Things British....

Tomorrow it’s note taking and stage directions day for the production of The Mikado.


Really looking forward to flicking that fan LOL

So happy to see these operettas still flourishing!
 

Jamala said:
We all know he cost-of-living crisis is making it ever more difficult to make ends meet. But if you’ve currently got little ’uns in primary school, here’s something that might ease the load a little. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced a new scheme to provide free school meals to every primary school kid in the capital for a year. That’s right: every child, for an entire year.

Costing £130 million, the scheme will ensure that all of London’s 270,000 children in state primary schools (ie those between the ages of four and 11) get a free meal every day. It’s estimated that around 100,000 of those currently live in poverty. According to City Hall, the idea behind all primary schoolchildren getting free meals is to reduce any potential stigma attached to them.

https://www.timeout.com/london/news...-will-get-free-school-meals-for-a-year-022023

My comment: Mr Mayor…please continue this wonderful initiative after the year is up!
Click to expand...
When I was in junior school we got free meals, at least I think we did? I don't think my parents paid for it. We also got milk at recess.
 
Devi said:
Ahem. Pointing out plagiarism where it exists is not an attack. Interesting that you see it that way. Whatever.
Click to expand...

Save your breath…
it is legal to copy up to one chapter or 10% of the number of words of a work published electronically.
It is fair dealing to copy one chapter even if it is longer than 10% of the pages or words in the work.

It is also quite legal to copy an entire book as long as it is not for commercial uses....and... no one is "passing off anyone's work as their own."
So please quit your silly accusations...they are quite tedious and boring!!!

So stop getting your knickers in a twist...Go have some chocolate and calm yourself LOL
 

Last edited:
Jamala said:
Those Hill figures are amazing. I have seen several.
The Cerne Abbas figure is so interesting and the Village itself is absolutely delightful.

Well worth a visit if you haven’t been there already Magna Carter!

Click to expand...

A fine figure of a man. Didn't I see some bluebells in the video you provided at around 3:16? I’ve previously read that half the world Bluebells are in the UK – not sure how true that is.

Here’s a photo I took several years ago in the woods of Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. Another National Trust protected site.

bluebells caulke abbey.jpg
 
Magna-Carta said:
A fine figure of a man. Didn't I see some bluebells in the video you provided at around 3:16? I’ve previously read that half the world Bluebells are in the UK – not sure how true that is.

Here’s a photo I took several years ago in the woods of Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. Another National Trust protected site.

View attachment 270341
Click to expand...
Yes you did see some bluebells in that video!
Here’s a video of bluebells near to where I live.
Heavenly in Springtime.


Our daughter had her wedding reception at Ashridge House a few years ago and then they drove the short distance on the estate to have wedding pictures taken with the bluebells.

 

Beautiful and haunting music played on the bagpipes. Now here is a thought to ponder..

Some historians believe that bagpipes originated from ancient Egypt and were brought to Scotland by invading Roman Legions.

Ancient Egypt does appear to have claim to the instrument; from as early as 400 BC the ‘Pipers of Thebes’ are reported to have been blowing pipes made from dog skin with chanters of bone…and… several hundred years later, one of the most famous exponents of the pipes is said to have been the great Roman Emperor Nero, who may well have been piping rather than fiddling whilst Rome burned LOL

“Historic Britain”
 
Magna-Carta said:
Hill figures:

There is one called Cerne Abbas Giant. Find a picture of it and post it, if you dare.
Click to expand...
Easy peasy, Cerne Abbas Giant. I guess I had better say that this image is not for the feint hearted. It depicts a phallus of immense proportions. Click if you dare!

The giant has prompted a reminisce. Back in the early sixties The Rolling Stones had started to make a name for themselves. Some fellow student friends and I travelled to Coventry to see them. Coventry, you may know, was razed to the ground in WW2 and it's magnificent cathedral was destroyed. Out of the ashes a new one rose, known as St. Michael the Arch Angel, it depicts on one wall, a huge statue of St. Michael, standing over The Devil, Lucifer.

Following the Rolling Stones gig, four rather drunken students climbed onto each other's shoulders and succeeded in putting a condom on the very well blessed, Lucifer, then fell into a heap, laughing, on the grass below, the alcohol probably saved us from injury. The next day, whilst at the station, waiting for the train back to London, someone had bought the local newspaper. The headline read: "Well It Makes a Change!"

Coventry is famous for another nude, a lady nude, better known as Lady Godiva. Apparently drunken students like to climb up onto her statue and put a bra on her, so our escapade came as something more original. Ah, the fun and stupidity of youth!


​

 
Magna-Carta said:
True, in which case then non of us need to be in this thread, but we are.

Or perhaps some people simply enjoy talking about history? -- continued...

Or have studied it & would like to share it. There is a lot that can be learned from history after all. I sometimes think our politicians would benefit from some knowledge of history, & then maybe we benefit from our politicians knowledge of history.

Some governments, if not most, seems inclined to make similar mistakes of the past, or make mistakes in a “should have known better” kind of way.

Maybe our politicians are educated in the wrong things, or ‘edumacated’ depending on one’s point of view.
Click to expand...
I think all politicians need to study psychology. The don't seem to understand people at all.
 
Hyde Park in London needs no real introduction…it’s a must for many who visit the UK and it’s also a hive of activity even for Londoners any day of the week.

Hyde Park was formerly a royal hunting site which was opened to the public in the early 17th century. Hyde Park became a venue for national celebrations since 1814 when the Prince Regent organised fireworks to mark the end of the Napoleonic Wars, in 1851. However, I’m not going to speak about Hyde Park today instead one of its main attractions…Speakers’ Corner.

Speakers' Corner is located on the north-east edge of Hyde Park, nearest Marble Arch and Oxford Street. Historic figures such as Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and George Orwell were known to often use the area to demonstrate free speech. In 1872, an act of parliament set aside this part of Hyde Park for public speaking.

Here’s a fun video explaining it all by Julian McDonnell better known as Joolz:

 
Joolz has set me off. When I was at Oxford we used to frequent a really old pub…a sort of hang out for students.
The main attraction, would you believe, was an elderly Cockney chap who used to come in several evenings a week and hammer out old Cockney tunes on the old Joanna (piano). Tunes like these…


What a lot of fun we had!!!
 
Jamala said:
Yes you did see some bluebells in that video!
Here’s a video of bluebells near to where I live.
Heavenly in Springtime.


Our daughter had her wedding reception at Ashridge House a few years ago and then they drove the short distance on the estate to have wedding pictures taken with the bluebells.

Click to expand...

Enchanting
 
Jamala said:
Anyone spotted Colin Powell, former US
Secretary of State in the audience?
Click to expand...

Oh yes. :) at around 4:05?

From memory, wasn’t he given an Honorary Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth? Then I believe he was told that as an American, he wouldn’t be allowed to use the prefix, Sir. I think he responded by saying something along the lines of, “tens of thousands of people already call me Sir anyway”? Or words to that effect.
 
Magna-Carta said:
Oh yes. :) at around 4:05?

From memory, wasn’t he given an Honorary Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth? Then I believe he was told that as an American, he wouldn’t be allowed to use the prefix, Sir. I think he responded by saying something along the lines of, “tens of thousands of people already call me Sir anyway”? Or words to that effect.
Click to expand...
I believe you are spot on there :)
 
Stonehenge in the county of Wiltshire UK is only one and a half hours drive from London.and visiting it is quite fascinating. However, to get the real benefit of the experience, bonng up on a bit of its history is a good idea.

This mysterious monument is older than the Great Pyramids and the Roman Empire and the origin of its story began some 9,000 years ago.
Very informative video here:

 
The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden in London/UK…a Mecca for lovers of opera and ballet. I saw my first ballet there when I was very young. My Mother took me to a matinee performance and since then I was passionate about this lovely theatre.
Later, my parents who loved opera took me to evening performances …my Father always managed to get the middle seats of the first two rows of the circle section. Now that was a different world…one of excitement, expectation and to hear the orchestra warming up before the performance added to the drama!

Have a look at the interior of this glorious theatre…


Many years later when I attended the ROH with my husband, we’d top the evening off with dinner after the show at Rules restaurant, a few minutes’ walk from the theatre. Rules is the oldest restaurant in London and such a special place, usually filled with people who had attended the evening performance, all eager to critique or praise the show …here’s a link to one of London’s treasures…

https://www.britain-magazine.com/features/londons-oldest-restaurant-photos-of-rules-covent-garden/

On the first floor back in the day, there was the King Edward room where King Edward could discreetly wine and dine with his mistress, the beautiful actress Lillie Langtry.
The King Edward Room still exists to this day!
 
Jamala said:
Stonehenge in the county of Wiltshire UK is only one and a half hours drive from London.and visiting it is quite fascinating. However, to get the real benefit of the experience, bonng up on a bit of its history is a good idea.

This mysterious monument is older than the Great Pyramids and the Roman Empire and the origin of its story began some 9,000 years ago.
Very informative video here:

Click to expand...
My wife is old enough to remember visiting before it was cordoned off and you could actually walk up and touch the stones.

 
Jamala said:
One would think the National symbol of Ireland would be the shamrock but not so.
The Harp is Ireland's national symbol and has been played in Ireland for more than one thousand years.

Harping was handed the UNESCO designation in recognition of the instrument's unique position in the music and culture of Ireland.

This recognition by UNESCO is a true tribute and will ensure the transmission of
Irish harp music for generations. I am a great fan!

Click to expand...
The Irish Regiment of Canada wore a cap badge with a Golden Harp on their Cabeens ( a large type of beret ) during WW2. Originally stood up in 1939 at the out break of the war, the Irish Regiment of Canada had a long and honorable history, starting with the invasion of Sicily in July of 1943, then fighting up through Italy until January of 1945, when they were transferred to Belgium, then into Holland, finally ending up in Germany in May of 1945, when the fighting in Europe ended. link. The Irish Regiment of Canada The current Irish Regiment of Canada is a Canadian Forces Reserve Infantry unit, based in Sudbury , Ontario. JImB.
 
oldlongwalker said:
My wife is old enough to remember visiting before it was cordoned off and you could actually walk up and touch the stones.

Click to expand...
Love the video. I guess in order to preserve it cordoning off the area was a necessity.
Some people used to carry chisels to chip off bits as souvenirs.

Welcome to the forum :)
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top