Saturday 7 September 2019

Never heard of him


John Enderby Jackson was apparently someone of note (or notes even) and has a small plaque in Queen's Gardens which I came across today. I won't sit here and pretend I know who he was or what he did but I will link to something that Google popped up so you can amaze your friends with your knowledge of the arcane ways of musical band competitions and the history there of. Here's the little link.

Friday 6 September 2019

King George's Field

"To promote and to assist in the establishment throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of playing fields for the use and enjoyment of the people."

When George V died in 1936 some folk wanted to have a memorial that was a bit more useful than yet another statue and came up with the fine idea of recreation fields. The entrance to each field (and there are 471 of them dotted around the UK ) has to have these "heraldic panels or other appropriate tablet medallion or inscription commemorative of His Late Majesty". I read they were supposed to be in carved stone or cast in metal but these seem to be shall we say concrete castings and a little the worse for wear. Never mind, we struggle on. (Something else I discovered in reading about this is that in Scotland they too have a lion and a unicorn but the unicorn, which after all  represents Scotland in this heraldic nonsense, is on the left post and has a crown. I find this differentiation somehow quite petty and pleasing at the same time.)



This particular field is between Cottingham Road and Inglemire Lane close by the University and I have, over the past thirty odd years, walked by thousands of times without entering. That is until yesterday when we went to have a little look see. It is down a neat tree lined lane and is just a big playing field with a few swings and things. But plenty of folk were using it either walking the dog, mucking about or kicking a ball and that's the main thing I guess. I just wonder if anybody remembers poor old Georgey.


Thursday 5 September 2019

Fifty five days to Hallowe'en


I bring news of pumpkins. Pumpkins, correct me if I'm wrong, are supposed to sphericalish and, well, orange. Hmm. The one above seems to think it is some kind of stumpy marrow or obese courgette. T'other one, for there are, despite many flowers, just two fruit, has decided to appear four foot up an ivy clad wall and thus needs some support. It's the right shape just a bit too yellow for my liking. Maybe by the end of October it, and so many other things, will ripen nicely.


Wednesday 4 September 2019

Just don't drop it


What's this? Some kind of fair ground attraction at the back of Staples, a place well known for attractions of an all together different sort? No, not even close.
Back in April I mentioned that work had started on building a footbridge across Castle Street. Well in the past few days in this car park just a few yards down the road this has spring  up. Yes, it looks like the long awaited bridge just needs lifting up and putting in the right place and we should be good to trot. But quite how you lift a girt heavy and wide load like this and place it with pinpoint accuracy on its supports is thankfully not my concern. Let's just hope they don't drop it.

The Weekend in Black and White is here.

Tuesday 3 September 2019

The Gnomes of Kingswood


The red theme continues until I get sick and tired of it which will be about now.
Here's Asda's idea of garden ornamentation, a thirty quid gnome. Erm thanks but no thanks.


You can thank Margot for this picture.

Monday 2 September 2019

Sunday 1 September 2019