers and the Pension Protection Fund are well-protected. We note its recommendations and will consider them carefully.
“We continue to discuss options with DWP for the legislative and regulatory framework for workplace pensions, and how this might be improved, ahead of the green paper, which will consider the future of pension funding, the regulatory framework and TPR’s powers.”
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Department store chain House of Fraser has opened its first standalone shop in China as it begins to build its brand in the Asian powerhouse.
House of Fraser warned in September over high street conditions in the UK as it revealed “very challenging” trading
House of Fraser warned in September over high street conditions in the UK as it revealed “very challenging” trading
The retailer, owned by Chinese conglomerate Sanpower Group, will set up shop in Sanpower Plaza in the commercial zone of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province.
The store will span six floors, trade over 425,000 sq ft of retail space and see the introduction of brands such as Cambridge Satchel Company, Peter Werth and Radley into the Chinese market for the first time.
In September the firm warned over high street conditions in the UK as it revealed sales woes amid “very challenging” trading.
House of Fraser chairman Frank Slevin said at the time that the UK retail sector was facing significant change in “structural dynamics as consumers shopping habits and delivery expectations continue to evolve”.
The chain will look to benefit from the strong demand for UK brands among Chinese consumers.
Mr Slevin said: “The opening of the store in Nanjing is a strong way to finish 2016. The store has focused on bringing international brands and a premium shopping experience to China.
“We are confident that our first store will clearly demonstrate the unique status that House of Fraser can achieve in the market, and will be a standout platform for our brand partners.”
Posted by retail360uk
Inaugurated in September 2009, the Hermes store at Elements in Hong Kong has been relocated and renovated now counting a total retail surface of 234 square meters which will further expand to 326 square meters in late 2017. With this renovation, the store benefits from an open and spacious layout to present the richness of the Parisian house’s 16 metiers
Upon request, the adjacent fitting rooms can be privatized through sliding panels as to become a VIP area. At the back, one can discover the Maison collection. For the opening celebration, a digital installation on window display will be featured
Posted by retail360uk
Discounts on clothes, electronics, watches will go up to 75% Staff Report 15:44 December 17, 2016
Dubai: Starting on December 26, Dubai Shopping Festival will see 34 days of deals, prize draws and shows across the emirate.
This year, thousands of retail outlets will offer discounts of up to 75 per cent. The discounts will apply to apparel and fashion, consumer electronics, watches, perfumes, furniture and home appliances.
Organised by an agency of the emirate’s tourism board, Dubai Tourism, the festival hopes to help attract 20 million visitors a year to Dubai by the end of the decade.
“The Dubai Shopping Festival is one of the most important on Dubai’s annual events calendar that will further enhance Dubai’s position,” said Dubai Tourism chief Helal Saeed Al Merri.
The festival will begin with the launch of a new waterfront attraction at Dubai Festival City and a fireworks show.
This year’s retail promotions include a 12-hour period on New Year’s Day when discounts in some malls — including Mall of the Emirates and Mirdif City Centre will reach 90 per cent.
Carmakers Nissan and Infiniti will also be giving away cars as prizes for raffle tickets bought in petrol stations.
The festival will also see daily fireworks displays at 8pm across the city.
Ending on January 28, organisers claim that this year’s festival is one of the longest in its 22-year history.
Here’s a full list of the festival’s events:
Retail promotions:
12-Hour Exclusive New Year Shopping
Starting 12 pm, January 1 – Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira, City Centre Me’aisem City Centre Al Barsha and City Centre Al Shindagha
Infiniti Mega Raffle
Daily draws from December 26 to February 4. Tickets available at Eppco and Enoc petrol stations.
Nissan Grand Raffle
Daily announcements on SAMA Dubai TV at 10pm from December 26 to January 28. Tickets available at EPPCO and ENOC petrol stations, and Zoom shops in Dubai.
Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group promotion
Gold to be won every day from December 26 to January 28. Promotion open for shoppers spending at least Dh500 at participating gold and jewellery outlets in Dubai.
‘Happy Shopping, Happy Winnings’ promotion
From December 26 to January 28, every Dh200 spent at a participating mall in Dubai is entitled to one raffle coupon to win prizes worth up to Dh600,
Dubai Festival City Mall promotion
During the festival, shoppers spending Dh250 at any outlet in Dubai Festival City Mall will have the chance to win a night’s stay for four at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.
VISA Impossible Deals
From December 26 to January 28, VISA customers can take advantage of discounts using their VISA credit cards
Annual favourites:
December 29-31; January 5-7; January 12-14; January 19-21; January 26-28
Market Outside the Box
19-28 January 2017, Burj Park
Carpet and Art Oasis
December 28- January 15, Shaikh Saeed Halls 1 & 2, Dubai World Trade Centre
Roaming Artistes
Beauty and perfume themed events:
Beauty District
January 6-14, The Fashion Catwalk, The Dubai Mall
Apparel and fashion-themed events:
January 12-14, Mall of the Emirates
Fashion Express
January 12-14 – Ibn Battuta Mall; January 19-21 – Dubai Festival City Mall; January 26-28 – City Centre Deira
Street Runways
December 29- 3D Office (Dubai Future Foundation);January 5: THE BEACH; January 17: Gold Souq; January 25: CITY WALK
For more details of the festival’s events calendar, visit:
Posted by retail360uk
South African retail giants Steinhoff International and supermarket group Shoprite Holding Wednesday said they were in talks to merge their African operations to form a single company worth over $14 billion.
The companies said in a statement they had initiated talks “regarding the potential combination of their respective African retail businesses” with an objective of creating what could be regarded as “the retail champion of Africa”.
The new venture to be called Retail Africa would have annual revenues of about 200 billion rand ($14.6 billion).
The companies said the proposition of this “formidable entity” was supported by their shareholders.
Shoprite is Africa’s largest food retailer with a presence in 14 African countries, including Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, oil-producing Angola and Zambia.
It is said that the new venture would employ nearly 186,000 people and would give Steinhoff “African exposure”.
Steinhoff’s African businesses include a range of credit-based household goods and the company has vast interests in Europe.
The company recently bought UK discount chain Poundland and US retailer Mattress Firm Holding.
According to the companies, the proposed retailer is geared to become a leading discount retailer for value conscious African consumers.
They stated that Retail Africa would have “the required size and scale to compete with any other international retailer” and lead to job creation in various countries.
Posted by retail360uk
Furla has recently opened a new store in London at 71 Brompton Road. This follows the success of its standalone Regent Street store, and continues to strengthen the brand’s presence in the UK.
Located in the heart of the high-end shopping district of Knightsbridge, the new store is set across two floors, occupying 280 sq m. It houses the brand’s women’s bag and leather accessory offering, with its men’s collection on the lower ground floor alongside two areas dedicated entirely to footwear.
To mark the opening, Furla has launched a new custom version of its star Metropolis bag with a print featuring a London Bridge motif, which is exclusive to the store. Each bag is a limited-edition model, accompanied by an “Exclusive for Brompton Road London” tag.
Furla will also offer the option to match the bag with a bright blue fur pompon, adding an extra personalised touch.
Posted by retail360uk
Former investment banker, who took on role six years ago, will remain in post until his successor is found
Robert Swannell has overseen a tricky period during his time as chair of M&S. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
The chairman of Marks & Spencer is to retire next year after six years in the role.
Robert Swannell, a former investment banker, has overseen a tricky time at the high street stalwart, appointing long-term staffer Steve Rowe to take over as chief executive a year ago from former boss Marc Bolland.
Swannell, 66, who was previously an adviser to M&S helping to fend off a bid attempt by the Topshop boss, Sir Philip Green, during his 30 years in banking at Schroders and Citigroup, joined the company’s board as a non-executive in late 2010. He became chairman a few months later, taking over from Sir Stuart Rose.
His departure is another step in the changing of the guard since Bolland stepped down in the spring.
Rowe has since pulled back on some of Bolland’s key initiatives, including international expansion.
Swannell said: “A year ago we chose Steve Rowe as our chief executive. Steve completed a thorough analysis of the business and developed a detailed plan to build a simpler and more relevant M&S.
“This plan is now under way and I feel that it is the right time for the business to look for a new chairman. It is a real privilege to chair this iconic company and I will continue to do so until my successor is in place.”
M&S’s senior independent director, Vindi Banga, will now lead the process to identify and appoint the next M&S chairman.
| i don't know |
Actress Maria Schneider who died in 2011 age 58 was famous for her role in what iconic sexually explicit film? | Maria Schneider, Brando’s Lover in ‘Last Tango,’ Dies at 58 - The New York Times
The New York Times
Movies |Maria Schneider, Actress in ‘Last Tango,’ Dies at 58
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Maria Schneider , the French actress whose sex scenes with Marlon Brando in “Last Tango in Paris” set a new standard for explicitness on screen, died on Thursday in Paris. She was 58.
A spokesman for her agency, Act 1, said she had died after a long illness but provided no other details.
The baby-faced, voluptuous Ms. Schneider was only 19 when the Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci chose her for the role of the free-spirited, mysterious Jeanne in “Last Tango.” She seemed, he said in explaining the choice, “like a Lolita, but more perverse.” The part was originally intended for Dominique Sanda, who dropped out after becoming pregnant.
In the film, Jeanne enters into a brief but torrid affair with a recently widowed American businessman, played by Brando . Their erotically charged relationship, played out in an empty apartment near the Bir-Hakeim Bridge in Paris, shocked audiences on the film’s release in 1972, especially a scene in which Brando pins Ms. Schneider to the floor and, taking a stick of butter, seems to perform anal intercourse. The Motion Picture Association of America gave the film an X rating.
Photo
Ms. Schneider with Marlon Brando in “Last Tango in Paris,” (1972); its sexually explicit scenes shocked some audiences. Credit UNITED ARTISTS, via Public Theater
“Last Tango” fixed Ms. Schneider in the public mind as a symbol of the sexual revolution. She spent years trying to move beyond the role, for which she was paid $4,000, and the notoriety that came with it.
“I felt very sad because I was treated like a sex symbol,” she told The Daily Mail of London in 2007. “I wanted to be recognized as an actress, and the whole scandal and aftermath of the film turned me a little crazy and I had a breakdown. Now, though, I can look at the film and like my work in it.”
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The famous scene, she said, was not in the script and made it into the film only at Brando’s insistence. “I felt humiliated, and to be honest I felt a little raped, both by Marlon and by Bertolucci,” she said. “After the scene, Marlon didn’t console me or apologize. Thankfully, there was just one take.”
Ms. Schneider later appeared opposite Jack Nicholson in “The Passenger” (1975) , directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, playing an architecture student known simply as the Girl.
Although she went on to work with important directors like René Clément in “The Baby Sitter” (1975) and Jacques Rivette in “Merry-Go-Round” (1981), her film career declined after the mid- 1970s, in part because of a turbulent personal life that included drug abuse, at least one suicide attempt and messy affairs with both men and women.
Photo
Maria Schneider in 2003. Credit Abdelhak Senna/Agence France-Presse -- Getty Images
She walked off the set of “The Baby Sitter” (also known as “Scar Tissue” ) in Rome and checked herself into a mental hospital to be with her girlfriend at the time. In 1977 she was cast as Conchita in Luis Buñuel’s “That Obscure Object of Desire” but left the film after arguing with Buñuel. Her part was assigned to two actresses, Ángela Molina and Carole Bouquet.
Maria Schneider was born on March 27, 1952, in Paris, the illegitimate daughter of Marie-Christine Schneider, a Romanian-born model, and the prominent actor Daniel Gélin. She did not meet her father, who refused to acknowledge her, until she was in her teens. She was reared by her mother in a town near the German border and left home at 15 for Paris, where she scratched out a living as a film extra and a model.
Brigitte Bardot, who had worked with Mr. Gélin on several films, was appalled at the girl’s situation and intervened, giving her a room in her house and helping find her an agent with William Morris. Ms. Schneider played small parts in “The Christmas Tree,” with William Holden and Virna Lisi, and “The Love Mates,” with Alain Delon, before being cast in “Last Tango.”
Her more recent films included Cyril Collard’s “Savage Nights” (1992), Franco Zeffirelli’s “Jane Eyre” (1996), Bertrand Blier’s “Actors” (2000) and Josiane Balasko’s “Cliente” (2008).
“I was too young to know better,” she said of “Last Tango” in her Daily Mail interview. “Marlon later said that he felt manipulated, and he was Marlon Brando, so you can imagine how I felt. People thought I was like the girl in the movie, but that wasn’t me.”
A version of this article appears in print on February 4, 2011, on Page B17 of the New York edition with the headline: Maria Schneider, Actress in ‘Last Tango,’ Dies at 58. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe
| Last Tango in Paris |
What is the top-level internet domain suffix for the country of Turkey? | 'Last Tango in Paris' star dies - Celebrity News - Entertainment - News - Catholic Online
'Last Tango in Paris' star dies
'Last Tango in Paris' star dies
By Catholic Online
Catholic Online ( www.catholic.org )
Maria Schneider rocked audiences while still a teenager
As a curly haired, brunette nymphette, she set movie screens across the world ablaze playing opposite Marlon Brando in "Last Tango In Paris" in 1972. She would go on to play opposite Jack Nicholson in "The Passenger" in 1975, but primarily remained active as an actor in her native France. Actor Maria Schneider has died, after an lengthy, unspecified illness at the age of 58.
In "Last Tango in Paris," Maria Schneider plays Brando's young lover. While notorious for explicit sex scenes involving a major Hollywood star, "Tango" is in fact a very somber, serious film about the search for life and love set in a decaying Paris.
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Keywords: Maria Schneider , Marlon Brando , Last Tango in Paris
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - In "Last Tango in Paris," Schneider plays Brando's young lover. While notorious for explicit sex scenes involving a major Hollywood star, "Tango" is in fact a very somber, serious film about the search for life and love set in a decaying Paris. The doomed lovers spiral inexorably towards breakup and violent death.
The daughter of French actor Daniel Gelin and a Parisian bookshop owner, Schneider was 19 when she was cast in only her second screen role opposite Brando, who was 48.
Schneider found steady work in France, with more than two dozen films to her credit, averaging about a film a year before her death.
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Basrelief, cameo, restrike, and anaglyph and technical terms within what art form? | Relief | Article about relief by The Free Dictionary
Relief | Article about relief by The Free Dictionary
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/relief
Related to relief: relieve
relief,
in sculpture, three-dimensional projection from a flat background. In alto-relievo, or high relief, the protrusion is great; basso-relievo, or bas-relief, protrudes only slightly; and mezzo-relievo is intermediate between the two. Ancient Egyptians and Etruscans also used cavo relievo, intaglio intaglio
, design cut into stone or other material or etched or engraved in a metal plate, producing a concave, instead of a convex, effect. It is the reverse of a relief or cameo. The term also designates a gem so cut.
..... Click the link for more information. , or sunken relief, in which the design is incised deeper than the background. High relief, although also used in ancient times, reached its climax in the baroque period. Bas-relief is commonly employed on coins and on medals.
Relief
Carved or embossed decoration of a figure or form, raised above the background plane from which it is formed.
alto-relievo
Sculptural relief work in which the figures project more than half their thickness from the base surface.
anal glyph
An embellishment carved in low relief.
bas-reliefSculptural decoration in low relief, in which none of the figures or motifs are separated from their background, projecting less than half their true proportions from the wall or surface.
cavo-relievoRelief which does not project above the general surface upon which it is carved.
diaglyph
A relief engraved in reverse; an intaglio; a sunken relief.
glyph
A sculptured pictograph; a grooved channel, usually vertical, intended as an ornament.
high relief
Sculptural relief work in which the figures project more than half their thickness from the base.
in cavetto
The reverse of relief; differing from intaglio in that the designs are pressed into plaster or clay.
mezzo-relievo
Casting, carving, or embossing in moderate relief, intermediate between bas-relief and high relief.
stiacciato
In very low relief, as if a bas-relief had been pressed even flatter.
sunk relief
A relief in which the highest point of the forms does not project above the general surface from which it is modeled; also called cavo-relievo.
Relief
a work of sculpture on a flat surface. A relief is specifically characterized by a continuous connection with the surface, which serves as the physical base and background of the sculptural representation. The medium’s most expressive qualities are the unfolding of the composition on a flat surface, the use of a spatial perspective, the illusion of rounded three-dimensional forms, and the subtle modeling of figures. These factors make it possible to render in relief architecture, landscapes, and scenes with many figures. Reliefs can be incorporated into the composition of a wall, arch, or piece of sculpture. A relief may also be an independent work.
Reliefs are either sunken or raised. Sunk, or coelanaglyphic, relief, in which the outlines of modeled forms are incised in a plane surface, was used primarily in ancient Egyptian architecture and in ancient Greek, Roman, and Oriental glyptics. A variation of sunk relief is intaglio—the exact reverse of raised relief. Intaglio was intended as a means to achieve a miniature low relief.
Raised relief, which includes low relief and high relief, is much more common than sunk relief. It was used in the Paleolithic and, later, in Egypt, Assyria, India, and China. Raised relief was widely used to embellish Greek temples (pediments, metopes, and friezes) and Roman triumphal arches and columns. High relief also flourished during the Renaissance and in the sculpture of subsequent periods.
Relief
(geography), the irregularities on the land surface and ocean floor, differing in their configurations, dimensions, origin, age, and history of development. The relief is composed of combined forms—three-dimensional bodies that are formed in definite portions of the earth’s crust. They are bounded by two-dimensional elements or limiting surfaces such as slopes and horizontal and subhorizontal surfaces.
Relief forms may be positive (convex), such as uplands and mountains, or negative (concave), for example, basins and river valleys. They are also characterized as simple or complex (complicated by secondary irregularities). Several types of relief may be distinguished depending on the size of the forms: megarelief, which includes both global forms (for example, continental prominences and the ocean floor) and forms of a somewhat lesser order (mountain systems, plains regions); macrorelief (mountain ranges, intermontane basins, uplands, and lowlands); mesorelief (canyons, submarine canyons, hills); micro-relief (karst sinks, steppe depressions); and nanorelief (minute sinks, mole and marmot hills, termite mounds). This division of relief is arbitrary because no precise quantitative boundaries between these categories have been established.
External, or morphographic, relief features characterize the shape of slopes and their combinations, the length and orientation of the most important orographic units, and quantitative characteristics of the relief. Such external features cannot always serve as a reliable basis for a comprehensive description of the relief because forms with identical external characteristics often have a different origin and develop differently. In mor-phogenetic analysis a distinction should be made between endogenous relief-forming factors, caused by the internal forces of the earth (primarily tectonic movements and volcanic activity), and exogenous factors, related to the radiant energy of the sun (flowing water, glaciers, wind, wave action on the shores of seas and lakes, differential weathering). Gravitational processes (landslides, rock falls) occur under the direct influence of the force of gravity on the earth’s surface. Human activity also plays a significant part in shaping the relief.
As a component of the geographic environment and a cause of major changes in many climatic features, in the nature and distribution of surface subterranean waters, and in the soil and vegetation, the relief determines the conditions of its further development.
Endogenous and exogenous processes act on the earth’s surface simultaneously, but with varying intensity over time and space. Where endogenous processes play the leading role, major (structural) relief forms usually develop both on dry land and on the sea floor.
The formation of the largest (global) forms is also related to cosmic forces, such as the rotation of the earth and solar-lunar attraction. Exogenous processes usually mold the smaller (sculptural) forms, which are irregularities of larger forms. Depending on the prevalence of a particular exogenous factor, relief forms are classified as fluvial forms, which owe their appearance to the action of rivers and ephemeral streams; glacial forms, caused by the activity of modern and ancient glaciers; permafrost, or cryogenic forms; and arid forms, created chiefly by physical weathering and wind action.
Regions of tectonic uplift and subsidence are influenced in morphologically opposite directions by external processes: the uplifted and rising segments of the earth’s crust disintegrate and are subjected to erosive denudation, whereas the subsiding sectors are filled with the products of disintegration and ablation, becoming accumulation areas.
According to W. Penck, the predominance of tectonic uplifts over the combined action of external forces results in an accelerating development of relief, characterized by an increase in absolute and relative elevations, in the depth of dissection, and in the steepness of slopes. River erosion and denudation processes are vigorous in areas of accelerating relief development. An example of such relief development is alpine type of relief characteristic of young mountain regions such as the Alps and the Himalayas.
A preponderance of destructive exogenous factors leads to the disintegration of positive relief elements, to declining development: a decrease in absolute and relative elevations, the appearance of concave slope forms, and a slackening of erosion and denudation processes. In mountain lands, declining development corresponds to mid-elevation relief, exemplified by the Urals and Appalachians. As they become lower, mid-elevation mountains are transformed into low-elevation relief, for example, certain sections of the Kazakh Melkosopochnik. Peneplains are formed in the final stage of the declining development of relief.
If tectonic subsidence occurs, depending on the intensity of the action of external forces, the depressions in the relief will either increase in size or level out through the accumulation of loose material carried from outside.
With the passage of geological time the correlation between the relief-forming factors in each segment of the earth’s surface changes often, leaving its mark on the relief. Contemporary land relief includes elements of different ages with traces of both accelerating and declining development. Therefore, for a better understanding of relief, it is customary to consider it in its paleogeographic aspect. Stratification of relief is an index of the alternation of accelerating and declining relief development in mountains over time, and its study helps clarify the history of development of the mountain country as a whole.
The combination of exogenous factors and the relative role of a particular exogenous factor in relief formation depend on climate. For this reason, the distribution on earth of relief forms created primarily by exogenous processes follows the law of geographic zonality. Within plains areas, there are clearly discernible morphoclimatic zones corresponding to the territorial differentiation of present-day exogenous processes.
In mountain country, owing to climatic differences caused by elevation, vertical morphological zonality is observed. Changes in climate, geographical zonality, and vertical zonality that occurred in the geological past are reflected in present-day relief because it preserves its features for some time under changed conditions. In the contemporary landscape, therefore, relict relief not typical of modern morphoclimatic conditions may be observed in places. The glacial relief forms on the East European Plain, for example, are a relict of Pleistocene glaciation. By identifying relict forms it is possible to predict the direction of the further development of relief.
Complexes of elementary forms that are similar in external appearance and origin and that recur regularly over a certain area are called genetic relief types. Their territorial isolation may be related to geological structure (for example, step-like relief), the predominant influence of some external relief-forming factor (glacial, water erosion, and eolian relief), or the preponderant influence of tectonic factors (primary tectonic relief).
One of the more complex current problems is the creation of a genetic classification of relief. Such a classification is necessary not only for theoretical generalization but also for geomor-phological mapping. The most widely used classification in the USSR is based on the identification of major genetic relief categories resulting from the predominant influence of endogenous or exogenous relief-forming processes.
Relief forms created primarily by endogenous processes are classified as morphostructures. Morphostructures clearly reflect the geological structures of the earth’s crust. Thus, platform geological structures with horizontal bedding correspond chiefly to plains areas, and folded structures are associated with mountain country. Smaller relief forms of predominantly exogenous origin, such as river valleys, canyons, barchans, and moraine ridges, are identified as morphosculptures.
The genesis of relief is studied in geomorphology. The results of studying relief are used in solving many problems relating to land improvement, engineering and technical investigation, and prospecting for useful minerals.
REFERENCES
| Sculpture |
The Middle Eastern dish falafel or felafel usually contains onions, parsley, coriander and what main ingredient? | Issue 181 by East Cork Journal - issuu
issuu
FOILED Issue No. 181
Conna man
THiS Week’S SPeCial offerS Gardaí interrupt raid on Value PaCk Tesco clothes bin in Youghal all for €20
TWO men are helping Youghal Gardaí with their investigation into a foiled raid on the clothes bins in Tesco Youghal’s recycling facility, in the early hours of Sunday, March 6th, writes Christy Parker. The Gardaí arrived following reports of a noisy disturbance at the location at about 3am. They discovered a D-reg 04 van parked at Gallagher’s Mews - which is divided by a wire fence from the dozen recycling bins in Tesco car park. A Garda spokesman says three males were engaged in 'throwing clothing across the wire into the waiting van.' One of the bins had sustained
PADDY
considerable damage. Residents say one of the individuals was 'quite small,' raising the possibility of a child having been used to gain access to the bins’ interiors. The Garda patrol car subsequently failed to start, and the gang escaped on foot. The van was taken away for forensic investigation. Some hours later, two Eastern European men presented themselves at Youghal Garda Station, claiming their van had been stolen overnight. 'It is safe to say they quickly became suspects, and are now helping us with our inquiries,' says the Garda spokesman.
MIDLETON WEEK 2
GOD bless East Cork's little leprechaun. Poor Paddy has certainly been a busy boy in the last week.
Spotted fishing in one of Lakeview Roundabout's potholes (which has subsequently been filled in) and even finding time for a round of golf on one of MiSo, keep your requests coming to Poor Paddy via dleton's worst roads. Facebook, but please stop asking who he is. 'I'm Paddy is now more popular than ever - with 1,274 Poor Paddy, your friendly, local, pothole fixing friends on Facebook - and most of them have re- leprechaun,' he tells one fan. quests for him to take care of (this week) 'recordAnd that's enough for now. breaking' potholes near Bawnard Cross; pedestrian crossing button at the lights at Avoncore; broken The East Cork Journal will be talking EXCLUtraffic lights on the Youghal Road; more potholes in SIVELY to Poor Paddy in NEXT week's edition Saleen ('impassible' [sic]) and even more potholes - - about potholes, pots of gold and Poor Paddy's this time in Cobh. pending plans - just in time for Paddy's Day.
)
1.5lbs mince beef, 4 chicken fillets, 4 pork chops, 6 steak burgers, pack of meatballs
mill road, midleTon
WATCH
NEW SPRING MENU for Sunday Lunch
from €22 per person Spacious grounds for children to roam and enjoy watching our grazing donkeys, geese and goats For Reservations phone 021 4652534 or email:[email protected]
in court after attempt to headbutt Garda
LAST Thursday, Judge Michael Pattwell sentenced Brendan Gallagher to 14 days imprisonment and handed out a €250 fine, following charges under Section 4 and 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act. Mr. Gallagher from Conna Village was removed by security from the Midleton Park Hotel on January 3rd, 2011 after exhibiting severe signs of intoxication.
The Gardaí were called to the scene, where Mr. Gallagher became abusive, refusing to give his details and attempting to headbutt one of the Gardaí. The 31 year old was taken to Midleton Garda Station, as his threatening behaviour continued.
Judge Patwell fined Mr. Gallagher €250 under Section 4 of the Act, with 100 days to pay or 3 days in default, as well as 14 days imprisonment under Section 6. The sentence was suspended under the proviso that Mr. Gallagher keep the peace for a period of 2 years. Finally, Mr. Gallagher was also told to pay witness expenses amounting to €280 which were settled. - BG
HurleY’S SuPerValu
€5,000 GiVeaWaY Congratulations to last week’s €100 voucher winners nicola mcPherson, midleton deirdre Walsh, Carrigtwohill Theresa o'driscoll, Ballycotton Sheila o'regan, ladysbridge deirdre mcdonnell, Carrigtwohill
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$+# $ ' $ ( % $ %$ ' (( % $ " % !" & $ & % #% $ $ # ' ' ! ( %$ ( %" $# Book an assessment consultation in & %" # ( % March 2011 for only Normally €50 " $ ( %" #" ' $ $ " ' %#
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DAVID STANTON TD
CONSTITUENCY OFFICE:
29 St Mary’s Road, Midleton OPEN: 10AM - 1PM, 2PM - 4.30PM (MONDAY-FRIDAY) for advice or assistance Tel: 021 4632867, Fax: 021 4621133
Email: [email protected]
Please visit my website www.stanton.ie
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Couple involved in car accident outside Grange would like to thank those who came to their aid A letter from two grateful and thankful Midletonians...
ON Saturday, February 26th, our silver Passat was involved in an accident just outside Grange, Co. Waterford at about 6pm. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who stopped to help, as we were overwhelmed by the generosity and selflessness of everyone. Unfortunately, we were unable to get details of these wonderful people, and we would especially like to thank the lady who administered First Aid, and the two ladies and a young girl in a car that looked after our two small children for over an hour.
Argy-bhaji? Bollywood speciality food night at the Garryvoe Hotel
Model Divya Veluvolu and Abdul Kaium, Chef at the Garryvoe Hotel, prepare for the Bollywood Speciality Food Night, where guests will be served a four course feast of Indian delights & drinks and experience traditional Bollywood dance. (Photo: Miki Barlok)
SPICE up your spring and take a trip to the Garryvoe Hotel, situated overlooking the picturesque Ballycotton Bay in East Cork, on Saturday, March 26th, for a Bollywood Speciality Food Night.
Start with cocktails on arrival followed by a four course meal full of Indian delights from
Samosas to Onion Bhajis, Balti Rice to Naan Breads and sumptuous curries.
A selection of beers and Indian traditional drinks will be paired with each course to bring out true oriental flavours and authentic Bollywood dancers in bright traditional dress will be on hand to teach guests Bollywood dance
6 Connolly Street,
MIDLETON 021 4634669
We would also like to thank the Dungarvan Gardaí and ambulance personnel who attended the scene, and our neighbour who brought our children home and collected us when we were discharged from the hospital.
* * * * * * * *
We are forever in your debt.
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3
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Youghal man fined €3,000 for drink driving LAST WEEK, Sean Hurley, Park, Youghal, was fined €3,000 after being convicted for drink driving at Midleton District Court.
The 45 year old was seen by Gardaí at 1.45am on August 17th, 2010 driving a car through Mount Uniacke village.
Stopped by Sgt. Lomasney, a roadside breath test was performed, with a positive result. Mr. Hurley was arrested and conveyed to Midleton Garda Station where, during a breath specimen test, he coughed up phlegm. The test was stopped and a designated doctor called to the site. Subsequently, a blood specimen was taken, with Mr. Hurley's results showing 192mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood - more than twice the legal limit (and resulting in a three year driving disqualification). Judge Michael Pattwell convicted Mr. Hurley and fined him €3,000, as well as €95 Medical Bureau costs. Mr. Hurley was given 100 days to 'cough up' the amount or receive 31 days in default.
Midleton man detained at St. Patrick's Hospital A 19 YEAR OLD man from Bailick Court, Midleton has been detained at St. Patrick's Hospital, following breaches of Section 4 & 6 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act.
Craig Nicholls was seen by Gardaí on New Year's Day, 2011 causing a disturbance on Midleton's Connolly Street, following a dispute: shouting, roaring and - finally - headbutting the windows of the street's shops. Mr. Nicholls was assessed as being a danger to himself and others and was therefore taken to Midleton Garda Station. Mr. Nicholls appeared before Judge Michael Pattwell at Midleton District Court last Thursday. His detention commenced on February 24th, 2011 and will last for a period of 2 months. - BG
East Cork Parents & Friends of the Mentally Handicapped Annual Summer School
REgiStRAtion MEEtingS FoR HElPERS
7pm: March 30th (previous helpers) & 7pm: April 5th (new helpers)
2011 is the 21st year of the East Cork Parents & Friends of the Mentally Handicapped Annual Summer School, held at St. Colman’s Community College, Midleton, which welcomes children and helpers from across East Cork each summer.
The camp will run from July 12th to August 24th this year, with two separate registration meetings taking place at St. Colman’s Community College for students interested in being helpers at the camp.
For helpers who have previously participated in the Summer School, the registration night takes place on Wednesday, March 30th at 7pm. For NEW helpers (2nd year upwards), a different registration night will take place on Tuesday, April 5th at 7pm.
All helpers must register in person.
Anyone failing to do this will not be allowed partake in the Summer School.
For further information, please contact Margaret Trundle on 086 0422078.
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4
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Newly reformed, Midleton Tidy Towns hopes to clean up in 2011 Hurley's SuperValu and Deputy David Stanton lend their support
THE newly reformed Midleton Tidy Towns Committee hopes to 'clean up' in 2011 and, with Hurley's SuperValu, Deputy David Stanton TD, Midleton & Area Chamber, local businesspeople and a newly established committee on board, they're off to a great start. Last Saturday Nick Becker, Secretary, his wife Rosie, Treasurer and other committee members paid a visit to Hurley's SuperValu, Midleton where Tommy Grimes, Manager, presented them with high vis vests, litter pickers and a generous cheque to help Midleton Tidy Towns Committee achieve their goal of ensuring that Midleton becomes litter-free. 'We, at Hurley's SuperValu are delighted to be involved with Midleton Tidy Towns,' Tommy Grimes enthuses, 'if everyone chips in and helps out, there's no reason why Midleton can't achieve its goal of becoming litter-free.' Yasmin Hyde, Ballymaloe Country Relish, who actively participates in local litter-pick-ups once a month around her home, is delighted to see Midleton Tidy Towns back on track, noting that a couple of hours once a month can make all the difference. Killian O'Sullivan, Midleton & Area Chamber, meanwhile, pledged his support in getting the businesspeople of Midleton behind the Tidy Towns. Nick Becker, Secretary, Midleton Tidy Towns Committee has been delighted with the response garnered so far. 'For a long time,' Nick tells the East Cork Journal, 'the Tidy Towns in Midleton rested on the shoulders of one man - Billy Buckley [the Town Foreman and, previously, Mayor of Midleton] we're here to resurrect the Tidy Towns in Midleton and, with the help of the public, the schools and the business community, we're determined to succeed!' These sentiments were echoed by the newly re-elected Deputy David Stanton TD, who wished the com-
Niall Griffin, Hurley's SuperValu, Nick Becker, Treasurer, Midleton Tidy Towns Committee, Yasmin Hyde, Ballymaloe Country Relish, Deputy David Stanton TD, Jim Ronayne, Midleton & Area Chamber, Killian O'Sullivan, President, Midleton & Area Chamber, Grace Hamilton, Fairtrade and Tommy Grimes, Manager, Hurley's SuperValu with, front, Timmy and Merrily with Patrick Treacy and Lily Zeigler - all eager to start the clean-up!
mittee every success and was keen to hear all of their suggestions and queries. But how do YOU get involved?
ABOVE: Tommy Grimes presents Nick Becker, Midleton Tidy Towns with a cheque from Hurley’s SuperValu for sponsorship of the new initiative, alongside Deputy David Stanton TD ABOVE RIGHT: Timmy & Lily know you’re never to young to pick up after yourselves!
Midleton Tidy Towns are planning several clean-ups in the area over the coming weeks, with the first scheduled for Saturday, April 2nd, meeting at 9.30am at Hurley's SuperValu car park, Midleton. So, if you want to get involved in making Midleton the tidiest town it could possibly be - what are you waiting for? Get out in the fresh air, make some new friends and let Midleton be litter-free! More information can be received from Nick Becker on 087 1319220 or by emailing him at [email protected]
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
CLOYNE HARRIERS
THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 13TH FIRST RACE: 1.30PM
POINT TO POINT RACES CLOYNE Harriers hold their annual Point to Point meeting on Sunday next, March 13th, which will start a fantastic week for racing fans who will be engrossed in Cheltenham. The fact that the event takes place on the Sunday prior to St. Patrick's Day will only add to the occasion.
This meeting is a great family day out and a fine crowd is assured in this hotbed of racing. There is a quality card which adds to the enjoyment for the spectators. The hardworking committee, under the chairmanship of JJ Harty, has left no stone unturned to ensure that everything will be in apple pie order for the occasion. After wonderful weather conditions last year, it is all systems go again this year and thankfully enthusiasm for the sport has grown, with good crowds attending all the meetings in the area. Cloyne Harrier Club was founded in 1906 and the same hunting horn that was used by Huntsman, John Roche seventy years ago is still in use today. In the early days Bertie Walshe and Michael Condon hunted the hounds. Prominent members of the harriers were Colonel Scapoll, CP Creed and others whose names you may read in the Cloyne Point to Point Programme last held in 1923 at the Castle Hill. Point to Points were run since the turn of the century at Castlemary and Meelshane, where a field called the Race Field still exists. Notable runners in 1923 were Careful Girl owned by W Collins of Sheanlis, Home Chat owned by the famous Dungourney Sportsman, Jamesy Kelleher, Jens Harp owned by David Lawton, and Kilbree owned by DJ Murphy of Cloyne. During the 1940's, Cloyne Harriers were augmented by many young chasers from the Charlie Creed yard ridden by Jerry Wade, Jerry O'Keeffe, Jim Motherway, Paddy Connors and Liam Dorgan. Sean Peel won the Irish Grand National in 1939 with Jerry Wade in the saddle. Birth Gift ran in the Aintree Grand National. The Boy in Blue won the Conygham Cup and Punchestown in 1936.
We are delighted that in 2010 James Motherway proudly carries on the tradition of producing and training top class horses, with Blue Sea Cracker winning the Irish Grand National last year We wish James and his owners every success in the future.
The club declined in the late forties but Michael Condon and Jimmy Motherway RIP, kept the hounds together, and laid the foundation of the modern thriving club. Today the hounds are kennelled at Barrakilla courtesy of Mr. Michael McCarthy. Cloyne Harriers always keep a good relationship with land owners, for whom the club has the greatest respect, and without whom the club cannot operate. The idea of a Point to Point was mooted
Point to Point
The Cloyne Point to Point committee members with some of their race sponsors at Aunty Biddy’s last weekend
Esther Dinneen, Cloyne Point to Point accepts a cheque from Eoin O’Gorman representing Aunty Biddy’s
Esther Dinneen, Cloyne Point to Point accepts a cheque from Brid Hurley of East Cork Oil
Deirdre and John O’Brien of O’Brien's Skip Hire present a cheque to JJ Harty, Cloyne Point to Point Chairman
in the early 1980's when the club became registered with the Irish Master of Harriers Assocation. In the mid 1980's Dr. O'Driscoll was appointed Parish Priest of Cloyne. He lit the match to make the idea a possibility and, together with Chairman JJ Harty and his committee, fanned the flame to make the idea the reality it is today. In 1990, they procured the course with its excellent stand which runs into the village of Cloyne. The club are indebted to the land owners John Murphy, Desmond Furney, Neville Furney and John Morrissey for their fund of goodwill to the whole venture. However, it was not until November 1992 that a date was finally procured from the Turf Club to run a Point to Point on March 17th, 1993.
The course itself is a level, good galloping course with an excellent stand for crowds. The course is left handed. There is easy access, as it is on the main Midleton-Ballycotton road, and three car parks adjacent to the course are available for cars.
Level Course
President: L Dorgan * Vice Presidents: John Goold & Fr. Herlihy * Clerk of Course: Michael Dinneen * Asst. Clerk of Course: Pat O’Sullivan * Judge: Edmond Harty * Asst. Judge: Tim Brosnan * Clerk of Scales: Michael Ahern * Asst. Clerk of Scales: Declan Hennessy
Officers
Sean Hennessy of Ballycotton Transport presents a cheque to JJ Harty, Cloyne Point to Point Chairman
* Fence Stewards: S Ahern, John Crowley, John McCarthy, Ed Rice, Patrick Crowley, John Rice, P Scannell, T Clancy, R Harty and L Lane. Acting Stewards: David Motherway, John Hyde, Michael McCarthy, John OFarrell, William Kearney, R Rohan and J Rohan. Safety Officers: E Rice, Brid Hurley. Chairman: J J Harty * Vice Chairman: John Hyde, Hon Sec: Brendan McCarthy * Hon. Treasurer: Esther Dinneen * Declaration: Margaret Harty, Ann Abernethy, G Hyde. Hospitality: Denise O'Neill, Jackie Cook, Mary Rice, Alice Kearney, Claire Bailey and M Scanlon.
General Committee: D Furney, J Morrissey, C Falvey, J Hurley, D Cowhig, Jnr McCarthy, Moss Griffin, Eugene Rice, D Beausang, R Lane, T Clancy, R Harty, S Ahern, J Crowley, T Brosnan, P Walsh, P Schwartau, J McCarthy, M Dinneen, M Kennedy, J Dinneen, M McCarthy, G Rouge, M Cullinane, A Crowley, L Lane, T Dinneen, J Long, C Craig, P Crowley, J Ryan, S Fitzgerald, M Hennessy, M Smiddy, E Harty, N Brosnan, T Brosnan M Crowley, E Walsh, P Dinneen, M Harty, L Lane, J Twohig, D Schwartau, M Tatten, P O'Neill, A McCarthy, B Harty, T Twohig, M Shalloe, C Shalloe, D Hennessy, J McCarthy, M McCarthy, Patrick Scannell, S Cook, M Garde, C Barry, P O'Connor, J Donovan, W Kearney, D O'Neill, J Kenefick, J Motherway ,W Kearney Jnr., Ollie Steel, T Horgan, J Scanlon, C Shult, J Rice, Ed Rice, J Walsh and P Walsh. Ladies: Esther Dinneen, Mary Rice, Jackie Cook, Clare Bailey, Alice Kearney, Margaret Harty, Denise O'Neill, Brid Hurley, Sheila Ryan, Marie Hennessy, Helen O'Neill, Miriam Griffin, Paula Walsh, Ann Abernethy, Sinead Fitzgerald, Sinead Crowley Marie Smiddy, Jennifer Horgan, Maura Scanlon, Megan Harty, Lucy Lawton and V O'Farrell. We wish to thank our landowners and sponsors for their generosity, without whose support these races would not be possible. We appeal to you for your continued support of our sponsors.
POINT TO POINT Race Programme FIRST RACE Aunty Biddie's / Gate Childcare Centre & McCarthy Commercials Volvo Trucks
4-Y-0 Maiden SECOND RACE East Cork Oil
Confined Hunts Maiden THIRD RACE Smart Insurance Claim
Winners of One FOURTH RACE Garryvoe Hotel & O'Brien's Skip Hire
Open Lightweight Race (Mares Only) FIFTH RACE Ballycotton Transport & Dairygold Pegus 5-Y-0 & Geldings Maiden SIXTH RACE Ballymaloe House & Gain Horse Feeds
Mares Maiden
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6
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Bitesize News
Compiled by Kathleen Woulfe
Midleton & District Active Retirement Association calendar of events
Friday, March 11th: Whist at the Edmond Rice Centre at 2.30pm. Monday, March 14th: Tai Chi Exercises at the Community Forum, Youghal Road from 10.30am to 11.30am & 11.30am to 12.30pm. Indoor Bowling at the GAA Pavilion 2pm to 4pm. All welcome. Nothing required, except flat soled shoes. Tuesday, March 15th : 45 Drive at the Edmond Rice Centre at 2.30pm. Wednesday, March 16th: Swimming available at the Midleton Park Hotel Leisure Centre & Spa, from 11.30am to 12.30pm.
Midleton GAA Pavilion dancing diary
Saturday, March 12th: Sam Doherty. Thursday, March 17th: St. Patrick’s Night, Richie Halpin. Saturday, March 19th: Checkers. Saturday, March 26th: Eoin Condon. Manager Pat Wafer and his wife Anne, asks for your support for an ideal night for all dance lovers.
East Cork PTAA Dinner
The East Cork Pioneer Mass and Dinner will take place on Tuesday, March 22nd. Mass will take place in Midlleton Community Hospital Chapel, at 7.30pm, followed by dinner at the Midleton Park Hotel, with music by Ed and John. Tickets on sale for €25 are available from Michael McNerney, 7 The Crescent, Cork Road, Midleton on 021 4631036, Pa Coakley, Midleton Church Grounds or the Sacristy at the Holy Rosary Church, Midleton.
WIN ALL OF THIS: 2 Sirloin Steaks 6 Steak Burgers 3 Chicken Fillets 3 Pork Chops llb. Mince Beef
AND Pepper Cream Sauce
Midleton Hillwalking Club
The above are holding an Open Evening on Friday, March 11th, at the Midleton Park Hotel at 8pm. Details on the club’s history, club walks, equipment and social events will be available. The club provides three grades of walks, from mountain//hill walks to trail walks and low-level walks. All welcome. Check out their club website at www.midletonhillwalkers.com
Midleton Lions Club Fashion Show
Midleton Lions Club are holding their Annual Fashion Show at the Midleton Park Hotel, on Wednesday, March 23rd. Tickets €15 including reception with proceeds going to Midleton Mental Health Association and other charities. Buy your tickets now!
Bon voyage
Bon voyage wishes to Mairéad and Paudie Foley as they depart their hometown in the early hours of tomorrow morning to take up residency in Perth, Australia. Our wish for them is that all their hopes and aspirations for the future are realised.
Baby boy
Heartiest congratulations to Sinéad and Clive Horgan, Rosary Place, Midleton, on the birth of their baby son Conor.
Also congratulations and best wishes to Desirée and Michael Bailey, Rostellan, on the birth of their baby son Hugo, a brother for Oliver.
Congratulations to St. Brigid’s National School - who were representing Midleton Hurling Club - on winning the East Cork Scór na Paistí Final recently and best wishes to this talented group for further success in the future.
Féis Maitiú 2011
Congratulations to Deborah Desmond on her recent outstanding success at Féis Maitiú 2011. Last year Deborah received her Diploma in Musical Theatre and her daughter Kate is also excelling on the stage in Scór and many other competitions.
The Parade Committee inform us that the annual parade in honour of our Patron Saint on March 17th promises to be even better than last year, which was memorable, but only if the various organisations, floats etc. support the event. Details from Seamus Cunningham on 086 8051123 as soon as possible.
NEW SPECIALS TEXT MESSAGE SERVICE IN STORE MILL ROAD, MIDLETON
021 4613542 www.crowleyscraftbutchers.com
TEXT YOUR ANSWER TO 086 8073862 WHAT MEAT IS USED IN COTTAGE PIE?
A table quiz will be held in aid of the above at O’Neill’s Bar, Mill Road, Midleton, on Thursday, March 24th, at 8.30pm. All welcome. There will be excellent spot prizes on the night.
Midleton Male Voice Choir Annual Concert
Midleton Male Voice Choir will hold their annual concert on Thursday, March 24th, at the Midleton Park Hotel. Tickets €10 are available from choir members - and are in much demand.
Cork East Male Voice Choir and the Midleton Concert Band
The above are to host a summer evening concert at the Grain Store, Ballymaloe, on Friday, May 6th, which promises to be a very enjoyable evening at this splendid venue. The Concert Band celebrate their 60th anniversary this year, so further details on this programme will feature later. The choir are also performing at the Parish Mission at the Holy Rosary Church, Midleton, and at an Inter-Choral Concert in West Waterford this month, followed by an event at the Mall Centre, Youghal and finishing their season as guests of the Cobh Town Chamber with the Liner Launch Festival.
St. Brigid’s National School, Daffodil Day in Midleton Scór na Paistí
St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Midleton
CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST WEEK’S WINNER: Marian Broderick, Willowbank, Midleton (A:21)
Midleton Community Hospital table quiz
Diabetes Federation Ireland table quiz
The above held their annual table quiz at O’Neill’s Bar, Mill Road, Midleton and it was a tremendous success. Denis Fitzgerald wishes to thank John, Anne, Jim, Steve and Pauline as well as all the sponsors and the Rossiter and O’Neill families for their dedicated help. After a great contest, congratulations were extended to the winners - Ronan, Alan, Ken and John - especially for their kind gesture at the end of the night. Thanks to all the supporters and to those who took part in teams.
Hope to see you all again on Thursday, March 24th. Everyone welcome.
The above on behalf of the Irish Cancer Society will be held on Friday, March 25th. If you wish to help out in any way, please contact Rose Finn on 021 4883029 or Kathleen Woulfe 021 4631011.
Message of thanks from Cllr. Mary Woods
Mary wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the many kind people who were so supportive to her after her unfortunate accident. Thanks to those who sent get well cards, Mass bouquets, floral arrangements and made telephone calls. Thanks to those who visited her in hospital, called to her at home and for all the constant enquiries regarding her well-being. Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated and as it would be impossible to thank everyone individually, Mass will be offered for your intentions. Renewed thanks to all
Happy Birthday!
Birthday wishes to Gary O’Sullivan, from your family and friends. Happy 9th birthday to Holly. Love from Mam, Dad, Ben and Summer.
Belated, but very special, birthday greetings to my friend Josie Buckley. Hope she understands that the elections took hold, excluding important occasions. Apologies Josie. Regards Kathleen.
Happy birthday to Sharon O’Sullivan, John Joe O’Keeffe, Bob Troy, Pat McCarthy, Jim Hickey and Liz Warne who will have a double celebration as she and husband Billy are celebrating their wedding anniversary on the same day. K.W.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Get free sports and ICT gear courtesy of
Tesco Midleton!
LAST year, 31,000 pieces of equipment was handed out, worth more than €750,000!
Tesco for Schools and Clubs 2011 launched last week, and the programme is bigger and better than ever, with brand new equipment in the catalogue, a great new Facebook page and an amazing staff competition! As always, you get one Tesco for Schools and Clubs voucher for every €10 applicable spent in store, and the offer runs until Sunday, May 8th. Simply collect your vouchers at the checkout and choose which school or club you would like to donate them to.
Nigel Troy, Store Manager, Tesco Midleton tells the East Cork Journal that, Tesco for Schools and Clubs enables the public to obtain a range of sports and ICT equipment in return for vouchers collected by customers when they spend a certain amount in all Tesco stores,Tesco petrol stations and on grocery on-line shopping. It’s a great way to get sports and ICT equipment for your school or club and, last year alone, we gave away over 31,000 pieces of equipment - more than €750,000’s worth!’
Schools and registered sports clubs will receive a Tesco for schools and clubs pack which includes a copy of the catalogue from which the can order a range of equipment. The catalogue and other information can also be viewed on http://www.tesco.ie/schoolsandclubs Andrew McVea, Regional Shopping Centre Manager, Tesco and Nigel Troy, Store Manager, Tesco Midleton get ready to give away €1,000s For queries, please contact 1800 709 505. in sports and ICT vouchers, courtesy of Tesco Ireland
For all your home heating requirements
Castleredmond man in breach of Criminal Law Act - twice
JASON Butler, Castleredmond, Midleton was fined €400 at Midleton District Court last week, following his conviction under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. The 20 year old was arrested by Gardaí at Market Green Shopping Centre on February 17th of this year, when he had been noted by security as being intoxicated in the centre’s car park.
Gardaí arriving at the scene identified Mr. Butler, who was stumbling around and highly intoxicated, and judging him to be a danger to himself and others, conveyed him to Midleton Garda Station. On Thursday last, Judge Michael Pattwell fined Mr. Butler €400 for this offence, giving him 100 days to pay or 4 days in default.
Mr. Butler was also up in court for a second offence which occurred on February 26th, 2011.
Garda Corkery and Garda Crockett were on patrol on the Mill Road, when Mr. Butler ran out in front of their squad car and proceeded to walk in the middle of the road. Once again, Mr. Butler was deemed as extremely intoxicated and had difficulty standing unaided. He was arrested in breach of Section 4 of the Criminal Law Act, and judged a danger to himself and others.
For this, Judge Pattwell assigned the same fines and penalties as for his previous offence. - BG
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8
The Economic Review
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
8Mb broadband soon for remote areas? A WIRELESS broadband provider has dangled the prospect of high speed connections in front of out-of town users.
email: news@ eastcorkjournal.ie
RABOBANK has given a strong hint that it will leave the Irish market in the next few years.
The lender says that it will ‘serve out’ the problems at its Irish bank ACC for the next three to five years.
And during that period, it says, it will have to keep provisions at a higher level. Its chairman, Piet Moerland, has said that it could take four to five years for the Irish economy to recover. He added, ‘We want to wait it out and try to recover as much as we can’. Mr. Moerland also joked that he would sell it if he could, saying that if anyone knew of a buyer for ACC, ‘they should let him know.’ ACCBank has suffered huge losses as a result of the property crash here. Mr. Moerland was announcing a 26% rise in Rabobank’s profits to €2.77bn in 2010 after a drop in bad loans and a cost-cutting spree. Figures for ACCBank’s performance last year will be issued over the coming weeks, including details of bad loans. In 2009, ACCBank made a €394m loss, a rise of €152m on the previous year. It has been involved in a series of high-profile court actions to recover debts. Rabobank’s chief financial officer Bert Bruggink said the bank had set aside a further €375m to cover bad loans at ACC. This brings to €1.4bn the total provisions Rabobank has taken against loans of just over €4 bn in the Irish bank. Mr. Bruggink said the bank was not optimistic about Ireland’s economic prospects and the high level of bad debt provisions reflects Rabobank’s cautious approach. Government policies and budgetary cuts were affecting sectors in Ireland beyond property, he said.
The compamy specialises in broadband supply for rural and semi-urban users.
It says it will supply the high speed connection speeds as a result of a new investment it has just made.
Ripplecom, which claims to be Ireland’s largest wireless internet service provider by geographic coverage, says it has upgraded its core network to deliver a 10G level.
Rabobank ESB set may quit Ireland in 3-5 years
High speed broadband of up to 8Mb is on the way in even the most remote areas of the country, according to the specialist company Ripplecom.
to slash electricity prices?
A FREE-for-all in electricity prices is set to begin next month, following the announcement of the full deregulation of the market.
The decision by the regulator CER means that that the ESB, trading under a new name, will be able set its own prices for domestic customers.
It is expected to launch new lower price tariffs to compete with suppliers such as Airtricity and Bord Gais, who have been selling electricity at prices well below those of the ESB.
CER has stated, ‘This price deregulation decision will enable Electric Ireland, which is the new name for ESB supply activities, to set its own electricity prices for domestic customers from April 4th of this year, without prior CER approval. It follows a similar decision by CER to deregulate prices for business customers from last October.’
Until now, the ESB has not been allowed to set its own prices for domestic customers. Because it was seen as the dominant supplier in the market, its prices were fixed by the regulator. However, with large numbers of people having switched to other suppliers, it is no longer regarded as the dominant supplier, allowing the market to be fully freed.
Electricity Ireland is expected to not only reduce domestic electricity prices, but to offer low cost gas supplies as well, thus replicating what Bord Gais has already been doing.
This, it says, will allow it to provide up to 8Mb broadband and voice services nationally.
‘This gives us the ability to compete with the next generation broadband speeds of the main players in the Irish marketplace,’ says the company’s Diarmuid O’Briain.
‘More importantly, it delivers this capability right out to semi-urban and rural areas also, thus allowing residential customers and businesses all over Ireland to take advantage of high speed broadband regardless of their location. It means we have a platform that can allow more advanced services to be delivered in even the most remote locations.’
Facebook
valued at $65bn in new deal
INVESTMENT firm General Atlantic is investing in Facebook, valuing the leading social network at $65bn, representing a 30% boost from its last big investment in January, according to a report on CNBC.
General Atlantic is purchasing a block of roughly 2.5m Facebook shares from former Facebook employees, giving the firm a 0.1 % stake in the company, CNBC said.
The deal - which has not closed and requires approval from Facebook - would give General Atlantic a 0.1% stake in Facebook, according to the report. General Atlantic declined to comment on the reports. Facebook did not immediately return requests for comment.
In January, Facebook said it had raised $1.5bn from investors including Goldman Sachs and Digital Sky Technologies, as well as through a private offering to overseas investors conducted by Goldman Sachs, at a valuation of roughly $50bn.
Facebook is the world’s No.1 Internet social network with more than 500 million users.
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9
Wednesday, March 9th. 2011 - The East Cork Journal
The Ecclesiastical Review
Getting back to our roots with St. Patrick
THE phrase ‘truth is stranger than fiction’ is certainly the case when the story of St. Patrick is examined. Like any good historian will tell you, to be sure of past events being true, sources of information close in time to the actual event are best.
The problem with St. Patrick’s story is that we only have two good sources of information. We are all familiar with the accounts of the snakes hissing off, a shamrock being used to explain the Trinity and more, but can we really be certain that St. Patrick actually did these things? Perhaps, in these hard days of hard questions about our country it is time to ask some hard questions about our Patron Saint as well. In order to get an accurate account of St. Patrick’s life, we need to concentrate on the two good sources of information: One is his Letter to Coroticus, the leader of a raiding party who murdered and imprisoned a large number of Christians. The other is Confession, a public statement written in defence of Patrick’s bishopric in Ireland towards the end of his life. These writings give us clear information on Patrick’s home, capture, slavery, and call back to Ireland.
Patrick writes that he was born in the town of Bannavem Taburniae. The town was probably situated on the west coast of Britain. Patrick’s father was a Roman civil servant and active member of the local church. He tells us that his childhood was fairly easy for the times and he, along with his peers, paid little attention to the teachings of the Christian faith. But, then everything changed for Patrick when he is sixteen. An Irish raiding party took him hostage, brought him to Ireland and forced him to become a slave-shepherd for six years. During this time Patrick describes turning his heart to the God of the Bible through much prayer, fasting and trusting despite his desperate circumstances. Eventually, he tells us of his escape, another period of capture and a significant time spent with his family in Britain. During that time Patrick received a vision of the Irish calling him back to the place of his enslavement. Shortly after he heard the voice - ‘He who gave his life for you, he it is who speaks within you.’ And so, Patrick the man who became a Christian as a slave in Ireland, feels called to tell others about Jesus in the country of his incarceration. What is interesting about Confession is Patrick’s great knowledge of the Bible. It becomes clear through his constant referral to it, that the Bible is the basis of his understanding of the Christian faith and nothing else. Again and again, he paraphrases verses of the Bible. The following reflects the first five verse of Psalm 40 and describes how God had changed him. ‘I know for certain, that before I was humbled I was like a stone lying in deep mire, and he that is mighty came and in his mercy raised me up and,
indeed, lifted me high up and placed me on top of the wall.’
He gains great insight and security in his faith as he paraphrases some verses from 2 Corinthians. ‘For the sun we see rises each day for us at [his] command, but it will never reign, neither will its splendour last, but all who worship it will c o m e wretchedly to punishment. We, on the other hand, shall not die, who believe in and worship the true sun, Christ, who will never die, no more shall he die who has done Christ's will, but will abide for ever just as Christ abides for ever, who reigns with God the Father Almighty and with the Holy Spirit before the beginning of time and now and for ever and ever. Amen. ‘ St. Patrick’s call remains to the Irish today. It is a call back to God. It is a call that is especially strong in the face of such uncertainty and lean times. Will we listen to him again? Will we be a country willing to listen to Christ’s words, believe in him and be assured that we will abide with him forever just as our Patron Saint believed? Look out for the folk from Midleton Evangelical Church in Market Green on March 15th & 16th as they hope to talk to people about Patrick and his beliefs. - Andy Compton
BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH
POPE Benedict's general prayer intention for March is ‘That the nations of Latin America may walk in fidelity to the Gospel and progress in justice and peace.’ His mission intention is ‘That the Holy Spirit may give light and strength to those in many regions of the world who are persecuted and discriminated against because of the Gospel.’
If you wish to contribute to this page, please contact Denise on 087 8128262 or email [email protected]
East Cork
Ecclesiastical Events
Parish of Midleton and Ballintotis Ash Wednesday
WEDNESDAY, March 9th is Ash Wednesday. Additional Masses in Ballintotas at 9.15am and in the Holy Rosary at 7.30pm.
East Cork PTAA Mass
The East Cork Pioneer Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 22nd in Midleton Hospital Chapel at 7.30pm. Dinner afterwards in the Midleton Park Hotel.
Spring Serenade at St. John the Baptist Church
The group, Spring Serenade is made up of Caoimh Kett, Deborah Desmond, Dave Maguire, Tom Barry and Betty Moloney. They will be performing in St. John the Baptist Church, Midleton on Sunday, March 13th at 7pm. Proceeds in aid of Christian Aid and Midleton Twinning Association. Tickets €15 from Betty Moloney on 021 4633062.
Lenten Rural Stations –
Friday, March 11th: Kilbree, Killorga, Gurteenina and Attaquin at the home of John and Julie McCarthy. Friday, March 11th: Stumphill, Castleview, Churchtown, Whiterock and Dunsfort at the home of John and Veronica O’Farrell. Friday, March 11th: Broomfield and Killeagh at the home of John and Mary O’Grady.
all Stations begin at 7.30pm
Town Stations
Thursday, March 10th: MAIN WEST STREET: Broderick Street, Coolbawn, Coolbawn Mews, Mews, and Court, Church Lane, Riverside Way, Thomas Street, The Crescent, New Cork Road, Old Cork Road, Woodlands, Dwyer Road and Chestnut Drive.
Friday, March 11th: CASTLEREDMOND: Rosary Place, Main Road, Lakeview Road, The Cotswolds, Ballinacurra Road, The Dark Road, Ard na Greine, Castleredmond – comprising Oak Park, Orchard Avenue, The Courtyard and The Paddocks; Castleredmond Estate, Towns Park, Rocky Road, Midleton Downs, Manor Court Lane, and Hawthorn Drive.
Rite for the Christian Initiation of Adults
For the past year, a group in Midleton Parish have been preparing for Baptism on Easter Saturday 2011, under the new Rite for the Christian Initiation of Adults.
Their final stage of preparation will begin on Sunday next, March 13th in Cobh Cathedral. They will travel with their sponsors and friends to be received by the Diocese during the 12 noon Mass.
Parish of Youghal
Monastic Weekend
A Monastic Weekend will be held at the Carmelite Monastery, Tallow from March 25th to March 27th. Contact St. Joseph’s Monastery, Tallow, Co Waterford on 058 56205 for more information. The weekend is for single women aged between 22 and 38 years of age.
Spring Stations
The following are details of the Spring Stations: Fanisk, Inchquin and Burgess at the home of Anne O’Neill on Friday, March 11th at 8pm. Clonpriest, at the home of Willie and Noreen Cashman on Monday, March 14th at 8pm.
Town Stations
For those not living in any of the Country Stations, all are invited to one of the following Masses: Our Lady of Lourdes Church on Monday, March 21st at 7.30pm. St. Mary’s Church on Tuesday March 22nd, at 7.30pm. The Holy Family Church on Wednesday, March 23rd at 7.30pm.
Youghal Methodist Church, Friar Street, Youghal services
Sunday, March 13th: Morning Worship Service at 10am, led by Mr. Des Davis. Bible Study and Prayer Time each Thursday evening at 8.30pm. You are welcome. Further details from 0214294622.
Parish of Carrigtwohill Church Collection
The Church Door total for the weekend of February 26th and 27th was €1,103.
Ash Wednesday – March 9th
Ashes will be distributed at all Masses. Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence. Masses for Ash Wednesday are at 7.30am, 10am and 8pm.
Trocaire collection
Trocaire is looking for volunteers to bag pack in Tesco, Midleton on March 24th, 25th and 26th, to help raise funds for people living in abject poverty in developing communities. Please contact John O’Regan on 086 33276342. Trocaire Boxes are available at the back of the church.
Liturgical Calendar
Friday, March 11th – Commemoration of St. Aengus, Bishop and Abbot. Born in Clonenagh he studied under St. Fintan near Mountrath.
First he lived as a hermit, then joined the Monastery at Tallaght under St. Maelruan. He wrote many liturgical texts, some of which still exist today. After the death of St. Maelruan, he returned to his hermitage where he died in 824.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Killeagh’s Siobhán goes Crazy Glazing
SIOBHÁN Brennan from Inch, Killeagh, launched her new venture ‘CrazyGlazing’ at the Fota Island Hotel on Saturday, March 5th where she was joined by friends and family members. Her product - one of a kind in Ireland - should appeal to a wide range of clients as the glazing service can have a multitude of uses, from weddings, social occasions or indeed any event that can be personalised with a message or a motif. For more information check out the website www.crazyglazing.com or contact Siobhan directly by calling her on 086 2111132 where she will be delighted to deal with any requests.
Welcome to the wonderful world of CrazyGlazing
CRAZYGLAZING is a long awaited dream come true and one that offers you a selection of Personalised Decorative Ceramics – a unique, original and fun gift idea that caters for every occasion from birth through to retirement.
Siobhán Brennan, Crazy Glazing with some of her creations
Carmel Ryan, Patricia McKeown and Patricia O’Callaghan
As the CrazyGlazing tag line says, ‘Capturing your Precious Memories’ on ceramic. Siobhán creates Signature Plates, Presentation Plates, Picture Frames and mugs and clocks and will be adding to the range as she goes forward.
The Signature Plate is a new and novel alternative to a guest book at an event. You choose a plate design and motif. Siobhán completes the artwork and glazes and fires it. You take it to your event where everyone is invited to sign it. The following day, put in your own domestic oven to seal the signatures, resulting in a piece of art to be displayed in your home, reminding you of that special time. It is such a versatile product and you can choose your colours and wording to be included on your plate, frame, mug or clock.
Ann O’Flynn, Aisling O’Mahony and Tanya O’Sullivan
Brian Brennan with Deirdre Costigan and Cathal Brennan
Alice and Tim Carey
Capture your babies and children’s footprints or handprints. They will never be this size again. Any occasion can be catered for. Siobhán can create a hand-painted original and something new and novel for your event. For further information visit www.crazyglazing.com, email [email protected] or call Siobhán Brennan on 086 211 1132.
PERSONALISED DECORATIVE CERAMICS
Siobhan Brennan with events manager, Tracey Purkiss
Sharon-Hunt McLynn with Pamela O’Connor
Eoin and Sarah Coleman
Rudy De Groot with Debs Newman
Ben Lee with his mum, Siobhán Brennan
A unique, original and fun gift idea Christenings, Holy Communions, Confirmations, Weddings, Mother’s Day, Birthdays, Retirements or any special occasion
Signature or presentation plates For more information call Siobhan Brennan
on
086 211 1132
Visit www.crazyglazing.com or email [email protected]
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
When the chips aren’t down Midleton youth club members declare Lennox’s chips the best!
ON the night of Saturday, March 5th, you may have seen groups of teenagers walking swiftly around Midleton, peering into shop windows, inspecting monuments, straining to look up long wooden poles, counting rocks in walls, and writing their findings on a clip board. They were part of the Midleton Evangelical Church Youth Club, which was involved in a treasure hunt, having already presented a certificate to, what they considered to be, the Best Chipper in Town. They tasted chips from six different chippers in Midleton, not knowing which shop eat bag of chips belonged to, and most of them preferred the chips from Lennox’s Takeaway, closely followed by Cyprus Kebabs with the Boston Chipper taking third place, amid
SECAD approves funding for Killeagh playground THE diligent members of Killeagh Playground Organising Committee can finally breathe a sigh of relief - after 2 years of hard work, the end of the planning is almost in sight!
tough competition. Well done to the chippers that took part in this chip-tasting competition! The MEC Youth Club thanks you and appreciates your support. The Youth Club is run by Midleton Evangelical Church – the church in the council park. The group is attended by teenagers, who live in Midleton and neighbouring towns. As well as talks about life from the Bible, the group does a wide range of activities throughout the year, including baseball and barbeques on the beach, walks, adventures on a farm, games nights and other events– all this done in a fun and safe environment with adult supervision.
SECAD have approved funding for the construction of the playground, which is to be placed at the entrance to Glenbower Wood.
All going well, it is hoped that the playground may be open by August 2011.
But fundraising continues as, even though SECAD have approved construction funding, there’s still plenty of equipment to be purchased.
If anyone would like to enquire about the MEC Youth Club, please contact Andy Compton on 086-0861970 or Caroline Norton on 087 1255467.
The next fundraising event will take place at the Half Way Bar on Friday, March 25th at 8pm. It’s a table quiz - so get your brains in gear!
ee on ti ta uo Q
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
A WALK ON THE WILDSIDE: A Year in the Life of Fota Wildlife Park on Life FM CORK’S 93.1 Life FM invites you to take a virtual ‘Walk On the Wildside: A Year in the Life of Fota Wildlife Park,’ with a new five-part radio documentary that follows the events at Cork’s Fota Wildlife Park over the course of a year. The documentary is a series of five, one-hour programmes and studies the cycle of the wildlife over twelve months, exploring the animals’ activities, interactions, environment and habitats.
The series will air at 3pm, Monday through Friday from March 21st to 25th, and each Saturday at 5pm throughout the month of April on 93.1 LifeFM.
‘A Walk On the Wildside: A Year in the Life of Fota Wildlife Park’ will look at new additions to the park, arrivals that are born in Fota, and the process involved during these events.
The series will emphasise the characteristics of certain animals and identify key characters at Fota. The series includes interviews with Fota Wildlife Park’s leading experts in the areas of wildlife, ecology and conservation. ‘A Walk On the Wildside: A Year in the Life of Fota Wildlife Park’ was made with the support of Sound & Vision broadcast funding scheme (a BAI initiative).
Youghal landfill took in 58,127 tonnes of municipal solid waste in 2009 - EPA
THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched their National Waste Report 2009. Household waste collected in Cork City and County Council area has increased by 2.1% compared to the 2008 figures. In 2009 within the Cork City and County Council area, 159,582 tonnes of household waste was collected, which is down from 163,071 tonnes in 2008. While progress is being made in dealing with this waste, the national target is to divert 50% of all household waste from landfill by 2013.
The mixed/residual collection (black bag) household waste collected in the area was 89,763 tonnes or 56% (compared to 55% for the country as a whole).
Youghal’s Municipal Waste Landfill took in 41,216 tonnes of household waste in 2009, with 16,911 tonnes of commercial waste also disposed of. In total, 58,127 tonnes of municipal solid waste arrived at Youghal Landfill in 2009 - 3.37% of the total MSW diposed of at landfill’s across Ireland that year.
CORK DAWG Cork DAWG urgently require donations of food for our dogs in foster care.
PLEASE, PLEASE CAN YOU HELP US All donations go towards the care & upkeep of our dogs
Donations can be left in our shop at
MAIN STREET, MIDLETON (next to Discount World & opposite Coakley’s Menswear) Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
N S
Gunning for Team Bullet, Midleton in F1 champs
with John Whelan-Curtin
Charles Darwin would have loved Ireland
THE St. Colman's Community College, Midleton, F1 team are ready to go, all guns blazing though not literally. However, calling themselves 'Team Bullet' does lead to an interesting question: Are they faster than a speeding one?' Well, the team are hoping to prove so as they are set for the regional finals of the F1 in Schools competition, which will see their virtual model Formula 1 car brought to life. Working since September, these transition year students used
computer-aided design software to create virtual 3D models of their car, and the team successfully completed the qualifying stage, which included creating a five page plan. The next step was to get their car manufactured by their dedicated make centre - CIT. Thanks to sophisticated computer software, CNC machines and the expert help of the Mechanical Engineering department of CIT, Team Bullet (consisting of Ian McCann,
Rowen La Mere, Martin Myles, Brendan Moran and Eoin Motherway) are now revving up for the regional finals which will take place in the University of Limerick on March 11th, where they will be ably assisted by their teacher, Eric O'Connor. The team will be racing their car against cars from other competing schools, and they will also be judged on their customised Team Bullet presentation stand and overall design portfolio.
The people’s project: YOU don’t really need to travel to the Galapagos Islands to find enthralling examples of evolution, though it was no doubt a jumping off point for Charles Darwin. Irish fauna is packed with examples of different animals evolving from a common ancestor.
Briefly though, what is evolution? Or more accurately, what is the theory of natural selection? When Charlie D found himself in the Galapagos he was astounded by how similar, yet how different, were the various finches (small birds, Irish examples are around the size of a sparrow). They all had very similar body shapes, yet different species each had one feature that was extremely varied; the beak. The seed eating finches had a massive, blocky, powerful beak. Other finches had longer, narrow beaks for drilling into cacti to get at the juicy innards. Charles looked at these variations and similarities and came to a ground breaking conclusion: these little birds evolved from a common ancestor, explaining how they are similar, but developed adaptations for different ways of getting their food.
Next, and equally as important, Charles came up with the notion for how this happens. Let’s say thousands of generations ago there was a finch with a normal sized beak. Now, through the mechanics that makes every person look different from every other person, some of this little birds’ offspring had beaks that were slightly stronger (very slightly) and some had beaks that were very slightly longer. The little chaps with the stronger beaks would be slightly better at breaking seeds open, the fellows with the longer beaks would make a slightly better job of drilling into cacti. So these ‘different’ birds would have a slightly better chance of surviving and reproducing, and their offspring would have a slightly better chance of inheriting their parents slightly im-
proved beaks. Over thousands of generations the birds that were born with slightly more suitable beaks would be slightly more successful and would, again, be more likely to survive and to breed, the beaks changing more and more with each generation. This continued for a very long time until Charles Darwin arrived on the scene and found several completely different species of finch. And that, in a nutshell, is the theory of natural selection.
Midleton's Community Float to debut on March 17th
Looking around Ireland we can see animals that had common ancestors but adapted to different roles. The hare and the rabbit are clearly related. The hare developed longer legs and greater stamina so he could outrun his enemies, as he lived in the open fields. The rabbit developed a compact body and powerful sprinting ability because these were adaptations that favoured an animal that would always have tunnels nearby into which they could tuck. The badger, an omnivore (eats plants and animals), and the stoat, a carnivore (eats meat), also came from a common ancestor and are now almost unrecognizably different. The stoat is small and fast so that he can approach his prey (often an unsuspecting little rabbit) and quickly and viciously make a meal out of it. The badger is strong and thick, with powerful jaws and digging claws so that he can uproot anything from roots and worms to a nest of young rabbits.
It took Charles Darwin the kind of revelation that only the unspoiled beauty of a world like the Galapagos Islands could provide to put this incredible notion into words. Now that the idea is there for all of us to see, we can look at the beautiful natural world that surrounds us all and see the hand of evolution shaping life before our very eyes.
LARRY the Leprechaun joined volunteers Seamus Cunningham, Simon Forrest, Padraig Cahalane and Christine Jackson from Midleton, to help out on the much-anticipated community float which they are tirelessly working on. The community float, built entirely by local volunteers, will make its way down Midleton's Main Street at the culmination of this year's Midleton St. Patrick's Day Parade which will be starting at 3pm on Thursday, March 17th. Volunteers are still needed to help during the parade.
If you would like to get involved and help out your community, please contact Eileen Kearney on 0876341806. (Photo: Diane Cusack)
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Bitesize News
Youghal’s good hair day
YOUGHAL
Compiled by Denise FitzGerald 087 812 8262 / [email protected]
TONIGHT, Wednesday March 9th, Guest Speaker at the ICA Meeting in Youghal will be Pauline Lynch who will give an information talk on Diabetes. Diabetes is a growing concern for many families, and is one of the illnesses which, if detected early, can be controlled. The meeting will take place at the Cumann na Daoine premises, Catherine Street. It is hoped that all ICA members will attend and if you know of anyone who is interested, please bring them along. There will be a Question and Answer session and refreshments on the night.
Talk on Diabetes at Youghal ICA
Team Youghal table quiz
Team Youghal will present a fundraising Table Quiz on Thursday, March 31st at Youghal Golf Club at 8pm sharp. Table of 4 €40. Great prizes on the night and all proceeds will go towards Team Youghal's participation in The Race Across America in 2011. With a large, warm and comfortable venue, plenty of parking and bar facilities, this is a night not to be missed – all for a great cause.
Youghal Library in Shop Window Competition
The Shop Window competition has been organised to promote Irish made goods, display artistic layout of windows, organise signs and information in Irish and the marketing of goods and services as Gaeilge. Youghal Library are delighted to be participating in this year’s Shop Window competition, which will be held during the Irish Language Week (Seachtain na Gaeilge) from March 3rd to 17th. Organised by Conradh na Gaeilge, it is hoped that there will be a large participating number of shops in this year’s competition. So, don’t just pass by. Pop in and admire the efforts of the library staff. They may even win!
Touch of Class Annual Fashion Show
The time is here again for the much looked forward to and always successful Touch of Class, Youghal Spring/Summer Fashion Show. This year, as usual, the event will take place in the Walter Raleigh Hotel, Youghal on Tuesday, March 22nd at 8pm. Tickets €15.Proceeds in aid of St Vincent De Paul The models will be courtesy of Illusive Pro Co, and a reminder that there are currently stunning Spring/Summer collections in store. All Proceeds in aid of St Vincent De Paul. Your support again this year would he greatly appreciated. www.touchofclass.ie
Open Public Meeting in Youghal
The Youghal Group of Alcoholics Anonymous will hold their Open Public Meeting on Friday the 11th of March at 8:30pm in the AA rooms at Coláiste Eoin, Golf Links Road. Everybody is welcome, and refreshments will be served.
On the Air with Youghal GAA
A new weekly sports programme is about to hit the CRY Airwaves. The programme, which is a comprehensive weekly sports programme, will be presented by Youghal GAA and will be broadcast every Thursday from 4pm to 5pm. The programme is entitled “GAA this Week” and is hosted by Derek Kiely, well known Sports promoter and reporter. Tune in and get the most up to date sports news and views each Thursday.
Jack and Jill need your support
A fundraising dance in aid of the Jack and Jill Foundation will take place in the Walter Raleigh Hotel on Friday the 18th of March at 9pm. The night will feature music by Dave Rae and guests. There’ll also be a raffle on the night with many prizes on offer including hampers. Admission is €8 and your support would be greatly appreciated. The Jack and Jill Foundation are also looking for old mobile phones to help generate much needed funds. If you have an old mobile phone that you have no use for, you can drop them in to Community Radio Youghal and they will be forwarded to the Jack and Jill Foundation.
Free Gardening Workshops
Continuing on from the past three Sundays, the Free Gardening Workshops at Blackwater Plants plus Garden Centre, on this Sunday, March 13th, will be ‘Growing flowers to enjoy, cut and eat’. The Workshops are free so no need to worry about booking, expense or inconvenience. Just turn up. You will be very welcome.
Craft Classes
Craft Classes are continuing in Cumann na Daoine on each Monday mornings from 10-12 and also on Wednesday evenings from 7.30 to 9.30. For more information contact Cumann na Daoine on 024 91900.
Clashmore Community Alert
A Citizens Information Meeting will be held at Clashmore Heritage Centre on Tuesday, March 15th at 8pm. The topics to be discussed include: Social Welfare Entitlements, Fair Deal, Carers/Respite, State Benefit Changes, Home Grants and more. Everyone welcome.
Pottery classes with Teresa Watkins
Teresa Watkins will be commencing Pottery Classes on March 24th next at 11.30am in Cumann na Daoine premises, Catherine Street. The Classes will be run for a total of 8 weeks. Open to both men and women, with a maximum number of 12 students allowed. Because places are limited you are advised to contact 024 91900 as soon as possible. The class will cost €3 per person.
)TRIPLETS Becky, Amy and Kate Popova from Youghal are pictured at the Cork Academy of Hairdressing awards ceremony after Amy received her British and International Hairdressing Diploma. The Cork Academy of Hairdressing is recognised as one of Ireland’s premier Hairdressing Colleges and Salons with 20 years experience and a proven
Let’s Go!
The Let’s Go Summer Camps, which will be held from July 4th to 8th inclusive, are now available to book online at www.letsgo.ie. The Let’s Go Summer Camps will be held in Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, and if you require further information you can telephone 1890 538746.
Art and Photography Shop to open in Youghal
McGoldrick Art 7 Photography, 89 North Main Street, (next to the Clock Gate) will open its doors on Friday next, March 11th at 10am. Eileen McGoldrick looks forward to welcoming you to enjoy the arts and photography in her new Gallery, the aim of which is to provide a range of accessible Art Work. Improve your technique and join one of the Art Classes on offer, whether you are a beginner or an experienced painter. If you want a portrait, photography or to be painted, just ask. All are welcome on March 11th at 10am.
Youghal GAA on the ropes with St. Coleman’s Boxing Club
On March 18th next, a Charity Boxing night will be held in Club Arus, Magnier’s Hill, Youghal to help raise funds for St. Vincent de Paul, Youghal branch. Doors open at 7pm on the 18th and on the bill, in conjunction with St Coleman’s Boxing Club will be Pa O’Shea, James Murray (Waterford Senior hurler) and Adam Curley (All Ireland Champion), with members of Youghal GAA. The local Knockouts will be Brendan Coleman, Brendan and Damien Ring, Patrick O’Mahony, Barry Goggin and Ken Dempsey. This is a first of its kind and is sure to be great entertainment and fun, while at the same time helping a very worthy local Youghal Charity. Please go along and support.
Abhainn Damhsa at Gortroe Hall
Comhaltas Youghal will be supplying the music in Gortroe Hall on Friday, March 18th next for a Ceilí Night which will be an evening of craic, ceoil agus damhsa. From 9 ‘til late. Refreshments will be kindly provided in association with the Gortroe Ladies Club. Tickets available locally and from the Gortroe Ladies Club members. Further information from 086 3699990. Over 18s only.
ability to train expert hairdressers. The college enjoys a soaring reputation as a high class hairdressing training centre, and this is reflected in the excellent success rate of its students who have gone on to work as top class hair stylists at home and abroad. Becky and Kate were the hair models for their sister. (Photo: Billy macGill
Community Alert Coffee Morning huge success
The Open Coffee/Information morning which was held by the Community Alert Group in the Red Store was a huge success. After a slow start, a good turnout of people came along where they were greeted with a complimentary coffee and scone. Deputy Sandra McLellan paid a visit and showed a keen interest in the activities of the Group. Chairman of the Care and Repair Service spoke about the facilities available to the elderly in the community, and was surprised that at least twenty elderly attendees were unaware of this service. Whilst careful not to cut across in any way on those employed in the areas of Care and Repair, it was explained that the service is free and very carefully monitored. Money cannot be given to those who carry out the various jobs, but one can donate a small amount to Cumann na Daoine if they feel better about it.
Peter Butler of TASK, Alarm Monitors, spoke about the different reasons for installing alarms, and confirmed that the delay in providing alarms for those currently awaiting them is due to the fact that the bank account must be transferred from the Credit Union to the Banks. As soon as this has been instigated, there should be no further delays. There were approximately forty Monoxide and socially monitored alarms installed in the area last year, but so far this year only four applications have been made for fire alarms. A batch was delivered last week to the Garda Barracks in Youghal and anyone over the age of 65 years who wants to get one, can call to the Gardaí, fill in a form, and obtain their alarm. Various other representatives from different organisations, such as Cara Ambulances, were on hand to give out valuable information to those requiring it. All in all, the Community Alert Group were delighted with the success of the morning, and extend their gratitude to those who came along to help on the day.
At the Walter Raleigh Hotel
27/3: Dancing to Dermot Lyons. Doors open at 3pm 2/4: Youghal Motorcycle Club Run - Registration from 10am onwards 2/4: Dancing to Michael Collins. Doors open at 9pm
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Fair play to Hurley’s SuperValu for Fairtrade ON Saturday, February 26th, Hurley’s SuperValu played host to a promotional Fairtrade event at Hurley’s SuperValu, Midleton to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight. The Fairtrade fortnight is an annual event in which fair and ethical trading values are celebrated. The concept was pioneered by the Fairtrade Foundation in the United Kingdom, and held firstly in 1997 in Scotland directed by Barnaby Miln.
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Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus
COLOUR RANGE: Base TU, Base TC, Pine, Light Oak, Dark Oak, Mahogany, Walnut, Ebony, Teak Pictured are Lily Zeigler and Grace Hamilton sample some Fairtrade treats at Hurley’s SuperValu
Toastmasters club start International Speech Contest TALKING Heads Toastmasters, Garryvoe joins more than 12,500 Toastmasters clubs from around the world participating in the 2011 Toastmasters International Speech Contest this month. It is the world’s largest speech contest, with more than 30,000 presenters in 113 countries vying to become the next World Champion of Public Speaking. The contest is free and open to the public.
To enter the contest, a person must be an active member of Toastmasters International and have completed at least six
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Cetol Filter 7 is an exterior woodstain for windows and doors either as a one-coat maintenance application for existing woodstain systems, or two coats over a base stain of Cetol HLS on new or bare timbers. Its advanced UV light absorbers provide superior protection from the damaging effects of sunlight on timber.
Garryvoe-based
The International Speech Contest begins at the local club level and proceeds through the area, division, district and final levels. Eighty-two district semifinalists compete during the four-day 2011 Toastmasters International Convention held August 17th to 20th, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. Nine contenders make it to the final round on August 20th, where the winner is crowned the Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking.
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This turned out to be a highly successful campaign to get every supermarket throughout Scotland to stock Fairtrade products. It spread to the rest of the United Kingdom the following year. Today, Fairtrade fortnights are celebrated in several countries, most notably Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Have you tried Sikkens yet? Cetol BL21 plus can be used alone as a one-part system for large areas such as cladding, fencing and exterior timbers, or as a base stain providing optimum adhesion for subsequent finishing with Cetol BL31.
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Cetol Novatech can be specified alone as a system on cladding, fascias, soffits and fencing or as a single application basecoat under a finish coat of Cetol Novatop on window and door joinery.
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Cetol Novastop is a flexible, weather resistant, semi-gloss coating for use as a finish over Cetol Novatech on new windows and doors, or as a maintenance coat for application to previously coated windows and doors.
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Pat Walsh PA NTS Uni t 2 0 , N ord i c Ente rp ri se Par k, Knoc kg ri ff in, M i dl et on, C o. C ork Tel. 021 4630133 Mob. 086 1618311
Huge stock of internal & external paints speeches from Toastmasters’ Competent Communication manual, the first manual in the Toastmasters communication programme. All participant speeches must be original, presented in English and last five to seven minutes. Judging criteria include originality, speech content, organisation, voice quality, gestures and timing. Additional details about the Toastmasters International Speech Contest and 2011 Convention will be announced in early April. District winners will
be announced in early August and posted on the Toastmasters Web site. For more information about Toastmasters International contests, please visit toastmasters.org/contest.
Talking Heads Toastmasters meet at the Garryvoe Hotel (usually the Strand Suite though reception can guide you) in Garryvoe, East Cork every second Tuesday at 8pm. The International speech and evaluation competition will be held on March 22nd at 8pm in the Garryvoe Hotel.
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16
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Glanmire, Midleton and Youghal students reel deal are the
East Cork students enter this year’s Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year Awards
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New government must prioritise job retention and creation Live Register figures point to ongoing stabilisation in the economy, says Midleton & Area Chamber
MIDLETON & Area Chamber has said the new Government must make job retention and job creation a top priority in the Programme for Government in order to ensure that the almost 1.8million people currently in employment retain their jobs, while at the same time implement pro-enterprise policies focused on creating new jobs.
Killian O’Sullivan, President of Midleton & Area Chamber said, ‘The seasonally adjusted Live Register Figures provide another indication of an ongoing stabilisation in the economy. While this suggests that we are slowly turning our economy and jobs market around, clearly much needs to be done to reduce unemployment levels further. ‘While the Government cannot create jobs, it can create an environment that supports job creation by implementing policies that facilitate the creation of new job opportunities at rates of pay that employers can afford to pay. One way to achieve this would be to abolish those Employment Regulation Orders (ERO) and Registered Employment Agreements (REA) that no longer serve a purpose,’ O’Sullivan concluded.
EACH year aspiring young filmmakers aged 18 and under battle it out to be named Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year at the Fresh Film Festival which will be held in Limerick on the 28th – 31st March where the winner for 2011 will be announced.
This year, films from a number of Cork students have been submitted to the Festival.
As well as being in competition for the coveted title of Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year, all the films from the Cork Students will be screened in The
Reunion of the 18th Inf. BN FCA scheduled for this Saturday A MEETING of all ex-members of the reunion 18th Inf. BN FCA will take place in The Castlecourt Hotel, Westport, Co. Mayo on Saturday, March 12th at 9pm in relation to the grand reunion of the Unit, both FCA and PDF taking place in The Castlecourt Hotel, Westport on Sunday, April 24th (Easter Sunday).
As this Unit is now defunct, due to ongoing reorganising and with many ex-members scattered far and wide, it is imperative that there is a good turn out. Further details from 087 695 3102 or 098 26363.
River Lee Hotel in Cork on March 16th.
Individuals and groups can enter the Festival and entries from Cork including Jack Desmond’s film Goldman (when a daydreaming janitor is fired, the only possible solution is to become a world-class spy), and The Farmer’s Remote from Jack Cowhig, Jack & Jeff Productions (a movie about three farmers in rural Ireland who lose the TV remote and then decide to go looking for the remote in the countryside).
A number of groups have also entered through Cork Film Centre’s programme, First Cut including Tick Tock from the Carrigaline youth project; Clannormal Activity from Glanmire Community School and Silent Cry from Loreto Secondary School – a story of a girl with memories that haunt forever; I’m a student get me outta here from St Coleman’s; Cursed phones from Youthreach in Youghal; The Janitor from Youghal Youth Project and Crazy in Love from Ballincollig Community School (When you are in love your mind is not your own). With the announcement of the winners looming ever closer, Cork students will be waiting with bated breath. Lights? Ready. Camera? Ready. Action? Watch this space!
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It’s a strange world
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
17
WEIRD WORLD NEWS... AND IT’S ALL TRUE
Train driver Man held in attacked by seagull, mid-air by commuters delayed
chains on flesh in China bar
COMMUTERS are used to their trains being late - however, the delays are not normally caused by a vicious seagull attacking the driver. The driver of the 8.15am train from Hastings to London this week was walking along the platform when a seagull flew down and struck his head, reports The Daily Mail.
He was checked over by first-aiders following the attack and resumed his duties around 15 minutes later, but not before an announcement had been made explaining the reason for the train's delay.
One waiting passenger, foster carer Liza Donaghue, told the newspaper: 'No one had really taken any notice until that point, then everyone looked and started looking at each other and saying, "Did he just say what I thought he said?" 'Then everyone started laughing. People could not believe it.' A spokesman for Southeastern Trains said that, while seagull attacks are rare, they can be very dangerous.
In Birmingham, locals are also having issues with brazen seagulls, with the birds swooping down on people's heads and stealing food from their hands. According to the Birmingham Mail, councillors plan to fill the winged menaces' nests with fake eggs in a bid to persuade them to keep out of harm's way.
Postman delivers mail completely naked, gets arrested
A POSTMAN who delivered mail while completely naked has been arrested, despite his claims that he only wanted to inject a spot of seasonal cheer into customers' lives.
PARTY-GOERS in China coughed up 40 yuan apiece (about £3.75) to watch a man hang himself from a bar ceiling using some chains and hooks, the latter of which were secured in his flesh. The delightful flesh-fest in a bar in Guiyang, in southwest China's Guizhou province, was apparently aimed at drawing in punters.
One lady showed particular dedication to the theme, adorned as she was with body piercings and feathers in what could also have been a nod to Oscar-nominated Natalie Portman flick, Black Swan, in which the central character hallucinates that she's turning into a swan. Fans of Dan Brown bestseller The Da Vinci Code, and/or its bigscreen adaptation, will no doubt be reminded of the practices of Opus Dei, the controversial Catholic group depicted in the story.
In the film, the group's predilection for 'mortification of the flesh' was graphically portrayed via the character of Silas, played by Paul Bettany. The 'party' antics will also ring a bell with anyone who's seen Jennifer Lopez film The Cell, in which the featured serial killer attaches chains to some surgically implanted metal hooks in his back before hoisting himself up. Worth £3.75 to witness in real life, we're sure you'll agree.
According to a police report, David Goodman said he was attempting to cheer up a 21-year-old female employee of the Wisconsin law firm he was servicing. The 52-year-old explained that the lady in question 'seemed to be stressed out' during a previous visit.
Cat in a jar: Ksyusha the kitten loves tight squeezes
A playful kitten from Moscow who liked unusual places to play and hide (Picture: kns news)
A KITTEN who likes to squeeze into empty jars has no fear of getting into the tightest of spots.
Ksyusha- a young Himalayan Cat - has been pictured in a variety of poses, including sitting in the washing machine and under the kitchen table. The playful female kitten started squeezing itself into jars from when it was a few weeks old. Owner, Yuriy Korotun, 37, who lives in Moscow, said: 'She was a special kitten from the beginning- always very playful.
'I came into the kitchen one day to find her in the jar. I couldn't believe my eyes. 'She likes hiding in different places and was full of character.
'It looks like she would have trouble getting out of the jar but actually her body is not as big as it looks because of her large amount of fur.' She added: 'I took a few photos of her at the start of last year and put them on the internet and have recently had a lot of comments about how cute she is.'
Upon realising that the postie was starkers when she opened the door to him, the employee reportedly turned away, held out her hand and told him: 'Give me the mail and get out of here.' David, who explained to officers that he had taken off his clothes and laid them next to the doorway before knocking, immediately clocked that he'd upset the woman and 'felt bad and stupid'. He then apologised, left the office and got dressed.
A few days later, police arrested him for lewd and lascivious behaviour.
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18
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Improve the lighting in your home General lighting provides background lighting to the room. It enables people to see the size and shape of the room and the main objects within it, helping them to move around safely. General lighting should give a reasonably even illumination within a space, avoiding shadows and dark areas. Lighting levels should be similar in adjacent rooms to avoid adaptation difficulties when moving from bright areas into significantly darker ones, or vice versa.
General lighting
COPE Foundation Youghal and Killeagh Branch
DENISE FITZGERALD REPORTS
Task lighting directs light where it is needed for detailed activities. Even with the best general lighting fitted in your home, the amount of light available may still be inadequate to enable you see close-up detailed tasks such as reading, writing, preparing food and continuing with hobbies such as knitting or sewing. Reading in poor or dim lighting levels will not damage your eyes, but it will be more difficult and tiring. Increasing the amount of light on the task will make it easier to see and less tiring to do.
Task lighting
Electric lighting should be chosen to provide an adequate amount of light in the space as well as an appropriate appearance. This will influence the choice of ceiling or wall-mounted lights, the bulbs, the lampshades, and how many lights are needed in a room.
Electric lighting
To improve and increase the amount of light in a room, it is quite tempting just to fit a stronger light bulb into an existing light fitting. This may not be the best or safest option, as many light fittings and lampshades are not suitable for more powerful bulbs. Increasing the number of individual lights within the room will produce a more even spread of light and can be done by adding lights on tables, or taller lights standing on the floor. Floor standing uplights, for example, bounce light off the ceiling which can light up a dark corner.
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Members of the Youghal/Killeagh branch of COPE Foundation, presenting cheque to John Clifford, COPE Foundation.
THE 2011 Annual General Meeting of the Youghal/Killeagh COPE Foundation Branch was held on Thursday, March 3rd last and, at the commencement of the meeting, a cheque in the amount of €9,200 was presented to John Clifford, head of Fundraising, COPE Foundation. This money was raised over several fundraising events held by the local Branch ,which were very generously supported by the people of Youghal, Killeagh and surrounds.
Some of the events for 2010 included; Flowers of Hope, which took place in May and June as usual. The Church Gate Collection which was held on July 17th and 18th. A visit to COPE which was organised for members of the Youghal Committee and which was a great day and very informative. John Daly kindly sponsored the bus, and Peter Landers was the driver. Sincere thanks are extended to both for their kindness.
A Flag Day was a new initiative for the Youghal Committee, and it was very successful, thanks to the generosity of the people. COPE Youghal wish to thank the business people of the town for facilitating them with the use of their premises, and all the collectors on the day. A New Year’s Day fundraiser was held in the Nook bar, and COPE wish to thank sincerely Michael Treacy of The Nook, and all the acts who took part. Vicki Bailey organised the event,
and did a superb job. A very good meeting, reporting on a very successful year for COPE Foundation, Youghal and Killeagh Branch.
The following are the Officers for 2011 – Chairman, John Cunningham; Vice Chair, John Kennedy; Secretary, Catherine Egan; Asst Secretary, Mary Foley; Treasurer, Jacinta McCarthy.
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EAST CORK TRAVEL
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
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THIS WEEKS FLIGHT SPECIALS Price Per Person From: Dubai/Abu Dhabi €580 Kuala Lumpur €660 Adelaide/Cairns €880 Auckland €960 Perth €940 Melbourne/Sydney €990 Toronto €570 1 YEAR TRAVEL SPECIALS Price Per Person From: Round the World flightsex Cork €1422 Working holidays-Year return flights to Sydney €601 Working holidays-Year return flights to Canada €274 Prices exclude tax – approx €320 per person but is subject to change
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20
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
GO ON, GO ON, GO ON Father Ted comes to Glanmire THE world-exclusive ‘Father Ted - The Dinner Show’ is set to arrive mid-April at the Fitzgerald’s Vienna Woods Hotel in Glanmire.
Produced by Laughlines Comedy Entertainment, ‘Father Ted - The Dinner Show’ brings the audience face to face with the famous trio of priests and their maniacally devoted housekeeper. While enjoying a delicious three course meal, diners will experience first-hand the comical mishaps, mayhem and misadventures that seem to follow the foursome wherever they go. Prepare to be entertained by the much loved and extravagant Father Ted Crilly who has a habit of getting into awkward situations; the young and dim-witted Father Dougal McGuire; and the alcoholic swear machine Father Jack
Hackett - famously drunk since 1936. Mrs Doyle, the housekeeper, is never far away with her precious teapot and sees it as her sole purpose in life to supply the priests and guests with copious amounts of tea. There may also be a dark shadow cast over the evening’s events with an appearance from the priest’s superior, the foul-mouthed and lecherous Bishop Brennan. Performed to perfection, the Laughlines cast of acclaimed actors combine satire and surrealism with a good helping of old-fashioned comedy, to bring the Father Ted tribute show to life, promising a hilarious and unique piece of interactive dinner theatre.
‘Since launching Father Ted - The Dinner Show in 2005, we have received rave reviews and had
sell out performances across the UK,’ says Michael WilsonGreen, Director, Laughlines. ‘The Laughlines cast are highly skilled improvisers and, having perfected the mannerisms of the Father Ted characters, they bring the best comic moments via a high energy mix of sketches and audience interaction, providing the diners with an unforgettable evening of unique entertainment. We are very excited about coming to the Republic of Ireland. This is
just the start of an extensive Irish tour that we have planned for 2011 and 2012,’ continues Wilson-Green. ‘We are bringing the show back to its roots and are delighted that we can continue to pay tribute to such a highly-acclaimed cult comedy series.’
‘Father Ted - The Dinner Show’ will be at the Fitzgerald’s Vienna Woods Hotel, Glanmire on April 15th and 16th at 7.30pm.
Tickets cost €49 each and include a three course dinner, a two hour interactive comedy show and a disco.
Accommodation packages are also available including The Mrs. Doyle Package at €79pp and the upgraded Bishop Brennan Package at €99pp. Free parking is available at both venues. For Vienna Woods Hotel bookings please call 021 4556868.
Cobh Town Council apologises posthumously to James Connolly ON Monday last, a plaque unveiling took place at the Rob Roy Bar, Pearse Square, Cobh to commemorate the revolutionary Socialist Republican Leader James Connolly, who was executed on May 12th, 1916, following his part in the Easter Rising. A member of Connolly’s family visited Cobh last Monday to accept a posthumous apology from Cobh Town Council for its part in chasing his ancestor out of the town on March 7th, 1911.
Connolly had been in Cobh one hundred years earlier to the day, campaigning for free school meals for Irish Children, when he was attacked by an angry mob led by the Town Chairman Richard Hennessy.
He and some of his followers later took refuge in the Rob Roy Hotel (now the Rob Roy Bar).
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21
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
In The
2011 Opel Zafira Tourer Concept
G.K.
Lounge on wheels luxury
Quick Fit Tyres
tions to reflect the light and give off a warm glow that can be varied in different shades of yellow.
Opel's Flex7 seating makes a welcome return in the Concept, but in this application it has evolved even further. With two rows in place, providing five-seat capacity, the Zafira Concept can be transformed at the push of a button into a fourseater, with limousine levels of space. CHECK out the new Zafira Tourer Concept, which makes its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show and gives the strongest hint yet at what a productionready version may look like. Opel says the Zafira concept combines "lounge-on-wheels" luxury with the same high degree
of flexibility with which the Zafira name has become synonymous over the last 12 years.
screen that flows into a generous glass roof extending to the rear of the car.
The interior is bathed in light thanks to a panoramic wind-
Tiny metallic particles are embedded in the cabin's upper sec-
The Concept's cabin has a light, airy feel and generous space for rear-seat passengers.
A second pane of hi-tech composite material is edge-lit by LEDs.
Built to turn heads The new Kia Sportage
A clever new folding mechanism allows the centre section of the second row to fold down, revealing two armrests for occupants in the outer seats. These seats can then slide back and towards each other, creating generous levels of space around passengers.
Extended footrests complement the seating system still further.
THE current Kia Sportage, introduced this year, is characterized by a striking, European-inspired exterior design, an eye-pleasing interior and a well-engineered chassis, and this compact crossover has vaulted to the top of the crossover pack in its segment.
The Sportage is presently available in base, LX and EX trim levels, which all come with a 176-horsepower 2.4-liter fourcylinder engine. There’s a choice between front- and all-wheel drive, and most consumers will end up with a six-speed automatic transmission (though a manual is standard on the base model).
Despite its “base” name, though, standard equipment for the entrylevel Sportage includes alloy wheels, Bluetooth audio and phone connectivity, satellite radio and an iPod interface. Stepping up to the upper trims gets you access to bigger wheels, keyless entry, a telescoping wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated seats, leather upholstery, a rearview camera and a navigation system. A sport-tuned SX trim shall arrive later in the 2011 model year packing a turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
* * * * * * * * *
Cork Road, Midleton
(Across the road from O’Brien’s Car Sales)
165/70 R14 €40 175/65 R14 €40 ZING 185/65 R14 €40 AMA S 185/65 R15 €50 PRICE 195/65 R15 €50 EW N N O 195/60 R15 €50 205/55 R16 €55 TYRES 225/45 R17 €60 195/70 R15 (Van) €60
ALL PRICES FOR NEW TYRES ALL TYRES E-MARKED
OPENING HOURS Mon - Fri: 9am - 6pm Sat : 9am - 4pm
Contact Gar y on: 021 4634402
The Sportage’s interior features a pleasing mix of complex and organic shapes. There is quite a bit of hard plastic throughout the cabin, but for the most part, it’s well-textured and adequately padded where passengers generally make contact. Passengers and driver alike benefit from well-contoured seats and adequate head- and legroom. The rear seat comfortably accommodates two average-size adults, but the seat doesn’t recline or slide fore and aft. The Sportage comes up a bit short in regards to cargo space, too, offering a maximum of 26.1 cubic feet behind
the rear seats and 54.6 cubes with the 60/40-split-folding seats laid flat. Bigger competitors boast as many as 73 cubes. On the road, the Kia Sportage finally lives up to its name. It feels more athletic and engaging than other compact crossovers thanks to taut suspension tuning. This leads to a bit of a stiff-legged ride over rough pavement and washboard highways, though. Power from the four-cylinder engine is simply adequate, but at least the automatic transmission shifts smoothly and quickly.
YOUGHAL KIA Cork Road Youghal Co. Cork Tel: 024 93919 Fax: 024 92000 www.youghalkia.com
7 YEAR WARRANTY QUALITY USED CARS AVAILABLE
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22
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
MIDLETON FOOT CLINIC With you every step of the way...
THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL For this month only we are offering you €100.00 off our custom foot orthotics.
MISSING
DOG
This offer includes free assessment, plus free six week follow up.
Rose Hickey will give classes in the hall for four nights, in various styles, novice and refresher, on March 31st and April 6th, 13th and 27th, excluding April 20th. Enquiries to Rose on 058 56113.
Fermoy whist drive
‘We are with you every step of the way’
Robert Sullivan BSc. (Hons)., Dip.Pod.Med., PGC. Pod Sur., Cert. L.A., FSSCh, FIChPA, M.Inst.Ch.P. Dept. of Health Approved. Health Professions Council Registered
ROMA WALSH
SCAMP
MISSNG FROM LAHARD, INCH, SINCE MARCH 1ST.
12 years old, little bit deaf, quite thin, very friendly, half King Charles, but bigger. Scamp is a rescue dog. If you see him, please contact 086 8322941
Deputy Sandra McLellan chats with Pat Reilly DENISE FITZGERALD REPORTS
M.I.S.C.P.
For appointments contact 087 6810930
Aghada, Whitegate and Saleen First Responders
The above are holding a Charity Cycle on Saturday, April 9th, so dust the cobwebs off your bike and come along to support this worthy cause. Sponsorship cards are now available at the Schooner Bar, Whitegate or also from 7 Mosestown Grove, Whitegate. It will start at the Monument in Whitegate at 4pm and kids and families can walk or cycle. There will be refreshments along the way, with hot food and refreshments also served after in the Schooner Bar, Whitegate with music by Menace. Anyone interested in cycling to Youghal, please contact Anthony on 086 6049980 or call to the Schooner Bar. Cycle to Youghal will start at 1.30pm.
Gortroe Ladies Club have organised a Céilí Night for Friday, March 18th in Gortroe Hall. Music on the night is by Comhaltas Youghal musicians. An evening of craic, ceoil agus damhsa guaranteed. 9pm til late. Refreshments provided on the night.Tickets €8. Over18s only. For further information contact 086-3699990.
would like to announce the opening of her
at Ballintubber, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork
Results from Sunday, March 6th: Best overall score: Frank Roche Winning ladies: Mary Mason, Margaret O’Flynn, Marie Roche, Ina O’Brien, Anne Hurley, Mairead Scannell, Joan McHugh and Evelyn Hales. Winning gents: James Leamy, David Morrison, Paddy Byrne, Tadgh Donovan, Jim Ryall, K. Scanlon, Noel Hales & K. Hawe. Raffle: Margaret O’Flynn, Gerard Donovan and Brigid O’Donnell. Whist Drive every Sunday night at 8.30pm sharp in Fermoy Bridge Centre (enquiries to 025 32086) All welcome.
Gortroe Ladies Club Céilí Night
Chartered Physiotherapist
PHYSIOTHERAPY & SPORTS INJURY CLINIC
THERE will be a Church Gate Collection on Saturday and Sunday next in aid of the above. Anyone wishing to help should contact Jim Leahy on 021 4631173. Bru Columbanus is an outstanding organisation, helping to facilitate people who have loved ones in the University Hospital for extended periods, and need accommodation.
Ruth Good a florist from Cork, will speak to the club on Spring in the Garden, on Wednesday, March 16th at 8pm and will also do a mini demonstration. Come along and bring a friend.
All our orthotical shells are covered with a ten year warranty, which means that as your foot changes; we can adjust your orthotics to suit your changing needs.
For an appointment ring 021 4621044
Bru Columbanus Midleton
Conna & District Flower & Garden Club
Do you suffer with, foot, ankle, leg, knee, hip or back pain? Orthotics could be the answer.
We work with you to get it right! Your satisfaction is our reputation.
EAST CORK SNIPPETS
ON Saturday last, March 5th the East Cork Journal sponsored Pat Reilly Show on CRY Youghal, was delighted to welcome Deputy Sandra McLellan along for a chat. Meeting with Sandra just as she arrived in the door, the East Cork Journal asked a rather ridiculous question “Are you exhausted, Sandra?”. Replying with candour, the new Dail Deputy said that she was “so tired that even her eyes hurt”. When asked if she felt bombarded with work and work related events, Sandra was quick to say that she was in the process of prioritising her commitments, and emphasised that her allegiance to Youghal and the people of the South East constituency would be foremost on her list. She laughed when asked if she had anything exciting in store for the following day, Sunday, and said she had miles and miles of reading that would fill her weekend without a problem”. And then this young, committed and very modest Dail Deputy took the stairs of Cumann na Daoine at a run, to ensure that she did not keep Pat Reilly waiting too long as he was anxiously awaiting her for his very popular and well listened to programme, The Pat Reilly Show.
Midleton Twinning Association
There will be a Church Gate Collection held in aid of the above on Saturday and Sunday, March 19th and 20th. Anyone wishing to help on either day will be gratefully appreciated. Contact Patricia Lyons on 021 4652478, Catherine Collins on 021 4613510 or any committee member.
Cloyne locals on the air in Charleville
On Tuesday, March 15th, C103fm, with their studios in Charleville, will record a very special radio show with Jimmy Reidy - and the people of Cloyne. If you have a story to represent Cloyne historically - either in sport or from a cultural aspect - you are more than welcome to come along for some music and story telling. Bus leaving Harty’s Bar at 6.30pm. All welcome.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
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CRY ask one hundred questions DENISE FITZGERALD REPORTS
AS most people are now aware, Community Radio Youghal are hoping to relocate to new premises and are thus in the midst of fundraising efforts to bring this about. Several different events have been organised, the latest being the CRY fundraising Table Top Quiz which was held in comfortable Farrell’s Bar, Summerfield, on Saturday last, March 5th.
Thirteen teams, with the most unusual names ever heard by the East Cork Journal, gathered for the Quiz which involved ten rounds of ten questions. The teams were made up of all ages, male and female, and competition was high. Yvonne Smith of CRY organised for the results of each round to be shown on a specially set up screen so that the participants knew precisely who was ahead and who was behind. Popular Quizmaster, Tommy Collins fired the questions which were Winners: Mike Hayes, Eoin Crowley and John Kelly put together by Declan Gibbons (with a little help from many friends). are called ‘Rebels Red’ Maura Joyce and Darragh Parker were busy setting up the various tables, selling tickets and getting everyone organised.
The ‘Don’t like Quizzes’ team of Decvlan Hennessy a nd Kitty O’Sullivan, minus Tommy Roche
There were many super prizes to be won, and the CRY team wish to extend their sincere thanks to Farrell’s Bar, Brooks SuperValu, Youghal Chamber, and Michael McGrath of Jenesis, who were among the many sponsors.
The winners of the quiz on 78 points were team ‘Rebel Red’ comprised of Mike Hayes, Eoin Crowley and John Kelly. There was a very exciting tie break for second place on 76 points between People’s Front of Judea and K/9, with the People’s Front finishing ‘out in front’ for second prize. A Raffle was also held on the night, with great prizes for the lucky winners.
CRY were delighted with the success of the night, which was all due to those who came along to participate, and they extend their sincere Kieran Cronin, Jimmy Keogh and Brian Fitzgerald thanks for all the support. aka ‘The Quizlamic Jihad’
The Egyptian Wonders aka Ber O’Mahoney, June Arnott, Linda O’Regan and Angela Kearns
021 4638022 All photos available to buy
James Howes and Danielle Kearns, part of the ‘Howes Tricks’ team
Members of CRY and organisers of the Table Quiz are Tommy, Maura, Yvonne, Darragh and Declan
Bryan Roche, Barry O’Leary and Liam Ryan at ‘The Peoples Front of Judea’
‘The In-Betweeners featuring Donna’ - Donna Kelly, Ian O’Loughlin, Gavin O’Lary and Kevin Hehira
Robert, Tracey, Marie and Sean Paul are ‘The Judean Peoples Front’
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
The
Waterford Way Lismore's Alice is RGN Student of the Year at CUH With Declan Barron
Finnisk Fun Ride THE Annual Finnisk Fun Ride will take place on Sunday, March 13th from Villerstown to Modeligo in aid of Irish Dogs for the Disabled, Caring for Carers and CERT. The event begins at 1pm and is a great day out for all of the family, with a jumping and non jumping route provided. To enter or find out more information, please call 087-7563242.
Entries now open for Waterford adventure race
THE second Waterford adventure race will be held on Sunday, May 21st beginning and ending at Mount Melleray Abbey just outside Cappoquin. The race consists of a 14 km run/hike, a 42 km cycle and ends with a 6.4km kayak spin along the Blackwater River. The event is not for everyone, but for sporting enthusiasts who like their sport to be challenging and on the extreme side, then this is the race for you. Supported by the Dungarvan and West Waterford Chamber of Commerce, the race brings many new visitors to the West Waterford area, which is seen to its best advantage at that particular time of year. Entries are now being taken on line, so if you want to take part then check in at www.waterfordadventurerace.com to secure your spot at the starting line.
Apparition due at Melleray Grotto?
SPEAKING of Mount Melleray well known visionary, Joe Coleman, has predicted that another apparition is due at the Statue of the Blessed Virgin at Melleray Grotto on Monday, March 14th. Many followers of Mr. Coleman, who was featured in an RTE documentary last week, will turn up in the hope that some sort of happening will occur. Mr. Coleman has a website www.knock apparitions.com where he predicts future sightings will occur, with Melleray due for a visit on March 14th.
LISMORE native, Alice Cliffe, RGN was declared Student of the Year at Cork University Hospital's Nurse and Midwife Graduation Ceremony last Friday.
In total, 86 nursing and midwifery students who have completed the four year BSc in General Nursing, BSc in Midwifery or BSc in Childrens & General Nursing (Integrated) were honoured. (Photo: Gerard McCarthy)
Clashmore Community Alert citizens information meeting
Ardmore’s Feis Maitiu Winner
THE above meeting will take place at Clashmore Heritage Centre on Tuesday, March 15th at 8pm. The topics to be discussed on the night include Social Welfare Entitlements, Fair Deal, Carers and Respite, State Benefits changes, Information on Home Grants and many other topics. All are welcome.
Jack & Jill Tractor Run in Villierstown raises €3,207
CONGRATULATIONS to all involved in the above event which raised a staggering €3,207 last week. A number of smaller events were also held and this brought the total amount raised to €4,257. Pauline and Ned Lombard would like to thank everyone for their help and support raising this money for the Jack and Jill Foundation.
CONGRATULATIONS to 16 year old Kathleen Quinn of Main Street, Ardmore who won the U17 Class 89: Piano Repertoire at the Féis Maitiu in Cork. Kathleen, who is taught by Marion Jensen, performed with the other prizewinners on stage last Thursday night to a full house. The Pobail Scoil Na Tríonóide student also plays the violin and has completed her certificate with the Royal Irish Academy. It was Kathleen’s first time taking part in Féis Maitiu and to come out on top was a marvelous achievement for her. Her proud parents, Bernadette and John, were delighted for her.
Old Parish stages ‘The Weir’
THE Old Parish Drama Group will stage their production of Conor McPherson’s Play “The Weir” in St Colman’s Hall from March 11th to 13th, commencing each night at 8.15pm. Places are limited so to reserve your ticket contact Bernadette at 058-46242 to make sure of admission.
SERT Fundraiser in Modeligo
DECCIES Lounge Bar in Modeligo will be the venue for a fundraiser for the South East Radiotherapy Trust on Wednesday, March 16th commencing at 9.30pm. Musician, Sam O’Doherty, will headline the event and admission on the night will be €8.
Lismore Castle Arts Exhibition
THE Lismore Castle Arts Centre will host an Art exhibition from March 17th to March 27th. The exhibition will include work from students of Blackwater Community School, Ard Scoil Na nDeise and Meanscoil San Nicholas, An Rinn, from 11am to 4.45pm each day. The young artists exhibiting in “Artifice 2011” have a theme of “Still Life” and their creativity and imagination are well worth a visit. County Arts Officer, Margaret Organ, has overseen the project which has been of tremendous benefit to the students who took part.
Clubs with news or sporting events Get in touch!
IT IS not easy to keep track of everything that is going on in the West Waterford locality, so if you are a group, club or organisation and you wish to get your notes in to me then please feel free to send them to [email protected] marked West Waterford Notes or call me on 087-9126566 as I will be happy to assist you in any way in 2011.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Lismore Farmers' Market set to start 6th season
Civic reception for ONE officers Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Jim O’Shea; fellow councillors, Valerie Young, Lilly O’Brien, Marcus Wilson, Maura Byrne, Michael O’Connell and Michael C. Ryan. Town Clerk,Tom McGrath; S.A.C. Officers; National Chairman, Ger Landers PC, SAC President, PJ Hassett; Chairman, William O’Brien; Secretary, Joe McCarthy; PRO and Area Organiser, Domhnall MacCárthaigh; Pierce McCan, Branch Officers, President, Michael Roche; Chairman, Eamon Coonan; Secretary, Dominic Wixted and Treasurer, Patrick Sweeney at the civic reception
LISMORE Farmers' Market wishes to announce the start of its 6th season. The market will commence on Sunday, March 13th from 9.30am to 4.30pm to coincide with The Immrama Festival of Travel Writing Devonshire Day at Lismore Castle avenue.
We are looking forward to a very exciting year in 2011, as plans for the development of the market with several new imitatives to bring the quality of the market to the next level, are in progress. As well as many of our regular stallholders we will be inviting providers with novel ideas for innovative products to diversify
Recreation of ‘Teaser’ Anniversary in Ardmore
and enhance the range and quality of produce provided. We look forward to meeting you all again next Sunday at 9.30am. For further details contact the Chairman of Lismore Farmers Market Management Committee Michael J Walsh 086-8377590.
Adult Art Classes in Ardmore ICA Hall
LOCAL artist, Lisa Dolan will hold a series of Adult Art Classes in the ICA Hall commencing on Saturday 19th and Sunday, March 20th from 10am to 12.30 each day. Classes cost €50 and will cover sketching in pencil, charcoal and graphite pencils as ARDMORE is known nationally and, indeed, well as oil painting. For more information or to book globally for its beautiful beaches, but in times a spot then Lisa can be contacted at 087-9578356. gone by the Waterford coastline proved perilous for many ships, one of which is a Schooner named the “Teaser” who set sail from Swansea bound for Dingle but the ship was wrecked at Curragh beach on March 18th, 1911.
Valentine’s Day Dance a huge success
The 100th anniversary of this shipwreck, in which all of the crew lost their lives, despite the gallant efforts of the local coastguard crew, will be remembered in Ardmore Hall on Friday, March 18th THE West Waterford Dancers who held a charity when well known historian, John Young, will give dance in Cappoquin Community Centre raised €5,160 for local charities, and would like to thank a short talk on the event. all those who supported this event. Cheques for Those responsible for the rescue attempt were dec- €2580, were presented to West Waterford Hospice orated by the King of England at the time, and and SERT who were delighted to receive these were also recognised by the RNLI. A demonstra- funds. Dance classes continue in Cappoquin and tion of the equipment that was available at the time Dungarvan each week where instructor, Margaret will also be given and the memorial event will Fitzgerald, puts her students through their paces. For further information on these classes call Margaret on commence at 8pm and is open to everyone. 087-6656234.
THE quarterly meeting of the Southern Area Council (SAC) of the Organisation of National ExService Personnel (ONE) was held in the Templemore Arms Hotel, Templemore, Co. Tipperary on Saturday, February 19th. The occasion was marked by a Civic Reception accorded to the SAC Officers by the Templemore Town Council in the Council chambers prior to the SAC meeting.
Deputy Mayor Councillor Jim O’ Shea, delivering his speech in Irish and English said,’ Úachtaráin Régiúinach, Cathaoirleach Náisiúnta, Coiste Feidhmeanach na Mhumhain, Cómhairleoirí, Cléireach an Bhaile, Aoínna Speisíalta, dhaoine uaisle agus a chaired uilig. Tá an-áthas orm a bheith anseo libh inniú is míd a ghabháil Fáiltiú Catharta ar Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann, Regiúin an Dheisceart. Tá súil agam go bhfuil sceidéal suimiúil crinn cruaidh agaibh le linn bhúr cruinniú thart san ostán. Tá bhúr éagraiocht ag déanamh a sár dhícheall chun saol na iar serbhíseach a fheabhsú is molaim go mór leis an fhaidhb sin. As Deputy Mayor, I am honoured to welcome you all here today as your visit is historic and recognises the military services’ link to our town dating back to 1809. Many of your members have passed through the town in some corps or other, as they served their country and their citizens with pride and dignity. Your role in our community does not receive the accolade it deserves. Your charitable work, parades and occasions of remembrance must receive more attention and media coverage for the role it plays in our communities. Our public at large must see you as the very professional organisation you have become over the years. Before concluding I will extend my most sincere and heartfelt thanks to your great organisation. I am delighted to report that, as a Town Council, we have been working closely with the local Pierce McCan Branch – a very committed and active branch – to
bring back some of our military heritage to our town. With this in mind we are currently sourcing two 4.5 inch Howitzers to adorn the plinth on the eastern side of the Town Hall. Hopefully, you will be in attendance at their installation ceremony and add to the occasion. Thank you all again. Enjoy your meeting and I look forward to meeting you when next you visit our beautiful town.’ ONE National Chairman, Ger Landers PC and SAC President, PJ Hassett, in their replies both expressed their thanks to the Town Council and emphasised what a great honour it was for the ONE that its Southern Area Council Officers were accorded this Civic Reception. There then followed a suitable presentation to mark the occasion. The first by Deputy Mayor Councillor Jim O’Shea to SAC President P.J. Hassett and the second by President of the local Pierce McCan Branch of ONE Michael Roche to the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Jim O’Shea.
In the SAC meeting which followed, apart from the election of Officers, the most notable item was a lively discussion on the wearing of medals by ONE members. The reading by SAC Chairman, William O’Brien, of a Department of Defence circular detailing what medals may be worn on ones uniform provided the spark for the discussion. The consensus among delegates was that this directive applied to members of the Defence Forces and not to members of ONE who, notwithstanding the pride they felt in relation to their military service, were now civilians and free to choose what they desired to wear on their blazers. There was a large attendance of 48 delegates representing the following Munster branches; Ballincollig, Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Cobh, Commander George Crosbie, Cork City, Imokilly, Lower Ormonde Nenagh, Patrick Sarsfield, Pierce
McCan, Thomas Ashe, Thomas Kent and Tipperary Town.
National Chairman, Ger Landers, SAC Chairman, William O’ Brien and SAC President, P.J. Hassett all welcomed new branch, Lower Ormonde Nenagh and the re-established Thomas Kent branch and wished them both well. Prior to the election of Officers, SAC Secretary, Joe McCarthy informed the meeting that having served in the office continuously for twelve years he was now going to take a rest and would not be standing for office. SAC Chairman William O’Brien praised Joe for his outstanding work on behalf of ONE.
Election of Officers for the coming year resulted as follows: President, PJ Hassett, Clonmel Branch; Chairman, William O’Brien, Ballincollig Branch; Secretary, John Kelleher, Cork City Branch; Treasurer, Finbarr Burns, Cork City Branch; PRO and Area Organiser, Domhnall Mac Cárthaigh, Cobh Branch; Vice-Chairman, William Kane, Clonmel Branch; Assistant Secretary, William Stewart, Commander George Crosbie Branch; Assistant Treasurer, Tony Canning, Lower Ormonde Nenagh Branch; Auditors, Michael James McIntyre, Commander George Crosbie Branch and John Mulhall, Thomas Ashe Branch. Before the meeting closed National Chairman, Ger Landers complimented the host branch, Pierce McCan, on their choice of venue and he congratulated them on securing the Civic Reception which, he said, was great recognition for the ONE He also commended the SAC on work done for the organisation and he wished the delegates a happy 2011. SAC Chairman, William O’Brien thanked the Pierce McCan Branch for their generous hospitality. He announced that the next meeting would be held on April 23rd, 2011 at the Perry Hotel Limerick City and hosted by the Patrick Sarsfield Limerick Branch.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
MIDLETON turns out to support East Cork Parents & Friends of the Mentally Handicapped
THE East Cork Parents and Friends of the Mentally Handicapped held a hugely successful fundraising night on Friday, March 4th at Wallis’ Bar in Midleton. The large crowd were treated to some fine music while the raffle on the night was well supported making it a very successful venture - and, we believe, as the night went on, things got a little hot around the collar! ABOVE: Some of the organising committee
Rebecca Kelly, Sinead Walsh and Ann Cronin
Gia and Liam Dubary
021 4638022 All photos available to buy
Ballinacurra Ladies Footballers show their support for the event
Sinead O’Mahony and Julia McCarthy who were part of the organising committee
Dervula Moynihan and Niamh Goold
Susan O’Sullivan and Michael Morrissey
Helen Casey, Leona Kearney and Vicky Guilly
Pat and Kathleen Lordan
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
MIDLETON has fun raising money for East Cork Parents & Friends of the Mentally Handicapped
021 4638022 All photos available to buy
A happy group of ladies that supported the event
Ciara O’Mahony, Eve O’Shea, Sarah Horgan, Debbie Looney, Denise O’Mahony, Andrea Deady and Liz Browne
Michael O’Sullivan is joined by members of Douglas Hockey Club, Liz Raleigh, Christina O’Sullivan, Nicky Stokes and Ursula Shaw
Sadie, Edel, Aimee, Sherry and Tina enjoy the night
Eileen O’Connor, Musetta O’Leary, Valerie O’Leary and Sylvia Pearson
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A sporting chance 28
Wednesday,March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Taekwon-Do Ireland Midleton goes for gold in local competitions
IN THE last few weeks, the Midelton Taekwon-Do club, run by James Dwyer, IV Degree Blackbelt and current ITF Middle Weight World Champion, has knocked out all competition in the recent tournaments held in Little Island and in Blackrock. The Scion Tournament in Little Island saw the club win eight for eight, as eight students ventured out and came back with eight trophies between them. They shone in the adult categories, particularly where Thomas and Warren won out the beginners and intermediate spar-
ring categories respectively, and for both it was just their first competition.
One of Midleton’s smallest fighters rose to the top in Little Island too, when David won gold in the under 7 sparing section, after winning gold in Carrigaline just two months earlier, and winning gold also in the National Championships one month before that! Definitely a good sign for a bright future ahead for Midleton Taekwon-Do.
Youghal RFC’s firsts take on Castleisland
Rallied by the club’s local success in Little Island, more students stepped up to fight for Midleton in the 4th Annual Blackrock Champions, and 20 students brought home an incredible 31 medals. The club’s other national champions did not disappoint as Arnaugh, Verlene and Natalia all took comfortable wins in their sections. Arnaugh’s little sister, Fiona, followed in her sibling’s footsteps by winning the under 6 sparring. One student, Liam, even went on to win gold in both sparring and traditional forms, something that is extremely difficult to do. And once again Midleton
East Cork LADIES DARTS
Results for week 3/3/2011:
McDaid’s were home to Colbert’s and McDaid’s won 4-2 in games and 11-7 in legs. Batt Murphy’s were down to the Long Point and Batt’s came out on top with a 6-0 win and 15-3 in legs. Maggie May’s had their bye. The games this week are as follows:
Maggie May’s are at home to Batt Murphy’s and Colbert’s are home to the Long Point. McDaid’s have their bye. Thanks to McDaid’s for sponsoring this tournament.
DECLAN Flaherty, President Youghal Rubgby Football Club receives a Note: Any highest score and highest checkout cheque from Michael Treacy, The Nook Bar, Youghal, sponsor of Youghal’s must be written on the scoresheet. first team in their match vs. Castleisland on Sunday, March 6th, which they Best of luck ladies - now let’s play darts! won well.
took command of the beginner and intermediate adult sparring categories, but this time with two different students winning out, Billy and Brendan, both bringing home the gold to Midleton. Great days were had by all at both tournaments and the TaeKwon-Do Ireland club in Midleton is motivated by its success to go on and achieve even more. For details about the Midleton club or the TaeKwon-Do Ireland Association, please visit www.midletontkd.com or www.tkdi.ie
Corkbeg pitch & putt
THERE were two fourball competitions played last week and the numbers were, thankfully, up. Last Wednesday there was a Scotch Fourball competition and Colm O’Shaughnessy and Terry Dunne came out on top. The gross went to Victor McDonald and Noel Kirby. Pat Lordan and Redmond Walsh finished in second nett spot on the day. Last Sunday morning there was a fourball versus par. Noel Kirby and Sean Busteed were head and shoulders above the rest, winning with an excellent score of 12up. The gross went to the impressive Joe Carlile and Colm O’Shaughnessy with 5up. Joe Wall and Denis O’Connor won the second nett with 9 up.
Fixtures
The Shamrock Bowl commences on Sunday from 10am to 12.30pm and concludes on St Patrick’s day with the same times. Format is Singles Strokeplay with 2 cards to count. The usual competition takes place on Wednesday at 2.30pm.
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Cloyne road bowling club
Wednesday, MArch 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Harty’s Perpetual Cup
RESULTS from March 6th not posted, as no teams could field a complete team.
This Sunday, March 13th, the 2.30pm match between Teams A and B has been cancelled, while Team C will take on Team D at 3pm.
Players please note that entrance fees have not been paid by a lot of players. Therefore, players will not be allowed to play in the tournament, unless their dues are fully paid up and will NOT be covered by insurance to play along the road, and will be liable for any injuries/damage incurred by themselves. Also, if a team fields at least 3 players,and their opposition can only field up to 2 players, then a bye is awarded to the team who fielded the number needed to play. A team who fails to field a minimum
Youghal golf club Ladies
2/3/11: 14 Holes Singles Stableford SILVER: 1st Sharon Lupton(17) 28 pts 2nd Mary Lawton (17) 28pts BRONZE: 1st Celia Cotter (29) 32pts 2nd Paula Burns (22) 31pts 3rd Sheila O'Callaghan (24) 30pts 4th Ann Pochford (26) 29 pts
Fixtures: 9/3/11 - club singles 23/3/11 - Daffodil Day Ladies 3 person Team Event Invitation Open Day Ladies Winter League - kindly sponsored by : Larry & Deirdre Smyth Presentation of Prizes - 9/3/11 at 7pm Winners: Team F - 413pts Sharon Lupton, Breeda Fitzgerald, Paula Brennan, Ann Rochford, Tricia Treacy, Moira Crimmins 2nd Team: Team C - 409pts Marian Sweeney, Catherine McCarthy, Marian Feely, Amanda O'Neill Coyne,Celia Cotter,Eithne Pyne 3rd Team: Team D - 396pts Mary Pomphrett, Betty Cotter, Trish Landers, Anne McCarthy, Avril Kelly, Noreen Lenihan
Gents
28/2/11 & 1/3/11: Winter League - 15hole Singles Stableford 1 Billy Forrest (21) 36pts 2nd Richard O'Callaghan ( 18) 34pts 3rd John Cronin (13) 34pts 3/3/11:Winter League 15 hole singles stableford 1st Tadgh O'Mahony (14) 38pts 2nd Tony Lynch (10) 36pts 3rd Michael T. McCarthy (12) 35pts 4/3/11: - Winter League 15holes singles stableford Eddie Ryan (7) 39pts 2nd Tommy Kenneally ( 13) 37pts
Winter League Final Round Winners: Team C - 131 pts
number of players on 3 consequective occasions shall be removed from the competition. Or, if a number of teams are having difficulty in fielding a team, then if the standard of players is mixed(A to D grade), then a new team can be fielded,starting at zero points.
Underage Section
Training has resumed again on Saturdays at the usual time of 2pm.Players are requested to attend to gain some valuable practice prior to forthcoming competition.Players from any of East Cork’s four clubs are welcome to join in,and new players are especially welcome - as training is free. Anyone aged 9-18 is welcome. The East Cork Championships are due to start in a few months time. For further information, please contact John Rossiter at 087 6252936
Billy Forrest, Tadgh O'Mahony, Bertie Lupton, Tom Lenihan, Joe Murphy 2nd: Team B - 125 pts John Cronin, Dave Callaghan, John Hooley, Michael O'Doherty, Sean O'Sullivan 3rd: Team F - 124 pts P. J. Bunyan, George Tracey, Dermot Hogan, Frank Galvin, Billy Joyce 4th: Team J - 122 pts Clement Ruxton, Dermot Dromgoole, Maurice Power, Jack O'Donoghue, Tony Lynch
5/3/11: - 18 hole 4 ball singles stableford ( aggregate) 1st Brendan O'Leary (10) Patrick Keniry (14) 81 pts 2nd Norman McCarthy (11) Michael T. McCarthy (12) - 79 pts 3rd Karl O'Flynn (4) Shane Pomphrett (13) - 76 pts 4th Niall McCarthy Jnr (14) Niall McCarthy Snr (14) - 73 pts 5th Steve Mulcahy (21) Billy Joyce (11) - 73 pts 6th Michael Coyne (9) Patrick O'Regan (18) - 72 pts 7th Niall O'Donovan (13) Finbarr O'Brien (9) 12pts 6/3/11: - 18 hole 4ball singles stableford (aggregate) 1st Paul Moylan (1) Tom Kenneally (13) - 80 pts 2nd John Malone (7) Brendan O'Leary (10) - 79 pts 3rd Eoin Siochrú (10) Ger Motherway (21) - 76 pts 4th Ray Shiels (11) Michael Shiels (6) 74 pts 5th Dick Griffin (11) Dave Walsh (13) - 73 pts
Hole In One; Tommy Kenneally on the 13th hole Fixtures: Midweek open singles 12/3 & 13/3: Open 3ball 17/3: Open 3ball Scramble Men & Mixed 19/3 & 20/3: 4ball Better Ball.
The Week In Sport with Declan Barron
A rising tide lifts all boats
CORK football received another shot in the arm over the weekend with UCC capturing the Sigerson Cup for the first time since 1995. With ten Cork players on the starting 15, along with four Kerrymen and one for Roscommon, the Cork College eked out a final victory over UUJ Jordanstown. UCC had to do it the hard way with hard fought victories over DCU and UCD on the way to Sunday’s triumph. The Billy Morgan coached side showed tremendous character over the three day competition to come out on top and bridge a 16 year gap to claim the title with a 0-10 to 0-7 victory, showing that Cork football is again on the rise. As if to cement this view Morgan’s old Alma Mater, Coláiste Chríost Rí were at the same time winning the Munster Colleges Corn Uí Mhuiri in Killarney where they defeated Chorca Dhuibhne by 1-12 to 1-7. Billy Morgan’s successor at Nemo Rangers, Ephie Fitzgerald, was a selector with the Cork College and the Nemo Rangers duo of Morgan and Fitzgerald continue to inspire young men to great heights. Cork football is in a good place right now, and with Schull CC adding the Senior B Title to a growing list, the Cork football tide is now lifting all boats.
Ballycotton 10
Premiership title race thrown open again as Liverpool defeat Manchester U.
It continues to be an enthralling premiership season as the rest try to catch a Manchester United side that has slipped to a second defeat in a week, yet still remain three points clear of the chasing pack. Liverpool were the latest side to lower the Red’s colours at Anfield, but the chasing pack still failed to take advantage of this latest slip up, with Arsenal only managing to draw with Sunderland. Arsenal is now three points behind with a game in hand while Chelsea, with two games in hand, are 12 points adrift at the time of writing. Should both chasing sides win and then defeat United in the head to head clashes it could make for an interesting finish to one of the strangest seasons in premiership history. Thankfully, it is great to watch and, with the race to the bottom equally as exciting, there are sure to be some more upsets before the season is finished. I have said before that if Arsenal loses in Europe then they can focus on the title race, and after a Carling Cup loss it could well be that they might be the team to put it up to a United side hampered at present by injury to Ferdinand and Vidic.
The Ballycotton 10 came around again last Sunday with the local committee doing another sterling job. The organisers now have the event down to a fine art with the local RNLI, Red Cross, St John’s Ambulance, Coastguard, Gardai and Stewards all helping out in staging the 34th Ballycotton 10. The race is now established as one of the major events in Ireland, and great credit is due to the organising committee for keeping up the highest standards, which continues to draw the crowds each year with over 2500 in last Sunday’s event. Cork Athletes Derval O’Rourke, produced another fabulous run in the European 60m final to run a seasonal best and while a medal eluded her on this occasion, she again showed that she is right up there with the best of them coming home in 4th spot which, in that calibre of company, is another great achievement.
Ireland will be hoping to gain victory over Wales on Saturday in the RBS Six Nations Rugby and set up a Triple Crown showdown with England in the Aviva Stadium a week later. Ireland, so far, has been unconvincing with wins over Italy and Scotland and a loss to France so the games against Wales this Saturday at 5pm, and a week later, will see how we really are faring up before the World Cup. A visit to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff is always a tough task, so we will wait to see what unfolds this Saturday.
Back to earth for Cricket Team
Cheltenham just around the corner
The Irish Cricket team produced the greatest shock in the one day international World Cup series by defeating England, but on Sunday they failed to build on that success when going under to hosts, India. Ireland did have their chances but failed to take them. As only the top 4 in each group qualify for the knockout stages, it is unlikely that Ireland will feature, but they can rejoice in their victory over England that sent shock waves around the world. England, too, woke up and defeated South Africa after looking like they would suffer another defeat, but they are now back on track and lie in second spot behind India in their group.
Millennium visit for Ireland
Irish racing fans will this week be putting their plans in place for the Annual visit to Cheltenham. So far the build up has been a little quiet, but as the date comes ever closer the excitement is sure to build, with the six day event kicking off next Tuesday.
With St Patrick’s Day right in the middle again this year there should be a great atmosphere at the Prestbury Park venue with local jockeys, Paul Townend and Davy Russell, attracting plenty of support, while David Casey and Ruby Walsh, along with Paul and Nina Carberry the Irish punters will follow.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
BALLYCOTTON 10 2011
DECLAN BARRON REPORTS
ANOTHER huge crown flocked to Ballycotton for the 34th running of the Ballycotton 10 event that continues to attract the pick of athletes from at home and abroad. Indeed the list of winners continues to grow with Moldovan athlete Sergiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) coming home in front of Alan O’Shea (Bantry AC) who made all of the early running. However, the 100 metre gap he had opened up soon closed and Ciobanu took the lead at the 7 mile marker to power on to a personal best time of 49.37. Alan O’Shea came second on 50 minutes straight, while Sean Hehir from Rathfarnham AC came 3rd; Mick Clohessy was 4th with East Cork’s James McCarthy in 5th spot leading his team to victory in the team event.
In the women’s race Lizzie Lee from (Leevale AC) in Cork was first lady home in 58.48, with Angela McGann from Clonmel in second spot and Catherine Dowling in 3rd place. Lizzie Lee also had a person best on a splendid day for running, with little or no wind to contend with. Despite this, the record of Noel Berkley was never really threatened with the remainder of the 2,500 strong field in great spirits throughout. Mary Sweeney (nee Dempsey) of Youghal, running for St. Finbarr's, who is a previous winner of the Ladies race, came home first in the over 50 category. A full list of results and placings can be got on the Ballycotton 10 website as plans for next year’s 35th running of the event will soon be underway. Two stalwarts of East Cork Athletics, John Walsh and Willie O’Mahony, both competed again on Sunday and the two men are among an elite group who has competed in each of the 34 runnings of the Ballycotton 10.
Well known referee Colm Lyons with Aine Mohally at the race Katrina McCarthy with Karen Stakelum
Tara O’Connell, Michelle Smyth and Andrea Holland
Kevin McSweeney, Patrick Dunlea, Brian McCarthy, Miah McGrath and Liam Shanahan
021 4638022 All photos available to buy
Eric Owers with Dave Canavan
Anne Marie O’Flynn and Lydia O’Kelly
Fiona Cashman, Karen Fitzgerald, Barry Fitzgerald and Mike Cronin
John Fitzgerald with Ellen O’Mahony
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
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Moldovan Sergiu Ciobanu takes the mens' title with Lizzie Lee the ladies' champion
The Lotty and Moynihan families come out to give their support
TrinRun owners, Stephen and Rachella, with their family at the event
Midleton girl, Marian Cotter gets support fromAnn and Riona Cotter and kids
Eric Owers and Denis Carroll
John Daly, Gavin Murphy and John Toth
Steven, Sadit and Jerry get ready for the off
Geraldine Murray, Maeve Healy, Marie Kiely and Paula Cronin Kevin Morrison, Aidan Williams and Fergal O’Meara
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Youghal ladies Ann Moloney and Ali Buckley
Wheelchair athlete Gerry Forde takes off
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Midleton Renshukan Karate Club are winners in Piltown
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
East Cork region
FIXTURES 12/3/11 in Clashmore: Veterans Championship at 3pm: Matt Murray vs. John Hogan vs. Mick Mackey At 4pm: Paddy Hurton vs. Joe O’Neill vs. Leo Hegerty. 13/3/11 in Cobh: Local Tournament at 11.30am: Dave Dennis and Johnny Walsh vs. John Conneely and Michael Daly In Cobh at 3pm: Junior A Championship: PJ Cooney vs. Pat O’Brien (Jnr.) Veterans’ Championship at 4pm: Mick Glanville vs. Christy Ring.
Get fed, not fed up
ON Sunday, February 27th, students of Midleton Renshukan Karate Club travelled to Piltown to compete in the Piltown Open Karate Championships. The students, under the ever-watchful eye of Sensei Neil Sargent, brought home a total of 15 medals to Midleton. Full results as follows: Senior Ladies Black Belt, 1st Kata & 1st Kumite: Karen Sargent Intermediate Boys Brown & Black Belt: Christopher Goldspring: 1st Kumite, 2nd Team Kata
Christian O’Brien: 3rd Kata, 2nd Kumite, 2nd Team Kata Junior Brown & Black Belt: Dean Broderick: 3rd Kata, 2nd Team Kata Amy Ryan: 2nd Kata, 3rd Team Kata Tracey Casey: 3rd Kata, 3rd Kumite, 3rd Team Kata Megan Counihan: 3rd Team Kata
The club trains two nights a week on Mondays & Wednesdays from 7.30pm – 9.30pm in The Midleton GAA Hall. For further information on what’s going on, log on to www.midletonrenshukan.com
Youghal cycling club Club Spin
THE good weather conditions continued last Sunday morning where a healthy 18 members of Youghal C.C. lined up at Moby Dick’s for our weekly club spin. The anti, however, was upped last week with an earlier starting time and as usual, we split up in to two groups of 12 and 6 and departed at 8am and 8.10am respectively. The first group of 12 headed in the Waterford direction where we tackled the Tallow road climb, avoided the countless potholes along the top stretch and dropped down nicely into Tallow on the newly re-surfaced Waterford County Council section of the road. From Tallow, we again climbed the Lismore road and coasted along the good surface into Lismore and onto Cappoquin. With the wind picking up at the front, we all did our bit, except for the secretary who did more moaning than cycling, and coasted
into Dungarvan for the coffee break. Fully re-fueled, we hit the road again and decided to take in a loop around Ring before taking the coast road around to Ardmore. All going well at this stage, we cruised back into Youghal and rode a very steady pace up the bypass where, to everyone’s concern, Fabian aka the blocklayer, faltered! Oh how the mighty have fallen. Outward bound, we dropped down off the bypass and took in a loop around Gortroe and a leg busting ascent up Boreen Nora for the finish. All completed the climb well with the exception of the Bulman’s old pedals which were squeaking like his old knees! Re-grouped at the top, we dropped down to the strand and rolled back into town for 12.15pm with a respectable 115km completed at an average speed of 29km/hr. Well done to newcomer, Eoin, who rode very strong all day and held his place very well.
The second main group of 6 followed the same route as the first, into Lismore where they had the ‘coronas’ to tackle an accent of the Vee. At the top, they turned left for Mellary and dropped down into Cappoquin for their coffee break. Shortly on the road again, they took the scenic route home through Dromina Drive, Villarstown, Aglish and Clashmore before rolling back the main road to Youghal for 12.30pm with a tough and hilly 90km completed. The third and final group of 6 also gathered at Moby Dick’s last Sunday morning at 10am for their weekly run. They covered a sheltered route around East Cork taking in Ballymacoda, Ladysbridge, and Castlemartyr for the coffee stop, Killeagh and back to Youghal for 12.45pm with a challenging 40km loop completed.
Club monthly meeting
Our second Club Monthly Meeting of the year took place last Wednesday, March, 2nd at the Holy Family Church, Youghal at 8pm. Again, a good turnout on the night had a good debate about the Mizen to Malin Head cycle. In particular, the training was discussed and a decision was made to start the Sunday mornings at 8am instead of 9am for the foreseeable future. Membership cards were also handed out on the night. Arrangements are also currently being
made for the ordering of additional club kit for club members. An order will shortly be placed, so anyone requiring some new or additional club kit is asked to contact Club Secretary, Jonathan at 086-8563292 in relation to same.
Club website
Information about the club, cycling in the area and cycling in general, can be viewed at our club website. It has to be seen by all at www.youghalcyclingclub.com
Weekend spins
As you are all well aware by now, there is a weekly spin every Sunday morning at 8 am sharp leaving from Moby Dick’s Pub by the Clock Gate and covering an average of between 90 to 120km. A second group also departs at 8am for a 3 4 hour spin, and covers an 80 to 100km distance. A third group also goes on a weekly spin every Sunday morning at 10am sharp leaving from Moby Dick’s Pub by the Clock Gate. This spin, which runs on various routes every week, usually takes around 3 hours to complete and covers on average between 30 to 40km. The pace is again very comfortable. This is an ideal group for anyone interested in taking up the sport. New members or visitors to the area are always welcome. If you have any questions about the club or attending one of our weekend spins, please contact our Club Secretary, Jonathan at 0868563292 for details. See you all Sunday morning! Until next week, safe cycling!
Penny Dinners in Cork as Ireland take on Wales in 6 Nations
ON Saturday, March 12th, Ireland will play Wales in a crunch RBS 6 Nations Championship game in Cardiff. This game will surely prove exhausting and, hopefully, successful for the boys in green. The previous day will, hopefully, prove successful for the staff of Ulster Bank in Patrick Street, Cork, but it will, guaranteed, prove equally exhausting. On Friday, March 11th, the staff of Ulster Bank will cycle the equivalent distance of Cork to Cardiff, on stationery Exercise bicycles. The endeavour is in aid of local Cork organisation ‘Penny Dinners’, which is one of Cork’s oldest independent caring organisations, funded entirely by voluntary contributions. Every day approximately 40 nourishing meals are cooked and served to anyone who needs a hot meal; no questions are asked, no judgements made, regardless of ability to pay; all are welcomed with courtesy.
In 2010, 7,650 hot dinners were served along with a mug of tea, bread and butter. Additionally 1,750 sandwiches were distributed to take away. Penny Dinners are based in Little Hanover Street and are now actively fundraising to improve their facilities. For more information, see www.pennydinners.ie
Friday, March 11th will see many of the staff cycling furiously in an attempt to reach the milestone of reaching ‘Cardiff’ by the close of business, but the staff will be assisted by the efforts of Sean Óg O’hAilpin, John Gardiner (Cork GAA), Kevin Murray (Waterford Utd.) and by members of Cork City Foras FC. Why not drop into the Bank on Friday, especially around lunchtime, when the ‘celebrity cyclists’ will be on hand, and lend a hand to a most worthwhile endeavour. To contribute to this specific fundraising event, please contact Orlagh on 021 4270618.
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Midleton cricket club
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
AFTER Ireland's great win over England, which has again put cricket in Ireland on the map and everyone is talking about our sport, we hope to use this exposure to our advantage in recruiting new members both young and old. We are open to everyone in the Midleton area, anyone who has played at any level before or never at all.
The club was founded in 1999 by a number of ex UCC players and has very close ties to Midleton College, where our home ground is located. We have two teams in the
club at present, with roughly 30 adult members along with a large underage section. We had a great season last year. Our first team finished 2nd in Div. 1 and our second team 3rd in Div. 3 of the Munster Cricket Union Leagues.
This year we are looking to build on last year and bring at least a cup or league title home to Midleton. The club itself is extremely active with two games taking place almost every weekend during the summer months, with a few sociable drinks after to discuss the days events. With
ceive such a grant and things happened really quickly after that.
This new pitch will benefit all club members, but especially our strong youth section headed by coach, Jim Doran.
To have an artificial wicket allows coaching in most weather. Cricket generally requires dry pitches so previously, if our traditional grass wicket was wet, it prevented training on it. training during the week for all members at various times, there is always something happening.
We are currently in the process of putting down an artificial pitch, which is a huge undertaking for a small club like Midleton. It’s costing us in the region of €8000, which normally we would not be able to fund on our own. But this year we were lucky enough to have recieved a grant from the 'Texaco sports bursaries fund' which kickstarted us in fundraising for the pitch. It was great to re-
East Cork Darts Association THE fourth rounds of the East Cork Darts Tournament took place on Friday night last, March 4th, with the following game results.
Premier Division
(Gerald McCarthy Shield), sponsored by Gerald McCarthy SECTION A: Maggie Mays A 2 Thatch, Killeagh 5 Two Mile Inn 6 Central Star 1 SECTION B: Tosh Cahill’s 4 Sars 3 McGrath’s 5 O’Coileain’s 2
Division 1, sponsored by The Two Mile Inn, Midleton
SECTION A: Session 6 Woods 1 The Hut Bar 7 Niall McCarthy’s 0 SECTION B: Schooner vs. Maggie May’s B (to be played Gaelic A 3 Colbert’s 4
Division 2 sponsored by Colbert’s Bar, Ballinacurra Mackey’s 5 Batt Murphy’s 2 Castle 4 Gaelic B 3 Thatch, Lisgoold 3 Harty’s 4
League Table after 3 rounds: PREMIER DIVISION: Section A: Two Mile Inn 20 Central Star 13 Thatch, Killeagh 15 Maggie May’s A 8 Section B: MGrath’s 17 Tosh Cahill’s 14 Sars 14 O’Caoileain’s 11
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DIVISION 1: Section A: Session 22 The Hut Bar 16 Wood’s 12 Niall McCarthy’s 6 Section B: Colbert’s 16 Schooner 12 (result pending) Gaelic A 13 Maggie May’s B 8 (result pending) DIVISION 2: Harty’s 18 Mackey’s 18 Thatch, Lisgoold 16 Castle 13 Gaelic B 10 Batt Murphy’s 9
Now our new artificial wicket will be ready almost immediately after rain so we can train on a more consistent basis.
The pitch should be in place just after Easter and will be ready for the first few games of the season, which kicks off at the end of May/ start of June. We will be starting training in April and anyone interested in joining or giving it a go can contact me at [email protected] or by checking out our website at www.midletoncricket.com
Section B: Sars vs. McGrath’s O’Coileain’s vs. Tosh Cahill’s DIVISION 1: Section A: Woods vs. The Hut Bar Niall McCarthy’s vs. Session Section B: Maggie May’s B vs. Gaelic A Colbert’s vs. Schooner DIVISION 2: Harty’s vs. Mackey’s Gaelic B vs. Batt’s Thatch, Lisgoold vs. Castle
All clubs are reminded to text in results to Stef at 089 4170405 after games have been played.
East Cork vs. Cobh Darts Challenge
Last Saturday evening at the splendidly laid out Commodore Hotel in Cobh, the second legs took place between East Cork Darts Association Individuals the East Cork ‘1’ and ‘2’ teams and their Cobh counterCompetition next Friday night, March 11th, parts. at the Midleton Park Hotel.
East Cork ‘1’ vs. Cobh ‘1’
Check in for players at 8pm, games start at 8.30pm sharp. Can John Fitzgerald from Cobh held an 8-5 lead from the 1st leg. This meant, with Maggie May’s, Youghal retain the title? This 14 being the magic number to win the cup, that East Cork promises to be a fantastic competition with had to be at their very best to turn the game around. over 100 players taking part. Well done to all the East Cork and Cobh players on a fantastic competition last Saturday, March 5th, with the following result. East Cork 1s 12 Cobh 1st 14. East Cork 2s 14 Cobh 2s 12.
Fixtures for Friday, March 18th: PREMIER DIVISION: Section A: Central Star vs. Maggie May’s A Thatch, Killeagh vs. Two Mile Inn
First up was Mick Gleeson for East Cork ‘1’ and Mick was very unlucky here, just missing double 20 for a 120 checkout to win the game, before going down 3-2 to give Cobh a 9-5 advantage overall. East Cork ‘1’ hit a bit of a purple patch in the next 5 games as Steve Holland 3-1, Steve Coleman 3-0, John Fitzgerald 3-1, Tomás Burke 3-2 and Paddy Heaphy 3-1 won their games to turn a big deficit into a 10-9 lead. Colin Heaphy was in next, but his opponent was hitting his doubles when it mattered to level the contest.
Aidan Heavey was up after that and was very unfortunate to go down 3-2. Michael Byrne showed great spirit to hold off the stiff challenge of Mick Daly, 3-1, to bring the match to 11-11. It was anyone’s guess which way this game was going to go now, but Cobh stepped a gear at the right time. Kieran Foley came up against a very strong opponent in Paul McGee, going down 0-3. Terry Hughes was very unlucky in the next game, as doubles eluded him before going down 3-2. Young Stephen Kearney went in then against Andy Stavrianos but Andy was in great form taking it out 3-0 to give Cobh a 14-11 lead and the title. Brian McCarthy won the last game 3-1 which only proved to be a consolation for East Cork.
East Cork ‘2’ vs. Cobh ‘2’
East Cork led 7-6 from the first leg so this was always going to be a gripping contest. East Cork came out of the blocks very quickly with Chris O’Connell 3-1 and Donie Kelleher 3-1 throwing fantastic darts, including a 103 checkout from Chris to give East Cork a 9-6 lead. Billy Dennehy was next in and was very unlucky going down 32. Daithi Richards was involved in another very close game before coming up short 3-2. This made it 9-8 in East Corks favour. East Cork hit a good period again as Ashley Walsh 3-1, Alan Aherne 3-1 and Cathal Cronin 3-0 put East Cork in a very promising position of 12-8. Ashley Walsh took all the plaudits with a superb 154 checkout to win his match, while Alan and Cathal were hitting heavy scores in their games. Anthony Murphy went in next for East Cork, Anthony tried very hard but his opponent was quicker to the doubles taking it out 3-0. Graham Dennehy was in then and battled very well, coming out on top 3-2. East Cork led 13-8 at this point and only needed 1 more game to win the Shield. But Cobh hit back strongly as Danny Comerford 0-3, Kevin Riordan 2-3 and JP McGinty 0-3 came up short in their games. It was now 13-12 with 1 game left to play, Cobh needing it to bring it to sudden death, East Cork to win the shield. Up stepped the team captain, Kevin Barry and Kevin was not to be denied taking out the game 3-0 to give East Cork the victory.
The presentations followed with both the Cobh ‘1’ and East Cork ‘2’ captains receiving their trophies. The chairmen of both associations said a few words, and both agreed that these games between the leagues are very beneficial to all players. The standard was of the highest quality and every single player played their part in what was a terrific contest overall. Our thanks to Cobh Darts for providing a wonderful venue and food, and we look forward to meeting them again in the not too distant future.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
W.W.E.C.
BRIDEVIEW DEFEAT INCH TITLE RACE WIDE OPEN
CLASHMORE PROMOTED TO PREMIER DIVISION
OSCAR TRAYNOR THIS SUNDAY
WE commence our notes this week with congratulations to Clashmore A who were promoted last Sunday following their victory in Conna, while at the same time Brideview B was losing to Railway Athletic.
On Saturday afternoon last Brideview defeated league leaders, Inch, at Sexton Park and the Tallow side are now back in the title race to retain their title and complete a hat trick of titles. This coming Sunday, the WWEC League team travel to Limerick to play the Limerick League in the quarter-final of the FAI Umbro Oscar Traynor Cup. In our preview we said this was our match, not only of the day, but of the weekend and, more importantly, a league decider. At Sexton Park last Saturday afternoon, our billing did not live up to the neutral, to Brideview an outstanding game and victory, and to Inch a total disappointing result. We look at the game as a neutral.
Inch 1 Brideview 4
A victory here for Inch and they would have received the championship trophy. A win for Brideview and they were back on track for a hat trick of league titles.
Within 4 minutes they hit the home net and what a goal. As the visitors attacked on the left wing, a Brideview player was fouled, but some excellent refereeing saw the advantage played and a wonderful strike from Keith Landers from outside the area gave Coleman, in the Inch goal, no chance and the reigning champions were in the lead. For the next 15 minutes Brideview attacked relentlessly, with Aaron Pratt and Landers causing problems on the left flank. On 20 minutes another wonderful strike from all of 25 yards by Michael Curley saw the ball sail over the outstretched arms of Coleman ,and the visitors were in control of the game. Five minutes later a Keith Landers corner kick was headed home by an unmarked Paul O Brien from the 6 yard box and suddenly the game was slipping away from Inch. The third goal should have been dealt with by the home defense, but credit Brideview, they attacked the ball, as Inch waited for something to happen. On 28 minutes Inch were thrown a life line when Leonard Byrne converted a penalty, and suddenly we neu-
trals felt the home side might come more into the game. But no, it was Brideview who controlled the game, especially in mid field, and the visiting back four were outstanding throughout the 90 minutes. With just a minute to the break Landers forced a wonderful save out of Coleman with a strike from outside the area. The second half needed an Inch revival, a revival that would see goals, but unfortunately this did not materialize. Brideview used all their experience in stemming any attacks by the home side, and in truth, they were few and far between, as the Tallow side dominated all areas of the pitch and it was obvious they had their work done in those opening 45 minutes. The home side were reduced to 10 players for a second yellow card in the last 15 minutes, but this made no difference as Brideview were so much on top. Even if the home side had an extra player, Brideview would still have won. In the 2nd minute of injury time, Shane O Connor added a 4th goal to give the Brideview club the double over Inch with the same score line on both occasions.
On a beautiful spring afternoon on a perfect surface, the large crowd present waited patiently as 3pm approached and David Coleman got the game up and running. In the opening couple of minutes we felt Brideview travelled with only one goal-a win as they spread the ball around with pin point passes in those opening minutes. Inch appeared nervous, not able to get time on the ball, as Brideview sent out a direct message—we came to win.
Inch United who were defeated 3-1 by Brideview last Saturday. Victory would have given Inch the league title
Brideview United, who kept their title chances alive with victory over Inch last Saturday in Sexton Park
This was vintage Brideview from the first whistle. The two opening goals were, without doubt, the best goals this scribe has seen all season and we have seen many goals in games in both divisions. Those goals killed the game as a contest, as Inch were chasing the game from then onwards. Inch just could not get into the game—they were not allowed, as Brideview played to a tempo that Inch have not encountered all season. This was the champions telling the league leaders that the title is still in Tallow and, with two games to play, we have no intention of giving up the trophy. The back four of Brideview were outstanding, with the experienced Brian Henley, Stephen Pratt, and J P Grey and the youthful Aaron Pratt totally on top for the 90 minutes. They thwarted the twin attack of Leonard and Michael Byrnes in the air or on the ground. At mid field, Keith Lander’s opening 45 minutes saw him dominate proceedings and he had a hand in all three goals. Inch never got to grips with Brideview in this game. At no
Speaking to Declan after the game, who, while disappointed with the result, was very fair in acknowledging that the better team won. Dec was disappointed that many of the team were not able to rise their game, but to us, they were not allowed, so dominant were Brideview. So what now for both teams? Inch must pick themselves up for next week’s trip to Accrington, while Brideview have Castlebridge on March 20th and finish their league programme with a trip away to Blackwater.
Inch must win next week, and Brideview must win their two remaining games for at least a play off. What a finish to the season.
Our man of the match? It has to come from Brideview. Arnie Pratt was outstanding at left back; J P Grey showed all his class and experience at the heart of the Brideview defence, but Keith Landers is our man of the match. The opening 45 minutes was his game from midfield, scoring and creating goals, and Inch had no one to compete with him. In the second half, he only had to stay in front of the back four in a holding position, as all his work was done in the first half. Over all a big win for Brideview, and once again they come out on top when the occasion requires, and who’s to say they will not make this their second three in a row?
stage did they seem capable of penetrating the Brideview defense; they were playing second fiddle at midfield, which gave the home strikers little opportunity of troubling the visiting defense. Brian Keane, Stephen Murphy and Brian McDermott were the pick of the home side, who over all can have no complaints, beaten by a better team on the day, and beaten by a team playing a brand of football that has brought them success through the years—attack from defense and on the wings, the ball on the ground and passes finding their players.
INCH: D Coleman. C Galvin, J Dullea, B Keane, P O’Mahony, S Murphy, M Byrnes, B McDermott, L Byrne, J Fogarty, D Savage. Reserves: K Lane, B Murphy, I Lynch, D Fogarty, M Coleman. P Sullivan, P Cronin. BRIDEVIEW- B Sheehan, B Henley, A Pratt, J P Gray, S Pratt, M Curley, E Hickey, P Kearney, S O’Connor, W Curley, K Landers. Reserves, M Keating, W Henley, P Murphy. REFEREE: David Coleman.
Castlebridge 5 Cappoquin 1
At long last Castlebridge recorded a victory in the league when they defeated an under strength Cappoquin at Castlelyons on Sunday afternoon last, and this victory has them three points adrift of Accrington, but with two games less played. Two goals from Johnny O Sullivan and a Kieran Barrett penalty had the home side in a comfortable lead at the break. In the 2nd half
Sullivan went on to score twice more, to bring his haul for the afternoon to four goals, while Eamon Mernin had a consolation score for the visitors.
This was a badly needed win for the Cork side, as they are rooted to the bottom of the table with four games to play, while Accrington has only two games remaining.
Valley Rangers B 0 Clashmore A 2
Congratulations to Clashmore A following this victory in Conna on Sunday morning, as they are promoted with a game to play and need just a point from their final league game to be crowned league champions, as well as promotion. Valley fought well and Clashmore had to battle hard for this victory. A Shane Dalton goal had the visitors in the lead at the break. After the restart, Valley tried to get back on level terms, but it was Clashmore who scored again, this time through John Prendergast, and this was the insurance goal that gave them promotion. So, we congratulate and wish Clashmore the very best when they return to the premier next August.
Railway Ath 3 Brideview B 1
Brideview lost the chance to go second in the table as Pinewood were not playing, but unfortunately for them, they could not overcome Railway at the Danesfield on Sunday morning. Brideview took an early lead before leading goal scorer, John Lynch, equalised to leave the sides level at the break. In the 2nd half goals from Liam and Frank McLoughlin gave the home side victory and three points that guarantee them 4th position in the table.
Clashmore B 1 Ballybridge 2
Ballybridge still continue to lead Section B of the division with another victory, this time at Pablo Park and with Glen View only drawing in Kilworth, this win sees the Ballymacoda side open a four point lead. After a scoreless opening half, Ballybridge scored through Tony
CONTINUES NEXT PAGE
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal Dempsey and the same player added a second to leave the East Cork side in a comfortable position. But the Clashmore 2nd string came back and converted a penalty in the closing minutes and then hit a post in injury time. But overall the better team won and Ballybridge are now playing as we knew all along they were capable of, and when they travel to Melleray to play Glen View, that could be the decider.
Brideview last Saturday, in a game that could have decided the league title if Inch had won. Sunday’s game is a must win for both teams for the reasons given above. A draw is of no use, especially to Inch, as Brideview have two games less played and only three points of a lead. Inch must pull themselves up from last week’s disappointment as a defeat on Sunday, and their whole season could be gone. Accrington has not played well all season, and we cannot see them defeating a wounded Inch on Sunday.
Kilworth B 3 Glen View 3
Cappoquin B vs. Clashmore A
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
This was a disappointing result for Glen View as they try to keep in touch with Ballybridge to win Section B of the division. Glen took the lead when Sean Leahy scored a brilliant goal from all of 25 yards, and further goals from Eoin O’Donoghue and Brian Crotty gave the visitors what should have been a comfortable and winning lead. But credit Kilworth as they fought back and reduced the deficit before half time, when Joe Aherne scored. In the 2nd half, goals from Aherne and Owen Walsh had the sides level, and while the home side will be happy with the result, Glen View must be disappointed as they fall further behind Ballybridge after this draw, especially after such a wonderful start. Played at the Cappoquin venue last Wednesday night, this bottom of the table clash saw the home side come out on top and move away from the bottom of the table. Goals from Patrick O Connor, Colin Landers and Wayne Daly for Cappoquin to an Owen Wash goal saw the home side in the lead at the break. In the 2nd half Shane Drislane pulled a goal back for the visitors, and try as they might they could not score again for a share of the points. Overall an entertaining game.
Cappoquin B 3 Kilworth B 2
MARI MINAPHARMACY PREMIER Inch 1 Brideview 4 Castlebridge 5 Cappoquin 1 LISMORE HOUSE HOTEL 1st DIV Valley Rgs B 0 Clashmore A 2 Railway Ath 3 Brideview B 1 Kilworth B 3 Glen View 3 Clashmore B 1 Ballybridge 2
RESULTS
No doubt this weekend which game is centre stage, and this is in Limerick with the WWEC League playing the Limerick and District League in the quarterfinal of the Oscar Traynor Cup.
PREVIEWS
With so many players involved, there are only a handful of games being played in the league on Sunday.
There are also games down for decision on St Patrick’s Day and on Friday, March 18th.
With the John Giles Walk of Dreams taking place on Sunday 27th March, there will be no games played nationally on that date.
Limerick District League vs. WWEC League
Jackman Park, Limerick, is the venue for this eagerly awaited ¼ final of the Umbro FAI Oscar Traynor Cup tie this
coming Sunday with a 2pm kick off. This is the very first time the WWEC League has played in the quarter-finals, although in February 2004 the league played in the last 16 in Ireland with an away fixture in Sligo. Sunday is different, as the league travel as winners of their group, having drawn with both Carlow and Wicklow, and so go into the game with a degree of confidence.
Not having played since January 9th, the squad has had a few get togethers and played two challenges in the past two weeks against Tramore in the Waterford Premier, and last Wednesday night against Youghal from the Munster Senior League at Ardrath Park. This game was a thriller, with Youghal winning with literally the last kick of the game on a 4 goals to 3 goals margin. In both of those challenge games, the league team was not at full strength, and it gave the management team of Joe O’Riordan, Tom Guiry and Michael Looby an opportunity to see all players involved in the squad. While Limerick are red hot favorites to win, the WWEC squad is a squad with players who have played at this level for many years. At the time of penning our notes we do not know the exact squad that will travel to Limerick, but we hear there are at least four of last year’s Youth Inter League team that was defeated in Letterkenny by the Donegal League. This shows the progress of the league and how the system from schoolboys to youth football, and then to junior, is working. We saw both group games and as we wrote at the time, we were very impressed by the team on the two occasions. Sunday is a big occasion, probably the biggest in the history of the players, and definitely the biggest in the history of the league. To have reached the last eight teams in the country is an achievement in itself, and more importantly of the eight teams in contention, the WWEC League is the smallest. Limerick, by comparison, is one of the largest leagues in Ireland with so many teams affiliated at all levels, and the Limerick side on Sunday will be the favorites as they boast players from Pike Rvs, Fairview and Ballynanty, all household names in junior soccer circles. Most of Sunday’s team will have experienced League of Ireland football through the years, but on the day it is eleven players against eleven players.
We saw Pike playing two weeks ago in the Munster Junior Cup and know that many of that team will be wearing the white of Limerick on Sunday.
Yes, Sunday is a challenge, but then again when the draw was made last September, the WWEC League was given no chance by the so called experts. However, the WWEC team is in the ¼ finals on merit and, hopefully, we will see the League into the last four for the very first time. We know the result is achievable, and more importantly, the management and team think they will come away from Limerick as winners.
We would appeal to clubs within the league to travel to Jackman Park on Sunday afternoon to cheer on the WWEC team as Limerick will have a large home support, and it will be a great boost to the team to see their fellow club players in the stand. Remember the kick off is 2pm. See you all there.
Castlebridge vs. Valley Rangers
This is a local derby with the home team on a must win mission if they wish to stay in the premier division next season. Following their home win last week against Cappoquin in which they scored five times, a similar display is needed on Sunday morning. With Accrington playing Inch in Fermoy at the same time, Castlebridge must win to help them get away from the bottom of the table, a position in which they find themselves with two games less played than Accrington. This game will be Valley Rgs last league game as they will have played all their league fixtures and, regardless of the result, will finish in mid table. However, the fixture is all about Castlebridge and their fight for survival, and after last week’s performance we think they may have the momentum to overcome the Valley challenge. Castlebridge to win. The top meeting the bottom, one team going for the championship, the other fighting to stay in the premier.
Accrington vs. Inch
Accrington has not played for a few weeks and need to win to stay in front of Castlebridge, who have two games less played. Inch come to Fermoy smarting from their home defeat to
The newly promoted Clashmore travel to Cappoquin this Wednesday night to play the home club’s second string in the Ned Barry Cup. Already in the Bolger Cup Final, promoted to the premier, the season is very good to the Clashmore club. Cappoquin defeated Kilworth last week in the league and will look for the same effort and commitment this Wednesday night to overcome a Clashmore team full of confidence and on a high since promotion last Sunday. We think Clashmore will win. Both sides met last Sunday at Pablo Park with Ballybridge winning by 2 goals to 1 goal. The win saw the Ballymacoda side open a four point lead over Glen View at the top of Section B of the division. With Glen View also playing at home, Ballybridge cannot afford to drop points, and we think they will win.
Ballybridge vs. Clashmore B
The home side have the opportunity to get over the disappointment of last week’s draw in Kilworth, when they led in the first half by three goals to nil, and ended up conceding three goals for a share of the points. This result saw Ballybridge open a four point lead in Section B. Glen View have to win as anything less than three points will see Ballybridge increase their lead. Glen View to win.
Glen View vs. Cappoquin B
9/3/11: NED BARRY CUP Cappoquin B vs. Clashmore A, 7.30pm, M. Hartnett
FIXTURES
13/3/11: UMBRO FAI OSCAR TRAYNOR CUP Limerick and District League vs. WWEC League, 2pm, Jackman Park, Limerick
MARI MINA PHARMACY PREMIER Castlebridge vs. Valley Rangers, 11am, P. Browne Accrington vs. Inch, 11am, D. O’Sullivan
LISMORE HOUSE HOTEL 1st DIV Ballybridge vs. Clashmore B, 11am, M. Curran Glen View vs. Cappoquin B, 11am, S. Drislane
U17 LEAGUE 13/3/11: Brideview vs. Inch, 1.30pm, P. Browne Railway Ath vs. Pinewood, 1.30pm, S. Drislane
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Kilworth vs. Ardmore, 1.30pm, D. O’Sullivan Clashmore vs. Ballybridge, 2pm, K. Griffin
Sincere congratulations to Eamon Cusack, David Coleman and Maurice Hartnett from the referees branch of the WWEC Referees Society, who have been selected to officiate at the Cork and Mayo FAI Youth Inter League ¼ finals at Turner’s Cross next Sunday, March 13th. This is a wonderful honour for the three officials concerned, and for the WWEC Referees Society, and we wish all three the very best. A former schoolboy underage player, Sean Barron from Ardmore, could well be in goal for the Cork Youths in this one, as the net minder kept another clean sheet last Sunday as Cork City U17 team advance to the All Ireland semi final where they will face the Villa from Waterford.
CONGRATULATIONS
We have been asked to mention in our notes that a referees Seminar will be held in Waterford on Friday, April 29th and in Cork on Saturday, May 7th. All referees must attend one of the seminars if they wish to continue refereeing in the WWEC League next season.
REFEREES’ SEMINAR
We send sincere best wishes from everyone in the WWEC League for a speedy recovery to ex WWEC committee member and An Gaeltacht member, Luke O’Brien who is hospitalised at present. We look forward to seeing Luke out and about soon.
BEST WISHES
There is a Delegate Meeting this coming Monday night, March 14th, at the Brideview Complex, Tallow, commencing at 8.30pm. It is imperative that all clubs are represented, as cup draws and league fixtures will be announced by the Fixture Secretary. The John Giles Walk of Dreams, which will be held in Lismore on Sunday, March 27th will be on the Agenda.
DELEGATE MEETING
JOHN GILES WALK OF DREAMS
The John Giles Walk of Dreams will take place on Sunday, March 27th throughout Ireland with 15 centres nominated by the FAI. The WWEC League has been nominated, and the League has selected Lismore as the League’s venue. The walk is open to all clubs in the league and there are junior, schoolboys and girls taking part. After May 1st, 2011 clubs and schools who participate in the walk may write to the John Giles Foundation explaining the project they wish to run that will lead to better community cohesion, higher participation in football or contribute positively to education and health in the area. The walk in Lismore will commence at the Blackwater Community School, and proceed down Upper New Street, across Hospital Lane, down Chapel Street to the Church, up Fernville, across Parks Road and then onto East Main Street, Main Street, East Main Street and back to the Blackwater Community School. The walk will commence at 3pm.
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Midleton Football Club
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Main Sponsor: Wallis’ Bar www.midletonfc.com Midleton U14 2 Local cup under 11s National Cup last 32 away Douglas Hall U14 1 to Cherry-Orchard Midleton 2 Leeds 3 Cherry-Orchard 6 Midleton 1
WITH midterm break almost over and many players away, Midleton U14 girls travelled to Douglas Hall last Saturday with 9 players. Midleton knew they would have to work hard and this game turned out to be a fantastic game, and a great achievement for the 9 Midleton girls. The game started with Douglas Hall making the most of their advantage of a full team, breaking out into the wings and forcing gaps in the Midleton defence. A fantastic performance from Maebh Hennessy in goal, and the back four of Una O’Sullivan, Ines Rosa (captain), Amanda Bennett and Rebecca O Sullivan kept Douglas Hall from getting the first score. Midleton’s first goal came after 10 minutes with great link up play from Chloe Sigerson and Megan O’Regan which saw Chloe Sigerson score for Midleton. The game was on a knife edge throughout with Douglas Hall attacking constantly, but again great play from the Midleton backs ensured Douglas Hall could not score. Ella Morrissey and Dolapo Bello in midfield had to cover the whole pitch in both attack and defence, and a great break from Ella Morrissey saw Chloe Sigerson and Megan O’Regan link up again and it was Megan O’Regan who scored Midleton’s second goal. The first half ended with an exhausted Midleton leading 2 nil. Douglas Hall came out for the second half fighting and, knowing the Midleton girls were tiring, used all their substitutes to give fresh legs to the Douglas team. The Midleton girls showed great spirit, courage and commitment throughout and kept Douglas Hall at bay. The last 5 minutes of the game was one of pure excitement and thrill. Douglas Hall continued to press forward and with 5 minutes to go Douglas Hall scored. Both teams for the last few minutes attacked the ball, and Midleton’s Una O’Sullivan made a fantastic break from her back line into the Douglas Hall half and Midleton’s Chloe Sigerson had a shot saved by the Douglas Hall keeper. The ball was then pumped down into the Midleton half with Douglas Hall pushing their 10 players up into the box. Maebh Hennessy, in goal for Midleton, pulled off a spectacular save in the dying seconds and cleared the ball from her line just as the final whistle went. Congratulations to the Midleton girls for a fantastic performance.
Subway sponsor FAI Cup Match
E D D I E Allen, Club S e c r e t a r y, E a m o n Duggan of S u b w a y, Mick Kirby, Club Chairman and Eamon’s son, Fion Duggan, with the match ball
Lotto results
THE results for Thursday, March 3rd, for a jackpot of €15,500. The numbers drawn were 4, 7, 23 and 28. There was no winner. Bonus jackpot of €1,000. The numbers drawn were 15, 17, 21 and 25. There was no winner.
Lucky dip winners who each receive €20 were; Margaret Walsh (U12), Mary O’Brien (Pa), Dave Stanton (U15), Noel Meade (Connor U12), Jennie Horgan (Mossie), Gillian Horgan (Pa), Clive Seale (Banners), Eleanor Laffan (Pa), Angela O’Keeffe (O. Lynch) and Jennifer Lewis (T.H. Sport).
The next lotto draw will take place at the Club House, Knockgriffin Park, this Thursday, March 10th for a jackpot of €15,750.
MIDLETON started off this game strong by having most of the ball. 10 minutes into the first half they where rewarded with a move from the right side when Ciaran Newlands played the ball through to Adam Wilson who ran down the line and crossed it into Andrew Nestor who blasted it into the back of the net to put Midleton 1-0 up. The home side were on top all through the first half ’til 5mins before half time when Leeds got a free kick outside the centre of the box. Leeds took the free kick right into the box and their striker got his head to it to make it 1-1. Midleton had their chance to go ahead when Nestor scored again but was denied with offside.
As both teams came out for the second half, Midleton seemed to leave something behind. They definitely weren’t the same team as in the first half. For the first first 5 minutes it was all Leeds who had position and 2 minutes later Leeds got the ball from a clearance from outside the box, took a shot to lob the keeper, and it was 2-1. As the game went on Midleton made a couple of changes, bringing on Evan O’Meara for Coner O’Leary up front, taking off Tommy O’Connell, and bringing on Cian Murray to centre back, pushing Sean O’Leary up to midfield. As the game went on Midleton started to come back into it. Then, bad defending from Midleton caused them to lose a 3rd goal. There were still 15 minutes left and it’s got to be said that Midleton never gave up. They started to realise they were in trouble, and played their hearts out for the last 15mins putting Leeds under pressure. They had a clear penalty denied when a Leeds player handled it in the box. Then Wilson pulled one back to make it 2-3 but in the end it was just too late. Man of the match goes to Sean O’Leary for his all round play.
Midleton ‘A’ dominate to take great point at Corkbeg
MIDLETON ‘A’ played some excellent football as they controlled much of the possession in this tightly fought game. With Corkbeg sitting third in the league it was expected they would be too strong for Midleton ‘A’, but with excellent performances in Midfield from Cameron Smyth and Conor Meade, Midleton ‘A’ dominated for long periods and only the final ball stopped them from winning away from home. Throughout the first half Conor Meade patrolled the midfield in front of his back four and picked off the loose balls from Corkbeg. Good link up play with Cameron Smyth allowed Midleton ‘A’ to quickly turn defence into attack, and great support on the wings from Kieran Viellard and Kevin Daly ensured the Midleton ‘A’ front two of Barry Kenneally and Patrick Horgan had their chances. Only some fine goalkeeping from Corkbeg stopped Midleton ‘A’ from going in at halftime in the lead. The second half saw changes from Midleton ‘A’ as the hard work was taking its toll. Both Conor Evans and Cian Walsh came into Midfield and continued to dominate Corkbeg. With a strong defensive line up of Liam Franklin, Cillian Brouder, Eollann Shanahan and the superb Dylan Wright, Corkbeg were reduced to long balls over the top for any success, and these were easily cleared by the dependable Conor Wright in the Midleton ‘A’ goal.
Midleton ‘A’ continued to push up front and the entrance of Alan Swarbrick on the right, and Dylan Hallinhan on the left, added fresh legs to the attack. Again, it took good defending from Corkbeg to stop Barry Kenneally from scoring late on. Overall, Midleton ‘A’ showed great improvement and discipline in a formation of 4-1-3-2 which Corkbeg never got to grips with, and it is a credit to every player who worked hard all over the pitch to support each other. With the league entering its final stages Midleton ‘A’ has laid a good platform to move upwards in the league. Midleton ‘A’ Coaches: Noel Meade, Colm Smyth and Joe Jalil. Report by Colm Smyth.
MIDLETON U12s and their loyal supporters travelled to Dublin early Saturday morning to play probably one of the best sides in the country.
The game started as expected with Cherry-Orchard pressing from the off with some very neat play and a couple of fine shots stopped by the very impressive stand-in keeper, Kieran from the U-11s. Midleton created a couple of early chances but found it hard to cope with the strength all over the pitch, Cherry-Orchard also created some neat attacking play but again to be denied by some further great saves. On 20 mins Cherry-Orchard took the lead with a neat through ball finished off by their very impressive striker. Midleton defended well putting their bodies on the line, with Ross O’Connor very impressive at left back challenging for every ball, and not giving their centre forward any space,
China was his usual powerhouse, Padraig strong in the air and Cathal doing all he could to cope with the power they had. Garran Mathew Barry and Stephen were working their socks off... finding it very hard dealing with the size and strength of Cherry-Orchard midfield. Christian and Ryan, up front, had but a handful of chances, one of which was very close, to draw the game level on 25 minutes but Ryan O’Regan was denied by a great save. Cherry-Orchard extended their lead on 27 minutes again with some very neat play, finished off with a great volley on the edge of the box. Half time score: Cherry-Orchard 2 Midleton 0.
The second half began as the first with Midleton absorbing all the pressure, and backs to the wall, as Cherry-Orchard came looking to close the game ou. This, they did on 40 mins and extended their lead to 3. Credit to Midleton. From 1-11 they kept battling and never gave up.(Great Spirit). When Garran hit the Crossbar with a superb free kick it gave them hope of a goal, and they were rewarded on 47 mins when Christian pounced to finish off neatly. He picked the ball out of the back of the net and ran back to the halfway line - was there a shock in sight? Not to be. Again, Cherry-Orchard pushed hard and got their reward on 52 minutes and were out of sight. 4-1, Kevin Mulcahy, Rian Hogan, Sean O’Meara and Timmy came off the bench and tried to contribute to the score line, but Midleton were outclassed. Cathal, Ross, Chin and Kevin defended with all their strength. Garran made his usual bursts and efforts on goal, only to be denied by the woodwork. Some great defence with Matthew working hard to supply some neat passes to the forward line. Stephen and Barry worked hard on the wings, but on the day they came up against a very good and organised Cherry-Orchard side. With a couple of minutes to go got a couple of soft goals to finish off the tie, but no complaints - by far the better team on the day won. Even though it was a heavy defeat, it could have been a lot heavier but for some great goalkeeping and some brave defending from all.
To pick Man of the Match it must be from the line of defence. Ross O’Connor, with his strong tackling and commitment just edging out the very impressive Kieran in goal. Congratulations Ross. Overall Midleton gave a good team performance but just were simply outclassed on the day,
Munster Senior League
It’s back to Munster Senior League action this Sunday morning, when Midleton take on Rockmount in a vital league game for both sides. The match kicks off at 10.45am in Knockgriffin Park, Midleton.
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Glory, glory, Man United - your stories wanted for new book: IRISH DEVILS: HOW THE IRISH FELL IN LOVE WITH MANCHESTER UNITED
Corkbeg stay in AUL 2B title hunt Corkbeg 2 Castle Celtic 0
CORKBEG had a well earned 2-0 win over a good Castle Celtic side on an overcast day in Whitegate. Both teams had chances early on, with O’Reilly saving well twice at one end and Ronan Forde going close twice at the other end. Both sides were evenly matched, but Corkbeg grabbed the lead after 30 minutes when Darrian O’Donoghue headed powerfully past former Cork City goalkeeper Michael Devine, from a Ronan Forde corner. Castle responded well but any attacks were well repelled by outstanding performances from Corkbeg centre backs Sean Quirke and Dean Keegan, as well as Michael Russell in midfield. Corkbeg doubled the scoreline early in the second half when Ian Casey was tripped in the box, and Ronan Forde drove his spot-kick high past Devine. Celtic were dealt a blow only two minutes later when their right back was sent off for a really soft second yellow card, but this seemed to inspire Castle who kept the ‘Beg defence under pressure. Forde should have added to Corkbeg’s total before the end, first tamely shooting straight at Devine and then lobbing the ball over when well placed. So, it finished 2-0 and Corkbeg keep the pressure up in AUL2B, especially after Cathedral Celtics 1-0 loss to Churchvilla today. Cathedral visit Whitegate next Saturday! AUTHOR, John White is a very busy man. Having already published an Only Fools & Horses quizbook, with his RMS Titanic Miscellany set to be published in May 2011, he’s already working on his next book - and he needs the help of the people of East Cork. ‘I need input from your readers who saw Noel Cantwell play for Western Rovers and Cork Ath-
letic. And I need some stories from readers who saw George Best play for Cork Celtic, and Roy Keane play for Cobh Ramblers. And if anyone recalls a young Denis Irwin playing for any teams in the Cork area, maybe you can send me some old clippings of any of these players?’, John gushes. He’s also looking for stories from East Cork’s Man U fans, detailing how they came to fall
in love with the Red Devils in the first place.
John would be delighted to hear from anyone in East Cork with a love of Manchester United, and promises to personally thank each and every person whose story he uses by naming them in the book in the ‘Very Special Thanks’ section. Can you remember where you were when Man U won one of
FAI UMBRO INTERMEDIATE CUP QUARTER-FINAL
Youghal and Sacred Heart all even
THIS was a highly competitive cup tie in which both teams gave as much as they could.
The home side nearly got off to a dream start after only 30 seconds when they had a shot which just went wide of the post. It took Youghal a bit to settle down into the game and good efforts by Bobby Donoghue and Darren Hennessey were just wide. The home side did have a few chances in the first half, but nothing of any great note. United turned round in the second half and had the slight advantage of a wind, and started the second half well. This was rewarded midway through the half when from a corner, Sean Kenneally was on the end of a perfect cross and fired United into the lead. This fired up the home side and they started attacking more. They had two very good scoring chances, but once again Youghal keeper, David Kearns, was in top form and dealt with them, especially with the second when he had to get down to a fine shot which looked goal bound, but Kearns made a super save from it. With time running out for the home team and not looking good, the break through they were looking for came ten minutes from time when from a corner David Byrne despite the efforts of the United defence and keeper, headed home to the joy of his team mates. It was backs to the wall for United for the last few minutes, and with time just up the game nearly ended up in heart break for United when a fine shot from Byrne looked like ending in the net. But luck was on United’s side and it hit the post and was cleared.
Over all United will feel happy enough with the draw as they did not play as good as the last round. Sacred Heart, with their chances, will feel they should have won the game but will, like United, be happy to fight another day. The replay is on this Sunday, March 13th at 2pm and will hopefully draw a large crowd to Ardrath Park.
their many FA cups, or when you first learned the words to ‘Glory, glory, Man United.’ If so, John wants to hear your story - and we’re happy to help him out ... even if we are Arsenal fans.
You can email John directly at [email protected] or call him on 0044 (0)7990 998194.
Springfield Ramblers AstroTurf Pitch for hire
THE Springfield Ramblers Schoolboys Football Club AstroTurf Pitch facility is going from strength to strength at the Cobh Community College grounds in Carrignafoy. All of the club’s teams use the pitch for training throughout the week, and the Club Academy for boys and girls train on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. There is a noticeable improvement in the standard of football being played by the teams, and all of the teams are in challenging positions for their respective league titles. The Astro Turf facility is also available for hire and most of the available hours have been taken at this stage.
The members of the public who have hired the pitch are delighted with the facility, and this is borne out by the respect they have shown for the pitch throughout the months since the facility opened last September. The club would like to offer the remaining free hours for hire to any members of the public who wish to avail of these fine facilities. The rates of hire are very generous and can be viewed on the club website www.springfieldramblers.ie. There are three five-a-side pitches and these are available for hire on Friday evenings.
Any members of the public who wish to avail of this facility can contact Cathal Rasmussen on 0868878421 or contact the club email [email protected]. Booking forms and the time table can be viewed and downloaded from the club website www.springfieldramblers.ie. www.springfieldramblers.ie [email protected]
TEAM: O’Reilly, Hodges, Quirke, Keegan, O’Brien, Russell, Cotter, Wenham, Casey, Forde, O’Donoghue. Subs: Kelly, O’Driscoll, Murphy, Jordan, Brady, G. Roche.
U14 CSL Div 4 Corkbeg 2 Castle Celtic 1
The ‘Beg maintained their charge for league honours with a hard fought win over Mitchelstown side Park Utd. Goals in either half by John Looney and Jordan Ryan gave the ‘Beg the points. This was a solid if not spectular win for the ‘Beg and keeps the momentum going in their push for the league.
U12 CSL Div 5 Corkbeg 0 - Midleton A 0
A well disciplined Midleton A team shared the spoils with the Beg in a thrilling goaless encounter in Whitegate. Both sides are very well matched and both sides gave their all in a tough but very fair game. The ‘Beg probably shaded the possession percentage, but found it very hard to break down a stubborn Midleton defence. When the did get through they found the visiting keeper was in top form.
The Beg were minus star defender, Aaron Berry, out with a minor toe infection, and slotted Dara Murphy into the sweeper role. Dara had an outstanding game and was definitely the Beg MOM. Jordan Tynan, Ciaran O’Shea and Gavin Kelly were others to impress in a very close game. Table Quiz this Friday night at Rosie’s Bar, Lower Aghada at 9pm. Please support.
WWEC Schoolboys & U17 fixtures
U17 League games are being played on Sunday this week due to Waterford Minor County GAA Championships on Saturday.
12/3/11: U17 Fraser Cup Preliminary Round: Castlebridge vs. Valley, 2pm, P. Griffin U14 Aquatrek League: Clashmore vs. Castlebridge 12.30pm, K.Griffin Cappoquin vs. Brideview, 12noon, N. Early Kilworth vs. Valley, 12noon, A. Higgins
U14 Aquatrek League Division A: Ballymac vs. Ballybridge, 12noon, M. Curran
U11 JDI League Division A: Clashmore vs. Castlebridge, 11am, K. Griffin Ardmore vs. Cappoquin, 11am, D. Fogarty U11 JDI League Division B: Ballybridge vs. Lismore 2pm, C. Galvin 13/3/11: U17 League: Brideview vs. Inch, 12noon, K. Griffin Railway vs. Pinewood, 12noon, S. Drislane Kilworth vs. Ardmore, 12noon, E. Cusack Clashmore vs. Ballybridge, 2pm, D. Coleman
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Midleton come Crumlin down FAI Intermediate Cup: Midleton 0 Crumlin 3
DECLAN BARRON REPORTS
Springfield Ramblers Under 15 Division 1: Springfield Ramblers 3 Midleton 1
Springfield Ramblers came out on top of a tough encounter in this U15 First Division tie, and produced three second half goals to secure a great result. The goals were scored by Dave Meaney, Keith O’Flynn and Jack Ronan. U13 Premier League: Springfield Ramblers 1 Blarney United 1 U14 Premier League: Springfield Ramblers 0 Avondale United 1 Under 16 Premier League: Douglas Hall v Cobh Ramblers (match postponed) Under 16 Division 4: Springfield Ramblers 1 Mallow United A 2
Dave Meehan claims this cross
Midleton played host to holders, Crumlin, in the quarter final of the FAI Intermediate Cup on Sunday last in Knockgriffin Park. Unfortunately, after a bright enough start, the home side capitulated and two bad errors handed the initiative to the visitors. In the early stages of this contest there was little to choose between the sides, with Paul Deasy going close with a volley for Midleton at one end, while Stephen Larkin could have scored for Crumlin at the other, as the play flowed from end to end in a very good opening twenty minutes. At this level of competition you get punished for mistakes and Midleton found this out to their cost on the half hour mark as a
needlessly conceded free kick was floated in by Martin Crayer with full back, Andy Doolin, sneaking in unmarked to head home a soft opening goal. Things were to get worse for the home side a minute later, as hesitancy in defence saw Midleton get caught in possession and Crumlin struck for another headed goal as James Lee scored when the ball was crossed in.
These body blows almost knocked Midleton out, but they regained their composure somewhat, only to be reduced to 10 men when Cillian Flavin was sent off for a second yellow card offence. The midfielder, who had been doing well up to that point, left his teammates down with a stupid foul as they now faced a really uphill battle against the
favourites to win this competition. Brian McCarthy floated over an inviting cross to give Midleton hope before half time, but it took a brave challenge from man of the match, Peter Horgan, to prevent Crumlin from extending their lead. Indeed, Horgan was perhaps lucky to stay on as his wholehearted challenge denied Tony Griffith a run on goal but referee, TomĂĄs Long, saw it as a legitimate challenge. On the resumption Midleton emerged in a positive fashion and it took a good save from Crumlin keeper, Dave Meehan to keep a Mark Duggan header out as he clawed it off the line. Ian Stapleton also had a shot go close, but that was as good as it got for the home side. Crumlin, with Peter Sherlock, David
Crumlin United who knocked Midleton out of the FAI Intermediate Cup
Loughran, James Lee and Martin Crayer running the midfield sector, it was hard for Midleton to get, and keep, possession of the ball while at the same time the visitors defence was rock solid. With Midleton tiring, the third goal finally arrived in spite of the best efforts of Jason Green who saved well only for Rob Douglas to follow up and slam home the ball. From there to the finish Green was kept busy, but did well to save on a number of occasions.
For Midleton it proved to be a bridge too far as their hopes came crumbling down with those two goals in a minute. The sending off added insult to injury but to their credit they never threw in the towel and although fighting a
losing battle, they continued to try to the finish. There was better luck for the other Cork sides with word coming through that Avondale beat Bluebell 2-0 while Youghal United have another bite at the cherry after getting a great draw with Sacred Heart in Dublin, and will now have a replay at Ardrath Park to look forward to. MIDLETON: Jason Greene, Peter Horgan, Martin Hickey, Michael
Kennedy, Peter Halloran, Cillian Flavin, Paul Deasy, Mark Duggan, Ian Stapleton, Andrew Knowles and Bryan McCarthy. Reserves used Ian Maher, Emmett Cotter and J Marks.
CRUMLIN UNITED: Dave Meehan, David Andrews, Andy Doolin, Derek Griffin, Peter Sherlock, Martin Crayer, David Loughran, James Lee, Stephen Larkin, Tony Griffith and Rob Douglas. Reserves used Ger Quinn and Carl Redmond. REFEREE: Thomas Long with assistants Finbarr Murphy and John Lennon.
Midleton who were defated by Crumlin United last Sunday
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Aghada camogie club launch
THE historic launch of the Aghada Camogie Club is taking place upstairs in the Aghada GAA Grounds in Rostellan on Wednesday, March 16th at 8pm. The County Development Officer and members of the Board will attend. The board will oversee the election of officers on the night and answer any queries. Parents of any girl (7 years of age or older) who is interested in playing camogie for the coming year, or would like to try something new, are more than welcome to come along. It is a great way to meet new friends. A great night ensured and here’s hoping for a very successful and enjoyable year, both on and off the field.
Cobh
All welcome to be part of this historic occasion!
Fixtures
9/3/11: U14 Fl Cobh vs. Bride Rovers at 7.30pm 13/3/11: IHL Cobh vs. Dripsey at 3pm
Results
Minor A FL: Cobh 0-13 St. Vincent’s 2-8 Minor A FL: Cobh 1-10 Blarney 2-7 Under 13: Football Cobh 4-11 Ballinhassig 0-4 Best for Cobh in this game were Barry Chandler and Sean Hillard with some fine scores between them.
Reminder
All juvenile players wishing to take part in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade are advised to assemble at the bottom of East Hill at 3pm.
East Cork GAA fixtures WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16TH: Michael Feeney U21 A Football Championship: Erin’s Own vs. Glanmire, at Caherlag, 7.30pm. RESULTS Garryvoe Hotel JFL Div 1: Ballinacurra 1-8 Fr. O’Neill’s 3-6 Bride Rovers 1-5 Carraig na bhFearr 0-14 Carrigtwohill 1-7 Glenbower Rovers 1-14 Glanmire 0-11 Fr. O’Neill’s 0-6.
Cork County GAA fixtures THURSDAY, MARCH 10TH: Red FM Senior Hurling League: Bride Rovers vs. Carrigtwohill, at Rathcormac, 7.30pm Friday, March 11th: Red FM Senior Hurling League: Sarsfields vs. St. Finbarr’s, at Riverstown, 7.30pm Bishopstown vs. Blackrock, at Bishopstown, 8pm.
Lisgoold
Ballinacurra lose out against Fr. O’Neill’s in Junior Football League Momentum moves on in the club with this Ballinacurra 1-8 being a big big week Fr. O’Neill’s 3-6 on and off the field
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
THE footballers of Ballinacurra and Fr. O’Neill’s put in an entertaining hour of football, where the visitors eventually came out of top by four points at Páirc Na Gael in Ballinacurra last Sunday afternoon. Playing against a slight breeze in the first half, Fr. O’Neill’s had taken a two point lead by the eighth minute, despite many squandered chances by the home side.
There were twelve minutes gone before The Village registered their first score when a typical Paul O’Keeffe run drew a foul, which Killian Harty duly punished. Defences were on top, and it was a further seven minutes before any umpire was troubled again when Fr. O’Neill’s restored their two point advantage.
A minute later the visitors grabbed the first goal of the game to increase their lead to five points. The last ten minutes of the half belonged to Ballinacurra but, similar to previous league games, they failed to punish the opposition. A long range effort by Tom O’Leary in the 22nd minute, and a Stephen O’Brien point in the 27th minute was all The Village had to show, despite having the majority of the possession. The three point gap between the teams at half time was soon extended to four when Fr. O’Neill’s scored a point after just two minutes of the second half. A minute later Stuart Costigan was fouled and Stephen O’Brien pointed the resultant free. A further free, courtesy of Killian Harty on the right hand side, cut the deficit even further.
Three minutes later a move through the middle ended up with Richie Keohane being up-ended in the square.
The resultant penalty was confidently despatched to the net by Tom O’Leary, which gave The Village the lead for the first time in the game. However, the lead was short-lived as Fr. O’Neill’s struck back a minute later with a goal of their own to go two ahead, and three minutes later added a point.
A pointed free from Stephen O‘Brien kept Ballinacurra in the hunt before a rather fortuitous goal by Fr. O’Neill’s left the home side with a mountain to climb with just ten minutes remaining. A minute later a further point by the visitors put them firmly in the driving seat. To their eternal credit The Village kept plugging away and laid siege to the Fr. O’Neill’s goal with only points by Stephen O’Brien and Trevor Costigan in the 28th and 29th minutes respectively to show for their endeavours, to leave Fr. O’Neill’s winning by a scoreline of 36 to Ballincurra’s 1-8.
TEAM: T Finnegan, D McCarthy, I Cahill, T O’Meara, T Costigan, S Richards, T Richards, B Sigerson, T O’Meara, S Costigan, K Harty, P O’Keefe, R Keohane, J Healy, S O’Brien SUBS: G Healy for P O’Keeffe, S O’Connor for S Costigan
Juvenile Club
The juveniles continue their training every Saturday morning between 10.30am and 12noon. €2 subscription per child. Please ensure your registration form is returned as soon as possible. Contact Eamonn Twomey at 086 8507202 for further details. Parents should keep an eye on texts for updates.
Adult Training
Training for the Junior Footballers continues every Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm at the pitch. Full attendance is expected as championship is only a few short weeks away.
Club Merchandise
Club merchandise is available to buy throughout the year. Club hoodies, wind-breakers, hats, hurleys and many other items for sale. Contact any club committee member for details.
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Junior Hurling vs. Sars
A BITTERLY cold night faced our side and Sars under lights on Tuesday night. Both sides free takers were accurate in the opening half, and it took Jamie Woods introduced in the half time to rifle our first point from play shortly after the interval. Successive scores from play from John Cashman, Maurice O’Connell and Alan Connery upped the pace, and, as manager Mike Woods emptied his bench to afford a very welcome workout for his side, the cold night was defeated as a heart-warming tie kept us entertained throughout.
Minor Football League Lios gCúl 5-09 Shamrocks 0-11
Another win for Owen Hegarty’s side gained another pair of league points in the All County Minor football League, with a cracking performance against visitors, Shamrocks, at a brisk and sunny Páirc Lios gCúl on Sunday afternoon. A virtuoso performance from John McCarthy, who notched a personal tally of 3.05, powered his side to victory where all but three points came from open play. Goals certainly win matches, and with a full handful of green flags raised, this proved to be the difference between the sides at the end. Bill Whelan and Cathal Cashman were the others who scored three pointers for the home side. A clean sheet for net minder, John Cashman, was equally pivotal on the day. Others to impress included Kyle Devine, Andrew Donovan and Micky Connery.
Underage Games
Loads of action on the field this weekend, with our Under 9’s and 10’s playing Kilta Óg under lights at Dungourney on Friday night, the Under 8’s facing Midleton on Saturday morning, and our Under 12’s competing in the ‘Primary Game’ at half time in the Cork v Galway game in The Pairc on Sunday.
Building Development Meeting
Thursday this week (March 10th at 9 pm in Lisgoold Community Centre) is probably the most crucial meeting yet in relation to the Building Development Plans. As well as affording an opportunity for an update on the plans for the new Dressing Rooms, we will launch the ‘Standing Order Scheme’. Costing €2 per week, we see this as the key factor in our Club plans. Please come along on Thursday to hear and see more. We could do with your support.
Inch Rovers ladies U14 league: Inch Rovers 1-1 Mayfield 7-5
ON Saturday, February 26th, the first league home game for Inch Rovers took place at 3pm.
Mayfield had just 15 players, so we thought we would have the advantage for this as we had 23 players on the day. Mayfield got off to a great start and got the first score of the game after 10 minutes of play with a point to the scoreboard. Mayfield had tall girls and our girls were smaller throughout the panel. Inch Rovers fought well but Mayfield were just all over us throughout the field. We got our first score of the game 25 minutes into the first half with a point from play from our no. 11 player, Niamh Roche, which brought the half time score to Mayfield 5-5 to Inch Rover’s 0-1. In the second half, Inch got off to a great start and beagn to get more into the game. As this was our first game, some of the girls would not have played together before. But we got a goal after 15 minutes to give the girls a boost. Mayfield were the stronger team on the day to bring the final score at full time to 7-5 to 1-1.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Carrigtwohill GAA not left feeling blue at social
CARRIGTWOHILL GAA club celebrated a very successful 2010 when they held their GAA Dinner at the Fota Island Resort Hotel on Friday, March 4th. Over 280 guests were in attendance as the Junior B footballers and Ladies U16 team were presented with their medals. All are now looking forward with renewed vigour to the 2011 season - which is already underway. ABOVE: Pat Quinlan is out to enjoy the night John and Rose O’Donnell
Sean, William and Anne McCarthy
021 4638022
Jessica Rumley and Aoibhinn O’Mahony
The ladies look forward to an enjoyable evening
All photos available to buy
Catherine, Shawn and Jack McCarthy
Olivia Buttimer, Trish Dunsford and Aileen Bunce
Jane Daly, Tara O’Connor and Julie Foley
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Carrig’s Ladies U16s and Junior B Footballers celebrate success
Teresa and Willie John Daly, Neilus and Margaret Kidney and Caroline Dixon
Some of the Carrigtwohill U16 Ladies Football team
Geraldine Cashman, Anne O’Donnell and Paula Murphy
Mags and Tony O’Connor
Mary and Seamus Fenton
David, Rita and Aine Harnedy
Damien O’Donovan with Valerie Walsh
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Sara O’Donnell, Lynn Browne, Sinead Daly, Olive Green and Oonagh Cashman
Mary Barry,Alana Peg and Maurice O’Donovan, enjoy a joke with Eddie O’Riordan (second from right)
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GAA Club Weekly Lotto results
Jim Forbes, Munster Cork gets back on track Council outgoing PRO with win over Galway National Hurling League Round 3: honoured after three years service Cork 1-20 Galway 1-17 Wednesday,March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
CORK got back to winning ways with a well deserved victory over leaders Galway in their second game at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. A win over Offaly was followed by a point defeat in Kilkenny so Denis Walsh’s side, showing seven changes from Nolan Park, produced a fine display to claim the points on offer and defeat unbeaten Galway, were suffering their first loss of the season.
Kinsalebeg
THE jackpot of €2,050 was not won. The €20 consolation prize winners were as follows J. Hennessy, Dave Murray, Nollaig Halpin, Roger Hynes and J. Motherway.
Killeagh
Jackpot of €4,200 was not won and the €30 consolation prize winners were Adrian Budds, Joe Griffin, Margaret Maisey and Carmel & Sean Tracey.
Fr. O’Neill’s
Jackpot of €6,500 not won. Numbers drawn were 4, 10, 23 and 25 and the consolation prize winners were Carmel Harrington, Tess Carey, Pat Pomphrett and Maureen Rochford.
Ardmore
The jackpot of €9,700 was not won. The numbers drawn were 10, 11, 15 and 26 and the €20 consolation prize winners were Larry Looby, Declan Cunningham, Pat Dunne, Marian Power and Billy Power.
THE 2011 Munster GAA Convention took place last weekend in Co. Tipperary. Among the speakers on the night were Munster GAA Chairman, Sean Walsh, Munster GAA CEO, Pat Fitzgerald, Munster GAA Deputy CEO, Enda McGuane, Munster GAA Treasurer, Michael Power and Munster GAA PRO, Jim Forbes. Many tributes were paid to Michael Power and Jim Forbes who stepped down from their roles as Munster GAA Treasurer and Munster GAA PRO respectively, following their 3 year terms.
Following an election, Michael Fitzgerald (Limerick) defeated Derry Murphy (Kerry) to become the Munster GAA Treasurer, while Ed Donnelly (Tipperary) was elected unopposed to the position of Munster GAA PRO.
Newly elected Munster GAA Treasurer, Michael Fitzgerald, is a native of Kilmallock in Limerick and held the position of Limerick County Board Treasurer from 1992 to 2002. Newly elected Munster GAA PRO, Ed Donnelly is a member of the
Moycarkey-Borris GAA club and served as Tipperary County Board PRO from 2003 to 2008.
The full list of Munster GAA officers elected for 2011 are: Cathaoirleach: Seán Breathnach (Ciarraí) – Chairman: Sean Walsh (Kerry) Leas-Cathaoirleach: Roibéard an tSeacha (an Clár) – ViceChairman: Robert Frost (Clare) Rúnaí na Comhairl : Padraig Mac Gearailt – Munster GAA CEO : Pat Fitzgerald Leas-Rúnaí na Comhairl: Eanna Mac Dubhain – Munster GAA Deputy CEO – Enda McGuane Cisteoir: Micheál Mac Gearailt (Luimneach) – Treasurer: Michael Fitzgerald (Limerick) Oifigeach Chaidreamh Poiblí: Éamon Ó Donnghaile (Tiobraid Árann) – PRO: Ed Donnelly (Tipperary) Jim Forbes, outgoing Munster Council PRO, received a presentation from Sean Walsh, Chairman, Munster Council at the council’s recent convention held in Ballykisteen Golf Hotel, Limerick Junction. Jim’s wife, Maura, also received a presentation. (Photo: George Hatchell)
Cork started brightly with Cian McCarthy opening the scoring after six minutes, and while Eanna Ryan equalised, a goal from a 20 metre penalty from Patrick Horgan gave Cork the upper hand at the end of the first quarter. With Patrick Cronin and Jerry O’Connor doing well at midfield, and Niall McCarthy and Paudi O’Sullivan giving good assistance to Patrick Horgan, it was Cork that was in control in the opening half. A goal from Aonghus Callinan, set up by Eanna Ryan, gave Galway some hope as they trailed by six points at half time with Cork leading by 1-10 to 1-4. On the resumption Galway improved somewhat with Ger Farragher, Aonghus Callinan and Joe Gantly doing some damage in the forward line with some good points to level matters at 113 each. Sensing danger Cork again upped the ante with Niall McCarthy, Paudie O’Sullivan, Patrick Cronin and sub, Cathal Naughton, all scoring impressive points as Cork chalked up their second win of this league campaign to keep them very much in contention, lying in 3rd spot after 3 rounds.
Killeagh - Ita’s Juvenile
THE new structures in Cork’s Juvenile GAA (Coiste na nÓg and the Eastern Regioanl Board) mean that we are travelling further afield for games than we have heretofore been accustomed. Last weekend saw us head for Inniscarra, while further long-distance trips lie ahead. Not a great time for the price of petrol and diesel to rocket, but we’ll have to face up to it and perhaps get used to some green ‘car-pooling’!
Fé 13 Peil
Our Fé 13 footballers travelled to Inniscarra on Saturday to play the home side in our 2nd league
match of the season. KilleaghIta’s got off to a good start and dominated the early possession. This was rewarded with an early goal by full forward Fergal Smiddy after good work by Cathal Deane. Aaron Walsh quickly followed up with a pointed free. An excellent point by Shane Kearney and another goal by Fergal Smiddy left Killeagh-Ita’s in control at half time on a scoreline of 2-02 to 0-02. The second half was a different game as the home side came out with all guns blazing, but despite having plenty of the ball they were unable to convert their dominance into scores. This was down to the excellent work of
our defenders, in particular Kevin Murphy who was rock solid at full back. There were also good performances from Eoin Treacy, Cathal Deane and Eoin Fitzgibbon during this period. We weathered the storm and got back on top towards the end of the game and confirmed victory with 2 well taken points by Fergal Smiddy and Keane Kelly Budds to wrap up a good win. This was a tough assignment in which the lads coped very well. Christy Coughlan was once again solid in goal, Fergal Curtin and Aaron Walsh stood out at midfield, while Jamie Landers, Andrew Leahy and Fionn McDonnell did well in our for-
Cork will journey over the border to play Waterford next Sun-
wards along with scorer in chief Fergal Smiddy. Final score was Inniscarra 0-03; Killeagh-Ita’s 204.
Fé 14 Iomáint
Our Fé 14 hurlers continued their early season preparations with a friendly match against Midleton on Sunday 6th March. Underfoot conditions made this a difficult game for both sides, and after a competitive encounter KilleaghIta’s came out on top. This was a useful game as we build towards Féile qualifying, which starts in early April.
day and a win in this fixture would set Cork up nicely for their last three games against championship opponents, Tipperary and Wexford, who they should beat. In their concluding game they will meet unbeaten Dublin, so Cork at present are going very well. Galway, on the other hand face unbeaten Kilkenny next Sunday and should the Westerners win then it would really open up the league for a number of teams.
With Denis Walsh continuing to use his squad, the competition for places is hotting up as the championship team is beginning to take shape. Pa Cronin looked a lot happier at midfield while William Egan in defence and Cian McCarthy, in attack, looked well capable of championship inclusion. On last Saturday night the sending off of Shane O’Sullivan and
Clinton Hennessy scuppered Waterford’s chances of defeating Tipperary, and with Dublin defeating Offaly and Kilkenny beating Wexford on Sunday, the meeting of Cork and Waterford next Sunday takes on added significance in terms of league points.
CORK: P Horgan 1-4, C McCarthy and P O’Sullivan 0-3 each, J Gardiner, C Naughton, J O’Connor and N McCarthy 0-2 each, P Cronin and L O’Farrell 01each. Galway: G Farragher 0-7, A Callanan 12, D Burke 0-4, J Gantly 09-2, E Ryan and A Smith 0-1 each. CORK: D Óg Cusack, S McDonald, E Cadogan, C O’Sullivan, J Gardiner, W Egan, R Ryan, J O’Connor, P Cronin, T Kenny, C McCarthy, N McCarthy, L O’Farrell, P O’Sullivan and P Horgan. Subs used C Naughton, K Murphy, L McLoughlin and B Murphy. GALWAY: J Grealish, D Collins, J Lee, G O’Halloran, D Hayes, T Óg Regan, A Cullinane, D Burke, D Barry, E Ryan, A Smith, G Farragher, A Callinan, I Tannion and J Coen. Subs used C Donnellan, J Gantly and N Calahan. REFEREE: Brian Gavin, Offaly.
Cork Senior Football Championship (Divisional Section) Monday, March 14th at Cloughduv at 7.30pm
Imokilly vs. Carberry
IMOKILLY could hardly have asked for a tougher opening game against Carberry in this 4 team group of death, which also includes Duhallow and Muskerry Divisional sides. These two teams met at the same stage last year with Carberry proving far too strong for Imokilly and on this occasion too, they will enter the fray as warm favourites. Imokilly will be hoping to put out a decent side but have had very little time to prepare.
If they can get all the best players from the division to line out they would have an outside chance of success, but all they can do is their best. Players like Pat Fitzgerald, Erin’s Own, John Cronin Lisgoold, Eoin and Paudi O’Sullivan Cloyne, along with James Murphy, Timmy Leahy and Michael Cussen will hopefully be available as the East Cork Division faces a tough opener at the Cloughduv venue on Monday night. - DB
Fé 15 Peil
Our fé 15 footballers travelled on Saturday evening last to face the City boys of Mayfield, on home turf. A goal in the opening minute for the home side settled us quickly; we had a job in hand! Cian Greene quenched their lead within seconds, with a reply goal, now game on again. We began to take control of this game in the opening quarter and secured a further 2-2 to our tally, before we had a point reply from Mayfield. Things tightened up for the closing quarter. The ball was up and down the field in the procession of the green boys, and in the Red and White of Mayfield, yielding three points to one, in favour of the Killeagh Ita’s boys’, thus the half time score reading 3-5 to 1-2.
We emerged for the second half and continued to dominate play; we secured and raised two more green flags and executed eight more points without reply from Mayfield, until the twentieth minute. The closing ten played out with a further three points scored, two to one in favour of the green lads.
Club Membership 2011
As games are now up and running and all players are back in action, please make sure your membership monies are paid to Ursula. There are a few outstanding! €25 per child or €50 per family of more than two.
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Aghada
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
SFL: Aghada 3-15 Na Piarsaigh 0-11
OUR senior footballers had a great win last Sunday, March 6th in round two of the league. The game started evenly enough. Matt O’Connor opened the scoring and the City boys replied, to. Eoin Savage cut a swathe through the na Piarsaigh defence to put Aghada ahead on the fifth minute.
What happened next was a joy to see as Aghada surged forward, and a lovely pass from Russell found Brendan Flaherty who busted the net. Minutes later Flattery set up Russell for another major, which came from a great run by Kieran O’Connor. By now Aghada were well on top, as the half backs ran forward at all opportunities. Tom O’Neill was on top form at the centre of the field. Shane Wall finished off a mighty move for the home side to go 2-3 to 0-1 as the first quarter finished. A Piarsaigh point followed but this did not deter Aghada as the forwards found oceans of space inside. Aghada showed great foresight and precision kick passes to find the loose forward inside. A free by Matt O’Connor rebounded off the post. Flaherty reacted first and the game was over as a contest. Aghada chased ever thing and never allowed the city boys into the game. John Paul having lost some of the ballast moved well at centre back and Aghada were never in trouble in the opening half.
The second period was a different affair as the city boys came out all guns blazing and had two points on the board before Matt O’Connor replied.
The city boys had most of the play now as Aghada struggled to get the fluency of the first half. It was point for point as the city side outscored Aghada 7 points to 6 in the second half. To be fair it would be hard for any team to keep up the momentum of the first half, as the pace of the game never dropped, but Aghada could never open the Na Piarsaigh defence as they did with so much ease in the opening half. As time ran down Aghada got on top again but were guilty of poor shooting and decision making. Overall a good day at the office.
TEAM: Andy O’Donoghue, Aidan O’Connell, Kieran O’Connor (0-1), John Wall, Shane Wall(0-1)l, J P O’Connor (0-1), Ronan Power, Tom O’Neill, Eoin Healy, Eoin Savage (0-2), Pearse O’Neill, Colm Power, Michael Russell (1-1), Brendan Flaherty (2-4), Matt O’Connor (0-4). Subs used: John Connelly for Healy 41st m. Brian Wall for John Wall (injured) 42nd m. Tony Wall (0-1) for Matt O’Connor 44th M. James Daly for Aidan O’Connell 50th m
Minor Football League: Aghada 1-10 Carrignavar 0-12
The same evening our minors made the long journey to Carrignavar and came away with their first win of the campaign by the narrowest of margins. This was a very physical match resulting
in two players from either side sent off after receiving two yellow cards each. William Leahy was in top form rattling off 1-3. TEAM: Jack Hayes, Gerard O’Brien, Michael Gilroy (0-1), James O’Leary, Conor O’Driscoll (0-2), Tim Hartnett, Evan Magee, William Leahy (1-3), David Rice (0-1), Michael McCarthy , Ryan O’Keeffe, Michael Burchill, Shane Bennett (0-1), Fergal Culligan Brian O’Byrne subs used Scott Coyle (0-2)for Ryan O’Keeffe (injured) John Burchill for Michael McCarthy, Shane O’Hanlon for Shane Bennett, Colm Murphy for Fergal Culligan, Sean Daly for Brian O’Byrne.
Well done to Pearse O’Neill who led Cork out on the field last Sunday week and became the first since Conor to Captain the Cork Footballers. Of course, he led from the front scoring 5 points. Next Sunday, the Intermediate Hurling League starts with Aghada travelling for a 12 noon game away to Aghabullogue.
Well done to the competitors who took part for Aghada Hurling and Football and Aghada Ladies Football in the Scór na bPáistí final held in Ovens on Sat night, February 26th. The winners were Christine Gilroy, Solo Music; Christine Moran, Solo Singing and Luke O’Connell, Roisín O’Callaghan, Ciara Counihan, Christine Gilroy, and Christine Moran, Ballad Group. The winners in the Question Time competition were PJ Meaney, James McDonald and Conor Cotter. Aghada won the Best Overall Club in all three Scór competitions and were joint winners with Carrignavar.
Main sponsor: South Coast Transport www.castlelyonsgaa.com
Cheltenham Preview Night
THE Cheltenham racecourse Festival takes place this year from Tuesday, March 15th to Friday, March 18th. This year is special, as it a Centenary meeting, and there is a special day of celebrations. All who are interested and have a passion for horse racing will have a chance to anticipate the event on Tuesday night, May 8th. This is all happening at Corrin Mart Centre. A Cheltenham Preview night is being held by Castlelyons GAA Club, in conjunction with Boyle Sports and Kerin’s Bar, Fermoy. This is a chance to meet and listen to many people who are involved in racing. It will be a chance to learn about form and be in a position to place good bets in the course of the festival.
The owner, Paul Barber, and trainer, Paul Nichols of the Colman O’Flynn bred Denman will be on the panel Two very successful jockeys are coming. They are Paul Carbery and Ruby Walsh. Irish Examiner correspondent, Pat Keane will also attend. The MC for the night will be Kevin O’Ryan. Leon Blanche will represent Boyle Sports. Taxis will be available at the Corrin Mart Centre at the end of the night. So, for a good night out and a chance to learn a bit about the form for Cheltenham this year, come along to Corrin Mart Centre on Tuesday, March
Big weekend for County teams
Previews by Declan Barron
Saturday, March 12th
NFL Round 4 Cork vs. Down in Páirc Uí Rinn at 7.30pm
ATTENDANCES may be down across the country for the Allianz National football and hurling leagues, but the house full signs could well go up when Down visit Páirc Uí Rinn this Saturday night for what will be a repeat of the All Ireland Final.
James McCartan’s side has made great progress in the last 12 months, and while a lot of supporters will not make the long trip South those who do are sure of a great welcome. Down brought a breath of fresh air into the championship last year and players like Marty Clarke, Danny Hughes and Benny Coulter are exciting players to watch. What team does duty has yet to be announced, but one thing is sure. Cork will field a strong side to this game. Conor Counihan saw his side account for Monaghan without being really tested, but the attack of the Mourne men could really test a Cork defence that was opened up quiet easily by Dublin, so Cork will be hoping for an improvement from that sector. Eoin Cadogan will have a dual commitment with the hurlers in action on Sunday, but will likely field with the footballers on Saturday night, while Michael Shields, Paudie Kissane, Ray Carey and Denis O’Sullivan are others that can figure in defence.
The Nemo Rangers contingent could also be back, with Paul Kerrigan a likely inclusion in an attack that should see Patrick Kelly, Daniel Goulding, Donnacha O’Connor and Pierce O’Neill included. At midfield Aidan Walsh and Alan O’Connor look set to start for what should be a game well worth seeing with Cork taken to come out on top and keep their title hopes alive.
Sunday, March 13th
NHL Round 4: Waterford vs. Cork in Walsh Park at 2.30pm
The meeting of Cork and Waterford in Walsh Park on Sunday in Round 4 of the Allianz national hurling league should attract a nice attendance, as these two sides have produced some great games in recent seasons. A draw was the outcome last year, and this time round it could again be close as Waterford continue to blood some young defenders with Shane and Dara Fives joining Noel Connors at the back. With Clinton Hennessy sent off last Sunday, Adrian Power from Ballyduff Upper should be in goal, while Richie Foley, Stephen Mollumpney, Seamus Prendergast and Michael Walsh are other players who could figure. The De La Salle contingent of Kevin Moran, Stephen Daniels and John Mullane could also return while veterans, Ken McGrath and Tony Browne could also see action at some point during the game.
8th. Doors will be open at 8pm.
Congratulations
Colm Spillane and Colm Barry have been selected to be on the Cork minor hurling panel 2011. Well done lads and the best of luck for the year.
Lotto Jackpot at €11,400
The Lotto numbers drawn this week were 12, 17, 18 and 23.
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There was no winner. The following won €20 each: Bob O’Brien, Micro Bio, c/o Clem Carroll; Gene O’Sullivan, C/o D Hoare; Jose Murphy, Watergrasshill, c/o Castlelyons P O.; Gerard Burke, Kent Tce, c/o Peddlar’s Rock; Donal Barry, Coolagown, c/o D Barry Angela O’Regan, Ardra, c/o a O’Regan; Maeve Sheehan, c/o Brian Sheehan and Michael Kelleher, Grange, c/o Michael Hegarty.
KILTHA ÓG
Minors: Kiltha Óg 4-4 Midleton 2-8
Our second football game of the season saw our minors defeat Midleton by 2 points in a closely fought game. We got off to a perfect start with a fine goal in the opening minutes by Shane Hegarty, quickly followed by a second goal by Diarmuid Rohan. Midleton came back into the game but with 3 frees by Jamie Stack we led by 5 points at half time. Midleton thundered into the second half and quickly drew level, but just as they looked like getting on top, a quick free was finished well by Bill Ahern. Again, this was followed by another goal by Colm Beausang. Midleton again came back but four brilliant saves by Cian Haines saw us over the finish line. Best on the day were Kieran Ahearne, James McCarthy and Niall Motherway, but man of the match for his excellent display was Cian Haines.
U14s
Our U14s met Mayfield in their second football match, and after an hour’s hard football we were to be defeated. The lads put in a great effort but with only six on the age we were always going to be up against it, against a very strong Mayfield outfit. Best on the day were Jack Murphy, Seamus Ahern, Cormac Lynch and Ryan Denny.
Facebook
You can now follow us on facebook for the new season, where club information will be posted on the Kiltha Óg facebook page. ‘Mol an Óige agus tiocfaidh si’
For Cork this is always a tricky fixture, as in recent years Waterford has done well against the Rebels.
The victory over Galway will be a big boost for Denis Walsh, and as such I do not expect him to make too many changes to the Cork team. Cathal Naughton could be included from the start, while Ben O’Connor could also return to the attack.
Apart from that, I expect Cork to keep faith with most of last Sunday’s team with John Gardiner, Conor O’Sullivan, William Egan, Cian McCarthy, Patrick Horgan, Jerry O’Connor and Paudi O’Sullivan likely to start again. With Waterford in experimental mode at present, one would have to fancy Cork to win, yet in recent games, they have found Waterford a tough opponent. On Sunday, it should be another close encounter, with Cork taken to shade it.
Munster U21 Football Championship
Cork will be keeping a close eye on the meeting of Waterford and Tipperary at the Fraher Field on tonight, Wednesday in the opening round of the Cadbury Munster U21 football championship, with the rebels meeting the winner in the semi final on March 19th. Going on present form Tipperary will be favourite to win this one. Both counties will also meet in the NFL on Saturday night in Fraher Field, and Waterford will be hoping to gain success on this occasion and could well come out on top.
RED FM League Launch
The County Senior Hurling league sponsored by RED FM was launched on Monday night at the Sarsfields grounds in Riverstown, which signals the start of club hurling season in Cork. Games have been pencilled in to start next week, with the county leagues helping clubs get ready for championship action.
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Midleton
www.midletongaa.com
Minor Football League Midleton 2-08 Kiltha Óg 4-04
OUR Minor Footballers travelled to face Kiltha Óg on Saturday last and ended up with a two point defeat. At half time we led by a single point, 1-06 to 2-02. However, in the second half two further goals from our opponents proved decisive. The two Midleton goals were scored by Pa White. That makes it a win and a loss from our first two League games. The Minor Footballers play League games for the next two weekends and then have their opening Championship fixture the following weekend. Team: Coran Swayne, Mathew Bell, Killian Burke, Conor Moloney, Cathal McCarthy, Leslie Coughlan, Olla Bella, Niall Madden, Ian Kennifick, Paudie Farrell (Captain), Cormac Walsh, Pa White, Kevin Crucsell, Emmett Cotter, James O’Leary.
Junior Football League Midleton 2-07 Lisgoold 2-03
Midleton continued their good start to this year’s League campaign when they made it three wins from three games, played with a hard fought four point win over our neighbour, Lisgoold, on February 26th last. The game was played in Carrigtwohill and both teams struggled to find their shooting range in a low scoring first half. At half time it was two points each. In the second half Midleton improved and had a well earned victory in the end. TEAM: Brian Behan, James O’Donnell, Sean Corcoran, Keith Ryan, Eoin Ferriter, Eoin Walsh, Barry Fitzgerald, Aendus Cotter, Aidan Ryan, Sean Hennessy, Declan Ryan, Seamus O’Farrell, Kieran Mulcahy, Padraig O’Shea, Davy O’Brien. Subs Used: Killian Burke, Padraig Dalton, Paul Barry, Colum Leahy and Brian O’Sullivan. Also Niall Walsh.
Wednesday,March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
competitive game and won out on a scoreline of 3-05 to 2-02. The panel consisted of Colman Quinn, Mark Daly, Ciarán Evans, Jake Shannahan, Kian Farmer, Tommy O’Connell, Fergus Wade, Calvin Buckley, Ryan O’Ríordan, Ross Shannahan, Scott Wolohan, Niall Higgins, Fionn O’Connell, Ronan Lynch, Colin Edegbe, David Scanlon, Liam Ryan, Matthew Kellegher, Babatunde Olotu Jubril, Ross O’Regan, Darragh Desmond, Aron Mulcahy. Thanks to everyone who travelled to the match. Best wishes to our coach, Liam Wade.
Minor Football Fé 15 Football League Mayfield 4 -11 Midleton 3 -8
Midleton Under 15’s commenced their 2011 season with an opening round loss to Mayfield in the new Premier 2 County Football League. Played in extremely blustery conditions on soft, but well presented Mayfield pitch, the home team got off to a blistering start which Midleton never managed to pull back.
Fé 10 vs. Na Pairsaigh
Midleton’s Fé 10 hurlers headed to the north City for their first hurling outing of the year on Saturday last Na Pairsaigh were the hosts and welcomed our lads to Pitch 4 for Na Pairsaigh’s first home match. 22 players travelled which allowed us to play two teams in short games of 15 minutes. While one team played on the main pitch, the other played a game of ground hurling at the end of the pitch. Each team had three matches on each pitch.
At half time the home team led 3-6 to 1-5.
In the second half Midleton worked hard to claw back the deficit. Kevin Rohan worked tirelessly winning and carrying ball all day at the middle of the park. Luke Morrissey started to break forward in support of the attack. Rurai Morrison’s battling efforts at full forward were rewarded with two fine goals in the second half, but unfortunately the gap stubbornly remained as Mayfield managed to keep the points ticking over at crucial times. They got an opportune goal when the Midleton defence momentarily lost concentration. In the end a six point margin separated the teams.
Fé 14 Football League
We played the first round of the new format Football league away to Erin’s Own in Caherlag on Sunday, March 27th at 4.30pm. It was a dry day and the pitch was in great condition for this time of year. We ended up travelling with the bare minimum of 13 players, as lads were out with other teams on the same morning, with both home and away games under 13.
It was a great credit to the Erin’s Own team that they fielded a team of 13 players to match our 13. Having got off to a great start we found ourselves with a good lead 15mins into the first half of 1- 2
to a point. We were then put under pressure by a few good runs by the Erin’s Own forwards, which our backs handled well, finishing the half with a scoreline of 2-4 to 3 points.
The second half started well for us with a lot of possesion, but Erin’s Own got on top after about 10 mins and they had a good passage of play scoring 2 fine goals. Our backs rallied again and coped well with the ball coming in. It was our third goal that gave us the upper hand and we finished out the game winners with the final score 3-8 to 2-3
TEAM: L. Franklin, J Enright, E Collins, J O’Brien, R Cummins, C Shanahan, J Roche(1-0), L Finnerty(02), K Mullcahy, C Beausang(1-5), C Evens(0-1) C Scanlan (0-1), S O’Brien
Fé 13
Our U13’s started their competitive games for the year with 2 football games on Sunday morning, 27th. Our Central Region Premier 2 team travelled to Mitchelstown, while our Cork East Region, team played hosts
to St. Finbarrs in the Paddocks. As these 2 games clashed on times, and we had a number of withdrawals from the squad over the weekend, we were tight on numbers for both games. So, 15 travelled to Mitchelstown and 8 to the Paddocks where they were boosted by some members of the U12 panel. In Mitchelstown the boys put on a fine display against a very well drilled home team who, it could be seen, treat football as their number 1 code. At half time we had a slight lead of 1-2 to 1-0 turning to play into the breeze. At the start of the second half the boys started very well and we registered a number of fine scores to open a bit of a gap on the score board. With 15 minutes to go we led 3-4 to 1-2, when Mitchelstown introduced their subs and the fresh legs changed the game. Our boys struggled on their first 60min outing on the full pitch, with no subs to bring on and a number of players having picked up injuries. The home side set up camp inside our 45m line and we lost on a scoreline of 3-9 to 3-4.
In the Paddocks the boys came, up against a stronger St. Finbarrs side who had a full complement of players on the age. Their great physical side, and again the ability to use their subs saw them win well in the end. A number of lessons were learned from both games with the boys recognising the need to pace themselves for the bigger field and to move the ball faster then we did. The management team have learned the limitations of our panel in size, and availability needs to a primary consideration when fixing games.
Well done to all who played in both games and we have plenty to work on and improve over the coming weeks. Players used over both games were Alan Swarbrick, Christian Daly, Christopher Power, Christopher Shanahan, Conor Evans, Conor O’Neill, David Mulcahy, Dion O’Neill-Hill, Dylan Cahalane, Eoin Moloney, John Dwyer, Jordan Roche, Kevin Daly, Kevin Mulcahy, Liam Franklin, PJ Fitzgearld, Ronan O’Donovan, Ross O’Connor, Ryan McConville, Ryan O’Reagan, Sean O’Meara, Shane O’Brien, Temitayo Abdullah.
Fé 9
On Saturday, February 19th we went to Na Piarsaigh for the second of four blitzes between Na Piarsaigh, Iniscarra, St. Finbarr’s and ourselves.We travelled with a reduced panel for this blitz, as well as the first so no team would have subs. We had 21 players so we had two teams of 10 and 11. Each team played 3 matches and every player got an hour’s hurling, which will help them in their development. The weather also played its part on the day turning out dry and ideal for hurling.Many thanks to Na Piarsaigh for holding the blitz and the refreshments after. Also to the parents who travelled on the day for the support - next stop Iniscarra.
Fé 11
Our U11 team travelled to Na Piarsaigh on Saturday, February 26th, for a challenge match. We travelled with a panel of 22 players. We played four quarters consisting of 10 mins. We had a very
It proved to be a very even contest for both teams, and showed how the lads have strengthened over the winter. Skills are improving and the matches were an ideal opportunity for the selectors to see what needs to be worked on for the year in training. Many thanks to Na Pairsaigh for their hospitality, and well done to all the players on the day. The boys did well!
Fixtures
12/3/11: Senior Hurling League Midleton vs. Newtownshandrum in Midleton at 4pm 13/3/11: Minor Football League - Midleton vs. Castlelyons in Castleyons at 2pm
Lotto
Friday, March 4th. Jackpot €3,400. Numbers drawn were 8, 15, 17 and 20. No winner. Lucky Dip winners of €40 each were Liz Nagle; Marian Ryan, Ballinascartha, Midleton; Claire McCarthy, c/o Terence; Michael Cahill, Church Road, Carrigtwohill and Paul Spillane, c/o An Teach Beag. Next week’s Jackpot will be €3,600. Thank you for your continued support.
Club Membership
Club Membership is now due. Full Membershp is €80. Full Membership for OAPs, students and the unemployed is €20. The new Club Membership Officer is John Curtin. You can pay John directly or leave it in the box provided behind the bar in the Club. Players can give it to their Team Manager. Only those who have paid their Membership before March 31st may vote at our AGM.
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Fr. O’Neill’s
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Main sponsor: Audit Diagnostics
WE have had a busy week in the club where all our football teams were on duty, as well as our Intermediate hurlers. Our junior footballers travelled to Glanmire on Monday night to play the locals in the East Cork league. However, Glanmire wanted to win this game more than we did and we suffered our second defeat in the competition. On Friday night, with thanks to the Youghal club, we played the host side in an Under-21 football game at Club Arás. This was an entertaining game and a good workout for both sides with Youghal eventually emerging winners. Reports from other games below:
County Minor Football league Fr. O’Neill’s 0-5 Blarney3-4
Our Minor Footballers lost their first league game of the year to a slightly stronger Blarney side on Sunday last in a low scoring game played in Rathpeacon. Rob Cullinane scored our only point of the opening half where we also missed a penalty from Liam O’Driscoll late in the half. Blarney had the advantage in this opening half and found it easier to put numbers on the scoreboard. The score was 2-2 to 0-1 at the short whistle. The second half was more productive with a point from Paudie McMahon and three from Donough O’Flynn.
However, it wasn’t enough as Blarney kept our forward line at bay and held on to record a victory. A lot of positives can be taken from the game, as it was our first of the year and a few players were missing.
County Premier Minor II Football league Fr. O’Neill’s 0-17 St. Vincent’s 0-3
TEAM: David O’Reilly, Daniel Harrington, Adrian Kenneally, Ger O Connell, David O Driscoll, William Lane, Darragh Sexton, Donough O Flynn, Robert Cullinane, Mark O Keeffe, Eoghan O Neill, Joe Millerick, Shane Lee, Liam O Driscoll, Paudie McMahon. Subs: Kevin Sloane, Tomas Millerick, Kevin O Sullivan.
Having been defeated by Blarney last weekend, O’Neill’s minor footballers made amends this week when they dominated a St. Vincent’s side in the second round of the County Premier Minor II Football league at Ahavine on Sunday evening last.
Intermediate Hurling Fr. O’Neill’s 2-9 St. Catherine’s 3-12
Our Intermediate hurlers travelled to Ballynoe on Friday night last for a challenge game against St. Catherine’s. Even though short a number of players on the night, those on duty did their best and it was a good workout for both sides. One important positive from the game was the work ethic shown by the players on the night. Kieran Morrission and Kevin Dineen were on song for the home side throughout the game, with their sharp shooting bang on. Eoin Conway opened O’Neill’s scoring on the sixth minute and points from both Tommy Lawton and Luke Swayne kept the visitors in touch. Catherine’s Shane Kearney, and O’Neill’s Luke Swayne shared goals in the 7th and 10th minutes and Kearney added a second goal to his tally mid way through the half to give them a five point lead. Kearney was accurate again with a peach of a point, and Quintin Higgins pounced for his second goal when the opposition’s goalie mistimed his clearance and Quintin was on hand to penalise him.
The second half took off with some lovely points from both sides. Eoin Conway tagged on a point, Shane Kearney pulled one back from out on the far side of the pitch, Shane Harrington and Kearney again traded scores and John Driscoll got his first point of the year when he made a rare
Mike Pomphrett clears under pressure
trip up the field from the backline and split the posts. It was nip and tuck to the end, with the home side runing out deserving winners.
TEAM: Paul Colbert, Ml. Paul Bailey, John O’Mahoney (Capt.), John O’Driscoll, Ray O’Neill, Podge Butler, Eoghan McCarthy, Niall Griffin, Kieran
Robert Cullinane solos up the field against St. Catherine’s
Wall, Tommy Lawton, Quintin Higgins, William Joyce, Luke Swayne, Eoin Conway, Shane Harrington.
East Cork Junior Football League: Fr. O’Neill’s 3-6 Ballinacurra 1-8
Our junior footballers collected their first brace of points in 2011 when they disposed of the challenge of Ballinacurra in the third round of the East Cork Junior ‘A’ football league at a cold Ballinacurra on Sunday morning last. Eoin Conway, Robert Hyde, and Shane Harrington had points on the board in the opening half while corner forward Fergal Duffy shook the back of the Ballinacurra net with a great goal midway through the opening half. Ballinacurra always threatened in this opening period and were guilty of a few missed chances in the half. O’Neill’s led at half time on the score 1-3 to 03.
The Fr. O’Neill’s instrumental music group
Shane Harrington added his second point on the resumption, while Ballinacurra added two points from frees. A penalty for
the home side on the 40th minute put them in the lead for the first time in the game.
However, David Hyde made sure that lead did not last long when he goaled a minute later in a move that saw Kieran Wall solo out of defence and timed a perfect pass to the supporting Eoin Conway. Eoin tried to kick the ball over the bar but his shot fell short, into the Ballinacurra keeper’s hands.
As he tried to clear the ball, David blocked his kick and the ball ended up in the back of the net to restore the visitors lead. Scores were exchanged between the sides again and Hyde added his second goal on the 51st minute to put daylight between the sides.
TEAM: Robert Cullinane, David Colbert, Ml. Pomphrett, Irwin Lane, John O’Driscoll, John O’Mahoney, Shane Donnelly, Eoin Conway, David Hyde, Shane Harrington, Kieran Wall, Tommy Lawton, Robert Hyde, Jer Holland, Fergal Duffy. Subs used: Donough O’Flynn for Holland, Eugene Kenefick for R. Hyde. Ref. Brian Walsh (Aghada)
O’Neill’s were on top for all this game with all lines of the team doing their bit on the day. The midfield partnership of Donough O’Flynn, who finished the game with seven points from placed balls including two 45’s, and Robert Cullinane, worked extremely well as they were masters of their work for the hour. Liam O’Driscoll had two points on the board inside the opening few minutes, and Donough O’Flynn pointed his first free on the five minute marker. Paudie McMahon added his opening point, while Shane Lee exchanged white flags with his opposite number after which O’Flynn pointed twice, one from a free and another from a 45 to let the score 0-7 to 0-1 at the short whistle. Donough added three more points to extend the home sides lead and young Joe Millerick got his name on the score board when he pointed on the 40th minute. Rob Cullinane and Shane added a point apiece, while Vincent’s put one over the bar on one of their rare appearances inside the O’Neill’s backs. Joe and Shane added two more points while Donough O’Flynn popped over another 20m free. Eoin O’Neill got his point while Vincent’s added their third point at the death to leave it 0-17 to 03 in O’Neill’s favour.
TEAM: David O’Reilly, Ger O’Connell, Adrian Kenneally, Thomas Millerick, Mark O’Keeffe, Tony Motherway, Darragh Sexton, Donough O’Flynn, Robert Cullinane, Joe Millerick, Eoin O’Neill, David O’Driscoll, Shane Lee, Liam O’Driscoll, Paudie McMahon. Subs used: Dermot Finn for O’ Connell, Kieran Sloane for Sexton and Kevin O’ Sullivan for McMahon. Ref. Peter Hegarty (Cloyne).
Fixtures:
12/3/11: Fr. O’Neill’s vs. Lisgoold JAFL, at Ahavine 13/3/11: Fr. O’Neill’s vs. Fermoy in Fermoy at 2pm 19/3/11: Fr. O’Neill’s vs. Carrigtwohill U21 BFC, Ballinacurra, 2.30 pm 20/3/11: Fr. O’Neill’s vs. Dromina IHL at 3pm in Ahavine 2/4/11: Fr. O’Neill’s vs. Midleton JAFC at 3pm in Castlemartyr 4/6/11: Fr. O’Neill’s vs. Meelin Co. IHC in Mallow
Congratulations to both our Figure Dancers and Instrumental Musicians who won their respective competitions at the East Cork Scor na bPaistí Finals.
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Getting quizzical with Aghada Ladies Football Club
AGHADA Ladies Football Club held a table quiz in Rosie’s Bar, Lower Aghada on Friday, March 4th to raise funds for the season. Many locals came out to support the event which was a great success. Indeed, the Ladies Football club are set
to be joined by a new camogie club in the near future - watch this space. ABOVE: Susan McCarthy, Lisa and Kate Ring with Ursula and Catriona Day
Robin Triggs (right) with Martin and Karen Coleman
Eric Walsh, Barry Morgan and R. Rutledge
Michaela O’Driscoll, Ian Rose and Reese Bawdin
Pat and Mary Cashman
021 4638022 All photos available to buy
Marie Wall, Mary Barry and Trish O’Leary
Jennifer Leahy with Amanda and Philip Kidney
Catriona Day with John and Laura Burchill
You may well be asking: What on earth is Toastmasters?
CATHERINE Kelly did - and that was almost a decade ago...
I had this image of people clinking champagne glasses. And at the first meeting I attended at Midleton Toastmasters Club, I was very impressed with the confidence and ability of those who stood up to speak. Not for me I thought. But I was wrong. You know what they say: If at first you don’t succeed... I shied away, but some months later, truly believing in giving something new a second chance, I went back. For those of you familiar with Toastmasters, you’ll know that it’s an international organisation with clubs all
over Europe, Asia and its initial starting point was in America (founded by Dr. Ralph Smedley). A meeting format comprises of three speeches (usually) and topics sessions. For those of you who have not heard of Toastmasters, quite simply put, it’s all about communication – speaking, listening and thinking - thinking of the title for a speech and thinking on your feet to see how much you can say on a particular topic. The latter is a skill not to be under-rated. It’s useful for interviews, question and answer sessions following a presentation, a debate with friends, a conversation in the pub... the list goes on. The more you practice
on Midleton’s main street. Therefore, you get plenty of opportunity to practise and to socialise. Basically it’s learning in a friendly atmosphere. And it’s enjoyable. I always come away from a Toastmasters’ meeting having learnt something new or heard a viewpoint I hadn’t considered.
thinking in the moment, the more articulate you become.
What I particularly like about the way Toastmasters is structured is that clubs meet quite regularly. The Midleton Club meets twice a month in McDaid’s Pub
The first time I spoke I stood up to give my opinion and heard my own voice as though someone else was speaking. And here’s the truth. No matter how well practised you are, there will always be nerves. Without them, you wouldn’t perform. We need the adrenalin. The difference is that you learn to control them so that they don’t affect your per-
formance or debilitate you, or simply stop you from trying in the first place. Even if you’re a seasoned speaker, Toastmasters will help you improve. Come and see for yourself. There is no obligation to speak. Guests can just sit back, relax and observe.
Our next meeting takes place tonight, Wednesday, March 9th and following meetings take place on March 23rd, April 13th & 27th, and and May 11th and 25th. A quick way to remember this is that the meetings take place on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at McDaid’s Pub in Midleton at 8pm. Maybe I’ll see you there.
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
ANNIVERSARIES * ANNIVERSARIES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Curtin
- 16th Anniversary
In loving memory of a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, John Curtin, late of Ballydavid, Cloyne, whose anniversary occurs on Friday, March 11th. RIP. Treasure him Lord, In your Garden of Rest, For when on earth, He was the best. Dearly missed always by your loving wife Betty, son Pat, daughters Catherine, Helen and Deirdre and their families. Masses offered.
Power
- 25th Anniversary
In loving memory of a dear father and grandfather, Peter, Knockglass, Ladysbridge, who died on March 8th, 1986. You gave us years of happiness, Then sorrow came with tears, You left us lovely memories, We will treasure through the years. May you rest in peace, dear Dad, Is now our daily prayer, We thank you Dad for everything, Your love and all your care. Lovingly remembered by your daughters Mary Pat, Stella and their families.
Holland
- 5th Anniversary
In loving memory of a dear motherin-law, grandmother and great-grandmother, Kathleen, late of 35 Ahern and Ryan Place, Carrigtwohill, who died on March 14th, 2006. A flower may die, The sun may set, But a special person like you, We will never forget. Our memories are precious, They will never grow old, They are engraved in our hearts, In letters of gold. Always remembered, never forgotten by your loving daughter-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Murphy
- 9th Anniversary
In loving memory of our darling son Darren, late of Main Street, Carrigtwohill. March comes with sad regret, The day, the month, We will never forget. No farewell words were spoken, No time to say goodbye, You were gone before we knew it, And only God can tell us why. Forever in our hearts, Mam, Dad, granddad and uncle Martin.
Murphy
- 9th Anniversary
Precious memories of our brother Darren, whose anniversary occurs today, March 9th. Parting comes and hearts are broken, Loved ones go with words unspoken, Deep in our hearts, Your memory is kept, For a brother we loved, And will never forget. Today, tomorrow, Our whole lives through, We will always love and pray for you. Sadly missed by your brother and sisters x x x.
Murphy
- 9th Anniversary
In loving memory of Darren, who went to Heaven on March 9th, 2002. God has you in his keeping, We have you in our hearts. Remembered with love always, Shannan, Emma, James, Jake, Cillian, Ger and Darragh x x x.
Deane -
6th Anniversary
In loving memory of our dear mother Mary, late of 13 Fr. Murphy Place, Midleton, Co. Cork, who died on March 9th, 2005. A shadow walks beside us, Forever by our side, Always there to guide us, Ever since you died. No matter how we spend our days, No matter what we do, No morning dawns, No evening falls, Without a thought of you. In Heaven you rest, No worries, no pain, But in our hearts You will always remain. Sadly missed and loved always by her son Kenneth, daughters Michelle and Priscilla and grandchildren Nicole, Alyssa and Ciara.
O'Shea
- 4th Anniversary
DARREN, Memories are a gift to treasure, Ours of you will last forever. Always remembered by Chris, Willis and Ger.
NOVENAS
Prayer to the Sacred Heart
DEAR Heart of Jesus, in the past I have asked you for many favours. This time I ask you for this special one (mention favour). Take it dear heart of Jesus, place it in your own broken heart where your father sees it. Then in His merciful eyes, it will become your favour, not mine. Amen. Say for three days, promise publication and your favour will be granted. Never known to fail. (MB)
Hillview, Barnabrow, Midleton Acknowledgement & First Anniversary March 8th, 2010
THE family of the late Mary Schwartau would like to express sincere gratitude for the support we received from family and friends at the time of our sad loss.
We wish to thank Palliative Care Nurses, Dr. Diarmuid Mulcahy, Cork University Hospital and South Infirmary Victoria Hospital, Wallis' Funeral Home and Father Donal O'Mahony. We also wish to thank all who called to the house in the weeks that Mam was with us and those who attended the Removal, Funeral and Burial and sent Mass Cards and floral tributes.
As it would be impossible to thank everyone individually please accept this as a token of our sincere gratitude. Mass will be offered for all your intentions.
MAM, We love you, And miss you greatly, But your wonderful spirit, Lives on in each of our hearts.
Schwartau - Schwartau 1st Anniversary
In loving memory of Tom, late of Aghada and Cloyne whose anniversary occurs at this time. Memories are a gift to treasure, Ours of you will last forever. Always missed and loved by your wife Anne and family.
Murphy
- 9th Anniversary
Mary Schwartau
In loving memory of Connie Murphy Jnr., late of Midleton and Elm Tree, Glounthaune, whose anniversary occurs at this time. March comes with sad regret, The day, the month, We will never forget. No farewell words were spoken, No time to say goodbye, You were gone before we knew it, And only God can tell us why. Sadly missed by his mother, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, grand-niece, aunts, uncles, relatives and friends. Anniversary Mass for Connie will be held on Saturday, March 12th, at 6pm in St. Mary’s Church, Carrigtwohill.
Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a n-anamacha.
In loving memory of Mary, late of Hillview, Barnabrow, Midleton, who passed away on March 8th, 2010. RIP. God saw you getting tired, And a cure was not to be. So He wrapped his arms around you, And whispered, 'Come to me'. With tearful eyes we watched you, And saw you pass away, And although we love you dearly, We could not make you stay. A Golden heart stopped beating, When He gave you rest, God's garden must be beautiful; He only takes the best.
1st Anniversary
In loving memory of Mary, whose first anniversary occurs at this time. MARY, We were friends when we first met, But you became much more than that, When we lost you it broke our hearts, Because you were the sister I never had. We miss you, Marion and Stephen.
Schwartau 1st Anniversary
Love Peter, Anita & Paul.
Schwartau 1st Anniversary
Cherished memories of my loving niece, Mary Schwartau, late of Barnabrow, Midleton, who died on March 8th, 2010. RIP. Masses offered. No special way is needed, For me to think of you, For you were someone special, And I thought the world of you.
Loved and remembered by Aunty Kitty.
In loving memory of Mary, late of Barnabrow, Midleton, whose anniversary occurs at this time. We little knew that day, God was going to call your name, In life we loved you dearly, In death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you, We laughed and cried by your side, As day turned into night, And night turned into day, But today is full of memories, That will never ever fade away. Always remembered by Nina and Declan.
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
48
Wednesday, March 9th 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Your One Stop Shop For East Cork Services LANDLORDS! SEWING DOMESTIC WATER SOFTENERS PLANNING APPLIANCE REPAIRS HOUSES WANTED TO RENT
IN MIDLETON, CASTLEMARTYR, WHITEGATE, CARRIGTWOHILL & CLOYNE AREAS Contact Vince
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MON. TO SAT. 11AM TO 8PM
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MOBILE VALETING
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We come to you at home or at work GET YOUR CAR BACK TO SHOWROOM CONDITION Contact
086 0655959
CREATIVE SEWING 46 Main Street, Midleton Tel: 021 4632029 Over Ballycotton Seafood
Ladies & Gents Alterations and Repairs
Jeans take up only €5.00 No job to big or small
Bridal & Debs Alterations Curtains made, re-lined & taken up
OPENING HOURS Mon / Fri 10am to 5pm Wed /Sat 10am to 1pm Lunch 12.30am to 1.30pm
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EAST CORK COLLEGE
Revision Courses in Leaving and Junior Cert subjects Sundays 10am to 4pm
Experienced teachers Supervised after school Saturday/Sunday study GRINDS IN ALL SUBJECTS Drury’s Avenue, Midleton
021 4638794 085 2880692
IPS Irish Planning Solutions
If you would like a planning application submitted to C.C.C.
DEMOLITION, EXTENSION, NEW BUILD OR RETENTION, we can help We also cater for planning history searches and planning appeals. Please contact Debbie on 086 3981371 or email [email protected] for a consultation
TAILOR NOW OPEN
PEADAR’S ABOVE GEMINI, 95 MAIN STREET, MIDLETON
TAILORING AND ALTERATIONS
SUITS, DRESSES, SKIRTS, TROUSERS, JEANS, CURTAINS, LEATHERS, SUEDES NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL MONDAY TO FRIDAY 10AM - 5PM SATURDAY 10AM - 4PM
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SAFE PASS COURSE Monday, March 21st
MIDLETON TEL:021-4636760 HANDYMAN
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PLANTING TIME!
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086 8068226
KENNEALLY ROCHFORD & ASSOCIATES LTD. ENGINEERING SERVICES & PLANNING CONSULTANTS,
MAIN ST., KILLEAGH, CO. CORK
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
PROJECT & SITE SUPERVISION HOUSE SURVEYS & SNAG LISTS. BUILDING ENERGY RATING CERTIFICATION.
Contact Anthony on:
024 95857 Fax 024 95856
Your One Stop Shop For East Cork Services Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
PLANNING NOTICES
PLASTERER
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
CORK COUNTY COUNCIL We, Kelleher & Associates Ltd, Roxboro, Midleton Tel 021 4 634 364; 086 8170242 acting on behalf of Knockgriffin Community Enterprise Centre Ltd, apply for planning permission for the construction of a porch extension to the front elevation of Unit 2, a community employment training centre, together with related building works at Knockgriffin, Midleton. This planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within a period of five weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application. YOUGHAL TOWN COUNCIL Patricia Collins intends to apply for permission for erection of bay window at 10 O’Brien’s Terrace, Youghal, Co. Cork. The planning application may be inspected or purchased, at fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority, The Mall House, Youghal, Co. Cork, during its public opening hours, i.e. 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application, on payment of a fee of €20.
CORK COUNTY COUNCIL I Alan Ahern intend to apply for permission for retention of alterations to planning permission 05/7777 including the changed location of dwelling and garage at No. 7 Cull Chlughaire, Sallybrook, Sarsfelds Court, Glanmire, Co. Cork. The Planning Application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the application. YOUGHAL TOWN COUNCIL Youghal Senior Citizens Co. Ltd. is applying for permission to erect a single storey building to be used as a day care centre, together with associated site development works, including repairs to boundary wall, new car parking, and entrance, all on the grounds of Youghal Community Hospital, Upper Cork Hill, Youghal, Co. Cork. The development will be within the curtilage of the existing hospital and chapel, which are registered as protected structures No 601 and 602 respectively in the Town Development Plan of Youghal Town Council. The planning application may be inspected or purchased, at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of the Planning Authority, The Mall House, Youghal, Co. Cork, during its public opening hours, i.e. 9.00a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application, on payment of a fee of €20. CORK COUNTY COUNCIL Harrington O'Flynn Ltd. Consulting Engineers, Tel: 021-4636760 intend to apply on behalf of Tadgh Dinneen for permission to construct a domestic garage on his property at Meelshane, Midleton, Co. Cork. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority, County Hall, Carrigrohane Road, Cork during its public opening hours, i.e. 9.00a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee within a period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Authority of the application.
DIGGER & DRIVER FOR HIRE
MINI DIGGER AND DRIVER FOR HIRE. €150 per day. No extra costs. General excavation, garden clearance, drainage, foundations etc. Telephone Tom 087 1225919. See our website www.tomosullivan.com
CHILDMINDER WANTED
CHILDMINDER WANTED: Live in position. Own apartment and car provided. Cloyne area. Experience and references essential. Tel. 087 2113046 or 021 4652878.
DEATH NOTICES
ZUK, (née Cronin): Angela, of Cobh, unexpectedly, on Monday, February 28th. RIP. Requiem Mass, Saturday last, in St. Colman’s MULLINS, (née Flavin): Margaret (Rita), Cathedral, Cobh, followed by burial afterof Lourdesville, Midleton, unexpectedly wards in the Old Church Cemetery. on Wednesday, March 2nd. RIP. Requiem Mass on Friday last, in the Church of the CASHMAN: Michael, of Midleton, on FriMost Holy Rosary, Midleton, followed by day, March 4th. RIP. Requiem Mass on Monburial afterwards in the adjoining ceme- day last in the Holy Rosary Church, Midleton, followed by burial afterwards in tery. the adjoining cemetery. COLLINS: Seán, of Seafield, Youghal, late of Tournafulla, Co. Limerick and late MOTHERWAY: Ellen, of Garryvoe and of Dairygold, peacefully on Wednesday, Owenacurra Centre, Midleton, on Friday, March 2nd. RIP. Requiem Mass, Friday March 4th. RIP. Requiem Mass on Sunday last in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, last in St. Mary’s Church, Ladysbridge, folYoughal, followed by burial afterwards in lowed by burial afterwards in Kilcredan the North Abbey Cemetery. Cemetery.
sloane Plastering ltd Plastering Contractor ExtErnAl WAll InsulAtIon systEm InstAllEr s.E.I. registered n.s.A.I. registered
€4,000 grant available towards Cost of e.w.i.
WINDOW CLEANING window Cleaning
* reduced Heating Bills * upgrades to old & Damaged Facades * Wide range of low maintenance Finishes * suitable for all housetypes * significantly improves your building’s BEr Contact: liam sloane
Also power washing
email: [email protected] sEI Contractor ID no. 12921
086 0655959
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Excellent business opportunity
Professional 'environmental Car Clean & valeting' business available in busy Car Park in local Cork area. All inclusive 'investment' opportunity. Interested potential business owner/manager? Email us a CV at [email protected] Please note, this is an 'investment' opportunity starting at 22k. Join our 'Revolution on Pollution'...
FAsCIA & soFFIt HousEs * GuttErs PAtHs & DrIVEWAys REUPHOLSTERY RecoveR until the economy does
ReupholsteRy Get 6 Kitchen chaiR seat pads Re-coveRed foR the cost of 5 2 fRee scatteR cushions and aRm pRotectoRs with eveRy 3 piece suite coveRed
french polishing service carpets and curtains
ned o’connell fuRnishinGs seafield, youghal
contact 024 93106
COMMERCIAL INTRODUCTIONS KITCHEN TO LET
Commercial kitchen to let in busy East Cork bar. 10 minutes frfroom Midleton. Long or short term lease.
All offers considered. Reply to Box No. ECJ 266, The East Cork Journal, First The Floor, Watersedge, Riverside Way, Midleton, Co. Cork.
SOUL MATES
To meet that special person for the rest of your life
Everybody met locally
Energy Saving Design Structural Reports
Contact office: 021 4667444 Mobile: 087 7663548 / 087 2621841 e-mail: [email protected] web: www.orbarchitecture.net
ITEMS FOR SALE
CLOTHELINES: T. shaped with pulleys and ropes €120, or with winders €140. Fitted free any area in Midleton, Youghal & the East Cork area weekly. Tel. Grange Ironcraft – 025 32636 / 087 2549996. GATES: Timber side gates €200, Entrance gates, €550, Free fitting. Free quotes. Tel. Grange Ironcraft – 025 32636 / 087 2549996.
PROPERTY TO LET / FOR SALE
.To let: 2 bedroomed, fully furnished apartment, just off MAIN STREET, MIDLETON. €100 per week. Contact 087 6876367 or 087 6481511.
Three bedroomed semi-detached house to let in WILLOW BANK, MILL ROAD, Midleton. Contact 086 8270541. 0.7 acre site for sale with two storey cut stone building. Circa 3 miles to YOUGHAL TOWN. Open to offers. Pádraig Hyde & Sons, 024-91355.
CHILDMINDER
REQUIRED
CARING, RELIABLE AND EXPERIENCED CHILDMINDER wanted from September in the Killeagh area. Non-smoker. Own transport required. Occasional babysitter also required. Replies to Box No. ECJ 9726, The East Cork Journal, First Floor, Watersedge, Riverside Way, Midleton, Co. Cork.
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
50
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Fo o d fo r t h o u g h t
Sponsored by Well & Good, Broderick Street, Midleton Tel. (021) 4633499
Viva tasty tapas!
OUR FAVOURITE SEASONING
ONE guess: It has to be salt. In previous weeks I have looked at the valuable properties of salt, especially Himalayan table salt and the salt from Eastern European mines used in salt pipes to help overcome respiratory problems.
But now to the nitty gritty: too much sodium chloride in our food is most definitely bad for our health, and it is so hard to avoid – impossible if we eat processed and packaged foods.
Salt, like sugar, is added far too liberally to sweet as well as savoury readymade foods, often to cover up a lack of natural flavours and poor ingredients. ‘Enhance’ is the term used by manufacturers, but this is a euphemism and ‘cover up’ or ‘compensate for’ are more accurate. Breakfast cereals are notorious culprits. The current average salt intake is around 9-12g per day, which is thought to be largely responsible for the high incidence of raised blood pressure in the western world. It is generally accepted that a maximum of 6g per day is sensible, which could drastically reduce the incidence of problems such as heart attacks, strokes, asthma, osteoporosis and kidney disease. A certain amount of salt is vital for our bodies, and - of course - Himalayan salt, with its complement of minerals, is the best choice. Fluid management in our bodies depends on sodium chloride, and this influences a huge range of bodily functions. Conduction of nerve impulses, regulation of blood pressure, transport of nutrients, excretion of waste, sweating, tears – all depend on sodium chloride. BRING some Spanish sun to the dinner table with our tasty tapas recipes and say hello to meals bursting with Mediterranean flavour!
These easy to make tapas are perfect for picking, dipping and sharing, making them a great way to awaken the whole family to a new world of taste!
Papas Arrugadas – Salted Baby Potatoes INGREDIENTS 70g sea salt 1.5ltr water Bag of baby potatoes
METHOD 1. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring the potatoes to the boil then simmer for 25 minutes. 2. Strain and cook in a hot oven for a further 10 minutes. 3. Serve in a dish, with Mojo Sauce (see below).
Mojo Sauce
INGREDIENTS 4 tbs parsley, roughly chopped 3 tbs coriander, roughly chopped 1 tbs lemon juice 1 tbs lemon zest 1 tbs paprika 3 tbs sunflower oil 1 tbs shallot, roughly chopped 1 tbs green of scallion, roughly chopped 1 tbs black pepper Pinch of salt METHOD 1. Put paprika and oil in a bowl and microwave for 10 minutes. 2. Put all ingredients in a processor and blend.
Sobrasada – Chorizo Pâté INGREDIENTS 20ml balsamic vinegar 1 tbs paprika 200g chorizo 100g butter
METHOD 1. Put paprika, vinegar and chorizo in a processor and blend. 2. Add butter and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. 3. Chill for 1 hour, serve with crusty bread.
Prawns Pil Pil – Chilli Prawns in Olive Oil
INGREDIENTS 350ml extra virgin olive oil ½ tbs salt Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 tbs chilli flakes 2 tbs parsley, finely chopped 8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced 2 tubs of king prawns, cooked
METHOD 1. Put all ingredients (apart from the prawns and parsley) in a pan and heat gently for 20 minutes. 2. Add prawns, with 1 tbs of their liquid, and heat through. 3. Serve with warm ciabatta. 4. Top with parsley and a quick squeeze of lemon juice.
However, excess salt intake causes fluid retention which raises blood pressure and stresses blood vessels and the heart. Cardiovascular disease is very common, and a scary statistic is that strokes in Ireland cause around 10,000 deaths each year. So, how to reduce salt intake? The number one suggestion is, of course, to avoid readymade foods, whether sweet or savoury. Cook from fresh at home, go easy with the salt you add when cooking and don’t put salt on the table. Have you ever, like me, wondered at people who automatically sprinkle salt over their dinner without even tasting it? What a thumbs down to the cook! If you can’t always avoid manufactured foods, look at the list of ingredients on labels and be selective in what you buy. Check out bread, biscuits, tinned soups, and the obvious foods such as burgers, processed fish dishes, pies, sausages – and so on. Rashers, of course, should be treated with caution. And as for crunchy, salty snacks such as crisps...
Well & Good
Broderick Street, Midleton * Tel. / Fax. (021) 4633499
‘TIS THE SEASON(ING)!
WELL and Good stocks a variety of low sodium salts, including the A.Vogel Herbamare range with herbal seasoning, Braggs low salt seasoning based on seaweeds and the ever-popular Kallo low salt stock cubes. Suggestions: Try sprinkling lemon juice over your veggies, and season dishes with spices such as garam masala, curry powder, black pepper, cumin or coriander. All these and many more in stock. Ask for ideas and share your own with us! DATE: Nutritional Therapist Catherine Kenneally will be back on the shop floor this coming, Friday, March 11th from 11am to 1pm to answer your queries on health and diet.
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
51
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
FASHION FOCUS
GET READY FOR A NEW YEAR OF HIGH CLASS FASHIONS AT HIGH STREET PRICES AT ARCADE MIDLETON
BOUTIQUE BRANDS, HIGH STREET LABELS, KIDS FASHIONS & INTERIORS
Look smart for less at Arcade Midleton
LOVE LACE? IN recent times, lace has become known as the 'forgotten fabric', largely ignored by the fashion world.
Arcade Midleton, as always, is bang on trend, with its gorgeous new range of vintage lace dresses, in a wide variety of shades and styles. But don't go a step too far... Rihanna was recently spotted wearing lace sunglasses with her gorgeous lace bodice. She was in the dark in more ways than one...
But not anymore. In 2011, many high fashion designers incorporated lace into their designs, adding lace cuffs, panelling and accessories.
New Communion & Confirmation lines
As well as bran d new kids’ clothing & acce ssories in store now!
Pansy Floral Dresses
Put a spring into your step with Arcade Midleton’s fantastic NEW SEASON STOCK
Cupcakes runneth over!
DON'T forget to pop into the XPresso Cafe, upstairs at Arcade Midleton where you can have your cake and eat it! Choose from delicious cupcakes, homemade lemon cakes, paninis, scones, soup, sandwiches and more - not to mention a huge selection of teas, coffees, fruit juices and smoothies. So, when you're shopped out - rest those feet upstairs at the XPresso Cafe.
Girls’ Communion dresses from €59.99 Boys’ 3 piece suits €49.99 Sunday 2pm - 6pm Monday - Wednesday 9am - 7pm Thuursday & Friday 9am - 8pm Th Saturday 9am - 6pm
FEELING FLORAL?
See, you really can have your cake and eat it.
sponsored by: arcade
Pushing prices down
94 Main Street, Midleton Open 7 Days a Week – Customer Car Park on Riverside Way
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
52
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
THE PLACE TO BE
If Horse Outside was about how the good guy gets the girl then ‘I Wanna Fight your Father’ is about taking that love further to the point of being physically maimed to prove that love.
Over-stretched? The Rubberbandits present their second single ‘I Wanna Fight your Father’
An Seanachaí (7 ,89(:7(49 520+(= 599(.,8 :22( 7588 :4.(7;(4 5 %(9,7-57+
HAVING taken the world by storm notching up over 6 million views on YouTube with the video for ‘Horse Outside’, and having just sold out Dublin’s Tripod in the middle of a tour that will take them to the UK, USA and Australia, The Rubberbandits launched their hotly anticipated second single ‘I Wanna Fight your Father’ on Friday, February 25th which is on sale nationwide.
La Bella Roma 90 North Main St., Youghal
024 85411 Now taking bookings
ENJOY ST. P !5A :6T 8 (R 4I+C !9K (7’9S ,78DAY AT AN SEANACHAÍ "7(+ !,88054
22 3:80*0(48 <,2*53 ,
# !
Experience a little taste of Italy
H
The video was shot using over 60 extras, three animal wranglers and 500 pounds of cod from Limerick’s Donkey Ford’s chipper mainly in Limerick with the final scene shot at South Studios in the Liberties in Dublin.
The video is now online at www.youtube.com/rubberbandits and the song is available on iTunes and in record stores nationwide on the Lovely Men Label. The Rubberbandits are set to play The Olympia Theatre on Thursday, April 21st – tickets from €19.45 including booking fee are on sale now.
International Soprano, Mary Hegarty to sing at Fota House
ON Sunday, April 10th, International Soprano, Mary Hegarty joins the Carrigaline Choral Group with a programme of light classical music at Fota House entitled ‘Springtime.’ This Concert replaces the ‘Carols by Candlelight’ Concert which had to be cancelled due to bad weather conditions before Christmas.
Mary Hegarty, Cork born soprano, studied at the Cork School of Music and at the National Opera Studio in London. She broadcasts regularly with the BBC and RTE and performs frequently on Concert and Recital platforms throughout Europe. Recent engagements include the title role in Bizet’s ‘Fair Maid of Perth’ and the title role in ‘The Merry Widow’ in Cork. Her countless concert appearances include a Gala Concert with the Fleischmann Choir and the Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra. She has also sung with the New Jersey Youth Symphony Orchestra. The Carrigaline Choral Group,was formed at the beginning of September 2009, as a mixed choir of forty two singers. Their Musical Director is Colm O’Regan and their Accompanist is Celine Garvey. The Choir, their secretary Mary Malone and Mary Hegarty look forward to entertaining Easter Audiences with ‘Springtime’. Tickets at €20 from 021 4815543. Pre-booking advisable.
arty’s Bar & Restaurant CLOYNE
open 7 days a week
021 4652401 www.hartysrestaurantcloyne.com [email protected] HARTY’S CLOYNE - SPONSORS OF CLOYNE MINOR HURLING & FOOTBALL
Thursday, March 10th -
traditional IRISH music SESSION fROM 9.30pm - all musicians welcome
traditional music SESSION after races 5pm to 7pm. all musicians welcome
St PAtrick’s night, march 17th 9.30pm crazy hat night. design, make your own hat and wear it on the night. prizes for the best hats. music by trad & bad
Join Harty's Cheltenham Buster Board. €10 Entry. Racing from Tuesday 15th - Friday 18th March Inclusive. Call to Harty's to enter.
<<< 8,(4(*/(0 0,
DATE FOR THE DIARY - SUNDAY, MARCH 20TH
8,(4(*/(0)(7 ,07*53 4,9
KILMAC AHILL/ harty ’s bar annual greyhound RAG Meeting. ENTRIES NOW BEING TAKEN. CONTACT HARTY ’S for more info
Come join us on Facebook: Harty’s Cloyne
* Baby girl for Sophie Dahl and Jamie Cullum * Charlie Sheen wants to marry both 'goddesses' *
Email us at [email protected] * call us at (021) 4638 022 * TEXT US AT 086 807 3862
53
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
E N T E R TA I N M E N T G U I D E ! the local scene until he was approached by Greg.
Shane Supple’s musical connections... Will They Run?
and we thought the election was over!
THIS week I spoke with two members of the band ‘Will They Run’ – singer, Diarmuid O’Leary and drummer, Greg Ahern. The lads are currently working on new songs and a set list. They have been rehearsing for the last several weeks, getting themselves ready to launch on an unsuspecting world.
(a game of) Two Halves
CORK Singer, Fiona Kelleher has been blazing a trail in the traditional music circuit over the last number of years. Ex lead-singer with the hugely successful Cork traditional band, North Cregg, Fiona has now branched out on her own, and her stunning debut album ’My Love Lies’ was released to huge critical acclaim in 2009. Since that time, she has been touring extensively with her own band and now comes together with the celebrated Dublin fiddler, Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Cork piano player and composer, Caoimhín Vallely, to tour the country in a concert entitled ‘(a game of) Two Halves’. The concert, has been funded by the Deis Fund at the Arts Council and all three artists are all professional solo and ensemble performers. The concert will include traditional and contemporary sounds and will also feature new compositions and collaborations developed especially for the tour. THE GRAINSTORE, BALLYMALOE, SHANAGARRY, CO. CORK Wednesday 9th March, 8pm Tickets €20/€18 concession Bookings: 083 3631468; [email protected] Special Deal: Early Dinner at 6pm and concert €60 Book on 021 4652531 (advance booking essential) IONAD CULTÚRTHA, BAILE MHÚIRNE, CO CHORCAÍ Friday March 11th, 8.30pm Tickets: €15/€10 concession Telephone: 026.45733 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ionadculturtha.ie
I asked them where it all started. Greg, whom I had interviewed when he was with another band, Citizen, started off by telling me that he wanted to put a band together and knew Diarmuid from gigging around Cork. The only problem was that Diarmuid was on the solo scene as a singer songwriter.
He approached Diarmuid and put to him the idea of putting a band together. Diarmuid, who started playing guitar at only 21, thought about it and agreed it might be worth a try. I asked Diarmuid where it started for him and he replied that all through his teens he was more into computers and concentrating on his studies, rather then anything else. One day, walking down the street, he saw a guitar in a shop window and decided that he wanted to buy it, learn to play it and write songs. That was the start of a whole new era; computers were replaced by music, songs, guitar strings, chords and a keen interest in writing. He then started gigging on
I asked the lads to describe themselves and into which genre would they fit musically. The two lads spent several minutes debating with each other, with words like Afro Funk, Folk, Classic Rock, Blues and Rock all mentioned. With no agreement forthcoming, we decided to pass on it and I would listen to the CD myself later. I asked Diarmuid to sing something, and straight away I could understand the problem the lads had in describing their style. A very tuneful voice, good song composition and easy style with gentle music, all from one guy. It was nice and easy to listen to. I asked Diarmuid if he wrote for the band or if he wrote songs and brought them to the band. He replied that he wrote songs and then the band would add their own bits and pieces. All the songs are original and vary from song to song. When you add in drums, bass and guitar, one can only imagine the sound that can be created. For me, it was like listening to R.E.M. with soul and Coldplay with heart. I asked the lads about their plans for touring and going on the road. Each of the lads have worked with bands before, so are all seasoned performers. When it comes to gigging, they are hoping to start playing the venues that have in house PA systems, or they will rent PA for the night. They would prefer to invest in the band’s sound, recording and promotion rather than equipment, at the moment.
My advice is, if this band is in your area, go see them. Meanwhile, you can check them out on myspace or facebook - just type in ‘Will They Run’.
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* Lady Gaga threatens to sue breastmilk-ice cream producer * Damon loves wife who 'doesn’t need' him *
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44 Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
54
Test your concentration with this word ladder
19
Congratulations to last week’s winner: MICHAEL O’BRIEN, BALLYMACODA
ACROSS 1. Fate (7) 7. Man about to marry (5) 8. Pacify, soothe (7) 9. Lowest room in a house (6) 11. Red field flower (5) 13. Six-sided shape (4) 14. Window guard (7) 15. Writing implements (4)
S C
4. Shelter for a bird (4) 5. Correct (4) 6. Work hard (4) 9. Rag (5) 10. Cut down (10) 12. Made better (5) 13. Casino attendant (8) 18. Barely cooked (4) 19. Title (4) 20. Border (4)
ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD: ACROSS: 1. Contest 7. Fault 8. Appears 9. Income 11. Verse 13. Lord 14. Reserve 15. Dive 16. Bitch 17. Method 21. Fanatic 22. Bleak 23. Emperor. DOWN: 2. Oppressive 3. Treasure 4. Sort 5. Warn 6. Also 9. Ivory 10. Maraschino 12. Asked 13. Levitate 18. Tile 19. Oval 20. Warm.
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MO V E
Five Minutes - Five Questions 1. A papal cross has how many horizontal sections?
2. Skiving, beading and perforating are terms used in which industry?
3. Which British high street retailer started selling DNA/paternity tests over the counter in January 2011?
4. Basrelief, cameo, restrike, and anaglyph are technical terms within what art form? 5. What is the science of electronics applied to aeronautics and space travel?
Answer to last week’s Medium
2
ANSWERS TO WORDGAMES: 1. ACCUSABLE 2. MOLE MOLD MELD ANSWERS: 11. Three 2. Shoemaking 3. Boots 4. Sculpture 5. Avionics
1
Find the 9 letter word hidden in this word wheel
Answer to last week’s Difficult
Tea-Break Crossword
SUDOKU
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55
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
The Big Screen The
Is Bourne going soppy on us?
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THE Adjustment Bureau is an odd, fascinating film, loosely based on a Philip K. Dick novel. One part thriller, one part romance, and one part philosophical exploration, it has a little something for everybody. Matt Damon stars as New York Senatorial candidate David Norris. He’s close to winning the election, only to be foiled by scandal at the last moment. While practising his concession speech in a hotel restroom, he meets a wedding crasher, Elise (Emily Blunt). The attraction is immediate, they kiss and then she races off, escaping hotel security. Not long after, he meets her again on a public bus, where the flirtation continues.
David is shortly visited by a mysterious group of men in suits and hats, led by Mr. Richardson (John Slattery). They inform David that they are part of an organisation dedicated to ‘making sure things turn out the way they are supposed to.’ Richardson tells him that being with Elise is most definitely not part of the plan, and that if he continues to see her, his memory will be erased by the group. A rogue member of the bureau, Harry (Anthony Mackie), meets with David privately, confiding that his romance with Elise could cause ripples that ‘the Chairman’ wants to avoid.
David, however, keeps finding himself in Elise’s orbit. As their love grows, he decides to try to outwit the bureau in order to be with her, and to seek answers about why they are supposed to be kept apart. As for the mysterious men, they are forces of ‘Four letters, starts with an “F”, rhymes with eight.’
Everything culminates in a third act that is wildly exciting. David and Elise’s chase from City Hall, to the new Yankee Stadium, back to the top of the MetLife Building is seamless and fun to watch.
It’s not Inception meets Bourne as some have said. Instead, it’s a breezy, philosophical, pseudo-psychological romance - and they don’t come along too often. Recommended.
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Book online at www.corkcinemas.com
BASED on true events, a runaway train is the film’s ominous main character and Tony Scott’s direction in Unstoppable has the utmost impact with large scale cinematography from all angles and a sensational soundscape, offering Denzel Washington and Chris Pine a solid platform from which to shine. In a careless moment while re-parking a long freight train, a lazy train driver allows loco 777 to get away, while under power. The runaway train, with carriages full of deadly and inflammable chemicals, is hurtling towards a string of Pennsylvania towns and soon reaches speeds of up to 70 mph. Washington stars as veteran train engineer, Frank, who reports to work only to discover that he’ll be ‘babysitting’ a young, new conductor, Will (Chris Pine). Both men have troubles off the track: Will has marriage issues while Frank has been downsized and has only a couple of weeks left on the job. (Yes, we thought of Lethal Weapon here too).
As the emergency escalates and HQ tries to avert disaster, Frank and Will have to make a series of desperate decisions in an attempt to get the monster train under control before it crashes and explodes in one of the towns. Helicopters hover above, the camera pulls us below the train, split scenes interject with flash news coverage - all adding to the tension. Back at headquarters, Rosario Dawson is perfect as Connie, the pragmatic railroad contact point and communicator, whose job is to watch the monitors, make frenzied phone calls and otherwise bark orders at everyone. Lew Temple is a rich supporting character as the ponytailed Ned Oldham, who races out into battle in his giant pickup truck, country music blaring. Speeding along like the out of the control train in the story, Unstoppable grabs our attention and doesn’t let us go for 98 nail-biting minutes of non-stop action and tension. If only Keanu would have cameod...
Lisgoold, Midleton and Watergrasshill new nursing graduates ‘on the pulse’
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Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 - The East Cork Journal
Claire Newton RGN, Bishopstown; Danielle O’Reilly RGN, Watergrasshill and Caitriona Nyhan RGN, Bandon pictured at the Cork University Hospital Nurse and Midwife Graduation Ceremony. (Photos: Gerard McCarthy)
CORK University Hospital (CUH) saw a historical milestone last Friday with the graduation of nurses and midwives for this first time at CUH. The graduation ceremony took place for 86 nursing and midwifery students who completed the four year BSc in General Nursing, BSc in Midwifery or BSc in Children’s & General Nursing
(Integrated) - including new nurses from Watergrasshill, Midleton and Lisgoold. The newly qualified nurses and midwives attended an ecumenical service in the CUH Chapel and then proceeded to the auditorium for the presentation of their certificates by Dr. Mary Boyd, Director of Nursing, CUH.
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The guest speaker was Ms. Emily Logan, Ombudsman for Children. Dr. Mary Boyd congratulated and wished all the newly qualified nurses and midwives well for the future and said, ‘CUH is celebrating its 30th year of graduating nurses today and this event is special, with the graduation of children and adult dual-qualified nurses,
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and midwifery. Excellence in patient health care is what we strive to achieve in the CUH Group and the nursing and midwifery professions are central to this. I know that your professionalism, compassion and enthusiasm will benefit you, the team you work with, and, most importantly, those you care for. Nursing or Midwifery as a ca-
and also midwives for the first time in the hospital’s history, along with the general nursing programme. Today’s graduates are now the empowered nurses and midwives of the future, equipped with nursing and midwifery skills, with confidence, communication skills and the knowledge that they will need to make the very best of nursing
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| i don't know |
What mineral is an Alaskan diamond? | What mineral is an Alaskan diamond? - Diamonds Lab, Diamond, ring, rings, jewelry, earrings, jewelers, Diamonds, engagement rings carat
What mineral is an Alaskan diamond?
what mineral is an alaskan diamond. what mineral is an alaskan diamond
the Alaskan Diamond is black hematite
# 3 ( permalink )
I can't be exactly sure what the exact one you're talking about is. It COULD just be a diamond from Alaska (they do exist). However, mindat.org, which is probably the best and most extensive mineralogy resource online, says that they are quartz. I would believe that easily.
| Quartz |
The Portuguese Man o' War (a sea-dwelling jellyfish-like invertebrate) alludes to a warship design devised in which country? | US Diamond Mines - Diamond Mining in the United States
The only diamond mine where you can be the miner.
The mine is a dig-for-fee operation maintained by the Crater of Diamonds State Park. The diamonds are hosted in a lamproite breccia tuff and its overlying soil in a structure known as a maar . Collectors pay a fee of a few dollars per day to prospect and can keep any diamonds that they find. This is the only diamond mine in the world that is open to the public.
Diamond crater: A simplified cross-section of a lamproite pipe, maar, and residual soil deposit. This is similar to the deposit found at the Crater of Diamonds Mine.
Strawn-Wagner Diamond: Photograph of the famous "Strawn-Wagner Diamond" found at Crater of Diamonds State Park in 1990 by Shirley Strawn. It was the first stone to receive a perfect grade of 0/0/0 from the American Gem Society. Image courtesy of Crater of Diamonds State Park .
Famous Arkansas Diamonds
A number of famous diamonds have been found at the Crater of Diamonds mine. Diamonds found in North America continue to have gemological significance and attract a great amount of interest. Three notable Arkansas diamonds:
The Uncle Sam Diamond
The "Uncle Sam" is a 40.23-carat white diamond that stands as the largest diamond ever found in North America. It was found at the Crater of Diamonds in 1924 before the property was opened as a state park. [2]
The Strawn-Wagner Diamond
This diamond was found at the Park as a 3.03-carat rough stone in 1990 by Shirley Strawn. In 1997 it was cut to yield a 1.09 carat, "round brilliant" stone that received a perfect grading of 0/0/0 from the American Gem Society. It stands as the most perfect diamond the American Gem Society has ever certified. [2]
The Kahn Canary Diamond
This 4.25-carat, canary-color diamond with a perfect dodecahedral pillow shape was found in 1977 by George Stepp. Stan Kahn purchased the diamond from Stepp and did not have it cut because even in its natural shape, it is an especially beautiful gem. Kahn has shared the stone with the public by loaning it to museums around the world for temporary display.
Colorado - Wyoming Diamond map: A small portion of a diamond exploration map published by the Wyoming Geological Survey. WSGS has identified several hundred concentrations of kimberlite indicator minerals, indicative of possible nearby hidden diamond deposits. Image by Wyoming Geological Survey. [4]
Kelsey Lake Mine
At present, there are no commercial diamond mines operating in the United States. The only commercial mine with recent activity is the Kelsey Lake Diamond Mine, located near Fort Collins, Colorado, on the state boundary between Colorado and Wyoming.
Kelsey Lake was opened as a commercial diamond mine by Redaurum Limited in 1996. Great Western Diamond Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of McKenzie Bay International Limited, purchased the property in 2000 and operated the mine until 2002. It was closed due to legal problems rather than a lack of diamonds. [4]
Most of the diamonds produced at the Kelsey Lake Mine were clear, gem-quality stones. About one-third of the stones were one carat or larger in size. When the mine closed, there was an identified resource of 17 million tons of ore with an average grade of 4 carats per hundred metric tons. In 2003 the United States Geological Survey reported that the most valuable stones produced from the Kelsey Lake Mine were valued at $89,000 and $300,000. [3]
Herkimer Diamonds: Another type of "diamond" mined in the United States is the " Herkimer Diamond " of western New York. These are not genuine diamonds - instead they are doubly-terminated quartz crystals that form in vugs of the Little Falls Dolostone. Many people search for them at a few fee mining sites . They have been known since Native Americans found them in the streams of the area. Today they are considered a mineralogical novelty because of their natural doubly-terminated shape. The fee mining sites are very popular and attract thousands of visitors from around the world each year.
Wyoming Diamond Deposits
The Wyoming Geological Survey believes that a billion-dollar diamond industry could develop in their state. Wyoming has comparable conditions to the Canadian diamond deposits , and hundreds of kimberlite pipes are believed to exist. Their website has maps showing the location of diamond-hosting intrusives, reported placer diamonds, kimberlite indicator mineral anomalies, lamproites and diamond stability indicator minerals. [4]
Some points that communicate their optimism for a significant diamond industry in Wyoming [5]:
40 diamond deposits in the State Line District
130,000 diamonds recovered in the State Line District
several diamonds weighing more than 28 carats
hundreds of kimberlitic indicator mineral anomalies
the two largest kimberlite districts in the U.S.
the largest lamproite field in North America
| i don't know |
In the story of Cinderella (the French medieval version, which gave us the modern Western version) what were Cinderella's slippers made from? | Modern Fiction | Robbins Library Digital Projects
from: The Cinderella Bibliography Created in 1995; ongoing
Adventures of the Beautiful Little Maid Cinderilla; or, The History of a Glass Slipper. York: J. Kendrew, 1820; 1822.
[A straight forward telling based on Perrault.]
Ahlberg, Janet. The Cinderella Show. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking Kestrel, 1986.
-----, and Allan. “Cinderella.” In The Jolly Postman. Boston: Little Brown, 1986.
Alcott, Louisa May. “A Modern Cinderella”, Atlantic Monthly 6, no. 36. October, 1869. Pp. 425-411; rpt. A Modern Cinderella. New York: Hurst, 1904.
[A rehearsal for “The First Wedding” chapter in Part II of Little Women (1868), with its interesting portrait of the artist sister, Laura, and the writer sister, Di, who is determined to support the family through her pen. See Griswold, Audacious Kids (p. 262, n. 14) on Cinderella details in Little Women: “The shoes by the fire remind the girls of Marmee; like Cinderella, Beth often creeps off to the hearth; Meg attends the Gardiners’ ball, has problems with her shoe, and is given a ride home in a carriage by Laurie, a prince of a fellow; at the Moffats’ party, Meg undergoes a sparkling transformation with the help of a borrowed dress and seems like ‘Cinderella’; and so on.” The story “A Modern Cinderella” was collected in Robert Brothers, Hospital Sketches and Camp and Fireside Stories (1869), and reprinted by Shealy, Stern, and Myerson, Louisa May Alcott: Selected Fiction (1990). The issue of The Atlantic Monthly in which the story originally appeared also included Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Some of the Haunts of Burns,” John Greenleaf Whittier’s “Summons,” and James Russell Lowell’s “Election.”]
Alexander, Dounne. The Black Cinderella. London: D. Alexander, 1992.
Alexander, Trisha. Cinderella Girl. New York: Silhouette Books, 1990.
[Backcover: The costume ball held all the enchantment of a fairy tale, and courtly Dusty Mitchell seemed truly a prince among men, sweeping Victoria Jones clear off her synthetic glass slippers. For a single mom used to moonlighting to make ends meet, playing princess on a moonlit veranda was breathtakingly magical ... until Victoria detected something hauntingly familiar in her mysterious cowboy’s resonant voice, and fled into the night. Left holding a solitary shoe, Dusty pursued his Cinderella with the vigor of a storybook hero. But when his quest led him to the woman who’d just put a curse on his career, he wondered if a happy ending was, indeed, the stuff of fairy tales—grim fairy tales. Flyleaf: “Wait, don’t walk off. I don’t even know your name.” Dusty grasped her hand. Her mouth curved into an impish smile. “Why, I thought you knew who I was,” she said. “A princess?” he guessed. “Only until midnight.” She smile grew more mischievous, and she lifted the hem of her satin gown, revealing shapely feet encased in clear high heels. “Ha … you’re Cinderella, glass slippers and all.” “And you are?” Dusty yielded to impulse. “Prince Charming, at your service.” At that, his warm lips met the tender underside of her wrist, and a queer breathlessness seized her. “You don’t look like Prince Charming,” she teased. “You look like a cowboy.” He chuckled, and at the warm, resonant sound, feelings that had been suppressed for so long began to stir within her. “Prince Charming is merely a state of mind,” Dusty murmered. But the story becomes complicated. Dusty is outraged when he learns that Victoria encouraged Sissy to be together with Dustin’s brother David and refuses to see her again. But David and Sissy prove to ge a good match. Dusty was clearly wrong. He humbly makes up with Victoria and the Cinderella dream comes true.]
Allison, Heather. His Cinderella Bride. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1997. Larger print edition.
[Rose Franklin was mousy, only average, but she is fed up with kissing frogs. She yearns for Prince Charming and, suddenly, she finds him - Duncan Burke, who makes everyone else fade into shadow with his lantern jaw, cleft chin, black hair, dark eyes, and the slight curl that caresses his forehead. Everyone tells her she’s out of her league. But with a new wardwobe, an overenthusiastic hairdresser, and a little help from her friends, Rose transforms into Cinderella. All she has to do is convince Prince Charming that she’s the perfect woman to fit into his life, and his heart. But Duncan loves her smile. She finds the perfect size-eight dress, and he finds the shoe that fits her. They are married in the Rice University Chapel, Rose breathtakingly radiant in her pearl-encrusted gown with the cathedral length train, and they lived happily ever after.]
Ames, Jennifer. The Reluctant Cinderella. New York: Avalon Books, 1952.
[Dust jacket: Felton’s Department Store in London occupied an entire block and, through the years, had become as much one of London’s traditions as the Houses of Parliament, or Madame Tussaud’s Waxworks. It was no small honor to the buyer of sportwear - but now an even greater distinction awaited pretty Carol Marston. After six years at Felton’s, she was about to be chosen as its exchange representative to Appleton’s magnificent New York store … From the moment she was selected, everything seemed to go wrong. First, Carol would have liked to receive the award from Jason Felton, who, as William Felton’s nephew, had every right to be managing director, a job now held by ex-efficiency expert Don Haskin, the choice of William Felton’s young widow. And when glamorous Thelma Felton hinted that she too would like to visit America, tall, good-looking Derek Appleton immediately invited her along. On the Queen Mary, Carol was amazed to find Jason Felton, traveling tourist class to accept a mysterious job as chauffeur to Julie Gallet, a Felton award winner who had done well for herself in the States - nabbing a wealthy American on her first trip over. When Carol, whose first assignment was at Appleton’s Palm Beach store, saw Julie Gallet, she knew, to her further dismay, that Jason’s new job was a dangerous one … And, to add to the mystery, who was Maxie, the gambler who seemed to rule not only Julie’s husband but a great many other people as well? And why Thelma Felton’s reluctance to visit Palm Beach - when to refuse would endanger her hold on Derek Appleton? Jennifer Ames reveals the answers, in her own fascinating way, in this intriguing story of love and adventure on Florida’s fabulous Gold Coast.]
Apollinaire, Guillaume. “La Suite de Cendrillon, ou le rat et les six lézards” (“Cinderella Continued, or the Rat and the Six Lizards”), La Baionette, January 16, 1919.
[The fairy godmother lets the Rat continue as a coachman and the lizards as footmen. They sell the coach, take on disguises, and live in clover wandering the roads. The rat learns to read, amasses a quantity of books and becomes known as Lerat de Bibliothèque, compiling numerous works that are preserved at Oxford in manuscript form. The lizards become artists–a poet, a painter, a sculptor, an architect, a musician, and a dancer–and are known now as “les Arts.” Lerat and four of his artful companions die, but Lacerte the poet and Armonidor the musician live on in wretchedness. They force entry into the Royal palace and take a casket that has in it Cinderella’s squirrel-fur slippers. They are arrested and would be executed, but Armonidor takes the blame on himself and Lacerte returns home to compose an epitaph. He dies a month later. The slippers end up in a museum in Pittsburgh.]
Arthur, Katherine. Cinderella Wife. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1985.
[Backcover: She’d be crazy to say yes. Powerful fashion mogul Davin Sigmundsen’s proposal of a marriage of convenience was the most bizarre thing Susanna had ever heard. She knew she’d be convincing in the role of Davin’s adoring wife, but what experience had she really with his world - the world of the super-rich? More important, when her year as Davin’s wife was over, how could she bear to give him up? Flyleaf: “You’d have all the luxuries I can offer.” Davin’s face was impassive. “I’d see that it was a very pleasant year for you. And I thought it might appeal to you as a job, if nothing else.” Susanna’s mind whirled. To live, if only for a year, as one of the rich and famous– and when that year was up, just like Cinderella, her jeweled coach would turn back into a pumplin. Could she carry it off? Would it be worth it? “I have to know all the details,” she said quietly. “For a man like you to have to hire a wife is– almost unbelievable. I can’t do it until I know the reason. Just why do you need a wife so badly, right now?”]
Arthur, Ruth M. The Whistling Boy. London: Collins, 1969; rpt. 1973.
[“Teenage Kirsty hates her young and pretty stepmother, Lois. Her father remarried just a year after her real mother died of a heart attack. Her twin brothers seem not at all put out about the second marriage. Kirsty explains to herself, ‘I was the odd one out, my father had Lois, the twins had each other, and I — had no one’” (p. 30). Fortunately, the sympathetic housekeeper, (the fairy godmother figure), suggests that Kirsty go for a working summer holiday to her sister’s, near Norfolk, on the English coast. There she meets another Cinderella figure, Jake, the son of a cold, rejecting mother who thinks Jake may be mentally ill. All of these subplots (including one about a friend, Dinah, a third Cinderella figure who suffers rejection at the hands of an alcoholic mother) are brought to their respective climaxes and happy endings, including the laying of an unhappy ghost from many years before, the Whistling Boy of the title. As in the traditional Cinderella, hard work must be done, risks taken, anguish and strong emotions suffered, characters developed. Even at the end, there still remains the haunting by the unquiet sea where the Whistling Boy drowned himself” (Gough, p. 103).]
Ashley, Bernard. Sally Cinderella. London: Orchard Books, 1989.
Atwood, Margaret. Good Bones and Simple Murders. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing, 1994.
[Reworks issues of fairy tales for amusing and provocative ends. Ch. 3 “Unpopular Gals” deals with the “wicked” or “ugly” stepsisters and concludes: “You can wipe your feet on me, twist my motives around all you like, you can dump millstones on my head and drown me in the river, but you can’t get me out of the story. I’m the plot, babe, and don’t ever forget it” (p. ll). Ch. 6 “There was once” begins: “There was once a poor girl, as beautiful as she was good, who lived with her wicked stepmother in a house in the forest,” then challenges and revises details according to the quibbles of various politicized demands on what is acceptable to be said, until the whole beginning is lost, even the “once.” Ch. 13 “Happy Endings” offers several scenarios for an end, ultimately concluding, “John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die” (p.56).]
Auch, Mary Jane. Glass Slippers Give You Blisters. New York: Holiday House, 1989.
[Sixth grader Kelly MacDonald doesn’t get the lead in the Riverton Junior High production of Cinderella, nor does she get to do the sets, even when her designs are better than Janet Poole’s, but when the lighting director has to drop out, she gets that job and transforms a drab production into something magical. Even a white tennis shoe becomes a luminous slipper. The story studies the tensions between three generations of women–Kelly, her practical mom, and her artist grandmother.]
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 1813.
[A virtuous daughter, favored by her father, succeeds despite foolish sisters and foolish mother. She marries the worthy D’Arcy to live on his tasteful estate, with psyche restored and fulfilled. See also Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, and Mansfield Park.]
Avery, Barbara J. Say, Did You Lose Your Shoe?. 1977.
Baldwin, Peter. “Twisted Prince.” N. p.: n.p. 2011. Kindle edition.
[Part of Baldwin’s series called A Twisted Fairy Tale, this short story is available in e-book format. Be warned that the story is not politically correct and might easily offend. It offers a lesson in “being careful what you wish for” as Wantaloty, the Cinderella, does not realize that the prince she lusts after, Sir Beefcake, prefers his servant, Ben Dover. When she saves a wizard and obtains her wish of marrying the Prince who faces exile if he cannot find a bride, she does not realize that she has married a man who cannot love her.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Baker, Jennifer. At Midnight: A Novel Based on Cinderella. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1995.
[Back Cover: “Some day my prince will come …. Ella Browning once led an enchanted life. Popular and pretty, Ella looked forward to a carefree future filled with happiness and joy – until the death of her cherished father pushed her to the brink of despair. Left alone, dependent upon her stepmother [Lucinda] and her two cruel stepsisters [Staci and Drew], Ella spends her days slaving through back-breaking chores, and her nights are filled with tears and impossible dreams of finding a true love who will help her leave it all behind. Then she hears of the prince from a faraway land who has come to Ella’s town looking for a bride. Ella hardly dares to dream of even speaking to Prince Will. But when their eyes meet across a crowded room, when his touch melts her heart as they share a dance, Ella realizes something magical has happened. Now she must put her faith in that magic and hope a broken shoe and the memory of a kiss can bring her prince back to her. Once Upon a Dream … where wishes really do come true.”]
Banks, Carol. Yellow, Yellow Cinderella. Whitby, Ontario: Plowman, 1990.
Bayley, Frederick William Naylor (1808-1853). Cinderella. London: Wm. S. Orr & Co. Amen Corner Paternoster Row, [between 1842 and 1849].
Beattie, Ann. “The Cinderella Waltz.” From The Burning House, by Ann Beattie. New York: International Creative Management, Inc., and Random House, 1980, 1981, 1982. First published in The New Yorker, 1979; rpt. in Another Part of the Forest: The Flamingo Anthology of Gay Literature. Ed. Alberto Manguel and Craig Stephenson. New York: Flamingo (An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers), 1994. Pp. 40-58.
[The narrator, Louise’s mother, is divorced but remains friends with Milo, Louise’s father, who is gay and living with Bradley. The story studies the complex “family” relationship, as the mother comes to accept, even be concerned over Bradley. Milo is somewhat insensitive, but maintains real affection for his daughter. He takes a job in San Francisco and leaves the ex-wife and Bradley behind. Louise is consoled with the possibility of visiting him and riding in the glass elevator of the Fairmont Hotel. “Before Louise was born, Milo used to put his ear to my stomach, and say that if the baby turned out to be girl he would put her in glass slippers instead of booties. Now he is the prince once again. I see them in a glass elevator, not long from now, going up and up, with the people below getting smaller and smaller, until they disappear” (p. 58).]
Berberova, Nina. “The Tattered Cloak.” In The Tatered Cloak and Other Novels, translated by Marian Schwartz. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1991; Vintage International, 1992. Pp. 163-212.
[Uses many Cinderella/Tattercoat components in developing the bleak narrative. With the death of Sascha’s mother, the post revolution Russian family rapidly declines in Petersburg. Living in extreme poverty Sascha cares for her father and tries to keep a dream alive. Her sister runs off with a theater man, Samoilov, who is already married. Sascha and her father move to Paris where the father’s sister Varvara lives. Sascha works through the depression and German occupation doing ironing, feeling manacled by her iron as a prisoner of fate. Her father refers to her as his little Cordelia. She turns down a marriage proposal, yearning in her fantasy for someone like the man who took her sister away. She tries to save a few francs each week, but with her father’s death, half of her savings are used up. Samoilov turns up years later in Paris looking for the father, to whom he wishes to apologize for taking his daughter from him. She died of typhoid somewhere in Russia, working as a traveling actress. Sascha, knowing that life has very few precious moments but that perhaps her sister had some, tries to convince Samoilov that what he did was not wrong, reminding him of a story he had told during the courtship of the sister about an old tattered cloak in the bottom of a trunk, which became a metaphor of the human spirit, moth-eaten but too precious to be discarded (with references to King Lear and Don Quixote). He says Sascha has misremembered the occasion and the source of the story, and departs, leaving her increasingly aware of the fragility of life. But even though the world is going to hell, she senses a “blessed light is burning quietly for me.” She still searches for grandeur, truth, wisdom, and love. How can any grandeur visit a life of such poverty and vulgarity in the laundry or her aunt’s kitchen? Yet involuntarily she thinks she may once again face something of grandeur. But, she wonders, will any Samoilov ever be able to give her the signal?]
Beaumont, Anne. A Cinderella Affair. UK: Mills and Boon, 1991; Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1992.
[Backcover: She left her heart - not her glass slipper. Briony Spenser knew how Cinderella must have felt. When she returned to her fiancé, Matthew, after meeting and falling in love with the enigmatic Paul Deverill, it was as if the clock had struck twelve and the coach had turned into a pumpkin. Nothing would ever be the same for Briony. Matthew’s love could not diminish the power of her brief, sweet affair with Paul. Finally, out of sheer desperation, she tried to contact the man she loved, but she could not find him. Had Paul forgotten her already? Bleakly, Briony contemplated a life without meaning, a life without her handsome prince. Flyleaf: Suddenly Briony was afraid. Something was happening - had happened - between them. And whatever it was, it had to be stopped. She’d fled to Paris to clarify her emotional state, not to complicate it. “It is a beginning, isn’t it?” the stranger persisted gently, smiling at her in his will-sapping way. “No!” She sounded unnecessarily harsh, but she was panicking. A wild, forbidden excitement was beginning to pulse through her, threatening to get out of hand. Fear she could run from, but this other feeling made her a willing captive. “Yes,” he contradicted bluntly. “You don’t understand,” Briony told him hurriedly. “I’m engaged. I’m going to be married. As soon as I get back to England … I think.” Conclusion: She’d lost her lover, but his child was growing within her. Had Sheena got her hooks into him? She saw them together. He simply looked through her and walked on with Sheena. Her love turned to hatred. Then she met Paul again, in the restaurant where she worked. He asks bitterly about her hasty marriage. But this time he comes to help her, saying that he will be by her side even though she is bearing Matthew’s baby. She’s shocked. He doesn’t know that he’s the father. He learns the truth - Matthew is dead - nor did she love him. Paul will have a bride and a baby. “You’ve been my wife since I first saw you that rainy day in Paris,” Paul said positively. “It’s just that I’ve been longer claiming you than I expected.” His searching, possessive lips came down on hers again. Briony felt well and truly claimed at last. It was a lovely feeling.]
Bender, Aimee. “The Color Master.” In My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me. Ed. Kate Bernheimer. New York: Penguin Books, 2010. Pp. 366-85.
[Bender retells “Donkeyskin” from the perspective of men and women who make the princess’ dresses. The story emphasizes the lesson of realizing one’s own power and the ability to affect others as a young craftswoman learns to put anger into the gowns that will inspire a princess to reject her father’s incestuous desires. For more on this anthology, see My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me .] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Beresford, Titian. Cinderella. New York: Masquerade Books, 1996.
[According to the back cover, Titian Beresford triumphs again with this “magical exploration of the full erotic potential of this fairy tale … with castle dungeons and tightly corseted ladies-in-waiting, naughty viscounts and impossibly cruel masturbatrixes - nearly every conceivable method of erotic torture is explored and described in lush, vivid detail. A fetishist’s dream and a masochist’s delight!”]
Bernheimer, Kate, ed. My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me. New York: Penguin Books, 2010.
[This collection of modern retellings represents stories from all over the world, and each story is followed by an authorial commentary on the story’s themes and inspirations. Kate Bernheimer wrote the introduction, and Gregory Maguire provides an additional forward. Many of the revisions experiment with various story-telling techniques, so the collection is not for those who want an easily recognizable retelling. One of the collection’s strengths, however, is that it generally avoids the more well-known fairy tales in favor of lesser known stories. Because the anthology is expansive, I offer a list of titles along with the story type or inspirational tale.
“Baba Iaga and the Pelican Child” [Baba Yaga stories]
“ Ardour ” [“The Snow Maiden”]
“Bluebeard in Ireland” [“Blue beard”]
“A Kiss to Wake the Sleeper” [“The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood”]
“A Case Study of Emergency Room Procedure and Risk Management by Hospital Staff Members in the Urban Facility” [“Cinderella”]
“Orange” [a retelling of The Odyssey]
“Psyche’s Dark Night” [“Cupid and Psyche”]
“The Story of the Mosquito” [“The Story of the Mosquito,” a tale from Vietnam]
“First Day of Snow” [“A Kamikakushi Tale,” from Japan]
“I Am Anjuhimeko” [“Sansh? the Steward,” a Japanese tale]
“Coyote Takes Us Home” [“Tales from Jalisco,” a Mexican tale]
“Ever After” [A Snow White retelling based on the Disney Film]
“Whitework” [Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Oval Portrait”]
[Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Blume, Judy. It’s Not the End of the World. London: Pan, 1972; rpt. 1979.
[Karen’s parents fight and divorce, leaving Karen upset and confused. Feeling as abandoned as Cinderella, she finds godmother-like counsel in Val, who has been through the experience of having her parents divorce and who shares with Karen a book about the effects of such crises on children. With determination and well-focused work, Karen discovers that her problems are not the end of the world and that there can be personal happiness despite destructive family crises.]
Boswell, Barbara, Carole Buck, and Cassie Miles. Magic Slippers. New York: Avon Books, 1996.
[“All a woman needs is a perfect pair of shoes - and, oh yes, love.” According to the blurb and back cover: “A Perfect Fit. Deep down, every woman believes that, if she wears just the right outfit, the perfect man will step into her life. Except it never quite works that way. So we’ve added a touch of magic to the ensemble to nudge love along. Cinderella had her glass slipper. Dorothy her ruby pumps. Now here are three truly great pairs of shoes, each of which can transform even the most ordinary lady into a tantalizing love goddess - with a little bit of help … and the proper Prince Charming, of course.”
[Birthday Shoes, by Barbara Boswell: “Black suede pumps - and a broken gypsy curse - open a practical lady law assistant’s eyes to the sensual charms of her work-obsessed boss … and turn office politics into desk-top sizzle.” “Jordan had been riveted by those sexy shoes, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight of them on Janessa’s slender, pretty feet. He’d never gazed at a woman’s legs and felt heat streak through him. Yet the sight of Janessa’s shapely legs affected him like a lit match tossed into a pool of gasoline. He was going up in flames.”
[Cupid Wears Combat Boots, by Carole Buck: “Combat boots - and a matchmaking teen - convince a sex-kitten actress with a home-seeking heart that there is something far more important than her next action flick: going one-on-one with her virile combat instructor on a permanent basis.” “The cake split open, and Kayla Delaney emerged from the plaster-frosted pastry with a professional flourish. She was clad in an oversize khaki shirt that ended in the middle of her sleekly muscled thighs. There were streaks of camouflage on her face and black leather combat boots on her feet. ‘I don’t know what you wished for,’ she said in a throaty voice, staring directly into Quinn’s eyes. ‘But I’m what you got.’”
[Heart and Soles, by Cassie Miles: “Iridescent platform sandals - and a punk fairy godmother - expose the wild side of a practical-minded miss and thrust her into the arms of a long-lost love who’d like to re-park his own shoes under her bed.” “Julie Buchanan slowly turned and peered through the window of the secondhand boutique. Those shoes! Blue and green luminescent platform heels - absolutely outrageous! ‘Wow,’ she whispered. Her heart pounded, her breathing accelerated, and her eyes were blinded by a flash of light. A tempting siren assailed her ears: Buy me, buy me, buy me!”]
Brame, Charlotte Mary (1836-1884). A Modern Cinderella. 2nd ed. New York: F. M. Lupton, 1889.
Bridgham, Gladys Ruth. A Modern Cinderella. Boston: W.H. Baker, 1925.
Brooke, William J. “The Fitting of the Slipper.” In A Telling of the Tales: Five Stories, with drawings by Richard Egielski. New York: Harper & Row, 1990. Pp. 51-74.
[What happens after the ball? A class-conscious Cockney Cinderella doesn’t want to try on the slipper when the prince approaches. Though they smash the glass slipper, they do spend time with each other and take a few steps together at the end.]
Browning, Dixie. Beckett’s Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 2002.
[Back Cover: Beckett’s Fortune: Some men are made for lovin’–and you’ll love our Man of the Month. “You can’t refuse me!–Lancelot Beckett, millionaire on a mission to settle a debt. Secred heiress Liza Chandler didn’t want the money – or the rugged millionaire who’d suddenly come into her life. But Beckett had made a vow to get the job done … and he wasn’t the type to take no for an answer. Especially now when he discovered that beneath Liza’s plain-Jane exterior is a passionate woman just waiting to be protected. But would Liza trust Beckett enough to take his money … and let him into her heart? Passionate, powerful and provocative. Fly leaf: August’s Man of the Month is the first book in the exciting family-based saga Beckett’s Fortune, by Dixie Browning. Beckett’s Cinderella features a hero honor-bound to repay a generations-old debt and a poor-but-proud heroine leery of love and money she can’t believe is offered unconditionally. Praise for Dixie Browning: “There is no one writing romance today who touches the heart and tickles the ribs like Dixie Browning. The people in her books are as warm and real as a sunbeam and just as lovely” – New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard. “Each of Dixie’s books is a keeper guaranteed to warm the heart and delight the senses” – New York Times best selling author Jayne Ann Krentz. “A true pioneer in romance fiction, the delightful Dixie Browning is a reader’s most precious treasure, a constant source of outstanding entertainment.” – Romantic Times. “Dixie’s books never disappoint – they always lift your spirit!” – USA Today bestselling author Mary Lynn Baxter.]
-----. Cinderella’s Midnight Kiss. New York: Silhouette Books, 2000.
[Backcover: “Will you dance with me?” Orphaned Cindy Danbury’s heart beat faster when John Hale Hitchcock invited her into his arms. He was backethe handsome prince she’d adored from afar — and still beyond her reach. In fact, she should be serving at her stepcousin’s wedding, not dancing with the best man! But something in Hitch’s gaze coaxed her to say “yes!” and gave fuel to her secret dreams. Not only gorgeous, rich, and eligible, Hitch was gentle, kind and thoughtful. But could he see beyond Cindy’s poor-relation façade to the vibrant, loving woman inside? Perhaps Cindy should wake her Prince Charming with a kiss of her own … Fly leaf: Dear Reader, Isn’t it amazing how swiftly the years have flown past? I marvel at all the changes, yet one thing has never changed: the satisfaction to be found in reading a good romance. Twenty years ago our romances were somewhat different. They mirrored the times, as popular fiction usually does. In many ways they were more naïve, as were we. It seems in retrospect as though the edges were softer, but then, maybe that’s only in my imagination. I’ve written a Cinderella story. The old fairy tales, the legends and myths still persist, don’t they? Is there anyone among us who doesn’t long for a happy ending? Here you have it. Always, in a traditional romance. It’s a given. And I give this one to you with my blessings and my hopes for all our happy endings. My thanks to you, the readers, to the wonderful people at Silhouette, to the many friends I’ve made both there and among my fans - and the many more I hope to make in the future. Sincerely, Dixie Browning.]
Buck, Carole. “Cupid Wears Combat Boots.” In Magic Slippers. New York: Avon Books, 1996. Pp. 131-279.
[See the entry for Barbara Boswell , above.]
Burchell, Mary. Cinderella After Midnight. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1967; rpt. 1971, 1972, 1975.
[After three months at an exclusive seaside resort, paid for by her Aunt Gabrielle, Elaine gambles her future on hopes of a rich marriage. But she falls in love with Adrian, who makes no move on her because he is poor. But he can give the kind of kiss of which Roger Ivarley knows nothing, despite his wealth. So she agrees to marry Adrian, who turns out not to be so poor afterall.]
Burnett, Frances Hodgson. The Secret Garden. London, 1911; rpt. with pictures by Tasha Tudor, New York: J.B. Lippincott, 1962.
[Burnett borrows several basic components from Grimm’s “Ash Daughter” in constructing the story: the mother’s promise to watch over her daughter after death; the impoverished child’s attendance of her mother’s grave, making it a kind of garden where a tree grows and birds nest. The garden, once an ashpit, serves also in loco parentis for motherless and ailing Colin as well. Mrs. Sowerby, the incarnation of motherhood, appears almost magically in the garden in a fairy godmother, earth goddess role. See Griswold, Audacious Kids (pp. 208-210).]
-----. A Little Princess; Being the Whole Story of Sara Crewe Now Told for the First Time. Illustrated by Ethel Franklin Betts. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1911. First published as Sara Crewe; or What Happened at Miss Minchin’s. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1889. Reprinted with pictures by Jamichael Henterly, New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1989; and with illustrations by Graham Rust, Boston: David R. Godine, 1989.
[A study in Victorian child abuse. At age seven, Sara Crewe, her French mother dead, is placed in Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies in London by her father, who is in service in India. Upon the death of her father by jungle fever and reversal of fortune, Sara is relegated to the attic, hard dirty work, and starvation, by the cruel Miss Minchin. Sara survives through kindness to the poor, friendship with animals, and a powerfully constructive imagination until her father’s business partner and his Indian servant move in next door, in search of the lost Sara. The servant observes the virtuous girl and her persecution for two years, performing godmother-like services for her until the discovery of her true identity is made and she is restored to the privileges she deserves.]
Burrows, Edith. A Garden Cinderella. Philadelphia: Penn, 1920.
Carpenter, Helen K., and Edward Childs Carpenter. The Cinderella Man. A Romance of Youth. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1916.
Carter, Angela. “Wolf-Alice.” The Bloody Chamber. New York: Penguin Books, 1979. Pp. 119-126.
[Despite its placement after “The Werewolf” and “The Company of Wolves” (two variations of Little Red Riding Hood), Carter’s “Wolf-Alice” seems to hold more in common with Cinderella tales than with Red Riding Hood stories. Raised by wolves and later “rescued” by humans, Wolf-Alice eventually becomes a servant in the house of a duke (a grave robber who seems to possess aspects of both werewolves and vampires and whose reflection does not appear in mirrors), cleaning his palace and sleeping in the ashes of the kitchen fire. The motif of time, so important in Cinderella, makes an appearance here as Wolf-Alice begins to gain an understanding of the passage of weeks and months after the onset of her menstrual cycle. It is also after menstruation that Wolf-Alice begins to take an interest in grooming herself, finally deciding that she “must thoroughly wash off her coat of ashes” upon the discovery of a wedding dress that once belonged to a corpse exhumed by the duke (p. 125). (N.B., The Grimms’ Cinderella, who receives dresses from a bird—a possible manifestation of her mother—that sits in the tree which she planted on her mother’s grave, may also be said to obtain her clothing from the dead.) Emerging from the castle “like a debutante” while wearing the gown, Wolf-Alice goes, not the ball, but a churchyard (just as Cinderella goes to church as opposed to a dance or a series of dances in some variants of the tale) (p. 125). There she encounters a group of villagers who succeed in wounding the duke in an attempt to protect their dead. After following him home, Wolf-Alice begins to lick his wound, and the story is transformed into a Beauty and Beast tale as through her act of human kindness, the duke apparently begins to transform from his monstrous state as werewolf/vampire into a human—evidenced by the fact that his reflection begins to appear in a nearby glass.] [Annotation by Andrea H. Everett] See the annotation for the film under Movies and Television .
Cartland, Barbara. The Mysterious Maid-Servant. Bantam Romance 58. New York: Bantam Books, 1977.
[From the blurb: “Giselda had nowhere to turn. Without the money for the operation her young brother might die. Her wealthy employer, the Earl of Lyndhurst, might be kind and generous, but she could never accept his charity. He must not know the terrible reason for her family’s poverty. Choking back her pride and knowing that she was about to forfeit the love and respect she so tenderly wished from him, she said in a very low voice: ‘I have … heard, and I do not think I am mistaken, that there are … g-gentlemen who will pay large sums of money for a girl who is … p-pure. I want … I must have … £50 immediately … and I thought perhaps you could find me … someone to give me … that amount.” The year is 1816. All works out well for both the Earl and Giselda. “Her négligée slipped to the ground and for a moment the Earl saw her body silhouetted through her diaphanous nightgown against the glow of the flames. Then two strong arms drew her into the bed. The Earl held her very tight. He could feel that she was trembling, and her heart was beating as frantically as his. ‘I love you! Oh, my darling, precious little wife, I love you! Now we are together, as I have always wanted us to be.’ ‘Together … ’ Giselda whispered, ‘b-but I am afraid you will be … disappointed because you hate … thin women.’ … They became one person. There were no more mysteries, no more secrets, only love — a love stretching out towards an indefinable horizon.”]
Christenberry, Judy. A Ring for Cinderella. Silhouette Romance #1356. New York: Silhouette Books, 1999.
[The lucky charm sisters marry for convenience, but finding love is more difficult. Kate Greenwood is the boss of the Lucky Charm Diner, sister Maggie is the brains, and the youngest sister, Susan Greenwood, is a beauty who works hard as a waitress. But instead of a tip, Zach Zowry, a handsome young cowboy, proposes marriage, in front of everyone, right in the middle of the Lucky Charm Diner. The marriage is to be brief and strictly on her terms: he simply needs a bride to soothe his dying grandfather. Both Zach and Susan are virgins, but they find themselves falling in love in their pretend marriage as her selfless gestures and warm embraces turn the cynical rancher into an optimist with knots in his stomach, hoping to make a real future and family with his Cinderella bride, which he does.]
Cinderella and Her Glass Slippers. Stereotyped by T. Steward. Bath, N.Y.: R.L. Underhill, [between 1843-1863].
Cinderella on the Ball. Dublin: Attic, 1991.
Cole, Isabel. “The Brown Bear of Norway.” In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1995. Pp. 132-150.
[Based on the Norwegian tale, Cole has written a study of the loneliness of puberty. A woman, always cold and alone, recalls her meeting of an exchange student from Norway when she was fifteen in a New York City school. When he returns to Norway, the boy tells her that he has a friend in Norway who wants a pen pal from America. The “friend” calls himself the Brown Bear of Norway. After the boy returns, she receives a letter from “the Brown Bear”; she replies, entering into the imaginative relationship; she feels free for the first time. New York becomes more real to her and she dreams of the fantastic shape shifter. One night she dares to wake up, turns on the light, and looks upon him as he sleeps. She sees him in the shadows, but then he disappears. For three years she lives in confusion and exacerbated loneliness. Then she sets out in search of him, all the time uncertain of her identity as a woman, or just what it is that she desires. She goes to Norway and finds an empty house. A boy appears and seems to know that she is looking for the Brown Bear. He sends her to Stockholm where she meets the “Bear”’s mother, but the youth has moved on. The woman is ready to give up, but the mother tells her that she must continue the search, that the bear has lost his skin, and that he needs her. The woman at last finds him, hidden in a dark room, his new human clothes off, asleep and bleeding. She picks up his clothes and then wipes him clean. He awakens and but does not seem to recognize her. She declares her love in English then flees. He pursues, and she recognizes him as the Norwegian boy from school. They walk on together in the cold, but she now is not cold. Melting snow trickles through her hair, “down her face, from my eyes” (p. 150).]
Colum, Padraic. The Girl Who Sat by the Ashes. New York, 1919; Reissued, Macmillan, 1968.
[See Ellin Greene’s analysis under Criticism , which identifies the dozen or so folklore types the Colum draws upon in constructing his story.]
Converse, Jane. Cinderella Nurse. A Signet Book. South Yarmouth, Maine: Curley Publishing, 1967.
[Backcover: Her sister was too beautiful and too spoiled for her own good. Her mother dabbled in mysticism on Rita’s salary. Rita Ambler was young, beautiful … and a Cinderella nurse. “Give it up,” Glenn Seabrook had said. “They’re using you, Rita. They’ll never change.” But she couldn’t abandon her family. And she lost Glenn. It all seemed so long ago. Before she became wife to an alcoholic, mother to a son — and a widow. At twenty-four, life held no more surprises for Rita Ambler. Then came the accident that changed everything, that thrust Rita Ambler into the arms of Dr. Lester Wyman and out of the reach of his new protégé Dr. Glenn Seabrook … the only man she had ever loved. Flyleaf: After the ball is over: What happens then? What happens to a beautiful sister who can’t say no? To an eccentric mother who finds her answers in the cards? To the trusting little boy who is her fatherless son? Responsibility had become a way of life to Rita Ambler. In the name of duty she lost Dr. Glenn Seabrook. And now he had returned to Brianwood Hospital. Could she ever dare hope that he would still care? Was it too late to turn to Glenn now that she had accepted Dr. Lester Wyman’s proposal? Rita Ambler could not afford to make the same mistake twice, for she knew thre would be no second chance for a CINDERELLA NURSE.]
Cooke, Marjorie Benton (1876-1920). Cinderella Jane. New York: A. L. Burt company, 1917.
Cotes, Mrs. Everard (1861-1922). Cousin Cinderella. Leipzig: B. Tauchnitz, 1908; rpt. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1980.
Cowden, Bess Sherman. Cinderella from Hong Kong. Franklin, Ohio: The Eldridge Entertainment House, 1927.
Cripps, Arthur Shearly (1869-1952). Cinderella in the South. Oxford: B. H. Blackwell, 1918.
Crockett, Samuel Rutherford (1860-1914). Cinderella: A Novel. London: J. Clarke & Co., 1901.
[Crockett’s novels were very popular. He wrote 83 of them which appeared in numerous editions, some with introductions by R. L. Stevenson, etc. His Cinderella was carried by four publishers, including Thomas Nelson and Sons in their popular pocketbook series.]
Cross, Caroline. Cinderella’s Tycoon. New York: Silhouette Book, 1999.
[A Desire book in the Texas Gentleman’s Club series, where five wealthy Texas bachelors - all members of the state’s most exclusive club - set out on a mission to rescue a princess … and find true love. Backcover: The Business Tycoon: “Honor” was Texas tycoon Sterling Churchill’s middle name. So when a mix-up at the local sperm bank unexpectedly made him a father-to-be, he gallantly stepped forward to marry shy beauty Susan Wilkins. It was a marriage in name only - until he gave his bride a soul-spinning kiss. Now his new wife was carrying his child and wearing a look of pure splendor. Could tough-as-nails Sterling open the rusty doors of his heart … and turn pumpkins into coaches for his Cinderella bride? Fly leaf: This month, in Cinderella’s Tycoon by Caroline Cross, meet Sterling Churchill — CEO of Churchill Enterprises. Nothing seems too big a challenge for steely Sterling, until he finds himself marrying Susan Wilkins — a plain-Jane librarian who wants only to have her baby in peace in this modern-day Cinderella love story.]
Crossley, Dave. “Christopher’s Punctured Romance.” In Help!, ed. Harvey Kurtzman. May 1965.
[Though not a Cinderella plot, this photo-cartoon satire on a male’s doll-for-a-partner fantasy touches on several Cinderella fantasy motifs, particularly the erotic dream (in this instance, a male dreamer), clothes and sexual arousal, yearning for the perfect princess with the prince as rescuer and possessor, and the plastic bride as forever. With John Cleese as Christopher Barrel, Cindy Young as Wilma Barrel; photographer Martin Iger. Rpt. in Kim “Howard” Johnson’s The First 20X Years of Monty Python (New York: Python Productions Ltd, 1989, pp. 29-43). Christopher Barrel, suffering from ennui, comes home from work exhausted and bored to be waited on by his lovely, perfect-in-all-ways doll of a wife, who fixes him a drink. He finds his daughter’s new Barbie doll and falls in love with it. At night he slips away from Wilma and undresses Barbie, admires her “things,” and then {censored}. Next day he can think of nothing but Barbie at work. He comes home to find Ken in Barbie’s closet and is outraged. He struggles with his fantasy and finally decides to apologize to Wilma for his infidelity. But in approaching her on the couch he trips over another box, this one containing “The Visible Woman,” which so sets him a-whirl with a new fantasy that he never apologizes. In “The Barbie Complex,” real plastic is preferred to human alternatives.]
Crottet, Robert. “Cinderella.” In The Enchanted Forest and Other Tales. With Introduction by Eric Linklater and Woodcuts by Eric King. London: The Richards Press, Ltd., 1949. Pp. 124-130.
[A male Cinderella story. The king of Agatavara and his daughter live on the top of the highest peak. When the king comes down to the valley none dare look at him, for the people say he has a face like the sun and would blind them. Only one young man, the third son of an old sick man dared look. He was called Cinderella because he had two older brothers for whom he did things that they would never dream of doing for him. He was a dreamer and did not mind the mockery of his brothers. As the old man is dying, he asks that his first son sit by him to ward off evil spirits on the first night, the second son on the second night, and Cinderella on the third. After the old man’s death the older two brothers will have nothing to do with the corpse. Cinderella washes the old man’s feet and dreams of the young princess on the peak behind the clouds. As the boy watches, the corpse sits up and tells the boy that he has followed the boy’s spirit and knows that a black horse will come whose mane shines like the Northern Lights. On the second night the father leads the boy to the foot of the mountain where a white horse, whose nostrils shine like the sun will come, but “you must keep the secret to yourself and I shall watch over you from the realm of the dead.” After the father is buried the elder sons enslave Cinderella and beat him for amusement. At night Cinderella goes to the foot of the mountain, but no horse can be seen. He grows weak and prays to his father that not much life remains. Then a black horse comes out of the night. The sick boy clings to it as fire flames from its nostrils. They rise above the clouds. Then an eagle swoops down and plants its claws in the boy’s forehead. Cinderella smiles at the eagle and wipes away the blood. He puts a scarf around his head to hide the blood when he returns home. At twilight he returns to the forest. This time a grey horse appears and takes him up the mountain. The eagle is now grey and tears the scarf away. Then it is rumoured that the king has come down once more. None can understand his melodious voice. His messenger comes to the house of the boys. He sees hardness in the eyes of the elder brothers and asks if there is anyone else there. The brothers point to Cinderella, whose mind, they say, is like that of a useless beast. The king leans over the boy who is pleased to see him. He notes the mark of the eagle on his forehead and tells how the boy watched at his dead father’s side without fear of death. He now will go to the feast where the daughter awaits. Then the people see a horse of dazzling white rise into the air, carrying the boy beyond the clouds as an eagle with snow-white wings leads the way to the castle.]
Cruikshank, George (1792-1878). Cinderella and the Glass Slipper. London: David Bogue, 1854. Cruikshank’s edition was first printed with ten handsome illustrations. Rpt. in George Cruikshank’s Fairy Library. London, 1865. [Four items: Puss in Boots; Jack and the Bean-Stalk; Hop-o’-My Thumb; and Cinderella]. Rpt. in The Cruikshank Fairy-Book. New York: Putnam, 1897, 1906, etc. Rpt. in Zipes, Victorian Fairy Tales, pp. 37-57, where Zipes identifies it as “a facinating museum-piece of moralism” (p. 38).
[A wealthy gentleman of high family has a handsome wife and beautiful and virtuous daughter. The wife dies, and after a few years the gentleman remarries. “It is the nature of woman to love children, because the Almighty has appointed her to bring them up” (p.39). Cinderella’s step-mother is the exception — an unjust, cruel, pompous spendthrift, who soon so squanders the gentleman’s estate that he is thrown into debtor’s prison. She then compels the daughter to do all the rough, dirty work as a slave for herself and her two daughters. She sleeps at the hearth and is called Cinderella. The Prince gives a ball, hoping to chose a wife. The stepsisters hasten to prepare themselves, but the mother becomes so fatigued that she has to go to bed. Cinderella helps the girls, making beautiful dresses for them and fixing their hair, enduring their fits of temper. They hire a coach and set off. Poor Cinderella settles down for the night when her godmother, a dwarf, visits. She asks Cinderella if she would not like to attend the ball. Cinderella says no. So the dwarf tells her that if she cooperates she may be able to get her father out of prison. So Cinderella consents, fetches a pumpkin, mice, lizards, and rat. The dwarf makes a miniature pumpkin coach, using mushrooms for wheels, with rat for coachman, mice for horses, and lizards for attendants, linking them all together with string. Cinderella is much amused. The dwarf proves herself a fairy, transforming everything into a splendid entourage. At the ball Cinderella thinks of her poor father, but has a good time nonetheless. The Prince gives her all his attention, but before twelve she slips away, leaving the Prince distracted. He orders a ball for the next night, hoping that she might return. On her way home Cinderella wonders what the godmother will do with the horses and carriage but is pleased to see them assume their diminished form. Next day hairdressers have raised their prices, so Cinderella prepares her sisters as before. The fairy keeps her word and Cinderella attends the ball once more. The Prince proposes marriage to her but she says she must consult her father and friends. At midnight she flees, the Prince in hot pursuit. She loses a slipper and, as he stops to pick it up, she hides in one of the passages, then slips out in her scullery clothes, followed by the mice pulling the pumpkin. The Prince searches for her but she gets home unnoticed; the pumpkin arrives just as the Prince rides by. Later she sees him pass again, despondent. Next day the Prince announces the quest for the one whom the slipper fits. The Chamberlain comes, the stepsisters try, Cinderella asks if she might try, is mocked, but then is given the chance. The Queen sends for her at once, but Cinderella tarries, forgiving her stepsisters, cheering them up with prospects from the court, and greeting her father, who the fairy has gotten released from prison. The father and godmother go with Cinderella to the Palace, Cinderella now in her fine clothes. The King is delighted to see her father, who was an old friend. The Queen accepts the dwarf into her court. The dwarf then debates with the King the evils of alcohol, even in moderation. It sets a bad example for the kingdom. So he agrees to have a dry wedding. The festivities last several days.]
See Dickens , below, for a synopsis of the satire which precipitated Cruikshank’s temperance-league conclusion. See also Dickens under Criticism for details on the ideological altercation that led to Cruikshank’s writing his Cinderella. Cruikshank’s father had died an alcoholic, and he himself had been a heavy drinker but reformed after his father’s death, publishing several works on abstinence, including “The Bottle.”
Crusie, Jennifer. The Cinderella Deal. A Loveswept Romance. New York: Bantam Books, 1996.
[According to the back cover and the blurb, “Linc Blaise needed the perfect fiancée to win his dream job, but finding a woman who’d be convincing in a charade seemed impossible - until he heard Daisy Flattery charm her way out of a sticky situation! Playing the prim and proper bride-to-be was a lark to the dazzling storyteller, but once she glimpsed the touching vulnerability Linc tried to hide, pretense turned into temptation. Could she find a way to make their fairy tale last? In a deliciously funny and touching tale of opposites attracting, Jennifer Crusie warms hearts and tickles funnybones from start to finish! Daisy had made him believe in wondrous possibilities, drawn him into a world of passionate abandon, but was he brave enough to give her his love?” “He looked good enough to be Prince Charming.” “When she smiled at him like that, it was hard to think. Imagine what that smile could do in Prescott. Make a note to have her smile a lot in Prescott, he told himself. She stuck her hand across the table, and he took it. Her grip was firm and warm. ‘It’s a deal, then,’ she said. ‘A Cinderella deal.’ ‘Good.’ He stood up and patted her on the head. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, then.’ Daisy was still glaring at the door after he’d closed it behind him. A cat kicker. An elbow grabber. A head patter. ‘This may be a Cinderella deal,’ Daisy told the cats, ‘but trust me, he’s no prince.’” But at the end, when she snuggles close to him with “such megawatt contentment that she took his breath away,” Daisy concludes, “I want all the happily-ever-after I can get” (p. 228).]
Cushman, Gail Decker. After the Ball: Cinderella in Three Analytical Perspectives. Dissertation. 1977.
Dalton, Emily. Sign Me, Speechless in Seattle. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1998.
[Written in an occasionally epistolary style, this Austen-like novel presents Mathilda McKinney, who is an advice columnist who goes by the name “Aunt Tilly.” She finds herself embroiled with Julian Rothwell, Duke of Chesterfield, who harrasses her for the troubles her advice has caused him. She wishes she could write Aunt Tilly for advice herself as she finds herself, an American, falling in love with this tall, blond, and charming Englishman, who wears ties, heather gray suits, and tails, while she wears sweats and sneakers. “He’s a British peer. I’m an all-American gal. Oh, yeah — and I’ve ruined his life. What do I tell him? Sign Me, Speechless in Seattle.” But she does solve the problem for both of them, first through antagonized frustration, then through love. He sees her even better than she sees herself. She could tell that he loved her even as much as she loved him. The kiss, sexy as ever, added emotional dimensions she had not anticipated. “'How could such a wonderful thing be happening?' she wondered as he continued to hold her and kiss her despite the busy comings and goings of crowds in the lobby. She was Cinderella at the ball. She was Michael Jordan at the NBA playoffs. She was Meryl Streep at the Oscars. She wasn’t a nobody. She was a somebody. and Julian Rothwell loved her just for herself” (p. 249).]
D’Anard, Elizabeth. Cinderella Summer. New York: Harper-Collins, 1992.
[Backcover: Anne wants more out of life. Ever since Anne’s father left their quiet island home years ago, she has longed to live an exciting “mainland” life. So when her father asks her to come live in Seattle for the summer with his new family, Anne accepts, knowing the only thing she’ll miss about tiny Perry Island is her lifelong friend Ryan. Anne soon finds out the sophisticated city life she imagined doesn’t exist. Her father is seldom home, her stepmother is distant, and her stepsister treats her like an unwelcome intruder. But Anne’s summer is saved when she meets Phillip Conrad, who quickly wins her trust and love, and shows her what life in the city has to offer. Still, as the summer grows shorter Anne realizes she misses Perry Island - and Ryan. And when summer ends, Anne must choose between her two worlds and the boys who live in them. Flyleaf: As Anne approached Patsy, she noticed her stepmother’s tense expression. “Hi, Patsy! Hope I’m not too late.” “Anne … ” Patsy began stearnly. Anne stopped in her tracks, shocked by the angry tone of her voice. “I’ll have you know that you may not drive off with a boy to God knows-where without my permission.” Patsy looked older with her lips pursed in a tight line. “But I thought you understood I was going for a ride with Phillip,” Anne replied politely. “I’m really sorry.” “When my girls want to spend the afternoon with a young man,” Patsy continued, “they ask for my permission. They tell me where they’re going, whom they’re going with, and when they’ll be back.” “I’m so sorry, Patsy,” Anne said quickly. “Things might be a little bit more casual on Perry Island,” Patsy said tartly. Anne felt her cheeks growing hot with anger. “But we have strict rules around here.” Tears welled up in Anne’s eyes, but she refused to cry in front of her stepmother. She wasn’t about to let Patsy alienate her or belittle her Perry Island upbringing. She would keep trying to fit in. She only hoped she had the strength to continue. Letter from the editor: Dear Reader, Thanks for picking up this Changes Romance. We hope that you’ll enjoy reading it as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing it to you. Our goal is to present realistic stories about girls in true-to-life circumstances, with relationships and problems that readers will understand and appreciate. In other words, we want to try to capture the changes you’re probably facing in your own life today. We hope we’ve succeeded, but the only way we can know for sure is to hear from you. Please write us or your favorite Changes authors, and tell us what you liked (or didn’t like!) about the Changes Romances you’ve read. Tell us how we stack up against your other favorite books. Tell us about the kinds of stories you’d like to read in future Changes novels. What does romance mean to you! What kinds of characters do you identify with! Where should the stories take place? What sort of problems or conflicts should a Changes heroine encounter. In this way we can bring you more of the stories you want to read .... Chloë Nichols]
Daniels, Philip. Cinderella Spy. Leicester: Linford, 1984; 1989.
Darcy, Lilian. Cinderella After Midnight. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001.
[The Cinderella Conspiracy: Will three daring sisters find true love when the clock strikes midnight? She had the dream dress, the shoes … and a secret. All she needed was Prince Charming. For “Lady Catrina” was really plain, poor Catrine Brown — and she didn’t belong at the glamorous ball she’d so boldly crashed. Cat’s mission was desperate, yet success seemed within her reach ... until her gaze met Patrick Callahan’s across the crowded room. The handsome millionaire bachelor was everything she despised in a man — wasn’t he? Trapped in his heated stare, Catrina knew Patrick saw through her flimsy disguise. Come midnight, would he expose her masquerade … or would this magical night last until dawn-and beyond? “I’m sorry … good night, Patrick I have to go!” “Wait, Cat!” “No, Patrick, I’m late … ” She pushed open the outer door and ran into the humid June night. But he was still behind her. “Stop! You can’t leave like this, when we’ve — when I have no idea who you really are.” Cat didn’t listen. Couldn’t listen. Her skin was still alive and hot from the way they’d touched. But she had no illusions about what Patrick Callahan felt, even if he did. Skittering down the steps, she felt her spike-heeled shoe come loose. It hurt. Why hadn’t she felt that before? Deliberately, she kicked the shoe off and left it on the step. Like Cinderella. (Backcover and come-on blurb.)]
-----. Saving Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001.
[The Cinderella Conspiracy: Will three daring sisters find true love when the clock strikes midnight? Months ago, rancher Grayson McCall had impulsively married single mom Jill Brown to rescue her from a bad situation. They’d shared a brief, stirring kiss and then parted, sure they’d never meet again. She’d had a whirlwind wedding — but no wedding night! Now Jill — and her little boy—arrived in Montana desperate for help once more. She needed a small favor — for Grayson to arrange their divorce! But when he took his wife into his arms, their kisses were longer and stronger. Would Prince Charming let his Cinderella go? Or would he claim her for more than one night? Ten more days of him and Jill rubbing up against each other, the way two people inevitably did when they shared the same space. Ten more days of bumping into her in doorways, of watching the way she ate and the way she laughed and the way she so tenderly kissed and hugged her son. “Ten days,” Gray thought. “Lord, he was still shaking! She’s going to be here for another ten days! This would be a whole lot easier if we weren’t married,” he muttered aloud in his room. There was something about being married. He kept thinking about what marriage meant. It meant sharing. Sharing their space, as he was doing with Jill. Sharing their stories. They’d begun to do that, too, the very first night they met. Sharing their lives … And marriage meant one more thing, too. It meant sharing a bed. (Backcover and come-on blurb.)]
-----. Finding Her Prince. New York: Silhouette Books, 2002.
[The Cinderella Conspiracy: Will three daring sisters find true love when the clock strikes midnight? Duty-bound to serve his country, Prince Stephen Serkin-Rimsky readily agreed to marry a beautiful stranger to safeguard the throne. Stephen wasn’t prepared for the consuming passion Suzanne Brown’s innocent kisses aroused in him-or that their marriage would feel so– right. Still, this honorable prince knew his tiny country was counting on him to secure custody of their rightful heir–Suzanne’s baby niece–at whatever cost. Even if it meant turning his back on what his own traitorous heart most desired! “You,” Stephen said. He was standing beside her, and Suzanne felt the warmth of his forearm against her wrist. She noticed the way his smile lit up his whole face. Like baby Alice’s smile. Slowly she was beginning to lose that instinctive mistrust she’d had on first meeting him. Maybe here, at last, was someone else who cared about her orphaned niece. “What on earth can she be dreaming about that’s making her so happy?” “She’s dreaming about your voice,” he continued. “Your fragrance. The songs you sing to her.” They were both watching the baby again, intent on every tiny movement in her face. “Am I right thinking you would give almost anything to be able to bring her up as your own?” Stephen asked suddenly. “Of course I would,” Suzanne answered. “I love her.” “Then marry me.” (Backcover and come-on blurb.)]
Datlow, Ellen, and Terri Windling, ed. Snow white, Blood Red. New York: Avon Books, 1993.
[Twenty contemporary revisions of old tales by a wide range of diverse fantasy writers. This volume includes Jane Yolen’s “Knives” (see Modern Poetry ). Also variations on The Frog Prince, Snow White and Rose Red, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, the Billy Goats Gruff, etc. The Introduction works with fairy tale ideas by George MacDonald, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Jane Yolen to lament the decline of story-telling as an enterprise of cultural exploration for adults as well as children. “A true fairytale is, to my mind, very like the sonata. If two or three men sat down to write each what the sonata meant to him, what approximation to define the idea would be the result? A fairytale, a sonata, a gathering storm, a limitless night, seizes you and sweeps you away. The law of each is in the mind of its composer; that law makes one man feel this way, another man feel that way. To one the sonata is a world of odour and beauty, to another of soothing only and sweetness. To one the cloudy rendevous is a wild dance, with terror at its heart; to another a majestic march of heavenly hosts, with Truth in their center pointing their course but as yet restraining her voice. Nature is mood-engendering, thought-provoking; such ought the sonata, the fairytale to be” — George McDonald, in Fantasists on Fantasy, as cited by Datlow, p. xv.]
-----. Black Thorn, White Rose. New York: Avon Books, 1994.
[A collection of eighteen tales rewritten by different authors, four of which are Cinderella variants, including Tim Wynne-Jones , “The Goose Girl” (1994), Midori Snyder , “Tattercoats” (1994), Daniel Quinn ,“The Frog King, or Iron Henry” (1994), and Peter Straub , “Ashputtle” (1994). The introduction considers fairy tales as the heart of the culture that, as Tolkien put it, “holds the sea, the sun, the moon, the sky, and the earth and all things in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted.” The introduction discusses 19th century bowdlerization of fairy tales and laments the ways in which the 20th century has watered them down, retaining mainly the happy-ever-after of success stories. “How many modern readers know that in the older versions of the tale the sleeping princess is awakened not by a chaste kiss but by the suckling of twin children she has given birth to, impregnated by a prince who has come and gone while she lay in ‘sleep as heavy as death’? How many readers know that Cinderella transformed her life of servitude not with the help of talking mice and fairy godmothers, but with the force of her anger, sharp cunning, and wits? How many know that it was Red Riding Hood’s nearsighted granny who cried, ‘Oh my, oh my, what big teeth you have!’ to the wolf, who quickly gobbled her up - and then finished off with Red Riding Hood for dessert, with no convenient woodsman near to save her?” (p. 2). The power of tales “is due to this ability to confront unflinchingly the darkness that lies outside the front door, and inside our own hearts” (p. 2). Disney movies and films like Pretty Woman illustrate the failure of commercial America to catch the essense of the fairy tale.]
-----. Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears. New York: Avon Books, 1995.
[Includes twenty-one stories by diverse writers, all based on fairy tales. See especially Tanith Lee, “The Beast,” drawing upon Beauty and the Beast; Susan Wade, “Ruby Slippers,” that combines Red Shoes with Wizard of Oz; Gene Wolfe, “The Deato of Koshchei the Deathless,” based on a Russian fairy tale; Farida S. T. Shapiro, “This Century of Sleep; or, Briar Rose Beneath the Sea,” combining Briar Rose and Sleeping Beauty to approach the Holocaust; Susan Palwick, “The Real Princess,” using The Princess and the Pea to examine men who look for sensitive and delicate princesses as dangerous and sinister beings; and Kathe Koja, “Waking the Prince,” which explores Sleeping Beauty in terms of feminist insights.]
-----. Fantasy and Horror: The Year’s Best. The Tenth Annual Collection. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996.
[Terri Windling’s introduction gives a comprehensive reassessment of the state of fantasy writing, both fiction and poetry, in the mid 1990s. The volume includes several stories pertinent to this bibliography: Tanith Lee, “The Reason For Not Going To The Ball (A Letter To Cinderella from Her Stepmother)”; Angela Carter, “The Snow Pavilion,” a posthumously published tale from one so powerfully influential in the area of fantasy writing and who often contributed to Datlow and Windling’s anthologies; Lisa Russ Spaar, “Rapunzel’s Exile,” a “dark and horrific rendering of the samiliar fairy tale, speculating on the complex nature of the relationship between foster daughter and witch” (p. 315); Chang Hwang, “Little Beauty’s Wedding,” a fantasy story that draws upon Chinese death folklore; Shara McCallum, “Persephone Sets the Record Straight,” a poem exploring the competition between a girl and a domineering mother that explains why she swallowed the pomegranate seeds: “Of course I ate those seeds. / Who wouldn’t exchange / one hell for another?” (p. 496); and Patricia C. Wrede, “Cruel Sisters,” a study in how sisters come to hate each other.]
-----. Black Swan, White Raven. New York: Avon Books, 1997.
[Like the earlier collections of fantasy tales, this volume includes twenty-one new reinventions of old stories, such as Anne Bishop, “Rapunzel,” which examines peasants, greed, and sorcery; Karen Joy Fowler, “The Black Fairy’s Curse,” a startling retelling of Sleeping Beauty; and Esther M. Friesner, “No Bigger Than My Thumb,” a dark story from a dark period for women in human history.]
-----. A Wolf at the Door and Other Retold Fairy Tales. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2000.
[Fairy tale revisions by distinguished writers who loved Fairy Tales in their youth. The volume includes: Delia Sherman, “The Months of Manhattan”; Jane Yolen, “Cinder Elephant” (see synopsis under Yolen , below); Neil Gaiman, “Instructions”; Michael Cadnum, “Mrs. Big: ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ Retold”; Nancy Farmer, “Falada: The Goose Girl’s Horse”; Tanith Lee, “A Wolf at the Door”; Janeen Webb, “Ali Baba and the Forty Aliens”; Kelly Link, “Swans”; Katherine Vaz, “The Kingdom of Melting Glances”; Garth Nix, “Hansel’s Eyes”; Kathe Koja, “Becoming Charise”; Gregory Maguire, “The Seven Stage a Comeback”; and Patricia A. McKillip, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.”]
Davis, Richard Harding. Cinderella and Other Stories. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1896. Pp. 1-35.
[At the annual servants ball of the Hotel Salisbury, two gentlemen observe a young woman of beauty and talent dancing. A professional entertainer observes that she could make $100 a night as an dancer with just six lessons. The two gentlemen decide to become sponsors of this Cinderella — this Annie Crehan, who cleans and makes beds on the eighth floor of the hotel at a poverty wage. But they are detained in the elevator by the elevator boy who plans to marry her and describes their life together as blissful. He knows that she could make it big on stage, though she doesn’t know it. The promoters decide to let well enough alone and rather than attempt to be godfathers to “La Cinderella.” They ask the elevator boy to let them off at the street. The elevator boy remains in possession of his Annie, and she remains ignorant of her talent, but presumably happy.]
-----. The Lion and the Unicorn. Illustrated by Howard Chandler Christy. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1904.
[Collection of stories including “The Lion and the Unicorn,” “Cinderella,” “Miss Delamar’s Understudy,” “On the Fever Ship,” “The Man with One Talent,” “The Vagrant,” “The Last Ride Together,” “The Editor’s Story,” and “An Assisted Emigrant.”]
Denny, Roz. The Cinderella Coach. Thorndike, ME: Thorndike Press, 1992; Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1992.
[Jade Han was not looking for a prince or any glass slipper when she designed the parade float. But her design won her an apprenticeship to a California float-building company. The owner of Fantasy Floats, Trask Jennings, does not want to be stuck with an apprentice designer, especially a spoiled rich kid; nor do Jade’s parents approve of her attempting to develop a working career. They want her instead to marry her intended, a point which irritates Trask all the more. But neither could count on their falling in love with each other. Their parade becomes so grand a success that they become partners — for life, building a legacy for their children.]
Diamond, Jacqueline. The Cinderella Dare. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1988.
[Backcover: Sometimes dreams do come true, but with unexpected results. When Mary Ellen Spencer was finally able to fulfill all her hopes and dreams and transform herself and her life, she found that it was not so easy to leave the old self behind. Going from fat to thin and from poor to rich didn’t solve all her problems by a long shot. It took her best friend, Patsy, to dare her to live the life of Cinderella. But even becoming her fantasy ideal, the elegant Mariel, didn’t solve the most important problem of all - how to fit the old with the new. Then the goal that overtook all others - to clear her father’s name for a wrongdoing she was convinced he did not commit - led her to her prince. Skip Toland, once her high-school dreamboat, had become even better as a man. Flyleaf: Why did he keep telling her she was elegant and romantic? It felt as if he were talking to someone else, perhaps to the fantasy Mariel. Mary Ellen Spencer in her high-school years would have given almost anything to hear those words from Skip Toland’s lips. And she would have drunk them in without question. But Mariel Spencer, age thirty-one, had learned to be cautious. As a girl, each time she gazed into the mirror, she’d held faint hope that somehow, magically, she would find herself transformed, like Cinderella. And now, not so magically, the transformation had taken place. So why did she feel like a fraud? This was her face and her body, but inside there still lived a heavyset woman who rarely rated a second glance from men. And inside, too, remained the scars of the girl who had fled from her hometown and school, pierced by the curious and sometimes taunting looks of her classmates, after her father’s downfall. Who was she really? And why did her entire body tingle at Skip’s nearness?]
-----. Cindy and the Fella. Duets vol. 89: 2 Romantic Comedies. Don Mills, Ont.: Harlequin Books, 2002.
[“Two wonderfully whimsical holiday stories.” See also J. Diamond, Calling All Glass Slippers . Backcover: Cindy McChad can’t believe it when her fiancé breaks up with her … by e-mail, no less! Never willing to accept defeat, she heads to California to win back her man. When she meets bumbling professor Hugh Bemling – who’s in love with her fiancé’s new girlfriend! – the two make a pact to fix this mess. Now if only Cindy could figure out which fella is really right for her! Flyleaf: “I love this song!” Cindy exclaimed. She began to shimmy. “Take me in your arms.” Hugh’s throat tightened, and he looped one arm around her waist and took her hand in his. Before he knew it, they were pressed together so tight that he could practically measure Cindy’s bra size. For the first time he understood why the Puritans had disapproved of dancing. Those fools! Caught in the moment, Hugh lifted her chin and touched his lips to hers. When her tongue flicked against his mouth, he claimed a deep, thorough kiss. What was happening? Shocked, he drew back. “Hugh, are you upset?” she asked worriedly. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault.” “No, it’s not. We shouldn’t have tempted fate.” She caught his upper arms as if to steady him. “Look, I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” She collected her purse and went out the door. His midsection still suspiciously tight, Hugh glanced at his statue of a fertility goddess standing in the corner. He could have sworn she wore a Mona Lisa smile. “This is all your fault.”]
-----. Calling all Glass Slippers. Duets vol. 90: Romantic Comedies. Don Mills, Ont.: Harlequin Books, 2002.
[See also J. Diamond, Cindy and the Fella . Backcover: Laura Ellison never thought her comic play about love would win an award. Now her alma mater is performing it, and her ex is directing! Ten years ago Jared Benton broke her heart, and she knows fairy-tale endings don’t exist. When she notices that people who read the play start to fall in love, Laura’s at a loss for words. Even she’s succumbing to her play’s charms … and Jared’s looking more and more like a prince, not a pumpkin! Flyleaf: “We can get together again tonight –” “No,” Laura said. “What do you mean, no?” “No dating and no more sex,” she said. “I’m sorry, Jared, but I think we need to keep our distance.” He understood, even if he didn’t share her apprehension. “We could do nooners,” he said hopefully. When she shook her head, her red hair gave a suggestive bounce. “It’s not that simple.” “Don’t tell me you’re not tempted.” Pink tinged her cheeks. “Please accept my decision. I’m sure I’m doing the right thing. We both lost control last night, and, well, wonderful as it was, I don’t want to repeat the experience.” Glumly Jared accepted that she meant it. But it wasn’t only sex they were giving up. He wanted to spend more time together doing things – dancing, joking, talking. Yes, it was probably for the best. So why did he feel as if he’d lost something?]
Dickens, Charles. “Cinderella.” In “Frauds on the Fairies,” The Works of Charles Dickens: Miscellaneous Papers, Vol I. London: Chapman and Hall, 1929. Pp. 395-400.
[A half-playful, half-serious attack on Cruikshank’s moralistic “Hop o’ My Thumb, by way of parody: Cinderella, age four, is a member of the Juvenile Bands of Hope. When she is nine her mother dies and is buried by a chorus singing Number forty-two, ‘O come.’ Father remarries a cross widow lady with two proud tyrannical daughters, but dies soon for having to shave in cold water according to the recommendations of Medical Appendix B. and C. The orphan is forced to work among cinders and thus her name. As she works she occupies her mind with the general question of the Ocean Penny Postage and the orations of Nehemiah Nicks. Her grandmother helps her to the ball aided by “an American Pumpkin! American, because in some parts of that independent country, there are prohibitory laws against the sale of alcoholic drinks in any form” and because America produced among many great pumpkins the glory of her sex, Mrs. Colonel Bloomer. At the ball the king is unable to greet her because a delegate from the United States has just moved that the King do take a chair and the motion has been seconded and carried unanimously. But the Prince, covered from head to foot with Total Abstinence Medals, greets her and falls in love. The ball has to end at a quarter of twelve because an inspired delegate drank all the water in the decanter and fainted, so the King called for an adjournment until tomorrow. Next night Cinderella overstays, and loses her shoe fleeing. The Prince advertises in the newspaper (in his land there are as many newspapers as there are in the United States), and innumerable ladies answer the ad, but none fit the slipper until Cinderella slips the shoe on, wearing her sensible blue bloomers from her grandmother, without which the Prince would probably never have seen her feet. As queen, Cinderella applies herself to enlightened, liberal, & free principles: Anyone who eats or drinks differently from the queen is imprisoned for life, and any who differs in opinion is deemed a designing ruffian and abandoned monster. She also “threw open the right of voting, and of being elected to public offices, and of making the laws, to the whole of her sex; who thus came to be always gloriously occupied with public life and whom nobody dared to love. And they all lived happily ever afterwards” (p. 400).]
Dijs, Carla. Cinderella. New York: Dell, 1991.
Dixon, W. MacNeile (1866-1945). Cinderella’s Garden. With Illustrations by George Morrow. New York: Oxford University Press, [c. 1930].
[Dust jacket: A book for the young of all ages. Three small boys at the seashore watch a crab crawl under a stone and disappear in the sand. When they dig for the crab they find themselves in a cave which leads through a professor’s study into Cinderella’s garden, where they meet their cousin Nancy and adventures akin to those of Alice in Wonderland begin. The end papers include a map of the two lands of dreams beyond the Wan Water, one near the mountains of the moon, where dark things happen, and the other under the sun where there be many marvells in the warm countrie. On the moon side occur adventures with giants, witches, and divels many; on the sun side are giant fowl, fays, the unicorn, the cameleppard that eateth of the palm trees, and fairy godmothers. Cinderella’s cottage is in a walled garden south of the Wan Water. It is graced with a fountain, a cuckoo lodge, a summer house and, to the north, a dark tower on the moon side and a round tower toward the sun. Outside the wall, to the south, is a school of experimenters and Pottlepo farm. The professor’s room is situated in the high rochs beyond the cave off the sandy beach where the small boys enter. Dixon was a Professor of English at University of Glasgow (MA Dublin, D.Litt Glasgow) who wrote extensively on Elizabethan and Jacobean drama.]
Ditchoff, Pamela. Mrs. Beast. West Palm Beach, Fl: Stay Thirsty Press, 2009.
[A complex retelling and sequel to Beauty and the Beast with a significant discussion of Cinderella. For a more detailed description, please read the full annotation in the Beauty and the Beast section, found here .]
Dobbs, Mary Lou. The Cinderella Salesman. Rockville, New York: Farnsworth, 1982.
Dokey, Cameron. Before Midnight. New York: Simon Pulse, 2007.
[Dokey’s novel is part of the Once Upon a Time series and mixes themes of family, identical twins, and Cinderella based on the Perrault version of the fairy tale. This version contains a positive representation of the stepmother and portrays the initial problems in the family as Cendrillon, the main character, fails to reveal that she is not a servant. Dokey shifts the villainy to the father as he schemes to control the kingdom and punishes his new wife and her children as much as Cendrillon. The novel is suitable for young adults.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Donoghue, Emma. Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997.
[This collection of fairy tale revisions contains an emphasis on gender with additional lesbian and transgender themes. Each tale feeds into the next story so that the stories occur as conversations between characters who often appear in more than one tale.
The stories include “The Tale of the Shoe,” “The Tale of the Bird,” The Tale of the Rose,” “The Tale of the Apple,” The Tale of the Handkerchief,” “The Tale of the Hair,” The Tale of the Brother,” “The Tale of the Spinster,” “The Tale of the Cottage,” “The Tale of the Skin,” “The Tale of the Needle,” “The Tale of the Voice,” and “The Tale of the Kiss.”] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
-----. “The Tale of the Shoe.” In Donoghue, Emma. Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997. Pp. 1-8.
[Donoghue offers a progressive Cinderella where the heroine overcome by grief learns to know herself and her desires. The story begins with the heroine grieving after her mother’s death. She retreats into herself and becomes consumed by her pain; she cleans until she becomes exhausted as a way to escape herself: “Nobody made me do the things I did, nobody scolded me, nobody punished me but me. The shrill voices were all inside” (p. 2). One day, a friend of the girl’s mother arrives, gives the girl new clothes, spends time with her, and takes her to a series of balls. At the end of each night, the woman asks the heroine has she “Had enough?” of the festivities (p. 4). Between each ball, the woman helps the girl to transform her perception of the world and herself. On the third night, the Prince proposes. The heroine runs away, leaving only a shoe behind. The girl sees her friend and finally realizes her beauty and the heroine’s feelings for her companion. She decides to be with her friend instead saying the Prince would find someone else to fit the slipper “if he looks long enough” (p. 8).] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
-----. “The Tale of the Skin.” In Donoghue, Emma. Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997. Pp. 145-164.
[Donoghue offers an unusual retelling of the Catskin Cinderella variant. A king and queen were extremely close, and the king also had a pet donkey on which he doted. When the queen dies, the king loses his mind and has the donkey come to sleep in his bedchamber. His courtiers urge him to remarry, but he wants a woman who resembles his wife; the courtiers search but find no one who looks like the queen. One day, the king sees his daughter and falls in love with her. The courtiers encourage her to humor her father and flirt with him while they seek better doctors. The girl’s friend, a flower woman, advises her in the courtship, and soon the girl requests three dresses, the colors of the sun, moon, and stars. The flower woman sews each dress, so the girl is protected from her father’s desires for nearly a year, but the dresses are finished eventually. The girl then asks for the skin of the donkey, which she assumes will stop her father, but when he places the skin beside her, she is truly horrified, not just at the idea of incest but at how the father will use and destroy whatever he claims to care for. The flower woman tells the heroine to escape, and she flees, taking her mother’s wedding band, the three dresses, and the donkey skin with her. She survives in the wild for many months, before arriving in another kingdom. Huntsmen bring her to the Prince, dressed as a wild creature, and the man gives the girl a job in the kitchen. The heroine is smitten with his physical appearance, and at a holiday some time later, she escapes from the kitchen, washes, and tries on all three of the dresses. That night, she arrives at the ball in one of the dresses, and the confused Prince suspects that he knows her. She leaves him at the end of the ball and puts the skin back on but continues to wear the wedding band. Her lover searches for the girl, and when he comes to the kitchen, she expects him to recognize her. He questions her, but the girl does not reveal her presence at the ball, and when the prince leaves without realizing that she was his dance partner, the girl becomes furious. She places the wedding ring in the soup “for him to choke on” (p. 162) and arranges the three dresses by the river to make it appear as if she committed suicide. She then travels back to her original kingdom and discovers that a cousin rules since her father’s death, and because she does not aspire for her original status, she goes to stay with the flower woman.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Dooley. E. J. Cinderella Up-To-Date; or, The Lover, The Lackey and the Little Glass Slipper. E. J. Dooley, 1903.
Douglas, Amanda Minnie (1831-1916). A Modern Cinderella. Chicago: M. A. Donohue, 1913.
Duncan, Sara Jeannette (1861-1922). Cousin Cinderella. Ottawa: Tecumseh Press, 1994.
Eklund, Mary Louise. “A Charming Murder.” In Terribly Twisted Tales. Ed. Jean Rabe and Martin H. Greenberg. New York: Daw Books, 2009. Pp. 65-78.
[In this retelling, a detective records the confession of Estella, Cinderella’s stepsister, after she beats the fairy tale heroine to death with Cinderella’s glass slipper on the princess’ first wedding anniversary. Estella wants to tell her side of the story and reveal the truth of Cinderella’s power-hungry ways. The stepsister describes the courtship of her mother and Claus Van Schouwen during which her mother overlooked the protestations of Cordelia and Estella whenever they interacted with the cruel Cindy. After the betrothal, the famed heroine turned vicious and began tormenting her family, leading to her father’s death. Estella insists that all three girls were invited to the ball but that Cinderella refused to attend. During the festivity, the Prince was attracted to Estella until Cinderella arrived and appeared to enchant him with potentially dark magic. Once she became engaged to Albert Charming, Cinderella used the media to torment her relatives until the stepmother fell ill and Cordelia fled town. During their first year of marriage, Albert began an affair with Estella. At the anniversary party, Estella attempts to make an arrangement with Cinderella in order to provide for her family and secure her relationship, but the princess mocks her. Overcome by rage, Estella violently kills Cinderella before fleeing to Albert. Once he vows to look after her family, the stepsister waits for the police to hear her confession at her home. The detective recording her story is so moved that he passes the information on to the media, and he hopes that the jury will be sympathetic at her trail.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Elmer, Isabel Lincoln. Cinderella Rockefeller. New York: Freundlich Books, 1987.
[See the entry under Autobiography .]
English, Clara. Children in the Wood. New York: McLoughlin, [18??].
Erskine, John. Cinderella’s Daughter and Other Sequels and Consequences. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1930.
[The Prince falls in love with his own daughter and is confronted with his twisted desires at the ball. She is patient as Griselda . Includes Beauty and Beast components in her retreat to safety.]
Farjeon, Eleanor (1881-1965). The Glass Slipper. Buccaneer Books (Harmony Raine & Company), 1981. Reissued Lippencott, 1984.
[A well-told story of Ella and her friendly talking animals, who help her to endure the nasty stepsisters Arethusa and Araminta and the wicked stepmother until she finds her happy ending with the Prince, who had searched long for the Princess from Nowhere. At the ball she overstays the deadline but the other women simply think she is a serving girl and pay no attention. The prince likewise ignores her, until he learns to see better. In thirty chapters. See Ellin Greene’s discussion under Criticism . See also Farjeon’s musical The Glass Slipper , performed in London in 1944 and 1945 under Pantomime Productions .]
Feather, Jane. The Diamond Slipper. New York: Bantam Books, 1997.
[Dust jacket: What comes to mind when you think of a diamond slipper? Cinderella, perhaps? That’s what Cordelia Brandenburg imagines when her godparents arrange a marriage for her with a man she’s never met–a marriage that will take her to Versailles, far from the rigid confines of her childhood home. The betrothal gift is a charm bracelet with a tiny, glittering diamond slipper attached … as befits a journey into a fairy-tale future. But Cordelia–young, headstrong and completely adorable–runs into trouble right away. Her escort to the wedding is the golden-eyed sensual, teasing Viscount Leo Kierston. For Cordelia, it’s love at first sight. Yet Leo seems to see only a spoiled child–perhaps it’s the way she cheats at chess–and Cordelia is determined to show him the woman beneath. There is, however, no escaping her arranged marriage. She’s devastated to discover that her new husband is an utterly loathsome tyrant who will stop at nothing to satisfy his twisted desires. Cordelia struggles courageously against a man determined to break her spirit. But her husband has a secret, one that will bring down the vengeance of her beloved Viscount Kierston.]
Ferré, Rosario. “The Poisoned Story.” In The Youngest Doll. University of Nebraska, 1991. Pp. 7-18.
[A woman reader is poisoned by the ink of a book of fairy tales, and by the time she dies we see that her life has been a fairy tale gone wrong. A proletarian Cinderella who married an impoverished sugarcane plantation owner, she metamorphosed into a wicked stepmother to his daughter and is poisoned by the patriarchal fantasies she swallowed when young.]
Fleury, Jacqueline. The Cinderella Bride. Thorndike, Maine: Thorndike Press, 1990.
Fredrickson, Michael. A Cinderella Affidavit. New York: Tor Doherty Assiciates Book, 1999.
[Backcover: A routine drug bust goes awry in Boston’s Chinatown, killing a police officer as he batters down the door to execute a no-knock search warrant. The police arrest the man, but the court orders them to produce the confidential snitch whose information was the basis of the bust. The search for the informant will plunge lawyers on both sides of the case into the legal battle of their lives. High-placed politicians, Chinese mobsters, and Boston’s power elite will be dragged into court, their fates riding on the identity of this mystery informant, an informant known only as Cinderella. “Frederickson draws upon his legal expertise for a cunning story of crime, corruption, perjury, and murder in Boston”–The Boston Globe. “Frederickson’s insight into the legal process adds authenticity to a fast-paced intriguing, multifaceted tale”–Publisher Weekly. “Frederickson shows grit and an acute sense of humor as he skewers the entire legal class system, blue to white collar”–Entertainment Weekly. Flyleaf: “A legal thriller so savvy and well written it’s hard to believe it’s a first novel. The dialogue is literate, often funny, and all the characters live and breathe”–Kirkus Reviews. “Move over John Grisham, Esq. Watch out Scott Turow”–Lawyer’s Journal. “A witty, intelligent journey through big firms and prosecutors’ offices that should be familiar to any lawyer”–Virginia Lawyers Weekly. “A towering achievement!”–Massachusetts Bar Journal. “A book you can’t put down; exciting, full of twists and turns, it is a fast-paced thriller”–Barry Reed, author of The Verdict.]
Fulton, Maude. Cinderella of the Storm. Chicago, 1928.
Garbera, Katherine. Cinderella’s Convenient Husband. New York: Silhouette Books, 2002.
[Backcover: Meet the Connellys of Chicago — wealthy, powerful, and rocked by scandal, betrayal … and passion! A second chance at love? Wealthy Chicago attorney Seth Connelly told himself he’d married Lynn McCoy only to save her family ranch. The Sagebrush, Montana, spread had once been his salvation, though Lynn had been his nemesis. But the troublemaking brat had turned into a fresh-faced beauty. Though only days from foreclosure, Lynn was no Cinderella waiting to be rescued. Just as well, since silver-eyed Seth was no Prince Charming. She fantasized about the only kiss they’d ever shared, fourteen years ago, and yearned to be held again in his rock-hard arms. To be made his wife, in every sense of the word. Seth wanted marriage, too – but without love. Or so his loner heart said. Passionate, powerful, and provocative. Fly leaf: Around Chi-Town: Looks like the Connellys have been plunged into scandal yet again–Grant Connelly’s former lover, Ms. Angie Donahue, has been arrested! Sources report that Ms. Donahue, the mother of Grant’s illegitimate son, Seth Connelly, is the niece of Chicago’s most influential mob boss, Jimmy Kelly. Police investigations leading up to her arrest indicate that the Kellys may be behind the recent spate of troubles that have plagued the prestigious Connelly family these last few months. And how is Seth Connelly, a well-respected attorney in the Windy City, taking the news? It means that Seth has taken an undetermined leave of absence from his law practice and from Chicago. Sources close to the thirty-two-year-old bachelor say he has been devastated by his mother’s revelation, but won’t reveal his location. The Connelly troubles don’t end there. Following police questioning, Grant’s longtime assistant, Charlotte Masters, has also gone missing – and rumor has it that her life may be in danger. And she’s not the only one. Police report that hotshot P.I.Tom Reynolds, hired to protect the family, has turned up dead, the apparent victim of foul play. In the wake of these latest disclosures, we expect local sympathies to be with Seth, a reserved lone wolf who never became a true bachelor-about-town like so many of the Connelly sons. Chicago awaits his return! Seth Connelly–Deceived and betrayed by his heritage once again, he runs away, back to his cowboy roots, hoping to find himself, to heal … Lynn McCoy–she knows what it’s like to be betrayed by someone you love – and now she, too, is paying the price. Angie Donahue–Seth’s mother; she allowed his father Grant Connelly, to raise him, but the havoc she wreaks finds her son wherever he hides.]
-----. Overnight Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001.
[Backcover: Duke Merchon was light years ahead of co-worker Cami Jones in bedroom expertise. Still, the plain-Jane stirred his fantasies, but Duke vowed to keep a safe distance from her thousand-watt smile. Orphaned as a child, he’d learned to deny his boyhood dreams of love and family. Then Cami suddenly traded in her modest librarian façade for a stunning grace and beauty, and Duke felt his firm footing in Bachelorville slipping. And fast. For he couldn’t resist showing this newly sensuous woman the laws of physical love. And when Duke held his overnight Cinderella in his arms, he felt transformed … into Cami’s Prince Charming! “Describe this dream lover,” Duke said, teasing himself with the idea of her voice painting sensual images. Cami smiled widely and closed her eyes. “This man of mine is a white knight of old. He’s fought hard in battle and lost everything dear to him, but he craves ties to the land and the future. He sees me in his future. He sees past my surface to the passionate woman underneath. The woman I’ve always longed to be. He unlocks me from my slumber as surely as Prince Charming awakened Sleeping Beauty with one pure kiss.” Duke stared down at Cami. Her eyes were closed, her head tipped back and her body pressed to his. He realized she must be a virgin. Only a woman who’d never shared her body with a man would expect a pure kiss to awaken her desire. Only a woman as sweet as Cami would share the fantasy of her soul with him. And it moved him. But could it move him to marriage? - Flyleaf. Yes it could. Today he was marrying the sexy little tornado that had shaken his world and rearranged it … What had he done to deserve her? (p. 183).]
Galitz, Cathleen. Wyoming Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001. No. 1373.
[Backcover: Georgeous multimillionaire William Hawk was caught in a tornado-and her name was Ella McBride! The tantalizing nanny brought order to his children but left Hawk’s senses spinning out of control. A massive, primal desire hammered at his resistance. He simply must keep his luscious live-in temptation out of his bedroom! But how to avoid her bedroom eyes? Ella felt utterly transformed! In Hawk’s arms she was the most beautiful woman on earth, a sensuous princess, his Wyoming Cinderella. And with just a little coaxing, this sexy older man had introduced her to womanhood. Now would it be Ella’s turn to usher him into husbandhood? Flyleaf: “Would it help if I apologized for kissing you last night?” “A lady usually doesn’t like to hear a man say he’s sorry for kissing her,” Ella replied, stepping away from the stove. Hawk had expected her to give a sigh of relief. Instead, she faced him down with a spatula and the most refreshing sincerity he’d encountered in years. “What do you suggest we do, then? Would silverware at ten paces be fitting?” “I prefer steak knives myself.” “Perhaps if you’d be willing to call a truce, I’d offer to set the table.” Hawk reached around her to open the silverware drawer. The lightest touch of his arm against her body was enough to set her imagination sailing for erotic destinations. The thought of those arms wrapped around her waist … Of his big, masculine hands caressing her … Of stepping back and cuddling her body against his in a fit as perfect as the two spoons he lifted out of the silverware drawer. Conclusion: “A once-upon-a-time skeptic, Ella allowed herself to accept the fairy tale ending that truly belonged to her. Circumstances of birth and lack of opportunity were nothing in comparison to how this wonderful man made her feel. No longer the ugly duckling of her youth, she was transformed into a real-life Cinderella and made beautiful not ty the twirling of a godmother’s wand, but by the power of Hawk’s eternal love” (p. 185).]
George, Charles. A Country Cinderella. New York: Fitzgerald Publishing Corporation, 1931.
George, Jessica Day. Princess of Glass. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010.
[George offers this retelling as a sequel to her novel Princess of Glass, a re-envisioning of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Princess Poppy, one of the former twelve princesses, participates in a royalty-exchange program only to find herself caught up in a Cinderella story gone wrong. As she stays at the home of Lord Richard and encounters Prince Christian, she also meets Eleanora, an orphan and noble forced to become a maid after her father’s estate is ruined. The young woman cannot appear to do anything correctly, and finally, The Corley, a witch with her own back-story of loss and grief, seduces the girl with promises of a better life. The Corley is the source of Eleanora’s incompetence and convinces the girl to pose as Lady Ella, a princess, in order to win the hand of Prince Christian. With each ball, the enchantment on Prince Christian grows and the spells on Eleanora strengthen with her feet slowly turning to glass. Because of her past experiences, Poppy sees through the black magic affecting every one, and between her cleverness, knitting, and rudimentary white magic, she helps save everyone by agreeing to pose as Ellen and face The Corley, who makes the enchanted Prince attempt to find his true bride. Christian chooses Poppy, the young woman he loves, rather than the false bride, Eleanora. Poppy’s quick thinking saves everyone involved, and they escape The Corey stronghold, and Roger, another noble who loved and remembered Ellen before her time as maid, pledges his desire for her hand, and the book ends with multiple impending weddings.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Gill, Judy Griffith. The Cinderella Search. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1998.
[Lissa Wilkins had kissed enough toads disguised as Prince Charming to learn not to trust men. So now, with Steven Jackson on the scene, she steered clear of his Prince Charming vibes. Steven had dated lots of women, but no one fit the glass slipper of his dreams. He hoped to buy Lissa’s father’s hotel, but Lissa had her own plan. She would play ghost and scare the unwanted buyer away, except that she came crashing through the ceiling into his arms, where she felt those delicious vibes all over again. But she fled, leaving behind one ugly sandal. Steven set up a booth at the town festival, insisting that he would try the shoe on every woman in town in hope of figuring out who the woman who fell through the ceiling was. Even if the shoe did not fit he promised to kiss the one who tried, which turned all the women on, except Lissa. She held out, but at the end, Steven proved so charming that even though she knew that charmers were bad news, no matter how intoxicating their kisses, she let the slipper be fitted where it belonged. Still, she distrusted Steve. But at last she agreed to marry him, and the hotel will stay in the family — for the grandchildren.]
Gordon, Karen Elizabeth. The Red Shoes and Other Tattered Tales. Normal, Illinois: Dalkey Archive Press, 1996.
[Tatters of half-a-dozen tales (The Glass Shoe, The Ginderbread Variations, The Little Match Girl, Don Juan Is a Woman, The Red Shoes) sewn together with notes in an ABC alphabet romp through the language of sensuality. In the Dramatis Personae Cinderella is the “resiliently abused stepchild whose secret rebellions in both fact and fantasy forge her liberty. Seeing past mere wish fulfillment, she unmasks social form and ceremony in her unabashed dealings with the prince” (p. 7). She appears in such entries as BUBBLES (from The Glass Shoe), a letter to her father wondering how he ever came to lay his head among the bosoms of this family that works her to death and calls her Ashtray, Dustrag, Mopsy, and Smudge — “I was so hungry I started gnawing at my cuticles” (p. 26); or COAT: A fine coat of lust lay over every thoughtful surface of the room. “This could be either Cinderella out of her drawers, or Jonquil, thinking of love as ‘a little adventure looking for the right surface to happen upon’ or ‘stretching myself out, in case someone wants to leave a message plastered to my body’” (p. 35); or SCHMATTE (from The Glass Shoe): I scratched my schmatte and / proceeded with the floor. “Cinderella, or Cendrine, as she is called in Cendrine and the Garcon Flambé, a video by Jean-Jacques Passera, picked up a few Yiddish expressions from the shops in the village, so it is not surprising to come across entries in her diary like: ‘I was polishing the tsatskelehs when the doorbell rang and I opened the door to a dwarf selling hairbrushes’ or ‘I schlepped my bucket up the front stairs to do Agfa’s room, but her door was locked and a sign that read MUSE PLEASE dangled from the doorknob, so I figured she was at it with her pathetic fallacies, and tiptoed off for une petite somme in the attic instead’” (p. 135).]
Grandpapa Pease’s Cinderella. Albany: Fisk and Little, 1855?.
Griffiths, Michael. Cinderella With Amnesia. London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1975.
-----. Get Your Act Together, Cinderella!. London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1989.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Just Ella. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
[Dust jacket: Like every commoner in the land, Ella dreams of going to the ball and marrying Prince Charming. But after she is chosen to marry the prince, life with the royal family is not the “happily ever after” that Ella imagined. Pitiless and cold, the royals try to mold her into their vision of a princess. Ella’s life becomes a meaningless schedule of protocol, which she fears she will never grasp. And Prince Charming’s beautiful face hides a vacant soul. Even as her life turns to misery, the stories persist that Ella’s fairy godmother sent her to the ball. How else could the poor girl wear a beautiful gown, arrive in a coach, and dance in those glass slippers? But there is no fairy godmother to help Ella escape the deadening life of the castle. She learns that she must do things on her own, makes her departure. The prince ends up with the step family, who are more easily molded. Ella escapes, mindful of an old woman from the village who said, “Happy was like beauty - in the eye of the beholder. Ella makes contact with an old friend Jed. But more important, she likes the way she is living her new life as she goes back to work.]
Harbison, Elizabeth. Emma and the Earl. New York: Silhouette Romance, 1999.
[A Cinderella Brides Romance, no, 1410: These women are living out their very own fairy tales, but will they live happily ever after? Backcover: In love with an earl? Impossible! American Emma Lawrence knew she was too ordinary to ever have a British aristocrat fall in love with her! But when she found herself locked in the earl of Palliser’s embrace, her heart couldn’t help but hope. Now ensconced on Brice Palliser’s lavish estate, Emma saw how different her everyday life was from the earl’s. And though Brice made her feel like the belle of the ball, when the clock struck midnight, would Emma be left with a pumpkin carriage, or the keys to Brice’s heart? Flyleaf: It looks like a fairy tale. Emma smiled up into Brice’s eyes, “It’s positively enchanting. Even the hardest of hearts would be moved by this kind of beauty.” Brice looked down at her in the darkness and realized his hard heart was moved, but not by the lights or the garden or the star-filled sky. Their movements slowed until finally they were standing still, locked in each other’s arms, gazing into each other’s eyes. He wanted to kiss her. He was fairly certain she wanted the same thing. He looked at her. “I’d never want to hurt you, Emma.” “Hurt me? What do you mean?” After a moment, Brice shook his head. “I only meant that I would never try and take advantage of your trust. Remember that. No matter what happens.”]
-----. Plain Jane Marries the Boss. New York: Silhouette Romance, 1999.
[A Cinderella Brides Romance, no. 1416: These women are living out their own fairy tales, but will they live happily ever after? Backcover: “Schedule a wedding … and find me a wife!” It had taken five years, but Jane Miller’s dynamic, handsome and commanding boss had finally proposed — even though she knew he’d never seen the shy, yearning glances she’d sent him. She was so happy she could cry — and did when she heard the rest of the plan! Because although this was a real wedding, it wouldn’t be a real marriage. Trey Breckenridge III had buisness mergers in the making, and needed a wife to seal the deal. But “Plain” Jane made an additional wedding vow — that before the honeymoon was over, Trey would realize just what he’d been missing all these years. Flyleaf: “You really saved my life tonight.” Jane’s cheeks flushed. “I don’t think that’s true.” Trey took her hand in his. “It’s true, he said. “And I won’t forget it. But at the moment I’m more concerned about what it will take to convince my secretary, who is a tremendously professional woman as well as a splendid actress, to be my fiancée for just a little bit longer.” Tiny shivers ran up Jane’s bare arms, though whether it was from his touch or from his proposition, she couldn’t say. “You could try just asking me.” “Would you be my fiancée, Jane?” She smiled reassuringly, ignoring the voice inside her that said she was betraying herself and that she’d never be able to keep up this act without a huge emotional risk. “Yes, Trey. You can count on me.” Epilogue: Trey reached for Jane’s hand under the table and leaned close. “Care to dance, Mrs. Brekenridge?” She frowned and looked around. “There’s no music.” “Ah, that’s where you’re wrong.” He stood up and pulled her into his arms. “We hear our own music.” She leaned her cheek against his shoulder and smiled as he tightened his arm around her and started to sway gently. “I hear it now,” she said. Outside the window, the silver bells from the church where they had just renewed their vows rang across the distance.]
-----. Annie and the Prince. New York: Silhouette Romance, 2000.
[A Cinderella Brides Romance, no. 1423: These women are living out their very own fairy tales, but will they live happily ever after? Backcover: Someday her prince would come. Librarian Annie Barimer always played by the rules and the result was dullsville. So when she had a chance to tutor two little princesses, well, how could she resist? Soon Annie found herself working in a faraway castle — and falling for her very own prince! Or she’d go after him! Prince Johann was everything she’d longed for, and more. Handsome, commanding, yet tender, he was just about perfect. Now if only he would guarantee her dreams came true! Flyleaf: It was joy he was seeing and hearing. His children and Annie were laughing as they pounded snow into balls and tossed them at each other. Annie looked at him then, and something between them connected and he nearly smiled back. What would it feel like, Hans wondered, to just give in to the urge to take her into his arms? What would it be like to kiss her? He was overwhelmed by the urge to try. God, she was lovely. Maybe it was the soft light, or the drifting snow, or the crisp chill air, but suddenly Annie looked delicious enough to eat. And he was hungry.]
Hardy, Alice Dale. The Flyaways and Cinderella. Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1925.
[The first of several Flyaway novels dealing with fairy tales. The Flyaway family — Pa, Ma, Tommy, and Susie — is “part real and part fairy.” They live in a great tree high above the ground. “Ma Flyaway was a stout, good-natured lady, with a smiling face and jolly eyes. She loved three things. One was children, the second was cooking of all sorts, including making the of pies, puddings, and cakes, and the third was to dress in silks and satins and pretend she was a Fairy Godmother or a Queen” (p. 4). Under pressure from the children they decide to go fairylanding in Pa’s dirigible in hope of finding Cinderella so that Susie might try on the glass slipper and Tommy see the Prince’s sword. On the way they bump into Jack’s beanstalk and visit with Mother Hubbard, then finally find Cinderella weeping by a stream. The Prince has been taken captive by three Black Robbers and a mean elf. Pa sets out to rescue the Prince and does so with the help of a magic whistle and the ingenuity of Ma and the children, as well as his own cleverness. But once safe back at the palace Cinderella disappears, stolen away by a Glass Man who takes her in a cloud of steam to the Candy King, who would force her to make sugar plums for him. She in turn is rescued with the aid of the dirigible and the threat of dropping rocks on the candy shop, and all return to the palace and then home. Pa promises the children to go fairylanding again. Two of the sequels include The Flyaways Little Red Riding Hood and The Flyaways and Goldilocks.]
Hare, Walter Ben (1880-1950). A Southern Cinderella. Chicago: T. S. Denison, 1913.
Harrington, Rebie. Cinderella Takes a Holiday in the Northland. New York: F. H. Revell, 1937.
Hawes, Louise. “Ashes.” In Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008. Pp. 105-36.
[Hawes retells Cinderella from the Prince’s perspective. His mother, a demanding, harsh, and aggressive queen drove her husband to have an affair with a noble woman in the kingdom before the queen threatened the woman’s life upon learning of the mistress’s identity. When this woman later marries a widower with a daughter, the monarch plots again, and she guides the widower’s daughter until the girl arrives at the ball in a dress that captivates the Prince’s attention. After the wedding, the Prince’s new wife transforms from a quiet girl to a future queen. She is suddenly not the sweet and innocent girl who attracted him as she spends more and more time with the queen, only returning to the Prince at night, where she insists that he recounts his impressions of seeing her beauty before allowing him to make love to her. Eventually, his new wife demands that the Prince execute her stepmother and stepsisters with the support of the queen, but the Prince refuses. For nearly a year, he maintains his position despite his wife’s convenient and entirely feigned illness that causes her to shut him out. Finally, the Prince gives in, and the day of the execution, he finds his wife boasting of how her family died and obtaining a lock of one victim’s hair before the Prince realizes the trap his mother set for his father’s lover: the stepsisters were likely his own siblings. After that night, Cinderella returns to his bed, demanding the usual the story of her glory and beauty. Disheartened by these events, the Prince turns into his father and begins an affair with a dairy maid during the day before returning to his wife at night, who perpetually wants to hear the story of self-flattery again and again.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
-----. Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008.
[In this extremely dark collection of fairy tale revisions, Hawes transforms six fairy tales by changing the narrative perspective. For example, the Prince tells of his courtship and pursuit of Cinderella, and the harp tells of how Jack abducted her and inadvertently set her free. Stories include “Dame Nigran’s Tower,” a retelling of Rapunzel; “Pipe Dream,” a Pied Piper variant; “Mother Love,” a version of Hansel and Gretel; “Ashes,” a version of Cinderella; “Evelyn’s Song,” a transformation of Jack and the Beanstalk; and “Diamonda” a revision of Snow White.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Hayes, Margaret Gebbie. The Pussy Cinderella. Philadelphia: G. H. Coughlin, 1915.
Hayes, Sally Tyler. Cinderella and the Spy. New York: Silhouette Books, 2000.
[Backcover: A woman worth waiting for. Undercover Agent Joshua Carter had only wanted to help sweet Amanda Wainwright. Instead, her being seen with him had put the shy secretary’s life in danger … and under his twenty-four-hour protection. But from the moment virginal Amanda stepped into the playboy’s apartment, it was Josh’s life that was on the line, because he still remembered one long-ago, stolen kiss. And although Josh had tried to act honorably by giving Amanda space, her fragile vulnerability still called to him and awakened every male instinct. Now Josh wanted a future. Could he make this inexperienced beauty see beneath the playboy façade to a heart that beat true blue? Flyleaf: “I’m nothing like the woman you normally chase. I’m … ” “What?” he asked gently. “Plain,” she choked. “Ordinary. Boring.” “I’ve never been bored with you, Amanda, and I don’t think there’s anything ordinary about you.” Amanda sighed, not wanting to continue this conversation with him. Josh was rich and dangerous and absolutely gorgeous. She’d seen him in the society pages, photographed with some of the world’s most beautiful women hanging on to his arm. She’d spent more time than she should have looking over those photos, wondering about his life. Fantasizing about him. She was not the kind of woman he dated, not the kind he should notice. “Josh-” she began. “Careful. I’ll think you’re fishing for compliments.” “I’m not. I know what kind of woman I am.” “You don’t have a clue, Amanda, Did you ever stop to think that maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do, either?”]
Hendry, Lee. A Gown For Cinderella. Minneapolis: T. S. Denison, 1951.
Henry, Anne. Cinderella Mom. Harlequin American Romance. New York: Harlequin Books, 1992.
[Calendar of Romance title for the month of May–a special Mother’s Day issue. How can Sara, a widowed mother of two, with a delicious warmth in her veins from the wine, caught up in the strong arms of Prince Charming Julian, explain not coming home to the kids? Must the fairy tale end with the dance at midnight?]
Hillert, Margaret. Cinderella at the Ball. Chicago: Follett Publishing Company, 1970. Also Cleveland: Modern Curriculum, 1970.
[See Perrault under Children’s Illustrated Editions.]
Hines, Jim C. The Stepsister Scheme. New York: Daw Books, 2009.
[Hines offers an amusing beginning to a series of books based on the continuing adventures of Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, with numerous other fairy tale heroes and heroines making an appearance. The first book, The Stepsister Scheme, establishes this fantasy world and reveals what happens to Danielle Whiteshore (the tale’s Cinderella) after she marries. She learns that her mother-in-law covertly helps other heroines in trouble and has a powerful network of magical forces that protect her kingdom. The resources fail when Armand, Prince Charming, is kidnapped forcing Danielle, Snow, and Talia to rescue him. The novel offers a retelling of Cinderella while showing the heroine maturing into a woman capable of eventually helping with the ruling of a kingdom while also exploring themes of love, marriage, and family loyalty. The novel considers the costs of magic, happiness, power, and position. Subsequent books in the series include The Mermaid’s Madness, Red Hood’s Revenge, and The Snow Queen’s Shadow.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Historical Christmas Stories. Harlequin Historical Series. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1989.
[Includes an adaptation of Perrault’s Cinderella.]
Hoadley, John Chipman (1818-1886). Description of the Portable Steam-Engine Cinderella. Boston: A. Holland, 1870.
Hoban, Russell. The Mouse and His Child. New York: Harper & Row, 1967.
[“The mouse child’s vision of a happy family, which begins in the toy shop, is shattered when the clockwork father mouse and child are broken and thrown on the rubbish dump. From there, through the cinders and wilderness, they wander on a quest, struggling to survive, hoping to become self-winding and to regain the lost ‘family’”–Gough p. 102)]
Hodge, Rosamund. Gilded Ashes: A Cruel Beauty Novella. New York: Harper Collins, 2014. Kindle edition.
[Set in the same world as Cruel Beauty, this novella retells the story of Cinderella with demons, stepsisters, and the backdrop of the ball. The bond between the young women is emphasized as both the Cinderella character and elder stepsister try to protect the youngest sibling. The mother and stepmother are also positioned as equally desperate women trying but failing to look out after their daughters.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Holyoke, Hetty. “Cinderella.” In Peterson’s Magazine 31, June, 1857. Pp. 199-202.
[A plain girl, always in trouble at school, she dresses in a calico dress made from material her mother got for her at an auction for damaged goods and walks through evil and good report, serene as a sybil. Her two sisters, Melissa and Miranda, are proud and beautiful. When Mrs. Nute becomes ill with a serious illness Cinderella must drop out of school to care for her, a nurse to one neither grateful nor easily pleased. Years pass as Cinderella sits in the chimney corner of her mother’s sick room, grotesque as ever in her dress, yet still serene. She becomes seamstress for the whole family, as well as housekeeper. But the young student who comes with old Dr. Gray to care for Mrs. Nute takes a liking to Cinderella. He flirts with Miranda, talks metaphysics with Melissa, but would marry Cinderella. He dresses her well, and to the amazement of all, she is beautiful. But the marriage takes place only later, after Edward Gray returns with his fortune from India, when he meets Cinderella again, now the governess of old Abraham Marvel’s grandchildren. Their home becomes “a centre of all refining, genial influences.”]
Howard, Barbara. Her Heart’s Challenge, or, A Beautiful Cinderella. New York: Street and Smith, 1899.
Huth, Angela. “Another Kind of Cinderella.” In Another Kind of Cinderella and Other Stories. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1996. Pp. 1-25.
[Reginald plays second chair fiddle in the orchestra for the Cinderella pantomime. He lives with his demanding mother, Mrs. Breen, who makes him account for every minute according to her liking. He fantasizes about dating Valerie, the sweet-voiced beauty who plays Cinderella. She seems close to Bev, who plays Prince Charming, but finally he gets up courage to ask her to have coffee with him on an afternoon when his mother thinks he has rehearsal. She agrees to see him, but on another day. He joins her, even though he knows he will have to endure his mother’s wrath. Valerie wonders what Reg expects, he being so much older and essentially a loser. He asks to be given the chance to spend his savings on her; she smiles and insists that she must meet with Bev: “You’re a nice guy, but I’m another kind of Cinderella.” When he gets home his mother, plumped with indignation, her obscene legs swing, scolds him and mocks, “What kept you then? Dancing with Cinderella.” As she laughs sneeringly at him he “swung his violin case above his head, and moved towards her in silence before they both screamed.”]
Irish, Marie. A Twentieth-Century Cinderella. New York: Edgar S. Werner and Company, 1905.
Japrisot, Sebastian. Trap for Cinderella. New York: Simon Schuster, 1964; New York: Pocket Books Inc., 1965. First Published as Piège pour cendrillen. Paris: Editions Densël, 1962. Winner of Le Grand Prix de la Litterature Policiere.
[Backcover: Was she the murderer or the murdered? At a French resort, two young girls share a house on the beach. When fire guts the house only one of them survives. Either of them might have said this: “I am twenty years old. I am about to tell a story. It is a story of murder. I am the murderer. I am the victim. I am the witness. I am the inquisitor. I am all of these. But who am I?” Flyleaf: He clapped his hand over my mouth and pushed me inside the garage. “I heard about the fire … that one of you had been killed,” he said. “I’ve been watching you since, and I know who you really are. And now I want my cut.” I was out of breath. I wanted to scream, but I lacked the strength. “Don’t be a fool,” he said. “You know very well you killed her!” I nodded my head. “Let me go please.” “I can bother you or leave you alone,” he said. “The price for not bothering you is two million francs.” Synopsis: Micky is heir to a large estate. Her godmother becomes unhappy with her for her careless ways with money and boys. Domenica Loi, a working girl, befriends Micky and wheedles her way into the godmother’s favor and, through deceitful letters, into the old woman’s will, even at the cost of her friendship. Domenica and her boyfriend, Serge Reppo, plan the murder of Micky, though she does not know this until later. A fire at a French Resort kills one of the girls and badly burns the other, who loses her memory and is unable even to know which of the two girls she might be. Serge knows she is Micky and tries to frame her, accusing her of starting the fire twice in her effort to kill Domenica. Jeanne Murneau, Micky’s nurse, tries to help her back to full consciousness of who she is, hoping to win a portion of the deceased Godmother’s estate for herself. Micky kills Serge as he tries to blackmail her, insisting that she murdered Domenica. Micky and Jeanne are brought to trial. Jeanne is sentenced to 30 years in prison for her fraudulent schemes to get the estate. On grounds of lack of sanity, Micky is acquitted of the murder of Serge, but sentenced to 10 years prison as Jeanne’s accomplice. Only in prison does she regain enough of her memory to know that she is Micky. As the gendarme escorts her to prison she becomes calm. The man’s cologne reminds her of a scent of an Algerian military man who courted her in his youth. The nauseating cologne that haunted Micky was called “Trap for Cinderella.”]
Jenkins, E. Lawrence. Cinderella, or The Slip, The Slipper, and the Slip Up. New York: Hints Publishing Company, 1902.
Jensen, Kathryn. Mail-Order Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, New York, 2000.
[Backcover: Wife in the Mail. If diehard bachelor Tyler Fortune was being forced by his parents to marry, he’d darned well do it on his own terms — even if it meant securing a bride through a dating service! Mousy Julie Parker seemed the perfect candidate. In return for becoming his wife, all the shy librarian wanted was a baby. And Tyler thought marriage wouldn’t change his life much at all. Until his sweet bride had a glamorous makeover and they got down to making a baby the old-fashioned way. Flyleaf: “Meet the Arizona Fortunes — a family with a legacy of wealth, influence and power. As they gather for a host of weddings, a shocking plot against the family is revealed … and passionate new romances are ignited. Tyler Fortune:This sexy man-about-town knew how to drive a rivet with the best of his construction crew and kiss a women senseless, but he didn’t think he knew anything about marriage. Until plain-Jane Julie became his bride. Julie Parker: All this shy librarian had wanted was a quiet, undemanding man who’d give her a baby. Instead, she got a stunningly sexy, self-possessed man whose kisses gave her an unexpected glimpse of heaven. Jason Fortune: Maybe if his younger brother, Tyler, had stuck with one girlfriend more than three months, he’d know that finding a bride wasn’t like ordering a pizza.” This book is the second of five devoted to the Fortune family of Arizona. The other four are: Bride of Fortune, Fortune’s Secret Child, Husband or Enemy?, and Groom of Fortune. The book ends with a family tree.]
Jenoff, Marvyne. “Cinderella and All the Slippers: The Story of the Story,” The Fiddlehead: Atlantic Canada’s International Literary Journal 172, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada: Summer, 1992. Pp. 65-74.
[The story wakes up to find itself in a kingdom that has lost its sense of romance. Even the mothers are uncomfortable with it. Fathers are too worried about what to buy their own daughters. Cinderella goes to a festival but creeps away, unwanted. Even the stepsisters are turned away and become more cruel. The prince approaches but sleeps in a place apart, never reaching her house. Yet they dream the same dream, as if it happened long ago.]
Jones, Linda Winstead. Cinderfella. New York: Dorcester Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. A Faerie Tale Romance. Linda Winstead Jones was winner of the Colorado Romance writers 1997 Award for Excellence.
[Backcover: An American Princess: The daughter of a Kansas cattle tycoon, Charmaine Haley was given a royal welcome on her return from Boston: a masquerade. But the spirited beauty was aware of her father’s matchmaking schemes, and she felt sure there would be no shoe-ins for her affection. On the Ball: At the dance, Charmaine was swept off her feet by a masked stranger. She hadn’t been so spellbound since Ash Coleman had stolen her heart years before, but suddenly she found herself in a compromising position that had her father on a manhunt with a shotgun and the only clue the stranger had left—one black boot. A Slippery Situation: Ash Coleman hadn’t planned to attend the ball, but he found himself smitten by the grown-up Charmaine. Now, after a stroke of midnight he’d never forget, he suddenly knew this time when the shoe fit, he was ready to wear it. Flyleaf: A Compromising Position: If Charmaine hadn’t been wearing a darn corset, she would have been able to right herself in time, but as it was she fell stiffly forward and into the stranger’s ill-prepared arms. The boot he’d been holding in one hand went flying, and as he caught her around the waist they went tumbling over the side of the gazebo. Strong arms tightened around her, and when they fell, his body cushioned the blow for her. He landed flat on his back, and she landed atop him with a knee on either side of his waist and her skirts bunched around her thighs. Her heart was pounding, her hair was falling in disarray about her face, and her expensive gown was falling off of one shoulder. His hand found her face; long fingers touched her cheek briefly and then moved to the back of her head, and after a pause where taking a breath was impossible, the stranger pulled her face to his and kissed her again. She had never been so close to any man before, never had her body pressed to his and her mouth joined in this impossible way. The rush of her longing that coursed through her body was unexpected and unwanted and much too powerful for her to ignore. “I’ll kill you.” It took Charmaine a moment to realize that the husky voice had not come from the man beneath her.]
Jukes, Mavis. Cinderella 2000. New York: Delacorte Press, 1999. Pp. 197.
Ashley Ella Toral is an orphan, being raised by her stepmother Phyllis, who is doing her best to raise her own spoiled and lazy twins, Paige and Jessica. Ashley’s father had been an air force pilot, much admired and remembered by the people of their California beach town. Ashley and Phyllis get on together well enough – they converse – and Ashley looks after the house and the twins while Phyllis holds down a job. Phyllis is aware of how lazy and ill-bred the twins are and puts up with their messy habits. She admires Ashley’s beauty – her queenly neck, aristocratic cheekbones, large, dark eyes, perfectly arched eye browes, and "‘Draw Me’-style nose, the world’s most perfect nose" (pp. 20-21). She favors her twins with gifts and clothes, and sets up savings to send them to college, telling Ashley that she has no need for college, since she will never have trouble finding the man of her dreams who will be eager to support her. Ashley quietly disagrees with that assessment, planning to go to college and earn her way through her own personal efforts. The plot focuses on a New Year’s eve party at the Ocean Crest Country Club to usher in the year 2000. Ashley has an invitation by Trevor Cranston to go to a ritzy party that is being put on by his mother for her son’s football friends and their dates, an exclusive bunch. She would also like to go to the beach party with her closest friends Emily, Ana, and Mara, who were not invited to the Country Club. Her grandmother is going to visit (something she seldom does), and Phyllis hopes to take her to dinner, while Ashley looks after the twins. Ashley gets promises that she may be able to go to the party, providing she can come up with $35.00 as her part of the limo fee and Phyllis can find a baby sitter. When Ashley shops for a dress, the waitress, recognizing her petite size and beauty asks her to model a splendid gown and shoes (a perfect fit) to help her determine how to display the dress on a mannequin in the window. The outfit costs $2000! The twins play pranks on Ashley, listening in on her phone conversations, stealing her money, etc. Phyllis manages to get an invitation to the ball for the twins which so upsets Ashley that she refuses to go. Meanwhile the grannie, who understands the home situation, makes secret plans for Ashley. It turns out that she has recently won the lottery and buys the expensive dress, which Ashley already knows is a perfect fit, plus a cell phone and pager as well. Phyllis takes the twins to the party early. They play foolish games, breaking the punch bowl and messing up the cuisine. Mrs. Cranston calls Phyllis and tells her to bring the girls home. But Ashley enjoys her dream outing with Trevor, wows everyone the party with her beauty, then they join Emily and the other uninvited friends on the beach to stay up until dawn to see the sun rise on the year 2000.
Kauffman, Donna. The Cinderella Rules. New York: Bantam Dell, 2004.
[Backcover: “A Cinderella Checklist: DO: dress the part. If you’re going to have the world at your feet, you need a great pair of stilettos. DON’T: play by all the rules. After all, you’re a Cinderella, not a saint. DO: employ some discretion. Flings are fabulous. Just don’t get caught. DON’T: dismiss Mr. Nice Guy – there may be a bad boy lurking underneath. DO: keep an eye out for your prince. He might ride in on a white steed – but a red convertible will do nicely too. DON’T: settle. Cinderella should never have to choose between true love and great sex. There’s a little bit of Cinderella in every woman … except Darby Landon, or so she thinks before meeting the three fairy godmothers of Glass Slipper, Inc. They guarantee they can bring out the princess in any woman. But they’ll have their work cut out for them with Darby, who’s more comfortable in jeans and cowboy boots than designer gowns. But when she’s called from her Montana ranch to squire her impossible-to-please father’s star client around the D.C. social scene, Darby has to turn into the queen of chic … and fast. Between torture-chamber sessions of tweezing and teasing, and horrifying lessons on place settings, Darby finds herself drawn into a fairy tale romance of the very adult variety with Shane Morgan, the devastatingly sexy (and reluctant) heir to one of the city’s largest companies. But when another Prince Charming arrives on the scene, Darby’s caught between the woman she is and the woman she’s supposed to be, between two very different irristible bad boys. Now Darby has to choose her own happy ending … and with the help of three very unusual fairy godmothers, this modern-day Cinderella is determined to stay dancing way past midnight – no pumpkins required.” The story is laid out in 25 chapters, each beginning with a Cinderella Rule by one of the cofounders of Glass Slipper, Inc. E.g., “Cinderella Rule #1. While life occasionally makes it appear otherwise, no one has control over your life … but you. Make decisions with care because in the end, you have only yourself to blame for the outcome. – Mercedes Browning, Cofounder Glass Slipper, Inc.” “Cinderella Rule #2. Life offers very few do-overs. A good first impression is critical. Don’t waste yours unnecessarily. 12-Hour Mascara can be just as valuable as a master’s degree. An 18-Hour Bra might serve you even better. – Vivian DePalma, Cofounder Glass Slipper, Inc.” “Cinderella Rule #3. Failing that last rule, regroup quickly and put your best foot forward. Take care to keep your mouth closed while doing so. Better to bite your tongue … than risk swallowing your foot. And darlings, a bright smile covers a multitude of believed sins. – Aurora Favreaux, Cofounder Glass Slipper, Inc.” And so it goes with alternating rules by Mercedes, Vivian, and Aurora, until “Cinderella Rule #25: Life is not a fairy tale. We’re not all Cinderellas. And sometimes Prince Charming wears Hawaiian flowered shorts while riding his trusty steed. But there can be happy endings. You just need work at finding yours … and then hang on to it. Even if it means you wear the pants in the family. Some of the time. (Those Hawaiian shorts are pretty comfortable.) – Darby Landon Morgan, Glass Slipper Graduate.”]
Kay, Kathryn. Possible Squeez Play. Hollywood: Circle Publishing Company, 1941.
Keller, Raymond F. Cinderella with the Wooden Slippers. New York: Exposition Press, 1952.
Kent, Rockwell (1882-1971). Cinderella in Greenland. Chicago: Esquire Publishing Company, 1934.
Kesey, Ken, with Ken Babbs. The Last Go Round: A Dime Western. New York: Viking Press, 1994.
[Broncobuster Jonathan E. Lee Spain, a white man from Tennessee, beats out his two best friends, “Nigger George” Fletcher (a popular black cowboy) and Jackson Sundown (a Nez Perce Indian cowboy) for the top prize in the first Pendleton (Oregon) Round Up of 1911. Though his buddies’ rides are as good as his, or maybe even better, the judges can’t bring themselves to award first place to a black man or Native American. Spain sees his rise to the top as a Cinderella story: he happens to be the right person in the right place at the right time. “My turn is mostly a blur, the biggest ride of my seventeen-year-old Cinderella life and all I can make out is the stuff in the background” (Ch. 20, “My Turn”). In this first person narrative, Spain’s sense of his life as a “Cinderella story” propels him onward.]
King, Jessie M. How Cinderella Was Able To Go To the Ball. London: Foulis, n.d.
[A brochure on Batik. Cinderella wishes to go to the ball but has no clothes. The fairy godmother helps to make batik cloth, with samples and accounts of how the process works. The samples are tipped in color plates. One fine illustration of Cinderella in the final product.]
Kingsley, Katherine. Once Upon a Dream. New York: Dell Publishing Company, 1997.
[A once upon a wish, once upon a passion, once upon a dream book, a retelling of the Cinderella tale, “as two star-crossed lovers play out a romance that is the stuff of legend.” As the cover explains: “Lucy Kincaid endures a life of loneliness and drudgery in her stepmother’s house on Ireland’s windswept coast. All she has to sustain her are her dreams, until the day the golden stranger appears on a cliff — a stranger who gazes at her with love in his eyes and poetry on his lips. Lucy’s heart is lost — until she realizes that he is the enemy: a dispised Englishman, the man whose family stole her birthright. Raphael Montagu, eighth duke of Southwell, searches futilely for the mysterious Irish beauty he’d loved at first sight, certain that only she can heal his wounded heart. But when fate finally returns her to him at a London ball, she denies ever having seen him before. And even when he claims her with a kiss and a vow of eternal love, she vanishes once again, leaving him with no clue as to her identity. His only hope is to travel back to Ireland to uncover the mystery that drove her from his side - and finally claim her for his own.]
Kipling, Rudyard (1865-1936). Captains Courageous. London: Macmillan, 1897.
[A male Cinderella counterpart to Burnett’s A Little Princess.]
-----. How the Elephant Got Its Trunk, and, Cinderella. Tulsa: Educational Development Corporation, 1985.
Kistler, Julie. Cinderella at the Firecracker Ball. Toronto: Harlequin Books, November, 1993.
[According to the backcover and the blurb: “She was living the fairy tale before the happy ending. C. J. Bede had never read Cinderella, but she would have recognized herself as the star. She even had two wicked stepsisters, Karla and Darla Farley. But in this story, when the prince came to town to find a wife, no one was going to keep C. J. away. With the help of her fairy godmother, C. J. swept into the Firecracker Ball and set the eyes of ‘Prince’ Rowan McKenna afire. While her stepsisters were fuming, she snared the heart of the town’s most eligible bachelor. But then the clock struck midnight … ” “She was a vision. The woman was so beautiful she seemed to shimmer. Could it be his imagination, or the dim, romantic cast of the moonlight? It was as if she’d been dusted with tiny sparkles. Rowan couldn’t take his eyes off this fairy princess who’d just swept into the Firecracker Ball, completely without warning. She gazed at him from behind a cat-eyed mask, with eyes that were violet-blue. ‘Who are you?’ he asked, cursing the rough catch in his voice. Wordlessly, she smiled. She held up half a bottle rocket. His pulse speeded as he found his own rocket. He thanked God for the silly game the hosts had devised of pairing up couples with bottle rockets that fit together. He knew it would be a perfect union. He noticed that her hand trembled as much as his as they slid the pieces together. It was a perfect fit. ‘I think this means you’re mine,’ he murmured, and he pulled her into his arms.”]
Krailing, Tessa. Cinderella in Blue Jeans. London: Lightning, 1989.
Lackey, Mercedes. The Fairy Godmother. New York: Luna, 2004.
[This novel is the first of the Tales of the 500 Kingdoms series. The series recounts a variety of fairy tales, including Cinderella, the Little Mermaid, and multiple Beauty and the Beasts, while incorporating ideas of narrative tropes via a concept called “the Tradition.” In the first novel, Elena Klovis becomes a fairy godmother after she learns how the Tradition affects sources of magic and people in the 500 Kingdoms. Elena should have left the home of her abusive stepmother and stepsisters, but when it came time for her ball, the Prince was only a child. When a fairy godmother rescues her, trains her, and suddenly retires, Elena finds herself overseeing the needs of several nearby kings, princes, and peasants encountering magic. She learns that she wants to encourage certain tales, such as Princess and the Pea narratives, while avoiding others, such as Rapunzel, for many princes die at the witch’s hand before one marries the maiden in the tower. Along the way, Elena struggles with her desires, the solitary life of a fairy godmother who helps make others happy, and an angry prince she transforms into a donkey for his poor attitude while trying to rescue the princess of the Glass Mountain. Elena manages to repel the side effects of challenging the Tradition and marry a prince of her choice, leading to an alliance between fairy godmothers and champions.
Books in the series include One Good Knight , Fortune’s Fool, The Snow Queen, and Beauty and the Werewolf.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Lanahan, Eleanor. “Cinderella’s Daughter” (1952). In Scottie, The Daughter of … The Life of Frances Scott Fitzgerald Lanahan Smith. New York: Harper-Collins, 1955. Pp. 554-570.
[Charlotte Stark, daughter of Charlotte Hennessy, the famous writer, lives unnoticed in Washington, working for the CIA, until her boss Gusty, invites her to a New Year’s Eve party, where she suddenly finds herself being lionized as her mother’s daughter. Yearning to be recognized on her own she flees before midnight, returning to her bleak and lonely apartment, where she goes to bed to read her mother’s writings, thinking that next time she will have to be more intelligent when the subject of her mother comes up.]
Langan, Ruth. Snowbound Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 1999.
[Backcover: Membership in this family has its priveleges and its price. But what a fortune can’t buy, a true-bred Texas love is sure to bring! Famous and fabulously wealthy Ciara Wilde had led a charmed life, until the day she decided to run away from her own wedding. Desperate to escape the pursuing press, the glamourous single woman sought refuge in a secluded cabin. But her snow-covered safe haven was soon invaded by a dangerously attractive Jace Lockhart, a man tending to his own emotional wounds. Forced together by a raging blizzard, their passions overheated their long-denied desires. And though Jace had the power to make Ciara feel like Cinderella, she knew her mysterious lover could never promise a fairy-tale ending, unless beauty could find a way to tame the beast. Flyleaf: Meet the Fortunes of Texas: Jace Lockhart: This veteran reporter was under doctor’s orders to relax, but the sexy stranger trapped in the isolated cabin with him was sending his blood pressure sky-high. And soon, warm embraces became more that a means for survival. Clara Wilde: The gorgeous movie star wasn’t used to men loving her for herself. She wanted a man who saw beneath her silver-screen persona, and she was determined to find out if yer romance with Jace was more than a snowbound affair. One of several romances on the Fortunes of Texas and Arizona. See Kathryn Jensen, Mail-Order Cinderella , above.]
Lardner, Ring W. “Cinderella.” In What of It?. New York and London: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1926. Pp. 58-64.
[A prominent clubman kills his wife for misbidding at bridge, losing the rubber, and costing them $26.00. His daughter runs hog wild so he marries again, a widow with two gals of her own, who were terrible. They make Zelda sleep in an ashcan. A prince who’s fast as the Red Sox infield throws a party for people with dress suits. Cinderella can’t go until her fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a black touring car like murderers ride in, six mice into six cylinders, and lounge lizards into footmen. She even fixes Cinderella up with plate-glass slippers. The prince dances with her alone and makes her laugh herself sick. The second night the Prince gets her drowsy on gin, she loses a shoe and has to walk home with her former chauffeur nibbling at her exposed foot. The Prince, whose name is Scott, runs a display ad for the owner and traces it to Zelda. They get married and forgive the nasty sisters.]
Lavin, Mary. A Single Lady. In Selected Stories. Penguin, 1981. Pp. 107-121.
[In this interesting story, first published in 1951, the daughter finds herself in the step position as she, in caring for her widowed father, introduces a low-class Cinderella into the kitchen to cook and look after things, only to find herself displaced in her father’s affections by the chamber maid. A rather terrifying story, given the virtuous daughter’s inability to cope with the circumstances of her life, where the identity she would emulate is fairy tale, with all the power in the hands of the male protector and his desire for creature comforts.]
Lawrence, Mildred. No Slipper for Cinderella. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1925.
Lazier, Audrey. Cinderella Summer. New York: Avalon, 1988.
Lee, Tanith. Red as Blood (or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer). Interior Woodblock illustrations by Tanith Lee. Cover illustration by Victoria Poyser. DAW Books (Donald A. Wollheim), Inc., 1983.
[Includes “Paid Piper (Asia: The Last Century B.C.),” pp. 1-17; “Red as Blood (Europe: The Fourteenth Century),” pp. 18-27; “Thorns (Eurasia: The Fifteenth Century),” pp. 28-38; “When the Clock Strikes (Europe: The Sixteenth Century),” pp. 39-53; “The Golden Rope (Europe: The Seventeenth Century),” pp. 54-81; “The Princess and her Future (Asia: The Eighteenth Century),” pp. 82-90; “Wolfland (Scandinavia: The Nineteenth Century),” pp. 91-118; “Black as Ink (Scandinavia: The Twentieth Century),” pp. 119-148; “Beauty (Earth: The Future),” pp. 149-186.]
-----.“When the Clock Strikes (Europe: The Sixteenth Century),” copyright 1980. First published in Weird Tales. Ed. Lin Carter 1981; rpt. in Red as Blood or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer, DAW Books, Inc., 1983.
[A traveller tells us what happened two hundred years ago at a palace after the Great Plague. A duke acquired land unscrupulously, destroying those who stood in his way. He rid himself of all rivals but a single descendant, a woman whom he could not trace. She married a wealthy merchant and got revenge through Black Magic, making the duke ill and bringing him to the point of death. She is exposed with her daughter and is executed for witchcraft, her ashes cast by the wayside. The daughter, though secretly in league with Satanas, is permitted to live because of her youth and apparent innocence. The merchant remarries, but his daughter continues to mourn her mother and insists on doing servile labor. She dons a sackcloth, pours ashes over her head and calls it her penance. She wanders the streets at night but is ignored. Outside the city she finds the ashes and bones of her mother, brings them home, buries them in the backyard and plants a hazel shoot in them. You know the story. The prince has a ball after the wretched death of his father. The two stepsisters dress prettily and go to the ball. The daughter goes to the garden and, after incantations, is bathed, perfumed, dressed, and goes to the palace. The prince will have only her. She says her name is Ashella. Only her father recognizes her. There is a strange clock in the palace. With each stroke of the midnight chime Ashella curses the prince and his father. At the twelfth stroke, where the figure of Death sits, she disappears leaving only a glass shoe. The prince loses his mind and seeks to find her. The slipper is magic and adjusts itself to fit no one. In his madness he goes to the merchant’s house. The merchant tells all he knows, but Ashella has vanished. The prince runs mad and is slain. As he falls the glass shoe shatters. The narrator hovers around the strange clock in the deserted palace enticing coins from visitors, insisting that he himself is Death.]
-----. “The Reason for not going to the Ball (A Letter to Cinderella from Her Stepmother).” In Datlow and Windling (see above for full reference), Fantasy and Horror, Tenth annual edition (1996). Pp. 45-49. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, October/November, 1996.
[The stepmother tells of her abuse at the hands of an ogre husband, his beating her and her daughters, and her poisoning of him to escape the brutality; of her love of Cinderella in whom she saw herself — young and beautiful — and her attempts to protect her from falling into the same errors that she has suffered in her own life; and now her concern for the Queen, who also is the victim of abuse at the hands of a brutal prince/king. She tells of her love of a serving man, who has a wife and good children, and who is kind. She will send him at night to help Cinderella escape under the cloak of darkness to take her across the border to a cottage that the stepmother has already bought for her. She does this because she loves her — one so like herself.]
Leigh, Roberta. Cinderella in Mink. Toronto: Harlequin Romance, 1974.
[Nicola Rosten was used to flattery and the deference accorded to a very wealthy woman, a woman to whom mink was an ordinary fact of life. But when Barnaby Grayson mistook her for a down-and-out and set her to work in the kitchens, she found herself unable to tell him the truth for fear she would lose him. Back in her Rolls Royce world she avoids the pressures of her grandfather and Marty and Jeffrey, sets Barnaby up with a hostel business and finally helps him to discover that his Nicky Rose and Nicola Rosten are one and the same. But not without a painful separation where each scorns the other. That pain leads to a long walk at night along the Thames where a policeman fears she may be contemplating suicide. Instead she helps a homeless man to find the hostel. There she meets Joanna, whom she thinks is Barnaby’s fiancée, another misjudgment on her part. Barnaby comes down and asks why she has come to the hostel. She says she has come to apologize for walking out on his birthday, but not to interfere with his engagement to Joanna. But when Barnaby explains the misunderstanding (the rumored engagement came from Joanna, not him), they permit themselves to admit how much they love each other. Henceforth, there will be no more misunderstandings or dodging what they have both known for a long time.]
Lennox, Kara. Sassy Cinderella. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 2002.
[Backcover: Prince Un-Charming: Jonathan Hardison didn’t know whether to fire Sherry McCormick or take her to bed. Falling in love was not an option. Sure, she’d come to his ranch to help out with his kids while he recovered from a broken leg. But Sherry was a city girl from the tips of her frosted hair to the spike heels on her boots. She’d never stay. It was enough to make even the most levelheaded Hardison lose his cool. He was rude, uncooperative — and utterly irrestible. Jonathan’s growls only made Sherry more determined to stay put. But when she got a country makeover to prove she could fit in, Jonathan’s reaction shocked them both. How to Marry a Hardison: First you tempt him, then you tame him … all the way to the altar! Flyleaf:“It’s me, all right!” He must have been staring, because Sherry flashed him an embarrassed grin. At least, he thought it was Sherry. He couldn’t get any words past his lips. She looked nice, he supposed, but she didn’t look like Sherry anymore. Gone was the cascade of curls that had reached the middle of her back. Now her hair fell in gentle waves down to her shoulders … and it was brown. But the changes didn’t stop there. What had happened to those glossy red lips? Her clothes could only be described as sedate, and her shoes had no heel whatsoever. Even her voice seemed more subdued. With an inward groan, he realized this metamorphosis was his doing. She’d changed for him … .]
Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.
[A foolish fairy Lucinda would give a birthday gift to baby Ella; the child is crying, which irritates the fairy, so she gives her the gift of obedience, then commands her to stop crying, which she does. Her mother objects to the gift, recognizing what a curse it might be, but can do nothing about it. At first Ella to be seems the perfect child, obeying every parental command instantly. Her mother dies, telling her never to speak of the "gift," a command that only adds to the curse. The father remarries and the stepmother and two daughters soon figure out how to use Ella. To avoid criminal activity that the "family" would demand, Ella flees in hope of finding Lucinda to have the curse removed. She meets Prince Charles, also an orphan being victimized by his uncle Edgar who killed Char's father and covets the crown. Regent Edgar has enslaved giants, ogres, and elves and many people too. Ella challenges the Prince over the cruelties perpetrated upon the kingdom. He is ignorant of them but admires her independent mindedness. Edgar finds out about Ella's "gift" and orders her to murder Prince Char at midnight before the boy's coronation. But Ella breaks the curse as she discovers that the workings of the heart are more powerful than fairy gifts. Char becomes king, they marry, and all ends happily. The novel received the Newberry Honor Award. A four cassette audiotape is available of the unabridged novel, read/performed by Eden Riegel. Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, 1998. 330 minutes.] See the annotation for the film under Movies and Television .
-----. Cinderellis and the Glass Hill. Illustrated by Mark Elliott. New York: Harper-Collins, 2000.
[By the author of Ella Enchanted. This story draws on earlier male Cinderella narratives such as The Black Bull of Norway and Iron Hans, where the youth, working as a gardener or stable boy, wins the princess on the glass mountain with a horse that enables him to climb the mountain to retrieve golden apples, which she gives him. Cinderellis has two older brothers Ralph and Burt who were best of friends, but had little use for the youngest brother. When Ellis is six, he invents a magic powder with powers of levitation. The brothers mock him and rename him Cinderellis when he makes a cup fly up the chimney, knocking soot down on him. When he is older Cinderellis begins farming up on rocky Biddle mountain since his brothers took the good farmland. But using his flying powder he grows the best tomatoes, beets, and carrots. King Humphrey has a daughter named Marigold, whose best friend is a cat named Apricot. Then strange things start happening. At night the fields are ruined by a mysterious invader who leaves behind an occasional horse hair. Cinderellis makes a horse fodder from his wonderful vegetables and captures over a period of time three great horses along with three suits of armor — a copper-colored horse named Chasam, a silver one named named Shazam, and a gold one named Ghazam. The brothers think the land has been beset by goblins and think they are the ones who save the land with their goblin chants. When Marigold is fifteen the king offers her in marriage to anyone who can rescue her from the top of a glass hill. Princess Marigold dresses up like a dairymaid. Cinderellis and the maiden are attracted to each other. She asks what he can do; he explains that he is an inventor and could make cow treats. She’s impressed and falls in love with him. He invents next an on-off powder, one that can enhance or impede. Marigold agrees to her father’s test because she figures out a secret weapon (olive oil) that will make it impossible for any to succeed in climbing the hill. 213 horsemen try and fail. Then Cinderellis, in copper armor, rides up on Chasam. He does not need to force him, he just goes, which pleases Marigold. Unfortunately, Cinderellis’ helmet is stuck on crooked and he can’t see out. She sees the problem and throws one of the golden apples to him, thinking he can’t catch it; but it lodges in his saddle. When she pours the olive oil on the hill even Chasam slips, despite the on/off powder. Next time Cinderellis invents olive pit powder, which sticks to olive oil. All in silver he climbs the hill on Shazam and is nearly to the top when the terrified Marigold, thinking a goblin is going to win her hand, drops an apple that Shazam catches with his teeth. She then pours walnut oil on the hill and Shazam too slips. Now Cinderellis invents an all-purpose on/off powder and tries a third time, after all other horsemen fail. Now he rides golden Ghazam to the top. But his head again sticks inside his helmet and he can’t see. Marigold thinks he is a monster who is demanding either her cat or an apple. She gives it the apple and it leaves. Later the king and Marigold ride by Cinderellis’ field. He is amazed to see the royal dairy maid whom he loves with the king. He fetches the apples. She is equally amazed; but all becomes clear when she finds out that the helmet he was wearing didn’t fit and he couldn’t raise the visor to reveal himself to her. She would gladly marry him now. Cinderellis continues to invent powders to make grain grow and to help other farmers. And the two live happily together, never to be lonely again.]
Lewis, Linda. Cinderella and the Texas Prince. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998.
[Backcover: The Eligible Prince: Travis Rule, a.k.a. The Richest Bachelor in Texas. The Unlikely Cinderella: Miss Cindy Ellerbee, Travis’s sweet-natured new housekeeper. The Ultimate Proposal: Was the Lone Star State’s most eligible bachelor really thinking of proposing to his very own housekeeper? True, the millionaire had to marry before his birthday, and Cindy was the most adorable gal in sight. But Travis was a man of wealth and connection, and little ol’ Cindy kept his mansion clean. Was this marriage to be one of convenience only, or did Travis have other - loving - motives for taking Cindy as his wife? Flyleaf: How to Catch a Prince (Even if your glass slipper is a size nine). 1) Turn a tedious housekeeping job into an adventure by sneaking naps in the handsome owner’s bed. (Getting caught by handsome owner would be even better!) 2) Turn a disaster like falling bottom-first into a cactus patch to your advantage. Have princely bachelor remove each needle with his own bare hands. 3) Turn bachelor’s head away from thoughts of other women by cooking your way into his heart! (And conveniently ‘helping’ other bride candidates cook their way out of the kitchen.) 4) Turn yourself into the fairy princess of his dreams by just being the wonderful gal that you are! (If he’s a real prince, he won’t be fooled by imitations.)]
Link, Kelly. “Catskin.” In My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me. Ed. Kate Bernheimer. New York: Penguin Books, 2010. Pp. 270-98.
[This revision, loosely based on “Catskin” and other similar narratives, focuses on the legacy of parental revenge rather than incest. It examines the bonds between family members and the “skins” we inhabit. For more on this anthology, see My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me .] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Lotz, Hildegard Winky. The Roots of Cinderella. Linthicum Heights, MD: Willyshe Publishing Company, 1980.
Lyons, Missy. The Frog Prince. Nashville, TN: Hot Tropica Books, 2008.
[With this book, part of the Prince Charming Series, Lyons combines “Cinderella,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “The Frog Prince” into an amusing and frequently erotic story discussing love, fidelity, and pleasure. The lecherous Prince Alvin is turned into a frog for attempting to seduce a fairy godmother’s nubile and willing daughters. The king grieves for his lost son and remarries while his son learns to live as an amphibian for three years until he encounters Jasmine, a hard-working wood cutter’s daughter, who loves animals. Jasmine rescues Alvin from a cat’s jaws and later kisses the top of the frog’s head, not realizing that her kiss will release Alvin. While in frog form, Alvin learns to appreciate and love Jasmine, intending to marry her if she releases him; when it occurs, Alvin begins to show Jasmine his affection and gratitude when her father interrupts and demands a hasty wedding for the couple. When Alvin takes his fiancée home to meet his father, his new stepmother attempts to distract him with her daughter and to dispute the suitability of his lover. She will test Jasmine by the sleep test common in Princess and the Pea stories, but Jasmine passes since she does not sleep. Due to the intervention of her fairy godmother, the same woman who cursed Alvin, the restored prince and Jasmine spend the night making love. The next day, the furious stepmother attempts to imprison Jasmine, but Alvin proves his love and loyalty by rescuing and marrying her. At the reception, the fairy godmother turns the stepmother into a mouse and allows her cat to devour it.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
MacCarthy, John Bernard. Who Will Kiss Cinderella?: A Romantic Comedy in Three Acts. London: George Roberts, 1929.
MacDonald, John D. A Bullet for Cinderella. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett Gold Medal Book, 1955.
[People who live in glass slippers shouldn’t kick stones. The casting of a junior high Cinderella play provides the key to a murder and hidden wealth, creating another murder as well. Poor Cinderella.]
Macomber, Debbie. Cindy and the Prince. Legendary Lovers: A Silhouette Romance. No. 555. New York: Silhouette Books, 1988.
[Backcover: Unemotional, levelheaded Thorndike Prince was certain his company’s Christmas ball would be an utter bore … until a captivating mystery woman announced that she was Cinderella and he just might be her Prince. In mere hours she’d toppled his implacable cool and sent his usually unshakable heart reeling. But who was she? Janitor Cindy Territo had thought donning an elegant gown and crashing the Oakes-Jennings Christmas party would be a lark. She’d never dreamed the handsome but cynical young vice president would melt her very soul. But how could she tell Thorndike that his Cinderella was the broom-wielding nobody who cleaned his office?]
Maguire, Gregory. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. Illustrations by Bill Sanderson. New York: Regan Books (Harper-Collins), 1999.
[Set in seventeenth century Holland, a destitute English widow (an herbalist named Margarethe), and her two daughters (Ruth, who seems to be retarded, and Iris, who is intelligent but plain), come to Haarlem, where after difficult times Margarethe secures a position as house attendant for a Master painter (Schoonmaker), who has an apprentice named Caspar. The Master paints tulips with plain Iris as a woman set in contrast to the beautiful flowers. A wealthy burgher and tulip speculator, Cornelius Van der Meer, admires the Master’s work and, hoping to advertize the commercial possibilities of tulips, commissions a painting with his beautiful daughter Clara as the central subject, surrounded by tulips. Van der Meer is pleased with the painting, meets Margarethe and her daughters, and invites them to attend him and his wife Henrika. Iris is to teach Clara English. Henrika is pregnant and dies mysteriously. After a time Margarethe marries Van der Meer. Clara, who has been extremely sheltered, goes into a depression. Iris, who has become her good friend, helps her to learn to work. Iris, meanwhile, has herself become an apprentice to the Master. Plague and a fall in the tulip speculations leaves Van der Meer virtually bankrupt. Margarethe urges further speculation, hoping to market Clara to some wealthy burgher. The eccentric queen of France seeks a Dutch bride for her wayward godson. A festival is planned at the greatest estate outside Haarlem. Clara refuses to go. But Iris, with the assistance of Caspar, who manages to put together a grand Spanish attire, convinces Clara that she should attend. The prince is taken with her and seduces her in a private room. Ruth, who sees people threatening Iris and Clara and thinks the painting to be the cause, lights it on fire and burns down the estate. Clara escapes, losing one of her shoes. But the prince seeks her, finds her, weds her, takes her to France, and then to New Amsterdam. Margarethe, who has gone blind, in her delirium, reveals that she may have poisoned Henrika. Iris marries Caspar, and Ruth writes the book.]
-----. “Cinder-Elephant.” In Leaping Beauty: And Other Animal Tales. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2004. 147-174.
[In this humorous children’s retelling, Maguire combines an animal story and the classic fairy tale. A Kangaroo Doctor helps a childless queen relax enough to conceive a child. She dies giving birth to Ella, an elephant. In his grief, the King abdicates and becomes a blind bus driver, randomly delivering people around the kingdom. He remarries a woman with two daughters, and all three mock Ella, naming her Cinder-Elephant and forcing her to work in the kitchen. The father cannot protect her because he drives himself off a cliff. When the new King and Queen invite eligible women to a bride-finding ball for their son, the stepmother and sisters plot to go. They taunt Ella by making her bake pies for them each day before postponing the decision of whether she may go to the ball but fail to realize why their gowns never fit. On the night of the ball, Ella is left behind with her pumpkin pie ingredients and finally gives in to her grief. The Kangaroo doctor returns, and although constantly proclaiming “Well, I’m no fairy godmother,” he helps the girl make a gown out of hospital robes, a coach from a pumpkin, and glass slippers from the pie plates (p. 160). When Ella arrives at the ball, the entire royal family approves of her spending the evening with the Prince at her side. She flees at midnight on the advice of the Kangaroo, for her carriage is beginning to rot. She loses a pie plate, and the Prince follows a trail of pumpkin seeds to her door. When the sisters attempt to damage their feet and pose as the heroine, the Kangaroo doctor appears and directs the Prince to Ella. Ella forgives her family before abandoning them; she marries the prince, and they open a bakery. Her father’s bus is found; he survived the accident and begins driving again, this time accidentally running over his wife and stepdaughters’ feet.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Mahy, Margaret. The Changeover. London: Dent, 1984.
[Laura Chant, pained by the divorce of her parents, struggles to come to terms with her pain as well as her own sexual needs. Her anxiety is a “secret illness” which might consume her, except that she helps to keep her younger brother from being devoured by a wicked person. Her initiation into adulthood comes through an emotional confrontation with another Cinderella figure, a boy whose mother abandoned him at birth.]
-----. The Catalogue of the Universe. London: Dent, 1985.
[A Cinderella story that spans two generations: Angela May is the fatherless child of Dido May. The Cinderella disaster which engulfed the mother is that of a single parent, struggling to keep herself and her daughter afloat. Angela repeats the problem as she loves a handsome married man and decides to have his child even though they may never be married. The mother comforts the daughter with a fairy tale about the father who, after finally being located, is not reconciled because Dido has come to prefer her solitude. Angela’s dreams for the “happy ending in marriage” for her mother comes apart as starry-eyed romance is rejected for the more down-to-earth affection for Tycho, who is reliable and an intimate friend, rather than a handsome Prince Charming. “It is a Cinderella story that rewrites the sentimental trappings of soap opera romance and substitutes an insight into character and relationships, achieving a realistic modern view of love” –Gough, p. 106.]
Maitland, Sara. “The Wicked Stepmother’s Tale.” In Tales I Tell My Mother, 1987.
[A study in abuse as the stepmother, the abuser, expresses her impatience with Cinderella’s passivity and her own refusal to be “victimized” by it. She loved Cinderella’s mother, really, and would like to have turned the daughter into something, first by chiding, then, in the end, by beating her. But the girl would just smile and accept mistreatment. “I could not make her stop loving me … . I couldn’t save her and I couldn’t damage her. God knows, I tried.”]
Mallery, Susan. Prince Charming, M.D.. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998.
[According to the backcover, in this hospital heartbreaker “Trevor MacAllister, M.D. — a.k.a. ‘Dr. Love’ — was a living legend: a brilliant surgeon so sexy he made grown women whimper. His arrival at Honeygrove Memorial Hospital had all the nurses a-twitter, competing to play Cinderella to his roguish Prince Charming — all except Dana Rowan. She prayed for immunity to Trevor’s attractions. Once upon a time in highschool he had been her first love, and she had lived unhappily ever after. Now she absolutely, positively refused to succumb to fairy tales or Trevor’s brand of temptation — twice. But when three wedding-shy nurses come down with a serious case of love, marriage may be just what the doctor ordered: Prescription: Marriage.” Working together and making lots of puns on eggs, Trevor and Dana finally get together: “‘I love you,’ she murmered against him. ‘I have for long time. I love you, Trevor. The man inside as much as the rest of you.’ ‘I love you, too. I don’t know that I ever stopped.’ Somehow he got the door open and maneuvered them both inside. Then they were in the living room, pulling off clothes, frantically kissing and touching and loving, and then he was inside her … where he belonged.” They make jokes about a baby, perhaps to be named Eggbert, but “then he couldn’t think at all. He could only feel her and their love” (p. 240). The baby in question turns out to be a girl.]
-----. Cinderella For a Night. New York: Silhouette Books, 2000.
[Backcover: A masquerade ball is plunged into darkness … A woman is poisoned … A millionaire bachelor becomes a father … . As a blackout gripped Grand Springs, Colorado, CEO Jonathan Steele was having quite a night. First, Cynthia Morgan - aka “Cinderella” - drank poison meant for him. Then his blackmailing half brother and sister-in-law were murdered, leaving Jonathan with his newborn baby nephew. In thirty-six hours, Jonathan’s life had changed forever. Then grateful-to-be-alive Cynthia offered to move into his home as a temporary nanny, a serious challenge to Jonathan’s bachelorhood. Conclusion: But jonathan comes to love baby Colton and Cynthia too. “I love you,” he said. “Both of you … . You are my world, Cynthia. I couldn’t survive without you.” He hoped to make things right with Cynthia’s mother and others in the family. Then he had to take Cynthia “to bed and make love with her until they were both breathless. Finally, there was a wedding to plan. But he faced the future with a sense of joy and hope he’d never felt before. With Cynthia at his side, he knew he could do anything … even give his heart for a lifetime” (p. 243).]
Mangan, Sherry. Cinderella Married: Or, How they Lived Happily Ever After. A Divertissement. New York: A. & C. Boni, 1932.
Mann, Catherine. The Cinderella Mission. Intimate Moments. New York: Silhouette, 2003.
[Backcover: Agent: Ethan Williams. Mission: Intercept international jewel thieves with information on the whereabouts of a missing agent. Deepest Secret: He’s spent his life searching for his parents’ killers, but the answers he seeks are closer than he thinks. Millionaire Ethan Williams risks death daily to save innocent lives. And they don’t come more innocent than Kelly Taylor, his longtime friend and new partner. Ethan has doubts about her until he watches Kelly, the sweet girl next door, transform herself into a seductive siren capable of conquering any man she wants — and she wants Ethan. But this mission means more than finding a missing agent. In a dangerous gamble Ethan must choose: Would he rather fulfill his need to know his past, or protect Kelly, the woman who could be his future? No one is who they seem. Flyleaf: One agent is already missing, and now the U.S.government’s most confidential secret is in danger of falling into a power-hungry dictator’s hands. The top-secret agents of ARIES are the world’s only hope. Agent Ethan Williams: Haunted by childhood memories of his parents’ deaths, this millionaire playboy is deadly serious about protecting those close to him. And these days that means his alluring new partner, Kelly Taylor – a woman he can’t keep close enough. Agent Kelly Taylor: She may look innocent, but this young linguist is no stranger to danger — or desire. She’s always wanted to be an operative, and she’s finally gotten her chance. But posing undercover as Ethan’s lover has awakened another longing. Samuel Hatch: A lifetime in the CIA has shown him secrets the rest of the world would never imagine. And as director of the top-secret ARIES agency, it’s up to him to make sure those secrets stay safe. His agents are the best of the best, and he’s not going to lose one now. Dr. Alex Morrow: Hatch’s most covert operative is missing somewhere in war-torn Europe. Morrow’s last message mentioned mythical jewels with devastating powers, but the transmission was unclear. If ARIES can’t locate the good doctor soon, the world may pay the price.]
Mansfield, Katherine. “Her First Ball.” In Katherine Mansfield. The Garden Party. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1922. Pp. 190-200.
[A girl from the country goes to her first ball with her city cousins. Mansfield describes the excitement of the arrival, the signing of the dance cards, and the beginning of the dance. Midway, a fat older man, dances with Leila. He cynically describes how she will soon be like the adults dressed in black in the balcony looking on. Leila feels crushed by the man’s dispiriting conversation, and wishes she were home. But the next on her dance card approaches her, and they dance, the lights, azaleas, dresses, pink faces, velvet chairs all come alive in “one beautiful flying wheel” and she again has a good time. She bumps into the fat man who says “Pardon,” but she smiles more radiantly than ever and doesn’t recognize him again.]
Marshall, Peter Graham. Cinderella Revisited. Vancouver: Whitecap Books, 1993.
Martin, Victor L. Cenizosa, Florida Cinderella. New York: Vantage, 1981.
Mattingley, Christobel. New Patches for Old. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1978.
[A family migrates from Britain to Australia, where tensions arise between a teenager and her parents as the youth grows toward personal adulthood and a Prince Charming figure, who displaces a potentially Oedipally destructive situation with a mature relationship. A godmother figure helps the heroine to resolve her difficulties.]
-----. Southerly Buster. Sydney: Hodder & Stoughton, 1983.
[An initially happy life plummets toward disaster as a young girl has difficulty accepting her mother’s late pregnancy. As in New Patches for Old a fairy godmother counselor helps the youth to get beyond her Oedipal anger toward her parents and into a more mature non-sexual relationship with adults.]
Maxwell, Ted. Cinderella O’Reilly. Boston: Walter H. Baker Company, 1926.
McBain, Ed. Cinderella. New York: Henry Holt, 1986.
[Stylish Jenny’s a hooker with a million-in-one chance to get out of the life. Overweight Otto is a middle-aged barfly, without an enemy in the world, until someone kills him on a Florida highway. Matthew Hope is in bed with his ex-wife when he learns of Otto, and it spoils the rest of a good evening. As Matthew fits the pieces together the Cinderella plot unfolds, and Jenny makes her escape, but not to her dreams. “They always let me in the ballroom but the never let me dance.”]
McKinley, Robin. Deerskin. New York: Ace Books, 1993.
[A 309 page adaptation of Perrault’s Peau d’Ane. A powerful king and his beautiful queen have but one child, a daughter named Lissar. Upon the her death the queen makes the king vow to marry none but one as beautiful as she. At the queen’s death Ossin, a neighboring prince, sends Lissar a puppy named Ash to console her. When Lissar is seventeen the king puts on a ball for her. She is as beautiful as her mother, and the king announces that he will marry her. She locks herself in her room, but he breaks in through the garden, violently rapes and beats her, and leaves her for dead. Her dog Ash tried to defend her but was thrown against a wall. Both Lissar and Ash survive, however, and, through mutual support, flee to a hut in the mountains where in the fifth month she has a miscarriage. Her hair turns white and, under the guidance of a vision of her mother, she is given time for healing, a box to lock up the hideous past in, an albino deerskin to wrap herself in, and hope for a future. In spring Ash leads her from the mountain hut to the neighboring principality where, through the help of a new friend Lilac, she finds employment looking after a litter of Ossin’s dogs, who seem doomed to death. She heals the dogs, to everyone’s amazement. Ossin is supposed to marry, but loves none of the candidates. In his fantasy he imagines he would marry a mythical moonwoman, a Diana-like huntress who looks after needy creatures. He comes to see likenesses between Lissar and that dream. Ossin invites Lissar to his ball. Lissar has seen in the palace the portrait of herself and Ash which had been sent out years before announcing her own coming out ball. It helps her to recall that other life that she has boxed out of her consciousness. At Ossin’s ball she appears in a silver dress, wearing shoes, where before she had gone barefoot. Lilac has helped dress her in finery. Ossin and Lissar are hindered from dancing together by Trivelda, the more official candidate for his hand, but they make soulful eye contact. They meet in the garden and Ossin proposes. Now conscious of the disaster with her father, Lissar declines and flees in shame back to the hut where she becomes moonwoman caring for animals in need all about the countryside. That winter the hut is attacked by a stag. She, Ash, and the other dogs manage to kill the stag, but Ash is mortally wounded. She wills him back to life and they live on the stag’s carcass through the remainder of the winter. Next spring she is drawn out of the mountains once more by her mother’s voice and arrives at Ossin’s palace where his sister is to be married to a handsome suitor who, it turns out, is none other than Lissar’s father. Lissar appears at the wedding and tells at last the tale of her rape. As she speaks her clothes transform back to the bloody mess of the brutal scene: blood flows from her head where she was beaten and down her legs. As the story is told the father ages rapidly and leaves in disgrace. Lissar then flees and Ossin pursues. He obtains a colt from Lilac but is able to catch up with the fleet Deerskin only when she stops of her own will. Ossin tells of his love for her, scars and all, and they clearly have the approval of Ash and the other dogs, who have been instrumental in getting them together and keeping each other alive.]
McKnight, Jenna. Princess in Denim. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1998.
[According to the back cover, this romance offers a Cinderella switch: Here “Chloe Marshall’s deal with her best friend, Princess Moira of Ennsway, sounded too good to be true — and indeed, it came with a catch! King William of Baesland stunned Chloe from the moment she set eyes on his tall, dark and regal form. It seemed too much to hope that, along with the princess’ identity, riches and castle, she would gain this sexy man as a protector, a friend, a … fiancé. What would William do when he discovered his princess … was a fraud?” Actually, quite a lot. William has a jealous brother Louis who is trying to overthrow him. Chloe, with her American “y’all” sassiness, finds out the plot, interrupts a cabinet meeting, and saves William as Louis attacks him with a knife. William, much in love with his homespun beauty, bows to her grace: “‘I’m not very good at this business stuff,’ she smiled shyly; ‘We may have to go over it again and again.’ ‘All day?’ ‘Absolutely.’ ‘And all night?’ ‘Definitely.’ ‘And will you believe me when I tell you I love you?’ ‘I already do.’ He raised her fingers to his lips and kissed them. ‘Ah, Moira, you are one hell of a queen’” (p. 249).]
McLean, Monica. Cinderella Bride. A Silhouette Romance. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998. Copyright by Monica Caltabiano.
[Carter King had time only for a marriage of convenience. He was determined to acquire an heir the same way he acquired wealth — through shrewd business propositions. Marly Alcott seemed the best candidate. She was trustworthy, adored children, and needed money. The problem was that he could not trust himself to stick by the “no-love” stipulation. Marly had her worries too: what if he found out about her past? Could she keep her secrets, not the least of which was the great passion she felt for him. But the truth will out. They are both big enough to admit that they are in love with each other. What began as convenience ends up as true love: “You’ll always be my Cinderella,” he concludes.]
McMahon, Barbara. Cinderella Twin. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998.
[Backcover: Desire. Sister switch. Gorgeous, rich men like Cade Marshall were just a fairy tale to no-frills librarian Julianne Bennet. Then she secretely swapped lives with her glamorous identical twin sister and found herself in Cade’s kingdom. But when he discovered small-town Julianne’s deception, would he put an end to her dream-come-true? Cade had no use for flighty, no-substance women, and his beguiling neighbor had always been Queen of the Flirts. So why was he suddenly, royally desiring her? Was it her newfound depth, the sincerity and goodness alive in her eyes? Still, this provocative princess couldn’t convince Cade to surrender his reign as eternal bachelor ... could she? Flyleaf: She felt so alive! Her cheeks flushed in anticipation and excitement. Her eyes sparkled. Julianne actually looked like her glamorous twin sister! It wasn’t just features — those were identical. It was more attitude. This was without a doubt the wildest thing she’d ever done. It was pure fantasy; she couldn’t keep up this pretense for more than a little while. For once in her life she planned to experience the adventures her sister took for granted. No one would be hurt. As long as she kept it firmly in mind that this was only a fantasy. When her vacation ended, she’d return to the library, to her small town. But that was weeks away. For now, she was free and about to spend the day with the sexiest man she’d ever seen. Conclusion: But kisses and caresses, love words and love play mingle and they both realize that they really are in love. “I love you, Cade Mitchell.” “And I love you cupcake … Shall we head for Vegas and tie the knot?” But Juliette wants a traditional wedding, one her mother would be proud of. She “thought wistfully of the quiet life she had led in Virginia, the differences between then and now. Nothing would ever be the same with Cade. Gratitude and love filled her heart. She would live on the edge of the world with the only man who rang her every chime. Life was perfect” (p. 184).]
Meyer, Melissa. Cinder. New York: Macmillan, 2012.
[Cinder is the first book in a much larger series called The Lunar Chronicles. The series blends fairy tale elements and science fiction. In Cinder, Meyer retells retells “Yehsien” in a futuristic New Beijing with a cyborg protagonist, who loses an entire foot instead of slipper at the climatic ball scene. The novel focuses on the relationship between the protagonist and the prince and the protagonist and her fairy godmother figure while also establishing a larger series dependent on a missing heir.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Michaels, Fern. Cinders to Satin. New York: Ballantine Books, 1983.
[Fern Michaels is pen name for Mary Kuczkir and Roberta Anderson, who have pooled their energies to write twenty-two “historical novels,” including the best selling “Texas” novels. In Cinders to Satin, a novel about Irish immigrants, Callie James, who learned to survive in the squalor of Dublin’s slum, emigrates to New York to start a new life. Tough, high-spirited, and beautiful, she discovers friendship and encouragement from newspaperman Byrch Kenyon, who sees in the brash girl the woman she would one day become. Rossiter Powers, the rich son of a respected family, nearly destroys her. Hugh MacDuff, rich only in love and compassion, does his best to save her. But Callie — strong, smart, and determined to succeed, despite the loss of her son Rory — insists on taking charge of her life and makes her dreams come true with Byrch, who takes her back to Ireland for their honeymoon.]
Miles, Cassie. Heart and Soles. 1996.
[See the entry for Barbara Boswell , above.]
Mills, Claudia. Dynamite Dina. 1990.
[Ten year old Dinah Seabrooke has a flair for dramatics. When her baby brother is born she withdraws, jealously viewing herself as a put-upon Cinderella. “To keep herself from thinking, from feeling, Dinah began wiping the counters. From now on she would be an unpaid, unloved household drudge, like Cinderella, washing dishes, pushing strollers, maybe even scrubbing floors on her hands and knees. Her mother probably didn’t have any ashes for her to sit in. Maybe they could send her over to sit by the Kelley’s big kitchen fireplace, a soot-streaked maid watching while her friend Suzanne got ready for the ball.”]
Montresor, Beni. Cinderella. New York: Knopf, 1965.
Moore, Lorrie. Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?. New York: Alfred Knopf, 1994.
[Trapped in a fragile marriage? “I feel his lack of love for me”? Berie confronts the onslaught of middle age. A visit to Paris takes back through memory to her fifteenth summer, spent taking tickets at a theme park near Horsehearts, New York, called Storyland, where she worked as a ticket taker and her best friend Sils played Cinderella, giving children rides in her pumpkin coach. The novel takes its title from a painting Sils made the week she became Cinderella. Horsehearts' boys used to shoot frogs with BB guns, and Berie and Sils would pull out the BBs and patch up the wounded frogs. Sils’ painting shows two girls in Cinderella costumes and “two wounded frogs, one in a splint, one with a bandage tied around its eye: they looked like frogs who’d been kissed and kissed roughly, yet stayed frogs.” In the telling of the novel Berie moves back and forth between Paris and her nostalgic remembrances, updating her adult life with such reflections as “my one lone year of Housewife’s Bathrobe Disease, my husband at work but not me.” As Caryn James puts it (New York Time Book Review, Oct. 9, 1994, p. 7): “Berie’s stunning adult disappointments are as personal as marriage and as grand as the Louvre, which is always being cleaned, its entrances rearranged. ‘I’ve lived long enough to see great museums change,’ she says with some fresh mix of wonder and resignation,” feeling the poverty of her future, yearning for that long-lost feeling of coming upon a room in the gallery she had not entered before. A sense of humor keeps her going as she tells Daniel the one about a middle-aged woman who finds a frog, who explains that one kiss from her will turn him into a prince. She replies, “I’m sorry, but at this point in my life I’m actually more interested in a talking frog.”]
Moore, Louise Wilson. Cinderella at College. Philadelphia: 1921.
Moore, Marianne (1887-1972). Puss in Boots, The Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. Retold from Perrault. New York: Macmillan, 1963.
Morrah, Dave. Cinderella Hassenpfeffer. New York: Rinehart, 1948.
Mortimer, Lillian. An Adopted Cinderella. Chicago: T. S. Denison and Company, 1926.
Muller, Robert. Cinderella Nightingale. London: Arthur Barker, 1958.
[“What human blood was to a vampire, the devotion of the camera was to Iris Littlewood.” Raped by her father when she was thirteen, Iris tries to make a career for herself. She works first as a waitress, then does some modeling. Endowed with a mythically gorgeous body, but with little talent for acting, she gets a break with a photographer, Miles Meyerstein, who gives up his career to become her agent. He succeeds in getting publicity for her, and she becomes a top professional model. She begins as Mona Martin, but Miles gives her the name that gets her ahead–first Tess Nightingale, then Cinderella Nightingale. Miles falls in love with her, but she is incapable of loving in return, casts him off when he asks her to kiss him, takes a new publicity agent named Angell and manages, in Monte Carlo, to get cast in the leading role of Ed Hochstetter’s new movie Adam’s Eve. In a desperate effort to regain her attention Miles gambles everything away, even his Leica camera. She goes to Hollywood: it “seems our Cinderella found her Prince Charming” in Hochstetter, who is as cold as she. Miles goes to the beach with his old friend Sam, they meet another young girl who would like to be a starlet, and the story starts over, albeit cruel, empty, and painful.]
Napoli, Donna Jo. Bound. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004.
[Napoli combines several variants in her retelling of a Chinese version of Cinderella, based mostly on “Yeh-hsien.” While removing the older story’s themes of sexuality and violence, she includes many details about living in early China and foot binding as she recounts the adventures of Xing-Xing whose marriage, despite not having a bound foot, offers a commentary on remaining true to one’s nature and not altering the body for success in love and life in general.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Nesbit, Edith. The Story of the Treasure Seekers. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1958. First published in 1899.
[After a loss of the family fortune, the daughter goes to work to regain what was lost, learning to appreciate the good things that she still possesses.]
-----. The Railway Children. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1960. First published in 1906.
[After the imprisonment of her innocent father, the heroine learns through poverty what counts and what must be done to grow up as decent people do.]
Neville, Anne. Gold in Her Hair. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1979.
Newton, Adela. Cinderella Revisited. London: Evans, 1956.
Oates, Joyce Carol. “Where are you going, Where have you been?” First published in Epoch, Cornell University Press, Summer, 1966; rpt. in The Best American Short Stories 1967, ed. Martha Foley and David Burnett, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1967, pp. 193-209; Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards 1968, The Wheel of Love and other Stories by Joyce Carol Oates, New York: Vanguard Press, 1970, pp. 34-54; and as the title story in Where are you going, Where have you been? Stories of Young America, Greenwich, CT: Fawcett Publications, 1974.
[Everything about Connie, with her long dark hair, had two sides, one for home, where she is better friends with her mirror than with mother or stodgy sister June; and one for away from home. Her mall, movie, and drive-in side leads her first to Eddie, then to a visit by Arnold Friend. See the entry for Smooth Talk under Movies . Also see the essay by Schulz and Rockwood .]
O’Callaghan, Sheila Mary. Cinderella in Europe. London: Skeffington, 1951.
Orr, Zelma. Love Is a Fairy Tale. Harlequin American Romance 55. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1964.
[Ami Whitelake had surrendered her dreams long ago-or perhaps she’d never really harbored any. She had been wounded by a gunshot and her husband Ted had left her since it became apparent that she could have no children. She took joy in her work on Wagner’s Ranch in Southeastern Arizona where her love of nature an an injured mongrel dog she had rescued and a homeless boy she had taken provided her the sole source of joy. She was a good veterinarian, which helped to bolster her self esteem. She never expected to find love there, until she met Jeff Wagner. But he barely noticed her. Yet the fairy tale came true. They found each other; he married her and adored her, even though she could not bear children. When the words “I love you” came simultaneously from them, “Ami knew her fairy tale was no longer a tale, but true in every sense of the word.”]
Palwick, Susan. “Ever After.” In Year’s Best Fantasy 1988. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1988. Pp. 72-90.
[Caitlin, daughter of a poor woman, is groomed and cared for by her fairy godmother, Juliana, who takes her to balls and introduces her to aristocracy. There is even hope that she might marry the prince. The godmother is mistress to Lord Gregory; Caitlin loves Randolph, the Baron’s nephew. The Baron plans to kill Randolph to gain his brother’s property. To do so he must first kill old and ugly Alison, his wife, who is fond of Randolph. By inviting Juliana and Caitlin to the ball against Alison’s wishes, he hopes to place the blame for his wife’s death on Juliana and Randolph’s on Caitlin. Juliana, however, is a vampire and thwarts the Baron by killing him first, before he can enter a labyrinth where he has placed the lovers and where he had planned to kill Randolph. Upon rescuing Caitlin, Juliana must take her away, where their enemies cannot find them. But she must tell Caitlin that she is becoming a vampire too, even as her godmother is one. Though she will be beautiful ever after, her unfading beauty will always be a threat to her. Others will become jealous and attempt to slay her. Thus she is promised a long, ever beautiful and youthful life, but not be necessarily a happy one. It may be that there is a component of vampirism in most Cinderella stories, as people feed on others in hopes of becoming and remaining perpetually lovely. But Palwick’s vampires are gentle (at least Juliana is), concerned mainly with surviving the more aggressive oppressors like Lord Gregory, who knows Juliana’s powers but is hungry to manipulate them to satisfy his own greed.]
Penn, J. L. The Cinderella Curse. N.p.: n.p., 2010. Kindle edition.
[This novella, available only via e-book, focuses on the adventures of Cindy, a young woman cursed with turning into a pumpkin at midnight after she drops a basket of apples on a witch’s head. As she struggles to adapt to and accept her new life, she dates a series of men and receives much support from her best friend Lexi until she meets Officer James Jamison, who often rescues her from legal troubles brought about by her inconvenient transformations. His kiss ends the curse, and Cindy can at last live happily in human rather than pumpkin form.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Perle, Ruth Lerner. Cinderella With Benjy and Bubbles. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978.
Perry, Adaliza. The Cinderella Frock. Bangor, Maine: David Bugbee, 1851.
Ponicsan, Darryl. Cinderella Liberty. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.
[A sailor on liberty in Seattle, meets a hooker with a mulatto son who he tries to rescue. Although the woman is able to make brief attachments she remains elusive. Hoping to restore her confidence in life and the possibilities of human attachments he seeks her as she flees to the town of her childhood, but with no confidence of success. See Movies .]
Posner, Richard. Goodnight, Cinderella. New York: M. Evans, 1989.
[Dust jacket: Kimber Delany is the seventeen-year old flaky and endearing editor of the Westfield High School literary magazine. Her wealthy, handsome two-faced boyfriend Lou is giving her nothing but grief, while her pot-smoking brother and sulking father are driving her crazy. Troubles are contagious during this senior year at Westfield High because all Kimber’s friends are afflicted. Fickle Deena misses her collegiate boyfriend Phil madly and constantly pines for him. Bodacious Martha gets into more trouble than she can handle and has to be rescued by Lou, Mr. Suave and Heroic. Meanwhile Jason has a fervent and not-so-secret crush on Kimber and anyone else who looks his way. All this makes for a great state of social and romantic upheaval. New beaus, old flames, and straying loves all add to the intrigue. As the Senior Prom approaches, the lives of Kimber and her friend turn into a complicated web of love, jealousy, loyalty, betrayal, and confusion. On prom night, all is chaos, dates break up, fights break out. But later in the night, at a reunion on the beach, Kimber and her friends all reach important conclusions on life and love, vowing to put romantic conflicts in perspective and value their friendship and youth while they can.
Author Richard Posner has created a loveable and believable cast of characters for this witty, accurate portrayl. A teacher in the Long Island, New York, public school system, Posner has written other young adult books, including Sweet Pain and Sparrow’s Flight.]
Preston, Lillian E. Cinderblossom. Franklin, Ohio: Eldridge Publishing company, 1961.
Quinn, Daniel. “The Frog King, or Iron Henry.” In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1994. Pp. 86-97.
[The Frog Prince suffers from amnesia. Questioned insistently by Iron Henry, only bits and pieces of the past are recoverable of the story he knows and does not know. In this story amnesia may be a blessing, but there is no happily ever after. The princess and the blow against the wall are but shadows, a shaft of emptiness.]
Ramsay, Anna. Cinderella SRN. London: Mills & Boon, 1985.
Rawling, Gerald. Cinderella Operation. London: Cassell, 1980.
Rawlins, Debbi. If Wishes Were … Husbands. Three Coins in a Fountain. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1998.
[The first in a set of three Three Coins in a Fountain romances about Gina, Libby, and Jessie, who make wishes in the famous Trevi Fountain. For the story of Libby, see Karen Toller Whittenburg’s If Wishes Were … Weddings; for Jessie’s story, see Jo Leigh’s If Wishes Were … Daddies. According to the back cover of If Wishes Were … Husbands, “When lovelorn Gina Hart recklessly wished to become a nun, the last thing she expected was to immediately meet a rich, handsome, eligible bachelor! But there before her was Jackson Maxwell Covington III, offering her his arm and escorting her to a party so elegant it put Cinderella’s ball to shame. Gina’s next wish was for the night to last forever — but though she fit perfectly in Jackson’s arms, what would he think when he found out her secret? Could they turn one night of passion into the love of a lifetime?” In the Epilogue, two months later, Gina writes Libby and Jessie, telling them what happened, how she lost her wallet and passport, then met Jackson, and how, thank God, her wish in the fountain didn’t come true!]
Razzi, Jim. Cinderella’s Magic Adventure. Toronto: Bantam Books, 1985.
Riley, Eugenia. Stubborn Cinderella. Loveswept Romances #135. New York: Bantam Books, 1986.
[Backcover: Tracy O’Brien never expected to meet Prince Charming in the supermarket — especially when she was dressed in an old romper without a stitch underneath, and carrying a bucket of cleaning supplies! But Anthony Delano was suddenly there beside her, all potent temptation and determined to sweep the lady off her nearly bare feet. He made no secret of wanting to possess her, to conquer her heart as completely as he’d insisted on making over her life. But Tracy wasn’t looking to settle down yet; for her, the game had just begun. In this love match between two strong wills, could only surrender mean victory? Flyleaf: Before Tracy could catch her breath, she found herself pulled into his lap. “Anthony Delano, this is indecent!” “Oh, let’s hope so,” he said pointedly. He pulled the pink sweatband from her forehead, sending a riot of blond curls tumbling about her shoulders. “There, that’s better,” he said with an appreciative gleam in his eyes. “You’re beautiful, Tracy,” he murmured huskily. “You’ve got the body of a poster queen, and the face of the girl next door. I love those huge, innocent blue eyes, that perky, upturned nose, that full, kissable mouth. Now you must know I believe in complete honesty &151; “Uh-oh, here it comes.” Slowly he drew a monogrammed handkerchief from his pocket. “Is it so awful you’re expecting me to cry?” He laughed. “Tracy, I think you’re adorable but—” “But?” “I refuse to kiss a woman with a smudge on her nose, no matter how delectable that nose may be.” He leaned over and gently wiped the grime from the tip of her nose. “You know, you might scrup up pretty good.” “Why, you—” Tracy’s mouth was perfectly poised for a kiss, and Anthony took advantage of the situation, capturing her lips with his own. With a soft moan of surprise and pleasure, she surrendered. About the author: Eugenia Riley: I’m a preacher’s kid, the third of four children, and I was born in the small oil town of Luling, Texas. I recently revisited the area with my father, and got to see again the weatherbeaten house which, some thirty odd years ago, had been my first home. There’s a towering pine tree there, and my father told me they’d planted it the year I was born. I looked at the tree and thought, “Gee, I’m that old?” We moved around a lot during my youth and adolescence. Our existence was fairly isolated, and thanks to gifted parents I discovered both books and music at an early age. During my teenage years I spent virtually every free moment either writing poetry or practicing the piano. I always loved composers whose music was full of passion — Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky. I met my future husband while in college. He was a helicopter pilot, just back from Vietnam, and he told me that soon after he met me, the nightmares resulting from his war experiences disappeared. That, I decided was grounds for marriage! We married soon after my graduation and have been together for fifteen happy years now. Our two daughters are approaching their teens. They keep life interesting! Although by the time my girls were in school a number of my poems had been published, fiction was something which eluded me until recently. To my chagrin, I never could seem to write a workable short story. It finally occurred to me that, while I could not make a statement in 5,000 words, I could in 50,000, or more. I’m verbose, I guess. I also love to tell stories, and I seem to compose in spaghetti-bowl style, rather than in single servings. My first novel was set in the 1840s in my native Texas. I remember driving all the way to Washington-on-the-Brazos on a Monday to begin researching my historical romance, only to discover that the museum there was closed. I had to ask myself ruefully, “You’re planning to write a novel, and you don’t even know what days the blasted museum is open?” Somehow I managed not only to write that first novel, but also to see it published. My highest praise on that work came from several readers who told me they cried when they reached the book’s climax. No greater compliment can ever be paid me. People need to feel; it’s a major reason I write, and a major reason I read. Being a published author has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my entire life. It is also quite humbling. Communicating with another human being in this intimate fashion is quite a responsibility. I hope I will never take it lightly. I try to throw myself into everything I write, and I try to fill my writing with the emotional intensity that is in the music I love.]
Rimmer, Christine. Cinderella’s Big Sky Groom. New York: Silhouette Books, 1999.
[In the Montana Mavericks Series. Backcover: Wedding bells in Whitehorn? Ross Garrison was everything Lynn Taylor ever dreamed of in a prince. And in one fairy-tale night, she gave him her innocence — and her heart. Now everyone was talking about how the prim schoolteacher had turned up in the sexy lawyer’s bed, until Ross gave the townsfolk something to really talk about and claimed Lynn as his bride-to-be! Lynn knew Ross was only trying to protect her honor. After all, this confirmed bachelor was about as far from marriage as a man could be. Unless, of course, he fell in love. Flyleaf: Montana Mavericks: Return to Whitehorn, the home of bold men and daring women, a place where rich tales of passion and adventure are unfolding under the Big Sky. Seems this charming little town has some mighty big secrets. And everybody’s talking about Jennifer McCallum: Whitehorn’s little darling has started kindergarten, just like every five-year-old. Except Jennifer isn’t just any school-age tot, she’s an heiress with a trust fund that might prove tempting to folks with bad intentions. Ross Garrison: As a lawyer, he’s got to protect little Jennifer’s interests. But as a man, Ross knows getting close to the girl’s sweet teacher could lead to consequences a confirmed bachelor isn’t ready for! Lynn Taylor: It isn’t everyday a plain Jane like Lynn is swept off her feet by a prince. Now the rumors are flying that prim Miss Lynn is about to compromise her virtue to a certain irresistible lawyer.]
Ritchie, Anne Isabella (née Thackeray, 1837-1919). Cinderella. Boston: Loring, 1867. Included in Five Old Friends and Young Prince. London: Smith, Elder, 1868; rpt. in Victorian Fairy Tales. Ed. Jack Zipes. Pp. 101-126.
[The story is inaugurated from the neighbors’ point of view. They have known Colonel Ashford for many years, knew his first wife and the widow Lydia Garnier and her two daughters, too. They tell how the Colonel and Lydia had been fond of each other in their youth, before they had each married others, and how suitable they would be for each other as fate took their spouses from them. The Colonel is now a wealthy member of Parliament. His daughter Ella cares for him, loves her books, loves keeping the house in order, and makes him very proud. She is the one who inspired him to run for Parliament. When Mrs. Garnier becomes Mrs. Ashford and moves in she feels that Ella is old beyond her years and should enjoy childhood as a child. She takes her books from her lest she grow up too fast, removes her mother’s jewelry (and never returns it), and advances her own daughters as adolescents, ready to come out in the world. She is, moreover, increasingly jealous of Ella’s hold on her father’s affections, and does what she can to put distance between them. They go to London to stay in Lady Jane’s apartment. They would leave Ella behind but the father reads Ella’s desire to go along in her eyes and insists that she come too. In London Mrs. Ashford would cloister Ella with the maid, since going out is unfitting for so young a girl. But Lady Jane arrives unexpectedly, dresses Ella in fine clothes, and takes her with her to the soiree. Lady Jane’s outriders are workhouse boys–starved as churchmice when Lady Jane first employed them, but fattened up now and ready for situations. Her coachman is named Raton, a man with a red face and wig, who likes to be home by midnight. At the soiree Charles Richardson falls instantly for Ella and does all he can to avoid the Ashford girls, Lisette and Julia, who have come to the soiree purposefully to snare him. Next day Mrs. Ashford and her daughters are quite huffy at not having seen much of Richardson, especially since Lisette is certain he loves her, though he does not show it. They are amazed that Lady Jane has shown up and that she took Ella to the soiree, though they did not see her. There is to be a ball at the Palace next night. Richardson has invited Ella to join him, though she says nothing of that to Mrs. Ashford. She asks if she might attend, but Mrs. Ashford won’t hear of it. Lady Jane overhears, however, and goes out herself and gets a fabulous white dress and satin slippers, along with lovely antique buckles for Ella. After the others leave she takes Ella to the ball herself. This time Mrs. Ashford and her daughters do see Ella and almost risk making a scene with Lady Jane for ignoring orders, but none dare say a thing, at least not until the season is over. Richardson dances with no one but Ella, learns her name but not who she is. Lady Jane leaves at midnight, telling Ella to come with her or go home with the Ashfords. Richardson insists that she stay. She speaks with Mrs. Ashford, who won’t hear of her coming home with them — their carriage is full! Ella rushes out trying to catch Lady Jane but the carriage has gone. A cab offers to take Ella to Onslow Square, and as she gets in she loses one of the buckles. Richardson hears her giving the cab driver the address and figures out who she is. Next day he comes to the apartment bearing the lost buckle. He asks to meet with Colonel Ashford and obtains consent for what he wants — Ella’s hand in marriage. Ella is so happy that even Lisette and Julia relent. All give them their blessing. The author of this story, Anna Isabella Ritchie, was William Makepeace Thackeray’s daughter, and revised several tales, including Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, and Riquet à la Houppe to comment on proper Victorian manners. She wrote the introduction for The Fairy Tales of Madame D’Aulnoy (1895).]
Savage, Felicity. “Ash Minette,” Fantasy & Science Fiction. 86, no. 5, Whole No. 516 (May 1994), 49-65.
[After the death of their mother, then a few years later the death of their alcoholic father, the three daughters attempt to survive in the slums of Riverbank, Minette, the eldest, working as seamstress for Madame Carolla, Libby, the middle girl, as a prostitute, and Ella, the beautiful youngest child, under the protection of her older sisters. The Baron of Helmany has a ball to which the sisters are invited. Ella is left at home for her own protection. The “fairy godmother” is a degenerate great lady who seeks out beautiful girls whom she sponsors in society. All three of the daughters yearn for wealth, comfort, and love. All are ruined by the degenerate class structures. Savage follows the Grimm story as Libby mutilates Minette’s feet in hope of tricking the Baron into marrying her. But the Duchess sees through the pathetic ruse, and Minette is cast out, uglier than ever, unable to walk or accept her condition, as naïve and lovely Ella “succeeds.”]
Schimel, Lawrence. “Ladyslipper.” Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine (Issue #22) 6 (Winter 1994), 41.
[The Faery Godmother goes to Venice to get Cinderella her Carnival outfit–a small pink bird mask and glass slippers. As Cinderella flees the ball at midnight one of her slippers catches in the roots of a tree. “Because the slipper had traveled through Faerie and been infused with magic it began to transform. The heel took root and began to grow, lifting the body of the slipper into the air. The toe of the slipper split, and the sides peeled away into petals. And a new orchid was born.” This is the story heard from the Ladyslipper herself, which you can hear too, if you listen carefully and don’t block the sun.]
Schroeder, Alan. Smoky Mountain Rose. New York: Bantam Books, 1993.
[For a plot summary, see Schroeder’s adaptation of the book in 1997, illustrated by Brad Sneed, as a Dial Book for Young Readers, under Illustrated Children’s Books - Perrault.]
Selter, Edith. Cinderella At Home. Franklin, Ohio: Eldridge Entertainment House, 1930.
Seymour, Mrs. Arthur T. A Camp Fire Cinderella. Boston: W.H. Baker, 1918.
Sharpe, Bettie. Ember. N.p.: n.p., 2011. Kindle edition.
[This version, available in e-book format and at http://www.bettiesharpe.com, combines witchcraft, eroticism, and Cinderella by exploring how Prince Charming’s personality may become a problem. When a witch curses, the prince, Adrian Juste, to charm everyone around him, he grows up to be vain and spoiled since everyone willing does whatever he asks, whether that is to stop a war or enter his bed. When Ember becomes a witch to avoid the compulsion, she begins to become the one person Adrian wants, for she rejects him. Sharpe also transforms the classic fairy tale with former prostitutes playing stepmother and stepsisters and highlights strong bonds between women as the only evils are poverty and compulsion, with the bonds of family, whether by birth or by marriage highlighted throughout. Ember creates the persona of a Cindergirl to avoid Adrian initially and to allow the commoners to overlook that a prince married a witch. The novella explores themes of obedience, freedom, and loyalty though it is best suited for adult audiences.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Shaw, Simon. Killer Cinderella. London: Victor Gollancz, 1990.
[Killer Cinderella is a husband in drag, who manages to work himself back into a life after abuse and scorn from about everyone he knew — his superiors at the bank, his so-called friends, and, especially, his scornful wife. In fact, Mark Harvey detests his wife Madeleine, who flaunts her affair as part of her scorn of poor Mark. He accidentally kills her and rather than go to the police he hides her body in a swimming pool under construction next door at the house of a new neighbor, Reg Talbot, who neither of them have met. The body gets buried next day under newly poured concrete. But Talbot, a car dealer, had Maddie for dinner. So Mark cross-dresses and goes in her place. The only real problem he has is with the size of his big feet. But he covers that well and the flirtation leads toward romancing that calls upon his greatest ingenuity as he attempts to encourage but at the same time ward off the affair. Meanwhile he discovers that he likes being Medeleine, and has a real flair for playing the femme fatale. But he runs into trouble with one of Maddie’s feminist friends, who misses her, and Maddie’s disappointed lover, who misses her too. They figure that Mark must have done something with his wife, and begin an investigation of her whereabouts. Mark manages to get rid of the lover in a Civil War Re-enactment Society where another accident takes care of the “investigation” for him. The police and the press continue their own investigation, however, goaded on by the feminist. Maddie’s disappearance becomes newsworthy. Mark finds support from a newsman who helps him escape even as Maddie’s shoes are being called into the investigation. Mark uses his former employment at the bank as a means of robbing the bank, disguised once again as a woman, only to bump into Reg Talbot, who thinks that he has at last found Maddie again. Talbot is forced into the boot of a car at gun point and Mark makes his get away. Talbot is found in the abandoned car, his pool is excavated, and the real Maddie’s body is found. Talbot is accused of the murder, and the newspaperman gets fame for solving the mystery. Mark moves to Brazil where he lives in luxury as a wealthy, eccentric woman.]
Shore, Jane. The Cinderella Game. An Avalon Career Romance. New York: Avalon, 1990.
[Dust jacket: Sandy Childs would not consider herself a Cinderella, but her life is no glamorous fairy tale, either. Overworked and underpaid, Sandy spends her days picking out fabrics for cranky customers; she pins all her hopes on the day she can afford art school. Wnen Prince Charming comes to call, Sandy almost doesn’t recognize him. Jason Grant dresses like a hobo, and he rides the bus rather than a fine white steed. He certainly is handsome, though, and so lovable that Sandy can’t resist him for long. Soon her life does begin to resemble a fairy tale. Jason gets her an apprenticeship at the Brae-Mill clothing factory, introducing her to the exciting world of fashion design. When he asks her to help him with Brae-Mill’s amateur theater production, Sandy is glad to pitch in. As opening night approaches, it seems Sandy and Jason are on the way to their own happy ending. And then, in steps a real-life wicked witch who threatens to ruin Jason’s play — and Sandy’s chance to live happily ever after … .]
Sinclair, Tracy. The Princess Gets Engaged. New York: Silhouette Books, 1997.
[Backcover: If fairy tales could come true … She was a dead ringer for the runaway princess. So American tourist Megan Delaney was hired to impersonate the missing monarch — at her arranged engagement to the real prince! Riches galore would be Megan’s during the royal masquerade. As would the constant company of Earth’s most romantic would-be groom: Prince Nicholas de Valmontine. Regal, handsome, yet reluctant to wed without love, Nick enchanted tender-hearted Megan — and she selflessly wanted him to savor a storybook marriage when his true bride returned. So she wooed Nick — and won him — preparing to sacrifice all, but wishing her own fairy tale would end happily ever after … with Nicholas as her husband. Flyleaf:Rules for Proper Princess Impersonation. 1) When approached by a perfect stranger offering you the opportunity to live in a castle and act like a princess, be sure your best friend can accompany you, so you don’t have to sit through all those state dinners alone. 2) Remember, Prince Charmings don’t marry commoners. Agree to stand in for the princess during her engagement to the prince-next-door only if you’re guaranteed not to fall in love with him. 3) Don’t be kind, considerate, and gentle if the princess you’re impersonating is known to be none of these things. It will make your intended think that he’s getting the woman of his dreams. 4) When your prince discovers that you’re not the princess he thought you were, make sure he realizes that you are the princess he wants! Conclusion: We learn that the real princess did not want to marry the prince, nor he her. Thus she disappeared. But when she learns that he is, in fact, planning to marry the look alike, she returns like a stepsister, and the King and Queen object to Nick’s plans. But the mother is won over and the wedding proceeds. When Megan was close enough to see Nick’s face clearly, her doubts vanished. In a confident voice she said, “I do.” At the end of the ceremony Nick took her in his arms and kissed her tenderly. That was when Megan realized this wasn’t the end of the fairy tale — it was the beginning (p. 249).]
Slipper and the Rose, The. London: Namara Publications: Quartet Books, 1976.
[A novel made from the movie.] See the annotation for the film under Movies and Television .
Smallwood, Joseph Roberts. The New Newfoundland. New York: Macmillan, 1931.
Smiley, Jane. A Thousand Acres. New York: Fawcett Columbine Book, published by Ballantine Books, 1991.
[Ginny and her two older sisters grow up on their father’s farm in the midwest. In the midst of the 1970’s farm crunch her father decides to divide the farm between the three daughters. The decision ultimately brings to light a host of family issues, including child abuse, that Ginny has held locked away since childhood. Owning up to the past does not come easily to a family which does not talk about such matters and always presents itself well.]
Smith, Jane. Play It Again Cinderella. Calgary: Career Dynamics, 1993.
Snell, Ted. Cinderella on the Beach. Nedlands, W.A.: University of WA Press, 1991.
Snyder, Midori. Tattercoats. In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1994. Pp. 173-202.
[The story combines motifs of Tattercoats , Donkey Skin , and Allerleirauh . Lilian, daughter of the Queen, has been married to Edward for seven years. They have a daughter Rose and son Arthur. Their lives have been contented and productive. But their bed has become indifferent. Lilian remembers how her mother on the night before Lilian’s wedding came to her and spoke of her own life brought to fruition by gifts in three walnut shells. One contained three gowns; one a gold thimble, a spindle, and a ring; and the third a strange coat made of the skins of many animals. She tells her daughter that “marriage begins as a clear broth, then thickens into a roux.” The next day Lilian seest Edward eyeing a servant girl, so she decides to seduce him. At a grand feast celebrating midsummer night, she appears in a gown that shines like the sun. All are amazed at her beauty, including Edward. But as the evening progresses she sees him looking at the servant girl as he once looked at her. Edward goes away to the horse fair for a couple of days. Lilian puts on the fur gown and is amazed at how exotic it makes her feel. She slips out at night and goes to a bridge where she awaits Edward’s return. As he passes over she confronts him, the coat open and her naked body gleaming. She says her name is Tattercoats and seduces him. As he sleeps on the bank beneath the bridge, she places in his hand the golden thimble, then returns to the great house. Next day he seems more friendly and appreciative of Lilian. A few days later there is a feast for the King and Queen. Lilian appears in a gown as radiant as the moon and all are amazed. The Queen smiles knowingly. As the evening ends, Edward insists on accompanying the royal coach to the bridge. Lilian puts on the skin a second time and hastens to the bridge where she finds Edward waiting. After their love making Edward sleeps and Lilian places the spindle in his hand. She hastens back home with mud on her and smelling of grasses. A few days later she takes her daughter into the garden and gathers herbs good for seasoning a roux. At dinner she wears the gown as bright as all the stars. Edward is amazed at how tasty an otherwise plain soup might be. Rose explains the herbs. That evening Edward says he must go out to catch the hare. Lilian hastens to meet him in her disguise. This time she leaves a ring in his hand. At harvest feast Edward surprises her by taking the ring from his pocket and giving it to her. It fits as if it were made for her. That evening Edward says that he must go out to look after a recalcitrant bull he has bought. Lilian looks for the tattercoat but it is gone. In a panic she goes to the bridge, planning to explain everything. There she meets a strange man in the tattercoat. She recognizes him as Edward who tells her he has known from the moment he touched her body who she was. They acknowledge each other’s deceits and meet again under the bridge.]
South, Sheri Cobb. The Cinderella Game. New York: Bantam, 1993.
[Backcover: All that glitters … . When Wendy Miller lands a summer job as a seamstress for America’s Teen Beauty Pageant she is thrilled. Then handsom Spencer Fife mistakes her for one of the contestants and sweeps her off her feet. Though Wendy wants to tell him the truth, she can’t resist playing the part of Florida’s Teen Beauty. Will Wendy reveal her Cinderella identity and risk losing her Prince Charming? Flyleaf: Spencer drew me close, taking both my hands in his. “Thank you for dinner,” I told him, gazing up into his bright blue eyes. “Everything was just perfect.” “No, not quite,” he said. “There’s still one thing missing.” “What?” For an answer, Spencer bent his head and kissed me gently on the lips. “That,” he murmured. Hearing no argument from me he kissed me again, more thoroughly this time. For a moment, it was just like a dream. Then reality reared its ugly head as Spencer whispered into my ear, “You’re really a special girl, Clarissa.” He might as well have thrown a bucket of cold water in my face. It was terrible to hear myself called by someone else’s name at such a romantic moment. Conclusion:As we laughed and kissed a second time, I decided that being plain old Wendy was just fine with me. I wouldn’t trade places with any other girl in the world?]
Spain, Nancy (1917-1964). Cinderella Goes to the Morgue. UK: Black Dagger, 1991.
Spooner, Cecil. My Irish Cinderella. New York: Longmans, Green and Company, 1930.
Stoutenberg, Adrien. Good-bye to Cinderella. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960.
Stuart, Alex. A Cruise for Cinderella. Toronto: Mills and Boon Ltd., 1956; rpt. in the Harlequin Classic Library, Toronto: Harlequin, 1962, with several reissues in several countries.
[Backcover: “You’re not his kind of girl!” A gloriously romantic Mediterranean cruise, and a new wardrobe! It seemed like a dream come true to Janie. And so was her dream of Prince Charming. Paul Cortes, the handsome, famous Spanish bullfighter, seemed to be falling in love with her. But David McNab insisted that the dream was impossible. “Like calls to like, Janie,” he said. “And you’re not like him — you’re like me!” Could David possibly be right? Flyleaf: “I suppose you think you’re in love?” David’s eyes held affectionate mockery as he asked the question. Janie drew a deep unhappy breath. “I didn’t say so —” “You didn’t have to,” David said. “It sticks out a mile. We know each other too well, Janie.” He was suddenly grave. “Paul’s not your kind, Janie, and loving him will only hurt you.” “What is — my kind?” Janie asked faintly. David’s hand found hers, the palm hard, callused and very strong. “I’m your kind,” he said, “just as you’re mine. My kind of girl, Janie, and you know it, really, deep down inside you. Like calls to like, and always will.” There was a tense little silence and then David asked, “Well, Janie, shall I go?”]
Stuart, Anne. Cinderman. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1994.
[Suzanna Molloy trails a top-secret scientist, Dr. Daniel Crompton, who experiences a chemical fusion lab accident that leaves him invisible, but with mysterious strengths. With his newfound power of invisibility he keeps catching and kissing Suzanna unawares. His gaze becomes so powerful that it can reduce objects–and Suzanna’s resistance–to cinders. In him she discovers her fantasy man, her prince, and the only way to keep him is to keep him alive.]
Stiles, Norman, “Another Cinderella.” In Free to be a Family, by Marlo Thomas. Pp. 25-3l.
[Cinderella learns to do book reports and things like that before going to the ball; and she doesn’t go to the ball to get married, but to “become a person, stuff like that.”]
Straub, Peter. “Ashputtle.” In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1994. Pp. 281-305.
[Told by an overweight, middle-aged schizophrenic kindergarten teacher named Mrs. Asche who is unkindly referred to as Mrs. Fat Asche. She relates efforts to control her classroom, deal with parents who worry about the disappearance of their daughter, and solicitous administrators, but most of all with her own psyche as she ponders the yellow wallpaper, her yellowing body, and her lost past. Her deceased mother sits like a stone on her heart. She attempts to buy new wallpaper but is shown the very yellow paper her mother had decorated her room with and vomits convulsively. She buys the paper for reasons she cannot understand. In her reflections she remembers her mother’s death, her father remarrying a beautiful women, the unkind stepsisters, and an experience in which she defecates a long log on the white rug of her room, smears herself, the walls, and the carpet all over with it, and then wanders into nowhere. She thinks of a lost child deep within ashes, her hands and feet mutilated, her face destroyed by fire, an irreplaceable child. Deep in the muddy grave the mother feels the tears of the lost daughter and a dove consoles her by singing “All will pass.” She submits her resignation to the principal so that she may move on. He accepts it and promises a letter of recommendation next day. He keeps his promise, reassuring her that she has done a wonderful job dealing with the girl’s disappearance. She replies, “My decisions make themselves … . All will pass. All will change. I am a serene person.” She pities him, almost certain that he will be forced out of his job next year.]
Strohmeyer, Sarah. The Cinderella Pact. New York: Dutton, 2006.
[Nola Devlin lives in Princeton, NJ, and works for Sass!, a New York “celebrity magazine with an edge,” where she is “a far too undervalued editor” (p.2). When her in-house boss, Lori DiGrigio, discriminates against her and fails even to read closely her application to write a moral advice column, Nola creates Belinda Apple, a chic, gorgeous, witty, and thin British sophisticate who is pursued by Nigel Barnes, Sass!’s other high-profile columnist. All readers yearn to be like Belinda, but no one knows exactly who she is. Nola and her two closest friends, Nancy and Deb, customarily have lunch together the first Monday of each month . All three are considerably overweight, and when they are denied their window table on Nassau Street, most likely because the new ownership would save that table for attractive thin people who might draw in customers, they form a “Cinderella Pact” to lose weight. This sets up Strothmeyer’s amusing satire on diets, weight-loss programs, exercize gurus, and long-established family habits of eating plenty of starchy food at family gatherings. As Belinda’s popularity grows, more and more people wonder who she is, and David Stanton, the over-eighty self-assured moralist and owner of Sass!, leads a campaign headed-up by Lori to find out who Belinda is, and it seems that Nola’s double identity is beginning to catch up with her. Her skinny younger sister Eileen wants to marry Jim, who runs the Valley Fitness Gym and is always preaching at Nola to lose weight his way. But Eileen’s family think that in an orderly world the older daughter should marry first, fearing that few choose fat women to be their bride. Eileen can’t talk with Nola about her problem, so she writes to Belinda, who suggests that perhaps Nola does not wish to marry nor to be Eileen’s bridesmaid. Talk to her, Belinda advises, but that’s too taboo a subject to talk about or even for her parents to talk about. So Eileen and her parents keep their worries secret, except from Belinda.
In this story it seems that everyone has a hidden identity and yearns to be transformed into someone else. Deb has her stomach stapled to lose weight fast. She discovers she can’t stand her husband, who is unsympathetic to her rapid weight loss, so she gets caught up in other secret (then not-so-secret) love relationships. She’s a different person in her slim body, though confused about what she wants to be. That marriage ends in divorce and hatred. Nancy’s husband also objects to her new weight “program,” which totally preoccupies her, and she resents him in return, concluding that the only reason she married him was because she was too fat to get anyone else. They ultimately come to a reconciliation. Meanwhile, Nola seems to be getting nowhere with her efforts. She drops 20 pounds, then, tormented by some turn of events, gains it all back it seems instantly. Her car catches on fire, and she is helped by a tall handsome young man that she really likes and concludes that he is so capable with machines and dealing with fires or whatever that he must be Chip, who works in maintenance. They seem to be striking up a good relationship, but he disappears in the fall. It turns out that he is David Stanton Jr., heir to Sass!, who has already begun to figure out that Belinda is really Nola, especially when Belinda mysteriously disappears when they are trying to interview her in London and Nola, her copy-editor, has to write the column for her, which she does better even than the mysterious Belinda. Eventually Nola does get to the ball, disguised as Belinda and accompanied by Nigel Barnes (who is gay); only a couple of people recognize her. In the end the false identities are all dropped, Eileen gets married to Jim, Nola pays for a fabulous honeymoon, she and David finally get together after he has been writing to Belinda to convince her that he loves Nola. Even the catholic priest stops giving befuddled advice. The book is quite brilliant in its dialogue, witty allusions to the power and products of the fashion industry and the ways in which people manipulate themselves and each other to maintain illusions. The book begins with Nola’s observation: “We are all Cinderellas, no matter what our size. This is what I, Nola Devlin, fervently believe! I believe that within everyone of us is a woman of undiscovered beauty, a woman who is charming and talented and light of heart. I believe that all we need is a fairy godmother to dust us off and bring out our potential and, while she’s at it, turns the rats in our lives into coachmen” (p.1). The ensuing tale demonstrates the wisdom of Nola’s belief, even though she has to be her own godmother. The book’s Forward, “The Fabulous Belinda Apple’s Guide to Indulging Your Inner Cinderella,” consists of ten tongue-in-cheek guidelines to which the mores of our everyday wish-life commonly ascribe and which the story plays out in amusingly transformative ways. The novel has inspired the film Lying to be Perfect .
Tempest, Jan. Cinderella Had Two Sisters. Lindford Romance Library. London: Mills and Boon Ltd., 1963; rpt. in large print edition, Anstey, Leicestershire: F. A. Thorpe, 1985.
[Esmeralda and Jacobina have a younger sister Cindy. Alda is plain, but a musician with good taste. Jac is fat, placid, and quite insecure. But Cindy is pretty, blonde, blue-eyed, and popular. Their father is dead. The mother spends most of her time playing bridge, talking down the two older girls, and doting on Cindy. At a school pantomime of Cinderella, Cindy gets the lead and the two sisters are cast as the uglies. The casting, unfortunately, sticks, to Alda and Jac’s chagrin, as Cindy is praised at their expense. Alda is, in truth, the real Cinderella of the story. Besides being the focal point of the narrative, she does the kitchen work and generally looks after the others. She falls in love with Kel, a shy musician who does not see well, but who is substituting for Tom Torans as pianist in a trio. Cindy’s godmother sends cousin Evelyn to visit the sisters and to get some rest. He has acquired fame as a TV celebrity–Peerless Percy, a standup comic. He quickly decides to marry Alda because she is caring and can cook. He assumes that, his being so fine a catch, she will surely accept his proposal. Kel hears about the proposal and is secretly crushed, though he is too shy to make his love known to Alda, even though she helps him perform at the piano when his eyesight fails. Kel’s dog Beetle falls over a cliff. Kel almost falls over too, but Alda saves him, leads him down the precipice, saves him again when he slips, rescues Beetle from a rising tide, and then guides them all back safely to the top. In the process Kel finds out that Alda is not engaged to Evelyn and that she in fact loves him. It turns out that Kel is really Kelvin Kervan, the oldest son of the Kerven’s Kandies family, who was cast out by his father when he refused to enter into his father’s business but became an orchestra conductor instead. Though he had a most promising start as conductor of a neighboring orchestra, because of a head injury he lost his job and has been working incognito as an itinerate pianist. Mr. Bures, the conductor of the local civic orchestra and a friend of Alda’s father, has always admired Alda’s piano playing and hopes that she might perform with the orchestra before he retires. She tells him of Kelvin, who might become his replacement. He knows of Kelvin’s fine work and has wondered what had happened to him. Kel finally gets up his courage to speak of love to Alda, though he does so by sending her roses under the name of Beetle and uses a letter from his mother in which she mentions how glad she is that Alda is Kelvin’s fiance. Alda figures out that that is tantamount to a proposal, accepts, agrees to help him learn the orchestra music until he regains his health. She also agrees to appear as soloist with the orchestra. It thus seems that they have rescued each other. Evelyn will simply have to find someone else to cook — namely Jac. Cindy loves lots of men and seems destined to continue to do so.]
Templeton, Karen. Honky-Tonk Cinderella. A How to Marry a Monarch Book in the Silhouette Series. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001.
[Backcover: Truck-stop waitress Luanne Evans had known the customer who wound up in her trailer one night was not exactly one of the local boys. As to who he was, she didn’t care. For when he was gone, she would have nothing but memories. Or so she thought … . Prince Aleksander Vlastos had run out on Luanne eleven years ago, and he’d lived with regret ever since. But regret wasn’t the only thing he’d left behind. There was a ten-year-old child — the heir to Alek’s throne. Luanne had had him for ten years, and now it was his turn. She owed him. And he’d come to collect … . Sometimes, when you least expect it, fairy tales come true.]
Terribly Twisted Tales. Ed. Jean Rabe and Martin H. Greenberg. New York: Daw Books, 2009.
[A collection of fairy tale revisions. Stories in this compilation include “Waifs,” My Great-Great-Grandma Golda Lockes,” “Once They Were Seven,” “Capricious Animisitic Tempter,” “A Charming Murder (The Cinderella variant—See Eklund ),” “Jack and the Genetic Beanstalk,” “What’s in a Name?,” “No Good Deed,” “The Red Path,” “Lost Child,” “Rapunzel Strikes Back,” “Revenge of the Little Match Girl,” “Clockwork Heart,” “The Hundred-Year Gap,” “Five Goats and a Troll,” “Something about Mattresses,” “Three Wishes,” and The Adventure of the Red Riding Hoods.”] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Thomas, Jane Resh. The Princess in the Pigpen. New York: Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin, 1989.
Thomas, Joyce Carol. When the Nightingale Sings. New York: Harper-Collins, 1992.
[For synopsis see African, African American, Caribbean, and Creole Cinderellas .]
Thornton, Susan. “The Have-A-Heart Trap.” In The Best of Puerto Del Sol 1988. The 25th anniversary collection, published by the English Department, University of New Mexico.
[Draws upon Baba Yaga stories with slums of the inner city becoming terrifying woods for a white, male suburban child.]
Tillett, Iris. The Cinderella Army. UK: I. Tillett, 1988.
Tobias, Jay. Cinderella Rose. Boston: W.H. Baker and Company, 1932.
Tori, Barbara. The Cinderella Factor. New York: Avon, 1972.
[Fifty beautiful, experienced, liberated women from professions as diverse as banker, lawyer, race driver, top model, top designer, exotic dancer–even a gorgeous woman with a club foot–gather at the chic Baylor Hotel, site of a beauty contest sponsored by Princess Incorporated, the top cosmetics firm which is looking for the ideal model. An unknown reporter from Dare magazine haunts the scene, along with Frank Quinn, ex-cop now Baylor Security Chief, who keeps the girls safe in their gilded cages and wows them with his tough sexiness–“I’m not a realist. I’m a romantic with the heart ripped out of him.” The story plays up Cinderella analogues as the girls, from the independently wealthy to the financially destitute, tell their stories and aspire to be chosen princess at the cosmetics ball; as familiarity progresses it then shifts to a Beauty and the Beast story through the rough appeal of Quinn, whose beastliness and sexual mystique triumphs as something beautiful while the women retreat from their worldly wise successes into a girlish adolescence, yearning for cute transformations into their Cinderella’s stories. Tough and ready, Quinn becomes prince as he chooses the winner, and all settle into a tidy family in miniature, nestled into the employ of the Baylor, where the cosmetic scenes behind stage become even more exciting than the Pageant itself. The “Cinderella Factor” is that configuration of qualities that make for a winner.]
Turgeon, Carolyn. Godmother: The Secret Cinderella. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2009.
[Turgeon creates an unusual narrative by blending two worlds centered on the life of Lillian, an old woman living in New York City and a former fairy banished from the fairy world. The narrative moves back and forth between Lillian’s time as a fairy before her banishment and her daily experiences as an old woman facing eviction, living on little money, and dealing with her bleak existence. The fairy Lillian made a horrific mistake by failing to get Cinderella to Prince Theodore’s ball. Initially, the fairy becomes too obsessed with Cinderella’s dreams of a man and soon develops feelings for the Prince herself. She also fails to notice the extent of Cinderella’s despair and the abuse she endured at the hands of her stepfamily and other servants. On the night of the ball, Cinderella reveals that she does not long for a husband; she seeks death as a way to rejoin her mother rather than staying in a life of debasement, abuse, and rape. The fairy ignores her statements and leaves her alone briefly while she dances with the Prince; she returns to find that Cinderella has committed suicide by slashing her wrists with shards of the glass slippers. The elders immediately banish the fairy, and, over time, she learns to adjust to her new body and manages to hide her wings and the continual feathers they shed. Finally, as she goes about her daily routine working at a bookstore and is threatened by imminent eviction from her apartment, she begins to see signs from the fairy world, particularly evidence of her sister Maybeth suggesting that she can return home. She then sees an upcoming society event as a way to set her employer, George, up with Veronica, a hair dresser she meets in the bookstore, as a way to atone for her past actions. The day after the ball, Veronica realizes that Lillian is about to be evicted but also reads news paper clippings discussing the rape and suicide of her sister while Lillian was at a dance. Lillian rejects what Veronica says, claiming everything has been restored now that Veronica and George are beginning a relationship; she reveals she is a fairy godmother, and leaves. She then jumps off a pier into a river below as she sees her sister, Maybeth, and her fairy friends beckoning to her from a portal to their world. Readers are left to decide whether Lillian rejoins the fairy world or jumps to her death.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Tydeman, Richard. Red Hot Cinders. London: Evans Brothers, 1973.
Tyler, Anne. Morgan’s Passing. New York: Alfred Knopf, 1980.
[A study in constructed identities, improvisation, clutter, and the transitoriness of being. The tangled plot is perpetually moved onward amidst puppet shows of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast with people caught between fiction-making and their past. Morgan Gower, the title figure, is a cross between a costumed ghost and a fairy godmother to other people’s desires. The one constant is Cinderella’s perpetual, phoenix-like rising from her ashes with the illusion of a new start and freedom from all the oppressive clutter.]
Uys, David Sunley. Cinderella To Princess. Port Elizabeth: Mohair Board, 1988.
Viorst, Judith. “ … And Then the Prince Knelt Down and Tried to Put the Slipper on Cinderella’s Foot.” In Zipes, Don’t Bet on the Prince, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987.
Vitray, Laura. Fashion for Cinderella. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1960.
Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughter House Five: or The Children’s Crusade. A Duty-Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. A Fourth-Generation German-American Now Living in Easy Circumstances on Cape Cod [and Smoking Too Much]. Who, as an American Infantry Scout Hors de Combat, as a Prisoner of War, Witnessed the Fire-Bombing of Dresden, Germany, “The Florence of the Elbe,” a Long Time Ago, and Survived to Tell the Tale. This is a Novel Somewhat in the Telegraphic Schizophrenic Manner of Tales of the Planet Tralfamadore, Where the Flying Saucers Come from. Peace. New York: Delacourte Press, 1969.
[As a prisoner of war in Dresden, Billy Pilgrim arrives in the prison camp as a scarecrow with no boots. “At the far end of the shed, Billy saw pink arches with azure draperies hanging between them, and an enormous clock, and two golden thrones, and a bucket and a mop. It was in this setting that the evening’s entertainment would take place, a musical version of Cinderella, the most popular story ever told” (p. 96). Billy borrows the shoes which the British prisoners used in their Cinderella pantomime–airman’s boots painted silver–and “the boots fit perfectly. Billy Pilgrim was Cinderella, and Cinderella was Billy Pilgrim” (p. 145). As Billy works detail in the kitchen over the glowing stove the hem of his coat catches fire. But that is nothing compared to the fire-bombing of the city, which he survives–a chosen one from the ashes–in slaughter house five. See also Vonnegut’s introduction to Transformations , by Anne Sexton, under Modern Poetry , where he discusses Cinderella as the single most basic plot, the archetype underlying most of Western literature.]
Von Aschenbrenner, Gunhilt Barbara. Cinderella’s Children. Ocean Shores, Washington: Lollipop Books, 1986.
Walker, Kate. The Cinderella Trap. Toronto: Harlequin Books, January, 1989.
[Backcover: “He had hurt her once, now she’d get even. Clea Mallory was a successful London model when Matt Highland suddenly reappeared in her life - he would never recognize the chubby teenager he’d so cruelly insulted. Clea knew this was her chance to revenge her bitter memories, and so she set a trap for Matt using herself as the carefully masked bait. But Matt was not stopped by the false face Clea presented - he was determined to love the woman she really was inside.” The blurb explains the crux this way: “‘Is this rubbish really essential?’ Without waiting for her response, Matt headed toward the door with her elegant gray vanity case. ‘This is my property! I want to know what you’re going to do!’ she shouted as the door swung shut behind him. For a second she sat stunned, then ran from the house and halted in the yard, staring in horrified disbelief. Matt was throwing her precious cosmetics into the heart of a blazing bonfire. ‘Matt - no!’ she screamed, leaping at the fire. ‘Clea, don’t be a fool.’ Matt’s voice was harsh. ‘Don’t you realize that you don’t need any of this?’ Driven back by the heat, Clea could only stand and watch numbly. She felt as if a part of her, quite literally, had gone up in smoke.” But Clea has learned what a lonely boy Matt had been in his youth, how his mother had been obsessed with outside appearances. And so she relents of her plan to harm him: “Remember how you used to call me Cinderella? In a way that was true I was like Cinderella suddenly throwing off her rags and realising that in her ballgown she was beautiful. But I couldn’t see clearly, I thought it was just the clothes and the make-up, not me. You helped me see it all so differently” (p. 183).]
Walker, Wendy. “Ashiepattle.” In The Sea-Rabbit: Or, The Artist of Life. Los Angeles: Sun & Moon Press, 1988. Pp. 66-81.
[The old king, years after the marriage, recalling better the costume than the person of young Ashiepattle, remembers the ball nights, his searching for her, and the blissful kiss when he found her. That had been the last moment of untroubled happiness. Meanwhile, the old Queen works in the dovecote, and wonders about the freedom of birds amd clouds.]
Ward, Rebecca. Cinderella’s Stepmother. A Regency Romance. New York: Fawcett Crest, 1991. Copyright by Maureen Wartski.
[Backcover: Pitching her inexperienced young stepmother against a seasoned London rake spelled disaster! Nella had been thunderstruck when her late father married a lady three years younger than herself. But all doubt disappeared when Lady Angelica Linden and her two stepdaughters became fast friends. Since Sir Thomas Linden’s death, however, the Linden ladies had been largely ignored — except by his creditors. The solution was clear: one of them must find a rich husband. Although Lord Deering was wealthy and truly smitten with Angelica, Nella was certain the handsome peer would never offer for the beautiful — and penniless — beauty. Worse, her own attraction to Deering’s comrade, Major Harcourt, appeared just as hopeless. The military, it seemed, was his only love! Or was, until this lovely Cinderella and her fairy stepmother joined forces …. Flyleaf: “You are magnificent.” Nella did not know what to do. The major was looking at her in a way that made her feel decidedly odd. Something was happening to her, and she did not understand it. Her heart had begun to thump. She looked up at him uncertainly. No one, Harcourt thought confusedly, had the right to have a mouth like that. Warm and generous and soft, it invited — no, commanded kissing. Suddenly a scream shattered the silence. “What in God’s name was that?” the major exclaimed.]
Weaver, Ingrid. Cinderella’s Secret Agent. New York: Silhouette, 2001.
[An Intimate Moments Romance: A year of loving dangerously, where passion rules and nothing is what it seems. This book is a sequel in the lives of Del Rogers, strong and sensitive — with amber eyes and a seductive smile: SPEAR sharpshooter Del Rogers had learned the hard way that love and marriage were off-limits to a man like him. Still, playing white knight to the beautiful and desirable Maggie Rice was one off-duty assignment he couldn’t pass up. Maggie Rice: a blonde-haired, blue-eyed new mom who still believes in fairy-tale endings. Although the man of her dreams was awfully secretive, Maggie couldn’t resist the powerful allure of the gallant-and-gorgeous Del Rogers. Why, she had him pegged as a real-life Prince Charming! But this sweet-natured Cinderella was holding out for promises of forever. “Simon”: This menacing traitor seems to have more lives than a cat. Now he’s about to make his move. No matter who close SPEAR’s top agents get, “Simon” is always one step ahead of them. Now this diabolical archvillain is about to stage a full-frontal attack. Anyone who dares to stand in his way had better prepare for the fallout! Back cover: The Agent: Dashing sharpshooter Del Rogers. The Emergency Mission: Saving the day when pregnant waitress Maggie Rice need a helping hand — pronto! The Hidden Talent: Giving Sir Galahad a run for his money. Holed up on a stakeout, Del was determined to capture a dangerous traitor named Simon. After a history of heartbreak, falling in love did not factor into his undercover mission. But then he delivered Maggie’s baby and found the Cinderella of his dreams. Before he could assess the situation, Del had temporarily stepped into the role of Delilah’s doting father … and Maggie’s adoring husband! Dare this chivalrous secret agent indulge in fantasies of happily-ever-after?]
Webb, Kathleen. Cinderella’s Shoe Size. Harlequin American Romance #904, December. Toronto: Harlequin, 2001.
[Backcover: “When shoe saleswoman Cindy Rawlins lost an expensive shoe — a $500-a-pair shoe — she desperately placed an ad before her boss found out! And when wealthy businessman Parker Stevens showed up, requesting to buy the same pair of shoes, Cindy was immediately suspicious. It happened to be a coincidence, but Cindy couldn’t help but feel like Cinderella when way-out-of-her-league Parker suddenly invited her as his date to a high-society party. Intrigued to see how the rich lived, Cindy anxiously agreed. And when her gown didn’t turn into rags at midnight, Cindy couldn’t believe the evening wasn’t a dream. But could one man, who happened to know her shoe size, fill this reluctant fairy-tale princess with the belief that happy endings did happen?” The answer is, of course, yes. When Parker tries to find out what she does in her spare time she says she has no spare time: she works two jobs. “Hmm … that’s too bad,” he replies, “because I wanted to sweep you away, and make you my princess.” Eventually he does. At the end of the novel, when midnight strikes, Parker asks, “You’re not going to run off on me, are you? Barefoot and all?” “Not a chance,” Cindy said. “I have everything I need right here. For now and for always.” She paused to admire the wink of her diamond solitaire in the light. “My pumpkin and my Prince,” she concludes.]
Wells, Robin. Plain Jane Gets Her Man. New York: Silhouette Books, 1997.
[According to the back cover and blurb, “When Sarah looked in the mirror she saw a plain Jane. Sarah yearned for a husband and family, but how could she ever hope to attract the one man she dreamed of &151; Jake Masters? The hunky single dad would never look at her that way. One Transformation Coming Right Up! Or would he? What if she got a sassy new haircut? Dumped the thick glasses for contacts and wore a touch of makeup? a slinky dress? Hmm … maybe this Cinderella would finally get to go to the ball — and win her Prince Charming. Or maybe Sarah would discover that Jake liked the old Sarah just the way she was … .” “She hesitated, fear nibbling at the edge of her consciousness. She didn’t want to ruin this magical, wonderful spell Jake had woven, and certainly didn’t want to leave this incredible, starstrewn place he’d taken her. If she opened her eyes, it might all disappear. She wanted to cling to the fantasy a little longer. He’d made her feel like a swan. She didn’t want to look in the mirror and see an ugly duckling. ‘Open your eyes,’ he urged softly. ‘I want you to see how beautiful you are.’ Her heart raced and tripped, and the air in her lungs felt hot and heavy. Her breath came in short shallow puffs. Slowly, slowly she opened her eyes. He met her gaze in the mirror. ‘You’re beautiful,’ he whispered. And suddenly she felt it. For the first time in her life, she truly felt beautiful.”]
Wharton, Edith. Summer. 1917.
[The orphan Charity is kept by Mr. Royall who is both a substitute father and ultimately her mate, even after Charity’s abortive romance with a false prince conducted with silk slippers; Charity is both a Cinderella figure and a victimized stepsister, the shoe of the false prince’s fiance fitting Charity as mistress quite poorly. Fleeing her would-be seducer “step-father,” Charity travels to the mountain in search of her mother who is dead. Her plot combines both Aschenputtel and Allerleirauh motifs as she regains her strength through bonding with her dead mother, and is reconciled with the “step-father,” Mr. Royall, who proves to be a gentler prince than the man who took advantage of her. They marry at the end.]
Wilks, Eileen. Midnight Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 1999. Intimate Moments no. 921.
[Backcover: Lone-star Loner? Nathan Jones was the richest rancher around, but he was the outcast of Bitter Creek, Texas. Once his hometown’s Prince Charming, his love for the wrong woman had cost another man his life. Now a fallen hero, Nate swore no one would ever break through the impenetrable fortress he’d built around his heart. But Nate had never counted on the sweet beauty of Hannah McBride. What was it about his injured brother’s nurse that had Nate hungering for her healing touch? Even though her innocent heart was as transparent as a glass slipper, hadn’t Nate learned there was no such thing as a happily ever after? Flyleaf: The clock chimed midnight. Nate could almost hear the Fates laughing as he crossed the room. To think that he’d risked getting pulled over for speeding on his way into town. He’d been worried that the nurse waiting for him at the bus station might take a look around, get disgusted and leave on the next bus out. Bitter Creek, Texas, wasn’t much to look at in the daytime. At midnight, it looked like the back end of nowhere. There hadn’t been much point in hurrying, though, had there? She wasn’t going to stay anyway. Hannah McBride, the woman he’d hired on the basis of a phone interview and a friend’s hearty recommendation, was the sort of woman who belonged in the glossy pages of a magazine, not a dingy bus station, and certainly not at his ranch. She was everything Nate had ever wanted in a woman. Once.]
Williamson, Alice Muriel (1869-1933). My Lady Cinderella. London: George Routledge and Sons, 1900; rpt. New York: McClure, Phillips, and Company, 1906.
Wilson, David Henry. The Coachman Rat. New York: Carroll and Graf, 1989. Originally published in West Germany as Ashmadi, 1985.
[Robert, the rat transformed into the coachman of Cinderella (here called Amadea), traces events following Cinderella/Amadea’s marriage to the Prince of a nameless little kingdom beset by fierce political tensions. As the fateful midnight struck, Robert resumed his animal form but retained human reason and speech. Taken up as a curiosity–a talking rat–by local intellectuals and eventually caught up in a revolution manipulated by Devlin, his master, he regains human form at the public execution of the Prince and Amadea, as the Fairy Godmother reappears to escort their souls to heaven. Motivated by his love for Amadea and his horror at her cruel death (she is burned as a witch) he swears revenge and proceeds to gain Devlin’s confidence as the new autocrat consolidates his power. When the right time comes Robert secretly poisons all the dogs and cats in town and, with his magic recorder, raises a horde of rats to destroy Devlin and his army. But when the bubonic plague strikes and even good men perish, Robert acts as Pied Piper to lure his fellow rats to death in the river. The town is saved, but Robert flees in bitter despair, dying of plague and wishing he were a rat again. He tells his story to a sympathetic doctor who tends him in his last days. – David Nicholson]
Winthrop, W. Y. A 20th Century Cinderella, or $20,000 Reward. An Anglo-American Up-to-date Realistic Romance. New York: The Abbey Press, 1902.
[Dora, an orphan in the care of a London ecclesiastical family, runs away to Paris with a young American, Jim, where they are married and return, incognito to New York. Jim, it turns out, is a millionaire, trying to make it on his own. Dora is abducted by crooks, meets Jim’s father, who adores her and gives her gifts. She is then, after much drama, reunited with her husband and they are married (again), now according to their public identities. The father-in-law is a train nut and buys railroads rather than models. High drama on a trip from New York to San Francisco, with murders and more abductions. But it turns out well at the end, lavishly lucrative for all, enough even to impress the British contingent.]
Woodiwiss, Kathleen E. So Worthy My Love. New York: Avon Books, 1989.
[A Cinderella story of a young woman brought low, only to rise again. Elise Radborne, whose father mysteriously disappeared (leaving her to make her way without property or protection), is abducted and taken from London to a castle in Germany. There she is amazed to discover that her captor is Maxim Seymour, Lord of Bradbury Hall, a man convicted of plotting against Queen Elizabeth. She is amazed because he allegedly died outside the Tower of London. But he is very much alive and is as amazed as Elise, since the abductors got the wrong woman. They had been ordered to abduct Maxim’s one-time but not to be trusted fiancée. Both Elise and Maxim find that they are less deadly enemies than they had imagined: Maxim is a noble outlaw living in exile amidst conspirators for the throne; she is a person of character in exile as well. His problem is that he has inadvertantly added to hers. But what fate began, passion will consummate. Even Dad will add his blessing.]
Wright, Harold Bell (1872-1944). Ma Cinderella. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1932.
Wylie, Philip (1902-1971). Footprint of Cinderella. New York: A. L. Burt, 1931; and New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 193l.
[Jonathan Leigh was a man of enormous wealth. His sister Chloe adored him. He fell in love with and married an opera singer Daisy Storey, and they had a daughter Muriel. To Chloe, this marriage degrades Philadelphia society and the ancient lineage to which she was so devoted. The line went back to the Leighs in England and also to an aristocratic French line named Laforge, that lost its prestige after the French Revolution. Daisy becomes ill after child birth and is required to go to Europe for a cure. Chloe goes along to help care for the child. Daisy is swept overboard in an exhilarating storm, and Chloe plans her revenge (redemption). She finds an orphaned Laforge descendant, who is the same age as Muriel, claims the child and returns to Philadelphia. She takes the real Muriel and gives her to be raised by a bee keeper named Jamison in Mayville, Ohio. The child is given the name of Janet. Chloe arranges for $100.00 a year to be given to Jamison for the care of Janet. Years later Rupert, prince of Sabria, needs to marry an American heiress to save the Sabrian economy. The regent-dictator, Duke of Valak, arranges for Rupert to marry Muriel. Muriel and Rupert fall in love. At a horse-jumping event prior to the wedding, Jonathan falls from his horse and is killed. Lawyer Douglas Avery and his legal partner son Barney notice peculiarities in the will; namely, that Jonathan’s estate will go to his daughter Muriel, but only after her identity is proven by the footprint that was recorded in the hospital at her birth. With the will is an Ohio address. The wedding of Rupert and Muriel is delayed by the funeral, and Barney, having surreptitiously discovered that Muriel’s footprint does not match the baby’s, goes to Ohio, meets Janet, falls in love with her, but then discovers that she is the rightful heir. He now is in a dilemma, because revelation of the truth will make him seem to love Janet only for her money. Valak, who knows Chloe’s secret but nothing of the will, is suspicious of the lawyer’s trip and sets out for Ohio to kill Janet. Chloe is stricken with conscience, gets there first, and brings Janet to Philadelphia on the ruse that her mother has been identified and that she is to receive an inheritance of $5,000. When the truth comes out, Chloe denies the charges, but when she learns of the will she is moved by knowledge that her brother has known all along of her deception, but has provided for her nonetheless. Janet saves the day: she gives half the $45,000,000.00 estate to Muriel. Muriel refuses, but Barney whispers to Janet that she give the money to Sabria anyway for the maintenance of hospitals and social services. Rupert expels Valak, convinces Muriel that he loves her and wasn’t marrying her just for her money, and Janet and Barney, realizing fully each others’ kindnesses, wed. Chloe resigns herself to old age, knowing that she has been cared for after all and need only look after herself.]
Wynne-Jones, Tim. “The Goose Girl.” In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1994. Pp. 151-172.
[Watching his children play "snake" in the cold water of the river he reflects on his cold wife and the story of their lives. The story he recalls differs from the story of the Goose Girl told by old crones, though it is the same story — how a princess, attended by her older lady in waiting, journeyed to the prince’s estate where she was to be married. Along the way they stopped to swim. The girl was amazed at the beauty of the lady in waiting’s body. The next day she asked to swim again, this time stripping naked herself. After the swim, on a lark, they change clothes and happen, almost immediately to the palace. The princess is lagging behind and the false princess is welcomed as the true and whisked away with the prince, who is greatly attracted to her and takes her to his room where they make love. Why the real princess did not reveal the truth is unclear. The old crone says it was because of an oath she was forced to take, but more likely it was simply because of her arrogance. The prince soon figures it out, for the “goose girl” is haughty and arrogant, as princesses are, while the false princess is affectionate and devoted. The prince also has the advantage of several conversations with the head of Falada, the talking horse who bore the princess, then the false princess, to the palace. The false princess becomes pregnant, but says she can take care of the problem herself — how, the prince does not at first understand. Eventually the king finds out the truth about the switched identities and puts the story of the false bride to the false bride at the bridal luncheon. The woman, glancing at the prince, tells the king that the woman who betrayed the princess should be put in a barrel studded with nails and dragged in the barrel by two white horses until she is dead. The execution is carried out and the prince marries the true princess. But he slips away to the barrel where he finds his true love dead, her body torn by birds and wild animals. He wonders if he might see the unborn child, but it is not to be seen; his love has indeed taken care of that problem. He takes three bloody nails from the barrel to keep as unholy relics and lives on with his cold wife who, first off, had had Conrad the goose boy executed, and then took a lover of whom the prince is not jealous.]
Yardley, Cathy. The Cinderella Solution. Toronto: Harlequin Duets, 2000.
[Published with Lori Foster’s Say Yes. Backcover: When Charlotte Taylor’s best friend, Gabe Donofrio, agreed with her that she wasn’t the type of woman men fall in love with, she bet him a thousand dollars she’d have a marriage proposal in three months. Then she turned her tomboy self into a sexy siren, The World’s Most Eligible Bachelor moved in next door … and Gabe realized he’d made a big mistake? The woman of his dreams was right under his nose. Flyleaf: “I wanted you to see these viciously sexy outfits,” Charlie said. “No,” Gabe said. Seeing her in plain white bra and matching panties was viciously sexy enough, thanks very much! She laughed and ignored his protest. When she had finished modeling her creations his heart was beating as if he’d run a marathon. Finally she slipped back into her jeans and shirt. “So? What did you think?” she asked eagerly. What did he think? He thought she’d shaved ten years off his life with that sensual torture! “I thought it was very … nice.” “Nice?” She frowned at him. “I’m looking for devastatingly sexy. Come on, Gabe, work with me!” “Fine,” he said, sighing deeply. “You were incredible. You would make a Buddhist monk pant like a dog. If God made anything better he would have kept it for himself. Satisfied?” She grinned. “Now, that’s what I wanted to hear.”]
Yolen, Jane. “Cinder Elephant.” In A Wolf at the Door and Other Retold Fairy Tales. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Aladdin Fantasy Paperbacks, 200l. Pp. 17-29.
[A lovely big girl named Eleanor lived with her father. Her mother had been called Pleasingly Plump, her grandmother, Round and Rosie, her great-grandmother, Sunny and solid, and her great-great-grandmother was called Fat. Elly’s father remarries a woman with two thin daughters. They mock her: “Elly, Elly, big fat belly, Cinderer Elephant.” They make Elly work, but in her spare time she exercises by reading sports books. The prince calls a ball. Elly can’t go, but bluebirds help her to get dressed, in feathers. She looks like a big fat hen sitting on a nest. The prince is a bird-watcher and can’t take his eyes off her. They talk about sports, and the prince thinks he must love her. But she gets away, leaving behind her gigantic shoe. The prince seeks her despite his father’s objection: “Princes marry swans &151; not hens.” He comes to her house where the shoe is much too big for the thin sisters. The bluebirds tell of Elly, but the shoe falls apart. Elly gets the other from the window sill. It has eggs hidden among the ferns. The prince weds his dear hen, and they have a bunch of children. Moral: “If you love a waist, you waste a love.”]
Yorke, Curtis. What Came To Cinderella. London: Hutchinson, 1926.
Zackel, Fred. Cinderella After Midnight. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1980.
[Dust jacket: Julie Beaumont is fifteen, the daughter of divorced parents — and missing. Just another run-away who’ll probably come home when she’s had her fill of the streets. But Julie doesn’t come home and her mother, Heather, convinced that Julie’s father has taken her, hires Michael Brennan to find the girl. A routine custody case. Then a bad check, a brutal murder, and a mysterious kidnapping pitch Brennan into one of the most baffling cases of his career. Soon everyone seems interested in Julie — even Patricia Cardine, the U.S. Senator from California, and Stephen Daniel Wyant, San Francisco’s richest philanthropist — and Brennan is caught in a spiral of violence and family scandal as he cruises the city’s seedy Tenderloin district, its luxurious suburbs, and all its streets and alleyways in a race for a young girl’s life. Cinderella After Midnight is San Francisco after dark — a high-speed tour of crooked streets and seculed hiding places, tawdry bars and swank discos, offices where important political deals are made and the corners where the deals of the streets go down, all evoked with the authority of a native and the skill of a gifted novelist. Fred Zackel’s first Michael Brennan novel, Cocaine and Blue Eyes (1978), reminded Ross Macdonald “of the young Dashiell Hammett’s work, not because it is an imitation, but because it is not. It is a powerful and original book made from the lives and language of the people who live in San Francisco today.]
Zane, Carolyn. The Cinderella Inheritance. New York: Silhouette Books, 2003.
[Back cover: “Congratulations, Cynthia Noble. You’ve just inherited a multimillion-dollar estate. What are you going to do with your sudden fortune?” Inheriting the home of her former employer was a miracle for the near-bankrupt struggling student. Yet her sudden windfall had come with an unexpected price. Namely, Rick Wingate, whose family should have rightfully inherited Cynthia’s new estate, and who was convinced this instant heiress was up to no good. Cynthia knew she should consider Rick her enemy, but she could only see him as a man determined to protect his family, a man whose very touch shot fireworks through her body. And suddenly, no monetary gift held as much allure as the hope of becoming Rick’s Cinderella bride. Flyleaf: “I don’t think my brother would mind if you were planning on kissing me good-night,” Rick whispered, his mouth almost on hers. Cynthia was shocked. “I wasn’t … ” “After all, we are practically family … ” “No.” “No?” “No! I mean, yes, we are practically family, but no, I … I … don’t … want … you … to … kiss me.” She closed her eyes against the pull of Rick’s glittering eyes and tried to will him into releasing her. Which was hard, as she wanted nothing of the kind. However, what he wanted was something different altogether. Clearly, he wanted to punish her for committing what he perceived to be a crime against his family. He wanted to prove with a kiss that she really wasn’t after his brother, but after his brother’s money. What better way to demonstrate what he believed to be so obvious? No, She could not let him kiss her. No matter how much she wanted him to.]
-----. Cinderella’s Secret Baby. A Silhouette Romance, no. 1308. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998.
[According to the cover blurbs, Mac Brubaker “could not believe his eyes. It was Ella, all right. No mistaking that. The thing he couldn’t get over, get around, get past, was her … condition. She was pregnant. With child. Great with child … . Myriad emotions whipped his mind, numbing it with confusion. But his heart suffered no such bewilderment. Only longing. Oh, how he’d missed her. How he yearned for her still. After every-thing. She had hurt him deeply, and now … now he’d discovered that she was about to have a child. His child.” For shy kitchen maid Ella McCloskey, it was “a fairy tale come true … . For when millionaire rancher Mac Brubaker whisked her away for a secret wedding and secluded honeymoon, she thought she’d found her prince. But circumstances soon had Ella heading for the Texas hills, and not even stopping to pick up her glass slipper. The Cinderella bride thought she’d put all her dreams of happily ever after behind her. Until Mac showed up … just as she was about to give birth to his secret baby!”]
[A great many narratives draw upon tropes characteristic of the Cinderella story for newly individualized, often antithetical, effects. For treatment of ideas pertaining to the benevolent male protecting and “saving” the helpless female, with disastrous results, see: Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Yellow Wallpaper; or William Faulkner, Dry September. For studies in expectation and thwarted happiness see Mary Lavin, Happiness in Selected Stories (1981), pp. 195-208; Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (with Pip as a sort of male Cinderella, and Miss Haversham as an unkind “step-mother,” thwarting his desires); T. S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” a study in frustration akin in many ways to Mona Van Duyn’s “Cinderella.” For a study in the dance without magic, only a haunting emptiness and disappointment, see Raymond Carver, “Why Don’t You Dance,” in What We Talk About When We Talk About LoveN.Y.: Knopf, 1981, pp. 3-10. For a study in the “Cinderella complex” (i.e, a woman frustrated by dependence upon a rescuing Prince), see Mary Gordon, Men and Angels, New York: Random House, 1985, which one scholar has typified as “Cinderella meets the Crucifixion.”
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from: The Cinderella Bibliography Created in 1995; ongoing
Adventures of the Beautiful Little Maid Cinderilla; or, The History of a Glass Slipper. York: J. Kendrew, 1820; 1822.
[A straight forward telling based on Perrault.]
Ahlberg, Janet. The Cinderella Show. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Viking Kestrel, 1986.
-----, and Allan. “Cinderella.” In The Jolly Postman. Boston: Little Brown, 1986.
Alcott, Louisa May. “A Modern Cinderella”, Atlantic Monthly 6, no. 36. October, 1869. Pp. 425-411; rpt. A Modern Cinderella. New York: Hurst, 1904.
[A rehearsal for “The First Wedding” chapter in Part II of Little Women (1868), with its interesting portrait of the artist sister, Laura, and the writer sister, Di, who is determined to support the family through her pen. See Griswold, Audacious Kids (p. 262, n. 14) on Cinderella details in Little Women: “The shoes by the fire remind the girls of Marmee; like Cinderella, Beth often creeps off to the hearth; Meg attends the Gardiners’ ball, has problems with her shoe, and is given a ride home in a carriage by Laurie, a prince of a fellow; at the Moffats’ party, Meg undergoes a sparkling transformation with the help of a borrowed dress and seems like ‘Cinderella’; and so on.” The story “A Modern Cinderella” was collected in Robert Brothers, Hospital Sketches and Camp and Fireside Stories (1869), and reprinted by Shealy, Stern, and Myerson, Louisa May Alcott: Selected Fiction (1990). The issue of The Atlantic Monthly in which the story originally appeared also included Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Some of the Haunts of Burns,” John Greenleaf Whittier’s “Summons,” and James Russell Lowell’s “Election.”]
Alexander, Dounne. The Black Cinderella. London: D. Alexander, 1992.
Alexander, Trisha. Cinderella Girl. New York: Silhouette Books, 1990.
[Backcover: The costume ball held all the enchantment of a fairy tale, and courtly Dusty Mitchell seemed truly a prince among men, sweeping Victoria Jones clear off her synthetic glass slippers. For a single mom used to moonlighting to make ends meet, playing princess on a moonlit veranda was breathtakingly magical ... until Victoria detected something hauntingly familiar in her mysterious cowboy’s resonant voice, and fled into the night. Left holding a solitary shoe, Dusty pursued his Cinderella with the vigor of a storybook hero. But when his quest led him to the woman who’d just put a curse on his career, he wondered if a happy ending was, indeed, the stuff of fairy tales—grim fairy tales. Flyleaf: “Wait, don’t walk off. I don’t even know your name.” Dusty grasped her hand. Her mouth curved into an impish smile. “Why, I thought you knew who I was,” she said. “A princess?” he guessed. “Only until midnight.” She smile grew more mischievous, and she lifted the hem of her satin gown, revealing shapely feet encased in clear high heels. “Ha … you’re Cinderella, glass slippers and all.” “And you are?” Dusty yielded to impulse. “Prince Charming, at your service.” At that, his warm lips met the tender underside of her wrist, and a queer breathlessness seized her. “You don’t look like Prince Charming,” she teased. “You look like a cowboy.” He chuckled, and at the warm, resonant sound, feelings that had been suppressed for so long began to stir within her. “Prince Charming is merely a state of mind,” Dusty murmered. But the story becomes complicated. Dusty is outraged when he learns that Victoria encouraged Sissy to be together with Dustin’s brother David and refuses to see her again. But David and Sissy prove to ge a good match. Dusty was clearly wrong. He humbly makes up with Victoria and the Cinderella dream comes true.]
Allison, Heather. His Cinderella Bride. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1997. Larger print edition.
[Rose Franklin was mousy, only average, but she is fed up with kissing frogs. She yearns for Prince Charming and, suddenly, she finds him - Duncan Burke, who makes everyone else fade into shadow with his lantern jaw, cleft chin, black hair, dark eyes, and the slight curl that caresses his forehead. Everyone tells her she’s out of her league. But with a new wardwobe, an overenthusiastic hairdresser, and a little help from her friends, Rose transforms into Cinderella. All she has to do is convince Prince Charming that she’s the perfect woman to fit into his life, and his heart. But Duncan loves her smile. She finds the perfect size-eight dress, and he finds the shoe that fits her. They are married in the Rice University Chapel, Rose breathtakingly radiant in her pearl-encrusted gown with the cathedral length train, and they lived happily ever after.]
Ames, Jennifer. The Reluctant Cinderella. New York: Avalon Books, 1952.
[Dust jacket: Felton’s Department Store in London occupied an entire block and, through the years, had become as much one of London’s traditions as the Houses of Parliament, or Madame Tussaud’s Waxworks. It was no small honor to the buyer of sportwear - but now an even greater distinction awaited pretty Carol Marston. After six years at Felton’s, she was about to be chosen as its exchange representative to Appleton’s magnificent New York store … From the moment she was selected, everything seemed to go wrong. First, Carol would have liked to receive the award from Jason Felton, who, as William Felton’s nephew, had every right to be managing director, a job now held by ex-efficiency expert Don Haskin, the choice of William Felton’s young widow. And when glamorous Thelma Felton hinted that she too would like to visit America, tall, good-looking Derek Appleton immediately invited her along. On the Queen Mary, Carol was amazed to find Jason Felton, traveling tourist class to accept a mysterious job as chauffeur to Julie Gallet, a Felton award winner who had done well for herself in the States - nabbing a wealthy American on her first trip over. When Carol, whose first assignment was at Appleton’s Palm Beach store, saw Julie Gallet, she knew, to her further dismay, that Jason’s new job was a dangerous one … And, to add to the mystery, who was Maxie, the gambler who seemed to rule not only Julie’s husband but a great many other people as well? And why Thelma Felton’s reluctance to visit Palm Beach - when to refuse would endanger her hold on Derek Appleton? Jennifer Ames reveals the answers, in her own fascinating way, in this intriguing story of love and adventure on Florida’s fabulous Gold Coast.]
Apollinaire, Guillaume. “La Suite de Cendrillon, ou le rat et les six lézards” (“Cinderella Continued, or the Rat and the Six Lizards”), La Baionette, January 16, 1919.
[The fairy godmother lets the Rat continue as a coachman and the lizards as footmen. They sell the coach, take on disguises, and live in clover wandering the roads. The rat learns to read, amasses a quantity of books and becomes known as Lerat de Bibliothèque, compiling numerous works that are preserved at Oxford in manuscript form. The lizards become artists–a poet, a painter, a sculptor, an architect, a musician, and a dancer–and are known now as “les Arts.” Lerat and four of his artful companions die, but Lacerte the poet and Armonidor the musician live on in wretchedness. They force entry into the Royal palace and take a casket that has in it Cinderella’s squirrel-fur slippers. They are arrested and would be executed, but Armonidor takes the blame on himself and Lacerte returns home to compose an epitaph. He dies a month later. The slippers end up in a museum in Pittsburgh.]
Arthur, Katherine. Cinderella Wife. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1985.
[Backcover: She’d be crazy to say yes. Powerful fashion mogul Davin Sigmundsen’s proposal of a marriage of convenience was the most bizarre thing Susanna had ever heard. She knew she’d be convincing in the role of Davin’s adoring wife, but what experience had she really with his world - the world of the super-rich? More important, when her year as Davin’s wife was over, how could she bear to give him up? Flyleaf: “You’d have all the luxuries I can offer.” Davin’s face was impassive. “I’d see that it was a very pleasant year for you. And I thought it might appeal to you as a job, if nothing else.” Susanna’s mind whirled. To live, if only for a year, as one of the rich and famous– and when that year was up, just like Cinderella, her jeweled coach would turn back into a pumplin. Could she carry it off? Would it be worth it? “I have to know all the details,” she said quietly. “For a man like you to have to hire a wife is– almost unbelievable. I can’t do it until I know the reason. Just why do you need a wife so badly, right now?”]
Arthur, Ruth M. The Whistling Boy. London: Collins, 1969; rpt. 1973.
[“Teenage Kirsty hates her young and pretty stepmother, Lois. Her father remarried just a year after her real mother died of a heart attack. Her twin brothers seem not at all put out about the second marriage. Kirsty explains to herself, ‘I was the odd one out, my father had Lois, the twins had each other, and I — had no one’” (p. 30). Fortunately, the sympathetic housekeeper, (the fairy godmother figure), suggests that Kirsty go for a working summer holiday to her sister’s, near Norfolk, on the English coast. There she meets another Cinderella figure, Jake, the son of a cold, rejecting mother who thinks Jake may be mentally ill. All of these subplots (including one about a friend, Dinah, a third Cinderella figure who suffers rejection at the hands of an alcoholic mother) are brought to their respective climaxes and happy endings, including the laying of an unhappy ghost from many years before, the Whistling Boy of the title. As in the traditional Cinderella, hard work must be done, risks taken, anguish and strong emotions suffered, characters developed. Even at the end, there still remains the haunting by the unquiet sea where the Whistling Boy drowned himself” (Gough, p. 103).]
Ashley, Bernard. Sally Cinderella. London: Orchard Books, 1989.
Atwood, Margaret. Good Bones and Simple Murders. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing, 1994.
[Reworks issues of fairy tales for amusing and provocative ends. Ch. 3 “Unpopular Gals” deals with the “wicked” or “ugly” stepsisters and concludes: “You can wipe your feet on me, twist my motives around all you like, you can dump millstones on my head and drown me in the river, but you can’t get me out of the story. I’m the plot, babe, and don’t ever forget it” (p. ll). Ch. 6 “There was once” begins: “There was once a poor girl, as beautiful as she was good, who lived with her wicked stepmother in a house in the forest,” then challenges and revises details according to the quibbles of various politicized demands on what is acceptable to be said, until the whole beginning is lost, even the “once.” Ch. 13 “Happy Endings” offers several scenarios for an end, ultimately concluding, “John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die” (p.56).]
Auch, Mary Jane. Glass Slippers Give You Blisters. New York: Holiday House, 1989.
[Sixth grader Kelly MacDonald doesn’t get the lead in the Riverton Junior High production of Cinderella, nor does she get to do the sets, even when her designs are better than Janet Poole’s, but when the lighting director has to drop out, she gets that job and transforms a drab production into something magical. Even a white tennis shoe becomes a luminous slipper. The story studies the tensions between three generations of women–Kelly, her practical mom, and her artist grandmother.]
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 1813.
[A virtuous daughter, favored by her father, succeeds despite foolish sisters and foolish mother. She marries the worthy D’Arcy to live on his tasteful estate, with psyche restored and fulfilled. See also Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, and Mansfield Park.]
Avery, Barbara J. Say, Did You Lose Your Shoe?. 1977.
Baldwin, Peter. “Twisted Prince.” N. p.: n.p. 2011. Kindle edition.
[Part of Baldwin’s series called A Twisted Fairy Tale, this short story is available in e-book format. Be warned that the story is not politically correct and might easily offend. It offers a lesson in “being careful what you wish for” as Wantaloty, the Cinderella, does not realize that the prince she lusts after, Sir Beefcake, prefers his servant, Ben Dover. When she saves a wizard and obtains her wish of marrying the Prince who faces exile if he cannot find a bride, she does not realize that she has married a man who cannot love her.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Baker, Jennifer. At Midnight: A Novel Based on Cinderella. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1995.
[Back Cover: “Some day my prince will come …. Ella Browning once led an enchanted life. Popular and pretty, Ella looked forward to a carefree future filled with happiness and joy – until the death of her cherished father pushed her to the brink of despair. Left alone, dependent upon her stepmother [Lucinda] and her two cruel stepsisters [Staci and Drew], Ella spends her days slaving through back-breaking chores, and her nights are filled with tears and impossible dreams of finding a true love who will help her leave it all behind. Then she hears of the prince from a faraway land who has come to Ella’s town looking for a bride. Ella hardly dares to dream of even speaking to Prince Will. But when their eyes meet across a crowded room, when his touch melts her heart as they share a dance, Ella realizes something magical has happened. Now she must put her faith in that magic and hope a broken shoe and the memory of a kiss can bring her prince back to her. Once Upon a Dream … where wishes really do come true.”]
Banks, Carol. Yellow, Yellow Cinderella. Whitby, Ontario: Plowman, 1990.
Bayley, Frederick William Naylor (1808-1853). Cinderella. London: Wm. S. Orr & Co. Amen Corner Paternoster Row, [between 1842 and 1849].
Beattie, Ann. “The Cinderella Waltz.” From The Burning House, by Ann Beattie. New York: International Creative Management, Inc., and Random House, 1980, 1981, 1982. First published in The New Yorker, 1979; rpt. in Another Part of the Forest: The Flamingo Anthology of Gay Literature. Ed. Alberto Manguel and Craig Stephenson. New York: Flamingo (An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers), 1994. Pp. 40-58.
[The narrator, Louise’s mother, is divorced but remains friends with Milo, Louise’s father, who is gay and living with Bradley. The story studies the complex “family” relationship, as the mother comes to accept, even be concerned over Bradley. Milo is somewhat insensitive, but maintains real affection for his daughter. He takes a job in San Francisco and leaves the ex-wife and Bradley behind. Louise is consoled with the possibility of visiting him and riding in the glass elevator of the Fairmont Hotel. “Before Louise was born, Milo used to put his ear to my stomach, and say that if the baby turned out to be girl he would put her in glass slippers instead of booties. Now he is the prince once again. I see them in a glass elevator, not long from now, going up and up, with the people below getting smaller and smaller, until they disappear” (p. 58).]
Berberova, Nina. “The Tattered Cloak.” In The Tatered Cloak and Other Novels, translated by Marian Schwartz. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1991; Vintage International, 1992. Pp. 163-212.
[Uses many Cinderella/Tattercoat components in developing the bleak narrative. With the death of Sascha’s mother, the post revolution Russian family rapidly declines in Petersburg. Living in extreme poverty Sascha cares for her father and tries to keep a dream alive. Her sister runs off with a theater man, Samoilov, who is already married. Sascha and her father move to Paris where the father’s sister Varvara lives. Sascha works through the depression and German occupation doing ironing, feeling manacled by her iron as a prisoner of fate. Her father refers to her as his little Cordelia. She turns down a marriage proposal, yearning in her fantasy for someone like the man who took her sister away. She tries to save a few francs each week, but with her father’s death, half of her savings are used up. Samoilov turns up years later in Paris looking for the father, to whom he wishes to apologize for taking his daughter from him. She died of typhoid somewhere in Russia, working as a traveling actress. Sascha, knowing that life has very few precious moments but that perhaps her sister had some, tries to convince Samoilov that what he did was not wrong, reminding him of a story he had told during the courtship of the sister about an old tattered cloak in the bottom of a trunk, which became a metaphor of the human spirit, moth-eaten but too precious to be discarded (with references to King Lear and Don Quixote). He says Sascha has misremembered the occasion and the source of the story, and departs, leaving her increasingly aware of the fragility of life. But even though the world is going to hell, she senses a “blessed light is burning quietly for me.” She still searches for grandeur, truth, wisdom, and love. How can any grandeur visit a life of such poverty and vulgarity in the laundry or her aunt’s kitchen? Yet involuntarily she thinks she may once again face something of grandeur. But, she wonders, will any Samoilov ever be able to give her the signal?]
Beaumont, Anne. A Cinderella Affair. UK: Mills and Boon, 1991; Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1992.
[Backcover: She left her heart - not her glass slipper. Briony Spenser knew how Cinderella must have felt. When she returned to her fiancé, Matthew, after meeting and falling in love with the enigmatic Paul Deverill, it was as if the clock had struck twelve and the coach had turned into a pumpkin. Nothing would ever be the same for Briony. Matthew’s love could not diminish the power of her brief, sweet affair with Paul. Finally, out of sheer desperation, she tried to contact the man she loved, but she could not find him. Had Paul forgotten her already? Bleakly, Briony contemplated a life without meaning, a life without her handsome prince. Flyleaf: Suddenly Briony was afraid. Something was happening - had happened - between them. And whatever it was, it had to be stopped. She’d fled to Paris to clarify her emotional state, not to complicate it. “It is a beginning, isn’t it?” the stranger persisted gently, smiling at her in his will-sapping way. “No!” She sounded unnecessarily harsh, but she was panicking. A wild, forbidden excitement was beginning to pulse through her, threatening to get out of hand. Fear she could run from, but this other feeling made her a willing captive. “Yes,” he contradicted bluntly. “You don’t understand,” Briony told him hurriedly. “I’m engaged. I’m going to be married. As soon as I get back to England … I think.” Conclusion: She’d lost her lover, but his child was growing within her. Had Sheena got her hooks into him? She saw them together. He simply looked through her and walked on with Sheena. Her love turned to hatred. Then she met Paul again, in the restaurant where she worked. He asks bitterly about her hasty marriage. But this time he comes to help her, saying that he will be by her side even though she is bearing Matthew’s baby. She’s shocked. He doesn’t know that he’s the father. He learns the truth - Matthew is dead - nor did she love him. Paul will have a bride and a baby. “You’ve been my wife since I first saw you that rainy day in Paris,” Paul said positively. “It’s just that I’ve been longer claiming you than I expected.” His searching, possessive lips came down on hers again. Briony felt well and truly claimed at last. It was a lovely feeling.]
Bender, Aimee. “The Color Master.” In My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me. Ed. Kate Bernheimer. New York: Penguin Books, 2010. Pp. 366-85.
[Bender retells “Donkeyskin” from the perspective of men and women who make the princess’ dresses. The story emphasizes the lesson of realizing one’s own power and the ability to affect others as a young craftswoman learns to put anger into the gowns that will inspire a princess to reject her father’s incestuous desires. For more on this anthology, see My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me .] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Beresford, Titian. Cinderella. New York: Masquerade Books, 1996.
[According to the back cover, Titian Beresford triumphs again with this “magical exploration of the full erotic potential of this fairy tale … with castle dungeons and tightly corseted ladies-in-waiting, naughty viscounts and impossibly cruel masturbatrixes - nearly every conceivable method of erotic torture is explored and described in lush, vivid detail. A fetishist’s dream and a masochist’s delight!”]
Bernheimer, Kate, ed. My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me. New York: Penguin Books, 2010.
[This collection of modern retellings represents stories from all over the world, and each story is followed by an authorial commentary on the story’s themes and inspirations. Kate Bernheimer wrote the introduction, and Gregory Maguire provides an additional forward. Many of the revisions experiment with various story-telling techniques, so the collection is not for those who want an easily recognizable retelling. One of the collection’s strengths, however, is that it generally avoids the more well-known fairy tales in favor of lesser known stories. Because the anthology is expansive, I offer a list of titles along with the story type or inspirational tale.
“Baba Iaga and the Pelican Child” [Baba Yaga stories]
“ Ardour ” [“The Snow Maiden”]
“Bluebeard in Ireland” [“Blue beard”]
“A Kiss to Wake the Sleeper” [“The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood”]
“A Case Study of Emergency Room Procedure and Risk Management by Hospital Staff Members in the Urban Facility” [“Cinderella”]
“Orange” [a retelling of The Odyssey]
“Psyche’s Dark Night” [“Cupid and Psyche”]
“The Story of the Mosquito” [“The Story of the Mosquito,” a tale from Vietnam]
“First Day of Snow” [“A Kamikakushi Tale,” from Japan]
“I Am Anjuhimeko” [“Sansh? the Steward,” a Japanese tale]
“Coyote Takes Us Home” [“Tales from Jalisco,” a Mexican tale]
“Ever After” [A Snow White retelling based on the Disney Film]
“Whitework” [Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Oval Portrait”]
[Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Blume, Judy. It’s Not the End of the World. London: Pan, 1972; rpt. 1979.
[Karen’s parents fight and divorce, leaving Karen upset and confused. Feeling as abandoned as Cinderella, she finds godmother-like counsel in Val, who has been through the experience of having her parents divorce and who shares with Karen a book about the effects of such crises on children. With determination and well-focused work, Karen discovers that her problems are not the end of the world and that there can be personal happiness despite destructive family crises.]
Boswell, Barbara, Carole Buck, and Cassie Miles. Magic Slippers. New York: Avon Books, 1996.
[“All a woman needs is a perfect pair of shoes - and, oh yes, love.” According to the blurb and back cover: “A Perfect Fit. Deep down, every woman believes that, if she wears just the right outfit, the perfect man will step into her life. Except it never quite works that way. So we’ve added a touch of magic to the ensemble to nudge love along. Cinderella had her glass slipper. Dorothy her ruby pumps. Now here are three truly great pairs of shoes, each of which can transform even the most ordinary lady into a tantalizing love goddess - with a little bit of help … and the proper Prince Charming, of course.”
[Birthday Shoes, by Barbara Boswell: “Black suede pumps - and a broken gypsy curse - open a practical lady law assistant’s eyes to the sensual charms of her work-obsessed boss … and turn office politics into desk-top sizzle.” “Jordan had been riveted by those sexy shoes, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight of them on Janessa’s slender, pretty feet. He’d never gazed at a woman’s legs and felt heat streak through him. Yet the sight of Janessa’s shapely legs affected him like a lit match tossed into a pool of gasoline. He was going up in flames.”
[Cupid Wears Combat Boots, by Carole Buck: “Combat boots - and a matchmaking teen - convince a sex-kitten actress with a home-seeking heart that there is something far more important than her next action flick: going one-on-one with her virile combat instructor on a permanent basis.” “The cake split open, and Kayla Delaney emerged from the plaster-frosted pastry with a professional flourish. She was clad in an oversize khaki shirt that ended in the middle of her sleekly muscled thighs. There were streaks of camouflage on her face and black leather combat boots on her feet. ‘I don’t know what you wished for,’ she said in a throaty voice, staring directly into Quinn’s eyes. ‘But I’m what you got.’”
[Heart and Soles, by Cassie Miles: “Iridescent platform sandals - and a punk fairy godmother - expose the wild side of a practical-minded miss and thrust her into the arms of a long-lost love who’d like to re-park his own shoes under her bed.” “Julie Buchanan slowly turned and peered through the window of the secondhand boutique. Those shoes! Blue and green luminescent platform heels - absolutely outrageous! ‘Wow,’ she whispered. Her heart pounded, her breathing accelerated, and her eyes were blinded by a flash of light. A tempting siren assailed her ears: Buy me, buy me, buy me!”]
Brame, Charlotte Mary (1836-1884). A Modern Cinderella. 2nd ed. New York: F. M. Lupton, 1889.
Bridgham, Gladys Ruth. A Modern Cinderella. Boston: W.H. Baker, 1925.
Brooke, William J. “The Fitting of the Slipper.” In A Telling of the Tales: Five Stories, with drawings by Richard Egielski. New York: Harper & Row, 1990. Pp. 51-74.
[What happens after the ball? A class-conscious Cockney Cinderella doesn’t want to try on the slipper when the prince approaches. Though they smash the glass slipper, they do spend time with each other and take a few steps together at the end.]
Browning, Dixie. Beckett’s Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 2002.
[Back Cover: Beckett’s Fortune: Some men are made for lovin’–and you’ll love our Man of the Month. “You can’t refuse me!–Lancelot Beckett, millionaire on a mission to settle a debt. Secred heiress Liza Chandler didn’t want the money – or the rugged millionaire who’d suddenly come into her life. But Beckett had made a vow to get the job done … and he wasn’t the type to take no for an answer. Especially now when he discovered that beneath Liza’s plain-Jane exterior is a passionate woman just waiting to be protected. But would Liza trust Beckett enough to take his money … and let him into her heart? Passionate, powerful and provocative. Fly leaf: August’s Man of the Month is the first book in the exciting family-based saga Beckett’s Fortune, by Dixie Browning. Beckett’s Cinderella features a hero honor-bound to repay a generations-old debt and a poor-but-proud heroine leery of love and money she can’t believe is offered unconditionally. Praise for Dixie Browning: “There is no one writing romance today who touches the heart and tickles the ribs like Dixie Browning. The people in her books are as warm and real as a sunbeam and just as lovely” – New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard. “Each of Dixie’s books is a keeper guaranteed to warm the heart and delight the senses” – New York Times best selling author Jayne Ann Krentz. “A true pioneer in romance fiction, the delightful Dixie Browning is a reader’s most precious treasure, a constant source of outstanding entertainment.” – Romantic Times. “Dixie’s books never disappoint – they always lift your spirit!” – USA Today bestselling author Mary Lynn Baxter.]
-----. Cinderella’s Midnight Kiss. New York: Silhouette Books, 2000.
[Backcover: “Will you dance with me?” Orphaned Cindy Danbury’s heart beat faster when John Hale Hitchcock invited her into his arms. He was backethe handsome prince she’d adored from afar — and still beyond her reach. In fact, she should be serving at her stepcousin’s wedding, not dancing with the best man! But something in Hitch’s gaze coaxed her to say “yes!” and gave fuel to her secret dreams. Not only gorgeous, rich, and eligible, Hitch was gentle, kind and thoughtful. But could he see beyond Cindy’s poor-relation façade to the vibrant, loving woman inside? Perhaps Cindy should wake her Prince Charming with a kiss of her own … Fly leaf: Dear Reader, Isn’t it amazing how swiftly the years have flown past? I marvel at all the changes, yet one thing has never changed: the satisfaction to be found in reading a good romance. Twenty years ago our romances were somewhat different. They mirrored the times, as popular fiction usually does. In many ways they were more naïve, as were we. It seems in retrospect as though the edges were softer, but then, maybe that’s only in my imagination. I’ve written a Cinderella story. The old fairy tales, the legends and myths still persist, don’t they? Is there anyone among us who doesn’t long for a happy ending? Here you have it. Always, in a traditional romance. It’s a given. And I give this one to you with my blessings and my hopes for all our happy endings. My thanks to you, the readers, to the wonderful people at Silhouette, to the many friends I’ve made both there and among my fans - and the many more I hope to make in the future. Sincerely, Dixie Browning.]
Buck, Carole. “Cupid Wears Combat Boots.” In Magic Slippers. New York: Avon Books, 1996. Pp. 131-279.
[See the entry for Barbara Boswell , above.]
Burchell, Mary. Cinderella After Midnight. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1967; rpt. 1971, 1972, 1975.
[After three months at an exclusive seaside resort, paid for by her Aunt Gabrielle, Elaine gambles her future on hopes of a rich marriage. But she falls in love with Adrian, who makes no move on her because he is poor. But he can give the kind of kiss of which Roger Ivarley knows nothing, despite his wealth. So she agrees to marry Adrian, who turns out not to be so poor afterall.]
Burnett, Frances Hodgson. The Secret Garden. London, 1911; rpt. with pictures by Tasha Tudor, New York: J.B. Lippincott, 1962.
[Burnett borrows several basic components from Grimm’s “Ash Daughter” in constructing the story: the mother’s promise to watch over her daughter after death; the impoverished child’s attendance of her mother’s grave, making it a kind of garden where a tree grows and birds nest. The garden, once an ashpit, serves also in loco parentis for motherless and ailing Colin as well. Mrs. Sowerby, the incarnation of motherhood, appears almost magically in the garden in a fairy godmother, earth goddess role. See Griswold, Audacious Kids (pp. 208-210).]
-----. A Little Princess; Being the Whole Story of Sara Crewe Now Told for the First Time. Illustrated by Ethel Franklin Betts. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1911. First published as Sara Crewe; or What Happened at Miss Minchin’s. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1889. Reprinted with pictures by Jamichael Henterly, New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1989; and with illustrations by Graham Rust, Boston: David R. Godine, 1989.
[A study in Victorian child abuse. At age seven, Sara Crewe, her French mother dead, is placed in Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies in London by her father, who is in service in India. Upon the death of her father by jungle fever and reversal of fortune, Sara is relegated to the attic, hard dirty work, and starvation, by the cruel Miss Minchin. Sara survives through kindness to the poor, friendship with animals, and a powerfully constructive imagination until her father’s business partner and his Indian servant move in next door, in search of the lost Sara. The servant observes the virtuous girl and her persecution for two years, performing godmother-like services for her until the discovery of her true identity is made and she is restored to the privileges she deserves.]
Burrows, Edith. A Garden Cinderella. Philadelphia: Penn, 1920.
Carpenter, Helen K., and Edward Childs Carpenter. The Cinderella Man. A Romance of Youth. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1916.
Carter, Angela. “Wolf-Alice.” The Bloody Chamber. New York: Penguin Books, 1979. Pp. 119-126.
[Despite its placement after “The Werewolf” and “The Company of Wolves” (two variations of Little Red Riding Hood), Carter’s “Wolf-Alice” seems to hold more in common with Cinderella tales than with Red Riding Hood stories. Raised by wolves and later “rescued” by humans, Wolf-Alice eventually becomes a servant in the house of a duke (a grave robber who seems to possess aspects of both werewolves and vampires and whose reflection does not appear in mirrors), cleaning his palace and sleeping in the ashes of the kitchen fire. The motif of time, so important in Cinderella, makes an appearance here as Wolf-Alice begins to gain an understanding of the passage of weeks and months after the onset of her menstrual cycle. It is also after menstruation that Wolf-Alice begins to take an interest in grooming herself, finally deciding that she “must thoroughly wash off her coat of ashes” upon the discovery of a wedding dress that once belonged to a corpse exhumed by the duke (p. 125). (N.B., The Grimms’ Cinderella, who receives dresses from a bird—a possible manifestation of her mother—that sits in the tree which she planted on her mother’s grave, may also be said to obtain her clothing from the dead.) Emerging from the castle “like a debutante” while wearing the gown, Wolf-Alice goes, not the ball, but a churchyard (just as Cinderella goes to church as opposed to a dance or a series of dances in some variants of the tale) (p. 125). There she encounters a group of villagers who succeed in wounding the duke in an attempt to protect their dead. After following him home, Wolf-Alice begins to lick his wound, and the story is transformed into a Beauty and Beast tale as through her act of human kindness, the duke apparently begins to transform from his monstrous state as werewolf/vampire into a human—evidenced by the fact that his reflection begins to appear in a nearby glass.] [Annotation by Andrea H. Everett] See the annotation for the film under Movies and Television .
Cartland, Barbara. The Mysterious Maid-Servant. Bantam Romance 58. New York: Bantam Books, 1977.
[From the blurb: “Giselda had nowhere to turn. Without the money for the operation her young brother might die. Her wealthy employer, the Earl of Lyndhurst, might be kind and generous, but she could never accept his charity. He must not know the terrible reason for her family’s poverty. Choking back her pride and knowing that she was about to forfeit the love and respect she so tenderly wished from him, she said in a very low voice: ‘I have … heard, and I do not think I am mistaken, that there are … g-gentlemen who will pay large sums of money for a girl who is … p-pure. I want … I must have … £50 immediately … and I thought perhaps you could find me … someone to give me … that amount.” The year is 1816. All works out well for both the Earl and Giselda. “Her négligée slipped to the ground and for a moment the Earl saw her body silhouetted through her diaphanous nightgown against the glow of the flames. Then two strong arms drew her into the bed. The Earl held her very tight. He could feel that she was trembling, and her heart was beating as frantically as his. ‘I love you! Oh, my darling, precious little wife, I love you! Now we are together, as I have always wanted us to be.’ ‘Together … ’ Giselda whispered, ‘b-but I am afraid you will be … disappointed because you hate … thin women.’ … They became one person. There were no more mysteries, no more secrets, only love — a love stretching out towards an indefinable horizon.”]
Christenberry, Judy. A Ring for Cinderella. Silhouette Romance #1356. New York: Silhouette Books, 1999.
[The lucky charm sisters marry for convenience, but finding love is more difficult. Kate Greenwood is the boss of the Lucky Charm Diner, sister Maggie is the brains, and the youngest sister, Susan Greenwood, is a beauty who works hard as a waitress. But instead of a tip, Zach Zowry, a handsome young cowboy, proposes marriage, in front of everyone, right in the middle of the Lucky Charm Diner. The marriage is to be brief and strictly on her terms: he simply needs a bride to soothe his dying grandfather. Both Zach and Susan are virgins, but they find themselves falling in love in their pretend marriage as her selfless gestures and warm embraces turn the cynical rancher into an optimist with knots in his stomach, hoping to make a real future and family with his Cinderella bride, which he does.]
Cinderella and Her Glass Slippers. Stereotyped by T. Steward. Bath, N.Y.: R.L. Underhill, [between 1843-1863].
Cinderella on the Ball. Dublin: Attic, 1991.
Cole, Isabel. “The Brown Bear of Norway.” In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1995. Pp. 132-150.
[Based on the Norwegian tale, Cole has written a study of the loneliness of puberty. A woman, always cold and alone, recalls her meeting of an exchange student from Norway when she was fifteen in a New York City school. When he returns to Norway, the boy tells her that he has a friend in Norway who wants a pen pal from America. The “friend” calls himself the Brown Bear of Norway. After the boy returns, she receives a letter from “the Brown Bear”; she replies, entering into the imaginative relationship; she feels free for the first time. New York becomes more real to her and she dreams of the fantastic shape shifter. One night she dares to wake up, turns on the light, and looks upon him as he sleeps. She sees him in the shadows, but then he disappears. For three years she lives in confusion and exacerbated loneliness. Then she sets out in search of him, all the time uncertain of her identity as a woman, or just what it is that she desires. She goes to Norway and finds an empty house. A boy appears and seems to know that she is looking for the Brown Bear. He sends her to Stockholm where she meets the “Bear”’s mother, but the youth has moved on. The woman is ready to give up, but the mother tells her that she must continue the search, that the bear has lost his skin, and that he needs her. The woman at last finds him, hidden in a dark room, his new human clothes off, asleep and bleeding. She picks up his clothes and then wipes him clean. He awakens and but does not seem to recognize her. She declares her love in English then flees. He pursues, and she recognizes him as the Norwegian boy from school. They walk on together in the cold, but she now is not cold. Melting snow trickles through her hair, “down her face, from my eyes” (p. 150).]
Colum, Padraic. The Girl Who Sat by the Ashes. New York, 1919; Reissued, Macmillan, 1968.
[See Ellin Greene’s analysis under Criticism , which identifies the dozen or so folklore types the Colum draws upon in constructing his story.]
Converse, Jane. Cinderella Nurse. A Signet Book. South Yarmouth, Maine: Curley Publishing, 1967.
[Backcover: Her sister was too beautiful and too spoiled for her own good. Her mother dabbled in mysticism on Rita’s salary. Rita Ambler was young, beautiful … and a Cinderella nurse. “Give it up,” Glenn Seabrook had said. “They’re using you, Rita. They’ll never change.” But she couldn’t abandon her family. And she lost Glenn. It all seemed so long ago. Before she became wife to an alcoholic, mother to a son — and a widow. At twenty-four, life held no more surprises for Rita Ambler. Then came the accident that changed everything, that thrust Rita Ambler into the arms of Dr. Lester Wyman and out of the reach of his new protégé Dr. Glenn Seabrook … the only man she had ever loved. Flyleaf: After the ball is over: What happens then? What happens to a beautiful sister who can’t say no? To an eccentric mother who finds her answers in the cards? To the trusting little boy who is her fatherless son? Responsibility had become a way of life to Rita Ambler. In the name of duty she lost Dr. Glenn Seabrook. And now he had returned to Brianwood Hospital. Could she ever dare hope that he would still care? Was it too late to turn to Glenn now that she had accepted Dr. Lester Wyman’s proposal? Rita Ambler could not afford to make the same mistake twice, for she knew thre would be no second chance for a CINDERELLA NURSE.]
Cooke, Marjorie Benton (1876-1920). Cinderella Jane. New York: A. L. Burt company, 1917.
Cotes, Mrs. Everard (1861-1922). Cousin Cinderella. Leipzig: B. Tauchnitz, 1908; rpt. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1980.
Cowden, Bess Sherman. Cinderella from Hong Kong. Franklin, Ohio: The Eldridge Entertainment House, 1927.
Cripps, Arthur Shearly (1869-1952). Cinderella in the South. Oxford: B. H. Blackwell, 1918.
Crockett, Samuel Rutherford (1860-1914). Cinderella: A Novel. London: J. Clarke & Co., 1901.
[Crockett’s novels were very popular. He wrote 83 of them which appeared in numerous editions, some with introductions by R. L. Stevenson, etc. His Cinderella was carried by four publishers, including Thomas Nelson and Sons in their popular pocketbook series.]
Cross, Caroline. Cinderella’s Tycoon. New York: Silhouette Book, 1999.
[A Desire book in the Texas Gentleman’s Club series, where five wealthy Texas bachelors - all members of the state’s most exclusive club - set out on a mission to rescue a princess … and find true love. Backcover: The Business Tycoon: “Honor” was Texas tycoon Sterling Churchill’s middle name. So when a mix-up at the local sperm bank unexpectedly made him a father-to-be, he gallantly stepped forward to marry shy beauty Susan Wilkins. It was a marriage in name only - until he gave his bride a soul-spinning kiss. Now his new wife was carrying his child and wearing a look of pure splendor. Could tough-as-nails Sterling open the rusty doors of his heart … and turn pumpkins into coaches for his Cinderella bride? Fly leaf: This month, in Cinderella’s Tycoon by Caroline Cross, meet Sterling Churchill — CEO of Churchill Enterprises. Nothing seems too big a challenge for steely Sterling, until he finds himself marrying Susan Wilkins — a plain-Jane librarian who wants only to have her baby in peace in this modern-day Cinderella love story.]
Crossley, Dave. “Christopher’s Punctured Romance.” In Help!, ed. Harvey Kurtzman. May 1965.
[Though not a Cinderella plot, this photo-cartoon satire on a male’s doll-for-a-partner fantasy touches on several Cinderella fantasy motifs, particularly the erotic dream (in this instance, a male dreamer), clothes and sexual arousal, yearning for the perfect princess with the prince as rescuer and possessor, and the plastic bride as forever. With John Cleese as Christopher Barrel, Cindy Young as Wilma Barrel; photographer Martin Iger. Rpt. in Kim “Howard” Johnson’s The First 20X Years of Monty Python (New York: Python Productions Ltd, 1989, pp. 29-43). Christopher Barrel, suffering from ennui, comes home from work exhausted and bored to be waited on by his lovely, perfect-in-all-ways doll of a wife, who fixes him a drink. He finds his daughter’s new Barbie doll and falls in love with it. At night he slips away from Wilma and undresses Barbie, admires her “things,” and then {censored}. Next day he can think of nothing but Barbie at work. He comes home to find Ken in Barbie’s closet and is outraged. He struggles with his fantasy and finally decides to apologize to Wilma for his infidelity. But in approaching her on the couch he trips over another box, this one containing “The Visible Woman,” which so sets him a-whirl with a new fantasy that he never apologizes. In “The Barbie Complex,” real plastic is preferred to human alternatives.]
Crottet, Robert. “Cinderella.” In The Enchanted Forest and Other Tales. With Introduction by Eric Linklater and Woodcuts by Eric King. London: The Richards Press, Ltd., 1949. Pp. 124-130.
[A male Cinderella story. The king of Agatavara and his daughter live on the top of the highest peak. When the king comes down to the valley none dare look at him, for the people say he has a face like the sun and would blind them. Only one young man, the third son of an old sick man dared look. He was called Cinderella because he had two older brothers for whom he did things that they would never dream of doing for him. He was a dreamer and did not mind the mockery of his brothers. As the old man is dying, he asks that his first son sit by him to ward off evil spirits on the first night, the second son on the second night, and Cinderella on the third. After the old man’s death the older two brothers will have nothing to do with the corpse. Cinderella washes the old man’s feet and dreams of the young princess on the peak behind the clouds. As the boy watches, the corpse sits up and tells the boy that he has followed the boy’s spirit and knows that a black horse will come whose mane shines like the Northern Lights. On the second night the father leads the boy to the foot of the mountain where a white horse, whose nostrils shine like the sun will come, but “you must keep the secret to yourself and I shall watch over you from the realm of the dead.” After the father is buried the elder sons enslave Cinderella and beat him for amusement. At night Cinderella goes to the foot of the mountain, but no horse can be seen. He grows weak and prays to his father that not much life remains. Then a black horse comes out of the night. The sick boy clings to it as fire flames from its nostrils. They rise above the clouds. Then an eagle swoops down and plants its claws in the boy’s forehead. Cinderella smiles at the eagle and wipes away the blood. He puts a scarf around his head to hide the blood when he returns home. At twilight he returns to the forest. This time a grey horse appears and takes him up the mountain. The eagle is now grey and tears the scarf away. Then it is rumoured that the king has come down once more. None can understand his melodious voice. His messenger comes to the house of the boys. He sees hardness in the eyes of the elder brothers and asks if there is anyone else there. The brothers point to Cinderella, whose mind, they say, is like that of a useless beast. The king leans over the boy who is pleased to see him. He notes the mark of the eagle on his forehead and tells how the boy watched at his dead father’s side without fear of death. He now will go to the feast where the daughter awaits. Then the people see a horse of dazzling white rise into the air, carrying the boy beyond the clouds as an eagle with snow-white wings leads the way to the castle.]
Cruikshank, George (1792-1878). Cinderella and the Glass Slipper. London: David Bogue, 1854. Cruikshank’s edition was first printed with ten handsome illustrations. Rpt. in George Cruikshank’s Fairy Library. London, 1865. [Four items: Puss in Boots; Jack and the Bean-Stalk; Hop-o’-My Thumb; and Cinderella]. Rpt. in The Cruikshank Fairy-Book. New York: Putnam, 1897, 1906, etc. Rpt. in Zipes, Victorian Fairy Tales, pp. 37-57, where Zipes identifies it as “a facinating museum-piece of moralism” (p. 38).
[A wealthy gentleman of high family has a handsome wife and beautiful and virtuous daughter. The wife dies, and after a few years the gentleman remarries. “It is the nature of woman to love children, because the Almighty has appointed her to bring them up” (p.39). Cinderella’s step-mother is the exception — an unjust, cruel, pompous spendthrift, who soon so squanders the gentleman’s estate that he is thrown into debtor’s prison. She then compels the daughter to do all the rough, dirty work as a slave for herself and her two daughters. She sleeps at the hearth and is called Cinderella. The Prince gives a ball, hoping to chose a wife. The stepsisters hasten to prepare themselves, but the mother becomes so fatigued that she has to go to bed. Cinderella helps the girls, making beautiful dresses for them and fixing their hair, enduring their fits of temper. They hire a coach and set off. Poor Cinderella settles down for the night when her godmother, a dwarf, visits. She asks Cinderella if she would not like to attend the ball. Cinderella says no. So the dwarf tells her that if she cooperates she may be able to get her father out of prison. So Cinderella consents, fetches a pumpkin, mice, lizards, and rat. The dwarf makes a miniature pumpkin coach, using mushrooms for wheels, with rat for coachman, mice for horses, and lizards for attendants, linking them all together with string. Cinderella is much amused. The dwarf proves herself a fairy, transforming everything into a splendid entourage. At the ball Cinderella thinks of her poor father, but has a good time nonetheless. The Prince gives her all his attention, but before twelve she slips away, leaving the Prince distracted. He orders a ball for the next night, hoping that she might return. On her way home Cinderella wonders what the godmother will do with the horses and carriage but is pleased to see them assume their diminished form. Next day hairdressers have raised their prices, so Cinderella prepares her sisters as before. The fairy keeps her word and Cinderella attends the ball once more. The Prince proposes marriage to her but she says she must consult her father and friends. At midnight she flees, the Prince in hot pursuit. She loses a slipper and, as he stops to pick it up, she hides in one of the passages, then slips out in her scullery clothes, followed by the mice pulling the pumpkin. The Prince searches for her but she gets home unnoticed; the pumpkin arrives just as the Prince rides by. Later she sees him pass again, despondent. Next day the Prince announces the quest for the one whom the slipper fits. The Chamberlain comes, the stepsisters try, Cinderella asks if she might try, is mocked, but then is given the chance. The Queen sends for her at once, but Cinderella tarries, forgiving her stepsisters, cheering them up with prospects from the court, and greeting her father, who the fairy has gotten released from prison. The father and godmother go with Cinderella to the Palace, Cinderella now in her fine clothes. The King is delighted to see her father, who was an old friend. The Queen accepts the dwarf into her court. The dwarf then debates with the King the evils of alcohol, even in moderation. It sets a bad example for the kingdom. So he agrees to have a dry wedding. The festivities last several days.]
See Dickens , below, for a synopsis of the satire which precipitated Cruikshank’s temperance-league conclusion. See also Dickens under Criticism for details on the ideological altercation that led to Cruikshank’s writing his Cinderella. Cruikshank’s father had died an alcoholic, and he himself had been a heavy drinker but reformed after his father’s death, publishing several works on abstinence, including “The Bottle.”
Crusie, Jennifer. The Cinderella Deal. A Loveswept Romance. New York: Bantam Books, 1996.
[According to the back cover and the blurb, “Linc Blaise needed the perfect fiancée to win his dream job, but finding a woman who’d be convincing in a charade seemed impossible - until he heard Daisy Flattery charm her way out of a sticky situation! Playing the prim and proper bride-to-be was a lark to the dazzling storyteller, but once she glimpsed the touching vulnerability Linc tried to hide, pretense turned into temptation. Could she find a way to make their fairy tale last? In a deliciously funny and touching tale of opposites attracting, Jennifer Crusie warms hearts and tickles funnybones from start to finish! Daisy had made him believe in wondrous possibilities, drawn him into a world of passionate abandon, but was he brave enough to give her his love?” “He looked good enough to be Prince Charming.” “When she smiled at him like that, it was hard to think. Imagine what that smile could do in Prescott. Make a note to have her smile a lot in Prescott, he told himself. She stuck her hand across the table, and he took it. Her grip was firm and warm. ‘It’s a deal, then,’ she said. ‘A Cinderella deal.’ ‘Good.’ He stood up and patted her on the head. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, then.’ Daisy was still glaring at the door after he’d closed it behind him. A cat kicker. An elbow grabber. A head patter. ‘This may be a Cinderella deal,’ Daisy told the cats, ‘but trust me, he’s no prince.’” But at the end, when she snuggles close to him with “such megawatt contentment that she took his breath away,” Daisy concludes, “I want all the happily-ever-after I can get” (p. 228).]
Cushman, Gail Decker. After the Ball: Cinderella in Three Analytical Perspectives. Dissertation. 1977.
Dalton, Emily. Sign Me, Speechless in Seattle. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1998.
[Written in an occasionally epistolary style, this Austen-like novel presents Mathilda McKinney, who is an advice columnist who goes by the name “Aunt Tilly.” She finds herself embroiled with Julian Rothwell, Duke of Chesterfield, who harrasses her for the troubles her advice has caused him. She wishes she could write Aunt Tilly for advice herself as she finds herself, an American, falling in love with this tall, blond, and charming Englishman, who wears ties, heather gray suits, and tails, while she wears sweats and sneakers. “He’s a British peer. I’m an all-American gal. Oh, yeah — and I’ve ruined his life. What do I tell him? Sign Me, Speechless in Seattle.” But she does solve the problem for both of them, first through antagonized frustration, then through love. He sees her even better than she sees herself. She could tell that he loved her even as much as she loved him. The kiss, sexy as ever, added emotional dimensions she had not anticipated. “'How could such a wonderful thing be happening?' she wondered as he continued to hold her and kiss her despite the busy comings and goings of crowds in the lobby. She was Cinderella at the ball. She was Michael Jordan at the NBA playoffs. She was Meryl Streep at the Oscars. She wasn’t a nobody. She was a somebody. and Julian Rothwell loved her just for herself” (p. 249).]
D’Anard, Elizabeth. Cinderella Summer. New York: Harper-Collins, 1992.
[Backcover: Anne wants more out of life. Ever since Anne’s father left their quiet island home years ago, she has longed to live an exciting “mainland” life. So when her father asks her to come live in Seattle for the summer with his new family, Anne accepts, knowing the only thing she’ll miss about tiny Perry Island is her lifelong friend Ryan. Anne soon finds out the sophisticated city life she imagined doesn’t exist. Her father is seldom home, her stepmother is distant, and her stepsister treats her like an unwelcome intruder. But Anne’s summer is saved when she meets Phillip Conrad, who quickly wins her trust and love, and shows her what life in the city has to offer. Still, as the summer grows shorter Anne realizes she misses Perry Island - and Ryan. And when summer ends, Anne must choose between her two worlds and the boys who live in them. Flyleaf: As Anne approached Patsy, she noticed her stepmother’s tense expression. “Hi, Patsy! Hope I’m not too late.” “Anne … ” Patsy began stearnly. Anne stopped in her tracks, shocked by the angry tone of her voice. “I’ll have you know that you may not drive off with a boy to God knows-where without my permission.” Patsy looked older with her lips pursed in a tight line. “But I thought you understood I was going for a ride with Phillip,” Anne replied politely. “I’m really sorry.” “When my girls want to spend the afternoon with a young man,” Patsy continued, “they ask for my permission. They tell me where they’re going, whom they’re going with, and when they’ll be back.” “I’m so sorry, Patsy,” Anne said quickly. “Things might be a little bit more casual on Perry Island,” Patsy said tartly. Anne felt her cheeks growing hot with anger. “But we have strict rules around here.” Tears welled up in Anne’s eyes, but she refused to cry in front of her stepmother. She wasn’t about to let Patsy alienate her or belittle her Perry Island upbringing. She would keep trying to fit in. She only hoped she had the strength to continue. Letter from the editor: Dear Reader, Thanks for picking up this Changes Romance. We hope that you’ll enjoy reading it as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing it to you. Our goal is to present realistic stories about girls in true-to-life circumstances, with relationships and problems that readers will understand and appreciate. In other words, we want to try to capture the changes you’re probably facing in your own life today. We hope we’ve succeeded, but the only way we can know for sure is to hear from you. Please write us or your favorite Changes authors, and tell us what you liked (or didn’t like!) about the Changes Romances you’ve read. Tell us how we stack up against your other favorite books. Tell us about the kinds of stories you’d like to read in future Changes novels. What does romance mean to you! What kinds of characters do you identify with! Where should the stories take place? What sort of problems or conflicts should a Changes heroine encounter. In this way we can bring you more of the stories you want to read .... Chloë Nichols]
Daniels, Philip. Cinderella Spy. Leicester: Linford, 1984; 1989.
Darcy, Lilian. Cinderella After Midnight. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001.
[The Cinderella Conspiracy: Will three daring sisters find true love when the clock strikes midnight? She had the dream dress, the shoes … and a secret. All she needed was Prince Charming. For “Lady Catrina” was really plain, poor Catrine Brown — and she didn’t belong at the glamorous ball she’d so boldly crashed. Cat’s mission was desperate, yet success seemed within her reach ... until her gaze met Patrick Callahan’s across the crowded room. The handsome millionaire bachelor was everything she despised in a man — wasn’t he? Trapped in his heated stare, Catrina knew Patrick saw through her flimsy disguise. Come midnight, would he expose her masquerade … or would this magical night last until dawn-and beyond? “I’m sorry … good night, Patrick I have to go!” “Wait, Cat!” “No, Patrick, I’m late … ” She pushed open the outer door and ran into the humid June night. But he was still behind her. “Stop! You can’t leave like this, when we’ve — when I have no idea who you really are.” Cat didn’t listen. Couldn’t listen. Her skin was still alive and hot from the way they’d touched. But she had no illusions about what Patrick Callahan felt, even if he did. Skittering down the steps, she felt her spike-heeled shoe come loose. It hurt. Why hadn’t she felt that before? Deliberately, she kicked the shoe off and left it on the step. Like Cinderella. (Backcover and come-on blurb.)]
-----. Saving Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001.
[The Cinderella Conspiracy: Will three daring sisters find true love when the clock strikes midnight? Months ago, rancher Grayson McCall had impulsively married single mom Jill Brown to rescue her from a bad situation. They’d shared a brief, stirring kiss and then parted, sure they’d never meet again. She’d had a whirlwind wedding — but no wedding night! Now Jill — and her little boy—arrived in Montana desperate for help once more. She needed a small favor — for Grayson to arrange their divorce! But when he took his wife into his arms, their kisses were longer and stronger. Would Prince Charming let his Cinderella go? Or would he claim her for more than one night? Ten more days of him and Jill rubbing up against each other, the way two people inevitably did when they shared the same space. Ten more days of bumping into her in doorways, of watching the way she ate and the way she laughed and the way she so tenderly kissed and hugged her son. “Ten days,” Gray thought. “Lord, he was still shaking! She’s going to be here for another ten days! This would be a whole lot easier if we weren’t married,” he muttered aloud in his room. There was something about being married. He kept thinking about what marriage meant. It meant sharing. Sharing their space, as he was doing with Jill. Sharing their stories. They’d begun to do that, too, the very first night they met. Sharing their lives … And marriage meant one more thing, too. It meant sharing a bed. (Backcover and come-on blurb.)]
-----. Finding Her Prince. New York: Silhouette Books, 2002.
[The Cinderella Conspiracy: Will three daring sisters find true love when the clock strikes midnight? Duty-bound to serve his country, Prince Stephen Serkin-Rimsky readily agreed to marry a beautiful stranger to safeguard the throne. Stephen wasn’t prepared for the consuming passion Suzanne Brown’s innocent kisses aroused in him-or that their marriage would feel so– right. Still, this honorable prince knew his tiny country was counting on him to secure custody of their rightful heir–Suzanne’s baby niece–at whatever cost. Even if it meant turning his back on what his own traitorous heart most desired! “You,” Stephen said. He was standing beside her, and Suzanne felt the warmth of his forearm against her wrist. She noticed the way his smile lit up his whole face. Like baby Alice’s smile. Slowly she was beginning to lose that instinctive mistrust she’d had on first meeting him. Maybe here, at last, was someone else who cared about her orphaned niece. “What on earth can she be dreaming about that’s making her so happy?” “She’s dreaming about your voice,” he continued. “Your fragrance. The songs you sing to her.” They were both watching the baby again, intent on every tiny movement in her face. “Am I right thinking you would give almost anything to be able to bring her up as your own?” Stephen asked suddenly. “Of course I would,” Suzanne answered. “I love her.” “Then marry me.” (Backcover and come-on blurb.)]
Datlow, Ellen, and Terri Windling, ed. Snow white, Blood Red. New York: Avon Books, 1993.
[Twenty contemporary revisions of old tales by a wide range of diverse fantasy writers. This volume includes Jane Yolen’s “Knives” (see Modern Poetry ). Also variations on The Frog Prince, Snow White and Rose Red, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, the Billy Goats Gruff, etc. The Introduction works with fairy tale ideas by George MacDonald, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Jane Yolen to lament the decline of story-telling as an enterprise of cultural exploration for adults as well as children. “A true fairytale is, to my mind, very like the sonata. If two or three men sat down to write each what the sonata meant to him, what approximation to define the idea would be the result? A fairytale, a sonata, a gathering storm, a limitless night, seizes you and sweeps you away. The law of each is in the mind of its composer; that law makes one man feel this way, another man feel that way. To one the sonata is a world of odour and beauty, to another of soothing only and sweetness. To one the cloudy rendevous is a wild dance, with terror at its heart; to another a majestic march of heavenly hosts, with Truth in their center pointing their course but as yet restraining her voice. Nature is mood-engendering, thought-provoking; such ought the sonata, the fairytale to be” — George McDonald, in Fantasists on Fantasy, as cited by Datlow, p. xv.]
-----. Black Thorn, White Rose. New York: Avon Books, 1994.
[A collection of eighteen tales rewritten by different authors, four of which are Cinderella variants, including Tim Wynne-Jones , “The Goose Girl” (1994), Midori Snyder , “Tattercoats” (1994), Daniel Quinn ,“The Frog King, or Iron Henry” (1994), and Peter Straub , “Ashputtle” (1994). The introduction considers fairy tales as the heart of the culture that, as Tolkien put it, “holds the sea, the sun, the moon, the sky, and the earth and all things in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted.” The introduction discusses 19th century bowdlerization of fairy tales and laments the ways in which the 20th century has watered them down, retaining mainly the happy-ever-after of success stories. “How many modern readers know that in the older versions of the tale the sleeping princess is awakened not by a chaste kiss but by the suckling of twin children she has given birth to, impregnated by a prince who has come and gone while she lay in ‘sleep as heavy as death’? How many readers know that Cinderella transformed her life of servitude not with the help of talking mice and fairy godmothers, but with the force of her anger, sharp cunning, and wits? How many know that it was Red Riding Hood’s nearsighted granny who cried, ‘Oh my, oh my, what big teeth you have!’ to the wolf, who quickly gobbled her up - and then finished off with Red Riding Hood for dessert, with no convenient woodsman near to save her?” (p. 2). The power of tales “is due to this ability to confront unflinchingly the darkness that lies outside the front door, and inside our own hearts” (p. 2). Disney movies and films like Pretty Woman illustrate the failure of commercial America to catch the essense of the fairy tale.]
-----. Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears. New York: Avon Books, 1995.
[Includes twenty-one stories by diverse writers, all based on fairy tales. See especially Tanith Lee, “The Beast,” drawing upon Beauty and the Beast; Susan Wade, “Ruby Slippers,” that combines Red Shoes with Wizard of Oz; Gene Wolfe, “The Deato of Koshchei the Deathless,” based on a Russian fairy tale; Farida S. T. Shapiro, “This Century of Sleep; or, Briar Rose Beneath the Sea,” combining Briar Rose and Sleeping Beauty to approach the Holocaust; Susan Palwick, “The Real Princess,” using The Princess and the Pea to examine men who look for sensitive and delicate princesses as dangerous and sinister beings; and Kathe Koja, “Waking the Prince,” which explores Sleeping Beauty in terms of feminist insights.]
-----. Fantasy and Horror: The Year’s Best. The Tenth Annual Collection. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996.
[Terri Windling’s introduction gives a comprehensive reassessment of the state of fantasy writing, both fiction and poetry, in the mid 1990s. The volume includes several stories pertinent to this bibliography: Tanith Lee, “The Reason For Not Going To The Ball (A Letter To Cinderella from Her Stepmother)”; Angela Carter, “The Snow Pavilion,” a posthumously published tale from one so powerfully influential in the area of fantasy writing and who often contributed to Datlow and Windling’s anthologies; Lisa Russ Spaar, “Rapunzel’s Exile,” a “dark and horrific rendering of the samiliar fairy tale, speculating on the complex nature of the relationship between foster daughter and witch” (p. 315); Chang Hwang, “Little Beauty’s Wedding,” a fantasy story that draws upon Chinese death folklore; Shara McCallum, “Persephone Sets the Record Straight,” a poem exploring the competition between a girl and a domineering mother that explains why she swallowed the pomegranate seeds: “Of course I ate those seeds. / Who wouldn’t exchange / one hell for another?” (p. 496); and Patricia C. Wrede, “Cruel Sisters,” a study in how sisters come to hate each other.]
-----. Black Swan, White Raven. New York: Avon Books, 1997.
[Like the earlier collections of fantasy tales, this volume includes twenty-one new reinventions of old stories, such as Anne Bishop, “Rapunzel,” which examines peasants, greed, and sorcery; Karen Joy Fowler, “The Black Fairy’s Curse,” a startling retelling of Sleeping Beauty; and Esther M. Friesner, “No Bigger Than My Thumb,” a dark story from a dark period for women in human history.]
-----. A Wolf at the Door and Other Retold Fairy Tales. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2000.
[Fairy tale revisions by distinguished writers who loved Fairy Tales in their youth. The volume includes: Delia Sherman, “The Months of Manhattan”; Jane Yolen, “Cinder Elephant” (see synopsis under Yolen , below); Neil Gaiman, “Instructions”; Michael Cadnum, “Mrs. Big: ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ Retold”; Nancy Farmer, “Falada: The Goose Girl’s Horse”; Tanith Lee, “A Wolf at the Door”; Janeen Webb, “Ali Baba and the Forty Aliens”; Kelly Link, “Swans”; Katherine Vaz, “The Kingdom of Melting Glances”; Garth Nix, “Hansel’s Eyes”; Kathe Koja, “Becoming Charise”; Gregory Maguire, “The Seven Stage a Comeback”; and Patricia A. McKillip, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.”]
Davis, Richard Harding. Cinderella and Other Stories. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1896. Pp. 1-35.
[At the annual servants ball of the Hotel Salisbury, two gentlemen observe a young woman of beauty and talent dancing. A professional entertainer observes that she could make $100 a night as an dancer with just six lessons. The two gentlemen decide to become sponsors of this Cinderella — this Annie Crehan, who cleans and makes beds on the eighth floor of the hotel at a poverty wage. But they are detained in the elevator by the elevator boy who plans to marry her and describes their life together as blissful. He knows that she could make it big on stage, though she doesn’t know it. The promoters decide to let well enough alone and rather than attempt to be godfathers to “La Cinderella.” They ask the elevator boy to let them off at the street. The elevator boy remains in possession of his Annie, and she remains ignorant of her talent, but presumably happy.]
-----. The Lion and the Unicorn. Illustrated by Howard Chandler Christy. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1904.
[Collection of stories including “The Lion and the Unicorn,” “Cinderella,” “Miss Delamar’s Understudy,” “On the Fever Ship,” “The Man with One Talent,” “The Vagrant,” “The Last Ride Together,” “The Editor’s Story,” and “An Assisted Emigrant.”]
Denny, Roz. The Cinderella Coach. Thorndike, ME: Thorndike Press, 1992; Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1992.
[Jade Han was not looking for a prince or any glass slipper when she designed the parade float. But her design won her an apprenticeship to a California float-building company. The owner of Fantasy Floats, Trask Jennings, does not want to be stuck with an apprentice designer, especially a spoiled rich kid; nor do Jade’s parents approve of her attempting to develop a working career. They want her instead to marry her intended, a point which irritates Trask all the more. But neither could count on their falling in love with each other. Their parade becomes so grand a success that they become partners — for life, building a legacy for their children.]
Diamond, Jacqueline. The Cinderella Dare. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1988.
[Backcover: Sometimes dreams do come true, but with unexpected results. When Mary Ellen Spencer was finally able to fulfill all her hopes and dreams and transform herself and her life, she found that it was not so easy to leave the old self behind. Going from fat to thin and from poor to rich didn’t solve all her problems by a long shot. It took her best friend, Patsy, to dare her to live the life of Cinderella. But even becoming her fantasy ideal, the elegant Mariel, didn’t solve the most important problem of all - how to fit the old with the new. Then the goal that overtook all others - to clear her father’s name for a wrongdoing she was convinced he did not commit - led her to her prince. Skip Toland, once her high-school dreamboat, had become even better as a man. Flyleaf: Why did he keep telling her she was elegant and romantic? It felt as if he were talking to someone else, perhaps to the fantasy Mariel. Mary Ellen Spencer in her high-school years would have given almost anything to hear those words from Skip Toland’s lips. And she would have drunk them in without question. But Mariel Spencer, age thirty-one, had learned to be cautious. As a girl, each time she gazed into the mirror, she’d held faint hope that somehow, magically, she would find herself transformed, like Cinderella. And now, not so magically, the transformation had taken place. So why did she feel like a fraud? This was her face and her body, but inside there still lived a heavyset woman who rarely rated a second glance from men. And inside, too, remained the scars of the girl who had fled from her hometown and school, pierced by the curious and sometimes taunting looks of her classmates, after her father’s downfall. Who was she really? And why did her entire body tingle at Skip’s nearness?]
-----. Cindy and the Fella. Duets vol. 89: 2 Romantic Comedies. Don Mills, Ont.: Harlequin Books, 2002.
[“Two wonderfully whimsical holiday stories.” See also J. Diamond, Calling All Glass Slippers . Backcover: Cindy McChad can’t believe it when her fiancé breaks up with her … by e-mail, no less! Never willing to accept defeat, she heads to California to win back her man. When she meets bumbling professor Hugh Bemling – who’s in love with her fiancé’s new girlfriend! – the two make a pact to fix this mess. Now if only Cindy could figure out which fella is really right for her! Flyleaf: “I love this song!” Cindy exclaimed. She began to shimmy. “Take me in your arms.” Hugh’s throat tightened, and he looped one arm around her waist and took her hand in his. Before he knew it, they were pressed together so tight that he could practically measure Cindy’s bra size. For the first time he understood why the Puritans had disapproved of dancing. Those fools! Caught in the moment, Hugh lifted her chin and touched his lips to hers. When her tongue flicked against his mouth, he claimed a deep, thorough kiss. What was happening? Shocked, he drew back. “Hugh, are you upset?” she asked worriedly. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault.” “No, it’s not. We shouldn’t have tempted fate.” She caught his upper arms as if to steady him. “Look, I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” She collected her purse and went out the door. His midsection still suspiciously tight, Hugh glanced at his statue of a fertility goddess standing in the corner. He could have sworn she wore a Mona Lisa smile. “This is all your fault.”]
-----. Calling all Glass Slippers. Duets vol. 90: Romantic Comedies. Don Mills, Ont.: Harlequin Books, 2002.
[See also J. Diamond, Cindy and the Fella . Backcover: Laura Ellison never thought her comic play about love would win an award. Now her alma mater is performing it, and her ex is directing! Ten years ago Jared Benton broke her heart, and she knows fairy-tale endings don’t exist. When she notices that people who read the play start to fall in love, Laura’s at a loss for words. Even she’s succumbing to her play’s charms … and Jared’s looking more and more like a prince, not a pumpkin! Flyleaf: “We can get together again tonight –” “No,” Laura said. “What do you mean, no?” “No dating and no more sex,” she said. “I’m sorry, Jared, but I think we need to keep our distance.” He understood, even if he didn’t share her apprehension. “We could do nooners,” he said hopefully. When she shook her head, her red hair gave a suggestive bounce. “It’s not that simple.” “Don’t tell me you’re not tempted.” Pink tinged her cheeks. “Please accept my decision. I’m sure I’m doing the right thing. We both lost control last night, and, well, wonderful as it was, I don’t want to repeat the experience.” Glumly Jared accepted that she meant it. But it wasn’t only sex they were giving up. He wanted to spend more time together doing things – dancing, joking, talking. Yes, it was probably for the best. So why did he feel as if he’d lost something?]
Dickens, Charles. “Cinderella.” In “Frauds on the Fairies,” The Works of Charles Dickens: Miscellaneous Papers, Vol I. London: Chapman and Hall, 1929. Pp. 395-400.
[A half-playful, half-serious attack on Cruikshank’s moralistic “Hop o’ My Thumb, by way of parody: Cinderella, age four, is a member of the Juvenile Bands of Hope. When she is nine her mother dies and is buried by a chorus singing Number forty-two, ‘O come.’ Father remarries a cross widow lady with two proud tyrannical daughters, but dies soon for having to shave in cold water according to the recommendations of Medical Appendix B. and C. The orphan is forced to work among cinders and thus her name. As she works she occupies her mind with the general question of the Ocean Penny Postage and the orations of Nehemiah Nicks. Her grandmother helps her to the ball aided by “an American Pumpkin! American, because in some parts of that independent country, there are prohibitory laws against the sale of alcoholic drinks in any form” and because America produced among many great pumpkins the glory of her sex, Mrs. Colonel Bloomer. At the ball the king is unable to greet her because a delegate from the United States has just moved that the King do take a chair and the motion has been seconded and carried unanimously. But the Prince, covered from head to foot with Total Abstinence Medals, greets her and falls in love. The ball has to end at a quarter of twelve because an inspired delegate drank all the water in the decanter and fainted, so the King called for an adjournment until tomorrow. Next night Cinderella overstays, and loses her shoe fleeing. The Prince advertises in the newspaper (in his land there are as many newspapers as there are in the United States), and innumerable ladies answer the ad, but none fit the slipper until Cinderella slips the shoe on, wearing her sensible blue bloomers from her grandmother, without which the Prince would probably never have seen her feet. As queen, Cinderella applies herself to enlightened, liberal, & free principles: Anyone who eats or drinks differently from the queen is imprisoned for life, and any who differs in opinion is deemed a designing ruffian and abandoned monster. She also “threw open the right of voting, and of being elected to public offices, and of making the laws, to the whole of her sex; who thus came to be always gloriously occupied with public life and whom nobody dared to love. And they all lived happily ever afterwards” (p. 400).]
Dijs, Carla. Cinderella. New York: Dell, 1991.
Dixon, W. MacNeile (1866-1945). Cinderella’s Garden. With Illustrations by George Morrow. New York: Oxford University Press, [c. 1930].
[Dust jacket: A book for the young of all ages. Three small boys at the seashore watch a crab crawl under a stone and disappear in the sand. When they dig for the crab they find themselves in a cave which leads through a professor’s study into Cinderella’s garden, where they meet their cousin Nancy and adventures akin to those of Alice in Wonderland begin. The end papers include a map of the two lands of dreams beyond the Wan Water, one near the mountains of the moon, where dark things happen, and the other under the sun where there be many marvells in the warm countrie. On the moon side occur adventures with giants, witches, and divels many; on the sun side are giant fowl, fays, the unicorn, the cameleppard that eateth of the palm trees, and fairy godmothers. Cinderella’s cottage is in a walled garden south of the Wan Water. It is graced with a fountain, a cuckoo lodge, a summer house and, to the north, a dark tower on the moon side and a round tower toward the sun. Outside the wall, to the south, is a school of experimenters and Pottlepo farm. The professor’s room is situated in the high rochs beyond the cave off the sandy beach where the small boys enter. Dixon was a Professor of English at University of Glasgow (MA Dublin, D.Litt Glasgow) who wrote extensively on Elizabethan and Jacobean drama.]
Ditchoff, Pamela. Mrs. Beast. West Palm Beach, Fl: Stay Thirsty Press, 2009.
[A complex retelling and sequel to Beauty and the Beast with a significant discussion of Cinderella. For a more detailed description, please read the full annotation in the Beauty and the Beast section, found here .]
Dobbs, Mary Lou. The Cinderella Salesman. Rockville, New York: Farnsworth, 1982.
Dokey, Cameron. Before Midnight. New York: Simon Pulse, 2007.
[Dokey’s novel is part of the Once Upon a Time series and mixes themes of family, identical twins, and Cinderella based on the Perrault version of the fairy tale. This version contains a positive representation of the stepmother and portrays the initial problems in the family as Cendrillon, the main character, fails to reveal that she is not a servant. Dokey shifts the villainy to the father as he schemes to control the kingdom and punishes his new wife and her children as much as Cendrillon. The novel is suitable for young adults.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Donoghue, Emma. Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997.
[This collection of fairy tale revisions contains an emphasis on gender with additional lesbian and transgender themes. Each tale feeds into the next story so that the stories occur as conversations between characters who often appear in more than one tale.
The stories include “The Tale of the Shoe,” “The Tale of the Bird,” The Tale of the Rose,” “The Tale of the Apple,” The Tale of the Handkerchief,” “The Tale of the Hair,” The Tale of the Brother,” “The Tale of the Spinster,” “The Tale of the Cottage,” “The Tale of the Skin,” “The Tale of the Needle,” “The Tale of the Voice,” and “The Tale of the Kiss.”] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
-----. “The Tale of the Shoe.” In Donoghue, Emma. Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997. Pp. 1-8.
[Donoghue offers a progressive Cinderella where the heroine overcome by grief learns to know herself and her desires. The story begins with the heroine grieving after her mother’s death. She retreats into herself and becomes consumed by her pain; she cleans until she becomes exhausted as a way to escape herself: “Nobody made me do the things I did, nobody scolded me, nobody punished me but me. The shrill voices were all inside” (p. 2). One day, a friend of the girl’s mother arrives, gives the girl new clothes, spends time with her, and takes her to a series of balls. At the end of each night, the woman asks the heroine has she “Had enough?” of the festivities (p. 4). Between each ball, the woman helps the girl to transform her perception of the world and herself. On the third night, the Prince proposes. The heroine runs away, leaving only a shoe behind. The girl sees her friend and finally realizes her beauty and the heroine’s feelings for her companion. She decides to be with her friend instead saying the Prince would find someone else to fit the slipper “if he looks long enough” (p. 8).] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
-----. “The Tale of the Skin.” In Donoghue, Emma. Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997. Pp. 145-164.
[Donoghue offers an unusual retelling of the Catskin Cinderella variant. A king and queen were extremely close, and the king also had a pet donkey on which he doted. When the queen dies, the king loses his mind and has the donkey come to sleep in his bedchamber. His courtiers urge him to remarry, but he wants a woman who resembles his wife; the courtiers search but find no one who looks like the queen. One day, the king sees his daughter and falls in love with her. The courtiers encourage her to humor her father and flirt with him while they seek better doctors. The girl’s friend, a flower woman, advises her in the courtship, and soon the girl requests three dresses, the colors of the sun, moon, and stars. The flower woman sews each dress, so the girl is protected from her father’s desires for nearly a year, but the dresses are finished eventually. The girl then asks for the skin of the donkey, which she assumes will stop her father, but when he places the skin beside her, she is truly horrified, not just at the idea of incest but at how the father will use and destroy whatever he claims to care for. The flower woman tells the heroine to escape, and she flees, taking her mother’s wedding band, the three dresses, and the donkey skin with her. She survives in the wild for many months, before arriving in another kingdom. Huntsmen bring her to the Prince, dressed as a wild creature, and the man gives the girl a job in the kitchen. The heroine is smitten with his physical appearance, and at a holiday some time later, she escapes from the kitchen, washes, and tries on all three of the dresses. That night, she arrives at the ball in one of the dresses, and the confused Prince suspects that he knows her. She leaves him at the end of the ball and puts the skin back on but continues to wear the wedding band. Her lover searches for the girl, and when he comes to the kitchen, she expects him to recognize her. He questions her, but the girl does not reveal her presence at the ball, and when the prince leaves without realizing that she was his dance partner, the girl becomes furious. She places the wedding ring in the soup “for him to choke on” (p. 162) and arranges the three dresses by the river to make it appear as if she committed suicide. She then travels back to her original kingdom and discovers that a cousin rules since her father’s death, and because she does not aspire for her original status, she goes to stay with the flower woman.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Dooley. E. J. Cinderella Up-To-Date; or, The Lover, The Lackey and the Little Glass Slipper. E. J. Dooley, 1903.
Douglas, Amanda Minnie (1831-1916). A Modern Cinderella. Chicago: M. A. Donohue, 1913.
Duncan, Sara Jeannette (1861-1922). Cousin Cinderella. Ottawa: Tecumseh Press, 1994.
Eklund, Mary Louise. “A Charming Murder.” In Terribly Twisted Tales. Ed. Jean Rabe and Martin H. Greenberg. New York: Daw Books, 2009. Pp. 65-78.
[In this retelling, a detective records the confession of Estella, Cinderella’s stepsister, after she beats the fairy tale heroine to death with Cinderella’s glass slipper on the princess’ first wedding anniversary. Estella wants to tell her side of the story and reveal the truth of Cinderella’s power-hungry ways. The stepsister describes the courtship of her mother and Claus Van Schouwen during which her mother overlooked the protestations of Cordelia and Estella whenever they interacted with the cruel Cindy. After the betrothal, the famed heroine turned vicious and began tormenting her family, leading to her father’s death. Estella insists that all three girls were invited to the ball but that Cinderella refused to attend. During the festivity, the Prince was attracted to Estella until Cinderella arrived and appeared to enchant him with potentially dark magic. Once she became engaged to Albert Charming, Cinderella used the media to torment her relatives until the stepmother fell ill and Cordelia fled town. During their first year of marriage, Albert began an affair with Estella. At the anniversary party, Estella attempts to make an arrangement with Cinderella in order to provide for her family and secure her relationship, but the princess mocks her. Overcome by rage, Estella violently kills Cinderella before fleeing to Albert. Once he vows to look after her family, the stepsister waits for the police to hear her confession at her home. The detective recording her story is so moved that he passes the information on to the media, and he hopes that the jury will be sympathetic at her trail.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Elmer, Isabel Lincoln. Cinderella Rockefeller. New York: Freundlich Books, 1987.
[See the entry under Autobiography .]
English, Clara. Children in the Wood. New York: McLoughlin, [18??].
Erskine, John. Cinderella’s Daughter and Other Sequels and Consequences. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1930.
[The Prince falls in love with his own daughter and is confronted with his twisted desires at the ball. She is patient as Griselda . Includes Beauty and Beast components in her retreat to safety.]
Farjeon, Eleanor (1881-1965). The Glass Slipper. Buccaneer Books (Harmony Raine & Company), 1981. Reissued Lippencott, 1984.
[A well-told story of Ella and her friendly talking animals, who help her to endure the nasty stepsisters Arethusa and Araminta and the wicked stepmother until she finds her happy ending with the Prince, who had searched long for the Princess from Nowhere. At the ball she overstays the deadline but the other women simply think she is a serving girl and pay no attention. The prince likewise ignores her, until he learns to see better. In thirty chapters. See Ellin Greene’s discussion under Criticism . See also Farjeon’s musical The Glass Slipper , performed in London in 1944 and 1945 under Pantomime Productions .]
Feather, Jane. The Diamond Slipper. New York: Bantam Books, 1997.
[Dust jacket: What comes to mind when you think of a diamond slipper? Cinderella, perhaps? That’s what Cordelia Brandenburg imagines when her godparents arrange a marriage for her with a man she’s never met–a marriage that will take her to Versailles, far from the rigid confines of her childhood home. The betrothal gift is a charm bracelet with a tiny, glittering diamond slipper attached … as befits a journey into a fairy-tale future. But Cordelia–young, headstrong and completely adorable–runs into trouble right away. Her escort to the wedding is the golden-eyed sensual, teasing Viscount Leo Kierston. For Cordelia, it’s love at first sight. Yet Leo seems to see only a spoiled child–perhaps it’s the way she cheats at chess–and Cordelia is determined to show him the woman beneath. There is, however, no escaping her arranged marriage. She’s devastated to discover that her new husband is an utterly loathsome tyrant who will stop at nothing to satisfy his twisted desires. Cordelia struggles courageously against a man determined to break her spirit. But her husband has a secret, one that will bring down the vengeance of her beloved Viscount Kierston.]
Ferré, Rosario. “The Poisoned Story.” In The Youngest Doll. University of Nebraska, 1991. Pp. 7-18.
[A woman reader is poisoned by the ink of a book of fairy tales, and by the time she dies we see that her life has been a fairy tale gone wrong. A proletarian Cinderella who married an impoverished sugarcane plantation owner, she metamorphosed into a wicked stepmother to his daughter and is poisoned by the patriarchal fantasies she swallowed when young.]
Fleury, Jacqueline. The Cinderella Bride. Thorndike, Maine: Thorndike Press, 1990.
Fredrickson, Michael. A Cinderella Affidavit. New York: Tor Doherty Assiciates Book, 1999.
[Backcover: A routine drug bust goes awry in Boston’s Chinatown, killing a police officer as he batters down the door to execute a no-knock search warrant. The police arrest the man, but the court orders them to produce the confidential snitch whose information was the basis of the bust. The search for the informant will plunge lawyers on both sides of the case into the legal battle of their lives. High-placed politicians, Chinese mobsters, and Boston’s power elite will be dragged into court, their fates riding on the identity of this mystery informant, an informant known only as Cinderella. “Frederickson draws upon his legal expertise for a cunning story of crime, corruption, perjury, and murder in Boston”–The Boston Globe. “Frederickson’s insight into the legal process adds authenticity to a fast-paced intriguing, multifaceted tale”–Publisher Weekly. “Frederickson shows grit and an acute sense of humor as he skewers the entire legal class system, blue to white collar”–Entertainment Weekly. Flyleaf: “A legal thriller so savvy and well written it’s hard to believe it’s a first novel. The dialogue is literate, often funny, and all the characters live and breathe”–Kirkus Reviews. “Move over John Grisham, Esq. Watch out Scott Turow”–Lawyer’s Journal. “A witty, intelligent journey through big firms and prosecutors’ offices that should be familiar to any lawyer”–Virginia Lawyers Weekly. “A towering achievement!”–Massachusetts Bar Journal. “A book you can’t put down; exciting, full of twists and turns, it is a fast-paced thriller”–Barry Reed, author of The Verdict.]
Fulton, Maude. Cinderella of the Storm. Chicago, 1928.
Garbera, Katherine. Cinderella’s Convenient Husband. New York: Silhouette Books, 2002.
[Backcover: Meet the Connellys of Chicago — wealthy, powerful, and rocked by scandal, betrayal … and passion! A second chance at love? Wealthy Chicago attorney Seth Connelly told himself he’d married Lynn McCoy only to save her family ranch. The Sagebrush, Montana, spread had once been his salvation, though Lynn had been his nemesis. But the troublemaking brat had turned into a fresh-faced beauty. Though only days from foreclosure, Lynn was no Cinderella waiting to be rescued. Just as well, since silver-eyed Seth was no Prince Charming. She fantasized about the only kiss they’d ever shared, fourteen years ago, and yearned to be held again in his rock-hard arms. To be made his wife, in every sense of the word. Seth wanted marriage, too – but without love. Or so his loner heart said. Passionate, powerful, and provocative. Fly leaf: Around Chi-Town: Looks like the Connellys have been plunged into scandal yet again–Grant Connelly’s former lover, Ms. Angie Donahue, has been arrested! Sources report that Ms. Donahue, the mother of Grant’s illegitimate son, Seth Connelly, is the niece of Chicago’s most influential mob boss, Jimmy Kelly. Police investigations leading up to her arrest indicate that the Kellys may be behind the recent spate of troubles that have plagued the prestigious Connelly family these last few months. And how is Seth Connelly, a well-respected attorney in the Windy City, taking the news? It means that Seth has taken an undetermined leave of absence from his law practice and from Chicago. Sources close to the thirty-two-year-old bachelor say he has been devastated by his mother’s revelation, but won’t reveal his location. The Connelly troubles don’t end there. Following police questioning, Grant’s longtime assistant, Charlotte Masters, has also gone missing – and rumor has it that her life may be in danger. And she’s not the only one. Police report that hotshot P.I.Tom Reynolds, hired to protect the family, has turned up dead, the apparent victim of foul play. In the wake of these latest disclosures, we expect local sympathies to be with Seth, a reserved lone wolf who never became a true bachelor-about-town like so many of the Connelly sons. Chicago awaits his return! Seth Connelly–Deceived and betrayed by his heritage once again, he runs away, back to his cowboy roots, hoping to find himself, to heal … Lynn McCoy–she knows what it’s like to be betrayed by someone you love – and now she, too, is paying the price. Angie Donahue–Seth’s mother; she allowed his father Grant Connelly, to raise him, but the havoc she wreaks finds her son wherever he hides.]
-----. Overnight Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001.
[Backcover: Duke Merchon was light years ahead of co-worker Cami Jones in bedroom expertise. Still, the plain-Jane stirred his fantasies, but Duke vowed to keep a safe distance from her thousand-watt smile. Orphaned as a child, he’d learned to deny his boyhood dreams of love and family. Then Cami suddenly traded in her modest librarian façade for a stunning grace and beauty, and Duke felt his firm footing in Bachelorville slipping. And fast. For he couldn’t resist showing this newly sensuous woman the laws of physical love. And when Duke held his overnight Cinderella in his arms, he felt transformed … into Cami’s Prince Charming! “Describe this dream lover,” Duke said, teasing himself with the idea of her voice painting sensual images. Cami smiled widely and closed her eyes. “This man of mine is a white knight of old. He’s fought hard in battle and lost everything dear to him, but he craves ties to the land and the future. He sees me in his future. He sees past my surface to the passionate woman underneath. The woman I’ve always longed to be. He unlocks me from my slumber as surely as Prince Charming awakened Sleeping Beauty with one pure kiss.” Duke stared down at Cami. Her eyes were closed, her head tipped back and her body pressed to his. He realized she must be a virgin. Only a woman who’d never shared her body with a man would expect a pure kiss to awaken her desire. Only a woman as sweet as Cami would share the fantasy of her soul with him. And it moved him. But could it move him to marriage? - Flyleaf. Yes it could. Today he was marrying the sexy little tornado that had shaken his world and rearranged it … What had he done to deserve her? (p. 183).]
Galitz, Cathleen. Wyoming Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001. No. 1373.
[Backcover: Georgeous multimillionaire William Hawk was caught in a tornado-and her name was Ella McBride! The tantalizing nanny brought order to his children but left Hawk’s senses spinning out of control. A massive, primal desire hammered at his resistance. He simply must keep his luscious live-in temptation out of his bedroom! But how to avoid her bedroom eyes? Ella felt utterly transformed! In Hawk’s arms she was the most beautiful woman on earth, a sensuous princess, his Wyoming Cinderella. And with just a little coaxing, this sexy older man had introduced her to womanhood. Now would it be Ella’s turn to usher him into husbandhood? Flyleaf: “Would it help if I apologized for kissing you last night?” “A lady usually doesn’t like to hear a man say he’s sorry for kissing her,” Ella replied, stepping away from the stove. Hawk had expected her to give a sigh of relief. Instead, she faced him down with a spatula and the most refreshing sincerity he’d encountered in years. “What do you suggest we do, then? Would silverware at ten paces be fitting?” “I prefer steak knives myself.” “Perhaps if you’d be willing to call a truce, I’d offer to set the table.” Hawk reached around her to open the silverware drawer. The lightest touch of his arm against her body was enough to set her imagination sailing for erotic destinations. The thought of those arms wrapped around her waist … Of his big, masculine hands caressing her … Of stepping back and cuddling her body against his in a fit as perfect as the two spoons he lifted out of the silverware drawer. Conclusion: “A once-upon-a-time skeptic, Ella allowed herself to accept the fairy tale ending that truly belonged to her. Circumstances of birth and lack of opportunity were nothing in comparison to how this wonderful man made her feel. No longer the ugly duckling of her youth, she was transformed into a real-life Cinderella and made beautiful not ty the twirling of a godmother’s wand, but by the power of Hawk’s eternal love” (p. 185).]
George, Charles. A Country Cinderella. New York: Fitzgerald Publishing Corporation, 1931.
George, Jessica Day. Princess of Glass. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010.
[George offers this retelling as a sequel to her novel Princess of Glass, a re-envisioning of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Princess Poppy, one of the former twelve princesses, participates in a royalty-exchange program only to find herself caught up in a Cinderella story gone wrong. As she stays at the home of Lord Richard and encounters Prince Christian, she also meets Eleanora, an orphan and noble forced to become a maid after her father’s estate is ruined. The young woman cannot appear to do anything correctly, and finally, The Corley, a witch with her own back-story of loss and grief, seduces the girl with promises of a better life. The Corley is the source of Eleanora’s incompetence and convinces the girl to pose as Lady Ella, a princess, in order to win the hand of Prince Christian. With each ball, the enchantment on Prince Christian grows and the spells on Eleanora strengthen with her feet slowly turning to glass. Because of her past experiences, Poppy sees through the black magic affecting every one, and between her cleverness, knitting, and rudimentary white magic, she helps save everyone by agreeing to pose as Ellen and face The Corley, who makes the enchanted Prince attempt to find his true bride. Christian chooses Poppy, the young woman he loves, rather than the false bride, Eleanora. Poppy’s quick thinking saves everyone involved, and they escape The Corey stronghold, and Roger, another noble who loved and remembered Ellen before her time as maid, pledges his desire for her hand, and the book ends with multiple impending weddings.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Gill, Judy Griffith. The Cinderella Search. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1998.
[Lissa Wilkins had kissed enough toads disguised as Prince Charming to learn not to trust men. So now, with Steven Jackson on the scene, she steered clear of his Prince Charming vibes. Steven had dated lots of women, but no one fit the glass slipper of his dreams. He hoped to buy Lissa’s father’s hotel, but Lissa had her own plan. She would play ghost and scare the unwanted buyer away, except that she came crashing through the ceiling into his arms, where she felt those delicious vibes all over again. But she fled, leaving behind one ugly sandal. Steven set up a booth at the town festival, insisting that he would try the shoe on every woman in town in hope of figuring out who the woman who fell through the ceiling was. Even if the shoe did not fit he promised to kiss the one who tried, which turned all the women on, except Lissa. She held out, but at the end, Steven proved so charming that even though she knew that charmers were bad news, no matter how intoxicating their kisses, she let the slipper be fitted where it belonged. Still, she distrusted Steve. But at last she agreed to marry him, and the hotel will stay in the family — for the grandchildren.]
Gordon, Karen Elizabeth. The Red Shoes and Other Tattered Tales. Normal, Illinois: Dalkey Archive Press, 1996.
[Tatters of half-a-dozen tales (The Glass Shoe, The Ginderbread Variations, The Little Match Girl, Don Juan Is a Woman, The Red Shoes) sewn together with notes in an ABC alphabet romp through the language of sensuality. In the Dramatis Personae Cinderella is the “resiliently abused stepchild whose secret rebellions in both fact and fantasy forge her liberty. Seeing past mere wish fulfillment, she unmasks social form and ceremony in her unabashed dealings with the prince” (p. 7). She appears in such entries as BUBBLES (from The Glass Shoe), a letter to her father wondering how he ever came to lay his head among the bosoms of this family that works her to death and calls her Ashtray, Dustrag, Mopsy, and Smudge — “I was so hungry I started gnawing at my cuticles” (p. 26); or COAT: A fine coat of lust lay over every thoughtful surface of the room. “This could be either Cinderella out of her drawers, or Jonquil, thinking of love as ‘a little adventure looking for the right surface to happen upon’ or ‘stretching myself out, in case someone wants to leave a message plastered to my body’” (p. 35); or SCHMATTE (from The Glass Shoe): I scratched my schmatte and / proceeded with the floor. “Cinderella, or Cendrine, as she is called in Cendrine and the Garcon Flambé, a video by Jean-Jacques Passera, picked up a few Yiddish expressions from the shops in the village, so it is not surprising to come across entries in her diary like: ‘I was polishing the tsatskelehs when the doorbell rang and I opened the door to a dwarf selling hairbrushes’ or ‘I schlepped my bucket up the front stairs to do Agfa’s room, but her door was locked and a sign that read MUSE PLEASE dangled from the doorknob, so I figured she was at it with her pathetic fallacies, and tiptoed off for une petite somme in the attic instead’” (p. 135).]
Grandpapa Pease’s Cinderella. Albany: Fisk and Little, 1855?.
Griffiths, Michael. Cinderella With Amnesia. London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1975.
-----. Get Your Act Together, Cinderella!. London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1989.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Just Ella. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
[Dust jacket: Like every commoner in the land, Ella dreams of going to the ball and marrying Prince Charming. But after she is chosen to marry the prince, life with the royal family is not the “happily ever after” that Ella imagined. Pitiless and cold, the royals try to mold her into their vision of a princess. Ella’s life becomes a meaningless schedule of protocol, which she fears she will never grasp. And Prince Charming’s beautiful face hides a vacant soul. Even as her life turns to misery, the stories persist that Ella’s fairy godmother sent her to the ball. How else could the poor girl wear a beautiful gown, arrive in a coach, and dance in those glass slippers? But there is no fairy godmother to help Ella escape the deadening life of the castle. She learns that she must do things on her own, makes her departure. The prince ends up with the step family, who are more easily molded. Ella escapes, mindful of an old woman from the village who said, “Happy was like beauty - in the eye of the beholder. Ella makes contact with an old friend Jed. But more important, she likes the way she is living her new life as she goes back to work.]
Harbison, Elizabeth. Emma and the Earl. New York: Silhouette Romance, 1999.
[A Cinderella Brides Romance, no, 1410: These women are living out their very own fairy tales, but will they live happily ever after? Backcover: In love with an earl? Impossible! American Emma Lawrence knew she was too ordinary to ever have a British aristocrat fall in love with her! But when she found herself locked in the earl of Palliser’s embrace, her heart couldn’t help but hope. Now ensconced on Brice Palliser’s lavish estate, Emma saw how different her everyday life was from the earl’s. And though Brice made her feel like the belle of the ball, when the clock struck midnight, would Emma be left with a pumpkin carriage, or the keys to Brice’s heart? Flyleaf: It looks like a fairy tale. Emma smiled up into Brice’s eyes, “It’s positively enchanting. Even the hardest of hearts would be moved by this kind of beauty.” Brice looked down at her in the darkness and realized his hard heart was moved, but not by the lights or the garden or the star-filled sky. Their movements slowed until finally they were standing still, locked in each other’s arms, gazing into each other’s eyes. He wanted to kiss her. He was fairly certain she wanted the same thing. He looked at her. “I’d never want to hurt you, Emma.” “Hurt me? What do you mean?” After a moment, Brice shook his head. “I only meant that I would never try and take advantage of your trust. Remember that. No matter what happens.”]
-----. Plain Jane Marries the Boss. New York: Silhouette Romance, 1999.
[A Cinderella Brides Romance, no. 1416: These women are living out their own fairy tales, but will they live happily ever after? Backcover: “Schedule a wedding … and find me a wife!” It had taken five years, but Jane Miller’s dynamic, handsome and commanding boss had finally proposed — even though she knew he’d never seen the shy, yearning glances she’d sent him. She was so happy she could cry — and did when she heard the rest of the plan! Because although this was a real wedding, it wouldn’t be a real marriage. Trey Breckenridge III had buisness mergers in the making, and needed a wife to seal the deal. But “Plain” Jane made an additional wedding vow — that before the honeymoon was over, Trey would realize just what he’d been missing all these years. Flyleaf: “You really saved my life tonight.” Jane’s cheeks flushed. “I don’t think that’s true.” Trey took her hand in his. “It’s true, he said. “And I won’t forget it. But at the moment I’m more concerned about what it will take to convince my secretary, who is a tremendously professional woman as well as a splendid actress, to be my fiancée for just a little bit longer.” Tiny shivers ran up Jane’s bare arms, though whether it was from his touch or from his proposition, she couldn’t say. “You could try just asking me.” “Would you be my fiancée, Jane?” She smiled reassuringly, ignoring the voice inside her that said she was betraying herself and that she’d never be able to keep up this act without a huge emotional risk. “Yes, Trey. You can count on me.” Epilogue: Trey reached for Jane’s hand under the table and leaned close. “Care to dance, Mrs. Brekenridge?” She frowned and looked around. “There’s no music.” “Ah, that’s where you’re wrong.” He stood up and pulled her into his arms. “We hear our own music.” She leaned her cheek against his shoulder and smiled as he tightened his arm around her and started to sway gently. “I hear it now,” she said. Outside the window, the silver bells from the church where they had just renewed their vows rang across the distance.]
-----. Annie and the Prince. New York: Silhouette Romance, 2000.
[A Cinderella Brides Romance, no. 1423: These women are living out their very own fairy tales, but will they live happily ever after? Backcover: Someday her prince would come. Librarian Annie Barimer always played by the rules and the result was dullsville. So when she had a chance to tutor two little princesses, well, how could she resist? Soon Annie found herself working in a faraway castle — and falling for her very own prince! Or she’d go after him! Prince Johann was everything she’d longed for, and more. Handsome, commanding, yet tender, he was just about perfect. Now if only he would guarantee her dreams came true! Flyleaf: It was joy he was seeing and hearing. His children and Annie were laughing as they pounded snow into balls and tossed them at each other. Annie looked at him then, and something between them connected and he nearly smiled back. What would it feel like, Hans wondered, to just give in to the urge to take her into his arms? What would it be like to kiss her? He was overwhelmed by the urge to try. God, she was lovely. Maybe it was the soft light, or the drifting snow, or the crisp chill air, but suddenly Annie looked delicious enough to eat. And he was hungry.]
Hardy, Alice Dale. The Flyaways and Cinderella. Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1925.
[The first of several Flyaway novels dealing with fairy tales. The Flyaway family — Pa, Ma, Tommy, and Susie — is “part real and part fairy.” They live in a great tree high above the ground. “Ma Flyaway was a stout, good-natured lady, with a smiling face and jolly eyes. She loved three things. One was children, the second was cooking of all sorts, including making the of pies, puddings, and cakes, and the third was to dress in silks and satins and pretend she was a Fairy Godmother or a Queen” (p. 4). Under pressure from the children they decide to go fairylanding in Pa’s dirigible in hope of finding Cinderella so that Susie might try on the glass slipper and Tommy see the Prince’s sword. On the way they bump into Jack’s beanstalk and visit with Mother Hubbard, then finally find Cinderella weeping by a stream. The Prince has been taken captive by three Black Robbers and a mean elf. Pa sets out to rescue the Prince and does so with the help of a magic whistle and the ingenuity of Ma and the children, as well as his own cleverness. But once safe back at the palace Cinderella disappears, stolen away by a Glass Man who takes her in a cloud of steam to the Candy King, who would force her to make sugar plums for him. She in turn is rescued with the aid of the dirigible and the threat of dropping rocks on the candy shop, and all return to the palace and then home. Pa promises the children to go fairylanding again. Two of the sequels include The Flyaways Little Red Riding Hood and The Flyaways and Goldilocks.]
Hare, Walter Ben (1880-1950). A Southern Cinderella. Chicago: T. S. Denison, 1913.
Harrington, Rebie. Cinderella Takes a Holiday in the Northland. New York: F. H. Revell, 1937.
Hawes, Louise. “Ashes.” In Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008. Pp. 105-36.
[Hawes retells Cinderella from the Prince’s perspective. His mother, a demanding, harsh, and aggressive queen drove her husband to have an affair with a noble woman in the kingdom before the queen threatened the woman’s life upon learning of the mistress’s identity. When this woman later marries a widower with a daughter, the monarch plots again, and she guides the widower’s daughter until the girl arrives at the ball in a dress that captivates the Prince’s attention. After the wedding, the Prince’s new wife transforms from a quiet girl to a future queen. She is suddenly not the sweet and innocent girl who attracted him as she spends more and more time with the queen, only returning to the Prince at night, where she insists that he recounts his impressions of seeing her beauty before allowing him to make love to her. Eventually, his new wife demands that the Prince execute her stepmother and stepsisters with the support of the queen, but the Prince refuses. For nearly a year, he maintains his position despite his wife’s convenient and entirely feigned illness that causes her to shut him out. Finally, the Prince gives in, and the day of the execution, he finds his wife boasting of how her family died and obtaining a lock of one victim’s hair before the Prince realizes the trap his mother set for his father’s lover: the stepsisters were likely his own siblings. After that night, Cinderella returns to his bed, demanding the usual the story of her glory and beauty. Disheartened by these events, the Prince turns into his father and begins an affair with a dairy maid during the day before returning to his wife at night, who perpetually wants to hear the story of self-flattery again and again.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
-----. Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008.
[In this extremely dark collection of fairy tale revisions, Hawes transforms six fairy tales by changing the narrative perspective. For example, the Prince tells of his courtship and pursuit of Cinderella, and the harp tells of how Jack abducted her and inadvertently set her free. Stories include “Dame Nigran’s Tower,” a retelling of Rapunzel; “Pipe Dream,” a Pied Piper variant; “Mother Love,” a version of Hansel and Gretel; “Ashes,” a version of Cinderella; “Evelyn’s Song,” a transformation of Jack and the Beanstalk; and “Diamonda” a revision of Snow White.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Hayes, Margaret Gebbie. The Pussy Cinderella. Philadelphia: G. H. Coughlin, 1915.
Hayes, Sally Tyler. Cinderella and the Spy. New York: Silhouette Books, 2000.
[Backcover: A woman worth waiting for. Undercover Agent Joshua Carter had only wanted to help sweet Amanda Wainwright. Instead, her being seen with him had put the shy secretary’s life in danger … and under his twenty-four-hour protection. But from the moment virginal Amanda stepped into the playboy’s apartment, it was Josh’s life that was on the line, because he still remembered one long-ago, stolen kiss. And although Josh had tried to act honorably by giving Amanda space, her fragile vulnerability still called to him and awakened every male instinct. Now Josh wanted a future. Could he make this inexperienced beauty see beneath the playboy façade to a heart that beat true blue? Flyleaf: “I’m nothing like the woman you normally chase. I’m … ” “What?” he asked gently. “Plain,” she choked. “Ordinary. Boring.” “I’ve never been bored with you, Amanda, and I don’t think there’s anything ordinary about you.” Amanda sighed, not wanting to continue this conversation with him. Josh was rich and dangerous and absolutely gorgeous. She’d seen him in the society pages, photographed with some of the world’s most beautiful women hanging on to his arm. She’d spent more time than she should have looking over those photos, wondering about his life. Fantasizing about him. She was not the kind of woman he dated, not the kind he should notice. “Josh-” she began. “Careful. I’ll think you’re fishing for compliments.” “I’m not. I know what kind of woman I am.” “You don’t have a clue, Amanda, Did you ever stop to think that maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do, either?”]
Hendry, Lee. A Gown For Cinderella. Minneapolis: T. S. Denison, 1951.
Henry, Anne. Cinderella Mom. Harlequin American Romance. New York: Harlequin Books, 1992.
[Calendar of Romance title for the month of May–a special Mother’s Day issue. How can Sara, a widowed mother of two, with a delicious warmth in her veins from the wine, caught up in the strong arms of Prince Charming Julian, explain not coming home to the kids? Must the fairy tale end with the dance at midnight?]
Hillert, Margaret. Cinderella at the Ball. Chicago: Follett Publishing Company, 1970. Also Cleveland: Modern Curriculum, 1970.
[See Perrault under Children’s Illustrated Editions.]
Hines, Jim C. The Stepsister Scheme. New York: Daw Books, 2009.
[Hines offers an amusing beginning to a series of books based on the continuing adventures of Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, with numerous other fairy tale heroes and heroines making an appearance. The first book, The Stepsister Scheme, establishes this fantasy world and reveals what happens to Danielle Whiteshore (the tale’s Cinderella) after she marries. She learns that her mother-in-law covertly helps other heroines in trouble and has a powerful network of magical forces that protect her kingdom. The resources fail when Armand, Prince Charming, is kidnapped forcing Danielle, Snow, and Talia to rescue him. The novel offers a retelling of Cinderella while showing the heroine maturing into a woman capable of eventually helping with the ruling of a kingdom while also exploring themes of love, marriage, and family loyalty. The novel considers the costs of magic, happiness, power, and position. Subsequent books in the series include The Mermaid’s Madness, Red Hood’s Revenge, and The Snow Queen’s Shadow.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Historical Christmas Stories. Harlequin Historical Series. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1989.
[Includes an adaptation of Perrault’s Cinderella.]
Hoadley, John Chipman (1818-1886). Description of the Portable Steam-Engine Cinderella. Boston: A. Holland, 1870.
Hoban, Russell. The Mouse and His Child. New York: Harper & Row, 1967.
[“The mouse child’s vision of a happy family, which begins in the toy shop, is shattered when the clockwork father mouse and child are broken and thrown on the rubbish dump. From there, through the cinders and wilderness, they wander on a quest, struggling to survive, hoping to become self-winding and to regain the lost ‘family’”–Gough p. 102)]
Hodge, Rosamund. Gilded Ashes: A Cruel Beauty Novella. New York: Harper Collins, 2014. Kindle edition.
[Set in the same world as Cruel Beauty, this novella retells the story of Cinderella with demons, stepsisters, and the backdrop of the ball. The bond between the young women is emphasized as both the Cinderella character and elder stepsister try to protect the youngest sibling. The mother and stepmother are also positioned as equally desperate women trying but failing to look out after their daughters.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Holyoke, Hetty. “Cinderella.” In Peterson’s Magazine 31, June, 1857. Pp. 199-202.
[A plain girl, always in trouble at school, she dresses in a calico dress made from material her mother got for her at an auction for damaged goods and walks through evil and good report, serene as a sybil. Her two sisters, Melissa and Miranda, are proud and beautiful. When Mrs. Nute becomes ill with a serious illness Cinderella must drop out of school to care for her, a nurse to one neither grateful nor easily pleased. Years pass as Cinderella sits in the chimney corner of her mother’s sick room, grotesque as ever in her dress, yet still serene. She becomes seamstress for the whole family, as well as housekeeper. But the young student who comes with old Dr. Gray to care for Mrs. Nute takes a liking to Cinderella. He flirts with Miranda, talks metaphysics with Melissa, but would marry Cinderella. He dresses her well, and to the amazement of all, she is beautiful. But the marriage takes place only later, after Edward Gray returns with his fortune from India, when he meets Cinderella again, now the governess of old Abraham Marvel’s grandchildren. Their home becomes “a centre of all refining, genial influences.”]
Howard, Barbara. Her Heart’s Challenge, or, A Beautiful Cinderella. New York: Street and Smith, 1899.
Huth, Angela. “Another Kind of Cinderella.” In Another Kind of Cinderella and Other Stories. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1996. Pp. 1-25.
[Reginald plays second chair fiddle in the orchestra for the Cinderella pantomime. He lives with his demanding mother, Mrs. Breen, who makes him account for every minute according to her liking. He fantasizes about dating Valerie, the sweet-voiced beauty who plays Cinderella. She seems close to Bev, who plays Prince Charming, but finally he gets up courage to ask her to have coffee with him on an afternoon when his mother thinks he has rehearsal. She agrees to see him, but on another day. He joins her, even though he knows he will have to endure his mother’s wrath. Valerie wonders what Reg expects, he being so much older and essentially a loser. He asks to be given the chance to spend his savings on her; she smiles and insists that she must meet with Bev: “You’re a nice guy, but I’m another kind of Cinderella.” When he gets home his mother, plumped with indignation, her obscene legs swing, scolds him and mocks, “What kept you then? Dancing with Cinderella.” As she laughs sneeringly at him he “swung his violin case above his head, and moved towards her in silence before they both screamed.”]
Irish, Marie. A Twentieth-Century Cinderella. New York: Edgar S. Werner and Company, 1905.
Japrisot, Sebastian. Trap for Cinderella. New York: Simon Schuster, 1964; New York: Pocket Books Inc., 1965. First Published as Piège pour cendrillen. Paris: Editions Densël, 1962. Winner of Le Grand Prix de la Litterature Policiere.
[Backcover: Was she the murderer or the murdered? At a French resort, two young girls share a house on the beach. When fire guts the house only one of them survives. Either of them might have said this: “I am twenty years old. I am about to tell a story. It is a story of murder. I am the murderer. I am the victim. I am the witness. I am the inquisitor. I am all of these. But who am I?” Flyleaf: He clapped his hand over my mouth and pushed me inside the garage. “I heard about the fire … that one of you had been killed,” he said. “I’ve been watching you since, and I know who you really are. And now I want my cut.” I was out of breath. I wanted to scream, but I lacked the strength. “Don’t be a fool,” he said. “You know very well you killed her!” I nodded my head. “Let me go please.” “I can bother you or leave you alone,” he said. “The price for not bothering you is two million francs.” Synopsis: Micky is heir to a large estate. Her godmother becomes unhappy with her for her careless ways with money and boys. Domenica Loi, a working girl, befriends Micky and wheedles her way into the godmother’s favor and, through deceitful letters, into the old woman’s will, even at the cost of her friendship. Domenica and her boyfriend, Serge Reppo, plan the murder of Micky, though she does not know this until later. A fire at a French Resort kills one of the girls and badly burns the other, who loses her memory and is unable even to know which of the two girls she might be. Serge knows she is Micky and tries to frame her, accusing her of starting the fire twice in her effort to kill Domenica. Jeanne Murneau, Micky’s nurse, tries to help her back to full consciousness of who she is, hoping to win a portion of the deceased Godmother’s estate for herself. Micky kills Serge as he tries to blackmail her, insisting that she murdered Domenica. Micky and Jeanne are brought to trial. Jeanne is sentenced to 30 years in prison for her fraudulent schemes to get the estate. On grounds of lack of sanity, Micky is acquitted of the murder of Serge, but sentenced to 10 years prison as Jeanne’s accomplice. Only in prison does she regain enough of her memory to know that she is Micky. As the gendarme escorts her to prison she becomes calm. The man’s cologne reminds her of a scent of an Algerian military man who courted her in his youth. The nauseating cologne that haunted Micky was called “Trap for Cinderella.”]
Jenkins, E. Lawrence. Cinderella, or The Slip, The Slipper, and the Slip Up. New York: Hints Publishing Company, 1902.
Jensen, Kathryn. Mail-Order Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, New York, 2000.
[Backcover: Wife in the Mail. If diehard bachelor Tyler Fortune was being forced by his parents to marry, he’d darned well do it on his own terms — even if it meant securing a bride through a dating service! Mousy Julie Parker seemed the perfect candidate. In return for becoming his wife, all the shy librarian wanted was a baby. And Tyler thought marriage wouldn’t change his life much at all. Until his sweet bride had a glamorous makeover and they got down to making a baby the old-fashioned way. Flyleaf: “Meet the Arizona Fortunes — a family with a legacy of wealth, influence and power. As they gather for a host of weddings, a shocking plot against the family is revealed … and passionate new romances are ignited. Tyler Fortune:This sexy man-about-town knew how to drive a rivet with the best of his construction crew and kiss a women senseless, but he didn’t think he knew anything about marriage. Until plain-Jane Julie became his bride. Julie Parker: All this shy librarian had wanted was a quiet, undemanding man who’d give her a baby. Instead, she got a stunningly sexy, self-possessed man whose kisses gave her an unexpected glimpse of heaven. Jason Fortune: Maybe if his younger brother, Tyler, had stuck with one girlfriend more than three months, he’d know that finding a bride wasn’t like ordering a pizza.” This book is the second of five devoted to the Fortune family of Arizona. The other four are: Bride of Fortune, Fortune’s Secret Child, Husband or Enemy?, and Groom of Fortune. The book ends with a family tree.]
Jenoff, Marvyne. “Cinderella and All the Slippers: The Story of the Story,” The Fiddlehead: Atlantic Canada’s International Literary Journal 172, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada: Summer, 1992. Pp. 65-74.
[The story wakes up to find itself in a kingdom that has lost its sense of romance. Even the mothers are uncomfortable with it. Fathers are too worried about what to buy their own daughters. Cinderella goes to a festival but creeps away, unwanted. Even the stepsisters are turned away and become more cruel. The prince approaches but sleeps in a place apart, never reaching her house. Yet they dream the same dream, as if it happened long ago.]
Jones, Linda Winstead. Cinderfella. New York: Dorcester Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. A Faerie Tale Romance. Linda Winstead Jones was winner of the Colorado Romance writers 1997 Award for Excellence.
[Backcover: An American Princess: The daughter of a Kansas cattle tycoon, Charmaine Haley was given a royal welcome on her return from Boston: a masquerade. But the spirited beauty was aware of her father’s matchmaking schemes, and she felt sure there would be no shoe-ins for her affection. On the Ball: At the dance, Charmaine was swept off her feet by a masked stranger. She hadn’t been so spellbound since Ash Coleman had stolen her heart years before, but suddenly she found herself in a compromising position that had her father on a manhunt with a shotgun and the only clue the stranger had left—one black boot. A Slippery Situation: Ash Coleman hadn’t planned to attend the ball, but he found himself smitten by the grown-up Charmaine. Now, after a stroke of midnight he’d never forget, he suddenly knew this time when the shoe fit, he was ready to wear it. Flyleaf: A Compromising Position: If Charmaine hadn’t been wearing a darn corset, she would have been able to right herself in time, but as it was she fell stiffly forward and into the stranger’s ill-prepared arms. The boot he’d been holding in one hand went flying, and as he caught her around the waist they went tumbling over the side of the gazebo. Strong arms tightened around her, and when they fell, his body cushioned the blow for her. He landed flat on his back, and she landed atop him with a knee on either side of his waist and her skirts bunched around her thighs. Her heart was pounding, her hair was falling in disarray about her face, and her expensive gown was falling off of one shoulder. His hand found her face; long fingers touched her cheek briefly and then moved to the back of her head, and after a pause where taking a breath was impossible, the stranger pulled her face to his and kissed her again. She had never been so close to any man before, never had her body pressed to his and her mouth joined in this impossible way. The rush of her longing that coursed through her body was unexpected and unwanted and much too powerful for her to ignore. “I’ll kill you.” It took Charmaine a moment to realize that the husky voice had not come from the man beneath her.]
Jukes, Mavis. Cinderella 2000. New York: Delacorte Press, 1999. Pp. 197.
Ashley Ella Toral is an orphan, being raised by her stepmother Phyllis, who is doing her best to raise her own spoiled and lazy twins, Paige and Jessica. Ashley’s father had been an air force pilot, much admired and remembered by the people of their California beach town. Ashley and Phyllis get on together well enough – they converse – and Ashley looks after the house and the twins while Phyllis holds down a job. Phyllis is aware of how lazy and ill-bred the twins are and puts up with their messy habits. She admires Ashley’s beauty – her queenly neck, aristocratic cheekbones, large, dark eyes, perfectly arched eye browes, and "‘Draw Me’-style nose, the world’s most perfect nose" (pp. 20-21). She favors her twins with gifts and clothes, and sets up savings to send them to college, telling Ashley that she has no need for college, since she will never have trouble finding the man of her dreams who will be eager to support her. Ashley quietly disagrees with that assessment, planning to go to college and earn her way through her own personal efforts. The plot focuses on a New Year’s eve party at the Ocean Crest Country Club to usher in the year 2000. Ashley has an invitation by Trevor Cranston to go to a ritzy party that is being put on by his mother for her son’s football friends and their dates, an exclusive bunch. She would also like to go to the beach party with her closest friends Emily, Ana, and Mara, who were not invited to the Country Club. Her grandmother is going to visit (something she seldom does), and Phyllis hopes to take her to dinner, while Ashley looks after the twins. Ashley gets promises that she may be able to go to the party, providing she can come up with $35.00 as her part of the limo fee and Phyllis can find a baby sitter. When Ashley shops for a dress, the waitress, recognizing her petite size and beauty asks her to model a splendid gown and shoes (a perfect fit) to help her determine how to display the dress on a mannequin in the window. The outfit costs $2000! The twins play pranks on Ashley, listening in on her phone conversations, stealing her money, etc. Phyllis manages to get an invitation to the ball for the twins which so upsets Ashley that she refuses to go. Meanwhile the grannie, who understands the home situation, makes secret plans for Ashley. It turns out that she has recently won the lottery and buys the expensive dress, which Ashley already knows is a perfect fit, plus a cell phone and pager as well. Phyllis takes the twins to the party early. They play foolish games, breaking the punch bowl and messing up the cuisine. Mrs. Cranston calls Phyllis and tells her to bring the girls home. But Ashley enjoys her dream outing with Trevor, wows everyone the party with her beauty, then they join Emily and the other uninvited friends on the beach to stay up until dawn to see the sun rise on the year 2000.
Kauffman, Donna. The Cinderella Rules. New York: Bantam Dell, 2004.
[Backcover: “A Cinderella Checklist: DO: dress the part. If you’re going to have the world at your feet, you need a great pair of stilettos. DON’T: play by all the rules. After all, you’re a Cinderella, not a saint. DO: employ some discretion. Flings are fabulous. Just don’t get caught. DON’T: dismiss Mr. Nice Guy – there may be a bad boy lurking underneath. DO: keep an eye out for your prince. He might ride in on a white steed – but a red convertible will do nicely too. DON’T: settle. Cinderella should never have to choose between true love and great sex. There’s a little bit of Cinderella in every woman … except Darby Landon, or so she thinks before meeting the three fairy godmothers of Glass Slipper, Inc. They guarantee they can bring out the princess in any woman. But they’ll have their work cut out for them with Darby, who’s more comfortable in jeans and cowboy boots than designer gowns. But when she’s called from her Montana ranch to squire her impossible-to-please father’s star client around the D.C. social scene, Darby has to turn into the queen of chic … and fast. Between torture-chamber sessions of tweezing and teasing, and horrifying lessons on place settings, Darby finds herself drawn into a fairy tale romance of the very adult variety with Shane Morgan, the devastatingly sexy (and reluctant) heir to one of the city’s largest companies. But when another Prince Charming arrives on the scene, Darby’s caught between the woman she is and the woman she’s supposed to be, between two very different irristible bad boys. Now Darby has to choose her own happy ending … and with the help of three very unusual fairy godmothers, this modern-day Cinderella is determined to stay dancing way past midnight – no pumpkins required.” The story is laid out in 25 chapters, each beginning with a Cinderella Rule by one of the cofounders of Glass Slipper, Inc. E.g., “Cinderella Rule #1. While life occasionally makes it appear otherwise, no one has control over your life … but you. Make decisions with care because in the end, you have only yourself to blame for the outcome. – Mercedes Browning, Cofounder Glass Slipper, Inc.” “Cinderella Rule #2. Life offers very few do-overs. A good first impression is critical. Don’t waste yours unnecessarily. 12-Hour Mascara can be just as valuable as a master’s degree. An 18-Hour Bra might serve you even better. – Vivian DePalma, Cofounder Glass Slipper, Inc.” “Cinderella Rule #3. Failing that last rule, regroup quickly and put your best foot forward. Take care to keep your mouth closed while doing so. Better to bite your tongue … than risk swallowing your foot. And darlings, a bright smile covers a multitude of believed sins. – Aurora Favreaux, Cofounder Glass Slipper, Inc.” And so it goes with alternating rules by Mercedes, Vivian, and Aurora, until “Cinderella Rule #25: Life is not a fairy tale. We’re not all Cinderellas. And sometimes Prince Charming wears Hawaiian flowered shorts while riding his trusty steed. But there can be happy endings. You just need work at finding yours … and then hang on to it. Even if it means you wear the pants in the family. Some of the time. (Those Hawaiian shorts are pretty comfortable.) – Darby Landon Morgan, Glass Slipper Graduate.”]
Kay, Kathryn. Possible Squeez Play. Hollywood: Circle Publishing Company, 1941.
Keller, Raymond F. Cinderella with the Wooden Slippers. New York: Exposition Press, 1952.
Kent, Rockwell (1882-1971). Cinderella in Greenland. Chicago: Esquire Publishing Company, 1934.
Kesey, Ken, with Ken Babbs. The Last Go Round: A Dime Western. New York: Viking Press, 1994.
[Broncobuster Jonathan E. Lee Spain, a white man from Tennessee, beats out his two best friends, “Nigger George” Fletcher (a popular black cowboy) and Jackson Sundown (a Nez Perce Indian cowboy) for the top prize in the first Pendleton (Oregon) Round Up of 1911. Though his buddies’ rides are as good as his, or maybe even better, the judges can’t bring themselves to award first place to a black man or Native American. Spain sees his rise to the top as a Cinderella story: he happens to be the right person in the right place at the right time. “My turn is mostly a blur, the biggest ride of my seventeen-year-old Cinderella life and all I can make out is the stuff in the background” (Ch. 20, “My Turn”). In this first person narrative, Spain’s sense of his life as a “Cinderella story” propels him onward.]
King, Jessie M. How Cinderella Was Able To Go To the Ball. London: Foulis, n.d.
[A brochure on Batik. Cinderella wishes to go to the ball but has no clothes. The fairy godmother helps to make batik cloth, with samples and accounts of how the process works. The samples are tipped in color plates. One fine illustration of Cinderella in the final product.]
Kingsley, Katherine. Once Upon a Dream. New York: Dell Publishing Company, 1997.
[A once upon a wish, once upon a passion, once upon a dream book, a retelling of the Cinderella tale, “as two star-crossed lovers play out a romance that is the stuff of legend.” As the cover explains: “Lucy Kincaid endures a life of loneliness and drudgery in her stepmother’s house on Ireland’s windswept coast. All she has to sustain her are her dreams, until the day the golden stranger appears on a cliff — a stranger who gazes at her with love in his eyes and poetry on his lips. Lucy’s heart is lost — until she realizes that he is the enemy: a dispised Englishman, the man whose family stole her birthright. Raphael Montagu, eighth duke of Southwell, searches futilely for the mysterious Irish beauty he’d loved at first sight, certain that only she can heal his wounded heart. But when fate finally returns her to him at a London ball, she denies ever having seen him before. And even when he claims her with a kiss and a vow of eternal love, she vanishes once again, leaving him with no clue as to her identity. His only hope is to travel back to Ireland to uncover the mystery that drove her from his side - and finally claim her for his own.]
Kipling, Rudyard (1865-1936). Captains Courageous. London: Macmillan, 1897.
[A male Cinderella counterpart to Burnett’s A Little Princess.]
-----. How the Elephant Got Its Trunk, and, Cinderella. Tulsa: Educational Development Corporation, 1985.
Kistler, Julie. Cinderella at the Firecracker Ball. Toronto: Harlequin Books, November, 1993.
[According to the backcover and the blurb: “She was living the fairy tale before the happy ending. C. J. Bede had never read Cinderella, but she would have recognized herself as the star. She even had two wicked stepsisters, Karla and Darla Farley. But in this story, when the prince came to town to find a wife, no one was going to keep C. J. away. With the help of her fairy godmother, C. J. swept into the Firecracker Ball and set the eyes of ‘Prince’ Rowan McKenna afire. While her stepsisters were fuming, she snared the heart of the town’s most eligible bachelor. But then the clock struck midnight … ” “She was a vision. The woman was so beautiful she seemed to shimmer. Could it be his imagination, or the dim, romantic cast of the moonlight? It was as if she’d been dusted with tiny sparkles. Rowan couldn’t take his eyes off this fairy princess who’d just swept into the Firecracker Ball, completely without warning. She gazed at him from behind a cat-eyed mask, with eyes that were violet-blue. ‘Who are you?’ he asked, cursing the rough catch in his voice. Wordlessly, she smiled. She held up half a bottle rocket. His pulse speeded as he found his own rocket. He thanked God for the silly game the hosts had devised of pairing up couples with bottle rockets that fit together. He knew it would be a perfect union. He noticed that her hand trembled as much as his as they slid the pieces together. It was a perfect fit. ‘I think this means you’re mine,’ he murmured, and he pulled her into his arms.”]
Krailing, Tessa. Cinderella in Blue Jeans. London: Lightning, 1989.
Lackey, Mercedes. The Fairy Godmother. New York: Luna, 2004.
[This novel is the first of the Tales of the 500 Kingdoms series. The series recounts a variety of fairy tales, including Cinderella, the Little Mermaid, and multiple Beauty and the Beasts, while incorporating ideas of narrative tropes via a concept called “the Tradition.” In the first novel, Elena Klovis becomes a fairy godmother after she learns how the Tradition affects sources of magic and people in the 500 Kingdoms. Elena should have left the home of her abusive stepmother and stepsisters, but when it came time for her ball, the Prince was only a child. When a fairy godmother rescues her, trains her, and suddenly retires, Elena finds herself overseeing the needs of several nearby kings, princes, and peasants encountering magic. She learns that she wants to encourage certain tales, such as Princess and the Pea narratives, while avoiding others, such as Rapunzel, for many princes die at the witch’s hand before one marries the maiden in the tower. Along the way, Elena struggles with her desires, the solitary life of a fairy godmother who helps make others happy, and an angry prince she transforms into a donkey for his poor attitude while trying to rescue the princess of the Glass Mountain. Elena manages to repel the side effects of challenging the Tradition and marry a prince of her choice, leading to an alliance between fairy godmothers and champions.
Books in the series include One Good Knight , Fortune’s Fool, The Snow Queen, and Beauty and the Werewolf.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Lanahan, Eleanor. “Cinderella’s Daughter” (1952). In Scottie, The Daughter of … The Life of Frances Scott Fitzgerald Lanahan Smith. New York: Harper-Collins, 1955. Pp. 554-570.
[Charlotte Stark, daughter of Charlotte Hennessy, the famous writer, lives unnoticed in Washington, working for the CIA, until her boss Gusty, invites her to a New Year’s Eve party, where she suddenly finds herself being lionized as her mother’s daughter. Yearning to be recognized on her own she flees before midnight, returning to her bleak and lonely apartment, where she goes to bed to read her mother’s writings, thinking that next time she will have to be more intelligent when the subject of her mother comes up.]
Langan, Ruth. Snowbound Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 1999.
[Backcover: Membership in this family has its priveleges and its price. But what a fortune can’t buy, a true-bred Texas love is sure to bring! Famous and fabulously wealthy Ciara Wilde had led a charmed life, until the day she decided to run away from her own wedding. Desperate to escape the pursuing press, the glamourous single woman sought refuge in a secluded cabin. But her snow-covered safe haven was soon invaded by a dangerously attractive Jace Lockhart, a man tending to his own emotional wounds. Forced together by a raging blizzard, their passions overheated their long-denied desires. And though Jace had the power to make Ciara feel like Cinderella, she knew her mysterious lover could never promise a fairy-tale ending, unless beauty could find a way to tame the beast. Flyleaf: Meet the Fortunes of Texas: Jace Lockhart: This veteran reporter was under doctor’s orders to relax, but the sexy stranger trapped in the isolated cabin with him was sending his blood pressure sky-high. And soon, warm embraces became more that a means for survival. Clara Wilde: The gorgeous movie star wasn’t used to men loving her for herself. She wanted a man who saw beneath her silver-screen persona, and she was determined to find out if yer romance with Jace was more than a snowbound affair. One of several romances on the Fortunes of Texas and Arizona. See Kathryn Jensen, Mail-Order Cinderella , above.]
Lardner, Ring W. “Cinderella.” In What of It?. New York and London: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1926. Pp. 58-64.
[A prominent clubman kills his wife for misbidding at bridge, losing the rubber, and costing them $26.00. His daughter runs hog wild so he marries again, a widow with two gals of her own, who were terrible. They make Zelda sleep in an ashcan. A prince who’s fast as the Red Sox infield throws a party for people with dress suits. Cinderella can’t go until her fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into a black touring car like murderers ride in, six mice into six cylinders, and lounge lizards into footmen. She even fixes Cinderella up with plate-glass slippers. The prince dances with her alone and makes her laugh herself sick. The second night the Prince gets her drowsy on gin, she loses a shoe and has to walk home with her former chauffeur nibbling at her exposed foot. The Prince, whose name is Scott, runs a display ad for the owner and traces it to Zelda. They get married and forgive the nasty sisters.]
Lavin, Mary. A Single Lady. In Selected Stories. Penguin, 1981. Pp. 107-121.
[In this interesting story, first published in 1951, the daughter finds herself in the step position as she, in caring for her widowed father, introduces a low-class Cinderella into the kitchen to cook and look after things, only to find herself displaced in her father’s affections by the chamber maid. A rather terrifying story, given the virtuous daughter’s inability to cope with the circumstances of her life, where the identity she would emulate is fairy tale, with all the power in the hands of the male protector and his desire for creature comforts.]
Lawrence, Mildred. No Slipper for Cinderella. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1925.
Lazier, Audrey. Cinderella Summer. New York: Avalon, 1988.
Lee, Tanith. Red as Blood (or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer). Interior Woodblock illustrations by Tanith Lee. Cover illustration by Victoria Poyser. DAW Books (Donald A. Wollheim), Inc., 1983.
[Includes “Paid Piper (Asia: The Last Century B.C.),” pp. 1-17; “Red as Blood (Europe: The Fourteenth Century),” pp. 18-27; “Thorns (Eurasia: The Fifteenth Century),” pp. 28-38; “When the Clock Strikes (Europe: The Sixteenth Century),” pp. 39-53; “The Golden Rope (Europe: The Seventeenth Century),” pp. 54-81; “The Princess and her Future (Asia: The Eighteenth Century),” pp. 82-90; “Wolfland (Scandinavia: The Nineteenth Century),” pp. 91-118; “Black as Ink (Scandinavia: The Twentieth Century),” pp. 119-148; “Beauty (Earth: The Future),” pp. 149-186.]
-----.“When the Clock Strikes (Europe: The Sixteenth Century),” copyright 1980. First published in Weird Tales. Ed. Lin Carter 1981; rpt. in Red as Blood or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer, DAW Books, Inc., 1983.
[A traveller tells us what happened two hundred years ago at a palace after the Great Plague. A duke acquired land unscrupulously, destroying those who stood in his way. He rid himself of all rivals but a single descendant, a woman whom he could not trace. She married a wealthy merchant and got revenge through Black Magic, making the duke ill and bringing him to the point of death. She is exposed with her daughter and is executed for witchcraft, her ashes cast by the wayside. The daughter, though secretly in league with Satanas, is permitted to live because of her youth and apparent innocence. The merchant remarries, but his daughter continues to mourn her mother and insists on doing servile labor. She dons a sackcloth, pours ashes over her head and calls it her penance. She wanders the streets at night but is ignored. Outside the city she finds the ashes and bones of her mother, brings them home, buries them in the backyard and plants a hazel shoot in them. You know the story. The prince has a ball after the wretched death of his father. The two stepsisters dress prettily and go to the ball. The daughter goes to the garden and, after incantations, is bathed, perfumed, dressed, and goes to the palace. The prince will have only her. She says her name is Ashella. Only her father recognizes her. There is a strange clock in the palace. With each stroke of the midnight chime Ashella curses the prince and his father. At the twelfth stroke, where the figure of Death sits, she disappears leaving only a glass shoe. The prince loses his mind and seeks to find her. The slipper is magic and adjusts itself to fit no one. In his madness he goes to the merchant’s house. The merchant tells all he knows, but Ashella has vanished. The prince runs mad and is slain. As he falls the glass shoe shatters. The narrator hovers around the strange clock in the deserted palace enticing coins from visitors, insisting that he himself is Death.]
-----. “The Reason for not going to the Ball (A Letter to Cinderella from Her Stepmother).” In Datlow and Windling (see above for full reference), Fantasy and Horror, Tenth annual edition (1996). Pp. 45-49. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, October/November, 1996.
[The stepmother tells of her abuse at the hands of an ogre husband, his beating her and her daughters, and her poisoning of him to escape the brutality; of her love of Cinderella in whom she saw herself — young and beautiful — and her attempts to protect her from falling into the same errors that she has suffered in her own life; and now her concern for the Queen, who also is the victim of abuse at the hands of a brutal prince/king. She tells of her love of a serving man, who has a wife and good children, and who is kind. She will send him at night to help Cinderella escape under the cloak of darkness to take her across the border to a cottage that the stepmother has already bought for her. She does this because she loves her — one so like herself.]
Leigh, Roberta. Cinderella in Mink. Toronto: Harlequin Romance, 1974.
[Nicola Rosten was used to flattery and the deference accorded to a very wealthy woman, a woman to whom mink was an ordinary fact of life. But when Barnaby Grayson mistook her for a down-and-out and set her to work in the kitchens, she found herself unable to tell him the truth for fear she would lose him. Back in her Rolls Royce world she avoids the pressures of her grandfather and Marty and Jeffrey, sets Barnaby up with a hostel business and finally helps him to discover that his Nicky Rose and Nicola Rosten are one and the same. But not without a painful separation where each scorns the other. That pain leads to a long walk at night along the Thames where a policeman fears she may be contemplating suicide. Instead she helps a homeless man to find the hostel. There she meets Joanna, whom she thinks is Barnaby’s fiancée, another misjudgment on her part. Barnaby comes down and asks why she has come to the hostel. She says she has come to apologize for walking out on his birthday, but not to interfere with his engagement to Joanna. But when Barnaby explains the misunderstanding (the rumored engagement came from Joanna, not him), they permit themselves to admit how much they love each other. Henceforth, there will be no more misunderstandings or dodging what they have both known for a long time.]
Lennox, Kara. Sassy Cinderella. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 2002.
[Backcover: Prince Un-Charming: Jonathan Hardison didn’t know whether to fire Sherry McCormick or take her to bed. Falling in love was not an option. Sure, she’d come to his ranch to help out with his kids while he recovered from a broken leg. But Sherry was a city girl from the tips of her frosted hair to the spike heels on her boots. She’d never stay. It was enough to make even the most levelheaded Hardison lose his cool. He was rude, uncooperative — and utterly irrestible. Jonathan’s growls only made Sherry more determined to stay put. But when she got a country makeover to prove she could fit in, Jonathan’s reaction shocked them both. How to Marry a Hardison: First you tempt him, then you tame him … all the way to the altar! Flyleaf:“It’s me, all right!” He must have been staring, because Sherry flashed him an embarrassed grin. At least, he thought it was Sherry. He couldn’t get any words past his lips. She looked nice, he supposed, but she didn’t look like Sherry anymore. Gone was the cascade of curls that had reached the middle of her back. Now her hair fell in gentle waves down to her shoulders … and it was brown. But the changes didn’t stop there. What had happened to those glossy red lips? Her clothes could only be described as sedate, and her shoes had no heel whatsoever. Even her voice seemed more subdued. With an inward groan, he realized this metamorphosis was his doing. She’d changed for him … .]
Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.
[A foolish fairy Lucinda would give a birthday gift to baby Ella; the child is crying, which irritates the fairy, so she gives her the gift of obedience, then commands her to stop crying, which she does. Her mother objects to the gift, recognizing what a curse it might be, but can do nothing about it. At first Ella to be seems the perfect child, obeying every parental command instantly. Her mother dies, telling her never to speak of the "gift," a command that only adds to the curse. The father remarries and the stepmother and two daughters soon figure out how to use Ella. To avoid criminal activity that the "family" would demand, Ella flees in hope of finding Lucinda to have the curse removed. She meets Prince Charles, also an orphan being victimized by his uncle Edgar who killed Char's father and covets the crown. Regent Edgar has enslaved giants, ogres, and elves and many people too. Ella challenges the Prince over the cruelties perpetrated upon the kingdom. He is ignorant of them but admires her independent mindedness. Edgar finds out about Ella's "gift" and orders her to murder Prince Char at midnight before the boy's coronation. But Ella breaks the curse as she discovers that the workings of the heart are more powerful than fairy gifts. Char becomes king, they marry, and all ends happily. The novel received the Newberry Honor Award. A four cassette audiotape is available of the unabridged novel, read/performed by Eden Riegel. Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, 1998. 330 minutes.] See the annotation for the film under Movies and Television .
-----. Cinderellis and the Glass Hill. Illustrated by Mark Elliott. New York: Harper-Collins, 2000.
[By the author of Ella Enchanted. This story draws on earlier male Cinderella narratives such as The Black Bull of Norway and Iron Hans, where the youth, working as a gardener or stable boy, wins the princess on the glass mountain with a horse that enables him to climb the mountain to retrieve golden apples, which she gives him. Cinderellis has two older brothers Ralph and Burt who were best of friends, but had little use for the youngest brother. When Ellis is six, he invents a magic powder with powers of levitation. The brothers mock him and rename him Cinderellis when he makes a cup fly up the chimney, knocking soot down on him. When he is older Cinderellis begins farming up on rocky Biddle mountain since his brothers took the good farmland. But using his flying powder he grows the best tomatoes, beets, and carrots. King Humphrey has a daughter named Marigold, whose best friend is a cat named Apricot. Then strange things start happening. At night the fields are ruined by a mysterious invader who leaves behind an occasional horse hair. Cinderellis makes a horse fodder from his wonderful vegetables and captures over a period of time three great horses along with three suits of armor — a copper-colored horse named Chasam, a silver one named named Shazam, and a gold one named Ghazam. The brothers think the land has been beset by goblins and think they are the ones who save the land with their goblin chants. When Marigold is fifteen the king offers her in marriage to anyone who can rescue her from the top of a glass hill. Princess Marigold dresses up like a dairymaid. Cinderellis and the maiden are attracted to each other. She asks what he can do; he explains that he is an inventor and could make cow treats. She’s impressed and falls in love with him. He invents next an on-off powder, one that can enhance or impede. Marigold agrees to her father’s test because she figures out a secret weapon (olive oil) that will make it impossible for any to succeed in climbing the hill. 213 horsemen try and fail. Then Cinderellis, in copper armor, rides up on Chasam. He does not need to force him, he just goes, which pleases Marigold. Unfortunately, Cinderellis’ helmet is stuck on crooked and he can’t see out. She sees the problem and throws one of the golden apples to him, thinking he can’t catch it; but it lodges in his saddle. When she pours the olive oil on the hill even Chasam slips, despite the on/off powder. Next time Cinderellis invents olive pit powder, which sticks to olive oil. All in silver he climbs the hill on Shazam and is nearly to the top when the terrified Marigold, thinking a goblin is going to win her hand, drops an apple that Shazam catches with his teeth. She then pours walnut oil on the hill and Shazam too slips. Now Cinderellis invents an all-purpose on/off powder and tries a third time, after all other horsemen fail. Now he rides golden Ghazam to the top. But his head again sticks inside his helmet and he can’t see. Marigold thinks he is a monster who is demanding either her cat or an apple. She gives it the apple and it leaves. Later the king and Marigold ride by Cinderellis’ field. He is amazed to see the royal dairy maid whom he loves with the king. He fetches the apples. She is equally amazed; but all becomes clear when she finds out that the helmet he was wearing didn’t fit and he couldn’t raise the visor to reveal himself to her. She would gladly marry him now. Cinderellis continues to invent powders to make grain grow and to help other farmers. And the two live happily together, never to be lonely again.]
Lewis, Linda. Cinderella and the Texas Prince. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998.
[Backcover: The Eligible Prince: Travis Rule, a.k.a. The Richest Bachelor in Texas. The Unlikely Cinderella: Miss Cindy Ellerbee, Travis’s sweet-natured new housekeeper. The Ultimate Proposal: Was the Lone Star State’s most eligible bachelor really thinking of proposing to his very own housekeeper? True, the millionaire had to marry before his birthday, and Cindy was the most adorable gal in sight. But Travis was a man of wealth and connection, and little ol’ Cindy kept his mansion clean. Was this marriage to be one of convenience only, or did Travis have other - loving - motives for taking Cindy as his wife? Flyleaf: How to Catch a Prince (Even if your glass slipper is a size nine). 1) Turn a tedious housekeeping job into an adventure by sneaking naps in the handsome owner’s bed. (Getting caught by handsome owner would be even better!) 2) Turn a disaster like falling bottom-first into a cactus patch to your advantage. Have princely bachelor remove each needle with his own bare hands. 3) Turn bachelor’s head away from thoughts of other women by cooking your way into his heart! (And conveniently ‘helping’ other bride candidates cook their way out of the kitchen.) 4) Turn yourself into the fairy princess of his dreams by just being the wonderful gal that you are! (If he’s a real prince, he won’t be fooled by imitations.)]
Link, Kelly. “Catskin.” In My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me. Ed. Kate Bernheimer. New York: Penguin Books, 2010. Pp. 270-98.
[This revision, loosely based on “Catskin” and other similar narratives, focuses on the legacy of parental revenge rather than incest. It examines the bonds between family members and the “skins” we inhabit. For more on this anthology, see My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me .] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Lotz, Hildegard Winky. The Roots of Cinderella. Linthicum Heights, MD: Willyshe Publishing Company, 1980.
Lyons, Missy. The Frog Prince. Nashville, TN: Hot Tropica Books, 2008.
[With this book, part of the Prince Charming Series, Lyons combines “Cinderella,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “The Frog Prince” into an amusing and frequently erotic story discussing love, fidelity, and pleasure. The lecherous Prince Alvin is turned into a frog for attempting to seduce a fairy godmother’s nubile and willing daughters. The king grieves for his lost son and remarries while his son learns to live as an amphibian for three years until he encounters Jasmine, a hard-working wood cutter’s daughter, who loves animals. Jasmine rescues Alvin from a cat’s jaws and later kisses the top of the frog’s head, not realizing that her kiss will release Alvin. While in frog form, Alvin learns to appreciate and love Jasmine, intending to marry her if she releases him; when it occurs, Alvin begins to show Jasmine his affection and gratitude when her father interrupts and demands a hasty wedding for the couple. When Alvin takes his fiancée home to meet his father, his new stepmother attempts to distract him with her daughter and to dispute the suitability of his lover. She will test Jasmine by the sleep test common in Princess and the Pea stories, but Jasmine passes since she does not sleep. Due to the intervention of her fairy godmother, the same woman who cursed Alvin, the restored prince and Jasmine spend the night making love. The next day, the furious stepmother attempts to imprison Jasmine, but Alvin proves his love and loyalty by rescuing and marrying her. At the reception, the fairy godmother turns the stepmother into a mouse and allows her cat to devour it.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
MacCarthy, John Bernard. Who Will Kiss Cinderella?: A Romantic Comedy in Three Acts. London: George Roberts, 1929.
MacDonald, John D. A Bullet for Cinderella. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett Gold Medal Book, 1955.
[People who live in glass slippers shouldn’t kick stones. The casting of a junior high Cinderella play provides the key to a murder and hidden wealth, creating another murder as well. Poor Cinderella.]
Macomber, Debbie. Cindy and the Prince. Legendary Lovers: A Silhouette Romance. No. 555. New York: Silhouette Books, 1988.
[Backcover: Unemotional, levelheaded Thorndike Prince was certain his company’s Christmas ball would be an utter bore … until a captivating mystery woman announced that she was Cinderella and he just might be her Prince. In mere hours she’d toppled his implacable cool and sent his usually unshakable heart reeling. But who was she? Janitor Cindy Territo had thought donning an elegant gown and crashing the Oakes-Jennings Christmas party would be a lark. She’d never dreamed the handsome but cynical young vice president would melt her very soul. But how could she tell Thorndike that his Cinderella was the broom-wielding nobody who cleaned his office?]
Maguire, Gregory. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. Illustrations by Bill Sanderson. New York: Regan Books (Harper-Collins), 1999.
[Set in seventeenth century Holland, a destitute English widow (an herbalist named Margarethe), and her two daughters (Ruth, who seems to be retarded, and Iris, who is intelligent but plain), come to Haarlem, where after difficult times Margarethe secures a position as house attendant for a Master painter (Schoonmaker), who has an apprentice named Caspar. The Master paints tulips with plain Iris as a woman set in contrast to the beautiful flowers. A wealthy burgher and tulip speculator, Cornelius Van der Meer, admires the Master’s work and, hoping to advertize the commercial possibilities of tulips, commissions a painting with his beautiful daughter Clara as the central subject, surrounded by tulips. Van der Meer is pleased with the painting, meets Margarethe and her daughters, and invites them to attend him and his wife Henrika. Iris is to teach Clara English. Henrika is pregnant and dies mysteriously. After a time Margarethe marries Van der Meer. Clara, who has been extremely sheltered, goes into a depression. Iris, who has become her good friend, helps her to learn to work. Iris, meanwhile, has herself become an apprentice to the Master. Plague and a fall in the tulip speculations leaves Van der Meer virtually bankrupt. Margarethe urges further speculation, hoping to market Clara to some wealthy burgher. The eccentric queen of France seeks a Dutch bride for her wayward godson. A festival is planned at the greatest estate outside Haarlem. Clara refuses to go. But Iris, with the assistance of Caspar, who manages to put together a grand Spanish attire, convinces Clara that she should attend. The prince is taken with her and seduces her in a private room. Ruth, who sees people threatening Iris and Clara and thinks the painting to be the cause, lights it on fire and burns down the estate. Clara escapes, losing one of her shoes. But the prince seeks her, finds her, weds her, takes her to France, and then to New Amsterdam. Margarethe, who has gone blind, in her delirium, reveals that she may have poisoned Henrika. Iris marries Caspar, and Ruth writes the book.]
-----. “Cinder-Elephant.” In Leaping Beauty: And Other Animal Tales. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2004. 147-174.
[In this humorous children’s retelling, Maguire combines an animal story and the classic fairy tale. A Kangaroo Doctor helps a childless queen relax enough to conceive a child. She dies giving birth to Ella, an elephant. In his grief, the King abdicates and becomes a blind bus driver, randomly delivering people around the kingdom. He remarries a woman with two daughters, and all three mock Ella, naming her Cinder-Elephant and forcing her to work in the kitchen. The father cannot protect her because he drives himself off a cliff. When the new King and Queen invite eligible women to a bride-finding ball for their son, the stepmother and sisters plot to go. They taunt Ella by making her bake pies for them each day before postponing the decision of whether she may go to the ball but fail to realize why their gowns never fit. On the night of the ball, Ella is left behind with her pumpkin pie ingredients and finally gives in to her grief. The Kangaroo doctor returns, and although constantly proclaiming “Well, I’m no fairy godmother,” he helps the girl make a gown out of hospital robes, a coach from a pumpkin, and glass slippers from the pie plates (p. 160). When Ella arrives at the ball, the entire royal family approves of her spending the evening with the Prince at her side. She flees at midnight on the advice of the Kangaroo, for her carriage is beginning to rot. She loses a pie plate, and the Prince follows a trail of pumpkin seeds to her door. When the sisters attempt to damage their feet and pose as the heroine, the Kangaroo doctor appears and directs the Prince to Ella. Ella forgives her family before abandoning them; she marries the prince, and they open a bakery. Her father’s bus is found; he survived the accident and begins driving again, this time accidentally running over his wife and stepdaughters’ feet.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Mahy, Margaret. The Changeover. London: Dent, 1984.
[Laura Chant, pained by the divorce of her parents, struggles to come to terms with her pain as well as her own sexual needs. Her anxiety is a “secret illness” which might consume her, except that she helps to keep her younger brother from being devoured by a wicked person. Her initiation into adulthood comes through an emotional confrontation with another Cinderella figure, a boy whose mother abandoned him at birth.]
-----. The Catalogue of the Universe. London: Dent, 1985.
[A Cinderella story that spans two generations: Angela May is the fatherless child of Dido May. The Cinderella disaster which engulfed the mother is that of a single parent, struggling to keep herself and her daughter afloat. Angela repeats the problem as she loves a handsome married man and decides to have his child even though they may never be married. The mother comforts the daughter with a fairy tale about the father who, after finally being located, is not reconciled because Dido has come to prefer her solitude. Angela’s dreams for the “happy ending in marriage” for her mother comes apart as starry-eyed romance is rejected for the more down-to-earth affection for Tycho, who is reliable and an intimate friend, rather than a handsome Prince Charming. “It is a Cinderella story that rewrites the sentimental trappings of soap opera romance and substitutes an insight into character and relationships, achieving a realistic modern view of love” –Gough, p. 106.]
Maitland, Sara. “The Wicked Stepmother’s Tale.” In Tales I Tell My Mother, 1987.
[A study in abuse as the stepmother, the abuser, expresses her impatience with Cinderella’s passivity and her own refusal to be “victimized” by it. She loved Cinderella’s mother, really, and would like to have turned the daughter into something, first by chiding, then, in the end, by beating her. But the girl would just smile and accept mistreatment. “I could not make her stop loving me … . I couldn’t save her and I couldn’t damage her. God knows, I tried.”]
Mallery, Susan. Prince Charming, M.D.. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998.
[According to the backcover, in this hospital heartbreaker “Trevor MacAllister, M.D. — a.k.a. ‘Dr. Love’ — was a living legend: a brilliant surgeon so sexy he made grown women whimper. His arrival at Honeygrove Memorial Hospital had all the nurses a-twitter, competing to play Cinderella to his roguish Prince Charming — all except Dana Rowan. She prayed for immunity to Trevor’s attractions. Once upon a time in highschool he had been her first love, and she had lived unhappily ever after. Now she absolutely, positively refused to succumb to fairy tales or Trevor’s brand of temptation — twice. But when three wedding-shy nurses come down with a serious case of love, marriage may be just what the doctor ordered: Prescription: Marriage.” Working together and making lots of puns on eggs, Trevor and Dana finally get together: “‘I love you,’ she murmered against him. ‘I have for long time. I love you, Trevor. The man inside as much as the rest of you.’ ‘I love you, too. I don’t know that I ever stopped.’ Somehow he got the door open and maneuvered them both inside. Then they were in the living room, pulling off clothes, frantically kissing and touching and loving, and then he was inside her … where he belonged.” They make jokes about a baby, perhaps to be named Eggbert, but “then he couldn’t think at all. He could only feel her and their love” (p. 240). The baby in question turns out to be a girl.]
-----. Cinderella For a Night. New York: Silhouette Books, 2000.
[Backcover: A masquerade ball is plunged into darkness … A woman is poisoned … A millionaire bachelor becomes a father … . As a blackout gripped Grand Springs, Colorado, CEO Jonathan Steele was having quite a night. First, Cynthia Morgan - aka “Cinderella” - drank poison meant for him. Then his blackmailing half brother and sister-in-law were murdered, leaving Jonathan with his newborn baby nephew. In thirty-six hours, Jonathan’s life had changed forever. Then grateful-to-be-alive Cynthia offered to move into his home as a temporary nanny, a serious challenge to Jonathan’s bachelorhood. Conclusion: But jonathan comes to love baby Colton and Cynthia too. “I love you,” he said. “Both of you … . You are my world, Cynthia. I couldn’t survive without you.” He hoped to make things right with Cynthia’s mother and others in the family. Then he had to take Cynthia “to bed and make love with her until they were both breathless. Finally, there was a wedding to plan. But he faced the future with a sense of joy and hope he’d never felt before. With Cynthia at his side, he knew he could do anything … even give his heart for a lifetime” (p. 243).]
Mangan, Sherry. Cinderella Married: Or, How they Lived Happily Ever After. A Divertissement. New York: A. & C. Boni, 1932.
Mann, Catherine. The Cinderella Mission. Intimate Moments. New York: Silhouette, 2003.
[Backcover: Agent: Ethan Williams. Mission: Intercept international jewel thieves with information on the whereabouts of a missing agent. Deepest Secret: He’s spent his life searching for his parents’ killers, but the answers he seeks are closer than he thinks. Millionaire Ethan Williams risks death daily to save innocent lives. And they don’t come more innocent than Kelly Taylor, his longtime friend and new partner. Ethan has doubts about her until he watches Kelly, the sweet girl next door, transform herself into a seductive siren capable of conquering any man she wants — and she wants Ethan. But this mission means more than finding a missing agent. In a dangerous gamble Ethan must choose: Would he rather fulfill his need to know his past, or protect Kelly, the woman who could be his future? No one is who they seem. Flyleaf: One agent is already missing, and now the U.S.government’s most confidential secret is in danger of falling into a power-hungry dictator’s hands. The top-secret agents of ARIES are the world’s only hope. Agent Ethan Williams: Haunted by childhood memories of his parents’ deaths, this millionaire playboy is deadly serious about protecting those close to him. And these days that means his alluring new partner, Kelly Taylor – a woman he can’t keep close enough. Agent Kelly Taylor: She may look innocent, but this young linguist is no stranger to danger — or desire. She’s always wanted to be an operative, and she’s finally gotten her chance. But posing undercover as Ethan’s lover has awakened another longing. Samuel Hatch: A lifetime in the CIA has shown him secrets the rest of the world would never imagine. And as director of the top-secret ARIES agency, it’s up to him to make sure those secrets stay safe. His agents are the best of the best, and he’s not going to lose one now. Dr. Alex Morrow: Hatch’s most covert operative is missing somewhere in war-torn Europe. Morrow’s last message mentioned mythical jewels with devastating powers, but the transmission was unclear. If ARIES can’t locate the good doctor soon, the world may pay the price.]
Mansfield, Katherine. “Her First Ball.” In Katherine Mansfield. The Garden Party. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1922. Pp. 190-200.
[A girl from the country goes to her first ball with her city cousins. Mansfield describes the excitement of the arrival, the signing of the dance cards, and the beginning of the dance. Midway, a fat older man, dances with Leila. He cynically describes how she will soon be like the adults dressed in black in the balcony looking on. Leila feels crushed by the man’s dispiriting conversation, and wishes she were home. But the next on her dance card approaches her, and they dance, the lights, azaleas, dresses, pink faces, velvet chairs all come alive in “one beautiful flying wheel” and she again has a good time. She bumps into the fat man who says “Pardon,” but she smiles more radiantly than ever and doesn’t recognize him again.]
Marshall, Peter Graham. Cinderella Revisited. Vancouver: Whitecap Books, 1993.
Martin, Victor L. Cenizosa, Florida Cinderella. New York: Vantage, 1981.
Mattingley, Christobel. New Patches for Old. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1978.
[A family migrates from Britain to Australia, where tensions arise between a teenager and her parents as the youth grows toward personal adulthood and a Prince Charming figure, who displaces a potentially Oedipally destructive situation with a mature relationship. A godmother figure helps the heroine to resolve her difficulties.]
-----. Southerly Buster. Sydney: Hodder & Stoughton, 1983.
[An initially happy life plummets toward disaster as a young girl has difficulty accepting her mother’s late pregnancy. As in New Patches for Old a fairy godmother counselor helps the youth to get beyond her Oedipal anger toward her parents and into a more mature non-sexual relationship with adults.]
Maxwell, Ted. Cinderella O’Reilly. Boston: Walter H. Baker Company, 1926.
McBain, Ed. Cinderella. New York: Henry Holt, 1986.
[Stylish Jenny’s a hooker with a million-in-one chance to get out of the life. Overweight Otto is a middle-aged barfly, without an enemy in the world, until someone kills him on a Florida highway. Matthew Hope is in bed with his ex-wife when he learns of Otto, and it spoils the rest of a good evening. As Matthew fits the pieces together the Cinderella plot unfolds, and Jenny makes her escape, but not to her dreams. “They always let me in the ballroom but the never let me dance.”]
McKinley, Robin. Deerskin. New York: Ace Books, 1993.
[A 309 page adaptation of Perrault’s Peau d’Ane. A powerful king and his beautiful queen have but one child, a daughter named Lissar. Upon the her death the queen makes the king vow to marry none but one as beautiful as she. At the queen’s death Ossin, a neighboring prince, sends Lissar a puppy named Ash to console her. When Lissar is seventeen the king puts on a ball for her. She is as beautiful as her mother, and the king announces that he will marry her. She locks herself in her room, but he breaks in through the garden, violently rapes and beats her, and leaves her for dead. Her dog Ash tried to defend her but was thrown against a wall. Both Lissar and Ash survive, however, and, through mutual support, flee to a hut in the mountains where in the fifth month she has a miscarriage. Her hair turns white and, under the guidance of a vision of her mother, she is given time for healing, a box to lock up the hideous past in, an albino deerskin to wrap herself in, and hope for a future. In spring Ash leads her from the mountain hut to the neighboring principality where, through the help of a new friend Lilac, she finds employment looking after a litter of Ossin’s dogs, who seem doomed to death. She heals the dogs, to everyone’s amazement. Ossin is supposed to marry, but loves none of the candidates. In his fantasy he imagines he would marry a mythical moonwoman, a Diana-like huntress who looks after needy creatures. He comes to see likenesses between Lissar and that dream. Ossin invites Lissar to his ball. Lissar has seen in the palace the portrait of herself and Ash which had been sent out years before announcing her own coming out ball. It helps her to recall that other life that she has boxed out of her consciousness. At Ossin’s ball she appears in a silver dress, wearing shoes, where before she had gone barefoot. Lilac has helped dress her in finery. Ossin and Lissar are hindered from dancing together by Trivelda, the more official candidate for his hand, but they make soulful eye contact. They meet in the garden and Ossin proposes. Now conscious of the disaster with her father, Lissar declines and flees in shame back to the hut where she becomes moonwoman caring for animals in need all about the countryside. That winter the hut is attacked by a stag. She, Ash, and the other dogs manage to kill the stag, but Ash is mortally wounded. She wills him back to life and they live on the stag’s carcass through the remainder of the winter. Next spring she is drawn out of the mountains once more by her mother’s voice and arrives at Ossin’s palace where his sister is to be married to a handsome suitor who, it turns out, is none other than Lissar’s father. Lissar appears at the wedding and tells at last the tale of her rape. As she speaks her clothes transform back to the bloody mess of the brutal scene: blood flows from her head where she was beaten and down her legs. As the story is told the father ages rapidly and leaves in disgrace. Lissar then flees and Ossin pursues. He obtains a colt from Lilac but is able to catch up with the fleet Deerskin only when she stops of her own will. Ossin tells of his love for her, scars and all, and they clearly have the approval of Ash and the other dogs, who have been instrumental in getting them together and keeping each other alive.]
McKnight, Jenna. Princess in Denim. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1998.
[According to the back cover, this romance offers a Cinderella switch: Here “Chloe Marshall’s deal with her best friend, Princess Moira of Ennsway, sounded too good to be true — and indeed, it came with a catch! King William of Baesland stunned Chloe from the moment she set eyes on his tall, dark and regal form. It seemed too much to hope that, along with the princess’ identity, riches and castle, she would gain this sexy man as a protector, a friend, a … fiancé. What would William do when he discovered his princess … was a fraud?” Actually, quite a lot. William has a jealous brother Louis who is trying to overthrow him. Chloe, with her American “y’all” sassiness, finds out the plot, interrupts a cabinet meeting, and saves William as Louis attacks him with a knife. William, much in love with his homespun beauty, bows to her grace: “‘I’m not very good at this business stuff,’ she smiled shyly; ‘We may have to go over it again and again.’ ‘All day?’ ‘Absolutely.’ ‘And all night?’ ‘Definitely.’ ‘And will you believe me when I tell you I love you?’ ‘I already do.’ He raised her fingers to his lips and kissed them. ‘Ah, Moira, you are one hell of a queen’” (p. 249).]
McLean, Monica. Cinderella Bride. A Silhouette Romance. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998. Copyright by Monica Caltabiano.
[Carter King had time only for a marriage of convenience. He was determined to acquire an heir the same way he acquired wealth — through shrewd business propositions. Marly Alcott seemed the best candidate. She was trustworthy, adored children, and needed money. The problem was that he could not trust himself to stick by the “no-love” stipulation. Marly had her worries too: what if he found out about her past? Could she keep her secrets, not the least of which was the great passion she felt for him. But the truth will out. They are both big enough to admit that they are in love with each other. What began as convenience ends up as true love: “You’ll always be my Cinderella,” he concludes.]
McMahon, Barbara. Cinderella Twin. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998.
[Backcover: Desire. Sister switch. Gorgeous, rich men like Cade Marshall were just a fairy tale to no-frills librarian Julianne Bennet. Then she secretely swapped lives with her glamorous identical twin sister and found herself in Cade’s kingdom. But when he discovered small-town Julianne’s deception, would he put an end to her dream-come-true? Cade had no use for flighty, no-substance women, and his beguiling neighbor had always been Queen of the Flirts. So why was he suddenly, royally desiring her? Was it her newfound depth, the sincerity and goodness alive in her eyes? Still, this provocative princess couldn’t convince Cade to surrender his reign as eternal bachelor ... could she? Flyleaf: She felt so alive! Her cheeks flushed in anticipation and excitement. Her eyes sparkled. Julianne actually looked like her glamorous twin sister! It wasn’t just features — those were identical. It was more attitude. This was without a doubt the wildest thing she’d ever done. It was pure fantasy; she couldn’t keep up this pretense for more than a little while. For once in her life she planned to experience the adventures her sister took for granted. No one would be hurt. As long as she kept it firmly in mind that this was only a fantasy. When her vacation ended, she’d return to the library, to her small town. But that was weeks away. For now, she was free and about to spend the day with the sexiest man she’d ever seen. Conclusion: But kisses and caresses, love words and love play mingle and they both realize that they really are in love. “I love you, Cade Mitchell.” “And I love you cupcake … Shall we head for Vegas and tie the knot?” But Juliette wants a traditional wedding, one her mother would be proud of. She “thought wistfully of the quiet life she had led in Virginia, the differences between then and now. Nothing would ever be the same with Cade. Gratitude and love filled her heart. She would live on the edge of the world with the only man who rang her every chime. Life was perfect” (p. 184).]
Meyer, Melissa. Cinder. New York: Macmillan, 2012.
[Cinder is the first book in a much larger series called The Lunar Chronicles. The series blends fairy tale elements and science fiction. In Cinder, Meyer retells retells “Yehsien” in a futuristic New Beijing with a cyborg protagonist, who loses an entire foot instead of slipper at the climatic ball scene. The novel focuses on the relationship between the protagonist and the prince and the protagonist and her fairy godmother figure while also establishing a larger series dependent on a missing heir.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Michaels, Fern. Cinders to Satin. New York: Ballantine Books, 1983.
[Fern Michaels is pen name for Mary Kuczkir and Roberta Anderson, who have pooled their energies to write twenty-two “historical novels,” including the best selling “Texas” novels. In Cinders to Satin, a novel about Irish immigrants, Callie James, who learned to survive in the squalor of Dublin’s slum, emigrates to New York to start a new life. Tough, high-spirited, and beautiful, she discovers friendship and encouragement from newspaperman Byrch Kenyon, who sees in the brash girl the woman she would one day become. Rossiter Powers, the rich son of a respected family, nearly destroys her. Hugh MacDuff, rich only in love and compassion, does his best to save her. But Callie — strong, smart, and determined to succeed, despite the loss of her son Rory — insists on taking charge of her life and makes her dreams come true with Byrch, who takes her back to Ireland for their honeymoon.]
Miles, Cassie. Heart and Soles. 1996.
[See the entry for Barbara Boswell , above.]
Mills, Claudia. Dynamite Dina. 1990.
[Ten year old Dinah Seabrooke has a flair for dramatics. When her baby brother is born she withdraws, jealously viewing herself as a put-upon Cinderella. “To keep herself from thinking, from feeling, Dinah began wiping the counters. From now on she would be an unpaid, unloved household drudge, like Cinderella, washing dishes, pushing strollers, maybe even scrubbing floors on her hands and knees. Her mother probably didn’t have any ashes for her to sit in. Maybe they could send her over to sit by the Kelley’s big kitchen fireplace, a soot-streaked maid watching while her friend Suzanne got ready for the ball.”]
Montresor, Beni. Cinderella. New York: Knopf, 1965.
Moore, Lorrie. Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?. New York: Alfred Knopf, 1994.
[Trapped in a fragile marriage? “I feel his lack of love for me”? Berie confronts the onslaught of middle age. A visit to Paris takes back through memory to her fifteenth summer, spent taking tickets at a theme park near Horsehearts, New York, called Storyland, where she worked as a ticket taker and her best friend Sils played Cinderella, giving children rides in her pumpkin coach. The novel takes its title from a painting Sils made the week she became Cinderella. Horsehearts' boys used to shoot frogs with BB guns, and Berie and Sils would pull out the BBs and patch up the wounded frogs. Sils’ painting shows two girls in Cinderella costumes and “two wounded frogs, one in a splint, one with a bandage tied around its eye: they looked like frogs who’d been kissed and kissed roughly, yet stayed frogs.” In the telling of the novel Berie moves back and forth between Paris and her nostalgic remembrances, updating her adult life with such reflections as “my one lone year of Housewife’s Bathrobe Disease, my husband at work but not me.” As Caryn James puts it (New York Time Book Review, Oct. 9, 1994, p. 7): “Berie’s stunning adult disappointments are as personal as marriage and as grand as the Louvre, which is always being cleaned, its entrances rearranged. ‘I’ve lived long enough to see great museums change,’ she says with some fresh mix of wonder and resignation,” feeling the poverty of her future, yearning for that long-lost feeling of coming upon a room in the gallery she had not entered before. A sense of humor keeps her going as she tells Daniel the one about a middle-aged woman who finds a frog, who explains that one kiss from her will turn him into a prince. She replies, “I’m sorry, but at this point in my life I’m actually more interested in a talking frog.”]
Moore, Louise Wilson. Cinderella at College. Philadelphia: 1921.
Moore, Marianne (1887-1972). Puss in Boots, The Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. Retold from Perrault. New York: Macmillan, 1963.
Morrah, Dave. Cinderella Hassenpfeffer. New York: Rinehart, 1948.
Mortimer, Lillian. An Adopted Cinderella. Chicago: T. S. Denison and Company, 1926.
Muller, Robert. Cinderella Nightingale. London: Arthur Barker, 1958.
[“What human blood was to a vampire, the devotion of the camera was to Iris Littlewood.” Raped by her father when she was thirteen, Iris tries to make a career for herself. She works first as a waitress, then does some modeling. Endowed with a mythically gorgeous body, but with little talent for acting, she gets a break with a photographer, Miles Meyerstein, who gives up his career to become her agent. He succeeds in getting publicity for her, and she becomes a top professional model. She begins as Mona Martin, but Miles gives her the name that gets her ahead–first Tess Nightingale, then Cinderella Nightingale. Miles falls in love with her, but she is incapable of loving in return, casts him off when he asks her to kiss him, takes a new publicity agent named Angell and manages, in Monte Carlo, to get cast in the leading role of Ed Hochstetter’s new movie Adam’s Eve. In a desperate effort to regain her attention Miles gambles everything away, even his Leica camera. She goes to Hollywood: it “seems our Cinderella found her Prince Charming” in Hochstetter, who is as cold as she. Miles goes to the beach with his old friend Sam, they meet another young girl who would like to be a starlet, and the story starts over, albeit cruel, empty, and painful.]
Napoli, Donna Jo. Bound. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004.
[Napoli combines several variants in her retelling of a Chinese version of Cinderella, based mostly on “Yeh-hsien.” While removing the older story’s themes of sexuality and violence, she includes many details about living in early China and foot binding as she recounts the adventures of Xing-Xing whose marriage, despite not having a bound foot, offers a commentary on remaining true to one’s nature and not altering the body for success in love and life in general.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Nesbit, Edith. The Story of the Treasure Seekers. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1958. First published in 1899.
[After a loss of the family fortune, the daughter goes to work to regain what was lost, learning to appreciate the good things that she still possesses.]
-----. The Railway Children. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1960. First published in 1906.
[After the imprisonment of her innocent father, the heroine learns through poverty what counts and what must be done to grow up as decent people do.]
Neville, Anne. Gold in Her Hair. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1979.
Newton, Adela. Cinderella Revisited. London: Evans, 1956.
Oates, Joyce Carol. “Where are you going, Where have you been?” First published in Epoch, Cornell University Press, Summer, 1966; rpt. in The Best American Short Stories 1967, ed. Martha Foley and David Burnett, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1967, pp. 193-209; Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards 1968, The Wheel of Love and other Stories by Joyce Carol Oates, New York: Vanguard Press, 1970, pp. 34-54; and as the title story in Where are you going, Where have you been? Stories of Young America, Greenwich, CT: Fawcett Publications, 1974.
[Everything about Connie, with her long dark hair, had two sides, one for home, where she is better friends with her mirror than with mother or stodgy sister June; and one for away from home. Her mall, movie, and drive-in side leads her first to Eddie, then to a visit by Arnold Friend. See the entry for Smooth Talk under Movies . Also see the essay by Schulz and Rockwood .]
O’Callaghan, Sheila Mary. Cinderella in Europe. London: Skeffington, 1951.
Orr, Zelma. Love Is a Fairy Tale. Harlequin American Romance 55. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1964.
[Ami Whitelake had surrendered her dreams long ago-or perhaps she’d never really harbored any. She had been wounded by a gunshot and her husband Ted had left her since it became apparent that she could have no children. She took joy in her work on Wagner’s Ranch in Southeastern Arizona where her love of nature an an injured mongrel dog she had rescued and a homeless boy she had taken provided her the sole source of joy. She was a good veterinarian, which helped to bolster her self esteem. She never expected to find love there, until she met Jeff Wagner. But he barely noticed her. Yet the fairy tale came true. They found each other; he married her and adored her, even though she could not bear children. When the words “I love you” came simultaneously from them, “Ami knew her fairy tale was no longer a tale, but true in every sense of the word.”]
Palwick, Susan. “Ever After.” In Year’s Best Fantasy 1988. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1988. Pp. 72-90.
[Caitlin, daughter of a poor woman, is groomed and cared for by her fairy godmother, Juliana, who takes her to balls and introduces her to aristocracy. There is even hope that she might marry the prince. The godmother is mistress to Lord Gregory; Caitlin loves Randolph, the Baron’s nephew. The Baron plans to kill Randolph to gain his brother’s property. To do so he must first kill old and ugly Alison, his wife, who is fond of Randolph. By inviting Juliana and Caitlin to the ball against Alison’s wishes, he hopes to place the blame for his wife’s death on Juliana and Randolph’s on Caitlin. Juliana, however, is a vampire and thwarts the Baron by killing him first, before he can enter a labyrinth where he has placed the lovers and where he had planned to kill Randolph. Upon rescuing Caitlin, Juliana must take her away, where their enemies cannot find them. But she must tell Caitlin that she is becoming a vampire too, even as her godmother is one. Though she will be beautiful ever after, her unfading beauty will always be a threat to her. Others will become jealous and attempt to slay her. Thus she is promised a long, ever beautiful and youthful life, but not be necessarily a happy one. It may be that there is a component of vampirism in most Cinderella stories, as people feed on others in hopes of becoming and remaining perpetually lovely. But Palwick’s vampires are gentle (at least Juliana is), concerned mainly with surviving the more aggressive oppressors like Lord Gregory, who knows Juliana’s powers but is hungry to manipulate them to satisfy his own greed.]
Penn, J. L. The Cinderella Curse. N.p.: n.p., 2010. Kindle edition.
[This novella, available only via e-book, focuses on the adventures of Cindy, a young woman cursed with turning into a pumpkin at midnight after she drops a basket of apples on a witch’s head. As she struggles to adapt to and accept her new life, she dates a series of men and receives much support from her best friend Lexi until she meets Officer James Jamison, who often rescues her from legal troubles brought about by her inconvenient transformations. His kiss ends the curse, and Cindy can at last live happily in human rather than pumpkin form.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Perle, Ruth Lerner. Cinderella With Benjy and Bubbles. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978.
Perry, Adaliza. The Cinderella Frock. Bangor, Maine: David Bugbee, 1851.
Ponicsan, Darryl. Cinderella Liberty. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.
[A sailor on liberty in Seattle, meets a hooker with a mulatto son who he tries to rescue. Although the woman is able to make brief attachments she remains elusive. Hoping to restore her confidence in life and the possibilities of human attachments he seeks her as she flees to the town of her childhood, but with no confidence of success. See Movies .]
Posner, Richard. Goodnight, Cinderella. New York: M. Evans, 1989.
[Dust jacket: Kimber Delany is the seventeen-year old flaky and endearing editor of the Westfield High School literary magazine. Her wealthy, handsome two-faced boyfriend Lou is giving her nothing but grief, while her pot-smoking brother and sulking father are driving her crazy. Troubles are contagious during this senior year at Westfield High because all Kimber’s friends are afflicted. Fickle Deena misses her collegiate boyfriend Phil madly and constantly pines for him. Bodacious Martha gets into more trouble than she can handle and has to be rescued by Lou, Mr. Suave and Heroic. Meanwhile Jason has a fervent and not-so-secret crush on Kimber and anyone else who looks his way. All this makes for a great state of social and romantic upheaval. New beaus, old flames, and straying loves all add to the intrigue. As the Senior Prom approaches, the lives of Kimber and her friend turn into a complicated web of love, jealousy, loyalty, betrayal, and confusion. On prom night, all is chaos, dates break up, fights break out. But later in the night, at a reunion on the beach, Kimber and her friends all reach important conclusions on life and love, vowing to put romantic conflicts in perspective and value their friendship and youth while they can.
Author Richard Posner has created a loveable and believable cast of characters for this witty, accurate portrayl. A teacher in the Long Island, New York, public school system, Posner has written other young adult books, including Sweet Pain and Sparrow’s Flight.]
Preston, Lillian E. Cinderblossom. Franklin, Ohio: Eldridge Publishing company, 1961.
Quinn, Daniel. “The Frog King, or Iron Henry.” In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1994. Pp. 86-97.
[The Frog Prince suffers from amnesia. Questioned insistently by Iron Henry, only bits and pieces of the past are recoverable of the story he knows and does not know. In this story amnesia may be a blessing, but there is no happily ever after. The princess and the blow against the wall are but shadows, a shaft of emptiness.]
Ramsay, Anna. Cinderella SRN. London: Mills & Boon, 1985.
Rawling, Gerald. Cinderella Operation. London: Cassell, 1980.
Rawlins, Debbi. If Wishes Were … Husbands. Three Coins in a Fountain. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1998.
[The first in a set of three Three Coins in a Fountain romances about Gina, Libby, and Jessie, who make wishes in the famous Trevi Fountain. For the story of Libby, see Karen Toller Whittenburg’s If Wishes Were … Weddings; for Jessie’s story, see Jo Leigh’s If Wishes Were … Daddies. According to the back cover of If Wishes Were … Husbands, “When lovelorn Gina Hart recklessly wished to become a nun, the last thing she expected was to immediately meet a rich, handsome, eligible bachelor! But there before her was Jackson Maxwell Covington III, offering her his arm and escorting her to a party so elegant it put Cinderella’s ball to shame. Gina’s next wish was for the night to last forever — but though she fit perfectly in Jackson’s arms, what would he think when he found out her secret? Could they turn one night of passion into the love of a lifetime?” In the Epilogue, two months later, Gina writes Libby and Jessie, telling them what happened, how she lost her wallet and passport, then met Jackson, and how, thank God, her wish in the fountain didn’t come true!]
Razzi, Jim. Cinderella’s Magic Adventure. Toronto: Bantam Books, 1985.
Riley, Eugenia. Stubborn Cinderella. Loveswept Romances #135. New York: Bantam Books, 1986.
[Backcover: Tracy O’Brien never expected to meet Prince Charming in the supermarket — especially when she was dressed in an old romper without a stitch underneath, and carrying a bucket of cleaning supplies! But Anthony Delano was suddenly there beside her, all potent temptation and determined to sweep the lady off her nearly bare feet. He made no secret of wanting to possess her, to conquer her heart as completely as he’d insisted on making over her life. But Tracy wasn’t looking to settle down yet; for her, the game had just begun. In this love match between two strong wills, could only surrender mean victory? Flyleaf: Before Tracy could catch her breath, she found herself pulled into his lap. “Anthony Delano, this is indecent!” “Oh, let’s hope so,” he said pointedly. He pulled the pink sweatband from her forehead, sending a riot of blond curls tumbling about her shoulders. “There, that’s better,” he said with an appreciative gleam in his eyes. “You’re beautiful, Tracy,” he murmured huskily. “You’ve got the body of a poster queen, and the face of the girl next door. I love those huge, innocent blue eyes, that perky, upturned nose, that full, kissable mouth. Now you must know I believe in complete honesty &151; “Uh-oh, here it comes.” Slowly he drew a monogrammed handkerchief from his pocket. “Is it so awful you’re expecting me to cry?” He laughed. “Tracy, I think you’re adorable but—” “But?” “I refuse to kiss a woman with a smudge on her nose, no matter how delectable that nose may be.” He leaned over and gently wiped the grime from the tip of her nose. “You know, you might scrup up pretty good.” “Why, you—” Tracy’s mouth was perfectly poised for a kiss, and Anthony took advantage of the situation, capturing her lips with his own. With a soft moan of surprise and pleasure, she surrendered. About the author: Eugenia Riley: I’m a preacher’s kid, the third of four children, and I was born in the small oil town of Luling, Texas. I recently revisited the area with my father, and got to see again the weatherbeaten house which, some thirty odd years ago, had been my first home. There’s a towering pine tree there, and my father told me they’d planted it the year I was born. I looked at the tree and thought, “Gee, I’m that old?” We moved around a lot during my youth and adolescence. Our existence was fairly isolated, and thanks to gifted parents I discovered both books and music at an early age. During my teenage years I spent virtually every free moment either writing poetry or practicing the piano. I always loved composers whose music was full of passion — Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky. I met my future husband while in college. He was a helicopter pilot, just back from Vietnam, and he told me that soon after he met me, the nightmares resulting from his war experiences disappeared. That, I decided was grounds for marriage! We married soon after my graduation and have been together for fifteen happy years now. Our two daughters are approaching their teens. They keep life interesting! Although by the time my girls were in school a number of my poems had been published, fiction was something which eluded me until recently. To my chagrin, I never could seem to write a workable short story. It finally occurred to me that, while I could not make a statement in 5,000 words, I could in 50,000, or more. I’m verbose, I guess. I also love to tell stories, and I seem to compose in spaghetti-bowl style, rather than in single servings. My first novel was set in the 1840s in my native Texas. I remember driving all the way to Washington-on-the-Brazos on a Monday to begin researching my historical romance, only to discover that the museum there was closed. I had to ask myself ruefully, “You’re planning to write a novel, and you don’t even know what days the blasted museum is open?” Somehow I managed not only to write that first novel, but also to see it published. My highest praise on that work came from several readers who told me they cried when they reached the book’s climax. No greater compliment can ever be paid me. People need to feel; it’s a major reason I write, and a major reason I read. Being a published author has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my entire life. It is also quite humbling. Communicating with another human being in this intimate fashion is quite a responsibility. I hope I will never take it lightly. I try to throw myself into everything I write, and I try to fill my writing with the emotional intensity that is in the music I love.]
Rimmer, Christine. Cinderella’s Big Sky Groom. New York: Silhouette Books, 1999.
[In the Montana Mavericks Series. Backcover: Wedding bells in Whitehorn? Ross Garrison was everything Lynn Taylor ever dreamed of in a prince. And in one fairy-tale night, she gave him her innocence — and her heart. Now everyone was talking about how the prim schoolteacher had turned up in the sexy lawyer’s bed, until Ross gave the townsfolk something to really talk about and claimed Lynn as his bride-to-be! Lynn knew Ross was only trying to protect her honor. After all, this confirmed bachelor was about as far from marriage as a man could be. Unless, of course, he fell in love. Flyleaf: Montana Mavericks: Return to Whitehorn, the home of bold men and daring women, a place where rich tales of passion and adventure are unfolding under the Big Sky. Seems this charming little town has some mighty big secrets. And everybody’s talking about Jennifer McCallum: Whitehorn’s little darling has started kindergarten, just like every five-year-old. Except Jennifer isn’t just any school-age tot, she’s an heiress with a trust fund that might prove tempting to folks with bad intentions. Ross Garrison: As a lawyer, he’s got to protect little Jennifer’s interests. But as a man, Ross knows getting close to the girl’s sweet teacher could lead to consequences a confirmed bachelor isn’t ready for! Lynn Taylor: It isn’t everyday a plain Jane like Lynn is swept off her feet by a prince. Now the rumors are flying that prim Miss Lynn is about to compromise her virtue to a certain irresistible lawyer.]
Ritchie, Anne Isabella (née Thackeray, 1837-1919). Cinderella. Boston: Loring, 1867. Included in Five Old Friends and Young Prince. London: Smith, Elder, 1868; rpt. in Victorian Fairy Tales. Ed. Jack Zipes. Pp. 101-126.
[The story is inaugurated from the neighbors’ point of view. They have known Colonel Ashford for many years, knew his first wife and the widow Lydia Garnier and her two daughters, too. They tell how the Colonel and Lydia had been fond of each other in their youth, before they had each married others, and how suitable they would be for each other as fate took their spouses from them. The Colonel is now a wealthy member of Parliament. His daughter Ella cares for him, loves her books, loves keeping the house in order, and makes him very proud. She is the one who inspired him to run for Parliament. When Mrs. Garnier becomes Mrs. Ashford and moves in she feels that Ella is old beyond her years and should enjoy childhood as a child. She takes her books from her lest she grow up too fast, removes her mother’s jewelry (and never returns it), and advances her own daughters as adolescents, ready to come out in the world. She is, moreover, increasingly jealous of Ella’s hold on her father’s affections, and does what she can to put distance between them. They go to London to stay in Lady Jane’s apartment. They would leave Ella behind but the father reads Ella’s desire to go along in her eyes and insists that she come too. In London Mrs. Ashford would cloister Ella with the maid, since going out is unfitting for so young a girl. But Lady Jane arrives unexpectedly, dresses Ella in fine clothes, and takes her with her to the soiree. Lady Jane’s outriders are workhouse boys–starved as churchmice when Lady Jane first employed them, but fattened up now and ready for situations. Her coachman is named Raton, a man with a red face and wig, who likes to be home by midnight. At the soiree Charles Richardson falls instantly for Ella and does all he can to avoid the Ashford girls, Lisette and Julia, who have come to the soiree purposefully to snare him. Next day Mrs. Ashford and her daughters are quite huffy at not having seen much of Richardson, especially since Lisette is certain he loves her, though he does not show it. They are amazed that Lady Jane has shown up and that she took Ella to the soiree, though they did not see her. There is to be a ball at the Palace next night. Richardson has invited Ella to join him, though she says nothing of that to Mrs. Ashford. She asks if she might attend, but Mrs. Ashford won’t hear of it. Lady Jane overhears, however, and goes out herself and gets a fabulous white dress and satin slippers, along with lovely antique buckles for Ella. After the others leave she takes Ella to the ball herself. This time Mrs. Ashford and her daughters do see Ella and almost risk making a scene with Lady Jane for ignoring orders, but none dare say a thing, at least not until the season is over. Richardson dances with no one but Ella, learns her name but not who she is. Lady Jane leaves at midnight, telling Ella to come with her or go home with the Ashfords. Richardson insists that she stay. She speaks with Mrs. Ashford, who won’t hear of her coming home with them — their carriage is full! Ella rushes out trying to catch Lady Jane but the carriage has gone. A cab offers to take Ella to Onslow Square, and as she gets in she loses one of the buckles. Richardson hears her giving the cab driver the address and figures out who she is. Next day he comes to the apartment bearing the lost buckle. He asks to meet with Colonel Ashford and obtains consent for what he wants — Ella’s hand in marriage. Ella is so happy that even Lisette and Julia relent. All give them their blessing. The author of this story, Anna Isabella Ritchie, was William Makepeace Thackeray’s daughter, and revised several tales, including Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, and Riquet à la Houppe to comment on proper Victorian manners. She wrote the introduction for The Fairy Tales of Madame D’Aulnoy (1895).]
Savage, Felicity. “Ash Minette,” Fantasy & Science Fiction. 86, no. 5, Whole No. 516 (May 1994), 49-65.
[After the death of their mother, then a few years later the death of their alcoholic father, the three daughters attempt to survive in the slums of Riverbank, Minette, the eldest, working as seamstress for Madame Carolla, Libby, the middle girl, as a prostitute, and Ella, the beautiful youngest child, under the protection of her older sisters. The Baron of Helmany has a ball to which the sisters are invited. Ella is left at home for her own protection. The “fairy godmother” is a degenerate great lady who seeks out beautiful girls whom she sponsors in society. All three of the daughters yearn for wealth, comfort, and love. All are ruined by the degenerate class structures. Savage follows the Grimm story as Libby mutilates Minette’s feet in hope of tricking the Baron into marrying her. But the Duchess sees through the pathetic ruse, and Minette is cast out, uglier than ever, unable to walk or accept her condition, as naïve and lovely Ella “succeeds.”]
Schimel, Lawrence. “Ladyslipper.” Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine (Issue #22) 6 (Winter 1994), 41.
[The Faery Godmother goes to Venice to get Cinderella her Carnival outfit–a small pink bird mask and glass slippers. As Cinderella flees the ball at midnight one of her slippers catches in the roots of a tree. “Because the slipper had traveled through Faerie and been infused with magic it began to transform. The heel took root and began to grow, lifting the body of the slipper into the air. The toe of the slipper split, and the sides peeled away into petals. And a new orchid was born.” This is the story heard from the Ladyslipper herself, which you can hear too, if you listen carefully and don’t block the sun.]
Schroeder, Alan. Smoky Mountain Rose. New York: Bantam Books, 1993.
[For a plot summary, see Schroeder’s adaptation of the book in 1997, illustrated by Brad Sneed, as a Dial Book for Young Readers, under Illustrated Children’s Books - Perrault.]
Selter, Edith. Cinderella At Home. Franklin, Ohio: Eldridge Entertainment House, 1930.
Seymour, Mrs. Arthur T. A Camp Fire Cinderella. Boston: W.H. Baker, 1918.
Sharpe, Bettie. Ember. N.p.: n.p., 2011. Kindle edition.
[This version, available in e-book format and at http://www.bettiesharpe.com, combines witchcraft, eroticism, and Cinderella by exploring how Prince Charming’s personality may become a problem. When a witch curses, the prince, Adrian Juste, to charm everyone around him, he grows up to be vain and spoiled since everyone willing does whatever he asks, whether that is to stop a war or enter his bed. When Ember becomes a witch to avoid the compulsion, she begins to become the one person Adrian wants, for she rejects him. Sharpe also transforms the classic fairy tale with former prostitutes playing stepmother and stepsisters and highlights strong bonds between women as the only evils are poverty and compulsion, with the bonds of family, whether by birth or by marriage highlighted throughout. Ember creates the persona of a Cindergirl to avoid Adrian initially and to allow the commoners to overlook that a prince married a witch. The novella explores themes of obedience, freedom, and loyalty though it is best suited for adult audiences.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Shaw, Simon. Killer Cinderella. London: Victor Gollancz, 1990.
[Killer Cinderella is a husband in drag, who manages to work himself back into a life after abuse and scorn from about everyone he knew — his superiors at the bank, his so-called friends, and, especially, his scornful wife. In fact, Mark Harvey detests his wife Madeleine, who flaunts her affair as part of her scorn of poor Mark. He accidentally kills her and rather than go to the police he hides her body in a swimming pool under construction next door at the house of a new neighbor, Reg Talbot, who neither of them have met. The body gets buried next day under newly poured concrete. But Talbot, a car dealer, had Maddie for dinner. So Mark cross-dresses and goes in her place. The only real problem he has is with the size of his big feet. But he covers that well and the flirtation leads toward romancing that calls upon his greatest ingenuity as he attempts to encourage but at the same time ward off the affair. Meanwhile he discovers that he likes being Medeleine, and has a real flair for playing the femme fatale. But he runs into trouble with one of Maddie’s feminist friends, who misses her, and Maddie’s disappointed lover, who misses her too. They figure that Mark must have done something with his wife, and begin an investigation of her whereabouts. Mark manages to get rid of the lover in a Civil War Re-enactment Society where another accident takes care of the “investigation” for him. The police and the press continue their own investigation, however, goaded on by the feminist. Maddie’s disappearance becomes newsworthy. Mark finds support from a newsman who helps him escape even as Maddie’s shoes are being called into the investigation. Mark uses his former employment at the bank as a means of robbing the bank, disguised once again as a woman, only to bump into Reg Talbot, who thinks that he has at last found Maddie again. Talbot is forced into the boot of a car at gun point and Mark makes his get away. Talbot is found in the abandoned car, his pool is excavated, and the real Maddie’s body is found. Talbot is accused of the murder, and the newspaperman gets fame for solving the mystery. Mark moves to Brazil where he lives in luxury as a wealthy, eccentric woman.]
Shore, Jane. The Cinderella Game. An Avalon Career Romance. New York: Avalon, 1990.
[Dust jacket: Sandy Childs would not consider herself a Cinderella, but her life is no glamorous fairy tale, either. Overworked and underpaid, Sandy spends her days picking out fabrics for cranky customers; she pins all her hopes on the day she can afford art school. Wnen Prince Charming comes to call, Sandy almost doesn’t recognize him. Jason Grant dresses like a hobo, and he rides the bus rather than a fine white steed. He certainly is handsome, though, and so lovable that Sandy can’t resist him for long. Soon her life does begin to resemble a fairy tale. Jason gets her an apprenticeship at the Brae-Mill clothing factory, introducing her to the exciting world of fashion design. When he asks her to help him with Brae-Mill’s amateur theater production, Sandy is glad to pitch in. As opening night approaches, it seems Sandy and Jason are on the way to their own happy ending. And then, in steps a real-life wicked witch who threatens to ruin Jason’s play — and Sandy’s chance to live happily ever after … .]
Sinclair, Tracy. The Princess Gets Engaged. New York: Silhouette Books, 1997.
[Backcover: If fairy tales could come true … She was a dead ringer for the runaway princess. So American tourist Megan Delaney was hired to impersonate the missing monarch — at her arranged engagement to the real prince! Riches galore would be Megan’s during the royal masquerade. As would the constant company of Earth’s most romantic would-be groom: Prince Nicholas de Valmontine. Regal, handsome, yet reluctant to wed without love, Nick enchanted tender-hearted Megan — and she selflessly wanted him to savor a storybook marriage when his true bride returned. So she wooed Nick — and won him — preparing to sacrifice all, but wishing her own fairy tale would end happily ever after … with Nicholas as her husband. Flyleaf:Rules for Proper Princess Impersonation. 1) When approached by a perfect stranger offering you the opportunity to live in a castle and act like a princess, be sure your best friend can accompany you, so you don’t have to sit through all those state dinners alone. 2) Remember, Prince Charmings don’t marry commoners. Agree to stand in for the princess during her engagement to the prince-next-door only if you’re guaranteed not to fall in love with him. 3) Don’t be kind, considerate, and gentle if the princess you’re impersonating is known to be none of these things. It will make your intended think that he’s getting the woman of his dreams. 4) When your prince discovers that you’re not the princess he thought you were, make sure he realizes that you are the princess he wants! Conclusion: We learn that the real princess did not want to marry the prince, nor he her. Thus she disappeared. But when she learns that he is, in fact, planning to marry the look alike, she returns like a stepsister, and the King and Queen object to Nick’s plans. But the mother is won over and the wedding proceeds. When Megan was close enough to see Nick’s face clearly, her doubts vanished. In a confident voice she said, “I do.” At the end of the ceremony Nick took her in his arms and kissed her tenderly. That was when Megan realized this wasn’t the end of the fairy tale — it was the beginning (p. 249).]
Slipper and the Rose, The. London: Namara Publications: Quartet Books, 1976.
[A novel made from the movie.] See the annotation for the film under Movies and Television .
Smallwood, Joseph Roberts. The New Newfoundland. New York: Macmillan, 1931.
Smiley, Jane. A Thousand Acres. New York: Fawcett Columbine Book, published by Ballantine Books, 1991.
[Ginny and her two older sisters grow up on their father’s farm in the midwest. In the midst of the 1970’s farm crunch her father decides to divide the farm between the three daughters. The decision ultimately brings to light a host of family issues, including child abuse, that Ginny has held locked away since childhood. Owning up to the past does not come easily to a family which does not talk about such matters and always presents itself well.]
Smith, Jane. Play It Again Cinderella. Calgary: Career Dynamics, 1993.
Snell, Ted. Cinderella on the Beach. Nedlands, W.A.: University of WA Press, 1991.
Snyder, Midori. Tattercoats. In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1994. Pp. 173-202.
[The story combines motifs of Tattercoats , Donkey Skin , and Allerleirauh . Lilian, daughter of the Queen, has been married to Edward for seven years. They have a daughter Rose and son Arthur. Their lives have been contented and productive. But their bed has become indifferent. Lilian remembers how her mother on the night before Lilian’s wedding came to her and spoke of her own life brought to fruition by gifts in three walnut shells. One contained three gowns; one a gold thimble, a spindle, and a ring; and the third a strange coat made of the skins of many animals. She tells her daughter that “marriage begins as a clear broth, then thickens into a roux.” The next day Lilian seest Edward eyeing a servant girl, so she decides to seduce him. At a grand feast celebrating midsummer night, she appears in a gown that shines like the sun. All are amazed at her beauty, including Edward. But as the evening progresses she sees him looking at the servant girl as he once looked at her. Edward goes away to the horse fair for a couple of days. Lilian puts on the fur gown and is amazed at how exotic it makes her feel. She slips out at night and goes to a bridge where she awaits Edward’s return. As he passes over she confronts him, the coat open and her naked body gleaming. She says her name is Tattercoats and seduces him. As he sleeps on the bank beneath the bridge, she places in his hand the golden thimble, then returns to the great house. Next day he seems more friendly and appreciative of Lilian. A few days later there is a feast for the King and Queen. Lilian appears in a gown as radiant as the moon and all are amazed. The Queen smiles knowingly. As the evening ends, Edward insists on accompanying the royal coach to the bridge. Lilian puts on the skin a second time and hastens to the bridge where she finds Edward waiting. After their love making Edward sleeps and Lilian places the spindle in his hand. She hastens back home with mud on her and smelling of grasses. A few days later she takes her daughter into the garden and gathers herbs good for seasoning a roux. At dinner she wears the gown as bright as all the stars. Edward is amazed at how tasty an otherwise plain soup might be. Rose explains the herbs. That evening Edward says he must go out to catch the hare. Lilian hastens to meet him in her disguise. This time she leaves a ring in his hand. At harvest feast Edward surprises her by taking the ring from his pocket and giving it to her. It fits as if it were made for her. That evening Edward says that he must go out to look after a recalcitrant bull he has bought. Lilian looks for the tattercoat but it is gone. In a panic she goes to the bridge, planning to explain everything. There she meets a strange man in the tattercoat. She recognizes him as Edward who tells her he has known from the moment he touched her body who she was. They acknowledge each other’s deceits and meet again under the bridge.]
South, Sheri Cobb. The Cinderella Game. New York: Bantam, 1993.
[Backcover: All that glitters … . When Wendy Miller lands a summer job as a seamstress for America’s Teen Beauty Pageant she is thrilled. Then handsom Spencer Fife mistakes her for one of the contestants and sweeps her off her feet. Though Wendy wants to tell him the truth, she can’t resist playing the part of Florida’s Teen Beauty. Will Wendy reveal her Cinderella identity and risk losing her Prince Charming? Flyleaf: Spencer drew me close, taking both my hands in his. “Thank you for dinner,” I told him, gazing up into his bright blue eyes. “Everything was just perfect.” “No, not quite,” he said. “There’s still one thing missing.” “What?” For an answer, Spencer bent his head and kissed me gently on the lips. “That,” he murmured. Hearing no argument from me he kissed me again, more thoroughly this time. For a moment, it was just like a dream. Then reality reared its ugly head as Spencer whispered into my ear, “You’re really a special girl, Clarissa.” He might as well have thrown a bucket of cold water in my face. It was terrible to hear myself called by someone else’s name at such a romantic moment. Conclusion:As we laughed and kissed a second time, I decided that being plain old Wendy was just fine with me. I wouldn’t trade places with any other girl in the world?]
Spain, Nancy (1917-1964). Cinderella Goes to the Morgue. UK: Black Dagger, 1991.
Spooner, Cecil. My Irish Cinderella. New York: Longmans, Green and Company, 1930.
Stoutenberg, Adrien. Good-bye to Cinderella. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960.
Stuart, Alex. A Cruise for Cinderella. Toronto: Mills and Boon Ltd., 1956; rpt. in the Harlequin Classic Library, Toronto: Harlequin, 1962, with several reissues in several countries.
[Backcover: “You’re not his kind of girl!” A gloriously romantic Mediterranean cruise, and a new wardrobe! It seemed like a dream come true to Janie. And so was her dream of Prince Charming. Paul Cortes, the handsome, famous Spanish bullfighter, seemed to be falling in love with her. But David McNab insisted that the dream was impossible. “Like calls to like, Janie,” he said. “And you’re not like him — you’re like me!” Could David possibly be right? Flyleaf: “I suppose you think you’re in love?” David’s eyes held affectionate mockery as he asked the question. Janie drew a deep unhappy breath. “I didn’t say so —” “You didn’t have to,” David said. “It sticks out a mile. We know each other too well, Janie.” He was suddenly grave. “Paul’s not your kind, Janie, and loving him will only hurt you.” “What is — my kind?” Janie asked faintly. David’s hand found hers, the palm hard, callused and very strong. “I’m your kind,” he said, “just as you’re mine. My kind of girl, Janie, and you know it, really, deep down inside you. Like calls to like, and always will.” There was a tense little silence and then David asked, “Well, Janie, shall I go?”]
Stuart, Anne. Cinderman. Toronto: Harlequin Books, 1994.
[Suzanna Molloy trails a top-secret scientist, Dr. Daniel Crompton, who experiences a chemical fusion lab accident that leaves him invisible, but with mysterious strengths. With his newfound power of invisibility he keeps catching and kissing Suzanna unawares. His gaze becomes so powerful that it can reduce objects–and Suzanna’s resistance–to cinders. In him she discovers her fantasy man, her prince, and the only way to keep him is to keep him alive.]
Stiles, Norman, “Another Cinderella.” In Free to be a Family, by Marlo Thomas. Pp. 25-3l.
[Cinderella learns to do book reports and things like that before going to the ball; and she doesn’t go to the ball to get married, but to “become a person, stuff like that.”]
Straub, Peter. “Ashputtle.” In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1994. Pp. 281-305.
[Told by an overweight, middle-aged schizophrenic kindergarten teacher named Mrs. Asche who is unkindly referred to as Mrs. Fat Asche. She relates efforts to control her classroom, deal with parents who worry about the disappearance of their daughter, and solicitous administrators, but most of all with her own psyche as she ponders the yellow wallpaper, her yellowing body, and her lost past. Her deceased mother sits like a stone on her heart. She attempts to buy new wallpaper but is shown the very yellow paper her mother had decorated her room with and vomits convulsively. She buys the paper for reasons she cannot understand. In her reflections she remembers her mother’s death, her father remarrying a beautiful women, the unkind stepsisters, and an experience in which she defecates a long log on the white rug of her room, smears herself, the walls, and the carpet all over with it, and then wanders into nowhere. She thinks of a lost child deep within ashes, her hands and feet mutilated, her face destroyed by fire, an irreplaceable child. Deep in the muddy grave the mother feels the tears of the lost daughter and a dove consoles her by singing “All will pass.” She submits her resignation to the principal so that she may move on. He accepts it and promises a letter of recommendation next day. He keeps his promise, reassuring her that she has done a wonderful job dealing with the girl’s disappearance. She replies, “My decisions make themselves … . All will pass. All will change. I am a serene person.” She pities him, almost certain that he will be forced out of his job next year.]
Strohmeyer, Sarah. The Cinderella Pact. New York: Dutton, 2006.
[Nola Devlin lives in Princeton, NJ, and works for Sass!, a New York “celebrity magazine with an edge,” where she is “a far too undervalued editor” (p.2). When her in-house boss, Lori DiGrigio, discriminates against her and fails even to read closely her application to write a moral advice column, Nola creates Belinda Apple, a chic, gorgeous, witty, and thin British sophisticate who is pursued by Nigel Barnes, Sass!’s other high-profile columnist. All readers yearn to be like Belinda, but no one knows exactly who she is. Nola and her two closest friends, Nancy and Deb, customarily have lunch together the first Monday of each month . All three are considerably overweight, and when they are denied their window table on Nassau Street, most likely because the new ownership would save that table for attractive thin people who might draw in customers, they form a “Cinderella Pact” to lose weight. This sets up Strothmeyer’s amusing satire on diets, weight-loss programs, exercize gurus, and long-established family habits of eating plenty of starchy food at family gatherings. As Belinda’s popularity grows, more and more people wonder who she is, and David Stanton, the over-eighty self-assured moralist and owner of Sass!, leads a campaign headed-up by Lori to find out who Belinda is, and it seems that Nola’s double identity is beginning to catch up with her. Her skinny younger sister Eileen wants to marry Jim, who runs the Valley Fitness Gym and is always preaching at Nola to lose weight his way. But Eileen’s family think that in an orderly world the older daughter should marry first, fearing that few choose fat women to be their bride. Eileen can’t talk with Nola about her problem, so she writes to Belinda, who suggests that perhaps Nola does not wish to marry nor to be Eileen’s bridesmaid. Talk to her, Belinda advises, but that’s too taboo a subject to talk about or even for her parents to talk about. So Eileen and her parents keep their worries secret, except from Belinda.
In this story it seems that everyone has a hidden identity and yearns to be transformed into someone else. Deb has her stomach stapled to lose weight fast. She discovers she can’t stand her husband, who is unsympathetic to her rapid weight loss, so she gets caught up in other secret (then not-so-secret) love relationships. She’s a different person in her slim body, though confused about what she wants to be. That marriage ends in divorce and hatred. Nancy’s husband also objects to her new weight “program,” which totally preoccupies her, and she resents him in return, concluding that the only reason she married him was because she was too fat to get anyone else. They ultimately come to a reconciliation. Meanwhile, Nola seems to be getting nowhere with her efforts. She drops 20 pounds, then, tormented by some turn of events, gains it all back it seems instantly. Her car catches on fire, and she is helped by a tall handsome young man that she really likes and concludes that he is so capable with machines and dealing with fires or whatever that he must be Chip, who works in maintenance. They seem to be striking up a good relationship, but he disappears in the fall. It turns out that he is David Stanton Jr., heir to Sass!, who has already begun to figure out that Belinda is really Nola, especially when Belinda mysteriously disappears when they are trying to interview her in London and Nola, her copy-editor, has to write the column for her, which she does better even than the mysterious Belinda. Eventually Nola does get to the ball, disguised as Belinda and accompanied by Nigel Barnes (who is gay); only a couple of people recognize her. In the end the false identities are all dropped, Eileen gets married to Jim, Nola pays for a fabulous honeymoon, she and David finally get together after he has been writing to Belinda to convince her that he loves Nola. Even the catholic priest stops giving befuddled advice. The book is quite brilliant in its dialogue, witty allusions to the power and products of the fashion industry and the ways in which people manipulate themselves and each other to maintain illusions. The book begins with Nola’s observation: “We are all Cinderellas, no matter what our size. This is what I, Nola Devlin, fervently believe! I believe that within everyone of us is a woman of undiscovered beauty, a woman who is charming and talented and light of heart. I believe that all we need is a fairy godmother to dust us off and bring out our potential and, while she’s at it, turns the rats in our lives into coachmen” (p.1). The ensuing tale demonstrates the wisdom of Nola’s belief, even though she has to be her own godmother. The book’s Forward, “The Fabulous Belinda Apple’s Guide to Indulging Your Inner Cinderella,” consists of ten tongue-in-cheek guidelines to which the mores of our everyday wish-life commonly ascribe and which the story plays out in amusingly transformative ways. The novel has inspired the film Lying to be Perfect .
Tempest, Jan. Cinderella Had Two Sisters. Lindford Romance Library. London: Mills and Boon Ltd., 1963; rpt. in large print edition, Anstey, Leicestershire: F. A. Thorpe, 1985.
[Esmeralda and Jacobina have a younger sister Cindy. Alda is plain, but a musician with good taste. Jac is fat, placid, and quite insecure. But Cindy is pretty, blonde, blue-eyed, and popular. Their father is dead. The mother spends most of her time playing bridge, talking down the two older girls, and doting on Cindy. At a school pantomime of Cinderella, Cindy gets the lead and the two sisters are cast as the uglies. The casting, unfortunately, sticks, to Alda and Jac’s chagrin, as Cindy is praised at their expense. Alda is, in truth, the real Cinderella of the story. Besides being the focal point of the narrative, she does the kitchen work and generally looks after the others. She falls in love with Kel, a shy musician who does not see well, but who is substituting for Tom Torans as pianist in a trio. Cindy’s godmother sends cousin Evelyn to visit the sisters and to get some rest. He has acquired fame as a TV celebrity–Peerless Percy, a standup comic. He quickly decides to marry Alda because she is caring and can cook. He assumes that, his being so fine a catch, she will surely accept his proposal. Kel hears about the proposal and is secretly crushed, though he is too shy to make his love known to Alda, even though she helps him perform at the piano when his eyesight fails. Kel’s dog Beetle falls over a cliff. Kel almost falls over too, but Alda saves him, leads him down the precipice, saves him again when he slips, rescues Beetle from a rising tide, and then guides them all back safely to the top. In the process Kel finds out that Alda is not engaged to Evelyn and that she in fact loves him. It turns out that Kel is really Kelvin Kervan, the oldest son of the Kerven’s Kandies family, who was cast out by his father when he refused to enter into his father’s business but became an orchestra conductor instead. Though he had a most promising start as conductor of a neighboring orchestra, because of a head injury he lost his job and has been working incognito as an itinerate pianist. Mr. Bures, the conductor of the local civic orchestra and a friend of Alda’s father, has always admired Alda’s piano playing and hopes that she might perform with the orchestra before he retires. She tells him of Kelvin, who might become his replacement. He knows of Kelvin’s fine work and has wondered what had happened to him. Kel finally gets up his courage to speak of love to Alda, though he does so by sending her roses under the name of Beetle and uses a letter from his mother in which she mentions how glad she is that Alda is Kelvin’s fiance. Alda figures out that that is tantamount to a proposal, accepts, agrees to help him learn the orchestra music until he regains his health. She also agrees to appear as soloist with the orchestra. It thus seems that they have rescued each other. Evelyn will simply have to find someone else to cook — namely Jac. Cindy loves lots of men and seems destined to continue to do so.]
Templeton, Karen. Honky-Tonk Cinderella. A How to Marry a Monarch Book in the Silhouette Series. New York: Silhouette Books, 2001.
[Backcover: Truck-stop waitress Luanne Evans had known the customer who wound up in her trailer one night was not exactly one of the local boys. As to who he was, she didn’t care. For when he was gone, she would have nothing but memories. Or so she thought … . Prince Aleksander Vlastos had run out on Luanne eleven years ago, and he’d lived with regret ever since. But regret wasn’t the only thing he’d left behind. There was a ten-year-old child — the heir to Alek’s throne. Luanne had had him for ten years, and now it was his turn. She owed him. And he’d come to collect … . Sometimes, when you least expect it, fairy tales come true.]
Terribly Twisted Tales. Ed. Jean Rabe and Martin H. Greenberg. New York: Daw Books, 2009.
[A collection of fairy tale revisions. Stories in this compilation include “Waifs,” My Great-Great-Grandma Golda Lockes,” “Once They Were Seven,” “Capricious Animisitic Tempter,” “A Charming Murder (The Cinderella variant—See Eklund ),” “Jack and the Genetic Beanstalk,” “What’s in a Name?,” “No Good Deed,” “The Red Path,” “Lost Child,” “Rapunzel Strikes Back,” “Revenge of the Little Match Girl,” “Clockwork Heart,” “The Hundred-Year Gap,” “Five Goats and a Troll,” “Something about Mattresses,” “Three Wishes,” and The Adventure of the Red Riding Hoods.”] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Thomas, Jane Resh. The Princess in the Pigpen. New York: Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin, 1989.
Thomas, Joyce Carol. When the Nightingale Sings. New York: Harper-Collins, 1992.
[For synopsis see African, African American, Caribbean, and Creole Cinderellas .]
Thornton, Susan. “The Have-A-Heart Trap.” In The Best of Puerto Del Sol 1988. The 25th anniversary collection, published by the English Department, University of New Mexico.
[Draws upon Baba Yaga stories with slums of the inner city becoming terrifying woods for a white, male suburban child.]
Tillett, Iris. The Cinderella Army. UK: I. Tillett, 1988.
Tobias, Jay. Cinderella Rose. Boston: W.H. Baker and Company, 1932.
Tori, Barbara. The Cinderella Factor. New York: Avon, 1972.
[Fifty beautiful, experienced, liberated women from professions as diverse as banker, lawyer, race driver, top model, top designer, exotic dancer–even a gorgeous woman with a club foot–gather at the chic Baylor Hotel, site of a beauty contest sponsored by Princess Incorporated, the top cosmetics firm which is looking for the ideal model. An unknown reporter from Dare magazine haunts the scene, along with Frank Quinn, ex-cop now Baylor Security Chief, who keeps the girls safe in their gilded cages and wows them with his tough sexiness–“I’m not a realist. I’m a romantic with the heart ripped out of him.” The story plays up Cinderella analogues as the girls, from the independently wealthy to the financially destitute, tell their stories and aspire to be chosen princess at the cosmetics ball; as familiarity progresses it then shifts to a Beauty and the Beast story through the rough appeal of Quinn, whose beastliness and sexual mystique triumphs as something beautiful while the women retreat from their worldly wise successes into a girlish adolescence, yearning for cute transformations into their Cinderella’s stories. Tough and ready, Quinn becomes prince as he chooses the winner, and all settle into a tidy family in miniature, nestled into the employ of the Baylor, where the cosmetic scenes behind stage become even more exciting than the Pageant itself. The “Cinderella Factor” is that configuration of qualities that make for a winner.]
Turgeon, Carolyn. Godmother: The Secret Cinderella. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2009.
[Turgeon creates an unusual narrative by blending two worlds centered on the life of Lillian, an old woman living in New York City and a former fairy banished from the fairy world. The narrative moves back and forth between Lillian’s time as a fairy before her banishment and her daily experiences as an old woman facing eviction, living on little money, and dealing with her bleak existence. The fairy Lillian made a horrific mistake by failing to get Cinderella to Prince Theodore’s ball. Initially, the fairy becomes too obsessed with Cinderella’s dreams of a man and soon develops feelings for the Prince herself. She also fails to notice the extent of Cinderella’s despair and the abuse she endured at the hands of her stepfamily and other servants. On the night of the ball, Cinderella reveals that she does not long for a husband; she seeks death as a way to rejoin her mother rather than staying in a life of debasement, abuse, and rape. The fairy ignores her statements and leaves her alone briefly while she dances with the Prince; she returns to find that Cinderella has committed suicide by slashing her wrists with shards of the glass slippers. The elders immediately banish the fairy, and, over time, she learns to adjust to her new body and manages to hide her wings and the continual feathers they shed. Finally, as she goes about her daily routine working at a bookstore and is threatened by imminent eviction from her apartment, she begins to see signs from the fairy world, particularly evidence of her sister Maybeth suggesting that she can return home. She then sees an upcoming society event as a way to set her employer, George, up with Veronica, a hair dresser she meets in the bookstore, as a way to atone for her past actions. The day after the ball, Veronica realizes that Lillian is about to be evicted but also reads news paper clippings discussing the rape and suicide of her sister while Lillian was at a dance. Lillian rejects what Veronica says, claiming everything has been restored now that Veronica and George are beginning a relationship; she reveals she is a fairy godmother, and leaves. She then jumps off a pier into a river below as she sees her sister, Maybeth, and her fairy friends beckoning to her from a portal to their world. Readers are left to decide whether Lillian rejoins the fairy world or jumps to her death.] [Annotation by Martha Johnson-Olin]
Tydeman, Richard. Red Hot Cinders. London: Evans Brothers, 1973.
Tyler, Anne. Morgan’s Passing. New York: Alfred Knopf, 1980.
[A study in constructed identities, improvisation, clutter, and the transitoriness of being. The tangled plot is perpetually moved onward amidst puppet shows of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast with people caught between fiction-making and their past. Morgan Gower, the title figure, is a cross between a costumed ghost and a fairy godmother to other people’s desires. The one constant is Cinderella’s perpetual, phoenix-like rising from her ashes with the illusion of a new start and freedom from all the oppressive clutter.]
Uys, David Sunley. Cinderella To Princess. Port Elizabeth: Mohair Board, 1988.
Viorst, Judith. “ … And Then the Prince Knelt Down and Tried to Put the Slipper on Cinderella’s Foot.” In Zipes, Don’t Bet on the Prince, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987.
Vitray, Laura. Fashion for Cinderella. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1960.
Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughter House Five: or The Children’s Crusade. A Duty-Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. A Fourth-Generation German-American Now Living in Easy Circumstances on Cape Cod [and Smoking Too Much]. Who, as an American Infantry Scout Hors de Combat, as a Prisoner of War, Witnessed the Fire-Bombing of Dresden, Germany, “The Florence of the Elbe,” a Long Time Ago, and Survived to Tell the Tale. This is a Novel Somewhat in the Telegraphic Schizophrenic Manner of Tales of the Planet Tralfamadore, Where the Flying Saucers Come from. Peace. New York: Delacourte Press, 1969.
[As a prisoner of war in Dresden, Billy Pilgrim arrives in the prison camp as a scarecrow with no boots. “At the far end of the shed, Billy saw pink arches with azure draperies hanging between them, and an enormous clock, and two golden thrones, and a bucket and a mop. It was in this setting that the evening’s entertainment would take place, a musical version of Cinderella, the most popular story ever told” (p. 96). Billy borrows the shoes which the British prisoners used in their Cinderella pantomime–airman’s boots painted silver–and “the boots fit perfectly. Billy Pilgrim was Cinderella, and Cinderella was Billy Pilgrim” (p. 145). As Billy works detail in the kitchen over the glowing stove the hem of his coat catches fire. But that is nothing compared to the fire-bombing of the city, which he survives–a chosen one from the ashes–in slaughter house five. See also Vonnegut’s introduction to Transformations , by Anne Sexton, under Modern Poetry , where he discusses Cinderella as the single most basic plot, the archetype underlying most of Western literature.]
Von Aschenbrenner, Gunhilt Barbara. Cinderella’s Children. Ocean Shores, Washington: Lollipop Books, 1986.
Walker, Kate. The Cinderella Trap. Toronto: Harlequin Books, January, 1989.
[Backcover: “He had hurt her once, now she’d get even. Clea Mallory was a successful London model when Matt Highland suddenly reappeared in her life - he would never recognize the chubby teenager he’d so cruelly insulted. Clea knew this was her chance to revenge her bitter memories, and so she set a trap for Matt using herself as the carefully masked bait. But Matt was not stopped by the false face Clea presented - he was determined to love the woman she really was inside.” The blurb explains the crux this way: “‘Is this rubbish really essential?’ Without waiting for her response, Matt headed toward the door with her elegant gray vanity case. ‘This is my property! I want to know what you’re going to do!’ she shouted as the door swung shut behind him. For a second she sat stunned, then ran from the house and halted in the yard, staring in horrified disbelief. Matt was throwing her precious cosmetics into the heart of a blazing bonfire. ‘Matt - no!’ she screamed, leaping at the fire. ‘Clea, don’t be a fool.’ Matt’s voice was harsh. ‘Don’t you realize that you don’t need any of this?’ Driven back by the heat, Clea could only stand and watch numbly. She felt as if a part of her, quite literally, had gone up in smoke.” But Clea has learned what a lonely boy Matt had been in his youth, how his mother had been obsessed with outside appearances. And so she relents of her plan to harm him: “Remember how you used to call me Cinderella? In a way that was true I was like Cinderella suddenly throwing off her rags and realising that in her ballgown she was beautiful. But I couldn’t see clearly, I thought it was just the clothes and the make-up, not me. You helped me see it all so differently” (p. 183).]
Walker, Wendy. “Ashiepattle.” In The Sea-Rabbit: Or, The Artist of Life. Los Angeles: Sun & Moon Press, 1988. Pp. 66-81.
[The old king, years after the marriage, recalling better the costume than the person of young Ashiepattle, remembers the ball nights, his searching for her, and the blissful kiss when he found her. That had been the last moment of untroubled happiness. Meanwhile, the old Queen works in the dovecote, and wonders about the freedom of birds amd clouds.]
Ward, Rebecca. Cinderella’s Stepmother. A Regency Romance. New York: Fawcett Crest, 1991. Copyright by Maureen Wartski.
[Backcover: Pitching her inexperienced young stepmother against a seasoned London rake spelled disaster! Nella had been thunderstruck when her late father married a lady three years younger than herself. But all doubt disappeared when Lady Angelica Linden and her two stepdaughters became fast friends. Since Sir Thomas Linden’s death, however, the Linden ladies had been largely ignored — except by his creditors. The solution was clear: one of them must find a rich husband. Although Lord Deering was wealthy and truly smitten with Angelica, Nella was certain the handsome peer would never offer for the beautiful — and penniless — beauty. Worse, her own attraction to Deering’s comrade, Major Harcourt, appeared just as hopeless. The military, it seemed, was his only love! Or was, until this lovely Cinderella and her fairy stepmother joined forces …. Flyleaf: “You are magnificent.” Nella did not know what to do. The major was looking at her in a way that made her feel decidedly odd. Something was happening to her, and she did not understand it. Her heart had begun to thump. She looked up at him uncertainly. No one, Harcourt thought confusedly, had the right to have a mouth like that. Warm and generous and soft, it invited — no, commanded kissing. Suddenly a scream shattered the silence. “What in God’s name was that?” the major exclaimed.]
Weaver, Ingrid. Cinderella’s Secret Agent. New York: Silhouette, 2001.
[An Intimate Moments Romance: A year of loving dangerously, where passion rules and nothing is what it seems. This book is a sequel in the lives of Del Rogers, strong and sensitive — with amber eyes and a seductive smile: SPEAR sharpshooter Del Rogers had learned the hard way that love and marriage were off-limits to a man like him. Still, playing white knight to the beautiful and desirable Maggie Rice was one off-duty assignment he couldn’t pass up. Maggie Rice: a blonde-haired, blue-eyed new mom who still believes in fairy-tale endings. Although the man of her dreams was awfully secretive, Maggie couldn’t resist the powerful allure of the gallant-and-gorgeous Del Rogers. Why, she had him pegged as a real-life Prince Charming! But this sweet-natured Cinderella was holding out for promises of forever. “Simon”: This menacing traitor seems to have more lives than a cat. Now he’s about to make his move. No matter who close SPEAR’s top agents get, “Simon” is always one step ahead of them. Now this diabolical archvillain is about to stage a full-frontal attack. Anyone who dares to stand in his way had better prepare for the fallout! Back cover: The Agent: Dashing sharpshooter Del Rogers. The Emergency Mission: Saving the day when pregnant waitress Maggie Rice need a helping hand — pronto! The Hidden Talent: Giving Sir Galahad a run for his money. Holed up on a stakeout, Del was determined to capture a dangerous traitor named Simon. After a history of heartbreak, falling in love did not factor into his undercover mission. But then he delivered Maggie’s baby and found the Cinderella of his dreams. Before he could assess the situation, Del had temporarily stepped into the role of Delilah’s doting father … and Maggie’s adoring husband! Dare this chivalrous secret agent indulge in fantasies of happily-ever-after?]
Webb, Kathleen. Cinderella’s Shoe Size. Harlequin American Romance #904, December. Toronto: Harlequin, 2001.
[Backcover: “When shoe saleswoman Cindy Rawlins lost an expensive shoe — a $500-a-pair shoe — she desperately placed an ad before her boss found out! And when wealthy businessman Parker Stevens showed up, requesting to buy the same pair of shoes, Cindy was immediately suspicious. It happened to be a coincidence, but Cindy couldn’t help but feel like Cinderella when way-out-of-her-league Parker suddenly invited her as his date to a high-society party. Intrigued to see how the rich lived, Cindy anxiously agreed. And when her gown didn’t turn into rags at midnight, Cindy couldn’t believe the evening wasn’t a dream. But could one man, who happened to know her shoe size, fill this reluctant fairy-tale princess with the belief that happy endings did happen?” The answer is, of course, yes. When Parker tries to find out what she does in her spare time she says she has no spare time: she works two jobs. “Hmm … that’s too bad,” he replies, “because I wanted to sweep you away, and make you my princess.” Eventually he does. At the end of the novel, when midnight strikes, Parker asks, “You’re not going to run off on me, are you? Barefoot and all?” “Not a chance,” Cindy said. “I have everything I need right here. For now and for always.” She paused to admire the wink of her diamond solitaire in the light. “My pumpkin and my Prince,” she concludes.]
Wells, Robin. Plain Jane Gets Her Man. New York: Silhouette Books, 1997.
[According to the back cover and blurb, “When Sarah looked in the mirror she saw a plain Jane. Sarah yearned for a husband and family, but how could she ever hope to attract the one man she dreamed of &151; Jake Masters? The hunky single dad would never look at her that way. One Transformation Coming Right Up! Or would he? What if she got a sassy new haircut? Dumped the thick glasses for contacts and wore a touch of makeup? a slinky dress? Hmm … maybe this Cinderella would finally get to go to the ball — and win her Prince Charming. Or maybe Sarah would discover that Jake liked the old Sarah just the way she was … .” “She hesitated, fear nibbling at the edge of her consciousness. She didn’t want to ruin this magical, wonderful spell Jake had woven, and certainly didn’t want to leave this incredible, starstrewn place he’d taken her. If she opened her eyes, it might all disappear. She wanted to cling to the fantasy a little longer. He’d made her feel like a swan. She didn’t want to look in the mirror and see an ugly duckling. ‘Open your eyes,’ he urged softly. ‘I want you to see how beautiful you are.’ Her heart raced and tripped, and the air in her lungs felt hot and heavy. Her breath came in short shallow puffs. Slowly, slowly she opened her eyes. He met her gaze in the mirror. ‘You’re beautiful,’ he whispered. And suddenly she felt it. For the first time in her life, she truly felt beautiful.”]
Wharton, Edith. Summer. 1917.
[The orphan Charity is kept by Mr. Royall who is both a substitute father and ultimately her mate, even after Charity’s abortive romance with a false prince conducted with silk slippers; Charity is both a Cinderella figure and a victimized stepsister, the shoe of the false prince’s fiance fitting Charity as mistress quite poorly. Fleeing her would-be seducer “step-father,” Charity travels to the mountain in search of her mother who is dead. Her plot combines both Aschenputtel and Allerleirauh motifs as she regains her strength through bonding with her dead mother, and is reconciled with the “step-father,” Mr. Royall, who proves to be a gentler prince than the man who took advantage of her. They marry at the end.]
Wilks, Eileen. Midnight Cinderella. New York: Silhouette Books, 1999. Intimate Moments no. 921.
[Backcover: Lone-star Loner? Nathan Jones was the richest rancher around, but he was the outcast of Bitter Creek, Texas. Once his hometown’s Prince Charming, his love for the wrong woman had cost another man his life. Now a fallen hero, Nate swore no one would ever break through the impenetrable fortress he’d built around his heart. But Nate had never counted on the sweet beauty of Hannah McBride. What was it about his injured brother’s nurse that had Nate hungering for her healing touch? Even though her innocent heart was as transparent as a glass slipper, hadn’t Nate learned there was no such thing as a happily ever after? Flyleaf: The clock chimed midnight. Nate could almost hear the Fates laughing as he crossed the room. To think that he’d risked getting pulled over for speeding on his way into town. He’d been worried that the nurse waiting for him at the bus station might take a look around, get disgusted and leave on the next bus out. Bitter Creek, Texas, wasn’t much to look at in the daytime. At midnight, it looked like the back end of nowhere. There hadn’t been much point in hurrying, though, had there? She wasn’t going to stay anyway. Hannah McBride, the woman he’d hired on the basis of a phone interview and a friend’s hearty recommendation, was the sort of woman who belonged in the glossy pages of a magazine, not a dingy bus station, and certainly not at his ranch. She was everything Nate had ever wanted in a woman. Once.]
Williamson, Alice Muriel (1869-1933). My Lady Cinderella. London: George Routledge and Sons, 1900; rpt. New York: McClure, Phillips, and Company, 1906.
Wilson, David Henry. The Coachman Rat. New York: Carroll and Graf, 1989. Originally published in West Germany as Ashmadi, 1985.
[Robert, the rat transformed into the coachman of Cinderella (here called Amadea), traces events following Cinderella/Amadea’s marriage to the Prince of a nameless little kingdom beset by fierce political tensions. As the fateful midnight struck, Robert resumed his animal form but retained human reason and speech. Taken up as a curiosity–a talking rat–by local intellectuals and eventually caught up in a revolution manipulated by Devlin, his master, he regains human form at the public execution of the Prince and Amadea, as the Fairy Godmother reappears to escort their souls to heaven. Motivated by his love for Amadea and his horror at her cruel death (she is burned as a witch) he swears revenge and proceeds to gain Devlin’s confidence as the new autocrat consolidates his power. When the right time comes Robert secretly poisons all the dogs and cats in town and, with his magic recorder, raises a horde of rats to destroy Devlin and his army. But when the bubonic plague strikes and even good men perish, Robert acts as Pied Piper to lure his fellow rats to death in the river. The town is saved, but Robert flees in bitter despair, dying of plague and wishing he were a rat again. He tells his story to a sympathetic doctor who tends him in his last days. – David Nicholson]
Winthrop, W. Y. A 20th Century Cinderella, or $20,000 Reward. An Anglo-American Up-to-date Realistic Romance. New York: The Abbey Press, 1902.
[Dora, an orphan in the care of a London ecclesiastical family, runs away to Paris with a young American, Jim, where they are married and return, incognito to New York. Jim, it turns out, is a millionaire, trying to make it on his own. Dora is abducted by crooks, meets Jim’s father, who adores her and gives her gifts. She is then, after much drama, reunited with her husband and they are married (again), now according to their public identities. The father-in-law is a train nut and buys railroads rather than models. High drama on a trip from New York to San Francisco, with murders and more abductions. But it turns out well at the end, lavishly lucrative for all, enough even to impress the British contingent.]
Woodiwiss, Kathleen E. So Worthy My Love. New York: Avon Books, 1989.
[A Cinderella story of a young woman brought low, only to rise again. Elise Radborne, whose father mysteriously disappeared (leaving her to make her way without property or protection), is abducted and taken from London to a castle in Germany. There she is amazed to discover that her captor is Maxim Seymour, Lord of Bradbury Hall, a man convicted of plotting against Queen Elizabeth. She is amazed because he allegedly died outside the Tower of London. But he is very much alive and is as amazed as Elise, since the abductors got the wrong woman. They had been ordered to abduct Maxim’s one-time but not to be trusted fiancée. Both Elise and Maxim find that they are less deadly enemies than they had imagined: Maxim is a noble outlaw living in exile amidst conspirators for the throne; she is a person of character in exile as well. His problem is that he has inadvertantly added to hers. But what fate began, passion will consummate. Even Dad will add his blessing.]
Wright, Harold Bell (1872-1944). Ma Cinderella. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1932.
Wylie, Philip (1902-1971). Footprint of Cinderella. New York: A. L. Burt, 1931; and New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 193l.
[Jonathan Leigh was a man of enormous wealth. His sister Chloe adored him. He fell in love with and married an opera singer Daisy Storey, and they had a daughter Muriel. To Chloe, this marriage degrades Philadelphia society and the ancient lineage to which she was so devoted. The line went back to the Leighs in England and also to an aristocratic French line named Laforge, that lost its prestige after the French Revolution. Daisy becomes ill after child birth and is required to go to Europe for a cure. Chloe goes along to help care for the child. Daisy is swept overboard in an exhilarating storm, and Chloe plans her revenge (redemption). She finds an orphaned Laforge descendant, who is the same age as Muriel, claims the child and returns to Philadelphia. She takes the real Muriel and gives her to be raised by a bee keeper named Jamison in Mayville, Ohio. The child is given the name of Janet. Chloe arranges for $100.00 a year to be given to Jamison for the care of Janet. Years later Rupert, prince of Sabria, needs to marry an American heiress to save the Sabrian economy. The regent-dictator, Duke of Valak, arranges for Rupert to marry Muriel. Muriel and Rupert fall in love. At a horse-jumping event prior to the wedding, Jonathan falls from his horse and is killed. Lawyer Douglas Avery and his legal partner son Barney notice peculiarities in the will; namely, that Jonathan’s estate will go to his daughter Muriel, but only after her identity is proven by the footprint that was recorded in the hospital at her birth. With the will is an Ohio address. The wedding of Rupert and Muriel is delayed by the funeral, and Barney, having surreptitiously discovered that Muriel’s footprint does not match the baby’s, goes to Ohio, meets Janet, falls in love with her, but then discovers that she is the rightful heir. He now is in a dilemma, because revelation of the truth will make him seem to love Janet only for her money. Valak, who knows Chloe’s secret but nothing of the will, is suspicious of the lawyer’s trip and sets out for Ohio to kill Janet. Chloe is stricken with conscience, gets there first, and brings Janet to Philadelphia on the ruse that her mother has been identified and that she is to receive an inheritance of $5,000. When the truth comes out, Chloe denies the charges, but when she learns of the will she is moved by knowledge that her brother has known all along of her deception, but has provided for her nonetheless. Janet saves the day: she gives half the $45,000,000.00 estate to Muriel. Muriel refuses, but Barney whispers to Janet that she give the money to Sabria anyway for the maintenance of hospitals and social services. Rupert expels Valak, convinces Muriel that he loves her and wasn’t marrying her just for her money, and Janet and Barney, realizing fully each others’ kindnesses, wed. Chloe resigns herself to old age, knowing that she has been cared for after all and need only look after herself.]
Wynne-Jones, Tim. “The Goose Girl.” In Black Thorn, White Rose. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Avon Books, 1994. Pp. 151-172.
[Watching his children play "snake" in the cold water of the river he reflects on his cold wife and the story of their lives. The story he recalls differs from the story of the Goose Girl told by old crones, though it is the same story — how a princess, attended by her older lady in waiting, journeyed to the prince’s estate where she was to be married. Along the way they stopped to swim. The girl was amazed at the beauty of the lady in waiting’s body. The next day she asked to swim again, this time stripping naked herself. After the swim, on a lark, they change clothes and happen, almost immediately to the palace. The princess is lagging behind and the false princess is welcomed as the true and whisked away with the prince, who is greatly attracted to her and takes her to his room where they make love. Why the real princess did not reveal the truth is unclear. The old crone says it was because of an oath she was forced to take, but more likely it was simply because of her arrogance. The prince soon figures it out, for the “goose girl” is haughty and arrogant, as princesses are, while the false princess is affectionate and devoted. The prince also has the advantage of several conversations with the head of Falada, the talking horse who bore the princess, then the false princess, to the palace. The false princess becomes pregnant, but says she can take care of the problem herself — how, the prince does not at first understand. Eventually the king finds out the truth about the switched identities and puts the story of the false bride to the false bride at the bridal luncheon. The woman, glancing at the prince, tells the king that the woman who betrayed the princess should be put in a barrel studded with nails and dragged in the barrel by two white horses until she is dead. The execution is carried out and the prince marries the true princess. But he slips away to the barrel where he finds his true love dead, her body torn by birds and wild animals. He wonders if he might see the unborn child, but it is not to be seen; his love has indeed taken care of that problem. He takes three bloody nails from the barrel to keep as unholy relics and lives on with his cold wife who, first off, had had Conrad the goose boy executed, and then took a lover of whom the prince is not jealous.]
Yardley, Cathy. The Cinderella Solution. Toronto: Harlequin Duets, 2000.
[Published with Lori Foster’s Say Yes. Backcover: When Charlotte Taylor’s best friend, Gabe Donofrio, agreed with her that she wasn’t the type of woman men fall in love with, she bet him a thousand dollars she’d have a marriage proposal in three months. Then she turned her tomboy self into a sexy siren, The World’s Most Eligible Bachelor moved in next door … and Gabe realized he’d made a big mistake? The woman of his dreams was right under his nose. Flyleaf: “I wanted you to see these viciously sexy outfits,” Charlie said. “No,” Gabe said. Seeing her in plain white bra and matching panties was viciously sexy enough, thanks very much! She laughed and ignored his protest. When she had finished modeling her creations his heart was beating as if he’d run a marathon. Finally she slipped back into her jeans and shirt. “So? What did you think?” she asked eagerly. What did he think? He thought she’d shaved ten years off his life with that sensual torture! “I thought it was very … nice.” “Nice?” She frowned at him. “I’m looking for devastatingly sexy. Come on, Gabe, work with me!” “Fine,” he said, sighing deeply. “You were incredible. You would make a Buddhist monk pant like a dog. If God made anything better he would have kept it for himself. Satisfied?” She grinned. “Now, that’s what I wanted to hear.”]
Yolen, Jane. “Cinder Elephant.” In A Wolf at the Door and Other Retold Fairy Tales. Ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. New York: Aladdin Fantasy Paperbacks, 200l. Pp. 17-29.
[A lovely big girl named Eleanor lived with her father. Her mother had been called Pleasingly Plump, her grandmother, Round and Rosie, her great-grandmother, Sunny and solid, and her great-great-grandmother was called Fat. Elly’s father remarries a woman with two thin daughters. They mock her: “Elly, Elly, big fat belly, Cinderer Elephant.” They make Elly work, but in her spare time she exercises by reading sports books. The prince calls a ball. Elly can’t go, but bluebirds help her to get dressed, in feathers. She looks like a big fat hen sitting on a nest. The prince is a bird-watcher and can’t take his eyes off her. They talk about sports, and the prince thinks he must love her. But she gets away, leaving behind her gigantic shoe. The prince seeks her despite his father’s objection: “Princes marry swans &151; not hens.” He comes to her house where the shoe is much too big for the thin sisters. The bluebirds tell of Elly, but the shoe falls apart. Elly gets the other from the window sill. It has eggs hidden among the ferns. The prince weds his dear hen, and they have a bunch of children. Moral: “If you love a waist, you waste a love.”]
Yorke, Curtis. What Came To Cinderella. London: Hutchinson, 1926.
Zackel, Fred. Cinderella After Midnight. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1980.
[Dust jacket: Julie Beaumont is fifteen, the daughter of divorced parents — and missing. Just another run-away who’ll probably come home when she’s had her fill of the streets. But Julie doesn’t come home and her mother, Heather, convinced that Julie’s father has taken her, hires Michael Brennan to find the girl. A routine custody case. Then a bad check, a brutal murder, and a mysterious kidnapping pitch Brennan into one of the most baffling cases of his career. Soon everyone seems interested in Julie — even Patricia Cardine, the U.S. Senator from California, and Stephen Daniel Wyant, San Francisco’s richest philanthropist — and Brennan is caught in a spiral of violence and family scandal as he cruises the city’s seedy Tenderloin district, its luxurious suburbs, and all its streets and alleyways in a race for a young girl’s life. Cinderella After Midnight is San Francisco after dark — a high-speed tour of crooked streets and seculed hiding places, tawdry bars and swank discos, offices where important political deals are made and the corners where the deals of the streets go down, all evoked with the authority of a native and the skill of a gifted novelist. Fred Zackel’s first Michael Brennan novel, Cocaine and Blue Eyes (1978), reminded Ross Macdonald “of the young Dashiell Hammett’s work, not because it is an imitation, but because it is not. It is a powerful and original book made from the lives and language of the people who live in San Francisco today.]
Zane, Carolyn. The Cinderella Inheritance. New York: Silhouette Books, 2003.
[Back cover: “Congratulations, Cynthia Noble. You’ve just inherited a multimillion-dollar estate. What are you going to do with your sudden fortune?” Inheriting the home of her former employer was a miracle for the near-bankrupt struggling student. Yet her sudden windfall had come with an unexpected price. Namely, Rick Wingate, whose family should have rightfully inherited Cynthia’s new estate, and who was convinced this instant heiress was up to no good. Cynthia knew she should consider Rick her enemy, but she could only see him as a man determined to protect his family, a man whose very touch shot fireworks through her body. And suddenly, no monetary gift held as much allure as the hope of becoming Rick’s Cinderella bride. Flyleaf: “I don’t think my brother would mind if you were planning on kissing me good-night,” Rick whispered, his mouth almost on hers. Cynthia was shocked. “I wasn’t … ” “After all, we are practically family … ” “No.” “No?” “No! I mean, yes, we are practically family, but no, I … I … don’t … want … you … to … kiss me.” She closed her eyes against the pull of Rick’s glittering eyes and tried to will him into releasing her. Which was hard, as she wanted nothing of the kind. However, what he wanted was something different altogether. Clearly, he wanted to punish her for committing what he perceived to be a crime against his family. He wanted to prove with a kiss that she really wasn’t after his brother, but after his brother’s money. What better way to demonstrate what he believed to be so obvious? No, She could not let him kiss her. No matter how much she wanted him to.]
-----. Cinderella’s Secret Baby. A Silhouette Romance, no. 1308. New York: Silhouette Books, 1998.
[According to the cover blurbs, Mac Brubaker “could not believe his eyes. It was Ella, all right. No mistaking that. The thing he couldn’t get over, get around, get past, was her … condition. She was pregnant. With child. Great with child … . Myriad emotions whipped his mind, numbing it with confusion. But his heart suffered no such bewilderment. Only longing. Oh, how he’d missed her. How he yearned for her still. After every-thing. She had hurt him deeply, and now … now he’d discovered that she was about to have a child. His child.” For shy kitchen maid Ella McCloskey, it was “a fairy tale come true … . For when millionaire rancher Mac Brubaker whisked her away for a secret wedding and secluded honeymoon, she thought she’d found her prince. But circumstances soon had Ella heading for the Texas hills, and not even stopping to pick up her glass slipper. The Cinderella bride thought she’d put all her dreams of happily ever after behind her. Until Mac showed up … just as she was about to give birth to his secret baby!”]
[A great many narratives draw upon tropes characteristic of the Cinderella story for newly individualized, often antithetical, effects. For treatment of ideas pertaining to the benevolent male protecting and “saving” the helpless female, with disastrous results, see: Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Yellow Wallpaper; or William Faulkner, Dry September. For studies in expectation and thwarted happiness see Mary Lavin, Happiness in Selected Stories (1981), pp. 195-208; Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (with Pip as a sort of male Cinderella, and Miss Haversham as an unkind “step-mother,” thwarting his desires); T. S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” a study in frustration akin in many ways to Mona Van Duyn’s “Cinderella.” For a study in the dance without magic, only a haunting emptiness and disappointment, see Raymond Carver, “Why Don’t You Dance,” in What We Talk About When We Talk About LoveN.Y.: Knopf, 1981, pp. 3-10. For a study in the “Cinderella complex” (i.e, a woman frustrated by dependence upon a rescuing Prince), see Mary Gordon, Men and Angels, New York: Random House, 1985, which one scholar has typified as “Cinderella meets the Crucifixion.”
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What colour is orange blossom? | Florida State Flower - Facts about orange Blosoom
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Florida State Flower
Millions of white orange blossom flowers perfume the atmosphere throughout central and south Florida during orange blossom time.
The Florida State Flower is the Orange blossom (citrus sinensis). The orange blossom, like most citruses, is native to subtropical Southeast Asia. The orange blossom was designated the state flower on Nov.15, 1909. The orange blossom is one of the most fragrant flowers in Florida.
Kingdom
Species
sinensis
Orange blossom is the waxy, white blossom of the orange tree. Orange blossom are very fragrant . The Orange blossoms bloom in clusters of 1-6 during in spring and result in oranges the following autumn or winter. Last year's oranges often are still on the trees when the new Orange blossom are blooming.
Orange blossoms are perfect, with 5 petals and sepals. The petals on the Orange blossom are linear, sometimes curved lengthwise, and thick. The sepals fuse at base of the Orange blossom to form a small cup. Stamens on the Orange blossom number 20-25, and are arranged in a tight, columnar whorl around the gynoecium.
A globular, green ovary in the Orange blossom subtends a thin style, which terminates in a pronounced, donut-shaped stigma. The ovary on the Orange blossom is compound with 10-14 locules in most commercial cultivars. The position of the ovary is superior, and subtended by raised nectary disc on the Orange blossom. The Orange blossoms are borne in axillary cymes. Orange blossom is the only state flower from which a commercial perfume is made.
There are many online florists who deliver flowers to Florida. You can send flowers, plants of your choice to your loved ones living in Florida or from Florida to other locations across the United States of America through these popular Florida Online Florists .
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Facts About Orange blossom
The sweet orange tree, which bears the orange blossom, is a compact evergreen tree, 20-30" tall with a rounded, symmetrical crown spreading 15-20" or so.
The Orange twigs on many cultivars are thorny. The bark of the orange tree is greenish-brown color, having axillary spines on the branches.
The leaves of Orange blossoms are shiny and leathery, oblong to elliptic, up to 4 inches long, and have narrow wings on their petioles (leaf stems).
The Sweet Orange Fruit is a large, round multiple of drupes that is 4-5 inches in diameter. The fruit is roundish, golden-yellow or tawny, and several-celled, with a fleshy, juicy pulp. The Sweet Orange seeds are white and several. The cysts in the rind are convex (L.). The Sweet Orange fruit has a very distinctive citrus scent.
Orange oil can be an effective grease cutter, and it has become popular in some commercial cleaners.
Facts About Florida
Florida is flamboyantly nicknamed the Sunshine State, Alligator State, Everglade State, the Orange State, the Flower State, the Peninsula State, the Land of Flowers. Florida's official state flag was adopted in 1900.
In 1513, Ponce DeLeon, was seeking the mythical Fountain of Youth, and discovered Florida , claiming it for Spain. Later, Florida was sold to the United States in 1819.
Florida's capital city is Tallahassee, which houses the state's most eminent educational institutions.
These include Florida State University, Florida A & M University, and Tallahassee Community College.
Florida became the 27th state admitted to the Union on March 3,1845.
Florida is suitably located on the southern tip of the U.S.
Florida's border states include Georgia on the north and Alabama on the west.
Florida's total land area is 170,451 square kilometer.
Florida is also the hub for trade and agriculture. However, Florida's largest city is Jacksonville, which is also considered the largest city in the South, outside of Texas.
Florida's Motto is In God we trust (1970).
The production of orange juice became a multi-million dollar industry in Florida during the Second World War.
In Agriculture, Florida leads the southeast in farm income.
Florida produces about 75% of the total U.S. orange production and accounts for about 40% of the world's orange juice supply.
Florida is the 26th largest State.
Florida's largest cities include Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Saint Petersburg, and Hialeah.
Florida's world famous attractions are, Walt Disney World, Busch Gardens, Sea World, Universal Studios and Florida Islands of Adventure.
Other universities of Florida include: The University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of Miami, University of North Florida, University of South Florida, Warner Southern College, Webber International University, and the Yeshivah Gedolah Rabbinical College.
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Where did Panama hats originate? | Florida State Flower - The Orange Blossom - ProFlowers Blog
April to June
History
Because of the orange blossoms ability to both bear flowers and produce fruit, they were popular with Victorian era brides as a symbol of fertility.
Fun Fact
Orange oil is an effective grease cutter and has become popular as an ingredient in some popular commercial cleaners.
When people think of Florida, they conjure up images of sunshine, beaches and Florida oranges, so it may come as no surprise that the state flower of Florida is none other than the Orange Blossom, the flower of the orange fruit tree.
Florida is the largest producer of oranges in the United States. Each spring, the scent of countless flowering Orange Blossoms fills the air in parts of central and southern Florida. The orange tree is an evergreen that reaches heights of 20-30 feet and grows in full sun and sandy soil. It thrives in Florida, thanks to its climate and typically abundant rainfall.
The tree flowers in spring, producing white Orange Blossoms that are made up of five waxy petals and give off a sweet, fragrant scent. Months after the arrival of its blossoms, the orange tree bears its fruit, which is commonly called the sweet or navel orange.
The arrival of the Orange Blossom symbolizes a cause for Floridians to celebrate. In Davie, a small town north of Miami, flower lovers celebrate the arrival of the Florida state flower with the Orange Blossom Festival. The three-day rodeo and music event celebrates Florida’s agricultural history.
Orange Blossom season has long been associated with good times. From 1925 to 1953, a passenger train named the “Orange Blossom Special” brought well-to-do vacationers to sunny Florida from New York, winding its way from Jacksonville to Miami. In the wintertime only, a section of the train trekked to Tampa and St. Petersburg, dropping winter-weary passengers off at resorts for restorative vacations.
Beyond its attractiveness and romantic image, Florida’s state flower is also commercially valuable. Products made from the flowers include an essential oil that is sometimes used in natural skin care products and in aromatherapy. Honeybees make a favorite product from the flower: orange blossom honey. Its orange flavor and mild taste make it a popular treat.
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What type of animal inspired the creation of Bugs Bunny, Brer Rabbit, and the Easter Bunny? | Famous Rabbits
Rabbits in Myth and Folklore
The Lunar Year of the Rabbit
The rabbit is one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac, celebrated once every tweleve years.
Centzon Totochtin
In Aztec mythology, the Centzon Totochtin ("four-hundred rabbits") are a group of deities who meet for frequent parties; they are divine rabbits, and the gods of drunkenness.
Nanabhozo or Mahnabohzo
Nanabozho is a Native American creator figure who takes the shape of a rabbit and is characterized as a trickster. In his rabbit form, he is called Mishaabooz ("Great rabbit" or "Hare") or Chi-waabooz ("Big rabbit"). He was sent to Earth by Gitchi Manitou to teach the Ojibwe.
The Rabbit in the Moon
A belief found in Asia, MesoAmerica, and other locations, which links the rabbit to the moon, and to lunar goddesses
The Easter Bunny
Because of the rabbit's symbolic associations with regeneration, the rabbit is (along with the egg) commonly associated with Easter
The Jackalope
A mythical animal of North American folklore described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns or deer antlers.
Rabbits in Literature
White Rabbit and the March Hare
From Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Brer rabbit
A trickster rabbit from Africa, popularized in the Uncle Remus stories by Joel Chandler Harris
Peter Rabbit
Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, the Flopsy Bunnies, the Fierce Bad Rabbit, etc. in the stories of Beatrix Potter
Rabbit
From A. A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories
Rabbit Angstrom
The central character in John Updike's novel, Rabbit, Run
Fiver, Hazel, Bigwig, etc.
from Richard Adams' Watership Down
The Velveteen Rabbit
From the book by Margery Williams in which a well-loved toy learns what it takes to become real.
Edward Tulane
A china rabbit who is the main character of the book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo
Bunnicula
A vampire bunny who sucks the juice from vegetables from the book by Deborah and James Howe
Rabbits on Television
Bugs Bunny
The most famous of the Warner Brothers cartoon characters; he derives from the Brer rabbit stories
Crusader Rabbit
"Crusader Rabbit" was the first animated series produced specifically for television in 1948.
Greg the Bunny
An American television sitcom that originally aired in 2002, starring Seth Green and a hand puppet named Greg the Bunny.
Rabbits in Film
Oswald
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was a cartoon character created by Walt Disney in the 1920s and 1930s.
Thumper
Bambi's sidekick from the Disney animated film, Bambi
Were-Rabbit
A werewolf-like character from the animated British film, Curse of the Were-Rabbit, starring Wallace and Grommit, by Nick Park
Frank
The 7-foot tall apocalyptic rabbit in Donnie Darko
Harvey
The invisible, six foot, three and a half inch white rabbit from the movie Harvey, starring Jimmy Stewart
Jessica Rabbit and Roger Rabbit
The lead characters from the animated film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit
The Rabbit of Caerbannog
A killer rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "run away, run away!"
Killer rabbits
From the 1972 horror film, Night of the Lepus, which depicts a small Arizona town attacked by thousands of mutated, carnivorous killer rabbits.
Rabbits in Song
The 1967 song written by Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane about hallucinogenic drugs
Rabbits in Advertising and Popular Culture
The Playboy Bunny
The mascot of Hugh Hefner's adult entertainment empire
The Trix Rabbit
The mascot for Trix fruit-flavored cereal
The Energizer Bunny
The mascot for Energizer batteries: they keep going and going and going...
The Cadbury Bunny
The mascot for Cadbury's Easter chocolates
The Nesquick Bunny
The mascot for Nesquick's chocolate milk drinks
Happy Bunny
Happy Bunny is a small, smiling bunny, often varying in color, with an insulting slogan printed at its feet. Happy Bunny was designed by Jim Benton, and is featured in stickers, buttons, greeting cards, posters, and other merchandise.
Rabbits in Comics
Mr. Bun
Susie's stuffed rabbit from Calvin and Hobbes, the comic strip from Bill Watterson that ran from 1985 to 1995
Mr. B and Butterscotch
Two house rabbits featured in the daily comic strip, For Better or for Worse, by Lynn Johnston
Miyamoto Usagi
A rabbit samurai who stars in Usagi Yojimbo, a comic book series created by Stan Sakai in 1987
Polyfill
The rabbit who belongs to Alice in Cul de Sac, a comic strip created by Richard Thompson in 2004
Real Rabbits
Alba
Alba was the name of a genetically modified rabbit "created" as an artistic work by Eduardo Kac.
Oolong
Oolong was a rabbit owned by photographer Hironori Akutagawa, who was famous for his ability to balance a variety of objects on his head. Oolong was one of the internet's first viral sensations.
Cinnamon
The inspiration behind Disapproving Rabbits , created by Sharon Stiteler to honor all rabbits who disapprove.
Buns and Chou Chou
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What type of building is a picture palace? | Rabbit tattoos - what do they mean? Rabbit Tattoos Designs & Symbols - Rabbit tattoo meanings
Tattoo designs - R >> Rabbits
Rabbit Tattoo Designs - From ancient times, the rabbit and the hare have symbolized abundance, sexuality, lust and fertility. To 'breed like a rabbit' suggests rampant and unrestrained growth. In African and American oral tradition, the rabbit is an archetypal trickster, sometimes hero, almost always lovable, but often amoral. Likewise in Japanese lore, the white rabbit proves too clever and arrogant for its own good, meeting disastrous ends. In the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit is the happiest of the twelve symbols, being kind, popular, affectionate and obliging. In China, the hare is also a symbol of long life. In parts of Asia and the Americas, the 'man in the moon' is perceived as 'the rabbit in the moon'.
Native American totem medicine heralds the rabbit as the symbol of fertility. As an animal spirit guide, the rabbit reminds those who are physically vulnerable to seek safety in numbers, and to 'leap over obstacles in your path.' It also counsels one to remain calm in times of danger, much as the rabbit or hare 'freezes' when a predator approaches, relying first on its camouflage to hide in plain sight before fleeing only when absolutely necessary.
Many myths -- Cherokee and Sioux in particular - involve the tricky rabbit who often falls prey to his own boastfulness. For some native peoples in Eastern Canada, the Great Hare attained supreme deity status, while the ancient Aztecs worshipped a group of deities known as 'the 400 rabbits'.
For Bodiccea, queen of the ancient Britons -- who fought against Roman colonization of England -- the rabbit was a magical creature representing intuition. Pagan Britain also revered the goddess of spring, who favoured the hare as a companion. The rabbit's association with springtime rituals made it a symbol of fertility and renewal, and with the advent of Christianity the rabbit remained a familiar figure during the Holy Season. Its natural timidity and alert nature, together with its speed, were viewed as symbols of humility, vigilance and the wherewithal to flee from sin and temptation.
In the Southern United States, the rabbit took on folk hero status as Brer Rabbit, the cheeky trickster who outwitted his enemies and challenged his masters. Said to be a blend of African folklore and American culture, Brer Rabbit (as told in the Uncle Remus stories), spoke for the slaves and their troubles after they arrived from Africa during the slave trade. Often the hero, Brer Rabbit could also play the villain who was heedless of excess and its consequences. Whatever it took to extract himself from a tight situation, the resourceful Brer didn't think twice -- and often found himself in even more dire straits as a consequence.
In European literature, we see a White Rabbit portrayed in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. This nervous rabbit starts the story off, sporting a waistcoat and holding a time piece and muttering the unforgettable words, "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!"
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter published in 1902, became something of a literary phenomenon. Peter Rabbit even inspired an entire genre of literature written, marketed and aimed solely for children. It also launched an ancillary empire of Peter Rabbit products beyond books, but inspired by Peter Rabbit, of toys, clothing, wall paper, furniture, crockery, and of course in the modern era, all forms of media such as cartoons, videos, games and much, much more. Peter Rabbit even has his own web site!
Peter Cottontail is the rabbit who has come to symbolize Easter. But Peter Cottontail is a relatively recent invention and the Easter Bunny's origins are centuries old and not a little mysterious. A best guess puts the Easter Bunny's first appearance in northern Europe, most probably in Germany where the fanciful hare first appears in literature in the sixteenth century. The Easter Bunny being coupled with baskets of coloured eggs is probably an attempt to emphasize the fertility and new growth of spring, as both eggs and rabbits are fertility symbols. Eggs also represent re-birth and resurrection, which ties the Easter Bunny into the Christian religious holiday of Easter, which commemorates the Resurrection of Christ.
In modern times, the rabbit has inspired many cartoons, comics and movies. As much as Mickey Mouse symbolized Disney, Bugs Bunny represented Warner Bros. Studios and the entire cast of Looney Tunes. "What's up, Doc?" has even entered common usage in daily language as a colloquialism.
If Peter Rabbit was a favorite of small children, and as a character a constant reminder to play safe and mind your parents, Bugs Bunny was the irrepressible teenager, never too far from trouble and never without a quick quip and a comeback.
Never a walking, talking character, the adult version of the rabbit was conjured up as a logo in the fertile imagination of Hugh Hefner, publisher of Playboy magazine. The Playboy Bunny is Peter Rabbit and Bugs Bunny all grown up. The Playboy Bunny logo is recognized all over the world, and has come to represent sexual liberation and a lifestyle that borders on hedonism and the pursuit of all pleasures. Hugh Hefner didn't just sell pictures of the girl next door au natural. Playboy magazine told men what clothes to wear, what music to listen to, what to drink and where to drink it. The Playboy Bunny was the personification of the Playboy lifestyle. Hefner even opened Playboy Clubs all over the world and the Hostesses, beautiful women all, were dressed in "Bunny" outfits that became iconic during the sixties. As with Peter Rabbit and Bugs Bunny, the Playboy Bunny has been thoroughly merchandised and is available on hundreds of products.
Due in no small part to its representation of a "liberated" lifestyle, and symbolizing sexual freedom, the Playboy Bunny is a popular tattoo design with both men and women.
Building upon the rabbit's mythical history of lust, sex, and playing tricks, some of the most memorable cartoon characters have become stars of the Silver Screen. In "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" we have the super-seductive Jessica Rabbit (who saddly was not a rabbit!). If the all-time favourite cartoon rabbit is Bugs Bunny, turning the rabbit character on its head is the Wallace and Gromit franchise, which produced the Academy Award winning "Curse of the Were-Rabbit", an oxymoron if ever there was one.
The last word on rabbits goes to the rock band, The Jefferson Airplane - as in, White Rabbit: "And if you go chasing rabbits / And you know you're going to fall / Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar / Has given you the call..."
Get inspired by some great images and photos in our Rabbit Inspiration Gallery
Choose your own rabbit tattoo design from Tattoo-Art.com .
Find and buy the perfect rabbit tattoo design for yourself.
Pick out your own great rabbit tattoo design by some of the world's top tattoo artists at Tattoo Johnny.
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What is the main fruit ingredient of the traditional (orange) Jaffa Cake biscuit? | Giant jaffa orange cake | BBC Good Food
Giant jaffa orange cake
Prep: 35 mins Cook: 1 hr, 5 mins plus setting and cooling
More effort
Cuts into 10 slices
Give the classic flavour combo of chocolate orange even more wow factor in this cake with zingy jelly and luxurious chocolate ganache
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One of the best-known citrus fruits, oranges aren't necessarily orange - some varieties are…
For the orange jelly
One of the best-known citrus fruits, oranges aren't necessarily orange - some varieties are…
100g golden caster sugar
200g milk chocolate, finely chopped
100g dark chocolate, finely chopped
To finish
One of the best-known citrus fruits, oranges aren't necessarily orange - some varieties are…
Method
First make the jelly. Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line with cling film (you can use the 23cm tin that you will bake the cake in, but you’ll have to make this the day before so that you can remove it before making the cake). Remove the zest from 4 of the oranges and set aside for the cake. Tip the orange juice and sugar into a saucepan and gently heat to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a few mins until soft. Remove the gelatine from the water, squeeze out any excess and add to the warm orange juice, stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Pour the liquid into the lined cake tin and chill for at least 4 hrs or preferably overnight.
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a 23cm round cake tin with baking parchment. Tip all the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and combine with an electric hand whisk until smooth. Spoon into the tin and smooth over the surface. Bake in the centre of the oven for 55 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then invert onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Now make the ganache. Heat the cream in a small pan until hot. Put the chocolate in a small bowl and pour over the cream, leave for 10 mins, then mix well – you should be left with a smooth chocolate sauce. Leave at room temperature until the ganache cools and thickens a little (you can put it in the fridge to speed this up, but keep an eye on it, as it will set quickly).
To assemble the cake, place it on a cake stand and trim the top to give you a flat surface. Warm the apricot jam in the microwave until a little runny. Paint it over the top of the cake, then flip the orange jelly out of its tin, and position on top. Using a palette knife, swirl the chocolate ganache over the orange jelly, letting it dribble down the sides of the cake a little. Serve straight away or within 24 hours.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2013
| Apricot |
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BBC Good Food
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Servings
Serves 1 - 30 Biscuits
Every Saturday my fiancee's family is coming around for tea so this week I've decided to make something easy and delicious.
This recipe has been submitted by the Good Food community. Sign in or create a My Good Food account to upload your own recipe creations. Please note that all recipes will be moderated but they are not tested in the Good Food kitchen.
- one tbsp of butter
Method
Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff, add the sugar then the egg yolks one by one and mix well.
Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until you get a light dough.
When the dough is ready form the biscuits with a spoon or a piping bag and put them on a tray with greaseproof paper. Put them in the oven at gas 5/180C for 5-7 minutes.
In the meantime melt the chocolate with the butter.
When the biscuits are done take them out of the oven and put them on a grill on top of a sheet of grease proof paper. Put half of tablespoon of apricot jam on every biscuit.
Coat the biscuits in chocolate.
Put them in the fridge for at least an hour or until the chocolate sets. ENJOY!!!
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What meat is hamburger made from? | 40 Quick Ground Beef Recipes - Southern Living
Recipe: San Antonio Beef Puffy Tacos
Original tacos were a little different than the U-shaped tortillas invented by entrepreneur Glen Bell of Taco Bell. The real deal begins with a ball of masa flattened into a thin round that's fried to a golden crispness. The masa puffs up a bit, which is how the moniker "puffy taco" came into play. Ours are stuffed with ground beef that has been seasoned with jalapeños, cumin, chili powder and—if you like—Mexican beer. Then fill it with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and enjoy.
Photo: Iain Bagwell
40 Ground Beef Recipes
Brown up this kitchen staple to make quick ground beef recipes your family is sure to love.
Ground beef recipes are a weeknight favorite for so many reasons: ground beef is inexpensive, cooks up fast, and can be used in endless delicious ways. If you’re looking for a tasty new spin on classic ground beef recipes like meatloaf , hamburgers , chili , and lasagna , the Southern Living Test Kitchen has you covered. Or, if you’re in the mood for something different with ground beef, you’ll also find surprising new ways to use ground beef in stir frys, soups , calzones, kabobs , and more. Ground beef freezes well too, so stock up at the supermarket and bookmark this gallery as your go-to source for easy ground beef recipes.
See More
| Beef |
How many people were in the band The Thompson Twins? | Ground Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe - Allrecipes.com
Mardi
9/26/2012
This was more a stew than soup so I added some beef broth with the water. I made it for a family of 12 but have no left-overs...too many people really liked it. It needs more seasoning so I used...
BETTYWANNABE
11/8/2012
Very good! My husband who is afraid of vegetables ate this up fast! It's very filling and has wonderful flavors! He says he'll even eat the soup a second night. He doesn't do leftovers, normal...
Rae
11/30/2012
We really liked this soup. I had to change it a bit based on what I had on hand. I used frozen vegetables not canned, and had to use diced tomatoes. Since I made these changes I had to add extra...
lara423
3/19/2013
I remember my mother making this very same soup when I was a kid, and I loved it then. Though all of her veggies were canned from the garden, this recipe is delicious!
KC324
4/29/2013
I was searching for ground beef recipes and tried this one. Our family loved it. Instead of using canned veggies, I used frozen or fresh. Much higher in nutritional value. I reduced the ground b...
HappyInTheKitchen
2/2/2013
This is a huge favorite at our house. I do add beef broth for sure. Also hot sauce! I make a huge pot and then freeze some. We've gone on vacation with a gallon zip-lock of frozen soup and h...
Pam
2/5/2013
So good, and pretty low in carbs for those of us who are diabetic. Substantial enough to be a whole meal! Has become a favorite.
Mary Stephenson
3/1/2013
This is our go to meal for cold weather. Have been making it for many years. Use less ground meat but lots of frozen / fresh vegetables,low sodium beef broth, no salt seasonings, fresh or dried ...
| i don't know |
What type of alcoholic drink is barley wine? | What Is The Difference Between Alcohol Made From Corn, Barley, Grain, Rye Or A Beverage Containing Ethyl? | Red Head Oak Barrels | Aging Rum, Whiskey, Bourbon, Tequila, Wine Liquor
What Is The Difference Between Alcohol Made From Corn, Barley, Grain, Rye Or A Beverage Containing Ethyl?
Posted on February 17, 2013
in Bourbon , Facts About Alcohol , Whiskey
It is hard to decipher what the distillers and brewers are advertising. One company will brag about how their spirit is made with corn while another brewer will brag about including grains of paradise into their mash. Most of use just nod our heads in astonished agreement but are secretly wondering what it all means. There is a difference alcoholic beverages that were made from corn, barley, grain, rye or ethyl alcohol.
Corn is the base of most whiskeys. In fact, moonshine is made from a mash of corn and bourbon must be made using at least 51% corn according to federal law. When corn is mashed and distilled it produces a colorless liquor with an astonishingly high alcohol content. Moonshiners would stop right there and drink that white lightening straight. It smells and tastes like rubbing alcohol. Most whiskeys will go through an aging process in a new oak barrel which reduces the alcohol content while infusing the liquor with color and flavor. This is the most recognizable form a whiskey takes.
Barley needs to be malted before it is used to make alcohol. The malt creates a foamy mash that has all the ingredients for brewing beer. Barley creates a very thick and flavorful alcohol that can be enjoyed in the form of barley wine; a high alcohol content beer with a thick consistency. Barley is sometimes mixed with corn and other grains in order to add flavor to the spirit.
Grain is a generic term for corn, barley or rye, but grain alcohol is a legal term. Any spirit with an alcohol content of 80% or higher is known as grain alcohol. This neutral grain spirit should not be drank without a mixer and it is often added to other spirits as a means to save money in production. Neutral spirits are often added to blended whiskeys to raise the alcohol content as grain alcohol is cheaper than whiskey.
Rye is used in Canadian whiskeys and wye whiskeys. It is usually mixed with other grains to achieve a certain flavor. Rye makes for exceptionally smooth liquor and has a light taste. Whiskeys that contain rye are often referred to as rye whiskey.
Ethyl alcohol is a generic term for drinking alcohol. It is another word for neutral grain spirit or grain alcohol. Ehtyl alcohol has antiseptic qualities because the alcohol content is so high that there is very little oxygen in the liquid which kills bacteria.
| Beer |
What is the main ingredient of the dish Welsh Rabbit? | Alcohol: The Best and Worst to Drink
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Home » Health » Alcohol: The Best and Worst to Drink
Alcohol: The Best and Worst to Drink
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Corey Pemberton
Somehow you made it to Friday afternoon. Just a few more hours of work until you’re free. Now’s when the invitations from family and friends start pouring in:
“Come out tonight!”
“Want to go get a few drinks and watch my friend’s band play?”
“Happy hour?”
Now that you’re eating Paleo and committed to your health, you aren’t sure how you’re supposed to handle this. Even if drinking was part of your life before, does it have a place in your new lifestyle?
There’s a lot of confusion about whether alcohol is Paleo and whether you should have it. So let’s get to the bottom of this. That way you’ll have the information you need to make an informed decision.
Is It Paleo?
Before we talk specifics, you’re probably wondering whether alcohol is even Paleo.
Short answer: alcohol isn’t technically Paleo…
But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to quit drinking it.
The Paleo approach is based on what our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate during the Paleolithic era. And as Dr. Loren Cordain pointed out, our ancestors just didn’t have the technology to process drinking alcohol (ethanol) during that time.
Our ancestors might have enjoyed fermented fruit juice (yeast contaminates fruits naturally from time to time), but more evidence suggests that people didn’t use technology to mass produce alcoholic beverages until the Neolithic era: 5,000 to 10,000 years ago (1, 2) .
Just because our Paleo ancestors didn’t have alcohol regularly, doesn’t mean you have to avoid it, too. Remember, Paleo is an ancestral framework to help you optimize your health and quality of life. It’s not a set of rigid rules trying to recreate exactly how things were in every little detail.
How to Minimize Alcohol’s Harmful Effects
Alcohol isn’t really going to make you healthier, but there are ways to enjoy it sensibly and minimize any negative effects.
Not all types of alcohol are created equal. Sticking to certain ones – and avoiding others – will help you enjoy a drink every now and then without jeopardizing your health.
Not sure which type of alcohol to drink?
Here’s what you need to know:
Beer
There’s some disagreement in the Paleo community about whether wine or spirits are the best choice for your health. But there’s one thing everyone seems to agree on:
Beer is the worst type of alcoholic drink you can have.
Almost all beers are made from grains like barley and wheat. These are packed with gluten , which can cause a lot of health problems – even if you aren’t aware you have gluten tolerance issues. Unlike the distillation process spirits go through, beer’s direct fermentation leaves gluten residue that ends up in your drinks (3) .
There is a huge range of beers available: everything from light beers to heavy stouts and hop-loaded microbrews. But this spectrum really just goes from bad to worse. Craft beers and stouts might have more carbohydrates (and calories) than light beers, but all of them contain gluten.
Gluten-free beer is an option, and has become increasingly common as Paleo becomes more popular. But these beers still contain plenty of carbohydrates without the antioxidants found in wine or spirits, making them a mediocre choice.
Hard ciders made from fermented apples (and sometimes pears) are also on the rise for people looking for beer alternatives. Those fruits don’t contain gluten, so fermenting them doesn’t leave the harmful residue. The biggest issues to watch out for with ciders: 1) sometimes manufacturers add gluten, and 2) high sugar content.
Ciders can be a decent option if you’re looking for something Paleo-friendly to drink instead of beer. Just make sure you stick to gluten-free versions with low sugar content (check the labels if you aren’t sure). Crispin Cider, Strongbow, and ACE Cider are gluten-free and sell products low in sugar.
Bottom line: beer is definitely not Paleo. Its gluten makes it the worst type of alcohol you can drink. Gluten-free beer and cider are better, but there are potential dangers like high sugar content and carbs to watch out for. You’re better off with red wine or spirits.
Wine
Wine is produced through sugar or starch fermentation. This happens naturally with several fruits, but grapes are the most common. Grapes contain a good deal of sugar – the perfect food source for yeast. Once grapes are mashed into juice, time takes over and ferments the grape juice naturally.
This makes wine probably the oldest type of alcohol to see widespread human use. Our ancestors enjoyed it when the process happened naturally and, eventually started growing and fermenting grapes on purpose.
Wine is a better option than beer for a few key reasons. First, wine doesn’t contain gluten because it’s made from gluten-free fruits (grapes) instead of grains . Wine contain resveratrol, an antioxidant that has been shown to protect against inflammation, diabetes, and even cancer (4) .
White wine is OK every now and then, but try to stick to organic, sulfite-free reds
All in all, red wine is a better choice. The skin of the grapes are removed during white wine production. Unfortunately, this also removes tannins and resveratrol. So you get a lot less antioxidants when you drink whites instead of reds.
Dr. Loren Cordain, the creator of the Paleo diet, also pointed out sulfites as a potential concern (5) . Sulfites are preservatives wine manufacturers use to extend their products’ shelf lives. Most people don’t have an issue with them, but they might be having a negative impact – the common “ hangover ” sensations you feel after a few glasses – without you realizing it. Because most wines contain sulfites, the only way to know if they’re an issue for you is to try a sulfite-free wine and see if you feel a difference.
If you can, stick to organic, sulfite-free red wines. White wine is okay every now and then, but reds will give you a lot more antioxidants.
Spirits
Like beers, spirits (tequila is a notable exception because it’s made from the agave plant) are usually produced from fermented grains. But there’s an extra step: manufacturers distill spirits after fermenting them, which explains their higher alcohol content.
Why are spirits a better choice?
The distillation process actually removes most of the gluten protein residue from the grains. And some spirits like bourbon, brandy, and cognac contain helpful antioxidants (6) .
Spirits are also good because they contain very few (if any) carbs. All those carbs from wine or beer spike your blood sugar levels and stall weight loss . But you can enjoy low-calorie spirits and keep body fat from piling on.
When choosing what to order at the bar, dry, clear spirits will go easier on your body than wine or beer
Generally, dry and clear spirits are the least harmful for you. For instance, vodka or 100% agave tequila trumps dark rum (which is made from sugarcane). A lot of colored spirits also use caramel food coloring and other chemicals, so always check the label to make sure you’re getting something high-quality.
Here are some of the best Paleo-friendly spirits you could try:
Gin: manufacturers usually make gin by distilling botanicals (like juniper, coriander, cinnamon, or licorice) with grain alcohol. It can be a decent choice if you like flavored spirits, because the botanicals provide natural flavoring (unlike flavored vodkas, for instance).
Tequila: look for tequilas advertised as “100% agave.” Good brands include El Jimador, Gran Centenario, and Milagro. If that isn’t displayed on the label, you’re probably drinking a mixture of agave and added water and sugar.
Vodka: focus on vodka distilled from potatoes, or better yet, grapes. Ciroc is great because it’s distilled entirely from grapes. Brands like Chopin and Karlsson’s are fine because they’re distilled from potatoes. Grey Goose is actually distilled from wheat! Always check the labels to make sure. Be careful about some of the cheaper brands because many of them no longer distill from potatoes.
Other Important Lifestyle Factors
After choosing the type of alcohol you drink carefully, keeping a few other things in mind will help you minimize the negative health effects of drinking.
Hangovers and gaining body fat are your two biggest potential obstacles.
To avoid them, watch out for sodas, diet sodas, and other sugary mixers (like fruit juices). Stay away from tonic water, too. It’s an overlooked source of sugar . Either drink your alcohol straight, or cut drinks with water, mineral water, or club soda to avoid all the extra calories and chemicals.
Try adding a lemon or lime wedge. Citrus juices make your body a bit more sensitive to insulin, which makes it easier to avoid extra fat, and it tastes great too (7 , 8) .
A lot of people struggle with not having a plan of what they’ll eat once they start drinking. Once you’ve had a few drinks, your discipline and best-laid plans start to fall apart. That greasy pizza looks more and more tempting, and you can end up binging on junk food if you aren’t careful.
Avoid this snag with a two-pronged approach: 1) eat a high protein, low-carb Paleo meal before you start drinking, and 2) have Paleo snacks on standby if you get hungry.
A moderate approach to drinking is ideal. One or two drinks is much better than five or 10. Have too much, and it’s harder to to make smart decisions. Many of us just end up drinking more.
When you do drink, make sure to have plenty of water. Switching between alcohol and water doesn’t make you sober up faster, but it hydrates your body and slows down how quickly you’re ingesting alcohol. It goes a long way toward preventing hangovers the next morning.
It’s a Personal Decision
Alcohol technically isn’t Paleo. It doesn’t offer anything nutritionally you can’t find by eating a well-balanced Paleo diet…
But that doesn’t mean you have to quit drinking.
Ultimately, it’s a personal decision. Stay away from it if you have weight to lose or are worried about overdoing it. But if you’re healthy and able to enjoy it in moderation, it’s perfectly reasonable to have a drink or two sometimes. The benefits – relaxation, bonding with friends, etc. – might make it worth it.
And you can always quit drinking altogether. Experiment with 30 days of sobriety, see how you feel, and reassess the situation.
If you do decide to drink, be smart about which type of alcohol you choose, and other lifestyle factors. You’ll enjoy the indulgence and still protect your health.
Do you drink on the Paleo diet? Why or why not? Leave a comment below and share your experience!
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What colour is the black box on a plane? | The Debunker: What Color Is the "Black Box" on an Airplane? - Woot
Woot!
The Debunker: What Color Is the "Black Box" on an Airplane?
The Debunker: What Color Is the "Black Box" on an Airplane?
by Ken Jennings
9 months ago
In 2009, a global cabal of artists, designers, and scientists called the International Colour Association decided to create a day to honour—er, "honor"—color in all its forms. International Colour Day is now celebrated every March 21, since that's the spring equinox, the day when light and darkness are in perfect balance. All month, we're going to have Jeopardy!'s Ken Jennings with us, debunking a full spectrum of chromatic claptrap. Your trivia knowledge will soon be in the pink.
The Debunker: What Color Is the "Black Box" on an Airplane?
Like many important inventions, you never hear about them unless something has already gone terribly wrong. By law, the rear fuselage of every commercial airliner in the world—sometimes the rear cargo hold, sometimes a compartment above the galley ceiling—carries a device that records flight data and cockpit audio while the plane is in flight. This is the famous "black box" that's designed to tell investigators what went wrong when a plane goes down.
American inventors were working on different kinds of aircraft recorder as early as the 1940s, but the modern "black box," with combines an FDR (flight data recorder) with a CVR (cockpit voice recorder) was the brainchild of Australian engineer David Warren, who built the first prototype in 1956. His lab bosses weren't interested, but a visiting British government minister loved the idea, and the recorders were soon standard worldwide. Today's model is a titanium-shielded device the size of two shoe boxes, designed to withstand temperatures hotter than molten lava, impacts of 3,400 times the force of gravity, and the pressure at the bottom of the ocean.
Divers and investigators often spend weeks or even months searching for flight recorders after a crash, so, as a moment's thought will reveal, black is the worst possible color for a "black box." In fact, these recorders are required by law to be painted bright orange and covered in reflective tape. It's a mystery where the term "black box" came from in the first place, since the boxes were never black. David Warren's very first prototype was a crimson-painted cylinder he called the "Red Egg." In science, a black box is a system whose internal workings are completely unknown, so the name may be a reference to the fact that the device is designed to open up the "black box" of an in-flight airliner. Or the name could be an artifact of a time when recorders had to be studied in a darkroom, as they contained photographic film. The flight recorder has been called "the greatest single invention in the history of safety engineering," but the story of how it got its name is still, well, a black box.
Quick Quiz: What do observant Jews keep in the small black boxes called tefillin, or phylacteries?
| Orange |
In what continent did camels first evolve? | Inside the Black Box in Airplanes - Design, Function and Future of Flight Data Recorders
Development of the Flight Data Recorder
The first attempt to create an FDR was in 1939. Designers at the Marignane flight test center in France wanted to establish a way to catalog the reason for failed test flights. They used photographic film that recorded a latent image of the altitude and speed in the event of failure. Unfortunately, this method was not commercially viable for civilian craft.
The next design idea came in 1956 after a series of crashes in Australia. Dr. David Warren developed a way to record the conversation of the flight crew. The Aeronautical Research Laboratory where Dr. Warren worked helped design a fireproof case that could withstand high level shocks. Known at the time as the “Red Egg" due to its color and shape, the design ultimately became standard issue throughout Australia. Soon the “Red Egg" gave way to new designs and the implementation of the modern data recording. However, the exact reason an FDR is referred to as a black box today is relegated to speculation.
Above right: Flight Data Recorder. (Supplied by the National Transportation Safety Board; Public Domain; http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Fdr_sidefront.jpg)
slide 3 of 6
Making the Black Box Survive a Crash
The group responsible for standardizing the FDR is the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency operating under the auspices of the United Nations. This is accented by additional design requirements mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration within the U.S. EUROCAE is the overall regulations that stipulate exactly how the black box in airplanes should be designed. According to the definitions, all FDR devices must be able to withstand g-forces of 3400 for at least 6.5 milliseconds. They must be able to withstand extreme penetration and high-temperature fires. Additional regulations require that they be operable up to 20,000 feet (6,000 m) under water. In order to accommodate these rules, black boxes are positioned in the tail of the aircraft inside a crush zone to reduce shock. They are fitted inside two titanium shells and insulated for high-temperature conditions. Despite the name, a black box is actually painted bright orange to make recovery more efficient. In addition, they emit a locator beacon for up to 30 days to help investigators locate its whereabouts, most notably when the FDR is under water.
slide 4 of 6
Potential Future Designs of Flight Data Recorders
A number of new designs are being investigated to make the black box in airplanes more efficient and capable of better surviving crashes. Concepts such as self-ejection have been addressed, as have the idea that a digital down-link may be the most beneficial. Either way, since its original inception in the late 1930s, FDR units have helped investigators unravel some of the most pressing of airplane crashes, helping aviation experts avoid recurring problems that could cost the lives of many more people.
slide 5 of 6
| i don't know |
In what country was Canadian Club whiskey first distilled? | Canadian Club (Walkerville) Distillery - Whisky.com
Mashing and fermentation of the different grains is done separately.
The Distillation
The continuous stills that produce the spirit for Canadian Club are provided with the beer that leaves the fermenters and still at this point in time the different grains are not mixed. The corn, rye and malt beer is distilled separately. Only before the spirit is to be filled into the casks it is blended following the old traditional recipes.
A show still of Canadian Club
Warehouses
Canadian Club Whisky is matured in white oak American bourbon barrels. That’s the reason for the nice and distinctive, but not pronounced oak flavor of the Canadian Club. The Angel’s Share (evaporation into air) is about 3% here. After three years and more of maturation the bottling of the whisky is also done here at the Canadian Club Distillery.
A Canadian Club warehouse
The History
Hiram Walker was a very successful grain merchant in Detroit. He bought land on the other side of the Detroit River. There in Ontario he built a distillery and started production in 1858. When Walker began selling his whisky throughout Canada and the US he was the first whisky producer to label his bottles with his special brand. First it was called “Hiram Walker”, but as the whisky got more and more famous in the gentlemen’s clubs it became known as “Club Whisky”. American bourbon producers were not very pleased about this Canadian competitor and this lobby induced the government to bring up a new regulation: Canadian whisky had to be labeled with their origin so Hiram Walker’s whisky became Canadian Club Whisky.
During the prohibition the Detroit River was a paradise for smugglers. It is told that probably 75% of all smuggled alcohol came in from Canada to the US here on the waterways. Canadian Club Whisky was the number 1 of the smuggled whiskies.
Today the Canadian Club Distillery belongs to Pernod Ricard, the whisky label Canadian Club itself is hold by Beam Suntory.
The old office of Hiram Walker
Visitor Center
The Canadian Club Heritage Center in Ontario is the heart, the soul, the center and the historic memory of the company. It was completed in 1894 and the ground and buildings are a touristic attraction. The Offices of Hiram Walker and his sons are perfectly preserved in their old style, there is an art gallery and all the whiskies the company has released are displayed.
Tours are offered; you can have tastings here or even marry in this impressive ambience.
The Canadian Club Visitor Centre
Chronological rating history
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Top 5 rated Canadian Club (Walkerville) whiskies
| United States |
What are toy marbles made from? | Canadian Club Whisky - Master of Malt
Canadian Club Whisky
Can be dispatched today.
Canadian Club Bottling Note
The renowned Canadian whisky, married in white oak barrels. Canadian Club was founded by whisky mogul Hiram Walker.
Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt
The nose is of medium-body with notes of barley sugar and aniseed, notes of cut grass and fennel, a hint of straw and a vegetal freshness. The palate is quite sweet and gentle. There are notes of winter spice and dark sugars, a touch of rum. The finish is of medium-sweetness and of medium-length.
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User Reviews of the Canadian Club Whisky
............desert island tipple............
This was the drink, this was the flavour to savour - I have a long held liking for Canadian Club; love to taint a glass with Angostura bitters, throw in some ice before a decent measure of the spirit topped up gently with less than the same of ginger ale.
I developed a taste for whisky, coming I think from the many times my mother made me a hot toddy whenever a sniffle was present. Still to this day I kill the germs in this way, a placebo perhaps but at the very least it distracts your body from whatever ails it.
So a general liking for the taste of an ancestry, of the very land from which it is was drawn, was enough to piqué my interest in some of the many variations including bourbons and the like.
Southern Comfort was a short lived alternative; too sickly sweet along with lemonade but missing any rawness when undiluted. Moreover Canadian club, its more discerning cousin, is the right amount of sweet with the kick that every gold liquid should provide. So despite the occasional foray into a slight variations of spirit, Canadian club is the one to which I will always return.
It was always a little on the expensive side to be a regular choice, considering the quantities I imbibed and the length of time it was generally savoured over, made it an unlikely everyday purchase. That undertaking was left to Grouse or an equivalent blend, but I liked the taste of whisky generally and couldn't justify the few extra pounds needed to spoil myself. The cheaper blends would suffice. And suffice they did.
Canadian Club is my desert island tipple though and the one I turn to in my many hours of need.
17th September 2016
Excellent
One of the exceptions when it comes to price-to-quality. I love my Islay whiskys and my 12-18 year old Irish whiskeys, but this is my all-time favourite if I don't want to break the bank. Slight taste of molasses, low burn, thin as an Irish whiskey with a slight caramel aftertaste. Beautiful.
31st July 2016
Great whisky. Sweet & spicy, makes a nice change from scotch once in a while.
20th May 2016
Nice
It's nice and to me tastes like Vanilla Coke with a maple alcohol after taste to it. It's nice :-)
14th May 2016
Subjective
All the reviews I have just read are for the most part on cue. Some not so much. Like Scotch or Bourbon, Canadian rye has a variety of flavours. Haters will hate.. Lovers will love. Buy it, don't buy it, whatever. It's what YOU make of it. Not what the reviews make of it. Price wise, cheap. I am canadian and I live in canada. So basically all canadian rye is cheap.. This rye delivers drunk at a great price and my opinion of the taste and smell and finish are YAYY!
30th April 2016
My Old Fashioned
go to at parties. The Rye blends well with Old Fashioned ingredients. This is a straight forward excellent whiskey for Manhattan's and Old Fashioned's.
8th April 2016
Mark
An easy drink. A nice change and I really like the sour/spicy taste left on the tongue after swallowing. At £20 a bottle it's good value. If you enjoy whisky then this worth a try. It's simple but enjoyable.
12th March 2016
Just a great basic pour
An easy drinking whiskey enjoyed in about a 3.5 ounce pour over 3 or 4 fist sized real American ice cubes. I've been around the block with a variety single malts, all manner of bourbons, basic american whiskeys and a some wonderful Irish tipples for 27 years and my go to night cap after a long day is still CC.
9th February 2016
Underrated
Its mild and smooth, underrated but its history is less glamarous than most. But it is still one of my personal favorites!
1st February 2016
Been drinking CC for years. Smooth
25th December 2015
Unrefined but unpretentious whisky
I gave a taste of Canadian Club whisky, neat, to an Irishman once. "Strong sh*te!" he said with a wince. This whisky is harsh on the palate, nothing like most Irish or Scotch whiskies. It's sweet, spicy and oaky, but without subtlety. It's not for drinking neat. But it's great with Coca-Cola!
3rd December 2015
This is not bad whisky
I take my whiskies neat. I prefer less sweetness in general. That being said, for those who like to experience full flavored whiskies of all stripes should not treat CC like the plague as some here suggest. There is a nice punch of wildflower that accompanies the sweetness at the beginning. After the flood of sweetness tapers you will catch some nice wood and smoke flavors that diminish anything but quickly.
5th August 2015
Great as a Domestic Whisky or Mixing Whisky, So-so as an Import or straight Whisky
First, appreciate that Canadian Club is a Canadian Rye Whisky, and it should be compared against other Canadian Rye Whiskys, not to scotch or bourbon. If you are going to compare it to scotch or bourbon, compare it to Johhny Walker red or Jim Beam, which are more in this whiskys ballpark.
Now Canadian Club within Canada has a reputation as an everymans whisky, not at all drunk for being exotic, and more for having one of the lower price tags in the liquor store. It smells like spices, barley, and rum, has an alcohol kick, and quite a bit of sweetness, and is pretty representative of Canadian Whisky in general. Makes for a great mixer and it's OK straight. I'd recommend the more high end Varieties of Canadian club for drinking straight, it's a rather dramatic improvement in smoothness and reduction in harshness, and the 12yr variety is very similar in price.
Worth it at a competitive price, wouldn't pay a premium for it, good whisky.
26th July 2015
Good for boozing
Yes, i know: What do i except from a bottle of Whisky for 15€. Not much.
But still, this bottle did not even reach my low expectations.
The alcohol in this one is so agressive, i just could not enjoy drinking it.
Yes, sure, there are some flavours like lemon, flowers, mowed grass, even some cinamon. But they are hidden so far behind that alcohol, that i had a real hard time figuring these out.
So, when do you want to buy this bottle?
When you are a whisky beginner, who does not want to spend 50 bucks per bottle, you probably consider buying some scotch from independent bottler. Starts at 16€.
If you are an experienced Whisky drinker, you find way better "exotic" bottles to experience with and you know good whisky's price.
If you want to booze, there are cheaper ways.
Maybe you can use this bottle in a mix. I could imagine something really fruity with lots of sirup. Really, that is the only reason i can imagine, someone wants to have this bottle at homw.
7th May 2015
its rye morons
do not go to McDonalds looking for Koby beef. Canadian Club for almost all who drink it is a mix drink rye(I like it with ice tea myself[and i do not care who cringes]). The sweetness in the rye is beautifully offset by the tartness of the lemon ice tea.
30th March 2015
These reviewers don't get it
Just FYI not all whiskeys are the same. When I'm drinking Jim Beam I don't expect The Glenlivet. I appreciate Jim Beam for what it is. Bourbon is not the same as Scotch. I am sampling CC 12 year and it's fine. Canadian Club Premium is also very good. It's not a high end Scotch, but it's a good Canadian Whisky. Quit comparing apples to oranges. Enjoy it for what it is.
14th March 2015
Works for Me and For Many...
Enjoy it neat and on the rocks. No bite and a smooth rich flavor...and for the money...the best value around.
19th February 2015
A generous 3/10
Tried this at a recent Burns gathering (I know... not my idea, and I didn't approve of it myself). Barely recognisable as a whisky - it tastes like some sort of liqueur. I can imagine it might taste good in a cocktail, due to its sweetness, hence the generous 3/10, but compared to, dare I say, *real* whisky: truly awful.
15th February 2015
The sent of to Military School step child of Whiskeys
I don't know any Canadian that actually drinks Canadian Club. I'm fairly sure they shipped most of it to other countries so no one would realize we have plenty of much better kinds to offer. Seriously, try Wiser's if you want to be cheap, if you're looking for more high end grab a bottle of Gibson's Finest of course Crown Royal is great too.
But really anyone that enjoys Canadian Club has no taste in good whiskey and I don't take there opinion with any kind of weight.
4th December 2014
Fit For Mixing Only
I understand that some people have been drinking this brand forever and like it just fine. I grew up in Canada and have drank more than my fair share of CC. I drank it with cola to get smashed, that's it. Now I am (much) older and (somewhat) wiser. I drink Scotch, bourbon, anf Irish whisky because I like the taste and don't drink for the drunk anymore. Canadian whiskey is woefully lacking in decent brands for this purpose and CC is definitely not an exception. Harsh, rubbing alcohol, bitter are the only descriptions that come to mind. Mixed it's fine. Sorry fans but this is the regrettable truth as I see it.
27th November 2014
Nasty
This stuff is just nasty. I'm Canadian and no one I know drinks cc. There are many better Canadian whiskys out there.
27th November 2014
Shocked Canadian!
This whiskey is something many Canadian's buy and drink simply because it's a cheap liquor to mix with cola. This is not in anyway what I would consider decent whiskey. At home I would not serve this to guests(or drink it myself). Canada has many many better whiskeys, unfortunately we must not export the good stuff. I'm shocked by the positive reviews.
19th November 2014
Good Value
You get what you pay for! CC is a very good whiskey for the price. Good flavor and taste. Is the 12 year old whiskey better? Yes, as it is with any brand. But the 6 year old product is very good! Have enjoyed CC for many years!
22nd October 2014
Looking for an alternative to Crown Royal
I adore Crown Royal neat or with a little ice. What i do not adore is the cost. Went looking for an alternative and came up short over and over. Decided to try CC and was blown away! Deep color. Wonderful nose. Great mouth feel and comes off as a slighty stiffer Crown Royal! Smoooooth and full of the flavors expected from a much more expensive whisky. Delicious stuff! It is my got to daily whisky now and dare I say it? I may prefer it to Crown!
13th September 2014
One of the best cocktail whiskies around
Canadian Club is an outstanding mixing whisky and should be a staple in your drinks cabinet for an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan due to its rye-like taste. I personally wouldn't drink it straight, but then that's what the more expensive stuff is for!
8th August 2014
Canadian club
I usually drink scotch, tried boubon, and consider canadian more like a bourbon with scotch notes. Due to its rye flavor it does have a bite to it.
8th August 2014
Get the higher end CC
As a person who has tried quite a few Canadian club whiskeys, I have to say that it's better if you go for the CC that is one or two steps better than this.... There is a Massive improvement in flavor and finish
18th July 2014
whiskey!
Decent whiskey, fantastic for the price. Tried for the first time tonight, will definitely not be the last
28th April 2014
24th April 2014
The Old Funker
Bought this as it was on special at Morrison's Nice taste for the price but I have a £20 rule when I'm looking for specials on the supermarket shelf so I bide my time,but I needed some home comfort and this only JUST made it to be worth the money.
27th February 2014
Rum or whisky?
I'm not aware of any whisk(e)y that has such a strong rum flavour. As I don't like rum all that much, I really can't stand CC neat. It gets a little more pleasant on the rocks and is a surprisingly good mixer, though.
20th December 2013
A drop of water needed...
I had Canadian Club some time ago and was surprised how good it actually was. Now, when had a bottle myself, was first a bit dissapointed. It seemed much poorer than i remembered. A drop of water did good to the Whisky, though, opening more flavors and qualities to it. Still, did not quite live to the expectation.
17th October 2013
14th August 2013
Burn
I tried this whisky recently, admittedly as more of a cheaper benchmark against a Nikka and an Ardbeg, and found it unpalatably harsh. I got very few aromas and to be honest wish I had just used a Glenfiddich or even a Famous Grouse as my cheaper comparison. Not a good whisky to enjoy straight, though I'm sure would be fine mixed.
18th July 2013
John louisiana
In 70 years I have drunk everything from (God Awfull Kesh Mesh) to fine scotch. Although I am a confirmed scotch drinker I found my first experience with CC VERY SATISFYING....
1st June 2013
June
This is an excellent whisky to use for a Manhattan, no too much Martini Rosso and some ice. It has warmed us many times through cold Canadian winters. Crown Royal is good too but more expensive. CC is not a pretentious drink but a good, well regarded household brand. And of course it is whisky!!!
28th March 2013
Un-whisky-like
Fairly strong alcoholic burn and clear rum notes when sipped neat. Otherwise, not very complex. Not necessarily bad, but it's just not what I'd expect in a beverage calling itself "whisky".
It does, however, mix quite nicely with Ginger Ale.
26th November 2012
Thomas, Yorkshire
Canadian Club is an established brand that proudly makes a statement displaying its date of foundation proudly on its label and featuring prominently in shows such as Boardwalk Empire and Mad Men and promoted in adverts espousing it’s masculinity, this is a brand with an impressive heritage and cultural impact and as such I did have high expectations when I first opened the bottle
Hailing from Canada, I didn’t know what really to expect in terms of style, to me Canada isn’t on my mental list of esteemed whisky producing nations, I have a loose idea of what a bourbon will be like and what a peated malted is going to bring to the table, all I knew about Canada was that they love ice hockey and maple syrup and share a Queen with us.
I had my first measure poured over ice and this is how I think it’s meant to be drank, the first impressions were smoothness followed by sweetness, not a cloying honey sweetness but a crisp and clean sugary flavour, hiding in the background was a very green and fresh note that added a balance of dry flavours to the palate. It didn’t burn at all going down yet still though it had been poured over ice had a warming effect as it slipped down my gullet, and leaving a spicy note on my tongue long after I had finished the glass.
At room temperature the flavours blended a lot more and it was even smoother but had a nose of aniseed/fennel that came through a lot stronger than when enjoyed on the rocks.
I have been told it makes a mighty good Old Fashioned, however in my opinion it was perfectly fine just enjoyed neat over ice, turning syrupy with the cold.
Details about its manufacture are quite hard to find and as is it’s age etc, however don’t let that put you off, it’s definitely a everyday drinkable whisky that offers something a bit different from similarly priced Scotch or Bourbon.
All in all I think that if you claim to like Whisky then it’s a good purchase and also might be palatable to those who say they dislike Whisky having only encountered mainstream brands. So if you fancy a change and don’t want to spend a lot, try a bottle of Canadian Club.
20th December 2011
I saw it on offer for £12.24p in my local ASDA & thought - why not?
All I know is that I enjoyed the smoothness of it rather like Famous Grouse.
A beutfully sweet taste with a nice hint of spices.
Well worth paying more than I did for.
7th May 2011
The Best In The House
I have been drinking Canadian Club for 40 years. I have a selection of 100% proof, Classic and vintage year plus the 150 Year Anniversary bottle. I enjoy the smooth taste and during the summer this is a refreshing evening drink to relax with. Not bad for a Brit as it the only whisky I drink, it's the drink I prefer but unfortunately it's not readily available in all outlets within the UK you have to hunt for it or but it on line
25th May 2010
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What is kitchen tin foil made from? | Foil | Reynolds Kitchens
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Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil is available in a variety of widths and thicknesses to accommodate just about any task. It withstands high heat and extreme cold, making it perfect for everything from grilling to freezer storage.
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How is Aluminium Foil Manufactured?
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What is the lead in a lead pencil made from? | Lead in Pencils: Safety Information and Facts - Pencils.com
Lead in Pencils: Safety Information and Facts
You are here: Home / The PENCILS Blog / Pencils 101 / Lead in Pencils: Safety Information and Facts
As mentioned on our The Unleaded Pencil page there is no lead in the writing core of a “lead” pencil. The core is made of non-toxic graphite and does not contain lead.
As a result of increased concern for the safety of different consumer products such as toys or art products from China, we often receive inquiries regarding the potential for exposure to lead in pencils. The only relevant concern regarding potential sources of lead in pencils is in the lacquer or paint used to finish the pencil.
First, lead is a naturally occurring element that is contained in many different raw materials used in many industries to produce many consumer products. Exposure to high levels of lead through various means can have damaging health impacts.
Next, lead content in all consumer products has been under strict regulation for many years by the regulatory authorities of different governments around the world. Generally, these standards are similar from country to country but there are some variations in regulations and content standards around the world.
In the United States the governing body on this issue is the Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC. Current CPSC lead content standards dictate that lead used in paints or lacquers used on consumer goods must not exceed 90 PPM. These are levels well below the limits considered to be dangerous established by years of scientific research. Producers that manufacture to these standards are making pencils and other products that are well within these safety limits.
The CPSC itself does not carry out mandatory testing though they do dictate the standards and often the testing protocols and will investigate complaints about a product by consumers or consumer watchdog groups. Failure to produce to CSPC standards is a violation of the law, and any product found to be non-compliant is subject to penalties including immediate recall from distribution channels and additional fines. This is in addition to any potential liability issues a company may face if proven that a non-compliant product it markets causes any actual health issues for consumers who purchased that item.
Within the pencil and other related industries such as toys and art materials in the United States, as well as in all other major production regions, industry associations work to establish testing and certification procedures to assist manufacturers in assuring that products they produce meet the government standards related to lead content as well as other potential toxins. Testing is generally performed by independent third parties not under the control of the manufacturers.
Pencils are generally certified to the ASTM D4236 standards or in Europe to EN71, part 3 standards to assure compliance with the law. The U.S. Writing Instruments Manufacturers Association has it’s own PMA Seal of certification for toxicity purposes which includes a higher level of testing of key materials with potential toxin content and is a voluntary program it’s members choose to participate in.
If pencils you buy do not contain one of these certification marks there is some risk that there may be lead or other toxins at levels higher than allowed by law. However, lack of such a mark does not mean the pencils are necessarily unsafe. To be sure you should always look for one or more of these marks on the pencils you buy. Our Pencils.com Store includes the various certifications applicable to any given pencil within our store. For more detailed product safety on pencils check out our Product Safety and Certification mark section here .
Finally, here are some links to additional external resources:
Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association
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Who first devised the central relativity principle within Einstein's Theory of Relativity? | Guide To Mechanical Pencils | Pencyclopedia | Cult Pens
Guide To Mechanical Pencils
Guide to Mechanical Pencils
Introduction
We love mechanical pencils. You'd probably guess that from the huge number of them we stock. There's an amazing variety of mechanical pencils available, in all sorts of styles, with all sorts of features, for many different purposes. So we thought some sort of guide might be useful. We're aiming for this guide to serve several purposes:
If you need some tips on using your pencil (pun intended), we can help. It's not always obvious how to add spare leads, for example, or clear a jam when things get stuck.
If you want to buy a mechanical pencil, but you're not sure what type would be best, we have a few ideas. The best pencil for you could depend on a lot of things, but we'll help you narrow things down.
We also hope it will be an interesting read, if you find mechanical pencils interesting. We do!
What Is a Mechanical Pencil?
Definitions vary, but for the purpose of this article, we'll consider a mechanical pencil to be any pencil with a lead-advance mechanism that pushes the lead forward in some way. We'll mention clutch pencils briefly too, where the lead is released when you hold down a button, but we consider those to be a separate type. Woodcased pencils are obviously not counted here, but that doesn't mean we don't love them too.
Other Names for Mechanical Pencils
Mechanical pencils may be called different things in different places, by different people. Here in the UK, 'automatic pencil' and 'propelling pencil' are quite common terms, and people may also refer to 'clicky pencils'. Ones designed for technical drawing may be referred to as 'drafting pencils' (or even 'draughting' in British English), or 'technical pencils', though these terms have also been used for traditional clutch pencils.
Although not used here, Wikipedia tells us 'pen pencil' and 'lead pencil' are used in India, and 'pacer' is used as a generic term by some people, though it's actually the name of an old Paper Mate pencil. We'll stick to 'mechanical pencil' here.
History of Mechanical Pencils
The first pencils were more like modern clutch pencils than what we now think of as 'normal' wooden pencils. Graphite was first used in lumps, with perhaps a bit of cloth wrapped around to hold it. When things started to progress towards the pencil, the first attempts involved wooden holders to grip sticks of graphite, so they could be used more easily and cleanly. The first description of a leadholder was by Conrad Gessner, back in 1565.
If you want to be really traditional, Cleo Scribent make a replica, called Der Gessner . It's rather fiddly to adjust, because there's no spring mechanism, but the basic elements of a clutch pencil are all there.
For many years, push-fit lead around 1.18mm in width was most common, with a twist mechanism that wound the lead down like a screw as it was used, and pencils were often decorated with ornate designs in sterling silver.
The need to write intricate characters meant Japan had a greater incentive to make thinner leads, which lead to the birth of the modern mechanical pencil there.
Tokuji Hayakawa made the 'Ever-Ready Sharp Pencil', which was a huge success, and his company took the name of the pencil, and became 'Sharp' - the electronics company we know today.
Thinner lead wasn't possible with the traditional mix of graphite and clay, as it was too brittle. Modern thin leads are based on high-polymer organic materials that can take much more force without breaking, and they're getting better all the time.
Why Use a Mechanical Pencil?
There are some good reasons why you might prefer a mechanical pencil over a woodcased pencil.
No Sharpening. If the lead is thin enough, you don't need to keep sharpening it - just keep writing or drawing. Not only does it save time and effort, but sharpening can be messy.
Consistent Line Width. When a woodcased pencil is freshly sharpened, it writes a very thin line. As soon as you've written a bit, the line gets thicker and thicker. With a mechanical pencil, the line says the same, so it's a more predictable tool.
Consistent Balance. As a wooden pencil gets shorter, the balance changes. Mechanical pencils don't change as you use the lead. It's not hugely important to everyone, but some artists find this makes a big difference for them.
Refillable. You don't throw away stubs, you just keep putting more leads in. There are no trees to be cut down. It can be argued that mechanical pencils are the more environmentally friendly option, if you use one for a long time. Given that the leads usually come packaged in plastic boxes, though, it's not a simple calculation to know which is better, but there's a lot to be said for a single tool you can use for years.
Choice of Styles and Materials. Mechanical pencils can vary hugely in how they look - some look like technical tools, some look like luxury goods, and some look like simple plastic-bodied pencils. Some even look like wooden pencils!
Not that we have anything against other types of pencils - we have lots of clutch pencils, and a huge range of woodcased pencils here at Cult Pens, and they're all ideal tools for someone. A wooden pencil can make a wider range of marks, and has a certain simplicity that mechanical pencils can't match. It's perfectly possible to love them all!
Using a Mechanical Pencil
For the most part, mechanical pencils are quite simple to use - with most of them, you just click the button on the end to feed out more lead whenever you need to. Retract the lead by holding the button in and gently pushing the lead in. When one stick of lead is used up, keep clicking until the next appears. When you're all out, just add more leads of the right size, usually through a hole under the button, often hidden under the eraser.
There are some variations and oddities, though…
Twist-click Mechanisms
This mechanism is most common in pencils that are designed to go with a matching ballpoint pen. You twist the top part of the barrel, and the lead clicks forward. Release, and the top part springs back, but the lead stays put. Twist and hold, and you can push the lead back in. It's just like the clicky mechanisms, but twisting takes the place of pushing. These usually pull open in the middle to add more leads.
Inside, this type of pencil often uses an adapter, similar in shape to the refill for the matching ballpoint, which contains the whole pencil mechanism and lead tube. Essentially, the pencil is a ballpoint pen with an adapter fitted to turn it into a pencil. There's usually a cap at the top of the adapter which you remove to add more leads.
(Some of the pencils at that link will be of the other twist type, but we'll mention those specifically in the next section.)
Continuous Twist Mechanisms
These aren't so common these days, but there are a few around, like Faber-Castell's e-motion. The inside is a kind of screw-mechanism, where you wind the lead down as it's used. When you finish a lead, you remove the little stub, and push a new lead into the mechanism, and wind it back up to the top. Sometimes these only hold one lead, but they often have somewhere to store spares. The e-motion, for example, has space for six extra leads hidden behind the nose-cone.
All our continuous-twist pencils
Shaker Mechanisms
Another solution to the problem of stopping to click out more lead is the shake mechanism - give the pencil a firm shake up and down, and a weight hidden inside does the job of hitting the button for you. These normally have a button in the usual place too, but a quick flick of the wrist takes less time away from scribbling down your notes.
All our shaker pencils
Auto-feed Pencils
Some pencils don't make you stop at all to extend more lead, at least until you reach the end of a stick of lead and have to click the next one through. The way these work can be a little unexpected, as you need to write with almost no lead visible at all.
There is a (usually) plastic cone around the lead. Normally, you'd have to make sure you clicked out more lead before it wore down enough to reach the supporting tube or cone, but not with an auto-feed pencil. Just keep writing or drawing. When the lead wears down enough that the cone touches the paper, the cone is pushed back up a little way. A spring inside pushes it back, feeding some lead back down with it. The result is that the lead will wear down until it reaches this cone, but then won't go further.
It sounds as though it would be uncomfortable and scratchy to write with, but the cone is smooth and rounded so it doesn't catch the paper. You may still find it more comfortable to click lead out the usual way when you have time, but if inspiration strikes, just keep scribbling!
All our auto-feed pencils
Sliding Lead Sleeves
It's a bit subtle, but we're going to make a distinction here between pencils where the sleeve that surrounds the lead can slide up if pushed; and pencils where the sleeve is designed to slide up easily while writing. A few pencils now have sleeves with edges that are smoothly rounded, so they won't catch on the paper, and made to slide up really easily. The result is that you can keep writing in the same way you can with an auto feed pencil. The difference is that these pencils won't actually feed out any more lead, so you'll have to stop and click eventually. By that point, though, there's bound to have been enough of a pause in proceedings for you to give the button a click.
Examples: Kuru Toga Slide Pipe , Pentel Orenz
Kuru Toga
Probably the biggest innovation in mechanical pencil technology in the last few years, the Kuru Toga is, quite literally, revolutionary! As you write or draw with it, the up and down movement is used to rotate the lead.
Because a pencil is usually held at an angle to the page, the lead wears down at an angle, and forms a chisel-shaped tip with a sharp point. This shape makes for a thicker line, and the sharp point can catch on the paper. Some people naturally work around this by turning the pencil as they go, wearing the lead down more evenly. The Kuru Toga does this for you. The result is a finer line, and less lead breakage.
While it probably works best with Japanese characters (yes, no surprise, it was invented in Japan!) where the pencil is lifted from the paper several times for each character, it still works well with English writing, and even helps a bit with cursive script.
The Uni Kuru Toga range
Twist-extend Erasers
With most mechanical pencils, the eraser is there for emergency use only. If you needed to erase much, you'd probably want a separate eraser. A few pencils, though, have larger erasers, with twisting mechanisms to extend them, so they can last a long time. If you erase often, it's a great feature.
Examples: Pentel Twist-Erase , Faber-Castell Grip 2011 , Staedtler Triplus Micro .
Lead Jams
If you use mechanical pencils, at some point you're likely to have a lead jam. It happens. A tiny bit of lead gets stuck somewhere in the mechanism, and stops it from working. Lead might not click forward, or it might click forward but slide back in when you try to use the pencil.
Most mechanical pencils can be dismantled to some extent to clear a jam. Usually, the part near the tip unscrews, which lets you see the mechanism. If you then push the button down against your desk, the clutch mechanism pushes up. There's a brass ring around the clutch jaws, holding them shut - push it down, and it will release the jaws. Once they've sprung open a bit of sideways tapping should dislodge any tiny bits of lead.
If the mechanism can't be opened up, blockages can usually be cleared by holding the pencil tip-up, with the button held down against your desk, and feeding a cleaning pin in through the tip to push any little bits of lead out from where they're stuck. Some pencils include a cleaning pin, attached to the eraser, but many don't. If you don't have one to hand, another piece of thin wire or a pin may fit, but don't force anything too wide into the tip. At a push, a spare piece of lead can do the job, but it takes a steady hand to feed it in without snapping it!
Multifunction Pens with Pencils
A lot of multipens have pencils as one of their functions. These are most commonly either twist-action or gravity select models, and the pencil mechanism and lead chamber are all fitted into the space of one of the tiny ballpoint refills. They normally operate like most pencils do, by just clicking a button on the top to extend more lead. Adding more lead is a bit more fiddly, and generally involves pulling the little pencil mechanism off its mounting, just like you would to change the ballpoint refills. There's space for a few leads in the tube it fits onto, but don't put too many in there - two or three spares is all there's space for.
These aren't the best pencils for heavy users, but if you only need a pencil occasionally, they can be ideal - a couple of different ballpoint colours in one pen is quite useful, and a pencil thrown in so it's always handy!
Our range of multipens - most include a pencil.
Buying Guide
Buying a mechanical pencil is easy. It can be a bit more difficult to buy just the right mechanical pencil for you. And maybe even more difficult to buy the right one for someone else. The good news, though, is that they're nearly all quite reliable and tough, and most are quite comfortable to use, so it's unlikely you'll go too far wrong.
If you're the sort of person who likes to put a bit of thought into this sort of decision, though (and a lot of our customers are), we're here to help.
Purpose
It's not a bad idea to start with thinking about what you're likely to use the pencil for. If it's mostly going to be for writing, you're probably going to look for different features to someone who will use their pencil for sketching.
Writing
If you're going to be writing with your pencil, you'll want lead thick enough that it won't break too easily. With modern leads, 0.5mm is quite strong enough for most people, but more heavy-handed people do sometimes find they snap such thin leads, and 0.7mm or even 0.9mm leads are better for them. Some have cushioned lead, where an internal spring cushions the lead against rough treatment.
If your writing includes the sort of notes where you sometimes just can't stop scribbling, like taking down lecture notes or meeting minutes, you might want to consider pencils that make it easier to feed more lead in a rush, with shaker mechanisms or side buttons. Auto-feed pencils can work well, too, keeping the lead usable at as you keep going.
Some good pencils for writing: shaker pencils , auto-feed pencils , Uni Kuru-Toga , Faber-Castell Grip Plus , Pentel Energize .
Drawing
Drawing or sketching can have quite different requirements to writing, and can require a bit of experimenting to see what suits you, and what feels right for your style.
Lead thickness is very important for drawing. Rough sketching can benefit from thick leads, for bold lines, usually using softer grades of lead. For this style, you may well want to consider clutch pencils too, as there are more of them available with thicker lead. 0.5mm is the classic size for more technical styles, but the humble 0.5mm mechanical pencil is a very versatile tool, and is used by many artists for all sorts of styles. For detailed drawing, you might want to consider 0.3mm leads.
If the pencil is going to live in a pencil pot on your desk, it won't matter much to you if it isn't pocket safe. If you're going to be sketching out and about, though, it can be very important. Conical tips aren't usually too risky anyway, but tubular tips can be a bit too sharp to want them in your pocket if they don't retract. For quick and easy retracting, a 'double-knock' mechanism helps - the mechanism is retracted with either a side button or a firmer push of the end button. Others may need you to push the tip in against something while holding the button down.
If the eraser is important to you, you'll need to make sure it's a good size, probably of the extendable type. These usually twist up and down to expose more eraser as needed, usually with the added bonus that you can twist it back down out of the way when pocketing the pencil. For drawing, though, you may already have a preferred eraser that you'll carry separately, in which case, any eraser would be for emergency use only.
Chunky sketching pencils: Lamy Scribble , Kaweco Sketch Up , e+m Sketch Pencil .
Features
Mechanical pencils can have a surprising variety of features. If you think the number of possible features to consider is a bit much when you're trying to choose which pencil to buy, just imagine how it is for someone who has to write an article all about them!
Here are some of the features you may want to consider when buying a mechanical pencil.
Mechanisms
The classic mechanism for feeding lead is a button on the opposite end to the tip that pushes lead forward one 'click' at a time. There's quite a complicated set of parts inside to make it all work, but it's all so tried and tested that they work very reliably, and you can usually get years of use out of even the most basic mechanical pencil.
So why might you consider other mechanisms? Well, side-mounted buttons, shaker mechanisms and auto-feed mechanisms can all feed lead a bit quicker. For most people's use, it's not that critical, but if you have to keep up with lecture notes or take minutes in meetings, the time taken to click out more lead might be enough to put you behind.
They're all based on a mechanism very similar to the push-button clutch, so they're all usually very reliable.
Shaker pencils have a weight inside that will knock the lead forward by one 'click' when you give the pencil a quick up-down shake. It's quicker to do than pressing a button, so these can be quite popular for students. They normally have a button too, so you can ignore the shaker part when you don't need it.
Auto-feed mechanisms can work really well. Just keep writing, even after the visible lead has all been used. You won't see more lead feeding, but it won't ever disappear back into the lead cone/tube. What actually happens is that the cone or tube that surrounds the lead is smooth so it doesn't catch on the paper, and when the lead wears down far enough that it touches the paper, it slides back in a little. A spring pushes it back out again, and pushes the lead forward at the same time.
Erasers
Most mechanical pencils have an eraser. They're very important to some people, and completely irrelevant to others. If you rarely erase, you probably don't care much about the eraser. Oddly, though, people who erase a lot may not care much either, because they have their favourite eraser, and they're happy to carry it separately. Those in the mid-ground, who do care about the eraser, need to consider the size and replaceability of the built-in eraser. They can almost always be replaced, but make sure you can actually get the replacements. There are very few cases where spare erasers exist and we don't stock them, and we do have spares for most of the pencils we stock, but it's best to check if it's important to you.
In most pencils, the erasers won't last long, because they're so small. If you expect to use the eraser enough that this is a problem, look for pencils with large extendable erasers. Several different brands have pencils with long erasers that can be extended by twisting.
Mechanical pencils with large erasers
Price
You probably have some idea how much you want to spend, or at least how much you're willing to spend! There are plenty of perfectly good mechanical pencils around for less than £5, but you might need to spend more to get what you want.
Tougher build. While even the cheapest plastic-barrelled pencils should last well, something with a metal body is likely to be tougher.
Features. You may have to pay a little bit more if you want a big extending eraser, say, or a quicker way of advancing the lead.
Looks. A cheap plastic pencil will be perfectly functional, but might not look the part in a meeting. If you're wearing a nice suit, it would be a shame to have the cheapest pencil poking out of your pocket. Your tastes might be more towards the technical or machined-metal look, but again, you'll need to invest a little more for the right look.
Feel. In some ways, this can be the most important thing. If your pencil feels right in your hand, it can make a big difference to how much you use it. The most critical part is the grip - you might love knurled metal for the grip, or find it too rough; rubber is best for some people, while others like a smooth surface to touch. The rest of the pencil is probably less important to the feel of it, but it can still make a difference. More expensive pencils will usually feel more solid than the cheaper ones.
All our mechanical pencils, cheapest first
Lead Thickness
If you know what thickness of lead you want to use, this is a great way to narrow down the choices. Many pencils are only available in one size, so if you know you want 0.9mm lead, it's no good looking at pencils only available in 0.5mm. Many of the more technical style of pencil are available in several different widths, most often 0.5mm, 0.7mm and 0.9mm, while some add 0.3mm or 2mm to the range.
The thickness you want depends very much on your usage, and depends a lot on personal taste, too. If your writing is small, or your drawings detailed, you'll need thinner lead. If you're heavy-handed, you'll need thicker lead. 2mm leads are similar in width to the core in a standard wooden pencil, so for most purposes, you'd need to sharpen them to get a sharp enough point.
You can filter our mechanical pencils page by size using the links near the top
Other Types of Pencils
While this article is all about mechanical pencils, there are other types of pencils to consider - a mechanical pencil isn't the right answer to all problems for all people!
Woodcase Pencils
We're all perfectly familiar with wooden pencils - a stick of wood with a 'lead' core, sometimes with an eraser on the end. They don't have the predictable line width of a mechanical pencil, and they get awkward to use when you've worn them down with sharpening. There's a simplicity about them, though, that's impossible to beat. That simplicity means you always know it's going to write, and you can pass one to anyone without having to explain anything.
Our selection of wooden pencils
Clutch Pencils (Leadholders)
Clutch pencils are closely related to mechanical pencils. They use a very similar clutch mechanism to grip the lead, but they lack the extra complexity required to push the lead forward with a click or twist. Then usually have a button on the end, and when you press the button, the lead is released. You manually move the lead to where you need it, then let go of the button.
They are only normally available for 2mm lead and thicker, and there are plenty of clutch pencils available in sizes up to 5.6mm.
To many people, they combine the best features of mechanical pencils with the best features of woodcase pencils. They don't vary in length as you use them, and while they can be sharpened to get a good point on them, sharpening isn't vital if you really need to keep scribbling. They keep much of the simplicity of a wooden pencil, though, with big, simple clutch jaws gripping the lead, and just a spring to make them close and grip.
The thick lead makes them less practical for many, though, as you do need to keep sharpening if you need a reasonably thin line.
Our selection of clutch pencils - we have lots!
Other Resources
If you've read all that and you still want to know more about mechanical pencils, you might have a bit of an obsession developing! We do know a few great places to send you, though, if you want more:
Leadholder.com - the drafting pencil museum - a great resource.
Dave's Mechanical Pencils - while Dave has now stopped updating this blog, it's still a treasure-trove of well-written reveiws and articles.
| i don't know |
What is the foodstuff head cheese made from? | What is Head Cheese? (with pictures)
What is Head Cheese?
Written By: S. N. Smith
Edited By: Bronwyn Harris
Last Modified Date: 13 December 2016
Copyright Protected:
You won't believe these 10 facts about people
Head cheese is not actually cheese, but a jellied meat dish made from the head of a pig or calf. Occasionally, a sheep’s or cow’s head may be used. Head cheese typically takes the form of a large sausage and is served sliced as a cold cut. Alternatively, it may be made in a mold or pan and served as a terrine . It is usually eaten slightly chilled or at room temperature, to prevent the gelatin from melting.
To prepare head cheese, the cook must procure the head of a freshly slaughtered pig or calf. The head must be carefully washed and scraped clean. If the head is a pig’s, the bristles are shaved or plucked. If another animal, such as a calf or cow, the head is skinned. The head is split or quartered and the eyes are removed and usually discarded. The ears are removed and the ear canals cleaned of wax.
To make head cheese, the split or quartered head is then simmered in a large stockpot until the meat is so tender that it falls off the bone. The skull is removed from the cooking liquid and allowed to cool enough so that it can be handled. The meat is then picked off the skull and chopped.
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Seasonings and sometimes vegetables are added to the chopped meat. The cooking liquid is strained and added to the chopped meat. The cooled meat mixture is then poured into pans or molds and refrigerated until set. The collagen that has leached into the cooking liquid from the marrow and cartilage of the head will gel the stock upon cooling. When cold and solidified, the head cheese is removed from the mold, sliced, and served.
The cooking process is where head cheeses diverge according to culture and taste. Some cooks add a pig’s foot along with the skull for added collagen. Ingredients vary by culture and region, thus altering the color of the head cheese accordingly. In Southern Louisiana, in the United States, head cheese, also known as souse, is traditionally flavored with vinegar and hot sauce. Vinegary Pennsylvania Dutch souse is also made with the addition of a pig’s foot, and occasionally the tongue of the animal.
Germany’s presskopf features vinegar or pickles and may also contain beef tongue. Denmark’s sylte is spiced with thyme , allspice, and bay leaves and served with pickled beets and mustard . Head cheese in England is called brawn, and in Scotland, it goes by the name potted heid. In Latin America, you can find it on the menu as queso de cabeza, and in Mexican markets, look for queso de puerco. Head cheese is also available in Hungary, disznósajt; Croatia, tlačenica; and Estonia, sült. The latter variety of head cheese often features the addition of green vegetables and carrots.
Modern cooks who wish to produce their own head cheese but lack ready access to a fresh pig’s head can substitute pork shoulder and unflavored gelatin. Also, varieties of head cheese are made that contain no red meat but instead are made with chicken and fish.
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In the UK we call this Brawn.
anon322535
Post 19
If you're going to eat meat, show some respect to the animal you killed by eating all of it -- plus, headcheese is just tasty.
Not to go on a rant here, but if you want the pleasure of enjoying meat, you should probably kill, gut, and skin something once in awhile.
Wild game just tastes better and reminds you of all the work that goes into your steak (this from a member of a family of butchers).
serenesurface
Post 18
Head cheese is not as popular anymore, but it used to be very common during America's early years. Poverty was more back then and people couldn't afford to throw anything away. So they used as many parts of the animal as possible. This how many dishes that contain animals' head or intestines or stomach lining came about.
donasmrs
Post 17
@anon70810-- Many do include the brain. There isn't one type of head cheese, there are different types. Different people include different things in it but most will include the brain.
Head cheese is nutritious because it usually contains parts of the animal we usually don't consume. These parts are often the parts that are rich in collagen, essential fats and protein.
However, it's a bad idea to eat too much head cheese, especially head cheese with brain. Brain is very high in cholesterol, it's mainly a saturated fat. So those who suffer from high cholesterol beware!
turquoise
Post 16
The picture looks delicious but I have no idea how people make head cheese at home. I could never skin an animal's head, cut it up and remove the eyeballs. Yuck! I don't know how people do that.
I wouldn't mind buying head cheese from the store though.
anon306451
Post 15
Where can I purchase this in Ireland? I'm intrigued. Slightly disgusted but at the same time, oddly fascinated. I like pate and by the descriptions some have posed, it sounds quite similar.
anon285829
Post 14
For those who have never tried it, and think "oh that's nasty!" You should really try it. It tastes like several different kinds of prepared pork, all in one big bite. Nothing is chewy or has a weird texture. Just nice soft meat.
The only weird thing to get used to is that is falls apart when sliced thin. So I wouldn't recommend slicing thin for a sandwich. Maybe 1/8th of an inch minimum. I like to slice a piece and eat it on a cracker. So delicious!
anon245494
Post 12
I just had some Saag's Bavarian Head Cheese bought at a supermarket and found it very tasty. I love animals and would rather we were all vegetarians, but (a) we probably couldn't produce enough vegetables and grain to feed 7 billion people (and growing), at least not in any nutritious, protein-rich way; and (2) we are evolved as omnivores.
Meantime the use of all the parts of the animal for food does more honor to the slaughtered animal than just trashing bits of it, in my opinion.
anon242425
I eat meat and all, but that's gross.
anon146976
Post 10
I love head cheese. Boars Head does a great job of making it. more people should try it.
anon125007
Post 9
I used to sit and eat headcheese with my Grandpa. He was German and the Germans loved it. Yes, they never wasted a thing! However, I think of it today and wonder how I ever ate it as a child. I guess if it was good enough for Grandpa, it was good enough for me. Susan K
anon84848
Post 8
oh so good! the name really throws the mindset off, but it really is a delicacy to be had.
anon79651
Post 6
anon71537: Guess you are a vegetarian. You don't eat meat at all? Here in southern louisiana we eat meat, and we eat all the meat. We don't kill a cow or pig, cut a steak out and throw away the rest. now can you imagine that?
anon71537
Post 5
This sounds so trifling. How can people eat this? I can't even imagine cutting the head off of a beautiful animal that didn't do anything to me. It's disgusting. But hey, you know how it is.
anon70810
Head cheese then would include brain, right?
anon44540
Publix deli sells head cheese made by Boars Head brand.
anon42751
| Meat |
What type of insect is a velvet ant? | Head Cheese - Recipes - Cooks.com
Boil meat with onions, garlic, salt, black pepper, water and vinegar till falling off the bones. Allow to cool until able to handle with bare hands. Pick meat ...
Ingredients: 8 (ears .. garlic .. onions .. sage .. salt .. vinegar ...)
In a 4-gallon stockpot, place ... meat together. Cover with clear wrap and refrigerate to set, overnight. Head cheese is best eaten as an appetizer with crackers.
Ingredients: 14 (leaves .. peppercorns .. roast .. thyme ...)
Burr out ears to bone. Cook the heads in water until meat falls ... well. Press into a container. Must be kept refrigerated. Will keep for one week. Can be frozen.
Ingredients: 3 (heads .. sage ...)
Place all ingredients in a large pot and cover with water. Simmer until meat is tender. Remove meat from broth. Discard fat and bones chops meat into small ...
Ingredients: 7 (feet .. paprika .. parsley .. skim ...)
Clean hog head by removing eyes, ears and ... peppers, vinegar and salt, put in cheese cloth, hang, let drip overnight. Slice and enjoy. Refrigerate unused portion.
Ingredients: 6 (head .. onion .. salt .. vinegar ...)
Measure water into 5-quart saucepot. Add pork meat, pig's foot, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until meat is tender and pig's foot can easily be boned. ...
Ingredients: 10 (flakes .. foot .. meat ...)
4-6 pork hocks. Cover with water; add 2 bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook until tender. Cool. Save liquid. Chop up meat; cubed. Discard bones. Mix together ...
Ingredients: n/a
Drain and cool enough to handle. Remove bones from feet and shoulder. Grind together or process in food processor until small lumps remain. Season with 4 to 6 ...
Ingredients: 2 (feet ...)
Place pig's head, feet and ears in ... remaining in pot. Pour this liquid over meat in mold; refrigerate until mold has set, or congealed. When cold, slice and serve.
Ingredients: 10 (ears .. feet .. head .. leaves .. salt .. tops ...)
Clean pig head and split open. Place head, ... Turn into crock and add as much liquid as necessary to fill crock. When cold, this will set. Makes about 4 1/2 pounds.
Ingredients: 10 (feets .. head .. hocks .. leaf .. mace .. peppercorns ...)
| i don't know |
Catgut (for old musical instrument strings and tennis rackets, etc) was usually made from the intestines of which animal? | Catgut - definition of catgut by The Free Dictionary
Catgut - definition of catgut by The Free Dictionary
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/catgut
Related to catgut: Cathay , chromic catgut
cat·gut
(kăt′gŭt′)
n.
A tough thin cord made from the treated and stretched intestines of certain animals, especially sheep, and used for stringing musical instruments and tennis rackets and for surgical ligatures.
catgut
(ˈkætˌɡʌt)
n
a strong cord made from the dried intestines of sheep and other animals that is used for stringing certain musical instruments and sports rackets, and, when sterilized, as surgical ligatures. Often shortened to: gut
cat•gut
a strong cord made by twisting the dried intestines of animals, as sheep.
[1590–1600]
Noun
1.
catgut - perennial subshrub of eastern North America having downy leaves yellowish and rose flowers and; source of rotenone
hoary pea - a plant of the genus Tephrosia having pinnate leaves and white or purplish flowers and flat hairy pods
2.
cord - a line made of twisted fibers or threads; "the bundle was tied with a cord"
suture - thread of catgut or silk or wire used by surgeons to stitch tissues together
Translations
[ˈkætgʌt] N → cuerda f de tripa (Med) → catgut m
cat
(kӕt) noun
1. a small, four-legged, fur-covered animal often kept as a pet. a Siamese cat. kat قِط котка gato kočka die Katze kat γάτα gato kass گربه kissa chat, chatte חתול बिल्ली mačka macska kucing köttur gatto 猫 고양이 katė, katinas kaķis kucing kat katt kot پیشو gato pisică кошка mačka maček, mačka mačka katt แมว kedi 貓 кіт, кішка بلی con mèo 猫
2. a large wild animal of the same family (eg tiger, lion etc). the big cats. kat الأسَد أو النَّمِر животно от семейство котки felino kočkovitá šelma die Raubkatze kattedyr αίλουρος felino kaslane گربه سان kissaeläin félin מִשפָּחַת הַחָתוּלִיים उसी प्रजाति के बड़े जंगली जानवर mačka macskaféle kucing besar dÿr af kattaætt felino 猫科の動物 고양이과 동물 kačių šeimos žinduolis kaķu dzimtas dzīvnieks keluarga kucing kat kattedyr wielki drapieżnik z rodziny kotów د پیشو په شان felino felină семейство кошачьих (mačkovitá) šelma mačka rod mačaka kattdjur แมวป่า kedigillerden vahşi hayvan 貓科 кішка بلی کے خاندان کا جنگلی جانور thú họ mèo 猫科
ˈcatty adjective
spiteful, malicious. She's catty even about her best friend; catty remarks. katterig خَبيث، حَقود، ماكِر лукав maldoso zlomyslný; falešný boshaft spydig; ondskabsfuld κακεντρεχής , μοχθηρός malicioso pahatahtlik کینه توز؛ بداندیش häijy méchant מְרוָּשע मलिनहृदय pakostan, zloban alattomos jahat illkvittinn vendicativo 意地の悪い 교활한 klastingas, vylingas nenovīdīgs; ļauns menyakitkan hati kattig smålig , sjikanerende , sladderaktig złośliwy بخیل maldoso rău(tăcios) ехидный uštipačný, falošný, neúprimný zloben pakostan småelak, giftig ที่มีเจตนาร้าย sinsi , kinci , hain 惡毒的 хитрий, злий بلی کا سا ، گربہ صفت hằn học 恶毒的
ˈcatcall noun
a shrill whistle showing disagreement or disapproval. the catcalls of the audience. uitjouery, gefluit صَفيرُ اسْتِهْجان освиркване vaia pískání das Auspfeifen piben; hujen αποδοκιμαστικό σφύριγμα silbido väljavilistamine شیشکی؛ صدای هو کردن epäsuosiollinen vihellys sifflet שׁרִיקַת בּוּז असंतोष या असहमति जताने के लिए सीटी बजाना podrugljivi povik kifütyülés suitan baul fischio やじ 야유 šaižus švilpimas svilpiens sorak ejekan afkeurend gejoel piping , pipekonsert gwizd ناوړه ښځه، خرابه ښځه vaia fluierătură освистывание piskot žvižg zvižduk protestvissling เสียงแสดงความไม่เห็นด้วยหรือไม่สนับสนุน ıslık , yuhalama 倒暍采的口哨聲或尖叫聲 освистування اونچی آواز کی سیٹی tiếng huýt sáo 不满的嘘声
ˈcatfish noun
any of a family of scaleless fish with long feelers round the mouth. platkop, seebaber سَمَك السلَّور/ الصلَّور морски вълк bagre sumec, sumcovitá ryba der Wels malle; havkat γατόψαρο bagre säga گربه ماهی monni poisson-chat שְׂפָמנוּן अशल्क मछली som harcsa lele leirgedda; (steinbítur) pesce gatto なまず 메기 šamas, šamažuvių būrio žuvis zobaine ikan duri katvis steinbit zębacz پيشى كب (يو ډول ماهى دى چه دپيشو په شا ن بريتو نه لرى bagre pisică de mare сомовые sumcovitá ryba som som havskatt ปลาดุก kedi balığı 鯰魚 сом مچھلی کی ایک قسم cá trê 鲇鱼
ˈcatgut noun
a kind of cord made from the intestines of sheep etc, used for violin strings etc. dermsnaar وَتَرٌ مَصْنوعٌ مِنَ الأمْعاء (материал за) струни corda de tripa struna (vyrobená ze střev) die Darmseite tarmstreng χορδή cuerda de tripa kätgut زه؛ رودۀ تابیده katgutti catgut חוּט דַק वायलिन की तांत डोरी ketgut, struna bélhúr katgut girni minugia , catgut 腸線 장선(腸腺) žarninė styga ketguts katgut catgut tarmstreng katgut, struna jelitowa پړى، رسۍ، واښ يا واښكى: پله(اعصاب)، ليك داره ټوټه يا ټوكر categute catgut кетгут struna (z ovčieho čreva na sláčikové nástroje) struna, katgut žica crevara katgut, tarmsträng เอ็นที่ทำจากไส้แกะใช้ในเครื่องดนตรีประเภทสาย kiriş 以羊腸做成的線或弦 струна بھیڑ کی آنتوں سے بنائی ہوئی ایک تار یا رسی dây đàn vi lông （羊）肠线
ˌcat's-ˈeye noun
a small, thick piece of glass fixed in the surface of a road to reflect light and guide drivers at night. katoë مِصْباحٌ كَهْرُبائي عَلى الطَّريق يُرسِلُ ضوئَه إلى السّيارات لأرْشادِ السّائِقين في الظَّلام светло-отразител olho de gato odrazové sklo, odrazka das Katzenauge katteøje γυαλί στην επιφάνεια του οδοστρώματος που αντανακλά τα φώτα των αυτοκινήτων, ματάκι της γάτας catadióptico helkur مهرۀ نصب شده در سطح جاده برای هدایت رانندگان در شب kissansilmä catadioptre עֵינֵי חָתוּל चालकों के मार्गदर्शन के लिए सड़क पर लगा शीशे का टुकड़ा mačka macskaszem mata kucing kattarauga catarifrangente 夜間反射道路標識 (도로의) 야간반사경 katės akis reflektors kaca yang bercahaya di permukaan jalan raya pada waktu malam katoog refleks światło odblaskowe اشاره ترافیک olho de gato ochi de pisică катафот odrazové sklo mačje oko mačje oko kattöga ชิ้นแก้วขนาดเล็กใช้สะท้อนแสงบนถนน kedigözü 道路反光燈 катафот, світлоповертач بلی آنکھ ، چشم گربہ hàng đinh phản chiếu trên xa lộ 道路反光路灯
ˈcatsuit noun
a woman's close-fitting one-piece trouser suit. katpak بَنْطَلون نِسائي مَشْدود гащеризон macacão přiléhavý kalhotový oblek der Hosenanzug catsuit γυναικείο μονοκόμματο μπλουζάκι, κορμάκι prenda ajustada que cubre todo el cuerpo liibuv kombinesoon گن joustohaalari combinaison-pantalon בֶּגֶד-גוּף महिलाओं का चुस्त पायजामा ženski kombinezon macskanadrág celana kombinasi þéttsniðin buxnadragt calzamaglia 女性用運動着 (옷) 점프 슈트 aptemptas kombinezonas cieši piegulošs kombinezons celana kombinasi jumpsuit bodysuit , tettsittende buksedrakt kombinezon یوه دوله تکه ده macacão salopetă комбинезон в обтяжку (priliehavý) nohavicový kostým v celku ženski kombinezon triko overall, byxdress ชุดเสื้อกางเกงติดกันรัดรูป bedene sımsıkı oturan tek parçalı kadın giysisi 女用緊身衣 комбінезон عورتوں کا چست لباس áo khoác dài từ cổ tới chân （女式）紧身套服
ˈcattail noun
a tall plant that grows in wet places, with flowers shaped like a cat's tail. katstert ذَيْلُ القِط хвощ espadana orobinec der Schilfkolben είδος υδρόβιου δέντρου tifácea, espadaña hundinui گیاه اکالیفا osmankäämi massette סוּג צֶמָח एक तरह का लंबा पौधा trska nádbuzogány gelagah dúnhamar tifa がま (식물) 부들 plačialapis švendras vilkvālīte gelagah lisdodde dunkjevle pałka szerokolistna يو ډول بوټی دي espadana papură рогоз pálka preslica rogoz kaveldun พืชชนิดหนึ่งโตในที่เปียกชื้นรูปร่างคล้ายหางแมว kedi kuyruğu 香蒲 рогіз ایک پودے کا نام cây đuôi mèo 香蒲
let the cat out of the bag
to let a secret become known unintentionally. die aap uit die mou laat kom يُفْشي سِرّا بِدون قَصْد издавам тайна dar com a língua nos dentes vyžvanit tajemství die Katze aus dem Sack lassen slippe katten ud af sækken βγάζω στη φόρα, φανερώνω ακούσια ένα μυστικό irse de la lengua saladust kogemata välja rääkima بند را آب دادن möläyttää salaisuus vendre la mèche לְגָלוֹת אֶת הַסוֹד खुद से रहस्य उजागर होने देना tračerica elárulja a titkot membuka rahasia ljóstra upp leyndarmáli lasciarsi sfuggire un segreto 秘密をもらす 깜박 실수하여 비밀을 누설하다 prasitarti, išplepėti paslaptį izpļāpāties membuka rahsia een geheim verklappen slippe katten ut av sekken wygadać się بند ته اوبه اچول dar com a língua nos dentes a trăda un secret выболтать секрет vyzradiť tajomstvo izblebetati skrivnost otkriti tajnu prata bredvid mun, försäga sig เปิดเผยความลับโดยไม่ได้ตั้งใจ ağzından kaçırmak 說露嘴 проговоритися, розляпати راز کھلنے دینا để lộ bí mật 泄露秘密
cat·gut
| Sheep |
What type of creature is a horned toad? | Dolmetsch Online - Music Dictionary Bo - Bq
ma
ni
Bobo(French m.) sore, cut (Spanish m.) idiot, fool (German m.) a bourgeois bohemian Chinese double reed pipe pegged drum with antelope skin from Ghana played with hands or hand and stick bobo(Spanish) silly, stupid Boboobothe most popular social music and dance of the Central and Northern Ewe of Ghana and Togo. This music and dance, also known as agbeyeye [New Life], or akpese [Music of Joy], emerged from a village, called Kpando in the Volta Region of Ghana during the independence struggle between 1947 and 1957. Boboobo is derived from an older circular dance called konkoma. Although this music was initially confined to a few towns and villages in central and northern Eweland, it has now spread to all Ewe speaking territories in Ghana and Togo
Popular African Traditional Dances from which this information has been taken
Bobre(Reunion) a musical bow struck with a bamboo stick (ticouti) and held at the same time as a rattle (kaskavel). Also called zezylava (Madagascar), bonm (Seychelles and Rodrigues Islands), and chitende (Mozambique) Bobrennen(German n.) bobsled race Bobschlitten(German m.) bobsled Bobtail(German m.) Old English sheepdog Boca(Spanish f., Portuguese) mouth (Spanish f., Portuguese) the sound hole, for example, on a guitar or violin Boca(Spanish f.) entrance (figurative), muzzle (gun), hole boca abajo(Spanish) face down boca arribo(Spanish) face up Bocacalle(Spanish f.) (road) junction Bocadillo(Spanish m.) sandwich, snack Bocado(Spanish m.) mouthful, bite Bocage(French m.) grove, thicket, woodland (French m.) a background of foliage and flowers supporting the figures in a pottery set-piece bocajarro(Spanish) point-blank Bocal(French m.) also called a crook, a curved metal tube that connects the double reed to the body of the bassoon (if which case the bocal forms part of the acoustic length of the instrument) or the mouthpiece of a large recorder to the head section, for example on bass and greater recorders (in which case the bocal does not form part of the acoustic length of the instrument) (French m.) windcap, copri-ancia (Italian m.), capsula (Italian f.), windcap (musical instrument), Windkapsel (German f.), capsule (French f.), c�psula (Spanish f.) (French m.) mouthpiece of horn, trumpet, trombone, serpent, etc. Bocal(French m.) fib Bocal(Portuguese) mouthpiece Bocal (s.), Bocaux (pl.)(French m.) jar Bocamanga(Spanish f.) cuff Bocanada(Spanish f.) puff, mouthful (of wine, etc.) Bocas em f(Portuguese) f-holes Bocazas(Spanish f.) big-mouth Bocca(Italian f.) mouth (Italian f.) mouthpiece of horn, trumpet, trombone, serpent, etc. Boccaccia(Italian f.) grimace Bocca chiusa(Italian f., literally 'with mouth closed') wordless humming Boccale(Italian m.) jug, tankard (of beer) Bocca ridente(Italian f.) smiling mouth, the term used in singing that is applied to the elongation of the mouth, approaching a smile, and designed to produce a particular conformation of the throat, mouth and lips, which is believed to be most conducive to the production of a pure, even tone and perfect intonation Boccata(Italian f.) puff (smoke) Boccetta(Italian f.) small bottle boccheggiare(Italian) to gasp Bocchino(Italian m.) a small musical instrument mouthpiece (for example, that of a brass instrument), Mundstück (German n.), embouchure (French f.), embocadura (Spanish f.) (Italian m.) cigarette holder, mouthpiece of a smoker's pipe Boccia(Italian f.) bottle, bowl (for playing bowls) bocciare(Italian) to fail, to reject Bocciatura(Italian f.) failure Bocciolo(Italian m.) bud Bocciuola(Italian f.) small mouth-piece Boccone(Italian m.) mouthful, snack bocconi(Italian) face downwards Bocedisation(English, German f.) bobisation Bocet(Romanian) a form of lament which is sung while expressing real grief in tears Boceto(Spanish m.) sketch, outline Bochinche(Spanish m.) uproar Bochorno(Spanish m.) sultry weather, embarrassment (figurative) bochornoso(Spanish) oppressive, embarrassing (figurative) Bocina(Spanish f.) horn, car horn cornet � bouquin (French), cornetto (Italian), bugle horn, cornet Bocinazo(Spanish m.) blast, toot Bock (s.), B�cke (German pl.)(French m., Spanish m.) beer glass, glass of beer (German m.) boob, buck, billy goat, ram, support, stand, box (seat), support, bagpipe (Southern Germany), trestle, dog (engineering), pedestal, (vaulting) horse, howler (colloquial: bloomer), stubborness, billy goat short for Bockpfeife, an abbreviation used commonly in the Alps Bockbeere(German f.) dewberry (a trailing-vine variety of blackberry) Bockbier(German n.) bock (a dark, heavier beer traditionally brewed to lager all winter for consumption in spring - most bock beer cans have the image of a goat on them) Bockbr�cke(German f.) trestle bridge, railroad trestle (bridge) B�ckchen(German n.) bracket Bockdoppelflinte(German f.) over and under shotgun Bocken(German n.) bucking bocken(German) to buck, to be unruly, to be stubborn, to capriole (horse), to act up (colloquial) bockend(German) bucking Bockflinte(German f.) over and under shotgun Bockhorn(Swedish) made of cow's or goat's horn with up to four finger-holes, similar in many ways to the shofar
Bockhorn, Sweden (possibly), 19th century
bockig(German) obstinate, stubborn, spiteful, petulant, petulantly, restive bockige Eigenart(German f.) contrary disposition Bockigkeit(German f.) obstinacy Bocklager(German n.) pedestal bearing Bocklagermotor(German m.) pedestal-type motor Bocklamm(German n.) ram lamb Bockmist(German m.) nonsense Bockpfeife(German f., dated) bagpipe (German m.) in the Alps, the name is shortened to Bock
[information supplied by Michael Zapf] Bocksbart(German m.) goatsbeard Bocksbeutel(German m.) a bottle for Frankenwein Bocksdorn(German m.) boxthorn, matrimony vine (any of various shrubs or vines of the genus Lycium with showy flowers and bright berries) Bockshorn(German n.) an Estonian shepherd instrument
[entry by Michael Zapf] Bockshornklee(German m.) fenugreek (a very hard seed grown in the Middle East, which is used as a spice. Its dominant flavour and aroma is recognisable in commercial curry powders) Bockshornkleesamen(German m.) fenugreek seed Bockshornkraut(German n.) goat's rue (Galega officinalis) (tall bushy European perennial grown for its pinnate foliage and slender spikes of blue flowers, sometimes used medicinally) Bocksleder(German n.) buckskin Bockspringen(German n.) leapfrog, leap-frog Bock springen(German) to leapfrog, to leap-frog Bocksprung(German m.) leap-frog, leap (also figurative) Bockstrilleror 'goat's trill', see 'bleat' Bockwindm�hle(German f.) post mill (pivoting windmill) Bockwurst(German f.) bockwurst, sausage Bod.abbreviation of 'Bodleian Library, Oxford' Boda(Spanish f.) marriage, wedding (ceremony) Bode diagrama diagram in which the phase shift or the gain of an amplifier, a servomechanism, or other device is plotted against frequency to show frequency response (logarithmic scales are customarily used for gain and frequency) Bode-Diagramm(German n.) a plot showing the frequency-response characteristics of an amplifier, servomechanism, etc. Bodega(Spanish f.) cellar, wine cellar (a vault for storing and maturing wine), warehouse, wine-shop, hold (ship) (French f.) or craba, bagpipe found in the Laguedoc region of southern France Bodeg�n(Spanish m.) cheap restaurant, still life (picture) Boden (s.), B�den (pl.)(German m.) ground, soil, floor, loft, attic, land, terrain (figurative), canvas, seat (of trousers), territory, base (German m.) fond (French m.), fondo (Italian m., Spanish n.), the back of the sound-box of a musical instrument, bottom (of a harpsichord) Boden des Glockenstuhls(German m.) bell deck (floor of the belfry) Boden eines Fasses(German m.) bottom of a cask Bodenablauf(German m.) floor drainage, floor drain Bodenabsenkung(German f.) ground subsidence, land subsidence Bodenabstand(German m.) ground clearance Bodenabtragung(German f.) soil erosion Bodenanalyse(German f.) soil analysis Bodenanalysebericht(German m.) soil report Bodenart(German f.) soil type Bodenbakterien(German pl.) soil bacteria Bodenbearbeitung(German f.) cultivation Bodenbebauung(German f.) tillage bodenbedingt(German) edaphic (influenced by the soil) Bodenbelag(German m.) floor covering, flooring, flooring material, court surface (tennis), floor surfacing Bodenbeschaffenheit(German f.) condition of the soil, configuration of the ground, configuration of the soil, composition of the ground Bodenbeschichtung(German f.) floor coating Bodenbestellung (s.), Bodenbestellungen (pl.)(German f.) tillage Bodenbindung(German f.) soil consolidation Bodenblech(German n.) floor panel, base plate, bottom plate Bodenbrett(German n.) bottom board, flooring board, puncheon (a short wooden upright used in structural framing, a piece of broad, heavy, roughly dressed timber with one face finished flat) bodenbr�tende V�gel (s./pl.)(German n.) ground-nesting birds bodenb�rtig(German) soil-derived, soil-borne bodenb�rtige Viren(German pl.) soilborne viruses Bodendecker(German m.) ground-cover plant Bodendielen(German pl.) deck boards Bodeneinlauf(German m.) floor drain Bodenentw�sserung(German f.) soil drainage Bodenerhebung(German f.) rise in the ground, elevation (of the ground) Bodenerosion(German f.) soil erosion Bodenfaltenbeutel(German m.) bottom gusseted bag Bodenfl�che(German f.) floor space, floorspace, land coverage, area Bodenfliese (s.), Bodenfliesen (pl.)(German f.) floor tile, paving (tile) Bodenfrost(German m.) ground frost Bodenfund(German m.) archaeological find Boden gutmachen(German) to make up ground Bodenh�he(German f.) ground level Bodenisolator(German m.) floor insulator Bodenkammer (s.), Bodenkammern (pl.)(German f.) attic (room), garret Bodenkanal(German m.) floor duct Bodenkontamination(German f.) soil contamination Bodenkreditanstalt(German f.) mortgage bank, mortgage company Bodenkrume(German f.) topsoil, surface soil Bodenkultivierung(German f.) tillage Bodenlage(German f.) bottom layer bodenlang(German) floor-length (gowns, curtains, etc.), full-length (gowns, curtains, etc.) bodenlebend(German) ground-dwelling Bodenleger(German m.) floor layer, floorer bodenlos(German) bottomless, incredible (figurative), exceeding, abysmal, groundless, fathomless, abysmally, enormous (figurative) bodenlose See(German f.) soundless sea Bodenluke(German f.) hatch Bodenmatte(German f.) floor mat, floormat bodennah(German) near-ground, near the ground Bodenn�he erreichen(German) to reach ground level Bodennebel(German m.) ground mist, ground fog Bodennutzung(German f.) land use Bodenplatte(German f.) base plate, bottom panel, floor slab, floor panel Bodenplatte (s.), Bodenplatten (pl.)(German f.) track shoe, foundation slab, floor board, paving tile Bodenprinzip(German n.) birthright citizenship (jus soli) Bodenreform(German f.) land reform, agrarian reform Bodenreformer(German m.) land reformer Bodenrick(German n.) cavaletto (a small, portable jump for schooling horses) Bodensatz (s.), Bodens�tze (pl.)(German m.) lees, dregs, residuum, sediment, deposit Bodensatzbildung(German f.) sedimentation bodensaure(German) acidophilous Boden scharren(German) to paw the ground Bodenschatz (s.), Bodensch�tze (pl.)(German m.) mineral deposit, natural resource Bodenschicht(German f.) soil layer Bodenschwelle(German f.) speed hump, speed ramp, sleeping policeman (colloquial) Bodensee(German m.) Lake Constance Bodensenke(German f.) swale (an elongated depression in the land surface that is at least seasonally wet, is usually heavily vegetated, and is normally without flowing water) Bodensetzung(German f.) soil settlement, ground settlement Bodenspekulation(German f.) real estate speculation, speculation in real estate bodenst�ndig(German) rooted to one's native soil, down-to-earth, native, indigenous, rooted to the soil, autochthonous bodenst�ndiger Mann(German m.) meat and potatoes man (colloquial) Bodenst�ndigkeit(German f.) down-to-earthness Bodenstaubsauger(German m.) canister (vacuum) cleaner Bodenstruktur(German f.) soil structure Bodentr�ger(German m.) bottom beam Bodentransportsystem(German n.) floor conveyor Bodentuch(German n.) floorcloth Bodenturnen(German n.) floor exercises Bodent�rschlie�er(German m.) floor door closer Bodenunebenheiten(German pl.) unevenness of the floor Boden unter den F��en verlieren(German) to lose ground Bodenuntersuchung(German f.) ground survey, soil test Bodenvase (s.), Bodenvasen (pl.)(German f.) floor vase Bodenvegetation(German f.) ground vegetation Bodenverbesserer(German m.) soil conditioner Bodenverdichter(German m.) soil compactor, wacker plate Bodenverdichtung(German f.) soil compaction Bodenverfestiger(German m.) compactor Bodenverh�ltnisse(German pl.) ground conditions, underfoot conditions, soil conditions Bodenverst�rkung(German f.) floor reinforcement Bodenwelle (s.), Bodenwellen (pl.)(German f.) bump (traffic calming measure) Bodenwert(German m.) land value Bodenwerterh�hung(German f.) rise in land values, appreciation in land value Boden wiedergewinnen(German) to recover ground Bodenwischer(German m.) floor mop Bodgeroriginally, a travelling merchant or chapman - later an itinerant wood-turner, in particular, one who cut timber and converted it into chair legs by turning it on a pole lathe, an very simple tool that could be moved close to the stand of timber and used the spring of a bent sapling to help run it - today, a pejorative term for someone who produces poor-quality work Bodhisattva(English, German m.) an enlightened being who, out of compassion, forgoes nirvana in order to save others Bodhr�n(English, German f., from the Irish) Irish frame drum made out of goat skin, generally played with a double-ended beater or tipper, approximately 45 cms. (18 inches) in diameter and 7.5- 10 cms. deep, with a circular rim
Bodhran
Bodicethe close fitting upper part of a woman's dress a woman's wide, sleeveless vest tightly laced in front, worn over a blouse or dress, usually low-cut Bodl.abbreviation of 'Bodleian Library, Oxford' Bodleyabbreviation of 'Bodleian Library, Oxford' Bodoque(Spanish m.) pellet, thickhead Bodschnurd(German n.) Bojnourd (the capital city of North Khorasan province, Iran) Body(of an instrument) cuerpo (Spanish), corpo (Italian), Schallkasten (German), coffre (French) of an instrument, the resonance- or sound-box of a stringed instrument or some percussion instruments of a guitar, the part on which the controls, bridge and pickups are mounted, which can be of hollow (i.e. hollow body) or solid (i.e. solid body) design of an instrument, that part of a wind instrument that remains after the removal of the mouth piece, crooks, and bell of an organ-pipe, the tube of an organ-pipe above its mouth of a note or tone, its resonant quality - also called its 'body' (English, German m.) see 'body suit' Body(French m., German m.) leotard, teddy referring to any all-in-one bodice and knickers all-in-one leggings and top close fitting as to be apparently second skin Bodycheck(English, German m.) the act of using one's body to impede an opponent Body contactshort for 'closed position with body contact', a style of closed position in partner dancing
Body contact
Bodyguard(English, German m.) or, in colloquial English, 'minder', a person or group of persons, usually armed, responsible for the safety of one or more other Bodylotion(German f.) body lotion Body lotionlotion applied to the body after bathing Body mass indexor BMI a formula used to expresses body weight in relation to height. BMI equals weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared Body-Mass-Index(German m.) body mass index Bodypainting(German n.) body painting Body paintingbody painting with clay and other natural pigments existed in most, if not all, tribalist cultures, often worn during ceremonies; it still survives in this ancient form among the indigenous people of Australia, the Pacific islands and parts of Africa. A semi-permanent form of body painting known as Mehndi, using dyes made of henna (hence also known rather erroneously as "henna tattoo"), was and is still practised in India and the Middle East, especially on brides. Since the late 1990s, Mehndi has become popular amongst young women in the Western world. Actors and clowns around the world have painted their faces and sometimes bodies for centuries, and continue to do so today. More subdued form of face paints for everyday occasions evolve into the cosmetics we know today
Body painting from which this extract has been taken
Body percussionsounds produced by use of the body, e.g. clap, snap, slap, tap, stamp, etc. Body politic, Themonarchial government, including all its citizens, its army, and its king Body suitalso called a 'body', an all-in-one garments fitting from neck to ankle, used for dance and gymnastics B�e (s.), B�en (pl.)(German f.) gust, squall, blasts (plural form), flurries (plural form) Boehm systemthe systematic key mechanism invented by German flautist Theobald Boehm to replace the earlier arrangements of keys and finger holes on woodwind instruments Boehm, Theobald
(1794-1881)German flautist and composer, remembered principally for the system whereby he replaced the clumsily-placed holes of his instrument by keys enabling the cutting of the holes in their proper acoustical positions, yet leaving them in easy control of the fingers. He made his first 'ring key' flute in 1832, while a player in Munich court orchestra, and in 1847 brought out an improved metal flute with 15 holes and 23 levers and keys. This system has been adapted for oboe, clarinet, and bassoon. Boehm was also a goldsmith and ironmaster. From 1833 to 1846, he directed the reorganization of the Bavarian steel industry Boehm's experimental tube with movable toneholes survives at the Dayton C. Miller Collection in Washington. With this simple device, Boehm was able to tweak the positions of the holes until he thought the flute worked as well as it could
[information supplied by Robert Bigio]
Boehm Experimental Flute
Boekhandel(Dutch) bookshop Boekhandelaar(Dutch) bookseller Boeotiaor Beotia, an ancient region of Greece north of Attica and the Gulf of Corinth Boeotiansee 'Beotian' Boer(Afrikaans) a South African farmer of Dutch origin, particularly one living in the Transvaal Boethianof or pertaining to the philosophy of Boethius, that is, a philosophy of predestination suggesting all events appearing evil, misfortunate, disastrous, or accidental are none of these things. In actuality, such events serve a higher beneficial purpose that must remain unknown to us as long as we are trapped by the limits of the physical universe
Literary Terms and Definitions from which this extract has been taken
Boethian notationor Buchstabennotation (German), although it is not known whether or not Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480-524 or 525) invented this system, the term refers to the use of the first fifteen letters of the alphabet to signify the notes in a two octave range
[clarified by Michael Zapf] Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus
(480-524 or 525)a Christian philosopher of the sixth century. He was born in Rome to an ancient and important family which included the emperor Olybrius and many consuls. His father Fl. Manlius Boethius held that position in 487 after Odoacer deposed the last Western Roman Emperor. He held the same position in 510 in the kingdom of the Ostrogoths. In 522 he also saw his two sons become consuls, but he was later executed by King Theodoric the Great (known to the Romans as Flavius Theodoricus, king of the Ostrogoths (488-526), ruler of Italy (493-526), and regent of the Visigoths (511-526)) on suspicion of having conspired with the Byzantine Empire. Boethius translated the standard Greek texts for the topics of the quadrivium, with additions of his own in the fields of mathematics and music
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius from which this extract has been taken
Boeuf(French m.) ox, beef (French m.) colloquial expression meaning 'jam', a jam session Bofes(Spanish m. pl.) lights Bofetada(Spanish f.) slap, blow (figurative) Bofet�n(Spanish m.) punch Bofu(Chinese) barrel drum
Barrel drum (bofu) and stand, China, (Hangzhou), 1870
Bog(Danish) book bog(German) bent Bog.abbreviated form of Bogen Boga(Spanish m./f.) rower, oarsman, oarswoman, fashion Bogavante(Spanish m.) lobster Bogen (s.), B�gen (pl.)(German m.) bow (for stringed instrument), arco (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese), archetto (Italian), archet (French) (German m.) or Bindenbogen (German m.) slur, tie, bind (German m.) crook (brass wind instrument) (German m.) curve, arc (geometry), turn, arch (architecture), sheet (of paper), vault (architecture), sweep (curve of road, river, etc.), scallop (loop) Bogenbaum(German m.) English yew, common yew, (Taxus baccata) Bogenbohrer(German m.) bow drill Bogen Briefmarken(German m.) sheet of postage stamps Bogenbr�cke(German f.) arched bridge, arch bridge Bogendruck(German m.) sheet fed printing Bogenclavier(German n.) also Bogenfl�gel, Bogenklavier or Geigenwerk, a keyboard instrument strung with gut strings, the tone of which is produced by a steadily revolving well rosined cylinder (powered by a foot pedal), a mechanism not dissimilar to that found in the hurdy-gurdy
[clarified by Michael Zapf] Bogen des Tonnengew�lbes(German m.) barrel vault arch Bogenecke(German f.) corner of the sheet, sheet corner Bogen einer Br�cke(German m.) arch of a bridge Bogenfeder(German f.) bow spring Bogenfenster(German n.) arched window, paladin window Bogenfl�gel(German m.) Bogenclavier bogenf�rmig(German) arch-shaped, bow-shaped, bowed, arcuate (curved), arched bogenf�rmige Verzierung(German f.) scallop Bogenfries(German m.) corble table (a row or course of corbels used for decoration or to provide support, as for a parapet) Bogenf�hrung(German f.) the management of the bow, the art of bowing, bowing, colpo d'arco (Italian m.), arcata (Italian f.), Bogenstrich (German m.), Strichart (German f.), coup d'archet (French m.) Bogengang(German m.) arcade, archway, cloister, semicircular canal Bogengeradsto�er(German m.) (sheet) jogger (used in printing) Bogengeradsto�maschine(German f.) (sheet) jogging machine (used in printing) Bogengew�lbe(German n.) arch Bogengitarre(German f.) arpeggione Bogenglattsto�maschine(German f.) (sheet) jogging machine (used in printing) Bogengrad(German n.) degree (°) (angular measure) Bogenguitarre(German f.) arpeggione Bogen-guitarresee arpeggione Bogenhaare(German pl.) bow hair, crini dell'arco (Italian m. pl.), crins de l'archet (French m. pl.) Bogenhalbmesser(German m.) curve radius, radius of curvature Bogenhand(German f.) bowgrace (archaic), bow hand, bow hand (archery) Bogenharfe(German f.) arched harp Bogenhintermauerung(German f.) spandrel (the triangular space between the springing and centre of an arch) Bogenh�he(German f.) arch rise (the vertical distance between the spring line of an arch or vault and the keystone or boss) Bogeninstrument(German n.) bowed instrument Bogen-instrument(German n.) a bowed instrument, one that is played by means of a bow Bogenklavier(German n.) Bogenclavier Bogenlampe(German f.) arclamp, arc lamp Bogenl�nge(German f.) arc length Bogenlauf(German m.) curvature Bogenlaute(German f.) archlute, lyra, kithara, and African instruments (for example, djuma)
[entry extended by Michael Zapf] Bogenlicht(German n.) arclight, arc light, arc-light Bogenmacher(German m.) bow maker, bowyer Bogenma�(German n.) radian measure Bogenminute(German f.) arc minute, minute of arc, arcminute Bogenmontage(German f.) imposition Bogenradius(German m.) curve radius, radius of curvature Bogenrand(German m.) margin of the sheet, sheet margin Bogenrundung(German f.) arching, hemicycle Bogens�ge(German f.) bow saw, bow-saw, fretsaw Bogensatz(German m., from bogen meaning 'elbow') extension tubing for a natural horn to change its fundamental note
Bogensatz im Koffer
Bogenschie�anlage(German f.) archery range Bogenschie�en(German n.) archery, shooting with bow and arrows Bogenschie�stand(German m.) archery range Bogenschnitts�ge(German f.) segment saw Bogenschritt(German m.) bow stance Bogensch�ttelmaschine(German f.) (sheet) jogging machine (used in printing) Bogensch�tze (m.), Bogensch�tzin (f.)(German) archer, bowman (m.), bow woman (f.), archeress (f.) Bogenschwei�en(German n.) arc weld Bogensehne(German f.) bow-string, bowstring Bogensekunde(German f.) second of arc, arc second, arcsecond Bogensignatur(German f.) sheet title, signature title (bookbindery) Bogensprung (s.), Bogenspr�nge (pl.)(German m.) curvet (of a horse, perform a leap where both hind legs come off the ground) Bogenstrich(German m.) bow stroke, the management of the bow, the art of bowing, colpo d'arco (Italian m.), arcata (Italian f.), Bogenf�hrung (German f.), Strichart (German f.), coup d'archet (French m.) Bogenst�ck(German n.) curved section Bogenst�tzweite(German f.) effective arch span Bogentor(German n.) arched gateway Bogenwasserzeichen(German n.) sheet watermark Bogenwechsel(German), bow change, when bowing, the change from Aufstrich (upstroke) to Abstrich (downstroke), or the reverse Bogenwendung(German f.) sheet turning device (used in printing) Bogenz�hler(German m.) sheet counter (used in printing) Bogenz�hnung(German f.) sheet perforation Bogenzirkel (s./pl.)(German m.) wing divider Bogenzwickel(German m.) spandrel (the triangular space between the springing and centre of an arch) Bogey(German n.) bogey (in golf, a score of one over par) Boghandel(Danish) bookshop Boghandler(Danish) bookseller Bogomilen(German pl.) Bogomils Bogomilsa reference to follows of Bogomil, a leader of a sect in the Balkans with very similar Manichaean teachings to that adopted by the Cathars of Languedoc. This term was used extensively by Bulgarian writers and sometimes by Byzantine writers
The Cathars: Cathar Beliefs: Cathar Terminology from which this extract has been taken
Bogotano(Spanish m.) native of Bogot� Bogue(French m.) bug (in computing) Boh.abbreviation of 'Bohemia', 'Bohemian' Bohasmall pipes from Gascony, which have a rectangular chanter and drone combination - this form is unique to Gascony - and are made out of sheepskin with the fleece showing Bohai-Meer(German n.) Bohai Sea Bohai Seaor Bo Hai, also known as Bohai Bay or Bohai Gulf, the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea on the coast of northeastern China Bohemamin(German n.) bohemamine (an anti-tumour agent named after the Puccini opera La Boh�me) Boheme(German f.) Bohemia, bohemian world, bohemian society Boh�me(French m./f.) unconventional boh�me(French) unconventional Boheme-(German) bohemian (circles, quarter, etc.) (figurative) (prefix) Bohemiaa historical area and former kingdom in the Czech Republic Bohemian Brethrena religious society organized in the fifteenth century by the Hussites Bohemianismoriginally, the alternative lifestyle of the avant-garde creative community of the Romantic movement during the nineteenth century, especially characterized by anti-bourgeois and anti-intellectual attitude. This way of life was thought to have been similar to that of apparently rootless Gypsies from the Bohemian region of Czechoslovakia
ArtLex Art Dictionary taken from the entry entitled 'bohemianism'
Bohemian Rubya pyrope garnet that is inexpensive compared to actual rubies Bohemien(German m.) bohemian (figurative) boh�mien(French m./f.) gipsy, Bohemian Bohemio(Spanish m.) Bohemian bohemio(Spanish) Bohemian Bohemistik(German f.) Czech studies Bohereen(Irish, b�thair�n) or boreen, a minor road, a country lane, a cart-track Bohle (s.), Bohlen (pl.)(German f.) (thick) plank, board, deal, slab, square plank Bohlenbelag(German m.) planking, decking Bohlenbr�cke(German f.) plank bridge Bohlen-Pierce scaleor BP scale, a musical scale that offers an alternative to the 12-tone equal temperament typical in Western music. It was independently discovered by Heinz Bohlen, Kees van Prooijen, and also John R. Pierce. Pierce, who, with Max V. Mathews and others, published his discovery in 1984, renamed the scale the Bohlen-Pierce scale after learning of Bohlen's earlier publication. While most scales have octave-equivalence, the BP scale instead has tritave equivalence. This means that its pitch classes are based on the interval 3:1 (tritave, or "perfect 12th" in diatonic nomenclature) rather than the 2:1 (octave). Thus the scale contains many consonant harmonies. A tritave is equivalent to a full octave plus a perfect fifth
Bohlen-Pierce Scale
Bohlen-Pierce-Skala(German f.) Bohlen-Pierce scale Bohlen-Pierce tuninga just-intonation tuning discovered in 1972 and published in 1978 by Heinz Bohlen, and discovered independently and published in 1984 by John Robinson Pierce, in which the 3/1 ratio (the Pythagorean 'perfect-12th', i.e., 'perfect-5th' plus '8ve') is divided into 13 unequal steps. The equal-tempered version was published in 1978 by Kees van Prooijen
Bohlen-Pierce Tuning
Bohlenweg(German m.) boardwalk B�hme (m.), B�hmin (f.)(German) Bohemian B�hmen(German n.) Bohemia B�hmerwald(German m.) Bohemian Forest b�hmisch(German) Bohemian B�hmische Br�der(German pl.) Bohemian Brethren b�hmische D�rferr(German pl.) double Dutch (colloquial), Greek (colloquial) b�hmische D�rfer f�r ... seinr(German) to be all Greek to ... b�hmisch einkaufen(German - Austria) to shoplift b�hmischer Rubin(German m.) Bohemian ruby Bohne (s.), Bohnen (pl.)(German f.) bean Bohneneintopf(German m.) bean stew Bohnenfest(German n.) bean-feast bohnenf�rmig(German) bean-shaped Bohnengericht(German n.) bean dish Bohnenh�lse(German f.) bean-pod Bohnenkaffee(German m.) pure coffee, real coffee, bean coffee, ground coffee Bohnenk�nig(German m.) bean king, roi de la f�ve (French m.), rey de habas (Spanish m.) the child appointed to play the part of king on twelfth-night. In France it was at one time customary to hide a bean in a large cake, and he to whom the bean fell, when the cake was distributed, was, for the present, the bean king, to whom all the other guests showed playful reverence Bohnenkrankheit(German f.) favism (disease caused by inhaling the pollen of the fava bean Vicia fava or after eating the beans themselves) Bohnenkraut(German n.) savory (genus Satureja) Bohnenkraut�l(German n.) savory oil, oil of savory Bohnensalat(German m.) (French) bean salad Bohnensprosse (s.), Bohnensprossen (pl.)(German f.) bean sprout Bohnenstange(German f.) bean pole, bean-pole, bean-stalk, beanpole, stringbean (colloquial) (figurative) Bohnensuppe(German f.) bean soup bohnern(German) to polish (the floor), to wax (the floor) Bohnerwachs(German n.) floor polish, floor wax Bohranordnung(German f.) assembly for drilling Bohraufsatz(German m.) boring bit, boring head Bohrdurchmesser(German m.) bore, bore diameter Bohreinsatz(German m.) drill bit, bit Bohreisen(German n.) bit Bohren(German n.) drilling bohren(German) to drill, to drive (tunnel), to sink (well), to bore (insect), to drill (out), to persist, to go on and on, to bore (figurative) bohren nach(German) to bore for bohrend(German) boring bohrende Frage (s.), bohrende Fragen (pl.)(German f.) probing question, nagging question bohrender Schmerz(German m.) nagging pain, terebrant pain bohrender Zweifel(German m.) nagging doubts bohrendes Angstgef�hl(German n.) nagging fear Bohrer (s./pl.)(German m.) drill, auger, borer, wimble, driller, burr (drill), drill bit Bohrerb�rste(German f.) burr brush Bohrerhalter(German m.) drill holder Bohrerlehre(German f.) drill gauge Bohrerreinigungsb�rste(German f.) burr cleaning brush Bohrersatz(German m.) drill bit set Bohrerschaft(German m.) burr shank Bohrerspitze(German f.) (drill) bit Bohrerst�nder(German m.) burr holder Bohrfr�se (s.), Bohrfr�sen (pl.)(German f.) fraise Bohrfutter(German n.) drill chuck, chuck Bohrfutterschl�ssel(German m.) drill chuck key, chuck key Bohrfutterschl�sselhalter(German m.) chuck key holder Bohrger�t(German n.) drill Bohr-Gewinde-Werkzeug(German n.) combination drill tap Bohrgrat(German m.) burr Bohrhaken(German m.) bolt Bohrhammer(German m.) hammer drill, rotary hammer Bohrkern(German m.) core, drill core Bohrkernprobe(German f.) drill core sample Bohrknarre(German f.) ratchet brace Bohrkrone(German f.) drill bit Bohrlehre(German f.) boring jig, drilling jig Bohrloch(German n.) drill hole, borehole, auger hole, boring Bohrmaschine(German f.) drilling machine, drill, boring machine, electric drill Bohrmesser(German n.) boring bar bit Bohrm�hle(German f.) boring mill Bohr�ffnung(German f.) bore Bohrprozess(German m.) drilling process Bohrs�ge(German f.) keyhole saw Bohrschablone(German f.) drilling template, drilling jig Bohrspitze(German f.) drillbit Bohrst�nder(German m.) drill stand Bohrstange(German f.) boring bar Bohrstangenhalter(German m.) boring bar holder Bohrtiefe(German f.) drilling depth Bohrtisch(German m.) (rotary) table Bohr- und Fr�smaschine(German f.) boring and milling machine Bohrung(German f.) bore (of a wind instrument or organ pipe), drilling, drill, hole, drilled hole, tobacco chamber (pipe) Bohrungsdr�cken(German n.) spin extrusion Bohrungsdr�ckmaschine(German f.) spin extrusion machine Bohrungsdurchmesser(German m.) bore diameter Bohrungsmitte(German f.) hole centre Bohrvorrichtung(German f.) drilling jig, boring jig Bohrweite(German f.) bore, calibre (gun, rifle, etc.) Bohrwerk(German n.) boring mill Bohrwerkzeug(German n.) boring tool Bohrwinde(German f.) brace Boia style of Central Amazonian folk music now moving into the mainstream in Brazil Boiata(Italian f.) rubbish Boicot(Spanish m.) boycott boicotear(Spanish) boycott Boicoteo(Spanish m.) boycott boicottare(Italian) boycott b�ig(German) gusty, choppy (wind), bumpy (ride), squally (wind) b�iges Wetter(German n.) squally weather, gusty weather Boiler(English, German m.) hot water heater, hot-water boiler, equipment for heating water Boilerplaterepetitive blocks of type that are picked up and included routinely without recreating them a phrase or body of text used verbatim in different documents such as a signature at the end of a letter Boiler suitall-in-one or overall with long sleeves, of industrial origin as protective apparel, incorporated into fashion in the latter half of the twentieth century Boina(Spanish f.) beret boire(French) to drink, to soak up boire un verre(French) to have a drink Bois(French m.) wood (French m. pl.) woodwind (instruments) Bois clair(French m.) unstained and unvarnished wood Bois d'acajou(French m.) or acajou (French f.), mahogany, mogano (Italian m.), Mahogani (German n.), caoba (Spanish f.) Bois de rose(French m.) rosewood bois�(French) wooded boiser(French) to panel (in a room) Boiserie(French f.) domestic woodwork, a wooden panel Boiseries(French f. pl.) panelling Boisson(French f.) drink boisterousbullicioso (Spanish), strepitoso (Italian, ger�uschvoll (German), imp�tueux (French m.), imp�tueuse (French f.) high-spirited, playful Bo�te(French f.) box, tin, can, firm (business) (French f.) a night-club, a dance-hall, a 'dive' or 'joint' (a disreputable night-club) Bo�te � musique(French f.) musical box, carillon (Italian m.), Spieldose (German f.), caja de m�sica (Spanish f.) Bo�te aux lettres(French f.) letter-box Bo�te de nuit(French f.) night-club Bo�te (expressive)(French f.) swell box of an organ Bo�te postale(French f.) post-office box boiter(French) to limp, to wobble (furniture) boiteux (m.), boiteuse (f.)(French) lame, wobbly, shaky, limping, alla zoppo (Italian), alla zoppa (Italian), hinkend(German) Bo�tier(French m.) case Bo�tier de montre(French m.) watchcase Bo�tier �lectrique(French m.) electric torch, flashlight Boitillement(French m.) slight limp, hobble boitiller(French) to limp slightly, to have a slight limp, to hobble B�jd klammer(Swedish) grand staff Boj(Spanish m.) box (tree), boxwood Bojar (s.), Bojaren (pl.)(German m.) boyar Boje(German f.) buoy Bok(Norwegian) book Bokf�rlag(Swedish) publishing house [correction by Lars Hellvig] Bokhandlare(Swedish) bookseller Bokhandler(Norwegian) bookseller Boktryckeri(Swedish) press Boktrykker(Norwegian) printer Bolin Hindustani classical music, the text of the lyrics an important part of Indian rhythm, the word bol is derived from the word bolna, literally 'to speak'. It is a series of syllables which match the various strokes of the tabla and are used to define the tal. In the north (Hindustani sangeet) the tal is actually defined by the bol while in the south (Carnatic sangeet) it is merely a mnemonic aid to the musician
The Art of Tabla Accompaniment which discusses tal
Bol(French m.) bowl (French m.) un bol d'air, 'a breath of fresh air' Bola(Spanish f.) ball, marble (small glass sphere), shoe polish, fib Bola die mundo(Spanish f.) globe Bolas(Spanish f. pl.) a device consisting of heavy balls attached to cords, used for capturing animals by entangling their legs Bol bantin Hindustani classical music, rhythmic variations in dhrupad or khayal with the text of the song Boldor 'boldly', audazmente (Spanish), ardito (Italian), mutig (German), muthig (German), hardiment (French) Boldnessaudacia (Spanish), bravura (Italian), Bravour (German), bravoure (French) Bole(in gilding) clay mixed with rabbit skin glue for application to the surface of an object being prepared for water-gilded. Usually the clay is applied to a gesso surface. It is the clay surface that receives the gold leaf. The clay and rabbit skin glue content dictate the reflective quality of the gold finish. Clay is finer than gesso and when burnished with a tool of hounds tooth, agate or hematite stone its surface becomes more dense and thereby more reflective Bolera(Spanish f.) bowling alley Boleritoa diminutive of bolero, the bolerito is a triple meter dance but includes only one or two sections or movements as compared with the standard three in a bolero Bolero(Spanish m.) a high-kick, liar (figurative) (English, German m., from Spanish m.) a short jacket that reaches barely to the waist (from the verb volar meaning 'to fly') a Spanish dance in triple time, often having a triplet on the second beat of each bar (measure) Cuban dance derived from the Spanish bolero, initially into 2/4 time then eventually into 4/4, but always slow. The music is frequently arranged with Spanish vocals and a subtle percussion effect, usually implemented with maracas, conga or bongos - Pepe Sanchez has been credited with creating the Cuban bolero in 1885 with a composition called Tristeza. The Cuban bolero developed out of previously existing genres such as the danz�n and the contradanza, from which it received its characteristic 4/4 time. In the late nineteenth century, a wave of Cubans fleeing the Wars of Independence (1895-98) migrated to the Dominican Republic, particularly the Cibao region, where they introduced Cuban music, the guaracha, rumba, son and bolero. In the early twentieth century, the Cuban bolero spread all over Latin America, where it was typically played by guitar-based duos, trios, and quartets. Over the course of the thirties, forties, and fifties, however, the Cuban bolero was elaborated into an international Latin style, orchestrated with pianos and stringed and wind instruments, over time bearing less and less resemblance to its guitar-based antecedents the Cuban bolero also took root in Mexico, where it developed into two styles: the more international variety was called rom�ntico, danceable tunes played in the urban music hall; the bolero ranchero, on the other hand, was typically played by mariachi conjuntos, was sung only, and was associated with the rural segments of the population an American Style ballroom dance, employing rumba patterns and some features of the waltz and the foxtrot, danced to music that is slow and in 4/4 time
The Bolero
Bol�ro(English, German m., from French m.) bolero a one-act ballet with music by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky (1890-1950) in 1928 for the Russian dancer Ida Lvovna Rubinstein (1880-1960) Bolero ballad(Santiago, Cuba) a ballad form usually on the subjects of love, loss and happiness Boleroj�ckchen(German n.) (little) bolero jacket Bolero-Jacke(German f.) bolero jacket Bolero jacketa loose, waist-length jacket open at the front Bolero ranchero(Spanish m.) see bolero Bolero rom�ntico(Spanish m.) see bolero Bolero viejo o parado(Spanish m.) a style derived from the seguidilla, the Valldemosa (Majorca, Spain) bolero is the most popular in the Balearic Islands. The name parado (stopped) comes from the abrupt end of the dance. It is normally accompanied by violins, guitars, castanets and triangle Bolet�n(Spanish m.) newsletter, bulletin, journal, report Bolet�n de noticias(Spanish m.) news bulletin, news report Bolet�n de precios(Spanish m.) price list Bolet�n informativo(Spanish m.) news bulletin, news report Bolet�n meteorol�gico(Spanish m.) weather forecast, weather report Bolgia(Italian f.) bedlam Boli(Spanish m.) ball-point pen Bolid(German m.) bolide Bolidea meteor, asteroid or comet that hits the Earth (or other planet) and explodes Bolinea white handled knife, used in magick and ritual purposes Bolin goxothe Basque name for dulzaina, the bolin goxo comes from a diversified family of instruments from the province of Nafarroa Bolivarische Revolution(German f.) Bolivarian Revolution Bolivarian Revolutionmass social movement and political process in Venezuela. Its most prominent leader is Hugo Ch�vez, the founder of the Fifth Republic Movement and the current President of Venezuela. The "Bolivarian Revolution" seeks the implementation of Bolivarianism in Venezuela. Proponents of Bolivarianism trace its roots to an avowedly socialist interpretation of some ideals of Sim�n Bol�var, an early 19th century Venezuelan and Latin American revolutionary leader, prominent in the South American Wars of Independence
Bolivarian Revolution from which this extract has been taken
Bolivianer (m.), Bolivianerin (f.), Bolivianer (pl.)(German) Bolivian bolivianisch(German) Bolivian Boliviano(Spanish m.) Bolivian boliviano(Spanish) Bolivian Boliviano (m.), Boliviana (f.)(Italian) Bolivian boliviano (m.), boliviana (f.)(Italian) Bolivian Bolivie(French f.) Bolivia Bolivien(German n.) Bolivia Bolivien (m.), Bolivienne (f.)(French) Bolivian bolivien (m.), bolivienne (f.)(French) Bolivian Bolivier (m.), Bolivierin (f.)(German) Bolivian bolivisch(German) Bolivian Bolla(Italian f.) bubble, blister bollare(Italian) to stamp, to brand (figurative) bollente(Italian) boiling, boiling hot B�ller(German m.) saluting gun, (small) cannon, heavy duty firecracker Boller�a(Spanish f.) baker's shop Bollero(Spanish m.) baker B�llerschu�(German m., old form) gun salute B�llerschuss(German m., new form) gun salute Bolletta(Italian f.) bill Bollettino (s.), Bollettini (pl.)(Italian m.) bulletin, list Bolline(German n.) boline (ritual knife) Bollino(Italian m.) coupon bollire(Italian) to boil Bollitore(Italian m.) boiler, kettle Bollitura(Italian f.) boiling Bollo(Italian m.) stamp (Spanish m.) roll, bun, dent, lump, fuss (figurative) bollore(Italian) boil, intense heat, ardour (figurative) Bollwerk (s.), Bollwerke (pl.)(German n.) bulwark, fortress, bastion, stronghold, rampart Bollwerk der Freiheit(German n.) bulwark of freedom Bollywood(English, German n.) the Indian commercial film industry Bollywood-Film(German m.) bollywood production Bolo(Spanish m.) skittle Bolognese (m.), Bolognesin (f.)(German) Bolognese (a native of Bologna, Italy) Bologneser(German m.) Bolognese (a member of the Bichon family of dogs) Bolognese saucea thick, full-bodied meat sauce that's a staple on northern Italy's Bologna Bologneseso�e(German f.) Bolognese sauce Bolombattoharp from West Africa with four gut strings over a gourd resonator and an attached tin rattle Bolon(Guinea) an arched three string bass harp with a resonating gourd that can be used as a drum Boloyeone-string bass from the Ivory Coast BolsAsian vocal percussion Bolsa(Spanish f.) bag, purse, sotck exchange, cavity Bolsa de agua caliente(Spanish f.) hot-water bottle Bolschewismus(German m.) Bolshevism bolschewistisch(German) bolshevist Bolschoi-Ballett(German n.) Bolshoi Ballet Bolshevik(Russian) the majority party at the Second Congress of the Russian Social-Democratic Party, 1903 BolshevismSoviet communism Bolshoi BalletRussian ballet company, formed by English entrepreneur Michael Maddox and Prince Urusov, a patron of the arts, founded in 1776 and based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Its dancers were recruited from the Moscow Orphanage where the first classes were conducted 1773. It provided dancers for the Petrovsky Theatre, established 1780, on the site of the present Bolshoi Theatre, which was opened 1825. With their mixed repertory of classics and new works, the Bolshoi is noted for its grand scale productions and the dancers' dramatic and eloquent technique. From 1964 to 1994 its artistic director was the choreographer Yuri Grigorovich (b.1927)
Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet
Bolsillo(Spanish m.) pocket, purse Bolsista(Spanish m./f.) stockbroker Bolso(Spanish m.) handbag Bol-taansin Indian classical music, musical phrases interlinked with bols (words) Bolt-on Neck(German m.) bolt-on neck (electric guitar) Bolt on (neck)a means of attaching the neck of a guitar to the body using screws or bolts and a neck plate Bolukulukunose flute from Zaire, now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DROC Bolus (s.), Boli (pl.)(English, German m., Latin, from the Greek) a large pill Bolzen (s./pl.)(German m.) pin, bolt, stud, bolt nut bolzen(German) to slam (ball) Bolzenabschneider(German m.) bolt cutter, bolt clipper bolzengerade(German, dated) bolt upright Bolzengewinde(German f.) bolt thread Bolzenloch(German n.) bolt hole, stud hole Bolzenschneider(German m.) bolt cutter, bolt clipper, bolt cropper Bolzplatz(German m.) football ground Bom.abbreviation of 'Bombay' b.o.m.abbreviation of 'bill of materials' (in manufacturing) Bomaasee fontomfrom Bomb.abbreviation of 'Bombay' Bombin jazz and particularly in bop, an unexpectedly loud beat from the drummer on a 'backbeat', 'upbeat' or irregular quaver (eighth note) beat Bombaa barrel-shaped drum of Afro-Puerto Rican origin covered with goatskin (Puerto Rico) Afro-Puerto Rican dance and songs traditionally associated with plantation workers. One or two large wooden drum(s) covered with goatskin called the bomba, which accompanied this music, explain the dance's name. The first drum maintains a constant rhythm, while the second changes the rhythm to follow that of the dancer(s). In the bomba, the female dancer makes lively use of her long skirts, while the male uses his body to perform the intricate and rhythmic gestures. The bomba songs are improvised and have a call and response style. Bomba is divided into different rhythmic backgrounds and variations, such as the euba, cocobale, ler�, yub�, cuny�, bab�, bel�n and sica. The dance and the most purely African version of this music may come from the northeastern coast town of Lo�za Aldea (Ecuador) an African derived musical form from the Chota Rivera area of Ecuador. Its origins can be traced back to Africa and the use of African slave labour during the country's colonial period. African slaves in Ecuador brought with them this form heavily influenced by the Bantu culture of the Congo. It is played with barrel-shaped drums similar to those found in the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Santiago, Cuba and Southern Angola. The people dance to the drums in pairs and used improvisation to build a relationship between the dancer and lead drummer
Bomba
Bomba(Spanish f.) bomb, pump (machine), bombshell (announcement) Bomba calind�na stick-fighting dance from Puerto Rico see calinda Bombachas(Spanish/South America f. pl.) knickers, pants Bombacho(Spanish/South America m.) baggy trousers Bomba de incendios(Spanish f.) fire-engine Bombai(Japanese) Buddhist chant style involving a complete sutra reading in Sanskrit Bombardor bombarde, a large member (tenor or bass) of the shawm (oboe-like) family, which the Germans call Pommer a brilliant sounding 16 ft. reed stop in a pipe organ Bombard(German m.) bombarda Bombarda(Italian f., Spanish f.) euphonium (a member of the tuba family) (Italian f., Spanish f.) bombard, bombarde (French f.), Bombard (German m.), Pommer (German m.) Bombarde(German f, French f.) a bombard (French f.) or hautbois rustique, a small Breton clarinet-like reed instrument with its own distinctive sound
Bombarde FAQ
Bombardement(German n.) bombardment (physical, figurative), bombing, shelling (artillery) Bombarder(French m.) also soner or talabarder, a player of the bombarde bombarder(French) to appoint unexpectedly, to appoint unexpectedly as bombardieren(German) to bomb, to batter, to bombard, to strafe (with bombs), to shell bombardieren mit(German) to bombard with (figurative) bombardiert(German) bombarded bombardiertes Gebiet(German n.) blitzed areas Bombardierung(German f.) shellfire, bombardment, bombing Bombardierung mit Werbung(German f.) spamming Bombardierung mit Z�ndbomben(German f.) bombing with incendiary bombs Bombardino(Italian m., Spanish m.) baritone horn, Baritonhorn (German n.), euphonium (French m.) a small bombard, the smallest of the family (Italian m., Spanish m.) euphonium Bombardo(Italian) a bombard a brilliant sounding 16 ft. reed stop in a pipe organ Bombardonfrom the 1820s onward, numerous bass instruments of similar construction but with different names were built. In 1829, for instance, W. Riedl made a valved instrument in Vienna which was modeled on the ophicleide and became known as the bombardon. This wide-bored instrument had a powerful tone and was still used in military bands after the advent of the tuba a large early nineteenth-century musical instrument of the saxhorn family, the lowest of the saxhorns, in tone resembling the ophicleide nineteenth-century valved tuba (French m., German n.) bass tuba, bombardone (Italian m.) (German n.) a bass reed stop for the pedals of nineteenth-century Walcker pipe organs Bombardone(Italian m.) the largest member of the bombard family, Bombardon (German n,), bombardon (English, French m.) (Italian m.) Basstuba (German f.) Bombardon pipefound in some band organs, a bright-sounding bass reed stop or sometime a mellower rank of brass reed stops. In a pipe organ, a reed rank that is brighter than a Fagotto but not as brassy as a trombone Bombastpadding made of cotton and rags used to stuff in the linings of sixteenth-century garments Bombastik(German f.) bombast bombastisch(German) bombastic, grandiose, overblown, pompous, overdone, fustian (figurative), bombastically, declamatory, orotund (language style), pompously, turgid (bombastic), puffy (figurative) bombastische Rede(German m.) declamation bombastischer Stil(German m.) inflated style, declamatory style, bombastic style Bombatura(Italian f.) arching, W�lbung (German f.), vo�te (French f.) bombatura alta(Italian) vo�t� (French), bomb� (French), hoch gew�lbt, high arched, molto bombata (Italian) Bombay(English, German n.) a city in western India just off the coast of the Arabian Sea, India's 2nd largest city (after Calcutta), now called Mumbai Bomba y plena(Puero Rico) although usually grouped together, bomba y plena are actually town entirely different types of music that are coupled with dance see bomba, plena Bombazo(Spanish m.) explosion Bombe (s.), Bombes (French pl.), Bomben (German pl.)(French f.) bomb, spray (atomiser), aerosol, a confection (an ice cream speciality of different flavours made in a round mould) (German f.) bomb, bombshell, bombshell (figurative), cannonball (slang), ace bomb�(French) convex (for example, furniture with convex rather than plain surfaces), bulging, rounded, cambered (road) (French) hoch gew�lbt (German), high arched, vo�t� (French), molto bombata (Italian), bombatura alta (Italian) bombear(Spanish) to pump, to bomb Bombe mit Verzugszeit(German f.) time bomb bomben(German) to bomb Bomben-(German) dynamite (prefix) Bomben abwerfen(German) to release bombs Bombenabwurf(German m.) bombing Bombenabwurf bei Tageslicht(German m.) daylight bombing Bombenalarm(German m.) bomb alarm, bomb scare Bombenangriff(German m.) air raid, bombing raid Bombenanschlag (s.), Bombenanschl�ge (pl.)(German m.) bomb attack, bombing raid, bomb outrage, bombing (terror attack) Bombenattentat(German n.) bomb attempt, bomb attack, bomb assassination Bombenattrappe(German f.) dummy bomb Bombenaufschlag(German m.) bomb impact, impact of a bomb, impact of the bomb Bomben ausl�sen(German) to release bombs Bombenbastler(German m.) bomb builder, bomb maker Bombenbauer(German m.) bomb builder, bomb maker Bombenbesetzung(German f.) fantastic cast, great cast Bombendetektor(German m.) bomb detector, bomb detection device Bombendetonator(German m.) bomb detonator Bombending(German n.) wow (colloquial), smasher (colloquial), knockout (colloquial) Bombendrohung(German f.) bomb threat Bombeneinschlag(German m.) bomb impact, impact of a bomb, impact of the bomb Bombenentsch�rfung(German f.) bomb disposal Bombenentsch�rfungskommando(German n.) bomb squad, bomb disposal squad Bombenerfolg (s.), Bombenerfolge (pl.)(German m.) wow (colloquial), huge success, smash hit, howling success, box-office hit, tremendous success, knockout (colloquial), great success, roaring success Bombenexplosion(German f.) bomb burst, bomb blast Bombenfabrik(German f.) bomb factory bombenfest(German) bomb-resistant, bomb-proof, bombproof, steady as a rock, unshakeable, absolutely secure Bombenflugzeug(German n.) bomber (aircraft) Bombenfragment(German n.) bomb fragment Bombengehalt(German n.) huge salary, tremendous salary, fantastic salary Bombengesch�digter (m.), Bombengesch�digte (f.)(German) bomb victim Bombengesch�ft(German n.) roaring trade, land-office business (US) (colloquial) Bombengro�angriff(German m.) clobbering Bombeng�rtel(German m.) (suicide) bomb belt, suicide belt Bombenhitze(German f.) sweltering heat Bombenkoffer(German m.) bomb suitcase Bombenlage(German f.) prime location, plum site (colloquial) Bombenleger (m.), Bombenlegerin (f.)(German) bomber, bomb planter Bombennacht (s.), Bombenn�chte (pl.)(German f.) night of bombing Bombenopfer(German n.) bomb victim Bombenr�umtrupp(German m.) bomb disposal unit Bombensache(German f.) wow (colloquial), smasher (colloquial), knockout (US) (colloquial) Bombenschaden (s.), Bombensch�den (pl.)(German m.) bomb damage, air-raid damage bombensicher(German) bomb-proof, bombproof, cannonproof, shellproof, sure as death, dead certain, absolutely safe bombensicher feststehen(German) to be a dead cert (slang) bombensichere Deckung(German f.) bomb proof shelter, bomb-proof shelter Bombensplitter(German m.) bomb splinter, bomb fragment Bombenstellung(German f.) plum position (colloquial: best possible job), job in a million, fantastic job Bombenstimmung(German f.) tremendous atmosphere, fantastic atmosphere Bombenvolltreffer(German m.) direct hit (bomb) Bomberjacke(German f.) bomber jacket Bomber-Jacke(German f.) bomber jacket Bomber jacketwaist length cropped jacket with a rounded or puffed out body; large but fitted arms are elasticated at the wrist, sporty looking often with zip fastening from waist to neck bomber la poitrine(French) to throw out one's chest Bombero(Spanish m.) fireman Bombe surprise(French f.) a confection, an unexpected happening Bombetta(Italian f.) bowler hat bombiert(German) raised bombig(German) super (colloquial), smashing (colloquial), terrific, fantastic, swell (US) (colloquial) (dated) Bombilationspecifically, the humming of bees - more generally, any droning or buzzing, also a loud sound Bombilla(Spanish f.) (light) bulb Bomb�n(Spanish m.) pump, bowler (hat) Bombix(Greek) a Greek reed instrument Bombo(Spanish m.) bass drum, grosse caisse (French) (Spanish m.) a large sheepskin bass drum used in Spain and Spanish America Afro-Uruguayan comparsa drum
Our Instruments: El Bombo
Bomboa tremolo, the quick and continuous reiteration of a single pitch which, on stringed instruments, is produced by a rapid up-and-down movement of the bow. This effect is called for in violin music of the early seventeenth century, and is a feature of Monteverdi's stile conciato. In the eighteenth century, this effect is known in German by the term Schw�rmer or Rauscher
[corrected by Michael Zapf] Bombo criolloan adaptation of the Spanish military bass drum, used in Cuba for carnival Bombo huillicheChilean bass drum Bombola(Italian f.) cylinder Bombo leg�ero(South American) traditionally made of a hollowed tree trunk and covered with cured animal skins such as goat, sheep, or cow, this instrument is used to set the tempo and pulse in a piece of music. It is a particular feature of zamba, the national dance of Argentina Bomboniera(Italian f.) wedding keep-sake Bommel (s./pl.), Bommeln (pl.)(German m./f.) bobble, pompom Bon(French m.) voucher, coupon, bond (commerce) (German m.) voucher, bon, B�n (indigenous religion of Tibet), sales slip (US), receipt (commerce)
[corrected by Michael Zapf] B�n(English, German m.) the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet bon (m.), bonne (f.)(French) good, right, wise (prudent) bon � (m.), bonne � (f.)(French) fit to bonaccione(Italian) good-natured bonach�n(Spanish) easygoing, good-natured Bonae memoriae(Latin) of gracious memory (said of a person who one is happy to call to mind) Bonaerense(Spanish m.) native of Buenos Aires bonaerense(Spanish) from Buenos Aires Bona fide(English, German, from Latin) in good faith, well-intentioned, with sincerity, honest, sincere a bona fide agreement is one entered into genuinely without attempt to fraud bona-fide-K�ufer(German m.) bona fide purchaser bona-fide-Klausel(German f.) bona fide clause Bonang barung(Javanese) the bonang barung and bonang panerus are each formed of a double row of tuned bronze kettle drums resting on a horizontal frame, played with two long sticks, called tabuh, bound with red cord at the striking end. The bonang panerus are similar to the bonang barung but sound one octave higher
Alternative Bonang
Bonang panerussee bonang barung Bonanza(Spanish f.) fair weather (nautical), prosperity, sudden unexpected wealth bonario(Italian) kindly bona vacantia(Latin) unclaimed goods, goods whose ownership cannot be determined Bonaventura(German) Bonaventure Bonaventura von Bagnoregio(German) Saint Bonaventure, San Bonaventura (Italian) (born: Giovanni di Fidanza) BonaventureSaint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (1221-1274), born John of Fidanza (Giovanni di Fidanza), was the eighth Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly called the Franciscans. He was a medieval scholastic theologian and philosopher, a contemporary of Saint Thomas Aquinas, and a Cardinal Bishop of Albano Bonbaisee hora Bonbon (s.), Bonbons (pl.)(French m., German m./n.) sugar plum, comfit, candy, small sugar confectionery (French m., German n.) lozenge, goody, sweetmeat, bon-bon Bonbondose(German f.) toffee tin Bonbonne(French f.) demijohn (for storing liquids), (gas) canister Bonbonk�stchen(German n.) box for bonbons Bonbonniere(German f.) box of chocolates Bonbonni�re(French f.) sweet-box (a fancy box designed to hold sweets) Bonbonpapier(German n.) candy wrapper, sweets wrapper Bonbonsch�ssel(German f.) bonbon dish Bonbon zur Atemerfrischung(German m./n.) cachou Bon copain(French m.) a good or loyal friend or companion Bond(French m.) leap, jump, spring (Afrikaans) a political league formed in South Africa in 1882 to strive for South African independence Bondad(Spanish f.) goodness, kindness bondadosamente(Spanish) kindly bondadoso(Spanish) kind Bondagehose(German f.) bondage trousers Bond & carbonin printing, a business form with interleaving sheets of paper and carbon paper Bondbarkeit(German f.) bondability Bonde(French f.) plug, plughole bond�(French) packed Bonden(German n.) bonding Bond paperstrong durable grade of paper used for letterheads and business forms Bondparameter(German pl.) bonding parameters Bondrucker(German m.) voucher printer bondi(French) bouncing, springing (bowing), balzato (Italian), mit (dem) Springbogen (German), fliegendes Staccato (German), staccato volant (French) Bondieuserie(French f., from bon Dieu, 'good God') cloying piety (a pejorative term directed particularly at certain form of religious art)
Bondjo, ca. 1915, probably village of Mpendjwa on Lake Mayi Ndombe, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bon enfant (s.), Bons enfants (pl.)(French m.) someone who is always good company Bonespieces of rib bone played like castanets Bong.abbreviation of 'bongos' Bongo (s.), Bongos (pl.)(English, Italian m., German n./f., German f., French m.) bongo drums, smaller and shallower than conga drums, come in pairs: one drum is slightly larger and lower in pitch than the other. The larger drum is about 7" in diameter, and the smaller is about 5". The contrast between the higher and lower pitch gives the bongos their distinctive sound. A bongo player holds the drums between his/her knees and strikes the drums with his or her hands. The bodies of the bongos are made of wood, and a small piece of wood connects the two drums. Bongos were originally created around 1900 in Cuba to be used in dance bands. When playing just a rhythm part, the bongo player almost always sticks to a rhythm called martillo ('the hammer') which drives the music with its sharp steady pulse. In an orchestral context, bongo drums are usually played with medium mallets or sticks
[entry clarified by Michael Zapf]
Bongo drum
Bongo bellthe campana, cencerro or hand bell, it is the bell played by the bongocero during the Montuno section of an arrangement and mounted and played by the Palito player during rumbas Bongocerobongo (and bell) player Bongotrommel(German f.) bongo Bon go�t(French m.) good taste (particularly aesthetic) Bongraveworn between 1530 and 1615, a flat, square cap with a short flap of velvet on each side Bongyilarge Burmese drum Bonheur(French m.) happiness, good luck, luck Bonheur-de-jour(French m.) a small writing-table for ladies, comprising many small drawers both below and at the back, which became extremely popular in about 1770 Bonhomie(French f.) good-heartedness, 'clubbability', good nature Bonhomme(French m.) fellow bonhomme(French) good-hearted Bonhomme de neige(French m.) snowman Bonhommie(French f.) good-heartedness Boniato(Spanish m.) sweet potato Boni et legales (homines)(Latin) decent, law-abiding people Bonifatius(German m.) Boniface Bonifaz(German) Boniface Bonificio(Italian m.) discount (in business), transfer (banking) Boniment(French m.) smooth talk Bonit�t(German f.) degree of creditworthiness, solvency, soundness (financial), credit-worthiness, credit rating Bonit�t einer Firma(German f.) reliability of a company bonito(Spanish) nice, pretty Bonivereinbarung(German f.) bonus agreement Bonjour(French m.) hallo, hello, good morning, good afternoon Bonkoechemill� see biankomeko Bonmsee bobre bon march�(French) cheap, cheaply (the name of a well-known cut-price shop in Paris) Bonmot(German n.) clever or witty expression, clever or witty remark, witticism, bon mot (French m.) Bon mot (s.), Bons mots (pl.)(French m.) an epigram, a witty remark Bonn(English, German n.) a city in western Germany on the Rhine River; was the capital of West Germany between 1949 and 1989 Bonne(French f.) (domestic) maidservant, nursemaid Bonne amie(French f.) a woman who is a good friend (implying that she might be more than a friend) bonne ann�e(French) happy New Year Bonne � tout faire(French f.) a general maid Bonne bouche (s.), Bonnes bouches (pl.)(French f.) a pleasant taste (English, pseudo-French) a tasty morsel (a literal or figurative meaning that is foreign to the French) bonne chance(French) luck Bonne d'enfants(French f.) nanny Bonne femme(French f.) woman (usually pejorative) bonne gr�ce, avec(French) graciously Bonne-maman(French f.) granny bonne nuit(French) good night Bonner(German f.) of or pertaining to Bonn Bonnes fortunes(French pl.) love affairs, success with the ladies Bonnet(French m.) hat, cup (French m.) bell of a musical instrument Bonnet de bain(French m.) swimming hat Bonneterie(French f.) hosiery Bonnet rouge(French m., literally 'red bonnet') known in English as the 'Phrygian cap', a hat adopted as one of the symbols of liberty and freedom during the French revolution see 'Phrygian cap' Bonne volont�(French f.) goodwill Bono(Spanish m.) voucher, bond Bono del Tesoro(Spanish m.) government bond Bon Odori(Japanese, literally 'Bon dance') an event held during Obon, traditionally including a dance festival, a festival that honours the departed spirits of one's ancestors
Bon Festival
Bon-papa(French m.) grand-dad bon pour (m.), bonne pour (f.)(French) fit for B�n-Religion(German f.) B�n (religion), Bon (religion) Bonsai(English, German m., from Japanese, literally 'cultivation in a tray') the Japanese art of cultivating dwarf forms of tree and shrub by the repeated pruning of the roots bon sens(French) common sense, good sense Bonshelong Burmese drum Bonsoir(French m.) good evening, good night Bont�(Italian f.) goodness, kindness Bont�(French f.) kindness Bons temps de la mesure(French) the accented parts of a bar Bontoesmall Burmese drum Bon ton(English, from French) good-breeding (civility, refinement, manners, propriety), 'High Society', the world of fashion (now considered ironic), a sophisticated manner or style, the proper thing to do Bonus (s.), Boni (pl.), Bonus (pl.), Bonusse (pl.)(German m.) premium, incentive, bonus Bonuspunkt(German m.) bonus point Bonussystem(German m.) benefit scheme Bonustrack(German m.) bonus track (on a CD, etc.) Bon uta(Japanese) as the name suggests, these are songs for Obon, the lantern festival of the dead Bonvivant(German m.) bon vivant, bon viveur bon vivant (s.), bons viveurs (pl.)(pseudo-French) bon vivant, someone who enjoys good living bon voyage(French) good wishes for a prosperous journey Bonze(German m.) fat cat, big shot (colloquial), bigwig (colloquial) Boobammodern tubular drums made of bamboo or sometimes of lengths of PVC tube the tops of which are covered with a drum skin. The drums are struck with mallets, the hand or the fingers
Boogaloo
Boogh(Iran) ram's horn trumpet Boogiethe word has several meanings: to move quickly, to get going, to dance to (rock) music and to party a swing blues rhythm or technique originally played on the piano in 'boogie-woogie' music and adapted to guitar. As such it is often used in rock and roll and country music
Boogie from which some of this information has been taken
Boogie tanzen(German) to boogie (colloquial) Boogie-Woogie(German m.) boogie-woogie Boogie woogie(English, Boogie-Woogie (German m.)) a blues style of piano playing very popular in the thirties which evolved in the Mississippi basin of the Deep South of the U.S.A. characterised by a strong bass, formed on a sequence of I-IV-I-V-I chords, with an ostinato (continuous) upper line forming the melodic figure a form of swing dance. The name 'boogie-woogie' is used mostly in Europe; the closest thing in the US is probably East Coast Swing. In parts of Europe, boogie-woogie is mostly danced as a social dance. In others, it is mostly a competition form
Boogie Woogie
Booglinshaman Jew's harp from Mongolia Boogluitinstrumenten(Dutch) bow lutes Booka collection of sheets of paper, parchment or other material with a piece of text written on them, bound together along one edge within covers. Each side of a sheet is called a page and a single sheet within a book may be called a leaf. A book is also a literary work or a main division of such a work. A book produced in electronic format is known as an e-book. In library and information science, a book is called a monograph to distinguish it from serial publications such as magazines, journals or newspapers. Publishers may produce low-cost, pre-proof editions known as galleys or 'bound proofs' for promotional purposes, such as generating reviews in advance of publication. Galleys are usually made as cheaply as possible, since they are not intended for sale. A lover of books is usually referred to as a bibliophile, a bibliophilist, or a philobiblist, or, more informally, a bookworm
Book from which this extract has been taken
Bookbindingthe process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It also usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block Booklet(English, German n.) a small bound book or pamphlet, usually having a paper cover Booklet postcardsa series of postcards bound together in booklet form. They had one serrated edge so they could be torn out and mailed Bookmark(English, German n.) a strip of material, as of ribbon or leather, or a metal clamp, that is placed between the pages of a book to mark the reader's place Bookmark cardor 'book post card', a postcard that was manufactured for use as a bookmark. This type of novelty card was printed in England between 1903 and 1904, with some being printed in Canada about 1910. Their most common size is 5 1/4" by 1 3/4". They are also refered to as 'panel cards' Bookmarklet(English, German n.) an applet or a small computer application, stored as the URL of a bookmark in a web browser or as a hyperlink on a web page Bookmatcheda term applied to the way the back of a stringed instrument is constructed. Most acoustic and many archtop guitars have tops and backs that are two pieces of wood glued together to form one large panel. By cutting the timber from the same piece of wood and then laying the timbers so that the figure on one is the mirror of that on the other, an attractive figure-pattern is created, which can be found also on the backs of fine violins, etc. Book musica long strip of stiff cards glued together in staggered layers and folded in a zig-zag pattern to form a compact 'book'. The information required to operate the player is coded as rectangular or round perforations punched in the cards. This system is derived from that invented by Joseph-Marie Jacquard (1752-1834), who invented an automatic loom that used punch cards for the control of patterns within fabrics
Book Music
Book of hoursa prayer book used by laymen for private devotion, containing prayers or meditations appropriate to certain hours of the day, days of the week, months or seasons. They became so popular in the fifteenth century that the Book of Hours outnumbers all other categories of illuminated manuscripts; from the late fifteenth century there were also printed versions illustrated by woodcuts. The most famous Book of Hours and one of the most beautiful of all illuminated manuscripts is the Tr�s Riches Heures du duc de Berry (Mus�e Cond�, Chantilly), illuminated by the Limburg Brothers for Jean de Berry
Les tr�s riches heures du Duc de Berry
Book of Odessee 'Shi Jing' Book of Songssee 'Shi Jing' Book of the Dead, Thethe common name, invented in the nineteenth century by the German Egyptologist Karl Richard Lepsius (1810-1884), for the ancient Egyptian funerary text known as Spells of Coming (or Going) Forth By Day. The book of the dead was a description of the ancient Egyptian conception of the afterlife and a collection of hymns, spells, and instructions to allow the deceased to pass through obstacles in the afterlife and included images, or vignettes to illustrate the text. The book of the dead was most commonly written on a papyrus scroll and placed in the coffin or burial chamber of the deceased. Because the Egyptian texts changed over time Lepsius' Book of the Dead is the product of a long process of evolution from the Pyramid texts of the Old Kingdom to the Coffin Texts of the Middle Kingdom Book organGavioli-orgel (German), a barrel organ where the traditional cylinder has been replaced with a pneumatic reader, a system invented in 1892 by the French organ builder Anselme Gavioli
[entry clarified by Michael Zapf]
Gavioli
Book paperor publishing paper, a paper which is designed specifically for the publication of printed books Book peddlerstravelling vendors of books Book reviewor book report, a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit. It is often carried out in periodicals, as school work, or online. Its length may vary from a single paragraph to a substantial essay. Such a review often contains evaluations of the book on the basis of personal taste. Reviewers, in literary periodicals, often use the occasion of a book review for a display of learning or to promulgate their own ideas on the topic of a fiction or non-fiction work. At the other end of the spectrum, some book reviews resemble simple plot summaries
Book review from which this extract has been taken
Booksellersin the 18th- and 19th-centuries, the diversity of the bookseller's trade may be demonstrated by examining the trade cards of the period. In addition to every conceivable element of stationery, the bookseller might sell hair and nail brushes, the camera lucida, compasses, scales and mathematical instruments, paper hangings, etc. Booksellers traditionally sold musical instruments, together with their accessories: hair for violin bows, violin and violoncello strings, bridges and pegs, violins and bows Boom(English, German m.) a period of rapid economic expansion term from the film industry, short for 'boom microphone', an overhead microphone used to record actors' voices boomen(German) to boom boomend(German) booming, burgeoning (industry, market) boomender Markt(German m.) booming market Boomerang(Australian) a curved missile that, when thrown, follows a path back to the thrower Boomjahr(German n.) boom year Boomland(German n.) boom country Boom microphonean overhead microphone used to record actors' voices Boom pipelarge bamboo tubes open at one end that, that when one end is struck on the ground or on a mat lying on the ground, emit deep notes Boomzeit(German f.) boom time Boo-sasaraa long, notched stick that is scraped with a smaller stick Boot (s.), Boote (pl.)(German n.) boat Boot auf Strand laufen lassen(German) to beach a vessel booten(German) to boot up (a computer) Bootfahren(German n.) boating Boot fahren gehen(German) to go boating Bootfahrt(German f.) boating B�otien(German n.) Boeotia Bootlegalso called 'boot' or 'underground' record, is a newly created item - LP, EP, 45, or CD (and also includes record sleeves) that has never existed in this form as an official, original item, indeed, any item that was never legitimately released in its present form. These are illegal materials, usually pressed by fans themselves from material otherwise not available on commercial recordings. Castleman and Podrazik (1975) state that "bootlegs generally fall into one of three categories: recordings of live concerts, recordings of radio / television / film appearances, or studio outtakes"
An examination of the bootleg record industry and its impact upon popular music consumption from which this short extract has been taken
Bootlessliterally, without boots figuratively, something fruitless, unprofitable, or to no useful purpose Bootsausflug(German m.) boat trip Bootsbau-Sperrholz(German n.) marine ply Bootsfahrt(German f.) boat trip, boating, canoe-trip, boat ride Bootsfahrten machen(German) to go boating Bootsferien(German pl.) boating holiday bootsf�rmig(German) boat-shaped Bootsf�hrer(German m.) boatman, coxswain Bootsgrab(German n.) boat grave Bootshaus(German n.) boat house, boathouse, boat shed Bootslack(German m.) spar varnish Bootsleute(German pl.) boat people, sailors Bootsmann (s.), Bootsm�nner (pl.)(German m.) boatswain (bosun), bosun, bos'n Bootsmannpfeife(German f.) boatswain's whistle Bootsmannspfeife(German f.) bosun's call, boatswain's pipe, boatswain's call, bosun's pipe Bootspfeife(German f.) boatswain's whistle Bootsreise(German f.) boat trip Bootssteg(German m.) landing stage, boat bridge Bootsurlaub(German m.) boating holiday Bootsverdeck(German n.) canopy Bootsverleih(German m.) boat hire, boat rental Bootsvermietung(German f.) boat hire Bootsw�chter(German m.) boat keeper Bootswerft(German f.) boat builder's yard Booty basssee 'Miami bass', 'Bass music' Bop(English, German m.) see 'bebop' Boqueada(Spanish f.) gasp Boquete(Spanish m.) hole, breach boquiabierto(Spanish) open-mouthed, amazed (figurative), dumbfounded (figurative) Boquilla(Spanish f.) or embocadura (Spanish f.), mouthpiece (of a musical instrument, etc.), becco (Italian m.), Schnabel (German m.), bec (French m.) (Spanish f.) cigarette-holder bor.abbreviation of 'borough' Bora(English, German f.) cold Adriatic Autumn wind Bora-borabull-roarer, thunder stick, Schwirrholz (German) Boragea blue-flowered plant with hairy leaves that taste somewhat like cucumber; used primarily in salads Borax(English, German n.) sodium borate, a white crystalline mineral generally used as an emulsifier or cleanser, also used in cream preparations as an emulsifier boraxhaltig(German) containing borax, borax-containing Borbannadirtype of Tuvan xoomii said to sound like the rapids of a river borbollar(Spanish) to bubble Borboll�n(Spanish m.) bubble Borborygmus(English, German m.) bowel sounds, the gurgling, rumbling, or growling noise from the abdomen caused by the muscular contractions of peristalsis borbotar(Spanish) to bubble Borbot�n(Spanish m.) bubble borbottare(Italian) to mumble, to rumble (stomach) Borbottio(Italian m.) mumbling, rumbling Borchia(Italian f.) stud Bord (s,.), Bords (French pl.), Borde (German pl.)(French m.) Rand (German m.), bordo (Italian m.), border, edge, margin of an area or surface, narrow surface of a thin object, meeting-line of surfaces (French m.) rim or edge of a drum (French m.) edge, bank (of a river) (German n.) shelf, bank (slope, incline), side (of ship) Bordado(Spanish m.) embroidery bordado(Spanish) embroidered bordar(Spanish) to embroider, to do very well bordare(Italian) to border Bordatura(Italian f.) border Bordbrett(German n.) shelf Bordbuch(German n.) log book Bordcomputer(German m.) seaborne computer, car computer, on-board computer Bord du trottoir(French m.) kerb Bordeaux(English German m.) Bordeaux wine Bordeaux(English, German n.) French city and wine-growing region Bordeaux-Karaffe(German f.) claret jug bordeauxrot(German) claret, wine-red Bordeauxwein(German m.) Bordeaux, Bordeaux (wine) Borde(Spanish m.) edge, side, tim, hem bordear(Spanish) to go round the edge of, to border on (figurative) Bord�e d'injures(French f.) torrent of abuse bordeigen(German) ship's (own), plane's (own), aircraft's (own), on-board bordeigene Stromversorgung(German f.) on-board power supply Bordel(French m.) brothel, shambles (disorder) Bordelaise(French) red wine sauce with bacon lardons and baby onions B�rdelger�t(German n.) flaring tool Bordell (s.), Bordelle (pl.)(German n.) brothel, bawdy house, bawdy-house, bawdyhouse, bordel, bagnio, stew (brothel), barber shop (figurative), bordello Bordellbesuch(German m.) visit to a brothel Bordellchefin(German f.) procuress Bordello(Italian m., although the original meaning is a person, not a place) brothel, bedlam (figurative) Bordellwirtin(German f.) bawd, procuress B�rdeln(German n.) crimping b�rdeln(German) to crimp B�rdelscheibe(German m.) flared disk B�rdelwerkzeug(German n.) bordering tool Borden-Insel(German f.) Borden Island Borderin medieval manuscripts, a type of book decoration placed around one to four sides of the justification [writing space] in order to distinguish and decorate main divisions of the text; usually more elaborate on the first page and/or Table of Contents page; also used around miniature frames
[quoted from Kathleen Scott] Border Ballad(German f.) border ballad Border balladsa subgenre of folk ballads collected in the area along the Anglo-Scottish border, especially those concerned with border 'reivers' and outlaws, or with historical events in the area Border Collie(English, German m.) a British sheepdog that has a wavy, usually black coat with white markings and is used for herding Bordereau(French m.) note, list, slip, invoice, memorandum, a scrap of paper Borderline-Pers�nlichkeitsst�rung(German f.) borderline personality disorder Border Pipe(German f.) border pipe (lowland pipe) Border pipessee 'lowland pipes' Border Terrier(English, German m.) small rough-coated terrier of British origin Bordfunk(German m.) ship's radio, (aircraft) radio equipment Bordfunker(German m.) radio operator Bordicor(English, German m., late nineteenth century, invented by P. J. Bordier) a large violin, two octaves lower, and is tuned, like the violin, to G-D-A-E, in the double bass register. The instrument can, on the one hand, play a fourth lower than the cello, while on the other hand, its four and a half octaves give it the compass of the violin. With the E string it gains an incomparable "chanterelle". Due to the high tension, this string creates a sound with an extraordinary carrying power which can measure up in the orchestra against the heavy brass bordieren(German) to border Bordillo(Spanish m.) kerb Bordkarte(German f.) kerb, boarding ticket, boarding pass, boarding card, embarkation card Bordk�che(German f.) galley (on an aircraft) Bordleben(German n.) life on board (a ship) Bordmagazin(German n.) in-flight magazine Bordmechaniker (s./pl.)(German m.) flight mechanic, air mechanic Bordnetz(German n.) on-board power supply Bordo(Italian m.) Rand (German m.), bord (French m.), border, edge, margin of an area or surface, narrow surface of a thin object, meeting-line of surfaces (Spanish m.) board Bord�n(Spanish) the back-skin of a Gallician drum called the tamboril (Spanish) the larger drone pipe of a gaita de boto, the Aragonese bagpipe, bourdon (French) Bordone(Italian) an organ stop, the pipes of which are stopped or covered and produce a 16 ft. tone, or sometimes a 32 ft. tone (Italian) drone bass Bordonetathe smaller drone pipe of a gaita de boto, the Aragonese bagpipe Bordoniera(Italian f.) snare Bordon�a
a large, deep bodied acoustic bass guitar, native to Puerto Rico, which is made in different shapes and sizes:
bordon�a chiquita
a very small bordon�a also existed in some regions of Puerto Rico. It is descended from the Spanish guitar family
6-string bordon�a
a bordon�a with four pairs of strings
10-string bordon�a
a bordon�a with five pairs of strings, the most common form. The standard tuning is A-a-D-d-F#-f#-b-b-e-e
Bordonua from which this information has been taken
Bordpersonal(German n.) flight crew, cabin staff Bordrestaurant(German n.) on-board restaurant Bordschomi(German n.) Borjomi (the largest mountain spa in Georgia) Bordstein(German m.) kerb, kerbstone, border stone Bordsteinabsenkung(German f.) dropped kerb Bordsteinh�he(German f.) kerb height Bordsteinkante(German f.) kerbside Bordsteinschwalbe(German f.) streetwalker Borduhr(German f.) on-board clock, board clock Bordun(German m.) drone (vocal sound), drone, bourdon (bagpipe) Bordunfl�te(German f.) an organ stop Bordun-Fl�te(German f.) an organ stop Bordunsaite(German f.) drone string, corda di bordone (Italian f.), corde hors manche (French f.), lowest string on a lute, violin, violoncello or double bass Bordura(Italian f.) border Bordure(French f.) border Bord�re (s.), Bord�ren (pl.)(German f.) border, edging Bordwandgesch�tz(German n.) drake (small cannon) Bordwerkzeug(German n.) tool kit Bord-zu-Bord-Umschlag(German m.) transhipment Borethe diameter of the tube of a woodwind or brass instrument the shape of which in part dictitates the timbre or tone color of the instrument; thus, a conical bore instrument, in which the bore grows larger throughout, such as the cornet, produces a mellow timbre while a cylindrical bore instrument, such as the trumpet, which has a constant bore until the flare of the bell, produces a brighter, more brilliant timbre (English, German f.) tidal bore Borea(Italian) bourr�e Boreadsin Greek mythology, Calais and Zetes (also Zethes). They were the sons of Boreas and Oreithyia, daughter of King Erechtheus of Athens, and because they were the sons of the north wind they were able to fly, having wings either on their feet or backs boreal(English, German) boreal, living near the north, sub Arctic Boreass�hne(German pl.) Boreads Boreensee bohereen Borg(German m., dated) borrowing Borgata(Italian f.) hamlet Borgen(German n.) borrowing borgen(German) to lend (out), to borrow borgen von(German) to borrow from Borger(German m.) borrower borghese(Italian) bourgeois, civilian Borghesia(Italian f.) middle-classes Borgis(German f.) bourgeois borgne(French) one-eyed, shady (figurative) Borgo(Italian m.) village, district borgte(German) borrowed borhaltig(German) boracic Boria(Italian f.) conceit Borinque�o(Spanish m.) Puerto Rican borinque�o(Spanish) Puerto Rican borioso(Italian) conceited Borke(German f.) bark (of a tree), periderm (the outermost layer of stems and roots of trees, etc.) Borkenkrepp(German m.) bark cr�pe (a cr�pe fabric textured to simulate the appearance of tree.), cr�pon (a thin stuff made of the finest wool or silk, or of wool and silk) borkig(German) barky Borla(Spanish f.) tassel Born(German m.) spring (water source) Borne(French f.) boundary marker born� (m.), born�e (f.)(French) narrow, narrow-minded (person) Borne kilom�trique(French f.) metric 'milestone' borner(French) to confine borniert(German) narrow-minded, blinkered bornierte Ansichten(German pl.) narrow views Borniertheit(German f.) localism, narrow-mindedness boro.abbreviation of 'borough' Borotalco(Italian m.) talcum powder Borra(Spanish f.) flock, fluff (down), sediment Borraccia(Italian f.) flask Borrachera(Spanish f.) drunkenness Borrachin(Spanish m.) drunkard Borracho(Spanish m.) drunkard, drunk borracho(Spanish) drunk Borrador(Spanish m.) rough copy, rough notebook Borradura(Spanish f.) crossing-out borrajear(Spanish) to scribble borrar(Spanish) to rub out, to cross out Borrasca(Spanish f.) storm borrascoso(Spanish) stormy Borre(English) bourr�e Borree(English) bourr�e Borrego(Spanish m.) year-old lamb, simpleton (figurative), hoax borreguil(Spanish) meek Borreliose(German f.) Lyme disease (caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is carried by ticks and transmitted to humans through a tick bite) Borretsch(German m.) borage (Borago officinalis, Echium amoenum) Borretsch�l(German n.) borage oil Borretschsamen(German m.) borage seed Borretschsamen�l(German n.) borage seed oil Borrey(Italian) bourr�e Borricada(Spanish f.) silly thing Borrico(Spanish m.) donkey, ass (figurative) Borrom�erinnen(German pl.) Borromeans (Sisters of Mercy of St. Borromeo) Borrom�ische Inseln(German pl.) Borromean Islands Borromean IslandsIsole Borromee (Italian), a group of three small islands and two islets in the Italian part of Lago Maggiore Borr�n(Spanish m.) smudge, blemish, sketch borroso(Spanish) blurred, vague (figurative) Borrowed chorduse of a chord in a key in which it is not diatonic, or the substitution of a chord from a different key into a work Borrowed divisiona term used to describe when a note is divided into an unusual number of smaller notes, for example, when three crotchets (quarter notes) are to be played in the time of a minim (a half note), i.e. as a triplet Borrowed stopsor borrows, organ pipes that can be played by more than one stop control. They duplicate other stops elsewhere in the organ, and permit a single rank of pipes to sound in more than one division. Borrows usually involve softer accompanimental ranks and reed ranks, and are provided to increase the flexibility of smaller organs Borrowing
the exclusive right of the artist to the benefits that accrue from his or her intellectual property is a characteristic of modern culture. Borrowing is a common phenomenon, and exists in three types:
self-borrowing, or use of themes from one piece in another
borrowing which is done as an obvious tribute or burlesque of the original
unacknowledged borrowing. Modern sensitivities consider this latter type of borrowing to be outright theft. The eighteenth century acknowledged but did not condemn this type of borrowing
terms that might be applied in such cases are:
parody
restricted to literal or almost literal reuses of material with a different text, where structure and musical substance remains intact
reuse
From J.C. Bach to Hip Hop: Musical Borrowing, Copyright and Cultural Context by Olufunmilayo B. Arewa
Borrowssee 'borrowed stops' Borsa(Italian f.) bag, handbag, stock exchange Borsa della spesa(Italian f.) shopping bag Borsa di studio(Italian f.) scholarship Borsaiolo(Italian m.) pickpocket Borsalbe(German f.) boric ointment B�rse (s.), B�rsen (pl.)(German f.) stock exchange, bourse (stock market in non-English-speaking countries, especially France), exchange, stock market, securities exchange, purse, share market B�rsegang(German m. - Austria) going public (company) Borsellino(Italian m.) purse B�rsenanlage(German f.) stockmarket investment B�rsenbeobachter(German m.) analyst B�rsenbericht(German m.) stock list, stock exchange list, stocklist, market report, review of the market, stock market report, stock exchange report B�rsenbewertung(German f.) market valuation, stock market valuation B�rsenblatt (s.), B�rsenbl�tter (pl.)(German n.) financial newspaper, financial paper, stock exchange gazette B�rsenboom(German m.) stock market boom B�rsenfachmann(German m.) analyst b�rsenf�hig(German) negotiable b�rseng�ngig(German) marketable Borsengesch�fte manipulieren(German) to manipulate the stock market B�rsenindex(German m.) stock exchange index B�rsenkrach(German m.) market crash, collapse of the stock market, stock market crash B�rsenkurs (s.), B�rsenkurse (pl.)(German m.) market price, market rate, stock exchange quotation, stock market price b�rsennotiert(German) quoted, publicly owned, listed (company) b�rsennotierte Gesellschaft(German f.) publicly traded company b�rsennotiertes Unternehmen(German n.) publicly traded company, quoted company, listed company B�rsennotiz(German f.) stock market listing B�rsenr�ckzug(German m.) delisting B�rsenschlusspreis(German m.) closing price B�rsensturz(German m.) slump, market collapse, plunge, stock market crash B�rsenzeitung (s.), B�rsenzeitungen (pl.)(German f.) financial (news)paper B�rsianer(German m.) stock exchange speculator Borsista(Italian m./f.) speculator, holder of a scholarship Borst-ademhaling(Dutch) costal or thorasic breathing Borste (s.), Borsten (pl.)(German f.) bristle Borstenkiefer(German f.) bristlecone pine Borstenpinsel (s.), Borstenpinsel (pl.)(German m.) bristle brush Borsten zeigend(German) bristling borstig(German) bristly, bristled, setaceous borstig sein(German) to bristle borstiger Bart(German m.) bristly beard borstiges Haar(German n.) bristly hair Borstigkeit(German f.) bristliness Borst-register(Dutch) chest register (voice) Borte(German f.) border, braid (decorative woven band), piece of braid, edging Bortsch(Russian, borshch) also borsch or borscht, a Russian soup coloured with beetroot juice Borudscherd(German n.) Borujerd (Iranian city, the main centre of making samovars) Borusse(German m.) Prussian Borwasser(German n.) boracic lotion Borzoi(Russian) a Siberian wolfhound b�sartig(German) ill-natured, malicious, malignant, mischievous, naughty, venomous, virulent, malign, pernicious, ferocious, viciously, ill-naturedly, mischievously (maliciously), vicious, rogue (only before noun), malevolent, iniquitous b�sartige Sachbesch�digungen(German pl.) malicious damages b�sartige Software(German f.) malware (malicious software) b�sartiger Hund(German m.) snarling dog, vicious dog b�sartiger Tumor(German m.) malignant tumour B�sartigkeit(German f.) malignity, sinisterness, viciousness, cussedness, malice, malignance, ill nature, virulence Bosca Ceol(Irish Gaelic, literally 'music box') a term applied to the chromatic (half-step) tuned Irish button accordion, not to piano accordions or concertinas Boscagewoodland, ornamental plantations, shrubbery Boscaglia(Italian f.) woodlands Boscaiolo(Italian m.) woodman, forester Boscaje(Spanish m.) thicket B�schung(German f.) bank, brae (Scotland), acclivity, slope, escarpment, embankment B�schungsmauer(German f.) retaining wall B�schungsschichten(German pl.) foreset beds (one of the main parts of a river delta) Bosco(Italian m.) wood boscoso(Italian, Spanish) wooded B�se(German n.) bad, evil, ill b�se(German) angry, wicked, evil, naughty, bad, badly, cross, vicious, squint-eyed, resentful, nefarious, ill, black, mean, diabolic, fierce, sinister, indignant, nasty, villainous, crossly b�se Absicht(German f.) malice (in law) b�se Ahnung(German f.) misgiving, bad omen b�se Ahnungen best�tigen(German) to validate suspicions b�se Angelegenheit(German f.) nasty matter b�se auf(German) angry at b�se auf ... werden(German) to get shirty with ... (colloquial) b�se Bemerkung(German f.) rude remark b�se Blicke werfen(German) to shoot malignant glances b�se brummen(German) to growl b�se Erwiderung(German f.) bad turn, ill turn b�se Fee(German f.) wicked fairy godmother b�se Folgen(German pl.) dire consequences b�se Gedanken(German pl.) evil thoughts b�se Geister austreiben(German) to exorcise b�se Geister bannen(German) to exorcise b�se gesinnt(German) ill-affected b�se Kopfschmerzen(German pl.) a violent headache b�se M�chte(German pl.) evil forces, forces of evil b�se Person(German f.) evil person b�se Programm(German n.) malware b�ser Anfall von Lungenentz�ndung(German m.) bad attack of pneumonia b�ser Blick(German m.) evil eye, nasty look, sinister look b�ser Bursche(German m.) bad fellow b�ser Finger(German m.) bad finger b�ser Geist (s.), b�se Geister (pl.)(German m.) daemon, demon, fiend, hobgoblin, evil spirit, evil genius b�ser Haufen(German m.) bad lot b�ser Junge(German m.) bad boy b�ser Kerl(German m.) baddie (colloquial) b�ser Mann(German m.) bad man, wicked man b�ser Streich(German m.) dirty trick, naughty trick b�ser Sturm(German m.) bad storm, vicious storm b�ser Traum(German m.) nasty dream b�ser Trick(German m.) nasty trick b�ser Wind(German m.) ill wind b�se Sache(German f.) ugly business B�ses ahnen lassen(German) to have misgivings B�ses anzetteln(German) to machinate B�ses beabsichtigen(German) to mean mischief b�ses Blut(German n.) bad blood b�ses Blut erzeugen(German) to cause bad blood b�ses Blut heranz�chten(German) to breed bad blood b�ses Brummen(German n.) growl b�se sein auf(German) to be mad at b�ses Geschick(German n.) doom b�ses Gewissen(German n.) sore conscience B�ses im Schilde f�hren(German) to be up to mischief b�se Situation(German f.) crunch b�ses Knie(German n.) bad knee b�ses Omen(German n.) portent, bad omen b�ses Schicksal(German n.) doom b�se Stiefmutter(German f.) wicked stepmother B�ses tun(German) to do evil b�ses Vorzeichen(German n.) bad omen, bird of ill omen B�ses wiedergutmachen lassen(German) to get a great wrong righted b�ses Zeichen(German n.) sinister sign b�ses Zeug(German n.) bad stuff b�se Tat (s.), b�se Taten (pl.)(German f.) foul deed, dark doings (plural form), evil deeds (plural form) b�se �ber(German) angry over b�se Verbindung(German f.) evil alliance b�se Vorahnung(German f.) presentiment b�se Weib(German n.) virago, tigress (woman), fury (mythological figure) b�se Welt(German f.) evil world B�sewicht (s.), B�sewichte (pl.)(German m.) villain, evildoer, baddie (colloquial), bad guy, rascal b�se Wille(German m.) ill will b�se Wunde(German f.) angry wound b�se Zeiten(German pl.) bad times, hard times b�se zugerichtet(German) badly-hit, ravaged, battered b�se zugerichtetes Bild(German n.) ravaged picture b�se zugerichtetes Gesicht(German n.) battered face, ravaged face b�se Zunge (s.), b�se Zungen (pl.)(German f.) foul tongue, sharp tongue, detractors (plural form), malicious tongues (plural form) b�se zurichten(German) to batter b�sgl�ubig(German) mala fide (of bad faith) b�sgl�ubig handeln(German) to act mala fide, to act in bad faith b�sgl�ubiger Besitzer(German m.) male-fide possessor b�sgl�ubiger Erwerb(German m.) acquisition made in bad faith, b�sgl�ubiger Erwerber(German m.) acquirer acting in bad faith, purchaser acting in bad faith b�sgl�ubiger K�ufer(German m.) male-fide purchaser B�sgl�ubigkeit(German f.) scienter (guilty knowledge) boshaft(German) mischievous, malicious, spiteful, venomous, venomously, vicious, wicked, mischievously (maliciously), maliciously, spitefully, rogue (followed by a noun) boshafte Anspielung(German f.) venomous allusion boshafte Bemerkung(German f.) vicious remark boshafte Kritik(German f.) vicious criticism boshafter Charakter(German m.) nasty character boshafter Schriftsteller(German m.) venomous writer boshafter Streich(German m.) venomous joke boshaftes Grinsen(German n.) evil grin, venomous smile boshaftes Weibsst�ck(German n.) scratching-cat Boshaftigkeit(German f.) evilness, shrewishness, malignity, spite, spitefulness, viciousness, wickedness, invidiousness Bosheit (s.), Bosheiten (pl.)(German f.) malice, wickedness, accursedness, fiendishness, impishness, maliciousness, malignity, rancorousness, invidiousness, spite, virulence (figurative), cattiness, unpleasantness, spiteful act, nastiness (malice), spiteful remark Boskoop(German m.) russet Boskop(German m.) russet Bosniak(English, German m. - Austria) a person belonging to autochthonous South Slavic people living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Sandzak region of Serbia and Montenegro Bosniake (m.), Bosniakin (f.), Bosniaken (pl.)(German) Bosniak bosniakisch(German) Bosnian Bosnian hip hop
Bosnian hip hop
Bosnien(German n.) Bosnia (now part of Bosnia & Herzegovina) Bosnien-Herzegowina(German n.) Bosnia-Herzegovina Bosnien und Herzegowina(German n.) Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnier (m.), Bosnierin (f.), Bosnier (pl.), Bosnierinnen (f.pl.)(German) Bosnian Bosnisch(German n.) Bosnian bosnisch(German) Bosnian bosnisch-herzegowinisch(German) of Bosnia and Herzegovina bosnischsprachig(German) Bosnian-speaking Bosporus(English, German m.) Bosphorus (generally, a strait or narrow sea between two seas, or a lake and a seas) Bosquecillo(Spanish m.) copse bosquejar(Spanish) to sketch Bosquejo(Spanish m.) sketch Bosquet(French m., Spanish m.) grove, wood, forest Bossa circular bulge or knoblike form, as a round mound protrudes from a flatter area surrounding it (English, German m.) gaffer, honcho (slang), top dog (colloquial), the person in charge Bossagean uncut stone that is laid in place in a building, projecting outward from the building, to later be carved into mouldings, capitals, arms, etc Bossa Nova(German m.) bossa nova Bossa nova(English, Boosa Nova (German m.), from the Portuguese, literally 'new bump') bossa nova officially started in August 1958, when Odeon released a Jo�o Gilberto single that featured Chega de Saudade (Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes) and Bim Bom (Jo�o Gilberto). The influence of impressionist composers like Debussy and Ravel, the dissatisfaction with restrictive local music formats and the overwhelming power of American culture in the Post-War period enabled the emergence of clever, controversial artists like guitarists Garoto, Lu�s Bonf�, Jo�o Donato and specially composer/pianist Johnny Alf
Bossa nova (Dance)
Bossa nova jazza hybrid form that appeared in the early 1960s as bossa nova rhythms became popular with jazz and pop musicians in the U.S. and Europe Bosse (s.), Bosse (German pl.)(French f.) bump, hump (camel) (German f.) boss Bosselatedmarked or covered with many bosses (protuberances) bosseler(French) to emboss, to dent Bo�eln(German n. - Northern Germany) game involving the throwing of a ball along country roads Bossenquaderwerk(German n.) bossage bosser(French) to work, to work hard, to work at, to work hard at bossieren(German) to boss, to emboss Bossierhammer(German m.) embossing hammer (one of a range of special hammers employed in silversmithing and metalsmithing) Bossolo(Italian m.) cartridge case Bossu (m.), Bossue (f.)(French m./f.) hunch-back bostezar(Spanish) to yawn Bostezo(Spanish m.) yawn Boston (waltz)or 'The Boston', see 'American waltz' Boston (jive)a form of Swing similar to the Lindy Hop but with kicks Boston Terrier(German m.) Boston terrier, Boston bull terrier Boston terriersmall pug-faced American terrier breed having a smooth brindle or black coat with white markings Bostoner (m.), Bostonerin (f.)(German) Bostonian, Boston girl (f.), Boston woman (f.) Bostoner(German) Bostonian Bostoner Ehe(German f.) Boston marriage Boston marriageoriginally used in the 19th century to describe two women living together b�swillig(German) malicious, malevolent, maliciously, wilful, malignant b�swillige Absicht(German f.) malicious intent b�swillige Tat(German f.) piece of malice B�swilligkeit (s.), B�swilligkeiten (pl.)(German f.) malevolence, malignancy, malice, ill will, maliciousness bot(German) bade, bid (archaic) Bota(Spanish f.) boot, leather wine bottle Botanico(Italian m.) botanist Bot�nico(Spanish m.) botantist Botanik(German f.) botany Botaniker (m.), Botanikerin (f.), Botaniker (pl.)(German) botanist botanisch(German) botanical, botanic botanischer Garten (s.), botanische G�rten (pl.)(German m.) botanic garden, botanical garden botanisieren(German) to botanise Botanisiertrommel(German f.) (botanist's) specimen container Botanist(English, German m.) a biologist specializing in the study of plants Botaniste(French m./f.) botanist Botanomantie(German f.) botanomancy (divination from burning tree branches and leaves) Bot�o(Portuguese) button (as on an accordion) botar(Spanish) to launch, to bounce Botaratada(Spanish f.) silly thing Botarate(Spanish m.) idiot Bote (m.), Botin (German f.), Boten (German pl.)(German) messenger, summoner, delivery boy, delivery man, errand boy, runner, legman, envoy, mercury, herald (as part of the title of a newspaper) (Spanish m.) bounce, blow, jump, jolt, tin, can, jar, jar for tips (restaurant), boat Botella(Spanish f.) bottle Botellita(Spanish f.) small bottle Botenbericht(German m.) report by messenger Botengang(German m.) errand Boteng�nge machen(German) to run errands Boteng�nger(German m.) messenger Botenjunge(German m.) messenger boy Botenlohn(German m.) delivery fee Botenstoff des Nervensystems(German m.) neurotransmitter Bote salvavidas(Spanish m.) lifeboat Botet(Catalan) a small instrument or bird call used in the Catalan region of Spain. It is used for calling quails into a trap, and made of a rabbit or pigeon bone. Botewgrad(German n.) Botevgrad (a town in western Bulgaria) Bothy bandan informal band put together for dancing or singing origininating in the farm bothies of Scotland Botica(Spanish f.) chemist's shop Boticario(Spanish m.) (dispensing) chemist Botija(Spanish f.) or botijuela, a ceramic jug originally used to transport Spanish olive oil, used to provide a bass accompaniment in the Cuban son Botijo(Spanish m.) earthenware jug Botijuelasee botija Bot�n(Spanish m.) half boot, booty, sock Botiqu�n(Spanish m.) medicine chest, first aid kit botm��ig(German) submissive Botm��igkeit(German f.) dominion (rule) Botola(Italian f.) trapdoor Bot�n(Spanish m.) button, bud Botonadura(Spanish f.) buttons Bot�n de oro(Spanish m.) butter-cup Botones(Spanish m.) bellboy Botryoid(German n.) botryoid (a mineral formation shaped like a bunch of grapes) Botschaft (s.), Botschaften (pl.)(German f.) message, embassy, communication, subtext Botschafter (m.), Botschafterin (f.)(German) ambassador, ambassadress (f.), head of mission Botschafterebene(German f.) ambassadorial level Botschafterfrau(German f.) ambassador's wife Botschaftsempfang(German m.) embassy reception, embassy dinner Botschaftsgeb�ude(German n.) embassy Botschaftskanzlei (s.), Botschaftskanzleien (pl.)(German f.) chancellery Botschaftspersonal(German n.) embassy staff Botschaftsrat(German m.) embassy counsellor Botschaftssprecher(German m.) embassy spokesman Botsuana(German n.) Botswana Botsuaner (m.), Botsuanerin (f.), Botsuaner (pl.), Botsuanerinnen (f.pl.)(German) Botswanan botsuanisch(German) Botswanan Botswana(English, German n.) formerly Bechuanaland, a country of south-central Africa Botswana hip hop
Botswana hip hop
Botta(Italian f.) blow, bang B�ttcher (m.), B�ttcherin (f.), B�ttcher (pl.), B�ttcherinnen (f.pl.)(German) cooper B�ttcherei(German f.) cooperage B�ttcherhammer(German m.) cooper's mallet B�ttcherlohn(German m.) cooperage B�ttchermesser(German n.) cooper's knife B�ttcherniete(German f.) cooper's rivet B�ttcherware(German f.) cooperage, coopery B�ttcherwerkstatt(German f.) cooper's shop B�ttcherwerkzeug(German n.) cooper's tools Botte(French f.) boot, bunch (flowers, vegetables), bundle, bale (Italian f.) barrel Botte de caoutchouc (s.), Bottes de caoutchouc (pl.)(French f.) wellington boot Bottega(Italian f.) a caf�, a wine-shop (Italian f.) studio or workshop, often used to identify an object made in the studio of a master when his pupils' or assistants' work on it appears to dominate his own Bottegaio (m.), Bottegaia (f.)(Italian) shopkeeper Botteghino(Italian m.) box-office (theatre), lottery-shop Botten(German f. - Northern Germany) boots Bottesini bowsee 'French bow/grip' Bottich(German m.) vat, tub, wash-tub, cuv�e (vat) Bottier(French m.) boot-maker Bottiglia(Italian f.) bottle Bottiglieria(Italian f.) wine shop Bottin(French m.) phone book Bottino(Italian m.) loot, booty Bottleneck-Gitarre(German f.) bottleneck guitar Bottleneck guitara slide guitar, where a smooth, hard object, usually a hollow metal or glass cylinder, is used to change the pitches of the strings
Slide Guitar
Bottlenecking(English, German n.) using a 'bottleneck' or 'tube slide', for example when playing a guitar Bottleneck Slide(German m.) bottleneck slide Bottleneck slideor 'tube slide', usually worn over the ring (3rd) or little (4th) finger when playing a slide guitar. Wearing on the 4th finger has the advantage of leaving one more finger free to fret notes if desired. However some players feel that they get better control using the ring finger. Most instructors recommend letting one or more of the fingers in back of the slide rest lightly on the strings to help mute unwanted vibrations
Slide Guitar from which this extract has been taken
Bottle organthe concept of the 'bottle organ' with a keyboard developed in the 1800s. Modern 'beer bottle organs' are being made by Peterson Tuners. The sound is produced by blowing air over the tops of real beer bottles. The bottles are filled or "tuned" using mineral oil, which will not evaporate or change tunings if the weather changes
Beer Bottle Organ
Bottnischer Meerbusen(German m.) Gulf of Bothnia (a northern arm of the Baltic Sea; between Sweden and Finland) Botto(Italian m.) bang Bottomthe lowest surface of the harpsichord case. In Italian historical harpsichords and all clavichords it is the primary structural member. In these instruments the bottom is made first and all the other parts are attached to it. In Flemish and French historical instruments the bottom is not structural. The case sides and framework were built first and the bottom was attached last, apparently after the instrument was strung and playing. In some cases it seems that the bottom is held on only by wooden nails or pegs, not glued, perhaps for subsequent repair access? On many revival instruments (Hertz, Ammer, etc.) the bottom is omitted entirely
Harpsichord Jargon from which this extract has been taken
Bottom boardSockel (German), as the name implies, this is the bottom of the piano. On it are located the pedals, springs and bearing-blocks which are the means of activating the damper lift-rod, bass sustaining or "soft-pedal" mechanisms
[clarified by Michael Zapf] Bottom frameUnterrahmen (German), on the piano, actually a misnomer, the bottom "frame" is really the finished panel on the front of the piano which extends from just above the pedals to the bottom of the key bed
[clarified by Michael Zapf] Bottomryor bottomage, a contract by which a shipowner borrows money for equipment, repairs, or a voyage, pledging the ship as security Bottone(Italian m.) endpin, Knopf (German), bouton (French) (Italian m.) button, stud, bud (Italian m.) Endknopf (German m.) Saitenhalterknopf (German m.), bouton (French m.), endbutton, a small projection at the bottom of a stringed instrument (violin, cello, etc.) to which the tailpiece may be attached or through which an endpin may be fitted (for example, on a cello) Bottoni dei registri(Italian m.pl.) draw-stops Botulinum(Engloish, German n.) botulinum, botulinus (anaerobic bacterium producing botulin the toxin that causes botulism) Botulinumtoxin (s.), Botulinumtoxine (pl.)(German n.) botulin toxin (botox), botulinum toxin Botulisma rare but serious illness caused by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum Botulismo(Spanish m.) botulism Botulismus(German m.) botulism Bouc(French m.) billy-goat, goatee (beard) Boucan(French m.) din Bouc �missaire(French m.) scapegoat Boucharde(French f.) a sculptor's hammer, one face of which is surfaced with small pyrimidal points Bouche(French f.) mouth bouch�(French) a direction usually reserved for players of the French horn, to stop the sound of or mute their instrument with a hand placed into the bell bouch� (m.), bouch�e (f.)(French) blocked, stopped up Bouche-�-bouche(French f.) mouth-to-mouth resuscitation Bouche b�e (s.), Bouches b�es (pl.)(French) open-mouthed, singing with the mouth open, humming Bouche d'�gout(French) manhole Bouche de metro(French) underground railway entrance Bouche d'incendie(French) fire hydrant Bouch�e (s.), Bouch�es (pl.)(French f.) a mouthful, a small patty, a small pastry, a small puff pastry case bouch�es, sonssee sons bouch�es bouch�e, Trompette(French f.) muted trumpet Bouche ferm�e (s.), Bouches ferm�es (pl.)(French f., literally 'mouth closed') bocca chiusa, wordless humming Boucher (m.), Bouch�re (f.)(French) butcher boucher(French) to block, to cork Boucherie(French, literally 'butcher's shop') a community gathering in South Louisiana where food (usually hog meat) is provided and which may also involve musical traditions such as Cajun music and zydeco Bouch-trou(French m.) stopgap Bouchon(French m.) stopper, cap, cork, float (fishing), hold-up (figurative) Boucicault, Dion(ysus) Larner (1822-1890)Irish dramatist and actor who enjoyed considerable success before he was 20 with his comedy London Assurance (1841) and then went on to write successful plays on both sides of the Atlantic. He is famous also for his article Opera published in 1887 in The North American Review (Volume 144 Issue 365: Pages 340-348) which attacked opera as an art-form. This led to an impassioned reply from Edgar J. Levey entitled Boucicault and Wagner also published in 1887 in The North American Review (Volume 144 Issue 367; Pages 650-653)
Boucicault and Wagner
Boucle(French f.) buckle, loop, curl (hair) Boucle d'orielle(French f.) ear-ring Boucl�(German n., from French m.) or, in English, 'boucle', a looped, highly textural fabric woven from curly knotted yarn boucl�(French) curly (hair) boucler(French) to fasten, to finish off, to shut up, to seal off, to balance (budget), to curl Bouclier(French m.) shield Bouddhiste(French m./f.) Buddhist bouddhiste(French) Buddhist bouder(French) to sulk, to steer clear of Bouderie(French f.) sulkiness Boudeur (m.), Boudeuse (f.)(French) sulky person (a sulk) Boudoir(German n., from French m., literally 'a sulking-place') a small room where a lady can receive intimate friends or be alone Boue(French f.) mud Bou�e de sauvetage(French f.) lifebuoy Boueux (m.), Boueuse (f.)(French) dustman, garbage collector boueux (m.), boueuse (f.)(French) muddy bouffant(French) puffed out (for example, a reference to a style of hair-dressing) Bouffe(French f.) food, grub bouffe(French, meaning 'comic') as in op�ra bouffe, meaning comic opera bouff�e(French) puff, whiff, flush (medicine), fit (of pride) bouffer(French) to eat, to gobble Bouffonsold sword dance performed by men in cardboard armour, also called Mattachins or Matassins Bougainvillea(English, German f.) or, in English, bougainvilla, any of several South American ornamental woody vines of the genus Bougainvillea having brilliant red or purple flower bracts Bougarobou(West Africa) or bugarabu, a rhythm adopted by the Mandinka from the Jola; also one of several sizes of drums that can be attached together Bouge(French m.) hovel, dive (bar) Bougeoir(French m.) candlestick Bougeotte, la(French f.) the fidgets bouger(French) to move, to stir Bougie(French f.) candle, spark(ing)-plug (of a petrol engine) (French f., German f.) a thin, flexible medical instrument for probing or dilating passages in the body bougieren(German) to dilate with a bougie bougon (m.), bougonne (f.)(French) grumpy bougonner(French) to grumble Bouillabaisse(French f.) from Provence, a dish of fish stewed in wine or water bouillant (m.), bouillante (f.)(French) boiling, boiling hot bouill�(French) boiled Bouilli(French m.) boiled or stewed meat (usually beef) Bouillie(French f.) porridge, baby food, mush (prejorative) bouillir(French) to boil Bouilloire(French f.) kettle Bouillon(English, German f., from French m.) unclarified stock (from the French meaning 'to bubble', as when liquid boils) bouillonner(French f.) to bubble Bouillonw�rfel(English, German m.) soup-tablet, stock cube Bouillote(French f.) hot-water bottle boul.abbreviation of boulevard (French) Boula(Grenada) a drum made from rum barrels, often used in pairs supporting a single higher-pitched 'cut drum', used, for example, in Guadeloupan gwo ka, Carriacouan bele and Dominican b�l� the smallest supporting drum of a Haitian vodoun ensemble in Cuba, one of the drums used in tumba francesa is called bul� Boula djelvocalized percussion songs (i.e. mizik djel or 'mouth music') from Martinique and Guadeloupe which, while associated with traditional wakes, are not considered sacred music. The term boula refers to the use of the traditional boula rhythm Boulanger (m.), Boulang�re (f.)(French) baker Boulangere, Lasee La Boulangere Boulangerie(French f.) bakery Boulangerie-p�tisserie(French f.) bakery and confectioner's shop Boule(French f.) ball, golf-ball (for a type-writer), a game similar to roulette Bouleau(French m.) silver birch (tree) boule dans la gorge, une(French) lump in one's throat Boule de neige(French f.) snowball Boule Lyonnaise(French f.) also Sport-boules or le jeu Lyonnaise, a popular form of bowls, and may be the oldest form of the French form of this sport Boulet(French m.) cannon ball, ball and chain (figurative) Boulette(French m.) pellet (of paper), meat ball Boulevard (s.), Boulevards (pl.)(English, German m., from French m.) a broad street or walk planted with trees, particularly designed for leisurely conversation Boulevardblatt(German n.) tabloid, popular newspaper, tabloid newspaper Boulevardier(French m.) one who frequents the boulevards, a lounger Boulevardjournalismus(German m.) yellow journalism Boulevardpresse(German f.) tabloid press, gutter press, popular press, yellow press (archaic) Boulevardthema(German n.) topic in the tabloids Boulevardzeitung (s.), Boulevardzeitungen (pl.)(German f.) tabloid, popular paper, yellow press (plural form) bouleversant (m.), bouleversante (f.)(French) deeply moving boulevers� (m.), boulevers�e (f.)(French) upset, turned upside down, overwhelmed, overcome (with emotion) Bouleversement(French m.) upheaval, turning upside down bouleverser(French) to turn upside down, to disrupt, to distress, to upset Boulgar�the Cretan version of the Turkish saz, similar to the earliest forms of the bouzouki Boulier(French m.) abacus Boulimie(French f.) bulimia (compusive eating disorder) Boullean inlaid furniture decoration, tortoiseshell and yellow and white metal form scrolls in cabinetwork Boulon(French m.) bolt Boulot(French m.) work boulot (m.), boulotte (f.)(French) dumpy Boult, Sir Adrian Cedric (1889-1983)English orchestral conductor, author of A Handbook on the Technique of Conducting (1968)
Bouncy techno
Boundligar (Spanish), legato (Italian, gebunden (German), li� (French) slurred, tied Bound booka book in which the boards of the cover have first been attached to it, the covering of leather, cloth, or other materials being then affixed to the boards. Bound books are more expensive to produce and much stronger than cased books Bound morphenea morpheme used exclusively as part of a larger word rather than one that can stand alone and retain independent meaning. Examples include the morpheme 'ept' in the word 'inept', or the morpheme 'gruntle' in the word 'disgruntled'. This term is the opposite of a free morpheme, which can function by itself as a word, such as the morphemes 'it' and 'self' in the word 'itself'
Literary Terms and Definitions from which this extract has been taken
Bou oughanima clown, a member of a group of Berber professional musicians led by a poet (amydaz), the clown also playing a double clarinet or zummara Bouquet(English, German n., from French m.) bunch (of flowers), a nosegay, the aroma from a wine (French m.) clump (of trees) Bouquet garni(French m.) a faggot of fresh herbs (usually parsley, thyme, bay leaf, usually tied inside pieces of leek or celery) Bouquin(French m.) book bouquiner(French) to read Bouquinist(German m.) bouquiniste Bouquiniste(French m./f.) second-hand bookseller bourbeux (m.), bourbeuse (f.)(French) muddy Bourbier(French m.) mire Bourbon (Whiskey)(German m.) bourbon (whiskey) (named after Bourbon county, Kentucky, whiskey distilled from a mash of corn and malt and rye and aged in charred oak barrels) Bourbonen(German pl.) Bourbons (European royal line that ruled in France (from 1589-1793) and Spain and Naples and Sicily) bourbonische Lilie(German f.) fleur-de-lys (stylised lily in heraldry and art) Bourbon vanillathe majority of the world's vanilla (named, by the Spanish, vainilla or 'little pod') is produced from the variety Vanilla planifolia, more commonly known as 'Madagascar-Bourbon' vanilla, which is produced in Indian Ocean islands such as Madagascar, the Comoros, and R�union, formerly the �le Bourbon
Bourbon vanilla from which this information has been taken
Bourbon-Vanille(German f.) bourbon vanilla Bourde(French f.) blunder Bourdon (s.), Bourdons (pl.)(French m., literally 'bumble-bee') a low sounding large scale organ pipe, usually stopped, made of wood and generally at 16 ft. or 32 ft. pitch the lowest string on a lute, violin, violoncello or double bass French organs sometimes have open bourdons, at 4 ft. and 8 ft. pitch in a Dutch street organ, the bourdon is two ranks of loudly-voiced melody flutes tuned to a strong celeste the term bourdon is often used more generally for any stopped flute rank a large deep-sounding bell, whether in a chime, carillon, or peal - or simply a single large church bell. However, in English change ringing, the largest bell is called the 'tenor' the drone string of a hurdy-gurdy a drone pipe of a bagpipe (German m.) burden Bourdon de cornemuse(French m.) the drone of a bagpipe Bourdon de musette(French m.) the drone of a bagpipe Bourdonnement(French m.) buzzing bourdonner(French) to buzz Bourg(French m.) town (usually a market town) Bourgade(French f.) village Bourgeois (m.), Bourgeoise (French f.)(German m., from French) people or values or behaviours typical of the middle class. All those who are bourgeois comprise a group called the bourgeoisie. Most members of this group are executives and professionals. The upper middle-class is known as the haute bourgeoisie. These terms appear frequently in Marxist texts
ArtLex Art Dictionary this extract being taken from the entry entitled 'bourgeois and bourgeosie'
bourgeois (m.), bourgeoise (f.)(French) middle-class Bourgeoisie(English, German f., from French f.) city-dwelling middle class (a social group that is usually considered philistine when it comes to matters of taste) Bourgeoisie dor�e(French f.) affluent middle class Bourgeon(French m.) bud bourgeonner(French) to bud Bourgeosie(French f.) see bourgeois Bourgogne, la(French f.) Burgundy Bourguignonne(French f.) a red wine sauce with the addition of button onions and mushrooms Bourlescasee burlesco, burlesca bourlinguer(French) to travel about Bournonville, August (1805-1879)Danish dancer and choreographer who work gave equal importance to both male and female dancers
August Bournonville
Bournville Village Trust
[1879-present]an influential model village founded by the Quaker Cadbury Brothers after moving their Cocoa & Chocolate factory to a site just south of Birmingham. Started with a few cottages provided alongside the factory, it grew into a whole planned village that was turned into a charitable trust in 1900 at which time it consisted of 330 acres and 313 dwellings. Became a model for the Garden City & Suburbs movement with the First Garden City conference being held there in 1901 and George Cadbury was one of the first vice-presidents of the Garden City Association. The village is laid out with ample open space, shops, public buildings and each house has a large garden attached. Tenancies were open to anybody, not just Cadbury employees. During the 1930s the trust developed what were known as 'Ten shilling houses. The trust has continued to managed the village and be involved in housing development up to the present day. In the 1930s the trust acquired a series of farms as a 'greenbelt' on the southern side of Birmingham and now manage some 2770 acres of open or farm land Bourrade(French f.) prod Bourrage de cr�ne(French m.) brainwashing Bourrasque(French f.) squall bourratif (m.), bourrarive (f.)(French) filling, stodgy Bourr�(French) bourr�e Bourreau de travail(French m.) workaholic Bourr�e(French f., German f.) or boree, a French dance similar to the gavotte but beginning on the fourth beat (of four) rather than the third (of four) as in the gavotte
Bourree
Bourreesin dance, a series of tiny steps which give the impression of gliding across the floor Bourrelet(French m.) draught excluder, roll of fat (flesh) bourrer(French) to cram, to stuff, to fill bourrer de(French) to cram with, to stuff with bourrer de coups(French) to thrash bourrer le cr�ne � ...(French) to fill ...'s head with nonsense Bourrette(German f.) noil silk, silk noil (silk waste made up of short fibres combed from long fibres during the preparation of textile yarns) Bourretteseide(German f.) silk noil, bourrette silk, noil silk (silk fabric produced from yarn spun from silk waste) Bourrette-Seide(German f.) silk noil Bourrique(French f.) ass bourru(French) surly Bourse(French f.) purse, grant (of money), the French Stock Exchange Bousculade(French f.) rush, crush bouscul�(French) tumbling bousculer(French) to jostle, to rush, to knock over Bouse(French f.) cow dung bousiller(French) to mess up Boussole(French f.) compass Boustrophedonor boustrephedon, an ancient way of writing manuscripts and other inscriptions in which, rather than going from left to right as in modern English, or right to left as in Hebrew and Arabic, alternate lines must be read in opposite directions. The name is borrowed from the Greek and means 'as the ox turns while ploughing'
Boustrophedon from which this extract has been taken
Bout(French m.) end, tip (tongue, b�ton), bit (French m.) end (of a bow)
(English) in the violin and guitar families, the curve in the sides of the instrument, especially the C-shaped inward curve that form the waist and the convex curve at the top and bottom of the instrument
upper bout
largeur du bas (French f.)
zona inferiore (Italian f.)
Boutade(French f.) jest, whim, a sudden fit of temper, an unpredictable action (French f.) an improvisatory piece like a caprice or fantasia (French f.) an old French dance (French f.) a short ballet which was meant to appear as though it was being improvised Bout du doigt(French m.) fingertips Boute-en-train(French m.) joker, live wire Bouteille(German f., from French f.) bottle (in Austria, a specific volume of 0.7 litre) Bouteillophonea percussion instrument formed of a number of bottles tuned so that when struck they play a chromatic scale. The bottles are tuned by filling them with a certain amount of water. Erik Satie wrote for this instrument Boutique (s.), Boutiquen (German pl.), Boutiques (English, French, German pl.)(English, German f., from French f.) shop (usually one selling fashionable items are very high prices) (German f.) millinery Boutique de brocanteur(French f.) junk shop Bouton(French m.) endpin, bottone (Italian), Knopf (German) (French m.) button, stud (French m.) Endknopf (German m.) Saitenhalterknopf (German m.), bottone (Italian m.), endbutton, a small projection at the bottom of a stringed instrument (violin, cello, etc.) to which the tailpiece may be attached or through which an endpin may be fitted (for example, on a cello) (French m.) pimple, bud, knob (radio, etc.) Bouton de manchette(French m.) cuff-link Bouton d'or(French m.) buttercup boutonn� (m.), boutonn�e (f.)(French, literally 'buttoned up') reticent, unforthcoming, laconic boutonner(French) to button, to button up Boutonni�re(French f.) buttonhole boutonneux (m.), boutonneuse (f.)(French) pimply Bouton-pression(French m.) press-stud Boutons de registres(French m. pl.) drawstops Bouts rim�s(French m. pl., literally 'rhymed ends') a game in which a verse in composed where individual couplets are commenced and ended by different people, sometimes where the person completing one couplet also begins the following couplet Bouture(French) cutting (plant) Bouvet-Insel(German f.) Bouvet Island Bouvet Islandan island belonging to Norway in the South Atlantic near the Antarctic Circle Bouvier des Flandres(German m.) bouvier des Flandres (rough-coated breed of dog used originally in Belgium for herding and guarding cattle) Bouyon(Dominica) a fusion of 'cadence-lypso' and traditional 'Jing ping' sound Bouyon-muffina modern offshoot of bouyon that uses prominent elements of Jamaican raggamuffin music Bouzouki (s.), Bouzoukia (pl.)(English, German f, from Greek) a twentieth-century long-necked Greek lute, derived from the Turkish saz with a fretted neck and a pear shaped body containing 2, 3 or 4 double courses of metal strings
today there are three forms of bouzouki:
trichordo
early bouzoukis were Trichordo, with three courses (six strings in three pairs) and were generally tuned to D3/D4 A3 D4. This tuning fits in well with the music of the Middle East, as an open chord is neither major nor minor, allowing great flexibility with the melody. Trichordo bouzoukis are still being made, and are very popular with aficionados of Rembetika
tetrachordo
in 1953, Manolis Khiotis added a fourth pair of strings to the bouzo�ki. This instrument has 8 metal strings, arranged in four pairs, known as courses. In the two higher-pitched (treble) courses, the two strings of the pair are tuned to the same note. These are used for playing melodies, usually with the two courses played together. In the two lower-pitched (bass) courses, the pair consists of a thick string and a thin string tuned an octave apart. These 'octave strings' add to the fullness of the sound and are used in chords and bass drones (continuous low notes that are played throughout the music). The original tuning for the four-course bouzouki is C3 F3 A3 D4 (where C4 is Middle C). This makes it the same tuning pattern as the first four strings on a guitar, but pitched down a whole tone. In recent times, some players have taken to tuning their bouzoukis up in pitch to D3 G3 B3 E4
Irish
introduced into Irish traditional music in the 1970s, by Johnny Moynihan and Alec Finn, and popularised by Andy Irvine and D�nal Lunny. Irish music relies less on virtuoso melodies played on double courses, and more on the bass courses, so they got rid of the octave strings which only confuse things and replaced them with pairs tuned to the same note. They used a tuning of G2 D3 A3 D4 or A2 D3 A3 D4, which ironically is closer to the original Greek instrument than modern Greek ones are
Bouzouki
Bovarism(named after the character of Emma Bovary in Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary) an imagined or unrealistic conception of oneself a anxiety to escape from a social or sentimental condition judged to be unsatisfactory, sometimes by building a fictitious personality Bovarysme(French m.) Bovarism Bovarismo(Italian m., Spanish m.) Bovarism B�veda(Spanish f.) vault Bovenblad(Dutch) belly (of a string instrument), soundboard, top plate Boventoon(Dutch) partial, overtone (acoustics) bovin(German) bovine bovin (m.), bovine (f.)(French) bovine bovino(Italian) bovine Bovini(Italian m.pl.) cattle Bovins(French m.pl.) cattle Bowarco (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese), archetto (Italian), Bogen (German), archet (French) a device used on certain stringed instruments, a stick, usually made of wood, and hair, usually taken from the tail of a horse, which is used to impart energy to the strings, so that they vibrate, which vibrations act on the resonator box over which the tensioned strings are stretched, thus producing the audible sound characteristic to the instrument. The modern violin bow is usually between 27 and 30 inches in length although historically it was somewhat shorter the Chinese yazheng and yaqin, and Korean ajaeng zithers are generally played by "bowing" with a rosined stick, which rubs against the strings without any horsehair. The hurdy-gurdy, an instrument known in medieval Europe, has strings which are bowed by a "rosin wheel," which is turned by a handle instruction on how to use a bow when playing such an instrument, through a series of special signs printed in or added later to the score to incline the head or body in greeting or acknowledgement, for example as part of an early dance Bow-armor 'bow-hand', most commonly the right arm or hand, in which the bow of a stringed instrument is held Bow changeBogenwechsel (German), the change of direction when moving from up-stroke to down-stroke, or visa versa Bowdlerizationa later editor's censorship of sexuality, profanity, and political sentiment of an earlier author's text. Editors and scholars usually use this term in a derogatory way to denote an inferior or incomplete text. A text censored in this way is said to be bowdlerized. The term comes from the name of Reverend Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825) who produced The Family Shakespeare (1815-18). He removed whatever he considered "unfit to be read by a gentleman in the company of ladies"
Literary Terms and Definitions from which this extract has been taken
Bowdlerizeto censor or alter an earlier writer's work Bow, earlyearly violin and cello bows and bows for the viol are all outcurved, unlike the modern violin bow shown above. In the case of the viol bow, this shape makes it possible to hold it 'underarm' in the palm of the hand with one or two fingers on the bow hair to adjust the tension during the stroke
String Pedagogy Notebook - QuickTime Movies
Bowle(German f.) (cold) punch (drink), punchbowl Bowlen (s./pl.)(German n.) bowls (game), bowling bowlen(German) to play bowls (game), to bowl bowlen gehen(German) to go to play bowls, to go (tenpin) bowling Bowler(German m.) bowler (cricket), bowler (hat) Bowlerhut(German m.) bowler hat Bowling(German n.) bowls, (tenpin) bowling Bowling spielen(German) to bowl Bowlingbahn(German f.) bowling alley Bowlingkugel(German f.) bowling ball Bowlingspieler(German m.) bowler (at bowling, in a bowling alley) Bowlsspiel(German n.) bowls Bowlsspieler(German m.) bowler (at bowls, on a bowling green), bowls player Bow mitesanthrenus museorum is a common destroyer of hair and anything else made of protein, such as old-fashioned woollen felt case linings, gut strings, leather, hair, parchment, etc. Mites usually only live where it is closed and dark, such as in a violin case that is not often used. Keep the case off the floor, especially away from carpets. The worst possible place to store a violin is under a bed or in a closet. Once mites infest a case, they can be difficult to get rid of. You should vacuum and air out the case thoroughly, and if possible expose it to sunlight for a few days. There are a number of suggested treatments that are not to be recommended, such as spraying the case with an insecticide or using camphor moth balls. Such products are highly aromatic and can possibly damage the varnish on your violin and bow. Never store a violin with mothballs in the case with it. Old cases with wool felt, natural silk or silk velvet linings are notorious for attracting mites. Modern cases with synthetic linings and good weather seals are less prone to infestation. If you are using the older type of case you should get rid of it immediately. Even decorative antique cases are not usually very valuable because they provide so little protection to their contents in fact 'bow mites' aren't really mites, they are the larvae of a species of carpet beetle. The entomologist in the museum where I work has given a couple of brown bag lectures on pest that bother museum collections, and this group of beetles are among the worst. They are small (under a 1/4 inch) and it is the larvae that do the eating. The larvae do not look like beetles, more like very small elongated sow bugs (or pill bugs) and are often a bit hairy. There are different species, and the species differ in what they prefer to eat but there could be several types that would be willing to eat horsehair
[comment provided by Michael Zapf]
Questions and Answers (Violin) from which this advice has been taken
Bow, modernan incurved stick with horsehair stretched across it, used today to play stringed instruments such as the violin, cello, etc.
Bow sawa saw with a slender blade connected at each end to a narrow handle that curves outward like an archer's bow Box (s.), Boxen (German pl.)(French m.) lock-up garage, cubicle (Italian m.) loose box (horse), play-pen (baby) (German f.) loudspeaker, pit (motor racing), stall, (loud) speaker (hi-fi system), box (step), loose box (horse) Boxball(German m.) punchingball, punching-ball Boxclub(German m.) boxing club Boxen(German n.) boxing, pugilism boxen(German) to scuff, to punch, to box boxend(German) fighting Boxenstopp(German m.) pit stop Boxeraufstand(German m.) Boxer Rebellion Boxershorts(German pl.) boxer shorts, boxers Boxgymnastik(German f.) boxercise (fitness class) Boxhandschuh (s.), Boxhandschuhe (pl.)(German m.) boxing glove Boxinga substyle of 'tutting', which consists of creating and manipulating box-like or rectangular shapes predominately with ones arms Boxkamera(German f.) box camera Boxkampf(German m.) boxing match Box officethe place from which theatre, concert, etc. tickets are purchased in the eighteenth century, only boxes could be reserved and paid for in advanced. All other seating was sold on a first-come first-served basis. The boxes were sold from an office near the stage door, hence the term 'box office' Box pleatpleat made of two flat folds turned inwards towards each other, creating a box like shape on the front of the garment Boxring(German m.) boxing ring Boxsack(German m.) punchbag (gym equipment) Box seta theatrical structure common to modern drama in which the stage consists of a single room setting in which the "fourth wall" is missing so the audience can view the events within the room. Contrast with the 'theatre in the round' and 'apron stage'
Literary Terms and Definitions from which this extract has been taken
Boxsport(German m.) boxing Box step
Four-couple figures
Boxweltmeister(German m.) boxing world champion Boxwettkampf(German m.) boxing bout, boxing match, boxing-match Boxwood(German Buchsbaum, French Buis, Dutch Gewone palm, European Species: Buxus sempervivens: Average Weight: from 53 to 70 pounds per cubic foot) Boxwood is very hard and almost without grain. It is only available in small pieces and is used for carving and small items such as combs. Boxwood was used for inlays from at least the sixteenth century
Woods in Use in the Middle Ages & Renaissance from which this information has been taken
Boya(Spanish f.) buoy, float Boy actoror boy player, a common term for the adolescent males employed by Medieval and English Renaissance playing companies. Some boy players worked for the mainstream companies and performed the female roles, as women did not perform on the English stage in this period. Others worked for "children's companies," in which all roles, not just the female ones, were played by boys
Boy player from which this information has been taken
boyante(Spanish) buoyant Boyar(Russian) or bojar, a member of the highest rank of the feudal Bulgarian, Romanian, and Russian aristocracy, second only to the ruling princes, from the 10th through the seventeenth century
Boyar from which this extract has been taken
Boyau(French m.) catgut, actually made from the intestines of sheep, lambs or goat (French m.) gut, gallery, (bicycle) tyre Boyaudier(French m.) maker of strings for violins, etc. Boybandor, in the US, boy band, a style of pop group featuring between three and six young male singers who are usually also dancers
Boy band from which this extract has been taken
Boycottsocial, economic, or political noncooperation Boyfriend(English, German m.) a favoured male companion, sweetheart or friend Boygroup(English, German f.) boy band (male singers) Boykott(German m.) boycott boykottieren(German) to boycott boykottierend(German) boycotting Boykottierender (m.), Boykottierende (f.), Boykottierende (pl.)(German) boycotter boykottiert(German) boycotted Boykottierung(German f.) blacking (of goods), boycott action, boycotting Boy playersee 'boy actor' Boyscout(German m.) boy scout Boyscoutaged between 11 and 18, a member of a worldwide organization of young men and boys, founded in England in 1908, for character development and citizenship Boysenbeere(German f.) boysenberry Boysenberrya berry created by horticulturist Rudolph Boysen in 1923 by crossing a raspberry, blackberry, and a loganberry Boy sopranoa male singer whose voices has not yet changed, one who, in the Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions, is called a treble Bozal(Spanish m.) muzzle (dog, etc.), halter (horse) Bolzano(Bozen (German n.), Botzen (archaic), Bulsan (Ladin), Bauzanum (Latin)) a city in the Trentino-Alto Adige/S�dtirol region of Italy, the capital of the province of Bolzano-Bozen Bozen(German n.) Bolzano Bozukasee buzuq Bozuk�see buzuq Bozza(Italian f.) draft, proof (typesetting), bump Bozza in colonna(Italian f.) galley proof Bozzetto (s.), Bozzetti (pl.)(Italian m.) a sculptural sketch, a small scale model for a large piece of statuary Bozzolo(Italian m.) cocoon BPabbreviation of 'British Patent', 'blood pressure', 'before present' (following a number of years), 'British Pharmacopoeia', bo�te postale (French: PO Box, post office box) Bpabbreviation of 'bishop' bp.abbreviation of 'baptized', 'birthplace' b/pabbreviation of 'blueprint' BPAabbreviation of Bahnpostamt (German: railway post office) bpl.abbreviation of 'birthplace' Bpmabbreviation of 'beats per minute', the usual measurement of tempo bpmabbreviation of 'bits per minute', a measure of the speed at which data is sent over transmission lines BPosabbreviation of Bass-Posaune (German: bass trombone - trombone basse (French)) B-Probe(German f.) B sample (doping) Bpsabbreviation of 'bytes per second', a measure of the rate of data transfer bpsabbreviation of 'bits per second', a measure of the rate of data transfer Bp Suff.abbreviation of 'Bishop Suffragan' b.pt.abbreviation of 'boiling point' BQabbreviation of bene quiescat (Latin: may he, or she, rest well) bq.abbreviation of 'barque' B quadratum(Latin) the note B natural (Latin) the natural sign B quadro(Italian) the natural sign B quadrum(Latin) the note B natural (Latin) the natural sign B-quarre(French) b�quarre bque.abbreviation of 'barque'
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What is the liquid inside a coconut? | Coconut milk or coconut water: What's the difference? | MNN - Mother Nature Network
MNN.com > Food & Drink > Healthy Eating
Coconut milk or coconut water: What's the difference?
It seems everyone's going coconuts for this versatile seed. Here's the skinny on the health claims and myths.
Photo: Shutterstock
You may have seen the health hype: Photos of athletes sipping from a coconut shell while they tout the healthy benefits of coconut water — from boosting your metabolism to hydrating you post-workout. But is coconut water the be-all and end-all of sports nutrition and weight loss? And what about coconut milk ?
Coconut milk comes from the flesh of the coconut. It’s high in calories and most of those calories are derived from fat, including saturated fat (the type we should only use sparingly), explains Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, author of "Read It Before You Eat It" and a nutrition expert in New York.
Look for fat content and note the amount of saturated fat in coconut milk – each 450-500 calorie cup contains about 50 grams of fat, of which 45 grams is saturated.
“Many people confuse coconut milk with coconut water. The water is a thin liquid that is high in potassium and often used as a source of fluid to quench hydration,” says Taub-Dix. Coconut water is much lower in calories than coconut milk.
Coconut water is about 45 calories per cup whereas coconut milk contains about 500 calories. (That’s six times what you'll find in a cup of skim milk — so a dairy replacement it is not.)
While the milk is a delicious, sweet cream often used in mixed beverages, smoothies and cooking, if you’re watching your weight or have a history of heart disease or elevated cholesterol, you’ll want to limit your intake.
Coconut milk contains iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, protein and vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6. “But the vitamins and minerals provided don’t outweigh the negative calorie and saturated fat content,” says Taub-Dix. And most of the health benefits are either myth or have been confused with coconut water.
Coconut water , on the other hand is the newly touted sports drink, flying off shelves in gyms and yoga studios as the next hot thing. A report from New Nutrition Business says sales of coconut water doubled in 2011 and will reach an estimated $110 million nationwide.
Yet people who live where coconuts grow have long drunk the sweet, nutty elixir of the coconut, the water that builds inside the shell of a young coconut. As the fruit ages, the water solidifies into the white meat and is pressed for milk or oil.
But is coconut water really any better for you than regular water?
Coconut water does contain sodium and potassium, two minerals that help balance fluids after exercise. “It is lower in calories than coconut milk and high in potassium, so it can be a good beverage to help hydrate,” says Taub-Dix. But while it may provide a salt and potassium wallop, it’s not a magical cure. Some of the claims being touted are that the drink boosts metabolism, helps with weight loss and replaces electrolytes better than sports drinks.
A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found coconut water replenishes body fluids as well as a sports drink and better than water but that athletes preferred the taste of sports drinks. Beyond that, studies don’t suggest that coconut water lives up to its hype of healing disease or promoting weight loss.
For instance, there’s plenty of potassium in food and you’ll get all you need from eating a healthy diet rich in bananas, potatoes, kidney beans, spinach and lentils. And sports drinks, only needed if you’ve exercised vigorously for more than an hour, are still excellent hydrators at half the price.
“I think people look for miracle cures and fixes in any new product,” says Taub-Dix. “I wouldn't rely on coconut water to boost metabolism or drop pounds.”
If you like the taste of coconut water, it won’t hurt to indulge (unlike with coconut milk, which should be reserved for limited occasions.)
If you’re going to drink it and can afford it (most brands cost $2-3 per serving), look for unsweetened varieties and check that they don’t contain more than 60 calories. The ingredients should say 100 percent coconut water. Cans, bottles and packages should be BPA-free.
Related coconut stories on MNN:
| Coconut water |
What colour are white grapes? | The Truth About Coconut Water
The Truth About Coconut Water
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
From the WebMD Archives
Low in calories, naturally fat- and cholesterol free, more potassium than four bananas, and super hydrating - these are just a few of the many benefits ascribed to America’s latest health craze: coconut water.
Dubbed "Mother Nature’s sports drink" by marketers, the demand is skyrocketing, propelled by celebrity and athlete endorsements and promises to hydrate the body and help with a whole host of conditions, from hangovers to cancer and kidney stones .
But is coconut water capable of delivering on all the promises or is it hype?
What Is Coconut Water?
Naturally refreshing, coconut water has a sweet, nutty taste. It contains easily digested carbohydrate in the form of sugar and electrolytes . Not to be confused with high-fat coconut milk or oil, coconut water is a clear liquid in the fruit’s center that is tapped from young, green coconuts.
It has fewer calories, less sodium, and more potassium than a sports drink. Ounce per ounce, most unflavored coconut water contains 5.45 calories, 1.3 grams sugar, 61 milligrams (mg) of potassium, and 5.45 mg of sodium compared to Gatorade, which has 6.25 calories, 1.75 grams of sugar, 3.75 mg of potassium, and 13.75 mg of sodium.
Better Than Some Sugary Drinks
Coconut water has less sugar than many sports drinks and much less sugar than sodas and some fruit juices. Plain coconut water could be a better choice for adults and kids looking for a beverage that is less sweet. But don’t overdo it, says Lillian Cheung, DSc, RD, of Harvard School of Public Health. “One 11-ounce container has 60 calories and if you drink several in one day, the calories can add up quickly," Cheung says.
Cheung, co-author of Savor Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, suggests being mindful about beverage choices and reading labels to choose plain coconut water and avoid those with added sugar or juices, which are no different from other sugary beverages.
Some Athletes Swear By It
Professional tennis player John Isner credits coconut water with keeping him on his feet for his epic 11-hour marathon Wimbledon tennis win. “It is super hydrating and has kept me going in long matches and prevented me from cramping even in the hottest and most humid conditions,” Isner says.
Continued
He drinks a mixture of coconut water and water the night before a match in difficult heat conditions and routinely mixes a cocktail of coconut water and sea salt for on-court hydration and mixes it with protein powder for post-match recovery.
Coconut water may be better at replacing lost fluids than a sports drink or water -- as long as you enjoy the taste. A study recently published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows that coconut water replenishes body fluids as well as a sports drink and better than water but the athletes preferred the taste of the sports drinks.
Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD and author of Nancy Clarks Sports Nutrition Guidebook says coconut water won’t rehydrate the body unless you can drink plenty of it. If you enjoy the taste and can tolerate large amounts, it could help keep you hydrated.
A 2007 study shows coconut water enhanced with sodium was as good as drinking a commercial sports drink for post- exercise rehydration with better fluid tolerance. Another study reported that coconut water caused less nausea , fullness, and stomach upset and was easier to consume in large amounts during rehydration.
What Experts Say
Staying hydrated is one of the most important things for recreational and professional athletes. And if the taste of coconut water helps you drink plenty of fluids, it is a fine choice for most people but may not be for those in prolonged physical activity.
Coconut water is low in carbohydrates and sodium and rich in potassium, which is not exactly what athletes need when exercising rigorously, says Clark.
“Whether you choose a sports drink, coconut water, or plain water, they all work to keep your body hydrated. The challenge is when you exercise strenuously for more than three hours in the heat and lose lots of body fluids, you need easily absorbed carbs for quick energy and to replace lost electrolytes like sodium and potassium,” Clark says.
Neither coconut water nor sports drinks contain enough sodium or carbs for the heavy perspirer. “Supplement with a quick source of energy like a banana or some raisins and a handful of pretzels to provide nutrients to replenish your stores,” Clark says.
Recovery starts before exercise begins. “Most people don’t need to worry about calories, potassium, or sodium. Eat a bagel with peanut butter to get food into your system before and drink plenty of water during exercise,” Clark says. If you exercise for prolonged periods, she suggests eating salty pretzels and raisins or other portable sources of energy.
Continued
Bottom Line
There are some health benefits to consuming coconut water. It’s an all-natural way to hydrate, reduce sodium, and add potassium to diets. Most Americans don’t get enough potassium in their diets because they don’t eat enough fruits, vegetables, or dairy, so coconut water can help fill in the nutritional gaps.
Beyond that, the scientific literature does not support the hype that it will help with a laundry list of diseases. “There is a lot of hype about coconut water, yet the research is just not there to support many of the claims and much more research is needed,” says Cheung.
Coconut water is fine for recreational athletes -- but so are plain water or sports drinks. In general, most adults don’t exercise strenuously enough to need sports drinks or coconut water because good, old-fashioned water works just fine.
If you enjoy the taste and your budget allows it, coconut water is a nutritious and relatively low-calorie way to add potassium to your diet and keep you well-hydrated.
Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is director of nutrition for WebMD. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.
WebMD Expert Column
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Where does a busboy or busgirl work? | How to Be the Best Busser: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
Community Q&A
This is where you find out how to be the best busser in a restaurant. Rise above the other little bus boys and girls and be the one the servers wish was working on their busiest nights. Once they ask you to work on Thanksgiving, you're in.
Steps
1
Know the tables and who is sitting at them. When your server says 'clear table 24' or 'bring this to the lady with the glasses' you will be much better off if you can think of where you are going off of the top of your head and get to it without wandering around staring at everyone.
2
Keep an eye on the door. This allows you to know when a new table arrives and you can immediately pour the waters and bring the bread. You can then also go into the kitchen and tell them 'two top!'(this means two customers at a table, four customers would be a 'four top'). The chefs like to keep a count on how many people they will be cooking for, and helping them earns you points in the kitchen.
3
Get on the good side of the chefs, they are the force behind the entire production. They make the goods. My chefs have always made dirty, dirty jokes and to conquer them- you must crack an even dirtier one. And then wink. You. Will. Be. In. It is essential. If you don't have it in you, at least naughtily laugh when they make theirs, half of the time I don't even hear what hey are saying. But I laugh.
4
Do the dirty work. On your first day, grab the dirty bus pan and take it back. Channel your inner tough gal/guy and dive into it as quickly as possible. Just go for it and empty that damn thing as quick as possible (in the dishes section of the kitchen), and then bring it back to home base (the busser station). Especially if you are a girl, impress the male dishwashers with how fearless you are. It feels good.
5
Don't kiss ass, but keep up with your waitress/waiter. It is important to ask every ten minutes or so if she/he needs anything. But do not bother the waitress/waiter. Read their faces, if they make eye contact, casually ask if they need anything or if you could get someone's drinks for them. Even if they don't need you, they like knowing that you are eager to help.
6
Be attentive, make rounds of the tables. Make sure that if there are cleared dishes sitting in front of people that you take them and put them in the bus pan. If people need more water, pour it. Scan the room for faces that may be asking you for something. Often people ask bussers for things that their waiters have forgotten, be ready.
7
Do your sidework. Polish silverware, restock napkins and glasses, refill the ice machine. There are different things in each restaurant that can be done when work is slow; do them. Perfect them. If you have no free time, make sure they get done at the beginning of your shift or at the end when things are slowest. Don't give anyone a reason to complain about you.
8
Finally, deserve to be chill. After all the rounds are made and all of the sidework is done, relax. When everyone is hanging out in the kitchen cracking jokes, join them. Be part of the team, but earn it.
Community Q&A
What should I do if a guest likes talking to me more than his server?
wikiHow Contributor
It's all about giving the guest what he needs and trying to make the best experience out of it. There's nothing wrong with chatting with the guest, as long as it's not interfering with your other duties and if the server gets offended, just apologize for getting in their way (for the sake of a good relationship) and move on.
How much in tips can I make as a busser?
wikiHow Contributor
This will depend on the tip-sharing system used by the restaurant. It may be determined by what the waiter/waitress made and how they feel you performed that day.
If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know.
Tips
Use your common sense, how would you want a busser to act when you are out to eat?
Get along with your waitress/waiter... they may just like you and tip you more than they are required to.
Refill waters as often as possible. Nothing is worse than an inattentive water-glass-filler, any diner knows this.
When customers clear their plate and then make that awkward 'i didn't like that one bit' joke...laugh like you have never heard it. The tip will be better.
Warnings
If there is a glass that is impossible to get to...DO NOT REACH! Politely ask if it can be passed to you to fill.
Do not forget about plates, nothing is worse than seeing your waitress/ waiter walking back to the kitchen with a plate that you should have been on top of. If it happens, apologize but do not stress, you will get the next one.
Updated:
Views: 116,783
"It helps me a lot. I am doing my portfolio in my trainer's methodology, i just click to the Google, type what i need and this quickly showed up."..." more - Dianna Jane Gripp
"The tips were very helpful. My granddaughter just became a busser in an upscale restaurant, and I will give her all the tips I just read."..." more - Elaine Amick
The tips are enlightening. The dirty jokes part is especially practical. Million thanks to the authors. - Moses Yen
I will read this for about a week till it's in my head. Getting ready to start working at Red Robin. - Shafeeq Benson
This really helped me because my first day of being a bus boy is going to be tomorrow! - Steven Costa
| Restaurant |
In what country was the game Chinese Checkers (or Chinese Chequers) invented? | What Kind of Job Does a Busboy Do? | Chron.com
What Kind of Job Does a Busboy Do?
by Aurelio Locsin
Busboys replace restaurant place settings for each patron.
Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
[Bartender] | What Qualifications Do You Need to Be a Bartender?
When dining out, restaurant patrons are most likely to encounter three types of service employees: maitre d’s or hosts who show them to their tables, servers who take their orders and bring the ordered dishes and beverages, and busboys who clear and set tables and help servers attend to diners. Busboys are also referred to as bussers and dining room attendants.
Basics
Busboys clear away table settings after patrons have finished their meals. They then replace the settings with new dishes, glasses, utensils and napkins for the next customers. They transport soiled tableware to the kitchen for cleaning, replace dirty tablecloths and napkins, and clean up any spilled food from the floor. They also ensure that serving stations have enough supplies for waiters to use, and serve ice, water, drinks and rolls to patrons. In addition, they help customers who make requests for extra condiments, napkins and other items.
Qualifications
No formal education is necessary for the position of busboy. More than 70 percent have less than a high school diploma, according to ONET OnLine. Employers typically train these workers on the job. Busboys learn when and how to clear tables, how to deal with customers and employees, and basic restaurant procedures. Unlike other serving staff, busboys are not tipped directly by customers. Instead, they receive a cut of the gratuities offered to wait staff.
Skills
Workers must have certain personal characteristics to handle busboy jobs. They must have the physical stamina to remain on their feet for most of their shift and the strength to lift heavy trays of dishes to cleaning stations. Even though they are supposed to remain unnoticed, they need service and communications skills so they can interact efficiently with customers and restaurant staff. Manual dexterity and physical coordination are necessary to quickly remove plates and utensils and replace them with clean versions. Honesty and basic math ability are necessary because busboys sometimes clear tips left by customers for waiters.
Wages
The Bureau of Labor Statistics groups busboys under the broader job category of "Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers. As of May 2011, these workers earned mean wages of $9.40 an hour or $19,540 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent received under $7.74 hourly, while the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $12.25 an hour.
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What was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's (original) middle name? | BBC - Primary History - Famous People - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Who was Mozart
How do you say his name?
Most people say Moht-zart. His first name was Wolfgang, a German name. It means 'wolf path'. His middle name was Amadeus (Am-uh-day-us), which means 'God's love' in Latin.
Mozart was born in Austria, where most people speak German.
Why is Mozart famous?
Mozart wrote music. He was a composer , and one of the greatest musicians of all time. He was famous as a child because he could play and write music from the age of 4. He grew up to write some of the most beautiful music ever heard.
When did he live?
Mozart was born in 1756. He lived before there were cars, trains or planes. When Mozart travelled around Europe, he went in a coach and horses or by boat. Mozart died in 1791, not long after the French Revolution had begun.
A wonderful child
The Mozart family
Mozart was born on 27 January 1756 in the town of Salzburg, in Austria. Mozart's father Leopold was a musician. He played the violin. Mozart's mother was Anna Maria Pertl.
Leopold Mozart earned his living as a music teacher. He also played for the archbishop of Salzburg.
The wonder-child
Leopold soon knew he had a brilliant son. Wolfgang could play the harpsichord at the age of 3. By the time he was 5, he was writing tunes.
He seemed to have music in his head. He could pick up a violin and play it, without being shown how.
Brother and sister
Mozart's sister Maria Anna was good at music too. He called her Nanerl.
Brother and sister made up their own secret language. They told stories about a magic kingdom where they were king and queen.
Leopold took his two children to Vienna. They played for the Emperor of Austria at his palace . Everyone was amazed. The Emperor called Mozart a 'little magician'.
Mozart goes on tour
In 1763 Leopold took the children on a tour of Europe. They went to France, then by ship to England. They stayed in London for a year. The children played for King George III.
In London, Mozart met Johann Christian Bach (pronounced 'bark'). Bach was a German musician, a son of the famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Mozart learned from Bach, as he did from all the musicians he met.
Mozart at work
More travels
Mozart did a lot of travelling. His father took him to Italy, and there he saw opera for the first time. At the age of 12, he wrote his first opera.
Mozart astonished everyone. He could sit in a church, listen to the music and singing, go home, and then write down all the notes - from memory.
What was music like then?
When Mozart lived, there were no music downloads. No records of any kind, just notes written on paper. People heard music only when it was 'live'.
People sang while they worked. They danced at balls and parties. They made music at home. Musicians played in orchestras. In Christian churches, choirs sang as part of the services.
Musical instruments
Musicians played keyboard instruments (such as piano), strings (violin), wind (oboe) and brass (trumpet). These instruments were not quite the same as the ones today.
Mozart played a piano for the first time in 1777. Pianos were replacing old keyboard instruments, such as the harpsichord .
Looking for a job
Mozart gave piano lessons, but was always poor. In 1777 his mother went with him to Germany. He hoped to get a job as a court musician. Rich princes had their own orchestras. In Germany, he fell in love with a singer, Aloysia Weber.
Then it was off to France. There Mozart's mother became ill. She died in the summer of 1778. Mozart went back to Austria.
Mozart the composer
Mozart gets married
Back in Salzburg, the old archbishop had died. The new archbishop gave Mozart a job, but Mozart did not like the archbishop. He felt like a servant. He soon left.
He went back to Germany. Aloysia Weber had decided to marry someone else. In 1782, Mozart married Aloysia's sister Constanze. She was a singer too.
In 1784, Mozart joined the Freemasons .
Home life
Mozart and Constanze were happy, but poor. One winter's day, a visitor saw them dancing around the room - to keep warm!
The Mozarts had six children. But four died as babies. Two sons grew up, and were good musicians, though not as good as their father.
What music did Mozart write?
Mozart never stopped writing music. He wrote music for piano and violin. He wrote for orchestras and singers. He wrote 'chamber music' for a quartet (4 players). He wrote church music too.
The famous composer Josef Haydn said Mozart was the finest composer he knew.
Good times and sad times
In 1787, Mozart's opera The Marriage of Figaro was a hit. But then he learned his father Leopold had died. Happiness turned to sadness.
Mozart had to earn money by teaching music, and giving concerts . He worked hard. He sat up all night to finish his next opera, Don Giovanni.
The King of Prussia (in Germany) offered him a well-paid job. But Mozart stayed in Vienna.
How Mozart worked
Mozart could write music very quickly. He once wrote an opera in 3 weeks.
He wrote 41 symphonies . He wrote funny operas, such as Cosi fan Tutte ('All Women Are Like That') and serious ones like The Magic Flute. He wrote solemn church music, and shorter, cheerful pieces such as Eine Kleine Nachtmusik ('A Little Night Music')
How Mozart's life ended
Mozart was working on a piece of funeral music, called a Requiem, in the summer of 1791, he became ill. No one knows what was wrong with him. He died in December 1791.
The great composer was so poor he was buried with other poor people in a 'paupers' grave'. No stone marked it.
Mozart's music
Mozart's music is enjoyed all over the world. People listen to it at concerts They enjoy recordings made by orchestras and solo players.
Mozart was not always happy. Yet his music is often full of fun. He also wrote serious and moving music.
Festivals of music
Every year people come to Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace. The town has a music festival in his honour.
There are music festivals all over the world. The BBC 'Proms' is a music festival. People come to festivals to make music and enjoy it.
| Wolfgang |
What creatures are the Canary Islands named after? | Amadeus (1984) - IMDb
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The incredible story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , told by his peer and secret rival Antonio Salieri - now confined to an insane asylum.
Director:
Peter Shaffer (original stage play), Peter Shaffer (original screenplay)
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In Chicago in September 1936, a young con man seeking revenge for his murdered partner teams up with a master of the big con to win a fortune from a criminal banker.
Director: George Roy Hill
A criminal pleads insanity after getting into trouble again and once in the mental institution rebels against the oppressive nurse and rallies up the scared patients.
Director: Milos Forman
Gandhi's character is fully explained as a man of nonviolence. Through his patience, he is able to drive the British out of the subcontinent. And the stubborn nature of Jinnah and his commitment towards Pakistan is portrayed.
Director: Richard Attenborough
A sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.
Director: Sam Mendes
When his secret bride is executed for assaulting an English soldier who tried to rape her, William Wallace begins a revolt against King Edward I of England.
Director: Mel Gibson
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.3/10 X
In future Britain, Alex DeLarge, a charismatic and psycopath delinquent, who likes to practice crimes and ultra-violence with his gang, is jailed and volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society's crime problem - but not all goes according to plan.
Director: Stanley Kubrick
In Casablanca, Morocco in December 1941, a cynical American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.
Director: Michael Curtiz
The story of T.E. Lawrence , the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.
Director: David Lean
Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South, defends a black man against an undeserved rape charge, and his children against prejudice.
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A young recruit in Vietnam faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.
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Edit
Storyline
Antonio Salieri believes that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 's music is divine and miraculous. He wishes he was himself as good a musician as Mozart so that he can praise the Lord through composing. He began his career as a devout man who believes his success and talent as a composer are God's rewards for his piety. He's also content as the respected, financially well-off, court composer of Austrian Emperor Joseph II. But he's shocked to learn that Mozart is such a vulgar creature, and can't understand why God favored Mozart to be his instrument. Salieri's envy has made him an enemy of God whose greatness was evident in Mozart. He is ready to take revenge against God and Mozart for his own musical mediocrity. Written by Khaled Salem
Did You Know?
Trivia
The piece of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 's music with the oboe and clarinet themes, whose score Salieri so deeply admires in the early scenes, is the Adagio, or third movement, of the Serenade No. 10 in B-flat, KV361, also known as "Gran Partita". See more »
Goofs
Near the end when the bed-ridden Mozart is dictating a movement of his Requiem to Salieri, he tells him to write the bass instruments' notes as the "tonic and dominant" pitches in the key of A minor. But the notes that play, and the notes that actually appear in the score, are the tonic and sub-dominant. See more »
Quotes
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What sort of fruit is a Chinese gooseberry? | Chinese gooseberry becomes kiwifruit | NZHistory, New Zealand history online
Chinese gooseberry becomes kiwifruit
15 June 1959
Kiwifruit promotional card, 1980s (Tauranga City Libraries)
The prominent produce company Turners and Growers announced that it would from now on export Chinese gooseberries as ‘kiwifruit’. Introduced to this country in 1904, kiwifruit are now cultivated worldwide, with New Zealand-grown fruit marketed as ‘Zespri’.
Despite the name, kiwifruit are not native to New Zealand. Seeds were brought to New Zealand in 1904 by Mary Isabel Fraser, the principal of Wanganui Girls’ College, who had been visiting mission schools in China. They were planted in 1906 by a Whanganui nurseryman, Alexander Allison, and the vines first fruited in 1910. People thought the fruit had a gooseberry flavour and began to call it the Chinese gooseberry. It is not related to the Grossulariaceae family to which gooseberries belong.
New Zealand began exporting the fruit to the US in the 1950s. This was the height of the Cold War and the term Chinese gooseberry was a marketing nightmare for Turners and Growers. Their first idea, ‘melonettes’, was equally unpopular with US importers because melons and berries were subject to high import tariffs. In June 1959, Jack Turner suggested the name kiwifruit during a Turners and Growers management meeting in Auckland. His idea was adopted and this later became the industry-wide name.
The Bay of Plenty town of Te Puke, where New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry began, markets itself as the ‘Kiwifruit Capital of the World’. In 2011 Italy was the world’s leading producer of kiwifruit, followed by New Zealand, Chile, Greece, France, the USA and Iran. Most New Zealand kiwifruit is now marketed under the brand-name Zespri, partly as a way to distinguish ‘Kiwi’ kiwifruit from the produce of other countries.
Read more on NZHistory
| Kiwifruit |
What colour is a (male) purple finch? | Chinese Gooseberry Or Kiwi Fruit Relation from Dried Fruits Manufacturer
Home > News >
Chinese Gooseberry Or Kiwi Fruit
As we all know that Chinese gooseberry and kiwi fruits mean the same fruits, however few people know relationship between the two, even fruits experts. Until now, the 20th Century Words has given a clear explanation about Chinese gooseberry and kiwi fruit.
Chinese gooseberry n. (1922) the fruits of the vine Actinia chinesis, later better known as the kiwi fruit (1966). China was its original home.
Kiwi fruit n. (1966) the oval edible fruit of climbing plant ... its original name was Chinese gooseberry, but when New Zealand growers tried to export it to the US in the 1960s this was found not to be acceptable for political reasons, so a new name, appropriate to one of New Zealand’s most high-profile products, was chosen.
From the above, I do believe all of you have got a clear idea about Chinese gooseberry and kiwi fruits. As a Chinese dried kiwi manufacturer, quality and taste are guaranteed to the world. If you are interested in dried kiwi, please contact us.
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Bulk dried fruits manufactured by AGICO provided all nutrition and vitamins you needs. A research has indicated that human body needs all nutrition just like rainbow possesses seven colors.
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What type of insect is a Spanish fly? | Spanish fly (insect) | Article about Spanish fly (insect) by The Free Dictionary
Spanish fly (insect) | Article about Spanish fly (insect) by The Free Dictionary
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Spanish+fly+(insect)
Related to Spanish fly (insect): lytta
Spanish fly:
see blister beetle blister beetle,
common name for certain soft-bodied, usually black or brown, mostly elongate and cylindrical beetles belonging to the family Meloidae. Blister beetles are common insects found feeding on the flowers and foliage of various plants. Occasionally some, e.g.
..... Click the link for more information. .
Spanish Fly
(Lytta vesicatoria), a beetle of the family Meloidae (see
MELOIDAE
). The body length is 12–20 mm. The coloration is golden green. The Spanish fly is distributed in Europe and Asia. It flies on hot days in May through July; it emits a sharp, unpleasant odor. It eats the leaves of trees and shrubs, and in large numbers causes considerable damage. It deposits its eggs in the ground; the hatched larvae crawl onto flowers, from where wild bees transport them on their bodies to their own nests. The larvae eat the bees’ eggs and the honey in the honeycomb cells, then leave the nests and metamorphose into pseudopupae, which winter in the ground.
The hemolymph and sexual organs of Spanish flies contain a toxic substance called cantharidin. Dried Spanish flies were used to prepare vesicatory plasters.
Spanish fly
preparation made of green blister beetles and used to incite cattle to mate. [Insect Symbolism: EB, IX: 399]
See: Aphrodisiacs
Spanish fly
1. a European blister beetle, Lytta vesicatoria (family Meloidae), the dried bodies of which yield the pharmaceutical product cantharides
2. another name for cantharides
| Beetle |
Arabic numerals originated in which country? | Spanish fly (insect) synonyms, Spanish fly (insect) antonyms - FreeThesaurus.com
Spanish fly (insect) synonyms, Spanish fly (insect) antonyms - FreeThesaurus.com
http://www.freethesaurus.com/Spanish+fly+(insect)
Related to Spanish fly (insect): lytta
noun
Words related to Spanish fly
green beetle of southern Europe
Related Words
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What are sticks of blackboard chalk made from? | How chalk is made - material, making, used, processing, procedure, product, industry
Chalk
Background
Chalk used in school classrooms comes in slender sticks approximately .35 of an inch (nine millimeters) in diameter and 3.15 inches (80 millimeters) long. Lessons are often presented to entire classes on chalk-boards (or blackboards, as they were originally called) using sticks of chalk because this method has proven cheap and easy.
As found in nature, chalk has been used for drawing since prehistoric times, when, according to archaeologists, it helped to create some of the earliest cave drawings. Later, artists of different countries and styles used chalk mainly for sketches, and some such drawings, protected with shellac or a similar substance, have survived. Chalk was first formed into sticks for the convenience of artists. The method was to grind natural chalk to a fine powder, then add water, clay as a binder, and various dry colors. The resultant putty was then rolled into cylinders and dried. Although impurities produce natural chalk in many colors, when artists made their own chalk they usually added pigments to render these colors more vivid. Carbon, for example, was used to enhance black, and ferric oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) created a more vivid red.
Chalk did not become standard in schoolrooms until the nineteenth century, when class sizes began to increase and teachers needed a convenient way of conveying information to many students at one time. Not only did instructors use large blackboards, but students also worked with individual chalkboards, complete with chalk sticks and a sponge or cloth to use as an eraser. These small chalkboards were used for practice, especially among the younger students. Pens dipped in ink wells were the preferred tool for writing final copy, but these were reserved for older students who could be trusted not to make a mess: paper—made solely from rags at this time—was expensive.
An important change in the nature of classroom chalk paralleled a change in chalk-boards. Blackboards used to be black, because they were made from true slate. While some experts advocated a change to yellow chalkboards and dark blue or purple chalk to simulate writing on paper, when manufacturers began to fashion chalkboards from synthetic materials during the twentieth century, they chose the color green, arguing that it was easier on the eyes. Yellow became the preferred color for chalk.
Almost all chalk produced today is dustless. Earlier, softer chalk tended to produce a cloud of dust that some feared might contribute to respiratory problems. Dustless chalk still produces dust; it's just that the dust settles faster. Manufacturers accomplish this by baking their chalk longer to harden it more. Another method, used by a French company, is to dip eighty percent of each dustless chalk stick in shellac to prevent the chalk from rubbing off onto the hands.
Raw Materials
The main component of chalk is calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), a form of limestone. Limestone deposits develop as coccoliths (minute calcareous plates created by the decomposition of plankton skeletons) accumulate, forming sedimentary layers. Plankton, a tiny marine organism, concentrates the calcium found naturally in seawater from .04 percent to 40 percent, which is then precipitated when the plankton dies.
To make chalk, limestone is first quarried, generally by an open pit quarry method. Next, the limestone must be crushed. Primary crushing, such as in a jaw crusher, breaks down large boulders; secondary crushing pulverizes smaller chunks into pebbles. The limestone is then wet-milled with water in a ball mill—a rotating steel drum with steel balls inside to further pulverize the chalk. This step washes away impurities and leaves a fine powder.
The base of pastel chalks is calcium sulfate (CaSO 4 ), which is derived from gypsum (CaSO 4 -2H 2 O), an evaporite mineral formed by the deposition of ocean brine; it also occurs disseminated in limestone. Chalk and dehydrated gypsum thus have similar origins and properties. Pastels also contain clays and oils for binding, and strong pigments. This mixture produces sticks that write smoothly without smearing and draw better on paper than on chalkboards. Although great care is taken to eliminate contaminants when chalk is manufactured, some impurities inherent to the mineral remain. Chief among these are silica, alumina, iron, phosphorus, and sulfur. In less significant, amounts, manganese, copper, titanium, sodium oxide, potassium oxide, fluorine, arsenic, and strontium may also occur.
The Manufacturing
Process
Quarrying limestone
1 Approximately 95 percent of the limestone produced in the United States is quarried. After a sufficient reserve (twenty-five years' worth is recommended) has been prospected, the land that covers the deposit is removed with bulldozers and scrapers. If the chalk is close to the surface, an open shelf quarry method can be used; however, this is very rare. Usually an open pit quarry method is used instead. In this method, holes are drilled into the rock, explosives are placed inside, and the rock is blown apart. Depending on the nature of the deposit, a pit can be enlarged laterally or vertically.
Pulverizing the chalk
2 Once comparatively large chunks of limestone have been quarried, they need to be transported to crushing machines, where they are pulverized to meet the demands of the chalk industry. The first step is primary crushing. Various crushers exist, but the principle is the same: all compress the stone with jaws or a cone, or shatter it through impact. Secondary crushing is accomplished by smaller crushers that work at higher speeds, producing pebbles which are then ground and pulverized.
3 The next phase, wet grinding, washes away impurities. It is used to make the fine grade of limestone necessary to make chalk suitable for writing purposes. Wet grinding is carried out in ball mills—rotating steel drums with steel balls inside that pulverize the chalk until it is very fine.
After grinding, the chalk particles are sifted over vibrating screens to separate the finer particles. The particles are then mixed with water, extruded through a die of the proper size, and cut to the proper length. Finally, the chalk is cured in an oven for four days.
Dehydrating gypsum
4 Gypsum, like limestone, is also quarried and pulverized. The major difference in processing gypsum is that it must be dehydrated to form calcium sulfate, the major component of colored chalk. This is done in a kettle, a large combustion chamber in which the gypsum is heated to between 244 and 253 degrees Fahrenheit (116-121 degrees Celsius). It is allowed to boil until it has been reduced by twelve to fifteen percent, at which point its water content will have been reduced from 20.9 percent to between 5 and 6 percent. To further reduce the water, the gypsum is reheated to about 402 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius), at which point it is removed from the kettle. By now, almost all of the water has evaporated, leaving calcium sulfate.
Sifting, cleaning, and shipping
the chalk
5 The particles of chalk or calcium sulfate are now conveyed to vibrating screens that sift out the finer material. The ensuing fine chalk is then washed, dried, packed in bags, and shipped to the manufacturer. Upon receiving chalk or calcium sulfate, the chalk factory usually grinds the materials again to render them smooth and uniformly fine.
Making white classroom chalk
6 To make white classroom chalk, the manufacturer adds water to form a thick slurry with the consistency of clay. The slurry is then placed into and extruded from a die—an orifice of the desired long, thin shape. Cut into lengths of approximately 24.43 inches (62 centimeters), the sticks are next placed on a sheet that contains places for five such sticks. The sheet is then placed in an oven, where the chalk cures for four days at 188 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius). After it has cured, the sticks are cut into 80 millimeters lengths.
Making colored classroom chalk
7 Pigments (dry, natural, colored materials) are mixed in with the calcium carbonate while both are dry (the procedure is similar to sifting flour and baking powder together before adding liquid, as in a cake recipe). Water is then added to the mixture, which is then baked in the same manner as white classroom chalk.
Making pastels
8 Another manufacturing method is used for pastels, the chalks used for art drawing. The procedure resembles that used for colored classroom chalk, but calcium sulfate is used instead of calcium carbonate. In addition, the dry material is mixed with clay and oils, and more pigments are added to produce a slurry that has the consistency of toothpaste. Because the final products must be relatively moist, pastels are usually air-dried rather than baked.
Boxing the chalk
9 Placed in small boxes, the completed chalk sticks are stacked in large boxes to be shipped to supply stores.
Quality Control
Chalk that is intended for the classroom must undergo stringent tests in order to perform well and be labeled nontoxic. All incoming materials are tested for purity before being used. After the chalk has been made into sticks, one stick from each batch is selected for tests. The density and break strength of the sample stick are determined. The sample is then used to write with, and the quality of the mark is studied. Erasability is also studied. First, the chalk mark is erased using a dry eraser, and the quality of erasure is examined. Then, the chalkboard is washed, and again the amount of chalk left on the board is examined. Furthermore, a sample from each batch is kept for five years so that it can be inspected if in the future its quality is questioned.
Chalk for classroom use adheres to the American National Standards Institute performance standards. Written specifications state the proper length of the chalk stick, as well as how many sticks should go in a box. On November 18, 1990, a Federal Act (Public Law 100-695) went into effect, mandating that all art materials sold in the United States must be evaluated by a qualified toxicologist who must then issue a label explaining their toxicity. Toxicologists are concerned not with cost but with safety, and they must consider many factors before granting approval. Each ingredient, the quantity in which it is used, and its possible adverse reactions with other ingredients are studied. The product's size and packaging, its potential harm to humans, and its tendency to produce allergic reactions are also considered. Toxicologists also take into account the products use and potential mis-use, as well as all federal and state regulations. Formulas for every color and every formula change must meet approval.
Classroom chalk is labeled "CP [certified product] nontoxic" if it meets the standards of the Art and Craft Materials Institute, a nonprofit manufacturers' association. This label certifies that art materials for children are nontoxic and meet voluntary standards of quality and performance, and that the toxicity of art materials for adults has been correctly labeled. The CP seal also indicates that the product meets standards of material, workmanship, working qualities, and color developed by the Art and Craft Materials Institute and others such as the American National Standards Institute and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). To ensure honesty, most chalk manufacturers are tested at random by an independent toxicologist, who checks to see that they are meeting nontoxic standards. Most manufacturers conform to such exacting standards because knowledgeable schools will not purchase chalk that is not properly labeled.
The Future
Many people consider using chalk and chalk-boards to present material outdated. Some experts claim that teachers have stubbornly resisted new technologies that could improve teaching—and eliminate the chalkboard entirely. A study which recently investigated whether teaching with overhead projectors was more effective than using chalkboards concluded that chalkboards were more interactive, progressive, and fruitful.
A development much in the educational news lately is the electronic chalkboard. In place of a regular chalkboard, a teacher uses a large TV screen, inputting materials from a computer terminal. In a more advanced scenario, each student uses a terminal, to which the teacher sends information from a master computer. Experts claim that such set-ups are more visually exciting to students, more versatile than the old-fashioned chalkboards, cleaner than dusty chalk, easier for the teacher to use, and better able to present more complex material through the use of graphics and animation. Many studies on the feasibility of electronic chalkboards have been made, however, and most seem to favor keeping the traditional chalkboard, at least for now. Electronic chalkboards that are sophisticated and easily readable lie beyond the budget constraints and technological capabilities of most schools. Further, studies of the electronic system's effectiveness report that teachers who use it spent more time preparing their lessons, teachers and students were less interactive, students were dissatisfied with the electronic chalkboards, and the new devices divided the students' attention between the screen and the teacher conveying the information. Although the enthusiasm for electronic blackboards in some areas remains high, chalk use in the classroom is guaranteed for some time to come.
Where To Learn More
| Gypsum |
A geography term from French and Arabic, what is an erg made of? | History & Future - The chemistry of chalk
The chemistry of chalk
We spend a lot of the time in the class room watching teachers write on the blackboard with chalk. But when was the first time that we started to use this little white stick?
What is chalk?
The word chalk comes from the Latin word ‘calx’. We get chalk from limestone. Most of the chalk you find today was made almost 60 to 100 million years ago. It is chemically made of calcium carbonate. This soft white porous sedimentary rock occurs naturally deep under the sea where small circular calcite plates called coccoliths accumulate to form limestone.
In its natural form chalk can be found in colours ranging from grey, white and yellow. The different colours occur due to various impurities in the chalk. Did you know that if you subject chalk to heat and pressure it turns to marble.
Did you know that if you subject chalk to heat and pressure it turns to marble.
Where do you find chalk?
You may find pictures of tall and steep cliffs like the Isle of Wight in your school textbooks. England has a lot of natural chalk deposits. These cliffs are made from chalk, and can resist the weather much better than normal cliffs. Since chalk is a very porous material, it tends to absorb water and store it.
Use of chalk
Chalk is pressed into white sticks which are then used for a variety of purposes from scribbling on the blackboard, outlining designs on fabrics for tailors and making art works on pavements. Some of the different uses of chalk and their types include blackboard chalk which is made from gypsum, sidewalk chalk, agriculture chalk made from calcium carbonate and calcium oxide.
Chalk also has a variety of other uses, it was originally used to draw those white lines that define the court boundaries in sports like tennis, badmintons and other such sports. It is used in agriculture to treat soils that are too acidic in nature. You can use it if you are a gymnast or rock climber to remove the perspiration in your hand. Did you know even your toothpaste has a small amount of chalk in it.
What are street chalk drawings?
People who draw art works on streets use a special kind of chalk. This is made of a combination of the basic calcium carbonate, mixed with a pigment and gum Arabic. This mixture is then made into a stick which is waxy in nature, and looks something like a pastel stick. You can differentiate it from a pastel because they are long, thin and light.
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Which famous Belfast born guitarist, who played with Thin Lizzy for a while, died on 6th February 2011? | Guitarists from Belfast | Best Guitar Players from Belfast
Famous Guitarists from Belfast
1.2k views 9 items tags f t p @
List of famous guitarists born who were born in Belfast, listed alphabetically with photos when available. Many of these guitar players from Belfast are legends in the music world, each with their own innovative styles of play. If you play guitar, whether acoustic or electric, then these famous Belfast guitar players should be people you look up to. These are some of the best guitarists that have ever picked up the instrument, and whether they play rock, blues, metal or folk, these men and women are considered legends.
The list you're viewing has a variety of items, like Van Morrison and Gary Moore, in it.
This list answers the questions, "What guitar players are from Belfast?" and "Who are famous Belfast guitarists?"
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| Gary Moore |
Ex-US president George W Bush cancelled a trip to which European country in February 2011 due to fears that he could be arrested for ordering the torture of prisoners? | Goodbye to all the celebrities who died in 2011 - Mirror Online
Goodbye to all the celebrities who died in 2011
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Elizabeth Taylor (Pic: Getty Images)
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FROM screen legend Elizabeth Taylor and singer Amy Winehouse to Apple boss Steve Jobs and footballer Gary Speed, the world is mourning the loss of some iconic characters in 2011
Here we look at some of the more notable people who passed away...
Sue Carroll
The legendary Daily Mirror journalist died aged 58 on Christmas Day after battling pancreatic cancer. A popular, feisty and glamorous northerner, Sue was intensely proud of her working class roots and championed the underdog in the weekly Mirror column she wrote for 13 years. Billed as “Everybody’s favourite columnist”, she was among the first women to break into the male dominated world of Fleet Street national newspapers.
Pete Postlethwaite
The actor, who died on January 2 of pancreatic cancer aged 64, was once described by film director Steven Spielberg as “probably the best actor in the world today” and received an Oscar nomination for his performance in 1993 film In The Name Of The Father. His notable movies included the 1995 film The Usual Suspects and Brassed Off in 1996.
Gary Moore
The former Thin Lizzy guitarist died of a heart attack aged 58 while asleep on holiday in Spain on February 6. After joining the infamous band Skid Row as a 16-year old Belfast-born Moore went on to make his name with Thin Lizzy and then as a solo artist.
Elizabeth Taylor
The curtain came down on one of Hollywood’s most fascinating careers with the passing of the film legend on March 23, aged 79. The London born movie icon’s powerful screen presence and captivating beauty coupled with a colourful love life made her a mainstay of US popular culture for more than half a century. The double-Oscar winning actress found fame as the perky child star of Lassie Come Home and National Velvet before moving on to adult roles in hits such as Cleopatra and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Taylor, worth an estimated £375m at the time of her death, had been known to struggle with health problems and had apparently been in hospital more than 70 times.
Steve Jobs
Computer genius Jobs logged off for the last time when he died on October 5, aged 56 after a long battle against pancreatic cancer. The Apple co-founder revolutionised modern culture with such visionary inventions like the iPod and the iPad.
Sir Jimmy Savile
The colourful TV legend died in hospital on October 29 after suffering from pneumonia. One of the most famous names on British TV and radio in the 60s, 70s and 80s, he died two days short of his 85th birthday. His hit family programme Jim’ll Fix It drew huge audiences and at the height of its popularity he was receiving 20,000 letters a week. His closed satin gold coffin was displayed at the Queens Hotel in Leeds together with the last cigar he smoked and his two This Is Your Life books. About 4,000 people visited to pay tribute.
Joe Frazier
The former heavyweight boxing champion died from liver cancer on November 7, aged 67. Nicknamed “Smokin Joe”, he fought fellow boxing legend Muhammad Ali three times, including the famous Thrilla In Manila fight in 1975 - widely regarded as the best fight of all time.
Socrates
The Brazilian football superstar died on December 4, aged 57 after suffering an intestinal infection. The idol of the 1982 World Cup, the soccer egend won 60 caps and was easily recognisable in his playing days as a bearded 6ft 4ins midfield genius with great passing ability.
Gerry Rafferty
The musician, whose most memorable hits include Baker Street and Stuck In the Middle With You, succumbed to liver failure after battling alcoholism and died aged 64 on January 4.
Amy Winehouse
The untimely death of this iconic singer aged just 27 was met with disbelief during the summer. The troubled star was known to be locked in a daily battle with her demons. Winehouse, who had apparently been clean of drugs, was found dead in her Camden house on July 23. She was five times over the legal drink-drive limit for alcohol when she died, an inquest into her death heard. Winehouse’s 2003 debut album, Frank, was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black made Winehouse the first British female to win five Grammys.
Ken Russell
The flamboyant English film director died in his sleep aged 84 on November 27. Known for his controversial films including Women In Love, which
featured Oliver Reed and Alan Bates wrestling nude, he also directed the infamous religious drama The Devils and The Who’s rock opera, Tommy, in 1975. Russell’s 1969 adaptation of DH Lawrence’s Women in Love earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director.
Christopher Hitchens
The journalist and social commentator died aged 62 on December 15, following a battle with esophageal cancer. Hitchens, a regular contributor to the Daily Mirror, was diagnosed with the illness in 2010 while on a book tour for his memoir, Hitch-22. Born in Portsmouth, the writer worked for the New Statesman before moving to the US to work for The Atlantic, Slate and, most notably, Vanity Fair.
Philip Gould
One of the architects of New Labour, Gould died on December 6 aged 61 of cancer of the oesophagus. He began working with the Labour party during their slow climb back to power. He advised the party on polling and strategy during their unsuccessful elections in 1987 and 1992, as well as during the victorious 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Sir Henry Cooper
One of Britain’s most popular sportsmen, Our ‘Enry died on May 1 aged 76 after months of deteriorating health. Sir Henry, who was knighted in 2000, was best remembered for his two momentous fights against Muhammad Ali in 1963 and 1966. In the first, he knocked Ali - then known as Cassius Clay - to the canvas, but Ali recovered to win.
Gary Speed
The Wales football manager allegedly took his own life at his home on November 27 aged 42. The nation was shocked by the untimely death of a much loved sporting hero. Speed, a former Newcastle, Everton and Leeds player, captained Wales winning 85 caps in a 14-year international career. His greatest moment at club level came in 1992 when he won the championship with Leeds, while he was twice an FA Cup runner-up with
Newcastle.
Dan Wheldon
The IndyCar racing champion died in Las Vegas on October 16, aged 33. The two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, originally from Emberton, Olney,
was killed after his vehicle was caught up in a 15-car pileup on the Nevada track.
Brian Haw
He may have not been a household name, or appeared in glossy magazines, but anti-war campaigner Haw fought for what he thought was right. Haw, who lived for almost ten years in a camp in London’s Parliament Square in a protest against UK and US foreign policy, died on June 18 aged 61 of lung cancer.
Lucian Freud
Realist painter Freud died on July 20, aged 88, following an unspecified illness. A grandson of the psycho-analyst Sigmund Freud, he was acknowledged as Britain’s leading living painter and famously painted an unflattering portrait of The Queen. His portrayal of an overweight nude woman sleeping on a couch sold in 2008 for £20.6m - a world record for a work by a living artist.
David Croft
He co-wrote and produced a string of television sitcoms which kept us amused for decades and died on September 27, aged 89. Croft brought us timeless hits including Dad’s Army, Are You Being Served?, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum and Hi de Hi!
John Sullivan
Sullivan, who wrote one of the best-loved British sitcoms, Only Fools and Horses, died on April 23, aged 64. He had been in intensive care for six weeks at a hospital in Surrey, battling viral pneumonia. He also wrote Citizen Smith and Just Good Friends.
Severiano Ballesteros
The charismatic and much-loved golfer died on May 7, aged 54, three years after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. The Spaniard, a former World No1, was one of the sport’s leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He won five major championships, the Open Championship three times, and the Masters Tournament twice.
John Barry
The composer, famous for his work on Born Free, Out of Africa and the James Bond films, died on January 30 in New York of a heart attack aged 77. The York-born musician composed scores for 11 films in the Bond series, among them Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice. His work saw him win five Oscars, while he received a Bafta fellowship in 2005.
Vaclav Havel
The former dissident playwright, who had a history of chronic respiratory problems, died on December 18, aged 75. As the first president after the Velvet Revolution against communist rule, he presided over Czechoslovakia’s transition to democracy and a free-market economy and oversaw its peaceful 1993 split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Ginger McCain
The legendary racehorse trainer died on September 19, aged 80 after a short illness. McCain saddled Red Rum to win the Grand National three times, in 1973, 1974 and 1977, before winning the world’s greatest steeplechase for a fourth time with Amberleigh House in 2004.
Betty Driver
The Coronation Street favourite died on October 15, aged 91. She had played the role of Rovers Return barmaid Betty Williams (Turpin) in the soap for 42 years. The actress had been in hospital for six weeks following treatment for a chest infection in 2010. Her character became known for her famous Lancashire hotpot - but Driver herself never tasted the dish as she did not eat meat.
Eddie Stobart
The haulage magnate, who built up the Eddie Stobart lorry empire, died on March 31, aged 56. He suffered what were described as “heart problems” before his death. Stobart’s distinctive trucks, with each cabin bearing a woman’s name, were a common sight on motorways across
the UK and Europe.
Claude Choules
The world’s last known combat veteran of World War I, Choules, died in Australia on May 5, aged 110. Known to his comrades as Chuckles, British-born Choules joined the Royal Navy at 15 and went on to serve on HMS Revenge. Choules was reported to have died in his sleep at a nursing home in his adopted city of Perth.
Dr Harry Coover
American Dr Coover, who died in his sleep on March 26, aged 94, was the inventor of Super Glue, the world’s strongest adhesive. Dr Coover was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Barack Obama in 2010.
Cheeta
The star of the Tarzan movies of the 1930s, died age 80 on Christmas Eve. The chimp, who rubbed shoulders with presidents, died of kidney
failure at an animal sanctuary in Florida. He had been handed the Guinness world record in 2005 as the oldest non-humane primate.
Knut
The polar bear, who became world famous after he was hand-reared by keepers after his mother rejected him, died at the age of four on March 19. Knut was found floating in the pool inside his enclosure at Berlin zoo. In 2007, Knut generated more than £4.4m in extra income for Berlin zoo, from the sale of tickets and Knut-branded merchandise.
Wallace McCain
The billionaire Canadian frozen food mogul who brought us the oven chip, died aged 81 on May 13. The co-founder of the McCain Foods empire passed away in Toronto, after losing a 14-month battle with cancer. Forbes Magazine ranked McCain 512th on its annual list of the world’s billionaires, estimating his personal net worth at £1.4bn.
Wilson Greatbatch
The US inventor of the first implantable cardiac pacemaker died in Buffalo, New York, on September 27, aged 92. His pacemaker was first implanted in humans in 1960 and keeps the heart beating in a regular rhythm. Now, hundreds of thousands of people receive pacemakers every year. Greatbatch’s cause of death is not known.
Betty Ford
The US First Lady from 1974-76 died on July 8, aged 93. The wife of President Gerald Ford became the most influential First Lady and famously set up the Betty Ford Center which helps combat substance abuse.
Shelagh Delaney
Delaney, who wrote the screenplay for the seminal work A Taste of Honey, cited by singer Morrissey as the best film of the 1960s, died on November 20, aged 72 following a long battle with breast cancer. Delaney died from heart failure, five days before her 73rd birthday, at the home of her daughter Charlotte in Suffolk.
Harry Moseley
The 11-year-old fundraiser died on October 9 from a brain tumour after raising thousands of pounds for charity. Harry, from Birmingham, became well-known through his presence on Twitter after being diagnosed with the tumour after becoming ill in 2007.
Gary Mason
The former British boxing champion died on January 6, aged 48, in a cycling crash in South London.
Susannah York
The English actress, who shot to fame in films like They Shoot Horses Don’t They? died on January 15, aged 72, following a battle against bone marrow cancer.
Nat Lofthouse
The English football legend, who played for Bolton Wanderers and was capped 33 times for England between 1950 and 1958, died on January 15,
aged 85, in a nursing home in Bolton.
John Paul Getty III
The grandson of billionaire oil magnate J Paul Getty died on February 5, aged 54, after a long illness. He was kidnapped in Rome in 1973, when he was just 16, and his ear was posted to his family before a ransom was paid. He had been paralysed for the last 30 years after a drug overdose.
Dean Richards
The footballer, who played for Bradford City, Wolverhampton, Southampton and Tottenham, died on February 26, aged 36 after suffering from long-term illness.
Jane Russell
The American actress who starred in The Outlaw and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, died of respiratory illness on February 28, aged 89.
Michael Gough
The British actor who starred in Hollywood hits, Sleepy Hollow and Batman, died on March 17, aged 94, after a short illness.
Jet Harris
The bass guitarist of The Shadows died on March 18, aged 71, following a battle with throat cancer.
Trevor Bannister
The British actor, who appeared in TV shows including Are You Being Served? died on April 14, aged 76 following a heart attack.
Elisabeth Sladen
The British actress who appeared in Doctor Who and the Sarah Jane Adventures, died on April 19, aged 65, following a fight with cancer.
Ted Lowe
The British snooker commentator died after a ten week illness on May 1, aged 90. Lowe’s unmistakable hushed tones earned him the popular nickname “Whispering Ted”.
Jeff Conaway
The American actor, famed for his role as Kenickie in Grease, died on May 27, aged 60, after a long battle with drug and alcohol addiction.
Janet Brown
The British actress and famed for her impersonations of Margaret Thatcher died on May 27, aged 87 after a short illness.
Peter Falk
Famous for his title role in the TV series Columbo, American actor Falk died on June 23, aged 83. He had been suffering from dementia for a number of years.
Graham Dilley
The English cricket hero died on October 5, aged 52 following a battle with cancer.
Diane Cilento
The Australian actress, who starred in Tom Jones and The Wicker Man, and was once married to Sean Connery, died on October 6, aged 78 following a battle with cancer.
George Baker
The English actor, best-known as TV’s Inspector Wexford in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, died on October 7, aged 80, from pneumonia following a stroke.
Osama bin Laden
Ten years after ordering the 9/11 attacks in which nearly 3,000 people died, the Al-Qaeda leader was found and shot dead on May 2, by US Special Forces. He was aged 54. He was top of the US’ “most wanted” list and had been living quietly in a compound near Islamabad. President Barack Obama called the killing of bin Laden the “most significant achievement to date” in the effort to defeat Al-Qaeda. “Justice has been done,” Obama said.
Muammar Gaddafi
Libyan dictator Gaddafi was shot dead by rebels on October 20 following the capture of his hometown of Sirte. Gaddafi, who ruled Libya with an iron fist for 41 years, was captured and then executed in cold blood in a drainage ditch desperately begging for his life. He was 69. After the fall of Tripoli to forces of the opposition National Transitional Council (NTC) in August, Gaddafi and his family fled the Libyan capital.
Kim Jong-il
The North Korean dictator was said to have died from “over work”, suffering a massive heart attack on his luxury private train on December 17. Under the 69-year-old’s rule millions of people starved to death and hundreds of thousands were imprisoned. Yet in astonishing scenes millions openly mourned their leader at the funeral procession of the brutal dictator.
Donald Neilson
The serial killer knowns as the “Black Panther” died on December 18, aged 75 from pneumonia while in prison. He had motor neurone disease and had spent36 years behind bars. Neilson murdered heiress Lesley Whittle in 1975 and also shot dead three sub-postmasters during armed robberies.
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Which Formula One racing driver was injured in a high-speed rally accident in Italy in February 2011? | Renault's Robert Kubica injured in car crash - The San Diego Union-Tribune
Renault's Robert Kubica injured in car crash
FILE - The Sept. 24, 2010 file photo shows Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland at the Singapore Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore on Sept. 24, 2010. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency rep
/ AP
FILE - The Sept. 24, 2010 file photo shows Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland at the Singapore Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore on Sept. 24, 2010. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The 26-year-old Renault driver was 4.6-kilometers from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally near Genoa when his car left the road and hit a wall. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
FILE - The Sept. 24, 2010 file photo shows Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland at the Singapore Grand Prix on the Marina Bay City Circuit in Singapore on Sept. 24, 2010. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The 26-year-old Renault driver was 4.6-kilometers from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally near Genoa when his car left the road and hit a wall. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) (/ AP)
The Associated Press
FILE - The April 1, 2010 file photo shows Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland talking to reporters outside his team garage at the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA n
/ AP
FILE - The April 1, 2010 file photo shows Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland talking to reporters outside his team garage at the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The 26-year-old Renault driver was 4.6-kilometers from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally near Genoa when his car left the road and hit a wall. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
FILE - The April 1, 2010 file photo shows Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland talking to reporters outside his team garage at the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The 26-year-old Renault driver was 4.6-kilometers from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally near Genoa when his car left the road and hit a wall. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) (/ AP)
FILE - The June 10, 2007 file photo shows Formula One driver Robert Kubica hitting the guardrail during the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday
/ AP
FILE - The June 10, 2007 file photo shows Formula One driver Robert Kubica hitting the guardrail during the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The 26-year-old Renault driver was 4.6-kilometers from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally near Genoa when his car left the road and hit a wall. (AP Photo/Canadian Press, Jacques Boissinot)
FILE - The June 10, 2007 file photo shows Formula One driver Robert Kubica hitting the guardrail during the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The 26-year-old Renault driver was 4.6-kilometers from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally near Genoa when his car left the road and hit a wall. (AP Photo/Canadian Press, Jacques Boissinot) (/ AP)
Italian paramedics use a sheet to cover the rescue of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, as he is air lifted, in Andora, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team
/ AP
Italian paramedics use a sheet to cover the rescue of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, as he is air lifted, in Andora, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team and health authorities said. Health officials in Italy said Kubica's life was not in danger, and that the worst damage appeared to be to his limbs. (AP Photo/Silvio Fasano)
Italian paramedics use a sheet to cover the rescue of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, as he is air lifted, in Andora, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team and health authorities said. Health officials in Italy said Kubica's life was not in danger, and that the worst damage appeared to be to his limbs. (AP Photo/Silvio Fasano) (/ AP)
Italian paramedics use a sheet, background right, to cover the rescue of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, as he is air lifted, in Andora, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his
/ AP
Italian paramedics use a sheet, background right, to cover the rescue of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, as he is air lifted, in Andora, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team and health authorities said. Health officials in Italy said Kubica's life was not in danger, and that the worst damage appeared to be to his limbs. (AP Photo/Silvio Fasano)
Italian paramedics use a sheet, background right, to cover the rescue of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, as he is air lifted, in Andora, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team and health authorities said. Health officials in Italy said Kubica's life was not in danger, and that the worst damage appeared to be to his limbs. (AP Photo/Silvio Fasano) (/ AP)
FILE - The July 9, 2010 file photo shows Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland working in his team garage before the start of the second practice session at the British Formula One Grand Prix in Silverstone, England. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injure
/ AP
FILE - The July 9, 2010 file photo shows Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland working in his team garage before the start of the second practice session at the British Formula One Grand Prix in Silverstone, England. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The 26-year-old Renault driver was 4.6-kilometers from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally near Genoa when his car left the road and hit a wall. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
FILE - The July 9, 2010 file photo shows Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland working in his team garage before the start of the second practice session at the British Formula One Grand Prix in Silverstone, England. Formula One driver Robert Kubica of Poland has been seriously injured in a car accident, the ANSA news agency reported Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The 26-year-old Renault driver was 4.6-kilometers from the start of the Ronde di Andora rally near Genoa when his car left the road and hit a wall. (AP Photo/Mark Baker) (/ AP)
Italian paramedics use a sheet to cover the rescue of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, as he is air lifted, in Andora, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team
/ AP
Italian paramedics use a sheet to cover the rescue of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, as he is air lifted, in Andora, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team and health authorities said. Health officials in Italy said Kubica's life was not in danger, and that the worst damage appeared to be to his limbs. The 26-year-old driver was still undergoing exams. (AP Photo/Silvio Fasano)
Italian paramedics use a sheet to cover the rescue of Formula One driver Robert Kubica, of Poland, as he is air lifted, in Andora, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Kubica was injured Sunday in a rally car accident in Italy just weeks before the start of the new Grand Prix season, his Lotus Renault team and health authorities said. Health officials in Italy said Kubica's life was not in danger, and that the worst damage appeared to be to his limbs. The 26-year-old driver was still undergoing exams. (AP Photo/Silvio Fasano) (/ AP)
Surgeons operating on Formula One driver Robert Kubica have turned their focus to his severely damaged right hand, which was among the serious injuries he sustained when his rally car hit a wall at "high speed" Sunday.
"The surgeons are trying to restore the functions of his right hand," Italian news agency ANSA quoted Kubica's manager, Daniel Morelli, as saying. "They have already revascularized the limb and repaired the bone structure."
Morelli said that "Robert has strong character and he will make it," according to ANSA.
He said the "clinical situation isn't easy," but denied that there was a risk of amputation.
"At this stage there is no such risk," Morelli said outside the hospital. "We're talking about the functionality."
The 26-year-old Kubica "suffered a high-speed accident this morning while competing in the Ronde di Andora Rally," the Pole's Lotus Renault team said in a statement. He was "diagnosed with multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand. He is currently undergoing surgery at the Santa Corona Hospital in Pietra Ligure."
The ANSA reported that the hand operation began after specialist Igor Rossello was called to the hospital.
The accident makes it unlikely Kubica will be on the grid for the start of the Grand Prix season in Bahrain on March 13. He was eighth in last year's F1 world championship.
It was difficult to extract Kubica from the wreckage and it was about two hours before he arrived at the hospital, Roberto Carrozzino, a local health authority official, told Sky Italia.
The hospital in Pietra Ligure, a small coastal town about 35 miles southwest of Genoa, said it would have an update on Kubica's condition later in the day.
ANSA said the driver was about 3 miles from the start of the rally when his car left the road and hit a wall. Co-driver Jakub Gerber was unhurt, the Lotus Renault team said.
"We were driving the first four kilometers of the first trial," Gerber told ANSA. "I was looking at my notes and didn't notice that the car skidded. Only after the moment of impact did I see that Robert was holding his arm and shortly afterward he lost conciousness."
Kubica was due to lead the Lotus Renault F1 team this season alongside Vitaly Petrov of Russia, with former HRT driver Bruno Senna named as a third driver. Romain Grosjean, who drove for Renault in 2009, was also named third driver alongside Senna.
It was not immediately known who would take Kubica's place in Bahrain should he unable to drive.
Kubica walked away from a frightening accident at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, where his car went airborne into a concrete wall before somersaulting across the track in a shower of debris that left only the cockpit intact.
Kubica, who was then driving for BMW Sauber, left the hospital the next day with a slight concussion and a sprained ankle.
Last week, he closed Formula One's first test session of the season with the fastest time over three days in Valencia, Spain. The next test session is Feb. 10-13 in Jerez, Spain.
---
AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire in Paris and Associated Press Writer Alessandra Rizzo in Rome contributed to this report.
| Robert Kubica |
What was the codename of the Iraqi agent who admitted lying to US intelligence services about the existence of weapons of mass destruction, and providing US/UK justification for the Iraq War? | Renault driver Robert Kubica seriously damages arm in collision | Sport | The Guardian
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This article is 5 years old
The career of one of the most promising young Formula One drivers was hanging in the balance tonight after an accident in a low-key rally in Italy left him badly injured and having surgery to try to save the use of his right hand.
Robert Kubica , 26, who drives for the Renault team, was competing in a Skoda Fabia on the Ronde di Andora when he suffered a high-speed crash into a church wall and then a barrier shortly after the start. It took rescue crews more than an hour to extract Kubica from the wreckage. Unconfirmed reports from the scene suggest that part of the barrier speared through the car's footwell into the cockpit.
The Pole, who is a national hero in his homeland, suffered multiple fractures to his right leg, arm and hand. He was airlifted from the crash site in the village of Testico to the Santa Corona hospital in Pietra Ligure on the Mediterranean coast where he underwent lengthy surgery.
The main area of concern is the driver's right hand, which, although safe from amputation, is severely damaged and it is too early for doctors to give a prognosis on a full recovery. It is the same arm that was badly injured in a road accident in 2003 and left him with titanium bolts to support the shattered bones.
Kubica's manager, Daniele Morelli, said last night: "The surgeons are trying to restore the functionality of the right hand. They must now think about the muscle function, but Robert has a very strong temper and will succeed." The Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reported that more surgery will be required after today's preliminary operation.
Kubica, who was due to start his fifth full season in Formula One in Bahrain next month, set the fastest time in testing last week and grand prix insiders regard him as one of the sport's supreme talents and a future world champion who could have earned anything up to $100m from his career as a driver. He made his debut for the BMW Sauber team in 2006 after eye-catching victories in the junior formulas, the traditional testing ground for emerging talent.
He hit the headlines in 2007 when he emerged almost unscathed from a terrifying high-speed crash in Montreal that was a testament to the strength of the modern Formula One car. A year later, and at the same track, he won his first, and so far only, grand prix. When BMW withdrew from Formula One at the end of 2009, unable to justify the cost after a dreadful season, Kubica signed for the Renault team and achieved some strong results, including second in Australia and third at Monaco, considered the greatest test of a driver's skill.
The feeling was that this would be the year Kubica would take on the sport's elite on the track and would soon be able to match them in the earnings stakes. In the ultra-secret world of Formula One finance hard figures are difficult to come by but Renault are believed to paying Kubica $10m a year until 2012, with Fernando Alonso earning four times that much at Ferrari.
Modern Formula One drivers' contracts usually forbid them from taking part in "high-risk" activities for fear of injury but the drivers are famed for seeking adrenaline rushes away from the track and Kubica is far from the first driver to put his career – and life – in jeopardy pursuing high-risk hobbies.
A spokesperson for the Renault team, which is based in Enstone in Oxfordshire, would not comment on whether Kubica had sought permission to compete in the rally although he has taken part in club rallies for several years. It is thought the car he crashed today, a powerful model that competes in international events, was one he purchased two years ago.
In the first three decades of the Formula One world championship, which began in 1950, drivers regularly competed in various brands of motor sport when they were not competing in grands prix. Top drivers such as Stirling Moss, Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart travelled the world to race in anything that might take them to a win.
Since the 1970s Formula One drivers are very much that, only occasionally skiing or mountain-biking in the off-season to keep fit and satisfy their need for speed and even that has proved hazardous. Two years ago the Australian driver Mark Webber broke a leg when he was hit by a 4x4 while taking part in a bike race.
Tonight fellow drivers offered their support to the popular Kubica.
Britain's former world champion Jenson Button, who drives for McLaren said on his Twitter page: "Shocking news about Robert Kubica. I wish him a speedy recovery."
Williams driver Rubens Barrichello tweeted: "I would like to ask you for your best wishes to Kubica. He is being operated right now. We all like him and he deserves all the best."
Sebastian Buemi of Toro Rosso said: "All my support to Robert Kubica. I am with you man."They will also be very aware that just as Robert Kubica was about to join the elite of formula one, his career may well have been snatched away from him by his desire to take part in one of the most basic forms of the sport.
The need for speed: previous accidents involving F1 drivers
Mark Webber
Breaks a leg when hit by a car mountain-biking in Tasmania before the 2009 season. Drives with steel rods in his leg. In 2010 goes over the handlebars on a training ride and fractures shoulder one week before the Japanese grand prix
Juan Pablo Montoya
Missed two races for McLaren in 2005 after injuring a shoulder "playing tennis". Stories that the damage was done when he fell off a motorbike engulf the paddock and McLaren are not amused
Michael Schumacher
Potential comeback with Ferrari in 2009 is aborted when neck injury caused by a motorcycle accident can't take the strain
Patrick Depailler
Misses the last eight races of the 1979 season – and a shot at the world title – after breaking his legs in a hang-gliding crash. The Ligier team dispense with his services. He joins Alfa Romeo but is killed in a crash at Hockenheim in 1980 during a private testing session
Didier Pironi
Survives career-ending crash in practice for the 1982 German grand prix. Takes up power boat racing and is killed in 1987 off the Isle of Wight
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Clas Ohlson is a hugely popular DIY store chain based in which country? | Retail therapy: foreign chains glimpse window of opportunity in UK market | Business | The Guardian
Retail industry
Retail therapy: foreign chains glimpse window of opportunity in UK market
Despite financial uncertainty, overseas brands such as Forever 21 and Clas Ohlson still want a chance to hit Britain's high street
US fast-fashon success Forever 21 is planning to open stores in the UK and Ireland. Photograph: MB Pictures/Rex Features
Friday 1 October 2010 13.33 EDT
First published on Friday 1 October 2010 13.33 EDT
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The American Topshop, the Swedish Robert Dyas, the Spanish Next … it may not be the solution to Britain's identikit high streets but a growing number of foreign retailers are using the window of opportunity created by the recession to try to crack the famously competitive UK retail market .
The name may not be familiar to you yet but next month Forever 21, the Los Angeles-based fashion chain, will open its first UK stores . The brand is considered to be the most exciting US retail export since The Gap arrived with its preppie chic in the late 1980s, and Forever 21's executive vice-president Larry Meyer spared no adjective as he confirmed details of its first two stores in Birmingham and London this week: "Forever 21 is the most hotly awaited brand to hit the UK from America … the concept perfectly suits the European consumer's insatiable appetite for trend-led fast fashion at value prices."
But if the US brand, which is aimed at 16- to 25-year-olds, succeeds it will be where others have failed. Although Britain is one of the world's most lucrative markets, with retail sales of £286bn last year, expensive shop rents and world-class local competition have kept international groups at bay. Indeed, some analysts put the UK in the "never fight a land war in Asia" category due to the challenges posed by the market.
The high body count speaks for itself: Danish furniture chain Ilva crashed and burned, Borders, which had promised to revolutionise bookselling, collapsed into administration last year; German chain Tchibo, which entered the country with a fanfare at the millennium, left with its tail between its legs in 2009.
Shop tactics
Forever 21 appears undaunted by lessons from UK retail history and is not taking the same approach as other recent US entrants, such Banana Republic and Anthropologie , which opened prominent stores in London's West End (the internet means brands can build large businesses on the back of a handful of stores). Instead it is bullish, describing the openings in Birmingham and Dublin as the "first phase of the rollout" with 550 staff recruited in the Britain and Ireland.
Forever 21 has reason to be confident. It is already successful in its domestic market with 460 stores in North America as well as Korea and Japan. It recently took the bold step of opening a giant, 91,000 sq ft, in New York's Times Square.
Lorna Hall, retail editor at trend forecaster WGSN, says Forever 21 is considered the doyenne of "fast fashion" in the US, but it is entering a bear pit: "The UK is the most competitive retail market in the world, it is the global platform for fast-fashion retail." As a result she says there is a danger its clothes – described as "very feminine in a young girl way" – will not cut the mustard given the "edgier aesthetic" of Britain's teens and twenty-somethings.
Forever 21's Birmingham store will stock its stable of brands, which include womenswear label I-Heart (I❤), H21, 21MEN and plus-sized range Forever 21+. The Irish store will also stock childrenswear and upmarket Twelve by Twelve, which it describes as "couture-like".
"It is the biggest launch here since The Gap," continues Hall. "Forever 21 is interesting because it is not aping Ralph Lauren or the college look of other American brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch. Also, it has already shown it can travel to other markets."
The experience of Clas Ohlson – Sweden's answer to Robert Dyas – suggests it is not impossible for new entrants to prosper in the UK marketplace dominated by supermarkets such as Tesco. It may have a head start, as Sweden seems to have a habit of turning out world-class retailers, with Clas Olson the country's third largest after retail powerhouses Ikea and H&M.
Founded in Insjön, southern Sweden, in 1918, selling technical handbooks, make-your-own crystal radio kits and furniture designs by mail order, Clas Ohlson did not open stores until the 1980s. It now has 122, selling everything from tools to electrical goods and toys. Crucially, the shops are on the high street and in shopping centres rather than stationed on out-of-town retail parks with larger rival B&Q.
Thrive to be different
Clas Ohlson, UK managing director Mark Gregory, says the location and the mix of products it sells are its "USP". "We are bringing a very successful format to the UK." The retailer's quirks go beyond its price promise: a free jar of pickled herrings along with a refund if a product is found cheaper elsewhere. For example, it stocks a large range of boating accessories such as fish-finding sonars, mooring ropes and life jackets, although Gregory points out its store in Kingston backs on to the Thames.
"The UK is a hugely competitive market but you can still thrive if you are offering customers something different," says Bryan Roberts, director of retail insight at researchers Kantar Retail. "Despite the doom-mongering, retailers are making a lot of money.
Clas Ohlson's assault on Britain was planned several years in advance and it is moving forward in baby steps. The first store opened in Croydon in 2008 and it now has seven, with plans for up to 10 more in the current financial year. Gregory says the recession helped the retailer to secure stores that may otherwise have been out of reach as the demise of chains such as Woolworths, Zavvi and Borders created a surfeit of high street space.
But recession or no, Gregory says that Clas Ohlson would have taken the plunge: "We have 120 stores across Norway, Finland and Sweden, where there is a population of 20 million people; the UK has 60 million, so you can see the opportunity."
| Sweden |
Hatha, Jnana, Bhakti and Karma are all branches of which activity? | Ikea no longer Sweden's most trusted brand - The Local
Ikea no longer Sweden's most trusted brand
9 September 2013
9 September 2013
07:24 CEST+02:00
Furniture giant Ikea has been pulled apart by the Swedish public, voted as the fourth most trusted brand in the country despite topping the consumer confidence charts for the past nine years.
Ikea , which has been voted first ever since the Nordic Brand Academy started its annual survey in 2003, finished fourth this year, after DIY chain Clas Ohlson , supermarket chain Ica, and Google, which was the only non-Swedish company to make the top ten.
"Ikea has historically been teflon clean when it comes to the question of customer confidence," Robert Gelmanovsky, CEO of the Nordic Brand Academy, the Swedish arm of the Reputation Institute, told the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper.
"They've got through scandal after scandal and no-one's confidence has been shaken. Now it appears the trend of being super-trustworthy has been broken. Ikea is becoming like all the other companies in terms of reputation. It will be interesting when a new Kamprad generation takes over."
Ten most reputable companies in Sweden
1. Clas Ohlsson
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In British politics, what is the only one of the 'Four Great Offices of State' never (at at Feb 2011) held by a woman? | British political system
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A SHORT GUIDE TO THE
BRITISH POLITICAL SYSTEM
Constitutional And Political Reform
A VERY, VERY SHORT HISTORY
To understand fully any country's political system, one needs to understand something of its history. This is especially true of the United Kingdom because its history has been very different from most other nations and, as a result, its political system is very different from most other nations too.
Like its (unwritten) constitution, the British state evolved over time. We probably need to start in 1066 when William the Conqueror from Normandy invaded what we now call England, defeated the Anglo-Saxon King Harold and established a Norman dynasty. The Normans were not satisfied with conquering England and, over the next few centuries, tried to conquer Ireland, Wales and Scotland. They succeeded with the first two and failed with the last despite several wars over the centuries.
By one of those ironical twists of history, when Queen Elizabeth of England died in 1603, she was succeeded by her cousin James VI, King of Scots who promptly decamped from Edinburgh and settled in London as King James I of England while keeping his Scots title and running Scotland by remote control. Regal pickings were more lucrative in his southern capital.
A century later the Scottish economic and political elite bankrupted themselves on the Darien Scheme and agreed to a scheme of Union between England and Scotland to make themselves solvent again and so Great Britain with one Parliament based in London came into being. The Irish parliament was abolished in 1801 with Ireland returning members to Westminster and the new political entity was the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The southern (Catholic) Irish never reconciled themselves to being ruled by the English and rebelled in 1916 and gained independence in 1922. The northern (Protestant) Irish did not want independence and so the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland arrived. Not a snappy name.
Meanwhile, although the Normans were the last to mount a successful invasion of the country, there were plenty of other plans to conquer the nation, notably the Spanish under King Philip II in 1588, the French under Napoleon in 1803-1805, and the Germans under Hitler in 1940. None succeeeded.
Furthermore, in recent centuries, Britain has not had a revolution of the kind experienced by so many other countries. Some might argue that the English Civil War (1642-1651) was the nation's revolution and - athough it was three and a half centuries ago - it did bring about a major shift in power, but the main constitutional consequence - the abolition of the monarchy - only lasted 11 years and the Restoration of the Monarchy has so far lasted 350 years (although it is now, of course, a very different monarchy). There was a time in British history which we call the Glorious Revolution (1688) but it was a very English revolution, in the sense that nobody died, if a rather Dutch revolution in that it saw William of Orange take the throne.
So the British have never had anything equivalent to the American Revolution or the French Revolution, they have not been colonised in a millennium but rather been the greatest colonisers in history, and in neither of the two world wars were they invaded or occupied.
HOW HISTORY HAS SHAPED THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
The single most important fact in understanding the nature of the British political system is the fundamental continuity of that system. For almost 1,000 years, Britain has not been invaded or occupied for any length of time or over any substantial territory as the last successful invasion of England was in 1066 by the Normans. Is this true of any other country in the world? I can only think of Sweden.
This explains why:
almost uniquely in the world, Britain has no written constitution (the only other such nations are Israel & New Zealand)
the political system is not neat or logical or always fully democratic or particularly efficient
change has been very gradual and pragmatic and built on consensus
British attitudes towards the rest of Europe have been insular, not just geographically but culturally, which was a major factor behind the Brexit decision of 23 June 2016.
To simplify British political history very much, it has essentially been a struggle to shift political power and accountability from the all-powerful king - who claimed that he obtained his right to rule from God - to a national parliament that was increasingly representative of ordinary people and accountable to ordinary people. There have been many milestones along this long and troubled road to full democracy.
A key date in this evolution was 1215 when King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta which involved him sharing power with the barons. This is regarded as the first statement of citizen rights in the world - although Hungarians are proud of the Golden Bull of just seven years later.
The so-called Model Parliament was summoned by King Edward I in 1295 and is regarded as the first representative assembly. Unlike the absolute monarchs of other parts of Europe, the King of England required the approval of Parliament to tax his subjects and so, then as now, central to the exercise of power was the ability to raise funds.
The bicameral nature of the British Parliament - Commons and Lords - emerged in 1341 and the two-chamber model of the legislature has served as a template in very many other parliamentary systems.
The Bill of Rights of 1689 - which is still in effect - lays down limits on the powers of the crown and sets out the rights of Parliament and rules for freedom of speech in Parliament, the requirement for regular elections to Parliament, and the right to petition the monarch without fear of retribution.
It was the 19th century before the franchise was seriously extended and each extension was the subject of conflict and opposition. The great Reform Act of 1832 abolished 60 'rotten', or largely unpopulated, boroughs and extended the vote from 400,000 citizens to 600,000, but this legislation - promoted by the Whigs (forerunners of the Liberals) - was only carried after being opposed three times by the Tories (forerunners of the Conservatives). Further Reform Acts followed in 1867 and 1884. It was 1918 before the country achieved a near universal franchise and 1970 before the last extension of the franchise (to 18-21 year olds).
Another important feature of British political history is that three parts of the United Kingdom - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - have a special status and have local administrations with a wide range of responsibilities. However, England - which represents about 84% of the total UK population of around 65 million - does not have a clear and strong sense of regionalism. So the British political system does not have anything equivalent to the federal system of the 50 states in the USA. The nature of this (dis)United Kingdom took on a new form in the General Election of May 2015 when the Scottish National Party won 56 out of 59 seats in Scotland.
The final important part of British political history is that, since 1973, the UK has been a member of what is now called the European Union (EU). This now has 28 Member States covering most of the continent of Europe. Therefore the UK Government and Parliament are limited in some respects by what they can do because certain areas of policy or decision-making are a matter for the EU which operates through a European Commission appointed by the member governments and a European Parliament elected by the citizens of the member states [for a guide to the working of the EU click here ]. However, in a referendum held on 23 June 2016, the British people narrowly voted that the country should leave the European Union (a decsion dubbed Brexit), a process that will take a couple of years and be very complex.
The year 2015 was a special year for the British Parliament as it was the 750th anniversary of the de Montfort Parliament (the first gathering in England that can be called a parliament in the dictionary sense of the word), along with the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the document that set the scene for the later 1265 de Montfort Parliament.
THREE ARMS OF THE STATE
The British political system is headed by a monarchy but essentially the powers of the monarch as head of state - currently Queen Elizabeth II - are ceremonial. The most important practical power is the choice of the Member of Parliament to form a government, but the monarch follows the convention that this opportunity is granted to the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons or who stands the best chance of commanding a majority in a vote of confidence in the Commons.
Although any remaining powers of the monarchy are largely ceremonial, the Royal Family does have some subtle and hidden influence on the legislative process because of a little-known provision that senior royals - notably the Queen and her eldest son the Prince of Wales - have to be consulted about legislation that might affect their private interests and given the opportunity to have such legislation amended.
Traditionally the choice of monarch has been determined on the hereditary and primogeniture principles which means that the oldest male child of a monarch was the next in line to the throne. Under the terms of the Act of Settlement of 1701, the monarch and the monarch's spouse could not be Catholics because the UK monarch is also the Head of the Church of England. In 2015, the primogeniture principle was abolished, so that the next in line can now be a female eldest child, and the monarch can marry a Catholic but not himself or herself be one.
In classical political theory, there are three arms of the state:
The executive - the Ministers who run the country and propose new laws
The legislature - the elected body that passes new laws
The judiciary - the judges and the courts who ensure that everyone obeys the laws.
In the political system of the United States, the constitution provides that there must be a strict division of powers of these three arms of the state, so that no individual can be a member of more than one. So, for example, the President is not and cannot be a member of the Congress. This concept is called 'separation of powers', a term coined by the French political, enlightenment thinker Montesquieu. This is not the case in the UK where all Ministers in the government are members of the legislature and one individual, the Lord Chancellor, is actually a member of all three arms.
THE U.K. PARLIAMENT
The British Parliament is often called Westminster because it is housed in a distinguished building in central London called the Palace of Westminster which stands out because of the clock tower at the south end (this is the Elizabeth Tower and it houses Big Ben) and the tower with a flag at the other end (this is the Victoria Tower). Although this is a grand building, it is in an appalling state of repair and there are currently discussions about a major project of refurbishment which will probably begin in 2020 and require Parliament to relocate somewhere else in central London.
The British Parliament - like that of most larger countries - is bicameral, that is there are two houses or chambers. One tends to find unicameral legislatures in smaller nations such as Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Greece, Israel and New Zealand, although China and Iran are two larger nations with a single legislative chamber (but neither of these countries is a democracy).
The House of Commons
This is the lower chamber but the one with the most authority. I worked there as a Research Assistant to Merlyn Rees MP, then Labour's Opposition spokesperson on Northern Ireland, from 1972-1974.
The House of Commons sits each week day for about half of the weeks of the year. The precise hours of sitting are:
Monday 2.30 - 10.30 pm
Wednesday 11.30 am - 7.30 pm
Thursday 10.30 am - 6.30 pm
Friday 9.30 am - 3 pm
The Commons is chaired by the Speaker. Unlike the Speaker in the US House of Representatives, the post is non-political and indeed, by convention, the political parties do not contest the Parliamentary constituency held by the Speaker.
The House of Commons currently comprises 650 Members of Parliament or MPs (the number varies slightly from time to time to reflect population change). This is a large legislature by international standards. For instance, the House of Representatives in the USA has 435 seats but, of course, each of the 50 US states has its own legislature. Before the General Election of 2010, the Conservative Party said that it wished to reduce the number of Commons seats by around 10% (65 seats) and the Liberal Democrats said that the Commons should be reduced by 150 MPs. The Coalition Government of 2010-2015 passed legislation to reduce the number from 650 to 600, as part of a wider change to the number and size of constituencies, but Parliament blocked the process of redrawing boundaries that is necessary before an General Election can be held with fewer seats.
Rather oddly (but deliberately), there is insufficient seating capacity in the chamber of the House of Commons for all the MPs. Members do not sit at desks (like most legislatures) but on long, green-covered benches and there is only seating capacity for 437 MPs out of the total of 650. The origin of this strange arrangement is that the Commons first home was the medieval St Stephen's Chapel in the Palace of Westminster which could only fit around 400 Members.
Equally odd is that Members vote (votes are called 'divisions') by physically walking through one of the two lobbies which run along the side of the Commons chamber. These lobbies are the 'aye' lobby and the 'nay' lobby. This archaic procedure means that votes take a long time to conduct and it is not unknown for a member accidentally to walk into the wrong lobby. The votes are counted by 'tellers' who then return to the chamber to announce the numbers to the Speaker.
Each member in the House of Commons represents a geographical constituency. Typically a constituency would have around 60,000-80,000 voters, depending mainly on whether it is an urban or rural constituency. The largest constituency in the country is the Isle of Wight with around 110,000 electors, while the smallest is Na h-Eileanan an Iar (formerly known as the Western Isles) with an electorate of only arouind 22,000. The Coalition Government of 2010-2015 intended to make the size of constituencies more equal in terms of electors, but so far the legislation has not been implemented.
Every citizen aged 18 or over can vote once in the constituency in which they live. Voting is not compulsory (as it is in Australia). In the last General Election of May 2015, 66.1% of the electorate actually voted. Most democratic countries use a method of election called proportional representation (PR) which means that there is a reasonable correlation between the percentage of votes cast for a particular political party and the number of seats or representatives won by that party. However, much of the Anglo-Saxon world - the USA, Canada, and the UK but not Australia or New Zealand - uses a method of election called the simple majority system or 'first past the post' (FPTP). In this system, the country is divided into a number of constituencies each with a single member and the party that wins the largest number of votes in each constituency wins that constituency regardless of the proportion of the vote secured. The simple majority system of election tends to under-represent less successful political parties and to maximise the chance of the most popular political party winning a majority of seats nationwide even if it does not win a majority of the votes nationwide.
Until recently, in the UK (unlike many countries), there was not fixed term parliaments. A General Election - that is, a nationwide election for all 650 seats - was held when the Prime Minister called it, but the election could not be more than five years after the last one and it was usually around four years after the last one. I fought the General Elections of February 1974 and October 1974 as the Labour candidate for the north-east London constituency of Wanstead & Woodford. The Coalition Government of 2010-2015 passed legislation to provide for fixed five-year parliaments which means that the next General Election is scheduled for May 2020. The last General Election was held in May 2015 and the result was as follows:
Conservative Party: 331 seats (up 24) with 36.9% of the vote
Labour Party: 232 seats (down 26) with 30.4% of the vote
Scottish National Party: 56 seats (up 48) with 4.7% of the vote
Liberal Democrat Party: 8 seats (down 49) with 7.9% of the vote
Other parties: 23 seats (down 3) with 20.1% of the vote
Total turnout nationwide was 66.1% up 1.0% on 2010 Note 1: In practice, the Speaker - notionally Conservative - is not counted against any political party because he is required to be neutral.
Note 2: In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein - which won four constituencies - does not take its seats.
Note 3: The 2015 election was officially the least proportional result in British history. If there had been an exactly proportional result, 24.2% of MPs would be different.
Links:
House of Commons site click here
BBC live broadcasting of Commons proceedings click here
The House of Lords
This is the upper chamber but the one with less authority. Its main roles are to revise legislation and keep a check on Government by scrutinising its activities. Since 1911, its power to block "money bills" is limited to one month and its power to block other bills is limited to one session, so ultimately it cannot block the will of the House of Commons. Fuirthermore, since 1945, there has been the Salisbury Convention that the House of Lords will not oppose a measure that was specifically mentioned in the last election manifesto of the political party forming the Government.
The House of Lords is an utterly bizarre institution that has no parallel anywhere in the democratic world. Indeed the only other country with an unelected second chamber is Lesotho. The explanation for the unusual nature of the Lords goes back to the beginning of this essay: the British political system has evolved very slowly and peacefully and it is not totally logical or democratic.
There is no fixed number of members in the House of Lords, but currently there are 826 members - many more than in the House of Commons, more than the combined houses of the American Congress or the Indian Parliament (although both of these nations have a federal system), and the second biggest legislative body in the world (after the Chinese National People's Congress which is effectively a rubber-stamping body). The number was actually halved to 666 in the reforms of 1999 but, since then, succesive Prime Ministers (especially David Cameron) have been adding new life peers much faster than members are dying. Indeed the last (Coalition) Government added over 100. Ironically the size of the House of Lords continues to rise at the same time as the House of Commons has legislated to reduce its size.
Historically most members of the House of Lords have been what we called hereditary peers. This meant that years ago a king or queen nominated a member of the aristocracy to be a member of the House and, since then, the right to sit in the House has passed through the family from generation to generation. Clearly this is totally undemocratic and the last Labour Government abolished the right of all but 92 of these hereditary peers to sit in the House.
Almost all the other members of today's House of Lords are what we call life peers. This means that they have been chosen by the Queen, on the advice of the Government, to sit in the House for as long as they live, but afterwards no member of their family has the right to sit in the House. Almost 200 are former Members of Parliament. Others are distinguished figures in fields such as education, health and social policy.
A small number of other members - 26 - are archbishops and bishops of the Church of England. The archbishops of Canterbury and York and the bishops of London, Durham and Winchester automatically take seats in the Lords, while the further 21 seats are allocated on the basis of length of service. Iran is the only other country in the world that provides automatic seats for senior religious figures in its legislature.
At the last count (1999), two-thirds of peers were aged over 65 and 15% were aged over 80. There is no retirement age.
There is nowhere near sufficient seating capacity in the chamber of the House of Lords for all the peers. Members do not sit at desks (like most legislatures) but on long, red-covered benches and there is only seating capacity for 230 peers out of the total of 774. Even on a 'whipped' vote, a couple of hundred peers will not turn up.
House of Lords reform is unfinished business. The Parliament Act of 1911 first raised the prospect of an elected upper house but it has still not happened. There is a cross-party consensus that it should become a mainly elected body, although there is as yet no agreement on the details of the next stage of reform.
Links:
House of Lords site click here
BBC live broadcasting of Lords proceedings click here
Some distinguishing features of the British Parliamentary system
Much of the work of Parliament is done in Committees rather than on the floor of the chamber. The House of Commons has two types of committee:
Select Committees are appointed for the lifetime of a Parliament, 'shadow' the work of a particular Government Department, conduct investigations, receive written and oral evidence, and issue reports. Membership is made up only of backbenchers and reflects proportionately the balance of the parties in the Commons.
General Committees (previously known as Standing Committees) are temporary bodies, most of them Public Bill Committees formed to examine the detail of a particular piece of proposed legislation and consider amendments to the Bill. Membership includes Government and Opposition spokepersons on the subject matter of the Bill and overall membership reflects proportionately the balance of the parties in the Commons.
The House of Lords only has Select Committees (it does not need Standing Committees because the details of Bills are considered on the floor of the chamber).
Finally there are some Joint Committees of the Commons and the Lords.
Discussion and debate involve quite a gladiatorial or confrontational approach. This is reflected in the physical shape of the chambers. Whereas most legislatures are semi-circular, both the House of Commons and the House of Lords are rectangular with the Government party sitting on one side and the Opposition parties sitting on the other side. The House of Lords alone has cross-benches for independent peers. It is quite normal for speakers in debates to be interrupted by other members, especially of another party, and, in the Commons, cheering and jeering is a regular occurrence.
In the Commons, there is a Prime Minister's Question (PMQ) Time for 30 minutes at 12 noon every Wednesday. Questions can be asked on any subject. This is frequently a heated affair with the Leader of the Opposition trying to embarrass the Prime Minister and it is the one part of the week's proceedings guaranteed to attract the interest of the media. In his book "A Journey", former Prime Minister Tony Blair wrote: "PMQs was the most nerve-wracking, discombobulating, nail-biting, bowel-moving, terror-inspiring, courage-draining experience in my prime ministerial life, without question."
The Government is normally assured of a majority in the House of Commons for any measure or vote. This is mainly because in the Commons there is a strong 'whipping' system in which political parties tell their members how to vote on every significant division though a weekly set of instructions. The importance of actually being present to vote in the manner instructed depends on whether the 'whip' is one-line, two-line or - the most serious - three-line. Even when there is a rebellion by members of the majority party, the Government usually obtains its wish because all Ministers and their Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPSs) are required to vote for the Government or resign their Ministerial or PPS position. This is called 'the payroll vote' (although PPS are not actually paid to be a PPS) and currently around 120 MPs or 22% of the Commons make up this block vote.
The official record of the proceedings of the Commons and the Lords is called Hansard. The press and broadcasters are present all the time and live audio and visual broadcasting can take place at any time.
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
In the British political system, almost all legislation is proposed by the Government and much of it comes from promises made in the manifesto of the relevant political party at the last election. At the beginning of each annual session of the Parliament, the main Bills to be considered are announced by the Queen in a speech opening that year's session of Parliament.
All legislation has to be approved by both Houses of Parliament.
In each House of Parliament, a proposed piece of legislation - called a Bill - goes through the following stages:
First Reading - the Bill is introduced with simply a reading by a Minister of the long title of the Bill
Second Reading - the general principles of the Bill are debated by all the members of the House and a formal vote is taken
Committee Stage - each clause and schedule of the Bill, plus amendments to them and any new clauses or schedules, is examined in detail, in the Commons by a small, specially chosen group of members meeting as Public Bill Committee or in the Lords by the members as a whole on the floor of the House
Report Stage - the changes made to the Bill in the Committee are reported to and debated by the whole House which is invited to consider the Bill as a whole, approve the changes by the Committee, and consider any further proposed changes that might be suggested
Third Reading - the final version of the Bill is considered by the whole House in a short debate (in the Commons without the facility for further amendments)
Royal Assent - the Crown gives assent to the Bill which then becomes an Act, the provisions becoming law either immediately or at a date specified in the Act or at a date specified by what is called a Commencement Order Several points are worth noting about the legislative process:
Under normal circumstances, all these stages must be completed in both Houses in one session of Parliament; otherwise the process must begin all over again.
Debates on most Bills are timetabled through a programme motion (when Government and Opposition agree) or an allocation of time motion which is popularly known as a 'guillotine' motion (when Government and Opposition do not agree).
As well as almost all legislation coming from the Government, almost all successful amendments originate from the Government.
The House of Lords has much more limited legislative powers than the House of Commons. Money Bills can only be initiated in the Commons and the Lords can only reject legislation from the Commons for one year. Furthermore there is a convention - called the Salisbury Convention - that the Lords does not block legislation in fulfillment of the election manifesto of the elected Government.
Link: Bill stages click here
POLITICAL PARTIES
The idea of political parties first took form in Britain and the Conservative Party claims to be the oldest political party in the world. Political parties began to form during the English civil wars of the 1640s and 1650s. First, there were Royalists and Parliamentarians; then Tories and Whigs. Whereas the Whigs wanted to curtail the power of the monarch, the Tories - today the Conservatives - were seen as the patriotic party.
Today there are four major political parties in the British parliamentary system:
The Conservative Party (frequently called the Tories) - the centre-Right party, currently led by David Cameron, which since 2010 has been in Government either in coalition (2010-2015) or alone (since 2015)
The Labour Party - the centre-Left party, led by Ed Miliband until May 2015, which was last in Government from 1997 to 2010
The Scottish National Party - the party supporting Scottish independence, which is led by Nicola Sturgeon
The Liberal Democrat Party (known as the Lib Dems) - the centrist, libertarian party, led by Nick Clegg until May 2015, which was the junior member of the Coalition Government of 2010-2015 In recent years, Britain has seen the rise of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) led by Nigel Farage until May 2015, which was formed in 1993 but achieved some spectacular performances in local and European elections May 2014. In the general elwection of May 2015, it won 12.6% of the vote but only one seat at Westminster.
In addition to these five main parties, there are some much smaller UK parties (notably the Green Party) and some parties which operate specifically in Wales (Plaid Cymru) or Northern Ireland (such as Sinn Fein for the nationalists and the Democratic Unionist Party for the loyalists).
Each political party chooses its leader in a different way, but all involve all the Members of Parliament of the party and all the individual members of that party. By convention, the leader of the political party with the largest number of members in the House of Commons becomes the Prime Minster (formally at the invitation of the Queen).
Political parties are an all-important feature of the British political system because:
The three main UK political parties in the UK have existed for a century or more and have a strong and stable 'brand image'.
It is virtually impossible for someone to be elected to the House of Commons without being a member of an established political party.
All political parties strongly 'whip' their elected members which means that, on the vast majority of issues, Members of Parliament of the same party vote as a 'block'. Having said this, the influence of the three main UK political parties is not as dominant as it was in the 1940s and 1950s because:
The three parties have smaller memberships than they did, since voters are much less inclined to join a political party.
The three parties secure a lower overall percentage of the total vote, since smaller parties between them now take a growing share of the vote.
Voters are much less 'tribal', not supporting the same party at every election, and much more likely to 'float, voting for different parties at successive elections.
The ideological differences between the parties are less than they were, with the parties adopting more 'pragmatic' positions on many issues.
In the past, class was a major determinant of voting intention in British politics, with most working class electors voting Labour and most middle class electors voting Conservative. These days, class is much less important because:
Working class numbers have shrunk and now represent only 43% of the electorate.
Except at the extremes of wealth, lifestyles are more similar.
Class does not determine voting intention so much as values, trust, competence and (in Scotland) nationalism).
In the British political system, there is a broad consensus between the major parties on:
the rule of law
the National Health Service (NHS)
UK membership of European Union and NATO The main differences between the political parties concern:
how to tackle poverty and inequality
the levels and forms of taxation
the extent of state intervention in the economy
the balance between collective rights and individual rights
the UK's relationship to the European Union
THE U.K. GOVERNMENT
All Government Ministers have to be a member of either the House of Commons (most of them) or the House of Lords (the remainder of them) and every Government Department will have at least one Minister in the Lords, so that the Department can speak in either House as necessary. The number of Ministers varies from administration to administration, but typically there will be around 120, the 20 or so most senior being Cabinet Ministers. The Ministerial and Other Salaries Act, passed in 1975, limits prime ministers to 109 ministerial salaries being paid at any one time with a maximum of 95 ministers in the House of Commons.
Historically most British governments have been composed of ministers from a single political party which had an overall majority of seats in the House of Commons and the 'first-past-the-post' (FPTP) electoral system greatly facilitates and indeed promotes this outcome. However, occasionally there have been minority governments or coalition governments.
For five years, the UK had its first coalition government in 65 years when, in May 2010, the Conservatives went into coalition with the Liberal Democrats because in the General Election they did not secure a majority of the seats. In this coalition, the Lib Dems had 17 ministers led by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
However, at the General Election of May 2015, the Conservative Party won an overall majority and the normal arrangement resumed of all Ministers coming from the same party.
The Prime Minister
The UK does not have a President. Constitutionally the head of state is the monarch who is a hereditary member of the Royal Family. However, the monarch has very few formal powers and stays above party politics. He or she receives a weekly oral report from the Prime Minister, a tradition which began with King George I in 1714 because this German had struggled to follow the English deliberations of his Cabinet.
Therefore, in practice, the most important person in the British political system is the Prime Minister. The first modern Prime Minister was Sir Robert Walpole who served from 1721-1742, so the current PM Theresa May is the 54th (and only the second woman to hold the post). In theory, the Prime Minister simply choses the ministers who run Government departments and chairs the Cabinet - the collection of the most senior of those Ministers. In practice, however, the Prime Minister is a very powerful figure and increasingly has been behaving much like a president in other political systems, especially in the area of foreign policy.
I have personally met four British Prime Ministers: Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
The official residence of the Prime Minister is at 10 Downing Street in central London - a location I have visited about a dozen times - and the country residence of the Prime Minister is at Chequers in Buckinghamshire.
One British Prime Minister has been assassinated: Spencer Perceval was shot dead in the House of Commons in 1812.
Link: Prime Minister click here
Government Departments
The most important political departments are called:
The Treasury - In most countries, this would be called the Ministry of Finance. It is responsible for the raising of all taxes and the control of all government expenditure plus the general management of the economy. The head of the Treasury is called the Chancellor of the Exchequer and is currently Philip Hammond.
Link: Treasury site click here
The Home Office - In most countries, this would be called the Ministry of the Interior. It is responsible for criminal matters, policing, and immigration. The Head of the Home Office is called the Home Secretary and is currently Amber Rudd.
Link: Home Office site click here
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office - In most countries, this would be called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is responsible for all international relationships, especially membership of the European Union. The head of the Foreign Office is called the Foreign Secretary and is currently Boris Johnson.
Link: Foreign Office site click here
Many other UK Government Departments are similar to those in other countries and cover subjects such as education, health, transport, industry, and justice. However, there are also small departments for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
When talking about the British Government, the media will often use the term Whitehall because a number of Government Departments are located along a central London street very close to Parliament called Whitehall.
Government Ministers
All Government Departments are run by Ministers who are either Members of the House of Commons or Members of the House of Lords. There are three classes of Minister:
Secretary of State - This is usually the head of a Department.
Minister of State - This is a middle-ranking minister.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State - This is the most junior class of minister.
The Prime Minster and all the Secretaries of State together comprise an executive body of government called the Cabinet. The Cabinet meets usually once a week on Tuesday morning. Cabinet meetings are confidential and all members are bound by any decision that it takes in a practice called collective responsibility. An extensive system of Cabinet Committees considers matters either before they go to Cabinet or (more usually) instead of them going to Cabinet.
Although all Ministers are appointed by the Prime Minster and report to him, ultimately all Ministers are accountable to Parliament:
About once a month, they have to face questions in the House of Commons about the work of the Department.
Each government department has a special committee of the House of Commons which watches the work of that Department.
Any government initiative or important statement concerning a Department must be the subject of an appearance in the House of Commons by a minister from that Department. Link: full list of current ministers click here
The civil service
Each Secretary of State is able to appoint a couple of political advisers formally known as Special Advisers to serve him or her. I was a Special Adviser to Merlyn Rees in the Northern Ireland Office from 1974-1976 and in the Home Office from 1976-1978, while my son Richard was a Special Adviser to Ruth Kelly in the Department for Education & Skills in 2005 and a Special Adviser to Douglas Alexander at the Department for International Development in 2009-2010.
But Special Advisers are simply advisers. They have no line management responsibilities in respect of the staff of the Department. Besides these tiny number of Special Advisers, Government Departments are run by civil servants who are recruited in a totally open manner and serve governments of any political parties. The independence and professionalism of the British civil service are fundamental features of the British political system. My son Richard once worked as a civil servant in what was then the Department of Trade & Industry and my half-brother Chris was an official in the Treasury for five years.
DEVOLVED GOVERNMENT
The UK has a devolved system of government, but this is categorically not a system of federal government such as in the United States [ click here ] or Australia [ click here ], partly because less than a fifth of the citizens of the UK are covered the three bodies in question and partly because the three bodies themselves have different powers from one another.
The three devolved administrations are:
The Scottish Parliament
This came into operation in May 1999 and covers the 5M citizens of Scotland. It has 129 members elected by a system of proportional representation known as the mixed member system. As a result, 73 members represent individual geographical constituencies elected by the 'first past the post' (FPTP) system, with a further 56 members returned from eight additional member regions, each electing seven members. All members are elected for four-year terms.
The Scottish Parliament meets in Holyrood, Edinburgh. It has legislative powers over those matters not reserved to the UK Parliament and it has limited tax-raising powers.
In the election of May 2011, for the first time a single political party gained an overall majority of the seats in the Scottish Parliament. That party was the Scottish National Party and its victory enabled it to require the UK Government to permit the holding of a referendum on Scottish independence.
The referendum was held on 18 September 2014 and, on an astonishing turnout of 85%, the 'no' vote won a decisive victory by 55% to 45%. However, in the final week of the two-year referendum campaign, the three major parties in the UK Parliament agreed that, if the Scots voted 'no', there would be an early transfer of substantial extra powers to the Scottish Parliament. This is now the subject of fierce political debate because of the implications for the other nations in the UK and for the UK Parliament itself.
Links:
Northern Ireland Assembly click here
BBC live broadcasting of Northern Ireland Assembly proceedings click here
THE U.K. JUDICIARY
The British judicial branch is extremely complex. Unlike most countries which operate a single system of law, the UK operates three separate legal systems: one for England and Wales, one for Scotland, and one for Northern Ireland. Although bound by similar principles, these systems differ in form and the manner of operation.
Currently a process of reform is in operation.
The Lord Chancellor's office - which for 1,400 years maintained the judiciary - has now been replaced by the Ministry for Justice which administers the court system. A Judical Appointments Commission has been set up to advise the head of the MoJ on the appointment of new judges.
The Appellate Committee of the House of Lords - previously the highest court in the land - was, by way of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, replaced by the Supreme Court in October 2009 to allow the judiciary to operate in total independence from the Government. The Supreme Court is now the ultimate court of appeal in all legal matters other than criminal cases in Scotland. It consists of 12 judges and sits in the Middlesex Guildhall in Parliament Square.
The UK does not have its own Bill of Rights. However, since 1951 it has been a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights (part of the Council of Europe) and since 1966 it has allowed its citizens the right of individual petition enabling them to take the government to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The last Labour Government incorporated the provisions of the European Convention into UK domestic law in 2000, so that citizens can now seek to have the provisions enforced in domestic courts.
CIVIL SOCIETY
One cannot explain a liberal democracy such as the United Kingdom simply by talking about the formal political and governmental institutions, any more than one can understand fish without talking about water.
Democratic government cannot operate without a strong civil society to support it and hold political and governmental bodies to account. The special history of the UK - involving gradual changes over long periods - has created a subtle but effective civil society that outsiders often find a little difficult to understand. So it is useful to list some of the more important elements of such a civil society:
Bill of Rights - Although Britain does not have a written constitution, it does have a Bill of Rights because it is a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights which was drawn up by a body called the Council of Europe. The European Convention is part of the domestic law so that it can be enforced in the domestic courts as well as in the European Court of Human Rights.
Independent judiciary - British judges are appointed through an independent process and operate totally independently of government. They can find that a Government Minister has acted against a law of the UK Parliament or a Directive of the European Union or against the European Convention and require the Minister to change his or her actions.
A free media - As long as they are not being libelous, newspapers, radio and television can say what they want about the Parliament, the Government and politicians. An important new development is the Internet. Web sites and blogs can say what they want about politicians and political issues. I have a web site and a blog and I often write about political issues. There is no need in the UK to register a newspaper or web site or to obtain permission to run it.
Freedom of information legislation - Britain has a Freedom of Information Act which is a piece of legislation that obliges national government, local government and most public bodies to provide any information requested by an citizen. The only exceptions are things like information which concern national security, commercial confidentiality, or the private matters of citizens.
Trade unions - About a quarter of workers in Britain are members of trade unions representing different occupational groups or industries. These trade unions are totally independent of government and employers. I was a national trade union official for 24 years and believe strongly in independent trade unions.
Pressure groups - Britain has lots and lots of organisations that campaign publicly on political issues such as poverty, pensions, and the environment. They perform an invaluable role in putting forward ideas and holding politicians to account.
Charities and voluntary groups - Similarly we have lots and lots of organisations that do some of the things that government does as well such as running schools and hospitals, looking after the poor and old, and cleaning up the environment.
CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL REFORM
Compared to many other democracies, institutional and procedural reform in the British political system has been very slow, gradual and piecemeal. However, there has been a growing movement for more reform, starting with the actual running of the House of Commons:
Since the election of (Conservative MP) John Bercow as Speaker of the House of Commons, there have been many more occasions of the use of the Urgent Question (UQ). This is a device which allows any Member of Parliament on any sitting day to petition the Speaker to demand that a Government Department supplies a Minister to make a statement on some issue or matter that has arisen very suddenly.
Eight weeks before the May 2010 General Election, the House of Commons embraced the election of the Deputy Speakers, the whole House election of Select Committee Chairs, the whole party caucus election of Select Committee members, and the creation of a House Backbench Business Committee.
In November 2013, the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow announced the formation of a novel type of inquiry, a Speaker’s Commission, to examine the whole issie of Digital Democracy. This exercise started in early 2014 and reported in early 2015. The appetite for constitutional change became much stronger in the aftermath of the May 2009 scandal over the expenses of Members of Parliament. Then the formation in May 2010 of a Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition Government opened up new possibilities for change with a number of specific measures set out in the agreement between the parties establishing the new government. However, actual progress has been limited.
The changes on the agenda of the previous Coalition Government were as follows:
Fixed term parliaments - In the past, elections to the House of Commons had to be held within five years of the previous General Election but the Prime Minister had complete discretion over the actual date which was often the subject of considerable speculation and frequently a year or more before an election was legally necessary. The coalition parties agreed to the establishment of five year fixed-term parliaments and the necessary legislation has now been enacted. Therefore, subject to at an earlier time either a vote of no confidence in the Government or a two-thirds majority vote, each General Election will now be held on the first Thursday of May five years after the previous election.
A new electoral system for the House of Commons - Britain is unusual in Europe in having an electoral system which is 'first-past-the-post' (FPTP) and there are advocates for a system of proportional representation (PR), versions of which are already used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly and for British elections to the European Parliament. As a vital component of the coalition agreement, legislation was carried to enable a referendum to be held on an electoral system called the alternative vote (AV) which enables the voter to number candidates in order of preference and requires a winning candidate to secure more than 50% of the votes which, if not achieved on the first count, is achieved through successive withdrawal of the lowest-polling candidate and redistribution of that candidate's preferences. The referendum - only the second UK-wide referendum in its history - was held on 5 May 2011, but the current electoral system was supported by a margin of more than two to one (I voted for a move to AV).
Fewer and more equal sized constituencies - Currently the House of Commons has 650 seats; the Coalition Government intended to cut this to 600. Currently the number of electors in each Parliamentary constituency varies quite considerably; the Coalition Government legislated that no constituency should be more than 5% either larger or smaller than a national average of around 76,000 electors (which could eliminate some 40 Labour-held seats). The Government included these measures in the Referendum Bill on electoral reform and it was intended that the new constituencies would come into effect at the General Election in 2015. However, although the Bill is now on the statute book, the new constituencies did not become operative at the General Election following a Commons vote of 334 to 292 against early implementation when the Liberal Democrats joined with Labour to block implementation in retaliation for Conservative MPs failing to support the reform of the House of Lords strongly favoured by the Lib Dems.
Election of the House of Lords - At present, no member of the upper house is actually elected; most are appointed on the nomination of party leaders with a small number remaining from the originally much larger group of hereditary peers. The Queen's Speech of May 2012 announced that there would be a Bill on Lords reform in that session of Parliament. The latest proposal for reform comes from a Joint Committee of the two houses which recommended a 450-seat chamber with peers elected for 15 years in elections to be held every five years. Of these, 80% would be elected by a form of proportional representation with 20% appointed by an independent body. In fact, neither the Commons (especially the Conservative Party) nor the Lords is keen on reform for very different reasons (MPs do not want the Lords to gain more legitimacy and nominated peers do not want to be replaced by elected representatives). In the summer of 2012, the Prime Minister announced that he could not deliver Conservative support for a reform measure which was therefore withdrawn to the intense anger of the Liberal Democrats who very much support reform.
More power to backbench Members of Parliament - In the British political system, the party in Government has considerably more power in the legislature than the Opposition parties and in all the political parties the whips have considerable power over backbenchers. Ordinary MPs could be given more influence by measures such as more independent and stronger all-party Select Committees, more unwhipped votes (especially during the Committee Stage of Bills), more support for Private Members' Bills (those initiated by backbenchers rather than Ministers), more power to scrutinise Government spending, and a new power to subject ministers to confirmation hearings.
The power to force a by-election - Currently a by-election occurs only when an MP dies or resigns or is sentenced to more than one year in prison. In the last Parliament, the Government put forward legislation to make the recall of an errant MP easier. The new Act requires that, if an MP is convicted of an offence and sentenced to a custodial sentence of 12 months or less or if the Commons orders the MP's suspension for at least 28 sitting days (or 28 calendar days), then the MP's constituents will have the opportunity to sign a recall petition calling for a by-election. It will require at least 10% of constituents to sign the petition for a by-election to be held.
More devolution nationally and locally - The Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly all have devolved powers and all of them want more, while many local authorities feel that, over past decades, their powers have been eroded by the national parliament. Some believe that a revitalisation of the British political system requires more devolution of power. The main political parties in the UK Parliament had already agreed to the implementation of the Calman Commission proposals on further Scottish devolution and the offer of a referendum on further Welsh devolution. However, in the final week of the Scottish independence referendum campaign, the three major parties in the UK Parliament agreed that, if the Scots voted 'no' (as they did), there would be an early transfer of substantial extra powers to the Scottish Parliament. This is now the subject of fierce political debate because of the implications for the other nations, regions and cities in the UK and for the UK Parliament itself.
Use of e-petitions - Citizens are encouraged to use the Government web site to create electronic petitions to promote specific political reforms. It might be that the most popular petition will be drafted as a Bill and presented to Parliament, while those petitions that reach a certain level of support - probably 100,000 signatures - will be guaranteed a debate in the House of Commons.
Funding and lobbying - All political parties find it difficult to raise the funding necessary to promote their messages and run their election campaigns and, in practice, the Labour Party receives much of its funding from a small number of trade unions and the Conservative Party is backed mainly by large companies. It has been argued that democracy would be better served and parties could be more independent if there was public funding of political parties with the actual level of funding depending of some combination of candidates and votes. The parties have agreed to pursue a detailed agreement on limiting donations and reforming party funding in order to remove 'big money' from politics. Also the parties intend to tackle lobbying through introducing a statutory register of lobbyists. Candidates for further change would include the following proposals:
A wider franchise - At present, every citizen over 18 can vote but it has been suggested that the voting age should be lowered to 16. In the Coalition Government, the Liberal Democrats supported such an extension to the franchise but the Conservatives opposed it. Meanwhile the Scottish Nationalist Government allowed 16 and 17 year olds to vote in the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence.
A wider process for selecting Parliamentary candidates - Today candidates are selected by meetings of members of the political party that the candidate will represent in a future election, but it has been proposed that the process could be opened up to anyone in the relevant constituency who has declared themselves a supporter of that party, a process something like the primaries in the United States.
A more modern culture for the Commons - Many of the traditions and much of the language of the Commons date back centuries and reformers argue that it is time for change to make the proceedings more accessible and acceptable to the public and electorate. The sort of changes mooted are no ceremonial dress for Commons staff, reform of terms such as "My right honourable friend", and a less gladiatorial version of Prime Minister's Questions.
Limits on the Royal Prerogative - At the moment, the Prime Minister alone can exercise powers which once used to belong to the monarch, such as the right to apppoint certain judges and bishops, the signing of international treaties, and the declaring of war, but this could be changed so that Parliament has to decide such matters.
A domestic Bill of Rights - The UK has a Bill of Rights but it is the European Convention on Human Rights which, since 2000, has been part of the domestic law and therefore enforcable in national courts as well as the European Court. Some people believe that Britain should draft its own specific Bill of Rights. A Bill of Rights Commission, chaired by Sir Leigh Lewis, met for 18 months to consider this matter and reported in December 2012 when it was utterly unable to reach any sort of consensus. The current Conservative Government would like to remove the European Convention from the UK's domestic law and substitute it with a British Bill of Rights, but has let it be known that they consider that no progress on this can be made until the UK has left the European Union following the Brexit referendum decision.
A written constitution - For historical reasons, the UK is one of only three countries in the world not to have a written constitution (the others are New Zealand and Israel). The most radical proposal for constitutional change - supported especially by the Liberal Democrat Party - is that the country should now have a formal written constitution, presumably following some sort of constitutional convention and possibly a referendum. So, at the time of the General Election of May 2010, the scene seemed set for more change than for many decades but, in reality, most of the measures discussed at the time of the Coalition Agreement floundered. Nevertheless, as a consequence of the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, there is now a more fundamental debate about the British constitution than at any other time in living memory. Furthermore the decision in the referendum of June 2016 that Britain should leave the European Union will have profound constitutional implications for the United Kingdom.
ROGER DARLINGTON
| Chancellor of the Exchequer |
A parody of Hitler and Nazism, what was Charlie Chaplin's first talking feature film? | British political system
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A SHORT GUIDE TO THE
BRITISH POLITICAL SYSTEM
Constitutional And Political Reform
A VERY, VERY SHORT HISTORY
To understand fully any country's political system, one needs to understand something of its history. This is especially true of the United Kingdom because its history has been very different from most other nations and, as a result, its political system is very different from most other nations too.
Like its (unwritten) constitution, the British state evolved over time. We probably need to start in 1066 when William the Conqueror from Normandy invaded what we now call England, defeated the Anglo-Saxon King Harold and established a Norman dynasty. The Normans were not satisfied with conquering England and, over the next few centuries, tried to conquer Ireland, Wales and Scotland. They succeeded with the first two and failed with the last despite several wars over the centuries.
By one of those ironical twists of history, when Queen Elizabeth of England died in 1603, she was succeeded by her cousin James VI, King of Scots who promptly decamped from Edinburgh and settled in London as King James I of England while keeping his Scots title and running Scotland by remote control. Regal pickings were more lucrative in his southern capital.
A century later the Scottish economic and political elite bankrupted themselves on the Darien Scheme and agreed to a scheme of Union between England and Scotland to make themselves solvent again and so Great Britain with one Parliament based in London came into being. The Irish parliament was abolished in 1801 with Ireland returning members to Westminster and the new political entity was the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The southern (Catholic) Irish never reconciled themselves to being ruled by the English and rebelled in 1916 and gained independence in 1922. The northern (Protestant) Irish did not want independence and so the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland arrived. Not a snappy name.
Meanwhile, although the Normans were the last to mount a successful invasion of the country, there were plenty of other plans to conquer the nation, notably the Spanish under King Philip II in 1588, the French under Napoleon in 1803-1805, and the Germans under Hitler in 1940. None succeeeded.
Furthermore, in recent centuries, Britain has not had a revolution of the kind experienced by so many other countries. Some might argue that the English Civil War (1642-1651) was the nation's revolution and - athough it was three and a half centuries ago - it did bring about a major shift in power, but the main constitutional consequence - the abolition of the monarchy - only lasted 11 years and the Restoration of the Monarchy has so far lasted 350 years (although it is now, of course, a very different monarchy). There was a time in British history which we call the Glorious Revolution (1688) but it was a very English revolution, in the sense that nobody died, if a rather Dutch revolution in that it saw William of Orange take the throne.
So the British have never had anything equivalent to the American Revolution or the French Revolution, they have not been colonised in a millennium but rather been the greatest colonisers in history, and in neither of the two world wars were they invaded or occupied.
HOW HISTORY HAS SHAPED THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
The single most important fact in understanding the nature of the British political system is the fundamental continuity of that system. For almost 1,000 years, Britain has not been invaded or occupied for any length of time or over any substantial territory as the last successful invasion of England was in 1066 by the Normans. Is this true of any other country in the world? I can only think of Sweden.
This explains why:
almost uniquely in the world, Britain has no written constitution (the only other such nations are Israel & New Zealand)
the political system is not neat or logical or always fully democratic or particularly efficient
change has been very gradual and pragmatic and built on consensus
British attitudes towards the rest of Europe have been insular, not just geographically but culturally, which was a major factor behind the Brexit decision of 23 June 2016.
To simplify British political history very much, it has essentially been a struggle to shift political power and accountability from the all-powerful king - who claimed that he obtained his right to rule from God - to a national parliament that was increasingly representative of ordinary people and accountable to ordinary people. There have been many milestones along this long and troubled road to full democracy.
A key date in this evolution was 1215 when King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta which involved him sharing power with the barons. This is regarded as the first statement of citizen rights in the world - although Hungarians are proud of the Golden Bull of just seven years later.
The so-called Model Parliament was summoned by King Edward I in 1295 and is regarded as the first representative assembly. Unlike the absolute monarchs of other parts of Europe, the King of England required the approval of Parliament to tax his subjects and so, then as now, central to the exercise of power was the ability to raise funds.
The bicameral nature of the British Parliament - Commons and Lords - emerged in 1341 and the two-chamber model of the legislature has served as a template in very many other parliamentary systems.
The Bill of Rights of 1689 - which is still in effect - lays down limits on the powers of the crown and sets out the rights of Parliament and rules for freedom of speech in Parliament, the requirement for regular elections to Parliament, and the right to petition the monarch without fear of retribution.
It was the 19th century before the franchise was seriously extended and each extension was the subject of conflict and opposition. The great Reform Act of 1832 abolished 60 'rotten', or largely unpopulated, boroughs and extended the vote from 400,000 citizens to 600,000, but this legislation - promoted by the Whigs (forerunners of the Liberals) - was only carried after being opposed three times by the Tories (forerunners of the Conservatives). Further Reform Acts followed in 1867 and 1884. It was 1918 before the country achieved a near universal franchise and 1970 before the last extension of the franchise (to 18-21 year olds).
Another important feature of British political history is that three parts of the United Kingdom - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - have a special status and have local administrations with a wide range of responsibilities. However, England - which represents about 84% of the total UK population of around 65 million - does not have a clear and strong sense of regionalism. So the British political system does not have anything equivalent to the federal system of the 50 states in the USA. The nature of this (dis)United Kingdom took on a new form in the General Election of May 2015 when the Scottish National Party won 56 out of 59 seats in Scotland.
The final important part of British political history is that, since 1973, the UK has been a member of what is now called the European Union (EU). This now has 28 Member States covering most of the continent of Europe. Therefore the UK Government and Parliament are limited in some respects by what they can do because certain areas of policy or decision-making are a matter for the EU which operates through a European Commission appointed by the member governments and a European Parliament elected by the citizens of the member states [for a guide to the working of the EU click here ]. However, in a referendum held on 23 June 2016, the British people narrowly voted that the country should leave the European Union (a decsion dubbed Brexit), a process that will take a couple of years and be very complex.
The year 2015 was a special year for the British Parliament as it was the 750th anniversary of the de Montfort Parliament (the first gathering in England that can be called a parliament in the dictionary sense of the word), along with the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the document that set the scene for the later 1265 de Montfort Parliament.
THREE ARMS OF THE STATE
The British political system is headed by a monarchy but essentially the powers of the monarch as head of state - currently Queen Elizabeth II - are ceremonial. The most important practical power is the choice of the Member of Parliament to form a government, but the monarch follows the convention that this opportunity is granted to the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons or who stands the best chance of commanding a majority in a vote of confidence in the Commons.
Although any remaining powers of the monarchy are largely ceremonial, the Royal Family does have some subtle and hidden influence on the legislative process because of a little-known provision that senior royals - notably the Queen and her eldest son the Prince of Wales - have to be consulted about legislation that might affect their private interests and given the opportunity to have such legislation amended.
Traditionally the choice of monarch has been determined on the hereditary and primogeniture principles which means that the oldest male child of a monarch was the next in line to the throne. Under the terms of the Act of Settlement of 1701, the monarch and the monarch's spouse could not be Catholics because the UK monarch is also the Head of the Church of England. In 2015, the primogeniture principle was abolished, so that the next in line can now be a female eldest child, and the monarch can marry a Catholic but not himself or herself be one.
In classical political theory, there are three arms of the state:
The executive - the Ministers who run the country and propose new laws
The legislature - the elected body that passes new laws
The judiciary - the judges and the courts who ensure that everyone obeys the laws.
In the political system of the United States, the constitution provides that there must be a strict division of powers of these three arms of the state, so that no individual can be a member of more than one. So, for example, the President is not and cannot be a member of the Congress. This concept is called 'separation of powers', a term coined by the French political, enlightenment thinker Montesquieu. This is not the case in the UK where all Ministers in the government are members of the legislature and one individual, the Lord Chancellor, is actually a member of all three arms.
THE U.K. PARLIAMENT
The British Parliament is often called Westminster because it is housed in a distinguished building in central London called the Palace of Westminster which stands out because of the clock tower at the south end (this is the Elizabeth Tower and it houses Big Ben) and the tower with a flag at the other end (this is the Victoria Tower). Although this is a grand building, it is in an appalling state of repair and there are currently discussions about a major project of refurbishment which will probably begin in 2020 and require Parliament to relocate somewhere else in central London.
The British Parliament - like that of most larger countries - is bicameral, that is there are two houses or chambers. One tends to find unicameral legislatures in smaller nations such as Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Greece, Israel and New Zealand, although China and Iran are two larger nations with a single legislative chamber (but neither of these countries is a democracy).
The House of Commons
This is the lower chamber but the one with the most authority. I worked there as a Research Assistant to Merlyn Rees MP, then Labour's Opposition spokesperson on Northern Ireland, from 1972-1974.
The House of Commons sits each week day for about half of the weeks of the year. The precise hours of sitting are:
Monday 2.30 - 10.30 pm
Wednesday 11.30 am - 7.30 pm
Thursday 10.30 am - 6.30 pm
Friday 9.30 am - 3 pm
The Commons is chaired by the Speaker. Unlike the Speaker in the US House of Representatives, the post is non-political and indeed, by convention, the political parties do not contest the Parliamentary constituency held by the Speaker.
The House of Commons currently comprises 650 Members of Parliament or MPs (the number varies slightly from time to time to reflect population change). This is a large legislature by international standards. For instance, the House of Representatives in the USA has 435 seats but, of course, each of the 50 US states has its own legislature. Before the General Election of 2010, the Conservative Party said that it wished to reduce the number of Commons seats by around 10% (65 seats) and the Liberal Democrats said that the Commons should be reduced by 150 MPs. The Coalition Government of 2010-2015 passed legislation to reduce the number from 650 to 600, as part of a wider change to the number and size of constituencies, but Parliament blocked the process of redrawing boundaries that is necessary before an General Election can be held with fewer seats.
Rather oddly (but deliberately), there is insufficient seating capacity in the chamber of the House of Commons for all the MPs. Members do not sit at desks (like most legislatures) but on long, green-covered benches and there is only seating capacity for 437 MPs out of the total of 650. The origin of this strange arrangement is that the Commons first home was the medieval St Stephen's Chapel in the Palace of Westminster which could only fit around 400 Members.
Equally odd is that Members vote (votes are called 'divisions') by physically walking through one of the two lobbies which run along the side of the Commons chamber. These lobbies are the 'aye' lobby and the 'nay' lobby. This archaic procedure means that votes take a long time to conduct and it is not unknown for a member accidentally to walk into the wrong lobby. The votes are counted by 'tellers' who then return to the chamber to announce the numbers to the Speaker.
Each member in the House of Commons represents a geographical constituency. Typically a constituency would have around 60,000-80,000 voters, depending mainly on whether it is an urban or rural constituency. The largest constituency in the country is the Isle of Wight with around 110,000 electors, while the smallest is Na h-Eileanan an Iar (formerly known as the Western Isles) with an electorate of only arouind 22,000. The Coalition Government of 2010-2015 intended to make the size of constituencies more equal in terms of electors, but so far the legislation has not been implemented.
Every citizen aged 18 or over can vote once in the constituency in which they live. Voting is not compulsory (as it is in Australia). In the last General Election of May 2015, 66.1% of the electorate actually voted. Most democratic countries use a method of election called proportional representation (PR) which means that there is a reasonable correlation between the percentage of votes cast for a particular political party and the number of seats or representatives won by that party. However, much of the Anglo-Saxon world - the USA, Canada, and the UK but not Australia or New Zealand - uses a method of election called the simple majority system or 'first past the post' (FPTP). In this system, the country is divided into a number of constituencies each with a single member and the party that wins the largest number of votes in each constituency wins that constituency regardless of the proportion of the vote secured. The simple majority system of election tends to under-represent less successful political parties and to maximise the chance of the most popular political party winning a majority of seats nationwide even if it does not win a majority of the votes nationwide.
Until recently, in the UK (unlike many countries), there was not fixed term parliaments. A General Election - that is, a nationwide election for all 650 seats - was held when the Prime Minister called it, but the election could not be more than five years after the last one and it was usually around four years after the last one. I fought the General Elections of February 1974 and October 1974 as the Labour candidate for the north-east London constituency of Wanstead & Woodford. The Coalition Government of 2010-2015 passed legislation to provide for fixed five-year parliaments which means that the next General Election is scheduled for May 2020. The last General Election was held in May 2015 and the result was as follows:
Conservative Party: 331 seats (up 24) with 36.9% of the vote
Labour Party: 232 seats (down 26) with 30.4% of the vote
Scottish National Party: 56 seats (up 48) with 4.7% of the vote
Liberal Democrat Party: 8 seats (down 49) with 7.9% of the vote
Other parties: 23 seats (down 3) with 20.1% of the vote
Total turnout nationwide was 66.1% up 1.0% on 2010 Note 1: In practice, the Speaker - notionally Conservative - is not counted against any political party because he is required to be neutral.
Note 2: In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein - which won four constituencies - does not take its seats.
Note 3: The 2015 election was officially the least proportional result in British history. If there had been an exactly proportional result, 24.2% of MPs would be different.
Links:
House of Commons site click here
BBC live broadcasting of Commons proceedings click here
The House of Lords
This is the upper chamber but the one with less authority. Its main roles are to revise legislation and keep a check on Government by scrutinising its activities. Since 1911, its power to block "money bills" is limited to one month and its power to block other bills is limited to one session, so ultimately it cannot block the will of the House of Commons. Fuirthermore, since 1945, there has been the Salisbury Convention that the House of Lords will not oppose a measure that was specifically mentioned in the last election manifesto of the political party forming the Government.
The House of Lords is an utterly bizarre institution that has no parallel anywhere in the democratic world. Indeed the only other country with an unelected second chamber is Lesotho. The explanation for the unusual nature of the Lords goes back to the beginning of this essay: the British political system has evolved very slowly and peacefully and it is not totally logical or democratic.
There is no fixed number of members in the House of Lords, but currently there are 826 members - many more than in the House of Commons, more than the combined houses of the American Congress or the Indian Parliament (although both of these nations have a federal system), and the second biggest legislative body in the world (after the Chinese National People's Congress which is effectively a rubber-stamping body). The number was actually halved to 666 in the reforms of 1999 but, since then, succesive Prime Ministers (especially David Cameron) have been adding new life peers much faster than members are dying. Indeed the last (Coalition) Government added over 100. Ironically the size of the House of Lords continues to rise at the same time as the House of Commons has legislated to reduce its size.
Historically most members of the House of Lords have been what we called hereditary peers. This meant that years ago a king or queen nominated a member of the aristocracy to be a member of the House and, since then, the right to sit in the House has passed through the family from generation to generation. Clearly this is totally undemocratic and the last Labour Government abolished the right of all but 92 of these hereditary peers to sit in the House.
Almost all the other members of today's House of Lords are what we call life peers. This means that they have been chosen by the Queen, on the advice of the Government, to sit in the House for as long as they live, but afterwards no member of their family has the right to sit in the House. Almost 200 are former Members of Parliament. Others are distinguished figures in fields such as education, health and social policy.
A small number of other members - 26 - are archbishops and bishops of the Church of England. The archbishops of Canterbury and York and the bishops of London, Durham and Winchester automatically take seats in the Lords, while the further 21 seats are allocated on the basis of length of service. Iran is the only other country in the world that provides automatic seats for senior religious figures in its legislature.
At the last count (1999), two-thirds of peers were aged over 65 and 15% were aged over 80. There is no retirement age.
There is nowhere near sufficient seating capacity in the chamber of the House of Lords for all the peers. Members do not sit at desks (like most legislatures) but on long, red-covered benches and there is only seating capacity for 230 peers out of the total of 774. Even on a 'whipped' vote, a couple of hundred peers will not turn up.
House of Lords reform is unfinished business. The Parliament Act of 1911 first raised the prospect of an elected upper house but it has still not happened. There is a cross-party consensus that it should become a mainly elected body, although there is as yet no agreement on the details of the next stage of reform.
Links:
House of Lords site click here
BBC live broadcasting of Lords proceedings click here
Some distinguishing features of the British Parliamentary system
Much of the work of Parliament is done in Committees rather than on the floor of the chamber. The House of Commons has two types of committee:
Select Committees are appointed for the lifetime of a Parliament, 'shadow' the work of a particular Government Department, conduct investigations, receive written and oral evidence, and issue reports. Membership is made up only of backbenchers and reflects proportionately the balance of the parties in the Commons.
General Committees (previously known as Standing Committees) are temporary bodies, most of them Public Bill Committees formed to examine the detail of a particular piece of proposed legislation and consider amendments to the Bill. Membership includes Government and Opposition spokepersons on the subject matter of the Bill and overall membership reflects proportionately the balance of the parties in the Commons.
The House of Lords only has Select Committees (it does not need Standing Committees because the details of Bills are considered on the floor of the chamber).
Finally there are some Joint Committees of the Commons and the Lords.
Discussion and debate involve quite a gladiatorial or confrontational approach. This is reflected in the physical shape of the chambers. Whereas most legislatures are semi-circular, both the House of Commons and the House of Lords are rectangular with the Government party sitting on one side and the Opposition parties sitting on the other side. The House of Lords alone has cross-benches for independent peers. It is quite normal for speakers in debates to be interrupted by other members, especially of another party, and, in the Commons, cheering and jeering is a regular occurrence.
In the Commons, there is a Prime Minister's Question (PMQ) Time for 30 minutes at 12 noon every Wednesday. Questions can be asked on any subject. This is frequently a heated affair with the Leader of the Opposition trying to embarrass the Prime Minister and it is the one part of the week's proceedings guaranteed to attract the interest of the media. In his book "A Journey", former Prime Minister Tony Blair wrote: "PMQs was the most nerve-wracking, discombobulating, nail-biting, bowel-moving, terror-inspiring, courage-draining experience in my prime ministerial life, without question."
The Government is normally assured of a majority in the House of Commons for any measure or vote. This is mainly because in the Commons there is a strong 'whipping' system in which political parties tell their members how to vote on every significant division though a weekly set of instructions. The importance of actually being present to vote in the manner instructed depends on whether the 'whip' is one-line, two-line or - the most serious - three-line. Even when there is a rebellion by members of the majority party, the Government usually obtains its wish because all Ministers and their Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPSs) are required to vote for the Government or resign their Ministerial or PPS position. This is called 'the payroll vote' (although PPS are not actually paid to be a PPS) and currently around 120 MPs or 22% of the Commons make up this block vote.
The official record of the proceedings of the Commons and the Lords is called Hansard. The press and broadcasters are present all the time and live audio and visual broadcasting can take place at any time.
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
In the British political system, almost all legislation is proposed by the Government and much of it comes from promises made in the manifesto of the relevant political party at the last election. At the beginning of each annual session of the Parliament, the main Bills to be considered are announced by the Queen in a speech opening that year's session of Parliament.
All legislation has to be approved by both Houses of Parliament.
In each House of Parliament, a proposed piece of legislation - called a Bill - goes through the following stages:
First Reading - the Bill is introduced with simply a reading by a Minister of the long title of the Bill
Second Reading - the general principles of the Bill are debated by all the members of the House and a formal vote is taken
Committee Stage - each clause and schedule of the Bill, plus amendments to them and any new clauses or schedules, is examined in detail, in the Commons by a small, specially chosen group of members meeting as Public Bill Committee or in the Lords by the members as a whole on the floor of the House
Report Stage - the changes made to the Bill in the Committee are reported to and debated by the whole House which is invited to consider the Bill as a whole, approve the changes by the Committee, and consider any further proposed changes that might be suggested
Third Reading - the final version of the Bill is considered by the whole House in a short debate (in the Commons without the facility for further amendments)
Royal Assent - the Crown gives assent to the Bill which then becomes an Act, the provisions becoming law either immediately or at a date specified in the Act or at a date specified by what is called a Commencement Order Several points are worth noting about the legislative process:
Under normal circumstances, all these stages must be completed in both Houses in one session of Parliament; otherwise the process must begin all over again.
Debates on most Bills are timetabled through a programme motion (when Government and Opposition agree) or an allocation of time motion which is popularly known as a 'guillotine' motion (when Government and Opposition do not agree).
As well as almost all legislation coming from the Government, almost all successful amendments originate from the Government.
The House of Lords has much more limited legislative powers than the House of Commons. Money Bills can only be initiated in the Commons and the Lords can only reject legislation from the Commons for one year. Furthermore there is a convention - called the Salisbury Convention - that the Lords does not block legislation in fulfillment of the election manifesto of the elected Government.
Link: Bill stages click here
POLITICAL PARTIES
The idea of political parties first took form in Britain and the Conservative Party claims to be the oldest political party in the world. Political parties began to form during the English civil wars of the 1640s and 1650s. First, there were Royalists and Parliamentarians; then Tories and Whigs. Whereas the Whigs wanted to curtail the power of the monarch, the Tories - today the Conservatives - were seen as the patriotic party.
Today there are four major political parties in the British parliamentary system:
The Conservative Party (frequently called the Tories) - the centre-Right party, currently led by David Cameron, which since 2010 has been in Government either in coalition (2010-2015) or alone (since 2015)
The Labour Party - the centre-Left party, led by Ed Miliband until May 2015, which was last in Government from 1997 to 2010
The Scottish National Party - the party supporting Scottish independence, which is led by Nicola Sturgeon
The Liberal Democrat Party (known as the Lib Dems) - the centrist, libertarian party, led by Nick Clegg until May 2015, which was the junior member of the Coalition Government of 2010-2015 In recent years, Britain has seen the rise of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) led by Nigel Farage until May 2015, which was formed in 1993 but achieved some spectacular performances in local and European elections May 2014. In the general elwection of May 2015, it won 12.6% of the vote but only one seat at Westminster.
In addition to these five main parties, there are some much smaller UK parties (notably the Green Party) and some parties which operate specifically in Wales (Plaid Cymru) or Northern Ireland (such as Sinn Fein for the nationalists and the Democratic Unionist Party for the loyalists).
Each political party chooses its leader in a different way, but all involve all the Members of Parliament of the party and all the individual members of that party. By convention, the leader of the political party with the largest number of members in the House of Commons becomes the Prime Minster (formally at the invitation of the Queen).
Political parties are an all-important feature of the British political system because:
The three main UK political parties in the UK have existed for a century or more and have a strong and stable 'brand image'.
It is virtually impossible for someone to be elected to the House of Commons without being a member of an established political party.
All political parties strongly 'whip' their elected members which means that, on the vast majority of issues, Members of Parliament of the same party vote as a 'block'. Having said this, the influence of the three main UK political parties is not as dominant as it was in the 1940s and 1950s because:
The three parties have smaller memberships than they did, since voters are much less inclined to join a political party.
The three parties secure a lower overall percentage of the total vote, since smaller parties between them now take a growing share of the vote.
Voters are much less 'tribal', not supporting the same party at every election, and much more likely to 'float, voting for different parties at successive elections.
The ideological differences between the parties are less than they were, with the parties adopting more 'pragmatic' positions on many issues.
In the past, class was a major determinant of voting intention in British politics, with most working class electors voting Labour and most middle class electors voting Conservative. These days, class is much less important because:
Working class numbers have shrunk and now represent only 43% of the electorate.
Except at the extremes of wealth, lifestyles are more similar.
Class does not determine voting intention so much as values, trust, competence and (in Scotland) nationalism).
In the British political system, there is a broad consensus between the major parties on:
the rule of law
the National Health Service (NHS)
UK membership of European Union and NATO The main differences between the political parties concern:
how to tackle poverty and inequality
the levels and forms of taxation
the extent of state intervention in the economy
the balance between collective rights and individual rights
the UK's relationship to the European Union
THE U.K. GOVERNMENT
All Government Ministers have to be a member of either the House of Commons (most of them) or the House of Lords (the remainder of them) and every Government Department will have at least one Minister in the Lords, so that the Department can speak in either House as necessary. The number of Ministers varies from administration to administration, but typically there will be around 120, the 20 or so most senior being Cabinet Ministers. The Ministerial and Other Salaries Act, passed in 1975, limits prime ministers to 109 ministerial salaries being paid at any one time with a maximum of 95 ministers in the House of Commons.
Historically most British governments have been composed of ministers from a single political party which had an overall majority of seats in the House of Commons and the 'first-past-the-post' (FPTP) electoral system greatly facilitates and indeed promotes this outcome. However, occasionally there have been minority governments or coalition governments.
For five years, the UK had its first coalition government in 65 years when, in May 2010, the Conservatives went into coalition with the Liberal Democrats because in the General Election they did not secure a majority of the seats. In this coalition, the Lib Dems had 17 ministers led by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
However, at the General Election of May 2015, the Conservative Party won an overall majority and the normal arrangement resumed of all Ministers coming from the same party.
The Prime Minister
The UK does not have a President. Constitutionally the head of state is the monarch who is a hereditary member of the Royal Family. However, the monarch has very few formal powers and stays above party politics. He or she receives a weekly oral report from the Prime Minister, a tradition which began with King George I in 1714 because this German had struggled to follow the English deliberations of his Cabinet.
Therefore, in practice, the most important person in the British political system is the Prime Minister. The first modern Prime Minister was Sir Robert Walpole who served from 1721-1742, so the current PM Theresa May is the 54th (and only the second woman to hold the post). In theory, the Prime Minister simply choses the ministers who run Government departments and chairs the Cabinet - the collection of the most senior of those Ministers. In practice, however, the Prime Minister is a very powerful figure and increasingly has been behaving much like a president in other political systems, especially in the area of foreign policy.
I have personally met four British Prime Ministers: Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
The official residence of the Prime Minister is at 10 Downing Street in central London - a location I have visited about a dozen times - and the country residence of the Prime Minister is at Chequers in Buckinghamshire.
One British Prime Minister has been assassinated: Spencer Perceval was shot dead in the House of Commons in 1812.
Link: Prime Minister click here
Government Departments
The most important political departments are called:
The Treasury - In most countries, this would be called the Ministry of Finance. It is responsible for the raising of all taxes and the control of all government expenditure plus the general management of the economy. The head of the Treasury is called the Chancellor of the Exchequer and is currently Philip Hammond.
Link: Treasury site click here
The Home Office - In most countries, this would be called the Ministry of the Interior. It is responsible for criminal matters, policing, and immigration. The Head of the Home Office is called the Home Secretary and is currently Amber Rudd.
Link: Home Office site click here
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office - In most countries, this would be called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is responsible for all international relationships, especially membership of the European Union. The head of the Foreign Office is called the Foreign Secretary and is currently Boris Johnson.
Link: Foreign Office site click here
Many other UK Government Departments are similar to those in other countries and cover subjects such as education, health, transport, industry, and justice. However, there are also small departments for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
When talking about the British Government, the media will often use the term Whitehall because a number of Government Departments are located along a central London street very close to Parliament called Whitehall.
Government Ministers
All Government Departments are run by Ministers who are either Members of the House of Commons or Members of the House of Lords. There are three classes of Minister:
Secretary of State - This is usually the head of a Department.
Minister of State - This is a middle-ranking minister.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State - This is the most junior class of minister.
The Prime Minster and all the Secretaries of State together comprise an executive body of government called the Cabinet. The Cabinet meets usually once a week on Tuesday morning. Cabinet meetings are confidential and all members are bound by any decision that it takes in a practice called collective responsibility. An extensive system of Cabinet Committees considers matters either before they go to Cabinet or (more usually) instead of them going to Cabinet.
Although all Ministers are appointed by the Prime Minster and report to him, ultimately all Ministers are accountable to Parliament:
About once a month, they have to face questions in the House of Commons about the work of the Department.
Each government department has a special committee of the House of Commons which watches the work of that Department.
Any government initiative or important statement concerning a Department must be the subject of an appearance in the House of Commons by a minister from that Department. Link: full list of current ministers click here
The civil service
Each Secretary of State is able to appoint a couple of political advisers formally known as Special Advisers to serve him or her. I was a Special Adviser to Merlyn Rees in the Northern Ireland Office from 1974-1976 and in the Home Office from 1976-1978, while my son Richard was a Special Adviser to Ruth Kelly in the Department for Education & Skills in 2005 and a Special Adviser to Douglas Alexander at the Department for International Development in 2009-2010.
But Special Advisers are simply advisers. They have no line management responsibilities in respect of the staff of the Department. Besides these tiny number of Special Advisers, Government Departments are run by civil servants who are recruited in a totally open manner and serve governments of any political parties. The independence and professionalism of the British civil service are fundamental features of the British political system. My son Richard once worked as a civil servant in what was then the Department of Trade & Industry and my half-brother Chris was an official in the Treasury for five years.
DEVOLVED GOVERNMENT
The UK has a devolved system of government, but this is categorically not a system of federal government such as in the United States [ click here ] or Australia [ click here ], partly because less than a fifth of the citizens of the UK are covered the three bodies in question and partly because the three bodies themselves have different powers from one another.
The three devolved administrations are:
The Scottish Parliament
This came into operation in May 1999 and covers the 5M citizens of Scotland. It has 129 members elected by a system of proportional representation known as the mixed member system. As a result, 73 members represent individual geographical constituencies elected by the 'first past the post' (FPTP) system, with a further 56 members returned from eight additional member regions, each electing seven members. All members are elected for four-year terms.
The Scottish Parliament meets in Holyrood, Edinburgh. It has legislative powers over those matters not reserved to the UK Parliament and it has limited tax-raising powers.
In the election of May 2011, for the first time a single political party gained an overall majority of the seats in the Scottish Parliament. That party was the Scottish National Party and its victory enabled it to require the UK Government to permit the holding of a referendum on Scottish independence.
The referendum was held on 18 September 2014 and, on an astonishing turnout of 85%, the 'no' vote won a decisive victory by 55% to 45%. However, in the final week of the two-year referendum campaign, the three major parties in the UK Parliament agreed that, if the Scots voted 'no', there would be an early transfer of substantial extra powers to the Scottish Parliament. This is now the subject of fierce political debate because of the implications for the other nations in the UK and for the UK Parliament itself.
Links:
Northern Ireland Assembly click here
BBC live broadcasting of Northern Ireland Assembly proceedings click here
THE U.K. JUDICIARY
The British judicial branch is extremely complex. Unlike most countries which operate a single system of law, the UK operates three separate legal systems: one for England and Wales, one for Scotland, and one for Northern Ireland. Although bound by similar principles, these systems differ in form and the manner of operation.
Currently a process of reform is in operation.
The Lord Chancellor's office - which for 1,400 years maintained the judiciary - has now been replaced by the Ministry for Justice which administers the court system. A Judical Appointments Commission has been set up to advise the head of the MoJ on the appointment of new judges.
The Appellate Committee of the House of Lords - previously the highest court in the land - was, by way of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, replaced by the Supreme Court in October 2009 to allow the judiciary to operate in total independence from the Government. The Supreme Court is now the ultimate court of appeal in all legal matters other than criminal cases in Scotland. It consists of 12 judges and sits in the Middlesex Guildhall in Parliament Square.
The UK does not have its own Bill of Rights. However, since 1951 it has been a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights (part of the Council of Europe) and since 1966 it has allowed its citizens the right of individual petition enabling them to take the government to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The last Labour Government incorporated the provisions of the European Convention into UK domestic law in 2000, so that citizens can now seek to have the provisions enforced in domestic courts.
CIVIL SOCIETY
One cannot explain a liberal democracy such as the United Kingdom simply by talking about the formal political and governmental institutions, any more than one can understand fish without talking about water.
Democratic government cannot operate without a strong civil society to support it and hold political and governmental bodies to account. The special history of the UK - involving gradual changes over long periods - has created a subtle but effective civil society that outsiders often find a little difficult to understand. So it is useful to list some of the more important elements of such a civil society:
Bill of Rights - Although Britain does not have a written constitution, it does have a Bill of Rights because it is a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights which was drawn up by a body called the Council of Europe. The European Convention is part of the domestic law so that it can be enforced in the domestic courts as well as in the European Court of Human Rights.
Independent judiciary - British judges are appointed through an independent process and operate totally independently of government. They can find that a Government Minister has acted against a law of the UK Parliament or a Directive of the European Union or against the European Convention and require the Minister to change his or her actions.
A free media - As long as they are not being libelous, newspapers, radio and television can say what they want about the Parliament, the Government and politicians. An important new development is the Internet. Web sites and blogs can say what they want about politicians and political issues. I have a web site and a blog and I often write about political issues. There is no need in the UK to register a newspaper or web site or to obtain permission to run it.
Freedom of information legislation - Britain has a Freedom of Information Act which is a piece of legislation that obliges national government, local government and most public bodies to provide any information requested by an citizen. The only exceptions are things like information which concern national security, commercial confidentiality, or the private matters of citizens.
Trade unions - About a quarter of workers in Britain are members of trade unions representing different occupational groups or industries. These trade unions are totally independent of government and employers. I was a national trade union official for 24 years and believe strongly in independent trade unions.
Pressure groups - Britain has lots and lots of organisations that campaign publicly on political issues such as poverty, pensions, and the environment. They perform an invaluable role in putting forward ideas and holding politicians to account.
Charities and voluntary groups - Similarly we have lots and lots of organisations that do some of the things that government does as well such as running schools and hospitals, looking after the poor and old, and cleaning up the environment.
CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL REFORM
Compared to many other democracies, institutional and procedural reform in the British political system has been very slow, gradual and piecemeal. However, there has been a growing movement for more reform, starting with the actual running of the House of Commons:
Since the election of (Conservative MP) John Bercow as Speaker of the House of Commons, there have been many more occasions of the use of the Urgent Question (UQ). This is a device which allows any Member of Parliament on any sitting day to petition the Speaker to demand that a Government Department supplies a Minister to make a statement on some issue or matter that has arisen very suddenly.
Eight weeks before the May 2010 General Election, the House of Commons embraced the election of the Deputy Speakers, the whole House election of Select Committee Chairs, the whole party caucus election of Select Committee members, and the creation of a House Backbench Business Committee.
In November 2013, the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow announced the formation of a novel type of inquiry, a Speaker’s Commission, to examine the whole issie of Digital Democracy. This exercise started in early 2014 and reported in early 2015. The appetite for constitutional change became much stronger in the aftermath of the May 2009 scandal over the expenses of Members of Parliament. Then the formation in May 2010 of a Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition Government opened up new possibilities for change with a number of specific measures set out in the agreement between the parties establishing the new government. However, actual progress has been limited.
The changes on the agenda of the previous Coalition Government were as follows:
Fixed term parliaments - In the past, elections to the House of Commons had to be held within five years of the previous General Election but the Prime Minister had complete discretion over the actual date which was often the subject of considerable speculation and frequently a year or more before an election was legally necessary. The coalition parties agreed to the establishment of five year fixed-term parliaments and the necessary legislation has now been enacted. Therefore, subject to at an earlier time either a vote of no confidence in the Government or a two-thirds majority vote, each General Election will now be held on the first Thursday of May five years after the previous election.
A new electoral system for the House of Commons - Britain is unusual in Europe in having an electoral system which is 'first-past-the-post' (FPTP) and there are advocates for a system of proportional representation (PR), versions of which are already used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly and for British elections to the European Parliament. As a vital component of the coalition agreement, legislation was carried to enable a referendum to be held on an electoral system called the alternative vote (AV) which enables the voter to number candidates in order of preference and requires a winning candidate to secure more than 50% of the votes which, if not achieved on the first count, is achieved through successive withdrawal of the lowest-polling candidate and redistribution of that candidate's preferences. The referendum - only the second UK-wide referendum in its history - was held on 5 May 2011, but the current electoral system was supported by a margin of more than two to one (I voted for a move to AV).
Fewer and more equal sized constituencies - Currently the House of Commons has 650 seats; the Coalition Government intended to cut this to 600. Currently the number of electors in each Parliamentary constituency varies quite considerably; the Coalition Government legislated that no constituency should be more than 5% either larger or smaller than a national average of around 76,000 electors (which could eliminate some 40 Labour-held seats). The Government included these measures in the Referendum Bill on electoral reform and it was intended that the new constituencies would come into effect at the General Election in 2015. However, although the Bill is now on the statute book, the new constituencies did not become operative at the General Election following a Commons vote of 334 to 292 against early implementation when the Liberal Democrats joined with Labour to block implementation in retaliation for Conservative MPs failing to support the reform of the House of Lords strongly favoured by the Lib Dems.
Election of the House of Lords - At present, no member of the upper house is actually elected; most are appointed on the nomination of party leaders with a small number remaining from the originally much larger group of hereditary peers. The Queen's Speech of May 2012 announced that there would be a Bill on Lords reform in that session of Parliament. The latest proposal for reform comes from a Joint Committee of the two houses which recommended a 450-seat chamber with peers elected for 15 years in elections to be held every five years. Of these, 80% would be elected by a form of proportional representation with 20% appointed by an independent body. In fact, neither the Commons (especially the Conservative Party) nor the Lords is keen on reform for very different reasons (MPs do not want the Lords to gain more legitimacy and nominated peers do not want to be replaced by elected representatives). In the summer of 2012, the Prime Minister announced that he could not deliver Conservative support for a reform measure which was therefore withdrawn to the intense anger of the Liberal Democrats who very much support reform.
More power to backbench Members of Parliament - In the British political system, the party in Government has considerably more power in the legislature than the Opposition parties and in all the political parties the whips have considerable power over backbenchers. Ordinary MPs could be given more influence by measures such as more independent and stronger all-party Select Committees, more unwhipped votes (especially during the Committee Stage of Bills), more support for Private Members' Bills (those initiated by backbenchers rather than Ministers), more power to scrutinise Government spending, and a new power to subject ministers to confirmation hearings.
The power to force a by-election - Currently a by-election occurs only when an MP dies or resigns or is sentenced to more than one year in prison. In the last Parliament, the Government put forward legislation to make the recall of an errant MP easier. The new Act requires that, if an MP is convicted of an offence and sentenced to a custodial sentence of 12 months or less or if the Commons orders the MP's suspension for at least 28 sitting days (or 28 calendar days), then the MP's constituents will have the opportunity to sign a recall petition calling for a by-election. It will require at least 10% of constituents to sign the petition for a by-election to be held.
More devolution nationally and locally - The Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly all have devolved powers and all of them want more, while many local authorities feel that, over past decades, their powers have been eroded by the national parliament. Some believe that a revitalisation of the British political system requires more devolution of power. The main political parties in the UK Parliament had already agreed to the implementation of the Calman Commission proposals on further Scottish devolution and the offer of a referendum on further Welsh devolution. However, in the final week of the Scottish independence referendum campaign, the three major parties in the UK Parliament agreed that, if the Scots voted 'no' (as they did), there would be an early transfer of substantial extra powers to the Scottish Parliament. This is now the subject of fierce political debate because of the implications for the other nations, regions and cities in the UK and for the UK Parliament itself.
Use of e-petitions - Citizens are encouraged to use the Government web site to create electronic petitions to promote specific political reforms. It might be that the most popular petition will be drafted as a Bill and presented to Parliament, while those petitions that reach a certain level of support - probably 100,000 signatures - will be guaranteed a debate in the House of Commons.
Funding and lobbying - All political parties find it difficult to raise the funding necessary to promote their messages and run their election campaigns and, in practice, the Labour Party receives much of its funding from a small number of trade unions and the Conservative Party is backed mainly by large companies. It has been argued that democracy would be better served and parties could be more independent if there was public funding of political parties with the actual level of funding depending of some combination of candidates and votes. The parties have agreed to pursue a detailed agreement on limiting donations and reforming party funding in order to remove 'big money' from politics. Also the parties intend to tackle lobbying through introducing a statutory register of lobbyists. Candidates for further change would include the following proposals:
A wider franchise - At present, every citizen over 18 can vote but it has been suggested that the voting age should be lowered to 16. In the Coalition Government, the Liberal Democrats supported such an extension to the franchise but the Conservatives opposed it. Meanwhile the Scottish Nationalist Government allowed 16 and 17 year olds to vote in the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence.
A wider process for selecting Parliamentary candidates - Today candidates are selected by meetings of members of the political party that the candidate will represent in a future election, but it has been proposed that the process could be opened up to anyone in the relevant constituency who has declared themselves a supporter of that party, a process something like the primaries in the United States.
A more modern culture for the Commons - Many of the traditions and much of the language of the Commons date back centuries and reformers argue that it is time for change to make the proceedings more accessible and acceptable to the public and electorate. The sort of changes mooted are no ceremonial dress for Commons staff, reform of terms such as "My right honourable friend", and a less gladiatorial version of Prime Minister's Questions.
Limits on the Royal Prerogative - At the moment, the Prime Minister alone can exercise powers which once used to belong to the monarch, such as the right to apppoint certain judges and bishops, the signing of international treaties, and the declaring of war, but this could be changed so that Parliament has to decide such matters.
A domestic Bill of Rights - The UK has a Bill of Rights but it is the European Convention on Human Rights which, since 2000, has been part of the domestic law and therefore enforcable in national courts as well as the European Court. Some people believe that Britain should draft its own specific Bill of Rights. A Bill of Rights Commission, chaired by Sir Leigh Lewis, met for 18 months to consider this matter and reported in December 2012 when it was utterly unable to reach any sort of consensus. The current Conservative Government would like to remove the European Convention from the UK's domestic law and substitute it with a British Bill of Rights, but has let it be known that they consider that no progress on this can be made until the UK has left the European Union following the Brexit referendum decision.
A written constitution - For historical reasons, the UK is one of only three countries in the world not to have a written constitution (the others are New Zealand and Israel). The most radical proposal for constitutional change - supported especially by the Liberal Democrat Party - is that the country should now have a formal written constitution, presumably following some sort of constitutional convention and possibly a referendum. So, at the time of the General Election of May 2010, the scene seemed set for more change than for many decades but, in reality, most of the measures discussed at the time of the Coalition Agreement floundered. Nevertheless, as a consequence of the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, there is now a more fundamental debate about the British constitution than at any other time in living memory. Furthermore the decision in the referendum of June 2016 that Britain should leave the European Union will have profound constitutional implications for the United Kingdom.
ROGER DARLINGTON
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Which European capital city is known as 'Pearl of the Danube'? | Budapest, the Pearl of the Danube and the Iron Gates Pass | CroisiEurope
Budapest, the Pearl of the Danube and the Iron Gates Pass
BTU_BE
France - BUDAPEST - MOHACS - OSIJEK - BELGRADE - TURNU SEVERIN - NOVI SAD - ILOK - VUKOVAR - MOHACS - KALOCSA - BUDAPEST - France
DAY 1: France - BUDAPEST
Special charter flight (1) from Paris via Strasbourg to Budapest. Transfer from the airport to the boat. Boarding in Budapest. Welcome cocktail and presentation of the crew. Cruise to Mohacs. Dinner and evening on board. Sailing during the night.
DAY 2: MOHACS - OSIJEK - BELGRADE
Full board on board. Early in the morning, arrival in Mohacs, passing through customs and cruise to Osijek. Entertainment on board. Arrival in Osijek and guided visit. Osijek is a modern town of central Europe with old traditions. Return on board and cruise toward Belgrade. Evening of entertainment on board.
DAY 3: BELGRADE - ORSOVA
Full board on board. Arrival in Belgrade, excursion to visit the town. Located at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, the town has created its own cultural identity based on a mix of Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Slavic cultures. Return on board. Free afternoon in the Serbian capital. Optional coach transfer (book and pay on board) will be available to and from the town center from our mooring point. Serbian folk evening on board. Cruise to Orsova.
DAY 4: ORSOVA (Romania) - The Iron Gates - NOVI SAD (Serbia)
Full board on board. Arrival in Orsova, excursion to “the Spa Town of Hercules and Orsova”, one of the oldest thermal spas in Europe built by the Romans in the 2nd century B.C. Return on board and cruise to the Iron gates gorges between the Carpathians and the Balkans, a fantastic place. Gala evening on board. Night spent sailing toward Novi Sad.
DAY 5: NOVI SAD - ILOK - VUKOVAR - MOHACS
Full board on board. Early in the morning, arrival in Novi Sad. Excursion to the Orthodox monastery at Krusedol, built in the 16th century and decorated with some wonderfully elaborate paintings. Visit of Sremski Karlovci, a peaceful little town of some 9,000 inhabitants on the banks of the Danube, and visit of Novi Sad, the capital of the autonomous region of Vojvodina. Return on board and cruise to Ilok. Excursion to the medieval cities of Ilok and Vukovar. Return on board in Vukovar. Cruise to Mohacs. Evening of entertainment on board. Cruise during the night.
DAY 6: MOHACS - KALOCSA
Full board on board. Early in the morning, arrival in Mohacs, passing through customs. Excursion to Pécs: the town of Pécs is situated at the foot of the Mecsek Mountains and is over 2,000 years old, with a Mediterranean climate and ambiance. Return on board and cruise to Kalocsa. Arrival and excursion into the Puszta. This enormous flat prairie, also known as the “great Hungarian plain”, was the Hungarian Wild West during the 19th century. Return on board and cruise to Budapest. Sailing during the night.
DAY 7: BUDAPEST
Full board on board. Early in the morning, arrival in Budapest and discovery tour of this wonderful city. With its different architecture style, Budapest is one of the special pearl of central Europe. Excursion to Gödöllö Palace, the largest Baroque castle in Hungary, set in a park of some 28 hectares (69 acres). Return on board. In the evening, tour of Budapest by night. Overnight.
DAY 8: BUDAPEST - France
Buffet breakfast on board. Disembark during the morning. Transfer (1) to the airport and fly on a special charter flight (1) to Paris via Strasbourg. End of our services.
For the safety of our passengers, the captain and crew of the boat may decide to modify the navigational itinerary.
(1) The special charter flight will be operated by an airline chosen by CroisiEurope for their safety, comfort and security. The name of the airline operating the flight will be published approximately eight months before departure. Flight schedules are not currently available. We would like to remind you that flight schedules are only guaranteed a few days prior to departure when flight times are confirmed. Moreover, these flights may give rise to an overnight stop on the outbound and/or inbound journeys. It is recommended therefore that you make provisions for potential additional expenses that may arise as a result (hotels, transfers, etc.).
Alcohol can damage your health. Please drink in moderation.
Dates and Pricing
Child discount (2-9 years of age): - 20%
3rd person discount in triple cabin: - 30%
Including:
Special charter flight from Paris with a regional pick-up point (if package with transport included is selected) - return transfers between the airport and the mooring port (if package with transport included is selected) - your cruise with all meals from dinner the D1 to breakfast on D8 - drinks including water, wine, beer, fruit juices and coffee served by CroisiEurope during meals on board, drinks served at the bar (excluding champagne and wines on the wine list) - double-occupancy cabin with shower in private bathroom - the excursions mentioned in the program - onboard entertainment - assistance from our onboard multi-lingual host/hostess - welcome cocktail - gala dinner and evening - folklore evening in Belgrade - travel assistance and repatriation insurance - all port fees.
Excluding:
Drinks on the wine list, champagne at the bar, drinks served during excursions or transfers - cancellation and baggage insurance - airport taxes - personal expenses.
Formalities:
For US Citizens, a valid Passport is required for your travel. Non US Citizens but Resident in the US, please contact the local Embassies or Consulates for proper paperwork required before travelling.
Excursions and tranfers
| Budapest |
What family of tectosilicate minerals, named from the German for 'field', is the most abundant in the Earth's crust? | Vienna - Budapest — EuroVelo
Previous item
Duna-Ipoly National Park, Hungary
The Duna-Ipoly National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Hungary, offering several wonderful cycle routes in the forests, if you like to stop for a few days in the small villages of the beautiful Danube Bend with the sight of the medieval capital fortress of the country, Visegrád.
Budapest, Hungary
Buda and Pest were two distinct cities on opposite banks of the Danube until they were joined in 1873. Nowadays, Budapest, the capital city of Hungary deserves its nickname of “Pearl of the Danube”, the panorama of the inner cities river banks is a UNESCO World Heritage. The neo-Gothic Parliament, Saint Stephen's Basilica, Buda Castle or Andrássy Avenue make the city a true jewel. © Moyan Brenn
Sziget Festival Budapest, Hungary
The Sziget Festival in Budapest is one of the biggest music festivals in Europe. The festival takes place in August on the Óbudai-sziget island in the middle of the Danube. Every year, more than 1.000 rock performances make this a musical highlight along the EuroVelo 6.
Thermal Spas, Hungary
Thermal spas: Hungary is famous for it's thermal spas, historical and modern buildings housing them for greater enjoyment, some of them dating back to the time of Ottoman conquest. Highlights include the Rudas, Király and Széchenyi Baths in Budapest - don't miss out relaxing in them after a tiring day of cycling!
Szigetköz, Hungary
The Szigetköz is an island plain in Western Hungary, part of the Little Hungarian Plain. The name literally means island alley, because the territory is located on an island. Its borders are the Danube and its branches; with a length of 52.5 km, with an average width of 6–8 km, and with a territory of 375 km², the island is Hungary's largest one. The territory's elevation varies between 110 and 125 meters.
Esztergom, Hungary
Esztergom, once the city where Hungarian kings were crowned, still featureson of the biggest basilica's of the country in the castle, with a dramatic view on the city, the Danube and the horizon - if you are lucky, the weather will be clear enough to see as far as the Tatra Mountains!
Komárom, Hungary/Slovakia
Komárom is a home to the Mediawave Festival every spring, an art and jazz festival which is mainly held in its massive fortress, an interesting point to check out at any time, with a museum in it nowadays. The city was divided into two after World War I, making it partly Slovakian and partly Hungarian on the two sides of the Danube. © Zsolt Andrasi (Flickr)
Bratislava, Slovakia
The friendly capital of Slovakia has always been at the crossroad of languages and cultures. It was situated on the Roman limes wall and coronation city of the Hungarian king Maximilian. The Bratislava Castle is iconic for these different eras, build and rebuilt in various architectural styles and now houses collections of the Slovak National Museum.
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Who won the American NFL Super Bowl in February 2011? | Packers Win Super Bowl 2011: Green Bay Takes Home Lombardi Trophy | The Huffington Post
Packers Win Super Bowl 2011: Green Bay Takes Home Lombardi Trophy
02/06/2011 10:17 pm ET | Updated May 25, 2011
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BARRY WILNER AP/The Huffington Post
ARLINGTON, Texas — Forget Lombardi on Broadway. Green Bay has the newest Super Bowl hit: Aaron Rodgers.
Capping one of the greatest postseasons for any quarterback, Rodgers led the Packers to their first NFL championship in 14 years on Sunday , 31-25 over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers reclaimed the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named for their legendary coach who won the first two Super Bowls and is making his own star turn in New York these days in the play named after him.
Images From Super Bowl XLV
Images From Super Bowl XLV
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Rodgers, the game's MVP, thrilled his legion of Cheesehead fans with a spectacular six-game string that should finally erase the bitterness of the Brett Favre separation in Green Bay. He's now equal with Favre in Super Bowl wins, and he extended the Packers' record of NFL titles to 13, nine before the Super Bowl era.
"It's what I dreamt about as a little kid watching Joe Montana and Steve Young," Rodgers said, "and we just won the Super Bowl."
The Packers QB threw for three touchdowns, two to Greg Jennings, and the Packers (14-6) overcame even more injuries, building a 21-3 lead, then hanging on to become the second No. 6 seed to win the championship. Coincidentally, the 2005 Steelers were the other.
Rodgers threw for 304 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown to Jordy Nelson, who had nine catches for 140 yards to make up for three big drops. Rodgers found Jennings, normally his favorite target, for 21- and 8-yard scores.
"Wow! It's a great day to be great, baby," Jennings said.
Then the favored Packers held on as Pittsburgh (14-5) stormed back.
"We've been a team that's overcome adversity all year," Jennings said, who noted injuries to Charles Woodson and Donald Driver. "Our head captain goes down, emotional in the locker room. Our No. 1 receiver goes down, more emotions are going, flying in the locker room. But we find a way to bottle it up and exert it all out here on the field."
Few teams have been as resourceful as these Packers, who couldn't wait to touch the trophy honoring their greatest coach – and their title. Several of them kissed it as Cowboys great Roger Staubach walked through a line of green and gold.
"Vince Lombardi is coming back to Green Bay," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said as the silver prize was handed to the team.
After sitting for three seasons, Rodgers took the Packers to two late-season victories just to make the playoffs as a wild card. Then he guided them to wins at Philadelphia, Atlanta and archrival Chicago before his biggest achievement – against a Pittsburgh team ranked second in defense.
They barely survived a sensational rally by the Steelers, who still own the most Super Bowl rings – six in eight tries. But Pittsburgh failed to get its third championship in six years with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger's season began with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. It ended with Roethlisberger standing on the sideline, his head down, hands on his hips, feeling something he never experienced: defeat in a Super Bowl.
"I feel like I let the city of Pittsburgh down, the fans, my coaches and my teammates," Roethlisberger said, "and it's not a good feeling."
Not even a decidedly black-and-gold crowd, with Terrible Towels swirling throughout the $1.2 billion stadium, could make a difference for the mistake-prone Steelers. Their two biggest defensive stars – Defensive Player of the Year safety Troy Polamalu and outside linebacker James Harrison – were virtually invisible. The offense didn't seem to miss outstanding rookie center Maurkice Pouncey, who was out with an ankle injury, but Roethlisberger only occasionally made key plays until the second half.
The biggest plays were left to Rodgers, Nick Collins with a 37-yard interception return for a TD, Jennings, Nelson, and the rest of the guys in green and gold. In the end, they gave coach Mike McCarthy his first Super Bowl victory against the team he rooted for while growing up in Pittsburgh. Besides Lombardi, Mike Holmgren won a title in 1997 with Favre.
"This is a great group of men here, a lot of character," Rodgers said. "We went through a lot together."
Even on Sunday, they did. Woodson went out late in the first half with a collarbone injury, a few plays after Driver was sidelined with an ankle problem.
"It was very difficult to watch," Woodson said, "but it feels good now."
Woodson saw the Steelers, who rallied from a 21-7 halftime hole against Baltimore three weeks ago, show the same resilience. A 37-yard catch and run by Antwaan Randle El – an almost forgotten figure during his return season with just 22 receptions – sparked a quick 77-yard drive. Hines Ward, the 2006 Super Bowl MVP, had 39 yards on three catches during the series, including an 8-yard TD when he completely fooled Jarrett Bush.
A quick defensive stop and a 50-yard drive to Rashard Mendenhall's 8-yard touchdown run made it 21-17. But with Pittsburgh driving for perhaps its first lead of the game, Mendenhall was stripped at the Green Bay 33 by Clay Matthews – one of the few plays the All-Pro linebacker made. The Packers recovered, and Rodgers hit Jennings for 8 yards and the winning points.
Pittsburgh's last gasp was on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace and a brilliant pitchout by Roethlisberger to Randle El for a 2-point conversion.
Mason Crosby added a 23-yard field goal for the Packers and the Steelers had no more comebacks in them.
"You play to be world champions," Matthews said, "and that's what we are today."
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| Green Bay Packers |
Menudo, a soup-like dish featuring tripe (beef stomach) and chili peppers, is from which country? | Seahawks QB Russell Wilson Is A Super Bowl Champion And A Future $100 Million Man
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson Is A Super Bowl Champion And A Future $100 Million Man
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The NFL is a quarterbacks' league more than ever. New rules make the signal caller the most important man on the field. Teams that win consistently year after year typically have one thing in common: an elite quarterback. The best quarterbacks of this generation have won Super Bowls over the past decade, including Peyton Manning , Tom Brady , Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers . Time to add a new name to the list with Russell Wilson.
Wilson led the Seattle Seahawks to a dominating 43-8 victory in Super Bowl XLVIII. It was a team win with touchdowns from both the defense and special teams, but Wilson was the Seahawks' architect Sunday night and over the past two seasons. Wilson completed 72% of his throws Sunday for 206 yards and two touchdowns. He added 26 yards rushing on three carries. Wilson didn't win the Super Bowl MVP award (linebacker Malcom Smith took home the hardware), but many thought he deserved the nod. Some view Wilson as simply a game manager and Seattle’s success a result of its league-leading defense, but make no mistake -- Wilson is a star.
Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson raises the Lombardi Trophy after his team's dominating 43-8 win in Super Bowl XLVIII.
The second-year player has racked up a 100 passer rating in each of his first two years, along with over 1,000 yards rushing, while leading the Seahawks to 28 wins, including the playoffs. The only other QBs with a 100 passer rating each of the past two seasons are Rogers and Manning. Wilson has done it at a bargain rate as a third-round draft pick on his first contract. His 2013 salary was $526,217, or less than Manning makes per game, providing the Seahawks ample salary cap room to address other needs.
Wilson is set to earn $662,434 in 2014 and under the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement, rookie contracts cannot be renegotiated until three seasons have passed. So Wilson is locked into his salary for 2014, but what happens after that? Wilson is represented by baseball agent Mark Rodgers of Frontline Athlete Management (Wilson was selected by MLB’s Colorado Rockies in the 2010 draft). Rodgers can look to recent Super Bowl QB winners for guidance where contracts invariably hit nine figures.
Last year’s Super Bowl winning QB, Joe Flacco , inked a six-year, $120.6 million contract in March, including $52 million guaranteed with the Baltimore Ravens. Rodgers, who won the Super Bowl in Feb. 2011, signed a five-year, $110 million contract extension with the Green Bay Packers in April that included a record $62.5 million guaranteed. Brees won the Super Bowl in 2010 and signed a $100 million deal two years later.
Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks are also the most marketable players in the NFL. Peyton and Eli Manning , Brees, Rodgers and Brady are the only NFL players that make $5 million a year off the field (all appeared on our look at the world's 100 highest-paid athletes ). They’ve quarterbacked eight Super Bowl winners combined.
Wilson is already one of the NFL’s most marketable players. His jersey was the NFL’s second best seller in 2013, behind only Peyton Manning. He already has endorsement deals with Nike, Alaska Airlines, American Family Insurance, EA Sports and Levi’s. Wilson’s price tag just went up with Corporate America.
Wilson joins Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Kurt Warner as quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl in their second year in the NFL. His team will not be leaving the NFL's elite any time soon. The Seahawks have one of youngest Super Bowl winning teams ever with an average age of 26.4 years (John Clayton has details on the continued success of other young Super Bowl teams). The Seahawks are the fourth youngest roster in the NFL this year. Wilson has a chance to headline a dynasty in Seattle.
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The charter for what international organization was signed in San Francisco, in June 1945? | 1945: The San Francisco Conference | United Nations
1945: The San Francisco Conference
1945: The San Francisco Conference
Forty-six nations, including the four sponsors, were originally invited to the San Francisco Conference: nations which had declared war on Germany and Japan and had subscribed to the United Nations Declaration.
UN Photo/Historical Photo
The San Francisco Conference: Egypt signs the UN Charter. A facsimile copy of the Charter is superimposed on the photo.
One of these nations - Poland - did not send a representative because the composition of its new government was not announced until too late for the conference. Therefore, a space was left for the signature of Poland, one of the original signatories of the United Nations Declaration. At the time of the conference there was no generally recognized Polish Government, but on June 28, such a government was announced and on October 15, 1945 Poland signed the Charter, thus becoming one of the original Members.
Fifty Nations, Soon To Be United
The conference itself invited four other states - the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, newly-liberated Denmark and Argentina. Thus delegates of fifty nations in all, gathered at the City of the Golden Gate, representatives of over eighty per cent of the world's population, people of every race, religion and continent; all determined to set up an organization which would preserve peace and help build a better world. They had before them the Dumbarton Oaks proposals as the agenda for the conference and, working on this basis, they had to produce a Charter acceptable to all the countries.
Delegations And Staff Number 3,500
There were 850 delegates, and their advisers and staff together with the conference secretariat brought the total to 3,500. In addition, there were more than 2,500 press, radio and newsreel representatives and observers from many societies and organizations. In all, the San Francisco Conference was not only one of the most important in history but, perhaps, the largest international gathering ever to take place. The heads of the delegations of the sponsoring countries took turns as chairman of the plenary meetings : Anthony Eden, of Britain, Edward Stettinius, of the United States, T. V. Soong, of China, and Vyacheslav Molotov, of the Soviet Union. At the later meetings, Lord Halifax deputized for Mr. Eden, V. K. Wellington Koo for T. V. Soong, and Mr Gromyko for Mr. Molotov.
Plenary meetings are, however, only the final stages at such conferences. A great deal of work has to be done in preparatory committees before a proposition reaches the full gathering in the form in which it should be voted upon. And the voting procedure at San Francisco was important. Every part of the Charter had to be and was passed by a two-thirds majority.
This is the way in which the San Francisco Conference got through its monumental work in exactly two months.
One Charter, Four Sections
The conference formed a "Steering Committee," composed of the heads of all the delegations. This committee decided all matters of major principle and policy. But, even at one member per state, the committee was 50 strong, too large for detailed work; therefore an Executive Committee of fourteen heads of delegations was chosen to prepare recommendations for the Steering Committee.
Then the proposed Charter was divided into four sections, each of which was considered by a "Commission." Commission one dealt with the general purposes of the organization, its principles, membership, the secretariat and the subject of amendments to the Charter. Commission two considered the powers and responsibilities of the General Assembly, while Commission three took up the Security Council.
Commission four worked on a draft for the Statute of the International Court of Justice.
This draft had been prepared by a 44-nation Committee of Jurists which had met in Washington in April 1945. All this sounds over-elaborate — especially when the four Commissions subdivided into twelve technical committees — but actually, it was the speediest way of ensuring the fullest discussion and securing the last ounce of agreement possible.
UN Photo/Historical Photo
Founding of the UN Photo Exhibition | View this extraordinary collection of historic photos chronicling the founding of the United Nations.
UN Radio Classics | Listen to "A GREAT DAY" a programme recalling June 26, 1945, the day the United Nations Charter was signed.
UN Radio Classics | Listen to the british actor Sir Laurence Olivier as he reads the Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations. The Charter was signed at the San Francisco Conference on 26 June 1945. Music by American composer Aaron Copland.
Clashes Of Opinion
There were only ten plenary meetings of all the delegates but nearly 400 meetings of the committees at which every line and comma was hammered out. It was more than words and phrases, of course, that had to be decided upon. There were many serious clashes of opinion, divergencies of outlook and even a crisis or two, during which some observers feared that the conference might adjourn without an agreement.
There was the question, for example, of the status of "regional organizations." Many countries had their own arrangements for regional defence and mutual assistance. There was the Inter-American System, for example, and the Arab League. How were such arrangements to be related to the world organization? The conference decided to give them part in peaceful settlement and also, in certain circumstances, in enforcement measures, provided that the aims and acts of these groups accorded with the aims and purposes of the United Nations.
The League of Nations had provided machinery for the revision of treaties between members. Should the United Nations make similar provisions?
Treaties And Trusteeship
The conference finally agreed that treaties made after the formation of the United Nations should be registered with the Secretariat and published by it. As to revision, no specific mention was made although such revision may be recommended by the General Assembly in the course of investigation of any situation requiring peaceful adjustment.
The conference added a whole new chapter on the subject not covered by the Dumbarton Oaks proposals: proposals creating a system for territories placed under United Nations trusteeship. On this matter there was much debate. Should the aim of trusteeship be defined as "independence" or "self-government" for the peoples of these areas? If independence, what about areas too small ever to stand on their own legs for defence? It was finally recommended that the promotion of the progressive development of the peoples of trust territories should be directed toward "independence or self-government."
Debates And Vetoes
There was also considerable debate on the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice and the conference decided that member nations would not be compelled to accept the Court's jurisdiction but might voluntarily declare their acceptance of compulsory jurisdiction. Likewise the question of future amendments to the Charter received much attention and finally resulted in an agreed solution.
Above all, the right of each of the "Big Five" to exercise a "veto" on action by the powerful Security Council provoked long and heated debate. At one stage the conflict of opinion on this question threatened to break up the conference. The smaller powers feared that when one of the "Big Five" menaced the peace, the Security Council would be powerless to act, while in the event of a clash between two powers not permanent members of the Security Council, the "Big Five" could act arbitrarily. They strove therefore to have the power of the "veto" reduced. But the great powers unanimously insisted on this provision as vital, and emphasized that the main responsibility for maintaining world peace would fall most heavily on them. Eventually the smaller powers conceded the point in the interest of setting up the world organization.
This and other vital issues were resolved only because every nation was determined to set up, if not the perfect international organization, at least the best that could possibly be made.
The Last Meeting
Thus it was that in the Opera House at San Francisco on June 25, the delegates met in full session for the last meeting. Lord Halifax presided and put the final draft of the Charter to the meeting. "This issue upon which we are about to vote," he said, "is as important as any we shall ever vote in our lifetime."
In view of the world importance of the occasion, he suggested that it would be appropriate to depart from the customary method of voting by a show of hands. Then, as the issue was put, every delegate rose and remained standing. So did everyone present, the staffs, the press and some 3000 visitors, and the hall resounded to a mighty ovation as the Chairman announced that the Charter had been passed unanimously.
The Charter Is Signed
The next day, in the auditorium of the Veterans' Memorial Hall, the delegates filed up one by one to a huge round table on which lay the two historic volumes, the Charter and the Statute of the International Court of Justice . Behind each delegate stood the other members of the delegation against a colorful semi-circle of the flags of fifty nations. In the dazzling brilliance of powerful spotlights, each delegate affixed his signature. To China, first victim of aggression by an Axis power, fell the honour of signing first.
"The Charter of the United Nations which you have just signed," said President Truman in addressing the final session, "is a solid structure upon which we can build a better world. History will honor you for it. Between the victory in Europe and the final victory, in this most destructive of all wars, you have won a victory against war itself. . . . With this Charter the world can begin to look forward to the time when all worthy human beings may be permitted to live decently as free people."
Then the President pointed out that the Charter would work only if the peoples of the world were determined to make it work.
"If we fail to use it," he concluded, "we shall betray all those who have died so that we might meet here in freedom and safety to create it. If we seek to use it selfishly - for the advantage of any one nation or any small group of nations — we shall be equally guilty of that betrayal. "
The Charter Is Approved
The United Nations did not come into existence at the signing of the Charter. In many countries the Charter had to be approved by their congresses or parliaments. It had therefore been provided that the Charter would come into force when the Governments of China, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States and a majority of the other signatory states had ratified it and deposited notification to this effect with the State Department of the United States. On October 24, 1945, this condition was fulfilled and the United Nations came into existence. Four years of planning and the hope of many years had materialized in an international organization designed to end war and promote peace, justice and better living for all mankind.
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How many squares are in the grid of a Sudoku number puzzle (this is not a trick question - individual squares - not including other 'squares' which could be formed from blocks of individual squares)? | Background and Drafting - Charter of the United Nations - Research Guides at United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library
Charter of the United Nations
FAQ & more
Historical Background
Several conferences and agreements led up to the 1945 San Francisco Conference when the text of the Charter was finalized, adopted and signed.
The 1946-1947 Yearbook of the United Nations provides a detailed overview of the events.
A procedural history is available in the UN Audiovisual Library of International Law.
The 70 Years, 70 documents exhibit provides additional information.
Between the adoption of the Charter and the beginning of the functioning of the United Nations, the Preparatory Commission and its subsidiaries worked on many practical matters and made recommendations to the UN organs.
Key texts were published in United Nations Documents, 1941-1945, published by the Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1946.
Resources and Links
Call Number: Ref 341.1 (049) U58
Date: 1946
Collection of key texts related to the origins of the United Nations, including outcome documents of: St. James's Palace Meeting, Atlantic Charter, Moscow Conference, UNRRA Constitution, Tehran Conference, Cairo Conference, Bretton Woods Conference, Dumbarton Oaks Conversations, Crimea Conference, San Francisco Conference. Digital version available in the Internet Archive, accessed 19 Jan. 2015.
The 1946-1947 Yearbook of the United Nations has a detailed history of the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the Charter.
San Francisco Conference, 1945
The United Nations Conference on International Organization, was held in San Francisco, California, 25 April - 26 June 1945, to draft the Charter of the United Nations and the Statute of the International Court of Justice. The text was based on earlier proposals, negotiated in various subsidiary bodies, and finally adopted unanimously in a plenary meeting of the Conference on 25 June 1945.
Representatives of 50 countries participated in the San Francisco Conference. The Charter was opened for signature on 26 June 1945. The representatives of 50 countries signed on 26 June; Poland signed on 15 October 1945.
In accordance with Article 110, the Charter entered into force on 24 October 1945, after ratification by the five permanent members of the Security Council and a majority of the other countries. Twenty-two countries subsequently deposited their instruments of ratification.
Resources and Links
Documents of the United Nations Conference on International Organization / Compiled by United Nations Staff
Call Number: LSA 341.13 U51
ISBN: 9781575884158
Date: 1955
This is the complete documentary "legislative history" of United Nations Conference on International Organization, which was held in San Francisco in 1945. The collection of documents was originally made available as follows: volumes 1-15 were published by the United Nations Organization in cooperation with the Library of Congress. A sixteenth volume was added in 1946 which indexes the first fifteen volumes. The collection was completed with volumes seventeen through twenty-two, the bilingual, supplemental volumes & indexes published in 1954 by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Volumes 16, 21 & 22 are indexes.
Film and audio from the collections of the Audiovisual Libraries of the UN.
Preparatory Commission of the United Nations, 1945
The Preparatory Commission of the United Nations was established by the San Francisco Conference on 25 June 1945 through the adoption of the "Interim Arrangements Concluded by the Governments Represented at the United Nations Conference on International Organization".
The Preparatory Commission was established to make practical arrangements for the transition from a proposal embodied in the Charter to a functioning organization. According to the document, the Commission:
was established "for the purpose of making provisional arrangements for the first sessions of the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, and the Trusteeship Council, for the establishment of the Secretariat, and for the convening of the International Court of Justice"
consisted of "one representative from each government signatory to the Charter"
Executive Committee was composed of the representatives of the governments on the Executive Committee of the Conference
was assigned several tasks, including among others:
convocation of the first session of the General Assembly
preparation of the agendas for the first sessions of the principal organs
making recommendations regarding the "possible transfer of certain functions, activities, and assets of the League of Nations" to the United Nations
making recommendations about the Secretariat and the location of the permanent headquarters
met in London
ceased to exist "upon the election of the Secretary-General" of the United Nations
Key Documents
recommendations, proposed agendas, and provisional rules of procedure for:
General Assembly
reports on matters related to the International Court of Justice
recommendation concerning the registration and publication of treaties
items related to privileges and immunities
recommendations concerning
the organization of the Secretariat and draft Staff Regulations and Staff Rules
budgetary and financial arrangements
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What English monarch was born in 1533? | The Tudor Dynasty - British Monarchy Family History
British Monarchy Family History
The Tudor Dynasty was the ruling royal house of England and Wales (and Ireland from 1542) for one hundred and eighteen years from 1485 until 1603, after Henry Tudor defeated King Richard III at the battle of Bosworth in August 1485.
The death of the Yorkist king and the defeat of his army saw the end of the War of the Roses, a series of civil war battles fought between the dynastic houses of York and Lancaster for thirty years between 1455 to 1485.
The name of the war comes from the emblems which were shown on the king's banners when they rode into battle, the white rose for the House of Lancaster and the red rose for the House of York.
The colours of these two royal houses were brought together on the emblem of the Tudor Dynasty, in the form of the red and white Tudor Rose.
Of the six Tudor monarchs only one of them was actually born to reign, King Edward VI, the nine year old son of King Henry VIII.
HENRY VII
Henry was born on January the 28th 1457 at Pembroke Castle in Wales.
He was the son of Edmund Tudor, the first Earl of Richmond and his wife Lady Margaret Beaufort.
Henry was crowned king on the 30th of October 1485 at Westminster Abbey in London and would be the last king to gain the throne of England by way of a victory on a battlefield.
Henry was known to be a tall dignified man with blond hair and blue eyes who had a confident yet friendly manner.
Henry's reign is probably best remembered for restoring political stability and civil peace upon the country after the long bitter years of the civil war known as the War of the Roses, fought between the two previous reigning royal houses of Lancaster and York.
Henry was widowed in February of 1503 and was left disconsolate by his wife Elisabeth of York's death. This led to a general decline in both his mental and physical health leading to his ultimate demise from tuberculosis at the age of 52 He died on the 21st of April 1509 at Richmond Palace in Surrey.
He was later interred alongside Elisabeth, who had died six years previously, at Westminster Abbey in London.
ELISABETH OF YORK
To unite the two previously warring families of Lancaster and York the newly crowned King Henry VII married Elisabeth of York on the 18th of January, 1486, at Rennes Cathedral in France.
Although their marriage was one of convenience it would appear that it did go on to become a love match.
Elisabeth was born on the 11th of February 1466 and was the first born daughter, and after the untimely death of her elder brothers the former King Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, better known as the 'Princes in the Tower', became the rightful heir of King Edward IV of England and his wife Elisabeth Grey, nee Woodville.
Elisabeth was known to have been a quiet, gentle and kind woman who disliked public office, preferring instead to spend her time unobtrusively taking care of her children at Eltham Palace near Greenwich.
Apparently Elisabeth had red hair, more popularly known as ginger, a family trait that would be passed on to most of her descendants, the most notable of which were her son Henry and her grand - daughter Elisabeth.
Elisabeth died at Richmond Palace on her 37th birthday (11th of February 1503) after contracting a fever a few days after giving birth to her seventh child, a daughter called Katherine, who also died a few days after her birth.
Elisabeth would later be interred in Westminster Abbey.
King Henry VII and Queen Elisabeth had seven children, although only four survived into adulthood, and one of them would become a future King of England.
Their children were;
Arthur, Prince of Wales (1486 - 1501) - He married Catherine of Aragon, the daughter of Fernando V, King of Spain and Isabel, Queen of Castile.
The betrothal of the young couple was made when the princess was just three years old and the prince was only two. Their marriage took place on the 14th November 1501 but it lasted only five months before Arthur died during an epidemic at Ludlow Castle in Shropshire on the 2 April 1502.
Arthur Prince of Wales was interred at Worcester Cathedral, and as was the custom at that time, neither his mother Elisabeth nor his wife Catherine were in attendance. His father the King did not attend either, as it has been said that he was too overcome with grief.
Margaret - (1489 - 1541) - Margaret was born on the 29 November 1489.
During her fifty two years she married three times and gave birth to seven children, but only two of them would grow into adulthood, including one who would become a future King of Scotland.
Her first marriage was to King James IV of Scotland, in 1503, when she was just thirteen.
They had six children, including one who would be born posthumously after his father's death, but only their son James, would survive infancy. He would later become King James V of Scotland, who is better known as the father of Mary Queen of Scots and grandfather of King James VI of Scotland / King James I of England.
This marriage ended with the death of James IV of Scotland at the battle of Flodden Field in 1513.
Her second marriage was to Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus in 1514. This union produced one daughter Margaret (1515 - 1578). Margaret would have this union annulled in 1527.
Her third marriage was to Henry Stewart in 1528. There were no children from this union and it ended with the death of Margaret from a stroke in 1541.
After her death Margaret was interred at the Carthusian Priory of St John in Perth, Scotland.
Henry - (1491 - 1547) - King Henry VII still intent to develop strong bonds with Spain arranged for his second son Henry to marry Catherine, the widow of his eldest son. The death of the Prince of Wales was to herald the reign of one of Britain's most infamous monarchs.
Henry would go on to marry six times and father three legitimate offspring, all of whom would become future monarchs and non of whom would produce heirs.
Elisabeth - Born 2nd July 1492 - Died 14th September 1492.
Mary (1496 - 1533) - Mary was born on the 18th of March 1496. In 1514 at the age of eighteen she was sent to France to marry King Louis XII, but their union would last only three months, after it is believed Louis died in the pursuit of securing a much sought after male heir. Mary did not become pregnant and left France having produced no heirs.
The following year Mary would marry her previous lover, the twice widowed Charles Brandon (1484 - 1545), 1st Duke of Suffolk. Their union produced three children, Frances (1517 - 1559), who went on to marry a Henry Grey (1517 - 1554) in 1533 and produced three daughters, the eldest of which was Lady Jane Grey (1537 - 1554) who grew up to become the ill fated, nine day Queen Jane in 1553. Their other two children were Eleanor (1519 - 1547) and Henry 1523 - 1534).
This marriage ended with the death of Mary on the 25th of June 1533 when she was thirty seven years old. She was interred at St Mary's Church in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
Edmund - Born 21st February 1499 - Died 19th June 1500.
Katherine - Born 1503 - Katherine, along with her mother, died a few days after her birth.
There were no recorded illegitimate children of King Henry VII.
HENRY VIII
Henry was born on the 28th of June 1491 at Greenwich Palace, the second son of King Henry VII and Lady Elisabeth York.
He was crowned king on the 24th of June 1509 at Westminster Abbey and his reign oversaw many sweeping changes across the country, including the formation of the English Navy, now known as the Royal Navy, the instigation of the metal cannon, the construction of vast shipyards on the River Thames at Woolwich in 1512 and Deptford in 1513, the formation of the Church of England in 1533, the Dissolution of the Monasteries between 1536 and 1540, the Laws of Wales Act in 1535 which formally incorporated the principality with the Kingdom of England and the commission of several royal palaces.
Henry also became King of Ireland in 1542.
Despite being elemental in these many changes Henry is probably better remembered for his six wives and for fathering three monarchs.
As a young man Henry was an amiable, articulate man who was a renowned sportsman and athletic, but owing to a leg injury would become obese and ill tempered in his later years. It has also been claimed that he suffered from gout, leg ulcers and Type II Diabetes. This all helped to bring about his death at the age of only fifty five after a thirty eight year long reign.
He died on the 28th of January 1547, the same date as his father's birth date, at the Palace of Whitehall in London.
He was later interred at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle alongside his third wife and mother of his only legitimate son and heir Jane Seymour.
CATHERINE OF ARAGON
Henry's first marriage was a marriage of convenience to his brother's widow Catherine, as his father was intent on keeping peace with Spain.
Catherine of Aragon (1485 - 1536) was born in Alcala de Henares in Spain on the 16th of December 1485 and was the daughter of Fernando V, King of Spain and Isabel, Queen of Castile.
She married Henry at Greenwich Church on the 11th of June 1509 after a papal dispensation allowed the widowed, Catholic Catherine to marry the brother of her dead husband. This was granted after Katherine proclaimed her marriage to Arthur had never been consummated owing to his ill health.
Catherine had many pregnancies during her twenty four year marriage to the King and gave birth to six babies but only one would survive into adulthood.
They were; Elisabeth born in January 1510, Henry, Duke of Cornwall born January - February 1511, a still born son in 1513, Mary born on the 18 February 1516, who would become a future Queen of England and a stillborn daughter in November of 1518.
Henry was actually a devoted and dutiful husband to Katherine but after twenty years he became evermore frustrated at the lack of a male heir. This led to the annulment of their marriage in 1533 with Catherine being separated from her daughter Mary and forced to leave court.
Catherine died three years later in Kimbolton Castle, Huntingdonshire on January 7 1536 and was later buried at Peterborough Cathedral under her new title the Princess Dowager.
ANNE BOLEYN
Henry's second wife was Anne Boleyn (1501 - 1536). It is unclear when Anne was born but it is recorded that she was born at Hever Castle in Kent and was the daughter of nobleman Thomas Boleyn and his wife Elizabeth Howard.
Anne met Henry whilst working as a lady in waiting to Queen Katherine and they were married at a secret ceremony on the 25th of January 1533.
Anne gave birth to one child during their three year marriage, a daughter called Elisabeth, on the 7th of September 1533.
Their marriage ended after Anne, rightly or wrongly, was accused of adultery. She was executed privately on the 19th of May 1536.
She was later interred in an unmarked site of the Chapel Royal of St Peter Ad Vincula in the Tower of London.
Henry's third wife was Jane Seymour (1508 - 1537).
Jane was born sometime in 1508 and was the daughter of John Seymour and his wife Marjery Wentworth.
Jane had been conducting an affair with Henry for some time and like Anne before her had also been a lady in waiting to Queen Catherine.
Their formal betrothal of marriage was made just twenty four hours after the execution of Anne Boleyn and they married ten days later at the Palace of Whitehall on the 30th of May 1536.
Jane produced Henry with his long awaited male heir, Edward, on the 12th of October 1537 but sadly died just twelve days later on the 24th of October 1537.
Jane was later interred in St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle in Berkshire and is the only one of Henry's six wives that he chose to be buried alongside.
ANNE OF CLEEVES
Henry's fourth marriage was another marriage of convenience, this time to Anne of Cleeves (1515 - 1557).
Anne was born on the 22nd of September 1515 in Dusseldorf, Germany and was the daughter of John, Duke of Cleeves and his wife Maria of Julichberg.
They were married at Greenwich Palace on the 6th of January 1540 two years after the death of Jane Seymour.
Henry was not happy with the union as it would appear that he found his new bride wholly unattractive, even going as far as calling her 'The Flanders Mare'. He had their marriage annulled after just seven months.
Anne was given Hever Castle and the title of ' King's Sister' in her divorce settlement. She went on to live quite happily there until her death on the 16th of July 1557.
She was later interred in Westminster Abbey.
KATHRYN HOWARD
Henry's fifth wife was Kathryn Howard (1523 - 1542).
Katherine was born in London sometime in 1523 and was the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard and his wife Joyce Culpepper.
Henry married Kathryn at Oatlands Palace in Surrey on the 28th of July 1540.
As with Henry's previous wives Kathryn had also been a lady in waiting to a previous wife of Henry's, this time to Anne of Cleeves.
Kathryn was also the cousin of Henry's second wife Anne Boleyn.
Within a year of this union rumours were rife over Kathryn's promiscuity and infidelity.
As these findings were deemed correct Kathryn was executed at Tower Green on the 13th of February 1542 and laid to rest beside her cousin Anne Boleyn in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London.
Henry's sixth and final wife was Catherine Parr (1512 - 1548).
Katherine was born in London sometime in 1512 and was the daughter of Sir Thomas Parr and his wife Maud Green.
The twice widowed Catherine, who was named after Henry's first wife Catherine of Aragon, had previously been married to noblemen Sir Edward Burgh and John Neville before she married Henry on the 12th of July 1543 at Hampton Court Palace.
The union was to last just two and a half years before Katherine was widowed on the 28th of January 1547.
Within months of Henry's death, possibly in the April or May of 1547, Katherine married for a fourth time, this time to nobleman Thomas Seymour.
After four husbands and at the age of thirty seven Katherine became pregnant for the very first time in her life. She gave birth to a girl, Mary (1548 - 1550) on the 30th of August 1548, but would fall ill soon after the birth with puerperal fever, * which claimed her life just six days later on the 5th of September 1548.
Katherine was later interred at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire.
MARY BOLEYN
As well as having six wives it is widely believed that Henry also had at least seven mistresses during his lifetime.
Henry's first mistress was Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon (1483 - 1544) with whom he had a year long affair one year into his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. The affair caused such a scandal at court that Anne was exiled to a convent for the rest of her life by her enraged husband.
Henry's second mistress was his younger sister's French teacher, Jane Popincourt, whom he met in 1514.
One year later he would meet Elizabeth Blount, whom he conducted a five year affair with and led to her bearing him his first son, Henry FitzRoy Blount, who was born in 1519.
In 1521 Henry would began his most notorious affair however, when he entered into a five year romance with the sister of the woman he would later marry, Mary Boleyn (1499 - 1543).
Mary Boleyn (1499 - 1543) was the elder sister of Henry's second wife Anne Boleyn.
Henry conducted a five year affair with Mary between 1521 and 1526 and during this time she produced two children, but as she had married courtier William Carey (1500 - 1528) in 1520 it is unclear as to whether these children were Henry's or William's.
The children were Catherine Carey (1524 - 1569) who married Sir Francis Knollys and went on to have fourteen children, one of which was Lettice Knollys, the future wife of Robert Lord Dudley, a court favourite of the future Queen Elisabeth I
And Henry Carey (1526 - 1596) who married an Ann Morgan and went on to have five children.
Mary was widowed in 1528 and remained single for six years until she married landowner William Stafford (1500 - 1556) in 1534.
She bore him two children, Edward (1535 - 1545) and Anne born in 1536.
Mary died on the 19th of June 1543 and was probably buried in the parish church of Rochford in Essex.
Henry's only recognised, illegitimate child was Henry Fitzroy Blount (1519 - 1536) who was born to his long term mistress Elisabeth Blount.
Elisabeth, commonly known as Bessie, was born at Kinlet in Shropshire sometime in 1498. She was the daughter of Sir John Blount and his wife Catherine Pershall.
Bessie met Henry whilst working as a maid of honour for Queen Catherine when she was just a teenager and went on to conduct an eight year affair with him.
The affair resulted in the birth of a son Henry Fitzroy, who was born on the 15th of June 1519.
The affair with Bessie ended soon after the birth of young Henry after Prince Henry had begun an affair with Mary Boleyn.
On the 18th of June 1522 Bessie entered into an arranged marriage with Member of Parliament, Gilbert Talboys, with whom she had three children. They were;
Elizabeth (1520 - 1563).
Robert (1528 - 1542).
Bessie died of consumption sometime in January of 1540 at the age of forty two. She was later interred alongside her husband at Kyme Church in Lincolnshire.
HENRY FITZROY BLOUNT
Henry Fitzroy Blount was born on the first of June 1519 and was given the title of first Duke of Richmond and Somerset.
He married Lady Mary Howard (1519 - 1557) the daughter of Thomas Howard, the uncle of Henry's fifth wife Catherine Howard, and his wife Elizabeth Stafford, in 1533, but their were no children from this union.
Henry died from tuberculosis at the age of only seventeen on the 23rd of July 1536. King Henry died three years later having been left disconsolate by his death.
As well as Henry FitzRoy Blount it is widely believed that King Henry VIII also fathered three other illegitimate children by way of three short term affairs, they were;
Thomas Stukley (1520 - 1578) born to a Jane Stukley nee Pollard.
Etheldreda Malte (1527 - 1559) born to a Joan Dingley.
John Perrot (1528 - 1592) born to a Mary Perrot nee Berkely.
EDWARD VI
Edward VI was born on the 12th of October 1537 at Hampton Court Palace. He was the son of King Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour. The King's joy in securing his first male heir however was short lived, with the death of Jane from Puerperal Fever * twelve days after the birth.
Edward came to the throne up on the death of his father in January 1547 at the age of nine. He was crowned at Westminster Abbey on the 20th of February of that year, becoming King of England and Ireland and as England's first Protestant King.
As England's very first Protestant king Edward's reign is probably best remembered for his radical Protestant reforms which, along with his Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer, resulted in the total reformation of the Church of England and the introduction of the Book of Common Prayer, which is still in use to this day.
Edward's reign was overseen by a regency council, which had been arranged by his father prior to his death, which was at first headed by his uncle Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset (1500 - 1552) who acted as Lord Protector between 1547 and 1550 and from 1550 until his death in 1553 by John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, who unlike his predecessor, did not become Lord Protector but instead headed a privy council.
Despite having been a robust child Edward would become terminally ill in 1553 at the age of just fifteen, thus spurring his council to draw up a Devise for Succession, in an attempt to prevent Catholic backlash against his Protestant reforms.
Edward named his cousin, Lady Jane Grey, as his successor and heir, therefore totally excluding his half sisters the Catholic Mary and the Protestant Elisabeth.
Edward died from tuberculosis on the 6th July 1553 at Greenwich Palace. He was buried alongside his grandfather King Henry VII in Westminster Abbey on the 8th of August of the same year.
LADY JANE GREY
Edward VI's decision to name Lady Jane Grey as his successor culminated into one of the most tragic tales of the British monarchy.
Lady Jane Grey was born at Groby Old Hall in Bradgate Park in Leicestershire and was the eldest daughter of Henry Grey, the Marquis of Dorset and his wife Lady Frances Brandon, who was the daughter of Henry VIII's younger sister Mary, sometime during the Winter of 1536 / 1537.
Through her mother she was the grand-daughter of King Henry VII and grand niece of King Henry VIII. She also had two sisters, Lady Catherine Grey and Lady Mary Grey, all of whom would grow up to marry high ranking nobility.
GUILDFORD DUDLEY
After a sad and lonely childhood at the hands of her abusive mother, at the age of ten Lady Jane was sent to be the ward of Catherine Seymour, King Henry VIII's widow.
Whilst living with Catherine Seymour she was betrothed to Guildford Dudley (1535 - 1554) the fourth son of John Dudley the first Duke of Northumberland and his wife Jane Guildford. The Duke of Northumberland was the most powerful political figure in the country at the time and a staunch Protestant.
Jane married Guildford on the 21st of May 1553 at Durham House in Nortumberland at a triple wedding ceremony along with her sister Catherine, who married the Earl of Pembroke, and Catherine Guildford who married a Henry Hastings.
The true and rightful heir to the throne at that time was Mary Tudor who chose Jane to be one of her first victims of the suppression of Protestantism by using Jane's father's involvement in the Wyatt Rebellion to have both Lady Jane and her husband wrongfully charged with high treason.
They were duly arrested and their trial was held on the 13th of November 1553 at the Guildhall in London. They were both tried and found guilty and put to death.
Between their trial and execution the young couple were held in the Tower of London before Dudley was executed at a public execution on the morning of the 12th of February 1554, followed by Jane's private execution later that same day.
They were buried along side one another in the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London.
Jane has since been posthumously regarded as a political martyr.
MARY
Queen Mary was the fourth Tudor monarch and first Queen Regnant of England.
She was the first child of King Henry VIII and the only surviving child of Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon.
She was born on the 18th of February 1516 at Greenwich Palace in London.
Mary was crowned on the first of October 1553 at Westminster Abbey. Upon the abdication of her father-in-law in 1556 Mary also became the Queen of Spain, the Queen of Naples and the Queen of Jerusalem.
Her reign is probably best known for restoring England back to Catholicism after the two short reigns of her Protestant half brother King Edward VI and her cousin Lady Jane Grey.
During her reign she had over three hundred religious dissidents burned at the stake in an act known as the Marian Persecutions,which went on to earn her the title of Bloody Mary.
At the age of thirty seven Mary married Prince Phillip of Spain (1527 - 1598) the son of Charles V Holy Roman Emperor and Isabella of Portugal, at a ceremony at Winchester Cathedral on the 25th of July 1554.
During their short five year marriage Mary was to suffer two phantom pregnancies. Because of the humiliation that this caused at the time Mary's mental health began to suffer leading in turn to physical health problems. Mary died childless at the age of forty two from a supposed pituitary tumour at St James's Palace in London on the 17th of November 1558 and was later interred in Westminster Abbey.
KING PHILIP II OF SPAIN
Prince Phillip of Spain (1527 - 1598) was born at Vallodolid in Spain on the 21st of May 1527 and was the eldest child and only son of Charles V Holy Roman Emperor and Isabella of Portugal.
During his lifetime Philip, who was known as Philip the Prudent, would become not only the King of Spain but the King of Portugal between 1581 and 1598, the King of Naples and Sicily between 1581 and 1598 and the Prince Consort of England and Ireland between 1554 and 1558. It was during Philip's reign that Spain would reach it's peak in terms of world power, an era known as the Golden Age. Philip's military had also conquered lands on every continent and it is after King Philip II that the island nation of the Philippines were named.
By all accounts Philip was a pleasant and amiable man who was a dutiful and loving husband, not only to his second wife Mary, but to all four of his wives.
MARIA, PRINCESS OF PORTUGAL
Philip was already a widow when he married Mary in 1554 as he had previously been married to another of one his cousins, Maria, Princess of Portugal (1527 - 1549) the daughter of King John III of Portugal and his wife Catherine of Austria.
They were married in a ceremony at Salamanca in Spain on the 12th of November 1543.
Their union produced one son, Don Carlos, Prince of Asturias (1545 - 1568) but Philip would be widowed just four days latet after Maria had suffered massive bleeding during the delivery of their son.
Maria was buried at the Chapel of San Lorenzo El Escorial in Madrid.
ELISABETH OF VALOIS
After Queen Mary's death in 1558 Philip returned to his native Spain and married the fourteen year old Elisabeth of Valois (1545 - 1568) the daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de Medici.
Elisabeth had actually been betrothed to Philip's son Don Carlos (both of whom were actually born and deceased in the same years -1545 & 1568 repectively) but Philip had become so infatuated with her that he decided to marry her himself.
The couple married at a ceremony in Guadalajara in Spain sometime in 1559 and their marriage produced two daughters, Isabella Clara Eugenia (1566 - 1633) and Catherine Michelle (1567 - 1597).
Again Philip would be widowed after the birth of a child after Elisabeth had miscarried with their third daughter on the 3rd of October 1568.She was just twenty three years old.
Elisabeth was also buried at the Chapel of San Lorenzo El Escorial in Madrid.
ANNE OF AUSTRIA
After the deaths of both his son Don Carlos and his wife Elisabeth in 1568 Philip was desperate for a male heir.
He decided to marry for a fourth time, this time to his niece Anna of Austria (1549 - 1580), the daughter of Maximillian II, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife Maria of Spain.
They were married by proxy in May of 1570.
Their union produced five children, one of which Philip, would grow up to become the future King Philip III of Spain.
Their children were Ferdinand (1571 - 1578), Carlos (1573 - 1575), Diego (1575 - 1582), Philip (1578 - 1621) and Maria (1580 - 1583).
Anna died of a weakened heart at the age of only thirty on the 26th of October 1580 and was also interred at the Chapel of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in Madrid.
Phillip died n Madrid, Spain on the thirteenth of September 1598 after having suffered a long and painful death from cancer.
He too was interred at the Chapel of San Lorenzo El Escorial in Madrid.
ELISABETH I
Princess Elisabeth was born on the 7th of September 1533 at Greenwich Palace. She was the second daughter of King Henry VIII and the only child of his second wife Anne Boleyn.
At the age of two and a half Elisabeth was declared illegitimate after her father had his marriage to Queen Anne annulled just before her execution.
When her father died at the age of thirteen in 1547, the king's widow, Catherine, upon marrying Thomas Seymour, took the young princess into their household.
It was whilst there that it is believed that Elisabeth was sexually abused by Seymour, leading to Elisabeth's dislike of men, sex and marriage.
Because of her half sister Mary's determination to crush the Protestant faith, of which Elisabeth had been schooled, Mary had Elisabeth imprisoned in the Tower of London. After an interrogation, where she was wrongfully accused of playing a part in the Wyatt Rebellion, Elisabeth was put under house arrest at Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire for four years between 1554 and 1558, under the guardianship of Henry Bedingfield.
In 1555 Mary was apparently pregnant and Philip feared the outcome should Mary and her child die, leaving the British throne without an heir. This time Mary was to recover, but in 1558 Mary was to fall ill for the last time.The now King Philip of Spain sent advisers to Elisabeth in order to organise a government and talk Mary into recognising Elisabeth as her heir
On the 15th of January 1559, at the age of twenty five, Elisabeth was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey. As England's second Protestant monarch she was rapturously received by the people, and given the title ' Good Queen Bess'.
Elisabeth was robust of health and a dutiful queen, however she remained unmarried without any heirs, giving her yet another title, that of the Virgin Queen.
Elisabeth's health remained good until the Autumn of 1602 when she lost a number of her personal friends causing her and to lapse into a deep depression. Her melancholy would in turn affect her physical health and she eventually died on the 24th of March 1603 at Richmond Palace, after having been Queen of England and Ireland for 45 years.
Her funeral at Westminster Abbey on the 28th of April 1603 was to end the one hundred and eighteen year Tudor Royal Dynasty, which paved the way for her successor, King James I, the first Stuart monarch.
ROBERT DUDLEY
It has been ascertained however that Elisabeth did have certain close male favourites among her court, the most famous of which was nobleman Robert Dudley (1532 - 1588) the 1st Earl of Leicester, who was the son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland and Jane Guildford and the older brother of Guildford Dudley the husband of the Nine Day Queen, Lady Jane Grey.
Despite having a special friendship with the queen Dudley was actually married to Amy Robsart (1532 - 1560) the daughter of Sir John Robsart and Elizabeth Scott.
Amy died in suspicious circumstances after suffering a broken neck following a mysterious fall down a flight of stairs at her home, Cumnor Place in Oxford, in 1560. Some have said that her death was organised by Darnley in order that he could marry Elisabeth, but the ensuing nationwide scandal that followed Amy's death meant that the queen could never marry him.
LETTICE KNOLLYS
Eighteen years after his first wife's death Dudley married widow and mother of five Lettice Knollys (1443 - 1634) the daughter of Sir Francis Knollys and Catherine Carey, the widow of Walter Devereux (1541 - 1601), grand niece of Elizabeth's mother Anne Boleyn and mother of another of the queen's favourites Robert Devereux (1565 - 1601).
Darnely and Lettice were married in a secret ceremony at his home in Essex on the 21st of September 1578. Their union produced no heirs but flourished for ten years before Lettice was widowed in 1588. Throughout her marriage to Darnley Lettice had been banished from the Royal Court by Queen Elisabeth, something which didn't really bother her as she was devoted to her children and spent all of her time with either them or her grandchildren.
After Darnley's death in 1588 Lettice was persuaded to marry one of his cousin's, Sir Christopher Blount. They were married in the March of 1589 and this union also produced no heirs.
Blount, who was a staunch Catholic, was actually a spymaster and a conspirator in the rebellion of 1601. These actions led to his eventual execution for treason later in the same year, leaving Lettice once again a widow.
Despite living for another thirty three years Lettice never remarried, preferring instead to spend her time with her children and grandchildren at her country estate in Staffordshire.
Lettice died whilst asleep in her chair on Christmas Day 1634 at the grand old age of 91.
She had previously expressed a wish to be buried near her former husband, Robert Darnley, who had been interred in the Beauchamp Chapel of the Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick way back in 1588.
Her wish was granted and she was buried alongside him in the January of 1635.
* Puerperal Fever otherwise known as Childbed Fever is an infection that goes on to cause septaceamia and is contracted by women after childbirth. It claimed the lives of thousands of women in olden times, but is successfully treated with the use of antibiotics today.
| Elizabeth I of England |
Who wrote the play Man and Superman? | Queen Elizabeth I: Biography, Facts, Portraits & Information
Queen Elizabeth I: Biography, Facts, Portraits & Information
Queen Elizabeth I – Tudor Queen
Elizabeth Tudor is considered by many to be the greatest monarch in English history. When she became queen in 1558, she was twenty-five years old, a survivor of scandal and danger, and considered illegitimate by most Europeans. She inherited a bankrupt nation, torn by religious discord, a weakened pawn between the great powers of France and Spain. She was only the third queen to rule England in her own right; the other two examples, her cousin Lady Jane Grey and half-sister Mary I, were disastrous. Even her supporters believed her position dangerous and uncertain. Her only hope, they counseled, was to marry quickly and lean upon her husband for support. But Elizabeth had other ideas.
She ruled alone for nearly half a century, lending her name to a glorious epoch in world history. She dazzled even her greatest enemies. Her sense of duty was admirable, though it came at great personal cost. She was committed above all else to preserving English peace and stability; her genuine love for her subjects was legendary. Only a few years after her death in 1603, they lamented her passing. In her greatest speech to Parliament, she told them, ‘I count the glory of my crown that I have reigned with your love.’ And five centuries later, the worldwide love affair with Elizabeth Tudor continues.
‘Proud and haughty, as although she knows she was born of such a mother, she nevertheless does not consider herself of inferior degree to the Queen, whom she equals in self-esteem; nor does she believe herself less legitimate than her Majesty, alleging in her own favour that her mother would never cohabit with the King unless by way of marriage, with the authority of the Church….
She prides herself on her father and glories in him; everybody saying that she also resembles him more than the Queen does and he therefore always liked her and had her brought up in the same way as the Queen.’ the Venetian ambassador Giovanni Michiel describes Elizabeth; spring 1557
Elizabeth Tudor was born on 7 September 1533 at Greenwich Palace. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Henry had defied the papacy and the Holy Roman Emperor to marry Anne, spurred on by love and the need for a legitimate male heir. And so Elizabeth’s birth was one of the most exciting political events in 16th century European history; rarely had so much turmoil occurred on behalf of a mere infant. But the confident predictions of astrologers and physicians were wrong and the longed-for prince turned out to be a princess.
Anne Boleyn
Eustace Chapuys, the Imperial ambassador and enemy of Anne Boleyn, described the birth to his master as ‘a portrait of Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn great disappointment and sorrow to the King, the Lady herself and to others of her party.’ But for the next two years, Henry VIII was willing to hope for a son to join this healthy daughter. Immediately after Elizabeth’s birth, he wrote to his 17 year old daughter, Princess Mary, and demanded she relinquish her title Princess of Wales and acknowledge both the annulment of his marriage to her mother, Katharine of Aragon, and the validity of his new marriage. Mary refused; she already blamed Anne Boleyn (and, by extension, Elizabeth) for the sad alteration of her own fortunes. In December, she was moved into her infant half-sister’s household. When told to pay her respects to the baby Princess, she replied that she knew of no Princess of England but herself, and burst into tears.
Henry already ignored Mary and Katharine’s constant pleas to meet; now he began a more aggressive campaign to secure Anne and Elizabeth’s position. For one mother and daughter to be secure, the other pair must necessarily suffer. Most Europeans, and indeed Englishmen, still believed Katharine to be the king’s valid wife. Now old and sickly, imprisoned in one moldy castle after another, she remained a very popular figure. Anne Boleyn was dismissed in polite circles as the king’s ‘concubine’ and their marriage was recognized only by those of the new Protestant faith. Henry attempted to legislate popular acceptance of his new queen and heiress. But the various acts and oaths only cost the lives of several prominent Catholics, among them Sir Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher. The English people never accepted ‘Nan Bullen’ as their queen.
But while she had the king’s personal favor, Elizabeth’s mother was secure. And she held that favor far longer than any had expected. It was only after she miscarried twice that Henry began to consider this second marriage as cursed as the first. The last miscarriage occurred in January 1536; Katharine died that same month. With her death, the king’s Catholic critics considered him a widower, free to marry again. And this next marriage would not be tainted by the specter of bigamy. It was only necessary to get rid of Anne, and find a new wife – one who could hopefully deliver a son. The king already had a candidate in mind; her name was Jane Seymour, a lady-in-waiting to both Katharine and Anne.
In the end, Henry VIII was not merely content to annul his marriage to Anne. She was arrested, charged with a variety of crimes which even her enemies discounted, and executed on 19 May 1536. Her little daughter was now in the same position as her half-sister, Princess Mary. However, all of Europe and most Englishmen considered Mary to be Henry’s legitimate heir, despite legislation to the contrary. No one believed Elizabeth to be more than the illegitimate daughter of the king. Also, there were already disparaging rumors of her mother’s infidelities; perhaps the solemn, red-headed child was not the king’s after all? It was to Henry’s (small) credit that he always acknowledged Elizabeth as his own, and took pride in her intellectual accomplishments. As she grew older, even Catholic courtiers noted Elizabeth resembled her father more than Mary did.
Henry married Jane just twelve days after Anne’s execution and his long-awaited son, Prince Edward, was born in October 1537. Elizabeth participated in the christening, carried by Thomas Seymour, the handsome young brother of the queen. Jane died shortly after the birth of childbed fever. Henry VIII married Anne of Cleves on Twelfth Night (6 January) 1540. The marriage was a disaster, and Henry quickly divorced Anne and married Catherine Howard. Catherine was a cousin of Anne Boleyn; they were both related to Thomas Howard, 3rd duke of Norfolk and perhaps Henry’s most nervous peer. The king enjoyed a brief few months of happiness with his fifth wife. But Catherine was thirty years younger than Henry and soon enough resumed an affair with a former lover. She was executed in February 1542 and buried beside Anne Boleyn in the Tower of London.
For Elizabeth, these changes in her father’s marital fortunes did not pass unnoticed. She was part of her half-brother Edward’s household; her days were spent mostly at lessons, with the occasional visit from her father. As a child, no one expected her to comment upon her various stepmothers. It was only when she reached adulthood and became queen that its psychological effects were revealed. Elizabeth had a dim view of romantic love and, given her father’s example, who can blame her?
It was Henry’s sixth and final wife, Katharine Parr, who had the greatest impact upon Elizabeth’s life. A kind woman who believed passionately inPrincess Elizabeth, c1546, attributed to William Scrots education and religious reform, Katharine was a devoted stepmother. Understandably, she had far more of an impact with the young Edward and Elizabeth than with Mary, who was just four years her junior. Katharine arranged for 10 year old Elizabeth to have the most distinguished tutors in England, foremost among them Roger Ascham. As a result, Elizabeth was educated as well as any legitimate prince, and she displayed a genuine love and aptitude for her studies. ‘Her mind has no womanly weakness,’ Ascham would write approvingly, ‘her perseverance is equal to that of a man.’ And later, ‘She readeth more Greek every day, than some Prebendaries of this Church do in a whole week.’ And so she did; Elizabeth’s love of scholarship never faltered and, in an age when women were considered inferior to men, she was a glorious exception.
Elizabeth 1
Along with such classical subjects as rhetoric, languages, philosophy, and history, Elizabeth also studied theology. Ascham and her other tutors were famous Cambridge humanists who supported the Protestant cause. Likewise, Katharine Parr was devoted to the reformed faith. Unlike their half-sister Mary, both Edward and Elizabeth were raised Protestant during its most formative years. Yet while Edward was known for his piety and didacticism, Elizabeth already displayed the pragmatic character which would make her reign successful. She studied theology and supported the Protestant cause; she had been raised to do so and knew only Protestants recognized her parents’ marriage. But she was never openly passionate about religion, recognizing its divisive role in English politics.
Most people viewed the adolescent Elizabeth as a serious young woman who always carried a book with her, preternaturally composed. She encouraged this perception, which was as accurate as any, by dressing with a degree of severity virtually absent at the Tudor royal court. But she was not so serious that she avoided all the material trappings of her position. Her household accounts, which came under the management of William Cecil (who later became her secretary of state), show evidence of a cultivated and lively mind, as well as a love of entertainment: fees for musicians, musical instruments, and a variety of books. As she grew older and her position more prominent, her household also expanded. During her brother Edward’s reign, she lived the life of a wealthy and privileged lady – and apparently enjoyed it immensely.
Elizabeth was thirteen years old when her father died. They were never particularly close though he treated her with affection on her few visits to his court. He even occasionally discussed the possibility of her marriage for, in the 16th century, royal bastards were common and often used to great advantage in diplomacy. Under the 1536 ‘Second Act of Succession’, which declared both her and the 19 year old Mary illegitimate, Parliament gave Henry the ability to determine his children’s status, as well as the actual succession. Typically for Henry, he simply let both his daughters live as princesses and gave them precedence over everyone at court except his current wife. But they had no real claim to the title of ‘princess’ and were known as ‘the lady Elizabeth’ and ‘the lady Mary’. This was often followed by the explanatory ‘the king’s daughter.’ It was an awkward situation which the king saw no reason to resolve. His will did recognize his daughters’ crucial place in the succession. If Edward died without heirs, Mary would inherit the throne; if Mary died without heirs, Elizabeth would become queen. He also left them the substantial income of 3000 pds a year, the same amount for each daughter.
Did Elizabeth mourn her father? Undoubtedly so, for at least under Henry VIII she was three steps from the throne and protected by his rough paternal affection. After his death, she had good cause to wish him alive again. Ten year old Edward was king in name only. The rule of England was actually in the hands of his uncle, the Lord Protector Edward Seymour, soon titled duke of Somerset. Elizabeth was now separated from her brother’s household, moving to Katharine Parr’s home in Chelsea. This was perhaps the happiest time of her adolescence.
But Katharine married again quickly, to the man she had loved before Henry VIII had claimed her. Her new husband was Thomas Seymour, the younger brother of Lord Protector Somerset and uncle to the new King Edward. He was handsome, charming, and very ambitious. He also had terrible political instincts. Seymour was not content to be husband of the Dowager Queen of England. He was jealous of his brother’s position and desperate to upstage him. And so he inadvertently played into the hands of the equally ambitious John Dudley, earl of Warwick. Dudley wished to destroy the Seymour protectorship and seize power for himself. He allowed the feuding brothers to destroy each other.
For Elizabeth, the main problem with Seymour was his inappropriate and very flirtatious behavior. As a teenaged girl with little experience of men, she was flattered by his attention and also a bit frightened. Certainly it placed great strain on Katharine Parr, who had become pregnant soon after her marriage. The queen originally participated in Seymour’s early morning raids into Elizabeth’s room, where he would tickle and wrestle with the girl in her nightdress. But while Katharine considered this simple fun, her husband was more serious. He soon had keys made for every room in their house and started visiting Elizabeth while she was still asleep and he was clad in just his nightshirt. She soon developed the habit of rising early; when he appeared, her nose was safely in a book. Edward’s council heard rumors of these romps and investigated. Elizabeth proved herself circumspect and clever; she managed to admit nothing which would offend
She left the Seymour home for Hatfield House in May 1548, ostensibly because the queen was ‘undoubtful of health’. Elizabeth and Katharine exchanged affectionate letters, but they would not meet again. The queen died on 4 September 1548 of childbed fever.
After her death, Seymour’s position became more dangerous. It was rumored that he wished to marry Elizabeth and thus secure the throne of England in case Edward died young. He had already bought the wardship of Lady Jane Grey, a Tudor cousin and heir in Henry VIII’s will. He planned to marry Jane and Edward, thus securing primary influence with his nephew. Eventually, his grandiose plans unraveled and he was arrested. Perhaps the most damning charge was his planned marriage to Elizabeth. Immediately, the council sent Sir Robert Tyrwhit to Hatfield with the mission to take control of Elizabeth’s household and gain her confession. He immediately arrested Elizabeth’s beloved governess Kat Ashley and her cofferer, Thomas Parry; they were sent to the Tower. Now, Tyrwhit told the princess, confess all; he wanted confirmation of the charge that Seymour and Elizabeth planned to wed. If she confessed, Tyrwhit said, she would be forgiven for she was young and foolish – her servants should have protected her.
Elizabeth Signature As Princess Of England
Elizabeth did not hesitate to demonstrate her own wit and learning. Indeed, she drove Tyrwhit to exasperation; ‘in no way will she confess any practice by Mistress Ashley or the cofferer concerning my lord Admiral; and yet I do see it in her face that she is guilty and do perceive as yet she will abide more storms ere she accuse Mistress Ashley,’ he wrote to Somerset, ‘I do assure your Grace she hath a very good wit and nothing is gotten of her but by great policy.’ Elizabeth refused to scapegoat her loyal servants and defiantly asserted her complete innocence. She told Tyrwhit she cared nothing for the Admiral and when he had mentioned some vague possibility of marriage, she had referred him to the council. She also secured permission to write to Somerset and, upon doing so, demanded a public apology be made regarding her innocence. She also demanded the return of her loyal servants for if they did not return, she said, her guilt would be assumed. She read Ashley and Parry’s ‘confessions’ in which they described Seymour’s romps with her at Katharine Parr’s home. The details were undoubtedly embarrassing but she recognized their harmlessness. In short, she demonstrated every aspect of her formidable intelligence and determination. Poor Tyrwhit left for London with no damaging confession.
But the council didn’t need Elizabeth’s confession to execute Seymour. He was charged with thirty-three other crimes, and he answered only three of the charges. He was not given a trial; a messy execution was always best passed by a Bill of Attainder. He was executed on 20 March 1549, dying ‘very dangerously, irksomely, horribly… a wicked man and the realm is well rid of him.’ Contrary to some biographies, Elizabeth did not say, ‘This day died a man with much wit, and very little judgment.’ The 17th century Italian novelist Leti invented this, as well as several forged letters long supposed to be hers.
Soon enough, Seymour’s brother followed him to the scaffold. Somerset was a kind man in private life and genuinely dedicated to economic and religious reform in England but, as a politician, he failed miserably. He lacked charisma and confidence; he preferred to bully and bluster his way through council meetings. He simply did not understand how to manage the divisive personalities of Edward VI’s privy council. Meanwhile, John Dudley had been quietly manipulating other councilors and the young king to gain ascendancy. Upon Somerset’s execution, Dudley became Lord Protector; he was also titled duke of Northumberland. He was the first non-royal Englishman given that title.
For Elizabeth, these events were merely background noise at first. Dudley took pains to cultivate a friendship with her, which she wisely avoided. He sent her and Mary amiable letters. Since Mary was a Catholic, and Dudley a Protestant who had benefited materially from the Reformation, he was necessarily more friendly to Elizabeth. For example, Edward VI had given Dudley Hatfield House, which was currently Elizabeth’s residence. Dudley graciously returned it to her in exchange for lesser lands in her possession. He also passed the patents to her lands, which allowed her more income. This, of course, should have been done at Henry VIII’s death. So Elizabeth at first benefited from Dudley’s rise to power. She was now a well-respected and popular princess, a landed lady in her own right with a large income and keen mind. She was also an heir to the English throne, though still officially recognized as a bastard. But she was shown every respect, and a degree of affection from Edward VI completely lacking in his relations with their sister Mary.
Their mutual faith was an important connection with the increasingly devout Edward. Elizabeth visited Court occasionally, corresponded with her brother, and continued her studies mainly at Hatfield. She had always been excessively cautious and very intelligent, qualities she displayed to great effect during the Seymour crisis. The only time in her life when she demonstrated any recklessness had been during the Seymour debacle; she had learned its lesson well.
She also cultivated the image of a sober Protestant young lady. When queen, she became known for her love of beautiful gowns and jewels. But before 1558, she took care to dress soberly, the image of chastity and modesty. This was perhaps a conscious attempt to distance herself from Mary, a typical Catholic princess who dressed in all the glittering and garish finery she could afford. It is an ironic note on Mary’s character that she has become known as a dour, plain woman; she was as fond of clothes and jewelry as her sister would become. It was Elizabeth who dressed plainly, most often in severely cut black or white gowns. She wore each color to great effect. She had matured into a tall, slender and striking girl, with a fair, unblemished complexion and the famous Tudor red hair. She wore her hair loose and did not use cosmetics. When she traveled about the countryside, crowds gathered to see her, a Protestant princess renowned for her virtue and learning, her appearance modest and pleasing. In this respect, she was emulated by her cousin Jane Grey. When Jane was invited to a reception for Mary of Guise, the regent of Scotland, Mary Tudor sent her ‘some goodly apparel of tinsel cloth of gold and velvet laid on with parchment lace of gold.’ Jane, a devout Protestant, was offended; such apparel reflected the material trappings of Catholicism. When her parents insisted she wear it, Jane replied, ‘Nay, that were a shame to follow my Lady Mary against God’s word, and leave my Lady Elizabeth, which followeth God’s word.’
Elizabeth was honorably and extravagantly received at her brother’s court. For example, on 17 March 1552, she arrived at St James’s Palace with ‘a great company of lords, knights and gentlemen’ along with over 200 ladies and a company of yeomen. Two days later she left St James for Whitehall Palace, her procession accompanied by a grand collection of nobles. The visit was a marked success for Edward was open in his affection. She was his ‘sweet sister Temperance,’ unlike Mary who continued to defy his religious policy. The Primary Sources section of this site contains an excerpt from Edward VI’s journal in which he records a religious argument with Mary. In that matter, Elizabeth remained distant, preferring to let her siblings argue without her.
Edward’s ministers, especially after the Seymour affair, were careful with her. Dudley recognized Elizabeth’s formidable intelligence. When Edward VI became ill in 1553 and it was clear he would not survive, Dudley had a desperate plan to save himself from Mary I’s Catholic rule – place Henry VIII’s niece, Lady Jane Grey on the throne. (This is discussed in great length at the Lady Jane Grey site.) Simply put, Dudley believed he would be supported because Jane was Protestant and the English would not want the Catholic Mary on the throne. Of course, the question arises – Elizabeth was Protestant, so why not put her on the throne instead of Jane? The main reason is that Dudley was well aware that Elizabeth Tudor would not be his puppet, unlike Jane Grey whom he had married to his son Guildford. As for Edward VI, he went along with the plan because of two main reasons: Elizabeth was illegitimate so there might be resistance to her rule and, as a princess, she might be persuaded to marry a foreign prince and England would fall under foreign control. Jane was already safely wed to an Englishman.
Edward VI’s decision should not indicate any great dislike of Elizabeth. He was primarily determined to preserve the Protestant regime in England. He believed this was necessary for his personal and political salvation. He was also practical. He disinherited Mary because of her Catholicism; however, it was officially sanctioned because of her illegitimacy. Like Elizabeth, Mary had her illegitimacy established by an act of Parliament during Henry VIII’s reign. Since he had ostensibly disinherited Mary because of this act, he couldn’t let Elizabeth inherit – it simply wasn’t logical. So the throne would pass to the legitimate – and Protestant – Lady Jane Grey. As most know, she ruled for just nine days before Mary became queen of England. It should be noted that Edward originally told Dudley that, though he didn’t want Mary to succeed him, he saw no logical reason for Elizabeth to be disowned. It was Dudley who pointed out the logical inconsistency – that Mary ‘could not be put by unless the Lady Elizabeth were put by also.’
Dudley attempted to place Mary and Elizabeth in his power while Edward was dying. He knew that if he imprisoned the two princesses, they would be unable to rouse popular support against his plan. But if that failed, he was determined to prevent them from seeing Edward, especially Elizabeth. Dudley feared that Edward’s affection for his sister, and Elizabeth’s cleverness, might persuade Edward to rewrite his will in her favor. Like her sister, Elizabeth would undoubtedly destroy Dudley, making him the scapegoat for Edward’s ineffectual regime. In fact, Elizabeth had suspected her brother was ill and set out from Hatfield to visit him just a few weeks before Edward died, but Dudley’s men intercepted her and sent her home. She then wrote her brother a number of letters, inquiring about his health and asking permission to come to Court. These were intercepted as well.
But as Edward’s health continued to deteriorate and death was imminent, Dudley sent a message to Hatfield, ordering Elizabeth to Greenwich Palace. She may have been warned of his intentions – more likely she guessed them. She refused the summons, taking to her bed with a sudden illness. As a further precaution, her doctor sent a letter to the council certifying she was too ill for travel. As for Mary, Dudley had told her that Edward desired her presence; it would be a comfort to him during his illness. She was torn – though Dudley hid the true extent of the king’s illness, the Imperial ambassador had kept Mary informed. He was the agent of her cousin, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V; Mary’s mother had been his aunt. Conscious of her sisterly duty, Mary set out for Greenwich from Hunsdon the day before Edward died.
Dudley was enraged by Elizabeth’s refusal but he could do nothing. Soon enough, events moved too quickly for the princess to be his primary concern. It was being whispered that Dudley had poisoned the king to place his daughter-in-law on the throne. Of course, this was untrue since Dudley needed Edward to live as long as possible for his plan to work. To this end, he had engaged a female ‘witch’ to help prolong the king’s life. She concocted a mix of arsenic and other drugs; they worked, at least for Dudley’s purpose. The young king lived for a few more weeks though he suffered terribly. Finally, on 6 July 1553, Edward VI died. Immediately, Dudley had Jane Grey proclaimed queen, an honor she had not sought and did not want. It was only Dudley’s appeal to her religious convictions which convinced her to accept the throne.
Meanwhile, Jane’s cousin, Mary Tudor, was still on her way to Greenwich to see her brother, until a sympathizer (sent by Nicholas Throckmorton or William Cecil) rode out to meet her; the summons was a trap, he told her, and Dudley intended to imprison her. Mary rode to East Anglia, the conservative section of England where her support would be strongest. Eventually she would realize the true extent of her support. Protestants and Catholics alike rallied to her cause since she was Henry VIII’s daughter and the true heir under his will. As she left for East Anglia, she didn’t know her brother was already dead but she sent a note to the Imperial ambassador Simon Renard; once she knew of Edward’s death, she said, she would declare herself queen. She sent another note to Dudley, telling him she was too ill to travel.
The failure of Dudley’s ambitions is discussed at the Lady Jane Grey site. Suffice to say, he was overthrown and executed and Mary Tudor, at the age of thirty-seven, was declared queen of England in her own right. During the nine days of Jane’s reign, Elizabeth had continued her pretense of illness. It was rumored that Dudley had sent councilors to her, offering a large bribe if she would just renounce her claim to the throne. Elizabeth refused, remarking, ‘You must first make this agreement with my elder sister, during whose lifetime I have no claim or title to resign.’ So she remained at her beloved Hatfield, deliberately avoiding a commitment one way or another. When word reached her that Mary was finally queen, she sent a letter of congratulation to her sister and set off for London. On 29 July, she entered the capital with 2000 mounted men wearing the green and white Tudor colors. There she awaited Mary’s official arrival into the city. On 31 July, Elizabeth rode with her attendant nobles along the Strand and through the City to Colchester, the same path her sister would take. It was here she would receive her sister as queen. They had not seen each other for about five years.
Mary had always disliked her half-sister for many reasons, not least because she sensed an innate shiftiness in Elizabeth’s character. Elizabeth, Mary believed, was never to be trusted. Originally, this dislike was because of Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn. Mary had long blamed Anne for her own mother’s tragic end as well as the alienation of her father’s affections. After Anne died and Elizabeth, too, was declared illegitimate, Mary found other reasons to hate Elizabeth, chief among them religion. Like her mother, Mary was a devout Catholic; she recognized Elizabeth’s lack of religious zeal. But at her accession, the moment of her great triumph, she was prepared to be conciliatory.
Portrait of Elizabeth’s half-sister, Queen Mary I; she ruled England from 1553 to 1558
Mary ordered that Elizabeth share her triumphal march through London. Their processions met at Wanstead on 2 August. There, Elizabeth dismounted and knelt in the road before her sister. Mary dismounted and raised her sister, embracing and kissing her with affection. She even held her hand as they spoke. Their two parties entered London together, the sisters riding side by side. The contrast between their physical appearances could not have been more striking. Mary, at thirty-seven, was old beyond her years. An adulthood passed in anxiety and tribulation had marred her health and appearance. She was small like her mother and thin, with Katharine’s deep, almost gruff voice. Elizabeth was nineteen years old, taller than her sister and slender. While Mary was richly attired in velvets covered in jewels and gold, Elizabeth was dressed in her usual strikingly severe style. Neither sister was conventionally beautiful but onlookers commented upon Mary’s open compassion and kindness and Elizabeth’s innate majesty. And since Mary was thirty-seven, quite old to have a child, Elizabeth was viewed as her probable heir. As such, she was cheered as much as the new queen.
On 1 October, Elizabeth rode to Mary’s coronation with Henry VIII’s discarded fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. She was once again accorded a place of honor amongst the English ladies, though not the highest position as was her due. The Imperial ambassador Renard reported that she spoke often with the French ambassador de Noailles. For his part, de Noailles reported that Elizabeth complained her coronet was too heavy and made her head ache. He replied to her that, God willing, she would soon wear a heavier crown.
This was dangerous talk, as Elizabeth soon discovered. Mary’s mood was fickle regarding her clever half-sister. For every kind word or gesture, there were public statements dismissing Henry VIII as Elizabeth’s father, or allowing distant cousins precedent at court. It was simply impossible for Mary to forget the past, etched so acutely upon her spirit. She could not like Elizabeth, nor trust her. Elizabeth responded to this emotional hostility by retreating to Hatfield. There she continued her studies and attempted to remain safe in the morass of English politics.
But however much she might wish for peace, she was not to have it. She was destined to be the focal point for all discontent over Mary’s reign. And there was soon much reason for discontent. Edward VI’s council had left the economy in shambles; currency was debased and near worthless. There was a series of bad harvests. Prices rose and discontent spread. And worst of all, Mary soon decided to marry King Philip II of Spain, son and heir of Charles V. This was yet another example of her inability to forget the past. Philip represented the homeland of her beloved mother, and a chance to bring all the weight of the Holy Roman Empire to bear upon the heretics of England. Mary was determined to turn back the clock on twenty years of religious reform and make England a Catholic nation again.
Understandably, her subjects were less than thrilled. Even English Catholics did not want their country to become a powerless appendage of the Hapsburg empire. Certainly a queen had to marry, but not the emperor’s son! In this climate of rebellion and repression, Elizabeth’s life was in great danger. It could not be otherwise; she was the only alternative to Mary’s rule.
Elizabeth conformed outwardly to the Catholic faith. But she could not distance herself too much from her Protestant supporters. When Sir Thomas Wyatt, the son of her mother’s great poetic admirer, led a rebellion in January 1554, matters came to an unpleasant impasse. Wyatt had written to Elizabeth that he intended to overthrow Mary but his letter was intercepted, as was a letter from de Noailles to the king of France. His letter implied that Elizabeth knew of the revolt in advance, and repeated rumors that she was off gathering armed supporters. The government was able to suppress the rebellion before it spread very far and Wyatt was arrested. Mary’s council could find no real proof that de Noailles’s suppositions were true but they decided to summon Elizabeth back to London for questioning. She was understandably frightened and ill; she sent word that she could not travel. Two of Mary’s personal physicians were sent to evaluate her condition. They diagnosed ‘watery humors’ and perhaps an inflammation of the kidneys. She was ill, they reported, but not too ill to travel the 30 miles to London in the queen’s own litter. Three of the queen’s councilors – Howard, Hastings, and Cornwallis, all of whom were friendly with Elizabeth – escorted her back to London. They traveled quite slowly, covering just six miles a day.
Elizabeth kept the curtains of the litter pulled back as she entered the city, and the citizens were able to see her pale, frightened face. She had good cause for her fear; the heads and corpses of Wyatt and his supporters were thrust upon spikes and gibbets throughout the city. The queen waited for her at Whitehall but they did not meet immediately. First, Elizabeth’s household was dismissed and she was told that she must undergo close interrogation about her activities. She was questioned by the unfriendly bishop of Winchester, Stephen Gardiner, but she was not intimidated. She denied any involvement in the rebellion and repeatedly asked to see the queen. But she was told that Mary was leaving for Oxford where she would hold a Parliament. Elizabeth would be leaving Whitehall as well, though at first the council could not decide where to send her. No councilor wanted the responsibility of keeping her in close confinement at their homes; it was too unpleasant and potentially dangerous. And so Gardiner and Renard had their way and she went to the Tower of London. The earl of Sussex and the marquess of Winchester were sent to escort her from Whitehall.
Elizabeth was terrified. The mere mention of the Tower was enough to shatter her already fragile nerves. She begged to be allowed to write to her sister, and the men agreed. The letter was long, rambling, and repetitious – proof of her fear and trepidation:
I have heard in my time of many cast away for want of coming to the presence of their Prince…. Therefore once again kneeling with humbleness of my heart, because I am not suffered to bow the knees of my body, I humbly crave to speak with your Highness, which I would not be so bold to desire if I knew not myself most clear as I know myself most true. And as for the traitor Wyatt, he might peradventure write me a letter but on my faith I never received any from him; and as for the copy of my letter sent to the French king, I pray God confound me eternally if ever I sent him word, message, token or letter by any means, and to this truth I will stand it to my death.
….Let conscience move your Highness to take some better way with me than to make me be condemned in all men’s sight afore my desert know.
After finishing, she carefully drew lines throughout the rest of the blank sheet so no forgeries could be added, and she signed it ‘I humbly crave but one word of answer from yourself. Your Highness’s most faithful subject that hath been from the beginning and will be to my end, Elizabeth’.
The letter had taken too long to write; they had missed the tide. They could wait a few hours and take her to the Tower in the darkest part of night, but the council disagreed. There could be an attempt to rescue her under cover of darkness. They decided to wait until the next morning, Palm Sunday, when the streets would be nearly deserted since everyone would be in church. Meanwhile, her letter was sent to Mary who received it angrily and refused to read it through. She had not given permission for it to be written or sent, and she rebuked her councilors fiercely.
The next morning, 17 March 1554, arrived cold and grey; there was a steady rain. At 9 o’clock in the morning, Elizabeth was taken from her rooms and through the garden to where the barge waited. She was accompanied by six of her ladies and two gentleman-attendants. She waited under a canopy until the barge began to slow; she then saw that they would enter beneath Traitor’s Gate, beneath St Thomas’s Tower. This was the traditional entrance for prisoners returned to their cells after trial at Westminster. The sight terrified her and she begged to be allowed entry by any other gate. Her request was refused. She was offered a cloak to protect her from the rain but she pushed it aside angrily. Upon stepping onto the landing, she declared, ‘Here landeth as true a subject, being prisoner, as ever landed at these stairs. Before Thee, O God, do I speak it, having no other friend but Thee alone.’ She then noticed the yeoman warders gathered to receive her beyond the gate. ‘Oh Lord,’ she said loudly, ‘I never thought to have come in here as a prisoner, and I pray you all bear me witness that I come in as no traitor but as true a woman to the Queen’s Majesty as any as is now living.’ Several of the warders stepped forward and bowed before her, and one called out, ‘God preserve your Grace.’
She still refused to enter the Tower. After the warder’s declaration, she sat upon a stone and would not move. The Lieutenant of the Tower, Sir John Brydges, said to her, ‘You had best come in, Madame, for here you sit unwholesomely.’ Elizabeth replied with feeling, ‘Better sit here, than in a worse place, for God knoweth where you will bring me.’ And so she sat until one of her attendants burst into tears. She was taken to the Bell Tower, a small corner tower beside Brydges’s own lodgings. Her room was on the first floor, and had a large fireplace with three small windows. Down the passageway from the door were three latrines which hung over the moat. It was not as destitute or uncomfortable as she had feared, but it was still the Tower of London and she was a prisoner.
This was the beginning of one of the most trying times of her life.
Elizabeth spent just two months in the Tower of London, but she had no idea that her stay would be so brief – and it did not feel particularly brief. She truly believed some harm would come to her and she dwelt most upon the possibility of poison. She knew Mary hated her and that many of her councilors constantly spoke ill of her, encouraging either her imprisonment or execution.
However, Elizabeth had enough popular support that she would not face death at her sister’s orders. But Lady Jane Grey, the unfortunate Nine Days’ Queen, and her husband were neither so popular or lucky. They, too, had lived in the Tower under threat of execution; both had been convicted of treason. But Mary had always been fond of Jane and was close friends with her mother Frances; she allowed her cousin to live very comfortably in the Tower while her fate remained undecided. Mary probably intended to release Jane as soon as the country settled under her own rule. But Renard wanted both Jane and her husband executed. He warned Mary that the emperor would not allow Philip to enter England as long as Jane lived. She was a traitor, and it was only a matter of time before the Protestants tried to place either Jane or Elizabeth upon the throne. Mary was not persuaded by Renard’s arguments, but his threat carried greater force – she wanted to marry Philip and he would not come to England until it was safe. The small rebellion led by Jane’s father clearly did not help matters. And so Jane and the equally unfortunate Guildford Dudley were executed. Elizabeth herself arrived at the Tower just six weeks later, and her cousin’s fate must have weighed heavily on her mind. After all, she and Jane had lived and studied together briefly under Katharine Parr’s tutelage, and Jane’s admiration of Elizabeth had been open and obvious.
It was abundantly clear to Elizabeth that her position was precarious and dangerous. During the first weeks of her imprisonment, she was allowed to take exercise along the Tower walls but when a small child began to give her flowers and other gifts, Brydges was told to keep her indoors. Elizabeth had always been active, both physically and mentally. She chafed at her confinement and its boring routine. She was occasionally interrogated by members of Mary’s council, but she held firm to her innocence. She had faced such interrogations during Thomas Seymour’s fall from grace, and could not be easily intimidated. Still, the stress – which she handled with outward aplomb – took its toll on her physical health. She lost weight, and became prone to headaches and stomach problems.
Ironically enough, it was the impending arrival of Philip of Spain which led to her freedom. Renard had urged Mary to execute Jane and imprison Elizabeth so that Philip would be safe in England. Philip, however, was far more sensitive to the political implications of such an act. He knew the English were acutely sensitive to any shift in Mary’s policies simply because she had chosen to marry a foreigner. If she made an unpopular decision, it would be blamed upon his influence. He knew, too, that the Protestant faith was still popular in the country, and that Elizabeth embodied its greatest hope. If she were harmed in any way, his arrival in England would be even more unpopular and dangerous. And the Wyatt rebellion had merely reinforced Philip’s natural inclination to tread lightly. His intention was to wed Mary, be crowned king of England, and find a suitable husband for Elizabeth, preferably one of his Hapsburg relations. Then, if Mary died without bearing a child, England would remain within the Hapsburg sphere of influence, a willing and useful adjunct of the empire.
Accordingly, Philip wrote to Mary and advised that Elizabeth be set at liberty. This conciliatory gesture was not appreciated by Mary, always inclined to believe the worst in her half-sister, but – once again – her eagerness for Philip’s arrival made her desperate to please him. She dispensed with Renard’s advice and on Saturday 19 May at one o’clock in the afternoon, Elizabeth was finally released from the Tower; incidentally, her mother had been executed on the same day eighteen years earlier. She spent one night at Richmond Palace, but it was clear that her release had not lifted Elizabeth’s spirits. That night she summoned her few servants and asked them to pray for her, ‘For this night,’ Elizabeth said, ‘I think to die.’
She did not die, of course, but she was still frightened and lonely. She had been released into the care of Sir Henry Bedingfield, a Catholic supporter of Queen Mary whose father had guarded Katharine of Aragon during her last years at Kimbolton Castle. He had come to the Tower on 5 May as the new Constable, replacing Sir John Gage, and his arrival had caused Elizabeth no end of terror. She believed he was sent to secretly murder her for, not long before, a credible rumor had reached her; it was said that the Catholic elements of Mary’s council had sent a warrant for her execution to the Tower but that Sir John Brydges, the strict but honest Lieutenant, had not acted upon it because it lacked the queen’s signature. With Bedingfield’s arrival, Elizabeth lost her almost preternatural self-control and she asked her guards ‘whether the Lady Jane’s scaffold was taken away or no?’ When told it was gone, she asked about Bedingfield, and if ‘her murdering were secretly committed to his charge, he would see the execution thereof?’
From Richmond, Bedingfield took his cowed charge to Woodstock, a hunting-lodge miles from London and once favored by her Plantagenet grandfather, Edward IV. She was neither officially under arrest nor free, a nebulous position which confused nearly everyone. She could not be received at court, but she could not be set at liberty in the countryside. And so Bedingfield was essentially her jailer, but not referred to as such; and Woodstock was her prison, but also not called such. The journey to Woodstock certainly raised her spirit. She was greeted by throngs of people shouting ‘God save your grace!’ and other messages of support. Flowers, sweets, cakes and other small gifts were given to her. At times, the reception was so enthusiastic that Elizabeth was openly overwhelmed. It was now clear to her that the English people loved her, perhaps as much as they did Queen Mary.
But the love of the people was small comfort when faced with the dilapidation of Woodstock. The main house was in such disrepair that Elizabeth was lodged in the gatehouse. The queen had ordered that her sister be treated honorably and given limited freedom; Elizabeth was allowed to walk in the orchard and gardens. She also requested numerous books. After a few weeks, her initial fear of Bedingfield had settled into a bemused appraisal of her jailer. She now recognized him for what he was – a conscientious, unimaginative civil servant with a difficult assignment. They got on tolerably well, and Bedingfield even forwarded her numerous letters to the Council and the queen. Elizabeth was concerned that her imprisonment in the countryside would remove her too much from the public eye and her ceaseless letter-writing was an attempt to reassert her position as princess of England. Mary did not read the letters and angrily order Bedingfield to stop sending them along.
At the end of June, Elizabeth fell ill and asked that the queen’s physician Dr Owen be sent to her. But Dr Owen was busy tending to Queen Mary and told Bedingfield that his charge must be patient. He recommended the services of Drs Barnes and Walbeck. Elizabeth refused to allow their examination; she preferred to commit her body to God rather than to the eyes of strangers, she told Bedingfield. Finally, on 7 July, Mary finally sent permission to Woodstock for Elizabeth to write to her and the Council about her various concerns. Elizabeth was petulant and took her time with the composition of this most important letter. When it was finally sent, written in Bedingfield’s hand from her dictation, it was a typically shrewd and pointed document. Elizabeth wanted the Council to consider ‘her long imprisonment and restraint of liberty, either to charge her with special matter to be answered unto and tried, or to grant her liberty to come unto her highness’s presence, which she sayeth she would not desire were it not that she knoweth herself to be clear even before God, for her allegiance.’ Elizabeth specifically requested that the members of the queen’s council who were executors of ‘the Will of the King’s majesty her father’ read the letter and be allowed to visit with her. It was a pointed reminder that despite her deprived circumstances, she was still next in line to the English throne. The Council heard the document uneasily.
Another portrait of Elizabeth’s half-sister, Queen Mary I
Mary, however, had other matters on her mind. Finally, on 20 July, even as Elizabeth mulled over her letter, Philip II of Spain finally landed at Southampton. The handsome, fair-haired 27 year old King was already a widow with a male heir; his first wife Maria of Portugal had died in childbirth in 1545 after two years of a marriage. He was a conscientious and pious man who impressed all who met him with his discipline and work ethic. But he also had a tendency toward religious asceticism which worsened as he grew older. As a child, he had accompanied his father to the inquisition in Spain, watching impassively as heretics were burned alive. But his marriage to Mary was one of political necessity and Philip had no intention of threatening its success with unpopular religious policies. He was willing to move England slowly back into the Catholic fold; faced with Mary’s impatience, it was Philip who advised moderation. He wed his cousin at Winchester Cathedral on 25 July in a splendid ceremony. On 18 August they finally entered London in triumph, its citizens plied with enough free drinks and entertainment to greet Philip enthusiastically. But there were already signs of trouble; the anonymous pamphlets condemning foreigners and the queen’s marriage circulated, and Philip’s Spanish entourage were unhappy over a number of petty slights and insults from their English hosts.
Elizabeth had hoped the marriage would result in some change in her circumstances. But she was sadly mistaken. Instead she passed the months needling Bedingfield for more books, scribbling more letters, and listening to the occasional rumor from her servants. The rumors were hardly comforting. The queen was reportedly pregnant and she and Philip would open Parliament together on 12 November. From then on, the reunion between England and the papacy could begin in force. Mary was the happiest she had been since childhood, but the problem of Elizabeth remained. Gardiner wanted her executed; he argued that Protestantism could not be completely eradicated until its great hope, Elizabeth herself, was gone. But Philip and most other councilors were more pragmatic. Parliament had already agreed that if Mary died in childbirth, Philip would be regent of England during their child’s minority. However, if both mother and child died, then Elizabeth once again assumed prominence. Philip, always prudent, preferred to know his sister-in-law before making an enemy of her. With his encouragement, and flush with happiness at her marriage and pregnancy, Mary finally invited Elizabeth to court.
In the third week of April 1555, almost a year since she was sent to Woodstock, Elizabeth was brought to Hampton Court Palace. Mary had gone there to prepare for her lying-in. They did not meet immediately. Elizabeth was brought into the palace through a side entrance, still closely guarded. According to the French ambassador, Philip visited her three days later but Mary never came. Two weeks later, the most powerful members of the council appeared to chide her for not submitting to the queen’s authority; she was told to admit her past wrongdoing and seek the queen’s forgiveness. Elizabeth replied that she had done nothing wrong in the past and wanted no mercy from her sister ‘but rather desired the law’. She told Gardiner she would rather remain in prison forever than admit to crimes she had never committed. He went off immediately to tell Mary of her sister’s continued stubbornness. The queen was not pleased. The next day, Gardiner told Elizabeth that the queen marveled that ‘she would so stoutly use herself, not confessing that she had offended’. Did Elizabeth really believe she was wrongfully imprisoned? Gardiner asked. Elizabeth refused the bait. She did not criticize her sister explicitly, telling him only that the queen must do with her as her conscience dictated. Gardiner replied that if she wanted her liberty and former position, she must tell a different story; only by admitting her past faults, confessing all sins, could she hope for forgiveness. It was a stalemate. Elizabeth again told him she would rather be unjustly imprisoned than gain freedom with lies.
The next week passed with no word from anyone. And then, around 10 o’clock one evening, a message arrived that the queen would see her. Elizabeth had begged for an interview for more than a year but now that the moment had at last arrived, she was understandably nervous. She was accompanied into Mary’s apartments by one of her own ladies-in-waiting and Mary’s close friend and Mistress of the Robes Susan Clarencieux. The queen’s bedroom was lit with flickering candlelight; the queen herself was half-hidden in shadow. Without asking permission, Elizabeth immediately prostrated herself and declared her innocence. And though she and Mary sparred for a short while, the queen was willing to be generous at her own moment of triumph. It was rumored that Philip watched the sisters from behind a curtain; whether or not he was there, Mary was content to make peace of sorts. She sent Elizabeth away amicably enough and a week later poor Bedingfield was relieved of his duties. Elizabeth would remain at Hampton Court, still under light guard but with her own household and permission to receive certain guests. It was the end of over a year of tiresome captivity and she was delighted.
While she enjoyed her newfound liberty, the burning of Protestant heretics began in earnest. These killings have earned Mary the nickname ‘Bloody Mary’ and blighted her reputation. In truth, the roughly 300 people killed (about 60 women) was not considered excessive by Mary’s European contemporaries; and in the government’s mind, Protestantism had become dangerously linked with treason, sedition, and other secular crimes. For Mary, who was perhaps the most personally kind and gentle of the Tudor rulers, the killings were necessary to save the heretics’ souls as well. It is a telling feature of her character that she could often forgive treason against herself, but would not countenance treason against God.
The burnings, coupled with the Spanish marriage, caused enough resentment; but, unfortunately for Mary, famine and poverty added to her list of woes. But the greatest tragedy of all for the queen was the humiliating and heartbreaking realization that her pregnancy was not real. Mary had truly believed she was pregnant; her stomach had become swollen and she had felt the child quicken. But she had always suffered from digestive and menstrual troubles. It is probable that she developed a tumor in her stomach which, combined with the lack of a cycle and her own fervent prayers, made her believe she was pregnant. All of April was spent in a state of readiness. Dozens of nurses and midwives crowded into Hampton Court, joined by a throng of noble ladies who would assist in the delivery. On 30 April a rumor reached London that a male child had been born and celebrations ensued. But it was a false alarm; the next three months were spent in a state of suspended disbelief. Finally, on 3 August, the queen’s household departed to Oatlands and the pregnancy was not mentioned again.
Mary’s heartache was soon worsened by the impending departure of Philip. He had spent over a year in a country he disliked, married to a woman he pitied but did not love. He used the excuse of pressing business in the Low Countries to leave England. Mary protested passionately, begging him to stay; it was clear to everyone that she truly loved her husband. But Philip was equally determined to go. It was perhaps clear to him that Mary was seriously ill and would never have children. If that was the case, he had no reason to remain in England. He left explicit instructions that she treat her sister well.
Elizabeth was sent to a small manor house a few miles from Oatlands where she played another waiting game, only this time with some measure of freedom and hope. But it was to be another three years before she would become queen of England.
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Hanson, Marilee. "Queen Elizabeth I: Biography, Facts, Portraits & Information" <a href="https://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/queen-elizabeth-i/">https://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/queen-elizabeth-i/</a>, January 31, 2015
Link will appear as Hanson, Marilee. "Queen Elizabeth I: Biography, Facts, Portraits & Information" https://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/queen-elizabeth-i/ , January 31, 2015
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