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Who sang the title song from the Bond film Moonraker | Moonraker (song) | James Bond Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Novel — Film — Audio drama — Soundtrack — Song — Novelisation — Characters
Moonraker is the theme song of the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker . It was composed by John Barry and Hal David and performed by Shirley Bassey , a Welsh singer who has performed more James Bond theme songs than any other, with three.
There are notably two different versions of the song — a slow ballad version (used over the film's opening titles) and an up-tempo disco version (played over the film's end credits). The former is the one typically associated with the film and the one featured on Bond music compilations, although both are included on the Moonraker soundtrack .
Contents
| Shirley Bassey |
Who were the two boys convicted for murdering James Bulger | Sam Smith sings theme song for James Bond film 'Spectre' - CNN.com
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English singer Matt Monro is best known for his hearty rendition of the theme tune for 1963's "From Russia with Love." (The first James Bond movie, "Dr. No," had an instrumental title song.)
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Shirley Bassey, perhaps the most iconic Bond theme-song singer, sang the title theme to 1964's Goldfinger." Bassey brought her strong, distinctive voice back to the series in title tunes for 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever" and 1979's "Moonraker."
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Welsh singer Tom Jones, best known for hits like "What's New Pussycat" and "She's a Lady," sang the title tune for 1965's "Thunderball."
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These boots were made for walking, but she was made for singing: Nancy Sinatra performed the theme to "You Only Live Twice" in 1967.
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Jazz great Louis Armstrong sang "We Have All the Time in the World," the secondary musical theme from the 1969 Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." The song became a hit in the UK 25 years later when it was featured in a Guinness beer commercial.
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Paul and then-wife Linda McCartney and their pop group Wings performed the title number from 1973's "Live and Let Die," the first of the Bond movies to star Roger Moore as Agent 007. The song is still a staple of Paul McCartney's live concerts.
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Scottish pop singer Lulu sang the title song for 1974's "The Man with the Golden Gun."
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Carly Simon scored a major radio hit with "Nobody Does it Better," the theme from the 1977 Bond film, "The Spy Who Loved Me."
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After the band Blondie recorded another version that was rejected, Scottish pop star Sheena Easton was tapped to sing "For Your Eyes Only" for the 1981 Bond movie of the same name. The song reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard charts.
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Photos: James Bond theme song singers
Rita Coolidge sang "All Time High," the theme from 1983's "Octopussy."
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American singer Lani Hall, wife of bandleader Herb Alpert, sang the title song to 1983's "Never Say Never Again," which brought Sean Connery back for his final Bond role. The film was made by a different production company from the other James Bond movies, so some fans don't consider it part of the official series.
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Singer Simon Le Bon and British pop group Duran Duran did the title song for 1985's "A View to a Kill."
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Norwegian pop band A-Ha recorded the title song for 1987's "The Living Daylights," the first of two films starring Timothy Dalton as Bond. It was the last theme written by longtime Bond composer John Barry.
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Soul legend Gladys Knight sang the theme to "License to Kill" in 1989.
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After a six-year hiatus, the Bond series rebooted with 1995's "GoldenEye" and Pierce Brosnan in the lead role. Tina Turner sang the theme song, which was written by U2's Bono and the Edge.
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Sheryl Crow performed the title song to 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies."
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Garbage, led by Shirley Manson, did the title track to 1999's "The World is Not Enough."
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Pop icon Madonna finally did her first and only Bond theme song in 2002 for "Die Another Day."
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One of the few men to sing a Bond theme, rocker Chris Cornell performed "You Know My Name" from 2006's "Casino Royale." It was the first film to feature Daniel Craig as Bond.
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Pop star Alicia Keys and blues rocker Jack White teamed up to sing "Another Way to Die," the theme from 2008's "Quantum of Solace." White also wrote the song.
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British pop star Adele sang the title theme from "Skyfall" in 2012. Three years later, the world is still awaiting the singer's long-delayed new album.
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| i don't know |
Which mountain range contains thirteen of the worlds twenty highest mountains | Top 10 Highest Mountains in the World
Top 10 Highest Mountains in the World
by Ejaz Khan
The world’s tallest mountains are some of the most majestic and beautiful things that one can be blessed enough to witness in their lifetime. They are all located in Asia and each reach an altitude of over 8000 meters above sea level.
Here is list of top 10 highest mountains in the world.
10. Annapurna
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal. Annapurna is a series of peaks, the highest of which is called Annapurna I, which is the tenth highest mountain in the world. It is located in central Nepal and is approximately 26,545 feet (8,091 meters) tall. Its peaks are some of the world’s most dangerous to climb. In fact, they have a fatality rate of about forty percent.
9. Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat is the world’s ninth tallest mountain and stands at about 26,660 feet (8,126 meters) in height. Although the name is Urdu for “Naked Mountain”, for first half of the twentieth century it was known as “Killer Mountain”. It was called this because it used to be an incredibly dangerous climb to the top. Now however, it is less dangerous to climb, but still very difficult. This mountain is an immense and dramatic peak that rises above its surrounding area in Pakistan.
8. Manaslu
Manaslu is the eighth highest mountain in the world, and is located in the Mansiri Himal, part of the Nepalese Himalayas, in the west-central part of Nepal. Its name, which means “Mountain of the Spirit”, comes from the Sanskrit word Manasa, meaning “intellect” or “soul”. Manaslu was first climbed on May 9, 1956 by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu, members of a Japanese expedition. It is said that “just as the British consider Everest their mountain, Manaslu has always been a Japanese mountain”
7. Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri is the seventh highest mountain in the world and is about 26,795 feet (8,167 meters) tall. It is located just north of central Nepal. Its name means “White Mountain”. The South and West faces of Dhaulagiri both feature massive drops; each rises over 4000 meters from its base, and each has been the site of epic climbs. This mountain, along with Annapurna, is home to a more dramatic scene than most of the other mountains, for they face each other while separated by a valley. This is an amazing sight to see, and one of the main reasons why, for thirty years, it was thought to be the highest mountain in the world.
6. Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world at 8,201 metres (26,906 ft) above sea level. Cho Oyu means “Turquoise Goddess” in Tibetan. The mountain is the westernmost major peak of the Khumbu sub-section of the Mahalangur Himalaya 20 km west of Mount Everest. The mountain stands on the Tibet-Nepal border.
5. Makalu
Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world at 8,481 metres (27,825 ft) and is located 19 km (12 mi) southeast of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and China. One of the eight-thousanders, Makalu is an isolated peak whose shape is a four-sided pyramid.
4. Lhotse
Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain on Earth and is connected to Everest via the South Col. Lhotse means “South Peak” in Tibetan. In addition to the main summit at 8,516 metres (27,940 ft) above sea level, Lhotse Middle (East) is 8,414 metres (27,605 ft) and Lhotse Shar is 8,383 metres (27,503 ft). It is located at the border between Tibet (China) and the Khumbu region of Nepal.
3. Kangchenjunga
Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world with an elevation of 8,586 m (28,169 ft). Mount Kanchenjunga rises about 20 km (12 mi) south of the general alignment of the Great Himalayan range, and is located on the boundary between Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim. Kangchenjunga is the highest peak in India, and also the name of the surrounding section of the Himalayas and means “The Five Treasures of Snows”, as it contains five peaks. The treasures represent the five repositories of God, which are gold, silver, gems, grain, and holy books.
2. K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest. It is located on the border between Baltistan, in the Gilgit–Baltistan region of Pakistan, and the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China. With a peak elevation of 8,611 m (28,251 feet), K2 is the highest point of the Karakoram Range and the highest point in Pakistan. K2 is known as the “Savage Mountain” due to the difficulty of ascent and the second-highest fatality rate among the “eight thousanders” for those who climb it. For every four people who have reached the summit, one has died trying.
1. Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the Earth’s highest mountain, with a peak at 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level and the 5th tallest mountain measured from the centre of the Earth. It is located on the border between Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal, and Tibet, China and is part of the Himalayan Mountain Range. Although it is the tallest mountain and attracts many climbers of both advanced and limited climbing skill, it is one of the easier mountains to climb.
| Himalayas |
Dilithium crystals power which mode of transport | Top Ten Highest Mountains in the World
List: Top Ten Highest Mountains in the World
Date: 2006
Source: Pringles Atlas
Base: All mountains in the world whose summits may be considered individual mountains as opposed to subsidiary peaks.
Notes: Nine out of the top ten tallest mountains in the world are located in the Himalayas, including the famous Mount Everest on the Tibetan and Nepalese border. Only K2 (sometimes referred to as Mount Godwin Austen), which is the second highest in the world, is not in the Himalayas being part of the Karakorum mountain range that spans Pakistan and China. Kangchenjunga (ranked 3) translated means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over 8,450 metres. The treasures represent the five repositories of god, which are gold, silver, gems, grain, and holy books. Nanga Parbat (ranked 9 - also known as Nangaparbat Peak or Diamir) means "Naked Mountain" in Urdu / Hindi.
Notes on measurement: By convention, mountains are always measured above sea level. However, the world's tallest mountains could include those from the sea bed itself, for example Mauna Kea - rising about 33,500 feet (10,200 metres) from the Pacific Floor, is the world's tallest mountain island.
| i don't know |
In cockney rhyming slang what are hampsteads | Hampstead Heath is Cockney Rhyming Slang for Teeth!
Hampstead Heath is Cockney slang for Teeth.
"Got to go down the dentist to have me 'Ampsteads looked at"
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath is now the most commonly used rhyming slang for teeth, having taken over from Hounslow Heath which was a pre-1900s expression.
Normally shortened to Hampsteads (or sometimes even Hamps).
Hampstead Heath itself is a 790 acre area of parkland, hillside and woodland, with spectacular views across the city of London.
| Tooth |
Who wears the Fisherman's Ring | Rhyming Slang
Rhyming Slang
I am often asked, especially by American readers, to explain Cockney rhyming slang.
Nobody really knows its origin. It was said to be the London criminals' way of conversing without the police knowing what they were saying; but since the prime users of it, other than criminals, are the police, it doesn't seem to have worked!
The idea is to rhyme the word you want with a phrase, and then say only the non-rhyming part of the phrase. So for instance 'teeth' become 'Hampsteads' via 'Hampstead Heath'.
| i don't know |
Which animal is faster than a horse can go longer without water than a camel and can see backwards without moving it's head | Welcome to the Living world: AMAZING FACTS ABOUT MAMMALS
Welcome to the Living world
A treasure of knowledge for Biology lovers
Pages
1. All polar bears are left handed.
2. 98% of brown bears in the United States are in Alaska.
3. Female and male black bears cannot tolerate being around each other except when they breed.
4. Male bears are called boars.
5. Polar bears look white, but they actually have black skin
6. The smallest species of bears is called sun or Malayan bears.
7. Bears whose brown fur is tipped with lighter-colored hairs are called grizzly bears.
8. Here is some news for the left-handed people – they are not the only ones, as all polar bears are left-handed.
9. Alaskan brown bears, world's largest meat-eating animals that live on land, can weigh as much as 1,700 pounds (771 kilograms)
10. The grizzly bear can run as fast as the average horse!!
11. Bears are native to the continents of North America, Asia, Europe, and South America.
12. At birth, a panda is smaller than a mouse and weighs about four ounces.
13. The wild panda's diet consist 99% of bamboo.
14. The only predator that polar bears have is humans.
15. The Kodiak, which is native to Alaska, is the largest bear and can measure up to eight feet and weigh as much as 1,700 pounds.
16. Polar bears have been known to swim more than 60 miles without resting.
17. Polar bears can smell seals who are 20 miles away.
18. Polar bears can eat as much as ten percent of their body weight in less than one hour.
19. Polar bears are excellent swimmers. They have been known to swim more than 60 miles without a rest.
20. Polar bear livers contain so much Vitamin A that it can be fatal if eaten by a human.
21. Not all polar bears hibernate; only pregnant females polar bears do.
22. In the last 30 years, only seven people have been killed by a polar bear in Canada.
23. If you spray an antiseptic spray on a polar bear, its fur will turn purple.
24. The largest land animal (?) in the world is the Kodiak bear. It weighs about 862 kilograms, which is roughly the same as 14 male gymnasts.
25. Bears whose brown fur is tipped with lighter-colored hairs are called grizzly bears. The smallest species of bears is called sun or Malayan bears. Male bears are called boars. Bears are native to the continents of North America, Asia, Europe, and South America. Alaskan brown bears, world's largest meat-eating animals that live on land, can weigh as much as 1,700 pounds (771 kilograms)
26. How many teeth does a bear have? 42 teeth.
CAT
1. 25% of cat owners blow dry the cat's hair after giving it a bath.
2. A cat can run about 20 kilometers per hour (12 miles per hour) when it grows up. This one is going nowhere today - it is too lazy!
3. A cat can run about 20 kilometers per hour (12 miles per hour) when it grows up. This one is going nowhere today - it is too lazy!
4. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
5. A cat sees about six times better than a human at night because of the tapetum lucidum , a layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light.
6. A cat sees about six times better than a human at night because of tapetum lucidum , a layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light.
7. A cat uses whiskers to determine if a space is too small to squeeze through. The whiskers act as antennae, helping the animal to judge the precise width of any passage.
8. A cat uses whiskers to determine if a space is too small to squeeze through. The whiskers act as antennae, helping the animal to judge the precise width of any passage.
9. A cat will clean itself with paw and tongue after a dangerous experience or when it has fought with another cat. This is an attempt by the animal to soothe its nerves by doing something natural and instinctive.
10. A cat will clean itself with paw and tongue after a dangerous experience or when it has fought with another cat. This is an attempt by the animal to soothe its nerves by doing something natural and instinctive.
11. A cat's jaws cannot move sideways.
12. A cat's jaws cannot move sideways.
13. A domestic cat sleeps for up to 14 hours a day.
14. A fall of 30 feet can be survived my most cats.
15. A house cat spends 70% of its time sleeping.
16. Cats can have freckles. They can appear anywhere on a cat's skin and even in its mouth.
17. Cats can make over 100 vocal sounds, while dogs can only make 10.
18. Cat's urine glows under a black light.
19. Dogs and cats, like humans, are either right or left handed... or is that paws?!
20. How many muscles does a cat have in each ear? No point counting, here’s the answer - 32.
21. How many rows of whiskers does a cat have? Interesting! Four rows.
22. How many vocal chords do cats have? Go ahead and count… 100.
23. In 1888, an Egyptian peasant discovered an estimated three hundred thousand mummified cats in Beni Hassan, Egypt. Of the cats that were not stolen once, the find was made public; the remaining mummified cats were shipped to Great Britain to be used as agricultural fertilizer.
24. In a lifetime, the average house cat spends approximately 10,950 hours purring.
25. In the 1800's cats were used to deliver mail. In 1879, in Belgium 37 cats were used to deliver mail to villages, however they found that the cats were not disciplined enough to do this.
26. Just like fingerprints, every cat’s nose pad is different.
27. Most cats in Halifax (Nova Scotia) have six toes.
28. One out of four American households owns a cat.
29. Panthers are known as black leopards, as they are the same species of leopard. If looked at closely, black spots can be seen on a panther.
30. Place a black light over a cat’s urine and watch it glow!
31. Pound for pound, leopards are said to be 7 times stronger than humans.
32. The majority of cats do not have any eyelashes.
33. The normal temperature of a cat is 101.5 degrees.
34. The puma and the leopard are the highest jumping mammals. They are able to reach a height of 16.5 feet.
35. The smallest cat is the Singapore and weighs only 4 pounds.
36. The snow leopard protects itself from extreme cold when it sleeps by wrapping its 3-foot-long tail around its nose.
37. There are about 100 breeds of cats.
38. There is no sideways movement for a cat's jaws.
39. Your pet cat can scare a black bear. The big fellow will run up a tree to save itself from the little domestic creature. Meow, meow!
SHEEP
1. Australia has a population of 17 million people and 150 million sheep.
2. The population of New Zealand is 4 million people and 70 million sheep.
3. A goat's eyes have got rectangular pupils.
4. Have you heard of a sheep with blue wool? Well, a couple of animal breeders from Russia had claimed sometime ago that they bred sheep with natural blue wool.
5. A sheep, a duck and a rooster were the first animals to fly in a hot air balloon. The oldest breed of a dog known to mankind is the ‘Saluki’.
COW & BULL
1. “Moo, moo,” says the cow everywhere in the world; and a pig says “Moo, moo” in Japan.
2. A cow averages 40,000 jaw movements a day.
3. A cow can give far more milk than a human can consume their lifetime. Any guesses? Almost 200,000 glasses full of milk!
4. A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.
5. A cow releases about 125 gallons of gas per day.
6. A cow's only sweat glands are in its nose.
7. A group of crows is called a murder.
8. A single cow lets out the amount of harmful methane gas, which can fill about 400-liter bottles; that too in a single day. Pollution!
9. Animal accents! The accent of a cow’s mooing depends on the region it belongs to.
10. Bulls are known to be colorblind. It’s a black-and-white life for them!
11. Cows are able to hear lower and higher frequencies better than human beings.
12. Cows can detect odors up to five miles away.
13. Cows can sleep standing up.
14. Cows do not have any upper front teeth. Instead they have a thick pad on the top jaw.
15. Cows drink anywhere from 25-50 gallons of water each day.
16. Cows have four-chambered stomachs.
17. Dairy cows can produce 20 to 35 gallons of saliva a day.
18. Dexter is the smallest type of cow. This cow was bred to be a small size for household living.
19. Humans and cows have the same gestation period, which is about nine months.
20. In Colorado, there are about 83,000 dairy cows.
21. In the U.S., the milk production per dairy cow is approximately 12,000 pounds.
22. Most cows give more milk when they listen to music.
23. Music lovers! Make a cow listen to music and there will be more milk in the bucket!
24. On average, 350 squirts are needed from milking a cow to make a gallon of milk.
25. On average, a typical dairy cow lies down and stands up about 14 times a day.
26. Studies have shown that classical music helps cows produce more milk.
27. The sweat glands of a cow are in its nose.
28. The temperature of milk when it leaves the body of a cow is 101 degrees Fahrenheit. The milk is then quickly chilled and stored at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
29. The world has approximately one billion cattle, of which about 200 million belong to India.
30. There are an equivalent number of cows and people in Friesland, Netherlands.
31. There are over 9 million beef and dairy cattle in New Zealand.
32. While there are so many cows grazing in the world, no two cows will ever be found with identical pattern of spots.
33. You can lead a cow up a stairwell but not down a stairwell.
34. You can lead a cow up the stairs, but not down the stairs
35. You would have to milk 260 cows for an entire year to fill a space shuttle's external fuel tank with 529,000 gallons of milk.
DOG
1. A dog by the name of Laika was launched into space aboard the Russian spacecraft.
2. A dog was the first animal to up in space.
3. About 30% of American admits to talking to their dogs or leaving messages on their answering machines for their dogs while they are away.
4. According to records, there are more dogs in Paris than there are people.
5. All dogs are the descendant of the wolf. These wolves lived in eastern Asia about 15,000 years ago.
6. An average city dog lives approximately three years longer than an average country dog.
7. Approximately 87% of dog owners say that when they watch T.V. their dog curls up beside them or at their feet.
8. Basenji dogs and Australian dingoes are virtually identical.
9. Bloodhounds have been used since the 1600's for tracking criminals.
10. Border collies are the most intelligent breed of dog.
11. Chinese Crested dogs can get acne.
12. Dalmatian puppies do not have any spots on them when they are born. They actually develop them as they get older.
13. Dogs and cats are either right or left-pawed!
14. Dogs and cats, like humans, are either right or left handed... or is that paws?!
15. Dogs can be trained to detect an upcoming epileptic seizure.
16. Dogs can't see colors. They're color blind.
17. Dogs sweat only through their tongues.
18. 701 types of pure breed dogs are there in the world?
19. If you were to remove the scent receptors from a dog's nose and lay them out flat, they would cover an area greater than the dog itself.
20. In 2002, dogs have killed more people in the U.S. than the Great White shark has killed in the past 100 years.
21. In the United States, every year about 15 people die from dog bites.
22. Irish wolfhound dogs have a short lifespan and live about 7-8 years.
23. It costs an average of $5,000 to raise a dog to ten years old.
24. It was once against the law to have a pet dog in a city in Iceland.
25. Nose prints are used to identify dogs, like humans use fingerprints.
26. Pixie, a Siberian husky, gave birth to 7 puppies, one of which was bright green.
27. Police dogs are trained to react to commands in a foreign language; commonly German but more recently Hungarian or some other Slavic tongue.
28. The Basenji dog is the only dog that is not able to bark.
29. The chow is the only dog that does not have a pink tongue.
30. The dog with the largest ears in the world is a Basset Hound named Mr. Jeffries. The dog's ears are 11.5 inches longs, and are insured for $47,800.
31. The dumbest dog in the world is the Afghan Hounds.
32. The eyesight of dogs is better than that of human beings.
33. The fastest dog, the greyhound, can reach speeds of up to 41.7 miles per hour. The breed was known to exist in ancient Egypt 6,000 years ago.
34. The fastest dog, the greyhound, can reach speeds of up to 41.7 miles per hour.
35. The greyhound was known to exist in ancient Egypt 6,000 years ago.
36. The largest dog in the world is the Irish wolfhound.
37. The smartest breeds of dogs are the Jack Russell Terrier and Scottish Border collie.
38. There are almost 60 million dogs in the United States.
39. There is a doggy disco held in Italy every year where owners can dance with their dogs.
40. When a dog licks you with a straight tongue, he's saying "I Love You."
41. While human fingerprints are a means of their identification; the nose prints are a means of identifying dogs.
DONKEY
1. More people are killed annually by donkeys than die in air crashes.
2. The grizzly bear can run as fast as the average horse!!
3. Mules have one horse and one donkey for a parent.
4. Baby donkeys or baby mules are also known as "Foals."
5. The donkey’s eye placement helps it see all its four feet at a time.
6. More people are killed annually by donkeys than die in air crashes.
7. While a donkey will sink in quicksand, a mule will not.
8. A female donkey's milk is closest to human milk.
ELEPHANT
1. Elephants have a slower pulse of 27 and for a canary it is 1000!
2. Only one mammal can't jump -- the elephant.
3. The trunk of an elephant can hold up to two gallons of water.
4. The elephant is the national animal of Thailand.
5. In a day, an elephant can drink 80 gallons of water.
6. In 1916, an elephant was tried and hung for murder in Erwin, Tennessee.
7. Elephants have been known to learn up to 60 commands.
8. During World War II, the very first bomb dropped on Berlin by the Allies killed the only elephant in the Berlin Zoo.
9. An elephant's trunk can hold 2.5 gallons of water.
10. The length of an elephant is the same as the tongue of a blue whale.
11. An elephant can smell water from a distance of three miles.
12. African elephants produce approximately 100 kilograms of manure per day. Most of this manure is eaten up by beetles.
13. An elephant's tooth can weigh as much as three kilograms.
14. An elephant in the wild can eat anywhere from 100 - 1000 pounds of vegetation in a 16 hour period.
15. An elephant can live up to the age of seventy, or in some cases even more.
16. Elephants purr like cats do, as a means of communication.
17. An African adult elephant eats about six hundred pounds of food a day; that’s four percent of the elephant’s body weight!
18. The tusks of elephants grow through their life. The tusks weigh over 200 pounds.
19. Only the male Asian elephants have tusks.
20. The male and female African elephants have tusks.
GIRAFFE
1. A giraffe's heart weighs an incredible 24 pounds.
2. A giraffe can go longer without water than a camel.
3. A full grown giraffe's neck can weigh as much as 500 pounds.
4. The tallest mammal in the world is the giraffe.
5. Giraffes have black tongues.
6. In one minute, the heart of a giraffe can pump 160 gallons of blood.
7. You do not need cotton buds to clean a giraffe ears. It can do so with its own 50cm-tongue
8. An adult giraffe's kick is so powerful that it can decapitate a lion.
9. There are no vocal chords in a giraffe.
10. The blood pressure of a giraffe is the highest in comparison to every animal species.
11. A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!
12. Adult male giraffes bang their long necks together in a form of ritual fighting, during which no harm is done to either giraffe.
13. A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!
14. Giraffes and humans have same number of bones in their necks: 7
HORSE AND ZEBRA
1. Male zebras are called stallions. Zebras usually travel in herds.
2. No two zebras have stripes that are exactly alike.
3. Flash the color orange in front of a zebra and it will not be able to see it. So, be careful not to paint a wall orange where zebras wander!
4. Zebra’s enemies include hyenas, wild dogs, and lions.
5. A horse will respond to your emotions/feelings mainly because they are very sensitive animals. Example: if you are angry / frustrated the horse will be frustrated also. But if you are happy and smiling the horse should be good in your lesson or ride.
6. There are no two zebras that have stripes that are exactly the same.
7. There are approximately 75,000,000 horses in the world.
8. It's not only zebra's fur that is striped, their skin is also striped.
9. All racehorses in the U.S. celebrate their birthday on January 1st.
10. A full grown horse's intestines are approximately 89 feet long.
11. If a horse rests it head on your shoulder it means the horse trusts you.
12. When you hold your hand out to a horse and the horse comes over and blows out warm air onto the palm of your hand it normally means that the horse wants to be friends with you.
13. Horses have stomachs also and they need to eat. Horses should be fed two times a day.
14. A horse weighing approximately 1,200-pounds eats approximately seven times its own weight, in a year. That amounts to almost 8,400-pounds of food. Wow! What an appetite!
15. Is a zebra black with white stripes, or white with black stripes? Any guesses? Well, it’s white with black stripes.
16. No two zebras have stripes that are exactly alike. Zebra’s enemies include hyenas, wild dogs, and lions. Male zebras are called stallions. Zebras usually travel in herds.
KANGAROO
1. A ‘mob’ is not just a group of unruly people; but also a group of kangaroos – well behaved or not!
2. A kangaroo can jump 45 feet!
3. The faster kangaroos hop, the less energy they use.
4. When they are in danger, kangaroos will beat the ground loudly with their hind feet.
5. Unlike other four legged mammals, kangaroos cannot walk backwards.
6. There is a certain species of kangaroo that is only 2.5 centimeters long when it is born.
7. A newborn kangaroo weighs approximately 0.03 ounces and is small enough to fit in a teaspoon.
8. Young kangaroos are called joeys.
9. A group of kangaroos is called a mob.
10. Kangaroos are native of Australia.
11. There are more than 50 different kinds of kangaroos.
LION, TIGER, CHEETAH
1. The female lion does more than 90% of the hunting while the male simply prefers to rest. !!
2. Only 5 to 10 percent of cheetah cubs make it to adulthood.
3. Cheetahs are the fastest land animal and can reach speeds up to 72mph.
4. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
5. Roar, roar! I am the king of the jungle! But did you know the lion would be defeated by a polar bear in a battle between the two?
6. Cheetahs maybe large and fast, but when they roar they chirp. This sounds more like a bird or a yelping dog. Beware; it is loud enough to be heard up to a mile away.
7. A cheetah can run 76 kilometers per hour (46 miles per hour) - that's really fast! The fastest human being runs only about 30 kilometers per hour (18 miles per hour).
8. A cheetah does not roar like a lion - it purrs like a cat (meow).
9. While the male lion rests in its den, it is the females that have go out and get the food.
10. Lions cannot roar until they reach the age of two.
11. An adult lion's roar is so loud; it can be heard up to five miles away.
12. A lion feeds once every three to four days.
13. Between 1902 and 1907, the same tiger killed 434 people in India.
14. A white tiger can only be born when both parents carry the gene for white colouring.
15. Some wild tigers can eat up to 40 pounds of meat at a time, and not eat again for several days.
16. The female lion does more than 90% of the hunting while the male simply prefers to rest.
17. A cheetah does not roar like a lion - it purrs like a cat (meow).
18. A cheetah can run 76 kilometers per hour (46 miles per hour) - that's really fast! The fastest human being runs only about 30 kilometers per hour (18 miles per hour).
19. When a lion wants to mate, he cannot be stopped. Copulation occurs every 15 minutes for one week straight. Luckily for lionesses, lions only want to mate once every two years.
20. Talk about noise pollution in the jungles! A lion’s roar is so loud that it can hear up to a distance of five miles.
MONKEY, APES
| Giraffe |
At which theatre was Tommy Cooper appearing when he died on stage | Mind Blowing Animal Facts - EPIC CUTENESS
Mind Blowing Animal Facts
Bats always turn left when exiting a cave.
Sharks have no air bladders, so they must swim constantly or they'll sink.
Cockroaches can go without eating for three months, as long as they have water.
Birds are largely unaffected by spicy things, like chillies, as they are not sensitive to capsaicin, the hot stuff in chilies.
The male penguin incubates the single egg laid by his mate. During the two month period he does not eat, and will lose up to 40% of his body weight.
"Mako sharks" show cannibalistic tendencies while still in mother's womb; older embryos will eat the younger embryos and eggs.
Dalmatians are born without spots.
Birds do not sleep in their nests. They may occasionally nap in them, but they actually sleep in other places.
The owl is the only bird to drop its upper eyelid to wink. All other birds raise their lower eyelids.
"Sanguinary ants" raid the nests of other ant tribes, kill the queen, and kidnap many of the workers
Frogs do not need to drink water as they absorb the water through their skin.
Humans, Ants and Chimpanzees are the only organisms that wage organized warfare.
The penguin is the only bird that can swim but can't fly.
Kiwis are the only birds that hunt by smell.
Ninety percent of all species that have become extinct have been birds.
The elephant is the only mammal with four knees.
Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
Mosquitoes are attracted to the color blue twice as much as any other color
There are twice as many kangaroos in Australia as there are people.
Centipedes always have an uneven pairs of walking legs.
Roosters cannot crow if they cannot extend their necks.
Male and female giraffes tend to eat from different parts of a tree to ensure that the sexes do not compete for food.
The albatross can glide on air currents for several days and can even sleep while in flight.
A crocodile always grows new teeth to replace the old teeth.
Bulls are colorblind, it is the motion of the cape which angers them.
Giraffes rarely sleep more than 20 minutes a day
Not a single new livestock animal has been domesticated in the last 4,000 years.
Honeybees navigate using the sun as a compass, even when it is hidden behind clouds
An ant can survive for up to two weeks underwater.
Eel-skin wallets have been known to demagnetize credit cards
In the magic world of seahorses it is the male who gets pregnant and has the babies.
A blind Chameleon is still able to change colours to match its environment.
Spiders inject their victims with a chemical that dissolves them. Then the spiders drink their lunch with their mouths which are soda straw-like.
When hippos are upset, their sweat turns red.
If you cut the head off a cockroach, it will continue to live for up to many more weeks.
Male mosquitoes are vegetarians. Only female bites.
A cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 70 km/h in 2 seconds
Nine out of every 10 living things live in the ocean
Sharks never get sick, as far as is known, they are immune to every known disease including cancer
Sharks will eat anything. The only exception, is that they will not eat anything in the vicinity of where they give birth. This is because they are so stupid, this is the only way nature protects them from accidentally eating their own babies
If a drop of liquor gets on a scorpion, it will immediately commit suicide with its own stinger
The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight
Female black widow spiders eat their husbands after mating. That's how they got that name
All shrimp are born male, but slowly grow into females as they mature
Frogs never drink. They absorb water from their surroundings by osmosis
About 70% of all organisms in the world are Bacteria
Male bats have the highest rate of homosexuality of any mammal
Ants stretch when they wake up. They also appear to yawn in a very human manner before taking up the tasks of the day
To make half a kilo of honey, bees must collect nectar from over 2 million individual flowers
Fish that live more than 800 meters below the ocean surface don't have eyes
Tiger Snake of Australia is the most poisonous snake in the world. 1 mg of its venom is enough to kill a man
The common silkworm has eleven brains. It only uses five of them.
A newborn kangaroo is about 1 inch in length.
Cats, camels and giraffes are the only animals in the world that walk right foot, right foot, left foot, left foot, rather than right foot, left foot
Polar bears are the only mammal with hair on the soles of its feet
A monotreme is a mammal that lays eggs but suckles its young on milk once they have hatched
Flamingos get their pink color from the shrimp they eat. The more shrimp they eat the deeper pink they become
Water based mammals like dolphins and whales swish their tails up and down. Only fish move them sideways
A lion's roar can be heard from five miles away
Snails can sleep for 3 years without eating
Termites eat wood twice as fast when listening to heavy metal music
Dolphins don't automatically breath; they have to tell themselves to do it
Ostriches stick their heads into the sand to find underground drinking water
Pigeons can be killed by feeding them uncooked rice, either coz their stomach can't handle the carbohydrates or it swells in their throats and chokes them
The two-foot long bird called a Kea that lives in New Zealand likes to eat the strips of rubber around car windows!
To make just one pound of honey, bees must collect nectar from over two million seperate flowers
Cuban bee hummingbird is the smallest hummingbird, only 57 mm (2� in) long and half of this is tail and bill. It weighs less than 2 g and is the smallest warm-blooded animal
The color white in the animal kingdom means 'danger' or 'caution'. On safari in Africa it is recommended not to wear white because it can scare away the animals
Cockroach can detect movement as small as 2,000 times the diameter of a hydrogen atom
The cockroach is the fastest animal on 6 legs, covering a meter a second
The cockroach has a high resistance to radiation and is the creature most likely to survive a nuclear war
The only 2 animals that can see behind itself without turning it's head are the rabbit and the parrot
Did you know that a giraffe can kill a lion with one kick
A sea urchin walks on the tips of its teeth
Humans are the only animals to sleep on their backs
Perfume is frequently made from - among other things- a slippery, musky substance called Ambergris which is vomited up by certain species of whales from time to time
The female angler-fish weights up to half a ton. The male, however, is only a few millimeters long, and spends his whole life attached to her nose
The Panda bear is expected to become extinct by about 2040, barring a drastic change of events
Hummingbirds are the only animal that can fly backwards
Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants
It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky
Elephants have been known to remain standing after they die
The embryos of tiger sharks fight each other while in their mother's womb, the survivor being the baby shark that is born
A crocodile can't move its tongue and cannot chew. Its digestive juices are so strong that it can digest a steel nail.
The heart of a blue whale is the size of a small car. The tongue of a blue whale is as long as an elephant
A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes
Giraffes are unable to cough
Dolphins swim in circles while they sleep with the eye on the outside of the circle open to keep watch for predators. After a certain amount of time they reverse and swim in the opposite direction with the opposite eye open
A newborn turkey chick has to be taught to eat, or it will starve
Owls are the only birds that can see the color blue.
A hippopotamus can run faster than a man.
It would take 27,000 spiders, each spinning a single web, to produce a pound of web
A chameleon's tongue is twice the length of its body
A woodpecker can peck twenty times a second
Ants don't sleep
Aphids are born pregnant without the benefit of sex. Aphids can give birth 10 days after being born themselves
Camel milk does not curdle.
Each day in the US, animal shelters are forced to destroy 30,000 dogs and cats
German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dogs.
Large kangaroos cover more than 30 feet with each jump
It takes forty minutes to hard boil an ostrich egg
It takes a lobster approximately seven years to grow to be one pound
No two spider webs are the same
It takes 35 to 65 minks to produce the average mink coat. The numbers for other types of fur coats are: beaver - 15; fox - 15 to 25; ermine - 150; chinchilla - 60 to 100
In its entire lifetime, the average worker bee produces 1/12th teaspoon of honey.
The only domestic animal not mentioned in the Bible is the cat
The Pacific Giant Octopus, the largest octopus in the world, grows from the size of pea to a 150 pound behemoth potentially 30 feet across in only two years, its entire life-span.
The penalty for killing a cat, 4,000 years ago in Egypt, was death.
The fastest -moving land snail, the common garden snail, has a speed of 0.0313 mph.
Swans are the only birds with penises
Snails produce a colorless, sticky discharge that forms a protective carpet under them as they travel along. The discharge is so effective that they can crawl along the edge of a razor without cutting themselves
The animal responsible for the most human deaths world-wide is the mosquito.
The dachshund is one of the oldest dog breeds in history (dating back to ancient Egypt.) The name comes from one of its earliest uses - hunting badgers. In German, Dachs means "badger," Hund is "hound."
A zebra is white with black stripes
The turkey was named for what was wrongly thought to be its country of origin
The venom of a female black widow spider is more potent than that of a rattlesnake
The world's largest mammal, the blue whale, weighs 50 tons at birth. Fully grown, it weighs as much as 150 tons
There are more insects in one square mile of rural land than there are human beings on the entire earth
When a female horse and male donkey mate, the offspring is called a mule, but when a male horse and female donkey mate, the offspring is called a hinny
When a queen bee lays the fertilized eggs that will develop into new queens, only one of the newly laid queens actually survives. The first new queen that emerges from her cell destroys all other queens in their cells and, thereafter, reigns alone
When ants find food, they lay down a chemical trail, called a pheromone, so that other ants can find their way from the nest to the food source
If an octopus is hungry enough, it will eat its own arms.
Insects consume 10% of the world's food supply every year
The placement of a donkey's eyes in its' heads enables it to see all four feet at all times
The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds!
Cat's urine glows under a black-light!
The world's termites outweigh the world's humans 10 to 1
Research indicates that mosquitoes are attracted to people who have recently eaten bananas.
Carnivorous animals will not eat another animal that has been hit by a lightning strike.
Over 10000 birds a year die from smashing into windows
The Puffer Fish contains a poison that is 500 times deadlier than cyanide, yet it's a delicacy in Japan.
India has no rabbits in the wild � only hares.
| i don't know |
Which means of transportation was invented by the American Jonathon Scobie in 1836 | Rickshaws, Elvis, and Outside Lands: The History of Pedicabs
Rickshaws, Elvis, and Outside Lands: The History of Pedicabs
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Once a novel import from Asia, pedicabs now commonly grace our urban streets. From New York to San Francisco, these 3-wheeled bike taxis provide an eco-friendly way to get from here to there … and take in the sights along the way. That makes them pretty cool in our book.
But where do they come from? And how did they get here? To answer our burning questions, we turned to the magic of the internet … and here’s what we learned.
Pedicabs (aka rickshaws) get their start in 19th-century Japan
The precursor to our modern-day pedicab was the rickshaw, which was pulled by a human on foot. (The name itself comes from the Japanese word jinrikisha, which literally means human-powered vehicle.) Legend has it that the rickshaw was invented by Jonathan Scobie, an American missionary in Japan, in 1869 to help transport his invalid wife.
There are, of course, conflicting theories behind the rickshaw’s true inventor. But we do know one thing for sure: Japan was the first to popularize this mode of transportation. In fact, by the late 1870s, Tokyo had about 40,000 rickshaws running through its bustling streets.
Rickshaws pull their way across Asia
The rickshaw’s popularity in Japan quickly spread to China, India, and across all of Asia. From Bangkok to Bangladesh, India to Cambodia (and everywhere in between), the rickshaw soon became the preferred mode of transportation.
It’s no wonder that pedicabs have so many names. Here are a few of them:
Xyclo or Cyclo– Vietnam and Cambodia
Trishaw (a condensed form of tricycle and rickshaw) – Malaysia and Singapore
Becak – Indonesia
Samlor – Thailand
Rickshaws get a set of wheels
With the invention of the bicycle , it wasn’t long before someone had the brilliant idea to add wheels to the rickshaw. And thus, the trishaw or pedicab was born.
Of course, other innovations — like hydraulic brakes, suspensions, and seat belts — happened between then and now to make the pedicab a green and comfortable ride. But the wheel was the biggest innovation of all.
Pedicabs peddle into the U.S.
Though pedicabs were all the rage in Asia from the get-go, they didn’t become popular on this side of the Pacific until a fleet of 20 pedicabs peddled their way into the 1962 World’s Fair.
Among the fleet’s most famous passengers was Elvis! Yes, the King himself rode in a pedicab for the filming of the 1963 musical It Happened at the World’s Fair, thereby launching pedicabs to stardom.
Pedicabs, Outside Lands 2012, and one really cool contest
Speaking of music and pedicabs, if you’ll be at Outside Lands in San Francisco this August 10–12, look for the free Esurance pedicabs and hop on to get in and out of Golden Gate Park. What better way to celebrate rock ‘n’ roll than to roll like the King himself?
Inside Outside Lands Sweepstakes
If you don’t already have tickets to Outside Lands but want them, we’re giving one lucky winner 2 VIP tickets and more (you know, like Outside Lands goodies and stuff).*
For your shot at some VIP action, follow @esurance on Twitter . From July 23–27, we’ll post an Insider Question (about SF or Outside Lands) 2 times a day. Tweet your answer @esurance using #InsideOutside and you’re in the running to win. Don’t miss out on your shot to catch some of the biggest names in music at one of the coolest festivals of the year.
Stuff our legal team makes us say
*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Sweepstakes begins at 12:01 a.m. PT on 7/23/12. Ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on 7/27/12. Open to legal residents of any 1 of the 50 US or DC who are at least 21 years old. Internet access, a Twitter account in good standing, and a reply to one of the tweets using #InsideOutside are all required to enter. Void where prohibited by law. SUBJECT TO FULL OFFICIAL RULES. Winner must be able to attend Outside Lands events in San Francisco, CA from 8/10/12–8/12/12 or the prize may be forfeited. Prize does not include air travel. Limit 1 entry per person and per Twitter account. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received. Sponsor: Esurance Insurance Services, Inc., 650 Davis St., San Francisco, California 94111-1922.
Related link
If you drive in a city where pedicabs are common, find out how to safely share the road.
| Rickshaw |
Who refereed the World Title fight in 1896 between Tom Sharkey and Bob Fitzsimmons and pulled a gun during it | Used Bikes In Kolkata - ENTRY LEVEL ROAD BIKE
ENTRY LEVEL ROAD BIKE
Used Bikes In Kolkata
kolkata
the largest city in India and one of the largest cities in the world; located in eastern India; suffers from poverty and overcrowding
Much cooler name for Calcutta.
Kolkata (Bengali), is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Kolkata is the cultural capital of India and the commercial capital of Eastern India. It is located in eastern India on the east bank of the Hooghly River.
A port and industrial center in eastern India, capital of the state of West Bengal, the second largest city in India; pop. 10,916,000. It is situated on the banks of the Hooghly River near the Bay of Bengal
bikes
(bike) bicycle: ride a bicycle
(bike) bicycle: a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals
(bike) motorcycle: a motor vehicle with two wheels and a strong frame
??????
Picture: China's Rickshaw, the owner of the shop has this beautiful rickshaw locked and display in front of his shop. Location: Beijing, China Rickshaws (or rickshas) are a mode of human-powered transport: a runner draws a two-wheeled cart which seats one or two persons. The word rickshaw came from Asia where they were mainly used as means of transportation for the social elite. However, in more recent times rickshaws have been outlawed in many countries in Asia due to numerous accidents.[citation needed] Runner-pulled rickshaws have mainly been replaced in Asia by bicycle rickshaws. They are also common in Western cities like New York City. In London they are known as pedicabs, and in San Diego they are called bike taxis. The term "rickshaw" is today commonly used for those vehicles as well, but this article deals exclusively with runner-pulled rickshaws. The word "rickshaw" originates from the Japanese word jinrikisha (???, ? jin = human, ? riki = power or force, ? sha = vehicle), which literally means "human-powered vehicle". Rickshaws were first seen in Japan around 1868, at the beginning of the Meiji Restoration. They soon became a popular mode of transportation, since they were faster than the previously used palanquins (and human labor was considerably cheaper than using horses). The identity of the inventor remains uncertain. Some American sources give the American blacksmith Albert Tolman, who is said to have invented the rickshaw around 1848 in Worcester, Massachusetts for a missionary; others claim that Jonathan Scobie (or Jonathan Goble), an American missionary to Japan, invented the rickshaw around 1869 to transport his invalid wife through the streets of Yokohama..[2] Other scholars think it is Izumi Yosuke, a restaurateur in Tokyo in 1869. None of these dates, however, are as early as the French sources. Les Deux Carrosses by Claude Gillot, 1707 Still others say the rickshaw was designed by an American Baptist minister in 1888. This is undoubtedly incorrect, for an 1877 article by a The New York Times correspondent in Tokyo stated that the "jin-riki-sha, or man-power carriage" was in current popular use, and was probably invented by an American in 1869 or 1870. Japanese sources often credit Izumi Yosuke, Suzuki Tokujiro, and Takayama Kosuke, who are said to have invented rickshaws in 1868, inspired by the horse carriages that had been introduced to the streets of Tokyo shortly before. Starting in 1870, the Tokyo government issued a permission to build and sell rickshaws to these three men; the seal of one of these inventors was also required on every license to operate a rickshaw. By 1872, some 40,000 rickshaws were operating in Tokyo; they soon became the chief form of public transportation in Japan. (Powerhouse Museum, 2005; The Jinrikisha story, 1996) Around 1880, rickshaws appeared in India, first in Simla and then, 20 years later, in Calcutta (now Kolkata). Here they were initially used by Chinese traders to transport goods; in 1914 the Chinese applied for permission to use rickshaws to transport passengers. Soon after, rickshaws appeared in many big cities in Southeast Asia; pulling a rickshaw was often the first job for peasants migrating to these cities. Source from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickshaw
While biking to Rajasthali, it was quite warm, so cooling down in a local river we found seemed like a good idea...
But then we were told they use it for washing and partially as a sewage. Oh well, you only live once...
| i don't know |
What is the name of the town featured in Dad's Army | Dad's Army (TV Series 1968–1977) - IMDb
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During WW2, in a fictional British seaside town, a ragtag group of Home Guard local defense volunteers prepare for an imminent German invasion.
Creator:
After a surreal lecture on telling allied parachutists from German ones, the platoon is ordered to pick up a stranded U-boot's crew. Wilson feels live hand-grenades are too dangerous for his hot-head...
8.9
At long last Corporal Jones is marrying Marcia Fox. He asks Mainwaring's permission as his commanding officer, which involves the captain being caught over the phone by his wife having coffee with ...
8.8
It is revealed that Private Godfrey was a Conscientious Objector in the First World war, leading Mainwaring and some of the platoon to brand him as a coward. However, during an exercise in which ...
8.6
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Title: Dad's Army (1968–1977)
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1 win & 9 nominations. See more awards »
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The misadventures of a ragtag group of elderly Home Guard local defense volunteers at the onset of WW2.
Director: Norman Cohen
The prison life of Fletcher, a criminal serving a five-year sentence, as he strives to bide his time, keep his record clean, and refuses to be ground down by the prison system.
Stars: Ronnie Barker, Brian Wilde, Fulton Mackay
The Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon deal with a visiting female journalist and a German spy as World War II draws to its conclusion.
Director: Oliver Parker
Arkwright is a tight-fisted shop owner in Doncaster, who will stop at nothing to keep his profits high and his overheads low, even if this means harassing his nephew Granville. Arkwright's ... See full summary »
Stars: Ronnie Barker, David Jason, Lynda Baron
Long running BBC comedy show consisting of sketches and humourous musical routines involving the large Ronnie Barker and the small Ronnie Corbett. Most sketches involved both men, but ... See full summary »
Stars: Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, The Fred Tomlinson Singers
Classic 1960s British comedy series about a middle aged man and his elderly father who run an unsuccessful 'rag and bone' business (collecting and selling junk). Harold (the son) wants to ... See full summary »
Stars: Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H. Corbett, Frank Thornton
Accident-prone Frank Spencer fails to navigate the simplest tasks of daily life, while also trying to look after his wife and baby.
Stars: Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice, Jessica Forte
Victor Meldrew is a retiree who attracts bad luck. If he's not driving his long suffering wife Margeret crazy with his constant moaning, he's fighting with neighbors.
Stars: Richard Wilson, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle
This prison comedy is based on the popular British television series of the same name. Long time Slade prison inmate Fletcher is ordered by Grouty to arrange a football match between the ... See full summary »
Director: Dick Clement
Popular sitcom set in a seedy bedsit lorded over by the mean, vain, boastful, cowardly landlord Rigsby. In each episode, his conceits are debunked by his long suffering tenants.
Stars: Leonard Rossiter, Don Warrington, Frances de la Tour
The comic adventures of a group of misfits who form an extremely bad concert party touring the hot and steamy jungles of Burma entertaining the troops during World War II.
Stars: Windsor Davies, Melvyn Hayes, Donald Hewlett
In 1967 actor Jimmy Perry shows his friend David Croft the script of a sitcom he has written based on his time in the Home Guard, entitled 'Fighting Tigers'. Head of BBC TV comedy Michael ... See full summary »
Director: Steve Bendelack
Edit
Storyline
Popular BBC comedy series set in the fictional south coast seaside town of Walmington-On-Sea during World War 2. Alternating moments of gentle character comedy with broad slapstick, it recounts the misadventures of the local voluntary defence force (or 'Home Guard') consisting of men too old or 'unfit' for military service. They are led by the pompous Mainwaring, manager of the local bank, and consist of the suave, mild-mannered Sergeant Wilson , Lance-Corporal Jones, the town's butcher and an old soldier prone to hysteria, cockney spiv Walker, dour Scots undertaker Frazer, gentle, elderly and incontinent Godfrey and dim-witted mummy's boy, Pike, whose mother is 'friendly' with Wilson. They are based in the Church hall where there is much friction between Mainwaring, the effeminate Vicar, his creeping Verger and ARP Warden Hodges (the grocer) who calls Mainwaring 'Napoleon' and strongly dislikes him. The 80 episodes (the last 68 made in colour) have been frequently repeated, many are ... Written by Allen Dace <[email protected]>
31 July 1968 (UK) See more »
Also Known As:
Daar komen de schutters See more »
Filming Locations:
Did You Know?
Trivia
An episode is kept on standby by the BBC for use as an emergency backup program, to be broadcast if a major technical problem prevents normal programs being shown. This came to light on June 20, 2000 when the BBC Six O'Clock News (1984) was interrupted by a power failure at the BBC, and an episode of Dad's Army was transmitted in its place. See more »
Goofs
Throughout the series LCPL Jones is the only member of the platoon to wear medal ribbons on his uniform. Frazer, Wilson, and Godfrey (and possibly others) all saw service in WWI and would have medals and ribbons, and would most likely have worn them proudly as well. See more »
Quotes
[They are telling off a cheeky young boy]
Jones : Ere. I know him. He's a cheeky little monkey. He comes into my shop when it's full of persons and shouts out, "Sainsbury's."
Pike : Yeah. And he runs into our bank and shouts out, "National Provincial."
My favourite comedy series of all time
6 November 2002 | by BritishFilms1
WARNING: This review contains spoliers
"Dad's Army" has got to be my favourite comedy series of all time.
It is about the adventures of a Home Guard platoon on the South Coast of England during World War II. Pompous bank manager Mr Mainwaring [Arthur Lowe] is Captain of the platoon. He is assited by his chief clerk Arthur Wilson [John Le Mesurier] who is the Home Guard sergeant.
The other main characters who formed the platoon were 70 year old devoted solidier Lance-Corporal Jack Jones [Clive Dunn] who fought in the Sudan under the command of General Kitchener during the 1880s, James Frazer [John Laurie], a doom-and-gloomy old Scotsman who runs an undertakers in Walmington-on-Sea [the town where the series is situated], who was formerly a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy [my favourite character], retired Menswear salesman Charles Godfrey [Arnold Ridley], the platoon's medical orderly who lived in a country cottage with his sisters [Dolly and Cissy], Cockney "spiv" Joe Walker [James Beck] who was usually seen with various lady friends and was well-known for being able to obtain rationed goods for people [if they paid him for them] and finally, Frank Pike [Ian Lavender], the youngest member of the platoon who was very much a "mummy's boy" and usually made a mess of things, Mainwaring was often heard to describe him as a "stupid boy".
Another regular character was the Chief Air Raid Warden, Mr Hodges [Bill Pertwee], who expressed a severe dislike for Mainwaring and his men, due to the fact that they often curtailed his plans. He referred to Mainwaring as "Napoleon" and the two soon developed an instant dislike for each other, doing more fighting among themselves rather than with the Germans [!]. There was also other regulars including Mrs Pike [Janet Davies], Pike's mother and Wilson's girlfriend, Wilson being Pike's Uncle Arthur. Mrs Fox [Pamela Cundell], a resident of the town who had a long-running relationship with Jones, before the two eventually married in the final episode and OAP Mr Blewitt [Harold Bennett] was also seen many times.
Many guest stars were also seen in the programme including Barbara Windsor ["EastEnders" as a theatre star], Nigel Hawthorne ["Yes Minister" as a man on a bike], Wendy Richard ["EastEnders" as Walker's girlfriend], Carmen Silvera ["Allo Allo" as Mainwaring's lady friend], Geoffrey Hughes ["Coronation Street" as a bridge controller], Phillip Madoc [a German Captain], Peter Butterworth ["Carry On" films as a printer] and Fulton MacKay ["Porridge" as a doctor].
This has to be the best British comedy series of all time and if it doesn't make you laugh, I don't know what will.
10 out of 10!
| Walmington-on-Sea |
What was the scandal called that caused President Nixon to resign | Walmington-on-Sea | Dad's Army Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Edit
Walmington-on-Sea had a pleasure pier, with a 20-foot-wide gap (6.1 m) blown in the middle to prevent it from being used as a landing stage by invading forces. The beach is lined with barbed wire and other defences, including mines, pill boxes and anti-tank blocks.
There was a sweet shop, The Novelty Rock Emporium , at least one bank ( Swallow Bank , run by George Mainwaring ), the Marigold tea-rooms , Anne's Pantry, the Dutch Oven, a butcher's shop, greengrocer's, undertaker's and numerous pubs including the Red Lion , which all suggest it was a reasonably-sized place. Like most British towns, it also had a church, Saint Aldhelm's, with a hall next door which was used for community acts such as putting on a Christmas pantomime and a place for the sea scouts to parade.
Location
Edit
Although it is never specified where the town is, there are several references to Hastings, Eastbourne and Dover which suggests that it could be based on Bexhill-on-sea, although Bexhill has no pier and is not in Kent. Deal in Kent has been suggested since it has a pier and is next to Walmer: possibly the inspiration for the name "Walmington". Another suggestion is the town of Wilmington in Kent.
In reality, outdoor TV scenes were filmed at Thetford, an inland town in Norfolk, thus giving no clue as to the scriptwriters' preferences. The 1971 film moved location to Chalfont St Giles, even further from the coast.
| i don't know |
On which river would you find the city of Sunderland | The Sunderland Site Page 008
Ran across River Wear from Coxgreen to Washington Staithes.
FERRY OF UNKNOWN NAME - COMMISSIONER'S QUAY TO NORTH SANDS
Data about this ferry is very limited - even, to the webmaster at least, its very name! But it would seem to have run from a slipway at the east end of Commissioners' Quay (which quay may in the early 1800s have been named Thornhill's Wharf - see here in that regard). It would seem to have crossed the river to Sand Point Road at the east end of the North Sands Shipbuilding Yard. A ferry at that location shows on the 1895 Ordnance Survey Map but is unnamed.
Such data mainly comes from an interesting exchange of messages on RootsWeb.com, which messages include one from Tessa Gaines, who tells us 'As children we would swim across to save the ha'penny it cost for the ferry.' That was in the 1930s, so we know the ferry was there until at least that period. A scary swim that must have been because the river would have been a hive of shipping activity at the time (though probably not scary at all to a young and adventurous child). A swim of a few hundred yards, most probably. And Jane Brook remembers 'boys swimming across the river, the girls never did, that was not from the ferry stage, though but instead from a point, I guess, about halfway between there and the Corporation Quay, an area that must have been, I think, bombed during the Second World War, at any rate it was waste ground at that time'.
Stan Mapstone tells us that a gentleman named John Hardcastle was, in 1827, a shipbuilder on Thornhill's Wharf and he must have had a slipway since the message sequence started with an enquiry about Hardcastle's Slip. The first message of the message sequence is here .
The webmaster may be quite wrong to place the image that follows at this spot on the page. If so, can somebody better advise . The token, of brass, 1 1/2 in. in diameter, was an e-Bay item which did not sell on Feb. 02, 2012. We thank vendor 'maplevillage' for these fine images. The item did not sell, so I invite you to contact the vendor via his store here . The item was described, in part, as 'Antique ... River Wear Commission uniface brass pass token, circa 1900. Front reads: River Wear Commission - S.S. Co. L. Reverse reads: Pass No. 815*. Measures 39 mm or 1 1/2" in diameter and weighs 13.1 grams. The world "Wear" is rubbed.' Peter Kraneveld has kindly brought to my attention this page which seeks to establish the meaning of the 'S.S.Co.L.' inscription.
LOW FERRY - CUSTOM HOUSE QUAY TO THE WEST END OF NORTH SANDS
It would seem that from 1761 the "ferry-boats' passage, metage, and tolls of herbs, fruit and roots" were leased to Walter Ettrick, Esq. or his representatives, by William Lambton, who had in turn acquired the rights from the 'Bishops of Durham'. It seems likely therefore that Custom House Quay is located where Ettrick's Quay used to be. Indeed, you can see exactly where Ettrick's Quay was, in the very late 1700s, on the James Rain map referred to here & visible here - at the top, N. of the fish market.
The webmaster is not clear as to the importance of this particular ferry compared, perhaps to any other then ferries. But 'Ettrick' & his ferries were of considerable importance. The lease of the ferry boats was, in 1795, purchased by the commissioners of the Iron Bridge, known as the 'Monkwearmouth Bridge', relative to their even building that iron bridge across the Wear. For those perpetual rights, the commissioners paid �6,300 of which sum Ettrick, described as Rev. W. Ettrick, received the major share i.e. �4,500. So 'Ettrick' was not a working ferryman as I had naively supposed. Rather Ettrick was a member of the then church who presumably had acquired the ferry etc. rights back in 1761 & over the years engaged whomever he wished to provide the actual ferry service. It would seem that by a separate agreement, the Commissioners also acquired the rights to the Pan ferry-boat, for �1,600 split 50/50 by Gen. John Lambton & Sir Hedworth Williamson. It would seem that the Ettrick's Ferry was by far of the greater importance.
How do I know all this? James Burnett wrote a history of Sunderland in 1830, entitled 'History of the Town and Port of Sunderland and the Parishes of Bishopwearmouth and Monkwearmouth'. That whole volume can be viewed and/or downloaded via this link. (I must say that I appreciate greatly Google's programme to make such ancient volumes freely available. Bravo, I say!) The relevant pages are 7 through 10, which pages I have 'assembled' into a single image where all the Ettrick ferry relevant text of those pages can be read. Available here .
Can you add any data on this most interesting of subjects?
SUNDERLAND FERRY, or HIGH FERRY (1710-1957)
It would appear that this ferry, which crossed River Wear from (in the south) the steps at the bottom of Bodlewell (sometimes Boddlewell) Lane, to Monkwearmouth for almost 250 years, was established by an Act of Parliament in 1710. Passage was by rowing boat, though service may later have been provided by a steam powered vessel which 'were tried on this route without a great deal of success. The crossing was, eventually, faithfully served by "Wear" which made the four minute journey regularly for many decades until the closure of the service in 1957.' Those words came from a now long gone web page at, I believe, the University at Newcastle. Gone due to cutbacks, I presume.
At left is a section of a map by James Rain & published in 1785, or maybe in the period of 1785/1790. Known as Rain's 'Eye Plan' . I did understand that the original is in the Tyne & Wear Museum, but now understand that the original is, in fact, lost. What I show is but a tiny section of the entire map, the section which shows Sunderland Ferry (a rowboat at that time). The horizontal street at the bottom of the image is Sunderland High Street & the one above that is Low Street.
The webmaster was interested however to read some text about the ferry at Bodlewell, in Chapter IX of 'The Dress Lodger' by Sheri Holman. The story is set in the east end of Sunderland in the early 1830s, & refers to a hand-cranked, chain-operated, flat-bottomed ferry at that point in time.
I think it likely that one could buy tokens for the short ferry passage, tokens which simply said 'Ferry Token' on one side, with a coat of arms on the other side, presumably of the City of Sunderland. Almost an inch in diameter. Of copper or maybe bronze. Can anyone confirm that is so?
There also were smaller tokens used in Sunderland, tokens which were used by City employees to permit them free travel on Sunderland business, on the buses, ferries, etc. Not related to the paying passenger ferry tokens.
It is my belief that the image at right is likely of an 'employee' type token. An eBay item that sold on Nov. 5, 2012, for GBP 51.00 or U.S. $81.80. The vendor did not indicate the size of the token, nor show an image of the other side of the token.
We thank a kindly site visitor for the following image of the 'Wear', the steam powered ferry boat referred to above. It was built, I am advised, in 1885. Another image would be most welcome .
There were passenger ferry tokens & one face of one of them is shown at right.
Jane Brook has kindly written in to say that she does not remember the 'Wear' but does remember ferries named 'Sir Walter Raine' & 'W. F. Vint'. Tom Dack (1933/ ) watercolours of 'W. F. Vint' & 'Sir Walter Raine' are next. Tom advises that the images were both used as placemats. Thank you Tom! And thank you Jane, also!
If any site visitor has in their possession some photographs of the above Sunderland ferries, indeed photographs of any Sunderland ferry, do consider providing them to the webmaster for inclusion here.
Thanks to the 'Sunderland Tugs and Shipbuilding in pictures' site on 'Facebook', here is an image of Sir Walter Raine - from here .
And, thanks to a site visitor, an image of Sir Walter Raine said to date from 1934. I think that the image was originally ex Sunderland Echo & may have appeared in ' Canny Aad Sunlun ... a collection of images from that source.
More about the W. F. Vint, & the meaning of the name, is here .
Jane also remembers, as a child - 'on the ferries there was passenger seating around the central part of the deck, which was open and one could look down at the engineman working away in what was, to a child, a wonderful m�lange of brass, heat, smells of oil and polished wood and of pistons thundering away'.
As stated above, by a separate agreement, the Commissioners re the Iron Bridge acquired, in 1792 or thereabouts, the rights to the Pan ferry-boat, for �1,600 split 50/50 by Gen. John Lambton & Sir Hedworth Williamson. As you can read in the right column here .
Service was, in 1870, certainly by rowing boat. How do I know that? A postcard dated 1870 by 'Flintoff' was sold via eBay in January 2007. The listing image is at left. The words under the image read, I believe, 'BODLEWELL FERRY, SUNDERLAND'.
Bodlewell or Boddlewell Lane? A Sunderland Echo article, which was available only in a Yahoo cache but has now gone from that source also, referred to a street named 'Boddlewell Lane'. Now I have available to me some 1895 Ordnance Survey Maps of Sunderland & while I cannot find 'Boddlewell Lane' on those maps, I can find Flag Lane which was mentioned in the article also. And a bit to the north of Flag Lane & High Street is a ferry. At Wylam Wharf & Sunderland Brewery. Which ran straight across to a landing on the north bank. This surely must be 'Sunderland Ferry'.
It may be helpful to know that a 'bodle' was, I learn, a Scottish coin worth half a farthing. And that the name originates with 'Bodle Well', a public well where you could buy water.
A 'bodle' would, I read, have bought you (not quite sure exactly when) a 'skeel' or about 4 gallons of water.
The well was removed in 1938. That interesting data came from page 51 of the 2003-2004 Annual Report of the 'Tyne & Wear Specialist Conservation Team' who conducted excavations in the High Street East area of the city (a very large 'pdf' file of that report used to be WWW available, but no longer, it would seem).
But I have also read that the coin was called a 'boddle' also. And also a 'bodwell', & a 'half groat' & a 'Turner'. It gets confusing! A Scottish copper coin, of less value than a 'bawbee', worth about one-sixth of an English penny, first issued under Charles II. But it is only 'bodle' and 'boddle' which are relevant re this page.
Bodlewell (or Boddlewell) Lane led up to a most important area in the life of Sunderland - the market. At High Street East. There was a market there every Saturday from 1830 until after WW2. Vegetables & meats & everything else you could imagine was for sale at stalls both in High Street & in the adjoining streets. Until very late at night. Jane Brook remembers ... 'there was a very old market, almost unused by that time (WW2), on the High Street, set back from the street in a kind of dilapidated arcade. I can remember a butcher's named Graters, run by brothers, rather in appearance like Laurel and Hardy, they were called Louis and Henry. There was a wonderful grocer's shop, named (I believe) John Chapman with sacks of dry food, rice, beans, things like that. Also a greengrocer named Fred Redman and a newsagent named Olwen Perry. And a cinema, the Gaiety, a truly dreadful place!'
The Tyne and Wear Museum has an image of the Bodlewell Lane Ferry landing, an image that originates, it would seem, with the River Wear Commissioners & was taken on February 28, 1884. These are the words they used (thanks so much!) to describe the image:
'This photograph shows Bodlewell Lane Ferry landing in Sunderland in 1884. The landing was squeezed between Fenwick's Wharf and Wylam Wharf. The ferry was known as Sunderland Ferry or the High Ferry. It linked Sunderland and Monkwearmouth and was first operated with rowing boats and then with steam vessels. The last ferry remained in service until 1957.
The narrow street beyond the steps is Bodlewell Lane, which led to Low Street.'
Brian Hubbard of the 'Friends of Sunderland Old Parish Church', a Sunderland history group, advises me that the building at the left of the image just above is Fenwick's Brewery.
The building with the 6 light coloured windows, and what look like steps down to the river, I believe. And that parts of its riverside foundations remain to this very day. Brian, we thank you!
Whylam Wharf? What must be a most recent image is available on the bottom of page 61 of the 'Tyne & Wear Specialist Conservation Team' 2003-2004 report referenced above. That 'pdf' file was a giant file to access, so I provide the image here . I trust that making that image available via this non-profit & informational site is in order. Which comment also applies to the photograph immediately above.
It would seem, that when the iron bridge was built in 1796, the 'Sunderland' ferry & the 'Pann' ferry were 'purchased' - as you can see in the table located about 45% down on this page - for �6,300 & �1,600 respectively plus related legal costs. That would not seem to mean that the ferries ceased to operate however. Maybe just that the previous owners received some compensation when the bridge (which affected their livelihoods), was constructed.
Rod Gair advises (thanks!) that 'swimming between the ferry landing steps was a 'right of passage' for boys and I well remember doing my swim when the river was in full flood and the return trip was almost too much for me. I was never so relieved as when I reached those steps!' The swim that Ron refers to was between 'the ferry pontoon on the south side & the steps at the bottom of Hudleston Street on the north side'. And back again.
Before I leave the subject of the Sunderland Ferry, I have learned that the image that became the 'Flintoff' postcard as shown above, was published in 'The Graphic' in its February 3, 1883 edition. Brian Hubbard has kindly provided an image of it & it follows next on this page. The image was also, I know, published as a bookplate with a coloured image of High Street on its rear. I know because I have that page somewhere. I will try to locate it because the image of High Street was most interesting. But the name of the book escapes me as I update this page.
Now my routine practice, in presenting images on this site, is to reduce the image size such that the entire image can be viewed without the necessity of scrolling. But the next image is so splendid that I have chosen not to do that. You will need to scroll a long way indeed to view it all but the image is so wonderful that it surely deserves presentation in full detail. The image is a section of a page from 'The Graphic' of Feb. 3, 1883. We thank so very much Brian Hubbard who provided it. Enjoy!
There was a kind of watchman's house on the right of the steps ... for the person responsible for the ferries and the quay at night.�
As this page was amended in Apl. 2013, a postcard, published by 'photochrom co',�of Tunbridge Wells, was sold via eBay. The postcard would seem to be a reprint of 'Flintoff postcard N918 Sunderland'. It refers, along the card bottom, to 'Bodlewell Lane near High St. Quayside'. As you can read at left.
Now I had seen the image before, in my WWW travels, but had not understood that the old houses depicted were, in fact, on Bodlewell Lane, in Sunderland.
We are pleased to be able to next present a large version of the image, entitled 'Old Houses near High Street'. We thank Sunderland Libraries for the image, which appears, in a number of sizes, here in their Flickr collection of Sunderland images. Reproduced, clearly, from a newspaper, magazine or other publication, likely from the 1870s.
PANN'S FERRY
Panns was an area of Sunderland on the south bank of the river at the top of Low St. which had once been used for salt panning. Just to the east of the road bridge. In the 1700s, this stretch of bank was home for�block yards,�glass works & Molly Linton's Quay from which Pann's ferry ran across to the north bank. During its life there were many complaints that the small boats being used were breaking regulations by carrying livestock with the passengers who it was said �were afraid of going in the boat when the horse was unruly� & who were only too keen to have a bridge built. However, when eventually Wearmouth Bridge was built in 1796, the ferry which ran close to the bridge lost business & was closed.�
At left above is a section of Rain's 'Eye Plan', with the location of the later road bridge added so that a modern reader can 'get their bearings'.
It seems ironic�that the ferry's busiest�time was carrying the workers & horses to�build the bridge which sealed its fate. (Thanks Len Charlton for the above).
This is probably a good place to reference the meaning of the term 'Panns', thanks to Robert Moon, of the Friends of Old Sunderland Parish Church , in his volume 'The Sundered-Land. The Story of a Seaport and its Township'. Robert reminds us that salt has been a necessity of life, since time immemorial, needed to preserve foodstuffs. More so perhaps before refrigeration became possible. Salt was being produced at the Panns area from the 16th century onwards - the area being named for the giant open air 'pans' in which seawater was continuously boiled until the water had all evaporated & only the salt residue was left. And giant is the operative word. Robert tells us that the pans were over 20 feet across & 6 feet deep & that there were many of them on the Pann Field. Fired, I would suppose, with the abundant local coal. Take a moment & give a thought to what the scene must have looked like when those fires were all a-burning.
SOUTHWICK FERRY (c. 1750- c. 1910)
This ferry started c. 1750, much later than the Hylton ferry. There was, by this date, a growing amount of traffic between Newcastle &�South Shields & the developing new town of Sunderland, traffic�which had previously used the Hylton Ferry. But�this much�shorter route via Southwick�was very welcome. The river banks on both sides were both flat & open and from the south�bank�a road ran�down to join the road from the Hylton Ferry to Bishopwearmouth�Village & then on to�Crowtree Rd. Here was one of the town's favourite coaching Inns�'The Peacock' (now a smart modern pub called 'The Londonderry').
An 1875�map shows that there was a large slipway�adjacent to the north end of the (built later)�Queen Alexandra Bridge�from which�two divergent routes ran across to the Deptford�bank. Another separate route is�marked further eastwards�towards Ayres Quay & it is known that�there was then both�a 'Low Ferry' and a 'High Ferry' running�between�Deptford & Southwick.�Both closed c. 1910 after the�Queen Alexandra Bridge was built. (Thanks Len Charlton for the above).
The Londonderry
Good images of 'The Londonderry' seem to be scarce. At left are a couple of recent images, thanks to 'Flickr' contributors ( 1 & 2 ). Also 3 . It does not look like a coaching inn, however!
The webmaster has never met Len Charlton, whose fine articles about Sunderland are throughout these pages. Nor do I think I have ever seen a photograph of him, though his wife would tell you he is a fine looking fellow indeed.
Yours truly? Folks have said over the years that I look, (good or bad!) a bit like Prince Charles.
When Len's above text arrived for inclusion on this page, I suggested to Len that some day we should meet at last & hoist a pint at 'The Londonderry'. So someday, if you happen to be in 'The Londonderry' & see Prince Charles sitting in the corner admiring the architecture, with a row of empty glasses in front of him on the table, it will probably just be the webmaster. Len will be the other good-looker, busy writing notes for his next article, or more likely buying the next round.
The ' EAST-DURHAM.co.uk ' local history project web site includes an image of the 'Londonderry', perhaps in the 1920s. Here . Do try to mentally ignore the logo.
HYLTON FERRY (1322-1957)
Andy Dennis advised that Ford is on the south bank of the River Wear about a mile to the west of the Queen Alexandra Bridge. The name presumably derives from an early river crossing since at low tide the river is quite shallow there. A little further to the west is South Hylton, and Ford and South Hylton are essentially one community today.
A beautiful image indeed! A portion only of an eBay item in Apl. 2012, a photograph that sold for GBP 4.99 or approximately U.S. $8.04. Taken from the N. bank & looking over to the 'Golden Lion'. A larger version of the photograph portion, can be seen here . Dates from 1910, it would seem.
Joanna Hammond believes that the derrick and boats in the yard (on the far bank at left just to the right of the 'Golden Lion' at the extreme left or partially so) are, in all probability, the yard that William Potts (the Elder) owned & which Edward Potts sold (possibly to the Gales ?) when his mother died in 1812.
Here, next, is the old Hylton Ferry in two very old images. Looking, I believe east in both cases. Do please advise me if my 'directions' are incorrect. Both images came via a BBC site (this is the image at right , the left image I cannot find at BBC again!) but originate with the South Hylton Local History Society, whom I sincerely thank. The image at left, of the 'chain ferry' which ceased to operate in 1915, is by Sep Collins. Now Sep Collins (1878/1925) who died of pneumonia, was, I am advised (by Douglas Scrafton of the South Hylton Local History Society), a local photographer, who was lamed as a young man in one of the forges and became a barber. He clearly was a very fine photographer also as we can see. Alas, Douglas advises, few of Sep's glass plates have survived. Douglas kindly provided the webmaster with an image of Sep Collins with regalia around his neck provided by the 'then Association of Hairdressers'. The image at right? Not the entire image. And I added contrast for better presentation on this page. I could not spot the right image on the Society website, but it may very well be there. The left image was on their front page, in a size smaller than was on the BBC site.
When it is said that the chain ferry ceased to operate in 1915, that would not seem to have been the end of the Hylton ferry - which continued to operate until, I read, 1957.
Len Charlton (thanks!) has kindly advised that the chain ferry had a windlass to pull itself across the river. That windlass is visible, I think, in both of the images above.
It would appear that the first reference to the ferry was in 1322 'when Baron Hylton granted to his chaplain "the passage of Bovisferry" (an ox ferry where heavy cattle could pass)'. My source also states 'The ferry was in use in the 17th century' which implies, maybe unintentionally, that the ferry was not in continuous service over the centuries. The ferry 'ceased to be the responsibility of the Hylton family in the mid-18th' century, 'passing to the occupant of Wood House Farm'. Does that mean that Sep Collins was later associated with Wood House Farm, I wonder.
Do visit that last link (englandspastforeveryone.org). A number of images are there available for viewing & download - see the right of the screen you come to. Those images include the following fine image of the ferry & the 'Golden Lion'. An image which I have sharpened for better presentation on this page. And have added contrast also for the same purpose. The image originates, I read, with the 'Waples' Collection.
The 'Golden Lion' looks like the sort of place in which it would have been a pleasure to have a few beers. As, I am sure, many did!
Another image of the ferry. An eBay postcard in Nov. 2008. Somewhat similar to the image in the pair at right above. Date of mailing not indicated.
And another interesting image of the ferry. Showing sheep being carried across the river. A long expired eBay item.
If I am not mistaken, an eBay item that was available for many months, years ago now, which shows the Hylton Ferry - looking I think eastward. The steps on the left are still there today. The item is a most modest image of a reproduction print of a 19th century painting by an unknown artist. So there! If you have an interest in such a print, you might contact the vendor ( barnesne05 ) who may well have another copy. I guess that is a ferry boat in the river? It looks to me like a treed island!
Am I correct in thinking that this ferry was a chain driven ferry for vehicles, cattle, etc., AND ALSO, maybe when the need was for just one or 2 passengers, a row-boat crossing as well?
In most of the above images there are row-boats visible & they look to my eye to be ferry-related. I ask because 'Nemo' of Sunderland, provided an undated image of the ferryman at Hylton. And that interesting image follows. Now, thanks to Doug Scrafton, Secretary of the South Hylton Local History Society , I can advise you that the name of the ferryman depicted was 'Ferguson'. Well known locally, I gather. Steve Clarke tells me that his first name was George - so George Ferguson.
A fine image of the ferry was sold in Aug. 2009 via eBay, of content somewhat similar to the 4th image above. Believed to be c.1890. A magnified view of an image section, provided with the eBay listing showed the name of the tavern most clearly, i.e. 'Golden Lion Inn'.
And last, but not least, David Parkinson advises that his family tradition says that a gentleman named Bowen, part of his family which came from South Wales in the mid 1800s, was the ferryman at Hylton. He lived, it would seem at Waterside, near Cox Green.
This is as good a place as any to note that the late Thomas F. (Francis) Hunter, past President & Chairman of Sunderland Antiquarian Society, Chairman of South Hylton History Society and Fellow of the Royal Numismatic Society, was the author of 'A History of South Hylton (The Growth of an Industrial Village)'. Its entire text has been made available to all, to read or download , by Keith Hunter, his son. Chapter 1 is devoted to the history of the Hylton ferry.
COXGREEN FERRY (? - 1956)
I have not read when the rowing boat ferry at Coxgreen commenced service. But at a site now long gone, (washington.co.uk), I read that 'for many years' it was operated by the Frost family, carrying villagers across the river to their employment at the Washington Chemical Works & for shopping in Washington. I have also read, about 60% down another page that no longer exists that in the 1881 Census of Barmston, John Robertson was listed as being a ferryman. Related to this ferry in some way. Where is Barmston, I wonder? 'Barmston Forge' showed on the map that you used to come to. I now understand that it is in Pattinson, on the north bank of the river at Washington, overlooked by the Penshaw Monument, & that the Washington Wetland Centre , managed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, now sits on the site of 'Barmston Estate', once owned by the Hylton family.
A short trip! Across the narrow river to Washington Staithes on the north bank. It ceased to operate in Feb. 1956. Pedestrian traffic was soon served by a fine pedestrian bridge built in 1958 and still there today in 2013.
There are at least two postcard images of the ferry at Coxgreen dating from the very early 1900s. Both most similar, as you can see below. One of them, published by Ruddock Ltd., was in Jun. 2007 sold on eBay - postally dated 1904. Card entitled 'The Ferry, Coxgreen'. It is at right below. The other card? It is a part only, (the significant part however), of a much larger image which used to be available at a Durham Council site - but is no longer, it would appear. Should copyright concerns exist re the use here of a portion of that postcard over a century old, or its use on this page cause any concerns at all, I will gladly remove it from these pages. Hopefully, however, to replace it in the future with other imagery when it becomes available.
A fine 2007 image of the pedestrian bridge can be viewed here . And another here . It is possible that a May 1959 image of the pedestrian bridge appeared in the Sunderland Echo 2008 calendar.
M ay I suggest that you navigate the site via the index on page 001 .
| Wear |
What was the family name of the Duke of Wellington | Sunderland City Council: 40 things you didn't know about Sunderland
40 things you didn't know about Sunderland
The city and its history
Sunderland is home to 275,000 residents with more than two million people living within a 30 minute radius
Sunderland is a city with a difference - a modern, bustling centre that is balanced with a relaxing green environment, stunning coastal scenery and a refreshing outlook to life. It is one of the few cities in the UK to have a river and beautiful coastline Surrounded by easily accessible countryside, Sunderland offers a range of outstanding heritage, cultural and sporting attractions
Sunderland has signed a Friendship Agreement with Washington DC which makes us the only city in Europe to enjoy such a relationship with the world's most powerful city. Washington Old Hall is home to the direct ancestors of the first president of the United States of America
Sunderland signed a groundbreaking Friendship Agreement in 2009 with Harbin - one of China's biggest and fastest growing cities.As well as friendship agreements with Washington DC and Harbin in China, Sunderland is twinned with Essen in German and St Nazaire in France
Perhaps Sunderland's most prominent landmark is Penshaw Monument - it even appears on Sunderland AFC's crest. It was built in 1844 in honour of the first Earl of Durham, John George Lambton. Penshaw was modelled on the Theseion, the Temple of Theseus in Athens. It stands magnificently above the city on a limestone hill in the middle of the Great North Forest and can be seen as far afield as Durham Cathedral and the North Pennines
Sunderland had a world famous reputation for building ships. Ship building as first recorded on the River Wear in 1346, and the city went on to build the biggest and best ships in the world. Our ship building heritage is being celebrated in a new public space, Keel Square, which includes the Keel Line, an engraved list of over 8000 of the most significant ships built in Sunderland
The Anglo-Saxon church of St Peter's in Monkwearmouth was where the Venerable Bede lived and studied. Original parts of the monastery are still standing in-situ
Joseph Swan, who invented the electric light bulb independently of Thomas Edison, was born in 1828 at Pallion Hall, Sunderland. He also invented artificial silk, bromide photographic paper, the lead storage battery and the carbon printing process
Investment / industry
A total of 80 companies originating in twenty different countries have chosen to locate in the city, together employing more than 25,000 people
Over the past five years, there have been around 200 strategic projects, creating more than 8,800 jobs and bringing about £1.3 billion of investment. BAE Systems is the latest world class manufacturing company to move into the city of Sunderland. BAE's new purpose built plant will house a forge, machining centre, and heat and surface treatment plants as it manufactures casing for Ministry of Defence ammunition orders
Sunderland has gained a worldwide reputation as a centre for automotive manufacturing, employing 15,000 people in the sector in the city alone. Nissan Sunderland represents 1.4% of all UK manufactured exports and will build the UK's newest brand in 23 years with their luxury infinity model. There have been a number of investments to date including £37m from Nissan for an extension and 5200 tons press to build the Infiniti - the first large scale manufacturing of a new car brand in the UK for 23 years. The plant currently employs more than 6,800 people and produces over 5,200 cars a year
New figures from the North East Automotive Alliance show that 26,000 people are directly employed by the industry in the North East and another 141,000 jobs are impacted by it. Four and a half years after the launch of the Nissan LEAF, the world's first mass-market zero-emission vehicle, it remains the best-selling electric vehicle of all time, with more than 180,000 units sold
Sunderland leads the country for the proportion of surviving start-ups in 2011 reaching £1m turnover by 2014 in selected 'primary urban areas' in England, which includes cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham
Sunderland leads the North East region for the Proportion of Fast-Growing Businesses (2011-14). These fastest growing businesses in the UK are delivering jobs and revenues as well as wealth for their owners outside London and the South East
Sunderland has a track record of IT success. Sunderland Software City is a regional scheme to encourage the North East's IT industry and make the area an attractive location for software businesses and £10m Sunderland Software Centre for software businesses opened in the city centre in 2012
Sunderland enhanced its reputation as a leader in the use of new technology by being the first local authority in England to implement a new 'public access' software system to enable residents, councillors and others to make it easier to look at planning applications on-line. The IDOX public access software solution is radically changing the way in which the City Council engages with planning stakeholders in the city
Rainton Bridge South is one of the best connected e-business parks in Europe. It represents £100 million of investment and is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs
Sunderland boasts an office building with the largest integrated photovoltaic (solar panelled) wall in Europe. The Solar Office at Doxford International is capable of generating significant quantities of electrical power
More than £600million is being invested in housing in Sunderland alone, creating the most affordable houses and flats in England
Culture
The Stadium of Light is the magnificent home of Sunderland AFC, widely regarded as one of the best stadia in Europe. Standing on the banks of the River Wear the stadium's design drew inspiration from Sunderland's proud industrial heritage in glass making, shipbuilding and coal mining
In recent years Sunderland is the only city in the North East where you can see pop and rock concerts in a stadium. Artists include Take That, Coldplay, Bon Jovi, Rhianna, Foo Fighters and One Direction at the Stadium of Light
Sunderland's Aquatic Centre is the region's only 50-metre swimming pool between Leeds and Edinburgh. The flagship pool was a £20 million project which opened next to the Stadium of Light in April 2008
The Sunderland International Airshow is the biggest free airshow in Europe and is now in its 27th year
Sunderland is the home of The National Glass Centre - the only UK centre celebrating the history of glass making and providing a world focus for glass making
Sunderland marks the easterly end of the 140-mile C2C (Coast to Coast) route. The C2C cycle trail from Whitehaven in Cumbria to Sunderland is Britain's most popular long distance cycle route, with between 12,000 and 15,000 cyclists completing it every year
Blockbuster West End shows, most recently The Lion King, Jersey Boys and Wicked have been staged at the Sunderland Empire, the biggest theatre between Edinburgh and Manchester
Sunderland has the premier artificial indoor climbing wall in Europe
The fascinating facsimile of the Lindisfarne Gospels is available to view at Sunderland's City Library and Arts Centre
Mowbray Park in Sunderland city centre is one of the oldest municipal parks in the North East. Now restored to its former Victorian splendour, it has an intriguing array of art works celebrating the city's connection with Lewis Carroll who wrote his famous poem Jabberwocky whilst staying in the city. The park was voted 'Best Park in Britain' in 2008
Herrington Country Park comprises of eight lakes, a 3000 seat amphitheatre, 12 km of footpaths/cycleways, 5 km of bridleway, 40 hectares of locally native trees and 10 km of hedgerow, with 333,000 trees and shrubs intermingled with large outdoor sculptures, set among landscaped scenery
The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art at Sunderland's City Library and Arts Centre attracts exhibitions from promising artists from the UK and abroad
Sunderland is the home to one of the best collections of LS Lowry paintings in England. One of the nations best loved artists, Lowery thought of Sunderland as his second home
One of the oldest windmills and best preserved relics of Britain's industrial heritage is Fulwell Mill, a Grade 11 listed building dating from 1821
James Herriot, the man responsible for an entire generation wanting to become vets, was not Scottish as many people believe; he was born in Sunderland as James Alfred Wight on 3 October 1916
Other celebrities who can claim a Wearside pedigree are James Bolam, cricketer Bob Willis and Frank Wilson. Frank Wilson became Prime Minister of Australia in the years before the First World War and is proof that Wearsiders are destined to go far
Sunderland has produced a pope... almost! History records Nicholas Breakspear (Adrian lV) as the only English pope but in the 14th Century the Great Schism produced two rival pontiffs. The legitimate line was supported by the French but there was a succession of antipopes backed by the Holy Roman Emperor. The first antipope, named Clement Vll, was Robert of Geneva who, before his elevation, served as a Wearmouth parish priest
HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy's largest ship is Sunderland's adopted warship. HMS Ocean's crew were granted the Freedom of the City in July 2004 and returned most recently in May 2015
Current and future plans
A £100m civil engineering project - the new Wear crossing - is now underway, building a cable-stayed bridge and approach roads between Castletown on the north bank and Pallion on the south bank of the River Wear. It's due for completion in early 2018
The city is hosting the Tall Ships Race in July 2018 - more than 70 sailing vessels are expected to be docking at the Port of Sunderland and along the waterfront
Sunderland is joining the bidding for UK Capital of Culture status in 2021
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In which fictional county were the novels of Thomas Hardy set | Thomas Hardy | Poeticous
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy, OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. While his works typically belong to the Naturalism movement, several poems display elements of the previous Romantic and Enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural.
While he regarded himself primarily as a poet who composed novels mainly for financial gain, he became and continues to be widely regarded for his novels, such as Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd. The bulk of his fictional works, initially published as serials in magazines, were set in the semi-fictional county of Wessex (based on the Dorchester region where he grew up) and explored tragic characters struggling against their passions and social circumstances.
Hardy's poetry, first published in his fifties, has come to be as well regarded as his novels and has had a significant influence over modern English poetry, especially after The Movement poets of the 1950s and 1960s cited Hardy as a major figure.
Thomas Hardy was born in Upper Bockhampton, a hamlet in the parish of Stinsford to the east of Dorchester in Dorset, England in 1840. His father Thomas (d.) worked as a stonemason and local builder. His mother Jemima (d.) was well-read. She educated Thomas until he went to his first school at Bockhampton at age eight. For several years he attended Mr. Last's Academy for Young Gentlemen in Dorchester. Here he learned Latin and demonstrated academic potential. However, a family of Hardy's social position lacked the means for a university education, and his formal education ended at the age of sixteen when he became apprenticed to James Hicks, a local architect. Hardy trained as an architect in Dorchester before moving to London in 1862; there he enrolled as a student at King's College, London. He won prizes from the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Architectural Association. Hardy was in charge of the excavation of the graveyard of St Pancras Old Church prior to its destruction when the Midland Railway was extended a new terminus at St Pancras.
Hardy never felt at home in London. He was acutely conscious of class divisions and his social inferiority. However, he was interested in social reform and was familiar with the works of John Stuart Mill. He was also introduced to the works of Charles Fourier and Auguste Comte during this period by his Dorset friend, Horace Moule. Five years later, concerned about his health, he returned to Dorset and decided to dedicate himself to writing.
In 1870, while on an architectural mission to restore the parish church of St Juliot in Cornwall, Hardy met and fell in love with Emma Lavinia Gifford, whom he married in 1874. Although he later became estranged from his son her death in 1912 had a traumatic effect on him. After her death, Hardy made a trip to Cornwall to revisit places linked with their courtship, and his Poems 1912–13 reflect upon her death. In 1914, Hardy married his secretary Florence Emily Dugdale, who was 39 years his junior. However, he remained preoccupied with his first wife's death and tried to overcome his remorse by writing poetry.
Hardy became ill with pleurisy in December 1927 and died at Max Gate just after 9 pm on 11 January 1928, having dictated his final poem to his wife on his deathbed; the cause of death was cited, on his death certificate, as "cardiac syncope", with "old age" given as a contributory factor. His funeral was on 16 January at Westminster Abbey, and it proved a controversial occasion because Hardy and his family and friends had wished for his body to be interred at Stinsford in the same grave as his first wife, Emma. However, his executor, Sir Sydney Carlyle Cockerell, insisted that he be placed in the abbey's famous Poets' Corner. A compromise was reached whereby his heart was buried at Stinsford with Emma, and his ashes in Poets' Corner.
Shortly after Hardy's death, the executors of his estate burnt his letters and notebooks. Twelve records survived, one of them containing notes and extracts of newspaper stories from the 1820s. Research into these provided insight into how Hardy kept track of them and how he used them in his later work. In the year of his death Mrs Hardy published The Early Life of Thomas Hardy, 1841–1891: compiled largely from contemporary notes, letters, diaries, and biographical memoranda, as well as from oral information in conversations extending over many years.
Hardy's work was admired by many writers of a younger generation including D. H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf. In his autobiography Goodbye to All That, Robert Graves recalls meeting Hardy in Dorset in the early 1920s. Hardy received him and his new wife warmly, and was encouraging about his work.
In 1910, Hardy was awarded the Order of Merit.
Hardy's cottage at Bockhampton and Max Gate in Dorchester are owned by the National Trust.
Novels
Hardy's first novel, The Poor Man and the Lady, finished by 1867, failed to find a publisher and Hardy destroyed the manuscript so only parts of the novel remain. He was encouraged to try again by his mentor and friend, Victorian poet and novelist George Meredith. Desperate Remedies (1871) and Under the Greenwood Tree (1872) were published anonymously. In 1873 A Pair of Blue Eyes, a novel drawing on Hardy's courtship of his first wife, was not published under his own name. The term "cliffhanger" is considered to have originated with the serialised version of this story (which was published in Tinsley's Magazine between September 1872 and July 1873) in which Henry Knight, one of the protagonists, is left literally hanging off a cliff.
Hardy said that he first introduced Wessex in Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), his next novel. It was successful enough for Hardy to give up architectural work and pursue a literary career. Over the next twenty-five years Hardy produced ten more novels.
The Hardys moved from London to Yeovil and then to Sturminster Newton, where he wrote The Return of the Native (1878). In 1885, they moved for the last time, to Max Gate, a house outside Dorchester designed by Hardy and built by his brother. There he wrote The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), The Woodlanders (1887), and Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), the last of which attracted criticism for its sympathetic portrayal of a "fallen woman" and was initially refused publication. Its subtitle, A Pure Woman: Faithfully Presented, was intended to raise the eyebrows of the Victorian middle-classes.
Jude the Obscure, published in 1895, met with even stronger negative outcries from the Victorian public for its frank treatment of sex, and was often referred to as "Jude the Obscene". Heavily criticised for its apparent attack on the institution of marriage through the presentation of such concepts as erotolepsy, the book caused further strain on Hardy's already difficult marriage because Emma Hardy was concerned that Jude the Obscure would be read as autobiographical. Some booksellers sold the novel in brown paper bags, and the Bishop of Wakefield is reputed to have burnt his copy. In his postscript of 1912, Hardy humorously referred to this incident as part of the career of the book: "After these [hostile] verdicts from the press its next misfortune was to be burnt by a bishop – probably in his despair at not being able to burn me”.
Despite this criticism, Hardy had become a celebrity in English literature by the 1900s, with several highly successful novels behind him. Even so, he felt disgust at the public reception of two of his greatest works and gave up writing fiction altogether. Other novels written by Hardy include Two on a Tower, a romance story set in the world of astronomy. With some notable exceptions, for example Tess of the D'Urbervilles which was produceed the 1979 Polanski film Tess, and unlike the novels of Charles Dickens and George Eliot, Hardy's novels do not beg to be filmed or to be adapted for the stage. Some scholars have suggested that this is due to the absence of a flair in Hardy for the overtly dramatic.
Literary themes
Hardy criticises certain social constraints that hindered the lives of those living in the 19th century. Considered a Victorian Realist writer, Hardy examines the social constraints that are part of the Victorian status quo, suggesting these rules hinder the lives of all involved and ultimately lead to unhappiness. In Two on a Tower, Hardy seeks to take a stand against these rules and sets up a story against the backdrop of social structure by creating a story of love that crosses the boundaries of class. The reader is forced to consider disposing of the conventions set up for love. Nineteenth-century society enforces these conventions, and societal pressure ensures conformity. Swithin St Cleeve's idealism pits him against contemporary social constraints. He is a self-willed individual set up against the coercive strictures of social rules and mores.
In a novel structured around contrasts, the main opposition is between Swithin St Cleeve and Lady Viviette Constantine, who are presented as binary figures in a series of ways: aristocratic and lower class, youthful and mature, single and married, fair and dark, religious and agnostic…she [Lady Viviette Constantine] is also deeply conventional, absurdly wishing to conceal their marriage until Swithin has achieved social status through his scientific work, which gives rise to uncontrolled ironies and tragic-comic misunderstandings (Harvey 108).
Hardy’s characters often encounter crossroads, which are symbolic of a point of opportunity and transition. But the hand of fate is an important part of many of Hardy's plots. Far From the Madding Crowd tells a tale of lives that are constructed by chance. “Had Bathsheba not sent the valentine, had Fanny not missed her wedding, for example, the story would have taken an entirely different path.” Hardy's main characters often seem to be in the overwhelming and overpowering grip of fate.
Poetry
In 1898 Hardy published his first volume of poetry, Wessex Poems, a collection of poems written over 30 years. Hardy claimed poetry as his first love, and after a great amount of negative criticism erupted from the publication of his novel Jude The Obscure, Hardy decided to give up writing novels permanently and to focus his literary efforts on writing poetry. After giving up the novel form, Hardy continued to publish poetry collections until his death in 1928. Although he did publish one last novel in 1897, that novel, The Well-Beloved, had actually been written prior to Jude the Obscure.
Although his poems were not initially as well received by his contemporaries as his novels were, Hardy is now recognised as one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century. His verse had a profound influence on later writers, notably Philip Larkin, who included many of Hardy's poems in the edition of the Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse that Larkin edited in 1973.
In a recent biography on Hardy, Claire Tomalin argues that Hardy became a truly great English poet after the death of his first wife, Emma, beginning with the elegies he wrote in her memory, calling these poems, "one of the finest and strangest celebrations of the dead in English poetry."
Most of Hardy's poems, such as "Neutral Tones'" and "A Broken Appointment", deal with themes of disappointment in love and life (which were also prominent themes in his novels), and mankind's long struggle against indifference to human suffering. Using stylistic patterns similar to those that he used in his novels, Hardy sometimes wrote ironic poems, like "Ah, Are You Digging On My Grave," in which he employed twist endings in the last few lines or in the last stanza to convey that irony. Some, like "The Darkling Thrush" and "An August Midnight", appear as poems about writing poetry, because the nature mentioned in them gives Hardy the inspiration to write. His compositions range in style from the three-volume epic closet drama The Dynasts to shorter poems such as "A Broken Appointment." A particularly strong theme in the Wessex Poems is the long shadow that the Napoleonic Wars cast over the nineteenth century, for example, in "The Sergeant's Song" and "Leipzig".
A few of Hardy's poems, such as "The Blinded Bird" (a melancholy polemic against the sport of vinkenzetting), display his love of the natural world and his firm stance against animal cruelty, exhibited in his antivivisectionist views and his membership in the RSPCA.
A number of notable composers, including Gerald Finzi, Benjamin Britten, and Gustav Holst, have set poems by Hardy to music.
Religious beliefs
Hardy's family was Anglican, but not especially devout. He was baptised at the age of five weeks and attended church, where his father and uncle contributed to music. However, he did not attend the local Church of England school, instead being sent to Mr Last's school, three miles away. As a young adult, he befriended Henry R. Bastow (a Plymouth Brethren man), who also worked as a pupil architect, and who was preparing for adult baptism in the Baptist Church. Hardy flirted with conversion, but decided against it. Bastow went to Australia and maintained a long correspondence with Hardy, but eventually Hardy tired of these exchanges and the correspondence ceased. This concluded Hardy's links with the Baptists.
Although Hardy’s faith remained intact, the irony and struggles of life led him to question the traditional Christian view of God:
The Christian god – the external personality – has been replaced by the intelligence of the First Cause…the replacement of the old concept of God as all-powerful by a new concept of universal consciousness. The 'tribal god, man-shaped, fiery-faced and tyrannous' is replaced by the 'unconscious will of the Universe' which progressively grows aware of itself and 'ultimately, it is to be hoped, sympathetic'.
Hardy's religious life seems to have mixed agnosticism, deism, and spiritism. Once, when asked in correspondence by a clergyman about the question of reconciling the horrors of pain with the goodness of a loving God, Hardy replied,
Mr. Hardy regrets that he is unable to offer any hypothesis which would reconcile the existence of such evils as Dr. Grosart describes with the idea of omnipotent goodness. Perhaps Dr. Grosart might be helped to a provisional view of the universe by the recently published Life of Darwin and the works of Herbert Spencer and other agnostics.
Nevertheless, Hardy frequently conceived of and wrote about supernatural forces that control the universe, more through indifference or caprice than any firm will. Also, Hardy showed in his writing some degree of fascination with ghosts and spirits. Despite these sentiments, Hardy retained a strong emotional attachment to the Christian liturgy and church rituals, particularly as manifested in rural communities, that had been such a formative influence in his early years, and Biblical references can be found woven throughout many of Hardy's novels.
Hardy's friends during his apprenticeship to John Hicks included Horace Moule (one of the eight sons of Henry Moule), and the poet William Barnes, both ministers of religion. Moule remained a close friend of Hardy's for the rest of his life, and introduced him to new scientific findings that cast doubt on literal interpretations of the Bible, such as those of Gideon Mantell. Moule gave Hardy a copy of Mantell's book The Wonders of Geology (1848) in 1858, and Adelene Buckland has suggested that there are "compelling similarities" between the "cliffhanger" section from A Pair of Blue Eyes and Mantell's geological descriptions. It has also been suggested that the character of Henry Knight in A Pair of Blue Eyes was based on Horace Moule.
Locations in novels
Berkshire is North Wessex, Devon is Lower Wessex, Dorset is South Wessex, Somerset is Outer or Nether Wessex, Wiltshire is Mid-Wessex,
Bere Regis is King's-Bere of Tess, Bincombe Down cross roads is the scene of the military execution in A Melancholy Hussar. It is a true story, the deserters from the German Legion were shot in 1801 and are recorded in the parish register. Bindon Abbey is where Clare carried her. Bournemouth is Sandbourne of Hand of Ethelberta and Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Bridport is Port Bredy, Charborough House and its folly tower is the model for Welland House in the novel Two on a Tower. Corfe Castle is the Corvsgate-Castle of Hand of Ethelberta. Cranborne Chase is The Chase scene of Tess's seduction. (Note – Bowerchalke on Cranborne Chase was the film location for the great fire in John Schlesinger's 1967 film Far from the Madding Crowd.) Milborne St Andrew is "Millpond St Judes" in Far From the Madding Crowd. Charborough House is located between Sturminster Marshall and Bere Regis. Charborough House and its folly tower is the model for Welland House in the novel Two on a Tower by Thomas Hardy. Little England Cottage, Milborne St Andrew being the location of Swithin St Cleeves home and remains as described to this day. Dorchester, Dorset is Casterbridge, the scene of Mayor of Casterbridge. Dunster Castle in Somerset is Castle De Stancy of A Laodicean. Fordington moor is Durnover moor and fields. Greenhill Fair near Bere Regis is Woodbury Hill Fair, Lulworth Cove is Lulstead Cove, Marnhull is Marlott of Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Melbury House near Evershot is Great Hintock Court in A Group of Noble Dames. Minterne is Little Hintock, Owermoigne is Nether Moynton in Wessex Tales.
Piddlehinton and Piddle Trenthide are the Longpuddle of A Few Crusted Characters. Puddletown Heath, Moreton Heath, Tincleton Heath and Bere Heath are Egdon Heath. Poole is Havenpool in Life's Little Ironies. Portland is the scene of The Pursuit of the Well-Beloved. Puddletown is Weatherbury in Far from the Madding Crowd, River Frome valley is the scene of Talbothays dairy in Tess. Salisbury is Melchester in On the Western Circuit, Life's Little Ironies and Jude the Obscure etc. Shaftesbury is Shaston in Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure. Sherborne is Sherton-Abbas, Sherborne Castle is home of Lady Baxby in A Group of Noble Dames. Stonehenge is the scene of Tess's apprehension. Sutton Poyntz is Overcombe. Swanage is the Knollsea of Hand of Ethelberta. Taunton is known as Toneborough in both Hardy's novels and poems. Wantage is Alfredston, of Jude the Obscure. Fawley, Berkshire is Marygreen of Jude the Obscure. Weyhill is Weydon Priors, Weymouth is Budmouth Regis, the scene of Trumpet Major & portions of other novels; Winchester is Wintoncester where Tess was executed. Wimborne is Warborne of Two on a Tower. Wolfeton House, near Dorchester is the scene of The Lady Penelope in a Group of Noble Dames. Woolbridge Manor House, close to Wool station, is the scene of Tess's confession and honeymoon.
Influence
Hardy provides the springboard for D. H. Lawrence's Study of Thomas Hardy (1936). Though this work became a platform for Lawrence's own developing philosophy rather than a more standard literary study, the influence of Hardy's treatment of character and Lawrence's own response to the central metaphysic behind many of Hardy's novels helped significantly in the development of The Rainbow (1915, suppressed) and Women in Love (1920, private publication). Hardy was clearly the starting point for the character of the novelist Edward Driffield in W Somerset Maugham's novel Cakes and Ale. Thomas Hardy's works feature prominently in the narrative in Christopher Durang's The Marriage of Bette and Boo, in which a graduate thesis analysing Tess of the d'Urbervilles is interspersed with analysis of Matt's family's neuroses.
Works
| Wessex |
Who was Marti Pellow the lead singer with | Thomas Hardy | Scholastic
Thomas Hardy
COUNTRY OF BIRTH
United Kingdom
The poet and novelist Thomas Hardy was born on June 2, 1840, in Dorset, England. His father was a master mason and also a violinist. Thomas himself was especially sensitive to music and was able to tune a violin when he was very young.
Thomas could read before he could walk. He was not very strong and did not begin school until he was 8. But he was such a good student that he started Latin at the age of 12. He spent many of his evenings playing the fiddle at country parties. When he was 16, he left school and became the pupil of an architect. In 1862 he found work in London as an assistant architect, a profession he practiced off and on during much of his life.
Hardy had been writing poems for years before he began his first novel in 1867. That novel was never published, and his second one was not well received. Only with his fifth novel, Far from the Madding Crowd, did Hardy achieve success. The year it was published, 1874, he married Emma Gifford. The couple lived mainly in Dorset, but they spent several months in London each year.
Many of Hardy's novels are set in the fictional county of Wessex, which he based on the county of Dorset, his birthplace. The Return of the Native (1878) and the The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) are perhaps the most famous of these Wessex novels.
Two of Hardy's later novels aroused strong feelings among reader and were much discussed--Tess of the D'Urbervilles (1891) and Jude the Obscure (1895). Readers objected that the characters in the books did not behave morally. Hardy then gave up novel writing entirely and wrote only poetry. The Dynasts (1904-08) is an epic drama about the Napoleonic Wars. All the rest of his poetry is lyrical. The mood in Hardy's books is usually gloomy, and the main characters often meet an unhappy end.
During World War I, Hardy served his country by visiting the wounded and advising the government on propaganda. On January 11, 1928, he died, content in the belief that he had completed his life's work.
Reviewed by Frederick R. Karl, The New Book of Knowledge®. 2008. Grolier Online. For more information on this online reference, visit Grolier Online .
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What is the more common name for the gnu | What are the most common naming conventions in C? - Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow
What are the naming conventions commonly use in C? I know there are at least two:
GNU / linux / K&R with lower_case_functions
? name ? with UpperCaseFoo functions
I am talking about C only here. Most of our projects are small embedded systems in which we use C.
Here is the one I am planning on using for my next project:
C Naming Convention
Struct TitleCase Struct Members lower_case or lowerCase Enum ETitleCase Enum Members ALL_CAPS or lowerCase Public functions pfx_TitleCase (pfx = two or three letter module prefix) Private functions TitleCase Trivial variables i,x,n,f etc... Local variables lower_case or lowerCase Global variables g_lowerCase or g_lower_case (searchable by g_ prefix)
5
I wouldn't force a 'g_' prefix on global variables; I would enforce meaningful names (so client_locale and not cl_lc as a global variable name). Classic C doesn't use camel-case; I've written code in camel-case in C, and it looks weird (so I don't do it like that any more). That said, it isn't wrong - and consistency is more important than which convention is used. Avoid typedefs that encapsulate structure pointers; consider the C standard - 'FILE *' is spelled thus, not FILE_PTR. – Jonathan Leffler Nov 12 '09 at 13:34
1
@Jonathan Leffler, whats wrong with g_ to signify globals? In embedded systems I have had trouble before in which it was hard to track down inter-module dependencies through global vars and extern g_somevar. I personally think it is generally a bad idea, but this sort of thing usually gets done for performance reasons. For instance, a global flag that is set by an interrupt indicating that the data is ready. – JeffV Nov 12 '09 at 13:47
1
For what it's worth, this naming convention was mostly ripped from PalmOS API conventions. Also, it is similar to the convention used in O'Reilly's book: "Programming Embedded Systems with C and GNU Development Tools". Personally, I like the TitleCase in function names. I was thinking of going with lowerCamelCase in internal linkage functions (which I called private in my question). – JeffV Nov 12 '09 at 14:57
2
@Chris Lutz, I agree, whole heartedly. Wherever possible vars are to be kept at the narrowest scope. Note that there are actually three scopes we are discussing: local to a function, local to a module (no externs linkage to the variable) and the globals with external linkage. It is common to have "global to a module" variables in embedded systems. Therefore, care must be taken to identify the globals with external linkage so they can be kept to a minimum and the module interactions understood. This is where the "g_" prefix is helpful. – JeffV Nov 13 '09 at 0:23
4
The most important thing here is consistency. That said, I follow the GTK+ coding convention, which can be summarized as follows:
All macros and constants in caps: MAX_BUFFER_SIZE, TRACKING_ID_PREFIX.
Struct names and typedef's in camelcase: GtkWidget, TrackingOrder.
Functions that operate on structs: classic C style: gtk_widget_show(), tracking_order_process().
Pointers: nothing fancy here: GtkWidget *foo, TrackingOrder *bar.
Global variables: just don't use global variables. They are evil.
Functions that are there, but shouldn't be called directly, or have obscure uses, or whatever: one or more underscores at the beginning: _refrobnicate_data_tables(), _destroy_cache().
| Wildebeest |
Which company manufactured the Ultra golf ball | In Unix, what is tar, and how do I use it?
Include archived documents
In Unix, what is tar, and how do I use it?
In Unix , the name of the tar command is short for tape archiving, the storing of entire file systems onto magnetic tape, which is one use for the command. However, a more common use for tar is to simply combine a few files into a single file, for easy storage and distribution.
To combine multiple files and/or directories into a single file, use the following command:
tar -cvf file.tar inputfile1 inputfile2
Replace inputfile1 and inputfile2 with the files and/or directories you want to combine. You can use any name in place of file.tar, though you should keep the .tar extension. If you don't use the f option, tar assumes you really do want to create a tape archive instead of joining up a number of files. The v option tells tar to be verbose, which reports all files as they are added.
To separate an archive created by tar into separate files, at the shell prompt, enter:
tar -xvf file.tar
Compressing and uncompressing tar files
Many modern Unix systems, such as Linux, use GNU tar, a version of tar produced by the Free Software Foundation. If your system uses GNU tar, you can easily use gzip (the GNU file compression program) in conjunction with tar to create compressed archives. To do this, enter:
tar -cvzf file.tar.gz inputfile1 inputfile2
Here, the z option tells tar to zip the archive as it is created. To unzip such a zipped tar file, enter:
tar -xvzf file.tar.gz
Alternatively, if your system does not use GNU tar, but nonetheless does have gzip, you can still create a compressed tar file, via the following command:
tar -cvf - inputfile1 inputfile2 | gzip > file.tar.gz
Note:
If gzip isn't available on your system, use the Unix compress command instead. In the example above, replace gzip with compress and change the .gz extension to .Z (the compress command specifically looks for an uppercase Z). You can use other compression programs in this way as well. Just be sure to use the appropriate extension for the compressed file, so you can identify which program to use to decompress the file later.
If you are not using GNU tar, to separate a tar archive that was compressed by gzip, enter:
gunzip -c file.tar.gz | tar -xvf -
Similarly, to separate a tar archive compressed with the Unix compress command, replace gunzip with uncompress.
Lastly, the extensions .tgz and .tar.gz are equivalent; they both signify a tar file zipped with gzip.
Additional information
Keep the following in mind when using the tar command:
The order of the options sometimes matters. Some versions of tar require that the f option be immediately followed by a space and the name of the .tar file being created or extracted.
Some versions require a single dash before the option string (e.g., -cvf).
GNU tar does not have either of these limitations.
The tar command has many additional command options available. For more information, consult the manual page . At the shell prompt, enter:
man tar
GNU tar comes with additional documentation, including a tutorial, accessible through the GNU Info interface. You can access this documentation by entering:
info tar
Within the Info interface, press ? (the question mark) for a list of commands.
| i don't know |
What was the name of Nora Batty's husband | Kathy Staff: Nora Batty in 'Last of the Summer Wine' and veteran of ITV soaps | The Independent
Kathy Staff: Nora Batty in 'Last of the Summer Wine' and veteran of ITV soaps
Tuesday 16 December 2008 00:00 BST
Click to follow
The Independent Online
The actress Kathy Staff turned Nora Batty into a television icon. Over 35 years, in 29 series, she played the broom-wielding, humourless battleaxe in the BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. Nora had two targets: her henpecked husband, Wally (played by Joe Gladwin), and the shabby, woolly hat-and-wellies-wearing pensioner Compo (Bill Owen), who lusted after her and did eventually get a kiss. Nora's pursuit by Compo was a staple of most episodes. It provided wacky storylines such as the scruffy old man attempting to have his photograph taken in her bedroom and devising a complicated plan to establish her shoe size.
The tale of three eccentric old duffers ambling around a small Yorkshire town, written by Roy Clarke, changed in tone over the years (and Peter Sallis, as Clegg, is the only survivor from the original trio). The initial acerbic humour was gradually tempered to provide a more gentle and affectionate situation and there was increasing slapstick and larger-than-life characterisation. But Nora Batty maintained her battleaxe status, even though the actress – a devout Christian – was keen to make the character slightly more mellow.
Staff once insisted: "Underneath, Nora is a very warm-hearted woman, but she doesn't like to show her feelings. She's the type of woman who if she shows any feelings thinks it's a sign of weakness. But I don't think she would show her feelings to anybody – even her husband. He probably didn't even realise that she was so fond of him."
Joe Gladwin died shortly after the 1986 Christmas special, leaving Batty as a widow continuing to fend off Compo's amorous advances, until Bill Owen's death in 1999. Staff and Owen had been the only cast members to appear in all 21 series to that date of a programme that attracted up to 22 million viewers and continues to run to this day. Staff completed her 29th series this year.
Nora was seen hanging out her washing in the first scene of the Last of the Summer Wine pilot episode in 1973, but in those early days she was simply "Mrs Batty", Compo's neighbour. However, the character quickly acquired cult status. This was a result not only of Staff's portrayal – complete with padding to make her the fat and ugly Nora envisaged in the script – but also the frequent mentions of her wrinkled stockings made by Terry Wogan on his Radio 2 show. Batty's husband did not appear until the second series, in 1975.
During the first decade of Summer Wine, Staff was able to combine the role of Nora with others in ITV's three most popular soap operas. Having played customers in different Coronation Street shops over the years, she became a semi-regular in the serial as Vera Hopkins (1973, 1974-75), a community centre committee member who then ran the cornershop with her family, renting it from Gordon Clegg. But Vera's plans to become part of the community were sabotaged by her harridan mother-in-law Megan's heavy-handedness with customers. When Staff needed to record the second series of Last of the Summer Wine, Vera was written out to nurse her sick mother.
The actress then played Winnie Purvis, cleaner at The Woolpack pub, in Emmerdale Farm (1975). But her longest-running soap role was as Doris Luke in Crossroads (1978-85). The kindly spinster was first seen as the housekeeper at Ed Lawton's farm, where Benny worked, before becoming a vegetable cook in the motel kitchen. "No good'll come out of it – you mark my words," was a typical Doris observation. (Staff had previously popped up in the critically maligned serial in 1971, as Miss Dingwall, who visited the motel to arrange her daughter's wedding.)
"I enjoyed myself as Nora Batty because I enjoyed the comedy, whereas Doris was more like me," Staff reflected. "Crossroads were very good about me combining the two. They said, 'If you give us three months' notice for your dates on Last of the Summer Wine, we'll write you out.' So Doris was always falling off step ladders and ending up in hospital or going to see her sister."
Although Staff left the Crossroads cast in 1985, three years before the axe fell on the serial, she was one of only three characters who returned when it was revived in 2001. She left a year later, unhappy with the racy storylines – pre-empting the final demise of what was once a much-loved soap.
Kathy Staff was born Minnie Higginbottom in Dukinfield, Cheshire, in 1928, the daughter of a clothing company manager who was also a lay reader at a mission church. As a child, she performed in a local church choir and pantomimes and had ambitions to become a ballet dancer, but her parents could not afford the training fees. Her religious upbringing led her never to drink alcohol or smoke.
On leaving school, she trained as a shorthand typist and took an office job with the National Gas & Oil Engine Company in Ashton-under-Lyne. This gave her the chance to perform on stage with the firm's amateur acting group.
In 1949, at the age of 21, she turned professional and changed her name to Katherine Brant, taking the surname from a shopfront she saw while on a bus to Oldham. She gained experience with repertory companies in Scotland and Wales and, while in Llanelli, met John Staff, a schoolteacher who read lessons in a local church. After they married and had two children, she retired from acting for 10 years.
Gerald Harper, an old friend from rep days, persuaded her to return and she worked as a £3-a-day extra in television. By then using her married name, Kathy Staff, she also landed a prized supporting role in the film A Kind of Loving (1962), one of the "kitchen sink" dramas that portrayed working-class life as it really was. She played Mrs Oliphant, a nosy neighbour, alongside Alan Bates as the North Country draughtsman forced into marriage when his girlfriend became pregnant and Thora Hird as his dragon-like mother-in-law. Staff, whose young daughter Katherine also appeared in the film, later had an uncredited role, again as a neighbour, in The Family Way (1966).
After acting in an episode of the Yorkshire Television schools series How We Used to Live (1968), Staff was cast by the same ITV company in her first soap opera, Castle Haven (1969). She had the regular role of Lorna Everitt, wife of the scruffy Harry (played by another Coronation Street star, Roy Barraclough), in a saga revolving around the residents of flats in a Yorkshire coastal town.
Parts followed in other serials and Last of the Summer Wine. During this time she also had a small, semi-regular role as Mrs Blewett, a miserable, gossiping customer of the stammering Yorkshire shopkeeper Arkwright (Ronnie Barker) in Open All Hours (1976, 1981), which was another of the writer Roy Clarke's creations.
Her cult status as Nora Batty also led Staff to appear with the comedian Les Dawson, first in his comedy playlet "Where There's a Will" (Dawson's Weekly, 1975), then for the 11th and final series of Sez Les (1976) and its successor, Dawson and Friends (1977). Later, she brought her battleaxe screen persona to The Benny Hill Show (1983-86) and Hill's producer, Dennis Kirkland, gave her the role of Mrs H in the Eric Sykes wordless comedy Mr H Is Late (1988).
Staff then landed her own starring role in a sitcom, playing the recently widowed Molly Bickerstaff who moves from Oldham to live with her divorced daughter and granddaughter in London, in No Frills (1988), but it ran for only one series.
The actress's other films included The Dresser (based on Ronald Harwood's play, 1983), Little Dorrit (as the cook and housekeeper Mrs Tickit, 1988) and Mary Reilly (also as a cook, alongside Julia Roberts and John Malkovich, 1996). She also played the boarding-house maid Mabel in the television film adaptation of Terence Rattigan's Separate Tables (1983). Staff's autobiography, My Story – Wrinkles and All, was published in 1997.
Anthony Hayward
Minnie Higginbottom (Kathy Staff), actress: born Dukinfield, Cheshire 12 July 1928; married 1951 John Staff (two daughters); died Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire 14 December 2008.
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| Wally |
What was the surname of the Liverpool family who in 1983 had sextuplets | Nora Batty (Character) - Quotes
Nora Batty (Character)
"Last of the Summer Wine: Who's That Talking to Lenny? (#27.7)" (2006)
[first lines]
Nora : And that's supposed to entertain the over-sixties. I hope they think it's been worth waiting sixty years.
Billy : Give us a chance. It looks better in costume.
Alvin : And with all the pizazz, the lights, the music...
Nora : The audience leaving.
[Nora leaves]
Billy : Do you think she can smile? Do you think her muscles have gone slack?
Alvin : Huh. Have you seen her corsets? I don't think there's a chance for anything to go slack.
Billy : Hey, she was married to Wally for fifty years. I don't think he raised a smile.
Alvin : He was probably waiting waiting till she was in a good mood.
Billy : Which bits didn't you like?
Alvin : We're working on it.
Nora : And the end.
Glenda : Could I ask you all a personal question?
Ivy : Well, I don't see why not. They're usually the more interesting.
Nora : And it's not as if there's any men here with big ears and a loose tongue.
Nelly : Just a bunch of women with big ears and a loose tongue.
Nora : I wouldn't say that!
Nelly : Well, neither would I if there *were* any men here with big ears and a loose tongue.
Glenda : It's just that I was wondering if any of your husbands had ended up with no minds of their own.
Nora : Minds of their own! Are they supposed to have?
Ivy : I don't know about ending up like that; I thought they started like that.
Compo : It's no good. I've not got the knack. Why's thine a better colour than mine?
Mrs. Batty : I'm not talking to you about washing.
Neighbour : Well, he only asked, Mrs Batty.
Mrs. Batty : Yes, and he only does it so he can talk about me knickers. He's got no shame. I'd dry 'em inside, but you never know when that insurance man's going to come.
Compo : Oh, I miss a woman's touch, eh.
Mrs. Batty : You'll not miss it in a minute. Give you a swipe left earhole if you come any closer.
Alvin : I'm not available for romantic purposes.
Nora Batty : Look as if you never were. And that makes two of us.
Alvin : Go away. I'm busy.
Nora Batty : You'll be busier in a moment, dodging this brush.
Alvin : Give us a hand.
Nora Batty : I don't want any familiarities if I come close.
Alvin : Familiarities! I'd sooner grab a hot welding rod.
Nora Batty : You'll think you have grabbed one if you try anything on with me.
Alvin : You! You're bad-tempered, foul and horrible.
Nora Batty : Yes, and that's just on the surface. Underneath I can be really unpleasant.
Alvin : [riding a bicycle with a sidecar] Hop on. Your carriage awaits.
Nora Batty : I don't accept lifts from strangers.
Alvin : Strangers! I live next door.
Nora Batty : And damn strange you are too. What do you need that thing for when you're on your own?
Alvin : They said, "Nora Batty is a different woman in a sidecar." So I thought, "A different Nora Batty? It's worth a try."
Nora Batty : Who said?
Alvin : So I thought, "Go for it, Alvin. Sweeten up the old bat. Take her for a spin now and then. Bring a bit of colour to her life."
Nora Batty : Have you any idea how close you are to being spoken of in the past tense?
Nora Batty : What do you want?
Alvin : No, not "What do you want?" Try "Hello, Alvin."
Nora Batty : I know you're a bit wet, but do you need a drainpipe?
Alvin : It's a viewscope. Auntie's selling them.
Nora Batty : What do you want one of them things for?
Alvin : Well, I didn't go in for one of these; I went in to chose a roll of lino. But lino lacks entertainment appeal. These are more interesting than lino.
Nora Batty : As long as you don't go staring at me through it.
Alvin : Just testing. You needn't read anything giddy into it. You're a bit lacking in entertainment appeal yourself. Have you never felt the urge to act on impulse?
Nora Batty : [Nora pushes the ladder Alvin is standing on so he falls off] Next question.
[last lines]
Alvin : Hello. Come on if you're ready. Stir yourself.
Nora : Ooh. You realize, I'm only learning to do this for charity.
Alvin : Get on with it.
Nora : Suppose somebody's looking.
Alvin : It's just you and me.
Nora : Yes, and I don't want that word spreading round either.
Alvin : Look, I'm not going to brag about it.
[turns on the music]
Alvin : Come on, Twinkle-Toes, follow me.
Glenda : [about Nora Batty learning to line dance] Are you enjoying it?
Nora : I am not enjoying it. And I'll challenge anybody who says I am enjoying it. I'm not having people thinking I'm some silly, daft, fluffy-headed bimbo.
Pearl : I don't think you're in much danger of that.
Roz : However, if you end up going down that route, I'm always available for advice.
Ivy : Oh, don't get her going. She'll blame me.
Nora : Well, you opened your mouth.
Ivy : It's a bit of line dancing! You're not lap dancing.
Roz : Not yet, but once you get your feet on the slippery slope...
Nora Batty : [about a rumoured tiger] Well, I don't think there's anything round here that is a man-eater.
Pearl : Well, I know one for a start.
Glenda : What kind of man-eater?
[first lines]
Tom : Will you pack it in? The whole house is shaking. There's plaster falling off in there.
Nora Batty : He's very forceful, your Tom.
Mrs. Avery : He's unreliable. I think there's another woman.
Nora Batty : There'd better not be another woman. You've got a good lass here. I've seen the way she looks after your house.
Tom : Looks after it! She's shaking it to bits. Nobody can get any sleep.
Nora Batty : It's time you married this good lass. Settle down.
Mrs. Avery : He keeps saying he will.
Tom : Aaaaaah, I'm working on it.
Nora Batty : Has he promised you?
Mrs. Avery : At least twice a week.
Tom : Am I supposed to remember everything?
Nora Batty : I'll get him settled down; I feel I owe it to his father.
Alvin : I'm Alvin, vaulter of rivers!
[Ivy sighs]
Nora : Don't look. It only encourages him.
Ivy : I've never seen anyone with a firmer hold on stupidity.
Nora : Why do they settle here? Why don't they go and annoy Australia?
Ivy : They'd never find Australia.
Ivy : Let me have a look in the daylight. You can't tell by artificial light.
Alvin : She'll go to any lengths, that woman, to attract my attention.
Nora Batty : The number of times I sweep that yard, and still there are things I can never get rid of.
Ivy : Ignore it. It might go away.
Nora Batty : It keeps coming back!
Alvin : I've seen her in some pretty funny hats, but that's pushing it even for her.
Ivy : It's part of her costume, dimwit. She's in the float parade. She's playing the general's wife.
Alvin : Oh, lucky him. Who's playing the general?
Nora Batty : Nobody. He's a dummy.
Nora Batty : Well, he'd have to be to be married to you.
Ivy : It's a lifelike dummy of the hero of the battle of Mazurka. They use it every year. It's a piece of history. It's dressed in one of the general's original uniforms.
Alvin : You're getting all dressed up to sit on a float next to a dummy!
Nora Batty : I've had plenty of practice being next to dummies since you moved here.
Alvin : Every morning we get this flurry of wind stirring up the dust, and it's you.
Nora : Well, I'm a flurry in a hurry. It's time you were dressed and gone.
Alvin : Why don't you slip into something more comfortable? Like a good mood.
Alvin : Sit down. Join me.
Nora : Alone? With a man in his dressing gown? Never!
Alvin : It's tea and toast. It doesn't mean we have to get married.
Nora : I used to see my husband in his dressing gown, *only* when he was poorly. That's what dressing gowns are for, not for flaunting about in front of respectable widows.
Alvin : Whi! It's not much of a flaunt. I'm sorry if it's getting you all emotional. You'll find things get easier once the fires in the flesh have died down.
Nora : They die down very quick when the only fuel is men.
| i don't know |
Which type of sunset did the Kinks sing about | Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks Songfacts
Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks Songfacts
Songfacts
Written by Kinks lead singer Ray Davies, he called this "a romantic, lyrical song about my older sister's generation."
Waterloo Bridge is in London, and the lyrics are about a guy looking out of a window at two lovers meeting at Waterloo Station. Davies used to cross Waterloo Bridge every day when he was a student at Croydon Art School.
Ray Davies brought this to the band while they were in the middle of recording the album. He was reluctant to share the lyrics because they were so personal. In a Rolling Stone magazine interview, his brother (and Kinks guitarist) Dave Davies said Ray felt "it was like an extract from a diary nobody was allowed to read."
It is often claimed that the line, "Terry meets Julie, Waterloo Station every Friday night" is about the relationship between actor Terence Stamp and actress Julie Christie. However, Ray Davies denied this in his autobiography. He subsequently revealed that it was "a fantasy about my sister going off with her boyfriend to a new world and they were going to emigrate and go to another country."
According to Kinks biographer Nick Hasted, Terry was Ray's nephew Terry Davies, whom he was close to in early teenage years.
Further confusing the matter, Davies told Rolling Stone in 2015 that Julie and Terry were "big, famous actors at the time."
Ray Davies started writing this a few years before The Kinks recorded it. At first, it was called "Liverpool Sunset," but when The Beatles released " Penny Lane ," he changed the words so it wouldn't look like a rip-off.
On February 23, 2003 David Bowie was joined on stage by Ray Davies and performed a duet of this song at Carnegie Hall in New York City for the Tibet House benefit. >>
Suggestion credit:
Mo - Newark, NJ
The perfectionist Ray Davies, before releasing the single, revisited the song's location at sunset to ensure "the atmosphere was right."
Ray Davies (From Uncut magazine January 2009): "It came to me first as a statement about the death of Merseybeat. But I realized that Waterloo was a very significant place in my life. I was in St. Thomas' Hospital when I was really ill as a child, and I looked out on the river. I went to Waterloo every day to go to college as well. The song was also about being taken to the Festival of Britain with my mum and dad. I remember them taking me by the hand, looking at the big Skylon tower, and saying it symbolized the future. That, and then walking by the Thames with my first wife (Rasa, who left Ray, taking his two daughters, in 1973) and all the other dreams that we had. Her in her brown suede coat that she wore, that was stolen. And also about my sisters, and about the world I wanted them to have. The two characters in the song, Terry and Julie, are to do with the aspirations of my sisters' generation, who grew up during the Second world War and missed out on the '60s.
Sometimes when you're writing and you're really on good form, you get into the frame of mind where you think, I can relate to any of these things. It's something I learned at art school-let all the ideas flow out. But if you listen to the words without the music, it's a different thing entirely. The lyrics could be better. But they dovetail with the music perfectly."
Popular British singer Paul Weller has said this is his favorite song.
Ray Davies performed this with Jackson Browne on Davies' 2010 collaborative album See My Friends. In an interview for Daniel Rachel's book The Art of Noise: Conversations with Great Songwriters, Davies recalled that Browne was taken with a particular lyric: "He said, 'I don't need no friends?' He said it twice. I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'That's the most beautiful thing I've ever had to sing. It doesn't make sense on the page but when you put it with the music...'
I hadn't thought about it that way. The melody takes the curse off the grammar fault. The choice of words, the way they're pronounced, sometimes gives an emotion that's unexpected. Don't is the killer word because it's not correct. Great lines are only great because of what precedes them, maybe sometimes when they happen after."
| Waterloo |
What is the term given to the source of a spring | Naive, Yet Revolutionary: Ray Davies On 50 Years Of The Kinks : NPR
"I think if I had been an accomplished songwriter I wouldn't have written 'You Really Got Me,' " Davies tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. Originally broadcast Nov. 26.
TERRY GROSS, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross. Merry Christmas. Today, we begin a week-long series of some of our favorite interviews of the year.
UNIDENTIFIED HOST: You're tuned to Britain's grooviest radio show, Top Of The Pops. And here come those four lads from North London called The Kinks. The song you've heard before, as it's the one that Kink Ray Davies wrote especially for Dave Barry. And it's called, "The Strange Effect."
THE KINKS: (Singing) You've got this strange...
GROSS: That broadcast recording is included in a Kinks five-CD box set, collecting the band's recordings from 1964 to '71. It includes their hits, like "You Really Got Me," "All Day And All Of The Night," "Tired Of Waiting For You," "Who Will Be The Next In Line," "A Well Respected Man," "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion," "Sunny Afternoon," "Lola" and "I'm Not Like Everybody Else," which has recently been used in an Acura commercial. The box also includes lesser-known songs as well as outtakes, demos and remixes. It's a reminder of how great The Kinks were. My guest, Ray Davies, is the group's lead singer and songwriter, who has also recorded solo albums. His brother, Dave, is the band's lead guitarist. The Kinks first came to the U.S. in 1965 and were considered part of the British Invasion. They're now seen as one of the forerunners of punk rock, although the Kinks had too many sounds and styles to comfortably fit in any one category. They drew on rock and roll, folk, blues, British music hall and theater music. Let's start with their first hit. From 1964, this is "You Really Got Me."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "YOU REALLY GOT ME")
THE KINKS: (Singing) Girl, you really got me going. You got me so I don't know what I'm doing. Yeah, you really got me now. You got me so I can't sleep at night. Yeah, you really got me now. You got me so I don't know what I'm doing. Oh, yeah, you really got me now. You got me so I can't sleep at night. You really got me. You really got me. You really got to me. See, don't ever set me free. I always want to be by your side. Girl, you really got me now. You got me so I can't sleep at night. Yeah, you really got me now. You got me so I don't know what I'm doing. Oh, yeah, you really got me now. You got me so I can't sleep at night. You really got me. You really got me. You really got me. Oh, no.
GROSS: Ray Davies, welcome back to FRESH AIR. It's great to have you on the show. And as I was telling you before we started, I've been a Kinks fan, like, since I was 12. But I've never sat down and listened to album after album after album the way I did with this new, five-CD anthology - and what an extraordinary volume of work. And that only takes us to, like, 1971 - the new album. So wow is all I can say. So let me ask you about "You Really Got Me." Is that how you heard the song in your mind when you wrote it?
RAY DAVIES: Well, "You Really Got Me" is a strange one because I went to art school, studying - I was doing a five-year degree course as a painter, a sculptor and filmmaker. And music was my hobby. But at college, we had lots of great bands playing. And it was early days of R&B in Great Britain. I wanted to be a sideman, basically - just play along with other people because I hadn't really written songs. I was more interested in painting. But I played in a few bands. The great Lol Coxhill, who not many people in America know, but he was kind of legendary mentor and inspiration for a lot of musicians in the U.K. - Lol was an improvisational jazz guy. And I was an upstart R&B player. And we sat down jamming one night. It was to a song called "Da Doo Ron Ron," by The Crystals. But Lol was improvising in the most incredible jazz style. He looked at me. And he said, you should do this R&B music and write your own songs because he felt that I could write riffs. And I went home. And I was trying to write country blues. I was very influenced by a lot of American music and - it's a mixture of a Gregorian chant because I sang in the choir at school. If you think of it as, (singing) girl, you really got me going.
So, it's that to a Big Bill Broonzy phrase, which is basically G-7. So it evolves through a mixture of blues and my sort of English, quirky, subliminal influence of being in a choir during Gregorian chant, which definitely comes through if you really think about it.
GROSS: Wow, I never would've thought that "You Really Got Me Going" was inspired by a Gregorian chant. That never, ever...
DAVIES: Well...
GROSS: Would have occurred to me.
DAVIES: You know, being - what was I? - 16, 17 at the time, you experiment at that age. And I kind of - then the riff came to me (humming) da da da da da. And I played it to sort of a country riff, to begin with. Then I thought it would be good to just have power, of course. I also then went to the piano to write the rest of the song. And the piano changed the dynamic a little bit.
GROSS: But there's something so raw about the track. A lot of people see it as the kind of predecessor of punk. What did you hear...
DAVIES: Well, that...
GROSS: Yeah, go ahead.
DAVIES: Well, that came about because we - at home, we had a record player the family played records on. My brother Dave and I played records so loud, it made the speakers distort. And we thought it would be a nice idea to make the guitar sound that distorted. And we cranked up the amplifier. And I stuck a knitting needle in it. And I think legend has it that Dave tried it with a razor blade, although I wasn't present. But eventually, we used that as a distorted little preamp and plugged it into a regular amp. That gave it what is a very distinctive sound on the record.
GROSS: What did you want for yourself back then, in 1964? Did you want a life in music? You saw yourself as an art student, not necessarily as a musician.
DAVIES: Yeah, well, when you're 16, 17 years old, you're not sure what you want. I still don't know what I am and what I want. Again, it was probably the third or fourth song I had ever written. I wrote a couple of bad pop songs. The very first song I wrote was a country and western song. It was more for someone like Roy Rogers, you know, Gene Autry.
GROSS: Oh, Eugene Autrey. I love Gene Autry. (Laughter).
DAVIES: He's great.
GROSS: Yeah, he's great. I know. I know. Oh, you wouldn't sing a few bars of that would you?
DAVIES: I can't remember it. Something to do with rocky skies above and the worst rhyming couplet ever, just made for love.
(LAUGHTER)
DAVIES: You know, I never thought - it wasn't until "You Really Got Me" became a number one record in most of Europe that people actually thought that I knew what I was doing. And that's quite scary because like I said, I wanted to be an artist. So I had to learn how to write songs. I think if I had been an accomplished songwriter, I wouldn't have written "You Really Got Me." There's something naive about it and basic about it. People forget the important thing in it is the key shift halfway through.
GROSS: Right.
DAVIES: A normal blues goes through the track of G, C, to D, to C, to G. We took - I took it up to A on the piano, which is quite - well, then, was quite revolutionary, took it up one step. So - but if I had really thought and analyzed it, I probably wouldn't have done that. So it's a very naive track that by just persistence and belief and pigheadedness, got me through a record that went to number one.
GROSS: My guest is Ray Davies, the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. Let's hear another early track from the new box set, "The Anthology 1964-1971." This is "Stop Your Sobbing," recorded in 1964. This was later covered by The Pretenders.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "STOP YOUR SOBBING")
THE KINKS: (Singing) It is time for you to stop all of your sobbin'. Yes, it's time for you to stop all of your sobbin'. There's one thing you've got to do to make me still want you. You've got to stop your sobbing now. Yeah. Stop it. Stop it. You've got to stop your sobbing now. It is time for you to laugh instead of cry. Yes, it's time for you to laugh, so keep on trying. Ooh. There's one thing you've got to do to make me still want you. You've got to stop sobbing now. Yeah.
GROSS: That's The Kinks, recorded in 1964. And it's called "Stop Your Sobbing." And it reminds me a little of the Beatles in the harmonies. But it heads into a more, you know - it's like a very Kinks record but with Beatles-ish harmonies. Do you think of the Beatles as having influenced the song?
DAVIES: I think the distinctive thing about the later Kinks music is that Dave, my brother, had a very high voice. And he could sing an octave above me, which was - gave it quite unique - but you're talking about simple, two or three-part harmonies. You don't have to be coming from Liverpool to know how to do that. It's not a typical Kinks-sounding harmony part. But it's a - it has a melodic feel to it. But listening to the rhythm track, it was very rooted in what we thought was American soul music from the South - the chink chink. It was nice hearing it. And listening to the reverb on the focal, it's quite...
GROSS: It's really a great track.
DAVIES: Oh, it's a great track.
GROSS: Yeah. So let's talk a little bit about coming to America to tour. You were still in your teens?
DAVIES: Yeah. In my final year as a teen.
GROSS: OK. And so what was it like to come to America and be seen us part of this, like, British invasion? Like, suddenly you were British, as opposed to just British. Do you know what I mean? (Laughter). It was, like, a big deal to be British at that time in America.
DAVIES: I think listening to "Stop Your Sobbing," if it had been, say, the Beatles or another Merseybeat band, it would be more well-produced, more refined. And there was a raw edge to The Kinks. And I think, you know, you're talking America, '65, still quite conservative in most places. And I think The Kinks were just the thin end of the wedge, you know? Just couldn't really - we didn't have a publicity machine that could deal with our idiosyncratic ways. And my brother was 17 and did what 17-year-old people do. And I was kind of - I'd just got married. My first daughter had been born, I think, two weeks before I went on tour. Our managers were in dispute. Our royalties were frozen because of a dispute with the publishing company. And as a result, royalties were frozen. So it was not a great time to embark on this immense continent, which is an inspiration for lots of my music - in fact, the reason I became a musician.
GROSS: Right.
DAVIES: And it was - it ended up in a union ban. I think I refer it, a mixture of bad management, bad luck and bad behavior resulted in a union ban. We couldn't work in America for nearly four years.
GROSS: Wow. So you were married by the time you came to America. I remember, you know, when John Lennon was married to Cynthia early in the life of the Beatles, he was told not to let on. And she had to kind of, like, trail on back of the band because, you know, the Beatles management was afraid that girls wouldn't see John as this, like, romantic object of fantasy if they knew he was married. Did anybody tell you to hide the fact that you were married and a father?
DAVIES: No because we were The Kinks, you know? We didn't really - again, I said, we - our publicity the machine was not well-oiled like the Beatles. We didn't have any, you know, agenda. We were what we were. You know, the Beatles to us were establishment figures and were very well respected for their songwriting and records. And they broke the mold of pop music from the U.K. But we didn't really care about that. And that's the thing about The Kinks. I think the reason we endured when we came back from the three-and-a-half-year ban, we just played clubs. Our last gig in America, I think, before the ban was Hollywood Bowl and a big festival in Seattle playing in front of, like, 20,000 people. When we came back, we played clubs that held 200. But it was just an intrepid desire and pigheadedness that kept us going. And by this time, I've been writing songs for two or three years. And I was actually beginning to like it. So I had a lot I wanted to write about.
GROSS: My guest is Ray Davies, the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. The new, five-CD Kinks box set was released this month. We'll talk more after a break. This is FRESH AIR.
(MUSIC)
GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. My guest is Ray Davies, the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. A new five-CD box set was released this month in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their first recording.
What about some of the music you grew up with? You had, what, eight siblings? I think your father played banjo?
Do I have that right?
DAVIES: Yeah, I had six sisters much older than I. The youngest nearest in age to me is Gwen and Gwen is, I think, seven years older than I am. So it was a generation gap almost between my brother and our sisters and they - of course we were exposed to music of their era, big band music, a lot of jazz, a lot of '50s bebop and early rock 'n' roll that we wouldn't have been - had found accessible to us without them and they were incredible dancers. They used to go dancing. The dance hall was called the Palais and I wrote a musical about seven years ago called "Come Dancing" about my sisters and it was - we actually made a record called "Come Dancing," as well. So they're a very big influence and we used to watch them dance with their boyfriends, look through the keyhole when we shouldn't be looking. They're a vital part of our musical education.
Dad was into Dixieland. In many respects, he was sort of an early bluesman in sort of many ways. He moved brilliantly. The dance halls' start of dancing, as you probably know, heard about, was very rigid and formulaic, but Dad's dancing was very loose, almost like he was from Louisiana or somewhere.
And so it was an oddball family. We always had a sing-song every weekend. My parents encouraged the girls to bring back their boyfriends and play records and play the piano. All my sisters played the piano, they had piano lessons.
GROSS: So when you started recording, you didn't think of yourself as a songwriter or necessarily as a singer? Did you think of yourself as having a good voice?
DAVIES: No. I've got one of the most probably unorganized voices imaginable.
GROSS: What does unorganized mean?
DAVIES: I'm not conventional in the studio. I didn't think I was a singer. I always thought my brother was a singer because he had a good look and - that's Dave - had a good look and he could reach the notes and sing the Gene Vincent part, some "Be-Bop-A-Lula" and the Eddie Cochran parts. There was an energy in Eddie Cochran's playing and singing that Dave really caught well, but I was just sort of the guy that played guitar and it wasn't until we made our first recording sessions that people said - I think they felt I could enunciate better. So I don't know, I fell into singing by accident.
GROSS: I want to play another track. This is another famous "Kinks" track and "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion"
and I want to play this because it has, you know, unlike "You Really Got Me" and some of the early hits, which are very proto-punk, this is more kind of like, dance hall with like, a two quarter-beat like an oom-pah, oom-pah kind of beat to it and I'd like you to talk about the musical influences behind the song and also what you were thinking about when you wrote the lyric.
DAVIES: After "You Really Got Me," people thought I knew what I was doing and I pretended to know what I was doing, and I made "All Day And All Of The Night" and other rock songs. At art school I used to draw characters on the street, cartoons and illustrations of people and I think I took character studies over into my music. The actual song "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion" itself was inspired more as a result of an argument with a fashion designer who came to my house. You know, because I got married when I was 20 I think, I was a home suburbanite while my brother and the rest of the band went to London played around in clubs - and this fashion designer accused me of wearing flares when they were not.
GROSS: You mean like, bellbottoms?
DAVIES: Yeah, like, Sonny-and-Cher-type flares.
GROSS: Right, OK.
DAVIES: Mega flares.
GROSS: OK.
DAVIES: And it was a fashion dispute and he accused me of being dull because I didn't go into high society of Carnaby Street and particularly the King's Road anymore, and it was after an argument about style really, in a sense it was a protest song and the vocal is very affected I think because the key we recorded in, you know, we had no opportunity to re-record stuff because we didn't have the budget. So the key was not my range so I formed a character for the song. I became the character and that's why it's extreme annunciation - they seek him here, they seek him there. And but basically it's a good rock track. There is an oom-pah feel, you're right. Maybe it's the Lithuanian influence. I don't know.
GROSS: Lithuanian influence?
DAVIES: My first wife was a Lithuanian refugee, which is not different from Polish music and oom-pah music. Also the oom-pah feel is very British, very English. At school I did English country dancing and they're all traditional songs and dance around the maypole and all that stuff and I think there's an element of English culture in the song. It has an oom-pah feel to it which is pure folk, really.
GROSS: Ray Davies will be back in the second half of the show. Let's hear the song we've been talking about, "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion," but we'll hear an outtake from a recording session in 1966. It's included in the new Kinks five-CD box set that was released this month. I'm Terry Gross and this is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DEDICATED FOLLOWER OF FASHION")
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: (Through megaphone) Follow-up session one.
THE KINKS: (Playing guitar).
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: Why don't you wait 'til we start the second verse? Try that. Just try that. One, two, one, two, three, four.
THE KINKS: (Playing guitar).
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: Speed it up.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: (Through megaphone) Actually, you started out slower than you have been.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: You know, I think it sounds better with it slow.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: (Through megaphone) Well, it was swinging before, man.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: One, two, one, two, three, four.
THE KINKS: (Playing guitar).
(MUSIC)
GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross back with Ray Davies, the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks -one of the most important bands to come out of the British invasion era of the '60s. Davies was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame this year. The Kinks' first hit, "You Really Got Me," was released in 1964. In celebration of the band's 50th anniversary, a new five-CD box set was released this month. It includes outtakes, demos and remixes.
I want to play another track that's included on this. And it's a demo called "I Go To Sleep." It's from 1965. And it's Ray Davies singing and at the piano. It's a demo.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I GO TO SLEEP")
THE KINKS: (Singing) When I look up from my pillow, I dream you are there with me. Though you are far away I know you'll always be near to me. I go to sleep, sleep and imagine that you're there with me. I go to sleep, sleep and imagine that you're there with me. I look around me and feel you are ever so close to me.
GROSS: That was Ray Davies singing and at the piano a song that he wrote called "I Go To Sleep." It was recorded in 1965. And it's featured on the new Kinks anthology, which is a five-album collection. That's really a terrific song and really interesting demo. And I think that piano playing is really interesting on it, too. So would you tell us a little bit about writing that song, which, again, is something that doesn't sound like what The Kinks were best known for in the '60s.
DAVIES: Yes, that song is exploration - learning how to do it. The piano playing is very basic. You know, mostly great song. I was a big friend of a man called Mort Shuman, who wrote with Doc Pomus lots of hits for the Drifters. And he said a lot of great writers aren't good piano players, which helps the writing. And you're too virtuoso. You make the song too overwhelming complex. So that's the joy of listening to demos. I wish - I've got a whole slew of demos in various boxes. It shows the process - the unexplored possibilities. And it allows our listeners to imagine what could be better, where I can be implemented. But it shows a process. It shows a writer trying to explore new territory in this wonderful art form that's being - not thrust upon me, but put in my direction. And it's not a love - I don't think it mentions love in it. That was another thing with The Kinks. Think back to the early songs, and even past "You Really Got Me," "All Day And All The Night." The word love never occurs.
GROSS: But it's about obsession with a girl. I mean, they both are.
DAVIES: They are, yes. But "I Go To Sleep" is about someone on a journey and missing somebody. And sleep has always been a big issue in my life because I'm a very bad sleeper even since I was a baby. I was born just postwar. And there were still what they call doodle bugs being sent from Germany to bomb England. So it was the tail-end of the Second World War, 1945. So - and apparently, I was a really bad sleeper. And so sleep is a constant recurring theme in my music.
GROSS: Do you have insomnia?
DAVIES: (Singing) Insomnia. Yes. I don't know what causes it. I won't bore the audience with all my insomnia problems, but it's an issue I have since childhood. I really admire and am jealous of people who just fall asleep. And that's a real talent or a blessing.
GROSS: Definitely. It's a gift. Yeah. Definitely a gift.
DAVIES: Yeah.
GROSS: So another track I want to play that's included on the new anthology, and it's "Dead End Street." And this is a good example of just kind of, like, a working-class reality songs about, you know, like, this song is about people in a dead-end street, about people who have no chance to emigrate and who are stuck. Does this relate to the neighborhood you grew up in at all?
DAVIES: "Dead End Street" came about - we had this massive hit called "Sunny Afternoon." And everyone said, oh, it's great. England had just won the World Cup - world soccer cup at the same time "Sunny Afternoon" was a hit. And everything seemed centered. But I didn't feel that. Being kind of - I'm not morbid, but I'm a realist to the extreme sometimes. I saw - it was inspired by a leak in the pipe I had. Winter was coming on. And I realized all was not good in Swinging London. It was a time when we devalued our currency. We had terrible immigration issues. And culture was changing in England because England went through a tremendous - like so many places did after the Second World War - of austerity. And the '60s were meant to be the revival the joy. But I was not of that belief. I think the '60s were, in many respects, diverged in Swinging London and all of that. So I wanted to write a follow-up to "Sunny Afternoon," which it was a celebration really of the time. And "Dead End Street," I think it came out in '67 or '66. It was almost written like a Dixieland song about hard times and depression - financial depression. And all is not well. But we are strictly second-class, and we don't understand. Because in the '60s - and the revolution occurred with working-class culture prior to that - everyone seemed to be classless. But for some reason, I felt I knew - instinctively knew - that it was not strictly speaking that way. So how do you make a pop song out of that? We managed to do it. We had an out-chorus and some interesting chord changes. And I think it exemplified a period in England where people were thinking, hang on a minute, what's really happening here?
GROSS: So this is "Dead End Street," 1966, The Kinks. And it's included on the new five-volume Kinks anthology.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DEAD END STREET")
THE KINKS: (Singing) There's a crack up in the ceiling. And the kitchen sink is leaking. Out of work and got no money. A Sunday joint of bread and honey. What are we living for? Two-roomed apartment on the second floor. No money coming in. The rent collector's not trying to get in. We are strictly second-class. And we don't understand. Dead end. We should be on Dead End Street. Dead end. People are living on Dead End Street. Dead end. Going die on Dead End Street. Dead End Street. Yeah. Dead End Street. Yeah. On a cold and frosty morning, wipe my eyes and stop yawning.
GROSS: That's The Kinks, recorded in 1966 - "Dead End Street." It's included on the new anthology "The Anthology 1964 to 1971." It's a five-album set. And my guest is Ray Davies, the lead songwriter and singer of The Kinks who, of course, also records solo albums. So I have to say that really sounds great, and it sounds really raw, too. I love the - how all the backup vocals are really just, like, shouting in the background (Laughter).
DAVIES: The interesting thing about the record, though, is that the ending needed a - I wanted something other than a guitar solo. I wanted to be in traditional jazz. And we went - there was a pub. It recorded at Pye Studios, which is in London - the center of London. We went to the local pub and saw a musician who had just been on a session who played trombone. We dragged him and just asked him to come and sit and play on it. We just grabbed him from a bar, put the solo on the end, and we mixed the record that night. So it's all chance. But I love things like that when they happen.
GROSS: My guest is Ray Davies, the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. The new five-CD Kinks box set was released this month. We'll talk more after a break. This is FRESH AIR.
(MUSIC)
GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. My guest is Ray Davies, the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. A new five-CD box set was released this month in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their first recording.
You were hospitalized as a child and ended up having to have an emergency tracheotomy when you were 7, I think it was. Is that right?
DAVIES: No. I - let's back up a bit.
GROSS: Yes, let's.
DAVIES: I had an accident when I fell off a wall. I was trying to fly. I didn't realize the wall was, like, 12 feet high. And I fell and broke my jaw and busted my nose and lost lots of teeth when I was about 6 - 5 or 6. And I had to have a restorative operation just to re-engage my bite, and my jaw didn't set properly. So they put me in a hospital. I had a tracheotomy because of my breathing and had a near-death experience because of it - bad tracheotomy.
GROSS: What do you remember from the...
DAVIES: No, but it's...
GROSS: ...Near-death experience?
DAVIES: Oh, do you really want - need to know that?
GROSS: I don't need to know that, but if you wanted to share it, I would be interested in knowing it.
DAVIES: I think it's - I seem to remember lots of colors. It's partially because I was suffocating. I was sinking down and had - there were two horses with no flesh - just muscle and bone colliding. I remember lots of colors as they merged into one another. That's the only way I can describe it. And I felt terrible pressure on my chest. The doctor was banging my chest so - I think everybody experiences these things in different ways. That was my recollection of what happened to me. I was very lucky.
And ironically, the hospital was called St. Thomas'. And it was right by Waterloo Bridge. And Waterloo has played a very important part in my life. It's a district in London where they have a big train station. It's in the middle of London near the houses of parliament. It's a beautiful spot. You know, when you romanticize it, it's a wonderful place to be - seeing people going in different directions. Then I had the experience in the hospital when I was being operated on.
And then I wrote a song years later called "Waterloo Sunset." To me, it's - I think most people have this in their lives. To me, it's a blessed spot. You know, as a moment, it's a truthful spot where I can get centered. And it's by the River Thames. And it's near Waterloo.
GROSS: So in the song, the character is basically gazing out the window looking at other people - looking at the sunset. Was that inspired by when you were in the hospital, and you had to look...
DAVIES: Yeah.
GROSS: ...Out the window, and you couldn't go out?
DAVIES: Well, that's the way I think a lot of writers work, particularly me as a songwriter. The experience I had at the hospital was probably almost 10 years before I wrote "Waterloo Sunset." But I remembered the moment of looking out. They wheeled me to the window with my stuff I was plugged into and stood me on the balcony - this beautiful balcony at the hospital - looks over the river. Probably, I drew on that experience and put it in the song "Waterloo Sunset," which is about a man watching two people - a young couple walking across the bridge to their future. And the couple, to me, represented my sisters who amazingly - they enjoyed their life. They lived through the Second World War. They remember the blackouts and the bombs and having to hide in shelters in the back garden - going in the subway when there were bombing raids in London. And - but yeah. They loved it. They wouldn't have exchanged that time - amazingly - wouldn't have exchanged that for any other reason.
So the two characters in "Waterloo Sunset" were that generation going to the future. And I was a person observing from this window. And probably, I thought of that experience years earlier when I stood at the window in the hospital. But that's the way, I think, a lot of writers work. You know, I've got a saying, my subconscious is smarter than I am. I write - I have drawn many emotions and memories from my past and present. And sometimes as in "Waterloo Sunset," it's about the future - so all elements are there. And that's, I think, the magical thing you can do with song.
GROSS: Well, let's hear "Waterloo Sunset." This is The Kinks and this track is included on the new Kinks anthology.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WATERLOO SUNSET")
THE KINKS: (Singing) But I don't, need no friends. As long as I gaze on Waterloo Sunset, I am in paradise. Every day I look at the world from my window. But chilly, chilly is the evening time, Waterloo sunset's fine...
GROSS: That was "Waterloo Sunset" written by my guest Ray Davies, who also sings lead on that. It's included on the new Kinks anthology which covers the years 1964 to 1971. You know, we were talking about how you were in the hospital when you were, how old - 7?
DAVIES: No. I had the accident when I was 6 - between 6 and 7. And they did the operation when I was 13 or 14.
GROSS: Oh. I see. I see. OK.
DAVIES: It was a repair job. (Laughter) Yeah.
GROSS: So that year that you had the accident and you were hospitalized, I think that was the same year that your older - one of your older sisters died of a heart condition.
DAVIES: Yeah, she died on my 13th birthday. So it's around that time. Yeah.
GROSS: Did that whole, you know, confluence of things - you being really sick and nearly dying and then your sister actually dying - make you feel very vulnerable or make you afraid of or at least reflective about death?
DAVIES: When you're 13 years old - as it was my birthday - also she gave me my first guitar on my birthday as a present. We played it. It was quite a surreal scene almost. It was a sunny day. I was born mid-summer day, so the 21 of June. And she was told she had severe heart problems, but she loved to dance. And the doctors told her, she walked down the road, she would probably have a heart attack. So she bought me this not-very-expensive Spanish guitar and gave it to me on my birthday. And she - we played a few songs. She played a song on the piano. And I tried to play with her. And she said she was going out now. And I would watch my sister go out.
It was a sunny afternoon. And she walked down the road, and my mother stood at the gate. And that was it. And the next morning, we got a call from the police. She'd been - she had died dancing at the ballroom in London in the arms of a stranger. And they came to break the news to my parents. So it was - the birthday was forgotten, but that's irrelevant. Seeing - it was the whole sequence of events - her coming back from Canada where she had emigrated to die really. And again, being a sort of inspiration being - she was an artist herself and seeing her go that way and the impact it had on the family. So I think anyone - teenager experiences, that situation has emotions attached to it doesn't even realize what a watershed it was. She gave me my first guitar, which was quite a great parting gift. On the piano she played the day she died, I wrote most of my early hits in that same room. It's the front room. The front room is where we had the parties, where the girls brought their boyfriends home and their husbands. It's where I was born in that room. My brother was born in that room 'cause in that - from our generation, people were born at home more. And my sister's parting gift was given to me in that room. So it's all very symbolic which I think is quite beautiful, really.
GROSS: My guest is Ray Davies, the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. The new five-CD Kinks box set was released this month. We'll talk more after a break. This is FRESH AIR.
(MUSIC)
GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. My guest is Ray Davies, the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. A new five-CD box set was released this month in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their first recording. So a Kinks song that a lot of people have been hearing lately is "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" because it's used on an Acura commercial - on a TV commercial.
DAVIES: (Laughter).
DAVIES: Really?
GROSS: Oh, you don't know?
DAVIES: I had no idea. I mean, that's great. You know the great thing about it if it brings music to a new audience, it's fine. I love that song. And I still do it in my show - my sold-out shows.
GROSS: Oh, I love that song, too (Laughter). Yeah, and you wrote it (Laughter).
DAVIES: Yes. I'm proud to have written it. Sometimes I don't write the songs, the songs write me. But it was written - curiously enough, it was written for my brother to sing. And it's a song about being angry. And I cast the song for him. I do that sometimes . Now, I've said this before - this analogy. Mick Jagger, to his credit, has always - you know what you're getting is "Jumpin' Jack Flash" all the time and his wonderful character. With me, my impact it has on The Kinks, I'm a different character sometimes when I sing songs. The man who sings "All Day And All The Night" is it really the person who sings "Waterloo Sunset" and "Days?" So but with - - I'm not like everybody else. I noticed a rebellious streak in my brother that was beyond my own. Let's put it politely. And I wrote a song about anger for him to sing. And he sings, I think, on the original Kinks recording.
GROSS: So here's "I'm Not Like Everybody Else," recorded in 1966. It's from the soon-to-be-released box set "The Anthology 1964 - 1971."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I'M NOT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE")
THE KINKS: (Singing) I won't take all that they hand me down. And make out a smile though I wear a frown. And I'm not going to take it all lying down 'cause once I get started, I go to town. 'Cause I'm not like everybody else. I'm not like everybody else. I'm not like everybody else. I'm not like everybody else. And I don't want to ball about like everybody else. And I don't want to live my life like everybody else. And I won't say that I feel fine like everybody else. 'Cause I'm not like everybody else. I'm not like everybody else. Darling, you know that I love you true...
GROSS: That's The Kinks, recorded in 1966, from the new Kinks box set. My guest is the bandleader singer and songwriter Ray Davies. I want to play one more recording, and this is not something you would have expected from the guy who wrote "All Day And All Of The Night" (Laughter). Like you say, you have so many different personalities in your songs and so many different styles. This is almost Kurt Vile-ish. It sounds like theater music. And it's from an album that's not included on the new anthology. It's an album called "Muswell Hillbillies." And the song is called "Alcohol." And there's, like, there's horns and an accordion, I think, is on this, too. Would you talk just a little bit about this song? It's really terrific.
DAVIES: As I said in this interview earlier, my father was influenced by Dixieland and the Music Hall. And I think before he died, he took me - when I was a child, he took me to see one of the last musicals. And it instilled some sort of understanding of the culture he came from. "Alcohol," though was written in the tradition of trad jazz - Dixieland jazz. And we had a horn section at the time. It was a story about (inaudible) used to be a winner. And I wanted it to be - it's almost like a religious anthem, you know, the perils of drink. You know, get behind me, Satan. And it's a very apocalyptic in its origins. And the "Muswell" album itself was - there was a lot of that language - sonic language. The greatest compliment I ever had is years after "Alcohol" came out, we toured in America. And we played in New Orleans. And our trombone player said - he said, you won't believe this. I just came from a club, and they were playing "Alcohol." And to me, that was the ultimate accolade - hearing the music that inspired me to write the song in England a few years before finally performed in New Orleans by a trad bar band. Life is wonderful when that happens.
GROSS: Thank you so much for doing this interview. It's really been a pleasure to talk with you and to listen to so many of your recordings, which are so terrific. Thank you again.
DAVIES: Thank you, Terry.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ALCOHOL")
THE KINKS: (Singing) Here's a story about a sinner. He used to be a winner who enjoyed a life of prominence and position. But the pressures at the office and his socialite engagements and his selfish wife's fanatical ambition, it turned him to the booze, and he got mixed up with a floozy. And she led him to a life of indecision. The floozy made him spend his dole. She left him lying on Skid Row - a drunken lag in some Salvation Army Mission. It's such a shame. Oh, demon alcohol, sad memories I can't recall. Who thought I would say damn it all and blow it all. Oh, demon alcohol...
GROSS: Ray Davies is the lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. A five-CD collection "The Anthology 1964 - 1971" was released this month. Our interview was recorded in November.
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What is polemology the study of | Polemology | Define Polemology at Dictionary.com
polemology
[poh-luh-mol-uh-jee] /ˌpoʊ ləˈmɒl ə dʒi/
Spell
the analysis of human conflict and war, particularly international war.
Origin of polemology
1935-40; < Greek pólemo(s) war + -logy
Related forms
[puh-lem-uh-loj-i-kuh l] /pəˌlɛm əˈlɒdʒ ɪ kəl/ (Show IPA), adjective
polemologist, noun
Word Origin and History for polemology
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the study of war, 1870, from Greek polemos "war," of unknown origin, + connective -o- + -logy .
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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What was the trade of Bottom in a Midsummer Night's Dream | A Portrait of University Peace Studies in North America and Western Europe at the End of the Millennium - Harris et al.
A PORTRAIT OF UNIVERSITY PEACE STUDIES IN NORTH AMERICA AND WESTERN EUROPE AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM
Ian M. Harris
Larry J. Fisk
Carol Rank
Peace Studies in Western Europe and North America has seen rapid growth in the last half of the twentieth century (Stephenson, 1989). In this region of the world, often referred to as Athe West, peace studies has had a dynamic history on college campuses, ebbing and flowing with the rise and fall of interstate rivalries since the Napoleonic Wars (Stomfay-Stitz, 1993; Thelin, 1994). While there is some controversy about when peace studies began in the United States, it is believed to have commenced in the wake of the American Civil War in the late 1860s. At that time there were no formal academic programs, but rather, college clubs opposing war. In a similar vein, Bengt Thelin in his article, AEarly Tendencies of Peace Education in Sweden, traces the origins of peace studies to the end of the 19th century. What does seem clear is that following periods of intense wars (hot and cold), students have pushed colleges and universities on both sides of the Atlantic to pay attention to the problems caused by war. These activities have grown out of peace movement efforts to bring to the consciousness, of politicians and the general public, nonviolent alternatives that would promote the cessation of war. Fifty years after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the existence of 200 peace studies programs on college campuses in North America and Western Europe provides powerful testimony for the desire of human beings to avoid Armageddon by studying peaceful ways to resolve conflicts.
Academic programs that teach about and research peace are gaining a foothold on college campuses. In the latter half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, most of the peace-related activities on campuses in the United States revolved around student groups, visiting speakers, and demonstrations (Fink, 1980). In 1948 at Manchester College in North Manchester, Indiana, the first academic program in peace studies began at a small liberal arts college sponsored by the Brethren Church. Peace research institutes were established in Europe in the 1960s, although many of these do not offer formal peace studies courses. The Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO) began in 1959. As a response to the Vietnam War, Manhattan College, a private Catholic college in New York City, began its peace studies program in 1968, while Colgate University in upper New York state started a program in 1969. In England the first school of peace studies was founded at Bradford University in 1973. In the 1970s quite a few campuses offered courses relating to the war in Vietnam. On these campuses faculty organized courses around academic programs, mostly minors, that enabled students in a concentrated way to study the problems of war and peaceful resolution of conflicts. Many of the faculty who created these programs were responding to student demands to create courses of study that had relevance to their lives. In these early days of peace studies, some of the course work focused on approaches to a new world order (Falk & Mendlovitz, 1982).
In the 1980s peace studies programs saw huge growth on college campuses as a result of a growing alarm about the production and threatened use of nuclear weapons. Concern about the fate of the planet created a host of new courses and programs aimed towards promoting global survival (Kohn & Badash, 1989). At the same time peace research became an important field of academic inquiry (Thomas & Young, 1989: 45). A survey conducted in England early in the 1980s identified key components of peace studies during this period of concern about nuclear arms build-up (Rathenow & Smoker, 1983). The topics included in peace studies programs were ranked in the following order: violence and war, the nuclear arms race, international understanding, international conflict, aggressive tendencies in human nature, disarmament, discrimination against minorities, group conflicts, nonviolent action, inequality, defense policy, group dynamics, environmental damage, cultural integration, the distribution of social commodities, and structural violence. At that same time on the other side of the Atlantic, the I.N. Thut World Education Center, at the University of Connecticut, printed an annotated bibliography of conflict resolution and peace studies based on the following typology of conflicts: interpersonal, intrapersonal, intergroup, and international (1981). By the middle of the 1980s, peace studies courses in Western Europe and North America focused mostly on international conflict and the threat of nuclear destruction (Wien, 1984).
With the end of the Cold War the emphasis of peace studies courses on college campuses shifted somewhat from international politics to the domestic scene, covering issues of structural, domestic, and civil violence (Harris, 1993). In 1991 the United States Institute of Peace published Approaches to Peace: An Intellectual Map (Thompson, Jensen, Smith, & Schraub) which listed the following headings for the study of peace: traditional approaches (collective security and deterrence); international law approaches (international law, interstate organizations, third-party dispute settlement); new approaches (transnationalism, behavioral approaches, conflict resolution); and political systems approaches (internal systems and systemic theories/world systems). This diversity is reflected in Peace and World Security Studies (Klare, 1994) which listed the following headings for peace studies courses: war, conflict, and peace in the post-Cold War era; the new nuclear agenda; north-south relations; conflict resolution; international law; psychology and peace; the economics of peace and security; development, debt, and global poverty; the environment, population growth, and resource scarcity; human rights; race, ethnicity, and conflict; feminist perspectives on peace, militarism, and political violence; nonviolence, peace movements, and social activism. The breadth of peace studies courses and programs has been reflected in a broadening of the concept of security as described by Carolyn Stephenson:
perhaps most significant in examining new approaches to peacemaking is to examine the underlying changes in our conception of security, and in the practices of the systems we have designed to provide it. Whereas Anational security was once virtually the only conception of security that we could talk about, we have come to acknowledge the relationship between national security and both international and individual security. We have moved from reliance on a balance-of-power system, to collective security, to collective defense, and then to common security, with the present international security system representing some mixture of all of these (Stephenson, 1994: 16).
Stephenson went on to state that in the post-Cold War period peace studies professors were teaching about collective security, common security, environmental security, and comprehensive security. This shift in emphasis in peace studies reflects an attempt by scholars to move from research and teaching about negative peace, the cessation of violence, to positive peace, the conditions that eliminate the causes of violence.
At the close of the twentieth century peace studies has acquired the following definition: an academic field which identifies and analyzes the violent and nonviolent behaviors as well as the structural mechanisms attending social conflicts with a view towards understanding those processes which lead to a more desirable human condition. (Dugan, 1989: 74)
Another definition from Binghampton University, New York, states that peace studies Aexplores organized nonviolence and violence; their relationship to society, behavior, and consciousness; and ways of working toward a just and harmonious world community (Forcey, 1989: 7).
Peace studies courses and programs address the effects of political and social violence, the causes of this violence, and what can be done to resolve conflicts peacefully. The rapid growth in these programs in colleges and universities in North America and Western Europe reflects alarm about growing levels of violence (the nuclear threat, low intensity conflict, the cost of the arms race, environmental destruction, domestic violence, ethnic and regional conflicts, etc.) Those concerned about violence are turning to education as a means to heighten awareness about the problems of violence, to stimulate research into alternative forms of dispute resolution, and to promote nonviolent alternatives:
The solution to the problem of war requires, therefore, nothing less than changing the way people think all over the world. A corollary, however, is the necessity to first change our own way of thinking. We cannot force others to change at such a fundamental level. People change from within, as a result of gaining a new appreciation of the implications of not changing. (Sackman, 1989: 89)
At the end of the millenium a new way of thinking will be required to eliminate the threats of war, violence, and environmental destruction, a transformation of the human animal--from a brute using violence to get one's way to a compassionate, caring person who understands how to manage conflicts without resorting to force. Professors involved in peace studies at colleges and universities provide students knowledge and skills that support such a transformation. At the end of the twentieth century peace studies is experiencing a shift from focusing on interstate rivalry to intrastate conflict and problems caused by interpersonal violence. Whereas peace studies professors used to come mostly from political science, they now come from schools of social welfare and education. As we approach the twenty-first century, peace studies is addressing issues of intrapsychic conflict and interpersonal issues as well as wars, refugees, treaties, and international efforts to curtail war.
At the end of the millenium in a culture that glorifies violence, scholars on university campuses are trying to apply the insights of nonviolence to diverse settings. Professors in the United States interested in teaching about peace adjust to the fluid dynamics of daily television news which broadcasts gripping stories about violence in urban areas, Bosnia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, or the American home. While the original emphasis may have been on the cessation of war (most specifically the war in Vietnam), the focus of peace studies in the 1980s shifted to the nuclear threat, and in the 1990s to problems of domestic violence, both crime in the streets and domestic abuse.
Students can now major in peace studies at a variety of universities and colleges, although many take a single course or choose a certificate in peace studies. However, the number of students majoring in peace studies is still quite small (typically no more than 20 students on a campus). Peace studies programs allow a dedicated core of students to study a field that is of intense importance to them.
What draws people to peace studies is more than an intellectual interest--it is a genuine concern for problems of violence and injustice, and a desire to find ways of acting on these concerns. (Rank, 1993a: 8)
In a violent world peace studies provides the opportunity for both faculty and students to contribute to creating a better future by generating nonviolent alternatives to violence.
Students with degrees in peace studies follow a variety of interesting career paths. Many go on to graduate school. Some go immediately after college to a variety of volunteer programs, like VISTA or the Lutheran volunteer corps, where they pick up organizing, lobbying, mediation, and human relations skills that complement the peace theories acquired in college. Peacemaking careers fall into the areas of arms control, foreign policy, human rights, social and economic justice, environmental protection, law, journalism, government, the United Nations and its affiliates, the Peace Corps, and private international voluntary organizations, like the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. Many find employment in the field of education, at colleges or universities that have peace studies programs, in counseling, in public and private elementary and secondary schools, and in training institutes. There is increasing demand in the United States for people trained in mediation to work in civil courts to help adjudicate disputes. Peace studies majors seek jobs directly related to the pursuit of peace, social and economic justice, ecological security, and democratic participation, although there is not much money in these fields.
This essay suggests a rich array of peace studies programs and course offerings, yet the future of peace studies in North America is somewhat tentative. A few colleges and universities have been able to raise endowments to support these programs, but currently colleges and universities in North America are cutting back on their course offerings. Financial difficulties on college campuses make it hard for institutions to provide the kind of support that would make these programs a permanent part of the college curriculum. Most of the peace studies courses mentioned in this study rely upon the voluntary efforts of faculty who need release time so they can advise students, generate new courses that respond to the multifaceted problems of violence, and research the serious dilemmas or questions raised under the heading of peace studies. The situation in Western Europe is quite different. Faculty there tend to receive administrative support for their programs. Peace studies programs are not run by professors on their own time, but rather have their own faculties.
In what follows, the authors of this essay provide a description or overview of the budding academic discipline of peace studies in colleges and universities in Western Europe and North America at the end of the twentieth century. Our study portrays those institutions that are teaching peace studies and is not an attempt to map in any systematic way those institutes that are confined to conducting research. The essay will begin with peace studies programs in the United States, followed by programs in Canada, and Western Europe.
United States
Peace studies, or irenology, in the United States has experienced a dramatic growth in the latter half of the twentieth century. The third edition of Peace and World Order Studies (Feller, Schuenninger, & Singerman, 1981) lists 75 colleges and universities in the United States with peace studies programs. The Consortium on Peace Education, Research, and Development (COPRED) has kept a directory of peace studies programs (1995). In 1986 COPRED's Directory listed 100 programs. At the end of the 1980s one expert in the field estimated that 300 colleges and universities in the United States offered peace studies courses and 150 had some kind of peace studies program (Forcey, 1989). The 1995 COPRED Directory lists 136 colleges and universities in the United States with peace studies programs. Forty-six percent of these are in church related schools, another 32% are in large public universities, 21% are in non-church related private colleges, and 1% are in community colleges. Fifty-five percent of the church related schools that have peace studies programs are Roman Catholic. Other denominations with more than one college or university with a peace studies program are the Quakers, Mennonites, Brethren, and United Church of Christ. One hundred fifteen of these programs are at the undergraduate level and 21 at the graduate level. Fifteen of these colleges and universities had both undergraduate and graduate programs.
It is always difficult to get a precise count of peace studies activities because of the variety of approaches to studying problems of war and peace. Peace studies takes place at all different levels of university life in the United States. For example, peace studies programs go under the rubric of Aeducation for world citizenship, Anuclear age education, Asecurity studies, Adevelopment education, Ahuman rights education, and Ainternational relations (Harris, 1988). Peace studies programs also take many different forms, ranging from a graduate program that supports teaching and research on the problems of war and peace at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, to a Conflict Resolution Center at the University of Tennessee. Various peace studies courses are offered within centers like the Center for International Security and Arms Control at Stanford, California, or the Center for Humanistic Future Studies at Western Michigan University, or the Program in Health Science and Human Survival at the University of California in San Francisco.
Much of the peace studies activity on college campuses is not clearly visible, as professors who infuse peace material into courses do not offer special courses with the title peace in them (O'Hare, 1983). For example, several small liberal arts colleges offer an introductory course requirement to all incoming students which infuses peace and justice themes (Harris, 1993). These schools tend to be religious schools, whose offerings in peace and justice complement their Christian missions.
As Elise Boulding (1972) has pointed out, the peace studies field was initiated by scholars who were Aconsciously separating themselves from the older discipline of international relations (472). Other professors have argued that the field of international relations itself was developed with a peace studies focus to avoid war. Peace studies started out on most college campuses within departments emphasizing international relations, which seemingly had reneged on their war avoidance approach hence encouraging peace studies to develop a broader base on colleges and universities in the United States. Burns Weston has stated:
Peace and world order studies has as its geopolitical focus the global community rather than the nation-state system; primary actors are not just nation-states and government elites but instead range from individuals to transnational organizations; and, most importantly, policy goals are not viewed in terms of the maximization of national power and wealth, but in terms of the maximization of human well-being and fulfilment in the world community as a whole. (Quoted in Rank, 1993b: 31)
Scholars from a diversity of disciplines have a rich history of teaching components of conflict resolution and practice. In a survey conducted a decade ago, Wehr (1986, p. 4) found that 294 institutions of higher learning offered 838 courses focusing on conflict resolution. In the 1990s there has been an upsurge in interest in conflict resolution on college campuses in the United States. More than 50 college campuses have campus mediation programs. University-based conflict resolution programs provide mediation services to students but also reach out to the broader community helping residents handle disputes (Volpe, 1994). Nine universities offer graduate programs in dispute resolution while another eight are planning new graduate degrees in this area (The Fourth R, 1995: 13). Three of these programs are being started in law schools. Nova Southeastern University in Florida has a Department of Dispute Resolution with four full-time faculty members who offer a Ph.D., M.S., and a graduate certificate in dispute resolution. Students explore alternative methods for the resolution of disputes, wherein parties achieve consensual agreements based upon the principles of nonviolence, equity, dignity, and the appreciation of human diversity.
In 1994 the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta issued requests for proposals to start education programs that will serve as a deterrent to juvenile crime and homicide. These proposals are attracting the interest of professors in fields as diverse as social work, criminal justice, and nursing. Concerns about domestic violence, both in the home and in civic society, have created in the 1990s a whole new branch of peace studies that focuses on violence prevention.
The 1982 Curriculum Policy Statement (currently undergoing revisions), which sets the standards for social work education, points to opportunities for linking peace, social justice, and nonviolent conflict resolution with the Council on Social Work Education requirements. Principles of social and economic justice are emphasized, including an ongoing quest for progressive social change related to the consequences of oppression. In 1994 the National Association of Social Workers mandated the teaching of peace and conflict resolution programs as a part of undergraduate training in social work:
Given the reality of global problems impacting on the lives of people, it is vital that the social work profession incorporates within its education and practice the overarching philosophical theme of peace. The profession needs to direct its energies towards constructive efforts and conflict resolution, people-centered development, empowerment, and the commitment for social justice and non-violent change. (Van Soest, 1992: 13).
Social workers in the field, feeling unprepared to deal with the high levels of violence, are running into such high levels of violence they are feeling unprepared to deal with it and are turning to universities and colleges to help train future social workers to manage conflicts on their jobs. The international code of ethics for professional social workers states that a social worker Ahas the responsibility to devote objective and disciplined knowledge and skill to aid individuals, groups, communities, and societies in their development and resolution of personal-societal conflicts and their consequences (1992: 187).
Professors in schools of education are developing courses in peace education, nonviolence in education, violence prevention, and conflict resolution to help teachers deal with escalating levels of conflict that students are bringing into the classrooms (Deutsch, 1991). At the elementary and secondary levels peer mediation is one of the fastest growing school reform efforts in the United States (Johnson, Johnson, & Dudley, 1992).
Medical schools are even getting into the peace studies field in response to high levels of murder in inner-city areas, a problem seen as a public health hazard requiring a preventative educational solution, such as when the American medical society launched in 1970 an educational campaign to alert people to the dangers of smoking. More than 34,000 people each year in the United States are murdered by handguns (Baker, O'Neill, & Karpf, 1992). The hope is that by learning about peace, nonviolence, and conflict resolution, that the murder rate will decrease (Prothrow-Stith, 1991).
These diverse and creative activities on the part of university professors in the United States allow them to use their skills to provide students with knowledge about how to mitigate the spread of violence in individual peace studies courses, undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and non-degree-granting consortia and related programs.
Multidisciplinary peace studies courses in the U.S. capture the dynamic ways that the problems of violence erupt in human communities. A peace studies course allows students to study violence, to understand the conditions for positive peace, and to learn about efforts to resolve conflicts peacefully. Content in such courses covers from why people die from social and political conflict; to what have humans done in the past and what is currently being done to resolve such conflict- Most peace studies courses have an international dimension emphasizing that both local and national conflicts have roots in an international political system. Conflict arises as individuals compete for power within social groups, state systems, and/or ethnic groups. Violence also occurs as people struggle for resources. Peace studies courses elucidate the effects of conflict upon individual humans, social and political systems, or the natural environment. Students in peace studies courses learn about different ways that people exploit and dominate both each other and the natural system. They give students an understanding of the efficacy of nonviolent approaches to resolving conflicts and the conditions that must be met to establish a just and lasting peace.
Every college campus in the United States has courses that comply with this definition, focusing on how human beings use peaceful strategies to overcome problems of violence. Such courses have titles like Foundations of American Diplomacy, Nonviolent Social Change, Human Rights in the World Community, Urban Violence, Conflict and Conflict Management, International Conflict and Peacemaking, Foreign Policies of Modern Nations, and Aggression. Whether or not they are peace studies courses depends upon the instructor. Under the tenets of academic freedom which govern university relations, a professor has a right to teach a course as he or she sees fit. The same course taught by two different professors could have various emphases. In a peace studies course a professor would point out ways that humans have used peace strategies--peace through strength, peace through justice, peace through politics, peace through pacifism, peace through negotiation, and peace education to address problems of violence mentioned in that course.
Many colleges and universities in the United States are developing introductory peace studies courses that are starting to define the key elements of this burgeoning academic field. These courses discuss the realities of war and violence, what is peace and conflict resolution, and how nonviolent strategies create peace. They allow students to examine the causes of violence and peace as well as introduce students to key concepts and people (Murray, 1994).
In addition to these specific courses identified as peace studies courses, there are professors on many campuses infusing peace and justice concepts into their regular course offerings (Johnson, 1986). Not all universities have focused these courses into a coherent academic program. A single course taken here or there does not give a student a very complete picture of how to address the problems of violence. Students just taking one course may not acquire the same appreciation for the importance of peace strategies as provided when a college or university offers an academic program in peace studies.
University and College-level Programs in Canada
Many of the patterns apparent in the picture of peace studies in the United States are noticeable in Canada. Canadian universities, not unlike their American counterparts, responded both to the war in Vietnam and to the revived cold war in the 1980s with courses devoted to analyzing global conflict, studies of the arms race, and to questions of deterrence, arms control and disarmament. The same seminal effect of smaller church colleges has, like the U.S., shaped Canadian peace studies where even today Mennonite colleges like Conrad Grebel, Waterloo, Ontario and Menno Simons, Winnipeg, Manitoba, provide leadership in the study of peace and conflict resolution.
Another pattern which mirrors college campus peace studies in the United States is that of the dominance of the same disciplines in the sponsorship of peace studies. Political science or departments of political studies are the chief sponsors of core peace and conflict courses and this is true even if one chooses not to count among them courses in international relations, strategic studies or foreign policy per se. Considering the link which many peace studies courses and programs have with their parent church colleges, it is not surprising that departments of religious studies, comparative religion and theology carry a much larger number of peace studies courses than most academic disciplines. Some of the previous surveys of peace studies courses in Canada have overlooked this extremely important contribution and list of courses simply because they were focused on social science linkages (Arnopoulos, 1991).
Periodic tallying of Canadian courses and programs to the extent that it is done is performed by what are essentially U.S. organizations. For example, even though the Consortium on Peace Research, Education and Development (COPRED) includes Canadian members and lists Canadian peace studies institutes in its directory, there is a distance from the Canadian scene which does not meticulously capture the state of peace studies in Canada. Dedicated scholars like M. V. Naidu (1988) and Paris Arnopoulos (1991), as well as Matthew Speier (1987), have taken it upon themselves to piece together a portrait of university peace studies in Canada but they were always dependent as is COPRED on the good will of university personnel to reply to their surveys.
As we have seen one of the problems in counting peace studies courses is the question of definition and setting the boundaries for what will be included or excluded. To tackle this problem in the Canadian context the authors chose to set a rather narrow boundary to include only those courses which made it clear that their subject matter deals, in part at least, with alternatives to armed conflict and violence. As the subtitle of one of Canada's peace studies courses puts it: Apatterns of conflict, paths to peace. The attention is directed to understanding the nature of war, violence, and conflict but also to determining appropriate alternatives. Students in peace studies courses consider both negative and positive peace, direct and indirect violence, and individual and collective perpetrators of violence (see Galtung, 1975). Nevertheless, any peace studies course, particularly at the introductory level, tends to include some discussion of Awar and peace. Somewhat more peripheral courses may include those in psychology departments where the focus is on patterns of violence as it relates to, say, family abuse, not war and peace; or courses in international relations, foreign and defense policy, and strategic studies which examine military tactics and strategies but pay less attention to dispute settlement and peacebuilding.
There are probably over 100 peace studies courses in Canada which roughly fit the more narrow description indicated above. The number of courses fitting a more peripheral description numbers well over 200. Of the core courses about 40% have as their sponsor a department of political studies. Another 10 to 15% are sponsored by a department of religious studies, comparative religion or theology department, approximately 10% sponsored by a history department, another 10% by sociology departments and over 15% are interdisciplinary. Other distinctively peace studies courses number about 10 to 15 and are to be found in economics, philosophy or psychology departments and in education, particularly at the graduate level.
It is not always clear from calendar descriptions which courses may technically be called introductory but for those which are clearly so (approximately 12 to 15) their content has certain common elements like: the causes of war, the nature of the nuclear threat, disarmament and arms control, the nature of violence and aggression, non-violent alternatives and forms of conflict resolution and dispute settlement.
The distinctive peace studies courses seem to be evenly distributed throughout Canada numbering as they do over 30 in Ontario, at least a dozen in Quebec divided equally among French and English language offerings, 23 in the four western provinces, and 17 in the East.
The number of peace studies programs that offer an undergraduate degree, are very few in number and are scattered across the country. Graduate programs are even more rare with the University of Toronto providing the only full peace studies program at the time of writing. An education student at OISE (the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto), might put together a masters or PhD program and a theological student might muster a focus on war and peace at several theological seminaries, but the pattern, as in the U.S., is the burgeoning of conflict resolution programs with 40 to 50% enrollment increases being reported in places like Menno Simons College. The announcement of a new masters program in Conflict Analysis and Management beginning in April 1998 at a former military college (Royal Roads) in Victoria, British Columbia is also indicative of this new direction in peace studies and the conversion of former defense establishments to that direction.
Traditional peace studies programs may have depended too much on the creative work of a limited number of committed academics. There is some evidence that, as these leaders retire, their programs will disappear. The new programs in conflict resolution like the Mediation Services programs in B.C. and Manitoba which provide training in interpersonal relations, mediation skills training, management of anger, and cross-cultural issues will likely move quickly from offering certificates and diplomas to extending both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
The interdisciplinary work which characterizes peace studies can be witnessed in multi-discipline peacebuilding workshops or linkages of law and medicine faculties like McMasters' (Hamilton, Ontario) health-peace initiative focusing on children of war-torn countries. A second direction to watch closely in the Canadian context is the contribution of peacekeeping training centers like the Lester B. Pearson Centre in the former Armed Services Base Cornwallis, Nova Scotia which facilitates cooperation amongst interested academic programs while promoting a broad spectrum of peacemaking and peacebuilding concerns. All these endeavours indicate that there may not be so much a decline in peace studies in Canada as there is a constructive redefinition constituting consolidation of those few efficient and productive structures and a redirection in keeping with the changing times. In speaking of these new relationships between more traditional peace studies programs and the conflict resolution focus of more college campuses and institutions, one director recently communicated to us that we probably Aneed to find better ways to dialogue with one another and with these related training agencies to stimulate one another to address the larger peace issues in our global village.
Western Europe
In North America, as we have pointed out, peace studies programs have often been initiated on an ad hoc basis in response to crises of the times, such as the Vietnam War and the escalation of the arms race in the 1980s, when faculty and students felt compelled to address issues of pressing social concern. As previously pointed out there have been several waves of peace studies program development, beginning after the Second World War, in response to the Vietnam War, and continuing through the 1980s and the escalation of the arms race, when hundreds of courses and programs were initiated at colleges and universities in North America. The result is that a Acritical mass of programs were established, along with journals and academic networks, which has enabled a new field to come into existence.
Because of a strong tradition of peace research as distinct in many cases from peace studies (teaching programs) in Western Europe, and in particular the Nordic countries and Northern Europe generally, peace studies program development has emerged in a different way. In short, there are many well-established peace research institutes in Western Europe, but relatively few teaching programs in peace studies. In North America it is the reverse.
This reversal is perhaps because European universities tend to be more traditional in structure and format and are less flexible and open to innovation than their North American counterparts. However, European peace studies programs, where they do exist, tend to be well supported, with their own faculty and sufficient funding to maintain an ongoing academic program, which is often not the case in North America. The strength of the peace research tradition in Europe lends legitimacy to the field, which is still lacking to some extent in North America despite the many courses and programs that have been initiated.
Although the roots of European peace research can be traced at least as far back as the l8th century Enlightenment, the emergence of peace studies as a distinct field in Europe can be said to have come about with the establishment of the first peace research institutes in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO), and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), along with other European peace research institutes, helped lay the intellectual groundwork for the field.
Johan Galtung, the founder of PRIO, is one of the major theorists of the field, as are other European peace researchers. Galtung was one of the first to use the term Apeace research, so in some ways the origins of the field can be traced to Europe. This is not to discount the contribution of North American peace researchers, such as Kenneth and Elise Boulding, who helped found the Journal of Conflict Resolution in the 1950s and have played a major role in the international development of the field.
While a number of key individuals have helped to bring peace research and peace studies into existence, the emergence of the field has of course been a complex process involving many different people, programs, and organizations, all working in symbiosis. Support networks like IPRA (International Peace Research Association), and the recently founded EUPRA (the European branch of IPRA) continue to maintain the momentum of the field.
This European report focuses on the development of peace studies programs, with some mention of peace research institutes where they are linked to teaching programs. A truly comprehensive directory of such programs would best be done by computer network, given the rapidity of change and development in the field. A data base of continuously updated information on peace studies programs is needed, and a number of individuals and organizations are working toward that end.
Our descriptions of peace studies programs begins with northern Europe, where much of the early development took place and where the most well-established programs are located. Norway has the distinction of being the country where peace studies has received much of its initial impetus. The Journal of Peace Research, one of the major journals of the field, has been published by PRIO since 1964, along with the Bulletin of Peace Proposals begun in 1970, a more policy-oriented journal which has been replaced by Security Dialogue and receives financial support from the Norwegian Ministry of Financial Affairs. The research agenda of PRIO is wide-ranging, with three main areas: conflict theory and the study of ethnic conflicts, security and disarmament studies, and military activities and the human environment.
PRIO offers a postgraduate International Summer School course on peace research in cooperation with the University of Oslo, which draws participants from over 25 countries each year and provides a unique opportunity for cross-cultural peace learning. Although this course has been run successfully for many years, the University of Oslo has not developed a peace studies program. A peace researcher, Birgit Brock-Utne, known for her feminist perspective on peace education is based there at the Department of Pedagogics. Other than at PRIO and the University of Oslo, there are no peace studies programs in Norway, but Magnus Haavelsrud, another peace researcher long active in the field, is based at the University of Tromso Institute of Social Science.
Peace research institutes and peace studies programs are partly well supported in Sweden. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), founded in 1966 to commemorate Sweden's 150 years of unbroken peace, is autonomous but government subsidized, with the Swedish parliament granting it over $2.5 million per year. Their yearbook, World Armaments and Disarmament is considered by many to be an essential resource for peace researchers (Rudney, 1989). Others have criticized SIPRI for focusing too much on security issues and Aweapons counting at the expense of other types of peace research.
Lund University created a professorship of peace and conflict research in 1971 which in 1989 was moved into the department of sociology. An independent Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Studies was created in 1985 and staffed by Jan Oberg. This institute is engaged in action-oriented research, such as a long standing project on conflict mitigation in the Former Yugoslavia, but gives no courses.
Two of the most well-established peace studies programs in Europe are in Sweden, at Gothenburg and Uppsala. The Peace and Development Research Institute (PADRIGU) at Gothenburg University, founded in 1978, has 12 professional staff, all of whom are engaged both in research and teaching, and about 600 students (undergraduate and graduate with 20 Ph.D. students). The Institute currently offers B.A. and Ph.D. degrees. Students can do a B.A. in either Peace and Conflict Studies/World Order Studies or in Development Studies, and then go on for a Ph.D. in Peace and Development Research.
The Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, established in 1971, offers an undergraduate and Ph.D. program, with 200-300 students enrolled each academic year. There is one full professorship (the Dag Hammarskjold Chair of Peace and Conflict Research), and several associate and assistant professor positions. The two main research areas of the department are 1) the origins and dynamics of conflict and 2) international security issues. The Department has been active in promoting the field of peace research through its publications and activities. For example, the development of the field has been analyzed in Peace Research: Achievements and Challenges (Wallensteen, 1988). The department is a member of the transnational secretariat for the Talloires Universities Group which encourages the development of courses on arms control and which has produced a curriculum guide for transdisciplinary teaching on global peace and security.
The major Dutch peace research journal, Transaktie, formerly published by the Polemologisch Instituut, has been taken over by the Institute of International Studies at Leiden University. Also at Leiden is the Center for the Study of Social Conflicts, which has a graduate-level course in peace research, but not a full program. Other universities in the Netherlands offering peace research and peace studies courses are the Free University of Amsterdam, which has a peace research course; the University of Utrecht, which has a Chair of Human Rights and a course on peace education in the Social Sciences Department; and the Catholic University of Nijmegen, which has a Center for Peace and Conflict Studies founded in 1967.
Denmark has a tradition of Afolk high schools, and a model of this kind of education is the International People's College in Helsinore, founded in 1921 on the principles of peace and international understanding. The People's College is an international residential school where adults live and work together. Generally there are no entrance qualifications, exams, or degrees at folk schools, but the People's College does have a diploma course in peace studies. Short courses of 8 to 16 weeks are offered on peace studies, international affairs, ecology, sustainable development, and related topics (Lawson, 1995).
In Belgium there is a unique educational center, similar to the International People's College in Denmark, the Université de Paix in Namur. It was founded in 1960 by Father Dominique Pire, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1958 for his work on behalf of refugees. He used part of the prize to establish this center, where people come together from all parts of the world for short courses on themes such as nonviolence, pacifism, and peace pedagogy. Teaching and learning at the Université de Paix is based on interpersonal dialogue, as described by Dominique Pire in his book Building Peace (1967). The Université de Paix also runs a research and documentation center.
Because of the division of Belgian universities into separate Flemish and French-speaking systems, efforts to establish peace research (and peace studies) have been fragmented. Two programs on polemology are offered at the Free University of Belgium, the Centrum voor Polemologie at the Vrije Universiteit (Flemish) and the Groupe de Polemologie at the Universite Libre (French). The Flemish program offers courses on polemology and international relations, while the French program concentrates on sociological research on peace, social movements, and war prevention. The University of Leuven has a chair in Ainternational Relations, Strategy, and Peace Research.
The United Kingdom, along with Sweden, is where most of the peace studies development in Europe has taken place. Existing programs are in England and Northern Ireland, with no university peace studies programs as yet in Scotland and Wales. Atlantic College in Wales offers a peace and conflict studies program for secondary school students.
The Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford in the north of England is the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in the world, offering B.A., M.A., M.Phil, and Ph.D. degrees. Founded in 1973 as a result of an initiative by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the Department now has 19 members on academic staff, and about 300 students (200 undergraduate, about 40 in the two M.A. programs of Peace Studies and International Politics/Security Studies, and around 50 research students in the doctoral program). The current Head of the Department is Proessor Paul Rogers, well-known in Britain as an expert on British defense policy, arms control, and disarmament.
The research and teaching of the Department covers three main areas: conflict resolution, social change, and international security. The Centre for Conflict Resolution, a research unit in the department, runs a range of practical programs, including mediation training in areas of conflict such as the former Yugoslavia. The department's work on social change includes programs on Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South Asia (e.g., the Gandhian movement in India), addressing issues related to development, nonviolence, and social alternatives. The international security area includes a range of topics such as the study of arms transfers, control of nuclear and biological weapons, environmental security, and security based on economic cooperation and justice between North and South.
Woodbrooke College, one of the Selly Oak Colleges in Birmingham, England, is funded and run by Quakers. It is structured as an in-service adult education facility, offering programs to the general public on nonviolent conflict resolution. One of these is an 11-week course on AWorking with Conflict--an intensive, international course for people working for development, human rights and peace in situations of instability and conflict.
The peace research community in Britain is not as extensive as it is in Scandinavia, but one center that did grow out of the peace research tradition is the Richardson Institute for Conflict and Peace Research at the University of Lancaster, founded in 1959. It is named after Lewis Fry Richardson, a pioneer of peace research who did studies on arms races and wars in the early 1900s. The Institute is small, but offers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, and has had an important impact on the field through its publications, which includes A Reader in Peace Studies (Smoker, Davies, & Munske, 1990), a basic text often used in introductory peace studies courses.
Another peace studies program in the U.K. offering M.A. and Ph.D. degrees is the International Conflict Analysis Program of the University of Kent at Canterbury. The course work, carried out over three terms, is organized around three main themes: 1) Theory of Conflict, 2) Modes and Practice of Conflict Resolution, and 3) Methodology of Research. Case studies are analyzed in the light of various theoretical approaches and students are introduced to different types of negotiation and mediation practices, with an emphasis on third-party intervention. Diplomats, practitioners and visiting scholars take part in a weekly seminar program with the students.
In Northern Ireland, Magee College of the University of Ulster offers a B.A. in peace and conflict studies and a postgraduate diploma/M.A. in peace studies. The B.A. is a four-year interdisciplinary course on problems of peace and conflict, with a focus on interethnic conflict, including the conflict in Northern Ireland. In addition to a broad background in history, politics, and sociology, students are given practical skills training, and a 20-week work placement with a relevant agency or organization is required. The M.A. course, offered in association with the University of Limerick, focuses on conflict resolution and peacebuilding in divided societies. Combining theory and practice, it is designed particularly for those working in areas of conflict such as Northern Ireland. Also at the University of Ulster is a Centre for the Study of Conflict and a newly formed United Nations University program in conflict resolution and ethnicity.
The Irish Peace Institute, located at the University of Limerick, was established in 1984 as an independent nongovernmental organization sponsored by the University of Limerick, the University of Ulster, and Co-operation North, an organization which promotes North-South cooperation in Ireland. Its aim is to promote education, research, and training in conflict resolution and in the Adevelopment and management of people-to-people co-operation programs. The work of the Institute focuses on the Northern Ireland conflict, North-South co-operation in Ireland, Anglo-Irish relations, European integration and international co-operation. An M.A. degree (described above) is offered by the University of Ulster in association with the University of Limerick. The Institute also sponsors post-doctoral fellows, supports research, and organizes youth conferences and study tours.
The Centre for Peace Studies at the Irish School of Ecumenics in association with Trinity College, Dublin offers an M.Phil and Diploma course in peace studies. The program is designed to provide an understanding of the international system and of the problems of war, violence, and conflict resolution between and within nation states. A particular aim is to relate scholarly research across a wide range of topics to the role of human agency and moral choice in the construction of the international order. The program also offers a sabbatical program in peace studies and an adult education program leading to a certificate in peace studies.
One of the most rapidly developing new centers for peace studies in Europe is the European University Center for Peace Studies (EPU) in Stadtschlaining, Austria, which is funded by the Austrian government. In 1988, UNESCO endorsed the establishment of the EPU, and it had its first pilot semester in 1989. It now offers several courses of study in its advanced international program on peace, security, development and conflict resolution, including a certificate, practitioner, and M.A. program in peace and conflict studies. Students and course lecturers are drawn from many different countries. The program aims to provide a Atransnational perspective. Lecturers include many prominent peace researchers, such as Johan Galtung and Hakan Wiberg. Faculty members have recently initiated a branch of the EPU in Spain.
The EPU works in cooperation with the Austrian Study Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR), founded in 1988 and based in the castle at Stadtschlaining. One program run jointly by ASPR and the EPU is the International Civilian Peace-keeping and Peace-building Training Program designed to train civilians in the kinds of skills outlined by former UN Secretary Boutros Boutros-Ghali in his AAgenda for Peace. Resource persons in the program have relevant experience with the UN and nongovernmental organizations.
Spain is a relative newcomer to peace studies, largely because, under the Franco regime, social sciences with a critical orientation were suppressed. Until the early 1980s, there were only a handful of individuals in academia working on war/peace issues. When peace research did emerge, it came out of a culture of resistance and is still strongly linked to the peace movement.
At the University of Granada, a multidisciplinary peace research center was recently established by Maria Luisa Espada, a professor of international law, and there is a new Ph.D. program there, the Seminario de Estudios sobre la Paz y los Conflictos. A peace studies program on the philosophy of peace has also recently been established at Jaume I Universitat in Castello.
One peace research institute in Spain with a unique history is the Gernika gogoratuz/Grupo de investigacion por la paz (GGG) founded in the Basque city of Guernica in 1987. The Basque name translates as Aremembering Guernica, recalling the destruction of the city by German bombers in support of Franco during the Spanish Civil War. It is a symbol of peace and reconciliation in an area of Spain torn by civil strife (ETA Basque separatist movement). Historical research, studies on nationalism, and conflicts between Christian and Islamic cultures are included in the research agenda. The institute has initiated a Ph.D. program in conflict psychology at the University of Basque Provinces.
Like the European University center for Peace Studies in Austria, EPU-Spain offers scientific education and professional training in the interdisciplinary field of peace studies. EPU-Spain offers courses from the same catalog of courses developed in Austria and utilizes the same diverse international faculty with all teaching done in English.
EPU-Spain concentrates on university-level programs and courses in peace research and peace education that are mainly for postgraduate students who aspire to careers in or are already working in such fields as science, education, government, culture, economics, and international management. The student body is an international one, with students generally coming from many different countries. The list of courses that have recently been offered at EPU-Spain include AIntroduction to Peace and Development Studies; AWar, Technology and Society; Peace, Culture, and Communication; Gender and Peace; APhilosophy and Peace; A The European Union, Global Security, an Development; Peace in Europe: Practical Problems and Moral Dilemmas.
In Italy, at Padua university, there is a specialization in Human and People's Rights. The University of Naples features a Center for Peace Education that works with various secondary schools on different models of conflict resolution. This Center has founded several schools for trainers of conscientious objectors. The center has trained some ten thousand conscientious objectors each year as well as promoting people's nonviolent defense throughout Italy. Bologna University supports an interdepartmental Center for Peace Research. In Florence a group of professors in 1985 started a private initiative (Forum sui Problemi della Pace) that is very active promoting international conferences and seminars.
The peace field in Europe is flourishing with new centers coming into existence. The emphasis on conflict resolution has spawned many programs with a practical emphasis, including new initiatives in peace research and peace studies in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet union. European peace researchers are beginning to create a common forum for communication and cooperation, bridging East and West.
The breakdown of states, the rise of nationalism in Europe following the end of the Cold War, and war in the former Yugoslavia have reinforced a belief in the necessity of military Asolutions to conflicts and are a challenge to peace studies. Violent conflict in the heart of Europe is far from over, and the pressing need to develop nonviolent alternatives remains. It is a need that is central to the peace studies field, and to the struggle for peace and justice in the global community.
Conclusion
The growth of peace studies programs in Canada, the United States, and Western Europe indicates a concern for the future of this planet. Faculty at various colleges and universities are attempting to use their professional skills to educate students about the causes of war while pointing out various alternatives to violent behavior. These programs, which allow professors to concentrate their expertise on important issues of domestic and international conflict, vary considerably as to their scope and structure. Traditional programs which focus on the study of treaty arrangements, alliance systems, deterrence theories, and the study of war between sovereign nations-states have been complemented by newer programs focusing on the interactions of individuals and subnational groups that cut across the boundaries of nation-states. The traditional programs are rooted in concepts of collective security, diplomacy, negotiation, strategic management, and arms control, while the newer approaches emphasize the behavior of individuals, communities, and nongovernmental organizations.
Further effort needs to be made to generate a core academic content for peace studies programs that would recommend required readings and key concepts. So far, there is little agreement about basic texts for peace studies courses. Two basic introductory peace studies texts have recently been written. They are Introduction to Peace Studies by David Barash (1991) and Realizing Peace: An Introduction to Peace Studies by Thomas Keefe and Ron Roberts (1991). A popular reader, A Peace Reader, has been produced by Fahey and Armstrong (1992). Another previously mentioned text that is often used in introductory peace studies courses is A Reader in Peace Studies (Smoker, Davies, & Munske, 1990).
Many peace studies faculty spend time working with peace organizations in their communities. Such efforts at peacebuilding provide important insights into the struggle for peace and help build a support base for academic peace studies programs, but pull a researcher away from the library and place further restrictions on that faculty member's time. Institutional support needs to cover the day to day maintenance tasks--publishing flyers, bringing in speakers, promoting the program, raising funds, circulating newsletters, etc.--that give a peace studies program both an identity and a vitality on campus. Without institutional support these programs rely too much on the good will of a few select faculty members who can easily become Aburned out as they try to juggle peace studies with their existing commitments. Many of the North American programs described in this text depend upon the dedicated efforts of a few faculty members. As the twentieth century draws to a close, there is a danger that many of these peace studies courses and programs will disappear as faculty who were attracted to peace studies as a result of the war in Vietnam or the nuclear threat retire. Many graduate programs are producing young scholars, committed to peace paradigms, but many of these PhDs are having trouble finding work in universities that are downsizing and whose faculty are committed to traditional subject matter. Young scholars, originally attracted to the idealistic visions of peace education, are becoming frustrated and disappointed at the academy's inability to welcome them. Many budding scholars feel they will be peripheral to traditional academic disciplines.
Scholarly debate about the value of multidisciplinary programs provides a challenge for the growing field of peace studies. Most scholars are accustomed to look at the world through the lenses of the disciplines in which they have been trained. Peace studies, rather than relying on a unidisciplinary perspective, can provide a unifying ground for political scientists, educators, sociologists, theologians, and philosophers seeking to use their academic skills to shed light on how the problems of violence affect human communities. Studies about the problems of violence are so multifaceted that they can not be limited to one discipline. Peace students rely upon a type of rigor not rewarded in traditional academic settings. Many peace studies programs are student centered, based upon dialogue (and not lecture), value laden in their commitment to justice, passionate in their aversion to violent human behavior. Such radical pedagogy has brought forth critics who accuse these new fields of being soft or lacking in rigor.
The reduction of the peace movement in the West in the 1990s has created both difficulties and opportunities for peace studies programs. Without an energized peace movement demanding that attention be paid to problems of violence, there is a danger that professors on college campuses will continue to support the violence of the status quo. Universities and colleges are run by a conservative inertia that supports traditional academic programs and does not reward scholars who dedicate their lives to the promotion of peace. On the more positive side, peace studies has become less controversial and oppositional in nature. In the past it had come under attack for being politically biased. With the end of the Cold War, the division between Aestablishment strategic studies and Aalternative peace research has become less pronounced. Research areas are changing and the focus on conflict resolution has helped diffuse the political nature of debates about security. Peace Studies has become more conventional and is gaining wider acceptance throughout countries in the West, as citizens are looking for solutions to increased levels of urban crime and domestic violence.
One problem faced by this growing field is lack of recognition. Peace studies depends upon a holistic approach to violence. Universities that are divided into specific disciplines have a hard time accommodating to an academic field that includes academic areas as diverse as international studies, social work, and education. Professors in traditional disciplines like history, have a hard time abandoning their narrow scholastic training to embrace such a wide-ranging field. The immense problem of bringing peace to human societies requires a new kind of discipline. Peace studies expects scholars to be critical of traditional academic hierarchies, to promote social change, to challenge state policies, and to transform the behavior of students confused, frightened, and bewildered by the many forms of violence that surround them.
At the end of a century racked by violence and war, peace studies faces many problems in gaining broad acceptance by universities and colleges. On the positive side are the students, concerned about the violence in the postmodern world, who are idealistic and eager to learn about alternatives to violence. On the negative side are the university administrators who in a time of fiscal restraint are not able to support new disciplines, however important they may be. Television news in the West daily gives the impression that domestic violence and street crime are urgent problems. The hesitance of faculty to embrace this new field also means that peace studies programs have a narrow base of support that is dwindling as the professors in this field grow older without more resources. In spite of the tremendous carnage of the twentieth century, the field of peace studies is in danger of remaining marginal in the next century.
Further obstacles come from cultures that continually rely upon peace through strength strategies to provide security for frightened citizens who in turn have little knowledge of nonviolent alternatives. In response to rising levels of domestic crime, politicians are building prisons and hiring more police, rather than providing support for peace education efforts that could help prevent violence by teaching young people peace-making techniques. Likewise, in a post Cold War climate national governments have not been able to divert resources away from defense towards addressing the various aspects of structural violence that cause so much violence in the first place. Recent reductions in crime are credited to police and not to thousands of peacemakers who have been teaching conflict resolution techniques to young people in schools.
Emphasis upon resonding to violence with force makes it hard to build a foundation of support for peace studies within citizenries that see the pursuit of peace as being both idealistic and unglamourous. The pursuit of peace is often labeled Aidealistic because it is assumed that humans will always be violent, and any talk about building a peaceful society is seen as naive. It is also considered unglamourous in the sense that bloody and dramatic events make headlines. Peaceful living is not covered by a media seeking to titillate an audience that has been raised on glamorous images of violence promoted on television, in novels, movies, and popular music. News reports cover the protagonists and antagonists in a violent conflict but ignore the inevitable presence of peacemakers who are always present, trying to resolve conflict nonviolently. Supporters of peace studies need to find ways to dramatize the work of nonviolent peace heroes and heroines. As we near the new millennium, it is crucial that the struggle to build a peaceful world be a dynamic part of the public debate, so that the 21st century that will not be dominated by violence and war.
Peace educators promote peace within the confines of a global corporate marketplace where materials and wealth are valued. Most students, seeking to get ahead in a competitive world, want to get on the bandwagon that leads to success. Too few seem to understand that their success will not last if their societies devolve as have the civic worlds in Somalia, the old Yugoslavia, or Pakistan (just to name a few), if the environment is destroyed, or if nuclear warheads are released. Most Western states continue to spend huge amounts of money on military might and are not investing in any systematic way in promoting peace.
Yet the expansion of peace education in a wide variety of forms as illustrated throughout this paper provides evidence of fruitful new directions (like conflict resolution and negotiation programs), fresh commitments (the increases in undergraduate and graduate programs and numbers of dedicated students), and innovative applications (mediation services and converted military bases). Peace Studies at the end of the millennium faces its problems of definition, status and funding but it does so with an enlarged understanding of itself, and the capacity for imaginative extensions of its role and prudent and enterprising applications of its finite resources.
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Which Irish county is known as The Garden of Ireland | Visit Ireland - Attractions and Activities: Gardens
Gardens of Ireland
When it comes right down to it - all of Ireland is a garden. Ireland is one of the most fertile places on earth. The mild climate and long growing season coupled with fertile soil and ample amounts of precipitation culminate to create an ideal growing environment. A trip through the lush countryside is a wonder to the eyes. A spectacular patchwork quilt of stonewalled fields literally unfolds before your eyes. With over 40 shades of green the countryside comes alive and must be personally experienced. The landscape is much too vivid to be reproduced.
Some of the loveliest settings in Ireland evolve around its gardens. It is here that peace and tranquility abounds. Many of Irelands gardens were created by some of the most talented experts from around the globe. There are formal gardens, Victorian gardens, Japanese gardens, and decorative vegetable gardens. Here, we have noted only a few well-known gardens of Ireland. Many others exist throughout the country. We recommend that you take time to "stop and smell the roses" during your journey. Ask locally about gardens, which may be visited in the area. Remember - all of Ireland is a garden.
Knappogue Castle & Walled Garden offers a newly restored 19th century walled garden set against the beautiful backdrop of Knappogue Castle. Dating from 1817, the beautiful 1.25-acre garden is now restored to its former splendour. The tall and imposing walls of the walled garden have now been refurnished with climbing roses, grapevines and many clematis varieties.
The garden's centerpiece - Bacchus, the Greek God of Wine, reflects the former epicurean philosophy & lifestyle of the mediaeval castle. The garden's main features include the pergola, the tranquil bandstand, and the rockery with fernery, shrubberies and pathways lined with herbaceous borders. The garden supplies the Castle with fresh herbs for daily use in the preparation of the mediaeval banquet, which take place nightly at 7:00PM from April to October.
Located near Quin, County Clare 11km east of Ennis off the R469. Open viewing for viewing 7 days a week.
The National Botanic Gardens in Dublin offer free admission or guided tours. The gardens were founded in 1795 by the Royal Dublin Society and taken over by the state in 1878. The gardens feature a rose garden, vegetable garden, an arboretum, and a yew-walk along the River Tolka, herbaceous beds, and various natural habitats. The greenhouses have a multitude of exotic plants.
Another great garden in Dublin is the Iveagh Gardens, close to St. Stephen's Green. This garden has been open to the public only a few years. The estate was built during the 18th Century. There are ivy-clad corners, statues, a grotto, landscape gardens, and a maze. A Victorian rosarium has recently been rebuilt.
County Wicklow is known as "The Garden of Ireland". It is home to the following magnificent horticultural wonders: Powerscourt Estate, Russborough , Mount Usher Gardens , Killruddery House and Gardens , and Avondale House and Forest Park . From May through July is the Wicklow Garden Festival . During the festival over fifty private gardens are available for public enjoyment. With their maturity and diversity, these gardens offer spectacular grandeur.
Powerscourt House, Gardens and Waterfall is located at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. Richard Wingfield, the Viscount of Powerscourt, created the gardens in the 1740's. Daniel Robertson further developed the gardens from 1843 to 1975. Powerscourt has the highest waterfall in Ireland. It also offers many garden attractions including formal gardens as well as landscaped walks comprised of over 200 varieties of trees, shrubs, flowers and plants. There is also a garden center, shops and a café on the property.
The Japanese Garden is located on the outskirts of Kildare Town in County Kildare. At the early part of the 20th Century, Lord Wavertree, owner of the property, hired a Japanese gardener Eida and his son Minora, to design the gardens. It includes a Zen rock garden, exotic plants, trees and bamboo.
Outside the town of Killarney lie Muckross House and Gardens in County Kerry. Muckross House is a magnificent Victorian mansion built in 1843. Horse drawn carriages can take you from the carpark to the mansion, about 1 mile, through beautiful tree lined pastures. The famed gardens are world-renowned. They are noted for the collection of rhododendrons and azaleas, a rock garden and the many walk ways along the shores of the lake.
The Victorian Gardens at Kylemore Abbey are located in Connemara, County Galway. A wealthy Englishman built it for his bride. After her sudden death, the property sat vacant. During WWII, the Benedictine Nuns purchased the estate. This is one of the most picturesque settings in Ireland. You may tour the country house now used as an international girl's school and convent or the gardens and long walk ways through the woods. There is also a beautiful but rather steep climb up the mountain to a statue of Jesus, a smaller version of the one found in Rio de Janeiro. Once on top of the mountain, the panoramic views cannot be beat.
The National Trust operates the gardens at Mount Stewart in County Down, Northern Ireland. The gardens encompass 80 acres. It has a variety of different kinds of gardens and a vast array of plants.
The Botanic Gardens in Belfast, County Antrim, were created in1827. The gardens surround a wrought iron and glass greenhouse, built in 1839, which is considered the largest greenhouse in the world. Many of the plants are over 100 years old. The Tropical Ravine House displays a range of tropical plants grown in a sunken glen.
Timoleague Castle Gardens, in County Cork, are large walled gardens surrounding the castle ruins.
Butterstream, Trim, County Westmeath, is a rather young garden, began in 1970, by Jim Reynolds. Butterstream is comprised of several interlinking garden "rooms" each one more beautiful and unique than the next.
Ilnacullin, Garinish Island, Glengarriff, County Cork, is very beautiful and unusual garden on Garnish Island in Bantry Bay. This island garden is warmed by sea but often buffeted by strong prevailing winds. Harold Peto designed this unique isle garden in the Italian Arts and Crafts style.
Kilmokea Country Manor and Gardens, County Wexford consists of two distinct gardens. A formal walled garden surrounds the house and a free flowing woodland garden beyond. It is well known for its wide variety of rare trees and shrubs. Bed and Breakfast accommodations are also available.
Ardgillan Castle and Victorian Gardens , located in Balbriggan, County Dublin was built in 1738. It is a fine 18th century manor house surrounded by 80 hectares of gardens and woodlands. A Victorian glass conservatory, a rose garden and walled garden can all be found on the property.
Tullynally Castle and Gardens , Castlepollard, County Westmeath is 12 hectacres of gardens and parkland. The gardens encompass two lakes, a grotto, a Chinese garden and many walking paths.
Almost 160 acres comprise Belvedere House, Gardens and Park , located in County Westmeath. Walled gardens, follies, 6 km of nature trails and ruins can all be found. There is also a petting park. The house, built in 1740, has recently been restored, and is also open to the public.
In 1870, the 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, designed the woodland garden, Derreen Garden , located in County Kerry. The garden boasts magnificent views of the Caha Mountains and Kilmackillogue Harbour. It contains some of the original rhododendrons, now over 60 feet tall.
Located in County Limerick, is Ballynacourty , it comprises several small gardens, one with a laburnum walk, another with a small vegetable garden. There are several varieties of roses through out. The best time to view the roses are the months of May and June.
Many of the country houses and castles offering overnight accommodations are beautifully landscaped with formal gardens.
| Wicklow |
What name is given to a castrated male sheep | Counties in Ireland: From Mayo to Wicklow an introduction
► Irish land divisions – so crucial to Irish genealogy
Mayo
In Irish, the county is called Maigh Eo, meaning the Plain of Yews. It is in Connaught province, is the third largest of the counties in Ireland, and is a wild mountainous region with a long Atlantic coastline. As a result of its topography it is known as both the Heather County and the Maritime County.
Because it suffered so dreadfully during the Great Hunger, the phrase "Mayo! God help us!" became a fixture and is still used, albeit usually in an ironic context these days.
Its county town is Castlebar but its largest town is Ballina. The only other town of any size is Westport.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Mayo include Walsh, Gallagher, Kelly, Malley, Moran, Duffy, McHale, Gibbons, Joyce, Connor, Conway, Higgins and Murphy.
Griffith's Valuation was carried out in 1856-7.
Meath
In Irish, the county is called Mí, a simple word for an uncomplicated meaning of Middle (province). It is in Leinster province and is known as the Royal County because the Hill of Tara, home of the legendary High Kings of Ireland, is within its boundaries.
Meath was the scene of one of Ireland's most fateful battles: the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Today it is home to many Dublin commuters and its principal towns are Navan, Trim and Kells.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Meath include Reilly, Smith, Lynch, Brady, Farrell, Farrelly and Kelly.
Richard Griffith carried out his Valuation survey in Meath in 1855.
Monaghan
In Irish, the county is called Muineacháin, meaning a Place of little hills. The name is a perfect description for this sparsely populated region and has earned Monaghan the nickname of Drumlin County. It is one of the three counties of Ulster province to remain within the Republic of Ireland.
The county town of Monaghan developed in the 18th century thanks to the Irish linen industry and its prosperity is still apparent in the town's rich legacy of Regency style buildings.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Monagahn include Duffy, Connolly, McMahon, McKenna, Hughes, Murphy and McCabe.
Griffith's Valuation was carried out in 1858-60.
Offaly
In Irish, the county is called Ua Fáilghe, meaning the Descendants of the Tribe of Failghe. It is in Leinster province and used to be known as King's County. Today's unofficial nickname is the Faithful County, since the word appears on its crest of arms.
Hornbeam cloister at Birr Castle
Most of the county is flat and bogland. Despite its unexceptional landscape it has one of Ireland's most important Christian sites, Clonmacnois, and what many believe to be the country's most perfect Georgian town: Birr. Offaly's main town is Tullamore.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Offaly include Kelly, Dunne, Daly, Egan, Molloy, Mooney and Carroll.
The county was surveyed for Griffith's Valuation in 1854.
Roscommon
In Irish, the county is called Ros Comán, meaning Saint Coman's wood. It is in the Irish province of Connaught. Locals are called Rossies or (light-heartedlly) as Sheep Stealers, a term which refers to the common crimes committed by many of those transported to Australia.
Two medieval ruins are all that remain of a colossal 13th century castle and an Abbey in the county town of Roscommon but the busiest visitor attraction in the county is Strokestown Park House and its Irish Famine Museum. Other towns include Boyle and Castlerea.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Roscommon include Kelly, McDermott, Beirne, Regan, Flanagan, Connor, McDonagh, Quinn, Murray, Brennan and Higgins.
Griffith's Valuation was carried out in 1857-8.
Sligo
In Irish, the county is called Sligeach, meaning Shelly river. It is in the province of Connaught and contains the largeest concentration of megalithic monuments on the island, including Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, one of Europe's most important prehistoric sites.
The county town of Sligo has many connections with Ireland's greatest poets, W B Yeats. Its only other town of any size is Tobercurry.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Sligo include Brennan, McLoughlin, Gallagher, Kelly, Harte, McGowan, Walsh and Kennedy.
Griffith's Valuation was carried out in 1858.
Tipperary
The Rock of Cashel
In Irish, the county is called Tiobraid Arainn, meaning the Well of Ara. It is in Munster province and, for administrative purposes is split into North and South Ridings. This is because it is the largest of the counties in Ireland's interior. It is also famous for having the highest count of cattle. With 624,388 beasts (2006), it has four times more cattle than people the highest ratio of any of the counties in Ireland.
Its principal towns are Carrick on Suir, Clonmel (the county town), Cahir and Tipperary itself. The latter is an important and traditional dairy farming town. Also within this county is the Rock of Cashel, said to have been created by the Devil.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Tipperary include Ryan, Maher, O'Brien, Kennedy, Dwyer, Hogan, Hayes, Gleeson, McGrath, Walsh, Kelly and Lonergan.
Tipperary was one of the first counties in Ireland to be surveyed for Griffith's Valuation, in 1850-51.
Tyrone
In Irish, the county is called Tír Eoghain, meaning the Territory of Eoghan. It has the lowest population of the Ulster province counties within Northern Ireland (UK) and is primarily a farming region. It is known as O'Neill County in referrence to the medieval family who once controlled the area.
Tyrone has fabulous hill and forest scenery and is home to the Ulster American Folk Park which celebrates the strong links between Ulster and North America. Its county capital is Omagh but Strabane and Cookstown are also reasonable size communities.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Tyrone include Quinn, Mullan, Kelly, Donnelly, Gallagher, McKenna, Campbell and Hughes.
Griffith's Valuation was carried out in 1851.
Waterford
Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre
In Irish, the county is called Port Lairge, from the Viking name Vadrefiord. It is in Munster province and is is one of the sunny coastal counties in Ireland's south. As such, it is a popular destination for holidays in Ireland.
It's a prosperous place with wonderfully varied scenery and its name is famously linked with the crystal glass made in the county town. It is even referred to as the Crystal County. An alternative moniker is the Decies County due to its historical links with the Celt tribe of that name.
In 1831, co. Waterford had a population of 176,898 (87 people per km2) and that density was repeated in 2002. According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Waterford include Power, Walsh, O'Brien, Murphy, Ryan, McGrath, Foley, Flynn, Morrissey and Kelly.
Waterford was surveyed by Richard Griffith for his Valuation in 1848-51, making it the second county to be valued after Dublin.
Westmeath
In Irish, the county is called Iarmhí, meaning Western middle province. At its heart is the Hill of Uisneach which was believed to mark the spot where the ancient Irish provinces converged. Westmeath is now in Leinster province.
Its main settlements are the former garrison town of Mullingar and the strategically important Athlone which straddles the River Shannon just before it flows into Lough Ree. An uninhabited island in the Lough is said to be the geographical centre of Ireland.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Westmeath include Lynch, Farrell, Reilly, Daly, Murray and Duffy.
Griffith's Valuation was carried out in 1854.
Wexford
In Irish, the county is called Loch Garman, but the Viking name of the district was Weis fiord, meaning harbour of the mudflats. That may not sound too inviting, but Wexford is the island's most south-easterly county and it has some gloriously sandy beaches. This makes it a popular destination for an Irish holiday, especially for families with young children.
In land area, it is the largest of the counties in Ireland's Leinster province but it is not densely populated. In 2002, population density was 50 persons per square kilometre. Some 160 years earlier, in 1831, that figure was 86 persons/km2.
Because it is sunnier and drier than all other counties in Ireland, its inhabitants are nicknamed the Strawberry Pickers. An alternative, and possibly more common, nickname is Yellowbellies. The county is also known as the Model County due to its progressive farming methods and model farms. Enniscorthy, New Ross and Wexford are its main centres.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Wexford include Murphy, Doyle, Walsh, Bryne, Cullen, Kavanagh, Brien, Roche, Kelly, Nolan, Redmond and Connor.
The county was surveyed for Griffith's Valuation in 1853.
Powerscourt House and Gardens, Wicklow
Wicklow
In Irish, the county is called Cill Mhantáin, from the Viking name Viking Gelo. It is in Leinster province and is famous for the Wicklow Mountains and the hauntingly beautiful Glendalough.
Because goats roam the mountain areas, people from Wicklow are known as Goat Suckers. Rather more pleasantly, the county itself is referred to as the Garden of Ireland.
It was the last of the counties in Ireland to be 'shired', in 1606. Its main towns are Wicklow, Arklow and Bray.
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Wicklow include Byrne, Doyle, Murphy, Kelly, Kavanagh, Nolan, Brien, Kehoe, Lawlor, Toole and Dunne.
Griffith's Valuation was carried out in 1852-3.
| i don't know |
In the well known children's story Swallows and Amazons what was Titty's surname | Swallows and Amazons.
Swallows and Amazons.
by Anna Raccoon on June 1, 2016
Gosh! Was it really 60 years ago today that I was eight years old? Did the sun really shine all day in June back then? Did I really cycle from Westleton to Dunwich day after day, spending nights in a one man army tent on my father’s old ‘camp’ bed? Did the cafe on Dunwich beach really sell Dandelion and Burdock cordial?
A thick fog has descended over the marshes today, madness to drive over the potholed roads, so stay at home and amuse myself with just the aid of binoculars and watch ‘our’ Crane (if you are at Horsey Mere trying to count 22 of them – we have the missing one!) searching for his breakfast. Stay at home and reminisce of a time of conkers and ginger pop and dandelion and burdock, when being eight years old didn’t involve being driven to school in a chelsea tractor for fear of what might happen to you on a bus, and ‘playing’ wasn’t what you did in your bedroom by the light of x-box. Bedrooms were for sleeping, profoundly, at the end of a day of exploration – with lino floors and ice on the inside of the windows they weren’t fit for much else – or perhaps catching a chapter or two of ‘Swallows and Amazons’, still the bible for child rearing in the 50s, but read avidly by small children as inspiration for the next day.
‘Send them out’, ‘wear them out’, and tinned mandarin oranges with carnation milk for an occasional treat. Supply with rickety bicycle or small dinghy if possible. Make do with wooden box lightly fixed to old pram wheels if not. Do not feed pet guinea pig for them, nor clean its hutch, but attend ritual funeral (in an old Kilner jar!) as required as an important part of teaching them to take care of pets and feed them occasionally. Apply bandages as necessary.
Whilst doing some research in order to write this piece, I fell over a ten year old offering from the ‘Commissioner for Children’. He was concerned that children no longer had the opportunity to live with the freedoms we knew as children. His solution?
The commissioner hopes to promote the idea of supervised theme parks , where children could climb trees and indulge in creative play overseen by adult volunteers who could be drawn from the retired. He cited organisations such as the Scouts, Girlguiding, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the Outward Bound Trust as those that offered the chance for children to learn about physical risk.
*Sigh* Risk free adventure. Surely an oxymoron?
Swallows and Amazons, all 13 editions, was quintessentially English. Those long limbed children, full of curiosity, courage, rivalry, tanned from hours in the sun, formed the mindset of a generation – this was what it meant to be English! This was the generation that grew to be fearful of an influx of ‘foreigners’, Syrian refugees arriving from war torn Aleppo on our beaches in small dinghies to take the jobs of our true Englishmen…
True to politically correct form, the BBC has decided, just before a referendum that will surely turn on just how you feel about ‘foreigners’, to resurrect ‘Swallows and Amazons’. BBC Films/Harbour films will have the result in cinemas on August 19th. Young actors and actresses that epitomise teenage ‘english’ girls and boys have been hired to play the parts of the four Walker children John, Susan, Titty and Roger, and the Blackett children.
Titty, for unfathomable reasons, has been renamed ‘Tatty’. ‘Titty’ apparently being too reminiscent of ‘breasts’ to be allowed into a film awash with nubile female teenagers. ‘Roger’ with its many connotations, was allowed to remain ‘Roger’.
Yet the casting of such very ‘English’ faces is not only surprising from the BBC but problematic from the viewpoint of authenticity. For the bronzed limbs of John, Susan, Titty and Roger didn’t come from their open air lifestyle, nor the currently existent English sun – but their patriarchal heritage.
The Altounyan children on whom Arthur Ransome based his magical tales, hailed from Aleppo in Syria…now why would the BBC not want to reflect that?
The Altounyan children.
Since the BBC are intent on updating the stories, should there not be at least one Syrian refugee in the story, preferably in a wheelchair, with an ongoing battle with the DLA to have the Dinghy adapted for him?
Perhaps they could sail off the Sea Paling coast and rescue drowning Albanian ‘tourists’?
And yes, 60 years ago, I could cycle from Westleton to Dunwich, with a wood and canvas contraption tied to my back with rope…
I couldn’t do it today.
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
| Walker |
Which English town was known as Segedunum to the Romans | Red herrings | Arthur Ransome Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
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Ransome, despite his Australian grandfather, was off target in sketching in the Australian background of Mary Walker Swallows and Amazons; see ( SA 18),( SD 2,8),( WD 2):
She refers to opossums ( SA 18), a smelly native of North America. The animal that lives in Australia is called a " possum ".
There are no little brown bears ( SA 18) in Australia. The koala is not a bear, it's a marsupial, and koalas are not brown but grey.
She had spent her childhood both on a sheep station ( SA 18), but close to Sydney Harbour:
“I wonder whether the real Queen Elizabeth knew much about ships” said Titty. That Queen Elizabeth was not brought up close to Sydney Harbour” said mother ( SA 2).
sailing in Sydney Harbour when she was a little girl ( SA 16)
recalling when she capsized my cousin's dinghy in Sydney Harbour ( SD 8).
As any good Australian knows, the sheep stations are all a long way from Sydney: the two statements of where Mary spent her childhood can be reconciled if, for example, her family home was a sheep station but she attended a boarding school in Sydney.
Tea Bay, Landing Island and Tittyy's Island
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Occasionally AR invents a location and then appears to forget about it: in Chapter 10 of Swallows and Amazons the Amazons stop to have their breakfast (with tea!) at Tea Bay which is neither marked on the map nor mentioned in any of the other books. However, it does appear on Mike Field's Map of The Lake, in what Mike believes is the definitive location. And in Chapter 23 John names the island on the Lake where they had rested, swinging from the wooden pier in the darkness of the night as Landing Island on their sketch chart. Another island is added to their sketch chart called Titty's Island. It is the one she stays on to keep watch for the amazons whilst the other swallows go into Rio. This name does not appear on any maps or other books.
Latitude and Longitude
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When the Swallows and Amazons conclude a Treaty of Offence and Defence in Swallows and Amazons , Titty says that they should put in the Latitude and Longitude: "They always put them in all over the place." Nancy (at times slapdash over technical matters) writes in 'Lat 7 Long. 200'. The latitude would place the explorers within the Tropics (appropriate for explorers), but the longitude can never be more than 180 (East or West of Greenwich) which is perhaps deliberately absurd to avoid having to give what could be considered the 'correct' figures, from which people might be tempted to deduce the 'correct' location of The Lake or indeed Wild Cat Island.
Natives
In Swallows and Amazons both the Swallows and the Amazons refer, independently, to grown-ups as ' Natives '. Just a coincidence?
Swallowdale
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On the summit they date their addition to the paper in the brass box as "Aug. 11, 1931". But the summit day is Day 15, so Days 1 to 4 are in July not August. On the first day (28 July) August had come again ( SD1 ). On the fourth day (31 July) John found that the water was cold even in August ( SD11 ).
Already loaded
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The picture 'Loading Captain Flint' on page 177 of Swallowdale shows Roger and Titty (or is it Susan?) heaving a large load onto Captain Flint's back, while Nancy, hand on hip, stands bossily in the background. However a close reading of page 170 shows that Captain Flint was already loaded up when Nancy arrived on the scene.
Howdy
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The American expression Howdy appears in a couple of places:
"Titty always says `Howdy' to him, even if she's only been away ten minutes." says John , when telling Nancy to leave the note for the missing overland party of Titty and Roger on Polly 's cage ( SD33 )
"Uncle Jim-Captain Flint may be back at any minute. He may be back now. He may be just strolling up here today to say howdy and us without an ingot to show him." says Nancy, talking about Captain Flint ( PP28 )
It is not at all surprising that James Turner, prospector and rolling stone, should have picked up the expression 'Howdy' in the course of his travels (in the Klondyke, perhaps, or in the dives of Valparaiso), nor that his niece should associate it with him. In that case, he might well have been in the habit of saying 'Howdy' to his parrot, particularly so if its previous owner had been an American, and it would have been natural for clever, sensitive Titty to continue to greet the parrot in a way that it would recognise.
Stretching a point
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In the illustration 'Stretcher Party' in Swallowdale , not only are there not enough stretcher-bearers (see below), but it appears that Roger has the wrong foot bound up. In the text we are told that his left foot gets twisted, and towards the end of the book in 'The Charge' it is clearly his left foot that has the bracken poultice. However, in 'Stretcher Party' it is his right foot that has the poultice.
In addition to Roger on the stretcher, there should be five people on foot (John, Nancy, Susan, Peggy and Titty), but the picture shows only four.
Peter Duck
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In Swallowdale , Mr Duck is said to have come back from the Carribees with his pockets full of pirate gold. However, in Peter Duck the expedition's booty is no more than a few bags of not-very-valuable pearls. How can this discrepancy be explained?
Although Peter Duck appeared, and was written, after Swallowdale, it is supposed to have taken place, in the imagination of the children, before Swallowdale. By the time AR came to write Peter Duck he may well have decided that gold would over-emphasise the 'treasure-hunting' side of the book, and pearls would be more appropriate
'Pirate gold' could have been used as a generic term for whatever objects of value the expedition recovered, and could therefore as well be applied to pearls as to genuine gold
Pelorus Jack
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In the second paragraph of Chapter 17 of Peter Duck , Mr Duck describes Pelorus Jack, the fish that used to pilot vessels into Sydney harbour, and had a law made in his own protection.
Pelorus Jack was actually a Risso's dolphin, but Mr Duck was a whole country out in the location, as the dolphin accompanied steamers travelling between Nelson and Wellington across New Zealand's Cook Strait, more than 1000 miles from Sydney harbour. He was first seen in 1888, the Act of Parliament for his protection was passed on 26 Sept 1904, and he was last seen in 1912.
see native article Wikipedia:Pelorus Jack
Coot Club
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In Chapter 18 of Coot Club , when Teasel passes through Breydon railway swing bridge, AR describes the noise of the signal changing and the bridge closing behind the boat. However this sequence of events is in the wrong order: first the bridge must close, and then the signal can change: otherwise a train might approach an open bridge, with disastrous consequences.
Three million cheers!
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We associate the expression Three Million Cheers with Nancy Blackett , but in fact the first time it occurs is in Chapter 22 of Coot Club , where it is a reaction to the arrival of Port and Starboard , and is spoken by Tom, Dick or Dorothea (if either of the latter, it could of course have been learned from Nancy or Peggy the previous winter).
Dick's fancy-dress
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After falling in with the quant, Dick emerges from the cabin of Teasel dressed in flannel shorts and a pyjama jacket over a jersey much too big for him ( CC 14). Presumably he was wearing flannel shorts and a pyjama jacket under a jersey much too big for him.
The stray exclamation mark (!)
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It must be rotten going through here in summer," said Tom! (sic) ( CC 23). This ungrammatical exclamation mark appears in the hardcover edition, and has been faithfully copied by the typographer of the Puffin paperback edition. It finally got expunged for the Red Fox paperbacks.
Pigeon Post
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'All but OB': correct point of sail (broad reach on a starboard tack) shown.
the Puffin cover of We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea showing Goblin broad-reaching on a port tack (even the sidelights are coloured to maintain the deception)
A colour version of the illustration 'All but OB' was used on the Puffin cover throughout the 1970s. This picture is run in mirror image (and incidentally extended upwards by four extra masthoops worth of mast and rigging): it seems the publishers needed some clear sky for the title text: this makes the sou'wester North Sea storm a nor'easter or else had the Swallows sailing from Holland to Harwich!
Ship-shape
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In the illustration 'AHOY! AHOY!' where Daddy is shown hailing John from the North Sea steamer, Goblin 's staysail is shown lowered and bundled on the foredeck; the text describes John lowering the staysail and furling the jib a little after this incident, while the pilot is steering toward the mooring bouy.
Off the wire
There is an anachronism in WD 24, the wireless masts at Bawdsey were part of the new secret British coastal radar system and were not installed until 1936 well after the book which is set in 1931.
Secret Water
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In Secret Water , Susan refers to sandwiches: "Peggy's got one lot of sandwiches, and ours are in my knapsack" before the Walkers set off across the Red Sea with the rudder to be repaired. When they hurried off, a mere page later, we read that "Susan had an empty knapsack on her back" ( SW23 ).
But en route Bridget and Roger race each other and then lay down in the hot sum on top of the dyke, while John takes bearings. "Susan dealt out sandwiches", and then said " ..... we've got to get back before the tide comes in. Finish the sandwiches on the march" ( SW23 ).
Where had the sandwiches reappeared from? Out of Susan's empty knapsack?
Mangoes or Mangroves
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Arthur Ransome confused the mango (common today but an exotic rarity in the 1930's and 40's) with the mangrove tree typically found in shallow estuaries on tropical and sub-tropical coasts:
in Secret Water the low marshy islands to the west of Mastodon Island are named (by Titty) the Mango Islands as they are "All swamp. Nowhere to land."
in Chapter 6 of Missee Lee John comments "Mangoes. Pretty nearly awash" when he reaches the queer huge-leaved trees with their roots in the water that fringe the Chinese coast.
The Sundial
Illustrating Arthur Ransome mentions that its first illustration in Secret Water shows a Sundial that would have worked only in the Southern Hemisphere. Later editions brought it into the Northern Hemisphere.
Where's that dinghy?
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In Secret Water , the illustration 'On the way to the islands', used as the cover for the Penguin editions, shows Goblin with no evidence of any dinghy being towed. The text however makes it clear that she should be towing Wizard : The Goblin's wake lengthened, and the water creamed under the bows of Wizard, the sailing dinghy, towing astern.
Did he really make that?
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In chapter 7 of Secret Water, the explorers find in their camp a stick, carved so that it looked like a snake, but in the illustration 'What Susan found in the camp', we see a smoothly-carved eel wound around a rough post. Was this very complex bit of sculpture made by a Mastodon who built a table of which John thought, though he did not say, that it might have been rather better made.
A good sense of direction
If only she had her compass to make sure of its ( Sinbad's Creek 's) direction ...... And then she noticed two things. First, that those anchored boats in the distance were all pointing north... ( Titty , SW 25)
Where's the totem?
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The picture on p. 375 of Secret Water should show the Eels' totem at the cross-trees of Goblin as she sails away from the Secret Archipelago . However, the 1991 revised edition of the book re-used the picture of the cross-trees from p. 51 with the Blue Peter but no totem.
Missee Lee
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One of Ransome's best-known blunders: a brownie patrol spotted that Captain Flint's SOS message in semaphore hidden among the birdseed in Missee Lee contained eight mistakes that had to be corrected in later editions. Fry, frizzle and broil that fellow Flint. What's the use of my taking trouble when he lets me down like this? wrote AR in a letter to his publisher (see Christina Hardyment Arthur Ransome and Captain Flint's Trunk , p. 176)
Come off it, Peggy!
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In Chapter 13 of Missee Lee , the children own up to desecrating the temple on Temple Island built in memory of Miss Lee's father . John apologises for sleeping in the temple, Susan for using the kettle and the Primus, and Titty for the husks that Polly left on the floor. The most surprising apology comes from Peggy: "We took some of your tea, too". However, when the Walkers were on the island, the Amazons were far away on the Chinese pirate ship. Had Peggy already forgotten? Or was it AR who had forgotten?
The Picts and the Martyrs
Launching Scarab as depicted on the cover of The Picts and the Martyrs
On the dust jacket of The Picts and the Martyrs there is a thumbnail version of a drawing which does not appear in the book, which shows Dick and Dorothea taking delivery of Scarab , with the boat builder looking on and Nancy being masterful (PM15).
Nancy or Ruth?
Edit
In The Picts and the Martyrs chapter 18, Nancy complains about the dreaded Great Aunt, who says while she is practising the piano: "Please Nancy, these two bars again ..... Nancy ..... Nancy ....." but the GA always calls Nancy and Peggy by their real names Ruth and Margaret. This was a slip up on AR's part, who corrected his personal copy of PM, now in Abbot Hall: by the 5th printing (1946) this was corrected in published copies also.
Blast! I forgot
Edit
In The Picts and the Martyrs Slater Bob explains to Dick how blasting requires the boring of a hole for a charge: ...the old man took Dick's finger and rubbed it along a narrow groove in the rock. "That's how," he said. "Yon's what's left of a boring. (PM24)
Dick is evidently forgetting that he himself already explained exactly the same point to Roger in Pigeon Post : "Look," said Dick. "They must have blasted with gunpowder. You can see one side of the hole they bored for their charge." "Where?" said Roger. "Oh, yes. I see it," and he ran his finger along a smooth and narrow furrow in the rock. (PP3)
Great Northern?
Edit
In the 1st edition of Great Northern? the illustration 'Dick goes off to the lochs' shows a figure in the left foreground that is clearly an Amazon pirate, though she seems to be too small to be Nancy. As both of the Amazons were at the time helping to scrub Sea Bear , the figure should have been Dorothea. The illustration was corrected in subseqent editions, but the earlier, incorrect, version is still used on the dust-wrapper of Great Northern?
Which Way's the Sun
After Sea Bear is beached John says "Her starboard side'll be dry first." The time is shortly before noon and Sea Bear is pointing west or, possibly, south, which would put her port side towards the sun.
Captain Flint's Amnesia
Edit
Great Northern? presumably takes place after We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea , in which John loses Jim Brading 's anchor by not ensuring that the end of the chain is secured. Captain Flint must have heard this story, yet in Chapter 2 of Great Northern? he asks John to check that the kedge warp is made fast, saying "Wouldn't help us to lose the lot. I did that once so I know." Is Captain Flint being uncharacteristically tactless, self-centered or forgetful? John can't like being reminded of his bitter experience but Ransome moves on without recording his response.
Acknowledgement
Edit
This page is based on Ransome Trivia on All Things Ransome . Thanks are due to the many contributors, whose names appear on that web page, and whose contributions reappear here by kind permission of All Things Ransome. The All Things Ransome editors would appreciate being advised when something new gets added here, so they can decide whether an equivalent entry should be made to their Trivia page, and vice versa.
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Which poet resided at Dove Cottage | Dove Cottage
Dove Cottage
Dove Cottage (Jane McIlroy / Shutterstock.com)
"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils"
A fixture of the English Literature school curriculum, these lyrical words are perhaps William Wordsworth’s most famous, and they were written in 1804 by the poet whilst he resided at Dove Cottage with his sister Dorothy.
Today you can explore this quaint family home as it would have been presented during Wordworth’s tenancy, whilst the adjacent museum will give you an in depth understanding of the man, his works, and what inspired him.
History
Situated on the main route between Keswick and Ambleside , it’s thought that Dove Cottage was originally a public inn called the Dove and Olive, no doubt providing much needed refreshment for weary travellers.
The inn closed in 1793 and Wordsworth and his sister moved in during 1799. In 1802, Wordsworth married Mary Hutchinson and she moved in with William and Dorothy to Dove Cottage following their wedding. Mary had three children whilst at the property, and the expanded family moved out in 1808 in need of larger accommodation.
During their time at the property Wordsworth wrote a number of works including "I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud", "Ode To Duty", and parts of "The Prelude". They were also visited regularly by other notable figures including Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Walter Scott, and Robert De Quincey who took over the tenancy of Dove Cottage once the Wordsworths left.
Successive tenants resided at the property until 1890, when the Reverend Stopford Brooke purchased the property and created the Wordsworth Trust, with a view to preserving the famous family home.
Things To See
The actual cottage has been faithfully recreated as the Wordsworth’s family home using furnishings from the period and some of family’s own possessions. A guided tour will give you an understanding of what life was like for the family at the turn of the nineteenth century, and outside you can stroll through the gardens that provided endless inspiration for the poet.
Adjacent to the cottage there is a museum where you can see some of Wordsworth’s original manuscripts, as well as informative displays and artwork from the period.
Useful Information
There is a tea room serving light lunches and snacks throughout the day. There is also a shop on site selling a range of souvenirs and gifts.
The museum is wheelchair accessible but the cottage is not thanks to its historic nature. Pushchairs are also not permitted in the cottage.
No photography is permitted in the museum or cottage due to copyright restrictions.
Tickets
A small discount is applicable if you purchase tickets online in advance. Tours of the cottage are timed and it is recommended that you book in advance during the peak season.
| William Wordsworth |
What was the capital of England before London | 1000+ images about Wordsworth and the Lake District on Pinterest | Gardens, Lake district and Lakes
William Wordsworth was one of the greatest English poets who, along with other poet and friend Samuel Coleridge, ushered in the English Romantic faction.
See More
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In Dickens what was Mr Micawber's christian name | Character names in David Copperfield - The David Copperfield Community
The David Copperfield Community
Publication 25 By Emily on Sunday, August 26, 2001 at 16:45
Location: Unavailable Registered: Sunday, August 26, 2001 Posts: 1
I am trying to find out why and how Charles Dickens named the characters in David Copperfield. Can you let me know how to find out this information?
Publication 26 By Daveman424 on Sunday, August 26, 2001 at 16:47
Location: Unavailable Registered: Sunday, August 26, 2001 Posts: 4
In my opinion, I think Dickens chose David Copperfield as a name because of his initials, DC. Dickens' initials are CD. One never knows!
Publication 150 By leo on Friday, August 31, 2001 at 03:18
Location: Albania Registered: Friday, August 31, 2001 Posts: 5
Quote
Dickens is known for naming his characters in order to reveal something about the traits of the character. Eg. Mr. Murdstone represents hardness and murder (is suspected of inadvertently causing David's mother death). Miss Murdstone is no different. Steer in Steerforth touches on his leadership role for he guides (steers)David and himself.Steerforth had no father to guide him (which he expresses regret over, and his mother only idolizes him. She doesn't guide him). Betsey Trotwood's last name, suggests a hurried woman (trot), for she is fond of order and does everything with no time to spare. Remember her expression "Oh tut, tut, tut"
Publication 151 By absent-minded on Friday, August 31, 2001 at 19:13
Location: Greece Registered: Friday, June 29, 2001 Posts: -166
Quote
Besides being a Spring and Joy, like a field of copper-colored butterflies, resisting corruption all the time, it is very interesting, that in fact he is called in many ways, from Trotwood and Trot, to Daisy and Copperful, without himself paying much attention to it, so that eventually and essentially his real name proves a name beyond names; open to anyone's wishes and subject to all kinds of changes it remains hidden - or maybe it doesn't exist at all, but only as a drive and cause of the very act of naming. This way David Copperfield indicates the hidden reality inside any other character in the story, who are thus defined from and in their relationship to him.
For a different view, see Dickens' Answers
P.S.
I can't resist putting down all those appearances:
Davy, Master Davy, Master Copperfield, David Trotwood Copperfield, Trotwood, Trot, Copperfield, Mister Copperfield, Dodie, Copperful, Daisy, and: David Copperfield
But I love most when Peggotty calls him "my darling boy".
--------
Publication 338 By karthik on Sunday, July 21, 2002 at 00:43
Location: India Registered: Sunday, July 21, 2002 Posts: 1
I want the character sketch of Uriah Heep from the novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens .
Publication 339 By absent-minded on Sunday, July 21, 2002 at 00:51
Location: Greece Registered: Friday, June 29, 2001 Posts: -166
Take a look at this page
Publication 687 By Jimmy_Connerly on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at 06:42
Location: Australia Registered: Friday, December 3, 2004 Posts: 2
Quote: Originally posted by pete on Monday, November 08, 2004
what is the summary of david copperfield
In order,
Born, beloved, beaten, belittled, bullied, beguiled, beggardly, beleived, beheld, boyish, blinkered, besotted, bespoken, bound, beleagured, bewailing, burdoned, bewildered, bibiliographic, beleiving, betrothed, blissful.
Well, you did ask!
Publication 736 By Asia.pl on Saturday, March 19, 2005 at 14:54
Location: Poland Registered: Saturday, March 19, 2005 Posts: 1
Quote
Hello, I'm new here
My name is Asia, I'm from Poland, and my name has got nothing to do with the continent
I am completly fascinated by "David Copperfield", and I'm totally in love with the Hallmark's adaptation of the book, have you seen it? What do you think of it?
Publication 796 By Nimak on Friday, August 12, 2005 at 19:00
Location: Unavailable Registered: Friday, August 12, 2005 Posts: 1
Quote
I'm also new here, and struggling with David Copperfield. David's brother name is never mentioned in the story, David refers to him as the baby. Is it because the Murdsones do not allow him to have a relationship with him? Since generally David goes to details about the people around him. bThanks in advance.
Publication 818 By dcb188 on Thursday, January 12, 2006 at 19:30
Location: United States Registered: Thursday, January 12, 2006 Posts: 2
Quote
Speaking of characters and their names in Dickens' novels, significant that David's own mother is not mentioned by first name until well into the novel.
And she remains "shadowy" all thru the novel. I think because David did not know her that well. He was very young when she died and although he has fond memories of her which he cherishes, I don't think he has that much of a real attachment to her. And he probably resents her being so pliant in the hands of Mr and Ms Murdstone, even to the point of having to stand by and not protect him against these very aptly named people.
Publication 820 By dong trang on Sunday, January 15, 2006 at 14:11
Location: Vietnam Registered: Sunday, January 15, 2006 Posts: 1
i want to know "why is David Copperfield said to be autobiography ?
Publication 964 By Sebastian on Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 07:02
Location: France Registered: Sunday, January 21, 2007 Posts: 1
Quote
I am puzzled by a sentence near the end of chapter 52. David's aunt, who has from the start consistently refused to call him anything else than "Trotwood" or "Trot", refers to him as "David". What is the meaning of this?
Publication 1054 By Lotus1015 on Monday, November 12, 2007 at 17:34
Location: United States Registered: Monday, November 12, 2007 Posts: 4
Quote
~David Copperfield was written in the mid 1800's. It was published in monthly installments between the years 1849-1850.
~Aunt Betsey refers to David by his Christian name because at that moment she wants for him to realize how solemn and serious her words are. This is no time for nicknames.
~David Copperfield is said to be an autobiography because it loosely follows Dickens' own life experiences. It is said that Dickens set out to write an autobiography but found it too painful; because of this, he decided to fictionalize himself and write David Copperfield. Mr. Macawber is based on David's father who was thrown into debtor's prison, Dickens himself went to work in a factory at a very young age to support his family, and he eventually taught himself shorthand which, like David, helped to springboard him into the world of writers.
~I don't believe that the baby is given a name because when David comes home, his mother is so excited to see her oldest son without Mr. Murdstone around that she doesn't want to waste any time fussing over the baby. She wants to spend what precious time that she has to see and hold and show affection to David rather than the baby who she would be allowed to coddle any time. Also, I believe, to signify how different the regard of the two sons is by Mr. Murdstone; How seperate they are. David's mother knows that the baby will always be favoured, and (at that point) will live a better life. I believe this makes her feel guilty.
Publication 1119 By Homia on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 22:51
Location: India Registered: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 Posts: 1
Can someone help me by sending the character sketch of Peggotty & David from David Copperfield
Publication 1134 By Marcy on Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 13:47
Location: United States Registered: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Posts: 7
Quote
I was looking up the definitions for the characters names on BabyNames.com and this is what I found:
"Emily" is the English form of the Latin name "Amelia." It means to "strive or excel," which is much like the character in the novel since Little Emily tried to "strive or excel" so she can be a lady. Of course, this lead her to trouble with Steerforth...
Agnes is Greek for "pure." Self-explanatory.
Uriah is Hebrew for "God Is My Light," which might represents his "umble" nature. But his last name "Heep" contradicts that. Like what Mr. Micawber says, he is a "HEEP" ("heap" means layers on top of each other) of trouble. Uriah is also complex--he is humble on the surface but manipulative in the inside.
Rosa Dartle's surname, according to TheFreeDictionary.com, means to "To pierce or shoot through; to dart repeatedly," which closely resembles the character's persona.
Publication 1196 By Nibs on Friday, May 8, 2009 at 08:55
Location: United States Registered: Wednesday, May 6, 2009 Posts: 48
Quote
As another poster mentioned, Dickens gives almost allegorical names, names that speak to the character and their personality. I'll give you some explantions for some of the main characters and also other names Dickens was toying with:
David Copperfield - obviously, this name was fashioned from Dickens' own inverted initials (CD becomes DC). As the main character, David went through several careful name changes. The most likely of these was either David or Thomas Mag (Mag = halfpenny). Other possible surnames included Trotfield, Trotbury, Spankle, Wellbury, Flowerbury, Magbury, Copperboy, Topflower, and Copperstone. The fact that David receives so many nicknames in the novel shows the way other characters think of him and the way they are willing to change his personality to suit themselves.
Mr. Micawber - um, it sounds like "macabre" but that doesn't seem to relate to me. It may have related to Mr. Wilkins' dismal situations, though!
Betsey Trotwood- a name that sounds clipped and active, like Betsey herself. In early manuscripts, CD calls Aunt Betsey Miss Badger. He soon changes this to her current name.
Mr. Dick a.k.a. Richard Babley - "babbling" as in babbling idiot, but Betsey changes his name too (like she does with David) into something respectable.
Steerforth - pretty self-explanatory, he guides Davy to all sorts of different actions. Steerforth originally had a much less dramatic name in "Appleford", which evolved into "Steerford".
Tommy Traddles - this was a humorous name but also derives from "Thomas Talfourd" on whom the character was based.
Dora Spenlow - Dickens invented the name "Dora" with this character, probably a derivative of "adorable".
Uriah Heep - Uriah has a very interesting story to go along with his name. The surname probably derives from "heaping praises" because he obviously does that. But his first name is Biblical in origin (aligning with his godspeak) and comes from Samuel 12. In Samuel 12:1-25, God sends Nathan the Prophet to speak to King David, who has just committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of loyal soldier Uriah the Hittite. Nathan tells David a parable in which a rich man steals a poor man's only lamb. King David is fiercely indignant until he realizes the story is about him. In David Copperfield, a rivalry is set up between Uriah and David, over Agnes; the name Agnes means lamb. This is an interesting choice on Dickens' part.
I've also heard before that the name "Uriah", being Hebrew in origin, may indicate that Uriah has Jewish origin. In OMF, the "good" Jew is named Riah.
Agnes Wickfield - as mentioned above, the name Agnes means "lamb", and implies the meaning "pure". In Phiz' illustrations the lamb is a recurring theme. I've heard that the last name of "Wickfield" was just a common name Dickens chose, although "wick" indicates a feeling of light.
Murdstone - obviously a blend of "murder" and the hardness of "stone". Possible early substitutions for "Murdstone" were Harden, Murdle, and Murden. But Dickens settled on Murdstone as it tied in with David's idea of a "gravestone father".
Rosa Dartle - at first she is soft and sweet like a rose, later becomes stinging and piercing, like a dart. It refers to her personality.
Hope these help someone!
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What is the capital of Curacao | MicawberPrinciple.com
Taxes
The Micawber Principle
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen, nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Wilkins Micawber in the Book "David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens
Who Was Micawber & What's His Principle
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Which Devon town is famous for carpets | Axminster - Visit South Devon
Axminster
You are here: Explore > Axminster
Axminster
About
About
The beautiful market town of Axminster is set on the River Axe within the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is filled with traditional charm and character.
With its quaint villages and unspoilt countryside, and just a few miles inland from the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Axminster is the perfect place to unwind and get back to nature.
With excellent rail links to London and Exeter, Axminster is a very popular town, with the best of Devon and Dorset on its doorstep.
History
Axminster achieved worldwide fame for its Axminster Carpets, first made by Thomas Whitty in 1755. Each time a carpet was finished the bells at the Minster were rung in celebration. The Minster stands in its oasis of green at the heart of the town, and was once so prestigious that Saxon princes were buried here. Nearby is Axminster's museum in the Old Courthouse where you can find out more about the town's carpet industry.
Things to do
Discover the history and heritage of this town at the local museum, explore the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, walk for miles in the stunning countryside and ancient woodlands, and explore the Axe Valley rivers – spotting otters and kingfishers along the way.
Interesting places nearby include Loughwood Meeting House (NT) at Dalwood and the important non-fortified Middle Ages manor house of Shute Barton (NT) which supposedly boasts the largest open fireplace in England.
The East Devon Way footpath and Buzzard Route cycle track pass close to the town, while the mudflats of the Axe estuary are superb for birdwatching with curlew, oystercatcher, and egret.
Axminster is also an excellent touring centre within easy reach of the Blackdown Hills, Hardy's Dorset, and the picturesque coastal resort of Lyme Regis, famous for its fossils.
Something a little different
The town has a thriving artistic community and this is reflected in the Axminster Art Trail which includes sculptures like Roger Dean's farmer and cow by the Tesco walkway, representative of the town's long-established livestock market. Axminster also hosts the Axe Vale Festival of Gardening and Crafts in June, the largest festival of this type in the south west.
Map & Directions
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The beach at Branscombe is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the coastal scenery.
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10.35 miles away
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12.03 miles away
| Axminster |
In which English county were the world's largest brickfields | Welcome to Axminster - The One Stop Guide to Axminster
Welcome to Axminster
Gateway to the Jurassic Coast
River Cottage Canteen and Deli
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's very first Canteen
Situated on the River Axe
The market town of Axminster lies in the beautiful Axe Valley
The Minster Church
Axminster's beautiful iconic Saxon church of St Mary
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Boasting quaint villages and unspoilt countryside.
Axminster Carpets Ltd.
Stunning Countryside and Ancient Woodlands
Filled with charm and character
Ancient Rivers and streams
The fish life in our rivers includes salmon, bullheads, otters, and kingfishers
An unspoilt Devon market town
Surrounded by stunning countryside
Sited on The Minster Green, right in the centre of town.
Home
Welcome to Axminster
Axminster: an unspoilt Devon market town surrounded by stunning countryside and filled with charm and character. The beautiful iconic Saxon church of St Mary stands on Minster Green right in the centre of town.
Situated on the River Axe, the attractive ancient market town of Axminster lies in the beautiful Axe Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , boasting quaint villages and unspoilt countryside. Situated a few miles inland from the Jurassic Coast , tucked in the south east corner of Devon, Axminster is an ideal touring centre for the neighbouring counties of Somerset and Dorset.
Most famous for its carpets, the original Axminster factory was opened in 1755 by Thomas Whitty and authentic British "Axminsters" are still made in the town by Axminster Carpets.
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What is the highest mountain in the U.K. | Ben Nevis, the Tallest Mountain in the U.K., Just Got a Little Taller | The Weather Channel
Ben Nevis, the Tallest Mountain in the U.K., Just Got a Little Taller
By Andrew MacFarlane
Mar 22 2016 12:15 PM EDT
weather.com
Despite battling rain, sleet and snow, the Ordnance Survey, Britain’s national mapping agency, has found that the U.K.’s tallest mountain has grown a bit taller.
Ben Nevis, the country’s tallest mountain, has a new official height of 4,412 feet (1,345 meters), a full three feet taller than the previous measurement , according to a recent release by the Ordnance Survey.
The difference comes from the accuracy that’s achieved by using modern technologies, like GPS, rather than the surveying methods used when recording the last official measurement in 1949.
Enlarge
Ben Nevis, Britain's tallest mountain, now stands at 4,412 feet after a recent survey. (Santiago Fajardo/Flickr)
"Initially, I thought, 'Well, it's just a number', but then I took a look at the map and thought, 'Oh my, I've just raised the height of the tallest mountain in Britain '," the Ordnance Survey’s Geodetic Consultant Mark Greaves, who was the first to view the increased height, told BBC News.
"And then of course your next reaction is to check and double-check. I had to make sure we'd got it absolutely right," he said.
The new height is already being published on the survey’s new Landranger paper maps and digital maps , according to a separate Ordnance Survey entry.
Conditions weren’t exactly ideal for the trip, but that carried no weight on the survey's outcome, said Angus Hemmings.
(More: Great Barrier Reef Coral Bleaching Reaches 'Severe' Level )
“It was raining, sleeting and snowing at the summit, but harsh weather doesn’t affect our equipment or readings,” said Hemmings, a field surveyor. “What it did do though, was give me a greater sense of respect for the 1949 surveyors. Each day they hauled 200lbs of equipment up Ben Nevis and its surrounding mountains.”
Hemmings added that the crew had to wait until night, because strong lights had to be cast from the trig pillars onto other mountains to collect their data.
“It took the surveyors 20 nights, because they only had three clear nights in that period to get it right,” Hemmings said. “Their effort and accuracy is remarkable.”
MORE ON WEATHER.COM: The World's Highest Mountain—Mount Everest
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| Ben Nevis |
Which street came to epitomise the London of the swinging 60's | Quick Facts about Mountains
Quick Facts about Mountains
mandybarrow.com
Quick Facts about Mountains
Mountains make up about one-fifth of the world's landscape, and provide homes to at least one-tenth of the world's people.
Heights of mountains are generally given as heights above sea level.
The world's highest peak on land is Mount Everest in the Himalayas. It is 8,850.1728 m (29,036 ft) tall.
Ben Nevis is also the highest mountain in Great Britain.
The tallest known mountain in the solar system is Olympus Mons, located on Mars.
There are mountains under the surface of the sea!
Mountains occur more often in oceans than on land; some islands are the peaks of mountains coming out of the water.
About 80 per cent of our planet's fresh water originates in the mountains.
All mountain ecosystems have one major characteristic in common - rapid changes in altitude, climate, soil, and vegetation over very short distances.
Plants that may be found on mountains include conifers, oak, chestnut, maple, junipers, stonecrops, campions, mosses, ferns and climbers.
The highest 14 mountains in the world are all found in the Himalayas
In some mountainous areas the rivers are permanently frozen.
These are called glaciers.
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What is the subject of the statue in Edinburgh called Greyfriars Bobby | The story of Greyfriars Bobby
By Ben Johnson | Comments
In 1850 a gardener called John Gray, together with his wife Jess and son John, arrived in Edinburgh . Unable to find work as a gardener he avoided the workhouse by joining the Edinburgh Police Force as a night watchman.
To keep him company through the long winter nights John took on a partner, a diminutive Skye Terrier, his ‘watchdog’ called Bobby. Together John and Bobby became a familiar sight trudging through the old cobbled streets of Edinburgh. Through thick and thin, winter and summer, they were faithful friends.
The years on the streets appear to have taken their toll on John, as he was treated by the Police Surgeon for tuberculosis.
John eventually died of the disease on the 15th February 1858 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Bobby soon touched the hearts of the local residents when he refused to leave his master's grave, even in the worst weather conditions.
The gardener and keeper of Greyfriars tried on many occasions to evict Bobby from the Kirkyard. In the end he gave up and provided a shelter for Bobby by placing sacking beneath two tablestones at the side of John Gray’s grave.
Bobby’s fame spread throughout Edinburgh. It is reported that almost on a daily basis the crowds would gather at the entrance of the Kirkyard waiting for the one o'clock gun that would signal the appearance of Bobby leaving the grave for his midday meal.
Bobby would follow William Dow, a local joiner and cabinet maker to the same Coffee House that he had frequented with his now dead master, where he was given a meal.
In 1867 a new bye-law was passed that required all dogs to be licensed in the city or they would be destroyed. Sir William Chambers (The Lord Provost of Edinburgh) decided to pay Bobby's licence and presented him with a collar with a brass inscription "Greyfriars Bobby from the Lord Provost 1867 licensed". This can be seen at the Museum of Edinburgh.
The kind folk of Edinburgh took good care of Bobby, but still he remained loyal to his master. For fourteen years the dead man's faithful dog kept constant watch and guard over the grave until his own death in 1872.
Baroness Angelia Georgina Burdett-Coutts, President of the Ladies Committee of the RSPCA, was so deeply moved by his story that she asked the City Council for permission to erect a granite fountain with a statue of Bobby placed on top.
William Brody sculptured the statue from life, and it was unveiled without ceremony in November 1873, opposite Greyfriars Kirkyard. And it is with that, that Scotland’s Capital city will always remember its most famous and faithful dog
Bobby's headstone reads "Greyfriars Bobby - died 14th January 1872 - aged 16 years - Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all".
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What is the administrative centre of Suffolk | GREYFRIARS BOBBY
GREYFRIARS BOBBY
THE STATUE OF GREYFRIARS BOBBY
FROM WIKIPEDIA
The statue is located at George IV Street
Bobby was described as a Skye Terrier dog that became famous in 19th-century Edinburgh, Scotland.
The story
Bobby belonged to John Gray, who worked for the Edinburgh City Police as a night watchman, and the two were inseparable for approximately two years. Then, on 15 February 1858, Gray died of tuberculosis. He was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard, the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in the Old Town of Edinburgh. Bobby, who survived John Gray by 14 years, is said to have spent the rest of his life sitting on his master's grave. A more realistic account has it that he spent a great deal of time at Gray's grave, but that he left regularly for meals at a restaurant beside the graveyard, and may have spent colder winters in nearby houses.
In 1867, when it was pointed out that an unowned dog should be destroyed, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir William Chambers (who was also a director of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), paid for a renewal of Bobby's licence, making him the responsibility of the city council.
Bobby died in 1872 and could not be buried within the cemetery itself, since it was consecrated ground, instead he was buried just inside the gate of Greyfriars Kirkyard, not far from John Gray's grave. His headstone states, "Greyfriars Bobby - died 14th January 1872 - aged 16 years - Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all".
His intense loyalty made Bobby popular with dog lovers, who spread and embellished the story.
In memory
Today, a small statue of Greyfriars Bobby stands in front of a pub, also called Greyfriars Bobby, which is located in front of Greyfriars kirkyard. The statue originally faced toward the graveyard and pub but has since been turned around, allegedly by a previous landlord of the pub so that the pub would appear in the background of the many photographs that are taken each year.
Guided tours of the kirkyard are given by a number of groups, including the Greyfriars Bobby Walking Theatre and the Greyfriars Kirkyard Trust.
THANKS TO WIKIPEDIA
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In which English city did the Battle of Peterloo take place | The Peterloo Massacre - The British Library
The Peterloo Massacre
Themes: Power and politics , Romanticism
In August 1819 dozens of peaceful protestors were killed and hundreds injured at what became known as the Peterloo Massacre. Ruth Mather examines the origins, response and aftermath of this key early 19th century political event.
On 16 August 1819, a meeting of peaceful campaigners for parliamentary reform was broken up by the Manchester Yeomanry, a local force of volunteer soldiers. Between 10 and 20 people were killed and hundreds more injured in what quickly became known as the Peterloo Massacre.
Although different sources give different estimates of both the numbers attending the meeting and the numbers killed and injured, it seems likely that around 100,000 people attended the meeting at St Peter’s Fields in Manchester on a sunny August day. [1] Men, women and children came not only from the local area but from towns and villages across the North West, some walking nearly 30 miles to attend. Although several members of the crowd attended from mere curiosity, most were supporters of parliamentary reform and had come especially to see the main speaker, Henry Hunt, known as ‘Orator’ Hunt because of his talent for public speaking.
Map of the Peterloo Massacre and portrait of Henry Hunt
Map depicting the location and movements of protestors and soldiers at St Peter’s Fields, 1820.
Colour print depicting the Peterloo Massacre
Print depicting the Peterloo Massacre, 1819.
Copyright: © National Archives
Why were people protesting?
Since the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815, increasing numbers of working people in industrialising yet disenfranchised areas like Manchester had become involved in the movement for reform. Under the influence of men like Henry Hunt and the journalist William Cobbett, they began to campaign for universal suffrage. They argued that extending the vote to working men would lead to better use of public money, fairer taxes and an end to restrictions on trade which damaged industry and caused unemployment. Only a minority campaigned for women to have the vote, but women were nevertheless active in the movement. In 1819, women in and around Manchester had begun to form their own reform societies campaigning on behalf of their male relatives and vowing to bring up their children as good reformers. Many of the Female Reformers appeared at the meeting at St Peter’s Fields dressed distinctively in white as a symbol of their virtue.
Print depicting the Peterloo Massacre
Print of the Peterloo Massacre depicting Female Reformers dressed in white and holding a banner for the Manchester Female Reform Union.
Copyright: © Trustees of the British Museum
Suppressing the protesters
Despite the seriousness of the cause, there was a party atmosphere as groups of men, women and children, dressed in their best Sunday clothes, marched towards Manchester. The procession was accompanied by bands playing music and people dancing alongside. In many towns, the march was practised on local moors in the weeks before the meeting to ensure that everybody could arrive in an organised manner.
According to local magistrates, however, the crowd was not peaceful but had violent, revolutionary intentions. To them, the organised marching, banners and music were more like those of a military regiment, and the practices on local moors like those of an army drilling its recruits. They therefore planned to arrest Henry Hunt and the other speakers at the meeting, and decided to send in armed forces – the only way they felt they could safely get through the large crowd.
People who were already cramped, tired and hot panicked as the soldiers rode in, and several were crushed as they tried to escape. Soldiers deliberately slashed at both men and women, especially those who had banners. It was later found that their sabres had been sharpened just before the meeting, suggesting that the massacre had been premeditated.
The names of many of the hundreds injured were printed, along with details of their wounds, so that sympathisers could put money towards a charity to support them – remember there was no sickness benefit or free healthcare available at the time. These lists, however, probably underestimate the numbers killed and injured, as many people were afraid to admit they had been at the meeting and thereby risk further reprisals from the local authorities.
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The response to the massacre
There was considerable public sympathy for the plight of the protesters. The Times newspaper printed a shocking account of the day, causing widespread outrage which briefly united advocates of a more limited reform with the radical supporters of universal suffrage. A huge petition with 20 pages of signatures was raised, stating the petitioners’ belief that, whatever their opinions on the cause of reform, the meeting on 16 August had been peaceful until the arrival of the soldiers.
From government came an official sanction of the magistrates’ and yeomanry’s actions, and the passing of the Six Acts, a paranoid legal crackdown on the freedoms of the public and press. Among this new legislation was the requirement for any public meeting on church or state matters of more than 50 people to obtain the permission of a sheriff or magistrate, and the toughening of the laws that punished authors of blasphemous or seditious material. Many braved the oppressive Six Acts, however, to express their anger in print. Percy Bysshe Shelley , on hearing news of the massacre while in Italy, called for an immediate response. His poem ‘The Masque of Anarchy’ , encourages reformers to ‘Rise like lions after slumber, in unvanquishable number’ (stanza 38). He sent the poem to Leigh Hunt in London, who cautiously refrained from publishing it. The satirist William Hone had no such qualms. His Political House That Jack Built (1819), illustrated by caricaturist Cruikshank, neatly sums up the reformers’ grievances in his typically irreverent manner. The piece was wildly popular, reflecting both the extent of anger over Peterloo and the cleverness of using a well-known nursery rhyme to make a serious message widely accessible. Radical propaganda often veered between respectability and audacious humour, the latter, of course, being much harder to prosecute in court for fear of provoking hilarity.
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Footnotes
[1] Due to the large numbers assembled, and the varying motives for exaggerating or downplaying attendance, it is difficult to obtain an accurate estimate. Robert Poole and Joyce Marlowe, scholarly authorities on Peterloo, use the fairly low attendance figure of 60,000, a number also given by the contemporary spectator John Benjamin Smith in his memoirs. The Times reported 80,000 in attendance, while the Manchester Observer carefully worked out the possible numbers per square yard and concluded that 153,000 people were present. Henry Hunt gave the number as 180,000 – 200, 000 in his memoirs, while Richard Carlile, who was also on the hustings, gave the unusually high attendance figure of 300,000 people in Sherwin’s Political Register.
Written by
Ruth Mather is a PhD student at Queen Mary, University of London. Her research is focussed on the links between working-class political identities and the home in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The text in this article is available under the Creative Commons License.
See also
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With which bird is Lundy Island traditionally associated | BBC - Manchester - History - Peterloo Massacre
You are in: Manchester > History > History features > Peterloo Massacre
The Peterloo Massacre, 1819
Peterloo Massacre
It was ‘Manchester’s Tian’anmen’ – a mass rally by pro-democracy campaigners crushed with brutal violence. But how much do you you know about the Peterloo Massacre? And should there be a 'more truthful' memorial in the city?
Most people remember the Tian’anmen Square protests in 1989 when the Chinese military cracked down on public protests by groups of students and intellectuals demanding democratic freedoms.
Proposed design for a Peterloo statue
But 170 years beforehand, a similar mass demonstration here in Manchester was stamped out with similar cruelty. It’s known as the Peterloo Massacre and is described by historians as a 'world changing event.'
Back in the early part of the 19th Century, just 2% of the British population had the vote. So, on 16 August 1819, 60,000 peaceful protesters gathered on St Peter's Fields in Manchester to demand the right to elect their own MPs. The demonstration ended when local militia on horseback charged the protesters and cut them down with sabres, leaving 11 dead and many injured.
Historians acknowledge that Peterloo was hugely influential in giving ordinary people the vote, led to the rise of the Chartist Movement from which grew the Trade Unions, and also resulted in the establishment of the Manchester Guardian.
Yet the only memorial in Manchester is a blue plaque on the Free Trade Hall (now the Radisson Hotel) on Peter Street - the site of St Peter's Fields. It makes no reference to a 'massacre' but only to ‘the dispersal' of the crowd, omitting that 11 people were killed – including a woman and a child.
The Peterloo plaque
Campaign
On the 188th anniversary, the Peterloo Memorial Campaign has been set up to lobby for a ‘prominent, accurate and respectful monument to this profound event.’
Campaign organisers describe the blue memorial plaque as ‘insulting’ and are demanding that a permanent statue be erected in a prominent position within St Peter's Fields such as the proposed design from 1819 of a yeoman on horseback trampling peaceful protestors. (see illustration right)
"Peterloo is why the museum is in Manchester. It’s our main exhibition and that itself is an important memorial to the event."
Nick Mansfield, director of the People's History Museum
Nick Mansfield, director of the People’s History Museum has no doubt about the significance of Peterloo - but insists there is no 'conspiracy of silence' in the city.
“This was a world changing event that happened right here in Manchester. It was world-changing because this appalling event made those people that had power in the 19th Century realise that there had to be changes in the political system. It was a long process that lasted more than 100 years but it eventually gave people one person, one vote.”
But he says that while he broadly supports efforts for a better memorial to Peterloo, he says it’s not quite as clear cut as the campaigners are claiming.
“The City Council commemorates the event in its support for the People’s History Museum. Peterloo is why the museum is in Manchester. It’s our main exhibition and that itself is an important memorial to the event.”
A display on the Peterloo Massacre can be seen at the People's History Museum on Bridge Street until 7 October.
last updated: 19/03/2008 at 15:34
created: 15/08/2007
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What are called the backbone of England | England Facts - Learn about the country of England
England Facts
Facts about the country of England, including location, climate, landscape, population, currency, government and more.
(This page was last updated 2nd February 2012)
ENGLAND'S LOCATION
England is an island country situated in North-West Europe, on the island of 'Great Britain'.
Great Britain is made up of 3 countries - England, Scotland, and Wales (see map below).
Covering two-thirds of Great Britain, England is the largest country on the island.
Map of Great Britain, showing the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales.
Below is a map showing the whole of the island of Great Britain in relation to the rest of Europe. Great Britain is the largest island in Europe and the eighth largest island in the world.
France, on mainland Europe, is approx 35 kilometres away from the island of Great Britain and since 1994 has been joined to the island via an undersea rail network called the Channel Tunnel.
The Channel Tunnel runs from Folkestone in the county of Kent ( Southern England) beneath the English Channel, to arrive at Coquelles near Calais in northern France.
At 31.4 miles (50.5 km) it is the second longest undersea tunnel in the world, Japan's Seikan Tunnel being the longest at 33.49 miles.
Map of Great Britain (in red) and mainland Europe.
The British Isles
The group of islands known as 'The British Isles' consist of Great Britain (the largest island in the group), Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Orkneys, the Shetland Islands, the Isle of Man, the Isle of Wight, Isle of Scilly, the Hebrides, and the Channel Islands which lie just off the coast of France and include the islands of Jersey and Guernsey.
There are said to be over 6,000 islands in the British Isles, with Great Britain being the largest, and Bishop's Rock not only being the smallest island in the British Isles, but also the smallest island in the world!
The United Kingdom (UK)
The UK, or rather 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' includes the island of Great Britain (consisting of the countries of England, Scotland, and Wales), and the North-East part of Ireland (Eire). The country of England accounts for around 84% of the population of the UK
This map shows the whole of the United Kingdom (in blue)
Key facts to remember -
ENGLAND is a country. It is on the island of GREAT BRITAIN (part of the British Isles) along with the countries of Scotland and Wales.
ENGLAND is also part of the United Kingdom (the UK) along with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
ENGLAND'S CLIMATE & WEATHER
The English summer consists of "three fine days and a thunderstorm". - Charles II
England's weather can be summed up in two words - mild & varied. One minute it can be gorgeous sunshine, the next it can be cloudy, cold and raining. Even on extremely sunny days during summer, if someone goes out they will usually 'take a coat just in case' for the weather is so unpredictable and can change at any moment. This unpredictability also makes England's weather extremely interesting and frequently talked about.
The warmest part of the country is the South, with Faversham in Kent having the highest ever recorded temperature of 38.5C (101.3F) on the 10th August 2003.
During the winter months the warmest parts of England are along the South, and South-West, particularly the counties of Devon and Cornwall and around the London area.
The Lake District, one of the most scenic regions of England, is also the wettest.
The bottom line is, if you plan on visiting England or any other part of Britain, always come prepared for any kind of weather.
To understand more about the British weather, please read the following article by the BBC - British Weather (Part 1)
To see what the weather is like in England right now and for a detailed forecast, please click here
ENGLAND'S LANDSCAPE
As varied as the weather, comes the beautiful English landscape. From the chalk cliffs and rolling hills of the South, to the Mountainous ranges of the Lake District in the North.
Topography map of the UK. This map shows how England is relatively low-lying compared to the countries Scotland in the North, and Wales in the West. In the North of England can be seen The Pennines, a mountain range known as 'the backbone of England' which stretch all the way from Scotland down to the Peak District in the county of Derbyshire, England.
High in the North-West close to The Pennines can be seen the mountainous region of The Lake District. The two high areas in the South-West are Exmoor National Park, and lower down is Dartmoor National Park.
Interesting facts about England and its landscape
England has around 2,000 miles of coastline.
No place in England is more than 75 miles (120 km) from the coast.
England's longest river is the river Thames at 215 miles long.
Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England at 3,209 feet (978 metres). It can be found in the Lake District in the North of England.
POPULATION OF ENGLAND
In 2005 the population of England was approximately 50.4 million.
Most of England's population lives in or around its major cities such as London (7.5 million).
Population Facts & Figures
In the 1600's the population of Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales combined) was just over 4 million. It is now over 60 million
London is the most populous city in the European union with over 7 million residents. It is home to around 12% of the UK population.
For more details of the population of England and the rest of the UK, visit the National Statistics website here
FLAG OF ENGLAND
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Which English city is famous for it's lace and it's Goosefair | The Cold War secret Communication System called Backbone and Lancashire
Heaton Park tower - a Cold War installation?
Backbone- the Cold War Secret Communications System
In 1956 a General Post Office document was written to propose a purpose built national communications system that could withstand a nuclear attack on Britain. The paper was classified ‘Top Secret’ and can be seen in its entirety on the website of the government’s National Archives (see link at the bottom of the page).
In the 1950s it was realized that the normal telephone cables that run through the major cities would be very vulnerable to nuclear bomb attack. Such a strike would also make radio communication difficult - the radioactive fallout would interfere with the broadcasts. However, microwave radio signals would not be affected, and so a plan was hatched to place a series of microwave transmitters and receivers throughout the country, and link them together. This was to be called ‘Backbone’, and it would play a crucial response to a nuclear strike in the following ways:
Firstly it was an early warning system of an imminent strike. Secondly, it would be used to coordinate defence during an incoming enemy aircraft attack (the earliest nuclear bombs were dropped by plane). Thirdly it would be used to direct orders to the RAF for a counter attack against the Soviet countries. Finally after the detonation the civilian and military emergency response would be coordinated using the system, and it would also be used to communicate with allies overseas.
The initial network was 14 purpose built towers that could communicate from the South of England up into Scotland. Other important military and civilian sites would later feed into this system.
Each tower had to be within view of the last one, as microwaves don’t travel well through obstructions. The original system ran as a line-of-sight from the South to North as follows:
Tring (Hertfordshire) , Charwelton (Northamptonshire) ,
Pye Green (Staffordshire),Sutton Common(Staffordshire),
Saddleworth (variously in West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester), Hunter Stones (Skipton, North Yorkshire) , Azerley (Yorkshire), Richmond (Yorkshire),
Muggleswick (County Durham), Cold Fell (Cumberland/Cumbria), Lockerbie (Dumfries), Green Lowther (Dumfries), Kirk O’ Shotts (Lanarkshire)
Backbone Sites within the Lancashire Region -
Saddleworth
The original Backbone site in our region was the one at Saddleworth. This can still be seen today. The tower can clearly be viewed when driving away from Halifax towards Manchester on the M62. It is on the left hand side of the motorway, standing high on the moor just after junction 22. The site is still in use for as a mobile phone mast. You can view some pictures of the tower on the website of LARS telecommunications company by clicking here http://www.lars.co.uk/case-studies-jobs/bt-windy-hill/
Preston
Looking at the original Backbone hand drawn map, we can see that another of our important Cold War sites in Lancashire is featured on it. This is the one at Preston and the accompanying backbone document describes it as RAF Sector Operations Centre, Regional Commissioner’s HQ and Admiralty Radio Transmitting Station . To read a history of this site and it’s role in the Cold War see our web page here ( Our Cold War Preston page ). The site was connected to Hunter Stones at Skipton by ‘standby radio link’ and not microwaves. How this link would cope in the event of a nuclear attack is not clear.
Manchester
Again referring to the original map, we can see three unique sites that are marked as Baseband Connection Points at Manchester, Birmingham and Highgate in London. These all feed into the Backbone network, but not using microwaves. It’s not clear to us what these sites are, but we do know the following: In the 1950s secret telephone exchanges were built in these cities that could withstand a nuclear bomb attack and ensure telephone links were not cut off. These were known as the following : Guardian Exchange Manchester, Anchor Exchange Birmingham and Kingsway Exchange London. For details on the Manchester Guardian see our page HERE . However, by the time they were completed, Soviet bomb building capability had reached new levels of devastation and all three exchanges were no longer protected by their depth and could have been damaged or destroyed by an attack.
Heaton Park, Prestwich, Manchester
In the early 1960s new GPO towers were built at Heaton Park in Preswich near Manchester, Birmingham and London. The London one is the famous Post Office tower and it is known that this was used to broadcast television and radio signals. The Post Office tower also was used to broadcast microwaves for military communication and presumably fed into the existing Backbone system. In the 1970s the journalist Duncan Campbell was put on trial for revealing secret military locations. At the trial the Post Office tower was referred to not by name but as Location 23.The fact that it did not appear on any map was pointed out by Kate Hoey MP in the 1990s, implying that it did have secret military links. She made the statement in Parliament, so that she could not be prosecuted for revealing what could have still been a state secret.
All three of these towers are what are called Chiltern Towers. They are of the same design as the two original Backbone ones in Staffordshire, which are Sutton Common see picture here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton_Common_BT_Tower
and Pye Green see picture here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pye_Green_BT_Tower
Were the Heaton Park, Birmingham and London towers built as a backup system to link into Backbone, should the secret telephone exchanges in those cities be hit ?
The Heaton Park tower is made of cylindrical reinforced concrete and is just over 72 metres tall (half the height of its more famous London contemporary). The English Heritage Cold War book states that this design was favoured for the Chiltern style towers as it had low wind resistance and could probably survive a nuclear bomb blast. There would be telecommunications equipment on the floors of the tower, and these rooms had no windows. Above these floors are the array of aerials. The original ones were horn shaped, the cylindrical drum shaped ones came a little later, but both types are for the transmission and receipt of microwave radio signals.
If you want to see the Heaton Park tower up close then follow these directions:
Park at the St Margaret’s Car park in Heaton Park , just off St Margarets Road. Follow the path by the side of the reservoir up towards the Dower House. You can clearly see the tower rising out of the trees, and a path will take you up to the fence for a really close look. Head around the side of the hill for some great views out towards the Pennines.
In the 1990s our defensive communications switched to satellite systems, so Backbone and its connected nodes became redundant for defense purposes. However, they received a new lease of life as commercial aerials for mobile phones.
Even today, there is very little information about the original network to be had, either in books or on the internet. The best source is the English Heritage Cold War book by Cocroft and Thomas (full details below) and the National Archive which stores the original GPO Backbone Top Secret paper.
To view the declassified Top Secret papers on the formation of Backbone in the National Archives click here. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Backbone_radio_link_and_radio_standby_to_line_links_for_safeguarding_vital_communications
References:
Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989, Wayne D Cocroft and Roger J C Thomas, English Heritage (2004)
Backbone radio link and Radio Standby to line links for safeguarding vital communications GPO paper July 1956 (National Archives) http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Backbone_radio_link_and_radio_standby_to_line_links_for_safeguarding_vital_communications
The Towers of Backbone http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/features/backbone/
Cold War Urbanism slide show by Richard Brook Manchester School of Architecture http://www.academia.edu/13940416/Session_introduction_-_Cold_War_Urbanism
Above: The 'Chiltern' style tower at Heaton Park.
Below: The Saddleworth Backbone mast
Above: the hand drawn Backbone map.
Below: A 1965 photo of Heaton Park (the Hall in the foreground). There are at least three masts on this photo near the tower itself. It is marked on the 1968 OS Map as: 'W T Sta' (Wireless Transmitter Station)
Further Cold War use in
Heaton Park
As well as the tower, Heaton Park has another Cold War story. It had a secret monitoring station in its grounds - in fact in the shadow of the tower. This was a Royal Observer Corps (ROC) site. Six feet underground in a small room they would have recorded what was going on above ground in the event of a nuclear strike.
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In which British city would you find Arthur's Seat | Arthur's Seat (Edinburgh, Scotland): Top Tips Before You Go - TripAdvisor
Neighborhood Profile
Southside & Holyrood
Many of Edinburgh’s student hangouts gather around university buildings in Southside, the sort of neighborhood that supports a long string of second-hand shops and eateries serving ethnic food for just a few pounds. In August the student population is replaced by vast numbers of boisterous visitors here for the Fringe, Edinburgh’s world-class comedy and arts festival which headquarters itself here. Flanking Southside are two great parks. The Meadows is a vast flat and sporty space where football, rugby, tennis, cricket, croquet, and golf often all take place side by side. Kids in its big playgrounds add to the joyful noise. Far bigger and much wilder, Holyrood Park extends to the east and provides a real hike up Arthur’s Seat, but the district is best known as the site of Scotland’s Parliament and its premier Royal Palace—and their steady stream of sightseers.
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What is the unofficial capital of Welsh speaking Wales | Walking Scotland - Arthur Seat, Edinburgh - short walk - Hillwalking - ScottishSport.co.uk
Click for scalable map
Introduction
Arthur's Seat is one of the seven hills of Edinburgh and looming over the city which offer many different walks for everyone. Without question the best views are to the west over looking Edinburgh Castle, Old Town and the New Town. On a good day, the Ochil Hills beyond the Forth Road Bridge and the Firth of Forth can be clearly seen.
Route
The easiest and most direct route is to park at Dunsapie Loch and approach the summit from the east (map) along either of the two obvious paths starting at the car park.
Arthur Seat & Salisbury Crags
This is an easy stroll that takes only 15 minutes to reach the summit, but do not race off too quickly as you will no doubt have to stop to catch your breath.
Alternatively you can park near the Palace of Holyrood and follow the footpath to near St. Anthony's Chapel (ruin) before heading up the well marked path to link with the paths coming from the east side of the hill (Dunsapie Loch). At this point several paths come together where a new path has been constructed. From there continue over the volcanic rock to the summit of Arthur's Seat.
Other tops around Arthur's Seat include Whinny Hill, Crow Hill and Nether Hill, which provide alternative, quieter walking routes.
View of the City of Edinburgh
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What is the largest castle in Wales | Caerphilly Castle
Caerphilly Castle
In the town centre, Caerphilly, South Wales
ST 156 871
Photographs Copyright � 2002 by Jeffrey L. Thomas .
Rees 1971; Renn: Cadw Guide
Caerphilly Castle is one of the great medieval castles of western Europe. Several factors give it this pre-eminence - its immense size (1.2h), making it the largest in Britain after Windsor, its large-scale use of water for defence and the fact that it is the first truly concentric castle in Britain. Of the time of its building in the late 13th century, it was a revolutionary masterpiece of military planning
One of Henry III's most powerful and ambitious barons, Gilbert de Clare, lord of Glamorgan, built this castle. His purpose was to secure the area and prevent lowland south Wales from falling into the hands of the Welsh leader Llywelyn the Last, who controlled most of mid and north Wales. De Clare built other castles on the northern fringes of his territory for the same purpose, such as Castell Coch. He had seized the upland district of Senghenydd, in which Caerphilly lies, from the Welsh in 1266 to act as a buffer against Llywelyn's southward ambitions. Llywelyn realised the threat and tried but failed to prevent the castle from being built; it was begun on 11 April 1268, was attacked by Llywelyn in 1270, and was begun again in 1271. This time it was completed without hindrance. Its message was not lost on Llywelyn, who retreated northwards. Apart from the remodelling of the great hall and other domestic works in 1322-6 for Hugh le Despenser, no more alterations were carried out, making it a very pure example of late 13th-century military architecture.
Below: southern view of the castle showing Caerphilly's postern gate (center) and the leaning south-east tower (right).
Caerphilly is unusual in being a late castle built on a virgin site. This allowed a unity of conception rare in medieval castles. It is a double-skinned parallelogram surrounded by large-scale water defences. The concentric arrangement was more flexible than earlier plans. It gave rapid access to any part of the castle by mural passages and wall-walks, towers and gatehouses could be independently held, attackers could be well covered and there was no possibility of mounting siege engines against the inner walls. The castle�s cellular structure and strength is indicated by the presence of numerous portcullises.
Below: general view of Caerphilly's inner ward showing the inner west gatehouse (left) and the north-west tower (right).
The outer skin or ward is formed by a low battlemented curtain wall with large semi-circular projections in the corners and gatehouses in the middle of the east and west sides. Only a narrow strip separates this from the much stronger inner ward which has high curtain walls, circular corner towers and two large strong gatehouses corresponding with the outer ones. The great east gatehouse is the highest part of the castle and was its nucleus. As will be seen, it could be separately defended if necessary.
The south and north lakes around the castle formed an almost insuperable barrier to attackers. The dams themselves are a major achievement of medieval engineering. The southern, earliest one is a massive earth platform revetted in stone and strengthened on its lower side by eight great buttresses (below left). To the right of the entrance to the castle is the northern dam, a narrower platform with a high outer wall with three great towers (below right) which are now unfortunately suffering from subsidence on the marshy ground. At its end is a strong postern gate and drawbridge. Outside the dam is a moat fed by sluices in the southern dam.
Below (2): view of the southern dam at Caerphilly and view of the three great towers along the northern dam
The outer defences were completed by making a 1.2h artificial island to the west of the castle, known as the hornwork. A trench had already been dug in the early stages of construction outside the west side of the castle; now another was dug further west and the area between was raised, levelled and revetted in stone to form the hornwork. The north-west side has two semi-circular projections covering the drawbridge, the ruins of which can be seen between them.
Below (2): the outer east gatehouse at Caerphilly, the main entrance to the castle and the south gatehouse leading to the town.
The outer gatehouse on the east side (right) is both the present and the original entrance. Here the main characteristics of the castle as deterrent become apparent - its great strength, its severity, its lack of windows and lack of decoration. Inside the gatehouse is an exhibition about the castle, and stairs lead up to roof level, from which is a panoramic view. Crossed rather than plain arrowslits in this gatehouse and in other buildings on the dams show that they are slightly later than the main castle. To the left is the platform of the south dam, the wider northern end of which may be partly natural, but the southern end of which is entirely artificial. Half-way along are the ruins of a mill, and at the south end are two towers and a rectangular gatehouse which gave access to the medieval borough (below).
Next is the outer ward entered via a bridge leading to its east gatehouse with twin D-shaped towers, only the restored outer walls of which remain. Its opposite number on the west (right) is slightly better preserved. There, the stone piers supporting the drawbridge leading to the hornwork can be seen, as can chimneys and fireplaces on two floors, indicating comfortable living quarters. The false machicolation, poorer masonry and chimneys may indicate that the gatehouse was rebuilt at a later date. In the south-east corner is the base of a large rectangular building, possibly a granary. The south side is entirely blocked by a two-storey D-shaped kitchen tower, stores and servants� quarters. Below is a water-gate to the lake.
Below (2): view of the outer west gatehouse from the hornwork and view of the restored north-west tower at Caerphilly
The inner ward is the most impressive part of the castle. The corner towers demonstrate varying degrees of preservation. The north-west tower is complete, and an exhibition on Welsh castles is housed there. Little remains of the north-east tower and the south-east tower is partly ruined. It stands 15m high and leans at an alarming angle, 10 degrees out of true. The cause, whether subsidence or Civil War slighting, is unknown.
The imposing east gatehouse of the inner ward is the climax of any visit to the castle. It consists of twin D-shaped towers, a central passage with portcullises at both ends, and circular stair turrets on the inner corners. Like much of the inner ward it was ruinous by the 19th century, but was meticulously restored by the 4th marquis of Bute. The handsome and comfortable apartment on the second floor was probably that of the keeper, or constable of the castle. On the opposite side
Below: the inner east gatehouse at Caerphilly.
On the south side of the inner ward are the great hall and state apartments. The large ground-floor hall, which was evidently a sumptuous building, was remodelled by Hugh le Despenser the Younger in 1322-6 and was restored by the 3rd marquis of Bute in the late 19th century. Originally the timber roof was lower, carried on the four carved corbels still in place in the south wall. Hugh le Despenser brought in the best craftsmen, who raised the roof and gave the four windows a decorated ogee shape, rich mouldings, and glass. The door was treated in the same way, and the whole building was faced with ashlar. The two doors at the east end led to a buttery and cellar, possibly with a small chapel over them. To the west were the state apartments, well-appointed rooms with fireplaces and a large traceried window on the first floor.
Below (2): exterior view of the great hall from the inner ward (left) and interior view of Caerphilly's great hall (right)
The castle�s active history was an extremely short one. By 1283 Edward I had removed the threat of Welsh independence and the need for Caerphilly had gone. Minor Welsh attacks in 1294-5 and 1316 failed to make any impact. The last action that Caerphilly saw was in the war between Edward II and his queen, Isabella. Intent on destroying the power of her husband and his favourite Hugh le Despenser, Isabella besieged the castle from December 1326 to March 1327. But by this time Edward had fled and Hugh had been hanged. Thereafter the castle declined and fell into ruin. In the late 16th century Thomas Lewis of The Van, just outside Caerphilly, was granted permission to use its stone to build his new house, thus accelerating its dilapidation. In the Civil War it was unusable and an earthwork redoubt was built instead to the north-west, the remains of which are still visible in the trees beyond the north lake. By the 18th century the lakes were dry and houses had been built against the foot of the south dam. That the castle rose again from its sorry state is due to the visionary clearance and restoration work undertaken by the Bute family and the imaginative reflooding of the lakes by the state in the 1950s.
| Caerphilly |
Which English county has borders with no other county | 10 Most Beautiful Castles in Wales – Touropia Travel Experts
Last updated on November 3, 2016 in History , UK 1 Comment
With more ancient fortresses per square mile than anywhere else in Europe, Wales is Britain’s undisputed king of castles. Most of the structures date back to the reign of King Edward I, who built the castles to help him hold onto his newly acquired lands. Known today as Edwardian castles, the fortresses marked a new era in castle construction. Instead of the classic motte-and-bailey design with its central keep and outer stockade, Edwardian castles feature rings of walls and multiple towers that make them look as if they were lifted out of a fairytale. That storybook quality makes castles in Wales particularly attractive as family vacation destinations, but people of all ages are sure to find them enchanting.
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photo/ cadw
Resting atop a headland jutting out into Tremaddog Bay, Criccieth Castle demonstrates the influence that King Edward I had on Welsh fortress construction. Built by Llywelyn the Great in the late 13th century, the design included many features of Edwardian castles, including an outer wall, outward-facing arrow slits and murder holes in passageways. The castle changed hands between the Welsh and English until the 15th century when it was burned during the last great Welsh rebellion. Visitors to Criccieth can wander through the ruins and explore exhibits about the history of Welsh castles.
9Carreg Cennen
photo/ cadw
Perched on a rocky limestone hill in the town of Llandeilo in Carmartenshire, Wales, Carreg Cennen Castle is prized for the views it offers as much as for its ancient history. The 12th-century Welsh structure was built by Rhys of Deheubarth and was rebuilt in the 13th century by John Giffard on behalf of Edward I. Although much of the castle was destroyed during the Wars of Roses, the ruins are well worth a visit. Visitors who climb their way to the hill’s summit are rewarded with breathtaking views.
8Cardiff Castle
flickr/ .Martin.
Built on the banks of the Taff River, Cardiff Castle has a history that dates back to Britain’s Roman occupation. Over the centuries, it has been transformed into a Norman keep, a medieval fortress and a Gothic residence. In the 1800s, the third Marquess of Bute turned the structure into a fairytale-like castle in the Gothic Revival style. Today, the castle is operated by the city of Cardiff as a tourist attraction. Visitors can tour the castle’s sumptuous apartments, explore the Firing Line regimental museum and roam the beautifully landscaped parks around the castle grounds.
7Raglan Castle
photo/ cadw
Raglan Castle in the county of Gwent was one of the last medieval castles in Wales, and the structure demonstrates how Britain’s fortresses eventually gave way to palaces. Although it was designed for defense when construction began in 1435, attention was also paid to human comfort with an array of luxurious apartments built around a scenic courtyard. A climb to the top of the Great Tower offers views of the moat below and the surrounding countryside. Visitors can explore the cellars, which were built to hold hundreds of casks of wine, and can view medieval wood carvings still visible on the castle’s long gallery.
6Pembroke Castle
wikipedia/ JKMMX
Located in the county of Pembrokeshire in Southeast Wales, Pembroke Castle is the largest privately owned castle in Wales. It’s also one of the oldest and best preserved. Construction dates back to 1093 when the Earl of Shrewsbury took control of the town from the Welsh. Famed as the place where Henry VII was born, Pembroke began to fall into decay in the 17th century but was fully restored during the early 1900s. Open to the public, the castle features staged tableaux that depict events in the castle’s history, battle re-enactments and falconry displays.
5Caerphilly Castle
wikipedia/ Cadw
Situated on an island on a massive estate in the county of Gwent, Caerphilly Castle is considered the first true concentric castle built in Wales. The inner ward with its rounded corner towers is surrounded by an outer wall with an attached guardhouse. Construction of the fortress began in 1268 by Earl Gilbert de Clare, who built the castle on the site of an ancient Roman fort. Although stone from the castle was later taken to build homes in the region, Caerphilly was restored by a coal baron during the Victorian Era.
4Beaumaris Castle
wikipedia/ Cadw
King Edward I and his favored architect James of St. George had perfected the art of castle building by the time they began construction of Beaumaris Castle in 1295. Located on the Isle Anglesey in the county of Gwynedd, the beautifully designed concentric castle features a moat connected to the sea, round towers on every corner and staggered entrances and portcullises between the inner ward and outer wall. Although the inner apartments of the castle were never constructed, the castle remains an imposing sight. Visitors are free to explore the grounds and wander through passages in the walls.
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Day Trip from London to Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Bath
3Conwy Castle
Located in the picturesque town on Conwy on the North Coast of Wales, Conwy Castle was built by King Edward I between 1283 and 1289. The castle is considered one of the finest works by architect James of St. George. Built to take advantage of its location on a rocky hill on the banks of the Conwy Estuary, the well-preserved castle features two fortified gateways, eight gigantic towers and massive great hall. Knowledgeable guides offer one-hour tours that take visitors from the castle’s royal chambers and chapel up to the top of the battlements.
2Harlech Castle
flickr/ A Roger Davies
Built on the summit of a 60 meter (200 foot) high hill overlooking Cardigan Bay and the Llŷn Peninsula, Harlech Castle may be marked by centuries of battle and decay, but it’s still one of the most popular castles in Wales. Built for Edward I in 1283, architect James of St. George took advantage of the site’s sheer cliffs on the northern and western boundaries to strengthen the castle’s fortifications. The castle was attacked almost as soon as it was completed and served as a fortress well into the 1600s. Today, visitors can roam the castle ruins and enjoy one of the finest views on the Cambrian coast.
1Caernarfon Castle
wikipedia/ Herbert Ortner
Located on the mouth of the River Seiont in the town of Caernarfon, Caernarfon Castle is beautiful example of the Edwardian style of castle. Designed by the era’s premier architect James of St. George, construction of the castle began in 1283 with the building of a huge outer wall that encircled the entire settlement, much of which still stands today. A series of towers and gates built along the castle’s inner wall offered added protection. King Edward’s son was born in Caernarfon and was dubbed the Prince of Wales, a title that the heir to the throne has been awarded ever since.
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Name the Brighton hotel bombed by the I.R.A. in 1984 | BBC ON THIS DAY | 12 | 1984: Tory Cabinet in Brighton bomb blast
About This Site | Text Only
1984: Tory Cabinet in Brighton bomb blast
There has been a direct bomb attack on the British Government at the Conservative party conference in Brighton.
At least two people have been killed and many others seriously injured, including two senior Cabinet ministers.
The blast tore apart the Brighton Grand Hotel where members of the Cabinet have been staying for the Conservative party conference.
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her husband Dennis narrowly escaped injury.
The IRA has issued a statement claiming it had placed a 100lb bomb in the hotel.
The statement read: "Today we were unlucky, but remember, we only have to be lucky once; you will have to be lucky always. Give Ireland peace and there will be no war."
The dead have not yet been named. Among the injured were Trade and Industry Secretary Norman Tebbit, his wife Margaret and Government Chief Whip, John Wakeham.
Pulled from the rubble
Firemen used BBC arc lights after cables were cut to rescue Mr Tebbit from the rubble, in a painstaking operation that took several hours.
Breakfast television showed pictures of the rescue and a conscious Mr Tebbit, clearly in pain, being stretchered to safety. His wife suffered neck injuries.
The bomb went off at 0254 local time, ripping open the front of the hotel on the top floors and sending masonry crashing down on guests sleeping below.
Fireman say many lives were probably saved because the well-constructed Victorian hotel remained standing, despite the central section of eight floors collapsing into the basement.
At Mrs Thatcher's insistence the conference opened on schedule at 0930. In her redrafted speech to the party she declared:
"This attack has failed. All attempts to destroy democracy by terrorism will fail."
The Queen was said to be "very shocked" by the bombing. Opposition Leader Neil Kinnock expressed his "horror and outrage".
Meanwhile security in the seaside town has been massively increased as rescue workers continue to search for people trapped in the rubble.
Detectives are now beginning a major investigation into who was behind the bombing and how such a major breach in security occurred.
| The Grand |
What is the name of the bell rang at Lloyds when a ship is lost at sea | BBC News | UK | Patrick Magee: The IRA Brighton bomber
Tuesday, June 22, 1999 Published at 08:04 GMT 09:04 UK
UK
Patrick Magee: The IRA Brighton bomber
The bomb blasted a hole in the Grand Hotel, Brighton
Patrick Magee plotted to kill former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her Cabinet.
By planting the Brighton bomb at the Grand Hotel during the Tory party conference in 1984, he nearly succeeded.
Mrs Thatcher and her Cabinet escaped the blast, but it left five people dead and 34 injured.
'Cruel and inhumane'
At Magee's trial, the judge Mr Justice Boreham recommended that he serve a minimum of 35 years.
He branded Magee "a man of exceptional cruelty and inhumanity" who enjoyed terrorist activities.
Magee: Murder plans
If Magee served the judge's recommended minimum sentence, he would be 70 before he tasted freedom.
In September 1986, Magee, who was then 35, received eight life sentences at the Old Bailey. Seven of them were for offences relating to the Brighton bombing on 12 October 1984.
He was sentenced for planting the bomb, exploding it, and five counts of murder.
The eighth life sentence was for a separate conspiracy to bomb 16 targets in London and resorts around Britain.
Four members of an IRA "active service unit" who worked with him on that project were also jailed.
Judge's satisfaction
When he sentenced Magee, Mr Justice Boreham voiced his satisfaction at the length of time Magee would serve.
He said: "You intended to wipe out a large part of the government and you nearly did.
"I must be grateful that in recent years legislators have raised the maximum sentence from a mere 20 years to life imprisonment for explosive offences."
Margaret Thatcher: Bomb target
Three-and-a-half weeks before the bombing, Magee had checked into the hotel under the fictitious name Roy Walsh.
He stayed there from 14 to 17 September. In his room, he primed a 20-30lb bomb which he hid in a bathroom wall with a timing device set for 24 days ahead.
He had allegedly honed his skills at Libyan terrorist training camps.
At 2.54am on 12 October, the bomb blasted a gaping hole through the hotel's facade.
Mrs Thatcher was in the hotel working on her conference speech at the time of the explosion.
Five killed
The five people killed in the bombing were Sir Anthony Berry, 59, the MP for Enfield Southgate; Roberta Wakeham, 45, wife of the then Tory Chief Whip Lord Wakeham; The Tories' North West Area Chairman Eric Taylor, 54; Muriel Maclean, 54, wife of Scottish Chairman Sir Donald Maclean; and Jeanne Shattock, 52, wife of the Western Area Chairman.
One of the best-remembered images of the night was that of the former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Norman Tebbit, who had to be rescued from the rubble. His wife was paralysed in the blast.
Norman Tebbit was rescued from the rubble
Sussex police traced and eliminated 800 people from 50 countries who had stayed at the hotel in the month before the attack.
Only Roy Walsh could not be accounted for, but his true identity was finally revealed when a palm print on a hotel registration card matched a print taken from Magee years earlier when he was first arrested as a juvenile in Norwich, where he grew up.
Detectives did not want to issue a public alert, so they waited, hoping that Magee would eventually reappear on the mainland.
Police trailing another IRA suspect Peter Sherry arrested Magee in June 1995 at an IRA safe house in Glasgow, as he planned the attacks on British resorts.
When he was finally jailed, he gave a clenched fist salute as he was led off to start his sentence.
Magee was born in Belfast but moved with his family to Norwich when he was two. He returned to Belfast at the age of 18 in 1969, and joined the Provisional IRA soon afterwards.
Magee has made the headlines since his imprisonment. In September 1994, former Prime Minister John Major ordered an inquiry when four republican prisoners, including Magee, were transferred from English jails to prisons in Ulster only hours after the first IRA ceasefire.
He has used his time in prison to study for a PhD in "Troubles" fiction. In August 1997 he got married for a second time to novelist Barbara Byer after the couple struck up a relationship via correspondence.
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In which British city is the Jorvik Viking Centre | JORVIK VIKING CENTRE in York (City Centre), England
Geographic Location: Lat: 53.95717; Long: -1.07966 - GeoTag: GB-YOR
Jorvik Viking Centre
Jorvik Viking Centre is a Theme Park managed as a Tourist or Visitor Attraction by an Independent/Unknown Organisation and is located in or near York (City Centre), England.
You can get detailed information regarding opening times and other facilities if you follow this link to it's own website
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You can see what other attractions are near Jorvik Viking Centre if you follow this link to other attractions and event locations in the area of York on this website
Using the left hand menu you can upload photos or future event information and locate hotels and railway stations near to Jorvik Viking Centre
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In which range of hills is the Cheddar Gorge | JORVIK Viking Centre | Yorkshire Videoconferencing and online Learning
Yorkshire Videoconferencing and online Learning
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JORVIK Viking Centre
Journey back in time to the tenth century and spend 45 minutes in the company of a Viking at home in the city of Jorvik. Hear him talk about his daily life, his overseas adventures, his beliefs and much more besides. He will also share with you intricate and fascinating artefacts from the Viking age, all of which will give your learners an engaging and exciting insight into the realities of life in a Viking-era city. They can also think of their own questions to ask him. This session is provided by the JORVIK Viking Centre ( http://jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk ), world leaders in interpreting the history of the Viking period for learners of all ages for more than 30 years. It supports the delivery of the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor element of the National Curriculum for History at Key Stage 2.
These session are available to any school and we will connect via the national VC network v-scene . YorkshireVC will support any schools new to the technology and will run test calls prior to the session.
Sessions are booked via the YorkshireVC website HERE
Click HERE for the JORVIK attractions programme 2015/16 for KS 1 to 3 in .pdf format
JORVIK Attractions Learning Programme 2015/167
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About Us
YorkshireVC is based in the market town of Selby in the heart of Yorkshire.
We have many years experience delivering videoconferencing and online collaboration sessions in both the education and culture sectors, as well as in business.
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Deliver virtual visits and VC sessions to schools around the UK.
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In which group of British islands would you find Scapa Flow | Scapa Flow Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland
MV Thorsvoe Arriving at Lyness, With Scapa Flow in the Background
Scapa Flow has been as an important haven for over 1,000 years. This stretch of water, very roughly 20km from east to west and 15km from north to south lies, atoll-like, within the shelter of the surrounding Orkney islands. The result is one of the largest natural harbours in the world.
Today's Scapa Flow is home to a major oil terminal at Flotta. Here up to 10% of the UK's oil arrives by pipe from North Sea oilfields before being transferred to tankers for shipment around the world. Traffic through these busy waters is overseen by the Scapa Flow Control Centre at Scapa Bay, a mile south of Kirkwall.
And with a flat bottom at depths of between 60 and 150 feet, an absence of strong currents, and an abundance of wrecks, it is also the centre of a major tourist diving industry, based primarily at Stromness and on Burray and South Ronaldsay. About 15 dive boats cater for up to 20,000 divers who come to Orkney each year to dive Scapa Flow.
Though no evidence remains, Scapa Flow was probably used for fishing by the builders of Maeshowe, 5,000 years ago. But it first came into recorded history with the Vikings. Their world extended from Iceland to Ireland, and from Scandinavia to North Eastern England, and Orkney lay at its centre. The name comes from the Old Norse, Skalpeid-floi, or Bay of the Long Isthmus.
In 1670 Stromness, already a whaling and fishing centre, became the main European base for the Hudson's Bay Company. Later, in 1813, commercial shipping going around the north of Scotland to Scandinavia came under threat from US privateers supporting the French. This resulted in the first shore defences overlooking Scapa Flow, with the construction of the Hackness Battery and two Martello Towers protecting Longhope Sound, at the southern end of Hoy.
But Scapa Flow would probably have remained no more than a natural wonder had not war clouds gathered over Europe in the early 1900s. With a war with Germany in prospect, the Royal Navy needed a base for the Grand Fleet better located to counter the German High Seas Fleet based in Baltic ports. Scapa Flow was chosen, and many thousands of service personnel were based on the surrounding islands, and on Hoy and Flotta in particular.
In 1919 the German High Seas Fleet was brought to Scapa Flow after the German surrender. A misunderstanding over the progress of the peace talks led the German commander, Admiral von Reuter, to believe that war was about to resume. To avoid his fleet falling into British hands he ordered the scuttling of the 74 German battleships and other warships at anchor in Scapa Flow, on 21 June 1919. Many of these were salvaged for scrap after the war, but others still remain on the sea bed as a magnet for divers.
1939 brought war with Germany again, and Scapa Flow was reactivated as the main base for the Royal Navy. One of Scapa Flow's most tragic and memorable events took place very early in the war when, on the night of 14 October 1939, the German submarine U-47 found a way through the sunken blockships intended to seal off the narrow eastern approaches to Scapa Flow. It torpedoed HMS Royal Oak, at anchor in Scapa Bay, and made good its escape. 833 members of the Royal Oak's crew were killed. HMS Royal Oak remains on the floor of Scapa Flow as a war grave, and diving it is not permitted.
This event led to a visit by Winston Churchill to Orkney and the starting of the building of the Churchill Barriers, causeways linking together the five eastern islands of the group and ensuring that side of Scapa Flow would in future be completely secure. The barriers were completed in May 1945, and remain in use as causeways today.
WWII left other legacies around Scapa Flow. Every headland on the surrounding islands seems to carry a disused lookout and a gun emplacement or two. And on Hoy and Flotta it can seem that most of the existing structures are military in origin.
Most striking of all, however, is the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre. This is at Lyness on Hoy, very close to the terminus for the Hoy vehicle ferry from Houton on the Mainland. Lyness housed the main oil storage facilities for the fleet during the war, and the visitor centre is housed in the old pumping station. Behind it is an oil tank (the only survivor of many that once stood here) that is today used to house an audio-visual display. Less obvious are the vast underground oil tanks excavated in the hillside behind, the spoil from which was used to build Lyness's large harbour.
The visitor centre still houses the oil pumping equipment, alongside a large range of exhibits that give a real feel for Lyness and for Scapa Flow in the 1940s. Here you can see displays and models showing how Scapa Flow's defences worked, plus models showing the 1919 German Fleet when it was scuttled. There's something for everyone here, from large guns and torpedoes though to photographs and more personal memorabilia that begin to give a sense for the people who spent a part of their lives here, and sometimes died here.
Nearby at Lyness is the Naval cemetery in which those whose bodies were recovered from HMS Royal Oak in 1939 are buried, alongside victims of the WWI Battle of Jutland, the sinking of HMS Hampshire while taking Lord Kitchener to Russia in 1916 and many other incidents from two world wars.
Scapa Flow is an atmospheric place. Today's intense oil-related activity exists alongside the relics of many earlier periods of use, both on land and under water. The history of Scapa Flow is intimately intertwined with the history of Orkney, and an understanding of one requires some understanding of the other.
| Orkney |
What is the 54 acre London park between Piccadilly and the Mall | Gallery: Exploring the 'Mecca' of UK diving - Scapa Flow
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Gallery: Exploring the ‘Mecca’ of UK diving – Scapa Flow
March 3, 2016
by Marcus Blatchford
I always dive with my camera so have been able to build up a vast library of photographs documenting my diving experiences. One of the main things I always try to promote are the gems we are able to find in UK waters. When the subject of diving in UK waters arises with most people, the standard response is: “Really? Surely there isn’t anything in UK waters, it must be so cold and murky with nothing to see!” For this reason I started a UK Diving group on Flickr, with the main intention of it becoming a place people can showcase their photos of the gems which can be found in and around the UK.
The first destination I’ll talk about is known as a ‘Mecca’ in UK diving. Positioned in a small archipelago on the north tip of Scotland is the Orkney Isles. The islands surround a body of water known as Scapa Flow. Scapa Flow’s shape makes for a great natural harbour which was used by the Royal Navy during both world wars.
After the 11/11/18 Armistice, the German High Seas Fleet was impounded by the allies and anchored in Scapa Flow. 7 months later, with the armistice in question and the potential of the war continuing, German Admiral Von Reuter gave orders to scuttle the fleet to avoid being impounded in a state of war. Many ships have been completely salvaged but 7 remain, 3 Battleships (SMS Kronprinz Willhelm, SMS Konig, SMS Markgraf) and 4 Light Cruisers (SMS Karlsruhe, SMS Dresden, SMS Coln, SMS Brummer).
In addition to the ‘main’ wrecks Scapa Flow is littered with many other historical wreck sites. Today there are many liveaboard dive boats and some shore based dive operations.
You can see more photographs from my latest trip here , and for more information on the history of Scapa Flow, 3d models of the wrecks and dive operators visit: http://www.scapaflowwrecks.com .
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Which English county has the longest coastline | Gallery: Top 10 – Essex boasts the longest coastline in the UK and some of the sunniest weather, what else is the county famed for? - News - East Anglian Daily Times
Gallery: Top 10 – Essex boasts the longest coastline in the UK and some of the sunniest weather, what else is the county famed for?
21 January, 2015 - 11:42
Oysters at the annual Colchester Oyster Feast.
Essex is often derided by others elsewhere in the country as being full of spray-tanned buffoons. But here are our top 10 interesting facts about the county.
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Towie stars. Picture: ITV/PA
A wet looking Great Bentley village green - said to be the largest in England.
Manningtree High Street certainly looks small.
Barley Barn at Cressing Temple.
People sunbathing on Clacton beach
Colchester - once the capital of Roman Britain.
Oysters at the annual Colchester Oyster Feast.
"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" composers Jane and Ann Taylor lived in this house in Colchester.
The Naze at Walton.
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Both Colchester and Chelmsford have been England’s capital
Colchester was a capital of England under the early days of Roman rule, until the administrative centre was moved to London in the wake of Boudica’s (also known as Boadicea) rebellion in AD 61. Chelmsford, meanwhile, had to wait more than a thousand years for its turn, when it was made the capital for just five days in the wake of the Peasants’ Revolt in 1381.
Essex food travels the globe
Cornwall has its pasties and Yorkshire its puddings, and while Essex has not given its name to anything, it does export some world-renowned foodstuffs.
Whether it is Tiptree jam, Maldon sea salt or Mersea oysters – or more historically saffron from Saffron Walden – food from the county certainly gets about a bit.
However none of the products have – yet – achieved protected name status from the EU.
The coastline of Essex is the longest of any English county
Essex has a long and rich connection with the sea, a natural resource which has provided food and jobs for many over the years.
But did you know that with more than 350 miles of shore Essex actually has the longest coastline of any English county.
It’s not just the coast which is big, we also have the largest village green in the country
As well as having a long coastline, parts of the land also claim a stake in the English record books.
Great Bentley village green is claimed to be the largest in the country, at 43 acres.
However, as is often the way with such records, it is fiercely contested by other sites.
Size is not everything
Essex can do the big things well, but it does not overlook the little things in life.
Take Manningtree, for example, which is proclaimed to be the smallest town in the country.
Another record contested by others – most notably Fordwich in Kent – it does all depend on how you measure it, but the Tendring village claims to have the smallest acreage of any other area with a town council.
The sun has got its hat on in Essex
Parts of Essex are often recorded as being the driest in the country, with St Osyth given the title for several years with lows of 506mm of rainfall in one year – compared to almost nine times that amount in Snowdonia, Wales.
The oldest barn in the world is in Cressing
Everyone knows Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town, even if some in Ipswich are making a bid to steal the title.
But the barley barn at Cressing Temple, built in the 13th Century, is widely recognised as the oldest timber-framed barn in the world.
And it is not just barns...
Essex is also home to the oldest wooden church in the world.
St Andrew’s Church, in Greensted-juxta-Ongar, has planks dating back to 1060 with remain suggesting the presence of an even earlier chapel.
The body of Saint Edmund rested in the church on the way to its final resting place in Bury St Edmunds.
A nursery rhyme was written in Colchester
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was composed by Jane Taylor with her sister Ann in a house in West Stockwell Street in 1806, and published in their book Rhymes for the Nursery. The house is marked with a blue plaque.
The rhyme Old King Cole is also rumoured to have begun in the town, reportedly based on a medieval tale of how Colchester got its name, though the origins of this are much less clear.
The Only Way is Essex (Towie) has won a Bafta
Although blamed by many for perpetuating the Essex stereotype into the 21st Century, Towie actually bagged the YouTube Audience prize at the 2011 Bafta Television Awards after topping a public vote – Shut up!
| Cornwall |
What British Championship is held at the Greyhound Inn at Tinsley Green | The Counties of England | English County Guide
County of Bedfordshire Tourism Website
Districts: Bedford, Central Bedfordhsire, Luton
Where is Bedfordshire? Bedfordshire borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east.
County of Berkshire Tourism Website
Districts: West Berkshire, Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell Forest, Windsor and Maidenhead, Slough
Where is Berkshire? Berkshire borders Greater London to the East, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire to the North, Wiltshire to the West, and Hampshire & Surrey to the SOuth. The royal residence of Windsor Castle is in Berkshire.
City of Bristol Tourism Website
Districts: Bristol
Where is Bristol? Bristol is sandwiched between Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Built around the River Avon, the city of Bristol is the most populous city in South West England.
County of Buckinghamshire Tourism Website
Districts: South Bucks, Chiltern, Wycombe, Aylesbury Vale, Borough of Milton Keynes
Where is Buckinghamshire? Buckinghamshire borders 6 counties including Greater London to the south-east, Hertfordshire to the east, and Oxfordshire to the west.
County of Cambridgeshire Tourism Website
Districts: Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Fenland, East Cambridgeshire, Peterborough
Where is Cambridgeshire? Cambridgeshire lies directly west of Norfolk and Suffolk and has a northen border with Lincolnshire. Cambridgeshire is home to the famous university and the magnificent Ely cathedral.
County of Cheshire Tourism Website
Districts: Cheshire West & Chester, Cheshire East, Warrington, Halton
Where is Cheshire? Cheshire borders Wales to the east and Liverpool & Manchester to the North. Cheshire boasts the beautiful city of Chester, not to mention some very famous cheese.
City of London Tourism Website
Districts: London postcodes of EC, WC & E1
Where is the City of London? The Square Mile or City of London is in the middle of Greater London on the north side of the Thames between the boroughs of Westminster and Tower hamlets. It is England's smallest ceremonial county.
County of Cornwall Tourism Website
Districts: Cornwall, Isles of Scilly
Where is Cornwall? With Devon to its east, Cornwall is in the far south western corner of the UK and has the longest stretch of continuous coastline in Britain.
County of Cumbria Tourism Website
Districts: Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, District of South Lakeland, Borough of Copeland, Borough of Allerdale, District of Eden, City of Carlisle
Where is Cumbria? Cumbria is in the furthest north western corner of England, with the Scottish Border to the north and the Irish Sea to the west. Cumbria is predominantly rural and includes the Lake District, considered one of England's most outstanding areas of natural beauty.
County of Derbyshire Tourism Website
Districts: High Peak, Derbyshire Dales, South Derbyshire, Erewash, Amber Valley, North East Derbyshire, Chesterfield, Bolsover, Derby
Where is Derbyshire? Derbyshire borders Yorshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, and Staffordshire to the south-west. Derbyshire & the Peak District offers a spectacular landscape in one of the most beautiful & inspiring parts of the British Isles.
County of Devon Tourism Website
Districts: Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, Torridge, West Devon, South Hams, Teignbridge, Plymouth, Torbay
Where is Devon? Situated between Cornwall to the west and Somerset to the east, Devon is one of the largest English counties and boasts rolling countryside, beautiful beaches and hundreds of events & activities.
County of Dorset Tourism Website
Districts: Weymouth and Portland, West Dorset, North Dorset, Purbeck, East Dorset, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Poole
Where is Dorset? With the English Channel to the south, Dorset's northern borders are with Somerset, Wilshire & Hampshire. Dorset's charming countryside and breathtaking views has been designated as an �Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty�.
County of Durham Tourism Website
Districts: County Durham, Hartlepool, Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees
Where is Durham? County Durham is a north eastern county of England, bordered by North Yorkshire to the south and Northumberland to the north.
County of Yorkshire Tourism Website
Districts: East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull
Where is the East Riding of Yorkshire? East Riding of Yorkshire is borderd by North & South Yorkshire and also the River Humber along its southern edge. Its county town is Beverley.
County of East Sussex Tourism Website
Districts: Hastings, Rother, Wealden, Eastbourne, Lewes, Brighton & Hove
Where is East Sussex? The county of East Sussex is bordered by its western namesake to the west and Kent to the north & east.
County of Essex Tourism Website
Districts: Harlow, Epping Forest, Brentwood, Basildon, Castle Point, Rochford, Maldon, Chelmsford, Uttlesford, Braintree, Colchester, Tendring, Thurrock, Southend-on-Sea
Where is Essex? Essex is an eastern county of England located to the northwest of London. It's bordered by Cambridge & Suffolk to the north and Hertfordshire to the west. The county town of Essex is Chelmsford.
County of Gloucestershire Tourism Website
Districts: Gloucester, Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Cotswold, Stroud, Forest of Dean, South Gloucestershire
Where is Gloucestershire? Gloucestershire is a western county of England bordering Herefordhsire & wales to the west and Somerset & Wiltshire to the south. Its county town is the city of Gloucester.
Greater London Tourism Website
Districts: The 32 London boroughs
Where is Greater London? Greater London is in south east England and is surrounded by the Home Counties of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Berkshire, Surrey, & Kent.
County of Manchester Tourism Website
Districts: Manchester, Stockport, Tameside, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Bolton, Wigan, Salford, Trafford
Where is Greater Manchester? Greater Manchester borders Lancashire & West Yorkshire to the north, and Cheshire & Derbyshire to the south.
County of Hampshire Tourism Website
Districts: Gosport, Fareham, Winchester, Havant, East Hampshire, Hart, Rushmoor, Basingstoke and Deane, Test Valley, Eastleigh, New Forest, Southampton, Portsmouth
Where is Hampshire? Hampshire borders Sussex & Dorset to its East & West, and Wiltshire, Berkshire & Surrey along its northern edges.
County of Herefordshire Tourism Website
Districts: Herefordshire
Where is Herefordshire? Herefordshire is sandwiched between Herefordhsire to the east and the Welsh border to the west.
County of Hertfordshire Tourism Website
Districts: Three Rivers, Watford, Hertsmere, Welwyn Hatfield, Broxbourne, East Hertfordshire, Stevenage, North Hertfordshire, St Albans, Dacorum
Where is Hertfordshire? Hertfordshire is one of the home counties and is bordered by Bedfordshire to the north, Essex to the east, Buckinghamshire to the west, and Greater London to the south.
Isle of White Tourism Website
Districts: Isle of Wight
Where is the Isle of Wight? The Isle of Wight is located in the English Channel about 4 miles south of the Hampshire coastline
County of Kent Tourism Website
Districts: Sevenoaks, Dartford, Gravesham, Tonbridge and Malling, Medway, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Swale, Ashford, Canterbury, Shepway, Thanet, Dover
Where is Kent? Kent is located in the far south east corner of England and borders Essex & London to the north, and Surrey & East Sussex to the west & south. To the southeast it also has a border with France which is halfway along the Channel Tunnel.>
County of Lancashire Tourism Website
Districts: West Lancashire, Chorley, South Ribble, Fylde, Preston, Wyre, Lancaster, Ribble Valley, Pendle, Burnley, Rossendale, Hyndburn, Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen
Where is Lancashire? Lancashire borders Greater Manchester to the south, Cumbria to the north and North yorkshire to the east.
County of Leicestershire Tourism Website
Districts: Charnwood, Melton, Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, Blaby, Hinckley and Bosworth, North West Leicestershire, Leicester
Where is Leicestershire? Leicestershire is in the very heart of England and borders no fewer than 7 counties inlcuding Nottinghamshire to the north and Northants to the south.
County of Lincolnshire Tourism Website
Districts: Lincoln, North Kesteven, South Kesteven, South Holland, Boston, East Lindsey, West Lindsey, North Lincolnshire, North East, Lincolnshire
Where is Lincolnshire? Lincolnshire is on the East coast of England with the Humber and the Wash forming part of its northern and southern boundaries respectively.
County of Merseyside Tourism Website
Districts: Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens, Wirral
Where is Merseyside? Merseyside is on the West coast of England surrounded by the counties of of Lancashire, Greater Manchester & Cheshire.
Districts: Norwich, South Norfolk, Great Yarmouth, Broadland, North Norfolk, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Breckland
Where is Norfolk? Norfolk borders Suffolk to the south and Lincolnshire & Cambridgeshire to the west.
County of North Yorkshire Tourism Website
Districts: Selby, Borough of Harrogate, Craven, Richmondshire, Hambleton, Ryedale, Borough of Scarborough, City of York, Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees south of the Tees)
Where is North Yorkshire? North Yorkshire is a large county in the north of England stretching almost from coast to coast.
County of Northamptonshire Tourism Website
Districts: South Northamptonshire, Northampton, Daventry, Wellingborough, Kettering, Corby, East Northamptonshire
Where is Northamptonshire? Northamptonshire is in the East Midlands region and is bordered by eight other counties including Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & Lincolnshire.
County of Northumberland Tourism Website
Districts: Northumberland
Where is Northumberland? Northumberland is the northernmost county, bordering Cumbria to the west & County Durham to the south.
County of Nottinghamshire Tourism Website
Districts: Rushcliffe, Broxtowe, Ashfield, Gedling, Newark and Sherwood, Mansfield, Bassetlaw, Nottingham
Where is Nottinghamshire? Nottinghamshire is the northernmost county, bordering Cumbria to the west & County Durham to the south.
County of Oxfordshire Tourism Website
Districts: Oxford, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse, West Oxfordshire
Where is Oxfordshire? Oxfordshire is in the South/Central region of England and borders Warwickshire & Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Gloucestershire & Wiltshire to the west.
County of Rutland Tourism Website
Districts: Rutland
Where is Rutland? Rutland is a small landlocked county of central England bordered by Leicestershire & Lincolnshire to the north and Northamptonshire & Cambridge to the south.
County of Shropshire Tourism Website
Districts: Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
Where is Shropshire? Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England bordering Wales to the west.
County of Somerset Tourism Website
Districts: South Somerset, Taunton Deane, West Somerset, Sedgemoor, Mendip, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset
Where is Somerset? Somerset is a county in South West England bordering Bristol & Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south, and Devon to the west.
County of Yorkshire Tourism Website
Districts: Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley
Where is South Yorkshire? South Yorkshire is a county in central northern England, bordered by the rest of Yorkshire to the north and Derby, Nottinghamshire & Lincolnshire to the south.
County of Staffordshire Tourism Website
Districts: Tamworth, Lichfield, Cannock Chase, South Staffordshire, Stafford, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire Moorlands, East Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent
Where is Staffordshire? Staffordshire is a county in central northern England, bordered by the rest of Yorkshire to the north and Derby, Nottinghamshire & Lincolnshire to the south.
County of Suffolk Tourism Website
Districts: Ipswich, Suffolk Coastal, Waveney, Mid Suffolk, Babergh, St Edmundsbury, Forest Heath
Where is Suffolk? Suffolk is a county in East Anglia and borders Norfolk to the north, The North Sea to the east, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south.
County of Surrey Tourism Website
Districts: Spelthorne, Runnymede, Surrey Heath, Woking, Elmbridge, Guildford, Waverley, Mole Valley, Epsom and Ewell, Reigate and Banstead, Tandridge
Where is Surrey? Surrey is one of the Home Counties and borders Greater London & Berkshire to the north, Kent to the east, East & West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire to the west.
County of Tyne & Wear Tourism Website
Districts: Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland
Where is Tyne and Wear? Tyne and Wear Tyne is a county which borders Northumberland to the north, the North Sea to the east, and Durham to the south.
County of Warwickshire Tourism Website
Districts: North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwick
Where is Warwickshire? Warwickshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England bordered by Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire & Staffordshire.
County of West Midlands Tourism Website
Districts: City of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell, City of Birmingham, Solihull, City of Coventry
Where is West Midlands? West Midlands borders Shropshire & Staffordshire to the north and Worcestershire & warwickshire to the south.
County of Sussex Tourism Website
Districts: Worthing, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, Crawley, Mid Sussex, Adur
Where is West Sussex? West Sussex is a coastal county of southern England, bordering Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the south, & Hampshire to the west.
| i don't know |
At which English tourist attraction would you find the Aubrey Holes | Carhenge, Alliance | Roadtrippers
POI should not be bookable
Bad/missing chain data
“Ancient lore meets American ingenuity”
The ruins of England's Stonehenge recreated...from old cars embedded into the ground and stacked atop one another. Carhenge is, like it's ancient British brother, aligned with the solstices, and has even been featured in a few films.
Carhenge, which replicates Stonehenge, consists of the circle of cars, 3 standing trilithons within the circle, the heel stone, slaughter stone, and 2 station stones, and the Aubrey circle, named after Sir John Aubrey who first recognized the earthworks and great stones as a prehistoric temple in 1648. It was not until excavations undertaken in the 1920's that they were found to be holes cut to hold timber uprights. A total of 56 holes were discovered and named the Aubrey Holes in honor of John Aubrey's observation.
The artist of this unique car sculpture, Jim Reinders, experimented with unusual and interesting artistic creations throughout his life. While living in England, he had the opportunity to study the design and purpose of Stonehenge. His desire to copy Stonehenge in physical size and placement came to fruition in the summer of 1987 with the help of many family members.
Thirty-eight automobiles were placed to assume the same proportions as Stonehenge with the circle measuring approximately 96 feet in diameter. Some autos are held upright in pits five feet deep, trunk end down, while those cars which are placed to form the arches have been welded in place. All are covered with gray spray paint. The honor of depicting the heel stone goes to a 1962 Caddy.
Remember: While Carhenge is open 24/7/365, the preferred times for visiting are during the daylight hours.
Absolutely no camping is allowed at the site; however, Alliance offers several overnight accommodation options.
Read More >
| Stonehenge |
What is the capital of Portugal | Stonehenge Research Paper Outline - Phase III (Putting stones in place.) III.
Stonehenge Research Paper Outline
Stonehenge Research Paper Outline - Phase III (Putting...
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Stonehenge Research Paper Outline Introduction: If aliens don’t exist and giants only exist in New York and San Francisco, then who built it? With its 4,000 year old fifty-ton Sarsen stones and its center bluestone from the mountains of Wales, Stonehenge still stands as one of the biggest mysteries in the modern world (Alexander). Archaeologists have discovered theories of how it was built, and what it was used for as a way to get close to solving this enigma, but because of its unsolvable mystery, Stonehenge has served mainly as a tourist attraction. I. Basic Information of Stonehenge a. Location b. Time Frame c. Materials II. How Stonehenge was Built a. Phase I (Layout/Digging) b. Phase II (Digging/Aubrey Holes) c.
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Unformatted text preview: Phase III (Putting stones in place.) III. Theories of What Stonehenge Was Used For a. Calendar Winter and summer solstice b. Healing c. Burial Grounds d. Religious Events Conclusion: No one really knows how Stonehenge was built or what it was used for. The one thing we do know is that it is one of the most celebrated mysteries in England and being such a hard mystery to crack makes it a popular tourist attraction. Because no one has been able to figure out the true meaning behind Stonehenge, perhaps the mystery itself is what keeps it so fascinating. It is put perfectly by National Geographics Samuel Pepys that perhaps only God knows what [its] use was (Alexander)....
Stonehenge Outline General Purpose: To Inform Specific Purpose: To explain Stonehenge
Stonehenge Speech Outline
| i don't know |
What colour are the flags awarded to beaches of a certain pollution free quality | Beaches awarded the Blue Flag - Travel Guide for Island Crete, Greece
Beaches awarded the Blue Flag
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The Blue Flag Programme is an international system for awarding beaches and marinas that meet some strict criteria. More than 3500 beaches throughout the world have been awarded with the Blue Flag, with Greek beaches being one of the most awarded. In Greece, the Blue Flag Programme is supported by the Greek Society for the Protection of Nature, which determines which beaches meet the relevant criteria.
The award of a blue flag beach is based on compliance with 32 strict criteria covering the aspects of environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, safety and services
Because the program is an indicator of proper management of the beaches and their quality, Cretans have made great efforts for classifying as many beaches in the Blue Flag program, as possible. Most beaches are located on the northern coast of the island, which are the most touristy, but there are some on the south coasts.
The award of a blue flag beach is based on the following criteria.
Environmental Education and Information
Information about the Blue Flag must be displayed
Environmental education activities must be offered and promoted to beach users
Information about bathing water quality must be displayed
Information relating to local eco-systems and environmental phenomena must be displayed
A map of the beach indicating different facilities must be displayed
A code of conduct that reflects appropriate laws governing the use of the beach and surrounding areas must be displayed
Water quality
The beach must fully comply with the water quality sampling and frequency requirements
The beach must fully comply with the standards and requirements for water quality analysis
No industrial, waste-water or sewage-related discharges should affect the beach area
The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for the microbiological parameter faecal coli bacteria (E.coli) and intestinal enterococci/streptococci
The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for the following physical and chemical parameters\
Environmental Management
The local authority/beach operator should establish a beach management committee
The local authority/beach operator must comply with all regulations affecting the location and operation of the beach
The beach must be clean
Algae vegetation or natural debris should be left on the beach
Waste disposal bins/containers must be available at the beach in adequate numbers and they must be regularly maintained
Facilities for the separation of recyclable waste materials should be available at the beach
An adequate number of toilet or restroom facilities must be provided
The toilet or restroom facilities must be kept clean
The toilet or restroom facilities must have controlled sewage disposal
On the beach there will be no unauthorised camping or driving and no dumping
Access to the beach by dogs and other domestic animals must be strictly controlled
All buildings and beach equipment must be properly maintained
Coral reefs in the vicinity of the beach must be monitored
A sustainable means of transportation should be promoted in the beach area
Safety and services
An adequate number of lifeguards and/or lifesaving equipment must be available at the beach
First aid equipment must be available on the beach
Emergency plans to cope with pollution risks must be in place
There must be management of different users and uses of the beach so as to prevent conflicts and accidents
There must be safety measures in place to protect users of the beach
A supply of drinking water should be available at the beach
At least one Blue Flag beach in each municipality must have access and facilities provided for the physically disabled
| Blue |
Which car manufacturer made the Dolomite | The UK's best beaches | Travel | The Guardian
Beach holidays
The UK's best beaches
Whether you're looking for sandy solitude, that perfect wave or space to let the kids run wild, we've got dozens of beaches for you, many of them boasting blue flags
Clear water bay ... turquiose sea at Huisinis beach on the Isle of Harris, Scotland. Photograph: Alamy
Beach holidays
The UK's best beaches
Whether you're looking for sandy solitude, that perfect wave or space to let the kids run wild, we've got dozens of beaches for you, many of them boasting blue flags
Nell Card
Friday 6 August 2010 19.05 EDT
First published on Friday 6 August 2010 19.05 EDT
BEST SANDY BEACHES
Huisinis, Isle of Harris
Harris, 30 miles off the north-west coast of Scotland, has some spectacular scenery, but nothing can quite prepare you for Huisinis. No ice-cream vans, no deckchairs for hire – just a pristine cuticle of white sand at the end of a 15-mile, single-track road on the mountainous north coast. This beach is overlooked by a cluster of crofts and cottages with views across the Atlantic to the uninhabited island of Scarp.
Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire
Photograph: ffotoCymru, Images of Wales / A/Alamy
Cars can't get to this hidden bay, which means only a few dedicated sand-seekers share the scenery here. From the tiny harbour of Stackpole Quay, take the cliff path over dunes, through stone archways and down a steep, wooded descent to the yellow sands of Barafundle. The beach is east-facing and encircled by limestone cliffs, so there's no Atlantic wind here – just an arch of mellow sand and sea.
Downhill, County Derry
The golden sands of Downhill stretch seven miles from Magilligan Point to Mussenden Temple – one of Northern Ireland's most photographed buildings, which teeters on the edge of the cliffs nears Castlerock. Built as a library in 1785, the building bears the inscription: "Tis pleasant, safely to behold from shore/The rolling ship, and hear the tempest roar."
South Beach, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
The velvety sand on all three of Tenby's beaches is the stuff of tropical islands. Of the three, we suggest South Beach: over a mile of yellow sand that spans the shoreline from St Catherine's island to Giltar Point. The blue flag beach is backed by powdery dunes and looks out towards Caldey island. The island is owned and run by Cistercian monks who produce – and sell – their own chocolate, ice-cream, shortbread, yoghurt and perfumes. Boats leave from Tenby harbour (01834 844453, caldey-island.co.uk , adults £11, child £6, family ticket £28), or, at low tide, from a mobile jetty on Castle Beach – but never on a Sunday, when the monks have better things to do.
Holkham Bay, Norfolk
Photograph: Alamy
The yellow sands here are mesmerically vast, and when the tide is out, the elements merge together, creating a bewildering, two-dimensional sense of space. Even in bad weather, the four-mile walk along this brooding beach is worth it for the atmosphere. Towards the back of the beach a line of mismatched huts sit in front of a shady pine wood that's perfect for hide and seek. The sand here is powdery, so if you've brought buckets, wend your way across the maze of saltings and shallow lagoons towards the sea. Access to the beach is via Lady Anne's Drive at Holkham village, or along the coast road west of Wells-next-the-Sea.
BEST SETTING
Whiterocks, Portrush, County Antrim
Photograph: Alamy
The limestone cliffs here form a labyrinth of caves and arches that stretch from Curran Strand to Dunluce Castle . The knobbly forms that rear out of the sea have been given names such as Shelagh's Head, the Giant's Head, Wishing Arch, Elephant Rock and Lion's Paw. Grassy knolls along the beach provide perfect viewing platforms – a dramatic setting for any picnic.
Minnis Bay, Kent
This is a rural bay in comparison with the nearby resorts of Margate and Broadstairs. By day, there's plenty to keep you occupied, with kite-boarding and windsurfing lessons, seal-watching boat trips and coastal walks. But at dusk, this blue flag beach comes into its own: the sun dips into the sea as, in the distance, 30 wind turbines shimmer in the briny haze.
Bamburgh, Northumberland
This section of Britain's coastline is sombre and strangely exhilarating – no more so than on Bamburgh beach, where the horseshoe-shaped stretch of sand is overlooked by the turrets and towers of Bamburgh Castle. The beach stretches for three miles from the village of Bamburgh to Seahouses and, from the shoreline, there are views of Lindisfarne, Holy Island and the Farne Islands. Although there are no facilities to speak of, its otherworldly drama attracts awestruck tourists year round.
Hunstanton, Norfolk
Photograph: KPA/Zuma/Rex Features
Affectionately known as "sunny hunny", Hunstanton is the only coastal town in East Anglia to face west. The blue flag beach is a gentle slope of sand backed by red-and-white-striped cliffs. All the sedate pleasures of the British seaside are here: candy floss, doughnuts, donkey rides – even a bandstand. There's also a thriving kite-surfing and buggying community ( kitesurfhunstanton.com ). Whatever you're up to, at sunset all action stops to watch the sun sink into the sea.
Achmelvich, Highland
Achmelvich is three long miles from the fishing village of Loch Inver on the remote west coast of Scotland. The beach has been awarded a blue flag for 13 consecutive years and, if you manage the single-track drive from the coast road down to the beach, you'll see why. Achmelvich is really a small collection of beaches huddled around rocky bays and headlands. When the time comes to turn your back on these blissful beaches, you'll see Mount Suilven rising almost vertically from the landscape in front of you.
Three Cliffs Bay, Gower Peninsula, Glamorgan
Three Cliffs takes its name from the three limestone points at the end of the bay, which are popular with rock climbers. In the distance, you'll see the ruins of Pennard Castle, and the views from here back to the bay make the hike worthwhile. But do keep an eye on the tide – some parts of the beach are likely to be cut off at high tide, and there's no lifeguard.
MOST UNCROWDED
Canford Cliffs Chine, Poole, Dorset
A well-kept secret between Branksome Chine and Flaghead Chine, this fine, blue-flag beach is where the locals go to avoid the crush of tourists in summer. The beach has all the facilities you'll need (toilets, lifeguards, a kiosk etc) but none of the hassle of more developed beaches.
Stone Bay, Broadstairs, Kent
There are seven sandy bays to choose from in Broadstairs and, while most visitors head for the hustle and bustle of Viking Bay, those in the know sneak off to the blue flag beach at Stone Bay. A peaceful arc of sand cradled by chalky cliffs, this is a great place for kids to go rockpooling. Access is via one of two steep flights of steps (the beach is the setting for John Buchan's novel, The Thirty-Nine Steps), or along the promenade from Viking Bay.
West Wittering, West Sussex
The approach to these sands is through gorgeous, open Sussex countrysid and there are acres of neatly mown grass where visitors can park before heading for the beach – all 54 acres of it. The sea here is flecked with wind and kitesurfers (and occasionally surfers when the waves are right) and there are shallow lagoons to dabble in on the sandy flats at low tide. Natural and non-commercialised, the beach has a small cafe, toilets and shower – but that's it in terms of facilities. You can hide behind your own mound of sand and go unnoticed for the entire day.
Frinton on Sea, Essex
There's not so much as an ice-cream kiosk at Frinton, which means that crowds (and litter) are kept to a minimum. The beach is at the end of an elegant esplanade that leads up to tree-lined residential streets and Connaught Avenue, dubbed the Bond Street of East Anglia.
Southwold Denes, Suffolk
This rural, blue flag beach is clean, quiet and secluded. To the south is the mouth of the Blyth river, and to the north is Southwold itself, which means day-trippers can enjoy the quirky arcades and ice-cream in the morning, before retreating to the dunes here. You'll share space with the odd walker, rare wildflowers and sea grasses.
Ainsdale, Merseyside
Ainsdale is between Formby and Southport on the Sefton coast and, although popular, the wide, flat sands manage to absorb as many visitors as they attract, giving beach-goers the salt-sprayed solitude they came for. The beach is backed by tufty dunes (home to the rare natterjack toad) and is divided into zones, keeping picnickers and kitesurfers safely apart.
Lunan Bay, Angus
Lunan Bay, between Arbroath and Montrose, is one of the biggest expanses of sand in Angus. There are hardly any facilities here, but surfers, birdwatchers, fishermen and horseriders love it, as do gemstone hunters. Look for agates and other semi-precious stones in the patches of tiny pebbles spaced out among the sands, especially after a storm. On a grassy bluff overlooking the bay are the ruins of Red Castle, a former royal pleasure palace built in the 1100s.
BEST FOR ACTIVITIES
Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Last year at the Extreme Academy at Watergate Bay, two miles north of Newquay, it was all about stand-up paddleboarding. This year, it has a shared adrenaline rush: dually bodyboarding. This involves two of you clinging onto a double-sized bodyboard with four handles and launching yourselves headfirst into the surf. The academy also offers kitesurfing and traction kiting. And if fancy hats and champers are more your scene, there's a free beach polo match here on 16 September, with public champagne bars and a barbecue.
• Watergate Bay Hotel & Extreme Academy (01637 860 543, watergatebay.co.uk ); double bodyboard hire £5 for two hours, £10 per day
Brighton, East Sussex
Photograph: Alamy
In recent years there's been a LA-style fitness drive on the beachfront of this notorious hedonists' hangout. Yellowave is a sandy fitness centre on Madeira Drive between Brighton Marina and the pier. As a 2012 Olympics training venue, the centre features six beach volleyball or footvolley courts, which can be turned into two five-a-side beach soccer or rugby pitches or one international-size beach soccer pitch. There's also room for ultimate Frisbee, bouldering, "beachminton" and a play area for kids. Activities are for all ages and abilities and there taster sessions if you're new to sandy team sports.
• 01273 672222, yellowave.co.uk ; court hire from £18 per hour
Isle of Tiree, Inner Hebrides
Photograph: Rex Features
Four hours off the west coast of Scotland north of Glasgow is the Isle of Tiree – a low-lying island surrounded by unrelenting wind and waves. The island was practically tailor-made for watersports and hosts the Tiree Wave Classic, the UK's premier windsurfing competition, every year in early October. Wild Diamond teaches all the basics in windsurfing, kitesurfing, stand-up paddleboarding and sandyachting (it also hires out surfing and bodyboarding gear). There are breaks and beaches around the island to suit every activity at every level: ask the locals where to go.
• Burnside Cottage, Cornaig (01879 220399, wilddiamond.co.uk )
Woolacombe, Devon
The three-mile stretch of blue flag beach at Woolacombe is a long-established surfing mecca. This year, H2Outdoor is also offering activity packages including coasteering off Baggy Point, surfing and sea-kayaking over the weekend, or over three days if you're there mid-week.
• 01271 863777, h2outdoor.co.uk ; £80 per person for weekdays, £90 weekends. Prices include all safety equipment, wetsuit hire and instruction. Accommodation also available from £45 per person, based on four sharing
Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset
If you can be tempted to leave the spotless sands of Dorset's swankiest peninsula, there's plenty to do in the water. The Water Sports Academy offers everything from windsurfing to kayaks to jet skiing. Alternatively, make like you're in St Tropez by drinking in the views of Poole harbour from the luxury of a skippered catamaran or powerboat. The waters around the blue-flag beach are carefully zoned, and there are lifeguards on duty from May to September. For landlubbers, there's beach-side bicycle hire and crazy golf.
• Banks Road (01202 708283, thewatersportsacademy.com )
BEST FOR SURFING
Polzeath beach, Cornwall
Photograph: Alamy
One of Cornwall's finest and cleanest beaches, Polzeath is tucked inside the Camel estuary and is the perfect spot for novice surfers. The Atlantic rollers aren't huge here but they are consistent. There's also a brilliant snack shack, Little Avalon cafe, serving strawberry crushes and Mars bar melts. The Surf's Up Surf School has been operating from the beach for 15 years and has an experienced team of instructors (including a former New Zealand national-level coach, Kelly O'Toole) who are prepared to work with everyone from complete beginners to elite riders. It also offers taster session for kids under seven.
• 21 Trenant Close (01208 862003, surfsupsurfschool.com ); taster session £16 for just over an hour, beginner group lesson £26 for two hours, with free use of boards and wetsuits
Llangennith, Gower Peninsula, Glamorgan
This bay regularly offers "4ft corduroy perfection", making it popular with locals and novices alike. Llangennith is at the western end of the Gower Peninsula and stretches for more than three miles, with gorgeous views of the island of Burry Holms. The Welsh Surfing Federation Surf School, which is based here, specialises in teaching absolute beginners seven days a week in the summer. Day-trippers should be aware that there are no lifeguards on duty here and it isn't safe to swim in the big surf as there are undertows. Head to nearby Hillend for your sundowners.
• Welsh Surfing Federation Surf School (01792 386426, wsfsurfschool.co.uk ); beginner group lesson £25 for two hours, including boards, wetsuits and boots, and free third-party insurance
Sennen Cove, Cornwall
This blue flag bearer is one of the best places in the UK to surf, thanks to its exposed position just one mile north-east of Land's End. Grassy hills and dunes lead you towards the spotless sands of this west-facing beach (stay for sunset if you can). What's more, there's no localism here: the waves get bigger as you head north up the beach, so the pros and novices can both enjoy their own patch.
• Smart Surf School (01736 871817, smartsurf.co.uk ); beginner group lesson £20 for two hours, including equipment
Strathy Bay, Thurso, Highlands
A gorgeous beach with outstanding views of the Pentland Firth, Strathy is on the north coast, west of Thurso. Surfers chase the reliable swell here when it's flat further west. The waters are sparkling and there's a lifeguard – the only hazard is the rocks on the south side. Access to the beach isn't straightforward: if you're in the village, head to the graveyard high on a bluff on the east side of the river. From here, follow the road to the beach.
Saltburn, Cleveland, North Yorkshire
Saltburn has attracted surfers for more than 30 years and, with more than eight miles of breaks to ride, there are more than enough waves to go round (which is a good thing, as it gets packed in summer). Beginners should avoid the towering rock face of Huntcliffe and stick to the beach breaks either side of the Victorian pier.
• Lower Promenade (01287 625321, saltburnsurf.co.uk ), beginner group lesson £30 for approximately two hours, all equipment provided
BEST FOR FAMILIES
Ramsgate Main Sands, Ramsgate, Kent
A bustling blue flag bearer, Ramsgate is a good old-fashioned beach resort with lifeguards on patrol, a bay inspector and a ban on dogs in the summer months, which keeps families flocking here. The swanky Royal Harbour (a title bestowed on it by George IV in 1821) and marina (where you can get your fish and chips and ice-creams) is right next door and there are children's rides on the beach itself. Every Tuesday afternoon in August, the Ramsgate Society offers costumed walks of the nearby cliffs and harbour.
• ramsgate-society.org.uk ; portoframsgate.co.uk
Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon
This is a golden, rural beach sheltered by low cliffs and lapped by warm waters. Seaward lies Burgh island, where Noël Coward and Agatha Christie partied in the 1920s. At low tide, the island is accessible across a sand spit, but if you want to get across at high tide, you'll need to hitch a lift on the big-wheeled sea-tractor. Who needs donkeys, anyway?
West Beach, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
This is a gently shelving, sandy blue-flag beach surrounded by the bright lights and buzz of a traditional seaside resort. Parents of small children are advised to stop off at the beach patrol office and pick up a colour-coded wristband, to help prevent kids from becoming hopelessly lost when the beach gets crowded in the summer. The annual air show takes place above the beach on 26 and 27 August.
• clacton-on-sea-essex.co.uk
Tunnels Beaches, Ilfracombe, Devon
The once-secret tunnels that lead to this glistening cove were hand-carved through the cliffs by Welsh miners in 1823 and intended to connect Ilfracombe town centre to its secluded coves. The privately owned beach attracts adventurous families who appreciate the safety of the tidal pool, the cleanliness of the beach – no dogs allowed – and the opportunity to hunt for beasties in rockpools. There's a children's play hut (£2 an hour) next to the classy beach cafe overlooking the cove and out towards Lundy Island and south Wales.
• tunnelsbeaches.co.uk ; adults £1.95, children 3-15 £1.75, family tickets from £6.50
Central Beach, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire
Photograph: Alamy
Cleethorpes is a real bucket-and-spade resort and still flying a blue flag. Drop the grandparents off at the Victorian gardens and waterfall, while you hop on the Lollipop Express for a steam journey along the Victorian promenade. Back on the beach, there's a free Punch and Judy puppet and balloon show at 11.30am on Wednesdays until 1 September.
• cleethorpesuk.com
Burntisland, Fife
This great little beach has been a blue-flag winner for 13 consecutive years. There's crazy golf, bouncy castles and an annual summer fairground nearby, and – if the weather fails – there's a swimming pool with flumes and a wave machine just a short walk from the beach. Alternatively, you can hire out a beach hut at the leisure centre, hunker down and hope it blows over.
• Beacon Leisure Centre, Lammerlaws Road (01592 583383; fifeleisure.org.uk ), swimming: adults £2.90, under-17s free over the summer; adults the summer; beach hut hire £8 per day
Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
Photograph: Alamy
The beach here is famous for its donkeys, which have left a trail of hoofprints in the sand since 1886. Add to that its winter gardens, go-karts, miniature railway and an aquarium with an underwater tunnel, and you've got the makings of a quintessentially British day out. Before you take out your bucket and spade, though, you might like to look at the sand sculpture festival (until 5 September; prices vary from day to day) for inspiration. You'll have to wait a bit longer to visit the Grand Pier – its reopening after a 2008 fire has been delayed.
BEST FOR SWIMMING
Tyrella, County Down
The wide, flat sands of Tyrella are backed by 25 hectares of mature dunes, making this blue flag beach a great spot for a swim. The beach is patrolled by lifeguards in the summer so you're guaranteed safe bathing in the crystal-clean waters.
Broughty Ferry, Dundee
Tucked beneath an historic castle, this sandy beach is where the residents of Dundee strip off for a safe, clean swim. There is an area specifically marked out for swimmers and lifeguards are present. The water is top quality (a blue flag flies here) and – if you're lucky – you might find a dolphin enjoying the water with you.
Blackpool Sands, Devon
Photograph: Alamy
A mile-long sweep of shingle and sand cradled by steep, wooded cliffs, this is one of Devon's finest blue-flag beaches. The real draw for swimmers is the bathing raft that bobs out at sea from July each year. Perfect for practising the perfect dive. There's also the Venus (01803 712648, venuscompany.co.uk ), an excellent beach cafe with impeccable eco-credentials.
• blackpoolsands.co.uk
Ballygally, County Antrim
Majestic scenery comes as standard on the Antrim coast. Here on Ballygally you're also guaranteed safe, clear waters. From the bay looking back to shore, you'll get a fine view of Ballygally Castle hotel (028-2858 1066, hastingshotels.com/ballygally-castle ), which dates back to 1625, and the verdant glens beyond.
West Kirby, Wirral, Merseyside
This bustling little beach is only 300 metres long, but the sand flats exposed at low tide are sparkling, soft and vast. Lifeguards patrol the beach in the summer and surfers are asked not to come within 100 metres of the tide line, to allow bathers a good stretch of safe water. Take your goggles off for fine views across the Dee towards Snowdonia.
Three Shells Beach, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
This is a great bijou beach within walking distance of the town centre. In the summer, the beach is carefully valeted every day and the water has a Quality Coastal Award for cleanliness. There's even a freshwater shower for after your dip before refuelling with coffee, sandwiches and doughnuts from the Beach cafe right on the seafront. You simply can't miss the cafe at night – the shell-shaped roof is lit up in neon.
Wales is blessed with a spectacular coastline. Rob Smith, author of Secret Beaches Wales, picks 10 of the most secluded, and where to eat nearby
Published: 18 Jul 2013
Crabbing and candyfloss, garish graphics and 70s pop, caravan parks and pebbledash and crumbling piers – oh, and fabulous views. Our writers describe what a great British seaside holiday means to them
Published: 6 Aug 2010
Tracy McVeigh is spellbound by the timeless beauty of the West Highland coast as she and her family explore the wilderness by kayak, canoe, on foot and by train
Published: 16 Jun 2013
Don't fancy sharing your patch of sand or shingle with hundreds, if not thousands, of other sunseekers? Then check out these lesser-known beaches, tipped by those in the know
Published: 9 Jul 2013
| i don't know |
What was the name of the Cartwright's ranch in Bonanza | Bonanza (TV Series 1959–1973) - IMDb
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The adventures of Ben Cartwright and his sons as they run and defend their ranch while helping the surrounding community.
Creator:
Little Joe falls in love with Alice Harper played by a young Bonnie Bedelia who he meets while rescuing her gambler brother John from a poker game gone bad. The two eventually marry and are expecting...
8.6
Hoss scares a bear that has treed a green-clad little man, subsequently finds a buried strongbox filled with bags of gold dust and, when both the treasure and its owner disappear, unsuccessfully ...
8.5
Clint Watson and his two sons are hired by Ben Cartwright to deliver nitroglycerin to Virginia City. The journey entails hardship, recrimination and tragedy.
8.5
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Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 9 wins & 14 nominations. See more awards »
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Edit
Storyline
The Cartwright's one-thousand square mile Ponderosa Ranch is located near Virginia City, Nevada, site of the Comstock Silver Lode, during and after the Civil War. Each of the sons was born to a different wife of Ben's; none of the mothers is still alive. Adventures are typical western ones, with lots of personal relationships/problems thrown in as well. Written by Ed Stephan <[email protected]>
12 September 1959 (USA) See more »
Also Known As:
Did You Know?
Trivia
Saturday=night ratings were dismal and the show was soon targeted for cancellation. Given one last chance, it was moved to Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. The new time slot caused the series to soar, and it eventually reached #1 by the mid-'60s. See more »
Goofs
The story of Bonanza starts in 1859 Nevada but the clothing worn by the cast is invariably 20th century . For example belt loops did not appear on men's trousers and jeans until many decades later. See more »
Quotes
[Hoss reluctantly agrees to serve as a temporary deputy sheriff]
Deputy Sheriff : I'll swear you in. Do you?
See more »
Crazy Credits
In the opening sequence, when the actors ride on their horses towards the camera and are introduced, the order in which they are introduced is never consistent - this was most likely done to prevent a single actor from becoming the "main" star of the show. See more »
Connections
Learn from one of the best TV Westerns!
1 March 2005 | by mbuchwal
(United States) – See all my reviews
Feature film makers have many lessons to learn from this classic western serial. Although each episode was made on a small budget when compared to the Hollywood "A" features of today, all of the production values of great classic movies of the golden age -- painterly composition and design, emotionally effective acting, lyrical music, suspenseful storytelling, beautiful timing, strong dramatic dialogue, elegantly choreographed action, powerful themes, colorful period costumes, folksy comic relief -- all of these values were at a consistently high level from show to show, with never an awkward effect or a misfit scene. Each of the featured characters was drawn in a unique and stylish way, suggesting the storybook characterization that distinguishes the best of the Hollywood golden age. Every one of the episodes stands well as a feature length movie in its own right and would look as good on the big screen as on TV. There's plenty of feeling, no padding or softness, and no mindless experimentation with technique or vulgarity such as has ruined so many westerns made since 1970.
It's difficult to understand why an approach which succeeded for so long was abandoned in the 1970's by both television and feature film makers. Many producers turned instead in the direction indicated by spaghetti westerns. Compared to classic westerns like "Bonanza," spaghetti westerns were much less lyrical and took more of a gutter eye view of the old west, stripping it of its romantic appeal and substituting what to a misguided new generation seemed a dirtier and therefore more authentic realism. In retrospect, Hollywood gave up way too much for the little that it got in return. The success of a vast body of works similar in appeal to "Bonanza" (including many of the other action adventure TV serials made from the '40s to the '60s) is proof that there is a widespread taste that is radically different from the one which has predominated in Hollywood since the '70s. Let's hope that one day we'll see the return of Bonanza's classic values to the screen.
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| Alphitonia ponderosa |
Which sign of the Zodiac is represented by a ram | Ponderosa Ranch
"Bonanza" was the most popular western televison series in America. Little wonder its popularity should spill over into 86 foreign countries and be translated into 12 different languages. The Cartwrights - father Ben, and sons Adam, Hoss and Little Joe - typified the Great American West. They were the "good guys" who always won out over the bad guys so that right and justice prevailed. The Ponderosa Ranch, Nevada and beautiful Lake Tahoe were idelibly imprinted in the minds of Bonanza faithful when they were pin-pointed at the start of each episode by the famous burning map .
In a short time, visitors to Nevada began making trips to Lake Tahoe just to see the famous "Ponderosa Ranch" which at the time existed only in televison scripts.
In the summer of 1959 a National Broadcasting Company (NBC) television crew arrived on location on the north shore of Lake Tahoe to start filming a new western series, "Bonanza".
"Bonanza" made its debut, with a "pilot" segment ("A Rose for Lotta") on September 12th of that year. It introduced to the vast television audience the "Cartwright" family: Father Ben, eldest son Adam, middle son - and a gentle giant of a man - Hoss, and the youngest son Little Joe.
How the Ponderosa Ranch became real
"Bonanza" had been on the air for almost four years when Bill and Joyce Anderson arrived on the scene at Incline Village, Nevada. Bill's principal occupation at the time was to supply a large development company on the north shore of Lake Tahoe with equipment necessary to carry out their operation. As a sideline, the Andersons opened a riding stable to work in conjunction with the development company's plan to give visitors to the Lake Tahoe area varied recreational outlets. Anderson also stabled the horses being used in the Bonanza filmings. A "collector of things" all his life, Anderson brought in some wagons and early west artifacts that he displayed around the stable area.
"Well," he admits, "it wasn't very succesful. The tourists were coming, all right, but nog to ride. All of them wanted to see the Ponderosa Ranch that was "burned off" the screen at the start of each show. Most of the tourists were adamant in their belief that "this is the spot." All Anderson could think of then was "this has got to be the biggest piece of business chemistry I ever heard of." That's when he determined that he'd build the Ponderosa Ranch so that the thousands upon thousands of Bonanza fans who were coming to Lake Tahoe would not be "disappointed."
It took some doing, but, in his own words "a gutsy sort of a guy," he finally got the officials of NBC and the principals of "Bonanza" to join in a venture to build the Ponderosa Ranch. Shortly after, an ambitious construction program got off the ground with the result that in the summer of 1967 the gates of "The World's Most Famous Ranch" swung open to the public.
Anderson's predection that "people will come from all over the world to see it" proved more than accurate when more than a quarter-million visitors - many of them from foreign countries - poured through the gates. "It overwhelmed us," Anderson recalls, "but we did what had to be done..... we took care of them."
Virginia City and the Ponderosa Ranch
"Bonanza"'s signature opening showed a map of the Ponderosa in relation to Lake Tahoe and Virginia City, Nevada. As the theme music swelled, the map went up in flames, starting in the middle and burning outward. If you judge by that map, Virginia City is just down the trail a piece from the Cartwright ranch house. In fact, on many episodes the boys would meander into town for supplies, have lunch and a couple of beers, maybe get into a fistfight and be home well before dark.
Actually, Virginia City is a 45-minute car drive from the Ponderosa Ranch.
It the fictional Cartwrights had really saddled up and ridden to Virginia City as the crow flies, it would have taken them "problably all day" to get there, says Ponderosa Ranch president David Geddes. "You'd have to ride over the ridge behind the ranch house, down into the Washoe Valley, up over the next ridge and down into another valley."
Not Virginia City, but Incline Village is near the Ponderosa Ranch of the Cartwright's
A Rip Roarin' Western Experience
How do you improve upon a success story such as the Ponderosa Ranch? Well, if you're the owners, Bill and Joyce Anderson, you continue to do what you have been doing... only better. Their philosophy, when the Ranch opened its gates back in 1967, was to see that every visitor always "got its money's worth." That is still their first priority. And one of the ways they have managed this over the years is to continue to develop the Ranch in keeping with the legend of the Cartwrights, BONANZA, and the portrayal of the Ponderosa Ranch as the early Western American way of life. Nowadays there are a variety of activities at the Ponderosa Ranch that, collectively, have made it one of the most popular attractions in the West.
One project being considered for the immediate future is the reconstruction of the "Great Incline Tramway".
It's a little publicised fact, but the original village of Incline was situated right on the land where the Ponderosa Ranch has been developed. It derived its name "Incline" from a 4000-foot long, 1400-foot vertical rise alpine funicular double track, narrow gauge railway that ran straight up the mountain from the exact area where the Ponderosa Ranch parking lot is now located. The railroad was used to transport logs from the lush Tahoe forests to the top of the mountain, there "flumed" to Washoe Valley on the other side, and thence on to the Comstock where they ended up in the maze of mines honeycombing the Virginia City hills. Reconstruction of the railroad was one of the first things to be done at the Ranch when the Andersons and NBC joined forces. The death of Dan Blocker (Hoss) in 1972 however, caused the whole project to be shelved for consideration at some time in the future. Bill Anderson says that time is "now."
And there's more to do
on the Ponderosa Ranch...
| i don't know |
Who was the first landlord of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street | Rovers Return Inn | Coronation Street Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Rovers exterior, facing onto Coronation Street
The Rovers Return Inn (formerly The Rover's Return Inn; often referred to as The Rovers Return or The Rovers) is a public house in Coronation Street , Weatherfield .
The pub is located at the corner of Coronation Street and Rosamund Street and was first opened in 1902 , part of a chain of Weatherfield pubs owned by brewery Newton & Ridley . In 1995 , the brewery sold the Rovers and since then it has been a free house, although Newton & Ridley continue to supply the pub's ale.
The alcohol licence is currently held by Liz McDonald who runs the Rovers as its landlady. Stella Price purchased the pub outright from Steve McDonald in 2012 , but Liz and Steve bought the pub back the following year. The current tenants are Liz, her son Steve and his wife Michelle Connor . Previous landlords have included Jack and Annie Walker , Bet and Alec Gilroy and Jack and Vera Duckworth . Other notable staff include Betty Williams , barmaid at the Rovers for forty-three years from 1969 to 2012 and cook behind the pub's popular hotpot dish.
The Rovers is particularly popular with the residents of Coronation Street, and virtually all who live or work in the Street frequent the pub. As a focal point of the community, it has often hosted or sponsored community events and for many years its Select function room was used for variety shows and concerts. The Select was part of the original layout of the Rovers which also comprised the Public bar and the Snug, but after the pub was damaged by a fire in 1986 , the Rovers was modernised, with the Snug and Select removed and the Public expanded.
Contents
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Newton & Ridley owned the Rovers from 1902 to 1995
The Rovers Return was built along with the houses of Coronation Street in 1902 . Coronation Street was to stand adjacent to Rosamund Street , the main thoroughfare into Manchester , with the pub's location opposite Hardcastle's Mill making it an attractive investment for brewery Newton, Ridley & Oakes . The new pub was named The Rover's Return (note the apostrophe) in honour of Lt. Philip Ridley, in celebration of his safe homecoming from the Boer War.
The Rover's was officially opened by brewery officials on 16th August 1902 , a week after the residents had moved into the Street's houses. The first pints were poured by mill owner Charles Hardcastle and Mabel Grimshaw , who inherited the Street after the passing of Sir Humphrey Swinton .
Former grocery shop owner Jim Corbishley was the first licensee of the Rover's. From 1902 to 1918 , Jim ran the pub with his wife Nellie , with their son Charlie taking on the position of potman. When the Great War began in 1914 , Jim was deemed too old to sign up and so he remained at the Rover's while Charlie left for France , and died in 1916 from injuries sustained on the Somme. After Charlie's death, the Corbishleys were a broken family and Jim eventually gave up the tenancy, fearing that the return of the men who had survived the war would be too great an emotional strain on Nellie.
1918-1938: George and Mary Diggins
Edit
Retired police sergeant George Diggins took over the licence and the tenancy with his wife Mary following the departure of the Corbishleys. It was around this time that Lt. Philip Ridley had the apostrophe removed from the name of the pub, feeling that the repatriation of all who had fought for the country in the Great War should be celebrated.
George and Mary had no children but Mary had a dog who lived in a basket made out of a beer barrel. When any beer was spilt on the floor, he would lap it up. The Diggins saw the Rovers through the Depression and fared much better than their out of work neighbours, although takings suffered when George enlisted as a policeman and stood against his friends during a march on the Town Hall, resulting in a boycott of the pub. The issue was resolved when George resigned from police work and stood alongside his neighbours, thereby earning their respect.
The Diggins liked the pub but nevertheless moved away in 1937 to Southport .
1937-1970: Jack and Annie Walker
Jack and Annie Walker became the landlords of the Rovers in 1937
Newlyweds Jack and Annie Walker bought the tenancy in 1937 and Jack became the new licensee, shortly before the birth of their son Billy . Jack came from a family of publicans and was happy to take on the Rovers and raise a family there, while Annie saw it as a stepping stone to an area with more enlightened clientele.
The beginning of World War II in 1939 dashed Annie's hopes of a short stay, as when Jack received his call-up papers and signed up, Annie was left to run the Rovers herself while taking care of Billy and their second child, Joan , born in 1940 . On his return, Jack settled back into civilian life, full of enthusiasm for his job, a marked contrast to Annie's weariness after six years of running the operation single-handedly or with the help of shady men who hadn't enlisted.
In 1954 , Annie finally persuaded Jack that they should take on a Cheshire pub, but found to her dismay that even she was considered too common by patrons there. Annie resigned herself to a life in Weatherfield and concentrated her efforts on improving the Rovers and ensuring her children received the best education. By 1961 , both Billy and Joan had moved away, and the Walkers considered retiring when a rumour that Coronation Street was going to be demolished did the rounds. Annie took a step back by hiring Martha Longhurst and later Hilda Ogden as a cleaner, and occupied her free time by running for Councillor in 1966 and becoming a member of the Licenced Victuallers Association .
In 1964 , Jack and Annie took in fifteen-year-old Lucille Hewitt when her father Harry Hewitt and stepmother Concepta moved to Ireland , as the Walkers and Hewitts were close friends and Lucille wanted to finish her schooling in Weatherfield. Lucille became like another daughter to the Walkers and continued to live there even after leaving school.
1970-1984: Annie Walker
Edit
Jack died of a heart attack while visiting Joan in Derby in 1970 . Annie successfully applied for the licence and returned as the sole landlord of the Rovers.
Despite passing retirement age, Annie was more in control of the pub than ever. Her sometimes vicious snobbishness often alienated her customers and she ran the pub with class and stood no nonsense. She was supported by barmaids Betty Turpin and Bet Lynch , with Billy Walker occasionally lending a hand despite favouring a career as a car mechanic. Annie had friends in top positions within Newton & Ridley although others with the brewery expressed concern about her age and ability. In 1972 , Billy was offered the pub behind Annie's back. While he declined, Annie felt betrayed that the offer had been made in the first place. The following year, she decided to retire and move in with Joan in Derby but changed her mind when the brewery told her that they had received a petition, signed by most of the regulars, which campaigned for her to stay on.
1977 : The brewery celebrates Annie 's forty years at the Rovers. Annie held the reins longer than any other landlord
In 1975 , Billy moved to Jersey , and with Lucille also having moved away, Annie was left alone at the pub. The brewery was alerted to Annie's living conditions when two thugs, Neil Foxall and Les Grimes , broke into the Rovers and raided it while Annie was in bed. Warren Coates was sent by Newton & Ridley to deliver the news to Annie that she had been given a pub in Cheshire, which would be quieter and more to her liking. Annie saw Coates off by contacting Douglas Cresswell , a senior brewery official and close friend of Annie's, and having the motion cancelled. The incident persuaded her to take on a live-in potman and in 1976 she employed Fred Gee in the position.
A significant incident involving the Rovers occurred in 1979 when a lorry overturned outside the pub and its load of timber crashed through the front of the building, causing significant damage and injuring Mike Baldwin and Alf Roberts who were sitting at a table next to the window. Young Tracy Langton was thought to be buried by the pile of timber as she had been left in her pram outside the pub while Deirdre Langton spoke to Annie inside, but fortunately baby and pram had been taken away by Sally Norton moments before the crash. The brewery repaired the damage to the pub and things soon returned to normal.
1984: Billy Walker
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In 1983 , Annie took time off to visit Joan and the following year decided not to return. The brewery appointed Fred Gee as temporary manager but he was replaced by Billy Walker, who had been persuaded by Annie to take on the licence to keep the Rovers in the family. Unfortunately, Billy's heart was never in it and he had only accepted the brewery's offer for the money. Debt had always followed Billy and his troubles continued when he became the landlord, with him paying gamblings debts with money from the till and getting into trouble with the brewery for selling supermarket ale. When he was caught by the police selling alcohol after hours, Billy realised that he would never cut it as a pub landlord and asked the brewery to buy him out. Billy left the Rovers in December 1984 , thus ending the forty-seven year reign of the Walker family at the pub.
1985-1995: Bet and Alec Gilroy
Kevin Webster rescues Bet during the 1986 Rovers fire
Bet Lynch had been a barmaid at the Rovers since 1970 and was popular with the regulars. Following Billy's departure, they persuaded her to apply for the management, in competition with Gordon Lewis , who had managed the pub in 1981 while Annie was on holiday and replaced the entire staff. Bet knew that the regulars liked the Rovers the way it was and that Gordon and his promise of big changes wasn't what they wanted but still didn't think she would get the job as the brewery preferred married couples and were unlikely to pick a woman to run it alone. However Bet got a massive surprise, when it was revealed by Sarah Ridley herself that the regulars had signed a petition demanding that she be appointed manager. The brewery officials were convinced that Bet was the best choice for the job and appointed her as manager over Gordon.
In June 1986 , as the regulars enjoyed a sing-a-long around the piano, the lights began to flicker and Bet had potman Jack Duckworth go down to the cellar and replace the fuse, however Jack made the mistake of replacing it with a stronger one, causing a fire to start in the early hours of the next morning. The fire quickly spread through the pub and trapped Bet upstairs. Noticing the fire, the neighbours came to her rescue while they waited on the Fire Brigade. The fire was put out but the Rovers was so badly damaged that Newton & Ridley momentarily decided it wasn't worth saving. Bet was later assured by brewery official George Newton that the pub would be renovated and re-opened within months. The refurbishment included a significant modernisation of the pub by removing the Snug and Select function room. The Rovers was re-opened in August , with long-serving cleaner Hilda Ogden performing the opening ceremony, and Bet remaining as manager.
The Rovers brought Bet Lynch and Alec Gilroy together in 1987 . In 1992 , it split them up
The following year, the brewery decided that they wanted to sell the tenancy at the Rovers and offered Bet first refusal. Bet was interested but knew she wouldn't be able to raise the £15,000 soon enough for Newton & Ridley and turned to club owner Alec Gilroy for a loan. Bet and Alec had dated before but Alec had broken off their relationship after realising that Bet believed his real interest to be the Rovers itself and not her, which wasn't the case. They had however remained friends and Alec agreed to loan Bet the £15,000, but even with a repayment scheme Bet struggled to stay afloat financially and, in a panic, she fled to Torremolinos , leaving Alec and the brewery in the lurch. Alec convinced the brewery to allow him to mind the Rovers in order to watch his investment but his prime interest was to track Bet down. After three months with no word, Bet finally contacted the brewery. Alec flew straight out to find her working as a waitress. When he saw how much the Rovers meant to Bet, Alec offered to marry her so that she could remain landlady, with Alec taking on the licence. Bet agreed and they were married.
When Deirdre Barlow decided to sell 1 Coronation Street in 1990 , Newton & Ridley put down an offer on the house, as it was next door to the Rovers and they saw the potential of expanding the pub. Bet and Alec soon got wind of plans by Nigel Ridley to turn the Rovers into an American-style bar called Yankees and knew it wasn't for them. Neighbours petitioned the brewery to keep the Rovers the way it was but their pleas were ignored and the Gilroys , deciding to make a stand against the brewery, locked the pub and refused to leave. Their cause attracted some local publicity but eventually the brewery reclaimed the pub and evicted them. Fortunately, Alec's friend in the brewery, Cecil Newton , came out of retirement to put a stop to the plans, announcing that the Rovers would always be a working man's pub.
In 1992 , Alec was offered a job as entertainments manager on a cruise ship. He persuaded Bet that they should move to Southampton and take the job; he had given Bet five years of running her own pub, now they had a chance for real success and he wasn't going to turn it down. After convincing Newton & Ridley to buy back the tenancy the couple got ready for the move but at the last minute, Bet realised she couldn't leave the Rovers and got permission from the brewery to remain as manager. Alec was appalled at Bet's selfishness and went to Southampton alone, declaring their marriage to be over.
The brewery agreed to allow Bet to continue as manageress and all was well until 1995 when Newton & Ridley decided to sell up again... but now they weren't just selling the tenancy but the pub itself. Bet was given first refusal for £66,000 but knew she had no way to pay it herself and turned to her friends Rita Sullivan and Vicky McDonald for a loan, but when they both turned her down, Bet tended her resignation and left Weatherfield.
1995-1998: Jack and Vera Duckworth, with Alec Gilroy
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Jack and Vera Duckworth became the first couple to own the Rovers when the pub became a free house in 1995
With Bet gone, the pub was quickly put on the market. Jim and Liz McDonald , having often dreamed of owning their own pub (the Rovers in particular) put their house on the market with the intention of buying the Rovers. However another interested party were Jack and Vera Duckworth . Jack had recently come into a large inheritance and the Duckworths also put their house up for sale. In the end, it was a case of whichever couple could come up with the money first. With the house soon sold to the Malletts, the Duckworths pipped the McDonalds to the post and bought the Rovers. As Jack had a criminal record, Vera was made the licensee.
Owning her own pub was something of a dream come true for Vera, with her name going above the door one of her proudest moments, but the Duckworths were workshy and bad with money, and therefore struggled to keep the pub going. In 1997 , Alec Gilroy paid Jack £20,000 for a 50% share of the Rovers so that Jack could pay a £17,000 VAT bill. Unfortunately, Alec and the Duckworths had a poor business relationship and the following year Alec decided he wanted out of the partnership, paying Jack £30,000 for the remaining 50% of the pub and agreeing to Jack's condition that the Duckworths were allowed to keep on living and working there. In the coming months, their working relationship deteriorated further and Alec decided to go back on the deal by sacking and evicting them. When they found out about Alec's plans, the Duckworths refused to be moved and waited for him to back down. While Alec pondered his next move, his granddaughter Vicky re-entered his life and he suggested they go into partnership at her new wine bar in Brighton . Alec sold the Rovers to Natalie Barnes and moved on.
1998-2000: Natalie Barnes
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Widow Natalie liked the Rovers as it reminded her of her late husband Des Barnes , who was a regular there. Unfortunately for the Duckworths, Natalie wished to live in the Rovers herself and therefore had them both quickly kicked out.
After two years running the pub with success, Natalie found she was pregnant by former potman Vinny Sorrell and, as Vinny had cheated on her before running off with her sister, decided to sell the Rovers and move, as she didn't want to be a single mother with a pub. Her intention was to sell the Rovers to the Boozy Chain , who wanted to turn it into a theme pub called The Boozy Newt, but the locals objected and local businessmen Mike Baldwin , Fred Elliott and Duggie Ferguson formed a partnership and put in an offer which Natalie accepted, saving the pub in its current form.
2000-2006: Fred Elliott, with Duggie Ferguson and Mike Baldwin
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Although the three held equal shares in the Rovers, most of the day-to-day work fell to Duggie as Mike focused on his Underworld factory and Fred owned Elliott & Son butcher's shop in Victoria Street , and both saw the Rovers as a low priority. Their biggest initiative was to change the Rovers into a family pub but it quickly emerged as a failure as the children, particularly David Platt , annoyed the staff.
Duggie soon grew tired of his partners reaping the benefits of his work and decided to trick them into selling their shares to him; he convinced them to sell to Hamilton Griffiths Holdings for £18,000 each, before revealing that as the key investor of Hamilton Griffiths, he was now the 100% shareholder of the Rovers. He ran the pub until December 2001 when he decided to buy the lease on the bar at Weatherfield Rugby Club and auction the Rovers. Fred Elliott put in the highest bid with £76,000 and took over the pub, with his wife Eve taking over the licence.
Manageress Shelley Unwin confined herself to her bedroom when she developed agorophobia
Another change occurred in 2002 when Fred discovered that Eve had married him bigamously. Eve tried to hold onto the pub but she had no legal claim over it as the documents were in the name of Eve Elliott. As before, Fred wanted to focus on his Butcher Shop and help out at the Rovers only occasionally, and so appointed a manageress in the form of Lillian Spencer . However Lillian quickly turned out to be a bad choice, as she didn't get along with the regulars, had a mutual dislike of the current staff, sacked Jack Duckworth (claiming his ill health and age made him a liability) and employed her (work-shy) children. However, just as staff morale was at an all-time low, a better job offer came up causing Lillian and her family quickly packed and left. Fred then turned to barmaid Shelley Unwin , who was happy to take on the job.
Shelley was sometimes helped by her mother Bev Unwin and in 2006 Bev and Fred fell in love and decided to marry, sell the Rovers and move away. Fred agreed to sell to Steve McDonald but Fred died of a massive stroke before the deal could be finalised. Bev didn't want Steve to have the pub but as she hadn't yet married Fred she was left nothing in his will; legal ownership of the Rovers fell to Fred's son Ashley Peacock , who decided to honour Fred's agreement with Steve.
2006-2011: Steve and Liz McDonald
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Liz McDonald had worked at the Rovers on and off since 1990 and in 1993 had managed The Queens . After Liz and Jim's failed attempt to buy the Rovers in 1995, Liz was thrilled to finally become the licensee, with son Steve balancing work between his Street Cars taxi firm and the Rovers.
Becky is arrested on her wedding day, 2009
Liz and Steve often found it difficult to live under the same roof; in 2007 Liz married Vernon Tomlin , and they fought for space in the living quarters with Steve and his girlfriend Michelle Connor , Michelle's son Ryan and Steve's daughter Amy Barlow . By the end of 2008, Liz's marriage to Vernon was over and he moved out. Steve's relationship with Michelle collapsed when he had an affair with Becky Granger , and Michelle and Ryan moved out. In 2009 , Steve married Becky, who Liz didn't like at first but later warmed to. Becky suffered two miscarriages and was told that she would never have a child. Steve and Becky applied to adopt a child but were turned down on the basis of a reference from Becky's half-sister Kylie Turner .
In August 2010 , Becky brought Kylie and her son Max to live with them. Kylie proved a selfish and disruptive influence, and eventually left after selling Max to Steve and Becky. April 2011 saw Kylie become a permanent fixture on the Street when she married David Platt. What with this and Tracy Barlow constantly breathing down their necks, Steve and Becky's marriage broke down, and Becky blamed Steve when Max was taken off them by Social Services. Liz by this point was back with ex-husband Jim once more, and saw this as her chance to at last to own the pub outright. Raising enough capital proved to be difficult however, despite Jim saying otherwise.
Not wanting to let Liz and Steve down, Jim resorted to drastic measures in order to buy the Rovers by robbing a bank. This ultimately backfired however and Jim was arrested and sent to prison for a third time. Liz was heartbroken. Rather than staying put and putting a brave face on it, Liz did one final shift at the pub before locking up for one last time. Full of mixed emotions as she thought about her time spent in both the Rovers and the Street itself, Liz climbed into a taxi with her suitcase and headed off to the airport to go to fly to Spain and live with her other son, Andy .
Following Liz's departure, Steve advertised for a manager and took on Stella Price , who also became licensee and moved into the living quarters with her partner Karl Munro and her daughter Eva . As his recent troubles had left him almost penniless and having tired of running the Rovers, Steve sold the pub to Stella and Karl outright and concentrated on his other business, Street Cars.
2011-2013: Stella Price
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Soon after arriving at the Rovers, Stella revealed her true motives for taking on the job: her daughter was Leanne Barlow , who she had abandoned as a baby, to much regret. Over a few months, Leanne came to accept Stella as her mother and when her marriage to Peter Barlow broke down, Leanne also moved into the Rovers. Stella kept on Steve's staff, including Betty Williams , who passed away aged 92 in 2012 .
Stella's easygoing and friendly nature quickly won over the regulars and staff, and she proved to be a popular landlady. When she discovered that Karl was having an affair with Sunita Alahan , she kicked him out and became the sole owner of the pub. After this, everything ran smoothly for Stella until September 2012 when her mother Gloria arrived and took over the running of the pub (without having being asked). Unlike Stella, Gloria was bossy and managed to get on the wrong side of some of the pub's regulars. In March 2013 , determined to split up Stella and Jason Grimshaw and win Stella back, Karl started a fire in the cellar in an attempt to make it look like Jason's repairs had caused it. The resulting fire nearly killed Stella, who unbeknown to Karl was in the bath upstairs, and claimed the life of firefighter Toni Griffiths , as well as gutting the pub. Sunita Alahan was also caught in the fire, having been left to die there by Karl. To guarantee her silence, Karl disconnected her life-support machine in hospital .
Stella and Gloria re-open the Rovers, 2013
While Owen Armstrong carried out the repairs and restoration of the Rovers, Stella found herself unable to meet the cost as the insurance company refused to pay out. She was rescued by Gloria, who paid off Owen with Eric Babbage 's inheritance money, also buying into the Rovers, and on 26th May the pub re-opened. The layout of the public area was retained but additional windows with stained glass were inserted into the building.
After Karl was found out to be behind Sunita's murder in September 2013 and was arrested, Stella decided to sell up as she couldn't cope anymore. Steve put in an offer, and she left a month later.
2013-: Steve McDonald, Liz McDonald and Michelle Connor
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Steve regained control of the pub again in October 2013 and bought it from Stella who wanted to start fresh. Michelle however wasn't too pleased as he hadn't told her first, but she was eventually won round and was willing to give it a go. However Liz returned to the street, after investing money into the business when offered by Steve.
Layout
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The Rovers entrance in the 1980s
The main entrance to the Rovers is in Coronation Street , on the corner of Rosamund Street . Entry is through a set of double doors in a shallow alcove, with a sign identifying the pub as The Rovers Return on the wall to the immediate right of the doors. Above the door is the licensee sign, containing the full name of the current holder of the drinks licence, although one exception occurred in 2002 : a signwriter mistakenly put " Betty Williams " on the new sign instead of "Elizabeth Williams", and he had in fact written the name of the wrong person - Eve Elliott 's name was supposed to be put above the door.
To the left of the doors are two sets of bay windows with frosted glass. Above them is a large sign bearing the name Rovers Return Inn and the name of brewery Newton & Ridley on the left and right sides of the sign. The colour scheme of the pub has always been green, with the overhead sign, the window frames and doors all bearing the colour.
The entrance of the pub has remained virtually unchanged since 1960 , even after incidents including Stuart Draper crashing his car into the Rovers and smashing the door in 1974 and the lorry crash of 1979 which saw piles of timber penetrate the interior of the pub. The entrance retained its original design even after the renovation of the Rovers following the June 1986 fire.
The area immediately in front of the pub was usually always kept clear but for a short time in 1969 tables and chairs were put there by landlady Annie Walker , in an attempt to give the Rovers a Parisian feel.
The 2002 title sequence also showed a freestanding sign outside the Rovers.
Another entrance, usually used by tenants or private guests, lies behind the pub, with a door opening into the private quarters.
Some early episodes imply another entrance through the Snug, while others refer to the usual entrance as the back door. For the purposes of this Wiki, these instances are treated as apocryphal, as later episodes firmly establish the usual entrance as being the main entrance to the pub, and the only one used by drinkers.
Public
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The Public: 1969-1973
The Public was the largest of the three bars, and was where most patrons drank. The bar itself was located in the Public and all other areas of the establishment could be accessed from there. Until the First World War , only men could be served in the Public but landlady Nellie Corbishley changed the rules and opened it to women as most of the men had signed up and Nellie saw no point in having the Public empty when the Snug was full.
The room contained individual iron tables and wooden chairs for seating and, until the 1950s , spittoons on the floor, which were removed at the behest of landlady Annie Walker , who also oversaw the replacement of the sawdust with floor tiles. From the wall immediately on the right as one entered the pub, which contained doors to the gents and ladies lavatories (and access to the cellar through the door to the gents), the area for public access formed a reverse L-shape, with the bar taking up the rest of the room. The Snug and Select bars were accessed through doors on the left wall. There was also a dart board on the wall adjacent to the right wall, at the rear of the bars, and a piano which was used on special occasions.
The fire spreads, 1986
Another early episode anachronism was the existence of a fireplace facing the bar.
The bar itself was accessed through a bar flap or from the private quarters to the rear. Until 1964 , a cupboard stood in the middle of the floor behind the bar, making it difficult for staff to move around. Even as late as 1961 , a sign at the bar instructed women not to remain at the bar after being served - a rule which Annie Walker even enforced on occasion.
Annie was keen for the Rovers to be regularly redecorated and in 1968 paid for the decorations, which included removing the bar pumps (new bar pumps would not be installed until 1993 ). Further decorating work was carried out in 1969 , 1973 , 1977 and 1983 .
Post-1986 fire
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1986-2008
After the damage sustained in the 1986 fire, the interior of the pub received major renovation work, with the biggest change being the removal of the Snug and Select, the three bars knocked into one large one. Annie had proposed such an idea in 1961 but backed down when Jack opposed the idea.
The new layout was effectively a larger version of the old Public bar, with the main difference being the introduction of three upholstered seating areas and a greater number of tables and chairs. The bar remained in the same place as before while additions included a snack counter in the spot formerly occupied by the dart board, with darts now played on the opposite corner of the pub. Another addition was a fruit machine, a typical feature of most pubs of the time. For the first few years after 1986, a piano was also a regular fixture of the new saloon bar.
A consequence of the loss of the Select function room was that any events which were held in the Rovers had to take place in the cramped space of the new look bar. While there was usually enough room to accommodate parties such as a drag night in 2001 (with a pop music theme), the pub was only just big enough to play host to larger scale events including Ivy and Don Brennan 's wedding reception in 1988 and a performance of pantomime Cinderella at Christmas 2009 .
The Rovers was infrequently decorated during this period, with the 1986 decor remaining until 2008 when Vernon Tomlin , husband of licensee Liz McDonald , initiated minor redesign work, including new wallpaper, re-upholstered seating, new flooring and new light fittings. A smoking shelter was also built in the yard, with the wall to the right of the bar knocked down so that patrons could access it through a door, as smoking had been outlawed in public places in England in 2007 . The wallpaper was changed again later that year.
The January 2008 redecorating work was seen prominently in the programme but the new wallpaper first seen in October 2008 was introduced with no publicity and no on-screen reference was made to the change.
Another re-decoration followed the 2013 fire. This re-decoration kept the previous layout and colour scheme, with only minor changes.
Snug
Ena , Minnie and Martha in the Snug
The Snug was a small rectangular room with access to the bar. In the early years it was the only area of the pub where women could be served, and even after the rule was changed women, especially older ones, continued to drink there. When the Rovers opened, drinks in the Snug were a halfpenny cheaper than in the Public.
For many years, the table closest to the bar was the domain of pensioners Ena Sharples , Minnie Caldwell and Martha Longhurst , who enjoyed gossiping in their own private sanctuary. Each even had their own preferred seating position: Ena facing away from the bar, with Martha on her left and Minnie her right.
In 1964 , Martha had a heart attack in the Snug and died, her head slumped on the table at which she had consumed so much milk stout over the years. Her death occurred during a party celebrating Frank Barlow 's win on Premium Bonds. Eleven years later, Ena convinced Betty Turpin that she had seen the Martha's ghost when she heard a strange voice coming from the Snug and found a pair of glasses which were the same as the style Martha wore, but the mystery was apparently solved when a customer claimed them.
The Snug was removed in the renovation following the 1986 fire.
Select
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The variety show at Christmas 1969 was held in the Select. Here, Albert Tatlock performs The Girl I Kissed on the Stairs, with Ernest Bishop providing accompaniment
The Select bar was a large room accessed through a corridor leading from the Public. It was originally intended as a place where more distinguished clientele could drink. Beverages were served by waiters and drinks were a halfpenny more expensive than in the Public. The Select was barely used until landlords George and Mary Diggins put a stage in it and organised monthly attractions for entertainment. For a time in the 1920s , the Rovers was known for putting on a good show, with a particular highlight being a concert celebrating the birth of the future Queen Elizabeth II in April 1926 .
By the 1960s , the Select was generally used as a function room for parties and wedding receptions. Annie Walker went to great lengths to make the Rovers a desirable place for newlyweds of the Street to hold receptions and was affronted whenever regulars chose to hold them somewhere else. Other events celebrated there included Stan and Hilda Ogden 's 25th and later 40th wedding anniversaries, a Christmas concert in 1969 , a '40s show on Christmas Day 1972 and a cabaret in 1973 , with the women performing in drag. In 1973 , relief manager Glyn Thomas tried to draw customers into the Select by hiring a regular organist, Renee Delafonte , and a pop band to sing, as he had designs on the Rovers and was out to impress the brewery.
Toilets
Jack Duckworth in the gents
A door in the Public bar leads off to the gents and ladies lavatories. Before the 1986 renovation, they were accessed through different doors, with the door to the gents opening to a corridor containing the door to the cellar.
In 1968 , Albert Tatlock climbed out of the window in the lavatory to escape from the attentions of Alice Pickins .
Cellar
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2008 : Steve McDonald locks Dan Mason in the cellar, unaware that Dan has just ruptured his spleen in a fight
The cellar is where the beer barrels and crates are kept. It is the potman's responsibility to organise the cellar and keep the bar topped up. It is usually accessed through a door in the Public but a rarely-used trapdoor behind the bar also leads to the cellar.
Cellar duties were usually carried out by the landlord but following Jack Walker's death, Annie didn't hire a regular potman until an incident in March 1976 , where Albert Tatlock and Stan Ogden were locked in the cellar overnight and helped themselves to free drinks, getting blind drunk in the process. Fred Gee was given a job shortly thereafter although he often complained that the steps in the cellar weren't well maintained, and in 1982 he fell down them and was rendered unconscious.
Jack Duckworth was potman at the Rovers from 1985 until he and Vera lost the pub in 1998 . His biggest blunder came in 1986 when he replaced the fuse with a much stronger fuse, starting the fire which gutted the pub. Fortunately, as it started in the cellar it took longer to spread. In 2013, the second Rovers fire was also started in the cellar, this time deliberately by Karl Munro.
In 2008 , Dan Mason was locked in the cellar after falling and rupturing his spleen during a fight with landlord Steve McDonald . Steve locked Dan in the cellar for a laugh but didn't realise he had hurt himself. Dan was rushed to hospital the next day and Steve was arrested for attempted murder and unlawful imprisonment, but Dan agreed to drop the charges after a talk with Steve.
Perhaps the biggest discovery in the cellar was Annie's finding of a framed oil painting in 1966 . Annie became obsessed with the painting and thought about changing the name of the pub to The Masked Lady (a mask was found with the painting) but was talked out of it by the regulars, who were bored with her talking about it. Eventually Jack threw it away and Annie soon forgot about it, little realising that the painting was a key part of the area's past, having hung over the fireplace of the White Mare, a coach house which stood on the grounds occupied by the Rovers hundreds of years ago.
Accommodation
2008 : Vernon Tomlin sings " (Don't Fall Into) the Mason's Arms " to Liz McDonald in the back room before leaving Weatherfield
The area behind the bar for use by staff and visitors contained a hallway with stairs to the upper floor, the back door, a living room and a kitchen. The living room was usually used as a staff rest room or for private parties which ran until after closing time (the Walkers 25th wedding anniversary party was held there). In September 1977 , Annie Walker held a party held for her friends to show off the new carpet, which was embroidered with her own initials. It was only moments before the party that she realised that the carpet came from the Alhambra Weatherfield Bingo Hall , which caused great embarrassment for her when it was recognised by a guest.
1992 : John Steele , the health inspector, checks out the Rovers new kitchen, while a Mexican mouse-eating spider is on the loose!
The kitchen is used for cooking the pub's meals. A new kitchen was fitted in 1992 when an Environmental Health Officer inspected it and found cracked wall tiles and flaking paint work. Alec Gilroy reluctantly paid £7,000 for refurbishments. Long-serving barmaid Betty Williams (1969-2012) took charge of the catering, with her famed hotpot being the most requested item on the menu. Sean Tully has taken over the catering since Betty's death, and most recently he has been joined by Mandy Kamara as his senior.
The Rovers was the first house in the Street to have a phone installed. For a few years in the 1960s people were allowed through to the back (at the landlord's discretion) to use the phone. After the 1986 fire, the staircase was moved to the opposite side of the hall.
Private rooms
1962 : Dennis Tanner puts sealions in the upstairs bathroom
1998 : Alec Gilroy deals with the squatting Duckworths . Shown are the hallway (left) and master bedroom (right)
Although technically graded as an Inn, the spare Rovers bedroom wasn't regularly let out (although Ena Sharples used the technicality to force Annie to let her a room when no one else would let her stay with them in 1975 ). As originally laid out, the upper level of the Rovers contained four bedrooms and a laundry room, which was converted into a bathroom in 1910 . As no other houses in the Street contained a plumbed-in bath at the time, the public was charged a fee to use it. In 1962 , Dennis Tanner borrowed the Rovers keys from Concepta Hewitt and put two sealions in the bath and let three women performers sleep in their bed, as he had to get them out of the way for the night and knew the Walkers were away. Jack and Annie were surprised to discover the troupe when they returned home early.
A notable incident in the bedrooms occurred in September 2001 when landlord Duggie Ferguson retired to bed for an afternoon rest only to find cleaner Edna Miller dead in his bed.
In 2008 , the upper level contained a living room and a kitchen.
The upstairs flat first appeared in Episode 6883 (15th August 2008) , having never been seen or referenced before. It was dropped early in 2010 and the old layout has been in use since. Again, no on-screen reference was made to any changes at the pub.
Pub regulars and community
Kevin , Terry and Curly 's band performs on the Rovers team against The Flying Horse , 1984
The sphere of influence of the Rovers is primarily residents and workers in Coronation Street , Rosamund Street and Victoria Street , and other nearby streets in Weatherfield . Many of them have given the pub years of patronship - in 1978, Ena Sharples and Albert Tatlock argued over who had frequented the Rovers the longest, with Ena winning after producing a friend, Lizzie Hinchcliffe , who had shared her first drink with Ena there in 1918 , sixty years prior. While not as longstanding a punter, Stan Ogden was photographed by the Weatherfield Gazette in 1975 as his attendance and volume of alcohol consumed at the Rovers was a record. Other notable drinkers at the Rovers include pop band Status Quo in 2005 , who popped in for a drink when their van broke down.
Particularly in the years when the pub was owned by Newton & Ridley, the Rovers staff and regulars enjoyed a friendly rivalry with other local pubs, mainly The Flying Horse . They often competed in contests, including several Pub Olympics , a tug-of-war on Christmas Day 1967, a football game in 1969, a barbershop quartet competition in 1980 and a talent contest in 1984. The Rovers team usually won, only losing out to The Flying Horse in the tug-of-war. Regulars from the Rovers also formed the all-woman bowling team The Rovers Ravers in 2004, winning the tournament thanks to Jack Duckworth (competing in drag).
Staff
| Jack Walker |
In which country did the Incas live | The Rovers Return
THE ROVERS RETURN
by Mike Plowman
"30 years ago there used to be a Black Maria outside Rovers Return every Sat'd'y night. An' coppers used to walk two at a time down Coronation Street. Annie Walker wouldn't o' lasted five minutes"
Ena Sharples
Like all the houses in the Street, The Rovers Return inn has its own history, daring back to 1902 when, along with the rest of Coronation Street it was built. The brewery was responsible for the building of the public house and had planned to name it "The Coronation" to celebrate the imminent succession of King Edward VII. However, they were forced to change their minds when the street itself was named "Coronation Street".
Lt Philip Ridley, one of the members of the brewery-owning household, had recently returned from the Boer War and the pub was given the name "The Rover's Return" to celebrate his safe homecoming. He was present on Saturday 16 August when the pub was officially opened. Later on, after the Great War, Lt Ridley had the pub name altered to read The Rovers Return (without an apostrophe) to celebrate the homecoming of all the local heroes.
Jim Corbishley, a grocer by trade, was the first tenant in the pub. He had sold his Salford shop for £40 and took over the new pub with his wife Nellie and 17-year-old son Charlie. Charlie soon gained a reputation as a womaniser in the district and many local lasses fell for)r his charms. Sadly he died, aged 31, from injuries inflicted on the Somme. His girlfriend, barmaid Sarah Bridges was consoled by local rake Alfie Marsh. They shocked the neighbour-hood by running off together and marrying bigamously. Jim and Nellie retired from the pub and bought a hoarding house in Little Hayfield.
Retired police sergeant George Diggins took over at the Rovers in July 1919. His wife Mary struck a blow for women's rights when she served the local ladies in the Public as well as the Snug. The Diggins had no children, but Mary owned a small dog which slept in a basket made from a beer barrel under the counter It lapped up any beer spilt onto the floor The Diggins remained in the pub until 1937 when they moved away to Southport.
Newly-weds Jack and Annie Walker took over the pub in October 1937, having bought the tenancy from the brewery. Their children Billy and Joan were born in the pub during the blitz.
Jack and Annie Walker
Annie Walker ran the pub more or less single handed during the war while Jack served in the army. Annie had always wanted to use the pub as a mere stepping- stone to more gracious surroundings, and she had her heart set on a country pub in Cheshire. Jack, however, thoroughly enjoyed the time he spent behind the bar.
In the late 1950s the Walkers supervised the removal of the spittoons from the bar and replaced the sawdust on the ground with tiles. Realising that she was stuck with the pub, Annie had decided to make the most of the situation.
On leaving school, Billy trained as a mechanic and did his National Service in Eden whilst Joan went to teacher-training college where she met Gordon Davies, the man she would eventually marry.
The residents of Coronation Street were almost as responsible as the Walkers for making the pub what it was by 1960 - a cosy hub of activity. Characters such as Ena Sharples and Albert Tatlock had drunk in the Rovers since the 1918 Armistice, whilst younger residents like Elsie Tanner and Len Fairclough had arrived in time for the second world war and had suffered, along with Annie, under Air Raid Warden Sharples. The 1950s had seen a younger generation grow up. including Dennis Tanner and Kenneth Barlow, both anxious - in their own ways - to change the world.
Jack Walker died suddenly of a heart attack in 1970, a blow that Annie never really recovered from. Annie took a great deal of time off and installed son Billy to run the pub in her absence.
Billy employed blonde buxom Bet Lynch as barmaid, and though Annie was less than happy about it, she turned out to be a great asset to the pub.
Despite various barmaids, relief managers etc. the trio of Annie Walker, Betty Turpin and Bet Lynch remained the mainstay of the Rovers Return right through to 1984 when Annie announced her retirement
Billy Walker took over the tenancy but did so only because he was heavily in debt and needed money. He was unhappy at running the Rovers and took every opportunity to bemoan the pub and Weatherfield. Eventually he was summoned before Sarah Ridley at the brewery and told that hey were unhappy with him as the tenant. Billy asked the brewery to buy him out and they did so.
The Brewery announced that they had decided to appoint a manager to run the Rovers. The locals persuaded Bet to apply for the job and, unknown to her, signed a petition and sent it to the Brewery supporting her application. She was amazed to find herself appointed manageress and moved into the living quarters of the pub.
It was, in 1986, while Bet was manageress that the pub was gutted by fire. Bet was disconsolate at the devastation of the pub and thought that was the end, but to her joy, the brewery announced plans to rebuild and refurbish the pub and kept her on the payroll whilst the work was being done.
Hilda Ogden had the honour of cutting the tape!
The regulars were all overjoyed when Bet opened the doors of the new Rovers Return, the only glum face being that of Alec Gilroy who ran the nearby Graffiti Club and had been doing a roaring trade during the pubs closure
In 1987 the brewery told Bet that they wished to revert the pub to a standard tenancy and offered Bet first refusal. She needed to raise £15,000 and asked Alec Gilroy for help. He lent her the money but Bet found the going tough and fearing she would face the humiliation of losing the pub, packed a bag and fled. Alec persuaded the brewery to install him as temporary manager, so he could keep an eye on his investment, while Bet was missing. After three months absence, Bet contacted the Brewery to say she was in Spain. Alec set off immediately in search of her and, as much to his own surprise as Bet's, proposed marriage!
A month later she became Mrs Gilroy and the pub was hers again.
In 1993 Alec, who had maintained his links with the theatrical profession, was offered a job as entertainment manager on a cruise liner. Alec desperately wanted to take the job and he and Bet were looking forward to a new life in Southampton. But, as the time drew near, Bet realised that she could not the leave the pub that had been her only real home over the years and the couple parted, Bet remaining at the Rovers. The next couple of years were tough for Bet and finally, in 1995 when the tenancy of the Rovers was up the brewery decided to make the pub a free-house and offered Bet the chance to buy it. Bet tried desperately to find the money to buy the pub, asking both Rita and Vicky to loan the funds, but was refused by both. Realising that she was about to lose the pub that she had loved so much and given up so much for, she packed her bags and left Weatherfield.
Hearing that the pub was up for sale, and having just received £30,000 from his late brother, Cliff's insurance payout, Jack Duckworth and wife Vera jumped at the chance of becoming the owners of the pub where Jack had been cellarman for so many years. It has been a big change for the Duckworths, for so many years the ne'er do wells of Coronation St, but they seem to have risen to it and the future for them, for once, appears rosy.
In the 36 years that Coronation Street has been screened, these characters have matured together and inevitably many have moved on, though there are always other characters to take their places, propping up the bar. These days characters as diverse as Percy Sugden, Rita Sullivan and Kevin Webster spend their evenings in the Rovers, exchanging views on topics, witnessing confrontations, consoling each other and having a merry time. In its 90 year history the little back-street ale house has always been a welcoming place, full of familiar faces and juicy gossip.
Reference Source: 'Life and Times at the Rovers Return'. written by Daran Little and published by Index. ISBN 3579108642
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What type of entertainer was Grock | About: Grock
About: Grock
An Entity of Type : person , from Named Graph : http://dbpedia.org , within Data Space : dbpedia.org
Grock (January 10, 1880 – July 14, 1959), born Charles Adrien Wettach, was a Swiss clown, composer and musician. Called "the king of clowns" and "the greatest of Europe's clowns", Grock was once the most highly paid entertainer in the world.
Property
abstract
Charles Adrien Wettach, dit Grock, né le à Loveresse, canton de Berne (Suisse), mort le à Imperia, Italie, est un clown suisse. Grock est considéré par ses pairs comme le plus grand clown musical du XXe siècle. Il a conquis, en 60 ans de music-hall mondial, en 15 langues et sur autant d'instruments, des millions de spectateurs, et a composé plus de 2 500 mélodies.
(fr)
Apodo de Adrien Wettach, artista circense suizo nacido en Loveresse, Cantón de Berna, en 1880, y fallecido en Imperia, Italia, en 1959. Alcanza fama mundial como payaso, aunque también fue acróbata y músico. Publicó en 1948 Sin bromas y en 1956 No es posible, su expresión habitual al finalizar cada actuación. El suizo Karl Adrien "Grock" Wettach (1880-1959) se convirtió en la estrella del entretenimiento europeo con el nombre de "Grock, el payaso". Su payaso de tipo Augusto actuó con diferentes compañeros en circos, teatros y teatros de variedades durante casi 60 años. El músico virtuoso, podía tocar 24 instrumentos y hablar varios idiomas, se convirtió en rey de los clowns a principios de siglo. Grock actuó para algunas de las realezas Europeas. También inició un exitoso negocio publicando música aprovechando sus populares canciones. El que en un tiempo fuera el artista mejor pagado de Europa se arruinó tras comprar una carpa de circo para su espectáculo de variedades tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial, pero se recuperó económicamente tras varias giras de éxito. Su última actuación, a la edad de 74 años, fue el 30 de octubre de 1954 en Hamburgo, Alemania. Se retiró a la mansión que había hecho construir en los años 20 en la Riviera italiana. Grock era un clown cuyos números con el piano y el violín se convirtieron en proverbiales. Hijo de un fabricante de relojes, se convirtió en acróbata amateur y se le permitía pasar cada verano con un circo, donde empezó como saltimbanqui y más tarde como violinista, pianista y xilofonista. Se convirtió en la pareja de un clown llamado Brick y cambió su nombre por Grock en 1903. Juntos actuaron en Francia, en el norte de África y Sudamérica. Cuando Brick se casó, Grock se unió al famoso payaso Antonet (Umberto Guillaume). En Berlín, intentaron cambiar la arena del circo por un escenario, primero fracasaron, pero tras aprender las técnicas necesarias hasta dominarlas a la perfección lograron un contrato en Londres en 1911. Dos años más tarde, Grock perfeccionó las aventuras de un bobalicón con instrumentos musicales que hizo reír a muchas audiencias europeas - con su problema por saber dónde habían ido las cuerdas cuando sostenía su violín con el lado contrario hacía arriba. En 1924 abandonó Inglaterra y continuó en el continente europeo hasta su actuación de despedida en Hamburgo en 1954. Grock escribió varios libros, entre ellos su autobiografía, Die Memorien des Königs der Clowns (Las memorias del rey de los payasos). Sus actuaciones han sido conservadas en una película.
(es)
Grock (* 10. Januar 1880 als Charles Adrien Wettach in Loveresse, Schweiz; † 14. Juli 1959 im Stadtteil Oneglia in Imperia, Italien) war ein Schweizer Clown. Riesige Schlappschuhe, Schlabberhose und eine winzige Geige waren seine Markenzeichen ebenso wie sein in allen Tonarten hervorgebrachtes «Waruuuuuum?», gefolgt von einem «Nit möööööglich!», ausgestossen in vollster Naivität und bodenlosem Erstaunen. Grock beherrschte 15 Musikinstrumente, spielte virtuos Violine, Klavier, Konzertina, Saxophon, Klarinette, Akkordeon und Gitarre und komponierte zudem Lieder und Solostücke für Akkordeon und Klavier. Er sprach sechs Sprachen, neben seiner Muttersprache Französisch fliessend Englisch und Italienisch, Deutsch, Spanisch und Ungarisch.
(de)
Грок (наст. имя Ша́рль Адрие́н Ветта́х; 10 января 1880, Ловрес, Швейцария — 14 июля 1959, Империя, Италия) — швейцарский клоун.
(ru)
Grock (January 10, 1880 – July 14, 1959), born Charles Adrien Wettach, was a Swiss clown, composer and musician. Called "the king of clowns" and "the greatest of Europe's clowns", Grock was once the most highly paid entertainer in the world.
(en)
Charles Adrien Wettach, Karl Adrian Wettach
(en)
Charles Adrien Wettach, Karl Adrian Wettach
(en)
Грок (наст. имя Ша́рль Адрие́н Ветта́х; 10 января 1880, Ловрес, Швейцария — 14 июля 1959, Империя, Италия) — швейцарский клоун.
(ru)
Grock (January 10, 1880 – July 14, 1959), born Charles Adrien Wettach, was a Swiss clown, composer and musician. Called "the king of clowns" and "the greatest of Europe's clowns", Grock was once the most highly paid entertainer in the world.
(en)
Apodo de Adrien Wettach, artista circense suizo nacido en Loveresse, Cantón de Berna, en 1880, y fallecido en Imperia, Italia, en 1959. Alcanza fama mundial como payaso, aunque también fue acróbata y músico. Publicó en 1948 Sin bromas y en 1956 No es posible, su expresión habitual al finalizar cada actuación.
(es)
Charles Adrien Wettach, dit Grock, né le à Loveresse, canton de Berne (Suisse), mort le à Imperia, Italie, est un clown suisse.Grock est considéré par ses pairs comme le plus grand clown musical du XXe siècle. Il a conquis, en 60 ans de music-hall mondial, en 15 langues et sur autant d'instruments, des millions de spectateurs, et a composé plus de 2 500 mélodies.
(fr)
Grock (* 10. Januar 1880 als Charles Adrien Wettach in Loveresse, Schweiz; † 14. Juli 1959 im Stadtteil Oneglia in Imperia, Italien) war ein Schweizer Clown.Riesige Schlappschuhe, Schlabberhose und eine winzige Geige waren seine Markenzeichen ebenso wie sein in allen Tonarten hervorgebrachtes «Waruuuuuum?», gefolgt von einem «Nit möööööglich!», ausgestossen in vollster Naivität und bodenlosem Erstaunen.
(de)
| Clown |
Who was the feline star of the Kattomeat adverts in the seventies | The Grock Villa and the Clown Museum – WowYar
The Grock Villa and the Clown Museum
Estate Grock, a.k.a. the “Estate Bianca”, in Imperia, Liguria, is a landmark and a one of a kind site. Grock worked with Armando Brignole to plan it. The trademark note of this expressive development was Brignole’s inventive, individual and rich “Freedom style”, perfect for the unrestrained chateau of an unusual jokester. Grock assumed a key part all through the whole house venture history. The estate and the recreation center had to the recompose the proprietor’s deep sense of being, his method for understanding and living. Their configuration and enrichment give a practically distancing sensation to the guest in view of their elaborate repetition. As a greatest soundness, consolidated with steady references to typical points of interest and to the most recent innovations, the consequence of this purposeful work was a structure ready to astound, amaze and be a phase for the delegate capacities for which it was planned: the rooms were perfect for Grock’s carnival ring, for welcoming companions to gatherings and gatherings, and for the formation of his appears, stiflers and music. It can be said without the apprehension of disagreement that the Grock Villa truly is the home of the Clowns’ King, in its exacting sense and with no incongruity. Typical components alluding to a practically consistent riddle trigger can be found all through the manor’s design: Grock’s self-start venture through the lights of his secret and figurative convictions. The manor’s whole image framework truth be told uncovers Grock’s identity part: he can, from one perspective, be coordinated towards the lite and joyful reality (really significant and inconspicuous) that characterizes the jokester’s humoristic figure, and, then again, towards the world’s darkest and most exasperating life secrets.
The lavish and unique living arrangement of the best jokester ever, Grock, is renewed on account of an extraordinary social course, in light of new advancements. An energizing, immersive and enchanted trip committed to bazaar experts and, specifically, to the Clown workmanship has been envisioned in this praiseworthy reestablished Villa.
The course goes, with an unobtrusive reference to exquisite music, as an imaginative excursion through the comedian’s basic signals and expressions, ill bred jokes and destructiveness. The visitor is drenched in an impressive setting and reflected in enchanted mirrors. He opens wonder wardrobes where old upbeat happy apparitions show up all of a sudden. He is in his own “Alice in Wonderland”, that is in an unforeseen spot amongst giggling and sentimentality, amongst East and West, amongst society and confirmation of physical ability. The bazaar’s reality, made of sounds, hues and notices that everybody has known in any event once in their lifetime, has constantly brought forth an extraordinary interest instantly catching the creative energy. Essayists and craftsmen have dependably been touchy to the drifters’ allure and roused by these fabulous intriguing impacts to resuscitate, practically as in a fantasy, stunt-devils, artists, performers and jokesters who have always caught the observers’ creative ability. The bazaar’s microcosm’s sudden road appearance and transient entry make it supernatural: it some way or another dependably vanishes in flimsy air once more!
Bio
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In what year did the Wright bros make their first powered flight | 1903-The First Flight - Wright Brothers National Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)
1903-The First Flight
Samuel Langley testing off a houseboat in 1893.
USAF
Since 1899, Wilbur and Orville Wright had been scientifically experimenting with the concepts of flight. They labored in relative obscurity, while the experiments of Samuel Langley of the Smithsonian were followed in the press and underwritten by the War Department. Yet Langley, as others before him, had failed to achieve powered flight. They relied on brute power to keep their theoretically stable machines aloft, sending along a hapless passenger and hoping for the best. It was the Wrights' genius and vision to see that humans would have to fly their machines, that the problems of flight could not be solved from the ground. In Wilbur's words, "It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill." With over a thousand glides from atop Big Kill Devil Hill, the Wrights made themselves the first true pilots. These flying skills were a crucial component of their invention. Before they ever attempted powered flight, the Wright brothers were masters of the air.
A 1928 reproduction of the Wright brothers' engine for 1903 Flyer.
Library of Congress; Prints and Photographs Division; LC-W86- 58
Their glider experiments on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, though frustrating at times, had led them down the path of discovery. Through those experiments, they had solved the problem of sustained lift and more importantly they could now control an aircraft while in flight. The brothers felt they were now ready to truly fly. But first, the Wrights had to power their aircraft. Gasoline engine technology had recently advanced to where its use in airplanes was feasible. Unable to find a suitable lightweight commercial engine, the brothers designed their own. It was cruder and less powerful than Samuel Langley's, but the Wrights understood that relatively little power was needed with efficient lifting surfaces and propellers. Such propellers were not available, however. Scant relevant data could be derived from marine propeller theory. Using their air tunnel data, they designed the first efficient airplane propeller, one of their most original and purely scientific achievements.
Returning to their camp at the Kill Devil Hills, they mounted the engine on the new 40-foot, 605-pound Flyer with double tails and elevators. The engine drove two pusher propellers with chains, one crossed to make the props rotate in opposite directions to counteract a twisting tendency in flight. A balky engine and broken propeller shaft slowed them, until they were finally ready on December 14th. In order to decide who would fly first, the brother tossed a coin. Wilbur won the coin toss, but lost his chance to be the first to fly when he oversteered with the elevator after leaving the launching rail. The flyer, climbed too steeply, stalled, and dove into the sand. The first flight would have to wait on repairs.
December 17, 1903
Three days later, they were ready for the second attempt. The 27-mph wind was harder than they would have liked, since their predicted cruising speed was only 30-35 mph. The headwind would slow their groundspeed to a crawl, but they proceeded anyway. With a sheet, they signaled the volunteers from the nearby lifesaving station that they were about to try again. Now it was Orville's turn.
Remembering Wilbur's experience, he positioned himself and tested the controls. The stick that moved the horizontal elevator controlled climb and descent. The cradle that he swung with his hips warped the wings and swung the vertical tails, which in combination turned the machine. A lever controlled the gas flow and airspeed recorder. The controls were simple and few, but Orville knew it would take all his finesse to handle the new and heavier aircraft.
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What would an American call a baby's dummy | First airplane flies - Dec 17, 1903 - HISTORY.com
First airplane flies
Publisher
A+E Networks
Near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight in history of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft. Orville piloted the gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane, which stayed aloft for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on its inaugural flight.
Orville and Wilbur Wright grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and developed an interest in aviation after learning of the glider flights of the German engineer Otto Lilienthal in the 1890s. Unlike their older brothers, Orville and Wilbur did not attend college, but they possessed extraordinary technical ability and a sophisticated approach to solving problems in mechanical design. They built printing presses and in 1892 opened a bicycle sales and repair shop. Soon, they were building their own bicycles, and this experience, combined with profits from their various businesses, allowed them to pursue actively their dream of building the world’s first airplane.
After exhaustively researching other engineers’ efforts to build a heavier-than-air, controlled aircraft, the Wright brothers wrote the U.S. Weather Bureau inquiring about a suitable place to conduct glider tests. They settled on Kitty Hawk, an isolated village on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, which offered steady winds and sand dunes from which to glide and land softly. Their first glider, tested in 1900, performed poorly, but a new design, tested in 1901, was more successful. Later that year, they built a wind tunnel where they tested nearly 200 wings and airframes of different shapes and designs. The brothers’ systematic experimentations paid off–they flew hundreds of successful flights in their 1902 glider at Kill Devils Hills near Kitty Hawk. Their biplane glider featured a steering system, based on a movable rudder, that solved the problem of controlled flight. They were now ready for powered flight.
In Dayton, they designed a 12-horsepower internal combustion engine with the assistance of machinist Charles Taylor and built a new aircraft to house it. They transported their aircraft in pieces to Kitty Hawk in the autumn of 1903, assembled it, made a few further tests, and on December 14 Orville made the first attempt at powered flight. The engine stalled during take-off and the plane was damaged, and they spent three days repairing it. Then at 10:35 a.m. on December 17, in front of five witnesses, the aircraft ran down a monorail track and into the air, staying aloft for 12 seconds and flying 120 feet. The modern aviation age was born. Three more tests were made that day, with Wilbur and Orville alternately flying the airplane. Wilbur flew the last flight, covering 852 feet in 59 seconds.
During the next few years, the Wright brothers further developed their airplanes but kept a low profile about their successes in order to secure patents and contracts for their flying machines. By 1905, their aircraft could perform complex maneuvers and remain aloft for up to 39 minutes at a time. In 1908, they traveled to France and made their first public flights, arousing widespread public excitement. In 1909, the U.S. Army’s Signal Corps purchased a specially constructed plane, and the brothers founded the Wright Company to build and market their aircraft. Wilbur Wright died of typhoid fever in 1912; Orville lived until 1948.
The historic Wright brothers’ aircraft of 1903 is on permanent display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
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What is the hollow in the face of a brick called | Brickmakers
Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, Los Angeles yards
Letterhead donated by Chris and Sandra Ingram
History
The colorful face bricks seen on most of the major buildings in the Los Angeles area were produced by the brick company established and managed by Charles Henry Frost, born on June 9, 1844, in Ithaca, New York. He attended public and private schools in Ithaca, and Baker's High School in Quincy, Illinois. In 1862, he went into the commissary department of the government in Chicago. In 1864, he was transferred to the quartermaster's department at Cincinnati, Ohio, and was promoted to cashier. In 1866, he worked for the Home Mutual Life Insurance Company of Cincinnati. In 1868, he transferred to the United States Life Insurance Company of New York and worked as a manager for the Western department. In 1869, he married Helen I. Sherman at Davenport, Iowa, and they had two children, Lida E. and Howard Frost. In 1877, he organized a pressed brick company in Chicago, called the C.H. Frost and Company. Frost did not know a thing about making bricks at the time he started this firm, but his innovative mind saw a different and more efficient way to make bricks by dry pressing them with a minimal amount of water. That turned out to be a very successful operation.
In 1886, Charles Frost moved his family to Pasadena, California, where he was drawn to opportunities for investment in Los Angeles while improving his health. He became a member of the Jonathan Club and the Masons. He was the owner of an olive grove on 115 acres near El Toro in Orange County, and helped to organize the American Olive Company.
In 1887, Frost re-entered the brick business when he organized the Los Angeles Pressed Brick and Terra Cotta Company. The officers of the company were Charles H. Frost, president; W.L. Carter, vice-president; and A.H. Trotter, secretary. The directors over the years were prominent citizens of Los Angeles, including H.E. Huntington, G. Kerckhoff, I.N. Van Nuys, William H. Allen, J.E. Fishburn, J.M. Elliott, W.C. Patterson, West Hughes, W.D. Woolwine, J. Ross Clark, O.T. Johnson, J.M.C. Marble, Dan Murphy, and Howard Frost. Charles Frost was the president and general manager of the company until his son Howard succeeded him in January 1913. In 1894, terra cotta was dropped from the name of the company when they ceased terra cotta production. In 1903, the company incorporated under the name of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, with a capital stock of $250,000. The company office was located at 204 South Spring Street until 1896, when it was moved to 119 South Broadway. In 1900, the office was moved to the Frost Building at 145 Broadway in Los Angeles. The entire sixth floor of the Frost Building was where the company had its large products showroom.
Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company advertisement showing their
original plant on Cleveland and College streets in Los Angeles.
The original brickyard of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company was located on three acres of land on Cleveland and College streets in Los Angeles. The yard employed from 20 to 50 workers. L.F. Miller was the plant superintendent in 1896. This plant had five down-draft kilns, fired with oil. Clay was obtained from the property and supplemented with clay shipped from Carbondale, Amador County, Corona, Riverside County, and elsewhere. They manufactured plain, molded, and ornamental pressed bricks, enameled brick, architectural terra cotta, fire-proof hollow tile, roofing tile, mantel and hearth tile, and fire-clay goods. Whittaker presses were used. The pressed brick was started in 1887, and over the years, nearly all textures and colors were created at this plant. The stiff-mud face bricks, introduced in December 1909, were given names as "Tan Rug," "Tan Ruffle," "Old Rose," "Orogrande," "Red Rug," "Orogrande Gray," and "Tan Smooth." The pressed bricks were given names as "Cream," "Old Gold," "Gray," "Buff," "Red Buff," and "Red." Clay for the Orogrande bricks came from Oro Grande near Victorville. In 1888, the plant began making architectural terra cotta and hollow-tile. In 1894, due to market decline, they stopped making terra cotta at this plant.
In 1898, they began making firebricks until the Alberhill plant was built in 1916. In 1904, roofing tile and mantel and hearth tile were added to the product line. In 1907, enameled brick and tile, available in soft tones, and terra cotta products were made. The enameled bricks were named "Ivory Enamel" and "White Enamel," and these were available in stretcher, quoin, or bullnose shapes. The Ivory Enamel was used in the Vermont Square Library in Los Angeles, shown in the picture to the right. In 1909, the silver gray glazed brick was produced. In December 1909, the ruffled brick was introduced in variety of colors, also known in the industry as tapestry brick. In 1915, they obtained a license from the Hocking Valley Products Company of Logan, Ohio, which allowed them to produce "Rug" textured bricks in California.
In 1916, the old plant on Cleveland Street was closed and a new plant was built at 952 Date Street (now Bauchet St.) and Alhambra Avenue, in the heart of the commercial district of Los Angeles, where the prison currently stands in the Union Terminal District. That was the year that Charles Frost passed away and his son Howard, took total control of the company. Like his father, Howard was an efficiency expert and was always looking for ways to cut cost without sacrificing quality. He advertised his products religiously in magazines, newspapers, and billboards and, as a result, his brick company "enjoyed a remarkable success" according to the Brick and Clay Record. The first thing he wanted was to build a modern plant with the latest efficient equipment and conveyors. The newer and larger plant was located on 13 acres with three railroad switches to the yard. Clays were shipped to the plant from Corona, Riverside County, and starting in 1922 from San Diego. They owned a total of 1,800 acres of clay properties in Riverside, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, and Kern counties. The plant used 14 varieties of clays in its products, all of which required the mixing of at least two or three different clays.
Entrance to the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Plant No. 1 on Date Street, Los Angeles. From Brick and Clay Record, 1920.
The plant was equipped with 10 dry pans, American brick augers and presses, a Union brick machine with a 6,000 brick per hour capacity, a four-mold Boyd dry-press machine, a four-mold Fernholtz dry-press machine, both capable of making 19,000 bricks per nine hours. There was a steam-power plant containing a 1000-h.p. boiler capacity, two Corliss engines of 250 and 450 h.p., two compressors, and two pumps. They were arranged in two units, one for tile and one for brick. The bricks were dried with waste heat provided by the muffle kilns. Steam heat was used for the tiles.
There were three dryers equipped with hydrodyks and anemometers. One dryer was a 16-tunnel, single-track, waste-heat unit, 100 feet long, with a capacity for 240 cars. The second dryer was a 6-tunnel, double-track, waste-heat unit, 100 feet long, with a capacity of 180 cars. The third dryer was a 16-tunnel, single-track steam unit, 80 feet long, with a capacity of 192 cars. The wares were burned in 28 oil- or gas-burning kilns, including 14 round down-draft kilns of 26 to 38 feet diameter, six 40- by 6-foot rectangular muffle kilns and two 26- by 6-foot rectangular muffle kilns for enameled brick, three 25-foot and one 15-foot diameter muffle kilns for terra cotta, and two 70- by 16-foot rectangular down-draft kilns. In 1923, three periodic kilns were replaced by two 325-foot long tunnel kilns. Pyrometers were used to control the temperatures in the kilns.
In the machine room, there were steel-lined bins of 30 tons capacity, which deposited clay into three poidometers, which fed ground clay uniformily into the pug mills, at the same time adding the correct quantity of water. Three auger machines, three pug mills, one Union brick machine and cutters were used in the machine room. There were also two dry-press machines supplied with raw material by automatic mixers. In nine hours, 50,000 face bricks were handled by only three hackers. The face bricks were then sent to the humidity-controlled dryers. The rough texture face brick were set 36 to 40 courses high in the kilns. The average burning temperature was equivalent to cone 10 (2,426 degrees F), indicating the high refractory quality of the clay. The bricks were burned for 6.25 days. The dry-press bricks were taken directly to the kiln from the press, set 32 courses high and burned to a maximum temperature of cone ten. The burn was completed in 5.5 days.
In 1918, Gustaf Larson, general superintendent of the Los Angeles plant, invented a new brick clay that was light enough to float in water called Larsite, which was used in ships. In 1924, they developed a green glaze for their roofing tile. That year, the company also invented an automatic roofing-tile machine that increased production over 20 percent over the handmade method and was able to reduce the number of workers from 22 to 5 in the roofing-tile department. In addition, they offered mortar joints in seven colors to match the color of their bricks and tiles.
Over 300 employees worked at the plant when it was operating full-time. In 1920, the plant made 25,000 dry-pressed, face, and enamel bricks per day, handmade shapes, 30 tons of roofing tile per day, 50 tons of hollow tile per day, and 125 tons of architectural terra cotta per month. The products were shipped to distant points by rail to as far north as British Columbia, as far south as Mexico, and as far east as Salt Lake City. Locally, the bricks were shipped using three-ton motor trucks. Most of the significant buildings in the Los Angeles region were constructed of the products from this company, such as the Biltmore Hotel, Marsh-Strong Building, UCLA Royce Hall and Powell Library, USC Administration and Student Union buildings, Taft Building, Bank of Italy, Van Nuys Building, and the Fine Arts Building.
Because it is difficult at this stage to distinguish the products from the first two Los Angeles brick plants, they are combined here. The Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company operated three additional plants located in Santa Monica, Alberhill, and Richmond, California, which are treated separately on these pages. These other plants helped to supplement the products of the main Los Angeles plant. For instance, red-pressed face, red rug, and red-ruffle bricks were made at the Richmond plant, red paving bricks and tiles were made at the Santa Monica plant, and firebricks were made at the Alberhill plant.
On November 30, 1924, the Date Street brick plant was completely destroyed by fire with damage estimated at $500,000. The company rebuilt the plant, doubling the roofing tile drier capacity along with other major improvements. Pressed brick production did not stop at the yard. In 60 days, operation started again in the terra cotta department. The new three-story building was completed by March 1925. C.C. Cady, assistant general superintendent of the plant, announced that the new plant had a 25 percent increase in production efficiency with improved overhead transportation system and lighting. The new steel and concrete structures housed the tunnel kilns and dryers and other mechanical departments, all costing $175,000.
In 1926, Howard Frost decided to retire and this caused a large block of his holdings to be transferred to the Gladding, McBean & Company, which took control of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company. Frost retained a large number of shares and remained a director for four more years. The offices of the two companies were combined on February 22, on the top floor of the Pacific Finance Building in Los Angeles. Atholl McBean became the new president, replacing Howard Frost, and F.B. Ortman the vice-president and general manager, replacing Richard D. Hatton. Gladding, McBean & Company allowed the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company to continue to operate independently, except for the terra cotta sales, which Gladding, McBean & Company wanted to control. The total gross sales of the two companies were estimated to range between $6,000,000 and $7,000,000 annually. Gus Larson remained the plant manager of the company plants. For the continuation of the history of this plant, see Gladding, McBean & Company, Los Angeles Pressed Brick Plant.
LAPBCo Brick
Face Brick
The first face bricks made by the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company were marked on the face of the brick.
Later face bricks made by the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company were marked on the back side of the brick.
Photo courtesy of E. James Freedner.
View of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Old Rose Ruffled No. 33 face brick at the Clark Library, Los Angeles.
View of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Belmont Rug No. 52 face brick at the Masonic Temple, Los Angeles.
View of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Oro Grande Ruffled face brick at 15 Gardner, Hollywood.
Face brick came in at least 48 varieties of colors and textures. The colors included white, gray, tan, gold, cream, orange, pink, red, burgundy, and brown. The colors may be uniform on some while mottled on others, all by design. Colored brick patterns were given special names, such as "Old Rose" for variegated red bricks laid in Flemish bond, or "Oro Grande" for variegated tan bricks laid in Dutch or English cross bond, or "Belmont" for variegated red and tan bricks laid in Dutch or English cross bond. Interestingly, the Belmont Rug pattern came out in 1924 and was named for its first use in the Belmont High School in Los Angeles, though the beautiful brick pattern has since been covered by stucco.
Three textures were available for the face brick: smooth (starting 1887), rug (starting 1915), and ruffled (starting 1909) face. The smooth sided brick was usually free of scratches or pits, indicating the high quality of the pressed brick. Minor orange flashing is present on some with smooth sides. The extruded wire-cut brick shows transverse striations on the sides and angled or curved grooves on the faces. These extrusion and cut marks are usually difficult to see in the ones that have been repressed.
The rug or ruffled textures were scratched on one side and one or both ends of the brick. The rug texture has 30 to 35 deep transverse grooves on the side and 15 or 16 deep transverse grooves on the ends of the brick. The grooves are mostly 1/4 inch apart, with margins of 3/8 inch from the ends. The ruffled texture, also known as bark texture, has very rough and scaly sides and ends.
The rectangular, beveled sided frog was pressed into one of the faces of the earlier bricks when the company was using only pressing machines. Three different sizes of frogs were measured, the largest was 6 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 1/4 inch deep, with block letters of "LAPBCo" recessed, spanning 5 3/8 inches in length and 1 1/16 inches in height; the lower case "o" was 5/8 inch high. The middle sized frog was 4 5/8 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 1/32 inch deep, with block letters of "LAPBCo" recessed, spanning 4 inches in length and 3/4 inch in height; the lower case "o" was 3/8 inch high. The smallest frog was 3 5/8 inches long, 3/4 inch high, and 1/32 inch deep, with block letters of "L.A.P.B.Co." recessed, spanning 3 3/8 inches in length and 1/2 inch in height; the lower case "o" was 1/4" inch high. Of course, there are variations of sizes between these three examples. On later bricks, the mark was moved to the back side of the brick when a continuous type of extruding machine was used. The mark was recessed in block letters spelling out the company name "LA PRESSED BRICK CO", spanning 6 inches and 3/8 inch high. The mark was not always centered, but floated about on the side and may even be truncated. A 1922 building at 73-85 Market Street in Venice contains both pressed (with large letters in large frog) and wire-cut face (with continuous side print) bricks, indicating that both styles of markings were being used simultaneously.
The internal clay body has a tan, medium granular texture with subangular white quartz up to 1/4 inch across constituting about 15 percent of the clay body. Tiny black iron spots less than 1/8 inch across represent about two percent of the clay body. In the Old Gold face brick, these black iron spots can get up to 1/2 inch across, many with blistered centers, and range up to 20 percent.
The methods used were pressed or extruded stiff-mud process, wire-cut, and repressed. Face bricks were available in a wide range of sizes: length 7 3/4 - 8 5/8, width 3 3/4 - 4 1/2, height 2 1/8 - 2 3/8 inches. Examples of the smooth, rug, and ruffled face bricks are shown below.
Smooth Face Brick
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company light gray rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company gray rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company light tan rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company tan rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company dark tan rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Old Gold rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Red Buff rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Old Rose rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company dark Old Rose rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company orange rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company red rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company burgundy rug face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company purple rug face brick.
Ruffled Face Brick
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company gray ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company gray spotted ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company dark gray spotted ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company light tan ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company dark tan ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company tan spotted ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Old Gold ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company dark Old Gold ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company orange ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company dark orange ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Red Buff ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company Old Rose ruffled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company red ruffled face brick.
Enameled Face Brick
Enameled face brick came in many colors and patterns starting in 1907. A small sampling of enameled bricks are shown below. The company used such adjectives as "opaque", "transparent", and "matte" to describe their glazed finish bricks. Some of the colors and patterns were designed to match the granite or marble blocks or polychrome terra cotta used in the buildings. Initially, they started with two main colors: white and ivory or cream. But later other colors were added, such as brown, blue, and green. The enamel was applied to one side and one or both ends of the brick. Smooth face brick was used, which is described above.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company white transparent enameled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company ivory matte enameled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company black spotted enameled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company gray (granite) enameled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company gray speckled enameled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company white speckled enameled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company brown speckled eggshell enameled face brick.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company green marble matte enameled face brick. Collection of E. James Freedner.
View of the side of a Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company gold enameled face brick.
All of the bricks shown above are from the collection or photo collection of Dan Mosier unless otherwise noted.
References
Architect and Engineer, December 1909, p. 108-109.
Architect and Engineer, November 1924, p. 20.
Boalich, E.S., Castello, W.O., Hugguenin, Emile, Logan, C.A., and Tucker, W. Burling, The Clay Industry In California, California State Mining Bureau Preliminary Report No. 7, 1920.
Brick, v. 7, no. 6, 1897, p. 236-237.
Brick, v. 22, no. 7, 1903, p. 33.
Brick, v. 22, no. 12, 1903, p. 33.
Brick, v. 31, no. 12, 1909, p. 241.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 42, no. 6, 1913, p. 349.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 46, no. 6, 1915, p. 558.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 52, no. 10, 1918, p. 870-871.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 53, no. 12, 1918, p. 963.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 57, no. 11, 1920, p. 916-918.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 60, no. 8, 1922, p. 632.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 62, no. 11, 1923, p. 939-975.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 65, no. 6, 1924, p. 406.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 65, no. 8, 1924, p. 554.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 65, no. 12, 1924, p. 852.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 66, no. 4, 1925, p. 300.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 66, no. 13, 1925, p. 1002.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 67, no. 5, 1925, p. 350.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 68, no. 4, 1926, p. 283.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 76, no. 11, 1930, p. 718.
Brick and Clay Record, v. 78, no. 3, 1931, p. 171.
Dietrich, Waldemar Fenn, The Clay Resources and the Ceramic Industry of California, California State Mining Bureau Bulletin 99, 1928.
Freedner, Eric James, written communication about LAPBCo bricks and finding the Date Street plant location, 2009.
Frost, Charles H., Reminiscences of a Brick Man, Architect and Engineer, November 1913, p. 95-97.
Gladding, McBean & Co., Shapes of Clay, v. 1, no. 2, San Francisco, Los Angeles, June 1925.
Gladding, McBean & Co. and Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, Face Brick, catalog, San Francisco, Los Angeles, 1927.
Irvine, Leigh H., A History of the New California, Its Resources and People, v. 1. New York and Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1903.
Los Angeles City Directories, 1887-1916.
Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, Catalogue; Containing Useful Information in Connection with the Use of Fire Clay Brick, Los Angeles, California, 4th Series, no date.
McGroarty, John S., Los Angeles From the Mountains to the Sea, v. 3, The American Historical Society, Chicago and New York, 1921.
Press Reference Library, Notables of the West, v. 2, Western Edition. International News Service, New York, 1915.
Ries, Heinrich, and Leighton, Henry, History of the Clay-Working Industry in the United States, John Wiley and Sons, and Chapman and Hall, Ltd., New York and London, first edition, 1909.
Copyright � 2009 Dan Mosier
| Frog |
What was the first record released on the Beatles own Apple label | Why is the indentation in a house brick called a frog? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk
Why is the indentation in a house brick called a frog?
Ben Chaston, Hong Kong, China
In the 1930s the bricks were made by hand in slop moulds and the indent required a wooden former in the bottom of the mould box. This looked like a crouching frog and the name stuck despite its reference to the indent.
Jack Hill, St Albans, UK
My family used to leave bricks in the garden, indentation down, propped up, in order to provide safe havens for wildlife, possibly frogs. So maybe the name originates from the inhabitants.
Henry Lancashire, Dusseldorf, Germany
Because it's similar in shape to the indentation in a horse's hoof also called a frog. This could be because the shape in the hoof is similar to a frog's front end. It could also be a simple transference from the earlier name for this dent 'frush' or 'frosk', themselves contractions of fourchette or furchette.
Peter Brooke, By Kinmuck, Scotland
ÂFrogging  the familiar (usually pyramidal) indentation in bricks  originates from the ancient Egyptian custom of creating hollows in their Nile-clay bricks, in which they interred live animals (usually infant) as building work progressed. Historians are divided on the reasoning. Traditional Egyptologists favoured the after-life scenario (baby animals ready to grow to serve the risen Pharaoh), until the 1903 discovery of millions of skeletons of ÂBufo regularis  the common African frog  in the remains of ancient Egyptian workersÂs buildings on the Giza Plateau. Although this amphibious exhumation was not well known to other than historians and palaeontologists, the Victorian trades embraced this romantic (sic) custom during the industrial revolution, and itÂs been with us ever since. Albeit buried.
Mick Warwick, Stockton-on-Tees England
As a bricklayer I've often asked older brickies why a frog is called a frog all to no avail. The most logical answer I've heard is the indentation (frog) is there to reduce the amount of clay in the making of the brick,(whilst still maintaining the strength of the brick).Therefore the brickmaker is being "frugal" with the clay and frog is a play on the word frugal.
john cahill, dudley west midlands england
The actual term "frog" comes from the dutch word "kikker" Traditional brick making consisted of a wooden box which a "kicker" in the middle was used to force the clay out wards to form the arrises.
dean davies, tipton west midland
Well done Dean, the answer you have given is absolutely correct. Indeed the term kikker comes from the lowlands of Belgium and Holland and simply translates into English as frog and has nothing to do with leaping frogs!
Allan Rowe, Newall Green Manchester
Well done Dean, the answer you have given is absolutely correct. Indeed the term kikker comes from the lowlands of Belgium and Holland and simply translates into English as frog and has nothing to do with leaping frogs! As the senior brickwork at the Manchester College of building I often use this question as an interesting trivia question.
Allan Rowe, Newall Green Manchester
One of the meanings of "frog" is "a thing used to hold or fasten something" (C OED). The frog in the brick helps better adhesion (due to additional shear key provided. Hence the name.
Narasimhan, Chennai India
| i don't know |
What word is given to the style of furniture dating from the time of James 1 | 20. James: Introduction, Outline, and Argument | Bible.org
20. James: Introduction, Outline, and Argument
I. Introduction
A. The Author
The question of authorship of this epistle is somewhat complex. The relatively weak external evidence, the difficulty of determining which James is in view, as well as the possibility of pseudonymity and redactional stages, render any discussion of authorship a bit untidy. Our approach will be to discuss the internal evidence (including evidence from the rest of the New Testament), the external evidence, more recent critical discussions, and finally, alternative theories of authorship.
1. Internal Evidence
In 1:1 the author identifies himself as “James, the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” No other identification is given. The NT mentions four men bearing the name of James. 1 It is probable, though not certain, that the writer of this epistle is to be identified with one of them. 2 The four who are called James in the NT are listed here, as candidates for author of this epistle, in ascending order of probability.
a. James the father of Judas (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13), “possibly otherwise identified with Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus, to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot (Mark 3:18; Matt. 10:3).” 3 Apart from the fact that he is the father of an obscure apostle, nothing else is known about this James, rendering him a rather unlikely candidate as the author of a work to “the twelve tribes” in which his simple self-description is assumed to be understood by all.
b. James the son of Alphaeus (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; 15:40 [here called James the Younger]; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13) is an unlikely candidate for similar reasons: he is an obscure apostle, mentioned only in lists of apostles and disciples.
c. James the son of Zebedee and brother of John (Matt. 4:21; 10:2; 17:1; Mark 1:19, 29; 3:17; 10:35; 13:3; Luke 9:28; Acts 1:13; 12:2) is an important figure in the Gospels, 4 less so in Acts due to his early death as a martyr under Herod Agrippa I no later than the spring of 44 CE (Acts 12:2). It is precisely this early martyrdom which argues against identification of this James with the author of our letter. Although it must be admitted that he could possibly be the author of the letter, he “probably died too early to leave any literary remains . . . ” 5 Further, there is a good possibility that Herod’s persecution of Christians, which began with James’ execution, is in the background of, and provides part of the occasion for, this epistle; given such a presupposition, James the brother of John cannot have been the author. Finally, there is nothing compelling on behalf of this James: prominent though he was in the Gospels, he is mentioned only twice in Acts (the second mention records his death; Acts 12:2). Thus in contrast to the fourth James, this James does not seem to have had sufficient recognition in the early church to have written an encyclical letter with an unqualified self-designation. 6
d. James the Lord’s brother (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3; Gal. 1:19; called simply James in Acts: 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; and in 1 Cor. 15:7), mentioned only twice by name in the Gospels (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3), he rises to prominence after Pentecost. Arguably, James became the de facto leader of the Jerusalem church sometime before A.D. 44, 7 and was one of two leaders Paul met with in Jerusalem three years after Paul’s conversion (Gal. 1:19). The assignment of this James (also known in later church traditions, starting with Hegesippus, as “James the Just”) as author of the letter has been the traditional view. Guthrie 8 summarizes six reasons as to why this James is the most likely candidate:
1) The author’s self-identification points to this James, “for it is evident that a well-known James must have been intended, and as far as the biblical record is concerned, the Lord’s brother is the only James who appears to have played a sufficiently prominent part in early Christian history.” 9
2) The author’s Jewish background, both in terms of his use of the OT (including a few quotations, numerous allusions, and several illustrations), and in other, more subtle ways (e.g., traces of Hebrew idioms behind his otherwise polished Greek; Hebrew prophetic style, etc.).
3) Similarities between James and Acts: James’ speech in Acts 15 contains many striking parallels in language with the epistle of James. For example, χαίρω is found in Jas. 1:1 and Acts 15:23 (and elsewhere in Acts only in 23:26); Acts 15:17 and Jas. 2:7 invoke God’s name in a special way; the exhortation for the brothers (ἀδελφοι) to hear is found both in Jas. 2:5 and Acts 15:13. Further, not-so-common individual words are found in both: ἐπισκέπτεσθε (Jas. 1:27; Acts 15:14); ἐπιστρέφειν (Jas. 5:19 and Acts 15:19); τηρεῖν (or διατηρεῖν) ἑαυτόν (Jas. 1:27; Acts 15:29); ἀγαπητός (Jas. 1:16, 19; 2:5; Acts 15:25). Though short of conclusive proof, this is nevertheless significant corroborative evidence.
4) Similarities with the teaching of Jesus: “there are more parallels in this Epistle than in any other New Testament book to the teaching of our Lord in the Gospels.” 10 The parallels to the Sermon on the Mount are especially acute: 11
1:2
Against oaths
Matt. 5:33-37
The point Guthrie attempts to draw from this is that the author probably heard the Lord himself. 12 However, this would not prove that James, the Lord’s brother, was responsible for the epistle (for the son of Zebedee would be just as likely a candidate). Further, the earliest stratum of the Jesus traditions is, in some ways, impenetrable. That is to say, we have no easy and infallible test for determining whether an author was an eyewitness and heard Jesus himself or whether he was merely a recorder of primitive oral tradition. Nevertheless, to be fair to Guthrie, it seems that he is affirming the veracity of the traditional authorship against a late (ca. 90s) non-Jacobean authorship. In this regard, his point is indeed well taken, for the oral tradition of the dominical sayings which James uses shows no dependence on any of the written Gospels. 13
5) Agreements with the NT account of James: Not only is he seen as leader of the Jerusalem church in Acts 15, but he is also seen as a champion of the continued validity of the law, in some sense at least. “His outlook was correspondingly limited. The full freedom of the gospel had not yet reached him. He lived in an age of transition.” 14 This portrait of James by Luke corresponds well with James’ statements about the law in the epistle (cf., e.g., 1:22-25; 2:8-13), as well as with the obvious authority with which he writes his letter.
6) The conditions within the community: “The community appears to belong to the period before the fall of Jerusalem. The oppressors are wealthy landowners, who, after the siege of Jerusalem, virtually ceased to exist in Judaea . . .” 15
In sum, the internal evidence is relatively strong—especially when considered cumulatively—for James, the Lord’s brother, as the author of this epistle. And in light of the rather weak claims of the other candidates, the relative strength of this James moves him beyond a reasonable doubt.
2. External Evidence
The epistle of James is first mentioned by name by Origen, who apparently regards it as scripture. Eusebius and Jerome also cite it as scripture, and apparently accept it as from the hand of James, the Lord’s brother. Eusebius, however, classes it among the antilegomena and Jerome seems to imply that another wrote in James’ name or later edited the work. Before Origen, however, there does seem to be a definite strain of allusions to James in early Christian writers, especially Clement and Hermas. 16 Whether these writers allude to James or whether all three borrow from a common pool of wisdom motifs cannot be demonstrated either way. 17 But the generally negligible attestation for James may well be due to a cause other than inauthenticity: “While the evidence certainly allows for theories which entail late, nonapostolic authorship, a theory of limited interest in and circulation of the epistle would also explain the evidence.” 18
Its limited circulation would be due no doubt to the fact that it was sent to Jewish Christians of the East Dispersion. 19 And its limited interest would be due to several factors: (1) it does not claim to be apostolic; (2) it is not controversial—i.e., it is not the kind of document which could be used in the second century battle against the gnostics; (3) it lacks the dynamics, passion, and persuasiveness of the Pauline letters; (4) it is neither christological nor theological in its thrust, but merely ethical; and (5) in the one place where it does appear to be theologically oriented (2:14-26), it seems to contradict the theology of the Pauline Hauptbriefe.
In sum, in light of the fact that there is no good reason to consider the work pseudonymous, its limited recognition must be due to reasons other than inauthenticity. The traditional view, that James the Just, the brother of our Lord, is the author, stands as most probable over against any other James and over against any claim of pseudonymity.
3. Recent Critical Discussions
Guthrie lists six arguments against the traditional view: 20
a. The Greek is too good for a Galilean peasant. Greek grammarians generally recognize James‘ Greek as among the most refined in the New Testament. 21 It is indeed “paradoxical that one of the most Jewish letters in the New Testament should have been written by an author apparently so much at home in the Greek language . . . ” 22 This refined Greek “has presented the most difficult problem to those who believe that James, the Just, a Galilean Jew, wrote the book . . . ” 23 But in order for this argument to have force against the traditional view of authorship, a number of assumptions must be made: (1) Galilee was either not a bilingual region or, in the least, Aramaic was the language one learned first; (2) James could not have learned (or polished his) Greek as an adult; (3) James did not use an amanuensis; (4) this letter did not go through some sort of hellenized revision before publication.
Against these assumptions is considerable evidence: (1) More and more scholars are coming to the conclusion that first century Palestine—especially those locales heavily occupied by Roman troops and/or involved in commerce with the outside world—was thoroughly bilingual. Dalman, Silva, Sevenster, Gundry, Howard, Argyle, Colwell, Hughes, Porter, Meyers and Strange, etc. are but a few who have done significant research in this area. Indeed, the conclusion of some is that Greek was the primary tongue, Aramaic (or Hebrew) the secondary—some even concluding that Aramaic was spoken only by the Sadducees and those who inhabited Jerusalem. 24 Suffice it to say that the verdict is not yet out as to how well the Jews of first century Palestine in general—and James in particular—would have known Greek.
(2) It is indeed possible that had James not learned Greek as a child, he could have picked it up as an adult. A number of factors could have contributed to this, not the least of which was the necessity to be a mediator between the two factions of the early church. The possibility of learning Greek or honing his Greek skills as an adult finds an analogy in Josephus and, perhaps, John the son of Zebedee. 25
(3) There is the greatest probability that James used an amanuensis. The use of an amanuensis for all the New Testament epistles, except for Philemon, 2 Peter, 2 John and 3 John, is indeed quite likely. Longenecker points out that
The Greek papyri . . . indicate quite clearly that an amanuensis was frequently, if not commonly, employed in the writing of personal letters during the time approximating the composition of the NT epistles. They also suggest that at times a letter was composed without secretarial help, particularly when sent from one member of a family to another and/or where the contents were of a more intimate or informal nature. 26
The papyri evidence which Longenecker and others have put forth may imply that for many of the epistles an amanuensis cleaned up the Greek to some degree, so that the particular style of the mind behind the work is somewhat shaped and altered by another’s hand. If that is the case with James, then there is hardly any necessity for James to know Greek well; he merely needed to employ a learned scribe. Further, that an amanuensis was at work may explain both the terse style which lacks the periods of literary Greek (for the scribe may have cleaned up the Greek, but would not have substantially rewritten it) as well as the stray Semitisms which occasionally “slip by.” 27
(4) Increasingly, scholars are coming to the conclusion that James went through one or more revisions before it took on the form (its final published form) in which we now see it. This hypothesis needs careful examination, which will have to wait our final section on authorship (alternative views to the traditional one).
In sum, if any one of the four assumptions can be successfully challenged, then there should be no problem with seeing James the Just as the author of this epistle. The strongest cases against these assumptions seem to be numbers one and three (i.e., James was bilingual, having grown up in Galilee; and James used an amanuensis who may have cleaned up any glaring traces of unGreek idiom). And the evidence for both arguments is continually increasing to such a degree that it would not seem prudent to abandon Jacobean authorship in the face of it.
b. The author does not claim to be the Lord’s brother. (This and the following arguments are not nearly as weighty as the first consideration. They can, therefore, be dispensed with quickly.) Guthrie points out that “the apostle Paul recognized that knowledge of Jesus Christ in the flesh was no longer important (2 Cor. v. 16) and the same consideration would lead the Lord’s kinsmen to refrain from claiming any advantages due to family times with Him . . . [James’] reference to himself as a “servant” is far more becoming.” 28 Indeed, the brother of Jesus should be the first to recognize that a physical relationship to Jesus was, in itself, worthless (cf. Mark 3:31-35; cf. also John 8:31-47).
c. The author makes no reference to the great events of our Lord’s life. This is clearly an argument from silence. Must we assume that in every document from nascent Christianity all of the great doctrines have to made explicit? Likewise, must we assume that every eyewitness of the Christ event had to parade his own experiences before his readers in everything he wrote? If James were writing a gospel, his omission would obviously be less explicable. But if the occasion for this letter is more rooted in ethical concerns, this accusation is groundless.
d. The concept of the law in this epistle is said to differ from what might be expected from James. James seems to view the Law in its ethical obligations rather than in its ritual. “There is a curious silence regarding the burning question of circumcision with which James was so deeply involved.” 29 But if this letter is dated before the apostolic council of Acts 15—where circumcision surfaced as the issue of the hour—one would not expect to find mention of it. 30 Further, by viewing the Law in ethical terms, James is simply emulating Jesus—and it has already been mentioned that the teachings of Jesus have made a heavy impact on the content of this letter.
e. The author’s relation to other New Testament books is said to be unfavorable to James, the Lord’s brother. This argument has two subpoints: (1) there are a few literary parallels between James and other NT books, which the majority of scholars believe show that James depended on the other works and, hence, was written later than during the lifetime of the Lord’s brother; (2) James 2:14-26 seems very much to interact with (and attack) Paul’s doctrine of justification—hence, James must have been written after Galatians and Romans.
(1) General parallels. In response to this first point, there are actually very few parallels between James and other NT books (a parallel with 1 Peter could be made best, and there is no unanimity of opinion as to who copied whom or whether both authors drew on a common source—whether written or, more likely, a common spiritual milieu). 31 Any arguments based on literary dependence, when the material is so sparse, can only be a secondary consideration at best.
(2) (Antithetical) Parallels with Paul. Regarding the second point, it does indeed seem likely that James is interacting with Paul’s doctrine of justification in 2:14-26. It is rather doubtful that Paul is reacting to James, as Guthrie would have it, 32 for not only did he claim to be in agreement with James on this issue (Gal. 2:9-10), but Paul’s doctrine of justification is not isolated to a single passage, but is interspersed throughout his letters. On the other hand, James’ discussion of the issue is in one pericope and has all the earmarks of a polemical diatribe. Some scholars argue that James and Paul are not at all talking about the same thing. 33 Once again, this seems to be an overly facile expedient (especially in light of the cluster of Pauline-like terms in 2:14-26—e.g., faith, works, righteousness, salvation, as well as the broader concepts of how one is saved, etc.), motivated more than likely by a desire for harmonization. Even Kümmel seems motivated by this, for he sees “a real theological problem, because Paul and James are both in the canon of the NT and therefore are both witnesses of revelation . . . ” 34 In light of the great possibility that James is, in some sense, reacting to Paul’s doctrine of salvation, does this not remove James the Just as the probable author? No. In order to demonstrate this, a brief exposition of Jas. 2:14-26, followed by some general principles and comparisons, are appropriate.
(a) Brief Exposition of James 2:14-26. It is our belief that James is reacting to a perverted “Paulinism”—i.e., the slogan of the Pauline churches that faith alone saves. Surely this would have trickled down and affected all the churches in the early decades after Pentecost. But if none of Paul’s canonical letters had yet been written, Paul’s true doctrine could easily have been garbled, especially when it was heard second- or third- hand. (Indeed, since the Pauline slogan is so garbled in Jas. 2:14-26, it is all the more likely that neither Galatians nor Romans had yet been penned.) James is thus not reacting to Paul, but to a perversion of Paul’s teachings. As Ropes puts it:
[James] is repelling the practical misuse which was made, or might be made, of Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith alone in order to excuse moral laxity. James shows no comprehension of what Paul actually meant by his formula; but the formula itself is foreign to him and he heartily dislikes it. 35
In its context, James has just warned against partiality toward the wealthy. The temptation to appease the rich (perhaps both rich merchants and the wealthy high-priestly families) 36 was all the greater because James’ audience was apparently on the financial fringes of society. In light of this, it would be quite convenient to adopt Paul’s slogan of sola fide without embracing its true content—as an excuse for not helping the poorer members of the believing community. 37 Consequently, one might loosely say that chapter 2 can be broken down in two parts: Christians’ attitudes toward the rich non-Christian and Christians’ attitudes toward the poor Christian. 38
Jas. 2:14-26 can be broken down into three sections: one illustration (vv. 14-17), and two arguments: one rational (vv. 18-20), the other biblical (vv. 21-26).
(i) Illustration: A Poor Christian (14-17). James first argues that one who lives by the slogan of sola fide, if he does not care for the misfortunate within the believing community, cannot be saved. He does not yet explain what he means by faith, which awaits the next section. It seems that he never explains what he means by “save.” In light of the well-worn Jewish idea of salvation as having especially an eschatological focus, it is best to interpret this in the same manner: James is saying that one whose faith has no works is one whose faith is not sufficient to save him from hell.
(ii) Rational Argument: Demons’ Faith (18-20). Although there are numerous problems with the content of what the supposed objector says, it seems best to see him as arguing that one can be saved either by faith or by works. James rebuffs this view (v. 18b) by saying that it is impossible to divorce the two. 39 He then argues that demons divorce the two in that they only do one—believe. Yet, they have hell as their eternal home. Here he defines what “unsaving” faith is (implicitly, at least): a faith which cannot save is one which is doctrinally correct (demons’ belief), but one in which there is no personal relationship, nor any works. What then is saving faith? James answers this in the final section.
(iii) Biblical Argument: Abraham, Rahab (21-26). For his positive argument, James uses two illustrations from the OT. First, Abraham was justified by works when he offered up Isaac (21). His faith could not be divorced from works, but cooperated with it (22). That Abraham’s faith preceded his works is implicit in two ways: (1) works perfected his faith (22) and (2) the scripture which said he had faith (Gen. 15:6; Jas. 2:23) was fulfilled by his works. That saving faith is more than intellectual assent, and indeed more than faith + works is seen in James’ last comment in v. 23—“he was called God's friend.” Thus, saving faith implies a relationship to God—it involves “trust in,” not just “belief that,” or even “belief that,” plus “work for.” James summarizes by saying that “a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (24). This is the clearest statement against the Pauline slogan of sola fide (cf. Rom. 3:28—“a man is justified by faith, apart from works of the law”). It should be kept in mind that James is not reacting to Paul directly, however, for he uses every key term differently. By “works” James means “charitable deeds.”; Paul means “works of the law”; by “justified” James apparently means either vindicated before men, or eschatologically justified, while Paul has a forensic idea in mind (an idea which is foreign to virtually every other NT writer); and by “faith” James distinguishes unsaving faith from saving faith, while Paul seems to speak primarily or exclusively of the latter (both would agree that “belief in” and not just “belief that” is the essential ingredient of saving faith).
Lest one think that heaven is reserved only for those with the moral qualifications of Abraham, James hastens to add another illustration. Rahab, too, was saved (ἐδικαιώθη—justified, vindicated) when she helped the spies get away (25). James reminds his audience that Rahab was a prostitute—yet she was saved. There is no evidence in the text that her lone deed erased her sins; rather, her belief in God did—and it is evident that this was a genuine belief because she acted on it. Both illustrations link faith and works together in such a way that it is unthinkable that one could please God without both. Yet, faith preceded works in each illustration. James concludes with an analogy (26) which ought not to be made to walk on all fours: a dead faith is surely the same as a faith which never was alive. 40
(b) Principles and Comparisons from Jas. 2:14-26. To highlight what James is addressing and not addressing, eight theses will be given.
(i) James does not deny the necessity of faith, only its adequacy.
(ii) James is addressing the fruit of salvation, while Paul is addressing the root of salvation.
(iii) In keeping with other biblical writers, James does not use “works” as a criterion for judging others, but as a criterion for judging oneself.
(iv) For James, the faith which does not save is intellectual assent; for Paul, the faith which does save is a heart-response to God’s call—it is trust in, not just belief that. Thus, they are not talking about the same thing.
(v) For James, “justified” means either “vindicated” or “eschatologically justified”; for Paul, it means “declared righteous.” Thus, they are not talking about the same thing.
(vi) For James, “works” means good deeds—charity, Christian love, etc; for Paul, it means works of the Law which some see as necessary for salvation, rendering the cross-work of Christ as less than adequate. Thus, once again, they are not talking about the same thing.
(vii) James seems to look at how our spiritual status is seen and approved/disapproved by others, while Paul looks at how it is seen and initiated by God.
(viii) Both James and Paul would agree with the statement that genuine, saving faith results in works. Or that sola fide, properly understood, means that we are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is not alone.
In conclusion, as Davids aptly points out, “James uses every significant term πίστις, ἔργα, δικαιοσύνη, with a differing and more ‘primitive’ meaning than Paul.” 41 Consequently, “to argue that James directly attacks Paul is to argue that James is a consummate blunderer, for he fails to meet Paul’s arguments at all and instead produces a work with which Paul would have agreed!” 42 It is our conclusions, therefore, that James argued against a perverted Paulinism before the canonical Pauline letters had been composed. 43 And this of course points to James the Just as the author—and at an early period.
4. Alternate Theories of Authorship
Guthrie lists six alternate theories regarding the origin of the letter. 44
a. The epistle is pseudonymous. “The most damaging criticism of this kind of theory lies in the simplicity of the description of the author and in the lack of adequate motive.” 45 That is to say, any later writer wishing to claim James’ authority would certainly speak more eloquently of James—the very ambiguity in the title renders this possibility less than likely. And his motive for claiming James’ authority for a piece which is primarily ethical, rather than doctrinal, seems unrecoverable.
b. The epistle was originally anonymous, later attributed to James. Not only does this suffer from the same criticisms as the pseudonymous view receives, but it also has the additional problem of a late start in life: that is to say, it starts out as anonymous, then becomes pseudonymous. “In the period when spurious apostolic works began to be prolific, particularly in support of Gnostic ideas, the vigilance of the church was much too intense to allow such a work as James to slip through its net.” 46 Not only this, but if James is a second century work, why are its parallels with Paul and the Gospels so inexact, resembling the pre-literary period of the church?
c. The epistle was by some other James. As we have already mentioned, 47 “this is certainly possible, but not probable, for what teacher of so little significance that he is now unknown would take it upon himself to address such a significant portion of the church (i.e., the twelve tribes), let alone in such weighty tones?” 48
d. The epistle was originally a Jewish document. Both F. Spitta and L. Massebieau independently (in 1896 and 1895 respectively) arrived at the conclusion that 1:1 and 2:1 were later Christian interpolations, added to a strictly Jewish document. As ingenious as this suggestion is, it suffers several criticisms: (1) text-critically, the only evidence we have of James is as a Christian document. And since we have a plethora of evidence for the NT as a whole (and even James is not lacking its witnesses), to argue that any NT book had a literary history radically different than what is now found in the better MSS is speculation at best. 49 (2) If this were strictly a Jewish document, why would the author apparently be familiar with, and approvingly quote, certain dominical sayings now found in the Gospels? As Mayor points out, Spitta’s alleged parallels with Jewish material are less convincing than parallels with the Sermon on the Mount. 50 (3) Further, why would he even find it necessary to combat a perverted Paulinism? That 2:14-26 is in this epistle points very clearly, it seems, to an inner-Christian discussion. (4) An interpolation is unlikely at 1:1, because 1:2 seems to key in on a term in 1:1, as a sort of play on words: χαράν (“joy”) is alliterative, back to χαίρεω (“greetings”) in 1:1. This suggests that the two verses originally went together. As Guthrie summarizes, “the text in both these instances does not lead us to suppose an interpolation.” 51 (5) If this were strictly a Jewish document, then many of those arguments which are leveled against Jacobean authorship apply with greater force to this hypothesis—e.g., the view of the law in its moral aspects only, the good Greek, etc. (6) Finally, “the whole epistle breathes a Christian spirit, in spite of the absence of specific Christian doctrine.” 52
e. The epistle was patterned on the twelve patriarchs. That is, analogous to several Jewish pseudepigrapha such as the Testament of Adam, the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, etc., this letter was an address by the patriarch Jacob to the twelve tribal fathers. Thus the epistle was pseudepigraphical, but like several Jewish pseudepigrapha it would have been so understood and accepted. Again, analogous to these pseudepigrapha, Jacob’s sons are represented by the virtues listed in this letter. (The view was originally proposed by Arnold Meyer in 1930.) There are three problems with this view, however. (1) As “ingenious as the theory is, its very ingenuity is its greatest barrier.” 53 That is to say, it is so subtle that no one until this century is ever recorded as seeing it. (2) The patriarch’s name, Jacob, as far as I am aware, is always in Koine Greek written as an indeclinable noun, ∆Ιακώβ, while the NT James is written ∆Ιακωβός. That this letter follows the latter practice seems decisive against the patriarchal view. (3) As Davids points out, “Most of [the] identifications are very weak and the better ones are for Isaac, Rebecca, and several non-Israelite nations—none of them sons of Jacob.” 54
f. The epistle incorporates some genuine material. A mediatorial position, most recently articulated by Davids (though around for more than fifty years), is that the letter has gone through at least two stages, one containing authentic material from James the Just, the second stage being a reworking of the material for a later audience by an unknown editor. Davids’ primary argument is that the good Greek of the letter, coupled with a strong Jewish element, is an apparent contradiction of form. “If one wishes to explain the apparent contradiction of forms, it will be necessary to come to some type of a two-level hypothesis for the composition of the work. . . . The hypothesis is quite simple: the epistle is very likely a two-stage work.” 55 There is much to commend this view, but it still falls short on four counts. (1) As Guthrie points out, “a thing is not true because it is conceivable, but because the evidence requires it, and this can hardly be said in this case . . . If some real connection with James would have been generally recognized, why the need for this theory at all . . . ?” 56 (2) In light of the fluid state of amanuenses’ work—i.e., that they either wrote by dictation or entirely rewrote their masters’ statements, or anywhere in between—this theory again seems unnecessary. (3) This flies in the face of James’ apparent use of Paul’s slogan of sola fide—i.e., it seems quite primitive and polemic, based on an incorrect apprehension of its true nature. This would only be true before the Pauline Hauptbriefe had been published and widely circulated. (4) Text-critically, there is not a shred of evidence that James ever had more than one textual history—i.e., that it ever existed in two published forms. Davids’ thesis requires this, however. The only possible way for it to be true (and be evidenced in the MSS) is for itff (Corbeiensis) to reflect the earlier edition, 57 but this Latin MS differs from Vaticanus (B) only 21 times and can hardly be supposed to go back to an Aramaic original (due to its late date, translational nature, and otherwise derivative features [as seen in its text for other NT books]).
5. Conclusion
It is our conviction that the traditional view, that James, the Lord’s brother, authored this epistle, has the least amount of internal problems. And in light of the unanimous (though admittedly not widespread) patristic testimony for Jacobean authorship, 58 coupled with the lack of virtually any other view for the first eighteen centuries of the church, this is still the most plausible view.
B. Date
The date of this short epistle is intrinsically bound up with its authorship. If, as we have argued, this letter is by James, the bother of the Lord, then it must have been written before 62 CE (the date of James’ death). 59 Among those who embrace the traditional authorship, two dates are normally advocated: either early (pre-50s) or late (toward the end of James’ life). It is our opinion that an early date best fits the evidence.
1. There is no mention of the fall of Jerusalem, perhaps implying that James was written either before Jerusalem’s destruction or considerably after it. 60 (This datum, of course, could fit either date within the traditional view.)
2. There is no mention of the Gentile mission, nor of Gentiles being admitted into the church. This seems to suggest a date before the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 (49 CE).
3. The simple church order (viz., only teachers [3:1] and elders [5:14-15] are mentioned, and in an unadorned way) 61 tends to suggest an early date, though not much can be made of it.
4. The assembly of Christians is called συναγωγή (2:2), a term everywhere else in the NT used for a Jewish congregation. This very terminology implies (in my mind, strongly) an early period (when Christianity was still very much regarded as a Jewish sect), confirming a date before 49 CE. 62
5. The relation of Jas. 2:14-26 to Paul, as we have already suggested, seems to be preliterary. That is to say, James only gives a caricature of Paul’s theology in this section, suggesting that he was arguing with “Paulinism” rather than with Paul. If the author seems not to have had any exposure to Galatians or Romans, the most satisfactory reason for this is that neither Pauline epistle had yet been written. Hence, a date no later than 49 CE.
Admittedly, each individual argument may not be extremely weighty in itself. But the cumulative effect argues for a date no later than 49 CE. But as we suggested earlier (and will develop later), there is a good possibility that Herod’s persecution of Christians, which began with James’ (the son of Zebedee) execution, is in the background of, and provides part of the occasion for, this epistle. If this is true, then a date no earlier than 44 CE—and probably not much later—would be most fitting. It is our tentative conclusion that James was written, therefore, c. 44-45 CE, making it the earliest writing in the New Testament canon.
C. The Addressees
Evidence for an early date and Jacobean authorship also supports the probability that the addressees were Jewish Christians. In addition, there are other lines of evidence which support a Jewish Christian audience, two of which are as follows.
1. The Meaning of Diaspora in 1:1
James opens his letter with the greeting “to the twelve tribes which are in the dispersion.” The term διασπορά is normally used in biblical Greek to refer to the scattering of the Jews (cf. Deut. 28:35; 30:4; Isa. 49:6; Jer. 41:17; Psalm 146:2; John 7:35). However, in the NT it can refer to Christians (1 Peter 1:1). 63 However, it would be more difficult to demonstrate that “the twelve tribes” refer to Christians in the New Testament, rendering this designation in Jas. 1:1 most probably a reference to Jewish believers.
Two questions still need to be asked: where? and why? The dispersed believers would, of course, be located outside of Jerusalem and perhaps Judea. More than this cannot be said with certainty. 64 But since Jews had already been scattered throughout the Roman Empire for some time, and since virtually every major city had a synagogue, it is not unreasonable to suppose that James was writing to a geographically widespread audience going far beyond the reaches of Palestine. At the same time, the difficulty in getting a letter to such a widely diffused audience seems to argue for a Palestinian dispersion. 65
As to the reason for the dispersion, two catalysts are distinctly possible: (1) the persecution of the church by Saul in 34 CE (Acts 7–8), and (2) Herod’s persecution in 44 CE (Acts 12). The Jewish Christian communities may have been established due to the first persecution, and their numbers strengthened due to the second. Although Saul’s persecution spread far beyond the reaches of the holy city, Agrippa’s seems to have been more localized. If so, then there is no compelling reason to argue for a non-Palestinian audience for James.
2. The Circumstances of the Readers
There are four circumstances hinted at in the letter which are particularly noteworthy.
a. Jewish Background. Not only do they meet in a synagogue (2:2), but the only credal statement in the epistle relates to monotheism (2:19), and the circumcision controversy so prominent in Paul’s letters to largely Gentile audiences is wholly absent. Further, “the Palestinian background of either the author or the readers or both is seen in the references to the autumn and spring rains in Jas. 5:7, a weather phenomenon limited to the eastern Mediterranean coastal plain and lowlands.” 66
b. Poverty. That James’ audience is made up largely of poor folks is obvious from his warnings in 2:1-13 (especially v. 5) and passim. They are either poor “dirt farmers,” tenants who worked the land of the rich (5:1-6), or merchants (4:13-17). Davids points out that
In pre-70 Palestine, then, and to a large extent in post-70 as well, one finds a cultural situation in which the majority of the population consists of peasants subsisting on a small plot of land. The size of their plots and conditions favoring a growing population forced all males but the eldest son into trade (if they were lucky) or unskilled labor. 67
What may also be significant is that although occasionally the rich are addressed in this letter, they are never called “brothers.” It would seem, then, that the wealthy are on the fringes of James’ audience, serving primarily as a foil for his ethical instructions.
c. Immaturity. The audience apparently lacked maturity in the faith, as is evidenced by James’ intimation of (1) their failure to “practice what they preach” (1:22-27; 2:8-11); (2) their partiality toward the rich and unwillingness to help the poor believers (2:1-26); (3) their inconsistent speech patterns (3:1-12); and (4) their tendency toward confidence in self rather than confidence in God (4:13-17).
d. Oppression. James’ audience was also an oppressed group. Indeed, it was more than likely because of their poverty, combined with their Christian conviction, that they were oppressed. As Davids declares,
One can picture what this situation did to the church in Palestine. On the one hand, the church naturally felt resentment against the rich. They had “robbed” many of the members of their lands; they probably showed discrimination against Christians in hiring their labor; and they (at least the high-priestly clans) were the instigators of attempts to suppress the church (which was probably viewed as a revolutionary movement). On the other hand, if a wealthy person entered the church or was a member, there would be every reason to court him. His money was seen as a means of survival. Certainly one should not offend him. 68
Further, their inappropriate response to the oppression, rather than the oppression itself, is what James condemns, pointing out that they should seek in such circumstances the wisdom and gifts of God. In this James affirms a principle seen elsewhere in scripture: what makes a man of God is not a natural response to a favorable condition, but a proper response to any condition. It is not the circumstances but the response to the circumstances which produces character.
D. The Occasion
In light of our reconstruction/hypothesis as to authorship, date, and audience, the occasion for this letter can be seen.
1. The persecutions by Saul (34 CE) and especially by Agrippa (44 CE) separated James from his audience via the diaspora. The subsequent diaspora raised the need for correspondence; the reason for the diaspora shaped its contents. The trials these believers were facing would need to be addressed.
2. Simultaneous with Agrippa’s persecution was the prophesied worldwide famine, which seemed particularly acute in Judea (Acts 11:27-30). The resultant (deepened) poverty was doubly bad for Christians living in Palestine, for the wealthy landowners and religious aristocracy would certainly side with Agrippa’s attitude toward Christians. These Jewish Christians’ inadequate response to the rich would call for instruction/correction from their spiritual leader.
3. The believers’ inadequate response to other believers who were particularly hard hit by the famine was fueled by their misappropriation of the Pauline slogan, “a man is justified by faith alone.” “Under financial pressure people tend to hold orthodox belief, but also to grasp tightly to whatever money they have.” 69 Rather than seeking to understand what Paul meant, these believers used the slogan as an excuse for not practicing their faith. Rather than understanding the slogan himself, though, James simply sought to show how their application of it made them no better off than demons!
4. The general immaturity of these believers, as evidenced already in their inappropriate responses to trials, the rich and the poor, would help James to fill out the letter with other paraenetic advice. Many pockets of immaturity would have surfaced because of the persecution and famine, though certainly some had already been evident beforehand. Agrippa’s persecution, coupled with the famine, however, would be the final catalyst which prompted the leader of the Jerusalem church to write to his scattered flock.
E. Theme
James emphasizes a faith which is productive in the midst of trials. Put succinctly, the theme of James is “a belief that behaves.”
II. Argument
James opens his letter with a greeting to Jewish Christians who had left Palestine and had scattered (1:1) because of Saul’s and Agrippa’s persecutions.
After this very brief greeting, James is no longer concerned with niceties: the rest of the letter is body—i.e., no thanksgiving for the saints, no final greeting, no benediction. The body has three main parts: enduring trials (1:2-18), applying the Word (1:19–3:18), and witnessing to divine providence before the world (4:1–5:20). Each section begins with a summary, followed by specific details which, to some degree, retrace the summary points in chiastic fashion. But the chiastic pattern is not perfect, for like any good preacher James is more concerned to get his message across and he will not allow an artificial structure to get in the way. In some ways, the argument could be traced via expanding concentric circles (many, for example, see 1:19 as the key to the outline), but this produces less satisfactory results than the approach we have taken.
In the first main section, James speaks about enduring trials (1:2-18). He begins with a summary statement (1:2-8) in which the main theme is on the testing of one’s faith. The key is that to endure trials one must look upward, not outward. In this statement James touches on four points: (1) trust in God’s sovereignty in the midst of trials (1:2); (2) trials produce perseverance and perseverance produces maturity (1:3-4); (3) God gives wisdom and all good things to the one who believes (1:5); and (4) genuine faith must remove doubt (1:6).
James then develops these points in chiastic order. First, the one who doubts is unstable and will receive nothing from the Lord (1:7-8). Second, since God is the giver of all good things, if he has not given the believer wealth, he has given him something else: character (1:9-11). Third, the one who perseveres in his faith (in spite of the circumstances) will be blessed and rewarded with the crown of life (1:12). Finally, the believer ought never to blame God for his temptations or trials (1:13-15), but instead should thank him for his goodness and sovereign care (1:16-18).
The second major section deals with faith as it works out within the community. The mishandling of trials by believers not only does nothing for their faith in God; it also negatively affects the Christian community. (Indeed, it is quite probable that if James’ audience had been heeding the instructions in 1:2-18 the rest of the letter would never have to have been written.) James begins with a summary statement in which he articulates four elements of the obedience of faith: (1) obedient faith is not quick-tempered (1:19-21); (2) obedient faith is not passive (1:22-25); (3) obedient faith involves a tight rein on the tongue (1:26); and (4) obedient faith is impartial in that it even helps widows and orphans—that is, those who cannot repay (1:27).
James then develops these themes in (roughly) chiastic order. First, he addresses the sin of partiality: rather than helping the downtrodden, his audience has been catering to the rich (2:1-13). James paints a hypothetical situation of two men entering the church, one poor and one rich, in which the church shows partiality (2:2-4). The audience is then rebuked both for partiality and for its naiveté about the wealthy (2:5-7). Then James gives a biblical argument for showing no partiality (2:8-11), and finishes this section with a restatement of the biblical principle: it is impossible to compartmentalize God’s requirements; therefore, “speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom” (2:12, NIV).
Second, James now turns to the issue of passivity vs. obedient faith (2:14-26). In its context, James has just warned against partiality toward the wealthy. The temptation to appease the rich (perhaps both rich merchants and the wealthy high-priestly families) 70 was all the greater because James’ audience was apparently on the financial fringes of society. In light of this, it would be quite convenient to adopt Paul’s slogan of sola fide without embracing its true content—as an excuse for not helping the poorer members of the believing community. 71 Consequently, one might loosely say that chapter 2 can be broken down in two parts: Christians’ attitudes toward the rich non-Christian and Christians’ attitudes toward the poor Christian. 72
James 2:14-26 can be broken down into three sections: one illustration (vv. 14-17), and two arguments: one rational (vv. 18-20), the other biblical (vv. 21-26).
(i) Illustration: A Poor Christian (2:14-17). James first argues that one who lives by the slogan of sola fide, if he does not care for the misfortunate within the believing community, cannot be saved. He does not yet explain what he means by faith, which awaits the next section. It seems that he never explains what he means by “save.” In light of the well-worn Jewish idea of salvation as having especially an eschatological focus, it is best to interpret this in the same manner: James is saying that one whose faith has no works is one whose faith is not sufficient to save him from hell.
(ii) Rational Argument: Demons’ Faith (2:18-20). Although there are numerous problems with the content of what the supposed objector says, it seems best to see him as arguing that one can be saved either by faith or by works. James rebuffs this view (v. 18b) by saying that it is impossible to divorce the two. 73 He then argues that demons divorce the two in that they only do one—believe. Yet, they have hell as their eternal home. Here he defines what “unsaving” faith is (implicitly, at least): a faith which cannot save is one which is doctrinally correct (demons’ belief), but one in which there is no personal relationship, nor any works. What then is saving faith? James answers this in the final section.
(iii) Biblical Argument: Abraham, Rahab (2:21-26). For his positive argument, James uses two illustrations from the OT. First, Abraham was justified by works when he offered up Isaac (2:21). His faith could not be divorced from works, but cooperated with it (2:22). That Abraham’s faith preceded his works is implicit in two ways: (1) works perfected his faith (22) and (2) the scripture which said he had faith (Gen. 15:6; Jas. 2:23) was fulfilled by his works. That saving faith is more than intellectual assent, and indeed more than faith + works is seen in James’ last comment in v. 23—“he was called a friend of God.” Thus, saving faith implies a relationship to God—it involves “trust in,” not just “belief that,” or even “belief that,” plus “work for.” James summarizes by saying that “a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (2:24). This is the clearest statement against the Pauline slogan of sole fide (cf. Rom. 3:28—“a man is justified by faith, apart from works of the law”). It should be kept in mind that James is not reacting to Paul directly, however, for he uses every key term differently. By “works” James means “charitable deeds.”; Paul means “works of the law”; by “justified” James apparently means either vindicated before men, or eschatologically justified, while Paul has a forensic idea in mind (an idea which is foreign to virtually every other NT writer); and by “faith” James distinguishes unsaving faith from saving faith, while Paul seems to speak primarily or exclusively of the latter (both would agree that “belief in” and not just “belief that” is the essential ingredient of saving faith).
Lest one think that heaven is reserved only for those with the moral qualifications of Abraham, James hastens to add another illustration. Rahab, too, was saved (ἐδικαιώθη—justified, vindicated) when she helped the spies get away (2:25). James reminds his audience that Rahab was a prostitute—yet she was saved. There is no evidence in the text that her lone deed erased her sins; rather, her belief in God did—and it is evident that this was a genuine belief because she acted on it. Both illustrations link faith and works together in such a way that it is unthinkable that one could please God without both. Yet, faith preceded works in each illustration. James concludes with an analogy (2:26) which ought not to be made to walk on all fours: a dead faith is surely the same as a faith which never was alive. 74
Third, James addresses the issue of controlling one’s speech (3:1-12). Two sections are thus implicitly linked together: faith and works and faith and words. Lest his audience think that an obedient faith is obedient only in what it does (2:14-26), James follows this up: faith is also obedient in what it says (3:1-12). He begins, in typical Jewish fashion, with an ad maior a minor argument (from the greater to the lesser). Even teachers need to control their tongues (3:1); hence, one whose tongue is kept in check is a mature man (3:2). Then James launches into a series of analogies. First, even though the tongue is small, this is not an argument against its power: horses’ bits, ships’ rudders, and sparks in the forest are also small, yet they have great power (3:3-6). Second, it is ironic that even though human beings have tamed all kinds of animals, we cannot tame our own tongues (3:7-8). Third, it is just as inconsistent for the tongue to praise God and curse men as it is for fresh and salt water to come from the same spring or the same tree to produce two different kinds of fruit (3:9-12).
Fourth, James concludes this second major section with a note on the wisdom of obedience (3:13-18). This paragraph beautifully caps the second section: just as faith must be impartial, and productive in deed and word, it must also be wise. This “wisdom-motif” has been seen before in 1:5, but the real content of wisdom in 3:13-18 is not related to trials as much as it is to community issues. Thus James uses wisdom as a character goal which comes about by the lack of bitterness, envy and selfishness—all outgrowths of anger (3:13-14); indeed, the proper kind of wisdom is from heaven (cf. 1:16-18), not from earth, and produces a beautiful harvest of good deeds (3:17-18).
Without any transitional conjunction (typical of James), the author begins his third major section: the exercise of faith before a watching world (4:1–5:20). In this section he completes a trilogy: faith directed toward God (1:2-18), faith applied in the community (1:19–3:18), and faith before the world (4:1–5:20). He characteristically begins with a summary statement on the reward of faith (cf. 4:10). This statement includes three points: (1) the prayer of faith (4:1-3), (2) friendship with the world (4:4-6), and (3) the humility of faith 4:7-10), which culminates with the key verse to entire section: “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up” (v. 10).
James then fills out this summary section with specifics, though the order here is not chiastic. (A comparison of the two sections rather reveals an A B C/B C A pattern, with several overlaps between paragraphs.) First, he urges the believers to avoid worldly influences (4:11–5:6). This involves three things: (1) Do not judge one another, for only God is judge. In this paragraph James reveals a motif which he has been shaping throughout his epistle: judging is showing favoritism (in fact, it is like what the rich do to the believers [2:1-13]), judging is employing an uncontrolled tongue (3:1-12), and judging is the opposite of humility (4:7-10). 75 (2) Do not boast about the affairs of the future for such boasting reveals an independent and presumptuous spirit (4:13-17). (3) The wealthy landowners are then rebuked for oppressing the poor (5:1-6). The rebuke is fraught with eschatological overtones, giving great earnestness to the warning.
Second, James now turns to the oppressed share cropper and implores him to be patient (5:7-12). For the believer, the Lord’s return is a message of hope (5:7-8) just as it is a message of doom to the rich oppressor (5:1). A patient faith refrains from judging (5:9; cf. 4:11-13). James concludes with “the patience of Job” as a biblical illustration (5:10-11) and a reminder not to swear (5:12)—for such swearing is presumptuous (cf. 4:13-18).
In the final part of this third major section of the epistle, James gives admonition about believing prayer (5:13-20). First, he urges prayer on behalf of the sick, pointing out that “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (5:16, NIV). Second, he gives the biblical illustration of Elijah as a man of faith (5:17-18). Third, he reminds the believers of their mutual responsibility toward each other (5:19-20).
It is fitting for James to conclude his epistle on the prayer of faith for this once again brings the focus directly on God. He began his epistle with this theme (1:2-8) and now concludes it the same way. Ultimately, a belief that behaves cannot be such a belief unless there is a God who shows grace.
A. Summary/Main Theme: The Testing of Faith (1:2-6)
1. Faith in God’s Sovereignty (1:2)
2. Faith and Perseverance (1:3-4)
3. Faith and God’s Gifts (1:5)
4. Faith Vs. Doubt (1:6)
B. Specifics (1:9-18)
1. Faith Vs. Doubt (1:7-8)
2. Faith and Finances (1:9-11)
3. Faith and Perseverance (1:12)
4. Faith and Fatalism (1:13-18)
III. Applying the Word: Faith Within the Church (1:19–3:18)
A. Summary/Main Theme: The Obedience of Faith (1:19-27)
1. Anger Vs. Obedience (1:19-21)
2. Passivity Vs. Obedience (1:22-25)
3. Speech and Obedience (1:26)
4. The Impartiality of Obedience (1:27)
B. Specifics (2:1–3:18)
1. Partiality Vs. Obedience (2:1-13)
a. Summary (2:1)
b. Hypothetical Situation: Rich and Poor Enter the Assembly (2:2-4)
c. Rebuke for Showing Partiality (2:5-7)
d. Conditions of Obedience (2:8-11)
e. Principle (2:12-13)
2. Passivity Vs. Obedience (2:14-26)
a. Summary (2:14)
b. Hypothetical Situation: Impoverished Believer in your Midst (2:15-17)
c. Rational Argument: Demons’ Faith is Passive (2:18-20)
d. Biblical Argument: Abraham’s and Rahab’s Faith is Active (2:21-25)
e. Principle (2:26)
3. Speech and Obedience (3:1-12)
a. Summary: The Tongue as a Measure of Maturity (3:1-2)
b. Argument by Analogy (3:3-12)
1) Analogy One: The Tiny Tongue (3:3-6)
a) Bits in Horses’ Mouths (3:3)
b) Rudders on Ships (3:4)
c) Sparks and Forest Fires (3:5-6)
2) Analogy Two: The Tamed Tongue (3:7-8)
3) Analogy Three: The Forked Tongue (3:9-12)
a) Praising and Cursing (3:9-10)
b) Fresh and Salt Water (3:11)
c) Schizophrenic Produce (3:12)
4. The Wisdom of Obedience (3:13-18)
IV. Witnessing to Divine Providence (4:1–5:20)
A. Summary/Main Theme: The Reward of Faith (4:1-10)
1. The Prayer of Faith (4:1-3)
2. Friendship with the World (4:4-6)
3. The Humility of Faith (4:7-10)
B. Specifics (4:11–5:20)
1. Avoiding Worldly Influences (4:11–5:6)
a. Slander in the Community (4:11-12)
b. Boasting about Tomorrow (4:13-17)
c. Warning to Wealthy Oppressors (5:1-6)
2. The Patience of Faith (5:7-12)
3. The Prayer of Faith (5:13-20)
1 Although most scholars believe that only four men in the NT bear this name, Martin asserts that “no fewer than six or seven persons known to the New Testament writers carry the name of James” (James, xxxi). Martin’s basis for this is that James the younger (Mark 15:40) is to be distinguished from James the son of Alphaeus (Mark 3:18), and James the brother of Judas (or Jude; cf. Jude 1) is to be distinguished from James the brother of Jesus (Gal. 1:19). Martin does not mention the seventh James.
2 More accurately, we could say that the author wishes himself to be identified with one of them, for if this were a pseudonymous work the author would of course not be identified with any James. Against the notion of pseudepigraphy, we need only mention that the very ambiguity of 1:1 mitigates any attempt at deception for a pseudepigraphical writer would certainly make a better effort at identifying which James he was attempting to emulate. Added to this is the fact that “the absence of motive for a pseudonymous production such as James is a strong argument against it. If the letter is merely a moralizing tract, why did it need James’ authority and why should he be chosen?” (Guthrie, 742).
As to an unknown James (a view Moffatt held), Davids points out that “this is certainly possible, but not probable, for what teacher of so little significance that he is now unknown would take it upon himself to address such a significant portion of the church (i.e., the twelve tribes), let alone in such weighty tones?” (6). Nevertheless, we should guard ourselves against the overly facile assumption that the authors of all the NT books must be well known or mentioned elsewhere within the pages of the canon. Each case must be examined on its own merits; in this case, Davids’ point of a broadly based audience does indeed seem sufficient to cancel out an unknown figure.
3 Martin, James, xxxi.
4 One interesting feature of the Gospel records is the fact that John usually plays second fiddle to James: e.g., in Mark 3:17 we read of “the sons of Zebedee, James and his brother John” (cf. also Matt. 4:21; 10:2; 17:1; Mark 1:19; 13:3). Although this may be due to James’ more central role in the apostolic band, or to his being older than John, it is just as likely that his martyr’s death in 44 CE secured for him such prominence. Still, it must be said that he was never an insignificant apostle for not only was he part of the “inner circle” (Peter, James, John), but Herod singled him out for execution no doubt because of his ongoing prominence.
23 Davids, 10.
24 Although this conclusion seems too bold, it is not insignificant that even the most thoroughly Jewish of the NT documents (James, Matthew, Hebrews) were all written in Greek. Attempts to find a Semitic Vorlage behind any document (individual dominical sayings being the lone exception) have all fallen shipwreck on the rocks of early textual evidence. In this light, the Sanhedrin’s statement about Peter and John (Acts 4:13) that they were “unschooled and unlearned” (ἀγράμματοι και; ἰδιῶται) most certainly refers to their lack of Rabbinic training, not their inadequate knowledge of Greek (a view, which though quite popular, has absolutely nothing to commend it culturally or contextually)! And the fact that no one at Golgotha (either sojourners or locals) is recorded as understanding Jesus’ quotation of Ps. 22:1 (cf. Matt. 27:46-47; Matthew even translates this for his audience!) suggests that perhaps Greek had become the lingua franca even of Palestine. On this point it is a tantalizing suggestion that the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman might have taken place in Greek, because in John 4:25 the woman is recorded as saying, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called Christ.” Why she would add the Greek translation if the conversation took place in Aramaic is quite puzzling. And to suggest that this is John’s editorial addition flies in the face of all his other well-defined editorial interjections.
On the other hand, we are not prepared to argue that Aramaic was unknown, or that it was not the primary language of some of the writers of the NT. By analogy, growing up in southern California, less than one hundred miles from Mexico, several of my friends knew Spanish quite well. Their knowledge had nothing to do with learning the language in school (which we all did). It had everything to do with their immediate contacts. Learning a foreign language has as much to do with one’s trade and immediate associates as with one’s locale.
25 This latter analogy (a dubious one, in my mind) is on the twin assumption that (1) John wrote both the Fourth Gospel and Revelation and (2) John wrote Revelation first (by some thirty years) and improved his Greek between the writings of both books. I wholeheartedly reject the second assumption, and even have my doubts about the first.
| Jacobean |
Which national newspaper did the Sun replace in 1964 | 20. James: Introduction, Outline, and Argument | Bible.org
20. James: Introduction, Outline, and Argument
I. Introduction
A. The Author
The question of authorship of this epistle is somewhat complex. The relatively weak external evidence, the difficulty of determining which James is in view, as well as the possibility of pseudonymity and redactional stages, render any discussion of authorship a bit untidy. Our approach will be to discuss the internal evidence (including evidence from the rest of the New Testament), the external evidence, more recent critical discussions, and finally, alternative theories of authorship.
1. Internal Evidence
In 1:1 the author identifies himself as “James, the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” No other identification is given. The NT mentions four men bearing the name of James. 1 It is probable, though not certain, that the writer of this epistle is to be identified with one of them. 2 The four who are called James in the NT are listed here, as candidates for author of this epistle, in ascending order of probability.
a. James the father of Judas (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13), “possibly otherwise identified with Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus, to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot (Mark 3:18; Matt. 10:3).” 3 Apart from the fact that he is the father of an obscure apostle, nothing else is known about this James, rendering him a rather unlikely candidate as the author of a work to “the twelve tribes” in which his simple self-description is assumed to be understood by all.
b. James the son of Alphaeus (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; 15:40 [here called James the Younger]; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13) is an unlikely candidate for similar reasons: he is an obscure apostle, mentioned only in lists of apostles and disciples.
c. James the son of Zebedee and brother of John (Matt. 4:21; 10:2; 17:1; Mark 1:19, 29; 3:17; 10:35; 13:3; Luke 9:28; Acts 1:13; 12:2) is an important figure in the Gospels, 4 less so in Acts due to his early death as a martyr under Herod Agrippa I no later than the spring of 44 CE (Acts 12:2). It is precisely this early martyrdom which argues against identification of this James with the author of our letter. Although it must be admitted that he could possibly be the author of the letter, he “probably died too early to leave any literary remains . . . ” 5 Further, there is a good possibility that Herod’s persecution of Christians, which began with James’ execution, is in the background of, and provides part of the occasion for, this epistle; given such a presupposition, James the brother of John cannot have been the author. Finally, there is nothing compelling on behalf of this James: prominent though he was in the Gospels, he is mentioned only twice in Acts (the second mention records his death; Acts 12:2). Thus in contrast to the fourth James, this James does not seem to have had sufficient recognition in the early church to have written an encyclical letter with an unqualified self-designation. 6
d. James the Lord’s brother (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3; Gal. 1:19; called simply James in Acts: 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; and in 1 Cor. 15:7), mentioned only twice by name in the Gospels (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3), he rises to prominence after Pentecost. Arguably, James became the de facto leader of the Jerusalem church sometime before A.D. 44, 7 and was one of two leaders Paul met with in Jerusalem three years after Paul’s conversion (Gal. 1:19). The assignment of this James (also known in later church traditions, starting with Hegesippus, as “James the Just”) as author of the letter has been the traditional view. Guthrie 8 summarizes six reasons as to why this James is the most likely candidate:
1) The author’s self-identification points to this James, “for it is evident that a well-known James must have been intended, and as far as the biblical record is concerned, the Lord’s brother is the only James who appears to have played a sufficiently prominent part in early Christian history.” 9
2) The author’s Jewish background, both in terms of his use of the OT (including a few quotations, numerous allusions, and several illustrations), and in other, more subtle ways (e.g., traces of Hebrew idioms behind his otherwise polished Greek; Hebrew prophetic style, etc.).
3) Similarities between James and Acts: James’ speech in Acts 15 contains many striking parallels in language with the epistle of James. For example, χαίρω is found in Jas. 1:1 and Acts 15:23 (and elsewhere in Acts only in 23:26); Acts 15:17 and Jas. 2:7 invoke God’s name in a special way; the exhortation for the brothers (ἀδελφοι) to hear is found both in Jas. 2:5 and Acts 15:13. Further, not-so-common individual words are found in both: ἐπισκέπτεσθε (Jas. 1:27; Acts 15:14); ἐπιστρέφειν (Jas. 5:19 and Acts 15:19); τηρεῖν (or διατηρεῖν) ἑαυτόν (Jas. 1:27; Acts 15:29); ἀγαπητός (Jas. 1:16, 19; 2:5; Acts 15:25). Though short of conclusive proof, this is nevertheless significant corroborative evidence.
4) Similarities with the teaching of Jesus: “there are more parallels in this Epistle than in any other New Testament book to the teaching of our Lord in the Gospels.” 10 The parallels to the Sermon on the Mount are especially acute: 11
1:2
Against oaths
Matt. 5:33-37
The point Guthrie attempts to draw from this is that the author probably heard the Lord himself. 12 However, this would not prove that James, the Lord’s brother, was responsible for the epistle (for the son of Zebedee would be just as likely a candidate). Further, the earliest stratum of the Jesus traditions is, in some ways, impenetrable. That is to say, we have no easy and infallible test for determining whether an author was an eyewitness and heard Jesus himself or whether he was merely a recorder of primitive oral tradition. Nevertheless, to be fair to Guthrie, it seems that he is affirming the veracity of the traditional authorship against a late (ca. 90s) non-Jacobean authorship. In this regard, his point is indeed well taken, for the oral tradition of the dominical sayings which James uses shows no dependence on any of the written Gospels. 13
5) Agreements with the NT account of James: Not only is he seen as leader of the Jerusalem church in Acts 15, but he is also seen as a champion of the continued validity of the law, in some sense at least. “His outlook was correspondingly limited. The full freedom of the gospel had not yet reached him. He lived in an age of transition.” 14 This portrait of James by Luke corresponds well with James’ statements about the law in the epistle (cf., e.g., 1:22-25; 2:8-13), as well as with the obvious authority with which he writes his letter.
6) The conditions within the community: “The community appears to belong to the period before the fall of Jerusalem. The oppressors are wealthy landowners, who, after the siege of Jerusalem, virtually ceased to exist in Judaea . . .” 15
In sum, the internal evidence is relatively strong—especially when considered cumulatively—for James, the Lord’s brother, as the author of this epistle. And in light of the rather weak claims of the other candidates, the relative strength of this James moves him beyond a reasonable doubt.
2. External Evidence
The epistle of James is first mentioned by name by Origen, who apparently regards it as scripture. Eusebius and Jerome also cite it as scripture, and apparently accept it as from the hand of James, the Lord’s brother. Eusebius, however, classes it among the antilegomena and Jerome seems to imply that another wrote in James’ name or later edited the work. Before Origen, however, there does seem to be a definite strain of allusions to James in early Christian writers, especially Clement and Hermas. 16 Whether these writers allude to James or whether all three borrow from a common pool of wisdom motifs cannot be demonstrated either way. 17 But the generally negligible attestation for James may well be due to a cause other than inauthenticity: “While the evidence certainly allows for theories which entail late, nonapostolic authorship, a theory of limited interest in and circulation of the epistle would also explain the evidence.” 18
Its limited circulation would be due no doubt to the fact that it was sent to Jewish Christians of the East Dispersion. 19 And its limited interest would be due to several factors: (1) it does not claim to be apostolic; (2) it is not controversial—i.e., it is not the kind of document which could be used in the second century battle against the gnostics; (3) it lacks the dynamics, passion, and persuasiveness of the Pauline letters; (4) it is neither christological nor theological in its thrust, but merely ethical; and (5) in the one place where it does appear to be theologically oriented (2:14-26), it seems to contradict the theology of the Pauline Hauptbriefe.
In sum, in light of the fact that there is no good reason to consider the work pseudonymous, its limited recognition must be due to reasons other than inauthenticity. The traditional view, that James the Just, the brother of our Lord, is the author, stands as most probable over against any other James and over against any claim of pseudonymity.
3. Recent Critical Discussions
Guthrie lists six arguments against the traditional view: 20
a. The Greek is too good for a Galilean peasant. Greek grammarians generally recognize James‘ Greek as among the most refined in the New Testament. 21 It is indeed “paradoxical that one of the most Jewish letters in the New Testament should have been written by an author apparently so much at home in the Greek language . . . ” 22 This refined Greek “has presented the most difficult problem to those who believe that James, the Just, a Galilean Jew, wrote the book . . . ” 23 But in order for this argument to have force against the traditional view of authorship, a number of assumptions must be made: (1) Galilee was either not a bilingual region or, in the least, Aramaic was the language one learned first; (2) James could not have learned (or polished his) Greek as an adult; (3) James did not use an amanuensis; (4) this letter did not go through some sort of hellenized revision before publication.
Against these assumptions is considerable evidence: (1) More and more scholars are coming to the conclusion that first century Palestine—especially those locales heavily occupied by Roman troops and/or involved in commerce with the outside world—was thoroughly bilingual. Dalman, Silva, Sevenster, Gundry, Howard, Argyle, Colwell, Hughes, Porter, Meyers and Strange, etc. are but a few who have done significant research in this area. Indeed, the conclusion of some is that Greek was the primary tongue, Aramaic (or Hebrew) the secondary—some even concluding that Aramaic was spoken only by the Sadducees and those who inhabited Jerusalem. 24 Suffice it to say that the verdict is not yet out as to how well the Jews of first century Palestine in general—and James in particular—would have known Greek.
(2) It is indeed possible that had James not learned Greek as a child, he could have picked it up as an adult. A number of factors could have contributed to this, not the least of which was the necessity to be a mediator between the two factions of the early church. The possibility of learning Greek or honing his Greek skills as an adult finds an analogy in Josephus and, perhaps, John the son of Zebedee. 25
(3) There is the greatest probability that James used an amanuensis. The use of an amanuensis for all the New Testament epistles, except for Philemon, 2 Peter, 2 John and 3 John, is indeed quite likely. Longenecker points out that
The Greek papyri . . . indicate quite clearly that an amanuensis was frequently, if not commonly, employed in the writing of personal letters during the time approximating the composition of the NT epistles. They also suggest that at times a letter was composed without secretarial help, particularly when sent from one member of a family to another and/or where the contents were of a more intimate or informal nature. 26
The papyri evidence which Longenecker and others have put forth may imply that for many of the epistles an amanuensis cleaned up the Greek to some degree, so that the particular style of the mind behind the work is somewhat shaped and altered by another’s hand. If that is the case with James, then there is hardly any necessity for James to know Greek well; he merely needed to employ a learned scribe. Further, that an amanuensis was at work may explain both the terse style which lacks the periods of literary Greek (for the scribe may have cleaned up the Greek, but would not have substantially rewritten it) as well as the stray Semitisms which occasionally “slip by.” 27
(4) Increasingly, scholars are coming to the conclusion that James went through one or more revisions before it took on the form (its final published form) in which we now see it. This hypothesis needs careful examination, which will have to wait our final section on authorship (alternative views to the traditional one).
In sum, if any one of the four assumptions can be successfully challenged, then there should be no problem with seeing James the Just as the author of this epistle. The strongest cases against these assumptions seem to be numbers one and three (i.e., James was bilingual, having grown up in Galilee; and James used an amanuensis who may have cleaned up any glaring traces of unGreek idiom). And the evidence for both arguments is continually increasing to such a degree that it would not seem prudent to abandon Jacobean authorship in the face of it.
b. The author does not claim to be the Lord’s brother. (This and the following arguments are not nearly as weighty as the first consideration. They can, therefore, be dispensed with quickly.) Guthrie points out that “the apostle Paul recognized that knowledge of Jesus Christ in the flesh was no longer important (2 Cor. v. 16) and the same consideration would lead the Lord’s kinsmen to refrain from claiming any advantages due to family times with Him . . . [James’] reference to himself as a “servant” is far more becoming.” 28 Indeed, the brother of Jesus should be the first to recognize that a physical relationship to Jesus was, in itself, worthless (cf. Mark 3:31-35; cf. also John 8:31-47).
c. The author makes no reference to the great events of our Lord’s life. This is clearly an argument from silence. Must we assume that in every document from nascent Christianity all of the great doctrines have to made explicit? Likewise, must we assume that every eyewitness of the Christ event had to parade his own experiences before his readers in everything he wrote? If James were writing a gospel, his omission would obviously be less explicable. But if the occasion for this letter is more rooted in ethical concerns, this accusation is groundless.
d. The concept of the law in this epistle is said to differ from what might be expected from James. James seems to view the Law in its ethical obligations rather than in its ritual. “There is a curious silence regarding the burning question of circumcision with which James was so deeply involved.” 29 But if this letter is dated before the apostolic council of Acts 15—where circumcision surfaced as the issue of the hour—one would not expect to find mention of it. 30 Further, by viewing the Law in ethical terms, James is simply emulating Jesus—and it has already been mentioned that the teachings of Jesus have made a heavy impact on the content of this letter.
e. The author’s relation to other New Testament books is said to be unfavorable to James, the Lord’s brother. This argument has two subpoints: (1) there are a few literary parallels between James and other NT books, which the majority of scholars believe show that James depended on the other works and, hence, was written later than during the lifetime of the Lord’s brother; (2) James 2:14-26 seems very much to interact with (and attack) Paul’s doctrine of justification—hence, James must have been written after Galatians and Romans.
(1) General parallels. In response to this first point, there are actually very few parallels between James and other NT books (a parallel with 1 Peter could be made best, and there is no unanimity of opinion as to who copied whom or whether both authors drew on a common source—whether written or, more likely, a common spiritual milieu). 31 Any arguments based on literary dependence, when the material is so sparse, can only be a secondary consideration at best.
(2) (Antithetical) Parallels with Paul. Regarding the second point, it does indeed seem likely that James is interacting with Paul’s doctrine of justification in 2:14-26. It is rather doubtful that Paul is reacting to James, as Guthrie would have it, 32 for not only did he claim to be in agreement with James on this issue (Gal. 2:9-10), but Paul’s doctrine of justification is not isolated to a single passage, but is interspersed throughout his letters. On the other hand, James’ discussion of the issue is in one pericope and has all the earmarks of a polemical diatribe. Some scholars argue that James and Paul are not at all talking about the same thing. 33 Once again, this seems to be an overly facile expedient (especially in light of the cluster of Pauline-like terms in 2:14-26—e.g., faith, works, righteousness, salvation, as well as the broader concepts of how one is saved, etc.), motivated more than likely by a desire for harmonization. Even Kümmel seems motivated by this, for he sees “a real theological problem, because Paul and James are both in the canon of the NT and therefore are both witnesses of revelation . . . ” 34 In light of the great possibility that James is, in some sense, reacting to Paul’s doctrine of salvation, does this not remove James the Just as the probable author? No. In order to demonstrate this, a brief exposition of Jas. 2:14-26, followed by some general principles and comparisons, are appropriate.
(a) Brief Exposition of James 2:14-26. It is our belief that James is reacting to a perverted “Paulinism”—i.e., the slogan of the Pauline churches that faith alone saves. Surely this would have trickled down and affected all the churches in the early decades after Pentecost. But if none of Paul’s canonical letters had yet been written, Paul’s true doctrine could easily have been garbled, especially when it was heard second- or third- hand. (Indeed, since the Pauline slogan is so garbled in Jas. 2:14-26, it is all the more likely that neither Galatians nor Romans had yet been penned.) James is thus not reacting to Paul, but to a perversion of Paul’s teachings. As Ropes puts it:
[James] is repelling the practical misuse which was made, or might be made, of Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith alone in order to excuse moral laxity. James shows no comprehension of what Paul actually meant by his formula; but the formula itself is foreign to him and he heartily dislikes it. 35
In its context, James has just warned against partiality toward the wealthy. The temptation to appease the rich (perhaps both rich merchants and the wealthy high-priestly families) 36 was all the greater because James’ audience was apparently on the financial fringes of society. In light of this, it would be quite convenient to adopt Paul’s slogan of sola fide without embracing its true content—as an excuse for not helping the poorer members of the believing community. 37 Consequently, one might loosely say that chapter 2 can be broken down in two parts: Christians’ attitudes toward the rich non-Christian and Christians’ attitudes toward the poor Christian. 38
Jas. 2:14-26 can be broken down into three sections: one illustration (vv. 14-17), and two arguments: one rational (vv. 18-20), the other biblical (vv. 21-26).
(i) Illustration: A Poor Christian (14-17). James first argues that one who lives by the slogan of sola fide, if he does not care for the misfortunate within the believing community, cannot be saved. He does not yet explain what he means by faith, which awaits the next section. It seems that he never explains what he means by “save.” In light of the well-worn Jewish idea of salvation as having especially an eschatological focus, it is best to interpret this in the same manner: James is saying that one whose faith has no works is one whose faith is not sufficient to save him from hell.
(ii) Rational Argument: Demons’ Faith (18-20). Although there are numerous problems with the content of what the supposed objector says, it seems best to see him as arguing that one can be saved either by faith or by works. James rebuffs this view (v. 18b) by saying that it is impossible to divorce the two. 39 He then argues that demons divorce the two in that they only do one—believe. Yet, they have hell as their eternal home. Here he defines what “unsaving” faith is (implicitly, at least): a faith which cannot save is one which is doctrinally correct (demons’ belief), but one in which there is no personal relationship, nor any works. What then is saving faith? James answers this in the final section.
(iii) Biblical Argument: Abraham, Rahab (21-26). For his positive argument, James uses two illustrations from the OT. First, Abraham was justified by works when he offered up Isaac (21). His faith could not be divorced from works, but cooperated with it (22). That Abraham’s faith preceded his works is implicit in two ways: (1) works perfected his faith (22) and (2) the scripture which said he had faith (Gen. 15:6; Jas. 2:23) was fulfilled by his works. That saving faith is more than intellectual assent, and indeed more than faith + works is seen in James’ last comment in v. 23—“he was called God's friend.” Thus, saving faith implies a relationship to God—it involves “trust in,” not just “belief that,” or even “belief that,” plus “work for.” James summarizes by saying that “a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (24). This is the clearest statement against the Pauline slogan of sola fide (cf. Rom. 3:28—“a man is justified by faith, apart from works of the law”). It should be kept in mind that James is not reacting to Paul directly, however, for he uses every key term differently. By “works” James means “charitable deeds.”; Paul means “works of the law”; by “justified” James apparently means either vindicated before men, or eschatologically justified, while Paul has a forensic idea in mind (an idea which is foreign to virtually every other NT writer); and by “faith” James distinguishes unsaving faith from saving faith, while Paul seems to speak primarily or exclusively of the latter (both would agree that “belief in” and not just “belief that” is the essential ingredient of saving faith).
Lest one think that heaven is reserved only for those with the moral qualifications of Abraham, James hastens to add another illustration. Rahab, too, was saved (ἐδικαιώθη—justified, vindicated) when she helped the spies get away (25). James reminds his audience that Rahab was a prostitute—yet she was saved. There is no evidence in the text that her lone deed erased her sins; rather, her belief in God did—and it is evident that this was a genuine belief because she acted on it. Both illustrations link faith and works together in such a way that it is unthinkable that one could please God without both. Yet, faith preceded works in each illustration. James concludes with an analogy (26) which ought not to be made to walk on all fours: a dead faith is surely the same as a faith which never was alive. 40
(b) Principles and Comparisons from Jas. 2:14-26. To highlight what James is addressing and not addressing, eight theses will be given.
(i) James does not deny the necessity of faith, only its adequacy.
(ii) James is addressing the fruit of salvation, while Paul is addressing the root of salvation.
(iii) In keeping with other biblical writers, James does not use “works” as a criterion for judging others, but as a criterion for judging oneself.
(iv) For James, the faith which does not save is intellectual assent; for Paul, the faith which does save is a heart-response to God’s call—it is trust in, not just belief that. Thus, they are not talking about the same thing.
(v) For James, “justified” means either “vindicated” or “eschatologically justified”; for Paul, it means “declared righteous.” Thus, they are not talking about the same thing.
(vi) For James, “works” means good deeds—charity, Christian love, etc; for Paul, it means works of the Law which some see as necessary for salvation, rendering the cross-work of Christ as less than adequate. Thus, once again, they are not talking about the same thing.
(vii) James seems to look at how our spiritual status is seen and approved/disapproved by others, while Paul looks at how it is seen and initiated by God.
(viii) Both James and Paul would agree with the statement that genuine, saving faith results in works. Or that sola fide, properly understood, means that we are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is not alone.
In conclusion, as Davids aptly points out, “James uses every significant term πίστις, ἔργα, δικαιοσύνη, with a differing and more ‘primitive’ meaning than Paul.” 41 Consequently, “to argue that James directly attacks Paul is to argue that James is a consummate blunderer, for he fails to meet Paul’s arguments at all and instead produces a work with which Paul would have agreed!” 42 It is our conclusions, therefore, that James argued against a perverted Paulinism before the canonical Pauline letters had been composed. 43 And this of course points to James the Just as the author—and at an early period.
4. Alternate Theories of Authorship
Guthrie lists six alternate theories regarding the origin of the letter. 44
a. The epistle is pseudonymous. “The most damaging criticism of this kind of theory lies in the simplicity of the description of the author and in the lack of adequate motive.” 45 That is to say, any later writer wishing to claim James’ authority would certainly speak more eloquently of James—the very ambiguity in the title renders this possibility less than likely. And his motive for claiming James’ authority for a piece which is primarily ethical, rather than doctrinal, seems unrecoverable.
b. The epistle was originally anonymous, later attributed to James. Not only does this suffer from the same criticisms as the pseudonymous view receives, but it also has the additional problem of a late start in life: that is to say, it starts out as anonymous, then becomes pseudonymous. “In the period when spurious apostolic works began to be prolific, particularly in support of Gnostic ideas, the vigilance of the church was much too intense to allow such a work as James to slip through its net.” 46 Not only this, but if James is a second century work, why are its parallels with Paul and the Gospels so inexact, resembling the pre-literary period of the church?
c. The epistle was by some other James. As we have already mentioned, 47 “this is certainly possible, but not probable, for what teacher of so little significance that he is now unknown would take it upon himself to address such a significant portion of the church (i.e., the twelve tribes), let alone in such weighty tones?” 48
d. The epistle was originally a Jewish document. Both F. Spitta and L. Massebieau independently (in 1896 and 1895 respectively) arrived at the conclusion that 1:1 and 2:1 were later Christian interpolations, added to a strictly Jewish document. As ingenious as this suggestion is, it suffers several criticisms: (1) text-critically, the only evidence we have of James is as a Christian document. And since we have a plethora of evidence for the NT as a whole (and even James is not lacking its witnesses), to argue that any NT book had a literary history radically different than what is now found in the better MSS is speculation at best. 49 (2) If this were strictly a Jewish document, why would the author apparently be familiar with, and approvingly quote, certain dominical sayings now found in the Gospels? As Mayor points out, Spitta’s alleged parallels with Jewish material are less convincing than parallels with the Sermon on the Mount. 50 (3) Further, why would he even find it necessary to combat a perverted Paulinism? That 2:14-26 is in this epistle points very clearly, it seems, to an inner-Christian discussion. (4) An interpolation is unlikely at 1:1, because 1:2 seems to key in on a term in 1:1, as a sort of play on words: χαράν (“joy”) is alliterative, back to χαίρεω (“greetings”) in 1:1. This suggests that the two verses originally went together. As Guthrie summarizes, “the text in both these instances does not lead us to suppose an interpolation.” 51 (5) If this were strictly a Jewish document, then many of those arguments which are leveled against Jacobean authorship apply with greater force to this hypothesis—e.g., the view of the law in its moral aspects only, the good Greek, etc. (6) Finally, “the whole epistle breathes a Christian spirit, in spite of the absence of specific Christian doctrine.” 52
e. The epistle was patterned on the twelve patriarchs. That is, analogous to several Jewish pseudepigrapha such as the Testament of Adam, the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, etc., this letter was an address by the patriarch Jacob to the twelve tribal fathers. Thus the epistle was pseudepigraphical, but like several Jewish pseudepigrapha it would have been so understood and accepted. Again, analogous to these pseudepigrapha, Jacob’s sons are represented by the virtues listed in this letter. (The view was originally proposed by Arnold Meyer in 1930.) There are three problems with this view, however. (1) As “ingenious as the theory is, its very ingenuity is its greatest barrier.” 53 That is to say, it is so subtle that no one until this century is ever recorded as seeing it. (2) The patriarch’s name, Jacob, as far as I am aware, is always in Koine Greek written as an indeclinable noun, ∆Ιακώβ, while the NT James is written ∆Ιακωβός. That this letter follows the latter practice seems decisive against the patriarchal view. (3) As Davids points out, “Most of [the] identifications are very weak and the better ones are for Isaac, Rebecca, and several non-Israelite nations—none of them sons of Jacob.” 54
f. The epistle incorporates some genuine material. A mediatorial position, most recently articulated by Davids (though around for more than fifty years), is that the letter has gone through at least two stages, one containing authentic material from James the Just, the second stage being a reworking of the material for a later audience by an unknown editor. Davids’ primary argument is that the good Greek of the letter, coupled with a strong Jewish element, is an apparent contradiction of form. “If one wishes to explain the apparent contradiction of forms, it will be necessary to come to some type of a two-level hypothesis for the composition of the work. . . . The hypothesis is quite simple: the epistle is very likely a two-stage work.” 55 There is much to commend this view, but it still falls short on four counts. (1) As Guthrie points out, “a thing is not true because it is conceivable, but because the evidence requires it, and this can hardly be said in this case . . . If some real connection with James would have been generally recognized, why the need for this theory at all . . . ?” 56 (2) In light of the fluid state of amanuenses’ work—i.e., that they either wrote by dictation or entirely rewrote their masters’ statements, or anywhere in between—this theory again seems unnecessary. (3) This flies in the face of James’ apparent use of Paul’s slogan of sola fide—i.e., it seems quite primitive and polemic, based on an incorrect apprehension of its true nature. This would only be true before the Pauline Hauptbriefe had been published and widely circulated. (4) Text-critically, there is not a shred of evidence that James ever had more than one textual history—i.e., that it ever existed in two published forms. Davids’ thesis requires this, however. The only possible way for it to be true (and be evidenced in the MSS) is for itff (Corbeiensis) to reflect the earlier edition, 57 but this Latin MS differs from Vaticanus (B) only 21 times and can hardly be supposed to go back to an Aramaic original (due to its late date, translational nature, and otherwise derivative features [as seen in its text for other NT books]).
5. Conclusion
It is our conviction that the traditional view, that James, the Lord’s brother, authored this epistle, has the least amount of internal problems. And in light of the unanimous (though admittedly not widespread) patristic testimony for Jacobean authorship, 58 coupled with the lack of virtually any other view for the first eighteen centuries of the church, this is still the most plausible view.
B. Date
The date of this short epistle is intrinsically bound up with its authorship. If, as we have argued, this letter is by James, the bother of the Lord, then it must have been written before 62 CE (the date of James’ death). 59 Among those who embrace the traditional authorship, two dates are normally advocated: either early (pre-50s) or late (toward the end of James’ life). It is our opinion that an early date best fits the evidence.
1. There is no mention of the fall of Jerusalem, perhaps implying that James was written either before Jerusalem’s destruction or considerably after it. 60 (This datum, of course, could fit either date within the traditional view.)
2. There is no mention of the Gentile mission, nor of Gentiles being admitted into the church. This seems to suggest a date before the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 (49 CE).
3. The simple church order (viz., only teachers [3:1] and elders [5:14-15] are mentioned, and in an unadorned way) 61 tends to suggest an early date, though not much can be made of it.
4. The assembly of Christians is called συναγωγή (2:2), a term everywhere else in the NT used for a Jewish congregation. This very terminology implies (in my mind, strongly) an early period (when Christianity was still very much regarded as a Jewish sect), confirming a date before 49 CE. 62
5. The relation of Jas. 2:14-26 to Paul, as we have already suggested, seems to be preliterary. That is to say, James only gives a caricature of Paul’s theology in this section, suggesting that he was arguing with “Paulinism” rather than with Paul. If the author seems not to have had any exposure to Galatians or Romans, the most satisfactory reason for this is that neither Pauline epistle had yet been written. Hence, a date no later than 49 CE.
Admittedly, each individual argument may not be extremely weighty in itself. But the cumulative effect argues for a date no later than 49 CE. But as we suggested earlier (and will develop later), there is a good possibility that Herod’s persecution of Christians, which began with James’ (the son of Zebedee) execution, is in the background of, and provides part of the occasion for, this epistle. If this is true, then a date no earlier than 44 CE—and probably not much later—would be most fitting. It is our tentative conclusion that James was written, therefore, c. 44-45 CE, making it the earliest writing in the New Testament canon.
C. The Addressees
Evidence for an early date and Jacobean authorship also supports the probability that the addressees were Jewish Christians. In addition, there are other lines of evidence which support a Jewish Christian audience, two of which are as follows.
1. The Meaning of Diaspora in 1:1
James opens his letter with the greeting “to the twelve tribes which are in the dispersion.” The term διασπορά is normally used in biblical Greek to refer to the scattering of the Jews (cf. Deut. 28:35; 30:4; Isa. 49:6; Jer. 41:17; Psalm 146:2; John 7:35). However, in the NT it can refer to Christians (1 Peter 1:1). 63 However, it would be more difficult to demonstrate that “the twelve tribes” refer to Christians in the New Testament, rendering this designation in Jas. 1:1 most probably a reference to Jewish believers.
Two questions still need to be asked: where? and why? The dispersed believers would, of course, be located outside of Jerusalem and perhaps Judea. More than this cannot be said with certainty. 64 But since Jews had already been scattered throughout the Roman Empire for some time, and since virtually every major city had a synagogue, it is not unreasonable to suppose that James was writing to a geographically widespread audience going far beyond the reaches of Palestine. At the same time, the difficulty in getting a letter to such a widely diffused audience seems to argue for a Palestinian dispersion. 65
As to the reason for the dispersion, two catalysts are distinctly possible: (1) the persecution of the church by Saul in 34 CE (Acts 7–8), and (2) Herod’s persecution in 44 CE (Acts 12). The Jewish Christian communities may have been established due to the first persecution, and their numbers strengthened due to the second. Although Saul’s persecution spread far beyond the reaches of the holy city, Agrippa’s seems to have been more localized. If so, then there is no compelling reason to argue for a non-Palestinian audience for James.
2. The Circumstances of the Readers
There are four circumstances hinted at in the letter which are particularly noteworthy.
a. Jewish Background. Not only do they meet in a synagogue (2:2), but the only credal statement in the epistle relates to monotheism (2:19), and the circumcision controversy so prominent in Paul’s letters to largely Gentile audiences is wholly absent. Further, “the Palestinian background of either the author or the readers or both is seen in the references to the autumn and spring rains in Jas. 5:7, a weather phenomenon limited to the eastern Mediterranean coastal plain and lowlands.” 66
b. Poverty. That James’ audience is made up largely of poor folks is obvious from his warnings in 2:1-13 (especially v. 5) and passim. They are either poor “dirt farmers,” tenants who worked the land of the rich (5:1-6), or merchants (4:13-17). Davids points out that
In pre-70 Palestine, then, and to a large extent in post-70 as well, one finds a cultural situation in which the majority of the population consists of peasants subsisting on a small plot of land. The size of their plots and conditions favoring a growing population forced all males but the eldest son into trade (if they were lucky) or unskilled labor. 67
What may also be significant is that although occasionally the rich are addressed in this letter, they are never called “brothers.” It would seem, then, that the wealthy are on the fringes of James’ audience, serving primarily as a foil for his ethical instructions.
c. Immaturity. The audience apparently lacked maturity in the faith, as is evidenced by James’ intimation of (1) their failure to “practice what they preach” (1:22-27; 2:8-11); (2) their partiality toward the rich and unwillingness to help the poor believers (2:1-26); (3) their inconsistent speech patterns (3:1-12); and (4) their tendency toward confidence in self rather than confidence in God (4:13-17).
d. Oppression. James’ audience was also an oppressed group. Indeed, it was more than likely because of their poverty, combined with their Christian conviction, that they were oppressed. As Davids declares,
One can picture what this situation did to the church in Palestine. On the one hand, the church naturally felt resentment against the rich. They had “robbed” many of the members of their lands; they probably showed discrimination against Christians in hiring their labor; and they (at least the high-priestly clans) were the instigators of attempts to suppress the church (which was probably viewed as a revolutionary movement). On the other hand, if a wealthy person entered the church or was a member, there would be every reason to court him. His money was seen as a means of survival. Certainly one should not offend him. 68
Further, their inappropriate response to the oppression, rather than the oppression itself, is what James condemns, pointing out that they should seek in such circumstances the wisdom and gifts of God. In this James affirms a principle seen elsewhere in scripture: what makes a man of God is not a natural response to a favorable condition, but a proper response to any condition. It is not the circumstances but the response to the circumstances which produces character.
D. The Occasion
In light of our reconstruction/hypothesis as to authorship, date, and audience, the occasion for this letter can be seen.
1. The persecutions by Saul (34 CE) and especially by Agrippa (44 CE) separated James from his audience via the diaspora. The subsequent diaspora raised the need for correspondence; the reason for the diaspora shaped its contents. The trials these believers were facing would need to be addressed.
2. Simultaneous with Agrippa’s persecution was the prophesied worldwide famine, which seemed particularly acute in Judea (Acts 11:27-30). The resultant (deepened) poverty was doubly bad for Christians living in Palestine, for the wealthy landowners and religious aristocracy would certainly side with Agrippa’s attitude toward Christians. These Jewish Christians’ inadequate response to the rich would call for instruction/correction from their spiritual leader.
3. The believers’ inadequate response to other believers who were particularly hard hit by the famine was fueled by their misappropriation of the Pauline slogan, “a man is justified by faith alone.” “Under financial pressure people tend to hold orthodox belief, but also to grasp tightly to whatever money they have.” 69 Rather than seeking to understand what Paul meant, these believers used the slogan as an excuse for not practicing their faith. Rather than understanding the slogan himself, though, James simply sought to show how their application of it made them no better off than demons!
4. The general immaturity of these believers, as evidenced already in their inappropriate responses to trials, the rich and the poor, would help James to fill out the letter with other paraenetic advice. Many pockets of immaturity would have surfaced because of the persecution and famine, though certainly some had already been evident beforehand. Agrippa’s persecution, coupled with the famine, however, would be the final catalyst which prompted the leader of the Jerusalem church to write to his scattered flock.
E. Theme
James emphasizes a faith which is productive in the midst of trials. Put succinctly, the theme of James is “a belief that behaves.”
II. Argument
James opens his letter with a greeting to Jewish Christians who had left Palestine and had scattered (1:1) because of Saul’s and Agrippa’s persecutions.
After this very brief greeting, James is no longer concerned with niceties: the rest of the letter is body—i.e., no thanksgiving for the saints, no final greeting, no benediction. The body has three main parts: enduring trials (1:2-18), applying the Word (1:19–3:18), and witnessing to divine providence before the world (4:1–5:20). Each section begins with a summary, followed by specific details which, to some degree, retrace the summary points in chiastic fashion. But the chiastic pattern is not perfect, for like any good preacher James is more concerned to get his message across and he will not allow an artificial structure to get in the way. In some ways, the argument could be traced via expanding concentric circles (many, for example, see 1:19 as the key to the outline), but this produces less satisfactory results than the approach we have taken.
In the first main section, James speaks about enduring trials (1:2-18). He begins with a summary statement (1:2-8) in which the main theme is on the testing of one’s faith. The key is that to endure trials one must look upward, not outward. In this statement James touches on four points: (1) trust in God’s sovereignty in the midst of trials (1:2); (2) trials produce perseverance and perseverance produces maturity (1:3-4); (3) God gives wisdom and all good things to the one who believes (1:5); and (4) genuine faith must remove doubt (1:6).
James then develops these points in chiastic order. First, the one who doubts is unstable and will receive nothing from the Lord (1:7-8). Second, since God is the giver of all good things, if he has not given the believer wealth, he has given him something else: character (1:9-11). Third, the one who perseveres in his faith (in spite of the circumstances) will be blessed and rewarded with the crown of life (1:12). Finally, the believer ought never to blame God for his temptations or trials (1:13-15), but instead should thank him for his goodness and sovereign care (1:16-18).
The second major section deals with faith as it works out within the community. The mishandling of trials by believers not only does nothing for their faith in God; it also negatively affects the Christian community. (Indeed, it is quite probable that if James’ audience had been heeding the instructions in 1:2-18 the rest of the letter would never have to have been written.) James begins with a summary statement in which he articulates four elements of the obedience of faith: (1) obedient faith is not quick-tempered (1:19-21); (2) obedient faith is not passive (1:22-25); (3) obedient faith involves a tight rein on the tongue (1:26); and (4) obedient faith is impartial in that it even helps widows and orphans—that is, those who cannot repay (1:27).
James then develops these themes in (roughly) chiastic order. First, he addresses the sin of partiality: rather than helping the downtrodden, his audience has been catering to the rich (2:1-13). James paints a hypothetical situation of two men entering the church, one poor and one rich, in which the church shows partiality (2:2-4). The audience is then rebuked both for partiality and for its naiveté about the wealthy (2:5-7). Then James gives a biblical argument for showing no partiality (2:8-11), and finishes this section with a restatement of the biblical principle: it is impossible to compartmentalize God’s requirements; therefore, “speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom” (2:12, NIV).
Second, James now turns to the issue of passivity vs. obedient faith (2:14-26). In its context, James has just warned against partiality toward the wealthy. The temptation to appease the rich (perhaps both rich merchants and the wealthy high-priestly families) 70 was all the greater because James’ audience was apparently on the financial fringes of society. In light of this, it would be quite convenient to adopt Paul’s slogan of sola fide without embracing its true content—as an excuse for not helping the poorer members of the believing community. 71 Consequently, one might loosely say that chapter 2 can be broken down in two parts: Christians’ attitudes toward the rich non-Christian and Christians’ attitudes toward the poor Christian. 72
James 2:14-26 can be broken down into three sections: one illustration (vv. 14-17), and two arguments: one rational (vv. 18-20), the other biblical (vv. 21-26).
(i) Illustration: A Poor Christian (2:14-17). James first argues that one who lives by the slogan of sola fide, if he does not care for the misfortunate within the believing community, cannot be saved. He does not yet explain what he means by faith, which awaits the next section. It seems that he never explains what he means by “save.” In light of the well-worn Jewish idea of salvation as having especially an eschatological focus, it is best to interpret this in the same manner: James is saying that one whose faith has no works is one whose faith is not sufficient to save him from hell.
(ii) Rational Argument: Demons’ Faith (2:18-20). Although there are numerous problems with the content of what the supposed objector says, it seems best to see him as arguing that one can be saved either by faith or by works. James rebuffs this view (v. 18b) by saying that it is impossible to divorce the two. 73 He then argues that demons divorce the two in that they only do one—believe. Yet, they have hell as their eternal home. Here he defines what “unsaving” faith is (implicitly, at least): a faith which cannot save is one which is doctrinally correct (demons’ belief), but one in which there is no personal relationship, nor any works. What then is saving faith? James answers this in the final section.
(iii) Biblical Argument: Abraham, Rahab (2:21-26). For his positive argument, James uses two illustrations from the OT. First, Abraham was justified by works when he offered up Isaac (2:21). His faith could not be divorced from works, but cooperated with it (2:22). That Abraham’s faith preceded his works is implicit in two ways: (1) works perfected his faith (22) and (2) the scripture which said he had faith (Gen. 15:6; Jas. 2:23) was fulfilled by his works. That saving faith is more than intellectual assent, and indeed more than faith + works is seen in James’ last comment in v. 23—“he was called a friend of God.” Thus, saving faith implies a relationship to God—it involves “trust in,” not just “belief that,” or even “belief that,” plus “work for.” James summarizes by saying that “a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (2:24). This is the clearest statement against the Pauline slogan of sole fide (cf. Rom. 3:28—“a man is justified by faith, apart from works of the law”). It should be kept in mind that James is not reacting to Paul directly, however, for he uses every key term differently. By “works” James means “charitable deeds.”; Paul means “works of the law”; by “justified” James apparently means either vindicated before men, or eschatologically justified, while Paul has a forensic idea in mind (an idea which is foreign to virtually every other NT writer); and by “faith” James distinguishes unsaving faith from saving faith, while Paul seems to speak primarily or exclusively of the latter (both would agree that “belief in” and not just “belief that” is the essential ingredient of saving faith).
Lest one think that heaven is reserved only for those with the moral qualifications of Abraham, James hastens to add another illustration. Rahab, too, was saved (ἐδικαιώθη—justified, vindicated) when she helped the spies get away (2:25). James reminds his audience that Rahab was a prostitute—yet she was saved. There is no evidence in the text that her lone deed erased her sins; rather, her belief in God did—and it is evident that this was a genuine belief because she acted on it. Both illustrations link faith and works together in such a way that it is unthinkable that one could please God without both. Yet, faith preceded works in each illustration. James concludes with an analogy (2:26) which ought not to be made to walk on all fours: a dead faith is surely the same as a faith which never was alive. 74
Third, James addresses the issue of controlling one’s speech (3:1-12). Two sections are thus implicitly linked together: faith and works and faith and words. Lest his audience think that an obedient faith is obedient only in what it does (2:14-26), James follows this up: faith is also obedient in what it says (3:1-12). He begins, in typical Jewish fashion, with an ad maior a minor argument (from the greater to the lesser). Even teachers need to control their tongues (3:1); hence, one whose tongue is kept in check is a mature man (3:2). Then James launches into a series of analogies. First, even though the tongue is small, this is not an argument against its power: horses’ bits, ships’ rudders, and sparks in the forest are also small, yet they have great power (3:3-6). Second, it is ironic that even though human beings have tamed all kinds of animals, we cannot tame our own tongues (3:7-8). Third, it is just as inconsistent for the tongue to praise God and curse men as it is for fresh and salt water to come from the same spring or the same tree to produce two different kinds of fruit (3:9-12).
Fourth, James concludes this second major section with a note on the wisdom of obedience (3:13-18). This paragraph beautifully caps the second section: just as faith must be impartial, and productive in deed and word, it must also be wise. This “wisdom-motif” has been seen before in 1:5, but the real content of wisdom in 3:13-18 is not related to trials as much as it is to community issues. Thus James uses wisdom as a character goal which comes about by the lack of bitterness, envy and selfishness—all outgrowths of anger (3:13-14); indeed, the proper kind of wisdom is from heaven (cf. 1:16-18), not from earth, and produces a beautiful harvest of good deeds (3:17-18).
Without any transitional conjunction (typical of James), the author begins his third major section: the exercise of faith before a watching world (4:1–5:20). In this section he completes a trilogy: faith directed toward God (1:2-18), faith applied in the community (1:19–3:18), and faith before the world (4:1–5:20). He characteristically begins with a summary statement on the reward of faith (cf. 4:10). This statement includes three points: (1) the prayer of faith (4:1-3), (2) friendship with the world (4:4-6), and (3) the humility of faith 4:7-10), which culminates with the key verse to entire section: “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up” (v. 10).
James then fills out this summary section with specifics, though the order here is not chiastic. (A comparison of the two sections rather reveals an A B C/B C A pattern, with several overlaps between paragraphs.) First, he urges the believers to avoid worldly influences (4:11–5:6). This involves three things: (1) Do not judge one another, for only God is judge. In this paragraph James reveals a motif which he has been shaping throughout his epistle: judging is showing favoritism (in fact, it is like what the rich do to the believers [2:1-13]), judging is employing an uncontrolled tongue (3:1-12), and judging is the opposite of humility (4:7-10). 75 (2) Do not boast about the affairs of the future for such boasting reveals an independent and presumptuous spirit (4:13-17). (3) The wealthy landowners are then rebuked for oppressing the poor (5:1-6). The rebuke is fraught with eschatological overtones, giving great earnestness to the warning.
Second, James now turns to the oppressed share cropper and implores him to be patient (5:7-12). For the believer, the Lord’s return is a message of hope (5:7-8) just as it is a message of doom to the rich oppressor (5:1). A patient faith refrains from judging (5:9; cf. 4:11-13). James concludes with “the patience of Job” as a biblical illustration (5:10-11) and a reminder not to swear (5:12)—for such swearing is presumptuous (cf. 4:13-18).
In the final part of this third major section of the epistle, James gives admonition about believing prayer (5:13-20). First, he urges prayer on behalf of the sick, pointing out that “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (5:16, NIV). Second, he gives the biblical illustration of Elijah as a man of faith (5:17-18). Third, he reminds the believers of their mutual responsibility toward each other (5:19-20).
It is fitting for James to conclude his epistle on the prayer of faith for this once again brings the focus directly on God. He began his epistle with this theme (1:2-8) and now concludes it the same way. Ultimately, a belief that behaves cannot be such a belief unless there is a God who shows grace.
A. Summary/Main Theme: The Testing of Faith (1:2-6)
1. Faith in God’s Sovereignty (1:2)
2. Faith and Perseverance (1:3-4)
3. Faith and God’s Gifts (1:5)
4. Faith Vs. Doubt (1:6)
B. Specifics (1:9-18)
1. Faith Vs. Doubt (1:7-8)
2. Faith and Finances (1:9-11)
3. Faith and Perseverance (1:12)
4. Faith and Fatalism (1:13-18)
III. Applying the Word: Faith Within the Church (1:19–3:18)
A. Summary/Main Theme: The Obedience of Faith (1:19-27)
1. Anger Vs. Obedience (1:19-21)
2. Passivity Vs. Obedience (1:22-25)
3. Speech and Obedience (1:26)
4. The Impartiality of Obedience (1:27)
B. Specifics (2:1–3:18)
1. Partiality Vs. Obedience (2:1-13)
a. Summary (2:1)
b. Hypothetical Situation: Rich and Poor Enter the Assembly (2:2-4)
c. Rebuke for Showing Partiality (2:5-7)
d. Conditions of Obedience (2:8-11)
e. Principle (2:12-13)
2. Passivity Vs. Obedience (2:14-26)
a. Summary (2:14)
b. Hypothetical Situation: Impoverished Believer in your Midst (2:15-17)
c. Rational Argument: Demons’ Faith is Passive (2:18-20)
d. Biblical Argument: Abraham’s and Rahab’s Faith is Active (2:21-25)
e. Principle (2:26)
3. Speech and Obedience (3:1-12)
a. Summary: The Tongue as a Measure of Maturity (3:1-2)
b. Argument by Analogy (3:3-12)
1) Analogy One: The Tiny Tongue (3:3-6)
a) Bits in Horses’ Mouths (3:3)
b) Rudders on Ships (3:4)
c) Sparks and Forest Fires (3:5-6)
2) Analogy Two: The Tamed Tongue (3:7-8)
3) Analogy Three: The Forked Tongue (3:9-12)
a) Praising and Cursing (3:9-10)
b) Fresh and Salt Water (3:11)
c) Schizophrenic Produce (3:12)
4. The Wisdom of Obedience (3:13-18)
IV. Witnessing to Divine Providence (4:1–5:20)
A. Summary/Main Theme: The Reward of Faith (4:1-10)
1. The Prayer of Faith (4:1-3)
2. Friendship with the World (4:4-6)
3. The Humility of Faith (4:7-10)
B. Specifics (4:11–5:20)
1. Avoiding Worldly Influences (4:11–5:6)
a. Slander in the Community (4:11-12)
b. Boasting about Tomorrow (4:13-17)
c. Warning to Wealthy Oppressors (5:1-6)
2. The Patience of Faith (5:7-12)
3. The Prayer of Faith (5:13-20)
1 Although most scholars believe that only four men in the NT bear this name, Martin asserts that “no fewer than six or seven persons known to the New Testament writers carry the name of James” (James, xxxi). Martin’s basis for this is that James the younger (Mark 15:40) is to be distinguished from James the son of Alphaeus (Mark 3:18), and James the brother of Judas (or Jude; cf. Jude 1) is to be distinguished from James the brother of Jesus (Gal. 1:19). Martin does not mention the seventh James.
2 More accurately, we could say that the author wishes himself to be identified with one of them, for if this were a pseudonymous work the author would of course not be identified with any James. Against the notion of pseudepigraphy, we need only mention that the very ambiguity of 1:1 mitigates any attempt at deception for a pseudepigraphical writer would certainly make a better effort at identifying which James he was attempting to emulate. Added to this is the fact that “the absence of motive for a pseudonymous production such as James is a strong argument against it. If the letter is merely a moralizing tract, why did it need James’ authority and why should he be chosen?” (Guthrie, 742).
As to an unknown James (a view Moffatt held), Davids points out that “this is certainly possible, but not probable, for what teacher of so little significance that he is now unknown would take it upon himself to address such a significant portion of the church (i.e., the twelve tribes), let alone in such weighty tones?” (6). Nevertheless, we should guard ourselves against the overly facile assumption that the authors of all the NT books must be well known or mentioned elsewhere within the pages of the canon. Each case must be examined on its own merits; in this case, Davids’ point of a broadly based audience does indeed seem sufficient to cancel out an unknown figure.
3 Martin, James, xxxi.
4 One interesting feature of the Gospel records is the fact that John usually plays second fiddle to James: e.g., in Mark 3:17 we read of “the sons of Zebedee, James and his brother John” (cf. also Matt. 4:21; 10:2; 17:1; Mark 1:19; 13:3). Although this may be due to James’ more central role in the apostolic band, or to his being older than John, it is just as likely that his martyr’s death in 44 CE secured for him such prominence. Still, it must be said that he was never an insignificant apostle for not only was he part of the “inner circle” (Peter, James, John), but Herod singled him out for execution no doubt because of his ongoing prominence.
23 Davids, 10.
24 Although this conclusion seems too bold, it is not insignificant that even the most thoroughly Jewish of the NT documents (James, Matthew, Hebrews) were all written in Greek. Attempts to find a Semitic Vorlage behind any document (individual dominical sayings being the lone exception) have all fallen shipwreck on the rocks of early textual evidence. In this light, the Sanhedrin’s statement about Peter and John (Acts 4:13) that they were “unschooled and unlearned” (ἀγράμματοι και; ἰδιῶται) most certainly refers to their lack of Rabbinic training, not their inadequate knowledge of Greek (a view, which though quite popular, has absolutely nothing to commend it culturally or contextually)! And the fact that no one at Golgotha (either sojourners or locals) is recorded as understanding Jesus’ quotation of Ps. 22:1 (cf. Matt. 27:46-47; Matthew even translates this for his audience!) suggests that perhaps Greek had become the lingua franca even of Palestine. On this point it is a tantalizing suggestion that the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman might have taken place in Greek, because in John 4:25 the woman is recorded as saying, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called Christ.” Why she would add the Greek translation if the conversation took place in Aramaic is quite puzzling. And to suggest that this is John’s editorial addition flies in the face of all his other well-defined editorial interjections.
On the other hand, we are not prepared to argue that Aramaic was unknown, or that it was not the primary language of some of the writers of the NT. By analogy, growing up in southern California, less than one hundred miles from Mexico, several of my friends knew Spanish quite well. Their knowledge had nothing to do with learning the language in school (which we all did). It had everything to do with their immediate contacts. Learning a foreign language has as much to do with one’s trade and immediate associates as with one’s locale.
25 This latter analogy (a dubious one, in my mind) is on the twin assumption that (1) John wrote both the Fourth Gospel and Revelation and (2) John wrote Revelation first (by some thirty years) and improved his Greek between the writings of both books. I wholeheartedly reject the second assumption, and even have my doubts about the first.
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From which musical does the song I'm Getting Married In The Morning come | Get Me to the Church On Time - My Fair Lady on Sing! Karaoke | Smule
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Get Me to the Church On Time
My Fair Lady
I'm getting married in the morning!
Ding, dong, the bells are gonna chime.
Pull out the stopper,
but get me to the church on time.
I gotta be there in the morning,
spruced up and lookin' in my prime.
Girls, come and kiss me,
show how you'll miss me,
but get me to the church on time.
If I am dancing, roll up the floor.
If I am whistling...
Oh, I'm getting married in the morning!
Ding, dong, the bells are gonna chime.
Kick up a rumpus, but don't lose the compass,
and get me to the church,
get me to the church,
for God's sake, get me to the church on time.
I'm getting married in the morning!
Ding, dong, the bells are gonna chime.
Drug me or jail me,
stamp me and mail me,
but get me to the church on time.
I gotta be there in the morning,
spruced up and lookin' in my prime.
Some bloke who's able,
and get me to the church on time.
If I am flying, then shoot me down.
If I am woo'ing, get her out of town.
For, I'm getting married in the morning.
Ding, dong, the bells are gonna chime.
Feather and tar me,
but get me to the church,
get me to the church,
for God's sake, get me to the church on time.
I'm getting married in the morning!
Ding, dong, the bells are gonna chime.
Hail and salute me,
haul off and boot me,
and get me to the church,
get me to the church,
for God's sake, get me to the church on time.
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| My Fair Lady |
What was the third country to put a rocket into space | My Fair Lady "Get Me To The Church On Time" Music Video - YouTube
My Fair Lady "Get Me To The Church On Time" Music Video
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Published on Jan 19, 2013
****I DO NOT OWN THIS VIDEO. ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE RESPECTIVE OWNERS AND MAKERS OF THIS FILM. THIS IS JUST FOR FUN. I HAVE NO CREDIT TOWARDS THIS VIDEO.****
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What desert lies to the south of Fukah | Yuma Desert | desert, North America | Britannica.com
desert, North America
Atacama Desert
Yuma Desert, arid part of the Sonoran Desert . It lies south of the Gila River and east of the Colorado River in the extreme southwestern corner of Arizona , U.S. , and in the northwestern corner of Sonora , Mexico . The desert south of the Mexican border often is called the Great Desert (Spanish: Gran Desierto).
The Yuma Desert is a region of low sandy plains and dunes. The area is nearly barren, with only sporadic outcroppings of creosote bush or burr sage. With the Colorado Desert of southern California , U.S., and Baja California , Mex., the Yuma Desert occupies a landform known as the Salton Trough (Salton Basin).
Extensive irrigation works divert water from dams on the Colorado River to support large-scale commercial agriculture in the Colorado and Gila river valleys (winter vegetables, cotton, flax, citrus fruits, dates, and alfalfa); however, the rivers themselves have been greatly disrupted by these and other water-diversion projects and flow only intermittently in their respective lower reaches. The Yuma Desert’s clear skies and low precipitation favour activities at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station at the city of Yuma.
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Date Published: October 26, 2015
URL: https://www.britannica.com/place/Yuma-Desert
Access Date: January 04, 2017
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| Sahara |
In which American state is Dodge City | South Africa: Major Landforms
Major Landforms
-covers 1/3 of the whole continent
-largest desert in the world
-almost as large as the United States
-approximately 3,500,000 sq. miles
-Rock-strew plains, rolling sand dunes, many sand seas
-regional deserts are the Libyan, Nubian and Western desert of Egypt
-all deserts lie west of the Nile
• Kalahari desert
-covers the southwestern region of South Africa and all of western Namibia
-approximately 100,000 sq. miles
-lies between the Orange and Zambezi rivers
-consists of dry lake beds
-Yearly rainfall averages about 5 in. in the southwest where there are active sand dunes and 20 in. of rainfall in the northeast
-can rain heavily one day, then be dry as ever the next
-grazing and agriculture is possible in certain areas
-popular tourist spot for the Kgalagadi Transfrontier park
-considered one of Africa’s last “wildlife paradises”
-includes meerkats, hyenas, lions, many species of antelope, birds, reptiles
-first inhabitants of Kalahari are called the the “San” or “bushmen”
-today, only a small amount of bushmen follow traditional ways of living
-modern civilizations threaten natural resources
-coal, copper and nickel deposits were discovered by mineral companies
• Congo River
-also known as “the Zaire”
-dominates the landscape of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Congo
-flows into Angola, Cameroon and the Central African Republic and Zambia
-approximately 1,400,000 sq. miles
-second longest river in Africa
-fifth longest river in the world
-discharge of 1,500,000 cubic feet of water per second
-consists of freshwater fish that is an important source of protein for the people of central Africa
-best known as a mystical land of mythical beasts, plagues and cannibals
-called “the heart of darkness” by Joseph Conrad
• Atlas Mountains
-located in Tunisia and Morocco
-approximately 1,500 miles
-provides a route between the coast and the Sahara Desert
-lies in northwestern Africa
-highest range found in the southern part of Morocco is called the High Atlas
-highest peak is found in central Morocco which is 11,000 feet
-slopes of the High and Middle atlas have dense forests that include cedar, cork, pine, oak trees
-fertile valleys
-tracts of land where livestock feed
-wide range of mineral deposits that have been rarely touched
-lead, zinc, manganese, iron, antimony, phosphates, gold, silver
-traditionally considered as Berber territory
• Great Rift Valley
-approximately 4,000 miles in length
-expand from the Red Sea area to the South African country of Mozambique
-centuries ago, volcanic eruptions caused chain of geological faults which later created what we call now the Ethiopian Highlands
-also created chains of mountain ridges, perpendicular cliffs, deep lakes, rugged valleys
-Africa’s highest mountains – Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya and Mt. Margherita all front rift valley
-rich source of human fossils that allow the study of human evolution
-bones of hominid (apes) ancestors from modern humans are found
• Nile River
-longest river in the world
-runs about 4,160 miles in length
-drains in the Mediterranean sea
-series of streams, dams, swamps, waterfalls and rapids
-made of major rivers – Albert, Blue, Victoria and White Nile
-average discharge is about 300 million cubic meters per day
-farming, tourism and fishing happens on the Nile River
-you will see traditional Egyptian sailing boats/luxury cruisers traveling up and down
-hundreds of farms along the river, farmers use boats to transfer wheat, cattle, hay, etc.
-fishing is a main source of income and wealth, tons of fish are caught each year
• Sahel
-wide range of land that runs across north-central Africa on the southern edges of the Sahara Desert
-it is the transition zone between tropical places of the south and dry places of the north
-receives very little rain, 6-8 inches a year
-most of the land is a growth of grasses and shrubs
-approximately 2,400 miles
-mainly flat, most of the region lies between 200-400 meters elevation
-home to large populations of endangered mammals
-several kinds of gazelles, cheetahs, lions, African wild dogs, etc.
By Cherry
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What was the name of Captain Beefheart's backing band | Captain Beefheart MIDI Files Backing Tracks | Hit Trax
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What is the capital of The Lebanon | Captain Beefheart — Listen for free on Spotify
Captain Beefheart
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Born Don Vliet, Captain Beefheart was one of modern music's true innovators. The owner of a remarkable four-and-a-half-octave vocal range, he employed idiosyncratic rhythms, absurdist lyrics, and an unholy alliance of free jazz, Delta blues, latter-day classical music, and rock & roll to create a singular body of work virtually unrivaled in its daring and fluid creativity.
While he never came even remotely close to mainstream success, Beefheart's impact was incalculable, and his fingerprints were all over punk, new wave, and post-rock.
Don Vliet was born January 15, 1941 in Glendale, CA (he changed his name to Van Vliet in the early '60s). At the age of four, his artwork brought him to the attention of Portuguese sculptor Augustinio Rodriguez, and Vliet was declared a child prodigy. In 1954, he was offered a scholarship to study in Europe; his parents declined the proposal, however, and the family instead moved to the Mojave Desert, where the teen was befriended by a young Frank Zappa . In time Vliet taught himself saxophone and harmonica, and joined a pair of local R&B groups, the Omens and the Blackouts .
After a semester at college, he and Zappa moved to Cucamonga, CA, where they planned to shoot a film, Captain Beefheart Meets the Grunt People. As the project remained in limbo, Zappa finally moved to Los Angeles, where he founded the Mothers of Invention ; Van Vliet later returned to the Mojave area, adopted the Beefheart name and formed the first lineup of his backing group the Magic Band with guitarists Alex St. Clair and Doug Moon, bassist Jerry Handley, and drummer Paul Blakely in 1964.
In their original incarnation, the Magic Band were a blues-rock outfit who became staples of the teen dance circuit; they quickly signed to A&M Records , where the success of the single "Diddy Wah Diddy" earned them the opportunity to record a full-length album. Comprised of Van Vliet compositions like "Frying Pan," "Electricity," and "Zig Zag Wanderer," label president Jerry Moss rejected the completed record as "too negative," and a crushed Beefheart went into seclusion. After replacing Moon and Blakely with guitarist Antennae Jimmy Semens (born Jeff Cotton) and drummer John "Drumbo" French , the group (fleshed out by guitarist Ry Cooder ) recut the songs in 1967 as Safe as Milk. After producer Bob Krasnow radically remixed 1968's hallucinatory Strictly Personal without Beefheart's approval, he again retired.
At the same time, however, Zappa formed his own label, Straight Records , and he soon approached Van Vliet with the promise of complete creative control. A deal was struck, and after writing 28 songs in a nine-hour frenzy, Beefheart formed the definitive lineup of the Magic Band -- made up of Semens, Drumbo, guitarist Zoot Horn Rollo (born Bill Harkleroad), bassist Rockette Morton (Mark Boston), and bass clarinetist the Mascara Snake (Victor Fleming) -- to record the seminal 1969 double album Trout Mask Replica.
Following 1970's similarly outré Lick My Decals Off, Baby, Beefheart adopted an almost commercial sound for the 1972 releases The Spotlight Kid and Clear Spot. Shortly thereafter, the Magic Band broke off to form Mallard , and Beefheart was dropped by his label, Reprise . After a two-year layoff, he released a pair of pop-blues albums, Unconditionally Guaranteed and Bluejeans and Moonbeams, with a new, short-lived Magic Band ; following another fallow period, 1978's Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) marked a return to the eccentricities of his finest work.
After 1982's Ice Cream for Crow, Van Vliet again retired from music, this time for good; he returned to the desert, took up residence in a trailer, and focused on painting. In 1985, he mounted the first major exhibit of his work, done in an abstract, primitive style reminiscent of Francis Bacon. Like his music, his art won wide acclaim, and some of his paintings sold for as much as $25,000. In the 1990s Van Vliet dropped completely from sight when he fell prey to multiple sclerosis; however, releases like 1999's five-disc Grow Fins box set and the two-disc anthology The Dust Blows Forward maintained his prominence. Van Vliet died of complications from multiple sclerosis on December 17, 2010 in California; he was 69 years old. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
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Who had a U.K. No 1 in the 50's with Dream Lover | Bobby Darin - Dream Lover - YouTube
Bobby Darin - Dream Lover
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Published on Mar 20, 2015
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| Bobby Darin |
What term now describes 500 sheets of paper | Dream Lover - Sydney Lyric Theatre
Dream Lover
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David Campbell returns to the musical theatre stage for the lead role in the World Premiere production of Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical. Exclusive to Sydney!
Starring David Campbell, Caroline O’Connor, Hannah Fredericksen, Bert LaBonte, Martin Crewes and Marney McQueen and directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical), the show presents great hits from the 50s and 60s including Mack The Knife, Beyond the Sea and the multi-million-seller Dream Lover.
Featuring a sensational cast with over 40 on stage including an 18-piece big band, Dream Lover is a big show with a big score and a big heart!
Duration: Approx 2 hours and 30 minutes (including 1 interval).
Age Recommendation: Most suitable for ages 13 and over.
1 of 8: David Campbell | Photo: BrianGeach
2 of 8: David Campbell and ensemble | Photo: BrianGeach
3 of 8: David Campbell & Martin Crewes | Photo: BrianGeach
4 of 8: David Campbell & Hannah Fredericksen | Photo: BrianGeach
5 of 8: Marney McQueen, Bert LaBonte and Caroline O'Connor | Photo: BrianGeach
6 of 8: David Campbell & Hannah Fredericksen | Photo: BrianGeach
7 of 8: Watch Launch Footage
8 of 8: Caroline O’Connor & Kyle Banfield Photo: BrianGeach
Seating
Stalls front rows
Please note that two extra rows have been added for this production that do not appear on the normal Sydney Lyric seating map. The front rows are AAA & BBB as seen on this map .
The producer is not required to provide a refund or exchange where a performance has been made by an understudy in the place of a main performer, provided that you have been made aware of the use of an understudy.
The boys who will alternate in the role of young Bobby Darin are Kyle Banfield, Nicholas Cradock and Brendan Godwin. Also joining the cast in ensemble & swing roles will be Xander Ellis, Matt Hamilton, Andrew Kroenert, Jessica Lindon, Tim Maddren, Phoebe Panaretos, Natasha Paramor, Joshua Robson, Michelle Smitheram, Suzanne Steele, Ellen Sutton, Riley Sutton, Jack Van Staveren and Jayde Westaby.
This musical captures the glamour and passion of the big band era, the Rat Pack in Vegas and the Golden Age of Hollywood – a time of trail-blazing stars, knock-out fashions and life-changing events.
Don’t miss Dream Lover – The Bobby Darin Musical: a true story stranger than fiction and far beyond the song.
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What is the name of the Israeli Intelligence Service | Israeli Intelligence Agencies
Israeli Intelligence Agencies
HaFilosofia shel HaModi'in, by Yitzhak ben Yisrael, Ministry of Defence, Israel, 1999
Secret Israeli database reveals full extent of illegal settlement by Uri Blau, Ha'aretz, February 1, 2009.
| Mossad |
What is the most common surname in the world | Real History and Mossad,the Israeli Secret Service
New York, Wednesday, January 15, 2003
Israel to kill in U.S., allied nations
By Richard Sale
From the Washington Politics & Policy Desk
ISRAEL is embarking upon a more aggressive approach to the war on terror that will include staging targeted killings in the United States and other friendly countries, former Israeli intelligence officials told United Press International.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has forbidden the practice until now, these sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Israeli statements were confirmed by more than a half dozen U.S. foreign policy and intelligence officials in interviews with UPI.
With the appointment of Meir Dagan, the new director Israel's Mossad secret intelligence service, Sharon is also preparing "a huge budget" increase for the spy agency as part of "a tougher stance in fighting global jihad (or holy war)," one Israeli official said.
Since Sharon became Israeli prime minister, Tel Aviv has mainly limited its practice of targeted killings to the West Bank and Gaza because "no one wanted such operations on their territory," a former Israeli intelligence official said.
Another former Israeli government official said that under Sharon, "diplomatic constraints have prevented the Mossad from carrying out 'preventive operations' (targeted killings) on the soil of friendly countries until now."
He said Sharon is "reversing that policy, even if it risks complications to Israel's bilateral relations."
A former Israeli military intelligence source agreed: "What Sharon wants is a much more extensive and tough approach to global terrorism, and this includes greater operational maneuverability."
Does this mean assassinations on the soil of allies?
"It does," he said.
"Mossad is definitely being beefed up," a U.S. government official said of the Israeli agency's budget increase. He declined to comment on the Tel Aviv's geographic expansion of targeted killings.
An FBI spokesman also declined to comment, saying: "This is a policy matter. We only enforce federal laws."
A congressional staff member with deep knowledge of intelligence matters said, "I don't know on what basis we would be able to protest Israel's actions." He referred to the recent killing of Qaed Salim Sinan al Harethi, a top al Qaida leader, in Yemen by a remotely controlled CIA drone.
"That was done on the soil of a friendly ally," the staffer said.
But the complications posed by Israel's new policy are real.
"Israel does not have a good record at doing this sort of thing," said former CIA counter-terrorism official Larry Johnson.
He cited the 1997 fiasco where two Mossad agents were captured after they tried to assassinate Khaled Mashaal, a Hamas political leader, by injecting him with poison.
According to Johnson, the attempt, made in Amman, Jordan, caused a political crisis in Israeli-Jordan relations. In addition, because the Israeli agents carried Canadian passports, Canada withdrew its ambassador in protest, he said. Jordan is one of two Arab nations to recognize Israel. The other is Egypt.
At the time, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, "I have no intention of stopping the activities of this government against terror," according to a CNN report.
Former CIA officials say Israel was forced to free jailed Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmad Yassin and 70 other Jordanian and Palestinian prisoner being held in Israeli jails to secure the release of the two would-be Mossad assassins.
Phil Stoddard, former director of the Middle East Institute, cited a botched plot to kill Ali Hassan Salemeh, the mastermind of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. The 1974 attempt severely embarrassed Mossad when the Israeli hit team mistakenly assassinated a Moroccan waiter in Lillehammer, Norway.
Salemeh, later a CIA asset, was killed in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1976 by a car bomb placed by an Israeli assassination team, former U.S. intelligence officials said.
"Israel knew Salemeh was providing us with preventive intelligence on the Palestinians and his being killed pissed off a lot of people," said a former senior CIA official.
But some Israeli operations have been successful.
Gerald Bull, an Ontario-born U.S. citizen and designer of the Iraqi supergun -- a massive artillery system capable of launching satellites into orbit, and of delivering nuclear chemical or biological payloads from Baghdad to Israel -- was killed in Belgium in March 1990. The killing is still unsolved, but former CIA officials said a Mossad hit team is the most likely suspect.
Bull worked on the supergun design -- codenamed Project Babylon -- for 10 years, and helped the Iraqis develop many smaller artillery systems. He was found with five bullets in his head outside his Brussels apartment.
Israeli hit teams, which consist of units or squadrons of the Kidon, a sub-unit for Mossad's highly secret Metsada department, would stage the operations, former Israeli intelligence sources said. Kidon is a Hebrew word meaning "bayonet," one former Israeli intelligence source said.
This Israeli government source explained that in the past Israel has not staged targeted killings in friendly countries because "no one wanted such operations on their territory."
This has become irrelevant, he said.
Dagan, the new hard-driving director of Mossad, will implement the new changes, former Israeli government officials said.
Dagan, nicknamed "the gun," was Sharon's adviser on counter-terrorism during the government of Netanyahu in 1996, former Israeli government officials say. A former military man, Dagan has also undertaken extremely sensitive diplomatic missions for several of Israel's prime ministers, former Israeli government sources said.
Former Israel Defense Forces Lt. Col. Gal Luft, who served under Dagan, described him as an "extremely creative individual -- creative to the point of recklessness."
A former CIA official who knows Dagan said the new Mossad director knows "his foreign affairs inside and out," and has a "real killer instinct."
Dagan is also "an intelligence natural" who has "a superb analyst not afraid to act on gut instinct," the former CIA official said.
Dagan has already removed Mossad officials whom he regards as "being too conservative or too cautious" and is building up "a constituency of senior people of the same mentality," one former long-time Israeli operative said.
Dagan is also urging that Mossad operatives rely less on secret sources and rely more on open information that is so plentifully provided on the Internet and newspapers.
"It's a cultural thing," one former Israeli intelligence operative explained. "Mossad in the past has put its emphasis on Humint (human intelligence) and secret operations and has neglected the whole field of open media, which has become extremely important."
Regarding Mossad's new policy and budget increase, Kim Farber an Israeli Embassy official said, "There is so little information available on this, there is nothing I can add."
Copyright C 2001-2003 United Press International
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What is the more common name for a ratel | The Honey Badger - F.A.Q
Frequently Asked Questions about the Honey Badger
What do their names mean?
Their scientific name Mellivora capensis mean "honey eater of the Cape", it refers to their well known liking for bee brood and the place where they were first described, The Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. Their other common name -"Ratel" probably refers to the rattling sound they make when they are frightened and was probably taken from the Afrikaans language common in the Cape.
Are honey badgers invincible?
The Honey badger has been referred to as "the meanest animal in the world", and they are often considered to have no enemies, apart from man. However, in reality there are a number of records of them being killed by lion, leopard and on one occasion an African rock python. Some authors suggest that badgers are impervious to bee stings (and even bullets), but badgers have been stung to death by honeybees, particularly when they are caught in apiary traps (Kingdon 1989; personal communications). There is good evidence to suggest that, like other mustelids and viverrids (e.g. mongooses, hog-nosed skunks), badgers are less sensitive to venoms than many other mammals (personal observations). Experts in venom have suggested that honey badgers may develop immunity over their life time after numerous small injetcions of venom from bees, scorpions, and snakes. A badger bitten on the cheek by a pufadder, reacted to the bit and the site swelled up substantially but the badger survived and was active again 5 hours later.
Do Greater honeyguides (bird) lead honey badgers to beehives?
Greater honeyguides (Indicator indicator) are reported to lead badgers to beehives, whereupon the badger breaks open the hive and after feeding, leaves scraps for the bird. This relationship is an often-cited example of mutualism between a bird and a mammal and was first reported by Sparrman in 1786. Variations of this association appear regularly in the literature and the association is widely accepted as fact by the general public. This relationship continues to be a contentious issue amongst ornithologists and has never been comprehensively documented (Dean 1983; Dean et. al. 1990; Macdonald 1994). We have never seen this association despite seeing badgers break into hives on many occasions in areas where honey-guides also exist. We believe honey-guides might follow the badgers rather than the other way around
Do honey badgers emasculate their prey?
Honey badgers are reputed to go for the scrotum when attacking large animals. The first published record of this behaviour was a circumstantial account by Stevenson- Hamilton (1947) where a badger reportedly castrated an adult Buffalo. Other animals alleged to have been emasculated by honey badgers include wildebeest, waterbuck, kudu, zebra and man. This has also been reported by other African tribes, but no direct evidence exists to support this behaviour.
Do honey badgers form "pairs"?
Honey badgers do not form long lasting pair bonds., they are not monogamous and the male does not play a role in rearing offspring. While groups of two or three individuals are frequently sighted, these are not considered to be family groups and usually consist of a number of males traveling together searching for females, or males with a female in oestrus. Males will meet up and compete for a chance to mate with a receptive female during oestrus for a number of days. Juveniles spend an unusually long time with their mothers (14 - 18 months) and this explains why there has been confusion regarding sightings of "pairs". Since honey badgers show sexual size dimorphism with the male substantially larger than the female, male offspring can reach almost twice the size of their mothers before independence. Male honey badgers may also be found in groups consisting of as many as five individuals. There are also records of Honey badgers congregating at an abundant food source.
Can honey badgers "fumigate" a beehive with their scent glands?
We have never observed honey badgers to fumigate beehives with their scent glands, despite the fact that we have seen them break into bee hives on many occasions. Honey badgers release a potent scent when severely threatened. They may release the scent in response to numerous bee stings.
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Where are some of the best places to see honey badgers in the wild?
Due to their fairly small size and solitary, reclusive nature, honey badgers are particularly difficult to see in the wild. While honey badgers are wide spread across most of Africa and beyond, most sightings do not last more than a few minutes, often as an individual trots across a road and disappears into the undergrowth. In South Africa the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park (formerly known as the Kalahari Gemsbok, South Africa) is an excellent area to see honey badgers, especially in the winter when they may forage throughout the day. In Namibia there are frequent sightings in the Etosha National Park, and in Zimbabwe badgers make a habit of raiding tourist camp dustbins during the night in the Mana Pools and Hwange National Parks (Nyamepi and Sinamatella camps). In Kenya, the Tsavo National Park is well known for sightings of honey badgers.
Where can I see honey badgers in captivity?
Honey badgers may be found in the following zoos: Bloemfontein Zoo (South Africa); Howletts Zoo (England); Johannesburg Zoo (South Africa); Zoological Center Tel-Aviv (Israel); Tel-Aviv University Zoo (Israel); Nehru Zoological Park (India); Riyadh Zoological Gardens (Saudi Arabia), Sharjah Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildife, United Arab Emirates, San Diego Zoological Garden, California, USA
How many subspecies of honey badgers are there in the world?
There are reputed to be as many as 10 subspecies of honey badgers, but most of these are based on variations in pelage colour and external characteristics and it suspected that these do not constitute actual subspecies. Genetic analysis is currently being carried out at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Are honey badgers sexually size dimorphic ?
It has been said that there is a lack of any pronounced sexual dimorphism in honey badgers. However, the Mustelid family is characterized by sexual size dimorphism so it is hardly surprising to find that male honey badgers are typically a third larger than females.
Do honey badgers have webbed feet?
Although some authors state that that honey badgers have webbed feet (Estes 1992; Burton 1835; Sclater 1900) there appears to be no evidence to support this. Honey badgers are however considered to be good swimmers (Kingdon 1977).
Why does the honey badger have such a long gestation?
Honey badgers are often reported in the literature to have a gestation of six months, and there are zoo records of 153 and 162 days gestation respectively. Certainly in the southern Kalahari and Israel gestation was recorded as six to eight weeks. It has been suggested that honey badgers have delayed implantation in the northern parts of their range , and this might explain the long gestation found in these zoo records but still needs to be confirmed.
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How many young do badgers have ?
While honey badgers are frequently reported to have litters of more than two cubs (Neal & Cheeseman 1996; Estes 1992), little evidence to substantiate these claims could be found. In the Kalahari only one cub was raised at a time, though badgers have been recorded with two offspring on occasion (Johnstone- Scott 1981; Skinner & Smithers 1990; Rosevear 1974; Fourie pers. comm.).
Can badgers climb trees?
Some authors have suggested that badgers are poor climbers (Cornish 1916; Bryden 1900; Wood 1876) and are therefore unable to reach wild beehives (Dean 1985). However, provided that the surface is rough and wide enough to grasp, adults are competent climbers and in the southern Kalahari have been seen to remove a variety of raptor chicks from their nests, including Whitebacked vultures (Begg & Begg 2000a; Marlow 1983).
Do honey badgers sham death ?
It has been reported that honey badgers will play dead when wounded (Kingdon 1977; Estes 1992). Recently a badger was found lying on the edge of a road in the Phinda Game Reserve (Kwazulu Natal, South Africa). This individual appeared to be dead, but on closer inspection it chased the observer around his vehicle. This badger may have simply recovered from a case of concussion (D. Varty personal communication). No evidence for badgers shaming death were observed in the Kalahari.
Do honey badgers eat carrion ?
Badgers will certainly scavenge from carcasses, leopard kills and baits set by hunters. They are opportunistic carnivores and can also become a nuisance by raiding refuse bins in campsites (e.g. Mana Pools National Park and Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, Kruger National Park, South Africa).
Do honey badgers cache surplus food ?
Badgers have been recorded caching honey comb, spring hares and snakes in the southern Kalahari.
Where can I obtain or buy a honey badger?
In South Africa honey badgers are a specially protected "red data" species and a permit is required to capture or keep one in captivity. They are considered "vulnerable" in the South African Red Data list and are listed on appendix III of the CITES agreement (www.cites.org.za/mammals.html) and cannot be bought as pets. If you are wanting to reintroduce honey badgers into a protected area, it would be best to contact the IUCN's Reintroduction Specialist Group.
How long do honey badgers live?
In captivity honey badgers can live up to 24 years but in the wild are only likely to live 7-8 years, may be less. Old honey badger teeth are badly worn and these individuals are probably more likely to be killed by predators.
| Honey badger |
What was Mr Punch’s advice to young men about to get married | Badass of the Week: Honey Badger (Ratel)
Badass of the Week.
"As tough as a Honey Badger."
- South African saying
In the last couple of weeks, several faithful e-mailers have correctly called me out on the fact that I haven't written about too many badass animals recently. This isn't because there are a shortage of totally awesome, face-rending beasts out there just looking for one good reason to shred your organs with their ultra-sharp claws and then eat your children, or that there aren't plenty of totally-bitchin' Voytek -like war beasts who somehow overcame their lack of prehensile thumbs and received medals, commissions, and military honors for valor in combat, but rather just a simple oversight on my part. So, this week, as I'm sitting here laid up on the couch with a particularly nasty cold/flu/whatever that is kind of kicking my ass, I think there is no better time to write about one of the most vicious, brutal, and throat-crushingly hardcore mammals to ever nut-punch a lion unconscious by swinging a couple King Cobras around like a pair of serpentine nunchucks � the African Honey Badger (also known as the Ratel):
"If you had not committed great sins,
God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."
Now for those of you who are looking at that cute, adorable little angry toothy maw and are thinking to yourselves that this cuddly killing machine would be more fitting as a teddy bear than a murderous demon from the blackest darkness of Lucifer's ballsack, I should mention that the picture above was taken as he was charging a jeep that he thought was invading his territory. He's so fearless that he just doesn't give a crap. Sure, the Honey Badger isn't the hugest guy out there � at three and a half feet long and thirty pounds he's roughly the size of the medium dog, and he kind of looks like a skunk that's cracked-out on PCP, but the Ratel is easily one of the most hardcore creatures plaguing the earth today.
I suppose the best way to begin illustrating my point would be with one of the most badass YouTube videos you'll ever see. I'll preface the clip by disclaiming that this video is NSFW, but only if your workplace frowns on things that make you so pumped up that you want to run out and start tearing your co-workers' jugulars out with your teeth.
For those of you who don't enjoy watching things that are awesome, this video is basically a series of high-quality violence-porn courtesy of the Ratel's chomping jaws. In the span of about three minutes this ferocious furry psycho climbs up into a tree to battle a six-foot cobra thirteen feet above the ground, somehow catches and eats a bird, chases off a leopard, and digs some sweet holes, but by far the most incredible aspect of the clip is when the Honey Badger takes on a super-deadly African Puff Adder. Now, the Puff Adder is one of the most murder-tastic snakes on the entire continent. One of these vipers possesses enough venom to kill 4 or 5 men, and they are so violent, toxic, and aggressive that they routinely account for more human fatalities than any other African snake. But the Honey Badger doesn't give a crap � he comes across a puff adder that is eating a rat, and his first instinct is to run up, grab the rat out of the snake's mouth, carry it a few feet away, and then eat the rat right in front of the snake just to show the adder that he's a bitch. After eating the stolen meal, the Badger than decides, "Screw it, now I'm going to eat this damn snake too." This really takes being an asshole to another level, which is something I can appreciate. The adder and the Ratel fight, and the Honey Badger kills the viper, but not before being bitten in the face and pumped full of enough venom to kill a creature three times its size. The Badger succumbs to the poison, falls unconscious, but then � amazingly � somehow comes back to life and continues devouring the already-half-eaten snake. Are you kidding me?
That's just how Ratel operates. He's been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "The World's Most Fearless Creature" every year since 2002, with no end in sight. A relative of the equally-badass Wolverine, the Honey Badger has no natural predators. This is kind of impressive, since three-foot-long creatures generally don't last long in environments featuring leopards, lions, cheetahs, black mamba snakes, and other savannah beasts, but there you have it. It helps that this thing doesn't screw around when it gets pissed off � the Sir Didimus of wildlife is known to go after anything, anytime, anywhere, and has been known to attack buffalo, humans, wildebeest, jackals, monitor lizards, wild boars, and even lions and cheetahs. If the creature is too huge for the Badger to straight-up eviscerate with its inch-and-a-half long claws or its razor-sharp teeth, the Ratel still knows how to go for the weak spot � the balls. That's right, folks, this thing has been documented as killing male lions by running underneath them and tearing off their scrotums. This is one creature you don't want to go balls-out against.
Explains why this lion is a little hesitant to face off with a pissed-off Ratel.
While chomping balls is fun and all, it's generally not really a good idea to routinely take on predators twice your size if you can help it, so the Honey Badger's primary diet consists of smaller, equally-dangerous creatures that are no less deadly but far more bite-sized. It takes a pretty balls-out animal to routinely eat poisonous snakes, spiders, and scorpions, but the Ratel doesn't give a crap. He also loves honey (which is where the Honey Badger gets his unfortunately-unbadass name) and bee larvae, but his method of getting to them is just as hardcore as he is � he just jams his face into a beehive, and starts eating the baby bees and honey while a bunch of crazy pissed-off bees stab him in the face with their stingers. He doesn't register pain, fear, or any emotion other than anger, and doesn't even seem to noice the hundreds of stab-wounds he's getting all over his hide. It helps that he's heavily armored, with skin that's a quarter of an inch thick (making him somewhat immune to the puny stingers). The thick skin is also cool because loose enough that if another creature bites the Ratel he can still turn around (with the attacker still chomping down) and reposition himself to better bite faces or shred nutsacks. He's so tough that the South African army actually named their heavily-armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle after this voracious predator:
The Ratel-20 is only somewhat more dangerous than the creature it's named after.
It's not every laborador-sized mammal that gets a damned APC named after it, but the Honey Badger isn't your typical member of the Mammalia class. He's a brutal, vicious killer who kicks asses, never backs down, never registers fear, destroys everything in its path and then adorably trots off into the sunset with his prey in his teeth and the severed nutsacks of his enemies still gripped between his dagger-like claws.
It's a badass animal.
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In CB jargon what is a bone box | CB Slang: Bone Box
What does "Bone Box" mean?
A:
If you hear a truck driver say "Bone Box" on their CB radio, it's just another way to say "Ambulance." There are hundreds of other popular CB slang phrases - to learn more, check out the links below or browse the rest of our online CB slang dictionary.
This CB slang dictionary is protected by copyright law. © 2016 Subrio, LLC. All rights reserved. Contact Us
| Ambulance |
Which Russian goldsmith was famous for making jewelled Easter eggs | Appendix:CB slang - Wiktionary
Appendix:CB slang
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CB slang is the distinctive anti-language, argot or cant which developed amongst users of citizens' band radio (CB), especially truck drivers in the USA during the 1980s. [1] It is predominantly masculine and outlaw in nature but its frequent reference to bears gives it a fairytale quality. [2]
CB and its distinctive language started in the USA but was then exported to other countries including Mexico, Germany and Canada. In the French-speaking region of Canada, the cultural defensiveness associated with the French language generated conflict and adaptation of the new loan words. [3]
Contents
Law enforcement officers and their equipment[ edit ]
"Astronaut" – police plane or helicopter
"Bear" – a police officer. The terms "Smokey" & "Bear" are both direct references to Smokey Bear, a character image commonly seen along U.S. highways, as part of warnings not to cause wildfires . He wears a flat-brimmed forest ranger's hat very similar to the hat included in many highway patrol uniforms in the U.S. It also refers to their attitude toward most truckers in general.
"Bear Cave" / "Bear's Den" / "Bear's Lair" – a police station.
"Bear / Smokey in a plain brown wrapper" – a law officer in an unmarked police car. The term "plain white wrapper" is sometimes used, depending on the color of the vehicle.
"Jet Pilot" / "Jet Pilot" – vehicle speeding without CB.
"Bear In the Air" / "Fly in the sky" / "Spy in the sky" – a police aircraft. While state police often use fixed-wing airplanes to monitor highway traffic, "fly" refers specifically to a helicopter .
"Bear In the Grass" / "Smokey in the bush" – a speed trap.
"Bear Taking Pictures" – police with radar.
"Bear With Ears" – a police officer listening to others on the CB
"Blue Bear" a Michigan State Police Trooper
"Black and White" – Highway Patrol.
"Blue Light" / "Blue Light Special" – a law enforcement vehicle, especially with a stopped motorist.
"Boy Scouts" – State Police.
"Camera" – police radar unit.
"Catch Car" – police car past radar set-up.
"Checkpoint Charlie" – Old CB slang for a police checkpoint placed to look for drunk drivers, etc. This looks like a roadblock .
"City Kitty" / "City Bear" – Refers to local law enforcement monitoring a particular stretch of interstate which runs through their jurisdiction.
"County Mountie" – a Sheriff's deputy car.
"Cub Scouts" – Sheriffs' Deputies.
"Diesel Cop" / "D.O.T. Bear" – State department of transportation personnel, usually enforcing weight limits and safety rules ( brakes & tires ).
"Disco Lights" – the flashing emergency lights of a law enforcement vehicle.
" Evel Knievel " – cop on a motorcycle.
"Full-Grown" / "Full Grown Bear" – a state policeman/trooper.
"Got Bit By A Bear" – Received A Ticket.
"Kojak with a Kodak" - a police officer with a radar gun.
"Gum ball machine" / "bubble gum machine" – refers to a popular style of rotating mirror light used by many state police and some other law enforcement agencies at the time, however the term can refer to any law enforcement vehicle. It looked somewhat like the round style of 'penny' gumball machines . It was basically a clear cylinder, like an upside down jar, with lights and a spinning mirror system inside. It was usually mounted on the center of the roof.
"Leo" – short for Law Enforcement Officer
"Local Yokel" / "City Kitty" / "Town Clown" – a law officer with a city or township police force, seldom encountered on interstate highways.
"Mama Bear" / "Honey bear" – a female law enforcement officer.
"Miss Piggy" – a pejorative term for a female law enforcement officer.
"Paper Hanger" – police giving speeding ticket.
"Picture-taker" / "Smokey taking pictures" / "Smokey bear is taking a picture" / "Kojak with a Kodak" – a law officer monitoring traffic with a radar gun . Today, this can also refer to an automated speed camera.
"Polar Bear" – an all-white highway patrol car
"Plain Brown Wrapper" – Unmarked police car (Often referred to by the car's actual color)
"Radio Car" / "Super Trooper" - Either a marked or unmarked state trooper vehicle sporting additional antenna on the trunk or sides of the vehicle.
"Sex Lights" – Got pulled over
"Sky Bear" / "Spy in the sky" – police helicopter.
"Smokey" – a law officer. A "smokey report" is what CB users say when they have information on a law officer, such as location or current activities.
"Smokey on Four Legs" – Royal Canadian Mounted Police .
"Snake In the Grass" – police car radar usually hidden amongst tall cat tails
"Tijuana Taxi" – A marked police car.
"Candy Car" – Highway Patrol Police Car usually with high-visibility Police decals (Australia)
"Flash for Cash" – Speed Camera (Australia)
"Double Bubble"; marked Highway Patrol Police Car. Strobe bars are now used on highway patrol vehicles in all states and territories in Australia, but some regional/country police divisions still use twin blue rotating lights positioned directly above front seat positions, hence the CB slang "Double Bubble".
"Camera Car"; Highway Patrol Police Car in reference to the onboard video camera set up
"Dog Box"; General Duties caged truck/ paddy wagon
"Hairdryer"; Stationary Highway Patrol LIDAR/Radar set up
Trucks and other non-police vehicles[ edit ]
"Aircraft Carrier" – Truck carrying a disassembled aircraft, helicopter or a small plane.
"Anchor Clanker" – Boat trailer.
"Anteater" – a Kenworth T600/T660 tractor, because of the long sloping tilt up hood.
"Baboon Butt" – a Kenworth T2000 tractor, because of the grille styling.
"Band-aid Buggy" / "Body Box" / "Blood Box" / "Bone Box" / "Meat Wagon" – Ambulance.
"Bean" – a Ford Pinto
"Blue Bird" – a Marten Transport truck
"Bob-tail" – a semi-tractor operating without a trailer.
"Bulldog" – a Mack Tractor, noted for the bulldog hood ornament.
"Bullfrog" – An ABF truck
"Bull Rack"/"Cattle Wagon" – Livestock truck.
"Buster Brown" – a United Parcel Service truck.
"Buzzard Truck" – a Stevens Transport truck, because the birds on the truck all face the same direction as if flying in a circle.
"Carlsson Cadillac" – Volvo sedan (reference to Ingvar Carlsson; prime minister of Sweden from 1986 to 1991).
"Cab-over" – term for tractors designed with the cab directly over the engine
"Camper" – a RV , such as a Motorhome. AKA a "Portable House"
"Cheese Wagon" – A school bus. See also "Swiss Cheese Wagon", "Half Cheese, "Little Cheese".
"Chicken Choker" – Poultry truck.
"Church on Wheels" – a bus belonging to a church
"Circus Wagon" – Monfort truck.
"Combat Cadillac" – Flat-fender Jeep.
"Covered Wagon" – a trailer that resembles a Covered Wagon of the old west, normally used for carrying steel rolls.
"Convict Wagon" – Prison Transport used by the Department Of Corrections, terminology is named for the caged wagons used to haul convicts to prison and/or to executions in the US in the 19th century. Usually it is a large bus that is the size of a standard city bus, painted white, has the D.O.C. markings on it, state or Federal markings on it as well.
"Cornbinder"/"Barnyard Buick" – a Navistar International truck (formerly International Harvester).
"Corn Flaker" – (CFI) Consolidated Freight Lines truck.
"Cornfield Cadillac" – a John Deere tractor.
"Cowboy Cadillac" – Coupé utility vehicle.
"Draggin Wagon" – Wrecker.
"Detroit Vibrator" – a Chevrolet tractor
"Firechicken" – Pontiac Firebird
"Fixed Overhauled Reconditioned Dodge" – Ford cars and trucks
"Flag Waver Taxi" – Highway construction truck.
"Flat rack" – flatbed trailer
"Four-wheeler" – While this is commonly used to refer to a four-wheel-drive vehicle (such as a jeep or pickup ), among truck drivers it refers to any vehicle with only 2 axles, as distinguished from an "eighteen-wheeler" (a semi truck).
"Freightshaker" – another term for a Freightliner Trucks tractor
"Half Cheese" – A short school bus, usually for handicapped children.
"Jimmy" – a GMC tractor
"K-Whopper" / "K-Wobbler" / "KW" – a Kenworth Tractor
"Kiddy Car" – Refers to a school bus. Some bus drivers have a CB and will say " Kiddy Car stopping ahead"
"Little Cheese" – A small school bus, usually built on a 1-ton van chassis (aka cutaway).
"Military Carrier"/ "Soldier Man" /"GI-Joe" - Truck carrying Hummers, soldiers, even Tanks , other military equipment.
"Oldsmoslider" – Oldsmobile car or station wagon
"Parking Lot" – A large car hauler (18 wheeler).
"Pay Wagon"/"Piggy Bank" – a armored car, usually full of money as it goes from place to place, then to a bank.
"Pete" / "Petercar" / "Poor Boy" – a Peterbilt Tractor
"Poncho" – Pontiac automobile
"Pie Truck"/"Pollock Express" – (PIE) Pacific Intermountain Express truck.
"Pony Express" – Mail hauler.
"Portable Barn Yard" – Cattle truck.
"Portable Parking Lot" / "Mobile Parking Lot" – a car hauler
"Pregnant Rollerskate" – a Volkswagen Beetle.
"Pumpkin" – a Schneider National, Inc. truck.
"Reefer" – a refrigerated trailer, used for transporting foodstuffs and other perishable cargo.
"Roach Coach" – Lunch wagon
"Rolling refinery"/"Portable Gas Station" – a tank truck carrying fuel.
"Sail Boat" – Viking Freight
"ShakeyLiner" / "Freightshaker" – a Freightliner Trucks tractor.
"Shaggin' Wagon" – Conversion van.
"Shanty Shaker" – Mobile home hauler.
"Skateboard" – a flatbed truck or trailer.
"Suicide jockey" – a truck carrying explosives.
"Super Chickens" – Yellow Freight System trucks.
"Swiss Cheese Wagon" – A school activity bus. So called because they are usually painted white.
"T2 Me Too" – A Peterbilt 387 tractor. Noted for its near clonelike resemblance to the Kenworth T-2000
"Thirteen letter shit spreader" – An International.
"Thermos Bottle" – Driver pulling a chemical trailer
Toy Box Toyota vehicle.
"Weiner Wagon" – a Werner Transport tractor
"Wiggle Wagon/Widowmaker/Set of Joints" – A semi truck pulling two or more trailers in tandem.
"Yard Goat/Yard Mule" – Short truck used for pulling semi-trailers in shipping yards
"Art Bell Town" – Pahrump, Nevada, Art Bell's hometown
"Assville"; Referring to the city of Asheville NC
"Badger Bound" – Wisconsin bound
"Camel City" – Winston-Salem, NC (the home of Reynolds Tobacco)
"Chi Town" – Chicago, Illinois
"Choo Choo Town" – Chattanooga, Tennessee (After the song "Chattanooga Choo-Choo").
"Cigar City" – Tampa, FL
"Cowtown" – Fort Worth, Texas or Columbus, Ohio
"The Dime" – Interstate Highway 10
"Dirty Side" – New York and New Jersey.
" Disney Town"; Anaheim, California and the surrounding areas (After the Disneyland Resort)
"Double Deuce" – U.S. Route 22
"Esky" – Escanaba, Michigan
"Gay Bay" – San Francisco Bay area
"Ghost Town" – Casper, Wyoming (After the cartoon character Casper the Friendly Ghost)
"Hooker City" – Fresno, California
"Hot Lanta" – Atlanta, Georgia
"Mad-Rock" Madison, WI, Rockford, IL Metro areas including Janesville, WI and Beloit, WI. This area is shared by I-90/I-39
"Mickey Mouse Towns" – location of the Walt Disney theme parks
"Mistake On The Lake" – Chicago, Illinois—also Cleveland, Ohio
"Montgomery Burns" – Montgomery, Alabama
"New Jersey Termite" – New Jersey Turnpike
"Glass City" – Toledo, Ohio
"Sewer City" – Sioux City, Iowa, so nicknamed because I-29 ran near infamous Sioux City Stockyards
"Shakeytown" – Los Angeles , so nicknamed because of the earthquakes that occur there
"Sin City" – Las Vegas, Nevada (Also called "Dice City", "Gambling Town", "Lost Wages")
"UFO Central" – Area 51 , other areas known for UFO activity. (Truckers call the area near Rachel, Nevada this, other areas known for UFO activity, such as Phoenix, Arizona)
"The Bluff" – Poplar Bluff, Missouri
"Titletown" – Green Bay, Wisconsin
"Affirmative" – yes. [4]
"A&A" (-politely- Aggravating Agitator) – This term refers to a CB user whose main purpose in life is to stir trouble and cause problems, usually under the influence of alcohol, and/or drugs.
"Alice in Wonderland" – Someone who is lost or seeking directions
"Anchored Modulator" – Base Station
"Anklebiters" – children. [4]
"Buffalo" – a male prostitute, who may be homosexual
"Back Door" – the area behind a vehicle. To say "I got your back door" means that someone is watching another's back. "Knocking at your back door" means approaching from behind.
"Bear Bait" – An erratic or speeding driver. [5]
"Bear Bite" – A speeding ticket.
"Bear with a Customer" – a patrol officer who has pulled someone over
"Big Road" – interstate highway, as opposed to smaller highways and city streets.
"Binders" – air brakes
"Brake check" – a brief traffic slowdown, where traffic flow improves after about a minute or two
"Breaker 1-9" – telling other CB users that you'd like to start a transmission on a channel. May be succeeded by either the channel number, indicating that anyone may acknowledge ("One-nine" refers to channel 19, the most widely used among truck drivers), or by a specific "handle", which is requesting a particular individual to respond. [4]
"Bumper Sticker" – A tailgating vehicle.
"BUSTED!" – You see two or more patrol cars, one other car pulled over, people in cuffs on the ground and/or in the cruiser, which may have a cage in it, the car's contents all over the place, officers searching it (most likely for drugs, weapons). Sometimes the vehicle's tires are flat, after it hit one or more spike strips .
"Cash Box" – refers to a toll booth or toll plaza
"Channel 4 Drunk" – This refers to a chronic alcoholic who spends an extreme amount of time on the CB radio. Interchangeable with the terms Silverfish, Buck, Kool-Aid Man, or Leadfoot. Derived from the Channel Four CB club in Concord, North Carolina.
"Checking My Eyelids for Pinholes" – I'm tired.
"Chicken coop" – a weigh station . "Locked up" / "clean" (ex: "the chicken coop is clean.") means the station is closed.
"Choke and Puke" – Roadside diner (After the poor quality of food at some establishments)
"Coloring Book" or "Comic Book" - A truckers log book. [5]
"Convoy" – a group of 3 or more truckers in a line, usually exceeding the speed limit.
"Come Back" – a request for someone to acknowledge a transmitted message or reply to a question.
"Comedian" – refers to the median between a divided highway.
"Crotch-Rocket Cowboy" – refers to an individual on a sport bike (motorcycle) riding recklessly. Usually used as a warning to other drivers to watch for erratic behaviour.
"Dead-heading" – a truck operating with an empty trailer (see "Hauling fence post holes").
"Dog The Bounty Hunter" or "Dog" - slang for a bounty hunter
"Dirty Dan" - a disgustingly nasty, smelly, unclean, unbathed, and generally unhealthy long haul truck driver who goes weeks or even months without showering.
"Double Nickel" – the 55 mph speed limit for trucks.
"Driver" – a polite form of address used when you don't know someone's on-the-air nickname. (see "handle")
"Drop the hammer down; Pressing the accelerator to full speed
"Ears" – CB radio (ex: "How bout ya JB, got ya ears on?")
"Eaten By a Bear" – Someone who is arrested by police, you can see the arrested person in the patrol car, especially if said patrol car has a "cage" in it.
"Fat Cat" – An overweight truck driver or other burden on society.
"Fender Bender" – a road traffic accident/crash
"Filthy Freddy" or "double F" – an overweight longhaul truck driver or other miscreant of society that goes weeks or even months without bathing. This is the male counterpart of the "hungry heifer".
"Flash For Cash" speed camera
"Flatlander" - Refers to someone from the city, usually a derogatory term used by mountain folk or a mountain resident such a "roncpp", etc.
"Flip-flop" / "Flip-side" – the return leg of a trip. (ex: "Catch you on the flip-flop" means "I'll contact you again on the way back.")
"Four" – short for the ten code 10-4, which means acknowledged, okay, etc.
"4-10" – A reversal of the ten code "10-4", when asking if someone agrees with something said, or to ask if one's transmission was received. ("That was a nasty wreck. Four-ten?")
"Four Wheel Phone Booth" – Someone using a cell phone while driving. Several states in the US and countries have outlawed this, but it still goes on.
"Front Door" – the leader of a convoy , or the area ahead of a vehicle.
"Gator" / "Alligator" – a large piece of a truck tire's tread in the roadway. The name comes from the tire tread's resemblance to the scaly ridges of an alligator's back, or the propensity for these pieces of tread to be drawn up between the cab and trailer by the air currents of a truck at highway speeds "like a snapping gator", and sever the air brake lines between the tractor and the trailer. Most newer trucks have shield plates designed to prevent this.
"Gator Guts" – Smaller pieces of shredded tire usually preceding a larger piece of "gator" or "gator back".
"Go-go juice" / "Motion Lotion" / "Pusholine" – fuel (usually diesel, since large trucks seldom run on gasoline.)
"Good Buddy" – In the 1970s, this was the stereotypical term for friend on CB radio a fellow buddy of yours. [1] [2] [4]
"Good Neighbor" – this has replaced "good buddy" as the acceptable term for friend.
"Got your ears on?" – asking the receiver if they are on the air and listening.
"Grocery Grabber" – a Minivan.
"Hacker" – person or individual operating a radio transmission without regard for standard rules or etiquette.
"Hamburger Helper" – Power amplifier / Linear, used to boost the transmission power.
"Hammer Lane" – the far left lane (fast lane).
"Handle" – the nickname a CB user uses in CB transmissions. Other CB users will refer to the user by this nickname. To say "What's your handle?" is to ask another user for their CB nickname. [4]
"Hang around Nellie" – A repulsively obese woman that hangs around truckstops looking for a man.
" Harvey Wallbanger " – a driver who appears to be drunk or is driving recklessly.
"Hauling fence post holes" / "Hauling sailboat fuel" / "Hauling dispatcher brains" / "Hauling Volkswagen radiators" – hooked to an empty trailer.
"Hitting the jackpot" – Getting stopped by a state trooper. Lights on trooper cars look like slot machine lights.
"How 'bout ya?" – a query used when seeking another, usually followed by their CB handle, or some other identifier if you don't know their handle.
"How many candles are you burning?" – Asking how old someone is.
"Hungry Heifer" – A grossly overweight female one meets over the CB. Usually lacks any type of personal hygiene.
"I'm / We gone" – indicates that one is finished transmitting and may not be listening to the conversation any longer, or may be traveling out of receiving range. Equivalent to "Signing off", "Out", or "Clear" in formalized radio voice procedure.
"Illini Bound" Illinois bound traffic also known as "Lincoln Bound"
"Jabber" "Jabber"/"Jabbering Idiot"/"Babble" "Babble"/Babbling Idiot" – Someone using foreign language on the CB. US law does not forbid other languages on the radio [6] .
"Jake brake" – Jacobs engine retarder brake used to help slow rigs on down grades. Now used to mean any similar system uses engine compression to hold back a rig on a down grade (i.e. the pac brake = pacific engine brake). Both make a loud roaring sound. Some townships have bylaws in place that limit the use of such brakes in residential or other areas due to this noise.
"Jibber Jabber on Channel 9" – someone using foreign language on Channel 9, which is not illegal. Channel 9 on the CB is supposed to be used only to report emergencies, such as an overturned truck, fire, criminal matters, related matters.
"Joke book"\comic book\lie book – A trucker's log book
"Key Up" – To engage the microphone button. ex: "When did you key up your mike last?
"Kick a Tire" / "Watering the Tires" – to urinate using the quadruple tractor or trailer tires.
"Kick It In" – what the person who is being called will say on his radio as a response. (for example: "How 'bout 'cha Blue Beard. You got a copy on Shamrock?" "This is Blue Beard. Kick it in.")
"Kicker" / "Boots" / "Shoes" – a Linear Amplifier that is used to boost the transmitting power of a CB Radio above the legal four watts.
"Limo Liberal" / "Richie Roach" – Someone in a limousine. Taken from comments made by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity regarding liberals riding in limousines.
"Lincoln Bound" Illinois bound Traffic, not Chicago.
"Lot Lizard" – prostitute , especially one that frequents truck stops.
"O.L." – Wife ("Old Lady")
"O.M." – Husband ("Old Man")
"OOOOOPS" – An obnoxious to get attention for purposes of being informative. Word said on CB referring to an accident or a police traffic stop, "Oooops at the 49."
"Office on Wheels" – Office workers using the car as an office while in traffic.
"Organ Donor" – a civilian motorcyclist, especially one without a helmet, usually driving erratically and/or under the influence.
"Outbander"/"Freebander" – One who operates an illegally modified CB radio, often broadcasting outside the regulated frequencies.
"Over and Out" – phrase meaning the CB'er is stopping talking and either turning the CB off or going to another channel.
"Pickle Park" – an interstate rest area frequented by prostitutes.
"Pill" – a power transistor in an illegal linear amplifier.
"Put the Hammer Down" / "Put the pedal to the metal" – Slang for flooring the accelerator.
"Raking the Leaves" – Refers to the last person in the convoy, who would watch out for troopers coming from behind
"Ratchetjaw" – An obnoxious person talking non-stop and saying nothing
"Re-Power" – Term referring to a truck taking a load from another truck that cannot make the destination. This is usually done if the original truck has broken down, the previous driver has run out of hours, or if the load has a long way to go and needs a team that can run with the load 24/7 and to get the load to the destination faster.
"Road Ho"/ "Road Juliet" – Refers to a female escort usually found at truck stops and rest areas.
"Road Pizza" – an animal that has been run over and flattened on the pavement.
"Rubber duck" – the first vehicle in a convoy. [4]
"Rubbernecker" – Vehicles that further slow down or impede already congested traffic by rotating their heads 180 degrees to view the accident or traffic incident and not paying attention to the road ahead.
"Sandbagging" – a term used to describe the activity of a person not participating in conversation but listening only, despite having the capability of speaking. This is not the same as listening in using a simple receiver, as the person doing this activity can transmit using the two-way radio, but chooses not to. [8] [9] It is done to monitor people for entertainment or for gathering information about the actions of others. Often CBer’s will sandbag to listen to others' responses to their previous input to a conversation, sometimes referred to a "reading the mail." [10]
"Schneider Eggs" – Orange barrels filled with sand at construction sites to serve as a protective barrier for construction workers against moving traffic. The term is a reference to Schneider, a large trucking company known for its orange-painted trucks.
"Seat Cover" – an attractive female passenger in a vehicle.
"Shaking the Trees" – Refers to the person in the lead in a convoy, watching out for troopers up ahead.
"Sidebander" – A CB operator whose rig is designed to operate in upper and lower sideband frequencies of the CB channels
"Sleeper Leaper" – see Lot Lizard
"Steak on the Grill" / "Put a steak on the grill" – to hit a cow.
"Suds and Mud" – Beer and coffee (with cream/milk in it), served at some truck stops and restaurants .
"Suicide Jockey" – A trucker hauling explosives
"Super Bowl" – Channel 6 (27.025 MHz). A popular channel for skip shooters using high powered amplifiers.
"Super Slab" – a slang term for a multi-lane highway
"Swindle Sheet" – a trucker's log book
"Tandems" – the rear wheels on a trailer
"10-4" – Affirmative. Can also be used to denote agreement ("That's a big 10-4.")
"10-10" – CB operator will stop broadcasting, but will continue to listen ("I'm 10-10 on the side.")
"10-20" (more often simply "20") – Denotes location, as in identifying one's location ("My 20 is on Main Street and First"), asking the receiver what their current location is ("What's your 20?"), or inquiring about the location of a third person ("OK, people, I need a 20 on Little Timmy and fast").
"10-100" (polite) – Taking a bathroom break, especially on the side of the road.
"10-200" – "Police needed at ..."
"01" – Term referring to the first stop on a load, or first pick up location.
"02,03,04,etc." – Terms referring to the stops in order of their occurrence on a load. 02 would be second stop, 03 is the third, and so on.
"99" – Term referring to the final stop or destination of a load.
"TK" / "Unit" – Thermo King; refrigerated unit on the front of a trailer
"Toilet Mouth" / "Potty mouth" – someone using profanity, obscene language on the air (on-air profanity is generally frowned upon within the CB community).
"The Curve" I-90 & I-39 interchange; I-90 turn north at Rockford, IL
"Tricycle Motor" – Young child (Also, "Crumb-Cruncher", "Curtain Climber", "Rugrat")
"Truckstop Hookup" – A short term date of sorts.
"Truck Stop Tommy" – A pimp of sorts who specializes in getting truckers illegal services and/or drugs.
"Twenty" – See "10-20".
"Twister Tracker" – Someone who is chasing tornadoes, other storms.
"Willy Weaver" – A driver who is weaving, due to lack of sleep or excess of alcohol. [11]
"XYL" – Older woman ("Ex-Young Lady") - could also be a wife.
"YL" – Attractive woman ("Young Lady") - could also be a girlfriend.
"You Ass Eh" – The U.S.A.
| i don't know |
What is the shortest word in English to contain ABCDEand F | What is the shortest word in the English language that contains the letters: abcdef? Part II
What is the shortest word in the English language that contains the letters: abcdef? Part II
14-01-2010 by Kelvin Gillen
Firstly (a belated) Happy New Year to All 🙂 Where did that decade go eh? But good to see so many ‘goal’ orientated posts on Bloggertone to help us all get started on the right foot for the next one.
In the last post we looked at feedback and why many people are afraid of same and also how this fear can cause unproductive or even destructive behaviour patterns if not addressed.
In order to actually take feedback onboard, as opposed to just listen to it, it generally involves change of some description – this makes it less of a technical problem (applying the knowledge/skillset we already have) and more of an adaptive challenge which requires a change through people’s priorities, beliefs, habits or loyalties i.e. it requires learning or re-learning.
There are many adaptive techniques, but I’ll just look a couple of them here and how the can be leveraged to try and manage our typical emotional knee jerk reaction to feedback.
– Conduct Courageous Conversations – This one is with yourself, recognise your emotions and responses – understand that you are experiencing fear and recognising that you are the responding with unproductive behaviours is the first critical step towards adaptive change
– Getting on the Balcony – See what’s going on outside your normal range of vision. Step back from the action and see yourself as others would see you. Try and observe the nuances of these interactions – this is a very effective proxy for the feedback you’ll get.
– Reframing Reality – You may not be able to change the situation, but you should be able to change the way you think and feel about it. Rather than dreading the upcoming review, consciously try and build a positive expectation around it – look forward to understanding what opportunities for improvement may be discussed.
– Thinking and Acting Politically – Change is difficult to go alone, so find supporters – people who will listen, encourage and offer help.
– Knowing your Bandwith – Even with the best will in the world there is only so much we can accomplish at any one time – break up the feedback ( or resulting actions ) into manageable pieces – personally I often find it best to start with the easiest task just to get the momentum going.
Remember adaptive change is experimental and involves a longer timeframe than technical problem solving, it can also often cause some disequilibrium but the results are nearly always worth the effort. Who knows hopefully you’ll soon be proactively asking others for feedback!!
What about you? are there techniques ( adaptive or otherwise ) that you have found of benefit in taking feedback on board? and are willing to share?
| Feedback |
Whose autobiography was entitled The Naked Civil Servant | Language Trivia
Word Wise > Speaking of Language
Language Trivia
"Euouae," a medieval music term, is the longest word in English that contains only vowels. It’s also the word with the most consecutive vowels.
"Screeched," which means to make a harsh sound, is the longest one-syllable word in English.
"Unprosperousness", meaning not wealthy or profitable, is the longest word in English in which each letter is used at least two times.
The words "facetiously," "abstemiously," and "arseniously," each contain all six vowels (including “y”) in alphabetical order. The word "duoliteral" contains all five vowels (not including “y”) in reverse alphabetical order.
At 45 letters, "pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis," which refers to a lung disease, is often considered the longest word in English.
"Feedback" is the shortest word in English that has the letters a, b, c, d, e, and f.
"Floccinaucinihilipilification," is the longest word in English that does not contain letter “e”
No words in English rhyme with: "month," "orange," "silver," or "purple."
“Q” is the only letter that does not occur in any of the U.S. state names.
"Maine" is the only U.S. state whose name is just one syllable.
"Bookkeeper" is the only English word that has three consecutive double letters.
The word “therein” contains only seven letters, but it contains 10 words that can be formed using consecutive letters: the, there, I, he, in, rein, her, here, ere, herein.
The sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” is a pangram, which is a sentence that uses every letter of the alphabet.
"United Arab Emirates," a small country in the Middle East, is made up of alternating vowels and consonants. It is the longest name of a country whose letters do that.
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What was the name of Long John Silver’s parrot | Long John Silver (Treasure Island) | Villains Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
Long John Silver (Treasure Island)
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Evil-doer
Leadership, scheming, fighting skills, cunning
Hobby
Type of Villain
Pirate
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Contents
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Profile
In Treasure Island, Long John Silver is a pirate who was quartermaster under the notorious Captain Flint . Long John Silver had a pet parrot called Captain Flint, often seen sitting on his shoulder where she would nibble on seeds. A quartermaster on a pirate ship ranked higher than any officer except the captain himself, and could veto the captain's decisions whenever the ship was not in a battle. The quartermaster was elected by the crew and one of his tasks was to lead the boarding party from the quarterdeck during boarding attacks. Silver claims to have served in the Royal Navy and lost his leg under "the immortal Hawke". "His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. He was very tall and strong, with a face as big as a ham - plain and pale, but intelligent and smiling." He claims to have been the only man whom Flint ever feared. Like many of Stevenson's characters, there is more than a modicum of duality in the character; ostensibly Silver is a hardworking and likable seaman, and it is only as the plot unfolds that his villainous nature is gradually revealed. His relationship with Jim Hawkins, the novel's protagonist, is interesting, as he serves as a mentor and eventually father-figure to Jim, creating much shock and emotion when it is discovered that he is in charge of the mutiny, and especially when Jim must confront and fight him later on. Although willing to change sides at any time in the interests of his own survival, Silver has compensating virtues: he is wise enough to pay attention to money management, in contrast to the spendthrift ways of most pirates, and is physically courageous despite his disability; for instance, when Flint's cache is found to be empty, he coolly stands his ground against five grown men despite having only Hawkins to back him.
Historians have noted that Silver's account of his life experiences during the first half of the 18th century is at variance with the known history of the historical figures he mentions, and that Silver is either exaggerating the range and scope of his exploits for the benefit of Jim Hawkins or for potential pirates he is trying to recruit, or his memory is faulty.
When Silver escapes at the end of the novel, he takes "three or four hundred guineas" of the treasure with him, thus becoming one of only two former members of Captain Flint's crew to get his hands on a portion of the recovered treasure; a separate cache of bar silver is apparently left on the island. (The repentant maroonee Ben Gunn is the other, but he spends all 1,000 pounds in nineteen days.) Jim's own ambivalence towards Silver is reflected in the last chapter, when he speculates that the old pirate must have settled down in comfortable retirement: "It is to be hoped so, I suppose, for his chances of comfort in another world are very small."
Stevenson's portrayal of Silver has greatly influenced the modern iconography of the pirate. Silver has a parrot, named Captain Flint in mockery of his former captain, who generally perches on Silver's shoulder, and is known to chatter pirate phrases like "Pieces of Eight," and "Stand by to go about." Silver uses the parrot as another means of gaining Jim's trust, by telling the boy all manner of exciting stories (many of them likely fake) about the parrot's buccaneer history. "'Now that bird,' Silver would say, 'is, may be, two hundred years old, Hawkins - they live forever mostly, and if anybody's seen more wickedness it must be the devil himself. She's sailed with England- the great Cap'n England, the pirate. She's been at Madagascar, and at Malabar, and Surinam, and Providence, and Portobello ... She was at the boarding of the Viceroy of the Indies out of Goa, she was, and to look at her you would think she was a babby."
He is married to a woman of African descent, whom he trusts to manage his business affairs in his absence and to liquidate his Bristol assets when his actions make it impossible for him to go home. He confides in his fellow pirates, that he and his wife plan to rendezvous after the voyage to Skeleton Island is complete and Flint's treasure is recovered, at which point Silver will retire to a life of luxury.
According to Stevenson's letters, the idea for the character of Long John Silver was inspired by his real-life friend William Henley, a writer and editor. Stevenson's stepson, Lloyd Osbourne, described Henley as "...a great, glowing, massive-shouldered fellow with a big red beard and a crutch; jovial, astoundingly clever, and with a laugh that rolled like music; he had an unimaginable fire and vitality; he swept one off one's feet". In a letter to Henley after the publication of Treasure Island Stevenson wrote: "I will now make a confession. It was the sight of your maimed strength and masterfulness that begot Long John Silver...the idea of the maimed man, ruling and dreaded by the sound, was entirely taken from you".
Modern portrayals
Actors who have portrayed Long John Silver in the various motion picture adaptations of Treasure Island include Wallace Beery, Ivo Garrani, Orson Welles, Charlton Heston, Eddie Izzard, Lance Henriksen, Robert Newton, Anthony Quinn, Tim Curry, Jack Palance, Brian Murray, Oleg Borisov, Boris Andreyev and British actor Ivor Dean in a televised version of the novel. Robert Newton followed up his two Long John Silver movies with an Australian-produced TV series.
BBC1 has presented the story four times, with Anthony Quinn, Bernard Miles, Peter Vaughan and Alfred Burke, respectively, as Long John Silver.
In the Soviet animated film Treasure Island of 1988, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan provided the voice talent for John Silver.
Ivor Dean played the character in an acclaimed European 4-part mini-series in 1966. He intended to reprise the role in another series with more adventures of Silver. He began writing it with director Robert S. Baker, but his sudden death in 1974 stopped all further plans. In 1985, this script was used as foundation for a Disney 10-part TV-series called Return to Treasure Island, starring Brian Blessed in the role of Long John Silver.
John Silver was also the protagonist in Björn Larsson's fictional autobiography of the character, Long John Silver: the True and Eventful History of My Life of Liberty and Adventure As a Gentleman of Fortune and Enemy to Mankind ( ISBN 1-86046-538-2 respectively 91-7263-285-2). The novel was first published in Sweden in 1995.
Silver is the main character in Silver—My Own Tale As Told By Me With A Goodly Amount Of Murder by Edward Chupack ( ISBN 978-0-312-53936-8 ).
In popular culture
John Silver (left) is portrayed as a cyborg in Disney's Treasure Planet.
In anime and manga
The 1978 Japanese series Takarajima, he is portrayed as a tall blond man.
In film and television
John Silver is depicted in L'ile aux tresors, a movie by Alain Berberian; the cast includes Gerard Jugnot and Alice Taglioni.
Long John Silver in USSR movie Treasure Island.
In 1988, in USSR movie Treasure Island, Long John Silver was voiced by Armen Jigarxanyan.
Tim Curry portrayed Long John Silver in the 1996 film Muppet Treasure Island.
Long John Silver is voiced by Jim Cummings in the movie The Pagemaster.
Long John Silver as he appear in The Pagemaster.
The 2002 Disney film Treasure Planet, an animated science fiction adaptation of Treasure Island, depicts John Silver as a cyborg, voiced by Brian Murray.
Hector Barbossa from Pirates of the Caribbean is similar to Long John Silver. He owned a monkey named after his previous captain Jack Sparrow, and was referred to as the "one-legged man" in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
In the Animated UK Series, The Legends of Treasure Island, Long John Silver, who is portrayed as a fox in that series, was voiced by Richard E. Grant in Season 1 and Rob Brydon in Season 2.
In literature
Long John Silver is a Franco-Belgian comics series written by Xavier Dorison, illustrated by Mathieu Laufray and published by Dargaud in French and Cinebook in English.
John Silver, a fictional space pirate with mechanical leg who appears in the Italian comic book Nathan Never, was inspired by Long John Silver.
According to J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan, Captain Hook was the only man whom Silver ever feared.
Flint and Silver is a prequel novel to Treasure Island written by John Drake.
In music
The rock band Jefferson Airplane had a song and 1972 album named Long John Silver.
Jethro Tull's song "Mother Goose" (on the Aqualung album) references the title character as well as four and twenty laborers, concluding with the line, "and I don't believe they knew that I was Long John Silver."
In other uses
A restaurant chain, Long John Silver's, is named after the character.
Further reading
Elwin, Malcolm. (1939). Old gods falling. New York: The Macmillan Company.
Karg, Barbara; Spaite, Arjean. (2007). The everything pirates book : a swashbuckling history of adventure on the high seas, Avon, Mass. : Adams Media. ISBN 978-1-59869-255-6
Prince, Alison. (1994). Kenneth Grahame : an innocent in the Wild Wood, London : Allison & Busby. ISBN 978-0-85031-829-6
Stevenson, Robert Louis; Colvin, Sidney, Sir. (1899). Letters to his family and friends, New York : Charles Scribner's Sons.
| Captain Flint |
Who was the lead singer with the Dave Clarke Five | Treasure Island's Long John Silver was based on a real man who was WELSH | Daily Mail Online
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It's a twist worthy of any great adventure story – Long John Silver was based on a Welsh adventurer in the West Indies, researchers claim.
They say that Robert Louis Stevenson modelled his classic novel Treasure Island on the lives of Owen and John Lloyd, brothers born in the town of Rhuddlan, North Wales.
Owen is believed to have sailed to the West Indies and went on to bury 52 chests of Spanish silver pieces of eight on the deserted Norman Island, part of the British Virgin Islands.
And John had a wooden leg – just like the book’s famous character.
Memorable: Long John Silver (left, as portrayed by Eddie Izzard) is the most iconic character from Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, right
The men initially carved out careers as respected merchant captains, but turned to piracy when a storm forced a stricken Spanish galleon filled with booty to seek refuge in the American seaport of Ocracoke in 1750.
The pair, who had bitter experience at the hands of the Spaniards in what was called King George’s War, exacted their revenge by sailing away with the treasure.
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Following a nine-year investigation, author John Amrhein is adamant that the brothers, who were born near the resort of Rhyl, were the inspiration for Stevenson’s famous book.
His claims contradict the long-held belief that Stevenson’s pirate was based on his close friend, the poet and editor William Henley, who also had one leg.
Mr Amrhein points out that the date on the Treasure Island map matches the month and year of the Ocracoke raid, and the book’s notorious Captain Flint appears to be named after the pair’s home county of Flintshire.
Influence: Long John Silver, inspiration for the popular Pirates of the Caribbean series, may have his origins in North Wales
He said: ‘There would be no Pirates of the Caribbean without Treasure Island, and there would be no Treasure Island without the daring theft of Spanish treasure at Ocracoke.
‘I re-read Treasure Island and was reminded that Stevenson’s Treasure Island contained a map dated August 1750 – it was in August of 1750 that the hurricane brought the galleon of Juan Manuel Bonilla to Ocracoke.’
Mr Amrhein, who lives near Ocracoke in North Carolina, enlisted the help of a team of researchers, including staff at the National Library of Wales.
He said: ‘Llona Jones at the National Library of Wales made the connection of John and Owen Lloyd hailing from Rhuddlan. In London, in the Admiralty records, we found John Lloyd giving his age and birthplace – Wales.
Fierce: The vicious pirate, played by Orson Welles in the 1972 film of Treasure Island, may have been based on a pair of buccaneering brothers
‘In the archives of the Netherlands we found the testimony of Owen Lloyd about the stolen treasure. He stated his age, birth month, and that he was born in Wales.’
Maggi Blythin, a genealogist who lives in Rhuddlan, was astonished to hear of the possible link to her home town, and after examining local archives found proof showing the two brothers had been born there.
She said: ‘Owen and John’s father Vincent died in Rhuddlan and so we didn’t find out an awful lot more after that. They had eight children and Owen and John were born in Rhuddlan.
‘I think it is very likely that Robert Louis Stevenson was influenced by their story.’ Mr Amrhein’s findings, which are detailed in his book, Treasure Island: The Untold Story, undermines the theory that Stevenson modelled Long John Silver – who was famously portrayed on- screen by Robert Newton – on William Henley.
Henley, who had his left leg amputated as a child, was described by Stevenson’s stepson as having ‘a big red beard and a crutch’ and being ‘jovial’ and ‘astoundingly clever, with a laugh that rolled like music’.
The Monterey Historical Society in America, which aims to preserve the historical past of the United States, has backed Mr Amrhein’s work.
Back in Britain, Neil Ross of Edinburgh’s Robert Louis Stevenson Club, said: ‘It is certainly a very interesting theory and shouldn’t be discounted, although the model for Long John Silver is traditionally thought to have been William Henley.
He suggested Mr Amrhein’s book ‘sounds like something Stevenson fans worldwide will be seeking out’.
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Who was the first coloured player to captain England at football | Football: Shy pioneer plays down his place in history | Football | The Guardian
Shy pioneer plays down his place in history
Thirty years ago tomorrow Viv Anderson became England's first black player
In 1978, Viv Anderson became the first black player to play for England. Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images
Thursday 27 November 2008 19.01 EST
First published on Thursday 27 November 2008 19.01 EST
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Yellow, purple or black - if they're good enough, I'll pick them," Ron Greenwood declared in the build-up to England's match against Czechoslovakia on November 29 1978, and in the absence of any yellow and purple players in the Football League the meaning was fairly clear. That night, 11 men wearing England shirts lined up on the Wembley turf, 10 of them white and one of them black. It was, as Greenwood put it, "a little bit of history".
England won 1-0 but in the grand scheme of things the game will be remembered for only one thing: the presence of a 22-year-old Nottingham Forest footballer named Viv Anderson. Anderson, or "Spider" as he was known to team-mates because of his long legs, duly became the first black footballer to play for England and that is why his name will be remembered long after other internationals from that era have been forgotten.
Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary and Anderson, now based in Cheshire where he runs an events company, still looks the same as in his playing days with Forest, Arsenal and Manchester United. He has always been a little embarrassed to be described as a history-maker, but, as an active ambassador for Kick It Out, football's anti-racism campaign, he is also aware of the significance of the occasion.
"It was a really big thing at the time," he says. "There were no black faces on the football field. OK, there was Brendon Batson and Clyde Best and a few others. But to be the first black player to pull on an England shirt in a full international - I can see why people made a bit of a fuss."
Kick It Out did not exist in those days and Anderson routinely played at grounds where the National Front would be handing out leaflets. In one game at Carlisle United, a rival player started whispering racist insults in his ear. Brian Clough was quickly out of his dug-out, telling him to kick his opponent and "call him a white bastard".
Things have moved on. Yet Anderson fondly remembers the 92,000 fans at Wembley giving him an appreciative round of applause. "I had a hand in the goal and we won 1-0," he says. "I remember Bob Latchford telling me I'd remember it forever and he was right. It was a very positive reaction from the terraces. To them, it was all about the football."
Three decades later it is a measure of the changing times that England had seven black players making an appearance in their last game against Germany.
"Many of today's younger England fans will take for granted the black faces in Fabio Capello's team," says Piara Powar, the Kick it Out director.
"But in 1978 it was a rarity to see a young black man achieving so highly, both on the football pitch and society in general. This is a milestone for Viv, and gives the rest of us an opportunity to take stock of a significant turning point for sport in this country."
Anderson, however, is a modest hero. "I never had it that bad," he says. "It was a lot easier for me than, say Laurie Cunningham or Cyrille Regis. They were flamboyant forwards so they were identified much more. Cyrille got a bullet through the post with the message: 'This one's for you if you play for England'. I never got anything like that because I was just a defender who used to boot people."
Modest and affable, Anderson now features on the 100 Great Black Britons website. He was awarded an MBE in 2000 and was inducted into the National Football Museum's hall of fame in 2004. He has also taken part in football workshops in Soweto as a goodwill ambassador for the Football Association and, going back to 1978, still has the telegrams he received "from everyone from Laurie Cunningham's mum to Elton John and the Queen". It is, he says, a proud moment. "I played in an age where it wasn't the norm for a black man to represent his country so to do it not just once, but 30 times, is more than I could've ever asked for."
Black milestones
Arthur Wharton, Preston North End
The world's first professional black player. Born in the Gold Coast (Ghana) in 1865, played for Darlington as a keeper in 1885-86 and joined North End the following season, reaching an FA Cup semi-final. Also played on the wing
Andrew Watson, Queen's Park
Born 1857 in British Guiana, played 36 games for the Spiders, winning the Cup in 1881. Three Scotland caps, captaining them against England
Albert Johanneson, Leeds United
South Africa-born, followed his countryman Gerry Francis over to Leeds and signed in 1961. In 1965 became first black FA Cup finalist
Laurie Cunningham, WBA
Became first black player to play for England at any level when he turned out for the U21s v Scotland in April 1977. Scored and won six full caps
Garth Crooks, Tottenham H
First to score in an FA Cup final, in 1981, and in 1988 became first black chairman of the PFA
Paul Ince, Man United
England's first black captain, in June 1993, when David Platt was injured. Lost 2-0 to the US but captained side on six more occasions
| Paul Ince |
What is John in Russian | Football: Shy pioneer plays down his place in history | Football | The Guardian
Shy pioneer plays down his place in history
Thirty years ago tomorrow Viv Anderson became England's first black player
In 1978, Viv Anderson became the first black player to play for England. Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images
Thursday 27 November 2008 19.01 EST
First published on Thursday 27 November 2008 19.01 EST
Share on Messenger
Close
Yellow, purple or black - if they're good enough, I'll pick them," Ron Greenwood declared in the build-up to England's match against Czechoslovakia on November 29 1978, and in the absence of any yellow and purple players in the Football League the meaning was fairly clear. That night, 11 men wearing England shirts lined up on the Wembley turf, 10 of them white and one of them black. It was, as Greenwood put it, "a little bit of history".
England won 1-0 but in the grand scheme of things the game will be remembered for only one thing: the presence of a 22-year-old Nottingham Forest footballer named Viv Anderson. Anderson, or "Spider" as he was known to team-mates because of his long legs, duly became the first black footballer to play for England and that is why his name will be remembered long after other internationals from that era have been forgotten.
Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary and Anderson, now based in Cheshire where he runs an events company, still looks the same as in his playing days with Forest, Arsenal and Manchester United. He has always been a little embarrassed to be described as a history-maker, but, as an active ambassador for Kick It Out, football's anti-racism campaign, he is also aware of the significance of the occasion.
"It was a really big thing at the time," he says. "There were no black faces on the football field. OK, there was Brendon Batson and Clyde Best and a few others. But to be the first black player to pull on an England shirt in a full international - I can see why people made a bit of a fuss."
Kick It Out did not exist in those days and Anderson routinely played at grounds where the National Front would be handing out leaflets. In one game at Carlisle United, a rival player started whispering racist insults in his ear. Brian Clough was quickly out of his dug-out, telling him to kick his opponent and "call him a white bastard".
Things have moved on. Yet Anderson fondly remembers the 92,000 fans at Wembley giving him an appreciative round of applause. "I had a hand in the goal and we won 1-0," he says. "I remember Bob Latchford telling me I'd remember it forever and he was right. It was a very positive reaction from the terraces. To them, it was all about the football."
Three decades later it is a measure of the changing times that England had seven black players making an appearance in their last game against Germany.
"Many of today's younger England fans will take for granted the black faces in Fabio Capello's team," says Piara Powar, the Kick it Out director.
"But in 1978 it was a rarity to see a young black man achieving so highly, both on the football pitch and society in general. This is a milestone for Viv, and gives the rest of us an opportunity to take stock of a significant turning point for sport in this country."
Anderson, however, is a modest hero. "I never had it that bad," he says. "It was a lot easier for me than, say Laurie Cunningham or Cyrille Regis. They were flamboyant forwards so they were identified much more. Cyrille got a bullet through the post with the message: 'This one's for you if you play for England'. I never got anything like that because I was just a defender who used to boot people."
Modest and affable, Anderson now features on the 100 Great Black Britons website. He was awarded an MBE in 2000 and was inducted into the National Football Museum's hall of fame in 2004. He has also taken part in football workshops in Soweto as a goodwill ambassador for the Football Association and, going back to 1978, still has the telegrams he received "from everyone from Laurie Cunningham's mum to Elton John and the Queen". It is, he says, a proud moment. "I played in an age where it wasn't the norm for a black man to represent his country so to do it not just once, but 30 times, is more than I could've ever asked for."
Black milestones
Arthur Wharton, Preston North End
The world's first professional black player. Born in the Gold Coast (Ghana) in 1865, played for Darlington as a keeper in 1885-86 and joined North End the following season, reaching an FA Cup semi-final. Also played on the wing
Andrew Watson, Queen's Park
Born 1857 in British Guiana, played 36 games for the Spiders, winning the Cup in 1881. Three Scotland caps, captaining them against England
Albert Johanneson, Leeds United
South Africa-born, followed his countryman Gerry Francis over to Leeds and signed in 1961. In 1965 became first black FA Cup finalist
Laurie Cunningham, WBA
Became first black player to play for England at any level when he turned out for the U21s v Scotland in April 1977. Scored and won six full caps
Garth Crooks, Tottenham H
First to score in an FA Cup final, in 1981, and in 1988 became first black chairman of the PFA
Paul Ince, Man United
England's first black captain, in June 1993, when David Platt was injured. Lost 2-0 to the US but captained side on six more occasions
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What do you get if you mix linseed oil with powdered chalk | Linseed Oil « Full Chisel Blog
As I mentioned earlier the method of application is important, apply to surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes then wiping off the excess to prevent too thick a coating that will become gummy. It is then allowed 24 hours to dry. This is important because if the subsequent coats are put on too soon, then it will not build up, the previous coat must be dry and that takes 24 hours.
What else can you do with linseed oil? Well for oil based stains I add ‘paint’ (dry powdered pigments) and a bit of turpentine and wipe it on in the direction of the grain, again wait 10 minutes and wipe off the excess (in the direction of the grain) and allow to dry at least 24 hours, the longer the better.
And I don’t care if the first coat is too light, I can add more pigment or put on a second coat to bring it up to the right color. It is better to build up the color to match existing work. For new work the stain can be mixed up to the proper color and applied using the appropriate methods.
I also make my paint with linseed oil and turpentine (75%/25%) to which I add ‘paint’ which is dry powdered pigments (the earth pigments I mentioned previously) and a filler, whiting (calcium carbonate-chalk) or rottenstone or pumice. The use of metallic dryers such as white lead were traditionally added to paint to help in the drying. Other dryers were traditionally available and used. The amount of pigment depends on the opacity of the dry powdered pigments, some like black iron oxide or red iron oxide, doesn’t take much to make the paint opaque.
Another dryer that can be added to straight linseed oil, thinned linseed oil or paint is Stand Oil and Sun Thickened Linseed Oil. I have bought Stand Oil and like the stuff and I have a clear glass bottle I keep linseed oil in for use in the shop and it has thickened on its own. What this stuff is is pure linseed oil that has been allowed to ‘stand’ or thickened by exposure to sunlight, so that it has started to dry or polymerize. So when it is added to the oil, it helps it flow out and also starts the drying process and helps it along.
When I have to fill the open grain of wood, which I don’t do that often as I work mainly with softwoods that I paint, I mix linseed oil with pumice or rottenstone to a thick paste and put it on the wood with a putty knife or rag it into the grain in a circular motion to deposit the filler into the grain of the wood. I then use a piece of gunny bag (burlap) and scour the piece in a circular motion to remove excess and insure that the grain is filled. I then allow it to dry for several days before scraping the surface and repeating if necessary.
I also use linseed oil in a standard one third mix with turpentine and Spar Varnish for a wipe on finish that is hard to beat. I will talk of this more when I discuss Varnish.
And remember DISPOSE OF OILY RAGS PROPERLY! Any drying oil like linseed oil, walnut oil, varnish can be a spontaneous combustion hazard. Spread the rags out in an airy place and allow them to dry or put them in water. I put my used oily rags in my wood-burning stove. Be careful, many shops are burned down because of sloppy handling of oily rags.
| Putty |
What are the ridges across a guitar’s fingerboard called | Milk Paint with Lime - Earth Pigments
Milk Paint with Lime
Roman Beeswax Polish
This traditional recipe uses lime to make a stronger, more durable Milk Paint that is inexpensive and easy to make. All of our pigment colors can be used in milk paint as the small amount of lime in the recipe will not cause loss of color. A topcoat should be applied to milk paint to protect its matte, absorbent surface. It is generally considered an interior paint unless properly coated with a suitable exterior topcoat. The amounts given will make approximately 1¾ quarts of paint, to cover approximately 90 to 100 square feet. To make less paint, simply divide the recipe in half or fourths.
Tools
Container large enough to hold over 1 gallon of liquid, with room for stirring
Wood or plastic spoons, one large and one small
½ yard cheesecloth for straining
Plastic containers such as two large margarine tubs, and a one gallon paint bucket
Ingredients
1 gallon skim milk (milk must be fat-free and fresh, not powdered)
2 cups white vinegar
112 grams Hydrated Lime Type S* (approx ¾ cup)
200 grams pigment
Water for rinsing and slaking
*If using lime putty for this recipe rather than lime powder, use twice the weight of putty and adjust any added water to create the proper consistency.
Suitable Surfaces
Surfaces that will accept Milk Paint must be absorbent and free of previous finishes. They include wood, plaster, terra cotta, clay, etc. Milk Paint will not adhere to latex or other paints. Tests on questionable surfaces should be performed to confirm adhesion. Milk Paint is a translucent coating and should not be considered as a substitute for more opaque wall coatings. It is excellent for wash techniques on bare plaster walls.
NOTE: Since quantities for dry ingredients are given by weight for accuracy, it is recommended to have a small gram scale for weighing dry ingredients.
Making Paint
For this recipe we are using fresh milk that will be turned to curds with the addition of vinegar (or lemon juice). By curdling to create Quark, the milk protein is concentrated within the curds making a stronger paint. In addition it will not be prone to mold as milk paints created from fresh milk can be. Watch a video on making Quark .
Allow the milk to stand and warm to room temperature, (in any case the milk should not be allowed to warm higher than 115 degrees to protect the integrity of the casein). With the milk in a large container, stir in two cups of white vinegar. Curdling will begin immediately. Allow the mixture to sit in a warm place overnight or up to two days. Do not stir again after you have incorporated the vinegar. It is important that the quark not be disturbed so that the curds can form together. You will notice that the milk solids separate from the liquid, creating solid curds and liquid whey.
Assemble all your ingredients when ready to paint, as milk paint should be used when fresh for best results. Place your Ocher or pigment powder in a container and mix with an equal amount of water to soak. Work the pigment into a homogenous paste where all the particles have been wetted.
Place your lime in a plastic or glass (not metal) container large enough to hold two to three cups. Be careful not to inhale dust or allow dust to get on hands or in eyes. SLOWLY pour 1½ cups of water into the lime and stir into a creamy paste making sure all the lime has been wetted.
With all the ingredients prepared, have your paint bucket ready. Line the colander completely with cheesecloth. Place the colander in a sink and pour the curds and whey into it to drain the whey off. You now have small, easy to dissolve quark. Rinse the quark with cool water to remove any residual whey and neutralize the vinegar. Allow it to drain, but keep the curds dripping rather than becoming too dry. This moisture will aid in their dissolving with the addition of the lime paste.
Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and transfer the quark to your paint bucket. Make sure the curds are small and break down any that are larger pieces. Add the lime/water paste to the curds and stir well. You will immediately notice the curds turning from a lumpy mixture into a creamy paint. If some curds do not dissolve readily, the mixture can sit for 15 to 30 minutes to help break them down. Your milk paint is now ready for the addition of your slaked pigment. Stir this into the creamy quark and lime base. You may or may not need to add additional water. All ingredients should coalesce, and the consistency should be that of light cream. Be cautious of adding too much water. Strain your completed paint through more cheesecloth or a nylon stocking. Some undissolved quark may remain. Stir your paint thoroughly and often during application. Extra paint can be stored up to several days in the refrigerator, however it will begin to separate so try to use it fresh.
The first coat of milk paint will appear thin. If your base is too absorbent, the first coat can be diluted 20 to 50% with water as a priming coat. Back to Top
Fillers or Extenders in Milk Paint
Many pigmented milk paint recipes add fillers such as Whiting Chalk or clay. We discourage the use of Whiting Chalk in Milk Paint because it has no binding power and promotes separation. However clay such as a neutral colored Kaolin Clay can be a good extender for Milk Paint. Keep in mind that the color will be affected, as less pigment can be used in the recipe. Clay will also lighten the color of any pigment used. Linseed Oil can be used as an additive to milk paint. To use, emulsify 1/4 cup of linseed oil into the quark after the lime has been added and allowed to set in the quark, and before the final addition of water. Our Acrylic Binder can also be added to milk paint to increase adhesion on questionable surfaces. Add at the recommended ratio to your prepared paint.
Here we have the finished paint after three coats on wood. Our Rosewood Mineral pigment appears brilliantly in the translucent milk paint base. On the bottom is the milk paint without any topcoat. The box on top has been given a topcoat of our Stone Tone Sealer with the addition of Super Sparkle Mica to give it a subtle sheen. Back to Top
Finishing and Topcoats
One of the advantages of milk paint over latex paint is its versatility in finish coats. Once dry, milk paint can be protected with virtually any topcoat whether natural or acrylic/urethane. A protective finish coat is recommended and will enhance the color. Roman Beeswax Polish is an excellent wax for use over Milk Paint or varnish and shellac finish coats. Back to Top
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What invention of Sir Ernest Swinton changed warfare for ever | History of the tank | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia
History of the tank
United States
A British Mark I tank in action on 26 September 1916 (moving left to right). Photo by Ernest Brooks .
The history of the tank began in World War I , when armoured all-terrain fighting vehicles were first deployed as a response to the problems of trench warfare , ushering in a new era of mechanized warfare . Though initially crude and unreliable, tanks eventually became a mainstay of ground armies. By World War II , tank design had advanced significantly, and tanks were used in quantity in all land theatres of the war. The Cold War saw the rise of modern tank doctrine and the rise of the general-purpose main battle tank . The tank still provides the backbone to land combat operations in the 21st century.
Contents
Edit
World War I generated new demands for armoured self-propelled weapons which could navigate any kind of terrain, leading to the development of the tank. The great weakness of the tank's predecessor, the armoured car , was that it required smooth terrain to move upon, and new developments were needed for cross-country capability. [1] :35
The tank was originally designed as a special weapon to solve an unusual tactical situation: the stalemate of the trenches on the Western Front . "It was a weapon designed for one simple task: crossing the killing zone between trench lines and breaking into enemy defenses." [2] The armoured tank was intended to be able to survive artillery bombardments and machine-gun fire, and pass through barbed wire in a way infantry units could not hope to, thus allowing the stalemate to be broken.
Few recognized during World War I that the means for returning mobility and shock action to combat was already present in a device destined to revolutionize warfare on the ground and in the air. This was the internal combustion engine, which had made possible the development of the tank and eventually would lead to the mechanized forces that were to assume the old roles of horse cavalry and to loosen the grip of the machine-gun on the battlefield. With increased firepower and protection, these mechanized forces would, only some 20 years later, become the armour of World War II. When self-propelled artillery , the armoured personnel carrier , the wheeled cargo vehicle, and supporting aviation —all with adequate communications—were combined to constitute the modern armoured division, commanders regained the capability of maneuver.
Numerous concepts of armoured all-terrain vehicles had been imagined for a long time. With advent of trench warfare in World War I , the Allied French and British developments of the tank were largely parallel and coincided in time. [3]
Early concepts
Edit
The earliest concepts in recorded history include Leonardo da Vinci's late 15th century drawings of what some describe as a "tank"; a man-powered, wheeled vehicle encased in armor, with cannons all around it. [4] However the human crew would not have enough power to move it over larger distance, and usage of animals was problematic in a space so confined.
The Levavasseur project described a crawler-tracked armoured vehicle equipped with artillery as early as 1903. [5] :65 [6] :101
In 1903, the French captain Levavasseur proposed the Levavasseur project , a canon autopropulseur (self-propelled cannon), moved by a caterpillar system and fully armoured for protection. [5] :65 [6] :99–100 Powered by a 80 hp petrol engine, "the Levavasseur machine would have had a crew of three, storage for ammunition, and a cross-country ability", [7] :65 but the viability of the project was disputed by the Artillery Technical Committee, until it was formally abandoned in 1908 when it was known that a caterpillar tractor had been developed, the Hornsby of engineer David Roberts . [6] :99–100
1904 illustration of H.G. Wells ' December 1903 The Land Ironclads , showing huge ironclad land vessels, equipped with pedrail wheels .
H. G. Wells , in his short story The Land Ironclads , published in The Strand Magazine in December 1903, had described the use of large, armoured cross-country vehicles, armed with cannon and machine-guns, and equipped with pedrail wheels (an invention which he acknowledged as the source for his inspiration), [8] to break through a system of fortified trenches, disrupting the defense and clearing the way for an infantry advance:
"They were essentially long, narrow and very strong steel frameworks carrying the engines, and borne upon eight pairs of big pedrail wheels, each about ten feet in diameter, each a driving wheel and set upon long axles free to swivel round a common axis. This arrangement gave them the maximum of adaptability to the contours of the ground. They crawled level along the ground with one foot high upon a hillock and another deep in a depression, and they could hold themselves erect and steady sideways upon even a steep hillside." [9]
Some eight years later, in 1911, two practical tank designs were developed independently by the Austrian engineering officer Günther Burstyn and Australian civil engineer Lancelot de Mole , but both were rejected by governmental administrations.
American tracked tractors in Europe
Edit
Benjamin Holt of the Holt Manufacturing Company of Stockton, California was the first to patent a workable crawler type tractor in 1907. [10] The center of such innovation was in England, and in 1903 he traveled to England to learn more about ongoing development, though all those he saw failed their field tests. [11] Holt paid Alvin Lombard US$60,000 ($1,574,889 in 2017) for the right to produce vehicles under Lombard's patent for the Lombard Steam Log Hauler . [12]
Holt returned to Stockton and, utilizing his knowledge and his company's metallurgical capabilities, he became the first to design and manufacture practical continuous tracks for use in tractors . In England, David Roberts of Hornsby & Sons, Grantham, obtained a patent for a design in July 1904. In the United States, Holt replaced the wheels on a 40 horsepower (30 kW) Holt steamer, No. 77, with a set of wooden tracks bolted to chains. On November 24, 1904, he successfully tested the updated machine plowing the soggy delta land of Roberts Island . [13]
A Holt tractor in the Vosges during the spring of 1915 serving as an artillery tractor for a French army De Bange 155 mm cannon .
When World War I broke out, with the problem of trench warfare and the difficulty of transporting supplies to the front, the pulling power of crawling-type tractors drew the attention of the military. [14] Holt tractors were used to replace horses to haul artillery and other supplies. The Royal Army Service Corps also used them to haul long trains of freight wagons over the unimproved dirt tracks behind the front. Holt tractors were, ultimately, the inspiration for the development of the British and French tanks. [13] [15] By 1916, about 1000 of Holt's Caterpillar tractors were used by the British in World War I . Holt vice president Murray M. Baker said that these tractors weighed about 18,000 pounds (8,200 kg) and had 120 horsepower (89 kW). [16] By the end of the war, 10,000 Holt vehicles had been used in the Allied war effort. [17]
Fully tracked caterpillar tractors became commercially available in 1908, especially in the United States , but also in lesser quantities in Europe, and were to prove a solution to the cross-country requirements of World War I battlefields. [1] :35 Over the next four years, they became a major artillery tractor , mainly used to haul medium guns like the 6-inch howitzer , the 60-pounder , and later the 9.2-inch howitzer. [18]
By 1916, about 1,000 of Holt's Caterpillar tractors were in use by the British on the Western Front . By the end of World War I, the British War Office had received 2,100 Holt tractors, [19] about 1,800 of the Holt Model 45 "Caterpillars"; 1,500 of the Holt Model 75 "Caterpillars", and 90 of the Holt six-cylinder Model 120 "Caterpillars", about one-eighth of approximately 5,000 Holt vehicles used by all Allied forces. [20] Imported Holt tractors also formed the basis of the French Schneider and Saint-Chamond tanks and the German A7V tank . [21]
French development
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The French colonel Jean Baptiste Estienne articulated the vision of a cross-country armoured vehicle on 24 August 1914: [1] :38
"Victory in this war will belong to the belligerent who is the first to put a cannon on a vehicle capable of moving on all kinds of terrain"
—Colonel Jean Baptiste Estienne , 24 August 1914. [1] :38
Some privately owned Holt tractors were used by the French Army soon after the beginning of World War I to pull heavy artillery pieces in difficult terrain., [1] :187 but the French did not purchase Holts in large numbers. It was the sight of them in use by the British that later inspired Estienne to have plans drawn up for an armoured body on caterpillar tracks. In the meantime, several attempts were made to design vehicles that could overcome the German barbed wire and trenches.
The Boirault machine used a huge rotating frame around a motorized center, early 1915.
The electric Aubriot-Gabet "Fortress", mounted on a tractor chassis, 1915.
The Breton-Pretot machine was an armoured wire-cutting vehicle, tested in July 1915.
From 1914 to 1915, an early experiment was made with the Boirault machine , with the objective of flattening barbed wire defences and riding over gaps in a battlefield. The machine was made of huge parallel tracks , formed by 4×3 meter metallic frames, rotating around a triangular motorized center. This device proved too fragile and slow, as well as incapable of changing direction easily, and was abandoned. [6] :104
A Frot-Laffly landship was tested on 28 March 1915 in France.
In France, on 1 December 1914, M. Frot, an engineer in canal construction at the Compagnie Nationale du Nord, proposed to the French Ministry a design for a "landship" with armour and armament based on the motorization of a compactor with heavy wheels or rollers. The Frot-Laffly was tested on 18 March 1915, and effectively destroyed barbed wire lines, but was deemed lacking in mobility. [6] :106–8 The project was abandoned in favour of General Estienne 's development using a tractor base, codenamed "Tracteur Estienne". [6] :108
In 1915, attempts were also made to develop vehicles with powerful armour and armament, mounted on the cross-country chassis of agricultural tractors, with large dented wheels, such as the Aubriot-Gabet "Fortress" (Fortin Aubriot-Gabet). The vehicle was powered by electricity (complete with a supply cable), and armed with a Navy cannon of 37mm, but it too proved impractical. [6] :109
The Souain tank prototype crossing a trench at Souain on 9 December 1915.
Final caterpillar test, on 21 February 1916, before the mass order of the Schneider CA1 tank on the 25th.
In January 1915, the French arms manufacturer Schneider & Co. sent out its chief designer, Eugène Brillié , to investigate tracked tractors from the American Holt Manufacturing Company , at that time participating in a test programme in England, for a project of mechanical wire-cutting machines. On his return Brillié, who had earlier been involved in designing armoured cars for Spain, convinced the company management to initiate studies on the development of a Tracteur blindé et armé (armoured and armed tractor), based on the Baby Holt chassis, two of which were ordered.
Experiments on the Holt caterpillar tracks started in May 1915 at the Schneider plant with a 75-hp wheel-directed model and the 45-hp integral caterpillar Baby Holt , showing the superiority of the latter. [6] :102–11 On 16 June, new experiments followed in front of the President of the Republic , and on 10 September for Commander Ferrus. The first complete chassis with armour was demonstrated at Souain on 9 December 1915, to the French Army, with the participation of colonel Estienne. [5] :68 [6] :111 [notes 1]
On 12 December, unaware of the Schneider experiments, Estienne presented to the High Command a plan to form an armoured force, equipped with tracked vehicles. He was put in touch with Schneider, and in a letter dated 31 January 1916 Commander-in-chief Joffre ordered the production of 400 tanks of the type designed by Brillié and Estienne, [6] :119 although the actual production order of 400 Schneider CA1 was made a bit later on 25 February 1916. [6] :124 Soon after, on 8 April 1916, another order for 400 Saint-Chamond tanks was also placed. [6] :128 Schneider had trouble with meeting production schedules, and the tank deliveries were spread over several months from 8 September 1916. [6] :124 The Saint-Chamond tank would start being delivered from 27 April 1917. [6] :130
British development
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Ruston Hornsby had been developing the caterpillar tractor since 1902, and built an oil engine powered crawler to move lifeboats up a beach in 1908. In 1909 The Northern Light and Power Company of Dawson City , Canada, owned by Joe Boyle , ordered a steam powered caterpillar tractor. It was delivered to the Yukon in 1912. Rustons tractors were trialled between 1905 and 1910 on several occasions with the British Army as artillery tractors, but not adopted. Hornsby sold its patents to Holt tractor of California.
As a result of the killing fields of Flanders in 1915, Holt tractors were the inspiration for British tank development. [13] [22] In 1914, the British War Office ordered a Holt tractor and put it through trials at Aldershot. Although it was not as powerful as the 105 horsepower (78 kW) Foster-Daimler tractor, the 75 horsepower (56 kW) Holt was better suited to haul heavy loads over uneven ground. Without a load, the Holt tractor managed a walking pace of 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h). Towing a load, it could manage 2 miles per hour (3.2 km/h). Most importantly, Holt tractors were readily available in quantity. [19] The War Office was suitably impressed and chose it as a gun-tractor. [19]
In July 1914, Lt. Col. Ernest Swinton , a British Royal Engineers officer and the official war correspondent, learned about Holt tractors and their transportation capabilities in rough terrain from a South-African friend who had seen one in Antwerp, but the information was just passed on and not acted upon. [23] :12 [24] :590 Swinton was sent to France as an army war correspondent and saw in mid-September 1914 the potential of the track-laying tractor and the need to have a cross-country armed vehicle. [23] :116 [23] :12 By his own admission, "By a coincidence, Colonel Estienne had been seized around the same time as myself with the idea that some kind of machine of the nature of the tank was necessary to help the infantry". [23] :210
In October 1914, Swinton proposed in a letter to Sir Maurice Hankey , Secretary of the Committee of Imperial Defence, that the British Committee of Imperial Defence build a power-driven, bullet-proof, tracked vehicle that could destroy enemy guns. [23] [25] :129 Hankey persuaded the lukewarm War Office to make a trial on 17 February 1915 with a Holt tractor, but the caterpillar bogged down in the mud, the project was abandoned, and the War Office gave up investigations. [5] :25 [25] :129
Wooden mock-up of the "Big Wheel Landship" project, under construction at Lincoln, early 1915.
The 1903 pedrail system was considered but turned out to be too fragile. [26] :234
Tritton Trench-Crosser , May 1915.
In May 1915, the War Office made new tests on a trench-crossing machine: the Tritton Trench-Crosser . The machine was equipped with large tractor wheels, 8 feet in diameter, and carried girders on an endless chain which were lowered above a trench so that the back wheels could roll over it. The machine would then drag the girder behind until on flat terrain, so that it could reverse over them and set them back in place in front of the vehicle. The machine proved much too cumbersome and was abandoned. [5] :143–144
When Winston Churchill , First Lord of the Admiralty, learned of the armored tractor idea, he reignited investigation of the idea of using the Holt tractor. The Royal Navy and the Landships Committee (established on 20 February 1915), [27] at last agreed to sponsor experiments and tests of armoured tractors as a type of "land ship". In March, Churchill ordered the building of 18 experimental landships : 12 using Diplock pedrails (an idea promoted by Murray Sueter ), and 6 using large wheels (the idea of T.G. Hetherington ). [5] :25 Construction however failed to move forward, as the wheels seemed impractical after a wooden mock-up was realized: the wheels were initially planned to be 40-feet in diameter, but turned out to be still too big and too fragile at 15-feet. [5] :26–27 The pedrails also met with industrial problems, [28] :23–24 and the system was deemed too large, too complicated and under-powered. [5] :26
Instead of choosing to use the Holt tractor, the British government chose to involve a British agricultural machinert firm, Foster and Sons , whose managing director and designer was Sir William Tritton . [19]
Articulated chassis made of two Bullock tractors back to back, July 1915 experiment.
Vezdekhod amphibious tank, 1915.
Killen-Strait armoured tractor, shortly after the 30 June 1915 experiments.
The No1 Lincoln Machine , with lengthened Bullock tracks and Creeping Grip tractor suspension, September 1915.
After all these projects failed by June 1915, ideas of grandiose landships were abandoned, and a decision was taken to make an attempt with US Bullock Creeping Grip caterpillar tracks, by connecting two of them together to obtain an articulated chassis deemed necessary for manoeuvering. Experiments failed in tests made in July 1915. [5] :25
Another experiment was made with tracks brought from the United States from the Killen-Strait tractor. A wire-cutting mechanism was successfully fitted, but the trench-crossing capability of the Killen-Strait proved insufficient. A Delaunay-Belleville armoured car body was fitted, making the Killen-Strait machine the first armoured tracked vehicle, but the project was abandoned as it turned out to be a blind alley, unable to fulfill all-terrain warfare requirements. [5] :25
After these experiments, the Committee decided to build a smaller experimental landship, equivalent to one half the articulated version, and using lengthened US-made Bullock Creeping Grip caterpillar tracks. [5] :27 [28] :27–28 This new experimental machine was called the No1 Lincoln Machine: construction started on 11 August 1915, with the first trials starting on 10 September 1915. [5] :26 These trials failed however because of unsatisfactory tracks. [28] :29
Little Willie design, December 1915.
Development continued with new, re-engineered tracks, [28] :29} and the machine, now renamed Little Willie , [28] :30 was completed in December 1915 and tested on 3 December 1915. Trench-crossing ability was deemed insufficient however, and Walter Gordon Wilson developed a rhomboidal design, [28] :30 which became known as "His Majesty's Landship Centipede" and later " Mother ", [28] :30 the first of the "Big Willie" types of true tanks. After completion on 29 January 1916 very successful trials were made, and an order was placed by the War Office for 100 units to be used on the Western front in France, [24] :590 [25] :129 on 12 February 1916, [6] :216 and a second order for 50 additional units was placed in April 1916. [29]
France started studying caterpillar continuous tracks from January 1915, and actual tests started in May 1915, [6] :102–111 two months earlier than the Little Willie experiments. At the Souain experiment , France tested an armoured tracked tank prototype, the same month Little Willie was completed. [6] :111Ultimately however, the British were the first to put tanks on the battlefield, at the battle of the Somme in September 1916.
The name "tank" was introduced in October, 1915 as a security measure and has been adopted in many languages. William Tritton, stated that when the prototypes were under construction from August, 1915 they were deliberately falsely described in order to conceal their true purpose. [30] In the workshop the paperwork described them as "water carriers," supposedly for use on the Mesopotamian Front. In conversation the workers referred to them as "water tanks" or, simply, "tanks." In October the Landships Committee decided, for security purposes, to change its own name to something less descriptive. [31] One of the members (either Eustace d'Eyncourt or Ernest Swinton [32] ) suggested "tank," and the committee agreed. It became the Tank Supply Committee, and the name "tank" was used in official documents and common parlance from then on. This is sometimes confused with the labelling of the first production tanks (ordered in February, 1916) with a caption in Russian. It translated as "With Care to Petrograd," probably again inspired by the workers at Foster's, some of whom believed the machines to be snowploughs meant for Russia, and was introduced from May 15, 1916. The Committee was happy to perpetuate this misconception since it might also mislead the Germans. [33]
The naval background of the tank's development also explains such nautical tank terms as hatch, hull, bow, and ports. The great secrecy surrounding tank development, coupled with the skepticism of infantry commanders, often meant that infantry at first had little training to cooperate with tanks.
Russian development
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Vasily Mendeleev, an engineer in a shipyard, worked privately on a design of a super-heavy tank from 1911 to 1915. It was a heavily-armoured 170 ton tracked vehicle armed with one 120 mm naval gun. The design envisioned many innovations that became standard features of a modern battle tank – protection of the vehicle was well-thought out, the gun included automatic loading mechanism, pneumatic suspension allowed adjusting of clearance, some critical systems were duplicated, transportation by railroad was possible by a locomotive or with adapter wheels. However, the cost was almost as much as a submarine and it was never built. [34] [35]
The Vezdekhod was a small cross-country vehicle designed by aero-engineer Aleksandr Porokhovschikov that ran on a single wide rubber track propelled by a 10 hp engine. Two small wheels either side were provided for steering but while the vehicles could cross ground well its steering was ineffectual. In post-revolution Russia, the Vezdekhod was portrayed in propaganda as the first tank.
The Tsar Tank , also known as the Lebedenko tank after its designer – was a tricycle design vehicle on 9 m high front wheels. It was expected that such large wheels would be able to cross any obstacle but the smaller rear wheel became stuck when tested in 1915. The designers were prepared to fit larger engines but the project – and the vehicle – was abandoned.
Operational use in World War I
Tank
A British Mark I tank in action on 26 September 1916 (moving left to right). Photo by Ernest Brooks .
A first offensive using Mark I tanks took place on 15 September 1916, during the Battle of the Somme , under Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig . Forty-nine were committed, of which 32 were mechanically fit to take part in the advance and achieved some small, local successes. [36] :1153 In July 1917, 216 British tanks were employed in the Third Battle of Ypres but found it almost impossible to operate in the muddy conditions and achieved little. Not until 20 November 1917, at Cambrai, did the British Tank Corps get the conditions it needed for success. Over 400 tanks penetrated almost six miles on a 7-mile wide front. However, success was not complete because the infantry failed to exploit and secure the tanks' gains, and almost all the territory gained was recaptured by the Germans. The British scored a far more significant victory the following year, on 8 August 1918, with 600 tanks in the Battle of Amiens . General Erich Ludendorff referred to that date as the "Black Day" of the German Army.
Char Renault FT , Les Invalides .
Parallel to the British development, France designed its own tanks. The first two, the medium Schneider CA and heavy Saint-Chamond , were not well-conceived, though produced in large numbers and showing technical innovations, the latter using an electro-mechanical transmission and a long 75 mm gun. Both types saw action on numerous occasions but suffered consistently high losses. In 1918 the Renault FT light tank was the first tank in history with a "modern" configuration: a revolving turret on top and an engine compartment at the rear; it would be the most numerous tank of the war. A last development was the superheavy Char 2C , the largest tank ever to see service, be it some years after the armistice.
The German response to the Cambrai assault was to develop its own armoured program. Soon the massive A7V appeared. The A7V was a clumsy monster, weighing 30 tons and with a crew of eighteen. By the end of the war, only twenty had been built. Although other tanks were on the drawing board, material shortages limited the German tank corps to these A7Vs and about 36 captured Mark IVs. The A7V would be involved in the first tank vs. tank battle of the war on April 24, 1918 at the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux —a battle in which there was no clear winner.
Film of WWI-era French and British tanks.
Numerous mechanical failures and the inability of the British and French to mount any sustained drives in the early tank actions cast doubt on their usefulness—and by 1918, tanks were extremely vulnerable unless accompanied by infantry and ground-attack aircraft, both of which worked to locate and suppress anti-tank defenses.
But Gen. John J. Pershing , Commander in Chief, American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), requested in September 1917 that 600 heavy and 1,200 light tanks be produced in the United States. When General Pershing assumed command of the American Expeditionary Force and went to France, he took Lt. Col. George Patton . Patton became interested in tanks. They were then unwieldy, unreliable, and unproved instruments of warfare, and there was much doubt whether they had any function and value at all on the battlefield. Against the advice of most of his friends, Patton chose to go into the newly formed US Tank Corps. He was the first officer so assigned.
The first American-produced heavy tank was the 43.5-ton Mark VIII (sometimes known as the "Liberty"), a US-British development of the successful British heavy tank design, intended to equip the Allied forces. Armed with two 6-pounder cannons and five rifle-caliber machine guns, it was operated by an 11-man crew, and had a maximum speed of 6.5 miles per hour and a range of 50 miles. Because of production difficulties, only test vehicles were completed before the War ended. The American-built 6.5-ton M1917 light tank was a close copy of the French Renault FT . It had a maximum speed of 5.5 miles per hour and could travel 30 miles on its 30-gallon fuel capacity. Again, because of production delays, none were completed in time to see action. In the summer of 1918 a 3-ton, 2-man tank, ( Ford 3-Ton M1918 ) originated by the Ford Motor Company was designed. It was powered by two Ford Model T , 4-cylinder engines, armed with a .30 inch machine gun, and had a maximum speed of 8 miles per hour. It was considered unsatisfactory as a fighting vehicle but to have possible value in other battlefield roles. An order was placed for 15,000, but only 15 were completed, and none saw service in the War.
American tank units first entered combat on 12 September 1918 against the St. Mihiel salient with the First Army. They belonged to the 344th and 345th Light Tank Battalions, elements of the 304th Tank Brigade, commanded by Lt. Col. Patton, under whom they had trained at the tank center in Bourg, France, and were equipped with the Renault FT, supplied by France. Although mud, lack of fuel, and mechanical failure caused many tanks to stall in the German trenches, the attack succeeded and much valuable experience was gained. By the armistice of 11 November 1918, the AEF was critically short of tanks, as no American-made ones were completed in time for use in combat.
Interwar period
Vickers Medium Mark Is on a manoeuvre somewhere in England, 1930
After the Great War, General Erich von Ludendorff of the German High Command praised the Allied tanks as being a principal factor in Germany's defeat. The Germans had been too late in recognizing their value to consider them in their own plans. Even if their already hard-pressed industry could have produced them in quantity, fuel was in very short supply. Of the total of 90 tanks fielded by the Germans during 1918, 75 had been captured from the Allies.
At the war's end, the main role of the tank was considered to be that of close support for the infantry. The U.S. tank units fought so briefly and were so fragmented during the war, and the number of tanks available to them was so limited, that there was practically no opportunity to develop tactics for their large-scale employment. Nonetheless, their work was sufficiently impressive to imbue at least a few military leaders with the idea that the use of tanks in mass was the most likely principal role of armour in the future.
Highlights of U.S. Army appraisal for the development and use of tanks, developed from combat experience, were: (1) the need for a tank with more power, fewer mechanical failures, heavier armour, longer operating range, and better ventilation; (2) the need for combined training of tanks with other combat arms, especially the infantry; (3) the need for improved means of communication and of methods for determining and maintaining directions; and (4) the need for an improved supply system, especially for petrol and ammunition.
Although the tank of World War I was slow, clumsy, unwieldy, difficult to control, and mechanically unreliable, its value as a combat weapon had been clearly proven. But, despite the lessons of World War I, the combat arms were most reluctant to accept a separate and independent role for armor and continued to struggle among themselves over the proper use of tanks. At the outset, thought of the tank as an auxiliary to and a part of the infantry was the predominant opinion, although a few leaders contended that an independent tank arm should be retained.
In addition to the light and heavy categories of American-produced tanks of World War I, a third classification, the medium, began receiving attention in 1919. It was hoped that this in-between type would incorporate the best features of the 6½-ton light and the Mark VIII heavy and would replace both. The meaning of the terms light, medium, and heavy tanks changed between the wars. During World War I and immediately thereafter, the light tank was considered to be up to 10 tons, the medium (produced by the British) was roughly between 10 and 25 tons, and the heavy was over 25 tons. For World War II, increased weights resulted in the light tank being over 20 tons, the medium over 30, and the heavy, developed toward the end of the war, over 60 tons. During the period between the world wars, the weights of the classifications varied generally within these extremes.
The U.S. National Defense Act of 1920 placed the Tank Corps under the Infantry. The Act's stipulation that "hereafter all tank units shall form a part of the Infantry" left little doubt as to the tank role for the immediate future. George Patton had argued for an independent Tank Corps. But if, in the interest of economy, the tanks had to go under one of the traditional arms, he preferred the cavalry, for Patton intuitively understood that tanks operating with cavalry would stress mobility, while tanks tied to the infantry would emphasize firepower. Tanks in peacetime, he feared, as he said, "would be very much like coast artillery with a lot of machinery which never works."
At a time when most soldiers regarded the tank as a specialized infantry-support weapon for crossing trenches, a significant number of officers in the Royal Tank Corps had gone on to envision much broader roles for mechanized organizations. In May 1918, Col. J.F.C. Fuller , the acknowledged father of tank doctrine, had used the example of German infiltration tactics to refine what he called " Plan 1919 ". This was an elaborate concept for a large-scale armoured offensive in 1919.
The Royal Tank Corps had to make do with the same basic tanks from 1922 until 1938. British armoured theorists did not always agree with each other. B. H. Liddell Hart , a noted publicist of armoured warfare, wanted a true combined arms force with a major role for mechanized infantry. Fuller, Broad, and other officers were more interested in a pure-tank role. The Experimental Mechanized Force formed by the British demonstrated a mobile force with its own self-propelled guns.
Both advocates and opponents of mechanization often used the term "tank" loosely to mean not only an armored, tracked, turreted, gun-carrying fighting vehicle, but also any form of armored vehicle or mechanized unit. Such usage made it difficult for contemporaries or historians to determine whether a particular speaker was discussing pure tank forces, mechanized combined arms forces, or mechanization of infantry forces.
British armoured vehicles tended to maximize either mobility or protection. Both the cavalry and the Royal Tank Corps wanted fast, lightly armoured, mobile vehicles for reconnaissance and raiding—the light and medium (or "cruiser") tanks. In practice the "light tanks" were often small armoured personnel carriers (the parallel with more recent American Armored Cavalry should be obvious[ citation needed ]). On the other hand, the "army tank battalions" performing the traditional infantry-support role required extremely heavy armoured protection. As a consequence of these two doctrinal roles, firepower was neglected[ citation needed ] in tank design.
Among the German proponents of mechanization, Gen. Heinz Guderian was probably the most influential. Guderian's 1914 service with radiotelegraphs in support of cavalry units led him to insist on a radio in every armoured vehicle. By 1929, when many British students of armour were tending towards a pure armour formation, Guderian had become convinced that it was useless to develop just tanks, or even to mechanize parts of the traditional arms. What was needed was an entirely new mechanized formation of all arms that would maximize the effects of the tank.
The German tanks were not up to the standards of Guderian's concept. The Panzer I was really a machine-gun-armed tankette, derived from the British Carden-Loyd personnel carrier. The Panzer II did have a 20-mm cannon, but little armour protection. These two vehicles made up the bulk of panzer units until 1940.
In the twenties France was the only country in the world with a large armour force. French doctrine viewed combined arms as a process by which all other weapons systems assisted the infantry in its forward progress. Tanks were considered to be "a sort of armoured infantry", by law subordinated to the infantry branch. This at least had the advantage that armour was not restricted purely to tanks; the French army would be among the most mechanised. Tanks proper were however first of all seen as specialised breakthrough systems, to be concentrated for an offensive: light tanks had to limit their speed to that of the foot soldier; heavy tanks were intended to form a forward "shock front" to dislodge defensive lines. The doctrine was much preoccupied with the strength of the defender: artillery and air bombardments had to destroy machine guns and anti-tank guns. The envelopment phase was neglected. Though part of the Infantry branch, tanks were in fact concentrated in almost pure tank units and rarely trained together with foot soldiers.
In 1931, France decided to produce armour and other equipment in larger quantities, including the Char B1 bis . The B1 bis, developed by Estienne in the early 1920s, was still one of the most powerful tank designs in the world fifteen years later. In 1934 the French cavalry also began a process of mechanisation; tanks were to be used for exploitation also.
As the French Army was moving forward in the area of mechanization, doctrinal strife began to develop. In 1934, Lieutenant Colonel Charles de Gaulle published Towards the Professional Army. De Gaulle favoured a professional mechanised force, capable of executing both the breakthrough and the exploitation phase. He envisioned a pure armour brigade operating in linear formation, followed by a motorized infantry force for mopping-up. His ideas were not adopted, as being too expensive.
From 1936 French tank production accelerated, but the doctrinal problems remained, resulting in 1940 in an inflexible structure, with the Infantry and Cavalry fielding separate types of armoured division.
During the course of the 1920s and early 1930s, a group of Soviet officers led by Marshal Mikhail Tukhachevsky developed a concept of " Deep Battle " to employ conventional infantry and cavalry divisions, mechanized formations, and aviation in concert. Using the expanded production facilities of the Soviet government's first Five Year Plan with design features taken in part from the American inventor J. Walter Christie , the Soviets produced 5,000 armoured vehicles by 1934. This wealth of equipment enabled the Red Army to create tank organizations for both infantry support and combined arms, mechanized operations.
On 12 June 1937, the Soviet government executed Tukhachevsky and eight of his high-ranking officers, as Stalin shifted his purge of Soviet society against the last power group that had the potential to threaten him, the Red Army. At the same time, the Soviet experience in the Spanish Civil War caused the Red Army to reassess mechanization. The Soviet tanks were too lightly armoured, their Russian crews could not communicate with the Spanish troops, and in combat the tanks tended to outpace the supporting infantry and artillery.
The United States was not nearly so advanced in the development of armoured and mechanized forces. As in France, the supply of slow World War I tanks and the subordination of tanks to the infantry branch impeded the development of any role other than direct infantry support. The US War Department policy statement, which finally came in April 1922, was a serious blow to tank development. Reflecting prevailing opinion, it stated that the tank's primary mission was "to facilitate the uninterrupted advance of the riflemen in the attack." The War Department considered that two types of tanks, the light and the medium, should fulfill all missions. The light tank was to be truck transportable and not exceed 5 tons gross weight. For the medium, restrictions were even more stringent; its weight was not to exceed 15 tons, so as to bring it within the weight capacity of railroad flatcars, the average existing highway bridge, and, most significantly, available Engineer Corps pontoon bridges.
Although an experimental 15-ton tank, the M1924, reached the mock-up stage, this and other attempts to satisfy War Department and infantry specifications proved to be unsatisfactory. In reality it was simply impossible to build a 15-ton vehicle meeting both War Department and infantry requirements.
In 1926 the General Staff reluctantly consented to the development of a 23-ton tank, although it made clear that efforts were to continue toward the production of a satisfactory 15-ton vehicle. The infantry—its new branch chief overriding the protests of some of his tankmen who wanted a more heavily armed and armored medium—decided, too, that a light tank, transportable by truck, best met infantry requirements. The net effect of the infantry's preoccupation with light tanks and the limited funds available for tank development in general was to slow the development of heavier vehicles and, ultimately, to contribute to the serious shortage of mediums at the outbreak of World War II.
J. Walter Christie was an innovative designer of tanks, engines and propulsion systems. Although his designs did not meet US Army specifications, other countries used his chassis patents. Despite inadequate funding, the Ordnance Department managed to develop several experimental light and medium tanks and tested one of Walter Christie's models by 1929. None of these tanks was accepted, usually because each of them exceeded standards set by other Army branches. For instance, several light tank models were rejected because they exceeded the 5-ton cargo capacity of the Transportation Corps trucks, and several medium tank designs were rejected because they exceeded the 15-ton bridge weight limit set by the engineers. Christie simply would not work with users to fulfill the military requirements but, instead, wanted the Army to fund the tanks that he wanted to build. Patton later worked closely with J. Walter Christie to improve the silhouette, suspension, power, and weapons of tanks.
The Christie tank embodied the ability to operate both on tracks and on large, solid-rubber-tired bogie wheels. The tracks were removable to permit operation on wheels over moderate terrain. Also featured was a suspension system of independently sprung wheels. The Christie had many advantages, including the amazing ability, by 1929, to attain speeds of 69 miles per hour on wheels and 42 miles per hour on tracks, although at these speeds the tank could not carry full equipment. To the infantry and cavalry the Christie was the best answer to their need for a fast, lightweight tank, and they were enthusiastic about its convertibility. On the other hand, the Ordnance Department, while recognizing the usefulness of the Christie, was of the opinion that it was mechanically unreliable and that such dual-purpose equipment generally violated good engineering practice. The controversy over the advantages and drawbacks of Christie tanks raged for more than twenty years, with the convertible principle being abandoned in 1938. But the Christie ideas had great impact upon tank tactics and unit organization in many countries and, finally, upon the US Army as well.
In the United States the real beginning of the Armored Force was in 1928, twelve years before it was officially established, when Secretary of War Dwight F. Davis directed that a tank force be developed in the Army. Earlier that year he had been much impressed, as an observer of maneuvers in England, by a British experimental armoured Force. Actually the idea was not new. A small group of dedicated officers in the cavalry and the infantry had been hard at work since World War I on theories for such a force. The continued progress in the design of armour, armament, engines, and vehicles was gradually swinging the trend toward more mechanization, and the military value of the horse declined. Proponents of mechanization and motorization pointed to advances in the motor vehicle industry and to the corresponding decrease in the use of horses and mules. Furthermore, abundant oil resources gave the United States an enviable position of independence in fuel requirements for the machines.
Secretary Davis' 1928 directive for the development of a tank force resulted in the assembly and encampment of an experimental mechanized force at Camp Meade , Maryland, from 1 July to 20 September 1928. The combined arms team consisted of elements furnished by Infantry (including tanks), Cavalry, Field Artillery, the Air Corps, Engineer Corps, Ordnance Department, Chemical Warfare Service, and Medical Corps. An effort to continue the experiment in 1929 was defeated by insufficient funds and obsolete equipment, but the 1928 exercise did bear fruit, for the War Department Mechanization Board, appointed to study results of the experiment, recommended the permanent establishment of a mechanized force.
As Chief of Staff from 1930 to 1935, Douglas MacArthur wanted to advance motorization and mechanization throughout the army. In late 1931 all arms and services were directed to adopt mechanization and motorization, "as far as is practicable and desirable", and were permitted to conduct research and to experiment as necessary. Cavalry was given the task of developing combat vehicles that would "enhance its power in roles of reconnaissance, counterreconnaissance, flank action, pursuit, and similar operations." By law, "tanks" belonged to the infantry branch, so the cavalry gradually bought a group of "combat cars", lightly armoured and armed tanks that were often indistinguishable from the newer infantry "tanks."
In 1933 MacArthur set the stage for the coming complete mechanization of the cavalry, declaring, "The horse has no higher degree of mobility today than he had a thousand years ago. The time has therefore arrived when the Cavalry arm must either replace or assist the horse as a means of transportation, or else pass into the limbo of discarded military formations." Although the horse was not yet claimed to be obsolete, his competition was gaining rapidly, and realistic cavalrymen, sensing possible extinction, looked to at least partial substitution of the faster machines for horses in cavalry units.
The War Department in 1938 modified its 1931 directive for all arms and services to adopt mechanization and motorization. Thereafter, development of mechanization was to be accomplished by two of the combat arms only—the cavalry and the infantry. As late as 1938, on the other hand, the Chief of Cavalry, Maj. Gen. John K. Herr , proclaimed, "We must not be misled to our own detriment to assume that the untried machine can displace the proved and tried horse." He favored a balanced force made up of both horse and mechanized cavalry. In testimony before a Congressional committee in 1939, Maj. Gen. John K. Herr maintained that horse cavalry had "stood the acid test of war", whereas the motor elements advocated by some to replace it had not.
Actually, between the world wars there was much theoretical but little tangible progress in tank production and tank tactics in the United States. Production was limited to a few hand-tooled test models, only thirty-five of which were built between 1920 and 1935. Regarding the use of tanks with infantry, the official doctrine of 1939 largely reiterated that of 1923. It maintained that "As a rule, tanks are employed to assist the advance of infantry foot troops, either preceding or accompanying the infantry assault echelon."
In the 1930s the American Army began to seriously discuss the integration of the tank and the airplane into existing doctrine, but the US Army remained an infantry-centered Army, even though sufficient changes had occurred to warrant serious study. In the spring of 1940, maneuvers in Georgia and Louisiana, where Patton was an umpire, showed how far Chaffee had brought the development of American armoured doctrine.
World War II
Tank
A Waffen-SS Tiger I tank in France.
World War II forced armies to integrate all the available arms at every level into a mobile, flexible team. The mechanized combined arms force came of age in this war. In 1939, most armies still thought of an armoured division as a mass of tanks with relatively limited support from the other arms. By 1943, the same armies had evolved armoured divisions that were a balance of different arms and services, each of which had to be as mobile and almost as protected as the tanks they accompanied. This concentration of mechanized forces in a small number of mobile divisions left the ordinary infantry unit deficient in armour to accompany the deliberate attack. The German, Soviet, and American armies therefore developed a number of tank surrogates such as tank destroyers and assault guns to perform these functions in cooperation with the infantry.
Armour experts in most armies, however, were determined to avoid being tied to the infantry, and in any event a tank was an extremely complicated, expensive, and therefore scarce weapon. The British persisted for much of the war on a dual track of development, retaining Infantry tanks to support the infantry and lighter, more mobile cruiser tanks for independent armoured formations. The Soviets similarly produced an entire series of heavy breakthrough tanks.
During the war, German tank design went through at least three generations, plus constant minor variations. The first generation included such prewar vehicles as the Panzerkampfwagen (or Panzer) I and II, which were similar to Soviet and British light tanks. The Germans converted their tank battalions to a majority of Panzer III and Panzer IV medium tanks after the 1940 French campaign. However, the appearance of large numbers of the new generation T-34 and KV-1 Soviet tanks, that were unknown to Germans until 1941, compelled them to join a race for superior armour and gun power. The third generation included many different variants, but the most important designs were the Panther (Panzer V) and Tiger (Panzer VI) tanks. Unfortunately for the Germans, lack of resources combined with emphasis on protection and firepower and a penchant for overly complex design philosophies in nearly every part of an armoured fighting vehicle's design compromised the production numbers. In 1943, for example, Germany manufactured only 5,966 tanks, as compared to 29,497 for the US, 7,476 for Britain, and an estimated 20,000[ citation needed ] for the Soviet Union. However, an assault gun casemate-hulled development of the Panzer III, the Sturmgeschütz III , would turn out to be Germany's most-produced armoured fighting vehicle of any type during the war, at just over 9,300 examples, a popular design which could also be very effectively tasked to perform the duties of a dedicated anti-tank vehicle .
The alternative to constant changes in tank design was to standardize a few basic designs and mass-produce them even though technology had advanced to new improvements. This was the solution of Germany's principal opponents. The Soviet T-34, for example, was an excellent basic design that survived the war with only one major change in armament, 76.2-mm to 85-mm main gun.
The United States had even more reason to standardize and mass-produce than did the Soviet Union. By concentrating on mechanical reliability, the US was able to produce vehicles that operated longer with fewer repair parts. To ensure that American tanks were compatible with American bridging equipment, the War Department restricted tank width and maximum weight to thirty tons. The army relaxed these requirements only in late 1944.
When Germany invaded western Europe in 1940, the US Army had only 28 new tanks – 18 medium and 10 light – and these were soon to become obsolete, along with some 900 older models on hand. The Army had no heavy tanks and no immediate plans for any. Even more serious than the shortage of tanks was industry's lack of experience in tank manufacture and limited production facilities. Furthermore, the United States was committed to helping supply its allies. By 1942 American tank production had soared to just under 25,000, almost doubling the combined British and German output for that year. And in 1943, the peak tank production year, the total was 29,497. All in all, from 1940 through 1945, US tank production totaled 88,410.
Tank designs of World War II were based upon many complex considerations, but the principal factors were those thought to be best supported by combat experience. Among these, early combat proved that a bigger tank was not necessarily a better tank. The development goal came to be a tank combining all the proven characteristics in proper balance, to which weight and size were only incidentally related. The key characteristics were mechanical reliability, firepower, mobility and protection.
The problem here was that only a slight addition to the thickness of armour plate greatly increased the total weight of the tank, thereby requiring a more powerful and heavier engine. This, in turn, resulted in a larger and heavier transmission and suspension system. Just this sort of "vicious circle" aimed at upgrading a tank's most vital characteristics tended to make the tank less maneuverable, slower, and a larger and easier target. Determining the point at which the optimum thickness of armour was reached, in balance with other factors, presented a challenge that resulted in numerous proposed solutions and much disagreement.
According to Lt. Gen. Lesley J. McNair, Chief of Staff of GHQ, and later Commanding General, Army Ground Forces, the answer to bigger enemy tanks was more powerful guns instead of increased size.
Since emphasis of the using arms was upon light tanks during 1940 and 1941, their production at first was almost two to one over the mediums. But in 1943, as the demand grew for more powerful tanks, the lights fell behind, and by 1945 the number of light tanks produced was less than half the number of mediums.
In 1945–46, the General Board of the US European Theater of Operations conducted an exhaustive review of past and future organization. The tank destroyer was deemed too specialized to justify in a peacetime force structure. In a reversal of previous doctrine, the US Army concluded that "the medium tank is the best antitank weapon." Although such a statement may have been true, it ignored the difficulties of designing a tank that could outshoot and defeat all other tanks.
The Cold War
· Cold War · Tank
The U.S. M551 Sheridan was an air-mobile light tank with a 152 mm gun/missile launcher.
In the Cold War, the two opposing forces in Europe were the Warsaw Pact countries on the one side, and the NATO countries on the other side.
Soviet domination of the Warsaw Pact led to effective standardization on a few tank designs. In comparison, NATO adopted a defensive posture. The major contributing nations, France, Germany, the USA, and the UK developed their own tank designs, with little in common.
After World War II, tank development continued. Tanks would not only continue to be produced in huge numbers, but the technology advanced dramatically as well. Medium tanks became heavier, their armour became thicker and their firepower increased. This led gradually to the concept of the main battle tank and the gradual elimination of the heavy tank. Aspects of gun technology changed significantly as well, with advances in shell design and effectiveness.
Many of the changes in tank design have been refinements to targeting and ranging ( fire control ), gun stabilization, communications and crew comfort. Armour evolved to keep pace with improvements in weaponry – the rise of composite armour is of particular note – and guns grew more powerful. However, basic tank architecture did not change significantly, and has remained largely the same into the 21st century.
Entering the 21st century
Tank
Russian Chyorny Oryol or Black Eagle features
With the end of the Cold War in 1991, questions once again started sprouting concerning the relevance of the traditional tank. Over the years, many nations cut back the number of their tanks or replaced most of them with lightweight armoured fighting vehicles with only minimal armour protection.
This period also brought an end to the superpower blocs, and the military industries of Russia and Ukraine are now vying to sell tanks worldwide. India and Pakistan have upgraded old tanks and bought new T-84s and T-90s from the former Soviet states. Both have demonstrated prototypes that the respective countries are not adopting for their own use, but are designed exclusively to compete with the latest western offerings on the open market.
Ukraine has developed the T-84-120 Oplot, which can fire both NATO 120 mm ammunition and ATGMs through the gun barrel. It has a new turret with auto-loader , but imitates western designs with an armoured ammunition compartment to improve crew survivability.
The Russian Chyorny Oryol (" Black Eagle ") is based on a lengthened T-80 hull. An early mock-up, shown for the first time at the second VTTV-Omsk-97 International Exhibition of Armaments in 1997, appears to have dramatically heavier armour, and a completely new modern turret separating crew and ammunition. The prototype has a 125 mm tank gun , but is said to be able to mount a new 152 mm gun. Russia is also rumoured to be developing the Obiekt 775 MBT, sometimes called T-95 , with a remote-controlled turret, for domestic service.
The Italian C1 Ariete MBT was among the latest all-new MBTs to be fielded, with deliveries running from 1995 to 2002. The tank is nearly the same size of the very first tank, both being 8 feet (2.5 m) high. The Mark I had a ~9.9 m long (hull) and the Ariete as a 7.6/9.52 m long (hull/hull+gun). However, the Ariete weighs over double and can travel ten times faster, 54,000 kg vs. 25,401 kg and 40 mph vs. 4 mph (60 v 6 km/h).
A number of armies have considered eliminating tanks completely, reverting to a mix of wheeled anti-tank guns and infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), though in general there is a great deal of resistance because all of the great powers still maintain large numbers of them, in active forces or in ready reserve. There has been no proven alternative, and tanks have had a relatively good track record in recent conflicts.
The tank continues to be vulnerable to many kinds of anti-tank weapons and is more logistically demanding than lighter vehicles, but these were traits that were true for the first tanks as well. In direct fire combat they offer an unmatched combination of higher survivability and firepower among ground-based warfare systems. Whether this combination is particularly useful in proportion to their cost is matter of debate, as there also exist very effective anti-tank systems, IFVs, and competition from air-based ground attack systems.
Due to vulnerability from RPG's , the tank has always had local defense from machine guns to solve the problem. This partially solved the problem in some cases, but produced another. Because the machine gun had to be operated by the commander from outside the tank, it made him vulnerable to enemy fire. To solve this problem, gun shields were made to reduce this threat, but did not completely solve the problem. So, when the development of the M1A2 TUSK (Tank Urban Survival Kit) came, the finalization of a remote machine gun came into place, and was one of the first main battle tanks to have one. Other examples of this gun have been seen, such as a 20 mm remote cannon on the M60A2 . This remote machine gun, under the name CROWS (Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station) has solved the problem of enemy fire threat to the commander, when operating the machine gun. It can also be equipped with an optional grenade launcher.
Possibly one of the main evolution sources for tanks in this century are the active protection systems . Until 15 years ago, armour ( reactive or passive ) was the only effective measure against anti-tank assets. The most recent active protection systems (including Israeli TROPHY and Iron Fist and Russian Arena ) offer high survivability even against volleys of RPG and missiles . If these kinds of systems evolve further and are integrated in contemporary tank and armoured vehicle fleets, the armour-antitank equation will change completely; therefore, 21st century tanks would experience a total revival in terms of operational capabilities.
See also
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Who played Tarzan in films the most times | Famous Inventions | Indian Child
Famous Inventions
Adrenaline: (isolation of) John Jacob Abel, U.S., 1897.
Aerosol can: Erik Rotheim, Norway, 1926.
Air brake: George Westinghouse, U.S., 1868.
Air conditioning: Willis Carrier, U.S., 1911.
Airship: (non-rigid) Henri Giffard, France, 1852; (rigid) Ferdinand von Zeppelin, Germany, 1900.
Aluminum manufacture: (by electrolytic action) Charles M. Hall, U.S., 1866.
Anatomy, human: (De fabrica corporis humani, an illustrated systematic study of the human body) Andreas Vesalius, Belgium, 1543; (comparative: parts of an organism are correlated to the functioning whole) Georges Cuvier, France, 1799–1805.
Anesthetic: (first use of anesthetic—ether—on humans) Crawford W. Long, U.S., 1842.
Antibiotics: (first demonstration of antibiotic effect) Louis Pasteur, Jules-François Joubert, France, 1887; (discovery of penicillin, first modern antibiotic) Alexander Fleming, England, 1928; (penicillin’s infection-fighting properties) Howard Florey, Ernst Chain, England, 1940.
Antiseptic: (surgery) Joseph Lister, England, 1867.
Antitoxin, diphtheria: Emil von Behring, Germany, 1890.
Appliances, electric: (fan) Schuyler Wheeler, U.S., 1882; (flatiron) Henry W. Seely, U.S., 1882; (stove) Hadaway, U.S., 1896; (washing machine) Alva Fisher, U.S., 1906.
Aqualung: Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Emile Gagnan, France, 1943.
Aspirin: Dr. Felix Hoffman, Germany, 1899.
Astronomical calculator: The Antikythera device, first century B.C., Greece. Found off island of Antikythera in 1900.
Atom: (nuclear model of) Ernest Rutherford, England, 1911.
Atomic theory: (ancient) Leucippus, Democritus, Greece, c. 500 B.C.; Lucretius, Rome c.100 B.C.; (modern) John Dalton, England, 1808.
Atomic structure: (formulated nuclear model of atom, Rutherford model) Ernest Rutherford, England, 1911; (proposed current concept of atomic structure, the Bohr model) Niels Bohr, Denmark, 1913.
Automobile: (first with internal combustion engine, 250 rpm) Karl Benz, Germany, 1885; (first with practical high-speed internal combustion engine, 900 rpm) Gottlieb Daimler, Germany, 1885; (first true automobile, not carriage with motor) René Panhard, Emile Lavassor, France, 1891; (carburetor, spray) Charles E. Duryea, U.S., 1892.
Autopilot: (for aircraft) Elmer A. Sperry, U.S., c.1910, first successful test, 1912, in a Curtiss flying boat.
Avogadro’s law: (equal volumes of all gases at the same temperature and pressure contain equal number of molecules) Amedeo Avogadro, Italy, 1811.
Bacteria: Anton van Leeuwenhoek, The Netherlands, 1683.
Balloon, hot-air: Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier, France, 1783.
Barbed wire: (most popular) Joseph E. Glidden, U.S., 1873.
Bar codes: (computer-scanned binary signal code):
(retail trade use) Monarch Marking, U.S. 1970; (industrial use) Plessey Telecommunications, England, 1970.
Barometer: Evangelista Torricelli, Italy, 1643.
Bicycle: Karl D. von Sauerbronn, Germany, 1816; (first modern model) James Starley, England, 1884.
Big Bang theory: (the universe originated with a huge explosion) George LeMaitre, Belgium, 1927; (modified LeMaitre theory labeled “Big Bang”) George A. Gamow, U.S., 1948; (cosmic microwave background radiation discovered, confirms theory) Arno A. Penzias and Robert W. Wilson, U.S., 1965.
Blood, circulation of: William Harvey, England, 1628.
Boyle’s law: (relation between pressure and volume in gases) Robert Boyle, Ireland, 1662.
Braille: Louis Braille, France, 1829.
Bridges: (suspension, iron chains) James Finley, Pa., 1800; (wire suspension) Marc Seguin, Lyons, 1825; (truss) Ithiel Town, U.S., 1820.
Bullet: (conical) Claude Minié, France, 1849.
Calculating machine: (logarithms: made multiplying easier and thus calculators practical) John Napier, Scotland, 1614; (slide rule) William Oughtred, England, 1632; (digital calculator) Blaise Pascal, 1642; (multiplication machine) Gottfried Leibniz, Germany, 1671; (important 19th-century contributors to modern machine) Frank S. Baldwin, Jay R. Monroe, Dorr E. Felt, W. T. Ohdner, William Burroughs, all U.S.; (“analytical engine” design, included concepts of programming, taping) Charles Babbage, England, 1835.
Calculus: Isaac Newton, England, 1669; (differential calculus) Gottfried Leibniz, Germany, 1684.
Camera: (hand-held) George Eastman, U.S., 1888; (Polaroid Land) Edwin Land, U.S., 1948.
“Canals” of Mars: Giovanni Schiaparelli, Italy, 1877.
Carpet sweeper: Melville R. Bissell, U.S., 1876.
Car radio: William Lear, Elmer Wavering, U.S., 1929, manufactured by Galvin Manufacturing Co., “Motorola.”
Cells: (word used to describe microscopic examination of cork) Robert Hooke, England, 1665; (theory: cells are common structural and functional unit of all living organisms) Theodor Schwann, Matthias Schleiden, 1838–1839.
Cement, Portland: Joseph Aspdin, England, 1824.
Chewing gum: (spruce-based) John Curtis, U.S., 1848; (chicle-based) Thomas Adams, U.S., 1870.
Cholera bacterium: Robert Koch, Germany, 1883.
Circuit, integrated: (theoretical) G.W.A. Dummer, England, 1952; (phase-shift oscillator) Jack S. Kilby, Texas Instruments, U.S., 1959.
Classification of plants: (first modern, based on comparative study of forms) Andrea Cesalpino, Italy, 1583; (classification of plants and animals by genera and species) Carolus Linnaeus, Sweden, 1737–1753.
Clock, pendulum: Christian Huygens, The Netherlands, 1656.
Coca-Cola: John Pemberton, U.S., 1886.
Combustion: (nature of) Antoine Lavoisier, France, 1777.
Compact disk: RCA, U.S., 1972.
Computers: (first design of analytical engine) Charles Babbage, 1830s; (ENIAC, Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator, first all-electronic, completed) 1945; (dedicated at University of Pennsylvania) 1946; (UNIVAC, Universal Automatic Computer, handled both numeric and alphabetic data) 1951.
Concrete: (reinforced) Joseph Monier, France, 1877.
Condensed milk: Gail Borden, U.S., 1853.
Conditioned reflex: Ivan Pavlov, Russia, c.1910.
Conservation of electric charge: (the total electric charge of the universe or any closed system is constant) Benjamin Franklin, U.S., 1751–1754.
Contagion theory: (infectious diseases caused by living agent transmitted from person to person) Girolamo Fracastoro, Italy, 1546.
Continental drift theory: (geographer who pieced together continents into a single landmass on maps) Antonio Snider-Pellegrini, France, 1858; (first proposed in lecture) Frank Taylor, U.S.; (first comprehensive detailed theory) Alfred Wegener, Germany, 1912.
Contraceptive, oral: Gregory Pincus, Min Chuch Chang, John Rock, Carl Djerassi, U.S., 1951.
Converter, Bessemer: William Kelly, U.S., 1851.
Cosmetics: Egypt, c. 4000 B.C.
Cosamic string theory: (first postulated) Thomas Kibble, 1976.
Cotton gin: Eli Whitney, U.S., 1793.
Crossbow: China, c. 300 B.C.
Cyclotron: Ernest O. Lawrence, U.S., 1931.
Deuterium: (heavy hydrogen) Harold Urey, U.S., 1931.
Disease: (chemicals in treatment of) crusaded by Philippus Paracelsus, 1527–1541; (germ theory) Louis Pasteur, France, 1862–1877.
DNA: (deoxyribonucleic acid) Friedrich Meischer, Germany, 1869; (determination of double-helical structure) Rosalind Elsie Franklin, F. H. Crick, England, James D. Watson, U.S., 1953.
Dye: (aniline, start of synthetic dye industry) William H. Perkin, England, 1856.
Dynamite: Alfred Nobel, Sweden, 1867.
Electric cooking utensil: (first) patented by St. George Lane-Fox, England, 1874.
Electric generator (dynamo): (laboratory model) Michael Faraday, England, 1832; Joseph Henry, U.S., c.1832; (hand-driven model) Hippolyte Pixii, France, 1833; (alternating-current generator) Nikola Tesla, U.S., 1892.
Electric lamp: (arc lamp) Sir Humphrey Davy, England, 1801; (fluorescent lamp) A.E. Becquerel, France, 1867; (incandescent lamp) Sir Joseph Swann, England, Thomas A. Edison, U.S., contemporaneously, 1870s; (carbon arc street lamp) Charles F. Brush, U.S., 1879; (first widely marketed incandescent lamp) Thomas A. Edison, U.S., 1879; (mercury vapor lamp) Peter Cooper Hewitt, U.S., 1903; (neon lamp) Georges Claude, France, 1911; (tungsten filament) Irving Langmuir, U.S., 1915.
Electrocardiography: Demonstrated by Augustus Waller, 1887; (first practical device for recording activity of heart) Willem Einthoven, 1903, Dutch physiologist.
Electromagnet: William Sturgeon, England, 1823.
Electron: Sir Joseph J. Thompson, England, 1897.
Elevator, passenger: (safety device permitting use by passengers) Elisha G. Otis, U.S., 1852; (elevator utilizing safety device) 1857.
E = mc2: (equivalence of mass and energy) Albert Einstein, Switzerland, 1907.
Engine, internal combustion: No single inventor. Fundamental theory established by Sadi Carnot, France, 1824; (two-stroke) Etienne Lenoir, France, 1860; (ideal operating cycle for four-stroke) Alphonse Beau de Roche, France, 1862; (operating four-stroke) Nikolaus Otto, Germany, 1876; (diesel) Rudolf Diesel, Germany, 1892; (rotary) Felix Wankel, Germany, 1956.
Evolution: (organic) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, France, 1809; (by natural selection) Charles Darwin, England, 1859.
Exclusion principle: (no two electrons in an atom can occupy the same energy level) Wolfgang Pauli, Germany, 1925.
Expanding universe theory: (first proposed) George LeMaitre, Belgium, 1927; (discovered first direct evidence that the universe is expanding) Edwin P. Hubble, U.S., 1929; (Hubble constant: a measure of the rate at which the universe is expanding) Edwin P. Hubble, U.S., 1929.
Falling bodies, law of: Galileo Galilei, Italy, 1590.
Fermentation: (microorganisms as cause of) Louis Pasteur, France, c.1860.
Fiber optics: Narinder Kapany, England, 1955.
Fibers, man-made: (nitrocellulose fibers treated to change flammable nitrocellulose to harmless cellulose, precursor of rayon) Sir Joseph Swann, England, 1883; (rayon) Count Hilaire de Chardonnet, France, 1889; (Celanese) Henry and Camille Dreyfuss, U.S., England, 1921; (research on polyesters and polyamides, basis for modern man-made fibers) U.S., England, Germany, 1930s; (nylon) Wallace H. Carothers, U.S., 1935.
Frozen food: Clarence Birdseye, U.S., 1924.
Gene transfer: (human) Steven Rosenberg, R. Michael Blaese, W. French Anderson, U.S., 1989.
Geometry, elements of: Euclid, Alexandria, Egypt, c. 300 B.C.; (analytic) René Descartes, France; and Pierre de Fermat, Switzerland, 1637.
Gravitation, law of: Sir Isaac Newton, England, c.1665 (published 1687).
Gunpowder: China, c.700.
Gyrocompass: Elmer A. Sperry, U.S., 1905.
Gyroscope: Léon Foucault, France, 1852.
Halley’s Comet: Edmund Halley, England, 1705.
Heart implanted in human, permanent artificial:Dr. Robert Jarvik, U.S., 1982.
Heart, temporary artificial: Willem Kolft, 1957.
Helicopter: (double rotor) Heinrich Focke, Germany, 1936; (single rotor) Igor Sikorsky, U.S., 1939.
Helium first observed on sun: Sir Joseph Lockyer, England, 1868.
Heredity, laws of: Gregor Mendel, Austria, 1865.
Holograph: Dennis Gabor, England, 1947.
Home videotape systems (VCR): (Betamax) Sony, Japan, 1975; (VHS) Matsushita, Japan, 1975.
Ice age theory: Louis Agassiz, Swiss-American, 1840.
Induction, electric: Joseph Henry, U.S., 1828.
Insulin: (first isolated) Sir Frederick G. Banting and Charles H. Best, Canada, 1921; (discovery first published) Banting and Best, 1922; (Nobel Prize awarded for purification for use in humans) John Macleod and Banting, 1923; (first synthesized), China, 1966.
Intelligence testing: Alfred Binet, Theodore Simon, France, 1905.
Interferon: Alick Isaacs, Jean Lindemann, England, Switzerland, 1957.
Isotopes: (concept of) Frederick Soddy, England, 1912; (stable isotopes) J. J. Thompson, England, 1913; (existence demonstrated by mass spectrography) Francis W. Ashton, 1919.
Jet propulsion: (engine) Sir Frank Whittle, England, Hans von Ohain, Germany, 1936; (aircraft) Heinkel He 178, 1939.
Kinetic theory of gases: (molecules of a gas are in a state of rapid motion) Daniel Bernoulli, Switzerland, 1738.
Laser: (theoretical work on) Charles H. Townes, Arthur L. Schawlow, U.S., N. Basov, A. Prokhorov, U.S.S.R., 1958; (first working model) T. H. Maiman, U.S., 1960.
Lawn mower: Edwin Budding, John Ferrabee, England, 1830–1831.
LCD (liquid crystal display): Hoffmann-La Roche, Switzerland, 1970.
Lens, bifocal: Benjamin Franklin, U.S., c.1760.
Leyden jar: (prototype electrical condenser) Canon E. G. von Kleist of Kamin, Pomerania, 1745; independently evolved by Cunaeus and P. van Musschenbroek, University of Leyden, Holland, 1746, from where name originated.
Light, nature of: (wave theory) Christian Huygens, The Netherlands, 1678; (electromagnetic theory) James Clerk Maxwell, England, 1873.
Light, speed of: (theory that light has finite velocity) Olaus Roemer, Denmark, 1675.
Lightning rod: Benjamin Franklin, U.S., 1752.
Locomotive: (steam powered) Richard Trevithick, England, 1804; (first practical, due to multiple-fire-tube boiler) George Stephenson, England, 1829; (largest steam-powered) Union Pacific’s “Big Boy,” U.S., 1941.
Lock, cylinder: Linus Yale, U.S., 1851.
Loom: (horizontal, two-beamed) Egypt, c. 4400 B.C.; (Jacquard drawloom, pattern controlled by punch cards) Jacques de Vaucanson, France, 1745, Joseph-Marie Jacquard, 1801; (flying shuttle) John Kay, England, 1733; (power-driven loom) Edmund Cartwright, England, 1785.
Machine gun: (hand-cranked multibarrel) Richard J. Gatling, U.S., 1862; (practical single barrel, belt-fed) Hiram S. Maxim, Anglo-American, 1884.
Magnet, Earth is: William Gilbert, England, 1600.
Match: (phosphorus) François Derosne, France, 1816; (friction) Charles Sauria, France, 1831; (safety) J. E. Lundstrom, Sweden, 1855.
Measles vaccine: John F. Enders, Thomas Peebles, U.S., 1953.
Metric system: revolutionary government of France, 1790–1801.
Microphone: Charles Wheatstone, England, 1827.
Microscope: (compound) Zacharias Janssen, The Netherlands, 1590; (electron) Vladimir Zworykin et al., U.S., Canada, Germany, 1932–1939.
Microwave oven: Percy Spencer, U.S., 1947.
Motion, laws of: Isaac Newton, England, 1687.
Motion pictures: Thomas A. Edison, U.S., 1893.
Motion pictures, sound: Product of various inventions. First picture with synchronized musical score: Don Juan, 1926; with spoken dialogue: The Jazz Singer, 1927; both Warner Bros.
Motor, electric: Michael Faraday, England, 1822; (alternating-current) Nikola Tesla, U.S., 1892.
Motorcycle: (motor tricycle) Edward Butler, England, 1884; (gasoline-engine motorcycle) Gottlieb Daimler, Germany, 1885.
Moving assembly line: Henry Ford, U.S., 1913.
Neptune: (discovery of) Johann Galle, Germany, 1846.
Neptunium: (first transuranic element, synthesis of) Edward M. McMillan, Philip H. Abelson, U.S., 1940.
Neutron: James Chadwick, England, 1932.
Neutron-induced radiation: Enrico Fermi et al., Italy, 1934.
Nitroglycerin: Ascanio Sobrero, Italy, 1846.
Nuclear fission: Otto Hahn, Fritz Strassmann, Germany, 1938.
Nuclear reactor: Enrico Fermi, Italy, et al., 1942.
Ohm’s law: (relationship between strength of electric current, electromotive force, and circuit resistance) Georg S. Ohm, Germany, 1827.
Oil well: Edwin L. Drake, U.S., 1859.
Oxygen: (isolation of) Joseph Priestley, 1774; Carl Scheele, 1773.
Ozone: Christian Schönbein, Germany, 1839.
Pacemaker: (internal) Clarence W. Lillehie, Earl Bakk, U.S., 1957.
Paper China, c.100 A.D.
Parachute: Louis S. Lenormand, France, 1783.
Pen: (fountain) Lewis E. Waterman, U.S., 1884; (ball-point, for marking on rough surfaces) John H. Loud, U.S., 1888; (ball-point, for handwriting) Lazlo Biro, Argentina, 1944.
Periodic law: (that properties of elements are functions of their atomic weights) Dmitri Mendeleev, Russia, 1869.
Periodic table: (arrangement of chemical elements based on periodic law) Dmitri Mendeleev, Russia, 1869.
Phonograph: Thomas A. Edison, U.S., 1877.
Photography: (first paper negative, first photograph, on metal) Joseph Nicéphore Niepce, France, 1816–1827; (discovery of fixative powers of hyposulfite of soda) Sir John Herschel, England, 1819; (first direct positive image on silver plate, the daguerreotype) Louis Daguerre, based on work with Niepce, France, 1839; (first paper negative from which a number of positive prints could be made) William Talbot, England, 1841. Work of these four men, taken together, forms basis for all modern photography. (First color images) Alexandre Becquerel, Claude Niepce de Saint-Victor, France, 1848–1860; (commercial color film with three emulsion layers, Kodachrome) U.S., 1935.
Photovoltaic effect: (light falling on certain materials can produce electricity) Edmund Becquerel, France, 1839.
Piano: (Hammerklavier) Bartolommeo Cristofori, Italy, 1709; (pianoforte with sustaining and damper pedals) John Broadwood, England, 1873.
Planetary motion, laws of: Johannes Kepler, Germany, 1609, 1619.
Plant respiration and photosynthesis: Jan Ingenhousz, Holland, 1779.
Plastics: (first material, nitrocellulose softened by vegetable oil, camphor, precursor to Celluloid) Alexander Parkes, England, 1855; (Celluloid, involving recognition of vital effect of camphor) John W. Hyatt, U.S., 1869; (Bakelite, first completely synthetic plastic) Leo H. Baekeland, U.S., 1910; (theoretical background of macromolecules and process of polymerization on which modern plastics industry rests) Hermann Staudinger, Germany, 1922.
Plate tectonics: Alfred Wegener, Germany, 1912–1915.
Plow, forked: Mesopotamia, before 3000 B.C.
Plutonium, synthesis of: Glenn T. Seaborg, Edwin M. McMillan, Arthur C. Wahl, Joseph W. Kennedy, U.S., 1941.
Polio, vaccine: (experimentally safe dead-virus vaccine) Jonas E. Salk, U.S., 1952; (effective large-scale field trials) 1954; (officially approved) 1955; (safe oral live-virus vaccine developed) Albert B. Sabin, U.S., 1954; (available in the U.S.) 1960.
Positron: Carl D. Anderson, U.S., 1932.
Pressure cooker: (early version) Denis Papin, France, 1679.
Printing: (block) Japan, c.700; (movable type) Korea, c.1400; Johann Gutenberg, Germany, c.1450 (lithography, offset) Aloys Senefelder, Germany, 1796; (rotary press) Richard Hoe, U.S., 1844; (linotype) Ottmar Mergenthaler, U.S., 1884.
Probability theory: René Descartes, France; and Pierre de Fermat, Switzerland, 1654.
Proton: Ernest Rutherford, England, 1919.
Prozac: (antidepressant fluoxetine) Bryan B. Malloy, Scotland, and Klaus K. Schmiegel, U.S., 1972; (released for use in U.S.) Eli Lilly & Company, 1987.
Psychoanalysis: Sigmund Freud, Austria, c.1904.
Pulsars: Antony Hewish and Jocelyn Bell Burnel, England, 1967.
Quantum theory: (general) Max Planck, Germany, 1900; (sub-atomic) Niels Bohr, Denmark, 1913; (quantum mechanics) Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger, Germany, 1925.
Quarks: Jerome Friedman, Henry Kendall, Richard Taylor, U.S., 1967.
Quasars: Marten Schmidt, U.S., 1963.
Rabies immunization: Louis Pasteur, France, 1885.
Radar: (limited to one-mile range) Christian Hulsmeyer, Germany, 1904; (pulse modulation, used for measuring height of ionosphere) Gregory Breit, Merle Tuve, U.S., 1925; (first practical radar—radio detection and ranging) Sir Robert Watson-Watt, England, 1934–1935.
Radio: (electromagnetism, theory of) James Clerk Maxwell, England, 1873; (spark coil, generator of electromagnetic waves) Heinrich Hertz, Germany, 1886; (first practical system of wireless telegraphy) Guglielmo Marconi, Italy, 1895; (first long-distance telegraphic radio signal sent across the Atlantic) Marconi, 1901; (vacuum electron tube, basis for radio telephony) Sir John Fleming, England, 1904; (triode amplifying tube) Lee de Forest, U.S., 1906; (regenerative circuit, allowing long-distance sound reception) Edwin H. Armstrong, U.S., 1912; (frequency modulation—FM) Edwin H. Armstrong, U.S., 1933.
Radioactivity: (X-rays) Wilhelm K. Roentgen, Germany, 1895; (radioactivity of uranium) Henri Becquerel, France, 1896; (radioactive elements, radium and polonium in uranium ore) Marie Sklodowska-Curie, Pierre Curie, France, 1898; (classification of alpha and beta particle radiation) Pierre Curie, France, 1900; (gamma radiation) Paul-Ulrich Villard, France, 1900.
Radiocarbon dating, carbon-14 method: (discovered) 1947, Willard F. Libby, U.S.; (first demonstrated) U.S., 1950.
Radio signals, extraterrestrial: first known radio noise signals were received by U.S. engineer, Karl Jansky, originating from the Galactic Center, 1931.
Radio waves: (cosmic sources, led to radio astronomy) Karl Jansky, U.S., 1932.
Razor: (safety, successfully marketed) King Gillette, U.S., 1901; (electric) Jacob Schick, U.S., 1928, 1931.
Reaper: Cyrus McCormick, U.S., 1834.
Refrigerator: Alexander Twining, U.S., James Harrison, Australia, 1850; (first with a compressor device) the Domelse, Chicago, U.S., 1913.
Refrigerator ship: (first) the Frigorifique, cooling unit designed by Charles Teller, France, 1877.
Relativity: (special and general theories of) Albert Einstein, Switzerland, Germany, U.S., 1905–1953.
Revolver: Samuel Colt, U.S., 1835.
Richter scale: Charles F. Richter, U.S., 1935.
Rifle: (muzzle-loaded) Italy, Germany, c.1475; (breech-loaded) England, France, Germany, U.S., c.1866; (bolt-action) Paul von Mauser, Germany, 1889; (automatic) John Browning, U.S., 1918.
Rocket: (liquid-fueled) Robert Goddard, U.S., 1926.
Roller bearing: (wooden for cartwheel) Germany or France, c.100 B.C.
Rotation of Earth: Jean Bernard Foucault, France, 1851.
Royal Observatory, Greenwich: established in 1675 by Charles II of England; John Flamsteed first Astronomer Royal.
Rubber: (vulcanization process) Charles Goodyear, U.S., 1839.
Saccharin: Constantine Fuhlberg, Ira Remsen, U.S., 1879.
Safety pin: Walter Hunt, U.S., 1849.
Saturn, ring around: Christian Huygens, The Netherlands, 1659.
“Scotch” tape: Richard Drew, U.S., 1929.
Screw propeller: Sir Francis P. Smith, England, 1836; John Ericsson, England, worked independently of and simultaneously with Smith, 1837.
Seismograph: (first accurate) John Milne, England, 1880.
Sewing machine: Elias Howe, U.S., 1846; (continuous stitch) Isaac Singer, U.S., 1851.
Solar energy: First realistic application of solar energy using parabolic solar reflector to drive caloric engine on steam boiler, John Ericsson, U.S., 1860s.
Solar system, universe: (Sun-centered universe) Nicolaus Copernicus, Warsaw, 1543; (establishment of planetary orbits as elliptical) Johannes Kepler, Germany, 1609; (infinity of universe) Giordano Bruno, Italian monk, 1584.
Spectrum: (heterogeneity of light) Sir Isaac Newton, England, 1665–1666.
Spectrum analysis: Gustav Kirchhoff, Robert Bunsen, Germany, 1859.
Spermatozoa: Anton van Leeuwenhoek, The Netherlands, 1683.
Spinning: (spinning wheel) India, introduced to Europe in Middle Ages; (Saxony wheel, continuous spinning of wool or cotton yarn) England, c.1500–1600; (spinning jenny) James Hargreaves, England, 1764; (spinning frame) Sir Richard Arkwright, England, 1769; (spinning mule, completed mechanization of spinning, permitting production of yarn to keep up with demands of modern looms) Samuel Crompton, England, 1779.
Star catalog: (first modern) Tycho Brahe, Denmark, 1572.
Steam engine: (first commercial version based on principles of French physicist Denis Papin) Thomas Savery, England, 1639; (atmospheric steam engine) Thomas Newcomen, England, 1705; (steam engine for pumping water from collieries) Savery, Newcomen, 1725; (modern condensing, double acting) James Watt, England, 1782.
Steamship: Claude de Jouffroy d’Abbans, France, 1783; James Rumsey, U.S., 1787; John Fitch, U.S., 1790. All preceded Robert Fulton, U.S., 1807, credited with launching first commercially successful steamship.
Stethoscope: René Laënnec, France, 1819.
Sulfa drugs: (parent compound, para-aminobenzenesulfanomide) Paul Gelmo, Austria, 1908; (antibacterial activity) Gerhard Domagk, Germany, 1935.
Superconductivity: (theory) Bardeen, Cooper, Scheiffer, U.S., 1957.
Symbolic logic: George Boule, 1854; (modern) Bertrand Russell, Alfred North Whitehead, England, 1910–1913.
Tank, military: Sir Ernest Swinton, England, 1914.
Tape recorder: (magnetic steel tape) Valdemar Poulsen, Denmark, 1899.
Teflon: DuPont, U.S., 1943.
Telegraph: Samuel F. B. Morse, U.S., 1837.
Telephone: Alexander Graham Bell, U.S., 1876.
Telescope: Hans Lippershey, The Netherlands, 1608; (astronomical) Galileo Galilei, Italy, 1609; (reflecting) Isaac Newton, England, 1668.
Television: (Iconoscope–T.V. camera table), Vladimir Zworkin, U.S., 1923, and also kinescope (cathode ray tube), 1928; (mechanical disk-scanning method) successfully demonstrated by J.K. Baird, England, C.F. Jenkins, U.S., 1926; (first all-electric television image), 1927, Philo T. Farnsworth, U.S; (color, mechanical disk) Baird, 1928; (color, compatible with black and white) George Valensi, France, 1938; (color, sequential rotating filter) Peter Goldmark, U.S., first introduced, 1951; (color, compatible with black and white) commercially introduced in U.S., National Television Systems Committee, 1953.
Thermodynamics: (first law: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another) Julius von Mayer, Germany, 1842; James Joule, England, 1843; (second law: heat cannot of itself pass from a colder to a warmer body) Rudolph Clausius, Germany, 1850; (third law: the entropy of ordered solids reaches zero at the absolute zero of temperature) Walter Nernst, Germany, 1918.
Thermometer: (open-column) Galileo Galilei, c.1593; (clinical) Santorio Santorio, Padua, c.1615; (mercury, also Fahrenheit scale) Gabriel D. Fahrenheit, Germany, 1714; (centigrade scale) Anders Celsius, Sweden, 1742; (absolute-temperature, or Kelvin, scale) William Thompson, Lord Kelvin, England, 1848.
Tire, pneumatic: Robert W. Thompson, England, 1845; (bicycle tire) John B. Dunlop, Northern Ireland, 1888.
Toilet, flush: Product of Minoan civilization, Crete, c. 2000 B.C. Alleged invention by “Thomas Crapper” is untrue.
Tractor: Benjamin Holt, U.S., 1900.
Transformer, electric: William Stanley, U.S., 1885.
Transistor: John Bardeen, Walter H. Brattain, William B. Shockley, U.S., 1947.
Tuberculosis bacterium: Robert Koch, Germany, 1882.
Typewriter: Christopher Sholes, Carlos Glidden, U.S., 1867.
Uncertainty principle: (that position and velocity of an object cannot both be measured exactly, at the same time) Werner Heisenberg, Germany, 1927.
Uranus: (first planet discovered in recorded history) William Herschel, England, 1781.
Vaccination: Edward Jenner, England, 1796.
Vacuum cleaner: (manually operated) Ives W. McGaffey, 1869; (electric) Hubert C. Booth, England, 1901; (upright) J. Murray Spangler, U.S., 1907.
Van Allen (radiation) Belt: (around Earth) James Van Allen, U.S., 1958.
Video disk: Philips Co., The Netherlands, 1972.
Vitamins: (hypothesis of disease deficiency) Sir F. G. Hopkins, Casimir Funk, England, 1912; (vitamin A) Elmer V. McCollum, M. Davis, U.S., 1912–1914; (vitamin B) McCollum, U.S., 1915–1916; (thiamin, B1) Casimir Funk, England, 1912; (riboflavin, B2) D. T. Smith, E. G. Hendrick, U.S., 1926; (niacin) Conrad Elvehjem, U.S., 1937; (B6) Paul Gyorgy, U.S., 1934; (vitamin C) C. A. Hoist, T. Froelich, Norway, 1912; (vitamin D) McCollum, U.S., 1922; (folic acid) Lucy Wills, England, 1933.
Voltaic pile: (forerunner of modern battery, first source of continuous electric current) Alessandro Volta, Italy, 1800.
Wallpaper: Europe, 16th and 17th century.
Wassermann test: (for syphilis) August von Wassermann, Germany, 1906.
Wheel: (cart, solid wood) Mesopotamia, c.3800–3600 B.C.
Windmill: Persia, c.600.
World Wide Web: (developed while working at CERN) Tim Berners-Lee, England, 1989; (development of Mosaic browser makes WWW available for general use) Marc Andreeson, U.S., 1993.
Xerography: Chester Carlson, U.S., 1938.
Zero: India, c.600; (absolute zero temperature, cessation of all molecular energy) William Thompson, Lord Kelvin, England, 1848.
Zipper: W. L. Judson, U.S., 1891.
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What connects Alan Sillitoe, John Travolta and The Drifters | The Ragman's Daughter (1972) - IMDb
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| Crime , Drama , Romance | 1972 (UK)
A cheese warehouse worker with wife and two kids hates his dull life. He reminisces about the time he met the late love of his life and the days they spent riding around on his motorbike and her horse committing petty thievery.
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2 March 2010 1:47 AM, -08:00 | The Hollywood Interview
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A romantic comedy which explores the pressures on police officers.
Director: Harold Becker
Lenny Brown moves to California to find his fortune in tax shelter investments. When the federal government changes the tax laws, poor Lenny finds himself $700,000 in hock with nowhere to ... See full summary »
Director: Harold Becker
Greg Powell is a disturbed ex-con who recruits Jimmy Smith (aka Jimmy Youngblood), a petty thief, as his partner in crime. Powell panics one night when the two of them are pulled over by a ... See full summary »
Director: Harold Becker
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.9/10 X
It is 1957. J.C. Cullen is a young man from a small town, with a talent for winning at craps, who leaves for the big city to work as a professional gambler. While there, he breaks the bank ... See full summary »
Directors: Ben Bolt, Harold Becker
Stars: Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Tommy Lee Jones
U.K. gay activists work to help miners during their lengthy strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984.
Director: Matthew Warchus
A divorced father discovers that his 12-year-old son's new stepfather is not what he made himself out to be.
Director: Harold Becker
A high school wrestler in Spokane, Washington has trouble focusing on his training regimen when a beautiful young drifter takes up temporary residence at his home.
Director: Harold Becker
The accidental shooting of a boy in New York leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor, and unexpectedly far-reaching consequences.
Director: Harold Becker
A tale about a happily married couple who would like to have children. Tracy teaches art, Andy's a college dean. Things are never the same after she is taken to hospital and operated upon by Jed, a "know all" doctor.
Director: Harold Becker
A detective investigating a series of murders becomes involved with a woman who may be the culprit.
Director: Harold Becker
In the 1990s, a South American city is rocked by the imminent outbreak of a plague. While many attempt to flee the city, Dr Bernard Rieux sends his sick wife away and does his best to care ... See full summary »
Director: Luis Puenzo
Military cadets take extreme measures to insure the future of their academy when its existence is threatened by local condo developers.
Director: Harold Becker
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Storyline
A cheese warehouse worker with wife and two kids hates his dull life. He reminisces about the time he met the late love of his life and the days they spent riding around on his motorbike and her horse committing petty thievery.
(United States) – See all my reviews
Filmed nine years after the last of the authentic kitchen sink films ('This Sporting Life' and 'Billy Liar'), 'The Ragman's Daughter' seems to me to be director Harold Becker's wistful homage to the original genre. The period kitchen sink films were shot in black & white, and here Becker shot in Technicolor, though the cinematography here is quite good, and yet in its frequent atmospheric moments supportive of my sense that this film is an homage by an American director who had earlier been smitten with the early crop of kitchen sink and "angry young man" pictures.
'The Ragman's Daughter' was the first feature film for all of its acting and crew principals, including Becker. Perhaps their having been collectively fond of and in awe of the original kitchen sink films lends this latter-day hearkening-back to the genre a haunting subtext or mystique that's quite appealing.
The screenwriter is Alan Sillitoe - from whose novels the period kitchen sink films 'Saturday Night And Sunday Morning' and 'The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner' were adapted - whose native Nottingham is the location for 'The Ragman's Daughter,' and the setting is captured in frame here with charm and warmth bordering on the fondly nostalgic which that Midlands industrial city perhaps never really afforded its working class inhabitants; there's little of the chill one catches from the early, period, black & white kitchen sinkers. Also, the conflict here isn't played out, as it is classically in the originals of the genre, among working class or even between working class and establishment characters; instead 'The Ragman's Daughter's' conflict is between the protagonist couple's working class male lead, Tony (Simon Rouse) and its second generation nouveau riche, but entrée-lacking, female lead, Doris (Victoria Tennant).
With captivating, absorbing inter-cutting Becker gave, in the form of the older male protagonist recalling the story of his lost youth, the film much of its haunting, "nature of regret" appeal. The pacing is quite slow, which suits the plot and characters and it contributes considerable gravitas to the storytelling's empathic profundity.
While not a opus major, 'The Ragman's Daughter' works its soft magic on several levels, not the least of which is nowadays its time capsule value - but I shan't spoil it for anyone by parsing the other levels here: see it for yourself and let this little gem's gleam catch and please your eye, mind, and heart.
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In which English county is the New Forest | Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand (born Barbara Joan Streisand, April 24, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter, author, actress, film producer, and director. She has won two Academy Awards,[1] eight Grammy Awards,[2] five Emmy Awards including one Daytime Emmy,[3] a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Kennedy Center Honors award,[4] a Peabody Award,[4] and is amongst twelve entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award.
She is one of the best selling female artists of all time, with more than 71.5 million albums in the United States and 245 million records sold worldwide. She is the best-selling female artist on the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) Top Selling Album Artists list, the only female recording artist in the top ten, and the only artist outside of the rock and roll genre.[5]
After beginning a successful recording career in the 1960s, by the end of the decade, Streisand ventured into film starring in the critically acclaimed Funny Girl, for which she won the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.[6] Other notable films include The Owl and the Pussycat, The Way We Were, and A Star Is Born, for which she received her second Academy Award for composing the music to the picture’s main song, “Evergreen”.[7] By the 1980s, Streisand established herself as one of the film industry’s most notable figures by becoming the first woman to direct, produce, script and star in her own picture.[8]
According to the RIAA, Streisand holds the record for the most top ten albums of any female recording artist – a total of 32 since 1963.[9] Streisand has the widest span (48 years) between first and latest top ten albums of any female recording artist. With her 2009 album, Love Is the Answer, she became one of the rare artists to achieve number one albums in five consecutive decades.[10] According to the RIAA, she has released 51 Gold albums, 30 Platinum albums, and 13 Multi-Platinum albums in the United States.[2]
Early Life
Family
Barbara Joan Streisand was born on April 24, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Diana (born Ida Rosen) and Emanuel Streisand. Her mother was a singer at one time but earned her income as a school secretary[11] and her father was a high school teacher. Her family was Jewish; her paternal grandparents immigrated from Galicia (Poland–Ukraine) and her maternal grandparents from Russia.[12] In August 1943, fifteen months after Streisand’s birth, her father died from complications from an epileptic seizure[13] and the family fell into near-poverty.[14] She has an older brother, Sheldon, and a half-sister, the singer Roslyn Kind,[14][15][16][17] from her mother’s re-marriage to Louis Kind in 1949.[14] Kind is nine years younger than Streisand.[18]
Education
Streisand went to the Jewish Orthodox Yeshiva of Brooklyn, giving a solo performance at the age of seven.[19] She later attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and joined the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club.[20][21] Streisand has recollected, “I’m so glad I came from Brooklyn – it’s down to earth.”[19]
Early Career
Streisand recorded her first demos in 1955, at the age of 13, at Nola Recording Studios in New York City. She sang “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart” and “You’ll Never Know”. The first remains unreleased while the latter was included on Streisand’s 1991 retrospective box set Just For The Record.[22] Streisand later became a nightclub singer while in her teens. She wanted to be an actress and appeared in summer stock and in a number of Off-Off-Broadway productions, including Driftwood (1959), with then-unknown Joan Rivers. (In her autobiography, Rivers wrote that she played a lesbian with a crush on Streisand’s character, but this was later denied by the play’s author.) Driftwood ran for only six weeks.[23]
Her boyfriend, Barry Dennen, helped her create a club act – first performed at The Lion, a popular gay nightclub in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village in 1960 – and she achieved success as a singer. While singing at The Lion for several weeks, she modified her name from Barbara to Barbra.[24][25] Afterward she appeared at other New York nightclubs, including the Bon Soir and the Blue Angel. One early appearance outside of New York City was at Enrico Banducci’s hungry i nightclub in San Francisco in 1963.[26] In 1961, Streisand appeared at the Town and Country nightclub in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, but her appearance was cut short because the club owner did not appreciate her singing style.[27] Streisand appeared at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge in Detroit in 1961.[28]
Streisand’s first television appearance was on The Tonight Show, then hosted by Jack Paar, in 1961, singing Harold Arlen’s “A Sleepin’ Bee”.[29] Orson Bean, who substituted for Paar that night, had seen the singer perform at a gay bar and booked her for the telecast. (Her older brother Sheldon paid NBC for a kinescope film so she could use it in 1961 to promote herself. Decades later the film was preserved through digitizing and is available for viewing on a website.)[30] Later in 1961, Streisand became a semi-regular on PM East/PM West, a talk/variety series. PM East was hosted by Mike Wallace and Joyce Davidson.[31] PM West was hosted by Terrence O’Flaherty. Westinghouse Broadcasting, which aired the television show in a select few cities (Boston, New York, Baltimore, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago and San Francisco), wiped all the videotapes soon after broadcasting them.[31] Audio segments from some episodes, which were saved by Streisand’s fans, are part of the compilation CD Just for the Record, which went platinum in 1991. The singer said on 60 Minutes in 1991 that 30 years earlier Wallace had been “mean, very mean” to her on PM East/PM West.[32] He countered that she had been “totally self-absorbed”. (Her response: “You invited me on your show to talk about subjects that interested me, and you dare to call me self-absorbed?”) 60 Minutes included the audio of Streisand saying to him in 1961, “I like the fact that you are provoking. But don’t provoke me.”[33]
In 1962, after several appearances on PM East/PM West, Streisand first appeared on Broadway in the small but star-making role of Miss Marmelstein in the musical I Can Get It for You Wholesale. Her first album, The Barbra Streisand Album, won two Grammy Awards in 1963. Following her success in I Can Get It for You Wholesale, Streisand made several appearances on The Tonight Show in 1962 and 1963. Topics covered in her interviews with host Johnny Carson included the empire-waisted dresses that she bought wholesale and her “crazy” reputation at Erasmus Hall High School.[34] As is the case with Wallace, only audio survives from small portions of her telecast conversations with Carson. It was at about this time that Streisand entered into a long and successful professional relationship with Lee Solters and Sheldon Roskin as her publicists with the firm Solters/Roskin (later Solters/Roskin/Friedman).
Streisand returned to Broadway in 1964 with an acclaimed performance as entertainer Fanny Brice in Funny Girl at the Winter Garden Theatre . The show introduced two of her signature songs, “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade”, Because of the play’s overnight success, she appeared on the cover of Time. In 1964 Streisand was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical but lost to Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly ! Streisand received an honorary “Star of the Decade” Tony Award in 1970.[35]
In 1966, she repeated her success with Funny Girl in London’s West End at the Prince of Wales Theatre . From 1965 to 1967 she appeared in her first four solo television specials.
Video
Career
Singing
Streisand has recorded 50 studio albums, almost all with Columbia Records. Her early works in the 1960s (her debut The Barbra Streisand Album, The Second Barbra Streisand Album, The Third Album, My Name Is Barbra, etc.) are considered classic renditions of theater and cabaret standards, including her pensive version of the normally uptempo “Happy Days Are Here Again”. She performed this in a duet with Judy Garland on The Judy Garland Show. Garland referred to her on the air as one of the last great belters. They also sang “There’s No Business Like Show Business” with Ethel Merman joining them.
Beginning with My Name Is Barbra, her early albums were often medley-filled keepsakes of her television specials. Starting in 1969, she began attempting more contemporary material, but like many talented singers of the day, she found herself out of her element with rock. Her vocal talents prevailed, and she gained newfound success with the pop and ballad-oriented Richard Perry-produced album Stoney End in 1971. The title track, written by Laura Nyro, was a major hit for Streisand.
During the 1970s, she was also highly prominent on the pop charts, with Top 10 recordings such as “The Way We Were” (US No. 1), “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)” (US No. 1), “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” (1979, with Donna Summer), which as of 2010 is reportedly still the most commercially successful duet, (US No. 1), “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” (with Neil Diamond) (US No. 1) and “The Main Event” (US No. 3), some of which came from soundtrack recordings of her films. As the 1970s ended, Streisand was named the most successful female singer in the U.S. — only Elvis Presley and The Beatles had sold more albums.[36] In 1980, she released her best-selling effort to date, the Barry Gibb-produced Guilty. The album contained the hits “Woman in Love” (which spent several weeks on top of the pop charts in the fall of 1980), “Guilty”, and “What Kind of Fool”.
After years of largely ignoring Broadway and traditional pop music in favor of more contemporary material, Streisand returned to her musical-theater roots with 1985’s The Broadway Album, which was unexpectedly successful, holding the coveted No. 1 Billboard position for three straight weeks, and being certified quadruple platinum. The album featured tunes by Rodgers and Hammerstein, George Gershwin , Jerome Kern, and Stephen Sondheim , who was persuaded to rework some of his songs especially for this recording. The Broadway Album was met with acclaim, including a Grammy nomination for album of the year and, ultimately, handed Streisand her eighth Grammy as Best Female Vocalist. After releasing the live album One Voice in 1986, Streisand was set to release another album of Broadway songs in 1988. She recorded several cuts for the album under the direction of Rupert Holmes, including “On My Own” (from Les Misérables ), a medley of “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?” and “Heather on the Hill” (from Finian’s Rainbow and Brigadoon , respectively), “All I Ask of You” (from The Phantom of the Opera ), “Warm All Over” (from The Most Happy Fella ) and an unusual solo version of “Make Our Garden Grow” (from Candide ). Streisand was not happy with the direction of the project and it was ultimately scrapped. Only “Warm All Over” and a reworked, lite FM-friendly version of “All I Ask of You” were ever released, the latter appearing on Streisand’s 1988 effort, Till I Loved You. At the beginning of the 1990s, Streisand started focusing on her film directorial efforts and became almost inactive in the recording studio. In 1991, a four-disc box set, Just for the Record, was released. A compilation spanning Streisand’s entire career to date, it featured over 70 tracks of live performances, greatest hits, rarities and previously unreleased material.
The following year, Streisand’s concert fundraising events helped propel former Pres. Bill Clinton into the spotlight and into office.[37] Streisand later introduced Clinton at his inauguration in 1993. Streisand’s music career, however, was largely on hold. A 1992 appearance at an APLA benefit as well as the aforementioned inaugural performance hinted that Streisand was becoming more receptive to the idea of live performances. A tour was suggested, though Streisand would not immediately commit to it, citing her well-known stage fright as well as security concerns. During this time, Streisand finally returned to the recording studio and released Back to Broadway in June 1993. The album was not as universally lauded as its predecessor, but it did debut at No. 1 on the pop charts (a rare feat for an artist of Streisand’s age, especially given that it relegated Janet Jackson’s Janet to the No. 2 spot). One of the album’s highlights was a medley of “I Have A Love” / “One Hand, One Heart”, a duet with Johnny Mathis, who Streisand said is one of her favorite singers.[38][39]
In 1993, New York Times music critic Stephen Holden wrote that Streisand “enjoys a cultural status that only one other American entertainer, Frank Sinatra, has achieved in the last half century”.[40] In September 1993, Streisand announced her first public concert appearances in 27 years (if one does not count her Las Vegas nightclub performances between 1969 and 1972). What began as a two-night New Year’s event at the MGM Grand Las Vegas eventually led to a multi-city tour in the summer of 1994. Tickets for the tour were sold out in under one hour. Streisand also appeared on the covers of major magazines in anticipation of what Time magazine named “The Music Event of the Century.” The tour was one of the biggest all-media merchandise parlays in history. Ticket prices ranged from US$50 to US$1,500 – making Streisand the highest-paid concert performer in history. Barbra Streisand: The Concert went on to be the top-grossing concert of the year and earned five Emmy Awards and the Peabody Award, while the taped broadcast on HBO is, to date, the highest-rated concert special in HBO’s 30-year history. Following the tour’s conclusion, Streisand once again kept a low profile musically, instead focusing her efforts on acting and directing duties as well as a burgeoning romance with actor James Brolin.
In 1996, Streisand released “I Finally Found Someone” as a duet with Canadian singer/songwriter Bryan Adams. The song was nominated for an Oscar as it was part of the soundtrack of Streisand’s self-directed movie The Mirror Has Two Faces. It reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was her first significant hit in almost a decade and her first top 10 hit on the Hot 100 (and first gold single) since 1981.
In 1997, she finally returned to the recording studio, releasing Higher Ground, a collection of songs of a loosely-inspirational nature which also featured a duet with Céline Dion. The album received generally favorable reviews and, remarkably, once again debuted at No. 1 on the pop charts. Following her marriage to Brolin in 1998, Streisand recorded an album of love songs entitled A Love Like Ours the following year. Reviews were mixed, with many critics complaining about the somewhat syrupy sentiments and overly-lush arrangements; however, it did produce a modest hit for Streisand in the country-tinged “If You Ever Leave Me”, a duet with Vince Gill.
On New Year’s Eve 1999, Streisand returned to the concert stage, selling out in the first few hours, eight months before her return.[41] At the end of the millennium, she was the number one female singer in the U.S., with at least two No. 1 albums in each decade since she began performing. A two-disc live album of the concert entitled Timeless: Live in Concert was released in 2000. Streisand performed versions of the Timeless concert in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, in early 2000. In advance of four concerts (two each in Los Angeles and New York) in September 2000, Streisand announced that she was retiring from playing public concerts. Her performance of the song “People” was broadcast on the Internet via America Online.
Streisand’s most recent albums have been Christmas Memories (2001), a somewhat somber collection of holiday songs (which felt entirely —albeit unintentionally— appropriate in the early post-9/11 days), and The Movie Album (2003), featuring famous film themes and backed by a large symphony orchestra. Guilty Pleasures (called Guilty Too in the UK), a collaboration with Barry Gibb and a sequel to their Guilty, was released worldwide in 2005. In February 2006, Streisand recorded the song “Smile” alongside Tony Bennett at Streisand’s Malibu home. The song is included on Bennett’s 80th birthday album, Duets. In September 2006, the pair filmed a live performance of the song for a special directed by Rob Marshall entitled Tony Bennett: An American Classic. The special aired on NBC November 21, 2006, and was released on DVD the same day. Streisand’s duet with Bennett opened the special. In 2006, Streisand announced her intent to tour again, in an effort to raise money and awareness for multiple issues. After four days of rehearsal at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey, the tour began on October 4 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, continued with a featured stop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, (this was the concert Streisand chose to film for a TV special), and concluded at Staples Center in Los Angeles on November 20, 2006. Special guests Il Divo were interwoven throughout the show. The show was known as Streisand: The Tour.
Streisand’s 20-concert tour set box-office records. At the age of 64, well past the prime of most performers, she grossed $92,457,062 and set house gross records in 14 of the 16 arenas played on the tour. She set the third-place record for her October 9, 2006 show at Madison Square Garden, the first- and second-place records of which are held by her two shows in September 2000. She set the second-place record at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with her December 31, 1999 show being the house record and the highest-grossing concert of all time. This led many people to openly criticize Streisand for price gouging, as many tickets sold for upwards of $1,000.[42]
A collection of performances culled from different stops on this tour, Live in Concert 2006, debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200, making it Streisand’s 29th Top 10 album.[43] In the summer of 2007, Streisand gave concerts for the first time in continental Europe. The first concert took place in Zürich (June 18), then Vienna (June 22), Paris (June 26), Berlin (June 30), Stockholm (July 4, canceled), Manchester (July 10) and Celbridge, near Dublin (July 14), followed by three concerts in London (July 18, 22 and 25), the only European city where Streisand had performed before 2007. Tickets for the London dates cost between £100.00 and £1,500.00 and for the Ireland date between €118 and €500. The Ireland date was marred by problems, with serious parking and seating problems leading to the event’s being dubbed a fiasco by Hot Press.[44] The tour included a 58-piece orchestra.
In February 2008, Forbes listed Streisand as the No.-2-earning female musician, between June 2006 and June 2007, with earnings of about $60 million.[45] On November 17, 2008, Streisand returned to the studio to begin recording what would be her sixty-third album[46] and it was announced that Diana Krall was producing the album.[47] Streisand is one of the recipients of the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors.[48] On December 7, 2008, she visited the White House as part of the ceremonies.[46]
On April 25, 2009, CBS aired Streisand’s latest TV special, Streisand: Live in Concert, highlighting the aforementioned featured stop from her 2006 North American tour, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On September 26, 2009, Streisand performed a one-night-only show at the Village Vanguard in New York City’s Greenwich Village.[49] This performance was later released on DVD as One Night Only: Barbra Streisand and Quartet at The Village Vanguard. On September 29, 2009, Streisand and Columbia Records released her newest studio album, Love is the Answer, produced by Diana Krall.[50] On October 2, 2009, Streisand made her British television performance debut with an interview on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross to promote the album. This album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and registered her biggest weekly sales since 1997, making Streisand the only artist in history to achieve No. 1 albums in five different decades.
On February 1, 2010, Streisand joined over eighty other artists in recording a new version of the 1985 charity single “We Are the World”. Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie planned to release the new version to mark the 25th anniversary of its original recording. These plans changed, however, in view of the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010, and on February 12, the song, now called “We Are the World 25 for Haiti”, made its debut as a charity single to support relief aid for the beleaguered island nation.
In 2011, she sang Somewhere from the Broadway musical West Side Story , with child prodigy Jackie Evancho, on Evancho’s album Dream with Me.[51]
Streisand was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year on February 11, 2011, two days prior to the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.[52]
On October 11, 2012, Streisand gave a three-hour concert performance before a crowd of 18,000 as part of the ongoing inaugural events of Barclays Center (and part of her current Barbra Live tour) in her native Brooklyn (her first-ever public performance in her home borough). Streisand was joined onstage by trumpeter Chris Botti, Italian operatic trio Il Volo, and her son Jason Gould. The concert included musical tributes by Streisand to Donna Summer and Marvin Hamlisch, both of whom had died earlier in 2012. Confirmed attendees included Barbara Walters, Jimmy Fallon, Sting, Katie Couric, Woody Allen, Michael Douglas and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, as well as designers Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors.[53][54] In June 2013 she gave two concerts in Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv.
Streisand is one of many singers who use teleprompters during their live performances. Streisand has defended her choice in using teleprompters to display lyrics and, sometimes, banter.[55]
Streisand is a mezzo-soprano who has a range consisting of well over two octaves from “low E to a high G and probably a bit more in either direction”.[56][57] While she is predominantly a pop singer, Streisand’s voice has been described as “semi-operatic” due to its strength and quality of tone.[58] She is known for her ability to hold relatively high notes, both loud and soft, with great intensity, as well as for her ability to make slight but unobtrusive embellishments on a melodic line. The former quality led classical pianist Glenn Gould to call himself “a Streisand freak”.[59] In recent years, critics and audiences have noted that her voice has “lowered and acquired an occasionally husky edge”. However, New York Times music critic Stephen Holden noted that her distinctive tone and musical instincts remain, and that she still “has the gift of conveying a primal human longing in a beautiful sound”.[58]
Acting[ Her first film was a reprise of her Broadway hit, Funny Girl (1968), an artistic and commercial success directed by Hollywood veteran William Wyler. Streisand won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actress for the role,[60] sharing it with Katharine Hepburn (The Lion in Winter), the only time there has been a tie in this Oscar category.[61] Her next two movies were also based on musicals, Jerry Herman ‘s Hello, Dolly! , directed by Gene Kelly (1969); and Alan Jay Lerner’s and Burton Lane’s On a Clear Day You Can See Forever , directed by Vincente Minnelli (1970); while her fourth film was based on the Broadway play The Owl and the Pussycat (1970).[62]
During the 1970s, Streisand starred in several screwball comedies, including What’s Up, Doc? (1972) and The Main Event (1979), both co-starring Ryan O’Neal, and For Pete’s Sake (1974) with Michael Sarrazin. One of her most famous roles during this period was in the drama The Way We Were (1973) with Robert Redford, for which she received an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress. She earned her second Academy Award for Best Original Song (with lyricist Paul Williams) for the song “Evergreen”, from A Star Is Born in 1976.[63]
Along with Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier and later Steve McQueen, Streisand formed First Artists Production Company in 1969, so that the actors could secure properties and develop movie projects for themselves. Streisand’s initial outing with First Artists was Up the Sandbox (1972).[64]
From a period beginning in 1969 and ending in 1980, Streisand appeared in the annual motion picture exhibitors poll of Top 10 Box Office attractions a total of 10 times, often as the only woman on the list. After the commercially disappointing All Night Long in 1981, Streisand’s film output decreased considerably. She has acted in only seven films since.
Streisand produced a number of her own films, setting up Barwood Films in 1972. For Yentl (1983), she was producer, director, and star, an experience she repeated for The Prince of Tides (1991) and The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996). There was controversy when Yentl received five Academy Award nominations, but none for the major categories of Best Picture, Actress, or Director.[65] The Prince of Tides received even more Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, but the director was not nominated. Streisand also scripted Yentl, something for which she is not always given credit. According to The New York Times editorial page editor Andrew Rosenthal in an interview (story begins at minute 16) with Allan Wolper, “the one thing that makes Barbra Streisand crazy is when nobody gives her the credit for having written Yentl.”
In 2004, Streisand made a return to film acting, after an eight-year hiatus, in the comedy Meet the Fockers (a sequel to Meet the Parents), playing opposite Dustin Hoffman, Ben Stiller, Blythe Danner and Robert De Niro.
In 2004, Streisand made a return to film acting, after an eight-year hiatus, in the comedy Meet the Fockers (a sequel to Meet the Parents), playing opposite Dustin Hoffman, Ben Stiller, Blythe Danner and Robert De Niro.
In 2005, Streisand’s Barwood Films, Gary Smith, and Sonny Murray purchased the rights to Simon Mawer’s book Mendel’s Dwarf.[66] In December 2008, she stated that she was considering directing an adaptation of Larry Kramer’s play The Normal Heart, a project she has worked on since the mid-1990s.[67] In 2009, Andrew Lloyd Webber stated that Streisand was one of several actresses (alongside Meryl Streep and Glenn Close) who was interested in playing the role of Norma Desmond in the film adaptation of Webber’s musical version of Sunset Boulevard . [ 68]
In December 2010, Streisand appeared in Little Fockers, the third film from the Meet the Parents trilogy. She reprised the role of Roz Focker alongside Dustin Hoffman.
On January 4, 2011, the New York Post reported that Streisand was in negotiations to produce, direct, and star in a new film version of Gypsy. In an interview with the New York Post, Arthur Laurents said: “We’ve talked about it a lot, and she knows what she’s doing. She has my approval.” He said that he would not write the screenplay.[69][70] The following day, The New York Times reported that Arthur Laurents clarified in a telephonic interview that Streisand would not direct the film, “but playing Rose is enough to make her happy”.[70][71] Streisand’s spokesperson confirmed that “there have been conversations”.[71] After Laurents’ subsequent death, there was no official word on the status of the film for months, until it was announced on March 13, 2012 that Gypsy would be moving forward, with Julian Fellowes writing the screenplay for the project.
On January 28, 2011, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Paramount Pictures had given the green light to begin shooting the road-trip comedy My Mother’s Curse, with Seth Rogen playing Streisand’s character’s son. Anne Fletcher directed the project with a script by Dan Fogelman, produced by Lorne Michaels, John Goldwyn, and Evan Goldberg. Executive producers included Streisand, Rogen, Fogelman, and David Ellison, whose Skydance Productions co-financed the road movie.[72] Shooting began in spring 2011 and wrapped in July; the film’s title was eventually altered to The Guilt Trip, and the movie was released in December 2012.
Relationships and family
Streisand has been married twice. Her first husband was actor Elliott Gould, to whom she was married from 1963 until 1971. They had one child, Jason Gould, who appeared as her on-screen son in The Prince of Tides. In 1969 and 1970, Streisand dated Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Streisand with husband Elliot Gould and son Jason (1967)
She started dating her hairdresser Jon Peters in 1974. He went on to be her manager and producer.[76] She is the godmother of his daughters, Caleigh Peters and Skye Peters.[77] Streisand dated actor Don Johnson between 1988 and 1989. Johnson duetted with Streisand on the title song from her 1988 album Till I Loved You. Streisand was also in a relationship with ice cream heir Richard Baskin lasting at least until 1986. Baskin produced her 1985 album The Broadway Album as well as her 1987 live album One Voice. Baskin also collaborated with her on the song “Here We Are At Last” from her 1984 album Emotion .[78]
Streisand dated tennis champion Andre Agassi in the early 1990’s. Writing about the relationship in his 2009 autobiography, Agassi said: “We agree that we’re good for each other, and so what if she’s twenty-eight years older? We’re simpatico, and the public outcry only adds spice to our connection. It makes our friendship feel forbidden, taboo — another piece of my overall rebellion. Dating Barbra Streisand is like wearing Hot Lava.”
Her second husband is actor James Brolin, whom she married on July 1, 1998.[79] While they have no children together, Brolin has two children from his first marriage, including actor Josh Brolin, and one child from his second marriage. Both of her husbands, Gould and Brolin, starred in the 1970s conspiracy sci-fi thriller Capricorn One.
Name
Streisand changed her name from Barbara to Barbra because, she said, “I hated the name, but I refused to change it.”[80] Streisand further explained, “Well, I was 18 and I wanted to be unique, but I didn’t want to change my name because that was too false. You know, people were saying you could be Joanie Sands, or something like that. (My middle name is Joan.) And I said, ‘No, let’s see, if I take out the ‘a,’ it’s still ‘Barbara,’ but it’s unique.”[81] A 1967 biography with a concert program said, “the spelling of her first name is an instance of partial rebellion: she was advised to change her last name and retaliated by dropping an “a” from the first instead.”[82]
Politics
Streisand has long been an active supporter of the Democratic Party and many of its causes. In 1971, Streisand was one of the celebrities listed on President Richard Nixon’s infamous Enemies List.[83] Streisand is a supporter of gay rights, and in 2007 helped raise funds in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Proposition 8 in California.[84]
Philanthropy
In 1984, Streisand donated the Emanuel Streisand Building for Jewish Studies to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in the Mount Scopus campus, in memory of her father, an educator and scholar who died when she was young.[85][86][87]
Streisand has personally raised $25 million[88] for organizations through her live performances. The Streisand Foundation,[89] established in 1986, has contributed over $16 million through nearly 1,000 grants to “national organizations working on preservation of the environment, voter education, the protection of civil liberties and civil rights, women’s issues[90] and nuclear disarmament”.[91]
In 2006, Streisand donated $1 million to the William J. Clinton Foundation in support of former President Bill Clinton’s climate change initiative.[92]
In 2009, Streisand gifted $5 million to endow the Barbra Streisand Women’s Cardiovascular Research and Education Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Women’s Heart Center.[93] In September that year, Parade magazine included Streisand on its Giving Back Fund’s second annual Giving Back 30 survey, “a ranking of the celebrities who have made the largest donations to charity in 2007 according to public records”,[94] as the third most generous celebrity. The Giving Back Fund claimed Streisand donated $11 million, which The Streisand Foundation distributed. In 2012 she raised $22 million to support her women’s cardiovascular center, bringing her own personal contribution to $10 million. The program was officially named the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center.
At Julien’s Auctions in October 2009, Streisand, a longtime collector of art and furniture, sold 526 items, with all the proceeds going to her foundation. Items included a costume from Funny Lady and a vintage dental cabinet purchased by the performer at 18 years old. The sale’s most valuable lot was a painting by Kees van Dongen.[95] In December 2011, she agreed to sing at a fundraising gala for Israel Defense Forces charities.[96]
References in Popular Culture
In Television
On the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, in the recurring skit “Coffee Talk”, character Linda Richman, played by Mike Myers, hosts a talk show dedicated to, among other things, the adoration of Streisand. Streisand, in turn, made an unannounced guest appearance on the show, surprising Myers and guests, Madonna and Roseanne Barr. Mike Myers also appeared as the Linda Richman character on stage with Streisand at her 1994 MGM Grand concert, as well as a few of the 1994 Streisand tour shows.[97]
Streisand is mentioned in the sitcom Will & Grace, particularly by the character Jack McFarland. Songs made famous by Streisand, such as “Papa, Can You Hear Me?” from Yentl and “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” from The Broadway Album are reproduced by characters in the show. Also, in the episode “Fagmalion”, Will and Jack, who are making over their “gay-in-training” Barry, make him recite “Judy, Liza, Barbra, Bette, these are names I shan’t forget”, as part of his “gay” affirmations.
At least five episodes of the animated sitcom The Simpsons refer to Streisand. Outside Springfield Elementary School, announcing Lisa’s jazz concert and noting tickets have been sold out, is an advertisement for a Streisand concert in the same venue for the following day, with tickets still on sale. In “Fear of Flying”, after Marge undergoes therapy, she informs the therapist that whenever she hears the wind blow, she’ll hear it saying “Lowenstein”, Streisand’s therapist character in The Prince of Tides, even though Marge’s therapist is named Zweig. (This is actually only one in a series of references to the film in that episode.) Another reference comes in “Sleeping with the Enemy” when Bart exclaims after seeing Lisa make a snow-angel in a cake on the kitchen table, “At least she’s not singing Streisand”, in reference to Nelson Muntz singing “Papa Can You Hear Me?” from Yentl earlier in the episode. In “Simple Simpson”, a patriotic country singer says that Streisand is unpatriotic and could be pleased by spitting on the flag and strangling a bald eagle.
Another enduring satirical reference is in the animated series South Park, most notably in the episode “Mecha-Streisand”, where Streisand is portrayed as a self-important, evil, gigantic robotic dinosaur with a terrible singing voice about to conquer the universe before being defeated by Robert Smith of The Cure. On another occasion, the Halloween episode “Spookyfish” is promoted for a week as being done in “Spooky-Vision”, which involves Streisand’s face seen at times during the episode in the four corners of the screen. At the end of the feature film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, her name is used as a powerful curse word, a gag repeated in the episode “Osama bin Laden Has Farty Pants”. The Mecha-Streisand character made a return in the Season 14 episodes “200” and “201”, as one of several celebrities the show had lampooned over the years.
In the DreamWorks Animation CGI series Father of the Pride, in the episode “And The Revolution Continues”, Streisand appears as a guest at MGM Mirage hotel in Las Vegas, where Siegfried & Roy are entertaining her and her husband James Brolin. She was about to eat a lobster named Emerson, but was saved by the series main protagonist; Larry the White Lion after he has a confrontation with Barbera.
Streisand is referenced frequently on the Fox TV musical series Glee. The character Rachel (Lea Michele) mentions that Streisand refused to alter her nose in order to become famous in the show’s third episode “Acafellas”. Also, in the mid-season finale of Glee, Rachel sings the Streisand anthem “Don’t Rain on My Parade”. In the episode “Hell-O”, she says that she will be heartbroken for life, “Like Barbra in The Way We Were“. In the same episode, Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff) criticizes Rachel’s performance of “Don’t Rain on My Parade” by saying that she “lacked Barbra’s emotional depth”.
In the episode “Theatricality”, Rachel is spying on the opposing team’s dance rehearsal when the director, Shelby Corcoran (Idina Menzel), expresses dissatisfaction at the team’s routine. She demonstrates how it’s done with the title song from Funny Girl, and Rachel, sitting in the audience, whispers to her friend, “Exactly what I would have done—Barbra. I could do it in my sleep.” In the episode “Grilled Cheesus” Rachel sings Streisand’s famous song from the movie Yentl—”Papa, Can You Hear Me?”—to help support Kurt’s (Chris Colfer) dad Burt after undergoing a heart attack. Rachel sang it in a park with Finn sitting at her side/in Burt Hummel’s hospital room. She told Finn that she “wanted nothing to come between her and God, and Yentl sang it outside in the movie”.[98] On the episode “Born This Way”, Streisand is mentioned when Rachel is debating whether or not to get a nose job, Kurt Hummel and the rest of the glee club set up a “Barbra-vention” of a flashmob to the popular hit “Barbra Streisand” by Duck Sauce.
The characters of Kurt and Rachel also sang the “Get Happy/Happy Days are Here Again” duet originally heard during Streisand’s 1963 appearance with Judy Garland on Garland’s weekly TV series. In the season three episode “I Am Unicorn”, Kurt sings Streisand’s “I’m the Greatest Star” from the musical Funny Girl, stating, “[He] has permission from the woman herself,” actually meaning Rachel Berry. When Glee won the prize for “Best TV Series-Comedy Or Musical” at the 2010 Golden Globe Awards, creator Ryan Murphy quipped on stage, “Thank you to the Hollywood Foreign Press and Miss Barbra Streisand.”
In the sitcom The Nanny, Streisand is viewed as a divine figure by Fran Fine throughout the sitcom’s run. When asked by her boss who she would save if her mother and Streisand were drowning, Fran replies, “I’d save Ma, Barbra can walk on water,” Another example is in “The Passed-Over Story”, when Fran hears that Streisand and James Brolin will be arriving at the airport, Fran runs towards the door yelling, “It’s the miracle of Passover, the Messiah is coming”.
On Film
In movies, Streisand is the favorite performer of Kevin Kline’s character Howard Brackett, who finally admits to being gay while standing at the altar in the 1997 romantic comedy In & Out. His unfortunate bride-to-be, played by Joan Cusack, cries out in frustration to family and friends present, “Does anybody here KNOW how many times I’ve had to sit through Funny Lady?” In an earlier scene, Howard is taunted by a friend during an argument at a bar with a jeering, “The studio thought that Barbra was too ol-l-ld to play Yentl.” The film also mentions the album Color Me Barbra. Streisand’s signature tune, “People”, is played by a school orchestra in honor of teacher Howard as the story wraps at the end of the credits. This and similar references point to her popularity among gay men.
In the 1996 comedy “The Associate”, Whoopi Goldberg plays a business woman, Laurel Ayers, who creates a business associate, Robert S. Cutty, who is said to have known and dated Streisand. In addition to having an autographed picture of Streisand in her office, Ayers also has a cross-dressing friend who dresses up to resemble Streisand throughout the film.
The characters Carla and Connie, as an aspiring song-and-dance act duo in the 2004 comedy Connie and Carla, include four Streisand references. They sing “Papa, Can You Hear Me?” and “Memory” at an airport lounge and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” onstage in a gay bar, and talk about the plot of Yentl at the climax of the film after they ask how many in their audience have seen the movie (everyone raised their hands).
In a montage of makeovers in the 1993 film Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin Williams’ character is transformed into someone vaguely resembling Streisand and proceeds to sing the first verse of “Don’t Rain on My Parade”, even mimicking Streisand’s signature facial expressions.
In Music
Sound clips of Streisand’s heated exchange with a supporter of former U.S. president George W. Bush were sampled in the 2009 Lucian Piane dance song “Bale Out”, making it sound as if she were arguing with actor Christian Bale (whose recorded outbursts during the filming of Terminator Salvation were the centerpiece of the song).[99]
“Barbra Streisand” is a disco house song by American-Canadian DJ duo Duck Sauce (Armand Van Helden & A-Trak). It was released on September 10, 2010. The song peaked at number one in Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland and Austria. It became a top ten hit in Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, and Italy.
On Stage
Daniel Stern’s 2003 Off-Broadway play Barbara’s Wedding was set against the backdrop of Streisand’s 1998 wedding to James Brolin.
The comedy play Buyer & Cellar, written by Jonathan Tolins, is set in Streisand’s cellar. A struggling actor finds a job there and one day meets the star. It is a one-man show starring Michael Urie that premiered at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in April 2013.[100]
“Streisand Effect”
In 2003, Streisand sued aerial photographer Kenneth Adelman for displaying a photograph of her Malibu, California home, along with 12,000 other photos of the California coastline taken to illustrate coastal erosion. The picture had at that point been downloaded a total of six times, two of which were by Streisand’s lawyers. The suit had the unintended consequence of drawing attention to the photograph, which suddenly became wildly popular and was rapidly copied to multiple mirrors outside the immediate reach of US law. Her lawsuit was eventually dismissed under the anti-SLAPP provisions of California law.[101][102][103] Mike Masnick of Techdirt coined the term “Streisand effect” in January 2005 to describe the publicity generated by Streisand’s efforts to suppress the publication of the photograph
Awards
In 1984, Streisand was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award for outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry.[104] She also received the National Medal of Arts[105] in 2000 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2008. She was inducted as an officer of France’s Legion of Honour in 2007. She was accorded An Honorary Doctorate In Arts and Humanities by Brandeis University in 1995 and an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2013. In that year, she was also recipient of the Charles Chaplin lifetime achievement award by the Film Society of Lincoln Center as the only female artist who directed, wrote, produced and starred in the same major studio film (Yentl).
Music Awards
Streisand’s works have been nominated for 40 Grammy Awards; she won 8 of these, including two special awards. She has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame three times. In 2011, she was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year by the Grammy Foundation.
Adelman, Kenneth (May 13, 2007). “Barbra Streisand Sues to Suppress Free Speech Protection for Widely Acclaimed Website” . California Coastal Records Project. Archived from the original on April 7, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
“Streisand’s Lawsuit to Silence Coastal Website Dismissed” (Press release). Mindfully.org. December 3, 2003. Archived from the original on April 17, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
“Past Recipients” . Wif.org. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
“Lifetime Honors – National Medal of Arts” . Nea.gov. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
CBS.com Online Schedule. Retrieved April 16, 2009.
| i don't know |
Which car company manufactured the Nubira | Hammer Time: Daewoo. Worst. Automaker. Ever.
Hammer Time: Daewoo. Worst. Automaker. Ever.
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I used to fly in to do an old auction out in Baltimore. It was a strange place reeking in decrepitude and there were a lot of weird things out there. A 130,000 mile Saab 9000 with no registered owner, ever. A couple of Peugeot 505s with huge attached bumpers that were used to push non-running junk through the block (apologies to Paul Niedermeyer). Oh, and about 300 Daewoos rotting away in no man’s land.
The cars were the product of a bankruptcy. The company that relieved Hyundai from being the worst automaker in North America during the late 1990s went way under by 2002. In only five years, Daewoo had rightly earned one hell of a terrible legacy. A sales network made up of college students—“Hey, dudes! Buy my car!”—and a car line-up with more defects than an “Ernest” movie. Daewoo would eventually give America the worst automotive lineup since . . . well . . . Hyundai.
Daewoo’s entry level car was the Lanos, a car so wretched it actually exceeded the lemon-esque aura of the Hyundai Excel and Kia Sephia. After Daewoo went under, it would, to paraphrase Bill Shatner, “boldly depreciate to price levels no modern car had ever gone before.” The car offered 105 horsepower out of its 1.6L engine, but no one really cared—unless the anti-lock braking system failed. Which was often. The “Check Engine Light” came [on] standard along with interior parts that were cheaper than a Tata Nano. These days most “buy here, pay here” dealers won’t finance these cars because parts are so scarce and liability issues are so rampant.
[As an aside, some Georgia real estate builders are having limited success by offering a free entry level Daewoo (Chevy Aveo) for gullible new home buyers. I wonder if repossessed trailer liquidators would ever offer a used Lanos for free along with a doublewide. Unfortunately this promotion would probably fail since most buyers would actually expect the Lanos to run on its own power.]
The Daewoo Leganza was competitive with a Toyota Camry . . . from 1986 . . . well, not really. The surfaces were knock-on-wood hard and about as cheap as the Neon’s. Dashboards can literally become unglued through Southern heat; the few leatherette seats would eventually decompose faster than Jimmy Hoffa in a New Jersey swamp. (They probably inspired the song “Warm Leatherette.”) The Leganza was a wretched vehicle that should have been rejected from our shores for its sheer utter crapiness.
But the absolute worst of them all was a turd that went by the name of the Daewoo Nubira, a car no doubt named after a Korean bowel movement. Most Nubira owners never got a chance to change their timing belts; they would literally snap off before they were due. As a result, most Nubiras that I see at the auctions have amazingly low miles on them and never, ever, a working engine. The rest of the car was an exercise in automotive immobility, including wheels made of such cheap steel they would regularly go out of round. And I’m thinking electronics that were designed by Dear Leader Kim Jong Il during one of his “off” days.
In times since, Daewoo has actually produced a slew of far better vehicles. Unfortunately, they are still two or three generations (or four) behind the market leaders. Aveo, Reno, Forenza, Verona, whenever “cheap” is demanded by an uncompetitive car manufacturer, the remnants of Daewoo are still out there producing crap . . . or mediocrity. Hopefully, for the sake of our dwindling natural resources, they won’t be doing so for much longer.
| Daewoo |
In Coronation Street what was Audrey’s occupation before she married Alf Roberts | Hammer Time: Daewoo. Worst. Automaker. Ever.
Hammer Time: Daewoo. Worst. Automaker. Ever.
Tweet
I used to fly in to do an old auction out in Baltimore. It was a strange place reeking in decrepitude and there were a lot of weird things out there. A 130,000 mile Saab 9000 with no registered owner, ever. A couple of Peugeot 505s with huge attached bumpers that were used to push non-running junk through the block (apologies to Paul Niedermeyer). Oh, and about 300 Daewoos rotting away in no man’s land.
The cars were the product of a bankruptcy. The company that relieved Hyundai from being the worst automaker in North America during the late 1990s went way under by 2002. In only five years, Daewoo had rightly earned one hell of a terrible legacy. A sales network made up of college students—“Hey, dudes! Buy my car!”—and a car line-up with more defects than an “Ernest” movie. Daewoo would eventually give America the worst automotive lineup since . . . well . . . Hyundai.
Daewoo’s entry level car was the Lanos, a car so wretched it actually exceeded the lemon-esque aura of the Hyundai Excel and Kia Sephia. After Daewoo went under, it would, to paraphrase Bill Shatner, “boldly depreciate to price levels no modern car had ever gone before.” The car offered 105 horsepower out of its 1.6L engine, but no one really cared—unless the anti-lock braking system failed. Which was often. The “Check Engine Light” came [on] standard along with interior parts that were cheaper than a Tata Nano. These days most “buy here, pay here” dealers won’t finance these cars because parts are so scarce and liability issues are so rampant.
[As an aside, some Georgia real estate builders are having limited success by offering a free entry level Daewoo (Chevy Aveo) for gullible new home buyers. I wonder if repossessed trailer liquidators would ever offer a used Lanos for free along with a doublewide. Unfortunately this promotion would probably fail since most buyers would actually expect the Lanos to run on its own power.]
The Daewoo Leganza was competitive with a Toyota Camry . . . from 1986 . . . well, not really. The surfaces were knock-on-wood hard and about as cheap as the Neon’s. Dashboards can literally become unglued through Southern heat; the few leatherette seats would eventually decompose faster than Jimmy Hoffa in a New Jersey swamp. (They probably inspired the song “Warm Leatherette.”) The Leganza was a wretched vehicle that should have been rejected from our shores for its sheer utter crapiness.
But the absolute worst of them all was a turd that went by the name of the Daewoo Nubira, a car no doubt named after a Korean bowel movement. Most Nubira owners never got a chance to change their timing belts; they would literally snap off before they were due. As a result, most Nubiras that I see at the auctions have amazingly low miles on them and never, ever, a working engine. The rest of the car was an exercise in automotive immobility, including wheels made of such cheap steel they would regularly go out of round. And I’m thinking electronics that were designed by Dear Leader Kim Jong Il during one of his “off” days.
In times since, Daewoo has actually produced a slew of far better vehicles. Unfortunately, they are still two or three generations (or four) behind the market leaders. Aveo, Reno, Forenza, Verona, whenever “cheap” is demanded by an uncompetitive car manufacturer, the remnants of Daewoo are still out there producing crap . . . or mediocrity. Hopefully, for the sake of our dwindling natural resources, they won’t be doing so for much longer.
| i don't know |
What is the nickname of Grimsby Town | Blundell Park | Grimsby Town FC | Football Ground Guide
Football Ground Guide
Address: Blundell Park, Cleethorpes, DN35 7PY
Telephone: 01472 605 050
Pitch Size: 111 x 75 yards
Pitch Type: Grass
Home Kit: Black and White
Away Kit: All Red
View Of Blundell Park From Nearby Railway Bridge
Findus Stand
A Closer Look At The Main Stand
Pontoon Stand
WHAT IS BLUNDELL PARK LIKE?
At one side of the ground is the Findus Stand, which is the tallest stand and is two tiered and covered. The lower tier, which was originally terracing, has only seven rows of seating whilst the upper tier is much larger. However this stand only runs half the length of the pitch, straddling the half way line. Running in-between the two tiers is a row of executive boxes. Opposite is the old Main Stand, which is small covered all seated stand and has a large number of supporting pillars running across the front of it. Part of this stand dates back to 1901. This possibly makes it one of the oldest surviving stands in the country.
Both ends are small covered affairs. The Pontoon Stand is the traditional home end, whilst the away fans are housed in the Osmond Stand opposite. The corner between this stand and the Main Stand is also filled, as the stands are joined at this point, though this is unused for supporters. For big games the Club increases the capacity of the ground by 500 by installing blocks of temporary seating in the open corners of the ground. There is a Police Control box located on one side of the Main Stand.
It is interesting to note that the Pontoon Stand gets it name from the fish docks in Grimsby and as at one time many of the crowd would have worked on 'the pontoon', then it is an apt name. Grimsby fans still identify with their town's fishing heritage, with the chant 'We only sing when we're fishing!'
NEW STADIUM
The Club have announced their intention leave Blundell Park and move to a new stadium, to be built at Peaks Parkway. The site at Peaks Parkway, which is located two miles South of Grimsby (and around 2.5 miles due West of Blundell Park), has been identified as a preferred site and is land owned by North East Lincolnshire Council, who would be partners in the development. The site would see the building of a new 14,000 capacity stadium, as well as an ice rink and other leisure facilties. It is now hoped that as Peaks Parkway has now been named as the preferred site that formal plans can now be drawn up to submit for local consultation and planning permission.
The artists impression courtesy of the official Grimsby Town website , shows how the new stadium might look.
WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR VISITING SUPPORTERS?
Away fans are located in one corner of the Osmond Stand, at one end of the ground, where just under 600 supporters can be accommodated. For teams with a larger following then the whole of the stand can be given to away fans increasing the allocation to 2,200. One downside of this stand is that there are a number of supporting pillars which could impede your view of the game. Blundell Park is a rather small ground and sometimes gets over criticised by visiting fans. But there is normally always a passionate crowd, which contributes to a good atmosphere. Remember though to wrap up warm as there can be a biting wind coming off the North Sea.
Tim Porter a visiting Torquay fan informs me; 'In the right-hand corner of the away end there is a small bar (Scottie's Bar) which was really friendly although it has obviously seen better days - a bit like the bars you get at quite small non-league grounds'. Food on offer inside the ground include a range of Pukka Pies; Steak, Chicken Balti and Cheese and Onion (all £3). Pukka Pasties (£3), Jumbo Sausage Rolls (£2.50), Cheeseburgers (£3.80), Burgers (£3.50) and Jumbo Hot Dogs (£3.50).
Whilst Craig Waites a visiting Bradford City fan adds; 'Across the road from the ground is the Blundell Park Hotel which welcomes both home and visiting supporters. Home fans are very friendly both before and after the game. View from the away end is as you would expect from an old stand in the lower leagues but a good atmosphere can be generated. The snack bar is cheap & the service very quick. Visiting fans are free to enjoy their day, stewards are relaxed & won't say too much when you get excited & stand up. All in all a very enjoyable day out, just how football should be'.
PUBS FOR AWAY FANS
Inside Blundell Park, away fans are treated to their own bar called Scotties. The bar is of a fair size, has seating, plus it shows Sky Sports television. This is being run by the Mariners Trust, a supporters organisation with has the aim of raising money for the Club. They are asking for any donations of away club memorabilia (scarves, shirts, pennants etc...) to make it a true football bar. So if you have something spare that you can take along then I'm sure it would be appreciated. Please note that entrance to Scotties Bar can only be gained from inside the ground, once you have entered through the away turnstiles.
Dave Peasgood recommends the Blundell Park Hotel, which is located just across the road from the ground. However as you would expect it can get pretty full, so it is advised to arrive early. It also serves some good food at reasonable prices (expect to pay around £5 for a good portion of fish and chips). The Rutland Arms is also recommended for both home and away fans to mingle and also allows in children, however this is some distance from the ground. (it is about half a mile before Blundell Park, turn left at Ramsdens superstore and left again, and you'll see the pub at the opposite end of their car park. If arriving by coach, then from where you will be parked, you should walk away from the ground (keeping the railway track on your right). At the end of this road turn left onto Park Street and reaching the traffic lights on the main Grimsby Road, turn right. At the end of the row of shops there is a gap and you will see the Rutland Arms just setback a little. It is about a 10-15 minute walk.
There area also a number of pubs along Cleethorpes sea front but this is around a 20 minute away. Or arriving by train at Cleethorpes Station, then situated at the Station itself is the No.1 Pub, whilst on the Station Approach is the 'Number 2 Refreshment Room'. Not far from the station on the High Street is a Wetherspoons pub called the Coliseum Picture Theatre. A bit further into the town centre just off the front on Highcliff Road is Willy's Bar which is also featured in the Guide and even brews its own beer.Whilst on Seaview Street is the Nottingham Hotel. All these Cleethorpes Pubs are listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
The Fish and Chips in the area are legendary. Near to the ground there is the Mariners fish and chip shop on Grimsby Road. For the younger fans then there is also a McDonalds situated right outside Blundell Park.
CLEETHORPES HOTELS & GUEST HOUSES - FIND & BOOK YOURS & HELP SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE
If you require hotel accommodation in the Cleethorpes area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com . They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.
DIRECTIONS AND CAR PARKING
First thing to remember is that the ground is not actually in Grimsby, but the neighbouring town of Cleethorpes. The ground is on the A180 which runs between Grimsby & Cleethorpes. Cleethorpes is well signposted from Grimsby town centre.
At the end of the M180 continue along the A180 towards Grimsby. After around 14 miles you will near Grimsby town centre. Continue along the A180 following signs for Cleethorpes. On reaching a McDonalds sign on your left and the Blundell Park Hotel on your right, turn left into Imperial Avenue for the Club entrance.
There is no car park at the ground, therefore only street parking. As you drive along the A180 towards the ground, the home end appears first, then after the McDonalds is the away end. There are plenty of side roads off the A180 Grimsby Road mostly before and immediately after Blundell Park and you should find a parking spot okay. I have been advised that the side roads before reaching Blundell Park on the left hand side are the best bet, as after the game you can rather than first driving back up to the main road, follow a back road that runs alongside the railway. When you do this you will eventually reach a T-junction where you turn left to take you up to the main Grimsby Road where you turn right to take you back towards the motorway.
Post Code for SAT-NAV: DN35 7PY
BY TRAIN
Cleethorpes Railway Station is about a mile from the ground and takes around 15-20 minutes to walk. Exit the station and turn right; then turn left onto Station Road. At the end of Station Road turn right onto the High Street. Follow this road down to the roundabout; where you turn right onto the Grimsby road (A180). Continue straight for approximately half a mile and you will see the floodlights of the ground on your right. Turn right into Neville Street and then left onto Harrington Street; entrance to the Osmond Stand for away fans is on the left. Thanks to Andy Cowling for providing the directions.
Nathan Jackson a visiting Lincoln City fan adds; 'Alternatively you can walk to Blundell Park along the sea front. Cleethorpes train station, is located near the sea front, so on leaving the station, turn so that you are facing the sea, and the proceed left along the front. Just keep straight on until you see the ground on your left. Just before the ground there is a foot bridge that goes over the railway. Proceed over the footbridge, turn right and you will find further down on the left in-between some houses the away fans entrance. The walk should take about 15- 20 minutes and is a bit more interesting for supporters, with a number of arcades, chip shops and pubs located along the way.
Grimsby Town Railway Station is located around two and a half miles away from Blundell Park and is really too far to walk. There is a taxi rank at the station and if you are looking for a drink then there is a Wetherspoons Pub called the Yarborough Hotel on nearby Bethlehem Street. A taxi up to the ground will cost around £7.
Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the
website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:
Upper Findus Stand: Adults £20, Concessions £13, Under 15's £5
Lower Findus Stand: Adults £18, Concessions £11, Under 15's £5
Pontoon Stand Adults: £18, Concessions £11, Under 15's £5
Main Stand: Adults: £18, Concessions £11, Under 15's £5
Away Fans*
Osmond Stand: Adults: £18, Concessions £11, Under 15's £5
* Please note that the above prices are for tickets purchased before 1.30pm on the day of the game. Tickets bought thereafter can cost up to £2 more per Adult or Concession Ticket (excluding the Upper Findus Stand where no advance purchase discount is given).
Please note that concessions apply to Over 65's, Under 19's, Students and the Unemployed. The cost of Under 15's tickets who are not accompanied by an adult is £7.
31,651 v Wolverhampton Wanderers, FA Cup 5th Round, February 20th, 1937.
Modern All Seated Attendance Record
9,528 v Sunderland, March 13th 1999
Average Attendance
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I'll update the guide.
Saturday 31st December 2016, 3pm
John Hague (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
As an old Sheffield Wednesday fan and a lover of traditional corner floodlight pylons I felt the urge to spend the last day of 2016 by the sea. I have fond memories of Grimsby Town… beating them 1-0 in 1984 almost guaranteed a return to the First Division for The Owls.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
So easy. I arrived about 12.30 and sailed down to A180 through Grimsby and in to Cleethorpes. Finding Blundell Park is easy… look for the floodlights like we used to do years ago all over the country. I found a street parking space on Harrington Street for a quick getaway.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I had a plan. Photograph Blundell Park and its floodlights and then walk into Cleethorpes for a pint and some Fish & Chips. I spent that long taking photos that I missed the pint. Well worth noting whilst the chips at the Mariners Fish Bar were excellent the fish was awful and it's probably best avoided these days.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
I just love traditional grounds, not for me the identikit Riversides, and Blundell Park has atmosphere in (buckets and) spades. I just love it. I bought a ticket as high up in the Findus Stand as possible. Who needs unobstructed sight lines?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game, what can I say? Oh yes, Rubbish. I was pleased I was on a mission to photograph the ground, fans and floodlights. There were also a few ships passing on the Humber Estuary in the distance that kept me interested. The home fans in the Pontoon Stand made plenty of noise but hardly any Blackpool fans made an effort. I kind of hoped that as some of their fans were boycotting home games at Bloomfield Road , that they would have made an effort away from home. Getting to the loo or buy a pie in the Findus Stand is nigh on impossible. Probably the worst designed stand in the league… but I still loved it!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
So easy. I was out of Grimsby in no time thanks to heeding advice on this website about parking on Harrington Street.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I had a brilliant day out at Blundell Park despite the football and the fish from the chippy beforehand. Well worth it for the photographs.
Saturday 31st December 2016, 3pm
James Sharman (Blackpool fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
This was the first time that I've visited Blundell Park and more festive footy, even if a day out in Grimsby might not be for everyone on New Years Eve!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Easy, M180, A180 and follow the road towards Cleethorpes. The tall floodlights of Blundell Park assist in locating the ground too. We parked on the main road to the ground. There are no time limits on parking as confirmed by a friendly local shopkeeper. It helped though that we got there early, I could imagine parking is troublesome if close to kick off time, as parking in nearby side streets looked pretty tight.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went to the trusty McDonalds, which is literally just outside Blundell Park. Plenty of other refreshments on offer including a busy looking fish and chip shop also on the main road about 100 yards from the McDonalds.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
Blundell Park is very much and old fashioned looking ground, much different to modern stadia. Where away fans enter the stadium, it takes you along the back of the old Main Stand, which is a real throwback. If you're a stadium buff like me, then it's great to see an old style ground still surviving. The away end was fine, not a deep rake with the seats. Our other main observation was how the pitch wasn't level in front of the goal, very quirky. I was impressed with the Findus Stand, located opposite the Main Stand. It's imposing and looks like it would be cold for spectators sitting at the top if the weather was inclement.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
It was a good game, a real tight 0-0 although Blackpool were denied a stonewall penalty (and yes I am slightly biased!). The atmosphere good and very friendly stewards. We found ourselves situated on the back row, they even allowed us to stand up. There was a quirky old bar in the corner of away stand which served beer. It had memorabilia on display from other clubs and Sky Television. Again it was not the most modern, but serves its purpose and was very welcoming which is the main thing.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No issues considering crowd was over 5,000 although we'd read a previous ground review and parked on the A180 side which made things easier.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
After a slightly strange start, where a local on a surrounding street chastised us with choice language for not stopping his runaway dog for him! The day at Blundell Park got much better and other fans were very friendly. Typical festive League Two game and atmosphere, we thoroughly enjoyed it. As for the stonewall penalty, well...!
Saturday 10th December 2016, 3pm
Richard Simons (Portsmouth fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
I had not visited Blundell Park since the last time both of us were in the Championship League in 2002. I was pleased that Grimsby got promoted so I could revisit. Also it was a first visit to Blundell Park for my son.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We are Pompey fans living in Norwich so a quick drive to Kings Lynn before taking the A17 and then A16 to Cleethorpes. We arrived about one o clock and found some street parking on the opposite side of the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Went to the McDonald's situated about two minutes from the stadium.When spotting my son's Pompey scarf three different home fans approached us to ask about our journey and chat about our two teams. A refreshing change to some grounds I have been to.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
To be honest not much had changed since my last visit. The away end was fine, having a low roof which can help amplify the noise of the fans. The other sides of the stadium seemed okay as well. There was a nice two tier stand to the left of us which I have been told has stunning views of the Humber estuary beyond the ground, if you are in the upper tier.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was far from a classic but to see Pompey get a late winner made up for it.Atmosphere was excellent from the travelling hordes. The home fans behind the other goal were noisy as well. Stewards were friendly, chatty and one wished us a safe journey back which was a nice touch.The half time hot dogs were very tasty and the staff serving were very friendly too.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It took about 15-20 minutes to get away from the ground, but this is to be expected as most of the area is street parking.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I really enjoyed Blundell Park .Made better by a late winner and also the friendliness of the Grimsby fans who we spoke to. We will definitely visit again.
Grimsby Town v Crewe Alexandra
Football League Two
Saturday 17th September 2016, 3pm
Rob Dodd (Doing the 92)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
I was glad that Grimsby Town had returned to the Football League after spending six years away, as I had not managed to visit Blundell Park before relegation. Also, I've always had a soft spot for The Mariners since Liverpool played them in the FA Cup in early the1980's. Grimsby brought a huge following to Anfield and The Kop were on top form that day. The Mariners were "battered" 5-0 by a team including Fillet (Phil) Thompson, Jimmy Plaice (Case), Terry Mackerel (McDermott), Phil Eel (Neal) and other "fish" that I can't remember. Grimsby had their revenge twenty years later, knocking us out of the League Cup at Anfield!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I drove and it was really easy as the ground is on the A180, just into Cleethorpes. It's street parking so if approaching with the ground on your left, park before the ground in a street on the right hand side of the A180, as it's much easier to access the main road again on departure.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Given Grimsby's fishing history, a visit to a local chippy is a must and I wasn't disappointed. I then had a pint in the Blundell Park Hotel, which is located opposite the ground. I had no issues with the locals, who only gave me cause for concern when they started to don Parkas, gloves and bobble hats and it is only the middle of September!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
Externally, Blundell Park has seen better days. Internally, it's a lot easier on the eye. As a neutral I sat in the Young's Upper Stand and the four "mature" chaps sitting to my right were dressed for the Arctic, two of them had even brought rugs! There are open corners and when the wind got up, it was biting. Goodness knows what it's like in January or February! However, it's a good place for ship spotting! Of course, plans are afoot for a new stadium but, as one Grimsby supporter succinctly put it: "I'll believe it when I see it".
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Crewe deservedly won 2-0 and missed a penalty as well. Grimsby just couldn't get going, which was disappointing considering their recent results. The locals I spoke to weren't at all happy but conceded that the Mariners had been simply outplayed. Crewe were impressive and played two very experienced players up front, Lowe and Dagnall, who caused the Town defenders no end of trouble. I reckon Crewe will be challenging for promotion at the end of the season. Consequently, the atmosphere was muted. I didn't test the facilities.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The getaway was reasonably easy but I was glad I parked where I did as it looked very busy nearer the ground.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I enjoyed my day at Blundell Park, even in the knowledge that, at some stage in the future, I may have to retrace my steps to take in the new stadium. In any case, I really hope Grimsby Town consolidate their position in the League.
Saturday 27th August 2016, 3pm
James Walker (Stevenage fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
It's difficult to say whether I was looking forward to this game or not. On one hand it was a new ground for me to tick off the list and another away day with Stevenage, but on the other hand we were coming in to this on the back of a heavy loss in the Football League Cup to Stoke. Plus I have heard nothing but horror stories about Grimsby in general (the film certainly didn't help the image of the place!). Still I had to make the trip to see the place for myself.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Getting there was easy as I took the supporters coach as usual. An early departure of 08:45 saw us pull up outside Blundell Park for 12pm. We pulled up on a side road roughly 100 yards from the away turnstiles.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
A helpful steward told us that the harbour was a 30 minute walk away in one direction and the beach was a similar distance in the other direction. Whilst most of our group went to the beach, me and a couple of friends who didn't fancy the walk crossed the road to a small cafe that had a pool table costing just 40p per game, bargain! After playing a few games we started to seek food. Normally we would just eat in the cafe but it would be wrong to go to Grimsby and not try out the fish! With this thought, we crossed the road again and went to the chippy for a large cod and chips, costing £4.80 and they were absolutely delicious!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
From the outside, Blundell Park isn't that appealing at all but the inside it is lovely! The away end is a very spacious two-tiered stand, and curves around onto the stand on our right, which is a single-tiered stand running the length of the pitch. This stand is where the away disabled fans sit. The far stand is similar to the away end, except it looks like a single-tiered stand. The stand to our left is a big two-tiered stand and only covers the middle section of the pitch. There is a large score screen in the corner of this stand and the away end, which is viable to all supporters home and away. Please note there are several pillars in the away end which can block the views for the fans, and the stewards are the type who love to enforce seating at all times for away fans.
Our View Of Blundell Park
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself for Stevenage was a disaster. We were awful for the first half and went 2-0 down just before the break, but somehow got a goal back in injury time and even had a chance to equalise before the whistle went! Just after half time we collapsed, as Grimsby went from 2-1 up to 4-1 up in two minutes after the break. Jobi McAnuff scored a tap-in for us midway through the half before Omar Bogle sealed his hat trick in stoppage time with a stunning free-kick. Most of the stewards were a pleasure to chat to, and they gave up trying to enforce seating for the away fans after a few minutes and were happy to let the supporters in the back rows in the centre stand, and were happy to let us have the drums throughout the game to try and create some atmosphere. The half time pies were also delicious and the price was the standard £3. However I have to mention the away fans bar, which is a big bar inside the away end selling numerous beers and soft drinks. One very unusual thing they have is if you donate a shirt, scarf or flag of your teams colours and you get a free bottle or pint. There were numerous scarves attached to the walls and roof, including Kidderminster, Oxford, Luton, Alfreton and many other clubs. There is also an official photographer who goes around the away end (including the stand and bar) taking pictures of away fans enjoying the day out and all get uploaded to Facebook page @AwayDaysAtBP.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was complicated as the steward directed us the wrong way out of the ground, meaning we came out along with the home fans (quickly removing colours to avoid any banterous jibes!) and having to walk right around from one end of the ground to the other just as the rain started! Thankfully we legged it back to the coach without getting too wet and began the long sorry trip back to Stevenage, arriving back around 8.30pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall it's safe to say the day wasn't great due to the football but certain aspects made up for it! Lovely fish and chips, cheap pool and very good treatment of away fans, which always makes a refreshing change! If we are still in the same division next season I won't hesitate to return, but hopefully the game will be a better one from our point of view!
Half Time Score: Grimsby Town 2 Stevenage 1
Full Time Result: Grimsby Town 5 Stevenage 2
Attendance: 4,425 (140 away fans).
Grimsby Town v Oxford United
FA Cup 1st Round
Saturday November 8th 2014, 3pm
Rob Pickett (Oxford United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
As an Oxford United exiled in Sheffield, I do not get that many games in. I also have not been to the Grimsby ground for over 20 years, so this was a no brainer to attend on a cold November day. Oxford were struggling for form, while Grimsby were on a great run in the conference.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We took the train from Sheffield to Cleethorpes. In the middle of winter, Cleethorpes virtually closes down and becomes somewhat of a desolate place. From the station we walked along the sea front to get to the ground, eerie and messy. But it was straightforward enough to find Blundell Park.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
Being at the seaside we availed ourselves to a "sit down" meal of fish and chips. Although most of Cleethorpes seemed to be closed for the winter, a few of these places in town were still open. Food was fine, though a bit pricey. But the girls in the café who served us at least had a smile on their faces.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides?
Blundell Park is surrounded by terraced housing. This means it is a bit tight to get away after the game if you have travelled by car. I have to say that for a current conference ground, it looked quite impressive. The attendance also looked healthy on the day.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
It was a good game, with Oxford running out 3-1 winners, with our teenage striker, Roberts, bagging a brace. There was also plenty of atmosphere at the match. Beforehand I visited the away supporters bar, which was basic/quaint, but civilised. Nice touch was plenty of away fan memorabilia. Not really impressed with stewards. I needed to catch train (30-mins walk) so wanted to leave 5-mins early. They tried to direct me along the sea front in pitch dark. Not necessary, so arced round and walked through the town.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
See previous point, but if walking back to the railway station, make sure you are brisk. Cars in the area looked like they would be stuck for 20-minutes or so.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A real experience overall! It would be good to see a game at Grimsby early or late season when the weather is better and Cleethorpes is fully "open".
Grimsby Town v Dover Athletic
Conference Premier League
Saturday, August 16th, 2014, 3pm
Andy Fisher (Dover Athletic fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Dover have not played at this level for twelve long years, so there are a number of Clubs who we have never played at all, or haven't for quite a while. On of these clubs is Grimsby Town, who having played for many years in the Footbal League, had up until now never played Dover. It was an opportunity to visit this famous old ground, although with Dover losing the first two opening games of the season (and not scoring a goal either) I wasn't too confident of getting a positive result. Still a slight glimmer of hope, was the fact that Grimsby had failed to find the net too in their opening two matches
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As I run the supporters club coach that was all taken care of , however on arrival at the ground we were dropped off at one end and had to do a full circuit on foot to the other side of the ground. We finally arrived at the away turnstiles only to be told that concessions need to purchase tickets from the office that we passed a few minutes earlier.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
All our coach travelers used the away bar inside the ground, which served bitter and lager and with the option of having a two pint glass. However the 'glass' was in fact plastic, which made it difficult to pick up with one hand, but a few of us had one, even if it was just for the novelty factor. The bar had shirts and scarves from other visiting fans on the walls which was a nice touch. It's a shame I did not know beforehand as I could have brought one of my old shirts with me, to add to the collection. The lady in the bar was really friendly and made us feel very welcome.
The Two Pinter!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
First impressions on seeing the stadium was that it was an old fashioned type, but in essence a "Real" football ground full of character, something you don't find at modern stadiums.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We brought about a hundred supporters in a crowd of 3,548 but surprisingly we out sung them for most of the game. We were segregated in the corner to the right of the goal which is good in a way as only having a small number of fans at least we were all together. The game was fairly uneventful, until the 74th minute, when Grimsby took the lead. However Dover fought their way back into the match, equalising four minutes from the end. In fact Dover could have snatched all three points, missing a penalty in the 90th minute. But that said a draw was probably a fair result and at least we had our first point on the board. The only strange thing was having the segregated away fans housed next to the home family stand, not though there were any problems.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Leaving the ground was a bit bizarre. Although we did not have to walk back round the stadium to find our coach, it was parked at the end where a lot of the home supporters were dispersing, again not really an issue for us but strange nonetheless.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Apart from the the slight faffing around on our arrival re coach drop-off/Tickets , it was an enjoyable day out.
Grimsby Town v Mansfield Town
Conference Premier League
Monday 27th August 2012, 3pm
Jeff Beastall (Mansfield Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Mixed feelings really. Stags have been hyped somewhat as favorites to do well this season and in previous years this self same fixture has been played in the depths of winter on a cold damp Tuesday or Friday night. Last year we capitulated and lost badly with shocking 7-2 defeat here so we were looking for a turn of fortune and a better day out - for a change!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We've been here before and the ground is easy to find on the A180. Unfortunately for us we didn't leave Mansfielduntil almost 1 pm and with an 80 odd mile journey do in a mini bus, the timing was always going to be tight. Fortunately we made good time and were allowed to park with the other away supporters' buses at the back of the ground - thanks to a kindly steward who tweaked the area the Police had coned off for getting their horses out of their transporter!
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
Hobsons Choice for a pint was the Imperial at the end of Blundell Avenue as there wasn't time for much else of a customer survey. A warm welcome was promised and Carling Extra cold at £2.30 seemed a deal albeit in the obligatory plastic pot. This is a huge pub with only about a third of itspotential bar space being used and the majority of mainly home supporters had spilled out into the car park in the hope of developing hypothermia. Didn't see any food outlet on site. Perhaps they cite the old security chestnut as being an issue although I do recall as similar set up at Oxford FC when we played them and yes, they did have discreet security - but they welcomed everyone and most probably took a small fortune on the day. I wasn't in colours so I just ventured in and out with question or comment and minded my own business.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
A virtual coliseum of asbestos and crinkly tin; the ideal venue for a film maker hoping to do a grim sixties football movie and who doesn't have a lot of cash to spend on a set. Queued for a concession as I am a mature student but they don't do concessions for students, only the young and the old. Are there no students in Grimsby or is everyone on such a fantastic income that they can all afford the full £18?
Last time we came here they tried to corral us into a small corner of the Osmond Stand but this time left us away fans to sit where we liked. A magnanimous gesture indeed.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was OK, a game of 3 halves and despite us losing yet once again and going down to 10 men shortly before the final whistle, it was almost a relief when the ref did the decent thing and eventually put the game to death. Stewarding was surprisingly OK, facilities no change since last time Henry Kissinger was here. But the catering, oh man, the catering. Not so much as deserving a cordon bleu, more like worthy of imposing a cordon off.
Service was slow and the teams were about to come back on when I eventually got to the front of the queue. Chap in front of me orders a chicken pie, I order a hot chocolate. £1.80 she says to me, despite a colorful menu on the side of the bar clearly stating it to be £1.50. When I point this out, she snaps back "don't ask me luv. I don't fix the prices, I just serve here." Sorree. The chocolate is lukewarm and with made with a sufficiently miniscule amount - almost a wrap - of chocolate to barely colour the water. The trade descriptions act is clearly not recognised here then and the point is not lost on me that just five minutes away outside the ground I can pay an extra 50p and have a pint of lager instead - albeit in the obligatory plastic pot!
Meanwhile Pie Man has returned to the counter. "Its cold" he says. I await the kiosk attendants return killer serve of quit wit and innuendo but it doesn't come. Instead 3 of them gather round the pie and insert temperature probes into it from various directions - it looks almost painful -presumably looking for a hot spot or even signs of life. There isn't any. "I can do you a Balti!" she yells from the operating theatre.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Mercifully quick
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
If this day out had been a stick of Cleethorpes rock, you could have broken it anywhere along its length and it would have revealed [something crude and nasty] written all they way through it.
Saturday 26th March 2011, 1pm
Scot Rowland (Tamworth fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to visiting Blundell Park, firstly as it's got bags full of character unlike some of the ex-League sides in the BSBP, and the fact I live in Lincoln meant a relatively short trip up to Cleethorpes. And secondly Blundell Park is also a ground I had been yet to visit.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking:
Travelling by train the journey was easy enough. And I caught the 10:23 from Lincoln with a change at Barnetby for the connection to Cleethorpes. The ground is very easy to find taking either of the routes supplied by Duncan in the guide. On both its a straight walk to the ground and the tall floodlights are clearly visible from quite a distance away.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
Before the game I opted to have a few drinks in Lincoln with the game being a 1pm kick off due to England facing Wales. But arriving in Cleethorpes at 12pm I managed enough time to take in a pint at O'Neills, which is visible after you come out of the main entrance of Cleethorpes Station. Which is a spacious, well priced pub and perfect for a quick pint before the game. And the Blundell Park Hotel, directly opposite the ground, although it was very busy and quite small so was crammed to the rafters with Grimsby Fans. Didn't really speak to any Mariners fans but had no problems collecting my tickets from the ticket office in my Tamworth shirt.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Blundell Park, is vastly showing it's age now which is a real shame, but is fantastic for fans of old styled football grounds, made up of lots of old cladding. I did think the ground is quite intimidating, being very dark and dull from the outside with lots of barbed wire. As is the same with the Osmond Stand which houses the away supporters, looks very unappealing from the back with loads of rusty metal supports protruding from the back of it. The Osmond Stand is set quite far back and has a low roof so fans could miss out on the action if seated in the back rows. And the supporting pillars for this stand are a pain, but not too obtrusive.
The rest of the stadium consists of the two tiered Findus Stand which stands high above the other stands which are equal in height and straddles the half way line, with a row of VIP boxes running through it. Adjacent to this is the main stand which is a very ramshackled stand and has a lots of pillars running along the front of it. Then opposite the away stand is the Pontoon Stand which in comparison to the rest of the ground looks quite new and a tidy little stand.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game was a classic game of two halves. Tamworth struggled in the first half and Grimsby did all the running and deseverdly went in at half time up. The second half started much as the first had gone and The Mariners went up. Tamworth then finally started to come into the game and pulled a goal back through Kale Perry then the Tamworth pressure told and Tom Marshall smashed in the equalizer. A draw was probably a fair result in the end.
The atmosphere from both sets of fans was good, but as Tamworth started to come into the game, the Grimsby fans clearly were becoming frustrated with their side. The stewards were hardly noticeable throughout and just pretty much left us to it, which lead to a very relaxed atmosphere. Also Grimsby have changed the turnstiles away supporters enter through so instead of being at the back of the ground they now use the turnstiles the the left of the Findus Stand, but a friendly steward was kind enough to walk me through after I approached the wrong turnstile.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was fine on foot although I can imagine that it's difficult due to the volume of cars and fans as it's quite hectic around the stadium at full time.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I had heard some negative stories about going to Blundell Park, but I found them completely unfounded, and I found it to be a great day out and had no problems at all. Good result for Tamworth after a bad run of form. I'd happily visit again although would hope for nicer weather in fear of braving the biting wind from the sea.
Grimsby Town v Torquay United
League Two
Saturday 17th April 2010, 3pm
Mark Horler (Torquay United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
With Torquay United back in the football league, it was no surprise that as we were half way through April, the Gulls league status was still not secure. Today was quite simple, if we won at Grimsby, we stayed up...and they were as good as doomed.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Another long journey from Devon and another 7am start. Just 3 of us made the journey this time in our car. The journey was relatively straight forward considering it was from the South West to the North East. As we approached Grimsby it was no doubt the hottest day of the year and the town was packed with day trippers braving the North Sea. The seaside can be easily walked to from the ground and with traditional floodlights it would have been easy to spot, even without a sat nav to guide us.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
We went to Cleethorpes seafront. The town had quite a hostile atmosphere, possibly due to the importance of the match, lots of quite nasty comments, lots of bad language, but at 1pm we were having lunch in McDonalds (right by the ground) and only had friendly comments from the home support eating there.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
A very 4th division style ground, more 1970's cladding, than glass, large gates and 1970's style offices are what you would expect. Ensure you pop around the back of the ground (ask for where the away team coach arrives) to experience what is basically a wooden shack as an entrance, probably much loved for historical reasons, but blimey it brings you back to the 1970's. Here is where we met several Grimsby Town "anoraks" good true football people, the ones who wait for hours to get some 4th division left back's autograph and the sort who can tell you more about your team and where they have played than you can!
The away fans were situated at one end of the ground behind the goal. There were only around 300 Torquay fans there, so no one had an obstructed view, which is quite possible at the back of the seated enclosure. The ground is old with little recent investment, the main stand is especially high for a 4th division ground and this dominates the stadium. One point to remember is that to get concession tickets you need to buy them from the club shop before the match...so there was my lad in a bright yellow shirt stood in a queue of black and white Grimsby fans...blimey did he stand out!
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Torquay were playing well and confidence was high. Grimsby had also picked up form and their fans were quite surprisingly un-supportive in the circumstances, constantly moaning and shouting at every mistake....this was more noticeable at this ground than any other club I have been to this season. Our fans sang, their fans stood and watched. Half Time 0-0 nothing happened in a very tense 45 minutes. The 2nd half started well and continued with a show of attacking football from the Torquay United team resulting in a deserved 3-0 victory. We sang "ooooarrrr its a massacre" and their fans got annoyed.....very annoyed.
At the final whistle a 100 to 150 chavs ran across the pitch at the Torquay fans and were probably disappointed that the Gulls fans could only respond by waving their walking sticks in response! The stewards were fantastic throughout, even forming a cordon across the pitch to protect the Gulls fans...the police, as is often the case at football, were nothing short of useless, just filming and talking together....I even saw several laughing. Not one Grimsby fan was arrested....so you can imagine how we felt when we saw similar pictures on telly last week as Barnet fans were given the same treatment.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: Obviously with the problems inside the ground, it was shirts off, west country accents muted....but how can you possibly change from looking like a farmer to looking like a chav! or an ASBO. Several Torquay fans were obviously quite concerned and as we came down the side road to join the main street....the police were of course totally absent! We just ignored the threats and got in the car and all was well.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A brilliant day and a really important 3rd away win of the season. It was even better that our old friends from Bristol City had lost 3.0 at Scunthorpe on the same day, so the journey back was a happy one! Grimsby is in all honesty an unfriendly place to go. It is a deprived area, so just be careful when out and about in the town....would I return...absolutely.
Grimsby Town v Northampton Town
League Two
Friday 2nd April 2010, 7.45pm
Tyler Jason (Northampton Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to the game, as Northampton were a point outside the play offs and Grimsby second bottom, in the business end of the season. Easy game? Sounds it. Also our away form which consisted of 6 wins and a draw made the trip more tempting, and as Grimsby was also going to be a new ground for me.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Journey From Northampton was easy (as ever) Up the M1 then the M180 past Sheffield and Scunthorpe. For a Friday bank holiday it was surprisingly easy getting there, with no hold ups or delays and we were there by 6.30pm.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
After getting parked up, we decided that being in Grimsby, fish and chips was really the only option. We went to 'Mariners Fish an Chips' a few corners away from the McDonalds by the ground. 1 of our little clan was served and got his food, whilst the other 2 had to wait 20 mins to get their orders. Not being keen on fish I opted for McDonalds, which understandably was full of Grimsby fans
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
First impression of the ground was that it looke very old, rickety and not somewhere you'd want to get lost around, Probably epitomised by the sign saying WELCOME TO THE FAMILY STAND, with hoards of rusty barbed wire above it. The away end is quite big, but with the low roof and me being 6ft 4, i had to crouch low to see the whole pitch as I could only see the halfway line standing up
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Game itself wasn't anything special. Northampton were under some early pressure but was relieved when Liam Davis scored to put us 1-0 up. Both teams had a few chances but Grimsby equalised just before half time with a good goal. Grimsby had a player sent off about 10 minutes into the second half for an elbow. Was 50/50 as to whether it was a red card as it wasn't exactly intentional. Northampton used the advantage to their advantage as Adebayo Akinfenwa headed home after 68 minutes to win it for Northampton. Grimsby had a late penalty shout turned down so it was 3 points for the Cobblers play off push. Didn't have any food inside the ground so can't comment on that. The toilets were like that of an old pub, not very big so if you have a large following, could be a bit of a squeeze.
The annoying thing with Grimsby was unless you're an adult, you have to go to the ticket office for a ticket. When i got there and asked for a junior and said i was 15, i was told my ticket is £12 as opposed to the advertised £8 because apparently juniors only run up to 14 years old. Answers on a postcard.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground wasnt so difficult as we walked around Cleethorpes looking for a pub which would admit 15 year olds. That plan failed so we eventually set off about 10.30 and back to Northampton by 1am.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Good day out and a decent win to boot. I'd imagine however if you were stuck in traffic all the way there it'd be the journey from hell but we were lucky there. Pretty good day but with things like tickets and ground, I wouldnt be in a mad rush to go back.
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Which biblical character slew Goliath | Blundell Park | Grimsby Town FC | Football Ground Guide
Football Ground Guide
Address: Blundell Park, Cleethorpes, DN35 7PY
Telephone: 01472 605 050
Pitch Size: 111 x 75 yards
Pitch Type: Grass
Home Kit: Black and White
Away Kit: All Red
View Of Blundell Park From Nearby Railway Bridge
Findus Stand
A Closer Look At The Main Stand
Pontoon Stand
WHAT IS BLUNDELL PARK LIKE?
At one side of the ground is the Findus Stand, which is the tallest stand and is two tiered and covered. The lower tier, which was originally terracing, has only seven rows of seating whilst the upper tier is much larger. However this stand only runs half the length of the pitch, straddling the half way line. Running in-between the two tiers is a row of executive boxes. Opposite is the old Main Stand, which is small covered all seated stand and has a large number of supporting pillars running across the front of it. Part of this stand dates back to 1901. This possibly makes it one of the oldest surviving stands in the country.
Both ends are small covered affairs. The Pontoon Stand is the traditional home end, whilst the away fans are housed in the Osmond Stand opposite. The corner between this stand and the Main Stand is also filled, as the stands are joined at this point, though this is unused for supporters. For big games the Club increases the capacity of the ground by 500 by installing blocks of temporary seating in the open corners of the ground. There is a Police Control box located on one side of the Main Stand.
It is interesting to note that the Pontoon Stand gets it name from the fish docks in Grimsby and as at one time many of the crowd would have worked on 'the pontoon', then it is an apt name. Grimsby fans still identify with their town's fishing heritage, with the chant 'We only sing when we're fishing!'
NEW STADIUM
The Club have announced their intention leave Blundell Park and move to a new stadium, to be built at Peaks Parkway. The site at Peaks Parkway, which is located two miles South of Grimsby (and around 2.5 miles due West of Blundell Park), has been identified as a preferred site and is land owned by North East Lincolnshire Council, who would be partners in the development. The site would see the building of a new 14,000 capacity stadium, as well as an ice rink and other leisure facilties. It is now hoped that as Peaks Parkway has now been named as the preferred site that formal plans can now be drawn up to submit for local consultation and planning permission.
The artists impression courtesy of the official Grimsby Town website , shows how the new stadium might look.
WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR VISITING SUPPORTERS?
Away fans are located in one corner of the Osmond Stand, at one end of the ground, where just under 600 supporters can be accommodated. For teams with a larger following then the whole of the stand can be given to away fans increasing the allocation to 2,200. One downside of this stand is that there are a number of supporting pillars which could impede your view of the game. Blundell Park is a rather small ground and sometimes gets over criticised by visiting fans. But there is normally always a passionate crowd, which contributes to a good atmosphere. Remember though to wrap up warm as there can be a biting wind coming off the North Sea.
Tim Porter a visiting Torquay fan informs me; 'In the right-hand corner of the away end there is a small bar (Scottie's Bar) which was really friendly although it has obviously seen better days - a bit like the bars you get at quite small non-league grounds'. Food on offer inside the ground include a range of Pukka Pies; Steak, Chicken Balti and Cheese and Onion (all £3). Pukka Pasties (£3), Jumbo Sausage Rolls (£2.50), Cheeseburgers (£3.80), Burgers (£3.50) and Jumbo Hot Dogs (£3.50).
Whilst Craig Waites a visiting Bradford City fan adds; 'Across the road from the ground is the Blundell Park Hotel which welcomes both home and visiting supporters. Home fans are very friendly both before and after the game. View from the away end is as you would expect from an old stand in the lower leagues but a good atmosphere can be generated. The snack bar is cheap & the service very quick. Visiting fans are free to enjoy their day, stewards are relaxed & won't say too much when you get excited & stand up. All in all a very enjoyable day out, just how football should be'.
PUBS FOR AWAY FANS
Inside Blundell Park, away fans are treated to their own bar called Scotties. The bar is of a fair size, has seating, plus it shows Sky Sports television. This is being run by the Mariners Trust, a supporters organisation with has the aim of raising money for the Club. They are asking for any donations of away club memorabilia (scarves, shirts, pennants etc...) to make it a true football bar. So if you have something spare that you can take along then I'm sure it would be appreciated. Please note that entrance to Scotties Bar can only be gained from inside the ground, once you have entered through the away turnstiles.
Dave Peasgood recommends the Blundell Park Hotel, which is located just across the road from the ground. However as you would expect it can get pretty full, so it is advised to arrive early. It also serves some good food at reasonable prices (expect to pay around £5 for a good portion of fish and chips). The Rutland Arms is also recommended for both home and away fans to mingle and also allows in children, however this is some distance from the ground. (it is about half a mile before Blundell Park, turn left at Ramsdens superstore and left again, and you'll see the pub at the opposite end of their car park. If arriving by coach, then from where you will be parked, you should walk away from the ground (keeping the railway track on your right). At the end of this road turn left onto Park Street and reaching the traffic lights on the main Grimsby Road, turn right. At the end of the row of shops there is a gap and you will see the Rutland Arms just setback a little. It is about a 10-15 minute walk.
There area also a number of pubs along Cleethorpes sea front but this is around a 20 minute away. Or arriving by train at Cleethorpes Station, then situated at the Station itself is the No.1 Pub, whilst on the Station Approach is the 'Number 2 Refreshment Room'. Not far from the station on the High Street is a Wetherspoons pub called the Coliseum Picture Theatre. A bit further into the town centre just off the front on Highcliff Road is Willy's Bar which is also featured in the Guide and even brews its own beer.Whilst on Seaview Street is the Nottingham Hotel. All these Cleethorpes Pubs are listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
The Fish and Chips in the area are legendary. Near to the ground there is the Mariners fish and chip shop on Grimsby Road. For the younger fans then there is also a McDonalds situated right outside Blundell Park.
CLEETHORPES HOTELS & GUEST HOUSES - FIND & BOOK YOURS & HELP SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE
If you require hotel accommodation in the Cleethorpes area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com . They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.
DIRECTIONS AND CAR PARKING
First thing to remember is that the ground is not actually in Grimsby, but the neighbouring town of Cleethorpes. The ground is on the A180 which runs between Grimsby & Cleethorpes. Cleethorpes is well signposted from Grimsby town centre.
At the end of the M180 continue along the A180 towards Grimsby. After around 14 miles you will near Grimsby town centre. Continue along the A180 following signs for Cleethorpes. On reaching a McDonalds sign on your left and the Blundell Park Hotel on your right, turn left into Imperial Avenue for the Club entrance.
There is no car park at the ground, therefore only street parking. As you drive along the A180 towards the ground, the home end appears first, then after the McDonalds is the away end. There are plenty of side roads off the A180 Grimsby Road mostly before and immediately after Blundell Park and you should find a parking spot okay. I have been advised that the side roads before reaching Blundell Park on the left hand side are the best bet, as after the game you can rather than first driving back up to the main road, follow a back road that runs alongside the railway. When you do this you will eventually reach a T-junction where you turn left to take you up to the main Grimsby Road where you turn right to take you back towards the motorway.
Post Code for SAT-NAV: DN35 7PY
BY TRAIN
Cleethorpes Railway Station is about a mile from the ground and takes around 15-20 minutes to walk. Exit the station and turn right; then turn left onto Station Road. At the end of Station Road turn right onto the High Street. Follow this road down to the roundabout; where you turn right onto the Grimsby road (A180). Continue straight for approximately half a mile and you will see the floodlights of the ground on your right. Turn right into Neville Street and then left onto Harrington Street; entrance to the Osmond Stand for away fans is on the left. Thanks to Andy Cowling for providing the directions.
Nathan Jackson a visiting Lincoln City fan adds; 'Alternatively you can walk to Blundell Park along the sea front. Cleethorpes train station, is located near the sea front, so on leaving the station, turn so that you are facing the sea, and the proceed left along the front. Just keep straight on until you see the ground on your left. Just before the ground there is a foot bridge that goes over the railway. Proceed over the footbridge, turn right and you will find further down on the left in-between some houses the away fans entrance. The walk should take about 15- 20 minutes and is a bit more interesting for supporters, with a number of arcades, chip shops and pubs located along the way.
Grimsby Town Railway Station is located around two and a half miles away from Blundell Park and is really too far to walk. There is a taxi rank at the station and if you are looking for a drink then there is a Wetherspoons Pub called the Yarborough Hotel on nearby Bethlehem Street. A taxi up to the ground will cost around £7.
Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the
website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:
Upper Findus Stand: Adults £20, Concessions £13, Under 15's £5
Lower Findus Stand: Adults £18, Concessions £11, Under 15's £5
Pontoon Stand Adults: £18, Concessions £11, Under 15's £5
Main Stand: Adults: £18, Concessions £11, Under 15's £5
Away Fans*
Osmond Stand: Adults: £18, Concessions £11, Under 15's £5
* Please note that the above prices are for tickets purchased before 1.30pm on the day of the game. Tickets bought thereafter can cost up to £2 more per Adult or Concession Ticket (excluding the Upper Findus Stand where no advance purchase discount is given).
Please note that concessions apply to Over 65's, Under 19's, Students and the Unemployed. The cost of Under 15's tickets who are not accompanied by an adult is £7.
31,651 v Wolverhampton Wanderers, FA Cup 5th Round, February 20th, 1937.
Modern All Seated Attendance Record
9,528 v Sunderland, March 13th 1999
Average Attendance
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I'll update the guide.
Saturday 31st December 2016, 3pm
John Hague (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
As an old Sheffield Wednesday fan and a lover of traditional corner floodlight pylons I felt the urge to spend the last day of 2016 by the sea. I have fond memories of Grimsby Town… beating them 1-0 in 1984 almost guaranteed a return to the First Division for The Owls.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
So easy. I arrived about 12.30 and sailed down to A180 through Grimsby and in to Cleethorpes. Finding Blundell Park is easy… look for the floodlights like we used to do years ago all over the country. I found a street parking space on Harrington Street for a quick getaway.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I had a plan. Photograph Blundell Park and its floodlights and then walk into Cleethorpes for a pint and some Fish & Chips. I spent that long taking photos that I missed the pint. Well worth noting whilst the chips at the Mariners Fish Bar were excellent the fish was awful and it's probably best avoided these days.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
I just love traditional grounds, not for me the identikit Riversides, and Blundell Park has atmosphere in (buckets and) spades. I just love it. I bought a ticket as high up in the Findus Stand as possible. Who needs unobstructed sight lines?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game, what can I say? Oh yes, Rubbish. I was pleased I was on a mission to photograph the ground, fans and floodlights. There were also a few ships passing on the Humber Estuary in the distance that kept me interested. The home fans in the Pontoon Stand made plenty of noise but hardly any Blackpool fans made an effort. I kind of hoped that as some of their fans were boycotting home games at Bloomfield Road , that they would have made an effort away from home. Getting to the loo or buy a pie in the Findus Stand is nigh on impossible. Probably the worst designed stand in the league… but I still loved it!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
So easy. I was out of Grimsby in no time thanks to heeding advice on this website about parking on Harrington Street.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I had a brilliant day out at Blundell Park despite the football and the fish from the chippy beforehand. Well worth it for the photographs.
Saturday 31st December 2016, 3pm
James Sharman (Blackpool fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
This was the first time that I've visited Blundell Park and more festive footy, even if a day out in Grimsby might not be for everyone on New Years Eve!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Easy, M180, A180 and follow the road towards Cleethorpes. The tall floodlights of Blundell Park assist in locating the ground too. We parked on the main road to the ground. There are no time limits on parking as confirmed by a friendly local shopkeeper. It helped though that we got there early, I could imagine parking is troublesome if close to kick off time, as parking in nearby side streets looked pretty tight.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went to the trusty McDonalds, which is literally just outside Blundell Park. Plenty of other refreshments on offer including a busy looking fish and chip shop also on the main road about 100 yards from the McDonalds.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
Blundell Park is very much and old fashioned looking ground, much different to modern stadia. Where away fans enter the stadium, it takes you along the back of the old Main Stand, which is a real throwback. If you're a stadium buff like me, then it's great to see an old style ground still surviving. The away end was fine, not a deep rake with the seats. Our other main observation was how the pitch wasn't level in front of the goal, very quirky. I was impressed with the Findus Stand, located opposite the Main Stand. It's imposing and looks like it would be cold for spectators sitting at the top if the weather was inclement.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
It was a good game, a real tight 0-0 although Blackpool were denied a stonewall penalty (and yes I am slightly biased!). The atmosphere good and very friendly stewards. We found ourselves situated on the back row, they even allowed us to stand up. There was a quirky old bar in the corner of away stand which served beer. It had memorabilia on display from other clubs and Sky Television. Again it was not the most modern, but serves its purpose and was very welcoming which is the main thing.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No issues considering crowd was over 5,000 although we'd read a previous ground review and parked on the A180 side which made things easier.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
After a slightly strange start, where a local on a surrounding street chastised us with choice language for not stopping his runaway dog for him! The day at Blundell Park got much better and other fans were very friendly. Typical festive League Two game and atmosphere, we thoroughly enjoyed it. As for the stonewall penalty, well...!
Saturday 10th December 2016, 3pm
Richard Simons (Portsmouth fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
I had not visited Blundell Park since the last time both of us were in the Championship League in 2002. I was pleased that Grimsby got promoted so I could revisit. Also it was a first visit to Blundell Park for my son.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We are Pompey fans living in Norwich so a quick drive to Kings Lynn before taking the A17 and then A16 to Cleethorpes. We arrived about one o clock and found some street parking on the opposite side of the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Went to the McDonald's situated about two minutes from the stadium.When spotting my son's Pompey scarf three different home fans approached us to ask about our journey and chat about our two teams. A refreshing change to some grounds I have been to.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
To be honest not much had changed since my last visit. The away end was fine, having a low roof which can help amplify the noise of the fans. The other sides of the stadium seemed okay as well. There was a nice two tier stand to the left of us which I have been told has stunning views of the Humber estuary beyond the ground, if you are in the upper tier.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was far from a classic but to see Pompey get a late winner made up for it.Atmosphere was excellent from the travelling hordes. The home fans behind the other goal were noisy as well. Stewards were friendly, chatty and one wished us a safe journey back which was a nice touch.The half time hot dogs were very tasty and the staff serving were very friendly too.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It took about 15-20 minutes to get away from the ground, but this is to be expected as most of the area is street parking.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I really enjoyed Blundell Park .Made better by a late winner and also the friendliness of the Grimsby fans who we spoke to. We will definitely visit again.
Grimsby Town v Crewe Alexandra
Football League Two
Saturday 17th September 2016, 3pm
Rob Dodd (Doing the 92)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
I was glad that Grimsby Town had returned to the Football League after spending six years away, as I had not managed to visit Blundell Park before relegation. Also, I've always had a soft spot for The Mariners since Liverpool played them in the FA Cup in early the1980's. Grimsby brought a huge following to Anfield and The Kop were on top form that day. The Mariners were "battered" 5-0 by a team including Fillet (Phil) Thompson, Jimmy Plaice (Case), Terry Mackerel (McDermott), Phil Eel (Neal) and other "fish" that I can't remember. Grimsby had their revenge twenty years later, knocking us out of the League Cup at Anfield!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I drove and it was really easy as the ground is on the A180, just into Cleethorpes. It's street parking so if approaching with the ground on your left, park before the ground in a street on the right hand side of the A180, as it's much easier to access the main road again on departure.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Given Grimsby's fishing history, a visit to a local chippy is a must and I wasn't disappointed. I then had a pint in the Blundell Park Hotel, which is located opposite the ground. I had no issues with the locals, who only gave me cause for concern when they started to don Parkas, gloves and bobble hats and it is only the middle of September!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
Externally, Blundell Park has seen better days. Internally, it's a lot easier on the eye. As a neutral I sat in the Young's Upper Stand and the four "mature" chaps sitting to my right were dressed for the Arctic, two of them had even brought rugs! There are open corners and when the wind got up, it was biting. Goodness knows what it's like in January or February! However, it's a good place for ship spotting! Of course, plans are afoot for a new stadium but, as one Grimsby supporter succinctly put it: "I'll believe it when I see it".
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Crewe deservedly won 2-0 and missed a penalty as well. Grimsby just couldn't get going, which was disappointing considering their recent results. The locals I spoke to weren't at all happy but conceded that the Mariners had been simply outplayed. Crewe were impressive and played two very experienced players up front, Lowe and Dagnall, who caused the Town defenders no end of trouble. I reckon Crewe will be challenging for promotion at the end of the season. Consequently, the atmosphere was muted. I didn't test the facilities.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The getaway was reasonably easy but I was glad I parked where I did as it looked very busy nearer the ground.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I enjoyed my day at Blundell Park, even in the knowledge that, at some stage in the future, I may have to retrace my steps to take in the new stadium. In any case, I really hope Grimsby Town consolidate their position in the League.
Saturday 27th August 2016, 3pm
James Walker (Stevenage fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Blundell Park?
It's difficult to say whether I was looking forward to this game or not. On one hand it was a new ground for me to tick off the list and another away day with Stevenage, but on the other hand we were coming in to this on the back of a heavy loss in the Football League Cup to Stoke. Plus I have heard nothing but horror stories about Grimsby in general (the film certainly didn't help the image of the place!). Still I had to make the trip to see the place for myself.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Getting there was easy as I took the supporters coach as usual. An early departure of 08:45 saw us pull up outside Blundell Park for 12pm. We pulled up on a side road roughly 100 yards from the away turnstiles.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
A helpful steward told us that the harbour was a 30 minute walk away in one direction and the beach was a similar distance in the other direction. Whilst most of our group went to the beach, me and a couple of friends who didn't fancy the walk crossed the road to a small cafe that had a pool table costing just 40p per game, bargain! After playing a few games we started to seek food. Normally we would just eat in the cafe but it would be wrong to go to Grimsby and not try out the fish! With this thought, we crossed the road again and went to the chippy for a large cod and chips, costing £4.80 and they were absolutely delicious!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Blundell Park?
From the outside, Blundell Park isn't that appealing at all but the inside it is lovely! The away end is a very spacious two-tiered stand, and curves around onto the stand on our right, which is a single-tiered stand running the length of the pitch. This stand is where the away disabled fans sit. The far stand is similar to the away end, except it looks like a single-tiered stand. The stand to our left is a big two-tiered stand and only covers the middle section of the pitch. There is a large score screen in the corner of this stand and the away end, which is viable to all supporters home and away. Please note there are several pillars in the away end which can block the views for the fans, and the stewards are the type who love to enforce seating at all times for away fans.
Our View Of Blundell Park
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself for Stevenage was a disaster. We were awful for the first half and went 2-0 down just before the break, but somehow got a goal back in injury time and even had a chance to equalise before the whistle went! Just after half time we collapsed, as Grimsby went from 2-1 up to 4-1 up in two minutes after the break. Jobi McAnuff scored a tap-in for us midway through the half before Omar Bogle sealed his hat trick in stoppage time with a stunning free-kick. Most of the stewards were a pleasure to chat to, and they gave up trying to enforce seating for the away fans after a few minutes and were happy to let the supporters in the back rows in the centre stand, and were happy to let us have the drums throughout the game to try and create some atmosphere. The half time pies were also delicious and the price was the standard £3. However I have to mention the away fans bar, which is a big bar inside the away end selling numerous beers and soft drinks. One very unusual thing they have is if you donate a shirt, scarf or flag of your teams colours and you get a free bottle or pint. There were numerous scarves attached to the walls and roof, including Kidderminster, Oxford, Luton, Alfreton and many other clubs. There is also an official photographer who goes around the away end (including the stand and bar) taking pictures of away fans enjoying the day out and all get uploaded to Facebook page @AwayDaysAtBP.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was complicated as the steward directed us the wrong way out of the ground, meaning we came out along with the home fans (quickly removing colours to avoid any banterous jibes!) and having to walk right around from one end of the ground to the other just as the rain started! Thankfully we legged it back to the coach without getting too wet and began the long sorry trip back to Stevenage, arriving back around 8.30pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall it's safe to say the day wasn't great due to the football but certain aspects made up for it! Lovely fish and chips, cheap pool and very good treatment of away fans, which always makes a refreshing change! If we are still in the same division next season I won't hesitate to return, but hopefully the game will be a better one from our point of view!
Half Time Score: Grimsby Town 2 Stevenage 1
Full Time Result: Grimsby Town 5 Stevenage 2
Attendance: 4,425 (140 away fans).
Grimsby Town v Oxford United
FA Cup 1st Round
Saturday November 8th 2014, 3pm
Rob Pickett (Oxford United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
As an Oxford United exiled in Sheffield, I do not get that many games in. I also have not been to the Grimsby ground for over 20 years, so this was a no brainer to attend on a cold November day. Oxford were struggling for form, while Grimsby were on a great run in the conference.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We took the train from Sheffield to Cleethorpes. In the middle of winter, Cleethorpes virtually closes down and becomes somewhat of a desolate place. From the station we walked along the sea front to get to the ground, eerie and messy. But it was straightforward enough to find Blundell Park.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
Being at the seaside we availed ourselves to a "sit down" meal of fish and chips. Although most of Cleethorpes seemed to be closed for the winter, a few of these places in town were still open. Food was fine, though a bit pricey. But the girls in the café who served us at least had a smile on their faces.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides?
Blundell Park is surrounded by terraced housing. This means it is a bit tight to get away after the game if you have travelled by car. I have to say that for a current conference ground, it looked quite impressive. The attendance also looked healthy on the day.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
It was a good game, with Oxford running out 3-1 winners, with our teenage striker, Roberts, bagging a brace. There was also plenty of atmosphere at the match. Beforehand I visited the away supporters bar, which was basic/quaint, but civilised. Nice touch was plenty of away fan memorabilia. Not really impressed with stewards. I needed to catch train (30-mins walk) so wanted to leave 5-mins early. They tried to direct me along the sea front in pitch dark. Not necessary, so arced round and walked through the town.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
See previous point, but if walking back to the railway station, make sure you are brisk. Cars in the area looked like they would be stuck for 20-minutes or so.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A real experience overall! It would be good to see a game at Grimsby early or late season when the weather is better and Cleethorpes is fully "open".
Grimsby Town v Dover Athletic
Conference Premier League
Saturday, August 16th, 2014, 3pm
Andy Fisher (Dover Athletic fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Dover have not played at this level for twelve long years, so there are a number of Clubs who we have never played at all, or haven't for quite a while. On of these clubs is Grimsby Town, who having played for many years in the Footbal League, had up until now never played Dover. It was an opportunity to visit this famous old ground, although with Dover losing the first two opening games of the season (and not scoring a goal either) I wasn't too confident of getting a positive result. Still a slight glimmer of hope, was the fact that Grimsby had failed to find the net too in their opening two matches
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As I run the supporters club coach that was all taken care of , however on arrival at the ground we were dropped off at one end and had to do a full circuit on foot to the other side of the ground. We finally arrived at the away turnstiles only to be told that concessions need to purchase tickets from the office that we passed a few minutes earlier.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
All our coach travelers used the away bar inside the ground, which served bitter and lager and with the option of having a two pint glass. However the 'glass' was in fact plastic, which made it difficult to pick up with one hand, but a few of us had one, even if it was just for the novelty factor. The bar had shirts and scarves from other visiting fans on the walls which was a nice touch. It's a shame I did not know beforehand as I could have brought one of my old shirts with me, to add to the collection. The lady in the bar was really friendly and made us feel very welcome.
The Two Pinter!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
First impressions on seeing the stadium was that it was an old fashioned type, but in essence a "Real" football ground full of character, something you don't find at modern stadiums.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We brought about a hundred supporters in a crowd of 3,548 but surprisingly we out sung them for most of the game. We were segregated in the corner to the right of the goal which is good in a way as only having a small number of fans at least we were all together. The game was fairly uneventful, until the 74th minute, when Grimsby took the lead. However Dover fought their way back into the match, equalising four minutes from the end. In fact Dover could have snatched all three points, missing a penalty in the 90th minute. But that said a draw was probably a fair result and at least we had our first point on the board. The only strange thing was having the segregated away fans housed next to the home family stand, not though there were any problems.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Leaving the ground was a bit bizarre. Although we did not have to walk back round the stadium to find our coach, it was parked at the end where a lot of the home supporters were dispersing, again not really an issue for us but strange nonetheless.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Apart from the the slight faffing around on our arrival re coach drop-off/Tickets , it was an enjoyable day out.
Grimsby Town v Mansfield Town
Conference Premier League
Monday 27th August 2012, 3pm
Jeff Beastall (Mansfield Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Mixed feelings really. Stags have been hyped somewhat as favorites to do well this season and in previous years this self same fixture has been played in the depths of winter on a cold damp Tuesday or Friday night. Last year we capitulated and lost badly with shocking 7-2 defeat here so we were looking for a turn of fortune and a better day out - for a change!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We've been here before and the ground is easy to find on the A180. Unfortunately for us we didn't leave Mansfielduntil almost 1 pm and with an 80 odd mile journey do in a mini bus, the timing was always going to be tight. Fortunately we made good time and were allowed to park with the other away supporters' buses at the back of the ground - thanks to a kindly steward who tweaked the area the Police had coned off for getting their horses out of their transporter!
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
Hobsons Choice for a pint was the Imperial at the end of Blundell Avenue as there wasn't time for much else of a customer survey. A warm welcome was promised and Carling Extra cold at £2.30 seemed a deal albeit in the obligatory plastic pot. This is a huge pub with only about a third of itspotential bar space being used and the majority of mainly home supporters had spilled out into the car park in the hope of developing hypothermia. Didn't see any food outlet on site. Perhaps they cite the old security chestnut as being an issue although I do recall as similar set up at Oxford FC when we played them and yes, they did have discreet security - but they welcomed everyone and most probably took a small fortune on the day. I wasn't in colours so I just ventured in and out with question or comment and minded my own business.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
A virtual coliseum of asbestos and crinkly tin; the ideal venue for a film maker hoping to do a grim sixties football movie and who doesn't have a lot of cash to spend on a set. Queued for a concession as I am a mature student but they don't do concessions for students, only the young and the old. Are there no students in Grimsby or is everyone on such a fantastic income that they can all afford the full £18?
Last time we came here they tried to corral us into a small corner of the Osmond Stand but this time left us away fans to sit where we liked. A magnanimous gesture indeed.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was OK, a game of 3 halves and despite us losing yet once again and going down to 10 men shortly before the final whistle, it was almost a relief when the ref did the decent thing and eventually put the game to death. Stewarding was surprisingly OK, facilities no change since last time Henry Kissinger was here. But the catering, oh man, the catering. Not so much as deserving a cordon bleu, more like worthy of imposing a cordon off.
Service was slow and the teams were about to come back on when I eventually got to the front of the queue. Chap in front of me orders a chicken pie, I order a hot chocolate. £1.80 she says to me, despite a colorful menu on the side of the bar clearly stating it to be £1.50. When I point this out, she snaps back "don't ask me luv. I don't fix the prices, I just serve here." Sorree. The chocolate is lukewarm and with made with a sufficiently miniscule amount - almost a wrap - of chocolate to barely colour the water. The trade descriptions act is clearly not recognised here then and the point is not lost on me that just five minutes away outside the ground I can pay an extra 50p and have a pint of lager instead - albeit in the obligatory plastic pot!
Meanwhile Pie Man has returned to the counter. "Its cold" he says. I await the kiosk attendants return killer serve of quit wit and innuendo but it doesn't come. Instead 3 of them gather round the pie and insert temperature probes into it from various directions - it looks almost painful -presumably looking for a hot spot or even signs of life. There isn't any. "I can do you a Balti!" she yells from the operating theatre.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Mercifully quick
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
If this day out had been a stick of Cleethorpes rock, you could have broken it anywhere along its length and it would have revealed [something crude and nasty] written all they way through it.
Saturday 26th March 2011, 1pm
Scot Rowland (Tamworth fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to visiting Blundell Park, firstly as it's got bags full of character unlike some of the ex-League sides in the BSBP, and the fact I live in Lincoln meant a relatively short trip up to Cleethorpes. And secondly Blundell Park is also a ground I had been yet to visit.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking:
Travelling by train the journey was easy enough. And I caught the 10:23 from Lincoln with a change at Barnetby for the connection to Cleethorpes. The ground is very easy to find taking either of the routes supplied by Duncan in the guide. On both its a straight walk to the ground and the tall floodlights are clearly visible from quite a distance away.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
Before the game I opted to have a few drinks in Lincoln with the game being a 1pm kick off due to England facing Wales. But arriving in Cleethorpes at 12pm I managed enough time to take in a pint at O'Neills, which is visible after you come out of the main entrance of Cleethorpes Station. Which is a spacious, well priced pub and perfect for a quick pint before the game. And the Blundell Park Hotel, directly opposite the ground, although it was very busy and quite small so was crammed to the rafters with Grimsby Fans. Didn't really speak to any Mariners fans but had no problems collecting my tickets from the ticket office in my Tamworth shirt.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Blundell Park, is vastly showing it's age now which is a real shame, but is fantastic for fans of old styled football grounds, made up of lots of old cladding. I did think the ground is quite intimidating, being very dark and dull from the outside with lots of barbed wire. As is the same with the Osmond Stand which houses the away supporters, looks very unappealing from the back with loads of rusty metal supports protruding from the back of it. The Osmond Stand is set quite far back and has a low roof so fans could miss out on the action if seated in the back rows. And the supporting pillars for this stand are a pain, but not too obtrusive.
The rest of the stadium consists of the two tiered Findus Stand which stands high above the other stands which are equal in height and straddles the half way line, with a row of VIP boxes running through it. Adjacent to this is the main stand which is a very ramshackled stand and has a lots of pillars running along the front of it. Then opposite the away stand is the Pontoon Stand which in comparison to the rest of the ground looks quite new and a tidy little stand.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game was a classic game of two halves. Tamworth struggled in the first half and Grimsby did all the running and deseverdly went in at half time up. The second half started much as the first had gone and The Mariners went up. Tamworth then finally started to come into the game and pulled a goal back through Kale Perry then the Tamworth pressure told and Tom Marshall smashed in the equalizer. A draw was probably a fair result in the end.
The atmosphere from both sets of fans was good, but as Tamworth started to come into the game, the Grimsby fans clearly were becoming frustrated with their side. The stewards were hardly noticeable throughout and just pretty much left us to it, which lead to a very relaxed atmosphere. Also Grimsby have changed the turnstiles away supporters enter through so instead of being at the back of the ground they now use the turnstiles the the left of the Findus Stand, but a friendly steward was kind enough to walk me through after I approached the wrong turnstile.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was fine on foot although I can imagine that it's difficult due to the volume of cars and fans as it's quite hectic around the stadium at full time.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I had heard some negative stories about going to Blundell Park, but I found them completely unfounded, and I found it to be a great day out and had no problems at all. Good result for Tamworth after a bad run of form. I'd happily visit again although would hope for nicer weather in fear of braving the biting wind from the sea.
Grimsby Town v Torquay United
League Two
Saturday 17th April 2010, 3pm
Mark Horler (Torquay United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
With Torquay United back in the football league, it was no surprise that as we were half way through April, the Gulls league status was still not secure. Today was quite simple, if we won at Grimsby, we stayed up...and they were as good as doomed.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Another long journey from Devon and another 7am start. Just 3 of us made the journey this time in our car. The journey was relatively straight forward considering it was from the South West to the North East. As we approached Grimsby it was no doubt the hottest day of the year and the town was packed with day trippers braving the North Sea. The seaside can be easily walked to from the ground and with traditional floodlights it would have been easy to spot, even without a sat nav to guide us.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
We went to Cleethorpes seafront. The town had quite a hostile atmosphere, possibly due to the importance of the match, lots of quite nasty comments, lots of bad language, but at 1pm we were having lunch in McDonalds (right by the ground) and only had friendly comments from the home support eating there.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
A very 4th division style ground, more 1970's cladding, than glass, large gates and 1970's style offices are what you would expect. Ensure you pop around the back of the ground (ask for where the away team coach arrives) to experience what is basically a wooden shack as an entrance, probably much loved for historical reasons, but blimey it brings you back to the 1970's. Here is where we met several Grimsby Town "anoraks" good true football people, the ones who wait for hours to get some 4th division left back's autograph and the sort who can tell you more about your team and where they have played than you can!
The away fans were situated at one end of the ground behind the goal. There were only around 300 Torquay fans there, so no one had an obstructed view, which is quite possible at the back of the seated enclosure. The ground is old with little recent investment, the main stand is especially high for a 4th division ground and this dominates the stadium. One point to remember is that to get concession tickets you need to buy them from the club shop before the match...so there was my lad in a bright yellow shirt stood in a queue of black and white Grimsby fans...blimey did he stand out!
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Torquay were playing well and confidence was high. Grimsby had also picked up form and their fans were quite surprisingly un-supportive in the circumstances, constantly moaning and shouting at every mistake....this was more noticeable at this ground than any other club I have been to this season. Our fans sang, their fans stood and watched. Half Time 0-0 nothing happened in a very tense 45 minutes. The 2nd half started well and continued with a show of attacking football from the Torquay United team resulting in a deserved 3-0 victory. We sang "ooooarrrr its a massacre" and their fans got annoyed.....very annoyed.
At the final whistle a 100 to 150 chavs ran across the pitch at the Torquay fans and were probably disappointed that the Gulls fans could only respond by waving their walking sticks in response! The stewards were fantastic throughout, even forming a cordon across the pitch to protect the Gulls fans...the police, as is often the case at football, were nothing short of useless, just filming and talking together....I even saw several laughing. Not one Grimsby fan was arrested....so you can imagine how we felt when we saw similar pictures on telly last week as Barnet fans were given the same treatment.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: Obviously with the problems inside the ground, it was shirts off, west country accents muted....but how can you possibly change from looking like a farmer to looking like a chav! or an ASBO. Several Torquay fans were obviously quite concerned and as we came down the side road to join the main street....the police were of course totally absent! We just ignored the threats and got in the car and all was well.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A brilliant day and a really important 3rd away win of the season. It was even better that our old friends from Bristol City had lost 3.0 at Scunthorpe on the same day, so the journey back was a happy one! Grimsby is in all honesty an unfriendly place to go. It is a deprived area, so just be careful when out and about in the town....would I return...absolutely.
Grimsby Town v Northampton Town
League Two
Friday 2nd April 2010, 7.45pm
Tyler Jason (Northampton Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to the game, as Northampton were a point outside the play offs and Grimsby second bottom, in the business end of the season. Easy game? Sounds it. Also our away form which consisted of 6 wins and a draw made the trip more tempting, and as Grimsby was also going to be a new ground for me.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Journey From Northampton was easy (as ever) Up the M1 then the M180 past Sheffield and Scunthorpe. For a Friday bank holiday it was surprisingly easy getting there, with no hold ups or delays and we were there by 6.30pm.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?
After getting parked up, we decided that being in Grimsby, fish and chips was really the only option. We went to 'Mariners Fish an Chips' a few corners away from the McDonalds by the ground. 1 of our little clan was served and got his food, whilst the other 2 had to wait 20 mins to get their orders. Not being keen on fish I opted for McDonalds, which understandably was full of Grimsby fans
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
First impression of the ground was that it looke very old, rickety and not somewhere you'd want to get lost around, Probably epitomised by the sign saying WELCOME TO THE FAMILY STAND, with hoards of rusty barbed wire above it. The away end is quite big, but with the low roof and me being 6ft 4, i had to crouch low to see the whole pitch as I could only see the halfway line standing up
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Game itself wasn't anything special. Northampton were under some early pressure but was relieved when Liam Davis scored to put us 1-0 up. Both teams had a few chances but Grimsby equalised just before half time with a good goal. Grimsby had a player sent off about 10 minutes into the second half for an elbow. Was 50/50 as to whether it was a red card as it wasn't exactly intentional. Northampton used the advantage to their advantage as Adebayo Akinfenwa headed home after 68 minutes to win it for Northampton. Grimsby had a late penalty shout turned down so it was 3 points for the Cobblers play off push. Didn't have any food inside the ground so can't comment on that. The toilets were like that of an old pub, not very big so if you have a large following, could be a bit of a squeeze.
The annoying thing with Grimsby was unless you're an adult, you have to go to the ticket office for a ticket. When i got there and asked for a junior and said i was 15, i was told my ticket is £12 as opposed to the advertised £8 because apparently juniors only run up to 14 years old. Answers on a postcard.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground wasnt so difficult as we walked around Cleethorpes looking for a pub which would admit 15 year olds. That plan failed so we eventually set off about 10.30 and back to Northampton by 1am.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Good day out and a decent win to boot. I'd imagine however if you were stuck in traffic all the way there it'd be the journey from hell but we were lucky there. Pretty good day but with things like tickets and ground, I wouldnt be in a mad rush to go back.
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