Hello Again.

Dheckler510 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

One of things that always fascinates me is how we all find things which if we had been on the opposite side of the sliding doors we would have missed totally.  This happened to me the other day when Caron and I were travelling back from Kent.

We had planned to catch a certain train from Paddington, but a tube hold up delayed us by a few minutes and we missed our connection. This meant that we would need to change at unlovely Reading to get to Hungerford, but fate struck again as for some reason, our train ran slowly and we missed our second connection of the day.

This left us with an hour to kill and as Reading Station resembled a Soviet ghost town, we were forced into the city centre (it was either that or counting bored pigeons).

Marks and Sparks were open and the long queue nearby indicated that Primark had reopened, but there was nothing to interest me.  That was until I walked passed the Harris Arcade which is on the way back to the station.  My wife suggested that we should not linger as the storm that hit Berkshire that day had already sent out its violent outriders.

We disagreed.  So whilst Caron walked to the railway station in reasonably light rain, I decided to shelter in the arcade and await the full force of the storm.

It was whilst I was there that I noted that the collectables shops were open for business.  As we are currently in the throes of moving and had promised each other that under no circumstances would we purchase non essentials, I decided that I would just look at the retro records which were outside of one of the shops.

I expected to find the usual rubbish and was not disappointed, that was until I found a signed Arnold Loxam record which dated from 1974.  This was an exciting find as it was a blast from the past and brought back memories of seeing Arnold playing a Wurlitzer Organ when I was very young.  I cannot remember exactly where I saw him as the Boer War had just finished, but I think it may have been Clacton.

As punishment for being good and not playing with the gong at the guest house, my parents who liked listening to Arnold’s music, decided to drag me along to a concert even though I protested that I would rather go to a gulag in Siberia.

My brother and sister were looked after by Mrs. Savage’s rottweiler and off we went on a particularly cool June evening to the Winter Gardens or wherever else it was held.

I can remember that the auditorium was rather too warm and the chap in front of me was shortening his life by chain smoking menthol cigarettes.  And it was here aged seven, that my life changed, as I really liked Arnold’s Wurltizer music and was humming some of the tunes all the way back to Stalag Nine and Three Quarters.

Unlike today, recordings were not at our fingertips although, I can remember my parents purchasing a couple of Arnold’s records which I proudly kept next to my Sex Pistols collection.

However like everything else, things changed.  Mafeking was relieved and I sadly grew up and in a way, forgot about this long lost treat.

Arnold had replaced Stalin in my affections, but that was because I was now a grown up brat and not a child anymore. But what of Arnold, who in my view is almost totally forgotten, although he only died in March 2010.

He was born in Wibsey on the outskirts of Bradford in 1916, the youngest of the three children of a textile overlooker.  When he was three, his father and his brother Percy, taught him to play the tunes of hymns on the piano using one finger and by the age of nine, he regularly took part in Chapel Concerts.  He made his first appearance at the keyboard of a Wurlitzer theatre organ in September 1930.

I am told that Wurlitzer organs reflect the style of the organist and Arnold was known for his bounce, style and his frequent glances over his shoulder whilst playing.

In a way, this has all disappeared just like the Will Hay films and is now considered very old hat.

By 1948 Arnold was working for BBC Radio and this brought his considerable talents to a much wider audience.  He also travelled overseas and when in the USA, always wore his Union Jack socks during concerts.

He also worked with Granada during the early days of commercial television.  But he never forgot his roots and could often be found performing at the Beck Hill Working Men’s Club in Bradford.

My record has a 1968 photograph of Arnold and his Wurlitzer organ at the Odeon Theatre in Headrow, Leeds on its cover.

This is where this recording took place with favorites such as Jeepers Creepers and Over the Rainbow featured.  Sadly, like many other venues, the Odeon Theatre no longer exists and has been replaced by a dreadful Primark store. But happily, the organ was saved which is fantastic and I am reliably informed that in many cases when these much loved buildings were bulldozed the Wurlitzers were saved and still exist today.

I have just played my record and it took me back many years to when as a young child there seemed to be no ills in the world and the slow summers lasted six months.  Unlike much of the rubbish you hear today there seemed to be an organic feel to Arnold’s music.

It was a double slice of luck really as on that stormy June day, I not only found this lovely record by chance (if the trains had run on time then I would have missed it as I tend to avoid Reading like the plague) but it was also autographed.

Arnold would have not thought his autograph that special as he was a modest down to earth man.

But to a grown up seven year old it was very special.

Happy Hunting

Stuart Miller-Osborne

Eric Koch / Anefo / CC BY-SA 3.0 NL (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/nl/deed.en)

Everyone here at Hungerford Arcade, across the generations, mourn the loss of this wonderful lady, Dame Vera Lynn.  At 103 years old, Dame Vera has dedicated her life to helping others and has touched the hearts of millions of people.  Risking her life during WWII, Dame Vera visited our service men and women wherever they were serving.  She even went out to Burma where another brutal part of the war was taking place.  Everyone adored her and christened her the “The Forces Sweetheart” which she will always be.  With songs like We’ll Meet Again, The White Cliffs of Dover and It’s a Lovely Day Tomorrow (my favourite and I wasn’t even born then) will live forever.  

Whenever there was a war time commemoration, such as D Day and VJ Day to name but two, Dame Vera would be there greeting all the veteran service men and women from the war.

In the years since WWII, Dame Vera Lynn has dedicated her life to Children and set up the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity which helps children with cerebral palsy and other motor learning difficulties.  From today, it will be run by Dame Vera’s daughter and her husband.  

Nicki (Growl Roar) from United Kingdom / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

RIP

Dame Vera Lynn

20th March 1917 – 18th June 2020

Hello Again,

Here in the UK, we are just entering the fourth week of lockdown and I have just finished War and Peace for the second time and Hilary’s, The Mirror and The Light awaits me on the shelf.

cc-by-sa/2.0 – © Peter Jordan – geograph.org.uk/p/164221

Seriously though, Caron and I are well although my Hay Fever has kicked off as it normally does at this time of the year and I have had to explain this allergy to others on a couple of occasions.

At the time of writing, the good news is that things seem to be improving for our Spanish, French and Italian cousins and slowly but surely, the first steps to recovery seem to have been taken.

One thing that fascinates me is why the German model appears to have been quite successful against other countries in Europe.  If my sums are correct, there are about eighty three million people in Germany against some sixty seven million in the UK but the models have been so different.

When this whole thing dies down, the research into this pandemic will be vital to future generations.

Thankfully Boris is on the mend as many of us feared for him.  Like Churchill in the last war, you need strong leaders and Boris for all his faults has provided that.

During this lockdown Caron and I have looked for interesting things to do and one of these was to make use of Caron’s undoubted culinary skills and to eat from some of our favourite plates.

We started this about a week ago when Caron cooked a great Beef Bourguignon (thank you Julia) and we were going to use some of our much prized Susie Cooper plates just to celebrate the dish.  But first we had to queue at Tesco’s for a few days to get the ingredients and here lies a story of our times.

As normal, Caron and I combine our shopping with exercise and after purchasing the essentials we walk around the almost deserted common to the east of the town.  On this day in particular, the sun was quite warm and we rested for a while on one of the terraces with a bottle of water.

Whilst we were there we noticed a jogger dressed all in black who appeared to be photographing the one or two people on the common which was a little odd.  But we thought no more about it until we were stopped by a handsome blonde policeman in his beautiful squad car on the railway bridge.

He asked if we were ok which I thought was a rather strange question even though we were carrying a Tesco bag.  Caron in her best Celia Johnson voice, explained what we were doing and how she hoped to cook a delicious Julia Child based Beef Bourguignon for our evening meal.

Poole Pottery Twintone

She explained that at present, we might not be able to go to France but we can certainly try to bring France to Hungerford.  The young policeman smiled and drove off quite happily and we continued our gentle walk.

The meal that evening tasted heavenly and was made all the better by our little adventure although, I am sure that the jogger in black reported us.

Call me Fox Mulder but some things cannot be explained.

This said, apart from Caron’s delicious meal, the whole experience was made all the better by our use of our Susie plates and drinking a delicious red wine from our vintage glasses.  And guess what, these were all purchased from the Arcade and this short article is about having fun with ceramics.

 

That is the great thing about the Arcade, you can pop in at any time and these items will be awaiting you either in the Junk Stall or some of the other units.  It is fun to do it this way as quite frequently one can purchase a named dinner set for less than twenty quid.

 

Susie Cooper Teaset

Before the restrictions were imposed, there was a quite modern Susie Cooper tea set that tempted me and there is always plenty of Poole to be found.

 

We each have our favourites I like Susie’s works and Caron absolutely adores Poole.

 

I asked her why she likes Poole (especially Twintone) so much when we were taking tea a day or so ago.

 

Here are her thoughts:-

 

I have enjoyed collecting Poole ever since my Mother-in Law gave me a cup of coffee in a Poole Mug many years ago.

 

To drink or eat from anything made by the Poole Pottery, it is an experience that I believe should be shared.

 

This said, I have my favourites and show these off when having friends around for dinner.

 

Twintone has to be the ideal dinner set with its soft easy colours and smooth texture.  It compliments any meal whether it be good or bad.

 

Each of the mixed colours has its own personality and one can become quite obsessive when purchasing these beautiful items.

 

It is a guilty pleasure but why not, as it is there to be enjoyed.

 

Whilst I do like Poole, I tend to collect Susie as a first choice.

 

This said, although Susie Copper creations can be quite cheap as with all things some are much rarer than others and therefore more expensive.

 

I have collected Susie for over twenty years and some of my items will never leave my display cabinets.

 

Clarice Cliff Serving Dish

It is very much like Clarice Cliff who I also collect to a lesser extent and yes, I sometimes use (on special occasions as with Susie) some of my more common Clarice items (like our serving dishes) but I would not dream of using my Bizarre plate which I purchased after my horse romped home in the Grand National.

 

If we have guests (do you remember those days?) I tend also to use my coronation cups and saucers (which are very common) as this adds a nice touch to afternoon tea with your favourite aunt away from your feral and savage children.

 

I have just mentioned Susie Cooper and the Poole Pottery, but there are many others such as Woods, Radford , Meakin , T.G.Green (more for kitchen ware) Grays and Midwinter.  This is by no means a comprehensive list and I have obviously missed as many as I have recorded.

 

Instead of going to a boring old shop and purchasing (and maybe spending more) a foreign made dinner set or the like, you can purchase history from the Arcade.

 

Not everything is that old as there is a great deal of retro stuff around which is just as suitable and if you are into the decade that fashion forgot (the 1970s), then finds in the Arcade are very common.

 

You can eat off of the plates that Mummy and Daddy used to use when you were a child, imagine that.

 

Possibly the most important thing is whether you like what you see or not.  If it floats your boat then purchase it.

 

Also as I pointed out to a dear friend, not all things are dishwasher friendly (I am surprised that I am ever invited out).

 

I do hope that this helps as hopefully quite soon Boris and his buddies will indicate that things are beginning to get back to normal and as long as we are all sensible we can mix together within certain boundaries.

 

For the last four weeks we have had Julia Child staying with us in the spare bedroom and I do not think I have eaten so well.

 

My life has changed and I will be sorry to see Julia leave, but this will mean that the Arcade has reopened and that I will again have the opportunity to have fun with ceramics.

 

Do look after yourselves and we all look forward to life becoming normal once again.

 

Happy Hunting

 

Stuart & Caron  (not forgetting Julia) 

Hello Again 

It does not seem that a week has passed since I last wrote one of my mini articles which is a little scary as the days are beginning to fade into each other.

Caron and I are okay but have not left Hungerford for over three weeks which for us, is some kind of record as we are normally charging around the country.

At the time of writing, Boris is quite poorly in hospital and his girlfriend, who is with child also appears to have contracted the virus.  We all wish them the best and all of the people who are either suffering from or working towards the resolution of this awful virus.  Hungerford salutes you and remember when this nonsense is over, that a warm welcome awaits you in our friendly little town.

The Arcade will open its doors as soon as the Government allows it to reopen and Rita has said the dealers have been very busy, so expect lot of new and interesting stock.

Hopefully the lovely weather will continue and that you will be able to see Hungerford at its best.

However, this little article is not about the town itself but about an area roughly half an mile away which is a joy to visit.  This is a little surprising as apart from the railway on one side. this area is also bordered by the not so lovely A4.   As you can see from the title it is called Freeman’s Marsh.

I would like to think that one of my favourite local writers, Richard Jefferies, might have visited Freeman’s Marsh which obviously would have been a little different in the nineteenth century.

© Copyright Des Blenkinsopp and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The railway would have been there and the cow bridge that is visible from the towpath.

The Kennet & Avon canal would have been a lot busier than it is today with goods being transported in both directions.

On the reverse side, the A4 (Bath Road) would have been quieter than it is today.

Richard was born in Coate which used to be on the outskirts of Swindon, and it is feasible that in his younger years, he might have travelled to Hungerford which is about fifteen miles away.

I often pass the house where he once lived when walking into Swindon.

In those days, the road outside was just a lane and is well described in his beautiful book. Amaryllis at the Fair (1887), which is a great read.

As I walk past Richard’s home, I almost expect to see Amaryllis looking over wall at all the people passing by and wishing me the time of day.

https://www.richardjefferies.org/

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Richard_Jefferies_Museum%2C_Coate%2C_Swindon%2C_Wiltshire_-_geograph.org.uk_-_252496.jpg

But it is not like that now, as unlovely Swindon has grown and what was once meadows and farmland is now just an ugly urban sprawl.  The sight of it almost brings me to tears, but my emotions are kept in check by trying to survive the crossing of the many roads.

Richard died of TB and exhaustion in August 1887, but suppose, just suppose that he returned in 2020.  He would obviously have been greatly upset at the destruction of the countryside around Coate.

I can just remember that in the mid 1960s, Coate was a lot more open than it is today.  Even in the last thirteen years there has been a great deal of development in the area, which is incredibly sad.

But as much as I have noted that Coate has changed for the worse, it is good to report that Freeman’s Marsh has actually improved in the last one hundred years which is mainly due to the love and hard work of the town and the Freeman’s Marsh Conservation Group.  Their excellent website will give you a great deal of information about the area and discusses the minutiae of all their activities.

Therefore I am only going to share my thoughts and give a brief description of the area as if I am sitting on the seat near the cow bridge with Richard overlooking the marsh.

It is an area of some ninety acres west of Hungerford and both the Kennet & Avon canal and the River Dun pass through it.  One can find many creatures, some of which are quite rare in Southern England.

I am told that over one hundred different species of both migratory and resident birds can be found and you can, from May to August, witness people ringing these birds at the western end of the marsh.  It is quite unusual to think that in this small area so many different birds and other creatures can be easily found.

In the 1860s this area would have been farmland and most likely used by cattle, although some it is now fenced off.

There is evidence that cattle still use the area (if you get my drift), but I cannot say that I have seen any recently (unlike on Hungerford Common which is approximately a mile to the east).

I like cows but they are cumbersome creatures and although they do not mean any harm, create a lot of damage to the fragile eco-systems on Freeman’s Marsh.

One must remember that it is not just other living creatures that hang out on the marsh, but there are many plants that can easily be trodden underfoot by our bovine friends.

I know that Richard would have appreciated Freeman’s Marsh in 2020 and might have described it as follows in more modern terms.

There is a seat next to the ancient railway bridge which we often use when visiting Freeman’s Marsh

It gives uninterrupted views of the canal the river and the fields beyond

Although passing trains occasionally break the silence it is a peaceful place

Where all kinds of birds may be seen from the spectacular Kites to the petite Jenny Wrens

Today I saw a Goldcrest which is the smallest bird in the country and this pleased me a great deal.

The seat provides a hiding place for those who have tired of the madness of their days

I quite often sit there with my lovely wife and watch as she develops watercolours with her steady hand

She lets them dry in the rough grass that is the main feature of the immediate area

Shallow paths have been cut however these are few and the terrain although benign requires some respect

We should spend more time exploring the marsh but we let the our engines take us to distant shores 

Hungerford Arcade sadly remains closed along with every other business, due the  coronavirus.  However, we along with our fellow countrymen and allies around the world, celebrate the 75th Anniversary of VE Day.  What a day that must have been with street parties, singing, dancing and rejoicing, celebrating the end of WWII in Europe.  After six years of war, the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and many thousands injured, the bombing of towns and cities had at last come to an end.

Winston-Churchill-the-Prime-Minister-with-King-George-VI.jpg

L-R Princess Elizbeth in her uniform with Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret

Photograph from the Jim Bradshaw Collection

Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer / Public domain

Of course, there were huge VE Day celebrations in and around Hungerford.  From the beautiful photograph below, you can see the sheer joy on the childrens’ faces at the victory party.

19450000 Atherton Crescent Victory Party, 1945

Photograph courtesy of the Hungerford Virtual Museum. Click here and see more from the Museum.

Hungerford Arcade stallholder, Ian Spuffard was due to take part in the 2020 London Marathon today, but due the Coronavirus it has been postponed until later in the year.  Ian had lots of events booked including an auction at Hungerford Town Hall to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support.  Unfortunately, everything had to be cancelled due to the lock down.

Ian would not be deterred.  He got on his bike and rode the 26.2 mile trek around his home town of Swindon in Wiltshire, which was quite a feat in the heat of the day. We are very proud of you Ian.  

Ian has raised a lot of money so far for MacMillan Cancer Support and if you would like to help him meet his target of £2500, just click here and you will be taken to his Virgin Money Giving page.