Executed photos on Flickr

15 8

Just decided to make use of CAC's Cody... I know this is supposed to be Cody in ROTS, but CAC's Cody had enough ROTS elements to pass off as a decent replacement.

Sheer Temerity by alexander_stein_taech

7 2

this is a freaking representation of a quarry!! in the 9th century! the person of ingenuity and wonderful gall who conceived and executed this great work used the anomalous nature of the odd quarry right above to lead in gradually to another reality.

Cheetham Hill Raids by Greater Manchester Police

8 3

Officers execute daybreak raids as part of a firearms investigation in Cheetham Hill.

This morning, Thursday 21 May, officers from the North Manchester division carried out raids at two addresses in Cheetham Hill as part of an ongoing investigation into a firearms discharge, which took place last week on Monday 11 May 2020.

In the early hours of that morning, at around 1.15am, police were called to reports of between two and four gunshot sounds on Galsworthy Avenue.

No injuries were reported but some damage was caused to a vehicle on the street.

During today's raids officers seized a quantity of cash as part of the direct action. One man was arrested.

Speaking after the raids, Superintendent Rebecca Boyce, of GMPs North Manchester district, said: “First and foremost I sincerely hope that this morning’s activity shows to the people of Cheetham Hill just how seriously we continue to take incidents of this nature. We will explore every line of enquiry available to us and leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of justice.

“Guns and violence have no place on our streets; and anyone who is harbouring weapons of this nature or taking part in this kind of criminal activity should know that we do not take these incidents lightly. Anyone who brandishes a weapon within our communities and ultimately puts the lives of others at risk can expect to be investigated by us.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to protecting people and making the streets of Cheetham Hill a safer place, we have been working closely with partners, including Manchester City Council –both Adult and Children’s Services and housing providers. This prevention work is absolutely vital if we are to support those most vulnerable in our society and put a stop to this type of offending. A huge priority for us is discouraging people from taking this path and turning to this kind of criminality and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our partners who have continued to support us in this.

“We have been always very clear that we cannot do this alone and would like to continue to appeal to the public to help us. Often, answers lie within communities and this type of criminal activity can only be halted completely with the support of those with information. If people would prefer to speak anonymously, they can do so by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers.”

Anyone with any information should contact police on 0161 856 3924 quoting incident number 124 of 11/05/2020. Details can also be anonymously passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Dickensian Christmas Festival 2015, Rochester, Kent by Paul

2

Rochester is a town and historic city in the unitary authority of Medway in Kent, England. It is situated at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway about 30 miles (50 km) from London.

Rochester was for many years a favourite of Charles Dickens, who owned nearby Gads Hill Place, Higham,[1] basing many of his novels on the area. The Diocese of Rochester, the second oldest in England, is based at Rochester Cathedral and was responsible for the founding of a school, now The King's School in 604 AD,[2] which is recognised as being the second oldest continuously running school in the world. Rochester Castle, built by Bishop Gundulf of Rochester, has one of the best preserved keepsin either England or France, and during the First Barons' War (1215–1217) in King John's reign, baronial forces captured the castle from Archbishop Stephen Langton and held it against the king, who then besieged it.[3]

Neighbouring Chatham, Gillingham, Strood and a number of outlying villages, together with Rochester, nowadays make up the MedwayUnitary Authority area. It was, until 1998,[4]under the control of Kent County Council and is still part of the ceremonial county of Kent, under the latest Lieutenancies Act.[5]

Toponymy[edit]

The Romano-British name for Rochester was Durobrivae, later Durobrivis c. 730 and Dorobrevis in 844. The two commonly cited origins of this name are that it either came from "stronghold by the bridge(s)",[6] or is the latinisation of the British word Dourbruf meaning "swiftstream".[7]Durobrivis was pronounced 'Robrivis. Bede copied down this name, c. 730, mistaking its meaning as Hrofi's fortified camp (OE Hrofes cæster). From this we get c. 730 Hrofæscæstre, 811 Hrofescester, 1086 Rovescester, 1610 Rochester.[6] The Latinised adjective 'Roffensis' refers to Rochester.[7]

Neolithic remains have been found in the vicinity of Rochester; over time it has been variously occupied by Celts, Romans, Jutes and/or Saxons. During the Celtic period it was one of the two administrative centres of the Cantiaci tribe. During the Roman conquest of Britain a decisive battle was fought at the Medway somewhere near Rochester. The first bridge was subsequently constructed early in the Roman period. During the later Roman period the settlement was walled in stone. King Ethelbert of Kent(560–616) established a legal system which has been preserved in the 12th century Textus Roffensis. In AD 604 the bishopric and cathedral were founded. During this period, from the recall of the legions until the Norman conquest, Rochester was sacked at least twice and besieged on another occasion.

The medieval period saw the building of the current cathedral (1080–1130, 1227 and 1343), the building of two castles and the establishment of a significant town. Rochester Castle saw action in the sieges of 1215 and 1264. Its basic street plan was set out, constrained by the river, Watling Street, Rochester Priory and the castle.

Rochester has produced two martyrs: St John Fisher, executed by Henry VIII for refusing to sanction the divorce of Catherine of Aragon; and Bishop Nicholas Ridley, executed by Queen Mary for being an English Reformation protestant.

The city was raided by the Dutch as part of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. The Dutch, commanded by Admiral de Ruijter, broke through the chain at Upnor[8] and sailed to Rochester Bridge capturing part of the English fleet and burning it.[9]

The ancient City of Rochester merged with the Borough of Chatham and part of the Strood Rural District in 1974 to form the Borough of Medway. It was later renamed Rochester-upon-Medway, and its City status transferred to the entire borough. In 1998 another merger with the rest of the Medway Towns created the Medway Unitary Authority. The outgoing council neglected to appoint ceremonial "Charter Trustees" to continue to represent the historic Rochester area, causing Rochester to lose its City status – an error not even noticed by council officers for four years, until 2002.[10][11]

Military History

Rochester has for centuries been of great strategic importance through its position near the confluence of the Thames and the Medway. Rochester Castle was built to guard the river crossing, and the Royal Dockyard's establishment at Chatham witnessed the beginning of the Royal Navy's long period of supremacy. The town, as part of Medway, is surrounded by two circles of fortresses; the inner line built during the Napoleonic warsconsists of Fort Clarence, Fort Pitt, Fort Amherst and Fort Gillingham. The outer line of Palmerston Forts was built during the 1860s in light of the report by the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdomand consists of Fort Borstal, Fort Bridgewood, Fort Luton, and the Twydall Redoubts, with two additional forts on islands in the Medway, namely Fort Hoo and Fort Darnet.

During the First World War the Short Brothers' aircraft manufacturing company developed the first plane to launch a torpedo, the Short Admiralty Type 184, at its seaplane factory on the River Medway not far from Rochester Castle. In the intervening period between the 20th century World Wars the company established a world-wide reputation as a constructor of flying boats with aircraft such as the Singapore, Empire 'C'-Class and Sunderland. During the Second World War, Shorts also designed and manufactured the first four-engined bomber, the Stirling.

The UK's decline in naval power and shipbuilding competitiveness led to the government decommissioning the RN Shipyard at Chatham in 1984, which led to the subsequent demise of much local maritime industry. Rochester and its neighbouring communities were hit hard by this and have experienced a painful adjustment to a post-industrial economy, with much social deprivation and unemployment resulting. On the closure of Chatham Dockyard the area experienced an unprecedented surge in unemployment to 24%; this had dropped to 2.4% of the local population by 2014.[12]

Former City of Rochester[edit]

Rochester was recognised as a City from 1211 to 1998. The City of Rochester's ancient status was unique, as it had no formal council or Charter Trustees nor a Mayor, instead having the office of Admiral of the River Medway, whose incumbent acted as de facto civic leader.[13] On 1 April 1974, the City Council was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972, and the territory was merged with the District of Medway, Borough of Chatham and most of Strood Rural District to form a new a local government district called the Borough of Medway, within the county of Kent. Medway Borough Council applied to inherit Rochester's city status, but this was refused; instead letters patent were granted constituting the area of the former Rochester local government district to be the City of Rochester, to "perpetuate the ancient name" and to recall "the long history and proud heritage of the said City".[14] The Home Officesaid that the city status may be extended to the entire borough if it had "Rochester" in its name, so in 1979, Medway Borough Council renamed the borough to Borough of Rochester-upon-Medway, and in 1982, Rochester's city status was transferred to the entire borough by letters patent, with the district being called the City of Rochester-upon-Medway.[13]

On 1 April 1998, the existing local government districts of Rochester-upon-Medway and Gillingham were abolished and became the new unitary authority of Medway. The Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions informed the city council that since it was the local government district that officially held City status under the 1982 Letters Patent, the council would need to appoint charter trustees to preserve its city status, but the outgoing Labour-run council decided not to appoint charter trustees, so the city status was lost when Rochester-upon-Medway was abolished as a local government district.[15][16][17] The other local government districts with City status that were abolished around this time, Bath and Hereford, decided to appoint Charter Trustees to maintain the existence of their own cities and the mayoralties. The incoming Medway Council apparently only became aware of this when, in 2002, it was advised that Rochester was not on the Lord Chancellor's Office's list of cities.[18][19]

In 2010, Medway Council started to refer to the "City of Medway" in promotional material, but it was rebuked and instructed not to do so in future by the Advertising Standards Authority.[20]

Governance[edit]

Civic history and traditions[edit]

Rochester and its neighbours, Chatham and Gillingham, form a single large urban area known as the Medway Towns with a population of about 250,000. Since Norman times Rochester had always governed land on the other side of the Medway in Strood, which was known as Strood Intra; before 1835 it was about 100 yards (91 m) wide and stretched to Gun Lane. In the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act the boundaries were extended to include more of Strood and Frindsbury, and part of Chatham known as Chatham Intra. In 1974, Rochester City Council was abolished and superseded by Medway Borough Council, which also included the parishes of Cuxton, Halling and Cliffe, and the Hoo Peninsula. In 1979 the borough became Rochester-upon-Medway. The Admiral of the River Medway was ex-officio Mayor of Rochester and this dignity transferred to the Mayor of Medway when that unitary authority was created, along with the Admiralty Court for the River which constitutes a committee of the Council.[21]

Like many of the mediaeval towns of England, Rochester had civic Freemen whose historic duties and rights were abolished by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. However, the Guild of Free Fishers and Dredgers continues to the present day and retains rights, duties and responsibilities on the Medway, between Sheerness and Hawkwood Stone.[22] This ancient corporate body convenes at the Admiralty Court whose Jury of Freemen is responsible for the conservancy of the River as enshrined in current legislation. The City Freedom can be obtained by residents after serving a period of "servitude", i.e. apprenticeship (traditionally seven years), before admission as a Freeman. The annual ceremonial Beating of the Boundsby the River Medway takes place after the Admiralty Court, usually on the first Saturday of July.

Rochester first obtained City status in 1211, but this was lost due to an administrative oversight when Rochester was absorbed by the Medway Unitary Authority.[10] Subsequently, the Medway Unitary Authority has applied for City status for Medway as a whole, rather than merely for Rochester. Medway applied unsuccessfully for City status in 2000 and 2002 and again in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year of 2012.[23] Any future bid to regain formal City status has been recommended to be made under the aegis of Rochester-upon-Medway.

Ecclesiastical parishes[edit]

There were three medieval parishes: St Nicholas', St Margaret's and St Clement's. St Clement's was in Horsewash Lane until the last vicar died in 1538 when it was joined with St Nicholas' parish; the church last remaining foundations were finally removed when the railway was being constructed in the 1850s. St Nicholas' Church was built in 1421 beside the cathedral to serve as a parish church for the citizens of Rochester. The ancient cathedral included the Benedictine monastic priory of St Andrew with greater status than the local parishes.[24] Rochester's pre-1537 diocese, under the jurisdiction of the Church of Rome, covered a vast area extending into East Anglia and included all of Essex.[25]

As a result of the restructuring of the Church during the Reformation the cathedral was reconsecrated as the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary without parochial responsibilities, being a diocesan church.[26] In the 19th century the parish of St Peter's was created to serve the burgeoning city with the new church being consecrated in 1859. Following demographic shifts, St Peter's and St Margaret's were recombined as a joint benefice in 1953 with the parish of St Nicholas with St Clement being absorbed in 1971.[27] The combined parish is now the "Parish of St Peter with St Margaret", centred at the new (1973) Parish Centre in The Delce (St Peter's) with St Margaret's remaining as a chapel-of-ease. Old St Peter's was demolished in 1974, while St Nicholas' Church has been converted into the diocesan offices but remains consecrated. Continued expansion south has led to the creation of an additional more recent parish of St Justus (1956) covering The Tideway estate and surrounding area.[28]

A church dedicated to St Mary the Virgin at Eastgate, which was of Anglo-Saxon foundation, is understood to have constituted a parish until the Middle Ages, but few records survive.[29]

Geography

Rochester lies within the area, known to geologists, as the London Basin. The low-lying Hoo peninsula to the north of the town consists of London Clay, and the alluvium brought down by the two rivers—the Thames and the Medway—whose confluence is in this area. The land rises from the river, and being on the dip slope of the North Downs, this consists of chalksurmounted by the Blackheath Beds of sand and gravel.

As a human settlement, Rochester became established as the lowest river crossing of the River Medway, well before the arrival of the Romans.

It is a focal point between two routes, being part of the main route connecting London with the Continent and the north-south routes following the course of the Medway connecting Maidstone and the Weald of Kent with the Thames and the North Sea. The Thames Marshes were an important source of salt. Rochester's roads follow north Kent's valleys and ridges of steep-sided chalk bournes. There are four ways out of town to the south: up Star Hill, via The Delce,[30] along the Maidstone Road or through Borstal. The town is inextricably linked with the neighbouring Medway Towns but separate from Maidstone by a protective ridge known as the Downs, a designated area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

At its most limited geographical size, Rochester is defined as the market town within the city walls, now associated with the historic medieval city. However, Rochester historically also included the ancient wards of Strood Intra on the river's west bank, and Chatham Intra as well as the three old parishes on the Medway's east bank.

The diocese of Rochester is another geographical entity which can be referred to as Rochester.

Climate[edit]

Rochester has an oceanic climate similar to much of southern England, being accorded Köppen Climate Classification-subtype of "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate).[31]

On 10 August 2003, neighbouring Gravesend recorded one of the highest temperatures since meteorogical records began in the United Kingdom, with a reading of 38.1 degrees Celsius (100.6 degrees Fahrenheit),[32]only beaten by Brogdale, near Faversham, 22 miles (35 km) to the ESE.[33] The weather station at Brogdale is run by a volunteer, only reporting its data once a month, whereas Gravesend, which has an official Met Office site at the PLA pilot station,[34] reports data hourly.

Being near the mouth of the Thames Estuary with the North Sea, Rochester is relatively close to continental Europe and enjoys a somewhat less temperate climate than other parts of Kent and most of East Anglia. It is therefore less cloudy, drier and less prone to Atlanticdepressions with their associated wind and rain than western regions of Britain, as well as being hotter in summer and colder in winter. Rochester city centre's micro-climate is more accurately reflected by these officially recorded figures than by readings taken at Rochester Airport.[35]

North and North West Kent continue to record higher temperatures in summer, sometimes being the hottest area of the country, eg. on the warmest day of 2011, when temperatures reached 33.1 degrees.[36]Additionally, it holds at least two records for the year 2010, of 30.9 degrees[37] and 31.7 degrees C.[38] Another record was set during England's Indian summer of 2011 with 29.9 degrees C., the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK for October.

Building

Rochester comprises numerous important historic buildings, the most prominent of which are the Guildhall, the Corn Exchange, Restoration House, Eastgate House, as well as Rochester Castle and Rochester Cathedral. Many of the town centre's old buildings date from as early as the 14th century up to the 18th century. The chapel of St Bartholomew's Hospital dates from the ancient priory hospital's foundation in 1078.

Economy

Thomas Aveling started a small business in 1850 producing and repairing agricultural plant equipment. In 1861 this became the firm of Aveling and Porter, which was to become the largest manufacturer of agricultural machinery and steam rollers in the country.[39] Aveling was elected Admiral of the River Medway (i.e. Mayor of Rochester) for 1869-70.

Culture[edit]

Sweeps Festival[edit]

Since 1980 the city has seen the revival of the historic Rochester Jack-in-the-Green May Day dancing chimney sweeps tradition, which had died out in the early 1900s. Though not unique to Rochester (similar sweeps' gatherings were held across southern England, notably in Bristol, Deptford, Whitstable and Hastings), its revival was directly inspired by Dickens' description of the celebration in Sketches by Boz.

The festival has since grown from a small gathering of local Morris dancesides to one of the largest in the world.[40] The festival begins with the "Awakening of Jack-in-the-Green" ceremony,[41] and continues in Rochester High Street over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

There are numerous other festivals in Rochester apart from the Sweeps Festival. The association with Dickens is the theme for Rochester's two Dickens Festivals held annually in June and December.[42] The Medway Fuse Festival[43] usually arranges performances in Rochester and the latest festival to take shape is the Rochester Literature Festival, the brainchild of three local writers.[44]

Library[edit]

A new public library was built alongside the Adult Education Centre, Eastgate. This enabled the registry office to move from Maidstone Road, Chatham into the Corn Exchange on Rochester High Street (where the library was formerly housed). As mentioned in a report presented to Medway Council's Community Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 28 March 2006, the new library opened in late summer (2006).[45]

Theatre[edit]

There is a small amateur theatre called Medway Little Theatre on St Margaret's Banks next to Rochester High Street near the railway station.[46] The theatre was formed out of a creative alliance with the Medway Theatre Club, managed by Marion Martin, at St Luke's Methodist Church on City Way, Rochester[47] between 1985 and 1988, since when drama and theatre studies have become well established in Rochester owing to the dedication of the Medway Theatre Club.[48]

Media[edit]

Local newspapers for Rochester include the Medway Messenger, published by the KM Group, and free newspapers such as Medway Extra(KM Group) and Yourmedway (KOS Media).

The local commercial radio station for Rochester is KMFM Medway, owned by the KM Group. Medway is also served by community radio station Radio Sunlight. The area also receives broadcasts from county-wide stations BBC Radio Kent, Heart and Gold, as well as from various Essex and Greater London radio stations.[49]

Sport[edit]

Football is played with many teams competing in Saturday and Sunday leagues.[50] The local football club is Rochester United F.C. Rochester F.C. was its old football club but has been defunct for many decades. Rugby is also played; Medway R.F.C. play their matches at Priestfields and Old Williamsonians is associated with Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School.[51]

Cricket is played in the town, with teams entered in the Kent Cricket League. Holcombe Hockey Club is one of the largest in the country,[52]and is based at Holcombe Park. The men's and women's 1st XI are part of the England Hockey League.[53] Speedway was staged on a track adjacent to City Way that opened in 1932. Proposals for a revival in the early 1970s did not materialise and the Rochester Bombers became the Romford Bombers.[54]

Sailing and rowing are also popular on the River Medway with respective clubs being based in Rochester.[55][56]

Film[edit]

The 1959 James Bond Goldfinger describes Bond driving along the A2through the Medway Towns from Strood to Chatham. Of interest is the mention of "inevitable traffic jams" on the Strood side of Rochester Bridge, the novel being written some years prior to the construction of the M2 motorway Medway bypass.

Rochester is the setting of the controversial 1965 Peter Watkins television film The War Game, which depicts the town's destruction by a nuclear missile.[57] The opening sequence was shot in Chatham Town Hall, but the credits particularly thank the people of Dover, Gravesend and Tonbridge.

The 2011 adventure film Ironclad (dir. Jonathan English) is based upon the 1215 siege of Rochester Castle. There are however a few areaswhere the plot differs from accepted historical narrative.

Notable people[edit]

Charles Dickens

The historic city was for many years the favourite of Charles Dickens, who lived within the diocese at nearby Gads Hill Place, Higham, many of his novels being based on the area. Descriptions of the town appear in Pickwick Papers, Great Expectations and (lightly fictionalised as "Cloisterham") in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Elements of two houses in Rochester, Satis House and Restoration House, are used for Miss Havisham's house in Great Expectations, Satis House.[58]

Sybil Thorndike

The actress Dame Sybil Thorndike and her brother Russell were brought up in Minor Canon Row adjacent to the cathedral; the daughter of a canon of Rochester Cathedral, she was educated at Rochester Grammar School for Girls. A local doctors' practice,[59] local dental practice[60] and a hall at Rochester Grammar School are all named after her.[61]

Peter Buck

Sir Peter Buck was Admiral of the Medway in the 17th century; knightedin 1603 he and Bishop Barlow hosted King James, the Stuart royal familyand the King of Denmark in 1606. A civil servant to The Royal Dockyardand Lord High Admiral, Buck lived at Eastgate House, Rochester.

Denis Redman

Major-General Denis Redman, a World War II veteran, was born and raised in Rochester and later became a founder member of REME, head of his Corps and a Major-General in the British Army.

Kelly Brook

The model and actress Kelly Brook went to Delce Junior School in Rochester and later the Thomas Aveling School (formerly Warren Wood Girls School).

The singer and songwriter Tara McDonald now lives in Rochester.

The Prisoners, a rock band from 1980 to 1986, were formed in Rochester. They are part of what is known as the "Medway scene".

Kelly Tolhurst MP is the current parliamentary representative for the constituency.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester,_Kent

Fotheringhay across the Nene by Simon Knott

12 7

St Mary and All Saints, Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire

How often she has gazed from castle windows o'er,

And watched the daylight passing within her captive wall,

With no-one to heed her call.

The evening hour is fading within the dwindling sun,

And in a lonely moment those embers will be gone

And the last of all the young birds flown.

Her days of precious freedom, forfeited long before,

To live such fruitless years behind a guarded door,

But those days will last no more.

Tomorrow at this hour she will be far away,

Much farther than these islands,

Or the lonely Fotheringay.

Sandy Denny, Fotheringay by Fairport Convention, 1969

As any experienced pub quizzer will be able to tell you, Cambridgeshire shares borders with more other counties than any other English county, and one of the pleasures of exploring its churches by bike is to occasionally pop over a border and cherry-pick some of the best churches nearby. I had long wanted to visit Fotheringhay in Northamptonshire, and it is only ten miles west of Peterborough, and so I thought why not? I could also take in its near neighbours Nassington and Warmington, both noted as interesting churches.

Fotheringhay is a haunted place. It is haunted by noble birth and violent death, by its pivotal importance as a place in 15th Century English politics, and by its desolation in later centuries - not to mention by one significant event in the last couple of years.

The view of the church from the south across the River Nene is one of the most famous views of a church in England - there can be few books about churches which do not include it. The tower is a spectacular wedding cake, the square stage surmounted by an octagonal bell stage. This is not an unusual arrangement in the area of the Nene and Ouse Valleys, but nowhere is it on such a scale and with such intricacy as this.

The nave is also vast, a great length of flying buttresses running above each aisle, and walls of glass, great perpendicular windows designed to let in light and drive out superstition. What you cannot see from across the river is that, behind the big oak tree, the church has no chancel.

Inside, it is a square box full of light divided by great arcades that march resolutely eastwards towards a large blank wall. Heraldic shields stand aloof up in the arcades, and the one fabulous spot of colour is the great pulpit nestled in the south arcade, another sign that this building was designed to assert the doctrine of the Holy Catholic Church. This place swallows sound and magnifies light. It is thrilling, awe-inspiring. What happened here?

In the medieval period, Fotheringhay Castle was the powerbase of the House of York. The church was built as a result of a bequest by Edward III, who died in 1370. It was complete by the 1430s, with a college of priests and a large nave for the Catholic devotions of the people.

Over the next century it would house the tombs of, among others, Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York and grandson of Edward III who was killed in 1415 at Agincourt, and Richard Plantaganet, 3rd Duke of York, who was killed in the Battle of Wakefield in 1460. It was Richard's claim to the throne of England which had led to the Wars of the Roses. His decapitated head was gleefully displayed on a pike above Micklegate Bar in York by the victorious Lancastrian forces. Also killed in the battle was Richard's 17 year old son Edmund.

But the Lancastrian delight was shortlived, for by the following year Richard's eldest son had become King as Edward IV. He immediately arranged for the translation of the bodies of his father and brother from their common grave at Pontefract back to Fotheringhay.

It was recorded that on 24 July the bodies were exhumed, that of the Duke garbed in an ermine furred mantle and cap of maintenance, covered with a cloth of gold lay in state under a hearse blazing with candles, guarded by an angel of silver, bearing a crown of gold as a reminder that by right the Duke had been a king.

On its journey, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, with other lords and officers of arms, all dressed in mourning, followed the funeral chariot, drawn by six horses, with trappings of black, charged with the arms of France and England and preceded by a knight bearing the banner of the ducal arms.

Fotheringhay was reached on 29 July, where members of the college and other ecclesiastics went forth to meet the cortege. At the entrance to the churchyard, King Edward waited, together with the Duke of Clarence, the Marquis of Dorset, Earl Rivers, Lord Hastings and other noblemen. Upon its arrival the King made obeisance to the body right humbly and put his hand on the body and kissed it, crying all the time.

The procession moved into the church where two hearses were waiting, one in the choir for the body of the Duke and one in the Lady Chapel for that of the Earl of Rutland, and after the King had retired to his closet and the princes and officers of arms had stationed themselves around the hearses, masses were sung and the King's chamberlain offered for him seven pieces of cloth of gold 'which were laid in a cross on the body.

The sorrowing Edward IV donated the great pulpit for the proclamation of the Catholic faith. And then in 1483 he died. He was succeeded as tradition required by his son, the 12 year old Edward V. But three months after his father's death the younger Edward was also dead, in mysterious circumstances. He was succeeded by his uncle, who had been born here in Fotheringhay in 1452, and who would reign, albeit briefly, as Richard III.

Was Richard III really the villain that history has made him out to be? Did he really murder his nephew to achieve the throne? Within two years he had also been killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field, and the Lancastrians were finally triumphant. Henry VII established the Tudor dynasty, and, as we all know, history is written by the victors, not by the losers.

But Fotheringhay had one more dramatic scene to set in English history before settling back into obscurity, and this time it involved the Tudors. In September 1586 a noble woman of middle years arrived at Fotheringhay Castle under special guard, and was imprisoned here. Her name was Mary, and she was on trial for treason.

It is clear today that most of the evidence was entirely fictional, but the powers of the day had good reason to fear Mary, for she had what appeared to many to be a legitimate claim to the English throne. She was the daughter of James V of Scotland, and had herself become Queen of Scotland at the age of just six weeks. She spent her childhood and youth in France while regents governed the nation in her stead, and she married Francis, the Dauphin of France, who became King of France in 1559. Briefly, Mary was both Queen of Scotland and Queen Consort of France, but in 1561 Francis died, and Mary returned to Scotland to govern her own country.

But there was a problem. Mary was a Catholic. Scotland had led the way in the English-speaking Reformation with a particularly firebrand form of Calvinism, and the protestant merchants of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee were aghast at the prospect of a Catholic monarch.

And there was a further problem. Scotland was currently at peace with its neighbour England, where Queen Elizabeth I had brought some stability to the troubled country. But the Catholic Church did not recognise Elizabeth as the rightful monarch of England, because it was considered that her father Henry VIII's divorce from his first wife Katherine of Aragon was invalid. As he had divorced Katherine to marry Elizabeth's mother Ann Boleyn, Catholics considered that the rightful line of succession had passed horizontally from Henry VIII to his deceased elder sister and then on to her descendants, the most senior of whom was Mary, Queen of Scotland.

Mary remarried in Scotland, but her husband was murdered, and she was forced to abdicate her throne in favour of their one year old baby. He would be brought up by protestant regents and advisors, and would reign Scotland as James VI. His protestant faith allowed the English crown to recognise the line's legitimate claims, and in 1603 James VI of Scotland became James I of England, the first monarch to govern both nations.

But that was all in the future. After her abdication, Mary fled south to seek the protection of her cousin Elizabeth. She spent most of the next 18 years in protective custody. A succession of plots and conspiracies implicated her, and finally on 8th February 1587, at the age of 44, Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle.

One of her son James's first acts on ascending the English throne was to order that the castle where his mother had been shamefully imprisoned and executed be razed to the ground.

The chancel of Fotheringhay church and its College of Priests were already gone by then, demolished after the Reformation, leaving the York tombs exposed to the elements. it is said that Elizabeth herself, on a visit to Fotheringhay in 1566, insisted that they be brought back into the church.

Fotheringhay church settled back into obscurity. During the long 18th Century sleep of the Church of England it suffered neglect and disuse, but was restored well in the 19th Century. A chapel was designated for the memory of the York dynasty during the 20th Century, a sensitive issue for the Church of England which does not recognise prayers for the dead, but they can happen here in the Catholic tradition.

Today, the population of Fotheringhay cannot be much more than a hundred, an obscure backwater in remote north-east Northamptonshire, consisting of little more than its grand church set above the water meadows of the River Nene. But there was one more day in the public light to come.

In 2012, an archaeological dig in the centre of the city of Leicester, some 30 miles from here, uncovered a skeleton which had been buried in such a manner that it seemed it might be the dead King Richard III. Carbon dating and DNA matching proved that it was so. A controversy erupted about where the dead king might be reburied. Leicester Cathedral seemed the obvious place, although pompous claims were made by, among others, the MP for York, for him to be buried in York Minster. But there was also a case for the remains being returned here, to the quiet peace of Fotheringhay.

In the event reason held sway and Richard was reburied in Leicester, but Fotheringhay church, along with Leicester Cathedral, York Minster and Westminster Abbey, was one of four sites to host books of remembrance for Richard III.

In June 2015 I was surprised to find that the book here was still in use at the west end of the nave, and is still regularly signed by people. Perhaps they think it is the visitors book.

The silence of the church and the quiet peace of the graveyard are in dramatic contrast to the sensationalism of the media over the controversy and the razzamatazz of Richard's reburial in Leicester Cathedral. But now the circus has moved on, and Fotheringhay is still here. And white roses are scattered in the church every year on Richard III's birthday.

Oldham Raids by Greater Manchester Police

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Dawn raids saw officers in Oldham execute six drugs warrants as part of a crackdown on drug dealing in the district.

At around 6.15am this morning (Thursday 2 July 2020), officers from GMP’s Oldham division raided an address on Chamber Road, Coppice, and at five properties in the Glodwick area.

The action comes after concerns were raised in the community regarding the dealing of drugs in the area.

Neighbourhood Inspector Steve Prescott, of GMP’s Oldham division, said: “We hope that today’s operation demonstrates not only how keen we are to tackle drugs across the district and the Force, but also our endeavours to listen to community concerns and to act upon them.

“Today’s action is a significant part of tackling the issues around drugs that we see too often in our societies and the devastating impact they can have on individuals, their families and loved ones as well as the wider community.

“This action will have caused a huge amount of disruption for the criminals who seek to infiltrate these substances onto our streets and degrade the quality of life for so many.

“Anyone with concerns about the dealing of such drugs in their area should not hesitate to contact police; safe in the knowledge that we are prepared to strike back against those who operate in this destructive and illegal industry.”

To find out more about Greater Manchester Police please visit

www.gmp.police.uk

You should call 101, the national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.

Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.

You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.

You can access many of our services online at www.gmp.police.uk

Dispenser by wilson hurst

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Executable package

Radiation interaction

Triggered appropriately

Dumbarton Castle (10) by Arjayempee

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This is the Portcullis Arch - the slot for the portcullis remains in its roof. It is the oldest remaining structure on the rock, dating back to the 14th century. It was certainly here when the castle was attacked in 1425 by James the Fat! They weren't terribly PC in those days! Love it!

James the Fat was the youngest son of Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany, who was imprisoned by his cousin King James I of Scotland on charges of treason. Seamas Mór as he was known as in the Gaelic, became the rallying point for enemies of the King and raised a rebellion against the crown. He marched on the town of Dumbarton which he burned and he also managed to capture and kill the constable of the castle, Sir John Stewart of Dundonald, who was the King's uncle. The rebels however were unable to take the castle itself, which was successfully defended by John Colquhoun.

Following the collapse of the rebellion, Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany and his two elder sons were executed and James the Fat fled to Ireland, where he spent the remainder of his life in exile. A second attempt at rebellion in 1429 saw a fleet sail to Ireland to collect Fat Jim, "to convey him home that he might be king", but he died before the attempt could be made.

Jem Collection - Twilight in Paris Jem/Jerrica Benton Set by Aaliyah R.

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She visited Montmartre, but got lost in a dream, and Rio's the one she's dreaming of. Oh, she's definitely in love! A game plan set in place to send Jem and the Holograms soaring to France on business soon morphed into one colossal nightmare! The drama began the night the band met Lin-Z Pierce and Anthony Julian at Countess Danielle du Voisin's boat party. Unfortunately, the celebration ended with a hostile takeover executed by the Misfits, whose lead singer destroyed the control unit to the yacht, almost killing everyone aboard! Deeply irritated by their rivals, Jem and Kimber both agreed that their band would get the last laugh when they win the Battle of the Bands contest, but Jem insisted that they would need something extra spectacular to defeat the vamps of Rock 'n' Roll. Anthony Julian was eager to sign on as the official director for their video. Danielle immediately expressed her desire to cover the band's expenses, no matter the cost! And Howard Sands, caught up in the spirit of generosity, didn't think twice about providing his private jet for transportation. Then Danielle came up with a brilliant idea for location—Paris! The reality of that moment was too much for Jem and the Holograms to take in all at once, for each member felt eternally grateful for the love and assistance from their newest friends! Jem suggested that the band finish their album, first, and then set off on their adventure. Two days passed and the moment had finally come for the girls to depart for Howard Sands' private jet with their designer luggage in hand and instruments in tow. The concept was simple: Spend a few lovely days in the capital of France to shoot the music video for their latest hit, “Twilight in Paris”, with a little sightseeing in between, and then return home. After a few hours of flying through the bright sky, Jem and the Holograms finally touched down in Paris and immediately began working while still whirling from the opportunity bestowed upon them. However, unbeknown to them, Eric Raymond had embezzled enough money to send Zipper on a mini vacation to clock their every move and sabotage their video by any means! Meanwhile, on the streets of Paree, Anthony enjoyed showing off his directorial expertise while rehearsing a long elaborate scene with Jem and Shana. Off to the side of the shoot, a rivalry began to develop as Kimber grew more and more annoyed at Jem and showed less interest in shooting the video. Aja noticed Kimber's apparent state of discomfort and made a point that they're all apart of the same group. Several feet away, leering from behind the corner stood Zipper, armed and ready to engage in risky business by leading Jem and the Holograms into a deadfall! Emotionally scorned and bored, Kimber made a break from the group and decided to take a long walk. Rio noticed her in the distance and ran over to make sure that everything was ok, but the two began to argue over the amount of attention given to Jem. Rio mentioned that Kimber was acting like a spoiled child and that Jem was not trying to steal the spotlight. All bets were off at that moment as Kimber became livid to the point where she almost exposed Jem's true identity! A malfunctioning meltdown was averted, thanks to some swift footwork from Shana and Aja who both rushed over to collect Kimber and insisted that Jem would explain her secret to Rio when she felt the time was right! Meanwhile, listening and watching high above on the ledge sat Zipper, psyched up and prepared to execute his diabolical plan to flip a large gargoyle over on top of Jem and the Holograms who were performing just below! After the second take, the entire crew looked up for one second to see the gargoyle careening to the ground, and Rio, reacting on his instincts, flew through the air and pushed Jem and her girls out of harm's way! Anthony held Shana in shock and wondered where the oversized boulder appeared from, while Rio pulled Jem into his arms and held her close. Unhinged from reality, the group looked around for answers. Then, with another swift glance upward to the ledge, they soon discovered their worst nightmare...Zipper who was hopping like Batman from one rooftop to the next in a frantic attempt to escape! A few days later, Jem and her girls arrived back in California and noticed the entire city covered with Misfits posters. Angry as hell, Kimber took it upon herself to visit Eric at his office to get answers. Once there, she warned him that the Misfits would not get away with trying to rig the competition in their favor. And right away, Eric began to soft soap the star keyboardist with a promise that if she signed a contract with Misfits Music, then he would make her an overnight success. Not quite sure what to make from his proposal, Kimber stood her ground, spoke her mind, and then walked out the door. Meanwhile, at Starlight Music, Jerrica received a call from Lin-Z Pierce to appear on her wildly popular music television show! Immediately, Jerrica accepted the invite and said that she would inform her bandmates about the news, but Lin-Z insisted that it would have to be only her without the Holograms. Overwhelmed with appreciation, Jerrica agreed. Unaware of the facts, Shana and Aja jumped for joy, but not nearly as quick as Kimber who immediately flipped when she heard the news! Jerrica didn't know what to say other than admit that Lin-Z only wanted Jem for the appearance. No longer able to keep it together, Kimber blew her stack and exclaimed that she was sick of being the invisible woman behind Jem, and announced that she was going solo (hmm, déjà vu). Sadden by the revelation of her sister's decision to leave, Jerrica was moved to tears and decided to call Lin-Z and insisted that the interview would have to include the entire band or no one at all. And the chipper reporter was happy to suit her needs and agreed to have them appear together. Meanwhile, while riding around the city, Kimber tried to forget the incident by blasting some popular beats from her favorite radio station, KMAX. Already well aware of her sister's passion for KMAX, Jerrica brilliantly constructed a plan to visit the radio station with the hope of reaching out to her over the airwaves, and sent an emotional plea for her to return to the band, adding that without her as their keyboardist, there's no Holograms, thus no JEM! While listening to the broadcast, a tearful Kimber made a sharp u-turn and burnt rubber all the way back to Starlight Mansion, and agreed with her sister that, without JEM, there's no band, period! Rio pulled up a second later to warn Jerrica that they all had 15 minutes to airtime, and also had a lot on his mind about their relationship. On the way to the studio, Rio explained that he often finds himself in a confusing battle with trying to relate to Jerrica, and that she's too involved with Jem. He then revealed that he could no longer be Jem's road manager. In a panic, Jerrica begged Rio to stay, citing that they simply could not move forward without him. At Lin-Z's studio, inside the dressing room, Jerrica gave her star earring one slight touch and it was SHOWTIME! After a stellar performance of “I Got My Eye on You”, the girls took a seat to begin their interview. On the opposite side of the stage sat the Misfits who were already angry at Jem for just being there and wanted equal airtime, so they decided to razz the set. At that point, Lin-Z was past the point of reasoning and asked all three hellions to leave! As the Misfits exited the show, Pizzazz made an attempt to sink her claws into Rio by offering the purple prince the position of her very own personal bodyguard, and whispered that if he ever got tired of working for Jem, then he could come work for her instead. Sickened to the core, Rio spurred her offer straightaway! But an irritated Pizzazz took his rejection to heart and rammed him with an elbow to the gut, throwing him backwards and into a heavy duty light stand which fell over while yanking the electrical cords from the ceiling and sending the scaffolds and other equipment crashing down at Jem! Now trapped in a corner of the studio, and almost seconds away from the shock of her life, Jem belted out a guttural scream for help! The entire studio watched in trepidation as Rio jumped on an operating crane and eased his way over to where she stood, swept her up in his arms and whisked her away to safety! There were several lessons to be learned on that fateful day, but Jem and Rio became closer than ever before and developed a secret passion that would carry them through the years ahead.

There was high-risk action at every turn during her time in Paris, but what I find exceptionally interesting is that, while trying to avoid death, Jem never broke a sweat nor disarranged not one strand of hair on her head lol. And speaking of her beautifully fluffed hair, the end results for this particular version of Jem display more of a distinctively rich pink hue, possibly brighter than any other version in the collection, and nearly identical to Raya's hair. The color actually appears more richer in shade with strands of light pink highlights. I had to double-check, but one close look in the light and I noticed the light pink tint immediately! Can't say I'm feeling her dark eyebrows, but the length of her bangs takes care of that. Her cosmetics are flawless! Jem sat at her magnificent vanity table and pulled out her huge compact of light pink “Ciao Paris” highlighter and brushed a bunch of it on her brow bones, then swiped a great amount under her lash lines where her eyes and cheeks meet. She reached out for her pink “Splendere Luminoso” eyeshadow and added a few strokes above her creases, then came in with blue “Shootin' Star” shadow to the center of her creases, and jazzed it all up with a heap of shimmering aqua blue “Out of This World” dust on her lids and down around the tear ducts of both eyes. Her eyeliner is very important to her, and she's taken her time with constructing her thick, extensively sharp wings with “Midnight Tryst” liquid liner, and then used her “Breakfast in Bed” mascara to intensify her top and bottom lashes! She then opened up her secret drawer to reveal an expensive tube of pink “Frosted Frenzy” lipgloss, poked on two coats of pink “Light Rosé” nail polish, and backed away to check the view—UH-HUH! Let's talk about her outfit for a minute. The style, the colors and fabrics are all too hot for words and resemble pieces that were on loan from the Madonna “Boy Toy” collection lol. Here we have an aqua blue bodysuit, a stretchy, white lace dress with a flared hem, matching white lace gloves, and white ‘80s ruffled ankled socks! And the contents are bountiful! She's stylin' with a double strand of white pearls, a pearl bracelet, her hot pink, shiny leather belt w/ silver buckle and, lastly, her hot pink lacquered heels. Talk about packing it in! Her hot pink wireless microphone concludes her on-stage look. I have confirmed from day one that I'm all about Jem, but it's really Jerrica who happens to be the true star of this duo set! In the seven years of Integrity's Jem collection, the Design Team has taken great care of the JB line, already producing two variations that pale in comparison to each other, on top of killer fashions that are customary to the series. The torch has now made its way to the hands of TIP Jerrica, and she's raised this fiery instrument high above her head to claim victory! My goodness, how her hair shines! The razor cut, platinum blond bob was not only a clever move on their part, but was official confirmation as to how much Integrity honors this franchise! The members of the Design Team are faithful to the authenticity of Jem, the characters and their fashions, and this is why I am a faithful customer! The first thing I noticed a few months ago was her makeup...IT'S IMMACULATE!

And now? Makeup! Ms. Benton is in multicolored heaven with her “Passion in Paris” pancake makeup palette! Clearly, she beat the living daylights out of her canvas because there's hints of modern day flare literally marked all over her face, and I just can't pause from examining her creative work! While sitting in front of her vanity mirror, she began with applying pale aqua blue highlighter, in “Tropical Seabreeze”, to her brow bones. Next, she included a shimmery aqua blue shadow, in “Expensive Des Bijoux”, to her eyelids, and combined a layer of aqua blue “Mi International Amour” in an oval-shaped wing just above her creases, and a second, more defined wing of blue “Sky's the Limit” eyeshadow directly along the middle sections of her creases! Her black “La Tragédie” eyeliner coasts onward from the beginning of her eyelids to the outer tips with a jagged, needle-pointed wing that was drawn with the utmost of precision! She's a perfectionist for crying out loud lol. Ms. Benton straightened everything out with violet purple “Grape Parfait” shadow and “Kir Royale” liner across her bottom lash lines, as well as a playful presentation of blue “Smurfette's Revenge” mascara on her lashes! A few swipes of “Hawt, Hawt Heat” blush to her cheeks, and a coat of her “Cool as Fire, Hot as Ice” pink lipgloss and she's ready to go! Jerrica's outfit differs from her counterpart in more ways than one. For example, she's sporting a hot pink nylon hat, a long single strand of pearls, and her long white lace dress has long sleeves and a high slit on the side—cute, cute, cute! The dress is lined with a stretchy aqua blue tulle, as opposed to the see-through fabric used for Jem. Jerrica also wears an aqua blue bodysuit, white ruffled ankle socks, a double-length, hot pink belt w/ silver buckle, and a pair of matching hot pink heels. Both dolls knock me over with joy and elation!

My deep-seated love for this set allows me to appreciate every nook and cranny, and I certainly do! In sum, the TIP gift set has a little something for Jem doll collectors everywhere. It's fun, colorful, and at the same time, stylish and contemporary. As you take a long look at this set, you too will notice an air of Paris percolating from every angle! Ooh la la! ✈️

Execute Order 66 by John Ho

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IMG_0433W by Gautam Chakrabarti & Chitrabhanu Chakrabarti

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A formation in executing the nearly extinct Gotipua Dance at our Durga Puja Cultural Festival of 2013 - of South Madras Cultural Association, Chennai, India.

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Gotipua is a traditional dance form in the state of Orissa, India, and the precursor of Odissi classical dance. It has been performed in Orissa for centuries by young boys, who dress as women to praise Jagannath and Krishna. The dance is executed by a group of boys who perform acrobatic figures inspired by the life of Radha and Krishna. The boys begin to learn the dance at an early age until adolescence, when their androgynous appearance changes. In the Oriya language Gotipua, means "single boy" (goti-pua). Raghurajpur, Orissa (near Puri) is an historic village known for its Gotipua dance troupes.

To transform into graceful feminine dancers the boys do not cut their hair, instead styling it in a knot and weaving garlands of flowers into it. They make up their faces with mixed white and red powder. Kajal (black eyeliner) is broadly applied around the eyes to give them an elongated look. The bindi usually round, is applied to the forehead, surrounded with a pattern made from sandalwood. Traditional paintings adorn the face, which are unique to each dance school.

The costume has evolved over time. The traditional dress is a Kanchula, a brightly coloured blouse with shiny decorations. An apron-like, embroidered silk cloth (nibibandha) is tied around the waist like a ruffle and worn around the legs. Some dancers still adhere to tradition by wearing a pattasari: a piece of thin fabric about 4 metres (13 ft 1 in) long, worn tightly with equal lengths of material on both sides and a knot on the navel. However, this traditional dress is often replaced by a newly designed cloth which is easier to put on.

Dancers wear specially designed, beaded jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, armbands and ear ornaments. Nose-piercing jewelry has been replaced with a painted motif. Ankle bells are worn, to accentuate the beats tapped out by the feet. The palms of the hands and soles of the feet are painted with a red liquid known as alta. The costume, jewelry and bells are considered sacred.

Long ago, the temples in Orissa had female dancers known as devadasi (or mahari), who were devoted to Jagannath, which gave rise to Mahari dance. Sculptures of dancers on bas-reliefs in temples in Orissa (and the Konark Sun and Jagannath Temples in Puri) demonstrate this ancient tradition. With the decline of mahari dancers around the 16th century during the reign of Rama Chandra Dev (who founded the Bhoi dynasty), boy dancers in Orissa continued the tradition. Gotipua dance is in the Odissi style, but their technique, costumes and presentation differ from those of the mahari; the singing is done by the dancers. Present-day Odissi dance has been influenced by Gotipua dance. Most masters of Odissi dance (such as Kelucharan Mohapatra, from Raghurajpur) were Gotipua dancers in their youth.

Odissi dance is a combination of tandava (vigorous, masculine) and lasya (graceful, feminine) dances. It has two basic postures: tribhangi (in which the body is held with bends at the head, torso and knees) and chouka (a square-like stance, symbolizing Jagannath). Fluidity in the upper torso is characteristic of Odissi dance, which is often compared to the gentle sea waves which caress the Orissa beaches.

Each year, the Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre organizes the Gotipua Dance Festival in Bhubaneswar.

Source : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotipua

Coupole du transept, église abbatiale, monastère San Juan de Los Reyes (XVe), Tolède, Castille-La Manche, Espagne. by Bernard Blanc

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Style gothique isabélin, décoration sculptée exécutée par l'artiste breton Juan Guas (Jean Goas, né à Saint Pol de Léon)

Bound by flesh.... by luke joyce

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An 1852 edition of The Poetical Works of John Milton, with a macabre twist - it is bound with the skin of an executed murderer !

Visit www.donotresuscitate.co.uk and click on "Archive" to see more info and images...

Replica documents from the Salem Witch Trials by Melissa Johnson

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The Salem witchcraft events began in late February 1692 and lasted through April, 1693. All told, at least twenty-five people died: nineteen were executed by hanging, one was tortured to death, and at least five died in jail due to harsh conditions. Over 160 people were accused of witchcraft, most were jailed, and many deprived of property and legal rights. Accused persons lived in the town of Salem and Salem Village (now Danvers) and in two dozen other towns in eastern Massachusetts Bay Colony. Nearly fifty people confessed to witchcraft, most to save themselves from immediate trial. Hundreds of other people in the Bay Colony -- neighbors, relatives, jurors, ministers, and magistrates -- were caught up in the legal proceedings of the trials. In October 1692, Governor William Phips ended the special witchcraft court in Salem. Accusations soon abated and eventually stopped. In January, the new Superior Court of Judicature began to try the remaining cases and eventually cleared the jails. After Salem trials, no one was convicted of witchcraft in New England. During the Salem trials, more people were accused and executed than in all the previous witchcraft trials in New England.

SEATTLE REPRAZENT! by Ochre Jelly

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As a result of Simon Liu's masterfully executed Red Brick Game at Brickworld last year, Dave Sterling's slice of Steampunk heaven the Blunderbuss was up for auction as the grand prize at this year's event.

But rumors began to spread that if he won this creation, the impish Brother Simon would smash it to pieces and turn it into a spaceship! Clearly this meant war...

So after getting into something of a bidding war with the one and only (but super nice) Steve Jackson, I was able to ensure that the Blunderbuss would stay in one piece - and return to Seattle!

Gracious to the end, Simon gave me a rare steampunk version of his Frog Pod. Dave was up for smashing that and turning it into a gun. But in the end we decided to incorporate it into Dave's creation: It is now the gun's safety!

Dave showed how me how to disassemble and reassemble it. And despite the effects of repeated visits to the Long Island Ice Tea Keg, some of it must have stuck, because here it is on display in my dining room...

IMG_0323W by Gautam Chakrabarti & Chitrabhanu Chakrabarti

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Goddess Durga killing the Demon Mahishashura (Buffalo Demon).