A museum promoting Southeast Alaskan Native culture, including language and art in Juneau Alaska

Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is in a "light Scots dialect" of English, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these writings his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest.

 

He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism, and a cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora around the world. Celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature. In 2009 he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a vote run by Scottish television channel STV.

 

As well as making original compositions, Burns also collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem (and song) "Auld Lang Syne" is often sung at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and "Scots Wha Hae" served for a long time as an unofficial national anthem of the country. Other poems and songs of Burns that remain well known across the world today include "A Red, Red Rose", "A Man's a Man for A' That", "To a Louse", "To a Mouse", "The Battle of Sherramuir", "Tam o' Shanter" and "Ae Fond Kiss".

 

Burns Night, in effect a second national day, is celebrated on Burns's birthday, 25 January, with Burns suppers around the world, and is more widely observed in Scotland than the official national day, St. Andrew's Day. The first Burns supper in The Mother Club in Greenock was held on what was thought to be his birthday on 29 January 1802; in 1803 it was discovered from the Ayr parish records that the correct date was 25 January 1759.

 

The format of Burns suppers has changed little since. The basic format starts with a general welcome and announcements, followed with the Selkirk Grace. After the grace comes the piping and cutting of the haggis, when Burns's famous "Address to a Haggis" is read and the haggis is cut open. The event usually allows for people to start eating just after the haggis is presented. At the end of the meal, a series of toasts, often including a 'Toast to the Lassies', and replies are made. This is when the toast to "the immortal memory", an overview of Burns's life and work, is given. The event usually concludes with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne".

 

Amelia Robertson Hill (15 January 1821 – 5 July 1904), birth record Emmilia McDermaid Paton, was a prominent Scottish artist and sculptor throughout the 19th century and one of the few with public commissions. Her most noteworthy works are the statue of David Livingstone in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh and statue of Robert Burns in Dumfries. She was the main female contributor to the statues on the Scott Monument, contributing three figures.

Life

 

Hill was born in Wooer's Alley, Dunfermline, the daughter of Catherine McDiarmid (d. 1853) and Joseph Neil Paton (1797–1874), a damask designer. Her sister Jemima, born on 11 November 1823. Her brothers were artists Joseph Noel Paton (1821–1901) and Waller Hugh Paton (1828–1895). She appears to have trained as a sculptor under William Brodie in Edinburgh.

 

In 1862 she married the pioneer photographer David Octavius Hill. She was his second wife. They lived in Edinburgh. His role as secretary of the Royal Scottish Academy played a part in this. In 1861 they moved to George Square, and in 1863 to Calton Stairs. In 1868 they set up home at Rock House, on the south-west corner of Calton Hill near the southern entrance steps to the hill. Although they are famously connected with this address they lived here only two years. He died in 1870 and Amelia moved out of the house, to Newington Lodge. She placed a bronze bust of his likeness, sculpted by her own hands, on his grave.

 

The 1891 census describes Hill as "sculptor, retired" but she exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy until 1902, aged 82. She died at her house, Newington Lodge, 38 Mayfield Terrace on 5 July 1904 aged 83. She was buried next to her husband in Dean Cemetery, beneath her own sculpture of 34 years earlier.

Bicentenary

 

A walking tour of her Edinburgh works was instigated as 'The Amelia Tour' in her bicentenary year, 2021.

 

Principal works

Bust of John Fergus MP, Kirkcaldy Town Hall (1861)

Marble bust of Mary Louise, Countess of Elgin, Lord Elgin Hotel, Ottawa (1863)

Marble busts of Rev. Robert Smith Candlish in his role as principal of New College, one of the leaders of the Scottish Disruption, held by the University of Edinburgh (1864 and 1865)

Marble bust of Rev. Horatius Bonar, hymn-writer (1865)

James Wemyss of Wemyss MP, Fife County Hall (1866)

Marble bust of Thomas Carlyle, National Trust of Scotland collection (1866)

Marble bust of David Livingstone (1866)

Bust of Edward Cazalet (1866)

Bust of her husband, David Octavius Hill (1867)

Marble bust of Sir George Harvey (1867)

Marble bust of David Brewster, scientist (1867)

Three stone figures for the Scott Monument on Princes Street, Edinburgh (1870) (Magnus Troil and Minna Troil of The Pirate (novel) and Richard the Lionheart)

Pet Marjorie, the child author (1870)

Marble bust of her brother, Joseph Noel Paton, Scottish National Portrait Gallery (1872)

Bust of Sir James Young Simpson (1872)

Painting, "Ludlow Castle, evening" (1873)

Very prominent statue to David Livingstone on Princes Street in Edinburgh (1875) erected by public subscription.

Memorial to Regent Murray in Linlithgow, marking the place of his assassination (1876)

Figures of "Painting" and "Poetry" flanking the shoulders of the ornate entrance to the Albert Buildings, 22–30 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh (1877)

Statue of Robert Burns, Church Place, Dumfries (1881)

Bust of Percy Bysshe Shelley, exhibited RSA (1882)

 

Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, 25 miles (40 km) from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the historic county of Dumfriesshire.

 

Before becoming King of Scots, Robert the Bruce killed his rival the Red Comyn at Greyfriars Kirk in the town in 1306. The Young Pretender had his headquarters here towards the end of 1745. In the Second World War, the Norwegian Army in exile in Britain largely consisted of a brigade in Dumfries.

 

Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South. This is also the name of the town's football club. People from Dumfries are known colloquially in Scots language as Doonhamers.

 

History

Early history

 

No positive information has been obtained of the era and circumstances in which the town of Dumfries was founded.

 

Some writers hold that Dumfries flourished as a place of distinction during the Roman occupation of North Great Britain. The Selgovae inhabited Nithsdale at the time and may have raised some military works of a defensive nature on or near the site of Dumfries; and it is more than probable that a castle of some kind formed the nucleus of the town. This is inferred from the etymology of the name, which, according to one theory, is resolvable into two Gaelic terms signifying a castle or fort in the copse or brushwood. Dumfries was once within the borders of the Kingdom of Northumbria. The district around Dumfries was for several centuries ruled over and deemed of much importance by the invading Romans. Many traces of Roman presence in Dumfriesshire are still to be found; coins, weapons, sepulchral remains, military earthworks, and roads being among the relics left by their lengthened sojourn in this part of Scotland. The Caledonian tribes in the south of Scotland were invested with the same rights by an edict of Antoninus Pius. The Romanized natives received freedom (the burrows, cairns, and remains of stone temples still to be seen in the district tell of a time when Druidism was the prevailing religion) as well as civilisation from their conquerors. Late in the fourth century, the Romans bade farewell to the country.

 

According to another theory, the name is a corruption of two words which mean the Friars' Hill; those who favour this idea allege that St. Ninian, by planting a religious house near the head of what is now the Friars' Vennel, at the close of the fourth century, became the virtual founder of the Burgh; however Ninian, so far as is known, did not originate any monastic establishments anywhere and was simply a missionary. In the list of British towns given by the ancient historian Nennius, the name Caer Peris occurs, which some modern antiquarians suppose to have been transmuted, by a change of dialect, into Dumfries.

 

Twelve of King Arthur's battles were recorded by Nennius in Historia Brittonum. The Battle of Tribruit (the tenth battle), has been suggested as having possibly been near Dumfries or near the mouth of the river Avon near Bo'ness.

 

After the Roman departure the area around Dumfries had various forms of visit by Picts, Anglo-Saxons, Scots and Norse culminating in a decisive victory for Gregory, King of Scots at what is now Lochmaben over the native Britons in 890.

Medieval period

 

When, in 1069, Malcolm Canmore and William the Conqueror held a conference regarding the claims of Edgar Ætheling to the English Crown, they met at Abernithi – a term which in the old British tongue means a port at the mouth of the Nith. It has been argued, the town thus characterised must have been Dumfries; and therefore it must have existed as a port in the Kingdom of Strathclyde, if not in the Roman days. However, against this argument is that the town is situated eight to nine miles (14 km) distant from the sea, although the River Nith is tidal and navigable all the way into the town itself.

 

Although at the time 1 mile (1.6 km) upstream and on the opposite bank of the Nith from Dumfries, Lincluden Abbey was founded circa 1160. The abbey ruins are on the site of the bailey of the very early Lincluden Castle, as are those of the later Lincluden Tower. This religious house was used for various purposes, until its abandonment around 1700. Lincluden Abbey and its grounds are now within the Dumfries urban conurbation boundary. William the Lion granted the charter to raise Dumfries to the rank of a royal burgh in 1186. Dumfries was very much on the frontier during its first 50 years as a burgh and it grew rapidly as a market town and port.

 

Alexander III visited Dumfries in 1264 to plan an expedition against the Isle of Man, previously Scots but for 180 years subjected by the crown of Norway. Identified with the conquest of Man, Dumfries shared in the well-being of Scotland for the next 22 years until Alexander's accidental death brought an Augustan era in the town's history to an abrupt finish.

 

A royal castle, which no longer exists, was built in the 13th century on the site of the present Castledykes Park. In the latter part of the century William Wallace chased a fleeing English force southward through the Nith valley. The English fugitives met the gates of Dumfries Castle that remained firmly closed in their presence. With a body of the town's people joining Wallace and his fellow pursuers when they arrived, the fleeing English met their end at Cockpool on the Solway Coast. After resting at Caerlaverock Castle a few miles away from the bloodletting, Wallace again passed through Dumfries the day after as he returned north to Sanquhar Castle.

 

During the invasion of 1300, Edward I of England lodged for a few days in June with the Minorite Friars of the Vennel, before he laid siege to Caerlaverock Castle at the head of the then greatest invasion force to attack Scotland. After Caerlaverock eventually succumbed, Edward passed through Dumfries again as he crossed the Nith to take his invasion into Galloway. With the Scottish nobility having requested Vatican support for their cause, Edward on his return to Caerlaverock was presented with a missive directed to him by Pope Boniface VIII. Edward held court in Dumfries at which he grudgingly agreed to an armistice. On 30 October, the truce solicited by Pope Boniface was signed by Edward at Dumfries. Letters from Edward, dated at Dumfries, were sent to his subordinates throughout Scotland, ordering them to give effect to the treaty. The peace was to last until Whitsunday in the following year.

 

Before becoming King of Scots, Robert the Bruce stabbed his rival the Red Comyn at Greyfriars Kirk in the town on 10 February 1306. Bruce's uncertainty about the fatality of the stabbing caused one of his followers, Roger de Kirkpatrick, to utter the famous, "I mak siccar" ("I make sure") and finish the Comyn off. Bruce was subsequently excommunicated as a result, less for the murder than for its location in a church. Regardless, for Bruce the die was cast at the moment in Greyfriars and so began his campaign by force for the independence of Scotland. Swords were drawn by supporters of both sides, the burial ground of the monastery becoming the theatre of battle. Bruce and his party then attacked Dumfries Castle. The English garrison surrendered and for the third time in the day Bruce and his supporters were victorious. He was crowned King of Scots barely seven weeks after. Bruce later triumphed at the Battle of Bannockburn and led Scotland to independence.

 

Once Edward received word of the revolution that had started in Dumfries, he again raised an army and invaded Scotland. Dumfries was again subjected to the control of Bruce's enemies. Sir Christopher Seton (Bruce's brother in law) had been captured at Loch Doon and was hurried to Dumfries to be tried for treason in general and more specifically for being present at Comyn's killing. Still in 1306 and along with two companions, Seton was condemned and executed by hanging and then beheading at the site of what is now St Mary's Church.

 

In 1659 ten women were accused of diverse acts of witchcraft by Dumfries Kirk Session although the Kirk Session minutes itself records nine witches. The Justiciary Court found them guilty of the several articles of witchcraft and on 13 April between 2 pm and 4 pm they were taken to the Whitesands, strangled at stakes and their bodies burnt to ashes.

 

Eighteenth century

The Midsteeple in the centre of the High Street was completed in 1707. Opposite the fountain in the High Street, adjacent to the present Marks & Spencer, was the Commercial and later the County Hotel. Although the latter was demolished in 1984–85, the original facade of the building was retained and incorporated into new retail premises. The building now houses a Waterstones Bookshop. Room No. 6 of the hotel was known as Bonnie Prince Charlie's Room and appropriately carpeted in the Royal Stewart tartan. The timber panelling of "Prince Charlie's room" was largely reinstated and painted complete with the oil painted landscapes by Robert Norie (1720–1766) in the overmantels at either end of the room and can still be seen as the upstairs showroom of the book shop. The Young Pretender had his headquarters here during a 3-day sojourn in Dumfries towards the end of 1745. £2,000 was demanded by the Prince, together with 1,000 pairs of brogues for his kilted Jacobite rebel army, which was camping in a field not one hundred yards distant. A rumour that the Duke of Cumberland was approaching, made Bonnie Prince Charlie decide to leave with his army, with only £1,000 and 255 pairs of shoes having been handed over.

 

Robert Burns moved to Dumfriesshire in 1788 and Dumfries itself in 1791, living there until his death on 21 July 1796. Today's Greyfriars Church overlooks the location of a statue of Burns, which was designed by Amelia Robertson Hill, sculpted in Carrara, Italy in 1882, and was unveiled by future Prime Minister, Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery on 6 April 1882. Today, it features on the 2007 series of £5 notes issued by the Bank of Scotland, alongside the Brig o' Doon.

 

After working with Patrick Miller of Dalswinton, inventor William Symington intended to carry out a trial in order to show than an engine would work on a boat without the boat catching fire. The trial finally took place on Dalswinton Loch near Dumfries on 14 October 1788. The experiment demonstrated that a steam engine would work on a boat. Symington went on to become the builder of the first practical steamboat.

 

20th century and beyond

The first official intimation that RAF Dumfries was to be built was made in late 1938. The site chosen had accommodated light aircraft since about 1914. Work progressed quickly, and on 17 June 1940, the 18 Maintenance Unit was opened at Dumfries. The role of the base during the war also encompassed training. RAF Dumfries had a moment of danger on 25 March 1943, when a German Dornier Do 217 aircraft shot up the airfield beacon, but crashed shortly afterwards. The pilot, Oberleutnant Martin Piscke was later interred in Troqueer Cemetery in Dumfries town, with full military honours. On the night of 3/4 August 1943 a Vickers Wellington bomber with engine problems diverted to but crashed 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) short of the Dumfries runway.

 

During the Second World War, the bulk of the Norwegian Army during their years in exile in Britain consisted of a brigade in Dumfries. When the army High Command took over, there were 70 officers and about 760 privates in the camp. The camp was established in June 1940 and named Norwegian Reception Camp, consisting of some 500 men and women, mainly foreign-Norwegian who had volunteered for war duty in Norway during the Nazi occupation in early 1940. Through the summer the number was built up to around 1,500 under the command of General Carl Gustav Fleischer. Within a few miles of Dumfries are the villages of Tinwald, Torthorwald and Mouswald all of which were settled by Vikings.

 

Dumfries has experienced two Boxing Day earthquakes. These were in 1979 (measuring 4.7 ML  centred near Longtown) and 2006 (centred in the Dumfries locality measuring 3.6 ML ). There were no serious consequences of either. There was also an earthquake on 16 February 1984 and a further earthquake on 7 June 2010.

 

Like the rest of Dumfries and Galloway, of Scotland's three major geographical areas Dumfries lies in the Southern Uplands.

 

The river Nith runs through Dumfries toward the Solway Firth in a southwards direction splitting the town into East and West. At low tide, the sea recedes to such an extent on the shallow sloping sands of the Solway that the length of the Nith is extended by 13 km to 113.8 km (70.7 mi). This makes the Nith Scotland's seventh longest river. There are several bridges across the river within the town. In between the Devorgilla (also known as 'The Old Bridge') and the suspension bridge is a weir colloquially known as 'The Caul'. In wetter months of the year the Nith can flood the surrounding streets. The Whitesands has flooded on average once a year since 1827.

 

Dumfries has numerous suburbs including Summerhill, Summerville, Troqueer, Georgetown, Cresswell, Larchfield, Calside, Lochside, Lincluden, Newbridge Drive, Sandside, Heathhall, Locharbriggs, Noblehill and Marchmount. Maxwelltown to the west of the river Nith, was formerly a burgh in its own right within Kirkcudbrightshire until its incorporation into Dumfries in 1929; Summerhill, Troqueer, Lochside, Lincluden, Sandside are among other suburbs located on the Maxwelltown side of the river. Palmerston Park, home to the town's senior football team Queen of the South, is on Terregles Street, also on the Maxwelltown side of the river.

 

Queensberry Square and High Street are the central focal points of the town and this area hosts many of the historical, social and commercial enterprises and events of Dumfries. During the 1990s, these areas enjoyed various aesthetic recognitions from organisations including Britain in Bloom.

 

Dumfries got its nickname 'Queen of the South' from David Dunbar, a local poet, who in 1857 stood in the general election. In one of his addresses he called Dumfries "Queen of the South" and this became synonymous with the town.

 

The term doonhamer comes from the way that natives of Dumfries over the years have referred to the area when working away from home. The town is often referred to as doon hame in the Scots language (down home). The term doonhamer followed, to describe those that originate from Dumfries.

 

The Doonhamers is also the nickname of Queen of the South who represent Dumfries and the surrounding area in the Scottish Football League.

 

The crest of Dumfries contains the words, "A Lore Burne". In the history of Dumfries close to the town was the marsh through which ran the Loreburn whose name became the rallying cry of the town in times of attack – A Lore Burne (meaning 'to the muddy stream').

 

In 2017 Dumfries was ranked the happiest place in Scotland by Rightmove.

 

Located on top of a small hill, Dumfries Museum is centred on the 18th-century windmill which stands above the town. Included are fossil footprints left by prehistoric reptiles, the wildlife of the Solway marshes, tools and weapons of the earliest peoples of the region and stone carvings of Scotland's first Christians. On the top floor of the museum is a camera obscura.

 

Based in the control tower near Tinwald Downs, the aviation museum has an extensive indoor display of memorabilia, much of which has come via various recovery activities. During the second world war, aerial navigation was taught at Dumfries also at Wigtown and nearby Annan was a fighter training unit. RAF Dumfries doubled as an important maintenance unit and aircraft storage unit. The museum is run by the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Group and is the only private aviation museum in Scotland. The restored control tower of the former World War II airfield is now a listed building. The museum is run by volunteers and houses a large and ever expanding aircraft collection, aero engines and a display of artefacts and personal histories relating to aviation, past and present. It is also home to the Loch Doon Spitfire. Both civil aviation and military aviation are represented.

 

The Theatre Royal, Dumfries was built in 1792 and is the oldest working theatre in Scotland.

 

The theatre is owned by the Guild of Players who bought it in 1959, thereby saving it from demolition, and is run on a voluntary basis by the members of the Guild of Players. It is funded entirely by Guild membership subscriptions, and by box office receipts. It does not currently receive any grant aid towards running costs.

 

In recent years the theatre has been re-roofed and the outside refurbished. It is the venue for the Guild of Players' own productions and for performances from visiting companies. These include: Scottish Opera, TAG, the Borderline and 7:84.

 

The Robert Burns Centre is an art house cinema in Dumfries. The Odeon Cinema, which showed more mainstream movies, closed its doors in mid-2018 due to the local council refusing to allow Odeon to relocate, forcing them to close.

 

The Loreburn Hall (sometimes known colloquially as The Drill Hall) has hosted concerts by performers such as Black Sabbath, Big Country, The Proclaimers and Scottish Opera. The hall has hosted sporting events such as wrestling. The new DG One sport, fitness and entertainment centre became the principal indoor event venue in Dumfries in 2007, but in October 2014, it closed due to major defects being discovered in the building. However, the refurbished building reopened to the public in the summer of 2019. The Theatre Royal has also reopened following renovation work.

 

With a collection of over 400 Scottish paintings, Gracefield Arts Centre hosts a changing programme of exhibitions featuring regional, national and international artists and craft-makers.

 

Dumfries Art Trail brings together artists, makers, galleries and craft shops with venues accessible all year round.

 

There are a number of festivals which take place throughout the year, mostly based on traditional values.

 

Guid Nychburris (Middle Scots, meaning Good Neighbours) is the main festival of the year, a ceremony which is largely based on the theme of a positive community spirit.

 

The ceremony on Guid Nychburris Day, follows a route and sequence of events laid down in the mists of time. Formal proceedings start at 7.30 am with the gathering of up to 250 horses waiting for the courier to arrive and announce that the Pursuivant is on his way, and at 8.00 am leave the Midsteeple and ride out to meet the Pursuivant. They then proceed to Ride the Marches and Stob and Nog (mark the boundary with posts and flags) before returning to the Midsteeple at 12.15 pm to meet the Provost and then the Charter is proclaimed to the towns people of Dumfries. This is then followed by the crowning of the Queen of the South.

 

Since 2013, Dumfries has seen the annual Nithraid, a small boat race up the Nith from Carsethorn, celebrating the town's historical relationship with the river.

 

The region is also home to a number of thriving music festivals such as the Eden Festival (at St Ann's near Moffat), Youthbeatz (Scotland's largest free youth music festival), the Moniaive Folk Festival, Thornhill Music Festival, Big Burns Supper Festival and previously Electric Fields at Drumlanrig Castle.

 

Queen of the South represent Dumfries and the surrounding area in the third level of the country's professional football system, the Scottish League One. Palmerston Park on Terregles Street is the home ground of the team. This is on the Maxwelltown side of the River Nith. They reached the 2008 Scottish Cup Final, losing 3–2 to Rangers.

 

Dumfries City VFC are a virtual football club from the town.

 

Dumfries Saints Rugby Club is one of Scotland's oldest rugby clubs having been admitted to the Scottish Rugby Union in 1876–77 as "Dumfries Rangers".

 

Dumfries is also home to a number of golf courses:

 

The Crichton Golf Club

The Dumfries and County Golf Club

The Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club

 

Of those listed, only the Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club is on the Maxwelltown side of the River Nith. This course is also bisected into 2 halves of 9 holes each by the town's Castle Douglas Road. The club house and holes 1 to 7 and 17 and 18 are on the side nearest to Summerhill, Dumfries. Holes 8 to 16 are on the side nearest to Janefield.

 

The opening stage of the 2011 Tour of Britain started in Peebles and finished 105.8 miles (170.3 km) later in Dumfries. The stage was won by sprint specialist and reigning Tour de France green jersey champion, Mark Cavendish, with his teammate lead out man, Mark Renshaw finishing second. Cavendish had been scheduled to be racing in the 2011 Vuelta a España. However Cavendish was one a number of riders to withdraw having suffered in the searing Spanish heat. This allowed Cavendish to be a late addition to the Tour of Britain line up in his preparation for what was to be a successful bid two weeks later in the 2011 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race. Cavendish in a smiling post race TV interview in Dumfries described the wet and windy race conditions through the Southern Scottish stage as 'horrible'.

 

DG One complex includes a national event-sized competition swimming pool.

 

The David Keswick Athletic Centre is the principal facility in Dumfries for athletics.

 

Dumfries is home to Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club. The rowers share their clubhouse with Dumfries Sub-Aqua Club.

 

The town is also home to Solway Sharks ice hockey team. The team are current Northern Premier League winners. The team's home rink is Dumfries Ice Bowl. Dumfries Ice bowl is also recognised as Scotland's only centre of ice hockey excellence, and trials for the Scottish Jr national team are carried out at this venu.

 

Dumfries Ice Bowl is also home to two synchronised skating teams, Solway Stars and Solway Eclipse. In addition, Dumfries Ice Bowl is also home to several curling teams, competitions and leagues. Junior curling teams from Dumfries, consisting of curlers under the age of 21, regularly compete in the Dutch Junior Open based in Zoetermeer, the Netherlands. In 2007, 2008 and 2009 a Dumfries-based team have been the winners of the competition's Hogline Trophy.

 

Dumfries hosts three outdoor bowls clubs:

 

Dumfries Bowling Club

Marchmount Bowling Club

Maxwelltown Bowling Club

 

Dumfries hosts cycling organisations and cycling holidays

 

The most significant of the parks in Dumfries are all within walking distance of the town centre:-

 

Dock Park – located on the East bank of the Nith just to the South of St Michael's Bridge

Castledykes Park – as the name suggests on the site of a former castle

Mill Green (also known as deer park, although the deer formerly accommodated there have since been relocated) – on the West bank of the Nith opposite Whitesands

 

There are many buildings in Dumfries made from sandstone of the local Locharbriggs quarry.

 

The quarry is situated off the A701 on the north of Dumfries at Locharbriggs close to the nearby aggregates quarry. This dimension stone quarry is a large quarry. Quarry working at Locharbriggs dates from the 18th century, and the quarry has been worked continuously since 1890.

 

There are good reserves of stone that can be extracted at several locations. On average the stone is available at depths of 1m on bed although some larger blocks are obtainable. The average length of a block is 1.5m but 2.6m blocks can be obtained.

 

Locharbriggs is from the New Red Sandstone of the Permian age. It is a medium-grained stone ranging in colour from dull red to pink. It is the sandstone used in the Queen Alexandra Bridge in Sunderland, the Manchester Central Convention Complex and the base of the Statue of Liberty.

This memorial has been researched by the Roll of Honour team, and where information has been used from that site it is identified as (RoH).

www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/NorwichStSaviour.html

 

W H Ager

 

William Henry AGER (RoH)

Private 328231, 1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment. Killed in action 28th August 1918. Aged 19. Born and enlisted Norwich. Son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Ager, of 15, Golden Dog Lane, St. George's, Norwich. Buried in PERONNE ROAD CEMETERY, MARICOURT, Somme, France. Plot III. Row I. Grave 3.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=310602

 

There is a picture of William Henry on Norlink

norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...

The accompanying notes read

Ager, Private William Henry, 3/4 Norfolk Regiment

Resident at 15 Golden Dog Lane, Norwich; enlisted 7 November 1915; killed in action in France, 26 August 1918.

 

The 2 year William , born Norwich, can be found on the 1901 Census at 15 Golden Dog Lane in the parish of St Saviour, This is the household of his parents, Charles, (aged 42 and a Carpenter from Norwich) and Caroline, (also aged 42 and from Norwich). Their other children are:-

Annie…….aged 18.….born Norwich…..Yarn Picker

Edith………aged 15.…born Norwich…..Yarn Twister

Sidney……aged 12.….born Norwich

Charles…..aged 8.……born Norwich

Alice…….aged 4.……born Norwich

 

However, while Charles senior still appears to be in Norwich for the 1911 census, his wife, William, Charles and Alice appear to be completely absent.

 

The Battalion would have been involved in the general advance following the Third Battle of Albert, which is one of the divisional Battle Honours.

 

Battle of Albert (1918) (August 21 - 22, 1918) was the third battle by that name fought during World War I, following the First Battle of Albert, and the Second Battle of Albert, with each of the series of three being fought roughly two years apart. This smaller third battle was significant in that it was the opening push that would lead to the Second Battle of the Somme, and heavily involved the New Zealand Division, formed after the disastrous Gallipoli campaign. This attack opened the advance, with the main attack being launched by the British Third Army, with the United States II Corps attached.

The attacks developed into an advance, which pushed the German 2nd Army back along a 50-mile (80 km) front line. On August 22, the New Zealand Division took Albert, with the British and Americans advancing on Arras. On August 29, Bapaume fell into British and American hands, which resulted in an advance by the Australian Corps, who crossed the Somme River on August 31 and broke the German lines during the Battle of Mont St. Quentin. Ultimately, the overall battle resulted in the German Army being pushed back to the Hindenburg Line, from which they had launched their spring offensive.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Albert_(1918)

www.cwgc.org/victory1918/content.asp?menuid=35&submen...

 

A Barber

Arthur BARBER (RoH)

Private 267239, 13th (Service) Battalion (Forest of Dean)(Pioneers), Gloucestershire Regiment. Died 26th April 1918. Born St Saviour, Norwich, enlisted Norwich. No known grave. Commemorated on TYNE COT MEMORIAL, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 72 to 75.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=847003

(No personal details on CWGC).

 

We have a 2 year old Arthur A, born Norwich, and living at Tarrells Yard, which appears to be in the Cowgate \ Bull Close area in the neighbouring parish of St Pauls, as well as a 4 year old Arthur and his 26 year old father of the same name living in nearby St Augustines. There are then a further 5 Arthur \ Alfred’s of the right sort of age to have fought in WW1 in the ranks, i.e. born after 1875 and with a Norwich connection.

 

The division of which Arthur’s unit was part lists amongst its battle honours for 1918

Second Battle of Kemmel. 25-26 Apr.

As part of the German assault there was a heavy bombardment of the Artillery and rear areas with both conventional shell and gas.

www.webmatters.net/belgium/ww1_lys_4.htm

 

W Barber

William BARBER (RoH)

Private 6692, Depot, Norfolk Regiment. Died 9th July 1917. Aged 33. Husband of Ellen Barber, of 2, Mischief Yard, Peacock St., Norwich. Buried in NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk. Plot/Row/Section V. Grave 547.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2803041

No match on Norlink

 

The 17 year old William,(born Norwich and employed as a Shoe Finisher), can be found on the 1901 census at 176 St George Street, in the parish of St Augustines. This is the household of his widower father, James, (aged 59 and a Publican from Norwich), Also resident is William’s brother, Walter, aged 19 and a shoe finisher from Norwich.

 

Wm A. Bassett

William A BASSETT (RoH)

Private 250620, 1st/6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Killed in action 28th July 1918. Aged 23. Born and enlisted Norwich. Son of Mrs. L. E. Bassett, of 2, Ling's Court, Stump Goss, Magdalen St., Norwich. Formerly 5565, Norfolk Regiment. Buried in THELUS MILITARY CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot V. Row C. Section 1.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=296709

CWGC only lists this soldier as W Bassett.

Brother of Walter Albert listed below.

No match on Norlink

 

The 1901 Census has the 4 year old Willie, born Norwich, recorded at 18, Gildencroft in the Parish of St Augustines. This is the household of his parents, George, (aged 45 and a sweep, no place of birth recorded), and Lottie, (aged 39 and from Norwich). The rest of their children are:-

Richard…………..aged 16.……born Norwich……Printers apprentice

Ethel………………aged 15.…..born Norwich

George……………aged 11.…..born Norwich

Walter…………….aged 10.….born Norwich

Lillian…………….aged 6.……born Norwich

Hilda…………..aged 2.……….born Norwich

 

The 1st/6th had been reduced to a cadre by the end of June, with surplus men being released to other units. As the Thelus Military Cemetery was used for battlefield casualties, I suspect Private Bassett was one of those surplus men, and he died while serving with another unit.

 

Wr.A.Bassett

Walter Albert BASSETT (RoH)

Private 12784, 7th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Died 13th October 1915. Aged 24. Born St Saviour, Norwich, enlisted Norwich. Son of Mrs. L. Bassett, of 2, Ling's Court, Magdalen St., Norwich; husband of Laura V. Watling (formerly Bassett), of 2, St. Saviour's Alley, Magdalen St., Norwich. Commemorated on LOOS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 30 and 31.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=727290

Brother of William above.

No match on Norlink

 

See William above for 1901 Census details.

 

On 12th October 1915 the Battalion moved from billets to a line in front of the St Elie Quarries, taking over from the Coldstream Guards. The attack was planned to go ahead the following day under a smoke cloud with the Norfolks closing on the German trenches from both ends of their position thus straightening their line, their own trenches being in a semi-circle. The left side of the Battalion was also tasked with bombing a German communications trench. A bright sunny day with an ideal wind for moving the smoke towards the enemy positions, the artillery bombardment began at 12:00 and was intensive by 13:45. 54 heavy and 86 field howitzers and 286 field guns fired on enemy trenches in the area of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, Fosse 8, the Quarries, Gun Trench and the positions south to Chalk Pit Wood. It failed to cause sufficient damage to the enemy positions. The smoke barrage went wrong and ceased by 13:40, twenty minutes before the attack was launched at 14:00 and was thus very thin. German machine gun fire from in front and from the direction of Slag Alley, opposite the Norfolks right flank, enfiladed their attack. Whilst they gained a foothold in the Quarries and consolidated the position they were unable to advance further. In the battalions first serious engagement they lost 5 Officers killed or died of wounds and 6 wounded, and 66 other ranks killed, 196 wounded and 160 missing.

Source: 1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42270

 

W G Brown

William George BROWN (RoH)

Driver T/326178, Royal Army Service Corps. Died in India 6th October 1918. Born, resident and enlisted Norwich. Buried in Bangalore (Hosur Road) Cemetery and commemorated on MADRAS 1914-1918 WAR MEMORIAL, CHENNAI, India. Face 26.

Note: The MADRAS 1914-1918 MEMORIAL is situated at the rear of the Madras War Cemetery. It bears the names of more than 1,000 servicemen who died during the First World War who lie in many civil and cantonment cemeteries in various parts of India where it is not possible to maintain their graves in perpetuity.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1465419

No match on Norlink.

 

The 1911 Census high level search contains two individuals with the first names William George with a Norwich, (although there are also two George Williams). There are of course many William Browns who may be the man we are looking for. The details available are:

Circa 1901 born Norwich resident Norwich

Circa 1880 born Norwich resident Norwich

On the 1901 census the 1901 born individual doesn’t even appear, and therefore as its likely he was born after March 1901 its very unlikely he was serving overseas in the British Army in 1918.

There are two William Brown’s that match the 1880 individual and neither are listed with any middle names. Therefore any further information I add here would simply be mis-leading.

 

E D Brundish

Edgar Donald BRUNDISH (RoH)

Private 3/8042, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Died 7th October 1915. Aged 39. Son of Edgar John and Ruth Brundish, of Norwich. Buried in POINT 110 OLD MILITARY CEMETERY, FRICOURT, Somme, France. Plot/Row/Section G. Grave 8.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=571013

 

There is a picture of Private Brundish on Norlink

norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...

The accompanying notes read

Born at St. James's, Norwich on 22nd December 1879, Private Brundish was educated at Silver Road School. He enlisted 25th August 1914 and was killed in action in France on 7th November 1915

 

(NB, the Norlink date is different to the CWGC\Roll of Honour Date.)

 

The 21 year old Edgar, (born Norwich and a Boot and Shoe Maker by trade), is recorded at 12 Mousehold Street in the Parish of St James with Pockthorpe on the 1901 census. He is married to Edith , aged 21 and a Boot Machinist, also from Norwich. Edgar is the head of household.

 

On the 1891 Census the 11 year old Edgar D. is recorded at The Paddocks, Silver Road in the Parish of St James. He is already employed as a Domestic Servant - a House Boy. Unfortunately, Edgar’s name is at the top of the page, with his parents, (and any elder siblings) on the previous page. He has 5 younger siblings:-

Ronald N………..aged 9.…..born Norwich

Patricia R……….aged 7.…..born Norwich….recorded as deaf and dumb

Rupert Jn……….aged 5.…..born Norwich

Maud M………..aged 3.……born Norwich

Percy Ed……….aged 1.……born Norwich.

 

Fortunately Edgar is just old enough to make the 1881 census. There his parents are listed as John, (aged 34?, and possibly a Brewers Serv.?, from Horning) and Ruth, aged 24 and also from Horning. There are no older siblings listed.

 

Interestingly, a family history web-site gives some slightly difference information. Edgar’s father John married Ruth Thompson in Norwich in 1879. Their children are listed as

Beatrice R. Brundish, b. 1884, Norwich, England, d. 1896, Aged 12 London.

Edgar Donald Brundish, b. 1880, Norwich, England, d. 07 Oct 1915, World War 1 France.

Percy Edward Brundish, b. 1890, Norwich, England, d. 1937, Wisbech.

Reginald Victor Brundish, b. 1882, Norwich, England, d. 1916, World War 1.

Rupert John Brundish, b. 1886, Norwich, England, d. date unknown, Australia. +Maud Maria Brundish, b. 04 Oct 1887, Norwich, England, d. 1981, Norwich, England.

Hilda R. Brundish, b. 1897, Norwich, England, d. date unknown.

familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/h/o/Donald-J-Thorpe...

 

Name: BRUNDISH, REGINALD V.

Rank: Bombardier Regiment/Service: Royal Field Artillery Unit Text: 35th Div. Ammunition Col. Age: 35 Date of Death: 17/07/1916 Service No: 6942

Grave/Memorial Reference: 27. 242. Cemetery: NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2803070

 

The 1st Battalion were on rotation in and out of the front-line trenches at Fricourt at this time, in what was then a comparatively quiet sector. Sniping and the occasional artillery \ mortar barrage would take their toll. For a glimpse of this, take a look at the War Diary of the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment who were in the same Brigade as the 1st Norfolks and frequently fought together.

www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/1stbn/1stbtn1915diary.html

 

F B Edwards

Benjamin Frederick EDWARDS (RoH)

[Listed as F B on memorial and CWGC] Private 3673, 1st/4th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 4th October 1915. Enlisted Norwich. Buried in 7th FIELD AMBULANCE CEMETERY, Turkey. Special Memorial Plot/Row/Section A. Grave 64.

Note: There are now 640 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 276 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate 207 casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=605477

No match on Norlink

 

There is no Frederick Benjamin or Benjamin Frederick with a Norfolk connection listed on the 1911 Census. There are numerous Frederick Edwards on the 1901 Census including one aged 6, born Norwich and currently resident at 30 Silver Road, Norwich in the neighbouring parish of St.Pauls, while there is also a 19 year old Benjamin Edwards, a Boot and Shoe Operator from Norwich who was currently residing at 43 Barracks Street, in the neighbouring parish of St James.

 

Fortunately the baptism records for some of these parish’s are on line. There is a Frederick Benjamin listed who was born 12th January 1895 and baptised the 24th September 1896 at the church of St.James, Pockthorpe. His parents are listed as Ellis William and Ellen Elizabeth. His fathers occupation is given as drayman. Going back to the census, this ties in with the 6 year old at Silver Road.

 

At the time of the 1901 census, Ellis was aged 34 and a Drayman from Long Stratton. Ellen was 36 and probably also from Long Stratton. As well as Frederick, their other children are:-

Alfred…….aged 14.…born Norwich……occupation undecipherable

Charles……aged 13.…born Norwich

Gertie…….aged 10.…born Norwich

Florence….aged 4.….born Norwich

 

After the fighting in the middle of August, the struggle was more against disease and hardship than against Turkish guns and rifles. Dysentery caused havoc in all ranks, and in the middle of October there remained of the 1/4th Battalion only sixteen officers and 242 men fit for duty.

user.online.be/~snelders/sand.htm

 

H E Fitt

Frank Herbert FITT (RoH) - but see my notes.

[Listed as H F on memorial and CWGC] Private 235096, 1st/5th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment). Killed in action 31st July 1917. Aged 27. Born Norwich, enlisted and resident Lowestoft. Son of Harry and Sally Fitt, of Eden Villa, 2, Eden St., Lowestoft; husband of Hilda Pearl Fitt, of 146, Raglan St., Lowestoft. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 4 and 6.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1612459

 

I’ve looked at all the shots I took and its definitely an E, not an F. There is no H E Fitt listed on CWGC but there is a possible H Fitt.

 

Name: FITT Initials: H

Rank: Lance Corporal Regiment/Service: Norfolk Regiment Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Date of Death: 25/04/1917 Service No: 9672

Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. H. 22. Cemetery: CABARET-ROUGE BRITISH CEMETERY, SOUCHEZ

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=585647

 

However, the 1901 Census throws up a new possibility - the 3 year old Harrold Fitt, born Norwich and living at 2, Cat & Fiddle Yard in the parish of St,Saviour. This is the household of his parents, Walter, (aged 40 and a Shoemaker from Norwich), and Emma, (aged 36 and from Norwich). Their other children are:-

Alice…………..aged 14.……………born Norwich

Walter…………aged 11.……………born Norwich

Sidney…………aged 9.…………….born Norwich

Maude…………aged 8.…………….born Norwich

May……………aged 5.……………born Norwich

Hilda…………..aged 1.……………born Norwich

 

As the 1st Battalion man is the only one of the four H. Fitt listed on the CWGC database who doesn’t have parents shown, and as the other three have parents who are not a Walter and Emma, the guesswork for now is that he is our man.

 

And indeed Lance Corporal H Fitt,9672, is down on the Great War Roll of Honour as a “Harold” Fitt.

 

Lance Corporal Fitt probably died as a result of wounds received in the attack of the 23/24th April.

 

From the War Diary of the 1st Bedfords

Report on action at La Coulotte.. Lt. Colonel P.B. Worrall M.C. Commanding 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.

Sir, I have the honour to report that I received orders to attack LA COULOTTE from T.1.d.1/9 to T.1.a.3/9. and attach a copy of my Operation Orders which I personally explained in detail to all Officers and NCO’s. Briefly, I had to make:

(a) a frontal attack to the N.

(b) a flank attack East on WATER TOWER TRENCH.

AND (c) attack on triangle south of WATER TRENCH from the south, including a large part of CYRIL TRENCH held by the Germans.

The whole undertaking seemed to be most hazardous.

I considered the WATER TOWER TRENCH to be key to the situation and so attacked it frontally and in enfilade. Had I not got this footing, my Battalion must haave been wiped out by WATER TOWER TRENCH if we were held up by wire.

NARRATIVE.

4.40am. For half an hour previous to this I heard no M.G. fire and this proved a successful deployment.

5.15am. Two wounded reported that left company had reached 1st line German trench. It proved afterwards to be correct but with regard to extreme left only.

6.15am. 24 prisoners marched in from DEVONS and BEDFORDS captured at the junction of these two Battalions. 6.5am O.C. right assault company reported wounded but right company going through gaps. This Officer in charge and many others afterwards reported that it took at least five minutes to get through the wire, that there were few gaps, and a double belt (the first one 15 yards thick) in front of the first line.

7.05am. Touch with NORFOLKS reported.

7.55amj. Right 2nd wave (“C” Coy.) report they had passed through first objective (second German line) met with strong resistance, machine gun fire from houses and minerwerfer, but captured 9 prisoners (sent back), and 2 machine guns which they later smashed, and parties actually reached buildings T.1.b.5/9 and made a great attempt to rush LA COULOTTE from there, patrols were also sent out from there to try and get touch with the NORFOLKS , and companies on the left.

9.50am. NCO’s from “B” and “D” (left companies) reported that their right was held up, they had been surrounded and several prisoners had been taken. I have satisfied myself that these men were between two belts of wire with wire and a communication trench on the right from which they were enfiladed, and the gaps through which they had advanced were covered, and that they were bombed from the front and like rats in a trap.

Lt. Hunter from the right and who was on the other side of the road witnessed it and stated they were absolutely powerless.

10.00am. I sent orders to “A” and “C” to hang on and throw a defensive flank from junction of LENS-ARRAS ROAD and 1st German line and make strenuous efforts to get in touch with “B” and “D” .

11.05am. Lt. Woodford wounded, reported that “B” and “D” took the German 2nd line and were at once driven out of it with the exception of extreme left (communication trench T.1.a.30/95). Capt. C.A.S. Morris O.C. B Company was killed in rallying his men to make a gallant attack on machine guns, holding up their advance from 2nd line. At the same time I received a message that the remnants of A and C Companies were under 100 in WATER TOWER TRENCH and TRIANGLE, and that there were some NORFOLKS fighting with them and that they could not hold out much longer. They asked for reinforcements and bombs.

1.30pm. I applied at once for permission to conduct retirement in person but on this being refused I despatched Lt.H.J.EVERERTT MC with all available men from headquarters with 700 bombs and detailed orders for retirement if forced back, and I considered it imperative:

1. To hold the strong point in CYRIL TRENCH and not save the OUTPOST LINE

2. To evacuate my wounded (some 30) in the TUNNEL before evacuation.

My orders were more than carried out, the bombs were taken up under heavy fire, though some sent up by another Regiment failed to arrive, a splendid attack was led by a Sergeant of the NORFOLKS before the withdrawal, all the wounded were got away, and barricade strengthened before withdrawal.

[Cannot read time]. Verbal message received that A and C Companies had withdrawn to our original OUTPOST LINE and that Lt. H.J.EVERETT MC again sent up with a further supply of ammunition and bombs for strong point in CYRIL TRENCH.

[Cannot read time]. My position at the time of this withdrawal was:

1. About 60 men of “A” and “C”, all me effective rifles and some NORFOLKS from about T.1.a.6/7 to T.1.a.9/0 (German Front Line).

2. On my left from T.1.a.5/6 to T.1.a.1/8 the remnants of “B” and “D” lying out in front of German Wire till dusk, being continually bombed, grenaded and minenwerfened.

[Cannot read time]. A proportion of “B” and “D” Companies withdrew under the smoke of a protective barrage on German 2nd Line trench, to left of OLD OUTPOST LINE.

Copy of orders of my forced retirement attached.

I consider that my Officers, NCO’s and men showed great devotion to duty against untold odds, particularly wire and machine guns and I am forwarding under separate cover a list of recommendations.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant

P.R.WORRALL, Lt.Colonel commanding 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/1stbtn/1stbtn1917appendices.html

 

F Futter

F FUTTER (RoH) - but see my notes

 

Either Frank Charles FUTTER, Private 10554, 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Killed in action 11th May 1915. Aged 20. Born Burnham Thorpe, enlisted Norwich, resident Wells, Norfolk. Son of Charles and Elizabeth Futter, of Graver's Cottage, Burnham Thorpe, King's Lynn. Buried in CUINCHY COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France. Plot II. Row A. Grave 1.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=594134

 

Or Frederick FUTTER, Private G/10190. 1st Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment). Killed in action 25th September 1915. Born St Bartholomew's. Norfolk, enlisted Norwich. Formerly 13023, Norfolk Regiment. Buried in CAMBRIN CHURCHYARD EXTENSION, Pas de Calais, France. Plot/Row/Section H. Grave 25.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=170678

 

The 1911 census has a Frederick Futter, born Norwich circa 1896 and still recorded in the district. There are no Futters recorded living in Norwich on the 1901 census, and no Norwich baptisms on the transcribed records available for the period 1881 to 1901. Frank is up at Burnham Thorpe, along with his nephew Walter Frederick who also died in the Great War.

 

The register of births doesn’t appear to have anything for 1896, but in 1895 in the April June quarter there is a Frederick John H recorded at Yarmouth.

 

The Great War Roll of Honour has Frederick down as Fred., and Frank Charles down as Charles F.

 

Therefore the balance is looking more like Frederick rather than Frank.

 

25th September-30th September 1915.

When dawn broke on the morning of 25th it seemed as if the elements had again conspired to make the attack abortive, for heavy rain fell and the wind, what there was of it, shifted almost continually; it was a bad day for the projection of gas. Indeed, one Brigade of the 2nd Division (6th) notified Divisional Headquarters that the wind was unfavourable, but was ordered to proceed with the projection. So, at 5.50 a.m., the cylinders were opened and great clouds of asphyxiating gas were projected into the air, whilst the smoke candles were lighted. But instead of the gas floating across No Man's Land and settling down over the German trenches, it hung lifeless in the air or blew back upon the British trenches from which it had been projected, in many places with disastrous effects.

The left Battalion (the Highlanders) of the 19th Brigade fared worse than the right-the Middlesex-for the ground in front of the former was much cut up by craters, and in these the gas hung about with exasperating stillness.

Across No Man's Land the Germans could be seen donning gas masks and using sprays-in order to dispel the gas-whilst all along their parapets, at intervals of about 20-30 yards, they lighted fires for the same purpose, and by their activities they appeared quite unaffected by the noxious fumes. For forty minutes the gas projection lasted and then, at 6.30 a.m., the signal was given for the assault.

"A", "B" and "C" Companies of the 1st Middlesex, awaiting the order to go forward, at once began their advance; "D" Company was in reserve. But the men had not gone more than a few yards ere a storm of rifle and machine-gun bullets tore their ranks to shreds and No Man's Land was soon littered with killed and wounded. Undeterred by the gas fumes the Germans stood up in their trenches, in many places upon the parapets, and poured a deadly accurate fire upon the advancing British troops. For not alone from in front of the gallant Die-Hards did fierce resistance take place, but all up and down the line. Unable to make further progress, the Middlesex men laid down. By this time the German trenches, which when the advance began had been lightly held, were packed with men and the volume of fire increased. With orders to reinforce the three forward companies, "D" Company now "went over the top," only to share a similar fate, and survivors lay close to the ground with a rain of bullets pouring overhead. The Battalion Diary records the action in the following and all too brief words: "At 5.50 a.m. a gas attack was opened on the German trenches for 40 minutes. This was not, however, very successful, and did not have much effect. At 6.30 the Battalion attacked with three Companies in the front line and one Company ("D") in reserve. The Battalion was all flung into the line, but failed to get further forward than 100 yards and were then hung up. Gunners again shelled the hostile line, but no further advance was made. At 12 noon the Battalion was ordered to withdraw into Brigade Reserve, having lost very heavily in both officers and men. A large proportion of N.C.Os. were casualties."

The 19th Brigade Diary throws but little further light on the action, though the position of the Brigade at 7.30 a.m. is given thus: "1st Middlesex about 100 yards in front of our front-line trenches; 2nd A. and S. Highlanders being under cover of the German parapet by the wire " (a terrible position). Then a little later the narrative states: "2nd A. and S. Highlanders withdrawn to their original trenches, leaving many men behind, including two complete platoons who reached the German front trenches. 1st Middlesex, trying to get on, are a hundred yards in front. Artillery shell the German front line very heavily. A bombardment under 2nd Divisional orders was arranged to start at 9a.m., after which infantry were to advance. 2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers now put out two companies to support the Middlesex, but they were met with fierce opposition and lose heavily. Bombers of 1st Middlesex reach the craters at "D," but are heavily fired on by our own artillery." At 9.45a.m. orders were received at Brigade Headquarters stating that as the attack on the right of the 2nd Division was progressing favourably, no further attack was to be made for the present by the 19th Brigade and the 6th Brigade ( the latter was on the left of the former).

Amongst the appendices to the Diary of the 19th Infantry Brigade, however, are several field messages of special interest to the Middlesex Regiment, and although there are gaps in the story it is possible to follow the course of the Battle from a battalion point of view.

The first message, timed 6.57 a.m., is from Brigade Headquarters to Battalion Headquarters Middlesex and reads: "Any news aaa How far have you advanced aaa Is gas returning you aaa Keep me well informed so that artillery barrage may be altered to suit if you want it." In reply to this message there follow several, one after the other, from the O.C. Middlesex, and they are given in their correct order, though the first was evidently despatched while the Brigade message was on its way to Battalion Headquarters: (i) "6.50 a.m. Much opposition to our front. Please ask guns to shell Les Briques trench." (ii) "7 a.m. Reserve company has got on, but we are being very heavily fired at." (iii) "7.16 a.m. Line held up. Very heavy fire aaa Have " (here the message is overwritten and is unreadable. (iv) "7.20 a.m. Ask guns to shell German front-line trench aaa Railway trench I mean." (v) "7.26 a.m. Don't think gas is affecting us or Germans. They are holding their front-line trench aaa Our Battalion is all out in area between their front trench and ours aaa 2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers are now up aaa It is essential to now shell hostile front trench." (vi) "7.30 a.m. Reported casualties probably 400, but impossible to tell aaa Have observed an enormous number fall." ( vii) "7.55 a.m. Must shell German first line aaa Our men are all out in front aaa Almost all must be killed or wounded aaa Please shell first line aaa Welch Fusiliers are now advancing." And, at 8 a.m. the Commanding Officer asks for men for the attack on his left: "Is there any news re Argylls and Sutherlands ?"

It is apparent from the last message that no news had reached the Commanding Officer of the Middlesex from his own front line of the situation on his left flank. About 8 a.m., however, Colonel Rowley received the following message from Lieut. A. D. Hill ( commanding "C" Company): "Enemy very strong in front with machine-guns and rifles. "C" Company strength only about 30 or 35 men. Impossible to advance on account of machine guns. Mr. Henry and 3 men alone remain out of two platoons. Can we have reinforcements ? We are in Square 27B in crater S.E. of road and about 60 yards south Point 79." To which, at 8.12 a.m., Colonel Rowley replied: "Hang on where you are until reinforced." The next message is written on a small muddy and blood-stained piece of paper: "8.30 a.m. "B" Company attack held up 100 yards out of own trench. Major Swainson wounded. "B" Company knocked out, few men stand fast." It is signed "P. Choate, 2nd Lieutenant."

The only other information received by Colonel Rowley from No Man's Land was a second message from Lieut. Choate, timed 10.50 a.m.: "So far as can ascertain "B" Company nearly wiped out. A few men are lying near me 100 yards in front of our front trench to left of wrecked aeroplane and facing Les Briques Farm. I have not enough men to advance further. Can you reinforce or give orders ?" There is no reply in the Diaries to this message.

The one bright spot in the attack was an assault from the left flank carried out by the Grenade Reserve platoon, assisted by a platoon of the Reserve Company ("D"). These gallant fellows attacked a large crater (at D) and actually captured it.

There is little more to tell ! At 1.15 p.m. the Battalion- all that was left of it-was ordered into reserve at Siding No. 3 and Braddell Trench. When this movement had been carried out, but a handful of men-84 other ranks-were mustered, though when darkness had fallen over the battlefield on the night of 25th other men, who had been lying out all day in No 2 Man's Land, were able to withdraw. The little party of "D" Company who had hung on to the crater they had captured were also withdrawn. During the day they had actually pushed beyond the crater, but were held up by very thick hostile wire entanglements, and the grenade officer was killed whilst trying to force a way through. A machine gun had also been pushed forward into the crater and did great execution, but the machinegun officer being wounded, the gun had to be withdrawn. Throughout the morning the Battalion stretcher-bearers performed many gallant deeds and worked heroically

Ten officers killed (Captains N. Y. L. Welman, F. V. A. Dyer, L. G. Coward and R. J. Deighton; 2nd Lieuts. C. A. J. Mackinnon, C. Pery, B. U. Hare, A. L. Hill, R. C. Mellish, J. H. Linsell; Lieut. A. W. R. Carless died of wounds on 27th September.) and 7 wounded; 73 other ranks killed, 285 wounded, 66 missing, 7 gassed and 2 suffering from shell concussion-a total of 455-were the casualties suffered by the 1st Middlesex throughout the day. Well indeed might the Brigadier-General (P. R. Robertson) commanding 28th Brigade write in a letter to Colonel Rowley, dated 26th September: "Please convey to all ranks my very high appreciation of the splendid behaviour of all ranks in yesterday's action. They did all that it was possible to do under such circumstances; their conduct was most gallant and fully upheld the fine reputation of the Die-Hards."

Source freespace.virgin.net/howard.anderson/loos.htm

 

S Guyett

Sidney GUYETT (RoH)

Private 241797, 1st/5th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. Died 14th November 1916. Born Norwich, enlisted Norwich. Formerly 3165, Norfolk Regiment. Buried in THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 10 B 11 B and 12 B.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=788145

No match on Norlink

 

No match on either the 1911 or 1901 Census, although there are plenty of Guyett’s in Norfolk,

 

The attack on Hook Sap 14th November 1916

 

Captain Francis Buckley wrote, in Q6a and Other Places:

 

The position in front was now as follows. The 1st Division had pushed the enemy back to a line running along the top of a ridge running from the Butte of Warlencourt practically due east. This ridge prevented our seeing the enemy's approaches and support positions in Le Barque. On the other hand from Loupart Wood the whole of our approaches and support trenches were in full view of the enemy, as far back as High Wood. Across those two miles no one could move in daylight without being seen by the enemy, and there was practically no position to put our field guns forward of High Wood. The enemy's front line consisted of two trenches - Gird Line and Gird support - with a forward trench on the top of the ridge, called on the left 'Butte Trench' and on the right 'Hook Sap.' Our front line Snag Trench and Maxwell Trench lay this side of the ridge and about two hundred yards away from the German forward trench.

 

The Butte of Warlencourt, an old Gallic burial place, was a round chalk hill, rising about 100 feet above ground level; and had been mined with deep dugouts and made into a formidable strong point. From the Butte, machine guns defended the approaches to Hook Sap, and from Hook Sap and the Gird Line, machine guns defended the approaches to the Butte. The ground between and around the opposing trenches had been ploughed up with innumerable shells, some of huge calibre, and it was now a spongy morass, difficult to cross at a walk and impossible at a run. As events proved, unless both the Butte and the Gird Line could be taken at the same time, the one would render the other impossible to hold. This then was the problem that faced the 50th Division, a problem that would have been difficult enough in the driest of weather, but rendered four times more so by the rain which fell in deluges on three days out of four during the whole of October and November.

 

I have dealt with these details rather fully, because this phase of the Somme battle has been passed over as a thing of no account. The eyes of the public have been directed to the successful operations at Beaumont Hamel and Beaucourt. They have not been directed to the misery and horror that we endured heroically but unavailingly on the slopes between Eaucourt L'Abbaye and Le Barque. Never have the soldiers of the 50th Division deserved more and won less praise than they did during the operations between October 25 and November 15. I have no pen to describe the conditions that were faced by the brave men, who after labouring unceasingly in the slimy horrors and rain for three weeks without rest or relief, stormed and took Hook Sap, only to be cut off and killed to the last man by successive counter- attacks. It is a sorrowful page in the history of the 7th N.F., but for stark grim courage and devotion to duty it cannot be surpassed by anything in the history of the battalion.

At dawn on November 14 the 149th Brigade attacked the Hook Sap and Gird Line, the 5th N.F. on the right, the 7th N.F. on the left opposite the sap At the same time the Australian Corps attacked farther to the right, but no attack was made on the Butte itself. An officer, who was in the trenches south-west of the Butte and saw the Northumberlands go forward, told me that he had never seen such a strange sight. The men staggered forward a few yards, tumbled into shell-holes or stopped to pull out less fortunate comrades, forward a few more yards, and the same again and again. All the while the machine guns from the German trenches poured a pitiless hail into the slowly advancing line; and the German guns opened out a heavy barrage on the trenches and on the ground outside. In spite of mud, in spite of heavy casualties, the survivors of two companies of the 7th N.F. struggled across that spongy swamp and gained the German line. What happened after that can only be conjectured, for they never kept in touch with the 5th N.F., who reached and took the Gird Line. But it is known that the 7th N.F. got a footing both in Hook Sap and in the Gird Line behind.

The Germans barraged the captured trenches twice or three times during the day, and are thought to have attacked them in force, with fresh reserves each time. Owing to the heavy and continuous barrage across No Man's Land no news could be got back, and no supports could be sent forward. Finally, at night, the remnants of the shattered brigade were collected, and another attempt were made to reach the trenches; but the Germans had evidently now got back to their old position and in the mud and darkness the fresh attack had little chance of success. Nothing more has been seen or heard of the two companies that reached Hook Sap. It is believed that they perished to the last man, over whelmed by successive German counter-attacks. Second-Lieut. E. G. Lawson fell at Hook Sap, also 2nd-Lieut. R.H.F.Woods, both Bombing Officers of the 7th N.F.; also Bombing Sergts. J.R. Richardson and J. Piercy.

The 5th N.F. did well indeed, for they succeeded in holding their ground in the Gird Line, and handed it over next day to the troops that relieved them. But that also had to be abandoned at last owing to its isolated position.

The only consolation that can be drawn from this heroic but tragic affair is that it may have created a diversion to our successful operation at Beaucourt. As an isolated operation it was doomed from the start owing to the state of the ground and the exhaustion of the men who took part in it.

www.fairmile.fsbusiness.co.uk/hooksap.htm

 

A Lake

A LAKE (RoH)

 

Either LAKE, Arthur Norman, Sapper 85613, 207th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died 19th January 1917. Aged 34. Born Colegate, Norfolk, enlisted Norwich. Awarded the Military Medal (M.M.). Son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Lake, of 36, Pitt St., Norwich; husband of Eliza Alice Lake, of 7, Rosebery Rd., Norwich. Buried in BREWERY ORCHARD CEMETERY, BOIS-GRENIER, Nord, France. Plot IV. F. 13.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=59108

 

There is a picture of Arthur Norman on Norlink. Accompanying notes read Sapper Lake was killed on 19th January 1917

norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...

 

Arthur Norman was baptised at St George’s Colegate on the 12th October 1884. His actual date of birth isn’t noted. His parents are listed as Frederick William and Sarah, and their address is given as Pitt Street, Norwich.

 

Or LAKE, Arthur, Private 3921, 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. Killed in action 12th March 1915. Aged 19. Born and enlisted Norwich. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Lake. No known grave. Commemorated on PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Panel 2.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=869348

 

Norlink also has

Lake, Lance Corporal Arthur Walter, 101st Winnipeg Light Infantry (Overseas) Battalion

Lance Corporal Lake was born at Norwich, 31st December 1883, the son of W. Walter and Lottie Lake of 83 Crown Road, Great Yarmouth. He enlisted in early 1916 and was killed 9th April 1917 at Vimy Ridge, France.

norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...

 

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2954741

His enlistment papers can be seen here

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e...

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e...

 

To add to our plethora of choices, the 1901 census has an 8 year old Arthur, born Norwich and recorded at 15 Priory Yard in the Parish of St James with Pockthorpe. His parents are Walter and Eliza. There is also a 11 year old Arthur recorded at 117 Oak Street, who lives with parents Robert and Mary.

 

While Arthur Norman from Pitt Street is there, and Arthur Walter, who by the time of the 1901 census has moved to 83 Crown Road, Great Yarmouth, there is no trace of the youngest Arthur on either the 1901 or the 1911 census. The only Arthurs of the right age and with a Norfolk connection on the 1901 census were born at Stalham and Attleborough.

 

C G Marshall

Cecil George MARSHALL (RoH)

probably Private M/33836, "N" Forage Company (Cambridge), Royal Army Service Corps. Died in United Kingdom 4th November 1918. Aged 22. Born Eccles, Kent, enlisted Chatham, resident Maidstone. Husband of Mabel Sophia Marshall, of 9, Howletts Court, Botolph St., Norwich. Buried in NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk. Plot/Row/Section 47. Grave 803.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2803224

No match on Norlink

 

There is also a Claude at 67 Magpie Road Aged 8 Parents Thomas and Mary on the 1901 census who is still around in Norwich in 1911, but the only match on CWGC for a Claude Marshall is a Temporary Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion South Staffs Regiment, who died in 1917.

Unfortunately no next of kin details shown on CWGC

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=159629

 

Private Marshall’s headstone:-

www.flickr.com/photos/43688219@N00/3085037887/

 

G H Marshall

George Henry MARSHALL (RoH)

Private 772766, 2nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment). Died 29th September 1918. Aged 30. Born 12th September 1888 in Norwich. Son of Robert and Sarah Marshall, of 26, Stacey Road, Norwich; husband of Ellen Mary Marshall, of King's Head Yard, Magdalen St., Norwich. Machinist by trade,. Unmarried. Enlisted 5th February 1916 at Brantford, Ontario, Canada, passed fit 7th February 1916. Height 5 feet 5½ inches, girth 35½ inches, complexion fair, eyes brown, hair light brown, religion Church of England. Buried in BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX, Pas de Calais, France. Plot II. Row K. Grave 23. National Archives of Canada Accession Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 5952 - 17

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=179082

 

There is a picture of George on Norlink

norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...

Accompanying notes read Private Marshall was born in Norwich on 21st September 1888, and educated at Angel Road School. He enlisted on 30th July 1916, and died of wounds received at the Battle of Cambrai on 29th September 1918

Interestingly the photo was taken at Bonds of Magdalen Street, Norwich.

 

The 12 year old George appears on the 1901 Census at 51 Esdelle Street in the parish of St Augustines. This is the household of his parents, Robert, (aged 43 and a Fruiterers Porter from Norwich), and Sarah, (aged 43 and also from Norwich). Their other children are:-

Robert……..aged 21.…..Born Norwich…..Printers Compositor

Edward……aged 20.…..Born Norwich…..Shoemakers Pressman

Walter……..aged 17.….Born Norwich…..Printers Porter

Albert……..aged 16.…..Born Norwich…..Errand Boy - Drapers

Sarah………aged 14.….Born Norwich

Rosa……….aged 11.….Born Norwich

Susan………aged 10.…Born Norwich

Eliza……….aged 8.…..Born Norwich

Arthur………aged 4.….Born Norwich

 

The enlistment papers for George Henry Marshall, born 12th September 1888 can be seen on-line in the Canadian Archive.

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e...

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e...

He gives his next of kin as his father, Robert Marshall, of 26, Stacey Road, Norwich

 

27th September 1918

On the Corps left the 1st Division’s success paid tribute to careful planning and well-directed and determined execution. Two guns of the 1st Battery C.F.A. gave the 1st Brigade a good start by moving in front of Inchy-en-Artois and firing point-blank into enemy positions along the canal. Thus aided, the 4th Battalion, having crossed the dry bed with little difficulty, was able to jump ahead to the north-east and capture its assigned portion of the Marquion Line. Here the 1st Battalion pushed through as planned and secured the Green Line in short order. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions now assumed the lead, only to be stopped by heavy fire from the embanked railway which curved north from Bourlon. With the aid of a timely flanking attack by the 72nd Battalion they overcame this resistance and swept on to the Blue Line.

 

On the whole the day had gone very well. That night (General) Currie wrote in his diary: “Today’s success jeopardizes the hold of the enemy on the Quéant- Drocourt system north of the Scarpe, and he may be expected to fall back to Douai.” With the obstacle of the Canal du Nord overcome there was hope that Cambrai might soon be captured, and that the fall of Douai would follow. But gains had been limited on the Corps right, where the 4th Canadian Division, suffering from an open flank because of the slow progress of the British formations farther south, had been unable to start the second phase of the operation. During the night of 27-28 September, however, the Germans fell back. With his divisions ejected from their lines and lying unprotected in the open fields from Epinoy to Ribécourt, General von Below gave orders for a withdrawal to the far side of the Sensée between Arleux and Aubigny, and to the “Hagen” position running southward from Aubigny through Marcoing.108

 

On the evening of the 27th General Currie issued orders for the advance to continue throughout the night and following day in an effort to work around the north side of Cambrai and keep the enemy from setting up a defensive line west of the city.

 

The 2nd Battalion seems to have been engaged in holding the line on the 28th and 29th, as the various Canadian Reserve units were brought forward to keep the momentum going.

See Chapter 14, Matrix Nicholson Transcriptions.

Source: cefresearch.com/matrix/Nicholson/Transcription/

 

W H Mason

William Henry MASON (RoH)

Private Norfolk Regiment 1st/4th Battalion, Aged 21 Died 19/04/1917 200086 Son of Henry and Mary A. Mason, of 24, Rose Yard, St. Augustines, Norwich. Plot Panels 12 to 15. Buried in JERUSALEM MEMORIAL

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1646317

No match on Norlink

 

The five year old William H. is recorded on the 1901 Census at 11 Thompsons Yard in the Parish of St Edmunds. This is the household of his parents, Henry, (aged 46 and a Crepe Finisher from Morwich), and Mary.A., (aged 38 and from Norwich). Their other children are:-

May……….,,,,,,,,,,,,,,aged 10.…….born Norwich

Alice M……………..aged 9.……..born Norwich

Ethel………………aged 3.………born Norwich

Making up the household is a 1 year old boarder, Ernest Camplin

 

19th April 1917 During the 2nd Battle of Gaza,

 

Facing the Tank Redoubt was the 161st Brigade of the 54th Division. To their right were the two Australian battalions (1st and 3rd) of the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade who had dismounted about 4,000 yards from their objective. As the infantry went in to attack at 7.30am they were joined by a single tank called "The Nutty" which attracted a lot of shell fire. The tank followed a wayward path towards the redoubt on the summit of a knoll where it was fired on point blank by four field guns until it was stopped and set alight in the middle of the position.

The infantry and the 1st Camel Battalion, having suffered heavy casualties on their approach, now made a bayonet charge against the trenches. About 30 "Camels" and 20 of the British infantry (soldiers of the 5th (territorial Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment) reached the redoubt, then occupied by around 600 Turks who immediately broke and fled towards their second line of defences to the rear.

The British and Australians held on unsupported for about two hours by which time most had been wounded. With no reinforcements at hand and a Turkish counter-attack imminent, the survivors endeavoured to escape back to their own lines.

To the right (west) of Tank Redoubt, the 3rd Camel Battalion, advancing in the gap between two redoubts, actually made the furthest advance of the battle, crossing the Gaza-Beersheba Road and occupying a pair of low hills (dubbed "Jack" and "Jill"). As the advances on their flanks faltered, the "Camels" were forced to retreat to avoid being isolated.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Gaza

 

E S Plumstead

Ernest Sidney PLUMSTEAD (RoH)

Gunner 875273, "A" Battery, 173rd Brigade (Territorial Force), Royal Field Artillery Killed in action 15th October 1918. Born and enlisted Norwich. Buried in DADIZEELE NEW BRITISH CEMETERY, Moorslede, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot I. Row C. Grave 35.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=163254

No match on Norlink

 

The 3 year old Ernest is recorded on the 1901 census at 55 Peacock Street in the Parish of St Pauls. This is the household of his parents, Samuel, (aged 41 and a Painter from Norwich), and Alice, (aged 31 and from Norwich). Their other children are:-

Percy……………….aged 8.………born Norwich

Alice……………….aged 6.………born Norwich

Arthur………………aged 5.……..born Norwich

Also living with them is Samuel’s Sister-in-Law, (and therefore probably Alice’s sister), Susan Saddleton, aged 19 and a Silk Weaver in a Crape Factory. Susan was also from Norwich.

 

CLXXIII (East Ham) Brigade: War Raised Unit; Formed at East Ham in 1915 and consisted of A, B, C and D Batteries; 36th (Ulster) Division. The Division moved to France 3-6 Oct 1915; Divisional Artillery remained in England until November 1915.

 

Forum Post,

14th - 15th October 1918

During the liberation of my village (Gulleghem, incl hamlets such as Salines, Steenbeek, Drie Masten...), 43 soldiers were killed and burried on the spot, the graves scattered all over the village. A document in the village archive lists their names, numbers and regiments. Most of the killed men were from the 29th Division (a few from the 35th and 36 division) serving with the South Wales Borderers, the Royal Scots, the Hampshire regiment, the Border Regiment, King's Own Scottish Borderers, Machine Gun Corps, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Royal Field Engineers

(Gunner Plumstead is in the attached list)

1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=104003

 

J W Scottow

John 'Jack' William SCOTTOW (RoH)

Gunner 101885, 355th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died of wounds 21st August 1918. Born Heigham, enlisted Norwich. Buried in DAOURS COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, Somme, France. Plot V. Row B. Grave 27.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=77657

There is a picture of Gunner Scottow on Norlink

norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...

The accompanying notes read Gunner Scottow was born in Norwich in March 1887. He enlisted in August 1916, and was killed in action on 21st August 1918

 

On the 1911 census, a John Scottow, born Norwich circa 1887, is recorded in the district of Dartford. Other possibly related Scottow’s are a Mary, (born circa 1883, Norwich - possibly John’s wife?), and a Richard, (born circa 1909 Norwich - possibly John’s son?).

There isn’t a match on the 1901 census. On the 1891 census, the 3 year old John W is recorded at 29 Orchard Street in the parish of St Bartholomews. This is the household of his parents, John, (aged 39 and a Carpenter & Joiner from Alby, Norfolk), and Elizabeth, (aged 36 and from Hanworth). Their other children are:-

Mary……..,,,,,,,,,aged 17.….born Norwich…….Teacher:Elementary

George……,,,,,,,,aged 15.…born Norwich…….Labourer as a Packer

Elizabeth……….aged 13....born Norwich

Havvield(? Daughter)…..aged 1.…born Norwich

 

G Snelling

Gordon SNELLING (RoH)

Private 30316, 8th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action 11th May 1917. Born St Saviour, Norwich, enlisted Norwich. No known grave. Commemorated on ARRAS MEMORIAL, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 3.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1653957

No match on Norlink

 

On the 1901 census the 8 year old Gordon is recorded at 8, Little White Horse Yard, Botolph Street, in the Parish of St Saviour. This is the household of his parents, George, (age 39 and a Shoemaker from Norwich), and Emma, (also aged 39 and from Norwich). Their other children are:-

George………aged 13.……..born Norwich

Emma……….aged 10.……..born Norwich

William……..aged 4.……….born Norwich

Walter………aged 1.……….born Norwich

 

The 18th Division, of which the 8th Battalion were part, lists amongst its battle honours the third battle of the Scarpe, (3rd May-5th May 1917), part of the wider Battle of Arras. However, while fatalities amongst the 8th continued through-out May, its difficult to establish there whereabouts during this period.

  

London, 2015

self portrait

I think this is a good source for learning several languages at one time. Seriously, you can look at the word "sugar", for example.

 

There are English, French, German, Spanish, Portguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish (mmm, difficult), Russian (this is very difficult), Greek (very difficult), Polish (difficult), Chech (difficult), Arabic (you'll need at least 30 days to learn the letters), Japanese (my native tongue so no problem for me), and Chinese (the characters are the same so I can guess to some extent).

 

In this picture, there are Norwegian (blurred), Danish, Finnish, Russian, Greek, Polish, Chech, Arabic, Japanese, and Chinese (blurred).

Training exibition by a Buttero (knight of Maremma)

I fell in love at 17 and married that man at 25. We were the ideal couple and admired by many. He could build anything, fix anything, was handsome, loving and so very kind. I was the somewhat pretty girl, in my view, but never quite good enough. I grew up with a constant questioning of my looks, my worth, my intelligence. I had a boyfriend for two seconds in 7th grade, and then not again until late in my senior year. And guess what? I married him. Never had I felt more at home and safe, and truly in love. The problem was, I had never stopped questioning my worth. And I continued to look for validation and nods of approval from other people. It became “not enough” to have my husband’s love, I was looking for more. Though I was not aware I was doing this, I also started to measure and question my husband’s love as true or not. This would look like me flirting with people even in front of my husband (if he seemed jealous, maybe he really loved me) or leading people on just enough to have to tell them I was in a relationship. This was a pattern for me, one I didn’t see clearly at the time. (I also didn’t see, couldn’t see that every flirt, glance, or lead-on was me looking for me). And, I loved him. When he would leave for work, I would feel a loss, I loved being with him. I even think he knew about me and my insecurities, and loved me still.

 

We decided to have kids once he turned 30, and that was when things got really strained.

Jonas came in to this world with an extremely rare genetic disorder that ultrasound and genetic testing at the time did not detect. The dream of starting a family the way I had imagined was thrown into a washing machine, dryer and then a wood chipper. He struggled with life from the start, and ended up in the hospital a lot. That started the dynamic of once my husband came home, I would hand him our son and go hide in housework or a book or some other escape. There was a lot of love, pain, struggling, more hospitalizations, sleepless nights and generalized anxiety. I was not grounded in who I was, I was surviving. Jonas wasn’t even typical for an atypical child. In the handicapped and special needs world, he was the most complex. That wasn’t even the most difficult part. That was the crying. He seemed to never stop. He mostly cried, with little moments of calm (the opposite from other children)...something that didn’t improve much till he was 5 or so. Then I had this great idea to have another baby. At least I could have something ‘normal’ to deal with. Wesley came about 18 months later, and was as I imagined. Perfectly typical. Keeping myself busy, distracted, “important”, having so many reasons to not deal with who I was and what I needed led me to eventually come to the realization that our marriage wasn’t working. He didn’t love me. I had been collecting evidence like “see he didn’t even kiss me goodnight” “he never called to check in from work” or “why does he call me from work, he doesn’t think I know how to take care of the kids?” I had convinced myself he wasn’t the ‘one’ for me after all. That the love must not be real, and it must be somewhere else. So, I started to wait for my true love. And thoughts like “wait, He was my true love so what happened??” came but for some reason I avoided working it out. I had my answer, true love was coming from somewhere else. And then guess what? It did.

 

I started down the divorce path, and it got real. There were so many moments I knew I had messed everything up, and I should just go back and try to repair things. That was paired with a justification because evidence still showed he didn’t love me. I mean, he was letting me divorce him.

Our divorce took years. I couldn’t do it. Then I could. Then I couldn’t. I stalled, he stalled. I avoided. He avoided. But all the while, I was in a new relationship...the one I called the ‘true love’. The stalling and avoiding was impacting my new relationship. It felt like I was taking off my own arm so that I could feel more complete. And it made as much sense as that. The pain got so overwhelming at one point, I broke up my new relationship thinking it would all get easier. I had been dealing with extreme anger and hatred from my ex-husband’s family. A family I once loved, and who supposedly loved me. There was so much anxiety and fear and pain, at one point I contracted mono, paired with hepatitis and spent months on the couch. Alone. That was when I realized my now ex husband found the love of his life. How could I feel jealous and angry? Well, I did. She was younger. And pretty. Great body. And she had my kids with her half the time. What.the.fuck.

It got ugly. I had finally found moments of peace and workability with my ex husband where he wasn’t angry all the time, and now she’s here? Well, that brought a new level of tension and drama. I remember a soccer game where he brought his brother and parents, and I brought my sister so I’d have backup. His girlfriend was sitting on the ground with Jonas and I couldn’t even get near him. How freaking awkward. What were people thinking. What does it mean about me that I cant just go over there and tell her that I would like to hold my own son. In times like those, I wanted the earth to swallow me up. It went on like that for a while. I had moments of extending the olive branch, and trying to be nice and sharing movie recommendations. Something inside of me knew it could be different. I even saw things I liked about her. And deep down, I still loved my ex. I could see that I didn’t love him romantically per se, but that I was not complete with the way things were. It was like a nagging constant voice of why? why? why? why? In my head. Meaning, why was it like this? Why are we pretending to be enemies? Didn’t it make sense what I did? Aren’t you happier now? Why are you still mad? Voices in my head would confuse me and have me wonder why I’m still wanting him to prove his love to me. After all I did? But it was like that: “You should hate me. Why do you hate me? You should thank me. I am so sorry. You should be sorry. “

 

Years go by in a mostly polite, kind-of peaceful manner and then I had a great idea. I would invite them to this enormous party I was having for Jonas. He had lived for 10 years by then, and every time he was sick I would try to prepare myself for his death. So when he was about to turn 10, I thought we should throw him a ‘life party’. I rented a place, and catered the event with food and drinks, music, games, and a movie I had made about Jonas (which included his dad and now girlfriend). Well, they came, and it was fine. They managed to find people to talk to without it being awkward for them, and I was so happy to be having a party of love that I didn’t even worry about them. I also didn’t worry if I was hugging my new husband too much. I guess I was starting to feel overall more comfortable inside with the choices we all made. Well then the first of many small miracles happened. When the party was over, she sent me a text. She shared that it was amazing for her to get a glimpse of the mother that I really am, instead of through the lens of my ex family (who still hated my guts I was sure). She saw the love, and what I had created for Jonas, and she started to wonder at the person I really was. It was the first moment perhaps, that she actually saw me. For me, that was validating and gave me the energy to keep going, to keep moving in the direction of healing and peace. Man, all it took was saying something nice to one another. We make it so complicated.

 

The next monumental moment was after I took a course through Landmark Education and invited her to my ‘graduation night’. She came, and she brought me a gift. I thought that was adorable. Maybe I was starting to actually like this girl? That very night, she signed up for the same course, and signed her husband (my ex husband) up too. Once we all took that course, our healing and forgiving and connecting took off. All we needed was a common language so that no one feels blamed, or wronged. We all learned about how dynamics are created, and how we keep patterns alive in our thinking -and now we had tools to actually share when we got hurt or upset. This is also around the time that I finally started to understand what happened in my marriage. I learned that when I was younger and in a certain moment with my parents, I convinced myself that they didn’t love me. It was not conscious. I also in that moment, learned to shut my love off in response. I then got to see how that had created patterns of hurt and pain, and shutting off my love for people- all without me knowing it was a decision I made from childhood. I actually felt justified and it all felt real. To constantly question people’s love became normal. I collect evidence to support my ‘truth’, and then I usually distance myself from that person. Divorce.

 

Yes, I do think it could have been avoided had I learned this about myself sooner. But would I go back now? No. I’d even go through the yuckiest, sickest, deepest sadness of my life to be where we are today. After Landmark, we were no longer afraid to share time together. We started hanging out a little bit more. We eventually shared Christmas Eve together. We really enjoyed our time together. We hit a few bumps in the road, but they didn’t stop us, and Megan and I started calling each other if we sensed something was up. We realized we had a common commitment to the kids being happy, and now we were both living from that. In the past three years, my husband and I hosted their first baby shower at our home, we have gone on vacation together, we have had countless dinners, brunches and lunches together. Last Christmas Jonas ended up in the hospital for about 3 weeks. His heart stopped. For 25 minutes. My ex husband Kieran, his wife Megan and I stood at the head of Jonas’s bed and watched while they tirelessly tried to revive him. They surrounded me in love beyond what I could have ever expected. What we shared in that moment, really got me present to that THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS LIKE TO SHARE A CHILD. Before the drama. Blaming. Comparing. When we are able to forget about our own complaints, judgements, etc...we were just there because we love someone. Our son. Stepson. Whatever. It’s all love. When we let love BE there, it all makes sense. Those few weeks with the four of us in the same hospital room provided a slowing down of life, and a presence with each other that is difficult to achieve in every day life. We talked about what each of us wants for Jonas. What kind of life we want to have for him, for us as a family and as individuals. COVID didn’t stop us, and only kept us in the conversation of how we really want to live. We have had dinners or lunches every weekend when we ‘trade’ the kids. We are talking about that together, anything is possible. We could even live abroad. What can I say? Life works when we clean up our complaints and take responsibility for our happiness. Imagine if I hadn’t invited them to Jonas’s party? It just took an act of kindness.

 

This is a story about true love. And how I know it exists. No, I didn’t marry my high school sweetheart, travel the world, have 3 kids who are now doctors and lawyers and now we’re sitting on the front porch swing holding hands.

No, no, it’s much more than that. Love, Grief, and Gut Wrenching Pain. Dreams and expectations thwarted. Lies of the worst kind. Near death experiences. Divorce. Is the true love about my current husband? No. And yes. It is the true love that existed all along that allowed for healing and an ultimately stable environment for our kids. True love, isn’t the marriage that lasts for 40 years only. It is there in the mess, in the hurt, in the pain, in the lies. It’s just covered up by our opinions and thoughts about it all. I am so profoundly happy that I listened to the voice (that was almost silenced) that I could still love my first husband, and that it didn’t have to be romantic to still be love. And trust it to build what we built. Kieran held the other end of this. I am so grateful to his wife Megan for being so strong and badass to allow space for that to happen. And my husband, who tirelessly fought for us to all heal.

 

And lastly, perhaps the greatest love affair was me falling in love with me. I never knew how to do that. Everyone says ‘love yourself so that you can love others’. But no one ever tells us what that actually looks like in real life. It might look like saying “No”. Maybe not having the third glass of wine because you don’t need it to feel ‘comfortable’. Maybe it looks like exercising not to get into a size ‘6’ but because you want to nurture your well being. Telling the truth. Not needing so much validation. It might look different altogether for others. But its not a course, we do not get a certificate in this. It becomes a declaration. For me, I declare myself worthy of love exactly as I am, with my awful mistakes and loving intentions all the same. I hope this inspires all to do the same. No matter what.

Title in other languages:

Deutsch: Häuser und Zacken

English: Houses and jags

 

English:

 

Welcome and thank you for being here! This image forms part of a collection of photographs of moments on Planet Earth.

 

If you enjoy this work and want to support me financially, I’m glad to receive your donation via Paypal: paypal.me/jankohoener

 

If you intend to use this picture for your own purposes, please credit me with the following attribution line: Janko Hoener / CC-BY-SA-4.0. This is required by the license terms. A link back to this page and informing me about your usage via FlickrMail is appreciated.

 

Deutsch:

 

Willkommen und vielen Dank, dass Sie hier sind! Dieses Bild stellt Teil einer Sammlung von Fotografien von Augenblicken auf dem Planet Erde dar.

Wenn Ihnen diese Arbeit zusagt und Sie mich finanziell dabei unterstützen möchten, so freue ich mich über Ihre Spende via Paypal: paypal.me/jankohoener

 

Wenn Sie dieses Foto für eigene Zwecke nutzen möchten, geben Sie bitte Janko Hoener / CC-BY-SA-4.0 in der Bildunterschrift an. Dies ist per Lizenz gefordert. Über einen Link auf diese Seite und eine Benachrichtigung über die Nutzung via FlickrMail freue ich mich.

The Afrikaans Language Monument symbolises the contributions of Africa, Europe, and the Malayo-Indonesian world to the development of the language. Unfortunately, I didn't get a great shot of the wall on the stairway of the monument represents the influence of Malay-Indonesian languages on the development of Afrikaans. This is the wall on the stairway of the monument, the top of which is just poking up here, centre of shot. The rising trio of obelisks on the right represents Europe; the domes representing Africa aren't visible in this shot. I'll try better next time!

 

The Afrikaans Language Monument (Afrikaans: Afrikaanse Taalmonument) is located on a hill overlooking Paarl, Western Cape Province, South Africa. Officially opened on 10 October 1975, it commemorates the semicentenary of Afrikaans being declared an official language of South Africa separate from Dutch. Also, it was erected on the 100th anniversary of the founding of Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners (the Society of Real Afrikaners) in Paarl, the organisation that helped strengthen Afrikaners' identity and pride in their language.

 

The monument, surprisingly post-modern for the product of an authoritarian right-wing state, consists of various tapering structures of a convex and concave nature, symbolising the influences of different languages and cultures on Afrikaans itself, as well as political developments in South Africa, as follows:

* three columns symbolise the European heritage of the language. The columns are from high to low to illustrate Europe’s diminishing influence on Afrikaans.

* three convex mounds on a podium symbolise the African influences on the language

* a wall on the stairway symbolises the influence of the Malay language and culture, placed between the curves of Western Europe and Africa as a separate entity. Yet it forms a unity with the two forces of Western Europe and Africa that merge to form the bridge that symbolically depicts the roots of Afrikaans.

* the highest column (about 57m high) symbolises the growth of Afrikaans and is open at the top. The other writer that inspired the architect, CJ Langenhoven, wrote that Afrikaans grows like a “fast-rising arch”; the second very high column represents South Africa and the declaration of the Republic of South Africa in 1960.

 

There is also an open stadium at the bottom of the structure where concerts and events are held.

 

This description incorporates text from the English Wikipedia and the official Afrikaanse Taalmuseum & -monument website.

In a Corean area, close to the Empire State Building.

 

New York, May 2012.

A new restaurant-bar dedicated to Rory Gallagher is due to open in Temple Bar within the next few weeks. I do not have any more information. It is located the the Rory Gallagher Corner across from the language college.

Send me a message on Facebook or LinkedIn if you want me to do some design work for you!

 

www.brechtcorbeel.com/

www.google.com/search?q=brecht+corbeel

 

Support me on:

www.patreon.com/BrechtCorbeel

 

Free images:

unsplash.com/@brechtcorbeel

 

Follow me on:

www.instagram.com/brechtcorbeel/

twitter.com/BrechtCorbeel

www.artstation.com/brechtcorbeel

www.flickr.com/photos/brechtcorbeel/

www.facebook.com/brecht.corbeel

www.facebook.com/BCorbeel/

www.pinterest.com/bcorbeel/pins

www.linkedin.com/in/brecht-corbeel-a81b82184/

The language of birds :.

London :Saunders and Otley,1837..

biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47512175

The world's biggest TV on the Rembrandtplein in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle...

 

As you might know, the Dutch have a special relationship with their TV's, all movies are shown in their original language with Dutch subtitles, this enables the inhabitants of the best country in the world to learn foreign languages while chilling out on the couch :)

 

Usually, watching TV makes your brain go into some kind of 'Flat-line-mode' and facilitates a level of addiction that is comparable to Heroin, but not in Holland, here you'll learn something while watching the telly, if you like it or not, so if you enjoy being lazy while keeping your head trained&improved, you know what to do :)

 

It could be that our cerebral lobes are already so stuffed to the brim with all those legal drugs that you can (still) buy in the Netherlands, that some secret government agency has decided that they'll use untranslated TV to help us regain a level of consciousness/brain activity that'll allow us to at least support the local economy, through hard labor and excessive consumption (in several languages), even when our gray matter is mostly turned off ;-D

 

Here's Spearheads opinion about TV!

 

More wicked reflections

 

www.amstersam.com

Ladli — which in Indian languages (Hindi and Urdu) means ‘beloved daughter.’

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

LADLI - The loved one! campaign by SOCIAL GEOGRAPHIC

Photo: Firoz Ahmad Firoz

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

"Worst of all, violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence -- yet the reality is that, too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned." (UN SECRETARY-GENERAL in International Women’s Day 2007 Message.)

 

“Almost every country in the world still has laws that discriminate against women, and promises to remedy this have not been kept.” (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the eve of International Women's Day 2008)

 

According to one United Nations estimate, 113 to 200 million women are “demographically missing” from the world today. That is to say, there should be 113 to 200 million more women walking the earth, who aren’t. By that same estimate, 1.5 to 3 million women and girls lose their lives every year because of gender-based neglect or gender-based violence and Sexual Violence in Conflict.

 

In addition to torture, sexual violence and rape by occupation forces, a great number of women and girls are kept locked up in their homes by a very real fear of abduction and criminal abuse. In war and conflicts, girls and women have been denied their human right, including the right to health, education and employment. “Sexual violence in conflict zones is indeed a security concern. We affirm that sexual violence profoundly affects not only the health and safety of women, but the economic and social stability of their nations” –US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, 19 June 2008 (Read more about UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict www.stoprapenow.org/ ).

 

Millions of young women disappear in their native land every year. Many of them are found later being held against their will in other places and forced into prostitution. According to the UNICEF ( www.unicef.org/gender/index_factsandfigures.html ),Girls between 13 and 18 years of age constitute the largest group in the sex industry. It is estimated that around 500,000 girls below 18 are victims of trafficking each year. The victims of trafficking and female migrants are sometimes unfairly blamed for spreading HIV when the reality is that they are often the victims.

 

According to the UNAIDS around 17.3 million, women (almost half of the total number of HIV-positive) living with HIV ( www.unaids.org ). While HIV is often driven by poverty, it is also associated with inequality, gender-based abuses and economic transition. The relationship between abuses of women's rights and their vulnerability to AIDS is alarming. Violence and discrimination prevents women from freely accessing HIV/AIDS information, from negotiating condom use, and from resisting unprotected sex with an HIV-positive partner, yet most of the governments have failed to take any meaningful steps to prevent and punish such abuse.

 

United Nations agencies estimated that every year 3 million girls are at risk of undergoing the procedure – which involves the partial or total removal of external female genital organs – that some 140 million women, mostly in Asia, the Middle East and in Africa, have already endured.

 

We can point a finger at poverty. But poverty alone does not result in these girls and women’s deaths and suffering; the blame also falls on the social system and attitudes of the societies.

 

India alone accounts for more than 50 million of the women who are “missing” due to female foeticide - the sex-selective abortion of girls, dowry death, gender-based neglect and all forms of violence against women.

 

Since the late 1970s when the technology for sex determination first came into being, sex selective abortion has unleashed a saga of horror in India. Experts are calling it "sanitized barbarism”. The 2001 Census conducted by Government of India, showed a sharp decline in the child sex ratio in 80% districts of India. In some parts of the country, the sex ratio of girls to boys has dropped to less than 800:1,000.

 

It's alarming that even liberal states like those in the northeast have taken to disposing of girls. Worryingly, the trend is far stronger in urban rather than rural areas, and among literate rather than illiterate women, exploding the myth that growing affluence and spread of basic education alone will result in the erosion of gender bias. The United Nations has expressed serious concern about the situation.

 

Over the years, laws have been made stricter and the punishment too is more stringent now. But since many people manage to evade punishment, others too feel inclined to take the risk. Just look at the way sex-determination tests go on despite a stiff ban on them. Only if the message goes out loud and clear that nobody who dares to snuff out the life of a female foetus would escape effective legal system would the practice end. It is only by a combination of monitoring, education, socio-cultural campaigns, and effective legal implementation that the deep-seated attitudes and practices against women and girls can be eroded.

 

The decline in the sex ratio and the millions of Missing Women are indicators of the feudal patriarchal resurgence. Violence against women has gone public – whether it is dowry murders, the practice of female genital mutilation, honour killings, sex selective abortions or death sentences awarded to young lovers from different communities by caste councils, rapes and killings in communal and caste violence, it is only women’s and human rights groups who are protesting – the public and institutional response to these trends is very minimal.

 

Millions of women suffer from discrimination in the world of work. This not only violates a most basic human right, but has wider social and economic consequences. Most of the governments turn a blind eye to illegal practices and enact and enforce discriminatory laws. Corporations and private individuals engage in abusive and sexist practices without fear of legal system.

 

More women are working now than ever before, but they are also more likely than men to get low-productivity, low-paid and vulnerable jobs, with no social protection, basic rights nor voice at work according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) issued for International Women’s Day 2008. Are we even half way to meeting the eight Millennium Development Goals?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Unite To End Violence Against Women!

Say No To Sex Selection and Female Foeticide!!

Say No To Female Genital Mutilation!!!

Say No To Dowry and Discrimination Against Women!!!!

Say Yes To Women’s Resistance !!!!!

Educate & Empowered Women for a Happy Future !!!!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

www.un.org/womenwatch/

www.un.org/women/endviolence/

www.saynotoviolence.org/

www.unaids.org

www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

Photoshoot at a Pokot village.

 

The Pokot people are categorized under the larger Kalenjin tribes grouping of Kenyan Nilotic speakers because they have oral traditions of a similar origin. They speak the Pokot language. The Pokot people live in the Baringo and Western Pokot districts of Kenya and also in the Eastern Karamoja region of Uganda. The Pokots are dived into two main sub-groups depending of their location and way of life. The two groups are the Hill Pokot who practice both farming and pastoralism, and live in the rainy highlands in the west and in the central south. The second group is made up of the Plains Pokot who living in dry and infertile plains, herd cows, goats and sheep.

As a result of their nomadic lifestyle, adopted by most of the Pokot, they have interacted with different peoples in their history and therefore incorporated social customs of neighbors into their life. The Turkana and the Karamojong of Uganda, who they neighbor, appear to have had the most influence on the Pokot. Those who are cultivators mainly grow corn/maize. Nevertheless, whether a pastoralist or a farmer, wealth among the Pokot is measured by the number of cattle one has. The other major uses of cows are in bride price and barter trade. As long as a Pokot man has enough wealth in terms of cows to offer, marrying more than one wife is allowed.

Dairy products like milk are an important part of the diet of the Pokot. Porridge made from wild fruits boiled with a mixture of milk and blood, a repast rich in nutrients and iron is the staple of the Pokot diet. Using a special arrow, it's shot into the neck of a cow to drain blood without permanently causing harm to the animal.

The Tororot being the utmost god according to the Pokot, prayers and sacrifices are made to him during ethnic festivals and dances that are organized by their elders. Also, the Pokot have diviners who are in charge for maintaining the spiritual balance within their society. Being superstitious and believing in sorcery and sometimes calling on various forms of shielding lucky charms to ward off the ill will of any sorcerers is a part of their tradition. They also worship other deities like the sun, moon and believe in the spirit of death.

Governing within the Pokot community, is through a number of age-sets and association with any particular set is be determined by the age during which a Pokot goes through their initiation into that set group or society. It is typically between the ages of fifteen and twenty for the men while, it is around twelve, for the women. Matrimonial binds for the youngsters are allowed, once the initiation has been accomplished. As well, they begin taking part in the local economic functions. The bonds formed within the initiation groups, are close and are functional in future political ties as they progress through the positions in the tribal organization. At old age, they get a certain degree of status and the esteem that goes with it. Presiding over important tribal decisions, festivals and religious celebrations are the duties among others that elders are in charge of.

The Pokot are quite proud of their culture are bound to hold on to it in the future. Generally, Pokot women wear colorful necklaces and beaded headgears, brass jewelry and big loop type earrings whereas men wear just a few wrap garments and cowhide capes and shirts. They use beaded skirts to distinguish those females who have been initiated from those who haven't. Pokot warriors wear red clay on their hair, special headgears of feathers. Dances are an important aspect of their culture especially during social-cultural events.

 

 

Missed Part I, II and III?

www.flickr.com/photos/maven_imagery/5811554298/

www.flickr.com/photos/maven_imagery/5847898012/

www.flickr.com/photos/maven_imagery/5865345917/

  

Scar Face, breathing heavily, drunkenly, he blurts. "Andrei," he starts in German, but realizing it is impolite to speak in foreign language, or, more likely to make sure I understand what is being talked, and gaining my trust, so he switches to English. "Dammit, Andrei! This is the fourth dog in one month. You know how difficult to find such a kind!"

Andrei whirls and stares at us, cutting off whistling the tune off and lets out a smile of warning trouble. "Well, well, this turned out to be a fine day after all, welcome gentlemen, welcome. The ceremony's about to begin." says with a trace of British accent, like those who took three months summer English classes in England, but something tells me otherwise; that the accent is not genuine; this five-eight foot tall, Clive Owens look-like face, sparse and receding hair, blue eyes are telling me this man is not what SCAR FACE came to know or not what he claims to be.

"This must stop!" Andrei says firmly, obviously not amused. "Why do it again, Andrei?

Andrei looks upward for a moment and steeples his fingers before him, as if praying, glances at the mongrel which lies next to Galina's foot, a piece of meat half chewed dangling from the corner of its mouth. Andrei looks from me to Scar Face, a tiny smile tugs at his lips." Hold your breath, Gregoire!" he says. "Do you know how bloody difficult to explain every time you ask that stupid question--"

"Let me make it easier," I say, and I take a step or two like flash and punch Andrei across the face, "This is for the poor dog, you whore-breed-heartless-fuck!" I lie.

Andrei staggers backwards, and while his feet go off the ground, his right hand engaging, gripping firmly and wrapping his non-dominant hand around the left side of the pistol's frame, aligning his two thumps pointing toward downrange for not to allow air spaces between his grip, thumbs clearing the slide of hammer, aiming the gun at me in proper stance in less than a three seconds, before he hits the ground. "One step and I'll blow your fucking head off like a marshmallow!" Andrei or whoever he was says calmly.

Gotcha! Wowsome, winsome exposure, with a wowsome capture! You failed and passed the test, ass wipe! Now, I know; you're not a cop. Not Marine or Military trained agent. An assassin or Interpol or Mossad! Anything but your usual suspect.

Who are you, really, Andrei?

We stare at one another: Clint Eastwood squinting into Bad's eyes. The theme song playing but only internally, in our heads. Bad knows he fucked up!

The Good, The Bad and Ugly theme song stops abruptly.

I walk toward Andrei and I extend a friendly-hand, I pull him up. "My bad," I say, feign a pardon my foolish act. "Just love dogs...and, um, I guess I lost it. We cool?"

Bad tugs the gun where it belongs and grips my hand. "No harm done," he says. "I got this...what shrinks call Cyno--" he pauses, unsure how to pronounce it.

"Cynophobia," I complete the word somewhat in an ironic tone. "Fear of dogs. What, you were jumped on by an overexcited puppy or growled at by a large yet miserable sick watchdog?"

"You suddenly my shrink now?" Andrei says pungently, humiliated.

"No. But, if I were, I'd have you locked with a ferocious Bulldog in one of those cells back in there. The best way to cure phobia is not Sub Modality Restructuring; Swish Pattern; Hypnotherapy; Time Line Therapy or all the other bullshit, but to come face to face with your fear."

When I don't take my pills, I just...panic."

"I hear you," I say. "But, I prefer calling it panic disorder. And there are techniques to overcome this."

"Not interested! I suggest you stay the fuck out my sight or you'll be next lying beside that mongrel!"

During all this, Scar Face does nothing but watches dumbfounded. I turn to Scar Face. "This is a real killer," I say.

"Of course he is a real killer, Dr Stark, the dog is really dead." says Scar face.

"Doctor?" Andrei asks quickly, jumping on his feet, looking at me."No psychiatrists or dogs allowed to hump in here!"

"Calm down, Andrei!" scoffs Scar Face. "I still call the shots here! His credentials includes a Diplomatic Driver's License. Mr Stark is a psychologist. Treats diplomatic and consular personnel's in...

So, Scar Face knew from the moment I handed him the blue color Driver's License like blind Ray Charles would recognize the keys of a Blues song on a sheet of notes. Practice makes perfect in any field. I remember reading in American Science magazine that it took ten years or ten thousand-hours (not even 9,999 hours. And this made me go Hi mm! at the time) to be an expert in what you do; this be it art, fishing, science or crime.

Also See: Einstein

Also See: Newton

Also See: Michael Jackson in The Jackson 5

Also See: John Constable

Also See: Ansel Adams

"Spare me the lecture, Gregoire!" snaps Andrei. "I know what it means, you Putinka smelling, peasant cop! Diplomatic Immunity yak tack slash spy. Consider me impressed, but he shouldn't be here."

I wan to correct this Dog-Fearing-Dog-Killer soulless bastard that not all personnel in the Embassy are spies, but I let this one go. I have nothing to say to this Cynophobic lunatic who, without hesitation, would shoot both an old man petting his dog in the park. And I could easily made him believe that I was not a spy (even if I was) by just admitting to be one. The best way to conceal the truth is to tell the truth. That way you'll be dismissed as not "the genuine article'. If you were, you wouldn't say you were, right? However, I wouldn't recommend the spooks to do this at home or overseas.

My stomach growls. I feel hungry and suddenly I don't remember when I had something for it churn.

"If we all medicated and educated now," I quipped. "Can we get with the program, ladies? I'm starving with a capital S. You must've heard that the Cold War is over. We are all ein Berliner. I'm sure there's a Fast Food joint, even Mc Donald's nearby, right"

Drinking does that. It turns you into a scavenging, carnivores gull, which will take live or dead food, greedily and opportunistically, be it crabs or craps. Suddenly, a memory plays before my eyes. Me and Jim, an NBA player, who was transferred, bought more like it, to a funny sounding name of Finnish Team in Scandinavia and every time after club-closing hour on Friday or Saturday, with or without a lay, like a ritual, we would be standing in front of a 24 hours Hess burger hand-out Kiosk, (the best burger in the world and every Mc Donald's lover American would agree at the first bite instantly and the mention of a 'secret sauce of Mc Donald's' would be as a lame a joke as one of Robin Williams'. "Objection, your Honor! blips the Mc Donald's CEO appointed lawyer. "Argumentative speculations!" The sauce-er judge slams his gravel and says firmly. "Motion denied! Proceed, Mr Stark!), taking a heavenly bites while shooing the gulls away which were so adaptive to snatch your burger from your hand in a mind-boggling maneuver, finish it and come back for more less than a minute.

Andrei looks at Scar Face and laughs. "Yes, there is one, Mr Doc Hollywood " he says sardonically. "If you don't mind driving back three-hundreds kilometers back to the Austrian border. Huh! Hah!"

 

This chapter happend to be longer than usual. To read the rest: maventalk.blogspot.com

The word Allah

 

The Semitic language which is spoken in the celestial spheres, is the language in which the angels and God address each other. Adam Safi-Allah spoke the same language in paradise. Adam and eve then came into the world and settled in Arabia. Their children also spoke the same language. Then as a result of the descendants of Adam spreading in the world, this language passed from Arabic, Persian, Latin and into English and God was then known by different names in the different languages. As Adam lived in Arabia, there are many words of the Semitic language which are still found in the Arabic language. God addressed the Prophets, Adam as Adam Safi-Allah, Noah as Nuh Nabi-Allah, Abraham as Ibraheem Khalil-Allah, Moses as Musa Kalim-Allah, Jesus as I’sa Ruh-Allah and Mohammed Rasul-Allah. All these titles, in the Semitic language were written on the Tablet before the arrival of the Prophets. This is why the Prophet Mohammed said: “I was a Prophet even before I came in to this world.”

Many people believe that the word Allah is a name given by Muslims, this is not so.

The Prophet Mohammed’s fathers name was Abd-Allah, at a time when Islam did not exist. Prior to the advent of Islam the Name Allah was announced with the title of every Prophet. When the souls were created, the first Name on their tongue was Allah and when the soul entered the body of Adam, it said, Ya-Allah, and only then it entered the body. Many religions understand this enigma and chant the Name Allah and many others because of doubt are deprived of the Name.

Any name which is used to point towards God is worthy of respect.

 

In other words, which points towards God. The mystical effect of the Name of God has been diversified due to the different names. Every letter of the alphabet has a separate numeric value. This is also a celestial knowledge. All the numeric values are connected with all of the human race. Occasionally the numeric values do not agree with the astronomical calculations as a result of which people become afflicted. Many people go to astrologers and experts of this knowledge and have charts prepared based on the stars. They name their children on this basis.

 

Just as the letters (a, b, j, d,) (1, 2, 3, 4) when added have the numerical value of ten. Similarly every name has a separate numeric value. As God has been given so many different names, this has caused a conflict between the numeric value of the different names. If all the people called upon God by the same name, then despite the fact that they would all have separate religions, they would all be united inwardly. They too, like Nanak Sahib and Baba Farid would then say:

 

“All the souls have been created by the light of God, even though their environment and communities are separate.”

 

The angels that are assigned tasks in the world are also taught the languages of the people of the world.

 

It is important for the people of every Prophet that they recite, chant and affirm the Title of their Prophet which was granted by God to the Prophet at his time, for the recognition, spiritual grace and purification of his people. The recital and affirmation should be in the same method and in the language of their Prophet.

 

The entry of any individual into any religion is subject to the condition that the individual accepts and affirms the Title of the Prophet of that religion. Just as the affirmation and the verbal vows are a condition of any marriage.

 

Entry into the heavens has been made subject to the acceptance and affirmation of the Titles of the Prophets. In the western world many Muslims and Christians have no knowledge of their Prophet’s Title furthermore many do not even know their Prophets original name (in the original language of the Prophet.)

 

People who only verbalize the affirmation of their Prophet’s Title rely upon their good deeds. Those that reject and do not affirm their Prophet’s Title are refused entry to paradise. Those individuals in whose hearts the affirmation of their Prophet’s Title has descended (entered) they will enter paradise without any accountability.

 

The revealed celestial Scriptures, whichever language they are in so long as they are in the original form, are a means to finding God. Where the texts and the translations that have been adulterated, just as adulterated flour is harmful for the stomach, the adulterated books have become harmful and people of the same religion and the same of Prophet have divided into so many sects.

 

To be sure of the straight and guided path it is better that you are guided by the Light (of God) also.

  

The method of producing light.

 

In prehistoric times stones would be rubbed together to make fire. Whereas a spark can also be produced by rubbing two metals together. In a similar way electricity is made from water. Similarly by the friction of the blood inside the human body, in other words electric energy is produced by the vibrating heartbeat. In every human being there is present, approximately one and a half volts of electricity due to which the body is energetic. As the heartbeat slows in old age, this reduces the electricity in the body and this in turn also causes a reduction of the energy level in the body.

 

Firstly, the heartbeat has to be made vibrant and pronounced. Some do this by dancing, some by sports and exercise and some people try to do this by meditating and chanting the Name of God Allah.

 

When the heartbeat becomes vibrant and pronounced then by chanting the Name Allah try to synchronize it with every heartbeat. Alternatively try to synchronize Allah with one heartbeat and Hu with the other. Some time by placing your hand on the heart and when you feel your heartbeat, again try to synchronize the Name Allah by chanting it with the rythm of the heartbeat and imagine that the Name Allah is entering the heart.

 

The chanting of Allah Hu is better and more effective but if anyone has an objection, or a fear of chanting Hu, then instead of being deprived one should solely use the Name Allah, repetitively in the chanting. It is beneficial for people who chant and practice this discipline and who read mantras to physically remain as clean as possible as the:

 

“disrespectful are unfulfilled and the respectful are fulfilled.”

 

The first method for producing light.

Write Allah on a paper in black ink, and do this exercise for as long as you wish on a daily basis. Soon thereafter, the Word Allah will be transported from the paper and hover over the eyes. Then with one-pointed concentration, attempt to transport the word from the eyes to the heart.

 

The second method for producing light.

Write Allah on a zero watt bulb, in yellow. Whilst you are awake or just before sleep, concentrate and try to absorb it into the eyes. When it appears on the eyes then try to transport it to the heart.

 

The third method for producing light.

This method is for those people who have perfect spiritual guides and teachers and who due to their spiritual connection are spiritually assisted by them.

 

Sit alone and imagine that your index finger is a pen. Using your finger and with your concentration, attempt to write Allah on your heart. Call upon your spiritual teacher (spiritually), so that he too may, hold your finger, and write Allah on your heart. Continue to do this exercise everyday, until you see Allah written on your heart.

 

By the first and second method, the Name Allah becomes inscribed on the heart, just as it was written and seen by you but when it becomes synchronized with the heartbeat, then it slowly starts to shine. In the synchronized method, the assistance of the spiritual teacher is provided and for this reason it is seen shining and well written on the heart right from the beginning.

 

Many Prophets and Saints have come into the world, and just for the sake of testing this, if you feel it appropriate, concentrate or call upon all of them when you are practicing your meditation.

 

Whilst concentrating on any Prophet or Saint, during your meditating practice, if the rhythm of your heartbeat increases, in its vibration or you feel an improvement then this means that your destiny (spiritual fruits) lies with that Prophet or Saint.

 

Thereafter it is beneficial to concentrate on that same person whenever you practice your meditation as spiritual grace is transferred in this way, because every Saint is spiritually connected to a Prophet, even if that Prophet is not physically living.

 

The spiritual fruit (grace) of every illuminated person is in the hands of one Saint or another. It is essential that the Saint is living. Sometimes a very fortunate person is gifted with celestial spiritual grace by a perfect Saint who is not living, but this is very rare. However Saints not living in our human realm can provide worldly spiritual grace and assistance to people from their tombs. This is known as Owaisi spiritual grace.

 

The recipients of such spiritual grace often get entangled in their spiritual insights, visions and dreams because the spiritual guide providing the assistance is in the spiritual realm and so too is Satan and the recognition of the two becomes difficult.

 

Along with the spiritual grace it is important to have knowledge, for which a living Saint is more appropriate. If a person (Saint) possesses spiritual grace but is without knowledge, that person is known as a Majzoob (Godly but abstracted due to the complete absorption into the Essence of God and who is not in full control of his faculties).

 

A person (Saint) having spiritual grace and knowledge is known as a Mehboob (literally, loved one). Such people (Saints) as a result of their knowledge provide worldly spiritual assistance as well as spiritual grace and benefit. Whereas the Majzoobs are known to provide worldly spiritual assistance to people by their unusual but accepted practices of shouting obscenities and poking people with their wooden sticks.

 

If any (Prophet or Saint) appears but does not help or assist you then put Gohar Shahi to the test.

 

You may belong to any religion, there is no condition in this respect as long as the individual is not eternally ill-fated.

  

Many people have received the spiritual grace of Qalb meditation from the Moon. This is obtained when there is a full Moon from the East. Look at it with concentration and when you see the image of Gohar Shahi on it say Allah, Allah, Allah three times and you will be blessed with this spiritual grace. Thereafter without any fear or reservation practice the meditation as described.

 

Believe (the fact) that the image on the Moon has spoken to many people in many different languages. You can try looking and speaking to it also.

 

About Muraqba

(transcendental meditation)

 

(Literally. journey. Meditation in which the soul leaves the human body)

 

Many people without having acquired the illumination of the spiritual entities (‘Lata’if/Shaktian’) and without attaining spiritual strength and prowess try to engage in this meditation. They either fail to reach the meditative state or become the subject of Satanic interference. This type of meditation is for illuminated people, whose spiritual entity of the self has been purified and the Qalb has been cleansed. The practice or attempt at this type of meditation is foolish no matter what type of physical worship is used to achieve this. To collect and gather the strength of the soul and the spiritual entities and then to travel to a place is what is known as meditation.

 

Sainthood is the one fourtieth part of Prophecy.

 

Every dream, meditative journey, inspiration or revelation of a Prophet is accurate and authentic and does not need verification. Only fourty out of a hundred dreams, meditative journeys, inspirations and revelations of Saints are accurate the remaining sixty percent are inaccurate.

 

God cannot be understood without knowledge

 

The lowest type of meditative journey is started only after the illumination and awakening of the spiritual entity of the Qalb. This is impossible without first achieving the meditation of the Qalb (meditation with the vibrating heartbeat synchronized with the Name Allah). It takes one jerk or shake to bring the person out of this meditative state and back to consciousness. The faculty of the augury (foretelling the future by reading verses or looking into designated books) is also connected to the Qalb.

 

The next stage is the meditative journey of the soul. It takes three jerks or shakes to return a person back to normality from this meditative state.

 

The third stage of the meditative journey is done by the spiritual entity, Anna and the soul together. The soul travels along with the spiritual entity Anna, to the realm of souls just as the Archangel Gabriel accompanied the Prophet Mohammed to the realm of souls.

 

People who are in this meditative state are sometimes even taken to be buried in their graves and they are unaware of this happening to them. Such a meditative state and journey was taken by the “Companions of the Cave” as a result of which they remained asleep in the cave for more than three hundred years.

 

When this meditative state and journey was undertaken by the Sheikh, Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, in the jungle, the occupants of the jungle would regard the Sheikh as dead and would take him to a grave for burial but the meditative journey would break just before the burial (the Sheikh would return to consciousness).

 

How to recognize a special inspiration and revelation from God.

 

When a person has awakened and illuminated the spiritual entities in the chest and is worthy of receiving the rays of the Grace of God, then at that point God communicates with that person. God is All-Powerful and can do as he pleases and thus communicate with the human being in any way fit, but he has made a special method for his recognition so that his friends can be saved from the deception of Satan.

 

Firstly, text in the Semitic language appears on the seekers heart and its translation is seen in the language of the seekers mother-tongue. The text is white and shiny and the eyes close automatically and look at the text (internally). The text then passes the Qalb and moves towards the spiritual entity Sirri as a result of which it shines even more. Then the text moves towards the spiritual entity, Akhfa and from here it shines more and then moves onto the tongue. The voice then spontaneously starts to repeat that text.

 

If this inspiration is from Satan then an illuminated heart will dull the text and if the text is strong and prominent then the spiritual entities Sirri or Akhfa destroy that text. Further if due to the weakness of the spiritual entities the text does arrive at the tongue, then the voice will prevent it from being spoken into words.

 

This type of inspiration is for special types of Saints, whereas in respect of ordinary Saints, God sends messages to them through the angels or other spiritual entities. When the Archangel Gabriel accompanies the special and inspired text, this is known as revelation which is confined to the Prophets.

 

For more detail visit www.goharshahi.org or visit asipk.com and for videos visit HH rags

 

For Kim Klassen's Friday Finds -

A few weeks ago I read a novel called "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh - a very touching story that I highly recommend if you are looking for something to read. Anyway, my interest in the Victorian flower language was piqued, so I went looking for reference books. I found this little book - The Secret Language of Flowers by Samantha Gray - on Amazon.com (used, $4 including postage). Little did I know until it arrived that the beautiful illustrations, by Sarah Perkins, make it a piece of artwork in itself - well worth the price!

 

Texture: Kim Klassen's Sonnet 2

Ladli — which in Indian languages (Hindi and Urdu) means ‘beloved daughter.’

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

LADLI - The loved one! campaign by SOCIAL GEOGRAPHIC

Photo: Firoz Ahmad Firoz

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

"Worst of all, violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence -- yet the reality is that, too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned." (UN SECRETARY-GENERAL in International Women’s Day 2007 Message.)

 

“Almost every country in the world still has laws that discriminate against women, and promises to remedy this have not been kept.” (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the eve of International Women's Day 2008)

 

According to one United Nations estimate, 113 to 200 million women are “demographically missing” from the world today. That is to say, there should be 113 to 200 million more women walking the earth, who aren’t. By that same estimate, 1.5 to 3 million women and girls lose their lives every year because of gender-based neglect or gender-based violence and Sexual Violence in Conflict.

 

In addition to torture, sexual violence and rape by occupation forces, a great number of women and girls are kept locked up in their homes by a very real fear of abduction and criminal abuse. In war and conflicts, girls and women have been denied their human right, including the right to health, education and employment. “Sexual violence in conflict zones is indeed a security concern. We affirm that sexual violence profoundly affects not only the health and safety of women, but the economic and social stability of their nations” –US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, 19 June 2008 (Read more about UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict www.stoprapenow.org/ ).

 

Millions of young women disappear in their native land every year. Many of them are found later being held against their will in other places and forced into prostitution. According to the UNICEF ( www.unicef.org/gender/index_factsandfigures.html ),Girls between 13 and 18 years of age constitute the largest group in the sex industry. It is estimated that around 500,000 girls below 18 are victims of trafficking each year. The victims of trafficking and female migrants are sometimes unfairly blamed for spreading HIV when the reality is that they are often the victims.

 

According to the UNAIDS around 17.3 million, women (almost half of the total number of HIV-positive) living with HIV ( www.unaids.org ). While HIV is often driven by poverty, it is also associated with inequality, gender-based abuses and economic transition. The relationship between abuses of women's rights and their vulnerability to AIDS is alarming. Violence and discrimination prevents women from freely accessing HIV/AIDS information, from negotiating condom use, and from resisting unprotected sex with an HIV-positive partner, yet most of the governments have failed to take any meaningful steps to prevent and punish such abuse.

 

United Nations agencies estimated that every year 3 million girls are at risk of undergoing the procedure – which involves the partial or total removal of external female genital organs – that some 140 million women, mostly in Asia, the Middle East and in Africa, have already endured.

 

We can point a finger at poverty. But poverty alone does not result in these girls and women’s deaths and suffering; the blame also falls on the social system and attitudes of the societies.

 

India alone accounts for more than 50 million of the women who are “missing” due to female foeticide - the sex-selective abortion of girls, dowry death, gender-based neglect and all forms of violence against women.

 

Since the late 1970s when the technology for sex determination first came into being, sex selective abortion has unleashed a saga of horror in India. Experts are calling it "sanitized barbarism”. The 2001 Census conducted by Government of India, showed a sharp decline in the child sex ratio in 80% districts of India. In some parts of the country, the sex ratio of girls to boys has dropped to less than 800:1,000.

 

It's alarming that even liberal states like those in the northeast have taken to disposing of girls. Worryingly, the trend is far stronger in urban rather than rural areas, and among literate rather than illiterate women, exploding the myth that growing affluence and spread of basic education alone will result in the erosion of gender bias. The United Nations has expressed serious concern about the situation.

 

Over the years, laws have been made stricter and the punishment too is more stringent now. But since many people manage to evade punishment, others too feel inclined to take the risk. Just look at the way sex-determination tests go on despite a stiff ban on them. Only if the message goes out loud and clear that nobody who dares to snuff out the life of a female foetus would escape effective legal system would the practice end. It is only by a combination of monitoring, education, socio-cultural campaigns, and effective legal implementation that the deep-seated attitudes and practices against women and girls can be eroded.

 

The decline in the sex ratio and the millions of Missing Women are indicators of the feudal patriarchal resurgence. Violence against women has gone public – whether it is dowry murders, the practice of female genital mutilation, honour killings, sex selective abortions or death sentences awarded to young lovers from different communities by caste councils, rapes and killings in communal and caste violence, it is only women’s and human rights groups who are protesting – the public and institutional response to these trends is very minimal.

 

Millions of women suffer from discrimination in the world of work. This not only violates a most basic human right, but has wider social and economic consequences. Most of the governments turn a blind eye to illegal practices and enact and enforce discriminatory laws. Corporations and private individuals engage in abusive and sexist practices without fear of legal system.

 

More women are working now than ever before, but they are also more likely than men to get low-productivity, low-paid and vulnerable jobs, with no social protection, basic rights nor voice at work according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) issued for International Women’s Day 2008. Are we even half way to meeting the eight Millennium Development Goals?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Unite To End Violence Against Women!

Say No To Sex Selection and Female Foeticide!!

Say No To Female Genital Mutilation!!!

Say No To Dowry and Discrimination Against Women!!!!

Say Yes To Women’s Resistance !!!!!

Educate & Empowered Women for a Happy Future !!!!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

www.un.org/womenwatch/

www.un.org/women/endviolence/

www.saynotoviolence.org/

www.unaids.org

www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

Flight B6 459 to Burbank from New York (JFK) is a pretty new addition to the schedule, operated by this pretty new A321neo - delivery was in May 2021. It's also named in American Sign Language ("jetBlue Loves You.")

Language not only communicates, it defines culture, nature, history, humanity, and ancestry. The indigenous languages of the Arctic have been formed and shaped in close contact with their environment. They are a valuable source of information and a wealth of knowledge on human interactions with nature is encoded in these languages. If a language is lost, a world is lost. This deep knowledge and interconnectedness is expressed in Arctic song, subsistence practices, and other cultural expressions but especially in place names across the Arctic. Place names of the indigenous peoples reflect subsistence practices, stories, dwelling sites, spawning sites, migratory routes of animals, and links to the sacred realms of the indigenous peoples of the north. From surveys it was possible to calculate change in the absolute number of speakers and proportion of speakers for 44 of the surveyed languages. Only 4 languages displayed an increase in absolute numbers of speakers, proportion of speakers and net population. Thirty nine of the surveyed languages experienced a decrease in vitality over the last decade, i.e., a decrease in numbers of speakers and in the proportion of speakers within their populations. Thirty-five languages experienced reductions in proportion of speakers and 22 of these ranged from 10–50%. Of the remaining languages all but seven experienced reductions of over 10% in the absolute numbers of speakers within their populations. Some languages, such as the Enet language of the Russian Federation experienced a 70% decrease in the numbers of speakers. Only twelve languages displayed an increase in absolute numbers of speakers The Inuit language(s) had the highest gain while the Chukchi language had the greatest loss.

 

For any form of publication, please include the link to this page:

www.grida.no/resources/6270

 

This photo has been graciously provided to be used in the GRID-Arendal resources library by: Hugo Ahlenius, GRID-Arendal & CAFF

wish they could all be windlesham girls, lol

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, California -- The 2018 Language Day celebration was held by the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center at the Presidio of Monterey, May 11. Language Day is open to the public and attended by schools across the nation to promote an understanding of diverse customs and cultures from around the world. Approximately 6,000 people attended this annual event featuring cultural displays, activities and international ethnic cuisine served by local vendors.

 

Official Presidio of Monterey Web site

 

Official Presidio of Monterey Facebook

 

PHOTO by Steven L. Shepard, Presidio of Monterey Public Affairs.

I won't repeat the the filthy bilge this bad boy was spewing...it's what comes I guess from hanging out too long with park employees and other human beings. You pick up some pretty fancy lingo. A wild goose would gag on this stuff.

detta anche : campanella pelosa

 

on Explore

Nicole durante la filmación de su video CULPABLES, por Alterado Producciones.

Foto by Carolina Amos

Afrikaans Language Monument in Paarl Cape Town.

Officially opened on 10 October 1975 it commemorates the semicentenary of Afrikaans being declared an official language of South Africa separate from Dutch

Title in other languages:

English: Fashion brands at Cologne Central Station, Germany

Nederlands: Modemerken aan Keulen Centraal Station (Duitsland)

 

English:

 

Welcome and thank you for being here! This image forms part of a collection of photographs of moments on Planet Earth.

 

If you enjoy this work and want to support me financially, I’m glad to receive your donation via Paypal: paypal.me/jankohoener

 

If you intend to use this picture for your own purposes, please credit me with the following attribution line: Janko Hoener / CC-BY-SA-4.0. This is required by the license terms. A link back to this page and informing me about your usage via FlickrMail is appreciated.

 

Deutsch:

 

Willkommen und vielen Dank, dass Sie hier sind! Dieses Bild stellt Teil einer Sammlung von Fotografien von Augenblicken auf dem Planet Erde dar.

Wenn Ihnen diese Arbeit zusagt und Sie mich finanziell dabei unterstützen möchten, so freue ich mich über Ihre Spende via Paypal: paypal.me/jankohoener

 

Wenn Sie dieses Foto für eigene Zwecke nutzen möchten, geben Sie bitte Janko Hoener / CC-BY-SA-4.0 in der Bildunterschrift an. Dies ist per Lizenz gefordert. Über einen Link auf diese Seite und eine Benachrichtigung über die Nutzung via FlickrMail freue ich mich.

para que todo esto sea simplemente un juego.

 

♥

[image in cooperation with Mo/ (Sorrenta)]

  

those three words are never enough

 

~~

~

if you are the meaning of love,

I need not know more words

 

if you are who I am to live for,

there is no limit to life

 

if you are the reasons I need to try,

let there be no boundaries

 

if you are why life's restless motion

soothes to the silence of a moment,

there is no time

 

if you are all my heart seeks

and all it will ever need

let it be yours, let it be

 

if you are my soul to whole

let it be to you,

as you are to me

 

if you are why we make one

there is no such thing as distinction

 

if you are why truth turns trust turns belief

let my heart rest blind in your hands.

 

- those three words

 

[Writen by Mo /(Sorrenta)]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I'm proud of being a part of one of Sorrenta's beautiful ideas. He did the editing and did the writing, my only cooperation was the my hands (The blury ones ;)

Carreg yr Imbill is the remains of a large dolerite with pegmatite pods and quarry at Pwllheli, Gwynedd, Wales.

 

The dolerite was mined by the Liverpool and Pwllheli Granite Company (sometimes known as the Pwllheli Granite Company), which used the diorite for stone setts to pave the streets.

 

The worked out quarry forms the basis for a large holiday village which is run by the Haulfryn Group, the same company which runs The Warren in Abersoch.

 

Pwllheli is a market town and community on the Llŷn Peninsula (Welsh: Penrhyn Llŷn), north-west Wales. It lies in the traditional county of Caernarfonshire but is currently administered as part of the unitary authority of Gwynedd. It had a population of 4,076 in 2011, the population declining slightly to 3,947 in 2021. of whom a large proportion, 81%, were Welsh speaking. Pwllheli is the place where Plaid Cymru was founded. It is the birthplace of the Welsh poet Sir Albert Evans-Jones (bardic name Cynan).

 

Pwllheli has a range of shops and other services. As a local railhead with a market every Wednesday, the town is a gathering point for the population of the whole peninsula.

 

The town's name means salt-water basin.

 

The town was given its charter as a borough by Edward, the Black Prince, in 1355, and a market is still held each Wednesday in the centre of the town on 'Y Maes' (‘the field’ or ‘the town square’ in English).

 

The town grew around the shipbuilding and fishing industries and the granite quarry at Gimlet Rock (Welsh: Carreg yr Imbill).

 

The population in 1841 was 2,367.

 

During the 1890s the town was developed by Solomon Andrews, a Cardiff businessman. This work included the promenade, roads and houses at West End. A tramway was built linking the town to Llanbedrog. The trams ran until 1927, when the section of track between Carreg-y-Defaid and Tyddyn-Caled was seriously damaged by a storm. Andrews ran the Cardiff Road section in 1928 and offered to sell the tramway to Pwllheli Corporation at the end of the season, but they did not take up his offer. He then sold the assets and the Corporation removed the tracks during the winter of 1928/29.

 

Poet Albert Evans-Jones, who was an archdruid for the National Eisteddfod of Wales and was known by his bardic name 'Cynan', was born in Pwllheli; before becoming an archdruid he joined the First World War effort through the Welsh Student Company of the RAMC, serving in Salonika and France, initially as an ambulance driver and medic, later as the company's chaplain. He was the son of the proprietor of the Central Restaurant in Penlan Street, Pwllheli.

 

Pwllheli Town Council consists of fifteen members elected from the North and South wards.

 

Pwllheli North and Pwllheli South are the county wards covering the town; they each elect one county councillor to Gwynedd Council.

 

Ysgol Glan y Môr was formed by the merger in 1969 of the former Pwllheli Grammar School at Penrallt and the Frondeg Secondary Modern School in Upper Ala Road to form a comprehensive school based on two sites in the town. The junior pupils (year 1 and year 2) were located at the Penrallt site and the senior pupils (year 3 and upwards) at a new complex in Cardiff Road. This new school was subsequently expanded to accommodate all pupils under the Ysgol Glan y Môr name.

 

The Penrallt site was later redeveloped as the Pwllheli campus of Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor. The façade of the main building of the old grammar school was retained and incorporated into the design of the current college buildings. Thus the 'old school' is readily seen from the town square (Y Maes), as it has been since the former Pwllheli County School moved to Penrallt in the early 20th century.

 

Pwllheli railway station is the terminus of the Cambrian Coast Railway, running to Machynlleth with services continuing to Shrewsbury and Birmingham. The station is operated and served by Transport for Wales. The rail link to Caernarfon via the Carnarvonshire Railway was axed under the Beeching cuts and as a result it closed in December 1964.

 

Pwllheli is connected to the wider road network by the A497 to Porthmadog and the A499 to Caernarfon. From there major roads lead away from Gwynedd to the rest of Wales.

 

Buses serve most of the town as well as the rest of the wider Llŷn Peninsula. Services to Caernarfon give connections to Bangor.[citation needed] Pwllheli bus station is in the town centre.

 

Attractions

Plas Bodegroes, which until 2009 was a Michelin starred restaurant

Penarth Fawr, a 15th-century house

Hafan y Môr, a former Butlins holiday camp now operated by Haven

Pwllheli Market

Neuadd Dwyfor, a theatre and cinema in Penlan Street

Pwllheli has a section of the Wales Coast Path along its shoreline.

 

Pwllheli has a small harbour at the confluence of the Afon Erch and Afon Rhyd-Hir.

 

Hafan Pwllheli is a marina built in Pwllheli Harbour during the 1990s.

 

Notable people

Eleazar Roberts (1825–1912), musician, translator, writer and amateur astronomer

Owen Davies (1840–1929), Baptist minister and writer

Sir (Albert) Cynan Evans-Jones CBE (1895–1970), bardic name Cynan, was a war poet and dramatist.

William Richard Williams (1896–1962), Principal of the United Theological College, Aberystwyth

John Robert Jones (1911–1970), philosopher

Hywel Williams (born 1953), Plaid Cymru politician, MP for Arfon, previously Caernarfon, since 2001

David Dawson (born 1960), artist

Gareth Pierce (born 1981), actor and musician

 

Pwllheli hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1925, 1955 and 2023 as well as an unofficial National Eisteddfod event in 1875.

 

According to the United Kingdom Census 2011 80% of the population spoke Welsh.

 

Pwllheli is home to association football team Pwllheli F.C., rugby union team Pwllheli RFC and running club Llŷn Striders. There is a hockey club, Clwb Hoci Pwllheli, which is part of the rugby, cricket and hockey club.

 

Pwllheli is a hub for water sports, owing in part to a marina, Pwllheli Sailing Club and Plas Heli - the Welsh National Sailing Academy.

 

The town has two beaches, South Beach and Glan-y-don. South Beach stretches from Gimlet Rock, across the Promenade and West End, towards Penrhos and Llanbedrog. Glan-y-don Beach is on the eastern side of the river mouth and runs for 3 miles (5 km) from behind the marina workshops and out towards Penychain (holiday camp).

 

The town has a golf club on the Llŷn coastline.

 

Gwynedd is a county in the north-west of Wales. It borders Anglesey across the Menai Strait to the north, Conwy, Denbighshire, and Powys to the east, Ceredigion over the Dyfi estuary to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The city of Bangor is the largest settlement, and the administrative centre is Caernarfon. The preserved county of Gwynedd, which is used for ceremonial purposes, includes the Isle of Anglesey.

 

Gwynedd is the second largest county in Wales but sparsely populated, with an area of 979 square miles (2,540 km2) and a population of 117,400. After Bangor (18,322), the largest settlements are Caernarfon (9,852), Bethesda (4,735), and Pwllheli (4,076). The county has the highest percentage of Welsh speakers in Wales, at 64.4%, and is considered a heartland of the language.

 

The geography of Gwynedd is mountainous, with a long coastline to the west. Much of the county is covered by Snowdonia National Park (Eryri), which contains Wales's highest mountain, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa; 3,560 feet, 1,090 m). To the west, the Llŷn Peninsula is flatter and renowned for its scenic coastline, part of which is protected by the Llŷn AONB. Gwynedd also contains several of Wales's largest lakes and reservoirs, including the largest, Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid).

 

The area which is now the county has played a prominent part in the history of Wales. It formed part of the core of the Kingdom of Gwynedd and the native Principality of Wales, which under the House of Aberffraw remained independent from the Kingdom of England until Edward I's conquest between 1277 and 1283. Edward built the castles at Caernarfon and Harlech, which form part of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Site. During the Industrial Revolution the slate industry rapidly developed; in the late nineteenth century the neighbouring Penrhyn and Dinorwic quarries were the largest in the world, and the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales is now a World Heritage Site. Gwynedd covers the majority of the historic counties of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire.

 

In the past, historians such as J. E. Lloyd assumed that the Celtic source of the word Gwynedd meant 'collection of tribes' – the same root as the Irish fine, meaning 'tribe'. Further, a connection is recognised between the name and the Irish Féni, an early ethnonym for the Irish themselves, related to fían, 'company of hunting and fighting men, company of warriors under a leader'. Perhaps *u̯en-, u̯enə ('strive, hope, wish') is the Indo-European stem. The Irish settled in NW Wales, and in Dyfed, at the end of the Roman era. Venedotia was the Latin form, and in Penmachno there is a memorial stone from c. AD 500 which reads: Cantiori Hic Iacit Venedotis ('Here lies Cantiorix, citizen of Gwynedd'). The name was retained by the Brythons when the kingdom of Gwynedd was formed in the 5th century, and it remained until the invasion of Edward I. This historical name was revived when the new county was formed in 1974.

 

Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th century, when it was conquered by England. The modern Gwynedd was one of eight Welsh counties created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the entirety of the historic counties of Anglesey and Caernarfonshire, and all of Merionethshire apart from Edeirnion Rural District (which went to Clwyd); and also a few parishes of Denbighshire: Llanrwst, Llansanffraid Glan Conwy, Eglwysbach, Llanddoged, Llanrwst and Tir Ifan.

 

The county was divided into five districts: Aberconwy, Arfon, Dwyfor, Meirionnydd and Anglesey.

 

The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 abolished the 1974 county (and the five districts) on 1 April 1996, and its area was divided: the Isle of Anglesey became an independent unitary authority, and Aberconwy (which included the former Denbighshire parishes) passed to the new Conwy County Borough. The remainder of the county was constituted as a principal area, with the name Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire, as it covers most of the areas of those two historic counties. As one of its first actions, the Council renamed itself Gwynedd on 2 April 1996. The present Gwynedd local government area is governed by Gwynedd Council. As a unitary authority, the modern entity no longer has any districts, but Arfon, Dwyfor and Meirionnydd remain as area committees.

 

The pre-1996 boundaries were retained as a preserved county for a few purposes such as the Lieutenancy. In 2003, the boundary with Clwyd was adjusted to match the modern local government boundary, so that the preserved county now covers the two local government areas of Gwynedd and Anglesey. Conwy county borough is now entirely within Clwyd.

 

A Gwynedd Constabulary was formed in 1950 by the merger of the Anglesey, Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire forces. A further amalgamation took place in the 1960s when Gwynedd Constabulary was merged with the Flintshire and Denbighshire county forces, retaining the name Gwynedd. In one proposal for local government reform in Wales, Gwynedd had been proposed as a name for a local authority covering all of north Wales, but the scheme as enacted divided this area between Gwynedd and Clwyd. To prevent confusion, the Gwynedd Constabulary was therefore renamed the North Wales Police.

 

The Snowdonia National Park was formed in 1951. After the 1974 local authority reorganisation, the park fell entirely within the boundaries of Gwynedd, and was run as a department of Gwynedd County Council. After the 1996 local government reorganisation, part of the park fell under Conwy County Borough, and the park's administration separated from the Gwynedd council. Gwynedd Council still appoints nine of the eighteen members of the Snowdonia National Park Authority; Conwy County Borough Council appoints three; and the Welsh Government appoints the remaining six.

 

There has been considerable inwards migration to Gwynedd, particularly from England. According to the 2021 census, 66.6% of residents had been born in Wales whilst 27.1% were born in England.

 

The county has a mixed economy. An important part of the economy is based on tourism: many visitors are attracted by the many beaches and the mountains. A significant part of the county lies within the Snowdonia National Park, which extends from the north coast down to the district of Meirionnydd in the south. But tourism provides seasonal employment and thus there is a shortage of jobs in the winter.

 

Agriculture is less important than in the past, especially in terms of the number of people who earn their living on the land, but it remains an important element of the economy.

 

The most important of the traditional industries is the slate industry, but these days only a small percentage of workers earn their living in the slate quarries.

 

Industries which have developed more recently include TV and sound studios: the record company Sain has its HQ in the county.

 

The education sector is also very important for the local economy, including Bangor University and Further Education colleges, Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor and Coleg Menai, both now part of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

 

The proportion of respondents in the 2011 census who said they could speak Welsh.

Gwynedd has the highest proportion of people in Wales who can speak Welsh. According to the 2021 census, 64.4% of the population aged three and over stated that they could speak Welsh,[7] while 64.4% noted that they could speak Welsh in the 2011 census.

 

It is estimated that 83% of the county's Welsh-speakers are fluent, the highest percentage of all counties in Wales.[9] The age group with the highest proportion of Welsh speakers in Gwynedd were those between ages 5–15, of whom 92.3% stated that they could speak Welsh in 2011.

 

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Gwynedd declined between 1991 and 2001,[10] from 72.1% to 68.7%, even though the proportion of Welsh speakers in Wales as a whole increased during that decade to 20.5%.

 

The Annual Population Survey estimated that as of March 2023, 77.0% of those in Gwynedd aged three years and above could speak Welsh.

 

Notable people

Leslie Bonnet (1902–1985), RAF officer, writer; originated the Welsh Harlequin duck in Criccieth

Sir Dave Brailsford (born 1964), cycling coach; grew up in Deiniolen, near Caernarfon

Duffy (born 1984), singer, songwriter and actress; born in Bangor, Gwynedd

Edward II of England (1284–1327), born in Caernarfon Castle

Elin Fflur (born 1984), singer-songwriter, TV and radio presenter; went to Bangor University

Bryn Fôn (born 1954), actor and singer-songwriter; born in Llanllyfni, Caernarfonshire.

Wayne Hennessey (born 1987), football goalkeeper with 108 caps for Wales; born in Bangor, Gwynedd

John Jones (c. 1530 – 1598), a Franciscan friar, Roman Catholic priest and martyr; born at Clynnog

Sir Love Jones-Parry, 1st Baronet (1832–1891), landowner and politician, co-founder of the Y Wladfa settlement in Patagonia

T. E. Lawrence (1888–1935), archaeologist, army officer and inspiration for Lawrence of Arabia, born in Tremadog

David Lloyd George (1863–1945), statesman and Prime Minister; lived in Llanystumdwy from infancy

Sasha (born 1969), disc jockey, born in Bangor, Gwynedd

Sir Bryn Terfel (born 1965), bass-baritone opera and concert singer from Pant Glas

Sir Clough Williams-Ellis (1883–1978), architect of Portmeirion

Owain Fôn Williams, (born 1987), footballer with 443 club caps; born and raised in Penygroes, Gwynedd.

Hedd Wyn (1887–1917), poet from the village of Trawsfynydd; killed in WWI

Women from Teopoxco, Oaxaca, At the International Mother Language Day celebration in Oaxaca City.

__ Allora ti sei divertita?

__ Così

__ L'hai visto il metrò?

__ No

__ E allora,che cosa hai fatto?

__ Sono invecchiata

 

(R.Queneau---Zazie nel metrò)

It's uncommon to see Dutch language publications issued by an UK company and so to see this, from 1960, promoting holidays int he 'Sunny South West" of England is of interest. It was issued by a group of local bus and coach operators who served the destinations shown in the brochure and that include Bath, Ilfracombe and North Devon, Falmouth, the Cornish Riviera, Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight. Travel via the Hook - Harwich was included in the costs quoted that are between 367 and 446 Guiden for 9 days.

 

The companies involved were the old Bristol Omnibus Co Ltd, Hants & Dorset Motor Services Ltd, Western National Omnibus Co and the Eilts & Dorset Motor Services Ltd.

Editors: Reimer

Language: German

Booklet, 248 pages

ISBN-10: 3496027169

ISBN-13: 978-3496027164

 

Franziska Becker (2001): Ankommen in Deutschland - Einwanderungspolitik als biografische Erfahrung im Migrationsprozess russischer Juden

 

Die Studie untersucht Migrationsprozesse russischer Juden. Dabei werden sowohl die Einwanderungspolitik als auch die Erfahrungsperspektive der Migranten in den Blick genommen. Dichte biografische Fallstudien eröffnen Einblicke in einen komplexen Umbauprozess sozialer Erfahrung und individueller Verortung.

 

Seit 1991 werden Juden aus der ehemaligen Sowjetunion in Deutschland als „jüdische Kontingentflüchtlinge“ aufgenommen. Franziska Becker lotet die Einwanderungspolitik und ihre rechtlichen und bürokratischen Rahmenbedingungen sowie ihre sozialen und kulturellen Kontexte aus. Dabei wird auch eine (deutsche) Strategie der Identitätszuschreibung vorgeführt, die eindeutig konstruktive und normative Züge trägt. Die Studie zeigt anhand biographischer Fallstudien, wie diese Zuschreibungsdiskurse im individuellen Migrationsprozess wirken, wie sie Migranten dazu herausfordern, ihre Lebensgeschichte reflexiv neu zu bewerten, um das Hiersein plausibel zu machen und zu legitimieren. Eindrückliche Porträts geben Aufschluss darüber, mit welchen Identitätserwartungen und Stereotypen russische Juden im Kontakt mit den Institutionen der Aufnahmegesellschaft wie Flüchtlingsheimen, Ausländerbehörden, der Sozialbürokratie und jüdischen Gemeinden konfrontiert werden und wie sich dabei ihre jüdischen Selbstbilder verändern. Die Studie setzt neue Akzente in der ethnologischen Migrationsforschung und lässt sich zugleich als Ethnografie des deutsch-jüdischen Verhältnisses lesen, eines für die Bundesrepublik zentralen Politikfeldes.

...ein wichtiger Beitrag zur Integrationsforschung, der „Integration“ gegen den Strich liest, nämlich als Resultat eines mühevollen Prozesses der Auseinandersetzung mit den Paradoxien der deutschen Einwanderungspoltik.[H-Soz-U-Kult]

Die ethnologische Dissertation von Franziska Becker über die russisch-jüdische Einwanderung ist eine hervorragende wissenschaftliche Arbeit, die man als eine Einführung in die überaus komplexe Materie empfehlen kann. [Im Gespräch – Martin-Buber-Gesellschaft.e.V.] /

 

Franziska Becker (2001): Arriving in Germany - Immigration policy as a biographical experience in the migration process of Russian Jews

 

The study analyses the migration processes of Russian Jews. Both immigration policy and the migrants' experiences are analysed. Dense biographical case studies provide insights into a complex process of transformation of social experience and individual localisation.

 

Since 1991, Jews from the former Soviet Union have been admitted to Germany as "Jewish quota refugees". Franziska Becker explores immigration policy and its legal and bureaucratic framework as well as its social and cultural contexts. In the process, a (German) strategy of identity attribution is also presented that clearly bears constructive and normative traits. Using biographical case studies, the study shows how these attribution discourses work in the individual migration process and how they challenge migrants to reflexively re-evaluate their life stories in order to make being here plausible and legitimise it. Impressive portraits shed light on the identity expectations and stereotypes with which Russian Jews are confronted in contact with the institutions of the host society, such as refugee centres, immigration authorities, the social bureaucracy and Jewish communities, and how their Jewish self-images change in the process. The study sets new accents in ethnological migration research and can also be read as an ethnography of the German-Jewish relationship, a central political field for the Federal Republic of Germany.

...an important contribution to integration research that reads "integration" against the grain, namely as the result of a painstaking process of coming to terms with the paradoxes of German immigration policy. [H-Soz-U-Kult] Franziska Becker's ethnological dissertation on Russian-Jewish immigration is an outstanding academic work that can be recommended as an introduction to the extremely complex subject matter. [In dialogue - Martin-Buber-Gesellschaft.e.V.] /

 

Franziska Becker (2001) : Arriver en Allemagne - La politique d'immigration comme expérience biographique dans le processus migratoire des Juifs russes.

 

L'étude examine les processus migratoires des Juifs russes. Elle s'intéresse aussi bien à la politique d'immigration qu'à l'expérience des migrants. Des études de cas biographiques denses ouvrent des perspectives sur un processus complexe de transformation de l'expérience sociale et de la localisation individuelle.

 

Depuis 1991, les Juifs de l'ex-Union soviétique sont accueillis en Allemagne en tant que "réfugiés du contingent juif". Franziska Becker explore la politique d'immigration et son cadre juridique et bureaucratique ainsi que ses contextes sociaux et culturels. Ce faisant, elle démontre également une stratégie (allemande) d'attribution d'identité qui présente des traits clairement constructifs et normatifs. L'étude montre, à l'aide d'études de cas biographiques, comment ces discours d'attribution agissent dans le processus de migration individuel, comment ils poussent les migrants à réévaluer leur histoire de vie de manière réflexive afin de rendre plausible et de légitimer leur présence ici. Des portraits impressionnants permettent de comprendre à quelles attentes identitaires et à quels stéréotypes les Juifs russes sont confrontés au contact des institutions de la société d'accueil telles que les foyers de réfugiés, les autorités d'immigration, la bureaucratie sociale et les communautés juives, et comment leur image de soi juive se modifie dans ce contexte. L'étude pose de nouveaux jalons dans la recherche ethnologique sur la migration et peut en même temps être lue comme une ethnographie des relations entre juifs et allemands, un domaine politique central pour la République fédérale.

...une contribution importante à la recherche sur l'intégration, qui lit "l'intégration" à contre-courant, à savoir comme le résultat d'un processus laborieux de confrontation avec les paradoxes de la politique d'immigration allemande.[H-Soz-U-Kult] La thèse de doctorat en ethnologie de Franziska Becker sur l'immigration juive russe est un excellent travail scientifique, que l'on peut recommander comme introduction à cette matière extrêmement complexe. [Entretien - Martin-Buber-Gesellschaft.e.V.] /

 

Franziska Becker (2001): Llegar a Alemania - La política de inmigración como experiencia biográfica en el proceso migratorio de los judíos rusos

 

El estudio analiza los procesos migratorios de los judíos rusos. Se analizan tanto la política de inmigración como las experiencias de los emigrantes. Densos estudios de casos biográficos permiten comprender un complejo proceso de transformación de la experiencia social y de localización individual.

 

Desde 1991, los judíos de la antigua Unión Soviética son admitidos en Alemania como "refugiados de cuota judía". Franziska Becker explora la política de inmigración y su marco jurídico y burocrático, así como sus contextos sociales y culturales. En el proceso, también se presenta una estrategia (alemana) de atribución de identidad que presenta claramente rasgos constructivos y normativos. Mediante estudios de casos biográficos, el estudio muestra cómo funcionan estos discursos de atribución en el proceso migratorio individual y cómo desafían a los inmigrantes a reevaluar reflexivamente sus historias de vida para hacer plausible y legitimar su presencia aquí. Impresionantes retratos arrojan luz sobre las expectativas de identidad y los estereotipos a los que se enfrentan los judíos rusos en contacto con las instituciones de la sociedad de acogida, como los centros de refugiados, las autoridades de inmigración, la burocracia social y las comunidades judías, y cómo cambia su autoimagen judía en el proceso. El estudio establece nuevos acentos en la investigación etnológica de la migración y también puede leerse como una etnografía de la relación germano-judía, un campo político central para la República Federal de Alemania.

...una importante contribución a la investigación sobre la integración que interpreta la "integración" a contracorriente, es decir, como el resultado de un minucioso proceso de reconciliación con las paradojas de la política alemana de inmigración [H-Soz-U-Kult] La disertación etnológica de Franziska Becker sobre la inmigración ruso-judía es un trabajo académico sobresaliente que puede recomendarse como introducción a un tema extremadamente complejo. [En diálogo - Martin-Buber-Gesellschaft.e.V.]. /

 

Franziska Becker (2001): Arrivare in Germania - La politica di immigrazione come esperienza biografica nel processo migratorio degli ebrei russi

 

Lo studio analizza i processi migratori degli ebrei russi. Vengono analizzate sia la politica di immigrazione che le esperienze dei migranti. I densi studi di casi biografici forniscono indicazioni su un complesso processo di trasformazione dell'esperienza sociale e di localizzazione individuale.

 

Dal 1991, gli ebrei dell'ex Unione Sovietica sono stati ammessi in Germania come "rifugiati in quota ebraica". Franziska Becker esplora la politica di immigrazione e il suo quadro legale e burocratico, nonché i suoi contesti sociali e culturali. Nel processo, viene anche presentata una strategia (tedesca) di attribuzione dell'identità che presenta chiaramente tratti costruttivi e normativi. Utilizzando casi di studio biografici, lo studio mostra come questi discorsi di attribuzione funzionino nel processo migratorio individuale e come sfidino i migranti a rivalutare in modo riflessivo le loro storie di vita per rendere plausibile e legittimare la loro presenza qui. Ritratti impressionanti fanno luce sulle aspettative identitarie e sugli stereotipi con cui gli ebrei russi si confrontano a contatto con le istituzioni della società ospitante, come i centri per rifugiati, le autorità per l'immigrazione, la burocrazia sociale e le comunità ebraiche, e sul modo in cui l'immagine di sé degli ebrei cambia nel corso del processo. Lo studio pone nuovi accenti nella ricerca etnologica sulle migrazioni e può essere letto anche come un'etnografia del rapporto tra tedeschi ed ebrei, un campo politico centrale per la Repubblica Federale Tedesca.

... un importante contributo alla ricerca sull'integrazione che legge l'"integrazione" controcorrente, cioè come il risultato di un accurato processo di avvicinamento ai paradossi della politica tedesca sull'immigrazione. [H-Soz-U-Kult] La dissertazione etnologica di Franziska Becker sull'immigrazione russo-ebraica è un'opera accademica eccezionale che può essere raccomandata come introduzione a un argomento estremamente complesso. [In dialogo - Martin-Buber-Gesellschaft.e.V.] /

 

Франциска Беккер (2001): Прибуття до Німеччини - імміграційна політика як біографічний досвід міграційного процесу російських євреїв

 

У дослідженні проаналізовано міграційні процеси російських євреїв. Аналізується як імміграційна політика, так і досвід мігрантів. Детальний аналіз біографічних прикладів дає уявлення про складний процес трансформації соціального досвіду та індивідуальної локалізації.

 

З 1991 року євреїв з колишнього Радянського Союзу приймають до Німеччини як "біженців за єврейською квотою". Франциска Беккер досліджує імміграційну політику, її правові та бюрократичні рамки, а також соціальний і культурний контексти. У процесі дослідження також представлено (німецьку) стратегію атрибуції ідентичності, яка має чітко виражені конструктивні та нормативні риси. Використовуючи біографічні приклади, дослідження показує, як ці дискурси атрибуції працюють в індивідуальному міграційному процесі і як вони змушують мігрантів рефлексивно переосмислювати свої життєві історії, щоб зробити перебування тут правдоподібним і легітимізувати його. Вражаючі портрети проливають світло на ідентифікаційні очікування та стереотипи, з якими стикаються російські євреї, контактуючи з інституціями приймаючого суспільства, такими як центри для біженців, імміграційні служби, соціальна бюрократія та єврейські громади, а також на те, як змінюється їхнє єврейське самоусвідомлення в процесі міграції. Дослідження розставляє нові акценти в етнологічних дослідженнях міграції, а також може бути прочитане як етнографія німецько-єврейських відносин, що є центральним політичним полем для Федеративної Республіки Німеччина.

...важливий внесок в інтеграційні дослідження, які прочитують "інтеграцію" протилежно, а саме як результат кропіткого процесу примирення з парадоксами німецької імміграційної політики. [H-Soz-U-Kult] Етнологічна дисертація Франциски Беккер про російсько-єврейську імміграцію є видатною академічною працею, яку можна рекомендувати як вступ до надзвичайно складного предмету. [У діалозі - Martin-Buber-Gesellschaft.e.V.] /

 

Франциска Беккер (2001): Прибытие в Германию - иммиграционная политика как биографический опыт в миграционном процессе российских евреев

 

В исследовании анализируются миграционные процессы российских евреев. Анализируются как иммиграционная политика, так и опыт самих мигрантов. Насыщенные биографические кейсы дают представление о сложном процессе трансформации социального опыта и индивидуальной локализации.

 

С 1991 года евреи из бывшего Советского Союза принимаются в Германию в качестве "беженцев по еврейской квоте". Франциска Беккер исследует иммиграционную политику, ее правовые и бюрократические рамки, а также социальный и культурный контекст. В процессе работы также представлена (немецкая) стратегия атрибуции идентичности, которая явно несет в себе конструктивные и нормативные черты. На примере биографических примеров исследование показывает, как эти дискурсы атрибуции работают в индивидуальном миграционном процессе и как они заставляют мигрантов рефлексивно пересматривать свои истории жизни, чтобы сделать пребывание здесь правдоподобным и легитимировать его. Впечатляющие портреты проливают свет на ожидания и стереотипы идентичности, с которыми сталкиваются российские евреи в контакте с институтами принимающего общества, такими как центры для беженцев, иммиграционные власти, социальная бюрократия и еврейские общины, и на то, как при этом меняется их еврейское самовосприятие. Исследование расставляет новые акценты в этнологических исследованиях миграции, а также может быть прочитано как этнография немецко-еврейских отношений - центрального политического поля Федеративной Республики Германия.

...важный вклад в исследование интеграции, в котором "интеграция" рассматривается против зерна, а именно как результат кропотливого процесса примирения с парадоксами немецкой иммиграционной политики" [H-Soz-U-Kult]. Этнологическая диссертация Франциски Беккер о русско-еврейской иммиграции - это выдающаяся научная работа, которую можно рекомендовать в качестве введения в чрезвычайно сложную тему. [В диалоге - Martin-Buber-Gesellschaft.e.V.]

The word Allah

 

The Semitic language which is spoken in the celestial spheres, is the language in which the angels and God address each other. Adam Safi-Allah spoke the same language in paradise. Adam and eve then came into the world and settled in Arabia. Their children also spoke the same language. Then as a result of the descendants of Adam spreading in the world, this language passed from Arabic, Persian, Latin and into English and God was then known by different names in the different languages. As Adam lived in Arabia, there are many words of the Semitic language which are still found in the Arabic language. God addressed the Prophets, Adam as Adam Safi-Allah, Noah as Nuh Nabi-Allah, Abraham as Ibraheem Khalil-Allah, Moses as Musa Kalim-Allah, Jesus as I’sa Ruh-Allah and Mohammed Rasul-Allah. All these titles, in the Semitic language were written on the Tablet before the arrival of the Prophets. This is why the Prophet Mohammed said: “I was a Prophet even before I came in to this world.”

Many people believe that the word Allah is a name given by Muslims, this is not so.

The Prophet Mohammed’s fathers name was Abd-Allah, at a time when Islam did not exist. Prior to the advent of Islam the Name Allah was announced with the title of every Prophet. When the souls were created, the first Name on their tongue was Allah and when the soul entered the body of Adam, it said, Ya-Allah, and only then it entered the body. Many religions understand this enigma and chant the Name Allah and many others because of doubt are deprived of the Name.

Any name which is used to point towards God is worthy of respect.

 

In other words, which points towards God. The mystical effect of the Name of God has been diversified due to the different names. Every letter of the alphabet has a separate numeric value. This is also a celestial knowledge. All the numeric values are connected with all of the human race. Occasionally the numeric values do not agree with the astronomical calculations as a result of which people become afflicted. Many people go to astrologers and experts of this knowledge and have charts prepared based on the stars. They name their children on this basis.

 

Just as the letters (a, b, j, d,) (1, 2, 3, 4) when added have the numerical value of ten. Similarly every name has a separate numeric value. As God has been given so many different names, this has caused a conflict between the numeric value of the different names. If all the people called upon God by the same name, then despite the fact that they would all have separate religions, they would all be united inwardly. They too, like Nanak Sahib and Baba Farid would then say:

 

“All the souls have been created by the light of God, even though their environment and communities are separate.”

 

The angels that are assigned tasks in the world are also taught the languages of the people of the world.

 

It is important for the people of every Prophet that they recite, chant and affirm the Title of their Prophet which was granted by God to the Prophet at his time, for the recognition, spiritual grace and purification of his people. The recital and affirmation should be in the same method and in the language of their Prophet.

 

The entry of any individual into any religion is subject to the condition that the individual accepts and affirms the Title of the Prophet of that religion. Just as the affirmation and the verbal vows are a condition of any marriage.

 

Entry into the heavens has been made subject to the acceptance and affirmation of the Titles of the Prophets. In the western world many Muslims and Christians have no knowledge of their Prophet’s Title furthermore many do not even know their Prophets original name (in the original language of the Prophet.)

 

People who only verbalize the affirmation of their Prophet’s Title rely upon their good deeds. Those that reject and do not affirm their Prophet’s Title are refused entry to paradise. Those individuals in whose hearts the affirmation of their Prophet’s Title has descended (entered) they will enter paradise without any accountability.

 

The revealed celestial Scriptures, whichever language they are in so long as they are in the original form, are a means to finding God. Where the texts and the translations that have been adulterated, just as adulterated flour is harmful for the stomach, the adulterated books have become harmful and people of the same religion and the same of Prophet have divided into so many sects.

 

To be sure of the straight and guided path it is better that you are guided by the Light (of God) also.

  

The method of producing light.

 

In prehistoric times stones would be rubbed together to make fire. Whereas a spark can also be produced by rubbing two metals together. In a similar way electricity is made from water. Similarly by the friction of the blood inside the human body, in other words electric energy is produced by the vibrating heartbeat. In every human being there is present, approximately one and a half volts of electricity due to which the body is energetic. As the heartbeat slows in old age, this reduces the electricity in the body and this in turn also causes a reduction of the energy level in the body.

 

Firstly, the heartbeat has to be made vibrant and pronounced. Some do this by dancing, some by sports and exercise and some people try to do this by meditating and chanting the Name of God Allah.

 

When the heartbeat becomes vibrant and pronounced then by chanting the Name Allah try to synchronize it with every heartbeat. Alternatively try to synchronize Allah with one heartbeat and Hu with the other. Some time by placing your hand on the heart and when you feel your heartbeat, again try to synchronize the Name Allah by chanting it with the rythm of the heartbeat and imagine that the Name Allah is entering the heart.

 

The chanting of Allah Hu is better and more effective but if anyone has an objection, or a fear of chanting Hu, then instead of being deprived one should solely use the Name Allah, repetitively in the chanting. It is beneficial for people who chant and practice this discipline and who read mantras to physically remain as clean as possible as the:

 

“disrespectful are unfulfilled and the respectful are fulfilled.”

 

The first method for producing light.

Write Allah on a paper in black ink, and do this exercise for as long as you wish on a daily basis. Soon thereafter, the Word Allah will be transported from the paper and hover over the eyes. Then with one-pointed concentration, attempt to transport the word from the eyes to the heart.

 

The second method for producing light.

Write Allah on a zero watt bulb, in yellow. Whilst you are awake or just before sleep, concentrate and try to absorb it into the eyes. When it appears on the eyes then try to transport it to the heart.

 

The third method for producing light.

This method is for those people who have perfect spiritual guides and teachers and who due to their spiritual connection are spiritually assisted by them.

 

Sit alone and imagine that your index finger is a pen. Using your finger and with your concentration, attempt to write Allah on your heart. Call upon your spiritual teacher (spiritually), so that he too may, hold your finger, and write Allah on your heart. Continue to do this exercise everyday, until you see Allah written on your heart.

 

By the first and second method, the Name Allah becomes inscribed on the heart, just as it was written and seen by you but when it becomes synchronized with the heartbeat, then it slowly starts to shine. In the synchronized method, the assistance of the spiritual teacher is provided and for this reason it is seen shining and well written on the heart right from the beginning.

 

Many Prophets and Saints have come into the world, and just for the sake of testing this, if you feel it appropriate, concentrate or call upon all of them when you are practicing your meditation.

 

Whilst concentrating on any Prophet or Saint, during your meditating practice, if the rhythm of your heartbeat increases, in its vibration or you feel an improvement then this means that your destiny (spiritual fruits) lies with that Prophet or Saint.

 

Thereafter it is beneficial to concentrate on that same person whenever you practice your meditation as spiritual grace is transferred in this way, because every Saint is spiritually connected to a Prophet, even if that Prophet is not physically living.

 

The spiritual fruit (grace) of every illuminated person is in the hands of one Saint or another. It is essential that the Saint is living. Sometimes a very fortunate person is gifted with celestial spiritual grace by a perfect Saint who is not living, but this is very rare. However Saints not living in our human realm can provide worldly spiritual grace and assistance to people from their tombs. This is known as Owaisi spiritual grace.

 

The recipients of such spiritual grace often get entangled in their spiritual insights, visions and dreams because the spiritual guide providing the assistance is in the spiritual realm and so too is Satan and the recognition of the two becomes difficult.

 

Along with the spiritual grace it is important to have knowledge, for which a living Saint is more appropriate. If a person (Saint) possesses spiritual grace but is without knowledge, that person is known as a Majzoob (Godly but abstracted due to the complete absorption into the Essence of God and who is not in full control of his faculties).

 

A person (Saint) having spiritual grace and knowledge is known as a Mehboob (literally, loved one). Such people (Saints) as a result of their knowledge provide worldly spiritual assistance as well as spiritual grace and benefit. Whereas the Majzoobs are known to provide worldly spiritual assistance to people by their unusual but accepted practices of shouting obscenities and poking people with their wooden sticks.

 

If any (Prophet or Saint) appears but does not help or assist you then put Gohar Shahi to the test.

 

You may belong to any religion, there is no condition in this respect as long as the individual is not eternally ill-fated.

  

Many people have received the spiritual grace of Qalb meditation from the Moon. This is obtained when there is a full Moon from the East. Look at it with concentration and when you see the image of Gohar Shahi on it say Allah, Allah, Allah three times and you will be blessed with this spiritual grace. Thereafter without any fear or reservation practice the meditation as described.

 

Believe (the fact) that the image on the Moon has spoken to many people in many different languages. You can try looking and speaking to it also.

 

About Muraqba

(transcendental meditation)

 

(Literally. journey. Meditation in which the soul leaves the human body)

 

Many people without having acquired the illumination of the spiritual entities (‘Lata’if/Shaktian’) and without attaining spiritual strength and prowess try to engage in this meditation. They either fail to reach the meditative state or become the subject of Satanic interference. This type of meditation is for illuminated people, whose spiritual entity of the self has been purified and the Qalb has been cleansed. The practice or attempt at this type of meditation is foolish no matter what type of physical worship is used to achieve this. To collect and gather the strength of the soul and the spiritual entities and then to travel to a place is what is known as meditation.

 

Sainthood is the one fourtieth part of Prophecy.

 

Every dream, meditative journey, inspiration or revelation of a Prophet is accurate and authentic and does not need verification. Only fourty out of a hundred dreams, meditative journeys, inspirations and revelations of Saints are accurate the remaining sixty percent are inaccurate.

 

God cannot be understood without knowledge

 

The lowest type of meditative journey is started only after the illumination and awakening of the spiritual entity of the Qalb. This is impossible without first achieving the meditation of the Qalb (meditation with the vibrating heartbeat synchronized with the Name Allah). It takes one jerk or shake to bring the person out of this meditative state and back to consciousness. The faculty of the augury (foretelling the future by reading verses or looking into designated books) is also connected to the Qalb.

 

The next stage is the meditative journey of the soul. It takes three jerks or shakes to return a person back to normality from this meditative state.

 

The third stage of the meditative journey is done by the spiritual entity, Anna and the soul together. The soul travels along with the spiritual entity Anna, to the realm of souls just as the Archangel Gabriel accompanied the Prophet Mohammed to the realm of souls.

 

People who are in this meditative state are sometimes even taken to be buried in their graves and they are unaware of this happening to them. Such a meditative state and journey was taken by the “Companions of the Cave” as a result of which they remained asleep in the cave for more than three hundred years.

 

When this meditative state and journey was undertaken by the Sheikh, Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, in the jungle, the occupants of the jungle would regard the Sheikh as dead and would take him to a grave for burial but the meditative journey would break just before the burial (the Sheikh would return to consciousness).

 

How to recognize a special inspiration and revelation from God.

 

When a person has awakened and illuminated the spiritual entities in the chest and is worthy of receiving the rays of the Grace of God, then at that point God communicates with that person. God is All-Powerful and can do as he pleases and thus communicate with the human being in any way fit, but he has made a special method for his recognition so that his friends can be saved from the deception of Satan.

 

Firstly, text in the Semitic language appears on the seekers heart and its translation is seen in the language of the seekers mother-tongue. The text is white and shiny and the eyes close automatically and look at the text (internally). The text then passes the Qalb and moves towards the spiritual entity Sirri as a result of which it shines even more. Then the text moves towards the spiritual entity, Akhfa and from here it shines more and then moves onto the tongue. The voice then spontaneously starts to repeat that text.

 

If this inspiration is from Satan then an illuminated heart will dull the text and if the text is strong and prominent then the spiritual entities Sirri or Akhfa destroy that text. Further if due to the weakness of the spiritual entities the text does arrive at the tongue, then the voice will prevent it from being spoken into words.

 

This type of inspiration is for special types of Saints, whereas in respect of ordinary Saints, God sends messages to them through the angels or other spiritual entities. When the Archangel Gabriel accompanies the special and inspired text, this is known as revelation which is confined to the Prophets.

 

For more detail visit www.goharshahi.org or visit asipk.com and for videos visit HH rags

 

ISO 9,000

So I've been sending the past couple of days in Prague (and had really bad internet connection, so sorry for not commenting on people's posts recently). Rather than go and experience the sights and sounds of the city and capture the culture with my camera, I headed straight to a local park to look for strange and exotic springtails of course!

 

I'd found a prime spot with a sea of fallen leaves of numerous variety. I duly began hunting around the floor, holding my strange looking contraption of fully extended MP-E with flash bracket and ice-cream box diffuser in a country where I couldn't speak the language or have any idea of who might frequent this quiet suburban park. Focusing on the microscopic world rather than any imminent danger (in fact, I probably wasn't in any danger, everyone I have met here seems very nice) I was surprised to find...nothing!

 

No globular springtails, no mites, my first sign of life was a tiny spider that hurried away far too quickly and that was it for about 45 minutes of hunting. I began to wonder if it was just too cold (my fingers were beginning to suffer and that was through thick gloves). I was pretty much ready for giving up when on a dark leaf I spotted movement. Only very slight and by something very small (less that half a millimetre at a guess). I aimed my lens and hunted through the viewfinder and eventually found it. Aha! A springtail, and a springless one by the looks of things. I focussed and fired off a shot, then took a closer look at what I had captured. I was immediately impressed by the strong yellow colouring and mottled pattern. Quite a pretty little thing I think. No idea what the species is (of course) but I was pleased to add a new one to my collection.

 

This gave me hope of finding more, but after searching in various locations, and probably for another hour or so, all I came up with was a squirmy maggot type thing (I see a lot of these in England), a couple of interesting beetles and a weird, tiny moth. That was it! Anyway, now I really was getting cold, so headed indoors. The beer is very good here :)

 

If anyone can help me identify this little chap it would be much appreciated.