tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56650945070305060812024-03-13T02:07:45.127-07:00Blogs from the BongsJohn Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-50189247586701558392021-08-08T16:35:00.003-07:002021-08-08T16:35:45.354-07:00<p> </p><h3 class="gmql0nx0 l94mrbxd p1ri9a11 lzcic4wl n851cfcs n1l5q3vz" dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: inherit; margin: 12px 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh o3w64lxj b2s5l15y knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.2; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;">SADNESS AND TRIUMPH FOR GOOSTREY GOOSEBERRY CHAMPION</span></span></h3><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EEvc6vn_SzgisG_zwOtYtwww8k1wThvvaCeDvDroIwvgxCzV93C7PJEXEAAeAoucCCxQjF1zPjbnkGbSc5RDtKcz3yZAM75KqOeCsCmdOcrFgA208BlWynkruihEG3xIkeH-OSdRXTc/s640/GOOSTREY+GOOSEBERRY+SHOW+2021+WINNER+CHRIS+JONES+31+6+21+PIC+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EEvc6vn_SzgisG_zwOtYtwww8k1wThvvaCeDvDroIwvgxCzV93C7PJEXEAAeAoucCCxQjF1zPjbnkGbSc5RDtKcz3yZAM75KqOeCsCmdOcrFgA208BlWynkruihEG3xIkeH-OSdRXTc/s320/GOOSTREY+GOOSEBERRY+SHOW+2021+WINNER+CHRIS+JONES+31+6+21+PIC+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">A champion gooseberry grower dedicated his winning berry at Goostrey, Cheshire to his brother after revealing he had died overnight.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">Veteran Chris Jones learned only hours before the village show on Saturday about the loss of his brother, Tony, from coronavirus.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">But he decided to continue to compete at the annual event and produced the biggest berry of the afternoon in his moment of grief and triumph.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">Chris, 69, who has been growing gooseberries for over 30 years and came second last year, won with an Edith Cavell premier berry of 28 pennyweights and 08 grains.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">And as well as the winner's silver trophy he will be awarded one of the prestigious plates provided by the Blackden Trust and named in memory of the legendary Goostrey grower. Frank Carter.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">His 80-year-old brother died in South Africa where he lived for 50 years and owned a boat business in Johannesburg.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">He contracted Covid in the last two weeks after battling cancer for 12 months.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">"We realised Tony was not well at all but it was a shock the night before the show when I learned he had passed away," said Chris.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">"I am one of six siblings and we have been very close over the years and his loss has been tough.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">"But I felt the show must go on and decided when I won I would dedicate the berry to my brother whose funeral I will not be able to attend because of the Covid pandemic."</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">Chris last won Gooseberry Goostrey Show at the Crown Inn, also with an Edith Cavell of 31pw 13grns in 2005, and holds the world record for the biggest green berry ever grown.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">His Bank View of 37pw 20grns at the Swettenham show has been unchallenged since 2002.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">Weights at Goostrey Gooseberry Show were better than expected but less than in many previous years after a tough growing season.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">Speaking of his winning choice of berry, Chris said he thought the severe winter had helped the Edith Cavell to thrive more than some other varieties.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">"When I look at the records and in the seasons it has done well, it has liked a harsh winter, and it is best to give it a lot of shelter from the sun and keep it well watered," he added.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">Last year's winner Terry Price, who suspected his crop was sabotaged three months ago with a poison chemical, came seventh in the show after entering a red Just Betty berry of 18pw 14grns from a two-year-old tree in his garden at Twemlow Green.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">Show secretary Martin de Kretser was second with a Montrose berry (25pw 21gns)and Emma Williams, who has won two previous contests, held on to her third place from last year with a Montrose of 22pw 12grns.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">Jamie Goode won the trophy for the junior section with a Blackden Gem and Joe Banks Williams, the winner last year, was second with a Jodrell White.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">So far, one of the biggest weights of the season gained Lee Warhurst the champion's trophy at the merged Marton and Lower Withington Show at Swettenham Club. His Millenium topped the scales at 35pw 02gns.</span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;"></span></div><div class="bi6gxh9e" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18.75px; margin-bottom: 8px; transition-property: none !important;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" style="animation-name: none !important; color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; word-break: break-word;">PICTURES Chris savours the winning berry he dedicated to his late brother and celebrating after the show with members of the Goostrey Gooseberry Society and the event in action (Image John Williams)</span></div>John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-6719592818171186942018-05-10T11:20:00.000-07:002018-05-10T15:07:41.036-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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ADVENTURES OF A NOVICE METAL DETECTORIST<br />
BY JOHN WILLIAMS<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">OLD TENNIS COURT GIVES</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">UP ITS SILVER...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2ieMOz3UperqkdNOrlvp47dDxL8WoWhdM-KbXcdG4sPM8YBooYXous9W5zPyUsOOD5Phal_lYgMOx4Wq0kBPMl6IArZHSibhib-D1SxHEZtKdn8Ki_hmVcqLzuGCna6EycngvN2az7o/s1600/IMG_1014+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1157" data-original-width="1512" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2ieMOz3UperqkdNOrlvp47dDxL8WoWhdM-KbXcdG4sPM8YBooYXous9W5zPyUsOOD5Phal_lYgMOx4Wq0kBPMl6IArZHSibhib-D1SxHEZtKdn8Ki_hmVcqLzuGCna6EycngvN2az7o/s320/IMG_1014+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Elizabeth 1 sixpence surfaces </b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18.6667px;"> "You lucky devil, I don't believe it," or words to that effect said Mike Burt in disbelief. He was giving me some </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18.6667px;">lessons with my new found metal detecting hobby on Goostrey's old tennis club courts when we struck silver. Not just</span><br />
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any odd coin left behind when villagers spent summer days between the wars battling with racquets on the manicured surface.</div>
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A beep, beep <span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">from my Garrett Ace 250 detector signalled treasure below but Mike using a much superior machine quickly pinpointed </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">the spot where he urged me to dig.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> And even the veteran detectorist was quite excited when up from the ground popped </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">an Elizabethan silver sixpence bright as the day it was minted. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgEiFp2_WIlxBzxSpN1Sw1VH6SFbA9Rb3H_dtXZ7nj1Sa8mMCFtyJHyHQmoBtZ3fS5WgY9PnpT6LE_8y-oyLTlu-Gr_p0nxsat_FR8U6Fh4tL2EoR-qih9XevrPAXT65zbUOGDy0ZcOQ/s1600/IMG_1019+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgEiFp2_WIlxBzxSpN1Sw1VH6SFbA9Rb3H_dtXZ7nj1Sa8mMCFtyJHyHQmoBtZ3fS5WgY9PnpT6LE_8y-oyLTlu-Gr_p0nxsat_FR8U6Fh4tL2EoR-qih9XevrPAXT65zbUOGDy0ZcOQ/s320/IMG_1019+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Unearthed coins obverse and other finds</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">.</span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">"I can go out for weeks spending hours searching and never find anything like this," added Mike, eagerly fingering off 500 years of dirt to find the date.</span></div>
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The hammered coin is battered and only one side is legible and it's <span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">not worth a lot but what the hell it is a priceless piece of local history to me. Whoever lost it from a pouch secured at their side would have felt the financial squeeze for a week or more because then it was a significant sum. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">While the Queen had an income of £60,000 per annum in 1580 country folk eked out an existence. A field worker earned less than half a sixpence a day, a thatcher 2s (four sixpences) for five days labour, a ploughman one shilling (two sixpences) a week with his board, and the parson whose income was 20 shillings per annum (forty sixpences) was among the poorest of the flock.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">It was my first real find not far from the spot at Bridge House where</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkJsDtTCNGSfQvW7ooAGMqZQaJTYqmInFG_2OkqCyISW6Le2OzfRYShyphenhyphenB4dqXSokOE1Qu_4IV4rMNPbNih-7u-s_0q8S4X21Acw3ESuyNhQHnZGQZjOScm19c3n9Em-Gn0UfHDEDGUrA/s1600/IMG_1017+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="1582" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkJsDtTCNGSfQvW7ooAGMqZQaJTYqmInFG_2OkqCyISW6Le2OzfRYShyphenhyphenB4dqXSokOE1Qu_4IV4rMNPbNih-7u-s_0q8S4X21Acw3ESuyNhQHnZGQZjOScm19c3n9Em-Gn0UfHDEDGUrA/s320/IMG_1017+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Detected coins with sixpence clearly showing a shield</b></td></tr>
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daughter Emma uncovered only inches below the turf a lead spindle whorl from Anglo-Saxon or Medieval <span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">times in a period when Domesday Book said Goostrey was a kind of waste and of little value to the Norman conquerors. Excitement mounted </span>as we swept an acre or so for more finds, and alas silver was in short supply but from the land, we got several<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> Georgian halfpennies, a Queen Elizabeth 11 penny I probably dropped, a Victorian button and an intriguing coin-like </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">item still to be identified but possibly from a horse harness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Mike, a member of Crewe and Nantwich Detecting Society noted as among the elite of the fraternity, is not always searching ploughed fields and meadows for hidden treasures lying deep into the earth, some from before the rise of Christianity. He is often called in to recover lost jewellery and keys</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">by desperate householders and farmers who lose valuable bits from machinery</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUve2UVyMGrBw33EkUxxnxeQaLAsmRV-HIndvkMGrEfFdrGh9_GBuhiTJiHyKKdt0FW4QEvRJnT3bL7WA20aOJRmSPO0qXP-O0hRIJ3foqqukzf_v-GWgSGrZESBDyWuNqvUNQovoly0/s1600/IMG_0846+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1309" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUve2UVyMGrBw33EkUxxnxeQaLAsmRV-HIndvkMGrEfFdrGh9_GBuhiTJiHyKKdt0FW4QEvRJnT3bL7WA20aOJRmSPO0qXP-O0hRIJ3foqqukzf_v-GWgSGrZESBDyWuNqvUNQovoly0/s320/IMG_0846+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Anglo-Saxon or medieval spindle whorl</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">working in their fields and crops. As for me, I'm still in pursuit off Goostrey's golden hoard...</span></div>
<b>PICTURES click to enlarge</b><br />
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-23844032026254580032017-08-05T10:35:00.001-07:002017-08-10T17:43:31.165-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZvVt6oleMVNewnemUIrODnl4MwnMQCQWsjbDLcxmxnbpPiN-LiRS42Eefb9rM68Tg2WscXbjfXXwWww051YbsGN2WR3hGU3xKOukzZUJfgMCfdh8k8dfRnX3K0TSIrVhHO6h7v6m82U/s1600/Kelvin+1A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1083" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZvVt6oleMVNewnemUIrODnl4MwnMQCQWsjbDLcxmxnbpPiN-LiRS42Eefb9rM68Tg2WscXbjfXXwWww051YbsGN2WR3hGU3xKOukzZUJfgMCfdh8k8dfRnX3K0TSIrVhHO6h7v6m82U/s320/Kelvin+1A.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kelvin's world record Millenniun berry in 2013<br />weighing 41 pennyweights 11 grains</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> KELVIN'S MARTON WIN AS SQUIRREL ROBS MARIE</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwoxOb2tDTRogqZzZPsOvprW1jc4fH0g9dlxI2sGy4a3P_5PF6fOqMc1qCduueaIL-A0gXwB7_Am_DFmjkZ4pCvNJnZRdAAjl45-XA_j-NKe9vX1gR6zOcQ1H1iaZgUmZp5ncSbEEltv0/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwoxOb2tDTRogqZzZPsOvprW1jc4fH0g9dlxI2sGy4a3P_5PF6fOqMc1qCduueaIL-A0gXwB7_Am_DFmjkZ4pCvNJnZRdAAjl45-XA_j-NKe9vX1gR6zOcQ1H1iaZgUmZp5ncSbEEltv0/s320/FullSizeRender+%25285%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kelvin Archer with his winning berry at Marton</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The curse of the worst growing season for years continued when even world champion Kelvin Archer could not pull off a real whopper from his gooseberry trees for Marton show today. But Kelvin, growing berries for 40 years, still swept the board at the show at the Waggon and Horses, near Congleton. His top berry, a Millennium hitting the scales at 30 pennyweights 04 grains, was down on previous years but bigger than most weighed at Mid-Cheshire shows - with the exception of Lower Withington. It was there John Porter has provided the biggest berry of the season, an Ann Archer of 34 pennyweights 08 grains. Ironically, Kelvin, competing at the same show a week ago, originated the winning berry named after his wife! His word for the season: "Rubbish..." The Marton event was disappointing for the youngest grower, Marie Wilshaw from Mossley, who two years ago at 12 produced the biggest berry at any show. Her Balmarsh variety weighed 34 pennyweights 20 grains but her tender years disqualified her from receiving the trophy as the area's top grower. Now, after joining the ranks of the seniors she hoped her winning ways would continue this year but she had nothing to show and was sidelined to watch as a spectator. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"It is really sad for her because this year is her first as a senior grower, but she had nothing left on her trees," said a member."It is thought a squirrel may have got among the berries and made a meal of them." With only the Over Peover show to be held tomorrow (Sunday) it was expected that John Porter would be this year's</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmHwyGY0GECmDByEaDyRjzEoxy0L4NyVgzJsNfybGyXnWs3H26zZoE2Lsek6oPdpujkTnwcxPtFr9Yqfof_44EPW6wZm7LFY3GB3VA52E6dWmLN90waepjnBC6LZOxYJDaaOP0xL4erM/s1600/Marie+Wilshaw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmHwyGY0GECmDByEaDyRjzEoxy0L4NyVgzJsNfybGyXnWs3H26zZoE2Lsek6oPdpujkTnwcxPtFr9Yqfof_44EPW6wZm7LFY3GB3VA52E6dWmLN90waepjnBC6LZOxYJDaaOP0xL4erM/s320/Marie+Wilshaw2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Marie Wilshaw with her monster berry two years ago</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mid-Cheshire Gooseberry Association champion, Meanwhile, the Marton show, which has only seven growers, and Over Peover show are hoping to gather more members for next seasons battle of the berries.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">**Pictures copyright Emma </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Williams and Space Press</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">++Click images to enlarge</span></div>
John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-1339912784124414202017-08-03T04:37:00.001-07:002017-08-05T09:19:36.298-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">JODRELL BANK HAS ITS EARTHLY</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> STATUS INCREASED</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> World-renowned Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope which scooped the world with the Daily Express to capture the first pictures of the moon's surface from a Russian spacecraft has been awarded increased listed building status. The giant Lovell Telescope, named after its founder the late Sir Bernard Lovell, was Grade 1 listed in 1988. Now, six further structures </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">on the <span style="background-color: yellow;">site in the parish of Goostrey have </span>been listed, including the Mark 11 Telescope, awarded Grade 1 status, and the remains of a searchlight aerial developed in the mid-1940s by John Atherton Clegg, given Grade 11.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The award has been made on the 60th anniversary of the Lovell telescope' giant leap in radio astronomy to capture radio signals from millions of miles in outer space. The sprawling complex, arguably the first of its kind in the world, was first used for the science in 1945 when Sir Bernard, working for the university's physics department moved to the Cheshire countryside to escape the city's radio interference. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The astonishing images of the moon the moon were intercepted by Jodrell Bank from Russia's Luna 9 after its moon landing in February 1966 by scientists and technicians from the Manchester-office of the Daily Express using a picture receiver.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROSSMhi_5yvuVJ88GH9vlyxRNFp_-QEaWQcqGD8A3eUu8K4TbLDXyYucFs7S4lM4-SQuHWkm41NLYv1llIoyxNIh0E8B1XOumlpNKlQUfiAv8zo90x_5co7gX4azDjbKzU3ZfcVFQQnI/s1600/Sir+Bernard+Lovell+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="264" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROSSMhi_5yvuVJ88GH9vlyxRNFp_-QEaWQcqGD8A3eUu8K4TbLDXyYucFs7S4lM4-SQuHWkm41NLYv1llIoyxNIh0E8B1XOumlpNKlQUfiAv8zo90x_5co7gX4azDjbKzU3ZfcVFQQnI/s320/Sir+Bernard+Lovell+2.jpg" width="199" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">The increased status and protection for Jodrell Bank was welcomed by Professor Teresa Anderson, director of the discovery centre and by Professor Tim O'Brien, associate director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Professor O'Brien said: "We are delighted and very proud the pivotal role played by Jodrell Bank </span><span style="font-size: large;">in the development of radio astronomy has been celebrated with these new listings.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasVizNVigQb1qcjnsEZ7C1AQZnt28f1X3G6Z1cvNP4xa_tRi1uxjkG00L2l9oEKwQMOGNmAAHjHKXfAzoISFcbGsM5F0byqqGAnK0jySBVKX4jpaduY7ofPqwBsdJTAlhvzng7Yb_BPE/s1600/Goostrey+protector+-+Jodrell+Bank+Monster+of+the+Cheshire+Plain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1270" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasVizNVigQb1qcjnsEZ7C1AQZnt28f1X3G6Z1cvNP4xa_tRi1uxjkG00L2l9oEKwQMOGNmAAHjHKXfAzoISFcbGsM5F0byqqGAnK0jySBVKX4jpaduY7ofPqwBsdJTAlhvzng7Yb_BPE/s320/Goostrey+protector+-+Jodrell+Bank+Monster+of+the+Cheshire+Plain.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">And Professor Anderson said that Jodrell Bank had welcomed millions of visitors, drawn by its</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">landmark structures. "Science is a hugely important part of our cultural heritage and we are pleased to see that recognised and protected with these new designations," she added.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Scientists working at Jodrell Bank, an iconic monster-like structure which can be seen for miles rising above the countryside, tracked the world's first space ships and Luna 9's first in landing on a a celestial body.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It has captured millions of radio signals from the universe, but so far little green men on planets far out in space have eluded them..!</span><br />
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-2959073424162004662017-07-31T07:45:00.000-07:002017-08-02T09:31:42.729-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">MARTIN'S WOODEN SPOON SPANKS RIVAL GROWERS</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIask0XQEO4sLODb27NTKzY8g5wUyIGLoWeYkh6S2u17rUhdCaiyqJ8e3sy26gGQetcxQphk2uZDycZ7_pwnl2A5PAtCnWbvZtg_aNl0aaOCsIA4ZWlnxnTheQK4inF_ZrMNFHip0zKFU/s1600/Martin+de+Kretser+Gooseberry+show+winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1500" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIask0XQEO4sLODb27NTKzY8g5wUyIGLoWeYkh6S2u17rUhdCaiyqJ8e3sy26gGQetcxQphk2uZDycZ7_pwnl2A5PAtCnWbvZtg_aNl0aaOCsIA4ZWlnxnTheQK4inF_ZrMNFHip0zKFU/s400/Martin+de+Kretser+Gooseberry+show+winner.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Martin and his prize winning gooseberry and cup</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> A novice grower pipped his rivals after </span><span style="font-size: large;">graduating from the award of the wooden spoon to beating </span><span style="font-size: large;">all comers </span><span style="font-size: large;">with the heaviest berry at Goostrey Gooseberry Society s</span><span style="font-size: large;">how.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> After one of the worst growing seasons for years, Martin </span><span style="font-size: large;">de Kretser tipped the scales with a Blackden Gem <g class="gr_ gr_70 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" data-gr-id="70" id="70" style="animation: gr__appear_critical 0.4s ease forwards; background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml; background-position: -1px calc(100% + 3px); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: calc(100% + 1px) 100%; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; http: //www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='100%' height='100%'%3E%3Cline opacity='0.75' x1='4' y1='100%' x2='100%' y2='100%' transform='translate(-1.5, -2.5)' stroke-width='3' stroke-linecap='round' stroke='%23fc5454'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");">berry</g> </span><span style="font-size: large;">weighing 23 pennyweights 19 grains.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Martin, who lives in Goostrey, came last in the competition </span><span style="font-size: large;">at The Crown Inn at his first attempt only four years ago.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> The enthusiastic newcomer was not downhearted in </span><span style="font-size: large;">defeat and on Saturday proved determination wins.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> His premier berry, a tiddler compared in years when entries were heavier, </span><span style="font-size: large;">beat longtime growers, including Terry Price, the reigning champion, placed fourth.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZUVY53mMFZvKPBp8n3pd62lMGeebGiW8c8rZrKOgUXPmbTdSjy_WyePxvSgzwf4JqdVqKyDO3ySo-ug7HIu_d2w-mhyG61e_zgGg__J4dTLTAwA1mx957HeuBJGcAqilDhW0iKthKT5A/s1600/Goostrey+show+Alan+Garner+and+Griselda.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1139" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZUVY53mMFZvKPBp8n3pd62lMGeebGiW8c8rZrKOgUXPmbTdSjy_WyePxvSgzwf4JqdVqKyDO3ySo-ug7HIu_d2w-mhyG61e_zgGg__J4dTLTAwA1mx957HeuBJGcAqilDhW0iKthKT5A/s320/Goostrey+show+Alan+Garner+and+Griselda.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Alan Garner and his wife Griselda</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWU3wd5ojw5mKV-q3TtHNF9J548s1YZ0ZGTIvol8cFjBek5-reh5v5ZcxvyBDMx78zg8FJeF5baDGBPav34XyZsCroP7RoGQ8wJg6Rs_va5YYfAH0xecvaXtmRa8UIZ7SXLmliVQVR6qU/s1600/Joe+Banks+Williams+-+Goostrey+Gooseberry+Show.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1500" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWU3wd5ojw5mKV-q3TtHNF9J548s1YZ0ZGTIvol8cFjBek5-reh5v5ZcxvyBDMx78zg8FJeF5baDGBPav34XyZsCroP7RoGQ8wJg6Rs_va5YYfAH0xecvaXtmRa8UIZ7SXLmliVQVR6qU/s320/Joe+Banks+Williams+-+Goostrey+Gooseberry+Show.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Junior champion Joe Banks Williams</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But it was another relatively new grower, Griselda Garner, who surprised members when she walked away with four silver trophies, including the Frank Carter Cup for most points in the show from various classes. Her premier Edith Cavell berry of 20 pennyweights 05 grains was placed seventh.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> She put her success down to the quality of soil tilled for 4,000 years at</span><span style="font-size: large;"> her Blackden home, Toad Hall and the Medicine House, where the late Frank Carter, a legendary Goostrey grower was born and raised award-winning gooseberries.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Weights in surrounding villages fared much better than Goostrey with world champion Kelvin Archer defeated at Lower Withington by John Porter with an entry of 34 pennyweights 08 grains.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Ironically the show stopping berry named Ann Archer was from a variety originally raised by Kelvin and named after his wife.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9lWmmtQydT681c32_gzuQViYamHYNag9X7TLJHWTg6OlkJrfI__okhvqC-cBMbGjoOM-JHP5252bqCIFjCGbRmxitW_g1efHlDTtDh5-8rZRCSnByBUWSm7kS3us5BB8z678HM7QEak/s1600/Goostrey+show+premier+berries+2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9lWmmtQydT681c32_gzuQViYamHYNag9X7TLJHWTg6OlkJrfI__okhvqC-cBMbGjoOM-JHP5252bqCIFjCGbRmxitW_g1efHlDTtDh5-8rZRCSnByBUWSm7kS3us5BB8z678HM7QEak/s320/Goostrey+show+premier+berries+2017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The three top berries in the show</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Eight-year-old Joe Banks Williams won the junior place for the second year for the Dave Garrett Memorial Cup, just beating entries from two other youngsters, Grady Alderdice and Cori Lee. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Show president Terry's hope of retaining the silver </span><span style="font-size: large;">trophy for the premier place was thwarted when a berry of more than 30 pennyweights burst a little more than a week before the century-old annual event.</span><span style="font-size: large;">Martin was awarded the C R Griffiths Cup for the premier berry, the prize for the most improved grower and the Frank Carter memorial plate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Emma had the satisfaction of gaining the G E Capper Cup for the </span><span style="font-size: large;">champion show plate and Martin took home the John Egerton Cup for the heaviest red berry.</span><span style="font-size: large;">The only other trophy winner was Gareth Buckley, whose top berry a Jodrell White of 21 pennyweights 16 grains came fifth. He was awarded the cup for the heaviest sets of four twins of each colour on the same plate and the challenge cup for the top plate of assorted berries.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> The cups were presented by Griselda's husband, Alan Garner, the children's author and writer, who said his memories of the show sixty years ago were of being lit by paraffin lamps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> "It was like a Dutch oil painting," he added.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> After the weighing, Emma Williams said although the size of the berries this year was disappointing, the show itself had been well up to its usual competitive spirit and enjoyable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> "We would certainly like more younger members to get involved in the show, but anyone living in the parishes of Goostrey and neighbouring parishes would be most welcome whatever their age to help to retain this village pastime," she said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">**Copyright pictures Emma Williams evwphoto@aol.com</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">**Click images to enlarge</span></div>
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-48230527573635308042017-07-23T09:57:00.000-07:002018-05-10T09:14:54.402-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A heavyweight or not?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">BATTLE OF THE BULGING BERRIES</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbynRsiQrjSHL9hUJ8TBhqXzL5wcGXyRYXv2GHK1TP7JGHVxygb8vQpMhHXD3ve-fkXiFN6-1nedPdq4RHikE52zF1QmKpEiOhS3cgOKhs00sD1SS2LIldko2iiTIf0OOjzd_TONT478/s1600/Gooseberry+show+GV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1600" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbynRsiQrjSHL9hUJ8TBhqXzL5wcGXyRYXv2GHK1TP7JGHVxygb8vQpMhHXD3ve-fkXiFN6-1nedPdq4RHikE52zF1QmKpEiOhS3cgOKhs00sD1SS2LIldko2iiTIf0OOjzd_TONT478/s320/Gooseberry+show+GV.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goostrey show in action</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXGkliTstw41fH0ZetutmjOqgEGSAqUlZjh-P9HVT2PrMjGcvqSS14pp9vHWx7RUohC-X_HUcL5cnUdu6m2wetZnwzc5lSN8BXehAslCznJAXH2H5z7hKUbdO462gb9s_7w80vCuJO-E/s1600/KelvinArcherwithberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXGkliTstw41fH0ZetutmjOqgEGSAqUlZjh-P9HVT2PrMjGcvqSS14pp9vHWx7RUohC-X_HUcL5cnUdu6m2wetZnwzc5lSN8BXehAslCznJAXH2H5z7hKUbdO462gb9s_7w80vCuJO-E/s320/KelvinArcherwithberry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kelvin Archer with world beating berry</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> A Dunkirk spirit will be needed by growers poised this week for the annual battle of the bushes as gooseberries come under attack from a combined force of weather, disease and pests. Only several weeks ago all looked well as the fruit ripened and grew gently under their protective netting for the Mid Cheshire shows beginning on Saturday. But fickle weather, blowing hot and cold and late season torrents of rain, is doing its best to dampen the prospect of weighing in with a world-beating berry. Now, it will be a case of standing firm and rescuing the best from the trees before they burst. Terry Price, Goostrey Gooseberry Society's current champion and show President, says reports suggest that all growers in the area are struggling to keep berries on the bushes. "I don't think there will be any records this year," says Terry. "They are busting all over and the heavy rain is finishing off a lot." Terry, whose Just Betty gooseberry of 24 pennyweights and 22 grains, won the show at The Crown Inn last year, is hoping for a better result this time. Several weeks ago a berry from the same tree weighed 30 pennyweights but now like other growers the prospect doesn't look good. He added: "I think if someone can hold on to a berry of 28 pennyweights it is likely to be the heaviest in our show or any other. They are all struggling" Best of the bunch is expected to be among yellow berry varieties such as Woodpecker, Millenium or Montrose. Later shows in August may have the smallest berries of the year to put on the scales for the annual heavyweight whopper. And the overall champion in the fiercely-fought contests might be decided by a whisker! Visitors are welcome to watch the Goostrey Gooseberry Show - as all other shows - at The Crown starting on Saturday at 1 pm.A Junior Show won last year by Joe Banks Williams, eight, is again open to all under 16-year-olds who live in Goostrey and the surrounding area. His winning Woodpecker berry </span><span style="font-size: large;">weighed 16 pennyweights and five grains. A prize draw on the day includes dinner for two at the Yellow Broom, Twemlow Green.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">**The world record berry is a Millenium of 41 pennyweights 11 grains grown in 2013 by Kelvin Archer, a member of the Marton</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">and Lower Withington shows. </span></div>
John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-62870732295140560502017-04-16T09:33:00.000-07:002017-04-17T08:50:40.657-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: x-large;">DEATH OF GOOSTREY CENTENARIAN</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> Goostrey's oldest villager, Mrs Ruth Hough, has died only months after she moved into a home in the area. Ruth, who was 102, lived in Brookfield Crescent and until recent times continued to take an active interest in local life and events. She was a regular member of the congregation at St Luke's parish church where, with her late husband Ron, a former head teacher at Goostrey primary school, she was also a bellringer for many years. Her memories of local life will live on after her recollections were recorded on tape by Goostrey Archive Group for its oral history collection. She also "starred" in a radio documentary of author Alan Garner's nativity play "Bringing Holly from the Bongs" which was first performed in now demolished stables behind the Crown Inn 51 years ago. As part of the BBC Radio 4 Extra programme about the play broadcast on Christmas Day 2015 she was interviewed as one of the behind the scenes helpers by producer Andy Cartwright along with original members of the cast who were pupils at Goostrey school. A villager said: "Ruth was an amazing woman. She took a tremendous interest in Goostrey and its organisations. Even at her advanced age, in recent times she continued to play bridge and went to church, but in the end I think she just wanted to slip away peacefully and quietly."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A former neighbour JulieAnn Leigh-Lockett, who now lives in Grand Island, New York State, with her family writes:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">" She was a wonderful lady.She taught me how to make a hundred sandwiches from on tin of salmon for rose day refreshments and how to make perfect marmalade without bubbles, just like she did for the Women's Institute. I lived right next door to her for many years. A sad loss for all of us with memories".</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mrs Audrey Godfrey, the wife of the late Rev Ian Godfrey, vicar of Goostrey, who died last year, also has fond memories of Ruth,</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>She said:</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4472c4; font-family: "comic sans ms"; font-size: 18.6667px;"><b> "Even though we were here for a short time, my lasting memory of her will be with Ian and Ruth sitting in wheelchairs next to one another holding hands watching the Rose Queen place her wreath on the memorial at St. Luke’s last year. I said to Ian ‘are you two timing me?’ he replied ‘of course’ and Ruth chipped in ‘and haven’t I found myself a corker’! Happy days."</b></span></div>
John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-43922810251040111472017-04-12T09:54:00.002-07:002018-05-09T16:37:32.518-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"> VILLAGE BAR BANKS ON BEER BUFFS</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Richard Jepson mans the pumps</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A sample of the Bottle Bank's offerings</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">With pubs shutting at an alarming rate and turning into</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> supermarket owned convenience stores, it is a blessed relief to see the trend locally has been reversed. Richard Jepson, who has hosted The Beer Emporium in Sandbach since taking over in July, has expanded his craft beer, wines, spirits bar and shop and take-</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">out to the centre of Holmes Chapel. It was a blow I guess for customers to see the departure of the Nat West Bank from the village but Richard's venture in the former premises more than makes up for the loss - at least for the aficionado of real ales and other favourite tipples. The bar’s opening – named the Bottle Bank - happened sans fuss or fanfare. It was only when I noticed a couple of iron tables and seats on the pavement outside the old bank building in London Road did I realise he </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> was open for business. Richard formerly worked in telecoms but the bearded mine host in charge of the hand-pumps – looking every inch </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a jolly brewmaster - admits beer is his real passion. Lots on offer is locally brewed, including Merlin from just up the road at Arclid as well as brews from places around including Mobberley, Macclesfield, Wincle and Congleton but, like the Sandbach bar, it provides beers from around the world, and also like the Beer Emporium, will soon be boasting and offering some 400 different ales, lagers, and cider to take away or drink in, once in full swing. The Bottle Bank reminds me a bit of times before pubs were “poshed” up and fine dining became the norm… a place where you can stand at the bar and feel you don’t have to fork out for a meal! Richard says local pubs have been very supportive of the enterprise which he believes will help to attract more visitors to the village. We should say cheers to that and wish Richard every success!</span></div>
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-21225040631801046032017-03-30T04:31:00.000-07:002017-04-12T09:21:38.451-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">GARDEN THIEVES TARGET GOOSTREY</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>MAP OF GOOSTREY HIT BY THEFTS</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">WARNING.....Light-fingered thieves are out and about in the area. In a spate of raids, gardens have been targeted. The latest incident happened this week when a large blue ceramic pot with growing conifer was nicked from the front garden of a house in Brookfield Crescent, Goostrey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> The theft was discovered on Tuesday. "The pot was so heavy it would have taken two people to have lifted it," says the owner. Last week in a heavy bench was lifted from a garden in Jodrell Bank.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> And this week in Holmes Chapel white metal fencing disappeared from Wye Close, but mysteriously returned after a threat to put CCTV footage online.<br />There have been reports of a blue van trawling the area on the lookout for easy to steal items in gardens and unlocked buildings. There may be many other thefts which have still to come to light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Cheshire Police yesterday issued a warning about thefts in the county following the clocks being put forward.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Victims are advised to contact police by calling 101.</span></span></div>
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-12108027911392024082017-03-24T17:27:00.000-07:002017-03-24T17:27:49.344-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">KEVAN WAS LOVELY MAN AND FRIEND TO ALL</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">A very sad day today for the family and many friends of Kevan Royle who died after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His funeral at Vale Royal Crematorium reflected the regard and affection in which he was held not only in Goostrey where he lived with his wife, Sylvia, and inseparable soul mate of 54 years but among all areas of his personal and business life with 200 mourners seated and dozens more standing for the service and celebration of his life. Kevan, 77, was a</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">n engineer by profession and locally in Holmes Chapel formerly owned a business producing aerosols before dedicating an entrepreneurial flair to building and restoring and upscaling properties, including his home in Brookfield Crescent, and a project in Nantwich that won him official recognition and accolades.The service included his son-in-law Nigel Llewellyn describing many of Kevan's attributes, his kindness, warmth, his love of friendships in the Crown and for his village. "He was part of the DNA of Goostrey... and a lovely man..."</span></b></div>
John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-40095256993623356752016-09-27T06:09:00.001-07:002017-03-24T17:04:39.742-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">The Everyday story of Goostrey in the 1970s...</span><br />
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Here is another episode of Granada TV Goostrey the Village, courtesy of Ken Morris who loaned the discs for Dave Burnham to weave his magic to make them available to view on social media - and also big thanks to James Lockett, originally from Goostrey, who shared an episode from his home in the US.<br />
Some of the footage is a repeat of the first episode previously on blogs from the bongs but with fewer edits.<br />
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Click or copy this link to access: <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l/7AQFINhVNAQGIXL4EeeSpCxa6BM5iOX28XJZbikafYbQ87Q/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Duo8ZiNxVGLQ" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo8ZiNxVGLQ</a><br />
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www.blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com<br />
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-62102120265644019892016-09-21T10:07:00.001-07:002016-09-27T05:55:23.212-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Yester House undergoing restoration</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">FINDING UNDISCOVERED SCOTLAND IN EAST LOTHIAN</span></b><br />
The man and his<span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span>wife on their picture-book lawn looked up as we sauntered<br />
past and were puzzled when I said we hadn't been able to see<br />
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the big house. "Och, ye jest go along the pathway. Nay one will bother," said the man. There's noo law of trespass in Scotland." I was in Gifford in East Lothian, with my pal and former work colleague Mike Arron, hoping to get a glimpse of Yester House, a baronial mansion set among 500 acres of estate and woodland. The way in we found is barred by enormous iron gates and private signs since it was bought by Gareth Wood, the son of Sir Ian Wood, the oil tycoon, and his wife, Nicola, a former Miss Scotland. We didn't know of this of course until we Googled the estate to discover it is undergoing a major injection of funding for restoration and modernisation on a massive scale following its sale for a reputed £8 million - half its asking price of eight years ago. Still, at the price the 14-bedroom mansion is labelled as the country's most expensive house and we were also intrigued to learn that it had even caught the eye of Lady Gaga. We could have taken a footpath through the estate for some five miles but in the event, short on time and eager to explore this delightful village and more of an off-beat area of Scotland, we abandoned thoughts of viewing the historic pile, trespass or not, nor did we venture inside its two fine hostelries, the Tweeddale Arms and the Goblin Ha' supposedly named after an underground<br />
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<b>Story of Gifford on the street </b></td></tr>
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chamber of the 13th century ruined Yester castle on the estate. Instead we<br />
strode up the gentle slope of the broad village street to the brilliant white painted church whose origins begin with its consecration in 1241. The church and surrounding graveyard are immaculately maintained. A bell dated 1492 - significantly the year Columbus reputedly discovered America - and rung every Sunday is all that remains of the original church which was replaced in the 18th century. The list of ministers are recorded from 1572 but of particular interest to Americans taking time off from attractions of Edinburgh to visit the Scottish coastal plain is John Witherspoon. He is commemorated in a large plaque on a wall near the church as the only clergyman to sign the American Declaration of Independence in 1776. He become president of Princeton College,New Jersey, in 1768 and was the first Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of America. A little peckish after our cultural venture into Gifford's past, the Lanterne Rouge, from the outside an unpretentious cafe beloved of cyclists, was the ideal point to finish the visit with two bacon rolls and a large pot of tea. We heard it had been a bit of a "greasy spoon" in the past but now under the ownership of Cameron McVean it sparkles, becoming a must eat place for visitors and locals alike. East Lothian is largely off the radar of many visitors to Scotland. It is relatively undiscovered - except I am told by the Dutch - unlike more famous Highland destinations, but within a compact area south east of Edinburgh flanking the southern edge of the Firth of Forth, is some of the most spectacular coastline to be found in Britain. Meadows and fields where crops are sown and reaped virtually to the edge of the sea offer amazing vistas. Historic towns and attractions abound, even a racecourse at Musselborough, for aircraft enthusiasts the National Museum of Flight, a brace of castles, and even the ubiquitous distillery where tours end with a wee dram of a Glenkinchie single malt. And for good measure there is Preston Mill owned by the National Trust of Scotland with the last working water wheel in East Lothian. One of the furthest communities along the A1 from Edinburgh and with a direct rail link,Dunbar is in attractive commuter distance from the capital and, so far, unlike fashionable North Berwick to the north east has lower property prices for those intending to re-locate or retire to the coast, a point not lost on developers. Like its nearest inland neighbour Haddington, a royal Scottish burgh and county town of Haddingtonshire, it has a wide central market area, with local shops and a surprising amount of fine dinning for its size in the harbour area. Off the coast is the Bass Rock, a white-capped island spattered with millions of droppings of 150,000 nesting gannets in the breeding season, and described by Sir David Attenborough as one of the wildlife centres of the world.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gated entrance to Yester House</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHg7softYIYlKViOvB3P7-dxlf5ZoMJ944bBJZlvy_RxGy2FIj7d_TByrun5c9duDWmSYPMoYX4v0zOtklQDNHapKrRIas7rApOLB2GNA_EXtG3EK-DmX18rpQIS2od1MFCvSbaM6ad8/s1600/_YesterYester_Tower%252C_1814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHg7softYIYlKViOvB3P7-dxlf5ZoMJ944bBJZlvy_RxGy2FIj7d_TByrun5c9duDWmSYPMoYX4v0zOtklQDNHapKrRIas7rApOLB2GNA_EXtG3EK-DmX18rpQIS2od1MFCvSbaM6ad8/s1600/_YesterYester_Tower%252C_1814.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Yester Castle in 19th century</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxPAfsGbx6OQyG75PXavWvCfyb99HRHImDeEnkTv8MGSgKO0N-NrH6oAc4iFwmwPlRa_LGF-vwl-FLNW4mEhZmBEgmFaREum1x6zxUzIYHSqzSNq0g4B0hdJ8UWscZzEYL8IabFWyPIs/s1600/Gifford+entrance+to+Yester+House+Sept+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>+How to get there: Fly to Edinburgh, look for direct trains to towns like Dunbar, or simply head by car to East Lothian.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old village pump</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Travel tip: If like me you live within easy access to Manchester Airport rail station, start the journey from there to destinations in Scotland and the North.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>More information : Search the internet for visiteastlothian.org</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Pictures copyright John Williams. Click twice to enlarge.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sun setting over Dunbar copyright Mike Arron</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Harvesting near St Abbs, East Lothian</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fields down to the sea</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Storm gathers over Dunbar harbour</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sheltered harbour at St Abbs</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunset at the "Bridge to Nowhere" Dunbar<br />Pic: Mike Arron</b><br />
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-35475532522925526922016-09-17T09:38:00.002-07:002016-09-21T09:03:47.038-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>TERRY'S BERRY WON THE PLATE</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Smiles all round when veteran gooseberry grower Terry Price was presented with a prized plate by Alan Garner, the</span> author, at his home in Blackden,Goostrey. </b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Alan hands over the plate</b></td></tr>
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<b> The blue and white plate painted with a gooseberry was Terry's reward for winning Goostrey Gooseberry Society's show in July with his Just Betty premier berry of 24 pennyweights and 22 grains.</b></div>
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<b> And Terry, competing for more than 40 years, will put the plate alongside an identical one at his home <span style="font-size: x-small;">in</span></b><b>Twemlow Green, the first to be awarded by the trust following his success <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">as the top grower</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> in a previous show.</span> </b><br />
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<b> The plate is funded by the Blackden Trust based at Alan and his wife Griselda's home, the Medicine House and Toad Hall, and is named the Frank Carter Memorial Plate in recognition of the late grower's prowess as a competitor and grower over many years in raising new varieties of gooseberries, including Terry's Just Betty entry.</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Many of the named varieties shown in gooseberry shows at Goostrey and in the surrounding area are from stock originally cultivated by Frank,</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">who lived at Blackden Firs, only a short distance across the fields from where the presentation took place today.</span></b></div>
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<b> The winner of the plate must have won the show with a berry originally cultivated by the champion grower.</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b> Terry, who is the show's president, gained the premier spot with the smallest premier berry he has grown after one of the worst seasons on record.</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The prized plate</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b> "I didn't really didn't think it had a chance of winning the show," he says.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Griselda, who is also a grower and showing member at Goostrey, cares for an<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></b></span><b style="font-size: small;">archive of gooseberry cultivars i</b><b style="font-size: small;">n her garden at the Blackden Trust.</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Click images to enlarge</span></div>
www.blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></b></div>
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-65116800938458861812016-09-15T09:32:00.001-07:002016-09-17T08:40:02.424-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">A DAY TO THE LAKES FOR LESS THAN A POUND</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksYMpdQAqP5WQiDSJP4LkPrzJ27FE0Yju24RskCaGZEPq7ibIuEHF3II5Yh-dxCOFw2eIqgKjC1LsYPpSfTzzzGzmdkYvvOxXeGiT-EvIaL0RCwVk3IFPbIon0D89flb2JHvLJhWdob8/s1600/Poster+for+Altrincham+Coachways.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksYMpdQAqP5WQiDSJP4LkPrzJ27FE0Yju24RskCaGZEPq7ibIuEHF3II5Yh-dxCOFw2eIqgKjC1LsYPpSfTzzzGzmdkYvvOxXeGiT-EvIaL0RCwVk3IFPbIon0D89flb2JHvLJhWdob8/s320/Poster+for+Altrincham+Coachways.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 19.32px;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">What an amazing find is this relic of charabanc travel before or just after the second World War. My pal Mike Arron, now living in Dunbar, found this promo board being used to cover part of his loft floor when he moved from Hale. It now sits in a corner of his daughter Clare's Scottish home. Similar outings are still organised by a village group in Goostrey but I bet they cost more than a few bob. For anyone born after decimalisation - and because my brain can't cope these days with translating real money into pence - the sum of 20/- (shillings) equals £1.00. So even in those days what a bargain was a day trip! </span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 19.32px;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">The image should enlarge with a double click.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 19.32px;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">WWW.BLOGSFROMTHEBONGS.BLOGSPOT.COM</span></b></span></div>
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-40154511755828383812016-09-06T16:04:00.003-07:002016-09-15T09:22:00.262-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span> <span style="font-size: large;">HOLMES CHAPEL'S WHEELIE GOOD WELCOME</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">I think we ought to give three cheers to Holmes Chapel today for the great reception it gave to the Tour of Britain cycle race. The village had a kind of carnival atmosphere that did it proud - with the centre thick with crowds to welcome the tour on its third stage. Villagers from Goostrey also joined crowds on the A50 to watch the event. Here are some amazing pictures that tell the story better than a million words courtesy of Cheshire Portrait Photography. www.Cheshire Portrait </span><a href="http://photography.com/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Photography.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"> via Love Goostrey. Pictures on A50 courtesy of Jenny Mills</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">Follow the LINK BELOW for pictures on Love Goostrey</span><br />
https://lovegoostrey.wordpress.com/2016/09/06/bike-race-photos/<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">WWW.BLOGSFROMTHEBONGS.BLOGSPOT.COM</span></div>
John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-43864720619858431492016-09-04T13:57:00.002-07:002016-09-06T15:07:36.328-07:00Goostrey 1975<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">....THE VILLAGE RETURNS HOME</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is without a doubt my scoop of the week - an episode from the Granada series about Goostrey the Village in the mid-seventies. Most of the main characters are now a little older, or long since passed on to other pastures, but it contains scenes of schoolchildren at the time, many of whom will still live today in the village. It is a real treat see the village as it was in the midst of its expansion to its present size, and a valuable memory of Walter Carter, a character I knew well and of the like who do not exist today. I am posting courtesy of James Lockett, a former Goostrey lad who emigrated with his parents, Mike and Julie Lockett and brother John and sister Jo to America. Julie the first woman member and secretary of Goostrey Gooseberry Society features in the film. The series has been televised again in recent years but I guess is still unseen by many villagers. Anyone interested in Goostrey or country life will find it a fascinating piece of social history. Thanks James for bringing back old memories. If there are any other episodes out there it would be great to have them edited so they can go on the blog and facebook.</span></span><br />
<b>Click on video to play</b><br />
<b>www.blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com</b><br />
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-8810569466518288942016-09-03T10:42:00.001-07:002016-09-05T01:27:08.950-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Arriving to pick up at the Red Lion, Goostrey</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 19.32px;">It may have been a tad damp today but it was good for christening the launch of the new bus on the Goostrey-Twemlow Green-Holmes-Sandbach circular route. And the village's shopping trolly-dollies will be in ecstasy! The 29-seater has lots of room for those push-on shoppers, and driver Lee tells me it can be reconfigured to reduce the seating to cater for a variety of purposes. After 13 years of trundling through rural Cambridgeshire, the white Dennis service bus has been acqu</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; line-height: 19.32px;">ired by Tomlinson Travel for our village service. I am told that regular passenger Terry Price almost missed it - he failed to recognise the new vehicle as it arrived at Twemlow Green! Now it is hoped more villagers will be persuaded to join the growing number of passengers using the service, especially those eligible for free bus passes. Many have already discovered it is better by bus than the car for a quick trip to Holmes Chapel and Sandbach. If you see the 319 bus and want a ride just put up your hand</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; line-height: 19.32px;"> if you are not near one of the official stops in the village....It is as easy as that.</span></span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Timetable for the service</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; line-height: 19.32px;">Picture shows the bus arriving at the Red Lion, Goostrey.<br />*Double click on images to enlarge</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; line-height: 19.32px;">www.blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com</span></span></b></div>
John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-62422995569356162712016-08-27T09:28:00.001-07:002017-04-14T16:46:40.905-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>A VICAR OF FAITH AND COURAGE</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>A man of faith, humility and great courage in the face of health issues in his final weeks was how the Rev Ian Godfrey was remembered in tributes at his funeral in Goostrey. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> But even as he was desperately poorly in a Manchester hospital, Ian was already planning for his work in the parishes once he was discharged, said the Archdeacon of Macclesfield, the Venerable Ian Bishop.</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Leaving Goostrey for Swettenham</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> The </span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-size: 13.5pt;">V</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">icar of St Luke's, Goostrey, and St Peter's, Swettenham, Ian's death stunned villagers in the twin communities.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> St Luke's was packed with family, close friends, parishoners and</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> clergy for the service relayed to an overspill congregation gathered in the churchyard. For the committal at St Peter's church, Swettenham, Ian was transferred to a carriage drawn by two black-plumed cobs to spend two minutes outside the church before the service.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> The formality of the 80-minute funeral service conducted by the archdeacon</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> and presided over by Dr Peter Forster, the Bishop of Chester,</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> was also an occasion of celebration for the life of Ian.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> A knot of clergymen</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> led by Dr Forster processed to the church from Goostrey school in advance of the funeral service on a day blessed with sunshine.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> And almost at the moment the service began a thrush, apparently hidden from view in the churchyard's 1,000-year-old yew tree, broke into song as if making its own tribute to a much loved vicar.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> Ian, who was 59, moved to Goostrey in March 2011, with his wife, Audrey and their daughter Louise from Mill Hill, London.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> Their two older children, Matthew and Christopher, continued to live in Mill Hill.</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ian is carried from St Luke's</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> Ian joined Barclay's Bank after leaving school and after a successful career spanning 35 years, he was a corporate director when he made the decision to become a full-time minister.</b></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> He was ordained priest in June 2002 at Hampstead Parish Church and was inducted as vicar in April 2011 at St Luke's, Goostrey, where his arrival was described as a "breath of fresh air..."</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A section of the overspill congregation</b><br />
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<b><b style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Rev Pat Jones,a friend and team vicar of Thatcham, spoke of Ian's life, his love of football, cricket, singing, the fact he was nicknamed "Goozie" </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> from primary school and sometime quirky aspects of his personality, such as being hooked on train spotting, and he was a devoted family man, with Audrey as his rock.</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: left;"><b> "We all have fond memories of Ian and can share in his humility</b></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: left;"><b>,</b></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; text-align: left;"><b> courage and</b> <b>faith". </b></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> Venerable Bishop said Ian served his communities beyond all expectations.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> "Time spent with him was time gained not lost," said the archdeacon.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> "He was genuinely a faithful man and even when struggling with his health, he would not give in. He never bemoaned his health issues.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> A week before he died he was planning his return to work." Canon Martin Poll, chaplain of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, a close friend of Ian and his wife, and a former curate of John Keble Church, read the gospel during the service</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> Ian was at Goostrey</b></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> Rose Festival where he chatted and joked with villagers and was at St Luke's for the parish communion service at the end of July. It was also in July that he travelled to John Keble Church for the patronal festival where he administered the chalice, and afterwards attended evensong officiated by the Bishop of London, the Rev and Rt Hon. Richard Chartres, who ordained Ian.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #4472c4; font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-size: 13.5pt;">www.blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com </span></div>
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-88358681403537506832016-08-11T06:05:00.001-07:002016-08-27T08:20:21.559-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Rev Ian Godfrey, vicar of St Luke's Church, Goostrey and St Peter's Church,</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHKC60okS-sfMxltC8YXDmXFuIlptUTAufGsDl8mzM5fmyMfGGAFHe1-vUm-g28j9ywcj85lq3fTOt4Bob5Ap_Y1vcSvfITGlFkcqb_bdeFBcWn3hUgoAfzZjyJb7PdReBPM6G6BxLzY/s1600/Rev+Ian+Godfrey+VICAR+of+Goostrey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHKC60okS-sfMxltC8YXDmXFuIlptUTAufGsDl8mzM5fmyMfGGAFHe1-vUm-g28j9ywcj85lq3fTOt4Bob5Ap_Y1vcSvfITGlFkcqb_bdeFBcWn3hUgoAfzZjyJb7PdReBPM6G6BxLzY/s1600/Rev+Ian+Godfrey+VICAR+of+Goostrey.jpg" /></span></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ian Godfrey</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Swettenham, has died at Manchester Royal Infirmary</span></b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">. </span></b></span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ian moved to Goostrey in March 2011 with his wife Audrey and their daughter </span></b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Louise from Mill Hill, North West London.</span></b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> Their two older children Matthew and Christopher, both with established careers,</span></b><b style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">continued to live in Mill Hill. </span></b><b style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> He was a non stipendiary minister serving John Keble Church, Edgware where he had been attending with his parents and brother since the 1960s before coming to the village.</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>St Luke's Church from the Bongs</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After leaving school, Ian joined Barclays Bank and following a successful career spanning 35 years he was a corporate director when he made the decision to become a full time minister. He was ordained priest in June 2002 at Hampstead Parish Church and was inducted as vicar in April 2011 at St Luke's, Goostrey.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> His death on Sunday announced initially on the Love Goostrey website, stunned villagers who had</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> chatted and joked with him at Goostrey Rose Festival only several weeks ago following an absence from the pulpit due to illness.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTjtd7pRoFsusopo6AZygcYA9w5li0RJcLhyphenhyphenQXXSfK8pjAUE9RlUpZYU8m1VacesQUE32qpxRstqF9R488ejyK_1dsh82p_KJbXBPb-JWgdQJB0BRFadYyYrgstjW2OpD0I1LddcBkD4/s1600/Goostrey+Vicarage+-+Garden+Party+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTjtd7pRoFsusopo6AZygcYA9w5li0RJcLhyphenhyphenQXXSfK8pjAUE9RlUpZYU8m1VacesQUE32qpxRstqF9R488ejyK_1dsh82p_KJbXBPb-JWgdQJB0BRFadYyYrgstjW2OpD0I1LddcBkD4/s320/Goostrey+Vicarage+-+Garden+Party+3.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A vicarage tea party</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> One of his last services was a special celebration of the Queen's 90th birthday attended by a packed congregation including the village's scouts and guides, cubs and beavers.</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> Earlier this year, one of the highlights of his ministry was the visit of the Church of England's first woman Bishop</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">, the Right Reverend Libby Lane, the Bishop of Stockport, to officiate at St Luke's annual Plough Service held at the Orchards Farm, Twemlow.</span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> Parishioners have spoken of their sadness at the loss of Ian who arrived in the village to live at the </span><span style="color: #4472c4; font-size: 13.5pt;">V</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">icarage in Blackden Lane as a "breath of fresh air" as he took on the challenge of looking after the church and its flock in both parishes.</span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Bishop of Stockport at Plough Sunday</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> "Ian was an amazing man and quickly settled into his work in the parish," said a member of the congregation. "You could hardly keep up with him as he involved himself in church life and village activities. He was particularly keen on visiting people and dropping into the meetings of organisations involving all ages.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> "When he became ill he was still very determined to carry out his duties even though at times he insisted on doing them on crutches or from a wheelchair. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>"He was certainly one of the most courageous and lovely individuals one could wish to meet. He will be sadly missed by the parish both here and in Swettenham."</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b> Ian's funeral will be held at St Luke's Church on Friday, August 26 at 2pm followed by interment at St Peter's.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>www.blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com</b></span></div>
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-51621573861164876242016-07-30T16:01:00.000-07:002016-08-11T04:33:49.153-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">VETERAN TERRY UNSEATS CHAMPION WITH A TIDDLER</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqodHH5ViFJiUX-3428d2ggYFVQjWAW0FvOkjW5x_vEma1NFhcPXrnxiZXU5RHsm4JGnbTQTWHE5EjzXZIjgIHu7Us2PmW0txTFmbBZbccfXHeKSebXmPEz4uOWXxlXSMTmDs2x0SzIU/s1600/Gooseberry+Terry+with+berry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqodHH5ViFJiUX-3428d2ggYFVQjWAW0FvOkjW5x_vEma1NFhcPXrnxiZXU5RHsm4JGnbTQTWHE5EjzXZIjgIHu7Us2PmW0txTFmbBZbccfXHeKSebXmPEz4uOWXxlXSMTmDs2x0SzIU/s320/Gooseberry+Terry+with+berry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Terry with his winning berry</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8NH9LQXS_73xNWeXy91PoSVhu408tt5zlHei4zjnhqrKfsG7lWgYYUNsewSiRi8tffo_iCpNSNwQN18jNI8z9jbMcDIvedYQaT91xv-Vv5Ua46N5WDUbDdHjEiILK9_VcnXnHBGgfQ4/s1600/Joe+Banks+Williams+Goosberrry+winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8NH9LQXS_73xNWeXy91PoSVhu408tt5zlHei4zjnhqrKfsG7lWgYYUNsewSiRi8tffo_iCpNSNwQN18jNI8z9jbMcDIvedYQaT91xv-Vv5Ua46N5WDUbDdHjEiILK9_VcnXnHBGgfQ4/s320/Joe+Banks+Williams+Goosberrry+winner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Junior champ Joe Banks Williams</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> A three-times reigning champion lost his crown at Goostrey</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> Gooseberry Show to the lightest </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">berry put on the scales for the top trophy since the mid-nineteen eighties.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> Grower Peter Goode,</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> whose premier berry has been the heaviest in the past three years, lost the title </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">to veteran Terry Price, winning the show for the ninth time.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> But Terry's berry, a Just Betty variety tipping the scales at 24 pennyweights 22 grains, was a mere tiddler compared </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">to weights for the heaviest berry in previous shows of more than 30 pennyweights.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">Terry, the show president, predicted that weights would be down on other years because of the combination of </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">heat, rain and cold during the peak of the growing season.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> "It was the smallest premier berry I've ever had, and I didn't really think it had a chance of winning the show," he <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_FmTQq6SZ_KCVno18hIrFgJii-5y4Ie2Cy4Vsw2SbJ2zLy8tM2ZyihoepLjvlYyQXLfu4VaGK3wIGB7ZU9ztM8TVVLR-2A_FtT8zQjdA69JrakcVtQhm7PEBPrASIZG5aKZDr38GVwY/s1600/Gooseberry+shows+montage+past+shows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_FmTQq6SZ_KCVno18hIrFgJii-5y4Ie2Cy4Vsw2SbJ2zLy8tM2ZyihoepLjvlYyQXLfu4VaGK3wIGB7ZU9ztM8TVVLR-2A_FtT8zQjdA69JrakcVtQhm7PEBPrASIZG5aKZDr38GVwY/s320/Gooseberry+shows+montage+past+shows.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Shows from the past at the Crown</b></td></tr>
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said.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> "It has been the worst growing season for years with berries bursting all over the place." </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> Terry, who has several times won the Mid-Cheshire Association cup as the top grower, had the satisfaction of winning </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;">prizes</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> in almost every class and carried off six silver trophies to put on show at his home in Twemlow</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> Green.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> Peter, raising his berries on an allotment at Byley</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> managed only eighth place in the challenge for the premier award with </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> a Montrose</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> berry weighing 18 pennyweights 8 grains.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> He was expected to win a top prize</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> again at this year's show at the Crown Inn, but Peter blamed his lack of success on a late hard frost in May which ravaged his crop. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">The poor season was confirmed when Kelvin Archer was unable to raise a Montrose</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> gooseberry for the Lower Withington show of more than 30 pennyweights 18 grains</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> compared to his world record Millennium berry in the Guinness Book of Records of 41 pennyweights 11 grains.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"> Another long-time grower Nick Hassall was pipped into second place with his Montrose at 24 pennyweights 11 grains and third was Emma Williams, the show secretary, with a Lloyd George of 23 pennyweights 4 grains. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Emma also won a trophy with the only triplets in the show, a trio of Newton Wonders weighing 36 pennyweights 8 grains, and Griselda Garner from Blackden topped the scales with Just Betty twins at 30 pennyweights 16 grains.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> In the under sixteens class, Joe Banks Williams, aged seven, collected a silver cup for a Woodpecker berry of 16 pennyweights 5 grains.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>*Double click images to enlarge</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>www.blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A light-hearted moment in serious business!</b></td></tr>
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-47989343073315514952016-07-24T08:51:00.003-07:002016-07-25T08:35:25.953-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>HEAT THREAT TO WHOPPER GOOSEBERRY HARVEST</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A Chairman berry holds on</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5zifcFlN858aP6GOKLWYmfluGcy2IkmrYMSm9lY2mz2gLMUa2nDvf5AXX_ik0WDIy_rHFzYE2PZh8xcnmWUixlCSxcj0tCziBlB7n1ANumYs5Vu5q9gVtU1kKCT7Lwpa0lUFStdhTl8/s1600/KelvinArcherwithberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5zifcFlN858aP6GOKLWYmfluGcy2IkmrYMSm9lY2mz2gLMUa2nDvf5AXX_ik0WDIy_rHFzYE2PZh8xcnmWUixlCSxcj0tCziBlB7n1ANumYs5Vu5q9gVtU1kKCT7Lwpa0lUFStdhTl8/s400/KelvinArcherwithberry.jpg" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kelvin Archer with the world's heaviest gooseberry</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> A battle-of-the-bulge is being fought about these parts as rival gooseberry growers defend their crops against </span>a massed invasion of sun, heat and rain threatening the growing fruit. The sudden burst of sunshine gave a bumper harvest a ripening spurt some weeks too early for the annual gooseberry shows starting this week-end and continuing into next month in a string of villages. But growers fear there will be no new records to be set this year unless they can stem the attack from the elements and the added pest of swarms of wasps poised to do their worst among the bushes. Growers here in Goostrey, where one of the biggest shows is being held this Saturday (July 30) at the Crown Inn, reported a major attack of mildew in June. Now having saved their berries from the ravages of the disease many of the most promising juicy heavyweights are bursting without warning as a result of the mix of sunshine and showers over the past weeks. Terry Price, veteran champion grower and president of Goostrey Gooseberry Society, says he does not believe there will be many berries left that could tip the scales at over 30 pennyweights unless growers are very lucky. "Berries are bursting like hell," he said. "What I have seen so far suggests to me if you have a premier berry of between 27 and 29 pennyweights it could be a show winner." Gooseberry growers by nature, however, are a canny breed and really never like to divulge to rivals how their berries are progressing,</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">and only on show day when their wax-sealed boxes are opened for the weigh-in is the truth revealed.</span> The shows may be a quaint village ritual from the past but to enthusiasts it is serious business with big prize-money and silver trophies as the spoils to be won. Russell Burns, patron of the Yellow Broom restaurant, Twemlow,and a Goostrey show sponsor, is reportedly nurturing a "real whopper" of a berry on his bushes but it will be touch and go if it survives for his Swettenham show a week on Saturday. "It is a really nice berry and I reckon if he is lucky and it doesn't burst it could win the Mid-Cheshire Association trophy for the heaviest this year," said Terry.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b> The competition among growers to produce the heaviest gooseberry began in the 18th century and the oldest existing show is at</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>Egton Bridge in Yorkshire founded in 1800. They were once held all over the industrial north of England but, apart from the Egton </b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7ds7QTyNNwS1E-iw_APRasiEbivhNuOyOVjyBhRvQXzgLpQNgqoePq03GVVEckvcQcDxj05h4HbkuU8ws-wE4OJZ28J7b2nDuFoaprfv2SL9_dqu5aPEt2iYqrPu8OOFNj85d47P_50/s1600/EmBerry2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7ds7QTyNNwS1E-iw_APRasiEbivhNuOyOVjyBhRvQXzgLpQNgqoePq03GVVEckvcQcDxj05h4HbkuU8ws-wE4OJZ28J7b2nDuFoaprfv2SL9_dqu5aPEt2iYqrPu8OOFNj85d47P_50/s200/EmBerry2.JPG" width="200" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Triplets waiting to be picked</b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESYwhW028ck0yIxgU6RAt0ezvGkwRIiPkK795fjHWbSRgPZAuFJ2X-hufn_D5RixzmyKJM4bl-RB5pHFc4WY1gglGsK-gtLCtRrxSilTRtq9iM5YMHmqJGF2MkH1fxGSdPVNXRlSjKtM/s1600/Poster+Goostrey+show+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESYwhW028ck0yIxgU6RAt0ezvGkwRIiPkK795fjHWbSRgPZAuFJ2X-hufn_D5RixzmyKJM4bl-RB5pHFc4WY1gglGsK-gtLCtRrxSilTRtq9iM5YMHmqJGF2MkH1fxGSdPVNXRlSjKtM/s200/Poster+Goostrey+show+2010.jpg" width="178" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">show, only eight survive, all in Cheshire, at Goostrey, Holmes Chapel, Allostock, the Crown of Peover, Over Peover (The Dog), Lower Withington, Marton and Swettenham Club.</span> The Blackden Trust based at the home of author Alan Garner and his wife, Griselda, near Jodrell Bank, maintains the official gooseberry archive of the many-named varieties of trees. Local grower Kelvin Archer, a gardener at Rode Hall, is the present holder of the title for the heaviest gooseberry. His Millenium-named berry tipped the scales in 2013 at 41 pennyweights 11 grains to earn him a place in the Guinness Book of Records.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b> The Goostrey show at the Crown, like all others, is open to the public when the sealed boxes are opened at 1 pm for weighing and the</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>open show for juniors under 16.</b></span></div>
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<b>www.blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com</b></div>
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-63731813497600056612016-07-18T06:16:00.001-07:002016-07-29T08:05:07.849-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>CROWDED CHURCH FOR EDDIE'S SERVICE</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd85BIVVjbhyWEn4VOKtZrSV_o_glOpFWG_qf0OvIpv7KtimkFb-lvxNnm_tIcoR5apIS1ISWef3xeKIjvkOldFOVT77OX5b0Qm0WVCfOo9vtvSjo46aHVe5WWCfZUG7Ft7Cv_9DyK0IA/s1600/Eddie+Carbutt+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd85BIVVjbhyWEn4VOKtZrSV_o_glOpFWG_qf0OvIpv7KtimkFb-lvxNnm_tIcoR5apIS1ISWef3xeKIjvkOldFOVT77OX5b0Qm0WVCfOo9vtvSjo46aHVe5WWCfZUG7Ft7Cv_9DyK0IA/s320/Eddie+Carbutt+1.jpg" width="218" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> He was named Ronald Edward Carbutt but to me and all of his friends and family he was known as plain Eddie. He was noted for his warmth and humour and for the flat cap that symbolised his country roots when it was worn by one of his grandchildren at his funeral service today in Goostrey. Eddie was a person you instinctively liked, friendly, helpful and always with a welcome at his home at Blackden Firs where he cared for a large garden and land. The packed congregation at St Luke's Church was a celebration of his life led by Carol, his wife of fifty-one years, and a tribute to his many friendships in 79 years since his birth in Marton. And it was also fitting that Eddie's picture chosen for the service sheet was of one of his proud moments when he won another trophy for his legendary prowess as a competitive gooseberry grower. He was previously a member of Goostrey Gooseberry Society and still held the record for the heaviest berry at the annual show, a Woodpecker of 37 pennyweights and 14 grains grown in 1991. In more recent years he continued to compete at the Swettenham show. His varied working life included roles as a mole catcher, gardener, farm worker and running his own turf haulage business. Above all though he was one of the nicest of people you would wish to say was a friend. The service was followed by cremation at Vale Royal Crematorium. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>*<span style="font-size: x-small;">Double-click image to enlarge</span></b></span><br />
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-46511914205959473472016-06-22T09:32:00.005-07:002016-07-13T05:18:36.096-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>MARGARET IS NOT FOR RETIRING</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_nNtKOixQlgpwv3ScsLTTByHeyCUxuFAsSeqtZgemDhWz_SU0s1ZUP8T-xnHvTz9aGB98E_QR2iDbGLBmJtZBhgrdoGhqS5-orLYLdgvQ3Km61QPekqOVR_9icKzbTwH3VLshEt_sNY/s1600/WP_20160704_11_38_43_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="78" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_nNtKOixQlgpwv3ScsLTTByHeyCUxuFAsSeqtZgemDhWz_SU0s1ZUP8T-xnHvTz9aGB98E_QR2iDbGLBmJtZBhgrdoGhqS5-orLYLdgvQ3Km61QPekqOVR_9icKzbTwH3VLshEt_sNY/s320/WP_20160704_11_38_43_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Margaret and Jonathan in the new store</b></td></tr>
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<b> Like Mark Twain who famously quipped a report of his death was greatly exaggerated, our own Margaret Kettle is proving there is a lot of life still to live - even as one of Goostrey's oldest villagers a few months off her 94th birthday! When Margaret's "Aladdin's Cave" appeared to close several weeks ago, it was feared the doughty shopkeeper had finally locked up for good. But nothing of the sort as it reopened today (July 4) with Margaret still behind the counter in a refurbished shop. Now renamed Goostrey Village Store, complete with post office, groceries, bread, fresh meat and hardware, the wheel has turned full circle to the days when the community was little more than 500 souls and there were many more shops. Its trans</b><b>formation is due to Jonathan Royle, of Plumley Village Stores, who took over Goostrey sub post office when it was threatened with closure, and has now invested his faith and resources in a return to shopping locally. And Margaret, born and bred in the community at Roadside Farm, Barnshaw, will remain very much a lively fixture - although she can no longer boast she sells everything from a pin to an elephant - continuing a role that began with her late husband, George, in 1960. "I am certainly not retiring and I will just disappear one of these days," says Margaret. "I have been modernised, and have been dragged shouting and screaming into the modern age." Those of a certain maturity in Goostrey will remember when the couple ran not only the post office but sorted the mail at 5.30 am behind the shop in Main Road and employed a team of posties. It was a real rural service and I doubt a letter was ever delivered incorrectly. I then lived in Mill Lane and was always aware when George delivered the post - the whiff of the smoke from his ever present cigarette wafted up the stairs through the letter box! In recent times,some 29 years after the post office moved elsewhere in the village, Margaret came to the rescue when it faced the axe and offered a corner of her shop as a branch of Plumley post office. Now she is looking enthusiastically to her new role as arguably the oldest shop assistant in the country in premises built for £300 in the mid 19th century on land known as the Acreage and her home for more than 50 years. It has served the village as a bakery, a shippon for five cows, stabling for horses and an abattoir before Kettles emporium. Jonathan says the shop will be an addition to other businesses in the village and not in competition. Griselda Garner, wife of author Alan Garner, who lives at Blackden, was among villagers at the official launch." She said:"It is a fantastic addition to the village and I hope it will be well supported."</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5arXj1MYmYcacp5O5N599Z_4XAqOZSMzftS2xjr9J_C3EgHYsKs7DNd6507TsVkna56UJJYfQl31Dq4IiE5vu4tVRD65V6LxUE9SeeuWQ5YmUZepKmyNnFSTcBV-tDLSEAc16YK74Hg/s1600/P1040935+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5arXj1MYmYcacp5O5N599Z_4XAqOZSMzftS2xjr9J_C3EgHYsKs7DNd6507TsVkna56UJJYfQl31Dq4IiE5vu4tVRD65V6LxUE9SeeuWQ5YmUZepKmyNnFSTcBV-tDLSEAc16YK74Hg/s320/P1040935+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Margaret cuts the tape to launch the new village store</b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5arXj1MYmYcacp5O5N599Z_4XAqOZSMzftS2xjr9J_C3EgHYsKs7DNd6507TsVkna56UJJYfQl31Dq4IiE5vu4tVRD65V6LxUE9SeeuWQ5YmUZepKmyNnFSTcBV-tDLSEAc16YK74Hg/s1600/P1040935+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><b><span lang="EN-GB">*Mark Twain, the American writer who died April 21, 1910, in Redding, Connecticut, was in London in 1895, when he was rumoured to be on his deathbed, provoking his famous response.</span></b><br />
<b><span lang="EN-GB">+This site: www.blogsfromthebongs.blogspot.com</span></b><br />
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-67454398299038309752016-06-22T09:32:00.004-07:002016-07-03T04:26:32.053-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>VOTE LEAVE SHOULD BE THE FINAL SOLUTION?</b></span><br />
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<b>Winston Churchill is claimed to be the architect of the European Union. But even the great wartime leader would not have foreseen his baby grow into such an overbearing middle-aged bedfellow in 28 nations that we, one of the club, are being asked today (Thursday) to remain or leave. I've hesitated to declare my hand. Now, having looked at the pros and cons, I fear the only alternative is that we must go, sadly Mr Cameron's interview on BBC Today on Wednesday morning being the deciding factor. I just cannot believe that the fine tuning of our relationship with the EU he claims to have achieved will be rubber-stamped when the proposals come up for approval. And even if they were sanctioned we would still face the prospect of the European steamroller continuing to crush our opposition to any future regulation and legislation we disliked. I know many of the great, good and sometime worthy have declared they will be voting to stay. Let's face it, though, many have vested interests, notable among them that champion of the consumer, Martin Lewis. He says on the balance of probability, it is more likely we'll have less money in our pockets if we vote to leave. Others, like Richard Branson, say leaving the EU would be very, very damaging to Great Britain. Well, all I can say, I have a lot of time for both, but am reminded that one made a mint from his money saving website, and the other is a billionaire magnet whose lifestyle on Necker Island in the Caribbean is far remote from the daily grind of the majority on our small island! Someone asked the other day: What has the EU done for you? I really can't say - although I do know until recently it was illegal to be sold goods in pounds, only kilos were allowed, the plan to replace miles with kilometres on our roads was also defied, but, frustratingly, in some authorities over-zealous Europhiles continue to maintain kilometre footpath signs, and I am confused because I still think in inches and fahrenheit not celsius These are all pretty petty matters. It is what lies ahead should cause our concern if the majority vote to stay at the table, and we fail to regain the right to plot our own destiny. </b></div>
John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5665094507030506081.post-16891476582912188682016-06-03T09:42:00.001-07:002016-06-22T06:56:07.964-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">GOOSTREY'S PAST CARVED IN STONE</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Look closely and see a man in a hat?</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Must be a beast with face above?</b></td></tr>
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I've been doing a bit of wall-gazing purely in the interests of tracking Goostrey's long departed graffiti artists. Even the Romans left their mark on monuments as widespread as Hadrian's wall and the Colosseum. So it is a fair bet the village's old-time wall whittlers will have left their mark, too. Not surprisingly, the stonework surrounding the old churchyard of Saxon-founded St Luke's has provided a fertile hunting ground. Sure, I have to admit, it takes a lot of imagination to see images carved and drawn on the ancient stone, but I swear I can see pictures and words, if only barely visible to the naked eye. I have no evidence to support the theory, but my belief is the stone wall is recycled from the old timber-framed church torn down in the 18th century. It could have formed the base on which the timbers stood, but let's not speculate. Some of the pictures here I'm convinced show long lost images on the stonework. Anyone interested in taking a look might let me know what they think and confirm I am not seeing things! If I am right perhaps they should be recorded for posterity by someone who knows a thing or two about old graffiti.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKckbU4g3YXRnCPgoPL6iXmV0L1hGJRsid5HbvtKGhVnUOo0B7ksz1J_0a1BdFjhmuYmCLmhTYJGGwWa8M4rjwUc05PjS_aSfU_HaeSSL6cjoX7Tpl5kagDnBXma2J-heeOuuQW7tZFE/s1600/Roman++Holiday%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKckbU4g3YXRnCPgoPL6iXmV0L1hGJRsid5HbvtKGhVnUOo0B7ksz1J_0a1BdFjhmuYmCLmhTYJGGwWa8M4rjwUc05PjS_aSfU_HaeSSL6cjoX7Tpl5kagDnBXma2J-heeOuuQW7tZFE/s320/Roman++Holiday%2521.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Wroxeter, Shropshire, where Romans left their mark!</td></tr>
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*Click the pictures to enlarge<br />
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John Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06773323271014548734noreply@blogger.com1