PUNE WDM-3D 11384 approaching PF 2 of Cavalry Barracks for its scheduled halt with 57131 Bolarum - Hyderabad Passenger..

Sullivan's E49 on TfL Rail Replacement seen at Harold Wood Stn while working a short journey to Romford.

A visit to Beaumaris Castle on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. Our 2nd visit in around 20 years.

  

Heading in towards the South Gatehouse, discovered that there was more of the castle to explore!

  

Beaumaris Castle (Welsh: Castell Biwmares), located in the town of the same name on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, was built as part of Edward I's campaign to conquer the north of Wales after 1282. Plans were probably first made to construct the castle in 1284, but this was delayed due to lack of funds and work only began in 1295 following the Madog ap Llywelyn uprising. A substantial workforce was employed in the initial years under the direction of James of St George. Edward's invasion of Scotland soon diverted funding from the project, however, and work stopped, only recommencing after an invasion scare in 1306. When work finally ceased around 1330 a total of £15,000 had been spent, a huge sum for the period, but the castle remained incomplete.

 

Beaumaris Castle was taken by Welsh forces in 1403 during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, but was recaptured by royal forces in 1405. Following the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, the castle was held by forces loyal to Charles I, holding out until 1646 when it surrendered to the Parliamentary armies. Despite forming part of a local royalist rebellion in 1648 the castle escaped slighting and was garrisoned by Parliament, but fell into ruin around 1660, eventually forming part of a local stately home and park in the 19th century. In the 21st century the ruined castle is managed by Cadw as a tourist attraction.

 

Historian Arnold Taylor described Beaumaris Castle as Britain's "most perfect example of symmetrical concentric planning". The fortification is built of local stone, with a moated outer ward guarded by twelve towers and two gatehouses, overlooked by an inner ward with two large, D-shaped gatehouses and six massive towers. The inner ward was designed to contain ranges of domestic buildings and accommodation able to support two major households. The south gate could be reached by ship, allowing the castle to be directly supplied by sea. UNESCO considers Beaumaris to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage site.

  

Grade I listed building

 

Beaumaris Castle

 

History

 

Beaumaris Castle was begun in 1295, the last of the castles built by Edward I to create a defensive ring around the N Wales coast from Aberystwyth to Flint. The master mason was probably James of St George, master of the king's works in Wales, who had already worked on many of Edward's castles, including Harlech, Conwy and Caernarfon. Previously he had been employed by Philip of Savoy and had designed for him the fortress palace of St Georges d'Esperanche.

 

Unlike most of its contemporaries, Beaumaris Castle was built on a flat site and was designed on the concentric principle to have 4 defensive rings - moat, outer curtain wall, outer ward and inner curtain wall. It was originally intended to have 5 separate accommodation suites. In the event they were not built as work ceased c1330 before the castle was complete. A survey made in 1343 indicates that little has been lost of the fabric in subsequent centuries, despite being besieged during the revolt of Owain Glyndwr. However it was described as ruinous in 1539 and in 1609 by successive members of the Bulkeley family, who had settled in Anglesey and senior officials at Beaumaris from the C15, although they were probably unaware that the castle had never been finished. During the Civil War the castle was held for the king by Thomas, Viscount Bulkeley, who is said to have spent £3000 on repairs, and his son Colonel Richard Bulkeley. After the Restoration it was partly dismantled. The castle was purchased from the crown by the 6th Viscount Bulkeley in 1807, passing to his nephew Sir Richard Bulkeley Williams-Bulkeley in 1822. Sir Richard opened the castle grounds to the public and in 1832 Princess Victoria attended a Royal Eisteddfod held in the inner ward. Since 1925 it has been in the guardianship of the state, during which time the ruins have been conserved and the moat reinstated.

 

Exterior

 

A concentrically planned castle comprising an inner ward, which is square in plan, with high inner curtain wall incorporating gatehouses and towers, an outer ward and an outer curtain wall which is nearly square in plan but has shallow facets to form an octagon. The outer curtain wall faces the moat. The castle is built mainly of coursed local limestone and local sandstone, the latter having been used for dressings and mouldings. Openings have mainly shouldered lintels.

 

The main entrance was the S side, or Gate Next the Sea. This has a central gateway with tall segmental arch, slots in the soffit for the drawbridge chains, loop above it and machicolations on the parapet. The entrance is flanked by round gatehouse towers which, to the L, is corbelled out over a narrower square base set diagonally, and on the R is corbelled out with a square projecting shooting platform to the front. The towers have loops in both stages, and L-hand (W) tower has a corbelled latrine shaft in the angle with the curtain wall. The shooting platform has partially surviving battlements, and is abutted by the footings of the former town wall, added in the early C15. On the R side of the gatehouse is the dock, where the curtain wall has a doorway for unloading provisions. The dock wall, projecting at R angles further R has a corbelled parapet, a central round tower that incorporated a tidal mill and, at the end, a corbelled shooting platform, perhaps for a trebuchet, with machicolations to the end (S) wall. The E side of the dock wall has loops lighting a mural passage.

 

The curtain walls have loops at ground level of the outer ward, some blocked, and each facet to the E, W and N sides has higher end and intermediate 2-stage round turrets, and all with a corbelled parapet. The northernmost facet of the W side and most of the northern side were added after 1306 and a break in the building programme. The towers at the NW and NE corners are larger and higher than the other main turrets. On the N side, in the eastern facet, is the N or Llanfaes Gate. This was unfinished in the medieval period and has survived much as it was left. The gateway has a recessed segmental arch at high level, a portcullis slot and a blocked pointed arch forming the main entrance, into which a modern gate has been inserted. To the L and R are irregular walls, square in plan, of the proposed gatehouse towers, the N walls facing the moat never having been built. Later arches were built to span the walls at high level in order to facilitate a wall walk. The NE tower of the outer curtain wall has a corbelled latrine shaft in the angle with the E curtain wall, and in the same stretch of wall is a corbelled shaft retaining a gargoyle. The SE tower also has a corbelled latrine shaft in the angle with the E curtain wall.

 

In the Gate Next the Sea the passage is arched with 2 murder slots, a loop to either side, and a former doorway at the end, of which draw-bar slots have survived. In the R-hand (E) gatehouse is an irregular-shaped room with garderobe chamber. On its inner (N) side are mural stair leading to the wall walk and to a newel stair to the upper chamber. The upper chamber has a fireplace with missing lintel, and a garderobe. The L-hand (W) gatehouse has an undercroft. Its lower storey was reached by external stone steps against the curtain wall, and retains a garderobe chamber and fireplace, formerly with projecting hood. The upper chamber was reached from the wall walk.

 

On the inner side facing the outer ward, the outer curtain wall is corbelled out to the upper level, except on the N side where only a short section is corbelled out. To the W of the gatehouse are remains of stone steps to the gatehouse, already mentioned, and stone steps to the wall walk. Further R the loops in the curtain wall are framed by an arcade of pointed arches added in the mid C14. The curtain wall towers have doorways to the lower stage, and were entered from the wall walk in the upper stage. In some places the wall walk is corbelled out and/or stepped down at the entrances to the towers. On the W side, the southernmost facet has a projecting former garderobe, surviving in outline form on the ground and with evidence of a former lean-to stone roof. Just N of the central tower on the W side are the footings of a former closing wall defining the original end of the outer ward before the curtain wall was completed after 1306. Further N in the same stretch of wall are stone steps to the wall walk. The NW corner tower has a doorway with draw-bar socket, passage with garderobe chamber to its L, and a narrow fireplace which formerly had a projecting hood. The upper stage floor was carried on a cross beam, of which large corbels survive, and corbel table that supported joists. In the upper stage details of a former fireplace have been lost.

 

In the Llanfaes Gate the proposed gatehouses both have doorways with ovolo-moulded surrounds. The L-hand (W) doorway leads to a newel stair. The NE curtain wall tower is similar to the NW tower, with garderobe, fireplaces and corbels supporting the floor of the upper stage. Both facets on the E side have remains of garderobes with stone lean-to roofs, of which the northernmost is better preserved. The SE tower was heated in the upper stage but the fireplace details are lost. In the dock wall, a doorway leads to a corbelled mural passage.

 

The inner ward is surrounded by higher curtain walls with corbelled parapets. It has S and N gatehouses, and corner and intermediate round towers in the E and W walls. The towers all have battered bases and in the angles with the curtain walls are loops lighting the stairs. The curtain walls have loops lighting a first floor mural passage, and the S and N sides also have shorter passages with loops in the lower storey. The inner curtain wall has a more finely moulded corbel table than the outer curtain wall, and embattlements incorporating arrow loops. The main entrance to the inner ward was by the S Gatehouse. It has an added barbican rectangular in plan. The entrance in the W end wall has a plain pointed arch, of which the voussoirs and jamb are missing on the L side. The S wall has 3 loops and 2 gargoyles, the L-hand poorly preserved, and has a single loop in the E wall. Inside are remains of stone steps against the E wall leading to the parapet. The 2-storey S gatehouse has a 2-centred arch, a pointed window above, retaining only a fragment of its moulded dressings, spanned by a segmental arch with murder slot at high level. The towers to the R and L are rounded and have loops in the lower stage, and square-headed windows in the middle stage.

 

The SW, W (Middle) and NW towers have similar detail, a loop in the lower stage and blocked 2-light mullioned window in the middle stage. The 3-storey N Gatehouse, although similar in plan and conception to the S Gatehouse, differs in its details. It has a central 2-centred arch and pintles of former double gates. In the middle storey is a narrow square-headed window and in the upper storey a 2-light window with cusped lights and remains of a transom. A high segmental arch, incorporating a murder slot, spans the entrance. The rounded towers have loops in the lower stage. The R-hand (W) has a window opening in the middle storey, of which the dressings are missing, and in the upper storey a single cusped light to the N and remains of a pair of cusped lights, with transom, on the W side. The L-hand (E) tower has a single square-headed window in the middle storey (formerly 2-light but its mullion is missing) and in the upper storey a single cusped light and square-headed window on the E side. The NE and SE towers are similar to the towers on the W side. In the middle of the E curtain wall is the chapel tower, which has 5 pointed windows in the middle storey.

 

The S gateway has a well-defended passage. The outer doorway has double draw-bar sockets, followed by a portcullis slot, 4 segmental arches between murder slots, loops in each wall, then another portcullis slot and a segmental arch where the position of a doorway is marked by double draw-bar sockets. Beyond, the passage walls were not completed, but near the end is the position of another doorway with draw-bar socket and the base of a portcullis slot.

 

The gatehouses have a double depth plan, but only the outer (S) half was continued above ground-floor level. The N side has the footings of guard rooms, each with fireplaces and NE and NW round stair turrets, of which the NW retains the base of a newel stair. Above ground floor level the N wall of the surviving building, originally intended as a dividing wall, has doorways in the middle storey. Both gatehouses have first-floor fireplaces, of which the moulded jambs and corbels have survived, but the corbelled hood has been lost.

 

Architectural refinement was concentrated upon the N gatehouse, which was the principal accommodation block, and the chapel. The S elevation of the N gatehouse has a central segmental arch to the entrance passage. To its R is a square-headed window and to its L are 2 small dressed windows, set unusually high because an external stone stair was originally built against the wall. In the 5-bay middle storey are a doorway at the L end and 4 windows to a first-floor hall. All the openings have 4-centred arches with continuous mouldings, sill band and string course at half height. The R-hand window retains a transom but otherwise no mullions or transoms have survived. Projecting round turrets to the R and L house the stairs, lit by narrow loops. To the N of the R-hand (E) stair tower the side wall of the gatehouse has the segmental stone arch of a former undercroft.

 

The N gate passage is best described from its outer side, and is similar to the S gate. It has a doorway with double draw-bar sockets, portcullis slot, springers of former arches between murder slots, loops in each wall, another portcullis slot, a pointed doorway with double draw-bar sockets, doorways to rooms on the R and L, and a 3rd portcullis slot. The gatehouses have, in the lower storey, 2 simple unheated rooms. The first-floor hall has pointed rere arches, moulded C14 corbels and plain corbel table supporting the roof, a lateral fireplace formerly with corbelled hood, and a similar fireplace in the E wall (suggesting that the hall was partitioned) of which the dressings are mostly missing. Rooms on the N side of the hall are faceted in each gatehouse, with fireplaces and window seats in both middle and upper storeys. Stair turrets have newels stairs, the upper portion of which is renewed in concrete on the W side.

 

The Chapel tower has a pointed rubble-stone tunnel vault in the lower storey. In the middle storey is a pointed doorway with 2 orders of hollow moulding, leading to the chapel. Above are 2 corbelled round projections in the wall walk. The chapel doorway opens to a small tunnel-vaulted lobby. Entrance to the chapel itself is through double cusped doorways, which form part of a blind arcade of cusped arches with trefoiled spandrels, 3 per bay, to the 2-bay chapel. The chapel has a polygonal apse and rib vault on polygonal wall shafts. The W side, which incorporates the entrance, also has small lancet openings within the arcading that look out to the mural passage. Windows are set high, above the arcading. The W bay has blind windows, into which small windows were built that allowed proceedings to be viewed from small chambers contained within the wall on the N and S sides of the chapel, reached from the mural passage and provided with benches.

 

The SW, NW, NE, SE and the Middle tower are built to a standard form, with round lower-storey rooms, octagonal above. They incorporate newel stairs, of which the NW has mostly collapsed, and the SW is rebuilt in concrete at the upper level. The lower storey, which has a floor level lower than the passage from the inner ward, was possibly used as a prison and has a single inclined vent but no windows. Upper floors were supported on diaphragm arches, which have survived supporting the middle storeys of the Middle and SE towers, whereas the SW and NE towers retain only the springers of former arches, and the NE tower has a diaphragm arch supporting the upper storey. In the middle storey of each tower is the remains of a fireplace with corbelled hood.

 

Each section of curtain wall contains a central latrine shaft, with mural passages at first-floor level incorporating back-to-back garderobes. The N and S walls also have short mural passages in the lower storey to single garderobes in each section of wall. Mural passages have corbelled roofs. The S side is different as it has tunnel-vaulted lobbies adjacent to the towers, between which are short sections of corbelled passage with garderobes. The wall walk also incorporates back-to-back latrines, in this case reached down stone steps.

 

There is evidence of buildings within the inner ward. Footings survive of a building constructed against the E end of the N wall. In the curtain wall are 2 fireplaces, formerly with corbelled hoods, to a first-floor hall. On the S side of the chapel tower is the stub wall of a larger building. On the N side of the W curtain wall are the moulded jambs of a former kitchen fireplace, and adjacent to it against the N wall is the base of a bake oven. On the E side of the S curtain wall the wall is plastered to 2-storey height.

 

Reasons for Listing

 

Listed grade I as one of the outstanding Edwardian medieval castles of Wales.

Scheduled Ancient Monument AN001

World Heritage Site

  

South Gatehouse

The North Head lighthouse is again open to visitors after a multi-year restoration project. Everything is spic and span, and the views from the site are out of this world. Do go see it if you can, but check the schedule first.

======================

From the main campground at Cape Disappointment State Park you can see Cape Disappointment Lighthouse to the southeast and North Head Lighthouse to the north. How did two lighthouses end up so close together?

 

After Cape Disappointment Lightstation was established in 1856 to mark the entrance to the Columbia River, mariners approaching the river from the north complained they could not see the light until they had nearly reached the river. Their cry for an additional lighthouse was supported by the many shipwrecks that occurred along the Long Beach Peninsula, just north of the cape.

  

North Head Lighthouse with attached workroom

Photograph courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

In 1889, the Lighthouse Board threw their support behind a new lighthouse at North Head, writing:

 

The present light at Cape Disappointment is inadequate for the purposes of commerce and navigation. It is believed that if North Head is marked by a first-order light, and the proposed lightstations at Gray’s Harbor and Destruction Island are completed, that the Pacific coast will be well supplied with lights of the first order from Cape Flattery to Tillamook Rock. Proper measures should be taken for the establishment of a first-order light at North Head. This, it is estimated, will cost $50,000. …When this light is established, the first-order light at Cape Disappointment will no longer be necessary, and it is proposed to then reduce it to a light of the fourth-order. It will then be of sufficient power to benefit vessels close to the bar outside and vessels in the Columbia River.

 

On February 15, 1893, Congress authorized the construction of a lighthouse on North Head at a cost not exceeding $50,000, and it then provided the first $25,000 on August 18, 1894, and the additional $25,000 on March 2, 1895. Bids for constructing a wagon road to the construction site from the target grounds at nearby Fort Canby were opened on July 15, 1895, but as the lowest bid greatly exceeded the estimate, the road was built by hired labor with materials purchased on the open market.

 

Separate contracts were awarded in September 1896 for providing the tower’s metalwork and for constructing the station’s building. The metalwork was to be delivered to the wharf at Fort Canby by February 23, 1897, but it didn’t arrive until August 15, 1897, 173 days late. As a penalty for the delay, the contractor was fined $4,325 or $160 more than the value of the contract.

 

George Langford, the contractor responsible for the station’s structures, completed the dwellings, barn, and as much of the tower and two oil houses as possible without the metalwork by the spring of 1897. After the metalwork arrived, Langford finished his work on November 15, 1897.

 

Designed by Carl W. Leick, North Head Lighthouse consists of brick masonry built atop a sandstone foundation and finished with a cement plaster overlay. Sixty-nine steps lead to the lantern room, which is sixty-five feet from the ground and 194 feet above sea level. The first-order, Louis Sautter & Co. Fresnel lens, which was transferred from Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, was lit for the first time on May 16, 1898.

 

Since North Head is only two miles north of Cape Disappointment, the two lights needed distinct signatures. A fixed-white characteristic was chosen for North Head, while Cape Disappointment displayed alternating red and white flashes.

 

Alexander K. Pesonen, who had been serving as head keeper at Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, was transferred to North Head to be its first keeper. Keeper Pesonen was born in Finland in 1859, and immigrated to the United States in 1876. Pesonen was awarded the lighthouse efficiency flag for having the model station in the district in 1919.

 

Freed from the isolation of Tillamook Rock, Pesonen married Mary Watson in 1890, two years after arriving at North Head. In the spring of 1923, Keeper Pesonen took his wife to a doctor in Portland, Oregon, where she was diagnosed with “melancholia,” a condition marked by persistent depression and ill-founded fears. The couple returned to North Head on June 8, and the following morning, Mary arose early and went for a walk with her dog Jerry.

  

Aerial view of station in 1957. Note weather station between lighthouse and keeper’s dwellings.

Photograph courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

The dog returned a short while later, and its “queer antics” alerted Keeper Pesonen that something was wrong. The local paper explained what happened next:

 

He notified the boys at the radio station and also at the weather bureau, and a searching party was soon organized. The dog led searchers to a spot just under the fire control station near the North Head Lighthouse, and there they found her coat lying on the edge of the cliff. A trail through the tall grass, as though someone had slid down the cliff, was mute evidence of what had befalled the unfortunate woman.

 

At extreme personal risk, Second Assistant Keeper Frank C. Hammond recovered Mary’s body from the base of the cliff before the tide could carry it out to sea. Mary Pesonen was buried in Ilwaco, and when Alexander passed away two years later, not long after retiring, he was interred next to his wife.

 

Mary had become a member of the “Unity” movement, known for faith-based healings, a few years before her death, and the night before she slipped down the cliff, she wrote a letter which included: “I see where I have been wrong in a great many ways but please God I will try and change and do better…I'm even going to try and do without my medicine and just pray I’ll get better and better.”

 

Mabel Bretherton, the only female keeper at North Head, was transferred to the lighthouse from Cape Blanco in 1905, retaining her position as a second assistant keeper. Mabel had been married to Bernard J. Bretherton, who served as an assistant at Coquille River Lighthouse until his death in February 1903 of tuberculosis. The Lighthouse Service often offered employment to the widows of keepers to help them support their families, and such was likely the case with Mabel, as in 1903 she had three children under ten. Mabel left lightkeeping in 1907, and by 1910 she was working as the superintendent of a Women’s Exchange in Portland.

 

On at least two occasions, keepers at North Head had to rescue people who got too close to the edge of the cliffs. On September 7, 1931, First Assistant Keeper Clayborn R. Williams rescued a man who was hanging to a cliff south of the station and was in imminent danger of falling seventy-five feet to the sea below. Three years later, Keeper Andros G. Siniluoto rescued a man who had survived a 100-foot fall from the cliffs to the rocks below.

 

North Head is one of the windiest places in the United States, with wind velocities in excess of 100 mph being frequently measured. The U.S. Weather Bureau built a station on North Head between the lighthouse and keeper’s dwellings in 1902. On January 29, 1921, winds were clocked at 126 mph before the measuring instrument blew away. Fearing for their safety, the weather observers sought refuge in the keeper’s dwellings as they were more sturdily built. The weather station closed in 1955, and the buildings were later demolished.

 

The U.S. Army ran a signal station at North Head during the first part of the twentieth century to communicate weather observations to passing vessels as well as to the batteries at Fort Canby. Residences for the personnel were located north of the keeper’s dwellings, while the operations building was situated between the keeper’s dwellings and the weather station. The cement patch just west of the head keeper’s residence is what remains of a tennis court built by the Signal Corps.

 

On April 19, 1932, a wild duck went crashing through one of the storm panes in the lantern room, causing slight damage to the lens. Wire nets had been placed around lantern rooms at other stations to prevent such occurrences, but incidents of this sort rarely occurred at North Head.

 

A fourth-order lens replaced the original first-order lens in 1937, two years after electricity came to the station. Five years later, on June 22, 1942 at 12:35 a.m., the keeper was ordered to turn off the light. Fort Stevens, Oregon had just been fired upon by a Japanese submarine, and as part of a strategy to keep the location of Fort Stevens and Fort Canby hidden, the surrounding lighthouses were darkened until the danger was over.

 

In 1950, two revolving aerobeacons replaced the fourth-order lens. The light was automated in 1961 when photoelectric cells were installed to turn the light on and off, and the last keeper left on July 1, 1961.

 

With the keepers gone, the lighthouse began to deteriorate. Fortunately, the Coast Guard restored the lighthouse in 1984, allowing the tower to be opened to the public under the direction of Cape Disappointment State Park. The keeper’s dwellings, located about a half-mile into the woods from the tower have also been restored, and since 2000, both the keeper’s duplex and the single-family dwelling have been available for overnight stays. Prior to this, the housing was used for park rangers.

 

Two of the Fresnel lenses used at North Head Lighthouse have been preserved. The first-order lens, which was on display outside the lighthouse in 1951, can now be seen at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center inside Cape Disappointment State Park, and the fourth-order lens is housed at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon. The two aerobeacons remained in the lantern room until September 28, 1992, when a modern beacon was mounted on the top railing outside the lantern room. A Vega rotating beacon, lit by a twelve-volt bulb that is on a six-bulb appliance that rotates in a new bulb when one burns out, was installed back inside the lantern room in December 1996.

 

Congress approved the transfer of North Head Lighthouse to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission in 1983, but the area around the tower was known to be contaminated due to the use of lead-based paint, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) requires that “any federal agency transferring real property out of federal ownership must certify that all remedial action necessary to protect human health and the environment has been taken.” As cleaning up the property was not a high priority for the Coast Guard, the transfer was postponed.

 

On October 17, 2011, White Shield, Inc., under a contract with the Coast Guard, initiated the cleanup of the contaminated soil surrounding the lighthouse. Title to the lighthouse was finally transferred in October 2012 to Washington State Parks, who in conjunction with the Keepers of North Head Lighthouse soon began some of the roughly $2 million in repairs the lighthouse required. The Keepers of North Head Lighthouse have raised some funds through tours and merchandise sales, but plan to apply for Lighthouse Environmental Programs funds, which are raised through lighthouse license plate sales in the State of Washington. A celebration marking the transfer of the lighthouse was held in June 2013. The lantern room was restored in 2015, while the tower received much needed attention in 2016.

 

North Head is the most intact light station in the Pacific Northwest. All of its original buildings remaining standing, including the tower, two oil houses, two residences, a barn, chicken coop, and garages.

www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=116

The KOM League

Flash Report

For

March 7, 2019

 

This report has been placed on Flickr at: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/47310622721/ In order to learn the story about the young man who was separated from his family at age four and to learn nothing more for 17 years you’ll have to click on the aforementioned link. And, there is an offer of something, for free, that has been in the making for 14 years.

 

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The offer of something for nothing—i.e. free

 

KOM COMMISSIONER: I’ve stalled for a year and have not pitched the past 14 or so years of Flash Reports that now require three storage boxes to house. Is there anyone left who would want them? I’d love to keep them, but my wife is opposed and no one else in my family has any interest. I’ll await your answer and directions. How about the Kansas Historical Society? The Missouri or Boone County Historical Societies? Cooperstown? They might be the best bet.

 

I know they stored a lot of scouts’ reports in the past when the scout cleaned out his office or died and someone did it for him.

 

I’ve finally made the first steps to organize the dozens of file boxes (around 75 of them), eliminate and archive what is left. I’ll send my archives to the Western Historical Manuscripts Collection at the State Historical Society along with several organizations I’ve helped keep alive through the years. I’ll need to live to the age of at least 110 to get it all in order. That means I have 23 ½ years left, for sure.

 

I’m always good for breakfast, soup, or liver and onions when you are. OL’ CLARK- aka Bill Clark—former major league scout and now living full time in Columbia, Mo.

 

Ed reply:

 

I will put your offer to offload those old Flash Reports in my next report, if there should ever be one. Like you, no one in my family has any interest in them. I couldn't even find a library or historical society who would take and use them even for starting bond fires or crude insulation.

 

One thing I can do is go somewhere for breakfast. I usually do one with the great grandkids every Saturday morning but I decided about a half an hour ago I'm not up to the challenge today. I'm sending my first wife instead.

 

Put down the date. place and time that suits you best for a breakfast encounter and I'll schedule my doctor's visits around that date.

 

Someone told me spring training has started. I'm taking this year off from baseball again.

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Plea:

 

If anyone can give those old Flash Reports, neatly sorted, and firmly packed, a home let either Bill Clark or the guy who wrote them know of your intentions. Otherwise, a big stack of paper will go into a local recycling bin.

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The dean of KOM league sportswriters

 

E. L. Dale of the Carthage Press hired Fletcher Cupp to write sports and other articles in the early 1930’s when it was a two newspaper town.

 

In recent weeks an article that Cupp wrote, that went nationwide, was shared in this forum. It was a great interview he did with Carl Hubbell which should have put to rest the issue as to where the Hall of Fame hurler was born. All the major sports publications had it as being in Carthage, Mo. but they were wrong as Cupp documented. Even five decades later one of Cupp’s successor’s at the Carthage Press, Corky Simpson, had a face-to-face interview, with Hubbell, who was still telling the story the same way he had done with Cupp when he was the all-star pitcher with the New York Giants.

 

But, this article is not a rehash of Cupp and Hubbell but one that intrigued me. This article appeared in 1943. For as long as I can remember I heard the stories that circulated around my hometown about the friendship that had developed during WW II between Cupp and the most famous male movie actor in the world.

 

Cupp was a fixture at all sporting events in town and covered baseball in Carthage during its time in the Arkansas/Missouri league as well as its entire time in the KOM league. It is no exaggeration to say that he was the dean of KOM league sportswriters. He also held the position of the official scorer for KOM games for both the Cardinal and Cub affiliates in Carthage.

 

Thus, when I came across an article published August 13, 1943 and spread around the globe by the Associated Press, I knew I had discovered how the link between Cupp and Gable came to pass. When writing one of my books I was interviewing a former player in Pella, Iowa. There came a time in the interview when the fellow asked “How did you write about Cupp and Gable?” For the few of you who have read my books you’ll know that subject didn’t make it into any of my published works

 

In researching that era I did find references in the Carthage Press where it would be mentioned that Gable was visiting in Carthage. One writer, for the Press, opined that the owner of Boots Motor Court ought to advertise on highway signs on highways 66 and 71 that “Clark Gable slept here.” He was sure that would cause ladies, traveling with their husbands, to demand they sleep where Gable did.

 

One night, in particular, comes to mind of the fellow I was interviewing in Pella, Iowa. I guess its okay to mention names. Duane Ballou recalled having an early afternoon lunch with his teammate Oscar “Pappy” Walterman. Shortly after the meal began Cupp came into the restaurant, the C&W, which was located on the north side of the Carthage square. That is only mentioned for the Tiger theater was located on the west side of the square and the Crane Theater was about a block east of the restaurant. As the two ballplayers ate, Cupp asked them about the previous night’s game and solicited comments about the opponent for that evening’s game.

 

Ballou said as they were finishing their meal the door of the café swung open wide and clad in a leather jacket and aviator cap stood a guy who yelled out “Fletch.” According to Ballou, Cupp went to the door, greeted the fellow and walked him back to the booth where he and Walterman were sitting.

 

Cupp announced “Boys I want you to meet my friend, Clark Gable.” Both Ballou and Walterman said they felt uncomfortable and didn’t know what to say. What they said was “Good meeting you” and then excused themselves and headed out to the ballpark. Can you imagine what their teammates said when told they had just met Clark Gable?

 

Often I’ve wondered what some young lady who was a movie fan would have thought had she recognized a fellow who had been on the big screen at the Tiger and Crane theaters many times. Some of you Carthaginians, from that era, may wonder how I’m going to conclude this story. I just did.

 

Now here is the AP story from 8/13/1943

 

Former Carthage, Mo., Sports Editor Tells of Raid He and Gable 'Enjoyed' Over Germany

 

By WILLIAM S. WHITE --UNITED STATES BOMBER STATION IN ENGLAND, Aug. 13 -(AP)—After he and Capt. Clark Gable had just been missed by a chunk of flak on a Fortress raid over Germany, Master Sgt. Fletcher Cupp, former sports editor of the Carthage, Mo., Evening Press and correspondent of the Kansas City Star, sent this message back home to his old boss: (Ed note: E. L. Dale Carthage Press Editor and later KOM League President). "As soon as this war is over, I'll sure be glad to meet that deadline of yours again." Cupp, radio operator and gunner' on the Fortress "Ain’t It Gruesome," yesterday was on his 15th raid over Germany when the flak burst tore through the ship three feet from where he was standing. It was a close call for the former movie star, standing near. It was one of 15 such bursts that the ship survived, but Cupp didn't know how near he was to the bad news until after landing back in England. "I had just left my regular position in the radio room to go back into the waist and fix a fuse," Cupp said. “I heard something like a tin can dropping and just thought maybe one of the boys had dropped an ammunition case or something. When we got down I saw the hole made by that tin can."

 

"Ain't It Gruesome" was "all over the floor." he added, ''and ours were the huskiest evasion tactics I've ever seen. I believe it was I he roughest raid I've been in yet, although they are all rough enough. You see, we were in the lead ship, and of course they go for that ship. "I understand we were up there for about two hours, but it seemed a little more like 20 to me. "The sensation doesn't change much; it. runs about like this: The worst time yesterday—as always— was on our way toward the target area. When we got over the target area itself, everybody was much too busy to think about anything but what we were doing. On The Alert Every Minute "Of course, even coming back you are plenty on the alert. The other feller is pretty sly about letting you alone a little while and then jumping you—sometimes just before you get to the English coast." Captain Gable, who went along to take shots of enemy fighters on attack for a gunnery training film was nearby as the-flak hit the top turret. "Captain Gable was standing within two feet of that turret," Cupp recalled. "That flak rattled around up there and dropped on the floor. I didn't see what the captain 'did; we were all pretty busy up there then." Cupp, big and redheaded, has been in the Army 16 months and three or four of those have been spent in England. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Cupp, live on RFD 1, Carthage, Mo

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Encouragement to write another Flash Report:

 

•

Well done my friend. Your stories and humor are well appreciated. Jason Wallace—Grandson of Bob Saban—former member of the Carthage Cubs and numerous other teams.

 

•

John, Thank you for all the info and great photos of the past and all of your photos w/that wonderful Canon. You are a remarkable man to keep history going of the KOM and all the really good baseball that was played in towns in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri, in the 40's, 50"s and 60's. You are very special....,.THANK, THANK, AND THANK YOU Norris Dorsey. Wood River, Ill.

 

Ed reply:

 

Well, it is great hearing from Norris Dorsey on a snowy day in March. Glad you enjoy the photos. My camera is a Nikon and I do have a lens about the size of a cannon but it is made by Sigma.

 

•

Three or four other folks sent along messages that I interpreted as meaning they would like to hear the full story of the young man who was born in Joplin and left there when his mother died. If you recall his father re-married (maybe) and headed west with a ‘pocket full of money” and got as far as El Paso, Texas before dumping the young boy.

 

When starting to delve into the details of the abandonment of the young man I said to myself “self” I have plowed this same ground in the past. Calling on the memory power at my disposal I looked up the telephone number of a reader who dropped off the “reception” list a few months ago. In making the call I found the person wasn’t mad at me or fed up with the reports but rather he had changed his e-mail address. As a result of that contact here is the message received.

 

“Hi John, good to hear from you again. I was concerned that you had discontinued the KOM Reports and retired to other interests. So, now I’m catching up on reports missed and find them very interesting. As you probably know I was an avid fan of both the KOM and Western Association Leagues. Especially, with the Joplin Miners I had the opportunity to see some future major leaguers and some guys who didn’t quite reach the majors but played at higher levels than class D and C. But, I still remember some of those in D and C who had a lot of talent but no luck. All this is to let you know that I sure would like to be on your report list again.

 

I reread the McKibben story you researched. My Stepfather, Earl McKibben, was born and raised near what was Picher, OK and had quite a number of relatives there for some time. However, most of them later moved to Arizona and California. My twin brother, Jerry, and I played in the four states area from ages 9 to 24 after which we both got married and moved to different parts of the country. During our early years we were not legally McKibbens. Rather our birth name was Jackson. We discovered this when we both enlisted in the Webb City Company of the National Guard. You might imagine the shock of this revelation and the subsequent conversations within the family. An adoption process followed and all was made well and whole. While I know the McKibben families, I know none of the

Webb City area Jackson’s.

 

John, this is unquestionably more than you wanted to know, so I’ll bring this to a halt. Just to add, when my brother and I visit we replay some of the past games and marvel at how good we were. Isn’t it amazing how old age memories and reality collide and produce stories about things that never happened as now told?

 

Please keep up your good work and add me to the active list. Thanks much. Gene McKibben-St. Peters, MO

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Altering the history of the KOM rosters

 

All of the research undertaken regarding the McKibbens had to do with a person identified as Harve McKibben in all KOM league historical records. He was always referenced in the Miami newspaper as being an Indian lad. He was born in 1922 at Quapaw, Okla. and was a star athlete at Miami, OK high school before serving in WW II with two older brothers.

 

At this juncture I’m setting the historical narrative on the Miami, Okla. and KOM player straight. The fellow’s full name was John Harvey McKibben III and was born March 14, 1922 in Lincolnville, Okla (Notice how that fact was made to coincide near the current date.) John Harvey McKibben the first was born in Ohio, in 1854, and then moved to Appleton City, Missouri. There he had a son John Harvey II in 1891. From Appleton City a number of the McKibben’s moved to Indian Territory where John Harvey Jr. farmed until he found the minerals beneath the surface were more valuable than the grass his cows were eating. He became a very successful miner and developer of mines.

 

In 1920 John Jr. married a full-blood Indian by the name of Anna Quapaw. Their first son was named after his father and grandfather. Thus, John Harvey McKibben III was half-blooded Quapaw. His maternal grandmother was named Mes-kah-na-ba-nah and for short she was called Minnie.

 

John Harvey McKibben III was one of only four players, from the Miami club of 1946, who the Brooklyn Dodgers selected at the end of that season to play in their organization in 1947. The 1946 Miami-Brooklyn relationship was like a lot of post-war agreements made between big league and minor league teams. In this case Brooklyn gave Miami $1,000 seed money for 1946 and in return they got to select six players from that team at the close of the season. As it turned out Brooklyn was only impressed with four enough to sign them for 1947.

 

Harvey McKibben, the Miami baseball player died Feb. 19, 1965 in Tulsa, Okla. but up to shortly before his passing he lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado He had an older first cousin, Harold John McKibben, and the following is about him. Harold’s father was named Norman and he got his first name from a great uncle who died July 1, 1863 at the Battle of Gettysburg. This will all unfold, in chapters, on a weekly basis, until the story can be put to rest.

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Harold John McKibben becomes and “unbecomes” Juan Chavez

 

Primary Resource: El Paso Evening Post September 14, 1927 page 1.

 

Harold John McKibben, 21, who says he lived for 17 years under the impression that he was the son or Manuel Gomez Chavez, wealthy Parral, Chih., rancher, today, planned a nationwide search for his parents. He said he will ask newspapers throughout the country to broadcast his strange story. A faint hope that his mother may be alive was fanned to life, he said by Mrs. G. F. Cole, 3707 Durazno, who kept the boy for three weeks after he was abandoned in 1910 by his father and step-mother when he was four years old “She said my mother may be| alive, though that is only a surmise," he said. "Others who knew my father say my mother is dead.”

 

The young man is awaiting the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Chipps, who are due home from, California in a few days. He was abandoned by his father and stepmother at a rooming house Mr. and Mrs. Chipps ran in 1910. Meanwhile a report that his father may have come here from Joplin, Mo., is being investigated.

 

Mrs. Cole and Victor Benedetti at the Hotel Savoy declared that there can be no question about the identity of the young man after they saw him today. (His) parents went away "As a baby in rompers he played with my dog at the Hermes rooms,' which Mr. and Mrs. Chipps operated,” said Benedetti. “His father and step-mother disappeared, leaving him with Mrs. Chipps. They never have been heard from.

 

"Mrs. Chipps wanted to keep him, but decided she couldn't care for him because they were building an apartment house and she was busy. “Manuel Gomez Chavez, Parral rancher, took the boy. Four years later he brought him to El Paso. The child spoke nothing but Spanish and had forgotten us." Trying to stir memories Benedetti took McKibben for a stroll past the old rooming house at Overland and Stanton. But the young man remembered nothing definite about his early life. Benedetti has a photograph of the boy of four which Mrs. Chipps had made when he was turned over to Gomez Chavez.

 

Mrs. Cole planned to adopt the child and kept him for three weeks. Then she changed her mind. She kept a photograph of the boy’s father which was in the child's hand bag. She said she forgot to put it back when he was returned to Mrs. Chipps. Today she gave the picture to McKibben. “He was a happy, bright little fellow," she recalled. "He was right at home among strangers.” After Mrs. Cole decided she couldn't adopt him, the late Mrs. Albert Steinwach of Juarez kept the boy for a few days. It was at Mrs. Steinwach’s rooming house that the Parral rancher first saw him. “The boy looked so much like the rancher that he decided to adopt him,” said Mrs. Cole.

 

El Paso editor’s note: How he felt when he discovered last week that he is an American, after he had lived for 17 years as a Mexican with a Mexican name at Parral, Chih., and Mexico City, was described today by Harold John McKibben to an El Paso Post reporter. His authorized story, as he told it, follows:

 

By HAROLD JOHN M KIBBEN-- As far back as I can remember I have always felt alone, even as a child I was always sad. There seemed to be something that I had missed in life. As a boy at Parral, Chih, where I was reared, and in the field as a member of Pancho Villa's revolutionary forces at the age of 16 I felt that I was not born to that life. I was constantly groping for something—I did not know what. All alone and my associates seemed to consider me a person apart from themselves. They called me "The Gringo.” Perhaps it was because of my actions. Maybe the person who first called me by that name knew the story of my origin, though I did not know it then.

 

Then came the day when Manuel Gomez Chavez, who reared and educated me as a Mexican, told me I couldn't enter Mexican politics because I was American born. It is impossible to describe how that news thrilled me. I knew I had found part of that intangible something which had caused me to feel sad and lonely when I should have been a happy, carefree boy. Yearns for Mother. When I read the copy of a court order which placed me in the custody of Manuel Gomez Chavez I felt that I must begin a search for my parents. It is real parental love that I have been wanting all these years. My instinct was crying for the love of a real mother, though I did not know it. That yearning has caused me to resolve to forgive my father for abandoning me when I was a baby. Three days and two nights on the train from Mexico City to El Paso felt like an eternity. I lived a lifetime. I could not begin my search soon enough. A passenger offered me a cigaret and I smoked for the first time in my life.

 

I am not unappreciative of the things the people who reared me did for me. But I feel that I have lost much of my life—much of the things other boys accept as commonplace and in ordinary parts of family life. It is too late now for me to go to a university. So I will attempt to continue my career in the literary world. I will write stories and a book of Mexican stories. That may be the means of finding my father. He may see my name somewhere. Two pictures of Harold John McKibben. One was taken after his parents abandoned him when he was four years old. The other picture was taken today.

 

The saga continues, courtesy of the El Paso Herald September 13, 1927

 

Youth’s Mother Dead; Stepmother Beat Him, Records Reveal is an American-- Secrets of the strange and shrouded life of Harold John McKibben, American youth, whose story electrified El Pasoans and whose 21 years of existence eclipses the romantic and picturesque lives of adventurers and swashbucklers of fiction, were revealed Tuesday in a search of musty records at the county clerk’s office.

 

How the mother of the lad died when he was but a few weeks old; how a woman, purported to be the wife of his father, whipped, mistreated and half-starved him, and how the child was finally abandoned are disclosed in a court petition found among the manifold records of the county.

 

J. A. Chipps, former Juarez saloon man and owner of an apartment house at 205 West California street, who is now visiting in California, and the petitioner, said in the instrument that the woman purporting to be the wife of the child’s father left the boy with his wife for a few hours while she went downtown shopping and that it was the last he ever heard of the couple.

 

The petition on which the order to turn the child over to Manuel Gomez. Chavez, a wealthy Mexican. living near Parral, Mexico, follows:

 

State of Texas—County of El Paso. “Before me, the undersigned authority sworn on oath deposes and says: “That Harold John McKibben is a minor of the age of four years; that he has been abandoned by his parents, and has not the proper parental care and guardianship. That “That on or about the 1st off June, 1910. the father of said child came to the house of affiant, with the child and some woman, purporting to be his wife; that the mother of the child died when he was but a few weeks old; that said woman mistreated the said child and whipped him and did not give him sufficient food; that the affiant and his wife helped care for and feed and clothe said child when said parties were in the house of affiant; that on or about the 30th of June, 1910. the woman purporting to be the wife of the father of said child, came to the wife of affiant and asked her to take care of said boy for a few hours until she returned from downtown; that this is the last affiant ever heard of or saw said parties; that they have abandoned said child; that affiant has cared for said child from said date to the present time, but owing to the condition of his wife as to health, is not willing to longer care for him. “Wherefore your affiant prays that said child be declared a neglected child and that the court make such record in regard to the disposition of said child as may appear best for his physical and moral welfare. “J. A. Chips. ‘Sworn to and subscribed before me this day of September. 1910. “Albert S. Eylar. County Judge.”

 

A search of the county records failed to reveal a record that Gomez had adopted the boy although the juvenile court record of the case, which Gomez gave to the lad, was found. The juvenile record shows that the petition of Mr. Chipps, charging McKibben with being a neglected child and the order that he be turned over to the care and custody of Mr. Gomez, who shall at all times be responsible for the education and maintenance of the child subject to the order of the court, was heard. A notation at the bottom of the juvenile record, the writing of which, court house attaches said, is judge Eylar’s, says, “Party to whom child was given is a wealthy Mexican living near Parral, Mexico. Wife speaks English. Have no children. Will adopt boy. ” The record, which McKibben has in his possession and which lie says Gomez gave him, is an order by judge Eylar turning the child over to the care and custody of Gomez, attaches at the clerk's office said.

 

Although no records of adoption were to be found, the attaches stated that persons are not required to record such papers and that the majority of adoptions are not recorded, It was explained that many persons prefer not to record adoptions, as they don’t want the children to find out their relationship.

 

Chris Aranda, jr., deputy county clerk, said that the county judge ordinarily does not give adoptable children to persons wishing them, but that he sometimes makes out the adoption papers. An El Paso woman, who refused to be quoted, said she knew that Gomez adopted McKibben. She maintained that the youth "as not giving Gomez fair play, and that she knew personally the lad had been well taken care of by the Parral rancher. To the complaint that young McKibben is not showing the proper appreciation and respect for Gomez, the youth said: “1 certainly do respect and appreciate Gomez. I certainly appreciate all that he has done for me. But since I have learned that I am an American, I naturally want to find my parents and live in the United States.” Judge Eylar said Tuesday that he remembered the proceedings when McKibben was turned over to Gomez. ‘I and other interested persons thought that we were very fortunate in obtaining s home for the boy with Gomez. “Gomez was a millionaire and had the best of recommendations. I distinctly remember that the child was extremely bright and we often wondered why American parents would desert him. My recollection is that the child was of Irish-American blood. “There is no question in my mind about the boy being born in the United States and that he is an American.”

 

“Chipps and I often talked about the child and his foster parents. He told me that they loved the boy and that he was getting along fine.” Judge Eylar said that he did not know whether McKibben had been adopted by Gomez. The question of whether McKibben is an American is being investigated by immigration officials. A. J. Milliken, inspector in charge of the Santa Fe street bridge, U S. immigration service, said that if the boy’s father was an American, his mother a Mexican and born in Mexico, he was a Mexican and not a citizen of the United States. “If the boy was born in this country he is an American,’’ inspector Milliken said. “I do not think the boy or the court acting for him could commit an overt act that is depriving him of his U. S. citizenship, in turning him over to guardians in another country.” McKibben only this week learned his nationality, that his mother is dead, and that his father may still be living. He immediately came to where he arrived Sunday, at Hotel Rio Bravo. Monday evening he came to El Paso, his unmistakably American features allowing him to pass the Santa Fe street bridge without question, despite passport restrictions. “I have come to my country to live, and also to protest against a system which allows an American boy to be sent to live in country, and to have it kept from him,” McKibben said.

 

“I was raised as Gomez’s son.” McKibben said “Although I don’t recall that he ever told me that I was his son that is the impression I received of course. Gomez had no other children.

 

“Now that I know who I am, I recall dimly that as far back as I could remember I knew a few English words and I have always known the English phrase, “Not dead, but gone before,” although I have no idea where I learned it or where it came from.

 

An old servant I had once told me that when I was young I always spoke English and as far back as I can remember I had a Baby ring with the initial “H” on it.

 

When I was in the revolution the soldiers nicknamed me the “The Gringo,” because of my light complexion. But of course I never suspected that I was an American that Gomez was not my father.

 

“When I was 12 years old Gomez and his wife brought me to Juarez and El Paso.” “Perhaps Gomez was required to report to the judge who made his your guardian,” it was suggested to McKibben. For a moment the youth seemed lost in thought.

 

“I remember Gomez took me to a place that he told his wife to wait outside for him. When he returned to his wife, who had waited in a car or carriage, I don’t just recall which, he said to her in Spanish, ‘I was afraid they were going to take the boy away from me.’”

 

When 16 years of age, McKibben became a soldier under a General Garcia, a relative of Gomez’s, he said and fought with Villa throughout the revolution, being wounded twice and one time barely escaping from a firing squad.

 

“I was put in a prison at Torreon along with other prisoners,” McKibben said, “an order was received to shoot all the prisoners above the rank of second sergeant. I was a second sergeant, so escaped.

 

“Gomez treated me harshly at times when I was a boy, “the youth continued “but after I was 16, he did not whip me anymore. Part of the time he lived at Parral and at other times in Mexico City.

 

“I had attended the ‘Anexo a la Normal’ school in Chihuahua City for three years previous to entering the army and had learned some English for I had forgotten all I knew of it as a child.

 

“About four years ago I entered the military academy at Mexico Cit. I went to school there for about six months. When I left the school I took a position with Camus and company, a dramatic company.

 

“Still later I wrote stories for the Democrata newspaper of Mexico City. 1 wrote tales for the Sunday paper. I had started writing when I was 11 years old and had had some articles published in ‘Minutillo.’ another Mexico City paper.

 

“Gomez did not like to have me write. lie told me it was better to learn business than to write poems. Of course, I tried to write poems at all times of day and night and you could hardly blame him for that.”

 

Politics seemed to McKibben to offer wide possibilities and he was laying his plans to enter that field last week when happened to see Gomez in Mexico City. “1 had not seen but about twice in four years. He asked me why 1 did not come to see him. When I went to his house he handed me a paper and said. ‘You know English. Can you translate that'.” The paper, McKibben said, was the record of the adoption.

 

“After reading the paper I was almost too surprised to question Gomez.” McKibben said. “I asked him why he had not told me before and he said that he liked to have me a Mexican. He always did say I was the brightest boy he knew.

 

“I had about 4,000 pesos. I gave them to him. He said that he didn't want any money, but I told him that was to pay him for my schooling and for having taken care of me.

 

“That was a week ago. I got on a train to come to the United States. It is my country. Of course I will have to start my life all over again, but I prefer to live among my own people.

 

“Perhaps I am not the only American boy who has been given to Mexican guardians and kept in that country ignorant of his identity,” McKibben said. “It is not right that a boy should be kept in ignorance of his nationality or his parentage.

 

“I want to get work so that I can make money and go to school here, but, of course, I want to find out who my people are.”

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Tune in next time

 

In the forthcoming episodes we’ll learn what happened to the American lad after he found his true identity. Was it good, bad or indifferent? Here is a clue—it was that and more and the final item I have uncovered left me exclaiming “What?”

 

This story should be wrapped up by the time the summer heat arrives.

  

weekly schedule template: Weekly schedule template in word and excel formats free from Zip Schedules. Download it and keep scheduling.

 

A Scheduled Appearance

 

Hair: Truth – Ashlynn

Skin: Illusory – Paige

Lipstick: Pekka – Homicidal

Nails: SLink – Jolie Sculpted Prim Nails

 

Top: Ingenue for Collabor 88 – Mignon

Skirt: Mon Tissu – Westbury Mini

Shoes: Nardcotix – Nara Chunky Pump

Earrings: Paper Couture – Reclining Feline

Ring: Caroline’s Jewelry – Multi Gem Flower Statement Ring

Cuff: The Sea Hole for Collabor 88 – Antique Moonstone Set

Bag: SySy – Linen Baggie

 

Pose: Olive Juice

Skybox: Trompe Loeil for Collabor 88 – Sunbleached Skybox

From the museum's website:

 

Originally designed as a multipurpose aircraft, the Heinkel He 111 was used alongside the Ju 88 as a standard bomber of the Luftwaffe in the Second World War.

Like its contemporary, the Douglas DC-3, the He 111 had a number of new design features, ranging from its aerodynamic shape and engine cowling to its all-metal construction and retractable landing gear. Nevertheless it did not succeed as a transport aircraft, particularly since Lufthansa ordered only 12 planes for scheduled passenger services. The Luftwaffe showed much more interest.

The exhibited aircraft is one of about 200 examples of the CASA 2.111B version produced under licence until 1956 by the Spanish company Construcciones Aeronáuticas S.A. (CASA) in Tablada, with two British Rolls Royce engines in place of the German engines. After it was taken out of service by the Spanish Air Force in 1967, the plane was used in the film „Battle of Britain.“ It flew for the last time at in September 1970.

A daily schedule of Aircon Ceres bus connection from Dumaguete to Cebu City . But there's also a non-aircon Ceres for Cebu City if you miss the airconed one. These Ceres connections cross the Tanon by Maayo Barge either from Sibulan Port or at Tampi which is 15 mins away from each other by car . If missing chances of any Ceres connections, just get straight to the ports , best is Sibulan . Sibulan port has both Maayo Barge and other boats crossing for Liloan, Cebu . From there one can catch any bus for Cebu city. It takes around 4 hours from Dumaguete to Cebu or give extra one hour if your bus is slow.

 

Using Ceres bus is my prefered means of travel for Cebu ( catching up with my flight ) than by Super Ferry boat from Dumaguete. It's unrealiable , big time. You check the port, they were not on operation for a week , huh. I don't have any idea if it's still operating of today . The last time I boarded Super Ferry was on my trip in 2009 ( Cebu - Dumaguete ). It used to be good. It takes around 2 hours to Dumaguete but since they were stopping by Tagbilaran, Bohol it gets around 3 hours to reach Dumaguete. What puts me off using the Super Ferry was, they asked me to pay by weight of my cargo that still excludes my passenger fare. As if you're taking a flight . There was not any single poster that indicates their rip off scheme until you are inside the boat and it's ready to leave, then you pay twice. I don't think it pleases people .Passengers caught up with it must be outraged . Business is competitive . If doing business , you need to be costumer pleaser , so they'll come back take your service over and over again , not rip them off at once and and loose them. It's like shooting bullets on your own foot . This must have happened to Super Ferry unless they were "repentant" and have changed their business operation passenger friendly.

The "fun" schedules on the Minneapolis Sub continue as Friday saw a 13:30 meet between L517 (on the siding) and L516 (on the main) here at New Richmond. I missed the head end of L517 but L516 had this tasty pair of still clean GEs. March 7, 2014.

The Chicago Cubs 2009 Schedule has been released.... Get Ready for Summer! Get ready for Wrigley field! Buy your tickets before they're gone!

 

You could be enjoying baseball, sun, babes and ice cold beer in the Wrigley bleachers while taunting the opposing team.

 

original photo by bourgeoisbee/

We are now 2 months away until the end of the S23 schedule which has been one of the busiest post-COVID, and airlines are currently in the process of finalising their upcoming flight schedules for the W23 schedule. The 3 major carriers based in the United States are amongst recent airlines to have updated their schedules prior to their implementation on 28th October 2023; naturally the winter schedule usually sees a drop off in operating capacity and altered aircraft allocation.

For American Airlines, they continue to provide a large presence at London Heathrow along with their joint-venture partner, British Airways. and are earmarked to provide 21 daily flights each day. For the W23 schedule which is to commence from 28th October 2023, American Airlines are expected to operate the following:

-Boston-Logan: Continues to operate daily (AA108/109) utilising Boeing 777-200ERs, albeit will be suspended from 21st February 2024 to 27th February 2024.

-Charlotte-Douglas: Continues to operate thrice-daily (AA730/731, AA732/733 and AA734/735) utilising Boeing 777-200ERs, except during 20th November 2023 to 24th November 2023 and during 25th January 2024 to 31st January 2024 where its reduced to twice-daily.

-Chicago-O'Hare: Continues to operate twice-daily (AA90/87 and AA86/91) utilising Boeing 787-9s.

-Dallas-Fort Worth: Continues to operate thrice-daily with AA20/51 and AA50/79 utilising Boeing 777-300ERs, whilst AA78/21 utilising Boeing 777-200ERs.

-Los Angeles: Commencing 29th October 2023, thrice-daily flights maintained except between 22nd January 2024 to 28th January 2024 and between 8th February 2024 to 14th February 2024 where it will be reduced to twice-daily. AA136/135 and AA138/139 utilises Boeing 777-200ERs, whilst AA134/137 utilises Boeing 777-300ERs.

-Miami: Operates twice-daily except between 15th January 2024 to 21st January 2024, and between 10th February 2024 to 15th February 2024 where it reduces to a single daily flight. AA56/39 utilises Boeing 777-300ERs whilst AA38/57 utilises Boeing 777-200ERs.

-New York-John F. Kennedy: Typically will operate thrice-daily, except between 8th January 2024 to 14th February 2024 which will increase to 4-times daily. AA100/101 and AA106/105 will utilise Boeing 777-300ERs, AA104/107 will also utilises Boeing 777-300ERs except between 8th January 2024 to 29th March 2024 where it will convert to Boeing 777-200ERs, and AA142/141 will utilise Boeing 777-200ERs.

-Philadelphia: Operate a single daily flight with AA728/729 utilising Boeing 787-9s.

-Phoenix-Sky Harbor: Operates a single daily flight with AA194/195 utilising Boeing 777-200ERs.

-Raleigh-Durham: Operates a single daily flight with AA174/175 utilising Boeing 777-200ERs.

-Seattle-Tacoma: Single daily flight cancelled, which is expected to return for the S24 schedule.

Other than the fluctuating frequencies between much of their flights as well as the temporary cancellation of their Seattle-Tacoma operations for the W23 season, Boeing 777-200ER/300ERs and Boeing 787-9s continue to provide the long-haul flights into London Heathrow. For American Airlines, the carrier is expected to take delivery of their second batch of Boeing 787-9s which are expected to feature a more premium-heavy layout which are expected to oust the elderly Boeing 777-200ERs.

Currently, American Airlines operates 59 Boeing 787s, which includes 37 Boeing 787-8s and 22 Boeing 787-9s. American Airlines have 30 Boeing 787-9s on-order.

November Eight Three Zero Alpha November is one of 22 Boeing 787-9s operated by American Airlines, delivered new to the carrier on 1st September 2017 and she is powered by 2 General Electric GEnx-1B74 engines.

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner N830AN on final approach into Runway 09L at London Heathrow (LHR) on AA728 from Philadelphia (PHL), Pennsylvania.

This is actually my sister's schedule, not mine :]

Another hand-made sign.

Designed by Richard Worth, this schedule was on one of the largest plasmas in the world... literally.

1934 White Front Schedule

Workforce Scheduling Software: Online labor workforce and employee management software solution for restaurant and retail store from Zip Schedules to empower your workforce and lower labor cost.

Amtrak 40 stops to discharge passengers at Alexandria, VA at sunset, having just arrived after a long overnight journey from Miami. In the lead are two of Amtrak’s newest ALC-42 long distance locomotives, with the “Day One” heritage unit #301 leading. Normally this train arrives here in bad lighting conditions, however due to various enroute issues we arrived 2 hours behind schedule, allowing me to grab this sunset shot after disembarking.

schedule template: Weekly schedule template in word and excel formats free from Zip Schedules. Download it and keep scheduling.

Daily Practice Schedule by Sadie Hernandez

And it was delicious! [10-second video clip]

 

To all who visit and view, and – especially – express support and satisfaction: you are much appreciated!

 

Frisch gepresster Most

 

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Album – Babenhausen, Hesse, Germany – 2018SEP07-08:

 

Mother went this time last year to Babenhausen to visit the Blachniks, whom our family has known 58 years, and we were planning for her to go over again stand-by on the flight I was working this weekend. It began to fill and I was unable to swap trips: if my scheduled flight had no empty passenger seats, I could not carry my mother over the ocean on that day, so Joe agreed to accompany her the day before and I would work the next day to Frankfurt, then ride the crew bus to Mainz, take the train to Babenhausen, visit Mother and the Blachniks, and pick Joe up. He and I would take the train to Mainz, and he would ride back with me while I worked the flight to Charlotte.

 

And we did! So Mother is in Babenhausen, Joe & I in Charlotte. Next we need her return trip back to the States.

 

As my vacation is starting, I plan to fly back stand-by, see the Blachniks, Mother, and maybe her host family in Babenhausen a few days while I stay at a hotel, then take Mother by train to Mainz she wants to see, and fly stand-by again; after landing in Charlotte she will overnight with her sister Marie Robinson in Gastonia, to break up the drive back to her home in Brevard.

 

Hope you enjoy this 37% of our 184 Babenhausen captures!

Rodney Stoke is a small village and civil parish, located at grid reference ST486501, 5 miles north-west of Wells, in the English county of Somerset. The village is on the A371 between Draycott and Westbury-sub-Mendip.

 

The parish includes the larger village of Draycott. South of the A371 the parish includes an area of the Somerset Levels, extending to the River Axe. North of the A371 the southern slopes of the Mendip Hills rise to an area of the parish on the Mendip plateau. The parish is therefore an area of high biodiversity supporting local rare species of plants and animal life.

 

Close to the village is Westbury Camp, which represents the remains of an Iron Age enclosed settlement and has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

 

Rodney Stoke was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Stoches, meaning 'a stockaded settlement' from the Old English stoc. In 1291 the place name was recorded as Stokgifford. The Giffords were Saxon nobility at the time of Edward the Confessor with Walter Gifford (then spelt Gifard) as the Earl of Buckingham.

 

The parish was part of the Winterstoke Hundred.

 

The village was the home of, and is probably named after, Sir John Rodney (d. 1400). However Ekwall indicates that Stoke Gifford was held by Richard de Rodene in 1303.

 

The first Baron Rodney was George Brydges Rodney (1718/19–92), a British naval admiral of Napoleonic times.

 

It is one of the nine Thankful Villages in Somerset which suffered no fatalities during World War I. There is a memorial window in the Parish Church together with a new plaque that testifies to the village's enduring pride in their good fortune.

 

The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.

 

The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district of Mendip, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously been part of Wells Rural District, which is responsible for local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism.

 

Somerset County Council is responsible for running the largest and most expensive local services such as education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, policing and fire services, trading standards, waste disposal and strategic planning.

 

The village is in the 'Rodney and Westbury' electoral ward. The ward starts in the north west at Draycott and passes through Rodney Stoke to end at Westbury-sub-Mendip. The total population of the ward as at the 2011 census was 2,127.

 

It is also part of the Wells county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.

 

The land is noteworthy for its importance as a flight corridor and feeding ground for the Greater Horseshoe Bat. Cheddar Complex, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, lies to the north and Mascalls' Wood, an ancient woodland and Somerset Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve, lies to the west. The cross roads may be the site of an old Roman road.

 

Close to the village is the Rodney Stoke nature reserve, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

 

The church of St Leonard, was built around 1175 and is a Grade I listed building. The interior of the church contains a screen, bearing the date 1624, the gift of Sir Edward Rodney, which includes a representation of the martyrdom of St Erasmus, who was killed by having his entrails removed.

 

Notable residents

Edward Rodney (1590–1657), MP for Wells and Somerset at various times between 1621 and 1642, lived in Rodney Stoke and was buried there.

John Rodney (died 1400), MP for Somerset, 1391–1393, lived in Rodney Stoke.

Frances Southwell (died 1659), courtier and wife of Edward Rodney, lived in Rodney Stoke.

Thomas Tremlett (1834–1894), first-class cricketer, was born in Rodney Stoke.

 

Somerset is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east and the north-east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. The largest settlement is the city of Bath, and the county town is Taunton.

 

Somerset is a predominantly rural county, especially to the south and west, with an area of 4,171 km2 (1,610 sq mi) and a population of 965,424. After Bath (101,557), the largest settlements are Weston-super-Mare (82,418), Taunton (60,479), and Yeovil (49,698). Wells (12,000) is a city, the second-smallest by population in England. For local government purposes the county comprises three unitary authority areas: Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, and Somerset.

 

The centre of Somerset is dominated by the Levels, a coastal plain and wetland, and the north-east and west of the county are hilly. The north-east contains part of the Cotswolds AONB, all of the Mendip Hills AONB, and a small part of Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB; the west contains the Quantock Hills AONB, a majority of Exmoor National Park, and part of the Blackdown Hills AONB. The main rivers in the county are the Avon, which flows through Bath and then Bristol, and the Axe, Brue, and Parrett, which drain the Levels.

 

There is evidence of Paleolithic human occupation in Somerset, and the area was subsequently settled by the Celts, Romans and Anglo-Saxons. The county played a significant part in Alfred the Great's rise to power, and later the English Civil War and the Monmouth Rebellion. In the later medieval period its wealth allowed its monasteries and parish churches to be rebuilt in grand style; Glastonbury Abbey was particularly important, and claimed to house the tomb of King Arthur and Guinevere. The city of Bath is famous for its Georgian architecture, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The county is also the location of Glastonbury Festival, one of the UK's major music festivals.

 

Somerset is a historic county in the south west of England. There is evidence of human occupation since prehistoric times with hand axes and flint points from the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic eras, and a range of burial mounds, hill forts and other artefacts dating from the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages. The oldest dated human road work in Great Britain is the Sweet Track, constructed across the Somerset Levels with wooden planks in the 39th century BCE.

 

Following the Roman Empire's invasion of southern Britain, the mining of lead and silver in the Mendip Hills provided a basis for local industry and commerce. Bath became the site of a major Roman fort and city, the remains of which can still be seen. During the Early Medieval period Somerset was the scene of battles between the Anglo-Saxons and first the Britons and later the Danes. In this period it was ruled first by various kings of Wessex, and later by kings of England. Following the defeat of the Anglo-Saxon monarchy by the Normans in 1066, castles were built in Somerset.

 

Expansion of the population and settlements in the county continued during the Tudor and more recent periods. Agriculture and coal mining expanded until the 18th century, although other industries declined during the industrial revolution. In modern times the population has grown, particularly in the seaside towns, notably Weston-super-Mare. Agriculture continues to be a major business, if no longer a major employer because of mechanisation. Light industries are based in towns such as Bridgwater and Yeovil. The towns of Taunton and Shepton Mallet manufacture cider, although the acreage of apple orchards is less than it once was.

 

The Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods saw hunter-gatherers move into the region of Somerset. There is evidence from flint artefacts in a quarry at Westbury that an ancestor of modern man, possibly Homo heidelbergensis, was present in the area from around 500,000 years ago. There is still some doubt about whether the artefacts are of human origin but they have been dated within Oxygen Isotope Stage 13 (524,000 – 478,000 BP). Other experts suggest that "many of the bone-rich Middle Pleistocene deposits belong to a single but climatically variable interglacial that succeeded the Cromerian, perhaps about 500,000 years ago. Detailed analysis of the origin and modification of the flint artefacts leads to the conclusion that the assemblage was probably a product of geomorphological processes rather than human work, but a single cut-marked bone suggests a human presence." Animal bones and artefacts unearthed in the 1980s at Westbury-sub-Mendip, in Somerset, have shown evidence of early human activity approximately 700,000 years ago.

 

Homo sapiens sapiens, or modern man, came to Somerset during the Early Upper Palaeolithic. There is evidence of occupation of four Mendip caves 35,000 to 30,000 years ago. During the Last Glacial Maximum, about 25,000 to 15,000 years ago, it is probable that Somerset was deserted as the area experienced tundra conditions. Evidence was found in Gough's Cave of deposits of human bone dating from around 12,500 years ago. The bones were defleshed and probably ritually buried though perhaps related to cannibalism being practised in the area at the time or making skull cups or storage containers. Somerset was one of the first areas of future England settled following the end of Younger Dryas phase of the last ice age c. 8000 BC. Cheddar Man is the name given to the remains of a human male found in Gough's Cave in Cheddar Gorge. He is Britain's oldest complete human skeleton. The remains date from about 7150 BC, and it appears that he died a violent death. Somerset is thought to have been occupied by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers from about 6000 BCE; Mesolithic artefacts have been found in more than 70 locations. Mendip caves were used as burial places, with between 50 and 100 skeletons being found in Aveline's Hole. In the Neolithic era, from about 3500 BCE, there is evidence of farming.

 

At the end of the last ice age the Bristol Channel was dry land, but later the sea level rose, particularly between 1220 and 900 BC and between 800 and 470 BCE, resulting in major coastal changes. The Somerset Levels became flooded, but the dry points such as Glastonbury and Brent Knoll have a long history of settlement, and are known to have been occupied by Mesolithic hunters. The county has prehistoric burial mounds (such as Stoney Littleton Long Barrow), stone rows (such as the circles at Stanton Drew and Priddy) and settlement sites. Evidence of Mesolithic occupation has come both from the upland areas, such as in Mendip caves, and from the low land areas such as the Somerset Levels. Dry points in the latter such as Glastonbury Tor and Brent Knoll, have a long history of settlement with wooden trackways between them. There were also "lake villages" in the marsh such as those at Glastonbury Lake Village and Meare. One of the oldest dated human road work in Britain is the Sweet Track, constructed across the Somerset Levels with wooden planks in the 39th century BC, partially on the route of the even earlier Post Track.

 

There is evidence of Exmoor's human occupation from Mesolithic times onwards. In the Neolithic period people started to manage animals and grow crops on farms cleared from the woodland, rather than act purely as hunter gatherers. It is also likely that extraction and smelting of mineral ores to make tools, weapons, containers and ornaments in bronze and then iron started in the late Neolithic and into the Bronze and Iron Ages.

 

The caves of the Mendip Hills were settled during the Neolithic period and contain extensive archaeological sites such as those at Cheddar Gorge. There are numerous Iron Age Hill Forts, which were later reused in the Dark Ages, such as Cadbury Castle, Worlebury Camp and Ham Hill. The age of the henge monument at Stanton Drew stone circles is unknown, but is believed to be from the Neolithic period. There is evidence of mining on the Mendip Hills back into the late Bronze Age when there were technological changes in metal working indicated by the use of lead. There are numerous "hill forts", such as Small Down Knoll, Solsbury Hill, Dolebury Warren and Burledge Hill, which seem to have had domestic purposes, not just a defensive role. They generally seem to have been occupied intermittently from the Bronze Age onward, some, such as Cadbury Camp at South Cadbury, being refurbished during different eras. Battlegore Burial Chamber is a Bronze Age burial chamber at Williton which is composed of three round barrows and possibly a long, chambered barrow.

 

The Iron Age tribes of later Somerset were the Dobunni in north Somerset, Durotriges in south Somerset and Dumnonii in west Somerset. The first and second produced coins, the finds of which allows their tribal areas to be suggested, but the latter did not. All three had a Celtic culture and language. However, Ptolemy stated that Bath was in the territory of the Belgae, but this may be a mistake. The Celtic gods were worshipped at the temple of Sulis at Bath and possibly the temple on Brean Down. Iron Age sites on the Quantock Hills, include major hill forts at Dowsborough and Ruborough, as well as smaller earthwork enclosures, such as Trendle Ring, Elworthy Barrows and Plainsfield Camp.

 

Somerset was part of the Roman Empire from 47 AD to about 409 AD. However, the end was not abrupt and elements of Romanitas lingered on for perhaps a century.

 

Somerset was invaded from the south-east by the Second Legion Augusta, under the future emperor Vespasian. The hillforts of the Durotriges at Ham Hill and Cadbury Castle were captured. Ham Hill probably had a temporary Roman occupation. The massacre at Cadbury Castle seems to have been associated with the later Boudiccan Revolt of 60–61 AD. The county remained part of the Roman Empire until around 409 AD.

 

The Roman invasion, and possibly the preceding period of involvement in the internal affairs of the south of England, was inspired in part by the potential of the Mendip Hills. A great deal of the attraction of the lead mines may have been the potential for the extraction of silver.

 

Forts were set up at Bath and Ilchester. The lead and silver mines at Charterhouse in the Mendip Hills were run by the military. The Romans established a defensive boundary along the new military road known the Fosse Way (from the Latin fossa meaning ditch). The Fosse Way ran through Bath, Shepton Mallet, Ilchester and south-west towards Axminster. The road from Dorchester ran through Yeovil to meet the Fosse Way at Ilchester. Small towns and trading ports were set up, such as Camerton and Combwich. The larger towns decayed in the latter part of the period, though the smaller ones appear to have decayed less. In the latter part of the period, Ilchester seems to have been a "civitas" capital and Bath may also have been one. Particularly to the east of the River Parrett, villas were constructed. However, only a few Roman sites have been found to the west of the river. The villas have produced important mosaics and artifacts. Cemeteries have been found outside the Roman towns of Somerset and by Roman temples such as that at Lamyatt. Romano-British farming settlements, such as those at Catsgore and Sigwells, have been found in Somerset. There was salt production on the Somerset Levels near Highbridge and quarrying took place near Bath, where the Roman Baths gave their name to Bath.

 

Excavations carried out before the flooding of Chew Valley Lake also uncovered Roman remains, indicating agricultural and industrial activity from the second half of the 1st century until the 3rd century AD. The finds included a moderately large villa at Chew Park, where wooden writing tablets (the first in the UK) with ink writing were found. There is also evidence from the Pagans Hill Roman Temple at Chew Stoke. In October 2001 the West Bagborough Hoard of 4th century Roman silver was discovered in West Bagborough. The 681 coins included two denarii from the early 2nd century and 8 Miliarense and 671 Siliqua all dating to the period AD 337 – 367. The majority were struck in the reigns of emperors Constantius II and Julian and derive from a range of mints including Arles and Lyons in France, Trier in Germany and Rome.

 

In April 2010, the Frome Hoard, one of the largest-ever hoards of Roman coins discovered in Britain, was found by a metal detectorist. The hoard of 52,500 coins dated from the 3rd century AD and was found buried in a field near Frome, in a jar 14 inches (36 cm) below the surface. The coins were excavated by archaeologists from the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

 

This is the period from about 409 AD to the start of Saxon political control, which was mainly in the late 7th century, though they are said to have captured the Bath area in 577 AD. Initially the Britons of Somerset seem to have continued much as under the Romans but without the imperial taxation and markets. There was then a period of civil war in Britain though it is not known how this affected Somerset. The Western Wandsdyke may have been constructed in this period but archaeological data shows that it was probably built during the 5th or 6th century. This area became the border between the Romano-British Celts and the West Saxons following the Battle of Deorham in 577 AD. The ditch is on the north side, so presumably it was used by the Celts as a defence against Saxons encroaching from the upper Thames Valley. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Saxon Cenwalh achieved a breakthrough against the British Celtic tribes, with victories at Bradford-on-Avon (in the Avon Gap in the Wansdyke) in 652 AD, and further south at the Battle of Peonnum (at Penselwood) in 658 AD, followed by an advance west through the Polden Hills to the River Parrett.

 

The Saxon advance from the east seems to have been halted by battles between the British and Saxons, for example; at the siege of Badon Mons Badonicus (which may have been in the Bath region e.g. at Solsbury Hill), or Bathampton Down. During the 5th, 6th and 7th centuries, Somerset was probably partly in the Kingdom of Dumnonia, partly in the land of the Durotriges and partly in that of the Dobunni. The boundaries between these is largely unknown, but may have been similar to those in the Iron Age. Various "tyrants" seem to have controlled territories from reoccupied hill forts. There is evidence of an elite at hill forts such as Cadbury Castle and Cadbury Camp; for example, there is imported pottery. Cemeteries are an important source of evidence for the period and large ones have been found in Somerset, such as that at Cannington, which was used from the Roman to the Saxon period. The towns of Somerset seem to have been little used during that period but there continued to be farming on the villa sites and at the Romano-British villages.

 

There may have been effects from plague and volcanic eruption during this period as well as marine transgression into the Levels.

 

The language spoken during this period is thought to be Southwestern Brythonic, but only one or two inscribed stones survive in Somerset from this period. However, a couple of curse tablets found in the baths at Bath may be in this language. Some place names in Somerset seem to be Celtic in origin and may be from this period or earlier, e.g. Tarnock. Some river names, such as Parrett, may be Celtic or pre-Celtic. The religion of the people of Somerset in this period is thought to be Christian but it was isolated from Rome until after the Council of Hertford in 673 AD when Aldhelm was asked to write a letter to Geraint of Dumnonia and his bishops. Some church sites in Somerset are thought to date from this period, e.g., Llantokay Street.

 

Most of what is known of the history of this period comes from Gildas's On the Ruin of Britain, which is thought to have been written in Durotrigan territory, possibly at Glastonbury.

 

The earliest fortification of Taunton started for King Ine of Wessex and Æthelburg, in or about the year 710 AD. However, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle this was destroyed 12 years later.

 

This is the period from the late 7th century (for most of Somerset) to 1066, though for part of the 10th and 11th centuries England was under Danish control. Somerset, like Dorset to the south, held the West Saxon advance from Wiltshire/Hampshire back for over a century, remaining a frontier between the Saxons and the Romano-British Celts.

 

The Saxons conquered Bath following the Battle of Deorham in 577, and the border was probably established along the line of the Wansdyke to the north of the Mendip Hills. Then Cenwalh of Wessex broke through at Bradford-on-Avon in 652, and the Battle of Peonnum possibly at Penselwood in 658, advancing west through the Polden Hills to the River Parrett. In 661 the Saxons may have advanced into what is now Devon as a result of a battle fought at Postesburh, possibly Posbury near Crediton.

 

Then in the period 681–85 Centwine of Wessex conquered King Cadwaladr and "advanced as far as the sea", but it is not clear where this was. It is assumed that the Saxons occupied the rest of Somerset about this time. The Saxon rule was consolidated under King Ine, who established a fort at Taunton, demolished by his wife in 722. It is sometimes said that he built palaces at Somerton and South Petherton but this does not seem to be the case. He fought against Geraint in 710. In 705 the diocese of Sherborne was formed, taking in Wessex west of Selwood. Saxon kings granted land in Somerset by charter from the 7th century onward. The way and extent to which the Britons survived under the Saxons is a debatable matter. However, King Ine's laws make provision for Britons. Somerset originally formed part of Wessex and latter became a separate "shire". Somersetshire seems to have been formed within Wessex during the 8th century though it is not recorded as a name until later. Mints were set up at times in various places in Somerset in the Saxon period, e.g., Watchet.

 

Somerset played an important part in defeating the spread of the Danes in the 9th century. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that in 845 Alderman Eanwulf, with the men of Somersetshire (Sumorsǣte), and Bishop Ealstan, and Alderman Osric, with the men of Dorsetshire, conquered the Danish army at the mouth of the Parret. This was the first known use of the name Somersæte. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports that in January 878 the King Alfred the Great fled into the marshes of Somerset from the Viking's invasion and made a fort at Athelney. From the fort Alfred was able to organize a resistance using the local militias from Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire.

 

Viking raids took place for instance in 987 and 997 at Watchet and the Battle of Cynwit. King Alfred was driven to seek refuge from the Danes at Athelney before defeating them at the Battle of Ethandun in 878, usually considered to be near Edington, Wiltshire, but possibly the village of Edington in Somerset. Alfred established a series of forts and lookout posts linked by a military road, or Herepath, so his army could cover Viking movements at sea. The Herepath has a characteristic form which is familiar on the Quantocks: a regulation 20 m wide track between avenues of trees growing from hedge laying embankments. The Herepath ran from the ford on the River Parrett at Combwich, past Cannington hill fort to Over Stowey, where it climbed the Quantocks along the line of the current Stowey road, to Crowcombe Park Gate. Then it went south along the ridge, to Triscombe Stone. One branch may have led past Lydeard Hill and Buncombe Hill, back to Alfred's base at Athelney. The main branch descended the hills at Triscombe, then along the avenue to Red Post Cross, and west to the Brendon Hills and Exmoor. A peace treaty with the Danes was signed at Wedmore and the Danish king Guthrum the Old was baptised at Aller. Burhs (fortified places) had been set up by 919, such as Lyng. The Alfred Jewel, an object about 2.5 inch long, made of filigree gold, cloisonné-enamelled and with a rock crystal covering, was found in 1693 at Petherton Park, North Petherton. Believed to have been owned by Alfred the Great it is thought to have been the handle for a pointer that would have fit into the hole at its base and been used while reading a book.

 

Monasteries and minster churches were set up all over Somerset, with daughter churches from the minsters in manors. There was a royal palace at Cheddar, which was used at times in the 10th century to host the Witenagemot, and there is likely to have been a "central place" at Somerton, Bath, Glastonbury and Frome since the kings visited them. The towns of Somerset seem to have been in occupation in this period though evidence for this is limited because of subsequent buildings on top of remains from this period. Agriculture flourished in this period, with a re-organisation into centralised villages in the latter part in the east of the county.

 

In the period before the Norman Conquest, Somerset came under the control of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, and his family. There seems to have been some Danish settlement at Thurloxton and Spaxton, judging from the place-names. After the Norman Conquest, the county was divided into 700 fiefs, and large areas were owned by the crown, with fortifications such as Dunster Castle used for control and defence.

 

This period of Somerset's history is well documented, for example in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Asser's Life of Alfred.

 

This is the period from 1066 to around 1500. Following the defeat of the Saxons by the Normans in 1066, various castles were set up in Somerset by the new lords such as that at Dunster, and the manors was awarded to followers of William the Conqueror such as William de Moyon and Walter of Douai. Somerset does not seem to have played much part in the civil war in King Stephen's time, but Somerset lords were main players in the murder of Thomas Becket.

 

A good picture of the county in 1086 is given by Domesday Book, though there is some difficulty in identifying the various places since the hundreds are not specified. The total population given for the county, which had different boundaries to those today, was 13,399, however this only included the heads of households, so with their families this may have been around 67,000. Farming seems to have prospered for the next three centuries but was severely hit by the Black Death which in 1348 arrived in Dorset and quickly spread through Somerset, causing widespread mortality, perhaps as much as 50% in places. It re-occurred, resulting in a change in feudal practices since the manpower was no longer so available.

 

Reclamation of land from marsh in the Somerset Levels increased, largely under monastic influence. Crafts and industries also flourished, the Somerset woollen industry being one of the largest in England at this time. "New towns" were founded in this period in Somerset, i.e. Newport, but were not successful. Coal mining on the Mendips was an important source of wealth while quarrying also took place, an example is near Bath.

 

The towns grew, again often by monastic instigation, during this period and fairs were started. The church was very powerful at this period, particularly Glastonbury Abbey. After their church burnt down, the monks there "discovered" the tomb of "King Arthur" and were able rebuild their church. There were over 20 monasteries in Somerset at this period including the priory at Hinton Charterhouse which was founded in 1232 by Ela, Countess of Salisbury who also founded Lacock Abbey. Many parish churches were re-built in this period. Between 1107 and 1129 William Giffard the Chancellor of King Henry I, converted the bishop's hall in Taunton into Taunton Castle. Bridgwater Castle was built in 1202 by William Brewer. It passed to the king in 1233 and in 1245 repairs were ordered to its motte and towers. During the 11th century Second Barons' War against Henry III, Bridgwater was held by the barons against the King. In the English Civil War the town and the castle were held by the Royalists under Colonel Sir Francis Wyndham. Eventually, with many buildings destroyed in the town, the castle and its valuable contents were surrendered to the Parliamentarians. The castle itself was deliberately destroyed in 1645.

 

During the Middle Ages sheep farming for the wool trade came to dominate the economy of Exmoor. The wool was spun into thread on isolated farms and collected by merchants to be woven, fulled, dyed and finished in thriving towns such as Dunster. The land started to be enclosed and from the 17th century onwards larger estates developed, leading to establishment of areas of large regular shaped fields. During this period a Royal Forest and hunting ground was established, administered by the Warden. The Royal Forest was sold off in 1818.

 

In the medieval period the River Parrett was used to transport Hamstone from the quarry at Ham Hill, Bridgwater was part of the Port of Bristol until the Port of Bridgwater was created in 1348, covering 80 miles (130 km) of the Somerset coast line, from the Devon border to the mouth of the River Axe. Historically, the main port on the river was at Bridgwater; the river being bridged at this point, with the first bridge being constructed in 1200 AD. Quays were built in 1424; with another quay, the Langport slip, being built in 1488 upstream of the Town Bridge. A Customs House was sited at Bridgwater, on West Quay; and a dry dock, launching slips and a boat yard on East Quay. The river was navigable, with care, to Bridgwater Town Bridge by 400 to 500 tonnes (440 to 550 tons) vessels. By trans-shipping into barges at the Town Bridge the Parrett was navigable as far as Langport and (via the River Yeo) to Ilchester.

 

This is the period from around 1500 to 1800. In the 1530s, the monasteries were dissolved and their lands bought from the king by various important families in Somerset. By 1539, Glastonbury Abbey was the only monastery left, its abbot Richard Whiting was then arrested and executed on the orders of Thomas Cromwell. From the Tudor to the Georgian times, farming specialised and techniques improved, leading to increases in population, although no new towns seem to have been founded. Large country houses such as at Hinton St George and Montacute House were built at this time.

 

The Bristol Channel floods of 1607 are believed to have affected large parts of the Somerset Levels with flooding up to 8 feet (2 m) above sea level. In 1625, a House of Correction was established in Shepton Mallet and, today, HMP Shepton Mallet is England's oldest prison still in use.

 

During the English Civil War, Somerset was largely Parliamentarian, although Dunster was a Royalist stronghold. The county was the site of important battles between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians, notably the Battle of Lansdowne in 1643 and the Battle of Langport in 1645. The castle changed hands several times during 1642–45 along with the town. During the Siege of Taunton it was defended by Robert Blake, from July 1644 to July 1645. This war resulted in castles being destroyed to prevent their re-use.

 

In 1685, the Duke of Monmouth led the Monmouth Rebellion in which Somerset people fought against James II. The rebels landed at Lyme Regis and travelled north hoping to capture Bristol and Bath, puritan soldiers damaged the west front of Wells Cathedral, tore lead from the roof to make bullets, broke the windows, smashed the organ and the furnishings, and for a time stabled their horses in the nave. They were defeated in the Battle of Sedgemoor at Westonzoyland, the last battle fought on English soil. The Bloody Assizes which followed saw the losers being sentenced to death or transportation.

 

The Society of Friends established itself in Street in the mid-17th century, and among the close-knit group of Quaker families were the Clarks: Cyrus started a business in sheepskin rugs, later joined by his brother James, who introduced the production of woollen slippers and, later, boots and shoes. C&J Clark still has its headquarters in Street, but shoes are no longer manufactured there. Instead, in 1993, redundant factory buildings were converted to form Clarks Village, the first purpose-built factory outlet in the United Kingdom.

 

The 18th century was largely one of peace and declining industrial prosperity in Somerset. The Industrial Revolution in the Midlands and Northern England spelt the end for most of Somerset's cottage industries. However, farming continued to flourish, with the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society being founded in 1777 to improve methods. John Billingsley conducted a survey of the county's agriculture in 1795 but found that methods could still be improved.

 

Arthur Wellesley took his title, Duke of Wellington from the town of Wellington. He is commemorated on a nearby hill with a large, spotlit obelisk, known as the Wellington Monument.

 

In north Somerset, mining in the Somerset coalfield was an important industry, and in an effort to reduce the cost of transporting the coal the Somerset Coal Canal was built; part of it was later converted into a railway. Other canals included the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, Westport Canal, Grand Western Canal, Glastonbury Canal and Chard Canal.[9] The Dorset and Somerset Canal was proposed, but very little of it was ever constructed.

 

The 19th century saw improvements to Somerset's roads with the introduction of turnpikes and the building of canals and railways. The usefulness of the canals was short-lived, though they have now been restored for recreation. The railways were nationalised after the Second World War, but continued until 1965, when smaller lines were scrapped; two were transferred back to private ownership as "heritage" lines.

 

In 1889, Somerset County Council was created, replacing the administrative functions of the Quarter Sessions.

 

The population of Somerset has continued to grow since 1800, when it was 274,000, particularly in the seaside towns such as Weston-super-Mare. Some population decline occurred earlier in the period in the villages, but this has now been reversed, and by 1951 the population of Somerset was 551,000.

 

Chard claims to be the birthplace of powered flight, as it was here in 1848 that the Victorian aeronautical pioneer John Stringfellow first demonstrated that engine-powered flight was possible through his work on the Aerial Steam Carriage. North Petherton was the first town in England (and one of the few ever) to be lit by acetylene gas lighting, supplied by the North Petherton Rosco Acetylene Company. Street lights were provided in 1906. Acetylene was replaced in 1931 by coal gas produced in Bridgwater, as well as by the provision of an electricity supply.

 

Around the 1860s, at the height of the iron and steel era, a pier and a deep-water dock were built, at Portishead, by the Bristol & Portishead Pier and Railway to accommodate the large ships that had difficulty in reaching Bristol Harbour. The Portishead power stations were coal-fed power stations built next to the dock. Construction work started on Portishead "A" power station in 1926. It began generating electricity in 1929 for the Bristol Corporation's Electricity Department. In 1951, Albright and Wilson built a chemical works on the opposite side of the dock from the power stations. The chemical works produced white phosphorus from phosphate rock imported, through the docks, into the UK. The onset of new generating capacity at Pembroke (oil-fired) and Didcot (coal-fired) in the mid-1970s brought about the closure of the older, less efficient "A" Station. The newer of the two power stations ("B" Station) was converted to burn oil when the Somerset coalfields closed. Industrial activities ceased in the dock with the closure of the power stations. The Port of Bristol Authority finally closed the dock in 1992, and it has now been developed into a marina and residential area.

 

During the First World War hundreds of Somerset soldiers were killed, and war memorials were put up in most of the towns and villages; only a few villages escaped casualties. There were also casualties – though much fewer – during the Second World War, who were added to the memorials. The county was a base for troops preparing for the 1944 D-Day landings, and some Somerset hospitals still date partly from that time. The Royal Ordnance Factory ROF Bridgwater was constructed early in World War II for the Ministry of Supply. It was designed as an Explosive ROF, to produce RDX, which was then a new experimental high-explosive. It obtained water supplies from two sources via the Somerset Levels: the artificial Huntspill River which was dug during the construction of the factory and also from the King's Sedgemoor Drain, which was widened at the same time. The Taunton Stop Line was set up to resist a potential German invasion, and the remains of its pill boxes can still be seen, as well as others along the coast. A decoy town was constructed on Black Down, intended to represent the blazing lights of a town which had neglected to follow the black-out regulations. Sites in the county housed Prisoner of War camps including: Norton Fitzwarren, Barwick, Brockley, Goathurst and Wells. Various airfields were built or converted from civilian use including: RNAS Charlton Horethorne (HMS Heron II), RAF Weston-super-Mare, RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), Yeovil/Westland Airport, RAF Weston Zoyland, RAF Merryfield, RAF Culmhead and RAF Charmy Down.

 

Exmoor was one of the first British National Parks, designated in 1954, under the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. and is named after its main river. It was expanded in 1991 and in 1993 Exmoor was designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area. The Quantock Hills were designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1956, the first such designation in England under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The Mendip Hills followed with AONB designation in 1972.

 

Hinkley Point A nuclear power station was a Magnox power station constructed between 1957 and 1962 and operating until ceasing generation in 2000. Hinkley Point B is an Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) which was designed to generate 1250 MW of electricity (MWe). Construction of Hinkley Point B started in 1967. In September 2008 it was announced, by Électricité de France (EDF), that a third, twin-unit European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) power station known as Hinkley Point C is planned, to replace Hinkley Point B which was due for closure in 2016, but has now has its life extended until 2022.

 

Somerset today has only two small cities, Bath and Wells, and only small towns in comparison with other areas of England. Tourism is a major source of employment along the coast, and in Bath and Cheddar for example. Other attractions include Exmoor, West Somerset Railway, Haynes Motor Museum and the Fleet Air Arm Museum as well as the churches and the various National Trust and English Heritage properties in Somerset.

 

Agriculture continues to be a major business, if no longer a major employer because of mechanisation. Light industries take place in towns such as Bridgwater and Yeovil. The towns of Taunton and Shepton Mallet manufacture cider, although the number of apple orchards has reduced.

 

In the late 19th century the boundaries of Somerset were slightly altered, but the main change came in 1974 when the county of Avon was set up. The northern part of Somerset was removed from the administrative control of Somerset County Council. On abolition of the county of Avon in 1996, these areas became separate administrative authorities, "North Somerset" and "Bath and North East Somerset". The Department for Communities and Local Government was considering a proposal by Somerset County Council to change Somerset's administrative structure by abolishing the five districts to create a Somerset unitary authority. The changes were planned to be implemented no later than 1 April 2009. However, support for the county council's bid was not guaranteed and opposition among the district council and local population was strong; 82% of people responding to a referendum organised by the five district councils rejected the proposals. It was confirmed in July 2007 that the government had rejected the proposals for unitary authorities in Somerset, and that the present two-tier arrangements of Somerset County Council and the district councils will remain.

Håkan Dahlström Photography

The mechanical reliability of MTA New York City Transit’s fleet of 6,200 subway cars has been a major source of pride for employees. That achievement stems from a simple idea; fix things before they break. That is the philosophy behind the Scheduled Maintenance System (SMS) program developed by the Division of Car Equipment as a way of maintaining the reliability of new subway cars and older subway cars that had gone through the General Overhaul (GOH) program.

 

Photo: Patrick Cashin / Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Old maps and schedules I have from VIA Metropolitan Transit from before the CSP change in 2004.

Add Ur Note

The schedule was written onto large whiteboards in the lobby.

Russian security team members stop to take a photo as the Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft is rolled out by train to launch pad one at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Sunday, May 13, 2012. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 31 Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin of Russia, and prime NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. local time on Tuesday, May 15. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

#projetogavetinha papelaria

The BWA have announced the dates and locations for their national level competitions in 2023.

 

February 11th 2023 - English Seniors - Derby

 

March 11th 2023 - English Juniors - Nottingham

 

May 13th 2023 - British Juniors - Manchester

 

June 10th and 11th 2023 - British Seniors which will feature freestyle, greco and veterans - Manchester

For a blog post

Today’s game against Blackpool Wren Rovers was rightly abandoned by the Referee after 22 farcical minutes , with the score level at 0-0.

 

With touch lines unable to be seen, and players safety at risk in awful conditions, the decision brought little complaint from everyone involved.

 

The game will now be rearranged for a later date, and Longridge will be hoping for a better forecast before Tuesday nights scheduled fixture against Thornton Cleveleys.

Old train schedule in a downtown restaurant

#projetogavetinha papelaria

have you scheduled your mammogram?

"Happy Pill" is scheduled to go up for sale on Tuesday, November 11th at 12:00AM CST, at riptapparel.com/.

 

Thanks to my friend SAT for contacted me with the great THE_JCW from RIPT, i hope we can sell a lot of theese beauties!.

 

Thanks a lot and buy!!!

 

El martes 11 de Noviembre van a poner este diseño en RIPT Apparel por tan sólo 10 dólares!, sólo las van a poder comprar durante las 24 horas del día y después no las imprimen más!, aprovechen la oferta!!!

Two scheduler and hipster(eco :D).

This store is not scheduled to close as of February 2020.