Brixworth and District Newsletter Learn, Laugh, Live
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Brixworth and District Newsletter Learn, laugh, live Registered Charity No 1178196 Issue 73 May 2021 Chairman’s Chat Hello again everyone, A am sure you are all looking forward to some lovely spring weather, with some sunshine, and the promised relaxing of the lock-down restriction in order to once again meet up with family and friends. And maybe, by the summer, certain u3a activities will have resumed, fingers crossed. This month I have chosen this painting to share with you, a local view from the main road leaving Brixworth to Northampton, across the beautiful landscape looking towards Chapel Brampton. On the day, there was a stormy sky, which I have attempted to capture with the clouds gathering, and with lots of different tones and shapes in the sky – always a challenge for any artist. Because of the time of year, the fields are of different colours, which adds a bit more interest. Breaking up the view are the hedgerows and also trees. The prominent detailed foreground of the dry-stone wall and cow parsley (Heracleum) provides a contrast to the main focal point of the white cloud and sun shining on the highlighted field beneath it. This is certainly one of my recent favourite paintings, and I do tend to favour working on a larger canvas, this one being 32 inches x 24 inches. So, I hope you agree with me, that this particular painting is a pretty good statement piece for the beautiful countryside that surrounds our wonderful village. Belinda Welcome to Brian’s Music Corner Three very different tracks this month, starting with the greatest guitarist of all time, Eric Johnson, whom I’ve had the pleasure to meet and whose signed poster hangs on a wall at home. But today you are going to see and hear how good he is on a rare occasion at the piano, a track taken from his 1996 album ‘Venus Isle’. Next from 2010, we have Jeff Beck and Puccini’s ‘None Shall Sleep', and finally an uplifting track from CSNY from their amazing ‘Deja vu’ album. As before, just click on the links and skip the ads. Brian Collett Eric Johnson – Song for Lynette – You Tube Jeff Beck – None Shall Sleep – You Tube Crosby Stills Nash & Young – Carry On – You Tube Brian today...... and in his days as a musician You may remember that in a previous edition of this Newsletter I included an item about Market Harborough. After living in Brixworth for 44 years this is my adopted town. So this time I thought you might be interested in ............. Five Facts About Market Harborough 1.The Church of St Dionysius The church stands proudly on the High Street. Built between 1300 and 1330, part of the spire was destroyed by a storm in 1735 and it was replaced by a shorter one. This impressive spire, which towers some 47 metres above the High Street, is one of the finest examples of its kind in England. On the outside there is a sundial dating back to 1762 and the more modern clock was installed in 1902. The church has ten bells, two of which were added in 1990. It is also one of just a handful of churches in the country that doesn’t have a graveyard. 2 2. Harborough Theatre This building which can be found near the Church and the Old Grammar School had been used by a priest, later becoming an inn and then used as a garage and a bike shed. In 1962 the Drama Society converted it into a charming and intimate theatre. In normal times six plays are staged each year and I can highly recommend a visit. 3. Oliver Cromwell In 1645 Oliver Cromwell was in an inn in the town. He wrote a letter to the Speaker of The House of Commons, William Lenthall. From “Haverbrowe” (Harborough) he announced the defeat of King Charles I at The Battle of Naseby. 4. The Three Swans Hotel The hotel boasts a large and elaborate wrought iron pub sign. The pub was originally called The Swan Inn but by 1790 the name had changed to The Three Swans and the two outer swans were added. The sign is reckoned by many to be one of the best of its kind in England. At a National Exhibition of Pub Signs in 1936 John Betjeman praised it as among one of the most admirable English wrought iron inn signs from the Georgian era. 5. The Stage Coaching Era In its heyday dozens of coaches passed through the town on the journey between London and Leicester. There was great competition between the many inns for business. There was great consternation when the four roads out of Harborough were turnpiked to pay for road improvements. Travellers were often robbed. A newspaper report from 1775 read, “On Sunday night last, the coach bound for London was ‘stopt’ by a single highwayman. He took from the passengers about £14; told them that necessity obliged him to do that or go to gaol”. Christine 3 Local History About 35 members of our Local History Group “Zoomed” in to hear Sue McAspurn’s very interesting and well-researched talk on the story of Walter Tull – footballer, soldier, hero. Walter’s grandparents were slaves. His father Daniel joined a ship from Barbados to Folkestone, England, where he settled. Daniel met Alice Palmer, a local girl, and they married and had six children. Sadly, Walter’s parents died when he was still young and he grew up in a children’s home in Bethnal Green, London. It was there that he discovered his sporting abilities and was a talented member of the football team. He was eventually spotted by Tottenham Hotspur and joined them in 1909 before transferring to Northampton Town Football Club and becoming a ‘Cobbler’. Unfortunately his footballing career came to an end with the start of the First World War and he enlisted, eventually being commissioned as an officer leading his men in northern France and the Battle of the Somme where he was shot down. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Arras Memorial. His fame as a talented footballer and as an admired and popular Army Officer led to other memorials such as the blue plaque on the house in London he lived in for a short while, the splendid memorial at Sixfields Stadium (and the name of the nearby pub)! And his image on the commemorative £5 coin issued to remember the start of WW1 and a postage stamp to commemorate the end. At the next meeting Jackie Bird gave a talk on St Andrew’s Hospital. The history started with a brief talk about the land it was built on, how its name evolved from the local lunatic asylum to St Andrews Hospital and the way in which the gentry of Northamptonshire raised money for the hospital. The talk ended with a resume of some of its more famous patients including the poet John Clare. It raised some interesting memories from the 30 strong group of seeing the bomb damage to the grounds in their childhood and some stories of working there and the changes made in later years. 4 Chris Rowe John Nicholson’s Pop Quiz Complete the names of these groups from the 50s, 60s and 70s. 1. Danny and the ____________________ 2. ________________and the Hurricanes 3. Tommy Steel and the_______________ 4. __ _______________ ____________and his Paramount Jazz Band 5. B. Bumble and the___________________ 6. ___________ ________________and the Roulettes 7. Billy K Kramer and the_________________ 8. Jimi______________ ____________ 9. Unit__________ ___ _________ 10. ____________ and the Vandellas 11. Simon Dupree and the__________ ___________ 12. __________ ________________and the Ram Jam Band 13. 1910____________Company 14. Emerson,_________and_____________ 15. Harold__________and the Blue______________ 16. ___________ __________ and the Wailers 17. Crosby,_________,_________and_________ 18. Credence___________ __________ 19. __________ ___________Rollers 20. Electric_____________Orchestra You will find the answers on page 8 Monthly Meetings via Zoom We are so pleased that so many of you are joining us on our Zoom meetings on the first Wednesday of each month. If you haven’t signed up yet Tim Smith can add you to his list and send you the link. He can be contacted by clicking the pigeon icon on our website. Wednesday 5th May Dark Light and The Flannan Island Mystery Fools Gold – Carol and Steve Robson, tell a tale from the Outer Hebrides. The show will feature a mixture of songs and stories supported by some wonderful visuals. Wednesday 2nd June Sex, Secrets, Scandal & Gossip Following her popular talk on the ghosts of Hampton Court Palace we have asked Sarah Slater to return. She tells us about all the naughty bits of history you would probably not have learnt about at school! 5 Science & Technology Each meeting starts with the latest Science & Technology items from the news. Bird Migration At the March ‘Zoom’ meeting Colin Rowe gave a presentation on bird migration. The main topic was how birds migrate using innate and learned techniques and the amazing feat of a Swallow flying to South Africa and back between the months of September and April. The world record is an Arctic Tern whose annual migratory trip can be as high as 40,000 miles. Birds such as Starlings navigate by using the sun and experiments which have been carried out were explained to prove this. Other birds such as Mallards find their way at night by using the constellations. Planetariums have been used to change the star patterns at a given time which shows that birds have inbuilt clocks.