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Vintage card.

American actor John Wayne (1907-1979) was one of the most popular film stars of the 20th century. He received his first leading film role in The Big Trail (1930). Working with John Ford, he got his next big break in Stagecoach (1939). His career as an actor took another leap forward when he worked with director Howard Hawks in Red River (1948). Wayne won his first Academy Award in 1969. He He starred in 142 films altogether and remains a popular American icon to this day.

John Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison in 1907, in Winterset, Iowa. Some sources also list him as Marion Michael Morrison and Marion Mitchell Morrison. He was already a sizable presence when he was born, weighing around 13 pounds. The oldest of two children born to Clyde and Mary 'Molly' Morrison, Wayne moved to Lancester, California, around the age of seven. The family moved again a few years later after Clyde failed in his attempt to become a farmer. Settling in Glendale, California, Wayne received his distinctive nickname 'Duke' while living there. He had a dog by that name, and he spent so much time with his pet that the pair became known as 'Little Duke' and 'Big Duke', according to the official John Wayne website. In high school, Wayne excelled in his classes and in many different activities, including student government and football. He also participated in numerous student theatrical productions. Winning a football scholarship to University of Southern California (USC), Wayne started college in the fall of 1925. Unfortunately, after two years, an injury, a result of a bodysurfing accident, took him off the football field and ended his scholarship. While in college, Wayne had done some work as a film extra, appearing as a football player in Brown of Harvard (Jack Conway, 1926) with William Haines, and Drop Kick (Millard Webb, 1927), starring Richard Barthelmess. Out of school, Wayne worked as an extra and a prop man in the film industry. He first met director John Ford while working as an extra on Mother Machree (John Ford, 1928). With the early widescreen film epic The Big Trail (Raoul Walsh, 1930), Wayne received his first leading role, thanks to director Walsh. Raoul Walsh is often credited with helping him create his now legendary screen name, John Wayne. Unfortunately, the Western was a box office failure. For nearly a decade, Wayne toiled in numerous B-films. He played the lead, with his name over the title, in many low-budget Poverty Row Westerns, mostly at Monogram Pictures and serials for Mascot Pictures Corporation. By Wayne's own estimation, he appeared in about 80 of these horse operas from 1930 to 1939. In Riders of Destiny (Robert N. Bradbury, 1933), he became one of the first singing cowboys of film, named Sandy Saunders, although via dubbing. During this period, Wayne started developing his man of action persona, which would serve as the basis of many popular characters later on.

Working with John Ford, John Wayne got his next big break in Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939). Because of Wayne's B-film status and track record in low-budget Westerns throughout the 1930s, Ford had difficulty getting financing for what was to be an A-budget film. After rejection by all the major studios, Ford struck a deal with independent producer Walter Wanger in which Claire Trevor, who was a much bigger star at the time, received top billing. Wayne portrayed the Ringo Kid, an escaped outlaw, who joins an unusual assortment of characters on a dangerous journey through frontier lands. During the trip, the Kid falls for a dance hall prostitute named Dallas (Claire Trevor). The film was well received by filmgoers and critics alike and earned seven Academy Award nominations, including one for Ford's direction. In the end, it took home the awards for Music and for Actor in a Supporting Role for Thomas Mitchell. Wayne became a mainstream star. Reunited with Ford and Mitchell, Wayne stepped away from his usual Western roles to become a Swedish seaman in The Long Voyage Home (John Ford, 1940). The film was adapted from a play by Eugene O'Neill and follows the crew of a steamer ship as they move a shipment of explosives. Along with many positive reviews, the film earned several Academy Award nominations. Around this time, Wayne made the first of several films with German star Marlene Dietrich. The two appeared together in Seven Sinners (Tay Garnett, 1940) with Wayne playing a naval officer and Dietrich as a woman who sets out to seduce him. Off-screen, they became romantically involved, though Wayne was married at the time. There had been rumours about Wayne having other affairs, but nothing as substantial as his connection to Dietrich. Even after their physical relationship ended, the pair remained good friends and co-starred in two more films, Pittsburgh (Lewis Seiler, 1942) and The Spoilers (Ray Enright, 1942). Wayne's first color film was Shepherd of the Hills (Henry Hathaway, 1941), in which he co-starred with his longtime friend Harry Carey. The following year, he appeared in his only film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, the Technicolor epic Reap the Wild Wind (1942), in which he co-starred with Ray Milland and Paulette Goddard; it was one of the rare times he played a character with questionable values. Wayne started working behind the scenes as a producer in the late 1940s. The first film he produced was Angel and the Badman (James Edward Grant, 1947) with Gail Russell. Over the years, he operated several different production companies, including John Wayne Productions, Wayne-Fellows Productions and Batjac Productions.

John Wayne's career as an actor took another leap forward when he worked with director Howard Hawks in Red River (1948). The Western drama provided Wayne with an opportunity to show his talents as an actor, not just an action hero. Playing the conflicted cattleman Tom Dunson, he took on a darker sort of character. He deftly handled his character's slow collapse and difficult relationship with his adopted son played by Montgomery Clift. Also around this time, Wayne also received praise for his work in John Ford's Fort Apache (1948) with Henry Fonda and Shirley Temple. Taking on a war drama, Wayne gave a strong performance in Sands of Iwo Jima (Allan Dwan, 1949), which garnered him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He also appeared in more two Westerns by Ford now considered classics: She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (John Ford, 1949) and Rio Grande (John Ford, 1950) with Maureen O'Hara. Wayne worked with O'Hara on several films, perhaps most notably The Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952). Playing an American boxer with a bad reputation, his character moved to Ireland where he fell in love with a local woman (Maureen O'Hara). This film is considered Wayne's most convincing leading romantic role by many critics. A well-known conservative and anticommunist, Wayne merged his personal beliefs and his professional life in Big Jim McLain (Edward Ludwig, 1952). He played an investigator working for the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee, which worked to root out communists in all aspects of public life. Off screen, Wayne played a leading role in the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals and even served as its president for a time. The organisation was a group of conservatives who wanted to stop communists from working in the film industry, and other members included Gary Cooper and Ronald Reagan. In 1956, Wayne starred in another Ford Western, The Searchers (John Ford, 1956). He played Civil War veteran Ethan Edwards whose niece is abducted by a tribe of Comanches and he again showed some dramatic range as the morally questionable veteran. He soon after reteamed with Howard Hawks for Rio Bravo (1959). Playing a local sheriff, Wayne's character must face off against a powerful rancher and his henchmen who want to free his jailed brother. The unusual cast included Dean Martin and Angie Dickinson.

John Wayne made his directorial debut with The Alamo (John Wayne, 1960). Starring in the film as Davy Crockett, he received decidedly mixed reviews for both his on- and off-screen efforts. Wayne received a much warmer reception for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford, 1962) in which he played a troubled rancher competing with a lawyer (James Stewart) for a woman's hand in marriage. Some other notable films from this period include The Longest Day (Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki, 1962) and How the West Was Won (John Ford, Henry Hathaway, George Marshall, 1962). Continuing to work steadily, Wayne refused to even let illness slow him down. He successfully battled lung cancer in 1964. To defeat the disease, Wayne had to have a lung and several ribs removed. In the later part of the 1960s, Wayne had some great successes and failures. He co-starred with Robert Mitchum in El Dorado (Howard Hawks, 1967), which was well received. The next year, Wayne again mixed the professional and the political with the pro-Vietnam War film The Green Berets (Ray Kellogg, John Wayne, 1968). He directed and produced as well as starred in the film, which was derided by critics for being heavy handed and clichéd. Viewed by many as a piece of propaganda, the film still did well at the box office. Around this time, Wayne continued to espouse his conservative political views. He support friend Ronald Reagan in his 1966 bid for governor of California as well as his 1970 re-election effort. In 1976, Wayne recorded radio advertisements for Reagan's first attempt to become the Republican presidential candidate. Wayne won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for True Grit (Henry Hathaway, 1969). He played Rooster Cogburn, an one-eyed marshal and drunkard, who helps a young woman named Mattie (Kim Darby) track down her father's killer. A young Glen Campbell joined the pair on their mission. Rounding out the cast, Robert Duvall and Dennis Hopper were among the bad guys the trio had to defeat. A later sequel with Katherine Hepburn, Rooster Cogburn (Stuart Millar, 1975), failed to attract critical acclaim or much of an audience. Wayne portrayed an aging gunfighter dying of cancer in his final film, The Shootist (Don Siegel, 1976), with James Stewart and Lauren Bacall. His character, John Bernard Books, hoped to spend his final days peacefully, but got involved one last gunfight. In 1978, life imitated art with Wayne being diagnosed with stomach cancer. John Wayne died in 1979, in Los Angeles, California. He was survived by his seven children from two of his three marriages. During his marriage to Josephine Saenz from 1933 to 1945, the couple had four children, two daughters Antonia and Melinda and two sons Michael and Patrick. Both Michael and Patrick followed in their father's footsteps Michael as a producer and Patrick as an actor. With his third wife, Pilar Palette, he had three more children, Ethan, Aissa, and Marisa. Ethan has worked as an actor over the years.

Sources: Biography.com, Wikipedia and IMDb.

And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.

Fossa Fosa Cryptoprocta ferox 5599_DxO by Gabriel Leboff

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Le Fossa, animal presque mythique de Madagascar, est pratiquement invisible, présent sur toute la Grande Ile, l’endroit où on peut espérer le voir est le Parc de Kirindy … si on a de la chance !

Mix de civette, mangouste, chat, chien, puma, il est unique dans sa famille.

Classé VU par l’IUCN, sa population n’est qu’une estimation : 2 500 à 8 000 adultes, la déforestation et la démographie inflationniste de Madagascar perturbe tout l’écosystème : moins de forêts = moins de lémuriens (ses principales proies) = moins de Fossas !

Son régime est pour le moins varié : lémuriens, reptiles, insectes, oiseaux et quand il a compris qu’il y a de la nourriture près de l’homme, il s’attaque aux poules, chevreaux, porcs … et aux déchets …

Bien que considéré comme « fady », tabou on sait qu’il est pourchassé à proximité des villages et dans certaines régions il sert de viande de brousse !

L’individu vu à Kirindy a compris qu’il pouvait y avoir de la nourriture dans les poubelles et il visite les abords de l’entrée du parc … de temps en temps, vous pouvez passer plusieurs jours sans le voir, ou si vous avez de la chance, le voir traverser la piste …

www.iucnredlist.org/species/5760/45197189

fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossa_(animal)

Fosa, mythic animal of Madagascar, is virtually invisibe, found in the whole Great Island, the place where you have to be is Kirindy Park … if you have luck !

Mix of civet, mongoose, cat, dog, puma, he is unique in his family.

Classified VU by IUCN, his population is only a rough estimation / 2 500 to 8 000 adults, deforestation and inflationary human pressure in madagascar disrupt the whole ecosystem : less forests = less lemurs (his main preys) = less fosas !

His diet is, at the least, varied : lemurs (all species), reptiles, insects, birds and when he understood there is food near human, he can decide to directly take chicken, young goats, pigs … and garbage …

Although considered « fady », taboo we know he is chased near villages and in some areas he is used as bushmeat !

The one we saw in Kirindy knew he could get some food in the waste bins and he could visit the park surroundings … from time to time, you can spend several days without seeing him, or if you are lucky, you will watch him crossing the trail …

Flying over Belgium (Belgium) by Perry Tak

Flying over Belgium 03/07/2022 21h26

This must be the Belgium coastline before the beautiful approach over Zeeland towards the airport of Rotterdam.

Last photo of my holiday to Fez in order to see Mehdi in real life and to visit Fez and surroundings and Chefchaouen as a big bonus. I will be back

NOTE: geotag is not accurate, just an estimation

128*/365/2018 :: hope /həʊp/ by Min Yoon Cheah

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Hanuel Park, Seoul, South Korea

There is a story about "The Goats, Wolf and Lions", it is a short lesson about differences between democracy and autocracy. For those who interested, you can read here.

I was once watched a movie called "The Shawshank Redemption", it is a very motivating story, numerous quotes resided were way solid. There is one particular that caught my attention. "Let me tell you something, my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing..." said Morgan Freeman to Tim Robbins in the movie.

For those who aren't familiar this movie is about prison life. It consists guilt, innocence, friendship, love, struggle and most importantly the "injustice". In the movie, Morgan Freeman once told Tim Robbins implying had given up hope long long ago. Hope is a cruel joke, in his estimation, convinced people craving for something that cannot be ever achieved.

Pessimist's view basically the same as the ancient Greek philosophers who used hope as a synonym for illusory expectations. This is just an eyeful, false expectation. Modern philosophy has not changed this view either, they believed hope is a malicious tool that simply prolongs suffering.

Despite this, Tim Robbins reckoned that how hope can keep a man alive. He told Morgan Freeman hope is "the best thing. No good thing will never die." This is the exact definition of hope. It will never die. It is not only the human desire, more than personal aspiration, it ain't some dreams but rather, it is the endurance game.

The optimists, often have survived the worst atrocities; under pressure and there is the invisible strength to bend down, but they didn't break down. These people endure, persevere, suffer and being tortured when the war is over, they were found intact and injured, but still alive - battered but not defeated. Their resiliency how hope is being defined.

Hope empowers people to change their world, if we want something to be changed, we could never give up hope.

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You must see this on large View On White and View On Black

Randwick Maps - A Fresh Start by Mitch

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Something I’ve found with every place I’ve worked, is that the structure of runs/routes has been completely stupid, poorly thought, plain ridiculous... or beyond fucked up as was the case with Randwick. Run allocation and design must be one of the biggest potential efficiencies and cost savers for a business, yet the simple area of operations seems to always be so complicated and messed up in my experience. Even though Randwick isn’t your typical side loader contract, 20+ run changes in 7 years is a total joke! After floating there for a year I got to see the contract inside and out, which showed me how appalling the runs were across the week, something that needed a drastic overhaul, even the most basic and obvious improvements had been left in the dark. I ended up taking it upon myself to change the Warringah rear loader runs years ago which was a success, and it became a dream to improve and enhance the Randwick runs while working there too. This goal almost came to fruition, but ended up being shut down by the very individual who was there to support the changes near the beginning and should’ve been the biggest stakeholder of all... what a fucking cunt of a bloke. I spent about 3 weeks of my own time staring at maps, analysing facts, doing estimations, solving problems and justifying my thoughts. There was also the staged creation of a 26 page document full of info about the problems/changes, along with the pictured 45 maps I highlighted for nothing in the end.

Things were already an operational catastrophe when I had started there, but the job got far worse when the contract extension started and the council dictated some new rules. An opportunity for a fresh collection strategy was right there, but the chance went to waste and things got worse through the runs - they were inefficient, impractical, illogical, unsafe, complicated, disproportionate, inflexible and logistics were poor. Not long down the track I ended up getting a green light to go and conduct my own run/route change project. Without wanting any credit or reward, I genuinely wanted to try and get things right, not just for my own benefit, but for all my coworkers, the company, the council and the public. I have a massive passion to see adequate mapping and well organised runs, so it’s a real kick to the nuts when you put so much personal time and effort into building let’s say a hectic sandcastle, just to have a fat wave come and wash it all away. It’s bewildering how things could be left status quo for so long given all the circumstances, especially when everything is reported to a bloody regional manager in detail, just showed some proper negligence and incompetence. Also disappointing was the lack of input by fellow workers upon wanting to engage their involvement and hopefully receive some support, but that positive idea ended up being a 95% flop. I grew an enormous hatred for that contract, but what finally drove me out of the place was all the astronomical bullshit with the runs.

Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) by Dave Irving

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Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor), Watzuwei Nature Reserve, Taipei, Taiwan

The Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) has the most restricted distribution of all spoonbills, and it is the only one regarded as endangered.

The Black-Faced Spoonbill population as of 2012 census was recorded at 2,693 birds, with an estimation of 1,600 mature birds.

Source: Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-faced_Spoonbill

John Wayne by Truus, Bob & Jan too!

German postcard by Kunst und Bild, Berlin, no. A 473. Photo: RKO Radio Films.

Sources: Biography.com, Wikipedia and IMDb.

And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.

ALIEN Project Book - Blueprint by The Arvo Brothers

Book NOW available through www.arvobrothers.com

DESCRIPTION:

After a long time, we are glad to present our new book “Alien Project”.

Inspired by the works of geniuses H.R. Giger and Ron Cobb, this new project presented us with an opportunity to build one of the greatest icons of fantasy art. A journey from organic to geometric shapes, from dark to light, and the deep admiration that drives us to build all our creations as our only luggage. This book includes detailed, step-to-step instructions showing how to build the model, together with comments, pictures and diagrams that help the description and will contribute to your understanding of the entire process.

Build your own model. The technology gives us the opportunity. Now is the time.

Content:

220 pages divided into four chapters:

C1.- ESTIMATIONS

C2.- CONSTRUCTION OF THE MODEL (description of the building process)

C3.- INSTRUCTIONS (steps, building alternatives & catalogue)

C4.- GALLERY

Offset printing, hard cover.

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www.arvobrothers.com

M81 & M82 - L[HaR]GB combination by Andrei Bacila

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Messier 81 and Messier 82 galaxies are part of the M81 Group, a group of 34 galaxies in Ursa Major and Camelopardalis constellations. Due to the distance of approximately 12M light years from Earth, this group together with the Local Group (containing the Milky Way) are relative neighbors in the Virgo Supercluster.

M81 was discovered initially be Johann Bode (a German astronomer famous for determining the orbit of Uranus) at the end of 1774, hence the alternate name this object is sometimes referred as: Bode's Galaxy. In 1779 Pierre Méchain together with Charles Messier re-discovered the object and included it in the Messier Catalogue. M81 is a grand spiral galaxy with a very active nucleus, "hosting" a super-massive black hole with a mass of around 70 million times the mass of our Sun. Running straight through the disk are some dusty lanes (top left of the nucleus in this photo), reminding us of a probably violent past encounter with M82 (estimations are that this encounter happened between 50 and 100 million years ago). Bottom left of M81 we can see it's companion, the dwarf irregular galaxy Holmberg IX.

M82, sometimes called the Cigar galaxy due to it's edge on view from Earth, is the brightest galaxy in the night sky in infrared light, being a lot brighter in infrared than in the visible part of the spectrum. It is a starburst class galaxy that got caught in a gravitational struggle with M81 for past billion years. M82 is famous for its heavy star forming activity and the outburst of ionized hydrogen that can be seen in this photo as jets almost perpendicular to the galaxy disk. Around 100 newly formed globular star clusters have been discovered in this galaxy by Hubble Space Telescope. Many of the newly formed stars are so massive that they have a relatively short life and at the end of it, they explode as supernovas and drive gas and matter out of the galaxy at speeds of millions of kilometers per hour. It is thought that in this way, the elements like oxygen and carbon are spread through the universe.

I gathered the data for this object for the past year (I started at beginning of February 2016) and finally I got the time to process it. I initially wanted to also expose some of the Integrated Flux Nebula but I came to the conclusion that my current place does not have the sky to allow this. I'll need to seek some darker sky for this. For the M82 jets I also exposed with a Hydrogen alpha filter (for ~9 hours) and this enhanced also some star forming regions in M81. This is a L[HaR]GB composition with a total exposure time of little over 23 hours.

Date: February - December 2016

Location: Sofronea, Arad, Romania

Camera: Atik 460ex mono with EFW2 and Bader 1.25” filters

Optics: SkyWatcher ED80 with TeleVue TRF-2008 FF/FR

Mount: SkyWatcher AZ-EQ6 GT

Exposure: 23.3h integration time (30x900s L, 80x300s RGB, 55x600s Ha)

Aswan High Dam, Aswan, Egypt. by PHOTOGRAPHY by DM & DBM.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aswan_Dam

The Aswan Dam, or more specifically since the 1960s, the Aswan High Dam, is the world's largest embankment dam, which was built across the Nile in Aswan, Egypt, between 1960 and 1970. Its significance largely eclipsed the previous Aswan Low Dam initially completed in 1902 downstream. Based on the success of the Low Dam, then at its maximum utilization, construction of the High Dam became a key objective of the government following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952; with its ability to better control flooding, provide increased water storage for irrigation and generate hydroelectricity, the dam was seen as pivotal to Egypt's planned industrialization. Like the earlier implementation, the High Dam has had a significant effect on the economy and culture of Egypt.

Before the High Dam was built, even with the old dam in place, the annual flooding of the Nile during late summer had continued to pass largely unimpeded down the valley from its East African drainage basin. These floods brought high water with natural nutrients and minerals that annually enriched the fertile soil along its floodplain and delta; this predictability had made the Nile valley ideal for farming since ancient times. However, this natural flooding varied, since high-water years could destroy the whole crop, while low-water years could create widespread drought and consequently famine. Both these events had continued to occur periodically. As Egypt's population grew and technology increased, both a desire and the ability developed to completely control the flooding, and thus both protect and support farmland and its economically important cotton crop. With the greatly increased reservoir storage provided by the High Aswan Dam, the floods could be controlled and the water could be stored for later release over multiple years.

The Aswan Dam was designed by the Moscow-based Hydroproject Institute.

The earliest recorded attempt to build a dam near Aswan was in the 11th century, when the Arab polymath and engineer Ibn al-Haytham (known as Alhazen in the West) was summoned to Egypt by the Fatimid Caliph, Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, to regulate the flooding of the Nile, a task requiring an early attempt at an Aswan Dam. His field work convinced him of the impracticality of this scheme.

The British began construction of the first dam across the Nile in 1898. Construction lasted until 1902 and the dam was opened on 10 December 1902. The project was designed by Sir William Willcocks and involved several eminent engineers, including Sir Benjamin Baker and Sir John Aird, whose firm, John Aird & Co., was the main contractor.

In 1952, the Greek-Egyptian engineer Adrian Daninos began to develop the plan of the new Aswan Dam. Although the Low Dam was almost overtopped in 1946, the government of King Farouk showed no interest in Daninos's plans. Instead the Nile Valley Plan by the British hydrologist Harold Edwin Hurst was favored, which proposed to store water in Sudan and Ethiopia, where evaporation is much lower. The Egyptian position changed completely after the overthrow of the monarchy, led by the Free Officers Movement including Gamal Abdel Nasser. The Free Officers were convinced that the Nile Waters had to be stored in Egypt for political reasons, and within two months, the plan of Daninos was accepted. Initially, both the United States and the USSR were interested in helping development of the dam. Complications ensued due to their rivalry during the Cold War, as well as growing intra-Arab tensions.

In 1955, Nasser was claiming to be the leader of Arab nationalism, in opposition to the traditional monarchies, especially the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq following its signing of the 1955 Baghdad Pact. At that time the U.S. feared that communism would spread to the Middle East, and it saw Nasser as a natural leader of an anticommunist procapitalist Arab League. America and the United Kingdom offered to help finance construction of the High Dam, with a loan of $270 million, in return for Nasser's leadership in resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict. While opposed to communism, capitalism, and imperialism, Nasser identified as a tactical neutralist, and sought to work with both the U.S. and the USSR for Egyptian and Arab benefit.[8] After the UN criticized a raid by Israel against Egyptian forces in Gaza in 1955, Nasser realized that he could not portray himself as the leader of pan-Arab nationalism if he could not defend his country militarily against Israel. In addition to his development plans, he looked to quickly modernize his military, and he turned first to the U.S. for aid.

American Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and President Dwight Eisenhower told Nasser that the U.S. would supply him with weapons only if they were used for defensive purposes and if he accepted American military personnel for supervision and training. Nasser did not accept these conditions, and consulted the USSR for support.

Although Dulles believed that Nasser was only bluffing and that the USSR would not aid Nasser, he was wrong: the USSR promised Nasser a quantity of arms in exchange for a deferred payment of Egyptian grain and cotton. On 27 September 1955, Nasser announced an arms deal, with Czechoslovakia acting as a middleman for the Soviet support. Instead of attacking Nasser for turning to the Soviets, Dulles sought to improve relations with him. In December 1955, the US and the UK pledged $56 and $14 million, respectively, toward construction of the High Aswan Dam.

Though the Czech arms deal created an incentive for the US to invest at Aswan, the UK cited the deal as a reason for repealing its promise of dam funds. Dulles was angered more by Nasser's diplomatic recognition of China, which was in direct conflict with Dulles's policy of containment of communism.

Several other factors contributed to the US deciding to withdraw its offer of funding for the dam. Dulles believed that the USSR would not fulfil its commitment of military aid. He was also irritated by Nasser's neutrality and attempts to play both sides of the Cold War. At the time, other Western allies in the Middle East, including Turkey and Iraq, were resentful that Egypt, a persistently neutral country, was being offered so much aid.

In June 1956, the Soviets offered Nasser $1.12 billion at 2% interest for the construction of the dam. On 19 July the U.S. State Department announced that American financial assistance for the High Dam was "not feasible in present circumstances."

On 26 July 1956, with wide Egyptian acclaim, Nasser announced the nationalization of the Suez Canal that included fair compensation for the former owners. Nasser planned on the revenues generated by the canal to help fund construction of the High Dam. When the Suez War broke out, the United Kingdom, France, and Israel seized the canal and the Sinai. But pressure from the U.S. and the USSR at the United Nations and elsewhere forced them to withdraw.

In 1958, the USSR proceeded to provide support for the High Dam project.

In the 1950s, archaeologists began raising concerns that several major historical sites, including the famous temple of Abu Simbel were about to be submerged by waters collected behind the dam. A rescue operation began in 1960 under UNESCO

Despite its size, the Aswan project has not materially hurt the Egyptian balance of payments. The three Soviet credits covered virtually all of the project's foreign exchange requirements, including the cost of technical services, imported power generating and transmission equipment and some imported equipment for land reclamation. Egypt was not seriously burdened by payments on the credits, most of which were extended for 12 years with interest at the very low rate of 2-1/2%. Repayments to the USSR constituted only a small net drain during the first half of the 1960s, and increased export earnings derived from crops grown on newly reclaimed land have largely offset the modest debt service payments in recent years. During 1965–70, these export earnings amounted to an estimated $126 million, compared with debt service payments of $113 million.

A central pylon of the monument to Arab-Soviet Friendship. The memorial commemorates the completion of the Aswan High Dam. The coat of arms of the Soviet Union is on the left and the coat of arms of Egypt is on the right.

The Soviets also provided technicians and heavy machinery. The enormous rock and clay dam was designed by the Soviet Hydroproject Institute along with some Egyptian engineers. 25,000 Egyptian engineers and workers contributed to the construction of the dams.

Originally designed by West German and French engineers in the early 1950s and slated for financing with Western credits, the Aswan High Dam became the USSR's largest and most famous foreign aid project after the United States, the United Kingdom, and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) withdrew their support in 1956. The first Soviet loan of $100 million to cover construction of coffer dams for diversion of the Nile was extended in 1958. An additional $225 million was extended in 1960 to complete the dam and construct power-generating facilities, and subsequently about $100 million was made available for land reclamation. These credits of some $425 million covered only the foreign exchange costs of the project, including salaries of Soviet engineers who supervised the project and were responsible for the installation and testing of Soviet equipment. Actual construction, which began in 1960, was done by Egyptian companies on contract to the High Dam Authority, and all domestic costs were borne by the Egyptians. Egyptian participation in the venture has raised the construction industry's capacity and reputation significantly.

On the Egyptian side, the project was led by Osman Ahmed Osman's Arab Contractors. The relatively young Osman underbid his only competitor by one-half.

1960: Start of construction on 9 January

1964: First dam construction stage completed, reservoir started filling

1970: The High Dam, as-Sad al-'Aali, completed on 21 July[18]

1976: Reservoir reached capacity.

Specifications

The Aswan High Dam is 3,830 metres (12,570 ft) long, 980 m (3,220 ft) wide at the base, 40 m (130 ft) wide at the crest and 111 m (364 ft)[ tall. It contains 43,000,000 cubic metres (56,000,000 cu yd) of material. At maximum, 11,000 cubic metres per second (390,000 cu ft/s) of water can pass through the dam. There are further emergency spillways for an extra 5,000 cubic metres per second (180,000 cu ft/s), and the Toshka Canal links the reservoir to the Toshka Depression. The reservoir, named Lake Nasser, is 500 km (310 mi) long[20] and 35 km (22 mi) at its widest, with a surface area of 5,250 square kilometres (2,030 sq mi). It holds 132 cubic kilometres (1.73×1011 cu yd) of water.

Due to the absence of appreciable rainfall, Egypt's agriculture depends entirely on irrigation. With irrigation, two crops per year can be produced, except for sugar cane which has a growing period of almost one year.

The high dam at Aswan releases, on average, 55 cubic kilometres (45,000,000 acre⋅ft) water per year, of which some 46 cubic kilometres (37,000,000 acre⋅ft) are diverted into the irrigation canals.

In the Nile valley and delta, almost 336,000 square kilometres (130,000 sq mi) benefit from these waters producing on average 1.8 crops per year. The annual crop consumptive use of water is about 38 cubic kilometres (31,000,000 acre⋅ft). Hence, the overall irrigation efficiency is 38/46 = 0.826 or 83%. This is a relatively high irrigation efficiency. The field irrigation efficiencies are much less, but the losses are reused downstream. This continuous reuse accounts for the high overall efficiency.

The following table shows the distribution of irrigation water over the branch canals taking off from the one main irrigation canal, the Mansuriya Canal near Giza.

Branch canalWater delivery in m3/feddan *

Kafret Nasser4,700

Beni Magdul3,500

El Mansuria3,300

El Hammami upstream2,800

El Hammami downstream1,800

El Shimi1,200

* Period 1 March to 31 July. 1 feddan is 0.42 ha or about 1 acre.

* Data from the Egyptian Water Use Management Project (EWUP)

The salt concentration of the water in the Aswan reservoir is about 0.25 kilograms per cubic metre (0.42 lb/cu yd), a very low salinity level. At an annual inflow of 55 cubic kilometres (45,000,000 acre⋅ft), the annual salt influx reaches 14 million tons. The average salt concentration of the drainage water evacuated into the sea and the coastal lakes is 2.7 kilograms per cubic metre (4.6 lb/cu yd). At an annual discharge of 10 cubic kilometres (2.4 cu mi) (not counting the 2 kilograms per cubic metre [3.4 lb/cu yd] of salt intrusion from the sea and the lakes, see figure "Water balances"), the annual salt export reaches 27 million ton. In 1995, the output of salt was higher than the influx, and Egypt's agricultural lands were desalinizing. Part of this could be due to the large number of subsurface drainage projects executed in the last decades to control the water table and soil salinity.

Drainage through subsurface drains and drainage channels is essential to prevent a deterioration of crop yields from waterlogging and soil salinization caused by irrigation. By 2003, more than 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 sq mi) have been equipped with a subsurface drainage system and approximately 7.2 square kilometres (2.8 sq mi) of water is drained annually from areas with these systems. The total investment cost in agricultural drainage over 27 years from 1973 to 2002 was about $3.1 billion covering the cost of design, construction, maintenance, research and training. During this period 11 large-scale projects were implemented with financial support from World Bank and other donors.

Effects

The High Dam has resulted in protection from floods and droughts, an increase in agricultural production and employment, electricity production, and improved navigation that also benefits tourism. Conversely, the dam flooded a large area, causing the relocation of over 100,000 people. Many archaeological sites were submerged while others were relocated. The dam is blamed for coastline erosion, soil salinity, and health problems.

The assessment of the costs and benefits of the dam remains controversial decades after its completion. According to one estimate, the annual economic benefit of the High Dam immediately after its completion was LE 255 million, $587 million using the exchange rate in 1970 of $2.30 per LE 1): LE 140 million from agricultural production, LE 100 million from hydroelectric generation, LE 10 million from flood protection, and LE 5 million from improved navigation. At the time of its construction, total cost, including unspecified "subsidiary projects" and the extension of electric power lines, amounted to LE 450 million. Not taking into account the negative environmental and social effects of the dam, its costs are thus estimated to have been recovered within only two years. One observer notes: "The impacts of the Aswan High Dam have been overwhelmingly positive. Although the Dam has contributed to some environmental problems, these have proved to be significantly less severe than was generally expected, or currently believed by many people." Another observer disagreed and he recommended that the dam should be torn down. Tearing it down would cost only a fraction of the funds required for "continually combating the dam's consequential damage" and 500,000 hectares (1,900 sq mi) of fertile land could be reclaimed from the layers of mud on the bed of the drained reservoir. Samuel C. Florman wrote about the dam: "As a structure it is a success. But in its effect on the ecology of the Nile Basin – most of which could have been predicted – it is a failure".

Periodic floods and droughts have affected Egypt since ancient times. The dam mitigated the effects of floods, such as those in 1964, 1973, and 1988. Navigation along the river has been improved, both upstream and downstream of the dam. Sailing along the Nile is a favorite tourism activity, which is mainly done during the winter when the natural flow of the Nile would have been too low to allow navigation of cruise ships.[clarification needed] A new fishing industry has been created around Lake Nasser, though it is struggling due to its distance from any significant markets. The annual production was about 35 000 tons in the mid-1990s. Factories for the fishing industry and packaging have been set up near the Lake.

According to a 1971 CIA declassified report, Although the High Dam has not created ecological problems as serious as some observers have charged, its construction has brought economic losses as well as gains. These losses derive largely from the settling in dam's lake of the rich silt traditionally borne by the Nile. To date (1971), the main impact has been on the fishing industry. Egypt's Mediterranean catch, which once averaged 35,000-40,000 tons annually, has shrunk to 20,000 tons or less, largely because the loss of plankton nourished by the silt has eliminated the sardine population in Egyptian waters. Fishing in high dam's lake may in time at least partly offset the loss of saltwater fish, but only the most optimistic estimates place the eventual catch as high as 15,000-20,000 tons. Lack of continuing silt deposits at the mouth of the river also has contributed to a serious erosion problem. Commercial fertilizer requirements and salination and drainage difficulties, already large in perennially irrigated areas of Lower and Middle Egypt, will be somewhat increased in Upper Egypt by the change to perennial irrigation.

The dams also protected Egypt from the droughts in 1972–73 and 1983–87 that devastated East and West Africa. The High Dam allowed Egypt to reclaim about 2.0 million feddan (840,000 hectares) in the Nile Delta and along the Nile Valley, increasing the country's irrigated area by a third. The increase was brought about both by irrigating what used to be desert and by bringing under cultivation of 385,000 hectares (950,000 acres) that were previously used as flood retention basins. About half a million families were settled on these new lands. In particular the area under rice and sugar cane cultivation increased. In addition, about 1 million feddan (420,000 hectares), mostly in Upper Egypt, were converted from flood irrigation with only one crop per year to perennial irrigation allowing two or more crops per year. On other previously irrigated land, yields increased because water could be made available at critical low-flow periods. For example, wheat yields in Egypt tripled between 1952 and 1991 and better availability of water contributed to this increase. Most of the 32 km3 of freshwater, or almost 40 percent of the average flow of the Nile that were previously lost to the sea every year could be put to beneficial use. While about 10 km3 of the water saved is lost due to evaporation in Lake Nasser, the amount of water available for irrigation still increased by 22 km3. Other estimates put evaporation from Lake Nasser at between 10 and 16 cubic km per year.

Electricity production

The dam powers twelve generators each rated at 175 megawatts (235,000 hp), with a total of 2.1 gigawatts (2,800,000 hp). Power generation began in 1967. When the High Dam first reached peak output it produced around half of Egypt's production of electric power (about 15 percent by 1998), and it gave most Egyptian villages the use of electricity for the first time. The High Dam has also improved the efficiency and the extension of the Old Aswan Hydropower stations by regulating upstream flows.

All High Dam power facilities were completed ahead of schedule. 12 turbines were installed and tested, giving the plant an installed capacity of 2,100 megawatts (MW), or more than twice the national total in 1960. With this capacity, the Aswan plant can produce 10 billion kWh of energy yearly. Two 500-kilovolt trunk lines to Cairo have been completed, and initial transmission problems, stemming mainly from poor insulators, were solved. Also, the damage inflicted on a main transformer station in 1968 by Israeli commandos has been repaired, and the Aswan plant is fully integrated with the power network in Lower Egypt. By 1971 estimation, Power output at Aswan, won't reach much more than half of the plant's theoretical capacity, because of limited water supplies and the differing seasonal water-use patterns for irrigation and power production. Agricultural demand for water in the summer far exceeds the amount needed to meet the comparatively low summer demand for electric power. Heavy summer irrigation use, however, will leave insufficient water under Egyptian control to permit hydroelectric power production at full capacity in the winter. Technical studies indicate that a maximum annual output of 5 billion kWh appears to be all that can be sustained due to fluctuations in Nile flows.

Resettlement and compensations

In Sudan, 50,000 to 70,000 Sudanese Nubians were moved from the old town of Wadi Halfa and its surrounding villages. Some were moved to a newly created settlement on the shore of Lake Nasser called New Wadi Halfa, and some were resettled approximately 700 kilometres (430 mi) south to the semi-arid Butana plain near the town of Khashm el-Girba up the Atbara River. The climate there had a regular rainy season as opposed to their previous desert habitat in which virtually no rain fell. The government developed an irrigation project, called the New Halfa Agricultural Development Scheme to grow cotton, grains, sugar cane and other crops. The Nubians were resettled in twenty five planned villages that included schools, medical facilities, and other services, including piped water and some electrification.

In Egypt, the majority of the 50,000 Nubians were moved three to ten kilometers from the Nile near Edna and Kom Ombo, 45 kilometers (28 mi) downstream from Aswan in what was called "New Nubia". Housing and facilities were built for 47 village units whose relationship to each other approximated that in Old Nubia. Irrigated land was provided to grow mainly sugar cane.

In 2019–20, Egypt started to compensate the Nubians who lost their homes following the dam impoundment.

Archaeological sites

Twenty-two monuments and architectural complexes that were threatened by flooding from Lake Nasser, including the Abu Simbel temples, were preserved by moving them to the shores of the lake under the UNESCO Nubia Campaign. Also moved were Philae, Kalabsha and Amada.

These monuments were granted to countries that helped with the works:

The Debod temple to Madrid

The Temple of Dendur to the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York

The Temple of Taffeh to the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden of Leiden

The Temple of Ellesyia to the Museo Egizio of Turin

These items were removed to the garden area of the Sudan National Museum of Khartoum:

The temple of Ramses II at Aksha

The temple of Hatshepsut at Buhen

The temple of Khnum at Kumma

The tomb of the Nubian prince Djehuti-hotep at Debeira

The temples of Dedwen and Sesostris III at Semna

The granite columns from the Faras Cathedral

A part of the paintings of the Faras Cathedral; the other part is in the National Museum of Warsaw.

The Temple of Ptah at Gerf Hussein had its free-standing section reconstructed at New Kalabsha, alongside the Temple of Kalabsha, Beit el-Wali, and the Kiosk of Qertassi.

The remaining archaeological sites, including the Buhen fort and the cemetery of Fadrus have been flooded by Lake Nasser.

Loss of sediments

Before the construction of the High Dam, the Nile deposited sediments of various particle size – consisting of fine sand, silt and clay – on fields in Upper Egypt through its annual flood, contributing to soil fertility. However, the nutrient value of the sediment has often been overestimated. 88 percent of the sediment was carried to the sea before the construction of the High Dam. The nutrient value added to the land by the sediment was only 6,000 tons of potash, 7,000 tons of phosphorus pentoxide and 17,000 tons of nitrogen. These amounts are insignificant compared to what is needed to reach the yields achieved today in Egypt's irrigation. Also, the annual spread of sediment due to the Nile floods occurred along the banks of the Nile. Areas far from the river which never received the Nile floods before are now being irrigated.

A more serious issue of trapping of sediment by the dam is that it has increased coastline erosion surrounding the Nile Delta. The coastline erodes an estimated 125–175 m (410–574 ft) per year.

Waterlogging and increase in soil salinity

Before the construction of the High Dam, groundwater levels in the Nile Valley fluctuated 8–9 m (26–30 ft) per year with the water level of the Nile. During summer when evaporation was highest, the groundwater level was too deep to allow salts dissolved in the water to be pulled to the surface through capillary action. With the disappearance of the annual flood and heavy year-round irrigation, groundwater levels remained high with little fluctuation leading to waterlogging. Soil salinity also increased because the distance between the surface and the groundwater table was small enough (1–2 m depending on soil conditions and temperature) to allow water to be pulled up by evaporation so that the relatively small concentrations of salt in the groundwater accumulated on the soil surface over the years. Since most of the farmland did not have proper subsurface drainage to lower the groundwater table, salinization gradually affected crop yields.[31] Drainage through sub-surface drains and drainage channels is essential to prevent a deterioration of crop yields from soil salinization and waterlogging. By 2003, more than 2 million hectares have been equipped with a subsurface drainage system at a cost from 1973 to 2002 of about $3.1 billion.

Health

Contrary to many predictions made prior to the Aswan High Dam construction and publications that followed, that the prevalence of schistosomiasis (bilharzia) would increase, it did not. This assumption did not take into account the extent of perennial irrigation that was already present throughout Egypt decades before the high dam closure. By the 1950s only a small proportion of Upper Egypt had not been converted from basin (low transmission) to perennial (high transmission) irrigation. Expansion of perennial irrigation systems in Egypt did not depend on the high dam. In fact, within 15 years of the high dam closure there was solid evidence that bilharzia was declining in Upper Egypt. S. haematobium has since disappeared altogether. Suggested reasons for this include improvements in irrigation practice. In the Nile Delta, schistosomiasis had been highly endemic, with prevalence in the villages 50% or higher for almost a century before. This was a consequence of the conversion of the Delta to perennial irrigation to grow long staple cotton by the British. This has changed. Large-scale treatment programmes in the 1990s using single-dose oral medication contributed greatly to reducing the prevalence and severity of S. mansoni in the Delta.

Other effects

Sediment deposited in the reservoir is lowering the water storage capacity of Lake Nasser. The reservoir storage capacity is 162 km3, including 31 km3 dead storage at the bottom of the lake below 147 m (482 ft) above sea level, 90 km3 live storage, and 41 km3 of storage for high flood waters above 175 m (574 ft) above sea level. The annual sediment load of the Nile is about 134 million tons. This means that the dead storage volume would be filled up after 300–500 years if the sediment accumulated at the same rate throughout the area of the lake. Obviously sediment accumulates much faster at the upper reaches of the lake, where sedimentation has already affected the live storage zone.

Before the construction of the High Dam, the 50,000 km (31,000 mi) of irrigation and drainage canals in Egypt had to be dredged regularly to remove sediments. After construction of the dam, aquatic weeds grew much faster in the clearer water, helped by fertilizer residues. The total length of the infested waterways was about 27,000 km (17,000 mi) in the mid-1990s. Weeds have been gradually brought under control by manual, mechanical and biological methods.

Mediterranean fishing and brackish water lake fishery declined after the dam was finished because nutrients that flowed down the Nile to the Mediterranean were trapped behind the dam. For example, the sardine catch off the Egyptian coast declined from 18,000 tons in 1962 to a mere 460 tons in 1968, but then gradually recovered to 8,590 tons in 1992. A scientific article in the mid-1990s noted that "the mismatch between low primary productivity and relatively high levels of fish production in the region still presents a puzzle to scientists."

A concern before the construction of the High Dam had been the potential drop in river-bed level downstream of the Dam as the result of erosion caused by the flow of sediment-free water. Estimates by various national and international experts put this drop at between and 2 and 10 meters (6.6 and 32.8 ft). However, the actual drop has been measured at 0.3–0.7 meters (0.98–2.30 ft), much less than expected.[30]

The red-brick construction industry, which consisted of hundreds of factories that used Nile sediment deposits along the river, has also been negatively affected. Deprived of sediment, they started using the older alluvium of otherwise arable land taking out of production up to 120 square kilometers (46 sq mi) annually, with an estimated 1,000 square kilometers (390 sq mi) destroyed by 1984 when the government prohibited, "with only modest success," further excavation. According to one source, bricks are now being made from new techniques which use a sand-clay mixture and it has been argued that the mud-based brick industry would have suffered even if the dam had not been built.

Because of the lower turbidity of the water sunlight penetrates deeper in the Nile water. Because of this and the increased presence of nutrients from fertilizers in the water, more algae grow in the Nile. This in turn increases the costs of drinking water treatment. Apparently few experts had expected that water quality in the Nile would actually decrease because of the High Dam.

Appraisal of the Project

Although it is moot whether the project constitutes the best use of the funds spent, the Aswan Dam project unquestionably is and will continue to be economically beneficial to Egypt. The project has been expensive and it took considerable time to complete, as is usually the case with large hydroelectric developments, But Egypt now has a valuable asset with a long life and low operating costs. Even so, the wisdom of concentrating one-third of domestic saving and most of available foreign aid on a slow growth project is questionable. Since 1960, GNP has grown 50%, but mainly as a result of other investment.

Egyptian authorities were well aware that equivalent gains in output could have been achieved more quickly and more cheaply by other means. A series of low dams, similar to the barrages now contemplated, was suggested by Egyptian engineers as a more economical means of achieving up to 2,000 mW of additional generating capacity, US and WorldBank agricultural experts had long recommended improved drainage, introduction of hybrid seeds, and other such low-cost alternatives to land reclamation as a means of increasing agricultural output, In other areas, most notably the once efficient cotton textile industry, investment was needed to forestall an output decline, Implementation of these and other alternatives has been postponed rather than precluded by the High Dam project.

However, the decision to concentrate Egyptian savings and energies on the Aswan project for a decade was heavily based on non-economic factors. Nasser undoubtedly believed that a project of considerable symbolic appeal was needed to mobilize the population behind the government's economic goals, He also apparently felt that the East and West would be more easily persuaded to bid against each other for a project of this scope.

The Aswan High Dam made an appreciable contribution to Egyptian GNP, however the returns were well below what the planners had anticipated. The principal limiting factors on the High Dam's contribution to Egyptian output are a shortage of land suitable for reclamation, the high cost and long time required to bring reclaimed land to full productivity, and an inadequate water supply to meet power and irrigation goals simultaneously. The last limitation arises in part from the allocation in a 1959 agreement of more water to Sudan than was originally foreseen and in part from differences in the seasonal demand pattern of agriculture and the hydroelectric plant for the water. Irrigation requires very heavy use of water during summer months, while power generation needs peak during the winter. Ecological problems created by the dam, most of which were anticipated, have not seriously harmed the economy, although a few minor industries have been damaged.

The dam is, nonetheless, a viable project. Eventually the contribution to GNP equals as much as 20% of total investment. Moreover, the dam and associated projects provided returns that at least offset the cost of operation, repayment of foreign loans and amortisation of domestic loans.

ROC NO.1 Group Headquarters, 57 London Road, Maidstone by John K Thorne

57 London Road was originally in civilian occupation and named ‘Fairlawns’. The property was requisitioned in 1939 as a new headquarters for No.1 Group of the Royal Observer Corps, who had previously been stationed in rooms above Maidstone Post Office. An operations room was built in the house using the ground floor and basement. Fairlawns was in use throughout the war until stand down. In the 1950s Fairlawns was relegated to being a training centre for the group control at Beckenham (19 Group). In 1961 a new semi-sunk control was built to the rear of Fairlawns with administration located in the house. Beckenham was then relegated to being training centre for 1 Group at Maidstone. The former 19 Group HQ at Dura Den, Park Place, Beckenham was absorbed into No. 1 Group in 1953 but was retained for as a secondary training centre until 1968 In 1976 Fairlawns was renamed Ashmore House in memory of the Corps' founder Major Ashmore. On closure Ashmore House and the bunker behind was sold to a local solicitors.

Maidstone is similar in construction to other semi-sunken group controls, consisting of three levels. The upper level is a surface concrete blockhouse often referred to as an ‘Aztec Temple’. The middle level is partly below ground, mounded over with soil and grassed, the bottom level is completely below grown. Externally the bunker is in excellent condition and well maintained. The grass on top of the mound is regularly mown and the surface blockhouse is painted white. The telescopic aerial mast is still in place alongside the entrance steps and unusually the aerial is also still there on top of the mast. Two other UHF aerials are also still in place on top of an adjacent pole. On top of the mound the FSM and BPI pipes are in the middle and close to them is a metal cover over what might be part of the AWDREY (Atomic Weapon Detection Recognition and Estimation of Yield) equipment consisting of a white metal box mounted at an angle on a square concrete plinth. Several pipes protrude from the mound alongside. At the east end of the mound is the original emergency exit consisting of an ROC post hatch on a raised concrete plinth with a rail around it. The later emergency exit door is at the back of the mound.

The surface blockhouse still has its external ladder giving access to the roof. Here the GZI mounting is to be found on top of one of the ventilation stacks.

At the top of the entrance stairs is a steel blast door giving access to the upper level corridor. There are two rooms on the left, the decontamination room and dressing room; both still contain sinks and water tanks. There are two rooms on the right, the first has a gas tight door and houses a small fan for cooling the plant in the room below, the adjacent room contains a bank of filters. Beyond these rooms is another gas tight wooden door which, together with the entrance door, forms an air lock. Beyond this door stairs to the left lead down to the middle floor and ahead was the winch room. The winch has been removed as has the floor. There are railings just inside the entrance door to stop anyone falling. A hole has been cut into the right hand side wall of the winch room to give access to a large water tank.

At the bottom of the stairs is a dog leg into the main east - west spine corridor. The first room on the right is the ventilation and filtration plant room which is in immaculate condition with all the brass still polished and gleaming. All the plant remains in place including two chiller pumps, the main ventilation fan, two smaller fans, two compressors and the floor standing electrical control cabinet. There is a filing cabinet full of wiring diagrams, instruction books, maintenance logs etc. Although unused for ten years the plant is almost certainly fully operational with the chiller system still charged.

In one corner of the plant room is a separate filter room with it’s own gas tight door. The bank of filters are still in place. At the back of the room two wooden door open into the generator room which is noticeably narrower then the same room in other semi-sunken group controls. The generator and its control equipment is also in excellent condition with 1518 hours on the clock.

The next room on the right is the canteen, accessed along a short corridor. On the right hand side of the corridor is the kitchen which is largely intact with a Creda industrial cooker, Creda grill, hot food heater, stainless steel sink and draining board and stainless steel covered units. There is a sliding glass hatch for serving food. The canteen is now used for storage of old files and retains nothing original apart from wall cabinets at the back with electrical switchgear.

Next door to the canteen is the BT equipment room, again this is now used for the storage of old files but there are two BT wall cabinets on the end wall and the remains of two racks with some wiring looms. Beyond the BT room is an empty store room and stairs down to the lower level. The final two doors on the right lead onto the balcony looking down onto the control room. Nothing is left in the room at all although in the triangulation alcove it still says ‘Triangulation’ on the wall and there is a small shelf with a slot for an FSM and in the ceiling the bottom of the FSM pipe.

There is a gas tight door in the corridor between the two doors onto the balcony with another gas tight door beyond giving access to the emergency exit. These two doors form a second airlock. There is a ladder on the wall up to a short landing and then a second ladder up to the emergency escape hatch. This was replaced in the 1970’s by a stairway with a door on the south side of the mound.

Back in the spine corridor the first door on the left is the sewage ejection room with two compressors and a compressed air receiver just inside the door and two pumps in the sump underneath a metal grille. This plant also looks immaculate. The next two rooms are the male and female toilets which are complete although no longer connected to the mains water supply. The female toilet has a hot water tank, two hand basins, two WC cubicles and a shower. The male toilet is similar with one of the WC cubicles replaced by a urinal. The next two rooms are the male and female dormitories, these are used for the storage of confidential client files and we had no access. The final room on the left is the small officers room which is empty apart from a Tanoy loudspeaker on the wall.

On the bottom level the control room at the bottom of the stairs to the left has been fitted out with Dexion racking and is the main storage area for old files. Nothing from ROC days remains apart from one floor standing display board. The adjacent communications centre is empty. The walls are covered with acoustic tiles and the original tables and chairs are still in place. There are three windows looking into the control room one with a small message hatch beneath one.

The radio room was to the right of the stairs, this has been divided into two rooms, both of which are empty. There is a small store room under the stairs which is also empty.

During the 1990’s numerous ROC items including maps and signs were sold to the Kelvedon Hatch cold war museum. The only remaining signs are fire prevention notices which are screwed to the wall in various rooms.

The owners have no plans to remove any of the remaining equipment and will continue to use the bunker for the storage of redundant files. It is clean and dry throughout and the lighting works in all the rooms.

Postal Worker With Mask During Time of the 'Rona by Seth Anderson

7 1

Another worker on the front line, in my estimation. Shocking to me that the Trump White House is considering letting the USPS go under.

~Journey Among Thieves~ Chapter One: "A Long Overdue Celebration" by Andared of Lenfald

19 7

The leaves of the forest rustled under the soft northern breeze, and the trees gently swayed in a peaceful rhythm. Michael smiled as he strode across the forest floor, making his way back to the hunting lodge. His day had not been as successful as he had hoped (indeed, he had not caught so much as a hare on this morning), but he was not concerned about this. After all, his mind had been elsewhere during the entirety of his hunt. The day had finally come for the great celebration.

Four months ago, when news had reached Michael’s home, the city of Bladefall (which was barely more than a small town, by Michael’s estimation), that the war against the terrible wizard known as Maldrake the Silent was finally over, and that victory had been achieved, there was great joy. The victory, however, was short lived, for a terrible winter was coming. After having been occupied by the Dragon army of the false Queen Galainir for so long, the stores of Bladefall had been utterly depleted. This would have been a grim situation for any city, but particularly for Bladefall, given its location.

As the northernmost port and city in all of Lenfald, Bladefall had long been subject to harsh winds and bitter winter chills. Were it not for the expansive forests surrounding it, one might easily mistake it for a Garhim city during the winter, and not just for the chill. Bladefall was the port through which nearly all Lenfel-Garhim trade took place, and the population of the city was comprised of merchants from Garheim almost as much as it was Lenfels.

The citizens of Bladefall had neither the time, nor the resources to properly celebrate their victory when the war was first won. Now, however, with the last vestiges of winter at their backs and the promise of spring before them, the people of Bladefall were ready. This very night, they planned to pay tribute to the fallen and honor those who had returned from the war, and there was to be a merry party throughout the city, with great feasting and entertainment that should last well into the midnight hours.

Michael could hardly contain his excitement as he burst into the clearing where the hunting lodge resided.

“Ho there, Michael!” Came the friendly cry from Astaroth, a fellow hunter, who was seated near the outdoor firepit and whittling on a small wooden block. “How did you fare on your hunt this fine morning?”

“Not well, I am afraid,” Michael said as he laid down his bow and pack beside his horse. “But I confess, I could hardly focus on hunting when I knew that I shall be feasting in but a few hours!”

“Indeed! Well, let us be thankful that there are some hunters who are not so easily distracted, so that there will be food with which we can feast!” Astaroth replied with a wink.

Michael grinned, and gestured toward where Astaroth lazily reclined on the bench. “Yes, let us be thankful for the hard work of those such as yourself. I do not know what we should do without your never-ending dedication toward the hunt!”

Both of them laughed heartily at the friendly jab, and Michael promptly took up a seat beside Astaroth. The two friends began discussing what kinds of events and entertainment would go on during the festivities that night, and which of them would manage to eat the most. Their mutual anticipation and excitement for what was to come was a sentiment that was shared by most all of Bladefall’s citizens. Much planning and hard work had gone into making this feast possible, and at last they would finally realize the fruits of their labor. From above, the sun smiled upon them and the cloudless sky promised excellent weather for the long overdue celebration…

Maverick Brand by Petersheikah

A warrant of arrest has been issued against "Team Forge" Leader Maverick Brand after he brutalized a gang of villains and hijacked their base. According to our intel, he is planning to use the equipment inside the base to take control of part of the system. The scope of his resources is unknown.

His current location is the gas giant Hefeus, but the full extent of the threat his machinations impose could be more significant. Further estimations are required.

Maverick Brand is equipped with heat-resistant plate armor, a throwable bulletproof shield and a fire-imbued Flamberge sword. Armor-piercing ammunition and electricity-based weaponry may be viable strategies to take him down. Proceed with caution.

Great Kanohi Azuhi by Galva, Flamberge model edited by me

Finding ancestree... by Terri Turner tteerriitt

28 14

FINDING ALPHA FRANCES JARVIS...

For the most recent information about Alpha Frances Jarvis go to www.flickr.com/photos/man_is_like_unto_a_tree/sets/721576...

This image is not of Alpha Frances Jarvis. This image is one of two images that were in my grandmothers large family photographic collection whose identity still eludes me. I use this image to start this Family Tree story as a reminder of how little information I started out with on this quest in 2005.

To commence walking down the path and collecting each shattered branch of my Family Tree which eventually led me to discover the identity and the life travels of my great Aunt Alpha Frances Jarvis but still do not know who this family member is.

The names Alpha and Omega where spoken of many times throughout my childhood. Only their names where spoken, that their father was Spanish and he was a prominent School teacher in South Australia, Australia, nothing else.

This mystery around who these souls were, where did they live, what happened to them, did they have families I might just meet one day? My parents would often say they were all very beautiful women which used to invoke so many images in my child's mind. The photographs of my mother and my grandmother, when they were young women are testimonials to that being a true fact at least.

Add to those imaginary constructs in my child's mind of a family I had never met other than my mother, her mother and stepfather, one or two short visits with a couple of my grandmothers brothers family homes and my own father and three brothers left me with a very large empty space to be filled with made up imagined people that were my extended family that I would like to meet one day.

When I heard the names Alpha and Omega spoken about it became a history lesson that left me always amazed, inspired and very intrigued about the wide world that existed somewhere out there, way beyond my wonderful isolated environment of growing up in the foot hills of Rolystone Western Australia in the late 50's to 70's.

"Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last letter" is what I was told through out my life when mums extended family came into a conversation. "The Aleph and the Thaw are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet as the Alpha and Omegain Scripture, are of the Greek." www.newadvent.org/cathen/01332b.htm Such a rich deep history connected to these names that echo down the annuals of time for eternity. I often wondered about the magic of calling children such creative names with such depth of meaning. This would account for one of the main reasons why my two daughters got their Latin names, Regina and Aves.

NO IMAGES OF ALPHA FRANCES JARVIS...

I have chosen to write about Alpha under this image because I have no images at all that show Alpha. Thanks to my cousin Kay and her wealth of genealogy experiences over the 30 years she has been tracking the Allen family tree I was at least able to date this image to a year it was taken.

(Note...I did finally figure out I had a whole lot of images of Alpha that I had assumed were of her sister. Only as I unravelled her story from shattered truths did I finally recognise there was three people in these images and not just two.)

Who this image above is is still unknown to me and for that matter everyone else in the family I have been able to share it with so far. After cousin Kay told me I could identify the year this image had been taken from a book in the State Library by its business details stamped on the base. I discovered at least it was taken in 1897 at Rembrant Studio, Boulder City, W.A. This would make this young lady in the image at least 15 to 20 years of age (in my estimation from looking at other images of the female family photographs of this time.) This means that any female family member who would have been born from 1877 through to around 1882 with dark hair and still alive in the Gold fields of Western Australia could be a candidate.

Now the fact that there are no images of Alpha in my grandmothers or my mothers extensive photographic collection is an indicator to some important aspect of this ladies story that I have not yet cracked or for that matter may never crack but am driven to see if I can at least understand why.

My grandmother had kept all of her photographs so that after her passing in 2005 at the age of 91, my mother then squirrelled them all away like the family treasures but not one of Alpha has serviced. This is in complete contrast to the very large number of images of Alpha’s younger sisters Lulu and Clytie in this photographic collection.

My mother grew up with very little family contact. She was an only child and the photographs reflected the major happy events that marked family time together. Snapshots where all that remained of their entire lives other than the physical truth that we did exist. Because my mother and father are real and my brothers are real then we did have to have family ancestors before them. This physical truth that we did exist is all I could hang onto as a bright flashing arrow pointing to where more truth could one day be mined, dug up and brought out into the light of day that would finally form into "my" extended family.

The rare times these family images did get brought out into the light of day caused deep longings in me to know these people, to get to know their stories. I so wanted to hold onto these images of my ancestors until they had burned themselves onto my minds surface before they would be stored away for another year or two before I could get to see them again.

ALPHA FRANCES JARVIS FIRST BORN...

Alpha Frances Jarvis was the first born child to Henry Martin Jarvis (Widower) son of James

married 18 Aug 1877 St Lukes Church Adelaide, South Australia to his second wife Frances Elizabeth White (Single) daughter of George Tyler William and Roseanna Lock.

If Henry was born in 1827 he would have been 50 years of age and already retired from the army when he married Frances White in South Australia. Frances White would have been 26 years of age and most likely looking after Henry's youngest children from his first family after his first wife, Clara had died. More about Henry's first family in another chapter.

Alpha Frances Jarvis was born 10 months after Henry's second marriage on the 9/7/1878 Southwark South Australia, District Hindmarsh (Book 205 Page 287) to Frances Elizabeth White.

Frances Elizabeth White, Alhpa's mother died some time during or just after giving birth to her 6th child, Omega, in 1887 at the age of 33. Alpha would have only been 9 years of age at that time. Here younger brothers and sisters were Lulu Dagma 1880, Frank 1882 -1882, Clytie Grace Darling 1884,

(Gideon Jarvis Jarvis) Gibson Clarence 1885, Omega 1887-1887.

The next time Alpha Frances can be tracked in the records is when she is 18 years of age on the goldfields, Western Australia getting married in 1896 to a William George Ashton /Reg 107 COOLGARDIE.

Then in 1903 Alpha Frances is in Cottesloe, Western Australia giving birth to her only child,

Elgar Ashton. His father's name that is recorded on the record book was William George Ashton (no. 485). Note how long this is after Alpha was married before giving birth to Elgar and she has no other children that are recorded in Western Australia. This is very unusual for this time in Australian history. Without birth control for these women, back then in the isolation of the Australian European communities, the normal pattern of married women was once they got married they got pregnant every 18 months or so until either they died, usually due to complications during or just after giving birth or their husbands die.

The tracks left in the sand of the records world of Alpha's movements that I sieved through the screen of the computer in the State Library of Melbourne, Victoria Australia revealed many new gems. In searching through Electoral roles, Post Office records, Shipping lists and Microfiche and old Newspapers slowly started to build a picture of this great Aunt over the proceeding years from the birth of her first child back in 1903 Western Australia to her arriving here in Melbourne Australia many years later.

James Street, Perth Western Australia in 1903 and 1906 Alpha is recorded as living there in the States Electoral Roles. Searching through the same records I could not place her husband living with her or any body else with the last name of Ashton living at this address. But I do find under the name of Alfa Frances Ashton in the 1903 and 1906 (under the title of "Voters at James St), Electoral Roles living at 153 Lake Street, occupation as home duties, again no one else with the name Ashton living there. (note the spelling change to the name Alpha in this record)

Departing Brisbane, Queensland Australia 1912 Alpha Ashton, born ABT 1883 (29).

Arriving London England 25th May 1912. Ports on Voyage Sydney, Ship Name; Osterley Shipping Line Orient Steam Navigation company Ltd official No 128287. Further scratching through the records found another entry stating that Elgar Ashton (9) was her son accompanied by his mother and Alpha the wife were leaving Fremantle and arriving in Plymouth, England. It was also recorded that she was not accompanied by a husband. I would like to point out here that in 1912 Alpha would have actually been 34 years of age not 29.

COUSIN LESLEY'S EMAIL CLUES...

All of the facts I have collected so far about my family have come from research on the internet, library visits in my home town of Western Australia, oral history from my mother, grandmother and very recently my dear cousins I have made contact with only over the past two years. Most of the history that I have collected over the past two years is the reason I went into the State Library of Melbourne to seek out Alpha's whereabouts’ was because of this story shared to me by my cousin Lesley, now living in Germany. This story was told to her from her 92-year-old mother, Shirley, who was on a holiday with her at the end of last year (2010).

This is the story emailed to me from cousin Lesley...

"Shirley today was somewhat off with the pixies. It does occur on some days and other days she is perfect with her memory so this is what I gleaned from this afternoon’s conversation when she was not concentrating on how she was going to paint a painting of the area here. She was greatly worried over not being able to get the trees right.!!! A typical way-would artist.!!!!!! She said to try again in the morning hours as she can remember better then.

So here we go about Aunt Alpha so far from what I know as of this arvo.

Alpha lived for many years in London. I asked Shirley about how long. She told me well over 20 years or much longer. Sorry cousin this is only what she told me this afternoon so I cant be more explicit.

She was very tall with beautiful skin and could sing, whistle, and yodel and was a great cook.

In London they all called her Lilly Langtry as she resembled her so very much. Who was Lilly Langtry??? Will Google her when I finish this note.

Alpha was married to someone who worked for the East Indian Tea Company.!!!

Mum can’t remember his name and doesn't know whether he was English or Australian.

They had one son and then her husband died so she returned to Oz and moved to Melbourne for a while. She had a falling out with her son and they broke off contact. She then lived with Vera and Shirley for a while in Sydney until she remarried a man called Caplan or Caplen who lived in Cabramatta also in the Sydney area.

He became ill and died and shortly after Alpha died of cancer from which she had been suffering with for some time. I asked Shirley how old she was then at the time and she figured that she was about 12 or 13 at the time so guess the year was about 1931 or thereabouts. Have no idea whether any of this info is correct so please be patient with us now. Shirley tends to switch over from one subject to another and went into her remembrances of her beloved Uncle Gorden who was for her a wonderful brother figure for her. They spent so much time together in Sydney.

Thats about all I can tell you at this stage.

Will certainly get on to Mum when she is not so off.!!!

Love and Light to you and all your loved ones,

Your cousin,

Lesley."

FINDING ALPHA FRANCES CAPLIN...

I had found Alpha Caplin’s death details on line before I went to Melbourne February 2011 because of this wonderful story from cousin Lesley. The on line website for finding births, deaths and marriages for Sydney gave me those details without any real effort. That is what it is like doing genealogy. Once you have enough meat to add to a bone you can find so much out about what it is you are seeking but if you only have a bone it makes your searching very hard indeed.

Death...1941 CAPLIN ALPHA FRANCES, father HENRY MARTIN

mother, FRANCES ELIZABETH place, LIVERPOOL SYDNEY NSW (12470)

Well you would think at this stage I should be able to find a marriage certificate for Alpha and Mr Caplin would you not? All my search had revealed so far was that Alpha Frances had been born Jarvis and had got married in Perth Western Australia and became Alpha Frances Ashton. Then had a son Elgar Ashton. These two unattended by the father head off to London, England and as the email from cousin Lesley states they had both returned to Australia through Melbourne, Victoria and Alpha then had gone to Sydney and married a Mr Caplin and herself had died there.

So why could I not find a marriage certificate for a Alpha Frances Ashton? When I typed in just Caplin in the marriage section the clue was staring me right in the face at that time but I had missed it completely and it would not be until I had spent quite a few hours in the Melbourne State Library looking for Alhpa Frances Ashton that it became clear why there was no marriage certificate for her to a Mr Caplin. More on that later.

FINDING ELGAR ASHTON MELBOURNE VICTORIA...

When I was in Melbourne, Victoria this past February, 2011, I met up with my very dear cousin Kay in the Victorian State Library. Kay was down in the city visiting family when she had let me know we could spend a short time together so what better place for us two to hangout in but in the State Library.

As I had just come from Sydney after meeting another cousins 91 year old wife, Viva Rodwell who was related to us both through my great grandfathers sisters son. Kay had unearthed this wonderful women and her husband’s family branch on my last trip to Melbourne only that previous November. I had a lot to share with Kay about the stories of Viva’s life and showed her the images on my camera I had taken of the Rodwell families’ photos and newspaper articles. This wonderfully gracious lady, Viva and the Rowell side of the family tree will be shared in another chapter of this book.

Kay shared all these amazing stories of her latest family discoveries and how she had found them. Kay has so much capacity in finding truth out of the smallest particles of detail. It is very clear to me that all those Allen ancestors skills and great capacity learned in the gold fields of Australia to hunt out gold over generations have been inherited in this lady for her to be able to find anything if she puts her mind to it.

After Kay had showed me around the genealogy section in the Library and showed me how to find people through the electoral roles microfiche we said our good byes until our paths would meet next. Now with all this newfound confidence to tackle the genealogy section I headed back by myself a few days later to hunt out, dig up, reveal the whereabouts of my cousin Elgar Ashton, son of Alpha Frances Ashton (nee Jarvis).

This should have been easy to find Elgar's movements there in Melbourne. I had his name, his mothers and fathers names and I was in the Melbourne State Library where all the local details should be right there at my fingertips so why was I finding it all so very hard to track him and for that matter Alpha.

All I could find was the death details of Elgar Ashton and a possible whereabouts of his fathers grave also. I had no idea what had happened to Elgar's father, William George Ashton. After finding the details of Alpha's marriage to him in Western Australia he disappears out of the records there so I find it very strange that he turns up now here in Victoria, if this is even his father?

Writing down all that I had found so far regardless if it was correct or not was all I could show for hours of work. Details I had at that point were...Died Elgar Ashton, father William George mother Alpha Frances Jarvis, place Fairfield Victoria, age 37, year 1940, Reg. No. 6135.

His fathers details, if this is even him were; Death Ashton William George, father Robert, mother Cathrine O'Brian, place Richmond, age 55, year 1931 Reg. No. 3001. I had even found where this person was buried; Ashton William George, cemetery St Kilda General Cemetery, Roman Catholic Monumental Compartment B. grave 335 Buried 14/03/1931. I knew at that point this was either useless or a very important piece to my puzzle and I had better write it down because there was no guarantee I could find it again.

The idea of going out to see this grave site at that point in time was not going to be feasible even if I could be sure it was Elgar's father. Time that I had left in Melbourne was short and I needed to find Elgar's grave site at least to see if there had been other names recorded on it. Had Elgar married, did he have children that might still be alive here in Melbourne?

With the clock ticking away I returned to the State Library of Victoria the following day and commenced cross referencing, playing around with what I did have and do strange things like type different combinations of names. It was while I was doing this last ditched attempt of finding where Elgar's grave was that I stumbled across this entry on Ancestry.com website (I had only just discovered Ancestry.com was free at our Library's)... Alpha Frances Ashton mother Elgar Jno Evans born 1903 death 1940 Fairfield, Victoria.

Evans, they had changed their name to Evans. Elgars name was Elgar Jno Evans, no wonder I could not find records in the microfiche and telephone records and all the other places I had been looking. I had the wrong name.

NOW FINDING ELGAR JON EVANS...

The name Alpha, that strange and very mysterious name was all I had had to hang onto all throughout my life that had kept calling me to hunt her out. Alpha's name was all I had of my great Aunt and it was that name that I had used to track her and her sons details down. I had finally cracked this. After I found this piece of the jigsaw many other details started to pour out of the web sites and microfiche. I dived back into all those records that I had spent days searching through with the name Ashton and now I was back with the name Evans.

What I found...

Australian Electoral Roles for Elgar Evans

1931 South Yarra, Fawkner, Victoria

1936 South Yarra, Fawkner, Victoria

1937 South Yarra, Fawkner, Victoria

Australian Electoral Roles for Alpha Frances Evans

1931 at 286 Toorak Rd, home duties. Elgar Evans was at this same address and his occupation was motor mechanic (M.

Married, Alpha Frances Evans 1934 New South Wales, reg. place; Liverpool, NSW Husband, Caplin John (Reg.No.2210)

When I had looked for Caplin and Ashton getting married back in Perth after cousin Lesley’s email with Shirley’s oral history I had seen this entry but did not think twice. It had not for one second dawned on my very blond brain that Alpha could have remarried.

Marriage...2210/1934 CAPLIN JOHN EVANS ALPHA F LIVERPOOL. I had not even suspected that Alpha had changed her name while overseas. I should have realised the name Alpha was her and at least written it down.

Now it all made so much sense, Elgar and Alpha had come back to Australia by the name Evans and where living together until something happens and Alpha goes off to Sydney where her nieces, and sister are living and marries there only 3 years later, 1934. The Electoral Roles for NSW Australia have recorded for the C'wealth: -Werriwa state:-Bankstown for both 1936 and 1937

Caplin AF. Cabramatta Rd, Cabramatta homeduties (F.

Caplin John Cabramatta Rd Cabramatta no occupation (M.

Final resting place of my dear dear great Aunt is in New South Wales, Australia and this chapter closes on this part of the mystery for now. There is no time to loose, all energy must go now into tracking down Elgar's movements to see if I can find his grave site before I head back to Western Australia in a few days time. I need to see if he has got married and if I can find anything else out about him.

Looking further into the Australian Electoral Roles for Elgar Evans in Victoria, Australia I found the area he was living in was the same electoral boundaries but not the same house addresses. Commonwealth :-Fawkner and State:- Prahran were the same for all three years listed on the Ancestry.com website. His address in 1931 we have already mentioned as being 286 Toorak Rd, and both he and Alpha were listed as living there. Where as for 1936 the address was 3 Portland Place, motor Mechanic (M and in 1937 his address was Fitsgerald Street. motor mechanic (M.

At both the Portland and Fitsgerald address there was another person now living with Elgar and that was a Mrs Mary Doreen Evens. Married Ashton Elgar, spouse Family name Davies, spouse mother name?????? Mary Doreen, Reg. Year 1932 Reg. No 5803

Elgar had died only a few years after his marriage to Mary in 1940 and there is no other election until 1943 where I find a Mary Doreen Evans C'Wealth:-Maribyrnong. Subdivision of Ascot Vale.

State Flemington. address 18 Bank Street, home duties (F

In 1943 I also find a Mary Doreen Evans now living in New South Wales. C'Wealth: New England Sub: Raymond Terrace. State Gloucester at The Snug, Nelson's Bay, home duties (F

Also the same electoral role, state sub. in NSW but another address was recorded for the 1949 elections the address for that year was Victoria Parade, Nelson Bay NSW.

This exact same information is repeated for 1954. But there was a second entry for 1954 and that was for Mary Doreen Evans at 285 Bromide Street, C'Wealth: Darling Sub. Broken Hill West, State: Stuart. As Ancestry.com only goes up to 1954 in there Electoral roles I headed off to explore Melbourne cemetery's seeking where I could find the grave site details for Elgar.

After some real hard sifting through microfiche for this information after being guided by a very helpful Librarian showing where to at least start this search I found Elgar's grave at Springfield Victoria. Just to keep me on my toes Elgar’s name on the records was spelt differently.

Elga Evens 6/7/1940 Type B location. Exp.030-23000B0017-0043HKL000/00/0000 7

6 Fitzgerald St. South Yarra, Mrs MD Evans, Church England Monumental Compart. B section 17 grave 43.

I was so very, very happy and as I still wanted to come back to that Library I could not yell at the top of my lungs or do my magpie call. I was just over the moon. After a very good friend had agreed to very kindly drive me out to where this cemetery was on the other side of Melbourne and a far way out of town. After getting great maps and directions at the Administrative office my friend and I sent out to finally accomplish what had up until that point just been a wish and hope for me to achieve.

My friend and I set out in the mapped area with great energy until we realised none of the graves had numbers and although the map showed very clear and defined grave sites when you actually get there, on the ground, there are no head stones for over half of the graves. To add to the difficulty we faced in finding this exact grave was that none of the pathways between each set of graves was clearly defined either. We headed back to the corner and counted very methodically until I found Elgar’s grave hidden under a very low growing paper bark tree. This tree was sheltering his grave just like a large umbrella. It was so peaceful and a very beautiful place.

The grave was in perfect condition and the words on it were very simple and read;

"In loving memory of

Elgar (John) Evans

1903-1940"

And it did not matter how hard I stared at the large space below these words there was nothing else written there. I had accomplished this quest and was happy to return back to Western Australia to continue the next stage of this amazing journey of reconstructing my shattered family Tree.

ELGAR ASHTON'S FATHER; WILLIAM GEORGE...

As I found pieces of genealogy that may be of interest to my dear cousin Kay I would send them to her when I was still in Melbourne February 2011. On the day before I was heading back to Western Australia she sent me a small email with an image attached that at first I could not open.

When I did open this image it was a South Australian newspaper article informing the reader of Alpha's marriage to Ashton back in Nov 1896, the article was published Jan 1987; that super sleuth Kay had done it again. Who would have thought to go look in a South Australian Newspaper for a Wedding in Western Australia two months after? Well it makes sense in hindsight, yes I have learned yet another great Family tree research skill, thank you Kay.

I did not really see anything that needed my attention, at that time, so I simply printed the email she had sent me and put it into my folder with my paperwork I took with me to the Library thinking nothing more of it.

My last day at the Victorian State Library revealed no new leads and I found nothing extra to add to my quest and as I was about to meet up with my eldest daughter to spend sometime together before we were to meet up with my other daughter and head off to the airport I farewelled the Victorian State Library until my next visit to this beautiful city.

As I was sitting in my daughters car waiting for her to finish work I went through my file of notes that I had collected over the days I had been visiting the Library there in Victoria and was very carefully reading them and cross referencing data when I re read the newspaper article that cousin Kay had emailed me the day before. What makes this story even more remarkable was that I had finished reading all the notes and the notes I had scribbled on this email with the article from Kay and only re read it again because I had re read everything else and there was nothing left to read; lol.

It was the name of Ashton's father in this newspaper article that kept screaming at me so I went back and re read all my data again from this trips visits to the State Library. It dawned on me that the details I did copy down of the person I thought could at least be Elgar's father turned out to also have recorded in his death details that his father's name was Robert. This was too much of a coincidence not to be the same Ashton married to Alpha all those years before in the goldfield's of Western Australia.

Then to add to that the newspaper article said that Ashton had come from Victoria and St Kilda all the same details on this Ashton's death details. On further reading of my notes I found even more notes about this same person. I had actually found several sources of data about this same man that had all converged to being the same person described in this tiny newspaper article sent the night before by my dear cousin Kay.

But until I make those final record searches he could still “not” be our Ashton's father.

Article from cousin Kay emailed to me the day before I was to return to WA;

MARRIAGE

ASHTON-JARVIS-On the 6th November, 1896,at St. Andrew's Church, Coolgardie, by the Rev.A. Craven, George, eldest son of Robert Ashton, of St. Kilda, Victoria, to Frances (Alpha), third daughter of Henry Martin Jarvis, of Fremantle, W.A. (late of Southwark, SA.)

source;

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA:1889-1931) Wednesday 27 January 1897 page 4 of 8

I did not have time to go to that grave, as I needed to be on a plain heading back to Western Australia in one hour. My dear daughters did agreed to go and find this grave and find out if there is a head stone and see what data is recorded on it.

Information I did collected on William George Ashton in the Victorian State Library 2011;

Born William George Ashton, 1876, St. Kilda, Victoria, father Robert Ashton,

mother Catherine O'Brian Reg. No.12472

WA Electoral Role 1903 Ashton George William, Kanowna Firewood line, Kalgoolie.

Vic Electoral Role 1909 Ashton George William, Balaclava, 18 Nightingale St, St Kilda, Labourer

(M at the same address Annie Ashton home duties (F

Vic Electoral Role 1914 Ashton George William, Fitzroy North, 572 Rae St. North Fitzroy driver (M

at the same address Lilian Rebecca Ashton home duties (F

Vic Electoral Role 1919 Ashton George William, St Kilda 18 Wilgah St driver (M

Vic Electoral Role 1919 Ashton George William, Balaclava, 44 Nightingale St, St Kilda, ???? (M

Vic Electoral Role 1924 Ashton George William, Balaclava, Beach St, East Camberwell, rly. emp.

These went on and I was not sure at that time if this was Elgar's father so I stopped recording them correctly and did not go on to other dates. Something I might get back to when I know for sure this is the right person.

Died Ashton William George, father Robert, mother Cathrine O'Brian, place Richmond, age 55, year 1931 Reg. No. 3001.

Buried; Ashton William George, cemetery St Kilda General Cemetery, Roman Catholic Monumental Compartment B. grave 335 Buried 14/03/1931.

ALPHAS IN BETWEEN MISSING YEARS...

What happened to Alpha after her marriage and being in Cottesloe giving birth to Elgar and then off to England for over 29 years and returning back to Melbourne with another name? I have found a lot out about this great Aunt but now have even more questions. The random information that I have dug up so far that has not been recorded in the rest of this story is;

Australian Electoral Role 1903-1954,

1903 and 1906 Alpha Frances Ashton, James St. Perth Western Australia

Electoral Role 1903 and 1906 Voters at James Street.

Alfa Frances Ashton, 153 Lake St, home duties (note the spelling change in her first name)

mum never did meet Alpha???????

need to check out WA electorial roles to see if an evans name is living in james street Perth WA during the 1903 and 1906 time frame.????

what is coming to me on this subject is rather interesting mate and would love your view on it...

what I found studying both the records of William Ashton described on the prison records that you found first and the William Ashton described in the army records you found a bit later are NOT THE SAME MAN...

the markings and height and the character described in the two sets of documents are absolutely different people...

we know the man described in the army records was Alpha’s ex husband... we know the newspaper records of the divorce are real...BUT and A very big BUT is the information in them about which William Ashton they are referring to...

I think and this is where I could be wrong BUT as the police officer giving evidence in the divorce case spoke about the William Ashton in the prison records thinking it was Alphas husband when in fact it was one of the aliases used by the criminal one...getting my drift...then when you read the newspaper article a little closer it states that our William Ashton was not in court when all this info was being used to convict him...so even if the police officer did no very well the criminal William Ashton he did not know Alpha’s William Ashton as he is not in court to be seen as a different man...and worse Alpha’s husband William Ashton was not there to plea his innocence...

now I do not believe for one minute Alpha’s William was not a bit of a lad and even may have got himself into a lot of hot water and may even have had a jail term but the man who got bravery medals and re enlisted to go back to war after being discharged due to mustered Gas poisoning...no this is not the same character at all...so I think you

and I have a very interesting chapter of injustice of character here...

and I would then place a lot of money on that it was this miss representation of character of Elgar’s father that cased the huge rift between Alpha and Elgar...when they returned to Victoria and Elgar either saw his father before he died or met Williams family after his death in 1931 the real story, the truth would have come out and I very strongly believe would have been far tooo much for our dear Alpha to except that the man she thought was a monster was far from it...

what do you think mate...?????

where did you find the prison info...is it pos to go back to that site and keep looking what else might be there about these two William Ashton’s...????

If this William Ashton was such a nasty bit of work he must have then had a lot more prison records...which would prove that this is not Alphas husband...and the policeman was talking about the wrong man...

((((((FROM KAY....

Then show them the dates and names for the divorce and ask for help to find the index film and divorce film in the filing drawer, the machine is a buggar to use and to copy from. These should be available as 100 years old. All the info should be there, I am winging these instructions, but to be sure, perhaps a phone call to ask them might help.

OK, going by these days poor old Alpha had to put up with an awful husband, I will go back later and find all those court proceedings, I saw one In Kalgoorlie about 1909 and one in Broken Hill and then in New Zealand, hmm, not sure all is he but the Kalgoorlie one will be.

I just found another newspaper bit for 1913. I think he committed adultery too, I don't think it was final until then. Wait on will get that one. Oh yes, the same story as the first two files was in Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885-1954) Saturday 20 April 1912 p 25 Article

from FREE BMD'S thought I might have found them on the London Registers,but in Lambeth.

Marriage Jun 1916 Ashton Frances A Evans Lambeth 1d 767

Evans Graham B Ashton Lambeth 1d 767

s the first two files was in Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885-1954) Saturday 20 April 1912 p 25 Article

from FREE BMD'S thought I might have found them on the London Registers,but in Lambeth.

So now we have to find out if Graham B Evans was in the British Military and died. )))))

Died 4th July 1940 Queen's Memorial Infections Diseases Hospital, Fairfield, City of Heidelberg County of Bourke.

Residence 6 Fitzgerald street, south Yarra. City Prahram

motor machanic

Elgar John Evans 37 years male

cause of death Septic broncho-pneumonia 3 days scarlet fever 10days

it stated age of marriage 28 at South Yarra, Victoria

married Mary Doreen Davies

two children...

Louanne, 6years

Lionel Elgar, 2 years

YES HE DID HAVE CHILDREN...NOW GUIDE ME ON HOW i FIND THEM OR AT LEAST THE BOY AS WE KNOW HIS COMPLETE NAME...

the boy was born 1938

the girl born 1934

and as my electoral roles stated she moved to NSW 1943 and the last one I found was

1954 285 Bromide st,

C"Wealth; Darling

State; Stuart

Sub. Broken Hill West

Écija - Museo Histórico by Martin

During Roman times the settlement was known as Astigi. Caesar ordered the town's fortification and refounded it as a Julian colony. According to Pliny the Elder who wrote in the 1st century AD, it was the rival of Cordova and Seville.

After the Romans, it was ruled by successively by Suevs and Visigoths. It was also from an early date the seat of a diocese. St. Fulgentius (died before 633), was named to the see by his brother Isidore of Seville.

In 711, Écija was conquered by an Islamic army on its way to Córdoba. Capital of an extensive Kūra, Écija preserved its condition as a centre of high agricultural productivity.

The place was seized by Christians in 1240. The proximity to the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada turned Écija into a border town. Most of the mudéjar population was expelled in 1263. The Jewish population suffered the antisemitic revolt initiated after the assault on the jewry of Seville in June 1391, that spread across Andalusia. During the 15th century, Écija was the third most important urban centre of the Kingdom of Seville after Seville and Jerez. Estimations for the 15th century yield a population of about 18,000 (today 40.000).

The effects of the 1755 earthquake (Lisbon) forced a deep urban renewal.

Although Astigi was one of the most completely discovered Roman cities, the city council decided against all odds in 1998 to bulldoze the Roman ruins, including a forum, a bathhouse, a gymnasium and a temple, as well as dozens of private houses, and replace them with a car park.

But at least, there is the museum housed in the "Palacio de Benamejí"

The "Wounded Amazon from Écija"

Ca. 135-138 AD

A roman replica of a Wounded Amazon attributed to the Greek Sculptor Polykleitos (5th c BC). It was found in 2002 and is in an exceptional state of preservation.

Last stand by W. Michel Kiteley

21 13

Lucy, I'm home! Well, maybe Lucy Ramey anyway. I returned later after I shot the ghost of 'Ol Ramey himself. I tried to get back while the snow remained. The house is loaded with silt settled from the flood and rat turds from when the flood chased critters around. The Gothic trim over the two front windows is the only adornment in this plain structure. The front door has a porcelain knob but no lock i could see. It was locked from the inside. I figure that the house was from about the 20s but the log shed was maybe 40 years older than that. There is nothing to divine if the stone structure was older. I guess it had a long, if early, life. It may look interesting but you wouldn't want to live there. It is not even on the market. This was probably a fairly dirt poor farm in my estimation. Maybe a crop of marijuana would bring the place back to life? I don't know if I can find anything else of interest out there but more history would be welcome.

I was on my out west to make a new pass of Ramey because I wanted to ferret out shots I left without study. I always think, "There may be something I missed." Well, I had missed THIS out at Ramey! I love being able to make up stories about pictures; you probably call them lies, grin.

The Corps of Engineers cut the road near the bridge to relieve the pressure so the flood would not wreck the Hygiene I was on my way back to Logmont.

I have a lot of snaps left in my temp directory because I get excited by certain of my other shots like this brand new one. I feel that we were entirely robbed of a decent fall by the floods and we didn't get a lot of autumn otherwise but the flood gave us a wealth of subjects near Longmont.

I did not deal with this sky but I guess this will not matter today. The skies have been a really mixed bag lately.

New Day Rising by Graham Morris

60 26

Buttermere

I was planning on taking a posting break for November however last weeks news from the cock wombles at SmugFlickr have roused me a little.......

When Smugcup bought Flickr I remember thinking this is only going one way.....£$£$£$£$.....and so with last weeks news this is indeed the case.

I started using Flickr primarily as a back up, I mean 1TB is a huge amount of free space, up until today I had over 9500 photos and was using 5% of my space. The reduction to 1000 photos is in my estimation 10-20GB, not bad for free but still a huge reduction. For my personal use 50GB would probably be fine so Smuggits claim of being cheaper than others is already starting to wear thin (apple £0.79pm , Smugtheif £5.99 pm)

Now on the face of it I can understand their dilemma, it costs to host and I can't see them making a huge amount from advertising. I don't mind paying for a service, but, and it's a huge but, lets face it Flickr has been utter crap for the last few months, I mean why on earth don't they fix the thing then introduce the charge? It absolutely beggars belief.

That's not what winds me up though, up until yesterday I was edging towards grabbing the 30% discount and giving it a try for a year, then I read the bit "oh and by the way if you pay you're more likely to get in Explore........"

WTF, are they serious? Oh yes they are! Look SmugFlickr thats the main problem, people are fed up of multiple entires from the same user, 20 pictures of the 38 Stagecoach to West Kirby and bloody photos of Lego Batman eating bloody Lego ice cream dressed in Harry Potters cape. Lets not even start on bin lorries, I know that's an emotive one for some people.

Anyway I'll crawl back into hibernation for the rest of the month, sorry for the rant.

I'd just like to say to all that follow me and comment, I really appreciate your time and thoughts, I know I don't comment a huge amount (that's generally because your photos are way better than mine and I don't know what to say half the time!) but I do always enjoy your work and indeed take inspiration from you.

I'll sign off with a song (Idea shamelessly nicked from Mark D)

New Day Rising - Bob Mould/Dave Grohl

youtu.be/XHjHBojMsRs

Axis mundi...Obelisk..represented rays of light...also cosmic axis, world axis, world pillar, center of the world, world tree)..Wheel of Fortune the Hermetic magical-religious system which was also being developed at the time by Hughes Songe

The Egyptian circle or ancient wheel of fortune is a Sphinx which represents the mystery of life. It also represents the SELF, the real person behind the mask that we wear (PERSONA). That is to introduce an element of change in the querent's life, such change being in station, position or fortune: such as the rich becoming poor, or the poor becoming rich.The wheel is not always shown inscribed with any lettering. Where this is the case, the letters T-A-R-O (clockwise) or T-O-R-A (counter clockwise) can often be found aligned against four of the spokes, which can also be interpreted as R-O-T-A, the Latin word meaning "wheel". In some decks, such as the Waite, the wheel is also inscribed with additional alchemical symbols representing the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water (which are also said to be represented throughout the Tarot by the four "suits" of Pentacles or Discs, Swords, Wands, and Cups respectively.

At the top of the wheel perches the sphinx, who is there to remind us that if we stay stable amidst turmoil and use reasoning then we can retain the power to change our own lives instead of staying at the mercy of chance.This creature is Anubis – the Egyptian God which guided dead souls and was the giver of new life. Anubis help consciousness rise from lower to higher. The axis mundi (also cosmic axis, world axis, world pillar, center of the world, world tree), in certain beliefs and philosophies, is the world center, or the connection between Heaven and Earth. As the celestial pole and geographic pole, it expresses a point of connection between sky and earth where the four compass directions meet. At this point travel and correspondence is made between higher and lower realms. Communication from lower realms may ascend to higher ones and blessings from higher realms may descend to lower ones and be disseminated to all. The spot functions as the omphalos (navel), the world's point of beginning. The image relates to the center of the earth (perhaps like an umbilical providing nourishment)[citation needed]. It may have the form of a natural object (a mountain, a tree, a vine, a stalk, a column of smoke or fire) or a product of human manufacture (a staff, a tower, a ladder, a staircase, a maypole, a cross, a steeple, a rope, a totem pole, a pillar, a spire). Its proximity to heaven may carry implications that are chiefly religious (pagoda, temple mount, minaret, church) or secular (obelisk, lighthouse, rocket, skyscraper). The image appears in religious and secular contexts.[6] The axis mundi symbol may be found in cultures utilizing shamanic practices or animist belief systems, in major world religions, and in technologically advanced "urban centers". In Mircea Eliade's opinion, "Every Microcosm, every inhabited region, has a Centre; that is to say, a place that is sacred above all."The axis mundi is often associated with mandalas.

The first thing you might not know about obelisks is what they are. If you have ever walked across the Place de la Concorde in Paris, or seen any rendering of ancient Egypt in its glory, you are very familiar with obelisks: vertical stone columns that taper as they rise, topped by a pyramid. .An obelisk (UK: /ˈɒbəlɪsk/; US: /ˈɑːbəlɪsk/, from Ancient Greek: ὀβελίσκος obeliskos; diminutive of ὀβελός obelos, "spit, nail, pointed pillar" is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. These were originally called tekhenu by their builders, the Ancient Egyptians. Ancient monolithic megalithic structures have now been identified to as far back a 15,000 years. Monolithic Menhirs (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menhir) are the great grand father of the obelisk. Thousands of years before the first Egyptian style obelisk, our distant family gathered together and set aside in some cases, 20 years of work of dozens if not hundreds of people to build and raise up a Menhir. We did this on every single continent that has had human development using carved stones up to 250,000 pounds. Thousands of these megalithic structures have been placed all around the world and many still stand. The Greeks who saw them used the Greek term 'obeliskos' to describe them, and this word passed into Latin and ultimately English. Ancient obelisks are monolithic; that is, they consist of a single stone. Most modern obelisks are made of several stones; some, like the Washington Monument, are buildings.Obelisks were prominent in the architecture of the ancient Egyptians, who placed them in pairs at the entrance of temples. The word "obelisk" as used in English today is of Greek rather than Egyptian origin because Herodotus, the Greek traveller, was one of the first classical writers to describe the objects. A number of ancient Egyptian obelisks are known to have survived, plus the "Unfinished Obelisk" found partly hewn from its quarry at Aswan. These obelisks are now dispersed around the world, and fewer than half of them remain in Egypt. The earliest temple obelisk still in its original position is the 68-foot (20.7 m) 120-metric-ton (130-short-ton)[5] red granite Obelisk of Senusret I of the XIIth Dynasty at Al-Matariyyah in modern Heliopolis. The obelisk symbolized the sun god Ra, and during the brief religious reformation of Akhenaten was said to be a petrified ray of the Aten, the sundisk. It was also thought that the god existed within the structure. Benben was the mound that arose from the primordial waters Nu upon which the creator god Atum settled in the creation story of the Heliopolitan creation myth form of Ancient Egyptian religion. The Benben stone (also known as a pyramidion) is the top stone of the Egyptian pyramid. It is also related to the Obelisk. It is hypothesized by New York University Egyptologist Patricia Blackwell Gary and Astronomy senior editor Richard Talcott that the shapes of the ancient Egyptian pyramid and obelisk were derived from natural phenomena associated with the sun (the sun-god Ra being the Egyptians' greatest deity). The pyramid and obelisk might have been inspired by previously overlooked astronomical phenomena connected with sunrise and sunset: the zodiacal light and sun pillars respectively. The Ancient Romans were strongly influenced by the obelisk form, to the extent that there are now more than twice as many obelisks standing in Rome as remain in Egypt. The ancient Egyptians placed pairs of obelisks at the entrances of their temples. According to Gordon, the columns were associated with the Egyptian sun god, and perhaps represented rays of light. They were often topped with gold, or a natural gold-and-silver alloy called electrum, in order to catch the first rays of the morning light. Twenty-eight Egyptian obelisks remain standing, though only six of them are in Egypt. The rest are scattered across the globe, either gifts from the Egyptian government or plunder by foreign invaders. The symbol originates in a natural and universal psychological perception: that the spot one occupies stands at "the center of the world". This space serves as a microcosm of order because it is known and settled. Outside the boundaries of the microcosm lie foreign realms that, because they are unfamiliar or not ordered, represent chaos, death or night.[8] From the center one may still venture in any of the four cardinal directions, make discoveries, and establish new centers as new realms become known and settled. The name of China, meaning "Middle Nation" (中国 pinyin: Zhōngguó), is often interpreted as an expression of an ancient perception that the Chinese polity (or group of polities) occupied the center of the world, with other lands lying in various directions relative to it.Within the central known universe a specific locale-often a mountain or other elevated place, a spot where earth and sky come closest gains status as center of the center, the axis mundi. High mountains are typically regarded as sacred by peoples living near them. Shrines are often erected at the summit or base.[9] Mount Kunlun fills a similar role in China.[10] For the ancient Hebrews Mount Zion expressed the symbol.[citation needed] Sioux beliefs take the Black Hills as the axis mundi.[citation needed] Mount Kailash is holy to Hinduism and several religions in Tibet. The Pitjantjatjara people in central Australia consider Uluru to be central to both their world and culture. In ancient Mesopotamia the cultures of ancient Sumer and Babylon erected artificial mountains, or ziggurats, on the flat river plain. These supported staircases leading to temples at the top. The Hindu temples in India are often situated on high mountains. E.g. Amarnath, Tirupati, Vaishno Devi etc. The pre-Columbian residents of Teotihuacán in Mexico erected huge pyramids featuring staircases leading to heaven. Jacob's Ladder is an axis mundi image, as is the Temple Mount. For Christians the Cross on Mount Calvary expresses the symbol.The Middle Kingdom, China, had a central mountain, Kunlun, known in Taoist literature as "the mountain at the middle of the world." To "go into the mountains" meant to dedicate oneself to a spiritual life.] Monasteries of all faiths tend, like shrines, to be placed at elevated spots. Wise religious teachers are typically depicted in literature and art as bringing their revelations at world centers: mountains, trees, temples.Because the axis mundi is an idea that unites a number of concrete images, no contradiction exists in regarding multiple spots as "the center of the world". The symbol can operate in a number of locales at once.[7] Mount Hermon was regarded as the axis mundi in Caananite tradition, from where the sons of God are introduced descending in 1 Enoch (1En6:6).[13] The ancient Armenians had a number of holy sites, the most important of which was Mount Ararat, which was thought to be the home of the gods as well as the center of the Universe.[14] Likewise, the ancient Greeks regarded several sites as places of earth's omphalos (navel) stone, notably the oracle at Delphi, while still maintaining a belief in a cosmic world tree and in Mount Olympus as the abode of the gods. Judaism has the Temple Mount, Christianity has the Mount of Olives and Calvary, Islam has Ka'aba, said to be the first building on earth, and the Temple Mount (Dome of the Rock). In Hinduism, Mount Kailash is identified with the mythical Mount Meru and regarded as the home of Shiva; in Vajrayana Buddhism, Mount Kailash is recognized as the most sacred place where all the dragon currents converge and is regarded as the gateway to Shambhala. In Shinto, the Ise Shrine is the omphalos.[citation needed] In addition to the Kunlun Mountains, where it is believed the peach tree of immortality is located, the Chinese folk religion recognizes four other specific mountains as pillars of the world.

Sacred places like Concorde (unite people) constitute world centers (omphalos) with the altar or place of prayer as the axis. Altars, incense sticks, candles and torches form the axis by sending a column of smoke, and prayer, toward heaven. The architecture of sacred places often reflects this role. "Every temple or palace--and by extension, every sacred city or royal residence--is a Sacred Mountain, thus becoming a Centre." The stupa of Hinduism, and later Buddhism, reflects Mount Meru. Cathedrals are laid out in the form of a cross, with the vertical bar representing the union of earth and heaven as the horizontal bars represent union of people to one another, with the altar at the intersection. Pagoda structures in Asian temples take the form of a stairway linking earth and heaven. A steeple in a church or a minaret in a mosque also serve as connections of earth and heaven. Structures such as the maypole, derived from the Saxons' Irminsul, and the totem pole among indigenous peoples of the Americas also represent world axes. The calumet, or sacred pipe, represents a column of smoke (the soul) rising form a world center.[16] A mandala creates a world center within the boundaries of its two-dimensional space analogous to that created in three-dimensional space by a shrine

The first thing you might not know about obelisks is what they are. If you have ever visited the Washington Monument, however, or walked across the Place de la Concorde in Paris, or seen any rendering of ancient Egypt in its glory, you are very familiar with obelisks: vertical stone columns that taper as they rise, topped by a pyramid. Washington’s Monument and the Fascinating History of the Obelisk, by John Steele Gordon, is an absorbing account of the obelisk’s place in human civilization. Here are seven things revealed by Gordon that you might not know about obelisks. The ancient Egyptians placed pairs of obelisks at the entrances of their temples. According to Gordon, the columns were associated with the Egyptian sun god, and perhaps represented rays of light. They were often topped with gold, or a natural gold-and-silver alloy called electrum, in order to catch the first rays of the morning light. Twenty-eight Egyptian obelisks remain standing, though only six of them are in Egypt. The rest are scattered across the globe, either gifts from the Egyptian government or plunder by foreign invaders.

The obelisk at the center of Place de la Concorde, for example, is monolithic. It is 3300 years old and once marked the entrance to the Temple of Thebes in Egypt. So difficult is the feat of building a monolithic obelisk that Pharaoh Hatshepsut had inscribed at the base of one of her obelisks the proud declaration: “without seam, without joining together.”Nobody knows exactly why obelisks were built, or even how. Granite is really hard—a 6.5 on the Mohs scale (diamond being a 10)—and to shape it, you need something even harder. The metals available at the time were either too soft (gold, copper, bronze) or too difficult to use for tools (iron’s melting point is 1,538 °C; the Egyptians wouldn’t have iron smelting until 600 B.C.). The Egyptians likely used balls of dolerite to shape the obelisks, which, Gordon notes, would have required “an infinity of human effort.” Hundreds of workers would have each had to pound granite into shape using dolerite balls that weighed up to 12 pounds. This doesn’t even address the issue of how one might move a 100-foot, 400-ton column from the quarry to its destination.

The ancient Egyptians placed pairs of obelisks at the entrances of their temples. According to Gordon, the columns were associated with the Egyptian sun god, and perhaps represented rays of light. They were often topped with gold, or a natural gold-and-silver alloy called electrum, in order to catch the first rays of the morning light. Twenty-eight Egyptian obelisks remain standing, though only six of them are in Egypt. The rest are scattered across the globe, either gifts from the Egyptian government or plunder by foreign invaders.

A common shamanic concept, and a universally told story, is that of the healer traversing the axis mundi to bring back knowledge from the other world. It may be seen in the stories from Odin and the World Ash Tree to the Garden of Eden and Jacob's Ladder to Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel. It is the essence of the journey described in The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. The epic poem relates its hero's descent and ascent through a series of spiral structures that take him from through the core of the earth, from the depths of Hell to celestial Paradise. It is also a central tenet in the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex. Anyone or anything suspended on the axis between heaven and earth becomes a repository of potential knowledge. A special status accrues to the thing suspended: a serpent, a victim of crucifixion or hanging, a rod, a fruit, mistletoe. Derivations of this idea find form in the Rod of Asclepius, an emblem of the medical profession, and in the caduceus, an emblem of correspondence and commercial professions. The staff in these emblems represents the axis mundi while the serpents act as guardians of, or guides to, knowledge. Snake lying against Wheel. The snake represents Set, the Egyptian god of evil. He also represents death and rebirth. However the other message of the snake is about creating form from energy. The snake is wrapped around the Magicians waist. Through will and cosmic manifestation creation happens on earth. We are co-creators of our life and destiny. The snake also reminds us that we have to shed the old skin (habits etc) in order to grow the new. he number of The Wheel of Fortune is 10. 10 is often seen as a combination of 0 and 1. Nothing and the first manifestation. The Creator represents 10 therefore because the Creator makes something out of nothing. The creators of the Rider Waite Tarot deck were members of the Golden Dawn, a group that had many teachings based on the mystical Kabbalah of the Jewish nation. When I say Kabbalah forget about monotheism, Judaism, God, and religion for a moment. Kabbalists are mystics in a sense. They believe God is neither male nor female and in fact has many aspects. Their systems are all about learning why we are here, the mystery of the universe and what the big plan is. Inside the Rider Waite deck is a multitude of Kabbalistic meanings. I will briefly explain a few of the Kabbalistic meanings within The Emperor card. Believe me when I say you could learn for the rest of your life about Tarot and Kabbalah and still only scratch the surface. I’m keeping it superficial but easy to understand. I am also using on purpose the word Kabbalah rather than Cabala. The Wheel of Fortune is represented by the letter Kaph – כ – which is the first letter in the name of God. The Wheel of Fortune on The Tree of Life sits on the path between Chesed and Netzach. In Kabbalah the number 10 is a number of completion of a cycle and the beginning of another. We have 10 sephiroth on the Tree of Life describing the process of Creation. We have the 10 commandments which describe how to create a world that reflects God. 10 is also two numbers – 0 and 1. 0 is the Fool (nothing) and 1 is the Magician (manifesting out of nothing). Together they explain how God created the universe. The name of this Wheel is ‘Rewarding Intelligence of Those Who Seek’ and means that those who seek for the understanding of the greater picture will be rewarded. In other words, ‘Seek, and ye shall find’. If we go into more detail we can explore the letters on the orange wheel. In Gematria TARO adds up to 671 and the name of God יהוה adds up to 26. Together the total number is 697 which breaks down to 22.,22 is the number of cards in the Major Arcana deck and the number of Hebrew letters in the alphabet.

Around 250 B.C., a Greek philosopher named Eratosthenes used an obelisk to calculate the circumference of the Earth. He knew that at noon on the Summer Solstice, obelisks in the city of Swenet (modern day Aswan) would cast no shadow because the sun would be directly overhead (or zero degrees up). He also knew that at that very same time in Alexandria, obelisks did cast shadows. Measuring that shadow against the tip of the obelisk, he came to the conclusion that the difference in degrees between Alexandria and Swenet: seven degrees, 14 minutes—one-fiftieth the circumference of a circle. He applied the physical distance between the two cities and concluded that the circumference of the Earth was (in modern units) 40,000 kilometers. This isn’t the correct number, though his methods were perfect: at the time it was impossible to know the precise distance between Alexandria and Swenet. If we apply Eratosthenes's formula today, we get a number astonishingly close to the actual circumference of the Earth. In fact, even his inexact figure was more precise than the one used by Christopher Columbus 1700 years later. Had he used Eratosthenes’s estimation, Columbus would have known immediately that he hadn’t reached India. True obelisks as conceived by the ancient Egyptians are “monolithic,” or made from a single piece of stone. (The literal translation of monolith—a Greek word—is “one stone.” On that note, the word “obelisk” is also Greek, derived from obeliskos, or skewer. An ancient Egyptian would have called an obelisk a tekhen.) The obelisk at the center of Place de la Concorde, for example, is monolithic. It is 3300 years old and once marked the entrance to the Temple of Thebes in Egypt. So difficult is the feat of building a monolithic obelisk that Pharaoh Hatshepsut had inscribed at the base of one of her obelisks the proud declaration: “without seam, without joining together.” Nobody knows exactly why obelisks were built, or even how. Granite is really hard—a 6.5 on the Mohs scale (diamond being a 10)—and to shape it, you need something even harder. The metals available at the time were either too soft (gold, copper, bronze) or too difficult to use for tools (iron’s melting point is 1,538 °C; the Egyptians wouldn’t have iron smelting until 600 B.C.). The Egyptians likely used balls of dolerite to shape the obelisks, which, Gordon notes, would have required “an infinity of human effort.” Hundreds of workers would have each had to pound granite into shape using dolerite balls that weighed up to 12 pounds. This doesn’t even address the issue of how one might move a 100-foot, 400-ton column from the quarry to its destination. While there are many hypotheses, nobody knows precisely how they did it. Until the 19th century, hieroglyphics were thought to be untranslatable—mystical symbols with no coherent message beneath. Jean-François Champollion, a French Egyptologist and linguist, thought differently, and made it his life’s purpose to figure them out. His first success came from the Rosetta Stone, from which he divined the name “Ptolemy” from the symbols. In 1819, “Ptolemy” was also discovered written on an obelisk which had just been brought back to England—the Philae obelisk. The “p,” “o,” and “l” on the obelisk also featured elsewhere on it, in the perfect spots to spell the name “Cleopatra.” (Not that Cleopatra; the much earlier Queen Cleopatra IX of Ptolemy.) With those clues, and using this obelisk, Champollion managed to crack the mysterious code of hieroglyphics, translating their words and thus unlocking the secrets of ancient Egypt. (Almost 200 years later, the European Space Agency’s mission to land a spacecraft on a comet commemorated these events; the spacecraft is named Rosetta. The lander is named Philae.)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_mundi

ZORKI test : Industar -26M 50mm f2.8 03 by Peter Elgar

8 1

Some quick B&W tests of the ZORKI 4 in poor light around Brentwood on expired FP4+ . I used 3 lenses,mostly near full aperture as film was rated only 80 ASA. The supplied INDUSTAR 26M 50mm f2.8 couples BUT my other lenses do not work with the Rangefinder on this ZORKI or indeed on my FED 4 so I have to set distance by 'Estimation' ( or GUESS ! ) Here I used f4.5 and 1/125th

Mila Kunis Net Worth by celebrity post

From the last estimation, Mila Kunis has a net worth of $30 million dollars, according to the stats.

celebritypost.net/mila-kunis-net-worth/

Boulevard de Port Royal - Paris (France) by Perry Tak

12 2

PA_1498 [30 points]

I visited this first Paris space invader in the year 2024 when it was fresher than fresh. My estimation is one day after invasion. As we speak (*March 2024) I still have to come back for a better shot of this blue camo style invader in the 5ème arrondissement of Paris. This evening was not perfect for a good shot. The yellow colored street lights does not help as well (LED is much better for street photography at night).

Onscreen FlashInvaders message: HAPPY NEW YEAR

All my photos of PA_1498:

PA_1498 (Close-up, April 2024)

PA_1498 (Wide shot, January 2024)

Date of invasion: 11/01/2024 (worldwide # 4167)

[ I encountered PA_1498 one day after invasion ]

St Apollonia (15th Century) by Simon Knott

12 4

St Michael, Barton Turf, Norfolk

Here we are in the meadows and copses to the north of Wroxham on the quieter side of the Broads, and although Barton Turf sits beside Barton Broad its church is a way off alone in the fields, and you would not know that the water was anywhere near. The tall tower is a landmark for miles around, but closer to the trees in the sprawling churchyard huddle around it and reveal tantalising glimpses of the wide aisles and chancel as you cycle or walk up the zigzagging lanes. On a winter day with the rooks cruising around them the trees can make Barton Turf church seem rather a forbidding place, but in high summer they are as glorious as the building they guard.

The long path leads up to a fortress-like north porch, which in the past was not inappropriate because when I first came here at the start of the century the church was kept locked without a keyholder notice. On that occasion I had to make phone calls and jump through hoops to be given permission to borrow the key from one of the biggest houses of which I've ever knocked on the door. But for many years now St Michael has been open every day, and I do not recall what it was like before with intent to admonish the parish for their former behaviour, but simply to point out that circumstances change and you should never give up hope, for now this is one of the most welcoming churches in the area.

A wander around the churchyard reveals the sombre memorial against the south porch which remembers four young brothers who drowned in Barton Broad on Boxing Day 1781. To the west of the church a deeply cut memorial of the 1880s tells us that eleven year old Joseph Coleman was suddenly called from time into eternity at Norwich Hospital. Then you step through that grand north porch with its triple image niches into a wide open space full of light, for there is very little coloured glass here. Brick pamment floors sprawl beneath your feet, the nave and aisles filled with low 19th Century benches which are unfortunate but not intrusive. As if to complement the width of the church the font is a wide version of one of those traceried fonts common in these parts in the second half of the 14th Century, now sitting on a low modern pedestal, and perhaps you begin to get a sense of the harmony of the interior, as if calculated to reveal the full drama of the view to the east, for beyond the benches at the east end of the nave stands Barton Turf's great glory, the late 15th Century screen.

The structure sits beneath the chancel arch, its drama heightened by the way both aisles continue up to flank the chancel beyond. It is perhaps not as magnificent as the famous screen not far off at Ranworth, but the painting of the figures on the dado panels is generally considered amongst the finest in England. There are twelve figures, six on each side, and they depict three saints and nine of the Orders of Angels. It is these angels which almost stop the heart in wonder, for they are remarkable.

The north range features I: St Apollonia with her pincers and tooth, II: St Sitha with her household keys, and then four of the orders of angels: III: Powers, IV: Virtues, V: Dominations and VI: Seraphim. Partnering this last, the south range begins with VII: Cherubim, and then continues VIII: Principalities, IX: Thrones, X: Archangels and XI: Angels, before finishing with XII: St Barbara holding her tower. The orders of angels can also be found over the border in Suffolk at Southwold, Hitcham and Blundeston, but nothing like as good in quality. The exquisite beauty of the angels' faces is accentuated by the fact that two of them, Dominations (V) and Seraphim (VI), have their faces unrestored, and remain as they were when fundamentalist members of the congregation here scratched them out in response to the Injunctions against Images of the 1540s. Memorable too are the monstrous creature at the feet of Powers (III), the urine flask held by Principalities (VIII) and the naked sinners cosying up to Angels (XI).

The entrance to the south chancel aisle also has a screen, and it is curious. It features four kings, all easily recognisable. From the left they are Henry VI (considered a Saint by many in the late Middle Ages, but the Reformation intervened before his canonisation) St Edmund, St Edward the Confessor, and St Olaf of Norway. The quality is primitive compared with that of the roodscreen, and you might think it earlier if it were not for the inclusion of Henry VI, which gives us a terminus ante quem of 1471, suggesting that it is roughly contemporary with the roodscreen, and indeed we might think it later still, perhaps an early 16th Century attempt by locals to add to the glory of the adjacent screen. Of course, it is not impossible that it was placed elsewhere originally.

Collected fragments of 15th Century glass now reset as a panel in the south aisle include that popular late medieval image of angels peeling back the roof of the stable to see the Christ child, a fragment of a now-lost nativity scene. Perhaps it was broken up by the same enthusiastic 16th Century parishioners who defaced the screen. The fragments also include the triple-crowned head of St Gregory.

A not-wholly attractive cherub leans with an upturned torch, weeping beside a broken pillar on the 1787 memorial to Sarah Norris who lies, we are told, in the same vault which contains the bodies of her husband and son. It goes on to say that when she was deprived of an only son eminent for his virtues and abilities, her orphan nieces became the objects of her care and bounty. A broken pillar often represents a life cut short, but Sarah lived her full three score years and ten so perhaps in this case it was intended merely as a compliment.

A curiously undated, but obviously late 19th Century plaque at the west end records the gift by John Francis of the interest of £1100 in three percent consols to be expended in the purchase of clothing, bread and coals to be distributed during the winter of each year amongst the deserving poor of this parish who attend this church. Three per cent consols were a form of government borrowing that had been offered in 1855 providing a form of annuity for investors. Surprisingly, they were finally paid off as recently as 2015 by the coalition government.

John Francis's inscription goes on to tell us that he also in his lifetime inserted a beautiful stained glass window over the west door of this church in memory of the members of his family. This glass, by Ward & Hughes, is there today, and although we might wish it away so that clear light might play across the woodwork on a bright summer evening or a winter afternoon, it is by no means the worst work of that sometimes unfortunate workshop, and tucked away beneath the tower does not intrude too much.

On the day of the National Census of Religious Worship of 1851, the registrar John Dix gave a figure of 70 people who had made the journey across the fields to attend morning worship at Barton Turf, 30 of whom were scholars and thus for them attendance would have been compulsory. Dix added the note that I certify the foregoing return to be the best estimation I can make, so we might judge that it would not have been higher than this. Out of a parish population of 429 this is barely one in six, even if we include the scholars, which is rather low for east Norfolk. Meanwhile, 36 people stayed in the village to attend morning service at the Methodist chapel. It is likely that rather more than either of these two congregations were attending non-conformist services elsewhere, and were probably among the several hundred congregants at William Spurgeon's Baptist church a few miles off at Neatishead, for these were heady times for non-conformist worship, and the 19th Century Anglican revival in East Anglia was only just beginning.

Now then, now then... by Stephen Dowle

20 19

I suppose everyone makes this claim now, but I can assert with complete ease of conscience that I "saw through" Jimmy Savile throughout the years of his celebrity. I don't mean, of course, that I knew what he was "up to", but I could never understand how any sensible person could accept this unprepossessing, peroxide blond, middle-aged teenager, with all his idiotic mannerisms, gimmicks and catchphrases, at his own, or the BBC's, estimation of himself. Millions did. I thought him a complete embarrassment and, even as a clueless, pop-crazed teenager, I groaned when he appeared as the week's presenter of Top of the Pops. So BR's lustre did not increase in my eyes when it enlisted this "outrageous" larger-than-life, cigar-chomping buffoon to endorse its services in a series of television advertisements. I groaned afresh.

Did the re-branding of Cheap Day Return fares as "Awaydays" coincide with the "Age of the Train" campaign? I can't remember, but when booking a ticket I made sure not to ask for it by its ridiculous new name. Bristol Parkway-Merthyr Tydfil-Bristol Parkway (91 miles) is the evidence preserved in my record of rail travel. It was the last outing of the year, Friday 29th December 1978. Knowing the likely workings of my own mind, it is probable that I booked a Cheap Day Return to Cardiff, then re-booked for the onward leg to Merthyr. This would have allowed me to break my journey at Cardiff and get out for a few snaps. Negative sequence establishes that this shot was taken on the way back.

This agreeable vehicle was a Willowbrook-bodied Leyland Leopard PSU4A/2R, new to Western Welsh in April 1971. By now its original owner had absorbed Red & White and the combined company was known as National Welsh. The Red & White fleet numbering system, in which the last two digits represented the year the vehicle was new, had been adopted. Shortly afterwards, Guys 'n' Gals, I must have legged it across the road to the station and hopped aboard my homeward-bound train. At this time of year the light was failing.

Paraponera clavata by Photo Next Gen

Paraponera clavata

Empilements de 141 photos de 144µm/step en mode manuel 65mm - f/2,8 - 1/4” - ISO 100 - rapport 1,5:1

Boitier Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + Objectif Canon MP-E 65 mm f/2,8 1:1 ~ 5:1 + flash Canon MT-24EX Macro Twin Lite + rail macro motorisé et contrôleur Cognisys Stackshot 3X.

Logiciel de stacking : ZereneStacker (PMax + DMap estimation radius 5/smoothing radius 2).

Post traitement : ZereneStacker, Lightroom, Photoshop.

Glass Palace, Buen Retiro Park, Madrid, Kingdom of Spain. by PHOTOGRAPHY by DM & DBM.

11 1

The Palacio de Cristal ("Glass Palace") is a 19th-century conservatory located in the Buen Retiro Park in Madrid, Spain. It is currently used for art exhibitions.

The Palacio de Cristal, in the shape of a Greek cross, is made almost entirely of glass set in an iron framework on a brick base, which is decorated with ceramics. Its cupola makes the structure over 22 metres high. When it was erected, glass and iron construction on a large scale was already to be seen in Madrid at Delicias station (1880), the work of a French architect; however, the curved architecture of the Palacio de Cristal is more comparable to the techniques pioneered by the British architects Joseph Paxton (who was responsible for London's Crystal Palace) and Decimus Burton (who was responsible for the Palm House at Kew Gardens). The Palacio de Cristal was, alongside the Pabellón Central, one of the main venues of the 1887 Philippines Exposition.

The cast-iron frame was manufactured in Bilbao. The structure was designed in a way that would allow it to be re-erected on another site (as happened to the equivalent building in London). However, the building has remained on the original site, next to a lake, and has been restored to its original appearance. It is no longer used as a greenhouse, and is currently used for art exhibits.

The Crystal Palace belongs to the Reina Sofía Museum, and is one of its temporary exposition centres together with Velázquez Palace.

The Buen Retiro Park (Spanish: Parque del Buen Retiro, literally "Good Retreat Park"), Retiro Park or simply El Retiro is one of the largest parks of the city of Madrid, Spain. The park belonged to the Spanish monarchy until 1868, when it became a public park.

The park is 1.4 km2 (350 acres), at the edge of the city centre. It is near both the Puerta de Alcalá and the Museo del Prado. It has gardens, monuments, galleries, an artificial lake, and venues which host a variety of events. The park is surrounded by the city of Madrid.

In 2021, Buen Retiro Park became part of a combined UNESCO World Heritage Site with Paseo del Prado.

In 1505, the Jeronimos monastery was moved to the present site of the Church of Saint Jerome the Royal, and built in the style of Isabelline Gothic. The royal family had a retreat built as part of the church. King Philip II (r. 1556–1598) moved the Spanish court to Madrid in 1561. Philip had the Retiro enlarged by his architect Juan Bautista de Toledo, and formal avenues of trees were laid out.

The gardens were extended in the 1620s, when Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares, gave the king several tracts of land in the vicinity for the court's recreational use. Olivares, in the king's favor, built a royal residence that was superior to the villas that had been built for the Roman nobles. Although this second royal residence was to be built in what were then outlying areas of Madrid, it was not far from the existing Alcázar, and the location was ideal.

In the 1630s, the buildings for the palace were built under the supervision of architects Giovanni Battista Crescenzi and Alonso Carbonell. Two of the buildings remain: the Casón del Buen Retiro, which served as a ballroom, and the Hall of Realms.

The Count-Duke of Olivares commissioned the park in the 1630s. It was designed by Cosimo Lotti, a garden designer who had worked on the layout of the Boboli Gardens. Water was a distinguishing feature of the garden from its beginning. The layout of the gardens were defined by water features including the great pond, the great canal, the narrow channel, and the chamfered or bellflower pond.

Buen Retiro became the center of Habsburg court life at a time when Spain was a world power. During the reigns of Philip IV and Charles II several plays were performed in the park for the royal family and the court.

The gardens were neglected after the death of Philip IV in 1665, but have been restored and changed on many occasions. Philip V ordered the creation of a parterre, the only French-style garden in the complex. During the reign of Ferdinand VI, Buen Retiro was the setting for Italian operas. Charles III (1759–1788) ordered the replacement of the old walls with wrought-iron railings. The Buen Retiro Palace was used until the era of Charles III. Juan de Villanueva's Astronomical Observatory was built during the reign of Charles IV (1788–1808).

Most of the palace and its gardens were destroyed during the Peninsular War (1807–1814) when the troops of the First French Empire built the Citadel of Madrid in its grounds. The park had many changes during Queen Isabella II's reign. Many trees were planted and previously unplanted areas were landscaped. In 1868, when Queen Isabella was overthrown, the gardens passed to public ownership.

In 1883 the park hosted the Exposición Nacional de Minería. 14 hectares of the park served as fairgrounds of the 1887 Philippines Exposition, which included a human zoo. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Monument to Alfonso XII of Spain, designed by José Grases Riera, was built next to the pond. Countless statues, fountains and commemorative monuments have filled the park and converted it into an open-air sculpture museum. New gardens were created during the 1930s and 40s, attributed to Chief Gardener Cecilio Rodriguez, who designed and built the rose garden.

Close to the northern entrance of the park is the Estanque del Retiro ("Retirement Pond"), a large artificial pond. Next to it is the monument to King Alfonso XII, featuring a semicircular colonnade and an equestrian statue of the monarch on the top of a tall central core.

The Rosaleda (rose garden) is an early 20th century feature inspired by the Bagatelle rose garden in the Bois de Boulogne. Near the roses stands the Fountain of the Fallen Angel, erected in 1922, whose main sculpture El Angel Caído (at the top) is a work by Ricardo Bellver (1845–1924) inspired by a passage from John Milton's Paradise Lost, which represents Lucifer falling from Heaven. It is claimed that this statue is the only known public monument of Satan.

The few remaining buildings of the Buen Retiro Palace, including Casón del Buen Retiro and the Salon de Reinos, now house museum collections. The Casón has a collection of 19th- and 20th-century paintings, including art by the Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla. The Ejército, one of Spain's foremost Army museums, has moved to Toledo.

Since assuming its role as a public park the late 19th century, the "Parque del Retiro" has been used as a venue for various international exhibitions. Several emblematic buildings have remained as testimony to such events, including the Mining building, popularly known as the Velázquez Palace (1884) by architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco, who designed the Palacio de Cristal ("Crystal Palace"), a glass pavilion inspired by The Crystal Palace in London, undoubtedly the gardens' most extraordinary building. Built along with its artificial pond in 1887 for the Philippine Islands Exhibitions, the Palacio de Cristal was first used to display flower species indigenous to the archipelago. The landscape-style gardens located in the former "Campo Grande" are also a reminder of the international exhibitions that have taken place here in the past.

The Paseo de la Argentina, also known as Paseo de las Estatuas ("Statue Walk"), is decorated with some of the statues of kings from the Royal Palace, sculpted between 1750 and 1753.

There are art galleries in the Crystal Palace, Palacio de Velázquez, and Casa de Vacas.

In the Retiro Park is the Forest of Remembrance (Bosque del recuerdo), a memorial monument to commemorate the 191 victims of the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks.

From late May through early October, every Sunday at midday, the Banda Sinfónica de Madrid gives free concerts from the bandstand in the park near the Calle de Alcalá. Manuel Lillo Torregrosa composed 'Kiosko del Retiro' to this bandstand.

The park features an annual Book Fair. Not only is there an annual book fair, but shelves for used books where people will drop off their used books, magazines, or newspapers. There are events throughout the year such as concerts, firework shows, and holiday/cultural events.

There is an outdoor exercising area for both the old and the young. While the older one includes equipment to stretch, keep arthritis in check, and keeps the elderly active with things such as bicycle pedals. The younger portion includes bars for triceps dips, pull-ups, sit-ups, and locals have brought bigger stones to use as weights.

Around the lake, Retiro Pond, many puppet shows, street performers, and fortune tellers perform. Rowboats can be rented to paddle around the Estanque, and horse-drawn carriages are available.

Retiro provides multiple different sports courts that are managed by the city.

There are multiple playground areas. The inside of the Palacio de Cristal has been modified to include a stone slide.

The major paths and walkways are used by families, runners, bikers and rollerbladers.

Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and its monocentric metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU. The municipality covers 604.3 km2 (233.3 sq mi) geographical area. Madrid lies on the River Manzanares in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula at about 650 meters above mean sea level. The capital city of both Spain and the surrounding autonomous community of Madrid (since 1983), it is also the political, economic, and cultural centre of the country. The climate of Madrid features hot summers and cool winters.

The Madrid urban agglomeration has the second-largest GDP in the European Union and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, environment, media, fashion, science, culture, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. Due to its economic output, high standard of living, and market size, Madrid is considered the major financial centre and the leading economic hub of the Iberian Peninsula and of Southern Europe. The metropolitan area hosts major Spanish companies such as Telefónica, Iberia, BBVA and FCC. It concentrates the bulk of banking operations in the country and it is the Spanish-speaking city generating the largest amount of webpages. For innovation, Madrid is ranked 19th in the world and 7th in Europe from 500 cities, in the 2022–2023 annual analysts Innovation Cities Index, published by 2ThinkNow.

Madrid houses the headquarters of the UN's World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI), and the Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB). It also hosts major international regulators and promoters of the Spanish language: the Standing Committee of the Association of Spanish Language Academies, headquarters of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), the Instituto Cervantes and the Foundation of Urgent Spanish (FundéuRAE). Madrid organises fairs such as FITUR, ARCO, SIMO TCI and the Madrid Fashion Week. Madrid is home to two world-famous football clubs, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.

While Madrid possesses modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighbourhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace of Madrid; the Royal Theatre with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro Park, founded in 1631; the 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; many national museums, and the Golden Triangle of Art, located along the Paseo del Prado and comprising three art museums: Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Museum, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which complements the holdings of the other two museums. Cibeles Palace and Fountain has become one of the monument symbols of the city. The mayor is José Luis Martínez-Almeida from the People's Party.

The documented history of Madrid dates to the 9th century, even though the area has been inhabited since the Stone Age. The primitive nucleus of Madrid, a walled military outpost in the left bank of the Manzanares, dates back to the second half of the 9th century, during the rule of the Emirate of Córdoba. Conquered by Christians in 1083 or 1085, Madrid consolidated in the Late Middle Ages as a middle to upper-middle rank town of the Crown of Castile. The development of Madrid as administrative centre began when the court of the Hispanic Monarchy was settled in the town in 1561.

The primitive urban nucleus of Madrid (Majriṭ) was founded in the late 9th century (from 852 to 886) as a citadel erected on behalf of Muhammad I, the Cordobese emir, on the relatively steep left bank of the Manzanares. Originally it was largely a military outpost for the quartering of troops. Similarly to other fortresses north of the Tagus, Madrid made it difficult to muster reinforcements from the Asturian kingdom to the unruly inhabitants of Toledo, prone to rebellion against the Umayyad rule. Extending across roughly 8 ha, Muslim Madrid consisted of the alcázar and the wider walled citadel (al-Mudayna) with the addition of some housing outside the walls. By the late 10th century, Majriṭ was an important borderland military stronghold territory with great strategic value, owing to its proximity to Toledo. The most generous estimates for the 10th century tentatively and intuitively put the number of inhabitants of the 9 ha settlement at 2,000. The model of repopulation is likely to have been by the Limitanei, characteristic of the borderlands.

The settlement is mentioned in the work of the 10th-century Cordobese chronicler Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Razi, with the latter locating the Castle of Madrid within the district of Guadalajara. After the Christian conquest, in the first half of the 12th century Al-Idrisi described Madrid as a "small city and solid fortress, well populated. In the age of Islam, it had a small mosque where the khuṭbah was always delivered," and placed it in the province of the sierra, "al-Sārrāt". It was ascribed by most post-Christian conquest Muslim commentators, including Ibn Sa'id al-Maghribi, to Toledo. This may tentatively suggest that the settlement, part of the cora of Guadalajara according to al-Razi, could have been transferred to Toledo following the Fitna of al-Andalus.

The city passed to Christian control in the context of the conquest of Toledo; historiography debates whether if the event took place in 1083, before the conquest of Toledo, in the wake of negotiations between Alfonso VI and al-Qadir, or afterwards, as a direct consequence of the seizure of Toledo in 1085.

The mosque was reconsecrated as the church of the Virgin of Almudena (almudin, the garrison's granary). The society in the 11th and 12th centuries was structured around knight-villeins as a leading class in the local public, social and economic life. The town had a Muslim and mozarabic preexisting population (a number of the former would remain in the town after the conquest while the later community would remain very large throughout the high middle ages before merging with the new settlers). The town was further repopulated by settlers with a dominant Castilian-Leonese extraction. Frank settlers were a minority but influential community. The Jewish community was probably smaller in number than the mudéjar one, standing out as physicians up until their expulsion. By the end of the middle ages, the best-positioned members of the mudéjar community were the alarifes ('master builders'), who were tasked with public works (including the management of the viajes de agua), and had a leading role in the urbanism of the town in the 15th century.

Since the mid-13th century and up to the late 14th century, the concejo of Madrid vied for the control of the Real de Manzanares territory against the concejo of Segovia, a powerful town north of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range, characterised by its repopulating prowess and its husbandry-based economy, contrasted by the agricultural and less competent in repopulation town of Madrid. After the decline of Sepúlveda, another concejo north of the mountain range, Segovia had become a major actor south of the Guadarrama mountains, expanding across the Lozoya and Manzanares rivers to the north of Madrid and along the Guadarrama river course to its west.

The society of Madrid before the 15th century was an agriculture-based one (prevailing over livestock), featuring a noteworthy number of irrigated crops.[16] Two important industries were those of the manufacturing of building materials and leather.

John I of Castile gifted Leo V of Armenia the lordship of Madrid together with those of Villa Real and Andújar in 1383. The Madrilenian concejo made sure that the privilege of lordship did not become hereditary, also presumably receiving a non-sale privilege guaranteeing never again to be handed over by the Crown to a lord.

Later, Henry III of Castile (1379–1406) rebuilt the town after it was destroyed by fire, and he founded El Pardo just outside its walls.

During the 15th century, the town became one of the preferred locations of the monarchs of the Trastámara dynasty, namely John II of Castile and Henry IV of Castile (Madrid was the town in which the latter spent more time and eventually died). Among the appeals the town offered, aside from the abundant game in the surroundings, the strategic location and the closed link between the existing religious sites and the monarchy, the imposing alcázar frequently provided a safe for the Royal Treasure. The town briefly hosted a medieval mint, manufacturing coins from 1467 to 1471. Madrid would also become a frequent seat of the court during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, spending reportedly more than 1000 days in the town, including a 8-month long uninterrupted spell.

By the end of the Middle Ages, Madrid was placed as middle to upper-middle rank town of the Castilian urban network in terms of population. The town also enjoyed a vote at the Cortes of Castile (one out of 18) and housed many hermitages and hospitals.

Facing the 1492 decree of expulsion, few local Jews opted for leaving, with most preferring to convert instead, remaining as a non-fully assimilated converso community, subject to rejection by Old Christians. Likewise, adoption of Christianism by the mudéjar community facing the 1502 pragmatic law of forced conversion was also widespread. Seeking to protect its economic interests, the council actively promoted assimilation in the latter case by awarding tax and economic benefits, and gifts.

The 1520–21 Revolt of the Comuneros succeeded in Madrid, as, following contacts with the neighbouring city of Toledo, the comunero rebels deposed the corregidor, named Antonio de Astudillo, by 17 June 1520. Juan Zapata and Pedro de Montemayor found themselves among the most uncompromising supporters of the comunero cause in Madrid, with the former becoming the captain of the local militias while the later was captured by royalists and executed by late 1520. The end of revolt came through a negotiation, though, and another two of the leading figures of the uprising (the Bachelor Castillo and Juan Negrete) went unpunished.

Philip II (1527–1598), moved the court to Madrid in 1561. Although he made no official declaration, the seat of the court became the de facto capital. Unlikely to have more than 20,000 inhabitants by the time, the city grew approaching the 100,000 mark by the end of the 16th century. The population plummeted (reportedly reduced to a half) during the 5-year period the capital was set in Valladolid (1601–1606), with estimations of roughly 50–60,000 people leaving the city. The move (often framed in modern usage as a case of real estate speculation) was promoted by the valido of Philip III, Duke of Lerma, who had previously acquired many properties in Valladolid. Madrid undertook a mammoth cultural and economic crisis and the decimation of the price of housing ensued. Lerma acquired then cheap real estate in Madrid, and suggested the King to move back the capital to Madrid. The king finally accepted the additional 250,000 ducats offered by the town of Madrid in order to help financing the move of the royal court back to Madrid.

During the 17th century, Madrid had a estate-based society. The nobility, a quantitatively large group, swarmed around the royal court. The ecclesial hierarchy, featuring a nobiliary extraction, shared with the nobility the echelon of the Madrilenian society. The lower clergy, featuring a humble extraction, usually had a rural background, although clerics regular often required certifications of limpieza de sangre if not hidalguía. There were plenty of civil servants, who enjoyed considerable social prestige. There was a comparatively small number of craftsmen, traders and goldsmiths. Domestic staff was also common with servants such as pages, squires, butlers and also slaves (owned as symbol of social status). And lastly at the lowest end, there were homeless people, unemployed immigrants, and discharged soldiers and deserters.

During the 17th century, Madrid grew rapidly. The royal court attracted many of Spain's leading artists and writers to Madrid, including Cervantes, Lope de Vega, and Velázquez during the so-called cultural Siglo de Oro.

By the end of the Ancient Regime, Madrid hosted a slave population, tentatively estimated to range from 6,000 to 15,000 out of total population larger than 150,000. Unlike the case of other Spanish cities, during the 18th century the slave population in Madrid was unbalanced in favour of males over females.

In 1739 Philip V began constructing new palaces, including the Palacio Real de Madrid. Under Charles III (1716–1788) that Madrid became a truly modern city. Charles III, who cleaned up the city and its government, became one of the most popular kings to rule Madrid, and the saying "the best mayor, the king" became widespread. Besides completing the Palacio Real, Charles III is responsible for many of Madrid's finest buildings and monuments, including the Prado and the Puerta de Alcalá.

Amid one of the worst subsistence crises of the Bourbon monarchy, the installation of news lanterns for the developing street lighting system—part of the new modernization policies of the Marquis of Esquilache, the new Sicilian minister—led to an increase on oil prices. This added to an increasing tax burden imposed on a populace already at the brink of famine.[42] In this context, following the enforcing of a ban of the traditional Spanish dress (long cape and a wide-brimmed hat) in order to facilitate the identification of criminal suspects, massive riots erupted in March 1766 in Madrid, the so-called "Mutiny of Esquilache".

During the second half of the 18th century, the increasing number of carriages brought a collateral increment of pedestrian accidents, forcing the authorities to take measures against traffic, limiting the number of animals per carriage (in order to reduce speed) and eventually decreeing the full ban of carriages in the city (1787).

On 27 October 1807, Charles IV and Napoleon signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau, which allowed French troops passage through Spanish territory to join Spanish troops and invade Portugal, which had refused to obey the order for an international blockade against England. In February 1808, Napoleon used the excuse that the blockade against England was not being respected at Portuguese ports to send a powerful army under his brother-in-law, General Joachim Murat. Contrary to the treaty, French troops entered via Catalonia, occupying the plazas along the way. Thus, throughout February and March 1808, cities such as Barcelona and Pamplona remained under French rule.

While all this was happening, the Mutiny of Aranjuez (17 March 1808) took place, led by Charles IV's own son, crown prince Ferdinand, and directed against him. Charles IV resigned and Ferdinand took his place as King Ferdinand VII. In May 1808, Napoleon's troops entered the city. On 2 May 1808 (Spanish: Dos de Mayo), the Madrileños revolted against the French forces, whose brutal behavior would have a lasting impact on French rule in Spain and France's image in Europe in general. Thus, Ferdinand VII returned to a city that had been occupied by Murat.

Both the king and his father became virtual prisoners of the French army. Napoleon, taking advantage of the weakness of the Bourbons, forced both, first the father and then the son, to meet him at Bayonne, where Ferdinand VII arrived on 20 April. Here Napoleon forced both kings to abdicate on 5 May, handing the throne to his brother Joseph Bonaparte.

On 2 May, the crowd began to concentrate at the Palacio Real and watched as the French soldiers removed the royal family members from the palace. On seeing the infante Francisco de Paula struggling with his captor, the crowd launched an assault on the carriages, shouting ¡Que se lo llevan! (They're taking him away from us!). French soldiers fired into the crowd. The fighting lasted for hours and is reflected in Goya's painting, The Second of May 1808, also known as The Charge of the Mamelukes.

Meanwhile, the Spanish military remained garrisoned and passive. Only the artillery barracks at Monteleón under Captain Luis Daoíz y Torres, manned by four officers, three NCOs and ten men, resisted. They were later reinforced by a further 33 men and two officers led by Pedro Velarde y Santillán, and distributed weapons to the civilian population. After repelling a first attack under French General Lefranc, both Spanish commanders died fighting heroically against reinforcements sent by Murat. Gradually, the pockets of resistance fell. Hundreds of Spanish men and women and French soldiers were killed in this skirmish.

On 12 August 1812, following the defeat of the French forces at Salamanca, English and Portuguese troops entered Madrid and surrounded the fortified area occupied by the French in the district of Retiro. Following two days of Siege warfare, the 1,700 French surrendered and a large store of arms, 20,000 muskets and 180 cannon, together with many other supplies were captured, along with two French Imperial Eagles.

"In the early years of this century, Madrid was a very ugly town, with few architectural monuments, with horrible housing."

Antonio Alcalá Galiano. Recuerdos de un anciano.

On 29 October, Hill received Wellington's positive order to abandon Madrid and march to join him. After a clash with Soult's advance guard at Perales de Tajuña on the 30th, Hill broke contact and withdrew in the direction of Alba de Tormes. Joseph re-entered his capital on 2 November.

After the war of independence Ferdinand VII returned to the throne (1814). The projects of reform by Joseph Bonaparte were abandoned; during the Fernandine period, despite the proposal of several architectural projects for the city, the lack of ability to finance those led to works often being postponed or halted.

After a liberal military revolution, Colonel Riego made the king swear to respect the Constitution. Liberal and conservative government thereafter alternated, ending with the enthronement of Isabella II.

At the time the reign of Isabella II started, the city was still enclosed behind its walls, featuring a relatively slow demographic growth as well as very high population density. After the 1833 administrative reforms for the country devised by Javier de Burgos (including the configuration of the current province of Madrid), Madrid was to become the capital of the new liberal state.

Madrid experienced substantial changes during the 1830s. The corregimiento and the corregidor (institutions from the Ancien Regime) were ended for good, giving rise to the constitutional alcalde in the context of the liberal transformations. Purged off from Carlist elements, the civil office and the military and palatial milieus recognised legitimacy to the dynastic rights of Isabella II.

The reforms enacted by Finance Minister Juan Álvarez Mendizábal in 1835–1836 led to the confiscation of ecclesiastical properties and the subsequent demolition of churches, convents and adjacent orchards in the city (similarly to other Spanish cities); the widening of streets and squares ensued.

In 1854, amid economic and political crisis, following the pronunciamiento of group of high officers commanded by Leopoldo O'Donnell garrisoned in the nearby town of Vicálvaro in June 1854 (the so-called "Vicalvarada"), the 7 July Manifesto of Manzanares, calling for popular rebellion, and the ousting of Luis José Sartorius from the premiership on 17 July, popular mutiny broke out in Madrid, asking for a real change of system, in what it was to be known as the Revolution of 1854. With the uprising in Madrid reaching its pinnacle on 17, 18 and 19 July, the rebels, who erected barricades in the streets, were bluntly crushed by the new government.

1858 was a marked year for the city with the arrival of the waters from the Lozoya. The Canal de Isabel II was inaugurated on 24 June 1858. A ceremony took place soon after in Calle Ancha de San Bernardo to celebrate it, unveiling a 30-metre-high water source in the middle of the street.

The plan for the Ensanche de Madrid ('widening of Madrid') by Carlos María de Castro was passed through a royal decree issued on 19 July 1860. The plan for urban expansion by Castro, a staunch Conservative, delivered a segregation of the well-off class, the middle class and the artisanate into different zones. The southern part of the Ensanche was at a disadvantage with respect to the rest of the Ensanche, insofar, located on the way to the river and at a lower altitude, it was a place of passage for the sewage runoff, thereby being described as a "space of urban degradation and misery". Beyond the Ensanches, slums and underclass neighborhoods were built in suburbs such as Tetuán, Prosperidad or Vallecas.

Student unrest took place in 1865 following the ministerial decree against the expression of ideas against the monarchy and the church and the forced removal of the rector of the Universidad Central, unwilling to submit. In a crescendo of protests, the night of 10 April 2,000 protesters clashed against the civil guard. The unrest was crudely quashed, leaving 14 deaths, 74 wounded students and 114 arrests (in what became known as the "Night of Saint Daniel"), becoming the precursor of more serious revolutionary attempts.

The Glorious Revolution resulting in the deposition of Queen Isabella II started with a pronunciamiento in the bay of Cádiz in September 1868. The success of the uprising in Madrid on 29 September prompted the French exile of the queen, who was on holiday in San Sebastián and was unable to reach the capital by train. General Juan Prim, the leader of the liberal progressives, was received by the Madrilenian people at his arrival to the city in early October in a festive mood. He pronounced his famous speech of the "three nevers" directed against the Bourbons, and delivered a highly symbolical hug to General Serrano, leader of the revolutionary forces triumphant in the 28 September battle of Alcolea, in the Puerta del Sol.

On 27 December 1870 the car in which General Prim, the prime minister, was travelling, was shot by unknown hit-men in the Turk Street, nearby the Congress of Deputies. Prim, wounded in the attack, died three days later, with the elected monarch Amadeus, Duke of Aosta, yet to swear the constitution.

The creation of the Salamanca–Sol–Pozas tram service in Madrid in 1871 meant the introduction of the first collective system of transportation in the city, predating the omnibus.

The economy of the city further modernized during the second half of the 19th century, consolidating its status as a service and financial centre. New industries were mostly focused in book publishing, construction and low-tech sectors. The introduction of railway transport greatly helped Madrid's economic prowess, and led to changes in consumption patterns (such as the substitution of salted fish for fresh fish from the Spanish coasts) as well as further strengthening the city's role as a logistics node in the country's distribution network.

The late 19th century saw the introduction of the electric power distribution. As by law, the city council could not concede an industrial monopoly to any company, the city experienced a huge competition among the companies in the electricity sector. The absence of a monopoly led to an overlapping of distribution networks, to the point that in the centre of Madrid 5 different networks could travel through the same street. Electric lighting in the streets was introduced in the 1890s.

By the end of the 19th century, the city featured access to water, a central status in the rail network, a cheap workforce and access to financial capital. With the onset of the new century, the Ensanche Sur (in the current day district of Arganzuela) started to grow to become the main industrial area of the municipality along the first half of the 20th century.

In the early 20th century Madrid undertook a major urban intervention in its city centre with the creation of the Gran Vía, a monumental thoroughfare (then divided in three segments with different names) whose construction slit the city from top to bottom with the demolition of multitude of housing and small streets. Anticipated in earlier projects, and following the signature of the contract, the works formally started in April 1910 with a ceremony led by King Alfonso XIII.

Also with the turn of the century, Madrid had become the cultural capital of Spain as centre of top knowledge institutions (the Central University, the Royal Academies, the Institución Libre de Enseñanza or the Ateneo de Madrid), also concentrating the most publishing houses and big daily newspapers, amounting for the bulk of the intellectual production in the country.

In 1919 the Madrid Metro (known as the Ferrocarril Metropolitano by that time) inaugurated its first service, which went from Sol to the Cuatro Caminos area.

In the 1919–1920 biennium Madrid witnessed the biggest wave of protests seen in the city up to that date, being the centre of innumerable strikes; despite being still surpassed by Barcelona's, the industrial city par excellence in that time, this cycle decisively set the foundations for the social unrest that took place in the 1930s in the city.

The situation the monarchy had left Madrid in 1931 was catastrophic, with tens of thousands of kids receiving no education and a huge rate of unemployment.

After the proclamation of the Second Republic on 14 April 1931 the citizens of Madrid understood the free access to the Casa de Campo (until then an enclosed property with exclusive access for the royalty), was a consequence of the fall of the monarchy, and informally occupied the area on 15 April. After the signing of a decree on 20 April which granted the area to the Madrilenian citizens in order to become a "park for recreation and instruction", the transfer was formally sealed on 6 May when Minister Indalecio Prieto formally delivered the Casa de Campo to Mayor Pedro Rico. The Spanish Constitution of 1931 was the first legislating on the state capital, setting it explicitly in Madrid. During the 1930s, Madrid enjoyed "great vitality"; it was demographically young, but also young in the sense of its relation with the modernity. During this time the prolongation of the Paseo de la Castellana towards the north was projected. The proclamation of the Republic slowed down the building of new housing. The tertiary sector gave thrust to the economy. Illiteracy rates were down to below 20%, and the city's cultural life grew notably during the so-called Silver Age of Spanish culture; the sales of newspaper also increased. Anti-clericalism and Catholicism lived side by side in Madrid; the burning of convents initiated after riots in the city in May 1931 worsened the political environment. The 1934 insurrection largely failed in Madrid.

In order to deal with the unemployment, the new Republican city council hired many jobless people as gardeners and street cleaners.

Prieto, who sought to turn the city into the "Great Madrid", capital of the Republic, charged Secundino Zuazo with the project for the opening of a south–north axis in the city through the northward enlargement of the Paseo de la Castellana and the construction of the Nuevos Ministerios administrative complex in the area (halted by the Civil War, works in the Nuevos Ministerios would finish in 1942). Works on the Ciudad Universitaria, already started during the monarchy in 1929, also resumed.

The military uprising of July 1936 was defeated in Madrid by a combination of loyal forces and workers' militias. On 20 July armed workers and loyal troops stormed the single focus of resistance, the Cuartel de La Montaña, defended by a contingent of 2,000 rebel soldiers accompanied by 500 falangists under the command of General Fanjul, killing over one hundred of rebels after their surrender. Aside from the Cuartel de la Montaña episode, the wider scheme for the coup in the capital largely failed both due to disastrous rebel planning and due to the Government delivering weapons to the people wanting to defend the Republic, with the city becoming a symbol of popular resistance, "the people in arms".

After the quelling of the coup d'état, from 1936–1939, Madrid remained under the control of forces loyal to the Republic. Following the seemingly unstoppable advance towards Madrid of rebel land troops, the first air bombings on Madrid also started. Immediately after the bombing of the nearing airports of Getafe and Cuatro Vientos, Madrid proper was bombed for the first time in the night of the 27–28 August 1936 by a Luftwaffe's Junkers Ju 52 that threw several bombs on the Ministry of War and the Station of the North. Madrid "was to become the first big European city to be bombed by aviation".

Rebel General Francisco Franco, recently given the supreme military command over his faction, took a detour in late September to "liberate" the besieged Alcázar de Toledo. Meanwhile, this operation gave time to the republicans in Madrid to build defenses and start receiving some foreign support.

The summer and autumn of 1936 saw the Republican Madrid witness of heavy-handed repression by communist and socialist groups, symbolised by the murder of prisoners in checas and sacas directed mostly against military personnel and leading politicians linked to the rebels, which, culminated by the horrific Paracuellos massacres in the context of a simultaneous major rebel offensive against the city, were halted by early December. Madrid, besieged from October 1936, saw a major offensive in its western suburbs in November of that year.

In the last weeks of the war, the collapse of the republic was speeded by Colonel Segismundo Casado, who, endorsed by some political figures such as Anarchist Cipriano Mera and Julián Besteiro, a PSOE leader who had held talks with the Falangist fifth column in the city, threw a military coup against the legitimate government under the pretext of excessive communist preponderance, propelling a mini-civil war in Madrid that, won by the casadistas, left roughly 2,000 casualties between 5–10 March 1939.

The city fell to the nationalists on 28 March 1939.

Following the onset of the Francoist dictatorship in the city, the absence of personal and associative freedoms and the heavy-hand repression of people linked to a republican past greatly deprived the city from social mobilization, trade unionism and intellectual life. This added to a climate of general shortage, with ration coupons rampant and a lingering autarchic economy lasting until the mid 1950s. Meat and fish consumption was scarce in Post-War Madrid, and starvation and lack of proteins were a cause of high mortality.

With the country ruined after the war, the Falange command had nonetheless high plans for the city and professionals sympathetic to the regime dreamed (based on an organicist conception) about the notion of building a body for the "Spanish greatness" placing a great emphasis in Madrid, what they thought to be the imperial capital of the New State. In this sense, urban planners sought to highlight and symbolically put in value the façade the city offered to the Manzanares River, the "Imperial Cornice", bringing projects to accompany the Royal Palace such as the finishing of the unfinished cathedral (with the start of works postponed to 1950 and ultimately finished in the late 20th century), a never-built "house of the Party" and many others. Nonetheless these delusions of grandeur caught up with reality and the scarcity during the Post-War and most of the projects ended up either filed, unfinished or mutilated, with the single clear success being the Gutiérrez Soto's Cuartel del Ejército del Aire.

The intense demographic growth experienced by the city via mass immigration from the rural areas of the country led to the construction of plenty of housing in the peripheral areas of the city to absorb the new population (reinforcing the processes of social polarization of the city), initially comprising substandard housing (with as many as 50,000 shacks scattered around the city by 1956). A transitional planning intended to temporarily replace the shanty towns were the poblados de absorción, introduced since the mid-1950s in locations such as Canillas, San Fermín, Caño Roto, Villaverde, Pan Bendito [es], Zofío and Fuencarral, aiming to work as a sort of "high-end" shacks (with the destinataries participating in the construction of their own housing) but under the aegis of a wider coordinated urban planning.

Together with the likes of Cairo, Santiago de Chile, Rome, Buenos Aires or Lisbon, Francoist Madrid became an important transnational hub of the global Neofascist network that facilitated the survival and resumption of (neo)fascist activities after 1945.

In the 1948–1954 period the municipality greatly increased in size through the annexation of 13 surrounding municipalities, as its total area went up from 68,42 km2 to 607,09 km2. The annexed municipalities were Chamartín de la Rosa (5 June 1948), Carabanchel Alto (29 April 1948), Carabanchel Bajo (29 April 1948), Canillas (30 March 1950), Canillejas (30 March 1950), Hortaleza (31 March 1950), Barajas (31 March 1950), Vallecas (22 December 1950), El Pardo (27 March 1951), Vicálvaro (20 October 1951), Fuencarral (20 October 1951) Aravaca (20 October 1951) and Villaverde (31 July 1954).

The population of the city peaked in 1975 at 3,228,057 inhabitants.

Benefiting from prosperity in the 1980s, Spain's capital city has consolidated its position as the leading economic, cultural, industrial, educational and technological center of the Iberian peninsula. The relative decline in population since 1975 reverted in the 1990s, with the city recovering a population of roughly 3 million inhabitants by the end of the 20th century.

Since the late 1970s and through the 1980s Madrid became the center of the cultural movement known as la Movida. Conversely, just like in the rest of the country, a heroin crisis took a toll in the poor neighborhoods of Madrid in the 1980s.

On 11 March 2004, three days before Spain's general elections and exactly 2 years and 6 months after the September 11 attacks in the US, Madrid was hit by a terrorist attack when Islamic terrorists belonging to an al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist cell placed a series of bombs on several trains during the morning rush hour, killing 191 people and injuring 1,800.

The administrations that followed Álvarez del Manzano's, also conservative, led by Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón and Ana Botella, launched three unsuccessful bids for the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics. Madrid was a centre of the anti-austerity protests that erupted in Spain in 2011. As consequence of the spillover of the 2008 financial and mortgage crisis, Madrid has been affected by the increasing number of second-hand homes held by banks and house evictions. The mandate of left-wing Mayor Manuela Carmena (2015–2019) delivered the renaturalization of the course of the Manzanares across the city.

Since the late 2010s, the challenges the city faces include the increasingly unaffordable rental prices (often in parallel with the gentrification and the spike of tourist apartments in the city centre) and the profusion of betting shops in working-class areas, equalled to an "epidemics" among the young people.

Sci-Fi Greenhouse by Raymond Bull

It's been a while since I've built any terrain for MFZ, beyond the simple walls I banged out for a game back in April of this year. I wanted to build something that looked interesting but at the same time wasn't that hard to disassemble. I think this fits the bill. By my estimations it will take three hits of damage before being brought under the height limit for Cover.

Blog post.

Brickshelf gallery.

Mobile Frame Hangar discussion topic.

Toys'N'Bricks Forum discussion thread.

37 views from the Brothers Brick.

The 28 movies I saw for the first time in 2022 :) by Josefine S. (Protected by Pixsy)

1-Jan-2022: 1. Death to 2021

Fave! Mockumentary. Sequel to "Death to 2020".

Historian Tennyson Foss on the 2020 election: "It was shaping up to be a clash of really epic proportions. Perhaps the closest historical parallel would be the battle of Hogwarts, when Lord Voldemort set every single Death Eater to attack the school and defend his final Horcruxes, which –"

Interviewer: "But isn't that Harry Po–"

Foss: :|

Interviewer: "Do go on."

Foss: "Thank you."

Penn Parker, reporter: "Here are the two Americas again, each side believing the other side is trying to kill it or enslave it, whether it's masks or vaccines or votes. They constantly yell at each other, amplified through social media and TV. But I wonder, if these two sides actually sat down with each other as human beings in real life and took time to listen to each other, then maybe, just maybe, that could spark a fucking furious fistfight. Bam, bam, bam. Wouldn't that be a spectacle?"

Narrator: "We end the year as we began it, polarized and divided. Progressives versus conservatives. Vaxxed versus unvaxxed. Science versus whatever the fucking mental opposite of fucking science is."

The never-existence of "Death to 2022" breaks my heart. :'( You know it would have been ultra-mega-spectacular. D: BRB CRYING

8-Jan-2022: 2. Life of Pi

The face of the poor little CGI fish just killed me. D':

4-Feb-2022: 3. Knives out

I was gonna include some witty quote about morphine from around 34 minutes in, but the movie was gone from Netflix by the time I started polishing this list. :/

19-Feb-2022: 4. The power of the dog

I'll never be able to castrate a tomcat as fast as that guy castrated a bull. o_O

20-Feb-2022: 5. My best friend Anne Frank

26-Feb-2022: 6. Grease

Meh. I failed to see what the fuss was about. It probably didn't help that it was the first movie I watched after being threatened with nukes for the first time. :C Fucking Putler.

6-Mar-2022: 7. The trial of the Chicago 7

Judge Hoffman: "I'd like to clarify something for the jurors. There are two Hoffmans in this courtroom. The defendant Abbie Hoffman and myself, Judge Julius Hoffman. I didn't want there to be confusion on the matter."

Abbie Hoffman: "Man, I don't think there's much chance they're gonna mix us up."

Spectators: *lol*

Judge Hoffman: "And the record should reflect that defendant Hoffman and I are not related."

Abbie Hoffman: "Father, NO!"

Spectators: *lol*

8-Mar-2022: 8. Al Pitcher - Sverige syndrome

11-Mar-2022: 9. Top Gun

25-Mar-2022: 10. Black Sea

*sweat*

If you liked this, you may also enjoy "Kursk".

*SWEAT*

26-Mar-2022: 11. A street cat named Bob

Netflix: "This is a feel-good movie lol"

Me: *spends 99% of movie being terrified for poor vulnerable cat* :'(

Wiki says:

"On the 13th June 2020, Bob was fed in the kitchen of their home in Surrey, and last seen at approximately 11:00 p.m., before James noticed he was missing half an hour later. On Monday 15 June 2020, two days after going missing, Bob was found dead at the side of a road around half a mile from his home. The cause of death was determined to be haematoma from a head-on collision with a car, the driver of which remains unknown. He was thought to be aged at least 14 to 15 years old. Bob had escaped through a skylight that had mistakenly been left ajar." xC

28-Mar-2022: 12. Kapp to Cape

Docu about 2 guys who cycle from Norway to South Africa. :O

- 1800 km

- 12 countries

- Tried to do it in 100 days and were constantly stressed out af but had to add a few more days, IIRC

- They each had to eat 7000 kcal/day

- They each drank 10 l of water/day in Egypt

31-Mar-2022: 13. The package

A subtle, sensitive comedy about a complex young man who loses his dick in a freak accident. The funniest characters were the expert dick-cleaner and the Chad-bro, whose name was Chad. xD

Youth 1: "Listen here, you little terrorist. This is my brother's dick. He's in the hospital right now, and he needs us. We need your boat so we can get to the hospital to reattach it."

Dick: *flop*

Youth 2: "Listen kid, when we're around, dicks get cut and dicks get sucked."

Dick: *wilt*

Youth 1: "I saw him suck this dick this morning."

Dick: *sag*

Youth 2: "I sucked that dick this morning! Now give us the keys!"

Boat-owning child: *SHRIEK*

9-Apr-2022: 14. 22 July

15-Apr-2022: 15. Little women

17-Apr-2022: 16. Enola Holmes

11-Jun-2022: 17. Jackass - the movie

Sigh… Well:

- The wasabi-snorting was my fave bit

- I cringed at the papercuts; a crew member barfed and fainted

- Non-human animals were harrassed :(

- The guys: *imply that gently inserting a tiny, condom-encased, lube-drenched toy car up one's ass is the most frightening stunt evar*

Me: *laughs in iud*

Maybe they'll shove IUD:s up their urethras in the next movie? [Insert popcorn emoji here]

27-Aug-2022: 18. Dom Hemingway

"Is my cock exquisite? 'Cause I think it's fucking exquisite. I think it's a fucking work of art. Like a Renoir, or a Picasso. A painting of my cock should hang at the Louvre. They should study my cock in art classes. Spend whole courses studying the splendid contours of its exquisiteness, don't you think? They should also study my cock in science class, because it defies nature. My cock is hard. It's metal, it's steel, it's titanium. It does not break, it does not weaken. My cock can stand all day, like a good soldier trained to impress his superiors. If my cock could win a medal, it would. If they could name a school after it, it should. If it could save small Somali children from starving, it would, and it should win a Nobel fucking peace prize for it, the first such prize ever given to a cock. My Nobel prize-winning cock's like a cheetah! All sleek and dangerous and deadly. Sonnets should be written about how dangerous my cheetah cock is. Poems, plays. Wars should be won over it, kingdoms falling because of it. My cock is lightning, it's fire, it's a volcano brewing with the sacred semen, lava - *comes* Sugar and spice and all things nice. Sorry for the lack of warning, dearie."

Judging by the stories coming from people who get sent unsolicited dick pics, the above opinions accurately reflect the average cock-owner's estimation of his dear little cock. In other news, I'm now very traumatised from listening to the monologue a total of OVER 9000 times as I transcribed it. Even though Jude Law is the most beautiful human ever. o_O Must wash my brain with 38 viewings of "The talented Mr Ripley" or something. *glergh*

1-Oct-2022: 19. Guns akimbo

"But don't worry, OK? This is not another story about a nerd trying to get the girl like she's an Xbox achievement to be unlocked."

8-Oct-2022: 20. Imperium

12-Oct-2022: 21. The courageous heart of Irena Sendler

27-Nov-2022: 22. Ted

Narrator: "Now if there's one thing you can be sure of, it's that nothing is more powerful than a young boy's wish. Except an Apache helicopter. An Apache helicopter has machine guns AND missiles. It is an unbelievably impressive complement of weaponry, an absolute death machine."

9-Dec-2022: 23. Shaun the sheep: The flight before Christmas

Fave!

10-Dec-2022: 24. The electrical life of Louis Wain

In the 1880's: "One day, I don't think it'll be so peculiar to have a cat in the house as a little pet."

I'm into Benedict and cats

17-Dec-2022: 25. 8 Mile

18-Dec-2022: 26. Shaun the sheep: The movie

Fave!

26-Dec-2022: 27. Robin Robin

31-Dec-2022: 28. Jappeloup

Fave… maybe? :p It's a bit early to tell… In any case, I'm gonna rewatch it. French biopic about showjumper Jappeloup (1975-1991). Nice music, too. :q My first Jappeloup-related memory was a little obituary with a photo in a kids' horse magazine from February 1992. :(

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

Vegan FAQ! :)

The Web Site the Meat Industry Doesn't Want You to See.

Please watch Earthlings.

-----

You can reach me at yoze83 [AT] yahoo.com

WIP 1970s Future Rail Lego Concepts by Michael Gale

21 6

Part of taking a break from "real" brick building is mucking around in Digital Designer. Over the past few weeks I've been working on these two iconic trains from the past. Both were born out of the optimism of 1960s futurism, and despite capturing the public imagination, both were fated to be commercial failures.

The APT-E is a revision of an ancient LDD MOC from a few years ago. It was 6-studs wide and was built using conventional methods which would make it suitable as a "train set". I am rebuilding the unit with the sloped/curved side profiles to match the prototype. This has resulted in some very trick geometry and 3D puzzle solving! I like the look and was committed to keep it 6-studs wide--a better representation of the prototype since it was also narrower than its BR peers at the time. The power car needs lengthening as well as reshaping. The blue stripe needs a shallower rake up to the roof and the nose needs a blunter angle down at the lower cowling.

The CN Turbo is a new MOC. I'm at a bit of a road block mentally with this one. I'm not sure I've got the scale right--I think its too big. I should have started from the back, and worked my way forwards using the "airplane" window as my rough scale guide. Since I started from the distinctive nose and worked backwards, I find I'm bothered by the scale of the windows relative to the overall size. The body sits too tall in my estimation--I'll have to go back to prototype pictures again to compare scale. I'm trying to keep it within a 7-stud wide profile, and that may require some compromises on the shaping...we shall see.

Christmas Ecstasy And . . . by John Van Noate

23 21

I was gonna wait and post this pair of photos closer to the Christmas season (which actually begins on December 23, in my estimation), but since the Vintage Christmas 1945-1970 group is featured on Metafilter just now, I'll put them up today and shoot for my fifteen minutes of fame.

This image is taken from United States Naval Medical Bulletin Vol. 8, Nos. 1-4, 1914 by Medical Heritage Library, Inc.

Go to the Book with image in the Internet Archive

Title: United States Naval Medical Bulletin Vol. 8, Nos. 1-4, 1914

Creator: U.S. Navy. Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

Publisher:

Sponsor:

Contributor:

Date: 1914

Language: eng

Table of Contents

Number 1

Preface v

Special articles:

The application of psychiatry to certain military problems, by W. A.

White, M. D 1

Schistosomiasis on the Yangtze River, with report of cases, by R. H.

Laning, assistant surgeon, United States Navy 16

A brief discussion of matters pertaining to health and sanitation,

observed on the summer practice cruise of 1913 for midshipmen of the third

class, by J. L. Neilson, surgeon, United States Navy 36

Technique of neosalvarsan administration, and a brief outline of the

treatment for syphilis used at the United States Naval Hospital, Norfolk, Va., by

W. Chambers, passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 45

Some notes on the disposal of wastes, by A. Farenholt, surgeon, United States

Navy 47

The medical department on expeditionary duty, by R. E. Hoyt, surgeon, United

States Navy 51

A new brigade medical outfit, by T. W. Richards, surgeon, United States

Navy 62

Early diagnosis of cerebrospinal meningitis; report of 10 cases, by G.

F. Cottle, passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 65

Comments on mistakes made with the Nomenclature, 1913, Abstract of patients

(Form F), and the Statistical report (Form K), by C. E. Alexander, pharmacist,

United States Navy 70

Classification of the United States Navy Nomenclature, 1913, by C. E. Alexander,

pharmacist, United States Navy 75

On the methods employed for the detection and determination of

disturbances in the sense of equilibrium of flyers. Translated by H. G. Beyer,

medical director, United States Navy, retired 87

United States Naval Medical School laboratories:

Additions to the pathological collection 107

Additions to the helminthological collection 107

Suggested devices:

A portable air sampling apparatus for use aboard ship, by E. W. Brown, passed

assistant surgeon, United States Navy 109

A new design for a sanitary pail 111

Clinical notes:

A case of paresis, with apparent remission, following neosalvarsan, by R.

F. Sheehan, passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 113

Case reports from Guam, by E. O. J. Eytinge, passed assistant surgeon, United

States Navy 116

Stab wound of ascending colon; suture; recovery, by H. C. Curl,

surgeon, United States Navy 123

Perforation of a duodenal ulcer, by H. F. Strine, surgeon, United

States Navy 124

Two cases of bone surgery, by R. Spear, surgeon, United States Navy 125

Editorial comment:

Brig. Gen. George II. Torney, Surgeon General United States Army 127

Medical ethics in the Navy 127

Medical officers in civil practice 128

Progress in medical sciences:

General medicine. —Some anatomic and physiologic principles concerning

pyloric ulcer. By H. C. Curl. Low-priced clinical thermometers; a warning. By.

L. W. Johnson. The value of X-ray examinations in the

diagnosis of ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. The primary cause of

rheumatoid arthritis. Strychnine in heart failure. On the treatment of

leukaemia with benzol. By A. W. Dunbar and G. B. Crow 131

Surgery. — Surgical aspects of furuncles and carbuncles. Iodine

idiosyncrasy. By L. W. Johnson. Rectus transplantation for deficiency of

internal oblique muscle in certain cases of inguinal hernia. The technic of

nephro- pyelo- and ureterolithotomy. Recurrence of inguinal hernia. By H. C.

Curl and R. A. Warner 138

Hygiene and sanitation. —Ozone: Its bactericidal, physiologic and

deodorizing action. The alleged purification of air by the ozone machine. By E.

W. Brown. The prevention of dental caries. Gun-running operations in the

Persian Gulf in 1909 and 1910. The croton bug (Ectobia germanica) as a factor

in bacterial dissemination. Fumigation of vessels for the destruction of rats.

Improved moist chamber for mosquito breeding. The necessity for international

reforms in the sanitation of crew spaces on

merchant vessels. By C. N. Fiske and R. C. Ransdell 143

Tropical medicine. —The transmissibility of the lepra bacillus by the

bite of the bedbug. By L. W. Johnson. A note on a case of loa loa. Cases of

syphilitic pyrexia simulating tropical fevers. Verruga peruviana, oroya fever

and uta. Ankylostomiasis in Nyasaland. Experimental entamoebic dysentery. By E.

R. Stitt ... 148

Pathology, bacteriology, and animal parasitology. —The relation of the spleen

to the blood destruction and regeneration and to hemolytic jaundice: 6, The

blood picture at various periods after splenectomy. The presence of tubercle

bacilli in the feces. By A. B. Clifford and G. F. Clark 157

Chemistry and pharmacy. —Detection of bile pigments in urine. Value of the

guaiacum test for bloodstains. New reagent for the detection of traces of

blood. Estimation of urea. Estimation of uric acid in urine. By E. W. Brown and

O. G. Ruge 158

Eye, ear, nose, and throat. —Probable deleterious effect of salvarsan

on the eye. Effect of salvarsan on the eye. Fate of patients with

parenchymatous keratitis due to hereditary lues. Trachoma, prevalence of, in

the United States. The exploratory needle puncture of the maxillary antrum in

100 tuberculous individuals. Auterobic organisms associated with acute

rhinitis. Toxicity of human tonsils. By E. J. Grow and G. B. Trible 160

Miscellaneous. —Yearbook of the medical association of

Frankfurt-am-Main. By R. C. Ransdell 163

Reports and letters:

Notes on the Clinical Congress of Surgeons. By G. F. Cottle, passed

assistant surgeon, United States Navy 167

Number 2

Preface v

Special articles:

Report of the fourteenth annual meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society,

by J. R. Phelps, passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy. 171

Typhoid perforation; five operations with three recoveries, by G. G.

Holladay, assistant surgeon, Medic al Reserve Corps, United States Navy 238

A satisfactory method for easily obtaining material from syphilitic

lesions, by E. R. Stitt, medical inspector, United States Navy 242

An epidemic of measles and mumps in Guam, by C. P. Kindleberger, surgeon,

United States Navy 243

The feeble-minded from a military standpoint, by A. R. Schier, acting assistant

surgeon, United States Navy 247

The Towne-Lambert elimination treatment of drug addictions, by W. M. Kerr,

passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 258

Medical experiences in the Amazonian Tropics, by C. C. Ammerman, assistant

surgeon, Medical Reserve Corps, United States Navy 270

United States Naval Medical School laboratories:

Additions to the pathological collection 281

Additions to the helminthologieal collection 281

Suggested devices:

An easy method for obtaining blood cultures and for preparing blood

agar, by E. R. Stitt, medical inspector, and G. F. Clark, passed assistant surgeon,

United States Navy 283

Humidity regulating device on a modern battleship, by R. C. Ransdell, passed

assistant surgeon, United States Navy 284

Clinical notes:

Lateral sinus thrombosis, report of case, by G. F. Cottle, passed

assistant surgeon. United States Navy 287

Twenty-two cases of poisoning by the seeds of Jatropha curcai, by J. A.

Randall, passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 290

Shellac bolus in the stomach in fatal case of poisoning by weed

alcohol, by H. F. Hull and O. J. Mink, passed assistant surgeons, United States

Navy 291

A case of pneumonia complicated by gangrenous endocarditis, by G. B. Crow,

passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 292

Progress in medical sciences:

General medicine. —On progressive paralysis in the imperial navy during

the years 1901-1911. By H. G. Beyer. An etiological study of Hodgkin's disease.

The etiology and vaccine treatment of Hodgkin's dis

ease. Coryncbacterium hodgkini in lymphatic leukemia and Hodgkin's disease.

Autointoxication and subinfection. Studies of syphilis. The treatment of the

pneumonias. Whooping cough: Etiolcgy, diagnosis, and vaccine treatment. A new

and logical treatment for alcoholism. Intraspinous injection of salvarsanized

serum in the treatment of syphilis of the nervous system, including tabes and

paresis. On the infective nature of certain cases of splenomegaly and Banti's

disease. The etiology and vaccine treatment of Hodgkin's disease. Cultural

results in Hodgkin's disease. By A. W. Dunbar and G. B. Crow 295

Surgery- Interesting cases of gunshot injury treated at Hankow during

the revolution of 1911 and 1912 in China. The fool's paradise stage in

appendicitis. By L. W. Johnson. The present status of bismuth paste treatment

of suppurative sinuses and empyema. The inguinal route operation for femoral

hernia; with supplementary note on Cooper's ligament. By R. Spear and R. A.

Warner 307

Hygiene and sanitation. — A contribution to the chemistry of

ventilation. The use of ozone in ventilation. By E. \V. Brown. Pulmonary

tuberculosis in the royal navy, with special reference to its detection and

prevention. An investigation into the keeping properties of condensed milks at

the temperature of tropical climates. By C. N. Fiske and R. C. Ransdell 313

Tropical medicine. —Seven days fever of the Indian ports. By L. W.

Johnson. Intestinal schistosomiasis in the Sudan. Disease carriers in our army

in India. Origin and present status of the emetin treatment of amebic

dysentery. The culture of leishmania from the finger blood of a case of Indian

kala-azar. By E. R. Stitt 315

Pathology, bacteriology, and animal parasitology. —The isolation of

typhoid bacilli from feces by means of brilliant green in fluid medium. By C.

N. Fiske. An efficient and convenient stain for use in the eeneral examination

of blood films. By 0. B. Crow. A contribution to the epidemiology of

poliomyelitis. A contribution to the pathology of epidemic poliomyelitis. A

note on the etiology of epidemic

oliomyelitis. Transmutations within the streptococcus-pneumococcus

group. The etiology of acute rheumatism, articular and muscular. By A. B.

Clifford and G. F. Clark 320

Chemistry and pharmacy.— Centrifugal method for estimating albumin in

urine. Detection of albumin in urine. New indican reaction A report on the

chemistry, technology, and pharmacology of and the legislation pertaining to

methyl alcohol. By E. W. Brown and O. O. Ruge. . 325

Eye, ear, nose, and throat. —The use of local anesthesia in

exenteration of the orbit. Salvarsan in

ophthalmic practice. The effect of salvarsan on the eye. Total blindness

from the toxic action of wood alcohol, with recovery of vision under negative

galvanism. Furunculosis of the external auditory canal; the use of alcohol as a

valuable aid in treatment. Local treatment of Vincent's angina with salvarsan.

Perforated ear drum may be responsible for sudden death in water. The indications

for operating in acute mastoiditis. Turbinotomy. Why is nasal catarrh so

prevalent in the United States? By E. J. Grow and G. B. Trible 330

Miscellaneous. — The organization and work of the hospital ship Re d’

Italia. ByG. B. Trible 333

Reports and letters:

Correspondence concerning the article "Some aspects of the

prophylaxis of typhoid fever by injection of killed cultures," by Surg. C.

S. Butler, United States Navy, which appeared in the Bulletin, October, 1913

339

Malaria on the U. S. S. Tacoma from February, 1913, to February, 1914.

by I. S. K. Reeves, passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 344

Extracts from annual sanitary reports for 1913 345

Number 3

Preface vii

Special articles:

Economy and waste in naval hospitals, by E. M. Shipp, surgeon, and P.

J. Waldner, chief pharmacist, United States Navy 357

The new method of physical training in the United States Navy, by J. A.

Murphy, surgeon, United States Navy 368

A study of the etiology of gangosa in Guam, by C. P. Kindleberger,

surgeon, United States Navy 381

Unreliability of Wassermann tests using unheated serum, by E. R. Stitt,

medical inspector, and G. F. Clark, passed assistant surgeon, United States

Navy 410

Laboratory note on antigens, by G. F. Clark, pasted assistant surgeon,

United States Navy 411

Prevention of mouth infection, by Joseph Head, M. D., D. D. S 411

The Medical Department at general quarters and preparations for battle,

by A. Farenholt, surgeon, United States Navy 421

A bacteriological index for dirt in milk, by J. J. Kinyoun, assistant

surgeon, Medical Reserve Corps, United States Navy 435

Brief description of proposed plan of a fleet hospital ship, based upon

the type auxiliary hull, by E. M. Blackwell, surgeon, United States Navy.. 442

The diagnostic value of the cutaneous tuberculin test in recruiting, by

E. M. Brown, passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy, retired 448

United States Naval Medical School laboratories:

Additions to the pathological collection 453

Suggested devices:

A sanitary mess table for hospitals, by F. M. Bogan, surgeon, United

States Navy 455

A suggested improvement of the Navy scuttle butt, by E. M. Blackwell,

surgeon, United States Navy 455

Clinical notes:

Malaria cured by neosalvarsan, by F. M. Bogan, surgeon, United States

Navy 457

A case of rupture of the bladder with fracture of the pelvis, by H. F.

Strine, surgeon, and M. E. Higgins, passed assistant surgeon, United States

Navy. 458

Clinical observations on the use of succinimid of mercury, by T. W.

Reed, passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 459

Points in the post-mortem ligation of the lingual artery, by O. J.

Mink, passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 462

Notes on the wounded at Vera Cruz, by H. F. Strine, surgeon, and M. E.

Higgins, passed assistant surgeon. United States Navy 464

Case reports from the Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, N. H., by F. M.

Bogan, surgeon, United States Navy 469

Progress in medical sciences:

General medicine. —The mouth in the etiology and symptomatology of

general systemic disturbances. Statistique m£dicale de la marine, 1909. By L.

W. Johnson. Antityphoid inoculation. Vaccines from the standpoint of the

physician. The treatment of sciatica. Chronic gastric ulcer and its relation to

gastric carcinoma. The nonprotein nitrogenous constituents of the blood in

chronic vascular nephritis

(arteriosclero-iis) as influenced by the level of protein metabolism.

The influence of diet on hepatic necrosis and toxicity of chloroform. The

rational treatment of tetanus. The comparative value of cardiac remedies. By A.

W. Dunbar and G. B. Crow

Psychiatry. —Abderhalden's method. Precis de psychiatric Constitutional

immorality. Nine years' experience with manic-depressive insanity. The pupil

and its reflexes in insanity. By R. F. Sheehan.

Surgery. —On the occurrence of traumatic dislocations (luxationen) in

the Imperial German Navy during the last 20 years. By H. G. Beyer. The wounding

effects of the Turkish sharp-pointed bullet. By T. W. Richards. Intestinal

obstruction: formation and absorption of toxin. By G. B. Crow

Hygiene and sanitation. —Relation of oysters to the transmission of

infectious diseases. The proper diet in the Tropics, with some pertinent remarks

on the use of alcohol. By E. W. Brown. Report of committee

upon period of isolation and exclusion from school in cases of

communicable disease. Resultats d'une enquete relative a la morbidity venerienne

dans la division navale d'Extreme-Orient et aux moyens susceptibles de la

restreindre. Ship's hygiene in the middle of the seventeenth century- Progress in

ship's hygiene during the nineteenth century. The origin of some of the

streptococci found in milk. On the further perfecting of mosquito spraying. By

C. N. Fiske and R. C. Ransdell

Tropical medicine. — Le transport, colloidal de medicaments dans le cholera.

By T. W. Richards. Cholera in the Turkish Army. A supposed case of yellow fever

in Jamaica. By L. W. Johnson. Note on a new geographic locality for balantidiosis.

Brief note on Toxoplasma pyroqenes. Note on certain protozoalike bodies in a

case of protracted fever with splenomegaly. The emetine and other treatment of

amebic dysentery and hepatitis, including liver abscess. A study of epidemic dysentery

in the Fiji Islands. By E. R. Stitt

Pathology, bacteriology, and animal parasitology. — The best method of staining

Treponema pallidum. By C. N. Fiske. Bacteriological methods of meat analysis.

By R. C. Ransdell. Primary tissue lesions in the heart produced by Spirochete

pallida. Ten tests by which a physician may determine when p patient is cured

of gonorrhea. Diagnostic value of percutaneous tuberculin test (Moro). Some

causes of failure of vaccine therapy. A method of increasing the accuracy and

delicacy of the Wassermann reaction: By A. B. Clifford and G. F. Clark

Chemistry and pharmacy. —Quantitative test of pancreatic function. A comparison

of various preservatives of urine. A clinical method for the rapid estimation

of the quantity of dextrose in urine. By E. W. Brown and O. G. Ruge

Eye, ear, nose, and throat. —Intraocular pressure. Strauma as an

important factor in diseases of the eye. Carbonic cauterization "in the

treatment of granular ophthalmia. Ocular and other complications of syphilis treated

by salvarsan. Some notes on hay fever. A radiographic study of the mastoid. Ear

complications during typhoid fever. Su di un caso di piccola sanguisuga

cavallina nel bronco destro e su 7 casi di grosse sanguisughe cavalline in

laringe in trachea e rino-faringe. By E. J. Grow and G. B. Trible

Reports and letters:

American medico-psychological association, by R. F. Sheehan, passed assistant

surgeon, United States Navy 517

Report of 11 cases of asphyxiation from coal gas, by L. C. Whiteside,

passed assistant surgeon, United States Navy 522

Extracts from annual sanitary reports for 1913 — United States Naval

Academy, Annapolis, Md., by A. M. D. McCormick, medical director, United States

Navy 523

U. S. S. Arkansas, by W. B. Grove, surgeon, United States Navy 524

Marine barracks, Camp Elliott, Canal Zone, Panama, by B. H. Dorsey, passed

assistant surgeon, United States Navy 525

U. S. S. Cincinnati, by J. B. Mears, passed assistant surgeon. United States

Navy 526

U. S. S. Florida, by M. S. Elliott, surgeon, United States Navy 527

Naval training station, Great Lakes, Ill., by J. S. Taylor, surgeon, United

States Navy 527

Naval station, Guam, by C. P. Kindleberger, surgeon, United States Navy

528

Naval Hospital, Las Animas, Colo., by G. H. Barber, medical inspector, United

States Navy 532

U. S. S. Nebraska, by E. H. H. Old, passed assistant surgeon, United States

Navy 533

U. S. S. North Dakota, by J. C. Pryor, surgeon, United States Navy. .

534

Navy yard, Olongapo, P. L, by J. S. Woodward, passed assistant surgeon,

United States Navy 536

U. S. S. San Francisco, by T. W. Reed, passed assistant surgeon, United

States Navy 537

U. S. S. Saratoga, by H. R. Hermesch, assistant surgeon, United States Navy

538

U. S. S. Scorpion, by E. P. Huff, passed assistant surgeon, United States

Navy 538

U. S. S. West Virginia, by O. J. Mink, passed assistant surgeon, United

States Navy 539

Number 4

Preface V

Special articles:

Some prevailing ideas regarding the treatment of tuberculosis, by

Passed Asst. Surg. G. B. Crow 541

The Training School for the Hospital Corps of the Navy, by Surg. F. E. McCullough

and Passed Asst. Surg. J. B. Kaufman 555

Khaki dye for white uniforms, by Passed Asst. Surg. W. E. Eaton 561

Some facts and some fancies regarding the unity of yaws and syphilis,

by Surg. C. S. Butler 561

Quinine prophylaxis of malaria, by Passed Asst. Surg. L. W. McGuire 571

The nervous system and naval warfare, translated by Surg. T. W.

Richards. 576

Measles, by Surg. G. F. Freeman 586

Smallpox and vaccination, by Passed Asst. Surg. T. W. Raison 589

Rabies; methods of diagnosis and immunization, by Passed Asst. Surg. F.

X. Koltes 597

Syphilis aboard ship, by Passed Asst. Surg. G. F. Cottle 605

Systematic recording and treatment of syphilis, by Surg. A. M.

Fauntleroy and Passed Asst. Surg. E. H. H. Old 620

Organization and station bills of the U. S. naval hospital ship Solace,

by Surg. W. M. Garton 624

United States Naval Medical School laboratories:

Additions to the pathological collection 647

Additions to the helminthological collection 647

Clinical notes:

Succinimid of mercury in pyorrhea alveolaris, by Acting Asst. Dental Surg.

P. G. White 649

A case of pityriasis rosea, by Surg. R. E. Ledbetter 651

Emetin in the treatment of amebic abscess of the liver, by Surg. H. F. Strine

and Passed Asst. Surg. L. Sheldon, jr 653

Salvarsan in a case of amebic dysentery, by Passed Asst. Surg. O. J.

Mink. . 653

Laceration of the subclavian artery and complete severing of brachial plexus,

by Surg. H. C. Curl and Passed Asst. Surg. C. B. Camerer 654

Malarial infection complicating splenectomy, by Surg. H. F. Strine 655

A case of gastric hemorrhage; operative interference impossible, by

Passed Arst. Surg. G. E. Robertson 656

Operation for strangulated hernia, by Passed Asst. Surg. W. S. Pugh 657

A case of bronchiectasis with hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy,

by Passed Asst. Surg. L. C. Whiteside 658

Editorial comment:

Systematic recording and treatment of syphilis 665

Progress in medical sciences:

General medicine. —A note of three cases of enteric fever inoculated

during the incubation period. By T. W. Richards. The modern treatment of

chancroids. The treatment of burns. By W. E. Eaton. Experiments on the curative

value of the intraspinal administration of tetanus antitoxin. Hexamethylenamin.

Hexamethylenamin as an internal

antiseptic in other fluids of the body than urine. Lumbar puncture as a special

procedure for controlling headache in the course of infectious diseases.

Cardiospasm. Acromion auscultation; a new and delicate test in the early

diagnosis of incipient pulmonary tuberculosis.

Diabetes mellitus and its differentiation from alimentary glycosuria.

The complement fixation test in typhoid fever; its comparison with the

agglutination test and blood culture method. By C. B. Crow.. 671

Mental and nervous diseases. —A voice sign in chorea. By G. B. Crow.

Wassermann reaction and its application to neurology. Epilepsy: a theory of

causation founded upon the clinical manifestations and the therapeutic and

pathological data. Salvarsanized serum (Swift-Ellis treatment) in syphilitic diseases

of the central nervous system. Mental manifestations in tumors of the brain.

Some of the broader issues of the psycho-analytic n movement. Mental disease

and defect in United States troops. By R. Sheehan 6S1

Surgery. — Infiltration anesthesia. War surgery. Tenoplasty; tendon transplantation;

tendon substitution; neuroplasty. Carcinoma of the male breast. Visceral

pleureotomy for chronic empyema. By A. M. Fauntleroy and E. H. H. Old 6S8

Hygiene and sanitation. — Further experiences with the Berkefold filter

in the purifying of lead-contaminated water. By T. W. Richards. Experiments in

the destruction of fly larvae in horse manure. By A. B. Clifford. Investigation

relative to the life cycle, brooding, and tome practical moans of reducing the

multiplication of flies in camp. By W. E. Eaton, Humidity and heat stroke;

further observations on an analysis of

50 cases. By C. N. Fiske 693

Tropical medicine. — The treatment of aneylostoma anemia. Latent dysentery

or dysentery carriers. Naphthalone for the destruction of mosquitoes. Emetin in

amebic dysentery. By E. R. Stitt 704

Pathology, bacteriology, and animal parasitology. —Meningitis by

injection of pyogenic microbes in the peripheral nerves. The growth of pathogenic

intestinal bacteria in bread. Present status of the complement fixation test in

the diagnosis of gonorrheal infections. Practical application of the luetin

test. By A. B. Clifford and G. F. Clark 707

Eye, ear, nose, and throat. — Misting of eyeglasses. By E. L. Sleeth.

The treatment of ocular syphilis by salvarsan and neo salvarsan. The moving

picture and the eye. Treatment of various forms of ocular syphilis with

salvarsan. Rapid, painless, and bloodless method for removing the inferior

turbinate. Hemorrhage from the superior petrosal sinus. The frequency of

laryngeal tuberculosis in Massachusetts.

Intrinsic cancer of larynx. Treatment of hematoma of the auricle. By E.

J. Grow and G. B. Trible 709

Reports and letters:

Care of wounded at Mazatlan and at Villa Union, by Medical Inspector S.

G. Evans 713

Medico-military reports of the occupation of Vera Cruz 715

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James Was a Tad Dubious about ChaCha's 'Spider Hat' by Marcel & Rrose in Infrathin

20 3

Sure, he got the references*, that "spider veil", but he just felt it wasn't there yet. ChaCha sulked a little, but James knew he would get over it.

He realised that hats would be a big part of the 2024 Spring Show, but it just wasn't quite working. There was still time.

The idea was good, but it just wasn't completely realised. The gossamer veil, or web, was there, all bunched up on top of his pate. By his estimation it needed to drop, to really veil.

The 'Prostate Ensemble' from the previous year had been far more successful, as far as James was concerned (see below).

James was not afraid of making a fool of himself, it simply wasn't coming together yet.

"BLOOM: _(In an oatmeal sporting suit, a sprig of woodbine in the lapel, tony buff shirt, shepherd’s plaid Saint Andrew’s cross scarftie, white spats, fawn dustcoat on his arm, tawny red brogues, fieldglasses in bandolier and a grey billycock hat.)_ Do you remember a long long time, years and years ago, just after Milly, Marionette we called her, was weaned when we all went together to Fairyhouse races, was it?

MRS BREEN: _(In smart Saxe tailormade, white velours hat and spider veil.)_ Leopardstown."

-Ulysses, Chapter: 'Circe', P.425/426 (The 1922 Text)

Maybe when the rest of the ensemble was finished, it might make more sense. A sprig of woodbine, he liked the sound of that.

Belemedik, Ruins of the "German city" by Gunter Hartnagel

15 15

House of German railway engineers/staff.

The German Philipp Holzmann company was responsible for the construction on the Taurus-section, part of the Berlin-Baghdad railroad project, some 70 kilometres north of Adana. The most difficult phase of the project was crossing the Belemedik plateau in the Taurus Mountains. To accommodate all necessary personnel, approx. in 1907 a shanty town was built by the Germans (Holzmann company) at Karapınar railway stop (later called Belemedik) in Pozantı district.

Between 1907 and 1914 estimated 3,500 Germans, Austrians and Swiss railway company employees where living here in total. They were engineers, technicians and railway workers, often with their families. For the Turks in the vicinity, the shanty town was considered the “German city”. It was designed to meet all the needs of the company’s employees. A hospital was built to the state of the art of those days (employing German doctors and nurses), a German church, a mosque, a German school for the children of the employees, a cinema, waterpipe/drainage system, big stone houses, etc. and even a brothel (about 1 km outside of the city). Belemedik was also one of the first cities in the Ottoman Empire that enjoyed 24h electricity thanks to a power station,

Starting as a village, Belemedik gained the appearance of a regular provincial town. Next to the multi-national European employees and engineers, a number of Turkish people were attracted to settle here as well as traders and workers. Holzmann had also employed many Greeks and Armenians workers and officials. During the war, the Ottoman government provided Turkish prisoners and Turks unfit for the war including Armenian and Greek labour battalions. Hence, there was also a detachment of Turkish soldiers in the small city. In Spring 1916, approx. 30,000 men were working for the railway company between Pozanti until Ras El Ain. Only 400 French, British and Australians (POWs captured in Gallipoli) were working along the railway until June 1916. It is estimated that out of these 30,000 some 5,500 men were working in the Amanus section and about the same number in the Taurus railway section. The works did not only meant working on the railway and tunnels but also road-construction thru the mountains, both in Taurus and Amanus, and in the area between both mountain ranges (Adana and Incirlik), hence the huge number of workers with their families.

In June 1916, many Armenians working for the railway company were brought to the Syrian desert and partly substituted in July 1916 by British, Australian, New Zealander, Indian and Nepali POWs. Later, Russians and Italian POWs were added. I have placed at the end of this caption more information regarding the POWs.

The railway station Karapınar was opened in 1912. Even by then, the site was called Belemedik. According to one source the name Belemedik is the corrupt form of the Turkish word Bilemedik meaning ‘We couldn't guess’. During the railway construction, each tunnel was bored by two teams working at the opposite sides of the tunnel. The teams were required to meet at the mid point. When for any reason, one team failed to accomplish the task, the excuse was the word bilemedik and in German pronunciation it became belemedik. Belemedik was the end of the railway until the completition of the Giaudere (Varda)-viaduct at Hacıkırı in September 1918, the connection to Adana (Durak) was openend in early October 1918 finishing the railway works just before the end of the war. The section is using 37 tunnels with a cumulative length 14.4 km).

Work on the railway was long and hard. In the eight years of construction in the area 41 German citizens people lost their lives (accidents, slides and diseases). In 2005, the German Honorary Consul Dr. Teyfik Kısacık bought land and with the help of German company Praktiker (Metro AG) as well as locals opened in September 30, 2005 a new 'German cemetery'. However, the Germans (and other Christian employees of the railway company) were buried in the ‘Christian cemetery’ along with Christian POWs. There existed no ‘German cemetery’. It is not clear if the ‘modern’ cemetery is located on the same ground as the old one. It is also doubtful, if there are any tombs/graves at all in this ground. It is possible that this is merely a memorial ground. The memorial plate which was erected was brought from Hacıkırı (those dead were brought to the German central cemetery in Tarabya, Istanbul) and has nothing to do with the Germans in Belemedik.

The Belemedik station was closed at the end of the First World War. After WW I, Belemedik was occupied by the French army, with its headquarters in Pozantı. The French occupying force used Belemedik as a site for a military hospital in which the commander's wife Mme. Mesnil was working as a nurse. Turkish Nationalists (also called Kemalist) captured Belemedik on 10 April 1920. On 28 May the rest of the French troops also surrendered during the battle of Karboğazı. During the rest of the independence war, the hospital in Belemedik was used by the Turkish Nationalists. In the turmoil which followed, the area was widely abandoned and almost forgotten. Until Atatürk was able to establish the modern Turkey, it was said that bandits were living in the remains of the houses and later locals from the region used Belemedik houses as source for cheap construction material. As result, almost nothing of the “German town” has remained (btw., Holzmann went bankrupt in 2002). Still existing are the fundaments of the generator, the chimney of the German hospital and a few stone houses which were storage houses of the railway company in different conditions (either ruins or to house animals). Today, there is merely a small hamlet left with friendly and helpful inhabitants.

Allied POWs

From 1916 on, an unknown number of Allied POWs were based here to support the on-going construction works. The POWs were under the administration of the Turkish army but the army was neither prepared nor able to accommodate and feed the foreign POWs once the huge numbers of British and Indian POWs from Kut arrived at Amanus mountains. In fact, the Turkish army had massive problems to feed and equip their own men. The army was more than willing to provide these POWs as workforce to the railway company which from then on had the responsibility of providing food and shelter to these POWs. However, the company was neither prepared for the thousands of additional men (plus Armenian refugees). This was a great challenge for the railway company to establish stocks necessary and it took approx. a half year until the situation became stable.

POWs were accommodated by the railway company in wooden shanty houses or tents. Stone houses were not common in that region in those days and those existing belonged to the railway company or villagers. The wooden shanty houses have vanished, nothing can be found today. The stone ruins you can see today belonged to the railway and were administration or storage buildings. POWs were not living in these. www.awm.gov.au/collection/H19397/

The great mass of British and Indian POWs had arrived in Amanus and Taurus in June 1916 after a long march thru the desert from Kut. Due to their bad physical condition, many of British were brought soon into the interior of Asia Minor without having forced to work on the railway project at all. For those British POWs from Kut who seemed in better conditions, the railway company wanted them to work and these were forced to work. The result of the work of these men was disappointing for the company and it asked the Turkish army to take them back. In September 1916, approx. 1000 POWs were moved from Amanus area to the interior. The army was marching these men all the way to Adana and from here over the Taurus mountains to Pozanti. Approx. 260 men suffered massively during the march and were brought to Tarsus and Adana hospitals. Half of them died in consequence. Those who had made it to Pozanti where brought to the new established POW-camps in the interior. Those of the men who recovered were brought to work in Taurus mountains.

In contrast to the British, most Indian and Nepali POWs had better overcome the hardship and soon, most of them had to work (mostly Ras El Ain, 4200 men and Amanus, 2700 men). It can be estimated that in November 1916 some 350 British and 800 Indian POWs were working in the Taurus section. Next to them were approx. 500 Russians.

The first figures of British and Indian (including Nepali) POWs were provided by Turkish authorities in January 1917 (probably showing the figures of December 1916). They justify the estimation of white British/Australian/NZ-POWs in the Taurus section: 283 British and 728 Indian POWs. By December 1916, 32 British, Australian and NZ POWs had died (283 + 32 = 315; of these 32, 14 had died in Hacikiri, 7 in Pozanti and 1 in Budjak.), plus some men which were moved to the interior, we can estimate some 330-350 British working in the Taurus section and probably some 800 Indians and Nepalis.

Soon after the winter 1916/1917, the number of POWs was reduced and many British POWs were moved into the interior while Indians had to work in Ras El Ain.

The number of French, Italian and Russian POWs who died in Belemedik is unknown. However, 17 white British/Australian/NZ-soldiers died in Belemedik and were buried along with Russians, French, Italians, Germans and Austrians in the local Christian cemetery. www.awm.gov.au/collection/P01645.002

Very few of them died due to accidents but mostly due to diseases like Malaria and Typhus. With the arrival of the men from Kut, supply became inadequate and POWs along with Turkish soldiers were suffering. According to the Swiss engineer Morf (head of the Amanus section), the Malaria epidemic in summer was unexceptionally hard as Indian POWs had brought Malaria Tropica to the Amanus and Taurus sections. According to him, Malaria Tropica was previously unknown in the Taurus mountains.

Especially in the Amanus section, many of the sick and exhausted British POWs who had arrived from Kut soon succumbed their sufferings. Out of the 558 British POWs who had died in the Amanus area, 327 men died from June to August 1916 respective 462 men from June to December 1916 which includes the dead due to Malaria and other epidemics of Summer/Autumn 1916. The new arrivals from Kut were soon moved into the interior, also because there were no facilities to take care of these sick men. By December 1916, only 62 white British POWs had remained in the Amanus section while 2628 Indians and Nepalis were working here. Estimated 150-200 British had to work in total in Amanus section. The Indians were working better in the heat than their British comrades. Especially in Ras El Ain, over 4,000 Indians had to work with almost no white British POW.

As a summary evaluating the contribution of the POWs to the construction of the Baghdad railway, the British POWs had a maximum of 500-600 men at its peak working all along from Taurus to Ras El Ain. Working meant tunnel works, laying tracks but often loading and de-loading wagons. Others had to join road-construction teams. By the end of 1916, less than 500 British POWs were working and their forced contribution was accordingly small. Simply by their huge numbers, the Indians had a much bigger effect on the works. However, combining all Allied POWs in Taurus, estimated 1,700 men, and in Amanus approx. 4,500 men, their forced labour helped to speed up the finishing of the project. Their total number was nevertheless small in comparison to the thousands of Turks, Greeks and for a limited time also Armenians (Turkish authorities estimated that the railway company gave shelter, food and compensation to some 15,000 Armenians. Grigoris Balakian praised the company for this in his diaries) who were working here for many years.

Those tombs/remains of POWs were transferred to Baghdad North cemetery. Indian and Nepali soldiers were not registered in the same way as white British soldiers, often dead Indians were burnt to ashes according to their religion and have never been found. It is therefore not clear, how many Indian and Nepali had died and where.

All Saints, Birchington-on-Sea, Kent by Jelltex

14 2

You probably will approach Birchington from Thanet Way, the A299, heading over rolling fields past the huge Planet Thanet greenhouses which supply a lot of our salad plants through the year.

Birchington speawls into the countryside, building up as the road approaches the main square of the town, now a traffic intersection. And standing tall beside the square is All Saints.

I can gladly report that the church is now open Saturday mornings until midday. Sadly, we arrived at ten to twelve meaning a rush round, so a return visit will be required.

We were driving to Margate, and as ever I was looking for signs that the church was open, it seemed the porch door was open and lights on inside.

My luck was in.

All Saints is clearly old, with the north aisle and chapel apparently older than the main body, and despite being heavily Victorianised, there is plenty of interest. Most in the side chapel, the family chapel of the families that owned Quex Park. The chapel has the most wonderful collection of memorials I have seen in Kent.

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Famous as the burial place of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and whose grave stands outside the main south door, this church contains so much more of interest. Mostly thirteenth century with a fourteenth century veneer it is full of treasures. The best collection of memorials in East Kent may be found in the north chapel owned for centuries by the series of owners of Quex House. The Quex, Crispe, Powell and Powell-Cotton families have been commemorated in monuments that reflect the styles oil the centuries. There are 6 brasses now on the wall, a huge 6-portrait bust tablet and a huge classical entablature. Opposite is a more usual but excellently crafted Prie- Dieu with gaudy colouring. The rest of the church does not disappoint. The SW corner of the church has dumpy piers and rudimentary vaulting showing that a new tower was planned there, though it was never built. The nave piers and chancel arch show remarkable degradation in the stonework. There seems to be no reason for this but it is almost that the church has been consumed by fire at some time. The reredos was designed by the 19th century architect Charles Beazley (see also Acol and Westgate) and painted by Nathaniel Westlake. It badly needs a clean to make it sing again. The altar rails are by the Canterbury College of Art, 1930s, and a really a fine period piece. What an interesting church this is – built to serve a farming village with a big house and later adapted to suit the holidaymakers who came here by the thousand. What a shame that it is difficult of access (though the helpful Church Office is happy to oblige).

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Birchington

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NORTHWARD from Minster lies the parish of Birchington, adjoining to the sea. It is said to have been antiently called, sometimes Birchington in Gorend, and at other times Gorend in Birchington, from a place called Gorend, in this parish, where it is reported the church formerly stood, though the most usual name was always, as it is at present, Birchington only.

THIS PARISH is within the liberty and jurisdiction of the cinque ports, and is a member of the town and port of Dover; and though Gorend in it, is said to have been united to that town and port, ever since the reign of king Edward I. yet in king Henry VI.'s reign it was disputed whether this parish was not in the county at large; to take away therefore all doubt of it, the king, by letters patent, united it to Dover, the mayor of which appoints a deputy here, to whom the inhabitants have recourse for justice.

By the Landtax act of 1711, it was enacted, that in future, the parishes of St. John, St. Peter, and Birchington, in the Isle of Thanet, within the liberty of Dover, should be deemed and taken to be a distinct division within the said liberty, and in the executing of that act, should be charged towards making up the whole sum charged on the town of Dover, and the liberty thereof, according to the proportion which was assessed upon the said parishes by the act of the 4th of William and Mary, for granting an aid of four shillings in the pound, &c.

THIS PARISH joins the sea shore northward, along the whole of which it is bounded by high cliffs of chalk, through which there are several apertures made for the conveniency of a passage on to the sea shore. The parish is, in general, high land, and very pleasantly situated; in the middle of it stands the church and village adjoining, tolerably well sheltered with elm trees. This village, in a pleasing situation, on a gentle eminence, commands many delightful prospects over sea and land; particularly a fine view up the delightful vale to Canterbury, the principal tower of which cathedral froms a conspicuous object, though at the distance of twelve miles; beyond which, in clear weather, are plainly seen the range of hills and the losty woods in Chilham and Godmersham parks, more than six miles further southward.

About three quarters of a mile north-west of the church, and near as much from the sea shore, is Goreend, antiently a place of note, being particularly men tioned in the great charter of the cinque ports, as one of the members of the town and port of Dover. Leland, in his Itinerary, vol. vii. says, "Reculver is now scarce half a mile from the shore, but it is to be supposid, that yn tymes paste these cam hard to Goreende, a two mile from Northmouth, and at Gore ende is a litle straite caullid Broode Staires to go downe the clive: and about this shore is good taking of mullettes. The great Raguseis ly for defence at Gore ende and thens again is another sinus on to the Forelande." Here it is said the church stood antiently, and that it was lost by the falling of the cliff on which it stood, and that the present one was built in its stead; near this is a farm, called Upper Gore end, which was given by the owner of it, Henry Robinson, gent. by his will in 1642, for the maintenance of two fellows and two scholars in St. John's college, in Cambridge, as has been already related before. About a mile southward, lie Great and Little Brooksend; and at a like distance eastward, Great and Little Quekes. At the north-east boundary of the parish is Westgate, where there is a small hamlet of houses; from which place Domneva's deer is said to have begun its course across this island, running for some space eastward, till it turned southward towards the boundary of it, at Sheriffs Hope, in Minster.

This parish is somewhat more than two miles and an half each way; about the village and Quekes, it is pleasantly sheltered with trees; the lands in it are fertile, and like the other parts adjoining to it, are arable and mostly uninclosed, lying high, with hill and dale intermixed. The high road from Sarre to Margate runs along the southern side of the parish. There is a bay of the sea adjoining to the shore of this parish, called Hemmings bay; probably so called from Hemming, the Danish chiestan, who landed with his companion Anlef and their forces in this island, in the year 1009.

By the return made to the council's letter by archbishop Parker's order in 1563, there were then computed to be in this parish forty housholds; and by the return of the survey made by order of the same queen, in her 8th year, of the several maritime places in this county, it appears that there were then here houses inhabited forty-two; that there was a landing place, but it had neither ship nor boat.

A whale was cast ashore within the bounds of this parish in the year 1762.

The manor of Monkton claims paramount over this parish, subordinate to which is

THE MANOR OF QUEKES, or QUEX, as it is frequently spelt in the antient deeds of it. It is situated in the south-east part of this parish, about three quarters of a mile from the church, and was antiently the seat of a family who gave name to it, many of whom lie buried in this church, several of whose gravestones and inscriptions yet remain; among which are those of John Quek, who died possessed of it in the year 1449, anno 28 Henry VI. and of his son Rich. Quek in 1456; (fn. 1) from the latter of whom this seat devolved by paternal descent to John Quekes, esq. who about the beginning of king Henry VII.'s reign, left an only daughter and heir Agnes, who carried it in marriage to John Crispe, esq. descended of an antient family seated at Stanlake, in Oxforshire; he afterwards resided here, and died possessed of it in 1500, anno 16 Henry VII. He left by her four daughters, married to Barret, Gosborne, Thomas, and Symons; and one sone and heir John Crispe, who was sheriff in the 10th year of king Henry VIII. and kept his shrievalty at this seat of Quekes. He had three sons, John, the eldest, was of Cleve-court, in Monkton, of whom further mention has been made in the description of that place; Henry, the second, was of Quekes; and William, the third, was lieutenant of Dover castle.

Henry Crispe, esq. the second son, of Quekes, kept his shrievalty at this seat in the 38th year of the above reign, anno 1546, being the last of it, and was a man of great name and eminency, and of singular estimation for his discretion and weight in the management of the public affairs of the county, as well as for his hospitality, insomuch that he was reputed to have the entire rule of all this island. He died at Quekes, at a good old age, in the year 1575, leaving by his second wife six children; of whom Nicholas Crispe, esq. the eldest son, was of Grimgill, in Whitstaple. He was sheriff in the 1st year of queen Elizabeth, and died here in his father's life time, anno 1564, leaving an only daughter Dorothy. John, the second son, by his second wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Roper, esq. of Eltham, left a son Henry, heir to his grandfather, who will be further mentioned hereafter; and Henry, the youngest, had three sons, Henry, who was first of Great Chart, and afterwards succeeded to this seat of Quekes, of whom further mention will be made; Thomas, who was first of Canterbury and afterwards of Goudhurst, where he died in 1663. He left three sons, Thomas, who at length succeeded to Quekes, as will be mentioned hereafter; Henry, who was of Monkton, and died in 1678, being ancestor of Henry and Thomas Crispe, esqrs. of the custom-house, in London, and of West Ham, in Essex, the latter of whom ended in an only surviving daughter Susan, who married the late George Elliot, esq. of Upton, in that county; and Richard, the third son, died s. p.

Now to return to Henry, the only son and heir of John, the second son of Sir Henry Crispe, of Quekes, by his second wife, who became his grandfather's heir and possessed of Quekes; he was knighted and resided here till his death in 1648. He was twice married, but left no issue; he bore for his arms two coats for Crispe, viz. first, Ermine, a fess chequy; and second, Or, on a chevron, sable, five horse shoes, argent. (fn. 2) On his death in 1648, this seat came, by the entail of it, to his first-cousin Henry Crispe, gent. of Great Chart, before-mentioned, (the eldest son of Henry, the fourth and youngest brother of Nicholas Crispe, of Grimgill, the father of Sir Henry Crispe, last-mentioned.) He removed to Quekes, and in the year 1650 was appointed sheriff; but on account of his great age and infirmities, his son was suffered to execute this office in his room. He was commonly called Bonjour Crispe. from his having been kept a prisoner in France for some time, and never learning more French than those words, at least he never would use any other whilst there. In August 1657, he was forcibly, in the night time, taken away and carried from his seat of Quekes, by several persons, Englishmen and others, to Bruges, in Flanders, and detained there as a prisoner, till the sum of 3000l. should be paid for his ransom. A few days after his arrival at Bruges, he sent to his nephew Thomas, who then lived near Quekes, to come over to him, to assist him in his great exigencies and extremities. After some consultation together, he dispatched his nephew to England, to join his endeavours, with those of his son Sir Nicholas Crispe, for his ransom and enlargment, in which they found great difficulty, as Oliver Cromwell, who was then protector, suspected the whole to be only a collusion, to procure 3000l. for the use of king Charles II. then beyond the seas; and accordingly an order was made by the protector in council, that Mr. Crispe should not be ransomed; upon which much difficulty arose in procuring a licence for it; Sir Nicholas died before it could be effected, and then the whole care of it devolved on Mr. Thomas Crispe, to obtain the licence and raise the money, which finding himself not able to do without the sale of some of his uncle's lands, he impowered him and his son-in law, Robert Darell, for that purpose, who made every dispatch in it; but it was eight months before the ransom could be paid, and Mr. Crispe released out of prison; when he returned to England, and died at Quekes, in 1663. (fn. 3)

This enterprize was contrived and executed by Captain Golding, of Ramsgate, who was a sanguine royalist, and had sometime taken refuge with Charles II. in France. The party landed at Gore-end, near Birchington, and took Mr. Crispe out of his bed, without any resistance; though it appears that he had been for some time under apprehensions of such an attack, and had caused loopholes, for the discharge of muskets, to be made in different parts of the house, and had afforded a generous hospitality to such of his neighbours as would lodge in his house, to defend him; but all these precautions were at this time of no effect, so that they conveyed him, without any disturbance being made, in his own coach, to the sea side, where he was forced into an open boat, without one of his domestics being suffered to attend him, although that was earnestly requested as a favour. He was conveyed first to Ostend, and then to Bruges, both which places were then in the power of Spain, which had been at war with England for more than two years. (fn. 4) He died possessed of this seat above-mentioned, having had one son and one daughter, who married Robt. Darell, esq Nicholas the son was knighted, but died before his father at Quekes, in 1657, leaving an only daughter and heir, who married Sir Richard Powle, of Berkshire.

On Mr. Crispe's death in 1663, without surviving male issue, this seat came, by the entail made of it, to his nephew Thomas Crispe, (the eldest son of his next brother Thomas Crispe, of Goudhurst) who afterwards resided at Quekes, where he died in 1680, leaving by his wife, whom he married in Holland, four daughters his coheirs, viz. Maria Adriana, married to Richard Breton, esq. of the Elmes, in Hougham; Frantosi, or Frances, to Edwin Wiat, esq. of Maidstone, sergeant at law; Elizabeth, to Christopher Clapham, esq. of Wakefield, in Yorkshire, and Anne-Gertruy Crispe, who died unmarried in 1708. On the division of their inheritance, this seat fell to the lot of Richard Breton, esq. who immediately afterwards sold it to Edwin Wiat, esq. and he alienated it, after some little interval, to John Buller, esq. of Morvall, in Cornwall, whose son William dying s. p. the reversion of it, (after the death of his wife, who was entitled to it for life, as part of her jointure) (fn. 5) was sold to Sir Robert Furnese, bart. of Waldershare, but he never came into the possession of it; for Mr. Buller's widow, afterwards the widow of F. Wiat, esq. son of Edwin above-mentioned, enjoyed it till her death in 1760, when it came into the possession of Catherine, countess of Guildford, one of the three daughters and coheirs of Sir Robert Furnese, bart. who in 1767 sold it to Henry Fox, lord Holland, and he conveyed it to his second son, the hon. CharlesJames Fox, who passed away his interest in it to John Powel, esq. who dying s. p. his sister, then the wife of William Roberts, became his heir and entitled to this estate, and he is now in her right possessed of it. At this house king William used to reside till the winds favoured his embarking for Holland. A room said to be the bedchamber of the royal guest is still shewn. His guards encamped on an adjoining inclosure.

It has been a large commodious structure, built partly of timber and partly of brick, much of which has been within these few years pulled down, and the rest modernized and converted into a farm house. It is pleasantly situated among a toll of trees, which defend it from the winds. There was formerly a vineyard in the gardens, which are walled round.

This antient seat, like most others of the same rank, has been for some years going fast to ruin, the weather penetrated into most of the apartments, which had been the principal ones; the roof and windows were greatly demolished, and no part of it inhabited, or indeed capable of being so, except a small part at the end occupied by the farmer; a grand suit of apartments at the north-west corner was demolished in 1781, and much of the remaining parts of it were taken down by piecemeal at different times, for the sale of the materials; in which ruinated state this seat remained till the year 1789, when Mr. Powell took down great part of it, and rebuilt the rest as it remains at present. (fn. 6)

THE MANOR OF WESTGATE, alias GARLING, lies at the eastern part of this parish, extending likewise into the parish of St. John. It had antiently owners of its own name, for it appears by the book of knight's fees in the exchequer, and other records, that Robert de Westgate held it in the reigns of king Henry III. and Edward I. of the abbot of St. Augustine's, by knight's service. He left at his death his son Robert, under age, who afterwards was in the custody of Sir Henry de Sandwich, and he held it accordingly as such in the latter of those reigns. It went into the family of Leyborne very soon after this, for William de Leyborne died possessed of it in the 3d year of Edward II. leaving Juliana his grand-daughter his heir, (daughter of his son Thomas, who died in his life-time) who being heir both to her father and grandfather, became entitled to large possessions in this and several other counties, for the greatness of which she was usually stiled the Infanta of Kent, who having issue by neither of her husbands, (for she had three) whom she survived, this manor escheated to the crown for want of heirs; for it appears by the inquisition taken after her death, in the 43d year of king Edward III. that there was then no one who could make claim to her estates, either by direct or even collateral alliance. After which this manor continued in the crown, till king Richard II. in his 11th year, gave it to the priory of Canons,alias Chiltern Langley in Hertfordshire, where it continued till the dissolution of that house in the 30th year of Henry VIII. when it was, with all its possessions, surrendered into the king's hands, and was confirmed to him and his heirs, by the general words of the act, passed the next year for that purpose.

King Henry VIII. becoming thus possessed of it, granted this manor, with all itsrights, members, and appurtenances, among several other premises, for divers good causes and considerations, to Richard, suffragan bishop of Dover, to hold to him and assigns, during his life, without any account of rent whatsoever; provided, if he should be promoted to one or more ecclesiastical benefices, or other dignity or annuity, of the yearly value of 100l. that then this grant should be void. This certainly happened before the 36th year of that reign, for the king that year granted this manor to Sir Thomas Moyle, to hold in capite by knight's service; he alienated it in the first year of Edward VI. to Roger and Valentine Byer, alias Bere, (fn. 7) to the use of the former, who died possessed of it in the 4th and 5th year of Philip and Mary, and was succeeded in it by John Byer, his son and heir, and he conveyed it, anno 3 Elizabeth, to Thomas Adam, who in the 17th year of that reign, alienated it to Thomas Dane, of Herne, whose daughter and heir Thomasine marrying Robert Denne, esq. of Denne-hill, entitled him to the possession of this manor. His eldest son Thomas Denne, esq. who was recorder of Canterbury, died in 1656, and was succeeded in it by his eldest son Thomas, of GraysInn, esq. who dying s. p. devised it by will to his brother John, of the Inner Temple, esq. who dying likewise s. p. gave it by will to his four maiden sisters; the eldest of whom, Thomasine, on the share of the inheritance left them by their brother, became entitled to it, and afterwards marrying Sir Nicholas Crispe, of Quekes, he became in her right possessed of it, and died in 1657, leaving an only daughter Anne, who carried it in marriage in 1673 to Sir Richard Powle, K. B. of Berkshire, whose son John Powle, esq. of Lincoln's Inn, dying in 1740, s. p. this manor, among other estates, by the entail of it, reverted to the right heirs of his mother Anne Crispe, in the person of Tho. Crispe, esq. of West-Ham, in Essex, (descended from Tho. Crispe, of Goudhurst, the next brother of Henry, the father of Sir Nicholas Crispe, above mentioned) whose sole daughter and heir Anne married Sir Rich. Powle, K. B. the father of John, who died s.p. in 1740, as above mentioned.) He left an only surviving daughter and heir Susan, who married in 1757, the late Geo. Elliot, esq. of Upton, in Essex, who possessed it in her right, and in 1764 alienated it to Mr. John Wotton, of this island, as he did again to Mr. James Taddy, gent. of St. John's, whose surviving sons and devisees James and Edward Taddy, became entitled to it, but the latter is since become the sole possessor of it.

BROOKSEND, antiently spelt Brookesende, is a manor situated about a mile south-west from the church of Birchington; it was part of the antient possessions of the priory of Christ-church; and in the 10th year of king Edward II. the prior obtained a grant of free warren for his demesne lands in this manor among others, after this it continued with the priory till the final suppression of it in the 31st year of Henry VIII. when this manor, among the other possessions of it, came into the king's hands, where it did not continue long, for he settled it, among other premises, in his 33d year, on his new-erected dean and chapter of Canterbury, part of whose inheritance it still continues. There is not any court held for this manor.

The manerial rights the dean and chapter reserve in their own hands; but the scite and demesne lands are demised on a beneficial lease, the present lessee being Mr. John Friend, junior, who is the present occupier of it.

THE MANOR OF BROADGATE, otherwise called Brockmans, lies within the bounds of this parish, and extends likewise into Monkton; it was part of the possessions of Henry Beaufort, duke of Somerset, and on his attainder in the 8th year of king Edward IV. came to the crown, whence it was granted to John Brockman, esq. of Witham, in Essex, to hold by the same tenure and services as it was held in the 1st year of his reign, and he died possessed of it in the 16th year of king Henry VII. anno 1500, as was found by the inquisition then taken. (fn. 8)

Charities

TEN ACRES AND ONE HALF OF LAND, were given for the repairs of the church here, or perhaps purchased with the several legacies left to the church fabric, of which one acre is let by the churchwardens to a poor man employed by them, to keep the boys orderly at church; the residue is let out, and the rents applied to the use of the church.

ANNA-GERTRUY CRISPE, fourth daughter and coheir of Thomas Crispe, esq. of Quekes, by her will in 1707, devised to the overseers of the poor of Birchington and ville of Achole, for ever, 47 acres of land in Birchington and Monkton, then in lease at 18l. per annum, in trust, to pay to the clerk of the parish yearly 20s. to keep clean the isle and monuments belonging to Quex; to three widows of Birchington 3l. to two widows of Achole 2l. for wearing apparel to appear at church; to keep at school with dame or master, 12 boys and girls, and to give to each, at leaving the school, a bible; the overseers to take yearly ten shillings; to dispose of the remaining money for binding a school-boy apprentice; that the overseers fix up a yearly account of receipts and payments, and pass the same before a justice of the peace. (fn. 9)

THIS PARISH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Westbere.

The church, which is exempted from the archdeacon, and dedicated to All Saints, is a handsome building, situated on a rising ground; it consists of a nave and two isles, reaching but half the length of it, and what is remarkable, they are all spanned by a single roof; beyond these are three chancels. That on the north side of it belongs to the antient seat of Quekes, in this parish, and is repaired by the owners of it; in it are many fine antient monuments and memorials of the families of Quekes and Crispe, &c. The south chancel is made into a handsome vestry, and just by stands the steeple, which is a tower, on which is placed a spire covered with shingles, of great use to ships at sea as a land-mark. There are five bells in it. In the windows of the church are some few remains of painted glass, just sufficient to shew that there was much more formerly. Before the reformation, there were here beside the high altar, altars and images with lights before them, for the blessed Virgin Mary, St. Nicholas, the Holy Trinity, St. Anne, and St. Margaret; to each of which legacies of a few pence and sometimes shillings, were almost constantly devised by the parishioners; as appears by their wills, remaining in the Prerogative-office, Canterbury.

Among other memorials in this church, in the high chancel, is a stone with a brass plate, having on it, the effigies of a priest in his habit, and an inscription for master John Heynes, clerk, late vicar of Monkton, obt. 1523. In the vestry, on a brass plate, an inscription for Mrs. Margaret Crispe, late wife of Mr. John Crispe, the youngest daughter and heir of George Rotherham, esq. obt. 1508. In the Quekes, formerly called St. Mary's chancel, are many gravestones, with brass plates and monuments well preserved, for the family of Crispe, of Quekes, with their busts, several of which, as well as the ornaments, are of excellent sculpture, from the year 1508 to 1737. A very handsome mural monument and inscription for dame Anne Powel, only daughter and heir of Sir Nicholas Crispe, of Quex, and relict of Sir Richard Powel, K. B. obt. 1707, leaving only one son John Powel, esq. of Lincoln'sInn, who died unmarried 1740, and lies here interred. By her death, all his mother's estates in Kent pursuant to her deeds of settlement, descended to Henry and Thomas Crispe, esqrs. of the custom-house, London, the only surviving branch in the male line of this antient name and family. A memorial for Wm. Buller, esq. of Quekes, ob. 1708; arms, Sable, on a cross, argent, four eagles displayed of the field, a crescent for difference; impaling sable, a chevron between three pelicans, or. John Blechenden, gent. of Birchington, appears, by his will, anno 1580, to lie buried in the nether end and north side of the chancel, where Sir Henry Crispe was buried. There are engravings of three of the monuments of the Crispe's in Lewis's History of Thanet.—On an antient tomb in this chancel, lie the effigies of a man and woman; on the sides and end of it are the arms of Crispe singly, and those of Scott, three catherine wheels in a bordure, engrailed, and Crispe, impaling the same several times. In the middle isle, a memorial for Capt. George Friend, of this parish, obt 1721; and several others for the same family. A memorial, shewing, that in a vault underneath, lie several of the Neames, of Gore-end, and Mockett, of Dandelion. One for Samuel Brooke, esq. obt. 1774. Several memorials for the Kerbys, of Southend, and Brooksend; Austens, and of Gore. A memorial for Thomas Underdown, late of Fordwich, and thrice mayor of that corporation; he died 1709. A stone, on which is a brass, with a priest in his habit, the inscription gone, but in small circular brasses at each corner are his initials, I. F. conjoined in the manner of a cypher.

In the church yard, on the north side, there stood formerly a small house, called the Wax-house, where they used to fabricate the lights for the church processions, &c. In the time of the sequestration of this vicarage, about the year 1642, or rather the resignation of it by Dr. Casaubon, on the ordinance against pluralities, this church was left by the vicar, to any one who would officiate in it, and this house was fitted up at the parishioners charge, or perhaps at the expence of the family of Crispe, who were defirous of a conformist's officiating here, for the minister to live in. Accordingly Mr. Edmund Fellows, A. M. of Sandwich, officiated here as minister from 1657 till after 1660; but in a late vicar's time, this house was, by his order, pulled down, and the materials carried away.

This church was one of the chapels belonging to the vicarage of Monkton, and is now the only one of them in being. As this church was a chapelry of the parish church of Monkton, and the chapel was erected for the ease of the inhabitants, they were antiently obliged to contribute towards the repairs of the mother church; but this usage, as well as that of the other chapels in this island, (except St. Nicholas, which still continues to pay a certain sum towards the repairs of its mother church of Reculver) has been for a long time discontinued.

By the endowment of the vicarage of Monkton in 1367, it was decreed, that the vicar of Monkton for the time being, should find one chaplain in this chapel of Birchington, dependant on that church, daily to celebrate, as far as he conveniently could, which chaplain should officiate in this chapel duly in divine services; for which the vicar allowed him a stipend of six pounds per annum.

In the valuation of the vicarage of Monkton, in the king's books, the vicar of it is charged for a priest at the chapels of Birchington and Wode, 11l. 13s. 4d. In 1640 here were 240 communicants.

The vicar of Monkton now finds a curate to officiate in this church, being collated by the archbishop, the patron, to the vicarage of Monkton, with the chapels of Birchington and Wode appendant to it; but the appropriate parsonage of this parish, including that of Wood adjoining, as an appendage to that of Monkton, which was part of the possessions of the priory of Christ-church, was yet a distinct parsonage from it, and as such was granted, after the dissolution, by king Henry VIII. in his 33d year, by his dotation charter, to his new-erected dean and chapter of Canterbury, in whom the inheritance of it is at this time vested.

The parsonage of Birchington, including that of Wood, alias Woodchurch, adjoining, is let on a beneficial lease for twenty-one years. In 1778 the rack rent of it was two hundred pounds per annum; but it was valued, on a survey, at six hundred pounds per annum, having 2000 acres of titheable land within the tithery of it. The family of Hugessen, of Provender, were lessees of it. From the coheirs of the late William Western Hugessen, esq. their interest in this lease was sold, in 1791, to Mr. George Bushell, of Minster, whose son Mr. Benjamin Bushell is the present lessee.

¶The parish clerk here had formerly some peculiar privileges, as appears by the antient book of the clerks for collecting his dues, (fn. 10) different from those enjoyed by other parish-clerks in this island; besides certain sums of money, amounting to 5s. 6d. and a groat a year for every cottage; and he had paid him in kind by the farmers, twelve cops and twelve sheaves of wheat, and twelve cops and two sheaves of barley; but in the year 1638, an assessment was made by the parishioners of this parish, and of the parish and ville of Wood, wherein they rated their lands at twelve pence the score acres, and the cottages at four pence each, for the clerk's wages.

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol10/pp294-310

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The oldest standing building in Birchington, is of course, the Parish Church of All Saints Birchington, which stands in the centre of the village adjacent to the Square, and like other churches of Thanet about three quarters of a mile back from the sea.

It is positioned at the crossroads of two old roads, one which led from Minster Abbey to the sea at the little port of Gore-end, and the other to Canterbury crossing the River Wantsum by the ferry at Sarre.

Its distinguished tower with its tall, graceful spire creates an unmissable landmark on the approach to Thanet, and years ago ships passing by on the offing used it as such.

It is believed that a Church stood in this location for many years before the present building was constructed. There is a possibility that a Church stood here in Saxon times.

It is most likely that the church was originally a chapel of ease under Monkton and in its earliest form had a simple nave and chancel.

This evidence of the older building, can still be seen in the outside south wall, where some stones have been re-used.

There is evidence of some of the pre-Reformation features, including the base panels of the medieval rood screen at the chancel steps, reinstated in 1905, and one of the corbels that held the great rood beam itself. Between 1863 and 1883 the Victorians made their contribution with a major renovation programme.

The most memorable windows in the church are in memory of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, who died in Birchington in 1882. The left is a reproduction of one of his own paintings, while the right was designed by Frank Shields.

In recent times there have been less dramatic changes. Among them, through the generosity of the present owner of Quex Park, the Quex Chapel has been made into a chapel of worship once more. In late 2010, the spire of All Saints became illuminated at night. It still stands like a beacon, welcoming people into the village from St Nicholas roundabout, encouraging travellers, as it has done since about 1350, to travel those last two miles with a lighter heart, knowing they are so near home.

The exact date of the current church and the names of its founders are not known but it can be deduced from the records and from the style of architecture, the oldest parts of the Church are the Chancel with its side chapels, along with the Tower. It is believed that in c. 1250 the chancel was rebuilt, with the owners of Quex Park then adding a North Chapel, while the monks of Monkton added a southeast tower and chapel.

It is possible that the original owners of Quex may have built the original church, especially considering the north or Quex Chapel is the private chapel and property of the owners of the Quex Estate.

The Nave of the old church was increased in size in c. 1350 along with its five fine arcades of five bays, two narrow aisles and Norman door to the North side and is in the perpendicular style.

The large southwest pillar within the church suggest to us of plans that had to be altered, probably because of the Black Death, which resulted in us having two half aisles under one enormous roof. Around the same time, the spire was added to the tower - it still contains its original framework.

The walls of the Church are very thick and solid, built of rubble and faced with broken flints, the Kentish cobbles.

The south wall contains some old stones within it, which can be seen on either side of the south porch, which was added c. 1430. These old stones which are of anterior date to the other stones used in the building have suggested that in line with tradition, they were brought from an ancient church which stood at Gore-end and which was pulled down on the encroachment of the sea and used in the re-construction and enlargement of the present church.

There are old octagonal piers constructed from old Kent Ragstone, which have well moulded caps and bases. The east window was rebuilt of Bath stone during the Victorian restoration of the Church in 1863 when the present tracery was inserted.

One of the oldest parts of the building is the south chapel, or the St. Margaret's Chapel, above which is located the Tower in an unusual position at the south-east end of the Church. When the original small church of the three chapels was built in about 1250, before the Nave was added in the 1300's, the Tower was in the usual position — at the south-west end of the church. The Tower, crowned with an ancient shingle spire is the only ancient shingled spire in Thanet. The spire has been re-shingled several times, with the last occurring in 1968 using Canadian Red Cedar Wood shingles. Historically, sailing ships found the Spire great use at sea to steer by on their way from the Thames to the Foreland and Trinity House provided a grant of £100 in 1864 to repair it. Capping off the Spire is mounted a vane in the shape of an arrow with the date 1699 cut out in the centre.

The Church for many centuries had a tiled roof which has been renewed on several occasions. Much of the woodwork of the roof was renewed at the 1863 restoration.

At the base of the piers are stone seats which until the end of the 14th century were in most churches the only seats in naves.

In the near centre of the north wall behind the current location of the font, opposite the south door may be seen the outline of an arch used formerly as another door and blocked probably at the restoration of 1863.

The Chancel is dedicated to All Saints. The beautiful reredos, was completed in 1883 takes the form of a triptych. This was designed by a Mr. C. N. Beazley and painted by Mr. N. H. J. Westlake, F.S.A., a well known artist at that time. This was restored and cleaned at the end of 2010. On the north side of the Altar is what is probably an Easter Sepulchre. The oak Altar rails were installed in 1938, which were made by a local craftsman. On the south side of the Chancel attached to a pier is a brass of a priest wearing the vestments of the period. This was formerly on a ledger stone in the Sanctuary. The inscription states that the brass is to John Heynes, priest, sometime vicar of Monkton who died 9th October A.D. 1523.

The Crucifixion is the theme of the east window and was dedicated in 1873. The west window was the gift of Mr. Thomas Gray of Birchington Hall, which was later to become Spurgeons Childrens Home then Birch Hill Park and was dedicated in 1873.

In the vault beneath the Quex Chapel, formally the Lady Chapel, now filled in, are buried the previous owners and their relatives of Quex. This Chapel contains some wonderful and interesting monuments in brass, alabaster, stone and marble commemorating the owners of Quex from the early 15th century to the present day.

The Tower contains eight bells, the oldest being made in 1633. The Church Clock was installed in 1887, as a memorial of Queen Victoria's Jubilee. There are a number of old and interesting tombstones in the Churchyard, the one of most general interest is that of Rossetti whose grave lies near the south porch, which was designed by his friend Ford Maddox Brown. In 1910, the two vestries were added.

www.allsaintsbirchington.com/All_Saint_Birchington/Histor...

John Wayne in Red River (1948) by Truus, Bob & Jan too!

Belgian postcard by Fotoprim, Bruxelles (Brussels), no. 7. Photo: United Artists. John Wayne in Red River (Howard Hawks, 1948).

Sources: Biography.com, Wikipedia and IMDb.

And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.

Where the storefront once was... by Retail Retell

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Construction, Week 64

Finally for today, here's one last look through the fence toward where old store's former storefront, which, along with the store's entire footprint, is now virtually indistinguishable from the old parking lot out front, what with all the dirt everywhere from the construction (destruction!) equipment. Given that they took about a fourth of the foundation out this week (by my estimation, anyway), I'd say in a few more weeks it'll be gone completely, and a few more after that the new parking lot finished...

Of course, another Kroger update will be up next week, in this seemingly never-ending series :P For now, stick around for a Tuesday Morning update tomorrow!

These places are public so these photos are too, but just as I tell where they came from, I'd appreciate if you'd say who :)

Tabbert Comtesse caravan 1980 (KCT75) by MilanWH

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The year is an estimation, after some Googling. Feel free to correct me.

319 in St. Bernard's Crescent by Stuart Montgomery

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Unusual workings can offer a treat to the enthusiast but they don't come more unusual than this! A Marine based Volvo B9TL decker on Central's Service 36.

Wright Eclipse Gemini 2, number 319 (SN09 CUY) is newly repainted into Weinrot und Weiss but this one is highly noteworthy for being one of Lothian's prize winning Zoom to the Zoo buses, new in 2009. The ten buses (316-325) have been popular stars in Edinburgh for the past four years but quite suddenly the zoo is now short of a penguin.

This was one of two (see below) with magnificent artwork the talk of the town, and in 2009 featured in a special on-line prize competition to discover which of the five animals was preferred by families, passengers and enthusiasts. Although this is shiny and new in appearance today it cannot be compared equally with our remaining nine stylish zoo buses.

The sight of 319 in St. Bernard's Crescent working on Service 36 is truly extraordinary by anybody's estimation - it will possibly be the first time this vehicle has ever worked this route, belonging virtually exclusively on Service 26 between Seton Sands, the Zoo and Clerwood since new in the spring of 2009.

Ludwig Van Beethoven - the 'deaf' man who composed the best music by Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi

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Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was born at Bonn. His family originated from in Belgium. His father was musician at the Court of Bonn, with a definite weakness for drink. His mother was always described as a gentle, retiring woman, with a warm heart. Beethoven referred to her as his "best friend". At an early age, Beethoven took an interest in music, and his father taught him day and night, on returning to the house from music practice or the tavern. Without doubt, the child was gifted, and his father Johann envisaged creating a new Mozart, a child prodigy. On March 26th 1778, at the age of 7 1/2, Beethoven gave his first know public performance, at Cologne. In 1782, before the age of 12, Beethoven published his first work: 9 variations, in C Minor, for Piano, on a march by Ernst Christoph Dressler (WoO 63). Five years later, in 1792, Beethoven went back to Vienna, benefiting from another grant, for two years, by the Prince Elector, again to pursue his musical education. He never went back to the town of his birth. His friend Waldstein wrote to him: "You shall receive Mozart's spirit from Haydn's hands"... In 1801 Beethoven confessed to his friends at Bonn his worry of becoming deaf. At Heiligenstadt, in 1802, he wrote a famous text which expressed his disgust at the unfairness of life: that he, a musician, could become deaf was something he did not want to live through. But music made him carry on. Beethoven wrote this third symphony in honour of a great man, Bonaparte. He was seen as the liberator of the people, opening, from the French Revolution, a door to hope. When the First Consul declared himself Emporor, Beethoven became enraged and scowled out Bonaparte's name from the score. At the end of July 1812, Beethoven met Goethe, under the organisation of Bettina Brentano. These two great men admired each other, but didn't understand each other. The composer found the poet too servile, and the poet last estimation was that Beethoven was "completely untamed". Beethoven admired Goethe, he put to music several of his poems. I always regretted not having been better understood by Goethe. Years later he started to compose his tenth symphony. Beethoven passed away on March 26th 1827.

Snug Harbour #1 - 0249 by Bob Warren

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The Snug Harbour Restaurant is situated on the east bank of the Credit River, where it flows into Lake Ontario at Port Credit, in Mississauga. This is also the site of a large yacht club and marina.

The river became known as Missinnihe, or "trusting creek" to the Mississauga First Nation people who met annually with white traders there. To the first nations, the river was "held in reverential estimation as the favourite resort of their ancestors" and the band, which ranged from Long Point on Lake Erie, to the Rouge River on Lake Ontario, became known as the Credit River Indians. Their descendents are today the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. (Wikipedia)

Night shot: 25 seconds @ f/11; ISO 100

As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments.

My Dear Children, I was once a good mathematician. by Let Ideas Compete

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In my "glory days" I was pretty good at math. This was/is one of my all-time favorite books: Harry Van Trees' first volume on Detection, Estimation, and Modulation Theory. This is an old book: I wonder what book or books are used in the Universities now on this subject.

My kids don't really know that part of me.

West Woods Bluebells by Damien Davis

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Forestry Commission: West Woods

2015 Bluebell Watch

This year's bluebell season is on course to be one of the most spectacular in years.

After the mildest February in nearly a decade and the driest March for 40 years, the woodland spring flowers are starting to bloom a couple of weeks earlier than usual.

I took a walk around West Woods near Marlborough first thing this morning. It was cloudy and overcast, so the light was a bit flat. But it was still nice to walk around the woodland (I forgot how big they are)! It's a beautiful place to visit (with or without a camera). My estimation is that the bluebells will be at their peak during the next 7 days, so I highly recommend a visit soon!

Directions (Sat Nav: Use Postcode SN8 4DY)

From the M4 Junction 15, take the A346 south towards Marlborough. Carry on through Marlbrough High Street and follow the A4 towards Avebury and Calne.

Approximately two miles outside Marlborough take a left turn where you see the signpost for Clatford. Drive up to the crossroads and straight over. About one and a half miles along this road the woods and car park are sign posted on the right hand side.

St Lawrence, Mereworth, Kent by Jelltex

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We visited Mereworth at some point last year. It was locked, and the notice suggested it might not reopen. Of course, things seemed very black at times in the last two years. So, I had low expectations that St Lawrence would be open. I didn't even take my cameras, instead walked to the door under the portico to see if it was open.

Not only was it open, there was a sign confirming it was open. And inside, a gentleman was sitting and reading in peace and quiet, a flask of coffee beside him.

I apologised for breaking the silence, and said I was going to get my camera. I also could not miss the fact, the steps to the gallery were leading to doors above that were open.

A rare treat.

Upon returning, the strong sunlight had returned from a cloud, and the glass in the east windows were not just bright with colour, but dazzling.

It is over a decade since we first saw the Italianate spire of St Lawrence, looking very out of place in the Weald. We stop that day, but it was locked, but I made sure we visited at the next Heritage weekend a few months later.

My shots were poor: overuse of the ultra-wide angle, so I have wanted to return for some time, but the two visits since I have found it locked.

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One of the few eighteenth-century churches in Kent, built in 1746 by the 7th Earl of Westmoreland. Surprisingly for so late a date the name of the architect is not known although it is in the style of Colen Campbell who designed the nearby castle, but as he died in 1722 it is probably by someone in his office. The main feature of the church is a tall stone steeple with four urns at the top of the tower, whilst the body of the church is a plain rectangular box consisting of an aisled nave and chancel. Inside is an excellent display of eighteenth-century interior decoration - especially fine being the curved ceiling which is painted with trompe l'oeil panels. At the west end is the galleried pew belonging to the owners of Mereworth Castle - it has organ pipes painted on its rear wall. The south-west chapel contains memorials brought here from the old church which stood near the castle, including one to a fifteenth-century Lord Bergavenny, and Sir Thomas Fane (d. 1589). The latter monument has a superb top-knot! The church contains much heraldic stained glass of sixteenth-century date, best seen with binoculars early in the morning. Of Victorian date is the excellent Raising of Lazarus window, installed in 1889 by the firm of Heaton, Butler and Bayne. In the churchyard is the grave of Charles Lucas, the first man to be awarded the Victoria Cross, while serving on the Hecla during the Crimean War.

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Mereworth

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MEREWORTH.

EASTWARD from West, or Little Peckham, lies Mereworth, usually called Merrud. In Domesday it is written Marourde, and in the Textus Roffensis, MÆRUURTHA, and MERANWYRTHE.

THE PARISH of Mereworth is within the district of the Weald, being situated southward of the quarry hills. It is exceedingly pleasant, as well from its naturalsituation, as from the buildings, avenues, and other ornamental improvements made throughout it by the late earl of Westmoreland, nor do those made at Yokes by the late Mr. Master contribute a little to the continued beauty of this scene. The turnpike road crosses this parish through the vale from Maidstone, towards Hadlow and Tunbridge, on each side of which is a fine avenue of oaks, with a low neatly cut quick hedge along the whole of it, which leaves an uninterrupted view over the house, park, and grounds of lord le Despencer, the church with its fine built spire, and the seat of Yokes, and beyond it an extensive country, along the valley to Tunbridge, making altogether a most beautiful and luxuriant prospect.

Mereworth house is situated in the park, which rises finely wooded behind it, at a small distance from the high road, having a fine sheet of water in the front of it, being formed from a part of a stream which rises at a small distance above Yokes, and dividing itself into two branches, one of them runs in front of Mereworth house as above mentioned, and from thence through Watringbury, towards the Medway at Bow-bridge; the other branch runs more southward to East Peckham, and thence into the Medway at a small distance above Twiford bridge.

Mereworth-house was built after a plan of Palladio, designed for a noble Vicentine gentleman, Paolo Almerico, an ecclesiastic and referendary to two popes, who built it in his own country about a quarter of a mile distance from the city of Venice, in a situation pleasant and delightful, and nearly like this; being watered in front with a river, and in the back encompassed with the most pleasant risings, which form a kind of theatre, and abound with large and stately groves of oak and other trees; from the top of these risings there are most beautiful views, some of which are limited, and others extend so as to be terminated only by the horizon. Mereworth house is built in a moat, and has four fronts, having each a portico, but the two side ones are filled up; under the floor of the hall and best apartments, are rooms and conveniences for the servants. The hall, which is in the middle, forms a cupola, and receives its light from above, and is formed with a double case, between which the smoke is conveyed through the chimnies to the center of it at top. The wings are at a small distance from the house, and are elegantly designed. In the front of the house is an avenue, cut through the woods, three miles in length towards Wrotham-heath, and finished with incredible expence and labour by lord Westmoreland, for a communication with the London road there: throughout the whole, art and nature are so happily blended together, as to render it a most delightful situation.

In the western part of this parish, on the high road is the village, where at Mereworth cross it turns short off to the southward towards Hadlow and Tunbridge, at a small distance further westward is the church and parsonage, the former is a conspicuous ornament to all the neighbouring country throughout the valley; hence the ground rises to Yokes, which is most pleasantly situated on the side of a hill, commanding a most delightful and extensive prospect over the Weald, and into Surry and Sussex.

Towards the north this parish rises up to the ridge of hills, called the Quarry-hills, (and there are now in them, though few in number, several of the Martin Cats, the same as those at Hudson's Bay) over which is the extensive tract of wood-land, called the Herst woods, in which so late as queen Elizabeth's reign, there were many wild swine, with which the whole Weald formerly abounded, by reason of the plenty of pannage from the acorns throughout it. (fn. 1)

The soil of this parish is very fertile, being the quarry stone thinly covered with a loam, throughout the northern part of it; but in the southern or lower parts, as well as in East Peckham adjoining, it is a fertile clay, being mostly pasture and exceeding rich grazing land, and the largest oxen perhaps at any place in this part of England are bred and fatted on them, the weight of some of them having been, as I have been informed, near three hundred stone.

The manors of Mereworth and Swanton, with others in this neighbourhood, were antiently bound to contribute towards the repair of the fifth pier of Rochester bridge. (fn. 2)

THIS PLACE, at the time of taking the survey of Domesday, was part of the possessions of Hamo Vicecomes, under the general title of whose lands it is thus entered in that book.

In Littlefield hundred. Hamo holds Marourde. Norman held it of king Edward, and then, and now, it was and is taxed at two sulings. The arable land is ninecarucates. In demesne there are two, and twenty-eight villeins, with fifteen borderers, having ten carucates. There is a church and ten servants, and two mills of ten shillings, and two fisheries of two shillings. There are twenty acres of meadow, and as much wood as is sufficient for the pannage of sixty hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, it was worth twelve pounds, and afterwards ten pounds, now nineteen pounds.

This Hamo Vicecomes before-mentioned was Hamo de Crevequer, who was appointed Vicecomes, or sheriff of Kent, soon after his coming over hither with the Conqueror, which office he held till his death in the reign of king Henry I.

In the reign of king Henry II. Mereworth was in the possession of a family, which took their surname from it, and held it as two knights fees, of the earls of Clare, as of their honour of Clare.

Roger, son of Eustace de Mereworth, possessed it in the above reign, and then brought a quare impedit against the prior of. Leeds, for the advowson of the church of Mereworth. (fn. 3)

William de Mereworth is recorded among those Kentish knights, who assisted king Richard at the siege of Acon, in Palestine, upon which account it is probable the cross-croslets were added to the paternal arms of this family.

Roger de Mereworth, in the 18th year of king Edward I. obtained the grant of a fair at his manor of Mereworth, to be held there on the feast day of St. Laurence, and likewise for free-warren in the same, and in Eldehaye, &c.

John de Mereworth held this manor in the beginning of the reign of king Edward II. and in the 15th and 16th years of the next reign of king Edward III. he was sheriff, and resided at Mereworth-castle. His son, of the same name, died in the 44th year of it, without issue, on which John de Malmains, of Malmains, in Pluckley, was found to be his heir; and he, in the 46th year of the same reign, alienated his interest in it to Nicholas, son of Sir John de Brembre, who bore for his arms, Argent, three annulets sable, on a canton of the second, a mullet of the first.

Nicholas de Brembre was a citizen and grocer of London, and was lord mayor in the 1st year of king Richard II. in the 5th year of which reign he was knighted for his good services against that rebel Wat Tyler, in the 6th parliament of it, he represented the city of London in it; but at length becoming obnoxious to the prevailing party of that time, he was attainted of high treason in the 10th year of that reign, and was afterwards beheaded, (fn. 4) and his body buried in the Grey Friars church, now Christ church, in London. His estate being thus forfeited to the crown, king Richard, in his 13th year, granted this manor to John Hermenstorpe, who shortly afterwards passed it away to Richard Fitz Alan, earl of Arundel, lord treasurer and admiral of England, whose son, Thomas Fitz Alan, earl of Arundel, dying without issue in the 4th year of king Henry V. anno 1415, his four sisters became his coheirs, and on the division of their inheritance, the manor of Mereworth became the property of Joane, lady Abergavenny, the second sister, who had married William Beauchamp, lord Abergavenny, and she died possessed of it in the 13th year of king Henry VI. (fn. 5) After which it appears to have been vested in Elizabeth, daughter and sole heir of her son, Richard Beauchamp, earl of Worcester, and lord Abergavenny, who afterwards married Edward Nevill, fourth son of Ralph, earl of Westmoreland, who had possession granted of the lands of his wife's inheritance, and was afterwards, in the 29th year of Henry VI. summoned to parliament by the title of lord Bergavenny. He survived her, and died in the 16th year of king Edward IV. being then possessed, as tenant by the curtesy of England, of the inheritance of Elizabeth his first wife before-mentioned, of the manor of Mereworth.

From him it descended to his great grandson, Henry Nevill, lord Abergavenny, who died in the 29th year of queen Elizabeth, (fn. 6) when by inquisition he was found to die possessed, among other premises, of this manor with the advowson of the church of Mereworth, and the manor and farm of Oldhaie, alias Holehaie, in this parish, and that Mary, his daughter, was his sole heir, who had been married in the 17th year of that reign, to Sir Thomas Fane.

The family of Fane, (fn. 7) alias Vane, are of antient Welsh extraction, and for many generations wrote themselves solely Vane. They were first seated in this county in the reign of king Henry VI. when Henry Vane became possessed of Hilden, in Tunbridge, and resided there. He left three sons, the eldest of whom, John, was of Tunbridge; Thomas left a son Humphry; and Henry, the third son, was father of Sir Ralph Vane, who was attainted in the 4th year of king Edward VI.

John Vane, alias Fane, esq. of Tunbridge, the eldest son, had four sons; the eldest of whom Henry, was of Hadlow, but died s. p. Richard was ancestor of the Fanes, of Badsell, in Tudeley, the earls of Westmoreland, the viscounts Fane of Ireland, and the Fanes of Mereworth and Burston. Thomas, was of London, and John, the fourth son, was of Had low, and was ancestor of the two Sir Henry Vanes, whose descendant is the present earl of Darlington, as were the late viscounts Vane, and the Fanes, late of Winchelsea, in Sussex.

John Fane, esq. the father, dying in 1488, anno 4 king Henry VII. was buried in Tunbridge church. whose son Richard, heir to his elder brother Henry, married Agnes, daughter and heir of Thomas Stidolfe, esq. of Badsell, where he afterwards resided, as did his son George Fane, and grandson of the same name, the latter of whom was sheriff, anno 4 and 5 of Philip and Mary, and died in 1571, leaving two sons of the name of Thomas, the eldest of whom will be mentioned hereafter, and the youngest was seated at Burston, in Hunton, where a further account may be seen of him.

Thomas Fane, the eldest son and heir, having engaged in the rebellion raised by Sir Thomas Wyatt, in the first year of queen Mary, was attainted, and a warrant issued for his execution, but the queen having compassion on his youth, pardoned him, and he was soon afterwards restored to his liberty and estate. He was twice married, first to Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Colepeper, of Bedgbury, by whom he had no issue; and secondly, to lady Mary, sole daughter and heir of Henry Nevill, lord Abergavenny, by his wife Frances, daughter to Thomas Manners, earl of Rutland, and in her right possessed this manor of Mereworth, &c. as has been already mentioned.

Sir Thomas Fane, for he had been knighted the year before his last marriage, in the queen's presence, by the earl of Leicester, after this resided at times, both at Mereworth castle and at Badsell, of which latter place he wrote himself. He died in the 31st year of queen Elizabeth, and was buried at Tudely, whence his body was afterwards removed to Mereworth church. He left by the lady Mary, his wife, who survived him, Francis, his heir, and George, who succeeded to this manor and estate at Mereworth, after his mother's death, and who was made heir to his uncle, Sir Thomas Fane, of Burston.

Lady Mary Fane, on the death of her father, Henry, lord Abergavenny, had challenged the title of baroness of Bergavenny, against Edward Nevill, son of Sir Edward Nevill, a younger brother of George, lord Bergavenny, father of Henry, lord Bergavenny, before-mentioned, on which Sir Edward Nevill, the castle of Bergavenny had been settled both by testament and act of parliament.

This claim was not determined until after Sir Thomas Fane's death, in the first year of king James I. when after great argument used on both sides, the title of baron of Bergavenny, was both by judgment of the house of peers, and order of the lords commissioners for the office of earl marshal, decreed for the heir male, and to give some satisfaction to the heir female, the king, by his letters patent dated as before-mentioned, granted and restored to her and her heirs, the dignity of baroness le Despencer, (fn. 8) with the antient seat, place, and precedency of her ancestors.

The lady Mary, baroness le Despencer, survived her husband many years, and died at Mereworthcastle, in 1626, and was buried in Mereworth church, leaving her two sons, Francis and George, surviving. The eldest of whom Francis, in 1623, was created baron Burghersh, and earl of Westmoreland. He died in 1628, having had by Mary his wife, daughter and sole heir of Sir Anthony Mildmay, of Apethorp, in Northamptonshire, several sons and daughters, of the former, Mildmay was the eldest, who succeeded him in titles; Francis was afterwards knighted; and Henry was ancestor to the viscounts Fane.

Mildmay, the eldest son, earl of Westmoreland, dying in 1665, was buried at Apethorp. He left by his first wife Grace, daughter of Sir William Thorn hurst, one son Charles, who succeeded him in honors and estate, and by his second wife Mary, second daughter and coheir of Horace, lord Vere, of Tilbury, widow of Sir Roger Townsend, bart. of Rainham, in Norfolk, one son, Vere Fane.

Charles, earl of Westmoreland, was twice married, but dying without issue in 1691, was succeeded by his half-brother Sir Vere Fane, K.B. above-mentioned, who was M. P. for this county in 1678, and in 1692 joint lord-lieutenant with Henry, lord viscount Sidney. He died next year, leaving by Rachael his wife, only daughter and heir of John Bunce, esq. alderman of London, several sons and daughters, of the former, Vere, succeeded him in titles and estate, and died unmarried in 1699. Thomas, the second son, succeeded his brother as earl of Westmoreland, and died without issue; and John, the third son, succeeded his brother as earl of Westmoreland, and Mildmay, was the fourth son, both of whom will be further mentioned.

Of the daughters, Mary married Sir Francis Dashwood, bart. of London, father of the late lord le Despencer; Catherine married William Paul, esq. of Berkshire, whose only daughter and heir, Catherine, married Sir William Stapleton, bart. father of Sir Thomas Stapleton, bart. lately deceased, and Susan died unmarried.

But to return to George Fane, the second son of the lady Mary, baroness le Despencer, by her husband, Sir Thomas Fane. He was knighted at the coronation of king James I. in the 18th year of which reign he was chosen M. P. for this county, and on his mother's death in 1626, he succeeded to the manor of Mereworth, with the castle, advowson, and other estates in this parish; and on the death of Sir Thomas Fane, of Burston, his uncle, in 1606, succeeded by his will to his seat at Burston, and the rest of his estates.

Sir George Fane resided afterwards at Burston, where he died in 1640, being succeeded in this manor and estate by his eldest son, Thomas Fane, esq. of Burston, who was a colonel in the army. He died unmarried at Burston in 1692, and was buried near his father in Hunton church, leaving the manor and castle of Mereworth, with the advowson of this church, his seat at Burston, and all other his estates in this county, to Mildmay Fane, the youngest son of Vere, earl of Westmoreland, by Rachael, his wife, daughter of John Bunce, esq.

Mildmay Fane, esq. resided at Mereworth-castle, and in 1715 was chosen M. P. for this county. He died unmarried that year, and was succeeded in this manor and castle, as well as in his other estates, by Thomas, earl of Westmoreland, his eldest surviving brother, who was chief justice in eyre, south of Trent, and of the privy council to king George I. This earl intending to reside at Apethorp, in Northamptonshire, procured an act in the 5th year of that reign, to sell this manor, as well as all the rest of his Kentish estates, but changing his mind, no sale was made of any of them, and he afterwards resided at Mereworth castle, where he died s. p. in 1736, and was buried at Apethorp, so that his honours and estates descended to John, his younger and only surviving brother, who became the 7th earl of Westmoreland, and following a military life in his early youth, at length arrived at the rank of lieutenant general. On the death of his younger brother, Mildmay Fane, he was in 1715 chosen in his room M. P. for this county; and in 1733 was created a peer of Ireland, by the title of baron of Catherlough, and in 1737 he was appointed lordlieutenant of Northamptonshire. He retired to Mereworth castle soon after the death of earl Thomas, which seat he rebuilt, as well as the church of Mereworth, in an elegant manner, and continued adding to the improvements and grandeur of this place till the time of his death, insomuch, that it may now be justly esteemed one of the greatest ornaments of this county.

The earl was high steward, and afterwards chancellor of the university of Oxford, in which last high and honorable office he was installed there, on July 3, 1759, with the greatest solemnity, and with a magnificence and splendor unknown at any former installation. He married Mary, only daughter and heir of the lord Henry Cavendish, but dying in 1762, s. p. he by his will devised this manor and seat, with the rest of his estates in this county, to his nephew Sir Francis Dashwood, bart. son of Sir Francis Dashwood, bart. of West Peckham, by his sister the lady Mary, eldest daughter of Vere, earl of Westmoreland, and to the heirs of his body, with remainder to Sir Thomas Stapleton, bart. his great nephew, viz. son of Sir William Stapleton, bart. by Catherine, daughter and heir of William Paul, of Bromwich, in Oxfordshire, by his sister Catherine, younger daughter of the said Vere, earl of Westmoreland.

On the death of John, earl of Westmoreland, without issue, his Irish peerage became extinct, but the barony of le Despencer being a barony in fee to heirs general, was confirmed to Sir Francis Dashwood, bart his sister's son; and the titles of baron Burghersh and earl of Westmoreland went to Thomas Fane, of Bristol, merchant, the next heir male descendant of Sir Francis Fane, second surviving son of Francis, first earl of Westmoreland. The earls of Westmoreland bore for their arms, Azure, three right hand gauntlets with their backs affrontee, or. And for their crest, Out of a ducal coronet or, a bull's head argent, pyed sable, armed or, and charged on the neck with a rose gules, barbed and seeded proper; being the antient crest of Nevill.

Sir Francis Dashwood, bart. was descended from Samuel Dashwood, esq. of Rowney, near Taunton, who by his first wife had John, ancestor of the Dashwoods, of Essex and Suffolk; Francis, of whom hereafter; Richard and William, of Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire, who fined for alderman of London. By his second wife he had George, ancestor to the Dashwoods, of Oxford, baronets.

Francis Dashwood, the second son, was a Turkey merchant, and an alderman of London, who bore for his arms, Argent, on a fess double cotized gules, three griffins heads erased, or, granted to him in 1662, by Byshe, clarencieux. He died in 1683, leaving several children, the eldest of whom Samuel was knighted, and was lord-mayor of London in 1702, and was ancestor of the Dashwoods, of Well, in Lincolnshire; Francis the youngest was knighted and created a baronet in 1707, whose second wife was the lady Mary, eldest sister of John, earl of Westmoreland, who died in 1710, and lies buried in West Wycomb church, in Bucking hamshire, where an elegant monument is erected to her memory; by whom he had an only son, Francis, and a daughter, Rachael, married in 1738 to Sir Robert Austen, bart. of Bexley, in this county. Sir Francis Dashwood, bart. the son, was of West Wycomb, and on the decease of John, earl of Westmoreland, succeeded by his will to this manor and house of Mereworth, as well as the rest of his estates in this county, to whom the king on April 19, 1763, confirmed to him, in right of the lady Mary, his mother, the premier barony of Le Despencer, the same being a barony in fee descendible to the heirs general.

He married the daughter of Henry Gould, esq. of Iver, in Buckinghamshire, by whom he had no issue, and died in 1760, being a privy-counsellor and lord-lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, upon which this manor and seat, with the rest of his estates in this county, went, by the will of John, earl of Westmoreland, as mentioned before, to Sir Thomas Stapleton, bart. of Grays, in Oxfordshire, (son of Sir Thomas Stapleton, the earl's great nephew who had deceased in 1781) who on the death of Rachael, sister of the late lord le Despencer, widow of Sir Robert Austen, bart. before mentioned, in 1788, s. p. succeeded to the title likewise of lord le Despencer, and he is the present proprietor of this elegant seat, now called Mereworth, or more commonly Merrud house, the manor and the advowson of this church.

He married Elizabeth, second daughter of S. Eliot, esq. of Antigua, by whom he has a son and daughter, He bears for his arms, Argent, a lion rampant gules, for Stapleton, quartered with the arms of Fane; and for his supporters, those of the earls of Westmoreland, the dexter a griffin, the sinister a bull, both collared and chained; crest, a Saracen's head.

YOKES-PLACE, formerly called Fotes-place, is a seat in this parish, the scite of which, in the reign of king Henry III. was in the possession of Fulco de Sharstede, who then held it as the third part of a knight's fee, of the earl of Gloucester, (fn. 9) and his descendant, Simon de Sharsted died possessed of it in the 25th year of king Edward I. After which it became the property of the family of Leyborne; and in the reign of king Edward III. it was come into the possession of William de Clinton, earl of Huntingdon, in right of his wife, Juliana de Leyborne, the heiress of that family, and he, in the 20th year of that reign paid aid for it. His wife survived him, and again possessed this estate in her own right, and died possessed of it in the 41st year of that reign, without issue.

On her death, this estate, among the rest of her possessions, escheated to the crown for want of heirs. Soon after which, it seems to have come into the possession of a family, who implanted their name on it, and were written in several old dateless deeds, Feotes, and by contraction were called Fotes. But this name was extinct here before the end of the reign of king Richard II. when it appears to have been in the possession of Richard Fitzalan, earl of Arundel, from whom it descended in like manner, as Mereworth manor, to Joane his daughter, coheir to Thomas, earl of Arundel, her brother, who married William Beauchamp, lord Abergavenny, and their son, Richard, earl of Worcester, and lord Abergavenny, leaving an only daughter and heir, Elizabeth, she carried Jotes-place in marriage to Edward Nevill, fourth son of Ralph, earl of Westmoreland, who was summoned to parliament as lord Bergavenny, and died in the 16th year of king Edward IV. being then possessed, as tenant by the curtesy of England, in right of Elizabeth his wife, of this estate, as well as of Mereworth manor. His son Sir George Nevill, lord Bergavenny, died possessed of it in the 7th year of king Henry VII. anno 1491, leaving several sons and daughters, of whom George, the eldest son, succeeded him as lord Abergavenny, in this estate, and in the manor of Mereworth; William was the second son; Edward was the third, whose descendants succeeded in process of time to the barony of Abergavenny, and Sir Thomas Nevill was the fourth son, to whom his father bequeathed Jotes-place, with the estate belonging to it. (fn. 10) He was of the privycouncil to king Henry VIII. and secretary of state, and dying in 1542, was buried in Mereworth church. His only daughter and heir, Margaret, married Sir Robert Southwell, master of the rolls, &c. who in her right became possessed of Jotes place, where he resided. (fn. 11) But in the 35th year of king Henry VIII. anno 1543, he alienated it, with other estates in this parish and West Peckham, to Sir Edward Walsingham, of Scadbury, in this county, in whose descendants it continued till the latter end of the reign of king Charles I. when Sir Thomas Walsingham, of Scadbury, conveyed Yokes-place, as it came now to be called, with the other estates before-mentioned, to his son-in-law, Mr. James Master, son of Mr. Nathaniel Master, merchant, of London, whose widow he had married, being the second son of James Master, esq. of East Langdon. Mr. James Master resided here, where he died in 1689, and was buried in Mereworth church. He left three sons and two daughters, James his heir; Streynsham, of Holton, in Oxfordshire, and Richard. The daughters were, Frances, who died without issue, and Martha, who married Lionel Daniel, esq. of Surry, by whom she had William, his heir, and a daughter Elizabeth, married to George, late lord viscount Torrington.

James Master, esq. the eldest son, resided at Yokesplace, and was sheriff in 1725. He died in 1728 unmarried, and gave by his will this seat, with the rest of his estates, to his youngest brother, Richard Master, who likewise resided at Yokes, where he died unmarried in 1767, and by his will devised it, with all his other possessions, to his nephew, William Daniel, esq. of Surry, son of his sister Martha, enjoining him to take the arms and surname of Master; accordingly he bore for his arms, Quarterly, first and fourth, Master; azure, a fess crenelle between three griffins heads erased or; second and third, Daniel, argent, a pale fuslly sable.

William Daniel Master, esq. resided at Yokesplace, where he kept his shrievalty in the year 1771, having almost rebuilt this seat, and laid out the adjoining grounds in a modern and elegant taste. He married Frances-Isabella, daughter of Thomas Dalyson, esq. of West Peckham. He died. s. p. in 1792, and left Mrs. Master still surviving him.

SWANTON-COURT is a manor in this parish, the mansion of which, situated about half a mile westward from Yokes, place, is now only a mean cottage. In the reign of king Henry III. Richard de Swanton held it, as half a knight's fee, of John de Belleacre, as he did of the earl of Gloucester. (fn. 12) In the 10th year of king Edward III. it was become the property of Elizabeth, sole daughter and heir of Wm. de Burgh, earl of Ulster, who by her husband Lionel, duke of Clarence, left an only daughter, Philippa, whose husband, Edward Mortimer, earl of March, had possession granted to him of this manor, among other lands of her inheritance.

Soon after which, this manor came into the possession of that branch of the family of Colepeper, seated at Oxenhoath, in the adjoining parish of West Peckham; in which it remained till Sir John Colepeper, one of the justices of the common pleas, gave it, with other lands in this neighbourhood, in the 10th year of king Henry IV. anno 1408, to the knights hospitallers of St. John, of Jerusalem, who founded a preceptory on that part of these lands, which lay in West Peckham.

This manor continued part of their possessions till the general dissolution of their order in the 32d year of king Henry VIII. when it was suppressed by an act then especially passed for that purpose; and all the lands and revenues of it were given by it to the king and his heirs for ever. The next year the king granted the manor of Swanton to Sir Robert Southwell, who in the 35th year of that reign, alienated it to Sir Edmund Walsingham, in whose descendants it continued till the latter end of king Charles I.'s reign, when Sir Thomas Walsingham alienated it, with Yokes-place and other estates in this neighbourhood, to his son-in-law, Mr. James Master; since which it has descended, in like manner as Yokes, to William Daniel Master, esq. who died possessed of it s. p. in 1792, and by his will de vised it to George Bing, lord viscount Torrington, the present possessor of it.

FOWKES is a manor in this parish, formerly esteemed as an appendage to the manor of Watringbury, under which a further account of it may be seen. It belonged to the abbey of St. Mary Grace, near the Tower, London, and after the dissolution in the reign of king Henry VIII. passed through several owners till the reign of king James I. when it was alienated to Oliver Style, esq. in whose descendants it has continued till this time, the present inheritance of it being vested in Sir Charles Style, bart. of Watringbury.

BARONS-PLACE is a capital messuage in Mereworth, which, with the estate belonging to it, was part of the possessions of Sir Nicholas Pelham, of Cattsfieldplace, in Sussex, who alienated it to Christopher Vane, lord Barnard; after which it descended in like manner as Shipborne and Fairlawne, to William, viscount Vane, who dying in 1789, s. p. devised it by his will to David Papillon, esq. of Acrise, the present owner of it.

THE FAMILY OF BREWER resided in this parish for many generations, before they removed in the reign of king Henry VI. to Smith's hall, in West Farleigh; their seat here, being called from them, Brewer'splace.

Charities.

THE BARONESS, wife of Francis, lord Despencer, gave by will certain land, the yearly produce of it to be applied towards the purchasing of twenty gowns for twenty poor families yearly, vested in the present lord le Despencer, and now of the annual produce of 20l.

A PERSON UNKNOWN gave the sum of 10s. per annum for the use of the poor, vested in Sir William Twysden, bart. and now of that annual produce.

A PERSON UNKNOWN gave the like yearly sum for the same purpose, vested in Mr. Richard Sex.

A person unknown gave certain wood land for the same use, vested in the present lord le Despencer, and now of the annual produce of 15s.

A PERSON UNKNOWN gave certain land for the like use, vested in the churchwardens and overseers, and of the annual produce of 3l. 10s.

MEREWORTH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Rochester and deanry of Malling.

The church was dedicated to St. Laurence. It was an antient building, and formerly stood where the west wing of Mereworth-house, made use of for the stables, now stands. It was pulled down by John, late earl of Westmoreland, when he rebuilt that house, and in lieu of it he erected, about half a mile westward from the old one, in the center of the village, the present church, a most elegant building, with a beautiful spire steeple, and a handsome portico in the front of it, with pillars of the Corinthian order. The whole of it is composed of different sorts of stone; and the east window is handsomely glazed with painted glass, collected by him for this purpose.

In the reign of king Henry II. the advowson of this church was the property of Roger de Mereworth, between whom and the prior and convent of Ledes, in this county, there had been much dispute, concerning the patronage of it: at length both parties submitted their interest to Gilbert, bishop of Rochester, who decreed, that the advowson of it should remain to Roger de Mereworth; and he further granted, with his consent, and that of Martin then parson of it, to the prior and convent, the sum of forty shillings, in the name of a perpetual benefice, and not in the name of a pension, in perpetual alms, to be received yearly for ever, from the parson of it. (fn. 13)

The prior and the convent of Ledes afterwards, anno 12 Henry VII. released to Hugh Walker, rector of this church, their right and claim to this pension, and all their right and claim in the rectory, by reason of it, or by any other means whatsoever.

In the reign of king Henry VI. the rector and parishioners of this church petitioned the bishop of Ro chester, to change the day of the feast of the dedication of it, which being solemnized yearly on the 4th day of June, and the moveable seasts of Pentecost, viz. of the sacred Trinity, or Corpus Christi, very often happening on it; the divine service used on the feasts of dedications could not in some years be celebrated, but was of necessity deferred to another day, that these solemnities of religion and of the fair might not happen together. Upon which the bishop, in 1439, transferred the feast to the Monday next after the exaltation of the Holy Cross, enjoining all and singular the rectors, and their curates, as well as the parishioners from time to time to observe it accordingly as such. And to encourage the parishioners and others to resort to it on that day, he granted to such as did, forty days remission of their sins.

Soon after the above-mentioned dispute between Roger de Mereworth and the prior and convent of Ledes, the church of Mereworth appears to have been given to the priory of Black Canons, at Tunbridge. (fn. 14) And it remained with the above-mentioned priory till its dissolution in the 16th year of king Henry VIII. a bull having been obtained from the pope, with the king's leave, for that purpose. After which the king, in his 17th year, granted that priory, with others then suppressed for the like purpose, together with all their manors, lands, and possessions, to cardinal Wolsey, for the better endowment of his college, called Cardinal college, in Oxford. But four years afterwards, the cardinal being cast in a præmunire; all the estates of that college, which for want of time had not been firmly settled on it, became forfeited to the crown. (fn. 15) After which, the king granted the patronage of the church of Mereworth, to Sir George Nevill, lord Abergavenny, whose descendant Henry, lord Abergavenny, died possessed of it in the 29th year of queen Elizabeth, leaving an only daughter and heir Mary, married to Sir Thomas Fane, who in her right possessed it. Since which it has continued in the same owners, that the manor of Mereworth has, and is as such now in the patronage of the right hon. Thomas, lord le Despencer.

It is valued in the king's books at 14l. 2s. 6d. and the yearly tenths at 1l. 8s. 3d.

¶It appears by a valuation of this church, and a terrier of the lands belonging to it, subscribed by the rector, churchwardens, and inhabitants, in 1634, that there belonged to it, a parsonage-house, with a barn, &c. a field called Parsonage field, a close, and a garden, two orchards, four fields called Summerfourds, Ashfield, the Coney-yearth, and Millfield, and the herbage of the church-yard, containing in the whole about thirty acres, that the house and some of the land where James Gostlinge then dwelt, paid to the rector for lord's rent twelve-pence per annum; that the houses and land where Thomas Stone and Henry Filtness then dwelt, paid two-pence per annum; that there was paid to the rector the tithe of all corn, and all other grain, as woud, would, &c. and all hay, tithe of all coppice woods and hops, and all other predial tithes usually paid, as wool, and lambs, and all predials, &c. in the memory of man; that all tithes of a parcel of land called Old-hay, some four or five miles from the church, but yet within the parish, containing three hundred acres, more or less; and the tithe of a meadow plot lying towards the lower side of Hadlow, yet in Mereworth, containing by estimation twelve acres, more or less, commonly called the Wish, belonged to this church.

The parsonage-house lately stood at a small distance north-eastward from Mereworth-house; but obstructing the view from the front of it, the late lord le Despencer obtained a faculty to pull the whole of it down, and to build a new one of equal dimensions, and add to it a glebe of equal quantity to that of the scite and appurtenances of the old parsonage, in exchange. Accordingly the old parsonage was pulled down in 1779, and a new one erected on a piece of land allotted for the purpose about a quarter of a mile westward from the church, for the residence of the rector of Mereworth and his successors.

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol5/pp70-90

D&H Alco C420 412 by Chuck Zeiler

Delaware & Hudson Railway Alco C420 412 at Binghamton, New York on June 15, 1977, transparancy by Jerry Lundeen, Chuck Zeiler collection. Built in December 1964 as Lehigh Valley C420 412 (c/n 3385-09), it was acquired by the D&H in 1976, classed as ARS-20, sold in 1987. The following is from Richard Steinbrenner's Alco history book, "A Centennial Remembrance":

In 1964 the C420 had its best production year, with a total of 45 units built. The L&N received its first six units in June, followed by the LV in October with 12. There appears to be an interesting link between the two orders. The L&N's new paint scheme applied to its C420's was gray and yellow. It has been said that a significant supply of paint remained at Schenectady, perhaps in anticipation of a quick follow-on order from L&N. The LV's C420's emerged from the Schenectady paint shop in a not-so-coincidental high impact gray and yellow "Yellowjacket" scheme. Silver trucks were added to the overall effect. Both railroads traded in FA/FB's on their orders; several of the L&N units were FA-1/FB-1's purchased in 1961 from the Lehigh & New England after its railroad operations were abandon. The L&N did later acquire another 10 C420's. The C420 was unveiled at a press conference staged in Chicago for industry executives on January 29, 1963. Alco's main theme was reduced operating costs (in Alco's estimation, by 44%), and Alco also offered liberal allowances on trade-in's.

another from the north crest trail by John Guarino

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Drive around to the east side of the Sandia Mountains along north Hwy 14. Then drive up the crest road past the ski area to the top of the crest. There is a south crest trail and a north crest trail.

This past Tuesday I had been on that road prior to sunrise, and had gotten to the top of the crest about 0700, and walked for a couple hours along the north trail.

This spot is about 1.5 mile north of the visitor center along the north trail, pretty much at what's called the Del Agua Overlook. I know, I'm pretty slow. From here we are at about 10,400 feet in elevation. According to Siri, ABQ is 5,312 feet above sea level.

Here we are looking south and west.

We can see the south edge of Albuquerque that stops at Kirtland AFB.

That smallish peak in the distance is probably part of Mesa Lucero. There are a lot of named protuberances out that way. There is Mesa Redonda, Black Mesa, Mesa Carrizo, all of which seem to be a part of the Sierra Lucero range.

If I'm correct in my estimations, then these features are just west of Los Lunas, NM which is about 10 to 20 miles south of ABQ, depending upon where in ABQ one starts measuring. It's considered part of the metro ABQ area.

If you click on the image to view if fully zoomed and look out in the distance, you might be able to pick out a couple of the run-ways of the Sunport airport, then beyond that the darker green (I know, not very green) that is the valley of the Rio Grande and the Isleta Pueblo. Beyond that are three small features that are probably Wind Mesa, and beyond that the rise of Mesa Lucero.

Darkling Beetle (Strongylium sp.), Singapore by Jun (still here with you 🌱)

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Unflawed Near Insanity -

In the quiet, too calm woods, the dry twigs and dead leaves snap loudly underfoot. I continue to toe and follow with zeal, the dark figure in front, until the opportunity to sneak up close came. Beginning from the head I scoured with intense interest, and then my eyes suddenly leap on the queer mounds on him. Lo and behold, a pair of lovely assets at the back on the neck! Twin baby bumps or prominent lumps, whatever you call it, are lovely to have. If you ask my favorite shape, I’ll say round pomelos too big will exert a pull on psychopaths. Longish eggplants are not so bad, but not so good either because they attract undesirable attention too. Pyramid cones are considered a definite no-no by reason they are hazardous and poke. In my estimation, modest strawberries are the cutest to admire. Bosom of whatever shapes and sizes, fake or real, all men are fans. The cleavage sandwiched between, who can resist? The snug seat separating is just right to rest sleepy heads for night dreams. Enough, let’s move to the beetle’s body. Are those imprints of nails you ask? Good grief, the punctured lines is not what you think. I run my fingers along his dimpled dorsal and read the microdots with nerve endings. Yeah, it’s a love letter written to me. Do you really have to know the details? Learn Braille. Finally we come to the slender legs that connect to his hippopotamus body. Two legs are standard, four legs are fast and six legs with tarsal claws resembling fish hooks, don’t they just look sexy? Manful thighs clad in hot tangerine tights, the euphoric voltage they emit accelerated my breathing. Fueled by fire in my brain and rewired by impulse, I can’t help but ask the question. “Please beetle impeccable, can I kiss your ankle with lips for the finishing touch?”

Klinikum by Geerd-Olaf Freyer

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University Hospital in Aachen (Germany)

View On Black

Zur Einschätzung der Größenverhältnisse kann dieses Foto dienen, in dem ein paar Wochen vorher noch ein Baukran zu sehen ist.

For the estimation of the size ratios please visit this picture in which a few weeks earlier a building crane is visible.

No HDR, just color blending of background layer copy over black&white processed layer and tweaking of curves.

She's Behind you... by Rat_Salad (sorry if too busy to play for a while..

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The last couple of days have seen the ground gaining a mantle of frost, and so I decided that I would visit the Glamorgan Canal/Forest Farm reserve in an attempt to get a shot of a foxy lady in a fur coat in the frost.

Luckily not only did she turn up, all fluffed up against the cold, but also decided to play Stalk-the-cheeky-magpie !

The Magpie may have been cheeky, but it wasn't stupid - and foxy lady wasn't trying too hard in my estimation - but it was a game they played twice before the vixen elected to head off for some real hunting...

Mir Manual Docking System — Toru Control Panel and Attitude Control Joystick by Steve Jurvetson

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The "Toru" control system resided on the Mir Space station and by use of the joystick, an approaching unmanned supply ship can be controlled remotely. This particular one was used in the Mir that stayed in Russia for training of all of the cosmonauts.

20 years ago, it was this manual Toru system that led to the collision of the approaching Progress spacecraft into the Mir, breaching the hull and threatening the lives of the crew. Mir went into a spin, and lacking power for control systems, the de-spin was a manual estimation process from looking out the window, implemented remotely by ground control (details below).

The Attitude Control Joystick “РУД”

This joystick help to move the spacecraft in three dimensions-forwards, backwards, left, right, up, down. This one was used for training purposes. The joystick can be mechanically locked into any position to hold it in place.

Locked out at the Starbucks Union Ave. Kroger entrance! by l_dawg2000

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Ha, I didn't realize after stepping out to take this photo, the door would be locked behind me! Oh well, all I had to do was make the short walk back to the front entrance and start over :P This is looking east down Union Ave., with the Donald's Donuts across the street looking an awful lot like a converted, early 1970's Dunkin' Donuts location. No telling what the massage place next door to it started out as, but looks like an old gas station. Panning back across the street, we can see the two entrance and exits out of the Kroger parking lot. The old Seessel's turned Schnucks turned Kroger was situated roughly between the two entrances, with the 1941 original building starting right about where the closest short brick wall (going out of frame to the right) is, and going down to about where the first light pole is. Those are all just estimations however, as there's no easy way at this point to overlay all those old structures with the brand new one.

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Kroger, 2016-built, Union Ave. at S. Idlewild St., Memphis

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