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This is a photograph of the Plot of land reserved for Nissan in Washington, UK. It was taken at some point in the 1970's or early 1980's.
Reference: 5417/79/2
This collection of images has been assembled in support of the Washington Heritage Festival 2013.
The celebration of Washington brings together a variety of different themes. Washington is a Town in the City of Sunderland, Tyne & Wear. It is traditionally associated with Coal Industry, and notably known as the home of the Washington Family, ancestors of the First President of the United States George Washington.
However, in 1964 Washington was designated a New Town and drastically changed. With the introduction of new industry such as the Nissan Car Factory Washington experienced a huge redevelopment in both its economy and community.
These Photographs are taken from the Records of the Washington Development Corporation; held at Tyne & Wear Archives. The records document this change in industry, landscape and community in Washington between 1964 & 1988, and consist of many photographs.
For more information on the Washington Heritage Festival, 21st September 2013 please click here.
(Copyright) These images are Crown Copyright. We're happy for you to share these digital images within the spirit of The Commons. Please cite 'Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums' when reusing. Certain restrictions on high quality reproductions and commercial use of the original physical version apply though; if you're unsure please email archives@twmuseums.org.uk
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Plotters operated an early form of air traffic control that played a vital role in World War II, particularly during the Battle of Britain, The Blitz and the bombing of British cities that followed. They worked at large table top sized maps of Southern England, plotting course and position of enemy aircraft as reports were received by telephone. The majority of plotters were female, members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
( thanks to Adrian J Walker for plot room photo and Jeff Wharton for re enactor photos )
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I'm not an author nor will I ever become famous but I always liked that idea, "The plot thickens" which can be interepreted so many ways... One way to think about it is to say "Things are getting more interesting by the day". Right?
About the photo :
This is the vege plot I passed by in upper part of Valencia .
Here's a little description of Valencia :
"Valencia is a ... municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. It is located 9.4 kilometre west of Dumaguete...."
"Valencia was originally named Ermita, which means "a secluded place", due to its being a refuge from marauding Muslim pirates. In 1856 it was renamed to Nueva Valencia by Spanish colonizers, in honor of its parish priest Fr. Matias Villamayor from Valencia, Spain.
In 1920 it was renamed Luzuriaga in behalf of Don Carlos Luzuriaga, a delegate from Negros island to the Philippine Legislature who promised town officials he would work hard to help improve the town. The town was renamed Valencia in 1948, by virtue of Republic Act No. 252. "
Source : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valencia,_Negros_Oriental
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I love gardening ,and find Valencia area good for this sort of interests . It's easy to grow patchoi or Petchay, brocolli ,cabbages , brussel sprouts, cauliflower ,carrots and many types of veges and flowers here . The temp is a little cooler from lowland .
If only peace would stretch another hundred years ,yet with the current crisis looming :population explosion the inevitable food shortage ,animals dying for some unknown reasons ,Our population has gone past the 7 billion mark ,you see the middleast conflict escalating /world terrorism , upheaval ,social moral decay ,spritual confusion and deception , the rise of occult teachings and growing tolerance towards darkness ; evil perceive as good ,abortions in millions -- can you ever think of a bright safe future ahead. Perhaps I'm only pessimistic ,but I like to look at real trends / knock on effects and what we see everywhere are tell tale signs of what's in store for the future ... the future doesn't look bright .
Thinking of retirement - I have to be honest , right now my gut feelings seem strongly on a negative line .
Before I'll reach The point of retirement big global changes could happen and this isn't for the better , 20 yrs seem too long .Big changes could happen anytime soon ,the markers are right at the door ,you can see them in God's manual ,the Bible. .I strongly feel there's no retirement for me here . I wish not to say this in the open ,because I knew many of you are kind and polite and not to say the word "crazy" to me projecting doom and gloom - if you know that feeling. I'm in a battle of denial sometimes .But I find ihard to deny it and shut myself to silence .If you hate doomsday topics ,please avoid reading my posts . You can look at the photo but don't read it :) It does't contribute any good if you feel depressed .I will understand ,no offense . But I do encourage you to be aware of the possibilities .Update yourself ,not just the mainstream news but from the alternative sources ,as many events happening that were not reported or has only very little coverage. Regardless of these doon and gloom events,I am not depressed .I am not sad , I am not scared ,because the true peace of God is keeping me assured. It's so hard to explain it. The truth is I'm awestruck ! I'm part of the generation to see these things and the wonders of God to be seen in these last days as we know it .
As a christian , there's no place of depression in ones life ,that's true for me . If you you are away from faith ,then then can be so scary ! I always trust God for everything . My husband is hopeful thinking to retire someday- living in the Philippines .Most of us have dreams ,it nice to dream on . I don't want to spoil his hopes this time and the future .But I always try my best to make him aware of what is to come . However big the scale is , even when I am gone ( in case I might go ahead of him )he should be prepared and never loose hope ,to trust in Jesus in everything ,even to the last breathe .We bought adjacent plots here in 2004 and 2005, so we could be closely living near the city of Dumaguete, thinking of a future someday after retirement .However ,this seem blurry to me . I always hope I'm wrong with my projections . But I also think we should be prepared mentally and also our emotions as we are seeing the future unfold . It's likely a different kind of scary movie .
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Just for correction , am not ill , but you never know of life . I always think what the next day is ,will I still be here nxt day ,nxt week ,nxt month ?
I have seen people go - which gave me some perspective how precious life is , as life is like a bubble . I'm trying my best to have my day less complicated and relaxed as I can make it ,just in case it's my last day.
I have an accident in the past that could have cost my life and don't have any idea it could happen to me .I could have died on the spot . It changed my attitude and perspectives since that . I count everyday as blessing , another day might be different . Not the least to say ,I like to leave the day with a clean heart and conscience with God . I'm not perfect .I do make mistakes though how much I tried not to .But one thing, I don't stay / waddle with the same mistakes over and over again. I always pursue spiritual cleanliness through Christ ,and there is no room of guilt and self condemnation ,a room for secret sin to dwell in me . The love and salvation through Christs is a redeeming grace takes it all , we have to give our burdens to Jesus by simply repenting ,letting it all go and let Jesus' love and peace change our hearts to purity .Without the saving grace of Jesus ,we can't do nothing ,we are still same ol' filthy rags even though how good we think we are .
Some (real) background:
Special Armored Battalion Dorvack (特装機兵ドルバック; Tokusō Kihei Dorubakku) is/was an anime series with 36 episodes, aired from 1983 to 1984 in Japan and Hong Kong, roughly at the same time.
The year is 1999. The Idelians, whose colony-ship has been wandering in space for tens of thousands of years, are nearing exhaustion. Their sole hope is to settle on the nearest habitable planet: Earth. Soon after their arrival in orbit, they launch an invasion, landing a large attack force in the Alps.
The Earth Defense Forces valiantly fight in their powered armor against the enemy, but with little success. Only a single unit is able to inflict significant damage, the so-called “Special Armored Battalion Dorvack”.
Under the command of Colonel Takagi, Masato Mugen, Pierre Bonaparte and Louise Oberon fight to defeat the invaders. They are equipped with special variable mecha, able to convert from rugged all-terrain vehicles to humanoid forms – one of the first cases of “transformer” style robots. Furthermore, Powered Armors (so-called PAs for short) – looking much like deep sea diving suits – are common tactical ground equipment of Earth’s forces and available in a wide range of designs.
The show was essentially a showcase for the respective toy line released by Takatoku. The mecha designs were created by Katsumi Itabashi and Nobuyoshi Habara, while the IP mecha models were made by the model company Gunze Sangyo. The plot was kept simple but filled with high levels of animation and action. As a “real robot” series of the Eighties, it centered around quite realistic military action and plots, much like the contemporary series Gundam, Macross or Dougram – Fang of the Sun. It was no success, though, and is today mostly unknown, but some of the vintage kits (and their re-releases) are still around and have IMHO serious creative potential.
The kit and its assembly:
This build is an almost OOB PA-58N “Halk” Powered Armor from the Eighties’ animated TV series “Dorvack”. It was inspired by a PAC-48 model picture on one of the small catalogue leaflets that typically came with the original Gunze-Sangyo kits: it depicts a very colorful PA in all-orange(!) with bright markings in yellow and blue and with a white arm-weapon. This livery was AFAIK never offered as an option in one of the official model kits, and I have never seen such a PA in the TV series, either. However, I found pictures of other PA models in a similar livery in a Hobby Japan Special from the Eighties, and decided to build a PA in a similar, bright livery, too.
The basis was a PA-58N "Halk", the "bread and butter" infantry piece of Earth's Defence Forces in the TV series, and the PA-58N is the lightest and smallest Powered Armor model. The kit is a 2008 Aoshima re-boxing, which unfortunately comes with heavy, two-handed weapons instead of the light single-handed weaponry from the original Gunze Sangyo kits. As a consequence, I had to improvise a little.
The PA-58N was built right out of the box, the only modifications I made are scratched louvre blades in the jump jet’s exhaust on the back, hiding the ugly, vertical seam inside, and I modified the hip joints for a wider range of movement, allowing more dynamic leg positions – normally, the legs remain rather “straight forward”, what looks quite stiff and awkward. Unfortunately, the thighs have an oval diameter and are rather small/short, so that modifying them would have been a messy affair. So, I rather tried my luck with the internal joints, and this worked sufficiently well.
The lack of light armament was compensated with an “M.S.G. (= Modeler Supply Goods)” set from Kotobukiya, namely set #38. It features some light SF infantry weapons in the form of a pair of RPG bazookas and a pair of large stick grenades, both with a dedicated German WWII look. Additionally, the set comes with a pair of hands that can perfectly hold these weapons, and there are mounts to attach the weapons onto a mecha hull. I think the set was originally intended for 1:144 scale Gundam models, especially Zaku manned robots. However, the size of the stuff, especially of the hands, turned out to be just perfect for the relatively small PA-58N. So, I decided to integrate the stuff into my model.
The hands from the aftermarket set were taken OOB, I just had to replace their adapters with something with a slightly smaller diameter to match the PA’s vinyl cap joints in the lower arms. Simple, tailored styrene pins were the solution of choice.
The weapons themselves were taken OOB and I successfully integrated all four of them onto the model: after some trials I cut the twin holders from the M.S.G. set in halves and glued them to the PA’s back – one on each flank and a pair on the back, on each side of the jump jet fairing. This way, all four weapons can be carried at once, and there’s also the option to put a bazooka and a stick grenade into the model’s hands (after all, it’s a kind of action figure!), while there’s also a pair of open/empty hands from the model kit to replace them, depending on the configuration. Turned out better than expected.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey is an action role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. It is the eleventh major installment, and twentieth overall, in the Assassin's Creed series and the successor to 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins. Set in the year 431 BCE, the plot tells a fictional history of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. Players control a male or female mercenary (Ancient Greek: μίσθιος misthios) who fights for both sides as they attempt to unite their family and uncover a malign cult.
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This is part of my project on the culture of Prestbury a village on the outskirts of Cheltenham, UK.
Shot on Kodak Portra 400 120
Mamiya M645 1000S 80mm Sekkor
Part of www.flickr.com/photos/danwye_photography/sets/72157630731...
youtu.be/LrpM4_fPIT4?t=1s Trailer
youtu.be/t5UmxJyV_bI?t=2s Theme Song.
Starring Walter Pidgeon, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, Peter Lorre, Robert Sterling, Michael Ansara, Frankie Avalon, Regis Toomey, John Litel, and Henry Daniell. Directed by Irwin Allen.
Irwin Allen did not let disappointment over Lost World get him down. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (VBS) was a hit. It spawned a TV series that brought sci-fi adventure in "inner space" into millions of mid-60s living rooms. Allen provided a mix of classic Jules Verne style travel adventures with techno-gadget appeal. The story turns out to be more of a human drama than sci-fi, but the sci-fi element at least still fairly visible. There is a visual slickness to the production which heralds the coming flavor of second-generation sci-fi. VBS was also the American edition of a world cast into sudden global warming. The first was the British film The Day the Earth Caught Fire.
Synopsis
The new atomic submarine USOS Seaview has completed it's trial voyages. A congressman and Dr. Hiller, a psychiatrist, come aboard for a demonstration voyage under the polar ice cap. The ensuing tour of the ship is as much for their benefit as for the viewers to marvel at Seaview's coolness. After a couple of days, Seaview is being gently bombarded by falling chunks of sea ice. Seaview surfaces. The crew see that the sky is on fire. Meteorites have somehow ignited the Van Allen Belts. The earth is being scorched. Top scientists are convening at the UN to find a solution. Admiral Nelson is ordered to attend. Before they leave, they find a lone man on the ice. They take Alvarez aboard. At the UN, Nelson proposes firing a nuclear missile at the belts to "pop" them. A rival scientist says the belts will burn themselves out. The UN body likes the do-nothing plan, so Nelson storms out. They rush aboard the Seaview and speed off. Nelson plans to fire the missile anyway. The trip around South America is long enough to build some sub plots. The men are growing restive with worry about loved ones. Alvarez talks of accepting doom if that's God's will. Captain Crane is often at odds with Nelson over the men. Nelson gets death threats. Dr.Hiller suggests that Nelson is delusional and faked the threats. Crane is conflicted. A UN sub tries to sink them, but blows up trying to match Seaview's diving ability. It turns out that Dr. Hiller is actually the saboteur, but she is eaten by a shark and her damage repaired. Just as the savior missile is about to be launched, Alvarez holds everyone hostage with a bomb. Crane dons scuba gear and triggers the missile manually. In the jolt of launch, Alvarez is overpowered. All are safe. The missile does the job. The fires are poofed out. Everyone reconciles their differences and sail happily for home. The End.
There is ample action and no shortage of subplots. Walter Pigeon (Morbius of Forbidden Planet ('56) ) gives a good show as the misunderstood champion. Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeanie) does surprisingly well as more than just eye candy.
While commies aren't present, there is the metaphor of the burning radiation belts which will soon destroy the earth. The solution is a well-placed atomic warhead. Add in some spy story sabotage, and the Cold War is well represented.
Allen positions VBS as the modern replacement for the 19th century's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Like Nemo, Admiral Nelson is lauded as the brilliant (one man) inventor/scientist and builder of the amazing submarine. Like Nemo, Nelson pursues his own inner vision of what must be done to save the world. Like Nemo, the world is out to stop him. Having Peter Lorrie among the cast makes for an unmistakable tie to Disney's 1954 film version of the Nemo story. In VBS, his role is peripheral, but the connection works. In the TV series, Nelson's adventures in Seaview become a modern Nemo & Nautilus for the 20th century.
Just two years after Atomic Submarine, the notion of a high-tech nuclear submarine, on adventures to save the earth, still had legs. What a difference two years made too. Where 50s films were rife with war surplus equipment, Allen's Seaview represented more of a forward looking design.
A few movies before have suggested climate upheavals due to space phenomena. When Worlds Collide had this in 1951. The Lost Missile ('58) had a rogue missile burning up swaths of earth as it orbited. This was more of moving a local problem than global, but still... Also from 1958 was an Italo-French production, "La Morte viente dallo spazio" (Death comes from space) which had a mass of asteroids raising global temperatures. In an interesting coincidence, the english dubbed version, entitled The Day the Sky Exploded will be released only a few months after VBS. Then, there is The Day the Earth Caught Fire (' ) which also features a scorched earth. A cooked earth was becoming, (dare I say it?) a hot topic. (sorry) These early looks at extreme global warming have an intriguing relevance again.
The television series based upon VBS would buck the trend. Often enough, TV series based on a movie would not live up the film's magic. Not so with VBS-TV. The series was, in many ways, better. For gadet-crazed young boys, the Flying Sub was too cool for words. The crew of Seaview, much like Roddenberry's Enterprise crew a few years later, would take their wonderful ship on many amazing adventures. After all that, the original movie seems tame.
Note the wall of blinking square "computer" lights in the control room of Seaview. It was not new, but recycled. In the age before personal computers, someone had gone to a lot of trouble make the light-bank blink its lights in such an artful, almost thoughtful, way. It was too cool of a prop to leave in storage. It was part of the evil super computer set in Invisible Boy ('57). The light-bank appeared again in Return of the Fly ('59).
Bottom line? VBS is well worth the time. It may be a bit light on the science (or just plain wrong, such as sinking ice), but it is briskly told story that avoids predictable traps.
This is actually my final CEGEP project in Java. Built with Lego Mindstorms, hacked firmware with Java VM. The plotter was actually controlled using a Windows-based program with the mouse ! Very cool project. Took about 2 days to build and program.
Nelder plot experiment.
Photo by Fiston Wasanga/CIFOR
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
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First up was Boughton Malherbe, which no one can seem to agree on how to spell, which I go to following the sat nav down narrow, twisting lanes, that finally dived over the edgeof the down, and there on a small level space was the church.
And a welcoming committee.
They watched me park, get my cameras out and begin to walk towards the church.
You'd better not park thar, large tractor comes by regular. One of the group is an old farmer, I guess, he smiles and shows just two teeth remaining. He is leaning on a shepherds crook, like you see in films but never see in real life.
I move the car to the area of grass they indicate, then ask me 50 questions on why I wanted to photograph the church, in a light hearted manner, of course.
Satisfied, they let me in, though are keen I see the fallen yew tree to the east of the church, that English Heritage would let them cut fully down.
I go in and they group are keen to stay out of my way lest I get them in a shot, I pretend to snap them, and they scuttle for cover.
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It is worth persevering to get into this church which is regularly open on set days in the summer. The setting is delightful - in a small farming hamlet with trimmed verges and distant views. The church was heavily handled by the late 1840s restorer (Apsley of Ashford) - but this date alone is very early for this type of work, and shows that the person responsible had a good knowledge of the work of the Camden Society and its principals. The chancel screen is particularly elaborate - it was this part of the building that received most attention. The chancel was extended to provide space for more elaborate ceremonial. The difference in texture of the wall is easily seen. The church also contains the remains of monuments to the Wootton family. Regrettably most of the monuments have been pulled apart or reset but enough survives to show that they were once a very grand collection. I especially like the lovely carved lions form the Countess of Chesterfield's monument. She was a Royalist rewarded by the King after the Restoration. The vestry is now floored with marble from her monument. In the nave is a memorial to Lionel Sharp, Chaplain to Elizabeth I.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Boughton+Malherbe
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BOUGHTON-MALHERB (St. Nicholas), a parish, in the union of Hollingbourn, hundred of Eyhorne, lathe of Aylesford, W. division of Kent, 1½ mile (S. W. by S.) from Lenham. [1]
Boughton Malherbe is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone district of Kent, see Boughton Malherbe Wikipedia
Boughton Malherbe St Nicholas is an Ancient parish in the Diocese of Canterbury and includes the village of Grafty Green within the parish boundary. A Map of the parish boundary may be viewed at A church near you
The Church of St Nicholas, Boughton Road, Boughton Malherbe was restored in 1848-1850 and again in 1909 and has been designated as a grade II* listed building British listed building
See also Edward Hasted The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 5 (1798), pp. 397-415. Malherbe+ at British History Online and Kent Churches website.
familysearch.org/wiki/en/Boughton_Malherbe,_Kent_Genealogy
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Boughton Malherbe (/ˈbɔːtən ˈmælərbi/b baw-ton mal-erby) is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone district of Kent, England equidistant between Maidstone and Ashford. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 428, including Sandway and increasing to 476 at the 2011 Census.[1]
Boughton Place, a 16th-century manor house, was home to Sir Henry Wotton and other members of the Wotton family and was later owned by the Earls of Chesterfield and the Earls Cornwallis. Many of the Wottons are buried in the Church of St Nicholas.
Aretas Akers-Douglas, 1st Viscount Chilston (1851–1926) who was a Home Secretary, lived at Chilston Park, and has a memorial stone dedicated to him in the village church.[2]
In August 2011 a hoard of more than 350 bronze weapons, tools, ornaments and other objects dating to the late Bronze Age was found in a field at Boughton Malherbe by two metal detectorists. The objects are of types that are unusual in southern Britain, but are common in northern and north-west France and therefore it is thought that the objects were made in France and later brought to southern Britain where they were subsequently buried in about 875–800 BC.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boughton_Malherbe
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THE next parish eastward from Ulcomb, is situated almost in the middle of this county, and is so called from a family antiently possessors of it, and to distinguish it from the several other parishes of the name of Boughton within this county.
It is written in antient deeds both Boughton and Bocton, and in some, Bocton, alias Boughton, and seems, as well as the other parishes of this name, to have been so called from Boc, signifying in Saxon a charter, and ton, a town or parish; that is, the place held by charter. So much of this parish as is eastward of a line drawn from the church of it across, through the middle of Chilston-house to Lenham church, is in the lath of Shipway, and in the division of East Kent.
The summit of the hill, which crosses this parish from west to east, is the northern boundary of the Weald of Kent; so much of it, therefore, as is southward of that line, is within that district.
But a very small-part of this parish lies above, or northward of the quarry hills, in which part the soil is a deep unfertile sand, at the northern boundary of it, at a place called Sandway, the high road runs from Ashford towards Maidstone, the pales of Chilston park join it, the mansion of which stands about a quarter of a mile within it, on lower ground, rather in a damp and wet situation, but well cloathed round it with trees, behind it the ground rises to the hills, near the summit of which is the church, and not far distant eastward the parsonage, a good habitation; close to the church-yard westward are the small remains of Boughton-place, by no means an unpleasant situation, the greatest part of which has been pulled down many years ago, andwhat is left of it, though only sufficient for a farm-house, gives a strong idea of what it once was. Here the quarry rock abounds pretty near the surface, and from the church here southward the Weald begins, the lands above and below the hill being distinguished by the names of Boughton upland, and Boughton Weald, in like manner as the other parishes in the same situation. From the church southward the hill declines, and not far from the bottom of it is the village, or to say more properly, the hamlet of Grassley-green, and not far from it Eastwood common, with another smaller hamlet of houses on the lower side of it. Hence the parish extends over an unpleasant country, very flat and deep; the soil a miry stiff clay, the same in every particular as those parts of the adjoining parishes last described, which lie below these hills, continuing over it for more than three miles, till it joins Hedcorne and Smarden, the whole being watered by several small streamlets, which run into the larger one at Hedcorne; about a mile only from this boundary of the parish is the scite of Colbridge-castle, the mote and foundations of which are all that remain of it.
Dr. Plot mentions in his MSS. collections for a natural history of this county, some petrified oyster shells, being found at Chilston, which were larger than even those of Cyzicum, mentioned in Pliny to be the largest of any then known. (fn. 1)
AT THE TIME of taking the general survey of Domesday, about the year 1080, this manor was held of the archbishop of Canterbury, by knights service, and seems to have been included in the donation which Æthelstan Etheling gave by his will in 1015, to Christ-church, in Canterbury, of lands in Hollingborne, as will more plainly appear by the following entry of it in that record.
In Haithorne hundred, Ralph Fitzturald holds Boltone of the archbishop. It was taxed at balf a suling, and lies in the six sulings of Holingeborne. The arable land is one carucate and an half. In demesne there is one carucate, and three villeins, with two borderers having one carucate. There is a church, and two acres of meadow, and wood for the pannage of sixteen hogs. In the whole it is, and was, worth separately forty shillings.
The above description plainly relates to that small part of this parish above or northward of the hill, the otherpart below it in the Weald, at that time, being for the most part, an uncultivated forest, and part of the royal demesnes of the crown of England, though many grants had been made of different parts of it, even at that time.
The manor came afterwards into the possession of the family of Malherb, who implanted their name on this parish. Robert de Malherb held it in the reign of king John, of the archbishop of Canterbury, as appears by the roll of knights fees returned to the king's treasurer, in the twelfth and thirtenth years of that reign.
Alicia Malherb possessed Boughton Malherb manor in the beginning of the next reign of king Henry III.
Robert de Gatton, son of Robert de Gatton, who was one of the Recognitores Magne Assisæ, or judges of the great assise, in the second year of king John, and bore for his arms, Chequy, or and azure, died possessed of this manor in the thirty-eighth year of king Henry III. and was succeeded in it by Hamo his son, who died possessed of it in the twentieth year of king Edward I. holding it of the king in capite, as of the honor of Peverel, and by the service of ward to the castle of Dover, and by suit to the court of Osprenge from three weeks to three weeks, Hamo his son, being his heir, who left his two daughters his coheirs; of whom Elizabeth married to William de Dene, entitled her husband to the possession of this manor. He died in the fifteenth year of king Edward III. possessed of it, with the advowson of the church, as of the inheritance of Elizabeth his wife, having, in the tenth year of king Edward II. obtained a charter of free-warren to his lands here.
His eldest son, Thomas de Dene, died possessed of it in the twenty-third year of king Edward III. bearing for his arms, Argent, a fess dancette, gules. He left by Martha his wife, daughter of Benedict Shelving, four daughters his coheirs, of whom Martha, afterwards was married to Sir John Gousall, who bore for his arms, A plain shield azure.
Soon after his death this manor, by what means I have not discovered, came into the possession of Robert Corbie, who appears to have built a stately mansion here, having in the 36th year of Edward III. obtained the king's licence so to do, and to fortify this his manor-house at Boughton with embattlements and towers, according to the defence of those times. His son Robert Corbye, esq. of this place, kept his shrievalty here in the 8th year of Richard II. He left by Alice, daughter and coheir of Sir John Gousall before-mentioned, an only daughter and heir, Joane, who carried this manor in marriage to Nicholas Wotton, esq. whose descendants flourished in this parish for many generations afterwards, and for their learning, fortune, and honors, at times when honors were really such, may truly be said to have been ornaments to their country in general, and to this county in particular. Mr. Wotton was of the Draper's company, and was twice lord-mayor of London, at which time he bore for his arms, Argent, a cross patee, sitched at the foot, sable, quartered with Corbye, Argent, a saltire ingrailed sable, which arms of Corbye, his mother's, his son bore, in preference to his own, as the elder branch of this family, which, his descendants continued to do for some time afterwards. Stow says, it was reckoned a privilege for any one, who had been lord-mayor and alderman of London, not to serve the king, without his own consent, in any other part of the kingdom. Such a matter once happened in the reign of Henry VI. for Nicholas Wotton, some time mayor and alderman, living in Kent, stood upon this privilege, and refused to serve when he was impanelled with others before the judges of assize, in this county, upon articles touching the king's peace, and on pretence of the liberty of the city of London, refused to be sworn. But this was held as a contempt, and he afterwards had his pardon anno 17 Henry VI. (fn. 2) He retired to Boughton place, where he died in 1448, and was buried in the church here. His grandson, Sir Robert Wotton, was lieutenant of Guisnes, and comptroller of Calais, where he died, and was buried in the church there. He had been sheriff anno 14 Henry VII. and married Anne, one of the sisters and coheirs of Sir Edward Belknap, by whom he left two sons, Edward, his heir, and Henry, LL. D. afterwards dean of York and Canterbury, of whom more may be seen under the account of the deans of the latter cathedral, in which he lies buried.
Sir Edward Wotton, the eldest son, succeeded him here, who was treasurer of Calais, and of the privy council to Henry VIII. and Hollingshed says, the king offered to make him lord chancellor, which, through his great modesty, he refused. In the 27th year of king Henry VIII. he kept his shrievalty at Boughton-place, and procured his lands to be disgavelled by both the acts of the 31st Henry VIII. and 2d and 3d Edward VI. He died in 1550, being then possessed of the manor and rectory of Boughton Malherb, held in capite, as of the king's manor of Ospringe, the manor of Colbridge, and the manor of Byndwardsmarsh, together with other lands purchased of Henry VIII. and held in capite by knights service, with many other manors and lands, as mentioned in the inquisition then taken.
Thomas Wotton, esq. his eldest son, succeeded him in Boughton-place, where he resided. He was closely imprisoned in the Fleet, in 1553, by queen Mary, under pretence of his religion, but really at the request of his uncle, Dr. Nicholas Wotton, on account of a dream he had had in France, where he was then ambassador, and this in all likelihood saved Mr. Wotton's life: for whilst he was in prison, Wyat's rebellion broke out, in which he had most probably been concerned, had he not been confined there. He was twice sheriff, and in July 1573, being the 16th year of queen Elizabeth's reign had the honor of entertaining the queen, with her whole court, at his seat here, in her progress through this county. Walton says, that the queen, when at Boughton, offered to knight Mr. Wotton, as an earnest of some more honorable and profitable employment under her, which he declined, being unwilling to change his country retirement and recreations for a courtier's life; however, it appears by his epitaph, that he afterwards accepted of that honor. He resided here till his death, in 1587, having been remarkable for his hospitality; a great lover and much beloved of his country, a cherisher of learning, and besides his own abilities, possessed of a plentiful estate, and the antient interest of his family.
He was twice married; by his first wife he had Edward his heir, and other children; by his second he had only one son Henry, afterwards knighted, and provost of Eton college. (fn. 3)
He was succeeded here by his eldest surviving son, Sir Edward Wotton, who was employed by queen Elizabeth, as her ambassador, on several occasions; after which he was made comptroller of her houshold; represented this county in parliament, and served the office of sheriff in the 36th year of that reign. In the 1st year of king James I.'s reign he was created lord Wotton, baron of Merley, in this county; (fn. 4) and next year he was appointed lord lieutenant of it, a privy counsellor, and afterwards comptroller and treasurer of the houshold. He inclosed the grounds round his house here as a park, but they have been long since again disparked, and died in 1628, being succeeded by Thomas, lord Wotton, his only son, who died two years afterwards. It has been observed that Nicholas Wotton, esq. son of Sir Nicholas Wotton, by Joane, daughter and heir of Corbye, bore his mother's arms in preference to his own, as his descendants of the eldest branch seem to have done, till Thomas, lord Wotton, as appears by his arms on his grave-stone, reassumed the arms of Wotton in his first quartering again, which was followed by his four daughters and coheirs, and Guillim says, that argent, a saltire (engraited) sable, was borne by the name of Wotton, and was in effect confirmed to Edward Wotton, esq. being allowed, and with his quarterings, being seventeen in number, marshalled, by Robert Cooke, in 1580. He left four daughters his coheirs, Catherine, married to Henry, lord Stanhope, son and heir of Philip, earl of Chesterfield; Hester, to Baptist Noel, viscount Camden; Margaret, to Sir John Tuston, of the Mote, knight and baronet, and Anne, to Sir Edward Hales, of Tunstal.
On the partition of his estates among his daughters, the manor of Boughton, with the mansion of Boughton-place, and the advowson of the rectory, were, among other estates, allotted to the eldest daughter, the lady Catherine, in whose right her husband, Henry, lord Stanhope, became possessed of them. He was descended from ancestors seated in early times in the county of Nottingham, where they flourished with much eminence and renown, bearing for their arms, quarterly, Ermine and gules. After a succession of many generations of them, Michael Stanhope became the heir male of this family in the reign of Henry VIII. whose grandson, Sir John Stanhope, was first of Shelford, and afterwards of Elvaston, in Derbyshire, where he died in 1611, leaving by his first wife, one son Philip; by his second wife he had several sons and daughters; of whom, Sir John, the eldest, was seated at Elvaston, from whom the present earl of Harrington is descended. Sir Philip Stanhope, eldest son of Sir John, was, anno 14 James I. 1616, created lord Stanhope of Shelford, and afterwards in 1628 Earl of Chesterfield. Continuing stedfast in his loyalty to the king, his house was by storm burnt to the ground, and the earl being taken prisoner at Litchfield, endured a long confinement, and died in 1656. By his first wife he had eleven sons and four daughters, of the former, Henry, the second, but eldest surviving son, married Katherine, daughter and coheir of Thomas, lord Wotton, and possessed Boughton Malherb as before-mentioned.
He died in the life-time of his father in 1635, leaving his wife surviving, and one son, Philip, then a year old. The lady Catherine Stanhope, on her husband's death, became again possessed in her own right of this estate, among the rest of her inheritance, and was after wards created countess of Chesterfield, to hold during her life. She had before the death of king Charles I. remarried John Vanden Kerkhoven, lord of Henulflet in Holland, by whom she had a son Charles Henry Kerkhoven, who was, by reason of his mother's descent, created lord Wotton, baron Wotton of Boughton Malherb, and was naturalized. He was likewise created earl of Bellamont in Ireland, and bore for his arms, Argent, three hearts gules. He died s. p. having resided at Boughton-place, and was buried in Canterbury cathedral in 1683, having by his will given this, among the rest of his estates, to his nephew Charles Stanhope, younger son of his half-brother Philip, then earl of Chesterfield; remainder to Philip, lord Stanhope, eldest son and heir apparent of his brother; remainder to his brother Philip, earl of Chesterfield, with divers remainders over, in tail male.
Charles Stanhope, esq. upon this changed his surname to Wotton, being the last of this family who resided at Boughton-place, where he died in 1704, s. p. Upon which this estate came by the above entail to Philip, lord Stanhope, his elder brother, who on his father's death in 1713, succeeded as earl of Chesterfield, and died in 1726. His eldest son Philip Dormer Stanhope, earl of Chesterfield, became remarkable for the brilliancy of his wit, and the politeness of his manners. He was an eminent statesman, and much in favor with king George I. and II. who conferred on him from time to time several offices and trusts of honor and advantage, in all which he shewed his eminent abilities and public spirit, whenever the interest and honor of his country was concerned, but at length his health declining, he retired from all public business. However, before this period he passed away this manor, with the scite of Boughton-place, and the advowson of the rectory appendant to the manor, and all the rest of the Wotton estates in this part of the county, by the description of the heriotable manor of Bocton, alias Boughton Malherbe, the manors of Burscombe, Wardens, alias Egerton, Southerdon, Colbridge, Marley, alias Marleigh, Sturry, East Farborne, Holmill, alias Harrietsham, and Fill, in 1750, to Galfridus Mann, esq. of London. This family is descended from ancestors seated at Ipswich, in Suffolk, of whom Edward Mann, esq. was comptroller of the customs at that place, who bore for his arms, Sable on a fess counter embattled, between three goats passant argent, as many ogresses; which was confirmed to him by Byshe, clarencieux, in 1692. His descendant, Robert Mann, was of London, and afterwards of Linton, in this county, esq. who died in 1752, leaving five sons and three daughters, Edward Louisa, the eldest son, was of Linton, esq. where he died unmarried in 1775, and was succeeded in his estates in this county by his brother, Sir Horatio Mann, bart. and K. B. who was the second son, and was many years resident at Florence, as envoy extraordinary. On March 3, 1755, he was created a baronet, to him and his heirs male, and in default of such issue, to his brother Galfridus, and his heirs male, he died unmarried in 1786, and was succeeded in title and estate by his nephew Sir Horace Mann, whose father was Galfridus, the third son, who was purchaser of Boughton manor, as before-mentioned. Of the daughters of Robert Mann, Eleanor married Sir John Torriano, of London, merchant, by whom she had issue; Mary-married Benjamin Hatley Foote, esq. (fn. 5) and Catherine married the Rev. Francis Hender Foote. Galfridus Mann, esq. died possessed of this estate in 1756, leaving by Sarah his wife, daughter of John Gregory, of London, one son, Horatio, and three daughters, viz. Alice, married to Mr. Apthorpe; Sarah, who died unmarried; Catherine, married to the hon. and Rev. Dr. Cornwallis now bishop of Litchfield, next brother to marquis Cornwallis, and Eleanor, married to Thomas Powis, lord Lilford.
Horatio Mann, esq. succeeded his father in the possession of this estate, of which he is the present owner. He was afterwards knighted, being then stiled Sir Horace Mann, to distinguish him from his uncle Sir Horatio, on whose death he succeeded him in the title of baronet. He has been twice M. P. for Maidstone, as he is now for the town and port of Sandwich. He married in 1765 lady Lucy Noel, sister of Thomas, earl of Gainsborough, who died at Nice in 1778, by whom he has three daughters, Lucy, Emely, and Harriot, the eldest of whom is married to James Mann, esq. of Linton-place; the second to Robert Heron, esq. of Lincolnshire.
Wormsell has always been counted as an appendage to the manor of Boughton.
COLBRIDGE antiently called Colewebregges, is an eminent manor in this parish, the mansion of which, called Colbridge-castle, stood below the hill towards Egerton, considerable remains of its former strength being visible in the ruins of it, even at this time; and the report of the country is, that the stones and other materials of this ruined mansion were made use of, ages ago, to build Boughton-place.
In the reign of king Henry III. this place was in the possession of the family of Peyforer; one of whom, Fulk de Peyforer, obtained a charter of free-warren for his lands at Colewebrugge in the 32d year of king Edward I. (fn. 6) and he had licence in the 7th year of the next reign of king Edward II. to embattle, that is, to build and fortify in a castle like manner, his mansion here. Soon after which it seems to have passed into the family of Leyborne, who had long before this possessions in this parish, and William de Clinton, earl of Huntingdon, husband to Juliana, daughter of Thomas de Leyborne, died possessed of it in the 28th year of king Edward III. She survived him, and afterwards became again possessed of it in her own right, and continued so at her death, anno 41 Edward III. when there being found no one who could claim consanguinity to her, this manor, among the rest of her estates, escheated to the crown, where it remained till the beginning of king Richard II's. reign, when it became vested in John, Duke of Lancaster, and other feoffees in trust, for the performance of certain religious bequests in the will of Edward III. then lately deceased. In consequence of which, the king afterwards, in his 21st year, granted it, among other premises, to the dean and canons of St. Stephen's college in Westminster, for ever, for the performance of the religious purposes therein mentioned, and in part of the exoneration of the sum of 500l. to be taken at his treasury till he should in such manner provide for them.
In which situation this manor continued till the 1st year of king Edward VI. when an act passing for the surrendry of all free chapels, chantries, &c. this, among others, was soon afterwards dissolved, and the lands and possessions of it were surrendered into the king's hands, at which time it appears to have been in the tenure of William Hudson, at the yearly rent of 8l. 13s. 4d. The year afterwhich, the king granted it to Sir Edward Wotton, to hold in capite, who died possessed of it in the 5th year of that reign, holding it in manner as above mentioned. After which, it passed through the like succession of ownership as Boughton manor before described, down to Philip Dormer Stanhope, earl of Chesterfield, who in 1750 sold it, with the rest of the Wotton estates in this part of the county, to Galfridus Mann, esq. whose only son Sir Horace Mann, bart. is the present possessor of it.
CHILSON, or Chilston, is a manor, situated in the borough of Sandway, at the north-west boundary of this parish, which crosses the middle of this house, the eastern part of which is in the parish of Lenham, lath of Shipway, and eastern division of this county. It was antiently called Childeston, and was in the reign of king Henry I. part of the possessions of William Fitz-Hamon, as appears by the register of the neighbouring priory of Ledes. After which it became the property of the family of Hoese, afterwards called. Hussey. Henry Hoese or Husley had a charter of free-warren for his manor of Childerston in the 55th year of king Henry III. before which he had taken an active part with the rebellious barons against that king. He died in the 18th year of king Edward I. leaving by Joane his wife, daughter and coheir of Alard Fleming, and niece of that noted pluralist John Maunsell, provost of Beverly, &c. Henry Hussee his son and heir, who, in the 23d year of that reign, had summons to Parliament, as he had likewise in all the succeeding ones of it, and of the next of king Edward II. in whose descendants it continued down to Henry Husley, who in the 31st year of Henry VIIIths. reign, procured his lands to be disgavelled by the general act passed that year, and afterwards transmitted it by sale to John Parkhurst, whose descendant Sir William Parkhurst alienated it to Mr. Richard Northwood, of Dane-court, in Thanet, whose eldest son Alexander Northwood, or Norwood, as he was usually called, was of St. Stephen's, near Canterbury, and succeeded his father in this manor, which he sold soon after the death of king Charles I. to Cleggat, and he again sold it to Mr. Manley, of London, who quickly afterwards alienated it to Edward Hales, esq. who was the son of Samuel Hales, a younger son of Sir Edward Hales, created a baronet in 1611. He afterwards resided at Chilston, and died in 1696, leaving his three daughters his coheirs, viz. Thomasine, wife of Gerard Gore, gent. Elizabeth Hales, and Frances, wife of William Glanville, esq. of London, who in 1698 joined in the conveyance of this manor, with other estates in this parish and neighbourhood, to the hon. Elizabeth Hamilton, the eldest daughter of John lord Colepeper, and widow of James Hamilton, esq. the eldest son of Sir George Hamilton, of Tyrone, in Ireland.
She resided at Chilston, and dying here in 1709, was buried in Hollingborne church, leaving two sons surviving; James, earl of Abercorn, and William Hamilton, esq. to the latter of whom she gave by her will this manor, with her other estates in this county. He resided at Chilston, and died possessed of it in 1737, leaving by Margaret his wife, daughter of Sir Thomas Colepeper, of Hollingborne, four sons and one daughter; of whom, John Hamilton, esq. the eldest, succeeded him at Chilston, where he resided and inclosed the ground round it for a park, bestowing much cost on the improvement both of the house and grounds adjoining to it. He kept his shrievalty here in 1719, and afterwards with the concurrence of his eldest son William, joined in the sale of this estate to Thomas Best, esq. the eldest son of Mawdistley Best, esq. of Boxley, who resided at Chilston, the mansion of which he rebuilt, and made other very considerable improvements to the park, and grounds. He died in 1795, s. p. having married Caroline, daughter of George Scott, esq. of Scott's hall, who died in 1782, and by his will gave this among his other estates to his nephew George, the youngest son of his brother James Best, esq. of Boxley and Chatham, who now resides here, He was M. P. for Rochester in the last parliament. and in 1784 married Caroline, daughter of Edward Scott, esq. of Scott's-hall, by whom he has several children.
THE TYTHES of the manor of Chilston, or Childeston, were given to the priory of Leeds soon after the foundation of it, by William Fitz-Hamon, the owner of it; viz. in corn, fruit, hay fowls, calves, flax, pannage, cheeses, pigs, and in all other things which belonged to the demesne, to Edwin de Bletchindenne, with his tenancy, to hold as freely as he ever held it. (fn. 7)
This portion of tithes remained part of the possessions of the priory till the dissolution of it in the reign of Henry VIII. when it was surrendered into the king's hands, among other estates belonging to it. After which the king, by his dotation charter in his 33d year settled this portion of tithes on his new-founded dean and chapter of Rochester, who now possess the inheritance of it. George Best, esq. of Chilston, is the present lessee of it.
On the intended dissolution of deans and chapters, after the death of king Charles I. these tithes were surveyed in 1649, by order of the state; when it was returned, that this portion consisted of all the tithes of corn, grain, hay, wool, lambs, calves, and other spiritual obventions and duties, arising out of the manor of Chilston, in Boughton Malherbe and Lenham, of the yearly improved value of fourteen pounds, which premises were let by the dean and chapter, anno 15 Charles I. to Richard Norwood, esq. for twenty-one years, at the yearly rent of ten shillings, so that there remained the clear yearly rent of 13l. 10s.
BEWLEY is a manor in this parish, of considerable repute, extending itself into the parish of Harrietsham. It was antiently called Boughley, and was part of those possessions which William the Conqueror gave to his half-brother Odo, bishop of Baieux; under the general title of whose lands it is thus entered in Domesday:
Adam Fitzbubert holds of the bishop of Baieux, Bogelei. It was taxed at two sulings. The arable land is two carucates and an half. In demesne there is one carucate, and two villeins, with two borderers having half a carucate. There is a church, and four servant:, and one mill of five shillings, and six acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of twenty hogs.
After which there follows another entry, importing, that of this same manor one tenant named Adam held one suling, called Merlea, of which a further account will be given, under the description of Marley, in the adjoining parish of Harrietsham.
On the bishop of Baieux's disgrace in 1084, all his possessions were confiscated to the crown; after which this manor appears to have become the property of Eudo Dapiser, and afterwards of Philip de Leleburne, or Leyburne, whose descendant Robert de Leiburne held it in the reign of king Edward I. in which name it continued till it was alienated to Tregoze, (fn. 8) one of whom, Thomas Tregoze, held it in the beginning of king Edward III.'s reign, in the 5th year of which he obtained a charter of free warren for his lands at Boggeleye. John Tregoze died possessed of this manor in the 5th year of Henry IV. but it did not remain long in that name; for in the reign of Henry VI. it was become the property of Goldwell, from whence it was alienated to Atwater, of Lenham, from whence by Joane, daughter and coheir of Robert Atwater, of Royton, in that parish, it went in marriage to Humphry Hales, esq. of the Dungeon, in Canterbury, who had a numerous issue by her. He was succeeded in it by his eldest son Sir James Hales, of the Dungeon, whose son Cheney Hales, esq. of the Dungeon, passed it away to his kinsman John Hales, esq. eldest son of Sir Edward Hales, created a baronet in 1611. He parted with it to his brother Mr. Samuel Hales, whose son Edward Hales, esq. of Chilston, succeeded him in it. Since which it has passed in like manner as Chilston, before described, down to George Best, esq. of Chilston, the present possessor of it.
THE TITHES of this manor were given by Eudo Dapifer to Anschetill, archdeacon of Canterbury, who afterwards, with the consent of Eudo, granted them to the priory of St. Andrew, in Rochester. These tithes were afterwards confirmed to the priory on the payment annually of five shillings to the monks of Colchester. Henry de Leiburne, possessor of this manor, having inspected the charters of his ancestors, confirmed these tithes in pure alms to the church of St. Andrew, and the monks of Rochester.
This portion of tithes remained with the priory till the dissolution of it, in the 32d year of Henry VIII. when it was, among the rest of the possessions of that monastery, surrendered into the king's hands, who in his 33d year settled them, by his dotation charter, on his new-erected dean and chapter of Rochester, part of whose inheritance they remain at this time. George Best, esq. of Chilston, is the present lessee of them.
On the intended dissolution of deans and chapters, soon after the death of king Charles I. this portion was surveyed, by order of the state, in 1649; when it was returned, that these tithes arose out of the manor of Bugley, together with the tithe of the mill, called Bugley-mill, of the improved yearly value of nine pounds, which premises were let by the dean and chapter in the 10th year of Charles I. to Samuel Hales, esq. for twentyone years, at the yearly rent of two quarters of malt heaped, and one capon, or two shillings in money; so there remained clear the rent of 5l. 14s. per annum.
There are no parochial charities. The poor constantly relieved are about forty, casually twenty-five.
BOUGHTON is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Charing.
The church is a handsome building, with a square tower steeple at the west end. The inside of it is much ornamented by the several monuments of the Wotton family, most of whom lie buried in it; but there was one of them, a large pyramid of black marble, supported by three lions couchant, on a deep base, erected to the memory of Henry, lord Stanhope, his widow lady Catherine, countess of Chesterfield, her third husband Daniel O'Neal, and several of her children, which was injudiciously placed just within the altar rails eastward, and filled up almost the whole space of it, but has lately been taken down to make room for an altar and railing. In the south chancel there is a very antient figure in Bethersden marble of a man in armour lying cross-legged with his shield and sword. It lies on the pavement, and seems to have been removed from some other part of the church. On the opposite side of the chancel is the figure of a woman, full as antient as the, former, and of the like marble, but fixed in the pavement, these most probably were in memory of one of the family of Peyforer and his wife.
The families of Hales and Hamilton, both of Chilston, and all their children, were christened and married in Boughton church, but were all buried from time to time in Lenham church.
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Charlotte, staring at freedom...
Looks good against a black background... 'Plotting her escape...' On Black
This is part of my project on the culture of Prestbury a village on the outskirts of Cheltenham, UK.
Shot on Kodak Portra 400 120
Mamiya M645 1000S 80mm Sekkor
Part of www.flickr.com/photos/danwye_photography/sets/72157630731...
"Mortdecai is very unique and special. It's very different from anything I have done before. We haven't seen that type of caper movie for a number of years. If you go back and watch movies, like The Pink Panther or some of the wonderful French films with Louis de Funes, there's really something great about those caper films that teeter toward farcical. – Johnny Depp on Mortdecai
Who is Mortdecai?
Based on the novel Don't Point That Thing at Me by Kyril Bunfiglioli, Mortdecai stars Johnny Depp as an aristocratic art dealer, who is drowning in debt and denial. When his old friend and rival, Inspector Martland (Ewan McGregor), ropes him into helping to search for a stolen painting, he becomes bogged down by Russians, a terrorist, and other troubling inconveniences. With a beautiful but unhappy wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) at home, Charlie Mortdecai at least still has his trusty man servant Jock (Paul Bettany) always nearby to take care of everything. But will everything turn out all right in the end?
I tried to tame my anticipation.
Ewan McGregor has always been one of my favorite actors, but – unlike my Johnny Experience – I'm not sure how or when my love for Ewan McGregor began. I don't always know what movies he'll be in or when they're coming out, but I see them all. I love catching him on talk shows, but I never think to check for his name on the schedules ahead of time. I've even read his books about his motorcycle trips around the world, and I don't even like motorcycles.
So, when I found out that Ewan McGregor signed on to co-star in Mortdecai with Johnny, I was thrilled. Then, when the Mortdecai previews came out, they made me laugh out loud. I was really excited about the director, David Koepp, who directed Johnny in Secret Window, and the rest of the cast, which included Paul Bettany, Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Munn, and Jeff Goldblum. Then, one day, it occurred to me that I was setting this thing up for failure: No pressure, everyone, I just want this to be the best movie ever.
So, I went back to trying to ignore it was happening. It wasn't too hard because I was distracted by an endless string of colds that I was trying to expel from my body with Sudafed and sleep.
There's a first time for everything.
By the time Mortdecai opened, my most recent persistent cold had dragged my mood back down to blahville, and I kept putting off seeing Mortdecai during opening weekend. Because I was indecisive about when I had to leave my apartment, I ended up scanning the theater schedules on Fandango, where I couldn't help being shocked by Mortdecai's cumulative critics' score of 12 out of 100. So I did what I never do – looked at what critics had to say. I didn't actually read the reviews, but saw some short, memorable takeaways, like:
– "Charmless, mirthless, witless, this waste of time is another black mark on Depp's card, while his co-stars fare little better. Even low expectations won't help you here."
– "Mortdecai is an anachronistic mess that never succeeds..."
–"What a frantically dull spectacle this vanity project is."
– "Johnny Depp's done so much for us over the years; let's forget this movie ever happened." (I don't think this one was from Fandango, but it's my favorite.)
Come on, it can't be that bad, I thought. Yet, by the time I got out of the house to see Mortdecai that Sunday afternoon, I approached it like an errand.
And I hated it! I couldn't believe how much I hated it so immediately. I sat, stunned and annoyed by Johnny's wimpy character, pleading in my head to him to talk normally and slower and just be more Johnny-like. When that didn't work, I searched frantically for something good to say about Mortdecai. What about his co-stars, the sets, the direction, and the story? What was even going on in this story? I couldn't follow it. Why were the jokes so stupid? How many times were they going to refer to that horrible mustache? I finished my popcorn and began falling asleep – another troubling first. In the theater, though, one person kept me awake: A big black guy, who sat a few rows in front of me, cracked up at everything! Does that guy represent the audience for this movie?, I wondered. I left the theater bewildered, disappointed, and very panicked that I got nothing out of what I just saw; did this mean the end of Johnny Kitties?
"Johnny doesn't have to make awesome movies every time," my dad said when I told him my horrible news. But he does and he has, I disagreed unreasonably in my head. Clearly, I was under the influence of nagging illness, Sudafed, and mean critics when I first saw Mortdecai. (My advice to everyone is don't read reviews before seeing a movie and make up your own mind.) Still, I worried while waiting for the movie to be released on DVD. What if, after my cold is gone, Mortdecai is still completely awful?
Relax, I'm over it.
I may have been recovering from something still when Mortdecai arrived from Netflix. I had to restart it a few times because I kept falling asleep. Maybe it was leftover trauma from my first viewing, my fear of a second reaction, or maybe I was just really tired. My unplanned naps were a good thing: the more times I had to start the movie over to watch it again, the funnier it got. It turns out that I actually like Mortdecai after all!
Still, this isn't my favorite of Johnny's roles. His accent, which didn't bother me at all in the commercials, sometimes gets on my nerves after a while; other times, I can't even understand what he says. Also, this character bumbles around a lot. When trouble brews, he just asks his man servant what he should do and waits around for someone else to fix his situation. This helplessness takes me out of the movie at times because, obviously, Johnny can take care of himself. In some moments, I just want him to be cooler, as I know Johnny can be. Johnny's above some of this movie's humor, in my opinion, which I just don't always find funny or clever. Maybe I'll get there after more viewings.
In any case, Johnny explained himself in a DVD featurette, which helped me appreciate everything about Mortdecai more. Someone gave him the book that Mortdecai is based on, which he describes as "one of those books that makes you laugh out loud. It's just so beautifully irreverent and insane, but it's one of those stories, you're thinking, it translates to cinema only if you go to the extreme." He describes his character as pure and honest, someone who never thinks about what others are thinking. Charlie Mortdecai always assumes things will work out, despite whatever chaos is surrounding him, and whatever he says he believes to be true. Knowing that, I found everything about this character funnier and even a little endearing. Maybe I need to read the book for a full understanding.
By the fourth and final time I restarted and watched Mortdecai, I found plenty to like about it. Before the movie came out, everyone involved was comparing it to The Pink Panther movies,directed by Blake Edwards and starring Peter Sellers. Comparing this or any new movie to any classic, like The Pink Panther, is not a good idea; why put that standard in people's heads? However, I know why they all made the comparison, even if it's an unequal match. I see what they were going for with the performances and David Koepp's slick direction. From the opening credits on, you get the light-hearted, comedic feel for what's to come.
Johnny's performance may be distracting in some moments, but it's brilliant in others. The rest of the cast is wonderful too. My favorite is Paul Whitehouse – who's shown up in several of Johnny's movies, like Finding Neverland, Alice in Wonderland, and Corpse Bride. His brief appearance here as Spinoza makes me laugh out loud every time. I'm also happy to see Olivia Munn in this movie because she always makes me laugh too. Paul Bettany, who previously co-starred with Johnny in The Tourist and Transcendence, makes an impressive, funny tough guy. Gwyneth Paltrow is great, as usual (and in an equally great wardrobe), and Ewan McGregor is, of course, awesome.
Timing is everything in this movie, and this cast not only gets it right but seemed to have a blast working on it. "It's the most fun I've ever had on set," Johnny says. His kissing scene with Gwyneth Paltrow, in which she's too repulsed by his new mustache and which was in all of the commercials for Mortdecai, apparently took 15 or so takes because they couldn't stop laughing. "Most of my energy on set has been spent trying not to laugh," Paul Bettany admits.
These high spirits come through in the final product. I suspect they might even be contagious; as I said, I laughed more and more with each viewing. And, again, I saw some critic reviews without even trying – this time noting the DVD release – saying that Mortdecai is worth another look. But don't take their fickle word for it. I promise, Mortdecai will grow on you, so give it a chance!
These are my two favorite kitties!
I was really worried about finding something to draw for Mortdecai at first; it's one of the reasons I had to watch it four times. Since the most exciting thing about this movie to me was the prospect of Johnny and Ewan working together, I limited my options to the scenes they shared. Unfortunately, they don't have many. (They'll make up for it by working together again someday, right, casting directors?) Luckily, however, I realized eventually that one of their scenes is the key to everything.
In this scene, Inspector Martland (Comet) reveals the plot when he enlists Charlie Mortdecai (Gordon) to help him find a stolen painting. In return, his host offers him some rancid cheese. This scene not only tells you the plot, but captures Charlie Mortdecai's posh lifestyle and past, these characters and their rivalry, and even secret treasures. I stuck Jock (Norman) in there too because he really is always around to save the day.
What's next?
Johnny hears my illness-induced complaints and sinks his teeth into a serious drama, playing mobster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass. I haven't seen the previews yet and am afraid of the violence in store, but I'm very excited just the same. See it September 18th! A Johnny Kitties tribute will follow its DVD release.
To see photos from Mortdecai or other Johnny Kitties tributes, visit my original blog post (melissaconnolly.blogspot.com/2015/07/johnny-kitties-celeb...) on Melissa's Kitties or the Melissa's Kitties' Johnny Kitties page (melissaconnolly.blogspot.com/p/johnny-kitties-celebrating....) Thanks for visiting!
Spring runoff ... nice amout of water, but very wet with spray! This image from a point about 20' up the rather steep slope to the left of the waterfall. Out of the pray but exceedingly awkward for the tripod.
This is the 60' upper waterfall at the Plotter Kill Preserve.
Even in winter, the east wind gusting, I like to be on the plot, thinking about the ground and what it will grow.
The plot in summer flic.kr/p/L5X9xY
Empty plots like the one in this shot are somewhat abundant in the 'old town', right at the centre of Valencia. This is the other face of the city, hidden in the official propaganda brochures, a face, however, the startled tourist takes no time at all to discover.
(Incidentally, the graffiti artwork is splendid; best seen large)
It once dawned on me (a few years back) that the only way to keep the mind going more or less fine in this particular place I happen to live is not to take the place seriously. The only way to get along and not to lose one's marbles is to realize and to firmly believe that nothing ever happening here matters. How could one otherwise avoid going mental in a place where people drive as if playing a video game, cars are raucous, four-wheeled loudspeakers (and a few are periodically burned every weekend just for the fun of it), traffic-lights are useless, colourful street ornaments (some people flippantly claim there's a hidden code associated with the colours though its meaning remains utterly unknown), zebra-crossings are parking places (a property also shared by bike trails and wheelchair ramps formerly designed to ease the handicapped daily struggle around the city), lifts are smoking rooms, litter bins are largely neglected (and the few days they receive attention, which accurately match traditional festivities, it is to be either detached from the locations they hang on - traffic-lights, walls or lamp-posts; as part of their ornamental accessories, so to speak - burned, or both), youngsters are more and more aggressive each day - and at increasingly earlier ages - smoking pot is the number one activity among teenagers to the point that its massive use seems to them absolutely essential to make the world go round, football matches (everything football in fact) are TV screen savers, good manners and education are utopias, noise is our everyday's companion (and taken for granted), rubbish carpets the pavement, local television is disgusting - to say the least (reality shows and sensationalist journalism devoted to air all sort of pathetic gossip columns play the role of educational programs whose aim is to enhance dormant feelings such as self-confidence, solidarity or freedom while achieving in the process a non-negligible standardization of the language skills and cultural level), politicians don't often measure up, and the identity of the native language seems condemned to be a recurrent issue forever and ever, to give but a few examples?
This is the McCarthy family plot at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery in Leytonstone.
John McCarthy was the landlord of Mary Kelly, who was also buried here, & is not too far away from the McCarthy plot.
Nikon F4. AF Nikkor 24mm F2.8D lens. Kodak Tri-X 400 35mm B&W film.
Villa Babylon,
State of the art luxury
With Feature external glass walls
Amazing panoramic views of the Taurus Mountains in an idyllic setting
Side Development one of the leading developers in the region is proud to bring to you its most exclusive and innovative project.
Villa Babylon sits on a 735 m2 plot nestling in the hillside of the Sarılar District of Side. Our architects have designed a very modern,contemporary development using only 25% of the available land for construction. The remaining 75% will be dedicated to fully landscaped gardens, each villa will have a modern wrap around pool, large sun terraces and many more 5 star facilities. An unobtrusive gated entrance with water features, 24 hour security means that within this corner of paradise your privacy is respected and guaranteed.
The Babylon lifestyle
After extensive research and many years of property sales and development –we are sure that the focus of this project must be to provide the highest standard of villa luxury available in this area. These unique glass villas will incorporate the following features:
VİLLA BABYLON
·Oversized master bedroom suite with dressing room and luxury bathroom
· 2 x twin Bedroom
· 1x Double Bedroom
· 1x Office
· 1 lounge
· 1x Raised Dining room
· 1x Large, open plan designer kitchen
· 1x Gymnasium,Sauna
· 4x Bathroom
· 1 x imposing reception area and hallway
· 1x Basement area –utility room –and wine cellar
· 1x state of the art fireplace
· Spacious parking area
· 1 Swimming pool 60 sqm2
· Large pool facing terrace –with second impressively sized terrace to take in the views of the Taurus mountains
· All floor to ceiling, feature windows are bespoke tinted , double glazed units .
· Solar linked under floor heating system
· Integral piped music systems
·24/7 Security with CCTV linkage
· Wireless internet
· Smart home system
· Centralised aircondion system
· Chrome and glass rails in all terraces and swimming pool areas
· The Total Size of Villa 412 sqm, Land size 735 sqm
Location
Villa Babylon is located in the Sarılar district of Side, just a 5 minute drive from restaurants, bars and shops of the Side Harbour and historic old town . You can stroll along the beautiful clean and sandy beaches of the Mediterranean, eat in the picturesque harbour and take in all of the culture of the historic antique Side Harbour –which is also a shopper’s paradise...
Stop press……..
The architect on this project submitted the plans and visuals for this project to the Antalya 2009/2010 design award competition and is currently on the finalist shortlist.(as at 05.08.2010)
Technical Specifications
List of Technical Specifications:
Building Exteriors
· The building will be of steel & reinforced concrete
· Interior and Exterior walls will be built from noise reducing bricks
· Exterior walls will be insulated and painted with high quality protective paint
· Building entrance flooring and stair wells will be granit seramic
· All teraceses will be fitted with ceramic tiles with marble skirting. Terace railings will be aluminium with safety perspex panels.
. Underfloor Water heating system with solar panels.
. Starting foundation,all outside walls and roof insulation.
.Special glass walls,double glazing,ınsulating,heat and solar controling,high light transmittance.
· Roof tiles will be fireproof with guttering set in concrete, 3 fold insulation / cladding for hot and cold weather and complete insulation against humidity.
· Drain pipes will be PVC
Villa Interiors:
· Air conditioning units (with 3 years guarantee) will be fitted in each room as standard
· Inner walls will be plastered & painted with satin washable paint, finished off with detailed plaster coving between walls and ceiling.
· High quality marble sills on all windows and teraces.
· High quality American panel interior doors will be used throughout.
Tiles & floor coverings
· First class ceramic tiles will be fitted to all floors.
· Bathrooms are fully tiled from floor to ceiling.
Windows and Terace doors
· All windows and Terace doors are aluminum double glazed for insulation & fitted with integrated shutters & fly screens.
· The front door is an American panel Security door constructed from steel.
Kitchen / Lounge
· The kitchen will be fitted with modern attractive luxury cabinets with granite worktop.
· The splashback between worktop and cupboards will be tiled in ceramic wall tiles.
· White goods fitted as standard are top quality from Siemens with a 3 year guarantee.
· Down lights will be fitted in kitchen and lounge area with dimmers.
Bathrooms
· All bathrooms will have attractive and custom designed fittings and fixtures.
· Bathrooms fitted with manually operated ventilation system.
· Modern vanity units and top quality chrome taps and fittings.
· Wall fitted toilet with hidden cistern.
· Walls and floor will be tiled with top quality ceramics.
· The Villa will have 4 bathrooms (1 of them ensuite).
Bedrooms
· Ensuite bathroom in Master bedroom .
· All bedrooms will have fitted wardrobes.
General
· Energy saver keys are fitted as standard to minimise your expenses.
· Smoke detectors in all properties are fitted in accordance with safety Standards.
· Adequate electrical sockets, satellite TV connections, telephone and PC Connections are fitted as Standard.
Lucius was born either in 1609 or 1610 as the son of Sir Henry Cary, afterwards 1st Viscount Falkland, and his wife Elizabeth Tanfield, whose father Sir Lawrence Tanfield was at that time Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. Henry Cary a member of an ancient Devon family, was lord deputy of Ireland from 1622 to 1629. Lucius was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. In 1625 he inherited from his grandfather the manors of Great Tew and Burford in Oxfordshire, and, about the age of 21, married Lettice, daughter of Sir Richard Morrison, of Tooley Park in Leicestershire. Following a quarrel with his father, whom he failed to propitiate by offering to hand over to him his estate, he left England to take service in the Dutch army, but soon returned. In 1633, by the death of his father, he became Viscount Falkland. His mother had embraced Roman Catholicism, to which it was now sought to attract Falkland himself, but his studies and reflections led him, under the influence of William Chillingworth, to the interpretation of religious problems rather by reason than by tradition or authority.
At Great Tew he enjoyed a short but happy period of study, and he assembled a cultured circle, whom the near neighbourhood of the university and his own brilliant qualities attracted to his house. He was the friend of John Hales and Chillingworth, was celebrated by Ben Jonson, John Suckling, Abraham Cowley and Edmund Waller in verse, and in prose by Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, who calls him the "incomparable" Falkland, and draws a delightful picture of his society and hospitality.
Falkland's intellectual pleasures, however, were soon interrupted by war and politics. He felt it his duty to take part on the side of King Charles I as a volunteer under Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex in the Bishops' Wars of 1639 against the Scots. In 1640 he was returned for Newport in the Isle of Wight to the Short and Long Parliaments, and took an active part on the side of the opposition. He spoke against the exaction of ship money on 7 December 1640, denouncing the servile conduct of Lord Keeper Finch and the judges.
He supported the prosecution of Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, at the same time endeavouring on more than one occasion to moderate the measures of the House of Commons in the interests of justice, and voted for the third reading of the attainder on 21 April 1641. On the great question of the church he urged, in the debate of 8 February 1641, that the interference of the clergy in secular matters, the encroachments in jurisdiction of the spiritual courts, and the imposition by authority of unnecessary ceremonies, should be prohibited. On the other hand, though he denied that episcopacy existed jure divino, he was opposed to its abolition; fearing the establishment of the Presbyterian system, which in Scotland had proved equally tyrannical. Triennial parliaments would be sufficient to control the bishops, if they meditated any further attacks upon the national liberties, and he urged that "where it is not necessary to change, it is necessary not to change". (This was probably said in reply to Hampden during the Root and Branch Bill debate that happened later.) Even Hampden still believed that a compromise with the episcopal principle was possible, and assured Falkland that if the bill taken up to the House of Lords on 1 May 1641, excluding the bishops from the Lords and the clergy from secular offices, were passed, "there would be nothing more attempted to the prejudice of the church". Accordingly the bill was supported by Falkland.
The times, however, were not favourable to compromise. The bill was lost in the Lords, and on 27 May the Root and Branch Bill, for the total abolition of episcopacy, was introduced in the House of Commons. This measure Falkland opposed, as well as the second bill for excluding the bishops, introduced on 21 October 1641. In the discussion on the Grand Remonstrance he took the part of the bishops and the Arminians. He was now opposed to the whole policy of the opposition, and, being reproached by John Hampden with his change of attitude, replied "that he had formerly been persuaded by that worthy gentleman to believe many things which he had since found to be untrue, and therefore he had changed his opinion in many particulars as well as to things as to persons".
On 1 January 1642, immediately before the attempted arrest of the five members, of which, however, Falkland was not cognizant, the King offered him the secretaryship of state, and Hyde persuaded him to accept it. Falkland thus became involved directly in the king's policy, though evidently possessing little influence in his counsels. He was one of the peers who signed the protestation against making war, at York on 15 June 1642. On 5 September 1642 he carried Charles's overtures for peace to the parliament, when he informed the leaders of the opposition that the king consented to a thorough reformation of religion. The secret correspondence connected with the Waller plot passed through his hands.
Falkland fought for the king at the Battle of Edgehill (23 October 1642) and at the siege of Gloucester. By this time the hopelessness of the situation had completely overwhelmed him. The aims and principles of neither party in the conflict could satisfy a man of Falkland's high ideals and intellectual vision. His royalism could not suffer the substitution, as the controlling power in the state, of a parliament for the monarchy, nor his conservatism the revolutionary changes in church and state now insisted upon by the opposite faction. The fatal character and policy of the king, the most incapable of men and yet the man upon whom all depended, must have been by now thoroughly understood by Falkland. Compromise had long been out of the question. The victory of either side could only bring misery; and the prolongation of the war was a prospect equally unhappy.
Falkland's ideals and hopes were now destroyed, and he had no definite political convictions such as inspired and strengthened Strafford and John Pym. In fact his sensitive nature shrank from contact with the practical politics of the day and prevented his rise to the place of a leader or a statesman. Clarendon has recorded his final relapse into despair:
Sitting amongst his friends, often, after a deep silence and frequent sighs (he) would with a shrill and sad accent ingeminate the word "Peace, Peace," and would passionately profess that the very agony of the war, and the view of the calamities and desolation the kingdom did and must endure, took his sleep from him and would shortly break his heart.
At Gloucester he had in vain exposed himself to risks. On the morning of the First Battle of Newbury, on 20 September 1643, he declared to his friends, who would have dissuaded him from taking part in the fight, that "he was weary of the times and foresaw much misery to his own Country and did believe he should be out of it ere night." He served during the engagement as a volunteer under Sir John Byron and, riding alone at a gap in a hedge commanded by the enemy's fire, was immediately killed.
His death took place at the early age of 33, which should be borne in mind in every estimate of his career and character. He was succeeded in the title by his eldest son Lucius, 3rd Viscount Falkland, his male descent becoming extinct in the person of Anthony, 5th viscount, in 1694, when the viscounty passed to Lucius Henry (1687-1730), a descendant of the first viscount and his direct descendants.
Church upon the Blood (Ekaterinburg).
Church upon the Blood in Honor of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land is a Russian Orthodox church in Ekaterinburg built in 2000-2003 on the site where the former Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and several members of his family and household were executed following the Bolshevik Revolution. The church commemorates the Romanov sainthood and its name is identical with that of the Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma, whence the Romanovs came to the Russian throne.
After the February Revolution, Tsar Nicholas II and his family were taken captive and held as prisoners during the Russian Civil War.The Tsar and his family were at first kept at the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoe Selo outside St. Petersburg. Kerensky, leader of the provisional government feared for their safety and moved them to the former Governor's mansion in Tobolsk. Later they were transferred to the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg. Fears of a potential attempt to liberate them grew. The Soviet revolutionaries holding them captive decided to execute the imperial family.[ In the early hours of July 17, 1918, the entire imperial family, Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of Russia were taken to the cellar of the Ipatiev House and executed.
The Ipatiev House, built in the 1880s, was a spacious and modern home owned by a
man named Nicholas Ipatiev. The Ural Soviet gave him two days' notice to leave; after Ipatiev's departure, the Soviet built high walls around the house. On April 30th, the Romanov family were moved into what became their final residence, where they lived for 78 days. In 1974, the mansion was designated a "national monument"; but three years later, on September 22, 1977, the Soviet government demolished the house, probably to prevent its attracting crowds of foreign visitors.
Ekaterinburg's "Church upon the Blood," is built on the spot where the last Tsar and his family were executed. On September 20, 1990, the Sverdlovsk Soviet handed the plot to the Russian Orthodox Church for construction of a memorial chapel. After the last Tsar's canonisation, the Church planned to build an impressive memorial complex dedicated to the Romanov family. A state commission was gathered and architectural as well as funding plans were developed. Construction began in 2000. The completed complex comprises two churches, a belfry, a patriarchal annex, and a museum dedicated to the imperial family. It covers a total of 29,700 square feet. The main church was consecrated by hierarchs from all over Russia on 16 June 2003, 85 years after the execution of the Tsar and his family.
One of my Grandsons , and their family Cat , discussing tactics ! For the rest of the school half-term holiday .
Harlow , Essex .
Tuesday 29th-October-2019 .
Photo by my Daughter , please respect her Copyright
A candidate plots points on a map he must find at a night land navigation course during the Expert Field Medical Badge competition in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sept. 8. Before the EFMB candidates take the actual testing they all must go through the standardization phase. During this portion the service members are taught what they must do at each of the different lanes so they understand what to expect before the actual testing phase. Passing rates for the badge range from 5-25 percent of candidates, making the EFMB a distinctive mark in a Soldier's records. About us: U.S. Army Europe is uniquely positioned to advance American strategic interests across Eurasia and has unparalleled capability to prevent conflict, shape the environment and, if necessary, win decisively. The relationships we build during 1000 theater security cooperation events in more than 40 countries each year lead directly to support for multinational contingency operations around the world, strengthen regional partnerships, and enhance global security. (photo by Sgt. Michael Reinsch, U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs)
You'll see him soon in PRELUDE TO FAME with Guy Rolfe, Kathleen Byron and Kathleen Ryan
Magazine cutting from Picturegoer : The National Film Weekly (Alan Ladd cover), Week ending April 29, 1950. Every Thursday. Threepence.
The photographs were taken by the stills photographer Ian Jeayes.
Bought from an eBay seller in Wardle, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom.
Jeremy Spenser (1937-), British actor, active 1948-1967.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelude_to_Fame
C. A. Lejeune, The Observer, 7 May 1950:
"The film is based on a story by Aldous Huxley called Young Archimedes. It is about a small boy, an Italian farmer's son, who turns out to be a musical prodigy. But for that light chance that touches off the direction of an artist from his earliest years, he might have been a poet. He is not a creator, but an interpreter. His ear picks out the concert of everyday sounds, and correlates the beat of a passing train with the rhythmic crowing of cocks and the whisper of wind in the grass. There is nothing fancy about this idea. Test it for yourself. Sit quite still for a moment, and listen. You will find the inner ear is filled with layer upon layer of sound. I am writing, for instance, beside a gas stove in a room with a wide open window. I can hear, at one and the same time, the faint hiss of gas, the bark of a dog, the mad song of innumerable birds, the distant drone of an aeroplane, a man crying rag-and-bones, a motor-car changing gear: my subconscious mind is bothered with a half-remembered tune, and my conscious mind is trying to compose words into some sort of dominant theme. By nature, we are all living in the heart of a vast orchestral score. But only a few of us, by special gift or training, can hope to make musical order out of it.
The small hero of Prelude to Fame has this natural gift. Rich patrons give him the training to develop it. He becomes the most celebrated child conductor in the world, but suddenly the strain gets too much for him, and he wants either to kill himself or go home. He goes home, leaving the nastiest of his rich patrons fulminating.
The child and the music are the main things, and in all that concerns them I cannot find a fault. A small boy called Jeremy Spenser plays the musical prodigy and manages to be wholly convincing without being in any way a blot. All children are natural mimics, but it is an unusually talented or receptive child who can simulate an intellectual passion. This child does just that. It is highly improbable that Jeremy Spenser could actually conduct the Royal Philharmonic or the San Carlo Theatre Orchestra with success. The impression of the film is that he could and that is all that matters.
Muir Mathieson, the best man of music that British films have permanently employed, makes sure that the musical basis is sound. It is very clear indeed that the score of Prelude to Fame has been built up, deliberately, by a man who knows what's what. He doesn't believe in the fiction of musical groundings. He doesn't kow-tow to the foibles of musical highbrows. He contrives his film music-plot, from Neapolitan love-songs to Weber to Bach to Beethoven to Borodin, with a truly magnificent sense of drama. His best job, and the picture's is to grant a good orchestra the courtesy of allowing them to play the 'Oberon' overture without interruption. This passage of Prelude to Fame, wonderfully cut, beautifully played, with the child conducting in an apparent glory of possession, is so right that I should like to see it carved out of the heart of an inconspicuous picture and kept for posterity."
Starring Craig Stevens, William Hopper, Alix Talton, Donald Randolph, Pat Conway, Florenz Ames, Paul Smith, Phil Harvey, Floyd Simmons, Paul Campbell, Helen Jay, Keith Aldrich, William A. Forester, and Paul Frees. Directed by Nathan Juran.
This movie is more in line with the stereotype of low-budget 50s sci-fi. It has a good deal of stock footage, modest special effects for a rampaging monster, mediocre acting and a formulaic plot. Universal, which usually produced above-average sci-fi movies, had a less impressive offering in The Deadly Mantis (DM). Nonetheless, DM is the next in line in the notorious "big bug" sub-genre begun by Them! and the giant ants in 1954.
Plot Synopsis
Seismic activity dislodges a giant praying mantis, frozen in arctic ice since pre-historic times. A mystery builds (though the viewer knows) as to what could have destroyed an arctic radar outpost, crashes a cargo plane and terrorizes an eskimo village. A paleontologist is called in by the Air Force to explain a 5 foot long claw tip found at a wreck site. He eventually identifies it as coming from a gigantic praying mantis which he theorizes was prehistoric -- like the mammoth -- which got quick frozen. The mantis is flying south to find the tropics. Along the way it leaves destruction as it eats people. It arrives in Washington DC. I proves invulnerable to ordinary weapons fire, but flies away to the north east. Before it can reach New York City, a jet fighter collides with it in flight. The pilot bails out. The mantis, hurt, flies down and crawls into the Manhattan Tunnel on the Newark side. The army fills the tunnel with smoke to, perhaps, sedate the monster (like bees) and as visual cover for the team going in. Colonel Parkman leads a team in, wearing full body gas suits. They have small arms and three nerve gas grenades. The find the mantis, still plenty strong. The first grenade doesn't stop it. The second slows it down, and eventually causes it to collapse onto the wrecked cars. It's dead. A closing of it's giant arms towards the female lead provides a last bit of suspense, but it's still dead. Cue trite romantic ending. The End.
Despite it's low budget and almost oppressive documentary overlays, DM is a good example of the classic "big bug" sub-genre. See more in the Notes Section. Another small joy is hearing Paul Frees as the uncredited narrator of the documentary sections. Such a great classic narrator voice.
For a change, the big bug is not the result of careless nuclear tests. Instead, the giant mantis is a surrogate for soviet bombers. You'll even hear the General telling the public that the Mantis's flight sounds like a group of bombers. Note how much of the film trumpets America's three lines of radar defenses in the north, all the scrambled jet fighters and in-flight footage. Note too, the lauding of the Civilian Observer Corps with private citizens manning their rooftops to scan the skies for enemy planes. Almost the whole movie is a big pep rally for how ready America is to detect and intercept any hostile bombers coming from over the north pole (i.e. the U.S.S.R.) Whether the film was intended to make Americans feel safe, or to impress the Soviets, it still amounts to a long infomercial on American air defense.
The giant mantis is fourth in the line of the big bug sub-genre. First were the giant ants of Them! ('54). Second was the giant spider in Tarantula ('55). Third were the giant grasshoppers in Beginning of the End ('57). Our giant mantis was definitely more suited to villainy than the grasshoppers. She would be followed by scorpions, another spider, slugs and leeches -- not technically insects, but in the same vein.
Much of DM reads as in infomercial for the Strategic Air Command. They brag for many long minutes of stock footage about the three lines of defensive radar and all the work men and women went through to build it. They're clearly selling the radar defense lines. DM is almost more about how great our radar is, than it is about a giant bug. (see next item too)
Much is made of the COC and even more stock footage was supplied showing the noble citizens scanning the skies from the beaches (very Churchillian), and rooftop balconies. One shot clearly shows WWII aircraft profiles on the wall. This was the origin of the COC. In the years before radar, human eyes and ears were needed to form the defensive sensory network. The COC remained active after WWII, as the Cold War geared up. But, truth be told, human eyes were not as much help with high flying jets. DM may be the last hurrah for the COC. A chance to spot the surrogate commie bomber (the Mantis) and help save the nation.
The actual monster in DM is reasonably well done for a low budget movie. You'll note that most of the shots of the articulated model are in so close that you can't see the whole thing. Actuators and strings are out of sight. This works well. The articulated head, with it's pointed mouth is kept on camera for only short bursts. This helps too.
As with many sci-fi monster movies, the producers interject a story thread of romance between two main characters. Perhaps the rule in movie-making back then was that audiences demanded some romantic flavor, no matter what the story. "The End of the World: A love story." Predictably, there is a beautiful unattached woman (Ned's photographer) and the brave Colonel Parkman who commanded the arctic radar base, and then gets to command a squadron of Saber Jets to attack the mantis, then gets to lead the gas grenade squad into the tunnel. That guy had obvious pull with the brass. He was everywhere. As usual, the romantic thread got in the way more than anything.
Bottom line? If you're marathoning big-bug movies, you must watch DM. If you'd like to see a Cold War era movie about soviet bomber metaphor played out, you must watch DM. If you're looking for great acting, or good romance, DM is not for you.
Some of the Arctic scenes in The Deadly Mantis were clumsily culled from the 1933 drama SOS Iceberg and a handful of Air Force training films.
Plotter sketches for a new series. Studio Mode graciously let me use their CNC cutter to do these.
These particular ones are a revisit of the Ornament pieces I did for Darkness Descends. They're not intended for final production since I already have a good format for that series.